#and it involves intense suspicious side-eyeing

[kindlythevoid]

"There seemed to be an understanding between Dernhelm and Elfhelm, the Marshal who commanded the eored in which they were riding.”

Return of the King pg. 101

OH REALLY. IRREGULAR-LOOKING NEWCOMER DERNHELM has an UNDERSTANDING with ELFHELM, THE MARSHAL THEY ARE RIDING UNDER WHO FALLS UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE HOUSE OF EORL. HOW INTERESTING.

[svt-luna]

ʚིᵋ ⋆ GAME CATERERS X SVT ࣪ ! ˓ ౨ৎ ࣪˖ ─── episode 2-1.

Game Caterers x SEVENTEEN

synopsis: Episode 2-1! After failing to eat because of the character quiz, the members of SEVENTEEN are given a chance to win prizes from PD Na’s ‘Super’ Store, they just have to answer more quizzes… and eat lemons (?)

hope this makes you guys smile even a little bit after the announcement of Jeonghan’s official enlistment date 🤍 everything will be fine, he’ll be back in no time!!!

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST

╰౨ৎ fan reactions ╰ ౨ৎ game caterers masterlist

[added captions are in brackets] ღ

bold dialogues are spoken in english ღ

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden light over the open field where the members of SEVENTEEN were taking their break. Some of them had retreated to the cool shade inside the green room, while others preferred to stretch their legs outside, taking in the fresh air. The quiet hum of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter filled the atmosphere, a stark contrast to the intense competition and energy of their earlier activities.

Near the basketball court, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Jeonghan, Luna, Mingaho, and S.Coups strolled leisurely, the rhythmic bounce of a basketball punctuating their casual banter. Mingyu dribbled the ball skillfully, tossing it back and forth with Jeonghan, while the rest watched with amused smiles, occasionally chiming in with playful remarks.

[SEVENTEEN is taking a break]

Not far away, Vernon, Joshua, and Hoshi lingered near PD Na and his team, who were busy setting up a new challenge. Their curious eyes followed every movement as the staff arranged a variety of items— a table, shelves filled with prizes of all kinds, from snacks and toys to more substantial rewards like food packages. The three members exchanged intrigued glances, trying to guess what the upcoming game might involve.

[Wild SEVENTEEN wanders around]

PD Na, the writers, and the rest of the production crew were focused on the task at hand, setting up the elaborate display. The scene was bustling with activity, yet there was an undercurrent of anticipation in the air, as if everyone, from the staff to the members, knew that something exciting was about to unfold.

[CARAT's enemies are doing something suspicious]

Suddenly, the familiar crackle of a megaphone broke through the quiet hum of the surroundings. From his place behind the makeshift prize table, PD Na’s voice rang out, amplified and clear. “SEVENTEEN, do you hear me?”

“Yes!” Vernon, Hoshi, and Joshua, who were already lingering near the table, replied in unison, their voices carrying across the field.

“The store is open for ten minutes. If you need anything, run and get what you need,” PD Na announced with a mischievous grin, knowing the chaos he was about to unleash.

“Yes!” the trio echoed once more, their excitement palpable.

On the other side of the field, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Minghao, S.Coups, Luna, and Jeonghan, who had been slowly making their way towards the action, exchanged knowing glances. The pace of their steps quickened as they anticipated what was coming next.

“It’s first come, first serve,” PD Na added, the challenge now fully set.

The second those words left his mouth, Hoshi, Vernon, and Joshua, who had been hovering near the front, bolted forward, pushing their way to the prize table with a newfound urgency— Vernon placing first, Hoshi placing second, while Joshua was third.

[Somehow they placed 1st and 2nd and 3rd]

Their sudden sprint caught the attention of Dokyeom, who finally made his appearance on the field, his eyes widening as he realized what was happening before placing himself behind Joshua. Meanwhile, Mingyu remained calm, his tall frame allowing him to maintain a leisurely stride as he continued typing on his phone. The benefits of being the tallest in the group meant that he could easily cover the distance in just a few strides.

Behind him, Luna, ever the playful one, decided to take matters into her own hands. With a burst of energy, she jogged up behind Wonwoo, who was just ahead of her, and leaped onto his back. Wonwoo, more than accustomed to her antics, didn’t miss a beat. He grabbed onto her legs, securing her as he broke into a run, his laughter mixing with hers.

“What?” S.Coups asked, already running.

“First come, first server.” PD Na repeated.

Jeonghan and Minghao, not ones to be left behind, also picked up their pace, running toward the prize table, determined to snag the best items before the others. All the while, Mingyu remained unhurried, his attention split between his phone and the scene unfolding before him. His relaxed demeanor was a stark contrast to the frantic energy of the others before he placed himself behind Minghao.

[11 people arrived in no time]

One by one, the rest of the group started trickling in, each one more eager than the last to see what was happening. Seungkwan, who had just emerged from the green room, immediately sensed the buzz in the air. His eyes widened in excitement and slight panic as he hurriedly jogged over to the gathering crowd. "What's going on? Carbo Buldak? What?" he asked, his voice laced with urgency as he tried to get the inside scoop while still catching up.

[All 14 including Dino are here]

Dino, right on Seungkwan’s heels, placed himself at the very end of the line. As he surveyed the lineup in front of him, he asked, “Am I last?”

“I think so,” Seungkwan confirmed, his tone resigned yet still full of curiosity about what awaited them.

['Super' Store opens]

The members have now lined up in front of PD Na’s table in this order: Vernon, Hoshi, Joshua, Dokyeom, Jun, Wonwoo, Luna, S.Coups, Jeonghan, Minghao, Mingyu, Woozi, Seungkwan, and Dino. The line stretched across the field, each member craning their neck to get a better look at what was in store for them.

In front of them, PD Na stood behind a table labeled ‘Super Store,’ his expression one of playful authority. On the table sat a large container filled with folded papers, clearly the key to whatever missions they would face. Next to it, a bowl filled with slices of lemons gleamed ominously in the sunlight. Beside the table were shelves packed with various prizes, ranging from snacks and food to more luxurious appliances and toys, all meticulously arranged to entice the members.

[Starting with general items from the department store]

“We prepared various stuff. If you don’t need anything, you can go rest. If there’s anything you want, pick one mission and succeed in it,” PD Na explained, his voice carrying over the members’ heads as they all leaned in, listening intently.

The members at the back of the line peeked out from their positions, trying to catch a glimpse of the setup. A collective “Ooooh” of excitement rippled through the group as they began to understand the challenge before them.

“Vernon, what would you like?” PD Na asked, starting with the member at the front of the line.

“The luxury tea set,” Vernon answered, gesturing toward the pristine set displayed on the shelf.

“That’s three stars. That’s the price. If you fail, it’s three pieces of lemon,” PD Na explained, finally revealing the purpose of the lemon slices, which had been a source of mystery and apprehension among the members.

[If they fail the mission, they need to pay]

[Have as many lemons as the # of stars on the item you chose]

As realization dawned, the group reacted with a mix of dread and amusement. “It’s one piece of lemon for each star,” Hoshi explained to those at the back of the line, his voice carrying a slight hint of amusement.

[Items in various prices are available]

“But I can’t eat any lemons,” S.Coups groaned, already imagining the sour torture that might await him.

“I can eat lemons no problem,” Jun chimed in confidently, a smirk playing on his lips.

“I love lemons,” Luna declared from her spot behind Wonwoo. She had finally dismounted from his back, now standing on her own two feet but still surrounded by her best friends. S.Coups, who was directly behind her, casually wrapped his arms around her neck, leaning in close, his face right next to hers.

“That’s right. What makes you like it? I can’t— just thinking about it makes my mouth water,” S.Coups confessed, his voice low and close to Luna’s ear.

“It tastes clean,” Luna deadpanned, her tone serious despite the oddity of her statement.

[What?]

S.Coups burst into laughter, unable to contain himself. “What are you talking about?”

“Like air fresheners… you know… clean?” Luna giggled as she tried to explain, her logic making perfect sense in her head even if it sounded absurd out loud.

S.Coups, still laughing, nudged the side of her face with his forehead, his amusement clear. “Have you tasted air fresheners?” he asked, genuinely concerned.

“No. But the smell… it’s clean and lemony,” Luna insisted, bringing her hands up to gesture as she spoke, her eyes wide with sincerity.

[Effects of not eating lunch]

S.Coups just shook his head, still chuckling. “Alright,” he said, letting it go but clearly entertained by the entire exchange.

As the excitement around the ‘Super’ Store grew, PD Na addressed the gathered members with a broad grin, “Is there anything you want?”

“Yes!” they chorused, voices overlapping in eagerness as the members in the back shifted to the sides, trying to get a closer look at the prizes. Their collective enthusiasm was palpable, each member already eyeing what they might want to claim.

“Joshua, what do you want?” PD Na asked, directing his attention to Joshua, who stood near the front of the line.

“I want the Dyson hair dryer,” Joshua responded confidently, his eyes gleaming at the prospect of getting his hands on such a coveted item.

Before Joshua’s words had fully settled, both Luna and Seungkwan exclaimed in unison, “That’s mine!”

“I was eyeing it too,” Hoshi added, his tone a mix of playful rivalry and genuine desire.

PD Na, sensing the brewing competition, chuckled and added fuel to the fire. “You might want the same item. The person who takes it first gets to keep it.”

“It’s first come, first serve,” Dokyeom reiterated, the rules sinking in as Luna pouted, her chances of snagging the hair dryer seemingly dwindling with every second. She knew that with her position in the middle of the line, one of the members at the front would likely snatch it up before she had a chance.

“What do you want?” Minghao asked him, his curiosity piqued by Mingyu’s interest.

“The golf club,” Mingyu said without hesitation, his eyes locking onto the sleek set displayed prominently.

“I’m taking it,” Wonwoo interjected, a hint of challenge in his voice.

“Aigo,” Luna teased Mingyu, giggling to herself. The playful exchange between the members was as much a part of the game as the prizes themselves. She couldn’t resist poking fun at Mingyu, her laughter light and infectious.

Mingyu turned to give her a look— a mix of mock annoyance and amusement that only deepened her giggles. She playfully avoided eye contact, her gaze darting around the field as if suddenly interested in anything but him. The act was enough to draw laughter from Wonwoo, who pointed at Luna, enjoying the little moment as much as S.Coups and Jeonghan, who were both chuckling along.

Woozi, ever the practical one, casually stepped away from his spot in the line and settled into one of the chairs set up to the side. He crossed his arms and leaned back, a small smirk playing on his lips as he observed the lively scene before him. “I should watch first,” he said, his voice calm and unhurried.

PD Na, noticing Woozi’s retreat, called out with a hint of curiosity, “Woozi, are you giving up?”

Woozi shook his head, still relaxed in his seat. “I’m not materialistic. I’m going to watch first,” he explained with a nonchalant wave of his hand, signaling that he was content to sit back and let the others scramble.

“You want to watch first and join later?” PD Na pressed, intrigued by Woozi’s strategy.

“Yes,” Woozi confirmed, giving a slight nod. The way he said it, so matter-of-factly, drew a few chuckles from the staff nearby.

As Woozi declared his lack of materialism, the rest of the members were anything but. They were all busy eyeing the prizes, their heads bent together as they muttered among themselves, assessing their options and plotting their next moves.

[Some members are more materialistic than others]

PD Na turned his attention to Dino, who was at the end of the line, seemingly less intense in his desire for a prize. “Dino, do you want the razors?” PD Na asked a playful edge in his voice.

Dino glanced at the razor set and then back at PD Na, a confident grin spreading across his face. “I think no one’s going to take it. That’s mine for sure,” he said, the certainty in his tone making the others laugh.

“How many blades?” Seungkwan asked, his curiosity getting the better of him as he moved over to inspect the razors, Dino following close behind. “This is bad. It’s three blades,” Seungkwan reported with mock seriousness, his brow furrowing as he considered the implications.

“Then he won’t take it,” Jeonghan teased from his spot in line, a knowing smile on his face.

“He uses five blades or more,” Seungkwan added the mock concern in his voice causing another wave of laughter to ripple through the group.

“He’ll choose the alcohol instead. Watch.” Luna said, brushing the hair that was flying on her face because of the wind.

“Then I’ll take Chamisul,” Dino decided with a shrug, his choice of alcohol over razors eliciting even more laughter from his members.

[He's firm]

“See?” Luna said.

[And she’s right]

“All he needs is alcohol and a razor,” Wonwoo quipped, shaking his head in amusement at Dino’s simple yet perfectly logical desires.

[Dino's going through adolescence]

As the members continued to debate and joke about their prize choices, Minghao took a deep breath, his eyes sweeping over the clear blue sky. “It’s nice weather. This is what you call a gift,” he commented, his voice reflective as he enjoyed the cool breeze that had settled over the field.

Jeonghan, hearing Minghao’s philosophical take on the situation, scoffed out a laugh, finding the whole moment— filled with both lighthearted banter and genuine appreciation— hilarious and somehow quintessentially very on-brand.

[‘Super' Store's first customer is Vernon]

Vernon, who stood first in line, stared at the array of folded papers on the table in front of him. Among the mostly white slips, a lone pink paper caught his eye. His curiosity piqued, and with a small furrow in his brow, he asked, “There’s only one pink. Is that a special mission?”

PD Na leaned over the table, arms crossed, his face betraying nothing. “You never know,” he said cryptically, “You have to see it for yourself.”

S.Coups, standing further back in the line, craned his neck to peek over Vernon’s shoulder, instantly egging him on. “Vernon, choose pink!” His encouragement sparked a ripple effect, and soon the other members joined in, playfully urging Vernon to take the mysterious pink slip.

Luna, however, scrunched her nose in doubt. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she muttered, her tone wary but still lighthearted.

Vernon’s lips twitched into a curious smile. “I’m curious,” he admitted, his hand hovering above the papers for a moment before decisively picking the pink one. He handed it over to PD Na with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

[He picks the one and only pink mission]

PD Na unfolded the paper slowly, teasing out the suspense, before revealing its contents. He raised an eyebrow and announced, “Vernon’s special item... it's a dud.”

Vernon’s eyes widened in shock as PD Na showed him the slip, confirming his misfortune. The nearest members— Hoshi and Joshua— burst into laughter at his defeat, their teasing louder than the rest.

“That was so obvious,” PD Na teased, shaking his head. “Go to the end of the line.”

Vernon, still processing what had just happened, walked to the back of the line in disbelief. “What did you do?” Jeonghan asked with a chuckle, watching Vernon as he passed.

[He didn't do anything]

“It’s just a dud,” Vernon answered, his voice dazed as he fell into place at the end of the line.

“Told you,” Luna muttered, leaning against Wonwoo and absentmindedly tapping his back like a drum, her smug expression barely contained.

Next up was Hoshi. With a determined gleam in his eye, he confidently selected his mission paper and breezed through the quiz, securing his prize— the coveted Dyson hair dryer. His victory crushed both Luna and Seungkwan’s chances, the two of them deflating in mock despair.

“But that’s mine!” Seungkwan groaned, his eyes following the sleek dryer as it moved out of reach.

Joshua, however, fared just as well as Hoshi. He nailed his mission with ease and chose a box of alcohol as his prize, earning cheers from the others.

[Joshua who also lost the Dyson, purchases a box of Chamisul to get rid of the bitter taste in his mouth]

Next up was Dokyeom, whose usual sunny disposition remained intact as he picked his mission. To everyone’s delight, he passed with flying colors and beamed as he reached for his chosen prize— a bunny plushie from ‘Earth Arcade’.

[Next customer is Jun]

As Jun approached the table, he confidently selected his prize— bathroom slippers— without a second thought.

PD Na, looking somewhat surprised, commented, "I mean, this isn’t what I expected at all." He chuckled, realizing that three members had successfully claimed prizes consecutively.

Jun, unbothered, shrugged. "I'm not good at games," he admitted, though his face showed determination.

PD Na unfolded the mission paper and asked, "Do you think you can do this?"

“What?” Jun blinked, unsure of what the task was until PD Na revealed the slip, reading aloud, "Lift the soccer ball more than ten times."

Immediately, the reactions from the members came flooding in. Wonwoo burst out laughing, while Jeonghan exclaimed, "Wow," and Luna, with a laugh of her own, said, "It’s too windy."

And she wasn’t wrong. The wind had picked up considerably, making their hair whip around wildly. Jun’s hoodie flapped in the breeze as S.Coups, standing behind Luna, found himself getting a faceful of her hair. Chuckling, he gently patted her hair down, trying to tame it.

"He can never do it." Woozi declared from his seat, shaking his head.

“You’re guaranteed to get a lemon,” Dokyeom teased, while Woozi added, "You can bet all the prizes."

Jun’s expression shifted into something more comical as he started practicing different movements. “What do I do?” he asked aloud, testing whether to use his knee or foot to lift the ball. His exaggerated movements had the group in stitches.

"He’s really bad with a ball," Dokyeom commented, half-laughing, half-groaning.

[Do all you can to kick it 10 times]

"As long as you don’t use your hands," Mingyu explained, grinning, as Jun gingerly picked up the soccer ball. But instead of following through with the proper kick-up technique, Jun placed the ball on his hoodie and began bouncing it like it was a trampoline.

[What are you doing?]

“That’s not going to work,” PD Na remarked, grinning.

[You got the wrong place]

“This isn’t ‘Going Seventeen’,” Jeonghan chuckled knowing that they had more freedom to cheat in any way they desired in their own show.

[Translation: That's what they do on 'Going Seventeen’]

Wonwoo joined in, laughing. "If this were ‘Going Seventeen’, we would have done that."

“Try it like this. Believe in yourself.” Seungkwan chimed from the side.

“It’s okay even if you can’t do it.” Jeonghan said.

“Fighting!” Luna said.

[The world thinks SEVENTEEN is athletic]

[But that's not true]

Jun finally readied himself, positioning the ball correctly. The members watched closely, all eyes on him as they began counting aloud, “1…”

But before anyone could even get to two, the ball rolled off Jun’s foot, falling to the ground immediately. The group exploded into laughter as Vernon clapped enthusiastically from the back.

[Failed just as expected]

“You’re terrible,” Mingyu teased, unable to hide his grin.

Jun, laughing at his own failure, shrugged and walked over to the other side where PD Na stood waiting with the inevitable lemons. “You like lemons.” S.Coups teased, still amused.

[The 1st customer to eat the lemon]

Jun laughed as he accepted his fate, preparing to eat the lemons as he sat down next to Woozi as the game went on.

[Next is Wonwoo]

Wonwoo stepped up next, his eyes set on the shelf. “I want the golf club,” he said firmly.

[The big spender]

PD Na looked intrigued and gestured towards it. “Why don’t you try it out first?”

Wonwoo smiled but clarified, “It’s not for me. My dad just started playing golf.”

As he made his way toward the golf club and lifted it, Luna let out a soft, “Cute.”

“He’s a good son,” S.Coups added, watching with an approving smile.

[He plans to give it to his father if he succeeds]

Mingyu examined the club from a distance and nodded, “It’s a nice club.”

“My dad started playing,” Wonwoo repeated proudly, clearly thinking of giving it to him.

PD Na then asked, “Anyone else here play golf?”

Immediately, S.Coups and Mingyu raised their hands, while Luna playfully pointed at Jeonghan, who had his hands tucked in his pockets behind her. Wonwoo and Minghao also gestured to the three, highlighting their golfing experience.

PD Na, noticing the others, chuckled and told Wonwoo. “People in the back are glaring at you.”

Mingyu, always quick to tease, grinned, “Have four pieces of lemon.”

Before Wonwoo could respond, Luna shot back at Mingyu, grinning, “Leave him alone. Buy your own golf club.”

Mingyu pouted at her remark, while the others— Jeonghan, S.Coups, Wonwoo, and even PD Na— laughed, amused at Luna’s quick wit.

Wonwoo, having eyed the prizes with a steely determination, finally turned his attention to the folded papers. With a steady hand, he picked one and handed it over to PD Na, who unfurled it with a sly smile.

[Will he get to be a good son?]

"It's the Forehead Quiz," PD Na announced, holding up the slip for everyone to see.

Immediately, Mingyu perked up with curiosity. "Is it new?" he asked.

"It's new," PD Na confirmed, glancing around at the group. "You’ll have to identify your members by just their foreheads. Guess whose it is."

The members let out a collective sound of surprise and amusement. "I might have a chance," S.Coups said, cracking a grin.

Luna, always ready with a playful quip, peeked over Wonwoo’s shoulder, her chin barely resting on him. "It’ll be easy if you get me," she teased, her laughter bubbling up.

[Only female member]

Wonwoo chuckled softly, "That's true."

But Luna wasn't done. With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she whispered to him, "I don’t think he’ll give you me, though. That’d be too easy."

Despite her playful demeanor, Wonwoo seemed uncertain. "I'm not great at remembering appearances," he admitted with a shrug.

Beside PD Na, one of the writers began preparing four slices of lemon into a cup, just in case Wonwoo failed. Jeonghan couldn’t resist laughing at the sight. "There are four already," he teased, his voice light with amusement.

"Alright," PD Na interjected, ready to start the game. "Guess who it is among your members."

Wonwoo steeled himself for the challenge as PD Na reached beneath the table to reveal the first picture.

"Don’t tell him." PD Na warned the rest of the members, who were now gathered around Wonwoo, their eyes wide with curiosity.

“No one's going to tell him.” S.Coups declared, a grin pulling at his lips. "We all want the golf club."

As S.Coups said this, Jeonghan silently gestured toward Luna, who was still close to Wonwoo, her proximity implying she could easily help him out. She didn’t care about the golf club, after all.

[Spotted their target]

Before Luna could take advantage of the moment, S.Coups gently wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her toward him with a soft tug. She shot him a look, just about to protest, but Jeonghan was quicker. He covered her mouth with his hand, stifling any attempt she might make to give Wonwoo the answer. Luna turned her head and glared playfully at the notorious game cheater, knowing she'd been defeated this time. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she accepted her fate, her gaze bouncing between Jeonghan and S.Coups.

[Cheaters vs. Cheaters]

PD Na finally held up the photo, which is a close-up of a forehead. "1, 2, 3," he counted down counted down.

[Handsome forehead]

"Mingyu," Wonwoo answered immediately, without a moment of hesitation.

They all went silent for a split second, the shock palpable. Even Mingyu blinked in surprise, “Wow. That’s me.” he said in disbelief.

Luna, still holding Jeonghan’s hand to her mouth, managed to pull it down but continued to grip it, eyes still on the photo. "He’s right," she confirmed, her voice laced with disbelief. She turned toward Wonwoo, impressed. "You got it."

PD Na’s voice rang through the air as he announced, "Correct!" The simple word echoed, followed by a brief pause before the group erupted. Wonwoo, not one for wild celebrations, still raised both his hands in victory, grinning broadly as he said, “Yay!” His subtle but satisfied response only made the situation more amusing, while the rest of the group marveled at his surprising success.

Dokyeom joined in with his usual animated energy, gesturing toward the photo. "That looks like S.Coups," he said, still convinced it wasn't Mingyu’s forehead after all.

Jeonghan, always keen on stirring the pot, quickly backed up Dokyeom’s observation. "I thought that was S.Coups too."

But Luna shook her head, determined as ever. "No. It's totally Mingyu," she argued, standing her ground.

[Seventeen can recognize each other just from seeing the forehead]

As Wonwoo stood there processing his correct guess, he offered an explanation, voice calm but amused. "I thought that was either S.Coups or Mingyu."

"I thought it was S.Coups from the eyebrows," Jeonghan added, his usual sharp tone now laced with a hint of curiosity.

PD Na, still processing the unexpected turn of events, pulled out the full picture for the final reveal. He unfolded it slowly, drawing out the suspense before finally showing the entire face, confirming that it was, indeed, Mingyu.

Wonwoo, still stunned by his successful guess, clapped his hands together. "Wow. How did I get it?" he asked, half-joking but genuinely shocked by his good fortune.

Jeonghan and Luna, standing nearby, simultaneously congratulated him, both saying, “Congratulations!” in unison. Their shared response, so perfectly timed, made them laugh, as it often happened between the two of them.

Without wasting another second, Wonwoo made his way toward the prize table. His eyes lit up with satisfaction as he reached for the golf club— the very item he’d had his sights set on from the start. The moment his hand wrapped around the handle, Mingyu couldn’t resist adding his own brand of commentary.

[Wonwoo wins the golf club]

“He’s handsome. He’s good-looking,” Mingyu said, his tone dripping with playful self-praise as he pointed to the photo of his forehead. His compliments earned a hearty laugh from PD Na, who shook his head at the shamelessness of it all.

As the rest of the members watched Wonwoo stand there with the golf club, Mingyu’s teasing voice cut through the murmurs of amusement. "That's not durable enough for your father," he said, feigning concern but with a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

The moment Mingyu said it, Jeonghan and S.Coups immediately jumped in with synchronized agreement. “He can’t play with that,” they both chimed in, gesturing toward Wonwoo and the club. Their antics were met with laughter, their playful gestures signaling for Wonwoo to put the club back.

Luna, standing to the side, shook her head at their constant teasing, chuckling softly. "Ya, you guys are something else," she said, voice light with amusement, a smile tugging at her lips.

[Sympathetic bunny]

In his usual calm and unbothered manner, Wonwoo merely shrugged, offering an innocent response. “I’ll let him decide,” he said, his genuine tone making the group laugh again.

[He really cares about his father]

Wonwoo, seemingly unaffected by all the teasing, made his way toward the winners’ area and took a seat next to Woozi, who glanced at the golf club before offering some advice. "If your father doesn’t like it, sell it to them," Woozi said, a mischievous glint in his eye as he gestured toward Jeonghan, Mingyu, and S.Coups.

A thoughtful expression crossed Wonwoo’s face before he nodded. “That’s a good idea,” he agreed.

[The next customer is bunny no. 1]

It was finally Luna’s turn, and she stepped forward with a determined look, her eyes sweeping over the prizes on display. Almost immediately, her gaze landed on the three boxes of Lego sets displayed in all their intricate glory. Her eyes twinkled with excitement; it was no secret to her members that she had an obsession with Legos, and one particular set caught her eye. She pointed toward the box she wanted, the Disney Castle, its grandeur sparking an obvious desire.

“I want the Lego— the Disney Castle,” Luna declared, her voice brimming with a mix of excitement and longing.

[Another big spender]

From behind S.Coups, Jeonghan leaned forward, an amused grin spreading across his face as he took in her choice. “You don’t have that one yet,” he acknowledged, his teasing tone light but sincere, watching her with a knowing smile.

Luna hummed in confirmation, giving him a small nod as she swirled her hand around the bucket of folded papers. Her fingers danced over each one before she selected a slip, pulling it out with anticipation. Handing it to PD Na, she awaited her fate. PD Na opened the slip, quickly scanning the words before turning to Luna, mock sympathy playing across his features. “Aigoo, can you do this?” he asked, his tone laced with exaggerated concern.

Luna blinked, confusion knitting her brows together. “What?” she asked, slightly wary.

“Times table,” PD Na announced, holding up the paper for everyone to see. The words seemed to hang in the air, and Luna’s jaw dropped slightly as she stared at it, the realization dawning on her.

The members around her exploded in various reactions— some shocked, others cheering her on. S.Coups and Dokyeom laughed while Wonwoo nodded in encouragement. Hoshi could barely contain his amusement, clapping his hands as he rocked back and forth.

“You can do it,” Jeonghan encouraged from his spot, his voice soft but supportive.

Luna raised an eyebrow in disbelief, shaking her head slightly as she deadpanned, “Wow. They got fun little quizzes and games, and once it got to me, it’s math all of a sudden.” Her tone was dry and unimpressed, her sarcastic remark making the entire group laugh heartily, even PD Na couldn’t hide his chuckle.

[She hates math the absolute most]

“You can do it. You’re good at math,” Wonwoo commented from his seat, offering his usual calm reassurance.

PD Na smiled at her before picking up a card from the writer beside him. “Alright. I’ll give you a question, and you must answer within three seconds,” he explained, his voice taking on the serious tone of a quizmaster.

“Are you ready?” he asked, locking eyes with her.

“Yes,” Luna said, taking a deep breath, her face focused as she prepared herself.

PD Na barely glanced at the card before he announced, “17 x 17.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Luna answered confidently, “289,” without hesitation, her voice cutting through the silence like a sharp knife.

A stunned silence followed, everyone too shocked to react immediately. Even PD Na looked momentarily taken aback before finally finding his voice. “Correct!” he exclaimed, raising his hand to applaud her quick thinking.

[She is somehow good at the thing she hates]

The members erupted into cheers, all in amazement at her swift and accurate answer. Their reactions were a mixture of awe and admiration, as compliments echoed through the group.

“She’s smart!” S.Coups exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Wow, she’s amazing,” Hoshi added, his voice filled with respect as he clapped excitedly.

Jeonghan, standing close by, decided to make it official. “Clap!” he announced dramatically, waving his hand toward the others as if commanding them to celebrate her victory properly. The entire group burst into a round of enthusiastic applause, their hands coming together in a loud, appreciative chorus.

Luna’s face lit up with a smile, her confidence shining through as she skipped her way over to the prize table. Her eyes locked on the box of Lego she had chosen earlier— the Disney Castle. She pulled it toward her, wrapping her arms around it in a tight hug, grinning widely as the excitement bubbled up inside her.

[Wins a prize on her first try]

“Yay!” she cheered, her voice sweet and triumphant as she made her way toward the right side of the area, where the winners were sitting and watching with their prizes. The massive box was almost comically large against her petite frame, but Luna didn’t seem to mind one bit. She had gotten exactly what she wanted, and the smile on her face told everyone that this small victory was enough to make her day.

After Luna had made her triumphant skip back to her seat with her coveted Lego set, the focus shifted to the next contestant— S.Coups. His eyes scanned over the prizes, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he sized up the options. After a moment of deliberation, he made his choice, eyes locking onto one of the more understated prizes.

"I’ll take the golf balls," S.Coups declared, pointing at the sleek box on display.

Jeonghan, who was still watching the proceedings closely, commented with an appreciative nod. “I like how they have all our logos on them,” he said, inspecting the design from a distance. His tone had that casual admiration that often came when something caught his eye.

[There are logos from every album]

S.Coups grinned, clearly satisfied with his choice. “I can’t use them anyway,” he admitted with a laugh, glancing over his shoulder at the other members. “I’m going to put them on display at home.”

PD Na, who had been rifling through his question cards, interrupted their banter with a slightly ominous tone. “It’s another 4-star question,” he said, emphasizing the difficulty level, making a few members wince in sympathy.

S.Coups shifted nervously, rubbing his hands together. “I can’t eat lemons, what do I do?” he muttered, half to himself.

Without missing a beat, Mingyu chimed in from his spot in line, “Just eat the lemons,” his teasing tone prompting light laughter from the members.

PD Na unfolded the paper that S.Coups had handed him and, with an enthusiastic flourish, announced, “It’s the Capital Quiz!”

The disbelief on S.Coups’ face was immediate and palpable. “Oh, I don’t know anything,” he said, his voice tinged with panic.

“You’re out,” Mingyu teased, peeking out from his spot with a mischievous grin.

Woozi joined in, shaking his head. “He can never get it,” he said with confidence.

“He can never do it,” Joshua added, his eyes gleaming with playful anticipation.

Dokyeom, laughing from beside Luna, added his own cheeky input, “Enjoy the lemon.”

PD Na, looking like he was thoroughly enjoying himself, turned to the rest of the group. “Do you all know each other's weaknesses?” he asked, clearly already knowing the answer.

“Oh, of course,” they replied in unison, nodding with mock solemnity.

PD Na chuckled, then turned back to S.Coups with a pitying look. “I’ll make it easy for you,” he said, his voice full of exaggerated empathy as he readied the question. “What’s the capital city of Indonesia?”

Without thinking, S.Coups blurted out, “Kuala Lumpur.”

There was a beat of silence before Jeonghan, standing behind him, gently shoved him in disbelief. “Jakarta!” he scolded, his voice brimming with disappointment.

Mingyu shook his head, equally exasperated. “You’ve been there so many times before. We had a concert tour there!” he added his tone a mix of amusement and disappointment.

From where she sat, Luna, her head leaning comfortably on Dokyeom’s shoulder, chimed in, her voice laced with dry amusement, “He gave him an easy one.” Dokyeom, unable to contain his laughter, doubled over, his whole body shaking with mirth.

“Jakartan CARATs are going to cry,” Dokyeom said, shaking his head at S.Coups.

Hoshi, who had been thinking aloud, turned to the others. “Wasn’t Jakarta the last stop for ‘Be The Sun’?” he asked, glancing at Wonwoo, who nodded in confirmation.

“Indonesian CARATs…” Seungkwan trailed off before being cut off by Mingyu.

Mingyu nudged S.Coups in the arm, pointing toward the camera. “You need to apologize.”

With a resigned sigh, S.Coups turned toward the camera, looking genuinely remorseful. “Dear Jakartan CARATs, I’m sorry,” he said with a small wave of his hand.

As he headed over to the seats with his cup of lemons, S.Coups muttered under his breath, “Gosh, I can’t eat any lemon,” already dreading the sourness. He picked one up hesitantly, eyeing it as if it were his mortal enemy, and finally bit into it. The reaction was immediate. His face scrunched up in distaste, and he flinched at the overwhelming sourness. “I’m crying,” he exclaimed, his voice filled with exaggerated misery.

Watching him struggle, Luna’s expression softened. She extended her hand toward him, offering a bit of comfort. “We’ll share it,” she said with a gentle smile.

S.Coups looked at her in disbelief. “Really?” he asked, his voice tinged with hope.

Luna simply nodded, still holding out her hand. With no hesitation, S.Coups handed her one of the lemon slices from his cup. “Give me two,” she said with a grin. “You can have the last two.”

[Bunny no. 1 hates math but loves lemons]

He handed her another slice, chuckling despite himself. “I love you,” he said in mock sincerity, clearly grateful for the gesture.

Luna chuckled as well, easily biting into the lemon without flinching. “Love you too,” she muttered, her attention already drifting back to the game as she continued to watch the rest of the members with amusement.

With S.Coups recovering from the tart aftermath of the lemons, it was Jeonghan’s turn next. He stepped forward, surveying the prizes, his sharp gaze settling on the golf ball set that had been catching the attention of many. "I'll try the golf ball set," he said decisively, pointing toward it.

PD Na looked up with a hint of curiosity. "The golf balls?" he asked, seeking confirmation.

"Yes," Jeonghan responded with a nod. But as he prepared to commit to his choice, a flicker of longing crossed his face as remembered the Dyson, a prize he had been eyeing earlier. His usual mischievous glint returned as he swept his long hair back with a practiced flick of his hand. "Gosh, Dyson. I'm so jealous," he mused aloud, almost wistfully.

This moment of honesty didn’t escape Mingyu, who, ever the opportunist, saw it as his chance for some playful negotiation. "Can I steal Dyson for eight pieces of lemon?" he asked PD Na with a grin, making the entire group laugh, including PD Na.

[What a brilliant idea]

While everyone enjoyed Mingyu’s antics, his attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere. Turning toward the left, Mingyu’s eyes lit up, and with genuine awe in his voice, he commented, "Wow, you two look so cool." His words immediately piqued the curiosity of the others, and one by one, the members shifted their gaze in the same direction. Their playful exclamations of amazement followed as they saw both Luna and Hoshi seated comfortably on the clean, trimmed grass. With their prizes neatly arranged in front of them, the two were a picture of relaxation and quiet contentment, watching the proceedings from a distance.

[Jealous] [The winners are laid back]

"It's awesome," Hoshi chimed in playfully, squinting up at the sun before dramatically lifting his head toward the sky. The way he soaked in the sun made Luna burst out laughing, her head tipping back as she joined in on the silliness.

[Joshua joins them with Chamisul]

Not to be left out of the peaceful scene, Joshua strolled over, the box of alcohol he had won still in hand. Without a word, he placed the box down, using it as an impromptu seat as he settled beside them. Hoshi, embracing the lazy atmosphere, laid his head on top of the Dyson he had proudly won.

Luna, ever playful, followed suit, lying down as well, but in her own style. With a teasing smile, she positioned herself so her head rested on Hoshi's stomach, closing her eyes for added comfort. The group marveled at how serene the three of them looked.

“I’ve never won anything like this before,” Joshua admitted, his tone light but with a hint of amazement as he glanced at the prizes.

“Me too,” Luna and Hoshi echoed in unison, their voices harmonizing as they basked in the feeling of victory.

"Dyson is nice," Hoshi added, his voice laced with satisfaction.

As the playful banter from Hoshi, Luna, and Joshua echoed softly in the background, Jeonghan stood up from his spot, walking confidently toward the table. His eyes scanned the bucket of folded paper slips for a moment, and with a swift motion, he plucked one from the pile.

With the slip in hand, he approached PD Na and handed it over, his casual demeanor only adding to the anticipation. PD Na opened the paper, a mischievous smile creeping onto his face before he made the announcement. "It's Commercial Relay," he declared, raising an eyebrow.

Jeonghan’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Commercial Relay?" he repeated, more to himself, his tone shocked and uncertain.

From the back, Seungkwan, ever the playful commentator, called out with no hesitation, “He can never do it!” His words sent ripples of laughter through the group.

Luna, still lying comfortably across Hoshi’s stomach, her fingers lazily tracing shapes in the air, tilted her head up just slightly and chimed in. “That’s your major, Han,” she reminded him with a small smile.

Seungkwan suddenly turned towards Luna, a look of realization dawning on his face as he pointed at her dramatically. "He majored in commercial production," he exclaimed as if he had just remembered something important, the excitement of his discovery clear in his voice.

PD Na, who had been caught off guard by this little revelation, turned to Jeonghan with a questioning look. "Is that your major?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity.

Jeonghan, ever the smooth talker, nodded. “I majored in commercial production," he confirmed, though a mischievous smirk soon followed. "But I don’t watch TV, so…” he trailed off with a chuckle, shrugging nonchalantly.

There was a brief pause, the group hanging on PD Na’s next words as he prepared the cue card, clearly enjoying this back-and-forth. “Alright, finish the phrase," PD Na instructed, ready to test Jeonghan’s knowledge. "'Everyone…'"

Without missing a beat, Jeonghan threw his arms up in mock enthusiasm and shouted brightly, “‘Hello!’” His exaggerated confidence and the completely wrong answer sent the entire group into fits of laughter.

From the back, Seungkwan let out an exaggerated groan, “What?” he scolded playfully, his disappointment palpable as the rest of them continued to laugh.

PD Na grinned widely, shaking his head. “Wrong!” he declared with glee, enjoying the light-hearted atmosphere.

S.Coups, still reeling from the effects of eating a lemon was the first to chime in. “Isn’t it ‘Watch out for cold’?” he guessed, his brows furrowed in thought.

Seungkwan, ever the knowledgeable one, shook his head confidently. “It’s ‘Hope you become rich,’” he stated, clearly pleased with himself for knowing the correct answer.

[Only Seungkwan got it]

Jeonghan, still chuckling at his own mistake, looked around at the members, completely unbothered by his blunder. "Is it not ‘Hello’?" he asked with a laugh, repeating his cheerful action one more time for emphasis.

[Jeonghan's too polite] [Take your lemon]

As PD Na handed Jeonghan his inevitable cup of lemons, Luna, still lounging on Hoshi, couldn’t help but comment. “You’re cute,” she said with a small smile, watching him with an affectionate glint in her eye.

In response, Jeonghan sent her a quick, playful wink before moving to sit down beside Woozi and S.Coups, the cup of lemons in hand. Looking over at S.Coups, Jeonghan leaned in and asked with curiosity, “S.Coups, did you finish yours?” referring to the dreaded lemons.

S.Coups, still struggling with the remnants of his own lemon punishment, looked up at Jeonghan and sighed dramatically. “I had one so far,” he admitted, though his expression turned fond as he added, “Jiyeonie ate two of mine.”

[He had 1 out of 4]

The atmosphere on the trimmed grass was light and relaxed as Luna, Joshua, and Hoshi continued to bask in their small victories. They had comfortably claimed a corner, their winnings neatly arranged in front of them, the warm sunlight gently enveloping them. A staff member, watching their contentment, approached the group and encouraged them, “You should try again.”

Joshua, ever the considerate one, glanced back at the line where several members stood empty-handed and replied, “A lot of them still have nothing.”

Jeonghan, having joined the others, turned to PD Na, his brow furrowed. "Do I have to finish this before I try again?" he asked, holding up his cup of lemons.

PD Na nodded with a grin. “If you finish it, you can try again,” he confirmed, clearly enjoying the challenge.

Luna, who had been casually watching from the grass, perked up. “Can we try again?” she asked one of the nearby staff members, and after a nod of approval, she smiled.

“Then I should try again,” Joshua said, stretching as he stood up. He glanced at Luna and Hoshi, who were still seated comfortably. “Do you want to go for it again?”

Without a word, both Luna and Hoshi stood in unison, a silent agreement passing between them as they walked back to the line, joining the other members still waiting their turn.

[They never said no]

Jeonghan, watching them, caught Hoshi’s eye. “Hoshi,” he called, holding up his cup, “can you help me with one?” He was referring to his lemons, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“Sure,” Hoshi gladly accepted, popping one of the sour fruits into his mouth with ease.

[Sharing the penalty]

With Hoshi’s help, Jeonghan managed to finish his punishment. Relieved, he dusted off his hands and quickly moved to join the back of the line, positioning himself behind Luna as they waited for another chance to win a prize. The breeze carried with it a sense of ease, the mood growing softer with the afternoon sun.

Without a word, Jeonghan slowly reached out, his arms wrapping around Luna’s waist from behind, the soft material of his cardigan brushing against her. Instinctively, Luna leaned back into him, her hands rising to gently caress the fluffy sleeves of his sweater. The fabric felt comforting beneath her fingertips as she absentmindedly stroked the texture.

Jeonghan, playfully ducking his head down, nestled his face into the crook of her neck. His breath tickled her skin, causing Luna to smile faintly, her hand lifting to rake gently through his long, flowing hair. Their connection, quiet and intimate, went unnoticed by most — but for the cameras, it was a different story.

To the casual observer, and likely the cameras capturing the moment, it appeared to be nothing more than a sweet back hug shared between friends. Their long hair, tousled by the wind, cascaded around them, providing a veil of privacy. But hidden beneath that curtain of hair, Jeonghan was stealing quiet kisses on the sensitive skin of Luna’s neck, his lips brushing softly against her in a secret exchange only the two were aware of. The world around them seemed to pause, the rest of the members laughing and chatting while they remained in their quiet little world, waiting patiently for their turn again in the game, unaware of the silent intensity brewing between them.

[Next is Mingyu]

As the next round started, it was finally Mingyu’s turn to face the challenge. His face lit up with anticipation as PD Na drew out his mission slip and announced, “It’s a quiz on common sense.” Immediately, a wave of playful mockery erupted from the other members.

“He’s out! Wrong!” Seungkwan teased from behind, causing the others to chuckle.

“He’s out!” S.Coups added in mock seriousness, shaking his head as if Mingyu had already failed before the question had even been asked.

PD Na, recalling a past ‘HYBE’ special where Mingyu had been notoriously unlucky, laughed at the thought. “Yes, that’s right,” Seungkwan confirmed with a mischievous grin.

Mingyu nodded knowingly. “I went around four times in front of twenty to thirty ‘HYBE’ artists.”

[Taking his lemon in advance]

Seeing the mounting pressure, PD Na decided to give him a bit of a break. “Alright, I’ll give you an easy one. It’s a sample question,” he said, his tone lightening. The other members grew quiet as they waited for the question. “Name three symbols of ‘HYBE’.”

Mingyu answered confidently, “BTS, SEVENTEEN…” but before he could finish, PD Na interrupted.

“Wrong!” PD Na declared, cutting through Mingyu’s sentence.

Mingyu, accepting his fate with grace, simply shrugged and moved to the back of the line, his cup of lemons clutched in one hand.

“You should’ve said Bang Sihyuk and Han Sungsu,” Woozi commented with a knowing look, referring to the key figures who were instrumental in the creation of ‘HYBE’.

Jeonghan, now thoroughly confused, leaned over as Mingyu reached the back. “Why is it wrong?” he asked with a slight frown.

Seungkwan, ever the expert in clarifications, stepped in. “He probably meant what ‘HYBE’ stands for,” he said, watching Mingyu’s expression shift from understanding to exasperation.

Jeonghan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Is there a meaning?” he asked, shocked at the thought.

Mingyu scratched the back of his head and tried to remember. “It’s like… encounter, exchange, and music or something.”

S.Coups chimed in, sounding uncertain. “The exchange of music or something.”

The group fell silent for a moment, digesting the idea, when Hoshi, curious as ever, turned to Jeonghan. “What are three symbols of ‘HYBE’?”

“I don’t know,” Jeonghan replied, his brow furrowed in thought as he shook his head.

Luna, who had been listening quietly from beside Jeonghan, added her own guess, “Isn’t it ‘We believe in music’ or something?”

PD Na, smiling at the members’ collective confusion, finally revealed the correct answer. “It’s connection, expansion, and relationships,” he said with authority.

A wave of realization swept over the group, as they all nodded, murmuring in agreement. “Ahhh…” the members said, drawing out their reaction in unison as they finally understood.

“Keep that in mind,” PD Na advised them with a chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement at their struggle.

Seungkwan, ever the comedian, turned to Mingyu with a playful grin. “We connected, expanded, and established a relationship,” he quipped, making the others burst into laughter as Mingyu shook his head, trying to hold back a smile.

[It's okay. Producer Na doesn't know the symbol of Full moon]

It was Seungkwan's turn, and he stepped up with the usual dramatic flair. His sharp eyes darted toward the prizes, particularly the $100 Shinsegae gift certificate, still unclaimed by anyone. He pointed at it with conviction, voice brimming with incredulity. “I don’t get why no one’s taking the $100 Shinsegae gift certificate. That’s the real deal.”

PD Na, who was already chuckling at Seungkwan’s enthusiasm, couldn't help but agree. “Yes, that’s the good stuff,” he said, smiling widely at Seungkwan's sensible yet overlooked choice.

Seungkwan, confident in his choice of prize, reached for the next slip of paper and handed it over to PD Na.

“A dud,” Jeonghan teased from the back, his arms still wrapped comfortably around Luna, who giggled as she swayed side to side with him. The relaxed and affectionate sway of their bodies mirrored the playful mood around them.

“A dud!” Dokyeom joined in, laughing as well, causing Seungkwan to shake his head, trying to stave off their playful taunts.

“No way, stop lying,” Seungkwan said, disbelief written across his face. His voice carried a mix of denial and slight nervousness, the anticipation of his result catching up with him.

PD Na smiled and flipped the paper over for Seungkwan to see, announcing, “It’s the sample bar exam question.”

Luna, always quick to hear, burst into laughter, her voice ringing clearly across the group. “It might as well be a dud!” she quipped, her words sending a ripple of laughter through the members.

Seungkwan stared at the paper in disbelief, still processing the difficulty of his challenge. Jeonghan, leaning more into Luna’s back, shook his head sympathetically. “That’s so hard,” he muttered, genuinely surprised.

“I got the easy one,” Hoshi chimed in with a grin, proud of his earlier luck.

“You have good luck, you get easy questions,” Luna nodded in agreement, her eyes still twinkling with amusement at Seungkwan’s misfortune.

“The lemons are ready,” Jun added, his comment aimed at reminding Seungkwan of the inevitable punishment awaiting him.

“Just eat it,” Woozi said dryly, gesturing toward the waiting cup of lemons, clearly enjoying the banter.

Accepting his fate, Seungkwan picked up the lemons and gave in with a sigh. “I’ll go as I eat it,” he said, already popping the first piece into his mouth as he braced himself for the inevitable failure. His exaggerated grimace as the sourness hit made the others laugh even harder.

PD Na, holding back his own laughter, decided to move on with the question. “Try listening,” he instructed, as he began reading aloud from the card. “The purpose of this law is to protect the stability of housing. It applies to the lease of all or part of residential buildings.”

S.Coups, trying to be helpful, added, “The answer is right there,” though his tone carried a note of userstanding.

PD Na continued, “It is also applied when the house on lease is used for a purpose other than residence. What is the name of this law? It’s eight syllables. The answer was in the question.”

Seungkwan, caught off guard by the complexity of the question, groaned. “The national lease… Geez,” he managed to say before trailing off in defeat. He slumped to the back of the line, his groan prompting another round of laughter from the members.

[Walking away]

“Wrong,” PD Na said, his tone light and teasing.

Mingyu, ever curious, asked, “What’s the answer?”

“Housing Lease Protection Act,” PD Na revealed, the answer clearly difficult for everyone.

[Next is Dino]

It was Dino’s turn, and he stepped up, eyes scanning the prize table for a moment before settling on what he wanted. “I’ll go for the razor,” he announced confidently, pointing at the shiny grooming kit on display.

[The perfect prize for him]

His choice earned a hearty laugh from PD Na, clearly amused by the practicality. “A good choice,” PD Na said, still smiling.

“I’m going to accept it,” Dino said with determination as PD Na opened the slip of paper he had chosen.

“It’s Word Relay,” PD Na announced, explaining the task to Dino. To help warm him up, he gave a sample question. “Name five dishes in a Chinese restaurant in five seconds.”

Dino barely hesitated before rattling off his list. “Black bean sauce noodles, spicy seafood noodles, sweet and sour pork, warm noodles, black bean sauce rice.”

“That's how you play,” PD Na said, impressed by how quickly Dino responded.

[That's what he should to do win the prize]

Seungkwan, however, had a nostalgic glint in his eye. “Your grandma used to run a Chinese restaurant,” he said.

Dino smiled, preparing himself for the challenge ahead. “Yeah, I lived in my grandma’s Chinese restaurant for eight years,” he confirmed, the pride in his voice evident.

PD Na moved things forward. “Alright, here we go. Name five celebrities with a four-syllable stage name.”

Dino's expression turned serious as he focused, searching his mind for answers. “S.Coups…” he started, but as he tried to think of the next name, his words trailed off.

From behind him, Jeonghan tried to help, shouting, “Huening Kai,” as a suggestion. Luna quickly followed with another, “Kang Daniel,” But Dino, too locked in his thoughts, didn’t register any of the assistance.

Time ran out, and PD Na’s voice came in swiftly. “Wrong!” he declared with a playful grin as the buzzer sounded. Dino let out a groan of defeat as he realized how close he had come.

“Oh, I’m good at this,” Seungkwan whined from the side, clearly disappointed he hadn’t gotten a shot at the challenge.

PD Na, trying to console Dino, said, “You know a lot of colleagues,” referring to the many names that Dino could have potentially listed. Still accepting his fate, Dino was handed his cup of lemons, and without hesitation, he began eating them, his face scrunching up in reaction to the sourness.

Wonwoo stepped up again, this time still holding the golf club he had won earlier, determined to secure another prize. He turned towards the staff, his calm voice cutting through the playful chatter. “I’ll try the golf ball set for my father.”

Laughter erupted from the other members. Mingyu, standing at the back, groaned in mock irritation. “Why are you muddying the water?”

“Ya! Leave him alone,” Luna chuckled as she scolded him gently, her eyes glinting with amusement.

“You’re such a good son,” Hoshi chimed in.

Mingyu, still grumbling, rolled his eyes. “You’re muddying the water. I bet your father has golf balls already.”

“No, he just started recently,” Wonwoo said, his expression earnest, despite the teasing around him.

“He wants to get it for his dad. Don’t be so mean,” Dino added, scolding Mingyu with a mouthful of lemons, which sent another wave of laughter through the group.

[The youngest points out the brutal fact]

“He’s right,” Minghao whispered to Mingyu, who looked utterly defeated by now.

Jeonghan, always ready to pile on, gave Mingyu a teasing smile. “Don’t be so materialistic.”

Luna giggled as she pointed at Mingyu’s pout, clearly entertained by the teasing.

[His shoulders are getting smaller]

Shaking his head with a small smile, Wonwoo picked up a paper and handed it to PD Na. The director glanced at the paper, grinning. “If you take the golf balls too, you’ll be a real good son.”

“Right! A real good son,” Dokyeom agreed enthusiastically from the back, which sent everyone laughing again.

PD Na cleared his throat and read aloud. “Commercial Relay.”

Seungkwan groaned dramatically. “Oh, that’s what I wanted! How did I get the bar exam? That’s ridiculous! I can’t believe I picked the bar exam.”

“I’m not good at this,” Wonwoo said quietly, already anticipating the difficulty ahead.

“You'll get it. I’m not going easy on you; you picked this yourself,” PD Na warned playfully.

“It’s easy,” Woozi commented dryly, ever the pragmatist.

With that, PD Na gave the line Wonwoo needed to complete. “‘The soup is...’”

“‘Awesome,’” Wonwoo answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“You got it!” PD Na confirmed, his voice filled with surprise and approval as the members collectively gasped and exclaimed in amazement.

[He becomes a good son]

Wonwoo, never one to be overly dramatic, raised his arms in mock victory. “Dad, enjoy golf,” he said, smiling softly.

[He wins the prize and the good son title]

“He’s so lucky,” Minghao added, shaking his head in disbelief.

“He got an easy one,” Luna observed as she fidgeted with her hair, trying to pull a strand off her lips that had stuck to her lip gloss. Jeonghan, ever-attentive, nodded and hummed, carefully reaching over to move the errant strand away for her. Luna smiled in appreciation as they both returned their attention to the game.

“Right? Mine was hard,” Jeonghan pouted slightly, playing along.

PD Na, not missing a beat, pointed toward Mingyu and commented, “Petty people in the back tried to stop him from being a good son.”

Mingyu, playing along, looked around dramatically, pretending not to understand who the comment was directed toward, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

[In the back?]

It was Dokyeom’s turn, and he stepped up confidently, ready to take his shot at winning another prize. The excitement among the group built up again as he chose a paper from the pile and handed it over to PD Na. The atmosphere felt charged with anticipation, everyone curious to see what challenges lay ahead.

PD Na unfolded the slip of paper, glanced at it with a slight smile, and revealed, “Neologism Quiz.”

“He’s good at neologisms,” Wonwoo commented from the side, arms crossed as if he were making a serious observation.

Mingyu, always curious, leaned forward. “Dokyeom, what did you pick for the prize?”

Dokyeom grinned, “The bulk snacks.”

[He carefully chose the 1-star prize]

Mingyu shook his head with a chuckle. “That’s so like you.”

PD Na asked with a teasing smile, “You know what a neologism is, right?”

S.Coups jumped in, throwing out an example with a mischievous smile, “‘OYONW.’”

“What’s that?” Woozi asked, his brow furrowing.

Without missing a beat, Wonwoo replied, “‘On your own, neatly and witty.’”

[Here's the question]

“Here’s your question. What does ‘QCA’ mean?” PD Na asked.

“‘QCA’?” Dokyeom repeated, his expression immediately showing confusion. His eyes darted from one member to another as if hoping someone would throw out a clue.

“1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down.

Dokyeom stood there, his brow furrowed, but it was clear from his silence that he had no idea.

“Think about it,” PD Na encouraged him with a grin.

PD Na repeated his countdown, “1, 2, 3.”

Dokyeom’s lips quirked as he repeated again, “‘QCA’?” Still stumped. “‘Quick leave,’” he guessed with a laugh, clearly just throwing something out there.

PD Na, amused by the attempt, gestured toward the exit, playfully signaling Dokyeom to leave since his answer was wrong.

[Yes, leave]

The group exploded into laughter as Dokyeom, ever the entertainer, dramatically threw his arms up and strutted off, accepting his defeat with a massive smile.

[Bye, DK] [Going home after work is fun]

“Leave quickly with your lemon,” PD Na said, barely containing his laughter.

Dokyeom turned back to grab his cup of lemons, joining in on the joke, his smile never fading. As he started eating, PD Na revealed the correct answer, “‘Quick change in attitude’.”

A chorus of understanding went through the group as they all went, “Ahhh,” the moment of clarity sinking in.

It was Joshua’s turn now, stepping up confidently to the table as the members around him buzzed with commentary. He had already won one prize earlier but clearly had his eyes set on another.

“I’ll go for the Korean beef combo,” Joshua told PD Na with a calm, collected voice as if picking the juiciest prize out of a grocery store aisle.

[Since I have soju, let me get Korean beef]

“I didn’t know there was Korean beef,” Hoshi said, eyes widening in surprise, causing a ripple of laughter to spread among the members.

PD Na opened the slip Joshua had chosen and smiled. “SEVENTEEN Quiz.”

“That’s harder,” Mingyu immediately commented from his place in the line.

Jeonghan threw in his two cents, “I can never answer anything like this.”

“He’ll never get it. He’s guaranteed to miss it,” Woozi added, his sharp tone laced with a playful smirk, which made Wonwoo chuckle beside him.

Seungkwan, always vocal, let out a soft whine. “That’s exactly what I need!”

PD Na turned to Joshua with a small grin. “You need to answer this.”

Joshua, ever the gentleman, nodded with assurance. “Of course.”

[If he gets it wrong,things will get awkward with SEVENTEEN]

“A lot of CARATs are watching this. I believe SEVENTEEN has a very strong bond,” PD Na remarked, the atmosphere thickening with both anticipation and tension.

“Eyy, PD-nim, stop pressuring Shua!” Luna’s voice suddenly piped up from the back. Her petite frame peeked out from behind the tall figures of the other members in front of her, her head popping out to the side, making PD Na and the other members laugh at her playful intrusion.

[Peekaboo]

“I guess it’s a really hard question,” Vernon chuckled, shaking his head.

“To bring him down all at once,” Mingyu joked with a grin.

“No, I think two-thirds of you can get it. So, if you can’t answer it, you’ll feel so bad,” PD Na teased, sparking more laughter from the members.

Joshua, his smile unwavering, waited patiently as PD Na finally revealed the question.

“DK, who just left quickly, placed 2nd in ‘King of Mask Singer’. What was the name of DK’s mask?” PD Na asked.

“Oh, that’s hard,” Jun gasped, his eyes going wide.

“He wouldn’t know,” Minghao added, shaking his head with a slight laugh.

Luna and Jeonghan spoke up at the same time, confidently saying in unison, “That’s easy.”

[There are people who know]

“‘Baby Goblin’?” Joshua said, squinting slightly as he guessed, unsure of his answer.

“What?” PD Na asked, a little thrown off by the answer.

“‘Goblin’?” Joshua repeated, as if trying to double-check if he was close.

“Oh, he got it!” Dokyeom gasped from the side, surprised but excited by Joshua’s guess.

[Did he really get it?] [The production crew is stirred]

Luna, ever the helpful soul, leaned forward slightly, “There’s more before that, Shua.”

Joshua raised his eyebrows at her, turning slightly in her direction as she nodded encouragingly, urging him to keep going.

“That’s right, there’s more,” Seungkwan added, jumping on board to help.

“There are six more syllables before ‘Baby Goblin’,” PD Na confirmed, heightening the pressure.

“Six syllables?” Joshua asked, now clearly confused, as the rest of the members also expressed their surprise and confusion.

PD Na began the countdown again. “Here we go. 1,2,3.”

Joshua, with no real hope left, blurted out, “‘Fly Black Tea Baby Goblin’. Oh, I don’t know,” throwing his hands up in defeat as he reached for his cup of lemons, resigned to his fate.

“Isn’t it ‘Give Me Gold’?” Seungkwan asked, glancing around as if testing his own memory.

“‘Give Me Gold Baby Goblin’,” PD Na confirmed, revealing the correct answer.

“I still got ‘Baby Goblin,’” Joshua said with a sheepish smile, clearly proud of the small part he did remember.

“You got that part,” Dokyeom agreed, nodding his head in appreciation of Joshua’s effort.

“Did someone tell him? Did he get it on his own?” Seungkwan asked, looking suspiciously between the members.

“He answered it on his own,” Dokyeom confirmed.

“Thank you, Joshua,” Dokyeom said sincerely, grateful that Joshua had at least remembered part of his ‘King of Mask Singer’ persona.

PD Na smiled and turned to the writers. “Remove two lemons. I could count that as an answer.”

[2 lemons are removing for answering half]

“No,” Jeonghan quickly interjected, shaking his hand at PD Na with a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Hang on.” Mingyu moved forward with a mischievous smile, peering into Joshua’s cup. “Two more,” he declared, deliberately adding back the two lemons that had just been removed.

[Their friendship is so durable] [SEVENTEEN takes care of each other so much]

PD Na stared at Mingyu in surprise as one of the writers laughed in the background at Mingyu’s antics.

“Right. Have more. It’s still a game. We should play fair,” Jeonghan said, backing up Mingyu with a nod, making Luna scoff out a laugh at their pettiness.

“You guys are something else,” Luna muttered with amusement, only to be poked in the waist by Jeonghan, who was still holding onto her from behind.

“I got ‘Baby Goblin’ to be honest,” Joshua said, trying to plead his case one last time.

“I think that counts, but your colleagues…” PD Na trailed off, gesturing toward the other members who were adamant about their lemon rule.

“Ya, don’t be obnoxious. Hurry up and leave,” Jeonghan said, slowly pushing Joshua toward the chairs, urging him to start eating his lemons as the rest of the members began to agree with the playful shove.

[Starting with the general leader everyone agrees very fast]

Luna, still laughing, couldn’t get over how competitive and petty they were all being.

“I still appreciate that you tried,” Joshua told PD Na before he sat down, defeated but still in good spirits, Luna watched him carefully, her smile softening into something a little more sympathetic.

“Josh,” she called softly, her English accent slipping out naturally as he called out his name.

Joshua turned to her, his eyes meeting hers with curiosity. Luna, still smiling, nodded toward him and reached out her hand, subtly gesturing for him to hand over a lemon. She then held up two fingers, signaling that she wanted two lemons, clearly offering to halve his punishment with him.

Joshua chuckled, grateful for her support, and passed her two lemons with a quiet “Thank you.”

[The lemon-eating bunny healper]

Before Luna could even take a bite, Mingyu reached over, attempting to snatch the lemons back out of her hand. “Let him eat all of it,” he teased, a playful smirk spreading across his face.

Luna, quick on her feet, turned her body, positioning herself so that she was now facing Jeonghan’s chest, who was still holding her. She hid the lemons between them and shot Mingyu a defiant look. “Why? What’s it to you if I help him? I like lemons,” she said confidently, popping one of the lemon slices into her mouth without hesitation.

Mingyu, seeing that he had lost, pouted in defeat while Jeonghan watched the whole scene unfold, clearly amused by Luna’s antics and Mingyu’s failed attempt to intervene.

[The next customer is holding a Dyson]

Hoshi stood at the front, cradling his newly won Dyson box with pride. His grin was wide as he examined the selection of prizes again, eyes gleaming with anticipation. Despite already having a fantastic win under his belt, Hoshi was not yet satisfied.

“I’ll go for something big. The Korean beef combo,” he declared confidently, handing PD Na his chosen slip of paper.

[Taking a big risk again]

As PD Na opened the paper, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Rock, paper, scissors,” he read aloud, barely holding back a chuckle.

[Producer Na isn't good at rock-paper-scissors]

“Your luck is insane today,” Luna remarked from behind him, her voice filled with both admiration and disbelief.

[Hoshi is lucky]

“You have a high chance of winning,” Jeonghan added with a knowing grin.

Hoshi, unable to contain his excitement, started jumping up and down, fists clenched in victory even before the game had started. “Let’s go!” he shouted, pumping himself up.

“I’m not good at rock-paper-scissors,” PD Na confessed with a slight chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck in faux nervousness.

[Mr. Game isn't confident]

PD Na, standing with a hand on his hip, took a deep breath. “Alright… Rock, paper, scissors!”

Hoshi, still buzzing with excitement, threw out his hand with scissors. PD Na, true to his earlier statement, fumbled with his decision and threw paper. A chorus of cheers exploded from SEVENTEEN, the members clapping and shouting with excitement as they rushed toward Hoshi to congratulate him. His scissors had cut right through PD Na’s paper, securing his victory.

“There’s a flow!” Dokyeom announced with pride, as if he’d coached Hoshi through the whole thing.

S.Coups, never one to miss a chance to stir the pot, called out, “Let’s take everything.”

“Take only the expensive stuff,” Dino added with a laugh as they all watched Hoshi eagerly walk over to grab the prized box of Korean beef.

As Hoshi held the box up like a trophy, Mingyu’s voice cut through the celebrations. “Isn’t it just one bag? Does he get to take everything?” he asked, a teasing grin creeping onto his face.

Jeonghan, ever the troublemaker, leaned in toward PD Na and whispered conspiratorially, “Let’s say it’s one bag per game.” His eyes twinkled with mischief, not wanting Hoshi to make off with the entire prize. He glanced at Luna, who elbowed him playfully, shaking her head in disagreement. “One bag per game,” Jeonghan repeated, trying to sound serious as he covered his smile.

Mingyu, fully backing Jeonghan’s plan, nodded in agreement. “Come on, Yung Suk. One bag at a time. It’s $50 per bag!” he said, emphasizing the value with a laugh.

PD Na, sensing the tension and the joke behind it, decided to address the group. “SEVENTEEN goes by the majority. Will it be one bag at a time or the whole thing?” He looked around, letting the group decide.

“Isn’t it one bag at a time?” Seungkwan chimed in, siding with Jeonghan and Mingyu.

Jeonghan, always the smooth talker, clapped a hand on Hoshi’s shoulder. “You can only take one bag,” he said with a grin like it was the most reasonable thing in the world.

Hoshi, his earlier victory still fresh, blinked in confusion. “I can only take one?”

Seungkwan, already at his side, began inspecting each bag as if making sure there wasn’t a trick. “You can only take one of them,” he confirmed.

[This is SEVENTEEN's teamwork]

S.Coups stepped forward, adding to the chaos. “Yeah, you can only take one of them. Which part do you want?” he asked, gesturing toward the different cuts of meat.

“What is wrong with you guys?” Joshua groaned, laughing as the pettiness of the situation finally dawned on him.

Hoshi, finally catching on to the teasing, held his ground. “It’s clearly a combo,” he argued, unwilling to back down after his win.

“No, you can only take one of them,” S.Coups pointed out again, his expression deadpan as if this was a serious rule.

“You look so petty,” Woozi remarked from the sidelines, shaking his head as the group burst into laughter.

Hoshi, feeling defeated but still in good spirits, sighed dramatically. “Fine, since got the Dyson,” he said, pretending to surrender as he started to return the Korean beef.

Before he could fully commit to giving it up, both Jeonghan and Vernon jumped in, their attitudes flipping in an instant. “No, take them all!” they said almost in unison, surprising Hoshi with their sudden change of heart.

Hoshi froze mid-step, his eyes wide as he turned back to look at them. “What?”

“S.Coups, don’t be so cheap and divide that by parts,” Jeonghan scolded, acting as though the entire argument hadn’t been his idea in the first place.

“That was you!” Joshua pointed out, unable to hold back his laughter.

[That was you 7 seconds ago]

Jeonghan, realizing he had been caught, laughed along with the others. “Take them all,” he insisted as if he was doing Hoshi a favor now.

PD Na, watching the whole scene unfold with amusement, couldn’t help but add, “Jeonghan gets to look nice.”

“Hoshi must be flustered,” Jeongan said.

[Bunny no. 1 is next once again]

Luna stood at the front again, having already won her first prize earlier, feeling the excitement bubbling within her. Her gaze was fixated on the two remaining Lego sets, her eyes drifting over the vibrant box of the Harry Potter Lego. Before she could make her decision, a familiar voice murmured close to her ear, just loud enough for only her to hear.

"Ferrari Lego, please." Jeonghan’s words came as a soft suggestion, and Luna felt his presence right next to her, his voice carrying a weight she couldn’t resist.

Without hesitation, Luna turned to PD Na, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I’ll go for the Ferrari Lego,” she said confidently, knowing Jeonghan wanted it and was more than willing to win it for him.

[Bunny no. 1 cannot resist bunny no. 2]

Jeonghan, satisfied with her choice, tapped her waist gently three times— a silent yet intimate gesture. Luna’s smile grew wider; she knew what those three taps meant, only the two of them did. The gesture was subtle enough not to draw attention, but to her, it spoke volumes.

“You’re a big spender as well,” PD Na remarked as Luna confidently chose a slip of paper, handing it to him with a grin.

[Big spenders have all won]

He opened the paper and read it out loud, “Word relay.”

Luna nodded, focusing. “Okay,” she said, her expression determined as she prepared herself for whatever challenge lay ahead.

“Name five countries that start with the letter ‘M’ in five seconds,” PD Na announced, watching her closely.

Without missing a beat, Luna lifted her hand to count on her fingers. “Mexico, Monaco, Malaysia, Malta, Moldova,” she rattled off quickly, the words rolling effortlessly off her tongue.

[Big spenders tend to win twice in a row]

“You got it!” PD Na confirmed, sounding impressed as the rest of the members fell silent, staring at her in awe.

Jeonghan’s hand shot up for a high-five, which Luna enthusiastically met. “Good job!” he praised, his smile wide and genuine.

“Yay!” Luna exclaimed as she skipped forward, her excitement clear as she grabbed the Ferrari Lego set. She hugged the box to her chest, the satisfaction of her win radiating through her, then returned to pick up the Disney Lego set she had won earlier.

A chorus of amazement filled the room, the members voicing their disbelief at how quickly and smoothly she had won. “Wow!” “How did she know all that?” “Why is she so fast?”

“You see how Yoon Jeonghan is not complaining like earlier,” Hoshi pointed out with a knowing look, gesturing toward Jeonghan, who stood smugly.

[Tiger Hoshi noticed something]

This shifted everyone’s attention to Jeonghan, who simply smirked. “It’s because he knows he’s getting that Lego set later,” Hoshi added, his teasing tone making the group erupt into laughter.

“You’re right!” Mingyu agreed, pointing at Hoshi as if to back up the claim.

“I thought she was gonna pick the Harry Potter Lego,” Dokyeom added, surprised at Luna’s decision.

“Since when were you interested in cars?” Woozi asked Luna with a raised brow, making her laugh even harder.

[They know each other so well]

Before Luna could answer, Mingyu held up his hands, motioning for everyone to listen. “Wait, did you hear what he said to Jiyeonie earlier before she chose?” Mingyu asked, pointing at both Jeonghan and Luna, his mischievous grin betraying the secret.

“What? What?” S.Coups leaned in, eager to hear.

“‘Ferrari Lego, please’,” Mingyu mimicked Jeonghan’s earlier whisper, earning a round of laughter from everyone as they playfully scolded the two.

“Ya! Bae Jiyeon! Yoon Jeonghan!” Seungkwan called out, pretending to scold Luna, though his grin gave him away.

“Those two are really shameless,” S.Coups said.

[Bunnies got caught]

Luna, still laughing, didn’t deny anything, while Jeonghan stood next in line, smirking at the whole situation, his confidence unwavering.

[Not denying]

“Why are you even in line? You won already,” Mingyu teased, playfully pushing Jeonghan toward Luna’s prize knowing it was already his.

Jeonghan gave Mingyu a lazy smirk, clearly amused by the teasing. His long hair fell gracefully over his face as he casually combed it back with one hand, exuding a calm confidence. "What about it?" he retorted, his voice smooth and laid-back, "What's it to you?"

The subtle cockiness in his tone, paired with his effortless gesture, made the rest of the members chuckle, knowing all too well that this was classic Jeonghan — cool, unbothered, and always one step ahead when it came to witty comebacks.

Vernon stood in front of the table, tapping his fingers lightly on its surface as he glanced over at the remaining prizes. "I'll go for the tea set," he announced, his tone casual, as he handed PD Na the slip of paper he had chosen.

"The tea set?" PD Na repeated, gesturing to Minghao. "The8 just checked it."

"I didn't know there was tea," Minghao remarked, looking at the set with slight curiosity.

Vernon smiled. "I was eyeing it from the start."

"This isn’t easy," PD Na said, as he read what was written on the slip.

Vernon raised an eyebrow and leaned forward to glance at the note. "Look at the pictures and arrange them by order," he read aloud, shrugging. "How can that be hard?"

Without a word, PD Na reached behind him and pulled out a stack of papers, careful to keep them hidden from Vernon's view. "You should be able to get it," he said with a grin that hinted at the challenge ahead.

[Genre: Arrange Jeonghan's pictures by order]

[Arrange 4 pictures in order] [They're all from different periods] [Remember he never ages]

Luna, sitting with Jeonghan on the chairs, caught sight of the pictures and immediately started laughing. "That’s hard," she commented, as she and Jeonghan moved closer to the table to get a better look.

“You should be able to get it.” PD Na told Vernon.

The rest of the members began to murmur and exclaim in unison. "Ahhh…" they said, their curiosity piqued as PD Na revealed the challenge.

"Arrange it by order," PD Na instructed, laying out four pictures of Jeonghan from different eras of their career.

Vernon blinked, staring at the photos in slight confusion. "What is this?" he muttered under his breath, clearly thrown off by the task.

Seungkwan let out a whine as he hovered near the table. "I’m so good at this! That’s my field of expertise!" His voice was a mix of genuine annoyance and playful boasting.

Dino, Jun, and Hoshi immediately mimicked Seungkwan’s tone, their exaggerated impressions sending the members into a fit of laughter. Seungkwan joined in the laughter but remained adamant. "I’m good at it!" he repeated.

Vernon began carefully arranging the photos on the table, the rest of the members crowding around him to observe. His brow furrowed as he tried to differentiate between the images.

[He carefully arranges the pictures]

"They’re all the same," Luna chuckled, glancing at Jeonghan, whose face remained consistently youthful in all the pictures.

Even Jeonghan joined in, shaking his head. "Even I can’t do it," he said, a chuckle escaping as he leaned closer to get a better look at the photos. PD Na began counting down the seconds, adding more pressure.

"They all look just the same," S.Coups added, echoing the sentiment as Vernon rearranged them for what felt like the hundredth time.

Jeonghan erupted into laughter. "He has no idea," he teased, making the rest of the group chuckle again.

Vernon glanced at the photos, his confusion evident. "I mean, don’t they all look the same? It looks like you from the other day," he said as he pointed at Jeonghan.

[Just different hair style]

"Focus on the hair color, Vernon," Luna suggested gently from behind, offering a helpful tip as she moved closer.

"Are you done?" PD Na asked, glancing at the clock to remind him that time was running out.

Vernon sighed and turned back to the pictures. "Do I get a chance to change it?" he asked, hoping for a lifeline.

"You have one last chance," PD Na confirmed, watching him intently.

Mingyu, ever the playful instigator, leaned in close to Vernon, whispering like a devil on his shoulder, "Don’t change it. Don’t. There’s a reason why he’s telling you to change it."

Vernon considered his words, a smirk playing on his lips. "Is it a high degree of mind game?" he mused before turning back to the photos. After a moment of contemplation, he made his final decision. "I’ll go with this."

Luna giggled as she moved closer to Jeonghan again, back-hugging him as her chin rested on his shoulder. She peeked over, knowing Vernon had made a mistake. "Aigo…"

"Vernon, should I say you're firm?" PD Na began, smiling as he prepared to reveal the result. "Here’s the answer."

He pointed to the first picture. "Number one is correct."

A brief moment of triumph spread across Vernon’s face until PD Na moved on to the rest of the photos.

"Here’s number two," PD Na said, shifting to the second photo, "here comes number four… and number three is last."

Luna, still perched behind Jeonghan, grinned. "You only got one right."

Vernon sighed, pointing at the first picture. "That’s ‘Don’t Wanna Cry.’"

[They recognize it by his hair] [’Don't Wanna Cry', May 2017]

Mingyu pointed at the second picture, laughing. "That’s ‘CLAP.’"

"Is it?" Jeonghan asked, equally puzzled by his own face.

"Isn’t that ‘THANKS’?" Vernon added, still trying to make sense of it all.

"I had pink hair for ‘CLAP,’" Jeonghan interjected, trying to sort through the visual timeline of his hairstyles.

PD Na chuckled at Jeonghan’s confusion, "I’m sorry, but aren’t these your pictures?"

Jeonghan couldn’t help but laugh along. "I can’t tell either. This is so hard."

"That was so hard," Seungkwan chimed in, shaking his head in disbelief. "It’s hard because you never age," He added as he turned to Jeonghan, teasing him. "You’re always so consistent."

"They were all the same," Vernon grumbled playfully as he accepted his defeat and began to eat his lemons.

Mingyu, still determined to claim victory after his earlier failure, stood with a renewed sense of purpose. His competitive spirit was palpable as he approached PD Na, his brows furrowed with focus. "I'll try for golf balls," he declared, handing over the slip of paper he had chosen. "I’d rather pick the Character Quiz." He pouted, half-joking, trying to mask his nervousness.

[Mingyu returns for golf balls]

PD Na unfolded the paper and glanced at what was written. "SEVENTEEN Quiz," he read out loud, grinning. "This won’t be easy."

Mingyu straightened, ready for the challenge, though the uncertainty was clear in his eyes.

PD Na looked him squarely in the face before delivering the question. "When’s S.Coups' birthday?"

Mingyu’s face lit up with surprise, not expecting such a simple query. "August 8," he answered without hesitation, his voice laced with disbelief at the ease of the question.

"Ya, that’s too easy," Luna piped up from her seat, shaking her head with a laugh.

PD Na chuckled, equally shocked at how simple it had been. "You got it. Good job," he congratulated Mingyu, though his tone revealed how anticlimactic the moment felt.

"We all know each other’s birthdays," Seungkwan chimed in, turning to PD Na with an almost proud expression.

"I know their birthdays," Mingyu said, his chest puffed out in confidence as he absorbed the victory.

PD Na raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Do you remember each other's birthdays?" he asked, his voice rising with playful skepticism.

A chorus of "Yes" and "Of course" echoed across the room as the members responded in unison, their voices overlapping with laughter and confidence.

"Really?" PD Na pressed, still amused by how naturally they remembered.

Luna giggled at the disbelief in his tone. "Why is that so shocking?"

"It was so easy. I was like, ‘August 8?’" Mingyu repeated, still bewildered that the question had been such a breeze.

Joshua leaned forward from his chair, nodding thoughtfully. "We get very disappointed if we don’t remember it."

Luna nodded in agreement, her tone softer as she added, "We’ve known each other for years. It’d be weird if we didn’t know."

Mingyu, still basking in his small victory, broke into a playful tune. "The golf balls," he sang lightly as he approached the table to collect his prize, a wide grin stretching across his face.

PD Na shook his head with a laugh, clearly amused by the whole interaction. "I worked with Hyo Jung for twenty years, but I don’t know her birthday," he admitted, pointing at the other producer standing beside him.

The members roared with laughter, the room filling with their amusement. Joshua’s sharp wit cut through the noise as he teasingly remarked, "She’s disappointed."

PD Na shook his head again, this time with a mock sigh. "You don’t know my birthday either," he told Hyo Jung, his nod full of playful accusation.

"She can’t complain," S.Coups chimed in.

It was finally Minghao's turn, and he eyed the prize he had wanted from the start— the delicate tea set that sat neatly on the prize table. With a small, determined smile, he turned to PD Na. "I want the tea set," he said, his voice clear but calm. He handed over the slip of paper with his mission written on it, fully prepared for whatever challenge lay ahead.

"Word Relay," PD Na announced, holding up the paper for Minghao to see. A ripple of laughter went through the group as Minghao tilted his head in confusion.

"How can a word have a relay?" Minghao asked, his innocent question making the other members burst into laughter.

PD Na chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "Here’s what you’re going to do," he began, speaking slowly for clarity. "You know body parts, right?"

"Yes," Minghao nodded.

"Okay. What’s this?" PD Na pointed at his own ear.

"Ear," Minghao answered confidently.

"Right. Now, just like an ear, say five one-syllable body parts," PD Na explained, giving him the mission.

Without missing a beat, Minghao slowly fired off his answers. "Liver, ear, mouth, nose, eye. Wahh!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up in victory as he walked back to his place, grinning as the others clapped and cheered for him.

"Good job! Good job, Hao!" Luna shouted, standing from her seat and clapping with a huge smile on her face, as though she were a proud parent.

But Seungkwan, ever the perfectionist, raised an eyebrow. "Does the liver count?" he asked, glancing around.

"Of course it does," Luna quickly answered.

"Of course. It’s still in your body," Minghao added matter-of-factly, his innocent tone causing more laughter to erupt among the group.

"It counts. It’s a body part," PD Na confirmed with a grin, amused by the dynamic.

Minghao turned to Seungkwan with a playful, slightly confused look. "Isn’t a liver part of your body? You don’t know how to play this," he said, his genuine innocence adding to his adorable charm.

"That wasn’t so easy," PD Na acknowledged, giving Minghao a nod of approval.

But Minghao, beaming with pride, hugged his newly won tea set close to his chest. "It works if you try," he said, giggling softly at his own success.

[Happy]

"You did it," PD Na said, smiling at the satisfaction on Minghao’s face.

"Thank you," Minghao replied, still holding onto his prize.

"You love tea. This is great," Dino clapped for him, happy to see Minghao with a prize that fit him so perfectly.

Minghao chuckled as he moved back into line, admiring his prize closely. "This is really pretty," he said softly, almost to himself.

"Yes, it’s pretty," Mingyu agreed, leaning over to get a closer look at the tea set.

Meanwhile, Luna, who had returned to her seat next to Jeonghan, covered her mouth with her hand, giggling at the scene in front of her. She glanced at Jeonghan, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Why?" Jeonghan asked, smiling warmly at her.

"Minghao is so cute," Luna pouted dramatically, placing both hands over her chest as though it pained her how adorable Minghao was. Her exaggerated reaction made Jeonghan chuckle softly at her.

It was Dino’s turn once more, and determination flashed in his eyes. He had his sights set on one thing: the razor set.

"I'll try for razors again," Dino said confidently as he stepped forward.

[The regular customer who's only after the razors]

From the back of the line, Wonwoo couldn’t help but giggle. "Dino wants the razor set," he teased.

"I've got to get it," Dino muttered to himself, clenching his fists in focus as he handed the slip of paper he’d chosen over to PD Na.

[I'll get it this time]

PD Na unfolded the paper, and before he could even fold it back, Mingyu, standing in the middle of the line, caught sight of what was written. He burst into laughter, clapping his hands.

"But it’s so windy!" Mingyu exclaimed, his voice betraying the mischief in his mind.

"Did you see it, Mingyu?" PD Na asked, amused by Mingyu’s sudden outburst.

Mingyu laughed harder, doubling over and falling onto the ground in exaggerated glee. "You can read others’ misfortune very fast," PD Na commented, shaking his head while the rest of the group looked on in confusion.

"What was it?" Dino asked, his brow furrowed, feeling a sense of impending doom.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Mingyu said, clapping excitedly.

Finally, PD Na revealed the mission, "Light the match at once."

[Oh, poor Dino]

The group erupted into laughter. With how windy it was— hair flying everywhere, whether long or short— it was near impossible.

"Oh no," Luna chuckled, shaking her head sympathetically at Dino.

"That’s impossible," Dokyeom chimed in.

"Light the match in five seconds upon receiving it," PD Na repeated, sending the group into further hysterics.

Dino, rolling up the sleeves of his hoodie, prepared for the challenge. "Wait," he said, trying to mentally brace himself.

"And after lighting it, the match has to stay lit for 3 seconds," PD Na added, causing another burst of laughter. PD Na placed a box of matches in front of Dino, his face barely holding back a smile. "Go," he instructed.

Quickly, Dino grabbed the box of matches, his fingers fumbling slightly as adrenaline coursed through him. The rest of the members abandoned their seats and positions in the line, crowding around Dino as if this were a grand spectacle. PD Na began the countdown as everyone tried to offer their help.

"Block the wind with your body," Mingyu suggested, leaning in.

"Like that, hunch over like that," Luna said from the side, her voice filled with encouragement as Dino bent over, shielding his hands from the relentless wind.

"Go easy. No need to use your strength," Jeonghan advised, his calm voice contrasting with the chaos around him.

[With other members' help and advice]

Dino struck the match, his hands working quickly— but as soon as it lit, the flame flickered and died almost instantly.

[Snap] [Gone]

The group exploded into laughter. "Why did you die, buddy?" Dino whined dramatically to the match, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"It went off right away!" Dokyeom said, shaking his head in sympathy. "That’s horrible."

[It died] [In 0.01 seconds]

PD Na chuckled at Dino's failed attempt, "You didn’t ask for something big. All you wanted was razors."

"How many lemons has he eaten now?" S.Coups asked, pointing at Dino with a grin, knowing that Dino had already consumed six sour lemons in his quest for the razors.

[6 lemons while trying to get razors]

"Dino the lemon," Hoshi teased, flashing a mischievous smile.

"Dino the lemon," Joshua echoed, chuckling along with the rest of the group, as Dino sat there eating his lemons, half-amused, half-frustrated at his misfortune.

It was Jun’s turn once again, his eyes gleamed with determination. "I want the Harry Potter Lego," he declared confidently, handing the paper to PD Na.

[He chose the last Lego]

PD Na opened the slip of paper and squinted slightly as he read the challenge aloud. "This will be tough... Make me laugh in ten seconds," he said, trying to hold back a smile. The group erupted in laughter once more.

"Think out of the box, Jun!" Luna called out encouragingly, while Jeonghan gently dragged her by the wrist as they moved to the back of the line together, trying their luck once more.

"Who knows? You might be able to do it," Woozi said, adding his support, although his smirk suggested he wasn’t sure if Jun could pull it off.

PD Na slowly began counting down from ten. "Ten... nine..."

[The countdown begins]

Jun blinked, suddenly realizing the countdown had started. "Has it started?" he asked, eyes widening in a mild panic.

[He doesn't know what to do]

"Seven... six..."

Jun thought for a moment, staring at PD Na, his mind racing. Desperation crept in, and as the seconds ticked away, he quickly scrunched up his face into the goofiest expression he could think of.

[He first tries to frown his face] [Ta-da]

However, PD Na remained stone-faced, not even a hint of a smile crossing his features.

[He's too handsome to be funny]

"Five... four..." The tension built as Jun began to sweat.

"Hurry!" Minghao shouted from the back, egging Jun on.

With only three seconds left, Jun’s mind went blank, but then, an idea struck him. "What about tickling?" he said out loud. Before anyone could stop him, Jun lunged forward and started tickling PD Na’s sides.

[As soon as he started tickling, Producer Na laughed]

The suddenness of it caught PD Na completely off guard. His composure crumbled instantly as laughter burst from him, his face twisting in both amusement and shock. He hadn't expected this tactic at all. PD Na laughed, but his surprised smile didn’t fade. He stared at Jun, still reeling from the unexpected assault of tickles.

Jun celebrated wildly, jumping up and down as the members cheered him on.

"You’re a genius!" Dokyeom clapped Jun on the back, clearly impressed.

[In a way that no one expected]

"I’ve never thought about that!" PD Na said, still recovering. He shook his head in disbelief. "But you did it," he added, a begrudging smile on his face.

With a victorious grin, Jun bounded toward the prize table and grabbed the last Harry Potter Lego set, a bounce in his step as if he’d just conquered the world.

"I would’ve never thought about tickling," Joshua said, shaking his head in amusement as he watched Jun cradle the box like a trophy.

It was S.Coups' turn next, and with a calm, confident stride, he handed the paper he had chosen over to PD Na.

“S.Coups, born on August 8,” PD Na teased, playfully emphasizing the detail, causing a few chuckles among the members.

S.Coups pointed directly at the gift certificate, eyeing it like a prized possession. “I want the gift certificate,” he said decisively.

From the sidelines, Seungkwan let out a mock whine, his voice rising comically. “That’s mine!” Seungkwan exclaimed, earning amused glances from the other members.

PD Na mirrored Seungkwan’s whining tone, further adding to the playful tension in the room. “What’s going on?” PD Na asked dramatically before focusing back on the paper. He laughed as he noticed yet another easy mission. “Okay, SEVENTEEN Quiz,” he announced.

“The social media manager,” Wonwoo teased, referencing S.Coups’ well-known position as the unofficial information hub of the group.

“Most informative,” Dokyeom added with a knowing smirk, poking fun at the ease of the quiz missions.

PD Na glanced at the remaining papers in the bowl. “So many people have picked SEVENTEEN Quiz. There are only easy ones left now.” He paused for effect before reading the question aloud. “How do you spell PLEDIS?”

S.Coups didn’t hesitate for even a second. “P, L, E, D, I, S,” he answered with a slight grin as if the question was too simple for his level.

“You got it,” PD Na confirmed with a slight nod of acknowledgment.

Without missing a beat, S.Coups moved away from the line, making a beeline for the gift certificate. His fellow members couldn’t help but react.

“That’s too easy,” Luna commented with a soft laugh, shaking her head.

“That’s so easy,” Vernon echoed, equally amused by the simplicity of the question.

It was Dokyeom’s turn once again, and he stepped forward confidently to grab a paper from the bucket. As he did so, he tried to spell PLEDIS aloud, “P, L, E, I, D, S,” nodding to himself, completely unaware of his mistake.

PD Na, noticing the error, quickly grabbed the bucket out of Dokyeom’s reach, chuckling, “What did you just say?”

Dokyeom blinked in surprise and then burst into laughter, realizing his mistake. “Can I just pick one?” he asked, still giggling at his blunder.

[He must be from a different agency]

“People get confused sometimes!” Dokyeom defended, still laughing as he finally pulled a paper from the bucket and handed it to PD Na. “I’ll try for the bulk snack,” he said with a hopeful grin.

PD Na opened the paper, reading the mission aloud, “Object Quiz.” He turned around and reached for a picture, revealing it to Dokyeom, who stared at it, completely baffled. The image was of some random object, but Dokyeom looked at it with wide eyes, clearly at a loss for words.

“Beating?” Dokyeom said, blurting out nonsense in an attempt to answer, but PD Na shook his head, “Wrong.”

Dokyeom let out a defeated sigh and grabbed his cup of lemons, moving back to the seating area to eat as the members chuckled at his answer.

“What even is that?” S.Coups asked, puzzled, as Dokyeom sat down.

[The good son appears again]

Next in line was Wonwoo, who still clutched the golf club and golf balls he had won earlier. He eyed the sack of dog food sitting on the prize table, clearly planning to win it for his father. “My dad has a dog,” he commented casually, a determined glint in his eye.

“Is that your theme? Being a good son?” PD Na teased as Wonwoo handed him the paper he had picked.

[Golf club for his father] [Golf balls for his father]

PD Na read the next quiz question aloud, “What’s Newton’s full name?”

Wonwoo froze, completely at a loss for the answer. The silence hung in the air as PD Na started his countdown, but Wonwoo didn’t say a word.

“Jimmy Newton,” Dokyeom muttered from his seat, trying to be helpful but only making things worse, as S.Coups and Woozi doubled over in laughter.

“Isaac Newton,” Luna and Vernon said in unison from the back, their voices overlapping as they both got the answer right.

“You two got it,” PD Na acknowledged with a nod, though it wasn’t their question.

Wonwoo shrugged as he left the line, missing out on the dog food, but his poker face never faltered, earning a few more chuckles from the group as the game continued.

[The real rich appears] [Korean beef combo] [Dyson]

Hoshi stepped forward once again, a box of Dyson appliances in one hand and a Korean beef set tucked under his arm, looking rather content with his winnings so far. PD Na, noticing Hoshi's abundance of prizes, pointed at him with a grin and then at Wonwoo, who was standing to the side with only his golf club and golf balls. "I’m sorry, but he’s not that rich,” PD Na said, gesturing to Wonwoo, making everyone burst into laughter.

Hoshi nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he pulled another paper from the bucket and handed it to PD Na.

PD Na opened it and read aloud, “Old abbreviation quiz.”

“Old abbreviations?” Vernon repeated, his brow furrowing as he glanced at Hoshi, who looked equally confused.

“Yes,” PD Na warned as he consulted his cue cards. “What does ‘WWKSB’ mean?”

Hoshi blinked, completely lost.

"What?" Luna murmured from her place in the middle of the line, eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"’Why don't we...?’" Hoshi started, but he trailed off, unable to think of the rest of the phrase. He looked desperate for inspiration, but before he could come up with anything, PD Na’s countdown ended.

"Wrong!" PD Na declared, shaking his head.

"Isn’t it ‘Why don’t we kiss since we’re bored’?” S.Coups chimed in casually, earning shocked looks from a few members.

“Really?” Hoshi turned to S.Coups, disbelief written all over his face.

PD Na laughed and nodded. “Yes— ‘Why don’t we kiss since we’re bored?’”

Luna stood in line, her arms crossed over her chest, her face calm and unreadable as she processed the answer. But beside her, Jeonghan turned to her the instant PD Na gave the answer, his eyes glinting with mischief and knowing. His gaze seemed to imply a teasing suggestion as if he were echoing what the answer had just revealed.

Luna could feel the weight of Jeonghan’s stare on her face, the amusement radiating off him, but she kept her face forward, refusing to give him the reaction he was clearly baiting for— especially with cameras rolling. Yet, the intensity of his stare was relentless, and despite her composure, she knew he wouldn’t let up.

After a few more moments, still feeling the intensity of his gaze and the smirk undoubtedly playing on his lips, Luna subtly shifted her eyes upward, locking her gaze with his without turning her head. She raised her eyebrow ever so slightly, silently challenging him. Jeonghan’s lazy smirk only widened, his long black hair framing his face as he stared at her, utterly entertained. His tongue flicked over his lips briefly, making her grin at his persistence before she turned her attention back in front, letting the moment dissolve without a word exchanged between them.

“‘WWKSB?’” Vernon echoed, nodding as if learning something entirely new about the past.

“I guess people were more open-minded back in the day,” Hoshi deadpanned, his expression comically serious. PD Na and the rest of the crew couldn’t contain their laughter.

Hoshi, unbothered, moved away from the line with a resigned shrug, grabbing his cup of lemons as he prepared to take a seat. “Why would you kiss when you’re bored?”

Seungkwan, who had been quietly processing the absurdity of it all, mimicked the abbreviation. “WWKSB?” he said in a teasing tone, nudging Dino.

“Why don’t you stop?” Dino responded with the same tone, and the two dissolved into laughter.

Vernon stepped up for his third attempt, visibly more determined but equally unsure, having yet to claim any prizes so far. His eyes darted to the bucket of papers, scanning for any that could give him an advantage, but luck was hard to read.

[3rd visit] [Vernon still hasn't won anything yet]

He drew a slip and handed it to PD Na, who glanced at it and read aloud, “Proverb Relay.”

At that, Vernon let out a visible groan and physically cringed. “Proverbs... ah,” he mumbled, already anticipating his failure.

“That’s what I’m good at,” Wonwoo chimed in confidently from his seat at the side.

“You have to answer immediately,” PD Na instructed, putting Vernon on the spot with a serious tone, giving him no time to overthink. “‘One man sows—?’”

Vernon’s brows furrowed in concentration, but then, in a total shot in the dark, he answered, “‘The fox reaps’?”

“Wrong,” PD Na declared with a smirk, much to the amusement of the others.

“What is it?” Vernon asked, confused but chuckling at his wild guess.

“It’s ‘One man sows, another man reaps,’” PD Na clarified.

Next in line was Mingyu, stepping forward for another chance at redemption. Mingyu grabbed his paper and, with a quick glance at PD Na, handed it over. Woozi, seeing Mingyu’s confident stance, teased from the back, “Mingyu won’t get it.”

Mingyu turned slightly, not one to let the joke go unnoticed. “Why would you say that? I still got one prize!” he defended as he showed off his golf balls.

Unbothered, PD Na read the paper. “It’s a Logo Quiz.”

“That’s easy,” Minghao called out from behind, encouraging Mingyu with his usual calm tone.

PD Na pulled out a picture, held it up in front of Mingyu, and immediately started counting down. “One, two, three—?”

Without hesitating, Mingyu blurted, “Simyang!”

“That’s Korea Music Copyright Association,” Woozi said, his sharp eyes always catching such details.

“That’s right— Korea Music Copyright Association,” PD Na confirmed, a satisfied nod directed at Woozi.

“I got it,” Woozi said, proud of his keen observation

[It was so easy for the producer]

“Woozi is the only one who got it right,” PD Na added for emphasis, as the rest of the group chuckled.

“He’s basically a permanent employee,” S.Coups added, pointing at Woozi like he’d already earned a spot in the association’s hierarchy.

“I even have their app,” Woozi boasted, laughing as PD Na handed him the photo again, testing him.

“Woozi, what’s this?” PD Na asked, showing the picture once more.

“Korea Music Copyright Association,” Woozi replied effortlessly, proving his point again.

[Woozi has the copyright for 147 songs]

“This is crazy... It’s so embarrassing,” Mingyu muttered as he moved to grab his cup of lemons.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” PD Na said with a comforting grin. “Just have some lemons.”

“You’re right,” Mingyu conceded, playfully surrendering as he left the line, still shaking his head in disbelief.

Minghao stepped up for his next attempt, eyes glancing at the bucket of papers before settling on one. He plucked it out with ease and handed it to PD Na, his expression calm and collected as always. "I want the slippers," he stated, pointing at the prize he had his sights set on.

Jeonghan, standing to the side, chimed in, “You might have a lot of guests at home,” teasing Minghao in his usual soft-spoken but playful tone.

PD Na opened the slip and read aloud, “It’s a Korean movie title.”

Jun, who stood nearby, gave his teammate a reassuring nod. “That could be easy. You’ve watched a lot of movies,” he said, trying to encourage Minghao, though everyone knew this wasn’t going to be as simple as it seemed.

PD Na raised his eyebrows at Minghao and announced, “You have five seconds.”

Minghao’s expression shifted into one of mild disbelief. “Five seconds? That’s too short,” he said, then added with a clever smirk, “I’m The8. Give me eight seconds.”

The group burst into laughter at his quick-witted response. “That makes sense,” Luna quipped, joining in on the joke.

PD Na chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re the one who said eye, nose, mouth, and liver earlier. I’ll give you seven seconds.”

With that, PD Na showed the card with the initials ‘DTL’ on it. “It’s a Korean movie,” PD Na said, starting to count down.

Minghao’s brow furrowed as he stared at the letters on the card, trying to piece together the title. His focus was intense, but the seconds ticked away too quickly. 

“That’s so easy!” Seungkwan whined from the back, watching with eager anticipation.

“What is it?” Jeonghan and Luna muttered to each other, both squinting at the letters, equally stumped.

But before Minghao could answer his time ran out, PD Na announced, “Wrong!”

Immediately, Minghao turned to Seungkwan, pretending to be offended. “I got it wrong because of you!” he playfully scolded, causing a ripple of laughter to echo through the group.

Seungkwan pouted, “You couldn’t get it anyway. It’s ‘Decision to Leave’.”

The members collectively groaned in realization, a chorus of “Ahhh” filling the air as they pieced it together.

As the challenge drew closer to its end, PD Na glanced at the remaining members still standing in line and announced, "I'll be closing soon. Only those who haven't won anything should line up."

With that, Luna and the other members who had already won prizes took their seats off to the side. Some settled on chairs while others sat cross-legged on the ground, all watching the final contestants. Jeonghan, Vernon, Seungkwan, and Dino were the last ones standing in line.

[Next customer is Jeonghan]

[Rummage] [What's he doing?]

Jeonghan, a known game cheater from their ‘Going Seventeen’ antics, was already up to his usual tricks. He rummaged through the remaining papers, eyes squinting as he tried to read the questions through the faint marker lines that had bled through the back of the paper.

"You can’t go through the questions," one of the writers said, eyeing Jeonghan suspiciously.

Jeonghan simply chuckled, casually continuing his sneaky mission. PD Na, watching from a distance, stared at Jeonghan in confusion. “I’m sorry, but you can’t go through them,” PD Na repeated, a bit more firmly this time.

Feigning innocence, Jeonghan smiled and chose his prize. “I’ll go for the glove— I’ll mix them,” he said, before pretending to mix the papers up. However, his fingers were already gripping onto one specific paper, clearly hoping for an easier question.

“I’m sorry, but you held onto it when you shook them up,” PD Na pointed out, calling Jeonghan out on his cheeky tactics. The observation earned PD Na a laugh from Jeonghan, who finally picked a different paper and handed it over.

“It’s Four-character Idiom Relay,” PD Na announced, causing a wave of groans and laughter from the group as Jeonghan’s face fell into a look of mock defeat.

“You can do it,” Luna encouraged, clapping lightly from the side, followed by several other voices.

“We should make a new idiom for today,” Mingyu joked from the sidelines.

"You got this," Jun said, backing Jeonghan with playful confidence.

With a sigh, Jeonghan straightened up. “No pain, no gain,” he declared confidently.

PD Na blinked, confused. “I haven’t started yet,” he said, which sent the group into a fit of laughter. 

“You have to say it right away,” PD Na reminded him before reading the first part of the idiom. “Ome?”

“Ga-3,” Jeonghan answered without hesitation, a cheeky grin on his face.

[What?]

The room erupted into loud laughter as PD Na announced, “Wrong!”

[Omega-3: fatty acid needed for normal growth and health]

"It’s omebulmang," Seungkwan chimed in through his own laughter, shaking his head at Jeonghan’s hilariously absurd answer.

Luna toppled over, leaning on Dokyeom as she laughed uncontrollably. "That was amazing," she wheezed, tears forming in the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard.

“That was a good one,” Joshua agreed, nodding approvingly at Jeonghan’s absurd creativity.

[Nice wrong answer]

From the side, Dokyeom couldn’t help but add, “From now on, it’s Omega-3.”

“I’m jealous that he was funny,” Seungkwan pouted, still giggling at the chaos.

“Omega-3 was brilliant,” Dokyeom repeated, shaking his head in amusement as Jeonghan, grinning, stepped back to rejoin the group after his bold attempt.

It was Dino's turn, and the determined maknae stepped up confidently. "I'll take the razors again," he said, handing PD Na the paper he had chosen. 

PD Na glanced at the paper, then looked up with a sly smile. "It's Proverb Relay."

Instantly, the members reacted. “He’s out,” S.Coups said, shaking his head with a knowing smile. 

“Aigo, I’ll just buy you razors, Dino-ah,” Luna chuckled, amused at Dino’s previous failed attempts. 

“I’m good at it,” Dino told her, his face filled with mock determination.

[No, you're not]

"Ah, really?" Luna asked, her concerned tone causing S.Coups to laugh and point at her for having such little faith in Dino. "Alright"

“Make it funny, Dino,” Mingyu teased, leaning back with a smirk. 

“He’s guaranteed to be out,” Dokyeom chimed in, causing Dino to sigh dramatically.

“I told you. Everyone except for noona makes me negative and hopeless,” Dino said, feigning offense, causing laughter to ripple through the group.

[Proving that it's true]

“In the back, he said ‘One man sows, and walls have ears,’” Wonwoo joked, causing PD Na to clap and laugh at Dino’s famously incorrect previous answers.

“You should at least be funny,” Joshua encouraged, chuckling at Dino’s struggle.

“You’re a funny kid,” Mingyu added, his teasing tone light-hearted.

“If you play seriously, you’ll be funny,” Woozi assured him.

[No one expects him to get it]

“I hope you get it,” Seungkwan said encouragingly, standing behind Dino.

“I will get it,” Dino said firmly, taking a deep breath. He looked determined, ready to prove them all wrong.

“Here we go,” PD Na said, holding up the paper. He paused for dramatic effect before reading the first part of the proverb. “‘Bamboo basket...’”

Without missing a beat, Dino confidently responded, “‘Is a shame.’”

PD Na blinked before declaring, “Wrong!”

The group burst into laughter. Dino clutched his sides, joining the members as they doubled over at his very wrong, but hilarious answer.

“‘It can’t carry water,’” S.Coups said between laughs, finally giving the correct answer.

“It is a shame, though,” Woozi said, still chuckling, as PD Na handed Dino his cup of lemons once again.

[It's also a shame] [Having 9 lemons for the razor]

Dino sighed dramatically as he received the lemons, but he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of his answer. 

It was Seungkwan’s turn next. He approached the table with determined strides, picking up a paper and handing it over to PD Na. “I’ll go for the bulk snack,” he said confidently.

PD Na opened the paper, and a smirk crossed his face as he announced, “Seungkwan, it’s the Common Sense Quiz.”

Seungkwan’s face lit up with joy, his excitement palpable. 

“You think you’re smart, huh?” Mingyu teased from the side.

“You look smart, but you’re not smart,” Dokyeom added with a playful grin.

Joshua joined in, asking innocently, “Does he look smart?”

“Do you have no intention to root for me?” Seungkwan asked, his voice dripping with mock hurt. The room filled with laughter as the members teased him further.

“Wooo! Boo Seungkwan!” Luna cheered softly from the side, breaking the silence. The sweetness of her voice made everyone laugh even harder.

“Thanks, noona,” Seungkwan said, grateful for at least one supporter.

“Seungkwan, let’s start,” PD Na said, pulling everyone back into focus. “Here’s the question: We have names for like-minded people. What do you call people who want to be financially independent so that they can retire soon?”

As PD Na started counting down, Seungkwan’s face scrunched up in thought. “Elf,” Jeonghan whispered mischievously to him.

“Hot,” Joshua murmured under his breath, causing even more distraction.

Seungkwan, getting flustered, shouted, “Get me something hot!” as if it would save him from the pressure. He glanced around in desperation before realizinghe wasn't making any sense.

“Wrong,” PD Na said, shaking his head.

Seungkwan whined, “What’s the answer?”

“It’s fire,” PD Na explained.

"Fire? He's right, then," Luna said, playfully backing up Seungkwan.

"Right! You got it. It’s fire!" S.Coups chimed in, causing the whole group to laugh at the funny coincidence between Seungkwan’s ‘hot’ and the actual answer.

[Fire= hot]

“It is hot trotter,” Wonwoo added, making everyone burst into laughter again as they exclaimed at the revelation.

“Hot!” Seungkwan yelled, turning to PD Na in one last attempt to argue his case, shocking the PD enough that he stood up from his seat.

[Producer Na is shocked]

“We love Korean. Hot!” Seungkwan continued dramatically, trying to convince PD Na with his antics.

“That just gave me goosebumps,” PD Na said, his voice full of amusement.

“Is it hot?” Seungkwan asked, looking to the rest of the members who eagerly backed Seungkwan up. Everyone began chiming in at once, urging PD Na to accept Seungkwan’s creative answer.

[Will it count as an answer?] [In times like this, all 14 people team up]

“But ‘fire’ here means like firing someone,” PD Na tried to explain, still bewildered by how the situation had spiraled into chaos.

“It’s the same spelling,” Mingyu pointed out, looking to Luna for confirmation who nodded.

Finally, PD Na gave in with a laugh. “You got it,” he said, waving his hand.

[Approved] [He won the bulk snack]

Seungkwan let out an excited shout of victory, rushing to grab the massive bags of bulk snacks. He held them up triumphantly, his face lit up with satisfaction. “Thank you. This will go perfectly with alcohol,” Seungkwan said, clutching his prize with pride.

[Jeonghan is the last customer of the day]

As Jeonghan stepped forward for his final turn, the last customer left to close out the segment, he carefully picked a paper and handed it over to PD Na with a smirk, fully aware that this was his last chance to win something for himself. The atmosphere was light, with the members watching in anticipation of what trick or witty response Jeonghan might pull.

PD Na opened the folded slip of paper, scanned it briefly, and then raised his voice with a hint of amusement, “It’s a dud.”

[Neat finish]

The members burst into laughter, clapping in delight at the anticlimactic ending, while Jeonghan raised his hands in mock celebration, chuckling along with them. “Of course, it started and ended with a dud,” Luna quipped, smiling warmly at Jeonghan’s playful shrug. 

['Super' Store ends]

The segment ended with applause from everyone, and the group clapped, bowing to the staff and offering their thanks for the fun experience. They gathered their prizes, preparing to head back to the green room for a well-deserved break before the next segment began. 

[The customers seem happy]

As they moved around, PD Na approached Jeonghan with a small, familiar item in hand— a baseball that had been one of the prizes. "This is for you," PD Na said, handing over the ball as Jeonghan smiled, tucking it under his arm.

[It may be closed, but there are prizes for people who were funny]

Around them, the members had started spreading out— some still lingering in the open field, tearing into Seungkwan’s bulk snack bags and laughing, while others drifted toward the break area. 

[It’s closed. Please leave.]

[Post-credits scene]

[Here's what happened during the break]

Jeonghan and Luna were the first to arrive in the green room, their footsteps quiet as they entered the familiar space. The air was cool, a stark contrast to the warmth of the field outside.

[Jeonghan and Luna are the first people here to take a rest]

Without saying a word, Jeonghan lowered himself to the floor and sat with his legs out elongated in front of him, his back resting against the wall. Luna, without hesitation, settled down beside him, placing her head on his lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Both pulled out their phones, enjoying the peaceful silence that enveloped them. The room, for a moment, was theirs alone.

[Low battery mode]

“You two got here so fast,” Wonwoo’s voice broke the quiet as he strolled in a few minutes later, raising an eyebrow at their relaxed posture. Luna smiled up from Jeonghan’s lap, but neither moved, the easy comfort between them tangible.

Slowly, the rest of the members began trickling in. Mingyu, entering with his usual boundless energy, spotted Luna’s legs stretched out comfortably on the floor. Without warning, he scooped up her legs in one fluid motion, sat down beside her, and gently placed her legs back down on his lap. Luna chuckled but didn’t resist, knowing that this was typical of Mingyu.

“Why is there chroma key?” Mingyu asked, glancing around at the green walls that framed the room.

“I guess we’re doing something here later,” Dokyeom chimed in, scanning the room with a curious look.

“There are cameras everywhere,” S.Coups observed, noticing the subtle placements of hidden cameras tucked into various corners.

“You’re right,” Wonwoo said with a nod. “The unseen hide-and-seek. It’s gotta be something like that.”

[This is just Producer Na's habit]

Luna closed her phone and grinned. “Doesn’t this remind you guys of something?” The members glanced at her, waiting for the punchline. Her grin widened. “Melona Prison.”

The room erupted into laughter. The memory of their trainee days hit everyone at once— Melona Prison, the room where they spent countless hours training, named for the bright green walls and the never-ending surveillance cameras. It was their prison, their home, and the source of both fond and difficult memories.

“Ah, it really does feel like that place,” Mingyu agreed, chuckling as he absentmindedly ran his fingers on Luna’s legs.

Seungkwan, ever the playful one, suddenly tossed a blanket over Jeonghan, Luna, and Mingyu, covering them in a soft cocoon.

“Seungkwan, why are you suddenly being so nice and got us a blanket?” Jeonghan asked, his eyes narrowing in mock suspicion.

S.Coups, ever the leader with a teasing smile, cut in, “It’s because there are cameras.”

Seungkwan huffed. “What are you talking about? I’m always nice.”

The members settled into casual conversation, the easy flow of banter filling the room. Jeonghan, leaning back lazily, turned to the group and mused, “Not eating is the best way to prevent aging.”

“Really?” Dokyeom asked, his tone genuinely curious.

Jeonghan nodded sagely. “Yes.”

Luna looked up at him from his lap, her brow furrowing. “What nonsense is that?” she asked, half-joking, but her concern for him was clear in her voice.

With a soft sigh, Luna sat up and leaned her back against the wall, positioning herself between Jeonghan and Mingyu. The blanket remained draped over her, warm and cozy, as two pairs of hands— Jeonghan’s and Mingyu’s— rested lightly on her thigh, their touch gentle and absentminded.

[When they're talking about detoxing, the snack arrives]

A staff member entered, placing a bowl of snacks on the table next to them. Hoshi eyed the bowl, perking up. “Snack?”

Jeonghan, however, shook his head and gestured toward the snacks. “That’s all toxic.”

Luna shot him a sharp glare, not liking how casually he was talking about not eating. Her silent disapproval was palpable, and Jeonghan, noticing her expression, immediately leaned over, pressing his face against her shoulder in a small gesture of apology. He placed a quick, soft kiss on her shoulder as if that would make her relent. 

Just then, another staff member entered the room, balancing a tray of iced Americanos. As she moved toward the table, her grip faltered, and the tray slipped. The cups tumbled over, and coffee spilled across the floor, eliciting gasps of shock from the members. They all stood up in an instant, rushing over to help her.

“Are you okay?” Luna asked, concern etched on her face as she crouched down to assist.

Jeonghan, however, had other thoughts. “Is this a prank?” he asked, his eyes scanning the room suspiciously.

“Ya!” Luna scolded him, elbowing him lightly. “Don’t be ridiculous. Are you hurt?” she asked again, her attention back on the staff member.

“Are you okay?” Jeonghan finally asked.

“Is this a test? To see if we’ll help?” Dokyeom chimed in, a curious look on his face.

[They watched too much YouTube]

“Are you okay?” Hoshi asked the staff as he helped clean the floor, throwing away the coffee cups. 

The members all pitched in, cleaning up the mess without a second thought. Dokyeom moved the tray out of the room, shaking his head as he glanced back at Jeonghan, chuckling. “You think this is a prank? You’re unbelievable.”

Wonwoo chuckled softly, finding the whole situation amusing. “We all thought it was a prank right away.”

“It’s because there are cameras in the room,” Luna pointed out, gathering the blankets on the floor.

“Jeonghan, you’re unbelievable,” Hoshi echoed, still chuckling.

“S.Coups keeps cleaning.” Seungkwan pointed out.

“I know. Why are you working so hard?” Dokyeom asked.

S.Coups, ever diligent, kept wiping the floor, working harder than anyone else. “I was the first to get up.” he announced.

[That's what it takes to be the leader of SEVENTEEN]

As the room settled back into calm after the brief commotion, the members exchanged glances and laughs. The day had been chaotic, but this was just a brief pause before the next round of madness. With their energy recharged, they prepared for whatever the next segment had in store.

[This is what SEVENTEEN does on their break]

[To be continued in Clip 2-2]

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[beegomess]

T.N. || Are we bad for that?

Summary: Trapped in arranged relationships, you and Theo live a secret passion amid appearances and betrayals. While Draco, your boyfriend, pretends to fulfill his role to maintain appearances, Theodore fights against the jealousy and attraction he feels for you. With Camille, Nott's girlfriend, suspicious, each stealth encounter becomes a risk, threatening to expose a forbidden desire that challenges her responsibilities. Warnings: Mention of betrayals.

Orders are open!

His relationship with Draco Malfoy has always been a well-designed farce. Since the fourth year at Hogwarts, when your families decided that you would be the ideal couple, everyone's expectations began to dictate each movement. For the outside world, you were perfect together, but, deep down, you knew it was all a facade.

Draco was not the kind boyfriend everyone believed in. He had a cold and calculating way of treating everything and everyone, including you. And although he kept appearances, he did not deprive himself of other girls, always telling his achievements to Theodore Nott, a very close friend. Knowing these details only diminished the guilt you felt for getting involved with Theodore.

The connection between you and Theodore began in a subtle way, but grew quickly. It was not something you planned to change, on the contrary, there was an almost morbid excitement in keeping the relationship secret. Both knew that Draco and Camille, Theo's girlfriend, were not completely dedicated to their respective partners, but that didn't matter. You weren't worried about changing anything, just about keeping what you shared.

It was a winter night at the Malfoy mansion, during a dinner that brought together some of the most influential families in the wizarding world. The dining room was illuminated by floating candles, and the tables were filled with fine plates and crystal bowls. Draco, by his side, seemed more interested in talking to other boys, children of his father's close friends, who came from outside London especially for that night, than in paying attention to you. He rarely looked in your direction, and when he did, it was with an indifference that you had already gotten used to receiving.

Theodore was sitting on the other side of the table, next to Camille, who smiled politely at everyone. Your presence was a constant reminder of the complexity of that situation, but you simply didn't care. Camille was a good person, but her existence was irrelevant to you. The only thing that mattered was the look that Theodore threw in his direction from time to time, full of silent promises.

During a break between the dishes, you murmured some excuse to Draco and got up, walking towards the mansion's library. I knew Theodore would understand the signal and follow it soon after.

The Malfoy library was immense, full of rare books and curious objects, a place where few dared to enter alone.

You hid among the high shelves, your heart accelerated by anticipation. A few minutes later, he heard gentle steps approaching. Theodore appeared, his eyes shining with the same expectation you felt.

- That drug never seemed to end. - he murmured, with a mischievous smile.

- Believe me, it was worse for me. - you replied, allowing a smile to escape.

He got closer, and the world around him seemed to disappear. Theodore always had a way to make you forget everything, even if for a few moments. The proximity between you was inevitable, and before you could hesitate, you pulled him for a kiss, one that carried all the frustration and desire they had accumulated throughout dinner.

Theodore's hands were on his waist, pulling her closer, almost as if he needed you at that moment, while you let yourself be carried away by the moment. The library, usually a place of silence and reflection, was now a witness to a meeting full of secrets.

In the midst of the intensity of the kiss and the impulse that Theodore gave you to climb to a table nearby, his body bumped into a pile of books, causing some of them to fall to the ground with a deaf thuck. You laughed, the sound of your voices filling the empty space.

It was at that moment that they heard steps in the hallway. The two froze, and Theodore quickly walked away, trying to pull himself together. It was too late to hide the tracks, and when Camille appeared at the entrance of the library, her curious look turned into something more suspicious.

- Theo? - Camille called, looking around, trying to understand what was going on. - Is everything okay?

- Yes, dear. - He replied, with a forced smile, that he couldn't dissipate the tension in the air. - Are you okay?

You observed Camille, but without any concern or remorse, just an indifference that you were already used to feeling. Camille took a step forward, her eyes passing from Theodore to you. There was something in her eyes that suggested that she knew something was wrong, but she wasn't sure what. Maybe he had heard the laughter, maybe the sound of the falling books would have aroused his curiosity. Anyway, she didn't ask directly, she just threw a warning look at Theodore.

- We need to go back. Dinner should already be at the end. - she said, her voice slightly tense.

Theodore nodded, but before leaving, he threw one last look in his direction, trying not to show the discomfort he was beginning to feel. There was a resentment in Camille's voice that he chose to ignore.

When you finally returned to the dining room, Draco was once again involved in conversations, but this time, he noticed his approach. He briefly interrupted the conversation to cast a serious look in his direction.

- Where were you? - he asked, the tone slightly irritated.

- I went to get some air - you replied, without worrying about hiding the annoyance in your voice.

He narrowed his eyes, but didn't insist. Draco didn't really care about you, but he knew he was expected to act like a caring boyfriend, at least in front of others.

As dinner progressed, you realized that Draco began to approach you in a way that he rarely did. He touched his hand from time to time, leaning to whisper comments in his ear. His touch was not affectionate, but there was a certain physical intensity, an attraction that was not related to feelings, but to desire.

You realized that by maintaining these appearances and getting closer physically to Draco, you could instigate a more possessive reaction in Theodore. So, with every touch, with every whisper of him that made you smile, your mind wandered momentarily to Theodore, but just enough to allow himself to react to Draco convincingly. What you did was not just keep the appearances; it was a subtle game to measure the effect on Theodore.

Camille, sitting on the other side of the table, seemed increasingly attentive to her interactions with Draco. She watched more carefully, noticing every calculated gesture, every smile you forced next to Draco. She wondered if you were really happy, but when she saw how well you pretended, she concluded that even if you weren't, no one would notice.

When dinner finally came to an end, you got up next to Draco, still feeling his touch on your back, but it was Theodore who dominated his thoughts. Draco, indifferent, cast one last look in his direction, as if he were just ensuring that he fulfilled his role to maintain appearances and, perhaps, meet his father's expectations.

Camille, with a suspicious expression, approached Theodore, who seemed even more distant and angry.

- Theo, are you okay? - she asked, in a soft voice, but there was an evident concern in her tone.

Theodore kept his gaze fixed at a distant point, avoiding her eyes.

- I'm just a little tired. - he replied, his voice loaded with a restrained irritation.

Camille hesitated, noticing the tension in the air.

- We can spend the night together, if you want. Maybe this will help you relax - he suggested, trying to sound comforting.

Theodore finally looked at her, his eyes hard and impassive.

- No, Camille. I prefer to be alone. - he said, firmly, but not rudely.

She frowned, surprised and a little hurt by the rejection, but did not insist. He just nodded slowly, moving away from him with a dejected expression, while Theodore remained motionless, lost in his own tumultuous thoughts.

The next morning, Hogwarts was as usual: students rushed through the corridors, the first classes already in progress, and a characteristic cold of the castle hovered in the air. As you walked to your Spell class, you felt a firm hand pull your arm, dragging it into an empty corridor.

It was Theodore. Your face was tense, your eyes shining with a jealousy that you recognized immediately.

- What was that last night? - he asked, his voice low, but loaded with emotion.

You frowned, even though you knew exactly what he was talking about.

- What are you talking about, Theo?

He took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his composure.

- How Draco was touching you... As if he cared. - The words came out almost like an accusation. - Did anything else happen after I left?

You couldn't help but smile, even though you knew Theodore was genuinely bothered. There was something almost irresistible about seeing him envy, a feeling that gave him a strange sense of power.

- Theo, nothing happened... - you started, but the smile on your lips betrayed your words. He narrowed his eyes, clearly not convinced.

- I saw how he looked at you, how he touched you - Theodore insisted, his hand still holding his arm as if he needed this connection to anchor himself. - And you didn't seem bothered.

- Don't be ridiculous, Theodore. - His voice was slightly provocative as you leaned a little more towards him. - He's my boyfriend, what did you expect me to do?

The jealousy in Theodore's eyes did not disappear, but he seemed to relax a little with his answer.

- I just... I don't like to see you with him like that - he admitted, the voice now lower, almost a whisper.

- So don't look. - Your answer was almost playful, but there was an underlying seriousness in your words. - We still have a relationship...

Theodore opened his mouth to answer, but before he could say anything, you heard steps approaching. She was one of your friends, walking down the corridor towards you.

Quickly, Theodore let go of his arm and walked away, trying to disguise the tension between you. Your friend didn't seem to have noticed anything strange, but took a curious look at Theodore before turning her attention to you.

- We are late for the Spells class - the girl said with her voice indifferent.

You nodded, exchanging one last look with Theodore before following your friend down the hallway. Theodore stood still for a moment, watching you move away, his heart still racing by the conversation and the anger he was trying to suppress.

____________________________

masterlist

xoxo, bee🫶🏼✨

[bladiegfs]

it's been a long, long time

➵ hcs + drabbles of being separated from your lover for a while (ft. jing yuan, blade, gepard)

➵ warning(s) applicable: none

➵ wc: 2.3k

➵ they say distance makes the heart grow fonder. but sometimes, you can't stand it.

➵ author's note: hugging (and a kiss on blade's) as a treat...

Jing Yuan

⇢ It had been a while since you two saw one another; you were both far too busy with the threat of the Stellaron Hunters coming to Xianzhou.

⇢ You were busy with matters concerning work; no matter whether or not literal criminals could be walking the streets, the world stops for no one.

⇢ Well, most especially because you were involved with the Realm-Keeping Commission. It kept you ridiculously occupied, so much to the point that you couldn’t even pick up your phone.

⇢ Many things were keeping you occupied: first was the clear issue of the well-hidden secret of Blade’s escape. Second were the strange visitors that Sushang had been lugging around, especially the one carrying around a coffin and… hitting enemies with it. Third was the investigation of the spread of mara within soldiers— the Cloud Knights had been bleeding more men than predicted, which only made it more difficult for them to handle the criminals.

“He’s quite suspicious, isn’t he?” You comment, pulling Sushang to the side. The young knight raises an eyebrow at your words. “Who?” “The fair-haired one,” You explain. “The one with the coffin.” “I thought of that, too,” Sushang nods. She then beams at you, “But I can handle this, [name]! Trust me— you don’t have to worry more than you already do. The Loufu General won’t be too happy to know you’re running on anxiety, you know?”

⇢ And of course, you greatly missed Jing Yuan. At first, it was a faint feeling of sadness that resided in your chest. Then, as the days went by, it only grew in intensity. Somehow, seeing happy pairs of Foxians walking outside left a bitter taste in your mouth.

⇢ However, you had to push those feelings to the side and needed to put all focus on doing your job— the determination of ending all that gets in the way kept you fueled. After all, the sooner you deal with work, the sooner you’d be reunited with him.

⇢ And when all things ceased— finally and for the better, too— you find yourself overly aware of just how much you really missed your beloved. His absence had made your side turn cold.

⇢ Not only that, but worries also started to wander into your head. Where is he? What had happened to him these past few days? He didn’t do anything reckless, did he?

⇢ Those questions, you thought, could be easily answered by the one junior you know you could trust: Yanqing. And there he was, wiping his sword clean of dirt on a pavilion. You approached him, raising a hand in acknowledgment as you call out his name. He looks up at you with a bright smile.

“The General…” Yanqing tilts his head, eyes wandering up as he thinks. Some grime was on the little boy’s cheek as well as his hand, but he paid them no attention, or perhaps he did not notice. Then, his expression lights up and he says, “I last saw him with Madam Yukong! They’re probably at the Starskiff Haven.” “Thanks, Yanqing,” You smile, one hand reaching out to away wipe the dirt on his face as you spoke. Yanqing’s hand quickly darts up his face, replacing yours. With a voice tinged with shame, he says, “You better hurry or you might miss him.”

⇢ When you arrived at Starskiff Haven, the docks were filled with other officials within the Sky-Faring Commission. You peeked between the crowd, looking for him— looking for a hint of that light hair, and straining your ears to pick up the sound of his voice.

⇢ It was difficult to look around. There were far too many people blocking your line of sight, and he was likely right up front, unconsciously commanding attention like he always has. 

⇢ And so, you turned around, opting to wait for the crowds to dwindle instead.

⇢ As you turned around, you bumped into someone. Before you could apologize, realization dawned upon you. You open your mouth soundlessly, unsure of where to start.

“Looking for someone?” Jing Yuan says, a playful smile on his face. You quickly rushed in for a hug, engulfing him in your arms. He stumbles back a little in surprise, momentarily stunned before returning the embrace. “Missed me that much?” He teases you as you melt into his arms. “You have no idea.” You reply, holding him even tighter. A laugh escapes his lips as one of his hands combs through your hair. He breathes in deeply and replies in a voice low enough that only you can hear, “I missed you too.”

Blade

⇢ Worries filled your head the moment you heard that Blade was captured by the Cloud Knights.

⇢ Kafka was quick to wave it off when the news hit, laughing as she does so. It did little to dissuade your worries.

“Oh, Bladie’s fine,” She quickly says, her voice a little more gentle this time. “Don’t worry about it, [name]. It’s all going according to plan.” “Plan,” you incredulously echo. Kafka nods as she turns to one of the screens, projecting an image of the planet. “After all, he’s already gotten away.” “Huh?” You stand up, your chair dragging on the floor with a loud noise. “What’s he doing now, then?” The half-grin Kafka gives you answers none of your questions.

⇢ With that, you breathe out a sigh of relief. Kafka had already plotted to go to Xianzhou Loufu herself— something about fulfilling what Elio had foreseen. None of which you’re allowed to know, but the fact that she’d be there reassures you.

⇢ You find yourself resting a lot easier. You return to your duties, significantly less bothered.

⇢ …Until a certain someone lets it slip that Kafka has gotten captured by the Divination Commission’s Master Diviner.

⇢ The entire situation spelled trouble; Blade had a nasty habit of meddling in fights involving any other members of the Stellaron Hunters. Hell, that’s how you met him first. But not only that, you worried about what information the commission could read on Kafka, and what they could possibly do to her.

“I’ll come get her myself,” You grit your teeth. Sam laughs, “Hey, don’t be rash. It’s all going—” “According to plan,” You finish, irritation audible in your voice. “That’s what you’re going to say, right?” “…Going to be alright, then,” Sam offers a sleazy smile. “Better?”

⇢ Right as you were briskly walking to the teleporters— followed by Sam who refused to let you go— a loud noise rattles the headquarters and lights flicker on and off for a second before stabilizing once more.

⇢ You rush to the source of the noise and was met with the sight of him dusting his clothes off, clicking his tongue. Meanwhile, Kafka sat beside Silver Wolf, amused as she watches Blade move.

⇢ When Blade meets your eyes, his expression somewhat relaxes. But he doesn’t spare you a greeting as you unconsciously scan his person; your eyes narrow at the new set of bandages wrapped around his arm. He then walks out of the room, pushing past Sam.

⇢ Looking around and at the three hunters looking at you expectantly, you sigh and turn to follow Blade.

⇢ He quickly walks through the halls and disappears behind the automatic doors of his room. You hasten your steps, and when the doors open for you, he’s seated at the foot of his bed, in the progress of removing his top.

⇢ He silently glances up to look at you and his hands stop working on his clothes. Instead, he leans back a little, propping himself up with one elbow against the bed and his free hand motioning for you to come closer.

⇢ You follow him and find a seat on top of his lap. You wrap your arms around him, breathing out as you feel his warmth once more.

Blade’s arm snakes around your waist, pulling you even closer.  A jolt of electricity moves through your spine as he moves lower to press kisses on your neck. He murmurs against your skin, “Missed me?” “Yes,” You whisper. You feel his mouth curve up in a smile at your reply. And he leaves it unsaid as he kisses you, his lips meeting yours; I missed you, too. 

Gepard

⇢ From the very start, you understood what Gepard’s line of work meant and you admired him for it.

⇢ But there was also the fact that there were days that were truly rough for him. He is a skilled fighter but there were still days when he’d come home wounded and tired. And you knew that he always means to be careful– he hated to see you look so worried and distraught– but his work comes first before anything.

⇢ And with his position in his work, it was all the more riskier. ‘To fight for Belobog is an honor,’ they said, but it sure didn’t feel like one whenever Gepard comes home to you and you’d see him injured. 

⇢ Fortunately, those days were sparse.

⇢ But suddenly, there were orders for the Silvermane Guards to be dispatched outside the city. Length of stay? Indefinite. They were to remain there until they’ve completely eliminated the threat of Automaton Beasts— machines that might as well be pests with the way they never seem to never run out. 

⇢ You felt somewhat assured that Gepard can handle the threat; he told you things like these were a walk in the park for him.

⇢ It was the distance that troubled you, as well as the intense cold outside the city. You vividly remember your early teen years, when you’d curiously explore the vast, snowy plains and shivered as you moved.

“Be careful,” You told Gepard as his hand hovers over the doorknob. “Stay safe, alright?” Gepard throws a glance behind his shoulder and looks at you with a small smile. “I’ll try.” You give him an unamused scoff, which only makes the smile on his face grow. Then, he gives in and says, “I’ll contact you as much as I can.” Slowly, a tiny smile also appears on your face.

⇢ Days turn into a week. He’d occasionally call you at around dinner time, checking in on you and chatting about trivial matters. You’d ask about how his mission is going, and he’d tell you the same thing he usually does: “It’s going great. Don’t worry, [name].”

⇢ But one night, the clock ticks past dinner time and you stare hard enough at your phone that you could almost launch it flying with just your gaze.

⇢ After a while, you pick up your phone— it works two ways, doesn’t it? But it only rings, and rings, and rings.

⇢ You told yourself to not worry about it too much; he was probably simply occupied for the night. He deserved and earned his rest.

⇢ Until it extends to four nights of silence. Four nights of not hearing his voice, not knowing what’s happened to him. Nothing.

⇢ At this point, you had wanted to march right out of the city walls once more, just like what you had done before. But you snapped back to reality the more you thought about it— you didn’t want to give the guards another thing to worry about, another to look out for.

⇢ Instead, all you could do is sigh discontentedly as you stare into your phone, waiting and waiting and waiting.

⇢ Seven days had passed since you last heard from Gepard. An entire week of waiting for news– waiting for anything at all– to tell you that he’s alright.

⇢ Then, as you walk through the city to quickly shop for more rice, you overheard a conversation between some guards within the city.

“—the captain.” “How long?” “I have no idea. Apparently, they’ve run into one of the biggest ones and sent his subordinates back to camp with one foot in the grave.” “So he’s fighting it alone?” “One at a time, yeah, I think. Chipping away at it. But it has been like, what? A week? Who knows how much longer it’ll be?” “Right,” The guard nods. “It could take him a year if he just kept going by himself instead of mobilizing his juniors.” “You know the captain. He’s not that type of person.”

⇢ You stumble back home, sick to your stomach.  Gepard– the sweet, kind, caring man that he is and you fell for– had been fighting alone, all for the sake of his subordinates.

⇢ Right as you were about to get your phone to call Serval, the person you know would understand, you saw some guards and paramedics within the city walk in packs through the window.

⇢ Curiously, you peek out. Suddenly, hope and dread both fill your stomach as you see lines of guards– Gepard’s subordinates– start to litter the streets and go en route to the nearest medical bay.

⇢ You quickly rush outside your home and trail behind them, anxious to see their captain, your Gepard.

You pushed through the other soldiers, determined to make your way to him. He stood there, looking worse for wear. Yet, he stood steadfast. It was as if the wounds all over him didn’t exist. Instead, he ordered the paramedics to take his subordinates first. Your heart aches as you watch him and found yourself unable to hold back any longer— you pushed past another line of soldiers with some effort and broke through. With that, you start rushing toward your lover. When he catches sight of you, his walking first speeds up, until he starts rushing to you as well. And it was as if the world stopped moving when he catches you in his arms, engulfing you in a tight embrace. He cradles your head when you mutter, “I thought… I was so…” “It’s alright,” Gepard replies in a soothing voice. “I’m here. I’m here now.” 

[dwonfilm]

Old habits die hard | Beau Arlen x Reader

Summary: after Beau’s divorce he and [Y/N] were involved, but he realized it wasn’t fair for many reasons and things ended in a mess, but his past comes back to bite when [Y/N] shows up in Montana as a kidnapping victim and the perpetrators are tied to the cartel that killed his old partner.

This will be a multi-part story, set after season three of Big Sky.

Pairing: Beau Arlen x Reader

Warnings: kidnapping scenario, sort of more tight spaces, regular network tv violence.

Mentions: Jenny Hoyt, Felicity [L/N], Grant (OC), two abductors.

If you missed it, here’s Part I.

Part II:

Now her ears were ringing again, but it wasn’t as intense as it had been before—the trunk muffling the volume of the loud pop somewhat. There had been a silence that overtook the air and it made her feel incredibly uneasy. Moments prior there was yelling and talking and chaotic noises and now there was just.. nothing. However after another small chunk of time, she could hear footsteps against the gravel. They sounded like they were coming.. closer? Oh god.. they were coming closer. She felt her heart thumping against her chest and the fear and anxiety surging through her body. Someone had inserted a key into the trunk and twisted it, the mechanism sort of loud in her ears. Slowly the trunk opened and she immediately winced as the sunlight came flooding into the area that had been entirely cloaked in darkness for so long. As she clenched her eyes closed to avoid further pain to them, she heard a strange man laugh. It sent chills along her spine and the hair on various parts of her body stand up on end. “Well, look who woke up from her nap.” He said, the tone of his voice mocking and she could basically hear the sneer in his voice. It made her stomach feel like it was tying itself in knots. There was a second laugh from further away.. it sounded familiar almost but she couldn’t place it. “Well, at least you can help me out a bit cause we hit a little roadblock and now we’ve gotta change vehicles. So c’mon,” he grunted, leaning forward to grab onto her arm. It felt like her entire body froze in place, which, made her harder to move. “quit resisting sweetheart, you don’t wanna catch another blow to the head do ya’?” His voice was incredibly unsettling. However her head was still feeling groggy from the first blow she’d presumably suffered based on his comment. Reluctantly she relaxed her body enough that he got to pull her forward enough to be close to the opening of the trunk. Next he placed his hand on the back of her neck, it felt cold and clammy and she shivered from disgust. It was clear he was guiding her into a sitting position almost—his other hand pulling her legs out. Despite the ‘nice’ front he’d been putting up, he wasn’t taking chances with her and scooped her body up onto his shoulder. It was her turn to grunt as she’d been hoisted in the air, the man’s footsteps crunching against the gravel again. One.. two.. three.. four.. counting his footsteps in her head was futile but it made her brain at least think that she was gaining important information.

He’d made roughly twenty steps when the motion came to a stop. Slowly she gained the courage to open her eyes, it still hurt but she held the reaction in so he wouldn’t notice she was looking around. Immediately her eyes fixated on the car behind them and her stomach completely dropped at what she saw—the red car that had been following her off and on for two, maybe three weeks. It turns out she’d been right to be suspicious and despite the opinion of those cops.. she wasn’t paranoid at all and yet somehow that wasn’t even the worst thing she saw. Not far from the front of said car was a man lying on the asphalt. There was a deep red soaking into it and the dirt surrounding it. She had been right again, but the realization of both things felt anything but great. Suddenly the other hand of her captor was felt on the side of her waist and again it made her skin crawl. Slowly he began to shift her body from his shoulder and she quickly shut her eyes again—hoping that the man didn’t notice she’d opened her eyes at all. It wasn’t hard to tell that she’d been placed into a standing position onto the ground, the rocks pushing into her bare feet. It was morning when she’d been stolen from her home after all, so she wasn’t dressed for this kind of outing. “Sadly for you, the new digs aren’t as.. cozy as the last ones.” His voice bordered on an almost sympathetic tone. [Y/N] so desperately wanted to ask what it was he meant by that, but, she also was scared to speak and say something that made them cut her loose and shoot her like they’d done the man. He didn’t speak further, instead he’d pulled her by her arm a couple steps forward but they were more so hops since her ankles were bound. “Hey, c’mere and help me lift her up.” He’d yelled and she could hear the sound of the second man’s footsteps approaching them by the soles of his shoes shifting the gravel underneath them. There was a second or so of silence before she heard the sound of the back of a truck being pulled down, great.. she was getting thrown into a truck bed. It didn’t take long for the second man to climb up into it and less time for her to be lifted up. Maybe she was delusional but his touch.. it was as if she’d felt it before—but that can’t be. Whatever they hit her over the head with was certainly doing a number on her ability to think clearly. Once she was up he’d roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the top of the truck bed. Less than gently shoving her to the bottom of it, which was hard on her knees. Not only was the hard material of the floor of it a rough landing, there was also treads of some kind and she felt either bits of rocks or bits of wood underneath her skin. As the second man maneuvered himself it was clear he was stepping on things that weren’t necessarily the bed of the truck.

Now his hand was on her shoulder and again, with a less than gentle approach he’d pulled her down to the floor of the truck bed. She moved a little but felt the edge of something that felt like wood, she was clearly wedged between lumber or something. It wasn’t long after that the second man jumped down and closed up the back piece of the truck, where the hell was she being taken? As if being stuck in the bed of a soon to be moving truck wasn’t bad enough, she then heard the sound of a tarp being pulled overtop of her—at least as high as the sides of the truck bed. At least it wasn’t directly on top of her but that wasn’t more comforting, not by much. They secured it and both of them seemed to walk off, their footsteps getting quieter and quieter. She shivered as the air began to have a chill to it, which was weird.. she never got cold during the night in Texas.

Helena, Montana.

Beau was about to finish the night at the station. Most of the people had left already, but he’d gotten himself stuck in deep thought processes about [Y/N] and her case or whatever it may be. He finally decided to pull his phone out of his pocket, because he’d been forced to put it away so he’d stop staring at messages—well, that and photos of himself and [Y/N] that he’d never exactly.. deleted. It was distracting him from other little jobs he’d had to do. Now though, he decided to call up an old buddy who was still active in the Houston PD. Lightly tapping the screen over his contact, the phone began to ring and Beau placed it against his ear. There was a couple rings before the man had picked up. “Well, well—Beau Arlen if it ain’t the one and only.” He said. It made Beau chuckle a little, sheepishly given the context of this call. “Hey, Grant. I hope I’m not buggin’ ya’ too much at this time.” Beau replied as he nervously scratched at the nape of his neck. “Not at all, I was just gonna start wrapping things up. Only got a few more hours on call but it’s slow.” He spoke, picking up that Arlen’s tone wasn’t necessarily even. “I can tell this isn’t a ‘call and check in and shoot the shit’ phone call. What’s on your mind Arlen?” Beau should’ve known, you can’t keep anything from a good cop. “You caught me red handed,” he joked with another nervous sort of laugh before having to ask Grant this question. “I just got a question, uh, so Felicity [L/N] contacted me earlier about.. about [Y/N] and said she’s missin’, that true?” Beau asked, waiting to see just how his old friend would react. It was a nervous laugh that came from Grant this time and that only served to make Beau more on edge. “Yeah, accordin’ to Felicity it’s true but.. you and I both know the reputation [Y/N] has Beau—hell you know better than me.” Grant spoke and his tone had indicated it was supposed to sound more like a joke. “She’s been off her rocker for a couple years now. Maybe she finally just.. snapped and left.” Beau scoffed immediately at this notion. “She wouldn’t do anythin’ without filling Felicity in, speaking of, she said her place was trashed and it looked as if there was a struggle? Tell me who leaves their entire life behind and wants to make a scene?” He’d withheld the bitterness for the most part, just wanting some answers. Grant’s own chuckle was sheepish now and it was clear that he didn’t want to be having this conversation. “Why do you care, Beau? Didn’t you ditch that girl like a bad habit and flee to Montana months later?” Ouch. Beau had to try and remain cool but the anger was bubbling up from his gut. “I ain’t gonna dignify that with a response Grant, if you guys aren’t gonna look into it then send me whatever Felicity gave you and I’ll look into this myself.”

It was obvious by the silence that he’d stunned his old friend with the request but it gave the man an excuse to continue not caring about [Y/N] or the fact that she was missing. “..whatever‘ll make you sleep better at night Beau. I’ll have a rookie gather it all and send it in the morning. Now, if that’s all, I got a job to do.” There was an air of annoyance around Grant’s tone and Beau was feeling pretty much the same. “Yeah, pleasure talkin’ again.” Beau replied before immediately hanging up the phone. He’d been gripping his phone so tight that his knuckles began to turn white. Gritting his teeth he felt that anger lingering, but it wasn’t all directed at his old friend. Some of it was directed towards himself, because Grant had made a point. He really had ditched [Y/N] like she was a bad habit.

“Beau, why are you doing this?!” [Y/N] sobbed, not even trying to hide the tears or the way her voice cracked. Beau remained quiet and continued packing up her things. He’d barely said anything to her since arriving back at his apartment. “Why aren’t you answering me, Beau? Why.. what did I do?” She was stuttering and stumbling over her words as the air was being forced from her lungs and then they tried desperately to regain some. However all it did was burn. Beau was throwing her clothes in a bag, his expression stoic. Moving around the bedroom and gathering the array of things she’d slowly integrated into his place over the past six or seven months. [Y/N] ran her hand through her [Y/H/C] hair out of desperation and frustration. She truly had no idea what prompted him to act like this and he’d not let her close enough to know if he was drunk—but it was Beau and he was almost always drunk to some degree. He’d thrown almost all of the clothes into this bag and now he moved to the bathroom, grabbing some of her products she’d left here since she spent so much time inside these walls. Of course she’d followed him in a desperate attempt to break through whatever shell he was throwing up. “Beau.. please.. just talk to me, we can talk this out or I can fix whatever I did-“ for the first time since beginning this rampage he turned to look at her and his expression was still hardened. “Just stop, [Y/N]. Stop. Look at you! You’re sobbing like someone died an’ we weren’t ever really together. You weren’t ever my girlfriend and you’re actin’ like I’m busting up a lifelong relationship.” His words were pointed and harsh, slurring a little which confirmed that he was indeed intoxicated. “You were fun, this.. whatever you wanna call what we had, it was fun. Now ya’ need to just suck it up alright?” Beau’s tone of voice matched his expression and it was breaking her heart more and more by the second. “I.. this was more than fun and you know it, Beau.. don’t downplay us because you’re feeling scared or insecure or-“ she tried to reason with him but he wasn’t having it. “I ain’t feelin’ nothin’. Don’t try and project your bullshit on me okay? Just..” he trailed off before he turned back around and grabbed more stuff to throw it in the bag.

[Y/N]’s heart was thrown against the wall, shattering into tiny bits and pieces as it connected and fell to the floor. “Beau please..” she felt so utterly pathetic for standing here and begging a man for a chance to fix something she didn’t even know she’d done wrong. It was incredibly out of character for her but it was a testament to how strongly she felt about this man. “..I love you..” she whispered, her voice breaking in a soft and sad manner. It made Beau freeze and for a moment he stopped dead in his tracks. It was the first time his face twitched but she couldn’t see it as his back was turned towards where she stood. Now an awkward and tense silence overtook the air and the two of them just became frozen seemingly within it. However, after what felt like an eternity Beau turned and exited the bathroom, maneuvering around her to get into the small living room. It was the last room that he needed to remove her presence from, which wouldn’t take long because it didn’t hold much. There was a million things she wanted to say, hell that she needed to say and yet her entire chest felt like it was gonna collapse. It took a minute, maybe two in order to grab things from the living room and toss them into a bag. Now he turned back to her, his expression still unreadable. Extending his arm outward, he held the bag out for her to take into her possession. She wanted to fight it, to prove that what they had was worth fighting for—but she couldn’t make the words come out. Not when she was staring at him with an expression like that on his face. Slowly she reached out, fingers trembling as she took the bag into her hand. [Y/N] parted her lips to try and say something, but again, no words would come out. Beau’s jaw tensed. “Goodbye [Y/N], have a good life.” He spoke before turning and walking into the kitchen and she felt like that phrase was formed into a blade. It was then shoved into her chest without a second thought, and so she turned and walked towards the door. For a moment she paused, lingering by it and silently sobbing. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the spare key he’d given her to immediately drop it on the counter. Sniffling to try and regain some semblance of control of her emotions, she went to leave but something stopped her from doing so. Now she reached into her other pocket and slowly pulled out a watch, Beau’s watch. He’d been complaining for weeks that it was broken and it was a gift from his brother so.. she’d taken it to get fixed. Lightly setting it down on the counter she then opened the door and left.

End of flashback.

Beau’s gaze fell to his wrist immediately, that very same watch strapped to it. He tortured himself for months after that night. It was the last time he’d ever seen [Y/N] face to face. “I’m gonna find you, sweetheart. I ain’t gonna stop until I do.” He whispered a promise into the emptiness of his office before grabbing his jacket and making his way to the door. Slowly he flicked the light off and closed the door—locking it immediately after. Somehow he’d force himself to sleep and tomorrow he could really start looking for [Y/N].

Unknown location.

It felt like it had been so long since the men who abducted her had walked off, of course she could open her eyes and look around, but that wasn’t gonna be of any use now. All she’d see was the contents surrounding her inside the bed of this truck and the tarp that was pulled across the top. She was entirely closed in, but she was cold. It was the consistent though in her brain and [Y/N] knew for certain this couldn’t be Texas. Even walking around in things like she had on—which was a pair of pyjama shorts and a small matching tank top—she never got a chill like this as night rolled in. It was at this moment that [Y/N] felt a surge of pure fear move throughout her entire body. Clearly she wasn’t anywhere near her home, in both the sense of being far from her physical house and apparently.. the state it was located in. Just then she heard the faint crunch of the gravel beneath feet. Whatever they’d done was over with and now they were coming back to take her.. somewhere. Gradually the noise of crunching gravel became louder, the two men getting closer and closer to the truck. Despite knowing it was likely impossible for her to snap or tear the duct tape around her limbs, she had to try. Turning her head a little bit, finally opening her eyes, she noticed a bit of wood that seemed jagged enough to do the trick. Unfortunately she had no idea how she’d get to it but she was attempting to workshop scenarios in her head. Now the two men had gotten close enough to where she could hear what they were talking about, but it seemed like nothing. They probably knew she was still gonna be awake and didn’t want her figuring anything out. Which meant in her eyes there was a chance, albeit a slim one, that she could make it out of this entire ordeal alive. It didn’t take long for them to get into the cab of the truck and soon the engine roared to life. Unfortunately for her plan, it was gonna be much harder for [Y/N] to get to that piece of wood. Despite that, she’d try—just not now. It was senseless to try at this moment because they were about to drive and she’d still have no escape. Man her head was starting to ache again. As they pulled back onto the road and began to drive, she knew it was only a matter of time before her body would give out on her again and she’d pass out. Which, right now, with shivers and chills moving through her body, that didn’t seem like such a bad thing.

However she wasn’t so lucky this time, she was still conscious to watch as the sun gradually disappeared from the sky and all that cloaked her was darkness again. Of course with a lack of the sun shining, the air only became more crisp and more chilly—the shivers moving throughout her body were causing her teeth to ever so slightly chatter. All the while it only served to make her body ache more from being stuck in the same position and her limbs getting stiff. Eventually, some mercy was granted for her and she eventually passed out yet again.

Helena, Montana—the next day.

Beau hadn’t gotten much sleep, but that was to be expected. All night was plagued by the same memories eating him alive and they were accompanied by the overwhelming sense of urgency and pure worry that had settled into his bones like a permanent ache. He’d been sitting outside in one of his deck chairs which was situated in front of his trailer. Truthfully he’d been so lost in all of his thoughts that the image of the sun beginning to rise in the sky, peeking above the tops of the trees startled him. “Dammit.” He muttered to himself, but he knew when he pulled into his driveway last night that he’d been getting little sleep if any at all. Slowly he pushed himself to a vertical position, slowly extending his arms upward so that he could stretch the stiffness from his body. Beau took one step towards his beloved truck, Pedro, but then figured it would be even more obvious he didn’t sleep if he showed up to work in the same outfit he’d worn the day prior. Grumbling to himself he pulled the door to his trailer open and disappeared inside, tossing his clothes around for a moment or two in an attempt to discern what items were clean. After about ten minutes he’d settled on a maroon button up shirt and a pair of dark jeans. He grabbed a different jacket just to further attempt to prove to those who’d be surrounding him today that he was still put together. Sighing as he ran a hand through his hair, he’d then grab his gun and slip it into its holster— immediately moving towards the door once it was secured. He’d definitely need a coffee or ten to get through today. Another grumble of nonsense slipped through his lips as he exited his trailer again, making the short walk to Pedro before slipping into the driver’s seat. Hands gripped the wheel tightly as he took a deep breath in, filling his lungs to the brim with air before slowly pushing it all back out. Beau slipped the key into the ignition and flicked his wrist in order to bring the engine of his beloved truck to life. Carefully he backed out of his driveway and began to drive in the direction of the station.

It was about 7:15AM when he’d arrived at the station, it was mostly a ghost town. No one really started filing in until around 7:30AM or later. Hell usually he’d be slipping in the front door at around 8AM—that man loved his sleep. Unfortunately when something was truly plaguing him, he’d show up like this, bright and early. There was no brightness to his eyes nor bushiness to his metaphorical tail. All that he felt was dread. His first stop was to the break room, firing up the coffee pot. He couldn’t stop anywhere for coffee that was actually good, he didn’t have time. While he was waiting for the water to heat up, he slowly pulled his phone out from his jacket pocket. Thumbs moving along the screen as he typed out a message.

Hey, Felicity—I made a call to a friend last night and Houston PD is sending me whatever you gave them and whatever else they scrounged up. I’m gonna have a look at everything and if I find anything at all, I’ll let you know right away. Sorry I know it’s early but I told you I’d reach out and didn’t wanna make you wait.

He pushed the button to send the text and locked his phone again. There was an overwhelming feeling inside of his heart to unlock it again and pull up those pictures he really should’ve deleted a long time ago. However that wouldn’t end well and his heart was already on the thinnest ice possible. Luckily for Beau, the water began to boil and the sound snapped him from that spiral.. at least for now. Turning on his heel he’d grabbed his usual mug and began the process of making up the godawful coffee the station had in the cupboard. It was now 7:40AM and he heard the front door open. Slowly he walked out of the break room hoping to beeline to his office, however the voice that called out wasn’t one that was expected. “You better have made a whole pot and not just enough for yourself again, Arlen.” He turned to face Jenny with an expression of surprise. “I didn’t know you dragged your hyde outta bed before eight.” He teased, though the usual glimmer of mischief in his eyes wasn’t present. Jenny made her way towards the break room, seeing a full pot of coffee. “Yeah well, I knew you were gonna need some help today after you texted me about HPD sending information over.” She spoke as she pulled her mug out and got herself some coffee too. Beau offered a genuine half-smile of appreciation towards his friend before making the way over to his office door. Slowly he pulled the key out of his pocket and unlocked it. “C’mon in when you’re good, it’s gonna be a long day.” Beau spoke in Jenny’s direction before turning and entering his office.

• —– ٠ tag list: @roseblue373 @mrsjenniferwinchester @stillhere197 @xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx @aylacavebear @ladysparkles78 @globetrotter28 @jc-winchester @just-levyy @deans-spinster-witch ✤ ٠ —– • ·

[orange-demons-deactivated2024]

Did y'all see the new Bosch lore that just dropped?

So there's this new side quest involving Experimental Subject Lee, who is now in Metro City. And he tells the player that his client wants to meet you. In turn, you'll get to find out more about Neo Shadaloo* and their bases.

You meet Foo through text at the entrance of Chinatown.

Foo said they heard about you from Lee. And they know that you've been snooping around so they wanted to help you in your search.

A man from Neo Shadaloo is measuring the output of fighters in Metro City. So it's your job to lure that man out and give him a good thrashing. You travel to The Masters Foundation Building, Urban Park, and Edomon until you finally find him at the Haggar Stadium.

After you beat him up, he says this and runs away:

Foo texts you again saying:

[Foo]: Yes, There we go.

[Foo]: That should have gotten the attention of Neo Shadaloo.

[Foo]: I'll arrange for them to escort you to their base.

Going back to Lee, he mentioned that you would be sneaking into their base, but the only thing is you have to be blind folded and you would be unable to heal-up.

This is largely due to you having have a Burlap sack over your head and the staff at Neo Shadaloo blindfold everyone they bring through. I'm assuming they wouldn't want anything on you, that could possibly heal you.

Once you've been picked up and brought to their base, it's revealed that Juri was the one who brought you there. Only because she gets a wad of cash for it. She doesn't care about their 'little treehouse club' because once they revive it, she'll smash it to pieces herself.

You get left alone with the Hanh, a worker, who heard from Foo that you were infiltrating their base. He goes on to say that the remnants of Shadaloo aren't all the same and they're not a monolith.

Foo doesn't care what Neo Shadaloo is up to, so that's why Hanh lets people like you to come in and sneak around. He says you can search for whatever and then make a break for it, but you would have to knock him out, so it won't look suspicious.

Note that when you do, an alarm goes off and you have to fight against the soldiers and cardboard combatants working with Neo Shadaloo.

After doing so, you get to roam freely around the stage that Ed was introduced from, in his trailer.

Off to the sides, you can see chambers filled with a purple glow, Psycho Power, and broken rubble everywhere.

At the center stage, there are reports next to a medical chair that reads:

Report on Test Subject No. 59236

Subject experienced intense pain before fainting after being infused with Psycho Power.

Subject awakened and had violent outbursts. Eventually fainted due to reaching their physical limits.

Subject confirmed to withstand a great deal of Psycho Power. Body was modified to increase its strength.

Subject acclimated to Psycho Power over a number of days and was able to act as a solider in a number of weeks.

Psycho Power dosage was increased each time the subject mentioned "Nayshall" or "Yua"...

The output of power was too strong. The subject was consumed by Psycho Power. Frequency of violent outbursts increased.

Subject was considered not fit for soldier duty, and was demoted to Cardboard Combatant status.

Also, there's a SiRN box that holds confidential documents about Shadaloo's base and the pursuit of a man named Bison.

Confidential Documents

Lord Bison Search Log Targets 1. Resurrected Bison 2. Unharmed Subjects with dormant Psycho Power or Psycho Power residuals

Methods Troops have been dispatched to search for Lord Bison. Searching for residuals through backup info from Psycho Power.

Search Reports America: Not found Mexico: POI info acquired. Observed reviving a dying horse. On the same day, Psycho Power in the base began to react.

France: Not found Egypt: Body located. Head injuries. Nayshall: POI located. Shares some characteristics as Mexico POI.

A man riding a horse, imbued with a purple aura. White hair, tattered clothes but dignified with bold eyes. Thought to be Lord Bison. Contact with search team lost shortly after.

On the same day, residual thoughts were found in the reactivated Psycho Power. Searching for and analysis of residuals has ended. Moving to Restoration phase. Awaiting report on body discovery.

More off to the right side, you can find a piece of scrap paper that we could assume was written by Bosch.

Home...back...strong...for...future...must...withstand...pain...

....Keep...hidden...back...proud...Step...there...do...not...JP...ever...

Pain...what...don't...understa...Let...go...my...soul...comple...mission...

Yua...it...hurt...sorry...brother...sorry...all..for...yshall...

You met back with Lee and gave him the confidential information, which was more than he was expecting. And Lee says he'll give Mr. Foo this information.

Neo Shadaloo* - Me and a couple of other people like @corokoro speculated that Neo-Shadaloo was being retconned by the remnants of Shadaloo. This is seen when Lee, Foo, and Asterisk are referring to Neo-Shadaloo like they're the ones doing all the experimentation and picking people off the streets.

All in all. Justice for my bby Bosch :(

Pictures are from Ansatsuken on Youtube

[angelasscribbles]

All That She Wants Chapter 8: Conversations

Series: All That She Wants

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings for this chapter: Riley x Drake, Riley x Liam

Word Count: 1,026

Rating: M

Warnings for this chapter: none

My other stuff: Master List.

Riley x Drake

Riley lay on her back, chest heaving, sweat glistening on her skin. Drake flopped down on the mattress next to her, equally satiated.

When she caught her breath, she broached the subject that had kept her up last night. “Why did you get a vasectomy in the first place?”

He rolled up on his side so he could watch her face as he answered. “I didn’t want kids.”

Riley’s eyes stayed locked on the ceiling. “Then why would you agree to have a reversal?”

He reached out to twirl an errant strand of her hair around his finger. “Because you want a baby.”

She finally turned her head to look at him. “But you don’t.”

He froze for a second, then resumed playing with her hair. “I want you to be happy.”

“That’s it?”

He blew out a sigh as he unwound and released the lock that was twisted around his index finger. He dropped his eyes from hers to stare, instead, at the blue and white stripes of the sheets on his bed. “What do you want me to say, Riley? That I’ve waited eight years for you to notice me? That I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep you in my life?”

“But why?”

“Because I love you, okay?” He exploded in exasperation. “I fucking love you and I will do anything I have to do to prove that to you!”

Maybe then she’d take him seriously.

He hated the pity in her voice as she responded. “Drake…. I don’t know what to say. I—”

“You don’t have to say anything.” He interrupted her as he rolled abruptly in the other direction and sat up, swinging his legs off the bed. “If you want a baby, I’ll give you one. I don’t hate the idea, which frankly astounds and terrifies me a little. I will be as involved, or not, as you want me to be. I know you don’t feel the same way about me. All I ask is that you continue to give me the chance to change that.”

“Okay.” She agreed quietly as she watched him stand and quickly redress.

“I have to get back to work.” He made it to the door before turning back to her. With an intensity that scared her a little, he told her, “He doesn’t love you, Riley. Not like I do.”

Riley x Liam

She looked up from the three dresses she was trying to choose between when the bedroom door opened. “Liam! I thought you were in meetings all day today.”

“I canceled them.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “Why?”

“Because we need to talk.”

She carefully lowered the dress she was holding on the bed, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She straightened up and faced him, twisting her fingers together to disguise the shaking of her hands.

This was it.

“Have you come to a decision?”

“I have.” He crossed the room in several long strides and drew her into his arms. “I want to make our marriage work, Riley. I’ll give you a baby if that’s what you want. I’m sorry for disregarding your feelings. I take full responsibility for the distance between us. Please let me fix this.”

Joy surged through her, followed closely by suspicion. She pushed out of his arms. “Why? I figured you’d already have a ring on Olivia’s finger.”

Pain and anger flashed through his eyes.

“Oh. My. God!” Riley’s fingers flew up to cover her mouth. “She rejected you, didn’t she?”

“I realized what I stood to lose, Riley. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

She shook her head back and forth as laughter, indignation, and pain fought for dominance.

He hadn’t chosen her. She was the default. “I wanted you to love me, Liam. Like you used to. Or was it always a lie?”

“Riley, I want this marriage to work. For our children, for Cordonia—”

“But not because you love me.” It wasn’t a question.

“I do love you!”

“No, you don’t!”

“Riley, I’m offering you everything you said you wanted. Our marriage back. Like it used to be. Remember the first time we left Ellie with Regina and the nannies and took that trip to Ireland?”

She smiled in spite of herself at the memory. He had taken her on a tour of historic Celtic castles. Something she had always wanted to do. He had been nothing less than a perfect, attentive husband, doting on his wife for the entire trip.

He was right. When it was good, it was the most amazing thing in the world. He had made her feel like the only woman in existence.

Of course, he’d been fucking Olivia behind her back the entire time.

Still.

Every time she looked at him, her heart still stuttered in her chest. Every time they appeared together in public, she felt like the luckiest woman alive.

Liam Rys might be selfish, and he might be a cheater, but he was also the smartest man she’d ever met, he had a way of making her laugh no matter how dire the situation, and watching him with their children never failed to melt her heart. As a father, he was attentive, patient, and loving.

He always presented a united front to the public and the media. He never criticized her, he never forgot birthdays or anniversaries, and he never curtailed her access to their now shared resources.

But he was a lying, cheating bastard who had ripped her heart out by not returning all the love she had poured into him.

It was complicated.

“I’m going to need a minute to think about it.”

For the first time, Liam’s confidence faltered. “What?”

“You heard me.” She grabbed the two dresses she had decided against and returned them to the closet. “I gave you time to make your decision. I’m going to need some time to make mine.”

“How much time?”

She gave him a gloating smirk. “Doesn’t feel so great to be on the waiting end of it, does it?”

“No.” He gave his wife a long, contemplating look as he reassessed his life choices.

[adminbryantsaki]

Under the Moonlight

Under the Moonlight

  Alpha ! Werewolf! Prince! Shouta Aizawa x  Beta! Bodyguard! reader

(I do not own My Hero Academia or any of the characters within the universe. They all belong to Horikoshi Kohei. If this isn’t your cup of tea, blend of spices, or brew of coffee, move on. Reader discretion is advised.)

TW: Omegaverse, hierarchy, slight fear, sex scene and aftercare, drug den, heat and rut enhancement, masks.

WC: 4,853

The night was clear and you could see all the stars twinkling in the sky as you stayed at your post outside the castle that belonged to the Aizawa family. There were threats to the members of the family recently so more security was hired for this event.  The threats had been focused on the Prince who was said to be a werewolf and some of the townspeople didn’t like the idea of a hybrid being their next ruler. You didn’t involve yourself much into the matters of the royal family but you were happy to get the job to guard the place for the night of the Spring ball. This event took place every year in hopes that all the young and eligible people in the land could find their mate and live happily ever after. That wasn’t quite your thing and you weren’t destined for that kind of happy ending because you were a Beta, and Betas in this kingdom weren’t often mated with Alphas or Omegas and given typical service jobs like yours as a security guard or something like a farmer or chambermaid. You were wearing a black suit and dark glasses as you leaned against the pillar and waited for someone to come and relieve you.

Soon, one of your co-workers came to relieve you so you could go inside and take a break and get some refreshments. You straightened your blazer before going inside and eyeing the refreshment table as all the other party-goers were mingling and dancing on the dance floor. You could see the prince with his dark hair tied back in a low ponytail wearing a black and silver mask that obscured his face so you couldn’t get a good profile on him but you could tell that he was attractive with how many of the young women all dressed up for this

Event to try and catch his eye and hoping to be his mate.

You were sipping on a glass of punch when the song ended and some of the young men came to the refreshment table to grab some food or a drink for their dancing partner. You looked over the crowd, seeing if there would be any suspicious characters lurking in the corners of the room.  You didn’t know that the dark eyes of the prince had locked on you as if you were his prey and he was your hunter. You didn’t notice that he had his attention on you until he was heading in your direction. He approached you and stood by your side as he filled a cup of the cooling drink and looked at you.

“Hello. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. May I ask your name?” You heard the deep rumble of his voice sound in your ears as you caught a whiff of the pine and roasted coffee beans that was the Alpha’s scent. You looked to see his piercing dark eyes staring right into yours like that of a wolf staring down their prey before an attack as he took a drink of the fruity cocktail. You met his eyes and you seemed to be frozen in place as his gaze was intense and strong. He moved through the small crowd that separated the two of you, soon standing before you.

“My name is Y/n. You haven’t seen me because I’m one of the security guards. I only came in for some refreshments.” You told him and he nodded and backed off a step until the band came back to their instruments and began playing a lively tune. The prince looked to you and took your hand, kissing the back of it and guiding you onto the dance floor despite your protests.

“Wait! I should get back to my post! My boss will be upset if I don’t get back soon.” You spoke as you were pulled into a dancing position in front of the prince.

“Then they will have to answer to me.” He spoke and began leading you through the dance.

As the two of you danced, you could feel all the jealous eyes of all the other women in the room were on you, boring holes into your body as they wanted to be dancing with the prince instead of you.

“Don’t worry about them. Keep your eyes on me.” He spoke as he lead you through the dance until it was over and he bowed to you which you bowed back and the people standing on the sidelines applauded. You felt embarrassed as you noticed your boss looking for you in the crowd. Once he saw you, he locked eyes with you and signaled for you to go to him. The prince stopped you and walked up to your boss and explained everything. Your boss relaxed and still had you return to your post. You leaned against the wall at your post and thought of the dance you had with the prince as you heard the music playing within the castle.

About an hour passes and you’re outside, patrolling the gardens when you get the feeling that you’re being watched. You had the same feeling as before when the prince had focused his gaze on you before he approached you to pull you into a dance.

You looked around the area and didn’t see any sign of him or any other person in the gardens with you until someone grabbing you from behind, one arm around your waist with their other hand covering your mouth.

“Shh, don’t scream, Y/n. Its me, Shouta, the prince?” You heard the same, familiar rumble whisper into your ear that made your insides light on fire and you melt against his touch. Upon hearing him, you relaxed and pulled away from him.

“Shouldn’t you be inside? You’re supposed to be picking a mate from the female Omegas in the castle. Not a Beta like me.” You spoke and looked to the stone bricks that lined the walkway of the gardens. The prince moved closer to you and made you look him in the eyes.

“I should be. But they announced that everyone should pick their mate and declare their relationship. They’re saving me for last so I thought I’d sneak out here and find you because I want you as my mate. I don’t care what others say. All the Omegas in there are spoiled snobs which I don’t like at all. When I first laid eyes on you, I was instantly hooked and drawn to you. You’re different than the rest. I don’t care that you’re a Beta. I want you as my own. Will you let me, have you?” He asked as he held your hands in his. You were dumbfounded and had to process what he was asking of you for a moment then it hit you. The prince, the very Prince, a member of royaltywas asking you to be his mate. His mate for life. You looked him straight in the eyes and nodded slowly then spoke quietly.

“Yes. I’ll be your mate.” You spoke, just barely above a whisper.

“Hm? What did you say? I couldn’t hear you.” Shouta spoke.

“I said Yes. Yes, I’ll be your mate.” You spoke and smiled. Shouta pulled you into his arms and he kissed you gently.

“We should go inside and wait to announce it. Everyone will want to know.” He spoke and led you inside.

You followed him, excited to be mated to him before the night was over. He led you into the ballroom that you were in to get refreshments before and he guided you onto a stage where he held you close and held your hand up in front of a crowd of well-dressed people and announced to them that he had chosen you as his mate and that he would claim you that night.

The next few minutes passed like a whirlwind as the prince guided you out of the ballroom, through a winding maze of hallways like the one out in the gardens to his private chamber that seemed far away from everything else in the castle and he seemed to be urgent to get there.

“My Prince, what is the matter? Why do we need to be so urgent to get here? I know you’re excited to mate with me, but can’t we be a little patient? You’re going to be my first.” You told him as you pulled your hand away from his. He turned to look back at you and to the door of the chamber with worry in his eyes.

“Just trust me. It’s one of the many secrets my family has kept hidden for a long time and its not one to be let out now. Follow me and I’ll tell you everything.” He spoke and led you into the chamber, locking the door and bolting it before leaning against the bar that kept the door from opening. You took your blazer off and laid it against the chest that was sitting at the foot of the bed before sitting on the edge of the bed and looking around to room, taking in your surroundings while waiting for the prince. The bed was a queen-sized mattress in a four-poster bed in a decently sized room that had a simple dark blue moon and star pattern that lined the walls in a checker-board pattern on a lighter blue background, surrounded by crown molding. You saw that the fireplace at the other end of the room was lit and crackling away which gave a nice ambiance to the room. There was a couch sitting in front of the fireplace which would be good for cuddling or even having sex with your new mate sometime in the future. There weren’t any paintings on the walls which some what made sense in a honeymoon suite. It didn’t matter though when you drew your attention to the windows which had their curtains drawn.

 You looked up to the sky to see that the moon was full which helped guide the partygoers’ home with or without their mates now that the prince had chosen a mate. Your attention was brought back into the room by a deep, rumbling growl that sent chills down your spine. You turned to see that there was a werewolf standing where the prince once was and fear filled your eyes. You had heard of rumors that the prince had an ailment but it was never decided on what ailment he had. You watched as the wolf man shook his head and looked at you. He stood up straight from his hunched over position and walked to you as you pressed yourself against the windowsill trying to not get hurt by the creature you had been looked in the room with.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you. This is something I’ve dealt with my whole life. I’ve had special healers and doctors come to make me a concoction that suppresses the more wolf-like personality, but it doesn’t do anything for the appearance. I am sorry if I gave you a fright by my growl. It was the only thing I could think of to get your attention back on me.” He spoke as he stepped closer so that you could see him in the moonlight. He had the same features as before but he now had a pair of black wolf ears and a matching tail, his eyes had turned a golden shade of yellow, and his mating fangs had grown long that they almost didn’t fit in his mouth.

“You look fine. It just caught me off guard.” You told him and let yourself relax a little knowing that he wasn’t a threat anymore.

You watched as he moved closer to you, giving you a better angle of how handsome he looked in the moonlight. His dark eyes seemed to have a ring of amber around them and they were fixated on you with a hunger that wanted to devour you alive. You backed up until you were trapped against the wall and pinned by the werewolf in front of you.

“You seem a little scared to be in the same room as me. Like I said before, you don’t have to fear me. I’ll take care of you and I want to have you as my mate and make you my queen… along with another things.” He told you before going in for a kiss which you stopped him.

“What other things are we talking about? I’d like to know what I’m getting into exactly before I agree to anything.” You told him and kept your hand on his chest which felt strong and inviting. Shouta sighed and pulled away from you, sitting on the bed and looking up at you and inviting you to sit next to him which you did.

“I wasn’t only looking for a mate. I was looking for a partner that had the strength and smarts to be my bodyguard when I run my underground ‘business.’ All the others in the past were too scared to even accept the deal. What do you think of being my personal bodyguard?” He asked as he moved closer to you.

“I’d have to think it over as this is all too sudden. Let us get the mating part over with and I’ll get back to you in the morning.” You told him and he smiled, moving in to kiss you gently and help you lay back on the bed he nodded.

“Of course. Take your time to think things over and come back to me with your answer.” He spoke before climbing on top of you and kissing you again, but deeper and with a bit more passion. You returned the kiss and began to unbutton your shirt to expose your neck to him.

“Not too far now, I won’t want to hurt you.” He spoke and watched you roll back the collar of your shirt and take the garment off far enough that your full neck and shoulders were exposed to him. He moved close and kissed your neck before choosing a side and making his mark on your neck and pulling away after a few minutes, leaving you a little winded.

“How did that feel?” He asked as you were trying to regain your composure with little to no luck as the pheromones coming off him were very strong and taking your mind over. 

“It felt good.” You told him as your face clearly told him that you had caught a good whiff of his scent and that his pheromones were taking you over, making you relax under him and giving him the perfect opportunity to take the rest of your clothes off and spread your legs open so he could slide in between them and claim you as his mate. The ceremony to make you his princess and future queen would happen later after you’ve had the proper training to be a member of the royal family and all that. But now, you were consummating your bond with the prince as he was thrusting deep into you, hitting your sweet spot every time until you felt your climax reach your body and you released along with him, arching your back as you released and falling on your back and feeling him pull out and pull you into his arms.

“That felt amazing, my Prince. Thank you for that. I’m happy to be your mate.” You told him sleepily as he stroked your hair and kissing your head before sleeping himself. The next morning you woke up and found Shouta laying next to you and watching you sleep.  He didn’t have any of his wolf-like features like the night before. He smiled when he saw you wake up and reached over to kiss you. He sat up when the both of you heard a knock at the door. Shouta stood up, wrapped a spare blanket around his waist and answered the door to only find that it was the staff of the castle coming with breakfast, some bathing items, and a first aid kit. Shouta thanked him and the servant left the room. He picked you up along with the bathing items and carried you into the bathroom where he set you in the bathtub as the water was filling up the clawfoot tub that you had settled in. He let you pick a scented soap that he put into the tub and helped bathe you, being careful of any cuts or scrapes you might have on your body. You hissed a little when soap would fall into your wounds but he made sure to wash your hair and rinse it out before helping you out of the tub and wrapped a fluffy towel around you before sitting you on a bench in the luxurious bathroom and laid out the first aid kit on his lap and began to patch up your wounds.

“I’m sorry about the scratches last night. I kinda got away with how good you felt.” He spoke as he applied bandages and gauze from the kit to the scratches and cuts on your back.

“Its alright. I knew you were caught up in the moment. I’m just glad you’re taking care of me since this would be awkward to try to explain to a co-worker.” You told him and he chuckled.

“Getting marked by a werewolf can have other injuries than this but I was being careful. You seemed to enjoy it though by the screams of pleasure you were giving me.” He told you and kissed you on the cheek.

“Did you think over the question that I asked you last night?” He asked as he patched up the last cut and put the first aid kit on the counter.

“Yeah, and I’d like to see what this ‘underground business’ is before I commit fully to this. I don’t mind playing your bodyguard to go check it out, but I’d like to know what I’m getting into.” You told him and looked at him. He nodded.

“Take your time and ask for help from any of the servants with whatever you need to get ready. I’m heading down into the base of operations tonight.” He told you, getting up and leaving the bathroom to change into his clothes and leaving the room to go about his duties. You took your time getting ready; looking over the rolling tray of breakfast foods that was brought into the room earlier that morning and you picked out the foods that you liked and ate them before getting changed and stepping out of the room to see a guard right on the other side.

“Hello, my lady. How may I assist you today?” They asked and began to follow you down the halls as you wanted to find your mate and head to this ‘underground business’ he was telling you about earlier that day.

“I’d like to know where the prince is. He and I have some business to attend to.” You told the guard and they took you through the hallways of the castle to a large meeting room where there were a bunch of important officials in the room, along with the prince who sat at one of the ends of the very long table, looking bored out of his mind by sitting in this meeting. His eyes looked to the doors when they opened and lit up when he saw you standing with the guard.

“Sorry about this, but I must leave now. I have plans with my wife.” Shouta spoke and stood up, walking over to you, and taking your hand.

“Your timing is wonderful, my love. That meeting was going on forever. Are you ready to see what we talked about earlier?” He asked and thanked the guard before leading you again through the castle halls, into the servant’s quarters and down into the wine, beer, and mead cellar. He led you to a secret door and told you to stay quiet as he pressed a lever and the door opened; he pulled you into a place that seemed to be like a whole different world. But before you would enter any farther, Shouta handed you a gilded mask that looked like his. It was the same royal blue and gold mask that he wore to the ball, but the one he was handing to you was a golden color with royal blue designs on it.

“Put it on. Everyone in here wears a mask to disguise what they look like for everyone’s safety.” He spoke and put his own mask on. You put yours on and held his arm as he guided you out into the main room of the den. You took in the various men and women sitting in chairs, on couches, or standing about the room. They all were wearing clothes that fit into a ‘black tie’ category and all had unique masks to obscure their faces. Shouta led you to an empty couch where he told you to sit and relax while he got you a drink.

While you waited, you scanned the room to see if there were any suspicious characters in the room. So far there weren’t any but you were aware of some servers walking around the room, carrying a tray with two bowls on them. One of the servers came over to you and bent down, showing you what was on the tray.

“Take one, the blue pill with enhance your Alpha’s rut and the red pill will enhance your own heat, ma’am.” They spoke. You politely refused.

“I’m a Beta. I don’t experience either of those things.” You told them and they nodded.

“As you wish. I wish you to have fun while you are here though.” They spoke and left you alone. Just then, Shouta came back and handed you a tall and thin glass of champagne.

“Did anyone bother you?” He asked as he took the seat next to yours and put your arm around your shoulders.

“No. I server did come up to me and offer me one of two pills.” You spoke then leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“From what I got, they are heat and rut enhancers.” You told him. he smiled and nodded.

He shifted to look at you and leaned in to whisper something else into your ear.

“You’re right, my love. I run a heat and rut enhancer den. Some of the servers have noticed and heard that there are some people wanting to threaten my life. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted you to come down here and protect me, just in case someone would try and kill me tonight. Understood?” He asked as he pulled away and looked you in the eyes.

“Understood.”

You told him and scanned the room for anyone who looked suspicious or threatening to the prince. There were the usual people that filled the place, already pairing up with other people in the room and taking them into side rooms that probably had nests or dens pre-built in them.  There were a few other Alphas that were looking at you with a hunger in their eyes that told you they had already taken the Rut enhancer. You gave Shouta a subtle signal about the other men and women eyeing you and he waved over one of the servants.

“Is my private room set up?” He asked.

“Of course. It’s always prepared for you, your highness.” They spoke.

“Good. Have someone check it over then let me know when it’s ready. My mate here is feeling a little uncomfortable.” He told them and handed them a $100 dollar bill. “Keep it quiet too.” He added and the servant nodded, tucking the money away and under your watchful eye, they snuck into a private room on the other side of the drug den. Shouta turned your attention to him as he kissed you deeply, letting the other Alphas know that you were already spoken for.

A few minutes passed and one of the servants notified Shouta what his room was ready. Shouta nodded and thanked them. He then stood up and led you into his room that was a but larger than what the other rooms looked to be. Shouta’s room had a large den already built for him and whoever his mate was. You were the lucky person to have been picked to be the prince’s mate. You also saw a simple table that held two bowls of the same pills that had been offered to you back in the other room. You frowned and stopped to look at the pills. Shouta noticed and looked at you.

“What’s wrong?”

“Why are the pills in here? Do you take the rut enhancers?” You asked as you pulled away from him.

“I do take them on occasion. But not because my rut doesn’t come as strong as it should be. The pills are made from a natural substance that my men and I found when exploring one of the fields nearby. After some experimentation, we found out that they have aphrodisiac-like qualities. One part of the plant worked better for ruts while the other part of the plant worked better with heats. If you don’t want me to use them for tonight, I understand.” He spoke and he held your hand

“No, its alright. Here.” You spoke and took a blue pill from the bowl and gave it to him, letting him take it from your hand, making your face heat up. He kissed you and led you to just before the entrance of the den and he stopped, beginning by slowly stripping off his clothes piece by piece until he stood before you naked. You could feel your face heat up as you looked him up and down. He chuckled and kissed you again, working your suit off and tossing the garments of clothing to the floor before picking you up and carrying you into the den where he laid you down on the plush blanket-lined floor and climbed between your legs, kissing up your exposed torso and to the mark on your neck which he grazed his teeth over, making you arch your back and moan out loudly as he also slid his full length and knot into you.  He let out a low rumbling chuckle from his chest and kissed you again before he began to  thrust at a steady pace, slowly speeding up, letting his scent spill out, fill the room, and waft into your nostrils as you held onto your mate as he worked to fill you up with his seed, thrusting into you over and over, making the both of you cum multiple times before you were spent but he could still keep going. He noticed your exhaustion and kissed your cheek.

“Rest my love. I’m able to care for myself. You did so well, darling.” He spoke and kissed your cheek, making sure to wrap you up in one of the thick, fluffy blankets and letting you sleep. He then left the den to finish off the effects of the drug with his hand and a jar to save the cum for later.

You woke up sleepily, back in the room you were the night before. Shouta was sitting in a chair, enjoying some morning coffee and some sunshine that was streaming through the window and onto your face. You stirred and he turned to face you with a soft smile on his face.

“Good morning, Y/n. Did you sleep well?” He asked as he got up and walked over to where you were slowly working to prop yourself up and lean against the headboard of the bed.  You definitely were sore from the previous night’s events and you were feeling it today.

“I don’t know much after passing out in your den. But I do know that I’m sore down there.” You told him and he chuckled.

“I figured you would be sore in one way or another. I have a bath drawn for the both of us. I’ll carry you in as walking for you is off the table right now.” He spoke as he pushed the covers back and carried you into the bathroom, helping you get out of the long button-down shirt he had put on you to carry you out of his den before setting you in the warm water and stripping his own clothes off, sliding into the bath behind you and letting you lean against him as the two of you soaked.

The End.

[unactive-shroom]

hello! i hope you're doing well. for your Valentine's event, may I request nikolai lantsov with prompt #4? have a great day!

Prompt #4: Proposal ♡

“It seems like someone has a very important question to ask… and what better time to do it but on Valentine’s night?”

Character: Nikolai Lantsov. See Valentine's Event: HERE

You stood at the edge of the lake, watching the purple glow of dusk slowly swallowing the last of the early February sunshine. It had been thirteen months since Alina Starkov had left the Little Palace, and despite her offering for you to join her and Mal, you had remained by Nikolai’s side in Os Alta. Recently you’ve found yourself taking the long winding path through the trees to the Little Palace, reminiscing about the days you would spend together at the lake, chatting and feasting on blini or pelmeni stolen from the kitchen. A hand snuck around your waist. “I thought I’d find you here.” You smiled and sunk into Nikolai’s warm embrace, not realising the cold that had crept up on you. “I get that the Grand Palace is ugly on the outside and all that, but really, y/n, you’ll catch a chill if you keep coming down here without warm clothes” he said as he fussed over you, pulling a heavy velvet cloak around you. Once satisfied that you were warm, he turned his attention to the lake. The silence stretched between you two until Nikolai softly said ”You know we can visit them, right? Keramzin isn’t too far away. We could stay a few nights, bring some gifts, maybe. Or maybe they could come visit us, either.” You chuckled at that part. “I think Alina’s had enough of the palaces by now. Besides, isn’t it too risky for them to come here? They are supposedly dead, you know. And I think that people might start to get suspicious if the King of Ravka and his entourage start to regularly visit an orphange.” he hummed in agreement, tilting his head. “It’s okay, Nikolai. We did just see them, what, two months ago? I’m just being nostalgic, that’s all. Let’s head back to the Palace, It’s cold.” He took your arm in his, a look of feigned pain on his face. “Funny how you always seem to want to go back whenever I join you. Unrequited love is a terrible, terrible thing. Am’st I doomed to be alone forever-?” You let go of his arm and strode ahead of him, in no mood to put up with his antics. “Y/n, wait! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, let’s go warm up, please?”

A few hours later, whilst Nikolai was in some meeting, you found yourself in the concert hall. Empty, as always, but with a beautiful, sleek, black grand piano in the centre of the stage. Your footsteps echo, magnifying your pathway to the stage, announcing your presence as you pull out the piano stool, and as you played, you thought about how you had gotten here. Going from a high ranking army officer, experienced in intense and gruesome warfare, fighting alongside friends and seeing horrors unlike any other, to sitting here now, in a sleek and comfortable kefta, playing piano, and living in a palace. Of course, you were still a very active member of the army, and while politics held a greater position in your life than it had previously, you still had many army duties, one including tuition at the little palace. But recently, no doubt accredited to Nikolai, you had a lot of free time. “Mandatory resting periods for those involved in the war”, as he called it. And, not to mention, the whole country’s eye on you and Nikolai after a stablehand had leaked information about yours and Nikolai’s relationship. At this point, you were simply waiting for the day where acquiring a Ravkan Queen, a wife for Nikolai, was simply unavoidable, and the relationship was cut off. It made you sick to the depths of your very being, but you were determined to enjoy it while it lasted. It’s something that had always hung over the two of you, and at the beginning of your courtship you had discussed it in great detail, and you were adamant on the fact that when the time came for Nikolai to choose a wife, they would simply forget their relationship and move on with their lives. But it was getting increasingly difficult for both of you. You’d noticed that Nikolai had been closer to you recently, constantly there whenever you both had free time, or, pestering you at work, egging you on to leave work to go read with him in the library or take a walk around the palace grounds. And you had felt closer to him too, saving snippets of poetry for him in books you read, playing melodies for him on piano. These small, intimate moments meant everything to you, especially knowing that Nikolai had very little time left to spend with you before he was married off to some stranger.

Leaving the concert hall and heading back to your chambers, you heard voices in the hallway ahead of you - Nikolai and Zoya. “I just- I don’t know how to tell her, Zoya. How can I ask her-?” he sighed audibly, running a hand through his hair. He turned, and locked eyes on you. “Oh- Y/n!” The marble floor seemed to grow colder through your shoes as Zoya looked at him meaningfully. “I think you and Nikolai ought to take a quick walk around the Palace, Y/n. I’ll see you in the morning, your Majesty. Good night.”. As Zoya’s footsteps echoed down the hallway, you felt your heart fall to your stomach. This was it. Nikolai was going to tell you he had found a suitable bride and that it was no longer possible for this relationship to continue. You swallowed, and smiled at Nikolai, not wanting to draw this out any longer. “Shall we?”

You and Nikolai walked side by side through the moonlit gardens in utter silence, until finally, stopping at the glaringly white marble statue of some old king, you stopped. “Nikolai, I know what’s happening.” You whispered, turning your head away from him. “You do? Y/n, I-” You shook your head. “Don’t. I undertsand, Nikolai. You need to do what’s best for your country, I’ve always loved that about you. Just…before we part ways, I need to ask you for one last thing - and then I’ll be gone by morning, your majesty.” You turned to face him, a single tear betraying your determination to not cry, only to find Nikolai on one knee, a look of utter bewilderness on his face. You mirrored the look, not knowing what he was doing. “…why are you on the ground? Nikolai, you’ll ruin your clothes, and it’s far too cold to be-” You sniffled. “Y/n. Please let me talk. I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, but you can’t leave now - and what’s this about us parting ways? I think you really misunderstood what I’m asking you.” Nikolai cleared his throat, suddenly looking nervous. “I… I know that our relationship hasn’t been under the best circumstances - first as Sturmhond, when I quite litterally held you captive on a boat for the state enemy and yet you fell for me, Saints knows how, and then when I proposed marriage to Alina… and now, having to keep our relationship secret…” He took a deep breath. “I know it’s been impossibly unfair on you. But please, y/n. Allow me this selfish idea - at least consider it - because I mean it when I say that you are my everything. You thrive in politics, the people love you, you have given incredible service to Ravka, you’ve fought wars - been through hell and back for this country, your beauty is unmatched even by the primal, eldest saints of the land - the sun and moon themselves are outshone by your radiance. When I imagine the ideal Queen for this country, the only person I can see fitting the role is you. Y/n L/n, would you allow me the honour of being your husband? Will you marry me?” In a complete and utter state of shock, you took a step back, incrediously shaking your head. “Me? But- but Grisha can’t- I have no title, no links to nobility - I’m an orphan from Keramzin! What will you get from marrying me?” Nikolai remained on one knee, looking directly at you. “What would I get from marrying the love of my life? Saints, y/n, I would get happiness. I would be able to go to sleep in the arms of the person I love, be able to count on her unwavering support that she’s shown me since day one, be able to wake up every morning and know that whatever happens today, I have the most incredible person by my side. I would be able to feel safety in my role as King, with an incredibly capable Queen by my side, beloved of the people and the crown itself, and know that I will not have to spend my life yearning for the woman I sent away so that I could marry for political values, as she would be in her rightful place by my side. I would do anything for you, y/n. But I just can’t bear the thought of you leaving me.”

At this point, your vision was blurry with tears, but you felt Nikolai take your hand. “Well, my love? What do you say?” You felt the tension in his gentle hold of your hand. “If you’re sure about this… then yes. I do. I will gladly marry you, Nikolai.” He beamed at you, standing up and wrapping you in his familiar, warm embrace. As he wiped the tears from your eyes, you giggled. “So does this mean that I get to call you Nikolai even when referring to you?” “You could always do that, my love.” “Yeah, but, if I did, I’d get funny looks. Oooh, can I give you nicknames now, too? How about Niko? LaiLai? Kolai? E-Kolai?” You gasped suddenly, startling Nikolai. “Oh, I have to tell Alina and Mal!” He smiled, then hummed thoughtfully. “Yeah, We’ll have to make a public address too. Then decide on the length of the engagement, do a tour, loads of boring court stuff - but it shouldn’t be too bad with you by my side. Now come along, it really is quite cold. How about we have a glass of brandy’s to celebrate? The one the Kerch ambassador sent awhile ago has been calling my name, but I simply hadn’t a good enough reason to break it out…”

A.n: Y’all the amount of Nikolai Requests I have in my inbox is INSANE. ALSO WHEN I WAS WRITING THIS I MIXED UP MAL AND MATHIAS?? so glad that I realised cause wtf. also I had to break up the last paragraph bc apparently tumblr has a limit of words u can have in one text block?? anyways. thanks for requesting, I hope you enjoyed <3

[aretaix]

Come In

Rafisol visits Steam City on an important job, but the weather and a clumsy courier throw her schedule into disarray. Prompt: Storm

Read on Ao3

Topics: Ally/Rafisol

Word count: ~2300

Heels clicked against the wet cobblestone road and a lone figure's shadow stretched long beneath the dim street lamps. On such a drenched and dreary night, only a few brave souls would dare to venture into the darkened side streets of Steam City. The light drizzle didn't seem to bother this stranger, but it was difficult to read her expression beneath her hat.

In one hand, Rafisol carried a hefty-looking suitcase with a mysterious logo emblazoned on it. In her other was a closed umbrella, which was an odd sight given that the few others walking down this gloomy road had their umbrellas open. Some had given this visitor a second look before moving along with their night--not willing to get involved in whatever shady business she was clearly up to.

There was a sense of urgency in her steps. Those who saw her wondered if she was going to close some suspicious deal today, or perhaps if she was some mysterious investor looking to buy up property in the city? Ever since the mayor had begun several projects to promote the city's expansion, many investors had journeyed far and wide to get their hands on some prime real estate. That seemed to be the case with this new visitor, but her unreadable and stern expression made it hard for anyone to be certain.

She suddenly stopped underneath a street lamp and looked up at the sky. The clouds looked heavy with the coming rain.

"...I am lost." Her whisper was barely audible over the din of the ever-turning gears of Steam City. Even at night, this city never truly slept. She rifled through her pockets and pulled out a crude drawing--it looked like a map of some sort, but the text was splotchy and barely legible. She stared at it for a solid 30 seconds before putting it back. Then she turned the corner and melted into the darkness of an alleyway. If her intel was correct, this should be a shortcut to her destination, but her informant must have been half-awake or inebriated when he gave her this sorry excuse for a map.

She inched forward in the darkness towards a light at the other end of the alleyway and found herself in an open, well-lit area. It appeared to be some sort of main street. There were considerably more people here--some factory workers on their way home after an overtime shift, most likely. People were taking out their umbrellas or shielding their heads with their coats, and that's when she noticed that the storm seemed to be picking up in intensity.

She kept walking; she didn't even pause to open her umbrella. The hustle and bustle of a crowd was good cover for her, anyway. Her destination was opposite of the residential area of Steam City, so she pushed through the rushing crowd of people, drawing a few curious eyes towards her.

Upon reaching the end of the crowd, she turned onto a sloped road lined with shops that were closed for the day. The raindrops were growing larger by the second, and the wind only started to howl more loudly in Rafisol's ears. She pushed through, until...

"W-WATCH OUT!!"

Rafisol turned her gaze upward. A girl on a bike was barrelling towards her at full speed.

In one swift motion, she threw her umbrella aside, tucked the suitcase under her body, and dodged out of the way. Rafisol found herself in a deep puddle, but at least the parcel was safe and dry inside the suitcase. The sound of running footsteps drew closer to her, mixed in with the sound of the falling rain, until the reflection of a young woman showed in the puddle's surface.

"A-are you quite all right?!" The frantic voice sounded like the girl on the bike. Rafisol lifted her gaze and saw her worried expression. She was leaning over and extending a hand to Rafisol.

"Yes, I seem to be unharmed," she cautiously took the girl's hand and stood.

"Oh, goodness me, you wouldn't be soaked like this if I wasn't rushing... I'm dreadfully sorry...!" With her hands clasped together, she bowed a few times and begged for Rafisol's forgiveness.

"I should have also been paying more attention. I am just glad no one is harmed. I'll be going now," Rafisol said and tried to escape the conversation, but the girl's grip on her hand suddenly tightened.

"N-no! Please, allow me to take you on my bike! And I'll dry your clothes for you at my home... It's the least I can do! I insist!"

"I'm in a rush."

"At least dry up first!" the girl persisted.

Rafisol quickly realized this wasn't the kind of girl who would take "no" for an answer. She figured it would be painless to comply and then slip out later.

"...Alright."

"Thank you! Then, hop onto the back seat of my bike, if you please!"

"Come in, come in! You look soaked to the bone!"

The courier took Rafisol's coat and hat, shook the rain off of it, then eagerly hung it on a rack mounted to the wall. Her own work hat and coat soon followed suit. Then, she skipped over to the radiator and turned the valve to warm the room. While doing so, she suddenly gasped and turned. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Ally. I'm ever so sorry for running into you on my bicycle! I just didn't think the roads would get so slippery so quickly... I thought the rain wouldn't pick up for at least another hour!"

"Accidents happen. My name is Rafisol," Rafisol replied and stored her umbrella in a small bucket by the door. This girl seemed harmless, so she decided acting disrespectfully would be pointless.

"Rafisol? What a lovely name! I'll make some coffee for you, Miss Rafisol!"

No one had ever described her name as "lovely" before. Unusual.

"Just 'Rafisol' is fine," she clarified.

"Ah, alright, Rafisol!" Ally busied herself with a moka pot to make the aforementioned coffee. "Feel free to take a seat anywhere you'd like!"

Rafisol nodded and left Ally to her work. The walls of Ally's small flat were covered in all sorts of sentimental memorabilia--mostly framed collector's stamps and envelopes. It felt cozy, albeit a bit messy. There were all sorts of knick knacks left on a side table by the radio; they looked to be some half-finished crafts that Rafisol couldn't identify without getting closer. She opted not to wander too much.

To dry her suitcase, she placed it a short distance from the radiator, and chose to sit on a well-worn chair near the coffee table.

"I haven't seen you around before, are you new here?" Ally asked after putting the moka pot on the stove. She leaned against the counter of the kitchenette, her chin cupped in her hands, staring eagerly at Rafisol.

"I'm visiting," Rafisol answered curtly.

"Visiting? For business or pleasure?"

"...Business."

"We have a lot of people like that these days. The post office is simply buzzing because of all of the outside correspondence! So that's why I've been working extra shifts, both in and out of the city, but then I started rushing trying to get one more delivery in today--and that's how I crashed into you! Ahh... I guess that's why they say 'haste makes waste', though," Ally explained. "The mayor is supposedly expanding the city, but I feel like I can barely keep up, haha!"

Rafisol nodded. "Perhaps your office should hire more workers," she said in an attempt to divert the conversation away from herself.

"They're trying, I know that! But some of the people in our office work one or two other jobs, so the schedule is always a little hectic--" she seemed ready to fire off about work politics when the pot started to gurgle. "Oh, it's almost ready! Just hang on one more minute." With an expert motion, she cooled the base of the pot, then poured the piping hot coffee into two mugs.

"Careful, it's hot," Ally placed one mug on a the coffee table and sat on the sofa, opposite of Rafisol. Rafisol nodded as a 'thank you' and held the cup in her hands. ...She really was cold. She didn't notice until she held the mug in her hands and felt the warmth leak into her body.

Ally sat patiently, her wide eyes still twinkling eagerly. Was she waiting for her opinion on the coffee...? Rafisol blew on the coffee to cool it and took a small sip. The bitterness of the beans and the sharp caffeine shot through Rafisol's body, seemingly waking her senses from their cold slumber.

"It's good."

"Oh, thank goodness! I haven't made coffee for someone in a while. It's just me here, so I usually end up throwing out some of it every time I make some for myself..." Ally cupped her mug with her small hands, which seemed to hold a lighter-colored liquid than Rafisol's. "So, um, it's nice to have some company--even if it's unplanned," she added and grasped the cup a bit tighter, as if savoring the warmth of it.

"It is pleasant. My line of work doesn't often allow for downtime like this." She looked out the small window into the dark cityscape, and the rain just seemed to getting stronger by the minute. She supposed her client would just have to deal with a slightly delayed delivery.

"I guess we both got lucky, then, haha!" Ally took a sip from her coffee and placed it on a coaster. "...What is your work if you do not mind me asking?"

"..." Rafisol looked coldly at her.

"I-if you'd rather not say, you don't...have to...!"

Rafisol's cold gaze cracked. What did she say?

"I... It just seems that you have an important job, so I was curious..."

This girl really was unusual. In other situations, people would start assuming what Rafisol does.

"...That's right. It is important."

"Oh...?"

"But I would rather not say."

"Oh..." Ally looked a little dejected when she said that. So she was curious, but not enough to pry completely.

"...It is something like your job, though not exactly the same."

"Oh, really...?!" Her eyes practically lit up. "So that must be why I felt such a kinship with you!"

"A...kinship...?" This girl had gone from "unusual" to outright "eccentric".

"I mean, um, I feel so much love from delivering packages and letters... I can feel how they connect people across time and space, so I just felt the same strong passion from you!"

Really. That's how she saw it? Rafisol had never stopped to think about her work. It was merely something she did and luckily, it was something she happened to do well.

"I see."

"A-am I right...?!"

"Hm... I'll let you figure that out."

"Ohh, you're so mean!" Ally playfully pouted. "But, alright! I'm sure I didn't feel that spark for no reason, though."

"Fine, but we aren't playing guessing games all night."

Rafisol felt a small smile creep onto her face. There was something about this girl. For all her eccentricities, her naivete, her innocence... It was refreshing to meet someone who wasn't putting up a front for once. Who didn't assume, but simply let things be. She wouldn't mind chatting with this girl through the storm.

Ally stood and took Rafisol's empty coffee mug from the table. The two passed the time talking about Ally's collections and work: the places she's travelled and seen during her time as a courier. Apparently, the bike was something she saved up for herself so she could bring more orders with her more easily on jobs outside of Steam City. She was nothing more than a girl who wanted to explore the world and connect it in her own little way. Charming.

Rafisol glanced at the clock and saw that it was half past nine, then she looked outside to see if it was still raining. It seemed to have let up, thought it was pitch black outside. She stood and picked up her now dry suitcase and walked towards the door.

"Huh? Where are you going?" Ally put the mugs in the sink and walked towards the door as well.

"I said I would only stay until I dried up, didn't I? I would rather not impose." Rafisol took her coat off the rack and wrapped it around her shoulders. "So I'm leaving now, but it was nice to chat with you."

Ally clutched at her skirt nervously like a child.

"I see. Well... It was lovely to meet you." Ally forced a smile for Rafisol. "You can pop by and have some coffee with me anytime, you know!"

"I'll keep you in mind," Rafisol assured her. As she turned to leave, Ally suddenly placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Wait! Um, let me...give you something. It won't take long for me to find it!" She bolted off before Rafisol could get a word in, so she stood by the door with her umbrella and suitcase in hand. In a little over a minute, Ally returned. She took Rafisol's hands in hers and placed something in there, it felt like a small piece of paper, but she closed Rafisol's hand into a fist before Rafisol could see what it was.

"There! You can look at it when you leave, okay?"

"...Alright. Thank you, Ally." Rafisol bowed slightly and allowed Ally to open the door for her. "I'll see you around, hopefully."

"Yes, hopefully!"

The door closed on Rafisol, leaving her back in the cold and dark streets of Steam City. Beneath a street lamp she took the small souvenir Ally had gifted her out of her pocket and examined it. It was a small stamp with a unique design on it: two small birds holding a singular branch together. She looked back in the direction of Ally's flat, then back to the stamp. Then, Rafisol placed it in her other pocket, away from the map, for safekeeping.

Her silhouette melted away into the dark shadows of Steam City, but she knew she'd be back again one day.

[anjelicawrites]

Do you have any modern dad!aemond headcanons?

Of course I do!!!

He falls in love with his child when you tell him that you're pregnant. Your child is still growing in your belly, and he's already calling himself "Kepa" in his head.

He's always with you when you go to your doctor's/midwife's appointment. He reads all he can about pregnancy and puericuture and becomes the kind of person who thinks they know more about the matter, than the professional they're talking to. Sometimes there's a bit of posturing with your gynecologist, because he only wants what's best for you and the child.

The only reason he doesn't faint during the first morphological scan, it's because he's sitting on a chair. You notice his eye is misty and he is, suspiciously, blowing his nose on the way to the car.

He talks High Valyrian to your growing tummy and falls asleep with a hand on it, making sure that the baby knows kepa is there to keep them, and you, safe.

Right before birth, you make him promise he will not posture with the team taking care of you and he'll let them do their job. Helaena has, gently, threatened him with her bugs and telling him she'll make sure he'll find them on everything he owns, if he doesn't let the hospital personnel do their job.

He is terrified for you, during birth, even though everything goes smoothly. He stays by your side and lets the professionals do their job, without voicing his opinions. He trembles when the midwife places the child in his arms and barely manages not to cry with happiness.

His schedule starts rotating around the child and he doesn't care that Aegon makes fun of him: Viserys had been such an absent father, that Aemond makes his primary goal to be the complete opposite. ( He might get a bit intense, when there's other parents involved, other parents who don't see how great his child is).

Yes, he goes flying on Vhagar with the child strapped to his chest and when the child's dragon his big enough to ride, the two go fly together.

Aemond taglist: @fan-goddess

[merakiui]

Ooooh now I'm imagining all sorts of Danganronpa style drama for Azul's trial. So many false leads and tricks!

Someone strong (like Leona) is found dead and weighted underwater, so everyone immediately suspects the 3 merfolk. Some unintentionally specist comments get thrown around. But that's too obvious, right? There's evidence that excludes them, and the arguments go elsewhere. Who is capable of overpowering the victim, etc.? He has injuries that indicate a struggle.

Some eventual evidence indicates the cause of death was drowning. Suspicion returns to the mers. Did they work together to keep him underwater while he fought? He's so strong, it's still hard to believe. Would two of them actually be willing to die while the other wins? There are scary rumors about the Leeches. Was Azul even involved? The Leech twins start playing up their sketchiness (they're angry by this point). But there can only be one killer.

To Azul's horror, someone ignorantly mentions there were circular imprints on the victim's arm (with a picture). He was extremely cautious! There is NO WAY he left sucker marks; he even checked afterward. If they were familiar with octomers, they'd know the marks aren't even the right shape!! He's flipping out now and messes up his words. Nervous chatter has always been a trait of his. The jury ends up deciding the three of them worked together, but Azul is the killer since he had to be the one holding the victim, causing his drowning.

Azul IS the killer, but he's so upset they got all the details wrong. He did everything himself. He meticulously planned everything, accounting for the victim's UM, and krakened him. But he did not leave any of the evidence mentioned and those sucker imprints are fake 😨😡💀!! Now he's going to die looking like a fool where he wasn't.

Before Azul's punishment, Jade reveals that he figured out it was Azul before the trial. He knows him too well. He planted the main evidence because, while he cares for Azul, he has no intention of letting himself and Floyd die for him.

I like the idea that the twins remain super sketchy and intentionally misleading for all the other trials, without actually ever being the killers. They're very angry, and its their way of grieving Azul.

YES YES YES!!!! This is the vision in its entirety!!!! orz the twins continuing to be suspicious menaces even after his execution is perfect.

Azul spends the majority of the game being annoyingly kind and helpful, if only to spread goodwill and reduce the risk of being targeted. He may cut a strikingly scary figure when he's with the twins, but the truth is that he's an animal of prey at heart and he'll do whatever it takes to survive. So as nice as he seems, it's all an act to keep himself safe and on everyone's good sides. He keeps his ears to the ground, always wanting to know as much as possible, and he is genuinely helpful in the trials, if not a little pompous.

But he's so anxious. The killing game is wearing on and he desperately wants to get out of here. How is he going to keep up with the lounge if he's stuck here? This is horrible! He's losing so much business with every passing second! On the surface, Azul keeps himself composed, but beneath perfect smiles and his obnoxious flair for theatrics he's cracking.

I imagine the trial is filled with twists and turns and it's so very convoluted. It couldn't possibly be one of the merfolk, right? Anyone with enough strength could have drowned the victim. It's very possible. Azul keeps his composure up until the moment when everyone starts to suspect and turn against him. His own logic is falling apart and though he's used to quick-paced arguments and discussions in business this is different. They can't be serious. Do they all really think he's the one at fault here? Honestly, he wouldn't revert to his true form to commit murder. Come on! That's foolish.

With all eyes on him, Azul starts to break. It's suffocating to be under such intense scrutiny. Everyone's accusing him of such a monstrous thing. They're all bullies! >:( it's not fair! He's only ever been good and helpful and obedient! Sure, he may have seemed suspicious when he was with the twins, but that's just how they are as a group! It's all just an act to look intimidating, to look strong, to look untouchable. He's not a killer. He's a businessman.

He snaps when the twins don't take his side. So they're just going to bully him, too? Is that it? And from there, everyone sees the real Azul. Foul-mouthed and impolite, he's pointing and yelling, insisting that it can't be him; it could never! Why would he throw his future away just to commit a crime? Why would he make such a risk?! He's a businessman! His eyes are blown wide with delirium. He's definitely breaking into a laughing fit during the trial like how he did during his overblot. >_< he's crazed... it's haunting to see. The twins would feel bad, but he chose this. You make your mistake and you pay for it. Isn't that what Azul always says when debtors refuse to pay what they owe?

He's hysterical until he isn't. Until he can no longer be. After the vote comes in and he's declared the blackened, he gets this far-off look to him. Maybe he's reflecting. Maybe he's not. Maybe he isn't even thinking at all. No one can tell.

It's strange to see the twins without Azul. Their terrifying trio is forever down a member.

[4nt1chri5t]

Whispers of Betrayal - fem!readerxDracoFF

Originally published on Wattpad - Whispers of Betrayal by Alaskas_ice (me)

11 - 'A Winter's Separation'

As Draco went to bed, his feelings were still very mixed. But now that he had time to think and wasn't around her, his plan was coming back to the fore. He was hard on himself, he couldn't believe that he had let his more focused self slip away so much and that he had almost broken the facade. He would have to be even more focused from now on, so that mistakes like that didn't happen again. In the end, the kiss had brought him closer to fulfilling his plan, but if this was something that could happen again, there should be no feelings involved and it should be carefully planned. Having come to that conclusion, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The morning sun cast a gentle glow across the Hogwarts grounds as (Y/L/N) woke up, her thoughts consumed by the events of the previous night. The memory of the passionate kiss she shared with Malfoy lingered in her mind, fueling a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

As she got ready for the day, (Y/L/N) couldn't help but wonder what this newfound connection with Malfoy meant for their future. The doubts and questions swirled within her, creating a cloud of uncertainty that seemed impossible to escape. However, she needed to get to the Great Hall now, if she still wanted to have breakfast.

As she entered the Great Hall, her gaze scanned the room in search of Malfoy, but he was nowhere to be found. A pang of disappointment tugged at her, but she quickly brushed it aside.

Deciding to join her fellow Slytherins, (Y/L/N) took a seat next to Zabini and Nott. She mustered a smile, trying to shake off the remnants of the awkwardness that had settled between them after the Yule Ball.

"Morning, (Y/N)," Blaise greeted her, offering a friendly nod.

"Good morning, Blaise," (Y/L/N) replied, her tone slightly strained. She hoped her discomfort didn't show too much, but the memory of the confusing conversation she had with Nott still lingered in her mind.

Nott, sitting on the other side of (Y/L/N), seemed to be studying her closely. His gaze was intense, and she couldn't shake the feeling that he was trying to read her thoughts.

"Interesting night at the Yule Ball, wasn't it?" Nott spoke, his voice laced with a hint of curiosity.

(Y/L/N) felt a knot form in her stomach. She knew Nott was trying to make her suspicious of Draco's actions, but she couldn't let his words sway her without concrete evidence. She had to make her own judgments after all and Malfoy was the one, who was there for her when no one else was.

"It was quite an eventful evening," (Y/L/N) replied cautiously, careful not to reveal too much. "But I'm more interested in knowing how your evening went."

At that moment, a Hufflepuff student touched Nott's shoulder as she walked past him. When he turned around, she gave him a very flirtatious smile that was embarrassing at best. He smiled back, obviously faking it, and rolled his eyes in annoyance as he returned to the table. (Y/L/N) just had to chuckle at the thought of Nott having a Hufflepuff girl annoy him to the core.

"Let's just say good old Theo has had quite an eventful evening." Zabini said, clearly teasing Nott and giving him a light slap on the back, which made him look even more annoyed. Now (Y/L/N) burst out laughing and Zabini soon joined in.

The tension between (Y/L/N) and Nott momentarily dissipated as laughter filled the air. It was a welcomed relief from the weighty atmosphere that had settled over the table.

Nott, though still wearing a faint frown, couldn't help but crack a smile at the teasing from Blaise and the shared laughter. The momentary respite allowed (Y/L/N) to relax and momentarily set aside her worries about Malfoy and the complicated situation they found themselves in.

As the laughter subsided, Zabini turned to (Y/L/N) with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So, (Y/N), care to share any highlights from your evening at the Yule Ball?"

(Y/L/N) felt her cheeks flush with a hint of embarrassment. Blaise's question had taken her by surprise and she had to either quickly talk about something that wasn't the kiss or make up something that hadn't happened. The kiss clearly overshadowed everything else that had happened, so she struggled to think of anything else.

(Y/L/N) took a moment to compose herself, her mind racing to come up with an alternative highlight from the Yule Ball. She couldn't bring herself to fabricate something that hadn't happened, so she decided to divert the attention away from the kiss while still staying truthful.

"Well, one of the highlights for me was seeing all the incredible outfits and robes," she replied, a touch of genuine enthusiasm seeping into her voice. "The effort and creativity that went into them were truly impressive. It was like stepping into a world of enchantment."

Zabini nodded approvingly, seemingly satisfied with her response. "Ah, yes, the fashion extravaganza. It was quite a sight indeed."

Nott, though appearing more engaged in the conversation, couldn't help but interject with a slightly skeptical tone. "Fashion? That's what stood out to you the most?"

(Y/L/N) met his gaze with a hint of defensiveness. "Well, there were many aspects to enjoy at the Yule Ball, and the fashion was just one of them. It's fascinating to see how people express themselves through their choices of attire."

Nott leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "I suppose you have a point. But I still refuse to believe that this was the thing that struck you most."

(Y/L/N) took a moment to gather her thoughts, now that she had somewhat successfully steered the conversation away from the kiss with Malfoy. However, she couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that Nott's persistent questioning and attempts to sow doubt were not to be taken lightly.

As she ate her breakfast, she found herself stealing glances around the Great Hall, hoping to catch a glimpse of Malfoy. But he remained conspicuously absent, further adding to her unease. Where could he be? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the last breakfast of the year that (Y/L/N) was able to enjoy at school, it was time to pack her bags for the winter break, which came a few days later this year due to the Yule Ball. While some students chose to stay, as there weren't as many days left in the winter break as there would have been in years without the Yule Ball, quite a few went home to their families to enjoy Christmas. (Y/L/N) remembered most things about her home and her parents, although most of those memories were rather blurry. She thought it might have been good to go home anyway, not just for Christmas in general, but maybe to get some of her memories back.

She soon found herself at this station, waiting for the train that would take her home for the first time since everything had happened. She was still looking for Malfoy, though, as she knew there was no way he wouldn't return to his family for the holidays. But there was still no sign of him.

She boarded the train and took a compartment with Nott and Zabini, hoping she wouldn't have to answer any more questions.

Just when she wasn't expecting Malfoy anymore, he entered the compartment, taking everyone by surprise.

As Malfoy entered the compartment, (Y/L/N) couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and anticipation. She had been searching for him, wondering where he had disappeared to, and now he was standing before her.

Malfoy's usually composed demeanor seemed slightly unsettled, his gaze shifting between (Y/L/N), Nott, and Zabini. There was a tension in the air, as if something had transpired during their absence from each other.

Instead of saying anything, he just took the seat next to (Y/L/N), who just looked at him slightly, while the two boys opposite him had no problem staring at him.

As Malfoy settled into his seat, the silence in the compartment grew more palpable. The curious gazes from Nott and Zabini seemed to intensify, as if they were waiting for an explanation or some sort of revelation.

(Y/L/N) looked at Malfoy, her eyes searching for answers. "Where have you been, Draco?" she finally asked, unable to contain her curiosity any longer.

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that betrayed a hint of unease. "I... had some things to take care of," he replied evasively, avoiding direct eye contact with her.

Nott leaned forward, his expression inscrutable. "Care to elaborate?" he asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

"I don't see how that's any of your business, Nott." Malfoy spat at Nott, as it was clear that the tension between them was growing. Malfoy seemed to get more and more annoyed with Nott every time they saw each other. Somehow, (Y/L/N) could even understand that.

Nott leaned back in his seat, a smug smirk playing on his lips. He chuckled lightly, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Well, well, Malfoy. Getting defensive, are we? I guess we'll just have to use our imagination then."

"Oh, stop it, Nott." (Y/L/N) said interrupting the situation before it could get any more tense. Malfoy gave Nott a smug smile as she interrupted the conversation, as this was clearly not to Nott's liking. Meanwhile, (Y/L/N) wondered why Nott was behaving the way he was. She just didn't seem to understand what the growing tension was all about in the first place.

Malfoy and (Y/L/N) exchanged a brief glance, a silent way to thank one another. Malfoy thanking her for being on his side and her thanking him for not escalating this further. This had been the first moment the two of them shared on that day. As Malfoy now even gave her a slight smile, she noticed herself blushing

Zabini, sensing the need to diffuse the situation further, chimed in with a casual remark. "Well, I don't know about you all, but I'm looking forward to a relaxing break at home. No more exams, no more stress. Just good food and relaxation."

Nott, still wearing a faint frown, nodded in agreement. "You're right, Blaise. It will be good to take a break from all the schoolwork and just enjoy some time with family."

(Y/L/N) welcomed the change in topic, grateful for the respite from the underlying tension. She leaned back in her seat, her thoughts returning to the upcoming winter break. Although she was excited to spend time with her family, her mind couldn't help but wander back to Draco and the unresolved feelings between them.

As the train chugged along, the familiar scenery outside the window flew by, leaving (Y/L/N) lost in her thoughts. Draco, too, seemed lost in his own thoughts, occasionally stealing glances at (Y/L/N) when he thought she wasn't looking.

The rest of the train journey continued in relative silence, interrupted only by occasional conversations and the gentle rhythm of the train's wheels on the tracks. Each passing minute brought them closer to the destination, both physically and metaphorically.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally, the train pulled into the station, signaling the end of the journey. (Y/L/N), Malfoy, Nott, and Zabini gathered their belongings and stepped onto the platform, greeted by a chilly winter breeze.

Families eagerly awaited their loved ones, their voices filled with excitement and joy. (Y/L/N) spotted her parents among the crowd, and her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't wait to reunite with them and share the holiday season together.

As (Y/L/N) said goodbye to Nott and Zabini, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. Despite everything that had happened, she had felt her friends grow closer to her, and she wondered if they had shared the same bond when she still had her memory.

Malfoy accompanied (Y/L/N) for a few moments, though, to give her a proper farewell for the winter holidays. He followed her to where her parents were standing, but she didn't seem to mind.

As she hugged her parents, they noticed the boy standing behind her. "Now there's a face I've never seen before," her mother said with a warm smile.

"Draco Malfoy, I'm happy to finally meet you" he said as he held out his hand to greet her.

"We're also pleased to finally meet some friends of (Y/N). Especially a Malfoy, of course," her mother said as she greeted the boy. (Y/L/N) didn't know why, but was rather embarrassed by the whole situation. She turned to Malfoy, her heart racing a little faster at the thought of saying goodbye.

"Draco," she began, her voice filled with gratitude and affection, "thank you for everything. I'm glad we got to spend this time together, and I hope we can keep in touch over the break."

Malfoy nodded, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "Of course, (Y/N). I'll definitely send you an owl now and then. We can catch up and maybe even make plans for when we return to Hogwarts."

A small smile played on (Y/L/N)'s lips as she took a step closer to Malfoy, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll be looking forward to your letters. Take care of yourself, Draco."

He returned her smile, his gaze lingering on her face. "You too, (Y/N). Enjoy your time with your family and have a wonderful holiday."

With a final exchange of glances, (Y/L/N) reluctantly turned to her parents, ready to embark on the next chapter of her break. She hugged Malfoy one last time, cherishing the warmth and familiarity of his presence, before stepping away.

As (Y/L/N) walked hand in hand with her parents, she couldn't help but glance back at Malfoy. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, it felt as if time stood still. But the bustling crowd and the realization of their separate paths snapped her back to reality. She knew it was only 2 weeks, but still, it felt like forever since they have been spending so much time together recently.

[notsocheezy]

Brain Curd #70

Brain Curds are lightly edited flash fiction - practically first drafts - posted daily and sometimes written with the express intention of being terrible… but, you know, in an endearing way. This is a continuation of Brain Curd #69, so read that first. Please enjoy.

Gregory took the trays from the counter. He was sweating. He made his way back to the table as slowly as he could, hoping the thoughts might get bored and drift away. Or at the very least, he hoped the conversation could move on to something other than vague homoeroticism.

He set the trays down and the others dug in. He took his steak quesadilla from the pile and tore a piece off.

“So anyway,” Harry said, chewing on a nacho chip. “We need to decide right now if we’re gonna get an apartment together or live in a frat house.”

“Aren’t we supposed to live in the dorms the first year?” Gregory asked.

“Fuck that, man. I’m not eating that dining hall slop.” Harry squeezed the stacker into his mouth like a tube of toothpaste and began ripping the remaining tortilla to shreds with his teeth, swallowing it without chewing. He always ate like that.

“I hear initiation gets pretty intense at frats,” Mutt added, crunching on a taco. “My cousin had to have a whole keg of beer before they let him in.”

Gregory swallowed. “I don’t think I could drink that much at once.”

“I didn’t say they made him drink it…”

Gregory’s eyes went wide. “You mean…?”

“They stuck a tube up his butt.”

“Damn, bro.” Harry took a sip of Baja Blast. “I could never have anything up there. That’s the wrong way, man, wrong direction.”

“I bet I could do it,” Gregory said without thinking.

The others stared at him again.

“I mean, I’m not afraid of a challenge.”

“Yeah, okay,” Harry said dismissively. “You go ahead and let Samuel Adams fuck you in the ass, I’m gonna do something else. They gotta give you options, right? The point is to embarrass you, not to scar you for life.”

Mutt replied. “My dad told me that in Phi Beta Kappa, they used to make new initiates streak across the whole campus at midnight.”

“Damn, bro. Wouldn’t you freeze your balls off doing that?”

“Guess not, since I was born like five years later.”

“Unless you’re adopted.”

Mutt threw a chip at Harry. “Fuck off, man.”

“What? You don’t look anything like your parents, bro.”

“Greg-O,” Mutt banged on the table. “What do you think?”

“Hmmm. I never really thouuught about it…”

“He looks like he’s from Iceland or some shit, right?”

“No I don’t!”

“Yeah, Harry, I don’t think Mutt’s adopted. Him and his dad both have the same chiseled, cleft chin.”

Mutt blew raspberries Harry’s way. “Told you, dumbass.”

“Whatever.”

“You know, uh…” Gregory hesitated. “My father always told me that to get into his fraternity, he had to win a tournament.”

“What kind of tournament?” Harry asked, suspicious.

“Gay Chicken.”

Harry choked on his soda. “What?”

“And it was really involved, too. Like, one match went on for a whole day. They had to go to class and everything.”

“Are you telling me your dad made out with another dude in the middle of a fucking psychology class?”

“Pretty much.” Gregory took a bite of chalupa. “He won, though.”

“I wouldn’t want to go up against you in a game of Gay Chicken, man. I bet it’s in your genetics or some shit.”

“You’re a fucking baby, Harry.” Mutt took a Cinnabon Delight from the box. “I bet I could win a game of Gay Chicken against anyone.”

Harry scratched his head. “Is that something you should be bragging about?”

Mutt took a bite of his Cinnabon Delight. The creamy filling leaked out the other side and landed on his chest. He made eye contact with Gregory and refused to break it. This, Gregory recognized, was a challenge. And he was determined to win. He practically leapt across the table to lick it off Mutt’s chest and the two began passionately making out. Harry looked like he was going to throw up.

The Taco Bell workers begged for them to stop, but it was no use. Both were determined to win, and both had foolproof methods which sadly are likely to get this blog in trouble if I were to go into too much detail. Some say Gregory and Mutt are still playing Gay Chicken to this very day. Though it’s mostly Harry who says so.

[spookyreibones]

The Crux S2: VII of Swords

You cannot deny your nature, nor run from the past forever.

Betrayal, deception & trickery.

They made their choice, moving on from the 2 of swords to the 7 of swords. But what about the other c- no shut up, they don't matter right now. This is the card for the next story beat that happens in session 2.

For the uninitiated, I am making a series of tarot cards for my d&d group, with whom I run a homebrewed campaign. I send them out around 2 days before their respective session. This one made them intensely suspicious of the NPCs' quest they had accepted.

Perhaps the scar-faced countryside folk who are unusually good with guns aren't the holiest people out there. Just a thought! Fanning the flames, one of the NPCs grew antsy during dinner, as if he'd been wearing tight clothes for too long. His wife gave him a knowing look and put their child to sleep, and he then headed out to the backyard, claiming to go check on the night guard, but a keen-eyed bard caught the hint of a bipedal canine running off into the night.

If werewolves are normal, then why would he hide it? They live amongst society happily, but some see them as barbaric criminals which is partially true as a significant part of the turned (as opposed to born werewolves) are or were criminals. And they don't like the government? Dunno, maybe there's something cooking there?

Here's the song that goes along with the card! I didn't send it out along with the card for my group but I will for the future ones :3

Well, that's as much as I'll reveal above the cut and before issuing the respective SPOILER WARNING for my d&d group and STAY AWAY.

Aight, so last time we mentioned the symbolism of the eye being stabbed: it represents turning a blind eye to what is clearly obvious. This is what would happen if they took Sergio's (rural doctor) quest, which on the surface looks far more noble as it means saving a monster-infested village.

However, the 2nd time the party saw the two NPCs that give out the quest they literally slammed a tied-up person's head on the police officer's desk, divvying up the bounty amongst themselves. They have scars all over their bodies and faces, smell of gunpowder and wield guns with the same familiarity that most use pens. There's no denying that these folk are rough. But hey, that doesn't mean they're bad people. Right?? Right?

Both in the world's lore and in metagame symbolism, werewolves are a representation of savagery. To some, turned werewolves invite side-eyes and bag-clutching as most of them have violent pasts. However, it is an undeniable and inextricable part of our world: our savagery, violence and ruthlessness.

The seven of swords paired with the werewolf reminds us that though we may try to hide it, this part of us is so deeply rooted that it cannot be hidden or denied (hence the accompanying text 'you cannot deny your nature').

The party didn't ally themselves with a known criminal, making the 'right' choice and remaining in the good graces of the law. But is it really right? Honourable? Were you not motivated by self-interest? Is that any better than the criminal who desperately wants to get her brother out of jail?

The werewolf in the card and the one the bard saw is Jace, the co-quest giver of the Honeymeadow/Honourable questline. He is a turned werewolf, being bitten in a skirmish with an opposing gang when he and the rest of the folk belonged to the Santorini gang. They lied, stole, killed and shot people like every other gang of criminals. All NPCs except the child, who was sheltered, were involved in the violent criminal life. They have paid off their bounties and renounced their old life of crime, being lawful and helpful citizens, but the past is not something we can run from or hide. It is a part of us, and this is the pill they (particularly Jace) must swallow moving onwards with life.

Jace hides that he is a werewolf from his son because he is afraid Jaime (son) will see him as even more of a monster. Jaime was born into the gang, sheltered, yes, but aware of the violent life his parents and relatives lived outside the quiet comfort of the gang's campsite. He knows his parents are criminals. He also knows they have morals and a good heart, but it terrifies Jace that his son might see him as anything but a monster, which is why he hides that part of himself from his son and the party. He doesn't trust the party to keep it a secret.

Overall, the party and the questgivers & co don't quite trust each other. But they need each other. At least for now.

[tiressian]

riposte

Fandom: Jujutsu Kaisen Pairing: Satoru x Shoko Notes: established relationship, fluff and humor, extended drabble Rated T for language and some mature themes (?)

Read on Ao3 here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49076245

Gales and heavy rain were battering Satoru’s cushy apartment in the heart of Shinjuku. He had another in Hokkaido—“owned by the clan!” Satoru liked to point out to anyone who cared for the distinction (which, for anyone who still cared to listen at this point, was a population of exactly nil). The weather and the Gojo clan’s unfathomable wealth was the least of his and Shoko’s concerns however. Both of them were sat side by side on his couch in their pyjamas in front of Satoru’s sixty inch TV, Satoru’s intensely concentrated countenance a direct contrast to Shoko’s almost bored one. 

They were on their tenth round of Street Fighter 6. It was five matches per round, Shoko’s Ken against Satoru’s Cammy. If Shoko lost, she would have to cosplay Cammy during his Halloween party; if Satoru lost, he would be hosting said Halloween party in a maid outfit. 

Their schedules had finally aligned in that neither of them had work that couldn’t wait until the storm had passed—kind of. Shoko, by virtue of being Shoko, was still on call regardless of the severe weather watch, but Satoru remedied this by redirecting all her calls to Yuta. He figured Yuta needed the practice in Reversed Cursed Technique, plus it would score Yuta points in Maki’s eyes. (What? Yuta was always advocating for more responsibility anyway.)

Bam. Bird, meet two stones. 

Or maybe it was two birds. No, maybe it was three and there was a hawk; Satoru never could grasp the hang of western idioms anyw—

“SHORYUKEN!” 

“Fuck!” 

Satoru scrambled to counter but it was too late: Ken’s uppercut landed, taking out the last of Cammy’s hit points. As K.O. flashed onscreen and Cammy’s limp body floated to the ground, Shoko smirked. 

“I’m looking forward to Halloween this year,” she said. 

Satoru scowled at her. “You hustled me.”

“That’s a heavy accusation.” Shoko smiled, twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers. 

Satoru hated when she did that. Outside of the current circumstances he found the gesture cute and flirtatious; her patience seemingly on a par with the unlimited ways he managed to test it. It was one of his favourite things about her.  

Now that same patience was grating. And hot. And Satoru was losing, which admittedly made it twice as hot because it wasn’t often anyone pulled out the rug from under him—but that wasn’t the point. The point was he had a dream: he had a Cammy costume with her name on it and she was obliterating said dream with her suspiciously well-timed combos: a far cry from the button mashing one typically expected from a newbie. Money Satoru had in spades, but the heart wanted what the heart wanted and his heart happened to be attached to the heart of someone who could not be bought. He relished the challenge in getting Shoko to do things that benefited him more than her; it was stimulating for his creativity. It was also stimulating for a base part of his anatomy.  

Which led to him being here, trying and failing miserably to eke out a win, because his horny heart was keenly aware he couldn’t enforce his will—even if he had the power of God at his fingertips. Women tended to stop talking to you if you tried that. He wanted very much for Shoko to never want to stop talking to him. And doing that other spicier thing that didn’t involve much talking. 

“You said you didn’t know how to play this game,” Satoru accused. Curses tended to scatter in the opposite direction when he glared daggers; Shoko simply yawned.  

“You said, and I quote,” she said, purposely deepening her voice, “‘Shoko, I got Street Fighter 6’ and I said, ‘Oh, never played that one.’” 

“Hmph. Both a hustler and a liar—” 

Shoko held up her phone, replaying the fifteen second conversation exactly as described. 

There followed a pause while Satoru collected his jaw off of the ground, a strange mixture of both terrified and impressed that she’d known him well enough to take measures in preempting the accusation. He watched her calmly set her phone facedown onto the coffee table then raised her gaze back to him, expectant. 

“Dafuq—”

“‘Never played that one’ is not the same as ‘never played in my life.’” 

“Yeah, well ‘Shoko, I got Street Fighter 6, have you ever played it or any of its previous installments in your life?’ doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it?” Satoru snapped, extremely put out and majorly inconvenienced. 

“Oh, I don’t know; I thought you managed that perfectly,” Shoko replied amusedly. 

Satoru’s mouth twitched, teeth grinding behind his lips as he fought a smile. 

Outmanoeuvred and outgunned. 

No matter which way the situation was approached, he looked bad. No, worse than bad, bumbling. Because what should have been an easy swindle—ahem, super fun bonding activity while stuck indoors, had turned into an exercise in hubris. 

“Let’s not forget that you seemed to have no problem holding back when you made that bet and assumption an hour ago,” Shoko said, still ever so smug. “So you tell me who the real hustler here is.”

“What? You never played when we were kids!” 

“Still doesn’t mean I hustled you. Satoru,” she added pointedly.

“You never played with me n’ Suguru!”

“Because when I wanted to play, you two losers were already ditching me to cause trouble in some other part of the mall or chase girls.”

“So…”

“So I played with other people.” Shoko shrugged. The lackadaisical way in which she did it set off every alarm bell in Satoru’s head. 

Other people, she’d said. Not kids. 

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Who?” 

“Whom,” Shoko corrected. She smirked. “Then again, you always did suck at English.” 

Satoru’s eye twitched. Half of him wanted to toss away the controller and haul her over his shoulder so they could spend the rest of the afternoon in bed. The other half of him still stubbornly clinging onto the dream for dear life insisted he hadn’t exhausted all his options just yet. 

The stubborn half won out. Satoru stayed where he was, massaging his temples. “Names please.”

“It’s been so long—”

Satoru swatted her with a cushion and Shoko snorted, curling into a ball under the onslaught. “You’re so full of shit,” he laughed in between swats. “I know you remember their names, fuckin’ hustler. Tell me.”

Shoko, now lying on her back, touched a finger to her lips and pretended to ponder on it. Satoru rolled his eyes. 

And she had the nerve to call him dramatic. 

“Hmm… let’s see, well there was Onuki-san, Umehara-san and—”

“Fuck!” Satoru mussed his hair in frustration. Two of the biggest names in the game. Shoko sat up and patted him consolingly on the leg while he dragged a hand down his face. “Aww fuck, that’s so cool! How come I never knew that? How come you never said?” 

“Because, loser, you never asked.” Shoko twirled her hair between her fingers and tilted her head, smiling at him. 

“What,” Satoru muttered, side-eyeing her as he reached for his controller, now thinking of viable Ken counters. 

“I saw you had arcade sticks in the TV cabinet,” Shoko said. “Maybe you’ll have better luck with those?”

Satoru tossed away his controller and tackled Shoko into the couch, kissing her. 

“Fuckin’ hustler,” he grumbled in between kisses, one of his hands slithering under her shirt. 

“You promise?” Shoko teased, curling a leg over his hip. 

And the storm continued to rage outside, still very much the least of their concerns.