#and because she likes him she thinks is the best for him to become what she thinks is a respected member of a society

[saritawolff]

I’m not even doing this in the tags because I want to rant.

Not a movie but the 2017 “The Mist” TV series was the worst thing I think I’ve ever watched. Every time you’d even try to root for a character the plot would punish you for it by making them do something unforgivable, until there were genuinely no likeable characters left. I only kept watching because I wanted to see if they would reveal where the mist was coming from, and then they canceled the series before that point, which I seriously should have guessed would happen before suffering through it. Most miserable TV experience I’ve ever had. I get angry just thinking about it.

What would you guys consider the worst movie you've ever seen? Not something that's fun to make fun of, nothing you ironically enjoyed, I mean just an absolutely miserable moviegoing experience that you paid for, hated every second, and wish you had walked out of and asked for a refund.

For me, no joke, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. It did not even feel like a real movie to me. It made me see red! I was SEETHING with anger and annoyance throughout the entire thing, and I cannot for the life of me articulate why. I saw it once in 2012 when I was 15, I remember almost nothing about it now, but it struck a nerve with me like no other movie ever has before or since.

Tell me in the tags, which movie makes you disproportionately angry just thinking about it?

[mimiiiiiiiiisstuff]

"Slipping through my fingers"

ok yall this is an emotional one!! it expands more on reader and jason's dynamic before he died and shows why jason is an especially sore spot for reader. it's also jason who she's most vulnerable and willing to forgive.

You and Jason ate the popcorn chicken on your bed in silence. For a moment, you pretended that everything was normal again. That Jason was still just Jason and you were still just you. That he was still your big brother that meant the world to you and that you were still his baby sister who he adored and couldn't go a day without.

For a moment, jason could pretend he wasn't the Red Hood, a vigilante who struck fear even in the darkest of hearts, he could pretend he was just comforting his little sister who meant the world to him.

Jason stares at you, his eyes locked onto yours like he’s trying to burn through the walls you’ve built between you. His breathing is shallow, tight with something unspoken, something raw. He’s been holding it in, holding it all in—his guilt, his regret, his anger—but it’s all starting to crack. The cracks are sharp now, and they’re starting to bleed.

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he spits, his voice gravelly, thick with the weight of what’s unsaid. “I didn’t want to become this. I didn’t want to lose you.”

You let out a bitter laugh, harsh and mocking, and you can feel the edge of your own frustration clawing at you. “Well, newsflash, Jason, you did. You lost me the moment you decided that pushing me away was the best option. You don’t get to sit there and tell me how you didn’t want to hurt me when you were the one who abandoned me without a second thought. I ran into your arms and you acted like you couldn't care less.”

His jaw tightens and you see something almost vulnerable flicker across his face. But it’s gone in an instant, replaced by something darker; guilt, maybe, but also something like self-loathing.

“You think I wanted to leave? You think I wanted to hurt you?” His voice is quiet, almost deadly calm, but the tremor in his tone betrays him. “I didn’t want to drag you down, okay? I didn’t want to make you part of this... mess I’ve become. I thought if I just kept my distance, kept you away from all the shit in my life, I’d be doing you a favor. ”

“And what the hell makes you think I needed your protection, huh?” You snap back, “You think I couldn’t handle whatever shit you were going through? You think I couldn’t handle you? You never gave me the chance to help. You just shut me out, Jason. Like I was just some... some stranger. Like you weren't the closest thing I had to family. There wasn't anything I wouldn't have done for you. you were my brother. I loved Dick but he was never you.”

Jason’s eyes flash, anger mixing with the guilt, there’s an almost pleading intensity to him now. “I wasn’t protecting you,” he murmurs, voice breaking, just a little. “I was protecting myself. Because every damn time I saw you, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I needed you. How much I wanted you in my life, and I was so fucking scared that if you stuck around, you’d see everything I was trying to hide. That you’d see how broken I really am. And you didn’t deserve that. You didn’t deserve to get caught up in my shit, in the mess I was making of myself.”

Your heart clenches at the rawness of his words, the vulnerability creeping in, uninvited and unwelcome. You want to scream at him, to tell him he’s a coward, to tell him how much it hurt, how much it still hurts. But instead, you feel a lump form in your throat, something tight, constricting. The years of silence between you, the hurt, the loneliness—it hits all at once.

“You were never a mess to me,” you say, quieter now, as if the weight of his confession is slowly wearing you down. “I knew you, Jason. I knew who you were before all this. The guy I could talk to about anything. The guy who knew me better than anyone. The one who made me feel like I actually belonged. ”

Jason’s eyes widen, his breath catching as if you’ve just hit him in the chest. “I thought about you every day, you know?” he says in a hoarse whisper, his voice trembling. “Every day. You think I didn’t miss you? I thought about those times, the way we used to be... how you would just be there. You and me against the world. I remember laughing with you. Just... sitting there, talking about stupid stuff, and it felt like we were the only two people who really got it. I missed that, more than anything.”

You feel a tightness in your chest at the words, something fragile breaking open. You remember. You remember the late nights, the quiet conversations that meant more than anything else in the world. He was everything to you, back then. But now... now everything is just fractured pieces, fragments that don’t fit together anymore.

“You left,” you whisper, voice shaking, barely audible. “You left me, Jason. You left me without a word, without a reason. And I don’t care how much you missed me. That doesn’t change what you did. How you let her in after years of ignoring me.”

Jason’s face twists in pain, the anger shifting into something else, something raw and regretful. “I thought you’d be better off without me,” he admits, his voice breaking, the quiet words ripping through the space between you. “I thought if I just stayed away, you wouldn’t have to deal with my shit. You wouldn’t have to deal with... me.” His fists unclench, and he runs a hand through his hair, pulling at it in frustration. “I didn’t think you’d need me anymore. I thought I was dragging you down. I was so damn scared of ruining everything we had. But instead, I ended up ruining everything. And I can’t fix that. I know that. I just... I just wanted you to know that I didn’t want to leave. I thought if I stayed, I’d hurt you even more. I thought... I thought it’d be easier to let you go than to keep pushing you away. I was wrong.”

His words hang in the air, heavy and painful, like a confession he’s carried for too long. You want to reach out, to say something—anything—but the words are stuck, lodged in your throat. The vulnerability between you is unbearable, but you can’t ignore the truth in his eyes. He’s not the same person who walked away all those years ago. And maybe, just maybe, he’s not the same person he was when he left. But you don’t know if that’s enough. You don’t know if you can trust him again.

"I wrote to you, you know? When i thought you were.... gone. I wrote to you almost every single day, I figured you'd like it, think it's something out of those books you used to read. It made me feel like you were still with me, like you were watching over me. When you, when you came back, I was convinced I wished you alive." You admitted your childish thoughts, voice breaking in between sobs.

“I don’t even know who you are anymore,” you say, your voice trembling with emotion. “I don’t know who you’ve become. I don’t know if you’re the person who cared about me, the one who sat with me and talked about everything or if you’re just some... some shadow of him. And I don’t know if I’ want to find out. Or if i'm ready to let go and forgive”

Jason stares at you, his face pale, his eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and frustration. “I don’t expect you to forgive me. I don’t deserve that,” he says quietly, his voice barely a whisper. “But I’m begging you. just let me try to make it right. I’ll prove it to you. I’ll prove that I’m not that guy anymore. I can’t erase what happened. I can't erease Tiffany. I can’t take back the years we lost. But I can try to be the person you used to know. The person you trusted. I can be your big brother again. I can still keep the nightmares away”

The silence between you stretches, each second heavier than the last. You’re caught in the middle—caught between the person you were, the person you are now, and the person he’s trying to be. But for the first time in a long time, Jason isn’t running. He’s not hiding from you. And as much as you want to shut him out, to protect yourself from more pain, something inside you is aching—aching for that connection you once had, aching for the possibility that it’s not too late to fix this.

What really broke you was seeing him cry. It was like you were a child again. It nearly broke your brain seeing Jason, your fearless big brother, your idol, cry.

“We can try” you whisper, your voice small, fragile, like it’s a decision that could break you. " it’s not gonna be easy, Jason. Things cant magically change no matter what we wish."

Jason nods slowly, his eyes never leaving yours, his face stricken with the weight of everything he’s put you through. “I know,” he breathes, barely audible. “But I’m not going anywhere. Not this time. Never again.”

After Jason left, you had to sit and process what happened. In truth, you didn't know if things could ever be the same between you and jason. So many years of neglect and anger couldn't disappear with just a conversation and apology. No, you would make him, them, know what it feels like to be begging for scraps. Maybe things wouldn't be the same with jason, maybe after time and effort, they could be better. You missed him. So much. It would be easier to forgive him than Bruce. Yeah, Bruce is your father but Jason was your hero.

When Bruce reaches your door, he hesitates for a moment. The heavy weight of guilt in his chest is hard to ignore, but there’s something more, something that unsettles him even more than the tension in the air: the fear that you’re slipping through his fingers. That what happened today might have cracked something too deep to repair.

He knocks once, then opens the door.

You’re sitting on your bed, your back to him, staring out the window as if you’re already a million miles away. It’s almost as if you’ve already shut everything out, ready to move on.

His voice comes quietly, strained. " we need to talk.”

You don’t respond, not right away. Bruce steps into the room, quietly closing the door behind him. The air feels heavy, like something’s already been decided, but he won’t let that deter him. He takes a slow, steady breath, trying to calm the rising panic in his chest.

He’s careful, almost too careful, when he speaks again. “I know you’re angry. You have every right to be. But what happened today, what you did to Tim and Damian, it can’t go unanswered. It wasn’t just about the fight. You crossed a line, and I need to know that you’re aware of that.”

You turn slowly to face him, your eyes burning with frustration, and Bruce can see the rawness in them. The anger. The hurt. It cuts through him, deeper than any physical wound ever could.

“And what should I have done, Bruce? Sit there and take it? Let them walk all over me? Let ya'll act like nothing's wrong? Like you didn't ship me away because some bottle blonde bitch said to?” You scoff, the bitterness in your voice thick enough to choke on. “I’m sick of being treated like I don’t matter. Like I’m just an afterthought. You and your little Batfamily can keep pushing me to the side, but don’t expect me to sit quietly while you pretend I’m not even here. Not anymore. Never again”

Bruce’s face tightens with guilt, but he doesn’t back down. “That’s not what I want. I never wanted you to feel that way. I know I haven’t been there like I should have. I know we've all been horrible and cruel. But that’s no excuse for what you did.”

The words sting, but your anger doesn’t dissipate. If anything, it flares up again. You stand up abruptly, pacing, the frustration too much to keep inside. “Oh, I get it. You don’t want me to do anything that inconveniences you or your precious Batfamily. You want me to apologize for fighting back like I’m the one in the wrong here, right? You want me to crawl back to them, all nice and meek, because that’s what you think I should be. What I used to be. But I’m not that person anymore, Bruce. I’m not. And it’s about damn time you realize that. If anything, me and Damian aren't even close to even, he's hurt me before, threatened me before, that always went unanswered. Because fuck me right? Who cares about me? Tell Tim he's welcome to come get his lick back, I wasn't thinking when I hit him.”

Bruce flinches, his jaw tightening at your words. You’re right, he’s failed you. He’s allowed the distance between you two to grow, let it fester until you finally exploded. He’d told himself that you would always be there, that you were part of his family, but he’d taken that for granted.

You were right, Damian was never punished but Bruce would ensure that no one, not even Damian would ever get away with hurting you again.

But then, just when he thinks he has a handle on the situation, you drop the bombshell that completely shatters any control he had left.

You cross your arms over your chest and exhale, your voice soft but full of finality. “I’m leaving tomorrow. For the South of France. I’m staying with Ariel and her dad for the summer.”

The words land like a punch in the gut. Bruce freezes, his hand almost involuntarily reaching out toward you, though he stops himself just short. His breath catches in his throat.

“France?” His voice cracks for the first time since he entered the room. His mind races, how could you leave like this? How could you just walk away? You two were making progress, learning to understand each other. How was he supposed to fix this if you left? Was it that easy for you? Was it that easy for him to lose you? “You can’t.” He states, his tone final and unforgiving.

“I can. I already have everything packed, in fact, I literally didn't even unpack.” You shrug nonchalantly, trying to hide the ache in your chest behind a mask of indifference. “Ariel and I have been talking about this for months, it's our trip.”

Bruce takes a step toward you, voice low and edged with something darker, more possessive. “You’re not leaving. Not like this.”

You shake your head, the fire in your eyes fading just a little, replaced by something more resigned. “You really don’t get it, do you? You’ve barely noticed me, Bruce. You’ve been too busy with your missions, your family, your life, and I’ve been here, waiting. But not anymore. I’m not going to sit around and wait for you to remember I exist. I deserve more than that. That boarding school was the best thing that happened to me.”

Bruce can feel the weight of your words, the sting of rejection, and it makes something inside him snap. He knows he’s messed up. He knows he’s made mistakes. But the idea of you leaving—of you walking away, out of his reach—is something he won’t stand for. Not now. Not when he’s just starting to recognize how badly he’s failed you. Not when he can still feel the resentment rolling off you in waves.

“I can’t let you go,” Bruce says, the words slipping out before he can stop them. His eyes lock with yours, the intensity between you two growing, thick with unspoken emotions. “Not like this. Not when I’m just starting to understand everything that’s been wrong. I’ve messed up, but don’t leave. I’ll fix this. I promise. I’ll fix it.”

You stare at him, unmoving, but the fire in your eyes softens just a little. There’s a flicker of doubt now, a tiny crack in the armor you’ve put up. But it’s not enough. Not yet. Not enough to change your mind.

“I don’t know, Bruce.” Your voice is quieter now, but still laced with hurt. “I don’t know if I can keep doing this. You’re not the person you used to be. And neither am I. Maybe that’s just... something we both have to face.”

Bruce steps closer, close enough now that his presence seems to fill the room, heavy and suffocating in a way that only he can. His hand reaches out slowly, this time not hesitating, and he places it on your shoulder gently.

“I don’t want to lose you, not when I've just started to see you,” he says, his voice hoarse with a desperation he’s never let show before. “I’ll fix this. I’ll make it right. But I need you to stay. I need you here with me, please.”

The words hang in the air between you two, a fragile plea that feels both urgent and terrifying. The mighty Bruce Wayne, billionaire, playboy, the Batman, stood in front of you begging.

You don’t respond immediately. Instead, you stand there, staring at him as if you’re seeing him for the first time in a long while. And maybe, just maybe, there’s a flicker of hope in your eyes. But not enough.

"Compromise. I'll stay with Ariel for two and a half months and i'll come back here for two weeks before school." You say, eyes gleaming with the signature look all Waynes get when negotiating. Yes, you wanted to give him a small chance but there's no way you're backing out of this trip and leaving Ariel and her hot dad hanging. You weren't about to give up a summer of tanning, flirting, partying, and country hopping with your best friends for the chance that you might fix things with your father.

Bruce raised his brows, almost smiling. You were cute when you tried to be tough, but the deal is what made him falter. Two teenagers, two months unsupervised in a foreign country, who knows what could happen? Who knows what kind of influence this Ariel is? But what was really funny was that you talked like you were going back to New York for school! No, you were coming back to Gotham Prep and staying the manor, where you belonged. But Bruce wasn't cruel. He'd let you hope. "We can go as a family, a family vacation. I'll meet your friend and decide if she's trustworthy. I have a villa right in the-"

"No! Please no! I would rather die. This is a girls trip. As in only me and Ariel. We've been planning this forever. I won't cancel. Or bring my family, that's so lame. You never would've cared before." You say almost stomping your feet, playing the guilt card. You couldn't have your family there seeing what you get up to and who you get up to it with!

"One month and you take Dick with you." There was no way you were going alone. Bruce wouldn't cave, nor would he be guilt tripped.

The mighty Bruce Wayne got hustled by his 16 year old daughter. In the end he caved, you would stay with Ariel for two months and two weeks, not a day more nor a day less. You would apologize to Tim and leave tomorrow after a peaceful family breakfast. You would have your location on at all times. Yeah Bruce got played, but as he walked out your room and looked back to see you grinning from ear to ear and calling your friend, jumping up and down, he decided it was worth it to see you this happy.

He would let you have these two months, then you'd be back home where you belonged.

The morning felt too still. Too quiet. The clock ticked on in the background, but it didn’t seem to matter. Every movement felt exaggerated, every breath, every shift of your weight, every step as you made your way around the dining table. It was as if the house itself were holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Something to shift.

As you went and sat down at the table, it was quiet once again and the air was even heavier than yesterday.

Bruce sat at the head of the table, his face unreadable as he sipped his coffee, eyes occasionally flicking toward you but never fully meeting yours. He was distant, but somehow… present in a way that felt more intrusive than comforting. He hadn’t been this present in years, actually never. Not to you.

Bruce’s gaze didn’t leave you as you walked, his eyes colder than you remembered yesterday. Your fingers tightened around the strap of your suitcase, the weight of his attention pulling at your chest.

Jason sat to his right, his hand resting on his mug with a white-knuckled grip, his expression hard and unreadable. Every so often, his eyes would slide over to you, watching your movements, the way you tucked things into your bag or adjusted the straps of your suitcase. There was something unsettling about the way he looked at you, like he was mentally memorizing every detail, every shift.

Bruce’s gaze was fixed on you as he slid the black card across the table, its dark, sleek surface catching the light just right.

“Take it,” he said quietly, his tone laced with authority. “Use it for whatever you need. You don’t have to go without. Don't forget, you're a part of this family, always have been. I want to make sure you have what you need.”

You almost recoiled at the gesture, the black card a symbol of everything that tied you to this mansion, to this family. It was a physical representation of his control, their attempts to make you feel like you were part of something. But it felt more like a chain. But it is unlimited money... You didn’t take your eyes off him as you slid it into your bag, the tension in the room making your throat dry.

Your outfit—intentionally revealing, a far cry from the usual soft layers you wore when you spent time with them—felt more out of place than ever. The shorts, lulu lemon in the shortest length, the cropped top—it had been a subtle rebellion. A way to assert yourself, to feel free. But now, as their eyes flicked over you, you felt too exposed. Too seen.

Jason’s eyes lingered on your exposed skin, his expression unreadable, but his lips were pressed together in a thin line. There was an edge to his stare, like he didn’t like what he saw, but he didn’t speak. Not directly. His fists were still clenched at his sides, his jaw taut.

Damian’s eyes flicked over you as well, but his anger seemed to burn hotter, sharper. “Pathetic,” he muttered under his breath, too low for anyone else to hear. But it wasn’t meant for you—it was meant for himself, for the way he couldn’t control you. For the fact that you’d gotten away. For now.

And then, there was Bruce. His gaze never wavered, never softened, just cold and steady. He said nothing more about the card, but his eyes held something that felt too heavy to bear. Possession. It hung between them like an unspoken truth. And the way his eyes moved over you—lingering just a little too long on the exposed parts of her skin—made your skin crawl.

Jason’s voice broke through the silence next, but it was low, playful, but edged with something else. Something that made her skin crawl.

“No boys,” he said, his tone playful, even as his gaze flicked to the door. “I don’t care who you’re staying with, but no boys. Got it?”

The playful tone didn’t match the intensity in his gaze, though. She raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to play it off.

“I’m sorry, what?” you replied, letting a smirk cross your face, trying to make it clear that this was just Jason being Jason. They were back to normal.

“No boys,” he repeated, the humor slipping from his voice now, replaced with something colder. “I’m serious. No fucking around while i'm not there. No fucking around in general, figuratively and literally.”

Your heart skipped. You glanced at Bruce, expecting him to give a soft chuckle or a reassuring nod to say it was just Jason being… well, Jason. But Bruce didn’t flinch. His gaze remained locked on you, unwavering. His expression was cold, his lips pressed into a firm line. He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t even looking amused.

“Jason’s right,” he said, his words steady and resolute. “No boys. Not while you’re here. Not while you’re under this roof.”

You almost scoffed, good thing you weren't gonna be under this roof for long.

You blinked, the sharpness of his words catching you off guard. He wasn’t joking. His posture was rigid, his eyes locked onto yours in a way that almost felt like a command.

Jason didn’t speak again, but the message had been clear.

No boys.

You nodded stiffly, the weight of his demand sitting in the pit of your stomach.

Duke, who had been mostly quiet up until now, was the next to speak, but his voice was softer, more thoughtful, as if he wasn’t quite sure how to handle the situation.

“You don’t have to go. You know that, right?” he said, his voice tentative, though there was an undercurrent of something else—something protective. "We could all go together. It’s better that way."

But his offer hung in the air like a dream you couldn’t quite reach. You could see it in his eyes—a hint of something, perhaps concern, perhaps something more. It wasn’t quite the same as Bruce’s cold stare or Jason’s intense grip on control. But there was an edge to it.

Cass, perched at the far end of the table, seemed as unreadable as ever. But there was something in her posture today—an intensity, like she was bracing herself, like something was about to happen, even if she couldn’t quite put it into words. She didn’t speak, but her gaze tracked every movement, every gesture, as if she were memorizing it.

Tim, seated next to Cass, had barely said anything all morning. His eyes flickered to you now and then, but it was more of a quiet observation, something far too careful and deliberate. He was almost… detached. But there was a coldness in the way he looked at you, like he knew something you didn’t. Like he was waiting.

Barbara was the exception—her smile was too wide, her eyes too bright, like she was trying to convince herself of something she wasn’t sure about. She kept trying to fill the silence with light conversation, but it always felt forced. And when her gaze landed on you, it lingered a little too long.

Steph, across from her, was the only one trying to keep things light. But the way she kept glancing at the door, at the phone on the table, at her own reflection in the polished surface—it was obvious she was uncomfortable. She was nervous. Especially after yesterday. And it was more than just the impending trip.

The room was alive with their watchfulness. It wasn’t just their presence—it was the way they didn’t speak directly to you, but everything they did seemed to be a reminder that they were there, that they could be there.

Damian scoffed from the end of the table and opened his mouth but closed it as Bruce looked at him sternly. He just rolled his eyes and went back to glaring at the wall, muttering things under his breath and gripping the table tightly.

He had been unusually quiet up until now and scoffed from his spot at the table, his eyes narrowed as he shot you a glare so venomous it was almost rivaled your actual venom.

“You think you can just leave, after everything?” Damian hissed, his voice dripping with disdain. His fists clenched under the table. “You think a simple apology makes everything okay? You punched me and left. You don’t just get to walk away from that.”

His anger seemed to grow with each word, but there was something beneath it, something that felt darker than simple sibling rivalry. As if the violation of his personal space and authority left him feeling more than just hurt, but threatened.

You knew that hitting him, striking him with all the force you could muster—had been the culmination of everything you couldn’t say, couldn’t express after all these years. But now, facing him again, you felt the weight of his anger. His rage wasn’t just directed at the punch. It was everything: the way you were walking out. The way you were leaving.

“Alright, listen up,” Dick said, his grin playful, cutting through the tension though his voice carried that same underlying weight. “Rules. You're not running off on some crazy solo adventure without us knowing every detail. I’m serious, okay?” His smile remained, but it was a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You’re not a little kid anymore, but that doesn’t mean you get to act like an adult. I’m gonna need you to check in—like, every single day. Got it?”

The way he said it, like it was a joke, yet his tone was so firm that it left no room for argument. And then, with a playful but almost possessive look, he added, “No crazy parties, no boys, no drinking, and if you get yourself into trouble, don't come running back here. Just kidding! If you need anything, call me.”

His words had a strange effect, both reassuring and infuriating at the same time. You didn’t need him or anyone else telling you what you could or couldn’t do, you didn't need him acting like cared. Like he was suddenly your big brother after years of ignoring you and brushing you off.

Dick was still watching you, like he was hoping you’d cave to whatever soft version of control he was offering. “Alright, just... make sure you come back. I know we don’t say it much, but we care about you, okay? I can't change the past but I do regret it and I do love you. Don’t forget that.”

And there it was—his mask slipping for just a second. His voice softened, but there was something underneath it. Possessiveness, cloaked in affection. It was hard to ignore, the way his eyes followed your movements just a little too closely, the way his words lingered like an unspoken demand.

You didn’t respond immediately, your mind swirling with everything you wanted to say, but didn't. Instead, you let the silence hang in the air, a heavy, thick thing. There was something off about the manor now. Something that hadn’t been there before. The way they all watched you, their glances lingering a little too long, the small, subtle ways they tried to control your every movement—it was suffocating, and yet... it was addicting.

It felt nice being cared about, knowing you had control over their feelings now.

Your mind wandered, thinking of the freedom waiting for you in France. The sun, the beaches, the boys, the carefree nights with Ariel and your other friends—the perfect escape from all this suffocating attention. They don’t get it.

And then you realized—it wasn't just you going on vacation. Something would change when you came back.

When the time came, you’d have to navigate this new, tense version of your family. A family who acted like they cared.

The game had shifted, and now you were part of a strange, unspoken power struggle—your power over them was now as much as theirs over you used to be.

As you were leaving to the airport, your family bid you goodbye. None of them were driving you, they all had busy days today. Jason wrapped you in a short, tight hug, telling you to text him when the plane took off and landed and telling you to be careful, his eyes hard and filled with warning.

Something is his tone set you off, you pulled away before you realized it and got in the car, ignoring Bruce and Dick's awkward attempts to hug you and not even glancing at everyone else.

As you pulled away from the manor and watched their figures in the distance, dread pooled in your stomach. You didn't know why but you were already dreading coming back.

OK YA'LL SORRY ITS LATE. Idk why is struggled writing this chapter so much! lmk what yall think of it and why the reader thinks things are off.

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[omagpies]

Recently saw your roleswap AU and I’m loving it! I have a few things I’m curious about:

1. So by my understanding Anya failed her flight certification 8 times and PE was cheap enough to be fine with that? Did she never pass? Makes sense, I’m just kinda clarifying lol

2. Does nurse!Curly also feel like he wants to try something different in his career like in canon? Did he also not have enough savings after PE went under? Did he go to nursing school or did he also fail his entrance exams?

3. What’s Daisuke’s story in this AU? Did his mom push him to go to trade school to become a mechanic? Did he do that on his own and his mom suggested working with PE?

4. It’s so interesting to me that Anya tried E-dating after getting back to earth and seemingly got rejected based on her appearance, poor girl :( but I’m kinda wondering about Curly’s perspective on this, did he have feelings for Anya while she was E-dating and just sucked it up for her?

5. I’m kinda curious about Curly and Anya’s relationship pre-crash, was it a little bit flirty like in canon? Did Anya try to approach Curly with what Jimmy was doing or was the blackmail powerful enough for her not to say a peep to anyone?

haha gonna answer all of these at once! but first here's something on 5 :)

she never passed the Official Legit certification but passed what counts for it in PE (so, certified only to fly PE vessels) and kind of sees it as her last chance to make it as a pilot. still hopes to get properly certified one day, working at PE to make the money for simulator hours and exam fees

curly actually went to a med school on a football scholarship but had to drop out about two or three years in because he started prioritising studies over practice and the money got pulled. used the money he had left to switch tracks and certify as a nurse. joined PE because space travel sounded fun but is pretty bored of it because he doesn't get to do much on a regular haul. he isn't quite as existential in this regard as canon curly because working in a people-oriented nurturing profession actually makes him feel useful, he just wishes he could be more useful ya kno? has enough savings to be able to rent a place and find a job at a hospital, so overall it all kinda works out for him if you don't count all the horrors

i think in this au daisuke's mother actually pushed him to intern as a mechanic a few years earlier than in canon, which is how he met swansea (pilot with engineering background) and got inspired enough to go into trade school. by the time the events of the au begin he is a certified mechanic though not with a lot of experience :"3

curly has had the biggest fattest crush on anya almost the entire time of knowing her (i feel like he kinda spawns in already in love with anya), so her E-dating phase is kinda rough on him (like, Very rough; mans full on wasting away from his heart getting broken in tiny ways a hundred times a day), but he is king of denying himself and putting others first so he does his best to be A Good And Supportive Roommate about it. he even tries to date other people too! but with not nearly as much gusto and it never goes far. he is too whipped

there was definitely Something. i'll expand on it a bit more in a later ask i got about captain anya, but the tldr is that she goes to great pains to Act Professional and curly is never in a million years going to confess anything. and then jimmy's arrival blows it all up and any kind of romance plummets down everyone's lists of priorities. and anya never tells curly anything -- this is her problem to deal with, and with him being jimmy's friend there is a tiny part of her that is afraid of not being believed even though she overall thinks he's a good guy :")

anya writes all kinds of things, but it's all fiction. she dabbles in poetry, but her two main points of focus in prose are a) long meandering stream of consciousness type of pieces that span generations and have very convoluted plots and interpersonal relations (think woolf's waves meets one hundred years of solitude), inspired largely by the time she had to lie there and do little more than drift in and out of delirium and think, and b) shameless smut that starts out as your run of the mill romance and suddenly changes genres halfway through (funny how life can just Change all at once huh). she never really gains a Massive audience but does have a considerable number of dedicated fans of both categories

(more roleswap au)

[evorlaah]

INTENTIONS

Paring: Nonidol!Jake x Female!reader

Synopsis: “Off-limits,” is what your best friend Yunjin says, but the more you spend time with Jake, the harder it becomes to ignore the undeniable chemistry between you two.

Warnings: slowburn romance, emotional tension, suggestive content, friendship complications, Jake’s a tease and a freak.

Note: there isn’t really anything suggestive in this, it’s my first time writing anything like this too so 😭. Enjoy

@evorlaah

You’re perched on the edge of Yunjin’s bed, her laptop propped open as you both skim through lecture notes. The dorm is warm, filled with the faint scent of her lavender diffuser, and you’re doing your best to stay focused on her chatter about last weekend’s party.

“I mean, Jake’s always like that,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Thinks he can charm his way through everything. Trust me, Y/n, he’s all talk. Totally off-limits.”

Your stomach knots, and you force a nonchalant laugh. “Yeah, yeah. Not my type.”

Lie.

Because the truth is, you never really thought about having a crush on Jake—or finding him attractive, for that matter. He was just your best friend’s older brother, the guy who’d occasionally crash your movie nights to steal a slice of pizza or tease you about the way you always wore mismatched socks.

But now? Now you’re seeing him differently.

It’s the way his sleeves are always rolled up just enough to show his forearms. The way his voice lingers in the space between casual and smooth when he says your name. The way he looks at you like he knows something you don’t.

You shake your head, trying to snap yourself out of it. Jake Sim is not the kind of guy you fall for. And Yunjin’s right—he’s definitely off-limits.

“Y/n,” Yunjin snaps her fingers in front of your face. “You’re zoning out. Did you even hear what I said?”

“Uh, yeah,” you lie again, looking away to cover your awkwardness. “Totally. Jake’s… the worst.”

Yunjin snickers. “Exactly. Don’t let that golden-boy charm fool you.”

You force a smile, but all you can think about is how his “golden-boy charm” might feel when directed at you.

The next time you see Jake, it’s at Yunjin’s apartment, where she’s throwing a small get-together for her friend group. He’s leaning against the kitchen counter, drink in hand, laughing at something one of the guys said. His hair is messy in that effortless, careless way that makes him look annoyingly good.

Your plan is to avoid him. Stay in the living room, stick close to Yunjin, and pretend he doesn’t exist. But of course, Jake has other plans.

“Y/N, can you go grab my charger from my room?” Yunjin calls over her shoulder from where she’s chatting with a couple of friends. “I think I forgot it.”

You blink at her, momentarily thrown. “Why me? It’s your room.”

“Because you’re closer to the hallway.” She waves you off without looking, as if that makes her logic foolproof. “It’s on my nightstand. I’ll owe you!”

You sigh, reluctantly standing up. Anything to get some air, right? At least Jake’s in the kitchen, far away from where you’ll be.

Or so you think.

Yunjin’s room is dimly lit by the fairy lights strung above her bed, the familiar scent of vanilla lingering in the air. You spot her charger on the nightstand and make a quick grab for it, eager to get back to the living room before-

“Avoiding me?”

You freeze, heart skipping a beat at the sound of his voice. Turning slowly, you see Jake leaning in the doorway, hands stuffed casually into the pockets of his hoodie. The dim lighting casts shadows across his face, but the faint smirk tugging at his lips is unmistakable.

“No,” you lie, gripping the charger like it’s some kind of shield. “Why would I be avoiding you?”

He steps into the room, the space between you shrinking far too quickly. “I don’t know,” he says lightly, but his eyes are sharp, studying you in a way that makes your stomach twist. “You tell me.”

You let out a shaky laugh, trying to keep your cool. “I’ve been busy. Yunjin asked me to get this, so—”

“You’ve been ‘busy’ every time I try to talk to you lately,” Jake cuts you off, his voice softer now. He stops just a couple of feet away, close enough for you to catch the faint trace of his cologne. “You’re not a great liar, Y/n.”

Your pulse quickens. “Jake, I’m not avoiding you,” you insist, but it sounds weak even to your own ears.

“Then why can’t you look at me?” he asks, tilting his head slightly.

You hate how he’s right. How his gaze feels like it’s burning holes into you, making your chest tighten with emotions you can’t even name.

“I can look at you,” you snap, finally lifting your eyes to meet his.

Big mistake.

Because now, under the warm glow of the fairy lights, you can see every detail—the way his hair falls messily over his forehead, the curve of his lips, the softness in his eyes despite the teasing edge in his voice. It’s overwhelming.

For a moment, neither of you speaks. The air feels too heavy, too charged, and you swear your heartbeat is loud enough for him to hear.

Jake’s voice drops, low and almost hesitant. “You don’t have to avoid me, you know.”

Your grip tightens on the charger. “I’m not avoiding you,” you repeat, though your voice wavers this time.

He steps closer, close enough that the tips of his shoes almost touch yours. “Then why does it feel like you are?”

Before you can come up with an answer—if you even have one—Yunjin’s voice echoes down the hallway.

“Y/m! Did you get it yet?”

You blink, snapping out of whatever daze Jake’s put you in. “Yeah, I’m coming!” you shout back, brushing past him quickly.

But as you leave the room, you swear you hear Jake mutter under his breath, “This isn’t over.”

And you know deep down he’s right.

You escape the room so fast you’re practically sprinting down the hallway, clutching the charger like it’s a lifeline. Your heart is still racing, the weight of Jake’s gaze lingering like a phantom touch.

“Finally,” Yunjin groans as you return to the living room, tossing the charger onto her lap. She doesn’t even look up, too busy scrolling through her phone. “You take forever, you know that?”

“Your room’s a disaster,” you lie easily, dropping onto the couch next to her. Anything to hide the fact that you needed a minute to compose yourself.

Yunjin rolls her eyes. “Excuses, excuses.”

Your attempt to blend back into the background is almost successful. Almost.

Jake reappears a few moments later, strolling into the living room as if nothing happened. He settles into the armchair across from you, casually sipping from a can of soda, but the way his eyes flick to you—just for a second—sends a fresh wave of heat up your neck.

“Jake,” Yunjin says, narrowing her eyes at him. “Why do you look like you’re plotting something? You’re creeping me out.”

“Me?” he says innocently, leaning back in the chair. “I’m just sitting here, minding my own business.”

You snort quietly, earning a suspicious glance from Yunjin. She doesn’t press it, though, turning her attention back to her phone.

But Jake doesn’t stop.

The night has ended, and you’re helping Yunjin clear the table when she turns to you with a casual grin.

“You should just stay over,” she says, like it’s the most obvious solution. “It’s late, and I don’t feel like walking you out to your car.”

You glance at the clock. It is late, and you don’t particularly want to drive home in the dark. “You sure?”

“Of course,” Yunjin says, already tossing you a spare pillow from the couch. “You can take the couch. Jake’s crashing here too, so it’s no big deal.”

The pillow freezes mid-air in your hands.

“Jake’s staying?” you ask, voice higher than you intended.

“Yeah, he’s too lazy to drive back to his place.” She waves it off, completely unbothered. “You guys can share the living room. Don’t worry—he won’t bother you.”

You sneak a glance at Jake, who’s leaning against the kitchen counter, sipping water. The corner of his mouth twitches, like he’s trying to suppress a smirk.

“Yeah, don’t worry,” Jake echoes, his voice laced with amusement. “I won’t bite.”

Your stomach flips, and you resist the urge to throw the pillow at him.

Later, after Yunjin retreats to her room and the apartment falls quiet, you find yourself on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and scrolling aimlessly through your phone. Jake is on the other side of the living room, stretched out in the recliner with his legs draped lazily over the armrest.

You try to ignore him. Really, you do. But the silence feels too heavy, and his presence too loud.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Jake finally says, breaking the stillness.

“Maybe I’m just tired,” you reply without looking up.

He hums, like he doesn’t believe you. “You’re avoiding me again.”

Your head snaps up. “I’m not avoiding you.”

“Then why are you all the way over there?” he asks, gesturing to the considerable distance between the couch and the recliner.

You roll your eyes. “It’s a big living room, Jake. Not everything’s about you.”

Jake grins, shifting in his seat so he’s leaning forward slightly. “I didn’t say it was. But you didn’t deny it.”

Jake’s grin only widens as you stand, throwing the blanket off your legs. “Where are you going?” he asks, leaning back in the recliner like he’s settling in for a show.

“To yunjins room.” Just as your about to step into the hallway you feel a firm grip on your wrist.

The sudden warmth of his fingers wrapping around your wrist makes you freeze in place, your heart skipping a beat. You glance down at his hand, then back at him, catching the mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Leaving so soon?” Jake’s voice is low, casual, but there’s something in the way he holds your wrist that makes your breath catch. It’s not forceful, but it’s enough to stop you in your tracks.

You open your mouth to protest, but the words die in your throat. The tension between you feels thick, like it’s wrapping around you, pulling you in despite your best efforts to stay composed.

“Let go,” you say, your voice firmer than you feel, trying to pull your wrist free from his grip.

But Jake doesn’t let go. Instead, he leans forward slightly, his expression shifting from playful to something more intense. “Why are you running away, huh?” he asks, his voice almost a whisper now. “You think I’m that bad?”

Your pulse races, and you tell yourself to stay calm, but it’s hard when his presence is so close, when you can feel the heat of his hand still around your wrist.

“Cmon, you know what we did. Why run away now?”

Your breath catches at his words, and for a moment, everything around you seems to blur. Jake’s grip isn’t tight, but the weight of his hand around your wrist feels almost suffocating. The air between you thickens with unspoken tension, a quiet challenge hanging in the space between his words and your silence.

“What we did?” you echo, voice wavering despite yourself. It’s hard to ignore the way your heart is beating erratically, but you force your gaze to stay steady on his. “What are you talking about?”

Jake’s eyes darken a fraction, and there’s a flicker of something more serious in his expression now. He leans in just a little closer, his breath warm against your ear as he whispers, “You know exactly what I mean. Or are you pretending you don’t remember?”

His proximity makes it even harder to breathe, the knot in your stomach tightening as you try to keep your composure. It wasn’t supposed to happen, whatever it was—everything was supposed to be normal, a simple hangout with Yunjin. But this feels anything but simple now.

You swallow, trying to pull away, but he doesn’t let go.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you lie, but the uncertainty in your voice betrays you. Your pulse races, your mind swirling with a mix of confusion and frustration. What did happen between you two? Why is everything so complicated now?

Jake watches you, amusement flickering across his features, but there’s an edge to it that makes your chest tighten. “You’re not fooling anyone, Y/n,” he says, voice still low and almost teasing, but the undertone is undeniable. “I know what’s going on, even if you don’t want to admit it.”

Your hand twitches in his, the tension between you palpable now. His thumb brushes lightly across your wrist, sending a jolt of electricity up your arm. It’s too much. Too much closeness, too much confusion, too much of everything you don’t want to deal with right now.

“I—” You cut yourself off, trying to gather your thoughts, but it’s like you’ve forgotten how to breathe. “Let me go, Jake.”

He doesn’t budge. “Come on, Y/n, you know you don’t want to run. So why are you still pretending like we’re not here?”

For a heartbeat, neither of you moves. The moment stretches, lingering in the air. Your mind screams at you to pull away, to get some space, but a part of you is too caught in the moment to do anything about it.

Everything slows for a heartbeat. The world narrows down to just the two of you—his hand still wrapped around your wrist, his breath warm against your skin. You feel the pull of him, magnetic, undeniable. And then, in a split second, he leans in, his lips barely brushing against yours.

You freeze. Your body tenses, caught somewhere between wanting to pull away and wanting to lean in. His lips are just a whisper away from yours, and you can feel his breath mingling with yours, warm and tantalizing.

Your mind screams at you to stop. This isn’t right. Not with Jake. Not like this.

But the part of you that’s been confused and frustrated, the part that’s been fighting against the tension between you two, hesitates for a moment too long.

Jake’s lips press just slightly more firmly against yours, his grip on your wrist loosening for the briefest moment before you snap back to reality. You step back, heart hammering in your chest, pushing him away gently but firmly.

“No,” you say, your voice shaky but determined. You can’t let this happen. Not now. Not like this.

Jake looks at you, his expression a mix of surprise and something else—regret, maybe. He doesn’t say anything right away, and the air between you both feels thick with the weight of what just happened. You swallow hard, trying to steady your breathing.

“I… we cant,” you mutter, turning away from him, heart still racing in your chest. You don’t wait for him to respond, stepping into the hallway and closing the door behind you.

The sound of the door clicking shut behind you is like a loud punctuation mark in the silence, but it does little to calm your racing heart. You press your back against the door, your breath coming out in shallow gasps as the weight of what almost happened crashes over you.

You want to be angry. You want to yell at Jake for crossing the line, for making you feel this way. But the part of you that’s confused, the part that wanted that too, refuses to let you let it all out. What was that pull? Why does it feel like everything between you and Jake is suddenly shifting into something you can’t control?

You take a deep breath, trying to steady yourself. No. This was a mistake. You can’t let this happen. Not now, not when you’re still figuring out what you want, who you are in all of this.

But still… your lips still tingle from where his almost kissed you, and you can’t ignore the confusing pull you feel every time he’s near.

The next day feels like you’re walking through a minefield. The awkwardness between you and Jake is thick in the air, and you can feel it in every glance, every half-hearted word exchanged. You can barely focus on anything, your thoughts too tangled up in the mess of emotions and confusion from last night.

The constant glances from Jake are driving you crazy. Every time you glance his way, his eyes are already on you, and it’s like this silent pull, a connection you can’t ignore no matter how hard you try. You try to focus on the TV, on Yunjin, on anything but the overwhelming feeling that he’s watching you.

But you can’t take it anymore. You can’t sit here pretending things are normal when they’re clearly not.

You stand up abruptly, earning a curious glance from Yunjin.

“Hey, I’m not feeling great. I think I’m gonna head home,” you say quickly, avoiding looking in Jake’s direction.

Yunjin raises an eyebrow. “You sure? You don’t look too bad.”

You force a half-smile, feeling your cheeks flush from the lie. “Yeah, I’m just a little tired. I think it’s better if I rest.”

She nods, still not completely convinced, but she doesn’t push it. “Okay, feel better.”

You grab your bag and head to the door, avoiding Jake’s gaze the entire time. You just need some space. You need to get away from him, from the tension, from the confusion. But as soon as you reach for the door handle, you feel it—Jake’s eyes on you again.

“Are you sure?” His voice is calm, but the way he says it sends a shiver down your spine. You don’t turn around, you just open the door and step outside, trying to shake the feeling that he’s right behind you.

You don’t want to deal with this right now, but you know you can’t keep avoiding it forever.

You collapse onto your bed as soon as you get home, the door clicking shut behind you. The moment your head hits the pillow, you stare at the ceiling, willing your racing thoughts to slow down. But they won’t. They keep circling, replaying everything—Jake’s smirk, his eyes, the tension that’s been building between you two.

You shouldn’t feel this way. It’s wrong. He’s Yunjin’s older brother, and you’re not supposed to feel this… connection with him. But you do. And it’s driving you crazy.

Your mind drifts to last night—the way his hand brushed yours, the way his words hung in the air. You don’t know what he was thinking, or what he’s trying to do, but you can’t shake the feeling that things are different now. You’re not just friends anymore. And maybe you never were.

A sudden knock on your door interrupts your thoughts, making you jump. You sit up quickly, heart hammering in your chest. Who could it be?

You don’t have to wonder long, because the door creaks open, and there he is. Jake. Standing in your doorway with that same calm expression, his eyes scanning you like he’s trying to figure you out.

You swallow hard, not sure whether to be annoyed, surprised, or just… confused. “What are you doing here?” You try to keep your voice steady, but it wavers a little.

Jake doesn’t answer immediately. Instead, he just steps into the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click. “I thought you might need some company,” he says, his tone casual, but there’s something in his eyes that says otherwise. Something unspoken.

You feel your stomach knot. “Jake, I—”

“I know, I know,” he cuts you off, his voice softer now. “You’re trying to get away from everything, right? But you don’t have to. You don’t have to push me away.”

Your breath catches. “What are you talking about?”

He steps closer, his presence overwhelming, but not in a threatening way. More like… a magnet, drawing you in despite your better judgment.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he says, a small, almost playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips. “So, you might as well talk to me.”

Your pulse quickens, your thoughts a jumbled mess. What do you say to him now? What is he even expecting from you?

You look at him, trying to make sense of it all. “Jake, this… this isn’t a good idea.” You know it’s not, but the more he stands there, looking at you like that, the harder it is to push him away.

You don’t say anything at first, just sit there, your gaze locked with his. The room feels smaller with every passing second, the space between you shrinking with the weight of unspoken words. You could tell him to leave, to stop showing up like this—but you don’t.

For reasons you can’t quite explain, you let the tension hang there, thick in the air. You don’t move, and neither does he. The only sound is the soft hum of the clock ticking in the corner, matching the beat of your heart, each second dragging longer than the last.

Jake doesn’t look frustrated, though. In fact, there’s something in his eyes—a quiet amusement, maybe even a little bit of satisfaction, like he knows exactly what this silence is doing to you.

He finally speaks, his voice low and smooth. “You know, Y/n, I’m not so easy to ignore. But you already knew that, right?”

His words linger, and for a second, you’re not sure if you should respond or just let him keep talking.

You swallow hard. “I’m not ignoring you.”

“Sure feels like it.” He takes another step closer, closing the distance between you two, but still leaving just enough space to make you wonder if he’s waiting for you to pull away.

But you don’t.

You stay still, unsure of what exactly you want, but feeling the pull toward him anyway. You’re not sure if it’s the curiosity or something else, but you can’t deny that the closer he gets, the more you can’t breathe.

Jake tilts his head, studying you closely. “So, what do you want me to do, huh? Pretend everything’s normal and keep our distance?”

Your lips part, but no words come out.

He smirks. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

You want to tell him to leave. You want to tell him that you can’t handle this, that it’s too much. But all you do is sit there, heart racing, eyes still locked on his.

It’s quiet for a moment—an uncomfortable silence that seems to stretch on forever. But instead of stepping closer, Jake backs away slightly, not giving you the chance to say anything more, but also not completely leaving.

“You know, I’ll be around,” he says, his voice almost teasing now, like he’s enjoying the way you’re reacting to him. “When you’re ready, I’m here.”

As Jake turns to leave, you feel the words rising in your chest, unfiltered and urgent, like they’ve been trapped there for too long. The quiet that follows his departure feels like it’s pressing down on you, suffocating you with all the things you never said.

“Don’t go,” you call out, your voice stronger than you expect. He stops, pausing with his back still turned toward you.

For a second, neither of you says anything. But then, he slowly turns around, his eyes fixed on you, waiting for whatever comes next.

You swallow hard, feeling the weight of your words hang in the air between you. The silence stretches, but you don’t break it. Not this time.

“I—” you start, but your mind goes blank for a moment, scrambling for something to say that makes sense. All the feelings, all the uncertainty, suddenly feel so loud, so overwhelming.

Jake takes a step closer, his gaze softening, as if he can sense your inner conflict. He doesn’t rush you, just waits patiently, giving you the space to find the words.

“I don’t want to push you away,” you finally manage, the words coming out in a rush. “But I don’t know what I’m doing. With you. With all this.” You motion between the two of you, frustration building. “It’s like I can’t tell if it’s something real or if I’m just… I don’t know. Caught up in it.”

Jake steps closer again, and this time, it’s different. He doesn’t feel like the same person from before—someone who would smile and tease, or just leave without a second thought. Now, he feels like someone who’s listening. Really listening.

“Y/n,” he says quietly, and the way he says your name makes your chest tighten. “I get it. I’m not expecting you to figure everything out right now. But you don’t have to keep running from this. From me.”

You glance up at him, unsure of what to say next, feeling vulnerable but also relieved. There’s something about the way he’s standing there, so open and calm, that makes it all feel just a little bit easier to understand.

“I just don’t want to mess things up,” you admit, feeling a rush of honesty. “I don’t know how to act with you, especially after everything.”

Jake’s fingers gently brush against your skin, the lightest touch, like he’s afraid of crossing some invisible line. His eyes lock onto yours, intense and vulnerable all at once.

“You’re not going to mess anything up,” he says quietly, his voice full of reassurance. “I’m here, Y/n. Whatever this is… we’ll figure it out together.”

His hand lingers near your cheek, but doesn’t quite touch you fully. The space between you feels charged, the air thick with everything that’s been left unsaid.

You feel a tightness in your chest as his words sink in, but also a sense of relief. It’s like a weight you didn’t even know you were carrying has been lifted, and for the first time in days, your mind is clear enough to just… breathe.

You look up at him, heart pounding in your chest. The tension between you both feels different now—not heavy, but uncertain in a way that’s almost comforting.

“I don’t know what this means yet,” you say, your voice soft, your words hesitant but honest. “But… I don’t want to pretend it doesn’t matter.”

Jake finally lets his hand rest on your cheek, his touch warm and grounding. “It matters. And I’m not going anywhere.”

For a moment, the two of you just stand there, no words needed, just the quiet understanding between you. The world feels a little smaller, a little more manageable.

Jake’s thumb gently caresses your cheek, his touch light, like he’s still waiting for you to pull away, but you don’t. Instead, you close your eyes for a second, letting the warmth of his touch settle in.

When you open your eyes again, Jake’s face is closer now, just inches away. You feel his breath on your skin, the tension hanging between you like a promise, unspoken but undeniable.

“You sure about this?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper, his gaze searching yours.

You nod slowly, the words you need just out of reach, but the answer in your heart clear. “Yeah,” you breathe out, feeling the truth of it settle inside you. “I’m sure.”

And before either of you can second-guess it, Jake closes the distance. His lips are soft, tentative at first, as if testing the waters. But when you don’t pull away, when you lean in just slightly, he deepens the kiss, and everything else fades away.

Jake’s hand stays on your cheek, but it feels like he’s holding back, like he’s waiting for you to say something, anything. The tension in the air is thick, charged, like it could snap at any moment. Your breath catches in your throat as you both just stand there, so close, but still not quite touching the way you both seem to want to.

The moment Jake picks you up, it’s like everything else vanishes. His hands are firm on your waist, and before you can even register what’s happening, he’s sitting down on the couch, pulling you gently into his lap.

“I’ll make sure you won’t avoid me this time.”

[bestalbertcamuslover]

You Are In Love

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶

✯ pairing:  Sebastian Vettel x GF! Reader ✯

✯ content warnings: none ✯

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶

Her relationships always seemed to have an expiration date—a rapid ascent, like a rocket, followed by an inevitable crash, gravity grounding what had been weeks of euphoric floating. The cycle repeated itself, a perpetuation of fleeting highs and a final, definitive ick that always ended it.

Romantic love, she had come to realize, was so different from its non-romantic counterpart. One was a firework—intense, intoxicating, but ultimately brief—while the other was a candle, steady and enduring. Perhaps the movies never showed the happily ever after because it didn’t truly exist, she often thought.

And then she started dating Sebastian. Gosh, Sebastian. His copious traveling meant the relationship grew at a slow pace—painfully slow, even. But there were calls, messages, and hours of conversation that built something she hadn’t expected.

After a year together, she braced herself for the crash, for the inevitable descent. Yet it never came. Instead, on a day that had drained her entirely, when she called him trying to sound okay but failing miserably, he noticed immediately. And it hit her, in a way that almost left her breathless—he had become her best friend.

That very same night, after what had been an undeniably gloomy day, she decided to do something wildly impulsive, the kind of romantic gesture that only ever seemed to happen in movies. It felt ridiculous, but it also felt right. Without overthinking it, she booked a late-night flight to the city where the race was taking place. The flight was painfully long—long enough for her to stare out the window, sleep-deprived and questioning every ounce of her decision-making. “Why am I doing this?” she muttered under her breath, smirking at her own absurdity.

With the hotel name and room number handed over by his ever-resourceful assistant—a detail that felt straight out of a rom-com—she finally arrived. By the time she reached the hotel, it was late. Her body screamed for rest, her eyelids heavy and betraying her exhaustion, but she kept pushing forward, driven by something she couldn’t quite explain.

And then there he was, standing in the doorway, his wide, disbelieving grin lighting up his face like the sunrise. “What are you doing here?” he asked, immediately pulling her into his arms without hesitation.

Her head found its home on his shoulder as her body melted into his embrace. The sheer warmth of his presence—and maybe a surge of dopamine—momentarily erased the exhaustion.

“I just felt like it,” she said softly, her voice laced with sleepiness.

He chuckled, shaking his head as if trying to comprehend the spontaneity. “You just felt like it?” he repeated, his laughter bubbling over. “You’re unbelievable.”

Sebastian’s grin softened as he stepped back and took her hand, leading her into the room without a word. She followed, her feet dragging slightly, exhaustion evident in every movement.

“You must be tired,” he said as he closed the door behind them, his voice low but still carrying that unmistakable warmth.

“A little,” she admitted, though her yawn gave her away.

Sebastian chuckled and, without much thought, tugged her gently toward the bed. She didn’t resist, letting him guide her as she kicked off her shoes and crawled onto the soft covers. He followed her, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight as he settled in beside her, lying on his back with one arm stretched out.

She instinctively curled into his side, her head resting on his chest, the sound of his steady heartbeat grounding her. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close, as her body relaxed completely for the first time in hours.

“You know,” she said softly, “I realized something, and don’t let it get to your head, but I think you’re my best friend,” she admitted with a gentle smile.

“What?” he chuckled, clearly confused, “Are you friendzoning your own boyfriend?”

She giggled, shaking her head. “No, no, that’s not what I meant.” She pulled back slightly, meeting his eyes. “I mean, apart from being my amazing and beloved boyfriend, you’ve also become my best friend,” she explained, her smile warm.

He raised an eyebrow, teasing. “You just realized this after a year of dating?”

She nudged him playfully, rolling her eyes. “What I mean is that I’ve never felt anything like this before,” she said, her tone affectionate. “Like ever.”

Sebastian’s teasing grin softened into something more genuine as he looked down at her, his fingers brushing absentmindedly along her arm. “Well, I’m honored,” he said with a mock seriousness that earned another small giggle from her.

“I’m being serious,” she insisted, though the warmth in her voice betrayed the smile tugging at her lips.

“I know,” he murmured, his expression softening even further. “And I like it. Hearing that.”

She let her head rest on his chest again, her smile lingering as his steady breathing soothed her. “Like I think this is the first time I have truly been in love,” she said.

Sebastian’s chest rose and fell beneath her as she traced small, lazy circles on his shirt with her fingertip, her mind spinning with thoughts she couldn’t keep to herself any longer.

“You know,” she started softly, her voice barely above a whisper, “I don’t think I ever really knew what romantic love was supposed to feel like until you.”

Sebastian stilled for a moment, his hand pausing in its soothing motion along her back, before continuing again, gentle and steady. “Yeah?” he asked, his tone calm but curious, inviting her to say more.

“Yeah,” she murmured. “Gosh, I sound so cheesy,” she chuckled, “but what I mean is I doubt I’ve ever fallen truly in love before.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, his hand stilling briefly on her arm before he shifted to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Then I’m the lucky one,” he murmured, his voice tinged with something almost reverent.

She let out a soft laugh, the sound laced with affection. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

He grinned faintly, his lips brushing against her hair as he held her closer. “I know,” he teased, his tone playful but warm.

“But I mean it,” she said, her voice quieter now.

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶

✯ authors note: I just started watching Sex and the City and I thought this scene was too cute:

English is not my first language and I hope you liked it <3

[thisisntmyrightera]

Our Glory - Jeon Jae Joon x Fem Reader

Plot: Jae Joon leave South Korea to avoid being part of a violence scandal and arrives in America to start his life again, finding the love of his life who makes him feel human for the first time. Despite the distance, no matter how much he avoids his reality, the ghost of his past will reach him wherever he is endangering everything he has achieved.

Genre: Romance, Fluff, Violence, Angst, Drama Warning: Themes of school violence, abuse of power, minors being harassed, harsh language.

A/N: The story is inspired by The Glory, however, some time periods have changed as well as situations where the protagonist will be part of changing some original scenes.

I appreciate you reading and being part of this new story, as always I hope to please your readers' hearts.

I'll be back soon.

No one would dare to approach the daughter of the most sought-after heir in all New york, in fact no one would even think of marrying a girl as independent and grown up as you.

Your single status was a myth in the chats of the women of your class, how could such a pretty girl, with so much class, be single, hadn't she found someone at her level? Dozens of boys had asked you out because their parents had forced them to do it, that was what the line was, an heir with an heiress, right? But you decided to shoo each one of them away like flies on fresh flowers, too spoiled, arrogant, lazy, they weren't your type.

That night, the night of the charity gala where all the millionaires seemed to attend only to boast about how much their company had given to charitable causes seemed like just another boring night, with nothing to do but stand next to your parents smiling holding a glass of the most expensive (and disgusting) wine that you barely sipped.

Sir, nice to meet you again - a man with a foreign accent and Asian features approached and shook your father's hand before bowing slightly to your mother and you.

The pleasure is mine Mr. Jeon, It would be nice to meet at the club for breakfast one day. How long will you be in town this time? - your father smiled kindly. Despite his status and large bank account, you could tell and presume that he was a generous man with a good heart, and it always made you feel good to hear that you were just like him.

Fortunately this time we will stay a little longer, we are planning to live in America, I have some business in mind and I have started to build a club in this part of the country, you know, bring a little bit of Korea to America so they can get to know a little bit about us - both men continued chatting, laughing perhaps pretending that one was interested in the other's talk

You just sighed and looked around, your high heels were starting to hurt in your heels, your hand was perhaps already numb from holding the same glass all night

Jae Joon how nice that you came - Mr. Jeon smiled patting his son's back making a gesture of displeasure when he noticed the aroma of cigarettes on his clothes - I want you to meet Mr. Y / L/N he is a great friend and excellent partner in bussiness

A pleasure sir - the man offered his hand shaking it firmly with a smile that made his cheeks become plump giving a tender touch to his face

Jae Joon I have heard a lot about you, it is a pleasure to finally meet you -Your father smiled looking at your mother and then lightly took your arm making you turn your face in a surprised way looking forward- this is Y/N my daughter

Nice to meet you miss - Jae Joon smiled at you slightly tilting his head making you respond with just a shy smile

''Another prospect for the inheritance again'' you thought feeling annoyed and bored of the same dynamic every time your father met the son of a bussines partner

It wasn't very difficult to think about it, you could take care of the business, for some reason you had finished college at the best school in Europe, you had experience and many times you were able to support your father in difficult decisions, what was the problem after all, you didn't need a man to be successful.

When you finally got out of the crowd and the air hit your face you breathed a sigh of relief, it didn't matter that it was cold outside, it was almost the end of November but it was still better than being suffocated between expensive perfumes and the aroma of hundreds of exotic dishes that you hated.

You found the first stone bench on the balcony decorated with plants to sit and rest, the pain in your ankles was a burning sensation that you felt constantly but you were forced to endure to look "elegant"

Are you bored too? - a deep and velvety voice made you come out of your trance while you slowly massaged your ankle

Excuse me? - you looked at him confused

People here are boring just talking about money and business - he sighed bringing a cigarette to her mouth lighting it quickly - you don't mind me smoking, right?

No, I was leaving anyway - you smiled at him kindly standing up to enter the large hall again

You know - his voice made you turn around looking at him not at all curious, just not seeming rude and leaving him talking to himself - I don't know many people around here, I'm new in town and it would be nice, I don't know, to go out someday to get to know each other, after all I'll be around here for a long time

I don't usually work as a tour guide Mr. Jeon, excuse me - you smiled ironically turning around annoyed at getting the same thing again every time someone met you, a boring date proposal

Your answer had frozen him in place, he had never gotten a rejection from any girl, in fact the women in his country fought to get even a little attention from him, this caused him a feeling of rejection that he had never felt, in fact, in these cases his anger would have shot up breaking a couple of plants and damaging the property but as much as he tried to get upset he couldn't find where he had kept that feeling, he simply felt alone and rejected.

With the days you became more and more convinced that you would probably never find an honest man, in your class they didn't exist, they only looked for contacts and last names, it was clear that was why most of them looked for you and to be honest it wasn't something you were looking for, you enjoyed your single life, going out with your friends and doing everything as you wanted without giving explanations to anyone, although sometimes, you couldn't help but feel jealous and lonely seeing how most of them had someone to share with.

Nobody is at your level or maybe you just aren't lucky enough? - Ashley laughed, drinking from her glass with her left hand, showing off her (third) engagement ring

I can have any man I want, but that doesn't mean I'll go to bed with everyone, it's not my style - you smiled at her, drinking, making your other friends laugh

Oh yeah? And who have you wanted? Because we've never met anyone, right? - she smiled mockingly, making your friends erase their smiles, settling down a bit

Danielle was a little smarter, she changed the topic of the conversation to avoid awkwardness among the group, but in your head you couldn't stop thinking about your parents' words.

''I'm getting old, I'd like to see you have a happy life like mine, I'd like to have grandchildren, that's all''

''SaeHyeon has talked to me a lot about his son, he told me that he asked you out and you didn't accept, he seems very interested in you, why don't you give him a chance?''

Maybe… after all, they were right.

So, a couple of weeks later you decided to change your lifestyle and go for what everyone said was "wonderful." Your father was surprised to see you ready in your sportswear to accompany him to the Jeon golf course. He knew you perfectly so he didn't mention anything and just gave you a slight smile so as not to make you uncomfortable with your decision where you clearly weren't interested in talking about business.

The trip was short and when you arrived you were surprised by the architecture so elegant and different from that of your country, very minimalist and clean, the rooms were large, with furniture that combined perfectly and large windows, you could hear your father talking to a partner in the distance but your attention was totally given to the beauty of the place.

After a while and after having breakfast in the large room full of tables and delicious food you were able to go out to see the gardens, the golf carts passed by and every step you took showed you natural places where people showed their skills on the game.

Y/N?…what a surprise to see you here - Jae Joon smiled approaching while a couple of men watched him walk away with worried faces - go do your jobs, I'll see you later - he looked at them pushing them away with his hand making both of them leave almost running - I didn't know you were a member of the club

I'm not, my father came to talk to some members and I decided to accompany him - you smiled a little holding your sports bag with both hands

Don't worry, you can come here whenever you want, I'll tell them to let you in without bothering you with memberships or that paperwork - his smile didn't fade making you find him cute - would you like to come see the place with me?

Sure - you smiled at him again walking beside him with slow steps looking around as he talked about how many golf gardens they had, how many tennis courts and other boring ''rich'' people sports

What do you think? - His gaze was curious, as if looking for proof of you in the newly opened place

It's very nice, I've never seen anything so elegant and beautiful - you smiled looking at the small flower garden that adorned one side of an artificial lake

Do you like flowers? - he ask you curious

Yes, they're pretty, gardenias are my favorites - you looked at him nodding, returning your gaze to the lake where some people were practicing with their canoes

I'll ask them to plant gardenias all around the lake, how about a couple of benches too, so whenever you want to come and smell them you can sit comfortably on them - he smile moving his hands in front of both like designing the new additions to the place

What?…no it's not necessary…

Of course it is, if you're going to come here, I want you to feel at home - his face was so kind and warm that it made you feel a kind of butterflies and weirdness inside you

It wasn't possible that in just a couple of minutes you felt something for someone that you barely knew their name, it wasn't normal for you.

Sir, excuse the interruption, we need your help - a man dressed in a suit with a nervous face looked at him while rubbing his hands nervously on his pants

It seemed that the interruption had made Jae Joon change his face and personality in just a second, his jaw tensed and he rolled his eyes looking at him annoyed

I told you that I hate being interrupted, do I have to solve everything myself? - her hands clenched tightly causing the man to look down in fear

It's okay, you can go don't worry - you smiled at him feeling anxious from the tension of the moment adjusting your sports backpack on your shoulder

I'm sorry I have to go, some people are too stupid to do their own work - the veins in his eyes turned red as if the fury couldn't be contained within his body, he didn't even give you time to respond when both men quickened their pace towards a destination unknown to you.

After all you were relieved, the encounter ended before it became awkward, but you couldn't help but notice that his personality changed with the rest of the people.

That night while you were drying your hair your phone rang on your vanity full of perfumes, your biggest obsession.

''I'm sorry about this morning, would you like to go to dinner? JJ''

His simple message made you smile making you feel strange, did you have feelings for Jae Joon? The best thing would be to answer him, or maybe not? If you did it quickly he would realize that you were very interested, but if you waited a little he would feel that you were not interested at all.

''Of course xx''

The first date was exciting for both of you, you talked for hours about your lives and what you would like for the future, you could feel as if your destiny was destined, fortunately neither of you touched on business topics, it was the first time you went out with a man who didn't brag about how hard his father had worked for him just to spend the money and that made you feel comfortable.

Jae Joon couldn't believe how comfortable he felt with you and how much he enjoyed sharing time by your side, in fact he felt like another person when you were near him, his outbursts of anger and that anger that he always felt inside of him didn't exist, you were the calm that he needed to be happy despite sometimes remembering why he came to America and it made him feel afraid.

Within a few weeks they had already lost count of how many times they had gone out, in fact they never counted the times they saw each other because despite his work he always found a moment to visit you or you took advantage of your free afternoons to go to the club and eat with him even if it was only a couple of hours that they could be together.

It was around April when both of them attended the art gallery of Sara, Jae Joon's friend who thanks to a charitable cause was able to exhibit in America.

You walked around the place taking his arm while you contemplated the colors and shapes of the paintings, they were so different from what you were used to seeing, sometimes, reacting excitedly by the combinations you saw.

Isn't it pretty? I had never imagined seeing flowers colored like that - you smiled excitedly while your arms surrounded his

Yes… it's pretty - Jae Joon sighed looking away

It would look good in a living room with a carpet of that color, maybe combined with several colors, I don't know… what do you think? - you smiled again looking at him only getting him to nod uncomfortably taking the phone from his pocket

Honey give me a minute, it's something urgent - he looked at you embarrassed leaving quickly while leaving you standing in the middle of the exhibition

This time it was you who sighed, maybe you were going a little fast and you made him uncomfortable, maybe he wasn't looking for anything formal and your comments were going too far

Your boyfriend left you alone? - Sara laughed sarcastically approaching

He.. he's not my boyfriend - you smiled shyly taking your bag with both hands nervously

I know, don't worry, it's not your fault or did you make him uncomfortable princess, Jae Joon is colorblind he doesn't distinguish colors - she smiled mockingly leaning on a table while drinking from her glass - didn't he tell you?

He.. he's colorblind? - your heart felt like it had been squeezed and even though you had never done it with the intention of making him uncomfortable, you couldn't help but remember all the times you had mentioned something about colors - I didn't… I didn't know, sorry

I know, he never mentions it, it makes him feel stupid - she sighed playing with her empty glass - when we were in high school, the boys used to make fun of his condition, the poor guy only defended himself when he beat them in the face

I… god I feel so bad.. I… I'm going to see him - you looked at her shyly, fixing your hair nervously

Go honey, rescue your prince charming… or something like that - she laughed drinking the few drops left in the glass, while you hurried your step leaving feeling the fresh air hit your face

A couple of minutes walking through the parking lot was enough when you could find him standing next to a small planter, his head pointing to the sky while he placed drops of a small flower in his eyes boat, the sound of your heels on the pavement made him turn quickly wiping the liquid that ran down his cheeks, possibly what he had placed as lubricant.

Doll I'm sorry… give me a moment - he cleared his throat turning his back to you embarrassed

Jae Joon.. it's okay - you shyly took his arm delicately making him look at you embarrassed - Sara… she already told me… I'm sorry for not paying attention

Sara… - he sighed rolling his eyes tensing his jaw again - that damn…

You don't have to be upset, it's nothing to be ashamed of - you smiled at him adjusting the lock of his hair that the breeze had disarranged covering one of his eyes - your condition doesn't bother me if that's the reason you hadn't told me yet..

His eyes looked at you quickly, his heart skipped a beat feeling something different inside him again.

Jae Joon was the man of your dreams, he was tender and attentive to excess, he remembered every single thing about you as if he had a notebook especially for you in his head, he remembered important dates even the ones you sometimes forgot

During April with the excuse of seeing the city from the top of the Empire State he took you to the top to see the sunset, in reality, he only had eyes for you completely ignoring the sunset and the buildings that adorned the landscape.

Do you know what we came for? - he smiled at you while hugging you from behind resting his chin on your shoulder

We didn't go to see the city right? - you smiled at him, suspecting his intentions

No, I want the whole city to know from here that my girlfriend is the smartest and most beautiful woman on the planet and she's only for me - his face was hidden between the strands of your hair that he was obsessed with the aroma

I'm not your girlfriend Jae Joon… - you laughed trying to look at him making him laugh

Then I'll ask you here so everyone knows you're mine - he laughed kissing your cheek - do you want to be my girlfriend?

Mm.. I should think about it, what do you offer me Mr. Jeon? - you laughed turning a little until you could hug his neck with your arms making him laugh again surrounding your waist

I promise that from today you will live the glory every day we spend together, I can even swear that you are the future Mrs. Jeon and nobody can change that

Then let's live the glory Mr. Jeon..

Part 2

[thanosscross]

All for show 3/? - Choi Seung Hyun/T.O.P x American! Pop-Star! Reader

Summary: After being caught by your manager, Christopher, for leaving the country, you're left with a big decision to make, stay in Korea, and risk everybody's jobs, or go back to America and kiss your new dream life goodbye.

Warnings: Some Angst for your lovelies!

Staying with Seung Hyun was like a dream for you, there wasn't underlying stress, no pressure of being perfect, just having fun with your boyfriend. You were taking small steps, both of you wanting to make sure, that what was going on between you, lasted, but both of you were enjoying every moment together.

It’d only be six days though, before Christopher would be blowing your phone up with different lectures and threats. Of course, it’d also be whenever Seung Hyun would be out recording with the boys, and you weren’t about to bother him with this while he was working. So you sat in his bedroom, your back against the bed frame as you stared at your phone screen, watching as new texts came in every few seconds.

‘Y/n. If it’s true you left the country I swear’

‘You’re seriously in South Korea right now?’

‘Do you know how unprofessional it is to just take off like that? What if you had something scheduled?’

‘You’re ruining your own career being a selfish brat.’

‘And if you don’t ruin it, I’ll make sure it’s the last thing I do because you don’t deserve any of this.’

‘I knew I never should’ve wasted my time on some sorry warm body’

‘I swear I will come to Korea myself just to knock some sense into your stupid fucking head’

As more texts flooded in, you started to grow scared, the more you didn’t reply, the angrier that Chris got. You weren’t sure what had gotten into him, he had never acted like this before, but it was making you terrified to return back to your country. You watched as your phone went off with calls from Christopher before a single text came through from your assistant

‘Christopher just fired everybody, what the hell is going on? Are you okay?’

You tried to hold back your tears, calling her quickly, you never wanted any of this to happen, you never thought it would ever come to this point “y/n? Honey? What’s going on?” Your assistant, Casey, asked softly, you could hear Christopher’s muffled shouts in the background “He found out I left the country, C-Cas, he’s like..for real threatening me, I don’t know if I should come back” you whimpered, trying to calm your nerves as you heard your friend huff “don’t let him scare you. He’s nothing but some small dick, wannabe pop star, short ass, dumb, narcissistic, piece of shit of a man” she listed off, smiling whenever she heard you giggle softly over the phone. “Where’s your man, huh? I’d think you’d be all over him before you had to come back home” she added on, trying her best to change the subject, you sighed a bit, trying your best to tune out the muffled threats of your manager being shouted in the background “he’s recording for a new song..he should be home in awhile” you whispered before flinching slightly whenever you heard the door open over the phone, and Christopher’s shouts become much louder “are you on the phone with her?!” He shouted before you heard Casey’s shouting loudly, telling him to fuck off before calling out that she’d call you back in a little bit.

Leaving you alone in the home, your phone was still blowing up, this time worse than before, the fact you were talking to Casey and not him just fueled his anger even more. “Aein! I’m home!” Seung Hyun called softly as he closed the front door behind him, trying to track you down somewhere in the home.

Whenever he finally managed to find you, his heart would break slightly “y/n?..what are you doing?..” he asked softly, watching as you tried your best to shove your clothes into your suitcase “I-i can’t stay here, C-Chris found out I left t-the country, and if I don’t show back up there by nine tonight their time, everybody is going to lose their jobs” you whispered, dropping your arms in defeat, you should’ve known this was going to happen. With your luck, you should’ve known this wouldn’t work, Christopher wouldn’t let it, not without him having every bit of control over it. Seung Hyun rushed over, grabbing your hands gently “Aein..my love” he replied, pulling you into a tight hug as you just leaned into his touch, not wanting to leave, but you never meant to cause any damage by coming here. "Do You want to leave?" He asked softly, holding you close as he swayed with you slightly, you just shook your head quickly, wrapping your arms around him as you sighed "No, I don't.." You stopped yourself from explaining further, he had enough to stress about, he didn't need to stress additionally about your stuff. Seung Hyun sighed, he wasn't sure what to say, until it finally dawned on him "Aren't you his biggest star? Why not just employ your own staff, and then sign on to a different company? With how big you are overseas, I'm sure it could work" He explained, slowly leading you to sit down on the bed with him, You just shrugged nervously, trying to hold back any new tears, this was really hard to deal with.

"What if nobody wants me?.." You whispered, looking at your shoes, trying your best not meet his gaze, knowing you'd immediately break down if you did. "My love, now that's just silly, I'm sure you could even find an agency here to sign with" He protested, wrapping his arm around your shoulders to pull you close, you just stayed quiet, you wanted to tell Seung Hyun everything involved in the situation, but you didn't want him worried, or him feel like he was obligated to help you. "I-I don't know..- If I go back..-" You stopped yourself, growing frustrated at the fact you weren't finding the words you needed to, Seung Hyun just watching you intently, wanting to help you in any way that he could. "I'm scared to go home, alone" You whispered, staring at the wall, trying to ignore the way your hands shook as you slowly slid your phone to him "Chris is really, Really mad.." You added on, leaning into his hold, as he opened your phone, starting to read through your message. You could tell as his grip on you tightened, and his breathing became unstable, he was getting more towards the threatening messages. "What the fuck? 자신의 협박이 불법이라는 사실을 몰랐나요? 신고하셨나요? 그는 말 그대로 당신을 해치겠다고 협박하고 있어요, 내 사랑 (Didn't you know his threats were illegal? Did you report them? He's literally threatening to hurt you, my love)" He asked quickly, cupping your cheeks gently to pull your attention towards him "I-I don't know what to do" You whimpered, you had been signed under Christopher's company for years, you grew up with him through your late teen years, and early adult years, so the thought of leaving and going where new, also terrified you, just as much as the idea of staying did. "Y/n, You need to leave his management" He whispered, his tone still stern and demanding, trying to tell you that you really had no other choice, he wouldn't let you have another choice. Seung Hyun loved and cared about you way too much to let you deal with your manager any longer, he knew the moment he saw you fighting with him for the first time, that Chris was not a good guy in the slightest. "Where would I go? Where would I sign? Seung Hyun, I love you..but I'm stuck" You ranted, standing back up to start packing again, you needed to get back home before Chris takes things too far and tries to go after Seung Hyun, in retaliation. "My love! You could go anywhere!" He argued, huffing whenever he noticed you weren't going to back down, You had to do this, you had staff members with kids and families to take care of, that couldn't afford to lose their jobs.

Seung Hyun watched for a moment, before ultimately deciding, he was going with you. As he stood up and started packing his own clothes, neatly folding them and laying them flat in his suitcase. "W-What are you doing?" You asked, grabbing his hands gently, stopping him from his task "If you're this set on going back to deal with his stupid ass, then I'm going with you. I'm not going to allow you to do this alone" He explained, turning to face you, you just huffed, between your frustration with Chris, and your anxiety, you couldn't fathom why on earth, Seung Hyun would want to come deal with this bullshit. "Why? You have your own job, your own stressful bullshit here, so why would you want to add on someone else's bullshit?" You asked, dropping your hands to your sides, tilting your head, trying to understand him and his thought process. "Y/n...You're not just someone else, and I'm not adding it on. I love you, Aein, and your bullshit..is my bullshit" He explained, pulling you into a tight hug "Anything you have to go through, my love, I'll always be by your side, that way there's not anything scary, that you ever have to go through alone again" He explained, trying his best to word it properly, you just sighed, dropping your head onto his chest, trying not to cry again, this time by the pure sweetness of Seung Hyun. "Why are you so charming?" You groaned, wrapping your arms around him tightly, looking up to meet his gaze. Seung Hyun just offered you a sympathetic smile as he rubbed your arms gently, motioning to your suitcases laying on the bed "So..Are we going to America?" He asked softly, knowing if so, he'd definitely be scheduling a meeting with your manager.

Whenever you'd land back in L.A, you'd try and hold on to Seung Hyun's hand the entire process of going out to the car you had waiting outside. "Love?...Swear you're not going to start anything?" You whispered, you knew you'd have to have a conversation with Christopher, especially if you were pulling out of your contract with him, and you also knew Seung Hyun wasn't going to let you do it alone, especially with how Chris has been acting towards you. "I can't make promises, my love, I can promise I'll try to wait until you're not present" He whispered softly, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead as you approached the car, Christopher standing outside, rolling his eyes at the image of you both walking out. Seung Hyun could feel his blood start to boil as he approached the car and your manager, his body felt tense, and he could feel his stomach start to do flips from how much anger ran through his body. "So nice of you to actually show up and do your fucking job" Christopher spat, watching as you silently got in the car, keeping your eyes trained on your boyfriend as he stared Chris down before he climbed in next to you.

The ride to your managers office was silent, the air in the car was filled with tension so thick, you could barely breathe. Your eyes were glued to the floorboard as your brain went over every possibility that could happen, once you arrived at the office space. "I don't see why we can't have the conversation now?" Seung Hyun spoke lowly, not taking his eyes off of Chris, as you took your hand in his, you took a deep breath. "This isn't a conversation that involves outsiders, it is a business meeting between a pop-star and her manager" Chris replied in a snappy tone, causing your head to shoot up quickly, giving him a glare, his comment being all you needed for that final boost of confidence to quit. "It's not a conversation at all, Christopher. I'm terminating our contract, I've spent my ten years with you, and I thank you for all you've done for me, but I don't want to be working for someone like you" You explained, trying to keep a professional tone, but it ended up just being laced in disgust, Chris scoffed, laughing loudly "Seriously? You get with a new guy and all of a sudden you're some badass now? Hey, Y/n, question, whenever he leaves you, like he will, what will you do, huh? You'll be nobody, with nothing" He spat, you squeezed Seung Hyun's hand tightly whenever you felt him tense, harshly, silently letting him know you could handle it. Seung Hyun couldn't help it, just like the first time he watched you fight with Christopher, he didn't like seeing someone disrespect you like that, especially with knowing how you felt about yourself.

"No. Christopher, you don't get to make me feel bad anymore, I might've played the part for half my life, but I am so fucking done. You are nobody, Christopher, understand that. You might've helped me get gigs, but that's all you did. You are nothing but the ugly fucking face behind my FORMER management team, I am the one who made myself, I am fucking everything behind my name!" You shouted as the car stopped, letting the three of you out in the parking lot, you couldn't hide your smirk as you spotted the paparazzi rushing over "Come on, let's go handle this inside, Y/n. Don't act like this" Chris growled, going to grab your wrist harshly, Seung Hyun quickly stepping between you two to stop him, instead grabbing Chris's shoulder/collarbone tightly "Put your hands on her, and You'll have a lot more than how she's acting to deal with" Your boyfriend growled back, shoving him back as he let go of his grip on your manager, not breaking eye contact as he stared Chris down, not ever backing down until you rested your hand on his chest, having him step away slightly "Thank you, love" You whispered before turning your attention back to Christopher "I should've fucking listened to everybody years ago, they all told me! Don't fucking sign her! She's got no talent, just a body! I thought I could make something out of that body! But nope! Nothing but a warm body" He seethed, you could feel yourself getting more pissed, but instead of blowing up, you just broke out into laughs "Really? Everybody told you that? Little 'can't pull a bitch' Christopher had so many people saying don't sign?" You laughed holding a hand over your chest "I'd say you're adorable, but the sight of you, physically makes me fucking sick" You spat, walking closer to him huffing "My lawyers will be in contact, in regard to anything else? Call Casey, or any other of MY staff" You added on before turning to walk towards the bus stop, you'd be damned if you took one of the cars driven by his drivers. "Oh! And Christopher?" You called sweetly before turning around "At least my warm body, has more talent in it than you'll ever have in a lifetime" You smiled, waving goodbye to him in a smartass manner before grabbing Seung Hyun's hand as you walked onto the bus.

The moment you sat down, you could feel yourself starting to have a panic attack, all of the adrenaline wearing off, making you realize how stupid it was to do that, and then leave him there to twist the story to paparazzi. "Hey, hey! That was amazing" He whispered, cupping your cheeks, forcing you to look at him "Personally, I would've liked to kick his ass, but, You handled that perfectly, my love" He whispered, pulling you into a hug as you continued to panic, trying your best to shield your face from any other bus riders, or paparazzi trying to get a picture of you through the bus window. "I just ruined my life" You cried, holding onto his jacket tightly "You didn't ruin your life, my love, nothings ruined, but, we did leave all of our luggage in the trunk of that car" He chuckled, watching as you looked at him, trying to keep a straight face before giggling loudly "Oh my god, we totally did" You laughed, hugging him tightly before pulling away, trying to read the map ahead to figure out what stop, you needed to get off at. "Seung Hyun...now what do I do?" You asked quietly, your knee bouncing slightly as you glanced at your hands, where your fingers were inter-laced tightly together "What do you want to do, my love?" he whispered, pressing your knuckles to his lips gently, his question made you really think, what did you want to do?

"I..I think I want to make different music" You whispered after a moment, looking up to meet his eyes, smiling as bit as he looked at you with such love and admiration. "Yea? What kind?" he asked softly, standing up as you made it to your stop, Seung Hyun following close behind you. "I think I want to just..write what I feel, and my real feelings, not the feelings people tell me to have" You explained, walking towards your neighborhood as you swung your and Seung Hyun's hands slightly. "Well, whatever you decide to do, my love?..I'm here for you, every step of the way" He whispered, wrapping his arms around your waist whenever you finally made it to your home. "I appreciate you, I swear, I appreciate you more than anybody" You whispered, cupping his cheeks gently as you smiled "It's really not a problem, my love. I love you so much, and I'm not going to let any person put their hands on you, especially not in front of me" He whispered, pulling you closer by your hips as he smiled softly "He wouldn't of actually grabbed me, I wouldn't of let it get that far" You giggled, caressing his cheek gently, smiling as he pressed a quick kiss to your forehead "I want to believe you...I really do, but, you are smaller than Ji" He joked, laughing as you shot him an offended look, giggling along with his laughs "Hey! I could kick anybody's ass" You smiled, standing up on your tippy toes to press a kiss to his cheek "Sure you can, my love, either way, I'll always be by your side for every fight" He whispered, moving a hand to cup your cheek as he pressed his lips against yours, you smiled against his lips as you moved your lips against his. You felt so powerful and enthralled with Seung Hyun, he was perfect, in every possible way, and him defending, and protecting you? Just made you even more in love with the man. As you slowly pulled away from Seung Hyun's lips, you never noticed the single hidden paparazzi person, hiding across the street, getting your entire interaction with Seung Hyun.

As you and Seung Hyun winded down from the very eventful day, you laid in your bed together, resting your head on Seung Hyun's chest as his arm was wrapped around you. As you laid there, you huffed loudly, your phone blowing up just like before, this time with a mixture of texts, calls, twitter notifications, instagram, news, all of it. Leaning over Seung Hyun's side, you grabbed your phone giggling as you felt him press his lips to your neck quickly before you laid back down on the bed, feeling your heart drop as you read the first notification on your screen.

'GLOBAL POP-STAR Y/N L/N SEEN SHARING INTIMATE KISS WITH CHOI SEUNG HYUN ALSO KNOWN AS T.O.P FROM K-POP'S BOY GROUP BIGBANG, OUTSIDE OF HER L.A. HOME'

Shit.

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First story after the face reveal! I'm so excited!! What do you think lovelies? A lil angsty, but I promise next part with be so much more fluffier!! <333

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Taglist!!!

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@c1delight

[sophism84]

My friends from before I was married carried more on their shoulders and with them than so many grown men I know.

So this is just a shot in the dark at how strong they actually are.

Long live us. Because we must live too. But always long live her. Forever. She is one of my greatest friends always. She taught me so much.

I couldn’t carry everyone with me from school to school, but I did the best I could when I had to leave some people behind.

Leaving others behind was never saying I didn’t wanna stay, I had to do more things so I had to leave everything behind. Because more things were to come. And I had to make sure they got done.

The people with me, were with me. I’m so thankful for everyone who learned mandarin.

I’m sorry to my children whom I failed the most. Because of weaknesses programmed into me from birth. My greatest heartache is my weakness in your lives. Right now I just wanna pick up my sword and take some heads off. And bring them to you on a platter. Just to make you feel safe wherever you may be. The seething in me. Makes me scream at strangers when I just wanna be taking heads off. It makes me not wanna get out of bed, when I’d rather be taking heads off. It makes me feel things in me are more dead than alive cause I’d rather be taking heads off. Why taking heads off is not more acceptable anymore I understand but so help me, I wanna gut some people.

I understand why you needed juice that day, because something happened to me and my brother as children and I couldn’t handle the rage so I drug a mattress up w whole hill and laid by a dumpster and told everyone that came. I’m sorry my pain in one life impacted yours to a point I couldn’t even comfort you in such a moment. I didn’t even understand why it was happening to you. Loving this false life we have all become accustomed to. Falsely thinking we are not all interconnected in so many ways. It’s painful. So painful.

So many have fallen at my feet, as we have had to walk on. Not in the fawning way.

It hurts to know they are gone from the path they were on. Because I couldn’t save them from what others had planned. They will be back. When they choose. And maybe we will meet again one day. So I can smile upon their face and embrace them. The thought of meeting some people again or for the first time makes me feel like throwing open my arms and just embracing them.

Hugs are so warranted after a long journey.

The hardest journeys are when there are no hugs at the end. Red wine should never be served warm

Idgaf what wine savants say. Warm red wine is disgusting. Shove it in someone else’s face!

Sometimes I still feel the sharp pain in my feet and wrists. The nailing. It’s beyond painful trust me. I don’t have piercings.

It’s not that I hate metal, I just don’t want it in my body.

When I was 11 the growth over the earrings I had to take them out and seeing blood drip down my own ear was so painful. I think because I felt so many peoples pain when it happened before.

The tears fell so hard and fast straight from the past. The ugly cry was out in full force mirror blinded from my sight by tears. But I took them out. And wiped it all up. After crying them out.

Because today was another day, in another life, and we can only control today. And everything has to be okay today. I might’ve heard a knock on the door and called “just a minute” because I was dealing with a lot. Denying I was crying.

The world is more inside you than outside of you.

Imagine a little planet inside you. Imagine the solar system inside you, because it is in you and all around you.

I wish I could talk to my grandpa today. Just because. We want to end journeys w whom we started with. I want him to hold us all and smell our hair. I want him to talk to my children with light in his eyes like he did me. I want him to hold them and them to know, not all of this road was meant for them. I wish his embrace could heal things I can’t. I wish his tears would fall on their shoulder and they would know how loved they are. It’s unfair my children never got to feel the warmth of such an embrace as that. From such a kind heart. He searches the depths of the ocean for lost souls just for me. He carries cosmos just for me. He might not have been able to hear sound but he heard so many whom were taught not to speak. He was duped by some heartless people. But he never gave up. Because he knew I was showing up soon. And he kept me safe as he could. Swinging in the backyard and there was a tether ball they put up in the backyard for me. He probably saw how I was handling the game at school, I hope he was pleased.

Reminds me of the piece of Swiss cheese in kindergarten. And the slide. And the pride of some children.

We had safety patrol but we made peace patrol w blue jackets for a reason. Times were tough as a kid. And not everyone was having a good time.

I’m so sorry for failing when I wanted to not to the most. So tears will fall for a long time.

One day again I will hold my babies and smell their hair and I will never let go again.

I will cut off heads despite consequences. Without guilt or shame. Without a second thought. I will not refrain. Not anymore. Don’t test me.

[lyricthecat-12]

Archie Sonadow is the most unfairly underrated version of the ship

A while back, I did a poll to decide which was the most underrated version of Sonadow across different media, and since the public has had their say, I'm now going to offer my own take and explain why from Archieverse Pre-SGW version is so good and deserves much more recognition.

The beginning of their relationship is practically the same that in the video games: Shadow is accidentally awakened by Eggman and decides to carry out his creator's revenge against the world for killing Maria. Sonic is mistaken for the black hedgehog and is chased, which leads them both to have a series of confrontations until they reach the ARK Space Colony. There is a curious change here; since in the comic universe, Amy was involved in another separate story while the conflict was taking place, she was absent during these events but, according to Shadow's own words some time later, Sonic made him see the light, interpreting that he made him change her mind and since Rouge fulfilled exactly her same participation by broadcasting Gerald's video, it could be interpreted that in this universe it was Sonic who made Shadow remember Maria and finally pushed him towards the heroic side. Something like what happened years later in the third movie. (STH 98#, STH 124# & SU 2#)

After this, Shadow sacrificed himself and also lost his memory when he hit Mobius. From here the events differ from the games, in this version Shadow falls and is found by Sonic and the Freedom Fighters, showing himself hostile at first due to his confusion, although soon after he ended up allying with them to face a greater threat, the Alien race known as The Xorda who also planned to destroy the world in an act of revenge, which ends up being stopped with Sonic's sacrifice and disappearance that leaves everyone shocked, including the black hedgehog, because it was thought that the blue hedgehog had died saving the world until his eventual return issues later (STH 124 # & 125 #)

It's curious how, despite not remembering it clearly, Shadow during this stage showed a certain appreciation for Sonic, admitting that he is a being different from any other he has ever met. Of course, that didn't prevent them from continuing to have confrontations in their following encounters but over time, Shadow began to gain confidence in Sonic and was willing to collaborate when the situation required it. (STH 146-149# and STH 157-159#)

Meanwhile Sonic, despite their previous battles, never believed Shadow to be evil, even in the brief time where he was working with Eggman for the second time, and was sure that he would eventually do the right thing. And when that happened, Sonic supported him and helped him without hesitation to discover the truth behind his origins. (STH 160# &STH 170-171#)

After this point, Shadow became an increasingly notable ally, occasionally appearing and helping the heroes when needed, over time developing a respect and even appreciation for those who helped him become who he is today, obviously including Sonic between them.

Throughout this continuity, the relationship between the two hedgehogs had a long but natural and well-carried development, going from rivals and occasional allies to gradually forming a bond of companionship where, even if their ideals remain disparate, they have generated a mutual respect for each other and a great synergy in battle. Which is spectacularly represented in the last issue where the two interacted within this continuity, in the Sonic Universe 2#.

And is for all of this that I think Archie Sonadow deserves more love, because I dare say that it is one of the best and most complete versions of their relationship.

[babydollslibrary]

YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN, KID — JACK HUGHES

jack hughes x fem!reader

published: February 3rd, 2023

summary: in which y/n spent her high school years changing herself to become what she thought was Jack’s type, but when they meet again a few years later, she learns that she never needed to change in order for him to like her.

warnings: eating disorder mentioned and lightly described, weed mention/use, alcohol mention/use, light profanity, changing yourself for a guy (yes, that is a warning), this is mostly angst.

notes: for timeline purposes, i should mention that i wrote this with a summer birthday in mind for y/n.

important: THIS FIC IS NOT ROMANTICIZING ED’S.

GIF by teex

14 YEARS OLD

it was in my freshman year of high school that i noticed i was a bit different than other girls my age. with them having middle school relationships under their belt, and most being in sports rather than chorus like me. i didn’t really think much of it, as boys played no part in my life besides as defacto muses for my songs. but i still felt out of place.

16 YEARS OLD

it was in the summer before my junior year that i met Jack Hughes. a USNTDP hockey player and my first official crush. my family had rented a lake house and the Hughes’ ended up being our neighbors for the summer. My parents quickly befriended Ellen and Jim, and when they realized they had children the same age, all four of them tried for weeks to get Jack and i to hang out. but to no avail, because i was shutting myself in my room for some quiet writing time, and Jack was always busy with his brothers. but when i had slipped away from my parents to go for an evening swim one night, apparently Jack had the same idea. we saw each other at the lake and got to talking, becoming friends pretty quickly after that. it was 2 weeks into the friendship that i realized he made me feel things that my other guy friends didn’t.

when we split up at the end of the summer, we promised to text, but a couple weeks later i was pleasantly surprised when i was called into the school office to show him around. with pretty similar schedules, we were seeing each other in school quite a bit, and from that our friendship only grew. i sat with him and his friends at lunch, he would pick me up for school on the mornings that my car wouldn’t start, and he would even walk me to my classes sometimes.

but because of that, my feelings grew too. i did a full one-eighty, changing my entire personality. i stopped spending my weekends at home, instead opting to attend parties, just in hopes of seeing Jack there. and i found any excuse to talk to him, for even just a minute.

**

i’m sitting in my room, struggling with my math homework when my phone starts ringing. i peel my eyes away from the worksheet to glance over at it, and my heart flutters when i see Jack’s name, his picture lighting up the screen. i quickly press the answer button, holding the phone up to my ear.

“hey” i say.

“hey! you texted saying you have a question?” his voice is raspy, words coming out slow and slightly slurred, and i can hear Trevor, Alex, and Cole talking in the background. he’s smoking weed.

“uh, yeah. i had a question about the Algebra 2 homework, but i can just ask you tomorrow when you’re in a better state of mind.” i laugh.

“how’d you know?” i can hear his grin through the phone, and it makes me smile.

“call it best friend’s intuition. i’ll let you get back to the guys.” i tell him. we say our goodbyes and i hang up, taking another second to stare at my phone with a goofy smile before i turn back to my math homework.

**

during the school year, i listened to him talk about each girl he was seeing throughout the year. each of them pretty, skinny, and blonde. and eventually, i wondered if he would like me as more than his annoying best friend, if i looked like those girls. so i would stare in my mirror for hours some nights, pinpointing things i should change about myself. as like most teenage girls, i had always been insecure, wishing to change myself. but now i learned to use Jack as an excuse for it. and from there, things started developing.

i begged my mom for weeks to let me dye my hair, and when she finally caved, i went to the salon and went blonde. but my hair wasn’t the only thing that changed. my eating habits were altered. slowly at first, just cutting out certain foods, and then all at once. i started skipping meals, excusing myself from dinner by saying i had a large lunch, leaving the house quickly in order to avoid breakfast, and only eating at lunch when Jack expressed concern about my lack of food. like now.

“good afternoon, hockey knuckleheads. your favorite person has arrived.” i announce my arrival at the lunch table while dropping my book bag by my seat, interrupting the boys current conversation. they all look at me, quickly saying their hello’s.

“y/n, you’d give me an autograph, right?” Trevor asks, and my face pinches in confusion.

“uh, what?” i ask.

“like, if you knew you were gonna be famous one day. you’d give me an autograph right now, right?” he clarifies.

“ignore him.” Jack laughs, pushing Trevor’s face away from he and i. he turns back to look at me, eyeing the empty tabletop in front of me. his smile drops and he turns to his backpack, pulling out a protein bar. he throws it over on the table in front of me, it landing with a smack, making me flinch.

“eat.” he tells me. my eyes bounce between the snack and him, studying his serious expression.

“i’m fine, Jack. i ate a big breakfast this morning, so i’m not hungry. keep this for when you need it at practice.” i tell him, sliding the snack back towards him. but of course my stomach speaks volumes, deciding right then to grumble loudly. Jack raises an eyebrow at me and slides the bar back over to me. i sigh, opening it up and taking a bite. he smiles at the sight, and it makes my heart skip a beat.

“good girl.”

17 YEARS OLD

it’s the end of senior year now, and i’ve gotten no closer to dating Jack than i was before. i’ve spent countless nights alone in my room, writing songs about him and crying over snapchat stories of him with other girls.

it’s another friday night, and that means another party in hopes of Jack seeing me dressed up. this time, my own party. with my parents out of town for the weekend, i took the chance to throw a party, inviting what felt like my entire grade in a mass text.

i walk around the house, my blonde hair curled and in a half-up-half-down do. i’m decked out in a tight fit black mini dress with black ballet flats to match, and i did a full glam makeup look. i scan the living room for Jack, but when i finally find him, i immediately feel tears pricking at the back of my eyes.

he’s sat on the couch, a pretty blonde draped across his lap, whispering in his ear as he nods, his arm wrapped around her waist to keep her steady, and a grin on his face. our friends were sat around him, some having their own discussions, and some singing along to the music playing on the surround sound speakers.

i go to spin back around, fully planning on going upstairs to my room for a quick cry, but before i can fully turn, i lock eyes with Jack. he raises his hand in a wave and beckons me over and i offer a weak smile in return. i look around the party once more and feel something snap inside of me.

i feel so stupid. i’ve spent the last almost two years of my life changing myself to try and get his attention and to have him look at me in a new light. spent almost two years overanalyzing his every move and i let my final two years of high school slip by me. instead of living in the moment and enjoying my rapidly declining time with my friends, i was wondering if Jack had seen my snapchat story, or if he did then why didn’t he slide up? amongst various other things to do with him.

i was done revolving my entire life and every decision i make around a guy who obviously doesn’t like me the way i like him.

21 YEARS OLD

it’s been four years since i started living for myself. in that time, i went to a treatment center for my eating disorder, graduated college, moved to New Jersey for a new job, and made new friends. i haven’t talked to Jack in three of those years. not because i didn’t want to, but because after high school, our friendship fizzled out. he went on to play in the NHL, and i went to college. we both lived busy lives, and it became too much to handle. i still talk to the other guys, Trevor the most, but not nearly as much as i used to.

now i’m sat in a club. it’s a saturday night, and my friend Yaz wanted to go do her favorite hobby. seeing how many men she can get to buy her free drinks. currently, she’s chatting up a cute brunette with an accent out on the dance floor, and i’m sat by myself at the bar. drinking an almost gone shirley temple and wondering why i agreed to go out when i would much rather be snuggled on my couch with a blanket and a movie. i’m debating telling Yaz that i’m gonna leave, when a guy sidles up next to me, taking the seat on my right and throwing me a smile.

“hi, i’m Dawson.” he holds his hand out and i slip mine in it, shaking.

“hi, i’m y/n.” he nods before turning back to a table of guys.

“IT’S HER!” he yells over, and my brows furrow, face pinching in confusion. he turns back to me and smiles again. “sorry. my friend said he thought he knew you, but he didn’t wanna come over and then be wrong.”

it’s at that moment that a shadow encases us, and i glance over my shoulder to see the one person i wasn’t expecting.

“hey!” Jack takes a seat on Dawson’s abandoned chair. i didn’t even notice he had slipped away. “it’s been so long!”

i blink a few times, just taking in the man in front of me. he looks good. like, really good. i wasn’t naive enough to think that the love i held for him had been snuffed out, i’m just comfortable with myself enough now, that i know that changing myself for him won’t do anything except hurt me.

“hey.” i breathe out. “wow. uh, i wasn’t expecting to see you.”

“yeah, i wasn’t really expecting to see you either. what are you doing in New Jersey?” he asks. okay, it’s not like i’m stupid. i knew Jack lived in New Jersey. i just also know it’s a big state and the possibility of us running into each other was slim. but apparently the universe likes to laugh in my face.

“i live here.” i tell him. “i moved here a few months ago, for a job.”

“and you didn’t call me? i thought we were friends!” he jokes, and i stiffen at the word. friends. yeah, that’s all we’ve ever been. “can we go somewhere? to talk?”

i nod and he leads me out of the club. i send a quick text to Yaz that i went outside for a few minutes, and she responds with a thumbs up emoji. Jack and i stop outside the entrance. the club stopped letting people in about half an hour ago, so there’s no line, just us and a bouncer standing about fifteen feet away at the entrance.

“well, you look good! you went back to your natural hair color, i like it. it suits you better than the blonde.” Jack starts off, and his words strike a nerve in my heart. he didn’t like me blonde? i knew it didn’t change anything with how he felt about me, but i didn’t know he disliked it in general.

“you look healthier too. that makes me really happy, y/n. my mom told me a couple years ago that your mom said you got treatment for your…disorder. i’m really proud of you.” my heart breaks a little more at his soft tone, he seems genuine. “i saw you earlier, with your friend. you have the spark in your eye back. i’m really glad you seem happy again. i’m just sorry i didn’t do anything before, to help you with anything you were going through. i was a naive kid, i just thought you’d come to me if you were struggling. but looking back, i realize that i should’ve reached out to help you regardless.”

“Jack, you shouldn’t blame yourself. you were a kid. i was a kid too, i didn’t understand the full extent of what i was doing.” i tell him. tears prick at my eyes and i blink them away.

“can i ask you a question?” he asks.

“of course.” i nod.

“why did you do it? was there a reason? i mean, at the time, it felt like you completely just changed overnight. but maybe it was a gradual thing and i just didn’t realize it back then.” i lose hope in keeping my tears at bay, letting one roll freely down my cheek. “you don’t have to tell me. obviously. it’s your business. i just- i’ve been wondering.”

i take a deep breath, mentally preparing myself to explain.

“i was a naive kid, Jack. i liked a guy and i thought if i changed myself, maybe he would like me too. but it didn’t work, and instead i realized that i was just harming myself by not eating, doing things i hated, going to parties just to try and get his attention. looking back at it now, it was stupid. but back then, it seemed like the best idea i had ever had.”

“you did all that for a guy?” he asks. but his tone isn’t the usual one i get from people when i tell them about my past. it’s not incredulous, or judgmental, or even pitiful. he just sounds, sad. i just nod my head. “well, whoever he was, he wasn’t worth it. if a guy doesn’t like you for you, then he’s an idiot, and he doesn’t deserve you. i’m really glad you see that now. although, i wish you would’ve known it before.”

if only he knew.

“switching the topic.” i say, and he lets out a small breathy chuckle. “how have you been?”

“i’ve been good. just, trying not to get injured on ice, ya know?” i nod along.

“oh yeah, i remember. i still don’t understand why you would put yourself through that barbaric game.” i joke and he laughs. the sound causes butterflies to erupt in my stomach, and it almost feels no time has gone by at all. i still feel like a lovesick teenager.

before either of us can speak again, my drunk friend stumbles out of the club, an arm looped through Dawson’s.

“hey, i thought i’d bring this one back to you. she kinda seems like she might need to sober up some.” Dawson tells me, and i thank him. Yaz lays her head on my shoulder, and Dawson says his goodbye to me and Yaz before slipping back inside.

“who’s this?” Yaz stage whispers, studying Jack who still stands in front of me. Jack and i laugh at her drunken attempt at being quiet.

“this is Jack.” i tell her. “Jack this is my friend, Yaz.”

“Jack. Jack, Jack, Jack.” Yaz repeats, and it’s like i can see the gears turning in her head. “that name sounds so familiar. Jack.”

“hey, wait! isn’t that the name of that guy you told me about? the one you were madly in love with in high school?” she blurts out, and my eyes turn as wide as saucers. i can feel my face heating up. i turn to look at my friend, who apparently has absolutely no filter when she’s had too much to drink. before any of us can say another word, a blue car pulls up and Yaz’s sister, Cara, steps out. “Yay! my ride!”

Yaz stumbles over to her, only stopping to turn and blow me a kiss before letting her sister help her in the car. Cara throws me a smile and a goodnight before getting in herself and driving away. leaving only me and the guy Yaz just exposed my love for.

i turn back to Jack, finding him wide eyed and repeatedly blinking. i open my mouth, but nothing comes out. i’m not sure what to say. but apparently Jack does.

“it was me?” he asks, pointing to his chest. “i was the guy?”

i feel like i might be sick. i never meant for him to know. i thought i would take that secret to my grave. i manage a weak nod, not able to physically speak.

“why- i mean- why did you think you had to do those things to yourself, y/n? i- i’m just— i’m so confused.”

“you had a type.” i shrug. “you dated all these girls, in high school. and they all had the same things in common. blonde, skinny, pretty, outgoing. you liked all those girls romantically so i thought maybe if i was more like them, you would like me like that too.”

“but i did like you like that!” he exclaims. i furrow my brows and my nose scrunches in confusion.

“what?” i whisper.

“i did like you romantically! i just thought i never had a chance with you. so, i busied myself with other girls. why do you think none of them ever lasted long?” he asks.

“i don’t know, i never really thought about that.” my head swarms with all this new information.

“because, they weren’t you.” he pleads. “i tried to forget those feelings for you by dating other girls, girls that before i met you, were my type. but they weren’t you. none of them were you.”

he steps forward, taking my face in his hands.

“i can’t believe you thought you had to change for me. fuck, i’m so stupid. i should’ve just told you i liked you when i first realized my feelings.” he breathes out.

“you can tell me now if you want?” i offer meekly, my head spinning. i want to kiss him. i’ve waited almost six years for this moment, and dear god i want to kiss him. now quite possibly more than ever.

“i love you, y/n.” he whispers. “i’ve loved you since the summer we were sixteen and you tried to push me off the dock into the lake, and i pulled you in with me. i still remember when you popped back up in front of me in the water. my first thought was ‘she’s so beautiful.’”

i inhale a shaky breath before tilting my head up to cover his lips with mine. kissing him with desperation and need. need to not waste another second that i could spend being with him. Jack is frozen for a second before his lips start moving against mine. his hands trail down my body to grip my hips, pulling me towards him. we fit together like a puzzle piece. my own hands grip the hair at the nape of his neck. we pull away from each other, and i look into his eyes.

“i love you too.” i whisper. “if that wasn’t obvious yet.”

“yeah? i don’t know, i think you might need to show me again.” he smirks and leans back down capturing my lips in a kiss once more.

[valar-did-me-wrong]

I just burned my hand while thinking of this Adar headcanon.. (RIP my chai) So now I'm gonna bore you all with it to distribute the suffering :3

So there are 2 major Adar origin headcanons in the fandom rn in my knowledge..

The one most people (including me a few months ago) follow in one version or another is: Adar was among the first elves who woke up in Cuvienen & got captured by Morgoth. Cuvienen Adar

Then there's a minority opinion I've heard come up sometimes (and has me in its grasp since I heard it) that Adar is a nobody Fëanorian who got taken in one of the early wars between Noldor & Morgoth. Noldo Adar

Now I love the angst of Cuvienen Adar, Eldest elf on Middle Earth not quite an elf anymore... It hurts so good 🤌🏽 but there's just something so Noldo about him too! Like his innovativeness in finding unique solutions, his fury, his burning love that keeps him going & his sheer willpower to survive so much torture.. it's VERY Fëanorian coded in my eyes!! ❤️‍🔥

So in an attempt to make both of them work, I created this headcanon which is kinda the best of both worlds for me personally!

I'd love lore experts to correct me if I'm wrong anywhere & for my fellow Adarlings to just take this as a not too serious exploration of yet another version of Adar :))

So my personal headcanon now goes that:

Yes Adar was among the first elves that woke up in Cuvienen, but specifically he was a Tatyar (2nd of the 3 groups of elves in Cuvienen with the leader Tata who was the 2nd ever elf to wake up)

A Tatyar who actually stayed behind instead of following Finwe to Valinor after Oromë had come to take the elves. So in my headcanon he is specifically a Tatyar Avari.

Which makes him kin to Noldor.

As when Oromë came to take the elves with him, half the Tatyar that went with him became Noldor in Valinor (also some parts of the 3rd group also went and became Teleri in Valinor) while those who stayed behind (from both the 2nd and 3rd groups) became Avari. So the Tatyar Avari were related to Noldor.

Now Avari in general are mentioned in some versions to be the elves who got captured by Morgoth to create orcs.. 👀

So it kinda fits the lore too, which is a bonus!

To me this headcanon adds so much more angst to Adar. Specially to his & Galadriel's interactions.

Like not only is Galadriel an elf but she is also a Noldo, from Finwë's line, who lead half the Tatyar to Valinor.. it's everything Adar gave up or lost.

He must look at Galadriel and feel like almost everything he could have been in another life is standing infront of him personified!

I wonder if he ever regretted remaining back in Middle Earth & being an Avari. If he ever regret not following Finwe to Valinor.

Maybe he did not go because he didn't want to follow but rather lead and couldn't.

Maybe thats why he was so unhappy in his existence (along with ofcourse the whole inability to have children thing which implies queerness) and could get corrupted successfully, survive so long & become Sauron's lieutenant; he was an innate leader (but the elves chose the direct descendant of Tata, Finwë instead)

There are so many stories & what ifs to be explored here tbh.

If anyone knows fics that have used this premises please do share with me!!

And if there aren't fics yet, I hope this little attempt of mine at headcanoning reaches and touches someone talented to become a fic now!

Thoughts, discussions and tears most welcome 🫶🏽

[odetojupiter]

ducks tend to symbolise things like adaptability, and resourcefulness due to the way they thrive in diverse environments. they also symbolise the balance between survival and nurturing roles - add all that together, the adaptability and resourcefulness necessary in survival whilst simultaneously balancing that with the ability to nurture…

you’ve got jean, doing his best to nurture and care for élodie whilst trying to maintain their survival, which inevitably led to elodie’s death and jean’s imprisonment in the ravens

now ik some of people believe élodie is really alive (i can’t say i believe that, mainly because her being alive would shift the direction of the series from where i understand it to be going) and honestly, if you take the symbolism of her wearing the duck print dress at face value, i see how that aligns pretty well - it would suggest she had the resourcefulness and capability to adapt to her new situation in order to survive- however, even ignoring that possibility, jean’s main memory of her being stitching up that dress for her - fixing it, using his own resourcefulness to ensure it can survive another wear - may serve as an overall symbolic representation of jean’s need to relearn the balance between survival and nurture, especially since during this time he had been elodie’s primary carer due to the neglect of their parents. jean remembering elodie as a young child in need of caring for, wearing the duck print dress that he kept fixing for her… it’s a reminder that growth comes from being able to balance the need to survival with the need to nurture, grow, and care for both himself and others. jean nurtured élodie as much as he ensured her survival, whilst he was around.

it’s a little more difficult to contextualise jeremy’s ringtone for jean being the duck within this symbolism as the narrative isn’t complete, however with jeremy being the captain of the team, being in charge of their performance on the court and their wellbeing off it, you could consider him being the mother duck of sorts, with the team - the backliners in this case, being his ducklings. in biblical symbolism, the image of the mother duck and her ducklings is usually said to represent God as the ‘mother hen’ of sorts, a protector of mankind. so if jeremy in this instance is the mother duck, the protector, his role will be to nurture jean, to care for him whilst also teaching him the resourcefulness to survive on his own, which again relates back to the overarching symbol of the duck - adaptability, resourcefulness, and the balance between survival and nurture

now, i’m not 100% sure how to tie this symbolism in with thea’s nickname for jean, because her referring to him as ‘[her] ducking’ suggests that she sees herself in the mother duck role, the role of the protector, but it’s pretty clear that due to her own lack of balance between survival and nurture - which considering the environment they were in, is understandable - means she’s often unable to protect jean from anything. so i would suggest that the crucial part of this nickname is that jean is the duckling, and she never refers to herself as his mother duck - this could indicate jean’s need to grow into the qualities inspired by the image of the duck, as in his current situation, he’s the dependant, focused entirely on survival, not the one nurturing. i think the image of him as a duckling fits into riko forcing jean into the fawn survival mode, rather than what appears to be his innate instinct to fight. elodie wearing the ducks that jean mends for her shows us that in the past, jean was forced into adaptability in order to nurture elodie and ensure their survival, however in the nest, those qualities would have put him in danger with riko. so he becomes the duckling, the fawn, as a way to survive which disrupts the balance between survival and nurture as seen with the full fledged duck.

im rereading tsc (to prepare for tgr lmao) and i hadn’t noticed this little detail previously but it hit me like a truck this time around

jeremy has the entire backline’s notifications set as a quacking sound. so that means when jean messages him jean’s text also sounds like a duck quacking…

“little Parisian duckling”

Elodie’s dress with the ducks on it…

*rocks back and forth with my head in my hands*

[sevikaslapdog]

Best friends

Summary: You met the blue eyed boy in middle school, he was more quiet. While you were more outspoken, you caught his attention whenever you couldn’t hold back your tongue in class one day.

Warnings: normal au, no quirks, cursing, fem reader, use of y/n, enji is a business man, (in japan the teachers switch classrooms instead of the students), lovey dovey

You met in middle school, you had just come back from winter break. The teacher was by the door with a clipboard, a groan slipped out your mouth as she told you where to sit. This was a new rule.

You walked in and found your seat, in the desk next to yours was full by a kid named Touya todoroki. He never spoke much unless it was too a teacher or his small group of friends he sat with at lunch.

Later on in class the teacher was calling on people to answer questions, which is how you’re now sitting in the front office getting grilled by the principal. You ended up getting in an argument with your math teacher.

As you came back into class by sixth period you were stared at with curious eyes from your classmates, and the teacher spared you a small glance before continuing on. As you sat down Touya turned towards you, “So what happened?” You didn’t make a big deal out of him talking to you knowing it would prompt him to turn back away.

You huffed as you grabbed your pencil, “Got detention after school for two days, ‘s stupid.” He smirked slightly as you grumbled. Then and there is when you two had become the closest friends in the world practically.

⸰ 𖥔 ͙ࣳ

Now you two were in your second year of high school, you and him had almost all your classes together due to him convincing his father whom he hates to put in a word about how better you work together.

You two were walking back to his house after school, you had already texted your mom about staying over at his for a few hours maybe even the night. Which was only allowed because you two were practically glued to the hip so if she disagreed she knew you’d still go.

You both stepped into the house, slipping off your shoes next to the multiple pairs of shoes ranging in all different sizes. Touya’s parents divorced almost a year ago, his father living only a couple streets away though. The house now seemed so much more peaceful with him gone and you felt more comfortable coming over.

You waved to his little brother Shoto who was sitting in the living room with Fuyumi and their mother Rei. Touya only rolled his eyes, grabbing your wrist and tugging you along. You smirked slightly at his mood, “So jealous Touya~” he huffed at your teasing.

Pulling you both into his bedroom and shutting the door. His room was painted a dark gray, he had an all black bed set and two pillows, a black carpet covering most of the wood on the floor, a tv on top of his dresser, and a stack of cd’s and the player next to it.

He placed his backpack down on the ground, you following suit. You walked over to his bed, shuffling on it so you had your back against the wall and your feet almost hanging off the side. He turned the tv on with some new show he must be watching, he mostly did this so none of his younger siblings could listen in on through the door which he’s caught them doing multiple times.

He moved to sit next to you, pulling your right leg to drape over his left leg. Your thigh sat on top of his, his hand placed on top of your skirt before he absentmindedly moved it under your skirt. You two have almost always been this touchy, of course not at school cause he would kill you if you tried but anywhere else he would always initiate touches first.

You leaned on his shoulder, his warm hand resting against the plush skin of your thigh. He always ran hot, which prompted you to always make him rub your back at night whenever it grew too cold or wrap his arm around you with his hand pressed against your bare chest.

You stayed like that for a while until he spoke up, “Do you think i’d look good with black hair?” You picked your head up and looked at him. “Hm..” He was taken aback as you turned his head to face him, seemingly scanning over him before nodding. “Yea, but I like your white hair Touy’” You pouted mockingly as he rolled his eyes with a smirk “Yea yea, ‘m sure you’ll like my hair black the moment I dyed it.”

You knew he was right, he knew he was right. Rolling your eyes as you pushed his head away and rolling away from him as his hand slipped off your thigh. He scoffed and looked over at you, who was now sitting by his pillows. “Don’t be a big baby,” He grabbed your hand, yanking you back over as you yelped. You were lying across his legs on your stomach, laughing against the comforter.

He huffed out a small laugh, moving his hand under your school uniform and pressing his hand against your back. You smiled warmly as you turned to look at him from where you were lying.

You sat up and his hand fell from its place, he watched as you sat yourself on his lap. His stomach felt like it was doing flips as you were only a few inches apart, you slightly above him. His head was tilted up a bit to look at you properly.

His hands moved to rest against your hips, you’ve only sat on his lap a couple times. Once was when after you got done watching scary movie with y’all’s friend group Tenko decided it would be funny to scare you. The other is whenever you tripped on Natsuo’s legs while you and the other Todoroki children were sitting in the living room and you fell in his lap. Third time was on purpose, you were in bed like last time and you fell asleep there.

You moved your hand to press against the side of his neck, “You should let me help whenever you do decide to dye it.” He hummed, not wanting to speak knowing his voice would waver. You two have always been touchy but the past year it’s grown more.. intimate.

You smirked as you noticed the way his ears turned red, along with his cheeks. You bravely leaned forward, teasingly brushing your lips against his. “Your blushing Touya.” He huffed, at your teasing. “So are you sweetheart.” Your smirk turned into a fond smile.

You leaned closer, your lips briefly touching his as you spoke “I really wanna kiss you right now Touy’” he took that as his green light.

Leaning closer and pressing his lips against your’s, you hummed as you leaned into the kiss. Your other hand resting against his shoulder while his left hand moved to the side of your face. After a bit of kissing you pulled away, resting your head down on his right shoulder.

Both of your breathing filled the room along with the forgotten tv show in the back. “That was my first kiss.” You stated out of nowhere and you felt as Touya’s chest shook for a moment while he laughed. His hand that was still in your hip rubbed against it, “Me too.”

You pulled up from his shoulder, “I like you Touya.” He watched as your teeth bit down on your bottom lip nervously, he moved his hand that was pressed against your cheek to gently pull your lip away from your teeth. “I like you too y/n.” You both broke into childlike smiles, with flushed cheeks.

“You should totally be my boyfriend.” You couldn’t help tease him. He leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to the corner of your mouth, “I totally am your boyfriend now.”

A couple hours later you were both called for dinner, Rei didn’t miss the way you walked in holding hands, or how you two sat closer together, or how both of your cheeks were flushed innocently as you conversed with each other.

She smiled to herself later that night, happy knowing that her love life with the kids father wouldn’t mess with theirs.

home

[whateverisbeautiful]

Michonne is such an incredible mix of warrior and loving human. How do you think this beautiful character development was conveyed in the storytelling to highlight the nuances of her humanness, while also spotlighting the absolute goddess she embodies?

Love the way you worded this.🥹 Michonne really is the best and an inspiration, especially for those reasons. To answer this question about her character development and the way her humanness and strong goddess-ness were both on display in the story I went season by season from s3-s6 and wrote it all out below ⬇️💗:

Season 3:

In season 3 we’re quickly introduced to the warrior goddess aspect of her with how sharp and capable she is and also her fearlessness to not back down even when confronted by intimidating people. And then that humanness is shown early in her nurturing side toward Andrea and it gets shown even more once she bonds with Carl in Clear where we see more of her personality and that there’s a really kind and refreshingly lighthearted side to her, after previously seeing her be more serious most of the time. Also, her ability to pick up on Rick’s mental state more than anyone else in the group, shows she has this unique level of empathy and can recognize people’s anguish/pain because she’s experienced it firsthand herself. And even with the pain she carries, she still has this admirable poise and compassion for people.

Season 4:

In season 4, Michonne’s innate warrior is demonstrated through her determination to find and kill the Governor especially. But what I really love is that in season 4 we get some of the most compelling explorations of Michonne’s humanness throughout - from her holding Judith and crying, trying to return to her lone wolf ways after the prison but mustering up the strength to instead find the two who have most become family to her, being haunted by her past while vulnerably talking to Mike about how she misses him, strengthening her bond with Carl and Rick during their travels, and opening up about Andre for the first time with someone. We definitely see Michonne grow and heal a lot this season as a human being, and she even falls in love even if she doesn’t realize that’s what happened yet. 

Season 5:

In season 5, Michonne is pivotal to the group’s survival. It’s her push and insight that lead them both to head to Washington and to arrive at Alexandria. And her willingness to speak up and stand firm in her opinions even with Season 5 Rick who was at his most feral and on edge, was huge as she was able to reach him in a way that only she could. The warrior in her has Deanna instantly recognizing that she too should be put in charge of keeping the community safe alongside Rick. And then her humanness is depicted in both her desire for a home (especially in one of my fav episodes 5.09) and her internal restlessness when she finds one. A lot is weighing on her once they’re behind the walls of ASZ and we get glimpses of that with her being unable to sleep, standing alone at the party, and then when she goes to find Sasha and starts shooting the walkers and having flashbacks. Like many characters that season she’s wrestling with who she used to be and who she’s become. Rick and Michonne also have some of their most vulnerable pre-canon conversations in season 5, where we nicely get to see both of their humanity on display. 

Season 6: In season 6, we get one of the best developments in Michonne’s humanity as she finally embraces the true love she found. And it’s a journey to embrace it, with the universe having to send her several signs that it’s okay to acknowledge she’s fallen in love with Rick - like that dying Alexandrian telling her his love story which mirrored her own and Deanna urgently telling Michonne to figure out what she wants for her own life on her deathbed. She’s been so focused on what she gives and does to others, that this season was encouraging her to know it’s time to also let herself be loved as fully as she loves. Her humanity is also on display in her compassion for those Aleandrians in 6.03. And even once in her outwardly in-love era post-canon, she’s still the warrior goddess she’s always been because she’s still as active as ever in handling business and taking down threats with warning pops and more. 

Her humanity and inner warrior really are harmoniously hand in hand in seasons 7 through 10 as well, and especially in TOWL which includes my favorite depiction of Michonne. I could say so much about Michonne in those seasons and TOWL but I know this post is already long lol. So I'll just conclude saying I really do adore the way Michonne is a character who has such inspiring fight and capabilities in her as well as such endearing humanness and vulnerability. A goddess of a human being through and through. 👑👌🏽 Thank you for asking this, anon, and giving me another reason to rave about one of my absolute favorite characters. 🥰

[littybittys]

On one hand (spitballing Caterina’s thoughts on my female Crow Rook):

- Caterina was less than pleased to see Lucanis turn to Rook for advice at the Ilario decision. Her prize grandson…asking someone else for advice…and that someone being the person she sent to rescue him…but Rook is now his potential lover…and he’s going to disappear off with her again where they’ll have the opportunity to continue growing closer…and he clearly values Rook’s input and is looking at her like that? Concerning at the very least.

- This Rook is also the upstart Crow who caused that massive headache with the Antaam not too long ago, displaying a clear disregard for authority, and is from a lesser house. Not just a lesser house but the house of one of the kings royal bastards…is Viago trying to make a move? Did he tell Rook to get close to Lucanis on purpose? Is Viago trying to “reach above his station”? He’s never given any sign of this before but maybe he was waiting for the perfect time. Lucanis should be warned…

- OR did Rook come up with this on her own? Is she trying to restore her standing in the Crows using Caterina’s favorite as a shield and a leg up? Lucanis should be warned of this possibility as well…

- Caterina has never know this grandson to be with someone before. That was always Ilario’s business. Lucanis has always been so dedicated to the job, so serious, nothing less than perfection…and if Caterina did picture Lucanis with someone, it was always someone she had picked for him, someone to help carry on House Dellamorte’s bloodline. Love had nothing to do with it. So what about this Rook has Lucanis so under her spell? (Because let’s be real, Caterina would never be the *claps hands* they’re in love! type. Dragon Age Mafia Boss Abuela Madrigal is staring down the barrel of a Rook shaped gun and she isn’t liking what she’s seeing so far).

- distrust, suspicion, something something Rook could be hard to control, something something Caterina is possessive of Lucanis and probably a MIL (or GIL) from hell, etc, etc

On the OTHER hand:

- Rook has become a very valuable piece in a short amount of time. Not only has she been out trying to save the world but she’s also been helping to successfully spearhead the resistance against the Antaam in Treviso and has been the “boots on the ground”. This hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially among the other Talons, even the ones who were previously calling for her head. And now after Ilario’s grand fuck up, Rook has also shown that she has the new First Talon’s ear (and possibly his heart). Some of the other Talons are going to jump on this for their own gain, offer their own alliances to House de Riva, and Caterina will be damned if she lets House Dellamorte be slow on the uptake.

- Caterina hasn’t gotten this far by being unobservant. She sees the way Lucanis looks at Rook and how Rook looks at Lucanis. Whenever power is exchanged there is always room for insurrection, especially among the Crows. Lucanis is going to be facing all that it means to be First Talon - it wouldn’t hurt to have someone fierce and loyal at his back. Someone to make others think twice about striking. A fellow God Killer (who, by extension, brings Houses de Riva and Cantori with her. 3 Houses united versus 1 standing alone isn’t a raw deal…)

- Neither Lucanis or Ilario have any children at this point (at least, Caterina hasn’t seen the fruits of Ilario’s affairs come to light yet but even if they did they would still be illegitimate and there’s always the possibility they’d challenge Lucanis or create trouble for House Dellamorte in general). That means once Lucanis and Ilario are dead and gone, the bloodline is also gone. Rook could offer a solution there and further tie her to House Dellamorte if questions of loyalty ever arose between her old House and new. The Dellamorte bloodline could live on…

- Lucanis is, for better or worse, an abomination. Caterina is ignoring this unwanted piece of information the best she can but the cat is out of the bag now. She may not know the full extent of this…condition, but she does know it will be bad news for Lucanis to seem out of control or compromised in any way. Rook seems familiar with her grandson’s…condition. Rook could help shelter him from prying eyes. Rook can be useful for keeping Lucanis alive and protected. Rook would keep his secrets…

I’ve run out of spitballing but yeah, I don’t think Caterina would ever like Rook in general. Tolerate? Yes. Enough to hold her tongue about Rook around Lucanis because not being dumb she sees how deeply he cares for Rook? Perhaps. But like Rook the way she apparently likes Teia? Ehhhhhhh no.

But I do think she would see the usefulness Rook has and she’d be smart enough to know that usefulness is better in the hands of House Dellamorte than another House. (Also cue surprised Pikachu face if she does try to dissuade Lucanis from Rook and Lucanis, for the first time ever with Caterina, puts his foot down and in no uncertain terms tells her Rook is staying. Oh boy).

Hey, I get why some people want Lucanis and Rook to have an easy time after the game's events, however Lucanis' life is, fundamentally, a telenovela.

Anyway what I'm trying to say is: tag all the reasons Caterina Dellamorte doesn't like your Rook and would disapprove of their relationship.

[roseworth]

Who do you think Rose's best friends in her age group are? Or should be?

well its a complicated question because i am in a constant battle with dc as to what her age group actually is. but everything i say is canon forever

first of all obviously i have to say bart allen. thats her bestie that is one of the only people she gives a shit about thats her buddy!!! ive said before that the real tragedy of bart & rose is that they just keep barely missing each other, because they meet when rose is too busy mourning her mom to make friends, then the next time they see each other is right before slade starts drugging her, then when she finally joins the team its right before bart gets aged up then dies (or whatever happened to him in oyl idk). then when they finally are on the same team at the same time the universe resets 2 weeks later :( but theyre still friends !! to me!!!! i dont care if its been 15 years theyre still besties ok

the next obvious one is eddie bloomberg <333 he is pretty much the only person on the teen titans that she consistently likes and he likes her :( she fights with literally everyone but eddie is always there for her AND always defends her when people come for her :(((( AND every time hes in danger she drops everything to find him and ouggghhgghh..... but she wasnt there when he died and we never actually get to see her reaction to his death and that kills me every day forever

anyways. sigh. the next one is jason. as much as i think he should stay away from her unfortunately they are besties and i love their dynamic 😔 i am never abandoning my "theyre just friends but she thinks its funny to pretend theyre fucking" headcanon which makes all their interactions so iconic to me. ive talked extensively about my thoughts on jayrose here so i wont go into it again but. as much as i fear for rose's characterization i DO love it when they interact </3 i want them to keep showing up together if their relationship stays ambiguous

NEXT. this one is a little bit less canon but still canon to me. connor hawke. in the secret version of robin 2021 in my head, connor & rose become besties on the island because theyre the "big kids" who are around the same age while damian & the others are like 14 so these two end up bonding. i also think rose would think it was awesome that connor was able to kill her so easily (bc the only other person who could was respawn and he only did it because he got a cheap shot while her back was turned) and then she'd be a little disappointed once she found out that connor actually doesnt kill anyone outside of the tournament. but shed still like him a lot i think bc she does tend to get along with people who dont like to kill. half the hero community looks at rose and goes "i could fix her" while she is actively making herself worse

also obviously i have to say cassie. its hard to consider them "friends" since theyre constantly fighting but i blame sean mckeever for that. theyre FRIENDS they actually do get along and so much of their arguments are really just flirting bickering :( their love language is being mean to each other but they actually do like each other ok!!!!! you have to believe me because i love them

and toni monetti!!! shoutout to the only female character rose has ever had only positive interactions with for more than 1 panel

and! i have a lot less evidence for these next few but its real to me

first of all mia dearden. they've had one interaction ever but that was enough to convince me they should be friends. this is so so important to me theyre besties and i know it

also stephanie brown. they've only been in the same room on panel once but i just know theyre secretly besties. and rose has called her cute so its yuri too

and finally. the one that i have the least evidence for is lorena marquez. you guys just have to believe me that they would be best friends. just knowing the two characters i just know they would get along so well if they were only given the chance... they could be haters together :(

anyways in conclusion rose needs more girl friends. most of the people she Actually gets along with are men and im sick and tired of it. let her make friends with girls. or better yet..... let her make out with girls