#and he's technically the only one of the bears that yang actually met

[g0ldgauntlet]

Redesigned Yang next

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Right: Original by Einlee

Previous: Blake

[wormstacheangel]

Since your last post implied it I would love to know about your AU recommendations ❤ I am obsessed too!! Thanks in advance 🙏🏻

hello! I hope you don’t mind if I just make a basic list of some of the AU stories I have read or want to read. Not in any order I just went through my bookmarks on AO3 :) Also I need to read more...Under the cut because it got too long! 

Angel's Wild (not gonna lie this is my favorite fic. I have read this almost a dozen times now)

Summary: But that’s the whole reason he’s here, isn’t it? He’s not out here hunting Humans. He’s not even hunting deer, or bears, or anything else that featured in Bambi. He’s out here, freezing his nuts off every night, because he’s hunting Angels. 

Sometimes Dean wishes that Angels were like how they’re described in the Bible. How people from time too old for him to care much about thought Angels were messengers and warriors of God, protectors of Humans. He knows that how they’re really described in the Bible is actually pretty terrifying, but at least they were told by God that they’re supposed to love Humans, right? 

That’s a thousand times better than what Angels really turned out to be.

Checked Out

Summary:  Castiel Novak can think of many writers who would not be welcome under the roof of Heaven’s Gate library, where he is the librarian: Ayn Rand ranks highly (no explanation needed), as does Charles Dickens (he hasn’t forgiven Charles for the month he lost to The Pickwick Papers). And, of course, Dean Winchester. Dean Winchester, local author and obvious a-hole, who is entirely too handsome to be true and who is clearly totally lacking in profundity, intelligence, sincerity, and self-awareness. Unfortunately, though, Dean’s been invited to do a book signing at Heaven’s Gate - and Castiel’s about to be confronted by some unexpected feelings when he finally meets Dean for the first time.

A Ghost Story

Summary:  Castiel Novak has haunted his family's estate for 150 years, awaiting the return of his lost love. Upon their reunion, Dean Winchester learns of his past reincarnation. After the night of Castiel's resurrection, the two try to find out why they've been given a second chance. The answers may be hidden in the forgotten memories of Dean's former life - but sometimes the truth is better left buried.

Patient Love

Summary: Castiel Novak is 27 when he suddenly loses his twin brother Jimmy, and his whole world turns to ashes. How do you deal with losing half of yourself when your whole life always revolved around the two of you, like yin and yang and black and white? How do you deal with a broken soul and old demons looming over you with no one to hold you back anymore?

After 10 years as a Navy Special Warfare Operator and more than a dozen deployments in both Afghanistan and Iraq, a battlefield injury forces 28-year-old Chief Petty Officer Dean Winchester to chose between being stuck behind a desk for the rest of his career or going back to civil life. When he learns about his friend Jimmy’s death, Dean makes his way back to Kansas with his heart in his throat and broken pieces at his feet.

Things are already complicated and painful enough as it is, but when former lovers Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak meet again after 10 years of radio silence and a galaxy of wounds and scars solidly standing between them, it feels like both a curse and a blessing has been placed on them both. Is there any hope in putting back their broken pieces together after a decade, and how do you deal with grief and broken dreams?

The Unbroken

Summary: Dean’s life had been made of running. He ran from a curse that had desolated his life ever since he was a child — whenever he got hurt, he turned into a goddamn human-torch, killing everyone around him — and he ran from himself and his own self-loathing.

But managing all that at the end of a world full of Croats lurking around every corner was easier said than done.

Until a mysterious man with tousled dark hair paired with blue eyes as clear as the sky during a hot summer’s day stopped him from free falling, literally. In one fell swoop, the stranger had not only saved his life but also calmed the wildfire threatening to burn everything in its wake.

There was something about Castiel that made Dean want to stop running but also hid something darker — something Dean couldn’t quite put his finger on. And between soft, pillowy lips and feather-like fingerprints, Cas could very well shatter Dean’s world and maybe help save the whole world in return.

While You Were Sleeping

Summary:  A Destiel version of While You Were Sleeping! Castiel is alone and floundering. He has a crush on one of the passengers who passes through his subway station every morning. When the man gets pushed onto the tracks, Cas saves him. But when they get to the hospital there's a mix up and Cas finds himself engaged to a complete stranger. Enter, the rest of the family, including big brother Dean. How will Cas navigate the relationship with his supposed future in-laws? What will he do when Sam finally wakes up? And why can't he stop thinking about Dean?

Purgatory, director's cut

Summary: this doesn’t have a summary but it is dean and cas in purgatory and it’s soooo cool! I promise it’s amazing and worth the read!

Basic Lessons in First Aid, Magical or Otherwise

Summary: Most people probably wouldn’t take the naked, heavily wounded man they found in an alley home with them. Most people probably wouldn’t also offer that man a place to stay and become his best friend after realizing he’s suffering from an intense case of post-traumatic retrograde amnesia. Most people probably wouldn’t then risk almost everything they know to save said man, and maybe save the world in the process.

But then again, Dean Winchester, RN (with a specialty in supernatural care), has never been like most people. He may not have a magical bone in his body, unlike his brother Sam, but he’ll do whatever it takes to help. Even if Castiel has questionable opinions about Star Trek.

What Greater Gift

Summary: Story idea: The most wanted woman in town has announced that she’ll only marry the one who can open her front door with the key around her cat’s neck. Many men try to hunt the cat down, chase and trap it, but to no avail, the cat is simply too quick, smart and clever, and always finds a way to evade and avoid them. You are the first one to figure out the obvious: Do not chase the cat. The cat is befriendable. Get the cat to trust you, to genuinely enjoy your company, and you can hang out with the cat. You may eventually be allowed to touch the cat. The cat will freely let you take the key.

From a prompt found on Tumblr. Saw this and I couldn't resist a Destiel AU, and I've been wanting to write Witch!Cas for ages.

I know when you go down all your darkest roads

Summary: Dean and Castiel go undercover as a couple going through therapy, in order to catch a monster that specifically targets couples dealing with issues, feeding on their distress, anger, and pain.

They end up going through a lot more than a case, unfolding feelings left untold for so long, discovering parts of each other they never intended to uncover.

But will the feelings raging inside them be enough to bring their walls down?

A Fish Out of Water

Summary: To tie up the loose ends of a hunt, Dean is forced to go undercover and visit Brock Pleasure Ranch, a horrifying establishment that markets its inhabitants to people with ‘monstrous’ tastes.

It should have been a simple thing, to persuade a mer to give him a few scales for a spell. All part of the usual Winchester byline: saving people, hunting things.

But Castiel is far less of a ‘thing’ than Dean expected. He might not be human, but he’s definitely a person. And that means he needs saving, too.

The Way to a Man’s Heart is Through Chlamydia

Summary: Dean doesn't expect to see his one night stand again, but then again he also doesn't expect to find out he has an STD. Sometimes life is hilarious like that.

Just as lost as I

Summary: Dean's been in love with Castiel for centuries. He keeps it buried, never letting himself get too close, but when Castiel goes missing he doesn't hesitate. He's going to find him if it’s the last thing he ever does.

Love Bites

Summary: Cas Novak graduated with a 4.0 in Mathematics, but not even Naomi Novak’s money could help him at job interviews. Anxious and dissatisfied with life, at nearly thirty he’s still washing dishes in the back of his best friend Hannah’s café.Until one night when his cat drags an injured bat into his apartment.

Dean may be a vampire, but he’s not an asshole (well, not much.) He feels like he owes the awkward guy for rescuing him from the cat’s clutches, so he sets about changing Cas's life.

A silly story about families who aren’t quite what they seem, fake boyfriends, and falling in love with someone who’s never, technically, met you.

The Bad Cop, Worse Cop Adventures of Freckles and Feathers

Summary: Miami. A place with beaches, babes, palm trees, and a growing drug-fueled crime organization. To help combat the drugs littering the streets, Captain Singer puts together a Tactical Narcotics Team composed of Miami's two finest and fearless officers. Charming casanova Dean Winchester has fought tooth and nail, rising through the ranks for this position. Trench coat toting Castiel Novak knows more hand-to-hand combative techniques than he does people skills. Between Dean's big mouth and Castiel's take-no-shit attitude, their introductory meeting ends on a less than stellar note and a couple of hard to shake nicknames.

After six months of partnership, the nicknames have stuck and so has the sexual tension. When a murder in the middle of the night launches their biggest lead on a cleverly evasive drug lord, Dean is shocked to find Sam at the center of it. Sam comes clean with his involvement and Charlie, their witness, seeks revenge against the man responsible for killing her friend. As the stakes rise higher so do Dean’s feelings putting everything in jeopardy. Is a cop with everything to prove, a cop with everything to lose, one computer hacker witness, and a damn good ADA enough to save the day?

The Care and Feeding of Castiel

Summary: Dean’s quiet time in the bunker is interrupted by some stranger-than-usual behavior from his angel. Oh, and feathers...there are a lot of those, too.

First Gentleman Wanted

Summary:  President of the United States Castiel Novak is popular, charismatic, and knee-deep in campaigning for a second term. He’d be the ideal candidate if it weren’t for the fact that he hasn’t dated once while in political office. With his opponent’s relentless PR team calling him incapable of emotional commitment, Castiel’s staff decides to remedy the situation by finding their boss a fake, picture-perfect boyfriend. And when Dean Winchester enters the scene, he and Cas become America’s new favorite couple, except they’ve got a whole lot of history between them and complicated feelings to resolve.

The Graveyard Shift

Summary: Dean’s favourite coffee shop, The Graveyard Shift, is only open after the sun goes down. Which is perfect for him, because that’s exactly when he craves coffee the most while doing the overnight at the fire hall. The coffee shop’s owner is pretty perfect too, but it’s kind of a bummer that Dean never gets to see Cas during the day. In a world where the supernatural live more or less in peace with the rest of humanity, it’s a little impolite to ask Cas just what he really is - or what his dark past entails.

The Path of Fireflies

Summary: After his humanity is restored, Dean wakes up in bed with Castiel, a wedding ring, and no memory of the past twelve years.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Summary: Heaven is white.Well. Isn’t that fucking stereotypical.-Dean isn’t really sure how he got here. Or even why he’s here. And hell, for all the times the Winchesters have died, he thinks he ought to know the drill by now. But what he doesn’t know is when most folks go, they find something different.

There’s a system God put in place. That when you’re gone (for good), there are a couple things you gotta do first. There are five people waiting for you.

They are the five people you meet in heaven.

Doing this made me realize I need to read more longer fics. I usually just read the short ficlets on tumblr but I need to broaden my horizon and read more. But yes! These are the AU’s currently in my bookmarks. Hope you find one to enjoy :)

[skz-belle]

Meeting the Team

Summary: A collection of stories detailing how Belle met each member of Stray Kids in chronological order

Genre: fluff, angst

Warnings: language, unedited, writing deteriorates as it goes on

Word Count: 5.8k

m.list

one: yang jeongin

The first day of being a trainee is horrifying, yet full of excitement. There was a moment where Belle was contemplating even entering the building, her fears of inadequacy were trying to weigh her down and drown her. She was standing in front of the building when someone bumped into her. 

“Oh, sorry! I was on my phone- I didn’t see you there.” The boy that ran into her explained his predicament. He looked very young and Belle felt for him immediately.

“It’s okay. Don’t even worry about it.” 

“I still feel bad though.” He looked at the ground with a small pout playing on his lips before whipping his head back up to look Belle in the eyes. “Are you a trainee?”

She was slightly startled by the sudden question and attitude change, yet she still answered. “Yep, today is my first day actually.” His smile grew even bigger after hearing her response.

“That’s great! Welcome to JYP Entertainment! I have been a trainee here for about 6 months, so I could maybe show you around?”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that. I’m sure you’re busy and I don’t want to cause trouble.”

“No! It wouldn’t cause any trouble! Plus I want to get to know you. You seem nice! What did you get in with?”

“Dance. How about you?”

“Singing. Maybe you could help me out with dancing? Oh! Or we could sing a duet together to begin our wonderful friendship!”

At this moment, all the worries Belle had melted away. She saw the pure child-like excitement in this boy’s eyes and she knew that this had the potential to be a strong friendship to help her down the harsh path they were both pursuing. They had just met, but they felt something strange with the other that felt like home. True friendship was blossoming.

“That sounds really nice. I’m Belle by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Belle. I am Jeongin.”

two- bang chan

Being a trainee at JYP meant unknowingly signing up to be part of a large gossip circle. Most every trainee knew each other, or at least of each other. It was a small pool to pull from, so every single bit of knowledge that could be obtained from the internet or primary sources was put to use; basically everyone knew a lot about Belle, and she knew a lot about them. 

Belle had heard the name Chan before, everyone had. Arguably being the most well known trainee, and having been there for as long as he had made it almost impossible to not have heard about him. He was very talented and anyone could see that.

Despite hearing about him so often, Belle did not get the chance to meet Chan until one fateful night when she was struggling to prepare for her second monthly evaluation. Belle shivered at the mere thought of failing during one of those infamous days, so she was pulling an all-nighter to prepare. The dance she had picked was very technical, which left room for multiple errors. This had Belle frustrated and ready to sleep, despite knowing she had many hours of practice ahead of her. 

She took a deep breath and played the song once more. After completing the dance for the nth time that night, she heard clapping from the doorway. She assumed it was Jeongin, the only friend she had made thus far and brushed it off. She knew she was about to get an earful for still practicing at this hour. 

Instead of Jeongin’s voice, a deep smooth voice spoke up. “Wow, the rumors were not wrong. You’re incredible.” Belle whipped her head around to see the one and only Bang Chan standing in the doorway with a small smile playing on his lips. 

“Um, thank you?” All Belle managed to get out were those few words. It was a shock to her system to meet someone so well known and to have him complement her. This earned a small chuckle from the man.

“Sorry, that did come off a little creepy, didn’t it?” Belle finally gave him a bit of a smile as he continued, “I was passing by and I heard the music, and I was kind of curious who was still here at two in the morning. Belle, right?”

“That’s me. Chan, right?” 

“The one and only. I was just about to go take a break and get a snack if you want to come with.” Shock took over Belle’s mind. This is the man that trainees swooned over, and he was asking her to take a break with him?

“Sure, I need a break anyways.” She quickly gathered her things and made her way to Chan.

“So, mind telling me why you’re working on an already great dance piece at this ungodly hour?” Chan’s question pierced the momentary silence as they began the walk to the vending machines.

“I have evaluations tomorrow. I guess practicing makes me less nervous?”

“You are already amazing, I can promise you that staying up this late won’t help you.”

“I know it won’t, but I just can’t help it.” She looked over to him to see him looking straight forward down the long hallway. “Enough about me and my stupidity, why are you still up?”

“Would it make me a hypocrite if I said the same reason as you?” Chan let out a nervous giggle and Belle just rolled her eyes. 

“That is the exact definition of a hypocrite.” She looked over at him again to see his ears flushed with the tiniest bit of color. “Y’know, you don’t need to stay late either. It’s kind of unfair how talented you are.”

“I never took you for the flattery type.” Chan jokes whilst bumping his shoulder with Belle’s.

“It’s not flattery if it’s true! Half the trainees want to date you, and the other half want to be you. You’re crazy talented, and you should know that.”

“Thank you. I think we should hang out more often, you aren’t as cold as people make you out to be. You’re fun to be around.”

“Why thank you. The rumor mill isn’t that kind to me, but thanks for taking a chance on me. By the way, if I see you spending any more late nights here I will make you get some sleep. Just keep that in mind.” And of course, she carried her promise through like a friend should do.

three: lee minho

There was always such a burden placed on those who entered the trainee life through the way of dance. There was a much bigger strain on them to improve other skills, such as rapping or singing. Belle always tried to work hard, however she tended to focus on dance, as that was a major passion of hers. Rap and other musical forms are also very influential passions, but her first love was dance. 

She was focusing on the steps to the current dance she was trying to master and failed to focus on the rest of the room, per usual. Dancing had a strange way of hypnotizing Belle and making her focus solely on the moves and flow of the song. It was part of why it was her first love- the immersive qualities of it that produced euphoria when she completed a dance without errors. However, that was not happening for her. She couldn’t get a simple move down and it irked her. She huffed as she slumped down on the practice room floor and watched the video once more to try to get her bearings. 

She focused on the small screen intently- her will to learn and improve was strong and evident in how her eyes followed the figure as it flowed across the screen pixel by pixel. She took a deep breath before attempting the step again, and failing once again. She was a talented dancer according to higher-ups in the company, so why couldn’t she get this right?

“You have to have a lot of skill to mess up a move that simple.” A voice cut through the air in the nearly empty practice room. A boy stood before her; he didn’t look to be that much older than Belle, which confused the poor dancer even more.

“I’m sorry, may I help you?” Belle’s voice was light and soft compared to his rather harsh tone. 

“Yeah, you’re Belle, right? Your scheduled time for this room was up nearly fifteen minutes ago and I have been waiting for you to get the hint and leave.” His tone became even more harsh and he sent a rather menacing glare towards Belle.

“I- I’m sorry. I got caught up and lost track of time.” She remembered looking at the sheet earlier. This was Lee Minho, another trainee who just happened to be a dance prodigy. The name stood out to her earlier and she was planning on leaving a few minutes early to avoid meeting him, but that obviously didn’t work out the way Belle planned.

“Yeah well that’s obvious. I would have been more understanding if it was a more complicated move you were stuck on. Who in the world would have trouble with that move? A child?” His voice was now higher, almost as if intentionally mocking Belle who was now close to tears, though she would never let a random, rude stranger see her cry.

“The room is yours now. See you later Lee Minho.” She mumbled as she dashed to gather her things and leave. Minho’s anger from the wait had faded, and he felt a little guilty about being so harsh, but he pushed those thoughts aside to focus on the dance he needed to learn and perfect.

four: han jisung

Friendships tend to blossom due to unforeseen and unusual circumstances, at least in Belle’s case. She had also had a knack for getting into awkward situations inadvertently, which was a true chaotic neutral gift. It was a sunny summer day, and it was one that she had off, which made it all the more better. She knew there were better ways than this to spend such a precious day, but she had to go shopping for new clothes. It’s not that there was anything wrong with shopping, it just wasn’t necessarily something Belle enjoyed doing. 

She was in the middle of the mall, which was surprisingly packed for such a perfect day. She was absorbed in the atmosphere; the soft glow of the store signs in contrast to the rather harsh fluorescent overhead lights was suddenly the most interesting aesthetic to the eclectic girl.

While being so wrapped up in the scenery, she bumped into someone headfirst with such force she fell to the ground. 

“Oh my gosh,” the other party in the collision, a boy close to Belle’s age, whispered as he took in the events that just transpired. “I am so so sorry- I wasn’t paying much attention to where I was going.”

“It’s okay! No harm done- plus I was kinda lost in thought so it was partially my fault too. Sorry, by the way.” Belle was borderline rambling as she too took in what just happened; it was so sudden and it happened so quickly that her mind still had not quite wrapped around the entire tumble-incident. Plus, after looking at the boy she knew that he looked familiar, but she just didn’t know how.

“It happens. I’m just glad it was with you instead of some mean old lady.” He laughs softly as he tries to keep the conversation flowing smoothly. Belle laughed along, but gasped shortly after once she connected from where she knew his face.

“You’re a trainee at JYP too, aren’t you?” His face morphs into one of shock, then his face breaks out into one of the brightest smiles Belle had ever seen. 

“I am! I knew that I knew you from somewhere!”

“Same here! It was bugging me ever since I saw you.” They both chucked at the experience the two had unknowingly shared. “I’m Belle, it’s nice to meet you!”

“I’m Jisung, it’s nice to meet you as well.”

“Since I kinda inconvenienced you, could I interest you in some food? I can pay and we can bond over the wondrous trainee life.”

“If you think I am going to let you pay for all of it, you have something else coming.”

“Alright, it’s on.” A competitive grin was shared between the two of them, and before Jisung had time to react, she was dragging him away, presumably to a restaurant.There was something about him and the chemistry that sparked Belle’s interest. She had a feeling that this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

five: seo changbin

It had been a month or so since Belle had met Jisung, and it was safe to say that both her and Jeongin were never bored. Belle had discovered that the two knew each other, which led to group hangouts and shenanigans, which always ended with smiles and laughter fresh in their minds. 

Belle was currently with Jisung in a studio, and was listening to some of the music he had produced. When Belle found out that he produced music, she was amazed. It wasn’t that she thought he couldn’t, but she just didn’t see that vibe from him. That quickly changed, as she demanded to hear some of his work, which resulted in her becoming his number one supporter and fan. 

She also discovered that he worked with two other trainees and had formed a group of sorts. Jisung had not told her the name of the group, but did tell her the stage names of the other two trainees: CB97 and SPEARB. They intrigued Belle, as she wanted to consume all Jisung’s musical endeavors and was near rabid at the thought of what he and two other producers of his skill level could produce. 

“Hey, sweet-cheeks, it is getting kinda late- shouldn’t you get to sleep?” Jisung looked over his shoulder at the girl who was still listening to the music playing in the background before she looked to her phone to see the time.

“What are you talking about Ji? It’s still pretty early.”

“I’m not sure if eleven at night qualifies as early, but I just want you to be well rested.” Belle’s eyebrows furrow as she takes in her friend’s strange behavior.

“You’re trying to kick me out, oh my god.” Jisung’s eyes widen in shock as he frantically scrambles to get rid of the accusations.

“No no no no, I just- it was- ugh,” he takes a breath to gather his thoughts, “It was supposed to be a secret, but the guys from the group are coming soon and I didn’t know if you wanted to stay for that, or if you would be comfortable, or if it would be too weird, or-”

“Ji, calm down, okay? I can leave if you want me to with no problem, but I wouldn’t mind staying as long as it is okay with you.”

“I mean, I wasn’t sure but-” Jisung was cut off by the door squeaking open to reveal Bang Chan. Belle had not spoken to Chan too often, of course she checked up on him as much as possible, but with the life of a trainee there was not much time to spare.

“Oh, is this a bad time? I am a bit early.” Chan looked to Belle and Jisung with a bit of confusion before Jisung started explaining.

“No, come on in. This is Belle- I invited her to stay for the session.”

“We met a while ago. You better be getting enough sleep mister.” Belle looked to the man in mock anger causing Chan to laugh.

“I have been. You better be getting enough sleep too.”

“She hasn’t. She stays up to annoy the living shit out of me.” Jisung interjects, and Belle gasps in faux dismay.

“Oh, you know you love me.” She laughs as she pokes his side through an opening on the chair he was still situated in.

“I would, or else I would have slapped you weeks ago.”

“You still haven’t told me the name of this whole group yet! I wouldn’t call that love.” Belle’s teasing was cut short when Chan laughed.

“You brought her to a brainstorming session and she doesn’t even know the name of our group?” Chan’s voice was teasing, which caused a faint wash of red to spear on the younger’s cheeks.

“Yes! He is so mean to me. What is y’all’s name by the way.” Belle looked to Chan with pure curiosity glistening in her brown eyes.

“3RACHA. I’m assuming he didn’t tell you who was in it either?” Belle shook her head and Chan laughed once again, causing the blush on Jisung’s face to darken ever so slightly. “CB97, SPEARB, and J.ONE are our stage names. I’m CB97, for obvious reasons, Jisung is J.ONE, and Changbin is SPEARB.”

“Changbin?” 

“You haven’t met him yet?”

“Not yet, no.”

“You will soon- he should be here any minute. He’s cool though, don’t worry.”

“Yeah, he has to be cool to hang with us.” Jisung piped up, making Belle and Chan laugh.

“You cried when you saw a baby bird last week, I wouldn’t classify that as cool, my dude.” Chan laughed at the memory as he recalled the teary eyed boy looking into the sparrow’s nest on the sidewalk.

“And you screamed when you saw a spider yesterday.” Belle added with tears now forming in her eyes from the hilarious memory and new information combined.

“Yah! Stop ganging up on me! This is no fun!” Jisung whined as he hid his face behind his arms.

“What are you fussing about this time, Jisung?” A new voice called out as it entered the room. It belonged to a boy that Belle assumed to be Changbin. He stopped in his tracks once he saw the new face in the room, as he wasn’t expecting anyone other than the boys.

“Changbin! Finally! This is Belle, she is a good friend of mine and is going to stay and watch the coolest people she knows work on some music.” Jisung’s head perked up the moment he heard Changbin’s voice and he said the entirety of his quick introduction with a smile.

“Nice to meet you, Changbin.” Belle shot a smile to the boy, who was looking towards her with a similar smile as well.

“Nice to meet you too, Belle. Also I am sorry about Jisung in advance.”

“Hey! I am a joy!” Jisung adamantly defends his name.

Without missing a beat, Belle replied: “To get rid of.” making the other two boys cackle and Jisung look shocked.

“I’m so hurt.” Jisung put a hand over his heart and let out a fake sniffle or two.

“Awh Jisungie~” Changbin cooes 

“Nevermind- go away.” Changbin’s resolve doesn’t budge and he continues to coo at the poor boy. Belle hadn’t even heard any of their music yet, but she was already having a wonderful time with the boys. She knew she would love the music, and probably be a repeat visitor for 3RACHA’s meetings, if they allowed it.

six: kim seungmin

Vocals were a weak point for Belle. She loved to sing and to create a story using only her voice, but she was always told she was lacking at it. She took every aspect of her training unbelievably seriously, but she knew she had to improve her vocal ability, meaning she squeezed every ounce of soul she had into her vocal lessons. She also, like with her dance lessons, tended to stay after to work on some key points solo. This was a good way for her to clear her mind and not focus on anything else except improvement. 

One particular day, she was beaten down by her vocal instructor. The song that was selected for her was written in a rather high key. This was to challenge her and test her limits, as well as see how far she had come. Belle’s natural vocal register was rather low. There was nothing wrong with it, but there was pressure to conform to traditional idol standards of having a high register, as a female idol. The pressure was mainly from her vocal coach, but there was a desire within Belle to succeed and be able to do the standard in K-Pop. 

She was in the room designated for vocal coaching after hours, and was staring blankly at the sheet of music before her. Nearly half the notes seemed out of reach no matter how she tried and strained her voice. She was frustrated, yes, but she knew she needed to succeed. She glanced at her phone to see a text from Jeongin, which only fueled her resolve to be the best.

Jeongin: You got this! I hope you get some sleep soon… call me if you need anything

She sent a quick thank you message back and resumed her practice.

After a few more attempts at the piece with the same results, she heard a light knock on the door. She cracked it open to see a boy standing there with a few small chip bags in his hands.

“Hi?” Belle timidly said to the stranger.

“Hey, I know this is sudden, but the vending machine gave me some extras by accident, and I heard you in here and wanted to know if you wanted some.” The boy was obviously nervous by asking, but Belle found it endearing, and very generous to be willing to give a stranger late-night snacks.

“I would love some! Thank you for offering. What do you have?” After being shown his limited selection, Belle makes her choice and thanks him once again.

“What are you doing here so late at night anyways?” The girl questions the boy, who has grown more comfortable in her presence.

“I’m working on a song, and I just couldn’t get it how I want. I just finished, thankfully, but I guess  kinda lost track of time while I was singing.” The boy says, bringing his hand to the nape of his neck in unease just thinking about the sheer amount of time he spent rehearsing.

“I feel you on that. I have been trying to sing this damn song for hours, but I’m just not getting it.” Belle muttered in exasperation. The boy looked at the sheet music Belle was glaring at and let out a small noise of indignation.

“You have to sing that? You seem to have a lower register based on how you talk…” he trailed off in thought. “I could try to help if you want?”

“Oh no, I couldn’t ask you to do that. You already got me snacks and you were ready to go home.” Belle looked at the boy as if he had grown three heads for offering to help her. 

“Nonsense, it is practically my duty to help you. Now, what is your name?”

“Belle. Your’s?”

“Seungmin. Now, let’s hear what you have so far.” Seungmin analyzes Belle’s posture, oral movements, vocal technique, and the sheet music as she sings. It is almost scary how he switched from a pleasant and easy-going teenager to a almost professional artist within the span of seconds- and he is only a trainee! 

After Belle had finished, she looked to Seungmin who looked deep in thought. “Your technique is the only thing that needs work. I’m surprised your vocal coach didn’t tell you about this. You seem to be reaching and straining for the higher notes while still in your chest voice. Try putting a bit less pressure on your diaphram and focusing the epicenter of your voice further up and closer to your head rather than your chest.” Belle took in every word Seungmin said like it was the very oxygen she needed to breathe. “Now, take that and try it again. You’ve got this. I believe in you.”

She shot him a smile at his encouraging words, took in a deep breath, and began the song once again. The notes that moments ago seemed so out of reach were now attainable. The song flowed with such a grace that Belle herself wasn’t aware she could produce. Of course, it was not perfect, but it was so much better that Belle was teary-eyed by the end of it.

“Holy shit.” She breathed out once she had completed the song.

“Holy shit indeed.” Seungmin said with a cocky smile adorning his lips. “Again!”

seven: kim woojin

Trainee life is never easy. Everyone who knows about K-Pop knows this fact. Trainees are usually so busy and wrapped up in the monthly activities and weekly classes that they have little time to contemplate this during their actual training period. There are times when a trainee just stops the grueling activities they willingly partake in catch up with them, and they are forced to face the questions and concerns of reality. Of course this has happened to Belle, honestly more times than the girl is willing to admit. She usually finds comfort in those she is close to. However, one special day, she gets to be the calm and anchor for another.

A group dance practice had just ended. It consisted of about ten trainees and a dance coach that was instructing them on how to properly dance to GOT7’s song “Never Ever”. The class ended and Belle was gathering her belongings when she noticed a fellow trainee sitting next to his things idly. This was a red flag, as no trainee usually wasted time doing nothing; they always tried to cram their social and family lives in when they were not enduring the training. The second red flag was the crestfallen look that graced his face. He looked hurt, confused, and heart-broken. 

Belle contemplated not going over to the boy, but her hesitation flew out the window when his eyes became more teary by the second. By this point, it was just the two in the practice room. Everyone else had gone about their day to do what had to be done; these two seemed stuck in a moment that never ended.

Belle walked over to the boy. She recognized him: Kim Woojin. Belle thought him to be an amazing vocalist and she believed him to be kind, though the two had never properly met. She knelt down before the boy, “Hey, are you okay?” He looked up, startled by the sudden voice, and the sight almost broke Belle’s heart. His eyes were teary- it was obvious he was doing his best to not break down completely. 

“Yeah.” His voice was quiet and wavering. Belle frowned at his answer.

“Are you sure? I know we don’t know each other, but that could make me a good person to vent to. You don’t have to, but the offer stands if you need it.” A moment of silence passes the two and then he breaks.

“What if I’m not good enough?” His question hit home for Belle. Every trainee struggled with this, and it has caused many talented individuals to quit out of fear of rejection. “What if I am wasting this amazing period of my life for a dream that I can never attain?” Woojin lets a single tear trail down his cheek before hurriedly wiping it away. Another moment of comfortable silence passed and Woojin found solstace in another person being with him and not judging him during this vulnerable moment. 

“I know we’re strangers, but your talent is indescribable. If anyone is good enough, it is you.” Belle’s kind and true words strike a chord with Woojin. He looked to the girl and gave her a smile full of appreciation and hope.

“Thank you.”

eight: hwang hyunjin

Another month arrived and another monthly evaluation was assigned. This month was special, as it was an opportunity to show a different side of the dance-focused trainees; there was a mandatory duet opportunity that would replace the normal evaluation. Partners were assigned based on skill level, and each pair was given a genre of dance. 

When Belle was called in to meet her partner, she was immediately met with disappointment. Hwang Hyunjin was her partner. Belle knew he was talented, and everyone knew he was attractive, but there was a personal issue here. Hyunjin and Jisung were well known enemies. No one knows exactly how the feud began, but Belle was adamant about siding with and supporting her friend. 

After gaining the needed information, the two left and only spoke to exchange details of where and when to meet in order to practice. The time to do so came far too quickly for Belle’s liking, and she found herself sitting a few feet from the man while browsing their phones to find a song that fit their dance theme. The theme was hip-hop, yet every song seemed to only appeal to one of the duo.

“Can we please just agree on a song?” Hyunjin pleaded with Belle after fifteen minutes of constant back-and-forth over song suggestions.

“Suggest something decent then.” Belle knew she was being sassy, maybe borderline bitchy, but based on how he had treated Jisung, this was what she deemed best. Hyunjin groaned in frustration, and went back to searching his phone.

After a few more song titles were thrown around, he finally had had enough. “Why do you hate me?”

“I don’t necessarily hate you, but you are rude to a close friend of mine.”

“That’s no reason to be this mean.”

“I believe it is the perfect reason to do so.”

“You’re so goddamn infuriating!”

“Ditto.” The rest of the day progressed similarly; nothing got accomplished with the two bickering. 

The next day, they saw that in order to survive the trainee lifestyle, they had to work together. While not happy about it, they did what they had to do. They picked a song within five minutes and began choreographing soon thereafter. 

As the days went on, they found that they were not dreading the other’s company. It was a strange shift that both recognized, yet did not speak of. It was refreshing to have another friend at the company for both Belle and Hyunjin. Belle realized that she didn’t have to partake in her friend’s anger towards the boy, which changed her entire attitude towards the boy. She saw him through her own lens, not through anyone else’s.

“Okay, so how about we do a freestyle part of the dance? We could each show off our more personal and technical dance moves.” Belle suggested one day at practice. 

“I think it could work. The other person could be a bit in the back like a hype man, y’know?”

“That would be cool. Having Hwang Hyunjin as my hype man.”

“I already am, you idiot.” He gave Belle a playful shove and they continued on rehearsing.

The day to perform for the monthly evaluation panel came too soon for the duo’s liking. They were both confident in their choreography and each other, but the perfectionist side of them craved more time to practice.

They entered the room and nodded towards each other before taking their places to begin the dance. The music began and it seemed like the rest of the room faded away, leaving only the two of them. The teamwork they inadvertently built up showed and they moved as one entity. Their emotions poured from the dance almost as if they were expressing it through a heartfelt speech, not just through movement. 

They ended the dance and bowed to the judges before exiting.

“How do you think we did?” Belle asked Hyunjin, her nerves were evident in her voice.

“I think we killed it. How about I take the best dance partner out for a celebratory meal after we get our scores.” Belle laughs at his boldness. 

“That sounds like a plan, partner.” Belle’s mind was in awe over the fact that someone she once disliked could become a friend, and that the past could be pushed aside to succeed and gain companionship.

“Stop calling me partner. You sound like a cowgirl, idiot.”

nine: lee felix

Mornings at JYP always seemed intense. Dozens of interns and managers were bustling around prepping for an eventful day, artists were emerging and beginning their daily routines, producers and executives roamed the halls at random, and hand-fulls of trainees were scampering around trying to navigate the seemingly moving walls of the company. To put it lightly, it had great potential to be overwhelming. 

Belle had become immune to the chaos of the hallways but always did her best to avoid busiest ones. It wasn’t a matter of if she could handle it, but rather an issue of could the hallways handle her. Yet one day, she had to go down the main passageway and face the hoards of people running and passing her. It was annoying and a nuisance to the girl. 

She was almost to the end when she saw a boy pushed against the wall looking up and down the long hallway with a perplexed look on his face. This wasn’t an uncommon sight, but there was something about his kid that made her want to help. Maybe it was the innocence in his eyes, or the soft presece he exuded, but she made her way over to him.

“Hey, are you okay? You look a little overwhelmed.” She had a small smile on her face, as to not scare him off, but the poor boy still looked intimidated.

“I’m looking for practice room 204.” His voice was shaky, yet he was trying to play it off. His Korean was a bit broken, yet understandable.

“I can help. Is there another language you want to converse in?”

“English?”

“Ok! Hi, my name is Belle.”

“I’m Felix.” His accent when speaking English was a shock to Belle; she believed it to be Australian.

“Nice to meet you! And sorry that this hallway is such a bear. It gets better eventually, I promise.”On the walk to the practice room, the two continued talking. Belle discovered Felix was rather quiet, but when he spoke it was well-worth listening. Though she had only spoken to the boy for a few minutes, she was already quite fond of him. The rest of the hallways seemed to quiet down and almost disappear as they focused on the other in an attempt to block it out.

“There’s actually another trainee here that is from Australia. I could introduce you two if you would like.” Belle offered, and the boy’s face lit up.

“That would be great! And thank you so much for the help.”

“It’s no problem. I got to meet you, and that is all the thanks I need.”

[espship18]

Kpop ship for stayxdontxstray

Hello amazing people! I am back once again with a ship, and this time it is for @stayxdontxstray ! I had a lot of fun with this ship so without further a do, let’s go sailing on the boat of ships! lol 

Based off your request, I learned these things about you: 

Around 5′4 with a petite frame and toned legs 

Long brown hair and hazel eyes

You can be headstrong and a hothead 

But you’re actually a smol bean who hates confrontation omg girl same

Very loyal

Lowkey craves affection and attention but can also be shy 

A case of RBF

You have a good sense of humor 

Loves to make the most out of life 

You also tend to procrastinate and daydream 

And in your request you have asked to be shipped with Monsta X, NCT, Pentagon, and VIXX! You sound just wonderful so I’m so excited to ship you! 

Monsta X: Minhyuk 

Okay so you two are the cutest beans in all the land, so therefore I ship. I have substantial evidence to support my claim as well. When you two are together, there is sunshine all around- even when one of you is having a bad day, you two just make each other happy. You each were bitten by the lovebug when you met, and you two always continue to never have a dull moment. Evidence number one as to why I ship you two is that not only did you get yourself a lover, but you got yourself a best friend. Minhyuk always knows 1)what to do, 2)what to say, 3)how to make you laugh, and 4)how to surprise you. He would just know you like a book. If you’re ever stressed and need a pick me up, Minhyuk’s gotchu. Date night? He’s gotchu. He’ll go buy pizza ingredients and you made homemade pizza and binge watch the latest show, it’s great. Minhyuk would be able to see past the RBF by the way. Hyuk would be really good at reading your facial expressions, so he would always know what mood you would be in. Like I said, he knows you. He always 110% there for you when you need support. Whether it be for work, or for school, or simply get the courage to ask for a pizza with specific toppings, He’S gOT YoU. He is also your personal comedian. He’s got the best corny jokes you could ever imagine. The joke can be absolutely awful tbh, but if it gets you to smile, he keeps that joke in the memory book for future use. You also love to crack jokes with him. You also like to prank him every now and then bc he’s easily scared. So you’ll hide in the clothes hamper and give him a little surprise. We all know he is a huge goofball, so like, he’s always doing something weird and goofy, and the moments where you both are alone at the apartment just not giving a crap and being goofy are some of the best times. Moving along, he loVES giving you affection. You know Minhyuk with puppies, right? Girl, you are like that puppy in the Buzzfeed video. Whether it be PDA or even simply talking/touching each other, he loves to focus on you, know what’s new and fresh in your life, and he loves seeing your eyes light up when you get excited. He’s also the king at surprising you. Flowers, a road trip, your favorite take out, he will always surprise you! A lot of spontaneous trips, mostly because when he see’s a place with good restaurants, he’s like ‘LET’S GO’ so you go. Lastly, king of PDA. So many snuggles, and kisses, and hugs, and hand holding. He loves to kiss your forehead and hold your hands, the way you fit perfectly around his arms makes him so happy and calm, he never wants to let go. 

NCT: Haechan

Okay so, there are literally so many options I could choose from, but for some reason why, Haechan is getting in my face like ‘PICK ME WOMAN’ so, here we are. You two would be a very domestic couple. Simplicity at its finest, and you’re just love sick puppies for one another. You two also joke around a lot. Right off the bat, I know Haechan would like to poke at your RBF. Similar to Minhyuk, he would know how to read your face so he would know if you were mad or not, but he does like to poke. You equally poke back at him but you’re always laughing by the end of things. You two can also be quite spontaneous. There is a good balance of wild and mild between you two, and if you’re down to go out on an adventure, you’re out in the city with no plan, some money, and hearts set for fun. And then if you’re not feeling going out, you have a karaoke party in the apartment, which can be equally as fun as to going out in the city. And then there are times when you want to be spontaneous and go to a new area. As long as you’re together, nothing else matters. Haechan would also be very affectionate towards you. This technically isn’t PDA so, I’m touching on this now. Haechan is a sweet bub by nature, so don’t be surprised if he goes on these rants about how much he adores you or how happy he is to have you in his life. Haechan would be very open about his feelings since the beginning, and you’re not against it, in fact that’s one of the reasons you fell for him anyway. You also love giving affection back to him, so you two would be very in tact with your feelings. You’re sweet and soft, but again, you can be spicy and sassy. I literally laughed out loud at the thought of this, but your hotheaded nature and his savageness results in a lot of playful bickering. The best times to bicker is when you’re with Chan’s fellow members and when you two bicker with each other, it’s always hilarious to have the members side with one of you, then you have a whole debate about the topic. Idk why I love the thought, I just do. Moving along to date night, date night is side and sweet. For you two, date night is a form of relaxing and bonding, because you both can get really busy and you never want to take your stress out on each other, so you two like to order take out, trying out new restaurants every time, and you’ll play some video games or watch a movie or two. You two also enjoy going to parks! PDA wise, I think Chan would be a little shy tbh. He’s not scared to be judged, but he just gets nervous to see other peoples reactions. He loves to hug you and give you cheek and lip kisses, he also loves to hold your hands, and rub his thumb over the top of your hand. Ugh you two are so cute. 

Pentagon: Kino

When I think of you and Kino, I think of shy beans who love to go out and have a ball. Again, there are a lot of options to choose from when it comes to you, but the more I thought about you and Kino together, the more my heart went uwu. Starting out, you two would be very shy with each other. He wouldn’t want to be too forward and make you uncomfortable in any way, and you wouldn’t know when to hold his hand or compliment him. You two would be this cute bundle of red cheek mess, and I’m living for it. However, you both come out of your shells and you got super close when you did. I’m gonna lay this on the table right now, he is your personal snuggle bear. He loves it when you hug and snuggle on him, so like if you want hugs in the mall while you’re eating in the food court, he’ll tuck you into his side. Or if you’re at home, you will literally bend his arms and body in a position that you want to get snuggles. He doesn’t entirely mind it though. You also do not have to worry about getting motivation to get things done. Idk, I see Kino as someone who has the energy to take on big tasks at once and he easily becomes the perfect person to help you get motivation. You two can be such a proactive couple, and that is super cute to me, don't judge me. And honestly it doesn’t matter if you two are working on something together, like working on cleaning the apartment, or working on something separately, like tasks for jobs, you two work well together. You both help each other out a lot, so you would work well together, almost complimenting each other in a way. I also have this thought about you daydreaming, listen. One day Kino would catch you zoned the f out as you’re daydreaming about something. Your facial expression sort of worried him, and he would give you a light shake to wake you from your trance. When you settled down from nearly being scared to death(like I said, you were zoned out), Kino would still be worried. But as soon as you tell him that you were daydreaming, he instantly relaxes and he is very intrigued on what you were daydreaming about. You’d be a little shy to tell him but his whole face would light up when you told him what you were thinking about. He would want to know the little details, he just loves to hear what’s going on with you. He also loves to have your attention in general. Date night is always him, but what happens during date night depends on your moods- sometimes you go out, sometimes you don’t. But you’re always giggling and laughing, hands holding one another at some point. You two also slow dance to your song every time ;). PDA wise, if you’re not wanting the affection, he tends to be more reserved with PDA. He enjoys saving the sweet stuff behind closed doors. 

VIXX: Ravi 

So when I was choosing a member, I wanted to go with Ken, but then I was like nah nah boy and I thought harder. Now, here we are. I love you and Ravi together, like I love it a lot. You would compliment each other nicely, much to people beliefs. I love comparing couples to things, so you and Ravi would be like ying and yang, you’re just too cute! And I just love the thought of this, you two would have good girl-bad boy aesthetic going on. Is my mind going back to the 50s? Yes. And am I ashamed of it? No. Ravi is also helplessly in love with you, so you will not change my mind on that. He is so whipped for you, you can crush his tough guy stature like a walnut or any other nut that is easy to crack lol. He is just so soft for you, and I am here for it. You would give him so much motivation and inspiration for things like staying happy, for motivation, or for lyrics for his songs. I can see a lot of his inspiration coming from memories that you two have made together. From your travels, to dates, to simply looking at each other, Ravi can get so much inspiration- which by the way you would have endless songs dedicated to you. Ravi would also be constantly scared to lose you. He would allow some of his anxiety to take over and he would always want to be the very best for you, so he could be a provider for you and he could take care of you. Ravi wouldn’t always admit that he is scared to lose you, but a lot of his actions speak for itself. You love to call him out on it, mostly because that’s one of the times that you can make him flustered. You love to cup his cheek, give him a kiss on the lips and tell him how much he means to you. Then he just wraps his arms around you and it’s so soFT anD I NEED A TISSUE. He’s also so quick to stand up for you on social media. He takes no bulshit from haters, and he is very quick to shut a hater down. He also highkey loves it if you ever get pissed off at one of his haters and you pop off. It’s funny for him when he see’s how your ears glow red or just simply loves to see you rant about something. Moving right along, pet names are your shit, listen up. You two have multiple nick names for each other and they get changed often. Again, I can really see Ravi being whipped for you, so he wouldn’t be afraid to call you some cute ass nickname like lovebug or baby doll, whatever he see’s that fits the most. You love to take it one step further and have joking nicknames, but those nicknames mean the world to him. I want to touch on this super quick- two words. SLOW. DANCING. I love this concept so much. He loves to have you wrapped in his arms with his cheek resting on your head, eyes closed, dancing to an old school love song. My 50s dream is living right now, but dear lord it is so sweet. PDA wise, I think Ravi would be possessive. He would always like to keep you close, and he ain’t afraid to make out with you in front of a guy who looks at you the wrong way. Don't mess with his girl. 

~STA

[foureoreos]

Amending Fences

This is a short bruise fic I wrote that has to do with this post, my little bruise Headcanon ^^

I posted it on my FanFiction.Net account as well XD

I updated it a bit.

"Hi…" Jay said, standing in front of the lower steps to Sensei Yang's temple as he met eyes with someone he hadn't seen in a long long time.

His best friend was there before him, sitting on the third step.

His best friend that he hadn't seen in years.

What kept them apart?

"Hi," Cole said back, trying to avoid an uncomfortable silence.

It was Jay's idea to meet at the temple. He had called Cole up a couple days ago and asked him what he was up to. The former black ninja sounded bored and Jay suggested that they meet, Tuesday at 3:15 PM.

"Is this step taken?" Jay asked humorously, pointing at the empty space next to Cole. In response, Cole patted on the step, urging Jay to sit down.

Quite suddenly, Cole reached behind him and pulled out a blue object. As soon as Jay's eyes fell on it, he let out a gasp and hugged it close to his chest.

"Mr. Cuddlywumps? I've been looking for him for years!"

"You left it in your room the day I accidentally sliced him. I fixed him up and forgot to give him back, until now."

Jay bit the inside of his cheek before showing Cole a friendly smile, but it quickly fell into a crooked grin. He had meant for that to hide his awkwardness due to the silence falling between them once again. It just felt so… odd to be meeting someone again after years of not seeing one another - especially when that someone was someone you had a strong relationship with.

"Thanks. I owe you one."

"Don't mention it. What are friends for?"

At first, Jay's eyes just lit up when he heard those words leave Cole's mouth, but it was then he noticed the unease and doubt in Cole's voice.

"Yeah, what are friends for?" He rested Mr. Cuddlywumps on his lap and awed silently at how brand new he looked. Cole must've really taken the time to patch everything back together, Jay thought, examining every inch of the bear. Jay took in a deep breath and finally spoke, "So how's life been treating ya so far, huh?"

It had been dead silent for nearly five whole minutes, that Cole had forgotten where and what he was doing until Jay's voice snapped him back to reality. He swallowed and ran a hand through his hair, thinking.

"Boring and kinda lonely… Kai and I go downtown together sometimes, but that's basically it. No more bad guys, no more fighting."

Jay snickered at his friend's remark. "Well, technically there could still be the simple bad guys. Like thieves and speedsters - yeah, well, actually, I dunno if speedsters are considered bad people." He shrugged at his own words. "Doesn't matter anyways. What I mean is, there's always bad people in the world."

"Yeah, I gotcha," Cole said to him, chuckling a little.

He was glad that as Jay grew older, he was still as humorous as he remembered him to be. He missed the times like these, and he missed Jay. The blue comrade would always find a way to make his team laugh, and when Jay wasn't the one doing so, they would find a way to cheer him back up.

"How are things going with Nya?"

Jay cleared his throat and rewinded the question in his head. In all honesty, he had expected Cole to ask him that, and he thought through all the possible ways to answer, but now that it finally happened, he didn't know how to respond.

"Oh, Nya… right."

"Wait - that didn't sound… right. Did something happen?"

Jay looked to the ground, gathering his words. "Nya and I broke up."

Cole jerked up straighter and turned to him, a look of shock and confusion stricken on his face. "What? Why?"

"Fate just had other plans, I guess. It's not her fault, and it isn't mine either…"

"Oh, sorry bout that. It must've been tough. You two... Eh... You're relationship was a bit... Messy. Um, no offense." Cole bit his lip, regretting what he said.

Jay laughed and give a hearty shrug. "Yeah, no, I get it. It's true, but it was probably for the best. Besides, we control our own destinies, not those 'Cloud People' up in Cloud Kingdom. That made me a bit sad… knowing that my destiny was being written up there by someone else. But I mean, thank goodness that creep, Fenwick, is gone, right?" Jay laughed nervously and cleared his throat before continuing. "It's cool but it's weird." He leaned back and rested his elbows on the pavement, tilting his head at Cole.

"Hah, yeah, that was interesting. I think one of my most scariest memories was on the Day of the Departed."

"Which one? It's celebrated every year, Cole."

The dark haired rolled his eyes and nudged Jay ever so slightly. "You know which one."

"Is it the one where you told that story about escaping the rift? Oh wait, you tell that every year."

"Jay!"

"I'm just messing with ya! Of course I know which one you're talking about. Yeah, that was scary for me too."

Cole cocked his head. "How so?"

"After you disappeared into the rift, I thought I lost you." Jay's blue eyes flickered over the scar that ran along Cole's left side of the head. "Times have really changed, haven't they?" Jay muttered, this time hugging his legs.

"Yeah, they have."

"Why haven't - where were -" Cole noticed Jay's shoulders rise, and the former blue ninja bit his lip, trying to find his words. "We were so close and then we just… drifted away." He lifted a hand up and picked at his eye, quietly sniffling. "And now we're here - back at the place where you turned into a ghost, where you turned back into a human, and where we fought the Hands of Time."

He fixed himself in a position so that he was facing Cole. Jay drew in a shaky breath and finally said, "We've been apart for so long, I miss having you around as my friend… but Cole… have you ever seen me as more than a friend?"

"What do you mean?"

"You went away. Did you see me as something more… to you?"

Dark brown eyes met bright blue ones that demanded answers. Cole knew he couldn't hide anything from Jay. Not only would Jay know, but he probably already did guess that Cole had had feelings for him.

"Yes." And for a second, Cole thought he saw a smile flicker across Jay's face. "I did. But I didn't want my feelings to get in the way of what you had with Nya. You two were happy, and I couldn't take that away from you guys again. Especially you."

"And… that's why we slipped apart…" Jay put his hand to his head and shut his eyes. Cole sensed the pain and reached to put a hand on his shoulder in comfort. The former blue clad felt tears swelling up in his eyes and he quickly dragged his arm across his face, wiping the tears that were already falling.

Cole pulled Jay's arm away and lowered it on his lap, so that way, Cole could see his friend's face entirely. He lifted his hand beside Jay's reddened cheek and wiped a tear from under his right eye.

"Jay, you know I hate seeing you like this. Where's the smile from when we first met?" Cole wiped another tear, sadness overcoming him. "Show me, please?"

The ginger hiccuped and he opened his eyes, glancing back at Cole. There his best friend sat, with hope filled eyes, practically pleading for Jay to show at least one bright and friendly smile. Jay felt his lips tug up into a gentle smile and Cole returned the gaze.

"I should've known something was up once I saw how far apart we were becoming," Jay croaked, his voice heavy with regret.

"Jay, I wasn't expecting you to know all that. I just wanted you to be happy."

"But how can I be happy, if you weren't there?"

It was as if the world around Cole had stopped moving and everything had disappeared, because now, the only thing Cole could see, was Jay - looking as miserable as ever and the tears all gone and dried up.

"There's more to this whole meeting isn't there, Jay? What did you come here for?"

"I came here to do this-" Jay pulled Cole into an embrace as his arms snaked around Cole's back. The former black ninja's eyes grew large and he nearly melted into the hug right then. A smile crept up Jay's face when he felt Cole bring his hands up and lock themselves behind Jay's back.

Oh, how he could stay in this position forever, as long as it meant he got to be right here by his friend's side.

"I don't know if you still have feelings for me… but I know I do." Jay whispered into Cole's ear. "And I don't want you to leave again, ever." The hug tightened and Cole could feel Jay's heart beating faster.

Cole chuckled softly, pulling apart so that he could gaze into those electric blue eyes he always loved. "Well, lucky for you, I don't think they have gone away," He said to Jay. "Jay, can I ask you something?"

Jay nodded slowly.

"When did you start feeling this way about me?"

Jay's face reddened and he shrunk back, rubbing the back of his neck in uncertainty. "I'm, um, I'm not sure actually. After Nya and I broke up, I had some time to think for myself and I noticed something that I hadn't noticed was there before…"

"Well, it doesn't matter, anyways…" Cole took Jay's hands into his. "I'm glad you wanted to meet up again. It's been a while."

"Does that - does this mean you want to start something? Between us?"

"I'm willing to give it a chance, but first, do you want to start being friends again?"

Jay's eyes fell on their linked fingers and he smiled warmly, a light blush dusting his cheeks. "Yeah, I like that idea."

"How bout some ice cream when we get back to Ninjago City?" Cole asked, lightening the mod a bit.

"I'd love that."