#and i watched the live again

[chanranghaeys]

🕒 final boarding call

Airport reunions are the best, but airport goodbyes are the worst if you never wanted to say goodbye in the first place.

pairing: joshua x gn!reader word count: 2.3k tags: angst with (some) comfort, implied breakup off the page, open ending, mom it hurts, longing and yearning and pining

a/n: this is what happens when shua goes on wv live for 16 minutes after months of radio silence, time is weird here but just go with it please, shua i miss you

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ masterlist . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

“May I have your attention please. This is the final boarding call for Korean Air Flight 705 to Seoul. All ticketed and confirmed passengers should now be on board the aircraft at Gate 113.”

Fifteen minutes left.

This was the last round of announcements for the final boarding call. You both only had 15 more minutes left on the clock.

Yet here you two were, still seated at the same small cafe table, across the person you both never thought you’d hear or see from again.

The person you both would not admit how deeply and terribly you missed.

You clutched the disposable cup of black coffee close, allowing its heat to keep you warm and its bitterness to keep you awake. He could easily down the remnants of the iced americano in his hand, the cardboard sleeve already damp with condensation, but he bade his time. He always took his time with you.

An hour ago, he was grateful for the extra three minutes he took to double-check his luggage before leaving the airport cafe. Because if he had left three minutes earlier, then he wouldn’t have heard you asking if you could take his seat when he left, wouldn’t have almost bumped into you as he stood up, wouldn’t have seen the unguarded look in your eyes when you both slowly recognized who the other was.

“Shua.”

His breath caught in his throat when he heard his name from your lips and how distantly familiar it was. It had been too long, way too long for his liking since he heard your voice.

“Hi,” he breathed out. He stood there awkwardly, not knowing where to place his hands in the forced proximity between you two. And because you could not help but feel so stupidly and unreasonably homesick at how helpless he looked, you closed the distance between the two of you into a briefly civil hug.

“How are you?” You ask him. “What are you doing here in Tokyo?”

“Ah, this is just a layover. I’m going back to Seoul.”

“Oh, okay—”

He checks his watch. “I actually need to board in an hour.”

“…Oh.”

Shua sees your face fall for a moment. A surge of hope blooms in his chest at this, but he has to ground himself back to reality. “What about you? What are you doing here in Tokyo?”

“Actually, I’m also just here for my layover. I have…four hours, 25 minutes to go.”

“You just arrived?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, you’ve still got the long haul ahead of you,” he laughs lightly, his eyes closing into moon-like crescents the way that you always knew they did, and it pains you to see them and not be able to kiss them the way you used to. “Where are you off to?”

“Paris.”

“Paris—wait. No way. Is this what I think it is?”

“Yeah, it is. I’m going to work there, finally. And study. Mostly work, for now, but…I’m getting there.”

His eyes widen at this information you’ve just shared, and it pains him to know that he could not just hug you and sweep you off your feet the way he used to. So he settles for a hand on your shoulder, a gentle squeeze with his thumb slightly sweeping back and forth, before he says, “Wow. I’m so proud of you.”

Your heart swells at the comment. He’d always been rooting for you to reach this dream of yours since Day 1. You thought he wouldn’t be there to see it to fruition anymore, yet here he is. In a way, he is here.

You shake your head and remember where you both were. Did he say he was going to leave in an hour? “Shua, it’s so nice to see you again, really. It’s okay if you need to go. I think that was your boarding call I heard just now over the PA.” You stumble over your words, not knowing what to say, desperate to get this over with before you could embarrass yourself or worse, let out the emotions that were building up in your throat.

“Hey,” he catches your attention and you finally look at him. You see his gentle smile before you both look down at his wrist. That’s when you notice.

It was a simple watch you knew well, an inexpensive silver digital Casio watch, worn from years of use. He could've worn any fine watch he wanted—you're sure he’d already amassed the massive collection of timepieces that he only used to dream of, but it surprised you to see this particularly simple watch. It made you remember how years ago, you surprised him with it on his birthday saying, “This could be the start of your dream collection.”

“Don’t worry. An hour is a long time. I’ll take my time.”

You unconsciously let go of the pendant you’ve been worrying between your thumb and index finger. The way the light bounced off it caught Shua’s eyes. He knew that necklace—it was a birthday gift, a silver pendant inlaid with tiny cubic zirconias that glinted when you moved. But he didn’t know how or why you still had it, and why you were wearing it. He knew how sentimental you were with jewelry. You wouldn’t wear just any necklace on any given day—everything always had a meaning. That's how intentional you always were with what you did. It catches him off guard, but he decides to stay silent.

“Okay,” you say. You both sit down at the table in awkward silence. You wrack your brains with something—anything—to say. He sees your silent struggle, so he beats you to it.

“I tried baking, you know?” Shua launches animatedly into his story. “I went to this sandwich shop in Seoul recently that sold cookie sets and I got to try their white choco chip macadamia cookie. It was so good.” His face aimed to express just how delicious the said cookie was. “I tried the recipe and it turned out exactly the same!”

The laugh that escapes your lips was as natural as it could be. “Is that so?”

“Yeah!” His eyes sparkled, turning into two crescents when he smiled that smile that scrunched up his nose. You almost melt on the spot. You never thought you'd see that smile again. His face turned curious before he asked, “Did you ever get around to trying it? Baking?”

“Uh…no. No, I still want to try it. I don’t know, just really put it to the side with everything that's been happening.”

He saw the pinch of sadness in your eyes. If only he could tell you that you were the reason he became brave enough to try baking. “Well, it's high time you should! I told Mom about it. She said that cookies are always the easiest to bake as long as you follow the recipe. That could be your starting point.”

Mom. You realize he didn't say my mom. He said it as if she were still yours, too. “Oh yeah, how is she?”

“She's doing well. That's actually where I came from, we were in LA for a few weeks. She went home a bit earlier so I could spend some time alone there.”

“That's nice.” And before you realize it, you blurt out, “I miss her. It's been so long since I saw her.”

“She misses you too.” He looked straight into your eyes, lingering for just a moment longer and hoping it could also convey the words I miss you too.

You look back at him, a small smile growing on your face. He reciprocated it with his own. It was one of your favorite ways of communicating, both of you believe how much a simple curve of the lips can say. You both knew what those smiles mean even now.

“So you went back to LA? How was it?”

He exchanges stories with you as if no time has passed at all. Despite everything, you two knew each other the best. It turns out that you were still each other’s best friend. Surprisingly, not even time and space can change that fact.

“May I have your attention please. This is the final boarding call for Korean Air Flight 705 to Seoul. All ticketed and confirmed passengers should now be on board the aircraft at Gate 113.”

You both check the time. Thirty minutes left.

How was that 30 minutes already?

“So, Paris!” Shua claps in an attempt to turn your attention away from each passing minute. “Tell me about Paris.”

“I’m so excited!” The feeling is palpable in your tone. You recount your journey, never failing to remember all the support he showed throughout the parts of it where he was there. “Though, you’ve been to Paris, right? You know that it’s not exactly all that.”

“Yeah, all that glitters is definitely not gold,” he laughed as he sipped his cold coffee. “And all that smells isn’t exactly French perfume and fresh croissants.”

It was your turn to laugh at how bluntly he said everything in his matter-of-fact tone. “I heard! But if you ask me, Paris is really just a stepping stone. I don’t think I’ll stay there forever.”

“So where do you want to stay?”

Anywhere you are, is what you wish you could say. But you settle with, “I’ll cross the bridge when I get there. All I know is that this opportunity will bring me anywhere I want. I’ll make sure of it.”

“I’m proud of you. Really. I’ve said that right? But I really am. Wow.” He shakes his head, still in awe of the whole thing.

“Thank you, Shua.” You keep your coffee cup close to your lips, blowing softly as you cradle it with both hands. You shudder involuntarily because of the unexpected cold you felt in the airport despite the long-sleeved shirt you already had on. You regret leaving behind that jacket at home.

Ever observant, Shua deliberately shrugs off his cardigan and holds it out across the small table. His white shirt looked immaculate on him, and his bare face was etched with concern. It physically hurt your heart to look at him, but you know you could never stop. He held your gaze, his eyes wide open and full of unspoken emotions. How could he be this beautiful?

How could you both let go?

“Shua, please—”

“Just—I know you need it. You’re cold.” He gently shakes the cardigan in his hands to prompt you to take it.

Knowing you have no choice in the matter, you take it with a sheepish smile, surprised at how it was unexpectedly heavier than you thought it was. What you were wholly unprepared for was how it would envelop you in his scent, his perfume a light and clean musk mixed with the lived-in scent of him having worn this for what you assume were hours.

“I missed you.”

When those words were finally spoken out loud, it was as if a weight was lifted from both your shoulders, replaced with a sense of calm. You both thought it was taboo.

While the breakup was amicable, it was still painful. And while you both knew it was for the best and for the sake of one another, it was still the cause of many days passing with unshed tears in your eyes. Because if it really was for the best, why did it haunt your nights with the unfulfilled potential of what you could have been together?

Were you both really better off apart? That question never left your heads, as much as you tried pushing it down in the recesses of your brains.

And now you both see the answer. It was right in front of you.

“I missed you too.”

“May I have your attention please. This is the final boarding call for Korean Air Flight 705 to Seoul. All ticketed and confirmed passengers should now be on board the aircraft at Gate 113.”

Ten minutes left.

“I guess that’s my cue to go.” He stands up to gather his things. Your eyes follow his every move as if committing it to memory. You realize you actually are taking in as much as you can in this moment because he was leaving again, there is no other choice.

Do you really have no choice? No choice but to leave again? He turned these questions over and over in his head. No answers came up. Not now.

“Oh, wait.” You move to remove his cardigan on your shoulders, but he stops you and shakes his head.

“No, keep it.” He looks at you as if searching for something in your eyes. “Maybe you can return it when we meet again.” When we meet again.

He can’t help himself. He leans down for an embrace, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as he rests his cheek on the crown of your head.

You can't help yourself. You stand to meet him in a proper embrace, not like the brief one you gave earlier. You wrap your arms tight around him, afraid to let him go again. He strokes your head and ventures a feather-like kiss to your temple in an attempt to comfort himself by holding you in his arms.

When you both break away, you find your hands latched together. You knew you could not utter a goodbye. Wordlessly, he looks at your hands. He looks up at you. And with one last smile, he let go and walked away.

“Shua!”

He looked back, with five minutes left on the clock for him to board. He took in as much of the scene as he could: the hustle and bustle of the airport seeming to quiet down to let him focus on you, your hopeful eyes, your mouth slightly turned up in a smile, your hands worrying at the cuffs of his oversized cardigan on you.

“Call me when you get to Seoul. Safe skies.”

[batcavescolony]

Katniss is such an unreliable narrator. She says "Then something unexpected happens. At least, I don't expect it because I don't think of District 12 as a place that cares about me" girl you deliver strawberries to the Mayor, you hunt and trade for the district, when you fell at Prim being chosen someone caught you, when you went to Prim people parted for you, when you volunteered EVERYONE stopped. Idk how to tell you but I think you're a pillar of the community.

[morganbritton132]

17 year old, CEO Tim Drake canceling a press conference and then putting out a statement like, “Sorry for canceling last min, Alfred said that he was going to run my laptop through the dishwasher if I didn’t clean my room. I think he’d do it :/. Also, wasn’t really in the mood. Cya -Tim.”

[astearisms]

fionna and cake drawings before and after watching the episodes so far. it’s nostalgic and somehow cathartic and poignant and relatable and—it just started

[uncharted-constellations]

It’s been a minute, (both post wise and design wise) so decided to update the fam + a couple additions compared to last time

[meat--mutt]

To my fellow queers, in case you’ve lost sight of things a little bit like I had, I want you to watch this

This is why we create, this is why we don’t hide even in the face of great adversity. Our stories are beautiful, and moving, and remember how much it means to people. I love being queer, I love being a lesbian, I love being trans, I love us. I love our joy, our stories, our hearts. I love the way we love.

Don’t loose sight of that, in all the discourse, in all the inter community fighting, don’t loose sight of The Reason™️. Remember how far we’ve come.

Look at where we are, look at where we started. Your love, your joy, your story, your visibility MATTERS. The art you create matters.

I love us, I love our love, and nothing will ever change that

Happy 10 years Korrasami 💕🏳️‍🌈

[edwinisms]

I feel like in the chaos of things they kinda glossed over possibly the most viscerally horrifying scene and concept in the show, ie; “…where did all the blood go?” “that was the last me,” and charles slowly lifting his lantern up to see the doll spider literally tearing edwin– not just a replica of edwin but literally the body of edwin from just a minute or two earlier– apart limb from limb, torn in half at the waist. then as he moves the lantern a bit to the side he’s met with an entire bloody pile of dismembered, decapitated, eviscerated edwin parts, from god knows how many killings.

like. charles must have persistent fucking nightmares about that right? in the moment he was focused on getting out of there and had to stomach it to move on, but afterwards? i think that must legitimately be the most gruesome, graphic thing he’s ever seen in his entire life/afterlife. i can’t think of anything that could be worse than that. it’s bad enough on it’s own, the live, constant mutilation happening to anyone, but then on top of it all it’s not just anyone– it’s his best friend, the most important person in the world to him.

ghosts can’t exactly sleep, but he must at least get flashbacks, or be triggered on occasion to an extent that makes him feel sick. i dont even know what that'd do to a person honestly, but it'd be hard (if not impossible) even for a pro-internalizer like charles to suppress that memory completely and not be tortured by it for an indefinite amount of time.

[flesh-and-fangs]

Y'all, I hate to say it, but no, Nandermo did not "go canon", in an "alternate universe" or through "implications" or otherwise. They were making fun of us. That was the point of all the little nudges and open questions that were quickly squashed. That was the point of the hypnosis ending. The point of that hypnosis was quite literally "Here, let's give the perfect fake wish-fulfillment ending to parts of our fanbase" (which is why there were three. They're fake. That's the point. The point is that they are supposed to be fantasies to appeal to people's hopes for the show).

Having Nandor and Guillermo as a classic sitcom couple set to a laugh track in a universe where none of the other characters exist was a jab at shippers who wanted Nandermo to be canon and cared more about that than the other characters or the premise of the show. They were making fun of "and they lived happily ever after" type fanwork. They were making fun of people who, in their eyes, ignored the irreverence and violence and black comedy of the show in order to make fluffy slash content. They were explicitly saying: "This is how we see you, and this is how we see what you want from this show, and we are telling you that it won't happen and we in fact have contempt for the very concept."

Why do you think they kept baiting the ship until the literal last lines of the show? They were making fun of us. They were saying "Ha! You still thought this would happen? After years of us saying it won't, to your face? Idiots." It's a comedy show, and they were making shippers the butt of the joke. They've been doing it for seasons now.

This is literally what Supernatural did back in the day. And nobody said that they made Destiel canon when they had an in-universe/alternate-universe stage play where the actors "explore Destiel". Fans back then recognized that it was a joke at their expense. That's what this is. Same as what happened in BBC Sherlock that one time, where in-universe conspiracy theorists said that Sherlock was in love with Moriarty (a ship the creators deliberately baited, mind you, same as they have here), specifically for the purpose of laughing at and making fun of that theory.

I'm so sorry, guys. I know you wanted to hope. I know you wanted to believe that the things the writers said at that con weren't true, but they were. I know because I wanted to hope too, even when I knew full well it wouldn't happen. They've been plain about how they feel about the ship for years. They saw it as a joke, one that drew in viewers, but was objectionable at its core. And they've followed through on that by baiting and jabbing up until the very end.

[expelliarmus]

[divorcedfiddleford]

and you may say to yourself: "my god! what have i done?" and you may tell yourself: "this is not my beautiful wife!" and you may tell yourself: "this is not my beautiful house!" and you may ask yourself: "well, how did i get here?"

time isn't holding up, time isn't after us, time is a pony ride! (images described in alt text)

[simcardiac-arrested]

day 30 - videogame (undertale, fnaf, etc)

somebody get this man some chapstick

[canongf]

i love going back to my favorite fictional world. i love my friends. i love my lover. i love the scenes. i love the music. i love self inserting. i love that i can go back anytime i want, i love that it waits for me.

[randomalistic]

Wait you guys are actually buying Disney products I thought it was a joke

(READ TAGS FOR FULL CONTEXT Sorry it’s long dies

[arcanegifs]

God, I'm (yet again) exhausted. What a show. I will say, flaws and all, it's still one of the best animated series I've watched. Ever. No, I don't think it deserves the vitriol it's getting on social media.

I have a LOT of emotions right now. I don't think I'm even thinking straight after watching through everything once. It definitely needs to be re-watched multiple times. No, I'm not offering any kind of insights or anything like that. I think I'm just too emotional seeing my favorite show end.

I really wanna thank the writers, directors, artists, animators, producers, and everyone else who worked on this show for this work of art. It was beautiful, and it's why I love making gifs of this show.

And just because this show has ended, doesn't mean I'll stop making things. There's two whole seasons to work with now. I hope I can have enough free time to post regularly. I still need to make some 8k wallpapers and a ton of gifs haha.

I'll take a break and sleep for now. I'll see what I can make when I wake up tomorrow. I have so many things I want to do, but I also feel like crap and I too, have a life LMAO.

Oh, and I'm still looking forward to the next stories that they tell us! Runeterra truly has amazing lore. Excited to see what's next!

Thank you for all the likes, reblogs, and support you guys give to my lil sideblog! I appreciate you guys so much <3

[mintypsii]

PAIN AND TORTURE AND MISERY AND AGONY AND SUFFERING AND TORMENT AND HORROR AND DESPAIR AND

they thought they were soooooo funny for this didn't they. what the fuck. they really just showed me this scene and expected me to stay normal for the rest of my life. wa haht thef uck

[podcastwizard]

when you tell your friend you're "doing great, actually" but your youtube history looks like this