#and my other other feeling is idk the games are rated M so are the teen characters REALLY for the teen players? I played M games as a teen-

[tricksterlatte]

Re: the debate going on again about if Persona should focus more on adult characters, I think it's interesting because i don't have a firm stance either way. There are some plotlines that I think would hit harder if the characters were adults, or plotlines I would pursue more thoroughly if they were. For example, I think the Phantom Thieves as college students would have been amazing, but I don't know how Joker's criminal record would work with that unless he's a dropout, or if you removed the school game mechanic, which is so vital to modern Persona games?

On the other hand, I also think teen/young adult protags hit for such a wide audience because they are struggles the target audience has either already experienced or currently is. It's funny, because I think any character worth their salt will resonate regardless of age or other demographics. I'm no longer a child, but I still want to protect Maiko in P3 due to her retable familial struggle and her inability to understand due to her age, or Zenkichi's division between what is right by the law and what's right in his heart. I don't need a debilitating illness to sympathize or relate to Chidori, an outcast who finds solace in art and the only people who understand her pain.

it's a very nuanced conversation and I just don't see a right or wrong answer, the same way I feel about most anime nowadays. I think a more diverse party in general would be a dream come true (not just for age and gender either, I think it would be amazing to have someone who isn't just Asian or white, or more explicitly LGBT+ characters)! I just wanted to make a long post because the discussion is fascinating and enlightening, and 6, if they did an older cast, wouldn't be the first game to have playable adults either. What are your guys' thoughts?

[ctrlchar]

HIII can you do something like were your giving Johnnie head while he’s playing video games with his friends or streaming on twitch or filming a video and he’s trying so hard not to moan and he gets so fed up he fucks you or something idk 🗣️👍

giving Johnnie head under his desk headcannons

a/n: I loveeee this idea sm thank you for the request!!

cw: kinda public? it’s through a screen but you get the point,somewhat rough,

he’d be sooo pissed off but at the same time he’d love it sm

it would be whenever he’s live,leaving you to your own thoughts as he played a series of games with his friends on twitch

every once and while whenever he got a break from the game he would talk to you and give you a little kiss if you were still in the room with him

of course this wasn’t enough

you had considered humping his pillow on his bed but you figured it might be too obvious if he repeatedly been looking over at his bed

eventually Johnnie had decided to pull away from his chair to go and grab him a water bottle which was on his desk

seeing this window of opportunity, you crept under his desk sitting on your knees as he gave you a confused look which was just barely out of frame of the camera

you began to unbuckle his pants,making it abundantly clear as to what your intentions were

you took his for now soft cock out of the restraints of Johnnie’s jeans and began to slowly stroke it

Johnnie on the other hand was trying to put all his attention on the game which had just begun a new round rather then the sensation between his legs

you had begun to take the tip into your mouth,his hips bucking up slightly which to anyone watching looked like he had just been readjusting in his seat

every time you would take more of him into your mouth he would curse out a profane word with a “cough” at the end

to the viewers it looked as if he had simply gotten pissed off at his game but to you that was obviously not the case

his knuckles were turning white from how hard he was gripping his mouse to keep his composure

your tounge danced against the underside of his cock driving him absolutely batshit insane

after a couple more minutes of you teasing his cock his friends conveniently decided they had played enough games for the night and decided to end their streams making Johnnie follow suit

“alright guys” he says his voice cracking a bit at the end “i’ll see you all later” he says before quickly ending the stream

as soon as he ends the stream you remove your mouth from his cock going back to slowly stroking it

you giggle softly and look up at him as he runs his hand through his hair before he pulls himself from behind his desk

“what the fuck was that” he asks seeming upset however you both knew he wasn’t genuinely upset at all

however he was to a degree pissed

“i was bored” you pout “and you wouldn’t give me any attention”

i mean all you wanted was his attention so that’s exactly what you got

he proceeded to bend you over his bed using the spit off of his cock mixed with your own slick as lube as he pushed himself deep inside you bottoming out in one push

“tryna get me fuckin’ caught up huh?” he says thrusting into you at a even faster rate then before,the obscene sound of his hips meeting yours filling the room

“thinkin’ you can tease me and get away with it” he grunts out to which you whine due to all the pleasure coursing through your body

you couldn’t even form sentences because of how good he was making you feel. all you could do was moan out a string of apologies as his hands move to your hips

“i don’t think you’re really sorry” he admits “if you were sorry you wouldn’t be creaming all over my fucking dick” he says punctuating the last two words with a thrust.

looking down to see what he was talking about you noticed the white ring that had formed around the base of his cock

he begins to slow down his thrusts giving you a minute to talk before going back to his relentless pace

“mhm I promise m’ sorry” is all you could cry out with tears forming at your eyes

his ring clad hands grip onto your hips which was sure to leave bruises the next day but you didn’t care

if anything you wanted him to leave bruises you wanted to have a constant reminder of just how good Johnnie fucks you

mutually, he wanted the bruises to stay as a reminder to not tease him like that again

his grunts turn into moans as he approaches his long awaited orgasm

he could tell you were getting close as well from the way your back was arching off the bed to the way your moans picked up and got even higher then before

with his tone softening up he moves one of his hands to your hair petting it softly “come on baby cum for me” which was all you needed to hear

your nails scratched down his back as you came hard,almost on the verge of shaking had Johnnie not been holding onto you

with a couple more thrusts Johnnie had came inside you,as he slowly pulled out watching his cum drip out of you

after a couple minutes of you guys laying together on his bed you look up at him from where you had been laying on his chest

“you’re not actually mad are you?” you ask looking up at him

his face softens “of course not baby” he says leaving a light kiss on your head as he held you close in his arms

[sailoryooons]

Bust | KTH | (m)

☾ Pairing: Heistman!Taehyung x f. Reader

☾ Summary: Seeing a beautiful man in the middle of a bank robbery is unusual. Seeing him again afterward is even more unlikely… and yet not unlucky. 

☾ Word Count: 2,211

☾ Genre: Criminal, Smut, PWP

☾ Rating: 18+ Minors are strictly prohibited from engaging and reading this content. It contains explicit content and any minors discovered reading or engaging with this work will be blocked immediately. 

☾ Warnings: Bank robbery, light depiction of fear/anxiety, mentions of poor financial situations and money-related stress, recreational drinking, ‘good girl’ petname, explicit language, sexually explicit content including oral (f. receiving), biting, spanking, implied body worship kind of, a hint of overstim, bodily fluids and cum-eating. 

☾ Published: Monday, January 15, 2024

☾ A/N: This is an idea I randomly spoke about forever ago in a TikTok DM with @gimmethatagustd and this is strictly written to ruin their entire life tonight. I hope it works idk osifodigjoijg. 

☾ A/N 2: Tonight is number four for my 100 Drabble Challenge and I rolled number 24 for criminals! I hope you enjoy my depraved thoughts of Taehyung in that GOD DAMN SQUID GAME OUTFIT AT PTD. MY MASK KINK DOESN’T MAKE AN APPEARANCE BUT BE FUCKING SURE IT WILL ONE DAY. HE MADE ME INSANE. 

☾ Disclaimer: All members of BTS are faces and name claims for this story. This is entirely a work of fiction and by no means is meant to be a projection, judgment or representation of real-life people. Any scenarios or representations of the people and places mentioned in works are not representative of real-life scenarios.

Main Masterlist ☾ 100 Drabble Masterlist ☾ Ask ☾ Song Inspiration ☾

Sweat beads down your back, the trickle of it slower than the clock ticking above your head. Time seems to slow as you sit on a carpet that hasn’t been steam cleaned since the 80s and push yourself against the wall, eyes glued to the open vault. 

It had happened so fast and yet now, it’s like it can’t be over fast enough. Each second that ticks by feels like it takes a year. You cannot hear the chatter of the men inside the vault, but their harsh whispers raise goosebumps on your skin.

At least they haven’t noticed you. Not that you would do much, anyway. You have no intention of going over to push the alarm by the door, too afraid to alert the armed man who stands just outside the vault room on the other side, and far too underpaid to risk your life for a financial institution. 

For a moment, you wish it were you robbing the damned bank. Maybe you could pay off the student loans on your degree you’re not using and run the heating in your apartment during the winter instead of bundling up in several layers. 

Your momentary lapse of delusion passes as the men rush out of the vault, duffles in hand. They’re all dressed in red, black masks covering their faces with shapes on them. You’re vaguely aware that the costume belongs to some sort of show you saw online, but you can’t place them.

Perhaps you’ll watch it now.

“Hurry up,” one of the men barks toward the vault. There had been three inside, but only two came out. “Grab the last and let’s go. Two minutes left.”

They’re gone in an instant. Your eyes dart back to the vault where you can hear the last person inside. Glancing at the clock, you watch the seconds tick by. 

Ten seconds. Fifteen. Thirty. A minute. 

A man dressed in a red suit, hood pulled over his head comes out of the vault. As he slugs it shut with one arm, the bag on his shoulder droops, spilling the contents inside out onto the floor. Bands of cash fall out, thudding around his feet. He swears loudly and bends over, back slipping more to drop cash on the ground.

In his frustration, he crouches and tips the mask up a fraction, shielding his face from the camera above but not from you, huddled on the floor a few feet away.

Your heart skips. The thief is beautiful. Dark eyes focused on his task, a wide nose that fits perfectly on a symmetrical face with high cheekbones, a sharp jawline, and a pursed mouth. There’s a flush in his face from the heat, the tip of his nose an endearing shade of rose.

As if sensing your gaze, his head snaps up. You cower against the wall, realizing now that you’ve seen his face, you’ve doomed yourself. He stalls completely, gloved hand hovering over the cash, eyes boring into you. He arches a brow as if to ask you a question and you respond by shaking your head. 

The thief gives you a cocky grin, nodding before he finishes picking up the money and tossing it into the bag. He looks at you again, a smirk on full display before he winks and pulls the mask back down. “Good girl,” he purrs. “I like that.” 

Despite the situation, your stomach flips. He stands and rushes out, lingering by the door for a second longer to stare at you through the black mask. You can’t see his face, but you know you’ll never forget it, pretty as an angel, dangerous as a devil. 

When the group is gone, you wait in silence, only the pumping of your heart to keep you company. When the cops come and ply you with questions all you can do is shake your head repeatedly. 

I was too scared. I can’t remember. 

-

I was too scared. I can’t remember. 

It is the same thing you tell investigators for nearly two months. Just when you think they won’t keep asking what the man looked like, they finally drop it, handing over the robbery details to the FBI. They were at least a little less callous, caring a little less about how many questions you answered. 

If you had to guess, your unimpressive financial situation even after the robbery was significant enough that you weren’t involved with the robbery. 

It’s hard not to wish you had been. The straw in your mouth belongs to a drink that is far too expensive for you to not wince and it barely tastes like anything. At this rate, you know you won’t get a buzz. You’d love alcohol to take the edge off of the loud club music or loosen you up a bit, but you’re resigned to being sober for the rest of your friend's birthday. 

Around you is a gaggle of men and women, both people you know and new faces trying to pick up your friends. Anyone trying to hit on you has already decided you’re far too grumpy to waste time on, most of their backs facing you as people shout over the music about working in finance.

You wonder if they also rob banks in their spare time. It makes you grin, thinking fondly about the thief once again. You do that a lot.  

Sipping the drink, you glance at your phone. It’s been an hour since you arrived, but you’re wondering if enough time has reasonably passed to excuse yourself. Tomorrow is one of your few days off and you intend to spend it lounging on the couch watching TV instead of nursing a headache.

Someone slides into the space at the bar next to you. You don’t glance up at them, spinning your skinny cocktail straw absently as you stare at the melted ice of your Long Island iced tea. You hoped that once it melted it would turn into a second drink, but it hasn’t. Cold, bitter water it is, then. 

“Why the long face?” You frown at the vaguely familiar voice and glance up, freezing. 

Mr. Bank Robber looks down at you, cocking his head to the side with a wolfish grin. Your mouth pops open in surprise, leaning back a little as you drink him in. This close, he is far more beautiful than you remember, the edges and shadows of his face like a carefully painted fresco. Michelangelo could hardly be talented enough to capture this. 

“You,” you whisper, his grin spreading further. 

“Have we met?” he leans on the bar, dressed in all black. You eye the three-piece suit and the glinting diamonds in the cuff links. His clothes are far finer than anything anyone else is wearing and when you breathe in sharply, you smell a hint of woody cologne. His dark hair is slicked back and you catch the dainty hoop earrings in his lobes. You like the juxtaposition. 

“You know we have.” He tongues the inside of his cheek, turning his head to order with the bartender. His eyes stray to you, raising a brow. You supply him with your answer, “A long island.”

The bartender nods, momentarily stupefied by the heistman’s beauty before walking over to the POS, tapping the screen with the speed and aggression unique to bartenders. 

“Kind of a shitty club,” he mentions, looking around over the top of your head. Sweat clings to your lower back, your mouth growing dry as you watch colors splash on his face. “Your face is too pretty for a place like this.”

“Is that so?” 

“Mhmm.” The bartender puts the drinks on the counter and the man gives him cash, signaling to keep the change. The bartender raises a brow but says nothing, taking the money as he goes. “What’s your name?”

“You probably already know it.” He cocks his head to the side. “I’m sure you looked me up to see if I was a threat or watched me to see what I’d do.”

“You watch too many heist movies.”

“Maybe I watch just enough.”

He laughs at that and your lips twitch. It’s rich, making his face intimidating as he gives you a wide smile and shakes his head. “Alright, maybe you’re right.”

“Can I know your name?”

“For the right price.”

“My silence was a pretty petty, no?”

He bites his bottom lip, eyes dipping down and back up. You sip your drink, feeling a flush of warmth unfurl in your body, most notably between your legs. “I like you.”

“You have to like me. I know your secret.” 

Leaning forward, he ducks down so that he’s murmuring into your ear, hot breath ghosting your skin and making you tremble. “Want to hear more?” Your eyelids flutter as he waits, skin buzzing at his sudden proximity. You nod, feeling lightheaded. “My name is Taehyung. Want to get out of here?”

-

“Fuck,” Taehyung growls, hands skimming your bare sides. You can’t keep still under his gaze, hips squirming and fingers twisting in the sheets. His mouth is swollen and covered in your spit, his eyes blown as a large hand scrapes down to your thigh where he gives you a good slap. “I knew you were a good girl.”

A moan trips out of your mouth. Your thigh stings where he slapped you but he soothes it with the easy back-and-forth motion of his hand, his fingers digging into your flesh. Taehyung is a man starved, having littered your body with harsh kisses and bites, nearly breaking the skin.

You don’t care. You’re feverish for him, room spinning as you sprawl on his soft sheets in a hotel room that is far nicer than anything you’ve ever been in. You burn up like a star, core raging as Taehyung leans back down, pressing your naked thighs open for him as he sucks the skin of your chest between his teeth.

Everything aches. You want him so bad that you feel a cry come out of your mouth, lips wobbling as he laughs against your skin, sinking lower and lower, mouth loud as he sucks at your skin, tongue brushing over the sting of his teeth. 

“Does my good girl need her pussy eaten?” Taehyung rasps, looking up at you where he kneels between your legs. “Is that why you’re crying, hmm?”

Taehyung looks like something out of a thriller. His eyes are dark and hungry, his shadowed face becoming some sort of demon of lust. He’s what you would imagine a dark god. A bacchanal devil, a creature made for sin. 

All you can do is nod in response, feeling Taehyung’s vicious grip on your thighs as he presses you further, your muscles stretching. The strain feels good, as does the slow drip of your cunt down the curve of your ass mixed with his breath.

“So messy,” he murmurs, leaning forward and blowing cool air on your sticky folds. You squirm, the sensation sending you into overdrive as you twist your head to the side, eyes squeezed shut. He’s barely done a thing and you’re worked up more than you can ever recall. “Pretty.”

The slow, soft press of Taehyung’s tongue through your pussy makes you sag. It’s the relief that you so desperately needed, eyes rolling back as he circles your clit and drags his tongue back down. Taehyung is slow as he eats you out, tongue savoring every drop you can give him.

He taps your thigh, drawing your attention to him. He smirks as his tongue dips into your entrance, dragging back up to swirl around your throbbing bud a few times.

It’s impossible to tear your eyes away once you’re watching. Taehyung keeps his razor-sharp gaze on you, bringing his mouth fully to your cunt as he sucks eagerly. There is a rhythm to the curl of his tongue and the sharp suck of his lips, the wet smack of his ministrations driving you crazy.

“Mmm,” he hums, pressing his face in further. He’s messy with it, his jaw and nose covered in shiny slick. He laughs throatily when your back comes off the bed, thighs shaking. “Such a good pussy, just like I knew it would be.”

It feels too hot in the room. Your breaths are coming in too fast and there’s nothing you can do to catch it, Taehyung working you up to a frenzied, frenetic orgasm. You can feel your heartbeat in your ears, pumping so hard that you think you might need to stop.

And then you break.

Your body seizes as you come, a scream ripping through your mouth as Taehyung slurps hungrily at your mess, spurred by your release. You can’t stop shaking as he dives in, unwilling to stop until you’re babbling, nearly lifeless as the orgasm teeters into overstimulation. 

Only then does Taehyung pull his mouth away, trailing wet, cum-spit kisses on your inner thigh, nipping your thigh here and there. 

“Think you can take more?” he asks, slurring his words against your thigh. “Think you can take my cock.” 

You nod eagerly, hand letting go of the sheets and reaching toward him. “Yes.”

“Mmm good. I’m about to bust.” He bites your knee. “And I don’t mean a bank, this time.” 

[polonium-snap]

Fic rec for your bkdkbk post-canon woes

Now that MHA is over I've been satisfying my bkdkbk needs with fics like one does, so I made this fic rec of the best fanfics I've read over the past few months. Unintentionally most of them are rated E, idk why, if you want more fics, feel free to check my ao3 bookmarks, I have over 1000 bkdk fics bookmarked

DISCLAIMER: Please check the tags and warnings thoroughly before reading any of the fics here

Multichapter:

You Gave Me Purpose, Kacchan by wowschreave | Rated T | Post-canon

The first in what I call the "Post-canon holy trinity" I've already talked about this one so much but I'll do it again because this is THE post-canon fic, plus it has amazing, beautiful, wonder-who-made-this-masterpiece ART lol

promises kept by gabstar | Rated E | Post-canon | BKDK

The second instalment of the Post-canon trinity, starring co-depended BKDK which is one of my favorite flavors

Count to Infinity by socksasgloves | Rated T | Post-canon | BKDK

The completion of the holy trinity with more Post-canon goodness because it's what I crave on a cold night

The night we decided to be brave by Albipepo | Rated E | BKDKBK | Accidental parents

I love this one so much, I hated both of them for being stupid half of the time but it's so so worth it

i'm not myself when i'm without you by YunaTuna | Rated M (but I would rate it E) | Possesive BKDK

This one is so interesting and dark, I'm obsessed with possessive Deku and this hits all the right marks and more

And the world went still by Saiyasha | Rated E | BKDK | (temporary) Mayor Character Death | Established relationship

GUT-WRENCHING, this one hits so hard, I nearly died, but it thankfully has a happy ending

Kacchan vs the Internet by palavering | Rated T | Soc Med

This one is not complete but read it read it please it's so good, and the social media aspect is so peak, like I can rave for hours on how well the author uses CSS

Baby Bottles and Blushing Faces by derDschungelderRosen | Rated T

Baby Project is a classic but I adore this take on the idea so much, plus it's hilarious

keep the rain by gheemin | Rated T | Post-canon

I adore how introspective this one is, it also overwhelmed me with feels

Fake it, 'till you make it. by Princess_ofPizza | Rated M| Charades

Drinking games are always bad ideas, unless you're bkdk in which case carry on

Inhibitionless by Sonday | Rated E | Quirk shenanigans

Horny quirks are the best

You Had Me From the Start by bellbloom | Rated E| BKDK| Artist x Bartender AU

As an artist myself Artist!Izuku scratches an itch I didn't know I had

A Starving Artist's Success by StevieBanks | Rated M | BKDK | Artist x Fashion designer AU

Which is why I have two fics with artist Deku, also kind of a meet-cute

Unraveled by omicroncet | Rated M | BKDK |

Three words; sleep deprived Izuku

One-shots:

love in the making by Kacchdeku | Rated G | Post-Canon | BKDK

Third-wheel Kota is the best

Sturdy Heart by lurethegalaxy | Rated T | Post-canon| Established Relationship

Angsty but so so so good

pacemaker by passengerside | Rated T | Post-war | Canon-compliant

The pacemaker scene has me dead, ascending, AND there's art?!!

The Eight Years Between by Loriqod | Rated T | Post-canon | Established relationship

I love when fics fill in the gaps of the canon content

Embers by UglyGreenJacket | Rated T | Post-canon | angst with a happy ending | Established relationship

My poor baby Izuku needs a hug, thankfully Katsuki is there to give it to him

king of hearts by nikkiRA | Rated E | Quirk shenanigans

This quirk is so creative and cute and I love that it also includes their other classmates reactions

crepe date by isidium | Rated T | Fluff

'Cause we all think about that one crepe comment Izuku made one (1) time and so does Katsuki

chasing the rabbit by mimiwrites | Rated T | Amnesia

Even more Quirk shenanigans because those are always so fun

love is a labour (i'll slave til the end) by nikkiRA| Rated E| Omegaverse| DKBK

I love LOVE Omega! Katsuki and you can take him from my cold dead hands

Talk After Talk by beanbeanrose | Rated T | Post-war

This is just them talking but i love it so much

GG by MajestyTime | Rated T | Crack treated seriously

This one is all over the place but in a good way, it played off as a laugh but it has a very interesting what-if scenario

If I'm Being Honest by Queen_of_the_Otakus | Rated M | Truth serum (kinda)

Forced truth situations are so funny because it's never that deep but everyone still freaks out

Thanks for reading!!! Hope you guys like the fics I chose

[whatifyoulivelikethat]

games, m | myg

pairing(s): yoongi x reader

summary: You don't have a crush on Min Yoongi. You two are just fucking. Yup. You ignore him for two weeks because of Pokémon. Sorry. Twelve days. He's mad about it (and drunk?). Oh, shit.

warnings: rated M (18+) for language; OT6 are nosy so now it's somehow crack???? this always happens idk how; friends-with-benefits; soulmate vibes(?); ft my obsession Pokemon Scarlet / Violet; feels + smut (fem reader, penetrative sex, scratching, m-receiving oral, mutual masturbation, choking); non-idol!AU; switches between your POV and Yoongi's POV

--

“Yoongi?”

Wow, that was loud and unexpected. Knocked you right out of your very pleasant dream of stuffing your face at a buffet with thick, juicy slices of prime rib, complete with flakes of premium sea salt.

“YOONGI?!”

You could still almost taste it, but, like all dreams, the savory delight slipped away from you rapidly as you groggily blinked and realized you were resembling a croissant folded into this couch.

“You have a crush on Min Yoongi of all people?!”

Similar to the flaky buttery pastry, you had no idea what the fuck was going on. Unlike the product of a baker’s pride, sentient life required you to reorient yourself into humanity, hazily taking note of the MapleStory mushroom-printed blanket draped over you and your empty hands. Your hands had been holding your phone before you passed out. You were obsessed with mobile puzzle games recently. It was nice to have games on the go to occupy yourself instead of, bleh, socializing. It was awesome. When you figured them out too easily though, they made you sleepy.

Anyway, where the hell was your phone?

“Really?! Yoongi-hyung? Oh my gosh, he texted a human being all in his own? Wow!”

That kind of excitement could only be the voice of…

“Come on, guys, hyung’s been better about such things recently. He’s surprisingly sentimental, you know.”

And that sensible voice was none other than…

Someone snorted.

That was Kim Seokjin.

You rubbed your eyes to see a familiar man holding your very expensive Samsung smartphone with your customized Rotom phone case, poking at the screen as if he was his own.

“What kind of illegal activity are you doing over there?” you hummed as you sat up, knowing full well he did not possess access due to the fingerprint scanner. One time you snuck up on him as he tried to snoop on your phone. He had flung it, so this time you calmly stayed on the sofa as your longtime friend on the armchair jumped, thoroughly scaring himself and the lean, tan drink-of-sunshine standing behind him.

“You’re awake!” Seokjin blurted. Tall, gangly if you squinted, absolutely handsome, somehow always dancing on the edge of endearing caretaker and walking disaster, Kim Seokjin threw himself out of the plushy white armchair and shoved your phone into your face accusingly as if you were the one responsible of wrongdoing. His chestnut-brown poofy hair bounced as he relentlessly poked you in the head. “You’re texting Min Yoongi! Is that the one you have a crush on?!”

“Er, technically all hyung asked was when the group was meeting up…” Jung Hoseok squeaked, radiating apologies while Seokjin continued poking you in the head with his free hand. “I tried to tell him not to touch your phone.”

“I’m sure you did,” you replied. “I’m also sure he didn’t listen.”

“Hey. Answer me.”

“Hyung…” The concerned, deep voice was coming from the barstools in the kitchen behind you, in the don’t-annoy-her-that’s-rude-but-also-it's-not-my-place-to-scold-since-I’m-younger tone. Kim Namjoon, who was probably reading a book and drinking tea at the counter. He must have been banished there. The last time he had done the same activities in the living room, he had spilled tea all over Seokjin’s white rug. That had earned him a good yelling.

You glanced at Hoseok’s rueful expression and half-smiled, waving your hand to indicate you weren’t that bothered.

“I can’t believe you wouldn’t tell me.”

Kim Seokjin believed he needed to know such information about you because he had been your friend since your accountant mother started dragging you to house calls to a very specific home (mansion) in hopes of child you falling in love with the dashingly handsome son of one of her clients (she told his parents that it was because she couldn’t afford daycare, but even child you knew better). Instead, Seokjin and you became inseparable hopelessly addicted gaming fanatics that could not imagine each other naked without puking.

You did end up becoming inseparable. Just not in the way your mother wanted.

Oops.

“I don’t have a crush on Min Yoongi.”

“Oh yeah?” He said it in a high-pitched, disbelieving tone. You swatted his hand and snatched your phone from him, peering at the message preview. “Why is he texting you then, huh? HUH?”

Your phone vibrated.

Sorry to bother you. I would have texted Seokjin-hyung, but he’s annoying.

“He says you’re annoying.”

“Ex-cuse ME?”

“Here’s the proof.”

“EXCUSE HIM?!”

-

“What.”

“Let me in. It’s cold out here.”

“What are you doing here?” Kim Taehyung sputtered, obediently opening his apartment door to the slightly shorter, much more imposing figure of Min Yoongi. His long black hair was wild and windblown, puffy black parka zipped all the way up, hood out but useless at the moment. Light denim jeans and black boots crusted with snow. Nothing but his serious, intense demeanor made him imposing. Yoongi carefully kicked off the white ice before stepping in, slowly raising an eyebrow at Taehyung’s askew brown locks and rumpled gray sweat set.

“You’re not leaving like that are you?”

Taehyung frowned. “I’m not, duh. Jimin’s taking ages to use the bathroom. I think he fell in the toilet.”

“Hey! I heard that! Who’s out there?”

“You won’t believe it,” Taehyung shouted back to the disembodied voice coming from inside his apartment. He pushed his hair back from his eyes like he himself couldn’t believe it, revealing his classically handsome sharp features and stunned frown. “It’s Yoongi.”

“YOONGI?!”

The Min Yoongi, of the hour it seemed, rolled his eyes.

“What are you doing back there?” he called to the voice inside from the front hallway, not moving.

“Fixing my hair!” Park Jimin yelled back several decibels louder.

“I’m surprised,” Taehyung said, looking scowling Yoongi up and down like he was some kind of unidentified foreign object. “I thought you weren’t coming. Didn’t you say you were busy?”

“I made myself unbusy,” Yoongi grumbled back, pulling out his phone.

“You don’t make yourself unbusy for no reason.” Taehyung persisted, sticking his face in between Yoongi and his phone, making those cat-like eyes above narrow in annoyance.

“There’s alcohol.”

Taehyung wiggled his dark eyebrows. “I thought you were cutting back.”

Deadpan.

“Life’s shit, man.”

The younger male broke out into his boxy smile and booming laugh, pulling his head of brown curls back to double over. It was the combination of Yoongi’s dead-inside expression and monotone reply that was making Taehyung snort, that and Yoongi’s immediate return to his phone as if nothing was happening. Yoongi still made no move to actually step further into the apartment. He simply continued standing in front of the closed front door, on the welcome mat next to the shoes thrown about because Kim Taehyung couldn’t be neat unless he was impressing someone, and those people were not his best friend Park Jimin and unexpected-guest-but-still-friend Min Yoongi.

“You’re so funny, hyung.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

Yoongi raised his eyebrows as he stared at his phone and gave Taehyung absolutely fucking nothing to work with to continue the conversation.

“I guess you intend to drink since you stopped by here,” Taehyung chattered on, bored and unbothered about Yoongi’s lack of communication. “I’m closest to the train station and in between the karaoke bar. Plus sharing a taxi with us is cheaper than paying on your own.”

Silence.

Taehyung prodded Yoongi’s arm.

“Uh huh.”

Innovative answer.

“I think everyone is going to be there then,” Taehyung continued on, smooth baritone voice calming as he listed the people. “Namjoonie-hyung, Seokjinnie-hyung, Hoseokie-hyung, Jimin, Jungkookie, you, me…”

“Where’s Jungkook?”

“He’s asleep.”

Taehyung pointed to the couch. There was a blob of gray, black and white, too much fabric and face-down into the couch pillows. A poof of wavy black hair the only indication the pile was a human and not forgotten laundry.

“What is he, a newborn infant?”

“I don’t know. He said he was tired. If we don’t let him nap now, he’ll pass out during karaoke and we’re not strong enough to carry him out. Remember last time?” Taehyung sighed.

The monochrome blob that was supposedly the man named Jeon Jungkook suddenly snored, as if on cue.

“Yeah, I don’t know what he’s is doing in the gym but he’s unmovable,” Yoongi muttered.

The phone vibrated.

“Oh, is that me?” Taehyung immediately felt around his pockets and looked around. “Ah, where did I–”

But it was not him. Yoongi looked down. Unfortunately, you’ll bear witness to my awful singing. I apologize in advance. The corner of his lips ticked as he read the message. He breathed out. One, two, three, four seconds, and typed back. That makes the two of us then. A part of him thought he shouldn’t have started this conversation. He wasn’t good at this small talk thing, but one had to make some kind of effort in getting to know someone. And, anyway, he knew himself.

Do before getting carried away.

And, yeah, he wanted to know this one.

“I knew it.”

Yoongi slowly blinked, sensing an ominous presence staring at his phone screen, most certainly reading the name there. Sigh. He pulled his arm back and put his phone in his pocket, looking up to see the grinning, scheming, falsely-angelic face of Park Jimin looming into his peripheral view.

“Oooh, Min Yoongi has a crush.”

Yoongi said nothing, because saying nothing was better than reaching over and strangling Jimin. The latter would require physical effort. Oh, and perhaps land him in jail for murder. But that was only because Taehyung was here as witness.

“Huh… I thought I got a notification,” the latter commented, emerging from his bedroom with his uncased smartphone. Yoongi often wondered how Taehyung never cracked it, but perhaps he just bought new ones when he did. Taehyung often chose aesthetics over practicality. “Oh, finally, you’re out of the bathroom. Do I have to open a window to spare myself?”

“Tae, Yoongi-hyung has a crush,” Jimin sing-songed, bouncing around the older male teasingly as Yoongi remained statuesque. “He’s texting Seokjinnie-hyung’s lady gamer friend.”

Yoongi did not confirm or deny this information as Taehyung’s brown doe eyes went wide.

“OH?”

“Hyung’s flirting.”

Yoongi felt his right eyelid twitch.

“Jungkookie! Jungkookie, wake up, I have news!”

The blob trembled, suddenly alive, shaken violently by a hyper-excited Taehyung who couldn’t believe his ears even though he did not fact-check Jimin and had zero proof if his best friend was telling the truth or not. Apparently, he was filled with too much glee to relay this sudden revelation to the youngest, sleepiest one of the soon-to-be-drunk-as-fuck-karaoke group.

“W... Wuh?”

Unsurprisingly, Jungkook was not that articulate when barely roused from the dead.

“Yoongi-hyung’s flirting!”

Those big peepers snapped open.

“He’s WHAT?!”

-

“Mmm.”

The night smelled like smoke and someone’s delicious dinner.

“I should, ah, head home now that you’re safely at your door and all that.”

The winter night framed his figure. A halo of streetlamp light caught the gloss of his wavy black hair. Long and dark and shadowy, strands curling around high cheekbones and fair skin. He caught your gaze as you turned to face him. Black-brown eyes and unreadable expression. Half-zipped parka, black sweatshirt, and blue jeans with gray paint splattered onto one knee. No scarf. Strange, because you knew this man was the kind of guy who always wore a beanie and prioritized sensibility over aesthetics, and yet.

Min Yoongi raised his hands and exhaled into his curled palms, warming his nose at the same time. He looked away from you to do so.

“Cold?”

He shrugged. “It’s winter.”

You half-smiled, lifting your ungloved left hand. “My hands are always warm. My face always gets cold first before my hands.”

He eyed your fur-lined leather jacket. A chocolatey faux fur, softness peeking out from the tougher black fabric. Then his eyeline shifted. Intently observing your face. If you were younger, you might have thought you had to react differently. Been shy like the movies or some shit.

You simply waited, keeping your touch hovering in the winter night.

Slowly, you lowered your hand.

Something fluttered in the darkness that was those eyes. You had seen it before, maybe even spied it earlier this night. It was only a get-together between friends, drinks and karaoke, neither activity you particularly enjoyed which led to your original decision of not going. One small detail changed your mind, and he was standing right in front of you. Your singing was awful, but Yoongi was still polite enough to say that you were better than he was. I’m only good at rap. Sure. You heard what he said and his singing voice proved to contradict it. So Min Yoongi was that kind of liar, huh.

You didn’t say goodbye yet.

You could see Yoongi was waiting for you to say it first. You removed your other hand from your jacket pocket. Empty, purposefully leaving your keys behind. Calmly stared into those dark eyes as he stepped forward. You could feel it. The fire beneath the waves. Felt it all night. In the stolen glances, in the way he spoke to you, polite with piqued curiosity, in the way time stopped when your eyes connected.

You smiled.

His cold fingers touched the back of your hand.

You didn’t say anything. Didn’t need the conversation to be with words. His hand on yours, chills wrapping around the warmth. Experiential. Testing the feeling between you and him. You didn’t need to wonder what he thought of you. He had reached out and touched your hand and you let him, reaching between you and him to softly rub the back of his knuckles, silently speaking to those dark eyes and parted lips through touch. His other hand raised and laid above your joined hands.

Black strands curved around his cheeks as Yoongi lowered his head.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he whispered, smokey and dusky.

Bodies closer, breath mixing. Your head tilted. Lashes lowering. Cold night air disappearing because of the fire under the water, breath to breath, hot, almost burning, the desire to break the surface rising, rising.

“Is it this?” you murmured, barely audible.

You could tell a lot from one kiss. He did not hide his hesitancy or his want. Honesty from the very beginning of his lips on yours, surprised at the way you pressed back against him and inhaled, imprinting the moment to your memory with his scent. Your grip tightened and his did too, telling you everything you needed to know, kiss after kiss, pulling him to you, away from the winter night and memories of a friendly get-together, about to change them into something…

Else.

Yeah.

Fuck it, you were already pushing his parka down his shoulders before your front door finished closing. It was dark but that didn’t matter when you remembered where everything was, flicking on low lights and bringing his face close to yours again, creating the magical moments on your own, not waiting for Yoongi for do so. He was enough magic in his breathless gasps and the way he seamlessly followed the fervor of your kiss, his shallow sighs saturated with lust. There was very little talking except the conversation of bodies. Not much to say when you collided him into the wall and slid your hands under his sweatshirt, skin to warm skin, kisses turning to hot breath and flicks of tongue against his neck, shivers under your lips, and then he flipped the situation, strong hands on your shoulders and rolling against the wall, pinning you with his body.

Hair all over his eyes.

Shaking inhale.

A hall lamp lighting the left side of his face.

“Too fast?” you asked softly.

Dark orbs flickered to yours.

“… No.”

Closer, his air becoming your air.

“I just don’t want you to think this is the reason I walked you home. I didn’t want you to get hurt. Walking at night alone isn’t safe. People are crazy.”

You half-smiled. Alright, more of a smirk. “Maybe I’m one of them.”

A light chuckle, impressed and amused at the same time. “I was trying to sober up too.” Giving excuses.

“Heard you have a high tolerance.”

“Alcohol is alcohol.”

“So, does the alcohol wanna fuck me or do you?”

No one ever called you subtle.

Yoongi closed the distance, his hair falling against your forehead. You could tell he was struggling with himself whether or not to be swept up in the waves of your fire, or maybe struggling with what was wrong and what was right, or maybe he was hesitating once he felt your relentless energy under his hands, but you could also feel something pressing against your crotch and it wasn’t one of his legs.

He was very calm once he made his decision.

“What do you like?”

Your hands in his hair, his ear between your teeth, and his moan into your pillows. Clothes all over the floor, body to body, so much heat that you both seemed to forget it was winter. His hand on your breasts, your hard nipples between his fingertips, your mouth opening and extending your tongue, teasing him, tangling your legs in his. There was some irresistible about his smile and his smirk. You chased both, running your nails over his back and ass, his hard cock pressed to your thigh and his hiss against your neck, do you have condoms, we shouldn’t, but he didn’t need to finish since you were already prepared.

“I’m not irresponsible.”

“Oh?” Yoongi cocked an eyebrow. Glanced at your rumpled sheets, his naked body as he rolled down the condom, and then at your naked body. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

You just smirked.

You were often careful after the first time, following the energy of the other person rather than your own desires. But this time, something was different. Your hand would press to his chest, fingernails curling in, and, slowly, centimeter by centimeter, his length filling you, contented sighs mixing, raking your nails down, lines of pain in your wake, listening to his hitched breath, his eyes flashing.

He didn’t say it, but his voice was in his racing heartbeat and throbbing cock.

More.

Not quite competitiveness but more like pleasure from pushing the limit. There was a certain measure of reservedness, like how he waited patiently for you to lift your leg up onto his shoulder. First one, and then you tapped his other arm. Yoongi raised his eyebrows, but he lifted his other arm, hand back to your mattress once you were folded under him.

You lifted your hips up and rammed into his crotch.

He sucked in a growl and winced, screwing his eyes shut. Probably to avoid you seeing anything too embarrassing. You let your muscles slowly close in around him, squeezing his hardness, letting yourself feel him inside you. Appreciating. He didn’t move right away. You did, steadily fucking him from below, his chest against your thighs, keeping the smirk on your face to stay as infuriating as possible.

“Fucking… Are you enjoying this?”

Low and dangerous, sweet chills up your spine at his deep voice.

“Do you fuck without the intent of enjoying it?” you countered.

He narrowed his eyes and fucked you into your mattress. Merciless and hard and deliberate. Good rhythm, which you expected. Intensity over speed, which you did not expect. Yoongi knew what he was doing. He was not just chasing his own pleasure. There was no need to with the way that you were nearly sending him over the edge with the control of your own muscles. He slowed down for a moment, lifting a hand and tracing your jaw with his fingertips, whispers under his pants, you have nice lips, you know, the perfect shape, and you licked the air, the tongue is better.

Cocked eyebrow, open-mouthed smirk.

“I’ll have to find out next time.” He ticked his head downward. “You wanna get off with me?”

“I will if you fuck me hard enough.”

“You don’t have to pretend.”

“I’m not. You’ll feel it, trust me.”

You thrusted with him to get that depth you liked and he did, in fact, feel it.

“F-Fuck!”

You bit your lower lip and grinned, throwing your head back and feeling your moan vibrate in your chest, lengthening your high with the containment. Eyes closing, no more talking, your arms up and hands clutching the pillows, fucking him as he fucked you, his swears turning into moans as he felt your orgasm convulse around him, honey wetness sticking to your inner thighs and his, chasing a higher high, cutting off every one before the final crescendo, not letting yourself fully let go, not yet, almost there, not yet.

Saturating every second with vicious, hot pleasure.

Somehow Yoongi knew. Felt it, chased it with you, his muscles tense, rigid, holding back too, building the higher high, harder, steady, fuck, so good.

Your name tumbling from his throat, the warning, and his from yours, the moment, orgasm so intense you forgot to breathe for a second, suspended, and then the crash, gasping as you felt him twitch inside you and your walls pulse, electricity shooting through your nerves, tingling and euphoric, gripping your pillows covered in your hair as Yoongi leaned forward and covered you in his hair and hot breath, colliding kiss matching the escalating beats of racing hearts.

Yoongi stared into your eyes much later, all his clothes back on.

“What?” you asked.

“Just memorizing your eyes.”

He kissed you.

-

“Love is more circumstance than fate.”

“I always thought so, too.”

These kinds of things came up in conversation around others. These were moments that happened by happenstance. For instance, in the middle of Taehyung’s tirade about how true love was definitely fate between two beings who had a connection unique to themselves that could not be replicated, and he deliberately ignored Yoongi when he pointed out that every connection one had with another was unique because it was between two individuals.

You and Yoongi shared a look of faint amusement in the midst of Taehyung’s abrupt soapbox speech.

Hoseok blinked and repeated his question of whether or not he suited the acorn-shaped pouch that was slightly overpriced despite being on sale. Namjoon injected and said that if he has asking then it meant that he was hesitating. Seokjin told him who cares, just buy it, it’s cute. That was enough convincing for Jung Hoseok. He brought it on the spot.

You found Yoongi afterward, waiting for you around the corner.

“Oh. I thought you went home.”

He looked at you, lowering the hood of his parka.

“I thought about it, but it had been a while since I appreciated the night.”

Then there was silence, until you were close, and then those dark eyes stayed on you, tendrils of black between you and him. Your fingertips touched the button placket of his coat. His head lowered. His breath had a little sweetness to it because of the Korean liquor. You kissed him.

You closed your eyes when you did.

You didn’t say much more.

You didn’t really look at his apartment when you arrived. You were too entangled in the lip lock and pinning his wrists to the wall. Heat pressed to heat. His tongue thrusting between your lips. The cold rapidly defrosting once skin was against skin.

Your nails down his chest.

Heavy exhale, burning anticipation.

You didn’t need to ask yourself, why am I like this. People spent years wondering on their own, but those years were already behind you, in lonely nights of both your parents working overtime and you alone at the table doing homework, cooking your own meals, cleaning up after yourself. If you wanted the video games to distract your brain, you had to be a good daughter. Being a good daughter was not that hard. Do all the things you were supposed to do and take up as little mental space as possible.

Something like that.

You ran your tongue along the inside of Yoongi’s thigh and savored his shudder.

The only detail that slightly annoyed your mother was that you weren’t interested in marrying Seokjin and Seokjin was clearly not interested in marrying you. Not much she could do about that. She gave up on asking for those kinds of details after that, mostly to avoid her own disappointment.

You wrapped your tongue around hot, taut skin, controlling the pressure of your tongue and lips. Up, down, tongue moving independently along the underside of the head, so precise that you saw his fingers sink into his sheets, surprise rippling over his features. Raised an eyebrow at him, letting the amusement show.

Yoongi smirked, a look that suited him very much.

All the way down, hitting the back of your throat. Easy. Guess a lot of people could call you a whore for that but, then again, the ones who actually knew were probably too busy pining over the fact that they would never feel it once more. Didn’t help that you acted as if it never happened once you were done.

You had dedication to games, but to people?

Not really.

It was fun to figure out people. It was fun discovering Yoongi. His sounds, every sigh, the tone of his moan, the way his breath shook when you took him deep and slow. He became very hard every time you went as deep as possible, past the point of breathing. He didn’t try to push your head or interfere with your pace. It was as if he trusted your movement, which was what he should do, because you knew what you were doing.

You swirled your tongue around the head as you went down.

He sucked in a gasp and closed his eyes, visible tension over his chest.

There was a strange familiarity to his movements. That was the only way you could describe the ease of reading his body language. Sometimes you let yourself feel the extent of the pleasure and sometimes you let the pressure build in your body to wallow in the torture of the buildup, like what he was doing now. He wanted to last, so you made it last. Not too fast. Tongue all over his hard, pulsing length, slowing down at the right moment of his hips shivering, layering the intensity again, stroking his balls as you sucked him, spreading the dripping saliva all over.

You hadn’t been having sex with Yoongi for very long, but it felt like you already knew his body.

You let him consider the possibility of you not letting him cum and then you continued the intensity, pushing him over the edge.

“… F-Fuck…!”

Rammed the throbbing head down your throat and felt his thick, salty orgasm spurt into the confines, leaking over your tongue and the roof of your mouth, breathing in to push it back. His hips involuntarily jerked and you immediately reached up to grip them and shove him back down, swallowing around the harsh pulses.

You heard Yoongi moan, low and sweet and erotic.

People were like games.

Only few had replay value.

-

He thought about saying something, but there wasn’t much to say.

It was his policy to not make something out of nothing. Grander, more general things, sure, he kept those ambitions. But, day-to-day, he learned it was better to go with the flow. You didn’t have disappointments if you didn’t expect much to begin with, so Yoongi didn’t expect much and let himself feel what he wanted to feel.

Like his hands on those thighs and pressing delicious legs to his chest as he sank in.

He tended to enjoy the fucking on top simply because it was easier for him. Most of the time, he didn’t feel much need to experiment or be creative. Most of the time, they weren’t worth it. Her? He fucked her in every position he could think of. This time, he felt the urge to fuck with most of his clothes on, with her holding up his shirt as he thrust into her on the edge of the bed. Not the most optimal position for maximum pleasure, but the arousal in the unnatural movement was enough to get him off.

Her too.

He could tell by the unforgiving clenching around his cock and the sopping wetness that was sticking to his balls, which was causing him to last minutes. You would think the human body would last longer if it felt better, so the pleasure could be felt more extensively, but his dick was much more interested in the instant gratification it was getting.

Oh, well.

He would have to fuck multiple times then, to prolong the pleasure.

She was the one to ask him first. Meeting without the false alibi of just happening to be at the same gathering at the same time. He went with the flow. Their fingertips touching. Her leaning in and kissing his collarbone, lips so soft that they made his nerves spark and muscles shiver, tilting his head back as her tongue traced a thin line upwards, wet heat against his pulse, her hand falling from his hand, tracing his neck.

“Choke me,” he whispered.

Yoongi liked doing things for the sheer curiosity of it.

She sucked on his ear when she choked him and electrified his whole body with lust, his hands finding her hips and slamming them down on his crotch, moaning into her ear shamelessly.

Yoongi knew he got himself into moments like this.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault but his own.

His fingers buried into her wet, warm pussy and he inhaled, drinking in the sweet scent of her juices, in, out, so good, the feeling of power and pleasure at his fingertips, tactile and visceral and intense. Staring into those piercing eyes with one hand around his neck and the other around his hard cock, choking both until he came on her thigh and hip, but not before she came onto his fingers, pushing himself to the brink with his forearm vibrating. Ended up being sore the next day.

Worth it.

Yoongi told himself to do before getting carried away.

He was getting carried away, especially when he was alone.

His shaking breath, breathe in, breathe out, high on the bliss, their lips colliding, covered in each other, salty, sweet, sticky, closer but not, and it was nobody’s fault but his own, because he always thought about saying something, but didn’t.

There wasn’t much to say.

He looked into those eyes, and he didn’t want to say anything. Just wanted to appreciate their shape, their color, the feeling they gave him when he gazed into them, like he could live million lifetimes but recognize those eyes every time. A strange kind of familiarity that didn’t have an explanation. He had known Kim Seokjin for a while, but Seokjin was protective of his female friends, especially his most important one.

So, Yoongi stayed respectful until his brain started getting carried away because his dick wasn’t doing enough.

Well.

He tried.

-

“I gotta ask you something.”

“You can ask me after you press A, you dimwit.”

“I am pressing A. It’s lagging!” Seokjin growled, bopping you on the arm. You continued leaning against his broad shoulder as the Pokémon raid loaded up. “Are you dating Yoongi?”

“Mmm,” was your reply as you pressed the buttons in order. Battle, Swords Dance, on your Ceruledge. Had to get the setup going to do the most damage before your stats become nullified. The raids in Pokémon were meant to convince players to participate in online play, but math and logic could help you solo or duo them quite easily. You needed Seokjin there so you had one less idiot AI. In fact, Seokjin only purchased this generation of Pokémon to help you out in certain things. Raids and completing the Pokédex. He wasn’t as attached to the series as you were. He played so he could understand what you meant when referencing it, but he wasn’t that invested.

He was a good friend.

“Are you or not?”

“Don’t think it’s any of your business,” you responded absentmindedly, reaching over to command his statistically-perfect Arboliva that you gifted him for this very purpose to perform Helping Hand. You might as well have been doing this raid alone. Seokjin was basically simply a spare console accompanied by a warm body.

For now.

Kidding… unless?

Nah, he was too much fun to tease.

“It is my business. You’re my friend, he’s my friend and, if you two are dating, it’ll make the group all weird.”

“Your friend group is already all weird.”

Seokjin prodded you in the head as you selected Bitter Blade for your attack move. “Be serious.”

“Ask him.”

“I did. He said to ask you.”

“Huh.”

Silence.

“… I’ll kill him if he abandons you.”

You couldn’t pause the raid. It was timed and the raid Pokémon had to be defeated in that time, or you would get kicked out. You didn’t say anything. Just kept pressing buttons, turning automatic.

“Well, I won’t kill him. I’ll make Jungkook kill him.”

Reaching over Seokjin, who did nothing to help you. He just held the Switch as you selected the correct moves and thought about who you needed to raise next. Maybe a Gardevoir. You needed more special attackers to avoid Abilities like Cursed Body and the Burn status condition.

Seokjin was suddenly quiet.

“… You think he’d do that?” you finally said, not quite sure what you meant in asking that.

You felt a hand on your head, bringing you closer to broad shoulders and his game.

“I don’t know.”

One thing about Seokjin was that he always told the truth.

-

“Are you getting your dick wet or what?”

Yoongi blinked slowly.

“What?”

“Jimin, you can’t ask that,” Hoseok scolded, whacking Jimin’s chopsticks with his own to punish the younger male because the walking sunshine was too pure-hearted to physically strike Jimin. “Eat your food.”

Jimin thinned his plump lips and gave Yoongi the side eye instead of eating his meal like Hoseok told him to. “I think you are. I feel it.”

Yoongi made the executive decision to ignore Jimin and continue serving himself the soup, adding plenty of vegetables. “Hoseok, haven’t you been working a lot lately? You need to eat more meat. You’re getting too thin.”

“You sound like my parents, hyung,” Hoseok laughed jovially as Yoongi added extra slices of marinated beef onto his plate. “Thanks, thanks.”

“Don’t avoid the question,” Jimin continued, buzzing away like a determined bee.

“I get it wet every day. It’s called a shower.”

“You know what I mean.”

“And I answered you.”

Jimin squinted under his fluffy auburn locks. “You’re sussy.”

“Huh?” Hoseok blinked rapidly, cocking his head. “Sussy?”

“Suspicious. Taehyung taught me.”

Hoseok’s lips curled into a round ‘o’, seemingly filing away this new lingo. “Man, sometimes I feel so old around you and Taehyung even though I’m only a year older.” The bustling restaurant complimented his cheerful voice, warm smells and fragrant conversation mixing with the clinking of plates and glasses. He reached over the table, patting Yoongi on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re talking to someone though. I thought you were going to die alone.”

Those cat-like eyes shifted away.

“… Thanks.”

Nothing more.

“Uh oh, there’s trouble in paradise already.”

“Is something wrong?” Hoseok asked, frowning slightly at the older male’s reaction.

Yoongi sighed, and shook his head.

“It’s nothing. There’s not much to say about it.”

Hoseok caught on right away, nodding intently. “Right! Speaking of, Jimin, I heard you are leading a theater production all on your own.”

“A-Ah, just the choreography for the songs…” A small hand attempted to wave away Hoseok’s sudden unwavering excitement. “Really, it’s not that serious…”

“Yes, it is! A musical! With weeks and weeks of shows…!”

Yoongi avoided looking at his phone all night. He kept his eyes forward and focused on the conversation with his friends. If he didn’t, he would be stuck in his thoughts, wondering what all those nights really meant if all he had now was silence and a loveholic’s hangover he didn’t ask for.

-

“Oh, shit.”

Those were the first words you had spoken to a real, physical, in-the-flesh human being in a long time (Seokjin didn’t count). First words you had spoken all day, actually. Wait. Maybe you exclaimed out loud, you little fucker, get in the damn ball, earlier. Highly probable. No need to censor yourself when you were at home.

“You have left me on read for two weeks.”

“Oh… shit.”

After the shock had set in, the cold suddenly became apparent. It was winter, after all. Extra obvious by the snow on the ground and the big black parka the person outside your door was wearing, although the red flush around his neck and cheekbones was not from the icy breeze.

“Two weeks,” the man at your front door repeated with a growl, and he started advancing which, in most cases, would be a sign to call the police.

“Surely,” you sputtered, fumbling with your phone in your other hand, letting go of the knob because the screen was tab after open tab of various Pokédex entries of the Pokémon you were considering spending your previous in-game money on to make statistically perfect. Ahem, anyway, you hurriedly changed apps to your Messages app, your eyes widening as you saw the dates of your last messages.

Oh shit.

“Actually, it’s only been twelve days–”

“Twelve days of nothing,” he snapped, slamming closed your front door that you were honestly slightly grateful for. It was fuckin’ cold out there. “And what do I hear tonight? Just yesterday you were speaking to Jeon Jungkook on the phone.”

And, at this point, Min Yoongi got in your face.

You held your phone close to your purple sherpa pullover and stepped back as a stern, gracefully annoyed expression confronted you. Wild long black hair, furrowed eyebrows, and flashing dark eyes. Flushed pink lips twisted into irritation. Open jacket revealing his black sweater and light blue jeans, strange for such a cold night.

“Have you been drinking?” you observed, catching a whiff of his exhale.

“I’m not drunk,” Yoongi countered, backing up and scowling. “I was at Namjoon’s and then I remembered you lived nearby. So, I walked.”

“You… walked?”

“Yeah.”

You blinked slowly.

“Kim Namjoon… if you’re walking… that’s about an hour away….”

The scowl straightened out, leaving a stoic profile as Yoongi refused to look at you.

He grunted.

You were surprised.

“I… Jeon Jungkook called me.” You felt the sudden urge to fill the space of silence as the man before you kept his gaze at a firm ninety-degrees to the wall despite your face being right there. “He was worried about Seokjin, because he kept trying to call him. Seokjin had sent him a box of grapes from his uncle’s farm and Jungkook was trying to thank him via call because his mom told him he couldn’t simply text, but Seokjin wasn’t answering the calls and then Jungkook got worried so he called me since I have Seokjin’s family number but then I reminded Jungkook that that rich guy and his family went to a luxurious mountain resort to go skiing and wouldn’t be back until next weekend,” you finished in a jumbled mess of oversharing.

Silence.

You were highly aware that your Nintendo Switch was loudly playing the classic, cheery jingle of the Pokémon Center in your bedroom, echoing the bright notes throughout your apartment as, er, your possibly-soon-to-be-past fling? current interest? situation-ship? continued staring at the wall as if the paint was the one speaking to him.

To reiterate, you were surprised.

“I… I didn’t think you cared,” you explained, looking up at Yoongi.

He turned his head.

Looking down, black hair around his cheeks. Lashes lifting, slow motion, dark brown orbs raising, then the darkness was on you, and there was no anger, no malice, the heated air of his rash imposition fizzling out once your eyes connected.

His lips parted.

Nothing came out, as if he was about to say something emotional but then stopped himself. His brows knitted together, a moment of recollection, and then.

“Namjoon said I should be honest, so I’m here to tell you that you pissed me off by ignoring me,” he mumbled.

You blinked. Slowly, once again.

“O… Oh. I apologize.”

Silence except heartbeats.

Yoongi looked away.

You could piece the entire picture together now. Your eyes shifted, side to side, to his hands shoved in his jacket pockets, to the faint tint of pink around his ears and neck, to his relaxed shoulders and that tense heart, and you were surprised because Yoongi had always held himself with a devil-may-care attitude and straightforward bluntness. Not that you didn’t think there was more, but rather it seemed as if he didn’t want to address that under any circumstances and you had no need for more when you were your own happiness, and so you asked him another question.

“Is this you or the alcohol talking?”

Yoongi clicked his tongue and frowned, flickering glare meeting you. “Alcohol doesn’t make you a different person. I’m not someone else just because I had a few bottles with Namjoon. I have a high tolerance anyway.”

You smiled.

“I know. Wanted to make sure you were thinking the same thing I was.”

That was why Yoongi and you ended up in this situation. Because he seemed to always end up thinking the same thing you were. There wasn’t much discussion or mystery. There was you and there was him in the same place at the same time. Multiple times. Overlapping interests, but not all the same. Kept things interesting. Discovering you had the same core values and then the same kind of comfortable silence that turned into his hand on yours, experimental, are you thinking what I’m thinking, bodies closer, breath mixing, heads tilting, is it this?

Playing the game.

The Pokémon Center music faded out and then picked up again, always aggressively joyous, always ready to nurse your team back to full health.

You rubbed the back of your head sheepishly. “Hah… I’ve just… been playing the new Pokémon game came out recently, so I took time off to play it… thought I said…”

“You did say,” he interrupted.

Awkward pause.

“You did say,” and this time Yoongi sighed, suddenly smacking his palm into his forehead and rubbing it, mussing up his own hair. “You did say, and I believe everyone should enjoy something with the kind of passion you exhibit for your interests. I just wanted you to involve me even though I know nothing.”

You stared at him.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“Why would I involve you in something you don’t care about?”

“I don’t care about it yet.”

“Why would you care about it?”

He flung his hand away from his face and scowled. “Are you an idiot?”

“Depends, are you confessing?”

Again, no one ever called you subtle.

Frigid embarrassment, and it wasn’t from you. Shocking. Suddenly your wall became irresistible to Yoongi’s eyeballs once more. You patiently waited.

“… No.”

“Ah. I see.”

You did see, straight through his bullshit.

Yoongi pursed his lips and gave you the side-eye. “I don’t want to play games.”

You shrugged. “Well, I do, because I’m a nerd, and I could make you a nerd too if you take off your shoes and come to the bedroom.” Chewed on your lip and felt that you should go back to being serious, at least for a moment. “I am sorry. I thought you would call me a kid, and I like you enough to not want you to be so ignorant, so I especially avoided speaking much about playing Pokémon. Honestly, I would rather hear you say that you don’t want to see me anymore than hear you talk shit about my cute pocket monster friends.”

Yoongi surprised you again.

He rolled his eyes.

“I don’t hate Pokémon. I used to watch the animation as a kid. I somewhat regret not being more into it, because then maybe you would have let me in a lot more if we had that common interest.”

You cocked an eyebrow.

“Putting your dick in my pussy is not letting you in a lot more?”

He raised an eyebrow back.

“You’re right. That was the alcohol talking,” he replied in a deadpan voice.

You smiled.

He smiled back. It did not seem like he wanted to and it did not seem like he could help himself either. What a predicament. You couldn’t relate.

“Do people like to tell you you’re difficult?” you asked with too much glee, unable to hide your amusement any longer.

The corner of his lips twitched. “All the fuckin’ time.”

You nodded knowingly. “Did you know we have that in common?”

He ticked his head at you, messy black hair over his cheeks and open-mouthed smirk. “Strangely enough, I seem to have learned that tonight.”

“I’m about to teach you a lot more, this time about Pokémon and not about how deep I can throat dick.”

“Consider giving me a supplemental lesson about the latter in the morning when I’m completely sober.”

“Hmm, I accept if can you listen without falling asleep.”

Yoongi eventually did fall asleep, but he did last three hours and retained most of the information in the morning despite being a drunk, ahem, not drunk (according to him) man confessing his feelings at your doorstep. In the future, once he had purchased his own game and was playing alongside you, he would insist that moment was not the one when he confessed, that he definitely confessed later (sober, mind you), and that he definitely did not purchase a Nintendo Switch and start studying the Pokédex more because of you (he had simply found the game a good way to wind down).

Games were just more fun to play now when he had a player two.

Yeah.

We know better.

--

masterpost

[irksomeartie]

so i'm shit at advertising myself but the migueli tag here is tragically quiet, so in the vain hope that there's more than like.. three of us out there i'm just gonna post links to all the migueli fics i've been working on because i'm hoping it'll inspire more people to read my shit, think "i can do better" and go write more migueli. please. i'm fucking starving here.

I will be standing right where you left me

Rating: M, 100K+ words (still being updated)

Multi-chapter, canon-divergent AU, mostly drama with some moments of fluff, comedy and a heavy dose of angst, smut in later chapters

A friend leaves, a war ends and life goes on. But even after five years, defeating Cobra Kai, becoming a version of himself he can just about live with, graduating college and standing ready to face the unknown terrors of adulthood, Eli still hasn’t quite gotten over Miguel’s disappearance. When he and his friends take a trip to Mexico to celebrate their graduation, he’s hoping for some closure. What he finds is Miguel.

Just Can't Escape You

Rating: T, 8.5K words

Oneshot, canon-divergent AU, hurt/comfort, mostly angst but gets fluffy by the end

Feeling isolated, frustrated and still suffering the effects of a spinal injury he was only just starting to accept was going to be with him for life, the last thing Miguel was prepared for was a former friend showing up at his home unannounced, but maybe one last chance to really talk about eveything that had happened was exactly what was needed to get both of their lives moving in the right direction again.

Time for Something New

Rating: T, 7K words

Oneshot, coffee shop AU, romantic comedy, some very mild angst but mostly light and silly

Eli has been watching the cute guy who frequents the same cafe as him from afar for weeks, wishing he had the confidence to actually try speaking to him, but change is always difficult, no matter how much you want it.

put my heart in a spin

Rating: T, 4K words

Oneshot, ambiguously AU (idk. canon doesn't exist in this setting), comedy with some fluff

Spin the bottle is not a game Eli would ever want to be dragged into, especially not when one of the other players is the friend he's been secretly crushing on for years, but maybe this time fate will be kind to him.

[shamelessliarkickapow]

Arrvatarr! The Last Arrbender!

Chapter 3, part... the rest/3

A Zutara pirate AU - comedy/romance/action

Here's part 1/3 on Tumblr or Read the whole thing (chapters 1-3) on AO3

This story is rated M for Mature (Ole Salts only, yarrr)

Detective GoodBrother Sokka, anyone? ^.-

((this one might be boring? idk, things got plotty on me and i've been framing a roof, which has involved climbing around on the inside of gables about 14' off the floor and lots of trips up and down the wobbliest 12' ladder carrying heavy rafters in 90 degree weather and. dudes. i'm tired and all my clinging muscles are like wtf is wrong with you we never do this? so here's a finished chapter to celebrate the framing being done and the roofers coming to finish decking and surfacing yayyy))

.

.

The sun rested low and soft in the east, peeking through scattered clouds and Katara was just finishing off her porridge when Sokka came sidling up on deck. He spotted her where she was sitting on the port gunwale and made his way over, stretching his arms above his head in the super-casual move that clearly meant he was here for a classic brotherly chat.

Katara heaved a sigh. He must have really gobbled his food to follow her so quickly.

“Ahh, nothing like dish duty with Toph to really top off an action-packed night of pirating!”

“You cannot be done already.”

“Right, yeah, no, I just mean I’m looking forward to dish duty with Toph. You know, because her playful and fun-loving attitude makes the chore go so much quicker.”

That could be true. Or it could mean Toph had tried to metalbend the tin dishes again and they were all dinged and bent - and still dirty. Katara sighed a second time and rolled her eyes. Sokka hoisted himself up to sit on the rail beside her and laced his fingers together on his crossed legs.

“So! How are things?”

“Great. I’m the only pirate in the world who has to rewash the dishes for the other pirates. How could I not feel extra special, Sokka?”

“You don’t have to rewash them. We haven’t even first-washed them yet. I’m kind of just here for your bowl, but I was trying to be cool about it.”

Katara frowned at his demure expression and held out her bowl. He accepted it graciously - and then did not go away.

“You seem tense, little sister.”

He said it with gravity and quiet care that made Katara’s frown fade. It also made her aware of how the pucker in her brow had started to ache.

“Usually after a good plundering, you’re as cheerful as the rest of us. But today it’s like you’ve got a rain cloud on your shoulder. Toph seems to be getting to you more than usual. What gives?”

Katara let out a little huff. “Are you really pretending that you didn’t just gang up on me with the rest of them down there?”

“We might have taken the teasing a little far,” Sokka admitted with a half-repentant shrug. “It’s just… it was kind of a surprise to see you take your intimidation game so hard in that direction. I mean, I’ve seen you tease a guy before but… damn, Katara.”

She blushed and turned her head up to examine a very interesting cloud. She had forgotten her brother was watching that play out… “It got out of hand.”

Sokka was quiet for a long moment, then sighed and, sounding like he really didn’t want to, asked, “Was it, though? Because in the moment, you really seemed to be having a good time.”

Katara snapped a glare on him. “Not you too.”

“What?”

“You are not going to pressure me to-! To-!”

“Pressure? Who’s pressuring you?” Sokka’s alarm suddenly became outrage. “Was it those soldiers? Toph mentioned the crew-”

“It’s Toph! She’s out of control! The guy is a Fire Prince - obviously an evil oppressor of all our peoples - and she wants me to jolly his roger like the most-”

“Horrible turn of phrase.”

“-important thing is me getting off!” Katara scoffed and threw one arm up in the air, still disbelieving. “It’s so much more complicated than that. He’s not just some guy. He’s everything that’s wrong with the world, but in a person!”

“Well, not everything…”

Katara turned wide, disbelieving eyes on him. Sokka just shrugged extra-deep.

“Don’t get me wrong, the guy fights like a war machine. But I’ve seen enough firebenders to know he wasn’t exactly going for kill shots.”

“He burned Toph!”

“She was touching her shield and it got hot. Besides, who wouldn’t take a swing at Toph? She’s a powerful bender and powerfully annoying. Risk of the trade. If she’s pressuring you to go after him, she clearly isn’t holding a grudge.” He squinted and raised an eyebrow as if thinking about it, then shook his head and went on. “I’ll talk to her about that. Or get Suki to do it. Kid needs guidance. Anyway, something about this whole situation feels off to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on. The Fire Lord only has a few kids, right? What’s one of them doing so far from home on that crappy little ship with about half the soldiers it’d take to fully crew it, much less defend it?” Sokka stroked his chin as he talked. Katara half expected him to whip out the detective hat and pipe. “That wasn’t a fighting force. Prince Zuko wasn’t out here leading any excursions to put down resistance factions.”

“What resistance?” Katara muttered sourly. “The last resistance in the South Seas disappeared with Dad.”

Sokka peered at her, and she could see the burning heart-deep sting, the horrible grieving aloneness in her chest reflected in his eyes. “For a long time, that was true,” he said carefully. “But now there’s us.”

“We’re one ship. A handful of kids.”

“And we’ve sunk how many steamers in the last year?”

Unbidden, Katara’s eyes slid sideways to the railing on the stairs up to the poop deck. It was scored deeply, one for every steamer sent down. The freshest notch was a quarter of the way up, with many older ones marching behind it.

“And now,” Sokka said quietly, “we have and are training the Avatar.”

“Nobody knows about that. Aang has been really good about keeping quiet.”

“Aang is a goofball kid with too much energy and not enough sense to protect himself. He’s not ready to go public and yet here he is trying to yuck it up and get philosophical with the first firebenders he meets since coming out of the ice. I mean,” he half-laughed, half-scoffed, “did you hear that arr-bender joke? Terrible!”

“I know…” Katara rubbed her arms as if to chase off a sudden chill. “I tried to tell him to stay away from them before dinner but he keeps talking about his friend from the Fire Nation. I think it’s hard for him to really internalize that it’s been a century and everything is different now.”

“Well he needs to get with the program quick.”

Sokka’s tone was all seriousness now and he turned his head to meet her eyes, concern knotting his brow.

“The ship’s log indicated their heading was for the South Pole. There weren’t any specific coordinates cited - just a note that the commanding officer intended to continue his search there. Katara, Prince Zuko was on his way to look for our village.”

Katara’s heart pounded for more than one reason. “Do you think he came here for us?”

There had been a few Fire Navy ships in recent months sent to capture them. Ambushing and sinking those ships was easy enough. It was much scarier to think that the Fire Lord might have sent his own son to target them…

…but the thought that this particular muscle-bound prince had come here to get her had a whole swarm of flutters battling it out in her belly. That Prince Zuko might have tracked them and laid a trap with himself as the bait, and now he was locked in the brig - perhaps as a part of his own plan… It gave Katara a wild tingle thinking about what might happen. What he might try to do.

She would stop him, of course, but… whatever he did, it’d be exciting to watch him try.

But Sokka just shrugged, wide-eyed. “I don’t know what he was after. With a fighting force that small, he���d be lucky to subdue a crew of normal pirates. And if he was hunting us specifically, he’d have had some reports about Toph and probably would have prepared his men to counter her somehow. I don’t think he came here planning on a direct fight. Maybe he meant to take the village hostage while we were gone and force us to surrender that way.”

“You think he wanted to take Gran-gran hostage?” Katara fumed, horrified and furious at the mere notion.

“I’m just not sure what else he could have had planned.” Sokka shook his head and scratched the back of his neck, leaning back on one arm. “And yet… I’m speculating on all that. Whoever wrote the ship’s log was wordy and did not follow standard reporting procedures so it might take some serious digging to figure out what Prince Zuko was really searching for. There’s a chance it wasn’t us at all. I mean, he seemed pretty surprised when we took his ship. And he adapted quick to Toph’s metalbending, but he made a big deal about her being blind. If he’d heard of us at all, he hid it well. Which is kind of weird all on its own…”

“Sokka, just because we’re the scourge of the South Seas doesn’t mean everyone’s heard of us.”

“No, but you’d think a prince sailing into dangerous waters would have at least gotten some kind of warning. They stopped at a Fire Nation shipyard near Whale Tail Island to refuel last week. Why wouldn’t the commander at that outpost tell him he was heading into our territory?”

“They probably did and he figured he could handle it because he’s an arrogant, entitled asshole.”

“Or maybe they were hoping he’d get captured because he’s such a charmer.”

Katara smirked, but it quickly faded. “His crew seemed to like him. If the commander tried to sabotage him, it might have been some kind of political thing. Jealousy or something.”

Sokka assessed her face for a long moment. “What did those guys say to you?”

“Ugh. Toph.” Katara rolled her eyes, then shrugged. “They overheard her loudmouth personal advice and started extolling his virtues like a pack of used boat salesmen.”

He scoffed, trying to hide a short laugh. Katara couldn’t help the grin spreading over her face.

“So I said - get this - ‘What is this? The FNS Wingman?’”

“Classic!” Sokka laughed, then slung an arm around her shoulders. “My little sister, making jokes and witty repartee. I’m so proud.”

Katara looped an arm around his back and leaned her head on his shoulder. The sun was beginning to grow warm in the east, cutting through the chilly night air. For a long moment they were silent, basking in some of the last sunshine they would see before autumn hardened the air and tucked the sun away for winter. At length, Sokka broke the quiet with a gentle, teasing tone.

“A whole ocean of guys and you let it ‘get out of hand’ with the Fire Nation prince who might be plotting to sabotage us. What is it about this guy?”

Katara didn’t really mean to answer, but she breathed it out anyway. “The way he looks at me when I’m winning.”

Sokka chuckled and squeezed her shoulders. “Well, you just keep on winning. And if you ever don’t win, don’t worry. Ole Sokka-” He grinned, bright as the rising sun. “-has a plan.”

.

.

The warrior, Suki, came with bowls of some manner of gruel shortly after dawn and, several hours later, Sokka appeared. He wore a simple blue tunic and a mild smile and he carried Zuko’s broadswords sheathed and tossed casually over his shoulder.

“Rise and shine, it’s sword-fighting time!” he chortled as he unlocked the door. “Ya like that? I came up with it just on the way down here.”

Zuko, who had been meditating (stewing) on his bunk and certainly not sleeping during the day like some kind of sluggard, practically leapt past where Iroh snored to get out the door.

“Finally. It’s hours past midday. I thought you weren’t coming at all.”

Sokka relocked the door and gave Zuko a once-over before starting for the stairs. “Aw, and you got all dressed up just for our fight? I’m touched.”

“It’s a training tunic,” Zuko snapped as he kept apace. “I don’t fight in my pajamas. Unless my ship is being attacked in the night.”

“But barefoot is normal.”

“…No.”

Sokka only kept walking, that easy smile irritatingly unchanging. “Forgot to grab your boots?”

Zuko glared at him and did not speak. He had to fall behind to follow Sokka up the narrow stairs to the next level of the ship.

“Oof, that’s gotta be tough. Forgot your boots and now they’re lost forever, sunk with your ship. Why, you might even get frostbite walking around with no shoes on-”

“I won’t get frostbite.”

“-but luckily ole Sokka has an eye for fine footwear.”

He shoved open a sticking door along a hallway of shut doors and Zuko followed him into an untidy cabin with a wide rumpled bed and shelves crammed with dusty objects. …And several items that Zuko immediately recognized as his. He surveyed the chaos with a scowl. Sokka paid him no mind as he threw open a trunk and fished around.

“It’d really be a shame to let quality leatherwork be lost at sea.”

He emerged with Zuko’s scuffed training boots and held them up like a specimen he was examining.

“Just look at this stitching! It’s so fine, you can’t even see the individual stitches. And you were just gonna leave these behind!”

In the trunk behind him, Zuko spied some of his other, less broken-in boots. “You took all my shoes? When did you do that?”

“Less questions, more deals,” Sokka said, dangling the boots just in Zuko’s grasp. “I’ll let you borrow these for our first round on the condition that they become your prize if you win instead of the swords.”

Zuko considered it for a moment, then tipped his chin up and met those clever blue eyes. “Alright. But I want an immediate second round for the swords.”

“I guess that’s not totally unreasonable.” Sokka smiled like a closing trap. “If I win that one, I want to know how you got that scar.”

Zuko thought about refusing, but what did it matter? He was going to win anyway. “Fine.”

He snatched the boots from Sokka’s grasp and shoved his feet into them, peering around at the packed shelves as he did.

“This is your room? What do you need with all this junk?”

“You never know what might turn out to be useful later,” Sokka said, picking up what looked like a lantern intended to float on a candle’s heat - though it was not quite like any paper lantern Zuko had ever seen. “Sometimes I look at this stuff and get ideas. Build stuff from other stuff. That kind of thing. Sometimes I just like knowing it’s here and not in the Fire Nation’s hands. All set?”

Zuko wanted to go back to the brig for some of his socks - which he had remembered - but he was impatient to get those swords back in his hands.

They made their way up to the deck where Suki and Toph waited, loitering around a little table and tossing bits of food - nuts or something - into the air for that strange little animal to swoop down and grab. Zuko had gotten only a glimpse of it last night. By daylight, though, the big ears and luminous eyes were much more recognizable.

“Is that a flying lemur?” He asked, stopping just past the door to watch it perch in the rigging and munch on whatever it had caught. “I’ve only ever seen those at the Air Temples.”

“Yeah, yeah, super rare animal companion,” Sokka huffed. “At his current pace, Momo’s gonna steal more food from us than we can steal from the Fire Nation. He’s a pirate among pirates.”

Zuko kept staring at the lemur. He had never been this close to one before. They had all been so skittish when he had spotted them during his search.

But then… he also remembered the desolation of the ruins, the ancient blast marks and lingering signs of devastation. The skeletal remains of air and fire people alike, bleaching just the same in the long years of weather but still telling a story of horror and murder and ruthlessness. Genocide.

Perhaps it was inevitable that a creature that lived in such a habitat carried some resonant awareness of the nature of the terrible deeds done there. The crimes and who had perpetrated them.

The lemur presently licking itself and making unsettling eye contact with Zuko, however, seemed to have left such reticence behind.

“Are you guys gonna wail on each other or just stand around sharing precious moments?” the warrior asked, making smirking eyes at Sokka.

“Yeah,” snickered the metalbender. “Would you two girls rather go back to swapping shoes and admiring cute animals?”

Zuko glowered at her, but Sokka was already talking.

“Suki, my love, I’m saving all my precious moments for you. Toph-” His tone dropped to prim annoyance. “-I don’t even know how to respond to such sexist generalizations, being as I am a confident man to whom girls and girly activities are totally fine and not demeaning in any way.”

“Haha, yeah, you almost believe that, Snoozles.”

“Do they have to be here?” Zuko demanded.

“Trust me,” Suki said with an unpleasant smile. “If Sokka gets hurt through no fault of yours, you’re gonna want as many witnesses as possible.”

“Uh, a little faith here? C’mon.”

“You should probably keep it down, too,” Toph added. “Sweetness is taking a little nap and she’ll probably turn you into a permanent prince-cicle if she finds out you’re cheating on her with her brother.”

“What?”

“Okay! Sword time!” Sokka suddenly swung the scabbard around and into Zuko’s chest - he caught it, but barely - and then strode across the deck, stretching out his shoulders. “Remember the rules. We stop at first blood, and no limb-chopping, throat-slashing or other lethal moves. No firebending,” he added with a smirk. “I think that covers it.”

“That’s not all the terms,” Zuko protested. “If I win, I keep my boots. If you win, I’ll tell you about the portrait. The second round is compulsory.”

“Right right right.”

Sokka wore an almost placid look on his face as he reached over his shoulder and drew the weapon waiting there. The blade was oddly dark, and the craftsmanship seemed especially fine - but it was difficult to tell from across the distance separating them.

Besides, Zuko had other things on his mind besides assessing more of Sokka’s stolen goods. He slowly drew the broadswords from their scabbard and tossed it aside. And then he began.

He separated the blades in the artful slashes of an opening sequence, then faced his opponent, whose standard beginning stance had sagged slightly. Sokka watched him with an incredulously curled lip.

“Aw shit,” piped the metalbender. “Better watch it, Sokka. Prince Pretty-hair came to play.”

“I came to win,” Zuko corrected. Then he attacked.

[risingsunfish]

hellooo!! i lovelovelove your art so much and you were one of the people that inspired me to start drawing a couple years ago, so thanks for that.

i was wondering if you have an opinion on Roy/Wolt or Woy i guess (dumbest ship name ever lololol) and if you do, do you have any art or comics with them together?

Aww, that’s so sweet, thank you for sending me this! It’s heartening to know I’ve had that kind of impact on others. 🥹

IMO Roy and Wolt effectively see themselves as brothers, so no, I don’t ship them. I get why it’s a thing— not a lot of characters close in age if you want a m/m ship for either of them— but idk, Klein is right there??

At any rate my main takeaway from their relationship in-game is the heartbreaking drama of Wolt having to watch his little brother be hardened into part of the war machine from a middle distance, lest he (per his own flawed understanding of the hierarchy) be demoted or discharged and lose his only means of doing something to help Roy survive… which I don’t feel my style of comic would be very effective at capturing LOL. I do like writing stuff with them, though, including more lighthearted pre- and post-game fare; Wolt features a good amount in this fic I wrote a few years ago that I’m still really proud of. the rest of it is in WIP limbo with the other 95% of my fanfic, oops

[starsignchaser]

hello everyone and welcome to the March 2024 edition of emily's fic recs! If you saw my post this weekend you know that I bookmarked 57 fics this month... yeah idk how that happened but just know that this is gonna be a bit of a long one.

this month's list contains Jegulus, Wolfstar, and Drarry for a total of 28 fics. there are some all-time faves in this list (march was a good month) so I hope you enjoy!

without further ado, lets dive in :)

Jegulus

blue and yellow skies by alarainai, salmon_says (142k, 27/27, rated M)

Quidditch Rivals turned Quidditch Lovers. That's what the world sees them as, at least.

Too bad Regulus hates James Potter's guts, and James? Well, it doesn't matter what he feels about their definitely fake, definitely emotionless relationship.

just cute quidditch boys who love each other

i fell hard (in your arms tonight) by grimjobs (17.9k, 9/9, rated G)

Regulus didn't know he was touch starved until James started touching him.

cute boys and silly misunderstandings

i've got my eye on you by artiest (10k, rated M)

James and Regulus are friends with benefits except they're both ridiculously in love with each other.

this one was so good I had to give it an instant reread as I was putting my list together. angsty happy in-love boys

Many Happy Halloweens by SnarkyMagpie (7.6k, rated M)

Monsters come out on Halloween, but Regulus Black will gladly fight any horror, whether it's a dragon or anxiety, to protect his family.

Jeggy dads!!!!!! Technically single dad James with Harry and then Reggie joining their family <3333

stuck by you (and the glue) by cleargreen (4.7k, rated G)

The two most important people in James's life finally meet. This is how it goes.

baby harry has a crush on his dad's boyf reg

Whoops. by my_castlescrumbling (2k, rated T)

Regulus is a TA for Professor Monty Potter and Monty keeps trying to set Regulus up with his son. Regulus always refuses, of course. But what happens when, at the end of the term, he goes to the Potter Christmas Party?

yayyy happenstance!!!

a little death by noasmirrorball (1.6k, rated E)

James wakes Regulus up with a little surprise.

this is just straight up porn

heatwaves by regscupid (1.5k, rated E)

With the exit of May, James quickly came to realize he could not deal with what June brought with it. June meant hotter weather. Their flat didn’t have air conditioning.

reg in crop tops makes james' brain go mush

Wolfstar

wading in waist-high water by colgatebluemintygel (82k, 9/9, rated E)

Remus is a PhD student and hobbyist baker who finds himself adrift following his father’s death. On a whim, he enters the Great British Bake Off...

ONE OF MY FAVES OF THE MONTH!!! a wonderful balance of funny moments, bits of angst, and mostly just a lot of love between these two boys

Like Real People Do by third_crow (36k, 3/3, rated T)

Or, Remus works as a barista and Sirius comes in every morning with the world's cutest baby, and man, these two just wrote the book on mutual pining, huh?

I LOVED THIS FIC!!! there is so much angst but it is so worth it because these two are meant to find each other every time

To Be Alone With You by Shay_Fae (16.6k, 4/4, rated M)

In the summer of their sixth year, Remus Lupin tried to kill himself.

MAJOR TW for this one (as you can see from the description) but also such a beautiful take on Sirius's love for Remus and their dynamic

my castle crumbled overnight by YellowLark23 (9k, 2/2, rated T)

Sirius deals with his parents’ abuse while at school, but he never realizes just how dangerous the game they're playing is.

This fic is more black brothers focused but there is sweet background wolfstar hurt/comfort :)

i've got diamonds in my eyes (for you) by crushofdoves (6k, 2/2, rated E)

Sirius and Remus are in big, soft, filthy love.

this is so hot and also just feels so real for a sex scene like they literally stop to have a grilled cheese in the middle it's perfect

Remus' Impromptu Study Break by ravenclaw_with_no_friends (5.6k, rated E)

“Sod off Pads, I’m mad at you,” Remus decided his best way out would just be to go have a shower. He got out of the bed, picking up his pyjama bottoms to hold in front of his crotch.

wolfstar smut with sirius making the first move hehe

i was sinking and now i'm sunk by crushofdoves (3.9k, rated E)

The air between them felt electric, crackling with intention and Sirius hoped they were on the same page.

bookstore employee remus having his way with sirius in the back room

Ways to be Gentle by Quietlemonhush (3.6k, rated E)

Sirius has a bad day. Remus reminds him what softness feels like.

sad sirius being given all the love by his moony

Drarry

A Dented Old Street Sign by orphanghost (27k, rated M)

Draco knows they aren't the only students who will be completing their NEWTs this year, but they are the only ones whose home fireplaces were disconnected from the floo network by the ministry.

At least, Draco assumes as much until he sees the light falling out from the front door of one of the other rickety old houses in front of them and the three figures cast in its warm glow.

the golden trio and returning slytherins are neighbors in Hogsmede for 8th year. tension, hijinks, and love ensues

With Great Yawns and Stretchings by sugar_screw (22k, rated T)

The coffee is very good. Really. And the cats are so cute. That's why Harry goes so often.

ONE OF MY FAVES OF THE MONTH!! just sweet boys who love cats and grow together and kiss!!!

Cascade by Avonne (18.7k, rated M)

Harry wants to touch, and Draco wants to be touched. If only they could figure it out.

I want to take every 8th year fic in hold them close in my arms because these boys are so sad and fucked up but they keep finding each other and making it work. one of my faves!

Sourdough by academicdisaster (17k, rated M)

Draco writes romance novels and doesn't leave his apartment much. Harry bakes bread and sells it to Draco. Draco is quite weird. Harry might like that.

read tags before reading!!! contains some off screen heavy angst but sooo good. Again, you will always catch me at the scene of a weird little draco fic

Magical Menagerie by DorthyAnn (16k, 7/7, rated T)

Convinced by Hermione to get a new pet, Harry goes to Magical Menagerie and finds it's now owned by Draco Malfoy who has changed since the war… in a good way, a really good way.

sweet weirdo draco you will always have my heart

Said and Unsaid (or, The Value of Knowing When to Stop Talking) by bryoneybrynn (14.8k, 3/3, rated T)

When the Interrogator asked if he had anything to say on his own behalf, Draco shook his head, his lips pressed tight in a thin line. There was nothing to say that wouldn’t sound like an excuse.

again, love me an 8th year fix-it fic

Slow Show by Avonne (14.7k, rated M)

Harry doesn't know the kind of love that isn't forged in pain. He doesn't understand slow and calm and easy. He can't trust unconditional. After all, how could Draco love him if he's not allowed to sacrifice himself for it? Draco shows him.

I just can't get enough of harry being a self-sacrificing idiot and Draco being the one who can consistently cut through his bs and be like "hey!!! stop that dummy, we all love you (but me especially)"

I'll keep you (safe and sound) by arminaa (13k, 4/4, rated E)

Harry takes temporary custody of Teddy while Andromeda's comatose at St Mungo's after an accident, and Draco, his something-with-benefits, shows up unexpectedly to help.

two awkward boys who don't know how to tell each other they like each other (with baby Teddy!)

Title of Their Sex Tape by Cibee (12k, rated T)

Undercover! Heists! Draco pining for Harry! Harry being oblivious, but also can't help noticing how good Draco smells! Banters and jokes! That's about it.

Brooklyn 99-esque fic with v sweet will they/won't they moments. also the line "“I confess,” Draco said quietly. “That I had hope ... you would choose me this time.”" !!!!!!!

By Any Other Name by dracognition (8k, rated E)

A botched love potion makes it so that everyone in Harry's vicinity is madly in love with him—everyone except Draco, that is.

everyone is in love with Harry, INCLUDING Draco!!! hehehe

Swipe Right by mee4ever (2k, rated G)

Or then one where Harry swipes right, and it turns out Draco does too.

I love their banter/flirting in this one so much!!!

Harry Potter Gets a Job [ART] by dustmouth (106 pages, rated M)

Harry returns home from Romania to find Arthur Weasley has a new apprentice, and there's an extra place set for dinner.

I love this art style and the story is just so perfect, def suggest checking out more by dustmouth if you enjoy this

[ao3feed-weddie]

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/D3pnu51 by Val_and_Ichabod Waylon's life is in Eddie's hands. After injuring himself from the fall down the elevator, Eddie takes care of him while Waylon heals. But his behavior leaves Waylon confused, how much of his dark side is himself and how much is the Engine? Furthermore, why does he feel the urge to stay close to Eddie and care for him?   I'm a weddie apologist to the day I die. Assume up until the start of this that most of the DLC has happened. I made the fall down the elevator more dramatic by making him fall down a few floors instead of just one floor so Eddie can take care of him. Also in this fic, Waylon and Lisa are separated, but still on good terms. They pretty much haven't gotten fully divorced for the sake of their kids. This project is for NaNoWriMo 2023, so I'm unsure how long it will be or how frequent my updates will be, especially after November ends, but I hopefully will finish this project. Yes, I used a Mitski song for the title, no I will not apologize Words: 3149, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Outlast (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: M/M Characters: Eddie Gluskin, Waylon Park, Frank Manera, Jeremy Blaire, Lisa Park Relationships: Eddie Gluskin/Waylon Park Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, weddie my love, toxic relationship?, idk eddie is under the influence of the engine, hard to tell what's actually him and what's just the engine, NaNoWriMo 2023, Forced Feminization read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/D3pnu51

[variousqueerthings]

DINOSAURS! ON A SPACESHIP!

it's the episode Dinosaurs on a Spaceship and I feel like it's the best and the worst of this era in one 45min package, so let's see what it gets right and what it gets wrong

sexism rank objectification (female character is ogled/harassed/turned into a sex joke by the doctor and/or a lead we’re supposed to root for and/or the camera): 2/10

sexism rank plot-point (lead female character is only there to serve plot, not to have her emotional interiority explored): 5/10

interesting complex or pointlessly complex (does the complexity serve the narrative or does it just serve to be confusing as a stand-in for smart, this includes visually): 8/10

furthers character and/or lore and/or plot development (broader question that ties into the previous ones, at least two of these, ideally three should be fulfilled): 5/10

companion matters (the companion doesn’t always have to be there, but if the companion is there, can they function without the doctor– and overall per season how often is the companion the focus or POV of the story): 7/10

the doctor is more than just “godlike” (examines the doctor’s flaws and limitations, doesn’t solve a plot by having it revolve entirely around the doctor’s existence): 9/10

doesn’t look down on previous doctor who (by erasing or mocking its importance, by redoing and “bettering” previous beloved plotpoints or characters, etc.): 6/10

isn’t trying to insert hamfisted sexiness (m*ffat famously talked a lot about how dw should be sexier multiple times, he sucks at writing it): 1/10

internal world has consistency (characters have backgrounds, feel rooted in a place with other people, generally feel like they have Lives): 8/10

Politics (how conservative is the story): 2/10

FULL RATING: 53/100 (if I can count….)

A note: this episode was written by Chris Chibnall and what the hell dude?

OBJECTIFICATION: so where this episode loses me is its near-constant sexual harassment of Queen Nefertiti, who is portrayed as a sultry sexual temptress in the very first scene (trying to get in the Doctor's pants -- there is no context), reacts to misogynistic commentary from a random Edwardian Gameshunter that's in this episode for no reason as if she's turned on, and is then threatened pretty explicitly with sexual assault from the episode bad guy

she then also definitely has sex with the aforementioned Gameshunter, even though - and I cannot stress this enough - almost all his dialogue is truly vile

he's introduced making a sexist throwaway comment to the Doctor about how he'd run off after their last adventure (what is the Doctor doing with a man like this??? idk) and "I had two very disappointed dancers on my hands… not that I couldn’t manage" and right upon meeting Amy and Nefertiti, delivers this banger of "I don’t take orders from females"

seriously why is he in this episode and why would the Doctor be friends with someone like him???? it's an unfathomable choice

all of this is doubly uncomfortable, because he is An Edwardian White British Big Game Hunter From Peak Coloniser Era and she is A Black Woman (who, again, is mostly portrayed as domineering but in a sultry "I want to be tamed" kind of way)

Nefertiti upon getting captured by the bad guy says some shit again about how no man will speak to her like he is, and he pins her to the wall (btw, I will note this in politics, but important to say he is an elderly man walking with a massive space-cane, very much disabled villain Trope) with his massive space-cane and says this in the most leery tone: "I like my possessions to have spirit. It means I can have fun breaking them. And I will break you in with immense pleasure"

of course she gets saved and "takes back" her power by later on defeating him by tripping up his cane, and then her last scene is her with her hair undone coming out of Edwardian dude's tent in [idk the Sahara I guess?] with the big space gun he had

PLOT-POINT: OKAY so originally I was writing here that Amy's story ended in The God Complex and that it was a good ending, and that this felt like they were rehashing old concepts that were already done with

However I do think there's something interesting in Amy being... fine... she worries about the Doctor and would like it if he checked in from time to time so she knows he's not dead or smthin, but at the end of this story Amy and Rory are like "actually we'd like to go home now pls" and the Doctor respects that wish and takes them back and sends them a postcard from his next port of call

so yeah, I think Amy's internal life does matter here, even though I do think her narrative could have all ended on The God Complex and this part of it so far has yet to justify itself (we shall see though!), and I changed my scoring to reflect it. but why isn't it highe-

QUEEN NEFERTITI THAT'S WHY!!! so consistently throughout this episode, we have Amy being quite a capable, fun person and we of course know her and her relationship with her husband and where she is at this point (forget the last episode)

Queen Nefertiti is brought into this episode in order to make a series of sex "jokes," get her kidnapped by the bad guy, and threatened with sexual assault. what does she want? she wants to F***! what's so interesting about her as a historical character? That She Was Sexy! what does she feel about things in the episode? That She's A Powerful Sexy Woman Whom No Man Will Tame And Is No Man's Possession

how did this... do this??? it feels like M*ffat gave Chibnall the note to put in one of his sexual fantasies and Chibnall rolled the dice and landed on Nefertiti on a whim OR WORSE, that he thought she'd pair up well with a British colonialist

it's literally The Thing that makes this episode -- otherwise kind of lowkey a banger -- one that I would never ever recommend, and it's very very disappointing that this kind of racism and sexism was in any draft of the story, let alone the one that got filmed and show on TV

COMPLEXITY: It's got Dinosaurs! and they're pretty great! and it all connects together pretty well -- some Silurians who were trying to escape what they thought was the impending doom of earth and brought different parts of species with them, like an arc, and at some point during the cryosleep journey a malicious exotic trader who literally killed all of the Silurians in order to sell off the dinosaurs

except he can't steer the ship and so it plotted a course back to earth and now it's crashing and they need to find a way to stop him and it!

the only downside is that they didn't make a link between "malicious exotic trader" and "edwardian big game hunter" because the latter absolutely should have been a villain to even mildly justify his presence in this story

Amy even (rightly) says, in answer to him grandstanding about his apparent historical importance: Men who hunt defenceless creatures just don’t impact on history

CHARACTERS/LORE/PLOT: there's some cute stuff with Rory's dad and I can forgive him being introduced in this episode and never before, because it's actually showing him as active in the episode, and gives you an insight into why Rory is the kind of man he is (in a good way)

there's the aforementioned showing how Amy and Rory have kind of grown past the Doctor -- I kind of wish forever that Amy and Rory were more grounded as characters (especially Amy) but at least there's a father-in-law now. I say this because grown past the Doctor into... what? what is their life about? we still don't really know (well, lies, Rory is still nursing, which is great)

it's mainly this set-up -- that the Doctor is going to be increasingly lonely -- that the narrative serves, but it does do it by actually showing Amy and Rory being happy together

COMPANIONS MATTER: they kind of do, yeah. Amy is very competent over on her side of things, in a way I wiiiish we'd seen way back in s5 already, and Rory is the emotional tie to his dad, which makes sense

it is a very "too many characters in one episode" feeling on the whole, but that's because of Nefertiti and the Big Game Hunter, both of whom didn't need to be there, because the bad guy could have stolen the Doctor (I know, I know, the mysteriouuus Oswin has somehow "deleted" all record of him, but could have still scanned him as an unidentified alien or whatever) or the Tardis? and then had Brian and Rory figure out the solution which is what they do anyway and they all team up to save the Doctor or the Tardis....

point being, yes, but there was room for even more, easily

“GODLIKE” DOCTOR: actually not! he does make the decision to let evil guy get blown up, and you know, there's trajectory here, there's precedent so to speak... how one feels about it, ehhh it's up to you, but it's not out of character for this Doctor to do

PREVIOUS DOCTOR WHO: not much of any of that in here -- Silurians again ofc -- and there doesn't have to be

“SEXINESS”: HA. bad. ties into the above points about Nefertiti, truly heinous. introduced trying to have sex with the Doctor/seduce him against the Tardis, and it's sooort of hinted they may have already had sex before??? unclear

also here's some dialogue for you:

Coloniser Dickhead: Egyptian queen or not I shall put you across my knee and spank you [Nefertiti here replies that she will kill anyone who tries, I didn't manage to transcribe it] Coloniser Dickhead: You’re a firecracker          [Amy responds to this asking the two of them to stop flirting??????????????????????????????????????????]

later on Nefertiti asks Amy of the Doctor has a queen. Amy asks her isn't she married, to which she responds "male equivalent of a sleeping potion." Coloniser Dickhead then replies that she needs a real man with a Big Weapon, while cocking a massive laser gun

AMY THEN SAYS THAT HE'S A WALKING INNUENDO, BUT LAMPSHADING YOUR OWN SHITTY UNCOMFORTABLE WRITING DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER OR META??? IT JUST MEANS YOU KNOW IT'S FUCKING STUPID!!!

and of course after her whole adventure being a Sexy Damsel who gets threatened with sexual violence, she's last seen coming out of Coloniser Dickheads tent with a huge gun and a "come-hither" demeanor, but get it... get it she's holding the gun now, so she... idk she doms or whatever, Sexually Confident Girl Power Get That Racist Sexist Mediocre Fuckwit

maybe she's just pretending to seduce him so she can shoot him

(he CANONICALLY kills big animals, presumably the kinds that they sell the tusks of for ivory or can hang the fur of in living rooms or whatever and it's CANONICALLY framed as bad, what is his purpose in this?????????????)

one minor shitty one with Amy (also with this guy????) is they're surrounded by dinos and need to slow them down by stunning them while other shit is happening and he says: Dinosaurs ahead. Lady at my side. Ship about to blow up. not sure I’ve ever been happier

to which Amy simply grins and goes: shut up and shoot

WHAT! IS! HIS! PURPOSE!?!?!?!?!!!!!!

INTERNAL WORLD: it's a fun spaceship that really gives little tidbits to its passengers and their journey (not too much, because they're all sadly dead, and everyone is reconstructing events best they can). nothing complicated, but enjoyable

POLITICS: so we've got a disabled villain, we've got an Edwardian Gameshunter (as a good guy), and we've got some of the most overt objectification of a Black woman I can remember seeing on this show... not a great look for an episode where the plot is simply about none of this, it's just... set dressing on top of what is actually happening

the episode just simply... I mean, look no episode needs to do these things... but this episode didn't even need two of these characters!

if you wanted to bring in Queen Nefertiti, why not do something about her history? about her reign? about her in any meaningful way? why was she here, other than for the sexual content?

why was Coloniser Dickhead here other than to be the perpetrator of most of that harassment and then get rewarded for it? what did we learn about Games Hunters in Edwardian times? what did we learn about British colonisation? and if nothing, what did he bring to the table in any other way? (not everything has to be a learning opportunity after all, but there has to be a reason for a whole fucking character to exist in a thing)

FULL RATING: 53/100 (if I can count….)

this episode could have had such a high ranking for its genuinely fun plot, and for giving us an interesting (if so far unnecessary, but We Shall See) denouement on Amy's and Rory's storyline

as it stands the rampant racist sexism makes it one I just wouldn't recommend unfortunately

[logicgunn]

20 Questions Game

Thanks for tagging me @maria-de-salinas!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

97!!!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

444,377

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly Stargate. A few other lone fandoms that are gifts for people.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Your Attention

Suspicious Packages

And All The Rest

In A Manner Of Speaking

Ex-Communication

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Always. It's important to me that people know I've read their comments. Even if it's just a 🖤, I want you to know that I see you and I acknowledge you and I am thankful for you.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

All of the Whumptober fics, the last thing you never see (a Fallout/Stargate fusion), and Subnautica (another video game fusion).

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

It'll probably be the last part of The Long Dark if I ever get there...

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Yup, somewhat regularly. Mostly it's bigotry because I dare to to write characters that aren't cis in my fics...

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Not really. I have a couple of E rated fics, but mostly I stick to the M rating. I'm more comfortable there.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Yes, but more fusions than true crossovers. It's a lot of fun taking characters and dumping them into video game worlds! Subnautica was an early fic I wrote that was a complete experiment. It's entirely dialogue, and I wasn't sure it was going to work out. I like what it became.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

IDK. I hope not.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope. But I have an open Transformative Works Policy, and I am happy for people to do so if they want to. (I have a bunch of podfic gifts, for which I am so utterly grateful and excited!)

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

No, but I have written other people's prompts and gifted works to people based on their ideas. @bunny-bopper does so much shaping and idea bouncing that there are a couple of fics I'd gladly credit her on, but she wouldn't let me.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

McShep.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Gosh, I have a few. I get bogged down in my serial killer fic when I'm in a mood, it keeps heading too dark for me to be comfortable sharing it.

16. What are your writing strengths?

People seem to feel like my characters stay in character in my AUs, which is a relief because I often ask myself "What would Rodney or John do/feel/say in a world where *his life is very different*" and the answers always surprise me.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Commas, semi-colons, run-on sentences, and I have zero consideration for any of the school-taught writing rules which I am certain can be offputting for some people. If I want to open with dialogue then I'm going to open with dialogue.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I think if you feel competent enough to do it then go for it. I am not, but I will throw in words and common phrases if a canon character does so.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

The X Files. I wrote a little Scully/Milder kiss fic when I was a preteen. I wish I still had that. I never showed it to anyone. not even Bun.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

Possibly an unexpected answer, but 101 Contritions is my most self-comforting fic.

Tagging: @massharp1971, @colonelshepparrrrd, @dedkake, and anyone else. If you like to do these, consider yourself tagged!

[this-is-krikkit]

Hi Krikkit! How's your day going?

For the character game *drum roll*: LESLIE KNOPE

Thought I'd change things up a bit to explore some of our other shared fandoms 😅

xoxo

hey Alice, thanks for suggesting this one! i miss parks badly these days (tlou and nick offerman starring in it might have a lil to do with that) and i love that we share that fandom too, so kudos to you for that idea 🤗

favorite thing about her: her determination!!! she's so fucking stubborn when she wants to get something done, and she'll find a way to reach her goal no matter what! we have chosen to stan forever.

least favorite thing about them: how aware i am that i would not be able to stand her energy irl lmao like i love her a lot but anyone who tries to wake me up early the one time a month i get to sleep in WILL be killed

favorite line: "the only thing i will be waving is your decapitated head on a stick in front of your weeping mother!!" bc i love an overcompetitive drama queen who struggle to bury her feelings so deep that they end up sounding like over the top death threat during model UN ♥️♥️

brOTP: leslie x ron were always my fave friendship of the show, even before their epic scene in the last season

OTP: benslie is love, benslie is life. it's the healthiest relationship i've ever seen depicted on a TV show, and it's refreshing that they didn't destroy that for the sake of comedy like it happens so often (monica x chandler in friends, barney x robin in himym... i could go on)

nOTP: i guess anything that's not leslie x ben? i didn't like her with the cop dude, although he was funny. they never felt half as genuine and soft and perfect as benslie did from the very beginning

random headcanon: she tried being a supportive spouse and reading ben's star trek fanfiction once, thought it was cool but whatever yk, until ben joked that there probably were fanfic authors who wrote US historical figures fics out there. it was the beginning of a VERY long summer where leslie posted about 30 historically accurate M to E rated works on ao3, 2 of which were over 100k words multichapters. ben, half horrified and half impressed, commented dutifully on each chapter, even getting into virtual fights with rightists (is that a word?) who called leslie names bc they disagreed with the politics aspects of her fics, and even though nothing beats that actual real life punch he once threw to defend her honor, his internet chivalry effectively turned her on still. they had a short but intense reign as ao3's most productive power couple before the triplets came back from chris and ann's for school and they had to focus on their parenting roles + her presidential campaign again.

unpopular opinion: idk how unpopular it is, but there was never a doubt in my mind that she's the president at the very end of the series?? like ik they left a doubt there on purpose, but seriously, does anyone really think leslie's story ends with her being the first lady and not the fucking president when it's been her dream forever?? how rude can the universe be

song i associate with her: sadly, the get on your feet and make it happen campaign song x) anytime i hear her name that's what i think about and it's horrible bc it won't leave my headdd

favorite picture of her: leslie in a suit!!!!!!!!?????? 😍🥰🥵 that hair length and color suited her best too imo, oh god i miss her now 😭

[majorbaby]

Feel free to ignore if it's been too long or you're not vibing with it but I'm very curious so I want to throw out a few more for the wip ask game: the one where Trapper goes to Illinois, margaret longfic, hawkeye and margaret commiserate over lost loves, and BJ goes to maine (derogatory). pick any/all of them.

thank you :) the one where Trapper goes to Illinois - rated G - at Radar's behest, Trapper visits Henry's widow. margaret longfic - rated M - follows Margaret from beginning to end of the war - i intend for it to be one long character study. the excerpt is hawkeye/margaret, just mentioning that in case it's not your thing. lots of ships appear in this one, margaret/frank, margaret/donald, margaret/hawkeye (none of these are endgame) but i've also got strictly platonic BJ/Margaret and Klinger/Margaret chapters... I'm playing with the idea of the different Margaret 'phases' being marked by who she's with. the margaret/frank years, the margaret/donald fever dream months, the margaret/charles weirdness and the eventual margaret-and-hawkeye-are-friends-now years that take us through to the end. i hope to turn that on its head by the end. hawkeye and margaret commiserate over lost loves - rated T - started writing this when i was super into hawkeye being very mopey about BJ lol. idk if i'll finish it because i don't think i believe that hawkeye would be broken up over an unrequited love for too long. I can really tell I wrote this early on in my mash days, because hawkeye and margaret both ring OOC to me reading this back. BJ goes to maine (derogatory) - rated M - postwar hawkeye/omc established relationship and then BJ shows up and causes problems. this actually started as a gift for you after you mentioned you would be into this premise lmao, i didn't realize you were writing it yourself and didn't mean to steal it from you. CW for what i intended to be dubcon in this. excerpts here:

the one where Trapper goes to Illinois

“Maybe you should go see her too, sir,” says Radar quickly. He seems to know he can say just about anything to Trapper without wearing out his welcome, but is still nervous to make the suggestion.

Trapper sighs. “She wouldn’t wanna see me Radar. And don’t call me sir. We’re not in Korea anymore.”

“You’re still older. You and Colonel Blake–”

“Henry.”

“You and him were closer in age you know? She might like seeing you. You guys were friends. And you would always kick me out whenever yous were watching those movies, or talking about–”

“Walter…” Trapper makes a face. The name doesn’t taste right. “Radar, I don’t think she wants to hear about any of the stuff we got up to. Henry probably didn’t even mention me at all.”

Radar seems to get frustrated, he rubs one eye underneath his glasses and tries another angle, “You were the last person to see him other than me that’s here. I can’t exactly ask Hawk–”

“All right! If it means you won’t show up here unannounced again, eat all the ham and cheese for my kids’ lunches and have my wife fussing over you like you’re a stray cat then fine.” Trapper drains the rest of his beer in one swig. “I’ll go visit in a few weeks.”

“August 20th weekend?”

“What about it?”

“Could you visit August 20th weekend?”

“You gonna book my flight?”

“No. It’s just that I told Mrs. Blake you’d visit August 20th weekend.”

“Radar!--” 

Trapper is so exasperated at this point he feels he could actually strangle his Iowan houseguest, but at that very moment, his wife sticks her head out of the kitchen and begins to ask, “More juice?” *** margaret longfic

The thing about Hawkeye is nobody is just a warm body to him, nobody he meets can remain anonymous to him, nurse, patient, colleague or otherwise. It’s infuriating to her, his unending well of empathy and openness. It’s unmilitary, which she knows he doesn’t care a whit about, but it’s emasculating too and that, she thinks, he ought to mind. 

She remembers her first time, all fumbles and guesswork and suddenly, somehow, something inside of her. The suddenness of it is what she remembers clearly and it’s reinforced by Frank and Donald. It’s not that she hadn’t enjoyed it, it’s just that she hadn’t known it could be different. But it’s different with Hawkeye.

Hawkeye fucks like he doesn’t want you to think of it as fucking, which Margaret finds offensive. He spends time that they don’t have at her neck and her breasts and annoyingly, at parts of her that do nothing for her sexually like her forehead and the skin over her ribs. When he finally puts it in her, the way God intended it, his hips undulate too slowly for her liking and his grasp on her middle is firm but not demanding. 

He’s too present, and it makes her present too. She’s aware of every touch he applies to her, she feels him enter and leave over and over, and whenever he’s inside her fully there’s a moment where nothing happens, like those few seconds after an inhale before the exhale begins - he is breathing her in and out. There’s no time for that. She wishes he’d just fuck her in the sensible, appropriate manner she’s accustomed to. 

He goes to bring his hand to just above where they’re joined, but she bats it away, I’ll do it myself, and he chuckles and doesn’t put up a fight at all, because he understands her and still enjoys her. Maybe he’s the only remaining person in the camp who does. She’s a do-it-yourself kind of woman. Do it all by yourself. 

He’s half-kissing, half-whispering against her temple and she lets it go because as with her and her self-sufficiency, he can’t help himself. He’s a lover and a fool. Hawkeye tries to love her and make love to her, even if she won’t have it and can’t accept it. And to his credit, he doesn’t ever pressure her to. He’s only doing what comes natural to him.  *** hawkeye and margaret commiserate over lost loves

“Well, what are you going to do about this?” asked Margaret after some time.

“Margaret there’s nothing to do.”

“You could tell him how you feel.”

“Why would I do a stupid thing like that?”

“You do it all the time, Pierce.”

As Hawkeye thought about this, he grew even more self-conscious. His eyes started to shift and his back stiffened up again. 

“Do you think he knows?” he asked finally in the lowest tone he could muster.

“Even if he has an inkling, he’d never assume such a thing. You’d have to whack him over the head with it. Or tell him with your words.”

“How do you know?”

“I told you, I know everything,” then seeing the pleading look he gave her and appreciating how rarely he gave her such a look, she relented, “BJ’s not like us Hawkeye. He feels things just as deep, but he’s not always aware of it. And… and even if he was aware of it, that’s different than allowing it, or embracing it.”

It felt to Hawkeye like she was saying that BJ couldn’t embrace him, not for as long as Hawkeye couldn’t or wouldn’t use words to express himself. And then, maybe not even if Hawkeye did take that leap…

“Since you’re so smart,” Hawkeye stacked his tray atop hers and motioned for her to follow him out into the night, where he continued, “What do you think BJ might say if I were to… you know, use my words.” 

Margaret made him wait for the response. He thought she might be thinking on it as they walked together in the general direction of her tent. As they walked, their arms brushed together, and Hawkeye naturally slipped his arm into the crook of her elbow. She allowed it, which wasn’t a good sign for him. He had to hold his breath whenever Margaret allowed him to be affectionate with her, even as a friend. Or especially as a friend. When she was friendly with him, it was because there was a blow coming from some unseen place and she liked him enough to try to soften it. ***

BJ goes to maine (derogatory)

BJ’s mind does a funny thing where it moves a mile a minute, but is focused on only one thing. It’s like when he’d first hit empty road coming out of San Francisco. Hours and hours on his bike, the peripherals whizzing by fade into nothing, until all he can see is a single fixed point in front of him.

Right now the whole world is a blur but for Hawkeye, there in the middle of BJ’s focus. It’s a nice place to be. Forced to look forward, there’s neither a war nor a wife left behind that he can remember clearly. 

“Beej?” says Hawkeye, and BJ wonders if his name had always sounded like that coming from Hawkeye’s mouth. Honeyed. 

BJ steps closer. Hawkeye has set down his book on the half of the double bed that is undisturbed, and he’s squinting at BJ in the low light of his reading lamp.

“Can’t sleep.” BJ says, taking another step closer, so that he’s standing directly in Hawkeye’s light. 

Hawkeye clears his throat. “Need a some water?” he smiles. “A warm glass of milk? What do you do with Erin? Like father, like–”

BJ sits suddenly and looks at Hawkeye sharply. The action cuts off Hawkeye’s sentence.

“Please don’t…” BJ struggles. His focus shakes a bit, but the image doesn’t change. It’s still Hawkeye. “What’s wrong?” asks Hawkeye, innocently. He’s probably thinking BJ’s had a nightmare. Or else he thinks BJ can’t get to sleep in the first place. 

“Nothing.” BJ surges home, towards his anchor, towards the beacon of light that’s always been there at the end of a long, dark tunnel. It’s taken shape at last. It’s Hawkeye, here with him, in the peace and quiet of his childhood home. He cups Hawkeye’s face with one hand as he kisses him. It feels strange to have stubble beneath his hand while he does this. But he can get used to it, he’s sure. It can grow on him. It will, because it’s Hawkeye. They’re finally back together again. 

With one knee up on Hawkeye’s bed, BJ is painfully aware of the swelling in his pants, but can’t bring himself to be embarrassed about it. Not even when he shifts his weight all onto Hawkeye, and they go tumbling onto the bed, and he’s sure Hawkeye can feel his erection through the thin bedspread and their pajamas. He hasn’t allowed himself to imagine this moment, so he just goes based on instinct and maybe a few memories of being in the backseat of his father’s Chrysler. He thrusts against what he thinks might be the inside of one of Hawkeye’s thighs, or maybe it’s the lower part of his torso. Wherever it is on him, it feels good. 

[romirola]

🥚 Any easter eggs you put in a fic that you hoped people would notice?

😮 Anything you included in your fic that you didn’t expect people to like?

🏳️‍🌈 Do you write the most m/f ships, f/f ships or m/m ships?

and the ladder one (which didn't copy/paste but I've been 🥂 so I can't figure out how to get it back easily so idk here it is)

🪜 I'm greedy and I want four things Please give them to me 🥰🔪

From this ask game, still open!

Thankyou for these asks, @frenchiefitzhere! I'm here and happy to satisfy that greed!

🥚 Any easter eggs you put in a fic that you hoped people would notice? Yes!! I have some characters that appear or are referenced in multiple fics for continuity that I hope people notice. For instance, Sydney, a dreamwalker-rookie on Sweetheart's squad appears in Cross My Heart,, this Milo/Sweetheart oneshot, and this (rated M, so 18+ only, please!) other Milo/Sweetheart oneshot. Sergeant Watkins, Sweetheart's contra-water elemental supervisor, appears or is heavily mentioned in Stubborn Stealths and Worried Wolves, Cross My Heart, and this Sweetheart and Cam friendship oneshot. Deena, Miguel's little sister, is mentioned in Stronger Together and Packed with Love. Another headcanon that I often reference, and channel whenever I write Asher is that his parents are humanborn wolves who came to the States from Ireland. That is depicted explicitly in Packed with Love and discussed in Secrets Between Friends. I don't know if anyone notices and if they don't, that's okay, but I like seeing how all these things can be inflected in the stories and build upon another another as the world is fleshed out in a way that contributes to the plot and characterizations.

😮 Anything you included in your fic that you didn’t expect people to like? Hmmm... I'm not sure if I really give much thought as to what people may/may not like when I write. I suppose I write the story how I see it, tag it appropriately, and presume that people will read if they wish. I will say sometimes I get notes that my fics are too long for people to read, which always feels unexpected because there's no set date by which you have to read the fic. It's there, living on AO3 and ready for you to read at any pace! But perhaps these notes are telling me that my fics are long without the payoff of exciting plots, which in that case, I would say thanks for reading and letting me know what you thought.

🏳️‍🌈 Do you write the most m/f ships, f/f ships or m/m ships? I try to ensure that the ships featured in my Redactedverse allow for a reader to maintain whatever kind of conception of the listeners they have, which leads me to describe the listeners through a gender-inclusive lens.

🪜 Tell us a random fact about any fic! This (rated M, so 18+ only, please) Gavin/Freelancer oneshot that features nonsexual intimacy facilitated by consensual hypno-magic was supposed to be kinda smutty, but actually turned into something poignantly tender. It's fairly long to be in a oneshot collection, and I kind of regret putting it there rather than making it its own story, but alas, what is done is done. Gavin/Freelancer are an intimidating couple to write because Gavin is just so... good at all things love/romance/intimacy/trust. But, overall, I'm quite proud of how that fic turned out and grateful for the opportunity to stretch my own imagination!

[namelessmewmew]

Old Art Archive Part 1.

I want to keep this old art on this blog but not retag all the original posts, so going to do what I did for my sideblogs and delete the original posts but reupload them in batches with no tags except an archive tag. This also allows me to (even if I don't have the spoons right now, to add image descriptions to these at a later date).

Original captions under the cut.

I have like over 150 ocs that need refs/redesigns [and many in that 150 that whose design is only in my head] but I only seem to be able to make new characters right now so have this kitty! I have been thinking about tv heads alot lately but also really like kitty robots so kitty Tv Head, [They are also based a bit on a heart rate monitor, they might end up being like a walking heart monitor nurse in a hospital or something, I have alot of medical bots because I think thats cool.]

Felt like trying to give this girl digital colours and starting to figure out how this girl will be personality wise. Likely will have this girl be a graphic designer or an artist in some other regard.

The main form in the center is his preferred form, he is a from a shapeshifting species called Nederians/Nederans [not sure about that] and he is part of a group of Nederians/Nederans that theme themselves after sweets/sweet stuff.

Another guy in the same Group as Mallow [The marshmallow guy I posted earlier]. To clear possible confusion shes a guy. [Lesbians and other w|w using He/Him pronouns and Gay men and other m|m using She/Her pronouns is something that has been part of lgbt culture for quite a while!]

Just your local tired catdude [Been wanting a new icon for a while so here it is].

Vanilla + Strawberry icecream themed guy, Of course another one of the sugar group [want to come up with a better name but not sure what yet].

Orange Flavoured Soda themed guy. They are also a very bubbly dude [Yes literally as well]. I have like 3 more members of the sugar group [still need a better name] to draw some concepts for.

This guy was designed at a completely different time and originally was not meant to be part of the same group [sugar group] but decided to have them be a part of it. Instead on being based on a real food or sweet thing, they are based on a in universe food called Starbites  [Either Gum or Lollipops, haven't decided yet, that have starbust in them and are very fizzy]

I am not 100% on its colours [as well their design as a whole] but I just wanted to try to start to figure out how their design may work. It is meant to be different flavours of Gummy bears melted together.

She is meant to be based on chocolate as a whole [white, milk and dark] but She could also work as a Red Velvet or Dark Forest themed character maybe?

She is meant to be based on chocolate as a whole [white, milk and dark] but She could also work as a Red Velvet or Dark Forest themed character maybe?

Make make them into an oc, though might change their colours as its pretty monotone right now. Just a little gif and test how long it takes to make a simple piece like this with a very simple character design. 45 minutes this is based on a random game note I found on my 3DS.

Decided to change the expression and shade the main pic in her concept sheet because it did take me quite a bit to get it done [started it days ago but went into a very bleh feeling phrase again physically]. Im fairly certain Pup counts as a Sparklewolf? Might redesign their tail and add some more colourful markings idk. Love the way her colours look, its like a sunset [and dawn I think]. If the little faces on the side are confusing [I really cant tell if I properly bring the point across with just the drawings]: Top one is Pups being confused/not understanding something Middle is her not being about to concentrate and think as their are too many sources of noise [ I often have this issue ] Her fidgeting with a pop-it, its a really cool thing and has made going out for groceries something a bit less stressful.

Based on a white [and green and yellow greenish] pumpkins. I very much want to make more of these guys. Yeah I dont have much else to say, uh, I like her markings alot. My brain is veery tired so not many words.

Bunny Tv Head! With antenna ears as I just think making animal ears with tv antennas is cool. The magic electricity legs are also very bouncy [so they are also like springs].  My brain is still very tired so dont have anything of substance to say.

So Xe is a Ghost pony but Xe is also part fire? Idk might add more to this "species" if I can think of anything else. I really like xem colours. Adopted from and was originally by ItzAnnaDraws03 [on deviantart]

Very slight redesign [and first digital] concept for them.  Changed her a bit, because despite the fact I think its important to have gnc characters [including gnc transfem characters], there is also important to have well not gnc trans characters. [I dont know if I'm making sense, I guess what I'm saying yes transfem characters liking/being okay with /wanting facial hair is good but the opposite is also important and good]. Love the colours of their outfit, also I really like giving character dangly earrings.