#and tell me it's not seen as a bad or a sad thing

[thesportsprgirl]

Gossip account culture in F1 has truly hit its lowest low, I think. To hear that an account was actually rallying their followers to attack a company (and apparently for months has been "organizing a boycott") because they claim some sort of moral superiority over strangers based on what they see of them on the internet? People, you have like 2K followers. You are not media outlets. You are not powerful. You are sad little people whose entire lives have become wrapped up in critiquing strangers for some unredeemable internet cred.

We know Magui did some problematic things when she was younger, but if you spend 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, running a gossip Instagram account that literally stalks the flights and hotel reservations and restaurant reservations of a public figure, DM harasses their family and friends and colleagues, posts information that puts their security at risk, spins wild narratives about their intentions as if you are inside their brain, tries to ruin their business or their career opportunities, your toxicity is as bad or worse than what she has done. What an unbelievably sad, pathetic way to spend your time.

And frankly, as a woman in one of the communities that I suppose was the "target" of one of those social media moments many years ago, I'm getting a little tired of the pearl clutching of women in more privileged positions (and racial groups) who are telling me what I should or shouldn't be offended by. Get back to me when you've started making histrionic TikToks every time Lando is seen with one of the many male drivers who have done the same or worse.

There are drivers that have literally hung out with and vacationed with criminals and people with SA allegations and people cared far, far less. It's giving ✨misogyny✨.

There are actual PROBLEMS in the world right now! Focus your energy on that. Protest things that actually matter. Like, have you heard about how the most powerful government in the world is being overtaken by a sad little chainsaw wielding man who has done multiple public N*zi salutes and continues to gain access to more power?

And lastly, I work in PR. And in a role that is far closer to knowing what goes on behind the scenes in this sport than anyone in those comment sections. None of them know what actual PR is, just like all of those TikTok PR "experts" who think they know about Lando's media training and run to clutch their pearls every time he makes a joke on stream. Two people holding hands inside of a car is not PR. GET OUT OF THE NGL ECHO CHAMBER my god.

[screamingatanemptyroom]

The Switched Princess pt 3

I actually wrote part 3, guys, hope you enjoy!

Part 1 and part 2 linked.

______________________________

“You look beautiful today!”

Princess Theodora turned around at the sound of her fiancé, Prince Corwin, who had entered the sitting area while she was distracted. He was a classically handsome young man. His light blue eyes focused solely on her, and his strong features were arranged in an affectionate grin. Theodora smiled back, and then looked down at her clothes.

She was wearing a blue gown, similar to the color of her fiance's eyes. It was one of her favorites, with intricate silver embellishments and folds in the skirts, highlighting the best aspects of her figure. She had always felt beautiful in this dress, and normally a compliment from Corwin would have just solidified an already good mood.

If she hadn’t seen Iris in a blue gown today as well.

When the other young woman had arrived for breakfast, Theodora had been stunned. She had seen the paintings of the former Queen, and always thought that she had to be the most gorgeous woman in this world. But her daughter… her real daughter… had surpassed her, leaving a terrible bitter feeling in Theodora’s heart at the sight.

She should be ugly. She thought to herself. Small, timid and worn from a cruel world.  Instead, she’s confident, poised and mature, unfazed by wealth or etiquette.

Theodora gritted her teeth. It’s not enough that she’s identical to HER��� does she have to have the same personality as well? She thought she was rid of the person she hated the most, but the more she saw Iris…

And she chose the name Iris… even though she said it was because she sold flowers, but…why... why did it have to be the name IRIS?

She brooded over the name.

“Theo!” Corwin’s bright voice broke her increasingly dark thoughts. “I got you something!”

He handed her a small glass figurine, a carefully carved flower. She noted that it was beautiful, but not worth any money, and suppressed her disappointment with a cheerful smile. “Thank you! It’s lovely!”

Despite her efforts, he must have sensed a difference in her tone, and asked with a look of concern. “What’s wrong? Is it that adopted child your father brought over?”

Theodora’s eyes looked down, her eyelashes hiding the dark light in her gaze, at his words. She has told Corwin that her father had chosen to adopt a poor child of a faithful servant. He had believed her without question. At the time she had been relieved, but now hearing his words…. She regretted it.

She turned away from him, keep her voice low and sad. “How could that be? I feel nothing but pity for the poor girl. She hasn’t adjusted yet, so I can’t take her words or actions personally.” Theo chose her words carefully, and her eyes flashed with satisfaction as he picked up on the implied meaning behind them.

“Wait! What do you mean 'words or actions'? What has she done?” He reached out and patted her head. “You are too kind for your own good, Theo. Just tell me if you are bullied, and I will take care of it for you. Don’t get your hands dirty.”

“She doesn’t mean it…”

“She should know her place.” He snorted, dismissing her persuading words. “A fake adopted princess trying to upstage the real thing? Trash will always be rotten, no matter how you try to dress it up, but true gold shines even in the worst situations.”

“…” How ironic that he's trying to comfort me with those words. Iris stayed silent, and Corwin must have taken it for discomfort with his speaking poorly of another person.

“I know you feel bad for her…” He patted her head, not knowing that every word he spoke was stabbing her like a knife. “But don’t worry. She could never take your place. You are a princess. The TRUE princess. And soon in the future, we will get married and you will be by my side as a queen.”

Theodora reached out and hugged Corwin, her voice tearful. “I can’t wait.” It's the only way for me to escape this closing trap.

He held her tightly, smiling. “It won’t be much longer, dear. Soon you will awaken your Royal Magic, and when the Flower of Peace blooms, our wedding can be held!”

Stepping back from his embrace, Theodora frowned. “The Flower of Peace? From the treaty? I know that its written there, but we can’t possibly be waiting for a silly flower…”

“It’s not a silly flower.” Corwin’s voice was uncharacteristically serious. “It’s a historical international symbol. A gift of peace between countries. For Estin and Komish, it is an essential of our cooperation. The seeds are native to the neighboring country of Akarnor, in fields that are just across the border, just south of the palace where I grew up.” He smiled slightly, as if remembering. “They are incredibly rare, and difficult to keep the sprouts alive. Only the royal family is allowed to care for them. One of my favorite childhood memories is learning to care for the seeds.”

“Corwin…”

“And of course, in the Estin Royal family, the women descendants are born with the power to grow plants, the only power strong enough to allow the flower of peace to bloom.” He hugged her gently. “Every generation we have come together to bloom the flower. It will last for 50 years and then die, requiring the next generation to take up the mantle. “

“But… I don’t…” Theodora started to protest, but Corwin gently shushed her.

“I know you haven’t awakened the power yet, but as the daughter to the king, you are the one who will awaken the Royal magic. You just turned eighteen so you should be starting to feel it fairly soon.” His smile widened. “And then, once you bloom the flower, the treaty allows us to marry! Generations of waiting for the right time will be fulfilled through us!"

Seeing Corwin’s excitement, Theodora felt a tightness in her chest. She opened her mouth several times, but in the end, closed it silently. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Corwin the truth: that she would never awaken the royal magic… she wasn’t a blood related member of the royal family.  Part of her hoped that he wouldn’t care. That he would take the news calmly, and assure her that he loved her all the same.

But deep in her heart, the dark suspicions lingered. That Corwin liked PRINCESS Theodora and not just simply Theo. That once the truth was revealed, he would abandon her. And not just him… her brothers, her father… the rest of the nobility. She was standing on a precipice, needing only one wrong word in one wrong ear to push her over the edge into despair and obscurity.

“Theo?”

But that day is not today. She told herself firmly, turning to face her fiancé with a bright smile. She looked every inch the innocent girl who was trying to be brave despite difficulties. The exact kind of look that Corwin would eat right up. However, even though the outer shell she presented was flawless, the inside was rotten, disgusting.

She just had to keep it hidden.

______________________________

Iris was frustrated.

She stared at the flower in front of her, and she swore it was staring back defiantly. It was a rare breed of flower, a temperamental little weakling that seemed to want to die with even the slightest change in environment.

Iris had gotten the seedlings off of a sobbing merchant, who had failed to grow them multiple times, wasting hundreds of gold pieces with each bad attempt. He was so relieved to be rid of them, he hadn’t cared that she had paid a tiny fraction of what they were worth.

But even that little money was causing Iris some regret now.

The small, stumpy flower was the last living specimen from that deal… and it refused to grow. Iris swore under her breath, frustrated. It was being grown with magic! Was that still not good enough for this stupid flower? She reached out with her hand, making sure not to touch it (having learned the hard way that touching it in the growth period could cause instant death). Her power extended beyond her hand, gently enriching the soil and water the plant fed from. For a moment it seemed to perk up, giving Iris a sense of satisfaction… before wilting again, as if barely hanging on to life.

“Stupid plant. I should let you die.” She muttered, staring intensely at the wilted leaves.

“I’m curious, Princess. Do you think the flower can hear you?” An amused voice spoke up, causing her to turn, stunned. Iris felt she was fairly observant, a holdover from growing up in an unsafe environment. It was rare for someone to successfully sneak up on her. As she saw the culprit, she sighed quietly.  

Mage Vicente smiled harmlessly, seemingly unperturbed by her unwelcoming expression. “Having struggles with this flower, Your Highness?”

“I wouldn’t call it a flower.” Iris replied, turning back towards the object in question.

“What would you call it then?”

“A soul sucking nightmare.”

The answer must have been unsuspected, as the mage burst into laughter. Shoulders shaking, he looked at the flower as well, his eyebrows raising at the sight of its pitiful state. “That bad, huh?”

“This is without a doubt the worst plant I’ve ever tried to care for.  It needs something… but I just don’t know what.”

“Hmm.” He studied the flower more closely, a small sense of recognition flaring within in gaze, a strange helpless look crossing his face. “I think you are correct, Your Highness. This flower does seem to need some additional care.”

Iris shook her head at the flower, missing the expressions of the man next to her. “Too bad I don’t know what it needs.” So much for being a flower expert.

“… Would you mind if I tried to take care of it?” Mage Vicente, now completely calm, pointed and asked gently. “I’m happy to compensate you if I fail.”

Startled, Iris stood up and quickly gathered a wooden box to place the potted plant into it, along with a stack of papers which included her observations and prior failures. She moved quickly, almost worried that he might change his mind. “I don’t know what your plans are, but don’t worry about compensation. I’m out of ideas anyways.” She passed the box over to the mage, who reached out and took it, his hands cold to the touch as they made contact with her own over the transfer. She retracted her hands quickly, feeling a bit flushed.

Must be too warm here in the greenhouse.

“Thank you for your trust.” Vicente smiled, the look transforming his handsome face. “I’ll return it once it has been cared for.”

“…You’re welcome.” Iris straightened up, feeling stiff from maintaining her position so long as she had fussed over the stubborn plant. Hearing the chime of bells outside she sighed quietly. “That’s the noon bell. I need to change to be ready in time for the castle tea party.” Anthony had mentioned it several times already, hoping that she could get in touch with other young women of the nobility.

“You should make friends!”  He had told her with a smile. “Even better to do it now before we announce your identity. You can feel more confident in their genuineness, instead of being nice to you because you are royalty.”

Iris had felt almost amused at his confident assumption that her identity would EVER be officially announced, but appreciated his care and concern either way. Unexcited about the prospect of another dress change, but knowing she couldn’t delay further, Iris turned and smiled politely at Mage Vicente.

“Thank you for your time… and good luck with the flower.”

Mage Vicente chuckled. “It was my pleasure, Princess Iris.” His smile stayed in place until she had left the greenhouse, leaving him alone with the temperamental flower. As the sound of her footsteps faded into silence, his face slowly drained of expression. Vicente stayed frozen in place, his eyes coldly watching the flower sitting in the box in his hands.

“How mysterious fate is.” He muttered, taking a deep breath. “I never thought to see you again, or to have your care placed once again in my hands.” His eyes looked past the flower, seeming lost in thought. “For that matter, I never thought I would volunteer…” Vicente’s voice trailed off, but he shook his head slowly, seeming to shake the gloomy atmosphere around him.

“Oh look, it’s Mage Vicente!” A delicate voice called out as the greenhouse door opened behind him. Three young ladies, dressed in complicated tea party attire, filed in, watching the handsome young mage with wide, eager eyes. Rose, the daughter of a duke, and the young lady who had spoken up initially, stepped closer, her two friends hanging behind, giggling.

Mage Vicente straightened up, his mysterious and cold atmosphere shrouding around him, his face stony and unreadable. Even the delicate flower sitting in the box did little to offset his unapproachable air. “Lady Gillad” His voice was bland and uninterested, but the lady in question still blushed a bright pink at his words.

“I’m so happy to run into you! I have a question about a magic formula, and I’ve been unable to figure it out.” She leaned forward, almost falling over when he stepped back to avoid being close to her. Catching herself, she blinked rapidly, small tears forming in her eyes as she looked up at the taller man, a pitiful and longing expression on her face. “Can I arrange to meet and discuss my question… privately?” The implication in her question was obvious, but the target of it was unmoved.

“If you have a question regarding magic, I am afraid that I am unworthy to attend to it.  I would recommend bringing it to the Grand Mage’s attention.”

Irritation flashed in Rose’s eyes. “But you are the next in line to be the Grand Mage! Why can’t you do it?”

“I apologize, but I cannot.” His tone made it clear that whether or not he actually could, he had no interest.  He bowed politely to the group. “Excuse me, I must go.” He left in the silence, not turning back despite the strong gaze that stayed on him until he was out of their sight.

Rose stood in place in the now quiet greenhouse, her fists clenched tightly beside her. Her two friends seemed unsure of how to comfort her, and stayed silent.

“A mere mage should be honored by my interest.” Rose muttered, her eyes still staring angrily at the empty space where the mage had been. “He will come to regret his decision, and beg me to reconsider him.”

“That’s right!”

“He’s crazy to not recognize his good fortune of having captured your eye!”

Relaxing at the fervent agreement of her companions, she smiled and left the space, the glass door slamming behind them.

______________________________

I knew this party was a mistake.

Iris stood in place at the entrance to the garden, feeling the strong gazes from all of the young women present. If she hadn’t had memories from her dreams standing strong under scrutiny from large groups of people, she felt she would have crumbled under the pressure already. Straightening her posture, Iris let out a small sigh, putting a professional smile on her face and she prepared to respond.

As for how she had gotten to this point….

When Iris had initially arrived, Iris immediately realized that she had been told the wrong time for the party’s start. Looking at the set ups on the various tables, the tea party should have started about 20-30 minutes prior. I should have known not to trust any information given to me. She sighed quietly. This was obviously planned for me to show up late. The only question is, what are they planning to do next? Surely it’s not just to cause me some mild inconvenience…

“Sister, you finally arrived!” Theodora stood up, her face lighting up with delight as she rushed towards her.

Ahh, there it is. Iris felt no joy in being proven right immediately.

Theodora came to a stop right next to her, reaching out to grab Iris’s hands in a tight grip as her fake smile widened. Iris’s skin crawled at the contact, and she gently freed her hands.

“Sister, are you still angry with me?” Theodora’s eyes filled with tears. She took out a handkerchief covered in frills and dabbed her face. Looking around at the shocked faces of the party guests, she continued, as if trying to explain. “It’s my fault, everyone. My sister was brought back to the castle recently, and she hasn’t adjusted yet. Having grown up in such a harsh environment on the streets, she is perfectly in her rights to hate me, who has had so much love and care.”

She spoke in a tone of speaking up for Iris, but her words said a great deal to the crowd. Iris had the title of sister to the princess, but had grown up on the streets. She could be an adopted child, but it made little sense for the king to make such a move with a fully grown young woman. The conclusion that many would come to was that Iris was a bastard, an illegitimate child of the king to someone besides the beloved former queen.  Given the popularity of the queen, this would definitely spark some resentment towards Iris. No one would guess the actual truth, that it was Iris who was the true princess.

I wonder if my dear father knows of his precious daughter’s plans. Iris thought, amused. She’s implying that he cheated on my mother, which will ruin his reputation as a loving husband that he has always cultivated. She silently looked forward to the new rumors reaching the king’s ears.

But in the meantime, she had to deal with the mess her “sister” had just dropped into her lap.

Her professional smile firmly in place, Iris took the cloth from Theodora’s hands and gently wiped the other’s face. “Sweet Theodora, how could I EVER hate you? You are such a joy to be around, and I have nothing but appreciation for how welcoming you have been to me despite the… circumstances of our meeting.”

She could say outright now that they had been switched, that her real identity was princess Theodora and the current Theodora was a fake. Part of her wanted to say it, just to see the chaos, but she knew that it wasn’t the right time. No one would believe her, and it would be easier for her father and Dominic to cover things up as false rumors and lies.

So instead, Iris leaned into Theodora’s narrative. Speaking just vaguely enough to possibly confirm the worst of the rumors, while never telling an actual lie. As for those that knew the actual story… She looked over at Theodora, whose face was pale with fear.

She must be worried that I will reveal the truth. Iris thought, amused.

“N-No! I was so happy to finally meet you!” Theodora stammered, speaking quickly to stop Iris from speaking further. “I’m glad that you don’t hate me…”

“Hate you! Nothing could be further from the truth!” With a gentle smile, Iris reached out and hugged the stiff, uncomfortable princess, looking for all the world like an innocent young woman happy to see a friend. “I’m so grateful to finally be home with my family.”

Theodora was frozen. Iris kept her harmless look, but inwardly was rolling with laughter. That’s what you get for going head-to-head with an actress in fooling a crowd.   She turned to the group of young women with a pleasantly surprised look.

“Hello everyone! I’m Princess Iris, Theodora’s sister! I’m so sorry I am late, I must have misheard the servant when she told me that the party would start at half past the noon bell!” She noticed the women giving each other side glances at that statement, obviously realizing she had been set up. “As my sister already said, I did not grow up in the castle here.  So now that I am reunited with my family, I hope that you will forgive any small errors I may make in my adjustment to life here.”

There were more murmurs in the crowd. Iris’ smile widened, and she patted the still frozen Theodora on the shoulder.  “My sister has told me how lovely you all are, so I look forward to becoming friends! Let’s resume the party!”

At her words, with a few more odd glances exchanged, the young women dispersed and sat back down at their tables. Iris looked around, and realized that her place was in the back of the garden, where there were fewer tables. As she walked closer, it became clear this was for the “lesser” noble ladies, their dresses less intricate, their jewelry made of silver rather than gold, the gems smaller and less ostentatious.

Another ploy by my dearest “sister.” To try to make me feel inferior. Humiliate and embarrass me. And of course preventing me from making any significant relationships with anyone in power.

Iris didn’t care about any of it. The mind games, the manipulations, the social maneuvers. None of it mattered. Because no matter how much Theodora schemed, how much she fought and lied and tried to trap her… She couldn’t change the simple truth:

Iris was the real princess.

That truth was the ticking time bomb that was sitting on top of the house of cards the king, Dominic and Theodora were desperately trying to hold up. In the story from Iris’ dream, she had forgotten that simple truth, and tried to play her games, tried to scheme and win by Theodora’s rules.

And that had caused her to lose.

Iris wasn’t about to repeat that mistake.

She sat down at her table with a bright smile and the ladies already seated. “Hello there!” Her eyes were calm, without a hint of embarrassment. “I’m Princess Iris.”

[dovahhmonn]

"Somethin' bad is 'bout to happen to me, I don't know what but I feel it comin'. Might be so sad, might leave my nose runnin'"

—

TW BELOW FOR ARGUING, BRANDING/CARVING, MANIPULATION, NONSEXUAL NUDITY & LIGHT DEPICTIONS OF BLOOD, DEAD DOVE 🕊

Be mindful of the TW...

Mouse walked through the front office, barely acknowledging Audrey as she passed. The woman didn’t try to greet her this time. Maybe she’d finally learned that Mouse wasn’t the friendly type. Her boots stopped before the heavy door to his office. She knocked, stiff and precise.

“Come in.”

Mouse stepped inside, shutting the door firmly behind her. The air was thick with tension, or maybe that was just the twisting of her gut, she couldn't tell anymore which was which. 

Easterman sat at his desk, looking up at her with that same detached expression he always wore now. No warmth. No familiarity.

Nothing. She hated it.

Mouse stood stiffly before him, hands at her sides as she delivered her report, her voice level and clinical. She told him everything—who was where, who was slacking off, what rumors were circling. She did exactly what he’d asked.

When she finished, he barely spared her a glance.

“Good.” He picked up his pen, already turning back to his papers. “You’re dismissed.”

Mouse didn’t move. Seconds passed.

Hendrick’s eyes flicked up at her again, a warning clear in them. “I said you’re dismissed.”

Still, she didn’t leave. She clenched her jaw, her stomach churning. He had to still love her. Right? Some version of love. Even if it was the sick, fucked-up version she thought they’d shared before. Mouse cleared her throat. “Why did you bring me back?”

Hendrick stilled, his fingers tightening around the pen in his hand. “You already know the answer to that.”

No. That wasn’t good enough.

“I don’t think I do,” she said, stepping closer to his desk. “You brought me back, gave me a new name, put me in this...damn uniform—now you’re acting like I don’t exist. Like I’m just another one of your dogs.” Her voice sharpened. “Why?”

Hendrick’s jaw ticked.

Mouse exhaled sharply. “Is it because of her?”

That got a reaction. His eyes snapped to hers, cold and sharp. “Watch yourself, Kane.”

Mouse clenched her fists at her sides.

“I've seen the way you treat her. The fucking notes all over her desk? ” Her voice dripped with something ugly, something bitter. “Is she your new special interest? You fucking her?”

Hendrick moved.

His chair scraped back as he shot to his feet, his hands slamming down onto the desk. His voice, usually controlled, came out sharp and furious.

“Enough.”

Mouse flinched, but she stood her ground.

“You always told me not to let my emotions make me weak,” she hissed, her breathing heavy, heart hammering against her ribs. “But what about you? Is she why you’re acting like this? Is she why you don’t even look at me anymore?”

Hendrick didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed his pen and stepped around the desk.

Mouse forced herself to stay still as he walked behind her, his presence heavy, suffocating.

“You always were an envious little thing,” he murmured, voice low and venomous. “Always wanting more than what was given to you.”

She clenched her jaw.

“I trained you better than this,” he continued, his breath hot against the back of her head. “You were supposed to be above petty emotions.”

His hand pressed against the back of her neck, tilting her head forward. The pen touched her skin. Mouse stiffened as he began to drag the ink across her flesh in slow, deliberate strokes.

“The Mark of Cain,” he murmured. “A lesson. A reminder.” The ink glided over her skin at first, a steady, controlled motion, then pain.

The tip of the pen pressed harder, digging in.

Mouse hissed through her teeth as the sharp burn tore through her skin.

“You will keep your jealousy in check,” Hendrick said, voice smooth, even as he pressed harder. “You will remember who made you, who owns you.”

The pen cut deeper.

Mouse’s nails bit into her palms, her body trembling. The pain spread hot across her neck, sharp and unrelenting.

His voice was barely a whisper. “And you will never forget your priorities again.” Finally, the pressure eased. Hendrick stepped back, surveying his work.

Mouse’s breath was ragged, her pulse hammering in her throat.

“Now,” he said calmly, like nothing had happened. “You are dismissed.”

This time, Mouse turned and left without another word. She stepped into the reception area, her throat tight, her skin burning. Audrey’s eyes were wide as they fixed on the woman that walked out of Hendrick's office, her balaclava clenched tight in a fist, hair a mess and a stain of crimson bleeding through the back of her uniform. 

She didn't say anything but she nearly jumped out of her skin when Mouse shot her a look that was cold as ice. After slipping the dark fabric over her head she narrowed her eyes at the blonde again before she turned away with a long sigh and left.

[spotforme]

people on the internet talk about love like it's a thing only achieved in specific circumstances, like when in a relationship or... well that's it. when in reality that is so far from the truth i can't even comprehend where the idea came from.

for example children who from the bottom of their heart love everyone who teaches them games, girls in love with girls who once gifted them seashells without asking for anything in return, tired people who love enjoying a beautiful tune together, boat captains falling in love with grandmothers who decided to dissapear on a whim,

believe me there is so much more love in reality than what i've seen on the internet, but because i don't see anything except relationships talked about i'm starting to get conserned that people don't actually know how to feel the others. i hope i'm just imagining it, that kind of world seems very grim to me, i hope i'm wrong.

[tanicus-caesareth]

guarana drama, damage control

[donutdrawsthings]

As someone who likes to focus on character design in my art and frequents a lot of character creation spaces because of it, I feel I can say with confidence (Most of) the characters in The Amazing Digital Circus have commonly-used-online design traits and sources of inspiration, which make their designs feel not too exciting and maybe a bit uninspired.

HOWEVER, What makes these guys more unique lays in their personality, voice acting and animation, which perfectly fits the narrative of the story (imagine being stuck in VRchat). And It's literally perfectly fine to like the designs as they are. Their character designs have good colour contrasts which balance nicely over the design, a good weight distribution, strong shape language AND have an overarching style that ties them all together while also distinctly being based on different things and looking like they all come from a different genre of entertainment. For what these characters are, they are DESIGNED REALLY WELL.

I feel the character with the most unique and self-contained (for lack of a better word for "visually not directly inspired by something") design by far is Pomni. Literally chef's kiss. I love her expressions, love her strong colour scheme and I love how her jester's hat is stylised to be sometimes almost completely straight at the top. Her flat hat together mixed with the straight-cut strands of hair peeking out from under it are such a good and subtle contrast to her other round features that I'd dare to say they reflect her seriousness through the forced silly get-up put onto her by this digital prison. And her whole clown outfit is a really good contrast to the genuine dread and existential horror she's feeling in general. I can't get enough of it. Her design is perfect for her role in the story and also as introduction to the world we as the audience are new to.

That's why I'm honestly absolutely appalled by the amount of bad faith and horrible posts I've seen towards this project as a whole. It's one thing to not like it, but a totally whole other thing to actively make it (and the fans) out to be the worst most offensive creation to have ever touched the eyes of mortal men. It's not. And remember, people can be trolls to make a fandom look worse.

Online we have a fondness for kidcore and weirdcore aesthetics based on vague familiarity and nostalgia. It's OKAY to like a story/characters INSPIRED by these things. You are allowed to indulge on your own interests. Don't take these mean spirited posts to heart. If they don't respect your positive opinions of the show, you don't have to respect their negative opinions of it either.

[simcardiac-arrested]

i don’t think we’re ever getting out of the “we’re just friends” “oh yeah those characters are such good friends (sarcasm)” “they’re not friends they’re gay” etc etc hole. we’re never getting out of that hole

[skyburger]

i love reading things set in countries that i'm knowledgeable and/or have been to because i can point out really minor errors in fanfiction. i think the average american does not know that in england (and apparently some of asia! which i only just found out) there are switches on power outlets so you can just turn it off instead of unplugging it. like 9 times out of 10 that won't come up but on the off chance it does i'm like ohoho. this clown has never been to england...! my favorite part though is watching americans (specifically americans because i swear to god people who speak english as a second language and/or are from any other country have some idea of what it's like to have an accent / personally know people who have accents? idk) try to write british accents like it is REALLY funny. i literally only lived their for five years and i never picked up a full accent myself (certain words and tones i did but they're mostly gone after living in the states again for a few years) but between living there and having a ridiculous amount of family there & visiting them often (like once a year if im lucky) i like KNOW what british accents sound like. i think some americans genuinely dont even know theres more than one or two english accents i think some people think there's like posh english and chav english and nothing else. maybe scottish accent gets thrown in there if they remember the uk is not in fact just england. i would bet real money they've never heard a welsh accent. anyway my point is it's really funny watching people who don't know as much as i do write this stuff. like i see it and i understand how doctors read this and go Oh that is so medically inaccurate. i get them now. anyway i dont remember what my point here was but please know if you are attempting to write a british accent. reddit and youtube are your best friends if you don't have a british friend you can ask and also rest assured even if you do ONE google search. it will not be the worst attempt ive seen guaranteed

[tariah23]

Now he’s trying to lie when he literally tagged Princeton like 5 fucking time. White people are so evil, bro. They always know what they’re doing when they do shit like that. With the attempt to bring harm to Black people who they want to “get out of the way,” because they don’t think that we belong in the same spaces as them while at the same time, believing they should be allowed INTO our spaces and afforded hospitality and a whole red carpet rolled out. The sad thing is, she has connections to the industry because of her uncle and name so what if this was just a random Black woman who worked for Princeton without this kind of protection at all…?

[cinnabeat]

i love how kh games are just sometimes psychological horrors

[flugame-mp3]

SEASON NINE FINALE WAS WILD. I HAVE MANY MANY THOUGHTS. WHAT JUST HAPPENED. A FUCKING ROLLER COASTER FOR SURE

[lynxgirlpaws]

y'all actually have irl friends? like, actually?

[iwanttobepersephone]

Sometimes I see people saying stupid things and I haven't physically fight the urge to say "when's the last time you talked to your family"

[hanniebaeee]

The Secret Hwang

Hyunjin x fem!reader

Warnings: reader is pregnant

Genre: exes to lovers?? angst, fluff

Summary: Hyunjin breaks up with you after the company thinks your relationship is affecting his work. What he didn't know was that you were also gearing up to tell him something very important. But then swoops in two angels in disguise, helping you through the tough time, before it all blows over.

You’re breaking up with me?” The words left your lips before your brain could catch up.

Your heart thundered against your ribcage, like it was desperate to escape what was unfolding right then. And your boyfriend of three years, Hyunjin, looked as miserable as you felt.

Hyunjin stood in front of you, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his hoodie, shoulders sagging. He wouldn’t look at you - that was even worse.

“Yes,” he whispered, voice so low it barely registered. “I'm so sorry.”

You take a step closer, his words not making any sense.

“You have to? What the hell does that mean, Hyunjin? Did I…did I do something? Did I hurt you-?”

His head snaps up, his eyes wide and glossy, horrified at the mere suggestion.

“No! Of course not! You’ve never - God, Y/N, no. It’s -” His words faltered, and he looked away again, his hands shaking as they grip his hoodie strings. “It’s…they think it’s affecting me. My work.”

“Who? The company?”

“They said…” He swallowed hard, the words clearly tearing him apart as he forced them out. “They said if I don’t end this, they’ll fire you. They’ll make sure you never work in this industry again. And they’ll…ruin it all for you...”

You stared at him, utterly speechless. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.

“So what? You’re just going to do what they want? Throw away three years like it means nothing?”

“It’s not like that,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“Protect me? By breaking me?” You laughed bitterly, even though it felt more like choking.

You knew he wanted to reach for you, to pull you close like he always did when you were upset, but he didn’t move.

“Baby, I don’t have a choice. If I don’t do this-”

You didn't stay to hear the rest. You took a step back before saying, “You’re a coward,”

Hyunjin’s head snapped up like you slapped him, but you pressed on.

“You’re letting them control you. Letting them decide what our love is worth. You’re not even fighting for me.”

Hyunjin’s face crumpled, and for a second, you thought he would reconsider. But he didn't. He just looked really sad. And lost.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

“Goodbye, Hyunjin.”

And then you ran. You didn’t look back. You couldn't. Because if you did, you’d fall apart completely, and you just couldn’t afford that. Not with the tiny life growing inside you.

The three months that followed were hard, no doubt. But relatively less harder than you thought, considering the fact that the boys were on tour. You didn't have to see him everyday as you taught your heart to ‘unlove’ him. If such a thing could be done.

You had decided to go ahead with your pregnancy - bad call probably, because you obviously couldn't tell anyone that your baby was Hyunjin’s. Of course. So you'd have to come up with a creative lie to cover the gap - a non-existent boyfriend or a husband?

It was exhausting.

---

You stood at the kitchen counter, staring at your ultrasound scan result. The sight of your little bean on the screen earlier had brought tears to your eyes - happy bittersweet ones. But mostly, you’d felt so terribly lonely.

Moments like that were meant to be shared, weren’t they? Your heart ached so much. So damn much. You sighed as you gazed at the little form in the black and white image.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Setting the report on the counter, you get the door. What you didn't expect was Felix’s sweet smiling face. You hadn't seen him or any of the boys since the break up (they'd left for the tour), so seeing Felix, your close friend, made you freeze.

“Lix,” you said, your voice more tired than you’d like.

He immediately pulled you into a warm hug, and you had to control that strong urge to just weep.

“Hey,” he said, squeezing you tightly. “I missed you! How have you been?”

“I'm alright. You guys had a good tour I heard,” You managed, stepping aside to let him in.

“It was good,” He said with a smile, and held up a bag. “I brought you a little something from Australia.”

“Lix, you didn’t have to -”

“Oh, hush. I do it all the time.” he said. “You look... tired…you okay?”

“I’m fine,” you lied, waving him off.

“You want me to get his stuff? I have it packed and ready.” You said, wanting to get that out of the way as soon as possible.

“Yeah,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “ Is that okay?”

Your stomach twisted unpleasantly, but you nodded and said, “Yeah, of course. Let me grab it.”

He followed you into the house, and as you went into the bedroom to get Hyunjin’s things, Felix walked into the kitchen to put the things he got for you away.

When you returned with the bag, however, you saw Felix in the kitchen, uncharacteristically quiet. You walked in and completely froze in the doorway.

Felix stood by the counter, holding your ultrasound result, and his usually bright expression was completely blank, his eyes glued black and white image.

“Lix…” you said softly, panic rising in your chest.

“Y/N,” he says, his voice eerily calm, “what is this?”

You didn’t answer, your hands trembling as you clutched the bag of Hyunjin’s things. Tears pricked your eyes, and you knew there was no use pretending or coming up with a lie.

“Please tell me this is not what I think it is.” he said, his voice wavering as he turned to face you with the paper in his hand.

Your silence spoke louder than words. Tears spilled over, and you quickly wiped at them, trying to keep it together. But it was of no use - Felix took one look at your face and let the paper fall onto the counter.

“Oh my God.” His voice cracked as he crossed the room in two giant strides, pulling you into a tight hug.

His arms wrapped around you like a safety net, holding you together.

“Y/N, please don't tell me Hyunjin knocked you up and then broke up with you. Tell me I’m hallucinating. Please.”

You laughed weakly through your tears, the absurdity of the situation hitting you all at once.

“He didn't know, Lix. He didn't know-” You whispered and Felix pulled back just enough to look at you, his hands still on your shoulders.

His mouth opened and closed a few times, like he was trying to form words but couldn't. Finally, he let out a strangled laugh.

“He doesn’t know?!” He shook his head, his freckles standing out against his flushed skin. “Are you kidding me, Y/N? You’re telling me that man broke up with you because he wanted to protect you, and the entire time, you’ve been carrying his baby?”

“I was going to tell him, Lix, I was. That's why I went to meet him, but didn't give me a chance to say anything…he just…he just broke up with me!” you cried, wiping your face. “What was I supposed to do? Tell him and ruin everything?”

“Yes!” Felix shouted, throwing his hands in the air. “Yes, sweetheart, you’re supposed to tell him! He deserves to know. This is big, like life changing big!”

You shook your head, your voice trembling as you said, “Lix, you don’t understand. This is about his career, his dreams. He’s worked so hard to get where he is, and I won’t be the reason he loses it all.”

Felix stared at you, his face a mixture of disbelief and heartbreak.

“Y/N,” he said softly. “You can’t do this alone.”

“I have to,” you whispered, looking down at the floor. “I will.”

“Yes, you do.” His voice was firm, his hands gently cupping your cheeks and tilting your face up to meet his gaze. “But don't have to. I’m here. Whatever you need, anything at all, you’ve got me. You’re not allowed to say no, okay?”

Your breath hitched, the warmth of his hands and the sincerity in his voice had you crumblung all over again. “Lix…”

“I mean it,” he said, his eyes shining with determination. “You’re not doing this alone. I don’t care what it takes. We’re going to figure this out. Together.”

You nodded, sniffling as he wiped a tear from your cheek with his thumb. “Thank you.”

Felix didn’t say anything to Hyunjin. True to his word, he kept his mouth shut, but the secret was eating him alive to say the least. The man had gone full protective mode - literally adopting you, and by extension, your unborn child, completely.

And his possessiveness manifested in the most Felix way possible: constant texting. Constant.

Also, he changed your contact name to George. Why? Because no ones gonna get suspicious about a George he's talking to 24*7, right?

---

7:32 am

Felix: Good morning, sunshine! Have you eaten yet? If not, DO IT NOW. Don’t argue with me.

Felix: I will come over if you don't obey me, George!

You: Felix, it’s 7 in the morning. I just woke up. Also, who's George?

Felix: You’re George. That’s your name now. It’s safer this way.

Felix: And don’t dodge the question: HAVE YOU EATEN???

You: I literally just rolled out of bed, Felix. Give me a second to breathe.

Felix: No time to breathe, go FEED THE BABY.

You: This baby isn’t even hungry yet. Can you chill?

Felix: Fine. But just so you know, I won't hesitate from force-feeding you myself.

---

12:45 PM

Felix: Hey, did you go to your appointment today?

You: Yes, I went.

Felix: Pics or it didn’t happen.

You: I’m not sending you pictures of me at the doctor’s office, Lix

Felix: Why not? What if I need to fight the doctor? I need evidence.

You: Why would you need to fight my doctor?

Felix: I dunno, what if they're bad at their job? I’m not taking chances, George.

You: Please stop calling me George.

Felix: It's your name.

---

7:48 PM

Felix: Are you home? Did you eat dinner? Did you lock your doors?

You: Oh my God, Felix, can you give me a second to exist without you breathing down my neck?

Felix: No. I’m invested now.

You: Why are you like this?

Felix: Because my best friend knocked you up and then left you, and now I feel morally obligated to act like your baby daddy by proxy.

You: Please don’t say that again. Ever.

Felix: Too late. Also, how’s George Jr.?

You: Felix, we are NOT naming this baby George Jr.

Felix: Why not? It’s a great name.

You: I’m blocking you.

Felix: No, you’re not.

---

Hyunjin on the other hand was completely unaware of everything that was happening around him. He was completely shut off, pouring his entire self into practice and his work outs.

He missed you. He missed you so damn much. He would randomly take a walk in the building, hoping he'd get a glimpse of you. But seriously, you were nowhere to be seen.

Hyunjin was on his way to the practice room after a particularly unsuccessful attempt to run into you, when he heard the voices. He wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but the venom in their tone caught his attention.

It took him a minute to figure out that they were actually talking about you, and he couldn't help but feel that rage bubbling up inside him.

“She’s gained so much weight lately,” one of the girls snickered. “I mean, have you seen her?”

The other girl laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t know what happened to her. She used to be so put together, but now? She’s just… bloated and tired all the time.”

Hyunjin’s jaw clenched so hard it felt like his teeth might crack. How dare they?! He felt the overwhelming urge to whirl around and to let his emotions loose, to say something.

But of course Hyunjin couldn’t do that. Not really. He was an idol - a carefully constructed image, a brand - and he's already sacrificed way too much for the sake of it. He couldn’t afford to screw it all up now.

So instead, he swallowed his rage, shoved his hands deep into his pockets, and started walking again. And then, as if it was a cruel joke, he saw you.

You were walking down the hallway, dressed in a dark-colored sweater, your hair tied back, wisps escaping to frame your face. You looked tired, yes. But, as always, to him, you looked absolutely beautiful.

But Hyunjin couldn't help but see that something was different. His eyes lingered a little too long on the soft curve of your body. Your face seemed rounder, your stride slightly slower, more careful.

His heart ached as he watched you pause at the corner, adjusting your bag before disappearing around the corner. He missed you so much it physically hurt. Shaking his head, Hyunjin turned and walked away, trying so hard to hold it all together.

He couldn’t keep doing this to himself. He had to move on.

If only he knew that a mini Hyunjin was quite literally baking inside you, tucked away and growing strong under that sweater. If only he knew.

3:40 pm

Felix: How's the nausea?

You: I can't understand why it's called morning sickness if it's gonna last all day and trying to murder me

Felix: Don’t worry, George, I’m gonna make you the perfect meal. Zero vomit potential.

You: Omg

---

Meanwhile in Felix’s kitchen:

Felix was in deep. The counter was a disaster of herbs and half-cut veggies, and a pan bubbled ominously on the stove. His laptop sat precariously on the edge of the counter, streaming a cooking tutorial that Felix was utterly failing to keep up with.

“Chop the ginger finely,” the video said.

Felix frowned down at the mangled, uneven chunks of ginger on his cutting board.

“This is fine, right?” he mumbled to himself, throwing them into a pan.

“No, it’s not fine,” a voice said behind him, calm but dripping with judgment.

Felix jumped, yelping as he nearly knocked the pan off the stove. He whirled around to see Minho leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed and a single eyebrow raised.

“Hyung!” Felix squeaked, his voice an octave too high. “What are you doing here?”

“We're having dinner together. Forgot I see ?” Minho asked flatly, his sharp eyes sweeping over the culinary battlefield. He nodded at the laptop screen.

“What’s this? I thought we were ordering?”

Felix scrambled to close the YouTube video but fumbled, sending a spatula clattering to the floor.

“No! I just…uh…thought this recipe looked… yummy?”

Minho’s other eyebrow shot up as he read, “Ginger and lemon soup for nausea relief? That’s not exactly your usual vibe, Lix.”

Felix froze, his brain scrambling for an excuse. “I…uh…”

Minho tilted his head, his gaze locked on Felix. He gestured toward the mess. “Who’s it for?”

“No one!” Felix blurted out too quickly.

Minho smirked - like a cat cornering a mouse. He strolled into the kitchen, plucked up the laptop, and read the YouTube title aloud: “Pregnancy-Friendly Meals, huh?”

Felix groaned internally. He was so dead. Minho set the laptop down and turned to Felix, his face unreadable.

“You’re cooking for Y/N, aren’t you?”

“How…what…why would you -” Felix blinked at him, jaw dropping.

“I saw her going into a maternity hospital last week...and now this? It’s really sweet of you,” Minho said, his tone soft and kind, as he started clearing the counter. “She’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

Felix stared at him, absolutely flabbergasted. How did Minho know? He stayed silent, unsure if confirming or denying would make things worse.

“Relax, I’m not going to say anything. But…” His sharp eyes flicked to the pan on the stove, then back to Felix, a smirk forming on his face. “You’re doing a terrible job. Move.”

Before Felix could protest, Minho rolled up his sleeves and took over. Within minutes, the chaos Felix had created was transformed into a very professionally prepared meal.

Felix hovered awkwardly, torn between relief and panic. “You…you won’t tell anyone, right?”

Minho snorted. “Of course not. And if you’re serious about helping her, then I'll stand right by you.”

He packed up everything in containers and handed it to Felix with a raised eyebrow.

“Now go. She needs to eat.”

---

Felix was at yours in record time, and when he set the food down on the coffee table, you looked up from the couch, sighing softly.

“Did you burn the kitchen down?”

“Nope,” Felix said quickly. “Minho saved me.”

Your head snapped up, eyes wide. “What? Minho? He knows?”

Felix flopped onto the couch beside you, looking absolutely defeated.

“Yeah, apparently he’s known for a while. He saw you going into the maternity hospital one day.”

You groaned, dragging a hand over your face. “Oh my God.”

“He promised not to say anything!” Felix said defensively, holding his hands up. “And he even helped cook this. So, technically, you can’t kill me.”

You glared at him but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips.

“Thanks for being here, Lix.”

Felix grinned, nudging the plate toward you. “Eat, George. Minho will haunt me if you don’t.”

You rolled your eyes but dug in, and for the first time in days, the food didn’t immediately send you running for the bathroom.

---

The next morning, you woke up to the doorbell, in the early hours. It was still dark outside, as you stumbled out of your bedroom, still half-asleep, and a scowl firmly planted on your face.

“Took you long enough,” Minho mumbled as he walked into your apartment, going straight for the kitchen. 

You were trying to understand if you were hallucinating or if Minho was actually in your kitchen. 

“Minho, what are you doing here?” You asked, trying to tame your hair. 

“Sit,” he commanded without looking up, focused on flipping something in the pan.

You frowned but obeyed, collapsing into a chair at the table. “It’s not even sunrise.”

“Just making sure you eat,” he said simply. “Lix said you're struggling,”

“You're here to cook for me?”

“Yes?”

Before you could respond, the door swung open, and Felix stepped inside, carrying what looked like a bag of groceries. He stopped short, staring at Minho with the same confusion you felt.

“What is he doing here?”

“I could ask the same about you,” Minho shot back without missing a beat, sprinkling a pinch of salt over whatever masterpiece he was working on.

Felix stormed into the kitchen, setting his bag down with an unnecessary thud. “What are you doing, hyung? And what are you even making? George doesn’t even like eggs that much!”

Minho scoffed. “It’s not for you, so why does it matter?”

“It matters because I’m supposed to be taking care of her!” Felix snapped, crossing his arms like an angry puppy.

“Clearly, you weren’t doing a great job,” Minho retorted. “I saw the mess you called cooking yesterday.”

“Oh my god,” you muttered, burying your face in your hands. “Not this.”

---

Over the next few days, it became a full-on battle between Minho and Felix. It started with each trying to one-up the other in ways that were more amusing than helpful.

One morning, Felix insisted on making pancakes, painstakingly arranging blueberries into a smiley face on each one. “See, George? They’re cute and delicious!”

Minho, unimpressed, countered by making a three-course breakfast complete with fresh juice and perfectly folded napkins. “Pregnant women need nutrients, not art projects,” he said smugly.

Felix glared at him like he wanted to fight. “Pregnant women also need to smile, and my pancakes are adorable.”

But for all their ridiculousness, their constant presence was a comfort. They kept you distracted from the gaping hole in your chest where Hyunjin’s absence had settled. But no amount of blueberry pancakes or perfectly cooked meals could fill that void.

Felix had barged into your apartment one evening with a box of cookies that he'd baked.

“George! I baked you something!”

Minho, already in the kitchen chopping vegetables, glanced over his shoulder with a look that screamed, not this again.

“What are those?” Minho asked, gesturing to Felix's box  with his knife.

“Cookies,” Felix said proudly, setting them on the table in front of you. “Pregnancy-safe, gluten-free, sugar-free, full of love.”

“Full of what?” Minho deadpanned, clearly unimpressed.

“Love!” Felix shot back, hands on his hips. “Something you wouldn’t understand, obviously.”

“Love isn’t a substitute for nutrition, Yongbok. Try again.” Minho snorted.

“Oh, here we go,” you muttered, already bracing for the impending argument as you sat at the table, nibbling cautiously on a cookie.

“You’re just jealous because George Jr. is my baby,” Felix said, crossing his arms and glaring at Minho like he’d just won the argument of the century.

Minho paused mid-chop, turned slowly to face Felix.

“George Jr.?” he asked flatly. “That’s the best you could come up with?”

“What’s wrong with George Jr.?” Felix said defensively. “It’s a strong name! Unique even!”

Minho scoffed. “Unique isn’t always a good thing, Felix. You might as well call the baby Lemon or Carrot.”

“Wow, okay,” you muttered, burying your face in your hands.

“And besides,” Minho continued, turning back to the stove like the conversation was settled, “I do the majority of the cooking, Y/N is thriving on it, so I'm the rightful Appa.”

Felix gasped like Minho had just slapped him.

“Excuse me? Cooking doesn’t make you the dad! I’m the one who gives her all the cuddles and emotional support!”

“You’re like a clingy golden retriever,” Minho shot back, not even turning around.

“Say that again, hyung, I dare -”

“Enough!” you shouted, cutting through their bickering. Both men froze, wide-eyed, and looked at you.

“I'm sure Hyunjin would probably like a say in this whole ‘who’s the dad’ debate.” you said, and the room fell silent. 

And then Minho shrugged casually.

“I mean, sure, if we’re counting his five seconds of contribution to this whole thing.”

You and Felix both turned to stare at him, your mouths dropping open in identical expressions of disbelief. It took approximately two seconds before all three of you burst out laughing.

The laughter started light, then turned uncontrollable, your giggles mixing with Felix’s loud snorts and Minho’s chuckles. You laughed so hard your sides started to hurt, but then, without warning, the giggles morphed into something else.

The tears hit you before you could stop them. One moment you were laughing, and the next, you were crying, the overwhelming mix of emotions crashing over you like a tidal wave.

Felix’s smile faltered, and he rushed to your side, wrapping an arm around you.

“George, hey, hey, it’s okay,” he said softly, his usual sunshine dimmed by concern.

Minho was there a moment later, kneeling in front of you and gently resting a hand on your knee. 

“Breathe, jagi,” he said quietly. “You’re okay. We’re here.”

You sniffled, trying to compose yourself, but the weight of everything - the pregnancy, the secret, missing Hyunjin - was too much.

“I miss him…a lot,” you managed between sobs.

“I know, I know…but we're here for you, George. You’re not alone in this, okay? We’ve got you.” Felix hugged you tighter, his voice steady but emotional.

Minho nodded as he said, “He’s right. You’re stuck with us now. You and George Jr.”

That earned a watery laugh from you, and you wiped at your eyes, looking between them. 

“I don’t deserve you two.”

“Yes, you do,” Minho said firmly.

“Absolutely,” Felix added. “And so does George Jr.”

---

Hyunjin was losing his mind.

It wasn’t just the lingering ache of your absence or the fact that he hadn’t heard your voice in what felt like forever. But it was also Felix, his best friend, his other half, his partner-in-crime. Felix was suddenly a closed book. The guy who usually shared everything, from dumb cat videos to the tiniest gossip about their members, had turned into a human vault. A sketchy human vault.

Felix was constantly disappearing. After practice, during breaks, even in the middle of game nights. When Hyunjin asked, Felix always had some vague excuse. 

“Oh, just running errands!”

“Helping out Minho-hyung with something.”

“Had to grab something for George!”

Who the hell was George? 

Hyunjin squinted every time Felix made one of these excuses. Since when was his best friend suddenly so obsessed with running errands? And why was Minho always involved?

Hyunjin didn’t like it.

At first, he chalked it up to paranoia. Maybe he was overthinking. Obviously, losing you had him extra possessive and clingy. Maybe Felix and Minho were just…hanging out more? It wasn’t a crime. But then Hyunjin started noticing things.

Felix and Minho were inseparable. They’re always whispering about God-knows-what. They’d vanish together after schedules, not even bothering to invite Hyunjin to join.

So naturally, one evening, after a particularly grueling practice session, Hyunjin cornered Felix in the locker room.

“Lix,” he said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall like he was interrogating a criminal. “Where have you been going all the time?”

And to his credit, Felix didn’t even flinch.

“Oh, nowhere. Just hanging out with Minho-hyung. You know how it is.”

“Since when do you and Minho-hyung have this…whatever-this-is?” Hyunjin narrowed his eyes.

Felix shrugged nonchalantly, pulling his hoodie over his head and saying, “We’ve just been vibing.”

“Vibing?” Hyunjin echoed, incredulous. “You disappear every day to vibe? And what’s with all the whispering during practice?”

Felix zipped up his hoodie and slung his bag over his shoulder.

“You’re being dramatic, Hyun. It’s nothing.”

Hyunjin stared at him, trying to gauge if Felix was lying. But Felix’s face was completely blank, a perfect poker face.

“What about Y/N?” Hyunjin asked, his voice softer now, almost hesitant. “Have you…seen her?”

At that, Felix paused, just for a second, but it was enough for Hyunjin to notice.

“I'm sure she’s good, Hyun. Busy probably.” he managed, giving him a smile.

Hyunjin frowned, but before he could press further, Felix clapped him on the shoulder.

“Don’t overthink, mate. Get some rest, yeah?”

And just like that, Felix was gone, leaving Hyunjin standing in the empty locker room, more confused than ever.

---

The next day, Hyunjin had been lingering suspiciously around the studio after practice, pretending to stretch while trying (and failing) to overhear Felix and Minho’s latest hushed conversation.

Chris, so so used to all the bullshit his boys pulled on the regular, had noticed this constant whispering between Felix and Minho, and also Hyunjin’s not-so-subtle attempts to loiter. He clapped his hands loudly.

“Hyunjin, go home. You’re exhausted, mate.”

Hyunjin, startled, stammered something about finishing up but Chris gave him a hard enough glare that had him reluctantly packing up and storming off (throwing one last suspicious glance at Felix, who pretended to be engrossed in tying his shoelaces.)

Once Hyunjin was out the door, Chris turned to Felix and Minho, his arms crossed and his leader gaze set to high alert.

“Okay,” he said, his voice stern, “what’s going on with you two? You’ve been sneaking around like teenagers, and I have a bad feeling about it. Spill.”

Felix and Minho exchanged a glance, before Minho shook his head. 

“Nothing’s going on, hyung,” Minho said coolly, leaning against the wall like he wasn’t sweating internally.

Felix, on the other hand, immediately started babbling. 

“Oh, you know, just chilling and cooking and - did you know George is a big fan of pumpkin soup? I’ve been learning how to make it. Minho hyung’s been helping…he’s such a perfectionist in the kitchen, but that’s beside the point -”

But the moment ‘George’ left his mouth, Minho sighed. 

“Who the hell is George?” Chris interrupted, his sharp eyes narrowing.

Minho sighed, muttering, “Great work, Yongbok.”

Felix blinked rapidly, his face heating up. He could do anything, literally anything in the world. But that anything didn't include lying to Chris. 

“Oh, uh, George is just…you know…a friend!” 

“A friend? You’ve been disappearing every day,  and sneaking around because of a friend?”

Felix opened his mouth, probably to launch into another nonsensical explanation, but Minho cut him off.

“George is Y/N,” he said flatly, like he was tired of the charade.

Chris froze.

“What do you mean George is Y/N?” he asked, his voice rising slightly. “What the hell is going on?”

Felix started flailing, his words tripping over each other.

“It’s not like we didn’t want to tell you, hyung, but it’s complicated, and she’s been going through a lot, and she needs all the help and support with George Jr. -”

“George Jr.?!” Chris exclaimed, his voice now echoing off the walls.

Minho, as calm as ever, pointed at Felix. “You’re making it worse.”

Chris threw his hands in the air as he said, “What is George Jr.?!”

“You mean who is George Jr.? It’s the baby. She’s pregnant.” Minho sighed, rubbing his temples.

The room went silent. Chris blinked several times, his expression cycling through shock, confusion, and then something that could only be described as 'Dad Rage'.

“She’s pregnant?! SHE’S PREGNANT, AND YOU TWO KEPT THIS FROM ME?!”

Felix, now thoroughly panicking, looked at Minho like he was begging for help. Minho just shrugged.

Chris glared at both of them. “You’re taking me to her. Right now.”

---

Ten minutes later, there was a knock at your door. You waddled over and opened it to find Chris standing there, his arms crossed and his eyes full of emotion.

Before you could say a word, he pulled you into a bone-crushing hug.

“Y/N,” he said firmly, his voice laced with both worry and frustration. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Behind him, Felix stood pouting like a scolded child and Minho looked like he regretted everything.

“Chris,” you gasped, trying to pull back from his hug. “I can’t breathe!”

He released you but kept his hands on your shoulders, scanning your face like a concerned dad. “You should’ve told me. We’re family, Y/N. You thought of doing this alone? Does he know? Oh my god, he doesn't know, does he?!”

From behind him, Felix muttered, “She’s not alone. I’ve been taking care of her.”

Chris whipped around to face him.

“Oh, you’ve been taking care of her, have you?!”

Felix folded his arms, his pout deepening.

“George Jr. is mine. None of you fake dads are gonna ever-”

Minho, who’d been quiet up until now, rolled his eyes and interrupted him.

“Please. You think you’re the dad just because you baked her cookies? Please.”

Felix turned to him, affronted. “You’ve been helping me! And my baby!”

“Oh, for the love of -” Chris groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, before glancing at you. “We're gonna get through this.”

You smiled at them, nodding. But deep inside, guilt gnawed at you. Everyone except Hyunjin seemed to be catching up. 

You'd started working from home more and more since you started your sixth month. You came over to the company only when you had something important to do. 

This afternoon was supposed to be uneventful. You had planned to drop by the company, grab a few files, and leave quickly. But apparently, fate had other plans.

You were leaving one of the offices when you heard it.

“Y/N?”

The voice was soft, almost hesitant. You froze in place, gripping the files tightly against your chest. Slowly, you turned to see Hyunjin standing a few feet away, his eyes wide as saucers, his gaze locked on you.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. His gaze flickered down to your stomach - the not-so-subtle curve of your six-month baby bump that your sweater absolutely failed to conceal under closer scrutiny.

Hyunjin’s face drained of all color.

“What…Y/N…are you…?” he stammered, his voice breaking.

You panicked, taking a step back. “Hyunjin, I -”

But he was already closing the distance between you, his voice rising into a frantic whisper.

“Are you pregnant?!”

You winced, glancing around nervously, but the hallway was thankfully empty. Still, Hyunjin’s voice, even when hushed, completely floored you.

“Hyunjin, let’s not -”

“Are you pregnant?!” he repeated, his voice breaking. His hand gestured toward your stomach, and he looked so utterly wrecked that you couldn’t bring yourself to lie.

So you nodded.

His reaction was immediate. Hyunjin stumbled backward, his eyes welling up with tears, his hands clutching his head as if trying to keep himself from falling apart.

“Oh my God,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “Oh my God. Oh my God, it’s mine, isn’t it?”

You swallowed hard, your throat tightening at the sight of him falling apart. “Hyunjin -”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” His voice was louder now, no longer a whisper. “That’s my baby! Our baby! And you didn’t tell me?”

“Hyunjin, please,” you begged, trying to calm him, but he was a storm you couldn’t contain.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded again, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I would’ve left everything for you! Don’t you know that? I would’ve -”

You shook your head fiercely, your own tears spilling over now.

“Hyunjin, I couldn't -”

“I don’t care!” he shouted, his voice cracking painfully. “None of it means anything if I don’t have you!”

Before either of you could say more, Chris appeared, obviously having heard the chaos from the other end of the hallway.

“What’s going on here?” he demanded, his eyes flickering between you and the sobbing mess that was Hyunjin.

“Hyung,” Hyunjin sobbed, clutching Chris’s arm as if it were the only thing keeping him upright. “She’s pregnant. She’s pregnant, and she didn’t tell me. That’s my baby.” His voice broke again, and he leaned heavily into Chris, tears falling freely.

Chris’s expression softened instantly, and he glanced at you as you stood rooted to your spot, tears spilling down your cheeks. 

“Hyunjin, calm down. Let’s talk about this somewhere else, okay?” He tried to guide Hyunjin back toward the practice room, but Hyunjin was not taking orders from anyone at this point.

“No,” he said, his voice trembling. “I’m not going anywhere until she tells me why she didn’t tell me.”

You stepped closer, your heart breaking as you cupped his tear-streaked cheeks with trembling hands. His skin was warm beneath your touch, his eyes red and raw as they searched yours for answers.

“Because,” you whispered, your voice cracking, “I love you. I love you too much to let you give up your dreams for me.”

Hyunjin’s tears fell harder.

“You think I’d regret it?” he choked out. “You think I’d ever regret choosing you? Choosing our baby?”

You shook your head through your tears.

“I couldn’t let you make that choice, Hyun. Not when I knew how much this means to you.”

Before he could respond, Felix and Minho arrived, their worried faces appearing at the end of the hallway. Felix took one look at the scene and immediately rushed to Hyunjin’s side, wrapping an arm around him.

“Hyunjin,” Felix said softly, his own voice shaking. “Come on, breathe.”

Minho, meanwhile, approached you, his arm going around your shoulder, and then glancing at Hyunjin.

“You’re not going to solve anything by falling apart here,” he said calmly. “Pull yourself together.”

But Hyunjin was inconsolable, his sobs growing louder.

“I didn’t know. I didn’t know. She’s been going through this alone, and I didn’t know. What kind of person does that make me?”

You stepped closer, your voice firm as you said, “Hyunjin, stop. You’re not a bad person. This isn’t your fault. If anything, it's mine. For keeping this from you.”

“I want to be there. Oh my God, I love you! Don’t shut me out again,” he whispered brokenly. “Please.”

You nodded, squeezing his hand. “I won’t.”

As Chris and Felix finally led Hyunjin away, Minho stayed behind, pulling you into a hug.

“Well,” he said dryly, “that could’ve gone worse.”

You let out a shaky laugh, wiping your tears. “Could it?”

Minho sshrugged

“At least he knows now. He’ll come around. And when he does…” He smirked faintly. “You’re going to have a hell of a time keeping him out of your hair.”

You sighed, your heart heavy but hopeful. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The company meeting was the stuff of legends. Chris had marched in like the leader of a revolution, Hyunjin trailing behind with fire in his eyes. By the end of it, the higher-ups had no choice but to relent. Hyunjin wasn’t going anywhere. Neither were you. And most importantly, Hyunjin was going to make damn sure his family - you and George Jr. were going to be happy, and with him always. 

Now that he was officially back, Hyunjin wasted no time slipping into full-time ‘husband’ mode. His mission? Make up for every second he’d missed. And maybe, just maybe, remind Minho and Felix that while they had been excellent stand-ins, it was time to hand over the reins to the rightful husband.

But, of course, Felix and Minho had no intention of stepping aside without a fight.

---

You and Hyunjin were finally having some well-deserved downtime - he had you nestled against his chest on the couch, his hand resting protectively on your bump. For the first time in what felt like forever, you felt calm. Peaceful.

And then Felix appeared.

“Move,” Felix announced dramatically, striding into the room and pointing at Hyunjin like he was accusing him of a crime.

“What?” Hyunjin asked, frowning.

“I said move,” Felix repeated, already wedging himself between the two of you (particularly experienced with this as he'd done it a hundred times before). 

You couldn’t help but laugh as Felix threw an arm around you and placed his head on your shoulder.

“Just so you know, Mr. Biological Father,” Felix began, glaring pointedly at Hyunjin, “George Jr. is mine. We share an emotional bond that transcends DNA, okay? And, George? She's mine too. You being back changes nothing.”

Hyunjin’s jaw dropped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. 

“What are you even talking about?! Why are you still calling her that?!”

Felix huffed dramatically, clutching you tighter. 

“Because she’s my George! And I will not stand for you disrupting the sacred trust we’ve built. Now go be useful and bring George her smoothie.”

Hyunjin looked at you, utterly baffled. “You’re seriously letting him call you George?”

“It’s a thing now. I’ve stopped fighting it.” You shrugged, trying to stifle your giggles.

Felix gave Hyunjin a smug grin.

“See? She’s accepted her destiny. Now go.”

Before Hyunjin could fire back, Minho’s voice floated in from the kitchen.

“Yongbok-ah, I’m the one making the smoothie. I know how to serve the smoothie I made. Hyunjin, if you’re so desperate to help, why don’t you go fold the laundry or something?”

Hyunjin groaned, dragging a hand down his face.

“Why am I suddenly the errand boy in my own house?”

Minho appeared in the doorway, smoothie in hand, his expression deadpan.

“Maybe because we’ve been doing all the heavy lifting for months while you were busy, I don’t know, not knowing she was pregnant.” he said, and Hyunjin flinched, clutching his chest like Minho had shot him.

“Okay, low blow.”

“I call it the truth.” Minho smirked. 

“Minho hyung and I have carried this team for far too long. You’re going to have to earn your place here, buddy.” Felix said with a grin. 

Hyunjin threw his hands up in exasperation and said, “She’s literally my girlfriend! How do I have to earn anything?!”

“George belongs to us, Hyunjin. Now go fold the laundry.” Felix said, waving Hyunjin away.

You burst out laughing, clutching your belly as Hyunjin huffed in annoyance before stomping off. He came back with a basket full of freshly washed and dried clothes, and started folding.

“I’ll fold every piece of laundry in Korea if it means overthrowing these two clowns.”

“You guys are all insane, you know that?” you said, shaking your head. 

“We prefer devoted.” Felix grinned.

“Dedicated. Loyal.” Minho nodded. 

“Whatever they are, I’ll beat them at it. Just watch.” Hyunjin rolled his eyes but threw you a wink.

Divider: @saradika-graphics

Tags: @moonchild9350 @velvetmoonlght @eastjonowhere @pixie-felix @sailor--sun @chancloud8 @captainchrisstan @hansmic @emilyywhyy @inlovewithstraykids @my-neurodivergent-world @nightmarenyxx @channie4lifeee143127

[gor3sigil]

Before starting T, when I socially transitionned, I was surrounded by radical feminists who saw masculinity as gross and inherently evil, something to avoid, something to make fun of, something to destroy. The other transmascs in my friend group, sometimes, told me that they didn’t knew if they really were non-binary or if they just were scared shitless of saying “I am a man”. Because they saw this as a betrayal to their younger self who had been SAd and abused.

I saw many of my masc friends and trans men around me hate themselves, not outing themselves as men because it would imply so so much, it was like opening the Pandora Box. Even when we were just together, talking about our masculinity was always coated with bits like “I know we’re the privileged ones but…”, “I don’t want to sound like I have it bad but…”, “Women obviously have it worse, but last time…” and we were talking about terrible traumas we experienced while taking all the precautions in the world in the case the walls were a crowd of people in disguise waiting to get us if we didn’t downplay the violence we faced, or like crying and being upset and being traumatized and afraid and scared and to say it out loud would make us throw up the needles we were forced to swallow every second of every day living in our skin.

Most of us weren’t on T yet, some of us were catcalled every day and harassed in the streets or in abusive relationships nobody seemed to care to help them get out of because they were “strong enough” to do it by themselves.

I was using the gender swap face app and cried for ours when I saw my father looking back at me through the screen. The idea of transforming, of shedding into a body that would deprive me of love, tenderness, and safety, was absolutely terrifying. I knew I couldn’t stay in this body any longer because it wasn’t mine, but I also knew that if I was going to look like my dad, my brother, my abusers, it would be so much worse.

5 years later and I’m almost 2 years on T, and almost 2 months post top surgery.

I ditched my previous group of friends. I was bullied out of my local trans community. But let me tell you how free I am.

I was scared that T would break my singing voice: it made it sound more alive than ever.

I was scared that T would make me less attractive: it made me find myself hot for the first time in my life.

I was scared that T would make me gain weight: it did. But the weight I put on is not the weight I used to put on by binging and eating my body until I forgot that it even existed. It’s the weight of my body belonging to me, little by little. The wolf hunger for life.

I won’t tell you the same story I see everywhere, the one that goes “I started going to the gym 8 times a week, I put on some muscles, I started a diet and now I look like an action film actor”, in fact if you took pictures of me from 5 years ago vs now I’d just have more acne, I’d have longer hair and still look like I don’t know what to do with myself when I take selfies.

But the sparkle in my eyes, my smile, tell the whole story way better than this long ass stream of words could ever.

I want to say some things that I wish someone told me before starting medically transitionning.

It’s okay to take your time. It’s your body, it’s your journey, if you don’t feel comfortable taking full doses and want to go slow, the only voice you need to listen to is your own. Do what feels right.

If you feel overwhelmed, it’s okay to take a break, it’s okay to ask for support.

Trans people are holy. Everyone is. You didn’t lose your angel wings when you came out because you want to be masculine. You are not excluded from the joy of existence, from being proud of yourself, from being sad, from being scared, from being angry. The emotions and feelings you allowed yourself to feel while processing what you experienced when you grew up as a girl and was seen as a woman are still as valid as before. Nobody can take that from you. If someone tries to, don’t let them.

It’s perfectly normal to grieve some things you were and had before you started to transition, like your high soprano voice or even your chest. Hatching is painful. You can find comfort in things that don’t feel right, so making the decision to change can be incredibly scary and weird and you deserve to be heard and supported through this. Wanting top surgery doesn’t make the surgery less intense, less terrifying, less painful to recover from. When it becomes too much you have the right to take a break and take some deep breaths before going on.

You don’t have to have a radical, 180° change for your transition to be acceptable or valid or worthy of praise. Look at how far you’ve come already. It doesn’t have to show, you’re not made to be a spectacle, you’re human and it is your journey.

Oh, and last thing, you know when some people say “Oh this trans person has to grow out of the cringy phase where you think that you can write essays about being trans or transitionning or just their experience because it’s weird” ? If you ever hear this or see this online, remember all the people whose writing you read and, even if they were not professional writers, helped you more than any theorists did ? If you want to write, do it. It won’t be a waste. It can help people. Or it won’t, and even then, if it helped you, that’s enough.

Love every of my trans siblings, take care of yourselves. You deserve the world.

[jinwoosbabyboo]

Self-Aware!Sylus x Down-bad!Player

Sylus becoming aware he is a character in a game and now he’s aware of you as well. A modern day Romeo & Juliet story here …. A tragic love story pt. 2 here A/N: Don’t fight me [Requested by: Anon]

Self-Aware!Sylus who realizes he’s in a game when he can sense your energy on the other side of a phantom wall. He can hear you squealing when he calls you honey and you're radiating happiness when you send him random emojis.

Self-Aware!Sylus who finally sees you when he happens to be looking around during a photoshoot and sees your shocked face when he makes eye contact. He smirks and turns back to the in-game version of you. “Why are you out there?” You dropped your phone and stared at it in shock. Did Sylus just ….. talk to you? You muttered a low ‘Hello?’ but got no response. You brushed it off as you just being tired and on the game too long.

Self-Aware!Sylus who manages to create a keyboard in your chat so he can actually text you. You were so confused when you opened it and it allowed you to type without just pressing a prompt. You gave it a spin with a quick ‘Hey Sylus’ something simple. Of course the message was read immediately and he replied with a ‘Hello [your name]’ you stared at the screen in shock not knowing if this was a new update or if you were just going crazy.

Self-Aware!Sylus who chuckles when he sees you pouting because you didn’t get his card so when you close the app and lay down he gifts you the card himself. You opened the app and the first thing Sylus says to you is “I don’t like seeing you sad, check your memories I left a gift for you”. When you open your memories you see that you not only got his most recent card but all of his five star memories. “What's happening here?” “You’re smile is so captivating I just had to see it again”

Self-Aware!Sylus who opens the app randomly throughout the day so he can see you “I haven’t seen you all day what are you doing?” causing you to snatch your phone off the table because he always seems to catch you when you’re at work or around a group of people. “Sylus I'm at work I'll call you when I get off” he crosses his arms and seems to be pouting? “I don’t like how much you have to work I don’t see you as often” “Well not all of us are billionaires some of us work for said billionaires to make a living” “I wish I could take care of you….” “You and me both”

Self-Aware!Sylus who teases you when he wins a game of kitty cards or who uses his evol to get every stuffed animal for you when you get frustrated. “You sure do wear your heart on your sleeves sweetie”

Self-Aware!Sylus who stares directly at you when you’re doing a photoshoot with your in-game MC “Sylus focus on her so I can get the picture” “I want to focus on you though” “She is me” “…..she’s not”

Self-Aware!Sylus who tells you not to fall in love because he’s not real, but he falls head over heels in love with you anyway. From the late night conversations of you explaining your world to him and just talking about everything and nothing at the same time. He can’t help it one night when you’re up late on the phone as always he just has to ask “Do you love me?” you’re shocked by his question, but swiftly answer with a shy “Yea I do”

Sylus: I thought we agreed not to fall in love Y/N: I was already in love you just noticed late Sylus: I believe I fell harder You giggled as something somber settled in your chest. Y/N: We’ll never truly be together you know? Sylus: I know and yet I continue to long for you …. I wish I could kiss you Y/N: I wish you could too…..

Self-Aware!Zayne Self-Aware!Xavier Self-Aware!Rafayel Self-Aware!Caleb