#and that underneath his scary exterior is a kind person

[goemon-fan]

Lupin III Part 1 Episode 5: The Coming of Goemon Ishikawa XIII

[pinknightsinmymind]

【 abby anderson as a gf hc's 】

a/n: this is just super fluffy and cute <333 i wrote a lot so it's below the cut

first and foremost, lots of ppl make assumptions about abby and what she's like because of her appearance. she has somewhat of a rbf, and she's insanely buff, so many ppl are intimidated by her automatically.

that being said, abby looks to be understood and known at a deeper level, and wants to be treated like anyone else no matter what she looks like

i think she's the typical "intimidating but a huge softie" type like HEAR ME OUT

anyone can look at her and know that she's insanely strong and that she could easily take them out, and while true, underneath all that abby is extremely kind and caring

she may look scary, but she loves reading, she loves animals, she loves nature, she has a soft spot for lev, she's grown to understand the world outside of herself and that there is more than what meets the eye, she's learned from her mistakes, and she's deeply loyal

so while, yes, she is tough and strong, she is much more than that and wants to be seen for all parts of herself rather than the surface; she wants to be understood and she wants her partner to be someone who isn't intimidated by her and is willing to look beyond her exterior

so while everyone else avoids her and you willingly approach her despite what ppl say? and you treat her like a person—like she were anyone else? that immedately gets you on her good side and gains you her respect

you two begin to seek each other out more and more bc she enjoys your company and begins to open up to you

she lets you see every side of her, even the ones she typically wouldn't let others see

other ppl may be confused as to how you joke around with her so easily when they'd fear for their lives if they did, but that's simply bc you're close enough to her that you know how much of a huge softie she is

okay okay enough of my intimidating softie abby agenda and now time for more interesting stuff

im FULLY convinced that in a modern!au and college!au she'd be in pre-med studying to be a doctor or a surgeon; she'd do it bc she wants to help ppl but also bc she loves and admires her dad for his work

bc of this i also see her bragging to you all the time that she'll be your doctor wife who makes big money so she can spoil you

(and she lives up to that promise)

when she comes home late from work she's quick to make it up to you

ABBY IN SCRUBS

knowing her love of novels, i feel like she struggled to pick between pre-med and english as her major, but at the end of the day being a doctor called to her passions much more so she chose english as her minor

HOWEVER, i feel like her brain is so sexy especially when talking about novels she's read

like imagine her going on tangents about the book she's read and what she thinks the meaning is, then bringing up the story's historical context, and then interdisciplinary studies and just being like "omg she's so sexy i'm going to take my clothes off rn" bc of how smart she is

her book collection is HUGE and she lets you borrow whatever you want from her shelves, and you can see all the things she's scribbled in the margins, her silly annotations, small drawings in the corners, her cussing in her notes about the characters saying stuff like "what the fuck is wrong with you?" so seriously

she'll find poems she really likes and tell you about them especially the ones that remind her of you

i feel like she'd love emily dickinson and the bronte sisters idk i can see it

she's SO excited to introduce you to her dad

she's a huge family person and wants you to feel like a part of her family too

in a modern!au lev is probably a kid who lives next door to her that she babysits and tutors sometimes but she absolutely adores him and sees him as her brother

can you imagine how much of a hopeless romantic she is

she's probably so cheesy and loves romance and being cute with you where if it were anyone else it'd be cringy but its HER and she's just so sweet and so endearing how could you hate any of it?

asks you to be her valentine every year even if you're her gf bc she still feels the need to romance you

will make a spectacle of every holiday in order to treat you somehow

okay maybe gift giving would be a love language of hers too i can see it

but i feel like her top love languages are physical touch and acts of service tho

she's definitely the type to cherish any moment with you, and values being able to sit with you in silence in general but also while you do your own activities together (so parallel play basically)

.... i think she'd love to play video games to destress but not necessarily violent ones i think she'd play more calm games like animal crossing to relax or maybe minecraft where yall can build a world together and have a little farm bc she thinks its cute

teases you when you get lost or when you die in the games tho bc she's a bully (jokingly) like that

definitely the type to be like "only I can bully you"

very protective in general she wouldn't let anyone lay a hand on you and she'd take such good care of you

worries about your well-being (physical, emotional, mental) all the time and will do whatever it takes to make sure you're okay

if you need her at 3 am, she doesn't care she goes to your place right away

if you're sick she won't hesitate to buy you medicine, clean up your place, make you soup, whatever you want

when taking care of you while sick she calls you her number one patient and her favorite patient bc she's corny like that

there's nothing she wouldn't do for you bc when she's committed, she's committed

she's such a devoted and loyal person in general that when she cares about you, she cares about you, and there's no bluffing involved

just a very sincere and honest person who is willing to grow and learn, especially with her partner

i bet she's VERY open to communication and to talk things out with you she's the type to listen to you wholeheartedly and give you all the reassurance you need

she's the type of partner who's SO open to communication and good at it that you're like omg??? how are you so calm??? i'm screaming and crying and shitting my pants rn???

she's a huge softie and such a loving person who looks to be understood the way she understands others; she craves unconditional love and wants to give to others

she's just gf (and wife) material like come ON

[seramilla]

So in the Emily dated Vaggie au I have idea in my head set before Vaggie fell. Emily goes up to Sera and tells her that's she's dating someone and Sera probably jokes about wanting to know who it is so she can throw them into hell. Sera agrees to have Vaggie over for dinner later in the week. She knows Vaggie is a power (I am running with that for what heaven calls the exterminators) which doesn't fill her with hope since doesn't like adam. She is surprised when she meets her since Vaggie is kind polite and nothing like her boss. (Maybe she reminds Sera of Carmilla who was her girlfriend before Lucifer and her fell.) By the end of it Sera finds herself approving of Vaggie and encourages her to come over whenever she is free.

Sera probably doesn't trust anyone associated with Adam in the beginning, because she can't imagine a person who would willingly be under his command would be right for Emily. She's very protective of her sister, for good reason; she's an impressionable young Seraphim learning how to process the judgements for every Winner who enters the pearly gates. Her reluctance is understandable, but Emily insists Sera will love Vaggie once she gets to know her.

Vaggie is very intimidated by Sera, to say the least. She has a coarse, rough exterior around the other Exterminators; she has to keep up that facade, so she doesn't fall behind or appear weak. Emily has a way of seeing the true nature of people, however; it's a talent uniquely hers, separate from Sera, and she knew immediately that underneath all the bluster and bravado, Vaggie is a timid, gentle person at heart. She doesn't want to hurt anyone, but her fighting skills are valuable to Adam, so Vaggie figured she belonged best among other killers. Even though that's not really the case.

Sera sees a lot of similar qualities between Vaggie and Carmilla; both like to puff up and appear intimidating to protect themselves, and those they care about. It's obvious how engaged Vaggie is with Emily, constantly asking her if she's had enough to eat, if she wants more water, if she learned anything exciting from Sera that day, or if any interesting Winners entered Heaven recently. She can tell Emily struggles with small talk, and that's why she's asking a lot of questions, to fill in the empty space. Emily loves it, though, because no one else ever asks about her day or seems at all concerned with her well-being, besides Sera. It's definitely a positive change of pace for them both.

Vaggie is also smiling at Emily the entire time; Sera doesn't think she's ever seen an Exterminator with a genuine smile, other than the scary, fake ones they project onto their helmets. After their meal, she lets Vaggie know she can come over whenever she likes. Vaggie blushes, and stammers a little, saying, "Oh-okay! Thank you, Sera!" Then Emily pulls Vaggie away to play some new video game she has. These are very rare in Heaven, but she has one, and she wants to show it off to Vaggie immediately.

[best-underrated-anime]

[Test Poll] Format #1

This is to test what format would be best for the poll posts during the tournament. The media featured are Chinese BL novels (danmei), and propagandas are from my stack of old reviews so they may be quite long. No trailers, so I’m putting images as placeholders for where the trailer should go. Just vote as if this were actually part of the tournament, then later I’ll gather some feedback. You may also leave feedback in the replies of this post.

Group A Round 1: #A1 vs #A2

#A1: Man picks up fish, keeps it as pet, but then it turns into a merman

Summary:

Follows the story of Rand Sievers, the younger brother of the CEO of Deep White, the leading company for biological advancements. Rand was once kidnapped as a child, and when his brother Vincent finally found him years later, he no longer remembered anything.

One day, Rand picked up a stranded “fish” from the beach, kept it as a pet, and gave it the name “Munster.” Little did he know that he was actually raising a biological weapon… a real monster.

#A2: Mushroom turns into a man, goes after another man to retrieve his “child”

Summary:

The story follows An Zhe, a sentient mushroom, after he takes over the body of the dead human An Ze. Assuming An Ze’s identity, he enters the northern human base in search of his spore, which had been harvested by humans. All people entering this base first have to undergo a screening that determines whether or not they have been infected by the mutated creatures outside. If found infected, the person will be eliminated on the spot.

An Zhe isn’t human, but he isn’t infected either. The judge Lu Feng cannot determine his case, but he highly doubts that the man is human. Hence, even after An Zhe is granted entry, he still keeps a close eye on him.

Propagandas, visuals/trailers, and poll under the cut!

#A1: Man picks up fish, keeps it as pet, but then it turns into a merman

Trigger Warnings: Gore, cannibalism, violence, rape*, kidnapping, blood

*rape happens, but the perpetrator was drugged and did it out of his control

Propaganda:

The novel starts out slow and, dare I say, fluffy. It introduces Rand as naïve and oblivious, just happily raising his ugly little fish. Even when said fish begins exhibiting anomalous behavior, Rand has merely chalked it up to it being extremely weird.

Meanwhile, his overprotective brother, Vincent, is secretly engaging in a dubious biological project. Rand has been kept ignorant about it for his safety, but some things are just beyond their control.

When Rand picks up Munster from the beach, he inevitably gets himself signed up to the chaos surrounding Vincent. Mysteries arise and distorted truths unwind, and these are all gonna forcefully unearth the traumas of the past that Rand has forgotten. Like opening Pandora’s box, all hell breaks loose, and never before have I read a danmei novel more hell-like than Mermaid Effect.

The novel would forcibly configure stomach-churning images in my mind. With vivid descriptions of violence and claustrophobic portrayals of the characters’ struggles, one should have high tolerance for disturbing content in order to fully enjoy this amazing thriller. I didn’t think I could handle extreme gore and cannibalism before, but this novel really forced me to raise my limits

Throughout the story, it asks the question on what it is that truly makes a monster. Some characters seem friendly and kind, but inside, their hearts are full of darkness. And then there are those who you’d think were villains, but underneath all the scary exterior, were actually just misunderstood. This novel then explores the answer to the question by bringing out the worst in its characters, showing how every single one of them is a bit of a monster inside, blurring the lines between “monster” and “human.” In the end, all that remains is the essence of the person, who they truly are in spite of the skins they wear.

But at its very core, this is actually a heartwarming story. It’s a story of love and of family, and of healing and second chances.

How Rand develops from staying ignorant to being brave enough to face his past was really commendable. And this was all possible with the help of Munster, who, oddly enough, was at the very bottom of Pandora’s box. Munster gave Rand the push and support he needed to rip off his scars and fix what had been broken.

#A2: Mushroom turns into a man, goes after another man to retrieve his “child”

Trigger warnings: …It’s been so long since I read this, so I can’t remember

Propaganda:

It’s unlike those danmei zombie stories where the apocalypse seems like it’s all fun and games. There is no group of friends forming teams and going on missions. No treasure hunting, no power-ups, and no strengthening of the fort. In this novel, the “enemy” is not just another adventure; the enemy is a powerful and overwhelming force that can swallow one unawares, and no one can run away from it.

So many of the characters die, and most of the time, their deaths are not even meaningful. The author kills them off like they’re swatting away flies, and you can’t complain that it’s bad writing either because it’s a f**king apocalypse. People are supposed to die.

But either way, the sudden meaningless deaths still wouldn’t be bad writing. The deaths significantly contribute to the tense atmosphere of the whole story. The author setting up the great inevitability of death paints a vivid picture of what the characters are going against, which is important because the Boss enemy has no physical form. The characters can’t fight it head-on like with a zombie.

And amidst all this hopelessness, our main character An Zhe shines like sunshine in the rain. He is the one thing that saves this story from further sinking into the abyss. His character is not exactly sunny and all-smiles, but he has a certain charm that comforts the people around him, and the readers as well. He is the embodiment of hope in this novel, and I couldn’t have asked for a more fitting main character.

Overall, the story highlights the beauty of hope and human will—how humans, in the face of calamity, will struggle and resist. Some may give in, but there will always be those who will continue to fight. This is an apocalypse story that one shouldn’t miss, and I absolutely recommend it to everyone.

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

Why do JGY stans get so mad when people refer to him as the villain? It’s literally canon he’s the big bad and the main villain to be taken down by Wangxian. Like, WRH and JGS were candidates to be the big bad but not really competent enough and so eventually they were killed off by him.

Because they're WEAK!!!

I can't say really, since I find it a lot more fun and enjoyable myself to explore Jin Guangyao as depraved as he wants to be underneath that kind exterior. It's a terrifying look underneath someone so personable, but can carry so much hate and selfishness that's their real self.

It's scary, to be faced with the product that love, isn't something that can save everyone as we are ideally raised to believe, or that others don't want that over the idea of power and vengeance against those they despise. Jin Guangyao especially had many moments where he could have chosen love and friendship over it all, but he never did. He could have honestly kept Lan Xichen as his "best friend", but he chose Xue Yang to confide in and scheme with for years behind the backs of his supposed confidant without guilt.

He is able to use what he learned from the women around him growing up, in a very twisted way. It's really almost misogynistic how he took the trade of prostitute tricks and melded it into the position of male only chief cultivator. It's almost a sick joke on the idea of maternal nurturing, that he's able to discard like a mask. A true lu cha biao. And given just how well MXTX knows the use of internet slang and twisting them to fit her works so great, he is such a fun face for this term.

[accustiv]

i hadn’t even thought to suspect him of being someone like that. each glimmer of truth i saw in him, the version of him underneath alex’s shining exterior had led me to think he was hiding something - but wasn’t everyone? this wasn’t the kind of job where you revealed your true self, whether or not there was anything sinister to hide. except now i had more to go on.

i had been cornered, a client that wasn’t a client at all; initially, i had darted towards a panic button, knowing too well how terribly these situations could go, and then he had uttered a name, one that i was all too familiar with - the ghost. that was when i had listened. apparently, i had been seen with him, often, intimately, apparently, i knew him and needed to work with them, apparently, i was a clueless pawn. well… he’d been right about one thing - i had been clueless. not anymore. and there was only one person he could have been referring to… alex.

so i asked him, as casually as kai asked anything, if he knew anything about the ghost.

now why would i know that?

it may have been a good enough lie a few days ago, but not anymore. i stared at @vanishinq , waiting for more, making it clear i didn’t believe him. although my chest was tight, unsure if i wanted him to be the ghost or not, because while that would make him a legend, and someone i had briefly thought about tracking down when i’d moved to the states, it would change everything. one of us lying about our true identity was enough, both of us was… unlikely, and more than a little scary. everything had been going so well, i had been settling more and more into my life as kai everyday, i had found myself falling for alex… and now i had to tear it all apart just to know the truth.

“ someone booked me last night. ” i said, as calmly as i could manage, as though my heart wasn’t in my throat. “ turns out he just wanted a chat… ” my eyes stayed fixed on alex’s face, watching every twitch and jump of his expression, “ said i’d been seen with who he thought was the ghost, and i, well, i don’t really hang out with anyone other than you. ” a pause, heavy with something i never thought i’d have to deal with. “ you’re him, aren’t you? ” another pause, and i took a deep breath, “ because i know alex is an act, i’ve known for a long time. ”

[awalkoflife-arc]

He's got gentle eyes; the kind which are soft and warm and inviting. Or maybe she's just naïve. After everything she's been through, there's still a chance she hasn't learned a damn thing. Sam has been fooled before, let down by love and the promises that people make. Landon is right about one thing though --- real life is scary. It's a hell of a lot more terrifying than people in masks, aiming to rewrite the legacies of the psychopaths who've come before them. "Thank you." She says, and for the first time in a long time, her gratitude is genuine. "For being honest with me." It's something she shouldn't need to thank him for and often, she has to remind herself that people can still be good. "I didn't know what to expect when I agreed to this or what your intentions might have been." Despite her doubts however, he's making it clear for her and while it's still too soon to tell if she can, she wants to trust Landon Wynter. "I'm not a murderer like my father was, but I have murdered." That part is true and it's also terrifying, something that's reflected in her own dark brown hues. "I'm not a victim, but I'm not a villain either. That's what I want to clarify. That's partly why I'm doing this."

There's a part of him that seems to understand already, he's talking to her from a place of what sounds like empathy. She doesn't read the gossip columns or know a single detail about his personal life and yet, there's evidence to suggest that both of their reputations have been under scrutiny. Landon, who underneath his professional exterior, just seems like a regular, hardworking guy. Surely he wasn't also subject to the widespread media's cacophony of hatred and slander? "I appreciate that, I do. Everything you're saying, it's all valid. I just.... why Tara and I? I mean, out of everyone you could help? Why us?" Why me? It's not a question intended to sound ungrateful. She's cautiously curious. "The last person who entered my life --- who wanted to be a part of my story --- he was obsessed with my father." Sam reveals, speaking about Richie. "I guess I'm just trying to understand what you're hoping to gain from all of this? Aside from helping me to share my truth, what's your motivation?" She glances up at him from the menu she's holding, her own eyes softening a little when he brings up the food. "I'm thinking the veggie options might be the safest?" A half smile is sent his way, a quiet, small reckoning that maybe she doesn't have to worry so much this time. "The horror of experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea in a motel bathroom. Not to tempt fate, but that might be a future feature if we're not careful in here."

Off the record always means something else doesn’t it? He isn’t someone who spreads misinformation in anything he does. Research is his super power. There’s something to be said about realism in film that terrifies audiences far more than fantasy. When something is gritty, darkly based around true events people are more likely to lose their nerve. It reaches out to their deepest fears. Yet he understands why she’s putting that forward because she doesn’t know him. Can’t blame her and all those stories he’s heard makes him wonder. Still, truth always finds a way out. In the low light of this diner she almost appears ominous asking that question. Probably not as shady as a man who has certain lies spread about him. “You know I always think one thing about stories like this,” the director added a view, sitting a bit more comfortably. “Real life is the scariest thing people face. Do I think you’re a murderer? If I did, Sam, do you think I’d have come out here alone with you?” Landon tilted his head, raising his eyebrows to accentuate his point. He doesn’t go off with just anybody. He believes in this documentary. That’s exactly why this is happening.

“I think people say things to make another look guilty for something they didn’t do. People assume. They can spin your entire story and make you out to be the bad one. Either we’re the heroes of our own stories or we live long enough to be the villain.” A long beat passed after his words. Allowing silence to build some suspense he could only imagine how she feels about what people say. “Look I don’t think you’re a murderer. I think you and your sister were caught up in something you couldn’t control. People took advantage of that. Advantage of who you are. Some live for the drama and lies like a reality TV show. If I can help you get your real truth out then I did my job as a filmmaker.” People might think he’s in it for fame or money. Never in his life did Landon B. Wynter step into this avenue of creativity to get ahead. All he’s ever wanted to do is create. Tell a story. Dive into the depression and horrors of terror. It’s a great coping mechanism at times. “Hope this place gets at least a three star rating. I’d rather not get food poisoning.” He suddenly changed the subject, picking up one of the menus left there from a waitress who seemed to be glancing over their way as she worked a few other tables. “Suffering Yellow Fever has thrown me off being sick for the foreseeable future.” @awalkoflife // prev

[thewickedking-s]

TFOTA Character Analysis (The Cruel Prince) Pt. I

Okay, so I saw someone else do this, and I thought it would be fun for one of my favorite book series. Here we go:

1. Jude Duarte: badass bitch who is actually one terrified chick underneath that exterior. It's like you know how after a traumatic experience, people go into shock before the full force of the realization hits them? Yeah, that's our bby Jude. Just remove the "the full force of the realization hits them" and skip to "going back to your normal bitchy self".

2. Cardan Greenbriar: Jude makes Cardan out to be, like, this really horrible villain, when, to me, he just *deep breath* RADIATES schoolyard bully vibes??? But the whole... possibility of being ridiculously humiliated is pretty scary ngl. Although, my FAVORITE part of this book is finding out he wasn't a schoolyard bully psychopath, but just a sad drunk loser with a crush he couldn't handle.

3. Taryn Duarte: At first, I hated her too, so much, like sis before dick, right?? Then, after Lost Sisters I hated her a little less, because, God, who hasn't been ignored because they were 'good' and followed the rules? So I understood her loneliness, but then I went back to hating her anyway, because I realized she had Vivi and even fucking Oriana to help her out. Jude has literally fucking no one. For example, Taryn fearlessly approached Vivi to send her note to Locke's estate, and if you really think about that, do you think Jude would have done that so fearlessly and risked rejection? No, she would have found some ridiculously difficult way to do it herself.

4. Locke: ha, you're a dick

5. Madoc: i have no other words than: angry problematic dad

6. Vivienne Duarte: that one person that makes sarcastic comments CONSTANTLY, but will always be there for you when you really need her. Also, i want to date her.

6. Nicasia: Schoolyard mean girl/cheerleader. That's all.

7. Valerian: class A psycho and I'm glad bby killed him

8. Prince Dain: Get ur weird ass outta here. Also he was kinda hot ngl.

9. Prince Balekin: He deserved everything he got. a real bitch to my bookworm bby. 10. Madoc: a pretty good dad, but he obviously doesn't think very highly of his daughter, which sucks, because she's kind of amazing.

11. Oriana: evil stepmom vibes, at first, but she's actually just worried about the Duarte sisters, including Jude, "he's besotted with you girls. If I were him, I would have sent you away long ago." Because she knows Faerie is a dangerous place, and she cares for the girls.

12. Kind of a weird kid. But all kids are overall weird.

lmk if i'm missing anyone ;)

[sxcret-garden-archive]

P1Harmony Reaction ✧ Their s/o seems intimidating at first but is actually a clingy softie

✧ P1Harmony all members x reader ✧ genre: fluff

(requested:)

Keeho:

no matter how much I think about it I can’t see him being seriously intimidated by you???

he might just be the kind of person who you open up to without noticing, and so your soft side just always comes out more in front of him right from the moment you first talked

therefore he’ll be surprised when others see you as somewhat scary

might try to understand why that is, but he won’t ever feel like you’re intimidating to him

he loves how clingy you are and how much attention you give him

it actually makes him feel shy too!

he can always feel your silent support and is very thankful to you for that

and the other way around he will also always support and cheer for you!

Theo:

he’s not someone who would talk to people first, so I feel like you two would be awkward at first

but at the same time he’s kinda like that as well?

since he’s rather silent but opens up once he knows someone better, he might seem intimidating at first too

I feel like after some difficulties in the beginning - like first talking to each other or making the first step opening up - you’d actually get along really well

you would both want to take care of each other and cheer each other on silently, and appreciate whenever the other is just there 

chances are you’d work really well together in the end^^

Jiung:

I feel like he too might find you hard to approach

but will willingly talk to you as soon as he sees an opening

he realized rather quickly that actually you’re not as scary as you seem and that underneath your hard exterior actually lies a very soft and kind person

he will take the time to get to know you well, and I feel like over time you would become very close

you’d end up having a very deep and trusting relationship where you both want to take care of each other in your own ways

he might be a bit louder about it, as in cheering you on loudly and making sure everyone knows how proud he is of you

but so long as you can accept and come to like your differences, you’d make a great couple

Intak:

I feel like he’ll be put off by how cold you seem at first and quite contrary to his usually talkative self he won’t really initiate a conversation with you

however if you do end up getting a chance to talk and to get to know each other, your relationship will gradually move from a very awkward one to a more comfortable space

as you open up to him and he gets to know the you that hides behind your exterior he will forget all about his first impression of you

he loves seeing how much of a sweet person you actually are inside and he’ll adore you for that

will also be more than okay if you get a bit clingy, because honestly I feel like he’d be just as clingy towards you

Soul:

he seems like the type to be shy in front of someone who seems intimidating and wouldn’t really have the courage to talk to them at first

but actually I feel like that won’t be the case?

thinking about it, I feel like he would just try to approach you in his own way, and talk to you carefully to test the waters and to see if you’re actually as cold as you come off

as soon as he realizes you’re actually a really nice person inside, he will feel so reassured and get comfortable around you easily

because of the stark contrast between the kind of person you seemed to be at first vs the person you actually are, he’ll get super shy once you start being touchy and clinging to him a bit

but that doesn’t mean he won’t enjoy it!

your first impression you usually have on people will long be forgotten by him, and whenever people avoid you or call you scary he’ll just stand there like ??? because to him you are one of the nicest people ever

Jongseob:

he may feel intimidated by you, but that can’t stop him from being curious about you

he realizes he has a crush on you rather quickly, and he wants to know more about you and maybe even look behind your hard shell

so he tries to figure out a way to get closer to you

as soon as he found a topic you’re both interested in, you somehow realize you can talk for hours and that you don’t feel so distant anymore?

he figures out soon that you’re not as cold as you seem, and finds himself falling in love with all of your different facettes one by one

as much as you turn out to be a softie, he will get soft for you

[im-in-vin-ci-ble]

If I may request a headcanon? Of Mark Grayson meeting and maybe falling for someone (gender neutral if possible) who either is a hero or a civilian, that many would mistake as the cool type bad guy (mainly how they present themselves) but truly they are one of the most nicest, cinnamon rolls there is when people give them a chance.

(Ps: if need to match there vibe with a music video, Villain by K/DA was I was listening to when this got in my head)

A/N: ofc my dear!!

Pairing: Mark Grayson x GN!Reader

Rating: T, mild swearing

Warnings: N/A

- Mark hears of you via William, who initially heard that you got kicked out of your old school because you threatened to burn it down

- "They scare me, man. Apparently they got really mad at the school after the principal sent a girl home because of the dress code."

- Mark rolls his eyes at this rumor because it sounds ridiculous

- "Don't believe everything you hear, William. People can surprise you."

- Just as they're talking about you, they find out that you've taken the locker next to William's

- "Dude, that's them!!!"

- William is almost visibly shaking at the sight you but Mark tells him to toughen up

- "They're just a person dude, relax. What are you gonna do, avoid going to your locker all year?"

- But if Mark were being honest, he's also a little scared/intimidated by you

- But obviously after all the stuff he told William about not judging anyone, he had to act tough

- Mark accompanies William to his locker and tries to introduce himself to you

- "Hey there, we haven't seen you around. Are you new?"

- You look up at him with an uninterested look in your face. "You've never seen me before?"

- Mark smiles sheepishly and shakes his head

- "Well there's your answer!"

- You walk away and William rubs the interaction in Mark's face, who is defeated. "Told you so, they're terrifying"

- You and Mark end up becoming partners for a school project, so he invites you to his house so you guys can get started

- Mark is evidently having a lot of trouble with his part of the project but you're going through yours seamlessly

- "Wow, you're really good at this," he tells you with a smile

- "Thanks," you reply warily. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

- Mark shrugs and tells you that he knows how scary it must be to be the new kid in school

- He also admits that he's not most popular guy in school so he doesn't want anyone else to feel left out

- "I'm here as your friend, if you want me to be"

- You and Mark spend a lot of time together over the next two weeks to work on your project and get really close

- You also end up having lunch with him and William in school everyday

- Mark admits to William that he might be developing feelings for you

- William urges Mark to tell you the truth. "Go for them! What's stopping you?"

- As you make some final tweaks to your project, Mark finally gets the courage to ask if you wanna do something with him on the weekend

- "You still wanna hang out with me after this?" you ask him in confusion

- "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

- You acknowledge the fact that you're intimidating and it becomes a problem with your social skills

- "You're definitely intimidating, I'm not gonna lie. But..."

- He gets really red and starts to nervously laugh

- It's very cute

- "Underneath that badass exterior, you're sweet, you're kind, and you're smart... I'd be lucky if you said yes."

[droogiesanddiscourse]

HCs: Dating Travis Bickle (SFW)

Original message: “hi! i'm so glad i found your blog, you're doing a great service to us all lmaooo may i request a dating travis hc? could be sfw or nsfw, that's up to you 😊”

AAAA absolutely! I’m glad you enjoy it ahaha y’all make me love writing aaaa! Ok so I’ll do SFW and NSFW headcannons, but I'll make them into separate posts so everyone who wants to read can enjoy :) I hope that is okay~

Warnings: Toxic relationships, manipulative behavior from Travis. But in character for who he is. 

• Starting off, your relationship with Travis is a bit rocky. Not getting much attention from anyone, as well as being incredibly touch starved has done damage on his ability to reciprocate physical and emotional affection with a partner.

• He will become obsessive, we already have seen this with his past relationships. He will conform his entire personality to suit whatever your needs are. He pretends to be interested in all the same things you are, and it can be a bit creepy. Especially when you know he’s lying just to impress you, or make you like him more.

• You’ll have to try and coax the “real” Travis out of him, telling him he doesn’t have to pretend to be anyone but himself - you love him for him. Whatever... “he” really is underneath that hard exterior.

• Odd dates at odd hours because of his work, and the long hours he puts in as a result of it. Sometimes he’ll ask you to go out for coffee and pie with him at 2AM after he gets out of work. I mean, NYC is the city that never sleeps, there is always something to do. He’ll pick you up, of course. Or just, go for a drive with him as well. He’s a sightseer, so he’s always game for an unplanned trip, especially if it takes the two of you out of the city.

• He’s a bit uncomfortable in public, always asking you to order for him, or to buy the tickets at the movie theatre. He’s got some odd social anxiety issues, but only when it comes to certain activities. 

• One of his favorite places to go is the aquarium. There is something so peacefully serene about the ocean creatures and the blue lights surrounding the enclosures that he just. He’s obsessed. He could stand and watch all day if you’d let him.

• Travis will always reach or grab for your hand in public too, messing with your hand and fingers. He’ll often pull each individual digit, counting them over and over again in a barely audible whisper. He has a couple of these little impulses, which sometimes seem bizarre, but you know he does it to calm down. 

• You practically never meet up at his apartment, he doesn’t want you to see how he lives. It’s always at an outside place or at your apartment. Which you don’t mind at all. Travis will often sleep over when he’s off work at your place, he always feels safer there anyways. And with you. 

• Tends to be a bit of a stalker. He’ll have to know what you are doing, when you are doing it everyday or else he will lose his mind. He is incredibly self conscious and scared you will be hurt, kidnapped, or are sneaking behind his back to see another lover. Travis has horrible paranoia that goes oftentimes unchecked, so you’ll have to reign him in. 

• Will be like “I drove by your apartment today, wanted to check in on you. You didn’t answer the door, where were you?” Travis can get set off very easily, even if you explain to him that you just needed to run to the store for a item you forgot for tonight’s dinner. He can be a bit scary, he has a hard time determining what is socially acceptable or appropriate in a relationship. 

• Your friends are now Travis’s friends. He needs to know what kind of people you are hanging around, and if they are good for you. He’ll be quite vocal if he thinks you are hanging around with the wrong crowd, trying to get you as far away from them as possible. You cannot fall to the same corruption he’s seen so many others fall to.

• Hold him. He practically is begging to be held and feel your soft touch. He finds the entirety of society to be nothing but filth - nothing but disgusting creatures who prowl the streets at night in search of sex, booze, and drugs. But in your arms, all of that melts away, and for all he cares he could be on a different planet than Earth.

• He doesn’t talk too much when he doesn’t have anything important to say. So there are silent nights where the two of you just go about your activities in front of the Television set, or while the record player plays in the background.

• Travis will always be staring you down, it can kind of be unnerving. He just loves watching your every move, how you carry yourself, your specific mannerism that are just so uniquely you. Travis will commit every single one of these to memory. He might pick up on some of them himself, like copying the way you sit, or certain catchphrases you just can’t seem to shake. 

[the-al-chemist]

HPHL Appreciation Week - Day 2: My Favourite Ship

For this task, I am going to talk about two of my favourite characters in the HPHL community: Reuben Willows and Leila Hellebore.

Reuben belongs to the amazing @that-scouse-wizard. I adore Reuben. He’s a scary-looking guy, but really, he is a big teddy bear. He’s very sweet and kind, and good - but that doesn’t mean he’s boring. Far from it. Reuben is tough and brave, and his work on the Llewelyn’s Dragon Sanctuary just proves that: he spends every day working alongside the fiercest and most dangerous creatures known to wizardkind, and I am not just talking reptiles.

As for Leila, who belongs to the astounding and ephemeral Queen that is @whatwouldvalerydo, she was probably the first character that got me interested in HPHL. She’s such an interesting character, not just because of her demon heritage, but because of the human parts of her personality. She is witty and surprisingly sweet underneath her spiky exterior, loyal and loving towards the people she cares about. We all know that I am partial to a tiny but terrifying, feral but fiercely kind girl, and Leila embodies that. Also, the way she hisses at animals never fails to make me laugh.

They say that the whole is greater than the sun of the parts it’s made of. I don’t know if I believe that’s true - both of these characters are incredible in their own rights - but it is obvious that putting Leila and Reuben together brings out the best in each of them. The ferocity and gentleness with which they love one another is what makes this ship, for me, one of the best in this corner of the internet.

[incorrect-lotr-trash]

Thoughts on Tauriel?

ooooooh b o i I’m guess you’re asking because I mentioned I don’t like her in reply to a different ask. Before I lay down my thoughts, I need to give a wee disclaimer. 

If you love Tauriel, then fantastic & please continue to do so!! I totally appreciate that to some people she is amazing and I 100% support you loving on her! What I’m going to express is just MY personal opinion on the character. NOT THE ACTRESS. Evangeline Lilly is a sweetheart and an amazing actress!! My issues are with the character/writing, not the actress.  In expressing my own thoughts I am also NOT encouraging ANY hate on the character. Hate is never welcome and never okay regardless of character opinions and tastes. I completely respect those who adore Tauriel and I encourage the love on her to continue. 

All that said, I do not vibe with Tauriel. For several reasons.  I get far too strong ‘I’m not like other girls’ vibes from her. There is this sense of her needing to assert her authority and power because she is a female elf. And yet, Arwen and Galadriel never give me those vibes. In the case of the latter two, they are extremely powerful and self-defining without any need to prove it or appear ‘strong’ around others. You just know upon first meeting Arwen that she is confident in herself and her place and doesn’t need those around her to reassure her of it - she just simply IS. In contrast to Tauriel, she just comes across rather... insecure? to me. Like, she needs those around her to know that she is powerful and she needs to know that they know. If that sentence makes sense at all.  She also, in my opinion, is selfish. But its framed as a ‘good moral’ thing. (This is just a badly written character, I do not blame anyone but the writers for this) She disobeys her King and then acts shocked when he banishes her? Whilst yeah Thranduil is a questionable moral character, you cannot doubt that he has his people at his heart and was trying to protect Tauriel with them. She paints Thranduil as a dark evil overlord and yeah Thranduil is pretty heckin’ scary - but this guy has single-handedly protected his kind for hundreds of years, he has fought in multiple wars and he VERY CLEARLY still mourns the loss of his wife - to the point he is willing to have an open war with the dwarves just to get some gems that were meant for her. She tries to tell him that he has no love in him, but when you actually look at Thranduil’s actions - underneath the cold exterior everything he does is for love. For his wife, and his people. 

I also kind of find it hard to believe she would fall for Kili so quickly? Now don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the cute romance and thought it was a nice touch. But I question if it was done in the right way. The hate between elves and dwarves goes back CENTURIES. In LOTR Legolas and Gimli hate each other for a long time. It is not until Gimli comes to admire Galadriel and she gives him his blessing that things begin to turn, and even then their elf/dwarf bond was extremely strange. Tauriel is in Thranduil’s Kingdom. THRANDUIL’S KINGDOM. THE GUY WHO HAS BEEF WITH THE DWARVES OF THE MOUNTAIN. She would’ve had a lot of prejudices against dwarves that aren’t just gonna go away after a wee chat about stars. Again, that’s poor writing. By all means have the romance - but it just needed to be built upon a bit more I think.  Shes kind of a Mary Sue (Again - just my opinion!). She has these super cool ‘unusual’ traits of being both a fighter and a healer. Which from what I understand is unusual for Elves. Elrond has both - but hes Elrond and it makes sense. For Tauriel it just seems...? Why..? What is the point? It kinda leads back into that whole ‘I’m not like other girls’ vibe again. I’m sure I read somewhere that her ginger hair is also unusual, I’m not gonna sit here and try pick apart her hair - its more the point that shes ‘special’ and ‘unique’ and ‘not like other girls’ I also don’t understand why there was any need for Legolas to have feelings for her. I kind of like the fact that in LOTR Legolas isn’t involved in any love story - it makes him stand out and allows you to focus on his character. It just didn’t add anything at all, and I wonder what Tolkien would think of someone bringing a love interest into Legolas’s life. 

She just doesn’t stand up to Arwen, Galadriel or Eowyn.  BUT THIS IS ALL JUST MY OPINION AND YOU ARE 100% ENTITLED TO DISAGREE WITH ME. IM NOT TRYING TO START FIGHTS OR HATE. PLEASE CONTINUE LOVING ON TAURIEL IF YOU LIKE HER.  IF THIS DOES SPARK ANY RIDICULOUS HATE I WILL BE DELETING IT.  Those are my thoughts Anon! 💝

[dandywonderous]

OH YOU SAID FE3H TOO!!

claude, hubert, sylvain!!

[-takohebi again]

And now for this one! @takohebi

I just finished my Verdant Wind playthrough fairly recently and I really feel like Claude got shortchanged by his route. The whole thing felt more geared toward the church drama, with some random bits thrown in to try to tie it into Claude's goals and story without actually making it his own. I would have liked to see him get a more in-depth route that was better focused on him, like Dimitri gets in Azure Moon.

That said I do like Claude's personality a lot and I think his backstory is really interesting (also I married him haha). This is one of those characters where I like him in fic and art but I think he gets underutilized in canon.

I haven't gotten very far in 3 Hopes yet (and I'm playing AG first) but from what I've heard it doesn't really fix the problems I had with VW. Too bad.

Hubert's one of my two favorite characters in FE3H haha... oops!

I already like the characters that are kind of shady but Hubert in particular grew on my astoundingly quickly. He's such a jerk at first but over time you see how much he grows to care about the other members of the Black Eagles (his support with Bernie where he starts wearing the flower she embroidered for him so he won't be scared of her is particularly good at showing this). Hubert has this scary exterior and he's certainly a monster toward his enemies, but underneath it all is someone who really just wants to keep those he cares for safe, and over time that circle expands from just Edelgard to all his friends, and I love seeing that transformation.

Even as an enemy in the non-CF routes, though, I love Hubert's role in the story. He's easy to see as this one-note cackling villain, but you come to realize he really is doing what he thinks is right, even if you don't agree with him. The fact that he leaves the note on how to defeat the slithers for Claude/Byleth to find shows that he really does care about the fate of Fodlan and the way things are being left behind, even if he would rather do things Edelgard's way.

Also his relationship with Edelgard makes me soft and their paired ending really gets me. Normally I don't like the pining forever thing but there's just something so soft and romantic about the way it's presented in FE3H... I love it.

Sylvain is another character I thought I would hate but he grew on me over time! I like when a character subverts expectations and learning that Sylvain's womanizing is actually a defense mechanism, his attempt to control the way he feels like people want to use him, is an interesting take on a character like this. I also spend a lot of time feeling bad for him, hence the Wet Cat designation. That said, he can still annoy me from time to time, but I'm willing to get past it for the reward that is seeing him grow up over time.

Also his support with Bernie is one of the best in the game (in general Bernie just has excellent supports that's why she gets so many shoutouts in this post lmao).

[twstedbeauty]

hcs of the twins, jamil, jack, rook finding out their s/o is ticklish.

oHOHOOOH BUCKLE UP

Disclaimer: This is going off the assumption that their s/o enjoys being tickled. Our bois are respectful and would never touch their love without permission~

Leech Twins

hAHAHAHAHA AHHH....you have a death wish, my friend. 

I said it in the last post, these two do not have the word ‘mercy’ in their vocabulary. 

These two used to torment Azul growing up. Being that he was so squishy and sensitive, he was a prime target for tickling. And these two would tickle him to the point of tears which then made him ink himself. 

So all I’m saying is that if you tell these two that you like being tickled, you better get ready to become their own personal tickle toy. 

They will HAPPILY indulge you whenever you want them to, but keep this in mind: SAFEWORD. PLEASE ESTABLISH A SAFEWORD SO THAT THEY WILL STOP WHEN YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO STOP. PLEASE, I’M BEGGING YOU. YOU’LL THANK ME LATER.

Their preferred method of tickling is ganging up on you: one holding you down while the other tickles you and then they switch after a while. 

But don’t think for a second that they are predictable. In fact, the two of them have a distinct difference in tickling. 

Jade opts for much more light slow tickling, but it’s in the places that he knows you are most ticklish. He just leans over you and smiles that polite smile as you scream with laughter. 

He doesn’t say much while he tickles you, other than to remark how red your face is or how sensitive you are. That polite smile will slowly grow into that toothy one he displays when something amuses him. 

Floyd, on the other hand, prefers to tickle hard and fast, constantly moving his hands all over your body, switching up so quick that you can barely keep up. 

He’s laughing the whole time he tickles you, cooing about how cute you are and tickle talking you to no end. 

Tickling you when they are bored will become their new favorite past time. They have no shame. They will come up and ask if they can tickle you. 

You opened a dangerous can of worms revealing this little secret of yours to them. All I can say is good luck.

Jamil Viper

Just like with Riddle, I would like to say that tickling would be kind of lost on him, except that I remember that he grew up with Kalim. So it absolutely would not have. 

He used to get into tickle fights all the time with Kalim (who would always start them) and he would always win because Kalim STILL hasn’t figured out where Jamil is most ticklish. 

Jamil not really fond of being tickled and he’s kind of neutral on tickling itself. But he won’t say no if you ask him. 

He thinks it’s kind of cute and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t some kind of a power kick out watching you beg and squirm underneath him. 

He’ll make you tell him how much it tickles though. He’ll make you admit you like being tickled because that used to drive Kalim insane as kids.

What amuses him the most is wondering if you’ll have the courage to walk up and ask him to be tickled. He’ll get a slight smirk on his face if you come into where he’s working with your arms crossed and that shy flustered expression on your face. It’s adorable to him. 

From one to ten on the sadistic scale, I’d say Jamil is about a four or a five. He can be pretty cheap with the tickles, but for the most part, he’s doing this more for you than he is for him. 

All in all, Jamil is pretty mild. Not too easy but not too rough either. 

Jack Howl

Oh my god this poor baby jakdljalskdjas

Now mind you, Jack is familiar with the act of tickling. He has two younger siblings that he got into tickle fights with plenty of times. He has earned his place as a renowned tickle monster. 

But when you tell him that you like being tickled, this poor boy’s face is gonna get VERY blushy. 

He’ll warm up to it a lot faster than you think however. 

You’ll come to find out that Jack loves to chase you around with the intent to tickle you. He’ll even get into character! Letting out some menacing sounding growls just to further excite you and spur you on to run and hide from him. 

I firmly believe that Jack puts on this prickly exterior around others, but when he’s alone with someone he cares about, he’s the biggest softie and sweetest boi. So he wouldn’t be afraid to play around and let loose with you~

When it comes to the actual tickling, I feel like Jack can be a little on the tortuous side but he’s careful. He’s pretty quiet throughout the process, just grinning down at you and commenting on how you could escape if you just push him off. 

And you can damn well except the softest and warmest of cuddles afterward!!

Rook Hunt

:) 

:’))))

DO YOU WANT TO DIE???

MY FRIEND, YOU KNOW HOW THIS MAN OPERATES. I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE NO ESCAPE FOR YOU ONCE HE FINDS OUT. 

You remember that personal story with him and Ruggie? YEAH, THAT’S GONNA BE YOU BUT ALL THE TIME. 

Either way, when he does find out about this, he’s thrilled! He thinks that its adorable that you like being tickled and will happily oblige. 

One of the things that he’ll no doubt enjoy is sneaking up behind you and tickling you out of nowhere, trilling about how adorable you are and how beautiful your laughs are in French.

Speaking of being chased around, you KNOW Rook would enjoy a game of cat and mouse that ends with him tickling you. It’s both exciting and terrifying because he’s practically silent when he’s stalking his prey and you’ll never know where he is. 

The only thing that will give you any indication is the deep chuckles you’ll hear behind you. 

On tickling itself, I have a feeling that Rook is like Jade in the fact that he’s smiling the whole time and complimenting you while he utterly wrecks you. 

You know that very sly, scary looking smile he gets in game sometimes? He’s wearing that the whole time while he’s cooing about how you can’t escape from him and how helpless you are. It’s utter torture. 

But given how adorable you are and the way you just shriek and laugh without restraint, he can’t help but laugh with you and break character. You’re just so cute!

So all in all, Rook is a sweet but very dedicated ler. Watch yourself. Maybe go hide behind Vil’s throne if you see him eyeing you with mischief in mind.

[chaseatinydream]

pirate king (34) || atz

Eleuthera is beautiful.

A long island with sparkling white and pink sand and crystal clear waters, it’s a bustling coastal town with lively, chattering people at every turn. From each corner of the street, there are colourful stalls with an exotic array of different wares and on the sea breeze you catch the smell of myrrh and frankincense.

“So what are we going to do today?” Yunho asks, as he glances around the town, excited to explore. Hongjoong has already informed the crew of the reason you have come to Eleuthera, but it seems that they are treating it more of a vacation instead.

Your captain frowns as he gazes over the town. “I don’t know how you’re going to find that green eyed man from your dreams, but we could always take this time to explore slowly. Everyone, let’s divide into groups and have some free and easy.”

“Let’s go herb exploring!” San grins enthusiastically, taking your hand and swinging it up and down. The excitement must come from the novelty of being in a completely new place because your master is literally bouncing up and down like a hyperactive bunny, overflowing with energy. “I’m sure there’s a lot of interesting things for us to see here!”

You smile at your master, about to agree, but then someone cuts in abruptly.

“She’ll come with me.”

You stare at him in shock.

Of all the people you had thought would say that, it had been the person you expected least. Everyone else seems to think so too, because they all turn around to stare at him in surprise as well.

Mingi looks at all of you determinedly, his deep brown eyes unwavering. There’s still a fresh purple bruise on his jaw from where Jongho had hit him a few days ago on accident so it’s a little hard to take him seriously, but he doesn’t look like he’s about to take a no for an answer.

It’s strange, though. You and the quartermaster have never had much reason to speak to each other, and even though you’ve seen him afraid of bugs and the like to the point his massive height is not actually intimidating to you anymore, you know that the last time you spoke, he was furious with you for getting the crew into serious danger.

In fact, part of you is still kind of afraid of him.

“Uhh-”

“Don’t forget, you still owe me for breaking my nose the last time.” The quartermaster reminds you and you pause with your mouth open in a feeble attempt of a protest, but what he’s saying is true, after all...

Hongjoong turns to his oldest friend, a little confused. “Mingi, what are you-”

“Then it’s settled.” Mingi declares, grabbing you by the arm and pulling you with him. San yelps as you’re tugged away from him but doesn’t do anything, instead pouting and clinging to Yeosang who looks just as confused as you are. “We’ll be back to the ship by sunset.”

“Help!” You mouth to the navigator, who simply flails his arms around desperately in a clear sign of ‘I don’t know what to do either!’ You can only watch their forms getting smaller and smaller as the quartermaster pulls you with him away from the rest of the crew.

He leads you down a set of alleyways and you take in the vibrantly coloured mosaic walls, the beautiful geometric patterns and the brightly stained windows that you’ve never seen before. This place seems to be one full of happiness and relaxation, the sounds of a flute and fiddle drifting down the street attempting to draw you into its melody, but you still can’t stop the anxious thumping in your heart.

Why does Mingi want with you?

To your surprise, you and Mingi break free of the town, leaving civilisation behind as he leads you to a stretch of beach. It’s the most beautiful beach you’ve ever seen, actually, with pastel pink sands and jewel-like aquamarine waters, but what makes you panic a little is how secluded it is.

“You’re not going to kill me and hide my body, are you, Mingi-hyung?” The words leave your mouth before you can stop them and you clap a hand over your face in horror. Mingi stops in front of you abruptly and you go crashing into his shoulder, bruising your nose, but he doesn’t turn back to look at you.

There’s silence.

You gulp nervously when you see his jaw clench. Did you make Mingi angry?

Then he turns around with a pout.

“Am I really that scary to you?”

You stare at his face for a short moment in shock, eyeing his pout with something between incredulity and sheer horror. You’ve seen Mingi angry, you’ve seen him in a battle fueled rage, you’ve seen him smile when Captain is smiling and you’ve seen him screaming for his life, but a pout?

A shiver runs up your spine at such a foreign expression on his face.

“I must be, huh…” The quartermaster grumbles unhappily under his breath as he shakes his head. Then he pinches his cheeks with his fingers, twisting the skin there before he turns to face you again with some distorted growl on his face.

You nearly scream with shock.

“How do I look now?” He asks you, his deep voice muffled because of the strange shape his mouth is in. It takes you a long moment, but you eventually realise he’s trying to pull his lips into a smile.

You don’t know whether to laugh or cry at his efforts.

“You look… like you’re smiling.” You manage to lie through your teeth and finally Mingi gives you an actual smile that is miles better than his terrible attempt, a gummy one that shows off all his teeth and actually makes something in you soften a little. But soon it slides off his face into a more serious look and he sits down on the sand, patting the ground next to him.

“Sit down for a moment.”

You’re a little surprised at his abrupt change of attitude but still do as he says. The sight from here is surreal, the orange rays of the setting sun making the water sparkle like a sea of emeralds, turning the sand a luminescent pink-orange, as if they’re fresh coals from a burning fire.

You stay quiet for a moment, taking in the view, a little lost in how beautiful this place is.

“I wanted to talk to you.” Mingi begins and you turn to glance at him, a little curious. Why would the quartermaster want to speak to you now, of all times?

“Alright.” You nod hesitantly, and Mingi begins to speak.

“I apologise for my behaviour back then.” Your eyes widen in confusion at why he would say such a thing. Mingi has never done you any wrong, not in the whole time you’ve been on board this ship. Seeing your stunned expression, he quickly explains.

“Back then, when Yeosang got shot and Captain got whipped… I blamed you.”

Ahh, so that’s what he wanted to talk to you about. But part of you still doesn’t understand why he would be apologising to you.

“But you didn’t do anything to me.” You tell him, frowning a little. Unless he pulled a Hongjoong and threw something of yours away in secret, you can’t think of anything he could have done to you. Then you touch the necklace under your shirt carefully, suddenly irrationally afraid he might have done just that.

Mingi shakes his head. “No, I didn’t, but my attitude was wrong. I should have tried to understand, at the very least, even if I was worried about Hongjoongie-hyung. I hope you can find it in you to forgive me.”

Once again, you’re stunned by how kind this crew can be. It’s true you’ve never spoken much to Mingi before, so you don’t know him very well, but you don’t think anyone would actually apologise for having wrong attitude.

“Of course.” Is all you manage to say. Mingi exhales in relief at that, as if a massive weight has just been lifted from his chest. You smile a little at him, realising that maybe under that tough looking exterior, Mingi is as soft as San’s plushies underneath.

“You’re really loyal to Captain, aren’t you?” You say softly under your breath, but Mingi hears anyway and nods without a second’s hesitation.

“We’ve been together since the beginning, even before he became the Captain of the Treasure. In a way, he saved my life before.” The quartermaster tells you and your eyes widen slightly.

“Really? How?”

“Before Hongjoong took over the Treasure, it was called the Arrow. It was captained by my uncle, who was working under the Royal Navy. Because Hongjoong-hyung has the blessing of a sea god on him, he was tied to our mast as a charm to ward away storms.” Mingi explains softly and your jaw drops, turning to stare at him. Your captain was tied up to a ship as a child?

“I was the cabin boy to my uncle at that time, so I brought him food and water.” Mingi reminisces the times of years ago, when Hongjoong was still a young boy, struggling to survive each day alone with his own strength. “He never stopped smiling, not even once, no matter how badly my uncle mistreated him or called him a sea monster in human’s skin. I remembered I was so stunned by how a person could continue to burn so bright that even the worst of storms couldn’t put him out.”

You know what he’s talking about. From the first time you met the captain, you’ve seen that fire blazing in his eyes, never giving up, never surrendering, never bowing to fate.

“Then one day, I think he snapped after seeing my uncle torture an errant ship mate. They keelhauled him to death and Hongjoong-hyung was never the same since.” Mingi murmurs softly and you frown, a little confused.

“Keelhauled?” You repeat after him and Mingi nods grimly.

“The act of tying a person to a rope and throwing him over the side of the ship, before pulling him against the barnacles of the heel. The person is usually torn to shreds because of this.” The quartermaster tells you and you can’t help but shiver at the description of such inhumane torture.

“Then there was a massive storm at sea. More than half the crew perished, so my uncle begged him to save them. He had mercy on them and piloted the ship safely out of the storm, but then demanded my uncle give the ship to him in payment for their lives. My uncle agreed… and here we are.”

You’re in shock after listening to that story. You weren’t aware that your captain had been through so many hardships before becoming the Pirate King of the Seven Seas. But there’s another question you feel like you need to ask.

“But… you all don’t really seem like bloodthirsty pirates, though.” You say hesitantly. “Why is Captain called the Pirate King? Why are so many people afraid of him?”

Mingi pauses in rocking back and forth absentmindedly, staring at the way the sun is dipping behind the waves. The sea and sand are red now with the light of the setting sun, making the place look like the remains of a battlefield, the water before you like a sea of blood.

“Before you knew us… Captain really wasn’t a nice person, you know?” Mingi says softly, lying back on the sand to look at the darkening sky. You pause, a little stunned. “I’m not going to sugar coat it. He may have been nice to those he considered his crew… but to anyone else? Those who met him never lived to tell the tale.”

You’re shocked. Your captain, Kim Hongjoong, the one who endured a whipping for you and the crew, the one who had promised Seonghwa to stay by him no matter the trouble, the one who had gone red just from a hug… had been such a cruel man?

“Wooyoung too, actually.” Mingi murmurs, shaking his head. You flinch at the name of the man who’d given you the pin you’re wearing in your hair. “He was a dangerous, dangerous man, to the point even I was afraid of him. Maybe you haven’t had a chance to see him when he’s in one of his… moods, but then again I pray you never have to see them.”

“But-” You try to argue, completely unable to see Hongjoong and Wooyoung as anything but your kind captain and mischievous partner in crime. Mingi cuts you off before you can say anymore.

“It’s not my story to tell. Anyway… I think they’ve been getting better, you know?” The quartermaster tells you quietly, just as the sun finally sinks beneath the waves. The sky is still lit by a little reddish glow, but you’re sure that will fade soon too.

You bite your lower lip, still desperate to know what exactly Wooyoung and your Captain could be hiding behind their usual smiles, but then Mingi gets up, stretching his arms above his head.

“Anyway, Chin Hae, we should be getting back to the ship.” The quartermaster holds out a hand to help you off the ground and you take it, pulling yourself to your feet and dusting off the sand from your knees. You guess your many unanswered questions will have to wait until another day then.

The two of you walk back in companionable silence to the small town, stepping onto the brick lain ground once more. It’s a little late now, which explains the different air to the area, there are people in the streets dancing with each other with big smiles on their faces to several busking performances here and there, and the atmosphere makes you smile as well.

Until someone bumps into you.

“Ouch!” You say, turning around to see a young boy dressed in rags and barefoot. He’s skinny, probably a little malnourished, and he’s holding a small basket in hands filled with folded slips of paper.

You don’t know how your eyes immediately find him in the crowd, but you do. And you gasp in shock.

He grins brightly at you. “A treasure map for you, miss?”

Because his eyes are swirling with colours once again, blue, grey, brown, every shade in the world you can think of, except one that you just can’t help but feel like you’re missing. Just like that old man from before…

You force the thought away. This is no time to be thinking about that. Mingi frowns when he realises you’re no longer at his side and turns around to look for you.

“Chin Hae?”

“How much is one?” You ask, bending down to look at the young boy, trying not to show how much his eyes unnerve you yet trying to figure out exactly what colour his eyes are. The boy smiles in a way that only reminds you of your master, pure, innocent and utterly joyful.

“One silver!” He says and you reach into your pocket to pull out the coin.

But then the boy suddenly swipes the hairpin from your hair and makes a break for it, nimbly streaking past the partygoers and disappearing down a secluded alleyway, much to your horror.

“Hey!” You shout, completely forgetting about getting back to the ship and you dash after him, your feet flying over the cobbles. Mingi starts in surprise when he sees you tearing in the opposite direction you had been going and calls your name.

“Chin Hae! Chin Hae, where you going?”

You don’t hear him over the sound of the guitar and singing. Instead, you focus on catching that damned street urchin in front of you, because you’d rather die a thousand times than lose the hairpin Wooyoung gave to you.

Happy Birthday, Chin Hae-ah.

You can’t lose that. No way in hell. You press on, chasing him out of town until your boots crunch against soft, dry sand and you’re pushing through a grove of trees, past the beach you had been to earlier with Mingi and even further beyond that.

You finally lose the boy when you stumble onto a small, craggy beach. The waves crash against the rocks at the shoreline, breaking the waves and turning the water white with seafoam, but you can’t be distracted by the beauty of the place now. You glance around, desperately trying to search for the boy who had stolen from you.

The beach is utterly empty except for you.

“Are you looking for me?”

You whirl around in shock, heart pounding in your chest to see the little boy from earlier standing there at the treeline. Somehow, you hadn’t even noticed him as you ran past him onto the beach. You flare up in anger at the calm, unruffled smile on his face, your hairpin in his hand and the basket of papers in the other.

“What are you trying to do, kid? Stealing from me? Seriously?” You spit, starting to march over to get your hairpin back, but his next words stun you right in your tracks.

“It’s the only way I could get us alone. This hairpin is precious to you, isn’t it?”

“What?” You aren’t quite sure if you heard him correctly, because if this kid had just told you he had stolen from you so you could be alone together, there must be something seriously wrong with him. Then fear wells up in you. Is he going to murder you and hide your body in the sand?

To your shock and anger, the little boy starts laughing, first with a hand over his mouth, then full belly laughs erupt deep from within. You don’t know why he’s laughing, but you don’t like it and your lips pull back into a snarl, your fingers twitching for the handle of your cutlass.

“Give my hairpin back and I might not be tempted to kill you.” You snap, but the boy, even though he’s unarmed, merely wipes the tears of laughter from his eyes with a hand before he looks at you once more.

“Well, I’m sorry for making you come all the way here, but I just wanted to be here with you again. It’s been so long, after all, since we were alone together.”

Your breath catches in your throat.

What?

“Wait… Wait…” You stumble over your words, not quite able to process his statement. Everything is whirling past you now, questions and words flooding your mind until you shut them up fiercely, forcing yourself to ask only one question at a time. “First of all, what do you mean by you made me come all the way here? As far as I know, an old man with weird eyes running a bookshop in Havana gave it to me…”

And then you trail off, because this young boy has the exact same eyes as that old man, various tones and tints flickering behind his serene gaze, never quite staying the same for long as if it cannot decide what colour to choose from. It hits you as hard as a battering ram, the air escaping from your lungs in a gasp.

“You’re… you’re in cahoots with that old man?” You breathe, but the little boy shakes his head with an amused smile.

“Yes and no.” He answers vaguely and for some reason, you feel like you aren’t going to get anymore answers from him about this. For a moment, you briefly wonder if you’re going crazy.

“Alright.” You mutter to yourself, wracking your mind desperately as you try to come up with answers. “How about you tell me why the hell you wanted us to be alone together?”

Then the boy meets your gaze calmly, and your eyes fly wide in shock.

Because his eyes are green.

You don’t know how to describe the exact shade they are. Green as fresh leaves in the spring, when the flowers begin to bloom and the sun kisses the earth with its gentle rays. Green as the moss that creeps over the trees in the cool air of morning, even before light touches it with wandering fingers. Green as emeralds forged deep within the heart of the earth. Green as the shoots of hope breaking out from the ashes of destruction.

Green as the eyes in your dreams.

What he is comes to your mind like an old, forgotten memory.

“******.”

But the word comes out as a muffled, unspeakable cry and your hand flies over your mouth. You had tried to speak his identity with your clumsy, human tongue, a word of so much power and majesty that no living mortal in this world would be able to say physically. Already, just from knowing it in your mind, you can feel a painful throbbing in your skull at how unworthy you are to stand in his presence, how insignificant you are compared to something like him, how powerless you are before him.

You crumple to your knees in the sand, the word echoing over and over in your head as if it’s taunting you with your inability to say it out loud. But you know it, you want to cry out so desperately, you want to call his name and return to his embrace where you belong, back to him.

Flashes of colour slam into your mind.

“Oh dear.” The boy shakes his head as he steps towards you. “It seems as if my presence here is bringing up memories in you that you can’t remember just yet.”

His fingers brush your temple and suddenly the painful pressure on your mind easens slightly, you hunch over on the beach, shaking from the agony you were experiencing just seconds ago. You’re gasping and panting from the pain of it, and suddenly, you can’t remember his name anymore.

Terror floods through you. Did he just-

“Ahh… I thought this island was small enough so my presence wouldn’t affect you too much, but I was wrong.” He steps back from you, but his voice is a little sad. “I’d better leave fast.”

Your eyes fly open, desperate to catch one last glimpse of his face, except that there is none.

His features shift and blend together and he now stands before you as a young man about your age. You can’t make out his face, every time you catch a glimpse of his nose or jaw it changes and the memory flees your mind. It’s terrifying, losing your memories the moment you make them. You desperately try to grab them, but they escape like smoke through your clenched fists.

“You were right, they didn’t understand and think that you’re trapped.” His green eyes are the only thing that you can keep your focus on. “They’ll try to bring you back to them at any cost, even if it ends in death.”

The word scares you like none other. Who doesn’t understand?

“But I’m glad you have a name now, Chin Hae. I told you, didn’t I? That I believed that you could make the right choices? Everything is working out according to plan.”

Shivers run across your entire body as something pounds desperately in your mind, screaming at you to remember. You’re terrified. What plan is he talking about? According to plan? What plan?

“I hope you’ll manage to see the witch. You’re almost there. Just hold on a little longer.”

His words are starting to swirl together in your mind and you collapse onto your back, spasming involuntarily. Every part of your body is haywire, every thought running through your mind crashing here and there and you don’t know what to think anymore.

“Don’t forget, I’m with you every step of the way.”

He presses a gentle kiss to your forehead, before he stands and walks away from you to the treeline.

“Don’t go!” You want to scream, but you can’t move a muscle. The desire in you is so strong, so overwhelming that it swamps every other thought in you, the yearning taking over your body, so painful that it’s almost physical. Suddenly, there’s a tug in your gut and a rushing sound comes from behind you, from the ocean.

You close your eyes tight against the sea wave as it rushes inland.

A massive wave of seawater sweeps over you towards the man walking away, as if attempting to hold him back for you, but he simply turns to face the incoming tidal wave with a fond grin, completely devoid of fear.

Then he gives you one last smile, green eyes shining, and by the time he vanishes into the shadows of the trees, you’ve already forgotten his face. The waves pull away, slowly, regretfully as you lie there in the wet sand in shock, staring at the night sky above you.

“Chin Hae!”

Stars glittering like diamonds in the inky black sky.

Your heart stops for a moment.

White sand stretches before you, the roar of the ocean waves crashing on the rocks filling your ears.

Your eyes glance around you urgently, salt in your mouth. Your breath catches in your throat when you finally realise where you are.

It’s the beach from your dreams.

“Chin Hae! Chin Hae! Are you alright?” Suddenly Mingi fills your vision as he supports you with strong arms, one finger coming up to your face as his eyes widen with horror. “Your nose is bleeding…”

You aren’t exactly in the right state of mind to answer him.

Mingi wipes it away, before glancing at you in a panic. “Chin Hae, what happened? Why did you suddenly run off like that?”

“Someone stole my hairpin…” You finally manage to croak out weakly, but that seems to pale in comparison with the sheer magnitude of what has just happened. Then you remember why exactly you had been so desperately chasing after that boy, how you had come to this place. “My hairpin!”

You force yourself up into a sitting position in spite of the exhaustion and the way every inch of your body screams in protest, only for your mouth to fall open in shock at what you see.

The wave from earlier must have destroyed everything, every tree on the beach has been violently felled, smaller patches vegetation like grass have been clean swept away. The trees have been smashed to driftwood, tiny broken pieces littered here and there. It looks like the disaster site of a tsunami, although how it happened, you have no idea.

How did you even survive?

Mingi helps you up as you attempt to stand on shaky, feeble legs, stumbling towards where the man had disappeared. Like a single silver flower blooming on the beach, you see your hairpin stuck upright in the sand, right where you had last seen him, surrounded by wreckage. You kneel before it, picking up the hairpin with trembling fingers and clutching it to your chest fiercely, tears of relief sliding down your cheeks.

But then you realise there’s something stuck to it.

You hold it out in confusion to see one of the little boy’s treasure maps pinned to it. You stretch a hand out, brushing your fingers along it in shock.

It’s dry.

Your mind finally gives up on trying to make sense of everything and you crash to the ground, exhausted beyond imagination. You can hear Mingi flapping around in the background, clearly in a panic, but you don’t have an ounce of strength to reassure him that you’re not dead.

Your eyes slide shut.

Just for a bit.

You’re back at the beach again, but this time the stars are a little brighter, the water a little more crystalline, the sand smooth and pearly under your fingertips. The man with the green eyes is still standing before you with the knife in hand once more, the sharp tip pressed against your chest.

“I’ll be with you every step of the way.” He vows.

The blade sinks into your chest.

But there is no pain, no blood. Your skin and flesh merely comes apart cleanly, the clay vessel built for you is in no way powerful enough, even if it was built by the sea witch and infused with as much magic as a physical item can hold.

He opens up the empty cavern that is your chest, and puts down the knife. You look down at it, a poor substitute for a human body, but then he raises up something in his hands.

A heart of clay.

You blink at him in surprise. “What is this?”

“I can’t complete your trial for you, but I can give you this.” He places it in your chest gently, before pressing both hand over the gaping hole. You feel the clay mending itself back together, the hole in your chest closing.

You stare at him for a long, silent moment.

Thump.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

You gasp and air rushes into your lungs for the first time in your existence, you feel the wind on your cheeks and the smooth clay of your body turning into warm skin and flesh, you can feel the blood rushing in your veins. There was powerful, powerful magic in that heart that now resides in your chest, pumping blood through your body.

A sob tears itself from your chest.

“Thank you.” You whisper, feeling your breath escape you with each word. “Thank you so much.”

He merely smiles at you fondly, reaching up to brush your hair from your face. “It’s only temporal, so you need to do this fast, alright? If not…”

Suddenly his voice fades in and out, here but not quite, sounding from all around you.

You want to take his hand and ask him what exactly will happen, but then the dream vanishes into thin air, leaving nothing but white noise behind.

“...Y** *i** *et*** *o **a*.”