#and that's why they aren't surprised he shows up engaged to her

[inthedreamatorium1]

I love the parallel of both of these Colin declarations because damn, he's been in love with her forever.

"I seek you out at every social assembly because I know you will lift my spirits and make me see the world in ways I could not have imagined. You are clever and warm and I am proud to call you my very good friend. (. . .) There is nothing more I want than to earn back the favor of the one person who has always truly made me feel appreciated."

"You are the cleverest, bravest woman I have ever known. You make me feel seen in ways I have never felt seen before. And then there's the way your hair cascades down your shoulder. The way your eyes shine when you look at me like two blue pools. The firmness of your lips parted just so. The softness of your skin. And then there are other parts I have been dreaming about."

In both he's declaring what she means to him and how much he values and desires her (the latter in different ways). At the core of both declarations, he says virtually the same thing: "you are clever and kind," "you appreciate me for me," "you see me in a way no one else does," "you value me," and "I desire you."

I love that he does that because all of those traits he appreciates in his friend haven't changed now that he is in love with her. They are why he fell in love with her.

His first declaration was a bit of a light bulb moment for him because I bet he's never said any of that out loud before and I bet he's never been that vulnerable with her. This then culminates into their lesson in the parlor, and why he's so thrown by her own "kind eyes" declaration. This vulnerability continues into the very pivotal moment in his study. It is why he thinks back on that particular moment before he chases after her two episodes later. He inadvertently gave them the space to be vulnerable with one another and woof. That was exactly what he needed.

Colin has always been attracted to her. It just took his sweet dumb lil' brain to catch on but when it did. OH BOY.

[lovverletters]

Yandere! Male Lead

Note that this is a reupload from my previous blog @hyerinrose

A/N : this took so many hours to finish Aghhh. Reblogs, notes and Feedback are appreciated!

T/W : death, yandere behaviour, etc

•┈••✦ 🎀✦••┈•💌•┈••✦ 🎀 ✦••┈•

💌 You woke up in an unfamiliar place. It wasn't the bedroom of your friend whom you had fell asleep in. The only memory you had of last night was falling asleep next to your friend's laptop while they were playing the new visual novel 'Flightless Dove'.

🎀 You couldn't have possibly experiencing those 'transmigration' thing in one of those isekai manwha/manga! Those aren't real! At least that's what you thought..

💌 Looking at the full body mirror across from the bed, you let out a sigh of relief. You still have your own features and body. However the picture frames on the bedside table reveals your identity in this new world you have been thrown into,

(Name) (Last Name), best friend of the protagonist and the heir to (Last Name) Corporation.

🎀 With this information, you recount that despite them being a side character, their story is unnecessarily tragic.

You were determined to change their fate.

Routes under the cut!

💌 Choose your route :

🍓The Fiancé 🍓

❣️Yandere! Fiancé whom you were incredibly wary of when you first met him. He was a terrible partner towards the original host, neglectful and rude towards them. Later, falling in love with Celine, the female lead and killing them to be with her.

❣️Yandere! Fiancé who you approached with caution, intending to be acquainted with him in order to hopefully guide him into becoming a normal human being. He was distant and closed off at first, shooing you off but eventually somewhat enjoys your presence.

❣️Yandere! Fiancé who finally begun opening up to you, sharing his troubles and worries with you, how angry he was at his parents for setting up this engagement without his knowledge. It's almost as if the two of you were actually lovers :)

❣️Yandere! Fiancé who falls in love with you, hard. The previous cold hearted man now replaced with a lovesick puppy who follows you around at any chance given. Always gifting you things he came across while on a business trips as a show of his affection. It's to also serve as his claim over you, that you belong to him, that you are his fiancé.

❣️Yandere! Fiancé who completely ignores the female lead numerous attempts at mingling with him. He's a faithful man, he had promised himself to you, so why should he tolerate this woman's presence any longer? Should he just kill her already? She's pissing him off greatly.

❣️Yandere! Fiancé who were envious of your friends, he wanted to be the only one you look at, the only one who you'd smile at and laugh with. Why are you giving away what's rightfully his to nobodies??

❣️"Promise me you'll never leave me, cause if you do, I wouldn't know what I'd do.."

•┈••✦ 🎀✦••┈•💌•┈••✦ 🎀 ✦••┈•

🍒The Childhood Friend🍒

❣️Yandere! Childhood Friend who's the only person you liked in the game as he's only one who stuck by the original host's side through thick and thin. Even attempting to avenge them after their death.

❣️Yandere! Childhood Friend who were surprised by your attitude towards him- not that he was against it- you were more animated and affectionate with him, it made his heart flutters everytime you complimented or gave him a hug. Have you finally reciprocate his feelings for you?

❣️Yandere! Childhood Friend who were in love with you ever since the two of you were kids. He was a loner that nobody wanted to befriend until you came along, suddenly there was a crowd of kids wanting to be friends with him. They don't matter to him though, in his eyes, you're the only friend he needed.

❣️Yandere! Childhood Friend who were incredibly jealous and resentful towards your fiancé! He was such a lucky man to be engage to you yet stupid enough to not see your worth. Can't he sees how beautiful and intelligent you are? How amazing you are compare to him??

❣️Yandere! Childhood Friend who were aware that he wasn't your only admirer. While he had been successful in scaring away your other suitors, the protagonist and even your fiancé weren't as easy. They too share the same strong feelings he have for you. And they weren't going to back down anytime soon.

❣️Though just like them, he too wouldn't be giving up on you. He was tired of seeing you with someone who's undeserving of you, who doesn't know how to treat you right.

❣️"You're the sunshine to my lonely self you know that, (Name)? I love you :)"

•┈••✦ 🎀✦••┈•💌•┈••✦ 🎀 ✦••┈•

⚘️The Protagonist⚘️

❣️Yandere! Protagonist who were the original host's best friend besides their childhood friend. He was your stereotypical main character, he was charming, attractive and powerful. Despite that, he still stuck around them until Celine came along.

❣️Yandere! Protagonist who you were determined to keep as an ally. After all the downfall of the original (Name) was because of a falling out between them and the protagonist. By having him as your friend, your chances of surviving this mad world is increased!

❣️Yandere! Protagonist who just like your childhood friend was surprised at your change of attitude towards him. He was used to your stoic and closed off self but was happy with your positive changes!

❣️Yandere! Protagonist who's feelings for you grow rapidly as days went by. He can't put a finger to what exactly it was about you that pulled him in. Was it your infectious laughter? Or your odd sense of humour that he can't help but adore you for? Your intelligence that never fails to amaze him?

❣️Yandere! Protagonist who were absolutely smitten by you that he ignores practically everyone including the female lead whom he's supposed to fall in love with. Nobody else is as important as you are to him. So why should he bother be around them when he can be with you instead? :)

❣️Yandere! Protagonist who despite his reputation as being kind and charming to others, would not hesitate to murder for you. Though he hasn't committed any, he is guilty of sending threats towards your other admirers. Unfortunately, your fiancé and childhood friend aren't as easy to rid of unlike like your other suitors.

❣️Too bad for them, he's not one to give up once he sets his eyes on something. He'll do whatever it takes if it meant that you'll be in his arms at the end of the day.

❣️"(Name), I hope you know how important you are to me. I love you now and forever"

•┈••✦ 🎀✦••┈•💌•┈••✦ 🎀 ✦••┈•

Part 2 coming soon?

[narcjsistx]

heya!! hope you're having an amazing day so far!! and if you aren't too busy, could you do a oneshot where reader who is a bit younger (prob like 1-2 years younger or sumn) then kazutora, izana but still decides to 'adopt' them. reader treats them better than their parents and basically shows them all the love they need. anyways have a good one!! ♡♡

𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

— You deserve it

Y/n had entered Izana and Kazutora's life in a simple, almost casual way. She had responded to an advert looking for roommates, and when the two boys showed up at the door of her apartment, she couldn't help but welcome them

The first weeks together were calm, marked by a silent routine. Y/n took care of the little things: she made breakfast, she left a few kind messages on post-it notes stuck to the fridge, and she made sure the apartment was a warm and welcoming place. Izana and Kazutora, accustomed to a solitary and harsh life, observed everything with a mixture of disbelief and suspicion. They couldn't understand why Y/n was doing all this for them. No one had ever done anything like this

Izana and Kazutora, both in their twenties, had been marked by a difficult past, made up of abandonments and disappointments. They didn't know what it meant to be loved, and they had become accustomed to living in a world of coldness and indifference. Both had been in prison for some years and both had never had any sort of external affection other than for themselves. Both accustomed to a solitary and hard life, they observed all the girl's attentions with a mixture of disbelief and suspicion. They couldn't understand why Y/n was doing all this for them. No one had ever done anything like this

The girl had never fully understood why she felt the need to take care of them, but there was something in their eyes that made her understand how necessary it was. Over time, he noticed their silences, their difficulty expressing emotions and, above all, the distance they put between themselves and the rest of the world

It was one winter evening, when the snow fell lightly outside the window, that Y/n decided to take the first step towards their hearts. She had prepared a special dinner, one of those that took hours of work and that smelled delicious throughout the house "Hey, guys, I made something nice tonight. Why don't you have dinner with me?" she proposed with her usual sweet smile. They had been roommates for a while now but had never had dinner together, some due to organizational commitments and some for other reasons. Izana, with his amethyst eyes, cast a fleeting glance at Kazutora, trying to understand if there was some hidden trick behind that offer. Kazutora, who had always looked wild and indomitable, looked down, unable to understand Y/n's generosity. However, they both sat down at the table

As they ate, Y/n tried to engage them in light conversation, talking about the little things of the day like the snow falling silently and how nice it was to be warm in the house. Izana and Kazutora answered in monosyllables, but there was something in their eyes that was starting to change. Maybe it was the warmth of the food, maybe it was the tranquility that Y/n radiated, but for the first time, they felt a little less alone

The days passed, and Y/n continued to take care of them, without asking for anything in return. One morning, as she was preparing to go out, she noticed that Kazutora was staring at the window, lost in thought. She decided to come closer, and without saying anything, she put a scarf around his neck "It's cold outside. I wouldn't want you to get sick" she said in an affectionate tone. The scarf had been a very special gift from her father that she was very jealous of, but if it could help Kazutora, she would gladly lend it to him. The boy looked at her, surprised by that gesture. It was a strange feeling, that of being cared for, and he didn't know how to react. He said nothing, but the scarf remained in place, like a symbol of attention he had never known

Later that same day, Y/n found Izana sitting on the couch, a book in hand. She noticed that he seemed fascinated by the pages, even though the book was closed. She sat next to him, keeping a respectful distance "Do you like reading?" she asked, trying to enter his world. Between the two, Izana was certainly the more closed one. Izana glanced at her briefly, then looked back at the book "I find it interesting, but with this headache it's a little difficult for me to read" he admitted in a low voice, as if it were something to be ashamed of. The girl smiled sweetly and took the book from his hands. "If you want, I can read it" he proposed. And so he did. His voice filled the silence of the apartment, turning those printed words into vivid images in Izana's mind. He didn't say anything, but listened, letting Y/n's voice soothe him

As the months passed, something began to change in the atmosphere of the apartment. Izana and Kazutora began to open up a little more, sharing little pieces of their past lives. It wasn't easy for them to talk about what they had experienced, about the wounds that were still bleeding, but Y/n was there, always ready to listen without judging. She herself came from a somewhat particular situation, and was just trying to help someone as she wanted to be helped. If no one had done it for her, that didn't mean she couldn't do it for others

One evening, while they were all sitting on the couch, Kazutora broke the silence "Why are you doing all this for us, Y/n?" he asked, his voice cracking with an emotion he was trying to repress. Y/n looked at him softly, feeling the weight of that question "Because I care about you" she replied simply "I want you to know what it means to be loved, even just for a little while". Izana, who had remained silent until then, turned to her "We don't understand what you mean" he said, his voice cold but not without curiosity

Y/n stood up and walked towards them, taking one of Kazutora's hands and one of Izana's "Love is not just a word, it's an emotion that makes you feel safe, that makes you feel that someone is always there for you, even in the most difficult moments. It is a warmth that envelops you when everything else seems cold. I want you to feel it, to know that you are not alone" Kazutora felt a lump tighten in his throat. No one had ever spoken to him like that, with that sincerity. "We don't know how to accept it" he admitted, his voice trembling “You don't have to do anything” Y/n replied, squeezing their hands lightly "Let me show you. Accept that someone cares about you"

The days passed, and Y/n continued to take care of them, one gesture at a time, one word at a time. And little by little, something began to blossom in the hearts of Izana and Kazutora: it wasn't something big or immediate, but a small seed of trust and warmth that grew with time. Izana began to smile more often, a shy smile, almost invisible, but which for Y/n was the sign of a profound change. Kazutora, on the other hand, found himself seeking Y/n's company more frequently, finding comfort in her presence

One evening, while Y/n was reading on the couch, Kazutora sat next to her, resting his head on her shoulder. He didn't say anything, but that gesture spoke for itself. It was the first time he physically sought comfort, and Y/n couldn't help but smile, gently stroking his hair. Izana watched them from afar, and for the first time she didn't feel the need to move away. He walked over and sat on the other side of Y/n, leaning into her slightly

That night, Y/n fell asleep between Izana and Kazutora, their even breaths lulling her to sleep

It had been almost a year since they met, and every day spent together had built a bond that couldn't be broken. Izana and Kazutora, who had once been wary and withdrawn, had learned to trust her. Not only had they accepted her love, but they had begun to reciprocate, albeit in their own way. Izana, with his deep silences, now often sought moments of connection, looking at Y/n with eyes that reflected an affection he hadn't even known existed before. Kazutora also found refuge in her presence, which seemed to calm him for some reason

Izana, with his reserved nature, had found a kind of peace he didn't think possible. Y/n had managed to dissolve his defenses, showing him that love is not a weakness, but a strength that can fill the voids of the soul. For the first time in his life, he no longer felt lost or alone. He felt he belonged to something true and precious. Kazutora, on the other hand, had transformed from the wary and wild boy he had been. Y/n's sweetness and perseverance had shaped his armor, teaching him that there is no shame in asking for help, in seeking comfort in others

[rwbyrg]

If it's alright, I'm just curious, do you have any thoughts of your own or theories about Oscar or Ruby or both of them in terms of v10? To add, do you have any theories for the merge and how it will end up for both Oscar and Ozpin? Like will it be a good or bad thing? Sorry if these questions seem vague lol

Of course it's alright to ask! I do have many thoughts and a handful of theories. I'll admit most of them are wishful thinking since there's truly no way to tell where the story will go until it actually happens. But if I were to distill it to the ones I'm most expecting and why, then I'd probably say:

Expansion on Ruby's solo arc that kicked off in V9

Acknowledging the setups (plural) between Ruby and Oscar's arcs

The merge-curse is eventually broken (blame the allusions)

I'll elaborate a bit below.

1. Expanding on Ruby's Arc

What we saw Ruby go through in V9 is very much not the end of that particular plot line, imo. We saw a bit of this in Justice League: Part 2 and the final ep of RWBY Beyond where she talks to Clark and Yang about her struggles a bit. Ruby needs to learn how to both ask for and accept help from those around her so the weight of everything she's carrying doesn't crush her. Especially now when they're down to the wire and she's come back as a resurrected martyr who's face has been used at the centre of the resistance movement she's now helping to lead. How will she live up to the expectations and pressures of that impossible pedestal when she's only a human girl with very normal knees who's barely keeping it together? Also, while I don't know exactly how they're going to address everything she experienced, and I struggle to imagine her speaking about Neo's Horror House to anyone directly... that sort of trauma doesn't just go away once it's over. So I would be very surprised if the effects of it didn't ripple throughout the remaining chapters of the show. Especially when every other member of RWBY has seemingly had the bulk of their main character arcs already. It's long overdue for Ruby to get that time in the spotlight. Which does sort of lead into my next point...

2. Acknowledging the Setups in Ruby and Oscar's Dynamic

For starters, we've got the merge and ascension parallels to address. Ruby and Oscar have always mirrored each other's issues around identity, choice, fear, responsibility, leadership, etc., and this buildup seems to be coming to a head following V9. From Oscar's "I'm just going to be another one of his lives, aren't I?" to Ruby's "What if you could be anyone?", and how the two of them will relate to each other in light of those contrasting - but similar - experiences. Especially with Ruby having just come back from the tree to find Oscar fighting against the merge harder than ever before. But we also have their attachments to each other to sort out as well. Ruby and Oscar have been watching each other's backs in different ways since V5, their reunion hug in V8 was interrupted where no other "pairing's" was, and they were the only "pairing" still to be split up between the Ever After and Remnant. Not to mention that, while they were separated, Ruby was pushed to a breaking point after being shown an illusion of losing Oscar, while Oscar was back in the real world eulogizing about how he lost Ruby. CRWBY doesn't setup relationship parallels and focuses as intensely and intentionally as this without pay off at some point.

Again, while the specifics are nearly impossible to predict, I'm expecting a bit of a Dojo Scene Reprise, heart-to-heart of sorts, and/or, something that puts those attachments to the test. My immediate thought is that this test will finally push Oscar to unlocking his semblance since getting shot, falling from Atlas, being kidnapped, and tortured were all not enough to make it happen. (Although my wishful thinking is that it unlocks in a happier moment, I think that's much less likely.)

If I were to engage in pure speculation on this, my easiest bet is that it will come at the hands of Tyrian. When our Little Prince was first introduced, it was almost as if he was waking from a nightmare of that villain laughing with glee at the opportunity to hunt down a certain rose. And with this being the Vacuo arc with Ruby and Oscar getting a lot of focus, and Tyrian already on the prowl within the kingdom, it would make a lot of sense. The little prince fated to have a confrontation with a venomous antagonist in the desert over his attachment to a rose is about as textbook as it gets. (I could also see it go to Cinder or being delayed until they follow through on the threat of Ruby being kidnapped by Salem, if that's the route they decide to take. But again we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.)

3. Oscar and the Merge

I'm not entirely sure where they're headed with this one between now and the resolution... but I do think the resolution itself will otherwise be a happy one, if not bittersweet. RWBY is a story about breaking cycles, and Oz has been part of one of the longest on Remnant since the very beginning. Pairing that with this show being, ultimately, a happy story, as well as a looking at two of Oscar and Oz's shared allusions, I can only imagine they will be separated by the end.

The first allusions to mention are from The Marvelous Land of Oz. Princess Ozma (aka Oscar) is the rightful heir to the kingdom and next in line to take over when it's time for the wizard to retire. It's very clear that - however this plays out - Oscar is the final incarnation. Typically, when one ruler leaves the throne that's it. They're gone. Oz has fiddled with Remnant's history for countless millennia now in his endless fight against Salem. When the dust settles and it's time for Remnant to rebuild, it should be up to the new generation to take charge without his influence from "the old world" in the mix.

From a Little Prince lens - for those unfamiliar with the book - the aviator (aka Oz) spends much of the story waffling about the little prince he is stranded with in the desert... only to be very sad when his new friend leaves him behind to go home to the stars. RWBY is already subverting this story a bit with Oscar being the one wanting to be rid of his pilot instead of the other way around. If I were to guess how the show will carry this further, it would be that Oz moves on, but perhaps with some lingering attachment on either (or both) sides. Maybe a bit of a "all this time I wanted it to end, but now that it's finally happening, I wish I (you) didn't have to go".

At least that's what seems to make sense to me, thematically speaking. Oscar will be irreversibly changed by these events even if he is freed from the curse, however. There is no question about it. Because that is what the Hero's Journey is all about.

The hero leaves their farm and they fall through a new world. It is both horrifying and exciting in equal measure. And throughout it all they are changed by the experiences they have and the people they meet - both good and bad, within their control and outside of it. And when the quest is finally over, there is grief. Because you are not the same person you were when you left home, and you can never truly return to what you had and who you were before it all happened.

This is also, coincidentally, just what it means to grow up. Which - while not the only one, and certainly not unique to Oscar's arc alone - has always been one of the loudest allegories hiding within the merge to me. We meet and know people, we don't always have a say in how long they can stay and how they change us... and then one day they are gone, but their influence and our memories of them stay with us. And then, as RWBY has taught us since the very beginning, we keep moving forward despite it all.

( @creatoriamari tagging you here just in case to make sure you get the notif because I don't know if it still works if I saved the ask as a draft. 🙇‍♀️)

[creedslove]

hiii, how about a headcanon of reader, sarah and joel painting the house or redecorating sarah's bedroom now that reader is married to joel, AND MAYBE IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT SARAH CALLS READER MOM by accident???? and reader and joel cry?? idk 😭😭 I know it is much but I can not stop thinking of being a wife to joel and have a family with him😭😭

No outbreak!Joel Miller x f!reader

A/N: this is too beautiful anon, I loved this request ❤️

• Sarah had been begging Joel to redecorate her bedroom since the two of you got engaged and though you were excited to help them, Joel always seemed to come up with an excuse not to do it

• one month he said he didn't have enough money to buy the paint and the other materials to do it and he absolutely refused your offer of helping him pay for it

• the next month he told her you two were too busy with the upcoming wedding and the three of you wouldn't have enough time to finish it

• and the other month he said you wouldn't be able to do it because of your honeymoon, which was kind of true, but it was during the wedding you found out the real reason why he was postponing doing the redecoration

• at Sarah's refusal to wear the pink dress full of flowers her grandma - your mother-in-law had bought her because it was too childish and settling for another dress that wasn't so pink she picked with your help, you could see in Joel's eyes the melancholy of his little girl growing up

• she used to love pink, flowery dress, just as she used to love the pink walls of her room her dad painted when she was just a baby and now the walls were about to go, just like the bunch of dolls she got over the years

• you felt sad for Joel, you knew how strong his bond with his daughter was and how close they were, but you also felt sorry for Sarah, she was growing up and she should be able to enjoy the new phases of her life

• so as soon as you returned from your honeymoon, you sat down with Sarah and took notes of everything she wanted to get it done with her bedroom and then you drove her to the store, letting her pick everything she wanted

• you had saved some money and you thought it would be a nice way of spending it, she would be happy and Joel would have to accept it one way or the other

• once you got home with the new paint, curtains, bedspread and carton boxes to store everything she didn't want anymore, he widened his eyes at the surprise of seeing you two with the new stuff

• he was chewing on a sandwich so you sat next to him and asked Sarah to begin gathering the things she would like to donate, which she quickly went to do it and you took Joel's hand

"You know she'll forever be your little girl, right? No matter if her walls aren't pink anymore or if the barbies are gone, she'll always be your daughter and love you, just as you love her"

• a blush spread through his face as you said those things, he swallowed his sandwich wanting to say something but you just shook your head

"besides, think of all the lucky little girls that are going to be able to play with Sarah's old dolls, she's doing something really nice for them and she learned that from you... You know, how to be kind. Also, she told me she doesn't want pink on the walls because it hurts her eyes when she's reading"

• that was partially a lie, Sarah was going to help other kids by donating her old toys but she hadn't said anything about the wall colors, but judging by the way his eyes softened when you justified why she was leaving behind a part of her childhood, you knew you'd said the right thing

• so once Joel was done eating, the three of you changed into older clothes and after a painful period of dragging around furniture, you began painting the walls

• you didn't actually know how to do it, but as soon as Joel showed you how it was done, you got the hang of it, plus it ended up being a lot more fun than you had expected

• turns out Joel got really excited about the fact he was spending time with his daughter and that made him realize that was much more important than the color of her walls

• and the happiness in her face was just beautiful, she was excited and telling you about her plans of decorating, asking for your opinion and advices

• you were more than happy to help her and give your thoughts, seeing she really valued and appreciated them

• it took the three of you most of the day to get her bedroom done, but once you finally got the decoration part - the one she was more excited about - Joel decided to help

"so are you putting your books or your funkos on this shelf?"

"I don't know dad, let me ask what mom thin- I mean, Y/N"

• Sarah felt embarrassed at her mistake and looked at you with widened eyes, not sure what to say, if she should apologize to you or what, she hoped you wouldn't think it was weird

• you turned to her with a gentle smile and took a step closer, brushing your fingers through her soft cheeks and wrapped your arms around her smaller frame

"you can call me mom if you want, I would be very happy and lucky to have you as my daughter"

• you sniffed softly, your eyes watery at the emotion of hearing such beautiful words from her

• Joel also felt very emotional and wrapped the two of you into his warm tight embrace, he had tears in his eyes he wanted to hide, he really loved hearing his daughter call you mom, because you'd been acting like one ever since you walked into their lives and he knew you were just perfect at it

"Alright mom..."

• Sarah shyly dried her own tears and chuckled a little shy, she looked at you and gave you another tight hug

"Where should I put my books?"

____

[arthrobug]

Here I go, over-analyzing a singular scene from Captain Laserhawk, and of course it's Rayman!

Minor nudity/minor sexual talk warning!

So this absolutely famous scene, am I right?

Few hours ago, I started thinking about every single thing Rayman had done in Captain Laserhawk, and how I could analyze it.

And so I realized a few things about this moment, or I just overthought a few things in this moment, but ANYWAYS!-

This particular practice is called Nyotaimori -Nantaimori for male models- and it's translation can be dumbed down to 'body sushi'. It's the Japanese practice of eating food, primarily sushi, off of a female model.

At first, I had this idea: "Hey, what if Rayman deciding to hire a Nyotaimori model is one of the ways he tries to futilely connect to others?" Here's a few notes as to why I thought this:

It's been clearly stated that Rayman is incredibly lonely, and there are a few scenes and things he does that shows he's a bit desperate for any sort of interaction. I mean, even if he was drunk and coked up off his rocker, he still listened to an ominous message on his TV and willingly went to go talk to a 'terrorist', and even was minorly friendly with Bullfrog even though they had just met. Rayman was also still under the impression that the hybrid was a terrible person that just happened to be a bit nice, but he still continued to talk to him even though he really had no primary reason to other than 'talk to the frog'.

Someone -even though it's a paid interaction- willingly undressing themselves to be completely nude and allowing you to eat food off of them while they lay on their stomach is a very intimate (non-sexual) thing. It could be a non-verbal feeling of trust that Rayman gains from engaging in this practice. He might not even know her name, but he might believe that she trusts he won't hurt her.

Rayman doesn't seem necessarily sexual with this model, he's just eating and watching television. Of course, he could've done something more sensual and/or sexual with this model before he saw his copy on the big screen, but we will likely never know if he did, so the assumption that he hadn't is more prominent. His goal with this practice wasn't for sexual gratification, it's just to have someone be there, whether they want to or not.

And so, I decided to do some more research on Nyotaimori, and even more things were brought to my attention. The main point I gather from this is:

This is a very unprofessional and likely unregulated meeting.

There are actually a lot of rules usually strictly set in businesses that sell Nyotaimori!

Sushi should not be placed directly on the body. There should be some form of divider, like a banana leaf or plastic wrapping. The model Rayman is eating off of clearly has no divider whatsoever. Additionally, you're usually not allowed to touch the model whatsoever. Rayman didn't touch her in this scene, but it just adds to the 'I don't think he was sexual or sensual with her'. (He's was 100% a rule-follower to the end at this point... Other than hard drugs.)

Not too surprising, but there are indeed body regulations (what a person's body should look like). Although the idea isn't surprising, the main regulation itself is. A model shouldn't be big-breasted, they aim for smaller cupped women, 'so the sushi doesn't roll off'. The model seemingly has very large breasts, although that could be the reason why she's on her stomach, but that's another issue.

As mentioned, the model is on her stomach. Nyotaimori models are placed on their backs, and actually have some form of covering most of the time! Shells, thongs, petals, and as seen with this model, some flowers! Another thing however, is that she's very nonchalant. She's swinging her legs, eating an olive, and subtly reacts to Rayman when he sees his look-alike. Models aren't allowed to react to what their patrons do, unless they are being incredibly inappropriate towards them.

The areas where models and their patron(s) are going to be eating/sitting still for very long periods at are set up meticulously, even in at-home sessions. In the background, you can subtly see a bra on the couch and possibly a pair of underwear hanging from a lamp, these are highly likely to be the model's. It's seemingly a very messy meeting, which is unusual.

SO! I can make the assumption from all this is that: This hybrid cow is a beginner model and doesn't care too much about professionalism; the business she works for just doesn't care, OR she's just some joe schmoe (which is a very unsettling idea to be honest) and was casually up for Rayman eating sushi off her ass and back, OR Eden's regulations for Nyotaimori are incredibly lax.

What does that all lead up to? Still the first idea: Rayman is desperate for any form of connection, even if they don't talk to him. He just wants someone to be there, whether they actually care about him or not.

This idea also contributes to how he stayed under the Council's clutches for so long. They gave him attention. Although they were definitely the reason he's needy for any type of attention, they gave him their eyes consistently sparingly and convinced him that was all he was ever going to get.

And tying this to his first interaction with Bullfrog and how he turned against Eden so quick and didn't just adamantly deny Bullfrog's vision, Bullfrog gave him the most neutral attention he has ever received in decades.

Not overly positive attention like he gets on his show (which definitely is fake to him), and not suffocatingly negative attention that the Council and some speciest people like Red have shown him- Bullfrog gave Rayman his real, raw attention, and it's probably going to be become like a drug to him.

[body-face-words]

Olivier Awards

We'll be looking into mainly photos so take this with a grain of salt.

Facial expressions can be lost and because this is an award show people pose and try to look their best.

The body language in this post will be more prominent because it could be an unconscious decision on how DT/MS/GT/AL show themselves. On the other hand, they've been taught (most likely) how to be in award shows and in front of cameras. The facial expression can be forced because they're aware that they are being photographed.

I most of the videos and images are sourced from @ingravinoveritas @/fuckyeahgoodomens and @/michaelsheendaily (not tagging on purpose) plus a few others. Because there's many videos here I'll be linking the posts.

First off, we'll be looking at MS/AL during the red carpet. That includes the videos and photos taken. The photos and videos happen at the same time so we'll have a better image of the body language and facial expressions.

The first thing want to point out is how Michael and Anna smile. Michael, throughout the carpet, had the same smile. One way that people try to make their smile look real is by smiling really big. Even though his eyes are smaller and the corners of the lips are lifted, the cheekbones aren't engaged, just lifted because the wide smile is stretched (except for the last two images).

Here we can see how he goes from his genuine smile to his default 'photograph' smile. Doesn't mean he wasn't happy to engage with people, he was just posing for the camera.

Something to note about Anna is that she doesn't smile much in her daily life so when she does smile, real or not, she doesn't know how it really feels and it looks off. It's asymmetrical, her lips stretch out but never curve up and her eyes + eyebrows stay the same. Her cheeks are always tense as well (I'll go more into details on another post). The only instances of her where it seems like she's really smiling is one on her instagram from Michael's 54th birthday and the image below.

This is them arriving (please correct me if I'm wrong) to the awards. Michael walks along side Anna, not too in front, just enough to guide as they spot the cameras or people.

They aren't looking at each other, but Anna is naturally smiling. Her face isn't tense, eyes smaller, corner of lips raised, cheekbones also raised and her eyes are soft.

Michael acting surprised at the sight of the people. His eyebrows are raise and hit mouth open, but the white part of his upper eyelid isn't visible. He's just putting up a show. That could be why Anna is smiling or they couldn't been talking or any other reason.

These three videos are also from the event. The first two on the carpet and the third before the posed pictures.

As far as body language goes, Michael is more often than not, in front of Anna while she holds his arm. In a dynamic/relationship whoever stands in front or leads while holding hands is the one who's the 'leader'. This role is usually taken by the man in a man/woman dynamic/relationship.

Michael doesn't tug at her or drags her along. He gives her a cue 'okay let's go' doesn't wait for a verbal response, then they both move and walk semi-parallel to each other. He's not dragging her or walking ten steps in front, they're walking as a unit. They've been to enough award shows to have a good idea of where to go and how to look.

Now the third video (before the carpet photos) is them taking pictures with people. That's also where the gif above took place.

The video starts on 00:10. Anna moves past Michael while touching his left shoulder to go greet/take pictures with fans. Michael turns at the touch then goes back to the fans. Even though he's far away from the camera, a smile can still be seen.

She stops for a second next to him before she gives her autograph to a fan. As she's walking to Michael, she's looking down then looks to her left until she see's the man signaling to her, asking for an autograph. She's surprised - eyes widen, stiff face. Anna takes pictures with two other people.

Throughout this video, neither of them interact except for one second during the beginning when Anna touches Michael.

Michael continues going down the line as Anna takes pictures with a few people then follow Michael. They both don't look at each other, even when Anna is waiting for Michael, she looks around or at other people. Michael is focusing on the people in line and not paying attention to where Anna is. He continues to move without her.

He never turns to where she is. They never touch each other, only when the press are taking pictures.

Overall they aren't hostile to each other. They just don't care what the other is doing. Michael is there to give an award and Anna is there as his plus one (most likely). When they are not longer close to the fans and it's just them two in front of the press, then they pay attention to where the other is. However, there is never any eye contact there either. Michael gives her the cue then they move, but never look at each other. In couples (or people who have feelings for each other) eye contact or the want to look at their partners faces is mostly present.

Focusing just on Michael -

He's tired. His smile throughout the evening, let's his smile fall when people aren't looking directly at him very and picks it back up quickly. In the video where he tells Anna to go, his smile stiffens and the corner of his lips go more horizontal.

Here, Michael is leaning towards Anna, but his body isn't touching her much and she's standing with her back straight. He has his picture smile (really forced) while she's trying to do a smile. The left corner of her left (our right) is slightly raised, but her eyes and brows stay the same.

The name for the line that runs from the corner of the nose down to the corner of the lips is called the nasolabial fold or nasolabial furrow. Her left fold is also raise (because of her lips) making her face be in a sneer, which shows disgust, displeasure, viewing something/one as inferior, despise, viewing something/one as worthless, and is usually always tied with feelings of superiority. Depending on the situation that face is also made when feeling impatient and wanting to move things along.

Her left eye, if you zoom in, you can see that it's slightly more closed than the right eye, but that has nothing to do with this. She tends to smile asymmetrically all the time. People usually always have one eye smaller than the other and with time it can change which eye is smaller. Morphosychology talks about this personality traits tied with the facial structure (if you would like a post about that let me know).

----

Now in this video MS/AL and DT/GT are edited to be side by side.

With David and Georgia, David in most award shows, looks down to speak with her during pictures (it happens a lot so it could be planned or a habit).

David's and Georgia's smile look more bright. We can see their face relaxed as they smile for the camera after they speak to each other. He is also leaning towards her as we can also see in this image:

Their chests are pressed together and his hand (a guess) is probably located on her mid to lower back. Georgia's head is tilting up, to where David's head is. Their smiles are stiff because a picture is being taken but all in all, they are comfortable with physical contact. David's chin is also up, but that's his default so it doesn't play much of a role. Like stated in previous analysis, sticking your chin out is a way of defiance, aggression, or self confidence in some cases.

In this video David is talking about how he hadn't done any Shakespeare plays in over ten years and how he never thought he would do Macbeth. His composure is relaxed, but still nervous. He took two breathes in which means he's trying to calm himself because he's nervous or agitated.

David and Georgia, like MS/AL, had forced smiles for the camera. Stiff, eyes stayed the same, cheekbones aren't lifted.

The first image shows pure smugness and pride. Left lip corner is raised while the right one stays neutral. With asymmetrical smile, they usually mean smugness, feelings of superiority that's why you see a lot of people who label themselves as "alphas" smile like that.

David, perceives himself as attractive or feels like he looks good.

The second and third images are him smiling genuinely. Between David and Michael, David was more relaxed and felt content with most of the evening.

Here's more pictures of him genuinely smiling.

The forth image is a fake/forced smiled. There's more pictures of him forcing a smile, but like Michael, there's too many and would be overkill to put point out all of them.

How to spot a fake/forced smile: tense face, eyes and/or brows stay the same, cheekbones are only lifted but not engaged, corner of lips stretched or horizontal, and the eyes look neutral/without emotion. There's a sweet, happy, or prideful look in the eyes when it's a sincere smile.

In regards to Georgia, her presence there doesn't bother David and he makes sure to include her. They communicate throughout the evening and Georgia, from what I found, kept to herself. Her composure was neutral, no outward discomfort.

I already talked about the video backstage where she is signaling and probably telling the other three what should happen.

---

During the award ceremony -

Michael in this video is presenting an award. He appears on 0:30.

This is his main face throughout the video. Tense smile. Not saying it's not real, because there are moments in the video where it looks real, however we can also see how forced it is after every pause in his sentences. It is real, just tense. Could be out of nervousness or some sort of inner conflict/tension on his part.

David during the ceremony, was genuine in his reactions. His surprise -

also genuine. The times the camera was on him, showed his real reaction.

----

Now moving onto this moment:

The second image is edited by me and the black is there so the lights in the back doesn't hurt our eyes too much.

Getting this out of the way: their smiles are fake because is picture is being taken and they're aware of what their faces are doing. So we'll be looking at the body language.

Now, Georgia isn't entirely comfortable with Michael.

He's touching her waist, not holding. Michael isn't pulling her closer, just resting his hand there. His left hand could be on David's waist or somewhere on his back.

Georgia is also resting her right hand on Anna's waist. Anna, from the look of her shoulder, is resting her left arm on Georgia or Michael.

David's right hand somewhere on Michael's back.

Edit: it's been pointed out that David could have his right hand on Michael's right shoulder. If you zoom into the image, you see something on his shoulder, that doesn't look like part of the suit.

Looking into Anna and Georgia, they both seem to be comfortable enough around each other.

Georgia's lips are pressed thinly against each other. She's either not comfortable with Anna - being this close to her or having to touch her - or she's not comfortable with Michael touching her waist. There's discomfort on her part.

Anna is just trying to pose her best for the picture. She's probably leaning closer to Georgia so the picture turns out good, or because she's comfortable with Georgia and naturally leaned in. Could be either.

Georgia's left arm is stiff. Maybe because she's holding her clutch back and/or doesn't want to touch Michael too much. He's a step back to where she's standing, probably so they all fit in the picture.

Looking at it the other way, she's blocking him. Kind of like when you don't want to speak to the person next to you, so you just turn your back to them. In this case, Michael does have his hand on her waist so her discomfort could come from there. Or that's her forced smile face.

Both David's and Michael's smiles are for the camera. Doesn't mean that they weren't happy or anything like that. Just means they were posing for the camera.

Moving onto the body language. Because they are taking a picture, we have to take into account that both David and Michael are leaning both to the right (their right) so that they all fit in the picture.

Usually, when two (or three) people lean towards each other or lean in the same direction, that means they get along well. In couple, this is an excellent sign that they are getting along in recent times.

David and Michael both leaned in, while Georgia and Anna stayed standing straight.

David having the Olivier's folder in front of him could be in order to show the logo or because there isn't any other comfortable way for him to hold. Based on the situation, it doesn't seem like he felt the need to hide or somehow defend himself by putting the folder (a barrier) in front of him.

Over all, for David and Georgia, the evening was tranquil even when we take into consideration the backstage video.

Michael felt the need to have to plaster on a big smile. Could be that he was having a rough day/week or just wasn't feeling at 100%. Anna was like usual.

I feel the need to reiterate that just because their smiles for the cameras weren't all that genuine, doesn't mean that they weren't happy to see each other and by they I mean David and Michael. We don't have any images or videos of them interacting normally. Mostly just with Georgia and Anna and the backstage video, we only see the from above, not their faces and we don't know for certainly what they were talking about.

If I missed anything, please let me know! This day was very long and full of images and videos, so I could've missed something.

[pascaloverx]

Sweet Love

Summary: You're an up-and-coming writer, congratulations. To protect your beloved job, you're willing to do anything. Even strike a deal with the devil, better known as your sister's neighbor. You and Dean Winchester don't really see eye to eye, but in a moment of desperation, you agree to collaborate with him for a greater good.

Author's Notes: Many characters do not belong to me but to the Supernatural Universe (2005-2020). I hope you enjoy the fanfic's story. The fanfic will contain strong language and adult content. Dear readers, I'm here to let you know that if you enjoy this fic, please engage with it. Comments and likes are welcome. I appreciate everyone who follows this fanfic. Anyway, enjoy this chapter.

chapter seven chapter nine

CHAPTER EIGHT

Anger is the only emotion you can feel. Anger at your sister for not telling you earlier that she had been with Dean. Anger at Dean for having been with your sister before being with you, even though he didn't know he would be with you. But more than anything, you're angry at yourself. For missing Dean terribly. And for being upset about something that happened a long time ago.

"Are you going to tell me why you're sulking? Is it because I'm already leaving and you're going to miss me?" your sister asks as she finishes packing her bags. She's leaving again. She stayed a few days to keep you company, and you tried your best not to show that you were upset, but every time you remembered that your boyfriend had been with your sister, it made you feel terrible.

"I'm in love with Dean. I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to ruin your time here. But since I'm terrible at pretending I'm not upset, I'll be honest. I'm in love with the man you had a fling with. The man you don't believe can truly love someone," you say, watching your sister's shocked expression. You can hardly believe what you just said yourself.

"I don't know what you expect me to say about this. I always thought you wouldn't be foolish enough to fall for Dean Winchester's charm," your sister says in the rudest tone possible. She seems angry. You laugh out loud at her reaction.

"I don't expect anything, after all, this is my life. I appreciate your care, and the fact that you welcomed me into your home for so long was incredible. I love you, but I can't let your bad experience with Dean dictate how I'm going to feel. I'm in love with him, and I don't know if he'll ever love me. If he'll want me for a long time, or if he'll give up on me. But I want to find out through my own experience," you say, looking at your sister, trying not to sound rude but asserting that your life is your own.

"You're making a mistake. But I'm your sister. That won't change, but I think you're going to get your heart broken by a man who doesn't deserve you," she says, still sounding angry, picking up her bag and heading towards the door.

"I'll move out as soon as possible so you won't have to watch me making mistakes," you say as she stands by the door, feeling a certain relief at finally being able to say it.

"I'll miss you here. But I hope that being away from Dean helps you see this is a disaster. Goodbye, sister," she says just before leaving. You stand there for a few minutes, unable to react, until you finally process that you've just declared your love for Dean. But for some reason, you don't go to Dean and tell him about it. You actually start packing your things.

A few hours pass until you hear someone knocking on the door. Your sister's apartment is surrounded by some moving boxes. You open the door and aren't surprised to see Dean with a mischievous smile.

"What do you want here?" You ask, watching his little smile disappear.

"I wanted to know if you're still my girlfriend. Because I'm still your boyfriend." Dean asks looking into your eyes. Dean's hand caressed your face as if he wanted you to see inside his eyes the sadness he is feeling.

"I was your girlfriend when you hid from me that you had already had a relationship with my sister. But I'm still your girlfriend." You talk a little too thick. You're resentful but you still love this idiot.

"I'm sorry I left that out. I thought you wouldn't want to get involved with me if you knew." Dean speaks while still close to you, almost as if he wants to kiss you.

"I need some time to think about what happened. My sister just told me that I'm making a mistake by letting myself be in love with you. I don't think she's right but I need to trust that you'll treat me better than you treated her and Castiel." You respond, bringing your face closer to his.

"Don't you miss me? Don't you miss what we have?" Dean asks with a poor face that almost breaks your heart. Before you answer, your lips and his meet. You give each other an almost desperate kiss, full of desire. You feel like you're letting him take care of you again. The kiss intensifies, as you feel your body go back, being guided by Dean. He holds your ass up, placing you sitting on the kitchen table. You can't even think before Dean continues devouring your lips. You start to take Dean's shirt off as he runs his hand over your breasts over your shirt. You moan as you kiss him, as you try to undo his belt so he can take off his pants. But while you almost have sex on your sister's kitchen table, she comes into your head. You start to question yourself if he's ever kissed your sister, how he's kissing you, if he thinks about her while he's with you. Images of them together come into your head and you can't stop wanting to kiss Dean anymore. Then you pull him away mid-kiss.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Dean asks worriedly, as you try to compose yourself by climbing down from the table.

“I can't. I can't kiss you like that, or even have sex with you while I don't know anything about how you felt about my sister. This relationship already has a ghost from its past called Castiel. My sister can't be a hindrance. Until I can get over this, you can consider yourself single. I don't want to tie you to me." You say feeling sad for saying that to him. You don't want to let him go but you can't date someone who makes you feel insufficient.

“I don't want to be fucking single. I want you. I want to date you. I don't want your sister or Castiel. I had a relationship with them but it didn't work out. Neither relationship. You're tearing me apart." He says sounding very upset. You approach him and kiss him. Like a goodbye kiss. At least for now.

"I like you, but I don't think it's fair for us to be together while I don't know if you're open to love. Maybe it's too much mistrust on my part, which makes this time in our relationship even more necessary." You wish you didn't distrust Dean, you wish you didn't imagine he likes someone else more than you. You wish you could tell him that you already love him. But now is not the time.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not going to give up on you. But if taking a break from the relationship is what you want. That's what we're going to do." Dean speaks and then leaves your sister's apartment carrying his shirt in his hands. He storms out and you are devastated. You wish you could run into his arms and tell him everything is going to be okay. But even you don't know that.

[wackytheorist]

Flickering lights, Fofoca in the middle of the night

-By someone who doesn't know how to title fanfics

Dreams are weird. Sometimes they feel neverending, trapping you inside a maze without an exit as you blindly prance around its corridors. Sometimes they reek with an odor of comfort, unfathomable in the repetitive void of reality.

The strangest thing about dreams is that you don't know that they are one until your awake.

Yuri has read all about dreams and what defines them, but although the moment had fit all the definitions of a dream like the last piece jigsaw puzzle.

This. Was. Not. A. Dream

She snapped her fingers, pinched herself and did everything she could to try and get dragged back into reality until they realized that reality was the book placed in front of them.

Yuri's fingers remained placid on the thick book, her thumb excitedly moved against along the paragraphs over and over- as if she was breathing the essence of the book, a larger dose at a time.

They noticed Vo, who was sleeping on the bed opposite to her, making confused facial expressions as a response to her grin. Her bunkmate Sol also leaned over their bed, sharing similar expressions to Vo. She wished they could all gossip about the contents of the book she book she was holding, but any sudden sound would startle Ms Lion, who was downstairs.

But thankfully luck was on her side today.

She noticed her reading light that illuminated their book was flickering. In a moment of complete confusion, the lights cackled off, annoyed yet grand thudding sounds entered the room, bouncing on the harsh wooden floor.

Yuri shoved the hard copy into her pillow, Sol frantically swooped back under their blanket and Vo thrusted themself towards the wall to pretend to be asleep.

Silence

"'Thank goodness the children are sleeping" a deep yet familiar voice huffed, breaking the tension. The sudden sound of a door shutting soon followed behind.

Yuri sighed of relief, embracing the darkness that had filled the room, she lifted her pillow to find the book.

A streak of light coming from beside her resaturated the room, Vo was holding a torch.

"Yuri its 4 am. what is so interesting that you needed to wake us up? Again" they lamented, in a drowsy voice followed by a small mmh-hmm.

"I swear I actually have a good reason this time-" she said "Look! I'll show you and you'll see!" Sol skidded down the ladder and Vo slowly approached her in curiosity. Yuri invited them to sit next to her on her bed.

Vo's flashlight illuminated the front cover of the book, which, to their surprise, was a dangerous red. The words boldy placed on it read 'do not read'. Yuri noticed her cabinmates nervous expressions, she clarified that it wasn't as bad as they thought but a guilty conscience started to form inside their soul.

"I'm not convinced" Vo remarked, after yuri finished her explaination "Why would Miss Lion have a secret diary the size of a table"

"Believe what you want to believe but firstly, actually read the book" she responded. Vo began to flick to the pages, then surrendered to Yuri's smug expression in annoyance.

"But you still haven't told us why this is worth ruining my routinely sleep" Sol, who hadn't spoken during the whole interaction, pointed out.

"Oh right. Sorry~" Yuri singsonged, then flicked to page 951, the page that made her question reality. An ercept from it read:

'Dear diary,

It is my 3rd anniversary of when I first started this job and to tell you it has been hard is an understatement. I love when I get to engage with the kids at camp, their doe eyes fill me with unimaginable amounts of joy. But, alas, 30 days of fun means months of planning, which stresses me to no bounds.

Today, Mr Wolf took charge of my work, which impressed me deeply. I know why I used to moon for him, he is everything that I am not, his elegance matches my energy and maybe I still do like him. Whatever. Those feelings most likely aren't mutualistic but oh diary, I love him.'

Sol cupped their hands against their hand, their mouth 'Ooooing' meanwhile Vo narrowed their eyes, scanning across the page in dismay. Then they turned to face Yuri, who still couldn't fathom the text, even though she had read it multiple times.

"Is this rea-" Vo was interrupted by the lights flickering back on, and the sound of footsteps. Sol pounced on the book to hide it, wincing in pain as it pricked their body.

"Oh kids did the outage wake you? I just fixed it with Mr Wolf.-" A voice chimed, the three of them choreographed a synchronized slow turn followed by a look of judgement.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

This is a writing piece for @which-qsmp-egg-would summer camp event.

Characters involved here: Sol ( @ethertheaether ) , Vo ( @keezers ) and Yuri(Yours truly :P)

Not beta read, apologies for any mistakes

[esther-dot]

This text is still one of the greatest piece I’ve ever read on this site. How are you worshipping male characters such as Walter White, Tywin, Jaime, or Stannis, but end up hating Cersei, Sansa, and Catelyn ?

“This kind of reaction is not uncommon, for Skyler in particular and for women – often wives – on top-drawer TV dramas in general. Characters like Skyler become targets of vituperation unimaginable to their male counterparts, most of whom engage in vastly more destructive and immoral behavior every episode. By failing to indulge every whim of the the male antiheroes around whom their shows are built, the women become obstacles to those men getting exactly what they want when they want it at all times, which is the core fantasy of antihero fiction. Cold cunning, ruthlessness, rage, self-interest, a propensity for physical violence – we gender these unheroic characteristics as male, and celebrate them; passivity, bitterness, grief, emotional enmeshment, a knack for attacking and deflating egos – we gender these unheroic characteristics as female, and loathe them. Skyler White, Betty Francis, Megan Draper, Catelyn Stark, Sansa Stark, Cersei Lannister, Carmela Soprano: On the sole count of “being women,” Fan Court finds you guilty as charged.”

The source is a 2012 Rolling Stone Breaking Bad recap, and apparently the author inspired a lot of chatter in the fandom with his takes (I avoided all fan/professional content while watching so I have no idea what his thoughts were like on any other aspect of the story/fandom), but that really is a great assessment of the fandom's reaction to certain characters!

It's fascinating that he pinpointed those characteristics so accurately. This part, "ruthlessness, rage, self-interest, a propensity for physical violence – we gender these unheroic characteristics as male, and celebrate them" -- explains why no matter what Dany did she was celebrated, while Sansa was condemned, well shit, he called that too, in her interaction with Jon she showed, "a knack for attacking and deflating egos." He wrote that years before s6, but people raged about Sansa "undermining" Jon and hated the way she spoke to Dany in s8, kept bitching about it even after Dany burned KL.

I don't think it's that surprising for fans to connect with the "victim" in a scenario, and the more verbal character might seem like the aggressor even if their words are in reaction to a horrible decision/inciting action of the other character, so I actually can see how fans slip into sympathizing with Jon over Sansa (or any of those men over the female counterpart) because the fans aren't grasping the context for the verbalization of disagreement/grievances. In some instances, the fault is with the writer who is (perhaps unknowingly, due to their own acceptance of the ok crimes/not ok crimes) guiding the audience to sympathize with one character over the other. I certainly felt that GoT was not that sympathetic to Sansa in the later seasons when she was dealing with Jon or Tyrion, so there were all sorts of mixed messages or outright, offensive messages like "but why wouldn't Sansa want to be with nice guy Tyrion who she was forced to marry as a child bride? Like, why would she object? What could the reason be????" But Breaking Bad seemed to be very clear eyed about who Walter was, and I think it was the audience who fucked up there all on their own.

That was such an interesting read. I’ll have to look up more of that writer’s work. Thank you for sending it, anon!

[searchingforgravity]

Merry Christmas Baby - Day 4 (Elvis/ Austin!Elvis x Reader)

Character/Fandom: Elvis - Elvis (2022)

Prompt: It's Christmas Eve in Memphis and you are alone once again. Living far from your family has never been easy for you. You think you'll spend another Christmas alone until you see a man with jet black hair sitting alone at the bar. You strike up a conversation and discover that you won't be alone on Christmas after all.

TW: Car sex, semi public sex, smut, oral (male receiving), dirty talk

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Word Count: 2874

A/N: Thank you for the request with this one, and happy reading! Also a note that Elvis isn't famous in this one.

"What'll it be, sweetie," the bartender asks as you approach the dim lit bar decked out in Christmas lights. "Just a vodka soda, thanks," you say and smile at her softly. She nods and heads off to make your drink. Sitting down at the bar stool, you sigh in anguish. Another Christmas Eve alone. Part of you curses moving away from home. You have no friends and you're barely getting anywhere in your career. You silently hope that things start to turn around in the New Year.

As the waitress brings your drink you sip on it, looking around the room. Except for the town drunk in the corner and a few girls drunkenly laughing at a table, it's pretty desolate. You decide that after this drink, you'll head out. You wonder why you thought it was a good idea to go out tonight anyway. Your eyes start to well up at the sudden pang of isolation you feel when you hear the bell ding, signaling that someone had entered the bar.

When your eyes instinctively go over to the now open door, you see the most beautiful man you've ever seen in your life. Surprisingly, he's alone. Almost as if feeling your eyes on him, he looks over and lands his gaze on yours. A rush of heat runs through you on it's own accord and you are quick to look away. You can hear the girls at the far table giggling louder and look in their direction. They are completely mesmerized by him as they swoon like school girls. You outwardly roll your eyes and sip again on your drink, although, internally, this man leaves you feeling just as wired as them.

"Hey there, handsome, what can I get for ya'," the same bartender asks the mystery man who decided to sit two seats down from you at the bar. "I'll just have a bloody mary, darlin'" he drawls. That accent, good God. You try your best to ignore this man that suddenly has you forgetting about your loneliness and thinking about things that aren't meant for public places. You distract yourself as you swirl your small black straw around the glass, the ice rattling gently inside. You almost choke on another sip of your drink when you hear a female voice approach right beside you. "Hey sexy, what are you doing here all alone?" she questions, her voice five octaves too high to be natural. She turns her back to you and flips her hair, nearly hitting you in the face with it. You internally groan at the arrogance of this girl as you decide to slide into the next seat over. She leans forward towards the man, making sure to put her breasts on full display. You hear him clear his throat gently as he puts his drink down, facing her. You look over and see her friends whispering quickly to each other, their eyes glued to the scene before them.

"What's a pretty little girl like you doin' out here on Christmas Eve? You away from home?" he responds without answering her question. "Oh yeah, me and my girls decided to come see Memphis for the holiday's. Maybe you could show us around," she breathes, leaning closer. A surprised cough leaves his mouth as he chokes on his drink. You don't have to guess at what this girl did to make him so flustered. "Sweet heart, I don't think I'm the typa man you want. And I'm just passin' through. Don't know my way 'round here much," he mumbles, shifting in his seat. She suddenly straightens up, embarrassed. "Oh, oh I see. I'm barking up the wrong tree aren't I?" She engages with him only for a few moments longer before returning to her seat. He's gay? The way you two looked at each other, you were sure there was some sort of spark. Your face falls slightly as you feel a wave of disappointment ring through you.

After about another fifteen minutes, the girls leave and you are almost done with your second vodka soda. You're about to call over the bartender when you are surprised to hear a voice from beside you. "Hey, watcha drinkin' sweetheart?" the mystery man says lowly, closer than you thought he was. You jump slightly at the unexpected question before looking to your left. You're immediately met with ocean blue eyes gazing into yours. "Oh," you whisper at the beautiful man beside you before collecting yourself as best you can. He has a soft smirk on his face that is making you feel like you need to take an immediate cold shower. You smile back despite yourself. "Oh, I was just about to close out. You don't have to get me anything," you say, thinking he is just trying to be nice since you're alone. His face falls slightly at hearing you say this.

"Oh, I wish you wouldn't. Was really lookin' forward to talkin' to ya'" He breathes as his eyes quickly travel to your lips and back up again. The way he's looking at you...he can't possibly be gay. "I ain't gay, baby," he states, as if reading your mind. "Just needed to give an excuse to that girl. Didn't wanna break her heart," He mumbles as he absentmindedly leans in closer to you. It makes you catch your breath, your heart beat speeding up. "There was someone else I was interested in," he almost whispers the next part, his knees slightly grazing yours at how close you are. You pull back slightly. If you are going to go home with this man tonight, and you are praying to God you are, you're going to make him work for it.

"What was wrong with that girl talking to you? She seemed nice," you challenge and you turn your attention back to your now empty glass, swirling around the melting ice cubes. The man calls over the bartender and gets another round for the both of you, making you roll your eyes, smiling to yourself nonetheless. He takes his time before answering, considering his response. "I didn't lie. I don't think I'm the guy she wants," you quirk your eyebrow. "And what is that supposed to mean?" "I don't think she'd be able to handle what I have to give. It's something for a woman, not a girl," he mutters as sips his drink. This almost makes you choke on yours at his words as you take a sip of your own. Heat flushes to your face as your mind momentarily goes blank. He definitely isn't the type to beat around the bush. You decide to test him further. "Oh, and what makes you think you can handle me?"

He laughs out loud at this, something dangerous forming in his eyes when he looks back at you. "Never met a woman I can't, sweet heart," he mumbles as he brings his hand to squeeze your knee, letting it rest there. "Is that a challenge, Mr.?" you question, suddenly realizing you don't know his name. "The name's Elvis, baby. And it is if you want it to be," he breathes, his words going straight to your core. You shift slightly in your seat and a knowing glint forms in his eye. He knows he has you right where he wants you.

After he gets the bill and pays for your tab as well, he leads you out to his car, opening the door for you. You are amazed to see it's a beautiful pink Cadillac. You wonder what this man does for work as he helps you over to it. As you go to get in, you see his eyes glance down your body as he softly bites down on his bottom lip, making your heart flutter and your stomach flip. "Watch your step, honey" he whispers as he grabs onto your waist, your balance slightly failing you. With your body now pressed into his chest, you don't want to pull away, and with the soft sigh that leaves his mouth when you do, it seems he feels the same.

When he gets in the driver's side, he looks over at you. "You sure you wanna do this? A pretty girl like you getting into a strange man's car," he muses with a hint of humor as his eyes rake you over again. "With a car like this, I think I would be okay with you being a crazy person," you throw back, making him laugh for the second time that night. His laugh is like music to your ears. You wonder how it's possible that a man this gorgeous can exist.

As he starts down the road to his place, a tension starts to settle upon the two of you. The same tension that was there at the bar; the one that made you want to rip his close off right there. Neither one of you bothered to turn on the radio, now growing tired of the Christmas music on every station. You allow your eyes to wander to his body as he concentrates on the road. Your eyes travel to his pants and notice a prominent bulge. While he's distracted you carefully trail your left had over to it, giving it a little squeeze. At the surprise of your hand on him, he swerves a little on the road before getting his bearings. "Jesus, baby," he grits out and you see his hands tighten slightly on the steering wheel. He tries focusing on the road as you gently palm him through his pants, eliciting soft moans from his lips.

"Don't tease me, woman," he grunts out as his hips buck into your hand, craving more friction. You make a mental note that teasing gets him hot and bothered, and you suddenly pull your hand away, causing him to whine at the loss of contact. He clears his throat to disguise his noise as his jaw set. "Don't play those kinds of games with me," he mutters as he slightly speeds up, needing to get home as fast as possible. "Why, what are you going to do about it, big man," you breathe as you trail your hand over his thigh making his leg jump. "I'll stop this car and fuck you right now if you don't quit," he grunts.

You choose not not heed his call as you let your hand trail back up to were he needs you most, his dick now hard as a rock. You whine teasingly as you gently palm him again. "Such a fuckin' tease," he groans in frustration as he pulls into the nearest empty parking lot. He turns off his car and immediately starts undoing his belt. "Here's what's gonna happen, doll. You're gonna suck me off, then ride me 'til you cum and you're not gonna tease me a God Damn minute in the mean time," he groans as you hear him pull the zipper down on his pants. You clench your thighs together and lick your lips in anticipation. He looks at you expectantly and you only nod, completely lost for words. He smirks to himself at this. "Good, now get your pretty mouth over here," he mumbles.

You lick your lips again as you see his erection poke out from his pants, making you release a small whine as you inch closer. His eyes snap to you as he hears this. He can't help but bite his lip. "Shit, I wanna cum and you're not even doin' nothin' yet," he groans as he pulls the seat back, allowing you to scoot closer. You crawl in between his legs and as you reach his cock, you steady yourself on his thighs before taking as much of him as you can down your throat without warning. He jerks up in surprise at this as a startled moan falls from his lips. "Fuck!" he shouts, looking up at the roof of the car. "What happened to you bein' a tease?" he gasps more to himself. You pull off of him to respond. "Just giving you want you want, Elvis."

You suck him off at a relentless pace, having him moaning and writhing underneath you, his hands falling to your head as he starts gently thrusting into your mouth. "Baby, slow down. I want it last a little longer," he grits out, his orgasm already building. You ignore his request and speed up your actions, bringing your free hand to play with his balls. His gives a surprised gasp as his head falls back. "God Damnit, woman," he grunts as he pulls you off of him. He takes a second to catch his breath and unexpectedly pulls you up to him, crashing his lips into yours. You freeze for a second before kissing him back eagerly. His fingers fumble with the button on your pants as you help him discard them on the floor. You do the same with your panties and finally your shirt and bra. He does the same with his shirt, bringing his hands to your breasts after as he leans forward, capturing your right nipple in his mouth and circles the left with the pad of his thumb. You groan loudly as you throw your head back, your hands tangling in his hair. He travels his lips back up to yours, slipping his tongue into your mouth, swirling it gently around yours as he lines himself up at your entrance. He pulls away gently to kiss at your neck, making your eyes flutter.

"Ride me, sweet heart," he pleads, waiting for you. You quickly come back down to Earth as you steady yourself on his chest, slowly sinking down unto him. You suck in a sharp breath as you come down all the way on his cock, his hands coming to rest on your hips. "Hell," he groans as he leans he head back on his seat, pure ecstasy overtaking his features. "Shoulda loosened you up," he groans as he brings his hand to your clit, rubbing in soft circles while staying still, allowing you to adjust to his size. Your forehead falls on his at the pleasure he's giving you, your labored breathing mixing with his. "God, don't stop," you whimper, your eyebrows knitting together. "I won't, baby. Not till you're nice and spent," he whispers back, kissing your cheek.

After touching you for a little while, you ease up on your iron grip enough to raise you hips, before slowly coming back down. You both moan at the motion. You quickly find a rhythm, bouncing on him at a steady pace. "That's it, baby," he encourages as his hands return to your hips, helping you. You let a whine slip from your throat at the sensation of him around you as you bury your face in his neck, nipping and sucking gently. He groans at this as he softly starts thrusting up into you, needing to take control. You don't have it in you anymore to fight him as you let him set the pace. Soft grunts leave him mouth every time he buries himself all the way inside you. "You look so good around my cock, mama," he gasps out, looking in between your bodies. You follow his gaze and see the steady pace of him burying his cock inside you and pulling back just to repeat the action, your pussy taking him so easy, it's like it has countless times before. "Oh God," you groan at the sight, picking up the pace. The sight awakens a second wind in you as you take him harder, softly slamming down into him. He throws his head back once more. "F-Fuck, that's so good baby," he whines as he matches your pace, his thrusts hitting deep inside you.

You start getting weak as you feel your orgasm approaching. "Elvis, oh God," you groan and he steadies you on his hips, understanding. "I want you to cum inside me. I-I'm on the pill," you whimper and he groans, picking up his pace as he kisses your neck, his thumb coming down to your clit. At this, you're coming apart, clenching around him again and again. He releases a string of profanities, releasing himself deep inside you.

You both just sit there for a moment, catching your breath. You lean your head to rest on his chest and feel his heart beating rapidly at the exertion, his chest heaving. "Damn," is all he says as he runs his fingers through your hair. "Me too," you breathe, causing a smile to play on his lips. You look around and the glass on his doors are completely fogged, making you smile to yourself as you kiss his chest. "Uh, do you want to me take you home, baby?" he asks, hesitation in his voice. You pause as you think of your response. "You don't want me to come over to your's, do you? It would be nice to spend Christmas with someone," you admit, hope in your voice. He smiles again as he kisses your forehead. "I'd love that, sweet one. Oh look, it's midnight. Merry Christmas baby," he mumbles. He helps clean you up before starting down the street to his place.

Masterlist

Tag List: @horrorgirl4life @father-of-2cats @flowersofcement @goldobsessionsworld @dark-raven031 @peaceloveelvis @tantamount-treason @looloolily

[hopeymchope]

"Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" might've had a lot less kaiju action than the previous attempt to translate Godzilla into a TV series, but it more than made up for that in quality storytelling!

My sundry observations, gripes, praises and questions:

They really went out of their way to honor the Japanese roots of the source material, didn't they? We're in Japan for a ton of the show, dealing with Japanese and/or Japanese-descended characters for the majority of it, and have a surprising amount of Japanese dialogue throughout — it's nice.

I know Wyatt Russell is a Nepo Baby, but he's honestly still very good at what he does. I don't think the series has any bad acting... but the two Russells (because Kurt Russell is, ofc, amazing), Mari Yamamota (Keiko Miura) and Joe Tippett (Tim) are still the absolute highlights for most of the run, IMO. The Russells and Yamamota do the emotional heavy lifting with aplomb, whereas Tippett is so naturalistic and likable that it's hard not to find him engaging.

Cate starts off the series being such an asshole who doesn't show any empathy for people going through the EXACT SAME SHIT that she is, but I think the later reveal of her trauma on "G-Day" somewhat explains her attitude problem. She then manages to pivot to being much more likable JUUUUST in time for the episode where we get the flashbacks revealing she was a shitty person even BEFORE G-Day. LOL.

May ALSO swings between being likable and being a total ass, and while that sounds like a complaint, I actually sort of appreciate it. We're seeing the main female characters get the kind of nuance and depth to them that they aren't often afforde in mass-market media, and that's cool.

On the flip side, there's Kentaro. The fact that both Cate and May get to act both likable and dickishreally me expect the same thing for Kentaro. They're the trio of young people who make up the titular "Legacy," right? (Well, I guess that's mostly meant to refer to Cate/Kentaro.) So... I was shocked when Kentaro's chance to be a total prick never came around. He's pretty likable and understandable throughout! Even when he's being SUPER harsh on Hiroshi, I still understand it in light of what Hiroshi's done to their families. I feel like maybe Kentaro got something of a short shrift on this front. He gets adequate backstory, mind you, but he also never gets either A) as much focus time as May and Cate, nor B) a chance to come off like kind of a dick like May and Cate sometimes do? It's a little tempting to say that making him the more "pure" of the trio comes off as sexist, but... the way that he gradually is shoved into the background of the story's focus and doesn't even get to go on the big final adventure makes it pretty clear that this ISN'T because the producers favor Kentaro. More like the opposite....

In fact, take particular note of how nobody really gives him credit for how he was the ENTIRE REASON THEY SURVIVED Episode 4. They diss him and don't believe him, and when he's ultimately proven right in a way that saves all their asses? May gives the credit for her survival to Cate for some inexplicable reason. (Except for ONE later moment when neither Kentaro or Cate can know or hear her admit Kentaro saved them.) WTF. I found that frustrating.

That episode was the start of Cate and May becoming incredibly tight-knight with one another, and I'm still not clear on how/why that happened. Is it just because they both vascillate between being chlidish assholes and likable adults?? By the halfway point of the show, I was really getting strong shippy vibes off them. Which would be super cute and sweet if it wasn't also, y'know... kinda shitty. Because May used to be with her brother? Who clearly still had feelings for her when the series starts, just a few days prior? MMM.... not cool, May. To be fair, however, not always caring about their own hurtful/sketchy behavior is actually pretty in-character for them both, so maybe it works. And I suppose you gotta take that happiness where you can get it in this crazy, now-kaiju-laden world.

The character who shows up at the end of Episode 9 completely shocked me. They got me there. And in light of that twist — that character who disappears near the end of the finale? Perhaps this goes without saying, but there's no way we've seen the last of them. ZERO chance... unless the person portraying them doesn't renew their contract for season 2 or something. :P

This is, of course, a "Monsterverse" series. But the logic of how the Hollow Earth works in this show doesn't seem to REMOTELY align with how it was portrayed in Godzilla vs Kong, does it? Not even KIND OF. I wonder if Godzilla x Kong will get that disconnect to retroactively make sense.

At least one returning actor from the Monsterverse films shows up to provide a link... for one scene.

And speaking of the Monsterverse, that's hardly the only Continuity Sketchiness going on here! Serizawa only gets name-dropped ONCE in this series despite the fact that he's still presumably the HEAD DUDE IN CHARGE over there. They keep calling Verdugo the Deputy Director because Serizawa is the director, right?? Though Verdugo sure does make unilateral decisions about the whole-ass organizations multiple times in this show.

All of my prior point is especially goofy when the idea of HELPING Godzilla is treated as this shocking, bizarre concept ..... despite the fact that it's Serizawa's entire fucking philosophy since BEFORE this takes place???

Okay, let's shift back to positives: Takehiro Hira doesn't get as much screen time as many cast members, but his performances over the last two episodes are friggin' emotionally devastating. Fantastic.

The lack of more Toho monsters in the Monsterverse has been something of a downer for me personally, but they still do pull out some really cool original designs. That Frost Vark is pretty badass.

[i-myeoni-blogs]

Part 7

Pairing - Non-Idol Wooyoung x Fem Reader

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"Sending Grace to Miss Kim was a good idea," Wooyoung remarked, settling in beside Y/N on the couch. "We really needed this time alone to talk about us."

Interlacing his fingers with hers, Y/N couldn't help but chuckle deeply. "Talking? How boring. I was hoping for something a bit more... romantic. Perhaps even a little passion," she teased.

"Oh, someone's feeling a bit frisky," Wooyoung teased back, a playful glint in his eyes.

"And why shouldn't I be? It's been five long years since we last saw each other," Y/N replied with a grin. Their banter was a familiar dance, a testament to the easy rapport they shared. "Unless, of course, you're suggesting you spent those years gallivanting about?" Y/N crossed her arms and pouted. “And here I thought you loved me.”

"Didn't you go on dates these past five years? Miss Kim told me about your little dates."

"Oh, did she not mention that those dates often ended abruptly? because I was preoccupied, drowning in my own tears over a certain someone," Y/N deadpanned.

"Ah, well I’m clean too. Because my time was consumed by reminiscing about a certain someone as well," Wooyoung retorted sharply.

"And yet here we are, engaging in mere conversation," Y/N remarked, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms. "Perhaps you don't want me anymore. Is that it? Now that I'm a mother, my body has changed, and maybe I don't measure up to your past ideals. Perhaps you no longer desire me," she continued, her tone laced with a hint of insecurity. "After all, I have these stretch marks now, and my thighs aren't as slender as they once were. Surely, that's a turn-off for you, Woo."

"Whoa, hold on there. Where is this coming from? I'm still very much attracted to you, more than you realize," Wooyoung replied, reaching out to take Y/N's hand, but she pulled away.

"You're just saying that," she countered, avoiding his gaze.

"Don't believe me?" Wooyoung's tone softened. "Well then, I'll just have to show you."

With determination, Wooyoung rose from his seat, exhaling deeply before gently scooping Y/N up into his arms, bridal style, eliciting a surprised squeak from her.

"What are you doing?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with astonishment.

"Showing you how much I love you, and how little those superficial concerns matter to me," Wooyoung replied, his smirk reflecting a newfound confidence. "Those stretch marks? I don't even notice them. And as for your thighs..." He paused, his smirk widening. "Let's just say they're a welcomed bonus in my book."

"No, no, no, no," Y/N protested with a playful wiggle, attempting to fend off his advances, her tone carrying a mix of amusement and mock seriousness. "Last time you had this smirk, and you put a baby inside me."

She couldn't help but smile as she lightly slapped his shoulders, her affection for him evident even in the midst of their banter.

"Well then, let's give Grace a sibling," he countered, his words laced with a teasing tone that only added to the warmth between them.

Maybe what they truly craved was a moment just for themselves, a pause from the chaos of the world, a sanctuary where they could bask in each other's love and find solace in each other's embrace. That night seemed to stretch on endlessly, a canvas painted with affection and whispered endearments, reminiscent of the days when their bond was unmarred by strife.

Wrapped in each other's arms, they drifted into a serene slumber, cocooned in a bubble of warmth and security as if nothing else mattered beyond the contours of their entwined bodies. But the morning's intrusion was inevitable, heralded by the gentle kiss of sunlight filtering through the curtains.

"Wooyoung, coffee," Y/N's voice, though near, seemed to emanate from a distant place as she stood by the bedside. "Wooyoung, wake up," her words echoed faintly as if carried away by a breeze until Wooyoung was jolted back to reality, gasping for air in the midst of his office.

His colleague stood before him, concern etched on her face as she offered a cup of coffee. "Chief Wooyoung, are you okay?" she inquired, noting the beads of sweat on his brow.

Managing to compose himself, Wooyoung brushed off her worries with a feeble excuse. "Yeah, I'm fine, just feeling a bit warm," he muttered, attempting to shake off the remnants of his dream.

"Hot, at the end of October?" she countered, her skepticism evident. "Sir, your AC is set to the lowest temperature, and yet you're sweating. Maybe you should take a break, you don't look well."

Ignoring the advice, Wooyoung insisted on pressing forward with his duties, though his words carried a weight that belied his true state of mind. "No, it's fine. It's almost 1 PM; we need to visit Chairman Seo and his girlfriend," he declared, masking his inner turmoil behind a facade of determination.

With a nod, his colleague acquiesced and left the office, leaving Wooyoung to grapple with the lingering echoes of his dream, and the unsettling feeling that perhaps he was not as fine as he claimed to be.

Chairman Seo and Yun Hee were deeply in love. Their comfy home, tucked away in a peaceful Georgian Bungalow, showed just how much Yun Hee wanted a house like the ones in Hollywood movies. And Chairman Seo? Well, he was head over heels for her, always eager to make her happy.

Living away from the busy town, they found comfort in each other, excitedly looking forward to their upcoming wedding. Even though Yun Hee had physically healed from past injuries, the emotional scars still lingered, making her quiet and distant, which worried Chairman Seo a lot. He was scared she might shut down completely.

When Wooyoung and his coworker finally got to Chairman Seo's lovely bungalow after a thirty-minute drive, they were stunned by how much more beautiful it was in person than in the pictures. Inside, it felt like stepping onto a Hollywood movie set, with lots of doors and pretty curtains swaying gently in the breeze, adding to the house's charm.

As they were guided by a smartly dressed servant, Wooyoung's coworker couldn't help but admire how well the household staff worked together. Eventually, they reached the office where Chairman Seo was waiting, the excitement in the air almost tangible.

"Chairman Seo has been waiting for you," the servant said as he opened the door, inviting Wooyoung in, where an important meeting was about to begin.

Chairman Seo, a young tycoon whose wealth rivaled the gleam of Seoul's skyline, had built his empire from humble beginnings, fueled by his own sweat and the modest support of his parents. Despite not towering over his surroundings, his presence commanded attention, his sturdy frame a testament to his resilience and determination. As Wooyoung entered the expansive office, Chairman Seo gestured for him to take a seat with polite grace.

"Please, Wooyoung, make yourself comfortable," Chairman Seo said warmly, his voice carrying a subtle authority softened by genuine hospitality. Wooyoung returned the gesture with a smile, settling into the chair opposite Chairman Seo alongside his coworker.

"You specifically requested my presence for this matter, sir. Might I inquire as to the reason?" Wooyoung asked, his tone respectful yet curious, reflecting both his professionalism and his eagerness to understand the task at hand.

"Hey, just call me Changbin," Chairman Seo grinned warmly, leaning back in his chair. With a flick of his finger, he pressed the button on his desk, its distant chime signaling the arrival of a woman who had been escorting Wooyoung and his coworker.

"Julie, could you please bring us some refreshments? Thanks a bunch," he said, watching her nod before she slipped out of the room. Turning back to Wooyoung, he continued, his tone serious yet tinged with urgency.

"Wooyoung, you're already up to speed on the situation," he began, noting Wooyoung's nod of understanding. "Unlike other business bigwigs, I don't have connections in the police department. I only know one person, Yongbok. When I reached out to him for help, he pointed me in your direction, mentioning your handling of Mr. Lee's case. I've heard good things, so without hesitation, I asked for your assistance. Please, help me out here, Wooyoung. I need those scoundrels behind bars or... well, let's just say, I need justice served."

Changbin's words were laden with determination and a hint of vengeance as he spoke of the three foreigners who had wrecked Yun Hee's life, Changbin's fiancée. Wooyoung grasped the gravity of the situation.

"And right now, I'm putting my trust in you because Yongbok vouches for you," Changbin added, his gaze unwavering as he looked at Wooyoung. Wooyoung returned the gaze, nodding in assurance that he would handle the case with utmost care and dedication.

"I called you here for two important reasons," Changbin began, sounding both careful and concerned. "Yun Hee is now at a point where we can try to talk to her, but she really doesn't want to leave where she is. That's why I asked you to come."

Yun Hee had been getting treatment for a whole month to help her deal with the terrible things she went through. During this time, she kept to herself and didn't want to talk to anyone. It was hard to get her to open up, even though she might have information that could help us solve the case. Right now, all we have are the short video clips from the security cameras.

"And what's the second reason?" There was a tense feeling in the room as the question hung in the air.

Changbin took a moment, thinking about how to explain. He let out a breath and said, "We'll talk about that later. For now, let's focus on getting Yun Hee to talk."

With that, Changbin got up from his chair and walked to the door. It was the entrance to his office from his home. Crossing that threshold meant leaving personal matters behind and dealing with the serious job at hand. As he reached for the door handle, he felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on him, reminding him of the tough road ahead.

In a hushed tone, Wooyoung's coworker uttered, “Chairman is so different from what I had imagined him to be.” The words carried a hint of surprise and realization. “I thought he would be some intimidating businessman, old and gruff.”

Changbin, positioned near the door that linked his office to the rest of the workspace, overheard the conversation. “Yeah, I hear that a lot.” He gently maneuvered a wheelchair, with Yun Hee seated upon it, into the room. Her expression betrayed a mixture of fear and apprehension. After a month confined to her room, stepping out before someone who wasn't part of her immediate family was an unfamiliar and nerve-wracking experience for Yun Hee.

Wooyoung caught the frightened look in her eyes the moment he stepped into the room. Yun Hee, clutching Changbin's hand, seemed to be seeking reassurance in the grip of her friend. It was a look that stirred a familiar ache in Wooyoung's heart—a blend of vulnerability, fear, and a glimmer of hope. He had seen that same expression on Y/N's face before she disappeared.

Despite the urge to avert his gaze from Yun Hee's distress, Wooyoung knew he couldn't. She needed reassurance, a sense of safety, and he was determined to provide it. With a polite smile, he introduced himself gently, "Hello, Yun Hee. I'm Wooyoung. You can trust me, I promise not to breathe a word of this to anyone."

Whether it was the warmth in Wooyoung's voice or the sincerity behind his words, Yun Hee seemed to find solace in his presence. She began to share everything, not omitting even the smallest detail about the three foreigners she had encountered. "I heard them saying, 'Let's go before we miss the last bus,'" Yun Hee disclosed.

Wooyoung's mind immediately latched onto the clue. "The last bus... They must have headed downtown on a blue bus," he deduced aloud, his colleague nodding in agreement beside him.

"Yes, especially on a strike day with limited bus services," his colleague added. "That narrows down our search area."

"We'll focus our efforts there then," Wooyoung affirmed, a glint of determination in his eyes. He knew they were onto something substantial. The urgency of the situation fueled his resolve to track down those responsible and bring justice for Yun Hee. "Thank you, Yun Hee, this has helped us to narrow down our investigation. We appreciate you for taking this step," Wooyoung said with genuine gratitude, a warm smile on his face. It was a small breakthrough, but it meant they were moving forward, and that was everything to him.

Wooyoung turned to Changbin, acknowledging his contribution too. "We should go now, it’s better that we start our work soon."

Changbin offered to escort them out. He guided Yun Hee towards the bedroom first before returning to Wooyoung and his colleague. "Thank you, Wooyoung. I was at a loss about who to reach out to," Changbin confessed, his voice edged with gratitude and regret. "And," he paused as they reached the outside door, "I heard about your wife and daughter. Still, you are helping us. Thank you so much. I'm so sorry."

Wooyoung's response was firm but laced with emotion. "It's okay, Mr. Seo."

Changbin hesitated, considering Wooyoung's situation. "Wooyoung, the second thing I wanted to say was, it’s okay if you withdraw yourself from this case. I'll understand because of your wife and your daughter..."

Wooyoung cut him off with a tight smile. "It's fine, Mr. Seo. I'm in this case, and I'll solve it. About Y/N and Grace, I know their case is in good hands. They'll find her."

Changbin sensed the struggle behind Wooyoung's words, the unspoken fear and hope intertwined. "We should go, Mr. Seo."

“Changbin.”

"Yeah, Changbin." Wooyoung and his colleague left the premises, heading back to their office to discuss the new lead. This clue was vital, and Wooyoung felt a renewed determination to bring the case to a close, for Y/N and Grace, and for himself.

As Wooyoung approached the police station, he felt a curious twist of fate in the air as he stepped through the station doors. And maybe, just maybe, heaven and earth were both working in his favor that day.

Inside, a scene caught his attention. His team, usually engrossed in paperwork or discussions, was gathered around a man—a rather elderly man—who appeared to be recounting something with great enthusiasm. The officers listened intently, their expressions a mix of curiosity and interest. It was a peculiar sight, like a huddle of eager students around a seasoned storyteller.

Wooyoung approached quietly, observing the animated exchange. As he drew nearer, his team noticed him and straightened up respectfully. "What’s going on here?" Wooyoung inquired his voice a blend of curiosity and authority.

One of the officers stepped forward, his face bright with a hint of excitement. "Sir, we've got a lead," he announced, gesturing towards the elderly man who now turned to face Wooyoung, a warm smile spreading across his weathered features.

"I was coming back from the grocery store when I saw this man in a striking black and gold jacket load three foreigners into his van and drive off," the old man recounted, his voice soft with a touch of concern.

Wooyoung and his team were now gathered in his office, listening intently. "You witnessed all of this?" Wooyoung inquired, leaning forward with a serious expression. The old man nodded solemnly. "About a month ago," Wooyoung clarified, seeking confirmation. Again, the old man nodded, his weathered face reflecting the weight of his memory.

"Why wait a whole month to come forward?" Wooyoung probed gently.

The old man shifted uncomfortably under Wooyoung's scrutiny, his eyes darting around nervously. "I didn't think much of it at the time. I thought they might be university students. Oh, my poor eyes," he lamented. "It was only after I saw the news about the missing foreigners that it clicked. I recognized one of them. Sir, I'm quite poor—I have to think twice before paying my television bill. That's why it took me so long."

"Can you show us where this happened?" Wooyoung asked, his tone softening with understanding.

"Absolutely," nodded the old man with a relieved smile, grateful that his concerns were being taken seriously. They quickly made arrangements to visit the location, Wooyoung's investigative team poised for further exploration.

The old man guided them to the downtown area, which appeared quite run-down with its dim lighting and poorly constructed houses. He stepped off the van first, followed closely by Wooyoung and the other officers. As they walked, the old man paused, surveying the surroundings before pointing to a spot on the ground.

"Right here, the van came to a stop," he explained, gesturing towards the pavement. "And I was standing over there at a distance." He motioned back in the direction they had come from. "My house is just over there," he continued, pointing to a dark silhouette nearby. "It was so dark that night, but I could make out the jacket distinctly because it was different—a black jacket adorned with golden cherry blossom embroidery."

Wooyoung and his team listened attentively, nodding as they absorbed the details. The old man's earnestness was evident as he recounted the incident, his voice tinged with a mixture of concern and determination.

Wooyoung glanced around at the downtown streets, noticing how deserted they seemed. The CCTV cameras, which were rarely operational in this area, were predictably out of order. He knew that some people intentionally tampered with them, hoping to get arrested just for a warm place to sleep. As expected, tonight they were useless.

"It's been a whole month, and we still have nothing," Wooyoung muttered, frustration evident in his voice. The heavy rain that night had likely washed away any potential clues.

"You remember the jacket, right?" Wooyoung asked, turning to an elderly man standing nearby. "Could you describe it again? Maybe it'll spark something, anything."

“By the way, may I ask who these foreigners were?” the old man inquired earning a glare from Wooyoung. “Never mind.”

“They were criminals.”

The old man nodded solemnly, and one of the officials stepped forward, ready to record any details he could provide.

The day flew by in a blur, with the AI artist quickly handed a rough sketch and brief details to craft a possible design for the jacket. Meanwhile, the investigative team immersed themselves once again in the case, dissecting every detail, trying to piece together what might have transpired. They were on a mission to track down the bus driver from that fateful day, and fortunately—or unfortunately—they eventually located him.

However, the driver's memory was a dead end. It had been a month since the incident, and all he could recall was dropping off those passengers downtown. He mentioned that the three foreigners had hurriedly disembarked, perhaps because of the rain, but he hadn't thought much of it at the time.

Amidst this flurry of activity, Wooyoung found himself in his office, seeking solace with closed eyes. He was attempting to sink into the embrace of his comfortable chair, savoring the cool breeze from the AC.

"Woo, I love you," Y/N whispered, resting her head on Wooyoung's warm, bareback and planting a soft kiss on his shoulder. Wooyoung chuckled, responding that he loved her even more.

Feeling playful, Y/N wrapped her arms around him from behind, burying her face in the crook of Wooyoung's neck, recalling just how ticklish he was almost everywhere. Without hesitation, she began tickling his stomach, causing Wooyoung to squirm under her touch.

Their bodies pressed close, and Wooyoung couldn't hold back the laughter as Y/N's playful assault continued. Finally, he managed to turn around, swiftly pinning Y/N beneath him, and gently restraining her wrists above her head. "You've become quite the troublemaker," he teased, his breath warm against her face.

"Well, I'm picking up a few tricks from Grace," Y/N replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes, prompting a deep, joyful laugh from Wooyoung. As he looked at her, Y/N gazed back, studying his features as if she were memorizing them, a hint of worry shadowing her expression. Wooyoung sensed her unease and released her wrists, leaning over her but keeping his arms at her sides.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" Wooyoung asked, his tone now filled with concern.

Y/N chuckled softly before speaking, "I missed you, missed this face, this glow," her eyes fixed on Wooyoung's warm, sunset-lit features. "So warm and loving." A tear welled up, escaping down her cheek.

"Please don't cry," Wooyoung whispered, his thumb brushing Y/N's cheek tenderly. "We've been through so much pain. I can't bear to lose you again."

"You have no idea how much I love you," Wooyoung continued, his forehead touching hers gently. "I'd go to hell and back to find you if anyone tried to take you away. You're mine."

"I'll never leave you," Y/N whispered back, her lips finding him in a deep, loving kiss. But their moment was cut short by a sudden knock. Y/N quickly pushed Wooyoung away, sitting up and grabbing her clothes to dress before anyone entered, Wooyoung did the same. "I think it's Grace," Y/N remarked with a hint of urgency.

Wooyoung was in the midst of getting ready when the unexpected knocking on his door startled him. "But she was supposed to come tomorrow," he muttered to himself, pulling up his pants hastily. He glanced around for his shirt, which he had casually tossed aside earlier.

As he hurriedly slipped on his shirt, Wooyoung called out, "Baby, are you dressed?" He chuckled, assuming Y/N was struggling with her own clothes. The knocking grew louder, making him feel uneasy. "Baby? Y/N?" Wooyoung continued, expecting a playful response

However, when he turned around, Y/N was nowhere to be seen. "Y/N? Where did you go?" His voice filled with a mix of confusion and concern, he checked the bathroom and scanned the room, but there was no sign of her. "Y/N?" The knocking now seemed to echo, causing his head to spin.

Panic started to set in as the room felt suffocatingly silent. Wooyoung struggled to catch his breath, his chest tightening inexplicably. Gripping his neck, he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. Just then, the door swung open. Wooyoung blinked rapidly as he came to, his chest rising and falling with each heavy breath.

Another dream about Y/N slipping away—each time, the pain felt fresh, cutting through the haze of sleep. His colleague, sensing his distress, hurried over and knelt beside him, gently stroking his palm to soothe him.

"Chief, it's okay. You're okay," she reassured him, rising swiftly to fetch a bottle of water. Wooyoung accepted it gratefully, drinking down the cool liquid in one go.

"A nightmare?" she asked softly, receiving a weary nod from Wooyoung.

"I think you need to rest, Chief," she suggested with genuine concern. "You hardly ever leave the office, and even when you do go home, I imagine you don't get much sleep. You're pushing yourself too hard."

"I'm fine," Wooyoung replied in a stern voice.

"No, you are not, Chief. To hell with the honorifics, Wooyoung. You need to think straight, be rational, and okay," Hyeri said firmly. Wooyoung looked at her with surprise—it was the first time she had talked to him informally.

"And you need to focus here. Dammit, Mingi is looking into Y/N's case. So be here, you lovesick gentleman."

"Mind your language and your own business, Hyeri!" Wooyoung shouted.

"I am minding my business. I need our office to be a little more positive so we can solve this case quickly. But sorry, Chief, ever since Y/N left—and I'm not just talking about a month ago—you've been the same as you were five years ago," she retorted, her voice rising. "And don't mind me, but I think this time she might not come back. So get your senses back."

"Get out!" Wooyoung shouted.

"That's what you do, isn't it? When things don't go your way, you become like this. You know, the main problem isn't Y/N—it's you. I wish Y/N never comes back," Hyeri growled as she stomped out of the cabin, leaving distraught Wooyoung alone in his office.

Alone in the quiet of the night, Wooyoung knelt down, overwhelmed by thoughts swirling in his mind. Hyeri's words echoed, planting seeds of doubt that gnawed at him. He left the police station long after everyone had gone home, the night duty officers now the only company left. Going home or staying at the office were both out of the question. He felt lost, unsure of where to turn or who to reach out to.

So, almost on autopilot, Wooyoung found himself gravitating towards the nearest club. Sitting at the bar, he ordered a whiskey neat, hoping it might dull the ache inside him. Glass after glass, he drank as if seeking solace at the bottom of each one. But instead of relief, the memories he wanted to escape flooded back stronger than ever.

The room spun around him, faces morphing into haunting images of Y/N and Grace. His body felt heavy, his mind clouded with the alcohol's embrace. The bartender, noticing his state, offered assistance, suggesting a cab. Wooyoung declined, stumbling out into the chilly night air.

Walking unsteadily down the street, he caught the disapproving glances of passersby, their eyes speaking volumes of silent judgment. Each step felt like a battle against his own body, the alcohol numbing his senses but failing to numb his pain.

Then, just as he stepped onto the pedestrian walk, he collided with someone. The man's voice cut through the haze, icy with irritation. Wooyoung blinked, trying to focus on the stranger obscured by a mask. He mumbled an apology, feeling like an intruder in the ordinary world around him.

The man's cold demeanor softened slightly as he chuckled, a mix of amusement and resignation. "Watch where you're going, buddy. Some of us still have places to be," he remarked before continuing on his way, muttering under his breath about the state of things nowadays.

As Wooyoung was about to take another step, the world around him suddenly dimmed, like someone had turned down the brightness on a screen. Before he knew it, he was collapsing right onto the pedestrian walk. The darkness seemed to envelop him, and a groan escaped his lips—not the kind of groan from hitting the ground, but one born from the ache in his heart.

Wooyoung lay there, feeling the weight of more than just his body. Thoughts swirled like distant sirens, distant flashes of worry. He knew this wasn't just physical pain. The ground beneath him felt unforgiving, matching the turmoil within.

Passersby paused, concern etching lines on their faces as they approached. One voice, gentle yet urgent, broke through the haze. "Are you alright? Can we help?" A hand reached out, offering both stability and comfort.

Wooyoung managed a weak nod "Take your time," another voice offered, calm and reassuring. "We're here."

For a moment, the darkness lightened just a bit. Wooyoung closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, allowing himself to relax for a bit. The pain in his heart didn't vanish, but somehow, it felt a bit more bearable maybe because of the alcohol in his system.

Part 8

[vickyvicarious]

I intend to do a separate post about the suitors specifically, but here are some scattered notes from Lucy's letter:

Thanks, and thanks, and thanks again for your sweet letter. It was so nice to be able to tell you and to have your sympathy.

Further evidence for Mina not always being a prompt correspondent, or just for Lucy being excitable/not having anyone else to talk to and sympathize with her? Either way, we do see here that Mina did respond to Lucy's last letter, so we aren't getting irrelevant correspondence but it does exist.

You and I, Mina dear, who are engaged and are going to settle down soon soberly into old married women, can despise vanity.

I guess it's because there is direct evidence as to who this refers to, but I'm surprised this line never has gotten any of the "Arthur and Jack got married" treatment. Why not choose to imagine that Mina and Lucy are engaged to one another as well as to their gentlemen? ;)

Arthur has just gone, and I feel in better spirits than when I left off, so I can go on telling you about the day.

Lucy was already engaged when she started the letter, which means that either he left afterwards and came back to spend more time with her the same day (super adorable), or he proposed, Lucy accepted, and then as soon as the first rush of joy had ended she was like, "sit right there, I must write Mina this instant with the news." (also super adorable). Either way, after she got caught up in emotion thinking about Jack's proposal, Arthur was able to comfort her!

(They're SUCH a cute couple you guys.)

I do not know myself if I shall ever speak slang; I do not know if Arthur likes it, as I have never heard him use any as yet.

Continuity error! In her letter on May 11, Lucy said, and I quote: "Dress is a bore. That is slang again, but never mind; Arthur says that every day."

This must be an example of the various suitors originally only being one or two roles. Arthur was the last-minute addition with Lucy originally slated to end up with Jack, I believe, so probably that early slang mention was meant to be the Quincey-figure. I personally am attached to the idea of Arthur using casual slang around Lucy (showing comfort in his presence and the ability to speak freely!) as well as Quincey inventing whole new fields of cowboy slang specifically for use around Lucy (recognizing her interests and playing up things that she enjoys to make her smile!), so I choose to disregard the last part of this line.

.

I've already said this before at some point I think, but the significance of hands in this entry is such a great contrast to the emphasis on Dracula's hands in Jonathan's diary! For Lucy, there is so much hand-clasping - always both hands, for extra sincerity - and it's a sign of respect and enduring love. Of the ability to accept a rejection but still stay loyal and shift your relationship to one the person can accept instead. It's a symbol of connection. Totally the exact opposite of Dracula's grasping, predatory hands.

[sapphic-woes]

Since I've been playing Apex nonstop....Sevika as a legend anyone? (Imma avoid the lore cuz I have yet to sit down and learn it fully yet;;)

Apex!Sevika x Reader

I'm thinking Sevika is an assault legend, probably uses her arm for special damage close range and rolls her ultimate with smth heavy. (Like Bangalore)

One the other hand, I think you would be either support, or a controller. Maybe even recon.

Anyways. I'm thinking this isn't your first rodeo. You've been apart of the Apex games way before Sevika shows up. You might look sweet, but you've had your fair share of kills.

But Sevika acts like she's a goddamn hotshot. She hits you with a sneer and chiding words to "aim next time." And even takes the time to pat you head when you're knocked down before finishing the job. (Ok look I dunno abt the lore but let's say in this au it rlly is like the game and you can revive and turn into a box when u die alright...)

So of course, in return you make sure she knows just how smug you are when you win against her. You don't get why Sevika always teases in the first place, but you sure as hell aren't letting her get away with it.

Slowly, everyone comes to know that you both have a sorta rivalry going on. Whenever anyone even mentions spotting Sevika, you're immediately dead set on knocking her down, and it's the exact same with her.

However. The fans notice too, and immediately the public see you both as the perfect set up for enemies to lovers.

You adore your fans, and always want to keep them entertained...but even you have a limit. However, this was a bloodsport, and entertainment came before your pride.

So that's how you find yourself landing on the edge of the map, doing duos with Sevika.

God. It's painful. She takes the shields you call dibs on, the guns from supply bins you open first, even the fucking knockdown shields you stumble upon!

Sevika ignores every time you suggest a location to check out, engages with the enemy without a plan, let alone a warning, and hardly ever acts like a team player. Yet?

"If you're going to be a fucking idiot and die, do it when you're on someone else's squad!" You hiss, dragging Sevika's body behind cover to revive her.

"Ugh, shit–the fucker has like, three hits left on him I swear–"

"And so do I. While he's trying to find us, think it's best to recharge ye?" You tsk, ignoring Sevika's near pout on her face and grumble that you could definitely still kill him. You played smart–played to win, but Sevika?

Honestly? You guessed this was more for the adrenaline rush than anything.

You pull out a syringe with a huff, bloody hands moving to undo her buttons Sevika raises an eyebrow, but youre immune to her subtle flirting, knowing damn well she just wants to get under your skin.

The skin just above her breasts is warm. Her chest heaves, pressing against the pads of your fingers. This close, you're breathing in her scent of gunpowder and cigarettes. Sevika grunts quickly, and her breath is hot against your ear. You nod, feeling her entire body brace before you stabbed her with the syringe. She grimaces, and you tsk, hauling her to her feet.

"Get knocked down on me again, and I'll fucking kill you." Sevika only quirks her dark lips up, and you can't help but think it's unfair. She looks breathtaking despite the mud, blood, and gunpowder covering her head to toe.

"Aw, you worried babe?" What did she just call me? Your cheeks burn at the petname, and you nearly follow through with your threat, pulling out your gun and aiming it at her.

"Huh? Wait! Y/n, are you seri–!"

However, rather than shoot her point blank you shot three times behind her. Your opponent falls to the ground, and you tilt your head in mild surprise as Sevika lets out a shaky breath.

"Huh. So it really was three."

"Well yeah, you said–wait...you were just guessing? You could have gotten us both killed!"

After that, you guys learn that you work, somehow. You get a lot more wins than when either of you are paired with someone else, and eventually you both only like teaming up together. You for the wins, and Sevika because to get a win, there's guaranteed heavy action.

However, as the malice between you two fades, the teasing becomes less superficial, the flirting has a dangerous edge to it all, and every time you come to Sevika's rescue....

Her eyes on you as you press the syringe into her exposed chest, mutter "c'mon, c'mon..." with worry are burning. They're hot as she watches you guard the door as she patches up, hungry as you down enemies easily before letting her know that was the last of the squad....and you didn't even break a sweat wiping them out yourself.

She thinks it's hot. To put it simply.

So one day. One random day of running from the ring, shooting down enemies and getting shot yourself, she goes for it.

"God Sev. How the fuck did you think you could take on three other teams like that? Why couldn't you just wait for me?" You grumble, slamming a door closed before promptly straddling the larger woman.

"Some legend you are, immediately getting gunned down." You speak as you undo her top, letting her rich, tantalizing skin be exposed to you. You glance at her face to see her eyes on you, calmly focusing in a way that infuriates you.

"God, what now? Are you even listening to me–"

"Nope. Not at all." That's it. You immediately stab her with the syringe, smirking when Sevika winces. Her body is a furnace under your legs as you lean forward to snarl.

"You're a fucking piece of shit you know that? I swear to God, I don't even know why I bother saving your ass–!" Lips stop your words mid sentence, and you gasp as Sevika suddenly leans forward to kiss you. Her hand snakes around to the back of your neck, holding you steady and she presses deeper.

Your body tingles, and your fingers holding the syringe tremble. You can't let go, she needs to heal...but she's going to kill you like this! Her metal arm is wrapping around your waist, trailing down your spine and coaxing out a whine from you. Sevika's lips curl into a smile against your own, and she hums with satisfaction.

Why is she doing this? You'd pay to know, shuddering as her teeth pull at your bottom lip when she finally lets you breathe. You huff, scarlet as a now-healed-Sevika eyes her handiwork. Your lips feel sensitive and warm, so you can only imagine how they look–kiss bruised and inviting her to do more.

"Why..." Sharply, a gunshot whizzes past your head, and both of you freeze before scrambling up onto your feet.

"How about we talk about this after we make sure not to die?"

"Definitely."

[themculibrary]

Steve Rogers + Female Pairings Masterlist

an unexpected engagement (ao3) - thedrih steve/natasha M, 208k

Summary: Natasha Romanoff has a huge crush on CEO Steve and decides that the company’s Christmas party is the perfect opportunity to win him over but she ends up exaggerating and after several disastrous events she wakes up in Steve’s bed without remembering how she got there. And the most surprising thing is that he makes her an unusual proposal: that she pretend to be her fiancée!

Steve Rogers is a workaholic CEO who, in order to escape the family’s insistence that he have a serious relationship, invents a fake bride. And when the family shows up by surprise and catches him with the employee he brought home drunk and passed out last night, he decides to make her a proposal: that Natasha pretend to be his fake bride.

What Steve doesn’t realize is that Natasha has much more elaborate plans for him, making him a very malicious counterproposal!

as safe as houses (ao3) - DizzyDrea maria/steve T, 25k

Summary: Senator Steve Rogers (R, NY) is a decorated war hero who has a deep and abiding desire to serve his country, which may or may not include someday running for President. Maria Hill is a veteran Air Force pilot working in the private sector and bored out of her mind. When Steve finds himself needing a private security detail for a trip to France, he hires Shield Security and Maria becomes his constant companion. They grow closer as the trip progresses, but can they survive what’s coming to find out if their Paris sojourn could turn into something real?

Can't Blame Me For Secretly Hoping (ao3) - agentx13 sharon/steve G, 21k

Summary: After Natasha tries so hard to set them up, Steve and Sharon decide to get one over on her and prove once and for all that they aren't meant to be together. Naturally, not everything goes according to plan.

Counterfeit and Counterpart (ao3) - Frea_O maria/steve M, 28k

Summary: Five times Maria Hill doesn’t understand Natasha Romanoff, and why she might be better off that way.

dearly beloved (ao3) - Hollyspacey darcy/steve E, 21k

Summary: Darcy has 99 problems, and her first assignment for SHIELD is, like, 98 of them.

As if going back home to deal with all of the people who made her childhood miserable wasn’t bad enough, she’s also stuck in holy matrimony with a surly supersoldier who can’t even deal with her under normal circumstances.

Delightful Delicious De-Lovely (ao3) - Wandering_Swain gamora/steve G, 2k

Summary: Gamora is on a mission to Terra with a personal objective of great importance.

fill out the form first (ao3) - flowermasters peggy/steve G, 3k

Summary: Peggy and Steve meet in the most mundane of ways. That is, of course, before the bank heist.

Floral Engagement (ao3) - ABrighterDarkness, NachoDiablo pepper/steve T, 5k

Summary: The cute blond florist keeps gifting Pepper flowers. She's determined not to read into it. But she really should.

flowers (ao3) - includewomeninthesequel steve/peggy E, 91k

Summary: She was light, warmth, and life.

She was everything he wasn’t, and everything that he didn’t know he wanted - needed - until this moment.

A Steggy love story inspired by the myth of Hades and Persephone, with more than one twist along the way.

how to measure distance between two points (ao3) - frostian jane/steve T, 63k

Summary: Dr. Jane Foster and her assistant, Darcy Lewis, have arrived at the Avengers Initiative compound in Upstate New York for personal safety. To everyone’s shock Dr. Foster reveals she has finally succeeded in not only opening up the Einstein-Rosen Bridge but controlling it, essentially creating a human version of the Bi-Frost that would allow visitors from all Nine Realms and beyond.

This unforeseen success will no doubt attract the attention of both AIM and Hydra, one of which succeeded in kidnapping the women only weeks before. Captain Rogers, still at odds with the powers-that-be about his friend, Bucky Barnes, will have to use not only his military prowess but cunning and intelligence in order to ensure the women’s safety. Because, as it turns out, the good doctor and her assistant have a knack for creating havoc all on their own.

i've seen the future (and it looks an awful lot like you) (ao3) - em_a steve/peggy T, 12k

Summary: In the 1940s, Peggy finds a way to move on.

In 2023, Steve makes his way back.

They meet somewhere in the middle. (And they finally get that dance.)

just between us (ao3) - LiandravZ steve/natasha G, 43k

Summary: Two years had gone by since they last saw each other. The big question is: how do you talk to someone whose heart you’ve shattered?

Does it ever begin with a, hello? hey? Or Hi, how have you been? She doesn’t have a fucking clue.

las vegas (ao3) - elcapitan_rogers steve/natasha E, 219k

Summary: Steve was freaking out over his own wedding and the gang decided to take him to Las Vegas to unwind him.

love alight like electric touch (ao3) - dioncchusmic steve/natasha, steve/wanda G, 71k

Summary: Liberal lawyer Natasha Romanoff is doing everything that she can to prevent the community ballet center from it’s destruction, wherein the said ballet center is bought by SHIELD Industries, aka Steve Rogers’ company.

They come into an agreement that he won’t destroy the community ballet center as long as she works for him as his Chief Counsel, what happens when Natasha agrees and finds out more than what she’s bargained for?

My Heart Was Never Pure (ao3) - agentx13 sharon/steve/natasha G, 15k

Summary: how Natasha came to believe she might be worth being loved after all.

oh no! (ao3) - grimeysociety darcy/steve, pepper/tony E, 89k

Summary: Tony Stark is running for President, and he wants Darcy Lewis to run his campaign. She must navigate the new world of dirty politics and grandstanding, with her rival campaign manager Steve Rogers complicating every part of her professional and personal life.

radio silent (ao3) - hecklesyeah maria/steve M, 77k

Summary: “I shouldn’t be doing this.”

“What, stuff yourself with breakfast food for dinner?”

“I haven’t even decided which pie to have for dessert. No, this,” she says and gestures between them. “I shouldn’t be doing this. And yet here I am.”

- - -

Alternately: the one where Maria and Steve navigate a relationship and where Tony and Bucky figure out how to move forward from a murderous elephant in the room.

the guest (ao3) - orphan_account steve/darcy, jane/thor, bucky/sam M, 113k

Summary: “Darcy…?”

Her focus snapped back to Steve, fear now dominating her face. “Steve, I’m going to ask you something and it’s probably going to be…strange.”

He nodded, already having an idea as to what she may be getting ready to ask.

“When, am I?”

“It’s September 30th, 1942.”

Darcy hung her head, hiding her face from him and Steve as her shoulders shook. It was only a couple of moments later that she righted herself, hiding her shock and heartbreak behind a wry expression.

“Well, fuck me sideways. I’m not really sure how to go forward from here.”

tonight, we are young (ao3) - thebrightestbird peggy/steve G, 4k

Summary: “I might have made a wish on the Tesseract that could have had something to do with Peggy getting younger.”

Steve and Peggy get a second chance to live a lifetime together. There are a few details to work out first.

What Lies Within (ao3) - Steggy peggy/steve G, 7k

Summary: It's Christmas. Brooklyn is blanketed in snow, and as the brunette agent peers out the window, tea in hand, she ponders the day to come, the surprises in store, and most of all, the soldier asleep in her bed.