#and the Black options were “african-american” and “Black african”

[rebellum]

Sitting white americans down and holding their hands and giving them a cup of tea and gently explaining that Not All Black People Are American

[ldysmfrst]

American Mate (7) - Is This a Joke

Paring: Hybrid!BTS Ot7 x Plus-sized Human FemReader

Status: Ongoing series

Chapter number: 7 of unknown

Word count for Chapter: 8,093

Work count for Story: 33,341

Genre: Hybrid Playmate Au inspired by works created by @yoongiofmine

A little about the author: I am a mother of two beautiful children. One of which is special needs, and on 3/28, they lost 75% of their vision. I started a Patreon if you feel the heart to donate towards helping with the medical costs of appointments, medication, and modifications to the house, which insurance doesn't cover.

Warnings: (I am not good at this, but I will try. Let me know if I missed anything!!) NOT BETA READ!! This story will have a bit of angst, fluff, smut, f/m, m/m, and m/f/m. This chapter does have Anxiety, arguments, comfort, Alpha Space, close proximity, and scenting.

BTS HYBRID ANIMAL TYPES: Seokjin - Roan Ferret, Yoongi - Black Jaguar, Hoseok - Marten, Namjoon - Alaskan Timber Wolf, Jimin - Red Panda, Taehyung - White Southwest African Tiger, Jungkook - Flemish Giant Rabbit

AMERICAN MATE MASTER LIST / LDYSMFRST MASTER LIST

Silence. 

Total silence.

No one was breathing. Hell, your heart even stopped. Did he seriously tell you to become a Playmate? He didn’t even have the… whatever to ask you; he just told you.

How can he think that is even a possibility? It is not like one can just become a Playmate. There are rules, regulations, requirements, and a bunch of things you have to pass, which there is no way on this green Earth that you would pass.

Unknown to you, the pack's eyes shoot at Namjoon, just as shocked as you are because he never shared this proposition with them before making it. That is not the option that they thought of.  The scents in the room turned this way and that with confusion, shock, and concern.

Why would he suggest limiting their actions to only what a Playmate can do? You are their mate. You are not a toy to play with. How does this promise anything besides you having to stay near them and service them as a companion?

The whole idea of a Playmate was to take care of them, be their friend, help them relieve stress, or become a rut fuck buddy. Playmates were never meant to be a long-term commitment. While they wouldn't mind you doing any of that as their mate, the title of Playmate would make you think of everyone as only a job, right?

Giggling rings in the room, and the sound causes everyone to snap their eyes back to you as their thoughts come to a screeching halt. Under normal circumstances, such an angelic sound would have them cooing. This time, it has their ears standing straight, their hackles raised, and their Alphas pacing in their minds.

Your giggling bubbled to outright laughter as you looked at Namjoon with a slightly crazed look on your face, causing his smile to change into confusion as his confidence in his choice melted away. The look and your laugh reminded him of that one Quin character in the films the kids watch, which is not good.

"You're joking, right? Hahahaha. Pft... haha… Playmate… me!" You looked around the room to see you were the only one laughing, which only caused you to laugh even more. Your scent was spiking in so many ways that the boys were getting dizzy from it.

"You have GOT to be kidding me. This is … am I a joke to you?" You question, standing abruptly and stomping closer to Namjoon and Seokjin, making the boys startle with your movement “Do I look like a Playmate?” you ask while gesturing to your whole body and spinning around to accentuate your point.

"I have been doing nothing but abiding by Yoongi’s and the pack’s wishes since I got hurt,” with a deep breath, you close your eyes and stand as tall as your scent shuts off like it was never there to begin with.

“And now you are toying with me." Shaking your head, you mumble, “Just like everyone else.”

"Miss Y/n," Namjoon starts trying to explain himself, but all you can think of are excuses and lies that you have heard before that he might come up with if you let him keep going.

"No," snapping your eyes open and pinning them on the Prime Alpha.

"No excuses,” you step back.

“No lies,” another step.

“No more playing fun and games.” You turn to Jungkook with wide, panicked eyes and demand, “I need the address of this Airbnb so that I can call Derek or Evie to come and get me. NOW.”

“I want nothing to do with this sick joke of yours,” voice cracking at your declaration. It would help to get out of here before you start crying, which is your next step. 

You really want to cry out of frustration because you thought they would be different. You may not consider yourself Army, but Lily was, and with how highly he talked about the kindness of BTS, you thought they would be different. 

How gullible were you? Did you let your guard down just because of their on-stage personas? How often did you try to convince Lily that it was all an act, yet here you were, bending to their little game with some purring, chirping, and Alpha eyes?

Then again, it's you, the plus-sized four-eyed nobody. Why would the hottest band in the world treat you as anything other than entertainment to pass the time? Get with the program and get yourself back into your walls before you get hurt like before.

You see Jungkook, one of two who helped you calm down before, ignoring you and nervously picking at the rip in his jeans. Then, you finally notice that everyone is actively avoiding looking at you. Realizing that no one is coming to your aid, you stand tall and steel yourself to go and find someone who will, like their manager.

“I am going home,” you announce to the pack. Heading towards the hall, you are stopped by your black tail leash and a hand on your good wrist.  Taking a forceful breath, "Mr. Min."

You turn to face him, only to be met with powerful golden-yellow eyes that stop you in your tracks. You have seen them before, but they have never been this close—the molten gold bleeding into a darker brass surrounding the oblong jet-black pupil. Being the focus of those eyes with the discussion at hand makes you nervous but unafraid.

He steps forward to where you stand, making you practically nose-to-nose with the Alpha jaguar. His eyes search yours as his scent crashes over the room like a storming ocean wave.

Yoongi may not be the Prime Alpha, but he is strong enough to be one if he wants to be. His strength and dominance cause the pack members to hold on to each other, waiting for his next move.

He slowly reaches up and wipes away a tear you didn’t notice was falling. Bringing the tear to his lips, his tongue darts to taste it, and his face scrunches with deep concern.

"Y/n scent gone. Tastes hurt. Pain," he says as his hand returns to your face, cupping your cheek. The warmth only makes it much harder to keep your tears at bay. Your body starts to shake slightly, and you notice when it registers to the Alpha touching you.

Yoongi moves to leave the living room with you in tow. He takes hold of your good hand and says, "Come. Keep Safe. Promise. "

You don’t answer, your eyes focusing on his chest because you cannot take the fierceness of his eyes right now without breaking down.  After a few more seconds, he looks past you with narrow eyes at his Prime Alpha to say, “Leave alone."

Deciding for you, Yoongi, gently but without room for struggle, walks you out of the living room. Stepping into the hall, he looks at the door in front of him and then at the staircase down the hall. He turns to you. "Room?" He points to the closed door and then to the stairs. "Den?"

The next thing Namjoon knows, a pillow hits the side of his head from an unknown packmate. Turning to look for who it was, he gets hit by another. This one, however, ends up landing on Seokjin as well, causing the shock that had settled over the room to break.

"What the hell was that?!?!" Seokjin demands after hearing you go upstairs with Yoongi. Standing up, he walks over to the other side of the room. His irritation hits a limit that he hasn’t dealt with in a long time.

"Prime Alpha, with all due respect… have you lost your mind?" questions Taehyung, leaning back on the couch with arms crossed as he does his best to hold his Alpha back from taking over and storming up the stairs after you.

"Guys, think about it! She can pay for her flat and keep her independence. Come on… it would require her not to leave our side for the length of the contract," Namjoon defends himself.

"Yeah, the contract! That is all she will think it is—a contract job. We will only be a source of income for her, Hyung," Jungkook complains, his legs jumping with nerves. Throwing the pillows did his anger no good.

"Namjoon-ah, you know the rules and regulations that fall on Playmates. You know that she won't qualify, and I am not just talking about the ridiculous physical standards that they have in place. She is supposed to take care of us and be there for us. There is cooking, cleaning, and stuff. How can she do that with a broken wrist, huh?" Hoseok chimes in. “How can you ask that of her?”

Standing from the chair, Namjoon circles it. Gathering his thoughts, he rests his hands on the back of it, almost like it's a wall between him and his mates. "She will be able to care for us. Listen. Rules of a Playmate are pretty much what you said, Hobah.”

“Don’t you Hobah me right now, Namjoon! You are on thin ice. If you cost us our mate, you will not find yourself having a good time—at least not from me any time soon,” growls the Martin hybrid.

“Sorry, Hoseok-hyung,” Namjoon says, his scent filling with a slight smokiness as he starts to understand how much he may have messed up. “But really, think about it. The contract requires her to be with us at the packhouse or when we go somewhere, correct?"

Seeing his packmates nod, he continues, "This, technically, does not mean she has to do anything other than physically be there. No typing, cleaning, cooking, or labor of any kind. She isn’t required to do it unless we ask for it.

"She will take care of us by letting us care for her. All our Alphas will be happy to do so while she is healing. We all know that Yoongi-hyung will not be able to perform or do anything well if he is concerned that Y/n is not healing well.

“She already is instinctually being a mate by allowing our Alphas to act on their instincts, like with Yoongi right now and Jungkook in the office and back when the doctor was here. Having her as a Playmate will also be the best way for her to care for herself without the added financial stress. She is independent, and we can all see that. This way, she can keep that while learning to depend on us as mates."

Still watching their reactions, he concludes, "During that time, we will care for her and follow our instincts. We must show how well we can provide for her by tending to her needs, protecting her, and loving her as only her mates can."

"You want us to court her while she is our Playmate?" Jimin asks, watching the Prime Alpha nod. He looks around at the others, who now have contemplating looks on their faces. “I don’t get how this will work.”

"Namjoon-ah, I can see what you mean, and this may work, but what if she doesn't let us?” Hoseok questions.

“I want to cuddle with her, feed her, and feel her, but she wouldn't even take a bottle of water. She tried to run to a solo seat in the van to keep her distance from us. What makes you think she would feel comfortable accepting our courting gestures?" Hoseok continues challenging the Prime Alpha. "What happens when we interact with each other? How will she be comfortable joining in or being around that?"

"Do what you did with me," Jungkook says shyly. "Show her we are in it for more than just her being our Playmate. The companionship the contract states is not the only relationship we want because we want something deeper and stronger.”

Looking around the room with his big doe eyes, he continues, “She doesn't seem to mind cuddling with me. Next time we cuddle, maybe someone else can join. Or anyone can try to cuddle with her, and then if we are cuddling with each other, we can invite her to join in."

"Jungkook is right. Keeping the door open with baby steps is our best bet,” Namjoon smiles, knowing he has the youngest on his side now. “She may not even know what hybrid courting looks like.”

Running his hands through his hair, Namjoon continues, “Y/n has seen plenty of Playmate and client interactions. She should understand the intricacies that are involved with typical contracts. It’s good that none of us are due for a rut while on the tour, even if she has connected with two of us on an instinctual level.”

“She doesn’t know any of this though, Hyung,” Jimin whines, “How do we let her know that she isn’t going to be a regular Playmate for us, like the one who left us? Who is going to explain courting to her? What will let her know that when we flirt with her or ask her to join us for intimate times, we aren’t just using the contract to do so?”

Silence fills the room as everyone is deep in thought. 

Hoseok jumps up, “What if we showed her the other contracts we have had in the past? Show her that we are exclusive to packmates for our ruts. This way, she doesn’t think we want her for sex but for friendship to start with?”

Smiling at his words, Namjoon adds, “Good. Now, we need the rest of us to follow Yoongi-hyung and Jungkook-ah.  We need to find ways to deepen our connection with her. Meanwhile, we must show her how we interact as mates, our desire for her, and what we are meant to be for her.”

"Wh… What happens when the contract ends?" Taehyung worries. 

After a beat of silence, Seokjin speaks up while looking down the hall, "When the contract ends, we hope she understands that she is our mate and we did our job to prove we are the mates she deserves."

‘Become our Playmate... become our Playmate… Our Playmate.’ The words are replaying in your mind on a never-ending loop. His look of confidence is seared into your brain. It is like he thought it was the perfect ending to the world’s best joke or something. What else would it be?

Pressing your palms to your eyes as hard as possible, you try to think of what is going on in his head to propose that idea. Another voice in your head says what a waste you are, how you always are a disappointment and are a stain in the world.

The door opens, and you drop your hands to see Yoongi standing a little to the side. “Den not…um… no time but ready,” he says, looking around the room and then back at you.

“I understand you haven't settled in yet. Alpha, may I come in?” you ask, remembering that with any hybrid, it is better to have explicit permission to enter a den or a nest so you don’t upset them.

At his nod, you went into the room. It looks similar to the guest room but is a bit larger. Full-sized beds are on each side of the room, with a lovely natural wood shelving unit that splits the room in half. There are plenty of windows to brighten the space on both sides.

On one side, luggage lies unopened on the bed. On the other side, luggage is opened on the ground, and some clothes are tossed around. Looking over your shoulder at the Alpha, you hug yourself and wait for him to tell you where to go. 

Yoongi notices your hesitance and gently pushes at your upper back, guiding you past the bed to the attached bathroom you didn’t notice. The marble on the counters and walls is beautiful black, white, and gold. There is a double sink, a shower that looks like it has enough shower heads for an entire house, and a large jacuzzi tub. 

You get lost in wonder at the richness of the bathroom alone. You know this is an Airbnb, but did they build this house to be an Airbnb, or did it just become one? Who needs that many shower heads? Your evident astonishment allows Yoongi to hug you from behind, catching you off guard. 

“Y/n, sorry. Pack, sorry,” he says softly as he rests his head on your shoulder. “Take bath. Relax. Then talk. Towel and clothes on toilet. Outside. I will guard.” With that, he leaves and shuts the bathroom door. 

Well, that apparently was not a suggestion. However, a bath does sound nice, and it would be the easiest way to clean up and keep your brace dry. Moving to the tub, you turn on the faucet and take notice of the different bath salts, scrubs, and bombs.  

After picking a violet and vanilla bath bomb, only because Yoongi did say to relax, you slowly undress. The slowness is not by choice. Yeah, buttons are not your friend anymore. Slipping into the bath, you think about your day. So much has happened in the last 24 or so hours.

1 - BTS shows up two weeks early when the big shots are still gone. 

2 - They hate all the Playmates we had offered for whatever reason.

3 - You (and they) sent mixed signals from their arrival.

4 - Yoongi and you got into an accident.

5 - You broke your wrist, which will take forever to heal.

6 - They want you to be a Playmate.

Now, you are kicking yourself for not attending some of the seminars on the second gender of hybrids. You learned what you do know about hybrids because you grew up with Evie and her pack.

Your mom moved you and your brother to California when you were still in elementary school. Your brother, however, was in high school already and tended to travel whenever he could; he still does this today. You might as well have been an only child. 

When you were unloading (getting in the way of) the moving truck, the neighbors noticed your attempts to help and decided to have you come over to their house. Once the beta Tabby hybrid noticed you ‘helping,’ he introduced you to Evie, and that was it. The two of you were hardly ever separated, so Evie’s family included you on some of their pack trips. 

The only thing was that Evie’s pack didn’t have an Alpha, so you never got to learn anything about them. With how strong Evie’s dad, Earl, was, the pack never sought out an Alpha. You didn’t have much exposure in Colorado; as far as you knew, Alphas were uncommon to run into.

Now, thinking back on it, you see that your mother seemed only to tolerate your visiting Evie’s pack house. Your mother, Earl, and his mate Gwen never did come to your house, nor did they ever really talk to your mother other than getting permission to take you on trips. You were only allowed to go if you met a list of chores or agreed to attend certain events; it was always a bartering challenge with your mother and these trips.

Plus, you were human, so why would it be something to worry about? You were in college before you saw more than one Alpha in a single day, much less several in a week.

“Manager-nim, we need your help. Miss Y/n’s wrist is broken, and she cannot use it for upwards of eight weeks,” states the Prime Alpha.

Taking a sharp breath, Manager Sejin starts formulating options: “How did she take it?”

“Well, she took that rather well? She is rightfully concerned about functioning in her day-to-day life without her dominant hand. Also concerned with her… umm… her employment,” Namjoon beats around the bush, not wanting to get yelled at by his manager for his proposal like he was from his pack.

Silence is what comes from the other side of the call. “Manager-nim?”

Placing the container, he is holding down and braces himself against the counter. Manager Sejin has been with the pack since the beginning, and he knows when Namjoon isn’t saying what really needs to be said. Sighing, he asks, “What did you do, now?” 

“I offered her to stay at the packhouse as I should, being the Prime Alpha. I told her we would care for her until she healed and that she would not have to worry about paying for anything while she was here. She did bring up concerns about her flat and other bills,” he paused, taking a breath, “so … itoldhertobecomeourPlaymate.”

The next thing Namjoon hears is animalistic chattering intermixed with very human cursing. Yeah, that’s not a good sign. Unless powerful emotions are involved, the manager is skilled at keeping his hybrid hamster behaviors at bay.

“Manager-nim, you see, it would keep her with us so we can fulfill our responsibilities as Alphas. It would allow her to work and not compromise her finances. Plus, it will allow her to get to know us while convincing her that she is our mate,” explains Namjoon, hoping their manager would be easier to convince than some of his mates.

A deep sigh is heard, “And how did she take that?”

“Umm... not well, actually,” reluctantly Namjoon answers.

“I can tell I am going to get a migraine from this,” Manager Sejin rubs his temple. "Continue.”

“She laughed, but not in a ‘that is funny’ kind of way but more of a ‘that’s crazy’ kind of way. She flat-out refused and wouldn’t let me explain before she basically said we were playing a mean joke on her,” explained Namjoon, realizing more and more how screwed up everything had become now.

“Let me guess– none of the pack tried to help convince her of this GRREEAAT option of yours?” snarkily asked Manager Sejin.

“They didn’t know. I-ah… I just blurted it out,” Namjoon sighed. “I was panicking.”

“It serves you right to have her refuse you. Hell, I would have, too, if I were her. Namjoon-ssi, you should know better! For someone so intelligent, sometimes you are…” sigh. “Never mind. Where is she now? Do I need to get a van ready? Do I need to get the lawyers ready?”

“No, no van or lawyers,” confirms Namjoon before he pauses to continue. “Well, she did threaten to call her friends to come get her, but that was before she left with Yoongi-hyung.”

“SHE LEFT WITH YOONGI!” Sejin jumps up from leaning on the counter and dashes towards the front door.

“NO! No, no, no, not like left the pack house left. He went back into Alpha Space. He told me to leave her alone and took her to his den.” After briefly pausing, he said, “It sounds like she is taking a bath. Hopefully, she will calm down. Jin-hyung is going to go and talk with them.”

Putting his keys back down, Sejin sighs in relief. “If anyone can get you out of this mess, it will be him. Namjoon-ssi, you are an incredible Prime Alpha, but you get weird when you get a new mate. I thought by now you would be better at it.

“Namjoon-ssi, I will investigate how to modify their contract with our lawyers. IF, and this is a big if, she agrees, you may have something. Is that okay?” says Manager Sejin to reassure that while he thinks this is the stupidest way to court a mate, he still supports Bangtan Pack.

“Please, Manager-nim. Maybe if she sees what we mean written down, it will also help. Oh, and the pack wants her to see our previous agreements with other Playmates,” he adds before he takes a deep breath and ends the call. Namjoon nods to his mates to confirm that their manager is working to help make this happen, allowing the pack to relax.

The turning on of a shower indicates that you are most likely just rinsing off from your bath and should be out soon. The pack turns to Seokjin as he narrows his eyes at Namjoon.

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Looking at the change of clothes left, you debate on even trying them. You are not sure if they would fit, but you remember seeing the random lives Lily has shown you and note that Yoongi tends to wear baggy clothes. 

You also know that whenever you are around Derek, and he is in one of his moods, he always feels better when you and Evie wear clothes he keeps around for the two of you that he has scented or has worn himself.

The struggle to put on your undergarments with damp skin ends in frustration. You give up, and they join the bundle of your clothes on the floor next to the sink. So, you go ahead and wear the provided sweatpants and hoodie, which luckily fit sans underwear. 

The smell of petrichor surrounds you, making you smile. Your family and human friends always thought you were strange because you loved the smell of fresh rain and wet earth. The hybrids you have met and connected with never seem to question your love for different and unique smells.

Looking at yourself in the mirror, you are happy at how soft and comfy the clothes are. The pants were tight on you but not uncomfortably so, and the hoodie was long enough to cover your backside, so no one could tell you weren’t wearing anything under them.

Wait… what does the big V on the hoodie stand for? You were curious enough to look at the tag, which proudly states that you are now wearing a Valentino Hoodie, of all things. 

Fuck! Why can’t he have a normal person’s hoodie for you to wear?

This is totally not like the Walmart sweater you lounge in at home. You don’t even want to try to figure out where the pants are from. For all you know, you could pay rent with the money it costs to buy what you’re wearing now.

Walking out of the bathroom, you are trying to twist a towel around your long hair and toss it on top of your head to reveal that Yoongi is no longer alone in the den. “Welcome to our den, Y/n. Sorry, it was not ready for guests, but well, you know. We all got here at the same time,” Seokjin says with a shy smile while Yoongi’s eyes roam your form covered in his clothes.

“Oh, I understand, Mr. Kim. I am sorry for coming into your den without your permission. I didn’t realize it was a shared den until after I was inside,” you bow slightly in apology, sending your hair towel spiraling to the floor. 

Grabbing the towel and standing up, you look around, not sure what you should do since Yoongi and Seokjin have taken the bed, and there is no other seating on this side of the room. Looking back at the two Alphas, you smile shyly. 

“Come here, dear. Let Yoongi-ah dry your hair while we talk.” Seokjin pats the bed between the two of them, and Yoongi holds up a hairbrush. “Yes, we do need to talk,” taking a deep, calming breath of petrichor, you sit cross-legged on the bed with your back to Yoongi. His hands go to your waist to help you scoot into the right spot. “Comfy?” he asks with his still Alphan eyes.

Attempting to ignore the tingle in your spine from his hands on you, you answer, “Yes, Alpha. I appreciate your help. Don’t worry about brushing too hard. I am used to having a multitude of knots that won’t come out.”

You don’t get to see Yoongi's look of confusion, but you do see Seokjin’s concern. “My hair likes to curl when wet, so it knots up quickly. I washed my hair this morning, so it's just wet from lying in the bath. There are no products in it anymore.”

Seokjin chuckles, “Y/n, you are more than welcome to use anything we have while you are here. Yoon offered you a bath, meaning you can use anything he offers.”

“I used the violet and vanilla bath bomb. Yoongi said to relax, and the smell of vanilla always helps me do that,” you commented to let the Alpha behind you know that you did accept his stuff to help you relax, as you were told. A bright smile graces both of the Alpha’s faces at your confession. The mate scent is comforting for you, which is making them feel more at ease.

“Dry, brush now. Relax more. Time to talk,” Yoongi says as he gently dries your locks with the towel you brought. “Are you okay if we talk, Y/n? I know today has been a lot for you. I will respect your request to leave you alone if that is what you really want,” Seokjin calmly states, but the pained worry in his expression has you nodding your head for him to continue. 

Seokjin expresses a little anger at the wolf hybrid downstairs, saying, “I will not excuse what Namjoon did. He didn’t talk with the rest of us before he proposed what he did, so we were shocked, as you were.”

“He didn’t? Is that why Yoongi said the pack was sorry?” you interrupted with a shocked look of disbelief.

“I am sure Yoongi heard us confront Namjoon once we knew you were upstairs,” he says, pointing to his tiny ferret-hybrid ears. So yes, the pack is sorry that the idea of you becoming our Playmate came out so… abruptly.”

Narrowing your eyes at his choice of words, you state, “But you are not sorry that he went for that option in the first place.”

Taking your good hand, Seokjin pushes out his cherry scent along with the vanilla to help keep you calm as he tries to salvage the offer; he explains, “Y/n, I am going to be straight with you. Our Prime Alpha will have a lot of begging to do to be back in the good graces of the rest of the pack for how he handled this, but what he offers… makes sense.” When you hear this, a scowl grows on your face, but you pause as the scent of cherries, rain, and vanilla fills your lungs. After a beat, you ask, “How? Why? I mean, like… really, how?” Pulling your hand closer, Seokjin focuses on his thumb, rubbing your forearm, his wrist brushing against yours. His eyes focus on the movement while he tries to think of the best way to explain the situation. Yoongi takes this moment to rest one leg on each side of yours and scoots closer, “I brush your hair.”

“What do you know of the Playmate contracts?” inquiries Seokjin. “Oh. Ah… Well, I know there are two kinds of contract: Companion or friend contract and partner or rut and heat-based contract. Both can be done individually, as a group, or as a sub-group. Doctors, lawyers, and managers are also involved. Honestly, that is all Derek’s department. I schedule meetings and set up health screenings and such. From my experiences, most of the American Hybrid Idols only take partner contracts.” “You are not wrong about the types, but it seems you may not have a clear understanding of their limits or allowances. Also, what one idol does will not imply what others will do,” clarifies the eldest Bangtan Packmate. “I get that,” you quickly say. “Derek said that due to hybrid health, most, if not all, companion contracts must include some partner option for heats and ruts. Especially if it is a longer-term contract.”

A soft huff is heard from behind you. You start to turn to look at Yoongi, only to have one of his hands slide around your shoulder and up your neck to your jaw. Your breath hitches at the movement, and you will yourself not melt into a puddle. 

“Keep looking at Jin-hyung, Y/n. Your hair is almost done.” Yoongi orders before moving his hand away and goes back to brushing the last bit of your hair. 

Blinking your eyes, you see a smirk on Seokjin’s face as his white little fluffy ears twitch in amusement. “Sorry, Alpha.” Looking past you, Seokjin says, “Welcome back, Yoongi-ah. Is your Alpha settled now?”

“Yes, Hyung. She smells like me, and that calmed him down quickly, though her sweet pea scent has not come out yet,” Yoongi answers with a slight husk at the end, showing his displeasure that you are still hiding from them.

Looking at your injured wrist, it dawns on you that you must have turned off your scent again. “Sorry– again. I do that without knowing sometimes, but it will come back… eventually.”

“No worries, Dear,” Seokjin says to dispel thoughts about forcing your scent to return. “Anyways, back to the contacts. Our Prime Alpha is having Manager Sejin gather our previous Playmate contracts to be brought over for you to review.” This comment has your eyes snapping to Seokjin quickly, as those are customarily kept quiet, but he explains, “We want you to see that we have never taken a Playmate for more than a companion. All ruts are handled within the packmates because we are a mate-bonded pack.” “Oh, so when he suggested I be your Playmate, it wasn’t a sex-driven conquest thing…” you nod in contemplation, “but that still doesn’t explain why. It explains that you aren’t taking advantage of me, but still…” Pulling you against his chest, Yoongi hugs you close. Leaning to where you can see his face, he smiles, “We would never take advantage of you, and do not think that because our past Playmates were not a sex-driven thing, we do not find you appealing.”

You blush at the implications of his words. Unable to hold his gaze, you try to clear your head and look at the older Alpha, “How can I be your Playmate?” “Simple,” he states. “Care for us.”

“Like it is that simple. I have a broken wrist," you argue back. “Caring for us, for a pack of Alphas, is different from how you have to care for your family pack.” Seokjin explains, “You were injured in an accident involving this pack. We all know that you will need assistance in caring for yourself and your things.” “As a respectful and responsible pack of Alphas, we will follow our instinct and culture to provide for you during this time. As Prime Alpha said, you will pay for nothing while you are with us. If you are contracted as a Playmate during that time, it will allow you to pay your rent, utility bills, etc.”

“Y/n,” Yoongi calls for your attention as he hooks your legs over his and turns you to see him better. “We… actually no. I will speak for myself. I will not be able to function well knowing that you are on your own trying to make things work.”

With his eyes flashing to his Alpha briefly, “My Alpha and I are not going to be able to go about our schedule without worrying about you all the time. At this point, I would prefer you stay as close as possible to me or a packmate. I can understand that it can be a bit much.”

“Having you by our side,” Seokjin chimes in, “granting our Alphas to express the instinct to care for you will be your way of fulfilling the contract.” Looking between them, your head swims, “What about the domestic stuff? I hear about Playmates talking about laundry, making sure their idols eat, and stuff like that.”

Clearing someone’s throat quickly draws your attention to the den door. A few other packmates are shyly standing just outside the threshold. In the middle of the gathering, Jungkook says, “You won’t have to do any of that, Y/N, we really want to take care of you. We want to treat you right. We want to support you.”

“Come in, my loves,” Seokjin calls.

At his permission, Jungkook bounds forward and kneels on the floor at your feet, resting his head on your knees again. Taehyung joins him on the floor and leans against Seokjin. Hoseok and Jimin also sit on the floor. Looking toward the door, you wait for the Prime Alpha to come in, too, but no one else does. Confusion and almost a hurt look come to your face for a moment before you look at the boys present. 

The next to speak up is Hoseok, “Namjoon-ah is waiting for Manager Sejin downstairs. He didn’t think you would want to see him right now. He knows he went about this wrong, but let him come to you, and don’t go easy on him. His primeness can be on his knees, and groveling a little won’t hurt him.”

This causes you to blush and giggle, causing the whole room to smile. The scents of cherries, rain, snickerdoodles, ebony, oranges, and lilac fill the room like potpourri with a warm vanilla underneath. Slowly, you relax a little more as the scent of your (unknown to you) mates rolls over you. You lean into Yoongi, seeking the comfort of his presence in the now-filled room. “Thank you all for coming up here. Seokjin explained to me that Prime Alpha's action was a surprise for all of us,” you say, looking around at the boys on the floor as they nod.

“It is just so much right now for me. I am overwhelmed. It has been explained that it wasn’t meant as some big joke, and you are trying to follow instincts—instincts I don’t know anything about.” Looking back at your hands, you ask, “If you would explain what you each would expect, I think that would help.”

With a soft bump of his nose on your cheek, you look at Yoongi, “You already know where I stand. Before this whole mess, my Alpha made that clear outside on the deck.”

“I want to ensure that you are eating well to be healthy and happy,” Seokjin claims.

“For me,” Hoseok says, “I want to help keep you laughing during the hard times.”

“A friend. I know you have your family pack, but I hope to be your friend while you are with this pack. Be someone you can go to,” Jimin shyly says while looking around at his mates and then you.

“Expression: I hope to help you find a way to confidently express yourself around me and others,” Taehyung adds.

“Cuddles, pets, scratches, umm... More cuddles. Just think of me as your personal stress ball or life-sized stuffed bunny,” Jungkook purrs as you run your fingers through his hair.

“I will be whatever you need me to be,” Namjoon says from the hall just out of the doorway. “And I will do what needs to be done to earn your forgiveness and trust as Prime Alpha, even if I have to borrow some knee pads.”

Namjoon looks around the room with a hesitant smile and settles his gaze back on you. “Miss Y/L/N and mates, please join me and Manager Sejin downstairs. We have some things to discuss.”

“He wasn’t lying,” you softly say with realization.

“Who?” Manager Sejin asks.

“Seokjin. I mean, Mr. Kim… said they never took a Playmate for more than being a companion. None of these have the rut clause, and to top it off, most have a clause to ensure that the Playmate understands it is not even on the table for discussion.”

“That is correct; the Bangtan Pack only satisfies their ruts within their mate-bonded pack,” further confirms their long-time manager. “They ask Playmates to have someone other than their mates to find friends and hang out. It can be a bit much, even with them being mated, to always have a bunch of men around.”

“Friends,” you say, nodding. “I can do that, but I cannot do all the other services listed in these contracts. Manager Sejin, how will this even get approved by PMS? I don’t qualify to be a Playmate.” 

“Miss Y/n, sit down and let us go over the contract that Namjoon-ssi and I drafted for you. Maybe it will help if you see the modifications already approved by your employer,” offers the hamster hybrid.

Taking a seat, the two of you go over the contract clause by clause. It broke down to say,

1—You wouldn’t be expected to do any housework, cooking, lifting, working out, driving, or video gaming (Manager Sejin said it needed to be there because of the Maknea line) until medically cleared.

2—The Prime Alpha himself would pay for all of the expenses while you were staying at the pack house during the contract period.

3—Big Hit would grant a salary of more than enough for your flat, utilities, and other regular bills. Honestly, it was enough to pay off your useless student loan, too.

4—The contract lasted for eight weeks and can be extended or modified at your or Bangtan Pack's request and subsequent agreement. But what caught your attention the most was that they had omitted the ruts clause, which prompted you to ask, “Manager Sejin, What about the rut clause?”

“Ah yes, let me get Namjoon-ssi for that one,” he says while getting up and retrieving the Prime Alpha from the living where they were all waiting. “Hello, Miss Y/L/N. Manager Sejin said you had a question about the contract for me?” Namjoon questions as he sits beside the manager on the other side of the table. “Yes,” you sit up, trying to maintain professionalism. “I have gone over the contact, and while your manager has explained it well, I have one that you must answer.” Looking him dead in the eye, which causes the Prime Alpha to shift in his seat, you ask, “Why is there no rut clause in the proposed contract? I thought you said that was in it?”

You would never outwardly admit, especially right now, how cutely red his face became when you asked, “Umm… well... There are a couple of reasons.” Licking his lips, Namjoon glanced at Manager Sejin, who only looked amused and couldn’t wait to hear what he would come up with. “Firstly, right now, none of the pack are set to have a rut within the time Dr. Blackwell said you would need to heal or during the length of the North American leg of the tour. However, and I guess this is more of the real reason why some of the mates have expressed a concern… well, the pack is not…” “Prime Alpha, I get it. The elder Mr. Kim and Yoongi expressed that I may be appealing,” you smile only to cover the slight pang of hurt as you say, “but that doesn’t mean any of you would want me that way.”

Manager Sejin shakes his head as confusion fills Namjoon's face, “No, no… God, why am I so bad at this?” Namjoon says, running his hands over his face.

“You are appealing, very much so, and the rut clause is not in the contract because the pack doesn’t want you to think that skinship is off the table,” Jungkook startles the three of you from the hall. “I'm Sorry, Joonie-hyung. We could all hear you floundering, and I couldn’t take it anymore,” he says, walking in and sitting next to you. “Thank you, Kookie. You all know I can get lost for the right words sometimes,” admits Namjoon. “Mr. Jeon, why would not having the rut clause in the contract make you think that?” you ask, turning to give him your full attention. You do catch the slight frown at the use of his last name.

“Skinship consists of many things: hugs, holding hands, sniff kisses, pecks on the head or cheeks, massaging, cuddling, and scenting, to name a few. At this point, you and I have done a few of these. You also have done some with Yoongi and…” Jungkook takes hold of your good hand and brings your wrist to his nose. Sniffing, a smile beams on his face, and his leg starts to bounce, “Yep, and Jinnie-hyung also scented you.” “Miss Y/L/N, many Playmates take these actions as openings or requests to have intercourse with us. That is not what we have wanted from any of them. Therefore, it is why that rut clause is always added to their contracts,” Namjoon adds. “Oh. I am not used to skinship outside my family pack,” glancing at Namjoon and then at Jungkook. “But… It felt comforting: Yoongi’s hugs, your cuddles, and the elder Mr. Kim’s scenting. While I am not used to it, it does feel nice.”

A slight blush heats your face and neck. Thinking back to the comfort of Yoongi holding you, the calmness Jungkook and Seokjin brought you, and the warmth you felt in Hoseok's arms. All the men in the room smile at your confession.

“Good, I would have been very sad if I had to stop cuddling with you, Y/n,” Jungkook says while playing with your fingers. 

“Miss Y/n,” Manager Sejin calls your attention, “Does that mean you will agree to this contract? I can send it for finalization and set a meeting for final approval?”

Your eyes drop to the proposed contract before you. If approved, the empty line above the word ‘Playmate’ feels like it would change everything if you placed your signature there. Taking a deep breath, you smell the vanilla again, mixed with a leather-like smell and holiday cookies.

First enters Jungkook, followed by Namjoon, both dawning looks of concern.

“What happened?” asked Taehyung.

“Did she agree?” inquired Jimin.

“Do not tell me – we lost her already,” demands Seokjin.

Yoongi stands from his seat and heads toward the dining room to try one more time to talk you into staying. However, he stops when you enter the room, holding all the contracts the pack has held.

“Yoongi, Hoseok, Taehyung, Jimin,” you call their names as your eyes look over the room and end on the last one, “Seokjin.”

The boys and their Alphas shudder at having you say their actual names. Each step forward, like you are taking a roll call as they wait for some indication of what is happening.

With a deep and respectful 90-degree bow, you say in Korean, “My name is Y/L/N, Y/N. I put myself in your hands as your new Playmate.”

Previous / Next

Taglist - CLOSED

@braveangel777 @bethanysnow @smileykiddie08 @kayways @danielle143 @nenefix-on @im-gemmy @fluffy-canada-pancakes @staytinyville @juju-227592 @levislifeline @carolinexkpop @m00njinnie @drenix004 @singukieee @avadakadabra93 @dazzlingjade @sehun096rainbow @sunshinecallie @seoullove96 @reallysparklychaos @tired7o7 @channiespup @cryingpages @kittycatkrissa @hijabae2019 @captain-joongz @roseidol @hecateslittlewitchling

[btsydtrash]

Ego [9]

mafia bts x stripper yn; hybrid universe

Everyone had heard of the Dirty7s, even distantly. Nobody could put names or faces to the members, but the name was enough to strike fear into the hearts of civilians, criminals, and law enforcement alike. They’re known to be methodical, impenetrable, and most of all, merciless. Nobody wants to cross any of them. Lest of all you - a college student stripping to pay her debts.

What happens when you fall into their web of deceit and lies?

What happens when you find that you don’t want to escape, even when you know you should?

Masterlist  /  i don’t have a tag list  /  find me on twitter  /  word count: 1.8k

AN: Here we go again! crime syndicate BTS X stripper yn. I’ll post this on AO3 too. Some of BTS are humans, some are hybrids. They all are obsessed with Reader. Reader is black in my headcanon.

(yandere / angst / gore / fluff / smut / violence / none )

trigger warnings: hey.... I'm back! yn is depressed. she's suffering a lot but she's not alone. nothing of significance. just needed to get this out after so long. I'll be back soon with more drama!

“Breaking News: The body of an African-American Beta hybrid was found dismembered and abandoned under a bridge in East Point. East Point is known for its houseless and opiate-dependent population. Many new strains of synthetic drugs are being released onto the streets, made accessible to vulnerable, unmated Omegas. Markings found on the body indicate the involvement of a gang widely known as the Dirty7s. The Dirty7s are an anonymous group with links to…”

The TV drones on in the background but you don’t hear it. Well, you can’t hear it. You hadn’t been paying much attention to anything for the last few days. How many? You’ve got no idea. It’s been enough for your hair to start smelling bad anyway.

You walk out of the bathroom, dropping the towel as you go, grabbing the big t-shirt with Thandi’s face on it and pulling it on. You had gotten a couple from the funeral from Thandi’s mom. She had made them, gotten them pressed at a local tailor’s place to raise some money for the funeral. You knew how expensive it was to die. Flashes of your mothers face fly in front of your eyes before you can stop it and they make you wince. You tried to pay but Thandi’s mom had refused your money. “My Thandi told me all about you,” she had said, holding your hand so tightly it almost hurt, but you didn’t complain. In fact, the sting-burn sensation grounded you, and you felt yourself get lost in her deep, knowledgable eyes. She might have just lost her daughter, but it seems as if she had already experienced a lifetime’s worth of pain. It made you ache. “You… You were her friend. She loved you so much.”

And then you felt it again, the guilt-driven nausea.

It was the first time you met her mom, but you knew all about her daughter, Sana. The young girl, only eight years old, stood solitarily, as the preacher droned on and on about ‘eternal bliss’ and ‘blessed memories’ and ‘living on in memory’. The expression on her face, you knew it so well. It was as if nothing was making sense to her mind. She was so sad, so lost, so lonely. You couldn’t keep your eyes off of her throughout the funeral. She looked around at all of the people at her mother’s funeral, curious yet careful, quiet and withdrawn, before turning her eyes to the coffin at the front of the church and biting down on her bottom lip. She didn’t make a sound, not a peep - the whole time.

They opted for a closed casket because well… What other option was there? The truth of Thandi’s death wasn’t lost on the participants of her funeral but it was bad manners to bring it up. The thought alone was enough to bring bile to your throat so fast, it made your head spin. You rush to the bathroom and spit up in the toilet. Just a little bit this time, thankfully. You swill your mouth out and walk to grab something from the refrigerator. It took you days to realize that someone had come into your apartment while you had been at the funeral and had fixed certain things.

The fridge had been filled. The pile of dishes washed. The laundry had been taken and washed and returned all clean and folded. The bed had been spread. The rug had been moved around and vacuumed. The bathroom had been straightened out.

Once you had come to your senses, you burst into grateful tears.

You knew who it was.

He had left a t-shirt of his, saturated in his scent and so big it drowned your body in material, in your closet for you to sleep in.

You take a glance at the t-shirt again, wrapped around a big pillow on your bed, and you sigh, getting into bed once more, hair still damp at the roots of your head. 

Your phone lay on the table beside your bed, silent but charging, and you take a second to look at it before you grab it and make a call.

It doesn’t ring but for two times before you hear his voice on the other end of the line.

“Hello, YN,” Jungkook says, quietly.

You don’t answer. You can’t find your mouth, you can’t feel it well. Your tongue feels fuzzy and heavy, like a weight is sitting on it.

“YN…?”

Jungkook pauses slightly before the sound of him shifting his weight comes through the receiver.

He asks, softly, “Do you need me?”

You are still quiet, but you let out a light sigh through your nose. It’s the loudest you’ve been in days.

No. I don’t need anyone, you want to say. But again, more silence. Your tongue is too heavy. Your stomach is rolling and your head feels all loopy. You can't imagine where all these good hormones are coming from, flooding your system with flickers of light and ease and warmth and syrupy goodness.

“You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to,” he murmurs, gently. “I’ll stay on the phone as long as you need.”

Another sigh.

He takes a moment to think before he says, a certain chipperness in his tone, “Shall I tell you about my day, Pretty?”

A final sigh, and you turn over to your side, phone pressed to your cheek. If you were more present in your body, it probably would hurt.

Jungkook sounds as if he reclines in his seat as he begins telling you all about his day.

“It’s been mostly boring. I woke up at 5:30. I went to the gym for a couple of hours. I boxed and ran and did some weights. I think I could press three of you, you know, Pretty? You're so little compared to me. Sorry. I got distracted. Then, I showered and ate breakfast with Tae. You haven’t met him yet, right? I think you’d like him. A lot. Anyway. After, I met Jimin for some work-related stuff. Very boring. Do you want me to tell you about it, Pretty?”

He doesn’t let you get a sigh out before he continues.

“I didn’t think so. Then, after hours of back and forth, I went to go pick up my suit. We have a fancy dinner to go to this weekend. It’s Jin-hyung’s birthday.”

His voice gets all syrupy and warm, and it twists and rolls in your stomach all hot and uncomfortable. Why does his happiness make you feel so bothered?

“-and after we finish at DeMaggio’s, Joonie-hyung says we’re going on a helicopter ride around the city. Would you like to do that one day? Should I invite you? I can do that, you know. I don’t think Hyung would mind.”

The thought alone makes you snort.

He pauses and then, when he talks again, his voice seems relieved.

“You laughed, Pretty.”

You blink, somewhat surprised. He wasn’t lying. You did laugh, breathy and weak as it was.

“Pretty, you know I miss you so much, right?”

You close your eyes tightly at his words, lip getting sucked between your teeth.

He takes a moment to ask, quietly, almost needy, “Do you miss me?”

Your throat gets all tight and thick, and you feel horrible all over again. He hears you choke on something, because his voice gets all flighty, worried and concerned over the phone, as he peppers you with soft words.

“You don’t have to say it.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Please, don’t cry.”

“You’re breaking my heart.”

And then, he pauses and says the one thing you both craved and dreaded to hear.

“She wouldn’t want you to be this angry with yourself,” he says. Then, with more confidence, he claims, “You’re allowed to be happy.”

You cut off the phone before the sobs take over once more.

////

Jungkook taps the edge of his phone on the table a few times before he curses to himself. The wolf glances up from his spot in the corner of Yoongi’s office and asks, “You think I pushed her too much?”

 Yoongi looks over the top of his book and remarks, “It isn’t the end of the world, Kookie. Relax. You did a good job with the cleaner. She probably is sleeping next to the t-shirt you gave her and she called you, of all people she could’ve called.”

Jungkook bites his bottom lip and admits, “I’m getting frustrated.”

Yoongi pushes, lightly, “With?”

He puts the book to the side, knowing full well that he wasn’t getting any more ‘him-time’ while the wolf was occupying his personal office in their home. He loved each of his brothers dearly, however… Fuck, he needed his own place sometimes.

“Being patient,” the wolf explains, glibly. “It’s all so fucking boring.”

“Then occupy yourself with things that matter,” Yoongi suggests, moving to his feet. “I think Tae might be done with the guy downstairs, if you want a turn to pummel something moving?”

“The fucker’s still alive? Tae’s losing his touch,” Jungkook remarks, amusedly. He wasn’t lying. Usually, Tae would have had him chopped into tiny pieces and thrown into a river or incinerated. Jungkook wonders why he’s taking his time.

Yoongi snorts, pushing his glasses into his hair. He only needs them when his eyes start to get dry, like now. He usually didn’t use his other form, preferring to be in his natural hybrid state when in the comfort of their own home, but he’s been testing his personal limits recently, worried that he might freak YN out with his skin, his eyes, his tongue… She was prey, at the end of the day. He probably should have the lights off but he doesn’t want to ruin the mood. “Not even. Jin won’t let him die. He keeps zapping him with the AFIB machine. I heard he shitted himself.”

“Well, he shouldn’t have been fucking around, pretending to be something he’s not,” Jungkook replies, an annoyed look passing over his face. The younger of the two moves to his feet and he asks, “Say, hyung.” His tone of voice catches Yoongi’s attention, so he sits up a little more in his comfy office chair, eye brow quirking so as to prompt the wolf to continue speaking. “Do you think YN will actually come to understand us?”

Yoongi pauses to mull over his answer for a few seconds before he answers, honestly, "I don’t think she has a choice.”

Jungkook acknowledges his answer with a melancholy look on his face.

Then, he glances down at his Rolex and makes a small noise of glee. “I’ve got a spare hour. I think Tae might be a little fatigued.”

Yoongi snorts before reaching back for the book. His eyes are getting awfully dry. Suddenly, the lights flick off and Jungkook glances back from his spot at the door, a narrow line of yellowed light slightly warming the room.

“Hyung, you know I always know, right?”

Yoongi scoffs. “Get the fuck out of here, pup.”

Jungkook closes the door and Yoongi finally switches back to his natural form, eyes narrowing into slits and he reaches for his book once more, settling comfortably into his chair.

It just started getting good, too.

- end - 

Schemer (1), Abstentious (2), Thievery (3), Melancholy (4), Writhing (5), Lusting (6), Non-negotiable (7), Cutting the cord (8), Nevertheless (9)

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Hi,

I am very much not american so I must admit that my first impulse when seeing all the rap/racism discourse was something like "do I really need to consume more american culture, it's fucking everywhere already". Idk but to me it feels like american/english-speaking culture absolutely dominates a lot of the world, sometimes at the cost of out own cultures and languages, if something is in English it is "good", if it is in own own languages it is "bad". Musicians often start singing in English and more american-like after a while to get bigger. We value American culture and music, they mock our accents (and languages sometimes) and best case scenario see us as funny and silly.

Then I started thinking. Do you think that americans kind of see rap kind of like foreign music still? Like low-brow unexotic foreign music.

I don't know this is a really fresh thought and I'm not sure if I am explaining it very well.

hey first off I just want to say -

you are entirely correct in your reaction that people outside of America/the English-speaking world do not need more American culture thrust upon them! this discussion is extremely centered on Americans, the reception and reaction to rap within America, and excuses that white American use to avoid interacting meaningfully with Black culture, art, and ideas. while anti-Blackness as an issue obviously extends far outside of America, this particular conversation is deeply tied to American culture. I appreciate you pointing that out!

I also think you're point about rap, and by extension other Black artforms, being Othered in American pop culture. certainly in terms of language, African American Vernacular English (AAVE), which is utilized by many rappers, is still heavily disputed in its validity as a "real" language, with many dismissing it as a bastardized version of "proper" English and associating it heavily with those who are lower-class and uneducated. in a similar way to many international artists having to work in English to gain wider recognition and validation, many Black Americans are proficient in "code switching," the practice of switching between AAVE that they likely grew up speaking and an English dialect that is considered more "professional."

similarly, I think your use of the term "low-brow" is very apt. Black music has always been met with distrust and disdain by white audiences. there's a reason that so many people feel the need to bring up sex, drugs, and violence when they talk about rap; to many white cultural gatekeepers that was all rap was. (and, like, we should very much talk about why that is in and of itself a bad thing, when white crime is so often glorified in pop culture. why is the Godfather a classic masterpiece but Black men making art about their own experiences with racism, violence, poverty, and survival don't deserve serious consideration?) and that didn't start with rap! in the early 20th century jazz, also a Black creation, was seen as dangerous for promoting promiscuity among nice white teens. no matter what Black people make, white cultural gatekeepers will find a way to start a moral panic about it.

the reverse also happens as well, with Black people being treated as foreigners even in music genres that they helped pioneer. Black Americans were hugely formative in the early days of country, but are met with hostility in the contemporary country scene. Lil Nas X's Old Town Road was one of the biggest songs of the year it was released and undeniably country but was largely snubbed by country music community, and Beyoncé's new country album, Cowboy Carter, is a direct response to her hostile reception at the Country Music Awards in 2016.

the point being, yes, I don't think it's off-base to say that, to many Americans, rap and Black music and art generally are like... very optional and avoidable parts of pop culture in the way that more white-dominated genres are not, similarly to a lot of international and especially non-English art.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Virginia O'Brien (Panama Hattie, Til the Clouds Roll By, The Harvey Girls)—oh god I love a sarcastic deadpan bitch. She shows up in a lot of not-very-good 1940s/50s movies as a side character who Sings One Song and then Leaves, but it always brightens up the proceedings to have her come in looking like she wants to kill everybody before fucking off and doing it again somewhere else. She would absolutely do numbers in a modern sitcom.  

Dorothy Dandridge (Carmen Jones, Porgy and Bess, Island in the Sun)— The first Black actress to ever be nominated for best actress, Dorothy Dandridge was a groundbreaking actress who deserved better. She started her career as a singer, being put in a song-and-dance duo with her sister by their stage mother, and singing in soundies (I highly recommend cow cow boogie, it's adorable), proto-music videos. She started appearing as a featured singer in films. Her star was on the rise and she soon became a star solo performer. She continued acting, but had limited options because she refused to do stereotypical roles. She finally landed a starring role in Bright Road in 1953, but it was the movie Carmen Jones that truly cemented her as a star and sex symbol. Not to sound cheesy, but she literally sizzles on screen. You can't help but understand how poor Harry Belafonte gets caught in her trap, just look at her. This is the role that got her that Oscar nom. She didn't win cause I mean #OscarsSoWhite, but she was a sensation and continued starring in films, despite troubles in her life (including a shitty director bf who fucked with her career and a traumatizing pregnancy/delivery). Outside of her filmwork, she was also an activist, fighting against racism. She left behind an amazing legacy, and continues to inspire many actresses to this day (including also very hot first (and only) black woman to win best actress, Halle Berry).

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Virginia O'Brien:

Dorothy Dandridge propaganda:

Beautiful actress and hand-working and talented singer, she's especially notable for the number of firsts she accomplished such as the first African-American woman to receive a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the first African-American woman to appear on the cover of Life magazine.

Dorothy Dandridge was a classic Hollywood triple threat, singing, dancing, and acting with the best of them. She was the first African American nominated for an academy award for Best Actress for her role in Carmen Jones and she was just jaw-droppingly beautiful.

this og of black film needs no introduction (star on the hollywood walk of fame anyone?), voice of an angel, heavenly features, just an overall stunning lady :)

Look at her!!! She is so unbelievably charismatic in Carmen, it’s insane. Her chemistry with Harry Belafonte is off the charts, and every time she puts another outdoor [sic] on it’s like ‘oh god this is a whole new level of stunning’ 🥵. She was so so talented, when she’s on screen I genuinely dare you to tear your eyes away from her. Deserves to be known so much better but due to Hollywood racism and a tough personal life she didn’t make it as big as she should have done. She’s incredible.

First Black actress to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress! Was the first choice for the role of Cleopatra that went to Elizabeth Taylor (we were ROBBED).

[battleangel]

Jeff Goldblum warning us in Jurassic Park that cloning dinosaurs is raping mother nature was apparently an instruction manual and not a warning.

"Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company founded in 2021, is working to genetically resurrect the woolly mammoth by combining its genes with Asian elephant DNA. The company's goal is to create a hybrid species, called a "mammophant", that will look and behave like a woolly mammoth. Colossal plans to use cloning techniques similar to those used to create Dolly the sheep in 1996, inserting genetically edited cells into an elephant egg that would then be gestated by a surrogate elephant. The company has said it intends to complete the project by 2027."

Exploitative KKKapitalism = Eating like 💩 in the neighborhood! "Studies have shown that the prevalence of fast-food restaurants is positively correlated with the percentage of Black residents in urban neighborhoods in the U.S. Similar trends have been found for liquor stores."

$Anything for a Dollar$

"While dollar stores can fill a need in low-income neighborhoods, they are often regarded as predatory businesses that harm communities more than they benefit them, due to very low wages, displacing other grocery options while failing to sell fresh food, store design that increases the rate of armed robberies, and OSHA and FDA violations that put customers and employees at risk."

Who Needs Fresh Food?

"There are no fresh vegetables, fruits, or meats in most dollar stores. And yet, as limited as their offerings are, dollar stores are now feeding more Americans than Whole Foods is, and they’re multiplying rapidly. Since 2011, the number of dollar stores nationwide has climbed from about 20,000 to nearly 30,000. There are now more dollar stores than Walmart and McDonalds locations combined."

Dollar Tree Customers = Permanent Underclass

"In their latest annual reports, Dollar General and Dollar Tree say they have identified thousands of new locations for dollar stores. The two chains are planning to expand their combined empires to more 50,000 outlets."

“Essentially what the dollar stores are betting on in a large way is that we are going to have a permanent underclass in America,” Garrick Brown, a researcher with the commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, told Bloomberg last year.

“The economy is continuing to create more of our core customer,” Dollar General chief executive Todd Vasos told investors last year.

"More than one-third of American adults, and 48 percent of African American adults, are obese."

13% of the US population is Black, and 48% of Black Americans are obese.

"Look at the pharmaceutical companies. In my neighborhood, there is a fast-food restaurant on every block, from Wendy’s to Kentucky Fried Chicken to Popeye’s to Little Caesar’s Pizza. Now drugstores are popping up on every corner, too. So you have the fast-food restaurants that of course cause the diet-related diseases, and you have the pharmaceutical companies there to fix it."

"If you give people access to really good food and a living-wage job, someone is going to lose money. As long as people are poor and as long as people are sick, there are jobs to be made. Follow the money."

"I talk about power, and how power is a drug and power over people is a drug and it’s hard to give up."

"A substantial body of evidence indicates that diet, toxic metals, food additives, insufficient nutrients, food allergy, lack of exercise can all contribute to criminal behavior. Evidence is mounting that a good diet makes a positive difference when working with some offenders."

"Our estimates imply that the 42% drop in the natural gas price in the late 2000s, mostly driven by the shale gas boom, averted 12,500 deaths per year in the United States."

"Participants (60.55%) experienced unexpected or increased medical expenses (17.69%), job loss (13.64%), pay reduction (11.85%), and death of a family member (9.09%). Pay reduction and increased debt were associated with moderate hunger; death of a family member, pay reduction, and increased debt were associated with severe hunger."

Lung Cancer to Avoid Severe Hunger

"In unadjusted models, annual household income <$15,000, non-urban residence, lack of health insurance, unstable housing, heavier food pantry reliance, fair or poor adult health, adult anxiety, and adult smoking to reduce hunger pangs were all positively associated with VLFS-C."

Fast Food = Fast Death

"Survey respondents had 8 ± 7 fast-food outlets within 2 miles of their home. Individuals living in close proximity to fast-food restaurants had higher BMIs, and lower fruit and vegetable consumption."

Happy Meal = Psychiatric Distress & Violence

"Consumption of fast food has been linked to psychiatric distress, violent behaviors, and impulsivity in adolescents."

"The analysis found that liquor stores are disproportionately located in predominantly black neighborhoods, even after controlling for census tract socioeconomic status."

"At equal levels of poverty, Black neighborhoods had the fewest supermarkets."

[afro-elf]

As far as I can tell, the very online divide between African Americans and Palestinians has been about the shift in support that Harris has received since Biden stepped down. Some online leftists and Palestinians feel abandoned by liberals who were vocal about their support of Palestinians but are saying they will vote for Harris. There have been some anti-black TikTok creators and some Black creators feel like they shouldn't have to choose between voting for what they believe is the best option for them, especially since Harris would be the first female Black president and supporting the Palestinian movement. That's my summation of the current situation. It seems people are spending a lot of time being frustrated with each other instead of seeing the bigger picture and solidarity. Idk, that's what I see.

that is so.... annoying aklgasljgl;jsad. as a black person i find this so annoying and artificial like.... people are falling for aipac propah gander and it's like... why? in case any palestinians care, i feel no emotional connection to coconut harris and never will. in these united states in a poor black city i am closer in status to the average west bank palestinian than i will ever be to coconut tree harris, most black people are AND WE KNOW THIS. this discourse is way overblown and, to me, clearly planted and paid for by outside agitators

[hidingoutbackstage]

Okay it’s no secret I was in the Voltron trenches. But it’s been a few years and most of my mutuals are people who don’t know jack about the show, only that it was bad. So ofc here’s a “which is wrong” poll, specifically about the show/official stuff related to the series, no fandom stuff cuz I don’t feel like it. If a question has a * then I’ve provided more info at the bottom

Asterisk explanations below the cut

*All of the characters of color, except for the black girl, were voiced by white people. Lance, who was Latino, Shiro, who was Japanese, Hunk, who was Samoan/African American, were all voiced by white people. The character voiced by Steven Yeun ended up having an aracial alien mother and a white American father

*There was an official “which paladin are you” quiz in like a magazine or online or smth and one question was “which animal from this list would you pick” and if you picked mostly B’s, which was letter option for the hippopotamus, you’d get Hunk, the fat character (guy was victim of a lot of fat jokes in the show too btw)

*The blind woman was shown to be cool and a capable fighter and we were supposed to like her, especially since she betrayed the bad guys she worked for, but a character the show later tried to frame as sympathetic (the homicidal maniac they pair with Allura, the black girl btw) murders her brutally

*There was a list of stats somewhere I can’t remember, probably a magazine, of how intelligent, strong, etc. certain characters were, and the black girl who’s an alien and shown to be INCREDIBLY strong had stats weaker than a normal human white guy. He was also smarter than her too

*The character Shiro wasn’t actually shown in the show to be gay (not until the finale where they make him marry a random guy they invented due to backlash) the creators just said he was and then the character poorly established as his “husband” is killed by being blown up. It was textbook queerbaiting

[tigerdragon1001]

I watched something recently where a white American was shocked and disdainful of a friendly game night between black people. Though the vibe reminded me of gambling at a party, money wasn't even involved, they were literally just playing dominoes. The reaction was wild to me because my mum (East Asian) often actually gambles with her friends (Southeast Asian) when they meet up, her mum also used to gamble with friends, and it’s like a highlight of certain festival days that I get to gamble with my friends. So now I’m curious what the view on it is in different communities/cultures.

I didn't have enough options for more specifics or bald/nuance, so would appreciate reblogs or tags if you don't fit any of these!

[chalkeater]

I think you need to have a serious read of this post:

http://undertale-science.tumblr.com/post/137797519093/ive-settled-the-issue-of-frisks-design-once-and

This is a racist post?

The reason yellow is used because the first “smiley” was made to boost moral,so a bright yellow color was used as a green face often represented poisoning or sickness, a red face was evil or angry, and a blue face was sad. Black on yellow stands out the best compared to other basic colors. It’s why our school buses are yellow, so they are easy to find and see. Because of this and the historic use of yellow for smileys, that shade of bright yellow gold is what is considered the standard for race neutral.

I was talking about how Frisk being drawn with yellow skin is way too close to racist propaganda. I am talking about Yellow Peril and Yellow Face. The color theory of SYMBOLS and graphic design in Logos is a stretch when talking about HUMAN representation.

The yellow face has nothing to do with Asians, or with race at all.

In emojis it wasn't meant to present any one Asian at all- this is especially because there is more than the -_- emoji. When I talked about yellow face I'm talking about yellow peril and how yellow face was used against Asian people. Asians never PICKED yellow, it was assigned by racist people.

Instead of making a bunch of options and eating up coding time to make it so you can customize the sprite to look as much like you as allowed by the options, Frisk’s design relies on something far stronger: your imagination. such a blank face can be interpreted in a number of ways. It’s a default poker face, watch poker, people actually make the real life version of that face, squinting a bit, trying to have relaxed eyes, flat mouth.

No one is saying to make Frisk customizable BTW!

I bolded "squinting a bit" because this is where this post admits that people will interpret it this way. And I never said that people were even inherent malicious for seeing it this way-- it is racist, but it's INGRAINED into our society to read stuff like this AS Asian. Just like how Goblins and what we associate them with are so normalized to us and we don't see it as anti-Semitic even though it is.

Frisk cannot be a caricature of any race, because by design, they are as close to raceless as possible while still maintaining a form instantly recognized as human, which is important considering the monsters versus humans story of the game.

There's a reason why POC have said that Frisk is heavily implied to be POC, even if they're bright yellow. Since this post mentioned Color Codes, I'm going to point at the difference between Frisk and Chara.

Chara is literally closer to white. I bring this up because I've said before that Chara being pale-skinned next to Frisk is ODD and can imply that that Frisk is a POC! Especially matched with their face/eyes design. If Chara is white-skinned (how humans classify white skin colors) then it's odd that Frisk, who literally in the color codes is darker than Chara, is colored in yellow.

Asian people are nowhere near that color. Just like how Native Americans are not actually naturally beet red, Africans are not actually pitch black, and Caucasians are not actually printer paper white.

Yeah, Asian people are not yellow! And while I know this post is not directed at me, you sent me this post to review carefully. I'm happy to tell you that yes: obviously Asian people are not yellow. I look at the mirror and don't think I look yellow at all. that's the point of what I'm trying to say, too! Asian people aren't yellow. Trying to explain that "Frisk being drawn with yellow skin and closed/squinted eyes has weird coincidences with yellow face and yellow peril" does not mean I think Asian people are yellow or that Asian people are literally yellow.

I don't think white people are Gesso-paint white, either.

But here's an article that briefly mentions how Dr. Seuss had to have his work edited to remove the yellow skin because it was racist to depict this.

According to the facial muscles, the “-_-” face is about the closest way you can depict the resting face when you only have 6 pixels.

Not really. I'll add on to this in a bit.

you are at the base “neutral” face that most people have when completely unconscious.

So is this an argument for Frisk is unconscious? I'm not saying it's a bad headcanon or that no one can use this. I think it's a fun idea that Frisk might be unconscious the whole time, but I'm not sure why this was mentioned.

Your eyes do not actually squeeze shut all the way when sleeping, some people even have eyes that do not squint as much and appear to be sleeping with their eyes open.

Yeah, this is the kind of thing asians, especially east asians get made fun of for, and it's been a long-time issue. "Can you even see?" "Are your eyes even open?"

"Appear to be sleeping" "appear to be closed when it's actually open" in order to excuse Frisk's face design? People with monolid eyes or epicanthal folds are not closed.

This is racist! Hope it helps.

Going for such a neutral character, Toby would not go and give the character a canon iris color. The only way the eyes could be changed is to make them 1X1 black pixel with no white pixel sclera (white part of the eye) to avoid making it appear like they have black colored irises.

There are people out there who have REALLY dark brown eyes that it looks basically almost black. There's nothing wrong with that. Also, as pixels, like this post suggests, we as humans have seen black colored irises in media ALL the time, and make our own interpretations.

See: Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, Loud House, etc. Adventure time doesn't need a white sclera to be seen as eyes, and Something like Gravity falls are still seen as eyes even with a sclera. If you look up Fanart of any of these media, a lot of people make their own interpretation of eye colors even if their irises are black.

A 4x4 eye is too big for that size head, as we see when Chara shows that look with their creepy face. 2 tall by 1 wide eyes would look too surprised and awake. When making a neutral face, this was the best way to go while still looking relatively human.

There is no mention of 2x2, so I feel like this is an unfair argument. Below I edited their eyes to quickly show how even this part isn't so hard.

If someone draws Frisk yellow with slanted eyes, just imagine them with whatever race, sex, gender, and emotion you have in your “headcanon”.

If people draw Frisk with yellow skin and slanted eyes, I think we should be upset, or at least tell this person not to do this.

Here is the image Dr. Seuss illustrated, again. This has gone through several revisions years after it was first published because of the racist depictions.

There is no true race or gender or sex or emotion or age or body type. It’s done on purpose.

This ignores one of the most widely spread headcanons and/or analyses of Undertale: which is that Frisk is their own person (which Flowey and Chara reinforce), and while we start the game by projecting ourselves on them, we literally learn through the pacifist route, that Frisk is NOT us. We play AS Frisk. Especially because no matter what name we give the True Name, Frisk will always introduce themselves as Frisk when asked by Asriel in the end of the game.

Again, we are NOT Frisk. We play AS Frisk. As we play the game through Pacifist, we learn more about Frisk- they like to Flirt, they are the ones who choose to call Toriel "mom". Players might just not associate these with being Frisk traits, because we originally project onto them until the reveal.

"No true gender" is also frustrating to see, because this is going to be the same argument to say that Frisk does NOT use They/Them, and that we shouldn't advocate for people to use They/Them for Frisk.

I also saw in another post on their blog that they believe that Chara does not necessarily use They/Them either (that Chara is also someone to project onto), even if Asriel uses it for them during the epilogue. "[Name] wasn't the best person."

Source: Undertale, images derived from this dialogue dump.

When it comes to Deltarune, if this argument was used for Kris as well it would be incredibly false due to the fact that it's even more so canon that Kris is NOT the player, and that the player is NOT Kris.

That's all! Thanks for the post. It was frustrating to read.

Here's some sources I also looked at to make sure what I'm saying made sense; some of these are repeated links that I mention earlier just for reference.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/dr-seuss-got-away-anti-asian-racism-long-rcna381

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691140315/becoming-yellow

https://caata.net/yellowface-what-it-is-why-its-bad-and-action-steps-to-fight-it/

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/09/asian-eye-surgery-and-media-racism/279770/

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-newzealand-passport-error-idUSKBN13W0RL/

https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article249528800.html

https://digitalgallery.bgsu.edu/student/exhibits/show/race-in-us/asian-americans/asian-immigration-and-the--yel

https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/fox-eye-trend-asian-cultural-appropriation-trnd/index.html

[transgenderer]

i was wondering bc discussions of 'culture' is in vogue rn, my understanding is u ID as white while being 1/8 black, how do ur parent + grandparent with black ancestry ID? do you think your ancestry has an effect on your ~culture~, or what about ur parent or grandparent?

so my dad (1/4) is like. kinda weird about it? he's like, everything-passing. had a no war with iran sticker and got asked if he was iranian, went to mexico, spoke some bad spanish, got the native discount, etc. when i was a kid he would insist i check off both "white" and "african american" if a survey allowed both options. so i think he does the same. in college he was invited to a university event for black students so he came and arthur ashe (the tennis guy) told him he didnt belong there). anyway uh. i think he feels kind of weird about it? but the area i grew up in is pretty multiracial (altho not very black) so "mix of various ethnicities" is like one of the default types of guy there, and he grew up in NYC. my mom was once asked about her experience being in an interracial relationship and she was confused and didnt know how to respond

anyway my grandpa i think IDs much more with "immigrant"+"jamaican" than with black. i mean. he looks like your run of the mill american black guy. but he has a jamaican accent, and has lived in nyc his whole time in america so yknow, immigrant is a significant social role there. also there allegedly (according to my dad, i have not been able to verify this and have tried) a thing in jamaica where the children of slaves and slaveowners could inherit from their father so it was significant if you had white ancestry, like you were a lot richer. my grandpa didnt know his father but also owned like a plot of land+house in jamaica (he sold it when i was a kid, only visited once or twice), not sure whats going on there. he grew up in the middle of nowhere highland jamaica. weird guy. married a british lady (he was there for school?) and moved to the US

anyway im not sure i received much like jamaican culture from either of them except my grandpa would make (or actually i think my english grandma would make it) jamaican food and then i would get autistic about the texture except breadfruit which i love. weird jamaican stories. to the extent that it feels like ive recieved like a cultural influence from either of them its a bit of nyc culture (certain type of argumentative)

[nokingsonlyfooles]

A History Lesson

The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male[1] United States' Let's See How Long We Can Operate A Brutal Genocidal Empire Without Anyone Noticing Experiment (informally referred to as the Tuskegee Experiment United States of America or Tuskegee Syphilis Study American Democracy) was a study conducted con game perpetuated between 1932 1776 and 1972 2024ish by the United States Public Health Service (PHS) Government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) its Military Industrial Complex on a group of nearly 400 African American men with syphilis.[2][3] anyone living on or near resources the US would like who could not successfully repel its violent influence, including its admitted citizens and everyone else on the planet. The purpose of the study was to observe the effects of the disease when untreated legitimize white male landowners enjoying perpetual power, though by the end (?) of the study medical advancements meant it was entirely treatable it was obvious they and their interests do not speak for humanity and they would be outvoted in a hot second if actual democracy were allowed to prevail. The men voters and victims were not informed of the nature of the experiment, and more than 100 untold millions if not billions died as a result.

The Public Health Service "Founding Fathers" started the study in 1932 1776 in collaboration with Tuskegee University more wealthy white landowners who were actually cool with a monarchy as long as they were in charge of it but didn't like paying taxes (then the Tuskegee Institute "patriots"), a historically Black college in Alabama privileged class with access to public platforms and plausible deniability. In the study, investigators colonizers enrolled 600 impoverished African-American sharecroppers from Macon County, Alabama fucking everyone on the continent whether they wanted it or not.[4] Of these men people, 399 had latent syphilis, with a control group of 201 men who were not infected most of them were already being crushed by existing empires and desperate for some help.[3] As an incentive for participation in the study, the men (yeah, just the men) were promised free medical care votes and representation. While the men voters were provided with both medical regular elections and mental care representatives that they otherwise would not have received,[5] they were deceived by the PHS "Founding Fathers", who never informed them of their syphilis diagnosis[10] that their suffering would continue as long as it was profitable and kept the right people in power, and provided disguised placebos authoritarianism, ineffective methods, and diagnostic procedures constant propaganda as treatment for "bad blood" "enemies of democracy".[11]

The men people were initially told that the experiment was only surely going to last six months forever, but it was extended to 40 years began to break down almost immediately.[3] After funding for treatment endless political campaigns and bribes (but I repeat myself) was lost tied up by a few international corporate interests, the study was continued without informing the men voters that they would never be treated acknowledged as anything other than a convenient power source. None of the infected men terrified voters were treated with penicillin represented faithfully despite the fact that, by 1947 1792, the antibiotic a postal service capable of delivering ranked choice ballots and reliable information to most or all voters was widely available and had become the standard treatment for syphilis an obvious option.[12]

The study continued, under numerous Public Health Service supervisors increasingly obvious regimes obscured only by colors, mascots and degree of obviousness, until 1972 2024ish, when a leak to the press resulted in its termination on November 16 of that year voters and the institutions that exploit them were somehow shocked that a loud, obvious fascist managed to vault over multiple obstacles that were never meant to keep someone like him out of power, A SECOND TIME.[13] By then, 28 patients 42,000 Palestinians had died directly from syphilis in the most recent genocide, 100 died from complications related to syphilis voters had been flashbanged with images of dead children across social media, 40 of the patients' wives were infected with syphilis, they were having screaming arguments with each other about the value of their votes and the purpose of democracy, and 19 children were born with congenital syphilis the concept of political change not wrought by overwhelming violence or votes seemed to have atrophied right out of our collective consciousness.[14]

The 40-year Tuskegee Study Brutal Genocidal Empire's Attempt To Manufacture Perpetual Consent was a major violation of ethical standards[12] and has been cited justified as "arguably the most infamous biomedical research study in U.S. history." "it was never supposed to be a democracy, we have a Republic," "what you deserve," and "all your fault."[15] Its revelation led to the 1979 Belmont Report and to the establishment of the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP)[16] a veritable shitstorm of finger-pointing and denial and federal laws and regulations requiring institutional review boards for the protection of human subjects in studies masses of official and unofficial propaganda designed to convince you that everything is fine and the experiment requires that you continue like a good Milgram test subject. The OHRP media manages this responsibility within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).[16] out of a desire to remain somewhat profitable and relatively uncensored. Its revelation whitewashing has also been an important cause of distrust in medical science and the US government amongst African Americans basically any information source that could help us address the situation.[15]

In 1997 2024, President Bill Clinton (oddly enough) formally apologized on behalf of the United States to victims of the study told an entire ethnicity to go fuck itself on behalf of the Democratic Party while ostensibly believing the safety of democracy itself depended on a Blue Wave like we've never seen, calling it shameful and racist any deaths necessary and inevitable.[17] "What was done cannot be undone, but we can end the silence," “I got news for [Hamas]—[Israelis] were there first, before their faith existed,” he said. "We can stop turning our heads away. We can look at you in the eye, and finally say, on behalf of the American people, what the United States government did was shameful and I am sorry." "...They’ll force you to kill civilians if you want to defend yourself,”[17][18]

...This is why, although the anarchist frog with the unpopular blog is only audible to other human beings with very little official power, it knows these human beings aren't marching in lockstep to their deaths because they're morally-bankrupt or stupid. They're just listening to the people in charge of any "help" they might receive. People will drink poison if more-powerful people they trust tell them it's medicine, and attribute any damage to the disease itself, until the lack of treatment maims or kills them.

I don't have authority or a white coat, I just have a divergent brain that balks at authority no matter what it's wearing. I got lucky, if you wanna call this shrieking anxiety lucky.

Real frogs do not let you boil them. That's a myth. Real human beings may, on an individual basis, if the water is abstract enough, no matter their education level or political allegiance.

Please jump out, my fellow creatures. I don't know what it's gonna take if this doesn't do it, but please.

[ldysmfrst]

American Mate (15) -  The Pack Meeting and Troubled Pasts

Paring: Hybrid!BTS Ot7 x Plus-sized Human FemReader

Status: Ongoing series

Chapter number: 15 of unknown

Word count for Chapter: 10,492

Work count for Story: 123,187

Genre: Hybrid Playmate Au inspired by works created by @yoongiofmine

A little about the author: I am a mother of two beautiful children, one of whom has special needs, and the other loves everyone. I started a Patreon, and I would be grateful if you donated to help me make ends meet while I am out of work because I almost died in August of 2024.

Warnings: NOT BETA READ!! This chapter does have pack dynamics, Alphas fronting, and discussions of past trauma, violence, abuse, illegal sex work, underage escort services, and threats of death. THIS IS A HEAVY CHAPTER.

BTS HYBRID ANIMAL TYPES: Seokjin - Roan Ferret, Yoongi - Black Jaguar, Hoseok - Marten, Namjoon - Alaskan Timber Wolf, Jimin - Red Panda, Taehyung - White Southwest African Tiger, Jungkook - Flemish Giant Rabbit

AMERICAN MATE MASTER LIST / LDYSMFRST MASTER LIST

It's so warm, soft, and orangey.

Wait, orange? ‘When did the pillows ever smell this orange-like?’ You think this as sleep slowly fades away.

The light from the sitting window shines as the sun rises over the hills. You haven’t felt this well-rested since you used to curl up on the couch with your father before he skipped out on the family. Well, maybe the kitty piles with Evie’s family were this good; then again, maybe not. Chasing the evil thoughts away, you snuggle into the pillow harder when you realize– it’s purring.

That is when you feel a chin snuggle down on your head, something tightening around your waist, and… is that a hand rubbing on your back? There is also the slight rise and fall that you failed to recognize, which should have reminded you from the start that you weren’t alone. Slowly tilting your head up, you blink them to focus on the sleepiest and warmest dark red eyes. There is a sleepy smile on the Alpha’s face as he purrs more at your attention.

Your night comes back to you as you remember asking the now-purring panda hybrid to stay with you because being alone again or even sleeping after having nightmares was not something you were good at doing. Honestly, you don’t even remember falling asleep.

Moving back away, the Alpha’s grip holds strong, peaking open one dark red eye at you before he says, “No, stay. Sleep more,” and promptly falls asleep again.

“Alpha Chim, I really should get up,” you softly reply, not wanting to disagree with him, but you did have to pee. Even though you would love to relish the body heat provided by the Alpha, proving Namjoon’s point from yesterday, you didn’t want his mates to find you two like this.

When you go to move your arms again, you find that you have one arm under his waist, one resting on his chest, one leg between his, and the other over his hip. Great! Either you were a tornado, and this is his way of containing you, or he is a cuddler.

Snickers are heard off to the side of the bed, snapping your attention to see who else is in the room. Seokjin is leaning against one of the bedposts, his eyes like crescent moons as he smiles at the two of you.

“He is strong for being one of our tiny mates. Need to get away from Alpha Chim?” he asks quietly, moving closer to the middle of the bed. You nod, hesitant to speak up and wake the still-sleeping Alpha, who is very much attempting to be one with you.

Tapping your leg, Seokjin signals you to move it off Alpha Chim’s hip, making you blush because you realize again how compromising your situation's look is to the eldest bonded mate in the Bangtan pack.

Your movement, however, causes the red panda to wiggle into a smaller ball with a slight pout and, in turn, releases your leg from between his. While making the soft-looking red panda even cuter, it also allows some wiggle room for the arm trapped under his waist.

Looking at Seokjin, you can see the oldest mate taking in the many options for the situation you are unaware of. A smile graces your face as you see the puffy eyes from him recently waking up, the red line on his cheek from a crease in his pillow, and the non-brushed hair on his head. How his one sleeve is pushed up to his elbow shows off the lean strength of this forearm and the slimness of his wrist.

This is the real Kim Seokjin.

Your eyes trace the contours of his face before meeting his eyes, which are watching you ogle him. Immediately, you blush and hide your face in Jimin’s chest, putting yourself back towards the very hybrid that you are currently trying to flee from.

“My Dear, you have no reason to hide that pretty little face from me,” coos Seokjin. “I am happy you are taking the time to see me. However, hiding in Jimin’s chest won’t help you escape his grasp anytime soon.”

You let out a slight whine, pulling a more resounding, instinctually calming purr from Jimin. Glancing back up at him, his eyes are still shut, but his orange is sweeter with a hint more vanilla. Confusion colors your face as the slightly intoxicating scent tries to lure you back to sleep.

“No, no. Don’t let the cuddly panda keep you here. He is notorious for being late to things, my Dear.” Seokjin says as he lifts said panda’s arm draped over your waist. “Lean back.”

Following the direction, you lean back as he rests Jimin’s hand on the space on the pillow that was previously occupied by your head. Well, you are primarily untangled aside from the trapped arm. Tilting your head a bit, you look at Seokjin with an expression that says, ‘Now what?’

Seokjin raises a finger with a smirk, asks you to hold on, and then points for you to watch. Your eyes dart between the two Alpha mates, wondering what the heck is gonna happen.

Seokjin leans down, chittering in Jimin’s ear, and softly kisses just behind his lobe, causing the panda to gasp slightly. Continuing to lay soft kisses on the sleeping mate, Seokjin kneels outside the nest with one hand on the wall behind you.

While Seokjin technically does not cage you in, you are being hovered over by the Alpha. It feels similar but not overwhelming just yet because it feels safe.

Soft whines mixed with tiny groans escape Jimin’s sleeping form, bringing your attention out of your thoughts. Your eyes do not know if they want you to watch the slow flushing of Jimin’s skin as he is peppered with kisses or the smooth, taught muscles of Seokjin’s chest that you can glimpse now that gravity has pulled his sleeping shirt away.

It’s Jimin who finally wins with a high, keen sound escaping. Now his soft lips have parted, his breathing has sped up, and his hand on the pillow is grasping tight. How he is still sleeping through this amount of affection is beyond you. Even more confusing is why Seokjin isn’t upset that his ministrations are being, well, ignored by the younger.

“In a moment, you will know when; please move out of your nest, that is, if you still want to,” Seokjin whispers, glancing at your heated face.

You nod, still fascinated by the sight before you. Half of you wants to know what it would feel like to be Jimin, another half wants to be Seokjin, and a whole different version of you that you haven’t felt in a long time wants to stay and watch it play out.

If you were several years younger, your bladder wasn’t screaming at you, and there wasn’t the mantra about them being bonded mates of Bangtan, you could see how any rational young woman would have jumped at the chance.

Seokjin can smell your evident attraction to what is happening, but because of what he overheard from the open window last night when you and Namjoon returned, he knows he cannot push it more than he already has. He wants you to know that the option is there, but he can see in your eyes that you are still not seeing them for who they are to you.

Using the arm against the wall to keep himself propped up and not falling into your nest, Seokjin uses the other to lower Jimin’s sleep shirt, exposing his shoulder and neck. Tailing his kisses down to the juncture where they meet, Seokjin bites down enough to jerk Jimin’s body in a startled manner, which twists the panda onto his back. Jimin’s arms fly up to wrap around Seokjin’s upper body, almost as if he is grounding himself as he is woken up by the feisty actions of his older mate.

With a gasp and an inappropriate amount of arousal, you almost miss your chance to pull out your arm as Jimin jerks and twitches under Seokjin’s distraction-induced ministrations. The strength the elder shows by holding himself aloft while the younger clings to him is astonishing.

Scrambling out of bed, you bolt into the bathroom and shut the door. Making your way to the sink, you don’t dare look in the mirror because you already know how flush your face is. You can feel the heat coming off of you in waves. You were taught better than this; you bit your bottom lip with the thought that your family would be beside themselves with distaste at your reactions.

You are 10000000% sure that Seokjin could smell your reaction to what he was doing and was awake enough to understand whatever he would understand from that. You don’t think Jimin even realized you were still in the bed with the both of them, much less how your internal slut was reacting. You would only hope that Seokjin was okay with it. Being okay with it at the moment and being okay with it hours later are two vastly different things.

You were human and a woman, after all. Jimin had mentioned that previous Playmates were homosexual. Would that be upsetting to them if you weren’t? Aside from Yoongi and Jungkook, do they even realize that you are, in fact, only straight?

While you have no issues with any of the LQBTQ+ lifestyle, community, and an individual’s preferences, look at Derek and Lily; you were bland, plain old heterosexual. You weren’t opposed to the idea of noting how sexy or beautiful a biologically trans, cross-dressing, or drag queen female form was. You just weren’t interested in pursuing them sexually because most of them you might be curious about were way out of your league.  Out of your league, just like the Bangtan Pack.

Today, this meeting with the packhouse of Alphas has to happen. There is too much in the air that you need to really get settled before you find yourself doing something unladylike or, worse, getting fired. With that thought, you go about your morning routine.

The rest of the pack house sounded quiet, prompting you to take time for yourself. After making a cup of Earl Gray tea with a bit of honey and milk, you grabbed a blanket from the living room and went outside to the pavilion you noticed while talking to Ryan on the phone the other day.

Moving one of the chairs to face the sun as it rose, you bundled yourself in the blanket and sipped your tea. Your mind wandered about everything you wanted to discuss with the Bangtan pack.

You had to share your past with them as you did with Namjoon, and then your family history explained the human fort/nest issue. There was also the desire to set some ground rules, like private me times or intimate with each other times.

You weren’t a prude.

You knew they were bonded mates and what that meant. They even told you they took care of their ruts within the pack. So, you just needed to know what to do when those times came along. Today was the second time you had been very much present, and at least one, if not both of them, had been 100% aware you were there when they did… stuff, and you didn’t want to impose.

Though the fact they would even do stuff like that with you around would indicate that you were, in fact, not imposing, but that didn’t mean that the others like Namjoon, Yoongi, and Hoseok would think the same way. It also didn’t mean that they would be comfortable with you just being there and watching them like they were your own personal live-action porno.

You continued thinking of things you needed to do over the remainder of the day, like maybe fixing or changing the fort, who’s not-date date would be next, etc.

What you didn’t notice was the three sets of eyes watching you.

Jungkook was heading inside when he heard you messing around in the kitchen, looking for whatever you were looking for. His little heart was racing a million beats per minute when you almost caught him in his animal form as he scrambled into a bush near the door when you came outside. He knows that you are not her, but at the same time, that doesn’t mean you won’t react like her.

Yoongi and Taehyung watch you from the second-story window of one of their dens. Both are not fond of the idea that you are purposely sitting alone, outside, in the cold, by yourself, and deeply thinking about something that could very well lead you to a place that doesn’t involve them without anyone with you.

Did they note just how by yourself you thought you were?

They could tell you were unaware of the Alpha outside with you because you didn’t come running and screaming inside, or you didn’t end up with a rabbit the size of a dog in your lap.

“Why is she alone, hyung?” asks Taehyung with a large pout on his lips and a furrow of his brow.

“Humans tend to cherish their time alone. They don’t have the pack mentality that we are born with,” answers Yoongi with his tail snapping back and forth.

Huffing, Taehyung whines, “She even made her own drink. Does she not understand that it is my job to do that right now? How will I ever gain her forgiveness if she doesn’t let me show her that I care for her and can provide?”

The soft steps of another mate joining them paused the conversation. Jimin hugs Taehyung around the waist, burying his face between the taller mate's shoulder blades. Low-toned chittering and purring fills the silence, pulling their attention to the shortest mate.

“What's got you in such an interesting mood, Jimin-ah?” inquires Yoongi as he moves away from the window to look at the panda’s face and sees the deep red eyes. “Oh, sorry, Alpha Chim.”

“That would be a combination of me and Y/n,” Seokjin says from the doorway. “Our minnie love decided to find his way into Y/n’s nest last night to sleep.”

“What?!” exclaims both Yoongi and Taehyung. The latter pulls out of the back hug to look at Alpha Chim’s flushed face. Taking a deep breath, Tae can smell the sweetness of his oranges mixed with cherries from Jinnie, but there is a sweetness almost like they were candied, which could only come from you.

“You did not,” Yoongi states more than he questions.

“He didn’t. Nothing was done between them other than holding onto each other like a pair of koalas as they slept fully clothed. I had to help Y/n wiggle herself out just to go to the bathroom,” chuckles Seokjin. “Someone didn’t want his ladymate to leave the nest this morning.”

“Then why is Alpha Chim out?” wonders Taehyung out loud.

Crunching his face, Seokjin says, “Not sure, actually. He was out when she woke up. I wonder if Alpha Chim was sleeping with y/n for some reason.”

“Protect, mate,” Alpha Chim finally speaks up. “Nightmares. Crying. Alpha, protect Luna– mate.”

A collective understanding spreads in the room. Taehyung closes the distance between him and Alpha Chim, kissing his forehead. Yoongi follows suit and kisses the Alpha on the cheek.

“Such a good Alpha. Consoling, reassuring, and protecting her,” says Yoongi. “Thank you for stepping in for me like a proper mate, Alpha Chim.”

Alpha Chim nods and smiles brightly as his eyes bleed back into Jimin’s natural color. Looking around at the other three mates, Jimin says, “She wants a pack meeting. I think last night spooked her a bit, and Taehyung and I are to blame. Don’t worry, I will join Taehyung in servicing to compensate for it.”

A growl startles the room as it comes from Taehyung. His jaw is set firmly, and he says, “She won’t even let me service her much less adding you into it. She made her own tea or coffee or whatever she is drinking now. She didn’t even try to wake me up.”

“Does she know to wake you up?” asks Seokjin, to which Taehyung shakes his head no. “You cannot blame her for letting you sleep or do whatever then. She is human. She doesn’t want to impose more than she thinks she is already. Remember what manager-nim said.”

“Maybe this pack meeting is a good idea,” conveys Yoongi. “We may not be able to tell her she is our bondable mate right now, but maybe we can clarify more about the rights of being a pack mate she has yet to discover, like waking any of us up if she needs it.”

“Or not running away when there is skinship or intimate moments between us,” mumbles Jimin with a frown. “She ran out like the nest was on fire when Hyung woke me with kisses and a little nibble. You would have sworn he was trying to fuck me in front of her already with how she reacted.”

“You two,” Seokjin points to Yoongi and Jimin, “Go and wake the others. I will make something quick for breakfast. Taehyung, please get her out of the cold. Bring in Kook as well before he has a stroke in the bushes.”

Jungkook has inched closer to you, wanting to watch your features light up as the sun hits them. He knew you were pretty before, but seeing you as the world wakes up was something completely different.

He is going to ask for or acquire cuddles with you today. He has to. With his warm and fuzzy feelings, any other choice was not an option. Being the youngest, he typically got away with more things than the others could, and he has been happy so far that you are allowing him the amount of skinship he has taken so far without complaints.

He hopes it is because you subconsciously feel the bond, not because you see him as a namdongsaeng. He never wants you to see him in that light because it would cause more complications than anyone wants to deal with. It is already enough that all the Bangtan Pack is younger than you. You, being their noona, are sexy in the way that an oppa is sexy to younger women. Unfortunately, a dongsaeng is not sexy in any way. He wants to be sexy to you– they all do.

Taehyung watched his youngest mate feed into his animalistic side as he hopped through the bushes, his little fluffy tail twitching excitedly. He chuckled at the enormous flemish rabbit hiding in the bushes, stalking his newest mate, who was totally in another world. You must feel safe at the pack house because you seem to have lowered your guard. It fills him with pride, even if you do not realize what you are doing.

He can see your profile when he comes out of the door. Stopping his approach, he observed your micro-expressions changing as each thought must have been coiling through your mind. What had such a sobering effect on you?

He whistles as he walks to you to gain your attention without startling you. Noticing your body unconsciously tense at the sound, you look up to find him and relax with a gentle smile. He wants to puff his chest at the fact that you visibly relax with him, which means that you aren’t still mad at him, he thinks.

Apparently, today is the day for lounging and no primping, you think, as Taehyung slowly makes his way towards you with a smirk on his face and a glint in his eye. He is also dressed in sleepwear, although he has now decided to wear a shirt—a flash of his toned chest filters through your mind. Trying not to blush at the memory, you smile at the tiger.

“Good morning, Taehyung,” you greet him with little puffs of breath showing in the still-chilled air.

“Morning, Dove,” replies Taehyung with a lift of his head as he steps into the pavilion. “Why are you sitting out here in the cold?”

You hear his words as you look around, trying to find the mourning dove he spoke of. Frowning, you answer, “I rarely get to see the sunrise from my packhouse. There are too many buildings around me. Plus, I needed to think about some things before the day started.”

“What’s wrong?” questions Taehyung, now looking around for whatever you are looking for, spotting Jungkook and nodding his head toward the door, hoping the little devil would take the hint to go inside already.

“The chueybird,” you say with a bit of sass because what else would you be looking for? Glancing back at the Alpha standing before you, you notice the absolute lack of understanding and giggle.

“A chueybird is what my dad used to call mourning doves. They are a part of the dove family, Columbidae. They have many names but mostly are called the American mourning dove, the rain dove, the turtle dove, and the chueybird,” you explain with a slight tint of sadness.

It isn’t often that you speak about your father. He was an ornithologist, and chueybirds, though common, were one of his favorites. They were the easiest to spot with their lovely, unique coloring. It was also the first bird your father taught you when he would take you bird-watching in the local parks.

A chuckle from Taehyung stops you from searching. Looking at him, you notice the coy smile and crescent moon eyes. “Y/n, I was calling you Dove and saying morning to you.”

You feel your eyes go almost comically wide with a flush to your cheeks as you muse, “Oh… I guess I am a morning bird but more like a terminally exhausted pigeon.”

“Are you not sleeping well?” he questions with concern as he kneels before you. His hands hold your face as he inspects to see the darkened circles under your eyes, along with their puffiness. He also notes the dryness of your skin, though it is still soft.

He thought sleeping with Jimin last night would have allowed you to sleep better, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Maybe it is because of the events with Namjoon and the nightmare that stole your resting sleep.

The warmth of his hands on your face shows just how cold you have gotten sitting outside for who knows how long. You relish in the feeling for a moment longer before you lean back, saying, “It’s normal for me, though. I haven’t been able to sleep well for a few years. Maybe when my pack is around, it’s better…”

You trail off on the thought because you know that for at least the next several weeks, you won't be able to have sleepovers with your pack while having to stay with Bangtan at their packhouse. While you knew you would be giving up on things being here, you never reasonably thought about the home life you would leave behind.

Clearing your throat, “We should maybe get inside. That is why you came out here, isn’t it? Do you have a schedule today that I need to get ready for? I forgot to check my phone.”

Moving his hands to your shoulders, Taehyung helps you stand while keeping the blanket secure. When he held your face, your lips were pale, and your skin was like ice. The tea had long gone cold and had done nothing to keep you warmed.

“I came out here because my Mistress did not wake me to prepare her tea for her or to keep her warm while she contemplated whatever it was you were contemplating in the cold morning air,” grumbles Taehyung.

Scoffing at him, you dispute with, “I’m sorry, but I am not the Idol here who needs his beauty sleep so that a galizzion bajillion stans can fawn over him, now am I?”

Taehyung’s lips thinned, and his eyes narrowed at your remark. You must have stepped over a line you didn’t understand was there. Dropping your head, you fidget by adjusting your grip on the mug, waiting for whatever harsh words he is preparing to say to you.

“It’s time to go inside. Seokjin-hyung is preparing breakfast. The rest of the pack is waiting for us, and after we eat, we will discuss a few things,” coldly informs Taehyung. “Jimin mentioned you wanted a pack meeting, and we will do that.”

Turning your shoulders towards the door, he gestures to it and says, “After you.”

Namjoon couldn’t stop watching you eat while wearing his bathrobe.

Taehyung wouldn’t let you get any of your own food, insisting he was doing this job.

Jimin and Jungkook wouldn’t even look your way without blushing.

Yoongi, Hoseok, and Seokjin were the most normal, but even then, no one really talked about anything.

You insisted on helping Seokjin and Namjoon clear the table but were abruptly stopped by Taehyung, who ushered you to the single plush chair in the living room and made you sit down. Once sitting, you found your lap instantly becoming Jungkook's pillow as Taehyung went to help in your place.

“Y/n, why are you frowning?” asks Jungkook softly, stilling his nuzzling into your plush thighs once he notices your facial expression. Looking at the soft Alpha almost half in your lap while still sitting on the floor, you run your fingers into his hair, causing his eyes to flutter slightly.

“I just feel useless right now, Thumper,” you say, moving to sit more comfortably in the armchair. “Here, come sit between my legs; it will be more comfortable for both of us.”

Jungkook’s ears stand straight up at your offer. He blushes slightly as his ears slowly fold onto his head, asking, “Are you sure, Y/n? I don… that is a very… umm… close way of cuddling.”

Rolling your eyes playfully, you purse your lips at him, “Thumper, I wouldn’t offer it if I wasn’t comfortable with the idea. In fact, it would be nice right now to have your comfort with me or Yoongi’s, but you are here now.”

Nodding, Jungkook twisted around until he was situated between your legs with his knees to his chest. Laying his head on one thigh, he closed his eyes as you resumed finger-brushing his hair. He notes that you are careful not to touch his ears; however, you get so close that he thumps the foot on the ground and grabs your ankles.

“Hmm,” you hear over your shoulder. Turning, you see Yoongi standing just behind the chair with his eyes on your hand in his youngest mate's hair. Slowly, you remove them from the soft locks, pulling a whine from Jungkook, who looks up at you with puppy dog eyes despite the fact he is indeed a Flemish Giant Rabbit.

“Oh, don’t stop on my account,” comments Yoongi. “I was just wondering why you chose to sit in the chair meant for one.”

The look of, maybe, hurt in his eyes catches you off guard. Shaking your head, “It was Taehyung who sat me here. I had no choice. Then I got seat belted in by a rather large bunny.”

“Hey, you could have moved to a different seat, and I would have followed just fine, Sugar,” Jungkook says, squeezing your ankles.

You shrug and put your hands up, “I don’t know this. When an Alpha, especially one with Tae’s reputation, puts you somewhere– guess what? You stay there,” you say, looking between the two, hoping they get what you mean.

“Yeah, well, right now, it's you who is in control of said Alpha and his reputation,” Yoongi says with a scowl. “Where do you want to sit? Who do you want to sit with?”

Looking at Yoongi like he had almost lost it, Namjoon walked into the living room, followed by Seokjin and the rest. “Y/n, please sit where you want and direct the pack to where you will be most comfortable. It is you, after all, who called the pack meeting,” declared the Prime Alpha.

Your eyes go wide. You called the pack meeting? But you aren’t of a status in the pack to call meetings, right? You are temporary, and you are not the Luna here. Umm… shit. You have overstepped, which must be why breakfast was quiet.

“With your permission, Prime Alpha,” you start in an attempt to mend whatever you had done, only to be cut off by Taehyung as he storms over to you, causing Jungkook to hop out of the way comically.

Dropping to his knees, Taehyung bares his neck slightly because he still wants to look at you and says, “Y/n, my Dove, you called the meeting. Everyone within this pack has a right to call a pack meeting; this includes you. Please.”

Searching his face, you see that he is honest. A movement behind him catches your attention as you focus on seeing Jungkook follow suit and kneel with his neck fully bared to you—your mouth gaps when you hear a whine from behind Namjoon.

Looking in that direction, you see Jimin nibbling on his bottom lip, watching his two mates show signs of submission to you. Taking in the reactions of Namjoon, Seokjin, and Hoseok, they also look worried but not.

After another beat, their eyes all snap at you.

Waiting.

While avoiding seeing Yoongi’s reactions to the unusual display, you look at Taehyung and say, “I would like us to sit comfortably.”

“How would that look to you, Y/n?” questions Hoseok.

“Well, that is a good question,” you reply. You want Yoongi with you more now than before, but you know that Taehyung’s rules require him to sit at your feet, but Jungkook was there.

“Yoongi, Jungkook, and I will sit on the long couch. Taehyung, you will take your place as you should. Then I will leave the rest of you to find your comfort among the rest of the available seating,” you say with as much confidence as a kit.

Yoongi steps around the chair and pulls you to your feet, keeping your hands connected as he follows your directions. It's like someone pushed play. Everyone starts moving without a word spoken.

Yoongi sat to your right. Jungkook sat to your left. Well, he laid down to your left with his head in your lap and pulled your good hand back to his hair with a cheeky smile. Taehyung copied Jungkook’s earlier position of sitting between your legs with one arm wrapped around your calf.

Namjoon took the single chair while Seokjin, Jimin, and Hoesok made it work on the loveseat. Once everyone settled, time seemed to halt. Everyone looked at everything but each other, and the seriousness of the meeting settled over the room.

“Y/n, have you ever held a pack meeting before?” asked Jungkook softly.

Nibbling your bottom lip, you hum, “Ah, well, yes, but never with Alpha’s.”

“It isn’t any different because we are Alpha’s,” Jungkook says encouragingly. “Just talk to us.”

“I think I would do better answering questions than just talking,” you nervously chuckle. Glancing at the three Alphas you surrounded yourself with, you felt a slight ping of hurt that you had left out the others, but they weren’t yours to gather in a puppy pile or horde like a dragon.

“Actually, Jungkook, can you sit up, please? And Taehyung, can you turn to face me?” You ask with firmness. You want to see them as they are Alpha’s. Not the cuddly bunny that had already found an express pass to skinship that you never knew you had, nor the dominating Alpha seeking forgiveness for letting his instincts control his actions when he wasn’t aware of the situation.

The others meet your gaze once they move as you requested, ending with Namjoon. You look at the Prime Alpha with a look you hope conveys the topic you will bring up. He nods once, slowly.  Glancing back at Jimin, you are met with a warm smile because he is the one who gave you the idea to do this.

Well, here goes nothing.

“I wanted to have this pack meeting to tell you all something about me and my past simultaneously,” you start, albeit shakily.

Yoongi squeezes your knee, pulling your attention. “You only have to share what you think you need to, nothing more, nothing less.”

“We may ask questions,” interjects Hoseok. “But you don’t have to answer if you are uncomfortable.”

“Thank you, Hoseok,” you smile. “I will try to be as clear as possible. I ask that you wait till I finish before asking questions, if possible?”

Everyone nods, settling into an attentive stance. Their eyes look concerned but patient. Jungkook has scooched a hair closer to you. Yoongi already had his leg pressed against yours, even with him angled as he is to be able to look at you. Taehyung looked slightly conflicted with himself. It wasn’t until you shifted your leg forward to where it brushed his crisscrossed legs that he settled down.

Looking at your lap, you fiddled with your brace as you started.

“My history hasn’t been one of hearts, stars, horseshoes, rainbows, and balloons. It’s been more of bruises, beatings, blood, abuse, and assault. Jimin was unfortunate enough to hear some of what happened when he woke me from my nightmare last night, which is why you found him in my room, Seokjin.

“I know you all know a little because of my medical check-up being in the contract, and Namjoon knows a bit more because I shared it with him last night. I figured it would be good for all of you to know. This way, everyone is informed equally, and I would only really have to tell all of it at once.”

You could hear movements rustling at the implications of your words, but you didn’t dare look to see who was getting antsy or what may have happened because you just needed to keep going.

“I guess I should start at the beginning. I am the youngest of two. My older brother is somewhat of a modern-day gypsy and hikes anywhere, sleeping in a tent, has shaggy hair, is built like a Mac truck, and takes odd jobs. According to my mother, he is living his dreams of being an explorer to help chart nearly impossible things for the advancement of environmental sciences. He does that, too, but it's just his way of escaping her.

“My mother is a socialite. She has never worked a day in her life and never will. She comes from old money and married my father because he was in her social standing to do as such. I am pretty sure she never really loved him, but my father thought the world of her.

“He is a scientist who studies birds. He taught my brother and me basic respect for hybrids, animal rights, and survival methods for backpacking. Last I knew… he was in a different country, so he couldn’t take us with him, besides the fact that my mother wouldn’t let him during the divorce. She said he was too wild to be a proper parental figure.

“As for me, I have never been a thin, lean female growing up. Like my brother, I got my stockiness and size from my father. My father said it just meant that I was sturdy enough for childbearing, but my mother said it was because I had too much of my father in me. She would throw me into the latest dieting or workout trend as if I were some pseudo-celebrity who needed to maintain a particular look.

“I was quickly the target of bullies as early as grade school due to my physical build and hitting puberty earlier than the rest of the class. I could never go to my mother about these issues because I was bringing them on myself. It was always met with cold shoulders, stricter diets, and harsher workouts.

“I didn’t understand how warm a hug was until Evie came into my life. I learned some skinship pack behaviors from the Foust Pack, but humans didn’t readily accept that amount of cuddling. When I hit high school, it only got worse when I would try to do the skinship with new human friends. So, my mother and her sister taught me to use my feminine wiles and skinship behaviors to get the attention of desirable sons of her country club.

“It worked like a drug with those high society boys. They enjoyed the tastefully revealing clothes and the looseness of my inhibitions as they called them. My aunt and mother said they were just showing me affection and that I should be grateful for any type of acknowledgment that I could get. If I mentioned it was uncomfortable, it was because I was ungrateful.”

Taking a deep, steadying breath to gather where you want to head next with the conversation, you note the air is burnt and stormy all at once. It stills you, your brain registering that you are surrounded by very, very unhappy Alphas, which causes you to squirm in your seat.

Glancing up, you meet Taehyung’s eyes briefly and note they are streaked with crystal blue. It's a startling sight that causes you to look around at the rest of the Alphas to find they are the same. Their eyes are fractured between their natural human colors and their Alpha eyes. It looks like lightning for some, and others are split in half or with one eye of each color.

The squeeze of your ankle pulls your widened eyes back to Taehyung. He shakes his head slowly and tilts his head forward. The rest of the room remains silent.

Diverting your eyes back to your hands, you fiddle with the sash to your, Namjoon’s, robe and continue your story:

“In high school, when things would get nasty with the vulgar name-calling, slut shaming, and pranks my classmates would pull, it was harder for me to follow my mother’s rule to tear down the blanket fort. She would catch me and call me things like mongrel or filthy pack-rat.

“My grandmother, meemaw, was the same way. She used to throw me in the closet for the weekend if she found it. She made me swear that I would keep what she was doing a secret. She would do… things to me if I either left the fort up too late or told anyone of the closet, but she passed away about five years ago.

“As some of you know, my mother would follow Meemaw’s lead and make me tear down the fort. She wouldn’t go as far as the closet but do other restrictions or punishments to remind me of my place and worth within the family. She would have had a cow if she knew I had a fort at Evie’s house to use whenever I wanted. The habit of tearing it down is still with me to the point that, even now, I know it is still up and shouldn’t be– according to my mother.

“Aside from the restrictive socialite type raising to be prim, proper, and human, my mother was insistent on having me marry someone of stature and 100% human. Ultimately, she was delighted that I met Eric because he was from a high social class. His parents were chiefs of their respective departments at the hospital. The biggest bonus was that Eric wasn’t a hybrid.

“After my very short-lived rebellion stage and deciding to date an Omega Polar Bear hybrid, she thought he was my forever. Eric was perfect– at first. I guess that should have been my first red flag. He helped my mother when she was ill and bought her a condo when we got engaged. He was so kind, respectful, attentive, but that changed.

“It started with underhanded and crooked compliments, leaving bruises from harsh grabbing to busted lips due to backhands. He was always forgiven because, according to my family, I should have apologized for doing whatever it was that was pushing him to that level of anger.

“I was with him for a long time. I thought he loved me because he got me gifts and would take pleasure in me whenever he wanted to. After we got engaged, I found out I was pregnant and was at seven weeks. I was so happy.

“I just knew that this news of a baby would make Eric happy with me again. He would treat me better because we had proof of our love. When I told him, he reacted like I had told him that I gave him every STD known and unknown to man. This was after waiting hours for him to come home from work at 2 am because he was out having drinks with the boys.

“He punched me for the first time that night, right in the stomach where the baby was. Then he pushed outside and down the stairwell, screaming at me about how ugly, fat, and pathetic I was. He even told me to get rid of the devil’s spawn that I was carrying. I ran. Left everything behind. Evie took me to the hospital, and I ended up with two fractured ribs, an ankle sprain, and a miscarriage.”

By this point, a thrum of energy had filled the room. Barely withheld growls could be heard by only those in the room. The pack remained this way for an unknown amount of time.

Each hybrid takes in what they hear, all of them struggling with their Alpha to not go and hunt down Eric, your mom… Oh, hell, your whole family.

“Sugar,” Jungkook starts gently speaking to you as if you were a piece of glass about to break. “Thank you for telling us everything. I don’t want to diminish what you said, and I am sure some of us have questions for you, but can I share something with you first?”

You nod, grateful for the attention to be off you for the moment.

“You know the age-old saying about fucking like bunnies?” he questions with his ears coming to stand straight up on his head, attentively listening to your reactions.

“Yeah, it’s derogatory now, though,” you answer with a confused but concerned look.

Jungkook smiles at your expression, “It is now, but it isn’t inaccurate. See, I was raised in a fluffle that was a feeder to a large underground brothel. I have more brothers, sisters, and half-siblings than I could name or care to remember. The Madam used rabbit hybrids because we have a short refractory period, and our Omegas have heats up to twice a month. So, it wasn’t hard for them to accept the attention of the trick they were assigned to.”

“I presented as an Alpha Buck, around nine years old. This came as a shock because most rabbit hybrids are Betas or Omegas. I was trained in etiquette and sexual practices right away because I was so rare and would fetch a high price. I was to be used for the elite clients only and allowed to go out on dates with tricks like an escort service,” continued Jungkook, his ears twitching with each of your micro reactions.

“Jungkook, you were so young,” you mumble. He reaches out, offering you his hand, which you take instantly. You are not sure if it is him or you who is seeking the connection of comfort from the other.

“I was in the eyes of the human world. As a hybrid, it isn’t considered traditionally taboo once we present. Just like puberty signals humans that the physical body is ready for mating. It works similarly in the hybrid world, except we follow a more animalistic view and start mating or seeking a bonded mate at that age. However, with the new human laws that help protect hybrids, it is considered illegal,” Jungkook says, squeezing your hand.

“I didn’t know about the new hybrid laws because my fluffle had been a part of the underground brothel for several generations. Laws meant nothing to Madam, which meant they were worthless for us to know,” he continued.

“When our agency bought me to become a trainee and ultimately join Bangtan Pack as an Idol, it took a while for the hyungs to get me to understand that we were actually real mates and not to see them as another trick or to think that they weren’t seeing me as a pseudo-Omega. Mates, especially bonded mates, aren’t typical for rabbit hybrids because we have difficulty sticking to a single partner. I think that is why I was lucky enough to have six of them. They showed me what it meant to be a mate, to be loved, to be cherished, and to be protected,” he smiled at each of them before settling his eyes back on you.

“I understand what it means to be groomed into what someone else wants you to be and not be allowed to be comfortable in your skin, Y/n. You don’t have to be what your mother wants you to be, what your aunt or grandmother forced you to act like. With us, you can find who you want to be.” Jungkook leans forward, one of his ears folding in half as he looks at you and says, “You can be as cuddly as a kitty or solitary as a wolverine, and we will all be by your side along the way.”

You can’t help but chuckle slightly as you say, “I don’t think you would make a week without cuddles, Mr. Sneaky.”

“Hey! I can go without cuddling for a week. I am not the one who has been holding on to you this whole meeting, am I?” the bunny says, sticking his tongue out at Taehyung, who playfully sticks his out in return.

“Let’s not get into who is more cuddlier than the other right now. This is a pack meeting with serious topics,” interrupts the Prime Alpha. “Y/n, thank you for sharing everything with us. I knew some of it from the contract and what you shared last night, but I can see it's much more than I even thought of.”

“Dear, are you… do you have anything… have we done anything to upset you?” asks Seokjin.

You blush at his question because it’s not that they have ever upset you. They listened when you have spoken up so far, but there are still blurred lines that you are nervous about talking about.

“Wait, before you answer that, can I ask what happened this morning?” Jimin jumps in with puppy-dog eyes. “I thought everything was good with us sleeping together in your nest, but then you bolted.”

“WHAT!?!” screeches Hoseok and Namjoon.

You immediately pale at their reactions and shrink into a smaller ball, pulling out of Taehyung’s grip and curling your knees to your chest. Your scent turns with bergamot that you went too far and crossed a boundary in your panic after the nightmares.

A growl from your side snaps everyone out of the now-resounding commotion of trying to explain what had happened between you and Jimin in the middle of the night.

“Cut. It. Out,” declares Yoongi. “You guys are acting as if the two of them sharing a nest is scandalous when, in fact, it is a very positive action for the two of them! It has been ages since Jimin has built a nest for anyone outside of the pack nest, and for Y/n to accept it plus invite him to share it with her for whatever her reason was… that is a step forward we all want.”

Muffled by your face buried in your knees, you ask tentatively, “You want that?

Yoongi softly runs his hand over your back, “Yes, Princess. I am sorry we haven’t been as clear as we should have been, but I know I am not good with words unless it’s a rap.”

“Doll,” calls Hoseok. “Can you look at me?”

You tilt your head just enough to see the marten hybrid move Jimin onto Seokjin’s lap as he leans toward you, his hands clasped lightly together. You have seen the look on his face in the rare Teacher Jung videos right before he is about to get strict with the dancers for messing up the choreography.

“There are those beautiful eyes,” he says with a smile that momentarily softens the intense look. “We have done much of this out of order– like all of it. We need to discuss boundaries with you. Since we are an established pack, we easily forget that you are new, not only to Alphas but to Bangtan.”

“Hoseok-hyung is right,” adds Namjoon. “We should have said most of this before the contract was signed, but it wouldn’t change anything.”

You lift your head farther up to see the seriousness of the pack. “I would like boundaries or more like… protocols,” you agreed.

“Protocols?” questions Taehyung. Being the most dominant of the Alphas in the pack, protocols are typically within his realm of declarations.

You nod, clarifying, “Yeah. Protocols, rules, or whatever you want to call them, but with certain situations.”

“Situations like this morning with Jimin-hyung?” pushes the tiger sitting before you.

“That is one of them, yeah. I would like to know what I am supposed to do when you guys want time together or when things get intense. Then there are the times, also like this morning, when I am getting up and need something or when I wa… or whatnot,” you elaborate before you sputter your words because you didn’t know how to ask for private time.

“Let’s start with that then,” Namjoon guides, letting your stumble slide for now. “We always want time together because we are bonded mates, Angel.”

“Joon-ah, she is talking about when we want to be more intimate,” Seokjin speaks up. “This morning, Jiminnie was trapping her in the nest, and I used more intimate means to get our cuddly panda to let go.”

“Oh, would this also be about times like when we kiss each other and flirt?” questions Jungkook.

By this time, your face blushes into a beautiful rose color, and you nod, “Yes, that. Those times. The times that should be privately held.”

Hoseok chuckles, “But we are in private, Doll. All those actions have happened within the packhouse, have they not?”

“Well… yes, they have, but I was there when two of you kissed in a sweet moment over the top of me, and then it was something heated and not so innocent with those two this morning,” you whine.

“What did you want to happen then, Naekkeo?” questions Jimin, his eyes slightly darkened with remembering your scent turning to arousal as you watched them.

“I wanted to,” you gulp. “I wanted to do what was comfortable for your mates. I don’t want to stay for something I shouldn’t be.”

“So, you wanted to stay?” Seokjin asks with a finality that makes the question almost irrelevant. 

The slip-up in your wording, of course, gets caught before you can save yourself. All you can do is widen your eyes at this implication because that is precisely what you wanted to do, but you don’t want to say it because you don’t have that kind of relationship with them like that.

“Enough, guys,” Hoseok steps in and looks at Namjoon. “Prime Alpha, do you oppose Y/n being present when affection is shared between us?”

“I do not,” answers the wolf hybrid. “I think the pack would enjoy it if you stayed, Y/n.”

A mummer of agreement comes from the rest of the pack, causing your jaw to drop and for you to ask, “You want me to be there? Like ogling you as if you were in a movie?”

“You can watch or tell us what you want to see,” Jungkook says with a slightly rough voice.

“You can even move us how you want us,” suggests Taehyung. “It’s more fun when everyone present is involved anyways, isn’t it?”

You sputter at the thought, your mind throwing you back to this morning and the possibility that you could have joined in. You glance at the two cuddled on the couch. Seokjin has the small Alpha in his lap. You can see they are both thinking at the same time you are. Their eyes are equally dark as Seokjin raises his eyebrow at you. You know he is implying something, but you look away quickly.

Your eyes come to meet Namjoon, who seems to know something transpired between the three of you. He says, “Are you okay with this boundary, or do you want us to hide our intimacy behind doors?”

Frowning at his question, you take a moment. Do you want them to hide from you? You are in their pack house, and it is their one safe space to be a mate-bonded pack.

Did you want to take that freedom away from them?

“I don’t want to take your spontaneity away from you and make you stay behind closed doors. I am okay with those boundaries, but I want to reserve the ability to walk away without hurting anyone’s feelings,” you agree conditionally.

“I think we can accept that,” says Yoongi.

Nodding, you add, “It has been a while since I have been around such intimate gestures, and sometimes it becomes overwhelming for me– like the skinship thing.”

“Does that mean we can still get head scritches and cuddles?” asks Jungkook.

“What do you mean we? You are the only one who has gotten any of that,” whines Taehyung.

You giggle at the comment and join in, “The Tigger tiger has a point there, Thumper. You seemed to have found a fast pass to all of that.”

“Tigger? Did you just call me Tigger? After that stuffed toy thingy from the American Honey Bear cartoon?” Taehyung glares at you.

“What? Sorry. You reminded me of him when you came bouncing sleepily into my room yesterday with your hair all flouncy and bouncy,” you giggle more as the others join in.

“So, you have a Tigger, Thumper, and Kisa. When do the rest of us get nicknames?” asks Hoseok with a pout. “You are already my Doll.”

“Huh?” you look at him questioningly. “But Seokjin has called me a doll, too.”

“He did what?” Teacher Hoseok, who now you are figuring is more like Alpha Hope, slowly turns his head to the offending mate.

“It was an accident! I didn’t realize you had claimed Y/n as that,” pouts the eldest, acting more like the youngest. “I will only use Dear from now, I promise.”

“You better, hyung or not. We will talk later about you using the wrong claim,” says Hoseok.

“Sugar,” Jungkook pulls your attention to him. “We each have nicknames that we use with each other. Back when you went out with Seokjin-hyung, it was decided in private that we would each claim a nickname for you.”

“I take it your nickname for me is Sugar?” you question, and Jungkook confirms.

“I call you Princess. Hoseok is Doll with Seokjin now as Dear,” adds Yoongi.

“I call you Naekkeo,” says Jimin.

Taehyung grabs your ankles and pulls them back to his lap, “You are my Dove.”

You look to Namjoon, and he smiles, “You got named my Angel last night, Y/n.”

“Oh,” you nibble your lower lip. You are embarrassed but in a loving way, which you have never felt before. Pouting, you comment, “You all already have something picked out for me, but I haven’t figured one for all of you.”

“You don’t need to have them all picked out. They will come out eventually,” says Namjoon. “But back on topic, Taehyung wanted to talk to you about something of concern.”

Your eyes drop to the tiger, giving you a soft massage of your calves.

“Well, other than explaining how you slept with Jimin to the rest of the pack, why did you not wake me this morning when you got up? Again?” asks Taehyung.

You blush again for who knows how many times this meeting at Taehyung’s choice of wording before you respond saying, “Jimin can explain how he ended up in my bed… wait, that sounds just as bad as sleeping with him. We just had a sleepover, more or less.”

“As for you this morning, I told you that I wanted to let you get your sleep. I know how crazy your schedules can be, and I didn’t want to steal the extra time from you,” you answered.

“Y/n. You never need to be alone or let us sleep if you need something. For one, right now, I am at your service. For two, Yoongi-hyung is supposed to be helping because of your hand. For three, well, you shouldn’t hesitate to wake us, ask us questions, ask for something, or, heck, you could have even crawled into bed with one of us if you needed more sleep since you had two horn dogs in your nest.”

Shaking your head, smiling, “I wasn’t chased out of bed this morning. I left because I didn’t know what to do.”

Your eyes drop to your lap as you ponder how to word your next question. Not long before, a black tail goes under your chin, pulling you from your thoughts to look at Yoongi.

“What has you thinking so hard?” inquires the jaguar.

“If... If I were to want some private time, how would I go about that?” you ask, tentatively keeping eye contact with Yoongi. Your breath is just a hint more shallow than before.

“Private time?” asks Hoseok. “Mostly, we just close our den doors, but we never lock them in case of an emergency. I thought that was pretty obvious. Aren’t most households like that?”

Your blush deepens because Hoseok’s innocence shows, making you feel a bit pervy that you are asking what you are asking.

Yoongi is studying your face, eyes, and posture. He sees the micro changes in your expression, the emotions playing behind your eyes, and the subtle movement of your thighs as you ask your question and listen to Hoseok’s reply.

“Are you worried that we might… hear something, Princess?” he asks with narrowed eyes.

Your gulp alone is enough to answer his question. He smiles, saying, “Princess, you don’t need to worry about private times like that. It’s natural and healthy for you to have them, so it’s nothing to be shy about. We may be Alphas; we may be flirty– some of us more than others, and we may be hybrids with excellent hearing, but we won’t listen to you on purpose.”

“Jungkook does,” you whisper.

“Ah, no, he doesn’t,” comments Jungkook. “I only heard you mumbling rather loudly to yourself about something dealing with the sheet or pillow or something, which is why I sent your servant boy to you.”

Clearing his throat, Namjoon speaks up, “Y/n, we are all adults here. The quietest room in the pack house is the pack nesting room because it has soundproofing. With your den down here, hearing certain pitches would be more challenging. You would be safe in your den if you want to handle those urges alone.”

In Namjoon’s head and the rest of Bangtan, the images of you ‘handling’ those urges course through them. They couldn’t wait until the day, night, or afternoon when you wouldn’t feel the need to hide those sounds from them or when you would be making those sounds from under or on top of them, well, just anywhere as long as it was because of them.

A soft growl comes from Taehyung, who still massages your calf, and asks, “Dove, do you have what you need to deal with those– urges?”

Arousal shoots through your body at his question. Fuck is the first thing you can think. No, you don’t have things to help with that, and you were right-handed, but you weren’t thinking about actually doing anything inside the pack house.

Maybe.

However, when Taehyung asked that question, your lovely mind decided you had 70 fingers, seven mouths, and seven… yeah, no, you physically shake your head, trying to get the thoughts away. Your scent long gave away your train of thought to the hybrids surrounding you.

Jimin wriggled in Seokjin’s lap as he felt the eldest’s member start to harden, along with his own, in reaction to your scent, causing their pajama pants to feel too tight.

Taehyung’s grip tightened into a deeper massage on your calves.

Yoongi and Jungkook squirmed in their seats, glancing at each other with heat before focusing back on you.

Namjoon licked his lips as if he could taste your scent.

“Taehyung, that is not a question that I would think that Y/n is comfortable enough answering, nor does she have to,” Hoseok informs, giving you an out despite his desire to know just how you would want to handle yourself right now.

“Ah,” you gulp again, looking at Hoseok. “Thank you, Hoseok. I will figure it all out, Taehyung.”

With a slightly deeper push of Taehyung’s fingers against the inside of your ankle with one hand while the other pressed from the middle of the sole to the pad of your foot, causing an electric shock of pleasure to run from the base of your spine to the top of your head. Your eyes flutter at the feeling.

 “Remember, if you need… anything… I can always help you out,” coys the tiger. “I give excellent massages and know all the right pressure points.”

You, slower than you will ever admit, pull yourself out of the hold he has on your foot as you glance around the living room, waiting for someone to protest Taehyung’s very blatant offer to help you sexually, but none comes.

Not trusting your voice, you nod and stand up, pointing to your room. Then you blanche and hope Taehyung doesn’t take it as if you are accepting the offer. Looking at Namjoon with a question-filled face, he smiles and nods, to which you, not so subtly, walk with haste and shut the door.

Fucking hell.

They mentioned that the Maknae line was the horny or flirty part of Bangtan, but this was…You said the youngest trio needed a bucket of ice water earlier, but maybe you were the one who needed the bucket.

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[shojislady]

2. SO SCANDALOUS

"-ess.. princess. wake up, we need to get ready. kacchans making pancakes right now."

grumbling, she turns over to look at her clock. it's 10:15am, izuku let her sleep in a bit. today, the class was going out to the mall then the arcade to have class bonding time. with everything that's gone on, from the USJ incident and the tension from the sports festival, to the fight with stain (where endeavor unfairly took credit, causing the girl to have a "slight" hatred for him), and even the final exams, having to go against All Might with Bakugo and Midoriya, it was just a lot to handle. they're just kids, and kids need breaks.

walking into the bathroom, the girl began her daily morning routine.

"damn.. i look ROUGH..!" she said as she looked in the mirror. her bonnet looked as if it was trying to run away, her tank top was all twisted up, right boob was up in russia while the left one stayed home in america. she had eye boogers all around and her angel bite piercings were no where to be found.

she slept good.

"you know what... let me just wash my face right now and i'll do everything else after i eat."

her face care routine consists of ; black african soap, witch hazel, hydration drops, and a bit of coco butter.

finishing up and putting away her stray boobs, she found one of bakugos stolen hoodies and made her way downstairs.

(i would just like to add that she sleeps in boxers so yk that ass lookin fat 😋)

"good morning guys!" she greeted everyone, with a slight smile and wave. almost everyone was up, with the exception of a few people.

"hii y/n!"

"mornin bestie!!"

"Good Morning, Y/n! Glad to see you awake!"

and so on and so forth

"mornin angel.. im making your pancakes right now, but there's bacon on the tiny burner and i made u a tiny omelette. those burner thingies really come in handy, you know?"

"its a heating tray, katsu. and yes, that's why i bought them." she bought them for holidays like christmas and american thanksgiving, but since there's 21 kids living in one dorm, it's used more than expected.

"is that my fucking hood?? i've been looking for that for weeks!" bakugo exclaimed, turning around to give the girl a plate so that she could fix her food. "when the hell did you even- whatever.. as long as i get it back."

(Spoiler Alert, he doesn't)

"erm.. anyways..! so guys, what time are we supposed to be leaving??" asked y/n, going to take a seat next to shoji.

"Well, we're trying to leave for the mall around 12:45 since it isn't far, then leave the mall no later than 4:30-5." yaomomo began to explain. "I was able to rent the arcade from 6:15 to 10:30, food and drinks included, along with lazer tag , and we get the option of going in the bounce area, so when we get there just let me know."

"damn yaomomo... i knew you was stacked but DAMN!!"

"ong, bro's LOADED.."

"i'm calling you if i need to bailed out of jail."

"honestly guys it's not much, i just want us to have fun and relax as a class while being safe!" yaomomo said with a small smile on her face. she was literally loaded, like pockets so deep they could fit 3 gallons of milk each, pockets so swole they need an ice pack, pockets so fat they need they own TLC show type rich. but even so, she didn't like to flaunt her wealth. she'd rather use her money to pay for gifts and events for her friends, rather than to flex some diamond earrings or a gold necklace. She's still a teen girl though, so she still loves to go shopping. The girl is really just happy that she's found friends that actually love her for her, and not for her money.

"you're so cute yaomomo! i love you!"

"well thank you y-"

"if anyone, i mean ANYONE fucks with you, call me. these hands are rated E for Everyone. my fists are activists. i dont care if they're old, young, tall, short, fine, ugly, gay, straight. I believe in equality, and with equality comes equally distributed ass whoopings jus-"

"OK, n/n! i think momo gets how much you love her! since you're done eating can u help me?" midoriya interrupted the girls small rant.

"you gotta face the consequences of last night huh? you should've listened to me, but yeah i'll help!"

"you dont have to rub salt on the wound!" he whined. "i'll get stuff and meet in your room again?"

"sounds like a plan, izuku!" she replied, getting up to grab her plate and bring to the kitchen.

"OoOh y/n~" jirou began to tease. "last night? your room AGAIN? what scandalous activities have you been up to?"

"chill kyo, its not like that! he messed up his hair on his own and we always hang in my room bc its more.. welcoming.. then his."

"i know, y/n! im jus messin' with ya."

with her plate in hand, y/n walked into the kitchen where bakugo resided. he was cleaning and putting away the dirty plates before he started to soak the pans.

"so, the nerd fell asleep in your room again huh?" he asked, washing a plate.

"yeah, he started to doze off a little while after you left, so he slept with me."

"i dont know why you guys dont just ask eachother out yet. you two are basically in love with eachother."

"katsuki, you know how i feel, and you know how zuku is. im pretty sure if he would act the same way with the rest of the class as he acts with us if he just trusted them more." she informed, getting ready to wash her plate before bakugo snatched it.

"don't even try it." ever since they could crawl, they've never let the girl lift a finger. hungry? chef katsuki at your service! scraped your knee? Dr.deku to the rescue! and yes, they know that she's the perfectly capable and well off to do these things on her own, but why should she when she has two men to do it for her?

"anyways. we've all known eachother since literally birth. i see things, i observe things. you two are literally inseparable. im pretty sure y'all first words were eachothers names. you know how you act around him, you see with your own two (or four) eyes the way he acts with you, and im pretty sure he peeps it too. just ask eachother out already and stop being pussies for fucks sake!"

"oh my gosh?? shut the fuck up?? you're so damn loud??" she said, slapping him in the back of his neck.

"aye. try me again and we gotta tussle. i'm not deku. i'll will beat the black off you. i strike so much fear into your melanin pigmentation that it will come to me."

"whatever katsuki, u can run me my ones later, i gotta go help zuku now."

"ight then angel, u better be ready. see ya later."

with that, she finally left the kitchen and headed towards her dorm to meet izuku.

.*•

"finally.." the boy sighed. it's now 11:45 am, and they (she) just finished detangling, moisturizing, and somewhat styling his hair. at this point, her fingers and wrists were tired, her back was aching, her feet were sore, and she had the very violent urge to go back to her black roots and pop this nigga with the comb.

"I know damn well YOU not heavy breathing like you did some work. all yo lazy ass did was sit there and watch Netflix. YOU COULDN"T EVEN HOLD THE DAMN SPRAY..."

"I'm sorry, ma. thank you so much, I should've listened to you last night. now do you already have clothes ready? or do you need to pick something out?" he asked, pulling her into a hug and rubbing her back.

".. you better be so lucky i love you. but yes, i need to pick. have u chosen?"

" yup, right before I came to wake you up. so i'll help you if you want?"

"yes please"

taglist: @ast4rg1rl

I FINALLY DID IT YALL..

and i already started the next chapter🙏🏾

well i split this chapter up into 2 to make things easier on me and y'all!!

so if its not out by next week then i'll post something embarrassing 🙏🏾

BUT ILL BE IN DUBAI FOR A WHILE SO JULY 13th IS MY DEADLINE

anywho

when i show outfits and stuff they're just there for ppl like me who can't visualize that well <3

WELL

UNTILL NEXT TIMEE

[anniekoh]

Seattle From the Margins: Exclusion, Erasure, and the Making of a Pacific Coast City

Megan Asaka (2022)

"From the origins of the city in the mid-nineteenth century to the beginning of World War II, Seattle's urban workforce consisted overwhelmingly of migrant laborers who powered the seasonal, extractive economy of the Pacific Northwest. Though the city benefitted from this mobile labor force that consisted largely of Indigenous peoples and Asian migrants, municipal authorities, elites, and reformers continually depicted these workers and the spaces they inhabited as troublesome and as impediments to urban progress. Today the physical landscape bears little evidence of their historical presence in the city. Tracing histories from unheralded sites such as labor camps, lumber towns, lodging houses, and so-called slums, Seattle from the Margins shows how migrant laborers worked alongside each other, competed over jobs, and forged unexpected alliances within the marine and coastal spaces of the Puget Sound. By uncovering the historical presence of marginalized groups and asserting their significance in the development of the city, Megan Asaka offers a deeper understanding of Seattle's complex past.

This is EXCELLENT!

Other books referenced by Asaka.

The Forging of a Black Community: Seattle’s Central District from 1870 through the Civil Rights Era (Second Edition)               

By Quintard Taylor (2022)

Seattle's first black resident was a sailor named Manuel Lopes who arrived in 1858 and became the small community's first barber. He left in the early 1870s to seek economic prosperity elsewhere, but as Seattle transformed from a stopover town to a full-fledged city, African Americans began to stay and build a community. By the early twentieth century, black life in Seattle coalesced in the Central District, a four-square-mile section east of downtown. Black Seattle, however, was never a monolith. Through world wars, economic booms and busts, and the civil rights movement, black residents and leaders negotiated intragroup conflicts and had varied approaches to challenging racial inequity. Despite these differences, they nurtured a distinct African American culture and black urban community ethos. With a new foreword and afterword, this second edition of The Forging of a Black Community is essential to understanding the history and present of the largest black community in the Pacific Northwest.

American Workers, Colonial Power Philippine Seattle and the Transpacific West, 1919-1941

by Dorothy B. Fujita Rony (2003)

Historically, Filipina/o Americans have been one of the oldest and largest Asian American groups in the United States. In this pathbreaking work of historical scholarship, Dorothy B. Fujita-Rony traces the evolution of Seattle as a major site for Philippine immigration between World Wars I and II and examines the dynamics of the community through the frameworks of race, place, gender, and class. By positing Seattle as a colonial metropolis for Filipina/os in the United States, Fujita-Rony reveals how networks of transpacific trade and militarism encouraged migration to the city, leading to the early establishment of a Filipina/o American community in the area. By the 1920s and 1930s, a vibrant Filipina/o American society had developed in Seattle, creating a culture whose members, including some who were not of Filipina/o descent, chose to pursue options in the U.S. or in the Philippines. Fujita-Rony also shows how racism against Filipina/o Americans led to constant mobility into and out of Seattle, making it a center of a thriving ethnic community in which only some remained permanently, given its limited possibilities for employment. The book addresses class distinctions as well as gender relations, and also situates the growth of Filipina/o Seattle within the regional history of the American West, in addition to the larger arena of U.S.-Philippines relations.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Jane Wyman (All that Heaven Allows, Larceny, Inc., Magnificent Obsession)— I dare everyone to watch All that Heaven Allows and not MELT at Jane Wyman's gorgeous smile ("a silver-tipped spruce?" ugh, what a moment). And also just enjoy her literally playing a MILF opposite Rock Hudson, and in beautiful a Douglas Sirk Technicolor flick, what more could you want?

Dorothy Dandridge (Carmen Jones, Porgy and Bess, Island in the Sun)— The first Black actress to ever be nominated for best actress, Dorothy Dandridge was a groundbreaking actress who deserved better. She started her career as a singer, being put in a song-and-dance duo with her sister by their stage mother, and singing in soundies (I highly recommend cow cow boogie, it's adorable), proto-music videos. She started appearing as a featured singer in films. Her star was on the rise and she soon became a star solo performer. She continued acting, but had limited options because she refused to do stereotypical roles. She finally landed a starring role in Bright Road in 1953, but it was the movie Carmen Jones that truly cemented her as a star and sex symbol. Not to sound cheesy, but she literally sizzles on screen. You can't help but understand how poor Harry Belafonte gets caught in her trap, just look at her. This is the role that got her that Oscar nom. She didn't win cause I mean #OscarsSoWhite, but she was a sensation and continued starring in films, despite troubles in her life (including a shitty director bf who fucked with her career and a traumatizing pregnancy/delivery). Outside of her filmwork, she was also an activist, fighting against racism. She left behind an amazing legacy, and continues to inspire many actresses to this day (including also very hot first (and only) black woman to win best actress, Halle Berry).

This is round 2 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Jane Wyman:

Dorothy Dandridge propaganda:

Beautiful actress and hand-working and talented singer, she's especially notable for the number of firsts she accomplished such as the first African-American woman to receive a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the first African-American woman to appear on the cover of Life magazine.

Dorothy Dandridge was a classic Hollywood triple threat, singing, dancing, and acting with the best of them. She was the first African American nominated for an academy award for Best Actress for her role in Carmen Jones and she was just jaw-droppingly beautiful.

this og of black film needs no introduction (star on the hollywood walk of fame anyone?), voice of an angel, heavenly features, just an overall stunning lady :)

Look at her!!! She is so unbelievably charismatic in Carmen, it’s insane. Her chemistry with Harry Belafonte is off the charts, and every time she puts another outdoor [sic] on it’s like ‘oh god this is a whole new level of stunning’ 🥵. She was so so talented, when she’s on screen I genuinely dare you to tear your eyes away from her. Deserves to be known so much better but due to Hollywood racism and a tough personal life she didn’t make it as big as she should have done. She’s incredible.

First Black actress to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress! Was the first choice for the role of Cleopatra that went to Elizabeth Taylor (we were ROBBED).