#and the makeup of the people that live there

[diy-dynamite]

Longing for Home (1)

Mr. Crawling x Reader || feminine terms used (wedding dress 😭) so I think this is for the fems... I'm sorry guys

Contents: spoilers for one of Homicipher's endings that I don't remember, NOT a part of my "Television" series (but I might make a version of this for that)

********

YOU never found your way back home. With your skin stained with red, rash-like patches, and with your body slowly conforming through regenerative cycles, your home is no longer the one you knew.

This is your home.

Your home is in this strange building.

Your home is in the room next to Mr. Silvair and Mr. Chopped's.

Your home is on one of the two hospital beds that stand next to each other.

Your home is standing in front of you.

Or crawling, rather.

He was leading you back to the room after your usual wandering, collecting cute trinkets from the piles that fell from the human world. You came back with an arm full of things, and surprisingly, the majority were makeup.

Not the major glam kind, but stuff like lip gloss, lipstick, mascara, and powdery stuff for the eyes that you can't remember—and it hurts that you forgot what it was.

You laid them out on your bed, Mr. Crawling sitting on the ground next to you, looking at what you brought back with a puzzled look on his face.

He called all of them "things," which isn't entirely wrong.

Pop! An idea went off in your sneaky little head.

"You like me?" you asked out of the blue, turning to him with lip gloss in hand.

He tilted his head and chirped a little, ridiculing your question. "I like you? I love you many. You tired?" he asked, as if to say, "Is the fatigue messing with you?"

You laughed. He smiled. "Not tired!" you explained, then you sat down in front of him. You gestured him closer, so he did as you asked and crawled a couple of inches closer to you.

"You do something for me," you said.

"...?"

"Don't move."

...

"Don't move!!" you laughed, finally putting lipstick on him properly. He was struggling to hold still, the feeling of the lipstick irritating him.

"So cute!" you said, hoping to calm him down with a compliment as you shut the lipstick lid. "Cute! Cute!"

"Strange..." he mumbled, reaching up to wipe it off, but he didn't do it. He couldn't. Not when you said he was cute this way. "I cute...?"

You nodded, beaming brightly, and he couldn't resist it, so he didn't remove the lipstick.

As you rummaged in your little collection, you found a magazine full of ladies with white, majestic, beautiful dresses. Almost like The Bride's, but way more... lively.

No.

Way more alive.

Just how long will it take for you to lose all that feeling?

No—if you long for it, then it must've already been missing.

The home you knew is a place you can never reach again.

That's where your heart is. That's why your chest feels so hollow.

Do you even have a heart anymore?

You pressed a hand against your chest, and you felt a pang of envy for the smiling woman and man on the front page. Technically, you were never alone. You had Mr. Crawling!

That didn't help how you felt, though.

Jealousy.

Longing, nostalgia, and jealousy.

A longing for that human feeling, a nostalgia for your childhood dreams, and jealousy, because you no longer had that within your reach while others do.

You threw the magazine over your shoulder, and you buried your face on your mattress, knees still on the floor, and you tried to get rid of the heaviness on your chest.

You didn't cry.

It just... hurts.

***

It felt like ages—Mr. Crawling came in and out, bringing in various people to try and check on you after his own attempts failed. Mr. Silvair didn't do anything. He didn't know what to do. Mr. Chopped tried to console you with his silly faces—the expressions you showed and taught him with your own face—but to no avail. He even dragged in Mr. Stitch—and he hates that fellow—albeit bloody from Mr. Crawling forcing him to follow, but you didn't look up at all. He shoved Mr. Stitch right back out once he didn't work, though.

He was starting to panic. You never did this before.

He tried to think back to anyone else who you seemed to tolerate the presence of, but... oh!

The pile of pages you threw! That was the last thing that you touched before you shut yourself off!

He picked it up, looking at it with a puzzled coo. He didn't understand it, but he noticed that in most of the pages, there were people like you who were smiling happily together. He wondered why.

Oh! Maybe you wanted a new dress! Is that it?

He glanced at you and tried to show you the book again, but you only inched away. At least he knew now not to do that again....

He quickly left the room and glanced down the halls.

Then with one huff, he recited: "Clothes!"

"Clothes?"

He giggled when he saw The Bride appear.

"You hurt...?" she pointed at his face. Specifically, his mouth.

Mr. Crawling proudly showed it off, smiling. "They put it. They say I cute."

She raised a white dress, trying to offer it to him, but he shook his head.

"They sad," he said. He raised the book. "Clothes."

The Bride, elegant and poised, glanced at the book with her non-existant eyes (and head). "Wonderful! Wonderful, cute!"

"Clothes," he pointed at one of the dresses. He liked this one, specifically, where the dress wasn't as puffy as the others, but not as skinny. There were white clothes for the hands (gloves) and for the legs (stockings), and there was a strange but aesthetically pleasing clump of cloth on the back (a rose made of silk).

"They look cute, this."

"I make!" The Bride nodded eagerly. If she had a head, she'd be smiling the same way the humans in the book were. "I make, I give!"

It didn't take long—she disappeared, and Mr. Crawling waited outside your door for only a moment until she came back with an even prettier version of the dress.

Mr. Crawling, trying to contain his excitement, chirped happily and let The Bride enter your room.

You were still there, curled over your bed, but you were putting the same red thing you put on his.

If he had eyes, they'd be sparkling. He had no idea what you did to yourself, but you looked... even better than you already did. Which is saying something—you were everything to him, and now you have such a pretty shade over your eyes, and your lips were like his!

"You hurt?!" The Bride gasped again.

You let out a strained laugh. Mr. Crawling knew it wasn't a real one. "Not hurt. I... make me cute."

"You cute! Before!" The Bride said. "Cute now, cute before."

"They cute," Mr. Crawling agreed simply. "Give! Give!" he urged the ghost-woman in white.

"Give," she extended the dress to you.

You stared.

And stared.

And you... began to cry.

Mr. Crawling panicked, and so did The Bride. There you were, kneeling next to your bed with tears running down your face. Mr. Crawling immediately took his place beside you, holding your head in his hands as he tried to console you.

"I sorry," he said, but he didn’t know what for. "I sorry, don't sad... I sorry—"

He would've apologised on and on if it weren't for how the black streaks appeared from your eyes.

You looked even prettier to him.

He loved it when you smiled, but he dies a little more than he already did, figuring out that you were so pretty when you cried.

"No, no," you said, wiping the black gunk off your face. "I—I love—" you pointed at the dress. "So—so wonderful, can't—can't.... You...!"

Your shaky hands held his face, and he didn't know what to do.

"You... kind... can't cry not," you continued to sob.

"...you kind," he mumbled in return. He's still confused, though.

***

Did this ho just assume you wanted a new dress??? Because he wasn't entirely wrong. Or maybe that's just you trying to justify it all.

Even if you tried, you can't stop crying. He doesn't comprehend the layers of what you feel yet, but he still tried, and you can't. Stop. Crying.

"You're so sweet," you began to ramble in your own language. You cupped his cheek with your hand and your lower lip trembled. "You're so sweet and nice and you always look after me and I—agh, I can't—I hate how nice you are, it's annoying, I love you so much," you sobbed.

He didn't understand at all. Even you yourself didn't—you're losing your knowledge in your own language and you can't stop crying.

You're sad. You're angry, you're missing what you used to have, you're happy, you—

Your weeping calmed.

You realised something.

A sliver of human shame entered your face, embarrassment for crying, but as well as another thing. You can't quite tell what it is.

Mr. Crawling seemed hopeful, leaning a little closer to make sure you're okay.

You wiped your tears away and stood up, hoping they'd just forget about it.

"Thank you," you said to The Bride. She seemed confused, but so were you, so it's fine. "I appreciate. Clothes, wonderful."

"Thank you," she clasped her hands together as you took the dress away. "You are wonderful. Farewell," she hesitated but left, anyway.

"You ask they make clothes for me?" you asked Mr. Crawling, going behind the curtain that separated the two beds.

He tilted his head. "Yes."

"I appreciate," you said, wiping your face down with the blankets of the other bed.

After a moment of shuffling into the new dress, you suddenly froze.

Were you gonna cry again...?

No, no—you were nervous.

Why?

You glanced over your shoulder to see Mr. Crawling, expectant, and, as before, confused.

You peeked your head out, and he lit up with a smile. "I unsure."

"....?" he frowned a little. "Unsure?"

~~~

"Honey, I'm not sure."

"What? Why?" he laughed. "We did agree to this, right?" he joked. You would've laughed, but right now, your thoughts were too clouded for you to even form a grin.

"Yeah, but..." you bit your tongue, wary.

Your fiance—no, your husband laughed. "Sweetheart, nothing will go wrong. It's just a superstition."

But what if it isn't?

You glanced down at yourself, clad in a shiromuku. You heard one of the guests say they'd "go home" (a superstition in Japan that they say might jinx the marriage). What if something bad happens, now?

Before you could overthink, his hands clasped over yours, his long, black hair only sealing his own black-coloured attire, his effortless ethereality catching you off guard again.

"No matter what happens, I'll be right next to you. It doesn't matter what the guests say," he said, pressing a light kiss on your knuckles.

You felt your cheeks bloom, and your heart only sunk deeper in the well of love you carried for him.

"And as much as you're adorable when you cry...." he then said, so you smacked his arm with a playful laugh. He responded with a giggle of his own and only held you closer.

"Let's head back inside, okay?" he smiled and pressed a soft kiss on your forehead. "Staying in the garden for too long might make the guests assume something."

That earned him another smack, and that made him give you another laugh.

He tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear, but there wasn't any. He just wanted to hold your face.

He smiled.

"I love you so much."

********

This is already way too long so I'll just have to make a part 2 SIGH

[nightingale-prompts]

*some interactions for Davey*

Duke:*eating a sandwich*

Davey: *staring*

Duke: Do you need something?

Davey: I see dead people.

Duke:....cool....me too.

***

Damian:*trying to stab Tim*

Davey: *thowing a tantrum* That should be me!

***

Bruce:*walking Davey on a child leash*

Davey:*Phases through it and walkings towards a dark alley*

***

Joker:*pushing him away with a stick* Get away you little freak! Im not your friend!

Davey: *covered in blood, on his 15th death of the day, and getting in Joker's way constantly* Again! Let's play again!

***

Tim: You only escape when you're bored. Alright, say goodbye to your attention span.

*hands Davey an Ipad playing Cocomelon*

***

Davey: *climbs bookcase* Dick watch this!

Dick: Im looking buddy.

Davey:*jumps off, breaks his neck and dies*

Dick:*New trauma acquired*

***

Stephanie: Who gave you Cocomelon?

Davey: ...

Stephanie: We are a Ms.Rachael household young man. Is he trying to stunt your speech and attention span? Don't worry, your big sister will save you.

***

Barbara: What are you doing with my makeup?

Davey: Making Cass pretty!

Barbara: Ve these aren't toys. You-

Cassie: *wearing a look so sharp peak Marilyn Monroe would gasp*

Berbara: Me next.

***

Jason: How many times am I going to find you after you get kidnapped?

Davey:*covered in his own blood again* I got hit with a crowbar this time. Then they tried to burn the evidence.

Jason: *Pissed* Oh? Then let's return the favor.

***

Elle: Are you...happy? Can you even feel happy? Can you tell the difference?

Davey: ???

Elle: Do you want to stay here?

Davey: Yeah!

***

Bruce: *startled awake*

Davey: *big green glowing eyes staring at him in the dark* I want juice.

***

Damian: You shouldn't eat meat. How do you think they feel to be killed and eaten?

Davey: Really? They are so lucky. Dam? Can you eat me next time?

Damian: No.

***

Dick: What do you do if an adult offers you candy?

Davey: Eat it.

Dick: No. You say no and run away from them then tell an adult.

Davey: Like a cop? Literally like that guy with blonde hair from your job?

Dick: Yes, just like him.

Davey: But he strangles street ladies and kitties. They told me.

Dick:...hold on buddy. I need to make some calls real quick. Don't turn on the news for a while.

***

Danny: Why is my clone on TV? At a gala? WITH THE WAYNES?

Tucker: Damn, he's living better then you.

***

Lay Me to Rest- DCxDP Prompt

Warning: Blood and gore

There has been a series of murders across the country. Each death was varied and self-inflicted. At first, they all seemed like suicide but each had a strange range of symptoms before death.

Sudden paranoia, incoherent mumbling, screaming or yelling, going in and out of their homes sporadically, random fixations, and finally self-harm.

The victims were teachers, parents, businessmen, truckers, and even a crime novelist. All unrelated and in different states.

Each victim didn't seem to have a connection until an investigation discovered that each one had been an active serial killer. The body counts ranged from as little as 5 to as much as 23. The killer was named the Serial Serial Killer which wasn't creative but it was catchy. Some called them the Angel of Vengeance but most thought it was cringy and overdramatic. Many people didn't want them to be caught but others hotly debated letting a killer dispense justice when their crusade could easily turn into them killing people for innocuous things.

The police were still questioning whether this killer even existed. One thing was clear, there was a trail and it led straight to Gotham. A goldmine for them. Naturally, Batman had gotten a hold on the case and began an investigation.

The biggest question was how the killer found their victims and how they knew that they were killers.

The answer was obvious. They didn't need to figure it out. They just needed to wait. Why just in the effort to investigate when a serial killer tries to convince you to leave with them? So bars are the obvious place. But that's shaky at best since there is a period of torment that takes place that allows the victims to return home. The killer doesn't care if the victims could call the police, perhaps because they know their victim won't.

Bruce started to build a profile. He saw a pattern here. Each of the victims had a preference for their victims as well. They targeted young people, mainly boys. Odds are the Serial Serial Killer matched that description or age range. So bars weren't the hunting ground. So parks were more likely to go unnoticed and boys tended to hang out there longer after dark.

The killer was more than likely a victim himself so he may have a few scars but probably not noticeable enough that his would-be assailants would be turned off. There is no ignoring the predatory nature of the victims. Each killed children for gratification in some form. It's not that the boy is attractive but he probably has traits that the victims found attractive in children. So babyfaced, short, native, and polite.

There was much else Bruce could get. There was nothing concrete and he still didn't understand the method that was used. So far this was guesswork.

It wasn't until a few weeks later while he tracking another killer that he found his answer.

Dr.Kinder a Biologist by day and a killer who experiments on his victims at night had picked up a promising new lab rat a week ago. He had intended to slowly dissect the boy. He had gotten so used to the screams he stopped using anesthetics besides he wanted to see how the fear response caused the organs to shift.

To his surprise the boy didn't fight, in fact he seemed to jump to the table and say he didn't need restraints. Disturbing. But he was restrained anyways.

As the doctor cut him open the boy didn't react, only humming to himself as he watched the doctor.

"What are you hoping to find?" He asked. "I'm getting bored and this bearly hurts."

The boy annoyingly never stopped talking and never missed a chance to ruin the moment. There were never any screams or cries but incessant talking.

Dr.Kinder found the boy disturbing so he simply took an axe and chopped the boy into pieces. Not once did he make a sound. The doctor thought it was over but the next day the boy was back. He sat on the autopsy table kicking his feet in nothing but his bare skin.

"What the hell are you?" The doctor gasped in horror.

"I'm bored. Play with me again." The boy purred.

Bile crawled up his throat as the doctor restained this...thing again.

This time the boy spoke differently.

"You cut me up last time. Did you do that to the last boy. After you...you know." A sick grin spread across his cheeks.

The doctor cut open his neck this time and let him bleed out.

Everyday he came back and every day the doctor killed him until the time between his death got shorter and shorter. The days began to blur and he had no idea how long he had been doing this. But that thing kept talkimg to him.

Dr.Kinder stared down at his desk at the papers trying to think of anything but-

"I wonder what people would think about what you've done. You're a disgusting and depraved man doctor. Look at what you've done to me." The sing-song voice of that demon called out.

He could feel those blood-soaked arms wrapped around his neck.

He flinch as he pushed the thing away.

"Oh, are you going to beat me or stab me this time? Ooo, or are you going to put me through the woodchipper again?" The demon asked as the doctor wrapped his hands around his throat.

He just kept squeezing until the boy went limp. It never ends. The blood never goes away. It covered every surface of the room. Dripping, conjugating, and spreading into every corner. Whenever he turned his head he could see body parts spread across the room in the pools of blood he could they the faces of the others that he had killed. Each face wretched in agony.

"You hold on better than the others. I've been eaten, torched, and disemboweled before but after coming back a few times they usually end it after a few words. But every time they don't feel guilt. They just don't want to face consequences." The boy said. "Do you even remember my name? The one I told you when you picked me up on the side of the road or was I just another body to use and discard? I used the name of your first victim. I hoped you'd notice."

The doctor knew he couldn't kill the boy but he could end himself. He had tried it once but just like the kid he came back without a scratch.

"Not yet. This is your life now. Come on, let's taste death together. Again and again and again and again and-" he repeated over and over.

This was hell. This was his hell.

But it came to an end eventually. Dr.Kinder put an end to himself in a gruesome display.

Batman had only caught the tail end as he faced a young boy standing an a pool of blood.

****

"Yeah, that thing is like a worse version of a revenant. Doesn't really have a name yet to describe it. It's undead for sure. You kill it and it just comes back." Constantine said "Why did you bring it here?"

After a long bath and some new clothes, the kid looked normal as played on a phone given to him.

"Look, I didn't know what else to do." Bruce explained.

"You leave it alone!" Constantine said exasperated "Look they are harmless to anything they don't bear a grudge towards. Think of it as a force of nature." Constantine said.

"I just want to know how to stop him." Bruce said.

"Well you can't kill it but you can't bring him back entirely. You can just soothe it 'till it stops targeting its victims. It must have died pretty gruesomely to go to these lengths. You need to find where it died and lay it to rest. Properly." Constantine sighed knowing that appeasing this soul would be more than just difficult.

"Danny, come on. Let's go." Bruced said putting a hand on the boy's head as Danny stood up to leave.

"Okay. Bye!" Danny waved to Constantine.

[svt-luna]

ᡴꪫ ⋆ WEVERSE LIVE ࣪ ! ˓ ౨ৎ ࣪˖ ─── 241012: Hello!

synopsis: Catch up with Luna on her Weverse live after their ‘Right Here’ opening concert in Goyang.

this live happens right after the ‘Right Here’ day 1 concert in Goyang so if you haven’t already, please read my one-shot Him and I before this so that you’d understand some of the references made 💖

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST ╰ ౨ৎ weverse lives

bold dialogues are spoken in english ᡣ𐭩

Luna settled back on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her as she cradled her phone in one hand, waiting for her Weverse Live to connect.

The soft glow from the screen illuminated her face, highlighting the remnants of her stage makeup— subtle glitters dusted across her cheekbones and a touch of shimmer on her eyelids. Her hair was loosely tied in a messy bun, with a few stray wisps framing her face, though her bangs had been meticulously smoothed into place. She wore a soft pink hoodie, its oversized fit giving her a cozy, relaxed look, in contrast to the sharp-edged glamour of her stage presence just hours ago.

For a moment, Luna simply stared into the screen, her wide, doe-like eyes scanning the early comments that began trickling in. Her lips curved into a small, almost shy smile as she watched the viewer count steadily climb. She sat quietly, occasionally tilting her head and letting her gaze flicker down to read what fans were saying.

The sight of her, still aglow from the post-concert adrenaline but in the warmth of her home, created an air of intimacy that drew fans in.

“Hello,” she greeted softly, her voice gentle, almost a murmur, as if she were speaking to each fan individually. Her gaze shifted back and forth, her eyes following the flood of comments with an almost endearing attentiveness. “I’ll start once there are a few more people here,” she said, her voice calm and sweet as if she were inviting her fans into her living room.

She waved every so often, reading out the occasional fan comment with a quick, “Hello!” or “I love you too!” Her smile brightened as she leaned in closer to the screen, her face filling up more of the frame, making it feel like she was looking each fan in the eye.

The viewer count continued to soar, each passing second adding hundreds more viewers. Within moments, it hit ten thousand, and Luna’s eyes widened in soft amazement.

“Oh, wow! That was fast,” she murmured with a laugh, her hand coming up to cover her mouth briefly before she offered a small wave to the screen. “Hello, everyone! Thank you for joining me… I know it’s late.”

She glanced off to the side, as though checking the time herself, before looking back at her fans, a mixture of warmth and slight concern in her gaze. “I just thought I’d come on here for a little while. I won’t keep you for long, I promise,” she assured them, her voice gentle yet sincere.

“I know you all probably need sleep…” she continued with a soft chuckle, “and you should definitely sleep soon!” She leaned back, glancing at the comment section, watching the flood of messages pour in, her expression growing fonder by the second. “But I just wanted to chat a little. Tonight was…” She paused, a soft, almost dreamy look crossing her face as she searched for the right words, “…tonight was really special.”

Luna’s fingers gently brushed the edge of her phone as she glanced down at the comments flowing in, her eyes shining with warmth and gratitude. She took a deep breath, the residual energy from the concert still radiating from her. After a moment, she leaned in closer, her doe-like gaze fixating on the comments that flooded her screen.

“Did everyone have fun tonight?” she asked, her voice soft but brimming with enthusiasm. Her lips curled into a gentle smile as she awaited the responses, her fingers unconsciously tracing a pattern along the edge of her pink hoodie. Her gaze darted across the screen, reading each comment with genuine interest.

The responses came pouring in.

“It was amazing, Jiyeon! Thank you for an unforgettable night!”

“You guys really put your all into it! My voice is gone from cheering so much!”

“We had the best time ever! Thank you, Luna! You were beautiful!”

A soft laugh slipped from her lips as she read each comment, her eyes crinkling at the corners with delight. “Ah, thank you,” she murmured, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “I’m so happy you all enjoyed it. We really worked hard for tonight… it was the first show of the tour, so we wanted to make it extra special for you all.”

Her voice grew tender, almost thoughtful, as she spoke. “It’s such a surreal feeling, you know? I’ve been doing this for years but it never gets old. Standing on that stage and seeing all of you cheering and waving your light sticks… it feels like a dream.”

She paused, her gaze softening as she seemed to replay the concert in her mind. “And even though we were missing a couple of special people tonight… we could still feel all the love and energy from each of you.”

Luna’s eyes returned to the comments, her smile growing wider as she browsed through more.

“‘Luna, you looked so pretty! I couldn’t take my eyes off you!’” She read before laughing, bringing her hand to her mouth as her cheeks flushed a light pink. “Oh, stop! You’re making me shy,” she replied, her voice playful yet sincere. “But thank you… it means so much to hear that from you all.”

“‘I loved the new songs! You guys totally killed it!’” Luna’s eyes lit up at that, and she nodded enthusiastically. “Thank you! We were so nervous about it… but seeing everyone’s reaction made it all worth it.” She leaned back slightly, letting out a contented sigh. “You guys give us so much strength. Really.”

As she continued to read through the comments, a gentle warmth seemed to settle over her, a comfort that only her fans could provide.

“Thank you so much to everyone who came tonight,” Luna said, her voice softening with emotion. “And to those of you who couldn’t be there in person but watched the livestream… we felt your love too.” She placed a hand over her heart, her expression sincere and full of gratitude. “Every single one of you made tonight possible. Thank you for supporting us, for cheering us on, and for being there through every high and low.”

Luna paused, her gaze still locked onto the screen as she took in the steady stream of love pouring in from her fans. Her voice grew even softer as she added, “We couldn’t do this without you, Carats. You mean everything to us.”

Luna grew quiet, her gaze fixed on the screen as she scrolled through the endless wave of comments. The faint reflection of her phone glimmered in her wide, doe-like eyes, her brows furrowing slightly as she read in silence. The room, save for the occasional faint rustle of her hoodie as she shifted, was still, a comforting contrast to the chaos of the concert just hours ago.

Her lips parted as though she were about to speak, but she hesitated, letting her thoughts simmer. Some comments stood out to her as she read.

“Tonight was unforgettable. Thank you, Luna, and thank you, SEVENTEEN!”

“I can’t believe I was there for the first concert of the tour. It was magical!”

“Did everything go okay with that little fire? I was so scared for everyone!”

“The fire during the show made my heart stop, but you all handled it so well. Are you okay?”

Her expression softened as she spotted the last two comments. Taking a deep breath, she tucked her knees up onto the chair and leaned forward slightly, her messy bun bobbing as she began to address the concern. “Oh, about the fire…” she said, her voice quieter but steady, her expression serious yet calm. “I saw some of you mentioning it just now.”

She adjusted her position slightly, resting her elbows on her knees, her hands clasped loosely in front of her. “First of all, let me just say… I’m so glad none of you were hurt. That’s the most important thing to me, to all of us.” Her voice carried a weight of sincerity, her usual lighthearted tone replaced with a calm resolve.

“We didn’t even realize what was happening at first,” she admitted, her brows drawing together slightly as she recalled the moment. “It wasn’t until our staff told us there was a small fire caused by a light fixture that we understood what was going on. Honestly, we were all worried. Even though the staff reassured us right away that it was small and under control… it was still a fire.”

Luna’s voice grew softer, her fingers absently toying with the edge of her hoodie sleeve. “Hearing something like that… it’s scary, you know? The thought that something could’ve gone wrong, that someone could’ve been hurt.” She paused, her eyes flickering back to the screen. “But our crew… they’re incredible. They acted so quickly and handled everything so professionally. I can’t thank them enough for making sure everyone was safe.”

She offered a small, grateful smile as she continued, “And you, Carats… thank you for staying calm and waiting patiently during the delay. I know it wasn’t easy, but your understanding means so much to us.” Her voice softened even further, almost like a whisper, “You all are so amazing, really.”

Her fingers reached up to adjust her bangs, smoothing them down as she exhaled deeply, as if releasing the lingering tension from the memory. “I’m just… really thankful that it wasn’t anything bigger. And I hope you know that your safety is always our top priority.”

The comments began flooding in again, filled with reassurances and love.

“You guys did amazing. No one blames you for the delay!”

“Thank you, Nana, for worrying about us. We’re okay, don’t worry!”

“You guys were literally fire that you set the stage a blaze!!!”

“The crew deserves an award. They handled it so well!”

Luna read each comment, her expression softening further, her shoulders relaxing as she soaked in the support. “Thank you, everyone,” she said quietly, her voice brimming with gratitude. “Really… thank you.”

Luna’s fingers gently tapped the edge of her phone as she read through the flood of comments streaming up her screen. The corners of her mouth lifted faintly as she scanned each line, her eyes sparkling with quiet amusement and fondness. She shifted slightly in her seat, adjusting her position as she focused on a new wave of fan messages.

“The show was amazing, Luna! What was your favorite song to perform tonight?”

“Will you come to Europe soon? We miss you!”

“Luna, which stop on the tour are you most excited about??”

“You were glowing tonight! Thank you for everything!”

Her gaze paused on the third comment, her head tilting slightly as she read it again. A small, thoughtful smile tugged at her lips before she glanced back up at the camera. “Hmm,” she murmured aloud, her voice soft but carrying a playful undertone. “‘Which stop on the tour are you most excited to go to?’”

Luna leaned forward slightly, her arms resting on her knees, and clasped her hands together as she spoke. “Honestly?” She paused, drawing out the word with a teasing tilt of her head. “I don’t think I can pick just one. I mean… it’s hard because every city, every country, has its own vibe, you know? Its own energy.”

Her voice grew more animated as she continued, gesturing lightly with her hands. “Like, one place might feel super lively and loud, while another feels more intimate and warm. They’re all so different but in the best way possible. I think that’s what makes touring so exciting for me.”

Her eyes flickered back down to the comments, briefly scanning them before continuing. “I’m just really excited to perform and to travel in general. Meeting Carats in person, seeing their smiles, hearing their cheers— it’s something that never gets old.” She paused, her gaze softening, and added, “You guys make every city feel special.”

The comments began to flood in again, and her fans responded to her answer with enthusiasm.

“We can’t wait to see you, Luna!”

“Please rest well when you can during the tour!”

“That’s such a Luna answer! We love you!!”

“I hope you feel all of our love no matter where you go!”

Luna chuckled softly, her laugh warm and light as she read the messages. “Ah, you guys are too sweet,” she said, her tone affectionate. “And don’t worry, we’ll make sure to rest whenever we can. The members and I know how important it is to take care of ourselves so we can give you our best on stage.”

She glanced back at the camera, her smile widening. “But seriously, I can’t wait to see you all, no matter where you are. Whether you’re at the concert in person or watching the livestream, just know that we feel your love. And I hope you can feel ours too.”

Luna’s fingers lightly drummed on the table as she leaned forward to get a closer look at the scrolling comments, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to catch specific ones before they disappeared. One, in particular, caught her attention, making her lips curve into a bright, genuine smile.

“Your makeup tonight made you look like a fairy princess!”

Her laughter spilled out, soft and melodic, as she pressed her hands together in delight. “A fairy princess? That’s so sweet!” she exclaimed, her cheeks visibly glowing under the stage makeup she still wore. “Thank you so much for saying that. Honestly, I’ll never get tired of hearing things like this— you guys are so cute. You guys always know how to make me feel special.”

She straightened up a little, her tone turning more animated as she continued. “You know, this is another thing I absolutely love about concerts and my job in general— the dressing up part! Getting to wear gorgeous outfits, experimenting with makeup, and feeling like a different version of myself on stage? It’s so much fun.”

Pausing, Luna giggled, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face. “You might not believe this, but I’m actually the girliest girl you’d ever meet. Like, I genuinely get so excited about sparkles, glitter, pretty clothes, and all those things.” She leaned closer to the camera, pointing to the glitter and tiny gems decorating the corners of her eyes. “Look at this!” she said with an amused grin. “My stylists always go all out to make me look pretty for you guys. Don’t you think they’re amazing?”

“They are doing Gods work, Jiyeonie!”

“Your stylists deserve a raise fr.”

“The prettiest with it without makeup.”

“Where do I apply? I don’t know anything about makeup but I’d apply for you, Bae Jiyeon.”

Her doe eyes lit up as she giggled again. “But,” she added with a laugh, “I really do need to remove all of this soon. My skin will yell at me if I keep it on too long.”

Luna tilted her head slightly, her expression softening as she explained, “Honestly, I came straight on here to talk to you guys because I was just so excited. I mean, how could I not be? The concert, seeing all of you, and now getting to chat with you— how could I wait?” She laughed, resting her chin in her hand. “But yeah, lowkey… I was also too lazy to take my makeup off first.”

The comments flooded in again.

“Noooo, keep it on for a few minutes. You look so pretty, my fairy princess!”

“Girl, go cleanse your face before you regret it!”

“Relatable! I’m always too tired to remove my makeup after a big day.”

Luna laughed again as she scanned the responses. “Should I take it off now?” she mused aloud, her expression playful. “What do you think? Should I stay like this or just… remove everything right here?”

The fans were quick to chime in.

“Yes! Take it off live!”

“Let’s see the bare-faced Luna!”

“Do it! We’ll wait for you!”

“Okay, okay,” she finally said, laughing and holding her hands up as if surrendering. “I’ll remove it now. Just wait for a few seconds while I grab my makeup remover and stuff from the bathroom.”

She stood up, adjusting her pink hoodie as she turned toward the door. “Don’t go anywhere, okay? I’ll be right back!” She gave the camera a playful wave before disappearing out of frame, the sound of her light footsteps trailing off as she made her way to the bathroom.

The sound of running water filled Luna’s ears as she stepped into the bathroom, its faint echo bouncing off the pristine marble walls. The large space was immaculate, illuminated by warm, ambient lighting that reflected off the mirrors and polished surfaces.

On the far side of the room, behind the frosted glass divider, the shower ran steadily, steam curling upward and blurring the glass. The faint outline of Jeonghan’s form moved within, his arms lifting to rinse his hair under the stream of water.

Luna hummed softly to herself, busying her hands as she grabbed her makeup remover, cotton pads, and a few skincare products from the countertop. Her mind wandered briefly to the live she had left running, thinking of the fans who were probably speculating about what she was doing off-camera. She pulled open a drawer, rummaging for her cleanser when the sound of the shower abruptly stopped, the whooshing of water replaced by the soft rustle of Jeonghan grabbing his towel.

“Nana-ya,” came Jeonghan’s voice, sing-song and playful, breaking through her thoughts.

Luna paused, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she glanced over her shoulder toward the divider. “Hmm?” she replied, her tone distracted as she continued sorting through her things. “Don’t be too loud,” she warned gently, her voice light but firm. “I’m live.”

Jeonghan hummed in acknowledgment, his voice muffled as he dried himself. “I know,” he replied casually, his usual laziness evident in his tone.

Luna returned to her task, carefully arranging her products in front of her. The faint rustling behind her signaled that Jeonghan was getting dressed, though she didn’t turn around. Her focus was on the small pile she had made on the counter, ensuring she had everything she needed before returning to her livestream.

A few moments later, she felt a familiar presence behind her, warm and comforting. Jeonghan’s arms slid around her waist, pulling her gently against him as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. His damp hair brushed against her skin, and she laughed softly, the sound a mixture of affection and exasperation.

“Yoon Jeonghan,” she murmured, tilting her head slightly as he moved to kiss the side of her neck. His hold tightened slightly, his actions unhurried, deliberate— his way of silently demanding her attention.

“You’re being clingy,” she teased, though her tone lacked any real reprimand.

Jeonghan rested his chin on her shoulder, his voice low and teasing. “Maybe I just missed you,” he said, his words carrying a soft smile.

Luna chuckled, reaching up to play with the damp strands of his hair. “I won’t be long, I promise,” she said softly, referring to the livestream she was about to return to.

Jeonghan shook his head, his hair brushing lightly against her fingers. “It’s alright, my pretty moon,” he replied, his tone easy and understanding. He pressed a quick kiss to her temple before patting her stomach lightly. “Go. Don’t keep them waiting.”

Turning slightly, Luna placed a soft kiss on his lips, lingering just enough to convey her gratitude before pulling away. “Thank you,” she said quietly, her smile warm.

Jeonghan’s lazy smirk returned as he stepped back, giving her space to move. “Don’t make too much noise,” she reminded him once again, her tone a mix of amusement and caution.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jeonghan drawled, his voice dripping with playful laziness as he moved to the other side of the bathroom.

Luna couldn’t help but shake her head, her smile widening as she turned her attention back to the counter. Her thoughts wandered briefly as she gathered her things.

She had been extra cautious during the livestream, mindful of the fact that her fans were already aware of her living situation with Jeonghan. Ever since their five-year relationship and engagement had been confirmed, there had been no shortage of curiosity from fans. And while they had chosen to share parts of their lives with the public, she preferred to keep certain moments— like Jeonghan’s presence during his military enlistment— out of the spotlight.

Jeonghan’s enlistment was still fresh, and though he was serving alternative duty due to his injury, he was technically inactive. Being seen in her livestream wasn’t ideal, especially with so much attention already on them as a couple.

It wasn’t about hiding— just protecting the bits of privacy they had left.

With a soft sigh, Luna turned on her heel, her arms full of skincare essentials as she left the bathroom and walked back toward the table. The phone, still perched where she had left it, lit up with the stream of comments waiting for her return.

Luna settled back down into her seat, the plush cushions sinking slightly beneath her weight as she adjusted herself comfortably in front of her phone. Her face came into view, glowing softly under the warm lighting in the room. She propped her phone securely against a stack of books, angling it perfectly so that her fans could see her as she worked.

Carefully, she placed the assortment of skincare items she had been holding onto the table beside her. The camera caught the delicate sound of glass bottles softly clinking together.

“Sorry if I took a little long,” she said with an apologetic smile, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face. Her voice carried the faintest hint of a laugh. “I have a lot of skincare stuff, okay? It’s part of the job,” she joked, giggling softly before sitting up straighter in her chair.

Of course, she tactfully left out the part about being momentarily distracted by her fiancé in the bathroom.

She picked up the makeup remover and unscrewed the cap with practiced ease, her slender fingers steady as she poured the liquid onto a cotton pad. Her movements were calm and deliberate, the small act of self-care grounding her as she turned her attention back to the comments rolling in on the screen.

One comment in English caught her eye, the bold text making her pause mid-motion:

“The set list was perfect, Jiyeon.”

Her lips curved into a smile as she leaned closer to the screen, reading the comment aloud in her soft British accent. “The setlist was perfect?” she echoed, her tone warm and grateful. “Oh, thank you so much! I’m really glad you enjoyed it.”

As she began gently removing her makeup, her tone shifted into a conversational rhythm. “Honestly, putting together the setlist is one of the hardest parts of preparing for a concert,” she admitted, her words punctuated by the hum of the air conditioner. “All of us want to accommodate as many fan requests as possible— and of course, there’s the management’s input and what we, as a group, want to do. It’s like this big jigsaw puzzle where every piece needs to fit perfectly.”

She giggled softly as she lowered the cotton pad, now smudged with traces of glitter and foundation. “If we could, we’d perform our entire discography for you,” she said with a playful smile, her accent lilting slightly on the word entire. “But we’d probably be on stage for days. None of us would survive that, would we?” Her laughter bubbled up, light and infectious, and it was echoed by the steady stream of laughing emojis and “LOL” comments flooding the chat.

As Luna moved on to removing the makeup from her other cheek, she leaned forward once more to glance at the chat. A new comment stood out to her, written in bright, enthusiastic text:

”‘Ash’ was so exciting to see live for the first time!!!”

Her eyes lit up as she read it, her excitement evident in the way her posture straightened. “Ash! Oh my gosh,” she exclaimed, setting down the used cotton pad and moving her skincare bottles slightly to the side. “You don’t understand— ‘Ash’ has become one of my absolute favorite songs to perform. Like, it’s got this energy that just…” She trailed off, miming an explosion with her hands before laughing at herself. “I don’t know how to explain it— it’s just electric.”

Her voice grew more animated as she continued. “When we were rehearsing it for the first time, I remember thinking, ‘This is going to be so much fun to perform live.’ And seeing how much you guys loved it tonight? That just made it even better.” She placed her hands on her cheeks for a moment, a gesture of pure delight. “It’s honestly so cool that we can share these moments with you.”

Her face glowed with enthusiasm as she leaned forward, bringing herself closer to the camera. “I’m really glad you all enjoyed it. It’s one of those songs that feels special every time we perform it,” she added softly, her smile lingering as she sat back.

Luna’s fingers brushed gently against the table, reorganizing her skincare bottles as she scanned the comments quietly. One after another, compliments began flooding in, bright and direct:

“Barefaced Luna supremacy!”

“Unnie, your skin is perfect, how do you do it?”

“So natural and beautiful, no makeup needed at all!”

“She STILL looks like a fairy princess!!”

She bit her lip, a soft smile spreading across her face as her cheeks flushed lightly. Looking directly into the camera, she said shyly, “Ah, you’re all too kind. Thank you. I still think makeup helps a lot, but I really appreciate it.” Her voice softened, her humility evident in the way her hands briefly fluttered before resting on her lap.

She reached forward to adjust the camera slightly, all the while keeping her focus on the chat. Her eyes darted from one comment to the next, and for a few moments, the stream was filled with the rhythmic tapping of her nails against the table as she adjusted her posture.

But from the corner of her vision, she caught a glimpse of movement— subtle but distinct— near the doorway.

Jeonghan had quietly entered the room, his presence almost ghostlike as he walked behind the camera.

Luna’s heart gave a small, familiar skip, but she forced herself to keep her gaze locked on the screen in front of her. She knew the fans would pick up on even the smallest glance, and the last thing she wanted was to stir up more attention than there already was.

Still, Luna couldn’t resist.

Just once.

Her eyes flicked upward for the briefest of moments, only to meet the sight of Jeonghan settling lazily into the chair directly across from her. His posture was utterly relaxed, his back resting against the chair as his long legs stretched out in front of him. His damp, freshly washed hair clung slightly to his forehead, now brushed back enough to reveal his smooth features.

And though his expression was calm, his gaze never wavered, locked firmly on her with that familiar, mischievous glint that always made her stomach flip.

She snapped her eyes back to the screen immediately, pretending as though she hadn’t noticed a thing. Her fingers began fiddling with a nearby bottle as if that was the most important thing in the world at the moment.

A comment caught her attention, allowing her to refocus.

“I’ll be at the concert tomorrow for Day Two! So excited to see you all again!”

“Oh, really?” Luna said, her voice brightening. Her tone was natural, but there was an edge of determination in it— an effort to ignore the pair of eyes still glued to her.

“Are you excited? Because I’m really excited for Day Two! It’s going to be so much fun.” She laughed.

The comments lit up again, and Luna seized the opportunity to dive further into answering questions. “Are there any songs you’re looking forward to seeing live tomorrow?” she asked, leaning closer to the camera.

Her tone was curious, but inside, she was trying her best to block out the man sitting just behind the lens, clearly amused by her attempts to stay focused.

Jeonghan’s gaze didn’t falter, and she could feel it as surely as the warmth of the room. But Luna pressed on, scrolling through the chat and doing her best to give each question her full attention.

Luna’s eyes scanned the flood of comments until one stood out:

“‘Very Nice!’” She let out an immediate laugh, the sound filling the room as her shoulders shook. “Oh, of course!” she exclaimed, her tone playful and knowing. “It’s always that song, isn’t it?” Her grin widened as she leaned back slightly in her chair, a hand coming up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“You all love it so much, but honestly…” Her voice dropped into a deadpan tone as she delivered the punchline. “We could be eighty years old, wrinkly, barely able to dance, and ‘Very Nice’ would still be haunting us. I’m telling you, it’s going to outlive us all.”

The comments exploded in reaction, laughing emojis and playful agreements dominating the chat. Luna’s laugh softened as she reached for her phone to adjust its position slightly, but the subtle shift in movement caught her attention.

Jeonghan leaned forward now, elbows resting casually on his knees, his chin propped on one hand as he gazed at her. The way he was looking at her— it was soft, warm, and unguarded. His eyes practically sparkled with affection, and it was enough to make Luna’s heart stumble in her chest.

Her gaze snapped up involuntarily, caught like a deer in headlights. The moment she locked eyes with him, he didn’t even try to mask the adoration in his expression. His gaze was steady, unflinching, and so full of unspoken love that she couldn’t help but smile, just a little, before quickly looking back down at her phone.

Realization hit her almost instantly, and her lips parted slightly in a subtle, shocked bunny-like expression. She tried to play it off by busying herself with scrolling through the comments again, but Jeonghan’s silent, knowing laughter was unmistakable. The faint shake of his shoulders, the way his lips curved in amusement— it was clear he found her reaction absolutely endearing.

The fans, however, were far from oblivious. The comments swarmed with a wave of chaotic energy:

“Did you see that look?!?!”

“SOMEONE IS IN THAT ROOM!!”

“IT’S JEONGHAN, ISN’T IT?!”

��THE WAY YOU LOOKED!!! HEART EYES!!! WE SAW THAT, JIYEON.”

“OMG THIS IS WHY YOU’RE GLOWING!!!”

“JUST ADMIT IT, PLEASE!!”

“Your fiancé is THERE, isn’t he?”

Luna glanced through the barrage of comments, her laughter bubbling up uncontrollably. She covered her mouth for a moment, trying to regain her composure, but the amusement dancing in her eyes betrayed her.

Without addressing the questions directly, she instead clapped her hands lightly and leaned forward. “Okay, okay, but what other songs are you looking forward to tomorrow?” she asked, her tone overly enthusiastic as she skillfully dodged the topic.

Though there were answers—song titles like ‘Fear’, ‘Super’, and ‘Water’, appeared— most of the fans were far from fooled. The chat remained relentless, teasing her mercilessly:

“Nice distraction, unnie, but we KNOW.”

“My answer is ‘Fearless’ now answer me!! IS YOON JEONGHAN THERE?!”

“You can’t escape us!”

“Breath if Jeonghan is there!”

“STOP TRYING TO CHANGE THE TOPIC!”

“We’ll talk about the songs, but FIRST—JEONGHAN?”

Luna pressed her lips together, clearly holding back laughter as her shoulders shook. Her grin was bright and mischievous as she refused to indulge the speculations.

Instead, she focused on the few non-Jeonghan-related comments, answering thoughtfully. “Oh, ‘Candy’? That's one of our new songs,” she said, nodding. “It’s such an emotional song to perform live. I love seeing everyone sing along.”

But every now and then, despite her best efforts, her eyes would dart back to Jeonghan. He was still there, still watching her with an expression that was impossible to ignore.

To him, Luna might as well have been the only person in the world.

Jeonghan’s smirk grew every time she glanced his way as if he knew exactly what she was doing and found her attempts to stay composed utterly adorable.

The comments continued to spiral:

“Go end the live and hang out with your lover at this point.”

“Ma’am, we’re right here, but go ahead, live your love story. Who are we to get in between that?”

“TELL HANNIE THAT WE MISS HIM!!”

“The way she keeps sneaking looks back…we SEE you! She knows that right?!”

“Wow even without seeing him I just know y’all flirting… first at the concert earlier now this… CARATS WE ARE OFFICIALLY THIRD WHEELS!!”

Luna bit her lip, her grin widening as she pretended to focus solely on the questions about the concert. She was clearly enjoying the fans’ reactions, even as she tried her best to ignore the chaos surrounding her and Jeonghan.

Luna’s eyes flicked over the comments as they continued their playful chaos, her expression a mix of amusement and concentration. Then, amidst the sea of teasing remarks, one question caught her attention:

“Did you know Jeonghan was gonna be watching the show tonight?”

She let out a small laugh, shaking her head immediately. “No, I didn’t know,” she admitted, her voice light but laced with a hint of incredulity. “Apparently, the rest of the members knew. They kept it a secret from me for some reason. I think they wanted it to be a surprise.”

Her answer sent the chat into overdrive.

“THE REASON IS OBVIOUS, MISS THING!!!”

“HELLO?! YOU’RE HIS FIANCÉ, THAT’S WHY!”

“You know damn well they just wanted to see your reaction, Jiyeon, don’t even lie.”

“Because they know you’re his favorite person!!!”

“Couple things, I’m gonna cry now.”

Luna’s laughter bubbled up again as she silently read through the flurry of responses, her thumb scrolling idly across the screen. Her lips twitched into a softer smile as her gaze lingered on a calmer comment, one that shifted the tone slightly.

“Is it hard when not all the members are there?”

Luna exhaled softly, nodding to herself before answering. “Yes,” she said, her voice quieter now. “It’s hard. Not just for me but for everyone. We’re a family, and when even one person is missing, it feels… different. Like something’s off.” She paused, her fingers tracing idle patterns on the edge of her phone. “Jeonghan and Jun not being with us right now— it’s tough. But we’re all doing our best to make up for it. We’re working twice as hard to fill those gaps.”

Her smile faltered ever so slightly, the sadness creeping into her expression despite her best efforts. Her head dipped a fraction, her focus dropping back to the comments, but the emotion was unmistakable.

From his seat behind the camera, Jeonghan caught the subtle change immediately. Without hesitation, he pushed himself up from the chair, the soft creak of it barely audible in the quiet room. Luna didn’t look up, too focused on maintaining her composure as she scrolled through the comments, but the movement was impossible to ignore.

Jeonghan crossed the room silently, his footsteps deliberately light as he perched himself on the edge of the table directly in front of her, still out of frame. His presence was a comforting weight, grounding her, but it was the way he reached out beneath the table— his hand finding hers with practiced ease, his fingers intertwining with hers in a familiar, reassuring hold— that made her pause.

Luna’s gaze lifted, almost instinctively, meeting his. The sight of him so close, his expression tender and unspoken reassurance in his eyes, made her heart swell. Her lips curved into a small, genuine smile, one she didn’t bother to hide this time. Let the comments think about what they wanted.

The chat, however, was already spiraling.

“HAN MOVED CLOSER TO HER.”

“There was a shadow on her face just now!!!”

“That’s him. IT’S HIM.”

“DID YOU SEE HER SMILE?! THAT WASN’T FOR US.”

“ARE THEY HOLDING HANDS???”

One particularly eagle-eyed fan had even managed to catch a fleeting detail:

“Guys, I swear I saw her hand. And she’s holding someone else’s.”

“They are holding hands! Brb… just gonna cry…”

Luna’s gaze flickered back to the screen, her smile widening slightly as she read the comments. A fan’s message made her pause, the sincerity in their words standing out amidst the chaos.

“Unnie, tell Jeonghan we miss him so much.”

Luna tilted her head slightly, her thumb brushing across her fiancé’s in a subtle gesture beneath the table. She glanced up briefly, her smile warm but tinged with a hint of teasing as she addressed the comment. “He knows,” she said softly. “And he misses you all too.”

The simple acknowledgment was enough to send the chat into another frenzy. Luna let out a small laugh, her fingers tightening around Jeonghan’s hand beneath the table as she returned her attention to the fans.

For now, the moment was hers to cherish.

Luna lifted her free right hand absentmindedly, her fingers brushing through her dark hair in a practiced, fluid motion. The movement caused the loose sleeve of her oversized hoodie to slip slightly, revealing a delicate gold band bracelet around her wrist. The light from the room caught the polished surface, making it gleam faintly against her skin.

The comments lit up almost immediately, fans’ sharp eyes catching every detail.

“Wait, what’s that bracelet?!”

“Luna, WHERE did you get that?! I want one!”

“Is that new? I don’t remember seeing it before!”

Luna blinked down at the screen, her lips twitching upward into a slight, knowing smile. She read one particular comment aloud, her tone casual: “‘Where did you get that bracelet?’”

Her response was equally nonchalant as she leaned back slightly, resting her free elbow on the armrest. “Oh, this?” she said, holding her wrist up a little higher so the camera could catch it better. “It’s from Hannie.”

Her answer was simple, offhanded even, but it was enough to send the chat spiraling into chaos.

“I KNEW IT!!!”

“Oh you mean your FIANCÉ???!!!”

“OF COURSE IT’S FROM HIM, OMG.”

“He gave it to her?! When???”

One comment in particular caught her eye, making her brow quirk slightly in amusement. She read it aloud, a faint teasing lilt in her voice: “‘Did he give it to you before he started his service?’”

Luna shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. “No,” she replied simply, glancing down at the bracelet for a moment before continuing. “After the concert earlier.”

The explosion in the comments was immediate and, frankly, unhinged.

“AFTER THE CONCERT??? THE CONCERT TODAY?! THE ONE YOU JUST FINISHED!? THAT CONCERT!!?”

“HELLO?! HE GAVE IT TO HER TODAY?!”

“GOODBYE I–!!!???”

“HE SAW HER AND GAVE HER A GIFT AFTERWARDS, I’M SCREAMING.”

“LITERALLY, STOP. I CANNOT HANDLE THE TWO OF THEM ANYMORE.”

“THIS IS SO CUTE I’M GONNA CRY.”

She couldn’t help but laugh softly as she scrolled through the flood of reactions, her thumb pausing briefly on one particularly dramatic comment before continuing. She didn’t say anything more about the bracelet, though; she simply let the fans draw their own conclusions, her expression calm but amused as the chat continued to buzz.

Luna stifled a small yawn, covering her mouth quickly with her free hand while her eyes flitted back to the comments, but the gesture didn’t go unnoticed.

The thumb of Jeonghan’s hand, still firmly entwined with hers under the table, tapped against her skin lightly. The motion was subtle but deliberate, enough to make her glance up at him instinctively.

He was watching her, his gaze warm but resolute, and he gave a single, firm nod. That was all it took for her to understand.

He wanted her to rest now.

Luna’s lips parted slightly as she processed the silent request, but she nodded back in agreement, her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. Turning her attention back to the screen, she gently started to ease the live session toward its conclusion.

“I think it’s time to wrap things up, my loves,” she said softly, her voice laced with warmth but tinged with exhaustion. “It’s getting late, and we all need to sleep and rest now, don’t you think?” Her eyes flitted across the comments, watching as the fans began to respond in real-time.

“NOOO DON’T LEAVE US!”

“But we’re having so much fun, mom!! Five more minutes!!”

“Rest well, Luna, we’ll miss you!”

“SHE’S RIGHT, GUYS, WE NEED TO SLEEP TOO. I LEGIT HAVE EXAMS TOMORROW.”

“See you tomorrow, Jiyeonie!”

She chuckled softly at the mix of playful protests and agreement. “I need to rest and prepare for day two of the concert tomorrow,” she continued, her tone playful but soothing. “And for those of you who are attending, you’ll need your energy too. We can’t have you falling asleep in the audience, can we?”

Her smile brightened as she read more comments streaming in.

“We could NEVER fall asleep at a SEVENTEEN concert!”

“I’LL HAVE SO MUCH ENERGY, DON’T WORRY!!”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep from excitement!”

“I’m so excited to see you tomorrow!”

Luna’s gaze softened at the outpouring of enthusiasm. “I’m excited to see all of you too,” she said sincerely. “I hope we can make some more amazing memories together tomorrow. Let’s make it another day to remember.” She paused for a moment, as if searching for the right words, before adding, “I’ll try to go live again soon, okay? But for now, I hope all of you get a good night’s sleep.”

She leaned closer to the camera, raising her free hand to wave. “Goodnight, everyone,” she said, her voice tender. “Rest well. I’ll see you all tomorrow. I love you guys so much.”

For a few moments, she stayed on screen, waving repeatedly, her fingers curling and uncurling in an affectionate gesture. Then, grinning playfully, she blew a few kisses toward the camera, making exaggerated smooching sounds that had the chat in a frenzy.

“I’M CATCHING ALL THE KISSES.”

“Stop, you’re so cute, Bae Jiyeon.”

“GOODNIGHT, QUEEN!”

“I’ll dream of you tonight.”

“SEE YOU TOMORROW, LOVE YOU!!!”

Suddenly, a large hand entered the frame, its fingers splaying briefly in a casual wave beside hers.

Luna froze mid-wave, her eyes widening in surprise as her gaze darted up toward Jeonghan, who had leaned in slightly to wave at the camera himself. Her laugh came instantly, bright and uninhibited, as she covered her mouth with her free hand.

“Yah,” she scolded lightly, her tone affectionate as she looked up at him. He didn’t reply, just smiled at her, his expression filled with the same lazy charm he always carried, but his actions had clearly left their mark.

The comments erupted into chaos.

“THAT HAND!!!”

“YOON JEONGHAN!!!”

“IT’S JEONGHAN, I KNOW THAT HAND ANYWHERE!!!”

“STOP, THAT’S THE TEAM RING ON HIS PINKY. IT’S ACTUALLY HANNIE!!!”

“JEONGNA IS MAKING ME LOSE MY MIND.”

“GOODNIGHT, MOM AND DAD!”

“JEONGHAN WAVING GOODNIGHT HAS KILLED ME, GOODBYE WORLD.”

Luna glanced back at the comments, reading the reactions with a small, knowing smile. “Okay, okay, calm down,” she teased softly, but the warmth in her eyes betrayed her amusement. She looked back up at Jeonghan briefly, her gaze tender, before turning to the camera one last time. “Goodnight, everyone. Sleep well.”

With that, she pressed the button to end the live, her smile lingering as the screen dimmed. For a moment, the room was quiet save for the faint hum of the camera powering down. Luna turned back to Jeonghan, her expression melting into one of quiet gratitude.

“You’re impossible,” she murmured, her tone affectionate as she shook her head, but the smile playing on her lips said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Jeonghan’s lips curved into that familiar mischievous smirk as he leaned forward to help Luna up from her seat. His hand lingered at her elbow, steadying her as she rose, before sliding casually around her shoulder.

The movement was effortless like it had been practiced a thousand times, and she instinctively leaned into him, resting her head lightly against his shoulder. His touch radiated warmth, grounding her in the moment as the exhaustion from the day finally began to settle in.

Together, they began walking toward their room, Jeonghan’s steps slow and deliberate, guiding her with an almost imperceptible care.

As they passed the dimly lit hallway, he tilted his head slightly, his smirk only growing as he remarked with a teasing lilt, “And with that, Luna and Jeonghan trend again for the hundredth time just this year alone.”

Luna let out a soft laugh, the sound light and airy as it slipped through the quiet space. She turned her head slightly, peeking up at him with mock disbelief. “You’re insane,” she murmured, her voice a mix of amusement and exhaustion.

Jeonghan’s response was immediate. Without missing a beat, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, the gesture both tender and deliberate. He lingered there for just a moment, letting his lips brush against her skin as if sealing away all the weariness that clung to her.

When he pulled back, his hand moved to her shoulders, gently turning her to face him. His dark eyes locked onto hers, the playful glint softening into something deeper, more intimate. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words.

Jeonghan’s voice broke the stillness, low and quiet but filled with certainty. “It’s my turn to have your attention now,” he said simply, the corners of his lips quirking up in a soft, confident smile.

The words hung in the air between them, and Luna felt her heart skip in response, his meaning clear without him needing to elaborate.

They were each others’ rest after all.

ೃ⁀➷ comment or message me to be added to the tag list :)

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[hrrtshape]

FAME DR — random things i catch myself doing

⋆   checking my reflection in every reflective surface – not even trying to be vain; it just happens. windows, sunglasses, the back of my spoon in restaurants… gotta make sure the hair’s doing its thing!!!!!! can you blame me?? after scripting that im the most beautiful person in the galaxy world universe planet earth the extraterrestrial covering???

⋆  getting waay too into my own fan edits – i know, i know. i know !! but i can’t help it. cause why are some of these people lowkey bob ross’es…….. and god knows those iwishutalktalkwishutalktalkwishutalktalk edits slap!!!!!

⋆  making a mental list of all the celebrities i want to befriend – every awards show, it’s like, “ooooooooo, gotta chat with her next time. ye. ye,” or “could we handle being besties? or would she be too busy? would i be too busy??” 

⋆  doing my own mini-paparazzi test runs – i’ll walk down my hallway pretending it’s a red carpet, testing aaallll thé best angles and smiles for when the cameras flash. “which look is more it girl chic baddie mysterious diva core? do i give a little smile or keep it ice-cold? attitude?? fuck. what i do.”

⋆  googling my own name with random keywords – like “[…] + scandal” just to see what wild stories fans are spinning, or “[…] + best outfits” to remind myself that I AM…indeed.. that girl

⋆  pretending i’m on vogue’s “73 questions” while i do mundane stuff – loading the dishwasher or folding laundry, and all of a suddem i’m answering fake questions about my favourite ice cream flavour like the world is (definitelly….definitely…) watching.

⋆  using my awards as high-key decor – casually arranging grammy’s, oscars, tony’s and emmys’ on my living room shelf, so they’re visible for any.. unplanned photos. they might as well count as conversation starters.

⋆  accidentally stealing lip glosses from every makeup artist I work with – it’s not intentional! but I end up with an ever-growing collection of shades that accidentally find their way into my purse. oops ? the 11 year old kleptomaniac in me never left, i guess. 

⋆  tossing air-kisses to fans out the windows – dramatically waving out the window to invisible crowds like i’m on a royal tour. it’s mainly just for me, but I feel like the main character every single time.

⋆  practising my award speech in the shower – just in case, you know ? i’m running through all the thank yous and shoutouts, making sure the delivery is tear-worthy but not too dramatic.

⋆  catching myself using my best “signature” autograph – even when signing random receipts, i go full-on with my signature. i know it’ll end up on ebay one day, so i make it flawless every time.

⋆  overthinking my outfit to do something minor – even stepping out for two minutes has to look like it’s casual yet unbelievably chic. what if a fan spots me or a candid photo gets out? the pressure’s real.

⋆  choosing my airport outfits as if It’s a NYFW – the airport is a runway for the weary and jet-lagged, so i’m showing up in my finest oversized hoodie and designer shades, ready to be “spontaneously” photographed.

⋆  taking a nap between interview segments – there’s a tiny couch in my dressing room for a reason, and you better believe i’m getting that beauty sleep between each round of the press circuit. besides. it’s very convenient that i scripted i look angelic after waking up. so, yes! 

⋆  listening to my own songs on repeat (in private) – yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe it’s a little narcissistic, but when I’m alone, my music is basically my personal ‘bop-makker’ playlist. 

⋆  bringing little sweet treats to red carpets – you don’t know hunger until you’re in an all-day event in a tight dress with no food in sight, so yes, i stash some of those bombastic granola bars in my clutch.

⋆  updating my pinterest boards – 24/7 adding new aesthetics, vintage looks, moody photoshoots, and iconic glam shots for future eras. the grind never stops !! besides, it’s xtremely fun to find archival gowns that i could just be like… “yeah, i want it.” 

⋆  taking a pic every time i feel iconic !! – at the end of the day, it’s all about those little moments of mine. how could i not capture myself looking iconic with my hair blowing in the wind, or that one perfect winged eyeliner and i won an oscar. this is MY MOMENT. 

⋆  signing a signature with something xxxtra 4 fans – if i see a fan with my merch, i’ll randomly sign it and add hearts, sparkles, whatever i can just to make it extra special. just please don’t put it on ebay again with a doubled price 

⋆  giggling over my own wikipedia page – homemade margarita blender and a straw in it in hand, reading. yes. i do that. unemployed at heart. also sometimes raising an eyebrow when i encounter something false. like, no…i haven’t been dating dev patel. i mean, i wish ! 

⋆  humming my own lyrics while shopping — as if some people wouldn’t recognise them !! just a little “oopsy, did i just sing my grammy-winning chorus in the cereal aisle?”

⋆  leaving my phone on loud because it could be beyonce, for all intents and purposes — ready for all incoming calls. for interviews. for mysterious dinners. for my situationship to text me. for that movie role. but also probably just mom, calling to check on me.

⋆  breaking into runway walks — from the kitchen to the bathroom, because i !!!have!! to practice those killer strides. preferably in slippers.

⋆  complimenting my own acting in movies — like……“damn, i’m talented. i’m pretty good at this, huh..” lowkey shocking myelf during certain scenes, because yes, i went *THERE.*

⋆  collecting little trinkets from world tours — coasters, matchbooks, hotel room keys (should’ve probably given those back, now that i’m thinking about it), because each one is a time capsule from the adventure.

⋆  randomly testing my oscar acceptance expressions in the mirror — gotta know how much to cry, smile, or look truly humbled when the time comes !!!!

[the-real-loser-otaku-girl]

What is jirai?

Jirai/landmine/地雷 (romaji/english/kanji)

Jirai is a subculture based in Japan. It popped up around 2020 as kids-young adults where running away to live in Toyoko (therefor the name Toyoko kids). There they would make money via usually unsafe ways. They usually ran away because of the pressures of society and they knew they would find people like them in Toyoko. Most of the jirais who all hung out/'lived' in the street would engage in self destructive tendencies like s3lf h@rm, substance abuse, clubs/host clubs, pr0stituti0n and more.

Jirais are people who dont want to get better/dont care about getting better/want to get worse. there are jirais who flip flop between wanting to get better and wanting to get worse but the majority dont want to get better. We often find comfort in being messed up

credit 2 The Japan Times for this picture

Jirai started off as an insult towards mentally ill ppl/the toyoko kids in Japan. Jirai was/is now reclaimed by actual jirais. Even where i live in Canada ive been called a landmine as an insult.

Often jirais have mental illnesses/disorders that make them have mood swings or make them "act crazy" (ex. bpd, bipolar, npd, aspd, ect).

Jirai fashion. What is it reallly?

The fashion associated with jirai is called dark girly kei and it falls under the girly kei umbrella. Now its less in fashion in Japan with jirais (there are still jirais who wear it!)

credit 2 lolitainside for the first pic

The classic makeup associated with jirai is called pien makeup. Its supposed to give off a sad look or like this emoji: ����

Saying all it is is a fashion/ignoring the roots of jirai can and is watering it down. Going into jirai spaces and trying to "reclaim" it as just a fashion is dumb as it was/still is an insult towards actual jirais.

Often asked questions.

Q: Is jirai only for female people?

A: Nope any gender can be jirai!

Q: Do you have to wear the stereotypical jirai fashion to be jirai?

A: Nope! Jirai is a lifestyle. Youre just more likely for people to recognize that youre a jirai if you wear dark girly kei.

Q: What if i want to wear dark girly but im not a jirai?

A: Wear whatever you want! You only live once. I would suggest to stay away from calling yourself jirai tho. Not only cuz it can water our safe space down but also so people dont assume things about you that are not true.

This hopefully made sense if not i can try to explain farther! And id love to hear other peoples sides!

[hollowboobtheory]

how to signal to other white people that you are not a safe space for their racism

ok so obviously the best way is to show them with your actions and shutting them down when they do something racist BUT hypothetically if you can preemptively make sure they're never comfortable enough around you to try that shit, even better right?

so this is coming from somebody who has never been mistaken for a republican which is impressive because i live in a red state and white people here will just assume any other white person will be on their side. in fact i once had a guy run straight to me outside the grocery store to sign a petition about forming a local socialist like he saw me and was like i GOTTA get her email. anyway

wear either more or less makeup. for women/feminine presenting ppl, this can mean wear a little bigger eyeliner, a brighter shade of lipstick, a little more blush, just make your face look unnatural. republicans hate that. i mean they will wear some pretty unnatural looking makeup, but it's the kind that is trying to look natural and failing. you need to make it clear that you aren't even trying to look like a natural beauty. neon green eyelids. purple lips. 3 inch eyelashes. OR you can wear no makeup. nonezo. they hate being faced with the fact that their idea of "natural beauty" is not in fact natural.

both of the above techniques can be amplified by not shaving.

for men/masculine presenting ppl, wearing literally any makeup at all. i swear just dab some eyeliner on your lower waterline and they're like f-f-f-fa-fa-fa-fag-f-fa-fagg.... they just short circuit it's great.

nail polish also has the above effect.

put a pride flag somewhere on the FRONT of your body.

put any BLM-adjacent symbol/slogan somewhere on the FRONT of your body

^safety first.

wearing a mask

not to reinforce stereotypes but conservatives love those so it bears mentioning that dying your hair an unnatural color like oh idk blue has pretty much a 100% success rate

[shuenkio]

Midas touch | 선우 (͡⁠°⁠‿⁠ ͡⁠°) 엔.하.이.픈 ᝰ.ᐟ

Paring: Sunoo X Male!reader ᝰ.ᐟ Genre: Suggestive, Fluff.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Synopsis: Big boy is upset and sulking knowing that you'll be working as a makeup artist on the other members

Cw: slight Curse, jealous, a lil possessive.

Non proof read / Eng is not my 1st.

This is a work of fanfiction, do not throw unnecessary tantrums on this nsfw/sfw blog. ©Shuenkio

AᝰN: Sorry to my anon that I didn't do justice for this to be smau :( after thinking and write through for a while I'm okay with the suggestive instead. I hope you don't mind and give it a go >< thanks for the idea .

➽──────────────❥

Every fans dream was to be close to their own idols, such as work as stylists, make up artists, managers and so on. But little did they do, there was no love involved. Work means work, you can't go to work just to love your idol, you go to work for passion and living, isn't that right? Common sense.

However it was one in a million that you get chosen as a male make up artist for one of a popular boy group, ENHYPEN. Yet that was in the past, actually you've worked for them for God knows how long, ever since their Debut era, Given-Taken. If somebody asks how many things you've witnessed watching them grow, Proud is the only answer.

Being this young, and getting to walk in the same journey with the 7 boys, it's truly life changing, not only watching them grown, your mindset, maturity, emotional have grown too. You get to pinpoint what's right or wrong.

Present time, the one and only member that you've been working for the ultimate is Sunoo. To say how experienced you were with him, is quite easy. Sunoo is a guy who's easily outgoing, fun to talk to, making you feel exist, being by his side is never bored just sometimes when he's bored, he's scrolling his media.

➽──────────────❥

Making your way to the music show make up room, because ENHYPEN just came back with a new repackage album. There'll be tons of work for shooting promotions music shows, make up is very... Important.

Today is different, the boy's manager approaches you with some other new staff as well. He announced that you will be moved to work with another member, that turns out to be Jungwon for the next few months since the former staff took their break, while Sunoo got a new female staff member. Somehow it makes no sense why you have to move, when the new staff could go right to Jungwon but soon, was explained by the manager himself, that Jungwon suggested he wanted to work with you, also Sunoo is getting along pretty well with girls so why not. It clicked after the manager in the state, nothing more to be curious about.

Get to work right after, as you are doing make up for Jungwon, the leader seems happy that you agree to work with him while he chit chat with you how he had seen your work, your calm presence, and your aura around Sunoo and other people as well which response by your chuckle. Is that all he wanted? Silly boy. Beside that, Jungwon would find many dad crack jokes on you, practice his flirty skills out of the blue that affect you a lot, finding yourself tummy freeze from laughing.

Unbeknownst to you, Sunoo is upset and sulking on the other side. He was pouting all the time as the new female staff did her job quietly, and didn't dare to ask why. He was seen taking a deep sigh, chin resting, and introvert the whole time. Not when he heard Jungwon is flirting with you, all the goofy and cheese stuffs hearing from the other side that would make him hot. Yet he bottled it up, waiting for the right moment to have a talk with you?

Nearly time up for the attendance for the promotion shooting, the manager would ask all the members to get prepared, pee or drinks and essential things to do, that could delay the time. Coincidentally, as you are making your way to the bathroom, you see Sunoo was there too, but it seems like, when he looks at you, his eyebrows furrowed together just like you did something to make him mad.

Just like usual, best friend for many years, you go up and ask what's wrong with him, politely when he responds back making you surprised.

"M/n you never know who I am but... Seeing you with Jungwon makes my heart hurt!! Come back to me" instead of throwing a tantrum, Sunoo jotting his bottom lip out, pouting on the edge of crying as he speaks.

What is going on really, this is not sad but funny.

"oh gosh Sunoo snort i never knew you'd cry for this, but it's just a few months. It's not like

I only did it on him bias, sometimes I'd work on other members too including you, stop sulking it's not Sunoo anymore" You claim, explain how it works, as results that does light him up a lil bit, before flashing you a bright smile like he used too.

"Hug? Please~"

" sigh Okay, Hug" intended your arm open, as his talk frame wrapped around your small body. His hand smoothed over your back in slow, soothing circles, and you could feel the unspoken comfort in the way his chin rested on the crooked of your neck. All at once, the naughty hands of Sunoo grope both of the cheeks behind your back, His hand found your cheek with a touch that was both rough and unintentional, the calluses of his fingers brushing against your skin like an afterthought.

"Sunoo!? What's this behavior" You whine, as his hand feels your butt cheeks, carelessly on it as if he worships them, giving them some attention in case they need it but that's just him.

"but I miss this saur much, well I think it's bigger than mine now the last I've touched it, haha" Sunoo wheeze under his throat, as he pulled back his hands away and handed up like a police officer arrested him.

"You naughty boy, you're only sunshine in front of the fan but not for me" Blushing, tinted on your face. Crossing your hands over your chest, turn away from his playfulness. At some points his touch does make you feel the unspoken strange too, it kinda... Hot?

"okay okay, I won't do it again M/n don't be mad at me. Oh they're calling! See you later, I'll treat you to a cup of coffee after this, mwah" Blowing the sweetest kiss, before disappearing out of your sight.

Exhaled softly alone in the rest room, you find yourself thinking about his sudden touch earlier that does magic on you that can't be forgotten easily. It's just a few weeks apart from him before the comeback, but he grows more bold? Sigh deeply.

"Shit, why am I rock hard over this. Pull yourself together M/N!"

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

[polyglamorously]

I think each example you give has different reasons for their problems due to them being different types of games. Balancing a healer in a singleplayer RPG vs a PvP shooter vs an MMO all have different challenges, and there are plenty of games that do it well. The live-service games you've listed rebalance many things from all classes all the time and have some that haven't needed reworking at all.

As an Astro main in XIV, I can tell you that while its systems have been reworked multiple times it's been more of a matter of making it feel good to play without encroaching on other classes' design spaces. I also would say that reducing it down to "patching people up after raidwides" is oversimplification to the extreme and the amount of people attempting content without healers is so small as to be insignificant. While there are certainly a handful of people who try it for fun, almost all of the playerbase isn't so skilled that they can do without.

That all being said, you're definitely right that creating and balancing a healer is challenging. It presents its own set of problems that different games solve in different ways. XIV has opted to divide its healers between "shield" and "pure" healers, which allows them more design space but makes balancing more difficult. Warframe generally allows individual players to be self-sufficient, eliminating the need to spend a lot of time on healer balance. Overwatch has restructured its entire team makeup between 1 and 2 because of how tanks dps and supports interact (although that one is debatable on its actual utility).

The issue is that healers stand outside of what you could call "core" gameplay, but their presence affects all of it. They target allies instead of enemies and so have to be balanced around how much damage their team is taking in addition to how much they personally deal or mitigate. Thus, you end up with situations where their team doesn't need them due to skill or self-sustain being more than the need for healing, or inversely where they're so good at keeping people alive that skill doesn't matter or they overshadow other game mechanics.

i've always wondered. has anyone else noticed that video games, by and large, have an absurdly hard time balancing healers? almost every game i play healers are either impossibly good, literally useless, or being reworked every other week

[keepingitformyself]

we might just get away with it (iii)

A/N: sorry for the long wait, truth is life has been life-ing. and uni has also had all my attention. using all this inspo and energy to write as much as i can!!! hoping it lasts me a while. enjoy this third chapter :)

previous parts: part i part ii

synopsis: hollywood is a tricky place for someone new like you, a certain elusive redhead is hoping you can let her in.

pairings: writer!natalie rushman x youngactress!reader

genre: slow burn asf

warning: super slow burn. sorry gang, hang in there.

please do not repost my work anywhere for any reason at all. if you do see this happen to any of my stories, please let me know. thank you x.

you find out shortly after lunch with natalie that you’ll be set to shoot another film outside the country. samantha sends you a text saying:

cooper raiff wants your number. you got the job.

in the next seconds jenna’s caller id flashes on your screen. an excited exclamation when she greets you.

“guess who you’ll be seeing in new zealand…”

————

5 months later.

the life of an actor is very fast paced.

you’ve spent the last few months in new zealand shooting for another film. you lived out of a tiny home in the new zealand countryside but you don’t ever complain about it.

because why would you? your free days are spent going to local bars in the small town you stay in with cast and crew. jenna, on days off set will make you—and sometimes the whole cast—dinner and you’ll both sit outside your neighboring tiny homes enjoying the evening sky.

you do what you love and you do it with people who you adore.

but,

you’ve also spent the last few months jumping on calls over zoom with your writers room for the series. sometimes with greta, natalie and series producers, sometimes just you and greta or you and natalie.

it’s all really great.

right before your last week in new zealand you do get a call though. it’s natalie and greta, both on facetime. they break the news that the script is nearly fully developed and it’s only a matter of getting everything finalized and ready for production in the coming months.

you’re in the middle of getting your makeup done when you find out. you’re so ecstatic you nearly jump out of your seat. it earns you questioning looks from jenna and auli’i, both girls seeming interested to know what disrupted your peace.

before you know it you’re back from filming in new zealand and catching a flight back to la.

your brain is reeling. the pressure is on. and when you arrive at the airport there’s distant camera shutters as you try to retrieve your luggage.

in the car ride home you get a message from natalie.

welcome back. can we meet before the meeting tomorrow?

and so you do.

natalie texts you to meet at a coffee shop, near the west side of hollywood, she’s typing concentratedly into her laptop when you spot her at a corner table.

“hey, stranger!” you say once you’re in front of her.

natalie looks up in an instant. her eyes shine and her smile reaches them. she’s up and circling her arms around your waist in the next second. her embrace on you is one that you weirdly find much relief in.

“please, sit. i ordered your coffee for you already.” and she’s tucking out a chair across from her for you to sit in.

but you’re caught in confusion at her words,

“how do you know my coffee order?” you ask.

all she does is smile like it’s the most obvious thing ever.

“we’ve been working for so long. i’ve memorized your order from all those meetings with greta and such.”

and all you can really do is laugh because you suppose it’s sort of easy to catch onto something when it’s the same every single time. still, it’s oddly thoughtful, and that thoughtfulness makes your chest feel warm, a sensation you’re not entirely sure how to process.

you sit down, folding your coat over the back of the chair, and reach for the cup in front of you. the familiar aroma greets you, a little comfort in the chaos of the past few months.

natalie’s gaze lingers on you as you take your first sip, and for a fleeting moment, you wonder if she’s always been this observant. or maybe, you’ve just been too preoccupied to notice.

“so,” you say, breaking the silence as you set the cup down. “what’s the meeting-before-the-meeting about?”

natalie leans back in her chair, crossing her legs in a way that looks effortless but is probably calculated. she tilts her head slightly, the hint of a smirk playing on her lips. “can’t a colleague just want to catch up?”

you narrow your eyes at her, skeptical but amused. “you don’t strike me as the type to waste time with small talk.”

“fair,” she admits, her smirk softening into something gentler. “i wanted to talk to you about the upcoming season—off the record, before the full team gets involved.”

now she has your full attention. “okay…what about it?”

natalie glances around the café briefly, as if ensuring no one’s listening, and then leans forward, resting her elbows on the table. “it’s about your character. greta and i have been discussing some adjustments, and we want your input. you’ve lived in her skin for a whole season. you know her better than anyone.”

her words catch you off guard. “you’re asking for my input? like, before the script is finalized?”

“exactly,” natalie says. “you’re not just the face of the show; you’re its heart. and i want this season to feel like it belongs to you as much as it does to greta or me.”

it’s a compliment so disarming that you find yourself momentarily speechless. you’d been prepared for a critique, maybe some notes on your performance, but this—this feels different. it feels…personal.

“i—i don’t know what to say,” you finally manage. “that means a lot, natalie.”

her eyes soften even further, and there’s something unreadable in her expression. “you deserve it. you work harder than anyone i know.”

before you can respond, your phone buzzes on the table, breaking the moment. you glance at the screen: it’s a text from jenna.

dinner tonight? i’m making that thing you like. bring wine.

you smile at the message but quickly turn your attention back to natalie, who’s watching you with quiet curiosity.

“sorry about that,” you say, locking the screen. “so, what adjustments are we talking about?”

natalie shifts her laptop toward you, opening a document filled with notes and outlines. as she starts explaining the changes, you’re struck by how passionate she is—not just about the show but about your role in it.

and maybe, just maybe, about you.

later that evening, you’re standing outside jenna’s apartment door, bottle of wine in one hand and your phone in the other, responding to yet another text from samantha. the scent of garlic and fresh herbs wafts through the open window, a promise of something comforting and homemade. you don’t have many constants in your life right now, but jenna’s dinners are one of them.

when she answers the door, she’s wearing an oversized sweater, her hair messily tied back. “finally! i was starting to think you ditched me for someone more interesting.”

you roll your eyes, stepping inside and handing her the wine. “because i have so much free time for that.”

“hey, you’re the star now,” she teases, grabbing two glasses from the cabinet. “how was the meeting? or can you not talk about it? big, scary NDAs and all that.”

you follow her to the kitchen, watching as she plates roasted vegetables and some kind of stuffed chicken. it smells incredible, but you’re already preoccupied with her question.

“it was fine,” you say vaguely, leaning against the counter. “productive.”

jenna glances at you over her shoulder, her brow raised. “you’re a terrible liar, you know.”

“i’m not lying!”

“then why do you look like you’re replaying the entire meeting in your head right now?” she sets the plates on the table and gestures for you to sit. “come on, spill. was it greta? did she grill you about something? or wait—was it natalie?”

you blink, caught off guard. “why would it be natalie?”

jenna shrugs, pouring the wine and sitting across from you. “i don’t know. you just get…weird when you talk about her.”

you frown, trying to process what she means. “weird how?”

you had previously mentioned natalie to jenna. back in new zealand she'd always wonder who you were having meetings with all the time. the girl got curious, and would ask so many questions. sometimes, she'd be in the same room as you when they happened.

she'd catch moments with you and natalie as well. something jenna thought was just natalie being overtly friendly, but then when you'd look off to the side and meet jenna's eyes, she knew you were thinking the same.

“like you’re trying not to think about her but failing miserably.” jenna takes a sip of her wine, studying your reaction. “she intimidates you, doesn’t she?”

“not exactly,” you mutter, cutting into your chicken.

“she’s a big deal,” jenna continues, unfazed. “a genius writer, total powerhouse, and not to mention—”

“don’t,” you warn, already knowing where this is going.

“—drop-dead gorgeous.”

you groan, covering your face with your hands. “i’m not having this conversation.”

“oh, come on! you can’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”

“of course i’ve noticed,” you admit, your voice muffled behind your hands. “everyone notices. but it’s not like that.”

“not like what?”

“not like…that,” you repeat, gesturing vaguely. “she’s like my boss, for one thing. and for another, she’s just—she’s natalie. she’s focused, brilliant, older, wiser, and way out of my league.”

jenna tilts her head, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips. “so, you have thought about it. wouldn't it be hot to date someone older than you though?”

you glare at her, but your flushed cheeks betray you. “i'm not talking about this anymore.”

“fine,” she says, holding up her hands in surrender. “but just so you know, if someone like natalie rushman was looking at me the way she looks at you? i wouldn’t be sitting here eating chicken with my best friend. i’d be figuring out what that look means.”

you shake your head, pretending to focus on your plate. but jenna’s words linger, stubbornly taking root in the back of your mind.

does natalie look at you differently? you’ve noticed her attentiveness, the way she always seems to know exactly what to say to put you at ease. but you’d chalked it up to her being a consummate professional, someone who’s mastered the art of making others feel seen.

now, though, you’re not so sure.

jenna grins at your silence, clearly pleased with herself. “think about it,” she says, clinking her glass against yours.

and you do. later that night, as you lie awake staring at the ceiling, your thoughts drift to the way natalie had smiled at you earlier, her voice low and certain when she called you the heart of the show.

you tell yourself it doesn’t mean anything.

but deep down, a tiny part of you wonders if it does.

[noxturnalmoth]

°~Death becomes Us~°

Chapter 8: Bowlcut wearing twink manlet

warnings: suggestive jokes, kay why ess jokes, overall meme-ism, college shit, scara x f!reader

After waking up to a pretty bad hangover at 2 p.m, and spending the whole day groaning at my sore muscles from jumping fences when I hadn't in months, Shinobu and I made our way to the bathroom. One on the toilet, one in the shower, and then an exchange of positions made by sluggish bodies as the one who is done cleaning herself goes to wake herself up from the hungover haze.

"Remind me to never do this ever again." I mumble as i wash my face and she laughs. "As if, we both know it will, especially with those dudes. But we do got momma's boy with us so we're pretty safe all things considered." I hear from the shower.

I sigh, knowing she's right. "He ain't a momma's boy, don't let him hear you say that crap or he's gonna wring you like a wet towel." I say, leaving the bathroom to get ready in my own room, picking out makeup and clothes that scream 'end of term party, i'm not a nerd for tonight, i'm a bad bitch'. And it's at 6:30 p.m that Shinobu and I are finally done with our preparations and we get to the outside of the dorms, making our way to the other side of the campus, a long walk that makes me regret my choice of shoes but beauty is pain and I look really fucking good.

"I mean do you think what we brought was enough?" I say worried at the few bottles and snacks we brought. "Well we're nine people, if everyone brought something, we'll have more than enough. Plus we'll probably order." I nod anxiously at her words and Shinobu puts her arm around my shoulder lovingly. "Really, we already love you tons, all of us, i don't know about Scara cuz he's an ass, but at least almost all of us do. You don't need to prove anything by being an overly giving person." I breathe out a shaky sigh and hold her hand that lays on my upper arm, nodding at her as we get closer to the dorms Heizou and Scara live in.

Getting there we knock, the door opened by a smiling Kazuha who welcomes us in, and as we take off our shoes I'm lifted off the ground. "Hey bug!" "Sup you big burly hunk." We laugh as Wriothesley hugs me tight, leading us to the living room where everybody was.

"You're late." Grumbled a familiar bitter voice. "Well, we took time getting ready to look good. The same couldn't be said about you, you twink manlet." I say to the indigo haired man as I ruffle his hair, him being just a little taller than me. With that he scoffs with a smirk. "At least I don't have to litterally hide how I really look to look decent, uggo." I fake spit on his feet as i turn to go greet the rest of the boys, hugging and making small talk as we start to set up the snacks, food and drinks.

"Thanks again for my earphones Y/N, really. They mean so much to me, being bought by Teucer with the money he made at his first part time job, I was losing it thinking they were gone." Ajax, less rowdy than behind a screen, tells me softly as he takes glasses from the cupboard above me and i smile at him. "No problem, you got a family you cherish, they give you things that you cherish aswell. I couldn't just leave you like this. But you should also thank Scara, he's the one who asked me."

He hums and said he did, that he was even surprised at how 'gentle' the indigo haired boy had been. "He's hardened, bitter and angry, full of resentment. But he ain't a bad guy, if he didn't like you he wouldn't have given you an out. He's just terrified of letting people in."

I nod, relating to what was said, truth is i'm afraid too, of all these new friends. What if it's all just make believe. What if they all hate me, now or in the future. What if I'm just a means to an end. I know that I'll have Wriothesley no matter what, but...I want the group aswell. All of them, with their qualities and flaws, because being around them in college was the first time I ever felt like I belonged. It's my driving force along my harsher, rage fueled need to defend and protect people by becoming a medical examiner.

The evening rolls around, and drinks, food and a few joints are shared as conversations flow. A peaceful yet energic, joyful atmosphere filling the room, the cold, crisp december air forgotten for the warmth of good company as people cheer on Ajax and Wriothesley while they play just dance, constantly one upping one another as we all sang along to the songs. Shinobu and I dancing in the back while Cyno and Heizou join, our own dance party starting before we switch places with those on the game.

"I bet I can outdance the bowlcut wearing twink manlet." I say confidently, stretching for my fifth dance of the night, everybody laughing and spuring us on 'fight, fight, fight' chanted as Scaramouche circled around me, scowling before a devious smirk appears on his face. "Only if your fat ass can even move as well as I can." "AWWW Thanks! My ass IS phat. Continue like this and i might think you got a crush on me Scaradouche." "I'm gonna fucking shank you." "Try me Beyoncé."

And dance we did, trying to hold up until the other collapsed, winning as many times as we could. And it went on, and on, the elated and loud chanting persevering until we both collapsed. "I win, midget." I pant, sweating and panting as i lay like a starfish on the ground. "Fucking whatever you fence hopping orphan." I raise my eyebrows at his insult, mustering up my best shocked face and everybody gasped. He slowly turns red, stuttering out what seems to be him trying to explain himself and maybe even appologize.

But then I laugh softly and tap his shoulder. "Can't say you're wrong about that bud." And I go play cards with the rest of the guys. Cyno wiping the floor with all of us although Xiao, Kazuha and Heizou do get close to bringing him down. By the end of the few rounds, Wriothesley and Ajax go do shots in the kitchen Xiao, Shinobu, and Heizou lazily and drunkenly lounge on the couch while Kazuha rolls a few joints, handing one to me as i go to the balcony, sitting on the freezing floor.

Lighting it up i take a deep inhale of the smoke, the disgusting taste ignored as i feel myself relax deeper. My body wrapped with a fluffy fleece blanket to combat the cold autumn air. "What the fuck are you doing out in the cold you dimwit?" I hear from behind me and sigh, snuggling deeper in the fleece. "Just needed some quiet, and a bit of fresh air. It kinda got stuffy in there." I chuckle, eyes lazily dragging to Scaramouche, who sits down next to me. "You're gonna get sick you manwhore." "You're also dressed lightly, you slut." He says as I open my blanket and wrap some of it against him, the sudden proximity feeling strange. But not necessarily bad.

Silence overcomes us as he lights up his own joint, go big or go home is what he said, and so I continued smoking mine looking up to the twinkling stars and bright full moon. It was nice, no energy exherted into silly banter that could dissolve in a fight, and although it had never happened Scaramouche can be a bit harsh and hurtful and I know that if I had just about enough I would bite his face off. I didn't want that out of respect not only for him and my friends, but also to myself.

"Why?" I turn to him confused and hum in question. "Why did you do the things you did when you were younger." I breathe in, inhaling smoke, and hum pensively as i blow it out. "Well you're no stranger to horrible parents right?" He nods. "Well, when horrible parents become even worse, and that you're a desperate child trying to stay alive, you quickly realize nobody will help you. That much was clear after doing my very best to beg for it. So I turned to petty crimes and felonies, getting myself in juvi for warm food, a roof over my head, and hygene amenities. Not great but no organization helped in this town, they all contacted my parents first, as if asking an abuser if they abused someone is gonna make them spit it out." I scoff, gripping the blanket. I saw from my peripheral vision that Scaramouche was looking at me but decided not to look back, in fear of what I'd see.

"Your mom brought me back there a lot, even if i was screaming, crying, begging. And she was the one to always bring me to juvi. And then the last time she did I was 17. Killed my folks. She trialled me as an adult because she was tired of me and sent me to jail, the judge was kind enough to realize it was in self defence so I only got a couple of years. Then started living as a civilian in a special refuge for 'reforming criminals', I decided to study to become a medical examiner, and now I'm 22 and I started those studies as a first step to say fuck you to the world, to your mom, and to become a better person that helps lock up assholes and bring peace to both the dead and the living. Plus, dead people aren't assholes, so I don't have to worry too much about wanting to bash someone's brains in."

I chuckle, shaking lightly with emotion and from the cold, misty eyes trying to blink tears away and failing. Without any words Scaramouche got closer, our shoulders and arms fully touching so we could share our heat. And silently i place my head on his shoulder, sighing softly as he tenses up and slowly relaxes again.

"Wriothesley's the only one who visited me in prison, we met when we were 12 in juvi. He was my partner in crime, then my friend, then my brother." "He's a good guy." I hear scaramouche say softly. "Nah, he's the best." He hums in agreement.

"She wasn't always like this." I breathe in, closing my eyes as i listen to his voice, his chest rumbling uncomfortably at the feeling of telling someone about something so personal. "She was a good mom, to me and to my half sister Shoko. A single mom to the both of us. Shoko was a bright kid, she was loving, kind, energetic. She died in a drunk driving accident, the whole bus did. SInce that case, Ei became cold, bitter, forceful, controlling. To the whole police department, but also to me. My step mother's the only one to know how to deal with her. God knows I stopped trying a long time ago after all the words, all the hits." He scoffs, bitterness seeping from every single one of his pores as he sniffles, the cold freezing his sinuses, the smoke from the joint roughing up his throat and lungs...eyes glazed.

"The way she brought me up, she made me hate people like you. Who needed to do anything to stay alive. I hated you for a long time before I realized what she was doing. Because to me you were part of the reason why Shoko died. Foolish, I know." He mutters. "But understandable. I hated you as a kid because I thought you had it easy, because you were your mother's son. Turns out, in a way, you and I aren't different."

"No, that's for sure. I committed petty crimes for rebellion and attention. They're not even in my file, she didn't accept the fact I could taint her reputation." I snort at this, pointing out the ridicule situation of the police chief's son committing crimes. "Damn Scaramouche, you're a bad boy huh?" I nudge him, raising and dropping my eyebrows fast as I smirked and he chuckled breathily. "We're past the monikers, call me Kuni." "Now THAT's adorable. Kuni. Kuniiiiiii. Kuuuuuuuuuniiiiii-" "Oh fuck off or I'm taking back that privilege AND cut you off." He huffs, smirking.

"Nah you won't now that we told each other our tragic backstories. Plus I'm still waiting for that free Brazilian too. You're stuck with me forever now." "Eat shit and die you fence hopping orphan." "Not before you do you bowlcut wearing twink manlet."

<prev. || m.list || next>

After a hard youth of commiting crimes and going to juvi to have a place to live, you finally decide to take your future in your own hands and make it into something you can be proud of. College is the beginning of your path to a new life, and it would be going great...if the son of the head of the local police wasn't hanging out with your friends.

Taglist: @kodzusmiles @vi0let-writes @eternallykira-143

[runawaymun]

i really need to do a post about how Rivendell is run at some point

[daguerreotyping]

Absolutely stunning post-mortem daguerreotype of a young man with killer cheekbones and haunting eyes, c. 1850

[eros-heartache]

Notes on The Crow 2024 from someone who's opinion doesn't matter. (me)

[sesamenom]

maglor's first time getting to go to a concert / his favorite singer attending maglor's first big concert

[sigsfigs]

sorry for no art was too busy MEETING BRENNAN ZAC AND ERIKA????????

[iguessthisisanewobsession]

Mix up manhattan au

After the hit that’s as heathers the musical set up by mix up manhattan Jason didn’t really think much on if he wanted to act again.

Sure, there was that quick stint of Noel’s Lament for charity but honestly he feels like it would be a lost cause to try and play another role because apparently he was a little too good at being JD.

“That’s bullshit, man. Like of course you’re going to act good, you were one of the main leads!”

Danny scoffed as gestured with a fry,

“An actor that can actually act. It’s not like you’re going to actually blow up a school.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying! You know they’ve been trying to send me back to therapy? Like gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Jasob sighed as slouched over the linoleum table.

“You know, I hate that I fucking get it in a way y’know? Like I have a shady past, and maybe my temper spikes a bit more than the average guy but that shit’s in the past! I thought thought it was at least…”

“You were built for the role dude, there’s a reason you got casted. It’s probably just because it hit a little close to home.”

“Well I wish it didn’t.”

Danny hummed as he took a sip of his shake.

“You know.. there might be an easy fix for this.”

“What are you thinking about now?”

“I’m just saying how for sure are you that you don’t want to do another audition?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tim blinked.

And blinked again.

He rubbed his eyes until they were raw,

Nope.

No change.

“What the fuck are you doingJason?”

Jason for his part raised an eyebrow in the mirror as he continued to try to adjust his skirt.

“What does it look like I’m doing? Dressing up.”

“I-but-“

“Ah, Master Jason, how are the adjustments feeling now?”

Jason gave a grin as he grabbed a pile of clothing from the couch.

“A lot less like I’m going to flash everyone during a twirl. Thanks Alfie your a life saver.”

“Your very welcome dear do give me updates on how it goes.”

Jason gave a little twirl and a finger gun before leaving the living room.

Alfred held back a chuckle as he looked to his other grandson.

“Is there something you need to say Master Tim?”

“I-uh- The pink cardigan looked good?”

“Indeed, I do hope they do not accidentally stain it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That week at the theater signs we’re out out for Hairspray the musical.