#and there has to be some guilt from naomi

[rocicrew]

haha don't you ever think about naomi rejecting a leadership position because she knew it would cost her too much and then making that decision because it was the only right choice to make at the time and ending the series with her Very much paying that cost and just sob

[melancholymetropolis]

Exchange pt. II

plot: In which Gojo makes a late night phone call to his wife.

pairings: Clan Leader!Gojo Saturo x Lawyer!Reader

genre(s): Second Chance; Hurt with Comfort

warnings: unedited (mostly). This is the fluffiest fluff I have written in the while. TEASING. Gojo is a comedian. SWEARING. use of AAVE (y/n is black as hell. wears a bonnet and everything). longing. Argument (no name calling). RAISED VOICES. sad boi gojo. guilty reader. get ready for the feels.

song association: Don't by Bryson Tiller

a/n: ya girl has some good news!

w.c: 3.0k

part(s): Part I

Upon shutting off the apartment’s showerhead, I could hear my phone buzzing in the distance. I wrapped my towel around my body and took swift strides back to the bedroom. Lifting my glasses off my nightstand, I placed them on my face before picking up the device. Instead of it being a friend from overseas, not understanding the time difference, it was an idiot who understood it very well. 

Gojo: pssss

Gojo: wifey. . .

Gojo: are you up??????

Y/N: It’s almost midnight. What could you possibly want?

Several moments after the message was sent, the phone started to ring. 

Gojo was calling.

I rolled my eyes at the sentiment. Ever since our lunch several days before, the taller gentleman was borderline clingy. He texted me at any free moment of the day, asking me what I was doing and when I was free for our next hangout session. I’d always blow him off. Telling him I had a prior engagement with someone else. I would say that the bride needed me to help her with Honeymoon stuff or the Maid of Honor misplaced her work and I needed to help her look for it. I would use any and every excuse in order to avoid speaking to him for longer than I needed to. It was clear that Gojo intended to make up for lost time while I was in Japan. He took his proposal to hang out very seriously and wanted me to fulfill my end of the bargain. Part of me almost felt bad from blowing him. Gojo was mostly harmless in his delivery and didn’t pose any real threat to my lifestyle. He seemed to be very forgiving with my excuses and never pressed me for blowing him off. The only thing he ever did was send almost a dozen crying emojis and claim I was abandoning our child. Apparently we were having a little girl, which he named her Naomi. 

Even though the white haired man was beyond ridiculous, he never failed to make me laugh.

I reached toward the nightstand for my wireless earbuds and connected them to the device. I placed one in my right ear and accepted the call. 

“Sweetheart!!!” Gojo whined on the other line. “What took you so long to answer the phone? I could’ve died on the other line!”

“But are you dead?” I replied, rising from my seat on the bed.

“That’s not the point!” He exclaimed. “And besides, what are you doing right now anyway?”

I walked over to the vanity mirror and lifted my leg on the low bench. I twisted the lid from the cocoa butter and scooped some in my hands. “Well, I just got out of the shower and have started my skincare routine. Why?” I warmed the cream between my palms and started to glide it down my leg.

“How do you feel about going on a food run?”

“Right now?” I scooped more product into my palm.

“Yup!”

I switched legs and massaged the butter into my skin. The guilt of blowing him off was eating away at my being. Gojo seemed to be making a genuine effort to get to know me and I was shutting him off. I was never usually the person to deny someone’s efforts and often cheered for a job done well. As much as I wanted to treat him like everyone else, I realized I couldn’t; because he wasn’t like anyone else. He was my husband, at least on paper. From what I could tell, he was pretty kind and patient with me, despite his idiotic tendencies. Those feelings from Vegas started to reappear once again. They always came back harder the longer I shoved them down. 

I started to rub the butter on my arms. “Let me guess, you’re having pregnancy cravings? Want me to buy you some pickles and ice cream?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of katsu sandos,” he admitted with a chuckle. “But ice cream sounds nice. Hold the pickles.”

I shook my head with a smile. “Okay, pregnant lady. If I do this, you better not expect anything from me to get dressed up for you. It’s too late for that.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“You are getting yoga pants and a goddamned sweatshirt. Better be lucky I am not wearing my bonnet outside.”

“Damn, you aren’t?” He pretended to sound shocked. “Now I gotta take mine off and fix my baby hairs.”

Explosive laughter erupted from my being and I felt myself hold onto the vanity to steady myself. “Gojo, what the hell do you know about baby hairs?”

“I know enough,” he conceded. “I am trying to do all my research now, so Naomi can have all the flyest hairstyles on the playground.”

“Gojo, get the hell off my phone with this mess,” I giggled. “You are too much.”

“I am just enough for you, baby. Don’t you forget it.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “I’ll text you the address to my apartment. Hurry your ass up before I change my mind.”

“Okay. Love you, boo!”

“Imma beat your ass.”

My eyes flickered to Gojo’s right hand. It rested on the arm rest between us and started to flex repeatedly. The silence between us was comfortable. It cuddled against our awkward bodies and almost became a second skin. This was the first time we were truly alone together in the past six months. There were no waiters asking for our order or any wandering eyes gazing upon us from the wedding party. It was simply just him and I; in a car, driving to god knows where, in the middle of the night. There was so much that could be said in that moment. So much I wanted to say, but I couldn’t bring myself to. I wasn’t ready and I had the feeling he felt the same way. It was easy to mask emotions in a crowd. It was easy to tell a joke to break tension and get a laugh out of company. Yet, it was extremely hard to be open with anyone you deemed dear. His eyes flickered over to me with such longing it made my heart ache. Those feelings from Vegas were flickering up once again and I tried to ignore them. 

“I didn’t know you wore glasses,” he said with a smirk. “You look like a completely different person.”

I nervously readjusted the thick frames on my face. “In a good way or a bad way?”

“In a sexy way,” he answered, earning a scuff out of me. “I feel like this would be a bad time to mention I have a glasses kink.”

Laughter bubbled out of me and I found myself shaking my head. “You are unbelievable.”

“I am being so serious right now. Those glasses are doing things to me,” his eyes flickered over to me. “You are seducing with those thick frames and I am trying my best to behave.”

“Oh god, please stop,” I giggled. “How can I be seducing you in some leggings and a sweatshirt?”

“Baby, you could be wearing a plastic bag and I would rip that thing off with my teeth,” he replied with a wide smile. “You are gorgeous, sweetheart, and I will remind you of that every chance I get.”

My eyes flickered down to his lone right hand on the arm rest. The palm was soft pink and wide. There were callouses across pads of the fingers, almost like he played some sort of stringed instrument. Before I could stop myself, I felt my hand fall into his grasp. Electric sparks pulsed through my body as we touched. His grip on my hand tightened and his thumb rubbed against my knuckles. He pulled my hand gently to his lips and gave my fingers a kiss. A sweet smile fell on my lips at the embrace. My mind easing to a calm that wasn't there before. 

Unlike any other union I had prior, Gojo didn't give me butterflies or bring a blush to my cheeks. He gave me a sense of ease that no one else had presented. In all my other relationships before him, platonic or romantic, someone had always wanted something from me. I had to fit a mold to solidify our relationship. I had to be the perfect daughter for my parents. The unpaid therapist for my friends. The forgiving partner to my ex lover. The cut throat divorce lawyer. I always had to fulfill a label and my personhood was seen as a performance to them. I was never simply Y/N. I could never truly exist amongst them. 

That had been before I met Gojo.

He seemed to like me as I am. Actually, he encouraged me to authentically express myself. He didn't take it personally when I snapped at him. He was offended when I was coarse with him at the wedding, he simply adjusted his approach. Instead of being so direct, he became playful. Non-threatening. He was slowly making me feel comfortable around him. Easing the thick tension between us. The fear that I originally felt in the beginning had clouded my judgment. I couldn’t think clearly. 

Sure, being married to a stranger is scary. There is a lot that could go wrong. However, if all had gone right in Vegas, and if we didn't live in two completely different countries, we'd probably be dating already. Gojo would have most likely met my friends. Spent a night at my condo. Made me breakfast the night after our sleepover. He probably would have invited me to his place the next weekend. 

We'd already been 6 months in a sickly sweet relationship. 

Would I have loved him by now?

“What's that look?” His husky voice cut through my thoughts like a knife. “I don't like that look. What's wrong, sweetheart?”

“Nothing, I just…” I trailed off, turning away from his gaze. “Just thinking is all.”

He hummed, unamused, and squeezed my hand again. “You don’t have to hide your thoughts from me, Y/N. I am a big boy, I can handle the heat.” Gojo kissed my fingers again. “And besides, in order to get through it, we have to talk about it.”

A shaky sigh slipped from my lips and I wiggled my hand from his grasp. I wrapped both arms around myself and turned my body away from him. My eyes quirked at the twinkling street lights and billboards of Osaka. My skin was bathed in a crimson light that directly reflected the internal wound that bled into my foul mood. There was a war happening within my head and I could barely present him with the cause of it. At least, not the true cause. There were so many things that I wanted to say, secrets that I wanted to tell him. However, I knew it was too soon. He was still a stranger. A man that I met a little more than a few times in the last couple of months. A friend of a friend— an acquaintance. It would be too easy for him to leave me if he knew the truth. The whole truth. It was the thing that made me leave my hometown and start over. The thing that made me cut my parents off and change my name. The thing that I shoved so far down that I ripped me apart when it reopened. 

The car came to an eased halt and pulled into an empty space in front of the restaurant. The open sign was flickering on and off, a marketing ploy. It wanted to draw people in to observe its beautiful open concept kitchen and glorious display of fresh ingredients. The tactic must’ve been a successful one, since the place was nearly packed at half past midnight. By the smile on their faces, I know the passengers were more than happy with their purchase. It made me want to try it.

A warm hand gripped my knee and gave it a firm squeeze. I felt my body tense from the pressure. I slowly turned to face the car’s driver. There was a noticeable frown situated on his face and a terrible look of worry situated between his brows. My silence had not made him happy. Not one bit.

His hand slipped into mine and he brought his knuckles to mouth for a kiss. 

“Whatever you need to say or ask, I am right here,” he said quietly. “I will remain here for as long as you need me to be. You’ll always have my support.”

His bright blue eyes were poured into me; like hot water in a teacup. He was moments away from drinking me in. 

A releasing a trembling sigh, I finally asked the question that had been on my mind since our lunch date.

“Why do you want me to remain your wife if our marriage was a mistake?”

At that moment, I watched his eyes dim. Their bright, exhilarating, electric blue faded to a gloomy navy that shook me to my core. Pain contorted his features into an expression I didn’t recognize. He had never expected those words to come out of mouth. Not after all the time we spent together. Not after the pact we made to at least “hang out”. Not after I made the first step to ignite an embrace just moments before. Reaching out for his hand had broken the stalemate between us. We were no longer adults navigating unknown territory, who were scared of the word “marriage”. It symbolized the potential for something else. It made room for something new to blossom between us. The beginnings of a new love story were on the horizon, at least before I called our union a “mistake”. 

The painful look was still on his face when he spoke moments later. 

“Our marriage is not a mistake,” he said just above a whisper. “Accidental, yes. It is no mistake.”

I waited a moment for him to explain.

“Mistake insinuates regret for said action; whereas an accident is an unlikely outcome. It has far less of a negative connotation than a goddamn “mistake”.”

He spat out the word like it was poison. His voice gradually rose with each word until it reached its normal volume. The pain on his face had shifted to a soft look of anger. He looked insulted that I would even use that word to describe our union. Utterly appalled that I would think he’d regret our marriage. 

“I just. . .” He cut himself off, ripping his gaze from my face. “Do you really think I would want to hang out with you if I thought this marriage was a mistake?”

“Well. . . no”

“Do you think I'm some conservative wannabe that frowns upon divorce?” His eyes fell back on me, anger causing his brows to lower. “That I am trying to trap you and keep you hidden away from prying eyes?”

“Of course not!” I conceded. 

“Then, what is it?” He snapped. “Because I’m really trying here. I get that this situation is not ideal for you, but I am trying my best to make it work, Y/N. It just seems like you don’t even care about me or what we had during that weekend in Vegas. You are so ready to give it up and leave everything behind. Leave me behind. Like everyone else.”

The last three words were quieter than a whisper. Somber and true. It made my heart ache and my mind buzz with worry. The little pieces that Gojo Saturo fed me about his life started to all make sense. He was the only child and the first in his whole generation to achieve a very specific goal. Power. What that power was— I had no idea. He didn’t go into detail, but I knew it was something he wore with pride. However, I knew that he wore it with regret as well. There was a weight on his shoulders that only he could carry. It seemed as though he was carrying the responsibilities of his whole family with him everywhere he went. He never had a break with his duties; they consumed his every waking moment. It made it hard for him to mingle, to date, to llsimply exist without a group of people breathing down his neck. The relationships he had made outside of his family never lasted, from what I could gather from his last sentiment. They stole too much of his attention for him to create anything meaningful with them. Just like a flower lacking water, the relationships would wither and eventually die; which left Saturo back at square one. Alone. Miserable. Unhappy.

A deep sigh erupted from his being as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. That was not okay and completely unlcalled for. Please forgive me, sweetheart.”

Without much of second thought, I found myself unbuckling my seatbelt and leaning toward him in my seat. My long arms encased around his slumped form and held him tightly. I felt his body immediately tense underneath my embrace. His limbs were stiff and unmoving, while his breath remained caught in his throat. He was not breathing. I squeezed him even tighter, forcing him to take a deep breath from the constraint. His body melted in my arms moments later. He pivoted his body towards the passenger seat and wiggled his arms from his side. Gojo raised the muscular limbs and engulfed me in what I could only describe as a bear hung. He held me as though I were meant to disappear at any given moment. As if someone would steal me away from this. From him. At that moment, I felt like I meant everything to him. As if I were his entire world. It made my soul weep. 

A series of buzzing erupted from the glove compartment. A message flashed on the car's dashboard:

Order: 2333

Ready for pick up! Come to the takeout window with this text message.

"Your phone is buzzing," I said, lowering my head back to his shoulder.

He hummed in response.

"Our order is ready."

Gojo's arms wrapped around me tighter. "Can we. . . Can we stay like this? Just a little bit longer?"

I felt my body melt into his touch. "Of course."

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a/n: ya bitch got into grad school! which is why i haven't been posting!!! trying to figure out the financial aid situation, but it looks like we are going back to school in the fall! also, please please please tell me if you are feeling this series. i have another one in mind, but i am on the fence. also, let me know if you would like to be on the official taglist for this series!

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TAGLIST

@amajikisupremacy @sweetdreams-inumimi @reagan707 @wannabeotaku @hazzelle-kento @rav3nmuse

[sounknownvoid]

Dean saved the world? - show me receipts!

Im sorry but seeing that other post about Charlie thanking dean for saving the world just lit my head on fire!... so instead of hijacking someone else's post, decided to dash off my own...n It also got me thinking - we keep being TOLD that dean is a saviour n saved the world (while being SHOWN his horrible,terrible,abusive behaviours onscreen) repeatedly by other characters incl sam.... but - where'sthe evidence?... here's my quick little rundown - tell me if you can spot dean "saving the world"?... coz I really couldn't...I tried, I promise!

let's look at the world-ending events in the show shall we:

Apocalypse v1.0? - it was sam(swansong) doing the saving - n caused by DEAN breaking 1st seal by selling his soul n the winged rat actively being a co-conspirator n manipulator

Godstiel (apocalypse2.0?) - sam again (remember him stabbing him to stop him while sam could barely stand?) - oh yeh n that was caused by asstiel too

Leviathans (apocalypse 3?) - its borax & black goo spatter into purgatory - & also caused by asstiel n sam n dean had to stand him up

Metatron & Angel fall at end of s8? - oh yeah, ALSO caused by asstiel and dean's emotional abuse pushing sam to "atone" - apocalypse 4?

Gadreel&metatron n angels war - caused by DEAN, casstiel n oh yeah deano going off n getting moc rather than face consequences of his facilitating a rape on his little brother.... n only ended by those entities' own self destructive tendencies (gadreel) & Naomi ..apocalypse 5?

Demon dean n moc-dean - dean's dumbassery caused it n sam ended 1xapocalyose (apocalypse 5) by agreeing to die at dean's hand n having dean banished as there was no cure -

BUT last minute there WAS a cure ( thanks to SAM working away n recruiting people to work on one despite all being against him) n dean was freed from the moc,saving the world - yet again...

Apocalypse 6 aka the darkness - n yes here sam indeed started another apocalypse when he released the darkness to save dean - copyright winchester-brother stupidity and also because through s7-9 dean has been berating sam relentlessly n needs sam to prove how much he truly "wurves dean" lbr... sam obliged unknowingly n released the darkness

n in alpha/omega n soul bomb holder dean DID TRY to save the world - but ACTUALLY wasn't necessary (& remember how throughout the season, he "couldn't kill the darkness") n basically returned as is...but uh with his mom...so pretty useless in terms of world-saving tbh imo...

Bmol - sam saved...the USA - not necessarily the world - as they still exist in the UK still at end of that season...

S13 - "oh look, we're running out of ideas,let's recycle: lucifer is out again" - casstiels fault n yes, dean makes another dumb deal and its SAM that hands him the blade to kill lucifer in that laughable cringey "battle royale" n then he promptly becomes the cause of yet another apocalypse as Michael!dean

S13-S14 - jack n chuck villain-arc - jack being born is not a world-ender in n of itself but it's sam that advocates for raising the all-powerful nephilim, Jack, with some decent values - batterred-wife though he is, by this stage.... but can we just agree that jack wasn't posing any threats to the world until he became soul-less n even then he's overcome with guilt n runs away n then is remorsefulonce hes got soul back? ... so no world-ending here..... until dean's stupidity (lets put jack in a box!) once again meant a powerful force aka jack here, was angry n unleashed upon the world - & then who went n got chuck to create a god-killer gun although, still no crushing the world agenda from jack still? - yeah u-know-who .... n who's so outta control that he wants to use jack as a soul-bomb to destroy God aka chuck - which IS a world-emding event potentially? - yep that'd be dumbass-dean...n who talks him off that ledge n saves the world potentially from THAT maybe-apocalypse? - that's right it's SAM!.... & who shot God/chuck? - SAM!...

S15 - chuck as final villain - who noticed n came up with the plan to have jack absorb chucks powers n effectively install a new god?? - SAM! ....

...so, WHEN & WHERE EXACTLY did DEAN 'save the world'?.... I want receipts!...

(no seriously tho, I'm happy to hear examples of dean saving the world for real)

[cringywhitedragon]

Some Halloween TC Rambles/Headcannons

It’s spooky season so to celebrate why not share some little bite-sized ramble ideas for some of the TC/TT cast for the spooky season

Being in the hospital can suck, especially for children during the holidays. Caduceus is well aware of that which is why both of the US (To fix the discrepancy in New Blood, I head-cannon that Caduceus has 2 branches in America, Caduceus USA East (Maryland) and Caduceus USA West (Angeles Bay)) and the European branches like to hold a little day of celebration. Staff will decorate the halls and most of the children patients will get the chance to participate in little activities related to the season. That even includes a little trick-or-treating event.

Dr. Niguel isn’t a big fan of the whole tradition unlike the rest of the staff as he usually just spends the whole day cooped up in his lab. Though it hasn’t stopped him one year from using a small pumpkin to test out a new surgical laser he was working on that then proceeded to sit on his desk proudly for the rest of the week leading up to Halloween or the rare thank you Leslie got when she decided to bring him the leftover candy from that year’s hospital trick-or-treat.

Tyler and Amy often go out trick or treating together when he can with this little tradition beginning as far back when she was just a toddler. Though this did get put on pause when Amy came down with GUILT but it didn’t stop them from finding other ways to celebrate together (Though there was a bit of somberness about in Tyler’s eyes at the possibly that Amy wouldn’t recover, yet that all changed after Derek came around and well you know the rest.)

Resurgum does have some similar traditions for Halloween a bit like Caduceus but on a lesser scale because they are a much smaller hospital.

While it’s not one of the busiest holidays in terms of calls, Maria Torres still gets a handful of strange cases that she and the other paramedics have to respond to that involve people doing stupid stuff sometimes. But hey, at least it’s not Christmas, The 4th of July, or Black Friday which often tend to be a whole lot worse.

Naomi, similarly to Victor, wasn’t really one who paid much attention to Halloween until Alyssa came into her life. The two went trick-or-treating one year with Alyssa dressed as a cat and Naomi has become known by several children who trick-or-treat in the neighborhood as the house that hands out those types of candies that look like eyeballs and fingers and whatnot (But hey, the kids, manly the boys, love it)

And just one more just for fun. About a year after the whole GUILT Pandemic, Derek had invited Angie to his place one Halloween after their shift had ended just to hang out when a group of kids passed by. One of them recognized Dr. Stiles as the one who had saved his dad which lead to the poor doctor to get surrounded by the boy and his friend group who were just in awe. When asked by Angie on what his costume was supposed to be, the kid responded that he was dressed as a doctor like his hero. Angie would not let poor Derek live that down.

[jaehyunspeachparty]

Hi, I don’t know if anyone remembers my story. Lately, I’ve been thinking about it a lot and wrote my thoughts down. That’s why I wrote something down and somehow it got longer and longer. Maybe some want to read it. I hope you’re all doing well ❤ ____________________________________________________________

Chuseok with the Jung's (a sight into the future) “Miga Jung has once again been nominated for Best Actress,” blared the TV. “I don’t think she’ll win it again this year,” said one of the hosts. “Do you think so?” came the immediate counter-question. “Lately, she’s been giving off more influencer vibes. I can’t take her seriously as an actress anymore.” Miga sighed and finally looked up at the TV. She had been sorting gifts for her family and just wanted something on in the background. But suddenly, the TV turned off, and she heard the remote control drop onto the cold stone surface of the kitchen counter. “Silence is nice too,” she heard her boyfriend's voice as she felt his soft lips on her shoulders. “He’s kind of right,” she sighed, turning around. Hyunjin stood in front of her, gazing at her with his dark eyes. He was about to disagree, but then the doorbell rang. Miga gave him a quick kiss before pulling away to open the door. “Hi, Gomo!” A little girl stood on the doorstep. Miga beamed as she saw her young niece. She was incredibly proud of her and often had her over. “Hello, Naomi, you look so pretty today.” The little girl began to giggle. “I’ve got everything.” By now, Hyunjin had packed all the gifts and the pre-cooked food. Sunoh and Chichi stood behind their eldest daughter, also ready to go. The special thing was that Chichi had just given birth to another daughter, named Rei, only three weeks ago. Rei was snugly wrapped in a cloth against her mother. Together, they were heading to their parents’ house to celebrate Chuseok. “No rush, Kiwoo and Dad haven’t even left yet,” said Sunoh, noticing his best friend looked a bit nervous. “I don’t think Hyunjin is worried about the time,” Miga winked at her boyfriend and lifted Naomi into her arms. “Are you still scared of Dad?” Sunoh laughed, and together they made their way to the elevator. Since they all lived in the same building, it was easier to leave together. “Scared is an understatement.” Hyunjin raised his eyebrows but stayed quiet. “Dad only has a problem with the fact that, according to the company, we’re not supposed to be together. I’m sure he respects you as a person,” Miga said as the elevator arrived and the family stepped in. “I’m not so sure,” Hyunjin said quietly, but no one heard him.

Kiwoo bent over the girl and kissed her. His hands were all over her body. "I like your underwear," he breathed while removing them. "This is my Chuseok gift for you," she breathed, showing off the red bra she bought especially for him. But Kiwoo stopped and looked at the girl with wide eyes. "What?" she asked with an uncertain laugh. "Whats the time?" he asked horrified and broke away from the girl. She looked a little hurt and pulled her dress back up. "11am", she said hesitantly and looked at him. He put his shirt back on and tried to fix himself up as best as he could, making sure nothing was noticeable. He glanced at his phone and saw all the missed calls from his father. “Shit, I’m in trouble,” he cursed. It was a habit he needed to break—his manager was always on him about cursing too much. “Kiwoo,” he suddenly heard, and the voice didn’t sound friendly. He squinted his eyes and slowly turned around. “Where were you?” Jaehyun stood in front of him, looking at his son. “Uh… I was still training. Sorry, Dad. I lost track of time.” Kiwoo lowered his head and looked at the ground, guilt evident in his posture. Jaehyun wasn’t entirely convinced. His son often had trouble on his mind, but at the same time, he was incredibly charismatic. He’d caused plenty of trouble, but even the top boss at SM always forgave him. “Do you have anything else with you?” Jaehyun asked, noticing Kiwoo was only wearing sweaty workout clothes. “I… can’t this work?” Kiwoo knew exactly how charismatic he was, and he smiled with a wink. But that didn’t always work with his father. “You know your mother expects you to dress properly,” Jaehyun crossed his arms. He was a bit annoyed with his son. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve got something with me.” “Hurry up. Your siblings are already on their way,” Jaehyun sighed and shook his head. They were definitely going to be the last to arrive.

Geon sat at the table, continuing to study, while you prepared the food for the day. Your son had been studying diligently for weeks, deeply buried in his books. His beautiful hair had been shaved off since he had been in the military. But since then, he had changed and withdrawn more and more. You hoped that the holidays would help him relax a bit again. Something had happened to Geon in the military, and you didn’t like it at all. “Here, some vitamins.” You set a plate of sliced fruit in front of him and gently stroked his shoulder. But in that moment, Geon flinched briefly, until he realized it was only his mother standing next to him. “Thanks, Mum,” he said, adjusting his glasses. In that moment, you felt tears welling up. Something was going on inside your son, but you couldn’t help him. He was so different from your other children. Geon had always been introverted. His twin brother, Kiwoo, was more prone to trouble, and ever since certain hormones started surging through his body, you had to keep an eye on him so he wouldn’t constantly end up in some girl’s pants. A few times, he received a “gift” from a father or you had to bail him out of tricky situations. 

As you continued cooking for the next few minutes, Geon kept studying, but soon you heard the door open. “Go on ahead to Grandma,” you heard Sunoh’s voice, and it still sent chills down your spine when you heard the word "Grandma." “Grandma!” You suddenly saw a black-haired figure slowly making their way into the kitchen. “Naomi, it’s so nice to see you!” You hugged your granddaughter and gave her a kiss on the forehead. You never thought you and Jaehyun would become grandparents so soon, but Sunoh and Chichi were quick. “Mum!” Miga entered with Hyunjin following shyly behind her. You hugged your daughter. Even though you saw each other regularly, it was always nice to see her. Over time, you had developed a really beautiful, friendly relationship, and you were thankful for that every day. You also really liked her boyfriend—you thought he was perfect for her, even if Jaehyun didn’t agree. But after what you learned about Jaemin (which Jaehyun didn’t know), you were glad she had someone kind and caring by her side. “Hyunjin, it’s great to have you here.” You hugged him and noticed the relief in his face that at least one of his girlfriend’s parents accepted him. “Thank you for letting me join the celebration.” He bowed politely, but you gently straightened him up. “You’re part of the family here. We’re happy to have you. Take a seat.” You smiled, and somehow, having everyone back in the house made you feel happy. The house had lost a bit of its liveliness since all the kids moved out. “Oh my God, who’s that coming?” You didn’t even get the chance to greet Chichi and Sunoh properly before you were already taking little Rei out of their hands. “Ahhhh, she smells so good,” you said, pressing the newborn girl to you. It was so nice to have a baby in your arms again. “Yeah, Mum, we’re here too,” Sunoh said, rolling his eyes with a smile. “Sorry, ever since you’ve been bringing such sweet babies, I can’t help it.” You kissed little Rei on the forehead. By now, Miga was already by her younger brother Geon, hugging him. “I miss your hair,” Miga said, gently stroking her little brother’s head. Sunoh crossed his arms and looked a bit concerned at Geon. “Basic training is over. Can’t you let your hair grow out?” “Yeah… no… not for me…” Geon couldn’t bring himself to meet his brother’s eyes. Sunoh had already been through the military; he had some idea of what was going on. “You should stop working out so much. What’s going on with your arms?” You pinched your son’s bicep. You knew he liked working out, but he had gained a lot of muscle mass by now. “Mum…” Somehow, they all reverted back to being little kids, shyly rolling their eyes. You kind of liked that. You turned to Chichi, still holding little Rei in your arms. “Is he taking good care of you? You’ve just had a baby. You need to sit down.” Chichi was still like a daughter to you; that had never changed. And now that she was officially part of the family, you felt even more connected to her. “Yes, he takes care of me and he is training during his breaks at the studio. And Sunoh spoils me. I get plenty of rest, and Miga helps a lot with Naomi,” Chichi said with her usual gentle and empathetic smile. “I’m relieved that you all live in the same building. Kiwoo will probably stay in the dorms longer, but Geon, maybe we’ll look for an apartment for you nearby when you start university. It’s too far from the house.” “Oh yes, that would be great.” Miga hugged Geon, who flinched again. Sunoh looked at you with concern, and you realized that it wasn’t just you who was worried anymore.

An hour later, the last two men finally arrived. “The King is here,” Kiwoo announced as he strutted confidently and cheekily into the room, as usual. “If the King was ever on time, we’d have been here much earlier,” Jaehyun said, following him in and giving you a kiss as a greeting. He then greeted everyone else, but gave Hyunjin only a cold handshake. Miga’s boyfriend immediately felt uneasy again. Sunoh quickly noticed the tension and stepped in. “Mum, is it alright if we head to the living room, or do you need any help?” “All good. Make yourselves comfortable, and I’ll call if I need anything.” You handed Rei back to her parents and headed to the kitchen with Jaehyun, while the kids and their partners disappeared into the living room. “Wow, Dad still isn’t warming up to you,” Kiwoo said, patting Hyunjin on the shoulder. Miga looked anxiously at her boyfriend and took his hand. “He has to accept it,” Sunoh muttered, shaking his head. He couldn’t understand his father’s attitude in this matter at all. The group settled down. Sunoh got out the toys for Naomi while Chichi nursed Rei. Miga lay with Hyunjin on the couch, and the twins made themselves comfortable beside each other. “We’re far too rarely together like this,” Geon said with a sigh. Something was up with him; everyone could feel it. He had changed—the breakup before the military and then the military itself had taken a toll.

The afternoon was spent relaxing as everyone enjoyed their family time. Meanwhile, you had been busy cooking the entire meal and were happy to do so. “Hyunjin...” Jaehyun hadn’t said much that evening, so everyone was surprised when he suddenly addressed Miga’s boyfriend. “Yes...” Hyunjin replied quietly. “You’ve learned a lot from me, haven’t you?” Jaehyun asked, still not looking directly at him. “Yes...” Hyunjin said cautiously. Miga looked at you in panic, but you weren’t sure where your husband was going with this. “I’ve given you everything. Showed you everything. And in return, you break the rules?” Jaehyun finally looked Hyunjin directly in the eyes, making him freeze in place. “Come on, who cares?” Sunoh interjected, putting down his utensils. “The company forbade it,” Jaehyun hissed. “Dad, you know that’s bullshit,” Sunoh said, crossing his arms. “Sunoh, this is also about the reputation of our family.” “If our relationship is exposed, it’ll only affect Hyunjin. Dad, he’s the one taking the biggest risk in our relationship.” Miga reluctantly stood up to her father, but for her, this was a line she wouldn’t let him cross. Silence fell over the table; no one said a word. “How long has this been going on between you two?” Jaehyun asked, looking directly at Hyunjin. Hyunjin hesitated, unsure, and glanced at Miga, but he had to face the truth. “Since Sunoh moved into the apartment.” It was during the housewarming party, after Miga and Hyunjin’s official breakup (as mandated by SM), that they had rekindled their relationship. Jaehyun suddenly stood up, knocking over his chair in the process. This startled Geon so much that his heart rate spiked. He mumbled something to himself and jumped up, his eyes vacant as if he wasn’t really there anymore. Geon bolted out of the room, and Kiwoo quickly followed. “Jaehyun, that’s enough.” You stood up and tried to calm your husband. You hadn’t seen him this upset in a long time. “You knew, didn’t you?” He looked at you, disappointment written all over his face. “I think I should leave,” Hyunjin said, standing up. Jaehyun didn’t even look at him, seeming almost pleased that Hyunjin was about to go. But Miga followed her boyfriend. “Jaehyun, what are you doing?” You walked up to him, unable to comprehend what had gotten into your husband. “I just hate it when someone comes into our home without respect.” Jaehyun remained stubborn, still seething. “Hyunjin is very respectful. Oh my god, Jaehyun, you constantly had to break rules in our relationship back in the day.” You tried to remind him of their own past, hoping to bring him back to his senses. “Dad, do you remember when Hyunjin and Miga had to break up?” It had been a dark time for the family. When the two had been forced to separate, Miga’s world collapsed. She stopped going out, refused to eat, and eventually ended up hospitalized due to her emotional and physical collapse. “I don’t know why the company is so strict about Miga and Hyunjin. Maybe it’s because there are a few creeps in there, but you know that’s not normal.” Sunoh tried to talk sense into his father, and to your surprise, it seemed to be working. Jaehyun’s pulse slowed, and he began to realize what he was doing. “I... I...” Jaehyun couldn’t think clearly anymore. He left the conversation and retreated to his office.

“I’ll go. I don’t want to ruin your holiday,” Hyunjin said, grabbing his bag and placing it on the bed. “If you go, I’ll go too,” Miga said, standing beside him and looking at him firmly. Hyunjin knew she would say that. He turned to her and gently took hold of her forearms. “Hyunjin... I want to be with you.” Tears welled up in Miga’s eyes. If there was one thing Miga could do, it was love passionately. If anyone thought she had given a lot in her relationship with Jaemin, they hadn’t seen her with Hyunjin. She would fight for his love every second of the day. Their relationship was far from easy, but she loved him so much she couldn’t imagine her life without him anymore. “Miga...” he said softly, taking her face in his hands and resting his forehead against hers. He couldn’t explain how deeply he felt for her. With this relationship, he was risking everything—his idol career, his entire existence. Just then, the door opened, and Sunoh walked in. He saw the bag on the bed and looked shocked at his best friend. “You’re not leaving,” he said, startled. Hyunjin turned back to his bag. “I think it’s for the best…” “Miga, can you go check on Chichi? She’s alone with Naomi and Rei right now.” Sunoh knew Miga would understand; after all, Sunoh and Hyunjin had been best friends for years. "Dad is an idiot, but don't leave." Sunoh looked at him seriously, trying to reassure him. "I can't lose Miga again. I'm constantly afraid of messing everything up. My career, the money—it doesn't matter to me. But I don't want to give up on Miga." Hyunjin turned back to his bag, continuing to pack. Sunoh wasn't going to let this slide. He walked to the other side of the bed and sat down. "Hyunjin, tell me what really happened. We've known each other for so long." Sunoh's expression softened with concern. Hyunjin felt ashamed of the story, only Miga knew the full truth. But now it was time to let his best friend in. He pushed the bag aside and sat on the bed, taking a deep breath. "I grew up really poor. My mother and little sister died in a car accident. My father still blames me for it. I got into trouble at school that day, and she had to pick me up. Afterward, he started drinking, and he lost his job. To help us survive, I started working at a small fish restaurant, where I got discovered and started with the idol training. My dad borrowed money from the company. I was too young to understand what was happening. Now, I have to pay off all that debt. When the company found out about me and Miga, they threatened to fire me and demanded I pay everything back immediately. Miga couldn’t handle the pressure, so we broke up… That’s the short version." Hyunjin took a moment, the weight of his words settling between them. "Shit, man! That's rough." Sunoh nodded, finally piecing things together. Everything made sense now. "So far, only Miga knows. We even visited my father together once. She’d never want to cause me more trouble with my debt. That’s why we've always kept our relationship a secret." "You’re not going through this alone," Sunoh promised, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Thanks, but I have to handle this myself." Hyunjin sighed, straightening up again. "Just stay another night, okay? See how things go. Do it for Miga. This weekend means a lot to her." Sunoh looked at him seriously, and after a moment, Hyunjin nodded without saying anything.

Later that evening, Miga and Hyunjin sat together in the garden by the natural pool, gazing at the water. Miga was relieved Hyunjin had decided to stay, even though she sensed the strange tension. Suddenly, Jaehyun appeared behind them, standing over Miga with a serious look. "Can I talk to Hyunjin for a moment?" Miga wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Hyunjin shot her a panicked glance. "Don’t worry, I just want to talk," Jaehyun said calmly. Miga hesitated but then stood up, giving Hyunjin a reassuring look before walking away. Hyunjin watched as her father sat down beside him, unsure of what was to come. "It wasn’t right of me to confront you like that at the table," Jaehyun said, his eyes fixed on the shimmering water. The garden lights reflected off the surface, casting a soft glow. "I've always seen so much potential in you, from the very beginning. You didn’t have much experience, but you had a lot of talent..." Jaehyun shifted his gaze to his fingers, clearly struggling with the admission. A confession like this required a lot of humility. "When you became the main dancer, I was proud. Finally, people could see what I had seen all along—the talent you had. You’ve developed more than anyone else, and you had the most ambition. I always admired that." Jaehyun placed his hands on the grass and leaned his head back. Hyunjin was caught off guard by Jaehyun’s words. He never thought Jaehyun saw him in such a positive light. "I quickly noticed how you looked at my daughter. How you couldn’t take your eyes off her..." Jaehyun paused. "If I can see something in you, why wouldn’t my daughter see the same?" He sat up straighter, turning to face Hyunjin. "I’m scared that Miga will go through the pain her mother went through. You’re part of one of the most successful groups of this generation. You’re one of the most handsome idols out there. I won’t even start with the fans, but trainees and even idols will do anything to be close to you. Miga loves you. She loves deeply, and just the thought of you breaking her heart makes me lose control." "I won’t break her heart... I love her more than anything," Hyunjin said, looking at Jaehyun with his dark, earnest eyes. "Right now, I’m the one breaking her heart." Jaehyun sighed as he stood up, adjusting his clothes. "I won’t say anything. You’re welcome here, but if you break her heart, I’ll become your biggest problem." He gave Hyunjin a pointed look. Hyunjin nodded in understanding. "Thank you," Hyunjin said quietly, and Jaehyun nodded before walking back to the house. Hyunjin watched him enter, where he saw you greet Jaehyun with a warm hug. Miga had already returned by that point and sat down beside Hyunjin, clearly worried. "And? How did it go?" She bit her lower lip and took a deep breath. Hyunjin looked at her, still in disbelief at how fortunate he was. Jaehyun’s biggest fear was that Hyunjin would ever show interest in another girl, but Hyunjin couldn’t even imagine that. Ever since he had met Miga, she was the only one on his mind. To him, she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. "It went well. I understand your father’s concerns now," Hyunjin said with a soft smile. "Really?" Miga seemed genuinely surprised. "Your father used to be an idol, and he knows the risks. Your parents had their struggles, and he just doesn’t want you to go through the same thing." Hyunjin pulled Miga closer to him, resting her head against his chest. "You’re the only one who can make me happy," she whispered, placing her hand over his heart. Hyunjin was relieved to hear those words. For so long, he had felt like he was competing with Jaemin, but in the end, he had won Miga’s heart, and he never wanted to lose it.

[noirsfantasy]

On the first day of Christmas...

𝔄 𝔇𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯 𝔗𝔬 ℜ𝔢𝔪𝔢𝔪𝔟𝔢𝔯

𝔭𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔤 ➛ Actor!Michael B Jordan x OC!Naomi Samuels

𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 ➛ Fluff

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱 ➛ 4.2K

𝔰𝔶𝔫𝔬𝔭𝔰𝔦𝔰 ➛ Returning home for the holidays, 29-year-old successful artist Naomi Samuels from New York finds her trip taking an unexpected turn. Things take an exciting twist when her brother Daniel arrives, accompanied by none other than the renowned actor Michael B. Jordan. As the next few days unfold with this unexpected guest, Naomi's holiday promises to be anything but ordinary. What adventures await in this unexpected reunion?

𝔞/𝔫 ➛ I'm gonna be honest, this story has me really excited. When I tell you I love Christmas, it's real. I want y'all to know that I fully intended this story to sound a bit hallmarky, so please bare with me. It gets good ;)

12 Days of Christmas Masterlist

Part 2 Here

The Samuels family's Christmas is always a hit. Family comes from all over down to the small town of Leavenworth, Washington just to gather together for this holiday. This is where my grandmother and mother lives, keeping the roots strong. Although, we haven't really had a big family Christmas since before COVID hit, so this one is bound to be special.

Just a week ago, I completed a project for a high-paying client, affording me the luxury of having the entire week before Christmas off. Usually, I am booked up to my ears at this time, so I am grateful for the vacation. I got to the house late last night, and so far, only a handful of aunts, uncles, and a few younger cousins had arrived. As the sole young adult present, I find myself shouldering the full force of our family's 'charm'.

I wake up early this morning in my old bedroom, starting my day with a warm shower. Once I'm dressed and freshened up, I head downstairs, hearing some chatter. I greet my grandmother, who is on the couch, watching her shows. She is always excited to see me.

"Good morning, Grandmother." I say with joy as I give her a warm hug.

"Oh, my beautiful Mimi." She calls my childhood nickname, her hand reaching out to cup my cheek with a gentle tremor. "You are turning into such a beautiful and remarkable woman. I can't tell you how proud of you I am." Her eyes reflect pure love, and I can't help but return her smile. The connection between my grandmother and me is unique, given that I am her first granddaughter.

"Thank you, Grandmother. I'm so happy that I could get to come see you. I know I haven't been around as much since I moved to New York for work," I admit, a twinge of guilt behind my words.

"Don't you worry about that, dear. You're here now, and every moment with my grandbaby is a blessing," she reassures me warmly. "I think your mom and aunts are in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Why don't you go in and see how you can help?" She suggests.

With a nod, I rise from the couch, placing a tender kiss on her cheek before making my way into the kitchen. As I enter, the lively banter of my mom and aunts fills the air, mid-gossip in the midst of breakfast preparations. I'm embraced by the scent of bacon and brewing of coffee. The women pause their gossip for a moment, shifting their attention to me.

"Well, look who decided to get up bright and early!" My mom exclaims, giving me a quick embrace. "Here, you take over the bacon for me. I need to get started on the pancakes," she adds, directing me to her spot at the stove. My aunts greet me with a cheerful "good morning" before seamlessly resuming their conversation with my mother.

The kitchen was bustling with activity, filled with the savory aroma of the many dishes being cooked. The Auntie's hands are kept busy as they catch up on the latest gossip and I snicker to myself as I focus on my task. The house starts to wake up as I hear my little cousins stomping down the stairs, their childish giggles over the chatter of the rest of the family.

I'm lost in my thoughts when my attention is abruptly diverted by an unexpected question from Aunt Pat, who's currently cooking the eggs.

"So, Naomi, you got a man yet?" The other ladies in the kitchen fix their gaze on me, awaiting my response. I stammer for a moment but then decide to keep it light.

“Well, no. I’m not really focused on that right now,” I reply with a shrug, hoping they’ll drop The subject. They don’t, of course.

“Come on now. You not getting any younger.” Adds my aunt Tina. My mom gives them a disapproving look as she closes the fridge.

“Y’all, leave my baby alone. It is too early for this.” Mom defends, but they roll their eyes.

“We’re just chatting, Angie. Besides, don’t you want some grandbabies?” Tina asks, Aunt Pat nodding in agreement.

"Naomi can wait for the right man as long as she needs. Better that than popping out babies without a ring," my mom subtly throws shade, her lips pursed. Aunt Pat raises an eyebrow.

“You tryna say sumn, Ang? Cus' whoever I think you're talking about has definitely gotten married since.” She says matter of factly. My mom ignores her.

"And Tina, don't start on Mimi, what about Ashanti? She still don't got a man either. And she 'bout the same age as Naomi." My mom adds.

"My Ashanti is a famous and successful model. She is busy building her life right now and taking care of her business. Besides, she's seeing someone," Aunt Tina states, turning her nose up. Sensing that my mom is about to say something else, I decide to intervene.

"Let's all calm down. I don't have a man, so what? It's not the end of the world. And, for the record, I have a successful career as well," I declare, raising my hands in defense. Aunt Tina's comment lingers in the air like a passing storm, briefly unsettling the familial calm.

"Just saying, you're almost thirty. Time to settle down. And I'd hardly call those cute little drawings you do a successful career," she persists, earning a disapproving look from my mother. I clench my jaw, determined not to let the remark sting.

"But we'll drop it," Aunt Tina announces, attempting to change the subject. The kitchen regains its lively atmosphere as they return to their culinary duties. My mother shoots me an apologetic glance, understanding the delicate nature of the topic, but I reassure her with a soft smile. I've grown accustomed to my family's concerns about my love life, even if their ideas of success differ from mine.

"Where is Teresa, anyways? And James? I saw the kids last night, but I haven't seen them." I ask, looking at my Aunt Pat.

"Oh, they're upstairs sleep. They really got a handful with them kids." She explains, shaking her head. I laugh a bit.

"Well, it seems like I'm not the only one who needed this vacation. Hopefully we will all get to relax." I let out a sigh.

"Well, don't you worry, none. Ashanti will be here any moment! I know y'all always have a good time together." Aunt Tina says. I look at her out of the side of my eyes and give a fake smile.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll have lots of fun." I respond, trying to hide the sarcasm in my voice. As they chop, stir, and laugh, I find myself wondering what's to come of this trip. My thoughts go back to what my aunts said about my love life.

Even though I'm almost thirty, I've never been one to go searching for a man, much less settle for less than I deserve. My art, my "cute little drawings," as Aunt Tina put it, is not just a hobby—it's my passion. And while it may not fit the conventional definition of success in their eyes, it brings me fulfillment and joy. And I want that when it comes to love as well.

As I plate the last pieces of bacon and turn away from the stove, my phone rings. It’s my brother Daniel.

“Hey Danny.” I greet as I walk out the kitchen.

“Naomi! You already at mamas?” He asks me.

"Yeah, flew in last night. We're about to have breakfast," I reply.

"Bet, well, I'm on my way there, about nine hours out. Been on the road for a while. Just calling to let you know I'm bringing a guest." My interest piques, and I raise my eyebrows.

“Oh? Is it a girl?” I tease. I can almost feel him rolling his eyes at me.

“No, it’s not. It’s one of my colleagues who needs a place to be for Christmas, so I offered to let him come.” Daniel explains.

“Oh, okay. Just a heads up, the aunties are already in my business so make sure you got your shit together.” I share a laugh with him and, over the sounds of the road in the background, I can barely make out a second laugh. I choose to ignore it.

“Who knows, maybe my guest can help you get your shit together if you, uh, catch my drift.” He teases. I roll my eyes in return and give a sarcastic laugh.

“This is not about to be you tryna hook me up with one of your friends again. We both know how that ended up last time.”

“I know, I know. Don’t worry, it’ll be none of that, I promise. But don’t tell anyone I’m bringing someone. I want it to be a surprise.” He tells me.

"Sure, secret's safe with me," I respond, curious as to who he could be bringing.

"Alright, I'll catch you when I get home. Hopefully, everyone will still be up." He chuckles and I laugh along as well.

"Yeah, we'll see. Drive safe. See you when you get here." I say, before ending the call. As I hang up with Daniel, I can't help but wonder about the mysterious guest he's bringing. Returning to the kitchen, I start setting up the table as the delightful aroma of breakfast fills the air. Yet, my thoughts persistently drift back to the impending surprise.

A rhythmic knock echoes through the house coming from the front door, which promptly swings open.

"I'm hereeeee!" All of us in the kitchen pause to glance toward the entrance as my cousin, Ashanti, strides in. Draped in a fur coat and chic heeled boots, she's come with numerous bags.

Smiles light up the room, and everyone rushes to welcome her with hearty hugs. I hug her as well, but it's a bit stiff. Shanti and I grew up together and we used to be very close. But somewhere along the line, she started competing with me and it put a rift between us.

Amidst the flurry of greetings, I catch a glimpse of Ashanti's perfectly styled hair and the air of confidence she exudes. Despite the awkwardness between us, I manage a genuine smile, hoping that the holiday spirit will bridge the gap that has quietly settled over the years.

As the family gathers around, Ashanti unveils a cascade of presents from her bags. "Gifts for everyone!" she announces, and the room erupts with excitement. The children eagerly approach, but she urges them to wait their turn. The tension between us momentarily fades as the joy of the holiday season takes center stage. The gifts she gives are lavish and luxurious. As everyone gets their gifts, she saves the last one for me.

"And last, but certainly not least, this is for you, Naomi." Ashanti hands me a neatly wrapped gift. I smile and open it, eager to see what is inside. While I had no specific expectations, what I got is far from what I had expected. As I tear away the paper, I find myself holding what appears to be a Dollar Tree sketchbook, lacking the quality I might have hoped for.

"Oh, a sketchbook..." I attempt to conceal my disappointment, realizing she intentionally chose a less-than-impressive gift.

"No need for thanks! I just knew you'd love it. You know, with your little artsy thing you got going on. I figured it would be a perfect gift," she says, offering a feigned smile and a hug. Despite having plenty of similar sketchbooks, I decide not to grant her any satisfaction, accepting the gift graciously.

The room is still buzzing with the cheer of the holiday festivities, and as I hold the seemingly ordinary sketchbook, I take a deep breath, reminding myself that the value lies in the gesture rather than the material itself.

I manage a polite smile, masking any traces of disappointment, and reply, "Thank you, Ashanti. It's thoughtful." She beams, seemingly content with her choice of gift, and the tension between us lingers beneath the surface.

The following hours whirl by in a flurry of activity. I spend most of the day hanging out with my younger cousins, keeping them occupied while everyone else relaxes. It's a great feeling to be home and around my family once again, no matter how old I get.

There are a couple gifts beneath the tree and the fireplace blazes brightly. Grandmother, nestled in her recliner by the fireplace, skillfully crochets a blanket and my uncles huddle around the TV to watch a football game. Mom has just set out hot chocolate for the kids, while the aunties are talking with each other in the study. Ashanti is upstairs, probably on her phone or something. Meanwhile, I find myself on the couch, sketch pad in hand, allowing my creativity to flow.

The sun has dipped below the horizon and a flurry of snow blankets the world outside. I glance toward the window, crossing my fingers that the roads won't freeze over and that Daniel and his mystery guest will arrive soon. The children steal the TV, watching some cartoons while a few of my uncles head onto the porch for a smoke. This calm is one I've longed for over the years—it gives me a sense of nostalgia, sending me back to the carefree days of my childhood.

My cousin, Teresa, who was asleep all day, comes downstairs and sits beside me. I smile as I look up from my sketches at her.

"Hey, cuz!" She says, giving me a hug.

"Hey, you slept good?" I ask, giggling a bit.

"Girl, yes, it was MUCH needed. You really don't understand how much you miss naps until you have children." She sighs heavily and I nod sympathetically.

"Yeah, I figured when I saw James come down here and not you, you were still getting your rest." I say teasingly. Teresa rolls her eyes.

"Hey, those beds are comfortable." She retorts, defending herself.

"Well, at least now you get a break, right? You got some help." Teresa sits back and nods.

"I'm so glad to just be here. It's been a while since we were able to take a trip like this."

"Something tells me that this trip is gonna be one to remember." I say, mostly to myself.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Teresa says, before standing up and heading to the kitchen.

As time goes by, I hear the doorbell ring again. I remain seated, engrossed in my drawing. Mom answers and her sudden loud exclamation echoes through the house as she lets the visitors in. Intrigued, I look up from my sketches, wondering who it could be. I get up and walk over to the door, first seeing my big brother standing there. He's smiling widely as he sees the shocked look on Mom's face. However, as I approach, I see who she's really screaming about.

There, standing beside Daniel on the doorstep is none other than famous actor Michael B. Jordan. My jaw drops in astonishment as I can't believe my eyes.

"Danny, what is this? You didn't tell me you were bringing a guest!" She exclaims, the unspoken emphasis being, 'You didn't tell me that you were bringing Michael B. Jordan!'

"Just thought I'd surprise you, Ma. And Michael, here, didn't have anywhere to stay for Christmas. So I invited him to stay with us for the week. Is that alright?" He asks, sporting a sheepish grin. My mother stammers for a moment, caught off guard by this surprise. She glances at Michael, who presents her a giftwrapped bottle of expensive-looking wine, flashing that gorgeous smile of his. Still in shock, she stammers as he hands her the gift.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Samuels. I hope I'm not intruding too much." He gives her a hug, giving her a squeeze. My mother, still processing the surprise, hugs him back, her eyes gleaming with disbelief.

"Oh, you're not intruding at all! Well, welcome to our home, Michael!" She starts as he lets go of her and stands in the doorway. "We're honored to have you join us for Christmas."

"The honor is all mine." He responds. By now, news of Michael's arrival has spread through the house. Danny brings him in, brushing snow off of himself, and I catch his eye. He winks at me knowingly as our family rushes to greet Michael and take pictures. I smile and shake my head at Daniel. It seems his "colleague" was quite the understatement. My little cousins jump excitedly at meeting the man who played Killmonger and my aunties and uncles are chatting to him loudly, talking over one another.

I watch all the commotion with a smile, when I lock eyes with Michael. He looks as if he is gonna approach me, but he's stopped by Ashanti.

"Hi, my name is Ashanti! You look like you need a drink." She says, before grabbing his arm and leading him away from the lively group. I suppress a sigh of awkward disappointment as she shoots me a mischievous glance over her shoulder. Just then, Daniel drapes an arm around my shoulder, steering me toward the study for a chat.

"Daniel!" I exclaim in a hushed tone as a cheeky grin plays on his face. He simply shrugs, not making a response. "Daniel!" I repeat, this time playfully socking him in the arm with an excited smile on my face.

"Surprise?" He offers, having anticipated my reaction.

"How the hell did you manage to get Michael Bakari Jordan to come to the Samuels household?!" I try to contain my excitement, but my words come out with an unintentional squeal. He laughs, feigning pain as he clutches his arm.

"It's like I said. He didn't have anywhere to be for Christmas. I didn't tell y'all, but this last project I was working on was with Michael and it was set to go into the Christmas holiday. Luckily, we ended up finishing early. Michael had tried to plan ahead and sent is parents and siblings on a Christmas cruise so they'd still have a good time. Well, during the project, Michael and I talked frequently and he mentioned not having anywhere to go, so I invited him to come here." He explains. I'm still in disbelief.

"This is insane. I never expected you to actually bring him. And he's staying until Christmas?"

"Yep, so he gets the full Samuels family experience for the holidays. But, you should go out and meet him yourself, Mimi. Knowing Ashanti, she's probably talking his ear off by now." He pats my shoulder, and I take a deep breath before stepping out of the study.

My heart is racing in my chest as I walk towards the kitchen. I've been a fan of his for the longest and now he's in my house. I'm trying to think of what I'd say to him. I find myself, instead of going to meet Michael, pacing around the dining room away from everyone else. I'm not usually this nervous or shy. But something about this man just makes me go crazy.

"Come on, Naomi," I say to myself, rubbing my palms on my jeans. I pace a bit more before I shake my head at my ridiculousness. With another deep breath, I head out of the dining room and towards the kitchen once more. There Michael and Ashanti are sitting at the bar, engaged in a conversation. It looks as if Ashanti is just talking about herself and her many accomplishments while showing him her photos. As I get closer, Michael glances over and notices me, giving me that famous smile again.

"Hey, Michael..." I start, and he watches me, waiting to hear what I'm gonna say. I decide to just go for it. "Mind if I steal you away for a bit?" I bite my lip, avoiding Ashanti's eyes as she glares at me. The corners of Michael's mouth turn up as the sound of my voice reaches him.

"Well, actually, Nao-"

"Yeah, I don't mind." He interrupts Ashanti as he stands, grabbing his glass . "Thanks for the drink, Ashanti." He says, but she rolls her eyes as she watches us leave. We make our way to the upstairs common area and sit on the couch. Michael sits a bit close to me, draping his arm along the back of the couch as he gets comfortable.

"You know, I was just looking for an excuse to take a break from her," He says, leaning into me. "Thanks for rescuing me." I laugh a bit at his words.

"Well, I'm happy to help. I'm always willing to answer the call of a damsel in distress." I joke, trying to break the ice. He chuckles a bit.

"It looked that bad, huh?" He replies and I nod, overexaggerating it a bit. "Well, then I guess that makes you my knight in shining armor." He grins charmingly and I have to stop myself from melting.

"Ah, where are my manners. I'm Naomi, Daniel's sister. I would've introduced myself sooner, but you seemed a bit busy." I laugh nervously, struggling to sit still under his gaze.

"So you're this troublesome Mimi I've heard so much about?" Michael questions and I freeze, blushing in embarrassment. There's no way Daniel really told him about my nickname. I regain my composure and clear my throat.

"First of all, I don't know where this troublesome idea of me came from, cuz it's definitely not true." I retort, playfully turning my nose up.

Michael grins, his eyes filled with amusement. "Hmm, I don't know, Daniel talks about you quite a bit and based on his stories, you seem pretty troublesome to me." He leans back, a playful glint in his eyes as he observes my reaction. "But don't worry, I'm all for a bit of trouble."

I chuckle, feeling a bit more at ease with his easygoing demeanor. "Well, if that's the case, I hope you're ready for the full Samuels family experience. We're a handful, but it's all in good fun."

"So, Naomi," Michael begins, his eyes gleaming with curiosity, "Aside from being a troublemaker, Daniel tells me you're an artist."

I playfully roll my eyes at the "troublemaker" label. "Oh, yes, it's my favorite thing to do. I love to draw, paint, you name it."

"What would you say inspires you?" He asks, his expression showing genuine curiosity.

"I just feel like art is my way of keeping some semblance of sanity in this chaotic world, you know what I mean?" I explain.

"Yes, I know exactly what you mean." He says, nodding his head. "It must be a nice escape from the chaos of the world to be able to express yourself through art. I love listening to music; it helps me find clarity when my thoughts get too messy."

"I completely get that. And it's just a plus that I get to do it for a living." I say with a content smile.

"So being an artist is your full-time job?" he questions, his tone laced with intrigue.

"Yeah, at first it was a hobby, but it got so successful that I was able to quit my other job and do it full-time."

"An artist, huh? Anything I might've seen?" he asks, genuinely interested. I shrug casually.

"Possibly. I do commissions for all types of people, I've got a few pieces in the Brooklyn Museum, I also run an art page on Instagram, so maybe you've seen some of my art." I pull out my phone and show him my page. He takes the phone from my hands, scrolling and raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"These are amazing," he says quietly, clearly impressed. "Do you draw from real life often? It's so realistic and…detailed" He continues, running his fingers along my phone screen lightly.

"I'm experimenting with some other media forms, but yeah, all of these I painted from real life. Some of them even went for really high prices. My most recent piece went for $3,000. But I've been working on that one for months. It was a commission for the governor of New York."

"Wow! It's amazing. You got some serious talent girl!" He praises, giving me a high five. I laugh, blushing a bit as he compliments me. He hands me my phone back and pulls his out, going to my account on his Instagram and following it. It takes everything within me not to scream.

"Thank you. Art is just a huge passion for me. I love to make other people happy with it as well." I admit. Michael notices me blushing when it sinks in he just followed my account.

"Well, you've got a new fan." He says with a sly grin, leaning against my shoulder. "I might have to use your services sometime." He says, his gaze lingering on mine.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm down to make anything you'd like." I blurt out, before realizing what I'd just said. "I... didn't mean it like that." I let out a sheepish laugh and clasp my hands together. Michael laughs as well, but he really is just enjoying himself.

"How about you make a portrait of me?" He suggests, a hint of playfulness in his tone.

"When? Right now?"

"I'll leave it up to you. We got the next couple days." He reminds me with a wink.

"Okay, but you'll have to be on your A-game this whole week. Are you up for the challenge?" I question, matching his tone.

Michael leans in, his voice low and teasing. "I'm always up for a challenge, especially if it involves spending more time with someone as captivating as you."

I feel a flush of warmth, and I playfully roll my eyes. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Jordan."

He grins, unfazed. "Is that a promise, Ms. Samuels?"

"Absolutely," I reply, laughing a bit and enjoying our banter. Even though we've just met, it feels like we've been friends for a while. Michael takes note of the easy chemistry that we have, and that chemistry sets the tone for a vacation filled with shared moments and the promise of a memorable Christmas.

"Any other hidden talents I should know about, Naomi?" He questions me. Somewhere in our conversation, we've gravitated so close on the couch that there's no space between us. Yet, the proximity feels comfortable now, and any initial nervousness has dissipated.

"Well, you'll have to find that out, won't you?" I respond with a sly smirk.

"Oh, she wants to be mysterious now?" Michael chuckles, his dimples showing as he smiles at me.

"She does indeed. As you said, we've got these next few days. You'll just have to see for yourself," I reply, glancing at the clock to realize how late it has gotten. Most of the children have already fallen asleep, and the aunts and uncles have retired to their rooms. It appears that the family is settling down for the night. Michael and I exchange glances, acknowledging the quieting atmosphere around us.

"I guess it's time for us to call it a night," Michael suggests, a yawn coming from him. I nod in agreement, feeling a sense of contentment in the air.

"Yeah, it's getting late. Goodnight, Michael." I say, rising from the couch. Michael follows my actions and stands up.

"Goodnight, Naomi." He pulls me into a brief hug, and I reciprocate, my arms instinctively wrapping around his waist. After a moment, we separate, and I turn to make my way to my room.

"Uh..." Michael utters softly. "Which way is the guest room?" He asks. I smile and chuckle.

"It's down the hall, second door on the left," I reply, pointing him in the direction.

"Ah, okay, goodnight again." He says, before walking towards his room.

"Goodnight," I say softly, heading into my bedroom and getting ready for bed. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and stare for a moment. Out of nowhere, I break out into a victory dance and squeal silently. I still cannot believe that Michael B Jordan is at my house, or that he's going to be staying here for a week, or that he might even like me! I take a deep breath and compose myself once more, worried I might wake someone.

As I settle into bed, the tranquility of the night wraps around me like a warm blanket. Reflecting on the unexpected turns of this day, I realize exactly how crazy this whole day has been. I can only hope that this isn't a dream. With a contented sigh, I drift off to sleep, eagerly anticipating the things to come these next few days.

To Be Continued...

[daniraevys]

Similarities between Ch 24-25 and current storyline of BSD:

For context, Ch 24 & 25 deal with Q introduction and Q brainwashing Atsushi, only for Dazai to return and save him.

In ch 24, Dazai and Atsushi are together when Dazai senses a threat- somebody is following them, i.e. mafia. Dazai leaves Atsushi behind alone and goes to deal with the threat.

Dazai exchanges words with Higuchi and Gin trying to figure out what their plan is.

Dazai realizes that Q(Kyuusaku) was released, and the threat was not with him, but with Atsushi whom Dazai left behind.

Dazai rushes back to save Atsushi--

Meanwhile, Atsushi's co-workers Naomi and Haruno are injured and Atsushi breaks down feeling he is responsible for it(even though it was Q's brainwashing.)

Atsushi breaks down and feels unworthy to be alive--

Dazai arrives and neutralizes the threat of Q.

Dazai saves Atsushi from the brink of despair with some advise and a questionable slap to Atsushi's face to wake him out of his downward spiral.

Current storyline:

Dazai senses the looming threat of Fyodor over the ADA and Atsushi. Dazai leaves Atsushi behind but this time with ADA and Akutagawa as backup!

Dazai mentally spars with Fyodor during his stay at jail, trying to uncover Fyodor's plans.

Dazai realizes a great calamity has been unleashed(god-like Fukuchi & Fyodor), the actual threat was not in Meursault but back at the airport in Yokohama with Atsushi and others.

Dazai is far away but trying to get back--

Meawhile, Atsushi's co-workers Tanizaki, Kunikida and Kenji are killed before him and Atsushi feels responsible for their fates as it was his fault he failed to save them!

Atsushi breaks down and accepts his impending death---

!!! It is Fyodor who arrives and neutralizes the threat of Fukuchi!!!

Fyodor arrives with a proclamation that he is here to save Atsushi...? (Atsushi who is currently vulnerable and in a downward guilt spiral!)

Ch 24-25 ends on a happier note with Atsushi finally crying and recovering from his downward spiral, he finds some support and hope as he follows Dazai and his colleagues back to the agency.

But what about the current storyline?

Because Fyodor has kinda hijacked Dazai's role as Atsushi's saviour-- saviour as in the person Atsushi relies on for hope and guidance when the situation is dire. (not that Atsushi is happy with this new saviour.)

Will Fyodor really "save" Atsushi? If so what is he actually saving Atsushi from?

And what about Dazai? Can he return in time to save Atsushi and the rest of the ADA?

As always, there are so many questions...

[knbposting]

Hey, I have an angsty headcanon that I would like your reaction to, I keep thinking about something bad happening to Momoi, like say she's aggressed badly, how do you think Aomine would react in this case? and how would Kagami and the GOM help him? I think he would go feral and try to find the person who did this and inflict pain upon them but at the same time he would feel so guilty because if he had walked her home that time and not be lazy, she would be safe and in a way it's his fault she's in this situation even if Momoi tries to reassure him it's not the case, he doesn't believe her. And the others would be at loss as of what to do because they've never seen him express such open rage.

OMGGG i love you for asking this i feel like an imagines blog :'))) i wrote a whole lot before i realised that the miragen boys are all together when this happens, so i'm sorry for changing the scene a bit!

setting the scene:

ok. let's say that momoi is walking alone from somewhere, maybe a festival, and she's lost aomine to his fleeting interest. he's supposed to be with her, but isn't, and she's annoyed about it. she's texting, so she doesn't realise that she's on this street alone, save for a few guys. as soon as they can, they pounce. one goes for her dropped purse, another for the phone in her hand, and the last for her. momoi manages to slip out of the jacket one has grabbed, and and makes a run for it. she's now lost her keys and her phone, but she's not far from home. she runs to aomine's house and not her own, because her parents work late and she's often home alone. aomine, however, lives here with his huge cop dad, so if anyone is going to get broken into, she thinks it'd be best if it was their house (sorry naomi/aomine's mum).

aomine, lounging on the sofa with a banana milk, is understandably horrified that his best friend got attacked. she's shaking, she's upset. his mum is there to look after her. aomine would absolutely go back out to try to find the assholes who attacked her. woe unto anyone carrying a familiar pink phone! let's say aomine finds her bag. it's empty of all contents, and everything not immediately interesting is strewn out on the pavement. he'll collect all her things and keep looking for the bad guys. he's seething, and requires the kind of justice to be carried out that the cops simply don't do. he finds her jacket, but nothing else. unfortunately, some guy was carrying a phone that looked just like her's, and he stood in front of him threateningly, with a "oi, where'd you get that?" only to realise that it's not hers. momoi's stuff is gone.

aomine's reaction:

i don't think aomine's guilt would set in immediately. he's contemplative by nature, and surprisingly sensitive given how mean he is. but he'd first be dealing with what he could do NOW to help his friend, and after that initial adrenaline buzz is over, he'll return to try to comfort her. let's make it clear that his mother is going to tell him the fuck off for going out after those guys, he shouldn't do it, he's one guy and they were three, etc. now let's say mama is on the phone to the police or whatever, starting the process. aomine is sitting right next to momoi, arm around her shoulders, silent as the grave.

now, he realises that this wouldn't have happened (yes it could have) if he was there (aomine, yes it could have.) (sorry i cant help it i need to reassure him MYSELF SJDHSJHD). the guilt builds quickly, weighing him down. it's not like those times where guys hit on her and he isn't around to be a stand-in boyfriend. he hates when she does that, it's fucking annoying and weird and she shouldn't tell people they're dating if they aren't. she should just say no and that's that (he's so stupid btw). the fact is, though, he was supposed to be there with her today specifically, and he wasn't because he didn't feel like going. he's not down today, he didn't have anything else, he just didn't want to go somewhere she did. he is resolute in his decision being founded in unfortunate, but concrete grounds, though. he wasn't to know that they'd attack her tonight! he isn't literally complicit. but he walks her places after that. he walks her home, even though she's just across the street.

i do not believe that aomine would voice how guilty he feels initially. he'll be more guarded around her, and suddenly he's telling guys who bug her to fuck off or he'll make them. which he doesn't usually like to do because it's a pain and they're shooting their shot, it's not like they're usually bad guys. (aomine.... seriously....) momoi can tell he's changed, though, and might call him out on his over-protectiveness when they're by themselves. then he might allude to the fact that he doesn't want something bad happening to her again when he isn't there, but i still think he'd struggle to verbalise that he believes he was in the wrong. he wishes he had done more. that's probably not ever going to be said aloud, but she gets it.

the reactions are below the cut!

kagami is more concerned with momoi. he thinks any fallout of her getting hurt that aomine is experiencing, is really minor. it's like when alex gets accosted by bad guys. it doesn't do any good to focus on what he could have done better, when the most important person is momoi (or alex) and how she feels. if he got the impression, based off of vibes alone, that aomine does feel guilty, he will offer a very blank "you weren't there, that's the whole story. no point crying about it, just stick to your plans next time." and aomine responds fairly well to the point-blank approach, but he'll get huffy and tell kagami to mind his own business.

midorima thinks aomine should have been there, and is quietly outraged that he had bailed on her to allow her to walk by herself. midorima has a younger sister whom he worries about when she's out, he doesn't understand not making sure that momoi gets home safe. he wasn't even doing anything. i can imagine momoi confiding in midorima that she thinks aomine feels guilty. he will tell her "you needn't waste time worrying about what aomine thinks. i admit that i wish i had informed you of your lucky item that day, i regret that i didn't. but my guilt is not your burden, just as his isn't." and to aomine he will say "the truth of the matter is that it is your fault that she faced that situation alone, but it is not your fault that it happened. i'm not going to stand here and nurse your hurt feelings. you know what you must do." (can you be less cryptic please? he means to suggest that aomine should simply walk her home more.) aomine will be pissed off by this lecturing.

kise is pissed off that aomine didn't stick to his plans, but does realise that it's not actually aomine's fault. like midorima and kagami, he is pretty unsympathetic to aomine's trouble. he might go so far as to say something like "it wouldn't have happened if you were there like you promised. momoi looks out for you more than anyone else. the least you could do is return the favour sometimes." aomine fights kise, tells him to fuck off, and doesn't talk to him for a few weeks. that's how aomine feels himself, and he doesn't like that kise thought the same.

kuroko is able to see the big picture pretty clearly. he sees momoi's fear and upset over the event and sympathises, as he does for aomine's reaction. like kagami, kuroko would remind aomine that he should be thinking about himself in this, less. though kuroko believes that he and momoi should talk. he says: "it happened. sulking about it won't change anything. i know you feel guilty because you weren't there to help. i think you should tell momoi how you feel. a talk would benefit both of you."

murasakibara is disappointed that it happened, and that aomine wasn't there to help when he said he would be, but he would be first to say "it's not like it's your fault. you need to lighten up." he doesn't think aomine should feel guilty, especially not when he knows that momoi wouldn't want that. he prefers not to get involved in aomine's emotional disposition, or in momoi's personal life though.

akashi is very direct with how he feels. aomine let her down, he had no reason to, but he did. it wouldn't have been difficult to meet her, or at the very least, to tell her not to expect him. he sees her texting as an important feature in the story: the reason she was distracted on the isolated street. his stance is similar to kuroko's, i think, but he doesn't focus on how aomine's feeling about it, he focuses on the actions. "you failed to help momoi in her hour of need. ordinarily, i would say that it is not your fault, as you cannot be in two places at once. what happened is not a direct consequence to your actions, however you should think carefully about your role as her friend in the future. she takes good care of you, aomine. you should return the favour."

the miragen reacting to daiki in a full anger mode meltdown! i felt bad for accidentally changing your scenario HAHAhsdjhsd let's say for fun that instead of going home, momoi comes to the meet spot for wherever aomine and the others are.

kagami is more focused on momoi to deal with aomine's anger. he knows this feeling well, though, and will go with him to hunt down the bastards who tried to hurt her!!!! the only thing he notices about aomine in this rage is a moment of satisfaction because he knew aomine actually cared about momoi! he's so stupid to fight her all the time.

kuroko is absolutely 3000% already out the door, going to get her stuff back for her, by the time aomine catches up. he's seething, and has murder in mind ! they're both furious, so kuroko won't notice aomine's rage as much. unless he starts kicking up a fuss because they can't find momoi's stuff, which he will, and kuroko will tell him to shut the fuck up and go home if you're going to be noisy, he has SHIT to do. kuroko's fierce loyalty and complete disregard for personal safety are a bad combination.

midorima is more pragmatic. he views the items as long gone, and will sit by momoi taking stock of everything he can think of to help her in the immediate future. he is frustrated by aomine's storming around, and tells him that he's making things worse by fussing. midorima sits quietly with her, and notes down any cards she could have had in her wallet, how she'll need a new phone number, maybe gets the process started for having to apply for a new school ID to replace the one that's lost. he knows what charms she had on her bag, so he'll get her replacements. midorima's support is as strong as the others', but he doesn't show it. he looks like he's sitting awkwardly, letting her cry into his shoulder if needs be.

kise is 100% on team Recovery. he's following aomine, and trying to steer aomine's rage to useful purposes. kise is probably as outraged as he is, so they're a mean duo on the streets of tokyo!!!! bad guys beware!!!

murasakibara is impatient with aomine's rage, and not interested in helping him. he might comfort momoi, i dont really know him that well, but his support will look distant too. he's upset more than outraged that his friend got hurt.

akashi has already called his contacts with the police department to put out an apb!!! im kidding he's sixteen years old. anyway akashi is firm with aomine, willing that he either calms down or does something about it. similarly to midorima, he'll look after momoi and tell aomine to piss off if he's going to storm around. his friends love him, but aomine is noisy when he's angry and they want to focus on momoi.

[seventhdoctor]

Trauma Team Artbook Character Bio Lore

...As gleaned from running artbook scans from 2014 through a sketchy machine translation in the year 2023. I won't post the exact translations for fear of mistranslations ending up reported as fact on wikis and so on, but here's the gist of what Google Translate yields.

CR-S01

Is named Erhard Muller, a fact that already made the rounds in the 2010s

His nationality is also listed as German, though he clearly spent most of his life in America

Most of his backstory isn't anything new compared to in the games, but the artbook does provide a timeline: adopted by Professor Sartre at age 9 after his parents died, enrolled in medical school at age 12 and hailed as the youngest ever to do so, age 13 when Rosalia was adopted, age 16 when the Cumberland Institute incident happened

Erhard and Rose weren't super close siblings, but got along well enough and they had happy lives until the bioterrorism attacked

The government 100% knew Erhard wasn't the culprit when they arrested him - he was the public scapegoat because they couldn't find Albert Sartre, their real person of interest. They never stopped looking for Sartre, and S01's work to reduce his sentence was a quiet compromise for the fact that they, y'know, ruined this kid's life

After learning the truth, S01 is disappointed at his father's betrayal but also chooses to take blame for Sartre's crimes and work off his sentence rather than expose Sartre as the true culprit

Not in-game lore, but according to the concept art section he was nicknamed Chris (CRS) during development. Other people will be funnier about this than I am

Maria Torres

Has the shortest bio and the least amount of new information along with Tomoe, honestly

Born in the slums

Was already at the orphanage at age 10 when Rosalia (age 3) came there

Ended up in rehab of some kind after the orphanage fire

Hank Freebird

Also doesn't have much new compared to the game, sadly

Joined the military out of a sense of justice, left out of disillusionment following John's death and used the medical knowledge he gained in the military to become an orthopedic surgeon (not that this wasn't already implied in the game)

His bio specifically calls him out for being kinda clumsy/goofy. Poor guy

Tomoe Tachibana

Honestly the only thing that's new is a bunch of names, so this is the one time I break my rule and cite a translation directly. TAKE THIS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, IT'S STILL A MACHINE TRANSLATION

The only daughter of the Tachibana Zaibatsu, a global organization run by a family descended from the leader of the Koga Shinobi Army, Hisayori Tachibana.

Gabriel Cunningham

Nationality is listed as Great Britain. Surprise!

His wife Lisa left him with Joshua and went to her parents' six years before the game because she didn't like his lifestyle

Lisa was willing to get back together if Gabe was ever willing to talk to her properly, but as seen in the game he kept his distance. He and Lisa met occasionally over the next six years, but he never saw Joshua - which is of course why Joshua never recognized him in the game

His decision to go through with the divorce was about acceptance of his failings and a desire to do right by Joshua and Lisa

Naomi Kimishima

NOW WE'RE COOKING WITH BACKSTORY

All right, so that bit in Second Opinion where she took a Savato sample after cutting ties with Delphi and used it to bargain amnesty with Caduceus [Europe in the US version; US in the JP version]? Yeah, apparently she transported that sample by CARRYING IT IN HER OWN BODY for Caduceus to extract

Her fatal condition is a result of that, though it's already implied to be a result of GUILT in the game anyway. It was a sudden development a few years later, followed by Derek's six-month diagnosis

There's also details about her illness! Apparently her specific brand of PGS or whatever involves excess serotonin and dopamine production, which she needs meds to regulate.

It also means she's no longer able to operate on the living, which is why she transitions to forensic medicine as part of her plea deal

[Insert grimace here] I don't want to get too into this because this bit because 1) machine translation fears, 2) even perfectly translated it's not likely to be accurate to actual philosophy/terminology anyway, 3) I'm not a doctor I don't know what I'm talking about…

But the bio then starts talking about pranayama and prana, defining prana as life essence and...saying Naomi lacks it because of her condition and its effect on serotonin? I'm not entirely clear on this and I'm hesitant to say anything for sure; the main thing is that they take her illness and use the concept of prana to connect that to...

Her new ability to hear the dead! Apparently Naomi reads the prana left behind in a corpse and translates it into the person's final words via her phone; the worse the damage to the corpse (e.g., skeletonization), the less prana remains and the weaker the voice she hears is

Whether any of this relates to the Healing Touch is not mentioned. IDK man

Technically this was in S01's bio, but it relates more to Naomi: Jacob Tillman originally wanted Naomi to perform his surgery and keep it secret. Naomi was already unable to perform surgery on living people at that point, though, so S01 was Plan B

Rosalia Rossellini

Admired her big brother Erhard :(

Albert Sartre

Adopted Rosalia to study the virus in her blood (that is, he already knew about it by the time he adopted her in case that's ever a timeline question)

Additional Note

If someone with actual knowledge of Japanese corrects me and anything I've written in here, absolutely believe them over me. I'm not the translation hero anyone still in this fandom in the year 2k23 deserves, I'm just the stopgap until maybe one arrives someday.

[shinozaki-ayumi]

made my tumblr acc just so i can scroll through your page :] Thank you so much for gracing us with your art! Super surprised to see such a cool account still talk about corpse party (Ayushiki specifically, IM SO SOLD) What do you like about Ayumi and Yoshiki's dynamics: could be them as characters, the relationship between each other, their relationship with the others of the cast? Love your writing, hope this isn't a boring ask!

This is such a nice ask, not boring at all!! 😭 (I’m sorry for the sort of late response, I don’t check Tumblr that often lol). Probably very long post under the cut!

So to be honest at this point Ayumi and Yoshiki are the primary reason I’m still invested in CoPa at all :’) I’m a huge sucker for so many aspects of their dynamic:

- There’s something really compelling to me about the whole “you were the only person to show me basic decency and now I would die for you without hesitation” thing Yoshiki has going on.

- I’m actually not usually much of a “shipper” in general but I LOVE “shared trauma” ships, probably stemming from Ayushiki. I really love the concept of them being very different people (who may not have ever really interacted more beyond an unreciprocated crush!), but now they’re the only ones literally in the world who understand exactly what the other went through. Like I always felt a bit of a disconnect between the Ayumi/Yoshiki sections of the game versus the Satoshi/Naomi/Yuka sections — Ayumi and Yoshiki seemed to have so much more of an “isolated” feeling, maybe because they didn’t have the established relationships of the other group, nor did they have a “leader” figure like Satoshi? So I always imagined they���d be more drawn towards each other when it comes to processing wtf happened to them rather than processing it as a group. And that’s fun for angst purposes but also comfort purposes lol.

I think how much they contrast as characters is also so much fun to work with. Some canon, some headcanon, e.g.

- Yoshiki having a disjointed and strained family life, versus Ayumi having stronger familial ties, and both of them having to awkwardly adjust to the other’s family dynamics.

- Yoshiki living on his own and being good at cooking, cleaning, decorating, etc. versus Ayumi being a bit of a wreck at any of those things. This one is just fun because it breaks each of their stereotypes (“delinquent” is actually good at/enjoys domestic chores but the seemingly perfect straight-As student is a bit of a slob).

- In my head they’re very much a “me letting my hot witch gf do whatever she wants” ship, but more realistically I also enjoy that Yoshiki is basically Ayumi’s impulse control. She’s very self-destructive, especially post-Blood Covered, and his more cautious approach to things is a good complement to her.

In terms of their relationships with other characters:

- I’ve always liked to imagine Ayumi being quite close with Mayu, and wished we got to see that a bit more in the games. I feel like Ayumi wouldn’t really be very “into” things like makeup and fashion (I mean look at that hoodie/skirt/socks combo she wears at the convenience store in the Missing Footage OVA 😭) and I think Mayu would be the kind of friend that gives fashion advice and helps her have fun with that stuff once in a while. Plus if they were particularly close it would add a lot to Ayumi’s guilt after the events of the game which is a big part of her character development.

- Come to think of it I also like Mayu to have a friendship with YOSHIKI, purely because of that one chapter in Book of Shadows lol. They meshed so well and I love that. I think outside of the Heavenly Host scenario, Mayu would be a good wingman for him lol. She also strikes me as the type who would’ve invited him to group activities even before they all got to know him a bit better, just because she likes to give everybody a chance.

- In a perfect world I think Yuka should’ve had an innocent crush on Yoshiki instead of… yknow… I think it’s more realistic for a young girl to feel awkward/shy around her older brother’s friend. (Kedwin you will pay for your crimes)

- Yoshiki and Ohkawa’s extra chapter was so fucking good and I wish it was just part of the main story!!!! That’s another one of those relationships that probably would’ve never progressed beyond niceties had it not been for Heavenly Host.

And finally some headcanons I have about them as individuals (all assuming Blood Drive never happened):

- Yoshiki is musically inclined and plays guitar, collects vinyls, etc. I like to think he’d run a music store of some sort instead of going to college (to Ayumi’s initial disappointment, but eventually she understands that traditional schooling was never his thing lol). He gets a motorcycle at some point. He’s more of a cat person than a dog person.

- Ayumi is actually an introvert despite her tendency to take on leadership roles in school; she frequently needs alone time or just one-on-one time. She’s also 100% a gamer imo, but she doesn’t openly discuss this lol. I’m probably projecting here but I love the idea of her being a fan of classic survival horror stuff like Resident Evil, Fatal Frame, Silent Hill, etc. (but maybe having a hard time enjoying that stuff post-Heavenly Host lol).

I’m on mobile so I can’t tell quite how much of an essay this is yet but thank you for asking!!! I love talking about this stuff 🥲 Even though I’m kind of drifting away from Corpse Party as a whole I’m 100% invested in Ayumi and Yoshiki still lol.

[bcolfanfic]

hi hi! I’ve been reading all your young vets HC, do you have anymore about rosie and Aiden?

aiden and wosieeee!!!! my babies!!! yes i do!!! have posted this before but just for ref again this is what aiden looks like in my head.

i’ve covered this before but aiden is curt's childhood friend that curt set rosie up with when he was like okay maybe its not that you're bad with woman maybe you dont LIKE women

worked out though <3

aiden has um some of curt's special (terroristic) tendancies lmfao. they grew up together. they are life long friends for a reason. he’s been around the block in the nyc queer community, for lack of a better word.

but rosie mellows him out a little. dating someone with a little daughter will do that to you <3

funny bc he didn’t even want kids like- at all. only even let curt set him up with someone that had one because he didn’t think it would be anything serious.

*loud incorrect buzzer*

was just so enamored from the first dateeee but how nervous and sweet and nerdy rosie was.

and by how when he took him home he finished in his pants and was so apologetic and embarrassed about it that he almost cried lmao.

curt is proud of his foresight in setting them up for the rest of his fucking life. runs that victory lap foreverrrrr.

but yeah. aiden loves the boy bad.

always finding excuses to hang out and like it’s talked about in my recent blurb- tries to go out of his way to include naomi in things too which goes right to rosie’s heart.

rosie also falls hard pretty fast which he struggles with a little. just. scared it’s inevitable that he’s gonna scare him off or turn him off or something. realizes he’d be heartbroken if this didn’t work and is like ohhh no.

there are some. growing pains re: aiden not having a military background and feeling a little out of his depth trying to help him with his hurts from the war.

feels like anything he says or does is going to be Wrong and is scared of making it worse somehow. but talks to curt about it which helps him at least figure out an Approach for next time it comes up.

a lot of rosie’s trauma is surrounding nash’s death (background being: nash started spiraling after some kids he bonded with in the area were killed. went out to smoke in a high risk area that people weren’t supposed to but did anyways now and then. got argumentative when people were like hey man go somewhere else, stayed up there and ended up getting a sniper round in the skull. both rosie and ev were there and saw it </3)

so it also helps aiden help when rosie is a little more open with him about that. carries a wholeee lot of guilt about it. and has some more ‘niche’ triggers related to it that come up every now and then too. (rachel came up with him getting triggered at aiden’s parents house bc his dad asks him for help with grill stuff and he. has a little Moment he gets real embarrassed about after because does not like raw meat smell or appearance texture)

sweet boy. let your boyfriend that’s obsessed with you help- he loves you!!!

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Harry Kim

By Ames

This week’s character spotlight shines on the Voyager’s favorite forever-ensign, Harry Kim, who lord knows has done enough throughout the show to warrant enough promotions to rival Janeway and yet who wallows away with his single pip for the entirety. But your hosts here at A Star to Steer Her By know enough to appreciate all that the little clarinet dork does for us.

Harry’s another consistently solid character, like Chakotay, who really only gets a couple episodes to stand out in, but we love him anyway. He suffers nearly as much as O’Brien, he gets shot down fewer times than only Worf, and he’s lousy with women in ways La Forge could understand. So grab some good seats for this Harry Kim and the Kimtones concert as you scroll on below and/or listen in on this week’s podcast episode (toot over to 1:13:23). Your promotion time will surely come.

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best moments

We’ve got to go back, Tommy! Back to the Voyager! Harry’s got the strange opportunity in “Non Sequitur” to stay in a parallel universe in which he’s not trapped in the Delta Quadrant fighting for his life every week, but he opts to correct the timeline and go back, allowing Tom to get his chance at redemption and getting his friend Danny Byrd into the correct life. Or maybe he just wanted to get away from Libby that badly.

Weird is part of the job As Chris wrote about in his Harry Kim fanfic, the ensign also has the unusual distinction of being the only character (other than baby Naomi) to technically be from a different timeline. When his Voyager is under attack by those damn Vidiians again in “Deadlock,” Kim saves the infant from imminent danger, and gets to have an identity crisis about it for the rest of his life.

There’s nothing to fear except clowns themselves Some-freaking-how, Ensign Kim is able to keep his [remote] cool throughout “The Thaw” while that psychotic clown is torturing him and trying to literally frighten him to death. Harry spends much of the episode standing up courageously against an exemplary performance from Michael McKean and his band of Cirque du Soleil performers until he’s finally rescued.

This man is my friend. Nobody touches him! We gave some great props to Paris for how much he worked with Kim to escape from the prison ship in “The Chute,” but the real hero of the episode is Kim. When Paris has been incapacitated by a nasty stab wound, Harry fends off tons of prisoners who are vying for Paris’s belongings, and he keeps his friend alive even while being driven mad by the clamp.

Go ahead, make the call Somehow, most of these moments have been “Harry stands up to the powerful figure of the week who has captured him,” and it’s no different in “The Killing Game” when he’s covertly working against his Hirogen guards without them noticing. Right in front of them, no less. Maybe we just like when quiet, unassuming Harry proves that he’s got that Voyager chutzpah.

Somebody has got to knuckle down and change history, and that somebody is you There’s something about brooding Harry in “Timeless.” Not only is it some great acting work from Garrett Wang, but we also get to see what happens when Harry pushes himself too far. Wracked by years of guilt, he finally seizes the opportunity to save the Voyager from a past mistake and break the Temporal Prime Directive – although no more than Janeway on a given Tuesday.

Hook, line, and sinker Much of Voyager is steeped in technobabble from all of the science-conscious characters, and occasionally we get to see Harry pull some scientific knowhow out of his ass. In “Dark Frontier,” the episode opens with Harry beaming a bomb onto a Borg vessel like a badass and blowing them to smithereens before they could even say “You will be assimilated.”

Infected with a disease called love We gave Janeway some flak for treating Harry like a little baby for getting busy with an alien in “The Disease,” but ya know what: we really liked him and Derran Tal together! The whole episode long, we’re led to surmise that something shady is going down with her and the Varro, but it turns out Harry is just willing to make a go of it with someone he fancies, and that’s nice.

When taken captive by a hostile force, seek out any opportunity to engage the assailant Kirk may be the king at talking machines into killing themselves, but Kim does it with such panache in “Warhead.” He’s so willing to empathize with and communicate with the homicidal warhead that I still contend this should have been a Chakotay episode. But since it’s Harry that does it, you’ve got to give him credit for convincing the missile not to kill its enemy after all.

How do you feel about going for a little walk? When Harry eludes capture by Borg in “Collective,” he uses some smarts and strategy to communicate with the Voyager from the Delta Flyer and devise a plan. Particularly cute is his use of playing cards to mark his trail through the labyrinthine Borg vessel. Sure, Mezoti finds him out and captures him, but that’s just because Mezoti is the best.

Own the day We’ll go on in the next section about some lousy relationships Kim finds himself in, but we’ve got to hand it to him: he and Lyndsay Ballard were super sweet together in “Ashes to Ashes.” Ballard is going through a pretty substantial identity crisis after returning from the dead (something Harry knows a lot about!) and Harry is there to be supportive without pressuring her.

Big Willy Energy We really couldn’t help but include this one. We also learn in “Ashes to Ashes” that Harry has moved on from the clarinet to the saxophone. Ya know, to emulate the vibes of a certain saxophone-playing president. We get a glimpse of him practicing in “Lineage” and we’ve got to admit: Harry Kim is just so cool. He should have gotten promoted for this alone!

—

Worst moments

Didn’t they warn you about Ferengi at the Academy? It’d be too obvious to say that Harry Kim nearly got swindled by Quark during his very first scene in “Caretaker,” but the way he does it is the most Harry Kim moment of the whole show. Our sweet summer child, fresh from the Academy, first tries to avoid getting swindled but offends Quark in doing so, and basically swindles himself until Paris swoops in and rights the situation.

Something about it reminds me of being in the womb This is just an offhand remark from Harry, but it’s so strange that it’s sat with us all this time. Harry claims in “The Cloud” that he remembers being in the womb, and wearing his mask to bed at night reminds him of this. Not a womblike allegory, mind you. The literal memory of his existence pre-birth. You’re a weird guy, Harry. Good luck ever living this down.

This is my only chance to get home The leap of logic when Harry decides to get himself killed in “Emanations” and get resurrected right away on the Voyager is one only the most desperate man would take. There is so little reason for him to think this literally suicidal plan will work except that he’s got to hope for the best. In doing so, Harry becomes the first (but not the last) crewmember to die and come back.

I want to eliminate emotions, like Vulcans do So it’s not the worst moment for Harry to fall in love with a hologram in “Alter Ego.” Everyone else does it all the time. It’s that he’s managed to sink into the delusion so far that he determines to purge himself of emotions with Tuvok’s help. Overreact much, Harry? To him, Morena’s just a hologram girl, and he’s even more obsessed with her than Janeway is of Michael Sullivan!

I still say you should have kept some of those spots Even after the rest of the show unfolded, I’m left unsure what to make of “Favorite Son.” It’s yet another example of how Harry seems to have no clue what to do with himself when around pretty girls (more on that in a moment). The Taresians trick him so easily into joining their cultish society just by promising lots of sex with pretty ladies, and that’s all it takes. You poor naive thing.

Imagine having Tom for a father-in-law I’ve been outvoted by the other SSHB hosts who think it’s squicky for Harry from “Before and After” to marry Kes’s and Tom’s daughter Linnis (who seems like a catch!). I guess it can be considered some kind of uncomfortable grooming because he would have basically watched her grow up since she’s part Ocampan, but can we really put that on sweet, innocent Harry?

Then you wish to copulate? The other really hormonal behavior we get out of Harry is any time he’s in Seven’s company. In “Revulsion,” it’s downright uncomfortable to watch their interactions because he doesn’t know how to act around his crush, and then the writers have to sexually charge the B-plot by having Seven offer to bang him, merely to titillate the viewers and for no other good reason. Ugh.

They trusted me, and I killed them! While we do like Harry in “Timeless,” and the episode itself is a clever use of time travel, you’ve got to put some blame on Harry for causing the catastrophe he goes back to fix in the first place. And what’s worse, he does it again and still can’t save the Voyager from the slipstream accident even after years of trying to get the equation solved!

If we succeed, those charges will never have existed in the first place One more moment from the “Timeless” since it’s probably got the most Harry action in all of Voyager (and we just love his tortured-soul look). But frankly, sacrificing a whole timeline full of people going about their lives just to save your friends is selfish. And on this show, the only person who gets to do that is Janeway! Captain Braxton was right all along!

You’re looking at your new co-pilot Okay so this moment is mostly an excuse to show off the Delta Flyer uniforms from “Drive” that we love so much. But also, it’s another example of Harry being led around by his boner again! This man is so blinded whenever there’s a sexy lady in the room, and he jumps at the chance to join Irina’s race team even when it nearly gets him killed in a terrorist attack.

I believe you’re the one who’s been relieved Boy, does this episode do Harry dirty. If you were ever upset that Harry never gets promoted during the course of the show, “Nightingale” shows you why. This poor guy just doesn’t know how to lead. The moment he takes command of the Nightingale, he turns into a micromanaging asshole and the whole crew mutinies immediately. No wonder Kim is a Forever Ensign.

Maybe all those command subroutines are compromising your medical abilities Both Harry Kim and the Emergency Medical Hologram – excuse me, Emergency Command Hologram – are out of character throughout all of “Workforce.” The ECH is so desperate to show off his command skills and Harry is just as desperate to one-up him every time that their whole subplot becomes a dick-measuring contest that no one’s going to win. Ew.

—

And that’s it for our saxophone solo this week. Harry’s just so cool, guys. And we’ve got more cool guys to talk about in the coming weeks, so make sure you’re following along here, keeping up with our watchthrough of Enterprise over on SoundCloud or wherever you podcast, practice some scales over on Facebook and Twitter, and never think about the fact that you’re actually from a parallel universe. Oh the identity crisis of it all!

[lyinginthesnow]

What makes me lose my mind a bit about Season 2 Kendall is that like— Logan is trying to fully break his will and control him, and Kendall is trying to break his own will in a lot of ways through guilt and self-destructive behaviours, but there’s this tiny stubborn part of him, this desire for self-preservation, that they can’t kill no matter how hard they try. There’s this little instinctual, human voice inside him saying no, I want to live, I want to fight back, I don’t want to be his puppet, I don’t want to drown. Like initially he wants to save Vaulter, and oppose Logan on buying Pierce. Each time he goes up to the roof in “Safe Room”, he comes back down. He confronts Logan when Logan’s getting too cozy with Rhea in “Return”. He seeks out some form of happiness with Naomi (obviously that is self-destructive too given that he knows her presence will enable his drug abuse, but he also does seek connection and joy out of their relationship). But every time this desire to care about himself and fight back rears its head, either he or Logan smothers it. He submits to Logan’s orders regarding Vaulter (“because my dad told me to”) and Pierce. He goes back up onto the roof multiple times. After the confrontation about Rhea, Logan takes him to the waiter’s house, reminding him of his guilt and powerlessness. Seeing that Kendall finds escape in his relationship with Naomi, Logan sends her off the yacht.

So when Logan tells Kendall he is going to be sacrificed in “This Is Not for Tears”, Kendall has reached a point where he obeys without a single protest. “I deserve it. Maybe I deserve it”. But — crucially — Logan disagrees, saying that Kendall has nothing to be guilty about regarding the waiter’s death. Logan’s lines here are really important, because (in my interpretation??) they ignite Kendall’s repressed urge to fight back that has been slowly eroded this entire season, which leads to his decision at the end of the episode. If Logan had responded “yes, you do deserve it”, then Kendall would have walked to his own destruction willingly, giving up, maybe even feeling a sense of righteousness that he was being punished. But Logan doesn’t say that. Instead, he says: “Nah, nah. Not that. NRPI. You’re the best. Don’t beat yourself up. No real person involved. You know, it’s… it’s nothing.“ It’s nothing.

I think Kendall has a realization in this moment which is very similar to the one Rhea has in “DC”, when she says to Logan, “I can’t see the bottom of the pool. I don’t know if you care about anything. And that scares me”. Kendall’s conscience has been eating him up from the inside — but Logan doesn’t have it. He just doesn’t care. The waiter’s death has been weighing on Kendall as the basis for his self-destructiveness (and submission to Logan’s control), but Logan dismisses it so flippantly, almost as if it is irrelevant, since the moral value of that event is currently not related to his own self-interest in using Kendall as a tool. Which is all this ever was. To Logan, it was never about the waiter. It was never some form of “deserved” punishment. It was always just a part of Logan’s game, convenient to him, serving his aims.

So that tiny stubborn part of Kendall comes to life a bit inside him. It says no, no I don’t want to lie down and let you do this to me. I’m not sure he listens to it right away. But it’s there, and it grows bit by bit. No I want to live, no I want to escape, no I want to fight back, no my father is a malignant presence, a bully, and a liar, and this is the day his reign ends

[satanicspeaks]

Babylon’s Gate spoilers

Im loving how much Holden is uncomfortable with Clarissa being on the ship. The series to me gives beautiful insight into atonement and the human rights about punishment of death vs prison. Amos doesn’t have a morality in the way that others do, notably lacks empathy due to whatever reason (imma do a post about that later). So for Amos forgiveness isn’t required. If someone steps out of line and becomes a threat then they are handled. He bonded with Clarissa and feels the need to protect/care in the way one would for another comrade.

Alex is iffy but trusts the people he’s with enough that if a situation arises he knows they’ll be able to handle it. But he’s also social conflict avoidant, his tactic is to placate and avoid issues, often using humour and accent to diffuse. As Naomi points out, he isn’t comfortable with Clarissa, but when the decision was made to not kill her he chose to stand by Naomi’s decision and now if Naomi is okay with it then he will try to be too.

Naomi has the obvious reason of being okay with it. She can see Clarissa has changed, knows that her own son has done so so much worse and feels the guilt of the things she did even when they weren’t an active choice. I don’t think she forgave Clarissa, but she did see the importance in giving Clarissa a chance to change/heal/atone. For her it’s more than just Clarissa’s own change, but hope for herself and her son.

But Holden. Ah Holden beloved, ever the angry and uncomfortable on everyone’s behalf. It kind of reminds me of an ally for LGBTQIA+ or disability things being upset on my behalf. Such an ally is uncomfortable because for them the morality is much more rigid than my own, there’s the urge to be hateful and aggressive to those that might just be ignorant or with some effort could actually change. Bringing this back to prison vs. death punishment, Holden leans towards death when someone has done things that are on the negative extreme of his morals. His threshold for ‘someone can change’ is much lower and it’s also biased as fuck. If he knows the person and feels like he actually knows the person, has that connection, then that threshold gets higher.

Of course from the readers perspective we can see how Clarissa has changed. We see her interactions with Amos and see how much she knows she did awful shit. She knows she’s the walking equivalent to a wolf in sheep’s skin, constantly underestimated and then feared when people recognise her.

The diversity of morality on the Rosci is beautiful. I’m so excited to see how Bobbie fits into it all for this book (the Rosci!!! Gets an actual gunner!! Fuck that was so cool when she got to be in the gunners chair. Story wise I see why she isn’t kept because it’s a god mod that would need to be constantly knee-capped else risk readers being like ‘well then why didn’t they just do this cause they have Bobbie’)

[wonderpommey]

Kendall doesn’t love Naomi, Shiv never loved Tom, Tom didn’t love Greg, Greg didn’t love Tom. Tom stopped loving Shiv. Connor doesn’t really love Willa (did he even notice her whole face has changed?), Willa doesn’t love Connor. Logan didn’t love his pew bench and most of his pew bench didn’t love him or didn’t have time to stop.

Roman though. 

Roman loves Gerri, Georgia always told us that and when she talks spinoff it’s Colin, Stewey or Roman & Gerri (and yes, RomanGerri wasn’t Jesse’s, it’s Georgia’s and Tony’s and J's and Kieran’s and Mark’s, but that’s enough!)

From reading around, I think the finale brought home the depth of Roman’s  feelings from seeing him watch her on film reciting a maybe dirty maybe spiritual limerick and fall to the floor with it. He took from her, thinking he was entitled to ask her jump into bed or on that grenade. This spoilt little puppy prince who had never suffered a consequence. He attempted to climb his Everest, locked up in a cage. But as soon as he steps out of the cage at Logan’s funeral and abandons the poorly worn skin of whomever he was supposed to be for dad, and the reality of his feelings and his guilt and his shame hits, he realises he barely deserved to be at her feet. He’s a bruised, hollow prince who ‘knifed’ the only person who had real adult expectations of him (in every sense of the term - the scripts are part of my canon), for a throne he didn’t even want. How could you not break down at that??

And it morphs into a love that doesn’t need anything to feed the flame. No reciprocity, no touching, no comfort. Nothing transactional. It doesn’t even need to be spoken or told. It simply exists, in those jelly glass eye balls. He hasn’t earned it as it disappears behind screens and glass partitions where the adults are. She’s put her shoes back on and she’s walked out of his glass room.

Consuming that love becomes the only thing he can do to feel its burn, to satisfy the craving. He won’t be able to give her slow pleasure or any of his fluids but he can partake in hers in some way. Smart people know what they are and God forbid he sullies anymore of her with the oozing blood at the seam big bag of bullshit that he is. But you better believe he can find a way to have her on his brain, his heart, his tongue, his bloodstream.

He steps out of the cage and bids farewell to the toxicity of denying his own heart, he goes from a cage where he could just take, in exchange for pretending to be someone - no consequences but the occasional beating son I promise, to a world where he’s himself, needy and broken, nothing of value to give. He breaks out but the realisation of having fucked his relationship with her is the price of admission into the real world of his real feelings.

Oh she’d pick up the phone if he called, she’d meet him at the bar (I think he even knows that) but his superego, despite his hysterical cries about how good he looks and you can’t really see how broken he is and that it should be him, has acknowledged the fact that he doesn’t deserve her and wonders why she would take any interest in him if he was no longer this diamond in the rough? Can’t bear her eyes on him, if he’s just the nothing bullshit who fired her and lashed out at her. Which is ironic really because, being mad at Ken’s for his abuse, protecting Shiv, the clarity on his and all of their worth, staying and being the face of the humiliation, signing the deal. These are signs he’s morphing into something with grit, something worthy.

I think. Who knows. It’s day 1. They’re slow but it only lengthens the - excruciating - pleasure. It wasn’t a healthy, happy love story. It was a star crossed First Love meeting Last Love with all the unmatched expectations and maturity it entails, but only they knew it and a few of the people that watch. And really this was the most beautifully crafted thing I’ve ever seen on TV, the depths are almost out of reach. Romey-o Loves Gerri, it’s a feminist show and yes even the fact that Logan didn’t consider his grandkids his bloodline (and of course Roman would hate to have children and of course Shiv didn’t have time to tell him about her pregnancy). All these things are in the show and barely visible and thank god for that. 

And you can wonder why the hell he’s in a bar smiling and crying at his cocktail or you may prefer to read it as being only about his dad or only about his sibs or just the company if you can manage the connective tissue. But to me, yes of course, his last second on screen is him ingesting her in some way. I mean, OBVIOUSLY. It’s not because it wasn’t in your face, that it wasn’t the realest thing, the only true romance this show has indulged.

[nym-wibbly]

With the A B O fics are you looking at omega Cas or omega Dean? Or neither?

I haven't looked for anything in particular - just followed a few rec posts on Tumblr to a small selection of authors on AO3. They've all been omega!Dean/alpha!Cas without fail.

I'm only guessing, obviously, but I think it'd be a lot harder to pull off coherent Omegaverse worldbuilding in an omega!Cas piece, while still keeping him recognisable. Not impossible - it's not like he has to be comfortable in that role or even a good fit for that aspect of the dynamic, and the harder he bucked the more drama you'd get, just like on the show - but Cas's past and identity issues maybe don't lend themselves to the Omegaverse AU transplant in the way that Dean's seem to. Maybe because we (and, as it turned out, he) know so little about his life before he met the Winchesters?

I've actually been really interested by the roles assigned to the other Supernatural characters in these Omegaverse stories I've sampled. Some - Benny, Garth, Charlie, Naomi, Rowena, Alastair, Gabriel - are pretty consistently placed in the narratives, while others very wildly from author to author and from AU to AU. Many of the named angels remain absolute dicks, or become dicks even if they weren't dicks on the show. Crowely is always pot-luck, as is Chuck. Jack's an infant, if he's there at all (most of the stories I've bookmarked so far predate his arrival on the show). Sam is all over the shop, everything from soulless!Sam bad guy to long-lost brother to years dead. When he's not dead and not a dick, he invariably ends up with a happy marriage or similar. That keeps making me smile.

I know I must be seeing "Destiel"-weighted sample bias purely because of where I sourced my initial recs from, but I keep picturing these authors grinning maniacally and going, "Right, Cas, some massively gut-churning guilt-angst for you (stay strong blue eyes); Dean, here's your dollop of identity-angst and past-abuse trauma with severe PTSD - oh, and a truly weird alpha to deal with but don't worry, he's hung. Hey, Sam, buddy, have a wholesome marriage, a nice house, and a great career. Mazel tov, my friend!"

[Nym, slowly learning about the Omegaverse from its parent fandom, and cackling occasionally at the absolutely fucking insanely mean things we fanfiction writers do to the characters we love so much.]