#anyone else just that either he's not friends with anyone else or he's really really bad at showing it

[mochacoda]

what is love? | chs

Pairing: Chwe Vernon x Fem!Reader

Synopsis: What is love? If you didn’t know any better, you’d say that it’s what you feel for Vernon Chwe. Unfortunately for you, you really didn’t know any better. It’s been 2 days since you confessed to your best friend that you love him, and it’s been 2 days since you’ve talked to him. Now you're hiding in the bridal suite of your friend's wedding, avoiding him.

Content: Angst, Fluff, Comfort | Friends to Lovers

Tags: bridesmaid!reader, groomsman!vernon, insecure reader, jihyo appears, dino's getting married in this one lolz, intense pining, lots of internal spiraling, vernon's facial expressions get flamed, 2 kdrama fall moments, a little konglish w/ translations, a kiss, no "y/n"

Word Count: 6.3K

What is love? If you didn’t know any better, you’d say that it’s what you feel for Chwe Vernon. Unfortunately for you, though, you really didn’t know any better, and now you’re facing the consequences of your actions. 

It’s been two days since you confessed to your best friend that you love him, and it’s been two days since you’ve talked to the man. Honestly, you have no one to blame but yourself, but you’ve convinced yourself that it’s everyone else’s fault for encouraging you. Maybe, if they hadn’t kept pushing you to confess to him—insisting that he definitely was into you—then you wouldn’t be in this position. 

Said position involves taking turns hiding in the bridal suite and bathroom of this wedding venue. In fact, you’re so committed to your act that you’ve practically become one with the shadows.

If anything, Vernon should be grateful that you’re going out of your way to avoid him. That way, he wouldn’t get bombarded with the secondhand embarrassment from remembering that horrible day. 

The only reason you’re here right now is because both Chan and his bride are close friends of yours, and you wouldn’t want to miss their wedding for the world. Plus, you’re also a bridesmaid. 

It was on you for blurting a disastrous confession to Vernon a few hours after the wedding rehearsal. 

But the bride and groom don’t even know that things have changed between the two of you. Given the chaos of wedding preparations, you withheld the fact that you and Vernon are going through a rough patch right now—if not the end of the friendship entirely. You didn’t want to add to their stress, but now you feel like you’re on fire. 

After all, Vernon is one of the groomsmen. What’s worse is, the wedding plans involve bridesmaids and groomsmen walking down the aisle in pairs, and you’d been placed with Vernon without a second thought. 

In other words, you’re completely screwed. 

“T-minus 20,” your friend and fellow bridesmaid Jihyo says, nudging your side. “We should go now.”

You feel a faint pulsing at the forefront of your head, a headache creeping up on you. God, what if when he sees you, he shakes his head and makes an X or something with his hands, insisting that he won’t walk down with you? What if he finds you physically embarrassing to be around, and just walks away? You’ve been running away from him all day, so it might not be a stretch to consider that he might have been trying to get away from you, too. 

You groan, scrunching the root of your hair, somewhat messing up your carefully curled hair. No, he wouldn’t just leave, that would ruin the wedding. He has too much love for Chan to do that to him. If he protests, he’d either do it subtly right before or confront you after it’s all over. 

You shut your eyes and take a deep breath. No one knows about your falling out except for you. And, well, Vernon, of course, but that’s not who you have to keep this secret from. You have to do your best to act normal and not at all like your heart is on the verge of bursting. 

“Has anyone ever died of embarrassment?” you suddenly ask, fingers dancing to find something to channel your nervous energy into. You fist a bit of the dress you’re wearing, then release it when you realize you can’t wrinkle the pretty material. “Shit.” You smooth over the fabric with shaky, sweaty hands.

“What is going on with you?” Jihyo’s eyes narrow as she looks you over. 

“I’ll tell you later,” you manage, bouncing your leg up and down. 

“Later, as in when?” 

“After the wedding,” you grit. You want to bury your face in your hands, but the expensive makeup gives you pause. You settle for lowering your head, staring listlessly at the white tiles on the ground. 

“Is this about what happened with Vernon?” 

You whip your head up. “You know?”

Jihyo slowly blinks, then deadpans, “Uh, yeah? A, both of you have been weird. The last time I saw you two not together was like, five years ago. And B, you’re literally the least subtle person I’ve ever met.”

“Oh,” you squeak, then quickly ask, “Wait, what do you think happened with Vernon?”

She stares blankly at you, as if the answer is obvious. “You confessed. He said nothing. You ran away.”

Your eyebrows shoot up, eyes growing comically large. Then, a frown replaces your shock. You don’t need to ask her how she knows. If anything, it just adds to the notion that even your other friends knew that he would’ve rejected you.

Jihyo sighs, coming over to the loveseat to sit next to you. She gives you a warm side hug, rubbing your back. “He’s a massive idiot. It’s gonna be okay. Let’s just get it together for the wedding, hmm?”

You swallow roughly, then nod. 

She continues, “Seriously, though. I’ve known Vernon for almost as long as you have. He’s not great at talking when he’s caught off guard—you know that, too.”

You blink at her words, the tiniest spark of hope igniting in your chest. But you quickly stamp it out, remembering the face he had made when you blurted out that you loved him.

Brows furrowed, open-mouthed, eyes wide, dead silent—he had to have been looking at you with disgust. That was the only way any sane person could decipher that look, really! There was no way that that face was the look of a man who was in love with you, as your friends have claimed.

“It doesn’t matter,” you say, wrinkling your mouth into a smile that anyone could tell was faked. “I’ll get through it.”

“Yeah, it’s not that deep. Just walk down the aisle with him. It’ll take 10 seconds, tops.”

You’re very sure she’s exaggerating, but you wave it off. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine,” she says dryly.

You glare at her. “I’ll be fine.”

“Good, that’s the right mentality,” she says, clasping your shoulders, shaking your upper body. “파이팅! [Fighting!]”

“해야지, [gotta do it,]” you mutter. 

Jihyo’s right. You’ll have to see Vernon anyway, so you might as well do it with as much dignity as you can scrap together. 

Except, the little dignity you have left demands some more time to procrastinate and linger in your regret.

Jihyo stands up from the couch, but you don’t. Your limbs feel impossibly heavy, as if they’ve been held down by a massive boulder.

You groan, “Just go without me, I’ll leave soon. I wanna go as late as possible.” 

Jihyo looks at you with what you can only describe as immense pity. “Okay. I’ll see you in five?” 

You nod numbly, watching her walk away to open the doors of the bridal suite. 

Vaguely, you can hear some absentminded chatter across the room from the hair and makeup artists, mother of the bride, and maid of honor, all crowded over the bride. It’s all but a buzz in the back of your mind, though, since you’re preoccupied with trying to convince yourself that you have it in you to face Vernon. Knowing you only have five minutes before needing to walk down the aisle with him, your mouth feels dry—too dry. 

At that realization, you force your heavy limbs to get up, then walk over the fancy rug to the table where a myriad of miscellaneous objects have been strewn about. You reach for your bag to take out your water bottle, but your hands falter when you look at the little keychain attached to the bag. 

It’s a silver charm bracelet you’ve repurposed as a bag charm. It has a turtle and retriever puppy on it, representing the animals you’ve viewed each other as being. Seeing the charms causes a pang of longing to cut deep into you, reminding you of how much you’ve missed him in the last two days. 

Could you ever forgive yourself for ruining your precious friendship? For getting too greedy, for asking for too much? 

Your hands grip the edge of the table roughly, searching for something to stabilize your body, which is dangerously teetering in the high heels you had convinced yourself you’d be able to walk properly in. You’d bought it because the color of the shoe perfectly matches your dress, but the razor thin heel is proving to be an issue. 

Subconsciously, your hand reaches out from the table corner to your bag, gently rubbing the golden retriever charm Vernon always said looked like you, and you’re hit with a sudden intense wave of sadness—but not for the confession. 

No, instead, you turn your regret to the insecure internal ramblings that have ravaged you lately. 

The earnest, bright eyes of the little puppy charm makes you conscious of the hollow ache spreading throughout your body. How could you have been so mean to your poor, fragile heart? 

Alright, maybe you and Vernon wouldn’t be friends anymore. Maybe you would have to live without seeing him ever again. 

But you’d have to live with yourself, and it wasn’t right to treat yourself like this. 

Technically, Vernon didn’t even say anything to you. He didn’t outright reject you just yet, and he certainly didn’t say you weren’t someone worthy of love. So it was completely unfair for you to jump to those conclusions yourself, putting words in his mouth. 

And most of all, it would be even more unfair to you, represented by this adorable puppy charm, to lose yourself to heartbreak. 

Straightening your back, your other hand reaches into your bag for your water bottle. Upon chugging the remainder of the water, you close your eyes, concentrating on making your pulse slow down. It works, and you breathe a sigh of relief.

You might have to live with the fallout of this confession, but you could also live with the truth. Loving Vernon wasn't a mistake, and it wouldn't feel like one, no matter how he responded. He deserved honesty, and you deserved to stand by it. Even if this was the end, you wanted to leave this part of your story knowing you'd done right by both of you. 

You nod to no one in particular, having made your mind up. After the wedding, you’ll go to him and be upfront about it all, bearing your soul to his response. 

For now, though, you’ll help him enjoy the wedding by continuing to stay out of his sight. If he can’t see you, he can’t get reminded of his need to reject you—which is important, of course, because you don’t want his memories of this wedding to be of you crying after he lets you down. 

With this renewed clarity, you steady yourself. Vernon doesn’t love you, and that’s okay. You’d do enough loving for the both of you.

────୨ৎ────

Vernon steps into the bridal suite, a thrum of nerves coursing through his veins. He’s spent the past half-hour searching for you in every nook and cranny of the venue, dodging curious glances and knowing jokes from the other groomsmen about his obvious distraction. Jihyo’s the one who finally pointed him in the right direction, murmuring something about how it’s been over five minutes, and how he’s the only one who can get you to show up.

When he sees you standing by the table, shoulders tense, your hands gripping the edge like it’s the only thing keeping you upright, his breath catches. There you are, beautiful and strong and fragile all at once, lost in your thoughts. His chest constricts. How did it come to this? How did the best thing in his life become the one thing he feels he’s on the verge of losing?

“Hey,” he says softly, taking a step forward, calling your name softly.

Your head snaps up at the sound of his voice, and the sudden movement sends you teetering in your high heels. Eyes wide, you twist toward him, your balance faltering. “Vernon?”

It happens in a split second. One of your heels trips on the edge of the rug, and you stumble forward. Vernon darts forward instinctively, grabbing you just before you hit the ground. His arms wrap around you tightly, steadying you.

For a moment, everything stops. Leaning against his chest, you can hear his heartbeat, a frantic rhythm that matches your own. God, your near face plant must have scared him a lot?

But just as you start to regain your footing, your heel accidentally digs into his foot, and he lets out a yelp of pain. 

The abrupt shift in weight sends him off balance, and the two of you tumble onto the floor in a tangled heap.

There’s a beat of silence, and then Vernon’s crazy seagull call of a laugh cuts through the tension. 

It’s infectious, and before you know it, you’re both laughing, the sound filling the room. It’s ridiculous, it’s messy, and it’s the most alive you’ve felt in days.

When your body relaxes all of its tension, you realize that you’ve missed him with every fiber of your being. That something in you has been waiting for him, like you’ve been in withdrawal without hearing his laughter in the last two days. 

You’d planned on continuing to avoid him until the end of the wedding, so that he could enjoy his night without you, but that idea is crumbling right before your eyes. You might not be able to bring yourself to stay away from him any longer. 

And then, oh, then—the laughter fades, and you realize how close you are. 

Vernon’s face is inches from yours, his warm breath fanning across your skin. His eyes, dark and soft, hold a depth of emotion that makes your stomach twist. And for a fleeting moment, you think you see something raw and unguarded in his gaze—something that looks a lot like love.

Your chest tightens, and your thoughts spiral. No—it can’t be. What about his nauseated reaction the other day? 

You scramble to put distance between you, pushing yourself off him and stepping back hastily. Too hastily, really.

“I’m so sorry,” you stammer, smoothing down the fabric of your dress as if that will somehow restore your composure. “I didn’t mean to, I swear—”

“It’s okay,” Vernon says gently, sitting up. 

He reaches an arm out for you, but you’ve already retreated several steps, an apologetic smile plastered on your face.

“We should get going,” you say, your tone overly formal. “It’s almost time.” Without waiting for his response, you turn on your heel and stride toward the door, your movements stiff and hurried.

Vernon watches you go, his hand stiffly dropping to his side. He flexes it, then exhales sharply, frustration bubbling beneath the surface of his calm exterior. 

You’re running again, and he’s running out of time to fix this. 

Pushing himself to his feet, he follows you out of the suite, his long strides easily catching up to you.

The two of you arrive at the line of bridesmaids and groomsmen just as the coordinator starts organizing everyone into pairs. You avoid Vernon’s gaze, your hands clasped tightly in front of you. 

But when it’s your turn to step forward, he’s there, holding out his hand to you. 

It shakes a little, and your breath hitches when you notice a flash of silver on his wrist. It’s a charm bracelet, and it’s unmistakably the same one you’ve kept on your bag for years, the little turtle and retriever puppy charms glinting under the soft light. 

Surely not? 

Surely, he doesn’t?

Tentatively, you place your hand in his, your fingers trembling. His grip is familiar, warm, and steady, grounding you even as your emotions threaten to overwhelm you. 

As you walk toward the aisle together, you don't look at whoever you're supposed to be looking at, whether it's the officiant or the people clapping in the crowd. Instead, your eyes are trained on the jewelry peeking out of his sleeve, and how his hand feels so soft and warm and dependable against yours. 

Then, it suddenly occurs to you that maybe, just maybe, you saw it wrong that day. Maybe he wasn’t looking at you like he was appalled by your audacity to tell him your feelings. He might have actually really been confused, allowing for you to misinterpret his surprise for rejection. 

But as soon as the thought enters your mind, you dismiss it. False hope definitely wouldn’t do anything for your precious feelings. Especially when the hope was that Vernon, of all people, would love you as much as you love him.

Desperately avoiding eye contact with the man in question, you stare straight at the bridesmaid-groomsman pair in front of you. 

If Vernon loved you back, then he’d say it. He’d show it somehow, some day. Today wasn’t that day, and that’s okay. 

You’d be alright without him, eventually. Probably. Hopefully?

With that rationale, you do your best to ignore your trembling legs, burning ears, and constricting chest. The bride and groom deserve a perfect procession, and you would play your role well. 

────୨ৎ────

It was a beautiful ceremony. And, three hours into the reception, you’re proud to say that you’ve survived. Promptly after the procession, you separated from Vernon, finding refuge within the bridesmaid group. Ever since, you’ve flitted around different tables, dancing with random people, all in the name of protecting him from seeing you. 

You’re actually incredible at avoiding people, if you do say so yourself. Every time you’ve seen Vernon within 50 feet of your vicinity, you’ve grabbed someone new to dance with or talk to. And for especially close calls, you’ve dragged Jihyo into the bathroom. 

This time, though, you’re hiding in the bathroom without her. She’d finally refused to go with you for the nth time. The brat had thrown you to the wolves, essentially. No girl code—the nerve of her!

Patting down the roots and length of your hair, which had gotten a bit frizzy, you stare at yourself blankly in the mirror, watching a shiver run down your spine from the cold air-conditioning blasting in the small space. 

Despite your efforts to calm down, a heavy sigh escapes your mouth, your shoulders feeling far too heavy. What are you doing, hiding?

God, you love him so much. So much that you’re willing to dance around him so he doesn’t get reminded of you, so that he doesn’t worry about how to reject you all night, so that he can just enjoy the wedding. 

What even is love? 

You’ve heard that love is sacrifice, and if what you feel is really love, then, well. You’ll have to try not to love anyone but yourself from now on, because unrequited love is somewhat horrible. 

You’ll get over him someday, right? 

Right?

Before you can psych yourself out of leaving the freezing but rather safe haven that is the restroom, you march over to the door with a new mantra. You shake your shoulders and roll your neck, cracking the joints in your fingers. 

“I’ll get over it,” you murmur. “I’m over it. I’m over it! Over, over, over.” 

Pushing the door open, you continue rambling to yourself. “I’ll get over it. Over, over, over, over...”

“Over what?” comes a familiar voice.

Oh, shit.

Wide-eyed, you look up to see Vernon blocking your way past the bathroom and back into the hallway leading to the reception. 

“Oh,” you gasp, limbs frozen. your eyes flit back to the door to the women’s restroom again, contemplating ditching him cheaply (again). 

Vernon steps closer, his gaze softening as he notices your hesitation. His voice is low and gentle—too gentle—when he speaks, almost as if he’s unsure how to break the silence.

"Hey," he says softly, his hand reaching out, fingers brushing against your arm. "You don't have to hide from me, y’know."

You glance up at him, your adrenaline flowing through your veins. You want to back away, to keep putting distance between you, but something about his insistent stare makes your legs freeze.

"I know it's been awkward," Vernon continues, his words more measured now. "But I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. I just—I just want to talk." He brings his right hand up to his chest, like he’s swearing that he speaks the truth. 

You shake your head, your voice trembling. "You don’t have to. I don’t want to make things worse."

Vernon furrows his brows, stepping closer, as if he can’t bear to see you pull away from him again. "You think that running away will fix it? You think I want you to hide from me?"

You swallow hard, avoiding his eyes. "I don't know. This is all new to me."

"Then let me say it.” Vernon’s voice is strangled. "I don’t want to lose you, okay? I didn’t want it to happen like this, I…” His voice trails off as he clenches his fists, shutting his eyes tightly before opening them again. “Please don’t think I shut you down, I just—I needed some time to process everything. I care about you a lot—so much more than I know how to show, sometimes. Or,” he huffs with red-rimmed eyes, “a lot of the time."

A silence settles between you, thick and heavy, but Vernon doesn’t seem to notice. He looks at you with downturned, shining eyes, and you feel your defenses slowly start to crumble. 

You’ve never seen him so devastated. 

"Come here," Vernon says softly, his arm reaching out to tug you closer, now fully clinging to your side. "Please don’t keep running. Please?” He says the last word like it’s a prayer—and, oh, is it a powerful one.

Every part of your body stiffens, caught off guard by how warm he is, then immediately relaxes at how gently he’s holding you, as if you would break if he held on any tighter.

"Please don’t run from me anymore," he whispers, his breath hot against your ear, sending a shiver down your spine. 

You think you could melt into his arms, and it takes everything within you to trust him, to not back away like you have for the past two days. With each passing second, you feel your spine relaxing and leaning into his touch. Then, in the midst of your relaxation, it occurs to you that he’s awaiting your reply.

But before you can answer his pleas, the sound of hurried footsteps echoes through the hallway. Jumping apart like fugitives before the law, you both turn to see Jihyo skidding around the corner, her face flushed with panic.

“There you are!” she exclaims, eyes wide. “The bouquet toss is about to happen! Get over here!” 

Before you can even blink, Jihyo grabs your wrist, pulling you away from the delicate warmth of Vernon’s embrace. 

“Now!” she shouts. 

You twist your back around to send him a helpless look, and all he gives you is an encouraging nod and the cutest, awkward little wave. You see the sincerity in his boyish smile, which makes your chest feel tight, as if all the air had been sucked from the room. It’s bad enough for your delicate heart. But then, most wickedly, you catch the adorable, anxious eagerness in his crinkled, watery eyes—and, oh, it really is all over for you, isn’t it?

You really won’t be able to love anyone else, will you? 

There is no “getting over” Chwe Vernon.

The last threads of your resolve crumble as you follow Jihyo. You barely register the steps that lead you back into the grand reception hall. She has a vice grip on your wrist, tugging you along with such urgency that your shoes almost trip you on the way inside. The room hums with energy, and you can’t help but feel out of place in the frenzy of people excitedly whispering and glancing toward the front.

Everyone has gathered in a semi-circle, eager faces all pointed at the bride, who is holding the bouquet high above her head. Your pulse is speeding up by the second, but it’s not for the reason the other single women are likely nervous for. All you can think about is how you’ve been dragged here with nothing but the love you have for Vernon—a deep, endless kind that threatens to burst out of you in a wildly embarrassing public display of affection.

"You're gonna be fine," Jihyo says with a grin, though it’s a little too wide, too bright. You’re not sure if she’s referring to the Vernon fiasco or the bouquet toss, but you force a smile back at her anyway.

"Sure I am," you mumble under your breath. 

She doesn’t hear you, or if she does, she doesn’t acknowledge that she heard it. She’s already turned her attention back to the bride, her arm brushing yours as she steps forward, positioning herself with the other women who are trying to catch the bouquet.

You stand awkwardly behind her at the edge of the crowd of single women, feet shuffling, heart still pounding from your conversation with Vernon.

Then, the live orchestral music shifts, and you feel a slight weight in your stomach, despite knowing the chances of the bouquet toss heading your way is slim to none. Still, it’s happening now, and you’re now on the single ladies floor, so there’s no backing out.

When you shift your back to brush away some of the hair obscuring your vision, you make eye contact with the very man who has been occupying your every thought this evening. Vernon had probably followed you and Jihyo as she pulled you away, since he’s now standing near you. And, oh, he’s close—only an arm’s distance or so away from you, standing at the front of the larger crowd. 

The closer the moment of the throw gets, the harder it is to ignore his burning presence. He’s standing with a group of other men who are watching the floor full of gorgeous, single women, but his attention is entirely on you. 

A subtle smile plays at the corners of his mouth, and the air between the two of you suddenly feels too thick. You have so much to say to him, and you don’t know how to get it all out in an eloquent way. 

But your deliberation of what to say to him is cut short by the screams announcing that the bouquet has launched into the air. 

You lift your chin up, squinting as the light of the chandeliers temporarily blinds you. By the time you blink away the flashing spots in your vision, you see the trajectory of the bouquet. 

It arcs high above the crowd of waiting women, catching the light as it spins toward the back—toward you! If you don’t move, the bouquet will crash into your face. 

Your arms instinctively reach for the flowers, reaching beyond what you’d thought was capable for yourself. But the second after your back stretches and feet jump to accommodate the move, your left heel completely gives out, sending your balance completely off-kilter.

Your arms flail uselessly as your ankle sharply twists, and the world tips sideways. The air rushes past your face, cold and sharp, and you brace yourself for impact—ready to collide utterly gracelessly with the hard floor. But before gravity can win, a pair of strong hands clamps around your waist, arresting your fall with a jarring yet steady pull.

The warmth of his touch spreads like wildfire through the thin fabric of your dress, grounding you in an instant. Vernon’s hands are firm, almost possessive, his grip both steady and urgent, like he’s afraid to let go.

Your chest presses against his, the faint thud of his heartbeat syncing with the chaotic rhythm of your own. His scent hits you next—a subtle mix of cedarwood and something distinctly him, crisp and comforting all at once. The tension in your body melts slightly as his arms secure you closer, your trembling legs finding balance in his hold.

“Hey,” he says, his breath fanning across the shell of your ear. It sends a shiver down your spine, his words calming and electrifying in equal measure.

Your fingers instinctively clutch at the lapels of his jacket, the soft fabric brushing against your palms, anchoring you to reality. His thumb brushes lightly against your side, the touch barely noticeable yet searing, and the warmth from his body radiates into yours like a shield against the world.

Slowly, he adjusts his grip, one hand sliding to the small of your back, the other ghosting against your shoulder as he steadies you on your feet. The gentleness of his movements is stark against the adrenaline roaring in your ears.

When you finally look up, your breath catches. His face is so close—closer than you were when you fell in the bridal suite, closer than you’ve ever been before. Close enough to see the individual strands of his long lashes, to see the beautiful shimmer in his brown eyes. His eyes, wide and searching, lock onto yours, the emotions swirling in their dark depths rendering you speechless.

“I’ve got you,” Vernon says, his voice barely more than a whisper, but the words reverberate through you like an earthquake. “다친데 없어? [You’re not hurt, are you?]”

You shake your head without much thought, the back of your neck and your ears burning up at how tender his touch is. 

His fingers linger at your waist, the subtle pressure of his touch still burning against your skin. Even as he pulls away just enough to give you space, the absence of his warmth feels like a loss you’re not ready to accept. Without thinking, your hand darts out, fingertips brushing against the sleeve covering the charm bracelet you saw during the procession.

And that’s when you notice the bouquet—clutched awkwardly in your other hand, its delicate petals trembling just as much as you are. The flowers are slightly askew from the near disaster, and it all comes crashing down on you. 

You wince at the ridiculous public scene you’ve made, but the smile that spreads across Vernon’s face is enough to make you forget about everything, humiliation be damned.

“Perfect,” he says softly, though you can hear the teasing edge in his voice. “You got it, princess.” 

Princess, the joke he started calling you after Disney movie marathons in which you mocked the main characters always needing men to save them—you were definitely having a princess moment right now.

Vernon reaches to brush a strand of hair out of your face, and you feel your cheeks heat from the decidedly intimate nature of his touch. 

And that’s when the room erupts. 

Cheers fill the space as the guests begin clapping, laughing, and shouting in celebration. You see Chan whistle, while his newlywed wife shouts, “Finally!” The noise surges around you, but you can’t focus on anything except the way Vernon is looking at you.

He’s looking at you like you’re the only one in the room, like you’re the only one he can see.

He’s looking at you in the same way you look at him.

Your breath catches in your throat as you stare past his shoulders to see the waiting eyes of the entire room. It’s as though they’ve known all along, most having been there to see the constant teasing, the not-so-secret glances exchanged, and the tension that’s been building for what feels like ages. Everyone knew before you two did, really.

The realization hits you all at once, and a nervous laugh escapes you. You’re caught in the act—the act of love—and there’s no denying it. 

You exchange an uncertain look with Vernon, and something flickers in his eyes. It’s something deeper, like the three words you told him two days ago, only to be met with silence.

“Looks like it’s fate, huh?” you joke weakly, shaking the bouquet, trying to regain some control over the situation. 

But Vernon doesn’t laugh. His expression just softens, and his voice is so, so deep when he speaks, it’s barely audible over the noise of the guests. “Y’know, you don’t have to joke your way out of this.”

You swallow hard, but before you can respond, he steps closer to you, his gaze unwavering, presence overwhelming. He reaches for your hand, gently pulling it into his, where it fits just so, and the warmth of his touch sends a wave of electricity through you.

“You know I’ve been looking for you, right?” Vernon continues, his voice slightly choked, making your chest tighten. “All day. All day, yesterday and today. I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything that day. It wasn’t because I didn’t care, I do,” he pauses, tightening his grasp on you. “It’s because I care too much, really.”

Your breath hitches. What is he saying? Your brain is practically numb from the excessive overthinking you’ve been doing for the past two days. He needs to just spell it out.

“What?”

Vernon exhales a short laugh, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. His hands, buried deep in his coat pockets, tense visibly as his shoulders lift slightly. “I feel like you don’t get it,” he says softly, the words teetering on the edge of vulnerability.

Your heart skips a beat. “Get what?”

He looks at you—really looks at you, staring intensely into your eyes, weighing whether or not to say the next part. His jaw tightens for a brief second, the muscle flexing as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other. He pulls a hand out of his pocket, raking it through his hair. His fingers linger at the nape of his neck before dropping back to his side, curling loosely as though they’re bracing for impact.

“That I’m here for you,” Vernon says, his voice barely above a whisper. He steps closer, not quite closing the distance but close enough that you can feel the addictive heat radiating off of him. “That I’ve always been here for you. And not…” He clenches and unclenches his fists. “Not just as a friend.”

Your breath hitches, and you feel his gaze flicker to your lips for the briefest moment before darting back to your eyes. His own are wide, filled with uncertainty but also a quiet kind of determination.

He shifts again, this time slipping his other hand out of his pocket and holding it out, palm up, like an offering. His fingers twitch slightly, betraying his nerves, and you notice a faint redness creeping up his neck, the telltale signs of his composure cracking.

“I didn’t say anything sooner because…” His voice trails as he bites the inside of his cheek, eyes dropping to the ground. When he looks up again, his expression is raw and completely unguarded. “Because I didn’t want to mess things up. But I can’t keep telling myself I don’t feel this way. I’m sorry I’m so late.”  

Your chest tightens as his words settle over you, finally registering the weight of them.

“Please don’t get over me,” he says all at once, breathlessly. His eyes are shining, his gaze ever so hopeful.

His hand lingers in the space between you, waiting, hoping.

“Please?”

You stare at his outstretched hand in disbelief, limbs locked by pure shock. Is this real? 

You can feel the effort it’s taking for him to stay still, his thumb twitching every few seconds like he’s fighting the urge to pull away and retreat.

When you don’t immediately respond, Vernon exhales shakily and starts to pull his hand back, his lips parting as if to apologize. 

But before he can, your fingers move instinctively, brushing against his.

The contact is brief, but it’s enough to make him freeze. His eyes snap to yours, widening as if he doesn’t quite believe what just happened. Slowly, hesitantly, his fingers curl around yours, the warmth of his touch steadying you as much as it does him.

“I mean it. I don’t want you to move on, because I love you,” he says shakily. “I’m in love with you, and I don’t know if you still feel that way for me, but… I need you to know how I feel.”

In the depths of his eyes, you see the vulnerability he’s always tried to hide, the intensity of the emotions he’s been holding back for so long.

And it’s as if the whole room vanishes, leaving just the two of you standing there. The bouquet is forgotten, and so are the guests, their cheers having long faded into the background.

Your heart feels as though it’s about to explode from your chest, but the words spill out before you can think. “I love you, too.”

Vernon brightens, eyes lighting up his, his grin stretching from ear to ear, and you fold. He’s handsome and sweet and a little awkward and brilliant—and yours.

Before your next breath, he’s leaning forward, closing the distance between you. 

His lips meet yours in a kiss so soft, so gentle, that you barely feel it at all. Impatient, you eagerly lift your chin up for more of him. Wrapping your arms around his neck, deepening the kiss—oh, is it something to live for. You never want to let go. He tastes like chocolate and feels both firm and tender. He’s a dream come true—your very own prince, if you’re the princess. 

It feels like the world has finally clicked into place. You and Vernon are on the same page, and it’s indescribable, really.

When the roaring in your ears subsides, you hear some wolf whistles, and you suddenly realize where you are. You barely bring yourself to pull a few inches away from him, laughing softly, and he smiles, his eyes sparkling with so, so much warmth and love. It’s all for you. And you realize that here, in his arms, you feel full. You feel so warm, so cared for.

This, this is love. 

Masterlist

Author's Note: he's a bit of a loser in this, but i think he made up for it

Disclaimer: nothing i write is representative of how svt acts off camera, take their names as stand-ins for oc's!!

Taglist: @syluslittlecrows - @junplusone

[maple-the-awesome]

Another Link Crushes On You || Part 2

Part 1 ||

Pairings: Legend, Twilight, Wind x GN Reader

Overview: You've known Link for years - Well, a version of Link. Neither of you have seen yourselves as being anything more than friends, although it seems not all Link's think the same, in fact when you're introduced to the Chain, one of the boys falls pretty hard for you. I spun a wheel to let fate decide upon random pairs this time. Needless to say, I had a lot of fun with some of them😁

Zelda Masterlist 💚 Fandom Masterlist

Legend isn't a big fan of Skyloft which is something he decided rather quickly upon arrival - and no, it has nothing to do with the cold, thin air or hair-raising heights, although he’s also not a big fan of either. His problem lies solely on the cheerful atmosphere created by this village’s inhabitants. It’s all too easy going and mundane to fit an adventurer’s heart. Too familiar and painful, to boot. 

The others may think of him as aloof and, quite frankly, Sky might be a little offended, but Legend has no interest in exploring these islands or making friends with the locals. Never again. Instead of joining any guided tours or trading stories with inquisitive knights, he sinks into his own isolation, finding a quiet place to sit amongst the shore of Skyloft’s only large water source.

All by his lonesome, he’s free to find a good boulder to hide behind and tear away at his hair in a desperate attempt at calming his unsteady anxiety…That is, until he hears a sound - No, not a sound, a voice. A beautiful voice that doesn’t speak, but rather hums a delicate melody he’s certain he’s heard before, probably from Sky who has a habit of mumbling certain songs to himself while plucking his harp.

…And there you are, blissfully unaware of anyone else's presence by the lake as you approach the water's edge. Dropping a laundry basket in the sand, you carefully roll up your pant legs and kick off your boots, prepared to step into the cold water until you suddenly halt.

As if having developed some sort of sixth sense, you glance over your shoulder, quickly spotting the pink haired boy peeking at you from beside a boulder. The sight understandably startles you, yet despite how awkward this situation might look without context - what, to catch a total stranger apparently 'spying' from afar - you give him a kind, that be it nervous smile. People in Skyloft truly are too trusting for their own good.

"Oh hello there! …So sorry, I don't think we’ve met yet."

Legend sighs, realizing it would be creepier if he were to just ignore you. With his place of solace now ruined, he stands and dusts the sand off his tunic, "...That's because I'm not from around here."

"Oh?" You tilt your head cutely, likely confused as to what he could possibly mean, after all, where else would he have come from if not Skyloft? Looking him over, you take notice of his outfit, “Are you a knight? I see you have the uniform of one.”

The angel on Legend's shoulder begs him to be honest, after all there's no reason not to be. Naturally, Sky seems to be pretty well known around Skyloft, so maybe you wouldn't be too surprised to learn your local hero has become ensnared in another adventure, bringing home a handful of other heroes. You might even find Legend more interesting if he were truthfully, awed by the rare chance to meet someone outside of your own timeline...yet staying true to his own bad habits, he decides to dig his own grave instead:

"...Yeah, I’m a knight. I'm just usually really busy, so that's probably why you haven't seen me around, you know,” He explains boldly.

You furrow your eyebrows while finally stepping into the water, taking a handful of clothing items with you, "...Huh...I still could've sworn I knew everyone here, what, with the island being so small and all."

Legend cringes. He can't tell if you're simply speaking on your confusion or slyly catching him in a lie, although the uncertainty isn't enough to deter him, "W-Well, I don't live 'here' exactly. I live on one of the...outer islands - And I spend a lot of time there instead of here which would make it easy to miss me."

You give him a strange look that feels as if it could burn right through him, however you fortunately turn away before his heart can ignite, "...May I ask your name?"

"My...name?" He blinks as if that’s the strangest question you could’ve asked.

"I just feel a bit rude for never having noticed you before, but if I were to learn a name to put to the face, I doubt I'll ever walk past you again without a smile," And oh, how deadly your smile is, flashed over your shoulder so innocently, yet those eyes - They hold mischief behind them.

 "My name is Li - Ravio. That's my name," Another needless lie...

"Li Ravio?" You repeat, not looking very convinced, "That's certainly...a name, alright."

"W-Well, I didn't pick it!" Yes, yes he did...

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean any offense. It's a unique name, that's all, but that will make it easier to remember," You laugh at his misery, your eyes crinkling with the action. You then introduce yourself, your name sounding vaguely familiar, although Legend's in too much of a daze to think of why, "It's nice to meet you, Li Ravio."

He bites back a grumble, already regretting his life choices up until this point. Seriously, if he was going to give himself a cover name and story, couldn't he have picked something a little better? You probably think he's a weirdo, just showing up out of the blue with some half-assed backstory that sounds totally fake - Wait, what does he even care? It's not like he knows you! You're a random civilian from a timeline that comes generations before his own. If he wanted, he could march off and never see or think about you again...but does he want to?

Despite his previous desire for isolation, Legend remains standing there dumbly in the sand, entranced by the song you go back to humming while carefully scrubbing away at your laundry. You take no shame in your singing - which is good, because there's no reason to be. You sound nothing short of holy, and quite honestly, you match the look, practically glowing in the beams of sunlight. Even your movements are graceful, so much so that as you wade out of the water, you hardly disturb the water lilies around you.

"Where'd you learn to sing like that?" The question slips before Legend can help it, but there's no taking it back. You stop mid-step onto the sand, eyes quickly darting up to look at him in surprise. It's as if no one's ever been smart enough to give you that compliment before...or perhaps no one has ever sounded quite so astonished while saying it.

"My cousin and I sing every evening at the Lumpy Pumpkin," You explain, bashfully tucking a strand of hair behind your ear after dropping your laundry back into its basket and picking it up, "You should come by sometime. It’s on an island south east of here - Very cozy, and a great place to get to know new people, too.”

"I'll, um...think about it,” Legend answers awkwardly with a cough. Will they even be staying in Skyloft that long? How would he even get to another island, especially without anyone else following - Wait, why is he even considering this?! 

You seem to have lost some of your cheer. Perhaps that wasn’t the exact answer you were hoping to hear, however Legend, once again, has no way of taking it back.

“...Well, I, um, should get going. These clothes won’t dry themselves,” You mumble, gesturing to the basket you keep against your hip. Without waiting for any goodbye, you make your way up the shoreline, only stopping temporarily to shout over your shoulder, “Oh, and Li Ravio? I should probably tell you that Link was looking for you earlier! He wanted to make sure all you boys knew not to get too close to any edges! It’s quite the fall!”

Legend doesn’t respond, too stunned to form words as you chuckle to yourself before skipping off on your merry way. So you were aware of his lies the entire time!

Faced with tired bones and a sinking sun that plummets the world into night, the Chain has no choice but to call it a day (not that they have any objections towards rest). They practically collapse where they stand, taking a few greedy minutes to catch their breaths before picking up the work once again.

Setting up bedrolls, sparking a fire, organizing supplies, and chopping vegetables, the heroes are kept active for a decent hour or two until they can take another breather. Gathered around a wonky circle, their conversation is light and mostly focused upon their hunger which is only fueled by the pleasant smell of soup until it can be dished out.

About half the boys have bowls in their hands before a sudden snap of a twig causes them to trade their meals for weapons, senses on heightened alert especially when a stranger soon steps out of the shadows. At such a distance, the fire's light only barely outlines their silhouette, but that’s apparently all it takes for someone in their group to realize this is no actual stranger who's stumbled across them.

Hyrule's face lights up as he exclaims your name. Your own reaction is quite similar, switching from caution to excitement within the same second that you remove the hood from your head. The way you both move to greet each other, holding the other's arms with bright smiles and disbelief is quick to calm the other heroes. If you're a friend of the wary traveler's, then you'll be a friend to them.

"I thought it was your voice I heard from the trail, but then again, I haven't heard you in ages! And to find you in such a large group of companions? Never before! Where have you been for all this time, old friend?" You seem to go through several emotions all at once - a steady flow from relief, confusion, sorrow, and joy. Hyrule is hardly any better.

"It's a long story, but I haven't exactly been around to be seen," When you give him a bewildered look, he’s quick to brush it off, "I'll tell you all about it some other time - Hey, why don't you join us for dinner? There's plenty to go around!”

Your eyes instantly widen as you wave your hands in front of yourself, your smile suddenly strained, "Oh, no - no thanks! That's a kind offer, really, but I, um, ate not too long ago -"

"- Pss! He's not the one who does the cooking here," Someone whispers. At that, your shoulders visibly relax.

"...Oh...Well, uh, now that I think about it, it was really more of a light snack earlier. I suppose I could stand to eat something more."

Hyrule beams at this, clearly happy to have someone he knows so well stick around even if only for a night. It's then that he finally introduces you to the group, explaining that you're a fellow traveler he often crossed paths with during his own adventures. Seeing how dangerous this time can be, you had a habit of sharing supplies, camps, and stories to feel less alone in the world, so it's no wonder that you'd be so relieved to see each other safe again.

"Mind if I sit by you, stranger?" You ask, peeking around at Twilight while Hyrule grabs you a bowl of soup. Despite your tired eyes and worn expression, you still manage a friendly smile that causes the rancher to nearly choke on his spoon.

With a cough and blush, he scoots to the side, probably making far more room than you actually need, "...Not one bit."

"Thanks!" Fortunately, you don't seem to think anything of his reaction as you gratefully take a seat nor do you take any notice of the way he steals another curious glance at you.

Seeing as you're a new face within the group, it's only natural that you become the center of attention. Questions are thrown your way left and right, many interested to know your story which you modestly tell with little fanfare. Apparently, you've been a traveler for the last few years, wandering from place to place while making a living off trading the resources you collect throughout your journey. Before then, though, you used to live at your family's ranch.

"You grew up on a ranch?" Twilight asks a bit too eagerly once the topic's mentioned, earning himself a lot of strange looks including one from yourself, although you at least seem more forgiving than his friends, quickly letting your confusion go with a gentle nod.

"I did - For most my life, actually," That's all you say before going back to stirring your soup which you're thankful not to find any bone fragments in.

"What made you move on from that life?" Perhaps it's an out-of-line question a gentleman shouldn't be asking, after all he's no more than a stranger to you, but learning a pretty thing such as yourself may have a similar background to himself makes him forget all manners.

"...It was destroyed by monsters some time back," You answer simply while taking a bite.

Twilight bows his head, shame burning inside, "...Oh. I'm real sorry to hear that."

Despite his fears of having caused offense, you merely shrug off any discomfort, “My family made it out alright and we make do with what we have now. Can't go complaining about that."

"...I'm from a farming village myself - From Ordon,” He goes on to tell in a quiet ramble, “I’ve worked there as a ranch hand practically all my life, overseeing the goats we’re famous for. It’s quaint, and about as far from the big towns as you can get, but homely. And the people there - Why, I don’t think you’ll find anyone more kind and welcoming. Like livin’ in one big family.”

Once again, this probably isn't something he should be saying. If it were him, he'd be beyond distraught to lose the ranch to the point that any reminders would send him spiraling, yet to his continued good fortune, you take his story for what it's meant to be, setting down your spoon with a comforted smile.

"I'd love to see that…" Orondian, how you enchant him with such a soft gaze, taking him hostage in the sea of your sparkling eyes. If Hyrule's tales are any indication for the horrors of this broken world, you must be a true diamond in the rough to be from a place so cruel. Any less personal control and Twilight wouldn't hesitate to ask you to join them - to come along on this adventure and see how beautiful life will someday be. He could take you to Ordon and show you all he’s come to adore - let you breathe the fresh air scented like hay and pine while overlooking the familiar green fields you’ve dearly missed. Who knows? Maybe you’d even ask to stay. 

“I’d love to show you…”

"...Is this still a group conversation ooor?" Wild pipes in awkwardly from Twilight’s side, seeming to speak on everyone else’s discomfort as the poor, stricken young man loses himself to this yearning in his heart. This might be a long night and an even longer day tomorrow if they get stuck listening to him fawning over you...

You’re starting to doubt this shift will ever end…

It feels like you’ve been stuck in here for hours with nothing to do aside from sit at the counter and beg the sun to set just a little faster. You've already restocked inventory twice, organized stock to perfection, and swept the floor until your broom broke…If this keeps up, your sanity might just break, too.

Ringing from the front door’s bell gives you at least something to do as you sigh your typical greeting: "Welcome to Gia's General Store, where we have all your - LINK?!"

With a complete shift in mood, you happily leap up from your stool and race around the corner to meet your friend halfway in a tight embrace that you've both gone far too long without, "It's been ages! How have you been? Where have you been?"

Four chuckles at your eager questioning, "It hasn't been that long."

"Really? Because I swear five years have passed from this shift alone…" You groan dramatically before breaking away from the hug to get a solid look at him. Despite the months that have passed, he looks no different than when he had first set out. Good. You like him just the way he is anyway. 

"Please tell me you're planning on sticking around for a bit. I’ve been dying for something interesting to happen around here and your stories are just the salvation I need! I only have an hour to go until I can close up, though I'm afraid I might stab myself with a fire arrow before then. It’s been terribly boring!” 

That, Four doesn’t doubt. Your home village is as serene as they come which isn’t always a favorable trait in the judgement of two teenagers with more energy coursing through their bones than they know what to do with. Of course, he’s probably done no good helping matters by always filling your head with envious dreams of adventure and mystery. 

“We’ll probably be spending the night in town,” He tells you, much to your relief, “In the meantime, we have quite the list of supplies that we need to restock on, if you don’t mind.”

"We?" Somehow you only just notice the group of young men who managed to sneak into the store after Four. A few of them are already looking around at the items you have to offer, while others wait patiently with the hope that they'll be introduced to...Well, whoever you are to their dear friend.

"I would introduce everyone, but we all share the same name."

"All of you?" You look at Four in shock, yet he nods as if it's the most normal thing in the world to him...Then again, it probably is at this rate. Honestly you shouldn't be that surprised yourself. This is Link you're talking to.

"...Huh...Well, feel free to have a look around, I guess, and let me know if you need anything in particular. Arrows are buy one get two free right now, and fully in stock, too, since Link - Er, this Link, hasn't been in town to buy us out,” You explain to the group, jutting a thumb towards Four who rolls his eyes.

Now, usually you become a bit overwhelmed whenever large groups enter your shop, but seeing as these guys are Four's friends, you feel comfortable letting them wander freely. It helps that they seem to know exactly what they're looking for, too, making your job all the easier.

For the most part, the group allows Four and you privacy to catch up, only interrupting your conversation occasionally whenever they have questions about your prices or the quality of your goods, however you aren’t blind to the curious glances they spare you even in silence. No doubt they’re wondering how deep your relationship with Four goes, finding it endearing how at peace the young hero has become in your simple presence.

Most of these glances are quick enough, although you can’t help noticing that one of the boys seems to lack the same subtlety as his friends. Each time you steal a peek through the corners of your eyes, you spot him staring in your direction with an awed look overtaking his face. Whenever someone else nudges him to ask a question, he blinks rapidly with a stammer before bashfully looking away.

‘Cute…’ You’re tempted to think, but then you take notice of how young the boy seems to be. He must be at least a few years younger than Four and you - still a just child, at least by your standards which is an upsetting thought since context clues point to him being a hero, too. If that’s true, that must mean he was as young as Four was when he first set out on all this hero business himself, if not even younger. Poor kid…

Soon enough, Four confirms your suspicions about his traveling companions’ identities, telling you all about the strange portals they’ve traveled through and the journey they’ve been on up until this point. It was mere hours ago that they found themselves this close to home and, well, he couldn’t bear to pass by without seeing you or his uncle.

“Smart. I would’ve been livid had I found out you were in the area and didn’t stop by,” You elbow Four who pushes you back with his shoulder playfully before suddenly glancing behind you. Following his attention, you find the youngest hero standing there shyly, a minish feather necklace in one hand and a small pouch of rupees in the other.

Wind startles, seeming to have not expected your turn, “I, uh, wanted to know how much this was - um, is…So that I can buy it, if I may - for my little sister!”

You notice Four hiding his smirk behind his hand, yet you elect to ignore him for now, instead giving the younger boy your full focus with a kind smile, “How sweet of you. Consider it on the house, kid.”

“R - Really?” He brightens with possibly the widest eyes you’ve ever seen.

“‘course. Think of it as payment for helping my friend here find his way home safely.”

“Wow, thank you miss!” Oh goddesses above, his smile is adorable! He reminds you of the village children who often come here seeking sweet treats, such a simple delight to create lasting joy in their hearts. How you wish you could return to those days yourself - to no longer bear the weight of the world and its troubles in your thoughts. Alas, you could never so skillfully rewind time, but at least you can help protect that same innocence in others, even if only for a moment.

And protect it you do. Even late into the evening, Wind still cherishes that necklace in hand, carefully inspecting its details while kicking his feet giddily in memory of you, the pretty shopkeeper from Four’s Hyrule.

Sure, it probably isn’t that big of a deal. You gave the entire Chain a rather generous discount on their supplies despite their protests, but he was the only one who received your kindness personally without having to share. No one else aside from Four had the joy of seeing your beautiful smile directed his way, your expression soft and comforting like a warm breeze on the summer’s beach. 

He hadn’t lied. He does plan on giving the necklace to Aryll once this journey is over, but until then, he’ll probably admire it a little longer, at least until this crush of his settles within his heart.

[moonstruckme]

i saw you wanted some asks other than the marauders

what ab eddie munson x homeschooled reader. i’ve never seen anyone write that and i was homeschooled through middle and high school. maybe reader is just hanging out in eddies room when he gets home from school bc they’re house is chaotic and they’d rather hang out with eddie? maybe reader brings their school work over to eddies to do because it’s quite at his place. i would take my books and notebooks to my friends house and do my school work until i got distracted. and usually id just flip to the back of the books for the answers 👀

i would pack my books in a tote like bag and just walk over there when i could lol

Thank you for requesting lovely Pepper <3

Eddie Munson x fem!reader ♡ 436 words

There are signs of you already when Eddie gets home. A pair of shoes by the door, a tidier kitchen than either Eddie or Wayne have ever left it, and soft music coming from Eddie’s room.

He finds you laying stomach-down on his bed, bent over a book and munching on a bag of chips with the radio sitting on the open windowsill. The afternoon breeze brings in the smell of greenery and springtime. 

“Hey, beautiful.” Eddie lets his backpack slump to the floor. 

You don’t startle. Must have heard him coming up the road. You turn your head to greet him with a show-stopping smile. “Hey.”

“You didn’t have to clean the kitchen.” 

You shrug. “Figured if I’m going to steal your food, I may as well try and carry my weight.” You crunch down on a chip happily. “How was school?”

“Boring.” Eddie throws himself down onto the bed beside you, causing the springs to squeal and you to bounce slightly. “How’s your school going?” 

“Not bad. Also pretty boring.” 

“Yeah? Whatcha working on?” 

You hum as his face finds its way to the side of your neck. It’s your routine to come to the quiet of Eddie’s trailer to do your schoolwork, and it’s Eddie’s routine to distract you. You tend to prove yourself amenable to distraction. 

“Just math, you know. Bleh.” 

“Bleh,” Eddie agrees. He kisses where your heart beats under your jaw. “But look at you, miss studious. Still doing work at four thirty in the afternoon.” 

“Well” —he can hear the smile in your voice as you yield to distraction once again, letting go of your book to wrap your arms around him— “I didn’t actually start until noon.” 

A giggly squeal escapes you when Eddie grabs your waist without warning, digging his fingers into your sides playfully. You’re beneath him in a second. 

“Sounds like you’ve been working hard,” he says. 

“Not really,” you reply, voice ringing with delight. 

Eddie makes a pfft noise. He goes for your neck again, more to antagonize some more giggles out of you than anything else. “Harder than me. I think you deserve a break, sweetheart.” 

Your fingers burrow into his curls. “I could use a break,” you say amenably. 

“There’s my slacker.” Eddie works his way up to your mouth, catching the appalled laughter as it escapes. 

“Hey!”

“What? I told you, you’ve already done more than me.” 

“Yeah, but that’s such a low bar.” 

“Huh?” He grabs your sides, kissing you as you writhe with poorly contained glee. “I didn’t quite catch that, sweetheart. Maybe you wanna try saying that again.”

[sexhaver]

if your reaction to Musk pushing for more H1B visas is "wow the hitler salute guy accidentally did something good, this will be good for immigrants who get these visas" and not "hm, the richest guy on earth wants to expand a program that lets companies like his (and also literally his company in particular) hire immigrants in a way that gives the companies all the leverage and effectively stops those workers from exercising any of their labor rights (or even just switching to a better job) under threat of deportation, and he's also part of a White House that has been super vocally anti-immigration. perhaps there is some ulterior motive to this announcement and his proposed changes to the program that will result in these H1B immigrants getting taken advantage of" then you need to, idk, read the news more? stop taking fascists at face value? think about why fascists would support immigration specifically in the labor sector while physically blocking it everywhere else?

my issue with Musk proposing an expansion of the H1B program has not, and has never been, "competition" from immigrants. this job market is already horrendous, H1Bs are a drop in the bucket in that regard and anyone seriously mad that an immigrant "stole their job" is either racist or falling for racist propaganda. my issue is the opposite: if i and an H1B holder both get hired for the exact same job, they will be making a fraction of my salary (because of their immigrant status) with none of the protections against labor violations or even the ability to just walk away and work somewhere else (again, because of their immigrant status). they're doing the same work as me (better, actually, to qualify for a green card) and yet they're getting paid less and treated worse because they're an immigrant.

and in theory you can counter this with "okay but it's worth it for them to put up with that because after a few years they'll be a citizen and able to make the big bucks with labor protections too", but here's the thing: a fascist White House talking out one side of their mouth about issuing more H1Bs and making them cheaper, while simultaneously ranting about "closing the border" and sending Fox News teams out on ICE raids the day after inauguration, is not a White House that has any intention of letting these visa holders become citizens. big companies are overwhelmingly going to use these new H1Bs as a way to hire people, string them along for a while while underpaying and overworking them, and then find some reason to not give them a green card at the end of the process. formerly the incentive for companies not to do that was all the overhead fees associated with the H1B itself, but oh look, Musk wants to reduce those too.

like, yeah, i get it, the process of becoming a US citizen is a nightmare designed to be hostile and let in as few people as possible. the solution to that is absolutely not to let ELON FUCKING MUSK, the RICHEST MAN ON EARTH, rework + expand H1Bs. do you really trust him to handle that in a way that results in anyone but him and his friends winning. do you expect the average H1B holder experience to end in citizenship under Trump's administration. do you really.

[ainnur]

we know you like celestialchaos (Wukong/Xiangliu) and divorced shadowpeach (where Macaque is the pathetic ex) but do you have any other LMK ships?

with or without Wukong, doesn’t matter

I DO!! Im a semi multishipper so I have few ships I like and some of them a pretty rare but I'll explain why I like them in simple way.

Start with my third favorite:

StableBoy (Ao Lie/Wukong)

To me this ship just a cute one. It match my hc that Ao Lie being the first person Wukong ever open up to after all the shit he been through because Wukong loves horses lol. And Ao lie is one of the persons that see Wukong grow to be better. I can see it as first ever heathy relationship Wukong ever have. Also Ao Lie the first person he ever truly trusted always listening to what he says. Ao Lie is Wukong's light.

OTHER SHIPS 👇🏼👇🏼

GoldenDragon (Mk/Mei)

Best friend to lover trope. They is two people that would say "If we single when we 27, we just marry each other" and the keep their dynamic. Plus they always be their for each other and match each other energy. They know each other the best and I like that about them. And when I first watched lmk I actually think they were dating or something lol. Im just like the silver and gold brother demon 🥲 sue me. If anything GoldenDragon is not parelle with Shadowpeach but StableBoy.

FreeNoddle (Tang/Pigsy)

Old married couple for the win✨ I just like how they lovingly fight with each other but comfort each other when needed.

LionPeach (Azure/Wukong)

This really giving love at first sight 😭I mean what is this. Look I like them because they cute. Azure admire Wukong and see him as great warrior, a bother, the King! Little bit too much its unhealthy. And Wukong have all his trust and having same gold as him and that is making the world a better place. But because his admiration, he blame Wukong for failing. For not achieving what he expect of Wukong to be. He also think what he doing is right. But even everything he never wanted to hurt anyone deep down and he made mistakes and redeemed himself with his life despite everything he loved his friends and they all loved him. Just look at Wukong when Azure die. And after everyting Wukong still care about him in a way.

Shadowpuppet (Not Mayor/Macaque)

Petty rival that somehow get together lol. I like them both being shitty to each other but cant leave each other side because they only have each other 🥲.

DestinyBone (Mayor/Lady Bone Demon)

One side love. Mayor do everything for LBD while her only focus on her destiny. Everything he do is for her but now she gone...he is nothing.

PuppetPeach (Wukong/Mayor)

Toxic yuri- okay look I have this idea for them with Mayor try to find someone else to serve after LBD is gone. At first Mayor dont like Wukong because you know, Wukong is the one make him realize that LBD never actually need him. But when fighting with Wukong he remember something. The warm that Wukong left him. It also cold when come to lbd and that how he like it but this warm feel strange to him. After some stalking he see Wukong as the leader, as the protector, as the hero and most importantly as a KING. Someone who deserve to be serve. I made a fanfic once about them HERE

StringDoll (Spider Queen/Lady Bone Demon)

✨Toxic Yuri for real ✨No explainition just them

IronBull (PIF/DBK)

Vilain power couple ✨. They may be a shit parents to Red Son but damn they're THAT couple. They just good with each other. I like how dbk defend PIF by saying that PIF can handle herself because she is a strong women but still worry about her because THAT his wife, he have right to be worry. And PIF? She loyal for him. 500 years finding way to free her husband from mountain. *Ehem* Take note Macaque *Ehem*. PIF would rush to her husband always. Just like when Azure attack DBK and his family, PIF quickly rush and jump infront of her husband wanting to protect him. I was like damn, you go girl ✨They either be good parents or good couple. They made their decision lol.

GoldenFeather (Peng/Wukong)

Okay I like this ship because my friend @starrclown make me ship theme with their cute fanfic. But I still have my own idea for them. I like them in 2 way

1)Peng having a casual crush on Wukong. Its never anything big. Peng just think Wukong is funny and chaotic. Peng love 'chaos' anyway and without it they think it be boring. Peng know that Wukong never actually like anyone and is fine by that. If Wukong like them back it be awasome but if Wukong dont Peng will be just find.

2) Peng have crush on Macaque😬. Hate crush but still crush. The thing is that Mac is a simp for Wukong and Peng just don't get it. He just don't get what so good about Wukong that got Macaque drolling like that. Peng being curious and also don't want seem as coward like Macaque ask Wukong for a "night" just to have the taste. Now he understand Macaque and wanting Wukong

Also Peng might be more important to Wukong consider he is one of first ink from Wukong scroll that show up and the first one to attack

This is OC x Canon:

ToxicPeach (Steve/Wukong)

Okay this is crack ship that me and my friend @halfdeadhalfpaniced made with random character we call Steve. But more time pass I kinda like the ship. Steve the wanna rockstar fall in love with the Monkey King himself. Wukong is questioning why he like that loser lol

[theamarischapter]

He's Not My Boyfriend!

CHAPTER 02; denial

pairing: beomgyu x f!reader

w/c: 1.5k

genre: strangers to frenemies to lovers, high school au, slow burn…ish (?), fake dating (for a day)

warnings: none!

summary: you both refuse to give in to your dumb friends’ teasing. beomgyu doesn’t even know where this shipping stuff came from! he never told anyone about his crush on you, not even his best friend. and without that, he’s moved on. he doesn’t like you anymore. his heart belongs somewhere else, and it's not like you want him, eiether. how annoying...

fic below the cut! enjoy <3

Beomgyu’s been quite irritable lately. It’s weird, honestly. Kai has never seen his best friend so…distant. I mean, since the day you all ate lunch together, Beomgyu seems kind of distracted. The teasing has settled but he refuses to even mention your name at all. He’s in one of your classes, but he seems to avoid your gaze and keep interactions short. It makes sense, you think; things are going to be inevitably awkward considering the fact that every word, every glance, every moment is being scrutinized and made sense of by your friends.

— °˖✧✿✧˖° —

Beomgyu hates this. He’s mostly confused, but also a bit annoyed. Why has all of this started so suddenly? It just brings back bad memories. It brings back the part of himself he’s been trying to bury since freshman year—the insecure, quiet loser in the corner of the classroom whose eyes, which hid behind overgrown bangs, focused on you.

He, honestly, thought he could be in love with you. He wasn’t though, no way. He couldn’t even muster the courage to speak to you, so he couldn’t have known you well enough to love you. Still, being in your presence made his heart race and his ears burn. His chest would tighten and swell and his stomach would flutter and he wouldn’t be able to focus, instead occupied “fixing” his hair for the umpteenth time; you deserved his utmost effort. Since he was young, he thought you were pretty, but never paid much mind to you. It was the first day of 8th grade when he walked into math class and you waved with a small, kind smile that he really saw you. And, well, he was a goner after that.

He began to notice the gentle flutter of your pretty eyelashes whenever you’d look down at your paper. A small crease would form between your brows when you were confused and you’d push your lips into a cute, concentrated pout as your eyes scrutinized the paper. Then, the answer would come to you suddenly and you’d nod to yourself in understanding. When you were bored, he’d see you across the classroom folding a sticky note into a butterfly, smiling softly to yourself. He’d find himself smiling, too, before feeling embarrassed and looking away. It was always like that. He’d hear you laughing with your friends and feel urged to laugh too. Your laugh was contagious and bubbly. It was gentle and sincere, giving others confidence in their humor. He’d longed to be by your side. To have your attention and validation. Maybe he was a loser, maybe he was insecure, but if he could just get you, he’d be okay. Everything would be fine and perfect.

He contemplated many times if he should ask Kai for help, but never did. In fact, he never told Kai—never told anyone—which makes the current predicament all the more confusing. Did someone know? Was he obvious? Was it a coincidence? Either way, he got over his feelings by now. He forced himself to do so once he was disillusioned by your charm. He realized that despite being your cousin’s best friend and despite going out of his way for your attention, you never truly acknowledged him. He felt like an alien. Like he was a little ant reaching for the moon; It was stupid to ever entertain the thought of you, so he moved on and accepted that he was nothing. And since high school started, he’s been better than ever. He’s changed himself into someone he can be proud of. He’s confident, more outgoing, and more passionate about his hobbies. More important, however, is that he’s completely over you.

— °˖✧✿✧˖° —

He sits beside Kai in their shared history class, the sound of mumbled chatter filling the room. The teacher had given the class time to work on their assignment, allowing them to work together quietly (which was emphasized) if need be. The bright, fluorescent lights shine brightly overhead, illuminating Beomgyu’s soft, concentrated features. He hums in thought, slouching in his seat slightly, arms resting atop the wooden desk.

“I think you should give y/n a chance,” Kai whispers suddenly, lips pulled into a smug smile. He leans into Beomgyu’s space, his imploring gaze analyzing the subtle shift in Beomgu’s expression. He senses the upcoming rebuttal from Beomgyu and quickly explains. “I mean, you have nothing to lose!”

Beomgyu sighs, a little exhausted, tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. His brows furrow and he focuses narrowed on the empty worksheet in front of him. His lips purse as he slowly shakes his head. In a quiet, sincere tone, he replies. “I don’t like her though.”

“But you could! If you gave her a chance,” Kai refutes quickly, earning a small huff from Beomgyu, who rolls his eyes and slouches in his seat a little. Kai isn’t wrong, per se, but it’s not something he’d like to entertain. Or, more accurately…

“I can’t.” He replies, looking down thoughtfully. He holds a pen, spinning it carefully between his fingers as he hums in thought. There’s a hint of hesitation, his ears turning a faint shade of pink before he looks back up at Kai. “I don’t want Yeji getting the wrong idea.”

Yeji? As in…cheerleader, class president Yeji? Things seem to click for Kai—Beomgyu’s been so bothered, so defensive, because he likes someone else. He has the urge to feel a little offended at the fact that his best friend hadn’t mentioned his feelings sooner, but it’s no matter now.

“You like her?” Kai asks, head tilting inquisitively. His eyes hold a curious wonder that encourages Beomgyu to explain. There’s a beat of silence, interrupted with the quiet rustle of fabric as Beomgyu shrugs. Kai interprets it as a resounding yes. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Well, I’m trying to keep things chill. But none of you are helping.” Beomgyu sighs, a tinge of annoyance in his tone—not necessarily directed toward Kai, just at the situation.

He was determined, since the start of the semester, to finally make a move on the girl who’s caught his eye since freshman year. Well, let’s be honest, she catches everyone’s eye, but Beomgyu’s feelings had developed through small gestures and interactions. She’s friendly and easy to get along with, but also competitive and high-achieving. Not to mention her looks, which are unreal. Long, dark hair frames her round face. Her skin is soft and glowy, always looking perfect no matter the circumstance. She has a cute smile and pretty, elegant features. She’s, at least in the curated perspective of a rather whipped Beomgyu, perfect. He could care less about any supposed flaws, because in his opinion, they only add to her desirable image.

He thinks his chances are pretty okay…ish. They’ve only gotten worse with all the shipping. Truly, he’s quite annoyed with the whole ordeal and has pinned the blame on you. He doesn’t want Yeji thinking he’s off limits or something. Even if he were to tell her that it means nothing, he’s afraid it might turn her away from him. So, that’s why he’s been so defensive everytime someone utters that dumb ship name. Just last week, he got so annoyed with Soobin that he temporarily blocked him…

He’s serious about winning Yeji over. Apparently, they’re “talking” (he seems to use the word pretty loosely…), and things are going well.

— °˖✧✿✧˖° —

After much reflection, you’ve landed on the conclusion you knew since the beginning. You absolutely do not want Beomgyu. It’s nothing personal against him! He’s just, decidedly, the complete opposite of your type—from what you remember, at least. You don’t know him too well, but you remember him being more introverted, and the same amount of nerdy as Kai. He plays guitar, but doesn’t do any sports or participate in any clubs. The only thing you can give him is that he’s pretty funny; he always seems to have perfect timing, even if the jokes he makes tend to be odd or immature. And, around his friends at least, he’s not as quiet, but still…

You prefer guys like Choi Yeonjun. Athletic, popular, confident. Not to say that Beomgyu isn’t confident! You’re sure he is, but there’s something about the way Yeonjun carries himself that draws your attention and forces you to admire him until he’s out of sight. He walks with a natural comfort, as though nothing in the world could knock him over. He’s not humble, no, he parades his achievements around with confidence. He’s hot and he knows it. He’s the star player of the basketball team and he’s not afraid to admit it. Yet, despite that, it never feels like he’s putting anyone else down. He’s kind and quick to pick others up, he treats everyone equally. And something about all that is insanely attractive to you. Beomgyu’s cool, but he’s too soft, too quiet, too much of a loser.

It’s clear now: you don’t like him and he doesn’t like you. That’s that, and your friends can all stay in delusion land if they think you two would ever get along as more than friends...

Well, like...he could be worse, right? Maybe if you’re desperate, you’ll give him a chance.

a/n: not much interaction this chapter, mostly background stuff and setting up for future chapters. trust!! next chapter things will start kicking off !! a bit of forced proximity i suppose...but not too forced. hope you enjoyed this one, though. comments, likes, and reblogs are greatly appreciated! thanks for your support :)

— °˖✧✿✧˖° —

previous: chapter 1

upcoming: chapter 3 - your friends manage to trick you into hanging out together...you'll kill them for this!!!

[shepherds-of-haven]

Hi Lena! Was going through some old asks and was curious, if Junoth was part of the Shepherds in the game how would he get along with the other characters?

I know he does exist doing his own thing from the short stories but pretending like that isn’t the case lol

Hi anon, this is such a fascinating question! Give me a second to think on it...

...Okay! I'm going to go with the novel version of Junoth, or as best as I could transfer him: a spry, gamboling, youthful Ket (Khehi-Ket from Chicora, specifically, soldier class) with a lanky build, fox-orange hair, tan skin, and pointed, pixie-ish features. Energetic, enthusiastic, exuberant, vigorous, but fairly puppy-like and, unfortunately, a bit dumb. He has his clever moments, but he largely needs most things explained to him... simply, or he'll just stare at you with a blank, well-meaning look of confusion, like, "Okay.................. ...I don't get it." 🤦🏻‍♀️ Raucous, boundlessly optimistic, and full of determination and zeal, he gives off strong "little brother" energy, but not as cute or childlike as Caine. More like your maddening, half-grown 19-year-old brother who casually goes through your stuff even though you keep telling him to stay out and inadvertently (or possibly deliberately) says insensitive stuff about you in front of your crush or pranks you so unceasingly that you just want to strangle him. More on him here for folks who aren't familiar!

Blade: Blade and Junoth were childhood friends in the novels, so it's hard for me to separate that out and say they wouldn't be at least reluctant friends in the game! I'm going to quickly headcanon a scenario where Blade started the Shepherds and his childhood friend/old second-in-command showed up to help out, having handed in his resignation to follow his old friend and commanding officer Blade into the great unknown 🥹 So they'd definitely be friends, even though Blade would act even more annoyed by him than he does with Trouble (but still less so than Chase. ...Or Red.). It'd be a friendship borne of long tolerance and experience and history!

Trouble: they'd be fast friends! I can't imagine what unholy terror they would reign with Chase rounding off the trio. (Well, I suppose I can imagine it, because they did it in the novels.) I think he'd be closer to Junoth out of almost anyone else in the Shepherds, especially because Junoth would remind him of some of the boys he grew up with in his street gang. They'd always be underfoot, smoking charch and giggling together like schoolboys and planning some kind of mischief

Tallys: I think she'd either be indifferent to Junoth or would find him soooo annoying lol, he's pretty loud and reckless and bursting with an energy that would most likely give her a headache. She'd probably do her best to avoid him! She likes calm energy like Shery or Halek or Riel, and with her lifespan, she'd probably look at Junoth and think he's even more of a kid than the rest of the non-Elves 😭

Shery: I think she'd like having him around! Junoth is pretty biddable and approachable, as well as naturally a follower, so she'd find him very easy to talk to and approach! He's the very picture of non-threatening, which made him somewhat of an oddball in Ket society. If she could get him to settle down, she'd probably have a pretty tame assistant who'd be willing to help her out whenever she needed, so she'd enjoy his company a lot!

Riel:

Ohhhhh he would want to die. He could deal with Trouble. But Chase... and then you throw Briony into the mix... Privately he would refer to Junoth in his head as 'The Migraine.' Partially because Junoth is fond of dressing in extremely loud and clashing colors. It would set off Riel's neuroticism just to look at him. He'd also think Junoth is something of a rube. 'What's the rube bleating about today?' Ah, it's something about a drinking contest. Of course. His antipathy wouldn't manifest as cold disdain the way it does with Chase--he just wouldn't really have anything to say to Junoth most days, and if he did, it would be with bland professionalism--but if Junoth were to ever leave, Riel would feel a slight nostalgia for his persistent good-heartedness, at least. So they wouldn't be friends, but Riel also wouldn't hate him!

Chase: Good, goooooooood, Anakin! A third compatriot to round out the Three Chaosmigos! And he'd enjoy Junoth's blunt honesty and unadulterated way of looking at the world, though privately he'd shake his head at the endless optimism. He'd take Junoth under his wing instantly and then corrupt him to unfounded levels. Junoth's somewhat innocent boyishness would be converted to all kinds of misadventures. Junoth would certainly emerge more educated in the ways of the world... but at what cost?

Red: they'd be friends just like Red is friends with pretty much everyone else in the inner circle, but they wouldn't be like hanging out one-on-one, it would mostly be just in a group setting! He'd enjoy Junoth's presence and personality and respect him as a companion, but they don't have enough in common to be really interested in each other!

Ayla: She'd be a big fan of Junoth, honestly. At first she'd act a little annoyed by him because all of the cool kids do, but in actuality she'd find his enthusiasm and non-threatening, honest energy infectious and would really enjoy spending time with him. They'd probably come to be good friends with a sibling relationship; her, the tough, worldly older sister who he'd look to for advice, him the guileless and loyal ingenue she's always wanted to have around. They'd get along very well!

Briony: She'd love Junoth!!! She'd be obsessed with him, honestly. Instant brother to her. They'd be great friends and just pal around all the time, each feeding the other's natural energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. Have you ever seen two friends or siblings who are just constantly hyping each other up? That would be them. I actually think Junoth would become her best friend if he were around!

Halek: There would be much groanings and complaints from him whenever Junoth was in the vicinity. The guy is loud and boisterous, both to look and to hear, and he'd be a constant disruption to Halek's attempts to nap! In actuality, they'd get along pretty okay, but they wouldn't really be close friends. They wouldn't have enough in common or be truly compatible enough to be so.

Lavinet: for some reason I feel like Junoth would be stunned by Lavinet! Not exactly on the level of a crush, but he'd get a bit stammery and flummoxed around her, mostly because being around a beautiful noblewoman would be so far outside the scope of his typical experience that he'd default to a kind of meek and worshipful politeness that she'd end up enjoying very much. It would kind of be like a stableboy/footman to princess energy between them, and of course she's going to enjoy that: who wouldn't appreciate such honest and respectful admiration?? He'd probably be devoted to her LOL

Thanks for the fun question!

[chamerionwrites]

There are a number of specific personal anecdotes I could cite here. But many years later, the one that (sort of ironically given how it ultimately turned out) hacks me off the most is this:

In college, walking in a park at dusk, with my friend and his two roommates (all dudes). We came over a hill, heard a yelp, and silhouetted against the fading sunset we saw the shadow of a large man throwing what was clearly a much smaller woman to the ground.

My friend and I sprinted down the hill, shouting and clenching our fists, fully prepared to try to fuck this guy up. It’s at this point that I should probably mention that in college I was all of 130 pounds (at 5’9”). My friend Mike was a little Filipino guy several inches shorter than me; I quite possibly outweighed him. (Also he happens to be gay, which is not an indicator of somebody’s prowess in a fight, but you know. Plenty of people sure think that it is.)

This story has a happier and more anticlimactic ending than it may initially appear, because as it turned out this was a guy and his girlfriend goofing around and we jumped to the worst conclusions because it was dark and nobody else was around. She thought the whole thing was hilarious. He was extremely red in the face, but also kind of sheepishly grateful to us for intervening. A minute later Mike’s roommates came down the hill, also looking sheepish and a little wary, and everything was explained and no harm was done.

Afterward one of the roommates playfully took me to task for it. What did I think I was going to do, against this guy who was twice my size? I told him I didn’t really have time to think about it, I just reacted, but I wasn’t going to do nothing. “So you started a fight that I would have had to finish,” he told me. Still playfully, but I thought I could sense some real frustration there. “I’m the one who would have had to intervene, to keep you from getting your ass kicked.”

Like I said he was being playful, and at the time I didn’t react as strongly as I wish I had in hindsight. But the older I’ve gotten and the more I’ve thought about that situation, the angrier I’ve become. I signed him up for a fight? He and the other roommate were the ones waffling at the top of the hill. There were four of us and one of the other guy, and he hung back like a coward, and then he tried to frame that as a failure on my part instead of a failure on his.

This is what I always think about, when I hear that kind of who-will-protect-you-if-not-for-traditionally-masculine-men whining. As a person who tends to get along pretty well with men, whose most beloved and admired friends are and always have been mostly men, who frankly has always had a bit of trouble making friends with women and fitting into women-only spaces (and there is A LOT to be said about the whys of this, much of it about toxic femininity and women as enforcers of misogyny and the gendered violence they will aim at other women who don’t Do Gender correctly - so don’t clown in my notes)….I have enormous respect and admiration for my male friends! I get as annoyed as anyone when people are unnecessarily shitty to or about men.

But also, I’m gonna be real with you guys. When the chips are down far too many of you - white straight cis men especially - are abject self-centered cowards who will not raise a finger to defend anyone more vulnerable than yourselves. Who actively loathe vulnerability, in fact, because you have been taught to have zero compassion for it in either others or (tragically) yourself. Who would not last even a single day in the shoes of the women and queer people that you secretly or not-so-secretly consider soft.

Possibly THE most obnoxious misogynist talking point to me personally is the whining about how only a good guy with a gun patriarchal masculinity can stop a bad guy with a gun patriarchal masculinity, so you stupid women had better stop shit-talking men (complaining about misogyny) because who will protect you otherwise?

Uh, statistically? Not you.

Anecdotally, in 9 out of 10 cases the person who intervenes when a man is being violent/threatening/creepy/etc is a woman or a queer dude, so. Also not you.

[makotonaegiunderstander]

something I’ve been thinking abt is how many people think Makoto is immune to despair. I don’t think he is. I think becoming the ultimate Hope was BECAUSE he felt despair. He wouldn’t have fully reached that point without Junko. Makoto becoming such a beacon was his last attempt to avoid completely falling and it wasn’t because he didn’t feel despair, it was because he was too damn stubborn to allow everything to go to waste and he refused to sacrifice his beliefs for someone else’s. His inner monologue tells me he DID experience the same new low the other suvivors did in the final trial, but at the point where he had the choice to give up and die, he looked at the others and he looked at Junko and he couldn’t allow it to happen, not out of self preservation, but because the idea that Junko would have control over their lives made him FURIOUS. and that utter refusal to die kicked in, wether luck or otherwise, and he made the concious effort for one last push while something in him was breaking. He had to be broken in order for the Ultimate Hope to come through so aggressively, bc it could only exist in the face of the Ultimate Despair. He snapped the same way she did, but in the other direction. In what could have been his final moments he chose to embody everything Junko wasn’t, and every single optimistic and luck fueled ideal in him suddenly charged forward and pushed him. It was a combination of the final straw and a choice. Makoto isn’t immune to feeling despair, he’s just too stubborn to fall into it of his own volition. I think that’s why I like that scene in DR3 so much. People were SO SHOCKED Makoto actually fell for the tape, that he actually became despair for a moment. I saw people getting mad or disappointed, saying it was pathetic and Makoto seemed to fall from some sort of pedestal for them. Honestly part of me wonders if that sort of mentality, which clearly people had in universe, affected Makoto a bit. Like he started to see himself as less of a person, subconsciously. Prompting him to take more risks, less self preservation, act way more bold. It seems he has to be reminded a lot not to put himself in danger by his friends, to not do something too reckless. All over the place I would see in regards to that scene either this frivolous ‘oh this was just angst drama with no meaning behind it’ or ‘he can do better than that. he’s so weak’ or ‘come on, there’s no way he’d fall into despair, he’s the Ultimate Hope!’ This kind of mentality, which was kind of ironic considering Ryota was there the entire time saying the same thing and treating Makoto the same way. Like Makoto was superhuman. Like Makoto didn’t feel despair the same way ‘normal people’ did. In a way that was also how Munakata saw Makoto. Makoto stopped being a PERSON to the world when he became Ultimate Hope, he became a concept, a belief system, much the same way Junko ascended beyond herself. But the difference is that treating Makoto that way is the opposite of the reason Makoto became such a representative for hope. He wasn’t doing something no one else could. He was doing something everyone had the chance to, he just… was a little more optimistic, a little more stubborn, a little more ‘gung-ho’ about things. He just took the lead where no one else did, where no one else knew they even COULD in the face of Junko’s unstoppable force. She had overcome the biggest threats and obstacles in the world, what could one person do? And the answer Makoto found was, anything. Everything. It doesn’t all rest on Makoto, he’s just the one that was inspired to try to do what seemed like the impossible. But as evidenced by the change in his friends after that trial, it’s clearly not something only Makoto is capable of. The others pulled out of despair thanks to Makoto, but it was their choice to do so.

“But… this world is so huge, and we’re so small. What can we do…? No, we can probably do anything. Yeah! We can do anything!”

[hadesknockedupintheunderworld]

I know this may sound crazy but remember how in No Way Out, Sonic told Nine that he still considered him to be a friend while getting down on one knee and Nine calmed down? Later in Nine’s Lives, Nine says “Typical” when seeing Sonic run to the others and accused Sonic of betraying him when Sonic called the others his friends.

Nine was sort of acting like Sonic proposed to him and then cheated on him by being friends with the others.

Okay so first of all, I don't think you're crazy. During S3 there's actually plenty of evidence that Nine is jealous, both of the Tails variants and Sonic considering everyone else his friends.

One example that presents his specific kind of jealousy is during Episode 2 of Season 3, when Nine first appears to Sonic in New Yoke.

"Everything is collapsing... This is terrible!"

"Is it? That seems odd coming from you. As far as I can tell you only care about your own home."

Essentially what I'm getting at is this. I do believe that pre betrayal, Nine admittedly considered Sonic to be the most important person to him, and thought Sonic may have felt the same way. And the "betrayal" at the end of S2 hurt Nine very deeply. He had this image of Sonic in his head that was shattered by the finale, so he sort of instinctively switches to thinking the worst about Sonic because he can't trust that anything he thought before wasn't a lie. This is one of the reasons that he can't fathom Sonic caring about shatterspaces other than his own home.

But it's not just that he can't fathom it, it's that due to this deep hurt, Nine cannot allow himself to believe it.

Because if Sonic genuinely cares about the shatterverse as a whole, if he genuinely cares about saving all of these people, then to Nine, what made him the exception?

Sure, we the audience can see Sonic’s journey in Prime. We can see that by the end of S2, Sonic wanted to keep the shatterverse safe just as much as he wanted to bring back Green Hill. He wanted everyone to be alive and happy. But from Nine's pov here, he's just learned that Sonic lied to him, spoke honeyed words and manipulated him just to get to the prism. None of that is true, but he doesn't feel like Sonic actually cares for him or wants him. So at this point, for Sonic to put saving all of these people over saving his own home or genuinely worrying about their home makes Nine feel like the exception or that his feelings about Sonic must be wrong. Either one of those ideas he'd understandably like to avoid (because one means that Sonic is genuine with everyone except for him, and the other would mean to him that his feeling of betrayal and hurt feelings post S2 finale are misplaced and not allowed to be had, though he feels justified feeling hurt)

And that scene in S3 E3 No Escape is actually another big exemplifier of Nine's brand of jealousy and just how hurt he is.

"Don't worry. Beneath the surface, my new friends are far simpler than the flawed creatures you knew and loved. And all the more loyal for it."

Starting out strong, Nine takes a not so subtle shot at Sonic's friends while taking subtler shot at Sonic's loyalty, since Sonic had been his first and only friend.

"Ever wonder where we'd be if things had gone differently between us?"

"...Not anymore."

"I do. All the time."

"Not anymore." Implying that post the S2 finale he really had dwelled (at least for a time) on thoughts of how things could have been different. How he wished things could have gone differently.

And Nine gets visibly angry/frustrated when Sonic confesses he's always thinking about how things could have been different. Perhaps because it feels like a slap to the face, or feels hard to believe.

"Tch. You had your chance."

"...Right back at ya, bud."

And then, despite his anger, despite how he's been trying to get Sonic all along so he can drain his energy and save his home, Nine ignores Sonic's "should we get this over with". He puts on another one of those faces, similar to earlier when Sonic arrived and Nine talked about his "new friends". Perhaps to cover up exactly the way he's feeling in this moment with a veneer of superiority (he always did something similar when talking up Sonic to the Chaos Council).

"You know...after all this time...I think I finally understand you, Sonic."

...

"You wanna save everyone. Friends. Foes. Total strangers! You say it's because you're a hero and that's what heroes do, but deep down... After what you did—destroying your own home—it's the only way you can ever live with yourself. Even if that means you won't live at all."

And while I think Nine isn't incorrect—that there is a part of Prime!Sonic who's been acting out of selfishness, caring more about feeling like a good person than actually being one—these are still words from someone who feels betrayed by Sonic. I think there's a level to which Nine is seeing a part of Sonic no one else did, and also to a level which Nine is trying to recontextualize Sonic's more heroic/selfless seeming actions so he can reconcile them with how he feels about Sonic and sees him at this moment. In other words, while he's seeing a facet of Sonic he didn't see before, this is not all encompassing of who Prime Sonic is. It's just that perhaps by believing that Sonic's every seemingly selfless action is disingenuine, that all those nice words and intent to save people is just so Sonic can feel good rather that actually caring about anyone, then Nine doesn’t have to feel like the exception. Then he can see Sonic as someone who is pretending to care about all of this, and Sonic's other friends as fools who don't see what he (Nine) has seen.

But as I said, it's more complicated than that. Perhaps Nine is seeing a facet of Sonic that other people don't see or don't want to see, but Prime!Sonic is multifaceted. Perhaps he does want to hurry up and sacrifice himself in this scene because then he can finally feel like he's atoned for what he's done and he's absolved of/paid for his crimes, but that also doesn't mean he doesn't genuinely care about the lives of people in the shatterverse.

"If I don't make it, and you do, how do I know you'll keep your promise."

"Don't worry. Your 'friends' are safe. Once I have your energy, I can restore everything. They can have their silly lives in their silly spaces, as long as they leave me alone."

"Fair enough."

...

"And for what it's worth...I wouldda done the same for you."

"Don't lie to me..."

"I'm not–"

"DON'T!"

"Think whatever you want, but it's true. Even after everything you've done, everything we've been through. Together. Against each other. You're still my friend, Nine."

I really couldn't express more just how hurt Nine feels. That he doesn't believe Sonic would give anything up for him, even if he were to accept that Sonic would do that for everyone else. When he tells Sonic not to lie to him, frustrated, angry, voice wavering, I think it's because he can't take this again. If Sonic is lying just to manipulate him, if this isn't genuine, if he's just using him again, he can't take it again.

This is an incredibly intimate scene. With Sonic, standing face to face to Nine, inside Nine's safe space, his home that no one else has been into, behind the physical representation of the walls surrounding Nine's heart post betrayal, this is his first time all season really being allowed to speak to Nine directly. Here there's no one to perform to aside from each other.

But you can see that despite everything, Sonic still reaches Nine in this scene. It's not easy, but he reaches Nine's heart, leading Nine to start to believe in him again.

And that's why it's a pity the other variants show up when they do, using Sonic to breach Nine's walls. With the way Nine reacts after this happens, Sonic may as well have made Nine believe in that image of him again. Sonic may as well have made Nine believe that Sonic does care about him, that he'd do anything for him (or, at least, would give his life for him like he would for the others if it meant they could live), only to be the trojan horse that allowed the enemy™ to breach his safe space. The pretty lie.

At the beginning of S3 E4 Nine's Lives, Nine says "Predictable" when Sonic runs over to his friends. And, as anon mentioned, Nine says that Sonic has betrayed him for the last time, calling the deal off.

I wouldn't necessarily say here that Nine feels as if Sonic had cheated on him so to speak, but I would say that even if Nine doesn't see Sonic as a willing "trojan horse" here, Nine still feels like a fool for "falling for it again", for believing in Sonic. I think it's enough betrayal to Nine that Sonic would convince him that he cares about him and wants him to have a future too, only to then side with a bunch of people who want to beat Nine down and who would not let Nine be happy if Nine surrendered to them (from Nine's pov at least).

So in short, anon, I think you are seeing Nine's jealousy here. Even if he also has to believe Sonic is secretly fooling the others, to him this is a scene where Sonic is not only choosing them over him, but another example of Sonic (from Nine's pov) proving that he's a liar who doesn't care for Nine or his future/safety at all.

[antikittysocial]

okay. this is regular information. everyone has talked about this in the fandom at least once or heard about it

I have seen like one or two people talk about this.

I've genuinely never seen anyone discuss his description vro. it's jus roasting him

but more importantly

WHY DOES EVERY MAIN WHOSE NAME HAS AN 'S' IN IT HAVE EMOTIONAL ISSUES

[read tags]

[sketchthetofu]

Anchor nods “I won’t! I promised my crew, well mostly William, that I wouldn’t and I’m not going to break that promise.” William had already died, he couldn’t let anyone else do so either, especially his crew, not if he had a say, but a promise was a promise. “Nice! Then I’ll stick with Anchor! Maybe Will could be Hook…. Hah it would be funny if we called Vyncnet Dagger! I’ll need to ask them though when they get back.” Anchor looks quite happy with his nickname, and as he rattles on about nicknames for his friends that joy stays. “Oh it’s because they are really hard to make, but I think the Navy doesn’t make ‘em easy to find or buy because then everyone would be able to hop from island to island really quick, also because they just suck.” Or at least that’s the reasonings Will and Ashe have, and making their own has been definitely a struggle, Ashe pouring over the maps and spending hours in this room trying to detail where the maps connect and what was missing. “We’ll try then!” He’d need to ask Vyncent if he knows another smaller version of himself that’s from the islands, Trainee looked like he would’ve at least been born and around before Vyncent fell from the islands and into Prime. So Anchor brings Trainee to the chair and looks curiously over the maps scattered and slightly connected on the table.

Sketch I'm here to bother you and fill your brain with information

*opens a vault containing my AUs*

Take your pick

SORRY I GOT DISTRACTED BY THE END OF THE CAPTURE THE FLAG MC SERVER IM IN ENDING- (I say thinking that I posted this last night not realizing it got stuck in my drafts until now-)

OMG YIPPEE!!!! Dude I have no idea who to pick you have so many amazin guys….. my brain immediately tells me to chuck Rabbit at doll Bell but he’s already going through some things at the moment- HEHEHE. I haven’t had anyone interact with Crisis yet…. But it would also be cute for Pirate!Dakota (gotta find a name for him-) to meet one of the lil pd guys….. IDK U GOT TOO MANY YUMMY AUS FRUUIITTT!!!!! /pos

[just-a-little-anxious]

ngl i have a lot of trouble seeing the main characters of Hazbin Hotel as a found family or even friends.

[equalperson]

I fucking hate being traumatized because why am I bawling the hardest I've bawled in god-knows-how-long because someone I didn't even like that much berated Me. gasping wailing trembling and snotting over this for several minutes.

[undercover-stories]

Ok so like I know I keep adding to this so bear with me. I promise this is the last one.

But basically, I'm trying to avoid the toxic "falling in love with your abuser" trope. I have no issue with people who like it. It's just not for me. But basically, I don't want that to be their dynamic. Especially since I don't think it's one Naruto would ever willingly fall into. In canon Naruto challenges Sasukes ideals. He never just accepts them. It's not "I can change you." It's "I know you need support and I will give it, but that does not mean I will allow you to spiral any deeper or accept your bullshit." It's why they need to have that vote2 fight. Naruto needs to prove Sasuke wrong, and he does.

I sort of really want to show that here? Sasuke doesn't change into a better person because of Naruto’s love for him or even because of his own love for Naruto. It's about recognizing his mistakes and wanting to be a better person. It's not dependant on how Naruto perceives his change. Sasuke does it for himself. But a big part of that change is to be a better friend for Naruto regardless of how Naruto reacts to it. Regardless of any form of reciprocation either from Naruto or anyone else. It's honestly very Mr. Darcy-esque, which ngl is sort of the point and my source of inspiration.

Even if Sasuke and Naruto end up parting ways, Sasuke would still maintain and develop this change in him. It's only when he's tended to his garden and let the grass thrive that Naruto can find a space to grow with him. But of course, I am adamant to have my timy wimey angst with the separation post return to the future. I need that last burst of angst before my happy ending.

SUFFER. THIS IS THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE OF SHARING YOUR IDEAS.

OMG YOU GAVE US A GOLD MINE. I refuse to limit myself!

ALL SIX! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!

Ahaha, I've been called to the hearing so fast, eh? I don't even have a lawyer. Jokes aside, thank you for the ask!

Alright, in order:

10% rule: I know there are two of them, but the ideas are different, I promise! I based this off of the thing we learned in Botany. The 10% rule which states that only 10% of the energy from one trophic level (like plants) is passed on to the next level (like herbivores), while the rest is lost as heat, waste, or used by the organism itself. And my stupid brain got another idea.

I haven't worked out all the parts yet, but it follows Naruto and Sasuke, where Naruto is emotionally burnt out by giving too much of himself and Sasuke's been hurt by the world. Naruto's always been the one to carry the emotional load, always overcompensating, but never receiving the same in return. Sasuke's tired, and he's developed a a certain numbness to giving and receiving love - a poorly written metaphor for this rule of ecology, like the energy lost at each trophic level.

The story is just about the realization that love is all about balance. That even though some energy is lost in the process, the ten percent they choose to give can build something glorious, something sustaining, a garden worth growing. Where you realize that love doesn't drain you, but can fuel you in the right proportions.

dressed to disaster: This is actually a Boy Meets World Shory fic, where it's based off the fact that I don't know what the story is about, but that I have a first line, which is: You'd think that after causing disasters and being a disaster himself, Shawn would know how you dress to one.

I have no clue where to go with this one, I wrote a bit more about him attending Cory's wedding, and going somewhere with it. I'm entertaining time travel, but nothing solid yet.

THOUGH, this story has another branch where it's SasuNaru, where I thought about how after someone makes a comment about how Naruto always dresses like a homeless street urchin + how he always wears orange, do you not know another color, Uzumaki? He's used to it, but when they mention it's weird how Sasuke hangs out with him as Sasuke is always in fashionable clothes (and rich, in this story) it's a very stark difference.

The comment nags at him, and so then, Naruto starts to panic. Especially as he somehow - for plots reasons - starts to think that Sasuke will never see him as a romantic partner, if Naruto doesn't dress up like it. And so, he ends up on Ino's door, wailing his little heart out, and she and Sakura decide to help him. Woo-hoo, everyone's love to hate it makeover montage.

And Naruto hates it from the very beginning. He's used to baggy clothes and these are all form fitting and the jeans fucking itch and the shoes hurt. And it's such a pain to make sure they don't get ruined. And, well, while that crisis is going on, Sasuke's jealous because Naruto's dressing up for somebody and he doesn't know who and whoever made Naruto think he had to change himself was going to die—

And so, idiots in love, everyone's favorite. Very cliché, I know. But Pinterest is the reason it happened. Blame it. Don't come for me, I will cry.

shory and no sailors: I have nothing to defend myself with. Literally a crackfic idea because ever since I heard the ship name I thought about sailors on shores, leaving the dock. And well, I just wrote that down. God knows what I'll do with it.

serpents in eden's embrace: Ooh, so this one is interesting. Because it is FNAF W.I.P and I have two different-but-also-the-same-thing-kinda idea for it.

a) The Bite of 83 does happen, but it doesn't happen to Michael's little brother, but instead, the brother of an OC who needs therapy. This changes everything. Michael is thrown for a shock, as they had been planning it and now he's dealing with the guilt that his brother would have died. This sets off the domino chain as Michael will do anything to keep his siblings alive, even if it means turning a blind eye to missing children's reports and all evidence pointing towards their own basement.

b) Michael gets thrown back into his past body, where he swears to save everyone. But day by day, his priorities dwindle. For one, William is suddenly so much more nicer now that Michael is becoming the golden son, and his tasks falter. So maybe he can't save all the kids. What does it matter? Until the last tackles down to Henry's daughter and his own siblings. I just wanted to delve into the toxic household. When people do back in time, when we wish that we, ourselves good go back in time - because for me, reading Time Travel Fix-It is about taking canon to the back, sure; but also fulfilling that urge to go back in time and fix all my past mistakes, to try to prove myself that if I could just go back, everything would be fine - and the truth is, we romanticize it. The situation sucked, but now that you're out of that situation or grown from it, you can see all the ways you would do it now. But, if you're placed back into it, wouldn't you crumble? I wanted to explore that aspect.

the ten percent rule: Not to be confused with 10% rule, I didn't even realize I named it the same thing until I was taking screenshots.

Three ideas for this:

a) The deep seated trauma that makes up the behavior to give just enough effort to maintain relationships—friendships, romantic relationships, or family bonds—but never truly committing beyond 10% of themselves.

b) My parents own saying which is: always give just 10% more than what’s expected of you, and you’ll be successful - causes 100% more burnout.

c) 10 percent rule is a part of an underground code used by criminals, and people of the black market. It's a law, only revealing 10% of the truth to keep people guessing or safe. Which makes it worse because as you try to unravel a mystery, the rule means that nothing is ever as it seems—every truth has a hidden layer, and every person holds something back.

we're fated to unravel, love: Most self-indulgent. Magic AU! Where Sasuke and Naruto are in an arranged marriage and have been married for a decade. In this, Sasuke is the leader of a clan and is known for his battle/ destructive magic (shut up, no one talk about the name) and his strategies.

He's married to Naruto, the person everyone thinks it just wasting life way, tinkering with paper and runes. Naruto's an inventor, and he makes magic do what he wants to do basically. But, Sasuke thinks Naruto is childish and naive due to his sunny disposition and brash manners - and due to the public poisoning his view, his own advisors thinking that the marriage is to “put Naruto on a leash” - and since the idiot doesn't talk to his fucking husband, or spend time with him, the misunderstanding stays.

Naruto's hurt. Because he wasn't expecting love, but he thought he could have friendship. He feels lost amongst the ugly glares and even uglier rumors. And just stays away tinkering with his inventions, feeling hurt with every moment that passes, with every dismissing word that passes Sasuke's lips. He gives back good as he gets at first, but that doesn't do anything but worsen the rumors. And Naruto doesn't want deranged-fangirl assassins to kill him on a mission to “save their Sasuke-kun” so he withers away. Closing himself off. Losing hope. And thinking himself foolish to believe that there could be love in the first place. After all, isn't it the hopeless romantics that carry the most hope.

And then a war happens. And a bunch of people die. And they win nearly, by the skin of their teeth, thanks to Naruto's inventions - and oh, look, Sasuke's paying attention now - but it's a pyrrhic victory. So, Naruto creates a seal that'll send them two years back into the past, just before the war begins, so they can be prepared and stop it. Only, something goes wrong, and they get send back ten years instead of one, to their six month wedding anniversary. Naruto is disheveled but resolves to make the situation work, focused on stopping the war.

And Sasuke, being the whipper than whipped cream fucker that he is, is just besotted by his husband, and wants to fix everything. Because fuck the war, he wants Naruto to love him. Cue Naruto just interpreting everything Sasuke's doing as "part of his efforts for the war" even though it makes no sense.

Like, oh, Sasuke's hanging out with him now in his messy workplace? Well, it must be to plan about the war.

Sasuke offers to make Naruto dinner? Naruto, squinting at the strange ingredients on the counter, assumes it’s a working model for cooking up a strategy for the war. Sasuke buys Naruto flowers? Naruto, deep in thought, believes they represent the nations Sasuke wants to ally with.

Sasuke rubs Naruto’s shoulders, trying to ease his stress? Naruto, staring into the distance, mutters about how Sasuke’s clearly practicing pressure points for war interrogation techniques.

Sasuke literally pins Naruto to the wall, about to kiss him. Naruto, thinking he’s about to hear a covert mission briefing, goes, “Oh, is this an intimidation technique. Cause I have a device that'll work.”

Sasuke proposes to Naruto in the middle of a crowded square, flowers and a ring in hand. Naruto, completely stone-faced, whispers, “Ah, I see. You're making me the figurehead of a new war alliance."

I'M SORRY, THIS WAS LONGER THAN EXPECTED. YOUR HONOR, I'M A FOOL. I DEMAND MY LAWYER.

[dhmis-autism]

trying harder to pay attention to yellows dialogue so i can write him better and. literally. love that thing he does where he talks like hes in a sitcom

( “What do you think it means to have a job?” / ”Yeah, what an adventure. Yup,we really did have the laugh of our lives. But still, nice to be back at home,eh?”/ “Let’s go see this real family in action!” )