#as characters I completely do not recognize | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

amoromniaodium · 2 days ago

Text

Animal Kingdom

Andrew Pope Cody

Thank you all for reading the preview! I didn’t expect such a positive reaction to my writing. Your likes and comments have truly inspired me — I already have two more parts planned. Feel free to share your thoughts, whether good or bad. I always appreciate honest feedback.

We’ll be seeing more of the Cody family soon, but I wanted to give you some background on Pope and my character first.

Chapter 1

The Revival

—

When she was five, she witnessed something she’d only later come to recognize as bipolar disorder in her mother.

Her mother didn’t believe in medication. Said it made her too foggy, too far from herself. So she replaced prescriptions with “the good drugs.” And from then on, her daughter saw things no child should ever see — things done to her mother, things done by her mother.

By the age of ten, she was the unofficial head of the household. She cleaned, cooked, kept the apartment running. She stole — not because she liked it, but because it was the only way to survive. She lifted money from the men her mother brought home. Took soap, toothpaste, and pads from school. Stole lunches from bigger kids. She was a pro.

She loved her mother. Deeply. Enough to make sure she ate, drank water, showered. Enough to keep watch when her mother’s “friends” were over. She loved her even when she didn’t understand her — especially then. That’s where her obsession with psychology began.

She had seen people overdose. Seen how depression and addiction twisted people until they became unrecognizable. She didn’t judge. She watched. She asked questions. She wanted to understand. Needed to understand.

Her schoolwork improved. She started talking to the men who didn’t make her stomach twist. She made them feel seen. Safe. And in return, they opened up. She never gave advice. She just listened. By sixteen, she had done more emotional labor than most people do in a lifetime.

She read psych books from the library and used the tools they taught. Guided conversations, helped others find their own answers. She helped build relationships, and quietly helped end toxic ones, too.

They cried in front of her. Sat with her in silence. Let their rage unravel in the safety of her presence. And when her mother spiraled — manic or depressed — they were there. They helped her study. Helped her apply to university. Helped her celebrate when she got into med school on a partial scholarship.

And they were there when her mother overdosed.

In the quietest, darkest part of her chest, she was relieved.

She left. She studied. She was great at it — not just because she was smart, but because she understood. She could see pain before it was spoken. And she was determined to help fix both mind and body. That’s what led to her final rotation, at Folsom State Prison — and to the man who would change her completely.

⸻

Her first day at Folsom, she knew: this was not where she wanted to be.

Her attending was kind — as kind as one can be after decades in a place like this. He laid out the rules, the code, the expectations. Who to trust. What not to wear. How to walk, how to speak. He gave her a list of patients, diagnoses, medication routines.

That’s when she saw his name.

Andrew David Cody.

A massive dose of Thorazine. Enough to sedate rage. She didn’t meet the inmates until two weeks in.

And the moment she saw his eyes — dark, empty, emotionless — she should have known it wouldn’t end well.

⸻

There’s something to be said about leaving employment to return to school.

After her residency, she realized she didn’t want to be a prison psychiatrist. Not because she couldn’t handle it — but because she had no real power to help. She thought of a pair of eyes — dark, sad, and unblinking — and knew that wasn’t enough.

So she returned. Started a certificate in criminology, hoping to understand them better. But maybe it was something simpler than that: maybe she just didn’t want to grow up. Not yet.

Maybe she should work at a hospital in California. Maybe she should leave the country. Or maybe… maybe she should go back to her mother’s apartment. Let herself rot quietly, the way her mother had.

But then, walking out of class one evening, she saw him.

Not saw — felt.

A presence.

Straight-backed. Arms at his sides. Short sleeved shirt buttoned to the top like a priest.

And eyes — hawk-like, locked on her.

Andrew Cody.

But this time, for the first time since he’d been released, there was something new in his gaze.

A flicker of light in all that darkness.

⸻

There was something to say about the first time she saw him in months —it wasn’t fear that struck her. It was relief. A twisted kind of happiness.

Not about how he found her. Not how he knew where to look.

But because he was out. He had made parole.

Her first instinct, naive as it was, hoped he hadn’t gone back.

Not to that house. Not to her.

That maybe he’d gotten his own place, finally freed himself from the grip of that obsessive, broken mother — and the suffocating loyalty to his family.

But no.

She knew better.

Of course he hadn’t. They were the only thing he had ever known.

Letting go of them would be like letting go of oxygen.

She understood.

The only reason she ever left was because her mother was six feet under. These thoughts flickered and died the moment she saw him — standing there awkwardly, stiff as ever, eyes locked on her like always.

She moved toward him, not quite running, but not walking either.

Stopped just short of touching distance.

“Andrew!” she breathed. “You… you did it. Oh my God, I’m so happy for you. I knew you could do it.”

He didn’t say a word.

Just stared. But she saw it — the barest twitch of his mouth, a subtle lift of his brow.

He was happy to see her.

“How are you feeling? Have you seen your brothers?” she asked gently.

He replied, voice low. “Yes.”

She didn’t ask about his mother. She didn’t want to know. Didn’t want to open that door. Not yet.

So she reached for the first thing that surfaced — something safer.

“The fountain… did Baz ever finish it?” Her voice came out too light, too casual — even she could hear it.

But it was the only thing she could grab. He had once told her Baz promised to finish it while he was gone.

A flicker again — this time annoyance. A tilt of the head, the slightest grimace.

“No. I’m making it.”

So he was back there.

“Ah,” she said softly. “Well… I’m not really surprised. From what you told me about Baz…”

(From what your eyes told me. From what your silences said.)

“But it’s good, right? Keeps you busy. Keeps your mind quiet.”

He didn’t respond. Just stared.

“Right. Sorry… are you hungry? Want to grab something to eat?”

“I thought you were done with school,” he said.

“Yeah. I was. I don’t know —” she gave a nervous laugh, tugged at her sleeve, “—I guess I’m just not ready for the real world yet.”

He looked at her for a long moment. “I understand.”

“I know you do, Andrew,” she said gently. “Let’s go. There’s this Mexican place nearby — it’s amazing.”

She reached out instinctively, about to touch his arm — but paused.

He was watching her hand. Not with fear. Not quite with hope. Just a quiet, unreadable stillness. Like he wanted it more than anything but wouldn’t let himself show it.

There was something in his eyes — not pleading, but almost… waiting. The kind of stillness a child holds when something precious is near, afraid to move and scare it off.

She hesitated, her fingers curling slightly.

She knew how vulnerable he was in that moment. Knew what it meant — what it would mean — to touch him here, like this. There was desire under it, yes, but not sexual. Not yet. It felt more like comforting a child after a nightmare.

So she moved slowly.

When she finally took his hand, his fingers didn’t flinch. Didn’t tighten. Just rested there — solid, warm, resigned.

But he didn’t pull away.

And that was everything.

She led him forward, her grip light, his steps heavier — like he was trying not to fall into her.

#andrew cody #andrew pope cody #animal kingdom #animal kingdom fanfic #andrew cody x reader #Andrew Cody x Oc #andrew pope cody x reader #shawn hatosy #pope cody x oc #pope cody x reader #pope cody #obsession

79 notes · View notes

sanakiras · 1 day ago

Text

FRIENDLY COMPETITION

PAIRING — hong joshua x reader (+ yoon jeonghan x reader)

WORD COUNT — 5.1k

SYNOPSIS — nothing quite compares to the bitterness left by a best friend’s betrayal. joshua knows he should probably just let it go; if only he didn’t hold a grudge like it’s a hand.

TAGS — infidelity (by like. everyone in this fic. several times. it’s crazy), some mlm action, explicit sexual content, this wasn’t supposed to be a love triangle fic but i rewatched challengers recently so it took a turn, all three main characters are nasty, intentionally vague fic bc it was originally meant to be longer, i’m ngl it’s so messy sorry 😭

♪ — saint avangeline - lilith / charli xcx - good ones / partynextdoor - make it to the morning

THEY SAY BEING THE BIGGER PERSON IS A SIGN OF GOOD CHARACTER.

but joshua has never really given a damn about being a good person.

with a glass of champagne in hand, he glances across the room, the expression on his face completely blank. the fabric of the suit fits his body like a glove, perfectly tailored to his measurements.

he doesn’t really fit in with this crowd. not that he’d want to.

jeonghan did always have a knack for surrounding himself with the most pretentious of people, but then again, he has always carried himself with a certain sense of... superiority.

his eyes scan the room in hopes to find a certain person. trying to look for someone you’ve never met before is more challenging than he thought it would be.

“i don’t think we’ve met.” he hears behind him, and he turns around, only to be met with one of the most beautiful smiles he’s ever seen.

joshua’s greeting is said near absentmindedly, as he’s clearly taking in the sight of you.

sure, he’s seen the pictures of you online after rigorously searching up everything he could find about you. he recognizes you easily, though he finds the pictures don’t do you justice.

you’re the daughter of a renowned, successful businessman, though from what he’s gathered, you’re also considerably more private than most people in your circle, so it was hard to find anything about you other than basic things like your birthday and education.

but he can work with what he has.

“yeah, this isn't my usual scene."

“what brings you to the scene here, then?”

joshua’s eyes are sweet, completely hiding the self-serving revenge plan he’s actually here for. “i was invited by a business partner of mine.”

surprisingly enough, you don’t often meet handsome and intriguing strangers at events like these. but joshua here is a refreshing, new face in the midst of everyone you already know and always have to talk to.

“something tells me you don’t really enjoy being here.”

“am i that obvious?”

“a little.”

not really. you’ve just had your eyes on him since he walked in.

“can i say something brutally honest?” he asks, and when you nod, he slightly leans closer to your face, lowering his voice. “you don’t really seem to be enjoying yourself either.”

a scoff escapes your mouth while you still have a glass of champagne in hand. “what makes you think so?”

joshua shrugs casually. “gut feeling, i guess. but i’m right, aren’t i?”

when you don’t refute his words, the corner of his lips curls up for a split second, his cockiness briefly slipping underneath his facade. yeah, he thinks to himself, i know you’re unhappy with that shitty husband of yours. it’s been in the gossip magazines several times at this point.

there’s something captivating about him. clothed in a clearly expensive two-piece suit, jet-black hair framing his soft features. he looks down at you with half-lidded eyes, and you catch the piercings in his ear — it leaves you wondering who the hell this is.

“normally, this is my crowd, but unfortunately there’s not much place for honesty here. so when i’m having a shit day, i still have to put up a smile and act like i’m so interested in whatever business everyone’s doing these days.”

“well, if you need to pour your heart out to a stranger, go on ahead. i won’t judge, promise.”

his smile is infectious. you hope the heat isn’t visible on your cheeks. after hesitating for a moment, you open your mouth, about to tell him why your week has been so utterly bad when you feel a presence behind you, the familiar hand sliding around your waist.

“joshuji — it’s been a while.”

that fucking nickname. it used to warm his chest, now it just fills it with a sharp pain.

joshua’s mood instantly sours, and he has to force himself to hide the disdain on his face.

his heart sinks familiarly at the sight of him. the memories with him flash through his mind — the complicated history that had them go from best friends to strangers.

“jeonghan,” he returns the greeting rather stand-offish, “it sure has.”

“i see you’ve met my wife.” jeonghan’s smile turns into something more genuine once it’s directed at you.

“you two have history?” you ask, feeling a bit left out now that you’ve discovered the two of them know eachother.

before joshua can answer, jeonghan does so for him. “from high school, yeah. we were classmates.”

classmates. that’s a hell of a way to put it.

jeonghan catches the dark glare joshua sends his way, but ignores it entirely. your husband squeezes your waist tighter than usual, more possessively — it sparks curiosity in you.

after exchanging some tense lines of small talk, jeonghan gives some bullshit excuse to get you to go home with him, and you agree, though not without subtly giving joshua your card; with your number on it.

he triumphantly grins to himself when watching the two of you leave.

as much as jeonghan might want to keep you away from him, you certainly don’t have the same plan — just as he’d hoped.

when joshua makes the bold move of inviting you out for drinks a few days later, you shamelessly agree to it. of course there’s nothing wrong with getting to know someone in a friendly manner, but you’re not quite sure if it’s friendship that you want from him.

just as the first time you met, he’s charming. he easily makes conversation, and you enjoy his company just as much as the glass of red wine sitting on the table before you. you drink, talk and laugh together, and the hours pass by faster than they should.

“is there no girl waiting for you at your house at this hour?”

with a glass in hand, he shakes his head. "no, there’s not. i’ve been single for a while now. though you can’t say the same.”

the mention of your husband instantly affects your body language. “no, i cannot.”

“i don’t mean to pry, so if you don’t wanna talk about it, just say the word — but you seem like you’ve got a lot on your mind. which you didn’t get to tell me about last time.”

a huff escapes you. joshua is a welcome distraction, and for once in your life, you’re interested in someone else’s opinion on your personal life.

so you tap your nail against your thigh, admitting why your life has been feeling irritatingly hectic lately. “i keep finding these tabloids writing about me and jeonghan, our relationship and all — it annoys me. do you know how much work goes into suing those assholes?”

“not really, but i can imagine. what’re they saying about you?”

“that our marriage seems strained at certain moments, or that we’re never really seen together outside of events… the usual.”

“i’m glad to be out of that kind of spotlight.”

“yeah, well, i’m not just in it — i’m married to someone who’s also in it. god, if i could get a fucking break and be single again, i would.”

“so i take it the not-so-happy-marriage rumors they’re all writing about are true, then?”

“kind of. but it’s not what you think.”

“i’m all ears.”

“well, for starters, i’ve never been in love with him.”

“you’re—you’re not?”

“i’m not. at least i don’t think so. i’ve grown to love him, definitely, but… i just don’t know if i’m in love with him.”

“but why would you marry him, if you felt like that?”

“it was initially just a business thing, our parents pretty much paired us together. but he’s charming, intelligent, not bad on the eyes at all. even though he’s in love with me, he still holds me at a distance. i doubt i’ll be able to fall in love with him if he doesn’t let me in.”

joshua has to surpress a knowing grin. jeonghan’s always been like that, even with him — the type of guy you could pour your heart out to, never getting the same in return.

“and there’s no way to get out of it?”

“legally, i could get a lawyer and file for divorce, but it’s still a business deal at the end of the day. it’d do damage to all our reputations, which i don’t want to be the cause of, and despite everything, jeonghan still treats me well. i guess i should’ve known i would have to live this way when i agreed to sign the contract.”

jeonghan treats you well.

of course he does.

before orchestrating his plan, it was difficult to think of a way of hurting jeonghan deeply, the same way the latter did to him years ago. but joshua came across a video of you giving an interview to some reporters after a ceremony, and when he caught how jeonghan looked at you, he knew exactly what to do.

jeonghan is utterly and completely in love with you. it shows in every photo taken of you two together, even the articles in the papers where he talks about you. there’s no one he holds in higher esteem than his wife.

so joshua figured you had to become the key to his bitter, borderline childish plan of revenge.

now that you’re telling him you don’t even reciprocate your husband’s love, it might be a whole lot easier than expected to carry it out.

“so you just have to remain stuck in your marriage?”

“pretty much.”

he bites his lip, looking at you a certain way, and it makes you raise a brow at him.

“what is it?”

“no, i just thought of something, but i shouldn’t ask.”

“i’ll be the judge of that. c’mon, say it.”

joshua presses his lips together, and you don’t miss that glint in his eyes. with another sip of alcohol, he asks you what he’s genuinely curious of. “i just wondered if you two ever…”

“what?”

“… you know.”

“wow, you’re cheeky.”

“i’m just asking.”

“mhm.” you hum playfully, at which he chuckles, taking a sip of his drink. “sometimes, we do.”

he’s thankful for the darkness of the restaurant and the table covering his crotch. the image of jeonghan and you in bed together, all naked and intertwined and warm, it gets a rise out of him. he subtly shifts in his seat.

“look, i’m not asking this because i have some ulterior motive or something, but...” a funny choice of words, “if it’s business, you’re free to see others, right?”

“we’ve never discussed it.”

“what would your gut tell you?”

“my gut is wondering why you care so much, joshua.”

“because—” he lets his teeth sink into his lower lip, “because if you are, i’d like to let you know i’m more than willing to… give you whatever you need.”

“and if i’m not free to see others?”

dangerous territory to be in, you both find.

his response comes out low and breathlessly. “then i’d still be here for you.”

you push your tongue against the inside of your cheek. in any real relationship, you’d never condone cheating. jeonghan is your husband in name only, and while you’ve both been loyal to each other so far, he’s getting more out of your marriage than you are.

and joshua, who simply waltzed into your life at the moment you needed it the most, is offering to give you something you’ve been craving.

agreeing to this dimly lit cocktail date with a man who gazes at you like that — you should’ve known it meant drafting up a sin that’s been lurking underneath the surface.

it takes exactly fifteen minutes for you to be pushed into the dark alleyway between the restaurant and the five-star hotel next to it. his hands are bigger than jeonghan’s, something you already concluded when he put his hand on your lower back while walking out of the entrance.

his lips are on your jaw, trailing down your neck, his hands hungrily grabbing onto your thighs.

he’s itching for some kind of relief, pupils dilated from lust, your lipstick smeared around his mouth. “let me touch you.”

you nod, breathing into his mouth, and he reaches down, easily pushing your panties to the side with that skirt you’ve got on. hot arousal sits between your legs, and when he feels it, he’s close to crying out from how wet you are.

his lengthy fingers make their way inside you easily, your reaction to the intrusion making him smirk.

“next time your husband does this,” he groans at the feeling of his fingers getting coated in your wetness, “i want you to think of me. of this.”

even through your lustful haze, you pick up on the snide undertone of his comment, and it only makes you chuckle. “that depends.”

“on what?”

“on how hard you make me come.”

now it’s his turn to laugh. oh, he’ll give it to you, all right. so much for holding back because you’re in public.

joshua proves himself more than worthy when he has you seeing stars not much later, your knees almost giving out on you. he keeps you standing upright, and once you’ve regained a clear sight, you find him licking his fingers, his body still pressed up against yours.

“if you want me to fuck you here, say the word and i will. though it might be smarter to go back to my apartment.” he whispers, simultaneously pushing his front against you. he’s rock-hard, aching to be inside you, willing to give you whatever you ask of him.

a flash of guilt spreads through you when you realize you could still call it a night and go home. you’ll tell jeonghan that you let his former classmate finger-fuck you in a dark alley and he’d probably let it be, too — but you’re greedy.

and you let it consume you.

his apartment is down the street. you let him fuck you with long and deep strokes, and it has your eyes rolling back, only moans, whimpers and his name tumbling from your lips.

his muscles are stronger, more visible than jeonghan’s. you see them in every thrust of his hips, every grab at your breasts, every move he makes. his big eyes are hypnotizing.

so hypnotizing that you don’t know he’s recording all of this.

only audio — it’ll be more than enough to prove to jeonghan that you’ve been in his bed, if necessary.

once you’ve had eachother for several rounds, you slip into a different conversation. your hopes and dreams in life, how you feel you’re not living the life you want, and all the struggles that come with it.

you talk about music, what kind of home you grew up in, and all kinds of experiences that make you both laugh. you enjoy his company, and he enjoys yours.

it’s his turn to feel guilty now. this sweet girl, who he happens to be wildly attracted to, is so lovely — he doesn’t want this to be the last time he talks to you.

so, going against his own plan, he meets you again, a few days later. and it happens again, and again, and again; he has to face the truth.

he’s falling for you.

his heart skips a beat when he sees you, gazes at you. how your hair gleams when the sun shines on it, the sound of your laughter, those sarcastic comments that make him crack up every time.

he doesn’t want to lose you. he’s aware that you’re falling in love with him too, and he genuinely wants to be with you, to have you be his completely.

but at the same time, he cannot let go of the past. he can’t not see his revenge through.

joshua faces a choice he never thought he’d have to make — you, or jeonghan.

two months later, when you get home late again, your husband finally speaks his mind. he does his best to sound somewhat casual, but fails.

“you’ve been awfully late these past weeks. hard time at work?”

in the living room, you press your nails against the inside of your palm. truthfully, you’d planned to tell him of your affair when you got home that night. rip the band-aid off while the wound is still fresh.

but he was in a good mood, and all you could think about was how much he cares about you. how much he loves you.

because for whatever reason, he does.

so you chose to keep quiet, vowing to tell him the next day. but when you woke up beside him in your shared bed, while he was sleeping soundly, you looked at his face and felt so terrible that you just couldn’t do it.

you planned to go to joshua’s and tell him you couldn’t do anything together until you’d told jeonghan.

yet you somehow landed on top of him in the span of minutes.

about a week later, you wanted to test out the waters. see if jeonghan would be open to you going out with others.

but the moment you asked, it’s like you could see his heart breaking. perhaps you didn’t quite grasp how much he was in love with you until that moment, and when he said he’d promise to try and be more open with you, to give you an opportunity to understand him better, you couldn’t bear the idea of hurting him even more.

the two contradicting voices in your head keep justifying both sides of your situation, of having something with both of the men currently in your life.

now, it seems, you’ve finally mustered up enough courage to be honest with him.

“no. it’s not work.” you admit, nearly hurting your jaw from how much you’re clenching your teeth. your heart pounds in your throat. “i haven’t been honest with you about what i’ve been doing—”

“you’re seeing someone.” he interrupts, his hands folded together when he sits with his legs spread apart in the chair. “i figured already.”

you wait a moment before responding, giving an honest apology without excusing your behavior. “yeah, i am. and i’m sorry for not telling you.”

jeonghan nods, and he’s surprisingly calm, more sadness than anger to be found in his body language, as if he’s miserable only about the fact that he didn’t get you to fall for him before some other guy came along.

“just tell me one thing,” he says sternly, managing to come across as gentle at the same time, “are you fucking him?”

with a quiet nod, you lower your head.

he moves on to the question that might be the most heartbreaking to him. “who is it?”

the look in his eyes is so utterly depressing. he wants—no, needs to know who it is that captured your heart, solely so he can compare himself to him. surely this other man must have something he doesn’t.

“joshua hong.”

it’s so silent after you say his name that you could hear a pin drop. with his head lowered, you think he might be crying, but then he turns to lock eyes with you, and there’s a mean, knowing smirk on his face.

“let me guess. after you met, he reached out to you?”

“is that so strange?”

“it’s not. but i don’t think your loverboy’s been completely honest with you.”

he stands up, his glossy eyes set dark and harsh, at which you frown, not having a clue what he’s trying to say here. “what’s that supposed to mean?”

“look, i know that you’re not in love with me. but you shouldn’t think he’s in love with you."

tilting your head, your face falls, expression fading from pity into hurt. “is this the length you’re willing to go to get me away from another man?”

“no, you don’t get it. joshua and i have history. we didn’t leave things on good terms. now all of a sudden he’s back in my life, flaunting the fact that he’s got you right where he wants—”

“what the fuck are you even talking about? what happened between you?”

“it doesn’t—it doesn’t matter. what matters is that you need to understand he’s using you to get to me.”

“that’s bullshit.”

“go on and ask him about it. see what he says.”

“you’re an ass, jeonghan.”

“he’s the one playing you, not me.” he shrugs, going upstairs for some solitude. you remain frozen in your spot for a bit, thinking about what he’s just told you, and you grab your phone from your backpocket, calling joshua to check if he’s still home.

when you confront him in his apartment, he’s clearly surprised that jeonghan told you about their history at all. the brief hesitance in his voice and the flickering of his eyes was enough to give away that at least some part of it had to be true.

so you told him to leave you alone for a while.

he was using you, and you walked into a trap without knowing it.

unfortunately, you did fall in love with joshua. and even you’ve felt that he harbors some feelings for you, too. but you don’t want to think about it.

you return home in the middle of the night. jeonghan is half-asleep on the couch, a lukewarm cup of coffee on the table in front of him. you feel terrible, not just for waking him, but for treating him the way you have.

“i guess you were right.” you manage to push out of the depths of your throat, a few tears rolling down your cheeks. “i’m sorry. for everything.”

even when you fight with him, there’s a comforting warmth to your home that you have yet to find anywhere else.

maybe it’s because he’s here.

now fully awake, he stands up from the couch, wrapping his arms around you, allowing you to sink into the heat his body.

“take whatever you need from me.” he whispers, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

there’s something sad about it — you’re upset about being used by joshua, and you seek comfort with jeonghan, who’s directly asking you to use him, because for now, it’s the only way he can have you.

and very selfishly, you do use him, all in an attempt to forget about joshua.

he’s swiftly got you splayed out on your dinner table, and the way he looks at you when you’re left in only your lingerie — that is what you crave right now. so much longing, desire. only jeonghan can look at you like that.

he pleasures you for what feels like hours. licking your pussy, sliding his fingers in and out, fucking you and rubbing your clit; he knows you like the back of his hand.

in a way, you do want him. and he feels it, too.

the fresh rift in your relationship with joshua drives you and your husband closer. you begin to appreciate him more, the sex feels more intimate, but that distance between you is still there, and he has yet to tell you what it is that drove him and his former classmate apart.

when joshua calls you, you ignore him. why should you give him your attention?

eventually, he chooses to go by your house with the hope of fixing things, assuming that jeonghan is away at work.

you haven’t shut the door in his face yet only to tell him off. “this whole thing is kind of a dealbreaker, don’t you think?”

“i’m sorry.”

“sorry’s not gonna cut it. why should i believe anything you say? for all i know, you’re still lying to me right now.”

“i’m an asshole, i know. i’m genuinely, really sorry and i know i fucked up. whatever you need me to do, i’ll do it. but please, just—just give me a chance to make it up to you.” he begs, stepping closer to you.

he doesn’t say it literally, but you can both fill in the blanks.

he misses you. and truth be told, you miss him too. as much as you love jeonghan, your dynamic with joshua is vastly different, and it’s something you need to have now that you’ve tasted it.

from his spot by the front door, he suddenly catches the sight of jeonghan in the kitchen, walking around with damp hair and a towel sitting around his hips, his chest completely bare.

it’s hard to take his eyes off him, and his pupils dilate the same way they always do when he looks at you.

“i’ll think about it. just—just go. i don’t want him to see you.” you tell him, missing the way he stared at your husband, pushing him away from your porch and shutting the door with a loud thud.

“who was that?” jeonghan asks, walking over to you with his bowl of breakfast in hand.

you shrug. “mailman. had the wrong address.”

he only hums in response, not letting you know he already recognized joshua when he looked outside the bedroom window after getting out of the shower.

and he decides to take matters into his own hands.

about a week and a half later, you and jeonghan find yourselves at a charity event hosted by an acquaintance, your outfits beautifully matching, which you receive many compliments for.

joshua, you later find, is also invited. when he eventually goes outside through the backdoor, hoping to get some fresh air despite the fact that it’s been raining for hours already, suddenly has jeonghan standing right in front of him.

“enjoying your night, joshuji?”

well, he was.

“i have nothing to say to you.”

“no, but you wanted to have something to say to me, didn’t you?” jeonghan asks rhetorically, his tone so deeply condescending that it makes his former best friend want to jump him.

“leave it to you to be a belittling prick to the guy who’s been having an affair with your wife.”

“all i wanted to say was that your little plan completely backfired. you having ulterior motives with her drove her right into my arms. our marriage has never been better.”

“and yet she’s still not satisfied.”

jeonghan chuckles out of amusement. “look at you. you’ve gotten more bite over the years. i knew you had it in you.”

joshua finds it in him to ask a genuine question. “after everything i just did, she just did — how can you still act like you came out on top?”

“because i know you better than you know yourself. have you never wondered, after all these years, why you’re still so bitter about it?”

he silently glances at him, puzzled.

“you’ve been fucking my wife for one single reason.” jeonghan continues, his voice lowering with each step he takes forward. “because she’s the closest you can get to having me.”

“oh, bullshit.”

“then tell me. why did you go after her in the first place?”

“because she was yours. the one person you love most. i didn’t expect to fall for her along the way.”

the words make jeonghan chuckle. it’s laced with arrogance. “you know, i vaguely remember you using those words, a while ago.”

there’s a dawning horror on joshua’s face when he realizes it — he did use those words years ago, when confessing his love to his best friend.

he tries to regain his composure, but jeonghan has already caught and read his expression. he knows him like the back of his hand, even to this day.

“i broke your heart. you wanted revenge, so you decided to go after my biggest weakness, and as always, you let your feelings get in the way.”

“don’t patronize me.”

“i’m not,” he shoots back immediately, “i’m just stating the truth.”

“whatever. i don’t owe you an explanation. it’s not my fault she fell in love with me instead of you.”

“you’re right, it’s not. but don’t you think she deserves to know that she’s not the only one you’re in love with?”

joshua freezes in his place. it takes him a moment before he can even get anything coherent out of his throat. “if you really think i’m still in love with you after everything that’s—”

“you are. admit it.”

“no.”

“right. i see the way you look at me, shua. how you can’t take your eyes off me when i’m around, or the way you stared at me when i came out of the shower. just own it. for once in your life.”

“what does it even matter? it wouldn’t change anything.”

“you know what i don’t get? why you’ve never asked me about my feelings.”

the words almost render him speechless. because as always, he annoyingly makes a point.

“i just assumed—”

“you just assumed that i didn’t like you back? wow, that’s solid.” taking a step closer, his voice becomes quieter, tauning. “go on. ask me.”

joshua looks up to find a pair of vulnerable, honest eyes staring back at him. it takes him a moment to muster the courage, but he does.

“did you ever have feelings for me?”

jeonghan bites his lip, meeting his eyes with that subtle, lazy smirk he always wears. “i wanted you long before you wanted me. it’s not my fault you didn’t see it.”

this — this is certainly new information. all those years joshua spent resenting him, entirely unaware of this information… he feels like an idiot.

it’s caught him so off guard that he doesn’t know what to say.

jeonghan doesn’t back away from him in the slightest, shrugging his shoulders. “you’ve grown out your hair, like i hoped you would. every time you sat next to me, i kept wondering if you ever noticed how my eyes always lingered on your hands. god, i was so obvious.”

“i never… i never saw.” joshua stutters out absentmindedly, unable to take his eyes off him.

as heavier rain begins to pour down from the sky, jeonghan finally manages to be completely open about his feelings. “but things have changed now. i’m the one who’s in trouble. because i’m in love with two people, neither of which want me back. and that leaves me completely alone.”

jesus christ.

jeonghan isn’t just in love with you, his wife — he’s also in love with him, and he probably has been since day one, but he’s always kept it buried because he thought it wasn’t going to be reciprocated anyway. fuck, no wonder he was never open to you, either.

it really is insanity.

for years, joshua has imagined what revenge would taste like. so he pulls jeonghan in for a harsh kiss, cups his jaw and pulls on his jacket as if he were angry at him, all in the hope that it will give him the feeling he’d hoped for.

but jeonghan’s lips taste more like reconciliation, a taste he craves more of, and he finds himself giving into his greed.

perhaps revenge is overrated.

aaaand mc watches and cheers like zendaya at the end of challengers. the end :D

thank u for reading, let me know if u enjoyed it <3

® SANAKIRAS — do not repost, remake or copy my work in any way whatsoever. translations are not allowed.

#hong jisoo x reader #joshua hong x reader #yoon jeonghan x reader #svt x reader #joshua x reader #jeonghan x reader #seventeen x reader #svt oneshot #svt angst #seventeen fanfic

81 notes · View notes

imomnba-x07 · 1 day ago

Text

Forgive me if these thoughts are not coherent, I’ve been lying in bed reading thunderbolts reviews so i don’t feel all the way there.

Im first and formost an optimist, so bear with me if this all sounds too hopeful or naive or whatnot.

But there is something slightly vindicating to know that (as a Sam and BNW fan) thunderbolts didn’t seem to understand what to do with their characters.

BNW knew how to write Sam. I don’t give a fuck about whatever criticisms you have about the movie, it knew how to give Sam fans what we wanted and a story that made sense for his character. It’s such a good character story with people behind the scenes who actually knew and cared and were passionate about Sam Wilson.

Anyways. From what I understand, thunderbolts was just…..not that. It seems to do a complete 180 for these characters. Characters who should want autonomy away form the government, but instead makes them all perfectly fine with being political lap dogs. Feels very backwards and done with very little thought as to what these characters have gone through.

I say all this to say that I take it as a small win that no one in the marvel universe takes this new team seriously. Regular citizens don’t regard them as hero’s, they have high disapproval rates and the general public refuses to address them as avengers.

And as a Sam stan I choose to take that as a positive because the MCU citizens don’t recognize these strange government payroll pasties as people to be taken seriously. Do we know who they do take seriously? Sam. We see it in his movie the amount of respect and admiration he has cultivated, and to hear that the public is up in arms over the payroll pasties trying to become the new avengers, it puts a small smile on my face to know that people in the MCU aren’t willing to follow or care about a team that isn’t helmed by Captain America himself.

And the thunderbolts know this. And I hope they forever feel sad about the fact that they will NEVER reach the level of heroism, faith, and respect that Sam cultivated just by being who he is and someone the public would back no matter what.

#another famous soap ramble where she has no idea how to articulate herself properly #Sam baby I hope you fall asleep surrounded by love #sam wilson is captain america #sam wilson #captain america #anthony mackie #marvel #tfatws #anti thunderbolts #thunderbolts spoilers #I guess?#this is my way of coping i suppose

54 notes · View notes

imsobadatnicknames2 · 7 hours ago

Text

Actually @kaelor0409 , I'm sorry, telling you to read that entire first linked post would have been needlessly mean. I've just been snippy about this topic because people keep trying to talk past me about it ever since I made this post, rehashing arguments that I've not only replied to countless times but also made myself in the past. I still think there are parts of it you should read if you're truly interested in understanding this perspective, so I've taken the liberty to go and screenshot them for you

From the Principia Apocrypha on GM principles:

From the Principia Apocrypha on player principles:

From blizzic's reblog of this post:

You should probably still read that second post I linked if you want to at least try to understand why I think trying to achieve perfect separation between player and character skills to allow players to play character with skills they personally might not have is not the end-all be-all of TTRPG design considerations and sometimes it's acceptable for it to take a backseat to other game design objectives, such as having players exercise direct narrative control of certain mechanics that are part of the main intended gameplay loop. "Allowing you to play a game who is good at X even if you're not good at it yourself" is, by itself, a value-neutral game feature, which becomes good or bad depending on the context of what X is and how X relates to a particular game's design priorities.

Still, I think you're projecting a lot of things onto me that are completely uncalled for.

Nowadays I mostly run dungeon-crawlers that handle investigation and perception through direct interrogation of the fiction instead of through skill checks or any similar mechanic, such as The Black Hack, Knave, or even older editions of D&D (skills checks didn't become A Thing in D&D until 3e). And it has very rarely if ever resulted in players being "bored out of their mind", because:

1) I recognize the simple fact that making something secret means I have to accept the possibility that players will completely fail to find it, and design my adventures accordingly. If there's something that will ruin the entire experience or grind the game to a halt indefinitely if the players fail to find it, then I simply DON'T make it secret so they don't fail to find it.

2) I don't make players sit twiddling their thumbs until they find the one secret thing hidden in this room. If they don't find it they don't find it, they're probably not even sure there is something to find, and can move on to something else, there's always another route to pursue and something else to do in a dungeon so there's no point in holding them hostage until they figure something out.

Which... all of the issues you're presenting as inherent problems of this approach seem like they come from the place of making very different and uncalled for assumptions about how the way the people who favor this approach run their games.

And also, as blizzic already pointed out. I never positioned this approach as the superior way to run every single TTRPG under the sun, so I don't know where the "baseline for all TTRPGs" comment is coming from. I said very specifically that I'm talking about dungeon-crawling games (and using that definition to mean dungeon-crawling games where the focus is on the dungeon-crawling, not "dungeon-crawling" games where the point is to fight a series of combat encounters that happen to take place in a dungeon). If you think I'm saying this is how every TTRPG ever made should be run forever and ever you're kinda just putting words in my mouth.

If there was one thing I could retroactively erase from existence in the entire history of the tabletop RPG medium it would be the concept of using "perception checks" or "investigation rolls" or any similar mechanics in dungeon-crawling RPGs to determine if the PCs can see a detail in their environment.

"A DC 15 Perception roll is required to see..." "A DC 20 Investigation roll will reveal..." no. Shut up. If the thing is in plain sight or can be perceived with the senses by simply existing in this space and taking a look around then the PCs are perceiving it and describing it to the players is part of your role because you are their source of sensory information about the in-game world.

And if it's not in plain sight or deliberately concealed in some way then they simply DON'T perceive it but can reveal it by narratively interacting with their environment until one of their actions undoes whatever's concealing it, not rolling a die to see if they can Perceive Hard Enough to reveal it.

2K notes · View notes

thieves-never-say-die · 1 day ago

Note

[Insert character asking Sophie if Parker is serious about killing a guy]. Sophie: shrugs

Yes! Exactly that!

In reference to my tags on this post I think people underestimate Parker a lot. Like sure, Eliot is the hitter and knows how to kill a guy with a paperclip, but he doesn't do that (any more). Just because he knows how to kill people doesn't mean he will do it. He has a moral code, and also a sense of proportional response in terms of what is justified after someone hurts me/the people I care about.

Parker has none of that. She also has intimate knowledge of how human bodies work, because her job as a thief is very physical, and she isn't going to hold back. I fully believe Parker has killed people before, and it doesn't really bother her (like the fact that she had a gun in the warehouse during The Nigerian Job, and Nate treated that with the caution it deserved, unlike Hardison who also had one and neither Eliot nor Nate were at all worried about it (or when she had Tara hanging off a roof in The Maltese Falcon Job and was completely ready to throw her over the side when Parker thought she betrayed them)). Parker also doesn't have a sense of proportional response, and especially when you hurt her family she's not going to hold back at all.

Parker is Very Dangerous, and people who don't recognize that are in for a nasty surprise when they mess with her (cough Bligh cough)

#leverage #leverage redemption #redemption spoilers #the grand complication job #ask #anon #parker #m speaks

53 notes · View notes

morganaawriterr · 4 hours ago

Text

The Priest’s Daughter; Sim Jake

SYNOPSIS ➺ You are the daughter of the priest, the forbidden fruit, and Jake is more than happy to release you from your religious and oppressive life. So, he makes one final move before making you his.

REQUEST ➺ For this pretty annon! Their bundle was: Citrine (Jake); The empress (Forbidden love); Moon water + clove (Vampire); Dark romance (Obsessive turned love); Spells: 3, “I’d burn the world to have you.” 4, “Don't pretend you didn't want this.”11, “If I get a taste… I won't stop.”

WARNINGS ➺ Death (not main characters); Jake is kinda crazy, but I think that's the point (?); ARSON; manipulation; religious stuff I guess; toxic vampire!Jake

Check out "Enchanted Corner" to see the original post with the rules to make a request yourself!

Jake is right in front of you, holding your hand as you both walk up the rocky mountain where you usually sit and admire the small village that you live in. The sun is starting to set, and the sky is painted in warm colors: a beautiful red, orange, and yellow gradient.

“We’re almost there…” he teased, showing you his cute, boyish grin as he grips your waist tightly to help you.

What you didn't know is that behind that pretty smile of his, Jake has gone completely mad. And maybe he was mad, obsessed, and insane, but it was all your fault. You've got the warmest skin and the kindest heart, and he can’t help but be consumed by you.

Jake never meant to get close to you, especially not to fall for you. But when he saw you under your father’s mercy, completely submissive and under his control, he couldn't help but want to save you. Religion can be a prison, and since they wanted to kill him so badly, what revenge is better than to marry his daughter and free her from a miserable life?

“What is it that you want to show me? There’s nothing new here, we’ve come here every day since we met!” you asked, intrigued.

You met Jake a few months ago on that exact spot, while trying to escape the harsh reality that you lived in. He was funny and sweet, offered to listen to you, and never took advantage of you, unlike the other men you’d talked to. He was always respectful, though he still flirted every chance he got.

Him being a vampire scared you, since you've been taught to fear them since you were born, but the more you knew him, the less scary he became.

Your heart was pounding with each step you took, and though you thought it was a good thing, it was far from the truth. It was a quiet, bad omen trying to warn you about what you were about to witness.

As you step onto the last rock before the top, you notice heavy smoke rising nearby. But it didn’t smell like a normal fire. It wasn’t just the scent of wood burning, but something else, something you couldn’t quite place.

“Jake, what is this…?” You started to speak, but as soon as you reached the top, the view made your mouth go dry, and the words died in your throat.

Right in front of you, your village is being engulfed in a heavy blaze. You recognized the houses almost immediately, and the church, once tall and shiny, was now turning coal-black, the merciless flames destroying it.

“Do you like it?” Jake asks with a smile, but it wasn’t a comforting smile like usual. It was devilish and haunted, and it made your stomach ache. “I told you I’d burn the world to have you… and so I started with the town and the people who wanted me dead and away from you.”

Jake explained it with a grin so wide that it caused your heart to shatter. The loving, calm vampire you fell for was no longer here.

“You’ve killed my family… you—” your voice was low and brittle. “Jake… I thought you loved me.”

Jake took a step closer to you. His presence looming over you like a dirty sin, and while cupping your cheek, he said:

“Don’t pretend you didn’t want this. You knew they would never let us be together—you saw the way your priest father treated me! HE WANTED ME DEAD!” Unable to control his anger anymore, Jake held you tightly. His big, veiny hands gripping your shoulders. “I love you, YN. I would do anything for you.”

“Jake… what about my family? I loved them!”

“You can keep loving them…” he whispered in your ear, voice dangerously low. “It’s easier to love them when they’re dead, because they can’t separate us.”

You chose to remain silent, confused about your feelings and morals. Your parents made you follow the path of faith against your will, prohibiting you from studying and forcing you into house labor. But was it right for them to die?

“I’m conflicted, Jake…” you confess, big, glossy eyes staring up at his.

Jake felt like he was on fire, having you so vulnerable and looking at him so sweetly pushed a button he was desperately trying to avoid. He wanted to be gentle with you, despite the desire consuming him. He needed to be gentle, or you would be scared and leave.

Though he would never let you leave him.

“You look so pretty. I wish I could taste you,” Jake said, changing the subject. “But I know that if I get a taste… I won’t stop.” He whispered against your ear, making goosebumps appear across your body as his cold breath came in contact with your earlobe.

“Then don’t stop…” You responded confidently, gently holding his face in front of yours.

Jake reached for your lips almost immediately, kissing you with hunger and need. His arms snuck around your waist, and he pulled you full against him, causing you to gasp. The vampire took that as an invitation and kissed you deeper, his skilled tongue fighting with yours without holding back.

With that, your parents, the village, and your hesitation slipped away like smoke. You were too busy getting lost in his addictive kiss and the way his pointy fangs ghosted over your bottom lip.

Now that Jake got under your skin, he won’t ever let you go. You’re his, and he will do anything to keep you by his side.

Author's Note: Heheheh its finally here im so excited for this one!!! Its my first time writing for Jake AAAAAHHH! I hope you like it! As always, thank you so much for all the love, reblogs are always appreciated! Masterlist

Taglist: @mrsjjongstby @kawaiichu32 @maewphoria @tunafishyfishylike @deluluscenarios @firstclassjaylee @rjssierjrie @reibelhearts

If you wanna be added or removed from the taglist just comment below!

#jake #enhypen jake #jake x reader #jake fanfic #sim jake #enhypen #enha #enhypen x reader #enhypen imagines #enhypen smau #enhypen scenarios #kpop smau #✡ the enchanted corner event

30 notes · View notes

sometimeslwish · 2 days ago

Text

Something Just Like This (With Sylus)

Figuring out how Sylus started into the whole thing was a bit hard until I thought about the twins and went: "yeah, this is perfect." So, here's his.

Word count: 1,388

Tags: voice acting, just general +18 content, Sylus being his usual daddy self, nothing too explicit, just mentions of fluff, smut and angst, Sylus becomes a scrip twriter and streamer (could you imagine that?)

Social media handles

Youtube

Doubletroublechronicles later rebranded into thechaoschronicles.

hedonisticwriter – streaming account for both twitch and youtube.

Twitter

hedonisticwriter – at the behest of the twins. They kept sending him screenshots of what the fans said until he relented and downloaded the app himself.

How it started

The twins roped him into it. They were doing an assassin series and they pretty much just shoved him into the booth and got him to do the lines for the boss. He was a natural. The twins loved it, he had fun even if he wasn't pleased with being shoved into the booth. They weren't planning on making the crime lord a part of the series, but the fans enjoyed his voice acting so much that they just asked him if he could continue playing the character and he said yes without much thought. Now it's their shared channel.

— The twins take care of the editing for him and he slowly learns to navigate the world of voice acting. Luke teaches him how the tagging system works while Kieran teaches him how to edit.

— They also teach him how to write scripts and once they do, it's like they hit a fucking mine with how he keeps churning them out. Him and Luke kind of drive each other crazy with ideas because they just keep bouncing from each other.

— Two years into the mess, he sets up a streaming channel. It's mostly him hanging out with fans, cooking, reading and listening to music, or playing video games. It's usually two to three hours of bonding time. There are times when he writes or edits audios while on stream and sometimes has them accompany him for some impromptu voice acting.

— At some point, he commissions a 2d avatar for his streams. It's a dragon with red eyes and white hair, the fans think it's an oc and that he looks nothing like it, little do they know that the appearance is completely based on him (minus the dragonic parts) and he subtly made a face reveal.

Channel

— The twins did a slight rebrand when Sylus officially joined them. They already had the darker color palette, they just changed everything a little bit to make more space for him.

— There's a playlist for each one of their solo videos along with the ones for series and specific tags.

— The editing style is quite simple, thanks to Luke's template. The thumbnails consist of a blurred background– sometimes the background has color, sometimes it's black and white– at the top left you see the name for who is voice acting, underneath that you'll see the picture of the male character and on the center, to the right, will be one of the lines from the script with the tags underneath.

— Sylus' videos come out on sundays, the twins take Tuesday and Thursday respectively.

— All of them do M4A, Luke has a clear preference for M4F while Kieran has one for M4M. Sylus doesn't really care, he just does the script and calls it a day. The pet names he uses are: beloved, darling, sweetie/sweetheart, baby, kitten and some others from different languages.

— He plays forest creatures and night time creatures like vampires and demons, mostly beasts that are kinder than they look. He got dared into doing a cat hybrid, and he did a caracal, so he's taken a habit of doing predator hybrids every once in a while.

— He gets mostly recognized by three of his series: Abyssm Sovereign (A dragon falling for the soul he was supposed to consume) Relentless Conqueror (a prison escapee who boards a space pirate ship and becomes the second hand to the captain) and the Onychinus series (The crime lord and his assassin's series the twins strung him into).

His sfw content

�� Enemies to lovers, strangers to lovers, lovers to enemies to lovers. He does breaking up with your ex and going back quite well.

— He'll play a lot of leadership roles, mafia bosses, crime lords, villain characters and just powerful and wealthy people in general. Assassin, bodyguard and boxing trainer have also been characters that he's played. There's a lot of killing and morally grey-ship to his writing.

— There's been times where he's taken more of a follower approach. Scripts where the reader picks him up from the streets instead and helps him (some of his hybrid audios are like that) and others where he fights and earns his spot as your second hand and only shows loyalty to you.

— His softer content is very “sugar daddy” in a way, very spoiling-the-listener content, which is lover boy at its finest. There's lots of humming and bantering, him being a bit (read: a lot) of a caretaker. It's very rare that the roles are reversed and the listener takes care of him instead, but the fans always cheer when he does them.

— He's very freedom coded, based on the tags he consistently writes about and plays. Comfort, reassurance, encouragement, quiet moments where you're free to simply exist without having to do things or be something you're not, quietly supportive and just comfy and cozy in general.

— Very rarely does he do any angst and when he does, it's the most heart wrenching thing. It takes him a lot of time and takes to be able to get it right. It's usually soulmate related, doomed soulmates or people who go against the rules of having soulmates (or just the world in general).

— He's kidnapped the listener a couple of times in different settings, but he's been decent and harmless while doing so, so it kind of doesn't count as a “dark” thing. There's also mentions of the listener being bought/freed by him but beside that, he doesn't really like doing yanderes or toxic characters.

His nsfw content

Whoever does the spicy audio is the one to edit said spicy audio. It's a rule Kieran established since the beginning and one they wholeheartedly agreed to enforce, no questions or protests. He didn't start making them until he joined an event related to spicy audios, which happened after he had been voice acting for 9 months.

— After that, he occasionally indulges and makes an audio, it's not rare but it's not frequent either. He does them when he's in the mood to.

— When that happens, it's the most toe curling shit cause the fucker pulls all the stops; praise, constant reassurance, body worship, he talks you through it, asks for your feedback. He's an absolute tease with the way he phrases things and the most passionate lover.

— He feeds the daddy kink, goes on full on service dom, brat tames. On the moments he's not in control, he even acts as a brat himself, begs to be used, maybe even punished, it's crazy.

— And the aftercare? Beautiful, it makes it even more heartbreaking that he voice acts.

— Sometimes does ramblefaps, if he's feeling it enough to improvise his way through an audio, but that's even more rare for him to do.

Extra things

— Every single time someone asks for a face reveal, he makes a tweet with a picture of the closest thing to him, tags the person who asked for it and captions it "here, face reveal" like the fucking little shit he is. Cork screw, knife, a shoe, once he took a picture of his dresser, anything close to him could be used. He does it at least once a week.

— They are all silly silly boys. The twins once filmed Sylus while he hummed (blurred his face of course) and posted it on twitter for the fans to see and from then on it was war. Any time one of them goofed around, they would find video evidence of their crimes on twitter.

— There's compilations of all the times he's said an innuendo or said something that could be taken as a sex joke, both intentionally and unintentionally. Streams, voice acting moments, every single instance taken out of context.

— The fans tease him for his bad singing and encourage him as he gets better.

— The twins pop up from time to time and talk during his streams, but not always. Whenever they do, two chibi avatars with masks pop up on either side of him and it's the cutest fucking thing. Yes, he commissioned those too.

Series masterlist.

#somsplaylist #love and deep space #love and deepspace #l&ds #lads #lnds #lads fanfic #lads headcanons #sylus #love and deepspace sylus #sylus love and deepspace #l&ds sylus #lnds sylus #lads sylus #sylus lads #sylus l&ds #sylus headcanons #sylus fanfic

42 notes · View notes

pinkprince55 · 6 hours ago

Text

complicated

rafe cameron x original character fic

summary : Eden Lowell, a pogue who’s best friends with Sarah Cameron, had always despised Rafe Cameron , until a string of events leads to her helping him with his messed up past, and the mistakes that came of it.

warnings: some swearing, mentions of ❄️ and🍺, a bit of angst

authors note: hi :) jsyk I don’t write creatively a lot anymore. So I’m trying to get back into it. Sorry if this is really bad lol.

Part 1 : The Party

“Eden, come on! we’re going to be so late!” Sarah whines as she grabs her bag. “Top said to be there at 8 o’clock. it’s seven-fifty!!”

Eden rolls her eyes in frustration. “Sarah, I’m being so serious right now. I told you if your asshole brother is there I’m not going.” She’s not very fond of Rafe Cameron. He’s a kook and she’s a pogue, that’s one reason. Another is that he’s always been a jerk to her, and her friend JJ, who she’s known since forever. “I mean, sure it’s one thing for Topper to be at the party since it’s his house and all…and he’s your boyfriend… again.” Sarah rolls her eyes at that. “He’s made mistakes, yeah, but i’m giving him another chance ok?” Eden nods. “Okay, but I don’t have to tolerate your brother being a jerk to me and my other friends. I mean come on, Sarah you don’t even like him that much.” Sarah laughs. “Ok,ok.” Sarah thinks for a second about what to say. “How about you come to the party, and if you see Rafe just ignore him. It’ll be fun, come on!” Eden gets up from her seat. “Alright, fine. I’m getting drunk though. Otherwise I don’t know if I can handle talking to Topper. Or Rafe, god forbid.”

At Topper’s house party

“Hey Babe!” Topper yells as Sarah and Eden walk into the party, with music blasting.” Sarah wraps her arms around him, kissing him. “Hi, Baby” She says in a soft tone. ”Oh, Jesus Christ.” Eden groans, disgusted by their affection. “Oh Hi, Eden.” Topper says, a bit annoyed. Eden raises a hand and gives him an uninterested wave. She quickly scans the room, filled with guests drinking, dancing, talking. Then, she spots a table, filled with beers, a few bottles of vodka, tequila, whiskey, and a mountain of red solo cups. She walks over and grabs the bottle of vodka, and pours a few ounces in one of the cups. She goes to walk back to Sarah, but she’s not where she was before and neither is Topper. “Having any fun?” says a deep voice she recognizes. She turns around, and it’s Rafe.

She sips her drink. “What do you want, Rafe?” He smirks “I just thought I’d come say hi to my sister’s best friend. It’s manners. Ever heard of ‘em?” She laughs. “Oh that’s funny coming from you. Aren’t you the one who finds it amusing to harass pogues whenever you get the chance? I mean you beat up JJ for fun a few weeks ago. What? All because you think pogues are lesser humans? You’re an ass.” Rafe just laughs under his breath. “First of all, I didn’t just beat up JJ for nothing. He was drunk or something. He came up to me and Top and wanted to start something. That’s on him, not me.” “Well maybe if you weren’t always acting like pogues are the problem, JJ wouldn’t hate your guts. It’s just all so fuckin stupid.” She’s chugging her drink at this point. Rafe notices it, and grabs the cup. “Hey, hey slow down, jesus.”

“Just leave me alone, Rafe.” She tries to walk off, but he stops her. “Okay, okay, just— I want you to know that i don’t not like you, Eden. You’re not like the other pogues y’know?” He looks at her, hoping for some sort of reply. “Wow, thanks.” She says sarcastically. “So you’re complimenting me by insulting my friends, nice work.” Then she walks off.

A while later, Eden is at a table with a few guys and talking. “So have you ever done lines before, Eva?” One guy says, clearly drunk as shit. “It’s Eden, and no.” She’s on her second drink now, sipping slower than before so she isn’t completely knocked out by the end of the party. “Well do you want to? It’s totally safe, don't worry Barry hooked us up with the good shit.” She starts to get a bit nervous. “No seriously, I’m good.” The guy scoffs, and grabs his credit card from his wallet. “Fine, suit yourself.” She gets up from the table and goes to find Sarah. “God this party fucking sucks” She whispers under her breath.

“Sarah, can we leave? Or are you gonna be making out with him for two more hours?” She points to Topper. Sarah is sitting on his knee, kissing him. “Ugh ok ok , Sorry Top. I drove her here.” “It’s alright, get home safe.” He says, kissing her goodnight. She smiles, “I’ll text you in the morning.” She gets up and gives Topper one final kiss before grabbing Eden’s hand. “Come on, party animal, let’s go.”

As Sarah and Eden are walking out, someone grabs Eden’s arm and stops her in her tracks. “Hey Eden! Wait!” Eden’s startled until she sees that it’s Barry, who she’s not scared of, but still cautious around, seeing as he’s the island’s go to drug dealer. “I need to have a chat with you and your friend real quick.” He lets go of her shoulder and crosses his arms. “Sarah, your brother owes me some money, so I’m gonna need you to tell him to pay up. Or else things are going to get ugly. Trust me, none of you want that.” Sarah rolls her eyes. “I’m not his keeper, tell him yourself, Barry. I don’t want to be involved in his fuck ups all the time.“ Eden begins to get worried as Sarah grabs her hand. “Come on, Eden let’s go.” As Sarah begins to lead Eden out the door, Barry grabs Eden’s wrist tightly. “Don’t walk away from me bi—

Before Barry can finish his sentence, he’s on the ground. In shock, Eden and Sarah see Rafe, who’s shaking his hand off, which is sure to be bruised soon. Rafe kneels down to where Barry is groaning in pain on the floor. “Keep your hands off her, got it?” Barry stays down, not wanting to take a second hit.

“What the hell? You didn’t have to fucking punch him, Rafe! Jesus!” Eden says, freaked out. Rafe just rolls his eyes and then turns to his sister. “Take her home, I’ll deal with this idiot.” Eden doesn’t really know what to say so she stays silent.

“Eden, come on. Rafe…just…figure your shit out.” Sarah says to him, frustrated beyond belief. She knows he’s a mess, but he’s her brother. Which makes her feel a bit of responsibility. However, Eden shouldn’t have to be involved in the mess. That’s where she draws a line.

Eden and Sarah leave, and are driving home

“Eden, I’m so sorry. I think Rafe is in some kind of trouble, for like the fiftieth time, and Barry is involved. I don’t know how, but I know you don’t need to be involved in it. God, he’s infuriating.” Sarah sighs deeply, and Eden pats your shoulder. “It’s fine, it wasn’t really that big of a deal, I just don’t know why Rafe reacted like that. I mean yeah, it’s Rafe, he’s not exactly sunshine and rainbows type but like… I don’t know. I’m just tired, it’s late and we both need sleep. Let’s just get to your house and get some, Ok?” Eden rubs her eyes, then picks up her phone to check the time, which reads one-forty-three am. “Alright. sounds good.” Sarah says, continuing to drive.

When they arrive at Sarah’s house, they both go inside, and get into their pajamas. Sarah, being the good friend she is, has Eden sleep on the left side of her bed, not the floor. “G’night, Eden.” Sarah whispers as she turns the lights off. “Goodnight.” Eden pulls the throw blanket over her and turns to her side, she’s almost asleep when she gets a text notification on her phone from an unknown number. She clicks on it, curious as to who’s trying to reach her so late.

unknown sender

2:11AM

-hey, it’s rafe

-listen I’m sorry about everything, the whole barry situation is my fault. I’m sorry, eden.

-I hope you’re okay

-dw I’m gonna fix this shit , okay?

-okay well you’re probably asleep by now, so goodnight ig .

*god, how many texts did he send?!* she thinks to herself, while scrolling through. She thinks for a second before typing out a response.

-I’m not asleep yet, i just saw these. I’ll be fine. You really didn't have to punch him though. Rafe, I think Sarah’s worried about you. Barry isn’t someone to mess with. Y’know? Just because you piss me off doesnt mean I want him offing you over some kind of drug thing. Or whatever the hell it is. Idk just be careful. Also, go to fucking bed. It’s almost 3 AM..

And with that, she turns her phone off, lays her head down, and drifts off.

end of part 1

tags:

#rafe cameron #outer banks #rafe fanfiction #rafe fic #fanfic #rafe au #au fanfiction #oc #rafe outer banks #outerbanks rafe #sarah cameron #rafe obx

22 notes · View notes

katharsisboy101 · 2 days ago

Text

How Alibaba's Courage is the key to regain his self-worth - A Magi Character Analysis (Part 1)

Alibaba Saluja is one of the protagonists of Magi. He's an incredibly human and inspiring character which constantly changes and develops throughout the story, with each arc adding layers to his portrayal that let us know just how deep his self-loathing runs, teaching us how to combat it through courage and wit.

I'll be analyzing his character chronologically through each arc (In this post, Qishan, Balbadd, Sindria and Reim, because I got past the image limit), in order to find out why he is the way he is and how he stumbles along the journey to find worth in himself and his existence.

A Cowardly Protagonist

Alibaba Saluja... is a coward. He's afraid to act, thinking he'll mess things up, knowing that he just doesn't have the skills to change anything in a meaningful way. His past determination to gain enough power and money to be able to do something in regards to the inequality and injustices in Balbadd is but a distant dream—he's accepted he's just an average individual, who will never truly make a change.

He's... settled, as nothing more than an assistant to a wine trader, and it's all due to his low self-worth. And things will stay that way for years... until he meets Aladdin.

Aladdin is able to see the good in Alibaba, beyond the facade of a pathetic young man. Because he realizes that, when it matters most, when he has to choose between money and his stability and the lives of complete strangers, he chooses the latter.

His compassion and bravery wins against his poor view of himself—he had been lying to himself for so long, that he had started to believe that lie. But all it took was someone to see past that, to believe in him and reassure his worth, for a truly splendid king vessel to be born.

Thus, with newfound confidence, Aladdin and Alibaba enter the dungeon.

Here we see the first snippets of Alibaba's mysterious past, with Ohtaka cleverly showcasing his wit, his ability to read foreign languages, and his masterful skill with the sword.

These skills which not only increases the viewer's curiosity in Alibaba, but also prove that he's much more capable than he himself thinks—a reocurring theme in his character.

Thus, his time in the dungeon proves to Alibaba that he does in fact have the qualities he needs to shine. Strength, courage, kindness—these are all Alibaba's strongest points, that his low self-esteem didn't allow him to see and that Aladdin helps him recognize as well.

I also love how Alibaba constantly postures as completely hedonistic, saying his motivation are girls and money, and the first thing he does when he becomes rich is use the money he got to free the slaves that Jamil possessed and give them a salary, including Morgiana, who gave him the beating of a lifetime—it's so in character for him, and it just shows us once again where his priorities truly lie.

This first arc sets up Alibaba's character incredibly well, showing us how the only thing he needed was the push from someone who believed in him—and I'd say that's the beauty of the dynamic of the Magi and their respective King Vessels. It's a bond founded on the idea that, to achieve your true potential, you need others to see it in you, in order to regain your confidence and truly shine. Being alone is not a strength compared to fighting side by side with your friends, and no sole person can make the right choices for the world—this is an important theme in Magi that Alibaba and Aladdin's bond showcase perfectly.

Alibaba's Past

Before talking about Balbadd, it's important to talk about Alibaba's past. The impact that his life on the slums and then as a prince had on shaping his identity is excellently written, whether it is to explain his low self-worth, his kindness and good heart, or his wit and skills.

I think that one of the key ways in which living on the slums influenced Alibaba is how grounded he can be, despite his idealism. He knows how horrible and unfair the world can be, which is the reason why he was so quick to assume that he had no way of changing things in Qishan. That's how the world "worked", in his eyes, and his entire lifestory had drilled into him the idea that he didn't have the strength to change that.

However, thanks to his mother's kindness and love, he gained a degree of hope and naivete that no amount of tragedy would uproot—unlike his friend Kassim. These two characters shows us how even two people growing up in the same environment can turn out to be wildly different according to their nature—but, most importantly, due to the people who raised them and the things they've had to do because of them.

Alibaba and Cassim both had horrible self worth that they coped with in different ways, and I could (and will) dedicate a whole post to that dynamic, because I love Kassim as a character. As a takeaway, though, Alibaba abandoning Kassim is something that he will always regret coming forward, and it's a vital point on his decision for joining the Fog Troupe.

The most important part of Alibaba's past, though -the incident that shaped who he would become as an adult- is the attack on the palace organized by Kassim and the people from the slums. The death of his father, and the loss of the royal treasure, were all caused by his naivete and willingness to trust in Kassim—Alibaba's most valuable traits were the ones that costed him everything.

No wonder Alibaba would repress his kind nature and become a lot more opportunistic and cynical after the fact—in his mind, he was cemented as a coward because of his heart... and yet, deep down, the promise he made to his father to protect the people of Balbadd, as part of the royal family, would be the tiny flicker of hope that would guide him, taking it as his duty and responsibility until very late in the manga.

However, Balbadd tests these beliefs, and showcases how he is still lacking valuable lessons before he's able to truly make a change in the way he wants.

Balbadd is Failure

As he joins the Fog Troupe, Alibaba is put into a position of leadership... and he sucks at it. He knows that the situation in Balbadd has to change, but he doesn't know HOW to change it. Once again, he falls into following another's plan, serving as Kassim's puppet with royal blood in order to gain influence and power. He is, supposedly, the leader of the band, but only in name, doing acts of "justice" against the rich without a clear purpose or objective. And not to mention that when Aladdin meets him, he rejects him, seeing it as something he has to do... alone. Because his responsibilities are his and his only. Alibaba is trying to change things, but his methods are idiotic, because he's not truly acting for the sake of Balbadd, rather, he's trying to compensate for his past mistakes—for his poor view of himself.

When Alibaba fails, his first instinct is to isolate himself—to wallow in self-pity and be unable to act. And that is natural, it's human. But Alibaba can't take it—because everytime he has failed, everyone else has had to pay because of it. Even as a child, he probably felt as if his mother's death was his fault, and then his father died because of him,—Mariam too, and Kassim seemed to be next in line if he didn't take action. Taking the burden of a whole country full of systemic issues in his shoulders on his own is a recipe for failure, and yet Alibaba can't help but try and help as he can, because he's a good person.

However, as I've said before, doing things on your own, taking immense burdens by yourself—these aren't just bad choices for you, but also for the world around you. "Doing it together", whether it is on a personal level, or, later on the story, a political one, is Magi's motto, and it's the reason why Aladdin is the perfect person to guide Alibaba.

However, the one who will show him how to truly make a change is Sinbad. Once he takes leadership of the Fog Troupe, he's all that Alibaba isn't. Strong, charismatic, more experienced, great at inspiring others, good with the ladies—someone who cooperates with his allies instead of doing things by himself and has a clear objective in mind, a tangible goal that can change the reality in Balbadd. He rightfully criticizes the Fog Troupe's destruction, obviously founding in a desire to lash out rather than a real wish for change, which serves as inspiration for Alibaba moving forward.

The ways in which Alibaba and Sinbad are foils to each other are material for its own post, but for now, all that we have to know is that Sinbad, in Alibaba's eyes, is living proof that he's just... not good enough. He constantly compares himself to others far more experienced than him—and he always ends up frustrated because of it.

After this, he almost falls back into settling and doing nothing again. But once Kassim threatens with attacking the palace and cause a civil war, and Alibaba knows that he can't tell Sinbad or he may harm his best friend... Alibaba steps up, once again.

He storms the palace by himself, showing the fruits of his training and determination, and, now inspired by Sinbad, has a clear idea of what he wants to do with Balbadd.

Using all that he learnt during his time away, he proposes to create a Democratic Republic, and everything... actually works out.

This is the first showcase of Alibaba's negotiating abilities that will be a fundamental part of his character later on—he uses his knowledge of thw world to propose a different way of resolving things that not even Sinbad, who worships power for himself, had thought of, and even uses a sophism to gain Kougyoku's favor and stop Kou from invading Balbadd. It's genius, and it showcases in several steps just how smart and resourceful Alibaba is. Thus, once Sinbad reaches the palace... everything's been resolved.

Alibaba proved that in desperate times, he can live up to the expectations, and that Aladdin and Morgiana aren't wrong for believing in him. Sinbad finally understands what's so special about this guy... His bravery, his honesty, his compassion, and his mind. And when he's not strong enough... his friends are there to help him:

This moment really struck a chord with me—it may even be my favorite in the manga, with a magnific double spread in which Aladdin admires to himself the hidden strength which Alibaba possesses but he can't even see. It's because he's Alibaba that he could do as much as he did. And he should feel proud of himself because of that.

And with that same good heart, he reaches out to Kassim and allows him to return to the Ruhk instead of being lost forever into depravity. He uses his shameful past and miserable days as a way to connect with his friend,

And he thinks again and again for the sake of others, lamenting inequality, and truly empathizes with the plea of someone who was crying for help without even realizing it. He opens up his heart, and Kassim is saved as a result.

Empathy is Alibaba's greatest weapon, and it will always be moving forward.

Alibaba's Heart

However, after that, shits hits the fan, Balbadd is attacked by the Kou Empire and Alibaba is forced to flee... knowing that he failed completely in saving his friend's life AND his country... and it was all due to his lack of power.

No matter how cool you are or how much you believe in yourself, the world won't accommodate to your determination. You NEED to be able to show results, not only with words, but with your actions as well. And the current Alibaba... just isn't strong enough to save his people. Now everything is up to the powerful Sinbad, which frustrates the young prince to no end.

What I love about the arc his character has to go through during this part of the story, is how it showcases how Alibaba has grown so much... but also how he's still defined by his flaws.

Unlike Hakuryuu, he's able to do well in the dungeon because he learnt that he can't do everything by himself and that friends are there to support each other in the toughest of times, without caring about how personal the matter is. After learning his lesson, he serves as a role model for Hakuryuu to follow, which is wonderful.

I especially love the choice to have Alibaba cry so desperately (due to being reminded of Kassim) here. He's vulnerable and he's rewarded for it—it's the trait that all powerful king vessels like Sinbad or Kouen don't have which allows him to connect with Hakuryuu.

His encounter with Kougyoku showcases this trait once more—even the crazy princess of the empire to blame for the state of his country is just another girl to befriend in his eyes.

However, as I said, this arc also showcases Alibaba's weaknesses, directly tied to his sensibility. Despite Sinbad’s reassurance that things could have gone much worse in Balbadd if Alibaba didn't intervene, he still falls falls back into a pit of not doing anything, without a clear objective. He's frustrated for not being able to save his people, as if he were responsible for Balbadd just because he's of royal blood—despite that fact going against his own idea of trying to install a democratic republic to end the royal family, who don't have any more right than the people in choosing how they live.

Because of his frustration and tendency to rely on Aladdin for validation and Sinbad to resolve everything for him, he ends up going along with everyone's wishes, and if Aladdin hadn't prevented him from accompaying him to Magnosttadt, he would have gone there instead of doing the things he HAS to do in order to fulfill his goals.

The last step Alibaba has to go through to regain his confidence is to do it by himself, knowing he's enough. This might seem paradoxical consider that I said before that Magi is all about bonds, but I think that even though they are important, they should serve as supports for your own strength rather than pillars, that, if broken, leave you with nothing to stand on.

Bonds are important, but solely relying on them... (or on just one, shining person...) is also a mistake.

Whatever the case, it's this constant struggle between being confident and being insecure... these contradictions, that prove that no matter how incredible Alibaba can be at times, he's still human. And it's so REALISTIC. He's incredibly consistent regarding what he's good and bad at, which in my opinion, is marvelous writing, and watching him overcome these flaws is beautiful to see unfold.

Either way, the tale of Alibaba continues as he slowly realizes that he HAS to follow his own path, without copying anyone else's, going into Reim to become stronger and be able to full body Djinn equip.

Aside from cleverly presenting to us Reim for the first time, this mini arc delivers by once again showcasing Alibaba's strength and use of his past experiences to beat the obstacles that appear before him in the present. It's an arc that shows us not just how far he’s come, but also, how much he still has to grow, as the two magois inside Alibaba represent both his and Kassim's united hope.

Thus, Reim is for Alibaba a journey to remember his purpose, and regain confidence in himself to a point that he can now act according to what he wants, standing his ground and not letting anyone or anything dictate the course of his life.

Whatever the case, the next time we see him, we stand in front of a wiser Alibaba. Someone who can pass on the same lessons he learnt to the friends that have helped him so much—someone who can oppose strong opponents with confidence and wit... and yet someone who still isn't perfect, and who still has to grow a lot before being an equal against the likes of Kouen or Sinbad.

Part 2 here: https://www.tumblr.com/katharsisboy101/782418805132525568/alibabas-relapse-and-resurgence-a-magi?source=share

#alibaba saluja #alibaba #magi #magi: the labyrinth of magic #magi the labyrinth of magic #magi meta #magi analysis #alibaba analysis #alibaba magi #alibaba meta #part 1 because I ran out of images lol #part 2 is already written so

22 notes · View notes