#but every day all i can think about her quote 'that was a cruel and ugly thing to do to an innocent girl'

[ladicsa]

people focus so much on kisa being this bad bitch (which she ofc is) but forget that the reason she was cursed is because she was trying to prevent the spilling of innocent blood

[calisources]

𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒.

All these quotes are taken from different works of fiction and depict sensual, sexual tension between two people in different scenarios. There are some that are suggestive while others are more detail so this meme is nsft and usft, please tag accordingly. Mentions of jealousy, possessiveness, sex, fantasies are all here. Change pronouns, names, locations as you see fit.

I knew the first moment I saw him that it was going to be raw, it was going to be ugly, and I was going to enjoy every damn minute of it.

You're still looking.

You make it hard to look away.

I'm over here keeping my hands and memories to myself because you asked me to, that’s not fair.

If you'd just man up and admit there's something between us, I would strip down to my skin so you could see every single inch of me.

How long are you going to make me wait?

How awfully presumptuous of you to think I'd let you.

You missed my arrogance almost as much as I missed your impudence, little one.

You said not to fall for you. Did you change your mind?

We both needed to blow off some steam, and we did, right?

They say the colour of a lady’s lips is an exact match to another region on the body?

You're too soft.

Can we go back to making out now?

You sound jealous.

Then tell me this is what you truly want. Swear you want this more than anything else and I'll never mention it again.

If you want me to play the bawd, at least give me the benefit of your advice.

Tell me how it's done. Do you think she'd like it if I came to her like this, if I looked deeply in to her eyes?

And then like this? Is this how I ought to seduce her?

You're wet, aren't you?

You drove me mad.

She asked me not to be gentle with her, either,I would have been gentle with you, though.

I would have had you moaning my name throughout it all. And I would have taken a very, very long time, Feyre.

I'm all yours to look at, you know.

You need to let me go, darling, before we start something I intend to finish.

Feel free to touch, darling. It's all yours.

. . .I hate you.

Say it again.

Grind it. Nice and fine.

I gave him a few smiles and he handed over a family heirloom. I bet he'd give me the keys to his territory if I showed up wearing those undergarments.

Why shouldn't I? You seem to have difficulty not staring at me day and night.

Am I supposed to deny, that I find you attractive?

Is that a challenge, Feyre?

Do you think it's fair that you have seen every inch of me, and I have seen none of you?

Move with me now.

Touch me anywhere you please.

I want you to make love to me.

Do you know what that truly means?

You do know? You know that I will be inside you and that I will move inside you, until we are both mad from pleasure?

I want you inside me.

You have three minutes to get ready now.

I did dream about you. I didn’t want to, but I did.

What was I doing in your dreams?

Someone is watching us through the window.

All the more reason to put on a good show.

You're not in a position to make demands.

The best things are found in the most secret places.

And you are a beautiful, sexy temptress who is about to be fucked by a man who wants her so desperately he's willing to do anything to have her.

When I'm with a woman, it's not me doing the begging.

You're rubbing yourself all over me. What did you think was going to happen?

I thought you were all about self-control.

I remember how powerful those thighs are.

You are more beautiful than I imagined.

And your skin... Christ, it shimmers like gold.

I'm naked underneath.

Tell me----did it get you off knowing I was watching?

I want to take you under the moonlight.

Please, don’t stop.

Oh, so I shouldn’t? That would be cruel of me, wouldn’t it?

I am the cruelest man you will ever meet, but, I will make you feel so good, you will not care.

I’ve never been with a man before.

You do bad things to me, Carrie. Very bad things.

And you, Miss, are no lady.

[nnight-dances]

BEAUTIFUL MONSTER

PAIRING: yoon jeonghan x afab!reader

GENRE: angst, smut, fluff in that order of significance

TROPES: workplace romance, boss!jeonghan x associate!you, casual fwb situation but they're not friends they're coworkers, intense banter, nakamoto yuta makes a cameo, toxic relationship at some point but it gets better trust me.

"beautiful monster" because in private, jeonghan is nothing short of an angel to you – charming and devious, teasing but all in good faith, in faith that he was interested in you. but in public, he's monstrous with his cold shoulder, his indifference to you like you weren't in his bed every night, humming him to sleep.

PS: what are you doing with your life if you haven't listened to beautiful monster yet???? go listen to the gift from god called this man from jeonghan x wonwoo okay bye ily

"what makes you think you can prance into my office all prettied up and not even say a hi to me?" 

you look up from the stack of paper you're holding, and innocently tilt your head. "sorry, boss," you accentuate the last syllable with a smile, "just trying to be as resourceful as i can be." 

"oh, come on," jeonghan swivels dangerously in his hefty desk chair, all just to show you the little ridiculous hint of a smirk on his lips. "you're not really mad about that?"

"about what, sir? i'm just doing justice to my position in my short time here, after all."

"you know, quoting things i said back at me isn't as effective of an attack as you think it is, y/n," he tells you, but you can tell he's a little worked up because he shifts a little in his seat. "cut the fucking attitude, princess, what's wrong?" 

you narrow your eyes at him, more so at his audacity to pull out the private nickname in your shared place of work in broad daylight. and on a wednesday no less. "nothing's wrong, mr. yoon. i'm just reflecting on your incredibly insightful speech at the meeting earlier. seems like i don't know you all that well."

"well, you do know me all that well, which is why deep down, you know that whatever i said it wasn't addressed to you." jeonghan stands up and you have to swallow the smug look that threatens to spill out. 

yoon jeonghan, the star employee at his company, didn't get out of his chair, not even to greet the most valuable client. yet here he was, walking to you, hand on your elbow, dangerously unprofessional. 

"must be really deep down because i don't think the man i know would be that cruel to our newest hire," you bite back, shaking his hold over you, "and perhaps it would've helped me interpret you better if you didn't address your grand speech to every low-level associate in the room."

"low-level–? y/n, you know that–"

you don't let him finish, sure he'd find a way to spin his words and get out of being held accountable for the shit he spewed two hours ago. well, you weren't gonna let him get his way, not this time. you bow politely, "good day, mr. yoon. let me know if i can assist you with any work-related matters." 

god, you could be vexing when you wanted to, jeonghan thought to himself watching you stride off in your unbelievably well-fitting pants. he does wonder how you manage to never show up to work covered in creases, what with all the running around you do, from his place to yours every morning. okay maybe every other morning, but it was impressive, the way your white shirts were always crisper than the morning coffee you handed him on your way to your desk, and the way he'd never managed to see your lipstick a smudge out of place in all the time he'd worked with you.

"where'd jenna go again?" you question out loud when you return to find the new hire out of her desk yet again. she'd been the reason jeonghan had burst into his impormptu but condescending talk and though he had some fair reason to speak the way he did, you didn't appreciate the hierarchical intimidation it encouraged. 

"um, i think she just took her fifth bathroom break of the day," muttered seulgi with a grimace. "every time she does that the number of files on my desk goes up."

"send 'em over, seulgi."

"what? no, you have more than enough on your plate–"

"my research and writing skills are what got me hired, so i might as well revisit my roots once in a while. plus, it's gonna take a while to replace jenna, if we're trying to find someone this late."

"all right then, i guess i'll bring these over to you then," seulgi says in an apologegtic tone as she plops a fresh set of files on your desk, which has managed to stay clear of any such physical copies of documents since last year when you convinced joshua to make the firm go paper-free.

well, mostly. except for monkey jobs like this one which usually went to inexperienced hires. but given the unfortunate situation you find yourself in, you have no choice but to ignore your strcitly digital policy to pull out your wooden pencil for the first time in a while.

it takes you long enough to get through half of the stack that jeonghan's done for the day and you haven't moved an inch. he pauses in front of your desk, taken aback at the sight of you reading through a physical file. and then he notices the empty desk down the line, one that should've held the redhead called jenna. 

"and since when did you start doing unpaid labor?"

you look up with a start and sigh when it's jeonghan. "good night, mr. yoon." 

"wow, that's cold. can't a superior worry about his precious protege's wellbeing? y/n, you're overqualified for this work so why don't you put it down and go home?"

your mouth twitches with a bitter comment you barely hold in. "i'm the best person for this job till we find someone else to do it. i'm also the only one with the balls to sit down and finish it on top of my own workload. so i'm sorry but i won't be putting this down just yet. did you want me to call driver choi for you?"

jeonghan blinks silently at you, realizing you weren't gonna listen to a word he said, not even if he was the only voice of reason in your vicinity right now. he shrugs, "i can see myself out. just be here on time tomorrow, we have an important case to discuss."

"as you wish," you nod cordially and return to your work. 

– 

jeonghan's up till four that night, which is when he hears you shuffle into his condo. he silently thanks his past self who decided to drop a spare key to his place when your visits had become a regular thing. 

you're pulling your hair out of the tight ponytail you'd kept it in all day and throw the tie on the nightstand, almost screaming out of your skin when you see jeonghan looking at you, propped up on his shoulder. 

"what the fuck– why are you still awake?"

"why are you mad at me?"

you ignore his question and start untuck your shirt from your pants, unbuttoning them. 

"oh my god, is this the day you finally have mad sex with me–?"

you give jeonghan an unimpressed smile as you let the pants drop and throw yourself into the empty space beside him, closing your eyes with a weary sigh. "wake me up at 6."

jeonghan being the devious idiot he is, only worsens with every second you don't address his words directly. he rolls closer to you, hand finding his place under your shirt, on your hot stomach. "babydoll, i'm sorry you had to work so late," he whispers as he presses a kiss to your skin. "but if you don't talk to me, i can't make things right."

"you can't make things right, period, jeonghan," you tell him, eyes still closed. the man wouldn't get any more of your energy than you could help. "i'll be back to normal if you just let me sleep."

"you're being mean, baby, just let me make it up to you, okay?"

"jeonghan, unless you can change who you are as a very human being, i don't think there's anything you can do," you strain, shoving him away, "i'm not about to throw a tantrum so don't worry. let me sleep if you want to have your best associate working for you tomorrow."

that seems to get the message across because he doesn't say another word. or maybe he does but you're too busy slipping into the sleep you desperately need after a crazy work day. jeonghan wakes you up with a solemn look on his face and you sit up in a panic, thinking something's gone wrong at work.

but then he says, "sorry, i overslept. it's 7. you'll have to wear the spare pair of clothes you keep here to work."

"i hate you," you shriek as you jump out of bed, rushing to freshen up in his bathroom as he nods and starts getting ready himself. he does seem like he's keeping to himself because usually, jeonghan would've made a few too many comments about how cozy and domestic it is for the two of you to be using the same mirror to get ready as if his place didn't have any other mirrors to use. he even lets you fix his tie without a snarky comment, just a little kiss on your cheek that you barely tolerate without a shake of your head. 

he watches you put on the makeup you keep in your purse for emergencies like this, but can't help muse over how much he must hate to the idea of losing you at work to be acting this obedient. you smile a little to yourself, pleased at least at his respect for you, if not his love. 

truth be told, you often regretted being in this strange more than coworkers but less than lovers situation you had with yoon jeonghan, your direct superior at work. but you were too deep in it to back out, too down bad for the man's charms to turn your back to him. 

it had started almost as soon as jeonghan had laid eyes on you, his private conversations with you always consisted of one too many suggestive comments and he somehow always managed to flirt with you without you truly registering it. by the time you recognized the unprofessional nature of your relationship with him, you were five kisses too late. late nights at the office turned into late nights at his place, because it was conveniently much closer to the office than yours. 

somewhere along the way, though, you had to face the harsh reality that no matter how sweet jeonghan could be when he was flirting with you, he was always going to be something of a beautiful monster. because in private, jeonghan is nothing short of an angel to you – charming and devious, teasing but all in good faith, in faith that he was helplessly into you. but in public, he's monstrous with his cold shoulder, his indifference to you like you weren't in his bed every night, humming him to sleep.  

the harsh reality you face that very morning when he calls you into his office. 

"morning how can i–," you start and then make eye-contact with the man seated on the sofa across from jeonghan. "oh, morning, mr. nakamoto! i didn't realize you were in town!"

nakamoto yuta laughs loudly at your hurried greeting, crossing his legs as he shamelessly checks you out. "oh, come now, call me yuta like the good old days, y/n! and where were you this morning when i was all over the place trying to find the famous yoon jeonghan's office."

"ah, i'm sorry i was a little late this morning–" you spare a glance at jeonghan smiling in his chair, "my cheap excuse of an alarm didn't go off on time. i really should get a new one."

"if you'd come to work for me like i asked, you wouldn't have to work at the ass crack of dawn y'know?" yuta raises a brow at you with a small grin and you tuck some hair behind your ear bashfully, not forgetting to observe how jeonghan is stiff in his seat. as stiff as a slick bastard like him could get anyway because you could've missed the glare he shot you when he stands up and crosses the room to yuta. 

he pauses next to you, cold hand coming to rest on your arm, a possessive gesture explicit enough for yuta to muse over. "i didn't realize you came in here to declare war over my best associate, yuta, or i would've prepared harder."

the japanese businessman laughs wholeheartedly, "sorry, han, you know i can't help myself these days. it's getting harder to find familar faces in the industry these days, what with all the incompetence that's cropping up." he sighs then with a glance in your direction, "still mad you came to work for this asshole over me."

you chuckle, letting down your guard a little at the man's sincere comment. "what would've been the point of working at your company when you'd always be across the globe, vacationing in some fancy hotel every other week?" you question with a smile, "anyway, don't lose hope, maybe i'll change career paths mid-life, so don't delete my resume from your system just yet."

"all right, i'll take that as a promise," yuta winks at you as you take your leave from the office. 

an hour or so later, you're summoned to jeonghan's office again, with a brief, "y/n, please." you suppress the urge to roll your eyes, knowing there wasn't any real need for you to be in the room with them except for yoon jeonghan's egoistic need to fuck with your head. 

"how can i help you?" you ask with your sweetest business smile and jeonghan stands up from the sofa next to yuta. he gestures to the other man with a glint in his eye, "y/n, mr. nakamoto says he has the rest of the day to himself before he heads out. i thought it'd be a waste to just let him roam on his own, why don't you accompany him?"

you blink blankly at jeonghan, taken aback at his thoughtless request. treating you like just another associate who worked under him was one thing, but treating you like his personal assistant who'd entertain his friends' whims was entirely another. 

and you know he realizes this because of how closely he's watching you, lips set in a lilt because he loves seeing his stupid little scenarios play out. yuta stands up when he senses the tension, "ah, don't bother y/n, han. i'm sure she has a lot of work to do. i'll just–"

"no, no, i insist," jeonghan pushes, only glancing at the man he was so earnestly trying to please. "you don't mind, do you, y/n?"

you inhale, sensing the challenge behind his words. the way he said it, it was almost inappropriate for work, the smirk and the way his eyes were all over you. but honestly, you hated his guts for trying to get you down like this. so if a challenge was what he wanted, then that'd be exactly what he was going to get. 

"not at all!" you start, a cheerful beam on your face that catches both men off their guards and you continue, "please, i was hoping for some time to catch up with mr. nakamoto– sorry, with yuta, anyway, so honestly, thank you, mr. yoon. i'll just go grab my stuff and meet you in the lobby?"

"oh– okay, sure thing," yuta mutters, glancing between you and jeonghan uneasily. you don't spare your boss another look as you leave his office and furiously pack your things into your purse, slinging it over your arm. "i won't be back today, seulgi, so don't text me unless everyone starts dropping dead while i'm gone."

–

"so you don't show up at work all day and then you ignore all my calls? i am your boss, y/n, you can't just blow me off whenever you please," jeonghan's voice is muffled on the other side, and you're guessing he's in his car, on the way back to his place. 

you, on the other hand, had been home for nearly three hours now after your little date with yuta, the man who'd walked around the city with your for a few hours before taking you out to a late lunch slash early dinner at the nicest place you'd been to in a while. so yes, you were in a good mood and honestly, hearing how mad jeonghan is on the line only makes you smile more. 

"oh, sorry, i didn't realize you were bipolar like that," you say in a pleased voice, "because last i remember you basically begged me to babysit your client for you."

"client?" jeonghan scoffs,  "you make it sound like you weren't sleeping with that guy for almost five years before i came along."

"well, i'm sleeping with you now and you don't hear me calling you anything but my boss to anyone."

"you're a real piece of work sometimes, aren't you?" the man snaps and then after a solemn pause, "what did you do with him all day, anyway?"

you chuckle softly, "can't disclose private matters like that i'm afraid. besides, i'm having real trouble understanding why you sound pissed at me when all i was doing was following your instructions."

"huh, that's funny, you want to get rewarded for running around with another man while i was banging my head at the wall all day today? don't ever try to pull shit like this again or–"

"or what, jeonghan? you're gonna fire me?" you ask, "how about you stop treating me like i'm the dirt on your shoe as soon as you're done using me for sex? i'm not your personal assistant that you can just order around to wet your friends' cocks whenever you fucking want, okay? or i'll be the one considering yuta's offer seriously." 

before jeonghan can have a chance to respond, you hang up on him, breathing deeply to calm yourself down. you take in your apartment, somewhat of an abandoned mess with all the nights you'd spend at jeonghan's. you felt guilty for own behavior, ignoring your own needs for so long that you'd forgotten what being respected really felt like. maybe what you needed was a real relationship.

–

"that's always been your problem, y/n," rina groans, "you always forget that there's men other than the ones you work with."

"ouch! you make it sound like i've only ever fucked my coworkers–"

"worse, your bosses–"

"okay, so it happened like twice! you're forgetting all the wholesome moments i had in high school," you warn her across the table with a fork. 

"you mean how you rejected any decent guy with genuine feelings for you in favor of chasing older men who didn't know your name?"

"i'll have you know i chased those old men because they were the ones who could get me the job i have today, so i won't apologize for doing what i had to do to have the career i wanted."

rina sighs, "that's not the problem. you could've networked with the people working in the industry and had a healthy relationship with someone your age. but you always got so emotionally attached to anyone who offered you advice that you didn't have time for anything else."

you stare at your coffee dejectedly, swallowing the hard truths your oldest friend was hurling at you. cruel as she was, you knew she wasn't going to sugarcoat things for you, not when you dragged her all the way across town on a saturday to have lunch with you when she had a million other things lined up with her upcoming wedding.

"i don't know how you do it, rina," you mumble, "you've a stable job, a beautiful home, and a doting fiance. god, that's like three worlds apart from the dump of a reality i live in."

"okay, now that's just untrue, y/n," rina scolds you softly, shaking her head, "plus, you have the first two things on that list."

"i have a job, but my place is far from home. i don't even sleep in it most days, plus, i think the last factor on the list kinda trumps everything else by a lot."

"well, who is that on anyway? it's not like you're undesirable or fucked up, you know?"

you groan, "what should i do, rina?"

"find someone who doesn't work the same 100 hour work week as you might be a start? maybe then you can stop treating your boss like a god."

"rina, you don't understand," you complain, "i know i make it sound too good to believe, but he's the smoothest talker you'll ever see and god, don't even get me started on how good he is in bed–"

"y/n, it's not the man's dick that matters, it's his heart," rina interrupts and when she doesn't burst out laughing like you do, you stop with a questioning look. "i'm serious, dude, you're not gonna be in it for the sex like 10 years down the line when everything hurts, inside and out. trust me, the minute you meet even a remotely normal man with reasonable expectations from life, you'll know what i mean–"

"that's the problem–" you start to explain your own beliefs when a head in your periphery catches your eye. "fuck me," you groan immediately when you realize who's sitting about two tables away from you.

"come on, y/n, i just talked to you about this, you can't be thinking about–"

"no, no, listen, don't look right now, but…" you trail off in disbelief and then force yourself to finish, "but my fucking boss is sitting to our left."

"you mean the fucking boss… you're… fucking?"

"yeah, that one…"

a few beats pass as rina slowly takes a look at the man across from you, hair down from the low ponytail it usually found itself in. at the perfect timing, jeonghan laughs at something the lady across from him says, hair bouncing to reveal his flawless features. 

"wow, he looks like nothing like you've described him as–"

"what, i've been going on for hours about–"

"about his charm, not how drop-dead gorgeous he is! i've been imagining some greasy old douche, not this tall glass of water…"

"first of all, your lack of trust in my taste in men is truly offensive… and–"

rina interrupts you, for the nth time in every conversation that you've ever had with her. "–it's worth mentioning that your taste in men is walking toward us as we speak–" 

"what…" you look up all too suddenly to find the man a few steps away, sly smirk in place as he approached you. 

"hello there, ladies," he starts in a low amused smile and god, if you could strangle him or yourself into silence just there you would've but instead you match his smile. 

"oh– hi, mr. yoon, i didn't expect to run into you here," you laugh it off with a pointed look at him, hoping he'd have the common decency to fuck off when you were clearly with a friend on one of your only days off. 

but you should know better because jeonghan will never give up a chance to open his mouth, especially in front of a stranger he hasn't had the chance to charm yet. 

"and neither did i! but here i am, with my lovely coworker and her…" his eyes dance over to rina who flushes under his gaze by the slightest, "gorgeous friend?"

you roll your eyes at the question and don't think it worth mentioning, especially when you're too busy choking yourself over his description of you as a 'coworker'. yeah, right. 

"right, we were just–"

"talking about the guy who's interested in y/n!" rina chimes in, her grin saying she thinks she's helping you but you kick her under the table, warning her to cut it off. 

"what–"

"huh, what's that again?" jeonghan asks, smile momentarily faltering at rina's comment. 

"ah, you know, y/n's just been so popular with guys since i've known her but she's never had time to settle down. but this guy's just been dying to meet her and when she called me to lunch today, i thought she'd finally be ready to meet the man of her dreams."

"the man of my dreams?" you choke yet again over a strangled laugh, "rina, you're really funny. you know i have nothing of that sort–"

"oh, come on," rina brushes you off with a scrunch of her nose and turning to jeonghan who seemed immersed in the bullshit your best friend was spewing. "she's just too shy to talk about it but– she told me, too drunk off her ass to remember, she'd only want to marry a man who was desperately head over heels for her, gives up everything to be with her, just to see her smile–"

"rina, i think–"

"and oh, what was it that you said? he needs to be able to think what i think before i've thought it? i'm not even looking at him if he doesn't worship the ground i walk on?? wow, y/n, you were full of it back then, weren't you?"

you redden, out of words at this point, half-mad she was yapping and half-mad at yourself for actually having said all the shit she was yapping. yes, god knows you did say everything she was saying, and there was a blurry video on your phone proving it somewhere. rina'd known you wouldn't believe a word without proof, so she'd recorded it without you realizing.

jeonghan's looking at you when you look up from your lap and rina cuts in again, "but you can't be to blame, now, can you? your parents always treated you like a princess, and your brother basically acted like your bodyguard until you moved out… i'd be full of myself too if i grew up like that."

you inhale deeply as you glare at rina, slowly standing up, "um, i think we should go soon or we'll miss the movie. right, rina?" you force your words out so rina can recognize you're not kidding. 

"y/n, can i talk–"

"sorry," you cut jeonghan off, too, head reeling too hard to respond to anything that man's got to say to you, "i really have to rush but if it's something urgent, why don't you just leave a voicemail? i'll get to it on monday."

"ooooh, that was hot," rina whispers into your shoulder as the two of you pay the bill and head out. "god, did i love torturing the two of you in there. and honestly, serves him good–"

"what the fuck was that?"

"what the fuck was what? i was just showing that bastard what you actually deserve," rina snaps, eyes wide, "you might not remember what you're made of, y/n, but i do and i'm not gonna watch as you let that asshole use you. he can realize what your standards are or he can find someone else to fuck with. not my best friend."

"...rina," you stop in your tracks, rina's words finally starting to make sense in retrospect, "you're—"

"okay, please don't get emotional on me, i have a movie to catch and you know i can't focus if i'm tired."

– 

that very night, you come out of the shower to your phone blowing up, stifling a smile when you see jeonghan's name plastered over your notifications. after a thought to it, you pick up.

"what?" you take on your most indifferent tone.

"wow, that's cold," jeonghan's voice is clear this time. he's at home. "you can really be a stranger sometimes, baby."

"it's not hard, i just pretend i'm you at work," you tell him with a petty smile he can't see but most definitely hears because he immediately scoffs.

"listen, i didn't call to fight you, okay? i just want to talk. i–" he stops abruptly as if out of breath and then, softly, "i'm sorry."

that's a first. 

"i didn't quite catch that, mind repeating what exactly you're sorry for?"

you hear his sigh loud and clear, "y/n, let me make it up to you. i'm sorry i've been an asshole to you, especially at work. won't you come over?"

"no, i won't. i have some beauty sleep to catch up on."

"then, i'll come over. but please, let me in. and i don't mean into your place, i mean into your mind. i know you want a grandiose dream man but i can't read your mind just yet, so just let me… let me understand you better." after a beat of silence, he punctuates his words with a "please?"

"...you know where i live?"

"wasn't born yesterday, princess. give me 10 and i'll be there. make sure you're wearing clothes."

he hangs up on you and you barely have a moment to yourself to calm your intense hearbeat and equally chaotic thoughts after what jeonghan just said. i can't read your mind just yet. just yet? did he intend to??? intend to what, become to man of your dreams???? 

as much as you internally cringe at the thought, your cheeks are flushed when you let jeonghan that night, watching carefully as he took his shoes off, wearing a strangely casual grey hoodie and sweatpants. somehow you'd only ever seen him in his suit. or without it. 

he looks at you for a moment too long, and then his hand comes to carress your hair gently, "hmm, never seen you with your wet hair down."

"what do you want, jeonghan?" you cross your arms.

"you know sometimes i think i prefer you call me mr. yoon over jeonghan. you sound like you're going to kill me in my sleep when you say jeonghan."

"or i could just kick you out of my apartment. my landlord takes break-ins very seriously."

"alright, alright," jeonghan backs off, keeping his hands to himself, "can i at least have some water first? nervous to be all alone in your place with you."

you narrow your eyes at him and when he just shrugs, you gestures to the kitchen. "you can figure out how to pour yourself, can't you?"

"y/n, i–" he takes a gulp of the water, and then sighs, "i want to take you out. like a proper boyfriend."

"that's crazy because unfortunately, i don't have any time to be going out with anyone right now."

"if you're going to lie about your work committments, maybe don't do it to my face? our schedules are basically married so i know exactly when you're free."

"oh, i see what's happening," you throw yourself on your couch with a mirthless laugh, "you're blackmailing me into dating you, aren't you? don't worry i won't go around spilling the tea about your kinks in bed if you just leave me alone, mr. yoon."

"okay i lied, it's infinitely worse when you call me that. how about just calling your sweet angel, han, huh? no, okay? listen, y/n, i'm serious. i want to be more than your toxic boss who you have mindblowing sex with."

"you are–"

"i'm not saying this for any of the ulterior motives you're trying so hard to think of. believe it or not, i'm into you, y/n, and when you left me hanging for like three days straight, i couldn't stop thinking of you. and well, i did miss the sex, but what i missed more than anything was hanging out with you. spending time with you." 

"...what if i'm not into you like that?" you ask with a quirked brow, not quite satisfied with the case he was presenting. he stood still across from you at your kitchen counter, breathing shallow though you weren't certain why.

"that would be fair but i'm asking you to give us a chance because i know i've never had a connection with someone like i do with you. our stupid banter, your witty ways to save my life at work and outside before i can anticipate them, and of course, our amazing chemistry in bed– y/n, i never will find something like this again. and you can say i'm full of myself, but neither will you."

if you were slowly starting to doubt that it really was yoon jeonghan in front of you confessing his love to you, you don't anymore when he adds that last arrogant part in. "you're awfully confident for someone who was blowing my phone up an hour ago," you tell him, looking away, "but honestly, jeonghan, i'm getting old, okay? i don't think i have time to play your games anymore. i'm gonna find myself a decent man and settle—"

"you hearing yourself? you're gonna settle?" jeonghan's crosses over to you, sitting on your coffee table and before you can tell him off, he takes both of your hands in his with the tenderness of a man that you've never seen him capable of being. "i know i'm not the most promising prospect of a boyfriend, let alone a husband, but i'm willing to change. not even change, i'm just going to stop pretending to be a little bitch to you at work because honestly it was killing but i was doing it to protect myself from getting too attached to you. but it's too late. i'm down bad for you, y/n."

"and i may not be the decent man you're looking for, but i can assure i love you more than anyone on the market. because i know you like nobody else can, and i'm going to stick by you no matter what."

you take a breath and hold it just to test if you're dreaming but then jeonghan drops his head into your hand, letting your fingers into his soft hair. "just give me a chance, y/n. i'm… nothing without you." his voice is small now, his charming self who showed up to rooms full of busy people to give them a pitch of their life long gone. he was just a man right now, pleading you to let him in so you could both have a real shot at loving each other. 

you pull your hands out of jeonghan's clutch, watching his expression turn into one of panic but you silence him by bringing them to his face, gingerly guiding his eyes to yours. he blinks back, pure and solemn. "where was this guy when i was begging to be held for the past week?" you wonder, half to yourself, "and before you apologize, it's okay. i… haven't been a saint myself. it was unfair to not give you the short end of the stick when i'd given you the impression it was all good and fine until now."

"but you have to know how little i feel when you treat me without respect at work– not just because you're my boss, but because i care about what you think of me… as a person. i want to be with you, to love you. so if you can be real with me like this, i think we can make it work."

jeonghan kisses your hand softly, "i'm sorry. i– i will do better. and just to be sure, that was a yes?"

"yes."

"yes, you'll be my girlfriend, my one and only lover, the apple of my eye, the prettiest sight since the moon was revealed?"

"...yes. and flattery is not one the list of real qualties," you tell him despite the blush that colors you. 

"really? it's a good thing that i meant every single thing i just said then, isn't it?" he leans closer, breath hot against your already hot face. "can i kiss you then, love?"

the new nickname only makes you more dazed and you nod with a mewl, meeting jeonghan's lips halfway. he kisses you like he's never before — without a hint of urgency, like he could kiss you for the rest of his life and not regret a moment. he's slow and intentful, eyes fluttering and breath heavy, almost like his heart was wreaking as much of a havoc as yours was in your chest. 

you press a hand to his chest, reassured by the heat of beat that meets you, and he pulls away in surprise at your motion. jeonghan's flushed and speechless like he's never been, just watching you through his lashes, out of breath. 

you look down at his body, taking in his tall figure cramped in the little space between the two of you. his legs cage yours on either side, knees meeting your thighs, and his arms resting gently on your waist. it's like his body's swallowing you whole, and thought heats you up in a way that has you tearing up. 

when you hide your face in your hands out of the blue, jeonghan's large hands find yours, cooing them away. "what's wrong?"

"overwhelmed…" you tell him in a tiny voice, "i've– you never… you've never been so gentle with me. i feel like i'm going to break."

"that's ironic, isn't it," he asks softly but not mockingly. "you're so precious, i can't believe i haven't done this sooner. i guess i was always in such a hurry to feel your skin before time ran out… before it was too late… or something? either way, i'm here to stay now so let's take it slow."

"so you'll kiss me like that again?" you ask, looking at your intertwined hands. he squeezes back. 

"you liked that? let me see your lips again, i'm never not doing that again."

you giggle at his enthusiastic reaction, his lips already a breath away from yours, feeling your sounds in his whole being like he'd been starved. he kisses you again, not letting go till you pull away with a gasp. "god, i need air, han, you'll kill me at this rate."

jeonghan's too busy peppering your skin with more kisses, "good, you're back to calling me han. and as for needing air, we'll just have to do that a lot so you can build up a stamina."

—

"love it when you do that, god–" jeonghan's all over his own words, trying to get them out as soon fast as possible, "can you say it again? i'm gonna record it–" 

"han," you warn him in a stiff voice, "tell me you didn't just walk out of a meeting to come ask me to say– i'm not saying it, okay? so let go of my hand before seulgi comes back and you'll still have a reputation around here."

"no, you can't do this to me, babe," he's whining now and it'd be great for your ego if you couldn't see the room full of people waiting for him to get back so he could continue the meeting. "just tell me what you told rina about the dates i take you on and then i'll be out of your hair."

"first of all, you were never supposed to hear any of that," you push jeonghan away when he protests dangerously close to your face, "and second, if you want to have a girlfriend at the end of the day, you're gonna walk away from my desk and go back to your doing your job. okay, han? i can't do this now, let's talk at night."

"...fine. if you agree to sleep over at mine."

"done. now go."

"and you'll hold hands when we walk–"

"go."

he turns around obediently not before throwing a flying kiss in your direction and you truly have to wonder how he ever managed to act so uptight with you at work when he can be hopeless like this. 

"i'll have you know," he whines that night when you're coddling him in his bed, "that i'm that hopeless only because i'm head over heels for you. i love you, love, and i can't stop loving you, even if a bunch of suited assholes want to find ways to keep me apart from you."

"a bunch of suited assholes is your job description, angel," you laugh into his chest, "and god, you need to stop doing that at work. at least find a room if you want to be all up in my personal space, okay?"

"reserve a room just so we can make out? hmm, not a bad idea—"

"that is the exact opposite of what i was suggesting–"

"and yet here i am, with the great idea in my brain. noted, princess likes risky sex at work. thrill of getting caught? or is–"

"when did making out turn into risky sex?"

"you know i can never stop at just that once i've started," he says, kissing your forehead and you hit his face softly. "liar. big words from someone who refused to do anything but kiss me all night last night, and the night before that, and what about the time we went to dinner that time? oh, right, you didn't even kiss me."

"are you mad i'm being mindful of my pace?" jeonghan asks with a half smile, seriously concerned when you bring it up.

"no, i'm just shocked at the change up from when all you could think about was where and how we were gonna fuck."

"well, be assured that i still think about fucking you anywhere and everywhere at all times, but i'm more than that man now. i've got boyfriend worries now, 'kay? i want to savor every single thing we do, every date i take you on, and every small adorable thing you do. i'm not doing it the casual way. it's either all or nothing."

"you're scary when you're in love," you marvel with a sweet smile, "but full disclosure on my part, han, but i kind of need you to fuck my mind out because i'm literally dying here."

jeonghan goes still, pulling away to look at your face, amazed at the filth you could spawn with the purest smile on your lips. when he catches the glint of desperation in your eye though, he's switching control immediately, over to the jeonghan he'd managed to suppress so expertly to focus on treating you right. 

"damn it, you're gonna be the death of me, looking at me like that–" he's on top of you in a split second, his hair brushing the nape of your neck where he dives into your skin. "wasn't gonna ruin you again till i really had to, but fucking hell, woman, you know how to work a guy up."

"i can tell," you murmur, hands roaming all over his body, finding the hard bulge in his boxers all to familiar. "had to provoke you, y'know my fingers aren't enough."

jeonghan lets out an ungodly sound at your words, and you revel in the way he's coming undone, the way you've managed to push all the wrong buttons. to be fair, was it really wrong if it drove jeonghan to give you the best head he'd ever given you? 

when he rises from between your legs, you kiss him hard, tasting yourself on his tongue, and stealing his breath when you push him over so you could straddle him. "let me return the favor?" you lick your lips to really seal the deal.

"you–" he groans when you don't wait to pull his boner out of its restraints, smiling ever so demurely like he'd presented you with new clothes or a ticket to your favorite show. when you take a lick at his tip, he twitches, hands in your hair forcing you away from his dick. 

"--can't–" he's hardly comprehensible but he manages to get his request out, "can't take it for much longer. need to be inside you."

"thought you'd never ask, hannie," you gasp innocently and jeonghan swears he's already seeing stars from the nickname you only pull out on the verge of your orgasms. he's spewing all sorts of obscenities when you sheath him in your warm pussy, and you make sure you take in the sight before you. 

jeonghan's glittering with sweat, lips wonderfully swollen and eyes rolled back in his head with the height of pleasure he was feeling. he looked like an angel, even when he was so fucked out, chest deliciously hard against your touch and his voice contrastingly in its sweet chorus of your name. he was doing much of the work even though you were riding him, long fingers trailing from your boobs to clasp your waist so he could have perfect control of your body.

when he's close, he swallows a whine and you clench around him just to rip the sound out of his throat, the moan halfway between a scream and a song to your ears. that alone brings you close with jeonghan's thumb at your clit really bringing you to the edge. 

"come for me, hannie," you elicit another heavenly sound from him, "please, let me feel you inside me." 

"i'm coming, y/n, fuck!" he bites his own tongue and then gives up when you keep going, "fuck, fuck, fuck, i'm going to– fuckk–"

you both fall over with the wave of pleasure that hits your bodies, elevated ever more when each of you feels the others heat. it takes a minute of panting for you to feel your heartbeat in your chest and see jeonghan's limp body under yours. you roll over so your back can hit the cold sheets. 

you genuinely black out a little from the exhaustion because when you come to, jeonghan's between your legs with a warm towel cleaning you up. he looks up when you sit up with an unspeakable look in his eyes. he crawls over, voice hoarse as his lips meets yours. "i think you just changed my life, y/n, that was amazing."

"it was, i think i was on another planet for a hot minute there…" you say, oddly nervous with jeonghan's body touching yours as if you hadn't been all over each other a second ago. 

"you were… unbelievable. i've never been that gone before, y'know? you might've broken me… all that after i promised to be nothing but a gentleman to you." jeonghan sighs a little with a shake of his head.

"sorry, angel," you run a hand through his hair, feeling him relax under your touch, "i was pent up, what from fighting with you and then suddenly becoming all lovey dovey. for what it's worth, i think we just upped fucking game. and it's probably because we aren't lying to each other anymore."

"probably because you're all mine now," he says victoriosly, kissing your hand like he did the night he'd come to your place to beg you to take a shot at a life with him. you're so glad you did because you couldn't imagine another place where you'd feel this way, completely like yourself and nothing like yourself. 

"always have been," you assure him as you press a kiss to the back of his neck, throwing your hands around his shoulders. you liked to hug him to sleep, like you'd always yearned to every time you unwittingly fell asleep next to him. he shifts closer so your legs touch and you feel his lips graze your wrist lovingly, pressing kisses to the warm skin till you'd drifted into a deep sleep.

NOTE:

still not sane about that instagram update from jeonghan because those images of him have me feeling like this: 🤭🧍‍♀️😧🌀🥵😇🖐️🫦🙁 if you know what i mean. i will be crying about it for the next few days till i can think straight so that's that!

honest to god, somebody restrain me from writing and thinking about this man because i’m genuinely unwell about him. genuinely this is a cry for help. i told myself i wasn't going to write another jeonghan fic (see: the 50 wips i have waiting that involve not jeonghan) but here i am. speedwrote this in less than 2 days and took 2 hours to select the header icons and they still suck. self-indulgent content as always but anyway, i think i will die thinking about yoon jeonghan so here's my small contribution to anyone else who feels anything similar to me. i hope you enjoy and please i love hearing your thoughts so any reblogs and comments are appreciated <3

[stardustdiiving]

So my personal stance on Wanderer’s relationship with the Aranara is that when he’s first settling into Sumeru he has a habit of going off into the rainforest to brood, and this results in Nahida asking the Aranara to keep an eye on him and/or help her find him (which is how, for instance, she’s able to find him so easily in his 2023 birthday letter). For a while Wanderer genuinely has no idea how Nahida keeps tracking him down until he one day catches one of the Aranara peeking at him from the bushes and remembers Nahida has an entire army of little guys watching over the forest he’s trying to dramatically storm off in, which of course ruins the effect + his chances of being able to be cynical about the world in a canopy somewhere in undisturbed peace.

Whats additionally terrible about this is recently he told Nahida to stop making the Aranara supervise him, and she happily informed him she actually hasn’t asked them to do that in a while, so if it looks like the Aranara are still following him around, it’s probably because they’re “curious about” and have “taken a liking to” him. Nahida unfortunately also does not take Wanderer seriously when he insists that “such surveillance is cruel and unusual punishment for a prisoner” and that the “personal freedoms he is entitled to under Sumeru law are being violated”. She instead laughs in the face of his suffering (giggles at him) and suggests he should try to introduce himself to the Aranara because she thinks that he would quote “get along” with them.

Wanderer, frankly, finds this absurd and wholly unnecessary. He doesn’t even know why they’ve “taken a liking to him” or have burdened them with their silly, gourd shaped whimsical presences when apparently it’s predominately Only children and any adults who’ve “maintained their sense of childlike wonder” or whatever that can see them. Wanderer is possibly the furtherest thing from either category and concludes they probably “trust” him because he’s “friends” with their Archon or something. Its utterly baffling, but he can’t really do much about it, because what’s he supposed to do? Go out of his way to chase off a bunch of silly harmless little guys every time he goes wandering?? Definitely not. He has far more important things to worry about

I think one day, though, Wanderer ends up stumbling across an Aranara getting chased around by monsters and really has no choice but to intervene because a) the thing was so helpless it was kind of tragic and b) Nahida would probably be upset with him if he let one of her Aranara get terrorized by monsters. This is when everything truly starts going downhill, because the Aranara he saved was apparently VERY big on running its mouth, so now ALL of them are even More obsessed with him and encroach on him even More whenever he’s in the forest.

To make matters worse he also makes the mistake of offering one (1) Aranara a single small pastry (ONE time. As an experiment) and now they keep offering him bizarrely cooked food to return the favor and he really has no choice but to pack snacks for them everytime he enters their domain. Its completely out of control and he doesn’t know why Nahida finds such dire circumstances so amusing. They keep sitting on his hat and roping them into playing hide and seek with him. Unbelievable . (He finds them very cute and amusing to talk to due to the sheer intensity of their good natured whimsy. Its kind of cathartic) (he would never admit this)

[lightsoutletsgo]

i told the stars about you — op.81 (royalty au)

pairing: prince!oscar piastri x lady-in-waiting!reader

word count: 1.5k

warnings: angst? heartbreak, slightly inaccurate and semi-confusing greek mythology references, a spot-the-princess-diaries quote just bc i can

I actually wrote this listening to the bridgerton soundtrack... it's not what I usually write so I hope it's okay! please lmk what you think and if you'd like to see more like this. for extra heartbreak, listen to "love is a choice" from the bridgerton soundtrack on repeat while reading happy reading! love mimi ���

It was an accident really. Well, less of an accident and more of a cruel twist of fate if you had to summarise it. After all, such a cliche thing to happen. The lady-in-waiting to the Princess falls in love with the visiting Prince her future ruler is tied to in an arranged marriage.

Had any sensible person heard the predicament you were in they may have sympathised but still scoffed at how foolishly the two of you were behaving. Desperately entangling yourselves with one another despite the inevitable heartbreak that was bound to come any day now.

“Did I ever tell you how much I love the stars?” You led on your back on the grass underneath the night’s sky, delicately raising a hand to trace invisible lines between each star above you. Oscar chuckled next to you as his hand slid over yours, joining you in your night sky tracing, “I believe you may have mentioned it once or twice before…” You gave a faint smile as your arm grew tired, choosing to link your hand with his and rest them by your sides. “Have I ever told you why?” Oscar rolled onto his side, facing you as his eyes searched yours, smiling at the way they reflected the moonlight,

“Actually, I don’t think you have told me that.” You sat up quickly, always excited to share the story with someone. 

Oscar sat up before he moved to sit behind you, pulling you to lean back into his chest as his arms encircled your body, head gently resting on your shoulder. “See that star up there?” You pointed to almost directly above you, “That’s the North Star isn’t it?” You nodded and turned your head to reward his correct answer with a soft kiss to the cheek. “Mmhmm! When I was a child, my mother used to tell me stories of the stars every night…” You sighed happily at the memories, “There was one story that I loved far more than any others. The story of Perseus and Andromeda.” “I think I learned about that a long time ago… During my classical classes…” “Show off…” You reached one hand up to gently flick his nose. “Well, the story goes that Princess Andromeda was a very beautiful woman. Her mother, Queen Cassiopeia, claimed her daughter was more beautiful than Poseidon’s daughters. As punishment for her vanity, Poseidon sent the sea monster Cetus. Andromeda’s father, King Cepheus, trusted the sea monster to disappear if they were to sacrifice her. Just before she was devoured by the sea monster, Perseus came by on his flying horse Pegasus. He was on his way home after one of his great adventures. Perseus fell in love with the beautiful Andromeda and struck a deal with her parents. Perseus would save their daughter by killing the sea monster and in return he would be allowed to marry her. Andromeda however, was already promised to marry another man, Phineus. A fight arose between the two which Perseus eventually won. And so Perseus and Andromeda lived happily ever after.” 

Oscar smiled at the sight of your eyes lighting up as you told the story. He nuzzled his nose into your neck making you giggle as you carried on, “All of the people in the story were placed in the sky by the gods, so their story would never be lost. Perseus and Andromeda are still positioned close together in the sky, where they rotate around the North Star, see?” Oscar’s eyes followed to where you were pointing once more. He kissed your cheek as you gave a happy contented little hum.“Mother always used to say that lovers who needed advice or guidance would talk to the stars… And that those confessions of lovers to the stars meant that their love would last forever, just like Perseus and Andromeda…” You reached for the bouquet of daisies you’d picked earlier that evening.

“You know..." Slowly, you plucked each petal off of the daisies you carefully held. "I told the stars about you." Oscar chuckled, not expecting to hear such words from the lady sitting with him. "What did you tell them?" You turned to look at him and smiled, staring at his brown eyes. "I told them you have your own constellations on your cheeks." Your stare landed on the faint few freckles dotted on his face. He laughed, "What? What does that even mean?" 

You showed him a half smile before looking down at the daisies and plucking the petals again. "I told the stars you have more stars in your eyes than there are stars in the sky"

His smile slowly faded, instead he looked almost like he was holding his breath, like he didn’t dare breath incase it ruined the moment, "I told them that you are the moon that shines brightest in my eyes when I'm surrounded by darkness. I told them I always wish for you on a shooting star." You gave him the daisies you had been holding since you’d sat next to him. All petals now plucked. Oscar looked confused as he took the flowers, about to open his mouth.

"Do you want to know why?” You cut him off with a sweet smile before he could even open his mouth to answer, “Because I got tired of asking the flowers if you love me or not." “Y/N…” Oscar’s voice was barely above a whisper. You spoke softly, "Do you know what the stars replied?"

"W-what?" He thought he’d lost his voice for a moment. 

You smiled.

"Go after him."  

Silence. “So will you…” “I'm in love with the King-to-be, and I'm inquiring if he loves me too…” Oscar’s eyes lit up and in that moment, you felt as if all the air had been taken from you. One of your hands gently cupped his face as your thumb rubbed over his cheekbone, “You really do have stars in your eyes.” “And your eyes hold the whole galaxy, my love.” Oscar pulled you close to him and sighed in contentment as you shyly buried your face into his shoulder, the stars twinkling at you both from above, as if centuries of lovers were sprinkling their blessing on the two of you. In hindsight you supposed it might have been a warning, that heartbreak would ensue no matter how much you loved him 　 ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆　　　

“I told the stars about you!” Oscar cried out. 

You stopped. “I told the stars about you,” he repeated, trying and failing to hold back tears that were already falling, “I told them that I would never let you become one and end up so far away from me, I told them how you said you would always stay by my side, and...” Oscar looked back at you, where you were now facing him.

“I told them I loved you.” Your eyes widened slightly before your face fell again.

“...We always knew this was going to happen. We cannot change what our fate is, Oscar, I mean…” You looked back down at the ground, clenching your fists tightly before you spoke again. “Your Highness-”

“Don’t call me that, Y/N.” Oscar said immediately, rushing up to you. “Y-you’re not a lady-in-waiting. I'm not a Prince. We’re just Oscar and Y/N, two people who fell in love the instant they saw one another.” He stared at you, not fighting the tears anymore. “Two people who fell in love under the stars… I want that Y/N back.” Your heart broke as his voice cracked, overcome with emotion. “Please my love…”

But still you said nothing

“Where’s the Y/N who would tell me she loved me, the Y/N who vowed to be by my side forever, and… the Y/N who would tell the stars about me?” You finally looked up at him, and Oscar searched your eyes desperately for a shred of his Y/N in you. A lone tear spilt over and fell down your cheek. Sparkling in the moonlight, it almost looked like a shooting star. ‘How ironic.’ He thought to himself bitterly. You wiped the tear away and as quickly as it had appeared it was gone.

Oscar’s eyes darkened, and he wiped his face, his expression hardening, “My apologies, Lady Y/N.” He said, his voice cold. “This has been rather inappropriate. I believe you must have somewhere to be?” “My apologies, your Highness. Permission to leave?” It was time to accept that the old Y/N was gone, leaving a stranger in front of him. And if his Y/N was gone, there was no reason to keep taking up a stranger’s time.

“...Granted.” You began to move before you hesitated, leaned into his side, whispered something, and left. Oscar’s eyes widened once again, and a tear fell down his cheek. 

“I never stopped telling the stars about you.”

Oscar quickly turned around to watch you leave. A pained smile slowly spread across his face. He didn’t try to stop you. You wore a similar smile as you forced your feet to walk away. You wanted nothing more than to kiss him once again, but that was a dream you couldn’t have anymore. It was a dream you’d have to tell the stars about.

[johnwickb1tsch]

bittersweet ~ a yandere!John Wick x fem!reader sunshine/grump coffee shop AU... Part 39 all chapters

WARNING: NSFW, SEXUAL CONTENT, VIOLENCE, YANDERE SH!T. Plz take care. I luv u all. 😘

39. pool time  

You float in the pool, cooling off after a day of training. Not so much your body, as your head. 

John yelled at you earlier for not clearing a chamber jam fast enough for his liking–and you are tired of all of this. 

Mariko continues to kick the shit out of you every other day–but you are learning a lot, so you take it. Just when you think you might be earning her begrudging respect–she finds some new way to put you in your place–and on your face.

John drills you at the range and on the speed course, and you didn’t think you were doing too bad, until about an hour ago. But the slide stuck and the spring was tight and the checkered metal hurt your sore fingers and the guns are heavy…you’re over it.

You don’t even want to go to Argentina anymore. You just want to go home. 

The only one in the pool, you swim back and forth aimlessly, underwater and above, changing your strokes every few passes then floating again. 

This situation is wearing on John too. If they don’t show soon…you don’t know what he’s going to do. Something that will probably mean leaving you here, in safety, while he goes off to do what he does. 

Which according to Winston, is starting fires in the Underworld he doesn’t quite know how to put out, without killing everyone. 

The thought of him going on another rampage terrifies you. 

You sense the shadow of someone standing over you at the side of the pool. Expecting John, you right yourself in the water, looking up.

“I did not know the New York Continental boasted its own mermaid.”

So. Not. John.

You immediately sink again in the water, peering up at the newcomer with narrowed eyes. You’re not sure which clue put you on edge immediately: the wolfish way he looks down at you, his elegant yet flashy manner of dress–or his Italian accent. 

You say nothing in return, your heart in your throat. Somehow, you just know. 

“Allow me to introduce myself. Dante D’Antonio.” He squats down at the side of the pool, paying you a cruel little smile. A lock of his dark, curly hair falls down over his forehead; he’s handsome, but there is something missing in his hazel-green eyes as he stares you down. You’ll admit it. He scares the shit out of you. 

“Your fiancé killed my mother.” 

“Prepare to die?”

“What?”

“Sorry, I thought we were quoting The Princess Bride here.”

“What?” 

“It’s good that you’ve come, signor D’Antonio,” you say more carefully, kicking yourself for being a smartass in this world where everyone spoke carefully and in metaphor, because crossing the wrong person could literally mean losing your head. “My fiancé has been getting impatient.” 

“It was never his strong suit, so I’ve heard.” 

“And yet, you harass him. There are a lot of dead people who would tell you that’s not a smart move.” 

He waves you off with a flourish of his wrist. You are so tempted to splash him. “John Wick is an old man whose time has passed. It is a shame, he would involve a pretty little innocent like you in the crossfire.”

You glare at this man, sinking up to your nose in the water. What is he doing here, talking to you?

“D’Antonio.” 

John’s low voice draws you like a beacon. He stands at the other end of the pool, a dark pillar of death. The air positively crackles with tension, and then it dawns on you that this is d’Antonio’s purpose. Rile John Wick to the point of doing violence on Continental grounds, and make him sign his own death warrant.

Again.

You might have missed it once, but now you can see the bulge under John’s expertly tailored suit jacket. You know he’s wearing a loaded Glock on his hip, and that he could end this troublesome young man in about 1.5 seconds.

That would just be the beginning of your troubles. 

You remember what Winston cautioned you, about what John might do to a perceived threat of you. Fuck. 

“John…” you caution, swimming quickly for the ladder that is conveniently situated between the two men, intending to put yourself between them. Dread floods your system, as you fear you’ll be too late.  “Save it for the parlay,” you beg between strokes. 

If Dante d’Antonio was here, surely the others were on their way? It would be madness, otherwise, for the boy to show his face to John Wick?

“Yes, John. Don’t do anything rash,” taunts Dante with a smarmy grin, one hand stuffed casually in his waistcoat pocket.  

It all happens so fast. 

John rushes the kid, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. 

Dante balks, clearly not having thought through his life choices, facing down the John Wick with no bodyguards and no weapon to his name. 

You don’t think John actually touches the young man, but Dante manages to stumble over his own Gucci-clad feet in his panic–into the pool, in that beautiful silk suit. 

You watch this transpire open mouthed, half-hoisted up on the ladder. 

John’s iron grip on your arm pulls you out the rest of the way from the pool, snatching your towel from a chair as the two of you power-walk out, draping your dripping form with the soft terry cloth as Dante d’Antonio hurls angry Italian expletives after your retreating forms. 

“Are you going to get into trouble for that?” you hiss, your teeth chattering from the temperature change and the adrenaline. 

“I didn’t even touch him,” defends John, bundling you into the elevator. “What a little bitch.”

You snort at that. You are weightless for a moment, as the elevator rises. 

“Go to the room,” John orders you at the fifth floor. 

“Where are you going?” You try not to sound like a scared little girl, certain you fail. You’re not mad anymore. Just anxious, and you realize, a bit excited. Finally, something is happening.

“To talk to Winston.” 

Of course. 

“Hurry back to me?” 

He presses his lips to yours, then gently nudges you towards the hall. “Always.”

[shorthaltsjester]

honestly as someone who has been in various fandoms for a long time now and who also watched campaigns 1 and 2 without really getting into cr fandom it isn’t Shocking but it is annoying how often people will look at the stories that cr tells and make absolute claims about the goodness of characters (goodness here meaning Moral goodness, not I Like This character and think it’s well made goodness, which is a separate post entirely). particularly regarding the gods and pc parents. and honestly like, typically in fandom i get annoyed by people bending over backwards to woobify characters who are active in their choice to be unkind and generally horrible but in the cr fandom it’s tended to be the opposite where like. a character is just. a human being (in the sense of being Average not in the sense of Fantasy Races) and huge swaths of the fandom act like that’s the most unforgivable thing someone can be. and maybe it is, but one of the most powerful things about fiction is that it tends to encourage people to expand their empathy and exercise their ability to forgive. because fictional characters, no matter how much people like to project onto them, tend not to cause anyone harm, so it’s easier to learn how to forgive and accept things you don’t understand without also villainizing them.

this is mostly prompted by the recent 4sd and the fact that matt’s response to what’s up with the dawnfather was a very insistent “He’s not bad!” and also seeing the online reaction to the mention that the matron would punish vax for saving keyleth that has taken the as usual completely bonkers tune that the raven queen (Who When Met With A Brother Asking A God To Kill Him In Favour Of His Sister, Gave Him A Job, and Later Extended His Natural Life To Help Protect The World And Have More Time With His Family And Allowed Him To Visit His Sister On Her Wedding Day) is a horrible evil abusive bitch of a god. like. can we grow up? can we understand the world and fiction that represents the multitudes of experiences found in it in shades of grey? is that too much to ask (i know it is).

but also specifically the like Extremely Adamant way that both matt and laura were like no no no no relvin isn’t Horirble he’s average. he’s not good he’s just. he’s A father, not a good or bad one. and on the surface it’s hilarious that they’re both so like. enthused to point out that he’s Average because typically when people respond to a claim of a characters badness with the level of immediacy they both did it’s a rebuttal of “no, this character is good actually.” but it was just to affirm that relvin did harm imogen, but not because there’s some aspect of his character that is inherently cruel or especially Bad. and like. yeah actually. yeah you should react like that to a claim that this average person who Has hurt someone, the way that nearly every single person has hurt someone in a way they cannot repair, with immediacy to say this person is a Person and thus imperfect and capable of great harm, but that isn’t some all encompassing judgment on their morality or capability to also do good or be fine.

anyway this is kinda just a rant post but also is just me saying i’m very grateful that when surrounded by a fandom that tends to paint characters as Good or Bad and even while using a game that can encourage that with its alignment system, cr has always told stories that see goodness as a persistent choice that might sometimes falter and that can be chosen even after a lifetime of Badness. i can’t remember exactly what the quote was so forgive me if it’s incorrect but when jester is talking to caleb after he claims he’s not a very good person and she says “good people do bad things sometimes. even bad people do good things.” that’s it! that’s one of the most consistent themes across campaigns. and yet.

[distracted-and-diffused]

DBDA Rewatch Fridge Horror Moments: The Disruption of the Dandelion Sprites

(This moment brought to you by Rewatch Round 3, during which I briefly tried to construct a detailed timeline for fic purposes)

"When I was little, my dad used to say that if you needed a little extra courage, a dandelion in your pocket would do the trick. And when you leave Osaka to go live on the opposite end of the globe, you need courage." -- Niko Sasaki

In Episode 02, Niko recounts when she first encountered/contracted the Dandelion Sprites, who feed on attention. While she's infected with the sprites, they appear to take over her body for periods of time and create colorful hallucinations to draw other people's attention. Typically, the people seem to become spellbound for a few moments, only to forget why they were so interested later. Niko, meanwhile, generally can't remember exactly what happens during the moments that the sprites take over, but she's very uncomfortable with people staring at her.

It's ironic and cruel that the very thing that Niko sought out to help her as she starts out at her new school in Washington ends up making her situation so much worse. It's heavily implied that the sprites are a major factor in Niko becoming a shut-in, why she had to leave the dorm and drop out of school. It's not hard to imagine why, either: if everyone remembers only that Niko drew other people's attention at times when she wasn't supposed to, it's likely that she would be labeled a disruptive student and an "attention-seeker," which would be particularly difficult for a teenage girl far from home who's just trying to fit in, in a small town where all of the other kids have probably known each other all of their lives.

Given Niko's quote above, it seems like she would have set out to find the dandelions pretty soon after she got to the boarding school. And if that's the case, it means that she would have likely been already infected by the time her dad died. And that makes it so much worse.

Niko talks about her mom sending her back to boarding school the day after the funeral, to get away from the sadness. But what if it wasn't just a misguided attempt to spare Niko pain (she's still very sad, and very lonely) but because Niko was inappropriately drawing attention at a very painful time?

If so, then that move probably saved Niko's life. (The book Paranormal Parasitics lists confrontations with both "loved ones" and "groups of strangers" as risk factors for "imminent explosion" caused by the sprites.)

But it also isolates her further, cutting her off from her home and her family. Niko won't even open her mom's letters anymore, and she won't write back. ("She just wants to hear that I'm not sad anymore. But I can't lie to her.")

(This is also its own source of fridge horror from a parental standpoint -- how worried must Niko's mother be, when she not only knows that Niko is overseas and grieving, but that Niko dropped out of boarding school, left the school, is apparently on her own someplace else, and won't communicate with her?)

And I can only imagine how much more horrible it would be to feel as though everyone is looking at Niko, at a time when Niko is grieving, and doesn't want to be looked at.

Every time that Niko talks about how she's been a coward, or a shut-in, I think about all of the stuff that she was dealing with because of the sprites. And yet she still talks to them, and lets them live in a jar in her room.

[cottoncandy-cult]

Natural Beauty

Kenpachi Zaraki X Chubby! Reader

slight trigger warning in that the reader realizes that some people are gossiping about her appearance and sometimes what they say is mean though no specific quotes are given.

(Y/n) sighed softly as she sat at a booth in the local bar, the Whispering Lilly, she was waiting for her Captain and friends. The young woman was the only adult female of squad 11, she fought with the boys and kicked ass to get to where she was now. Of course, this meant her body type was a bit different, she was curvier and had more muscle than most girls that was for sure, but this also meant a bit of a wider mid-section. She didn't think she looked bad, men still make the mistake of flirting with her, and it wasn't like she was morbidly obese. Rangiku and the women of the Shinigami Women's Association always told her she looked good. But recently she found that wherever she went there'd be people talking about her appearance, it made her wonder if it really was only just happening or if it had been going on all along. Some comments weren't bad, but others could be cruel, the ones from the other women hurt the most.

It had been going on all week, and now here she sat alone in a booth and wondering just how many people around her had noticed her or said something about her. The longer she sat alone the more she felt judged, even though she kept reminding herself that she was overacting. She kept over thinking every move she made, even her breathing. That was when she downed the drink in hand, the burn of the sake dragging her back to earth. She was 4 in when Kenpachi showed up with his 3rd and 5th seat, Ikkaku cocking an eyebrow. "Everything ok there? You look like you want to throw a table." That made Kenpachi laugh, his golden eye locking on the bald man. "Now don't say that, you might just tempt me into throwing a table."

That made (Y/n) laugh a bit, the alcohol making it easier to lighten her mood. "Sorry I'm fine, it took you guys so long I got lost in thought." She watched as everyone sat down, her Captain sitting by her while Yumichika and Ikkaku sat across from him. Kenpachi always sat beside her, it made her feel tiny bit safe. She knew her Captain wouldn't turn his blade on her, she also knew if someone got unruly, he'd shut them up for getting on his nerves. "I'm glad I'm not the only one in this squad that has enough thoughts to get lost in." Yumichika chimed up, filling up everyone's glass. (Y/n) unconsciously throwing it back, not even cringing. "That's happenin a lot to you lately (L/n), what's goin on in that head of yours." Kenpachi had noticed her staring off sometimes, even in training or while sparring. It was like she'd go into autopilot, she looked so hyper focused yet unfocused at the same time. (Y/n) knew she had been slipping up lately, though she didn't realize it was happening that often.

"It's nothing, I just feel like I'm in a bit of a rut... I don't even know what I'm doing in life anymore let alone why I'm doing it." She gave a sigh, throwing back another drink. She wasn't lying, the last month had been so repetitive, each day the same as the last. On top of it she has no inspiration, she loved to write even though no one reads it but her writer's block was killing her. "That's understandable, everyone's been hit with a wave of busy work and the hollow attacks have slowed. It's so boring it'll rot your head." The Captain swallowed down his drink, leaning back in his seat as Ikkaku nodded and tossed one back. "You need to talk more then, the more you sit and think the worse you'll feel. Go pull a prank or something." The bald ones advice wasn't bad, she had considered doing so but she didn't know who to mess with that wouldn't get her in trouble. She was one of the only ones who at least tried to be polite or decent. "Why don't we go shopping tomorrow (Y/n)? We haven't gone in so long, the captain and Ikkaku can come as well. We need people to carry the bags."

That made Ikkaku snort, Kenpachi swallowed down a big drink from the sake bottle and shrugged. "I ain't got nothin better to do, what time are we all meeting up?" That made Ikkaku stop laughing, he already knew he didn't have an option now that the captain had agreed. (Y/n) filled up her sake glass before swallowing it down, shrugging slightly. "How about 11? We can get lunch and take a break before getting into our actual shopping." A lot of the (H/c) head's favorite shops didn't open up til a little after midday anyways, so she knew she wouldn't do a lot of shopping until then. Everyone seemed to nod in agreement, from there they drank and discussed where they'd eat. Until they wandered off in various directions to try and find the barracks, ironically only Kenpachi made it back within an hour.

      ~~~Time Skip 11:30 ~~~

(Y/n) gave a soft yawn as she made her way to the squad 11 common area, she hadn't stumbled her way back to the barracks until early that morning. Having napped in one of captain Kyoraku's cherry blossom trees for a bit. She wore her standard uniform; her hair was brushed but she didn't bother dressing up. She spotted Ikkaku eating and Yumichika was checking himself in a pocket mirror, she assumed their captain was doing his hair or something.

"Hey..." The young woman yawned and sat on Ikkaku's opposite side, stealing one of his rice balls as per her daily ritual. Ikkaku didn't care anymore, he just started to get extra at this point. "Now come on (Y/n) why not dress up? We're going to that shop you enjoy that makes those dresses from the living world you like." The (H/c) haired girl simply yawned, looking at him with a groan. "It's too early for all that work, but tell you what after we shop, I'll let you dress me up." Being the only girl, she'd let Yumichika use her as his little doll, though at this point she just wanted an excuse to put it off for later.

"That's a wonderful idea! We'll have some drinks, and we can gossip a bit! I can't wait to tell you what I saw Shuhei looking at~" He laughed giddily, though (Y/n) was distracted by the sight of her Captain. For once his hair was down, not a single bell in sight. For once the young woman found her breathing stopped and heart racing, she had never blushed before and it was a struggle to keep her cheeks from turning red. "Hey Captain, running a little late aren't ya?" Ikkaku looked to the large male, both men noting that their boss wasn't sporting his usual hair style. "Yachiru left to do something with that Matsumoto woman, so I woke up late and I need her to put the bells on for me." The large man huffed, running his fingers through his long hair.

"Well now that we're all here we should get going, there's a cute little shop that sells jewelry I think you'll like." Yumichika grabbed the hand of a flustered (Y/n) and began dragging her off, leaving the two men behind them to catch up. "I got some questions for you when we get back.~" The black-haired man winked at the girl, making her face catch fire as she cursed how observant he was.

Though she quickly calmed down as the other two caught up, Kenpachi on her left and Ikkaku to Yumichika's right. "Thanks for doing this Captain, I know you probably don't care much for this stuff." She spoke up and looked to the large male, she couldn't tell if he was looking at her because of his eye patch but she knew he heard her by his grunt. "Ain't like I'm doing much anyways, besides if I said no, I'd have to listen to Yumichika's whining." Yumichika gave an offended gasp which made (Y/n) laugh, she missed the slight darkening on the captain's cheeks that formed at the sound of the young woman's laughter.

          ~~~Time Skip~~~

                     5:30 p.m.

          (Yeah I know right)

(Y/n) gave a yawn as she sat on the ground in a small meeting room in the squad 11 compound, the young woman wore a (F/c) dress. It tied behind the neck with a heart shaped collar as it clung to her upper body, the skirt was looser and came to mid-thigh. This was something Yumichika picked out for her, it made her a bit self-conscious given how plump her thighs were though Yumichika thought it looked great on her and talked about how popular such dresses are in the world of the living. He had gotten dressed up, having bought a top that he said he saw in the world of the living called a 'button up' as well as some pants.

Currently the two sat across from each other, they had a drink or two already and she listened quietly as Yumichika talked about how he caught Shuhei looking at Rangiku's chest when delivering paperwork. "So, let's talk about you, I saw how you had been eyeing the captain this morning.~" The young man grinned as he poured her another drink, chuckling as he watched the woman try and block her face with the sake glass while she downed the drink to buy herself time to come up with an answer.

"He just... Looks good with his hair down is all..." Her cheeks only darkened as she listened to Yumichika hum, watching as he pointed his finger at her and downed his drink. "Ah but it's more than that, you've always had a look in your eyes when you see the captain." The woman fell silent as she swirled her refilled drink, watching the clear liquid a moment. "I've never put much thought into it... I do find the man attractive; his personality is enticing and he's so strong he leaves me in awe... But I've always told myself he was out of my reach..." She spoke steadily despite the hazy feeling in her head and swallowed her drink down, the young woman missed the look of confusion on her friend's face. The male had never seen her like this, she was always cheerful or feisty but the look on her face was one he could only describe as disappointment.

"What do you mean by 'Out of reach?', of all women you're closest to having his attention." His words surprised her, the young (H/c) head looked at him in confusion as he downed his drink and refilled both of their glasses. Though before she could answer him the door slammed open, their captain came in with a huff. "I was looking for you two." (Y/n) looked back only to blush at the sight, Kenpachi was only in his hakama and his hair still down only it was somewhat damp, so she assumed he took a bath while she and Yumichika were trying on clothes. "Is something wrong Captain?" Yumichika quirked an eyebrow and tried not to laugh at the way the girl seemed to quietly die, Kenpachi sat down with the two and looked up at them. "Ikkaku is off doing something and Yachiru fell asleep right after getting back, so it's been pretty boring."

(Y/n) had stood and went to grab another sake glass from the cabinet, unaware of the golden orb that was locked on her form. "So that's one of those worlds of the living outfits you got? It looks good on you. These uniforms really don't do anyone justice." He watched the blushing girl return and set down a large sake glass, grinning a bit at the generous pour she had when filling it. "Thank you, Captain, I was a bit worried it didn't fit my body type..." She sat and refilled her glass before passing the bottle to Yumichika, she watched Kenpachi down his drink before she did the same with her own. "The hell you talking about girlie? Since when have you ever cared about body type?"

Yumichika had simply sat back to watch, only moving to refill their cups when needed. (Y/n) only shrugged, swirling her drink a little. "I mean I am still a woman Captain; I do put some stock in my appearance..." She downed her drink, listening to the large man scoff after he had done the same. "Listen up sweetheart cause I'm only saying it once, you look damn fine and any man who says otherwise is really just a boy. Physical appearance isn't everything, from what I've seen you're also good at kicking Ass and you ain't fucking dumb." They had finished the first bottle and were starting the second, the more the two had to drink the more open they got. Yumichika wasn't even drinking that much anymore too busy watching what he hoped was his ship setting sail.

(Y/n) could only blush deeply at her Captain's words, downing another drink. "Thank you, Captain, aside from Yumichika I really don't hear that stuff often lately... So, I guess I started to doubt myself." Kenpachi chuckled at that, leaning forward so they were face to face. "Well then, maybe I'll have to remind you every chance I get.~" He had practically cooed his sentence, and it was in that moment (Y/n) broke. She lunged at the male and knocked him on his ass, straddling him and gripping his haori as she laid claim to his lips. Yumichika was left utterly astonished, his Captain feeling the same way at first though Kenpachi quickly recovered and soon enough their kiss became like a heated battle. Yumichika was quick to flee before things got too heated, making his way to the bar where he knew several members of the Shinigami Women's Association were having drinks so that he could fill them in on the new development.

[fancifulplaguerat]

I have further spare Aglaya thoughts. Cannot stop thinking about how whenever Aglaya mentions her hatred towards Nina it's predicated on Nina's cruelty/disregard for others contrasted against Aglaya's lines like “To this day, I've been paying for my kind-heartedness,” “It's a pity that everyone sees an enemy in me. Such is the bias against inquisitors. I only wish to do good; not specific, targeted good, like that Clara, but overarching good,” “I am a humanitarian. My duty is to save people, not kill them. I only condemn a few to death for the sake of the many.” That “I've been paying for my kind-heartedness” and “It's a pity that everyone sees an enemy in me” just make my heart hurt for her because I do sincerely believe her. Yes she is cruel towards Clara and deceives Daniil but I've said it before I will say it again: 1) I love Daniil so very much but *everyone* warned him not to trust her and 2) nearly every Patho character is an opportunist and/or trying to act after being dealt and incredibly shitty hand, which often results in deception and cruelty towards others. Aglaya is no different in my mind.

Also a particular detail in her dialogue which caught my eye is when she remarks that, “For a moment, I thought [Block] was driven by the same feeling that I am: a great man, when unexpectedly betrayed by the people he loves, will often seek to fill the whole universe with his blind spite. Yes, the feeling is indeed familiar...” I wonder what this refers to. My first thought is presumably Nina, but I can't quite imagine Aglaya feeling betrayed by her? It seems like they were too opposed? Like. I have no idea if I can articulate this well, but: Nina and Aglaya seem so alike yet fundamentally different that I just imagine tension would be endemic in their relationship. Also the way Aglaya characterizes her in the quote “Nina was the embodiment of absolute evil. The charming, intoxicating, beautiful evil, the evil that can drive you mad. The graceful and elegant evil that is fast to capture anyone in its web—even those who stand up to evil till the very last.” She calls Nina evil constantly. It is the lifeblood of her motivation—to destroy what her sister created. But that betrayal lines makes me think about what sort of uncomfortable love one can only have towards a family member that they fucking hate, like Aglaya does indeed think Nina is evil but also she is her (little?) sister and presumably grew up with her and I doubt Aglaya could see her as just wholly evil. That entire mess. Just compels me, particularly in how it adds another aspect to Nina.

I often think about how Nina is this object of terror and adoration more than a character in Patho Classic. Even sometimes, in my opinion, more an embodiment of utopia as Simon is for creation. Everyone close to her or who merely knew her as Mistress absolutely reveres her, perhaps even more after her death (which I think is the point, but, I digress). So to me, Aglaya and Maria have the most interesting dynamics with Nina because only through them does Nina feel more "real" to me, insofar as a character can. The dichotomy between Aglaya and Nina nicely contrasts this to me. Yes other characters allude to Nina being terrifying and so forth, but Aglaya's declarations that Nina is evil aren't accompanied by any reverence or respect or adoration that often does other characters' discussions of her. And it's yes Maria idolizes her, but as a child idealizes their parent. That is entirely separate from other characters who appear closest to Nina in Patho Classic: Victor, Andrey, and Peter, all of whom presumably had some sort of romantic attachment to her (if to various degrees and requitedness). Maria looks up to her, and in her words, “shall become her, [...] shall overcome her...” Maria interests me in that vein, that she aims to surpass her mother, and thus her idealization is necessarily different than others' who solely worship her.

I did not intend to write that much but this is what thinking about the Kaina-Lilich women does to a motherfucker. Apparently.

[duckiemimi]

this was submitted as a submission! i kept their username hidden just in case they wanted their privacy! also, a heads up—i’ll be talking about death and ideation here.

what is a punishment for a monster?

this’ll be a little soft and embarrassing, but who am i if not soft and embarrassing? i think that’s a good thing. i hope you think so, too.

���punishment for a monster” is a very personal story to me. to this day, i’m not quite sure what prompted me to write it. i can’t really pinpoint a specific event in my life that inspired the structure and the story, but i do know that it felt like a long, overdue hug. it felt it was waiting for me, too.

you ask how i came up with the concept.

if i could pick out a more concrete moment of inspiration, it would be after watching Mike Flanagan’s “Haunting of Hill House”! i won’t spoil you too much,

***(skip this part if you’d rather watch it first!)***

but there’s a character in the show who goes around talking to his dead wife on an every day basis, like she’s there but not really there. at first, we’re led to believe that it’s a classic case of a haunting, like the title implies. by the end of the story, it becomes less clear, more murky. it seemed to me like he kept holding onto the memories of her, like he’d built a moving image of his late wife with every moment of her he could remember. so, yeah: she was there, but not really there. memories are building blocks, i think.

***(spoiler over; you’re good!)***

i’ve always had an interest in death and the afterlife, what it means for the people who keep going and what it means for the people who rest. it’s not particularly religious in nature; hell, i’d consider myself far from religious. i don’t know. i guess i wanted to know why some circles close and why circles don’t. why does the pen stop moving?

my cousin died earlier during the pandemic, and it was also during the time i was put on watch. actually, i think i wanted to go before she actually went. i’m older than her, but i guess that didn’t really mean anything in the end. i’ll always be older. and anyway, it’s selfish to want to go when someone’s already on their way, isn’t it?

in my culture, when people die, sometimes they come back as dreams. they’d come back one last time to say goodbye, and that’s when you know they’re happier. i never saw my cousin in my dreams. i guess i wouldn’t call us close. i hope she visited my sister, though. she wouldn’t tell me, but i don’t pry. it’s something between them only.

you ask about the title.

i’ll be honest, i didn’t really know what to title the story. pinterest is a treasure trove of ideas. all i knew was that it had to be a quote about “punishment.”

“It’s a fitting punishment for a monster. to want something so much—to hold it in your arms—and know beyond a doubt you will never deserve it.”

that’s the full quote from a book titled “The Wrath and the Dawn” by Renee Ahdieh. i’ve never read the book before. i’m sure it’s beautiful, and i know that even by this one line. maybe i’ll read it some day.

it’s a sweet irony, i think, to title a story about healing and second chances “punishment for a monster”, to title a story about forgiveness and metamorphosis something so punitive and cruel. but i guess it works in both geto and gojo’s cases. who is the monster here? who is being punished? but i think people can change. i think love transmutes.

you ask if i was as broken as you as you read it.

well, maybe. i tend to realize things in hindsight. at the time, i was only focused on geto and gojo, where to put my commas and spaces, what words to use to talk about loss. i only realized later on that i’ve typed up most of me into it, too. but isn’t that all art? isn’t art just a giant portrait of who we are at the time? i’m rewriting “honesty corner” and i considered rewriting “punishment for a monster”, but i think i want to keep that picture of me from then. if i ever muster up the courage to read it again, it’ll be like looking through a photo album.

i would write more of how i conceptualized geto and gojo in the story, but i think we’ve connected well enough for you to know what i meant. i read every single comment and so many of you have such personal tethers to the story. i won’t get in your way; you deserve to mourn the way you want, too. and anyway, grief is never-ending. it’s a lifetime thing and it isn’t always linear, and though you carry it for life, it doesn’t define you. love defines you.

(though you could say grief is an extension of love. how’s that poem go again? grief is love in a heavy coat?)

thank you so much for liking a story i wrote of my two favorite characters. i don’t think life is made up of straight lines. one day, when we’re both ready, let’s have some clementines at the table.

[mcchipisfried]

do you have a note taking system somehow? i want to start annotating my books but i never know what to mark down

oh Oh OH OHH OHHH you do not know how long I have been waiting, longing, for SOMEONE to ask this. You are now my favorite person ever and we are now besties :D

Okay so I do and don't have a system but tl;dr Do whatever you want and mark what comes to YOUR mind and what you WANT to recall if you decide to re-read a book!

Long info dumping on how I do my notes under the cut!

So lets get one thing straight, I have not a single clue as to how to "properly" annotate a book in any sense of the word. So fuck it we're doing shit MY way.

So I started by noting that I wanted to mark quotes in my book without writing in it or highlighting [this is personal preference you do whatever you want its your books and they're for YOUR enjoyment] so I got these really cheap side tabs from Amazon

As you can see they're all sticking out because I actually like the whole "messy but organized" look but you could take some scissors and trim them up a bit.

Okay so what do my side tabs mean? Well, I originally didn't know what I wanted to see. I had done Dracula Daily before with the emails but I wanted to make this experience much more enjoyable for myself so I thought of marking quotes or scenes I liked which turned into:

The only time I actually wrote on my copy (this was before I got my sticky notes) I know. I am a genius and my wordplay is unparalleled. So the multicolored tabs mean I ran out of that color and needed a new one. You can see that some of them are different lengths and that's because I cut them so they can properly fit in my book (and it doubles the amount I have) Also here are the "meanings" of each tab:

Ayo that's kinda sus: Each and every time someone (Dracula) does something that reveals their true nature or that something weird is going on. Works well if you're reading mystery and coming back to see all the clues you had since the beginning!

*Women*: Every time a woman does something that surprises me, intrigues me, or makes me smile. I often find these instances can be rare in some books so I decided to mark these in Dracula. I was pleasantly surprised to see how often I was using this tab (when the woman gives Jonathan her crucifix even though she's probably terrified of Dracula, Mina being the devoted wife and woman of my dreams that she is, Lucy being Lucy, etc.)

Ayo that's fucked up: Every time something that breaks my heart or is needlessly cruel happens. The first scene with the baby saw a lot of use from this tab.

Ayo that's gay: C'mon. We're on tumblr. We all know what characters I'm using this tab for.

Quotes I like + Food: I have a soft spot for when characters info dump about historical places or things they like. Stoker has a way of describing certain settings and scenes that honestly makes me smile so I want to mark them. Also I like food. Yeah

When I found my sticky notes I realized I also wanted to write down things (but not on the book) and draw things. I had a lot of fun looking up the recipes that Jonathan mentioned in the beginning of the book as well as drawing them. (I have the preparation instructions on the back) (you can also see the side tab for food on that page)

I also think in memes or at least I process information as jokes a lot

Sometimes I get more detailed with my drawings or even write theories I may have about what is happening in the book. Trying to capture my emotions and thoughts in small blips (even though I have read the book before and know exactly how it ends)

At the end of the day you can take everything I just said and defenestrate it and do you own thing. Which honestly, I would do because this is just a mess. But I hope I have at least provided a small base from which to build upon. My own advice would be to take into consideration how committed you are because I do think just tabbing you book is sufficient enough but who knows maybe you're more of the power point presentation about the books you read kinda person.

Either way, a good time zone to you, and hope you found this at the very least amusing!

[foolish-fitz]

RotE Roulette day 2: Starling Birdsong 🤩

spinner wheel got spicy on day 2. I've seen a lot of differing opinions towards Starling. I personally think she has major flaws as a person and would hate her in real life but I am absolutely obsessed with her as a character.

she's just such a mess and makes every single situation she's in a mess too!! what's not to love

yeah, she's an absolute bitch at times and can be extremely stubborn and cruel - like during the mountain journey in AQ where she spent entirely too much energy trying to stir the pot by claiming the Fool was a woman, or her whole tirade against Fitz once he learns that she's married. but I love how all her behavior is explainable and so much of it can be traced back to her fucked-up views on her own sexuality. like, her anger at Fitz after he decides he doesn't want their relationship to continue because she's cheating on her husband is so rooted in her belief that the only thing of value she has to offer, and the only way she can forge a connection with anyone, is through sex. she's so hurt when Fitz "disposes of her" (her words) and I think this quote really gets to the crux of the issue:

"... Perhaps I never mattered at all to you, save for one thing. One convenient little thing that I brought right to your door for you, one thing that I thought we shared in friendship and fondness and, yes, even love. But you decided you don’t want that from me anymore, so you throw all of me aside. You make that the whole of what we shared, and discard me with it."

to her, this validates her belief that no one could really care about her as a person (which is lowkey true to an extent bc she's a bitch and even Fitz kind of doesn't care about her that much, rip). and also this scene just is OH SHIT moment after OH SHIT moment.

ok that went long and I have so much more to say. on to the other things though. (btw if you have a suggestion you think would be fun for a new thing to add, like a headcanon or unpopular opinion or something, let me know)

🎶

tier list: A tier! I love her and I think her personality and character development are great. she has a lot of flaws which make her incredibly interesting and she plays well off the other characters

best line/moment: we all know it has to be her savage conversation with Fitz in Golden Fool. "No doubt you mouth [Molly's] name into your pillow as your Lord Golden mounts you" 🔥 🔥 🔥 (like I said above, I think this scene is really crunchy and honestly sad, but her insults are just so *good* that I had to include one)

[britany1997]

Bands the modern Lost Boys would listen to

(Feel free to add your own Lost Boys music headcanons!)

David:

•Father John Misty- FJM writes music for male manipulators and people with religious trauma, of which I believe David is both. His favorite album is Fear Fun because it’s more centered on chaos and atheism, as opposed to FJM’s later albums which are more about love and himself. His favorite song is Fun Times In Babylon because it’s a song about good times in the Biblical archetype of an evil, hedonistic city and that sounds like a fun time to him. He also enjoys listening to You Can Do It Without Me, and God’s Favorite Customer because they feed his god complex. He loves that FJM sings quite a bit about smoking, sex, and death, all things David is totally down with.

•Radiohead- Also music for male manipulators. His favorite songs are Burn the Witch (ironically since the song is about a society plagued by paranoia, but in David’s case it’s not paranoia, he actually IS a supernatural evil creature), Karma Police (because everyone who messes with them WILL get what’s coming to them) and Paranoid Android. One time a guy on the boardwalk said to him, “oh you like Radiohead? Have you heard Creep?” And David ate him almost immediately.

Dwayne:

•Hozier- I just think Dwayne likes woodsy deep voice folk rock guys so he’d vibe with Hozier. Also I think he cares about female pleasure more than any of the other boys and so does Hozier. His favorite album is Hozier’s self-titled album and his favorite songs on the album are Work song, because of the promise of devotion and love from beyond the grave, Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene, because of the juxtaposition in the song between the pure and the cruel, and Arsonist’s Lullaby, specifically because of the lines “Don’t you ever tame your demons / But always keep them on a leach.” Unlike his chaotic brothers, Dwayne is a bit more calculating in his debauchery, like the main character of that song. He also enjoys NFWMB and Shrike and is eagerly awaiting Hozier’s new album.

•The War on Drugs- Listening to them almost makes Dwayne feel nostalgic for the 80s as The War on Drugs are the self-proclaimed rock n roll synthesists of the century (reminds him of the pre-Michael days🥲). His favorite album is A Deeper Understanding and his favorite song on the album is Pain, a song about losing a struggle against the darker side inside a person.

•Lord Huron- More woodsy folk rock. He’s a romantic at heart so he loves She Lit a Fire, Fool for Love, Ends of the Earth, and The Night we Met. His favorite song by Lord Huron is Meet Me in the Woods, especially the lines at the end: “Follow me into the endless night / I can bring your fears to life / Show me yours and I’ll show you mine / Meet me in the woods tonight.” There’s a strong possibility he’s quoted those lyrics to a meal

Paul:

•Greta Van Fleet- They’re like a modernized Led Zeppelin, they make him nostalgic. AND they’re four guys with cool jackets in a band together!!! Paul’s like, ‘guys they’re us:)’ He loves how the band’s albums flow and tell epic stories about worlds plagued by war, destruction, and waiting for peace. His favorite album is the Battle at Garden’s Gate, he likes the instrumentals better on that one and he thinks the vocals are more raw and throaty. His favorite song on that album is Stardust Chords, especially for the lines “Even sinners go to drink the wine / Break the bread” reminding him that even as an evil being, he’s still able to indulge in life and community. He also loves Highway Tune, a song about falling with a beautiful girl while driving on the highway (literally him on his motorcycle every night)

•Lady Gaga- Paul loves the Glam pop-rock of early Lady Gaga, he loves how revolutionary her music is for it’s time, and he appreciates her loud and unique style as well. Also, I HC that Paul is bi (he loves people and not genders, he just like me) and listening and dancing to Lady Gaga let’s him express and celebrate his sexuality! He sees no reason to hide who he is. He loves Poker Face, Born this Way and Monster

•I also think he listens to female rappers and R&B artists who are open with their sexuality and sexual pleasure like Janelle Monáe, FKA Twigs, Doja Cat, SZA, and Nicki Minaj he’s all for the sexual liberation of women in the modern era. Especially Janelle Monáe though for her songs about sexual expression and gender identity. Janelle has described herself as “a free ass motherfucker” and Paul vibes with that energy. He loves Americans, a song about subverting traditional American values in favor of loving people for who they are, I Like That, a song about sexuality and self-acceptance, and Make Me Feel, a song celebrating bisexuality. He also enjoys Django Jane, Pynk and Tightrope.

Marko:

•ALL pop-punk, all of it. But especially Fall Out Boy- He’s not a huge fan of MANIA but he loves the other albums, especially the older stuff. His favorite album is Save Rock And Roll the instrumentals of the songs on that album are his favorite AND Elton John and Courtney Love are featured on the album and he loves them both. His favorite song on the album is Death Valley. He likes their older stuff as well like Sugar We’re Goin Down (he doesn’t care that people think it’s overplayed, it’s a banger) Of All the Gin Joints In The World, Fame < Infamy, and Immortals (for obvious reasons)

•Tally Hall- He’s like, a band that writes songs about existential chaos? Sign him the fuck up. He loves Ruler of Everything, he finds it sort of ironic because the song is about the frivolity of life and inevitability of death, yet for him, death is not inevitable. He also loves Cannibal (obviously) it’s a metaphor for the singer, it is NOT a metaphor for him >:) and Turn the Lights Off, especially the lines “Everybody wants to get evil tonight / But all good devils masquerade under the light.” Marko has the face of an Angel, but is usually depicted as the most brutal of the boys, he literally is a devil that masquerades under the light.

Bonus: All the boys listen to the Killers, for their grunge rock music (their favorite songs are On Top, Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll, and The Man), Muse for their anti-government rock (Their favorites are Uprising, Supermassive Black Hole, and Resistance) and Thrice for the woodsy rock (Their favorite songs are Black Honey, Blood on Blood, and Beyond the Pines). And of course, they listen to all the same bands they listened to in the 80s as well: Mötley Crüe, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Van Halen, Echo & the Bunnymen, Metallica, etc…

[marinerainbow]

So... I've finally listened to the whole soundtrack of 'Six: the Musical'. And I want to post more of my work here.

So, taking inspiration from @slashingdisneypasta drabble set, here are imagines of the six wives, but with Disney Villains and different Y/N's.

TW warning: If you know anything about the musical or the history, you probably already know the warnings in this. Death, jealousy, infidelity, sexual references, attempted murder, actual murder, and trauma. You have been warned.

Claude Frollo - No Way

(I'm not entirely sure if this is historically accurate, I tried to find more information but couldn't. But we're here to have fun, we aren't in history class, so I'm ignoring it.)

You must agree that, baby, in all the time I've been by your side

I've never lost control, no matter how many times I knew you lied

Have my golden rule gotta keep my cool, yeah, baby

Frollo wasn't a priest, no matter how much he liked to carry himself as one. As such, he, just like everyone else, had to get married. And you, Y/N, had the 'honor' of becoming his spouse years ago.

On the outside, you two seemed to be an unstoppable pair: the cruel judge, and his cold, unassuming wife. But that couldn't have been more wrong.

No one has the curse of knowing this awful man like you do. Not even Quasimodo, the poor boy who you wish you could grant his dreams, knows of all the atrocities this man thinks up in his narrow-veiwed mind. The gypsies that are hunted down by him know too much, but at least they can voice their own protests.

You, however, must suffer in silence. All for God's will to have the wife subservient to her husband. Frollo loved to throw that one in your face constantly. Even though you read and quote the same damn scriptures he does.

I've put up with your sh- like every single day

But now it's time to shh and listen to what I have to say

Your only friend and ally in all this is the archdeacon. He, like you, is all too aware of Frollo's sins. But, just like you, there is little to nothing he can do about it. All he can do, is tell you when your husband is back on his shit again.

And you, even though you desperately want to knock that old fool off of his pedestal, know you can't. He is the judge, and you are just married to him. He is the one with all the power here, and all you can do is stay humble and loyal, like any good wife should do.

That was, until you heard of a certain woman who caught his eye.

You must think that I'm crazy, you wanna replace me

baby there's n-n-n-n-n-n-no way

If you think for a moment I'd grant you annulment

Just hold up, there's n-n-n-n-n-n-no way

Even though you two haven't shared a bed in years- yes literal years, you still know that look in your husband's eye when he wants something. And you knew that he didn't want to burn Esmerelda at the stake.

Or maybe he did, since of course he would blame her for his sinful desires. Of course it's not his fault that he not only wants to sleep with the Romanian woman, but wanted to sleep with someone who wasn't wearing his ring.

There were many times, you admit, that you should have tried to intervene. Quasimodo and his mother were one of them. But you were so used to just focusing on your own safety and appearance that you had never gotten involved in his affairs. But the night you overheard Frollo, practically screaming into his fireplace, "Let her be mine, and mine alone!" was when you finally had enough.

You got me down on my knees, please tell me what you think I've done wrong

Been humble, been loyal, I've tried to swallow my pride all along

If you can just explain a single thing I've done to cause you pain, I'll go

All the years you held your tongue, all the years of built up rage had spilled out of your mouth that night like a broken dam. If Frollo was the burning fire, you were the raging storm.

Not only was he going to pursue- if you could call it that- another woman while you have been nothing but loyal to him, but he also carries himself to be even greater than your own cathedral. How he constantly blamed everyone else. Why? Why did he see himself as entitled to all this? What did he ever do that made him above God's will? What did you ever do to him that made him think he could just do what he pleased while you swallowed your own pride?

But fine. If he can give you one reason, just one, where he has the right to drag an innocent woman down with him, and even go so far as to blame God for his own desires, then you'll let him continue his buisness like normal, and you will wait for him at home like you always do.

No? You've got nothing to say?

I'm not going away

You made me a wife, so I'll be queen 'til the end of my life

Of course, you're not surprised when he just gives you the same speech about how everyone was at fault but himself. So, in his own language, he had no reason.

He promises he'll deal with you later, before heading out to go find Esmerelda. Being sure to lock you in the same room so you couldn't warn anybody. And of course, no matter how loud you screamed or pounding on the door, no one came to help you.

You got the front row seat to watching the dancers' trial. You got to watch in horror as Notre Dam threatened to be burnt to the ground, and feel proud of the deformed boy finally standing up to his 'master'. And, hours later, when your good friend the archdeacon finally finds you, you can barely contain the relieved smile on your lips when he informs you of your new status as the corrupt judges widow.

Gaston - Don't Lose Ur Head

(This one gets a double warning since it's a bit... uh... Well... This song made my inner bitch unleash. So this imagine is going to get extra spicy (I'm shocked but also kind of proud of myself, ngl))

He wanted me, obviously, messaging me like everyday

Couldn't be better, then he sent me a letter and who am I kidding

I was prêt-à-manger

When you moved into the little French town, it didn't take long for all the villagers to notice you. Especially the boys. You were the next most beautiful girl in town after some other gal named Belle, so obviously they wanted you. Though quite frankly, you found them all boring, or gross. Haven't these people heard of dentures??

You were starting to lose hope of finding a night of fun in this town... Until you saw him. The one and only hero of this quiet little town, Gaston. You saw him, and you knew that he was going to be this villages saving grace for you.

And you knew damn well he wanted you too. Gaston isn't exactly the kind of guy to hold back.

Ooh, sent a reply

Ooh, just saying hi

Ooh, you're a nice guy

I'll think about it, maybe, X.O baby~

His ego was annoying, yes. How he just expected you to fall in his arms made you roll your eyes, even if you did want him to shove you onto the nearest surface and hike up your skirt. But hey, why not use it as an opportunity to play a game of cat and mouse? After all, he is a hunter; surely, he could recognize a good chase.

Just like any hunter worth his salt, he followed the tracks you left for him, finding all the signs you were close by, but just out of his sight where he had to keep trudging through to find you... Just before you'd slip away. What? Did he really think the new girl was going to make this easy for him?

It's only when you let him come closer, let him stroll into your home like he owns the damn place muttering about how you've "Finally learnt your place~", do you let him touch you... All night... Many times... And a lot of broken furniture.

Needless to say, Gaston decided that you were too good to just be a one and done lay. He was going to come back for you, and you knew it.

I didn't know I would move in with his misses

What? Get a life!

You're living with his wife?

Like, what was I meant to do?

Unfortunately though, this definitely caught the whole towns attention, especially all the ladies. And, in a small town, gossip and rumors spread like wildfire.

Suddenly, you heard people talking about you behind your back. Did they seriously think you were deaf!? And now, you hear that some people are jealous- both of Gaston and you, while others were confused. Wasn't Gaston seeing Belle? Were you some sort of mistress?

Oh, hell no! You don't want to be part of some threesome. You don't want to be the other woman. And after talking to this Belle, you know she has no interest either, in both an open relationship and Gaston himself.

Well, now that Belle filled you in on what was really going on- she's such a sweet gal. Maybe you should invite her over after you buy new furniture- you had no qualms with finding Gaston, in the middle of town, and ripping him a whole new one in front of everyone. And all he could do was stare at you dumbfounded as you did the one thing people in this town should have done a long time ago. It was either Belle- and she wasn't an option since she wanted no part in this- or you. And you weren't going to settle for half.

Uh-Oh! Here we go, your comic went viral

I didn't really mean it but rumours spiral

Wow, Anne Y/N, way to make the country hate you

Mate, what was I meant to do?

And now, everyone thinks you're the bitch. You can see it in their eyes. But you don't care. All you do is huff and turn on your heel to head home. You don't even notice the plotting look in the hunters eyes.

A few days later, Gaston actually comes knocking on your door, dressed in his finest, and asking you to marry him? Is he serious? Glancing out your window, you see nearly the whole town gathered in your front lawn with a band, cake, and pure white decor, complete with some crying bridesmaids.

... Yup. He was serious. Looks like that talking to you gave him really made him finally realize he couldn't have Belle. But you didn't expect to just get married straight away! Though you have to admit, the idea does have some merit. Maybe this town will stop talking about you if they know you two are officially an item.

That and, as much as he is a jackass, he's still one of the best lays you've ever had. You'd never have a dull night again.

So, ignoring the feeling in your gut that this was a bad idea, you go put on your best dress, lock arms with Gaston, and mentally prepare yourself for the wedding day you didn't think you'd have.

Henry's Gaston's out every night on the town

Just sleeping around, like what the hell?

If that's how it's gonna be, maybe I'll flirt with a guy or three

Just to make him jell!

Oh, you knew there was something going on between Gaston and those blonde triplets!

In hindsight, you probably should have realized that marrying Gaston would have a load of problems for yourself... But that doesn't make you any less pissed. Especially since he's still harassing Belle! In front of you! And when confronted, all he claims is that, obviously, why wouldn't he want the two most lovely girls in town?

Obviously, that leaves Belle disgusted even more, and you infuriated. You didn't give up your freedom just for him to keep acting like he owned you and your new friend. You were far too angry to even consider that maybe flirting with some of the guys at the bar in front of your husband wasn't the greatest idea on your part... What!? What were you meant to do!?

And, of course, that just leads to you being tossed into your own home and getting into your first lovers quarrel.

Henry finds out and he goes mental

He screams and shouts, like so judgemental

You damned witch! Mate, just shut up!

I wouldn't be such a bi- if you could get it up

Oh yeah. You said that. And he was not happy. Not. At. All.

The man you call your husband screams and shouts, his temper tantrum able to make the whole house shake from his sheer size alone. You don't back down though, and when he realizes this, all he does is storm back out. No doubt to his tavern. You don't follow though, you choose to just stay at home and take your own frustrations out on one of your pillows.

By the next morning though, the whole village has heard Gaston's exaggerated side of the story. And of course, everyone blames you. After all, Gaston was the hero! How could you betray his trust like this?? No one even considers the fact- or just doesn't care- that he's just as, if not more, guilty as you.

Great. Your life is ruined. All because you wanted to get a head.

Maleficent - Heart of Stone

(I know there are probably other villains who would fit this one better, but Mal is one of my favorites and I love the idea of her getting mad at herself for falling in love so I'm treating myself)

You came my way, and I knew a storm could come too. You'd lift me high, or let me fall

But I took your hand, promised I'd withstand any blaze you blew my way

'Cause something inside, it solidified, and I knew I'd always stay

You were a... Strange mortal, definitely. You were kind and curious, yes, but you had always been drawn to the darker side of the world. It made you the outcast in your village, but you didn't care. It wasn't like you were casting hexes on others, you were just enjoying your interests.

And when you ran into the mistress of all evil herself while on a trek in the forest, you weren't afraid of her. Even when she tried to scare you off, all you did was keep your cool and smile, too intrigued to go away.

You didn't know it then, but it reminded her of herself, centuries ago, before she became the dark fairy she is today. That was enough to let her spare you and just walk the other way instead, her irritation coming back when you just followed her, continuing to ask questions and just being a general nuisance. It got to the point that she just chose to teleport back to her castle, leaving you behind.

You can build me up, you can tear me down

You can try but I'm unbreakable

You can do your best, but I'll stand the test

You'll find that I'm unshakeable

This continued for so long. You were determined to get through Maleficient and her hard shell, and would constantly look for her in the forest. No matter what, you kept strong-willed, even when she would try to test your patience with her trickery and wickedness.

Fortunately, somehow, you won her heart. Even Maleficient was confused and honestly quite furious that you managed to break through her. Her. She wasn't a sweet little fairy who wanted nothing more than to love and be loved, and she could very easily break you... But she didn't.

When the fire's burnt, when the wind has blown

When the water's dried, you'll still find stone

My heart of stone

It wasn't long before Maleficent 'brought' you from your village to live with her. It'd be more accurate to say she whisked you away, but you don't mind. You didn't want to stay in the village anyway.

It was definitely an odd time of adjustment for her. She was used to only having Diablo for company- unless you count her army of goblins and imps- and she was perfectly fine with that. But now, she has to find a way to actually take care of her little mortal.

No matter what though, Maleficient kept you 'hidden away' so to speak. You weren't imprisoned, obviously, but she just preferred to keep her life with you separate from the rest. At least for now, while she was still getting the hang of this 'love' thing.

You were fine with that, even if you did want to know more about her magic and schemes. You're just happy to have won over your dark beloved. It was like a dream come true for you; living in a magical place, with the most beautiful and dangerous woman by your side... Though you had to admit, there was one more wish you had.

You say we're perfect, a perfect family

You hold us close, for the world to see

And when I say you're the only one I've ever loved, I mean those words truthfully

Eventually, when you told her you wanted a child, she was skeptical. She's already pushing herself with a lover, but a family? Especially a mortal family who will just pass while she lives on? Absolutely not. Not in her castle. You may be her lover, but she's still the queen of this castle.

But, she does love you. You're the only person she actually wants to see happy. It took a long time, but you were able to get her to see the appeal of starting a family. After all, if you can sneak your way into this fairy's heart, anything is possible.

But you are absolutely not letting her kidnap a child and replacing it with a changeling. You want kids, but you didn't want to rip them away from their own family. She knows a thing or two about magic. Surely there's some way you two could have your own child? Maleficent at first scoffed at the notion; she's never heard of anything like that, and she's an expert in this sort of thing. But fine, she'll investigate, just so she can rub it in your face how right she is.

Her smug aura practically vanishes, and is replaced with your own, when she finds out that yes! There is indeed a spell that allows you two to have a baby together magically... "Alright, Y/N, wipe that smile off of your face, we have a youngling to create. Come on."

Soon I'll have to go

I'll never see him grow

But I hope my son will know he'll never be alone

She insisted though that you would be the child's vessel until it was ready to be born. Or, to translate, you'll be the one pregnant. What? Did you really expect her to take this job?

You are nervous about it, though, especially as the due date nears. You just can't shake this terrible feeling. Though Maleficient always quells your worries. She's a master of her craft, no spell has yet to have failed on her. Yes, this is new to her too, but what could go wrong? All you are doing is carrying a magical child inside you for nine or so months.

All the times she's brushed your worries aside, all the times she's dismissed your 'visions', Maleficent comes to regret all of it, when on the day of your child's birth, your heart beat comes to a stop.

'Cause like a river runs dry and leaves it's scars behind

I'll be by your side

'Cause my love is set in stone

She did all she could, using whatever enchantment she knew to bring your soul back to your body as your son wailed in a basket for one of his mothers. Even she was almost worked into tears when she finally realized she had lost you for good. And she had no one to blame but herself.

Maleficent though, doesn't mourn for long. She has a new life to care for, the last bit of you there is in this world. There's no time for her heart to crumble. And so, the dark fairy takes on the task of raising your child alone.

Jafar - Get Down

(For the sake of argument, let's just say Jafar won in the universe of this imagine)

Sittin' here all alone, on a throne

In a palace that I happen to own

When the sorcerer finally took his rightful place on the throne, his first act of business was to get rid of Jasmine and the former sultan permanently. To ensure no one could take away what he worked so hard to gain. And he kept Razoul, along with some new, more competent soldiers, to ensure that street rat wouldn't be able to take one step into the palace if he somehow survived the Arctic.

In every sense of the word, Jafar had won. And now, he could get started on shaping Agrabah as he deemed fit. But, first things first, he needed a wife. And he knew exactly who had in mind.

Bring me some pheasant keep it on the bone

Fill my goblet up to the brim

Sippin' on mead and I spill it on my dress with the gold lace trim

Not very prim and proper, can't make me stop

Y/N. The queen of a kingdom far away. Jafar had seen your portrait years ago during his travels, and had heard so much about you. You were considered the most beautiful in your land, and had riches and power beyond anyones wildest imagination. And of course, the ambitious sorcerer wanted you for himself.

He had tried to convince the Sultan to form an alliance with you, claiming it was for the benefit of the whole kingdom, but really, it was just for his own lustful gain. But that old fool decided his toys were more important, and the former vizier had been left fantazing about the queen, swearing to himself once he was the ruler, Y/N would be his first act of buisness.

Well, no better time then the present, yes?

I wanna go hunting, any takers?

I'm not fake 'cause I've got acres and acres, paid for with my own riches

Where my hounds at? Release the bitches

Woof

And so, you received a letter, detailing an invitation to Agrabah from the new Sultan, making it clear he was looking for his own Sultana and wanted you. You yourself had heard of the kingdom, but never held enough interest to venture out there, especially when you heard of the childish king. But now, this Jafar is enough to pique your interest. How he somehow gained the throne without having to marry or be of royal blood was definitely impressive. Not to mention he wasn't exactly bad looking in the picture he sent.

After some discussion with your royal advisor, you decided to at least check it out. If you chose to marry him, great. If not, at least you get a good vacation. So you sent a reply to him, promising to be there within a weeks time.

Head back for a round of croquet, yeah

'Cause I'm a player

And tomorrow, I'll hit replay

Jafar had been quite pleased. It seems like everything was falling in place for him. Of course, he made sure to prepare for your arrival, making sure the servants set up your lavish chambers perfectly and even going out of his way to buy ingredients for dishes from your own kingdom. He was going to make sure you at least agreed to an alliance.

Neither of you once thought that this could have been too good to be true. And you could tell he thought this exactly when he first set eyes on you in the flesh.

You, you said that I tricked ya

'Cause I, I didn't look like my profile picture?

Too, too bad I don't agree, so I'm gonna hang it up for everyone to see

And you can't stop me 'cause

"... Quite humorous. Now, where is the real Queen?" Was the very first words that came out of his mouth when he saw you. And your servants already knew where this was going.

Oh no he did not just say that to you!

Even though you kept your royal air and dignity about you, the cold look in your eyes told everyone that you were not taking this insult lightly. You were gifted with a silver tongue yourself; you always knew how to cut into someone deep, and you were not afraid of a man who could shoot sparks from his silly little staff.

I'm the queen of the castle!

Get down, you dirty rascal!

Of course, Jafar didn't like what you said about him, even if it was the truth. The servants of both royals were terrified as they watched them practically try to murder the other with their glares, hoping not to get caught in the crossfire.

However, he too knew how to keep his cool when it was necessary. He's had to have done it for years under his former employment. The last thing he needed right now was to start a war all because little Y/N lost her own cool. Yes, he could easily win it with his powers, but his main objective was to form a treaty with you, not lose what could benefit his own kingdom greatly.

So, he manages to stop himself from summoning his powers. Though he makes it clear that marriage was no longer on the table at this point. You traveled this far though, so he'll generously let you and your entourage stay to refresh yourselves, and he'll still discuss business with you, but there would be no pleasure.

which, at this rate, was perfectly fine with you.

Let me explain

I'm a Wienerschnitzel, not an English flower

No one tells me I need a rich man

Doin' my thing in my palace in Richmond!

It's not that you were insecure. You knew you were beautiful. You knew that you were the one in charge. It was how this man invited you into his home and had the gall to say that to you. This man who had to claw his way to the throne felt like he had the right to insult you? You weren't going to let that go.

Fortunately, for him, though, he was able to convince you to at least consider an allegiance. You didn't like his attitude at all, but the idea did seem to have potential. Besides, you didn't want to risk some deranged magician trying to take over your kingdom.

So, you agreed to be his ally, and then set off for home after fine tuning the agreement, making sure he wouldn't be able to take advantage of any loopholes.

You were still an unmarried woman by the end of the day, but hey, you like it that way anyway.

Evil Queen Grimhilda - All You Wanna Do

I think we can all agree, I'm the ten amongst these threes

And ever since I was a child, I made the boys go wild

I was young, it's true, but even then I knew

The only thing you wanna do is...

You always seemed to lure in the wrong kind of attention. You were 'gifted' with beauty, as your own mother put it, and as such, you had countless suitors over the years.

Though none of them treated you right. None of them cared for the woman behind the pretty face. They all seemed to think they had a right to your body, whether they'd try to force themselves on you or try to buy your affections.

And, unfortunately, you had to learn it the hard way.

Made me a lady in waiting

Hurled me and my family up in the world

Gave me duties in court, and he she swears it's true, that without me, he she doesn't know what he'd she'd do

It was shortly after the Kings mysterious passing did you meet the new Queen. She was looking for a new handmaid, and your family insisted you apply, despite the fact that it was clear that Grimhilda wasn't exactly pure of heart.

Miraculously, she doesn't get envious of your beauty and chooses to hire you instead of the countless other women who applied. She kept you close by her side, you helped her in every way she needed and then some. You didn't question her, unlike the majority of her court, and you did exactly as she asked you to.

It was mostly because you didn't want to put a target on your back, but still.

You were a hard worker, and it definitely didn't hurt that you were quite beautiful- not as beautiful as her, obviously, and that just made it even better to the queen.

You say I'm what you need

All you want, we both agree

This is the place for me

I'm finally where I'm meant to be

Even though you had been reluctant at first, you now knew you made the right choice. Yes, you had questioned your morality many times, but this was the best place you could be; on the good graces of the evil Queen, and on your own. You didn't have to worry about anyone trying to hurt you here.

Then he she starts saying all this stuff

He She cares so much, he she calls me love

He She says we have this connection

I guess it's not so different...

Though of course, tranquility can't last forever. You realized this when Grimhilda had called you to her throne room and gave you an offer you couldn't really refuse.

She truly was a snake. She knew how to lure you in with the promises of love and care. Something you imagine she must have done with the previous king.

Still though, even if you didn't want her, she wanted you. And when the evil Queen says it's you, than it's you.

You two were eloped shortly after. No wedding, though. Two women marrying would have caused an uproar. So in the publics eye, you were still her handmaid. No one knew of the way the Queen held you close at night, or how you would get down on your knees for her, "As any spouse of mine should."

With Henry Hilda, it isn't easy

His her temper's short, and his her mates are sleazy

Except for this one courtier

He's a really nice guy, just so sincere

It didn't take long though for this relationship to wear you out. Grimhilda was still as cold as ice, and the people she conducts business with aren't exactly the most upstanding of people. Just because you became her consort, didn't mean that she was going to suddenly become selfless and compassionate. You knew it, but... Still.

You did find one friend, though. The Queen's own huntsman, in fact. You had seen him before, you don't quite know how long he's been under Grimhilda's 'employment'. But one evening, while your wife was in her laboratory, you decided to make conversation with him. And that was the beginning of your first genuine friendship.

This guy finally

Is what I want, the friend I need

Just mates, no chemistry, I get him and he gets me

And there's nothing more to it

He just cares so much, he's devoted

You two practically became two peas in a pod. Whenever you two weren't carrying out her evil deeds or entertaining her, you both could be found together, chatting away about your previous and current lives in the halls or gardens. He even taught you how to use a dagger so you could defend yourself if need be.

Now, this is what you needed. All you ever wanted was just a nice friend you could lean on. You didn't need a marriage, you didn't need a lover, you just needed someone who truly cared.

But then... When the two of you are alone...

He says we have a connection...

No... No no no no! Why!? He knew you were married, it didn't matter if it was ultimately loveless! He knew your troubles with men before! Why would he even say this!?

I thought this time was different!

Why did I think he'd be different?

But it's never, ever different!

The huntsman seemed to realize his mistake when he saw the tears fill your eyes. He tries to comfort you, even when you tried pushing you away. Even after what he said, the two of you were still friends, and he reassures you he would go if you really wanted him to.

You should have ordered him to leave. You should have stormed away. You should have done anything else. But when you saw the true care in his eyes, and how he was willing to set his own desires aside for you, all you could do is break down and cry in his arms. Both because you still had your friend, and the fact that regardless of the choice you'd make, your relationship was going to change forever.

How tragic it was that the Queen just so happened to walk down that very hall, as you and the huntsman embraced each other. Now you got to witness first hand her wrath and jealousy as she ordered her guards to drag you two away.

Playtime's over...

Playtime's over...

Playtime's over!

You and the Huntsman were executed. Grimhilda was never one to show mercy. The Huntsman was simply beheaded, but you had your heart carved out of your chest and given to the Queen. The only way she could have your heart to herself.

Hades - I don't need Your Love

(I'll admit, i had a lot of trouble with this one. I'm still not sure of how this came out, but I didn't know how else to write this)

You know I love you, boy, in every single way

Though I love you, boy, I'll miss you every day

You were a brilliant woman of your time. You were a writer, a philosopher, bringing light to the great myths of the very gods. Of course, many were true, as shown with the mortal son of Zeus, but others were exaggerated or simply not true. You treasured the life you had built for yourself, and you couldn't even imagine exchanging it for anything more or less.

Anyone like you would have grabbed the gods' attention. You had caused an uproar in Olympus, so much so that even the Underworld heard about you, especially one God in particular.

It wasn't long before Hades had heard about you and decided to look into this new mortal. Usually, it didn't take much to make the other gods angry, so he wasn't expecting much.

And even though this feels so right

I'm holding back the tears tonight

Though he found himself both intrigued and entertained by you. Finally, someone who didn't just blindly worship the other gods! And you didn't even feel afraid of incurring the wrath of the gods. You were also pretty cute, that was a plus.

And then, that's when he gets an idea. It wasn't exactly a secret he was mocked on Olympus for many things, one of them was that he still didn't have a spouse. He mostly ignored them about that particular jab. How could he take offense from people whose relationships were already fifty shades of fucked? Still though, he can already see the smug looks on their faces being wiped away after seeing him stride in the room with the very mortal who made the others question them.

Honestly, he just wanted them to shut up about his personal life, and he thought this was the best way to accomplish that. Especially after the whole 'unleashing the titans' fiasco, this was another, more subtle, way to get back at them.

That I don't need your love, no, no

I don't need your love, no, no

You were certainly surprised to see the God of death at your door. At first, you thought maybe he was offended by what you had been writing, but he surprised you even more when he... Asked you out? He even worded it like a business deal, too, and flirting with you a bit, though you're not sure if he was being genuine or just trying to charm you into accepting his deal.

Honestly, you wanted to decline. You weren't stupid, you could tell this was just Hades wanting to annoy the other gods. Everyone knew well enough by now that you didn't want to get on a deities bad side, and you were already pushing your luck. You knew this, he had to know this too, and you were certain if you accepted just this one date, your whole life wouldn't be the same.

You wanted to reject him. You really did... Until he sweetened the deal. He would ensure your safety and even help you with your writing - apparently, he genuinely liked your literature - if you did this for him.

How could you deny that? Safety to continue doing what you love, in exchange for being part of some scheme to tick the rest of the gods off?

So I sent that letter to my love

Got married to the king

Became the one who survived

So, writing away your old life, you agree to Hades' deal.

And, as you predicted, one date became a second date. And then a third... And a fourth... It got to the point that you would expect to see Hades at least once a week.

Obviously, this attracted all kinds of attention. Both from your neighbors and the other gods. You're pretty certain that all those thunderstorms conveniently over your house weren't exactly coincidence. And your fellow mortals would try asking you about you and your, supposed, lover. What was he like? Did he bribe or kidnap you? Were you carrying his child yet? That question you supposed you couldn't blame them considering Zeus' reputation. And, the one you heard most of all, when would you two get married?

You were no longer you. You were now known as the death gods lover. As any artist would know, no matter what kind of art they pursued, fading away was possibly one of the worst fates you could have.

There's was more to you than just being a deity's consort. There was more to you than your newfound status. Why was it that people recognized it before, but now they seemed to have forgotten it?

I've told you about my life; the final wife

But why should that story be the one I have to sing about?

That's not my story!

There's so much more!

Still though, you didn't throw yourself a pity party and let it stop you from creating and bringing the same light you always had before. You were now more determined than ever to reclaim the voice you had lost. And now that you had all the resources and security you needed thanks to Hades, your works were now better than ever.

It actually impressed him, even though he knew he had inadvertently caused this for you. Hades didn't think you were trying to outshine him at all, he was just reminded why he became attracted to you initially.

You were once more surprised that he became your biggest supporter outside of your initial agreement. He would brag about you to all the other gods, but not for his own gain, because he was proud of you. And if someone saw you and just referred to you as 'his consort' while he was around, Hades would immediately step in with, "Oh yeah, she's an absolute ball of fire, but have you read her scriptures? Trust me, Athena wishes she could be as good as her."

And you had started to actually genuinely like Hades. He had a pretty good sense of humor, was actually easy to get along with outside of his temper, and you could see the appeal in the guy. You had even spoken up against the other gods whenever you'd hear them talking about your date. That didn't win you any points with Olympus, but it's not like you cared what they thought of you anyway.

You didn't see it coming, but your relationship had started to turn more into just a show. You two had started to genuinely care about each other. It may not have been true love just yet, but you two were definitely good friends. You supported each other, even if you didn't entirely agree with everything he did, and that was all you two needed.

During your last visit in the underworld, when you were passing the hall while being escorted by Pain and Panic, you could have sworn you heard the three fates looking into yours and Hades' lives together... What was that they said about him proposing in a few years?

[rphelperblog]

Part one of Kaz Brekker Quote Rp Meme

inspired by @multistoty​ @demjin-hands​

“Greed bows to me. It is my servant and my lever.” 

“What doesn't kill me better run.” 

“We can rest when we're rich” 

“Better to get fat on information than starve on good manners.”

“I have a conscience, It just knows when to keeps its mouth shut”

“When everyone knows you're a monster, you needn't waste time doing every monstrous thing.” 

“I want you to stay. I want you to...I want you.” 

“And I'm going to get my girl.” 

“Only disgusting thing about it is that I didn’t think of it first.”

“Do not be afraid. Fear is how they control you. Their’s so much in the world you don’t have to be afraid of, if only you would open your eyes.” 

I have met plenty of men who call themselves kings.” 

“i’m a business men. No more. No less.”

“You were angry. Angry wears off. I needed you righteous.”

“I don’t hold a grudge. I cradle it. I coddle it. I feed it fine cuts of meat and send it to the best schools. I nurture my grudges,”

“The really bad monsters never look like monsters” 

“We will be queens and kings.”

“What do you think my forgiveness looks like?”

“The easiest way to steal a man’s wallet is to tell him you’re going to steal his watch. You take his attention and direct it where you want it to go.”

"Because I've been looking for an excuse to talk to you for two days.” 

“We can endure all kinds of pain. It’s shame that eats men whole.” 

“Is my tie straight?”

“Curse you and your Saints,"

“How many times have you told me you're a monster? So be a monster. Be the thing they all fear when they close their eyes at night.”

“Sometimes, the only way to get justice is to take it for yourself.” 

“It’s not a metaphor.”

“I’m pragmatic. If I were cruel, I’d give him a eulogy instead of a conversation.”

“I don’t want your prayers,”

“I'm not susceptible to flattery, only stacks of cash” 

“You can only sharpen a blade so far, In the end, it comes down to the quality of the metal.” 

“I protect my investments.

"Oh, it's worse than that. If I fail, I don't get paid.” 

“Crows remember human faces. They remember the people who feed them, who are kind to them. And the people who wrong them too. They don’t forget. They tell each other who to look after and who to watch out for.” 

Next time you plan to impress me give me some warning.” 

“Be the thing they all fear when they close their eyes at night.”

“When you can't beat the odds, change the game.”

“If you didn’t like the weather, you didn’t rush into the storm—you waited until it changed. You found a way to keep from getting wet.” 

"You see, every man is a safe, a vault of secrets and longings. Now, there are those who take the brute's way, but I prefer a gentler approach - the right pressure applied at the right moment, in the right place. It's a delicate thing.

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.”

“Who’d deny a poor cripple his cane?”

"If it were a trick, I'd promise you safety. I'd offer you happiness.”

“No, little brother. No one is stronger. You've cheated death too many times. Greed may do your bidding, but death serves no man.” 

"I've seen her do it twice. It worked splendidly. Once".

"The toughest mark is an honest one,Thankfully, they're always in short supply.” 

Doesn’t matter how big the gun is if you don’t know where to point it.” 

“When one plan was blown, you made a new one. When they backed you in to a corner, you cut a hole in the roof.” 

“I may not walk straight, but at least I don't run from a fight.” 

When they took everything from you, you found a way to make something from nothing.” 

“You really think they’ve built a cell that can hold me?” 

“What a luxury to turn your back on luxury.” 

"I love puzzles. Trickery is just my native language.” 

If your god is so delicate, maybe you should get a new one. Let’s get out of here.” 

“You draw on me again, I’ll break both your wrists, and you’ll have to hire someone to help you take a piss.” 

"It is very much our concern. And watch your tone.” 

“I'm pragmatic. If I were cruel, I'd give him an eulogy instead of a conversation.”