#but i hope it doesn't have love triangle vibes | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

nhlclover · 3 months ago

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ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR QUINN HUGHES

pairings: quinn hughes x fem!reader, (little bit of) jack hughes x fem!reader

summary: trevor invites you to a lakehouse for the summer, attempting to set him up with his friend. however, the summer doesn't go to plan when you meet his older brother who captures your eye and flips everything upside down.

warnings: very obviously angst, sort of a love triangle, jack and quinn kind of hating each other, slow burn, reader and trevor having a sibling type relationship, one singular kiss, brief appearances from trevor & luke

word count: 11.6k

notes: wooooo mama this is the absolute longest thing i've ever written. i really hope you guys enjoy it, i'm pretty happy with this.

The scene of the lake house standing tall in front of you was something straight out of your imagination. It was picturesque, the way the large house was nestled amongst the pine trees and the glimmering water sparkling behind it. It was just the way that Trevor had described it when he invited (or rather insisted) you to come to his buddy’s lake house this summer.

“You’ll love it! It’s so nice up there,” Trevor had urged, his enthusiasm infectious. You could still hear his voice, brimming with excitement. “It’s my friend Jack’s place. You guys would get along great! And his brothers are super chill too.”

At the time, you’d felt a mix of curiosity and skepticism. It’d been about three years you’d been friends with Trevor, long enough to know that when his tone got this excited and he was this insistent, he was up to something.

“Are you trying to set me up with him?” you’d asked, narrowing your eyes suspiciously at Trevor as the two of you sat in a coffee shop a few months ago. He had been uncharacteristically fidgety, bouncing his knee up and down while stirring his iced coffee with an unnecessary amount of focus.

Trevor had grinned at you in that annoyingly charming way he did when he was caught. “Nooo, I’m just saying you guys would vibe. He’s a cool guy. Super chill.”

You rolled your eyes, folding your arms across your chest. “Uh-huh. And his brothers?”

“Also cool!” Trevor leaned in, eyes sparkling with mischief. “But listen, Jack’s the one I think you’d really like. Just come for like, a week or two, see what happens. No pressure. I promise you’ll have fun.”

You’d hesitated, not entirely convinced. But Trevor knew exactly how to play on your curiosity, and a month later, you found yourself packing a bag for a summer getaway at some lake house owned by Trevor’s friend, Jack. Despite your reservations, a part of you was intrigued. What if Trevor was right?

The drive to the lake house had been a blur, punctuated by Trevor’s nonstop chatter and your own uncertain silence. You weren’t opposed to meeting Jack. Trevor had sung his praises for months, claiming you two had more in common than either of you realized. As far as setups went, this wasn’t terrible — you could trust Trevor to have good judgment. But still, you were unsure and slightly uneasy about the whole situation.

When you arrive, Jack is already waiting outside, leaning against the porch rail, hands shoved into the pockets of his shorts. He’s smiling — an easy, laid-back smile that makes you smile back automatically. The sun filters through the trees, casting warm, gold light on the porch, and for a moment, everything feels serene.

Trevor wasn’t lying when he commented about Jack’s appearance. “Some people call him a pretty boy but… I mean he is pretty, but he’s a good-looking dude, y’know?” He was definitely attractive, something anyone could admit you thought, but he wasn’t totally your type.

Trevor bounds up the steps of the porch, dapping up Jack and pulling him in for a hug. You followed, stopping at the bottom of the steps, watching as Trevor whispered something into Jack's ear, Jack’s eyes catching yours as a small smile appeared on his lips.

Jack steps forward, extending a hand. “Hey, you must be y/n. I’ve heard a lot about you,” he says, his voice warm with that relaxed confidence you’d expect from someone who’s used to being the center of attention.

You shake his hand, feeling the easy smile on your face widen a little. “All good things, I hope.”

Trevor laughs, throwing an arm around Jack’s shoulder. “Mostly good things.” He winks at you, and you can’t help but roll your eyes.

Jack offers to give you a quick tour of the place, and you agree, letting him guide you inside while Trevor stays back, grumbling to himself about having to bring in your bags. The inside of the house is as beautiful as the outside, with high ceilings, wooden beams, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the lake. Despite being a new build, it has a cozy, rustic feel to it. Jack pointed out each room as you went, keeping up a steady flow of conversation that put you at ease. He was friendly and thoughtful, making sure you felt welcomed, and it struck you as genuine. You could see why Trevor thought you’d get along with him.

“And this is the back deck,” Jack said as he pushed open a sliding door, revealing a sprawling view of the lake, with a dock stretching out in front of the property. The lake is glittering and relatively calm, aside from a figure disturbing the water. You squint, watching as the swimmer glides smoothly through the lake.

“Who’s that?” you ask Jack, eyes not leaving the figure as you watch him pull himself up onto the wooden dock, pushing dark wet hair from his face.

“That’s Quinn,” Jack says, following your gaze and glancing out toward the dock. “My older brother.”

The sun seems to linger on Quinn’s form, highlighting the toned muscles in his arms as he stretches briefly, rolling his shoulders to ease out any lingering tension from his swim. Droplets of water cling to his skin, catching the sunlight and tracing down his chest in slow, winding trails emphasizing the smooth contours of his muscles as they glisten.

“Q!” Jack shouts, whistling to get his brother’s attention. Quinn’s gaze snaps to the two of you, your pulse quickening as his eyes land on you. “Come up here!”

Quinn grabs his towel from the dock, throwing it over his shoulder as he makes his way up the lawn towards you. As he climbs the steps to the deck, you feel his eyes travel over you, not in a way that feels intimidating, but with a curiosity that mirrors your own. There’s something magnetic about him, something calm and steady that draws you in as he steps up onto the deck, his mouth curving into a small, barely-there smile.

“This is Trevor’s friend, y/n. She’s joining us for the summer” Jack introduces.

As Quinn’s gaze flickers back to you, you notice there’s something about the way he looks at you — subtle, assessing. His gaze has a certain depth, a look you can’t quite decipher. It lingers just a second longer than what feels typical, enough to make your heartbeat skip, to leave you questioning the flicker of interest in his expression.

“Nice to meet you,” Quinn says, his voice low and smooth, a perfect complement to the quiet confidence he exudes. He reaches out to shake your hand, and as your fingers meet, you notice how warm his touch feels, even with the cool water droplets still lingering on his skin.

Up close, he’s even more striking. There’s a sort of ruggedness to him, outlined by the sharpness of his jaw and the intensity of his gaze. His eyes, a greenish shade of blue, hold yours with a calm intensity that makes it hard to look away.

“Nice to meet you too,” you manage, your voice coming out softer than you intended, and you feel heat rise to your cheeks. You mentally kick yourself, hoping he doesn’t notice, but the glimmer in his eyes suggests otherwise.

Jack, oblivious to the undercurrent, clapped his hands, breaking the moment. “Alright, well, there’s more to see, and if we don’t get back, Trevor’s going to start whining about being abandoned,” he joked.

You chuckle, your eyes pulling away from Quinns’ for the first time since he joined you on the porch. But as you turned to follow Jack back inside, you couldn’t help but glance back at Quinn. He was still watching you, his expression softened just slightly, and you felt a quiet thrill at the way he watched you.

The first week at the lakehouse passes in a flurry of days that blur together in laughter and lakeside relaxation. You fall into an easy routine of swimming, grilling, and long talks on the deck. Jack and Trevor keep things lively, always organizing something, whether it’s an impromptu game of cornhole, a daring cliff dive, or a spontaneous trip into town.

With Jack, the connection forms fast. He’s lighthearted, quick with a joke, and endlessly charming. He keeps you laughing and keeps the vibe lighthearted. His energy is infectious, and he keeps you roped into every activity, whether it’s cliff-jumping or getting you to help him with dinner when it’s his turn. You can tell that Trevor’s plan to get the two of you set up is working for Jack, as he lingers closer, laughs harder at your jokes, and you begin to feel his gaze linger on you just a little too long.

But it’s Quinn who holds your attention in a way you hadn’t anticipated.

Quinn is different from Jack in nearly every way. Where Jack is open and quick to draw you into his orbit, Quinn lingers on the edges, observing and listening. When he speaks, it’s with a low, steady voice that commands attention without trying. And unlike Jack’s energy, which feels like the buzz of the sun overhead, Quinn’s is deep and mysterious like the lake.

You find yourself gravitating toward him at every opportunity, captivated by the way he moves through the days with an unruffled calm. The nights at the lake house slip into an easy rhythm, with Quinn and you inevitably being the last ones awake as the both of you are night owls. Most nights, you find yourselves lingering on the porch, wrapped in the gentle hum of crickets and the low whisper of the lake. With the others upstairs, fast asleep, you and Quinn fall into intimate conversations, shared only between the two of you.

One night, you find yourselves tucked away on the porch, the air a little cooler than the other nights. You are curled up on a rocking chair, bundled up in a hoodie you’d borrowed from Jack. Quinn sat across from you, the beer he’d started during dinner going warm in his hand.

Quinn studies you, his eyes catching the faint glow of the porch light as he swirls his bottle absentmindedly. “So,” he begins, breaking the comfortable silence, “What’s California like?” He leans forward, genuinely interested, his voice carrying a warmth that makes you want to spill everything about life on the West Coast.

A soft smile creeps onto your face. “It’s… different from here,” you admit, glancing out at the lake where the moon dances on the still water. “It’s a bit fast-paced. And warm. Lots of sun, lots of people. But sometimes, it feels like everyone’s moving so quickly that you get lost in the crowd.”

Quinn nods, his eyes steady on you. “I get it. I feel the same way about Vancouver sometimes. Coming back here… it just reminds me that there's more than the noise and rush. There’s… balance out here.” He gestures out toward the lake, his voice contemplative. “Like all of this has a way of pulling you back to what matters.”

His words resonate deeply, and you find yourself nodding. “Exactly,” you murmur. “It’s like there’s space to breathe. And you notice things that usually get lost in all the… chaos.”

Quinn’s gaze lingers on you a moment longer, a small smile forming at the corner of his mouth. “I’m glad you came. It’s been… good to have you here,” he says quietly, his eyes soft. “We don’t have other people up here often.”

Your heart pounds a little faster at the sincerity in his voice, and for a second, the rest of the world disappears. There’s only Quinn and the quiet lake, and the feeling that he understands you in a way you hadn't expected anyone to. You hold his gaze, feeling the electricity between you grow, filling the silence with something you can’t quite name.

But then, as if drawn back to reality, Quinn’s eyes shift, his expression subtly changing. “And Jack,” he says, almost as an afterthought. “He… really likes you, you know? He doesn’t say it, but I can tell.”

It feels like a splash of cold water. You break eye contact, pulling your hoodie closer around you, the warmth you felt moments ago dissipating. The weight of Jack’s interest hangs heavily between you and Quinn now, an undeniable reminder of the complicated line you’re toeing.

“Right, yeah…” you reply softly, looking down, your voice tinged with a mix of guilt and frustration. You hadn’t meant for this to get complicated, yet here you are, caught between two brothers who couldn’t be more different.

An uncomfortable silence settles over you both, thick and heavy. Quinn’s eyes linger on you, as if he’s about to say something more, but he holds back. His lips press into a thin line, and you wonder if he’s feeling the same conflict, the same confusion that’s twisting knots inside you.

You force yourself to look away, swallowing hard. “I think… I should probably head to bed,” you murmur, avoiding his gaze. You stand up, offering him a small, tight-lipped smile that doesn’t quite reach your eyes. “Goodnight, Quinn.”

Quinn nods, his expression unreadable as he watches you ebb towards the door. “Goodnight, y/n,” he murmurs, his voice low and steady, though there’s a flicker of something in his gaze — disappointment, perhaps, or longing. You slip inside, leaving him on the porch, the weight of his gaze heavy on your back as you close the door.

In bed, you toss and turn, Quinn’s words and the feel of his gaze lingering with you. Your mind is a whirlwind, caught between the easy, carefree friendship that’s growing with Jack and the simmering tension you feel with Quinn. Jack is perfectly nice and, like Trevor told you, the two of you were getting along swimmingly.

But no matter how much you try, your thoughts always drift back to Quinn. There’s something undeniably different about him, something that makes it impossible to feel the same way about Jack, no matter how hard you try. Jack’s presence is light and friendly but with Quinn… it’s like there’s a hidden gravity pulling you toward him, a quiet understanding that lingers beneath the surface of every conversation. Every night on that porch, he’s become your anchor, drawing you into a world that feels more honest, more intimate.

You lie there, staring up at the ceiling, your mind replaying the way he looked at you tonight — that almost undetectable spark that you’re sure you didn’t imagine. The way he listens to you, like every word matters, as he sees past the small talk and into the parts of you you rarely share. There’s no pretending with Quinn. And even though he’d mentioned Jack, it only made you realize how much more you’re drawn to Quinn. Jack might be developing feelings for you, but it’s Quinn who fills your thoughts, who leaves you breathless in a way you can’t ignore.

You pull the covers tighter around you, willing sleep to take you, but every thought seems to lead back to Quinn, to the way he made you feel seen, understood — even in silence.

The next morning, you do your best to shake off the lingering tension from the night before, determined to keep things light and normal. Under Jack’s enthusiastic suggestion, the group decides to spend the day out on the lake, hoping the sun and water will wash away any unease. It’s a sunny day, warm with a light breeze, and the water sparkles invitingly under the sunlight, making you think that everything might just go smoothly.

The boat is anchored in a calm spot on the lake and, despite the wonderful weather, there doesn’t seem to be another boat around. Trevor and Luke sit up in the bow, arguing about which mascot would win in a fight between Mr. Clean and Tony the Tiger.

Jack is quick to pull you into the action, handing you a beer from the cooler as he grins. “Alright,” he says, his smile as wide as the lake. “Are you ready for the full lake house experience? Because to really do that, you’ve got to jump off the boat at least once today.”

You laugh, shaking your head as you crack open the can. “I’m pretty sure you’re just making up rules to mess with me.”

He shrugs, a playful glint in his eye. “Maybe, but you have to do it anyway,” he shrugs.

Trevor chimes in, chuckling from his spot. “Jack’s right, y/n. First-time lake visitors have to jump. It’s tradition!”

You chuckle, your gaze drifting up to Jack as he stands in front of you. The sun shines directly behind him, casting him in a golden halo, the bright rays spilling around his frame in a way that makes him look almost ethereal. For a moment, you can see why anyone would fall for that charm. But even with this picture-perfect moment, you feel a pang of regret that you can’t feel more for him, because, somehow, your thoughts are pulled elsewhere and on someone else.

Jack’s laughter brings you back to the moment, and he leans a little closer. “Come on, we can make it a team effort. I mean, if you’re too nervous, I can just hold your hand.” His voice is playful, but there’s a hint of sincerity in his words, a hope that you’ll let him bridge the gap he’s trying so hard to close.

Your smile is genuine, but before you can respond, you hear Quinn's low chuckle from behind you. It’s soft, barely audible over the hum of the boat’s motor, but enough to pull your focus completely away from Jack. You glance back at Quinn who’s sat on the back bench, leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, a flicker of something in his gaze as it bears down on the two of you.

Your attention is pulled back to Jack as he reaches for your hand in a gesture that feels both playful and pointed. “Come on, y/n, it’ll be an official initiation. We’ll jump together, yeah?”

Your gaze flickers between Jack’s outstretched hand and Quinn, who’s watching with an inscrutable expression, his eyes narrowed slightly as he leans back, crossing his arms. You can’t deny there’s an awkward tension here, a silent push-and-pull between the two brothers that seems to amplify whenever Quinn is nearby.

Swallowing the strange, charged feeling building between you all, you look back at Jack and nod, forcing a lighthearted smile as you stand up, pulling off the oversized t-shirt you wore as a coverup. You see Jack’s eyes scan your figure, hearing him gasp quietly. You blush, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, taking his hand. He grins in triumph, his fingers warm against yours as he helps you stand at the edge of the boat. He holds on a little tighter than necessary, and the flicker of anticipation in his eyes doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Ready?” Jack asks, his voice softer now, his gaze lingering a bit too long as he watches your expression. There’s a hopeful vulnerability in his face, a look that makes you hesitate for a moment. You don’t want to hurt him, but there’s a part of you that wishes he’d pull back, that he’d realize you’re not as invested in this connection as he is.

You manage a nod, hoping he doesn’t notice the small sigh you let slip. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

He beams, counting down with a quiet “three… two… one!” before the two of you leap into the lake together, the cool water rushing up to meet you. When you surface, you’re greeted by Jack’s laughter as he splashes you, pulling you into a playful water fight. You laugh along, though your eyes instinctively drift toward the boat, where Quinn looks over the edge, watching you both with an unreadable expression.

Jack’s laughter fades slightly as he notices your attention elsewhere, his face falling for a fraction of a second. But he quickly masks it, pulling you back with a light splash. “Hey, stay with me here,” he says, his tone half-joking, half-pleading. And you want to, you really do, but Quinn’s gaze is magnetic, and you can’t help but feel pulled toward him, as if there’s an invisible thread between the two of you.

Eventually, Jack climbs back onto the boat, reaching out to help you up. But the moment you step back on board, the charged silence returns, thick and stifling, as Quinn hands you a towel, his fingers brushing against yours just long enough to send a spark up your arm. You catch his gaze for a brief second, and you’re struck by the quiet intensity in his eyes, a longing that mirrors your own.

Jack clears his throat, his shoulders tensing slightly as he glances between you and Quinn. He lets out a forced laugh, trying to dispel the tension. “Alright, what’s next? We could always do another round of jumps, or maybe a swim to the dock?” He says it with an almost desperate cheerfulness, trying to regain your attention, trying to keep the moment light.

Trevor and Luke, sensing the tension, start bantering about who would be the fastest swimmer, their playful arguments distracting you all for a moment, lightening the mood just enough.

────୨ৎ────

The night air was crisp as laughter and the crackling of the fire filled the space around the lake house. The lake is quiet behind you, a dark, glassy surface reflecting only starlight. You were settled in a lawn chair, leaning back, watching as Trevor dramatically recounted a story about when you nearly crashed his car.

You could feel his eyes on you, searching for a shared smile, hoping to catch your gaze even as he chuckled at Trevor’s theatrics. Every so often, he'd lean in, commenting with a low murmur meant only for you. He’d even offered you his hoodie earlier, though the night wasn’t nearly cold enough to need it. It was endearing, if not a bit overeager. Yet, despite the obvious attention from him, your focus kept drifting across the fire.

Quinn sat across the flames from you, leaning back in an Adirondack chair. His attention was barely on the story, barely laughing with the others as you had been. Every now and then you’d catch his eyes flicker your way, lingering on you just long enough to send a thrill through your chest. Your stomach tightened with a quiet anticipation each time, though as quickly as the moment arrived, it vanished. Quinn’s gaze would shift, his attention lost somewhere in the darkness beyond the flames, leaving you wondering if you’d only imagined it.

As Trevor finally wrapped up his tale with an exaggerated flourish, the group’s laughter rang out again, filling the quiet night. You shifted in your chair, stealing a glance across the fire to see Quinn looking your way again, his expression unreadable in the dancing light. The firelight cast soft shadows over his face, illuminating his quiet intensity—a contrast to Jack’s open interest. And just as quickly as his eyes met yours, he looked away, his focus deliberately elsewhere, leaving you feeling a subtle ache of frustration.

Jack nudged your arm gently, his voice breaking the spell. “Hey, want to grab a drink or something? I think I saw some ciders in the cooler on the porch.”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” you replied, a small smile curving your lips as you pushed yourself up to join him.

You could feel the weight of Quinn’s gaze on you, or maybe it was just wishful thinking. As you walked toward the porch with Jack, a pang of prickling guilt settled over you, leaving a heavy shadow with every step. Jack was wonderful — funny, kind-hearted, and clearly eager to spend time with you. And yet, there was an emptiness in each smile you returned to him, a hollowness you couldn’t ignore. You tried to shake it off, reminding yourself to appreciate his warmth and interest. But you couldn’t deny it. There was no spark, no unspoken gravity that pulled you toward him.

The two of you reached the porch, Jack handing you a cold can from the cooler, his fingers brushing yours briefly. He shot you a quick grin, the kind that seemed to hold a hundred different things he wanted to say. But the look in his eyes—the hopefulness, the eagerness—only tightened the knot in your chest.

Jack took a sip of his drink, leaning casually against the porch railing, his gaze still on you. “It’s nice here at night, isn’t it?” His tone was light, but there was an unmistakable softness to his voice, as though he wanted nothing more than to keep this moment between just the two of you.

“Yeah, it really is,” you agreed, looking out at the lake rather than meeting his eyes. “It’s peaceful.”

Jack’s voice was quieter when he spoke this time like he was mulling something over. “You know, it’s been great having you up here. I mean…I’m glad Z brought you here.” he said softly, though his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. There was a vulnerability there, one that made you want to reassure him, to ease the sting of your own uncertainty.

You wanted to tell him you felt the same, that you were excited, that his attention filled you with butterflies. But it didn’t. Not the way Quinn’s lingering gaze did, not in the way his silence could reach across the fire and wrap around you more tightly than any words Jack could offer.

And Jack could sense it. You could see it in the way his gaze fell just a bit, in the way he seemed to retreat into himself, trying to figure out where he’d lost you. A soft, sinking guilt bubbled up, but before you could say anything, he cleared his throat and looked at you, trying to keep the mood light.

“Should we head back?” he asked, giving you a small smile that tried to mask the disappointment behind his eyes.

You nodded, and as you followed him back toward the fire, your eyes drifted back to Quinn. Why did he have to make it so complicated? Jack was there, warm and steady, giving you his full attention, yet your heart kept tugging you toward Quinn — Quinn, who never gave you more than half-glances and unspoken hints. It was as though he knew the effect he had on you but chose to keep you guessing, leaving you in this restless, uncertain state. And every time he looked away, your chest would ache with a longing that you couldn’t shake, no matter how hard you tried.

You felt like you were making it up in your head. You felt like all of this was just concocted by your brain, a made-up situation. But then you’d think back to the nights when it was just the two of you, sitting across from one another on the porch, finding bits of commonality, causing you to talk for hours.

It was during those quiet nights, with only the soft hum of the lake and the occasional call of night birds, that the two of you would sit just a little closer, voices lowered as if sharing secrets with the stars. He’d be calm, reserved, but there’d always be a hint of a smile when you teased him about his stoic nature, a glint in his eyes when he’d challenge you back. It was in these moments that your doubts faded, that all the confusion seemed worth it.

But then the sun would rise again, and Quinn’s indifference would come back like the morning mist, blanketing any closeness you thought you’d found. The spark that seemed so real under the cover of night would dim, replaced by his guarded demeanor and quiet aloofness. It was maddening, this cycle of near-closeness followed by a cool retreat. He’d show you just enough to make you wonder, to keep you holding onto the memory of his quiet smile and that soft look in his eyes.

As you and Jack rejoined the group, you settled back into your chair, glancing across the fire toward Quinn once more. He was looking down, a hand idly fiddling with the edge of his sweater. There was something vulnerable about him in that moment, something that made you wonder if maybe—just maybe—he felt the same hesitation and uncertainty. You wanted to bridge that gap, to ask him if he ever felt the same tug, the same strange pull that made every shared glance linger in your mind.

But before you could even entertain the idea, Jack’s hand brushed your shoulder, pulling your attention back to him. He was smiling, his gaze as steady and warm as ever, making you wish you could return it with the same openness.

“Hey, you okay?” Jack asked, concern lacing his voice. You hadn’t realized the way you were chewing on your lip, or the way your brow was furrowed ever so slightly.

You nodded, giving him a soft smile that you hoped looked genuine. “Yeah, just…lost in thought, I guess.”

But as you said it, your gaze slipped across the fire once more, finding Quinn’s eyes fixed on you with that familiar, unreadable intensity. And for a fleeting second, you thought you saw a softness there, a hint of something deeper. It vanished just as quickly, but that one look was enough. It was enough to make you cast away the doubt that lingered in your mind, to dismiss the thought that this was all in your head.

The night dragged on, punctuated by laughter and more ridiculous storytelling from Trevor. Gradually, one by one, everyone began to call it a night. Luke was the first to slip away, yawning as he muttered something about wanting to have an early workout, clapping Trevor on the shoulder before heading inside. Trevor followed soon after, stretching with exaggerated laziness before flashing a grin and winking at you. “Don’t get into too much trouble out here,” he teased, earning a playful eye-roll from you.

Finally, it was just you, Jack, and Quinn. Jack was lingering, his eyes occasionally drifting to you with a look that hinted at something he wanted to say but couldn’t quite bring himself to voice. He shifted in his seat, clearing his throat as he looked at you, then glanced over at Quinn.

"Alright, I guess I’ll head in, too," Jack finally said, his tone reluctant. His gaze lingered on you for just a beat too long, as though he wanted you to ask him to stay or tell him that you would head up with him. But you didn’t, and after a quiet sigh, he nodded, gave Quinn a brief glance, then turned and headed inside, the screen door shutting softly behind him.

And then it was just the two of you.

The quiet stretched between you and Quinn, thick and tense, as the night air settled into a stillness that seemed to wrap around you both. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the soft rustle of the trees, and it was painfully quiet, each unspoken word between you two heavy with meaning. You could feel his presence, magnetic and steady, even across the fire. Finally, after a moment that felt like an eternity, you drew a deep breath and decided to speak.

“Quinn, can we talk?” Your voice was steady, but just barely. Quinn’s eyes finally locked with yours for the first time since before everyone began to filter to bed. Quinn nodded after a couple of seconds, giving you the silence to continue.

“I don’t know what’s going on between us,” you said softly. “But… fuck, I can’t stop thinking about you, and it’s driving me crazy. I need to know if it’s all just in my head or if you feel it too. Because if there’s a reason I feel this way… I need to know.”

You trailed off, heart hammering against your ribcage as the words hung in the air between you. For a moment, he didn’t respond, his expression unreadable, his face softened by the glow of the firelight. Then, with a sigh, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees as he stared into the flames. His silence was torture, each passing second pulling you deeper into a pit of anxiety and frustration.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low and steady, as if he’d rehearsed this response in his mind countless times. “It’s not in your head,” he admitted, his gaze flickering up to meet yours. “There’s something here, between us. I feel it too.”

The words sent a rush of relief and hope through you, a spark that reignited all those moments spent wondering and waiting for some kind of sign. A soft smile spread across your face, the edges of your doubt finally beginning to soften. But then, his expression shifted, the corners of his mouth tightening as he looked away, eyes fixed on the shadows just beyond the firelight.

“But…” His voice was barely a whisper, rough around the edges. “It can’t go anywhere. Not with Jack. He’s…he’s into you.” He looked back at you, the regret in his eyes evident, a pain mirrored in your own chest. “I can’t do that to him.”

His words were like a punch to the gut, and the warmth of the fire suddenly felt distant, fading into a cold, empty ache spreading through your chest. You hadn’t expected it to hurt this much, hadn’t realized how much you’d been hoping he’d say the opposite, that he’d fight for whatever was happening between you.

You dropped your gaze, feeling foolish, vulnerable, exposed. “So that’s it? We just… pretend this doesn’t exist?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. “Like nothing’s been happening all this time?”

Quinn’s jaw tightened, and he looked away, his expression pained. “I don’t want to pretend. But I can’t… I won’t hurt him, not like that. He’s my brother.” He hesitated, his voice cracking slightly. “And he really cares about you.”

You swallowed hard. It felt ridiculous—being here, feeling so foolishly hopeful, only to be left with a hollow ache and a fractured connection that couldn’t ever be more. Part of you wanted to yell at him for leading you on, for those late-night conversations and stolen glances, for every unspoken word that now felt like a cruel joke.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I wish it could be different.”

The words left you hollow. Part of you wanted to fight, to tell him that what you felt couldn’t just be ignored, but another part — the part that knew him and understood his loyalty — couldn’t bring yourself to ask him to choose you over his brother. Not when you saw the conflict in his eyes, the pain that mirrored your own.

“Fine,” you whispered, barely able to meet his gaze. You stood up, the cool night air prickling your skin as you walked away from the fire, leaving him there in silence. You didn’t look back. It felt like your chest was filled with broken glass, each breath painful, as you made your way back to the house.

Inside, the stillness was almost suffocating. The others had already gone to bed, and the darkened living room felt cold and empty, mirroring the ache in your heart. You climbed the stairs to your room, shutting the door softly behind you as you sank onto the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the wall. A mix of anger and sadness filled you. You were mad at Quinn, for drawing you in only to push you away; mad at Jack, for being in the way even if he hadn’t meant to be; mad at Trevor, for ever convincing you to come here; and, perhaps most of all, mad at yourself, for letting your heart hope for something that could never be.

The next morning, a heavy quiet blanketed the lake house. You moved through the motions of breakfast with the others, but your thoughts felt distant, lost somewhere between the memories of last night and the weight of Quinn’s words. The morning was made slightly easier by the absence of Quinn who you were told went into the town early that morning to run errands and hit the gym. The guys bantered and talked about heading out on the boat, planning an afternoon on the lake, but you could only muster half-hearted nods and polite smiles. It was hard to focus, every small sound—the clinking of mugs, the soft scrape of a chair—only intensifying the ache you couldn’t shake.

Excusing yourself, you slipped away before anyone could ask questions, making your way down to the dock. The air was cool, a gentle breeze rippling across the lake's surface, and you sat at the edge, feet dangling above the water. You were still in your sleep outfit, not exactly pyjamas, but rather a comfy oversized hoodie and a pair of mens boxers. The familiar scent of pine and fresh earth surrounded you, but even the peaceful view couldn’t ease the storm of emotions inside.

The quiet was soon broken by the sound of footsteps approaching, and you didn’t need to look to know it was Jack. You felt him sit beside you, his presence warm and grounding. For a moment, he didn’t say anything — just let the silence settle between you both, as though he was waiting for you to be ready.

Finally, he cleared his throat, glancing sideways at you. “You okay this morning? You’ve been… quiet,” he said softly, his voice tentative, as if he were stepping carefully around broken glass. “Distant.”

You swallowed, bracing yourself as you met his gaze. His eyes were filled with genuine concern, a softness that only made this harder. “Yeah,” you murmured, looking back out at the lake. “Guess I just needed some space.”

Jack nodded, though he didn’t seem convinced. His fingers drummed nervously on the edge of the dock, and after a beat, he spoke again, his tone thoughtful, almost nostalgic.

“You know,” he began, eyes cast down at the water, “when Trevor told me he was bringing a friend this summer, he was so sure we’d hit it off. He kept going on about how you and I would be perfect for each other, that we’d get along great.” A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. “I remember feeling this weird, excited energy like… maybe he was right, you know? Maybe I was going to meet someone special.”

You felt a lump forming in your throat as he continued, his voice carrying a warmth that was both comforting and deeply bittersweet.

“And when you got here…” He hesitated, his eyes meeting yours, as if to gauge your reaction. “I don’t know, it just… felt easy, from the start. Like we’d known each other forever. I started to feel like maybe Trevor had been onto something.” He gave a soft laugh, but there was no humor in it, just the weight of unspoken feelings.

“Things felt really good between us, and I thought you felt it too,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “So I started to get my hopes up—thinking maybe this was the start of something real.”

You winced, guilt gnawing at you. “Jack… I’m so sorry,” you said, your voice shaky. “I didn’t mean to lead you on, truly. I think you’re amazing. From the bottom of my heart, I just… I mean there’s gotta be some sort of spell this fucking house puts me under because I would be insane otherwise to not like you! You… you’re so perfect that any other girl would be scremaing at me, trying to claw my eyes out for not appreciating you. But… I just can’t. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Jack’s eyes softened, a mix of sadness and resignation settling in them. He looked down, his fingers still drumming but more slowly now, as if grounding himself. After a moment, he took a deep breath and let it out, his shoulders sagging slightly.

“I get it,” he murmured, though his voice had an unmistakable crack in it. “I mean… I think I get it. You can’t force something that isn’t there, right?” He gave a sad smile, one that tried to mask the hurt but didn’t quite succeed.

He stared out at the water, his expression distant, like he was trying to piece together what had gone wrong, or maybe just what he’d missed. A tense silence settled between you, the weight of everything unsaid pressing down on the air around you. Jack cleared his throat, seeming to steel himself, his gaze searching your face as if looking for an answer to a question he hadn’t yet asked.

“Can I… can I just ask you one thing?” he said, voice barely above a whisper. His vulnerability in that moment was palpable, and you could feel your heart pounding, bracing yourself for what was coming.

You nodded, feeling your throat tighten.

“Do you… have feelings for Quinn?”

The words hung in the air, heavy and painful, and a part of you wished he hadn’t asked. But the look in his eyes told you he needed to know, that the uncertainty was gnawing at him just as much as the truth might.

Slowly, you nodded, a tear slipping down your cheek as you whispered, “Yes.”

A heavy silence fell between you, and Jack seemed to shrink a little, his shoulders slumping as he took it in. Jack’s gaze fixed on the lake, and for a long moment, he said nothing. You could see the effort it took for him to keep his expression neutral, to keep his emotions tightly bound. His voice was quiet when he finally spoke.

“So, you… you and Quinn. Is there… anything actually happening between you two?” He glanced at you, a flicker of something raw in his eyes — hope, maybe, or just the need to understand.

You shook your head, offering a small, bittersweet smile. “No, Jack. We’re… we’re not together. We won’t be.”

He looked at you, brow furrowed. “Why not?” he asked softly, his confusion obvious. “If you feel that way about him, why wouldn’t you try?”

You took a shaky breath, the words catching in your throat. “Because Quinn… Quinn’s too good of a brother. He’d never go for me because of you… and because of what he knows you feel.”

Jack blinked, his brow furrowing as he took in your words. “Wait—what does that mean? Because of me?” he asked, his voice laced with confusion. His gaze softened, and you could see he was fighting to keep his tone steady, like he was trying not to hope.

You sighed, feeling a bittersweet ache settle in your chest. “Quinn told me he could never be with me because he knows how you feel. He doesn’t want to hurt you, Jack.”

Jack’s jaw clenched, a flicker of frustration flashing across his face. “So… let me get this straight,” he muttered, almost incredulously. “He’s not doing anything about how he feels—because of me?”

You nodded, and Jack fell silent, staring down at his hands, which had stopped drumming and were now clenched tightly in his lap. He seemed deep in thought, his brows furrowed as he processed what you’d just told him. The lake was quiet around you, the stillness broken only by the occasional ripple of water.

For a long time, Jack didn't say anything, just stared down at the water, his brows drawn together. You could almost feel the weight of his thoughts, the way he was wrestling with everything that had just been laid out. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, raw.

“So he… he cares enough to stay away,” Jack said slowly, the words laced with a sadness that felt almost like admiration. “That's… just like him.” He took a deep breath, forcing a small, sad smile. “I wish things were different. I wish we could just rewind, go back to the start of summer and… and pretend this never happened.”

You swallowed hard, his words striking a chord deep within you. “Me too,” you whispered, eyes burning with unshed tears. “I never wanted any of this to happen, Jack. The last thing I wanted was to hurt you.”

Jack looked over at you, his expression softening, and for a moment, you saw a flicker of the easy, unburdened friendship you’d had in the beginning. “I know,” he murmured. “You’re not the kind of person who’d do this on purpose. It’s just… life, I guess. It’s complicated, ‘n messy as hell. And… maybe Trevor was right. We do get along. Just… maybe not in the way he thought we would.”

He smiled, a genuine one this time, though tinged with a sadness he couldn’t hide. “Maybe someday… I won’t feel this way,” he said quietly, his voice barely audible above the soft lapping of the lake against the dock. “But for now… I think I just need a little space. Time, maybe.”

You nodded, understanding that this was what he needed, even if it hurt to hear. “I get it, Jack. I do.”

Jack gave a nod, his gaze returning to the water, the weight of unspoken words settling over the two of you. In the next moment, he reached over and gave your hand a small squeeze—a quiet truce, an understanding. Then he stood, brushing off his shorts and glancing back at the house.

“I’ll be up at the house for a bit,” he murmured, the distance in his tone unmistakable. With that, he turned and walked back up the dock, his footsteps slow and heavy.

In the following days, there was a noticeable shift in the air; everyone felt it, though no one dared to name it. Conversations were stilted, laughter felt forced, and even the once-lively dinners had become quiet affairs, each of you treading carefully as if one wrong word might shatter the fragile peace that held you all together. Jack avoided you and Quinn as much as he could, lingering at the edge of group activities, his usual easygoing energy replaced by something more closed off, guarded.

Quinn, for his part, kept his distance too, his usual calm presence clouded by an unspoken tension. It was as if he knew that the delicate line he was walking might snap at any moment, sending everything spiraling out of control.

You couldn't ignore the heaviness that had settled over the house, a tangible sense of tension that made everything feel off-kilter. As much as you'd wanted this summer to be an escape, it had become the very opposite — a painful reminder of all the ways things could go wrong.

That evening, after everyone had gone to bed, you found yourself wide awake, thoughts racing. The decision took shape slowly, a reluctant resolve that you couldn’t shake. You needed to leave. Staying here, caught between the fractured pieces of what had been and what could never be, was too much to bear. The thought of facing both brothers day after day, watching Jack’s guarded smiles and Quinn’s restrained distance—it was too much. They deserved space, and, you realized, so did you.

With a deep breath, you grabbed your phone and booked a flight out for two days later, the earliest you could manage. You barely slept, running through potential conversations in your mind, eventually deciding you were only going to tell Trevor and slip out quietly, not wanting to cause anymore issues.

You forced yourself to push through the pain and awkwardness during the two remaining days until you would be returning back to California. As the days inched closer to your departure, the weight of unspoken words grew heavier, settling into every corner of the lake house. You caught glimpses of Jack, his face turning away when he thought no one was watching as if even looking at you and Quinn felt like reopening an unhealed wound. Quinn’s glances were no less fraught, though his were filled with a wistful restraint, as if he was already mourning the loss of something that had barely even begun.

The dinners, once filled with laughter, now passed in subdued tones, each person more focused on their plate than the conversation. You found yourself counting down the days and hours, conflicted between the need to escape the tension and the ache of leaving it all behind. In those last two days, you kept reminding yourself that soon, you’d be on a plane back to California, back to your own life — away from Jack’s pained looks and Quinn’s longing stares.

Your final day there, you packed your belongs up quickly, hoping Trevor would buy your excuse of not wanting to miss your flight as a good reason for him to take you to the airport early, and not because you couldn’t bear to spend one more hour in this suffocating oasis. Everyone else was lounging by the water, with the exception of Jack who lingered in the kitchen, opting to do the dishes rather than be around the others. He was lost in thought when he heard the patio door slide open and shut, the sound of bare feet padding against the hardwood. He turned to the entrance of the kitchen, seeing Quinn wearing his boardshorts and a slightly guarded look.

Quinn stopped at the threshold, eyes flicking briefly to Jack’s hands as he scrubbed the dishes. They were tense, knuckles white around the plate he held, and the silence between them was palpable and heavy. Jack set down the dish with a clatter, bracing himself on the edge of the sink, not looking at Quinn. Jack didn’t give Quinn time to speak. The words erupted from him, fueled by everything he’d been holding back.

“Do you even understand what you’re doing?” Jack’s voice was low and seething, barely contained. He didn’t wait for an answer, didn’t dare let Quinn get a word in. “You’re hurting her, Quinn. A perfectly nice girl, who came here not looking for this mess but got dragged into it anyway. And the worst part is, you know it. You know it, and you’re still just… sitting back like a damn martyr, thinking that by staying distant, you’re somehow making it easier for everyone. That by holding back, you’re sparing her, sparing me.”

Jack’s words cut through the quiet, sharper than the silence that had settled in the house over the past days. The vulnerability in his tone was raw, scraping against Quinn’s stoic expression. Quinn shifted uncomfortably but didn’t interrupt; he only looked at Jack, his gaze unwavering.

“And you know what? I kind of hate you for it,” Jack continued, voice unsteady. He turned his head just enough for Quinn to catch the anger, the hurt in his eyes. “I hate that you waltzed in and just took her from me without even trying. And, yeah, maybe that’s selfish. Maybe I never really had a chance, but she was still there, and I was trying. I was there, damn it!”

Quinn finally took a step forward, but Jack cut him off again, his hands clenching at the counter. “And I hate you for pretending like you’re doing the right thing by telling her nothing will happen. You act like you’re some noble saint by ‘staying away,’ but it’s a lie, Quinn. It’s a lie, and we both know it. You’re holding back because you’re scared — scared to go after what you really want, and in the end, you’re just making it worse for everyone. For her. For me.”

Jack’s voice wavered, then cracked, as he finally fell silent, chest heaving from the force of his confession. The words had cost him, as if each syllable had drawn blood. The only sound in the room was the dripping of the faucet, each drop amplifying the tension between them.

Quinn stayed quiet for a long moment, his gaze steady as he absorbed every word. He studied Jack, weighing something unspoken. “Would you hate me if I went for her, then?” His tone was gentle, almost hesitant, a softness that Jack hadn’t been prepared for.

Jack’s jaw tightened. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I probably would.” He ran a hand through his hair, a bitter laugh escaping him. “I mean I hate you right now for making her feel the way she does. But it shouldn’t matter, Quinn. Not if you two… if you actually care about each other.” Jack’s voice faltered, breaking under the weight of his own honesty. “Look, I’ll get over it. In time. But don’t waste what could be something good just because you’re trying to spare everyone. It’s pointless, and it’s selfish. You need to get to her before it’s too late.”

Quinn could feel Jack’s anger and pain, an emotion so raw and tangled it clawed at the air between them. For a second, Quinn thought of how different things could have been if he had stayed on the sidelines, if he hadn’t let himself get close to you. But as Jack’s gaze softened, an odd understanding settled between them. Jack wasn’t letting go easily, but he was letting go.

Jack’s shoulders slumped, exhausted, as he ran a hand over his face. “She’s leaving today, you know?” he said to Quinn, a look of surprise appearing on his face. “Trev told me last night she booked her flight out for this afternoon.”

Quinn’s face fell, and the guarded look faded, replaced with something dangerously close to panic. He hadn’t known—hadn’t expected that this was it. That today was the end.

“She’s leaving?” Quinn asked, Jack nodding. “Why didn’t she say anything? W-why is she leaving?”

“Because why would she stay?” Jack said. “She’s going to protect herself. She’s not gonna stay here, hoping for something that won’t happen. She’s too smart for that.”

The realization struck Quinn like a punch to the gut, leaving him breathless. Jack's words echoed in his mind, each one sharper than the last. She’s leaving. Of course, she would. She wasn’t the type to hang around hoping for some half-hearted promise or for Quinn to finally decide what he wanted. She deserved so much more than waiting for him to get his act together.

Jack's voice softened, pulling him back to the present. "Quinn, it’s not too late. She hasn’t left yet. If you really care about her, don’t let her go like this."

Quinn’s gaze faltered, a flicker of something vulnerable crossing his expression. Could he really undo the damage he’d done by staying away? Could he find the words to convince her that, despite his silence, he’d felt everything just as deeply as she had?

A heavy silence followed before Quinn found his voice. “What… what should I say to her?”

Jack shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping him. “You really think I’m giving you advice on how to get the girl I wanted?”

Quinn’s face softened in a rare, grateful smile. “Fair enough.” He hesitated, then turned, steeling himself as he left the kitchen, leaving Jack to his own fractured thoughts.

Quinn climbed the stairs two at a time, his pulse racing with every step, anticipation and fear warring within him. As he reached the top, he saw Trevor just exiting your room. Trevor paused, giving Quinn a look that held no small amount of concern.

“I don’t know what went down between you three,” Trevor said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. “But I care about her, and I don’t like seeing her like this. You going to fix whatever mess this is?”

Quinn’s chest tightened. He knew Trevor had been close to you, learning this summer just how much of a big brother figure he was to you. He couldn’t fault him for looking out for you.

“I’m going to fix it,” Quinn said, his voice quiet but firm. He met Trevor’s gaze, hoping to communicate the sincerity in his words. “I have to.”

Trevor didn’t say anything else, but he gave Quinn a long, steady look, as though weighing whether to believe him. Then he gave a nod and shifted your duffle bag, stepping aside to let Quinn pass. With a final glance at Trevor, Quinn walked to your door, his heart racing. Quinn stood outside your door for a moment, his hand hovering above the doorknob. He knew what he needed to say, but a part of him feared that the damage was already done. Bracing himself, he knocked gently before pushing the door open.

You were standing by the window, your zipped duffle bag sitting on your bed. Your back was to the door when Quinn entered, and for a moment, he almost turned around, the words caught in his throat. But then you turned, your eyes meeting his.

“Are you really going?” Quinn asked, his voice quiet and strained.

You nodded, stepping away from the window and closer to Quinn. “I think it’s best. This whole summer has just… it’s too much, Quinn. I didn’t come here expecting any of this, and now I just feel… caught. And I can’t keep feeling this way.”

Quinn swallowed, his gaze never leaving yours. He looked as though he was battling something heavy, words lingering on his lips, waiting to escape. He stepped forward, close enough that you could see the faint circles under his eyes, the fatigue that seemed to pull at his features.

“I didn’t expect any of this either,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. “And I get it — you’re right. I hurt you. I know that. I thought… I thought if I kept my distance, it would somehow make it easier for everyone. That maybe you'd move on from this — move on from me, and be with Jack. I thought it would hurt less.”

You held his gaze, your voice low but unwavering. “Do you have any idea what that did to me, Quinn? All summer, feeling this… this connection between us, and thinking that I had to be imagining it because you couldn’t even look at me. And you’re saying you did that on purpose? To protect me?” Your voice trembled. “That’s not protecting me. That’s running away.”

Quinn took a shaky breath, stepping closer, his expression taut with regret. “I know I messed up. I was spineless and I should have told you the truth sooner.” Quinn said, bowing his head briefly before forcing himself to look up at your hurt eyes. “I told myself that it was better this way, but all I was doing was lying to myself. Because every time I saw you… every time I heard your laugh, or watched you talk to Jack, or caught you looking at me — I couldn’t breathe.”

Quinn took one last step forward, less than a foot away from you. He raised his hand to reach you, fingertips grazing your arm gently, as if he feared you might pull away. “But I care about you, more than I thought possible. And I was afraid of that. Afraid of hurting Jack, afraid of hurting you… and afraid of wanting you this much.” He swallowed, his voice growing rough. “But I can’t let you leave without knowing how I feel. I want to be with you I — I need to be with you.”

Your breath hitched, the confession settling over you like a warm, crushing weight. This was what you’d wanted, but it also brought a whirlwind of conflicting emotions crashing down. You took a small step back, just enough to put some distance between you, needing space to gather your thoughts.

Quinn was saying everything you wanted to hear from the beginning. Laying his feelings bare, and exposing his heart in a way you hadn't expected from someone as reserved as him. It was like seeing a hidden part of him, one he’d kept carefully guarded. The vulnerability in his eyes made it clear that this was as terrifying for him as it was thrilling for you.

But in the back of your mind, Jack lingered, his hurt and disappointment woven into every stolen glance and quiet moment of the summer. The image of his face as he realized how you felt about Quinn was something you couldn’t shake. The memory clawed at you, guilt mixing with the longing Quinn’s words evoked.

“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to hear that,” you said, voice catching. “But Quinn… Jack — he tried so hard with me this summer, and I couldn’t give him what he wanted because of… well, because of you.” You hesitated, torn between the longing in Quinn’s eyes and the memory of Jack’s earnest, hopeful glances. “The last thing I wanted was to hurt him. And I feel like I’ve done enough damage by just… being here.”

Quinn’s gaze softened, his hand lingering just above your arm, hovering close as if he wasn’t ready to let you go. “I know,” he murmured. “I know it’s complicated. But I talked to Jack this morning. He told me… he told me to come up here and talk to you. To tell you how I felt. He wants you to be happy, and he knows that’s not with him. He’ll get over it.”

“Jack said that?” you whispered, barely able to believe it.

Quinn nodded, a slight smile tugging at his lips, though there was sadness in his eyes. “He might hate me for a while, and I can live with that. But he said I’d regret it if I let you go. And… he was right.”

His hand, warm and steady, traced down your arm, his fingers slipping around yours with a gentle firmness. The touch, gentle but insistent, sent a jolt through you. “I know I’ve messed up,” he murmured, voice barely a whisper. “But if you’ll let me, I’ll make it right. I want this, us… if you do too.”

You nodded, words escaping you as Quinn stepped even closer, his free hand lifting to gently cup your face. His thumb brushed against your cheek, and you could feel the slight tremor in his touch. He leaned in slowly, giving you every chance to pull away, but you didn’t.

His lips barely brushed yours, soft and tentative. Your breath mingled together briefly before your lips locked together. He lingered for a heartbeat, savoring the closeness as if he, too, couldn’t believe this was real. Then, with a surge of emotion, the kiss deepened, all the restraint and hesitation of the summer dissolving as his hand rose to cradle your cheek, holding you to him as though afraid you might disappear.

His stubble that had grown out over the last couple weeks of summer scraped along your jaw and chin, leaving a faint burn that only added to the rush of sensation.

When you pulled back, both of you breathless, he rested his forehead against yours, a soft smile playing at the corners of his lips. “I’ve wanted to do that since the day you got here,” he murmured, a hint of relief in his voice.

You giggled, staying close and feeling his heartbeat echoing against yours. The silence that followed was thick, but it was different now — no longer tense or uncertain like it had been for most of the summer. It felt as though the weight had been lifted from both of your shoulders.

But even in that moment, you knew the reality of what this would mean—for Jack, for Quinn, and for yourself. There was a part of you that still ached, remembering Jack’s quiet disappointment and knowing it would take time to heal the wounds this summer had left behind.

You swallowed hard, raising a hand to Quinns face and brushing aside his dark locks that fell over his eyes. “I still think I need to go,” you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper. “Not because I don’t want this. I do. But I think both of you need time, and maybe I do too. To let everything settle.”

Quinn nodded, understanding settling over his expression. “I get it,” he replied, taking your hand in his and giving your palm a soft kiss. “I’ll be here when you’re ready. Take all the time you need.”

Quinn let you slip from his arms, his heart squeezing as he watched you grab your bag and exit the room. As you descended the stairs with your duffle bag slung over your shoulder, you saw Jack waiting near the door. His expression softened as you approached, a bittersweet smile crossing his face.

“So, this is it?” he asked, his voice gentle but with an undercurrent of acceptance.

You nodded. “Yeah, I think it’s best. Thank you, Jack. For understanding. And… for everything.”

Jack gave a short nod, his gaze momentarily flickering towards the stairs where Quinn had stopped to watch from a distance. He returned his gaze to you and managed a small, sincere smile. “Go live your life. I wish you and Quinn all the best.”

You hugged him, both of you holding on just a second longer than necessary. When you pulled back, you could see the mix of emotions in his eyes, but there was a sense of peace there too. He’d let go, not because it didn’t hurt, but because he genuinely wanted you to be happy. You felt your heart swell, gratitude mixing with the faint sting of regret for the friendship that would never quite be the same. But Jack’s words lifted the weight off your shoulders, letting you and Quinn move forward.

With a final look, you stepped outside, Trevor waiting to drive you to the airport, his brow furrowed in confusion at the way you suddenly had pep in your step, a small smile present on your lips that had been missing for weeks. As the car pulled away, you stole one last glance at the lake house, catching a glimpse of Quinn watching you from the porch. He raised a hand in a small wave, and you returned it, a soft smile on your lips.

This summer hadn’t turned out anything like you’d expected.

#quinn hughes #quinn hughes x reader #quinn hughes imagine #nhl #nhl imagine #hockey #hockey imagine #jack hughes #jack hughes imagine #new jersey devils #vancouver canucks #`✦ˑ ✒️ 𓂃⊹ my works #qh43 #jh86

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batmanisagatewaydrug · 8 days ago

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Hello!! I hope you're doing well! Do you have any recs for books about twisted/problematic relationships but with woc? Obviously there's our queen octavia butler but unfortunately for me i've finished reading all her books so i'm desperately craving for books that scratch this itch. Thank you for this blog btw i really love reading all your thoughts & reviews ♥️

goddd okay this list is not going to be nearly as long as I wish it was but it is extreeeeemely varied, so at least we have that going for us lmao. and hopefully you find something interesting in here:

right out of the gate if you're chasing that Octavia high, Rivers Solomon's novel Sorrowland feels very very in that vein. it starts with a teenage girl escaping from a Black separatist fundie cult while heavily pregnant with the cult leader's twins, deciding to give birth to the babies in the woods and raise them there. and boy, does it get crazier from there! there are some eventual transformative body horror sci-fi elements that I shan't spoil, but it's a time. the relationships are pretty secondary and genuinely not the most fucked up thing here, but our main girlie Vern is very much into girls and trying to figure that out on top of all the other horrors.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is the first book in a fantasy trilogy by specfic queen NK Jemisin, and the first book in particular is really like. problematic relationship city. the protagonist is called to be an heir to a dying emperor and IMMEDIATELY gets embroiled in a love triangle with two of the gods that her family enslaves for power??? crazy shit.

I just kicked off this year reading a book called Darknesses by Lachelle Seville, which ALSO features a young Black woman fresh out of a cult (this one loves self harm and anorexia). and then she meets another Black girl who casually drops that she's Dracula, and oh boy do things get weirder from there. this book is like kind of Not Good but it is very entertaining; at a certain point you just have to turn off your brain and go with the vibes. it's sweeter than a lot of examples but listen, obsession and bloodlust are obsession and bloodust no matter how much your gf Dracula respects consent. there's a lot of murder!

this one doesn't have any supernatural bullshit afoot and is instead just regular degular #problematic, but Raven Leilani's Luster was one of my favorite books last year and follows an absolute shitshow of a young Black woman's extremely loaded and weird relationship with her older white boyfriend and his insane wife, as well as their adopted Black daughter.

anther no magic entry: I really love Oyinkan Braithwaite's My Sister, The Serial Killer, which is about exactly what you think it's about! the narrator is a put-upon Nigerian woman whose beautiful, beloved sister has murdered her last several boyfriends and has come crying to her dutiful sister to help her clean it up each time; the plot kicks in when the murdery sister sets her sights on the narrator's boss, a doctor to whom the narrator is also attracted. I know it's a sibling relationship instead of a romantic one but you didn't specify so! I am counting it!

this one is like very very very niceys compared to everything else I'm going to put on this list but it's also pretty hot so I have to mention it: Little Rabbit by Alyssa Songsiridej is about a young, bisexual Asian-American woman struggling to get a writing career off the ground falling in love with a Notably Older and wealthier white man and figuring out how to navigate the subsequent problems both within their own interpersonal dynamic and in how their relationship is received by others.

honorary mentions: books about fucked up white women that are written by women of color who Know!!

Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng is a Victorian alternate history in which the English discovered the fairy realm and promptly did what the English did, ie, sending missionaries to teach the fairies about Jesus. the novel follows a woman traveling to the fairy kingdom to look for her missing missionary brother and promptly going insane as fairies gaslight gatekeep girlboss from all sides, complete with a side of everyone's favorite gothic horror trope: repressed sibling incest!

My Nemesis by Charmaine Craig is another very lowkey and grounded example, comparatively, but I thought it was neat and worth a mention! it's told from the POV of truly insufferable white woman writer whose emotional affair with a philosopher gets thrown for a fucking loop by the philosopher's wife, an enigmatic Chinese woman whose motivation the MC cannot guess literally at all. it's not the most exciting read in the world but the reveals hit hard and the reveals at the end made me YELL.

also for short story collections by WOC that can bring the #yikes factor in big ways I heartily endorse Roxane Gay's Difficult Women and Carmen Maria Machado's Her Body and Other Parties.

I wish I had more to throw you here; please if anyone has something to add to this list I am LISTENING

#bookblr

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cloudzoro · 5 months ago

Text

Nico Robin Smut Alphabet ♡

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

nico robin x fem!reader, smut (minors dni)

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Robin insists on bathing after sex. If one of you was domming, then you'll check on the other, make sure you're happy and unharmed, and then it's off to the bath (or shower) with you. When you're in the water, it's the perfect time for a massage to relax the muscles and ease any lasting tension. She's very quiet but very soft and loving. It's when her guard is down the lowest with you.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

B = Body part (their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Robin's favourite part of her is naturally her hands. It took a lot of work, healing and pain to embrace her power and the reputation that comes with it. Now that her power is used much differently than she had used it before, she's come to appreciate her hands and their uses. They're also good at reducing you down to a whimpering mess.

On you, she'd tell you it's a hard decision she has to agonise over, but it's easily your chest. Boob size doesn't matter to her as long as she has something to suck on. If hickies are noticeable in your complexion, you're about to be marked up 24/7. If not, it doesn't matter to her; she's still going to lick, suck and bite at the skin of your chest. The most important thing to her about your chest is what it protects:your heart. She likes to lie down on your chest after a long night with you and just listen to your heartbeat. It reassures her that you're here and she's safe.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Her cum tastes good. That pussy is magical, I know it. She creams and leaves a ring of it around the strap when you top.

She's not much of a squirter, but she hopes you are bc there's nothing she loves more than making you gush like a water fountain and then licking you through it, slurping up everything you've got to give her.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

She's been using your body for research. When you're asleep, after she's worked you out so good you can barely focus, she scribbles notes into a small pad she has tucked away under her pillow. She writes about how you react to her, what she did that made you moan the loudest, the changes in your breathing pattern, the way you begged for her, and how many times she made you cum. She wants nothing more than to know your body inside and out.

✩♬ ₊˚.��️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Robin had a few drunken baroque works hookups, but she had minimal experience when you both met. You were the more experienced of the two of you, but she knew exactly what she was doing. You grew together, learning about each other's bodies and what feels good. Now, you're both plenty experienced and pleasing each other is second nature.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

F = Favourite position (this goes without saying)

If she's topping, she prefers cowgirl; you look so pretty riding her strap and she gets to watch your tits bounce with each movement.

If you're topping, she likes doggy; place a pillow under her hips, push her face into the pillows and fuck her nice and deep.

If there are no toys involved, she likes to pin you down to the mattress with her power, spread your legs and grind down onto your clit. She loves scissoring with you <3

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous? etc.)

Honestly, Robin is pretty good at just following the vibes. If you're in a giggly mood and just want to have fun with your beautiful girlfriend then she follows along. If you're in the mood for something slowed down and romantic then she switches her tone to be more serious.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Robin trims and she keeps a neat triangle of hair but she doesn't shave. She doesn't like the feeling of being completely bare.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Robin likes to read - and though it's mostly non-fiction, she occasionally finds herself digging into a steamy romance novel - so she's all about the romance. Break out the candles, rose petals, smooth music, and lingerie. She waxes poetic about your pussy. You'd think your cum was her life force with the way she talks to you during sex. She's all the way down bad for you and vice versa. While she can keep it fun and lighthearted, she can only feel that way because its you. Sex is an indicator of your more profound connection, and Robin LOVES the Intimacy of it all.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Robin doesn't masturbate much after the two of you get together, but she when does she takes it slow. She closes her eyes to picture you touching and slowly rubs her clit. She uses her devil fruit power to slip two fingers inside of herself, trying to hit the exact angle you usually get. She sighs your name as she lazily rubs her clit. When she eventually cums, she does so with your name on her lips.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Giving: Bondage - Whether it be artful shibari or the power of the hana hana no mi, Robin wants to tie you up. She likes creating pretty patterns across your body with rope. She has a small box of pictures of you tied up in the most intricate shibari designs. She loves to use toys on you while you're tied. It's addicting to watch you shake and whimper with nothing to grab onto.

Giving: Squirting - As previously discussed, she's addicted to the sight of you gushing and making a mess of the sheets beneath you. She'll work you over and over again with her fingers and tongue until you're exhausted and there's a puddle beneath you. She won't let you be embarrassed by it. You better be ready for her to suction her mouth to you and swallow down every drop she can get from you.

Receiving: Spitting - She doesn't see why it would be gross to desire your spit. Your saliva gets into her mouth when kissing. Why is this any different? She genuinely sees it as another form of kissing. When you're on top of her, she'll open her mouth for you, wordlessly begging for you to lean over and spit into her pretty little mouth.

Receiving: Size. Robin has a size kink, but it's not to do with height or weight; instead she's addicted to getting her tight pussy stretched out. There's something delicious about the way you bully your fat strap into her pussy. When you're fingering her, she begs for more fingers until your whole fist is pushing inside her. She loves the hours of size training, building up to her taking the biggest monster strap you own. Don't worry, she can take it.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

L = Location (favourite places to do the do)

She's classic, she likes the bed. The comfort of your bedroom is necessary for her. It's a sanctuary, your own little world where no one else is present. She can lay your pretty head down against the pillows and go to town without worrying about your physical discomfort or the possibility of getting caught. It's also personal and intimate.

She doesn't mind having some fun in the bath or shower. A cheeky second (or fifth 🤭) round in the shower is sometimes just what she needs to wake her up and energise her.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

There isn't much that doesn't turn her on about you. Everything you do drives her crazy. One of her faves is flashes of your underwear. If you're wearing a lace pair that you know she likes and you bend over to ‘pick something up’, she can't help but use her power to reach up under your skirt. When no one's looking, she pulls your underwear down and pockets it. Now, when she's done with your teasing, she pulls you into a bathroom or cupboard and shoves her hand up your skirt with no obstructions. She's also very, very weak to kisses on the shoulder. If you give her a kiss and a compliment, she's immediately ready to do whatever you tell her.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Anal. Only for receiving. If you want her to fuck you in the ass, she's more than happy to indulge you. She's just not a fan of receiving. She's also not too keen on public sex (outside of the sunny). Teasing in public is fine, but you'll have to wait until you get home for anything more. She feels unsafe outside.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

69 babe. Robin can't decide if she likes receiving or giving more. She loves the feeling of your tongue on her pussy. When she touches herself, she thinks about the way you suck on her clit and press your tongue against her walls. She also loves the taste of you. She stays between your legs, devouring her meal, until you're whining and begging. She's too good at it; she starts messy, there isn't an inch of your pussy that doesn't receive attention from her, then she focuses on your clit. Lapping at your clit is like muscle memory at this point.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Robin prefers slow and sensual. She likes to take her time to make sure you're properly satisfied. She can go fast and rough if the scenario calls for it, but she ultimately prefers focusing on your pleasure and taking it slow.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

As previously stated, Robin prefers slow, sensual sex, and quickies don't lend themselves to that type of sex. She doesn't hate them, but there's no way she could accurately express her love and attraction to you in less than ten minutes. She also needs a lot of build-up to cum. It takes her a while to get there, and you need to take your time.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? etc.)

When it comes to experimentation, Robin is a freak. She's down to try anything you present to her, and she already has some wild and occasionally taboo kinks.

If there's legitimate risk involved, Robin is very thorough in getting your consent and verbally outlining the risk multiple times to make sure you both understand.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Robin's Stamina is impressive. She can last much longer than you. The more time you spend together, the more pussy obsessed she gets. She can last at least an hour before even cumming. She doesn't pressure you to keep up with her and her crazy stamina though you pretty much can anyway.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

You have a plethora of toys. With how close you two are to Franky, you might as well have a monthly subscription to your own personal sex toy blind box. He's very supportive of your relationship and always willing to help out with whatever crazy blueprint Robin brings to him. You own straps in various sizes, vibrators with fun attachments, rope, and sex candles. You two would probably look like sex-obsessed freaks (you are) if one of your friends went snooping through your room.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

I hope you're strong willed because Robin is a tease. Slow touches and soft words purposefully avoiding touching your pussy. She'll explain in great detail all the things she's going to do to you but she's still kneeling above you fully dressed and you want her to act on her words then you better undress her yourself. If you want something then you have to ask properly or she'll just press kisses or run her hands around the area but won't actually do what you want until the words leave your mouth. She's a huge tease, she doesn't take too kindly about being on the receiving end though.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

When she's domming, she's very vocal. She talks you through everything she's doing to you. She tells you how she's going to make you cum until you're completely spent. She has no problems being vocal when she's in control; it's when she's subbing or bottoming that she struggles. When you first get together, she's quiet. There's nothing wrong with being quiet In bed, but Robin isn't quiet because she wants to be. Robin holds back on purpose and it takes you quite a while into your relationship to finally break that wall down. Now that you have, she's all too happy to whine and moan as you make love to her. She always always cums with a cry of your name.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

I touched on it earlier, but I think Robin has difficulty cumming at first. This might be a case of me projecting onto my fave, but I think she needs external and internal stimulation or it's just not enough for her. She needs to be in a comfortable mental state, too. Some people need an extra bit of loving to release, and Robin is one of those people.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Her tits? Huge. As a big titty girl (32H), I understand the pain and responsibility that comes with such great power. They're natural, so they sit a little low, and one is slightly bigger than the other. Her nipple plates are dark and larger than average, and her nipples are pretty big (and perfect to suck on)

She's so beautiful. I think her clit is more prominent (which is why she loves scissoring so much). She's got a little bush that she keeps trimmed, and her lips aren't that big, so she has a more ‘exposed’ clit.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Robin is pretty much ready to go whenever you are. Her engine is pretty much revved 24/7. She's not ungodly horny where she's ready to cum all the time, she's just prepared to love on you whenever you need it. All you have to do is ask her if she wants to go somewhere else, and she's horny for you.

✩♬ ₊˚.☁️⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep)

Robin doesn't fall asleep straight away. She stays up for a little longer. Sometimes, an orgasm can wake her up a bit, and she stays up reading a book while you rest. Sometimes, she likes to lay with you after a shower and just caress your skin, unwilling to fall asleep until she knows you're sound asleep, safe and satisfied.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed!! comments and reblogs are appreciated ♡♡

tag list: @bloodfixnd @sexysapphicshopowner @beachaddict48 @lem-hhn

my tag list is open for my general tag list or specific characters!!

#one piece smut #one piece x reader #nico robin x reader #nico robin smut #robin smut #robin x reader #smut alphabet #fem!reader

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empty-vessel-of-a-person · 7 months ago

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Similarities and Difference I feel between Zayne and Sylus.

Note: Just my opinion. It's okay if you do not agree. We all have different take on Sylus appearance in the game and the whole update. MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS... YOU ARE WARNED.

The Game

The game fixes so many bugs. I'm so glad that I don't have to buy a new phone. Imagine downloading 2.3 GB for the new version then another 7+ GB for data and then it offloads all data of all of your memories. So the update is both has its good side and bad side.

When Infold says Sylus is coming, he is indeed coming!!! I mean the whole update is about him and the N109 zone. But setting aside the Sylus thing, the whole N109 zone is both scary and wonderful. The details and depth they put in the update are very gone. It's like watching a movie. If ever you watch Final Fantasy VII Advent Children or Spirits Within. It's giving me that vibe.

The transition from a light theme to a dark theme in the fighting scenes is good. We get to see the game evolve to a more serious side.

All in all, the update is so good and I really enjoyed it.

Sylus and Zayne

I can't help but think they are both ends of a ruler, it's like they are Morning and Nighttime. While they are both sharp tongues, Zayne will tone down and spoil M/C while Sylus leaves things as it is.

They may seem cold but they protect M/C at all costs. Just like what Grandma Josephine says, "By helping her(M/C) you are helping yourself"

That being said, Zayne and Sylus are always there to teach M/C what she needs to know and survive. While Sylus is more brute in handling things, Zayne is more of sarcastic but kind.

Sylus

I don't think he is in love with M/C.... Yet! He needs her, yes. But that does not necessarily mean being in love.

In Abyssal Chaos, M/C finds him a nuisance then when M/C asks if he is worried about her, he answers maybe leaving us on the edge.

To say I'm shocked on Sylus Relax Time: Palm, is an understatement. The first part is cute, but my head explodes when he bites our hand!!!! I'm so not ready for that. I waited so long to upgrade Zayne's affinity to get the Relax Time: Hands, just to be slapped by Sylus' first relax time. But then again, as a consumer, Infold purposely intends Sylus to be that way to get more girlies to the game. I can't complain about that.

I don't like his voice. You read that right. I don't like his voice (English Version). My sister doesn't know I'm playing while he is speaking. She says it's like a grandpa's voice. Infold should have chosen a younger-sounding sexy voice. A little bit like Zayne's but deeper. Again this is just my opinion. If you like it, you like it.

Now I know why Zayne never gets casual clothing like a t-shirt or sweats because they are reserving them for Sylus so Zayne and him will have a striking contrast with style and personality.

He is also a mixture of everyone (Xavier, Rafayel, and Zayne) Xavier on being oblivious. Oblivious because this guy doesn't seem to know how dangerously sexy he is. Rafayel on being witty. Yes, No, Maybe so? And Zayne for having the air of authority and control.

Final Thoughts

Sylus is sexy! Yes I said it... He is sexy. And women like dangerous and sexy. It adds to the excitement. It doesn't help that he bites our hands. Who wouldn't fall for that... Infold's Sylus team did a great job in shading the other guys in one swoop..

Thank you Infold for giving us more ways to earn Diamonds. I hope you also increase the weekly limit in earning chocolates.

The love interest page still flags 'Coming Soon'. I am still hoping Infold brings Caleb back. Yes, I love Caleb as much as Zayne! He is the only guy I'm interested in aside from Zayne. Don't you think it's a good and fair love triangle? Sylus has always been on a different level. Something Zayne and the other boys can never be and never compete with.

What's next? Since Glint studio is so addicting, I am hoping the next version comes with video shooting. I mean we are making a video shoot with the boys not just still photos.

Good job Infold!!!! You really hook me and my wallet!!!!

#zayne #sylus #love and deepspace #zayne love and deepspace #lnds zayne #zayne lads #zayne l&ds #dr zayne #lnds sylus #sylus love and deepspace #love & deepspace

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crystaldivination · 2 years ago

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MASQUERADE PARTY🍹

PICK A CARD: your future spouse's physical appearance

Hello cuties, let’s us see what I can get for you. Here come some keywords describing your future spouse’s physical traits. Hope you’ll like it! ♡

꒰ yes or no pac ꒱

☰ masterlist ⋆ paid services ⋆ give me some love!

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

how to choose your pile. take a few deep breaths & look at each pile separately. Take your time to pick out a pile that sparks an interest or a memory in you. Come back later to it again if you can't decide.

The piles

left ⟶ right

Disclaimer: this is a general reading which may or may not resonate with you. Take what resonates and leave out anything that doesn't. Feel free to choose another pile if you'd like.

one

tall with long legs

nice shoulders & collarbones

healthy fit looking

athletic slim/lean with a little muscles

lanky and light on feet

boy-;girlfriend look/ beach boy;girl vibe

casual style

brown/ dark blond hair

young & youthful looking

attractive smile with dimples

pretty & delicate features

sharp jawline & masculine face

blue eyes or very light eye colors

sun-kissed tan skin or warm undertone

groomed fingernails

neat & tidy appearance overall

come off as very charming & friendly

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Looks & vibe that could match your future spouse’s appearance:

Reblogs, likes and follows are highly appreciated. Have a wonderful day or night!

two

dainty nose, big eyes & fierce look

pale to olive skin

long prominant neck

mid tall to tall

long torso

sporty & strong figure/ physics

might wear contact lenses because I get various eye colors

might dye their hair often

sleek or wet hair

piercings, tattoos or other body modifications

opt for colors that goes noticeable or fit each season

duality in terms of style

likes both classic & tomboy/girl look

simplicity & extravagance

experimental, emo, goth, vampire, futuristic vibe

long pretty hands & fingers

likes to wear accessories & dark makeup

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Looks & vibe that could match your future spouse’s appearance:

Reblogs, likes and follows are highly appreciated. Have a wonderful day or night!

three

long hair

oval, diamond or heart shaped face

v-line

cute & kind face with expressive or dreamy sparkling eyes

round or sharp features

inverted triangle or rectangular body shape

petite to average tall

stylish & fashionable

fairytale aesthetic

sophisticated style

romantic soft look

often wear pastel colors

dreamy & vintage vibe

old money aesthetic

smile often

playful energy

summer boy/girl/person

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Looks & vibe that could match your future spouse’s appearance:

Reblogs, likes and follows are highly appreciated. Have a wonderful day or night!

#crystaldivination #pac #pick a card #pick a card reading #pac reading #tarotcommunity #tarot reading #intuitive readings #tarotblr #free readings #free tarot readings #free intuitive readings #pick a pile

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ihopethisendswell · 3 months ago

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I'm not sure if this is a me thing or something but it's crazy how months(?) after watching code Lyoko for the first time the main thing I always think back to was that love drama between Ulrich, Yumi and William, and how much I would rather have it not exist. Or at least just dealt with early on cause good lord it was taxing on me. The show is pretty good overall, just that one aspect of it I keep thinking back too hgvhvgvgvcg. Not the worst thing in the world, and I recognize that these are Teens with Teen Emotions ( as in. Not great communication skills) and this was made in the 2000s so it was kinda expected. But still!

I honestly feel it kinda makes Yumi's character feel a bit worse? Cause her relationship drama with Ulrich and Will seems to overshadow everything else she has going on. It doesn't help that this girl seems to always be taking L's during Xana attacks ( I still remember that weird tree root thing that was practically dragging her around). This kinda also applies to Ulrich too, but I feel like he's shown more outside of his relationships with Yumi that it doesn't feel like it's overshadowing.

Will, however, is just a plot device lol. The bad boy who's a rival to Ulrich for Yumi's affection. Something which, mind you, happened so fast. I remember watching his introduction, honestly vibing with his character a whole bunch, and was kinda just hoping that this would have been a one sided thing- and to be fair, it was - but it felt like Will had a crush on Yumi not bc of anything she did, but bc the plot demanded it. And then everything that happened with Xana and then he really just became a plot device and ....yeah. Overall Will's character was handled poorly but the love triangle did NOT help.

What I'm trying to say here is that I ended up just wanting the three to be just friends. At least until they're more mature to express their feelings. Though I guess that's kinda the point? Teenagers with Teenager Feelings.

#also sissi deserves more tbh. i don't have much to say on her but yeah.#r rambles #and if your wondering about how i feel about aelita and Jeremie: i like them! they're cute #they still suffer from 2000s love drama but it's not as much as the distaster trio over there #so while repeative i don't feel like it's grating.#plus i feel like their friendship was played out really well!#code lyoko

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eyesore-boi · 4 months ago

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MY EDGE OF SLEEP THOUGHTS

Usually I don't really do review posts, but I figured I should here since we need to get the word out more and I have things to s a y -

And yeah i know it technically already made it top 10...but it's going down again...sooo.....chop chop we gotta punch judge judy in the face again :]

SPOILER WARNING BELOW, OF COURSE, FOR BOTH THE TEOS SHOW A N D ORGINAL PODCAST, SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

Mainly this is gonna be talking about all the changes they made in the story and my thoughts on them, comparing the podcast to the show, but most of them are actually pretty positive! So, with that said, let's start with one of the biggest changes, that being:

The Maniac: So I know some people are kinda on the fence bout this, but me personally I don't mind that they cut out The Maniac! I get some people liked how their was a bit of a threat at the hospital while they were trying to figure things out, and Dave having the big risk of loosing his balls (tho i love the reference they did with the radio that was great XD), but...I kinda think that went against the point of this apocalypse, of it being a literal silent killer and not being like how the end of the world is seen in movies of chaos and violence, so having the Maniac out gave the group more time to process the situation at hand. That and how it allowed them to talk more and really show the character connections, like the talk Katie and Dave had after he recalled when he carved the triangle on his chest (more on that later)! And sides, least to me, I always kinda thought the Maniac was...a liiiitle tacked on? Like, with the story always kinda relating to Dave and his nightmares, having the Maniac just be some, well, crazy fucked up guy kinda felt outta place. Like maaaaybe they could've related him directly to being on the elephant's side (the sticker on his van doesn't count, that was just foreshadowing), like he was an elephant follower and he was following Dave even before shit went down, but with him just being some guy doing fucked up things, felt just like a tacked on extra threat. (Also I always kinda found it a little unlikely Dave was so easily able to go on and do a buncha other stuff after being literally shot, but eeeh is fiiine i guess-) With that said though, with the Maniac's absence, it does lead me tooooo

Ruth: I actually really liked Ruth's addition a lot! Was refreshing to see one other person in the survivor group, even if you know from the get-go she probably wasn't gonna make it, but that's good for the story! To show us another person's perspective whose out of the loop, how everyone else around her is struggling to keep it a secret, and how she took the place of the Maniac's for the MRI scan was much more impactful, having more weight to the situation since she was innocent and just found out when she sleeps, she dies, and seeing how hard of was on Linda to do, just mwuah amazing acting all around, but again more on that later-

The Dream People: Another change that I actually like, and even prefer! Tbh in the podcast I kinda felt like the whale people/dream warriors were...kinda vauge on what exactly they are? I know they were probably gonna explain that more in Season 2, but i feel like they didn't really...explain enough? Like they were just some higher people/power, nearing a deus-ex-machina, the old man and his son (forgot their names sorry) kinda broke up the story for me whenever we cut back to them (tho i do love the cigarette bit between him and Dave, sad that didn't make it into the show), and i was fine with that but eeeh coulda been handled a little better, and it was in the show! I like it a lot better that little Davey was always dreaming about them alongside the nightmares, since to Dave (and to the viewers seeing this story for the first time) he wasn't really sure on who or what to trust, which only adds more to the mystery of it all! I also like how their home base is more clear and giving slight cult vibes, but hopefully with good intentions (again we'll see in Season 2), so looking forward to learning more about them, even if this time I'm a bit more satisfied on how they're presented!

Mateo: HE LIVED!!! :DD I was actually really suprised that Mateo survived the plane crash! And I don't think i mind that too much, tho i kinda prefer the podcast ver a liiitle more since it added a bit more to the hopelessness of the situation that literally half of the party was dead, but eh more people living the better! Plus I do think Mateo was pretty fun in the show, I liked him and Dave's friendship a lot, especially with him being with Dave when shit went down at the party rather then going home to play video games pantsless, and i liked how we saw him stand up for Dave for being weird, true bros (i also really like the hug Dave gave him when he agreed to fly for them, that was really nice), so I'm sure there's more of him to explore with his veteran background and stuff, so can't wait to see more of him for Season 2! ....maybe then he won't be so lucky oh god- :'D

The Moobles: So probably, like others, the moment I heard that TEOS was gonna get a TV show, there was one scene on particular that I immediately thought of that I was excited to actually see, and that was the fucking Moobles scene- So was I disappointed that we didn't exactly get that scene? ...Yeah, a little bit, but I do understand why we didn't get it, and what we got instead still served the same purpose well! For one, I'd understand why that scene would be a lot for a +14 rated show, even if there is some pretty good gore throughout the series, bit i get multiple self-stabbings can kinda cross the line, but another reason is...I just don't think they had the budget for it. Like- How would they do the Moobles? CGI? Puppets? Either way I'd love to see it, but I knew it'd be pretty pricey, so I get why the Moobles had to be cut, wish they least had a small reference like the Maniac did (maybe the Moobles playing on TV somewhere or a display case showing the "toy" would be cool), but hey, if we can only experience that horrifying scene in podcast form, well, I wouldn't mind at all! Still fucking horrific in sound form and I love it :'D And sides, I actually prefer the new change for Dave's scar this time around! Tho I like the viciousness of having slash marks all over his chest, i think the single triangle scar fits much more with the stories and is great forshadowing of what's to come, giving a more concrete, direct link between what Dave has gone/going through and the killing sleep going on rather than just the warning the Whale gave him before shit went down! And the scene of him cutting in the injury was still pretty unsettling even if not downright horrific like Moobles-

The Clock: The clock was....n e w - I do like the visual of it tho, since at first it seemed like it stopped and ticked back each time a person fell asleep, but i do wonder...why is that? Is time literally going back each time a person dies? Or is it symbolic of just someone's time being up? If that's the case, then why does sometimes it ticks back a single tick, while others it goes back several? (Think an example of that was when Ruth was bout to die but i think i may be missremembering) I still like the addition tho, just wish it was a l i t t l e more clear, that's all :']

Katie: So even if there are some slight changes to her (like how she doesn't have the cast anymore, which i kinda get, they kinda really brushed over that after Dave talked to her about it once in the podcast, so i get why it was cut), I really liked where they went with her! Course may be a l i t t l e bias since we knew Lio as Lady, and for both roles they absolutely crushed it, but- It was great seeing more details about Katie! Like implying more and more that she had a drug problem in the past and using her rehab advice on Dave was very fitting, and though it was sad knowing she wasn't going to make it in the end, still loved all her scenes! Especially the incredibly tense scene where Dave has to run miles to get to her house to make sure she doesn't sleep, passing by empty streets and sleeping bodies, and Katie (reasonably) hitting Dave on the head when he broke into her house, ooohoho that was good- And i remembered at first i was slightly surprised that Katie died in the plane rather than locking herself in the car, and at first i thought "Oh it's just to make it more impactful, for Dave to fly with his ex's corpse right next to him, so close to safety, yeah that's screwed up :/" ....then the ending cliffhanger shots were shown and ohohOHOHOHO THE SHOT OF KATIE IN THE WATER STARING DOWN THE CAMERA WITH TRAINGLE EYES, IMPLYING SHE'S GONNA BE A H U G E THREAT IN SEASON 2, OHOHO LOVE THAT SHIT-

The Dream Chamber: A new addition/change that I don't mind tooooo much, but i am a little confused on. In the podcast, little Dave's treatment was to be isolated away from society for 18 months with just him and his mom, nothing else as to not be used against him in his nightmares. And while here i can understand a little why they cut that (i mean each ep is only 20 mins so chop chop), the Dream Chamber scene was pretty interesting! The doctor was weird but i think that was the point (never trust a man with a bowl cut wig) since i remember there was one shot where there was an elephant ceremic (i think) in his office, and when talking about the chamber he had these strange flashes, one including a whale dying in a graveyard, so i think that's implying he's on the elephant's side and was only going to harm Dave more, thus why the Dream People made little Davey stab him in the neck (which i was s h o c k e d on when i saw, btw), but my problem is...we kinda never really go back to Dave's past after that? In the podcast, it was proven that the therapy worked for Dave so he could live out his life as a normal person until the Moobles happened, but here...we don't really know what happens after? Did the doctor die when he got stabbed? I don't think so since there'd have to be some legal trouble braught up because of that, and nobody mentions the doctor dying after that, sides it was just like...a kid stabbing him, so yeah it'd be pretty painful but maaaybe not that deadly. Did Dave get better after that? Probably not, probably is just prescribed more pills once he was old enough, but...in both podcast and in show it's braught up the concern that if he doesn't get the nightmare fixed soon when he was young, it'd lead to huge developmental issues, but Dave seems...mostly normal when older, nightmares and triangle carving aside. He still has a social life, albeit a small one, got a girlfriend, and even a job, so...did the treatment work? A little unclear, kinda wished they just just stuck with the cabin therapy, but it's an easy lookover, and maybe they'll elaborate more in season 2, so we'll just hafta see!

The Elephant: For me personally, i think the elephant monster face is kinda hit or miss under the right circumstances, like the first scene with the nightmare about Dave's mom turning into one, that one was real spooky and the flashing lights actually aided to it in my opinion, but...when it's just in broad daylight and on any person....yeaaah i can kiiiinda tell it's just a mask, hell i think it is the same one being re-used, but eh i think it's fine, just kinda wish they got a bit more creative with the elephant imagery to make it more eldritch and stuff like with the Whale, like that one shot of the Elephant being barely seen on the static on the TV at the party, that was cool, but it's fiiiine it served it's purpose well enough-

Baby Dave: Okay not too much of a tangent on the actual show, just something i thought up on, but...fellas. Markiplier community. More specifically, MCU community. We have an irl face for baby Dave. Ergo, we have a face for baby Mark. Ergo....we have a face for baby Actor, Damien, and William...I am expecting fanart soon and quick 🔫👁

Linda: I really loved Linda in the show! Eve did an amazing job getting across how intense and high strung Linda was, probably even better since we can see how stressed she is! Seeing her actual break down over Brit's death was great, to show she still is deeply disturbed and broken about the whole situation, and i think that was especially needed when she did the MRI on Ruth since in that scene she is crying, but with the knowledge she experienced the same thing with Brit, you can tell this isn't easy for her, but she is willing to do anything to figure out what is going on so the small group of people she barely knows can live. Also, MORE LINDA LORE OOOOO- Was not expecting that, for her to work in a secret government project before, but think it fits well! Explains why she's a little intense and weird, plus let's the audience know this truly can't be some government weapon since she knows of all the gov weapons in the works, so that was really cool to learn of her!

OST: MARKUS E. PLIER. AMAZON. QRCODE. S O M E O N E. YOU BETTER DROP THAT OST SOON CAUSE I W A N T - But for real i l o v e d the soundtrack throughout the series, it all fit the vibes perfectly, keeping things tense at tense scenes and heartfelt at heartfelt scenes, and those beats just mhmhmh- Also i adore the intro, soft, old music being used in a creepy morbid context with visual seeming out of place but once you watch the whole series it makes sense ohohoho gimmie that shit anyday- Speaking of...

Visuals: Touched upon this a bit earlier with the Elephant and the gore, but i liked the visuals a lot! Course i knew it wasn't gonna be movie level stuff or anything (some shots of the Whale are a b i t imposed at time but it's fine), but i feel like they knew what they were able to do, and did it to the best of their ability, and they did! I do love the gore, even if a little small, the brain cutting scene was amazing, very spooky, the funeral hallucination at the end was crazy with everyone bleeding out of their eyes and ears looked real good and intense, and the final shots with all the bodies waking up with triangles in their eyes oohohoohohohooo i loved that shit so damn much i am so hype for more p l e a s e -

And, finally, last but certainly not least, Dave: As to a suprise to nobody, least to those already in the Markiplier Fandom, Mark's acting was on fucking point. In every scene he was in, whatever he needed to sell, he sold it perfectly. Whether that be in distressed and concerned, confused and scared, angry and in dispair, he did it all perfectly, I fucking loved it. Like fuck- The scene where Katie dies, the desperation in his voice as he pleads for Linda to give her more adrenline, as if that'd fix it, having to be pulled back in his anguish, f u c k - And the scene before when he carves the triangle into his chest, waking up just in time to give an almost dazed, dead look to Katie as he asks sluggishly "what's wrong?", adding to the horror of his self mutilation. GOOD SHIT GOOD SHIT- My only "complaint" i guess is that i wished he had a few more lines/scenes with dialog, but maybe that's just wishful thinking since i'm so used to him talking on and on and on and on both in the podcast and just in the channel in general, but even then i couldn't be happier with his performance!!

Infact, everyone did fucking incredible! If you're reading this and you still haven't watched TEOS yet...what the hell are you doing go watch we gotta beat the crap outta Judge Judy BUT also go watch for the incredible acting, special effects, soundtrack, story, just EVERYTHING that is Edge of Sleep! It is definitely worth your time, it's only 2 hours so it's super easy to binge, and tho i am a little pissed like everyone else that Amazon/QRCode/Hollywood execs are tryna bury this thing so Mark/other well deserved YouTubers can't have their work be put more out there, well...we're showing them now, aren't we? >:]

TLDR: This is the best sleedge i've had in my life so go watch so you can sleedge yourself. Alright bye. *backflips then dies*

#h o l y f u c k did not mean to rant for that long #jesus that's a lotta words sorry bout that #...#i'm actually nooooot :]#but for real just had to get my thoughts out there #most of my friends haven't watched it yet #so i have nobody to scream to yet #so i'll scream at all of you instead #you're welcome :]#markiplier #the edge of sleep #teos #eyesore rants

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deeplyshalllow · 26 days ago

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Hi!

So I really liked your analysis on Glinda and why where she ends up narratively makes sense; it kind of reminded me of The Hunger Games to some extent where Glinda's arc parallels Gale even though personality and physical wise, she's more like Peeta (blonde and likeable).

TBH, I think Wicked and Hunger Games mirror each other where Elphaba becomes an enemy to Oz and Katniss becomes the symbol of hope for Panem, while Fiyero parallels Peeta to some extent where his transformation into the Scarecrow is similar to Peeta's hijacking.

Also... And I just had this thought - would you agree that Fiyeraba is a reverse Beauty and the Beast? Let me clarify: while in the BATB story, the "Beast" is turned due to his arrogance, Elphaba is cursed by both her parents (her mother's infidelity and her father's rejection), there's a process where Beauty helps the Beast develop his goodness while Fiyero helps Elphaba heal from the trauma and "wickedness thrust" upon her. That last part helps the Beast regain his physical appearance while Fiyero loses his beauty but is with the women who loves him for his kindness and inner self. Now that I think about it, it's more O Henry's Gift of the Magi vibes. 😆

Would love to know your thoughts on this. 😃

Hmmm I'm not sure where I'd place Gelphiyero in the Hunger Games triangle. Though I sort of feel if anything Elphaba might be Gale to be honest? She thinks there's something wrong with the system, she's angry and wants to protest, and eventually she gets to the point where she's angry enough that she starts harming people to get her way.

Glinda, I'd probably put as Katniss, because she ends up being swept into something she wasn't expecting and doesn't necessarily agree with, and is used by a lot of people more powerful than her to get what she wants. It's only near the end that she fights back against those people and manages to have some say over her own future.

I agree Fiyero is closest to Peeta. Likeable, able to use words and charm to get his way, but when it comes down to it, willing to do anything for love.

But, as I said, I'm not sure there's a direct 1 to 1 comparison to anyone. I have actually considered before how the characters would fair in the Hunger Games (I wrote a fic with Heathers character in the Hunger Games once which worked very well for obvious reasons lol so it does mean I think about my other fandoms), and I think Elphaba would die very early as she refused to kill anyone. Glinda would probably get quite far but end up trusting the wrong person and not manage the final kill. Fiyero might be willing to make the sacrifices to win, but I think, if he didn't just become an outright alcoholic after, would immediately join the revolution.

I think Fiyeraba has a lot of beauty and the beast similarities, especially, as you said, about inner beauty. I know people take ire with the "looking at things another way" line, but it really is all about the fact that Fiyero and Elphaba value each other for their inner beauty not what's on the outside.

#wicked meta #wicked the movie #wicked the musical #hunger games #beauty and the beast #asks

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dangermousie · 1 year ago

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Now that the drama is over, I wanted to post a little post of appreciation for FL's painter friend, aka Broccoli, because this character was yet another way in which L&P deviated from cliches.

When we first meet him, before the flashback, I was thinking he was going to be a typical secondary male lead - interfering and clingy and irritating. And then...no.

In fact, he's not really a part of any love triangle whatsoever and it becomes clearer and clearer as it goes on that he is a good friend to FL who actually is not in any way interested in chasing her romantically. He would be happy to have her as a permanent live together platonic bestie, no more no less.

He is of the "right class" and instinctively snobby (his warning to FL about ML back in college days, when he met the man for three seconds, is completely based on that - he doesn't otherwise know LX) but he is a supportive friend who is also capable of changing his opinions. He helped her through her depressed abroad period, he's completely not judgmental about her choices (he made his opinion known once, she decided to proceed anyway, and he actually went 'you are an adult, your choice, I can help if you like' - the reaction you'd expect and want from her family, she got from him.) In fact, when she orchestrates that huge and lengthy deceit of her awful fam in order to work with ML and help him get the company back, he is the one who backs up her lies and is her knowing and willing excuse.

And, the best thing is, he is not doing it because he's in loooove with her, and is hoping his being supportive will open her heart or even because he's so in love because he can deny her nothing. He's doing it because they are friends and he wants her happy and sure he'd enjoy continuing to hang out in a chill fashion but he is not pining and has zero interest in chasing her romantically. He is actually as platonic with her as Li Xun is with Ren Di. I honestly think if ZY ever told him she fancied him, he'd be taken aback. (Any marriage they'd have, they'd only have sex the minimum amount of times necessary to have kids and that's it, that's the vibe I get.)

He, I think, learned a lesson from how hard she broke after Li Xun went to jail - if you care for her, you want to make sure she is happy, whatever that happiness means to her because he sees what happens when she breaks. He doesn't have to like Li Xun himself and clearly he and Li Xun will never be besties (though they've both mellowed towards each other by the end), but he wants ZY happy and functional and if it means Li Xun, fair enough, especially since he doesn't really want her the same way himself. I mean - he never lies or does anything else that would hinder the OTP; in fact he's the one who bluntly tells LX about ZY's depression because he's angry on her behalf and he wants to get through LX's thick skull for ZY's sake (and it does get through, it's a hugely helpful to the OTP thing he does.)

And I really really love his exit from the story - it's basically summed up as "well, can't say I am shocked you are not going back with me overseas, enjoy your company and your dude, who's actually not as terrible as I thought, see you later when I am back in the country sometime." I can see him in the future as a bit of a chill art uncle to any kids the OTP have, enjoying a very small dose of the chaos before peacing back out.

Anyway, I really liked what they did with the character, and what they didn't do.

#cdrama #lighter and princess

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s-sputnik-k · 1 month ago

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The Weave Mind may just be my favourite critical role boss fight ever, actually. I just finished the episode and from the very start when he brought out the map I knew it was going to be good, but I didn't realise just how good

Okay, rant incoming

Like, first of all, it's all very thematically relevant. Like, yes, they have multiple strategies prepared, because they've been watching you on their little orbs. And yes, they all share the burden, they're psychically connected entities. Yes, they have a massive lair that they can use against you, they have been building their empire for, what, centuries? They're gonna be super well protected

The crystals, the triangle they form, there are so many moving parts to that fight that make it so much more than just big number go brrr. Not only that, it doesn't debilitate the players. It's a pretty brutal fight, but in a way that encourages them to be creative and to collaborate and plan, which is when D&D encounters are most fun, imo

But perhaps most importantly, it solves a very big problem that many DMs, including Matt, struggle with when balancing for high level fights, which is action economy. The fact that it is 5 separate enemies with their own turns and legendary actions while evenly distributing hit points (which is also narratively relevant, making it feel interesting and not just like an overpowered cop out) just makes this almost completely foolproof, because it doesn't rely on completely taking players out of the fight, or giving an enemy infinite actions (yeah, we don't have time to go into that debate now-) to try to even it out. It works and it feels natural and justified--which is just straight up good game design

Besides that, it also just plays on a lot of my personal favourite boss fight dynamics--considering my favourite video game boss fight is the Mantis Lords from Hollow Knight, I think you can probably see the similarities. I love anything that has multiple bosses of equal stature who work in sync, it adds an extra layer of omnipotence to them--plus I just prefer it over one big bad, or an army of little enemies. Not only that, their whole psychic floaty thing they've got going on really gives the vibe of the Dreamers, also from Hollow Knight. He picked his themes and stuck with them to the end, and this really rounds off the feel of this fight

I think I did a little content sigh when the fight was done, because I know I'm going to enjoy going back and watching it again to really appreciate all the little elements that make it tick. It really felt like a bit of a dance there, where the players feel thoroughly involved, even if they were getting their asses handed to them for the first couple of hours. It's interesting, it rewards ingenuity and learning about the bosses as they go (again, on theme, because the Weave Mind are the definition of 'know your enemy' in their own approach), and when the party was losing big time, they knew it was from their own disorganisation--which is exactly how you want to feel in a hard boss fight, because then it becomes all the more satisfying when you finally figure it out and your punches really start connecting

I really do hope that Matt keeps learning and developing his games design skills like this, because I do feel that there haven't been many memorable fights this campaign (2 of which being against Otohan and another 2 against Ludinus' simulacrums, and even then, they didn't feel particularly interesting to me). To be totally fair to him, this campaign has been very people focused, if that makes sense, and it's quite a bit harder to make a fight against a single person just as interesting as a fight against a custom monster, the latter being where Matt really thrives imo

To me, it's made a lot of the fights very narratively relevant (as in, there are ties to the plot and personal ties for the PCs), but not exactly thematically immersive, and I think you need a good balance of both for them to really shine--and the Weave Mind fight really had that balance for me. It's really nice to have a reminder that he absolutely has still got it--he's just not quite been in the territory to show off some of the things that got him known as such a great GM and games designer in the first place

Which is why I really look forward to where things will go after this, once they've had the time to reflect on all 3 campaigns so far, because I really love to see Matt in his element, designing cool monsters, crazy terrain and challenging the players in a way that engages them in the story, rather than distancing them from it

#critical role #cr3e116 #cr3 #cr3 spoilers #critical role spoilers

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yellow-dejavu · 4 months ago

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What do i know/expect of 1899:

(Of course I expect an amazing story from Baran Bo Odar & Jantje Friese. I just know it and I have no doubt about it.)

Season 2: I know the show was canceled, but I have hopes that the project will get a second chance. In fact, the cancellation is kind of the first thing I knew about the show. Even though I hadn't seen "Dark" at the time, I had people tell me it was the best show they had ever seen. So when I read a list of canceled shows from that year, I was surprised to see a project from the creators of "Dark". They already made such a hit show for Netflix, why weren't they given a better chance?

Triangles: There are a lot of triangles in the promotional pictures, I have no idea what they mean. I guess it has a deep symbolic meaning in the show. Since the show was canceled, I don't think there is a complete answer to the meaning of it. There are symbols in "Dark" like the triqueta whose meaning can't be fully understood until the last season. I hope there is some information about it in the season.

Andreas Pietschmann is also part of this project: Yes. I love it when directors/writers like an actor and they just want to keep working with that actor. I would love it if he somehow showed up in their next project. Imagine you are watching a Bo/Jantje project and Andreas just shows up in a scene as a cowboy or something. But why? Well… I don't think there needs to be a logical explanation for wanting to see Andreas on screen. If they want to, they should just put him in every project they do.

It's on a ship: The story takes place on a ship. I think it is probably a ghost ship. These characters are dead and they're going to be in pain somehow while they're dead. I don't think they're alive. It would be too innocent to think that any of these people are alive and well. So I think it could be like these people died in this ship in 1899 or the ship is like a limbo and they died in different eras but they're stuck together now somehow or maybe an opposite like the ship is like alive and it's draining the passengers energy. None of that makes a lot of sense, but I think the mystery around it will have a strong scientific basis.

These people are not related: I hope they're not related…like it would be even better if they didn't even know each other. I think a less messy family tree would be perfect. This time the couples can just be couples.

The kids are not okay: If there are some kids on the ship, they are cooked. "Dark" started with kids disappearing and dying, and their next project is literally called "Something Is Killing The Children". I don't know, but I kind of get the vibe that the kids are not going to be safe in this story.

Multilingual: I think that's why the show was canceled and it's so sad. There doesn't seem to be as much openness to hearing people speak their languages when their language isn't English. The show won't hit the same and probably wouldn't make sense if people aren't interested in reading subtitles and hearing different languages. It has so much potential, but it requires an open mind to the concept. Director Bong Joon-ho said it better.

#1899 #baran bo odar #jantje friese #andreas pietschmann #1899 netflix #i posted this #its just me #being dramatic #because #they cancelled this show #which #i haven't watched yet #lol

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soaps-mohawk · 9 months ago

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hey pook!!! how've you been?

this is a little self-indulgent, but i was wondering what musical talents you think the boys would have, if any at all; because i can play a bunch of instruments at quite a low level, but i'm primarily a bassist (electric) and a vocalist!! i also know barry sloane has a band and that comes up in my mind at least once a day

kyle gives me piano vibes, for some reason. he's good with his hands!! he's got piano hands. i also think it'd be funny for simon to play something totally obscure like a harmonica. john i can see vividly as a guitarist, bass and electric, just because barry sloane suits it so much. johnny i think would love a bit of bass, or maybe the drums. bass is the best instrument (i'm biased because i play it)!!! i think at least one of them can sing, i just don't know who i'd pick (but definitely johnny in the shower, i know he's got a good pair of lungs on him)

anyways, lots of love!!! hope you're doing alright

-🪐

Hi love!!! this is like super late but I haven't been sleeping well so the energy levels are like nonexistent so focus and brainpower are at an all time low.

Johnny is definitely the kind of person that can kind of sing, he's not like good at it necessarily but he can carry a tune when he tries. Problem is, he doesn't try and sings loudly and constantly just randomly. Claims it helps him focus. Definitely a drums guy. Again, loud and takes a ton of energy.

Kyle I also think can sing, but he just kind of casually does it and sounds good, but tell him that and he'll brush you off lol. Only sings in like the car and occasionally when he's doing things if he's got a song stuck in his head. He probably took piano lessons as a kid and has that muscle memory for a few songs, but he's forgotten a lot of it.

John definitely gives guitar vibes. Can pick up a guitar and strum a little tune. Probably played a lot when he was younger. He grew up in the 90s so he probably listened to a lot of rock and grunge music, and I could see him having a rebellious stage in his early teens.

Simon plays the triangle. Definitely the guy that you rope into joining the band just because 😂 He has the look but no musical talent whatsoever lol. More of a music listener than anything.

#jokes on everyone Simon probably has the best voice lmao #just randomly starts singing one day and everyone just stares in shock #turns out he took singing lessons as a kid just to have a reason to be out of the house constantly lol #that's kind of sad but I could see it #answered #queue 06

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yutasbimil · 2 months ago

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Distant

slytherin!jaemin x fem!hufflepuff!reader x gryffindor!beomgyu | txt ft. nct dream ff. ✦ (5/8) [series fic] !!! also posted on my ao3 acc! { here } tags: hurt/comfort cw: friendship/love, bestie-lovers energy, frenemies vibe, friends to lovers, lots of bantering, tutoring, teasing, crushes, confessions, jealousy, tension, slow burn, unrequited love, love triangle, hurt-comfort, eventual smut lol, break up, eventual happy ending, FLUFF!!! ! not that comfy w/ 2nd POV, but hope 3rd POV is good for y'all ♡ word count: 3.6k

It’s already been an eyesore (not at all from crying, swear) for Beomgyu for the couple to be all over each other. But at least in making me jealous, do things right?

“You know, she doesn't like watermelons that much.”

“Oh shit, sorry, bro. Yumi… I didn't know.” Jaemin is frantically looking at Yumi, which raised a brow for Beomgyu, why was he apologizing to me?

If anything he has other things to apologize for… Aish, that's for another day to be petty.

Jaemin just pouts at Yumi, getting her hand. “Really, I can get you fruits you'll like, hmmm?”

“Grapes, berries… any of that kind for that sweet tooth of hers.” Beomgyu asserts, he angrily fumbles to get the fruits.

“Beomgyu, I can speak for myself, you know.” Yumi pouts, mindlessly drawing the forked fruit by Jaemin’s mouth.

Jaemin attempts to catch it but it misses inches away from his mouth.

He waves his wand to get a small bowl of fruits for Yumi, levitating it then placing it in front of her.

“Thanks, Jaeminie.”

She seems very fascinated at every little thing the Slytherin does.

Basic.

“Dibs on the melons!” As if on cue, Soobin and Yeonjun wrestled over the watermelon plate.

Yumi just playfully rolls her eyes, this has always been a drill for them.

It made Bora snicker, eating off her own share of fruits. “I also have two of those, Soobin, and much more sweeter.”

The insinuation made Soobin choke himself, especially when his eyes inadvertently drew at the Ravenclaw girl’s chest.

Yeonjun and Beomgyu gagged in sync, seeing how quickly sullen Soobin lowered his head in shame, focusing on his plate.

Just Soobin and Bora were enough…

Beomgyu just drawls and sneers at how the new couple is so close and skinship-y. With Jaemin's arm around Yumi’s shoulder, she even leans in closer to him.

“Geez, get a room.” Beomgyu spats, as if the sight is an additive for making his food the least appetizing served in front of him.

Yumi sticks her tongue out like a kid. “Hater.”

“You bet I am.”

“Ya! Why don't you two put your mouth to a different use, eh?” Soobin cuts in, who finally recovered from earlier bashfulness.

Yumi blushes as Soobin reinstates that they make out somewhere.

Talk about such implications.

Jaemin laughs, whispering something to Yumi’s ears, making her giggle. “Yeah. Later, Nana, not now.”

In these instances, the mild touching of his hand on her legs, with them being touchy and gross under the table is quite noticeable for the others.

Like, don’t rub it on us how skinship-y you guys are.

Sighs. The soreness of the honeymoon phase. Blergh—

Beomgyu turns away to roll his eyes. He just quiets down and eats to put his darn mouth to use. Cause, as if he has someone to kiss it wit—

“Just when I thought y’all shut up after finding someone to kiss your mouth with.” Soobin rants. Seeing how he and Bora are casual now, he seems to be braver to tease back.

“Wow! Same goes for you,” Beomgyu retorts. “Stop yapping and use those pouty lips of yours. Bora, kiss this dumbass for us to have some quiet time.”

“Ya! I’ll bash your mouth if you don’t shut up.” Bora, who is still tired from her Herbology class, starts threatening Beomgyu with a fork.

“Geez, talk about waking up and choosing violence.” Yeonjun looks at them with such a grimaced expression as he eats.

“I thought having a high school sweetheart would produce a world filled with love.” Taehyun winces, shaking his head. He takes a bite of his chicken satisfyingly. “No thanks then.”

“Psh, seriously…” Beomgyu lets his palm support his chin, turning with a longing look towards Yumi and Jaemin.

“Bora-yah. How come Beomgyu has been cold lately?” Yumi rants, slumping herself on the tabletop, hands plopped down. It made the Ravenclaw turn to look at her, putting down her book. It just so happens that Jaemin is busy with Quidditch practice so their usual study date session is postponed.

Is this what got her quiet since earlier? Bora thought it was because of the lack of Vitamin Jaemin in her presence.

Bora shakes her head at the cheesy and corny thought. She sighs, putting her fingers to glide across her chin, in deep thought. To be honest, she doesn’t know either. If anything, if Lee Yumi can’t even decipher Choi Beomgyu, they’re doomed. Them being the duo who know each other the best.

And for the two of them and the gang to be clueless about his actions lately. They’re set up for impending doom.

“Ahh… maybe he’s busy with stuff lately?” Bora suggests. “Perhaps studying?”

“Eh??? That Idiot; studying? It can't be.” It’s as if instinct, Yumi covered her mouth at the usual slander and kidded around. Ahem. They’re serious here. “Sorry, out of habit. But ahhhh… I’m lost, Bora.”

But really… Beomgyu's an idiot for making me feel this way.

She internally wallowed.

It’s just… she’s so used to their usual witty bantering, the boisterous voice filled the white noise in her day with TXT. So it being shifted to a more straightforward exchange between them… is entirely bland.

It’s strange.

Yumi felt a slight ache in her chest.

“Honestly too, Yumi… I can’t even pinpoint what the hell he would be focusing on. Is there?”

Maybe Quidditch?

Nah, can't be…

Beomgyu could’ve shown enthusiasm since their earlier years.

For all I know, OWLs? Maybe he’s aiming for a brighter chance of being an Auror or whatnot. What even is his plan in the near future?

Being a prefect is out of the question… They're already in their sixth year.

The best friends speculated on the possibilities, exchanging what appeared to be a circle as they kept going back and forth.

The heavy huff filled the room with stillness. They’re both stuck.

“Damn, do we even know the boys?” Bora worried over her lower lip, biting off her finger as she shook her head.

“We're already in our sixth year, Bora-yah. Things are bound to be changed.” Yumi’s words came out heavier in her chest… right.

Well, part of Yumi is torn, like yes, of course, she’s happy now that she’s got Jaemin around.

But even so, she’s allowed to sulk over her best friend right?

She just doesn’t get it, Beomgyu told her that “they’re okay” but how is it the opposite of how he’s being distant?

It’s not the same!

“Maybe it’s his time of the month,” Bora puts it out there but quickly retracts her joke. “I'm kidding but why are you affected? Just curious.”

“It’s different…” Yumi tries to contemplate over her thoughts, sinking in further on why it's bothering her. Coming from her own mouth, she elaborates. “But I know either way it will be different, with dating and friendships and all that. Things will change, but still…”

“Maybe he’s also adjusting now that you have a boyfriend?” Bora inclines but even so, she's reluctant. “Of course, your attention is no longer fully invested in us.”

“But still Bora, if that’s the case, Hyuka should be whining alongside him in protest!”

Her friend perfectly rebutted her uncertainty, Bora could only shrug along.

There’s no difference in treatment, per se, it’s the same with adjusting and balancing with friends and a new relationship.

But then again, Yumi’s connection and bond with Beomgyu stands different.

“Urghhh, why is Beomgyu such a baby!” Yumi buries her face in between the pages of her Potions book. She sulks, looking at it keenly.

She used to be able to read Beomgyu like an open book. So how is it he's hard to decode lately?

Yumi's well aware that she's going through another phase in her life, so her surroundings are bound to change along with her.

But damn! It wasn't this dramatic when it came to Soobin and Bora dating, or is it that much of a deal for Beomgyu?

It doesn't make sense either, this wasn't the first time that she explored around in the realms of dating.

So what's the big deal Choi Beomgyu?

“You know what… I think haaa… I shouldn't say something about this as I am not sure myself.” Bora breaks Yumi’s trail of thought. It piqued the Hufflepuff’s interest. “I was also speculating, and even Soobin told me something about Gyu the other day. And…”

“And?”

“It led to an interrogation with one then the other.” Bora's hand clasps, pointing to Yumi. “It's just, maybe it's something odd? Because Argh! Even I got curious about how dodgy Soob was.” Bora makes a face as she messes the temples of her head. “No amount of pinching and pleading made him break loose for him to tell me details. So I was left to ask the others.”

“Their ‘bro code’ is strong I can tell.” Yumi rolls her eyes.

“Right?!” Bora’s raised pitch showed her annoyance. If it weren't for such inconvenience, she would have been done. But nothing her Ravenclaw wits can't handle. “Anyways, okay… just pure speculation, the conclusion is, all I'm getting is the weird-ass vibe between you and Beomgyu.”

Yumi blinks at her, Bora shrugs as yeah, it's not a new profound clue to be known.

Bora even discussed her game plan that she even went to the boys 1-on-1 so it's naturally not suspicious. They're not caught off guard either, but it just led to more questions than answers about how the guys are acting when the topic of Beomgyu and Yumi is asked.

How is it that they're just asking something simple… yet, why the need to be filtered in the answers?

The vagueness of it all.

Like no shit of course they're gonna say that they're “acting normal”.

This further confirms that it's not only Bora noticing the oddness of the group now that Yumi is here ranting it to her.

So what the hell is going on?

“Those weirdos…” Yumi massages her scrunched forehead, sneering more at how ridiculous this is. “Bros Before Hoes huh?”

“Those bastards…” Bora mumbled to herself.

“Even from your bae?” Yumi reconfirms.

“With Soobin… I did hear him slip off something, but he took advantage of my goldfish brain and distracted me by being petty. By complaining and demanding “Me Time” like “Bora-yah, I want your undivided attention!” that I got sideswept off as he told me I shouldn't be asking about others when it's finally our “Us Time”. This doesn’t help with the tantamount homework we have so I gave in.”

Forming an image of a whiny six-footer Soobin in Yumi’s head wasn’t the most pleasant to think of your friend. She grimaced. “Eww… you guys are sappy when in love.”

“I can't help but feel guilty,” Bora reasoned further, not minding the comment. “And I can't be that mad at him for dodging the question, as he made sense!”

“I get it, I get it… and he didn't lie but he didn't answer directly either.”

Bora nods profusely. “See?! Just when I had him!”

“That smartass.”

They huffed under their breath.

Apologetic and frustrated, Bora just puts her head down on the table along with her notes. “All he said was, he's not sure either but ‘it's better coming from Beomgyu himself’.”

“What a generic, plain-ass answer, Soob.”

The blind leading the blind.

So they're back to square one.

But despite the collected speculations, something is still not connecting. It's not enough to suffice Beomgyu's actions towards Yumi. What is not adding up?

Perhaps it's something so simple that we're complicating it?

Bora shakes her head.

Knowing Beomgyu and the group, of course, it's in their best interest to be happy for their friend. They're happy for Yumi in their relationship as she's happy.

As to why she does not think that Beomgyu will get up to that point of ruining their friendship.

Not thinking of that at least.

It never crossed Bora's mind and did not even entertain the thought that Beomgyu might like…

“Maybe we're overthinking it,” Bora says wearily. Almost giving up with her tone as she's growing more frustrated.

They can't help but go through the final move to confront Beomgyu.

Beomgyu got a head start on the game plan.

But not in a way he liked or consented to, writhing in pain, he finally pulled through the last stitches on his leg before being wrapped with bandages. And he thought he could get away through this with magic?! It’s still hurts like hell—

Hyuka worries over his lower lip. “You know, I have a creepy feeling you’ve been talked about so much lately that it led you to end up in the Hospital Wing.”

Yeonjun hits his shoulder, nodding frantically. “You were practically choking loads before ending up here!”

“Idiot! I was in the Quidditch fields, how—”

“Beomgyu, you idiot! What did you do to get yourself into this time?!” Out of breath, the voice of their Hufflepuff friend was almost echoing across the whole room as Yumi came barging into the cubicle.

“Who the fuck told Yumi?” Beomgyu huffs, he knows how much of a worrywart this girl could get. He wanted to spare her the worry.

“And you’re planning to hide this from me?” Her knuckle hits the crown of his head. Beomgyu winced, louder as he managed to budge his leg. It still hurts!

As if an act of rapid betrayal, Yeonjun, and the others left one by one, excusing themselves for the two of them to have some privacy. And for what?

They didn’t even spare him to explain what happened and how he got injured in the first place.

“Breathe in first, Yumi, relax—”

“That’s hard to do, Gyu. And knowing you, you almost never seem to get yourself in these types of situations…”

“I get it, but I’m fine… I’ll be fine.” He points out his tended foot, but the glazed eyes of the girl hitting his wavered his heart that it meant something else… wounding deeper.

This is the first time after a long while that they met each other’s eyes.

“Why are you looking at me like that as if I’m on my deathbed?” he joked. But it is to subside the effect of her gaze on him.

She mutters nothing.

Beomgyu stares at her, but tries not to look back with such depth that his thoughts will be see-through. But this is his best friend Yumi we’re talking about.

He knows that she’s already perceiving something.

Yumi buried herself in his stomach, avoiding his leg by any means. Beomgyu thanked the abrupt break of their eye contact, but it shifting to skin contact…

‘I’ve only held up for too long to avoid being alone with her…’

‘Cause he knows that it will lead to them opening up one way or another.

‘But I’m still hurt.’

He lets out a sigh.

“I’m fine, Yumi, I’m your badass best friend. I got this. Now you can go back to whatever you’re doing…”

“Why do you keep pushing me away?” The tears in her eyes changed to somewhat anger, the frustration in her shaky lips had Beomgyu shudder.

His chuckle came off skittish. “Am not—”

“Don’t you dare lie…” she croaked.

His eyes widened momentarily, and he swallowed a bit of the formed bile in his throat.

“I don’t know.” And that’s his honest answer. Maybe because I’m hurting… but I can’t tell you that. Beomgyu quickly repositioned himself. “I’m just mindful that Jaemin-sshi might mind us hanging out too much, Yumi.”

That made Yumi’s brows knit together. “There’s barely anything for him to mind as we’re no longer hanging out, what do you mean?”

Beomgyu shrugs, finding himself slowing down to come up with any means to retort.

That further confirms that’s not the problem they have; with her and Jaemin…

“You barely hang out with the group, your presence is practically so noticeable that there’s a blackhole of silence on your side of the table.”

Yumi’s getting ahead of her emotions, the girl is also aware that she’s lashing it all out on him. With everything piled up for the last weeks, it just so happens everything is directed to Beomgyu after not talking for so long.

Even with her and Jaemin is not fine at the moment, and Yumi is not being okay as a person at the moment. She’s carrying a lot right now, and it’s not helping exactly now that Beomgyu got into an accident. So imagine her swirling range of emotions.

At least now with Beomgyu at the moment, she at least expects she can have some sort of resolution and reason for the mess of a state she is in right now.

She just wants to find answers…

At least give me some of it, Choi Beomgyu.

Beomgyu puts his arm over his eyes, to at least cast out the expecting eyes of the Hufflepuff on him. And to block the tears from daring to gush out.

“I’m just not okay right now, Yumi, to be honest…”

“And can’t I at least help you with that? We can lend you an ear, hmmm?” Yumi had known the opposition in his actions these past few weeks. Noticing his distance, even his gazes. It just hurts for a friend to act this way around you. So she knows there really is a problem. “Do you not trust us that we can help lessen your load? What even is it, Beomgyu? At least tell me, Beomi.”

“It’s not that I don’t have the trust. I guess a phase with me where socializing is tiring. I want to be alone, that’s all. Hopefully, it’s a phase.” The last sentence is more of said to himself.

Still not looking at her, it made Yumi more worried. This is a “new phase” with him if that’s the case.

“It’s just so sudden, Beomi, of course, I’m concerned… I want to be there for you, and I want to tell you shit when I’m down or silly things when I’m happy. I miss hearing your voice even though we bash into each other for the most part. You know?”

“You got Bora with that, right?” he says. “And at least now… you get a better input than my usual ear-grating bantering.”

Yumi’s expression straightened. “That’s not the point, Beomgyu.”

Slowly reverting back to his usual mischievousness at the minimum, he at least lets his hand lightly hit her arm. “I at least now know my presence is missed, hmmm? Even if it was annoying you so much.”

“I didn’t say you were ever a hindrance…” She sighed heavily in defeat after realizing there was no use retorting. Yumi tries to massage away the creases of her forehead, getting increasingly stressed despite wanting to see this Beomgyu after so long. Just not in this state, Lord.

It’s just a huge abrupt tangent. “God, I don’t get you, Choi Beomgyu.”

He doesn’t get himself either, he nods back. “But going back, I’m fine. It just hit me like a truck that I should be serious and mature now at this point. Maybe your aura influenced me and pressured me to change, hmmm?”

He gestures back to her as if he’s not at all bedridden due to his injury. Yumi can’t comprehend any of it.

“And I’m supposed to be proud of that… why?”

“At least be assured that I am thinking of my improvement now.”

Yumi blinks, it’s truly unlikely hearing these words come off Beomgyu’s mouth. Was a few weeks all there was to it for him to do this drastic change?

“Putting us all through that and just to tell me ‘you’re fine’?” Yumi controlled every bit of herself to hold back from flicking his forehead. “You’re getting worked out for nothing. Please at least have your brain checked. Maybe you bashed yourself somewhere weeks ago. Pabo.”

“Sorry, I won’t be as distant. I know that got you most worried.” He raised his hand as if as a pledge, but Yumi was not having any of it.

“You still didn’t answer me clearly, you idiot.” Her brows furrowed once again seeing his current state. “Gosh! You shouldn’t have done it at all in the first place if you knew that fact too well!”

Beomgyu pouts. “Still not enough that it’s all for character development?”

“I don’t buy it.” Yumi slumps her head down the blanket, holding back a scream. She slightly leaves some space ajar for him to hear her talking. “But thank the gods, I know you’re some bitchy kind of weed, it’s not easy for you to be wiped off the face of the earth.”

“Relax, I still haven’t done my purpose in this world to annoy the fuck out of you to the grave.”

“And I don’t know if I like that.” Yumi had her head down, stiff and not inviting to be budged at all.

He felt hot dampness through his clothes, her back along her breath hitched.

Beomgyu knows she’s crying already.

“Geez, you’re such a crybaby ‘till now.” Beomgyu pats her head lightly.

Yumi cries more at the gesture, maybe it’s because of all the piled-up worry and being down for this stressful week… that it amplified any warmth coming her way. But this type of comfort coming from her best friend? She dearly missed this annoying prick as much as she denied it.

The ending, it’s Beomgyu comforting her instead of the other way around.

Beomgyu can’t help but feel sorry seeing her like this, she didn’t even deserve that kind of treatment. But he did need the space. It’s gonna be fine for now… He can cope better and be assured knowing she’s still there to consider him as a friend.

His words came off with double meaning.

“Give me some time to heal, hmmm? I’ll make up to you even after I recover… sorry for acting like an idiot.”

Her head remained down the sheets, her voice muffled. “You truly are an idiot.”

Till the end, he puts her happiness first over his.

I can hold on longer…

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