#but i realized seeing them side by side that i only actually liked the render + the wide stance was hard to format LOL

[nymdraws]

heres all the stuff that i drew pretty much specifically to have more/better examples for those commission sheets teehee

[earlysunshines]

sunshine girl

danielle marsh x fem!reader ; fluff

synopsis: you are not a morning person and danielle is an everything person—after working with her you start to like mornings a little more, or maybe just her.

warnings: grumpy x sunshine kinda?? ; reader is hyein's cousin ; soobin from txt and rest of nwjns mentioned ; pining and slowburn, like.. slooowburn ; sooo much fluff like soooooo much… ; loool anything else i didn't mention? ; barely proofread

a/n: fell in love w dani, caved, wrote... dreamy sigh... dani…

there is no universe or alternate reality with a twisted, psycho version of that you enjoys mornings. 

there is no way that you’d deliberately get out of bed just to hear the birds chirping and get up to open the curtains or whatever it is that morning people do to enjoy the grueling hours of 7 - 11am. 

do people actually do this? get up at 7am willingly without benefitting from it? the only reason you’re up is because you need that paycheck to keep you going. the image of the little envelope with your name on it and what you’ve earned renders you awake, at least awake enough to get yourself in the shower, dressed up, and ready to go for opening – you’ve never opened, and even worse, you’ve never met any of the staff that opened either. they can’t be worse than the closers, can they?

as you look in the mirror of your car, it’s palpable that the morning air hates you. your eyes are a little puffy, slight eyebags are visible, and your blinking is slower. you’ve got to get through this, it’s the only way to fit work into your schedule since your classes are all later in the day. 

when you arrive, there’s already someone in your unassigned but basically assigned parking spot – you frown as you back up into a different place. 

after you shift your car to park and check the time, realizing you only have five minutes left before you need to clock in for a six-hour shift, you close your eyes and let your body go limp against the seat. 

–

danielle’s head perks up when she hears the door opening. she halts her wiping of the coffee maker, then turns to see an unfamiliar face – a grin automatically finds its way to her lips.

“hi! you must be y/n?” it’s eight in the morning, you’re barely functioning, and you’re already hit with an overly enthusiastic, excited ray of sunshine; you can’t take the energy, not at this hour.

“yeah.” you respond bluntly, danielle isn’t really phased with the lack of energy that’s being thrown back. “you are?”

she answers with hands clasped together, “danielle! but my friends call me dani.” 

you’re not calling her dani, you aren’t her friend, and she’s just your coworker. 

you walk behind the counter and put your bag inside the cabinet, then grab your apron and put it on. when you turn to the side, you’re met with a shorter woman, her curious eyes, the beauty marks on her face, and a big smile. she puts her hand out and you shake it hesitantly. 

“it’s nice to meet you y/n! have you ever worked mornings?”

“no,” you mumble, unlinking your hands. “only closing shifts.”

“ahh, must be different? i’ll get you situated. i’m excited to work with you!” she says, then walks past you towards the door to the kitchen. she pauses before explaining, “the employees in the back take care of all the pastries other than the croissants and cookies, so we make them over here. i’m going to grab the premade dough and whatnot, you stay here– oh! and could you wipe down the machine? and then just run water for the espresso machine to get the pucks ready.”

you nod at her and she smiles again. you rub your eyes as she leaves your sight, fighting the urge to take a power nap on the counter.

–

the whole morning you’re in charge of drinks right until it hits two in the afternoon. luckily, you’re more fond of being stuck in your corner where the espresso machine is rather than taking orders and socializing with the customers – you wouldn’t be able to greet them as enthusiastically as danielle does with each and every one of them.

you don’t know how she does it.

there's another guy—soobin—who comes in an hour after you. he's a little older, quieter, but all smiles and talkative when it comes to danielle. even as you make drinks and keep to yourself, you can tell danielle's energy is contagious. hearing her and soobin chat freely as they restock pastries and bread makes you wonder if your mornings can be as bearable. if they can do it, maybe you can too.

soobin leaves an hour later than you and danielle, waving to both of you as you two walk out the bakery. 

you fish for your keys and start to walk towards your car, but then your head turns when you hear your name called out. turning around, you spot danielle waving to you, which urges you to stop in your place.

“hey y/n, i just wanted to say that it was nice working with you! i’m looking forward to more shifts with you, have a great rest of your day alright?”

paused in place, you struggle to form words, but you manage to respond a little bluntly, “thanks, i’ll see you tomorrow.”

“bye the way!” she plays with her fingers, “you’re super pretty.” 

caught by surprise, you pause for a moment, clutching the strap of your bag a little tighter as your ears start to warm.

“thank you.”

danielle grins again, and oddly enough, you really like how warm and smiley she is. she's like a beam of sunlight turned into a person. she waves once more before walking in the opposite direction, leaving you replaying the whole interaction in your head the rest of the way to your car.

a small smile finds its way to your lips as you sit in your seat, strangely enough.

–

minji is scribbling in her sketchbook when her roommate walks in, looking a little more giddy than usual.

“dani, hey.” minji greets her, smiling when she does. “how was work?”

“great!” danielle beams, right before plopping down next to her roommate on the couch. “there’s a new member – well, she’s not new, but she just switched to working mornings. today was her first shift with soobin and i, and she’s really good at making the drinks, better than when yeosang was on drink duty.”

“that’s great to hear dani.” minji responds, watching her roommate relax against the cushion. “new coworker seems nice.”

“yeah but,” danielle frowns a little, “she’s not that talkative. she has a tough shell, i really want to know her! she’s really pretty too, like gorgeous, stunning– wow.”

minji quirks a brow. “gorgeous?”

“yes! like, wow, i was taken aback. she looked tired too, but i’ve been tired and i’ve never looked that effortlessly wonderful. i mean, she was making drinks most of the time so she never faced me much. even then, the side of her face is nice and she’s just great to look at.” 

danielles roommate narrows her eyes at her. “right.”

–

the next morning you’re downing two shots of espresso like it’s vodka. danielle watches the whole thing with concern etched into her brow.

“are you okay y/n?” danielle questions, “espresso is strong, how do you do it?”

you nod at her and mumble, “it’s fine.” before you continue to clean the counter, not turning to face her. she frowns at you; danielle will get through that shell. 

soobin is in half an hour later, grinning at danielle as he puts his apron on and saying “hi” to you as well. you respond with a forced smile before plopping the last batch of cookies in the small oven on the counter. 

as soon as soobin is done taking the first few customers, leaving you to finish their drinks, danielle pulls him by the sleeve away from you.

“dani? what is it–”

“let’s go bag the pastries, come.”

“um, okay?” he walks over towards the shelves with her, putting on some gloves before asking, “why are you being so strange?”

“i want to get closer with y/n.” she says with a pout. 

“is that all?” soobin questions her–and this strange behavior. “i think she’s just timid.”

“you were timid too, but it took two hours into the shift for us to start talking about hedgehogs.”

“well, i like hedgehogs. you have to find out something you two like.”

danielle sighs defeatedly. “she barely responds to me unless it’s work-related!”

“you’ve got to give her time, people are different. she’s probably not a morning person? and maybe she sees this as just her job, maybe she doesn’t want to interact with others.”

danielle watches you from where her and soobin are after hearing you call out the name of the order. you hand it over to the elderly woman, who thanks you warmly and it earns a small, genuine smile from you. danielle finds your smile lovely, especially the small dimples on your cheeks that form. 

“you’re going to help me out, okay? we have to warm up to her.”

soobin sighs before bagging a cream bun. “okay.”

–

it’s painfully slow for a few minutes, so you walk out from behind the counter to fix up the pastries that the various customers have disordered. 

danielle follows and you jump when you turn to see her beaming at you. “hi!”

“danielle,” you tighten your jaw. “hi.”

“it’s slow on wednesday mornings, most people are already at work.”

“i figured.” you reply as you close the packaging for the rice doughnut.

“so, how are you this morning?”

“i’m fine, um, how are you?”

danielle smiles; the conversation is flowing in the tiniest bit, but still, it’s something. “just tired, i had a lot of work to do because one of my professors loves to assign things last minute, i stayed up quite late. are you in college too? i kind of guessed that we’re around the same age.”

“i just started my second year.” you answer.

she jumps a tiny bit to show the excitement over a commonality, you think it’s adorable.

“really? me too! what are you studying?”

“english and creative writing–” you cut yourself off when you catch a mother and her daughter in the corner of your eye, shutting down the conversation immediately when they start to walk towards the register. 

you throw a small smile at them and greet them warmly before tak ingtheir orders. danielle huffs, but she’s shining again once she’s realized that your shell has chipped just barely.

–

you don’t work fridays or the weekend, danielle has already been aware of that after checking the schedule. it would be weird in the eyes of, well, many people, but she checks everyones schedule just in case any mishaps occur, danielle is considerate beyond measure.

she’s attentive and notices many things – she’s like that with everyone, but you? you’re different.

sure, she’s attentive to the way soobin stumbles over the small bump under the door to the kitchen each time he has to grab something from the back, how he jumps each time the phone rings, and how often he bags the pastries backwards. with you, however, she notices a lot, she learns. 

two weeks after you two start working together, danielle has managed to learn three things about you.

one: you laugh whenever soobin slips up – or really any little mishap that happens with him (which occurs often) – but you always try to conceal your amusement. two: as soon as noon hits, you’re much more awake, which is when danielle sparks more conversation with you. and three: you both go to the same university, and you don’t know this, but she figured that out before you even told her after catching you in the dining hall from afar.

it’s not easy to miss something – or someone – that stands out so boldly, especially if it’s your charming visuals.

her job used to be something that she’d get done and enjoy while it lasted, but now that you’re thrown into the mix, a new challenge and person is clouding her mind throughout her days. she’s so tuned in to everything about you, for some strange reason. and one afternoon, the rare moment she loses focus – attention slipping away in the heat of a rush – danielle bumps into you, spilling a small cup of hot coffee all over your hand. 

you gasp loudly, clutching your hand and biting down on your teeth as tears start to form. “fuck–”

“y/n!” danielle almost yelps, earning the attention from the customers in the shop. “oh my gosh–” she places the cup on the counter before grabbing your wrist and running it under cold water. somehow, her holding your wrist seems to burn more. “i’m so so sorry, y/n are you okay? i’m so–”

you shake your head and push her hand away from your wrist, wiping away the small tear in the corner of your eye. “it’s fine, it was an accident. you should go help soobin out, there’s a long line.”

she can’t tell if you’re mad at her, it breaks her heart. the tone of your voice is always so hard to decipher, and as much as she wants to stay there and help you out – probably with another string of apologies – you have a point, she should do her job, but you’re burnt. danielle is much more worried about you rather than making money in the moment.

but still, your look and tone sends danielle back to the register, and before she tends to the customer, she looks back at you, pouting a little.

–

as soon as you reach the door to the drivers side of your car, you feel a tap on your shoulder. 

turning around, you’re met with danielle.

“did you need something?” you ask her, tilting your head.

“no, i just wanted to apologize for burning your hand, i’m so sorry.” 

you shake your head. “it’s alright, it was a mistake.” 

“yes, but still, can i make it up to you with coffee or pastries?”

“danielle,” you catch yourself and danielle by surprise when a small giggle slips out. you clear your throat before continuing, “we work at a bakery, i can always treat myself to both of those without charge.”

“well, i really want to make it up to you.”

“you’re really sweet, but it’s alright.” you catch your coworker off guard with the sudden compliment, there’s a small flush that spreads across her cheeks. “besides, my hand feels better.” you show her your hand, putting it out in front of her, it’s still red and swollen. “it’ll heal more. i’ll see you tomorrow, alright? get home safe danielle.”

danielle can’t really respond to you after that, you’re already waving to her once more before heading to your car. she watches you glance down at your hand, gently holding it as you do so. the guilt in her starts to grow even more.

–

hanni watches danielle storm into the house, rub her face with both hands, and plop onto the couch like she’s just gotten rejected by someone as if she were in some type of romance drama. 

“dani? what is up with you–”

“i’m a terrible person! my coworker probably hates me– i’ve been trying to warm up to her these past two weeks and then i go and burn her!”

hanni’s eyes widen, her brows raise, and her jaw drops. “you burned your coworker?”

with tired eyes and a bedhead, minji appears from the hall in an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants. she groans as she runs a hand through her hair, squinting her eyes. “what’s with all the noise? i’m trying to nap…”

“dani burned her coworker.”

minji’s a little more awake now, tilting her head. “the really pretty one?”

“yes!” danielle groans into the cushion, the bottom of her palms covering her eyes as she lies there defeatedly. when she takes her hands off her face, she opens her eyes to see minji and hanni hovering over as they stand, awaiting an explanation. “i’m a terrible person.”

hanni moves danielles legs over so that she can sit on the couch, putting her legs on her lap as the younger woman loses it. minji sits on the opposite end, putting her legs over on hanni’s lap as well and resting her head against a pillow.

“okay well why are you a terrible person?”

“i spilled hot coffee all over my coworker’s hand! gosh, i tried to apologize and everything, i even offered to compensate for the damage and she declined! y/n has to hate me…”

hanni looks over at minji to pout, then looks back at danielle. “hey, it was a mistake. what did she say?”

“well, she was really normal about it as if i didn’t just burn her hand, she brushed it off like it was nothing. i offered to have coffee with her or share some pastries but then she giggled and was all like ‘you’re really sweet but it’s okay’ and i don’t know, what if burning her hand makes her talk to me less and she hates me forever and–”

“dani.” minji butts in, making the younger one quiet down. “you made her laugh and she said you’re really sweet.”

“and?”

“and?” minji groans, sitting up on her elbows now. “dani, she said you’re really sweet. why wouldn’t she want to talk to you?”

“because i burned her? or maybe i’m annoying and talk too much but i really can’t help it-”

hanni puts a finger to danielles lips, dramatically shushing her. minji laughs at the action before hanni butts in, “dani, first of all; you’re not annoying. second; you’re literally the greatest person ever and i love you and if you ever stopped talking so much i’d have to i don’t know, die?”

minji snorts. “the hell?”

“what i’m saying is no one could ever hate you and honestly if she does; she’s not worth your time. plus, you shouldn’t waste your energy on someone who doesn’t appreciate you. you’re wonderful bro.” danielle’s eyes soften as she looks at hanni, and minji’s bottom lip protrudes from how sweet her words are. hanni sits danielle upright and puts both hands on her shoulders. “how about this: minji and i go visit you at work tomorrow and we’ll be the judge of your coworker.”

“you’d do that for me?”

hanni nods. “yes, but also please hook us up with some free pastries and drinks because i have to do a wrap around on this whole lecture so let's see it as an exchange, but also i love you dani and don’t want you losing your mind over this woman.”

“and i’ll be the judge of whether or not your coworker is as gorgeous as you think.” minji adds teasingly.

danielle smiles from ear to ear, making a small little noise as she pounces on hanni and hugs her like she’s her savior. minji laughs at the sight, smiling as well. 

–

you park near your cousin’s highschool, you always pick her up after opening shifts since the time aligns perfectly. you send a text to your cousin to let her know you’re there and your burnt hand sits on the wheel, so you take a few moments to examine it as you wait for a response.. 

minutes pass before your cousin arrives, knocking on the window and grinning at you, breaking you out of your small daydream.

“hi y/n, sorry i came so late, my teacher was being an ass.”

“language hyein.” you scoff, knowing damn well you curse like it’s your second language. hyein gets into the passengers seat and steals your phone, putting on a song as you start to drive again. “anyway, how was school?”

“oh god, it was so draining today. i swear my physics teacher wants me dead.”

“this is why you don’t take physics as a sophomore.”

“well someone won’t help me.” hyein rolls her eyes playfully, making you giggle. “anyway, school was just school. how was work?”

“it was alright, i kinda– well, my coworker spilled coffee on me. burned my hand a little but it’s not too bad.”

“the tall one? soobin? or was it the pretty one, your little work crush?” she raises her brows knowingly, smirking. 

hyein is one of very few people who you let loose around. despite your age gap, she’s your cousin, and your favorite one too. ever since you moved to live with her and her parents for school, you’ve gotten closer, spending hours rambling and practically getting glued to by the hip. she knew everything about you and what you felt.

she knew how you felt about your morning shifts; you coming home with a smile on your face after work was different. you dreaded work and the people you worked with for closing, all some stupid braindead men that you had to order around half the time. danielle and soobin were far from that. the duo eased your worries and actually did their job relatively well, you were able to do what you loved – stay stuck in the corner making all of the drinks – without worrying about the bakery. it was a breeze, you loved teh switch to mornings other than waking up at a time that has you quiet, moody, and only functioning after at least two shots of espresso.

hyein also knew about the interest you had in your new coworker danielle. you’ve never rambled about someone this much, calling her sweet, lovely, nice – not to mention the whole tangent regarding her eyes and pretty smile. hyein watched you chastise yourself for being so distant and avoidant because of your moods in the morning, comforting you for not being able to form decent bonds and friendships because of how early you had to get up.

you grip the wheel a little tighter. “danielle, it was an accident though.”

hyein eyes you. “so the pretty one.”

“her name is danielle.”

“point proven! you don’t just recognize your coworkers by how attractive they are you know…” hyein teases, “sometimes you talk about her and i wonder if my older cousin can finally be a normal person that’s capable of having a crush on someone.”

you keep your eyes on the road, but use your right hand to push her head playfully and ruffle her hair, earning a whine. 

“just because i think someone is pretty does not mean i like them. you’re so young, you don’t know shit about crushes and romance.”

“stop cursing.” hyein warns. the light turns red and you step on the break, then turn to look at her with raised brows. hyein laughs and cocks her head, giving you stupid puppy eyes. “i know when someone likes someone, or at least when they start to. you think she’s pretty but in a way that sounds like you’re an admirer.”

“what?”

“you tell me you can’t talk to her and look at her sometimes? y/n im sixteen, but im also not new to having crushes, ive been there. you like her.”

“do you want to walk home?”

hyein pouts, crossing her arms and making you laugh in the process. “youre no fun.”

“whatever.” you mumble.

when the two of you get home, hyein steals your keys to open the door to the house. she gets in first, obviously eager to do whatever it is that she’s up to after school — probably calling her friends or laying in bed.

you walk over to the kitchen and run your burnt hand under cold water, clenching your teeth slightly when you feel the stinging. 

in the drawer near you, there’s the first aid kit, over the counter tablets, and other health related items. you rummage through to find the burn relief cream, leaning against the countertop as you twist the cap open. you squeeze out a line of the cream that extends down to the base of your pointer finger, then you begin to rub your reddened skin. 

your thoughts drift to the moment of when you burned yourself—well, when danielle burned you. she had this look in her eyes, so pure and so regretful that it made you feel bad. 

she was so sweet with the offer, she’s ways so lovely. she’s honestly adorable. the way the words rushed out of her, the small pout on her lips and the fact that she offered to make it up to you. every nerve in your body wanted to accept the offer, but danielle shouldn’t have to pay or spend time on something to make things up to someone like you. it was a mistake after all. 

then your thoughts drift elsewhere, from the whole burnt-hand incident and then to the person who burned you–to danielle. she’s bubbly in the mornings and although you used to hate that, her smile and greetings started to wake you up a little more. the crinkle of her brow every time she catches you downing shots of espresso always makes you suppress a laugh, the expression is so adorable and she’s just so—

“stupid hyein,” you sigh to yourself.

youve been absentmindedly rubbing the burn-relief cream in the same spot for almost a minute, all because of your coworker taking over your thoughts. you begin to rub the rest of your hand and add another dot of cream to the lower area of your hand.

hyein’s called you out multiple times for having an alleged crush on your coworker, but you’ve always dismissed it. however, the words she’s said to you before ring in your head in the moment. you crease your brows and purse your lips subconsciously.

“maybe you can’t talk to her because you’re attracted to her and not because it’s 8 in the morning.” hyein shrugs, looking at you as you sit lazily on the couch. she’s lecturing you after another ramble about your day, the mere mention of danielle prompting her to quote on quote ‘educate you’ on what love is. “you talked to your friends perfectly during morning classes from what you’ve told me, maybe you’re just all shy and blushy and—“

you smack the palm of your hand on your forehead to stop yourself from thinking of that memory of you and your cousin.

“i don’t have a crush on danielle… what is she thinking?” you mumble to yourself. you halt your actions after the realization that you’ve just talked to yourself hits. you press a hand to your cheeks, feeling a weird warmth from your skin, making you shake your head and groan. “i can talk to her fine… just fine.”

 —

“morning!” danielle beams as she catches you walking in. you manage to shoot a small smile, danielle likes that you’ve been giving her more of those.

you put your bag in the cabinet, then put on your apron. without turning to face her, you start to speak, “danielle?”

she almost jumps, not expecting you to even interact with her. maybe you needed help with something? or a question regarding the new breakfast pastries.

“y/n, did you need something?”

you shake your head. “no, i just, um— how are you this morning?”

danielle pauses, you turn to meet her eyes and blink as you wait for an answer. your coworker short circuits momentarily before stumbling over her words as she responds, “oh, i’m— i’m great! tired of course, you know with school and all. thank you for asking y/n.”

“did you get enough sleep?” danielle looks at you after you ask that, wondering where all of this friendliness is coming from. she’s not against it though, maybe you’re just awake this morning.

“i tried to get as much as i could.” she says, then smiles. “is your hand okay?”

“it’s fine. i put ointment on it and it’s like nothing happened.” you assure.

without any warning, you disappear into the back, probably looking for dough to bake. danielle is still stuck in her place, blinking a few times before she runs the espresso machine. she wonders for a moment, furrowing her brow at the rare interaction that you started. but then, she’s grinning to herself just thinking about it all.

danielle wonders: maybe you don’t hate her, maybe her roommates were right. 

—

you hear a bundle of voices, three to be exact.  when you look up from the steam wand, you’re met with three women that all look your age—they all probably go to your university, or maybe the other one that’s also close by.

one of them walks up to the register, soobin greets them, but their attention seems to be on you for a bit.

“hi, is danielle here?” one asks. 

soobin nods, still looking at the screen of the register. “yeah, she’s in the back. did you need her?”

“we’re really close with her, could you grab her?”

soobin nods again, humming in response before he walks over to the door leading to the back. 

you continue to make the cappuccino that an older lady ordered a few minutes ago, creating a small lavender looking design with the steamed milk and pushing it out on the counter. 

“for park!” you call out, the lady comes up to the counter in seconds and smiles at you. she pats your shoulder and it makes your heart warm knowing she’s happy with it.

the three girls from before, they continue to eye you from the register until danielle is back, and when she returns, she starts squealing at the sight of them.

“you guys really came!” danielle beams, immediately reaching over to hug them as best as she can with the counter in the way. “what pastries did you all want? oh! i can also grab you drinks.”

the one with bangs nods, then orders for all of them. “mmm i’ll have an iced vanilla latte, minji wants a hot tea and haerin just wants a cookie and iced tea. you know she’s out early today? oh my god, as soon as we heard we scooped her up immediately-“

the rest of their conversation doesn’t process in your head as you start with the drinks. you had just put the puck in the machine, twisted it in place and started to pull the espresso before you feel a tap on your shoulder.

danielle meets your eyes and you feel yourself soften up a bit. 

she tugs on the cloth covering your shoulder just a bit before she speaks. “hey.”

“hi?” 

“can i introduce you to my roommates and our friend? you wouldn’t mind? would you?”

“oh, no— but i’m kind of… making one of their drinks right now.”

“oh, sorry— wait what?  i was going to make them—“

“well since they’re you’re friends i think they’d appreciate their drinks out earlier. and it’s okay, don’t be sorry danielle. i’ll do whatever if it’s not busy and when i’m done.” you swear you see a little more pink on her cheeks than usual, stronger than the blush she wears—you could be wrong.

“right, yeah, do your job!”

you stifle a giggle and purse your lips to conceal your smile, ultimately failing. danielle’s tone and mood are contagious sometimes.

(all the time.)

when you’re finished with the drinks — danielle had lingered nearby here and there as you made them — you placed them on the little counter for danielle to pick up. she had smiled at you, mouthed a “thank you,” and rushed over to sit down with her friends. 

it wasn’t busy at all, the only other customers in the bakery had been a corporate man that soobin was tending to. the man bought a loaf of milk bread and ordered a brewed coffee, soobin could handle all of that. he will handle all of that.

danielle sits with her friends at the table, giggling as she does so and looking as happy as ever. there’s a weird flutter in your stomach, like someone poking you there from the inside and it’s not that it hurts, it’s just odd. 

pretending to busy yourself is something you’re really good at doing, and plus, it’s a great way to excuse your glances toward danielle as she talks to her friends. she’s really smiley and giddy, it’s the cutest thing ever.

a few minutes pass and you’re still bagging some items, daydreaming as you do so. 

(danielle seemed to pop up here and there, strangely enough.

here and there turned into her being the star of the dreams.)

you’re in your own world until a faint “hey y/n!” is muttered into your ear, making you jump and almost elbow your pretty coworker.

“did i startle you? i’m so sorry—“ danielle starts, but you’re quick to cut her off as soon as she begins to apologize. 

“no, no. sorry i was in my own world.”

“i get that.” she chuckles, “hey, most of the things are bagged–i was wondering if you’d like to meet my friends? soobin is cashiering and he should be fine since it’s not too busy so…?”

you take a quick glance and look over at her friends who are looking at the two of you eagerly. the one with bangs has this smirk on her face, making you hesitate.

“please? i don’t know why but–” danielle lies, she knows why. “um, they want to meet you.”

“me?” 

“yes!”

you pause and honestly think of declining until danielle shoots her bottom lip out a bit. in no time you’re biting the inside of your cheek before responding with a nod, and you’re so grateful because she’s grabbing your hand—two fingers of yours—and leading you over to the small table near the windows.

danielle is gripping your pointer and middle finger lightly, but it feels like she has a hold on you as a whole. your body is all warm and fuzzy and your mind is hazy and her skin is really soft and nice and—

“this is y/n!” she introduces, letting go of your fingers. “y/n, these are my roommates hanni minji, and this is haerin.”

“nice to meet you all.” you greet softly with a small smile. they all stare and you feel yourself shrinking under all the pairs of eyes. you poke the inside of your cheek with your tongue before clearing your throat. “are the drinks alright?”

minji scans your face, eyes tracing each and every feature before her gaze softens. she nods at you and responds, “they’re great, wonderful.”

you nod at her and grin again, looking down at the table to avoid any eye contact. 

hanni chuckles. “yeah this latte is actually amazing, danielle’s made me lattes before but they’ve never been this good.”

“y/n is really good at making the drinks, practically keeping the bakery in business. i bet our boss is happy with you in the mornings.” danielle completely ignores hanni’s teasing and adds to the praise, making you wave your hand and shake your head.

“ah, no, no. i mean i can only make drinks but danielle is really good at every aspect of her job, she’s wonderful with customers.”

“oh stop–”

“no, you are.” you look up to make eye contact with her, then look over to soobin, who’s brewing another batch of coffee. “soobin is great, but he’s really clumsy sometimes and it’s kind of funny catching him stumbling over words. you’re a natural.”

“you’re so sweet.” danielle mutters in awe before  lips turn up even more, her cheeks flush slightly and her friends all look at each other with smirks on their faces. 

“i um, i try–”

you hear the door opening and two pairs of very familiar voices make you turn immediately. turning around, you see your cousin and her best friend in a group with three others you just barely recognize. danielle spots this as well, she starts to stand before you pause her in the act.

“danielle, i got it.”

“it’s a big group y/n.” she continues to stand up, but when you place your hand on her arm lightly it’s like you’ve frozen her in place. minji and hanni immediately give each other knowing looks, and haerin observes the whole ordeal intensely. 

“it’s my cousin and her friends, you should stay and hangout with your friends. besides, you haven’t had a break today, relax.” your hand slides down to her forearm without any thought. despite the small action, danielle is flustered by it.

“you sure?”

“positive,” you affirm, then look at all her friends. “it was nice meeting you all.”

the group watches you walk over behind the counter, and as soon as you’re at a distance where they can talk without you hearing anything, danielle’s friends – minji and hanni for the most part – go ham on her.

“oh yeah she’s gorgeous.” minji chimes in, shrugging it off like you’re not the prettiest person danielle has seen. “you were right.”

just gorgeous? 

“yeah she’s really pretty dani. and also, she doesn’t hate you, there’s no way.” hanni says as she munches on a croissant, earning a punch to the arm from minji. hanni whines, croissant still in her mouth, “hey! what was that for?”

“finish chewing before you talk! you’re so gross…” 

“you didn’t have to hit me!” hanni groans, nudging minji with her shoulder.

haerin rolls her eyes at the two before taking a sip from her iced tea, watching danielle glance at you. haerin has known danielle for a while, the last time she had been like this was forever ago, this admiration can’t be something that’s purely platonic, not with those dilated pupils and puppy eyes. 

and you, you’re no different either. haerin watches you glance over to make eye contact with danielle, eyes softening and your teeth showing as you smile at her the moment you meet each others features. 

while minji and hanni continue to bicker, haerin continues observing. danielle is making it look like she’s invested in the bickering – which, she very much is; it’s always entertaining when the two argue over stupid things – but her mind is somewhere else.  

“danielle,”

“haerin?” danielle turns her head and hums in response.

haerin blinks. “you like her.”

minji and hanni stop bickering, their presence enhancing the shiver down her spine.

“no, no. i just think she’s really interesting, i couldn’t possibly–”

haerin shakes her head, putting a hand up. “you look at her like she’s… like there’s a halo around her head.”

“i–” danielle turns to glance at you again. you’re laughing with one of the girls, she assumes it’s your cousin that you mentioned. you flick the younger girl’s forehead and she groans, which earns the most pure, natural laugh and smile she’s ever seen on your face. you’re cute, especially when all of your teeth are showing as you laugh. when you make eye contact with your coworker again through waterlined eyes, your lips purse into a closed smile.

danielle is blushing, her cheeks burn, and the vulnerability is displayed right in front of her friends. she tries to laugh it off, but hanni’s jaw drops and she throws a hand over her mouth.

“oh my god.”

minji starts to chuckle. “she has a point, danielle. whether you know it or not, it makes sense.”

“i barely know anything about her, you can’t be serious.” danielle rolls her eyes and pouts. “even if i did, it’d be impossible to even do anything remotely romantic. she’s like stone.

“she was literally everything but stone from what i saw earlier.” haerin comments. “danielle, it’s okay to have a crush on someone, you know?”

hanni hums in agreement. “yup, and you really need to stop that flirting you do with us every ten seconds because it’s grueling and if you’re going to flirt, flirt with someone you actually want because everytime you say anything remotely flirtatious ten years of my life get taken away.”

minji snorts and danielle can’t help but do so as well. “wooow, my flirting is very wonderful thank you.” she crosses her arms and looks over at you again. “and what if y/n doesn’t like my flirting?”

“nah,” hanni sips on her drink. “you called her a good barista or whatever and i saw her like, malfunction for two seconds. she was blushing a little.”

“well she wears blush so–”

“dani, can you–” hanni facepalms. “just, shhh. she doesn’t hate you and you know what, you can build off of that.”

haerin shrugs before taking a few more sips of her tea. “yeah, she’s pretty and smiles at you sweetly. it’s not impossible.”

danielle takes one more look at you, you’re still chatting with your cousin and her friend seems to be joined in the conversation as well. the rest of the group of teenagers have left, so the place is pretty empty. you smile here and there as you clean the counter and wipe the machine, occasionally looking at the two girls who converse with each other.

“okay dani, i love you but i also need to get this lecture noted and also oh my god i have a report due tomorrow and–”

 hanni feels a finger to her lips, similar to how she shushed danielle the night before, but now it’s reversed. minji snorts and haerin laughs before danielle assures, “go, go. i’ll see you later and bring extra snacks hanni.” 

the group begins to clear the table, dismissing danielles efforts to leave it be so she can take care of it. they all bring their silverware and dishes to the little trays near the trash before walking over to the exit, each girl hugging danielle before they all leave the bakery.

when danielle turns around, she spots you still conversing with the girls, but tending to the daily housekeeping simultaneously. you look up and catch her in your eye again, displaying a small, toothy smirk at her.

danielle chuckles to herself, making you do the same even as she moves over to package pastries.

–

today is your offday, so you’d usually wake up two hours later than you usually do for work. but when your phone rings around the same time you’d arrive at work, you groggily reach over to squint your eyes at the screen, reading the contact name that is calling you at this time in the morning:

incoming call: danielle

“does she know im not working? shouldn’t she be off today too…” you mumble to yourself before picking up and putting your phone on speaker. “hello?”

“y/n, hi, did i wake you up? you sound tired, ah, i’m sorry.”

feeling bad, you lie to her. “no, i’ve been awake for a bit now. is everything alright?”

“i just wanted to ask, um, how far do you live from work?”

“less than ten minutes, why do you ask?”

“i’m sorry if this is a big favor but i’m supposed to cover for soobin today since he’s sick. i walked to work since i live a fifteen minute walk away, not too far, but i forgot the keys and it’s storming really badly…”

you’re a little more awake now after hearing the light rumble of thunder coming from outside, it urges you to rub your eyes. “danielle, are you safe from the storm right now?”

“i mean, i’m standing under the little roof thing near the entrance. water can’t get me from here.”

“jesus,” you mutter to yourself, then jump at the next sharp thundering sound that comes after. “i’ll be there soon, okay? i’ll pick you up and you can just give me the directions to your place. be careful, i’m on my way.”

“thank you so much, im sorry again–”

“no, no. it’s fine, i’ll be there, see you.”

before she can respond, you hang up on her, running to the bathroom to splash water on your face and fix your disheveled bedhead up. then, you run towards the entrance of your house and grab your keys that hang on the hook near the door, slide your slides on, and quickly run out.

it’s storming hard, and you’ve already gotten a clue on how bad since you had been pretty drenched from simply walking to your car. 

you speed through the neighborhood and into the main road to get to the bakery faster. desperately looking through the windshield for your coworker, you spot her near the entrance just as she said, then drive up as close as you can.

rolling down your window, a bit of water gets on your face, hair, and the top of your shirt – but it doesn’t stop you from yelling, “get in!”

in a few seconds, danielle is in the passenger seat, her hair visibly damp but not too wet. she runs a hand through it, and it feels like your heart just skipped a beat. her hair is wavy now, more than usual, quite curly. was it always like this? her hair looks beautiful, framing her face perfectly, strands sticking to her skin from the raindrops—like elements of a painting coming together to create something breathtaking.

“sorry, i would’ve asked my roommates but they had some important stuff for their classes and whatnot so they left earlier this morning. i also didn’t want to wake minji up, i know her lectures are pretty bad.”

how thoughtful of her. 

shaking your head, you respond, “it’s fine, i just don’t want you getting sick. i’m glad you called.”

“really?”

“u-uh, i mean, yeah. i’m still not the best at opening and you’re pretty much the best at everything so… soobin and i need you in the mornings. i know im off today but whoever is working this morning probably needs you.”

“aw, that’s so sweet of you.” danielle’s smile grows and grows as she notices everything about you in the moment: your hair is messy, you have some old, loose t-shirt on with some poorly scribbled figure of… you? then, a small giggle leaves her lips once she notices the dog prints on your pajama pants. 

your blush grows deeper with each passing second. “i um, didn’t have time to change. do you want to type your address in my phone or…?”

“you look so cute y/n.” it slips out of danielles lips, but she’s able to play it off well with the little tilt of her head and a sly smirk. it works wonders on you. “i like your shirt and pants.”

you cough to ease your nerves, then shift the stick of your decade-old, hand-me-down five seat toyota to ‘drive.’

“my cousin made it for me when i was still in highschool a while ago. sorry, that’s not important.” you facepalm yourself mentally. danielle thinks this little story is very important, but you cut yourself off.  “do you just want to tell me the directions?”

adorable, danielle almost says out loud. 

“yeah, turn left at the stop.” 

danielle spends the rest of the time staring out the car and gazing out to see the rain that pours down from above. you’re stiff in your seat the whole time, especially when she does that little thing where she glances at you with those pretty eyes occasionally. it’s a simple look and yet you’re flustered beyond words.

you reach an apartment complex and drive as close as you can to the entrance. she gets out and mutters a haste “i’ll be quick” before leaving you alone with a racing heart and flushed face.

when she returns, there’s an umbrella in her hands and the keys to the bakery. once she gets in, you start to drive back.

“danielle?” 

“mhm?”

“is your hair naturally like that?” you ask. 

“ah,” she moves a hand to her hair to run her fingers through, though not without a little struggle. “i straighten it usually, it’s easier to maintain. the rain must’ve made it a little curly again huh?”

“i think your hair is beautiful like that, really.” you admit, eyes stuck on the road. “you look good with any hairstyle.”

“why thank you! i could say that for you as well.”

you scoff playfully, shaking your head as you turn into the bakery parking lot. “right, like my half-awake head is even the tiniest bit alluring.”

she winks at you, leaning in just a bit closer. “i think it enhances the natural allure, no?”

words get stuck in your throat, danielle laughs, and then she waves at you as she gets out the car. the rain has stopped just in time for her to clock in and a little beam of light hits her in the best way possible. you can’t help but stare at her in awe. 

“thank you for keeping me from getting drenched, you’re the sweetest.”

“yeah, i mean, you’re kind of the pillar. our boss isn’t ever here, you’re practically the boss no?”

“you’re too charming, i’ll see you in a few days?”

your mouth opens but nothing comes out for a moment, not until a bright idea pops up in your head.

“i can take you home after work, don’t want you walking in these conditions.”

“y/n,” she starts, looking confused. “it stopped raining.”

“it’s whatever, you know what– i can drive you to work in the mornings.”

“oh, you really don’t have to. isn’t the gas money quite–”

“no, no. i’ll give you a call or text next week, it’s nothing. see you danielle.”

–

little did you know, this would turn into a routine–the small gesture of picking up danielle instead of letting her walk in the mornings.

sure, she got a little less cardio, but she managed to crack that shell open just enough to glimpse what was inside. and everything hidden by your reserved demeanor was everything that made her heart flutter and more. each feature and curve of your face, beautifully highlighted by the soft glow of the café lamps captivated her beyond measure. but what she loved most was your personality—every word, every gesture. it captivated her in ways she hadn’t expected, and she found herself falling deeper with each passing moment.

you were caring, sweet, and had lots to share. there was never a dull moment with you the moment she figured out how to get you to talk a little more.

as for you, mornings weren't dreadful anymore. you started waking up earlier than usual just to make it to danielle's on time. you liked this new routine—seeing danielle first thing in the morning, sharing a coffee with her, chatting while the pastries baked. the smell of fresh coffee and baking bread filled the air, making the workspace warm and inviting. just being in her presence was the perfect start to your day. her laughter and smiles made everything brighter, transforming mundane, tiring mornings into something special.

and what kind of cousin would you be if you hadn’t told hyein everything like the two of you usually do. hyein is on the other side of the couch starting at you smile as you ramble about this routine you’ve fallen into with heart eyes and a wide grin.

“i mean, i haven’t ever liked mornings since her.” you begin, your fingers starting to fiddle with one another. “and oh my god she keeps flirting with me! it’s actually terrible. do you know how hard it is to stay normal when she’s calling me what, a fucking angel first thing in the morning? and it doesn’t help that she’s literally gorgeous, i mean you’ve seen her; she’s straight out of a dream.”

hyein groans as she sits up. “well if you’re so in love, quit complaining to me, you’ve been like this since the month started.”

you sit up as well, furrowing your brows. “what?”

“just ask her out already! it’s clear she’s into you.”

“i think she’s just flirty though.”

“old and stupid oh, you piss me off.” hyein throws a pillow at you, making you yell ‘hey!’ before throwing it back at her face. she laughs before clinging the pillow close. “but really, at least a ‘friend’ date or something… it would bring you two closer. those morning rides aren’t going to lead to anything more than what you already have, probably. plus, soobin and actually working gets in the way of your little lovey-dovey stuff.”

you look at her, biting your lip as you ponder.

hyein is right, hell, she always is. for a child, she’s pretty good with giving advice and an even better listener. she’s your best friend and favorite relative all in one, it would be somewhat betraying to not take the advice.

“well, what if she’s taken?”

“oh my god…” your cousin throws her head onto the cushion of the couch. “she calls you pretty and flirts with you – girl, of course she’s single.”

“okay but… i don’t know.”

“well i know that you’re stupid as hell.”

“language!”

“just check her instagram or something? people with significant others always post something.”

you fall silent, biting your lip again before looking at her with an apologetic feeling in your eye. “i don’t have anything but her number…”

“oh y/n, that’s not a problem at all.” hyein rolls her eyes and scoots up next to you, leaning against your shoulder as you peer over to watch what she’s doing. she holds the phone up to your face to unlock it and taps on the intagram icon, immediately clicking  on the search bar. “do you know her last name?”

“um, it starts with an m i think?”

“you don’t know her last name?”

“why would i know this?”

“do you have an app for your schedules or anything? oh my god, you’re seriously getting on my nerves… i can’t believe you managed to even have a girlfriend for that one year–”

you cringe at the mention of your history with women. “okay don’t mention that please… and fuck her, she was terrible to me.” you frown.

“sorry,” hyein know’s she’s hit a little spot, knowing your past with much detail, then continues. “anyway, let’s just search her up and…” she types in ‘d-a-n-i-e-l-l-e’ into the search and a few accounts pop up. she looks at the small profile pictures displayed and the first one makes her click her tongue. “found it!”

her page is pretty just from the first glance–you two haven’t even looked at any of the posts or highlights either. danielle’s profile picture is jus ther with a beanie over her head and looking at the camera with her pretty eyes and god you almost melt right then and there because no model could top her visuals. 

you reach over to scroll through her posts; she has thirteen in total, and a few catch your eye. one post, in particular, stands out: a single photo of her posing in front of a mirror, wearing a crop top that shows off her slim figure and a denim jacket hanging loosely off one shoulder. she looks absolutely stunning. as you stare at the image, lips slightly parted in awe, hyein looks over and sees your intense gaze. before you can react, you're interrupted by a playful pinch to your cheek.

“you’re so down bad.”

“i’m not!” you scoff, taking the phone out from her hands and scrolling yourself. 

there are photos of her with friends, snapshots of mesmerizing views (though none as captivating as her), pictures with her family, beach scenes, dogs, and several selfies—you find yourself lingering on those a bit longer. her entire page perfectly matches her energy; it's cute and vibrant. as you scroll, hyein catches you smiling to yourself, lost in the charm of danielle’s online presence.

one of her more recent posts, posted about three months ago, catches your eye. it’s her and haerin posing together with haerin’s face being cupped by danielle’s hand as they pose. the caption has your heart sinking a bit (a lot).

“beautiful, gorgeous, and lovely birthday girl💋👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 i love you lots sweetie”

hyein catches the whole thing live, watching your small smile turn into pursed lips. “that doesn’t mean anything y/n, friends can be like that.”

“they’re pretty close…” you swipe to see a picture of danielle’s nose nuzzled into haerin’s cheek and frown. “she’s taken.”

your heart sinks even more just looking at the picture longer, urging hyein to snatch your phone out of your hands and click on the mentioned tags. she finds haerin’s account – it’s public, thankfully – and roams around as you sit there defeatedly.

it’s not looking the best so far, not when hyein clicks on a post with danielle and her group of friends, and after hyein swipes to the next photo she’s met with danielle and haerin hugging each other, cheeks pressed together as they pose for the photo. you catch a glimpse before your head falls over on hyein’s shoulder like you’ve just come back from an unsuccessful war.

“it’s over.”

“y/n, lift your head up! i pose with my friends like this too… maybe she’s touchy.”

“not with me.” you pout. hyein flicks your forehead. “hey!”

“stupid,” she says. “maybe it’s because she likes you and is wary of boundaries. from what i’m seeing, you should initiate.”

“i can’t possibly do that.”

“you’re literally a liar.” she spits out. “as soon as your friends initiate something you’re clinging like a koala, even with me you’re like that.”

you fall over onto the couch, giving up and looking up at the ceiling; your life isn’t over because your really adorable, amazing, lively, vibrant, cute, helpful, captivating, adorable coworker is taken. 

(it’s over.)

hyein allows you to sulk for a moment before widening her eyes and gasping, “wait, i literally know haerin.”

“you do?”

“kind of. i just checked her account on my phone and a lot of people i know follow her, she’s that pretty upperclassman everyone likes. there’s no way she’s dating danielle, like, i have proof.”

sitting up immediately, you crunch your brows. “are you serious?”

“yeah. my friend is friends with her, she’s very much single and i don’t think she wants to mingle.”

“holy shit, you’re serious?”

“language~” hyein teases. “yes, i’m not trying to feed your delusions by the way–i don’t support homewrecking.”

you practically pouce at hyein and tackle her into a loving, grateful hug. she squeaks at the contact, but warms up into the hug. 

“i love you forever, i’ll buy you lunch and treat you to pastries and anything and–”

“it’s fiiinneee.” hyein pulls away and chuckles at you. “i just want to help you out and be happy. and after seeing danielle… she’s really adorable and you’re so giddy for her so she must be wonderful.”

“she is.”

“yeah, all you do is run your mouth about her.”

a laugh is shared between the two of you before hyein reaches for the remote to turn on the tv. you go back to your phone, clicking on danielle’s profile to stalk her again, lingering on posts of herself. you feel your cheeks burning and somehow the little glare your cousin gives you despite her not being in your vision or peripheral.

–

you’ve been reluctant on asking danielle out, even if it’s a simple ‘hangout’ or ‘friend date.’ she’s effortlessly charming as always with each interaction, even getting bold and watching you from over your shoulder at times – everything she does makes your heart beat and beat and beat.

danielle’s been equally flustered and enamored by how open you’ve been with her. the two of you have cracked jokes and shared small stories during the quiet moments with soobin, but danielle especially enjoys you just by yourself. there’s something much more tender about you when it’s just the two of you. you’re physically more touchy wth danielle, and she can’t really tell if it’s on purpose or you’re just touchy like that. you often shove her playfully in conversations, and when you both lean against the counter, you somehow manage to move over ever so slightly so that your arms are touching. 

your coworker has been attentive to all of this, unsure of whether this is just how you are and she’s overthinking things, or this being something more–maybe a sign that maybe you’re into her just a bit.

none of you question it really, and besides, danielles just as touchy. she sometimes leans her head on your shoulder – but very, very briefly – when something is amusing, and sometimes her hands find their way to your hair to fix it, or maybe even to your forearm just because. 

soobin is a bystander, the poor guy thinks it’s just how girls are and is completely oblivious that the two of you are fighting the thick tension in the air.

–

the last coffee beans were grinded, so you tap on soobin’s shoulder and tell him that you’re going to the back to grab more. he nods at you and sends you that pursed grin, you place a hand on his shoulder and thank him.

when you reach the small closet, you find danielle in the room as well, rummaging for packaging and more boxes for the pastries and desserts. she’s oblivious to your presence until you knock flicker the light on and off once, making her squeal and jump from surprise. your coworker turns around and hits the rack unknowingly, when she sees you, she starts to calm down.

“y/n! you scared me!”

you laugh. “sorry, i just needed some–”

above danielle, you spot a bag of coffee beans—at least three pounds heavy—starting to tip. before it can fall, you move without hesitation. you rush over, reaching out and getting on your tiptoes to catch it with one hand just in time.

a sigh of relief leaves your lips, but you catch your breath again as soon as you look back down.

danielle is close. her face is a few inches apart from you and your hand is still up to hold the coffee beans, making the moment much more intimate and nerve-racking than it actually is. she looks at you intensely, her lips parting before her eyes dart down to your lips. 

“y/n,” she almost whispers.

you gulp and look down at her lips, then away, putting your arm down and grabbing the coffee beans with you as you do so. your faces are closer now and you feel your heartbeat rapidly pounding against your chest, threatening to break through. danielle still stares at the features presented to her, pupils dilating.

you break the tension, looking away and stepping back, holding the coffee beans to your chest almost like you’re hugging them. your eyes dart around the room nervously, your cheeks burn like they’re steak being put onto a hot iron skillet, and you gulp one last time.

“the um, t-the beans… they almost fell on you.”

“yeah?” 

“i’m um, i need to uh– yeah, there’s no more grinds and i need to make a latte…”

“right.” danielle starts to smirk, looking at the aftermath on your face. “you do that then. oh, and by the way.”

“hm?”

she steps forward to push hair out your face and behind your ear, her fingers graze against the back of it. “your ears are red–and warm.”

“oh, um, maybe.” you mumble softly. danielle giggles at you before you leave the room, 

–

the two of you don’t speak on the incident the rest of the shift since danielle can tell you’re flustered and she’s also really good at keeping a conversation going. plus, work is in the way at times, so doing your job saves you.

after you two clock out for the day, both of you walk to your car and danielle watches you closely before looking out the window again. you feel a shiver down your spine as you get out the parking spot and the grip on the wheel is tighter the whole way to her apartment complex.

you park in front of the entrance, danielle unbuckles her seatbelt and says, “thanks for the ride.”

“it’s no problem.”

“i’ll see you tomorrow.”

“yup.” 

your coworker narrows her eyes at you, looking at you questionably as if she were expecting something different. she puts her hand on yours, smiles, then gets out the car. 

she starts to walk towards the entrance, and as she walks through the door you huff.

“i can’t be like this, fuck me. another lecture from hyein would kill me.” you groan.

you grab your keys, unbuckle your seatbelt, and get out the car as soon as possible. you sprint towards the entrance and look around for danielle, catching a glimpse of her walking towards the stairs, so you follow after her.

she’s already up a flight somehow right when you reach the bottom of the stairwell, you catch her hair just barely and shout up at her,

“danielle!” she looks down to see you breathing a little heavier than normal. “wait!”

“y/n? what are you doing here?”

“i– wait there.” you call out before running up the stairs. danielle doesn’t listen and starts to walk down as well, which leads to you running into her when you clash halfway, accidentally bumping her. “s-sorry.” 

“you’re out of breath.”

inhaling quickly, you nod. “a bit.”

danielle laughs. “why did you run after me?”

“i was um, i was wondering…” you poke the inside of your cheek with your tongue, struggling to make eye contact with her. “are you um, well, fuck, sorry– okay, um.”

“take your time.” she teases.

you giggle before looking into her eyes and composing yourself. “do you want to hangout outside of work sometime? i really… like working with you and talking and yeah all of it, but work kind of limits a lot.”

she looks at you with a growing blush fostering her cheeks. one good look at you–messy hair tucked behind your ears, the baby tee hugging you, your flushed face from running, the adorable look you give her as you wait for an answer – danielle nods and her teeth show as she smiles at you.

“i would love that.”

“really?” you ask, eyes widening. you shake your head and laugh to yourself before asking, “when is good for you?”

“i’m not doing anything right now, are you?”

“i need to pick my cousin up soon but that’s it.”

“okay! you should go pick up your cousin and we can head downtown?”

“oh, now? today?” you say in disbelief; danielle hasn’t given you a chance to plan or mentally prepare for this. you’re already winded, but this is like a tornado picking you up and throwing you over to another continent. “i mean, yes, that’s perfect, yeah.”

“pick me up later then, that alright?”

“i’ll text you when hyein– er, when i drop my cousin off.”

“perfect, i’ll see you then?”

“yes, mhm.”

–

you’ve never driven so fast, nor have you gotten ready so quickly. your cousin gripped the door handle tightly as you sped fifteen miles over the limit in a neighborhood, glancing at your concentrated, flushed face.

usually, hyein is the one rushing home after school since it makes her homesick. but today, the unexpected sight of you bursting into the house, darting to your room, and emerging five minutes later with a denim jacket, jeans, and makeup on left her wide-eyed.

hyein’s laying on the couch when she catches you fixing your hair in the mirror, clenching your jaw and taking a deep breath.

“what’s up with you.”

“danielle.”

“elaborate?”

“i dropped her home and asked her to hangout and then i was like ‘oh okay when?’ and she’s basically saying that now, today, like later. i have to pick her up like right now– wait, do i look good? too much? too little? is it–”

“you look fine y/n, very pretty. i think danielle will appreciate it.”

“you sure?”

hyein sighs and stands up, you’re a little taller then her, so she has to tilt her head up just barely to fix your hair and pat down your jacket. 

“stop stressing, it’s just a hangout, no? you didn’t say it was a date did you?”

shit. 

“i mean no, but–”

“okay so stop stressing and go pick her up!” hyein rolls her eyes at you. “you’ll do great kid.”

“who are you calling kid?” 

“blah blah blah, go get out the house.”

you look at her defeatedly, brows curled up and a pout played on your lips. hyein simply laughs at you before you grab your keys, tote bag, and head out the door.

-

you reach her apartment complex and spot her outside, waiting while engrossed in her phone. danielle jumps when a car honks at her, but then she sees you in the driver’s seat. a smile spreads across her face, and she runs over to you, her excitement palpable.

danielle gets in the passengers seat. “hello again.”

“hi.”

“downtown? are we going to metro or are you going to park there.”

“it’s a surprise,” you smirk mischieviously before starting to drive. danielle giggles and trusts your little ‘surprise.’

the car ride is filled with laughter as you two sing along to your favorite songs. despite having slightly different music tastes, there are many songs that you both enjoy and can belt out together until you find a good spot to park in the city.

danielle waits for you as you pay for parking, looking out at the social city and lovely views. but one view is lovelier than the city, lovelier than everything really. her lips turn up when she looks at you pressing the button and grabbing the ticket that’s dispensed out. 

you fix your hair. “okay, before we go to the surprise did you want to check out the stores?”

“i don’t go downtown too often, so i don’t know what’s good.”

“me neither,” you shrug, then look around. “the city is big, we can surely find something we both like. i hope you like exploring.”

“if it’s with you, then why wouldn’t i like exploring?”

you're caught off guard by the compliment, opting for a chuckle to hide how it makes your heart run a marathon and your tummy twist and turn.

three hours pass but you swear it’s only been thirty minutes. 

the two of you walked everywhere, exploring small cafes, charming clothing stores, and vintage record shops. danielle made sure to take as many pictures of you as possible, insisting on "capturing the moment" and telling you that you're "adorable." her reasons made you giggle nervously, each compliment warming your heart.

you hold onto danielle’s bag of clothes and trinkets she had bought – you practically had to fight her to simply hold the bag – as you lead her down an alleyway. she’s following you mindlessly, not questioning your sudden change in plans since it must be part of your oh-so-lovely surprise.

“i’ve had a lovely time with you, we should spend time together outside of work much more often.” she says softly, turning to look at you and smile. she’s glowing. 

it's five in the evening, and the sun is beginning to set, golden rays seeping through the little cracks in the alleyway. each beam enhances her already striking features. her eyes shine when they catch the light, turning her brown eyes into a mesmerizing gold. the wind tousles her curly hair, making her even more beautiful with each stray strand. the way her teeth peek out when her smile widens makes your knees weak—you could stare at her for hours.

she snaps you out your trance. “y/n, can i ask you something?”

“yeah, what is it?”

“did you not like me when we first met?” 

you two continue to walk, but you’ve fallen silent. looking down at the ground, you shake your head and turn to look at her again.

“no, no that’s not it.” you shake your hands in defense. “i’m just… not a morning person, and very cautious.”

she giggles, “what?”

“when i did closing, all my coworkers were terrible. it was a nightmare despite being awake at the time, you know? and it’s different waking up so early for me, i’m not a morning person in any way.”

“i’m aware.” danielle interjects, making you roll your eyes and shove her with your shoulder playfully. 

you look around the area, clicking your tongue as everything starts to become recognizable. grabbing her hand, you find a little exit and lead her to a small area overlooking a part of the city near the river. it’s beautiful, and danielle is mesmerized by the view.

from where you both stand, you watch her mouth fall open, her hand almost covering it. she sighs in awe, taking in the scene—the buildings with some windows lit and others dark, the flowers in full bloom, and the trees with vibrant leaves.

“y/n, was this the surprise?”

you start to walk ahead, then turn around and motion with your head for her to follow. she watches you sit down on a rock that luckily has space for two people. she sits down next to you, watching as you prop yourself up with both hands behind your back.

you both sit in comfortable silence, the golden hues of the sunset reflecting off the river and casting a warm glow over everything. danielle’s eyes dart from the view to you, her smile never fading. you catch her gaze and smile back, feeling a sense of peace and contentment. the moment feels perfect–it is perfect.

“this is the surprise, and also kind of my apology for being an ass to you the first few weeks of working.”

danielle admires the side of your face as you watch the view, the sun hitting you beautifully, tracing each feature she adores the most.

“i’m not a morning person, and i guess i was stubborn and always pissy. i didn’t want to talk a lot because i was scared of you and soobin – mostly you – being terrible like the closing staff.” you meet her eyes with your own. “but you’re far from that.”

she does that thing where her eyes soften and her lips form something between a pout and a smile, much like the time she talked about a puppy she ran into on the street. but now, the emotion of adoration and awe is much more intense. her gaze seems to hold a deeper meaning, reflecting the beauty of the moment and the bond you share. 

“y/n, you’re so…” she covers her face with a hand, concealing her blush. “you’re wonderful.”

“i just wanted to share a view i really like with you, since i appreciate you a lot, you know? and we’ve been getting close so… i just… yeah.”

avoiding her look, you turn to watch the view again. yeah, you’d much rather be staring at her while she admires the view, but you can’t possibly do that when the sun is exposing your crimson cheeks.

“can i take a picture of you?” she asks, pulling out her phone. “you’re just so gorgeous right now, i really want to have something to look back on later.”

look back on you? you?

“yeah, sure.” you respond bashfully.

she holds her phone up, then looks at you, grins, and says, “cheese!”

you chuckle and shoot her a lovely, toothy, beaming smile. “cheese!”

–

the two of you alternate between talking and admiring the view for another two hours until the sun starts to set. by then, danielle has ended up close to you, your arms touching purposefully.

as you walk back to your car, a gust of wind brushes past and danielle shivers. she's only wearing a cropped t-shirt and sweatpants, which isn’t ideal for the cooler night. without a second thought, you slip off your jacket and drape it over her shoulders, grinning.

“thank you, y/n,” she says, looking up at you through her eyelashes. “you’re not cold?” 

you shake your head, the warmth from the evening and the moment enough to keep you comfortable. “nope, i’m good,” you reply, enjoying the way she pulls your jacket closer around herself. it looks even better on her.

“i have a longsleeve on, and i don’t want you getting sick dani.”

her eyes widen and she gasps. “oh my god.”

“what?”

“you called me dani!”

you ‘tsk’ at her and shake your head, but smile to yourself. “yeah and?”

“you never ever call me that.”

“well i’m very fond of you now so… dani it is.”

both of you continue on to the car, enjoying each others presence while lingering close.

–

you reach her apartment complex and somehow those five – almost six – hours seemed like they weren’t enough. the last thing you wanted was the night to end, but here you are, parked in front of the entrance.

danielle hesitates in her seat, not wanting the night to end either. “hey, just to clarify…”

“yes?”

“did you… was this a date?” 

you melt. “at first i just wanted to hangout with you, but as soon as you got into my car when i picked you up i really wanted it to be. what did you think it was?”

she relaxes into the seat and lets out a sigh of relief. “oh thank god. you were so adorable and cute the whole time and the thought of this just being coworkers– no, friends, hanging out was dreadful.”

“well then, it was definitely a date.”

she hums before silence follows. you two sit there smiling like idiots at each other, the air filled with excitement and adoration.

“i’ll see you at work tomorrow?” danielle says it like it’s a question, but it’s guaranteed unless something deadly catches you by surprise. even then, you’d still make an effort to see danielle.

“yeah. i’ll pick you up too.”

“great,” danielle mumbles. without any warning, she quickly reaches over, placing a hand on the back of your neck and pressing her lips to your cheek. her eyes close, and you freeze in place as she hides herself by pressing her nose into your skin. “i really, really enjoyed everything. i like you so, so much.”

her voice sends a shiver down your spine, and the feeling is heightened when she kisses your cheek again, lingering before she pulls away.

she winks at you before waving. “have a good night, y/n. sleep well.”

your mouth is agape, and you can’t even move. you sit there, watching her walk back to her apartment complex. she looks back once more to wave and smile again. you’re flushed, your heart racing faster than any f1 car. you realize you’re the happiest you’ve been in ages.

–

danielle squeals as she enters the apartment, making minji and hanni – who are playing some card game – jump and yelp themselves.

“what the hell man?” hanni yells.

“oh my god it was a date.”

“well obviously.” minji responds, watching danielle flop onto the couch. “she ran for you just to ask to hangout, i don’t even do that for you guys.”

“maybe because you secretly hate us.”

“hanni shut up you’re no better.”

danielle kicks her feet, smiling like a little kid and sighing dreamily. minji and hanni give each other a glance, then shrug at each other. 

“she took me to this wonderful view and oh my god it was beautiful but not as beautiful as her like oh my god and talking to her is so fun and natural and she’s so sweet and–”

minji cuts her off, noticing the jacket she has on. “is the denim hers?”

“yes.” danielle says smittenly, she’s lovestruck. “and i kissed her cheek just now.”

“oh wooow maybe your flirting can get you places.” 

danielle grabs a pillow and throws it at hanni, making the trio all laugh together. 

–

work is normal the next day—well, for the most part. it's just much more annoying since the two of you can’t be hopelessly in love in front of soobin and all the customers. after all, it’s a professional setting.

you can’t help but steal glances at her whenever you get the chance, especially when she’s taking orders. she’s so sweet and friendly with everyone, and it only makes you fall for her even more. if hyein were here, she’d probably roll her eyes and pretend to gag at how hopelessly in love you are.

danielle catches you staring after she’s finished putting a customers croissant in their bag, smirking at you knowingly. 

“hey, do your job!”

“oh shut up…”

she laughs before grabbing your wrist, dragging you to the door to the back. she looks over to soobin, who’s cleaning the counters, and shouts, “we’ll be back! i need y/n to help reach something for me.”

he shoots a thumbs up before starting to wipe again. danielle leads you back to the storage room giggling, then closes the door to leave you two alone.

“hey, we’re still on the clock.” you warn.

“i know, i know.” danielle starts to wrap her arms around your neck, pulling you closer. “i wanted to do something i didn’t get to last night.”

you clench your jaw. “right.”

“mhm.” she says, staring at your lips. 

you couldn’t resist any longer. with a surge of giddy excitement, you close the distance between you and danielle, eagerly cupping her face in your hands. as your lips meet hers, they are just as soft and inviting as you had imagined, yet the reality surpasses any expectation. 

she pulls away first to mumble against your lips, “you’re lovely.”

“you’re even better.”

danielle closes the distance, you both smile against each other and savor the short amount of time you both have in the storage closet. kissing her is everything, she’s just perfect.

time seems to stand still as you both melt into the kiss, a tender warmth spreading through every inch of your being. it’s as if the world around you fades away, leaving only the sensation of her warmth, the taste of her lips, and the intoxicating feeling of being so close to someone you adore.

when she starts to cup your cheeks, you conclude that maybe mornings aren’t so bad–definitely not if danielle is in the mix.

[bouncybongfairy]

Werewolf Ghost looses control on the full moon and fucks the new recruit. New recruit doesnt know who it was cause they were face down in the dirt the whole time getting the best fuck of their lives.

Brainrot

Animal Like Rage

Werewolf Ghost x Fem Reader

Summary: As a new recruit you hear alot of tales and stories about Ghost on the feild. You chalked it up to overexaterations based on his intimidating apearance. After being paired for a mission with him, you see first hand these account, if anything played-down.

Word Count: 1.0k+

Ref Account: @kaionyx

TW: Rough Smut, Sex in Forest, Masocistic Ghost, Blood Kink.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Everyone knew that there was some underlying reason why they called Simon ‘Ghost’. As a new recruit you heard stories about seeing Ghost do remarkable things on missions. Ripping a man's throat out with his teeth. Beating men twice his size into an unrecognizable pile of messy flesh. While hanging out with other recruits, they would exchange rumors heard about him. After hearing all the tales you came to the conclusion that it was all just over exaggerations. Maybe you were just telling yourself that in order to comfort yourself for the upcoming mission you had with Ghost. All your friends were making a big deal of it. 

As if he was going to chew you up and spit you out or something. The two of you were driving towards the perimeter you’d be guarding. It was actually quite a picturesque section of forest. Lots of trees and wildlife living among them. The mission was to simply look out for the assailants if they fled in your said direction. The two of you both knew it would be a boring night. The sun had set about an hour ago, and the moon was beautiful. Full and completely illuminated the sky with its burnt yellow tone. 

“It’s really nice tonight right I mean, look at the moon-” you started to make conversation but then realized Ghost was no longer with you. 

Your initial reaction was that he was fucking with you. Trying to pull a fast one on you so he could entertain his friends with a story of a gullible recruit. You called out his name a couple times over coms but got no response. Yelling his name out wasn’t an option, seeing as that could give away your location. For about 20 minutes you continued to check the perimeter of the area but to no avail. Eventually you decided to go into the forest to look for him. Starting to get uneasy, feeling like you were seeing things out of the corner of your eye. You stumbled across both of Ghost’s guns placed upright against a tree. 

Immediately you bend down to investigate the scene. As soon as your knees hit the ground, you felt someone on top of you. Hitting the ground so hard, it knocked the wind out of you; rendering you completely disoriented. The taste of copper started to flood your mouth. Immediately you assume it’s one of the target’s men. Especially when he ripped the radio off your vest. You reach down for your knife and go to fight back. However, he uses his palm against your back; shoving your upper body against the dirt. You tried to get up but the person’s strength was unparalleled, like a cement wall. Heavy breathing and growls could be heard from above you. 

Ghost’s mind was wrapped in a fog of lust and greed. Ever since he first saw you,  he knew he wanted to lay much more than his eyes on your body. He had so much pent up sexual aggression that he’d been carrying for weeks. He was practically shaking with anticipation, he ripped your pants off. His claws leave abrasions on your hips and upper thighs. Blood starts to create droplets along the vertical lines. Only to be smeared by his hands gripping your sides, lifting your body and forcing you to change positions. Grabbing your hips and forcing you onto your knees. The dirt and mulch from the forest floor cutting up your skin. 

He grabs your ass and spreads you apart, watching as you desperately try to get away. Not wasting any time, he shoves his cock into your entrance. Loving the way you squirm and clench around him; not used to the burning and stretching. Most of you was scared but there was a small part that found this exhilarating. Being bent over in the middle of the forest while you were supposed to be on guard. Apart of one of the deadliest task forces to ever exist but still being used like a bitch in heat. 

He began rocking his hips in and out of you, loving how your tight pussy hugged his length. Like you didn’t want to let his member go. His bloody hands grip onto your ass, his claws digging into the soft flesh. He was growling and snarling; drool dripping from his mouth and onto your back. He’d been watching you for a while, walking around the barracks practically half naked. He’d been waiting for an opportunity to get you alone and when he found out you two were together on this mission… It was like fate was trying to satisfy his hunger. He loved watching you, completely in submission for him. Your face was buried in the dirt and your blinks were slow. Gradually becoming more braindead and pliable. So cock-drunk that you were pushing your hips back to meet his thrusts. 

“Such a little pain slut, you want more?” he asked, voice raspy and low. 

His thrusts were so hard his thighs were spanking your ass, starting to leave the skin reddened and raw. His hip bones leave bruises from them assaulting your skin. You were going in and out of consciousness, his tip hitting your cervix is what brought you back whenever things went black. He was starting to get sloppy, losing rhythm and frantically groping your body. Pushing your body flat against the ground and pile driving you. You never felt someone so deep inside you, like he could literally rip through you. 

Having no control of the situation but loving every fucking second of it. The burning feeling in your stomach boils into your climax. Holding your breath while trying to rub yourself against the ground; overstimulated and desperate for any type of friction. Seeing you becoming so disheveled and desperate made him cum. Letting his body weight fall onto you, bucking his hips and growling into your ear. Once he’d finished up, he got the both of you dressed and carried you back to the safe house. Where you were treated for injuries sustained by a ‘animal attack’.

[flower-boi16]

Forgot to add, but Stolas basically guilt tripped him into doing it.

"The one who wants me is my first ever friend..."

Blitz was perfectly willing to just leave Stolas there tied up, but instead gave him pity sex.

Yeah sure...Blitz was the one to make it all about sex. No Stolas....no....that was ALL YOU! The only thing Blitz did was do a little bit of flirting and steal the book, he didn't make it about sex. From beginning to end, that was all you.

People like to defend this kind of shit with "Oh it's intentional because it's meant to show Stolas lacking self-awarness!", which is very funny because 1. You are actively acknoweledging that Stolas' perspective here is invalid and Blitz's is which goes against the whole idea that both sides are suppoused to be in the wrong and 2. The show is not calling this shit out and every time Stolas says something like this (The final scene in Full Moon and the begining of Apology Tour) it's never called out nor is it ever frammed as that, and in Apology Tour specifically it is very obvious that we are specifically suppoused to take Stolas' side here and see Blitz as purely in the wrong.

I also do need to acknowledge that there are people who think that Blitz's feelings are portayed as valid by the narrative. They are not. The final scene in Full Moon and the begining of Apology Tour have Blitz rant about Stolas being a prince and considering that Oops established that this is a bias Blitz has towards Stolas it is very clear that these scenes are intended to be read as Blitz being blinded by his biases against Stolas due to Stolas being a prince, and he's too consumed in his biases to see that Stolas has real feelings for him. That is how these scenes are being frammed and clearly how they are suppoused to be read.

So no, the show doesn't see Blitz's perspective as valid. There is that rant in the begining of AT where Blitzo awkardly spells out his self-hatred keeping him from believing that a prince could possibily love him but the rest of the episode frames Stolas as someone hurt by Blitzo's actions and Blitzo as an asshole who hurts others. So his self-loathing isn't really something that the episode really wants you to sympathize with, only as another reason for why Blitz struggles to see that Stolas loves him.

Blitzo isn't a character that the show wants you sympathize with in this situation; the point of the episode is Blitz realizing that he isn't a good person and he needs to change. That's not a set up for a sympathetic character.

The show is directly outlining people information like this yet people still make bullshit excuses for Viv's writting based on some tweets. Blitz's perspective is never treated as valid by the narrative at all, sure, it acknowledges that Stolas was wrong for making this deal in the first place, but that gets rendered moot because that's not the reason for why Blitz hates Stolas; Blitz hates Stolas because of a bias he had against royals that completely came out of nowhere in season 2 solely so the show could make him purely look like an asshole consumed by his biases.

The narrative doesn't see Stolas SAing Blitz as the reason he hates Stolas, rather it sees Blitz's bias being a reason for that. It doesn't actually look at Blitz's perspective and how Stolas' actions may have affected him, hell it shows that it doesn't even affect him at all!

It's another instance of the show demonizing the people who Stolas has hurt so it could make them look unreasonable and further woobify Stolas. It's made even worse with the implication in Apology Tour of Blitz gaining feelings for Stolas and since Blitz really wanted to fuck Stolas it's not unreasonable to assume that the show may go in the route of "Blitz liked being SA'd by Stolas but he was just too comsumed by his biases to realize it!" because then you are fully painting Blitz as an biased asshole and any argument that the show understands his perspective gets thrown out the window.

Stolas' feelings are treated as valid by the narrative, how hurt he feels that Blitzy doesn't love him, that Blitzy doesn't see that Stolas loves him back, that Blitzy is "making him uncomfortable". Meanwhile, the narrative purely treats Blitz's feelings about Stolas as completely invalid, not using Stolas SAing him as an reason for Blitz hating him but rather him being too comsumed by his own biases.

There's a strong inbalance here that makes the argument that the show wants us to see them both as in the wrong completely fall apart. Blitzo is treated as the problem by the narrative and the fandom, that he's hurting poor Stolas' feelings with how he's treating the bird boy. And here's the thing; Blitzo having this bias came out of nowhere. There as no hint of this in season 1 or the first five episodes of season 2, it was only until Oops where this thing came up. This was never shown to be a character trait Blitz had nor is there even any reason for it, why Blitz has these preconcieved notions about Stolas going in. It's because the writters pulled this out of their ass so they could have an easy way to make Blitzo look like a complete asshole. Nothing more.

It's further accentuated by the show using "tell don't show" in that scene, where we are told that Stolas did all these nice things for Blitz rather than shown, and not to mention these nice things do not line up with Stolas' behavior at all in season 1. It's all just completely and utterly lazy. It's a lazy way to make Blitz in the wrong here. It's a lazy way to absolve Stolas of his behavior again so the narrative could coddle him.

It's a lazy way for the show to pretend this relationship has naunce when it doesn't. Oh, and fans have the fucking gall to say "you don't understand the nuances" when people critisize this shit. Oh, I'm sorry, what naunces? This relationship isn't nuanced in the slightest; it's a victim and abuser relationship where the victim is strawmanned and portayed as wrong and the abuser is coddled and woobifyed. Whether it was intentional or not, that is how the relationship comes across as.

The show needs to see that BOTH perspectives are valid for the "their both in the wrong" thing to even work, but it doesn't. Blitz never gets any slack and Stolas is babyed. That is how this relationship is frammed. You can not ever convince me otherwise.

[yeonjuns-beanie]

Halo Pt.2

warnings: less plot, but still plot, 18+, smut, unprotected sex, biting, light blood(play), light hair pulling, body worship, oral(f receiving), light degradation, yandere themes, dub-con, think that's it

summary: in your free time you do freelance writing, doing interviews with people most would consider strand and unusual. when you recognize that one of the regulars in your coffee shop only visits in the evening, you pose the question of where you can interview him, upon his agreement, you realize this is unlike any other interview

a/n: holy shit, i am alive actually. i feel kinda horrible that i last posted in september. life got kinda crazy, i was slammed with uni and work, and had intense writer's block. anyways, i hope those of you who enjoyed the first part enjoy this one even more! i'm not entirely sure how active i'll be this semester, but i'm not going to make any promises lol. as always, i hope you enjoy and have a great day! :D ~nero

word count: 5.4K

Vampire!Seonghwa x female reader

pt.1

Seonghwa looked off to the side, inhaling a calculated breath before he spoke. 

“The nightlife. Where I was before was too prosaic and mundane. It lacked character. But here? There’s a flame that ignites when the sun goes down.” 

You scribbled down his last sentence wanting to maybe use it as the title for the piece when you finished. Looking back up at him, you felt your body relax and suddenly everything felt easy. 

“Where were you before?” 

“Everywhere. I’m a bit of a nomad, you see? I can’t stay chained to one place for too long.” 

“Did you find your last locations to grow boring, or was it something else?” 

“Something else. Rather of my own doing, but needing to keep my needs satiated is a necessity.” 

You paused for a moment and glanced at your notebook littered with questions trying to find the next avenue you’d walk down. You hadn’t been faced with someone so careful in their speech. He was answering your questions, yes, but not in the full detail that you desired. He was making you work. 

“Being a nomad, you must have a flexible job. What do you do for work and what’s your haven for play?” 

A smirk formed on his face, like he knew he was stumping you. Running his fingers through his onyx locks, he went to lick his lips and you noticed the length of one of his canines peeking from behind his upper lip. 

“Ah, yes. For work, I was lucky enough to benefit from years of generational wealth, but I hated the fact of that being my only accolade. So I sought after art. I always rendered an interest in building things so I thought, why not extend that to an artistic field?” 

“What’s your medium?”

“Sculptures and charcoal portraits. I love capturing time in a piece. I don’t know how long this life will grant me so I enjoy partaking in affairs that allow me to immortalize that time. Remind me to show you some of my portraits.” 

Nodding, you remembered the busts you saw when you entered his home, the question crossed your mind if those were his art.

“Those busts that you have in your entryway, did you make those as well?”

“So you really were quite entranced. To answer you, yes, I did create those as well. They’re of my family who have since passed on. I don’t have many left in my life so it aids me in keeping the memory of them alive.” 

Moving your hair out of your face to look at him, you furrowed your brow feeling sorry for him as you processed his statement. 

“Are you all alone out here?”

The concerned look on your face quickly fell to anxiety as you feared you may be prying too much into his personal life. Getting ready to speak again, Seonghwa stopped you with the gentle raise of his hand and smiled. 

“You’re not overstepping any boundaries, my dove. When I agreed to sit with you, pen in hand with the recorder running, I alleviated all forms of privacy for you. You may ask me whatever you feel called to ask. I’m yours for the evening.” 

A soft smile pulled at your lips as you silently acknowledged him, and thanked him for being so tender with you. His velvet voice pulled you from your thoughts. 

“To answer your previous question though, yes, I am all alone. It was lonely at first, but after a while it became comfortable. Perhaps preferred. I did find that recently though, the exigent desire for a partner has been pulling at my heartstrings.” 

“With your interest in the nightlife here, surely it shouldn’t be too hard to find yourself a companion. Not to mention if you’re speaking romantically, I’m sure you’d find yourself plenty of options.” 

You regretted it as soon as it left your mouth, but it was already in the air now and you just had to hope and pray that he’d let it slide.

“What are implying?” 

Of course, he wouldn’t. 

“I’m just saying…that, you know, you are an attractive guy. It seems like you’d have a particularly easy time…weeding through people.” 

“You think I have a lot of suitors?” 

Seonghwa had his arms folded across his chest now, gaining pleasure from making you squirm. 

“I’m saying that I think you’d have a fair amount of people to choose from, not necessarily that they’d be worthy of your time.” 

You brought the pen up to your lips, feeling your anxiety swirl in your body as Seonghwa continued to hanker down on you. You glanced over at your notebook again, seeing what you could ask to divert the subject but before you had the chance to speak, Seonghwa was prying. 

“Worthy of my time?” 

“From first impressions, you seem…difficult to entertain. Not to be impressed by the bare minimum, which if considering this town, there is a lot of.”

Seonghwa leaned forward, smiling without showing his teeth. His aura radiated a slimy smugness that irritated you but also ignited a fire within you. 

“I’d beg to differ. There are a select few I’ve come across. I wouldn’t be so certain in your statement.” 

Your mind was swarmed with questions, most of them centering around who he was entertaining and if you even spared a shot with him. 

“Have you found a lover yet then?”

With Seonghwa still hovering over the desk, he looked so much larger than usual. He commanded even more attention and you couldn’t bear to tear your eyes away from his as he stared you down. When he spoke, he raked his eyes over your form and was begging whatever deity was out there that you’d pick up on his hints. 

“I’ve found who I want to be mine, she just doesn’t know it yet. I’ve been leaving her clues, paltry I know, but I beg that she pick up my scent soon.” 

“Like a secret admirer?”

“You can call it that, yes. What I feel for her though is more than what a secret admirer could possess.” 

You felt your heart drop, not even letting the delusion have time to manifest to let you think that this “she” was you. You nodded your head and looked toward your notebook again scanning over your questions to see where you wanted to take the interview next. As you went to look up at Seonghwa again, you noticed that unabated gloss cast over his eyes again. The other thing you noticed was that his eyes seemed to change color. It was hard to tell for sure in the dim lighting of the study, but you swore you were seeing flecks of red in his irises. 

As you inhaled to speak, you felt your body freeze and an indistinguishable tingle ran rampant through your limbs. Panic registered across your pupils as you tried to move but soon recognized that you were glued to the chair. Your limbs were attached to the wood of the desk as if your skin were made to melt into the surface. Suddenly as you looked at Seonghwa, you realized that you recognized this feeling, the energy that was emanating across from you. It was all too familiar.

It wasn’t sleep paralysis. It was him.

“Ahh, yes it was, my dove. I’m disheartened that it took you this long. Thought the journal would’ve been clue enough.” 

Feeling that static in your fingers trail up your arm and down through your body, you felt control over yourself again. You pressed your back flesh against the chair, a feeble attempt at creating space between you two. Your vision was unfocused for a moment and in the blur created, you understood that the man across you was the figure in the corner of your room last night. Your breath quickened with fear, but something else mixed in with your emotions that you couldn’t quite place yet. 

“Y-you we’re in my room last night?… Why?” 

Seonghwa stood up slowly, his hands planted firmly on the desk. His frame which was at first sleek and inviting was now imposing and ravening. His eyes were boring into you making you feel so minuscule under his gaze. His tone was low, almost near a whisper, but his next words sent a chill down your spine. 

“Because I can’t bear to leave you alone.”

Your eyes blew wide in panic, fear present in your features. You wondered how you could find a way out of this, a way to remedy the situation but you felt completely and utterly trapped. You looked behind you to the door of the study and defeat enveloped you as you came to the conclusion that any attempt you made to escape would prove to be fruitless. As you returned your gaze to Seonghwa, he was shaking his head, a grin cast on his face. 

“How could you even think about leaving so early when we haven’t finished the interview yet, y/n? I’ve looked forward to this all day, I’d hate for it to end so soon.” 

Seonghwa furrowed his features into a pout, persuading you to swallow your fear and sit forward. Maybe, if you indulged in him he’d let you leave. As Seonghwa sat back in his seat, a new wave of questions ran through your brain. Whether or not you’d include this in the posted interview, you needed closure for yourself. Asserting yourself in your spot, you sat taller, your gaze piercing his as he did to you moments before. Your voice carried a dominance that hadn’t been present all evening. 

“How long have you been following me?” 

“Fiesty are we?”

“Hwa, how long have you been on my tail?”

“My dove, I’m disappointed. How could you not realize all those rotten feelings you felt when you stepped out of your car were because of me?” 

His face was sickening, he was enjoying this. The smile that painted his face was sardonic and it made acrimony bubble within you. All those weeks where you felt like you were going brainsick were because of him. 

I can’t believe him right now

“Better start believing y/n. At least you have the comfort of knowing you’re not demented.” 

“Stop doing that!” 

It was freaking you out that nearly every thought you had about him he had a response to. He was inside your head and you couldn’t place how he was doing it. 

“Doing what, darling?” 

“That! Being in my head! How are you doing that?!” 

Your fear was making you hostile and agitated. You felt completely out of control and you hated every second of it. You were in a stranger’s house, agreeing to come based on the hopes that you’d get something out of this and now you were shackled in this room with a stalker. You stared down at your notebook trying to fit the pieces of all of this together. The thought finally dawned on you that he knew where you lived, and it was no mere coincidence that the journal you found at your front door perfectly matched the pen he gave you. Your eyes landed on a bookshelf behind you and you noticed a horrifying similarity between what was sitting on the shelves and what was resting underneath your hands.

“Ask me.” 

Your head whipped to Seonghwa’s voice, not daring to disrespect him for you were fearful of the consequences. 

“Ask you what?” 

“Ask me how I know your thoughts.”

You inhaled a deep breath, trying to prepare yourself for the answer you were about to be given. Sighing you looked straight into his eyes, and that’s when you noticed the color of them changed. A deep carmine colored his irises now. Your eyes squinted, trying to understand his motive now. 

“How do you know what I’m thinking.” 

He inhaled a breath, mocking you. He smiled at you, something sickeningly sweet about it. 

“Vampirism. Vampirism is how I know. Vampirism is also how I’ve been able to stalk you without the thought of me ever crossing your mind. It’s the reason why I was in your bedroom, why I could never leave your thoughts, why you were entranced by me. By design, you were meant to be allured by me and you were. Which is why you’re sitting across from me.” 

You were stunned. You always entertained the idea of supernatural creatures, but never did you think that were actually real. Never in your lifetime did you think that you’d be face to face with a vampire and with that knowledge you were now more fearful of your situation. Your next words flew from your mouth without any chance to filter. 

“What do you feed on?” 

Seonghwa leaned forward and smiled, the tip of one of his fangs peeking out onto his bottom lip. 

“Whatever I can get my hands on. I have to say though, the more fear that exudes from my dinner makes the taste that much more delectable. And you, my sweet y/n, are absolutely intoxicating right now. Almost as sweet as last night. Gods, it took everything in me not to devour you then.” 

You held your composure, but something stirred in your lower stomach. Radiating heat between your thighs. 

Arousal. 

You were feeling aroused by his words, and you were ashamed by it. Here you were, at the mercy of a stranger and yet, you were aroused by the transparency of his truths. You tried to push the feeling to the back of your mind, but something was bringing your innermost fantasies about Seonghwa forward. His eyes were indulging in you in sheer gluttony, looking at you like prey and you couldn’t help but think that he was holding back on what his inner monologue consisted of. 

“What are you thinking about right now?” 

You leaned forward, asserting yourself now that a lustful wave crashed over your body. 

“So that’s what gets you off? Carnal urges, is it?” 

“That’s not what I asked.” 

“While true, it is what I heard prior to you speaking.” 

Rolling your tongue across your teeth, you were through with the antics. 

“What’s on your mind now, Hwa?” 

He smiled flashing his teeth, his fangs on full display. 

“Truthfully, I’m running through all the ways I want to consume you. To make you mine. And it’s becoming quite painful to ignore.” 

You wanted to call his bluff, to catch him off guard even with the disadvantage of him invading the privacy of your mind. You stood up from the chair, the legs creating a painful scratching sound across the wood. You walked around the edge of the desk and positioned yourself in front of him, gently laying your hand on the table in front of his, your fingertips barely touching. Leaning down, you stared into his piercing garnet eyes damning yourself to cosset in the feelings that were licentious in nature. Wetting your bottom lip with the tip of your tongue, you felt your eyes blow in temptation and you knew he was aware of every second of it. 

“Then do something about it. Live up to this lavish vampiric character you’ve laid out for me.”

With the passing of a second, the roles of power drastically shifted. His body moved with a swiftness that you hadn’t experienced and before you had a chance to register what happened, you were caged underneath his frame with your hips nailed against the side of the desk. His slender hand snaked its way to your neck, wrapping his deft fingers around your face and forcing you to look at him. 

“Careful, pet. I don’t think you understand the gravity of your words.” 

Eyes darkening with lust, you smirked at him feeling a sense of power as you watched him lose control in front of you. Moving your body to sit on top of the desk, you rolled your neck, exposing your most vulnerable space of skin to him.

“You reek of luxuria, have you any shame?” 

“Not any more than you.” 

Wrapping your legs around his waist, you trailed your hand up to the nape of his neck, goosebumps forming in its wake. You curled your fingers into the hair resting on his neck feeling fulfilled as you watched his body shiver in unabashed desire for you. His chest heaved heavy breaths as his lust for you was becoming harder to control. Seonghwa let his head fall into the conjunction of where your neck and shoulder met, his breath creating an intense humidity that only aided your arousal. 

Pulling at his hair, you positioned him to look at you head-on. His eyes were blown wide, the red of his irises nearly covered up by the black of his pupils. His breathing was still heavy and you could feel a small bulge prodding at your inner thigh. Rolling your hips into his, you watched his eyes roll to the back of his head, only the white of his sclera showing. As he breathed out, a small whimper was swallowed in his throat. Pulling at his hair, he opened his eyes to look at you. 

“Devour me, Seonghwa.” 

Any suppression of his feelings turned into a zealous carnal display of affection. His lips were on yours in a second, hot and impassioned. His hands roamed over the exposed flesh of your thighs, indenting the skin with his fingers each time he squeezed. Your head was squirming with floating ideas and wrestling with the plain fact that you were getting exactly what you wanted. 

As Seonghwa swiped your bottom lip, silently asking for permission, you parted your mouth just enough to grant your tongues the freedom to fight for dominance. With one roll of your tongue into his mouth, the side of your tongue was swiped by the point of his fang. It sent a chill down your spine but excited you even further. Feeling bold, you closed the space of your lips and bit down on his bottom lip, pulling away from him as you watched him with hooded eyes. 

Letting your hands snake down his torso, you hooked your fingers into his belt loops pulling him closer to your clothed center. Gently rolling your hips, you were thankful that you wore a skirt as your aching cunt ghosted over his jean covered cock. Looking up at him, your eyes were blown and you could feel the sexual adrenaline raging through your body. 

“I want you, Seonghwa. I want you to make me yours.” 

Seonghwa looked down at you, a knowing smirk painting his mouth as he gingerly put his finger under your chin. 

“Aww, how sweet. But darling, you were mine the moment I laid my eyes upon you, don’t you get that? I just needed that sweet invitation to fall from your pretty lips.” 

In the blink of an eye, Seonghwa’s hands found their way underneath the fabric of your shirt. His hands were like ice, but the contrasting temperature soothed the raging heat dancing across your skin. There was an uncontrollable need and you felt like you couldn’t get close enough to him. Your body kept rolling into his and you couldn’t quell the small moan that escaped your throat. 

“Excited, hmm?” 

Your eyes were pleading, needing to feel something other than his hands roaming your body. 

“Do something, please. I’m begging you.” 

Seonghwa brought his face to the side of yours so that his lips grazed the shell of your ear. He was breathing slowly, almost methodically and it made your heartbeat race. When he spoke, your eyebrows furrowed at his lower tone.

“Just something?”

You mewled at him, tired of the teasing, but what he did next was not what you expected. One of his fangs made contact with the sensitive skin of your neck and you moaned out as the tip of it impaled your skin. Seonghwa pulled away, his tongue swiping at the tiny drop of crimson staining his tooth. His eyes darkened as he smirked at you and indulged in your metallic taste. You felt him roll his hips into yours, his cock growing harder as he imagined how it would feel to feed off of your naked body. 

Growing impatient from the wanton ache that settled in your cunt, you pushed Seonghwa away from you and your body off of the desk. Making yourself as big as possible, you guided his body backward until his knees met the lip of the couch in the study. As his form gracefully plopped into the cushions, you tore your top off throwing it on the floor behind you. You straddled Seonghwa’s thighs, grinding your hips down into him as you made contact with his lap. You cupped his face as you let your body control your actions rather than your mind. Pulling him close, your lips danced a dangerous waltz of spit and tongue as he began to feel dizzy from the intensity.

Seonghwa was enjoying this obscene side of you, his nimble fingers gripping at your skin any chance he got. Pulling away from his lips, his mouth chased yours not ready for the kiss to end so soon. Placing your hands on his chest, you allowed yourself the time to admire his form. His perfectly sculpted body that was encased so delicately by the mesh he wore. You sucked your bottom lip behind your teeth as you gripped the fabric into your fist grinding down into his erection. 

His hips rolled up into yours and his breathing quickened as he devoured you with his eyes. 

“Enjoying yourself?” 

“More than you know.” You panted out

Seonghwa patted your thigh and nodded his chin behind you. 

“Up.”

You pushed yourself off of him, suddenly hyper-aware of your insecurities. They didn’t have long to manifest as his voice pulled you from your thoughts. He grabbed your hand leading you out of the study, down the hallway, and guided you into his bedroom. 

“Never. Think such dreadful things about yourself, my dove.”

Seonghwa gently placed you down on the edge of his opulent bed, his bedroom far too extravagant for you to fully appreciate right now. Nodding his head behind you, you understood his cue to scoot back and your eyes never left him as he crawled over your body. 

“It’s simply just, if I’m going to ravage you in the ways I’ve dreamt so vividly, it wasn’t going to happen on that vapid couch.” 

He placed gentle kisses on your jawline, nipping slightly at the skin near your earlobe. Seonghwa then dragged his nose down the valley of your breasts and stopped at the hemline of your skirt. The heat and your arousal turn near suffocating under the constraints of your panties. 

“You deserve to be tasted, worshipped. To be given a night of passion. And I, my sweet y/n, am going to give you all of that and more.” 

His voice turned more gruff the more his sentence trailed on. What you failed to realize was that due to the angle he was at, your arousal was like his personal parfum and it was dreadfully intoxicating. He acted with no haste as he dragged your skirt down your legs, taking your underwear with it. You felt embarrassment quickly wash over your body as you felt the stick of your arousal stretch between your needy lips and the ruined cotton. 

Now fully exposed to him, you had nowhere to hide and it excited you. He pressed his nose against your clit, the action sending a savage bolt of lust through your body. Your body shivered as he took a deep inhale of your scent, his tongue following soon behind with a flattened lick across your folds. The moan that left you was covetous and echoed off the walls of his bedroom. 

Seonghwa lapped at your folds like a ravenous dog and your sounds only egged him on. Your hips were riding his face, unable to get enough of him. When your hand found refuge in his inky locks, he moaned into your pussy, the vibrations bringing you to the precipice of your orgasm. With one hand gripping at his hair and the other fisting the sheets, you were moaning like a rapacious whore. 

“Hwa, fuck! Hwa I’m gonna cum!” 

Seonghwa gripped his hands tighter around your hips, shoving your cunt as close as possible to his mouth. Seonghwa focused on your clit, fluttering his tongue against your sensitive bud before sucking your orgasm right out of you. 

“Fuckfuckfuck!” 

Seonghwa didn’t give you a chance to ride out your first orgasm, instead, he continued sucking on your tender rosebud and let the aftershock of your second climax wash over you. Your body shook in intervals of vibrating lust. Chillis littering your body as you relished in the feeling he just bestowed upon you. Lifting himself from between your legs, he hovered over you with a satisfied smirk plastered on his lips. Soon his lips were on yours again and the tangy taste of yourself swept across your tastebuds. Pulling away from you, he began unbuttoning his shirt. 

“You taste even better than what I dreamt of.” 

You couldn’t quite wrap your head around the fact that he wanted you just as bad and your mouth moved quicker than your mind. 

“Y-you’ve dreamt of me?” 

An airy chuckle left his throat. 

“Darling, if you question my likening for you one more time tonight, I’m going to have to chain you to my bed and fuck any trace of doubt out of you.” 

Your hole squeezed around nothing and courage found itself in you again. Flipping your bodies over, you sat on top of his lap, your arousal spreading all over the top of his jeans. Undoing his belt, the sexual tension was fervid and it was as if you couldn’t move your hands fast enough. His cock was straining against the layers of fabric and you needed it straining against your walls. 

Pulling his jeans down his legs with his underwear, you knelt down, prepared to offer up all your oral skills known to man. Before you could ghost your lips over his tip, Seonghwa’s hand found your chin and titled you to look up at him. 

“There will be plenty of times for you to taste me, tonight though is about our collective ecstasy. To lose ourselves in one another.” 

His hand pulled you closer to him and you straddled your legs over his. His leaky and libertine cock teasing your entrance as you hovered over him. His hair lay disheveled across his face all thanks to your hands and he somehow looked even more desirable than before. With puffy lips and heavy eyes, you needed him in every way imaginable. 

Lowering yourself down onto his cock, you weren’t prepared for how big he’d feel as you took him in inch by inch. He thickened as you reached his base and made you feel so full. As you bottomed out on him, both of you moaned in harmonious synchrony that made you wish you could have it on repeat. 

“Hwa~! You’re so—so big.” 

Your eyes rolled to the back of your head as you squeezed his length inside of your velvety walls. You placed your hands on his shoulders needing something to ground yourself on. Seonghwa’s hands purchased themselves on your hips awaiting your movements. 

“Call me that again.” 

You rolled your hips, your walls fluttering as you looked down at him. 

“Hwa~” 

You let your forehead rest against his as your body began to ride his perfect cock. Your moans creating the quintessential licentious atmosphere. 

“Hwa, baby…you feel so good.” 

Your mind was racing, not really paying attention to the words that left your mouth. But you wished you did. 

In seconds, the use of the pet name rendered you at his mercy. Only for a moment did his cock leave your seraphic cunt as your bodies were flipped once again. Seonghwa entered you with such a force that you could only describe as concupiscent and raw. Your nails immediately dug themselves into his back and the sounds that left him were more obscene. 

“Oh, God!”

“God is nowhere in this room, nor will he ever be, Pet.”

His moans were tantalizing, hypnotizing you even more so under his spell. His thrusts were deep and calculated, abusing your G-spot with every hit. If God wasn’t in this room, all that Seonghwa was making you feel definitely felt like it. You’d never felt euphoria like this before, it was sinful in every sense of the word and made it feel like there truly was a reason for Him to have died for our sins. Feeling a pool of heat begin to settle near the bottom of your stomach, you wrapped your legs around his waist caging him to you. 

“Y/nnn, I can’t hold myself back much longer.” 

As your walls fluttered around him one more time you shook your head, your voice coming out with more air than you anticipated. 

“Me n-neither.” 

You kissed him again, impassioned and frenzied. Panting against his lips, your nails found solace in his back again. His breath was creating humidity in your neck and you enjoyed every second of it. Looking into his eyes, there was more swimming in them than just lust. 

“I want all of you. I want to feel every part of you Hwa. I need you. I need you so bad, H~wa!” 

Your eyes rolled to the back of your head and your nails dug deep crescents into his skin. As you begged him for all he had to give he did just that as his mouth snuck its way to your neck and his fangs sunk into your skin. 

The feeling of the puncture was just what you needed to peer over the horizon of your orgasm and crash into the sea of its entirety. Seonghwa was still pumping his hard cock into you and then you felt a familiar warmth flood your walls. Your body squirmed underneath him and slowly your vision began to blur. Before you had the chance to completely lose consciousness, you watched Seonghwa slice his tooth into his wrist and felt the crimson drain over your lips as he pressed his wrist to your mouth. 

“Drink, my sweet dove.” 

His voice was so sweet. Like a siren’s as you drifted into a slumber that was filled with nothing but pleasure. 

~*~

When you awoke, you were still lay in his massive bed, but your body was covered in a black silk nightgown and you smelled faintly of sandalwood and frankincense. You turned your head to the left and then to the right only to find that the bed was empty. 

Where did he go? 

You pushed yourself up to sit in the bed only to be met with the worst headache in your life. It felt like your entire body was pounding in pain and the drumming of it only kept getting louder. Wincing, you heard the handle click open on the bedroom door, revealing Seonghwa with an assortment of food, water, and a glass of red liquid. Wine maybe? 

“I could hear you worrying from across the house. Trust, I’ll never be far from you. Now—I know you’re probably in a decent amount of pain right now, but it’ll soon fade in the next few days. Your body can still take normal food just not in large quantities. Here.” 

His voice trailed off as he tore a piece of the croissant laying on one of the few small plates on the tray. Holding it up, he raised his eyebrows encouraging you to open your mouth. Obliging, you gently took the piece of bread from him, chewing slowly as you tried to make sense of your reality. 

“Did you…did you turn me?” 

“Yes.” 

You nodded. 

“So that means, I’ll be like this forever? Like you?…With you?” 

You saw something like fear flash in his eyes for a moment. Or maybe it was regret?

“Yes. And if you’d like to spend your days with me then it does seem that way my sweet dove. If you feel otherwise I will not hold you back. Although, I will admit I will have a hard time staying away from you.” 

He smiled, almost jokingly in a way that softened your heart. 

This must be who he is behind that mask

“Forever with you doesn’t sound so bad.” 

You blinked up at him, a smile spreading across your own face. 

“I was hoping you’d say something like that.”

taglist: @blackswann-53098 @tunaasan @bellamuerte1987 @seonghwasstar

[voidcat]

– the moon will sing

characters: astarion, human bard mc (gn pronouns used)

notes & genre: slight angst, implied future mcd & hinted immortal/mortal relationship. the mc is originally my dnd character but there is no specific description of name, appearance or past (save for the family crest, implied nobility) so you can pretend this is x tav or x reader. lowkey inspired by a the crane wives song.

it takes a moment to look back, like a step taken a tad too late; not enough to create a great distance but one enough to make one stumble on the ground.

in the small yet grand distance, astarion watches as cheers and joy fill the air once more, mimicking those nights before, in taverns, under the stars, all spent celebrating, rejoicing with glory and gratitude; all heroic feats and gestures he does not care to– nor wish to understand.

another adventure comes to an end, one step closer to the end, the destination, the next step of the rest of their lives until they find themselves at a crossroads.

one part of astarion cannot wait for that day to come, the one that wishes to escape, to avoid the burning rays of sunlight that only intensify each passing minute, each day he finds himself stuck deeper than he already has, struggling more and more to break those ties which are yet to be formed and binding completely.

better to rip the sticky, bloody bandages off than to take it easy– just suck up the pain that comes with a loss of recent constants in his life, and grow into his newly lonely routine of not depending on anyone.

all good logic, all bright ideas, astarion finds himself giving the little-him in his mind a pat on the back; only for the idea to come to halt, the unspoken words stuck in his throat as you turn in your spot, meters, meters away from him, spot his distant figure with those eyes and send a warm smile his way.

maybe this is another plan that has already failed before he could realize, astarion begins to wonder, oh he is so, so fucked– especially when all it takes now is a smile, a genuine one that reaches your eyes and shines warm like the sun, for him to be rendered speechless and immobile.

your smile falters for a second when you don't receive the usual astarion treatment, be it a wink, a charming smile or an all-knowing smirk decorating his smug face with a raised eyebrow that seems to say "cannot keep your eyes off me, can you now darling?"

one step taken a tad too late but astarion is never one to stumble over his feet, so with a roll of eyes and smirk returning to his lips, he tilts his head to the side in a questioning manner– to which, you reply by raising the bottle you've been holding, as if to say "hey, this time the wine is not that bad actually."

seeing him nod, and with too many people surrounding and asking for your attention, you find yourself having to divert your eyes away from him, as the people seem to chant for something from you, most likely another round of recounting your latest heroic victory, astarion thinks.

soon the sound of strings vibrating fills the air with faint first few notes of music.

of course, a celebration is not complete until there is music, no matter what time of the day it is or how tired everyone is. drunkards, raspy voices and dry throats all join together, offering back vocals to the lucky bard of the night– or the day; with how busy the hours have been passing, astarion realizes he is at a loss of time.

another glance stolen at you, and the light surrounding you like a halo certainly does not help his case.

golden, like the branches of your family crest, it is no wonder the moon shines bright above everyone, reflecting off the light you provide; brightening the world for all to see, to walk, breathe, make it all easier to live.

he spots shadowheart by some trees, enjoying her drink alone, gale and wyll speaking with people, probably giving them some answers they so desperately needed. his eyes roam the grounds and find each member of their little group, all too endorsed in whatever it is they are doing; yet one thing in common– a sense of relief, rejoice, change; the traces of especially the latter is out in the open for careful eyes, or just eyes who have seen and known them long enough.

he wonders for a moment if the same can be said for him, but he knows better, that it has already happened.

the sound of music gets louder and soon suppresses the irregular chatter spread around.

the tune sounding too familiar, astarion makes the mistake of looking at the source and being blinded as a result.

because, of course it would be you with your adorable little lute, clapped on the back by everyone 'just one song, then, o'mighty bard, please!' and never one to miss such moments, you would go up in your imaginary stage and pick the one song you were sure to draw his attention, as if you don't do that enough with your presence already.

your eyes already locked on him, you do your little trick where you pretend your attention is divided equally, as if your eyes are roaming the crowd, committing every face you see to your memory when your sole focus is on him, as he is drawn to you.

astarion knows, it is utterly foolish and even a little dangerous of him to think like this, but he fears what is to come by the end of your noble and enthralling series of journeys, when your effect on him has been this grand already.

not a fun thought to entertain, certainly not at a joyous time such as this one, were it not for your current occupation, he is positive you'd have walked all the way back to him to give him a good smack on the arm, or maybe a fisk on his forehead, or a knock on his skull along with a scolding to inform he got quite the thick skull if he is sulking like this at a time like that.

is it the fear of what has become of him, or what is to come when too much time passes, he is uncertain. but it must be another way of gods' mocking him, and cursing you perhaps– of all those faces and races, why did it have to be a human, that selfish part of him hisses. all those elves in the bloodline and you just had to be fully human, didn't you? giving him a taste of heaven, only for it to be cut short.

it was supposed to be moths with short lifespans, the cycle of the moon; not the sun, with all its grace and sanctity.

[terrence-silver]

Old man Terry using the Internet Age to find his beloved? 💻 🌐 ⌨️

---

I think Terry Silver relishes the perks new technology and the Internet Age as we know it today brought about --- something that simply didn't exist when he was young(er), along with all the opportunities it placed before him, taking to it like a fish takes to water because I feel he enjoys expensive and intricate toys no matter the decade and he always has the most expensive, modern new thing; I think he loves how it entirely changed the rules of 'the hunt' too. How it gave him a whole extra realm to dominate over.

Which he does. Most expertly.

Well, of course, I mean, there's no denying that in typical old man fashion he might reminisce that 'back in his days' if you wanted to stalk someone, peep on them, be a voyeur, trespass, discover information about them, you'd have to be hands on, do it personally, go out there and physically watch them through their window. Dig through drawers. Listen through walls and doors. Take photos manually. Eavesdrop on conversations. Personally wiretap apartments. Climb over roofs and lower yourself on someone's balcony to enter their bedroom in a style that might put a Ninja to shame. Literally put yourself out there and indulge in the thrill of the chase. The adrenaline of being caught. It took some actual skill. Some balls. Tenacity. Daring. Not schlub could do it. If you wanted something or someone that badly, you had to go out and get them. The Internet? Well, it ensures that almost everything --- every bit of intel you could ever imagine about a person is right there, in your pocket, on a phone that could fit into the palm of your hand. On a laptop that can fit on your desk. And what's best? People put all this information out there all by themselves and often, it's a competition to see who can put more out there giving a seasoned voyeur a lifetime's worth of material to freely browse through. Every day. Every hour. Every second. Worldwide. What's perversely funny to Terry, no doubt, is that they're helpless to prevent who does the watching on the other end of the screen. Who saves what bit of info. With what intentions. What he does with it later, to what end. Giving someone like him, oh, only a million ways to exploit or blackmail someone if he so chooses, feeding the ultimate need for control and having the upper hand in him. Oh, look, he found an uncomfortable post someone made a decade ago that sounds a bit prejudiced and problematic; would be awful if that got into the public, now would it? It doesn't have to be like that, provided you do what he says. This being only an example, of course. How Terry would make a game out of having someone vulnerable and in the palm of his hand. Entirely at his mercy.

Some odd thirty years ago?

That would've been unimaginable and I feel Terry relishes that. Perhaps missing 'the good old days' just a little bit. No denying that the man undoubtedly likes climbing in through someone's window. Hiding in chimneys. Coming and going undetected. Breaking and entering through his own ability. Maybe it's the Spec Ops soldier in him; the ability to show off some skill to nobody in particular to his own self and his ego in the knowledge not everyone can do what he just did.

So, if his beloved is someone who caught his eye online?

The delight of it is shockingly short-lived in him because I imagine it would quickly hit him that whatever he can see --- every punk out there can see as well. Every image. Every update. Every thought. Every bit of information that can be exploited. Every video. Every like, dislike. Everything. There's no intimacy. The man watching through a hole; the clueless ingenue on the other side, not realizing they're observed and no third person 'spoiling' the moment. Rendering his control anything but absolute. Threatening his sense of authority. Suddenly, he's contending with a billion equally faceless strangers out there (potentially leering over beloved?) and he doesn't like that. Oh, he doesn't like that one bit. Beloved doesn't just exclusively live and exist in his phone, tucked away into his pocket like something that belongs to them and him alone. They don't exist solely in front of a camera connected to his laptop. They're aren't just his in this moment in time. They also, potentially live...in everyone else's pocket as well. In everyone else's computer too. The thought would be...visceral? Like, if he took pleasure in spying on every update and upload, every private insight into beloved's life, utilizing hack tricks to go even further, track their IP address, be privy into the search history, transactions, there's the overwhelming notion that Terry would get so possessive and territorial that there's people on the Internet who can do the exact same thing, and the exact same time he's doing it, that he'd undoubtedly use his powers and connections to ensure beloved's just scrubbed clean off of the Internet. Like, their online life? Their profiles? Accounts? Log ins? Passwords? They cease existing overnight. Years and years worth of memories --- poof --- just gone in less than a heartbeat. These things...they were for his eyes only. Nobody else's. Beloved just wakes up one morning finding everything...gone. Is it some kind of domain bug? Sites being down? Should they turn their laptop on and off? Should they visit a repairman? Who can give them any sort of concrete answers!? What the heck's going on?

Oh, yeah, right. Someone just deleted everything.

Unbeknownst to beloved...someone saved everything they lost without recovery too.

That someone being Terry Silver.

Because everything beloved is, everything they ever shared with the World?

It's all his now; the way it should be too.

Not too far fetched for someone with a tenacity for identity theft to then graduate to data theft.

Their address, where they live, where they work, what they ate for lunch last Saturday, years worth of selfies, pictures of their pet along with every minutiae intricacy that could be interesting to nobody else but a possessive secret admirer; these are all bigger and smaller pieces of information forming the intricate mosaic that is beloved's existence are all things Terry Silver now has exclusively, having ultimate, unlimited and uninhibited access to them forever --- and sometimes? Sometimes, the best ways are the good old ways --- just like the best liquor? You guessed it! The best Cognac? The best Whisky? It's old Whisky. It's old Cognac! He'll proceed stalking by using the anachronistic method. The way he has done it decades before the Internet ever even became a thing, because ironically, that very same Internet provided him the necessary tools to find beloved in the flesh as quick as he did. Live. In real life, as the kids call it nowadays. He won't be content with just online voyeurism for long, even though it was a very entertaining and titillating toy, he must admit, and it was grand while it lasted. But, a man of true determination? A man of true determination and actual discipline who intends to win anything in life must go out there and take what is his personally, no matter the decade. That's one thing that never changes and that someone born around the time Terry was born would undoubtedly think shouldn't change because it's what separates a wimp from an individual with some backbone. So, while poor beloved, wherever they might be in the world, might be here breaking their head to figure out what happened to literally every account and profile they ever had since they were a teenager effectively ---- and most importantly, how they can recover everything lost and fix the damage, they don't even realize, that from somewhere far, far away, someone's coming to get them. Claim them as their own. Intending to share them with nobody ever again. Someone they don't even realize is responsible for all of this mess in the first place. Someone they never even met before. Someone who hasn't really met them either, but who, nonetheless, knows more about them than anyone else.

Someone who's been watching them all along.

Someone who, actually, come to think of it, likes to 'hunt' the old fashioned way more.

[all-pacas]

i've randomly been watching some doctor who these past few days and i'm not here to be like a Hater TM but holy shit does the beast below have terrible worldbuilding. like this is actively driving me insane

so all of the UK is a spaceship now. cool. no problems so far. the central conceit of the episode is that instead of a real spaceship with engines and things, the spaceship is a big building built around? on top of? a 'space whale,' which is being enslaved and tortured. the end of the plot has amy freeing the whale from enslavement, but it's really nice and doesn't destroy the UK, just keeps flying them around. this is silly, but ok. like this isn't what's driving me insane. THIS IS:

we're told it's a dystopia. there are robot dummies everywhere surveying everyone. children are killed (?) (fed to the whale) for failing classes, but only if they take elevators? like if they walk home after school they're fine - to the point that one child reminds another - but if they take the elevator they die. actually, all prisoners are fed to the whale.

however, nothing … comes of this. we don't know what the rules are of this society, how people feel about it, anything. the central mystery of the episode is what is flying the ship, not what the hell is wrong with this country. the doctor just kind of takes it for granted this is a corrupt and terrible society and everyone pretends otherwise. IN ITSELF, this is still ok. BUT:

there's a whole side thing about how spaceship UK is still pretending to be a democracy; at any time people can vote to "protest" and if 10% of the population chooses this option……we don't know. it's literally never said, just by implication, they set the whale free and everyone dies. i get that this is supposed to be a metaphor about complacency, but also: we're TOLD this is a terrible society where people are routinely imprisoned and fed to a whale. is "lol it's their own fault for being complacent" the message?

IT GETS WORSE! the doctor then meets the queen. the show gets DEEPLY pro monarchy. she's a Hero! she's Fighting to Uncover the Truth! she doesn't know about the whale either, but she's still in charge of … this police state? this thing that is called a police state? even if she doesn't know about the whale, she knows kids get executed for failing tests!! yet she's presented as really cool and kickass. she has a cape! everyone loves her! why?? she meets a random child who has been critical of the rules and just lost her friend to the whale, and… the child is pleased to see her. the super cool leader of a police state OKAY.

the doctor and amy meet the people in charge of torturing and enslaving the whale. the doctor is forced into a moral choice: he doesn't want to free the whale and kill the entire UK, but he also doesn't want the whale to keep being tortured. he chooses to render it brain dead instead. he, and the episode, make clear this is a terrible option and that there isn't a great one. this is okay. what isn't okay: the guys torturing the whale are chummy. they're polite. they like the queen, they shrug the child murder off as "surprise! the whale doesn't actually eat the children!" (it eats the adults tho!). at no point is "btw, this is a police state with tons of murder and surveillance" addressed. the doctor does not express distaste for any of these institutions. no one turns to the Cool Queen and goes "yeah, but you're okay with the murdering of prisoners and police state stuff."

amy realizes the whale is actually super nice and WANTS to pilot the UK around (and eat people sometimes… look i get it, it's a carnivore, that's fine, just raises questions for the future). she turns off the torture devices and the whale starts flying around even faster and happier, no one dies!

the doctor and amy leave, the police state still entirely intact, the Cool Queen later showing up in another episode to be cool and fun. theoretically she abdicates at the end of this episode but no, doesn't happen. (which… is fine, this isn't a cinema sins episode, keep the throne who cares, but nice to see that literally nothing changed in this society). it's still a police state that surveys and kills people and children who fail tests! they just don't have to torture a whale to do it!

this is a heartwarming and touching happy ending, amy and the doctor hug over successfully saving a whale as children continue to get murdered for being bad at math

(okay yes the whale doesn't eat them, they don't actually die. but they're shown just hanging out?? so they don't go home either?? and everyone THINKS they're dead soooooo uhhhhhh)

i kind of hate this episode i think

also MINOR QUIBBLE a bit thing in the episode is that the spaceship doesn't have engines running and there are no vibrations or machine sounds. but it's a spaceship the size of a country? they must have like. air engines? also you don't need to constantly run engines in space ANYWAY? you just kind of keep going? you only need short bursts to change direction or something, there wouldn't be constant engine rumbles ANYWAY. but this is something sci fi gets wrong constantly so whatever

[aprocessionofthoughts]

Bloody Sacrifice

ai-less whumptober2023 day 22- stress position fandom- dp x dc TW- blood summery- Danny is sacrificed in order to summon the Ghost King

ao3 masterlist

Batman and Nightwing were currently tied up and hanging from their wrists in a dusty old warehouse. Brue struggled to get out of the ropes but it was proving difficult.

They’d been investigating a cult, one of the many that popped up in Gotham, and hadn’t expected that one of the cultists actually knew some magic. 

The cult leader had chanted a spell that had rendered him and Nightwing imobile as the cultists strung them up. The spell had worn off by now, but because not only were their wrists tied with the rope secured to the ceiling, their ankles were also tied with another rope securing them to the floor. This left them stretched out and unable to escape.

The cultists had gathered around a stone table. 

“B,” Nightwing said, “there are shackles.”

“I know.” he yanked at the ropes again, but they still didn’t give.

Then the doors of the warehouse were opening and two cultists were dragging in a limp figure.

The vigilantes started struggling harder as the cutlists shackled the kid, because he was way too small to be anything but a kid, to the table. 

“Hey!” Nightwing called. “Wouldn’t whatever demons you’re trying to summon appreciate a vigilante as a sacrifice more than some random civilian?”

“Quiet!” the head cultist said, his voice ringing with power and Bruce felt his mouth involuntarily close.

The cultists gathered around the struggling teen, who now that Bruce looked closer seemed to have a flower necklace tossed around his neck.

They began changing and all the vigilantes could do was watch. One took out a knife. The boy stared with wide terrified eyes. He jerked in his bonds. 

As the chanting grew in volume a cultist reached forward and removed the flower chain necklace laying it on the ground.

The leader raised the knife. Bruce fought to cry out but no sound escaped.

The knife came down.

The kid let out a short scream that ended in a gurgle as blood bubbled up out of the kids mouth. Then the kid slumped and didn't move again.

Bruce slumped. He had been too late. The kid was dead.

Bruce was brought out of his thoughts by the cultists muttering amongst themselves. They seemed agitated. They went off to the side to continue talking. From the little bit Bruce could hear, it sounded like the ritual hadn’t worked.

Bruce was glad, but there was still a dead kid, and Bruce wanted nothing more than to send these cultists to the hospital.

“B.” Dick whispered and Bruce realized the magic keeping them silent had faded. 

He looked over at Dick who motioned with his head to the table.

Bruce looked over. 

The kid’s eyes were open and he was reaching for the knife buried in his chest. Bruce stared, wide eyed, as the kid pulled the knife out before sitting up. Then the kid looked over and froze as he caught sight of them. He brought a finger to his lips and then disappeared.

Then wind began to blow through the room and a ghostly vice echoed, “Who dares to wake me?”

The cultists scrambled. “We– We do my lord.”

“You have greatly displeased me. I do not like human sacrifices. I only accept the sacrifice of chocolate and gummy worms.”

The cultists didn’t have time to react as the wind picked up slamming them against each other several times before dropping them to the ground where they were then encased in ice.

Before Bruce had the chance to say anything he was being lowered to the ground and untied along with Nightwing.

“You can show yourself.” Nightwing said.

“Nah, I’m good. I’ve got to go. They kind of interrupted my night.”

“Wait–”

“See ya.” and with a gust of wind the boy seemed to leave.

They were silent for a moment.

“New sibling?”

“Hnn.”

[faislittlewhiteraven]

Undertale/ISAT crossover thoughts

Don't really want to write one myself (already got enough fics I'm failing to write XD) but ever since I finished In Stars and Time I've been thinking how I'd write a crossover between these two amazing games and I figured I'd share my notes in case anyone needs a bit of help/motivation in writing their own~ =D

Warning: These will mostly be in 'order of thought' as it's all barebones stuff. Also contains FULL spoilers for both Undertale and In Stars and Time so er, if you're still looking to play those/still getting through them don't read this and please play this incredible games.

Mt Ebott is located on The Island and the shattering of the Barrier brings the ability to see color back to all those on the (ISAT) surface.

Humans losing the ability to see color in ISAT was due to them/the 'wish wizards' of The Island sacrificing it (along side their seven strongest 'colour casters') in a Wish Craft ritual, naturally leading to humanity losing most of their 'colour magic' knowledge.

Undertale's 'sepia flashbacks' were all Chara's memories of how the world looked to them, BUT once in the Underground they were able to see (and remember things on the Surface) in color (hence the whole 'golden flowers' bit; it was still mostly just a cover story but Chara genuinely wished that they could see their favorite flower field as the 'gold' they realized it was rather than the 'mid tones' they saw it as on the Surface).

...The 'erasure' of the Island I'm thinking might've been accidentally poor Chara and Asriel's fault: with Chara's 'ritual' killing of themselves via buttercup taking three days to happen, Chara being from the Island insisting Asriel always give them flowers in groups of three, seven and thirteen, and an entire Underground filled with tons and tons of 'trapped' wishes from monster kind for their freedom combining with Chara's self loathing/desire to hurt those who hurt them trapping them in a loop that Just. Wouldn't. End. until Chara eventually snapped and pulled a 'May these people, this Island, EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE WHO'D EVER HURT THE MONSTERS I LOVE including me BE ERASED UNTIL THE MONSTERS ARE FREE!' and um. Welp. There went an entire nation... (also Flowey eventually remembered some of this but only after going back to being Flowey post Asriel and probably it took a while for him to sort through all that).

Which er, means in this fic, that the people of The Island and the Island itself are still 100% there but they've all spent roughly 8 years or so all blitzed out of their minds: Need to think of Chara's exact wish wording so its not just 'corpses everywhere' but very good odds the people on the Island were either running on full automatic for years or able to remember some stuff but only if they very very carefully did not think of themselves as their own countrymen/used the languages of elsewhere/were careful not to think of where they were as any actual location within their country...

...Which naturally would effect the kids by far the most as their very language is basically a brown note (bilingual types could at least swap over to a different language but likely most of The Island was rendered silent) and well, pretty hard to remember Mt Ebbot is the mountain that must not be climbed when you can't think of the locations around you by name and the adults may or may not remember the kids exist half the time so... Yeah. Cue a lot of kids climbing up the mountain due to both lack of warnings and increased chances of feeling ignored/isolated/hurt.

Aka why in Undertale we can never hear/read anything Frisk says, why the monsters outside of Flowey/Asriel never refer to Chara by name and why no one remembers Frisk's name until after the Barrier shatters: Chara's 'Wish' couldn't be broken until then.

Not sure where all the anime and high tech that's washing into the Underground is coming from but either The Island used to be a massive tech hub prior to memory erasure, a LOT of tech was lost along with the loss of color or The Island's memory erasure in the ISAT world color magitech? maybe the wizards tried to seal away more than just monsters?, or IDK maybe the Underground barrier techincally had them displaced outside of Space and Time a bit and the garbage that was washing in was from literally everywhere thanks to the Universe wanting to help them or something (side note: realizing the memory erasure from Chara may have accidentally snipped Universe worship from the monsters as well since they clearly venerate the stars also but well. That longing for the stars DID cause them pain so..).

Imagining that Siffrin and party are in Bambouche meeting Bonnie's sister (or idk, having a vacation or reunion there if you wanna give Siff a bit more recovery/'explaining his issues to his family' time) when the Barrier is broken and all the colors come rushing back. Best first sunset ever (right before the entire Surface world kinda flips out over color, and to a lesser extent those familiar with The Island start remembering more and more details as the 'curse' weakens a little with every monster leaving Mt Ebbot) followed up by Siffren and the others absolutely losing their minds over how beautiful the stars are with just a tiny bit of color to them (the stars no longer being passively pushed out of people's awareness helps).

Anyway next day the party realize they have to investigate: Partly because Siff is well, kind of losing their mind over being able to see and remember home a little, but also because W.T.F and the Island is clearly the epicenter of everything going on. ...Also Siff may remember childhood stories about colors being locked away to serve as warning for if the Monsters returned so um. That's could be a thing.

Meanwhile the Monsters are getting a MUCH warmer reception from the local humans than they ever could've imagined (accidentally saving a nation from enforced amnesia kinda does that) and are also very confused as to why no one knows who they should get in contact with for formal alliance stuff (not sure if The Island has much of a government left at this point honestly...)

Would Flowey and the ghosty Chara acompanying Frisk count as Sadnesses???

... And er, that's all I got plot/setup wise. Most of my brain energy had been spent on imagining what soul colors all the ISAT cast have and also 'What Pokemon would they all be if they ended up in a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game?' so have a list with my reasoning on that front! =D

Siffrin: Blue/Integrity - Might seem like an odd choice given his constant lying/acting but like. Given all of the memory erasure and the torture of the loops Siffrin's absolute refusal to compromise his family's happiness/safety or use the loops for literally anything not 'helping family/ending the loops' based (even when he's basically losing his mind and could really use just... Taking a loop or three to goof off or something) just screams how devoted he is to what he believes in and well, the amount he lies syncs up well with how insane he's going so yeah. Siffren is an Integrity soul who's having a really really hard time being true to himself due to all the wobbie breaking he's gone through all his life. Specifically I like to picture his soul as a very dark, deep black/blue with little pinpricks of other colored light (mostly green, red and yellow), like a tiny heart shaped starry night's sky <3 (And er, bet that soul went very 'red/bleeding sky' as he was losing it in Act 5; Determination isn't his color by nature but they were not well at that point at all).

Isabeau: Cyan/Patience - Isa is super kind and all sorts of things but what really sets him apart is just how patient he is about everything (in ways both good and bad). I like to imagine his soul looking like a blue daytime sky, maybe with the odd white cloud and yellow 'sun' dot: partly because it fits him but also partly to cutely contrast Siffrin's. *cue me humming Like Morning Follows Night from the RWBY OST because I mean. It kinda fits honestly

Mirabelle: Orange/Bravery and/or Yellow/Justice - Again another 'you might not think so' but like. Mirabelle is hella gutsy despite her anxiety and I admire her so so much (also JUSTICE BARRIER REFLECT AGAINST THE KING YAAAAGH! XD) Not super attached to it as Isa and Siff's but the orange/yellow glow of a sunset (maybe with some pink/purple along the edges to show her Perseverance <3).

Odiel: Green/Kindness - She's hella awkward about how much she cares and not the greatest at reading situations/reacting gently but like. Her sheer affection towards the others, her always watching and coming out with the bandages and how she point blank tells Siff 'nope, not angry at you nearly blowing up the world. Also you trying to do that because you love us is cute' means I can't really see her any other way~ Not sure if her soul would be dark green (for more Integrity) or more light green (for more Justice) but all in all, very very green, like light/dark speckled leaves <3

Bonnie: Purple/Perseverance - This kid endures so much so well I swear (they're also really brave so a little orange would work well too but despite everything I don't think bravery is their main characteristic). I like to think of their soul as very 'purple evening clouds with bits of brave orange gold/setting sun on the edges'.

And Loop has a White boss monster soul for reasons; thinking that in this crossover that Monsters believe that they were born from the Universe's compassion (with The Islander's myths claiming they're the result of failed/'cursed' wishes like the 'brother who can understand my suffering Wish Craft' fairytale Siff finds in the Orary room) and both Monsters and the Islanders believing Sadnesses are born from forcing a wish of cruelty/sorrow that goes against the will of the Universe (cue Chara and Flowey who probably were Sadnesses in this until the breaking of the Barrier grumbling that yeah that sounds about right and The King from ISAT proving to even more aaagh than he already was).

And yeah. I'm out of babble thoughts now so hope that this was interesting for you all and please feel free to yoink any ideas that snag your interest <3

[starry-nights-garden]

Keeho ✧ Pay Off

✧ P1Harmony Keeho x fem!reader ✧ words: ~5.4k ✧ genre: fluff, slow burn ✧ warnings: (mentions of reader visibly blushing)

Desc.: The number one rule when working with idols is not to fall in love with them. Unfortunately you woke up one day and had to realize that your feelings for Keeho are very much real, and so now you’re trying to figure out how to best deal with them.

“Everyone, get ready! You’re up on stage in 5 minutes!” you hear the urging words of the boys’ manager. In the corner of your eyes you see the rest of the staff swarm around them, and you too have no time to lose. With a brush and a makeup palette you get up from where you’ve been resting just now, and as you repress a yawn you approach the idol nearest to you. You examine Jongseob’s face, trying to make out any spots that need some touching up and eventually find none. Your eyes lock for a moment as he’s busy fixing his headset, and he shoots you a thankful smile, to which you nod, signalling him that his makeup looks perfect as it is. Then you move on to the next person. You find the leader amid the sudden fuss in the waiting room - a phenomenon you’re used to by now. Nobody knows the exact time when each group or artist has to be up on stage to either pre-record or to perform live, but you usually know the approximate schedule, so around these times everyone’s on standby to assure a smooth procedure.

“Does it look okay?” Keeho is talkative as always, and in response you lift the makeup brush up to his face, applying some more of the powder that matches his skin tone next to his nose. You can sense he isn’t nervous anymore during promotions, like he used to be just after his debut.

“It does now,” you answer and smile, hoping he wouldn’t notice the blush creeping onto your cheeks, before you’re split up. Your colleagues must’ve finished fixing everyone else’s hair and makeup, and with a somewhat heavy heart you watch the boys and some staff members walk out of the room. You sink back into one of the chairs in front of the big mirrors and you let out a sigh, trying to calm your beating heart. As you’re putting aside the makeup and brush, one of the other girls approaches you.

“Are you okay, Y/N?” the hair stylist asks, worry apparent on her face. 

“I’m fine… just a bit tired,” you answer, and that technically isn’t a lie. 

“You seem distracted these days…” she replies. 

“I’m okay. I could just use a nap, that’s all.” It’s the end of the third week of promotions - by this time everyone usually starts getting tired. After all it’s not just the idols who are forced to get up at ungodly hours for music shows or other appearances. Their staff follows them through every step of the procedure, so you too have to be up around 2am lately. At least I don’t have to stay up for practice and can get to bed at a normal hour… I should try that today, you think to yourself. But sleep doesn’t come easy these days. Your mind is too packed with the guy who occupies your every thought every free second of the day, and your heart is too heavy because you know you cannot have him. There’s this unwritten rule among especially the young stylists: Don’t fall for the idols you work with. You knew it only brings trouble, so you tried really hard to see them as nothing but colleagues. And that works just fine with all of them but one, because somehow your heart didn’t get the message when it comes to Keeho, and you ended up catching feelings for him.

You’ve tried telling yourself it’s just a crush because he’s handsome, you’ve tried telling yourself it will go away if you keep your distance, tried telling yourself you’ll be fine if you talk a little more to him and find out he actually isn’t as great as you think he is. And yet here you are, feeling yourself falling for him just a little more with every minute you spend with him and every new side of his that you get to know, rendered unable to escape that pink bubble of infatuation. 

The stage is over, the guys are making their way back. Sweat covers their foreheads and drips down their necks, and they’re followed by staff handing them towels while the boys are trying to cool off a little with the help of their mini-fans. 

“You did well, everyone,” you hear Keeho shout into the room with a radiant smile, and for a moment he flashes his teeth at you too. That gesture alone is enough to melt your heart, and while you’re slowly dying inside, you do your best to remain stoic on the outside. Some of the guys clap, meanwhile Taeyang lets his body retreat onto the nearest couch and Intak is still too busy regaining his breath after giving it his all on stage. You take a moment to muster each of the boys, and still the only one who makes the butterflies in your stomach go wild remains him. They’re all handsome and they’re all nice people, so why does one of them have to affect you so differently than the rest?

“That’s stupid.” It’s the evening of the same day. Your body is telling you to go to sleep already, get the rest you so desperately need, meanwhile your mind is racing. “That’s a really stupid idea,” you repeat, while glaring at yourself in the bathroom mirror. You were peacefully washing your face just a minute ago, when suddenly a memory hit you right when you needed it the least. It was back when the boys, their manager, and all the staff had their celebration dinner at the end of their very first promotion period. You remember it had been a little awkward, because on one hand you were pushing the curfew of the youngest members quite a bit, and on the other hand there were the legal adults who didn’t want to get drunk “in front of the kids” but couldn’t keep their fingers off the alcohol completely either. So there were the very happy maknaes who could stay out longer than usual, the tipsy elders who at some point secluded themselves a tad from the rest of the group, and then there were the ones in between - Taeyang, Jiung, Keeho, a hair stylist and you. Not that you weren’t enjoying yourselves, and the food tasted delicious, but being stuck in the middle was never a thing you were good at handling. That night it was Keeho who took the initiative and, like a true leader, did everything he could not to let the atmosphere become awkward. You started chatting more casually, and maybe that was the moment you started falling for him without realizing. You remember running outside along with the younger boys as the adults started gradually turning the night into their own drinking party, and you found a playground nearby which you decided to occupy for yourselves. You can’t normally see the stars from the city, as its lights are too bright, and so the night sky is usually a slightly illuminated shade of black, but just for the heck of it you pretended to be stargazing anyway as you were sitting on that swing that very night.

“Thinking of someone?” As Keeho’s voice reached your ears, you turned to face him, startled. You thought you could sneak away for a few minutes by yourself after having been social all evening, but even out here someone was ready to talk to you. And of course it had to be him. You didn’t know how to react at first, because his assumption was very much off. You were thinking about the comfort of your own home if anything, and you didn’t want to appear rude by denying his guess. So you merely shrugged. A knowing smile spread on his lips and you felt a little sorry for deceiving him.

“You should tell them,” he suddenly said and you raised your eyebrows at him. “If there’s someone you’re thinking of… then you must like that person, right? You should tell them,” he added. “In one way or the other, it will pay off for sure.”

“No, I…” You opened your mouth to say something back and to correct his confusion, but when you saw him realizing he made a wrong assumption by himself, and his ears were growing beet red in the process all you could think of doing was to apologize.

“No, I shouldn’t have assumed things!” he immediately retorted. “I’m sorry, I thought I was being helpful… maybe they put some soju in my drink without me noticing?” He laughed. He tried to brush it off with a bad joke, still his embarrassment was apparent. And somehow you found that image that was unfolding right in front of your eyes weirdly charming. So you gave him a soft smile.

“It’s good advice though,” you said, hoping to calm him down a bit with your words. “I’ll remember that if… once I have someone I like.”

“I really shouldn’t,” your reflection is scolding you. “I can’t. You can’t tell him. This is something different. Don’t even consider it.” You point at yourself like a strict teacher or your mother would, and then you finish washing your face and you go to bed. You switch off the lights in your studio apartment, and close your eyes. Still you feel wide awake, contemplating whether to follow Keeho’s advice or not. Back when he said those words to you you didn’t think much of it. Who thought it would come bite you in the ass now? “Ugh, I need to sleep, not think about this…” you tell yourself and you grab the ends of your pillow to squish your face in between the soft material. Still, sleep does not come easy tonight, just like the many nights before.

It’s a new day, and once again you curse your alarm for waking you up in the middle of the night. You grab a coffee first thing after getting up and combined with a cold shower right afterwards you hope to be as ready for the day as you can be. You arrive at the broadcasting station just on time to find the right waiting room and to prepare all your makeup, hoping that today would finally be the day that your feelings for Keeho came to cease. Your hopes are in vain though, or so you must realize once the boys start coming into the room one by one, and a sleepy leader sinks down onto the chair right in front of you. As you look around and the others are also finding their seats, it slowly begins to dawn on you that the situation you’ve been fearing for so long has finally arrived: it’s your turn to do Keeho’s full makeup today, and with the onsetting realization also comes the unstoppable picking up pace of your heartbeat, which is soon racing. I can do this, you tell yourself, apparently just in time for Keeho to notice your distress.

“You look like you had a rough night,” he remarks, trying to put a certain understanding behind the words. You can tell he hasn’t warmed up yet, as his voice still sounds a bit raspy, the tone not as controlled as usual. Because of you, you respond in thought, but choose a more acceptable answer to say out loud.

“It’s okay,” you retort and follow up with a chuckle. “I’m not as tired as you look.” Keeho lets out a rather unenergetic laugh.

“I will trust you to make me look more awake then,” he mumbles and closes his heavy eyelids. The motion lets you breathe a bit more easily. With him taking a nap while you do his makeup, at least he won’t be watching you all the way through. You try to focus only on your work in order to regain your composure, and after applying the first layers of makeup you feel like you can finally concentrate, correct any small errors you’ve made thus far, and move on. 

“I can’t believe someone with such a face exists…” you mutter to yourself, caught in awe over the beauty of his features. The waiting room is getting noisy as most of the boys are finally waking up a bit, so you don’t think anyone would’ve heard you, but as soon as you see the grin that forms on Keeho’s lips you know you're wrong. You panic for a second, but he just retorts a casual “Thank you.” 

“You heard that…” You talk quietly, and you stop in your tracks for a second when he opens those sharp eyes, while you’re in the middle of making them appear even sharper. 

“I can’t sleep with the kids screaming in the background,” he explains just when an excited Jiung yells through the whole room, followed by a loud laugh. 

“They aren’t even that much younger than you…” you try to start a conversation, mostly to distract yourself from your own overwhelming feelings.

“It doesn’t matter. They’re still my kids,” Keeho says before laughing somewhat shyly. “I sound like a middle-aged dad.” He lifts his hand to hide his mouth for a moment, but upon realizing he shouldn’t cover his face while someone is working on it, he puts it back down and fidgets with the sleeve of his shirt instead. “But we’re more than a team. We’re family. And I’m the leader, so they’re the kids.”

“You take good care of them, huh?” you remark, feeling touched by his words and by how strong the bond between the boys must really be. 

“I guess so… I’m doing my best. But even the best parents make mistakes,” he adds that last sentence in a lighter tone, probably to try and loosen up the conversation a bit, while you carefully lay the base for his eye makeup. He lets you work for a while, remaining silent, so that at least his words won’t distract you further, and once you reach the finishing touches, he speaks up again.

“Say… I thought about getting a drink from the vending machine downstairs,” he starts, and as you can guess where he’s going your heart is starting to pound again. You reach for the lip brush quickly, and he takes it as a sign to be silent for another minute or two. You’re not sure if it’s the way you’re suddenly hyper-aware of how soft and puffy his lips really are as you apply makeup on them, or if it’s the way Keeho’s half-lidded eyes are watching you closely as you’re doing so, but you feel your cheeks heat up and you come to the painful conclusion that the blush on your face must be visible to him now. You would’ve wanted to just run right out of there and hide forever, still you know you have no other choice but to play it off and to keep doing your work. After all, he isn’t the only person in here who wants to get his makeup done by you. 

“I think that’s it,” you say and take a step back to get a proper look at his face. You did a decent job, and you know the last touch-ups will have to be done immediately before the boys go up on stage anyway, so you decide to leave it the way it is.

“So about the drink…” Keeho tries to bring it up again. However, because you know you currently shouldn’t allow yourself a break, but also because the thought of being all alone with him makes you more nervous than anything, you turn around and shout across the room,

“I’m free for the next person to get their makeup done!” You watch as Shota puts away his phone and gets up, and you shoot Keeho an apologetic look.

“Right, you have to finish here first,” he mumbles, and then makes way for the younger boy to take his seat.

You do your best to avoid him after that. The fear of being alone with just Keeho and risking to reveal more of your feelings haunts you, and it makes you shameless enough to double check each of the boys’ makeup - minus Keeho himself of course - and to make Jiung sit through a touch-up that you drag out for longer than it has to be. You’re scared you picked the wrong victim, because Jiung is the type to question such actions, but thankfully he doesn’t say anything. He probably reckons that you know better than him when it comes to makeup, and so if you say something needs fixing, then it most likely does - or so you hope. Plus, he was the only one around when you felt Keeho’s gaze resting on your figure, and he was already approaching you from the other side of the waiting room, so you just had to do what you had to do in order to escape him. 

Pre-recording ends, as well as the interview that the boys had after that, and the first sigh of relief you dare to let out is only once they are starting to change from their stage outfits into their casual clothes again. It is the early afternoon when the schedule for the day ends, and it’s time to go back to the company or home. As you’re cleaning up your stuff, you fail to realize that Keeho is once again approaching you until it’s too late, but thankfully Taeyang stops him by the shoulder and tears his attention away from you.

“I think I’ll do a live when I’m back at the company. Wanna join me?” you can hear the eldest of the guys ask a question. Seizing the moment, you quickly finish up and then wish everyone in the room a nice remaining day, before slipping through the door of the waiting room and making a run for it.

“I think I can’t today…” You faintly hear Keeho’s voice in the distance as you make your way down the corridor with fast steps. You feel like he could follow you and appear behind you at any given moment, so you don’t slow down until you’ve reached the main entrance, and you’re standing on the small plaza in front of the huge broadcasting house. 

Finally, you feel like you can breathe again. You stand there for a good five minutes, catching your breath and as the air fills your lungs, the butterflies in your stomach seem to finally settle down for the first time in over ten hours. As you feel the tension leaving your body you realize how on edge you’ve been the whole day, and when you put your hand on your chest you feel your heartbeat slowly calming down.

“That was horrible…” you whisper to yourself and you let out a big sigh. And then, just when you’re about to set one foot in front of the other to start your journey back home, someone calls out your name from behind and you feel like you’re running face first into a wall of concrete.

“Y/N, wait!” As soon as his call enters your ears you know you can’t escape here. And so you stay there, frozen, and in shock you wait for him to appear in your field of vision. He’s out of breath, and you notice a tiny smudge on his makeup under his left eye, which you don’t think anyone else would’ve realized was even there. You expect him to finally ask you about getting a drink together, but instead he furrows his eyebrows, frowning at you. “Are you avoiding me?”

“Uh.” The sound escapes your mouth against your will. You didn’t think he’d be this straightforward. “No?” You lie to his face, and to give your words some more credibility you add, “Why would I do such a thing?”

“It feels like you do.”

“Don’t be silly,” you try to play it off with a laugh.

“Then let’s go get that drink now.” You’re speechless again. 

“Uhm… I…” You stammer, and you start to fidget with one of the zips on your bag. “I’m… busy today actually…” You feel your face heating up because of the white lie, and he too must sense that you’re being untruthful, as the frown on his face is getting deeper now.

“You… I thought you liked me…” he says, and again you feel panic arise within you. Does he mean as a friend? Or does he know…? However, he shakes his head. “Nevermind. I’m sorry for bothering you then…” He seems sad. You can sense his disappointment about the rejection, and upon seeing him like this, his words from that one night resound in your ears.  “Then I hope you have a good day and-”

“Actually,” you cut him off, “I have to tell you something. But not here.” Keeho is the surprised one now, and reminding yourself that he is still an idol and you two are still in public, you stop yourself from grabbing him by the hand and dragging him with you. “Let’s go have a drink. But I know a better place than the broadcasting station,” you say, and with a gesture of your hand you make him follow you. You lead him across the street and down another road, where there aren’t as many people around, and eventually you reach an old arcade that people barely visit these days, especially not in the middle of the day. 

“This place looks shady…” he remarks when you’re about to enter the rundown building. You can’t say you don’t understand his worries, but you’ve known this place for years, and just because it doesn’t have many customers doesn’t mean it’s dangerous.

“We won’t be bothered here,” you explain. “You are an idol after all and being seen with a girl could get you in trouble. Even when she’s your makeup artist.” You don’t dare to look him in the eyes while speaking those words, afraid he might read too much into it and connect the dots all by himself.

“Alright… well if it’s a place you know then I trust you,” Keeho says, but his voice reveals that he’s still wary. Still, he reluctantly follows you down to the first ground floor, past a hall with all kinds of arcade games and eventually you reach a row of huge vending machines that offer all kinds of drinks and snacks one could wish for.

“See?” You point out the sheer variety of offered wares, “This is better than at the station, isn’t it?” And Keeho too finally relaxes, because now all he can do is gape and let his eyes wander the colorful samples and the relatively low prices. 

“You were right!” he exclaims. “So what do you want? It’s on me.” You hesitate for a moment. What you’re about to do is stupid, and you know that, but you’ve set your mind to it. Plus, you know you will feel lighter once you’ve spelled out the truth for him, and who knows? Maybe it will help you finally forget about your feelings for him.

“Actually, Keeho,” you say, and within a split second you have his full attention. Your heart starts racing as you lock eyes with him, giving you a hard time organizing your thoughts, but there’s no turning back anymore now. “I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”

“W-what is it?” He stutters and lets out an awkward laugh. You guess he might feel uncomfortable with how the air around you suddenly turned so serious.

“I… I like you.” 

There. You finally said it. It’s out. It’s out now, and you know you should feel relieved, but why is it that you can feel your heart pounding even harder now and you can practically hear the blood rushing through your veins as he stands there in front of you, dumbfounded and speechless. He opens his mouth to say something, but when nothing comes out he closes it again, and never does he avert his eyes from you during the whole process - his eyes, that are now widened and full of surprise and a little bit of disbelief. 

“Oh,” he finally says. Oh, you repeat in your mind, as if that response would tell you anything other than that he did not see your confession coming. And the longer he doesn’t react to it, the heavier your shoulders start to feel and the more you want to run away and make your words unsaid. So you know you have to act soon. And eventually you start talking and somehow end up rambling, half trying to make it seem like it wasn’t that serious, half laying out the perfect opportunity for him to just reject you and move on.

“I mean… I know it’s stupid. You’re an idol after all, and a rookie too, you can’t afford to date. Not that I’m assuming you might want to date me! I mean… haha… what was I even thinking? I shouldn’t have said anything, I’m sorry. This is all my fault. It got awkward because of me and now-” You had your eyes averted the whole while that you were talking, so you failed to catch his reactions to your words, and you somehow managed to completely miss the fact that he was slowly leaning in, until your lips were already in contact with his. His lips, that you could barely tear your gaze away from as you were brushing makeup onto them just this morning. His lips, that you were subconsciously wondering how they would feel against yours, and now you suddenly know, and it’s better than anything you could’ve ever imagined. His touch is soft against your mouth, but certain. He’s doing this because he wants to, that’s what you can unmistakably feel from the way he captures your lips between his, pressing a kiss that lingers against them, even when he pulls away far too soon. You share eye contact for but a moment, before a realization hits you.

“Are you stupid?!” you yell at him suddenly, and you add, hissing, “We’re in public, what if someone sees us?!” Shock is written all over his face, and both of you look around thoroughly. Only when you’re sure that there really is nobody else around, you two let out the breath you’ve been holding. Keeho turns back to you and he leans in again, but you shake your head at him strongly.

“We’re alone,” he insists.

“This is still a public space. We might not be for long,” you retort, but somehow not even your sharp words are enough to make the sudden hunger in his eyes go away. He bites his lower lip while his gaze is still glued to your mouth.

“Then…” he eventually says, keeping his voice low. “Since you know this place… take us somewhere nobody will see.” 

If you were in your right mind in that very moment his request would’ve seemed ridiculous to you, but with the way he’s looking at you and the way you can’t silence your own longing to feel his lips on yours again, you begin to search the whole place in your mind. You’ve been here countless of times, you should know every single corner, every little niche and every hiding place in this building, and really, after only a few seconds of rummaging through your memory, you’ve found the ideal spot. It might not be 100% safe, but the possibility of being caught should be low enough. So you do what you couldn’t earlier, and you grab Keeho’s hand and pull the guy along with you, one story lower and into a maze of old game machines. You finally make it to a corner where, even when the arcade has many visitors, barely anyone ever stops by, as this place is being used as more of a storage room than anything else. And so, when you turn on your heels between some big dusty cardboard boxes, Keeho immediately takes a step forward to back you up against the wall, and with his thumb and index finger he lifts your chin to kiss you again, this time properly. You reach out, wanting to feel him closer to you, and you wrap your arms around his torso, placing your hands on his shoulder blades. His fingers leave your chin and now his palm cups your entire face, while his other hand rests on your hip, pulling you towards him. Your lips separate for but a moment, and with one gaze into the other’s eyes you simultaneously decide that this much wasn’t nearly enough for either of you, so you smash your lips right back together. For the first time ever you begin to enjoy the way he makes your heart race, and with every one of his touches he sends an electric impulse through your entire body, making your temperature rise. You rake your fingers into his hair, pull on his dyed locks, and in response you feel him capture your lower lip with his teeth, nibbling on it, releasing it, and then reconnecting your lips in the blink of an eye. You catch yourself wondering what kind of longing he too must’ve hidden away for so long that he kisses you like this now - fiery, demanding, and in a way that just makes you want him more with every passing second. 

But it’s not like you don’t kiss him back with a similar passion, feeling like the fire sparked between you two will devour you whole if you don’t pour your everything into every single kiss, into every touch of your lips and every dance of your tongues. You know you’re running out of air, but you want to bear it a little longer, want to feel him kissing you just a bit deeper, and so you hold onto his back, your fingers buried in the fabric of his shirt, before you finally have to break the kiss. And so here you are, hidden away from the public eye, holding onto each other as if your lives depended on it. You’re both panting in one and the same rhythm, just like you have kissed each other as if you’d been doing nothing else your entire life, and his forehead is resting against yours. His slow thumb strokes on your cheek make your heartbeat slow down gradually, and when you look into his eyes now it’s like looking at the sea that’s calming after a storm. And as you’re both catching your breath, your minds still hazy from receiving each other’s kisses, a worry begins to grow in the pits of your stomach.

“So what are we gonna do now?” you ask. He seems to understand, and he lifts his other hand to cup your face with it as well.

“I’ll figure something out,” he says.

“You’re an idol… even if we want to, we can’t just date…” you reason. You know how busy his life is even without a girlfriend, plus you don’t want him to risk his career for you. However, Keeho leans in for another kiss. It is a sweet, feathery kiss now, one that is meant to put your mind at ease and for some inexplicable reason it works. It’s like his kisses put a spell on you, and they can make you feel whatever he wants you to feel in that moment.

“There will be a way, okay?” His tone is serious now, and when you discover that trustworthy look in his eyes you can suddenly see why he was chosen leader of his group. “We’ve made it up until here, so I believe we can make it anywhere.” He lets go of your face and his hands glide down to your arms, until he reaches your palms and eventually intertwines his fingers with yours. “We need to be careful. And it won’t always be easy. But we can make it. If we really want to, we can.” He gives your hands an encouraging squeeze, and you feel hope budding in your chest. And then suddenly, you cannot stop the way a broad smile makes its way to your lips.

“So you were right after all,” you say eventually. “That it will pay off.”

“What will…?” Keeho throws you a questioning look, seemingly unable to remember the conversation he had with you that night. You don’t hold it against him that he doesn’t recall, after all the words might not have been as important to him as they turned out to be for you.

“That if there’s a person you like, you should tell them,” you clarify, “and it will pay off for sure.”

[bugtransport]

WARNING! DO NOT READ THE REST OF THIS ASK UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY FINISH KUUGA! I AM SENDING THIS PREEMPTIVELY BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO HAVE IT WHEN YOURE DONE.

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Ok so I wanna hear your thoughts on the final fight specifically. I really adored how after all this hyping up of Ultimate Kuuga’s destructive power, rather than it being something flashy and explosive, it was… down to earth. Brutal. Just two dudes punching the shit out of each other in a way that was Difficult To Watch.

The final battle of Shin Rider felt like a callback to this, honestly. Just heartwrenching impact after heartwrenching impact. It’s not big or extravagant, but instead it shows that having to fight… sucks.

Sorry, I think about this particular fight A LOT.

YEAH YEAH i completely get what you mean. your buffer worked - i didn't see this at all until i had already finished the show and compared it to that one part in black (you know, The One). i think, as i chew through everything that happened in this show, that there's more i have to say about kuuga on the whole than i've managed to render right now, mostly about how it feels like they did really manage to distill a lot of the core feelings i've gotten from showa rider into something new and interesting and fun that they could do now that it's in vogue and possible to have the episodes a little more interconnected than they were able to get away with (sans a couple areas, like the 4-episode demon world stretch in black rx) previously.

the setup to the fight really worked for me. i think it was the right choice to watch the last 3 episodes on the same night so that we could start with ichijou, just some guy, just some human guy being the one to kill... that rose lady. you know the one. the one who has been around as a boss from the start of the show and who had a couple faceoffs before with him? you know, the one who, with her dying breaths, told ichijou that she realized humans could be equals to them, capable of the same destruction that they were? that she wished she could have faced off with ichijou again? that lady.

they had been setting the grongi and at least godai up as equals for a while there - there's the obvious stuff with the back and forth "i need to get stronger!" moments but the one in specific that stood out to me was when tsubaki was doing autopsies on the bodies that they were able to recover and he was like oh shit... these guys look just like kuuga on the inside?

kamen rider has this feeling running through it, this essence of "that could have been me, but it wouldn't have been me, couldn't have been me, because i love humanity too much, but i can only say that because after experiencing this, i'm still me," which is an odd feeling to put into words, but i think it's one that many people are familiar with. to come out of something on the other side feeling worn down and miserable but victorious and look back and see other people who have been through the same or similar things to you and for whatever reason, came out the other end differently.

hongo escaping being borged before they were able to complete his brainwashing, yuki being the one picked as a scapegoat and therefore realizing that what was going on around him was wrong, shigeru just straight up being confident enough to manage to trick people into borging him, nobuhiko being chosen as the favorite son just because he was the one who stuck around for a while leaving kotaro able to make his own decisions about what is right and wrong. these are all things that each of the riders did have an active say in, but they're also a bit dependent on luck to fully and correctly pull off. and i think godai also kind of picked up on that vibe. he's both reassuring people that everything is going to be okay because he believes in himself and his love for the people around him, and he does, but he still plans for the off chance that things can go wrong by telling ichijou how to kill him should things really go to shit.

that's it think the thing i took away most from this fight. the visuals are great, the whole thing just feels raw and uncomfortable to watch, which it should! this is the reality of everything that's been going on here behind the suits. we should feel glad that kamen rider doesn't have to fight anymore once this is over. kuuga flirts with this level of reality through the show and they completely full on commit to it at the end. but i think everything leading up to it and the context of the fight really helped me to put my finger this feeling that i've been feeling through the entirety of the show.

so. there you go. those are my stream of consciousness thoughts the morning after finishing kuuga... so much more to think about later!!

[missamyrisa2]

Do you still remember the name of that little story with the pixies and forest folk? Its ok if you don't but it sounds so ticklehot😵‍💫

It issssss~ and guessss whattt? I foundd ittt! All I have is this in a text file which someone shared with me a long time ago. So if anyone knows who wrote it please notify me so I can properly credit them because it's such a gooood story~

Pixies.txt

Why am I here? I am simply an innocent traveller who incurred the wrath of some peasant village women by showing favor to one of their fair maidens. Surely, I meant no harm by my guileless flirtations, but these women did not see it in the same way. They accosted me (they were strong country folk, and they outnumbered me) and brought me deep into these woods, making it clear that the only appropriate punishment for a licentious outsider such as myself would be to leave me to whims of the pixie women. Now, being a townsman and having been raised in more enlightened circumstances, I should have scoffed. But I remembered hearing tell of the forest pixies as a child, remembered stories of unsuspecting travellers being captured and driven insane by these miniature maidens. Exactly how the pixies drove their victims mad had been left to my youthful imaginings, and as I was dragged into the woods by these leering, vindictive peasant women, I found myself wondering if the pixie stories of my childhood might actually be true and guessing at what sorts of magic spells and the like might await me.

I now sit here, abandoned by the village women after having been bound to the base of a large tree in the middle of the dark forest. My back is pressed against the smooth bark, my arms have been pulled behind me, my wrists tied to each other on the opposite side of the tree. My legs are stretched out before me. The ropes that bind my knees and ankles together are tied to stakes that are very deeply driven into the soil. A wide strap of hide has been placed around my forehead and around the tree's trunk, where the ends are tied together on the other side, so that in addition to my entire body having been rendered completely immobile, I can not even move my head from side to side. The village women have left me completely clothed, except that they have made certain to leave me barefoot; I vaguely recall one of the ladies snickering about how soft my feet were, and so I suppose I have been left this way to discourage me from wandering off in case I manage to free myself.

I busy myself with attempting to worry loose the knots at my wrists when the first of the pixies arrives, a tiny maiden with light, golden hair streaming about her tiny shoulders, about four inches in height, perfectly nude, fair of face and body, with silvery, translucent wings which are nearly as tall as she. She lands on my thigh, rests her tiny fists on her naked hips, and regards me with an approving smirk.

Two others, and then three more, arrive now, landing on my legs. They are identical to the first. They speak to each other. Their voices are so light in volume that I can not hear them, but it is obvious that they are agreeing with each other that I am quite a prize.

The last of these identical pixie girls arrives and hovers around my face, her little, humming wings almost invisible in their quickness. She carries with her a brownish grey wren's feather. It is only an inch or so in length and a half-inch in width, yet she brandishes it in her delicate little hands like a sword. Hovering in front of my face, she extends the feather toward me and flicks its tip back and forth across the tip of my nose. It tickles maddeningly, and I twitch my nose.

My response elicits an eruption of gleeful giggling from the other pixies, and as the one before my face continues to tickle my nose with the feather, I realize with sudden panic that the others are now flying directly toward my sensitive bare feet!

Two pixies land on the straps around my ankles, lean forward, and begin to lovingly caress the tops of my feet with the soft palms of their tiny hands. The other four congregate at my bare soles, lightly scratching long lines along my arches and heels with their tiny fingernails. The maiden who has been tickling my nose now joins her friends at my feet, brushing underneath my wiggling toes with her feather. Immobile as I am, all I can do is helplessly laugh at the top of my lungs. The two on my ankles now begin to trace the tops of my feet with long licks from their tiny tongues. The five at my soles become more frantic with their tickling, quickly searching every crease of my bare soles with tiny, probing fingernails.

The one with the feather now flutters toward my crotch, undoing my trousers and revealing my manhood, which has become erect and swollen with longing, and she begins to run the edges of her feather up and down the sides of my shaft with long, merciless strokes. I am frantic with lust and high-pitched shrieks of laughter as my cock and my feet are tickled and tickled. The pixie at my cock flutters her silver wings and hovers over the glans, which is now red with anticipation, and quickly flicks the feather's tip across the head of my penis, over and over, tickling and tickling. The girls at my feet are now biting and scratching in earnest, tickling and tickling every bit of bare skin they can find. The torturous tickling of my feet is unnerving, drawing from me endless bouts of uncontrolled laughter, while the incessant tickling of the head of my cock is enough to drive me wild with lust, yet not enough to bring me to climax. I scream with laughter for mercy, and the tickling goes on and on . . .

. . . and then suddenly stops. Through the drying tears in my eyes, I see that the blond haired pixies have abandoned me to greet another pixie girl that has just arrived, identical in every way to the tiny maidens that have tortured me for hours, except for her raven hair. The pixie who had taken such delight in teasing my manhood hands her feather to the dark haired fairy, turns to me and waves good-bye. She and her golden haired sisters depart, their giggling quickly fading as they disappear into the woods.

I am left alone with the raven haired pixie and her feather, but not for long, for other dark haired pixies soon arrive, hovering around me, giggling. The panic wells within me as I realize that . . .

. . . now it is their turn!

[skinnypaleangryperson]

This house is full of nothing but consumer cobwebs, and a failed attempts of being able to be seen as a creative and as an individual both on a personal level as well as professionally throughout my life. I can literally feel the spiritual and physical dust and grime going through the books and the celebrities I've crushed on, the creative people that I've admired and have read about ever since high school and now, as a washed-up meaningless nameless 27-year-old that is nothing but internet trash, I've never been more aware about where my journey was going and it feels like my head is imploding constantly wanting to rant and to see that failure in everything, everyone, and in everything set around me. It blows my mind that people just accept the fact that their dreams never come true and that they just live that way. That they don't even some just try to be able to spew out every minute of every day how unhappy they are and how detrimentally spiritually devastating it is. When I was a kid, being a nobody and not being creatively successful was not yet a mark of anything of a lack of character or of anything I had to offer, it was just simply something that I hadn't figured out yet. Now I can't enjoy anything anymore, I see my failure and everything at best, and at worst, I see a lifeline of profound spiritual and physical suffering that is surrounding me from an already terrible unremarkable and a loveless childhood enough as it was where I was told that I could push through it because once I got older, it would "get better", only to realize that those were all just cope adults that couldn't stand the idea that some people are born miserable and unnamed and unseen, and only become increasingly worse until the point of death as they get older.

I'm now just another no name, miserable on Reddit and miserable at work in real life with people who are in the same circumstance who are probably told the same lies for all the same fake and reasons growing up. Some people can handle it more than others but I can't even enjoy anything anymore. I realized today while everybody else was casually enjoying the Oscars in the celebrities in the rich people that are celebrating and knowing each other, that I seem to be one at the very few that is in a genuine state of peer despair over the way that my life is gone and the way that it will continue to go, at best, exactly the same within it's a loveless impossibly robotic mundanity and even abuse on the internet, and worse, to end up dying or alone on the side of the street while everybody else celebrates how special they are, the people that get to run this country, the people that really wanted, the rich people in the celebrities, the ones who own people souls.

This is only a small section of the torment that's in my head everyday, and I'm just waiting for the day when it renders me to a sense of complete dysfunctionality. There's cobwebs in my throat to those cobwebs on the things I used to be able to enjoy before I realized my own true unremarkable dry, profoundly pathetic nothingness in reality, and the way that it's always been on them and the fact that I just didn't have the unfortunate temperature reality to be able to see about what that actually meant, and the delusions that I held and kept close to me that I still do but now just do on a fictional level because I can't stand the burning pain of being a part of reality even on a pair of social relationship way knowing what that means for me if I were to allow myself to.

Nothing helps and nothing will ever change it. And the worst part, is that 98% of the time in this world I feel like I'm experiencing it entirely on my own.

[painting-warhammer]

Magus in the style of Queen (Deltarune)

Definitely a messier one, and a drop in quality. Really just the result of me wanting to have a fun figure I did on the side for a series I'm obsessed with. Commentary under cut.

For practice figures, literally what I will do is just go through the Games Workshop store, see a figure and then realize "holy crap... I could paint this like [_____] from a series I like!", or in other words, how every Warhammer fan over 40 paints their Tyranids as the xenomorphs. It ends up being the equivalent of a mini-painting "doodle" or "warmup" in between working on the "real" army. I don't really think about or worry over making a larger "thematically connected" army.

What's kinda sad is that, with Queen in particular, I actually did buy another Genestealer Cultist figure with the intent to paint them as a Deltarune character. I have a primed Abominant that I was planning to paint as Lancer and the King.

Even separately from that, I considered having Lancer on his bike as an Atalan Jackal. But you'd have to get a full set of five, and honestly I just want the one popping a wheelie.

Not to mention, goddammit, that now I actually have Green Stuff. I shouldn't have primed them! I could have connected the hammer to his stomach and made the spade... at the very least, I should have given them their coneheads. Damn.

Anyways, Queen. Not a lot to say, you can see paint going over the lines and somehow only the wineglass-turned-staff is the only good looking part. I didn't busy myself too much with details and I think this was unfinished; I don't remember what state I considered this to be in when I last touched it a year ago. I might give some shade to the gown and the head, and boots and cowl deserve an edge highlight or two. Apologies to trypophobes when it comes to whatever the fuck my primer did to the inside of her thigh...

It's also to kinda say fixing her up is not my top priority. I finally have enough figures in my actual army to play the game (this took LITERALLY three years) so that's where my focus is going to be. That's not to say no forever, but it is to say TTFN.

What I was really hyped about was the base. I took a copy of Fairly Oddparents: Breakin' Da Rules for Game Boy Advance, an absolutely awful Megaman clone that will not be missed. and then sanded it down until it was just small enough to be based. I drew with a marker the relative circumference I had to get it to. I suppose I could have freehanded the wires but I'm sick of my bases being dirt and debris, I wanted something nice. Only problem was the glue gun definitely made a big ol' gap between the base and the basing.

I think most of the fun of this one was daydreaming about how this fits in the 40K universe. Her standing on a microchip is probably impossible, that's only a factor of her being the size of one in real life, but who knows. I imagine that she's from a Genestealer Cult that had infected a Forgeworld, specifically. I think there are gameplay mechanics to venerate a bug version of the Omnissiah? Don't know for sure.

That's all for now! If you have started following me or read my other posts, thank you for all the notes across all of them. It's very humbling; I really don't think these are very good and I think any goodwill is based on who they are rather than any ability/talent rendering those people. The next few posts are going to be my actual army and the lore I wrote up for them, but that doesn't mean that's the end of the "[Warhammer Character] in the style of [Thing From Franchise]" posts. I have three that are started and unfinished, and I might do touchups or even outright re-dos of the previous ones I've posted. Thank you for your support. I don't do this for cash [what Warhammer fan can?] or clout so getting even a like has been very encouraging and flattering.

[lilacmingi]

ALICE IN WONDERLAND AU ♤ PART 6: HOSEOK

My works are 14+ ONLY. If you’re under 14 DO NOT interact with me or any of my works

Pairing: Red Queen!Hoseok x fem reader

Word count: 4,605

"There she is!" One of the knights shouted.

This caused all three of the boys to fall silent, their argument coming to an immediate stop. Now that you were actually face-to-face with the knights, you could see that they weren't people at all, but cards. The only knight who was a human was standing at the front, donning red armor.

"We're screwed now." Yoongi huffed.

"Yeah. No thanks to you two." Namjoon grumbled.

"Taehyung is the one that started it." Yoongi shot back.

"Silence! All of you!" The knight at the front of the group bellowed. "Y/n L/n, you're coming with us by order of The Red King."

"What if I refuse?" You questioned, putting your hands on your hips defiantly.

"Yeah. What if she doesn't wanna go?" Taehyung stepped forward and mimicked you, mirroring your stance.

"Shut it, you lying rat! What happened to you not knowing about her being here?" The knight snarled.

Taehyung was silent.

The knight in charge walked over and grabbed your arms, holding them behind your back so you couldn't move.

"Let go!" You hissed, jerking your shoulders to try and break free, fighting back against him.

Of course, it was no use.

Namjoon, Yoongi, and Taehyung tried to go after him, but the card knights quickly intervened and held them in their places, rendering them immobile.

"Don't take them!" You begged. "You're here for me, right? So leave them be."

"Aw. Sacrificing yourself for your friends. How touching." The knight cooed. "Since I know how strongly The Red King feels about you, I'll let them go."

"Thank you." You sighed.

"Y/n, don't be stupid." Namjoon pleaded.

"It'll be okay. I promise." You gave the three of them a reassuring smile despite your insides feeling like they were twisting.

Somehow, you would find a way out of this.

"Let's go." The red knight ordered.

The boys watched helplessly with broken expressions as you were dragged away, but if you being captured saved them, then it would be worth it.

The red knight tossed you up on a horse and sat in front, grabbing the reins. You cooperated and didn't try to escape, knowing that if you did so, it would result in them going after Namjoon, Yoongi, and Taehyung.

After what felt like hours of staring at the scenery that passed while ultimately waiting for your demise, you arrived at a massive castle with lots of red accents and heart shapes in the towering structure. There was something vaguely familiar about it all, but your memories were still too hazy to properly recall anything. You crossed a drawbridge and entered the enclosed courtyard. Red and white rose bushes dotted the land and heart-shaped trees lined the perimeter of the area.

Hearts seem to be a common feature here. You noted.

The information wasn't important, but you'd do anything to keep your mind off what lied ahead.

The horse came to a stop and the red knight dismounted, pulling you back to reality.

"Come with me." He instructed, though he didn't give you time to move on your own accord as he forcefully pulled you off the horse. His hands held your wrists behind your back, keeping them tightly bound while he shoved you inside the towering castle.

As you walked past the entryway and down a hallway, you realized that you were about to meet The Red King face-to-face—and that terrified you. What little you had heard about him was enough to make you anxious. If he sent a giant beast after you, he couldn't be a very nice guy.

You came to a stop at a set of double doors, the sound of hysterical laughter could be heard on the other side. Two servants standing on either side of the doors reached out and opened them.

Inside was a man lounged sideways in an extravagant throne, his legs propped up on the left arm of the chair, his head on the right. He was dressed in a lavish outfit, a velvet red coat that matched the color of his hair and round rimmed sunglasses. There was a person handcuffed and on their knees in front of him. The Red King was laughing like crazy, his cackles echoing around the vast and spacious throne room.

"Tell me another one!" He demanded through raucous laughter.

The person on the floor then told another joke as requested, his form visibly shaking. The smile dropped from The Red King's face and his laughter ceased immediately. He wasted no time swiping a book sitting on a table beside him and throwing it at the man.

"That one wasn't funny!" He shouted.

"S-sorry, y-your highness." The man apologized, covering his head and cowering away from the enraged king.

"Sir." The red knight spoke up, finally announcing his presence.

The king sat up and removed his sunglasses to get a better look at the both of you, a bright smile appearing on his face moments later.

If you didn't know he was absolutely insane, you would say he looked like a sweet guy with that bright smile of his.

"You brought her." He announced happily.

He stopped and looked down at the poor handcuffed man, his whole demeanor changing in an instant, reverting back to that angry attitude he had just a few seconds ago.

"You, get out. Guards! Get this fool out of my sight."

Two guards approached and pulled the man out of the room. The red knight then shoved you forward until you were stood right where the prisoner was just sitting.

"Y/n. My sweet Y/n." The joyous grin that painted his features went away immediately. His demeanor changing once again.

Fear coursed through you the instant his expression fell. The first thought that crossed your mind was that something about your appearance didn't please him. Then again, with the way he reacted about that guy's joke, it could be anything that was bothering him.

You watched with bated breath as his eyes drifted to the red knight gripping tightly to your wrists that were still being held behind your back.

"Let go of her! What are you doing shoving her around like that?" He snapped. "That's no way to treat a lady, especially this one."

The red knight promptly released your hands and stepped away. "My apologizes, your majesty." He bowed. "Just making sure she doesn't escape."

The king shot a glare at the knight before turning to address you.

"Sorry about him." He gently grasped your hand. "He has no morals and apparently doesn't know how to treat a lady either."

"Oh. It's alright." You dismissed, not wanting to stir up something.

Looking at him up close, you could really take in his features. The Red King was stunning. His eyes were bright with an almost cheerful gleam to them and his facial structure was absolutely perfect. Adorning his cheek was a cute little heart, which matched well with all the other heart details scattered about the castle. His red hair was even more lively up close, the color looking much more vibrant than when you were standing farther away.

"Have a seat, my dear." He gestured to an empty spot beside him.

One of his servants standing nearby was quick to pull up a chair for you to sit in. Hesitantly, you lowered yourself into the seat, locking your gaze on your lap where your hands were folded.

"You've grown up so well." He murmured, playing with your hair for a moment. "So beautiful." His fingers left your locks and slowly trailed down your arm to your hand which he took hold of and brought to his lips, placing a kiss to the back of it.

The gesture was sweet, but you had to keep in mind that this man had a temper. It's best to tread lightly and try not to upset him.

"You're acting as if you've just met me." The statement was accompanied by a light chuckle.

"I have." You responded.

He furrowed his brows.

"I don't remember coming here when I was younger. I have no memory of it."

"How is that possible?" He asked the question mostly to himself, looking extremely worried before quickly collecting himself. "No matter." He smiled, brushing it off.

"So, what's your name? I'd rather not call you The Red King."

"Ah, yes. I'm Hoseok."

You repeated his name quietly to yourself.

"It sounds so lovely when you say it."

His eyes drifted down to your attire.

"Oh goodness. Your clothes are a mess. I'll get you new ones immediately. He turned to a nearby servant, snapping his fingers. "Go get my tailors and bring them here to me."

"Yes, your majesty." The servant nodded before walking off.

Moments later, two people, who you assumed were the tailors, came scurrying into the throne room.

"Yes, your highness?"

"Get my dear Y/n some fresh clothes please. Make her something pretty."

"Yes, your highness." They bowed.

Hoseok leaned over. "I have the best tailors in the whole kingdom. You're in good hands."

They wasted no time getting your measurements, pulling your arms out at your sides to get the length of each one, both of them working again once, measuring different parts of you.

Just as soon as they were done, Hoseok made them leave, shooing them out while telling them to hurry and make it snappy.

The atmosphere was tense as you sat in silence with Hoseok. As much as you wanted to strike up a conversation to kill the suffocatingly anxious energy in the air, you couldn't, keeping your mouth shut in fear of saying the wrong thing. The last thing you wanted to do was set off Hoseok's temper and make him upset.

Much to your relief, one of the tailors came walking into the room, putting an end to your worrisome emotions. With him, he carried a red box holding your new outfit.

"We're finished with her dress your majesty."

Dress?

You assumed you'd be receiving comfortable, regular clothes. Then again, you were in a castle with a king, so maybe you should've expected it.

"Let's see what it looks like." Hoseok gestured for the man to open the box.

He pulled off the lid, revealing a beautiful dress with black and red accents and small hearts adorning the fabric. Even though it was folded up, it was clear that the dress was designed very well. You couldn't believe an entire garment was created in such a short amount of time.

The audible gasp you let out once your eyes landed on the stunning dress echoed in the vast room due to all the empty space as you leaned forward to get a closer look.

"She doesn't like it. You imbecile!" Hoseok hissed. "She hates it! Take it back! Go make another one." He demanded harshly.

"No! I do like it. I like it a lot."

"You do? If you don't, they'll make another one. They won't stop until you have a dress that is to your satisfaction."

"No, no. I love this dress." You assured. "You and the other tailor did an incredible job. I'm beyond impressed." You praised the designer on his impeccable work.

"Thank you, Miss Y/n." He bowed.

"Follow him and he'll take you somewhere to get changed." Hoseok gestured.

The muted sound of your footsteps overlapping with those of the tailor echoed faintly as you made your exit, trailing behind the man as the large throne room doors were pulled shut behind you. It was only then that you spoke up, knowing Hoseok wouldn't be able to hear.

"I'm sorry if this sounds forward, but how can you stand him?"

"Oh. I'm not sure I can answer that, Miss." He responded, hesitancy lacing his tone.

"Of course you can. He can't hear you."

"Well..." He glanced back toward the closed throne room doors which you were quite a distance away from. "Truth be told, I can't stand him at all. He's so demanding and his mood changes just like that." He snapped his fingers. "Being around him is like walking on eggshells."

"Hm." You hummed, nodding softly. "I may have only been around him for a short time, but I can definitely see that he's a temperamental person. I think if he didn't lose his cool so easily, he'd be a nice guy."

"I believe you're correct, Miss Y/n." The tailor nodded in agreement. "You know, I've seen glimpses of someone kinder—different. Though before I can properly process it, that hardness in the king's eyes always comes right back."

This tidbit of information had your brows tugging together in both perplexmxent and intrigue.

The tailor brought you to a room where you were able to change into the wonderfully-made garment. Pulling the dress from the box, you took a moment to admire it once again, properly taking in all the intricate details of it. Those tailors don't mess around.

Removing your dirty clothes, you discarded them, trading the stained garments for the dress.

Turning to a large mirror on the wall in the small room, you took in your appearance. A soft smile painted your features as your palms ran down the skirt of the dress. You felt like royalty. Glancing back to the dress box, you spotted a pair of shoes sitting in the bottom. They were off-white heels with a metallic red heart on the tops. You slipped them onto your feet, taking a moment to admire them before exiting the room.

Hoseok's servant let out a gasp almost as soon as you stepped into the hall.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. The dress looks wonderful."

"Thank you." You grinned, swishing the skirt around.

It was then that you noticed Hoseok's servant from the throne room standing by the tailor.

"The king requests that you get your hair and makeup done. Immediately." He announced.

"What?"

"This way." The servant took your hand and began guiding you down the corridor.

Throwing a quick wave to the tailor, you told him to thank the other one for helping with the dress just before you were pulled around a corner.

The servant took you to a different room where four female servants were waiting. The group of women were quick to pull you over and sit you down in a chair, getting to work immediately.

Nearly half an hour later, the ladies stepped away and let you get a look at yourself.

You jumped back from your reflection, your mouth hanging agape in surprise. You didn't look like yourself at all, but not in a bad way. Your hair was styled beautifully, not a strand or piece of hair out of place. You gasped softly when you noticed a few red strands of scarlet hair mixed with your natural locks.

"Don't worry, Miss. they're just extensions." One of the servants reassured you.

Your makeup was very different. On your eyelids was a mix of red and black eyeshadow. The red covered the expanse of your lid while the black served as a Smokey transition color for the crease. Your lips sported a dark red color and adoring your right cheekbone was a tiny heart just like the one on Hoseok's face.

"You must go back to the king now. He'll get impatient." One of the ladies urged, rushing you out of the room, hardly giving you any time to thank them for their work.

Stumbling out into the hallway, you spotted the same servant from earlier sitting in a chair in the corridor. When he noticed your presence, he immediately got to his feet and escorted you back to Hoseok.

When the giant double doors to the royal chamber opened, Hoseok was sitting on his throne with a glass of wine in his hand, swirling his finger around the rim in boredom. When he saw you enter, he set the glass aside and stood up, a look of awe flashing across his features.

"Y/n. You look magnificent." He breathed, unable to tear his eyes away from you.

The servant was quick to step away, leaving both you and Hoseok alone.

"Come here, Y/n." Hoseok grinned warmly, extending his hand.

You slowly proceeded forward, your heels clicking against the black and white checkered floor as you made your way towards the handsome yet temperamental man.

Once you were close enough, he took your hand in his, holding it in the most gentle manner.

"Would you like a tour of the castle?"

"I would."

"I was hoping you'd say that." He gleamed, leading you out of the royal chamber. "I'm so excited to show you around."

As soon as the two of you stepped foot in the hallway, Hoseok's bright expression fell into one that was more serious since he was passing the guards that stood outside the throne room. You took notice of his instant attitude change and became curious.

Was he embarrassed to show happiness around the guards and castle staff?

"This way, my sweet." He spoke, pulling you from your thoughts while guiding you down a hallway that went to the right.

You should be scared. You had been captured, but it didn't feel like it. You expected to be tossed into a dungeon or fed to that bandersnatch thing from earlier, yet here you are getting a personal tour from the king himself, wearing a beautiful dress that was created just for you. Besides his sudden mood changes, Hoseok didn't exactly seem like a bad guy, especially when the both of you were alone. Those glimpses the tailor spoke of that he had seen of a kinder Hoseok came to mind and had you wondering if maybe he was seeing the king's true personality.

Hoseok showed you the kitchen which was spacious and equipped with every appliance anyone could ever need. He showed you a common room, an office, a library, and a few other rooms around the castle.

"What do you think so far?" He inquired.

"It's lovely. Very extravagant too. I've never been in a castle before, so this is all new to me."

"In that case, it's an honor to be able to show you around. Now, there's one more room I have to show you."

Hoseok guided you down the seemingly endless hallway until the both of you arrived at a huge door. He pushed it opened, revealing a stunning room with a king-sized bed, a round gold-rimmed mirror and a heart-shaped chair sitting in the corner.

"These are my sleeping quarters, but this isn't the place I wanted to show you. This way."

He brought you over to a set of glass double doors that led to a balcony. Using both hands, he pulled the doors open and stepped outside, you following behind him.

"This is what I wanted to show you."

A gasp of awe escaped your mouth when your eyes beheld the sight before you. Approaching the end of the spacious balcony, you stood at the railing, gazing out at the huge enclosed courtyard and all the greenery that dotted the land. In the distance were hills and hills of the familiar mushrooms, spindly trees, and curly plants that were a consistent sight in Wonderland.

"What do you think?" He asked.

"It's breathtaking."

"It is. I like to come up here to calm down when things get to be... too much. Coming out here at night is also quite a treat. Seeing the sky dotted with twinkling stars could take anyone's mind off whatever is troubling them."

"Sounds like an ideal way to de-stress." You commented, staring up at the blue sky, imagining the expanse of atmosphere cloaked in stars.

Hoseok's gaze moved down to the lawn below and frowned in displeasure.

Idiots." He snarled.

"What's wrong?"

"They planted white roses when I specifically told them red."

"You could just paint the roses red." You suggested absentmindedly, glancing down at the rows of blooms.

Hoseok turned to  you, a look of surprise flashing across his face.

"What?" You questioned.

"That's exactly what you said last time you were here."

"I did?"

He nodded.

You cast your gaze out at the scenery, your mind beginning to wander once again.

For the life of you, you couldn't recall any memories of visiting this place. However, there was some part of your mind that held those forgotten moments of your childhood. Earlier you had called Taehyung by his nickname and you just repeated something that you said when you were younger, so whatever memories you had were tucked away somewhere in the recesses of your mind. You just needed something to trigger them.

Heoseok had hearts everywhere: heart-shaped trees in the courtyard, hearts on the walkway stones, heart-shaped chairs and door handles—they were everywhere.

A name suddenly popped into your head. Something from deep within your memory that spilled from your lips before you could stop it.

"King of Hearts."

"What did you say?" Hoseok's eyes were trained on your face.

"King of Hearts. Isn't that what people call you?"

"Well, yes but it's mostly just The Red King now. I haven't been called The King of Hearts since you were here."

"I remember calling you that."

"You do?"

"Yes. I do."

His face lit up like how you imagined the stars in the sky were at night. A gentle breeze blew by and a silence fell over the both of you, but not an awkward one like earlier in the throne room. This one was a comfortable silence and one that lasted for at least a minute until a question that had been gnawing at your curiosity finally broke free.

"Why are you the way you are?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You lose your temper easily and lash out at people for the smallest thing, but you're so kind to me. Why is that?"

"I guess you just bring out the best in me."

"I'm not sure that's the truth."

Hoseok chuckled dryly. "You're sharp."

"I notice how your mood changes around your servants and guards. You put on an act."

"I guess... I want them to know I'm to be feared."

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"I'm not a bad person, Y/n. I wasn't always this way, you know. Things were different."

"How did you used to be?"

"How I am around you. Happy and silly."

"It seems to me you're still that way."

He shrugged his shoulders again.

"What made you change?"

"My friend, Jin."

You recalled Yoongi saying that name earlier.

"The two of us were best friends, but after we became friends with Namjoon, Yoongi, Jungkook, Taehyung and Jimin they started to take him away from me."

"How so?"

"They wanted to hang out with him rather than me. Jin is a social butterfly and was always spending time with them. If I were to hang out with all six of them they'd ignore me."

"I bet you felt really isolated."

"I did." He nodded. "One day I lost it and lashed out at all of them. I built this castle far away from everyone and secluded myself."

"I'm sorry." You frowned, placing your hand on top of his.

"It's okay." He mumbled.

"Don't you get lonely out here?"

"Yes but that's why you're here."

"To do what?"

"To be with me, keep me company."

"I—"

"You don't have to say anything." He caressed your cheek with his thumb, slowly leaning in.

Before you could even register your own actions, your hand moved on its own, stopping Hoseok's lips from touching yours.

He pulled away with a frown. "What's wrong?"

He brushed your hair away, stopping when he saw a faint pink spot on your neck.

His gentle expression dropped immediately.

"Who placed their filthy lips on you?"

Every part of your body went numb.

"No one." You lied, not wanting to throw Jungkook under the bus.

"I was under the impression that my guards found you before you had the chance to meet any of the others." His tone was becoming sharper by the second. "How many of them did you meet?"

Your foot moved back as you stepped away to put some space between the both of you, opting to keep your mouth shut. Hoseok grabbed your wrist and pulled you forward.

"Which one of those idiots kissed you? Whose filthy lips touched my sweet Y/n's?" He growled angrily.

"Please calm down." You tried to pull your wrist away only for his grip to tighten. "That hurts. Please stop."

The rage that burned behind his brown irises was evident and had you shaken to the core. The need to get out of there was overwhelming and your fight or flight instincts were beginning to kick in. During your panic, you somehow managed to pry Hoseok's hand off your wrist and as soon as you were free, you took off.

"Y/n!" Hoseok yelled.

You didn't bother looking back as you dashed down the hallways, trying to get away from the enraged king.

"Get Namjoon, Yoongi, Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jimin. Every single one! Off with their heads! All of them!" Hoseok barked orders at his men. "Get the knights and bring my sweet Y/n back to me!"

He didn't know who had kissed you or how many, and it didn't matter. The completion needed to be eliminated.

Tears brimmed your eyes as you scurried down a large staircase and out the huge heart-shaped entrance. The sound of marching echoed from from somewhere inside the castle. The fear of what Hoseok might do to you if he caught you caused your legs to move faster, trepidation being the only thing fueling you. By the time you made it out of the massive structure, the marching of the knights had moved to the enclosed courtyard. Knowing there wasn't many places to hide, you just ran, moving as fast as you could, ignoring the way the tall grass stung your legs as they whipped past.

You kept going until you could no longer see Hoseok's castle. At that point, your chest had begun to ache and you were having trouble breathing, so you resorted to walking.

Realization dawned on you, hitting you like a violent wave. You left Hoseok. He opened up to you about being abandoned and left out in the past and here you are doing the exact same thing to him. You're no better than the others.

Then again, he was terrifying and there was no telling telling what he would have done if he caught you, especially after you ran off the way you did. He could lock you in a cell and imprison you or hold you captive in his castle and force you to be his lover.

Lifting your gaze to what was ahead, you noticed a familiar clearing in the lush greenery.

Namjoon's chair sat in the grass with his hookah sitting idly next to it, both of them abandoned.

"No. No." You murmured, your voice slowly rising. "Namjoon?"

Your head turned in different directions, frantically scanning the area for any sign of him as you called his name over and over.

He's gone. He's not here.

Without thinking twice, you broke into a sprint and began darting through the abrasive, scraggly trees and overgrown plants.

As you made your hasty exit, your foot got caught on a tree root, propelling you forward. Everything seemed to go in slow motion, yet you were unable to catch yourself.

By the time you collided with the ground, everything went black.

➯ Part 7: Jin

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