#but like i do feel like i put work into it. effort! and i LEARNT things. for sure!!!!!

[uygfiug]

hi!! so. im currently doing an autism assessment & theres a segment where theyre going to test my fine motor skills, does anyone know what i could expect from that? and ! im doing the assessment as a minor even though im turning 18 very soon, am i likely to go through a test im far too old for?

[kamil-a]

RECIPIES!!!!

from Alice Archives - Green Book

1. BY PETER: foil-baked fish and mushrooms

Ingredients (2 servings)

Fish fillet - 2 pieces Onion - half Shiitake mushrooms - 2 of them Enoki mushroom - 1 Shimeji mushrooms - 1 pack Butter - about 10g Soy sauce/Ponzu sauce - An Appropriate Amount Salt - a little Pepper - a little

Slice the onion thinly. Cut the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.

Spread out the aluminum foil and spread the onions across it. Put the fish and mushrooms and butter on top of it. Wrap the foil.

Put about 100cc of water in a frying pan. When steam comes out, put the wrapped foil in the frying pan and put the lid on.

Steam for 5-10 minutes on medium heat.

Add salt and pepper to taste, put on soy sauce or ponzu sauce, and its done!

2. BY BLOOD: tea scones

Ingredients (makes 8 scones):

Cake flour - 200g Baking powder - 1 tablespoon Butter 70g Black tea leaves (earl grey, darjeeling) - 1-2 tablespoons or 1-2 teabags Milk - 100cc Egg - 1 Sugar - 1-2 tablespoons Salt - a little

Mix the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Mix thoroughly.

If the tea leaves are too big, crush it finely. mix with the mixture from 1

Mix the butter, egg, and milk. Little by little combine it with the mixture from step 2. Mix lightly, dont overmix!

Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Roll out about 1-2cm thick. Cut to a suitable size or use a cookie cutter.

Put in the oven on 180C for about 10-20 minutes, watching it.

Put on as much jam, cream, and other toppings as you like.

3. BY JULIUS: COFFEE SCONES

Ingredients (Makes 8 scones):

Cake flour - 200g Baking powder - 1 tablespoon butter - 70g milk - about 80cc coffee - about 20cc sugar 1-2 tablespoons chocolate chips- 50g salt - a little

Mix the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Mix thoroughly.

Mix the milk and the coffee, then mix that with the mixture from step 1.

Mix what you have from step 2 with the butter. Add chocolate chips. Dont overmix, mix it lightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Roll out about 1-2cm thick. Cut to a suitable size or use a cookie cutter.

Put in the oven on 180C for about 10-20 minutes, watching it. Your bittersweet coffee scones are ready!

4. BY ACE: Rabbit Stew

Ingredients (2 servings):

Meat of a white rabbit similar to Mister Peter - 1/2 rabbit Carrots - 2 White mushrooms - 10 Onion - 1 Dried herbs (bay leaf, basil, rosemary, thyme, etc) - a little Parsley - 2 tablespoons Salt - a little Garlic - 1 piece Red wine - 2 cups Olive oil - a little Pepper - a little Honey - half a tablespoon

Cut the rabbit into easy to eat pieces, submerging it in red wine. Let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Julienne the carrots. Cut the onion, mushrooms, and garlic into thin slices. Dice the parsley.

Put the olive oil in a pan and fry the rabbit until brown. Add and saute the onion halfway through

Add the red wine, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, and dried herbs to the pot from step 3. add salt and pepper and stew on low heat for an hour.

When the meat and vegetables are tender, put them on a plate and sprinkle with parsley.

Add honey to the juice left in the pot and heat for 1-2 minutes

Put on the sauce from 6 and it's ready!

5. BY BORIS: Herb Grilled Salmon

Ingredients (2 servings):

salmon - 2 slices panko crumbs - 1 cup pepper - a little olive oil - 2 tablespoons dried herbs (bay leaf, basil, rosemary, thyme, etc) - a little

Pat the salmon dry, and sprinkle on the pepper and herbs. If the salmon is raw, sprinkle on salt, too.

Mix the panko crumbs and herbs. Put one teaspoon of the olive oil into your mixture to moisten it.

Coat the salmon in the panko crumbs from step two.

Heat up olive oil in a frying pan, then cook on medium heat until golden-brown on both sides.

It's recommended to put on as much lemon juice as you'd like. Enjoy!

6. BY PIERCE: Cheese In Blue Cheese

Ingredients (2 servings)

Your preferred cheese - 1 block Sauce: Blue cheese - 50 g Milk - 100cc Fresh cream (low-fat) - 100cc Pepper - just a bit

Mix blue cheese, milk and fresh cream on your stove. melt blue cheese while stirring

Add cheese and simmer. It will be ready in a reasonable amount of time!

*If you're a person who ISN'T Pierce, it's recommended to put the cheese sauce on spaghetti or gnocchi.

ORIGINALS:

[ent-is-indecisive]

Imagining edwin in my rock dance class and. It would be an adjustment but i think he'd probably come to enjoy it, especially the more complex moves.

[reneesghostinthelivingroom]

Didn't Seem so Bad

|| Jinx x fem!reader

|| Warnings; reader has a fear of nightmares, Jinx being touch starved and wary of touch, Jinx softens for reader

|| Summary; when up late with Jinx one night, reader debates asking her for cuddles.

Requests closed!

Started; December 5th

Finished; December 5th

HurtCember2024; Day 6, Touch-Starved

Author Note; posting early again!

~~~

It was late one night. Jinx was up and working on whatever invention she was. You were sprawled across her couch, half asleep. You couldn't sleep though, because you didn't want to do it alone. You've been struggling with nightmares lately but have been too embarrassed to ask for help. So, Jinx didn't know. Plus, with your relationship still being new Jinx hadn't fully learnt how to read you yet. Otherwise she may have picked up on it by now without you having to say anything. You forced yourself up. Looking to your girlfriend, having an internal debate in your head. Should you go over? Ask for cuddles? You've been nervous about touching Jinx, knowing that anything could set the girl off. You weren't even sure if touch was something that Jinx wanted. If it was, she made no effort to show that to you.

"Jinx..?" No response, you should've guessed. She had a tendency to get completely sucked into her music and work. Forgetting the surroundings around her. Honestly, if you didn't know any better you'd have thought she'd forgotten you were even there. Slowly, carefully. You walked up to Jinx. Hesitant at first. Then your hand rested to her shoulder. Jinx immediately flinched, as though startled. Not by you, but by the feeling of your hand. She pulled herself away. Looking at you for a moment with startled eyes before focusing on her work again. Trying to ignore the feeling that had given her. She didn't need it.

"Don't do that," Jinx grumbled. Her finger trying to squeeze between a section of her invention. She'd dropped a bit in there while putting it on. Now it was stuck.. and so was her finger. Jinx grimaced when she realized, struggling to get it out. Muttering curses to herself. It didn't take a genius to realize what had happened. You chuckled a bit, hands wrapping around the weapon carefully. Eyes going to Jinx's in a silent permission. When she nodded, you yanked. The weapon slid off.

Jinx's finger was red around where it got caught, hurting a bit more than she cared to admit. You cupped her hands in your own, sitting yourself on her workbench. Inspecting her finger. Jinx's breath seemed to get caught in her throat. She wasn't used to being touched, it caught her off guard. She wasn't even sure if she liked it. But with you.. well, it didn't seem so bad to her. To say the least, the girl was touch starved.

"I think you're finger's alright. We don't gotta chop it off, at any rate," you teased. Earning an eye roll from Jinx that made you smirk. You fought back a yawn, though it slipped through. You were tired. Jinx was starting to notice.

She narrowed her eyes to get a better look, seeing the bags under your eyes. She knew that look all too well. After all, Jinx had seen it on herself many times. She frowned and hesitated, but then held her arms out to you," ..come here."

You didn't waste a second. Getting into her lap. Jinx grunted and tensed up, though she relaxed after a moment. Holding you close to her. Yeah, Jinx was alright with touch. As long as it was you who touched her. Her fingers idly played with your hair, her eyes looking to yours," is there a reason you haven't slept? Or are you just staying up to annoy me?"

A huff left you, Jinx smirked a bit. Your face buried itself into the crook of her neck, mumbling something that she couldn't quite catch. She pinched the side of your hip, making you jump," what?" Jinx asked. Needing you to repeat. You grumbled again, but clearer.

"I keep getting nightmares," you admitted. Jinx's expression softened at that. Nightmares... huh? Those were hard. She understood. Almost any time she tried to sleep. It was often the same nightmare. The memory that she relived. Jinx avoided sleep, too. She was sympathetic for you, though she would never be caught admitting that out loud.

"Nightmares? Care to.. elaborate?" Jinx asked. Her curiosity getting the better of her. In her eyes, you'd always seemed brave. Like you weren't afraid of anything. You weren't afraid of her, unlike most people. To know you had nightmares too... well, it made you a little more human. Someone she could relate to.

You told her about the nightmares you'd been getting, how they'd gotten so bad you were avoiding sleep. It wasn't that you didn't want to sleep. You really, really did. You just didn't trust your mind. And you told her all about that while she played with your hair. Jinx tried listening to your every word, but it was hard for her. Jinx was working on that, though.

"Could you, maybe.. cuddle me tonight?" You asked carefully. Feeling as Jinx got tense under you again. Cuddle you? She didn't know how to feel about that. Jinx was quiet for a long moment, before she spoke up.

"Fine," Jinx sighed, pointing a finger at you," you better not be a squirmer or I'm kicking you out."

Ironically enough, you quickly learnt that she was the squirmer. You didn't mind. And honestly, it was the best sleep you'd gotten in a month.

[quillsnink]

When SKZ finds your well-organized Korean notes

A/N : This idea randomly popped up in my head when I was learning my Spanish. Picture credit to the owner. Also this is the first time I've tried writing for all the members together.

• Where each member suddenly stumbles upon your neat and well-organized notes for learning Korean. They knew you were studying but didn't realise you went so far as to maintaining an old diary of 2013 for writing down random notes, swear words, grammar rules, slangs, idioms, vocabulary, tests where you had graded yourself with a red pen with marks like 16/20 or 19/25 and your signature like a school teacher and even some phrases learnt from the boys.

• Chris

He found your Korean diary on a random Tuesday evening while he was searching for his laptop charger. He wondered what on earth were you doing with a 2013 diary when he had gifted you the latest one on New Year's Day. Not one to read someone's diary, but his interest was piqued because of a SKZ bookmark hanging out of the diary. He opens it curiously, flipping through the pages that contained grammar rules, self-graded tests with your signature (which he can't help but giggle at), and even an entire section labelled "what Channie taught me", containing phrases and words he had previously taught you, that he himself had forgotten, which little notes on the side in pencil on how to pronounce stating that "Channie says it like this". He smiles to himself, feeling a surge of warmth as he realizes you're working so hard to understand and connect with him and the group on a deeper level. He chuckles at the part where you had stated that he says a word in a certain tone and he's a little surprised to see how observant you were to how he spoke Korean that you had noticed such little things even he didn't know. He is moved by your dedication and effort. It meant so much to him that you wanted to understand him better and also the rest of the boys.

• Minho

Minho's looking around your room when his eyes fall on a notebook open on your bed, with pages full of neat handwriting. Intrigued, he walks over and begins to look through them, noting how well-organized and thoughtful each section is. The color-coding in different color ink, the little drawings, and the way you’ve broken down each concept and it’s clear you’ve put a lot of effort into learning. He spots a few phrases he's used like "Don't be silly" written in Hangul. He feels a strange pride in knowing that you had gone through so much trouble of noting down things he has said and how observant you were to the other members' words and he feels a soft warmth on his chest. When you notice him looking, he gives you an approving nod. "Your notes are impressive," he says, with a faint smile. "You’re serious about learning, huh? I respect that." He’s not overly sentimental, but there’s a hint of admiration in his tone. "Just make sure you don’t learn any bad habits from the guys. I'll teach you the proper way to speak," he adds with a teasing glint in his eyes and you roll your eyes with a smile on your lips.

• Changbin

Changbin flips your notes open curiously and starts reading. The first thing he notices is how neatly you've written grammar concepts and phrases with example sentences using names from the K industry like "Changbin ate an apple", "Joshua cannot swim", "Jaejoong, go to the market !". As he goes through, he can’t help but feel a sense of admiration for your dedication. You’ve put in so much work, and it’s clear that you’re genuinely interested in understanding the language. He chuckles when he sees a section labeled "Cute Phrases learnt from Binnie," where you’ve written down a few things he’s said, noting them with little hearts and stars. When you return, he grins at you, holding up the notebook. "These are really impressive," he says, giving you an encouraging smile. "You’ve put in a lot of effort. If you keep it up, you’ll be fluent in no time!". There’s a hint of pride in his voice as he looks at you, feeling touched that you care so much about connecting with him and the rest of the group in their language.

• Hyunjin

Hyunjin finds your notes when you’re both sitting on the couch. He’s flipping through some things on the table when he spots them, open to a section on descriptive words. At first, he’s just curious, but as he goes through them, he realizes how detailed your notes are. You’ve even added pronunciation tips in English and marked down specific tones you’d heard him use, adding little side notes in pencil like, "Try to sound softer, like Hyunjin." Seeing his own influence in your notes makes his heart race. He’s touched to know you’re paying so much attention to the language, even noting his speaking style. There’s something endearing about how you’re working so hard to speak Korean well, not just to understand him but to match his expressions too. "Wow, you’re really serious about this, huh?" he murmurs, glancing over at you with a soft smile. He leans in closer, resting his chin on his hand as he flips through more pages, admiring your hard work. "If you ever want a study buddy, I’d be happy to help. Maybe I could teach you some new words too… you know, personal ones that only we would know or swear words, whichever you want", he winks, enjoying the thought of having something special shared between the two of you.

• Han

Han stumbles upon your notes one day while you’re hanging out. He flips through them casually, but the more he reads, the more impressed he becomes. Your notes are detailed, organized, and incredibly thorough. You’ve written down vocabulary, grammar rules, and even broken down complex sentences into parts. He’s particularly amused when he sees a section labeled "Funny Phrases" with things he’s said, complete with little notes like, "Han said this when he was being silly." He feels a warmth in his chest, touched that you’ve been paying attention to his quirks and speech patterns. When he looks up at you, there’s a playful glint in his eye. "I didn’t know you were working this hard!" he exclaims. "Your notes are so good; I think I’d actually want to borrow them myself!". Han’s admiration is genuine, and he’s a little flustered by how much he enjoys seeing your dedication. "Anytime you want to practice with me, let me know," he offers, giving you a shy smile. "We could make it fun, you know, with little games and stuff and next time I'll take a test and put my signature on there and an A+ and a smiley if you get it all correct", he said with a wink.

• Felix

When Felix flips through the pages and finds your neat handwriting in Hangul , he's charmed by how much dedication you've put into it, especially when he saw you noted expressions and idioms he used labelled as "Sunshine Lixie's expressions", complete with little stars. His heart flutters at the sight. "Your notes are amazing!" he says, his eyes lighting up. "It’s so cool that you’re learning, and it’s adorable how you even have a section just for my phrases." He pats your shoulder proudly, feeling touched and a bit shy. "I could help you practice anytime you want," he adds, his voice softening, secretly hoping to spend more time with you.

• Seungmin

Seungmin finds your notes by accident when he’s helping you clean up after a study session. He notices them lying open on the table and can’t resist taking a look. As he reads through the pages, he’s impressed by your organization and the level of detail. You’ve made vocabulary lists, highlighted grammar points, and even written down little notes to help you remember certain words. He brings it up later, saying, "Your notes are really impressive. You’re actually doing a great job, and if you keep at it, I think you’ll become fluent in no time." He looks at you thoughtfully, adding, "If you ever need help with pronunciation or understanding something or maybe adding some more to the "Seungmin's Tips" list, I’d be happy to help."

• Jeongin

When the maknae finds your neat diary that you've kept for learning Korean, he is a little surprised but also very impressed at you progress as the self graded "test scores" went higher and as he also remembers some difficult words meant for upper Intermediate learners you'd used a week ago while talking to him. He chuckles when he sees his own "Innie’s Words" section, where you’ve noted down phrases he’s said. Later, he brings it up with a smile, saying, "Your notes are really detailed. It’s so cool that you’re putting in so much effort to learn our language." There’s a sense of pride in his voice as he looks at you, genuinely impressed by your dedication. "If you ever need help, I’m here. I could even teach you some more slang, if you’re up for it Y/N ! And next time, I hope to see you score full marks on your little self tests".

A/N : Do like, comment, reblog and follow if you liked it. You can find the rest of my masterlist here.

[sylussweetie]

“CALL ME BABY”

Desc. What kind of fathers the LADS men would be. The kinds of kids they have. The brief dynamic amongst the children.

Featuring. Xavier, Zayne, Sylus, Rafayel, & Caleb! All x Reader/MC (separately)

w.c

A/N: Not me making problems for children. Also, the break my nuts game is a real game. My auntie was watching over some kids that were friends of a friend and they were jumping off the couch onto a firm triangle cushion trying to “break their nuts” crazy work btw, 10/10 parenting somehow

Xavier. He get’s a boy and a girl as twins. The older one I see taking on his more stoic and responsible attributes. The second kid, taking on his sleep everywhere traits but is a bad bitch on the down low. Second kid’s just unmotivated and unbothered.

Imagine it like this, if they were to grow into a high school setting, the archetypes of the first kid would be a student body president or have a role in the student body (they’d be arguing with Zayne’s kid for that role). Then the second kid would be just a “average” student with extra brain cells but wouldn’t want to put them to use. As they’re much more content with going to sleep and not exhausting as much energy as possible but when it comes to being relied on, end up being very reliable.

They def bicker a lot but not as much as Rafayel’s kids (Which we will get to later).

Xavier def treasures those kids. They would take on his hair but your eyes and have features that mostly resembled you with his cosmetics. He and second kid would get along fine and would cuddle together growing up because of how much they SLEEP. Imagine second kid clinging onto Xavier when he has to go to work. All like “daddy no! Don’t go!” Grumbling and gripping onto Xavier’s shirt.

Xavier’s oldest and him bond over simple talking, quality time in… cooking for you.

“But you’re banned from the kitchen.”

“Says who?”

“Mom.”

“She won’t even notice.”

“She will if the house is gone by the time she gets back.”

“I wasn’t aware the house could teleport. It must have been an oversight when I bought it.”

“Dad.”

Oldest kid loves practicing against Xavier with the sword. Second kid gets too dejected easily and does not truly want to do Xavier gets his fun out of oldest child. Teaching his oldest kid all the tricks he learnt and if anyone tries to get too close at school he gives them permission to defend themselves. If you know what I mean.

The oldest kid inherits Xavier’s light evol. They def train together. The second kid doesn’t care but they’re like a naturally talented and gifted sort of genius who doesn’t have to try. I’d say they’re really good at the sword with bad evol control or have skilled evol usage with a lack of effort or skill in sword fighting. One or the other.

The kids ask about how you and Xavier fell in love and Xavier’s always so sentimental when he tells the story. His rendition. Something you haven’t heard from him before but did now. First kid is sitting obediently at his side and looking up to the face of their father listening intently. While second child is lazing with their head on Xavier’s thigh as Xavier brushes their hair.

Zayne. Zayne feels like a girl dad or a boy dad, but with only one child. Honestly if he has a girl first, it’s a single child. If he has a boy first, then he has a young girl right after but when the boy is 5-7 so they have a pretty decent age difference.

Girl dad Zayne loves his baby girl. So, so much. She’s taken on your features, your hair, your eyes. I guess the only thing she has of his is the cold personality. Though not really cold, just shy and then with your chipper excitement whenever she lights up at anything she loves. Is also a lover of dessert. You have to yell at them both when they sneak away extra macaroons.

Zayne knows it’s wrong but can’t help it when she gives him the puppies of eyes.

Zayne’s son has almost all of his colors save for his features. He’s inherited the eyebrows for sure but the other features are yours. Sculpted soft nose and cushy cheeks. When he was born, Zayne couldn’t help but ghostly pinch at the chub of his newborn son. Almost looking akin to that cheery little seal he would always craft out of his evol.

Zayne’s daughter loves her big brother so, so much. She walks to school with him while holding his hand and skipping with the biggest, toothiest smile on his face. Whenever you give her candy she always saves a piece to share with her older brother and loves to tease him with sticky candied fingers. She adores being twirled around by him in the air and it always ends up with you having to warn them to be careful not to fall. She’s the only one she has such an easy time showing emotion with (besides you guys).

When she gets older she stops trying to be so reliant on him. Especially in public, she’s so independent and self reliant to everyone else, but at school she gets all embarrassed and shy when her big brother comes into class to remind her that she forgot her water bottle. Or that mom told her to eat all the veggies packed in her bento. Her classmates all awe at him and how cool her big brother is.

Zayne’s son is hardwired to look after his wittle baby sister. He can’t help it, she’s so cute. But also as he grows older he begins to wish for time to himself and independence from having to be an older protective brother. With so much weight on his shoulders he begins to act out and at some point claims that his dad only cares about his baby sister and that he doesn’t love him. (He’s a pre-teen give him a break).

All is resolved of course after a talk and that Zayne assured him he loves him, and pinching his cheeks.

Zayne’s son being the cool VP that hangs around and lets the kids chill from the rules while Zayne’s daughter in her generation is the president and is def more strict.

They both inherit Zayne’s snow ability but to your Evol versatility. Zayne’s son specializing in more imaginative moving creatures while Zayne’s daughter specializes in ice in the form of intricate and sturdy sculptures.

Rafayel. Rafayel has a girl, and a younger boy. No questions asked. Only like 3-4 years apart. The older girl is a sassy version of him, if not sassier. She has his hair, and his eyes. Although the big bug eyed version of them where it feels like she’s constantly staring into your soul. Constantly has them tied in adorable little pigtails at the side of her that swish back and forth when she shakes her head “no” especially when she was a toddler, a little pout on her face, lower lip jutted out as she crosses her arms with watery eyes peaking up at you both.

She is in fact a daddy’s girl, but very much still loves you. When she was younger she’d fight you over who got to cuddle dad in bed until Rafayel just tucked himself in the middle and cuddled you both. When she’s older she’s much more content with just you, and in fact finds her dad’s possession of your time to be really annoying. She wants to go shopping with you, for you to do her hair. For you to bake with her.

If anything, she kinda feels bad when she was younger for preferring her dad over you and wants to remind you that she loves you, too. Especially when you had her brother. Who took up most of your time. This was when she truly noticed the loss of your attention.

She kinda bullied him a lot too lol. But not too harshly, usual sibling banger of chasing each other around with a knife and threatening death. Then consoling and begging not to tell mom or dad. With her is the only time he’ll ever fight or argue back. But in a shy “leave me alone!” Kid sort of way. They bicker and banter back and forth. “Go climb a tree! Bug eyed freak!” “I hope the sharks eat you! You’d taste better than the grass!”

Rafayel’s son is much shyer. With one eye the color of Rafayel’s gradient hues and the other one of yours. He’s quite different than the both of you since you’re both so bold, especially with each other. He’s sensitive, and very shy. When he was younger, he’d often liked to be held by you and would bury his chubby face into your neck. He likes hiding behind Rafayel’s leg in public when he has his art galleries cause he still likes to see the pretty art his papa makes.

He loves to paint, Rafayel and him bonded that way. Rafayel somewhat got him out of his shell when his son was gifted the most talented artist award in kindergarten. In middle to highschool, Rafayel’s son gets pretty famous for being such a talented artist (but often gets compared to his dad and how he can’t live up to the original). Oh well, guess that’s why his older sister is there to beat them all up.

Younger son has evol doing with painting. The elements he paints come to life for a momentary period of time. He’s still learning to use it. Older sister has Rafayel’s fire evol. She’s more of a fighter though like her mom rather than a “dainty” artist. However, she fights with a force and grace of that of a well practiced and skilled dancer.

Sylus. Twins. Two girls. One boy. Just a five year age gap. His little girls are fierce and bold. Just as daring, sly and cunning. He spoils them SO much. They come back from weekend shopping trips from different parts of the world, sometimes richer in fashion and sometimes richer in mind. He definitely takes them to explore other cultures and they bring back souvenirs from their travels.

His girls love to hang onto Sylus like little monkeys. Very adventurous. If one of them is climbing his leg, the other one is hanging off his arm as he holds it up like a branch. Even as they get older to beg him for something they use this tactic.

As for his son, Sylus likes to sit with his son. It’s kind of strange cause the little boy is so quiet. Sylus likes to clean his guns with his son. Having the little child sit on the couch just staring blankly at his father reload and clean a gun. Of course, safety first.

His son inherits his animal loving trait. Horses? Check? A strange forest water creature? Check. A beaver? Strangely yes. Cats? Especially cats. If he goes outside expect him to come back with at least one cat that managed to follow him home.

“Who is that?”

“That’s Mochi and Miles. They’re brothers, Mochi is really nice but Miles is really mean.”

He looks up at you with those puppiest eyes, “Can we keep them?”

Before Sylus was more adept as a parent he had Mephisto watch over the twins in the crib. He had a special crib made with a perch sturdy enough to hold between two cribs so the crow could look over them all at once.

After you found out you scolded him, “what is a bird going to do if they’re in danger?”

“CAWCAW.”

“He’s going to do that.”

Luke and Kieran love the girls. Twinsies!!! They play house with them, feed them, albeit they’re both very clumsy in trying to feed the stubborn kids. The oldest is definitely very impatient and eats as fast as possible to go play, a choking hazard. The second one is patient and eats slow while transfixed with the TV, also a choking hazard with how distracted she gets. They both are very worried, very paranoid, very protective.

On the playground a little boy comes up to give Sylus’s second daughter a flower, all blushing and unable to meet her eyes as she’s more confused rather than thankful. But take it anyway. Luke and Kieran watching the whole thing interrogated the poor kid.

This kid is someone in Second daughter’s class that always remains behind the scenes throughout the years. In middle school he’s a pimply nervous kid and gets a completely glow up in high school that has every girl blushing but he only has eyes for second daughter.

Kieran and Luke refer to the son as little monarch. Throw him up in the air and like to shadow box with him. They’ll come out from the shadows and as Sylus’s son is throwing a punch, they’ll dramatically toss themselves backwards and groan in pain.

First daughter is chatty as FUCK. Wanting to know everything about her baby brother while second daughter watches and observes.

“Mommy, what does he eat?”

“Milk.”

“From a cow?”

“No.”

“From your nipples?”

“Whe-where did you learn that?”

“Did we drink from your nipples too?”

“Sylus!”

Sylus’s son is much more deadpanned, reserved, less excitable than the girls but just as adventurous if not more bold because of this personality difference. He gives off little shit energy. He’s a menace who does what he wants and loves to piss off his older sisters.

However, he’s a mommy’s boy. Prefers to spend days with you whether it be action based, training in the ring or relaxing, spa based. He loves both because he wants to spend time with his mom.

Very often it’s Sylus showing you PDA and all three of the kids BLEGHING at the sight. Although they acknowledge that they’re very lucky to have healthy, loving parents.

The oldest twin and son takes on the more physical attributes of both their parents. They both love boxing. While Sylus’s second daughter is more elegant and dancer-like. She’s more nimble and lean. Definitely took acrobatics when she was younger.

Second daughter takes on Sylus’s evol but in a ribbon leverage sort of manner. Kind of like Spiderman in movement and functionality but with evol strings. Son takes on mother’s attribute of physical combat with Sylus’s build. Think of the “BEAT HIS ASS” audio and that’s the vision you get whenever he fights. He grows to be way taller than his sisters. Older daughter is a combination of both, a master of none but a jack of all trades. She’s got skilled abilities in fighting, and evol manipulation but it’s her father’s manipulative eye that she’s got the most handle over out of the three.

Caleb. Caleb would have twin boys, one girl. Six year age gap. He’s hoping for a kid to look like you, but the twins share his resemblance. It’s extremely uncanny. The only thing they’d have is your nose bridge and eye structure. Otherwise it’s those beady lavender’s staring right back at him.

Metal arm Caleb is especially careful of holding the kids, definitely letting his more fleshy one being the one to hold his kids. Especially before they can even crawl, open their eyes, etc. He really wants to hold both kids in both arms, he’s strong enough to but is too afraid of hurting them. As they grow older they get used to their daddy’s “robot arm” and begin to ask questions about its origins and how other daddy’s don’t have robot arms.

They’re also very mischievous. Grabbing each other’s hair, especially as infants who can crawl. The youngest in retaliation always grabs the oldest’ hair and never lets go until he gets a toy. Or as they grow older, throwing dirt in the other’s faces, stealing a portion of their food but never taking each other’s portion of dessert because that’s sacred. Not as bad as Rafayel’s kids but 100% more physical.

They’re also both sort of manipulative. In the cute little shit way and less of the egotistical man sort of way. They want simple things like candy, not world domination (yet). They both also fight over your attention, and fight their dad for your attention. Caleb makes it very well known his little shits can’t have you at night but you will most certainly tuck them in.

The kids always BLEGH whenever he calls you pipsqueak or anything super endearing. With such love in his voice and heart eyes, a hand around your waist and leaning down to kiss your forehead. Such a love they cannot fathom just yet as they repulse is disgust at the affection.

“Momma we can kiss you way better than papa can.”

“Yeah, papa’s icky right now. He’s got cooties and germs all over him.”

“Your momma loves my cooties just fine.” He teases them with a flick to both their foreheads.

He loves flying paper airplanes for them, especially when they were toddlers. The way the two of them would toddle after an airplane mid flight with wide soft lavender eyes. Caleb also regales to them old “war stories” about being on the fleet.

They think he’s the coolest when he’s telling them these types of stories. They also try to play fight with him, all about how their evol is way stronger cause they’re younger and he’s a sad old man. He obviously beats them, never lets them truly win and it’s only after about three times does he let them succeed in “defeating” him.

The boys are just menaces, playing dangerous games like jumping off the couch like a ninja or climbing on each other’s shoulders. Jumping from the couch onto—albeit—soft cushions to play the “break my nuts” game they made up on a whim.

You and Caleb are both exhausted but happy. Yet there’s just one more thing he wants…

When Caleb gets his daughter she looks just like you. His hair but your eyes and your features. He loves her so much, adores her. The very first day you gave birth to her he wouldn’t put her down. His finger presenting itself to her tiny soft grabby little hands as she grips onto his larger finger tightly. She can’t open her eyes yet but her mouth is agape with the tiniest and most adorable little “o” as if she’s perpetually yawning. His mini pipsqueak.

The boys are rough players, and very loud, very destructive. You both cannot have nice things for long. You wonder how they’ll be.

When Caleb presents to them their baby sister they become quiet. Unknown with the little creature that sits so small and quietly in their father’s arms.

“Why is she so wrinkly?”

“Why is she so small?”

“She’s shaped like a potato.”

“She’s wrapped in a blanket, and you were small and wrinkly once like this too, y’know.” Caleb teases with a small grin.

The second oldest talks at normal voice level—loud—and Caleb has to shush him for fear of waking up the baby. They don’t think it’s much of an issue but after that they have to deal with crying in the night at fuck who knows hours and second oldest is a light sleeper so he definitely hates having the little potato around.

The boys hate how they have to tiptoe around her for the longest time while she’s this size. They’d get to a point where the oldest decides to rebel and the second son follows his lead and they both start screaming and hitting pots and pans. They’re such menaces.

Poor little Caleb’s daughter, with her baby ears and sensitive sleep schedule. He obviously yells at the boys and makes it very clear they can act like this again when she grows older.

They sort of resent her for a small period of time but grow to become fond of her when she’s a toddler. She cries less and sleeps through the night. Through exposure she’s gotten attached to her big brothers and sits by them whenever they’re watching a movie or follows them whenever they erratically walk around the house roleplaying as far space pirate.

They’re both very attentive and aware of what will hurt her, albeit not because they were taught to be Caleb but because they’ve learned to care about her safety over time. She fell down the stairs once? Her crying broke their hearts. Oldest kid kicked the stairs in anger and started crying because he hurt his foot. Second kid kicked the stairs for hurting both his older brother and baby sister, also started crying because he stubbed his toe. All in all, don’t kick the stairs.

As she grows older the boys tease her and kind of leave her out of things when they play together. They’re not exactly mean or cruel but they grew up together and prefer their boy time with one another. However, it doesn’t mean that they don’t feel bad about preferring playing sometimes without her. After they’re satisfied they also return to her with an apology and promise of the new big adventure the three of them will be on together.

When her hair’s longer, Caleb takes extra care to brush it, style it and takes care of her like he did for you when you were both younger. His little princess.

Don’t even mention boys or the possibility of her dating, it’ll break his heart knowing no one is good enough for his little girl. Not to mention the way the twins would erratically and immediately be threatening death if that boy were to do their sister wrong.

The twins inherit his abilities of gravity manipulation evol and the third inherits your abilities.

[byeoltoyuki]

Try

↳ Pairing: Seungmin x reader

❧ Genre: rivals to lovers / romance / smut

❧ Words: +4k

❧ Warnings: unprotected sex, oral (f)

❧Summary : Years ago, he used to be your enemy.

No. Enemy was too strong to describe what Kim Seungmin was to you. Your rival was a better term. He was everything you weren’t; friendly, funny and effortlessly brilliant. You loathed him for that. And yet, when you meet him again years later, you just can’t deny that there’s something else between you too.

❧ A/N : Honestly, this one comes out of nowhere. I just needed to write so here it comes ♥ Reblogs and comments are always appreciated ♥

***

‘Trust your guts’.

It was your motto in life. A simple rule. And you abided by this rule half of your short lived life. But not tonight and you regretted it. Deeply.

The annual gathering with people from your college was an event your closest friends adored just so they could show some idiots that they had succeeded in life. You? You avoided it. An event you hated with all your heart. You always found excuses not to go. Your life depended on it.

Okay. Not really. Not your life at least. But definitely your ego.

You hated half of the people who attended the event. Back in college, they were so quick to judge, to talk behind your back and yet they expected you to be nice to them. To them, you were just a cold, nerdy girl with no friends. Someone they could easily mock. They hated your attitude. They hated your looks. But they also hated how easily you beat them every single time.

They were wrong.

Yes, you were a little nerdy back then, but you weren’t a cold person, just shy. And you had friends. Not many, but you didn’t need many to feel good. To be happy. Those you had, stuck by your side and they also happened to be the reason you had finally agreed to come to the gathering. You just couldn’t say no to Hyunjin and Yeji, not when those two formed an alliance against you. You had no chance against them.

You sighed to yourself. Would it be rude to grab your purse and leave? One nasty look from Hyunjin, as if he could read your mind, and you gulped nervously. Apparently it was. You slumped further into your chair and tried to keep up with the conversation. Same boring conversation. ‘Where do you currently work?’ ‘Are you soon getting married?’ ‘I’ve bought a house!’ Why did it have to be a competition? Couldn't they just enjoy a nice gathering and the meal?

“Hyunjin, I heard you’re flying to Paris for the fashion week.” Seoah were almost drooling as she spoke to Hyunjin. You cringed. She couldn’t make it even more obvious that she wasn’t just admiring him. No, she had something else on mind. Too bad, Hyunjin was a taken man even if she didn’t know that.

He smiled into his drink. “Yes, tomorrow.” He put his glass back on the table and glanced smugly at a silently fuming Juwon who always hated Hyunjin’s popularity. “I was actually supposed to leave today, but I couldn’t miss our annual gathering! It’s good to see you guys.”

What a liar. You had to bite your lips not to laugh at his words.

Juwon cleared his throat and averted his attention on you. Hell no. “You look different.” For once, it didn’t sound like an insult but you were still weary of him. No nice words coming out of his mouth could make you forget what kind of asshole he was. And you had a hard time to believe that he had actually changed.

“Do I?” You did look different from the past. You used not to care about your looks. Who cared how you looked as long as you had good grades? You certainly didn’t. Neither did your friends. But it changed. Ever since you started working at your art gallery, you understood the importance of how others perceived you. You learnt to do your makeup right. You took care of your long hair. And you changed your whole wardrobe. You got classier. And maybe tonight you put an extra effort to look good. Not that you needed to impress anyone, but you did it anyway.

“It suits you!” Another woman commented, genuinely excited. You couldn’t remember her name but you thanked her with a smile.

Yeji eyed you from the other side of the big table, thumbs up, her eyes telling you silently ‘told you so’. You ignored her. Just because you could.

“I wonder with what kind of man you ended.” Juwon was too curious for his own good.

“Oh come on.” Seoah laughed as if the idea of you dating was ridiculous. “I bet she’s still single.”

How typical of her to assume. Not that she was wrong, but her comment still pissed you. Did she think you were still the same woman as back in college? Just because right at this moment, you were indeed single, didn’t mean you refused dating. You did and got tired of it. Every relationship you had, always started nice, romantic even, but always ended the same way: you breaking up with the guy. They were nice men who truly cared for you but there was just something missing.

However, before you could share a piece of your mind with Seoah, you were interrupted.

“Sorry guys, I’m late!”

That voice.

That stupidly, annoying voice. Your whole body reacted; you shuddered, unable to breath, unable to think properly.

Kim Seungmin.

Here came a man you wished you could avoid for the rest of your life. You knew, your hatred for him was irrational. Compare to others, he had never done anything to you. Seungmin never mocked you, never made any bad comments. But he was your rival. No matter how hard you worked, no matter how many hours you spent in the library, studying, he still beat you every single time. It drove you crazy. But what made everything tenths time worse was the fact that Seungmin quickly caught on your little game and it amused him. You hated him for that too.

“You’re right on time!” Juwon pushed a chair for him. “We’ve been discussing Y/N’s love life!” His gaze slid to you and smirked. “Or lack of it.” Yep. Still an asshole, you were right.

Seungmin quirked a brow at Juwon’s words. You felt his eyes on you. On your face, on your neck, on your arms. Your skin burned under his gaze but you refused to acknowledge his presence for the sake of your sanity.

Maybe a tiny part of you expected Seungmin to comment Juwon’s words, maybe even laugh at it. But he did none of that. Instead you felt him only closer to you which made your unease grow with every passing seconds.

“Do you mind if we switch places?” Seungmin asked the girl beside you, taking the two of you completely off guard.

You opened your mouth, a protest on the tip of your tongue but the girl beside you was faster. She hurried to leave her spot. Seungmin flashed her a pretty smile and sat right next to you. Despite you wanting to avoid him, now that he sat so close to you, your arm brushing his, there was no escape. Now that you were staring right into his pretty, annoying, eyes, you knew: you were fucked.

“As for what you said Juwon. Lack of love life?” Seungmin repeated his words. He moved a little closer to you and before you could push him away, he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, bringing you against him. “How come you didn’t tell them about us, babe?”

Loud gasps followed by whispers.

What.

What the actual fuck?!

If from outside you looked perfectly composed, at least to those who didn’t know you well enough, inside you were completely freaking out. His words made no sense. His body, his warmth that should have repelled you, felt actually nice.

Kim Seungmin was trying to help you. You heard him. You understood what he was saying but you didn’t understand why. You weren’t friends, not even close and you hadn’t seen each other for so long. I’ll deal with you later.

Something was wrong with you too because instead of pushing him away, you leant into him and accepted his help. “Because they wouldn’t have believed me. Should I remind you that we used to hate each other?” You reminded him and playfully poked his side.

Seungmin leaned closer, his lips so close to yours – you gulped but didn’t avert your eyes from his face. How annoyingly pretty he looked with his eyes shining brightly with mischief. Fine, he was helping you but he was clearly having fun too.

“Wrong.” He said and kissed the corner of your lips.

Gasps again.

Your heart skipped a beat. The corner of your lips tingled and you found yourself wishing his lips had stayed longer. What the actual fuck, Y/N. This whole night was a terrible idea and you kept making bad decisions. Getting drunk and hoping to forget everything seemed like a good idea right now.

“I never hated you.” He added and pulled back to face the others as if he hadn’t just dropped a bomb at them. And at you. “What’s up?”

And just like that they started talking again. But you heard none of that. All you could hear was the sound of your roaring heart. All you could feel was the lingering feeling of his lips. All you could think about was Seungmin and this thing going on between the two of you tonight. ‘I never hated you.’ Fine. Maybe he never did but you weren’t on best terms either. You wanted to take him outside and talk to him. Was it his attempt at messing with you? Or was he really just being genuinely nice?

You noticed Hyunjin and Yeji staring at you, questions in their eyes. You didn’t blame them. They had to know none of it was real, they were your best friends. You wouldn’t have hidden something as big as dating Kim Seungmin from them.

“And you Yeji?” Seungmin’s voice brought you back from your reverie. “I heard your new song, it’s really nice.” You wanted to concentrate on what he was saying since he was talking about your friend. You couldn’t. Not when he put his hand on your thigh. Not when he made it look so natural. Not when, despite it happening under the table, it attracted attention on the two of you again.

It should feel wrong. In fact, you should be appalled by his boldness. You didn’t. It felt awfully nice. And right. Instead of pushing him away, you simply watch him talking. You didn’t want to admire his face but it was hard not to. Even if you weren’t fond of him, you weren’t blind. Kim Seungmin was handsome. Pretty eyes, pretty nose and even prettier mouth. Without realizing it, you licked your lips, wondering how it would feel against yours. Or at any other part of your body.

Oh my god. Did they put something in my drink? There’s no way I’m thinking about him. But you were.

Seungmin squeezed your thigh, the palm of his hand feeling suddenly too hot against your skin. He forgot all about his friends and leant closer. “If you keep staring at me like that we might have a problem.” He warned you.

Your breath caught in your throat and you couldn’t ignore how your face flushed. “When did you get so bold?” You whispered in return.

Seungmin smiled in response. A smile so beautiful, so bright, you wanted to keep it for yourself.

“Growing up does that to a person.” He whispered, his lips brushed your ear. “And also, you look really pretty tonight.”

You couldn’t stop the blush from spreading all over your face even if you tried.

Kim Seungmin was a menace. But a very beautiful and annoying one.

“Okay, that’s enough.” One of the guy groaned. “Get a room. Some of us are sadly single and you two are just disgusting.”

Seungmin laughed heartily and unfortunately for you pulled away from you. A tiny part of you was relieved for the space, but another part of you almost whined at the loss of his warmth. Yeah, there was something wrong with you.

****

Somehow you managed to survive through the whole meal without a fight, without people trying to mess with you. In fact, you even managed to laugh a few times and it wasn’t just because of your friends’ jokes. And maybe it had everything to do with Seungmin.

“Should I drive you home?” Hyunjin whispered to your ear, making sure that nobody heard you.

It was the plan. You came with them and you were supposed to leave with them. You glanced at Seungmin and you couldn’t believe yourself: you were hesitating. You could leave with your friends but then you wouldn’t be able to talk to him and have a chance to thank him for his help.

Seungmin was faster to react. “I’ll take her home. Right babe?” He grabbed your jacket from your chair and waited for you.

Hyunjin rolled his eyes at his words, tempted to pull you back against him. You patted his back. “I should go with Seungmin.”

Hyunjin cocked a brow, surprised with your answer. You gave him a small smile and promised to text him and Yeji later.

Seungmin waited for you. Your body moved on its own accord. When you were close enough, Seungmin helped you to put your jacket on. You were thankful he couldn’t see your flushed face.

“There. All good.” He told you. “Are you ready?”

You were not.

***

You didn’t want the drive to your place to be awkward but it was. You didn’t know how to start the conversation with him. You knew nothing about this Kim Seungmin or how to deal with him.

“Thank you for tonight.” You said awkwardly without looking at him.

From the corner of your eyes you saw him glance at you. You expected him to make a comment, to make it easier for you but he didn’t. He returned his attention to the road. Damn him.

You sighed and slumped further into your seat. “I still don’t understand why you helped me.” This time, you looked at him.

Seungmin shrugged. “They were being dicks for no good reason.”

True, they were but it wasn’t anything new. Seungmin never stood up for you before so why now? “You didn’t need to pretend though.” He could have said anything but no, he chose to play your fake boyfriend instead.

Seungmin parked the car by the entrance of your building and then fully faced you. His eyes sparked with delight and something else. “I admit; it wasn’t my plan. But then, I had one look at you and couldn’t help myself.”

You huffed and crossed your arms over your chest. “So you were messing with me.”

“Maybe a little.”

So damn infuriating. You hurried to unbuckle your seatbelt and opened the door.

“I wasn’t joking you know.” Seungmin stopped you with his words, realizing that if he wanted for you to talk to him, he needed to be genuine. “I never hated you.” He sighed and ruffled his hair in frustration. “I loved how competitive you were. When I realized how clever you were, it pushed me to work harder, to make sure I stayed on the top. And maybe to annoy you a little too. I remember how you used to scrunch your nose whether you saw I got a better grade than you. So adorable.” He smiled at the memory.

Seungmin left you speechless. Why was he making it sound like he was actually fond of you? And why the hell did his words melted you on the spot? You needed to hurry up; grab your purse and leave this car before you did something unthinkable. But as you stepped outside of his car, your body froze, refusing to leave. I’m losing my mind, that’s it.

“Give me your phone.” You turned back and outstretched your hand. It was a bad idea. Terrible idea. But then again, it was just another one to add to the list of bad ideas. Who cared?

Seungmin didn’t hesitate. Not even for a second as if he had been waiting for this moment for ages. You refused to delve on the matter as you quickly saved your number in his phone. “Call me when you want.”

‘And maybe soon.’ But you didn’t say it.

***

You barely made it inside your flat – your phone rang with an unknown number. You stared at your phone, your heart skipping a beat. You didn’t want to think it could be Seungmin. But were you hoping? Maybe.

“Hi.” You instantly recognized his gentle voice.

You couldn’t help it. You chuckled at his eagerness. “You know, usually people wait few days to call back.”

“Open your door.”

Your eyes widened in shock. Too taken aback, you did as he asked without thinking. And here he was. “Did you follow me?!”

Seungmin smiled sheepishly and put his phone back in his pocket. “Sorry. I-“

Was he nervous? “What are you doing, Seungmin?”

Seungmin took a deep breath and took a step inside your flat. The right thing to do would be to tell him to leave. It was too soon and you weren’t in the right mind. You did none of that.

“I’m desperate.” He admitted.

Your breath hitched in your throat as he got closer to you. You knew that if you let him get too close to you, something could happen. And you didn’t completely dislike the idea. Seungmin halted right before you. His eyes blazed with so much intensity, you gulped nervously.

Gently, Seungmin took your hand and pulled it toward him to press against his chest. You jolted, surprised to feel his heartbeat. Wild. Strong. And his hand so warm. “I was a coward in college and missed my chance. I can’t do it a second time, Y/N. I can’t let you slip between my fingers again.”

Your eyes darted back and forth between your hand against his chest and his eyes. “Are you confessing, Seungmin?”

“What if I am?” He dared you, his grip on your hand tightened. Maybe a little part of him was actually scared of rejection. But he held strong.

You could pull away from him and forget his words.

You could, but you didn’t.

His words stirred something inside you. It made you curious. What if instead of looking for a guy that was nice, you went for the guy who loved to compete with you? A guy who, without you even realizing it, pushed you to be the best version of yourself? You had nothing to lose. So you did something completely out of your character. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pressed your body against his, feeling all of him against you. His body strong and firm against you.

“I’d say you need to show me just how much you like me.”

Seungmin growled at your words and instead of answering you, he claimed your mouth. So eager. So desperate. There was nothing sweet about this kiss and you didn’t mind. Seungmin poured years of frustration and need into the kiss. Poured all his feelings, his longing and you gladly took it all.

You moved through the room without breaking the kiss until your thighs met the edge of your table. You didn’t think twice as you sat on top of it, spreading your legs for him to settle against you. You felt it then, how hard he was, how much he wanted you. You would be lying if you said you weren’t wet and excited for what he could do to you.

Seungmin broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against yours. “Are you sure?”

You thought it was sweet that he still tried to control himself. That he still wanted to make sure you were comfortable with him touching you. If only he knew how bad you needed him right now. “Hundred per cent sure.” You confirmed and pecked his nose.

“Well then,” Seungmin’s lips moved from your cheek to the corner of your mouth, to your jaw. “I think I want a dessert.” He kissed your shoulder and gently slid the straps of your dress exposing your aching breasts. “So beautiful.” He licked his way from one breast to another – he took one of your breasts in his mouth, playing with you, teasing you.

You moaned softly, your hand nestled in his hair, you pushed his head against your chest. You were right, his mouth felt perfect against your skin and you thought it would be so easy to get addicted. “Touch me.” You begged, the throbbing between your legs getting too much.

“I’m touching you.” He teased, knowing damn well where you needed him the most.

“Seungmin.” You groaned and tug at his hair.

He groaned and bit playfully on your nipple. “Be nice.” With that he hiked your dress higher. He grabbed your panties and tore them off you.

You gasped loudly. “Did you just tear my panties?!”

He chuckled. “Sorry.” He was definitely not sorry judging by his smirk. You took note to make him pay later for it.

Seungmin spread your legs wider and licked his lips at your exposed pussy glistening with your wetness. “Look at that. Already so wet and I barely touched you.” He teased your sweet pussy by dragging a finger from your clit to your entrance, loving how you shivered at this simple touch.

“Seungmin, please.” You begged shamelessly and pushed your hips, needing to feel more.

“Do you want that?” He pushed his fingers deep inside you. So easily. In and out. Slower at first and then faster, watching as you threw your head back, your lips parted. Your soft moans filled the room and it was the sweetest melody to his ears.

Slowly, Seungmin dropped to his knees. Your dizzy mind barely registered what he was doing – he gently scraped his teeth over your clit. He knew exactly what he was doing. The moment he wrapped his lips around your clit, you lost it.  A loud moan escaped your lips. He feasted on you eagerly; his mouth, his fingers, he was slowly driving you crazy and you could only beg for more.

“Oh my god, Seungmin.” You mewled and ground against his face.

He was good. Too good. His mouth was divine. He worked his magic so well, you could feel your orgasm so close you could taste it.

“I’m so close. Please.”

Seungmin hummed against your pussy. “Come then.”

And you did. Your whole body trembled as your orgasm washed over you. But he didn’t stop. Seungmin kept sucking on your clit, enjoying how you writhed and tried to pull him away from you, too sensitive from your orgasm.

Seungmin straightened up and slowly pulled out his fingers from your pussy. He watched you, smiling lazily as he brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked on them.

“Shit.” You clenched around nothing at the sight. He shouldn’t be allowed to look so sinful.

You grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him into another bruising kiss, tasting yourself on his lips. “I need you inside me right now.”

“So bossy.” He chuckled, “What if I want to play more with you?”

You considered it for a moment. You wouldn’t mind him playing with you. But right now, you wanted him buried deep inside you. You wanted him to fuck you so hard you wouldn’t remember why in the hell you considered him as your enemy for so long. Wanted him to fuck you so hard you wouldn’t remember your name.

You reached between your bodies and started working on his belt and then his zipper. “You’ll have plenty of opportunities to play with me later.”

Seungmin arched a brow, amused with your confession. “Will I?”

“Hell yeah.” You grabbed his cock. He was hard and angry and dripping pre-cum. You salivated at the sight. Kim Seungmin was perfect and you were dying to find out how hard he could ruin you. “Please, wreck me?” You asked as nicely as you could manage.

Seungmin shook his head, laughing fondly. “How can I say no to you?”

Seungmin drove into you. One deep thrust that made you grab his arms, holding for your dear life.

“Fuck.” You moaned and tried to compose yourself. He felt perfect, stretching you, filling you just like you needed.

Seungmin dragged his cock slowly at first, letting you time to adjust and maybe also trying to compose himself. Despite all his talk about playing, he couldn’t deny how badly he wanted to lose control and drive you mad. “You were made for me, Y/N.” He grunted, his control slipping little by little. “Fuck.”

“Don’t hold back, please.” Who cared if he ruined you? Who cared if you couldn’t walk tomorrow? You didn’t.

And he didn’t. Seungmin slammed back into you. His thrusts hard. Deep. Reaching all the right spots. Making you cry out his name. Making you whimper. “You are so fucking perfect.” He hissed as you clenched around him.

“Please, please, please.” You didn’t know what you begged for anymore. Was for him to go harder? To go deeper? To slow down? You couldn’t tell. Your mind was overwhelmed. Your body was burning.

Seungmin kept a brutal rhythm, his thrusts vicious, his grip on your body strong, fingers digging into your skin. It would leave marks and you could only wish for more. Let the world see that someone made you feel so good. Let the world see that you belonged to him.

His hand reached between your bodies and rubbed your clit. There was no escape. You came in a loud cry, wildly, explosively, your body shaking. Seungmin fucked you through your orgasm, his thrusts getting sloppier, his grunts louder, seeking his own release.

You wrapped your arms around his neck and claimed his mouth, swallowing his groan as he came deep inside you, trembling against you.

Seungmin rested his head in the crook of your head, panting. For a moment, you didn’t talk and savored just the moment and the press of your sweaty bodies. It felt nice. It felt good. Perfect.

With your orgasm came clarity. “Why haven’t we done it sooner?” You laughed.

Seungmin bit on your collarbone in response. “Because we had other priorities in college.”

That you did. “What a shame.” You sighed dramatically. “Guess we have some serious catch up to do, don’t you think?”

[nausicaaandhermouth]

The Healer

masterlist

viktor x anhedonic!reader [1.4k][AO3]

cw: implied/referenced depression, suicide, suicidal ideation, self harm

summary: Anhedonia set in and the idea of exiting life's stage became all the more appealing. But you've heard about The Healer and perhaps he can save you.

tags: gn reader, S2 Viktor, post-Act 1, anhedonia, angst, depression, suicide, SI, SH, viktor gardening?, reader's just admiring him atp, not betad, not encouraging anybody to join any cult

a/n: idk if vik's abilities extends to making plants appear but for this pretend it does

if you're unfamiliar with what anhedonia is, it's a symptom of a larger condition (can be depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, more), characterised by the inability to experience physical and/or social pleasure. makes existing difficult, like you're dragging so much pointless weight and everything feels high effort, so what's the point.

just a brief description (based on what i've learnt from it in research and experience), so i encourage learning more to get it more in depth if it interests you or sounds too familiar.

You prayed for an easy coax out of the darkness.

The little home of scrap fabric and heartbroken brick you built throughout the years was becoming more and more dilapidated, though its original state had never been of full health to begin with. And like it, your body’s ridges became prominent, visited by unexplained bruises, warmed by the thickened hair on your skin, and yet living on had always been the only option you saw—no, the only option you allowed.

You’d breathed long enough to outlive many of those around you. Whether it was becoming grey-lunged corpses, enforcer punching bags, or a Promenade diver, everybody knew somebody who, sooner rather than later, knelt to kiss Death’s feet. Surrendered. Be it by their own or another’s will.

Then it fell upon you: the swole blanket of indifference, of apathy. It cloaked your mind, buried your defences that was defiance, which had been the only source of survival you’d had left. But snuffed out now.

And how easy it is to think of self-inflicted inexistence when it seems nothing else matters.

Oblivion would whisper in the corner, a demented, deformed dog snarling yet begging your hand’s comfort. Come to me. And you can’t find good reason as to why you shouldn’t.

This… healer—a man whose touch could gild any man’s sick and bestow him a new life, a new body, a new mind—you’re not sure when he arrived. But the whispers morphed to murmurs which morphed to rumours and unfolded itself into your side of the city’s underbelly.

Was he the answer to your prayer?

You made journey to the place you’d heard he’d made camp, and it unfurled before you and stole all expectation and put them to rest. Because for once, the Sumps had colour, had life.

At the centre stood a strange, globular… building? Just like stained glass, its surface was of mute Spring colours, translucent, swirling lattice-work reminiscent of butterfly wing patterns.

He’s a tall thing. A beautiful thing. His metal body cloaked, careful, and coded with grace. Each movement was deliberate, no gaze shared unintentional. How had he come to exist? How had this world birthed your people’s suffering but, as well, him?

You want to laugh at the sick irony. Whoever’s dealing the cards need their hands cut off.

“What ails you?” he asks, giving you such soft regarding you can’t help but be rendered speechless.

In truth, you’re not sure. Physically, you know you’re lacking, but so was everyone so why are you different? In your head there sits a temptress, attempting to lure you to the edge of buildings or blades, but she had no name. No one speaks of her.

The healer tilts his head, seeming to take a better look at you. He looks so kind. Such eyes, opalescent, have seen suffering, and you know it.

“Life,” you give a one-shouldered shrug, smiling. “I… I’m not actually… uh, I don’t know what I’m doing here,” you take a step back.

What had been the point of this? Attempt what? Healing? What’s this man to do?

“No,” he steps closer, his voice swathed in a strange mechanical whir. “Stay,”

You’re sure that by the furrowed desperation on you, it convinces something inside him, as he turns and beckons you with a nudge of his head. So you follow.

Each step he makes creates a heavy thunk beneath him, and though you don’t feel its impact, merely by sound you feel the weight of him. How had he acquired such a body? Modded fingers, let alone limbs, cost years of your wages—you can’t imagine how much his entire body might have cost.

“I can feel something plaguing you,” he begins, shifting slightly to catch a look of you.

You scoff but it doesn’t quite match your face.

“Then what brought you to me?” he shrugs and looks away, leading you to the side of the Sumps where a clear plain rolled out.

You watch as he kneels and reaches for the soil, taking it between metal fingers.

“I’m not sure,” you kneel beside him, shoulders bunching up. “What are you doing?”

He hums, smoothing the ground and creating indents, “I’m assessing,”

You lean forward, folding your arms and hanging your head to look at him.

The metal frames his face, just barely hidden by chestnut waves, curling beneath the jaw and around the ear.

He’s got a rather angular beauty to him, something belonging to scrutiny and studiosity. Even his strong brows follow theme, arched forward in a focused furrow, over narrowed eyes homing iridescent irises. You’re not sure if he’s from this world. Or if the world was gifted him.

Your attention trails back to his hand, and he digs his fingers beneath the soil. Then, hand glowing beneath the metallic muscles, the ground is imbued with a light, where then verdant stems spring alive.

You choke back a gasp, glancing about as the spindly bodies uncurl and reveal yellow petals. Roses?

Whipping back to him, you take note of the glow leaving his eyes, shock threading through your system.

When you glance back at the flowers, now surrounding the both of you, you can’t help but think: logically, how you might have reacted would be with pleasant surprise, glee, even.

Such occurrences, the arcane or a mere flower field, was a coveted sight, and without a doubt you would have felt the surge of optimism. But instead nothing happens. Instead it’s unmet anticipation and expectation sitting at your belly, pooling into grey disappointment.

It’s when you look back to the healer that you realise this disappointment must have shown on your face. He inclines his head so slightly, blinks, as if saying I understand. And he smiles. He smiles and it’s the gentlest thing ever given to you to hold and witness.

You want to crumple, to lay graves for your limbs and disassemble each part that ever dared to exist only to suffer. There used to be anger, and at the very least there was indignation. At topside for their neglect, your parents or finding each other, for finding something beyond the misery and creating you. Where had all such righteous resentment gone?

“Viktor,”

You look up to see the healer’s hand stretched out, asking for yours in return. And you oblige, shaking it gently, before pulling away only to be held with soft restraint.

“You are welcome to stay,” his voice becomes tender, becomes more human almost, aimed purely for your audience. “Even if what torments is not outright seen. I welcome all,”

Your breath comes out long, carrying with it the tired days in the dark. The healer… Viktor makes no acknowledgement of this but just another observant blink, the corners of his mouth slightly tightening.

“Wasn’t gonna die or anything,” you joke, flattening your lips and hoping it registers as a smile, however trying it may appear.

“Eh,” Viktor shrugs, turning his attention to your hand and turning it about as if trying to see new angles. “A slow death is still a death,”

This makes you frown. Why has he assumed? But why is he right?

“The slower it is, the more painful, I think,” he remarks, but he seems almost far away. “As you watch what is left of you wither, and all you can do is… hm, watch,”

Then you understand. Something in your chest tightens as you take in once again all this stranger is. “You’re well-acquainted,” you note, coming out barely as breath and observation, spoken clearer by the narrowing of your eyes than your own voice.

He looks at you again, and something’s changed. His eyes? It seems. There’s something more amber about them, more grounded in this singular hue. “My longest companion,”

You hum, nodding.

There’s a safety in knowing you’re understood, even if they’re not able to fix you. It cloaks you warmer than summer, than any consolation offered in pity—he understands. And perhaps not the very same that brandishes you, but in some aspect he knows.

Which is what makes you ask, “Can you fix me?”

His eyes resume that pearl sheen once again and you’re mesmerised, gaze flitting between each eye in deep investigation—tell me who you are, how you are; tell me how you’ll fix me. Like the field around, the sweet sunshine hues of the roses, to make your land more than just barren.

And he does. He raises his other hand, uncurling, coming to hover by your face. “May I?”

You breath sweeps back in and you nod, leaning forward and connecting his cold fingers to your cheek.

He notes you for a moment, saying nothing, doing nothing. It’s his gaze that makes you feel naked, removed of any pretence crafted carefully. But he shifts his attention and his fingers connected with your forehead, eyes overtaken by a white glow.

Your vision drowns in the white.

a/n anhedonia's been hitting me and this is the only thing i could muster to make so here we gooo. not my favourite, feel like i could've done it better but oh well, least i made something wahooyaaa writing is coping after all 🫵🏼😃🗣️

requests + taglist open!

[this is a reupload, i have no idea why the original post disappeared :''')]

[deadtired-highkeyenergetic]

Hot Baths

As promised, fluff fic with Bucky to make up for the torture and trauma I put him through previously.

Summary: You and Bucky take a scented hot bath together.

"Tired," Bucky mumbles into your shoulder, body slumped against you.

"Give it a while more, Buck. The bath is nearly ready." You press a peck to the top of his head, chuckling softly. Your clingy husband huffs, annoyed and wraps his arms around your waist, nuzzling into you as you test the water temperature, adjusting it until you feel it's perfect. Then you add lavender scented essential oil to the water and gesture for him to remove his clothes.

"Now you can get in." You ruffle his hair, smiling softly before getting up to turn on the music. Bucky's favourite music begins to fill the air, playing softly in the background as you start lighting the candles.

"Didn't take you for such a romantic," Bucky chuckles from his spot in the bathtub.

"I like to surprise." You turn the light switch off, checking that there's still enough light from the candles before nodding in satisfaction. "Ava was right, this amount of candles is just enough for the atmosphere."

"Ava?" He hums, curious.

"Yeah. She was the one who suggested taking scented baths to relax, it worked for me so I thought I'd introduce it to you too." You walk over to the bathtub, preparing the bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash you'll need. "Do you like the scents?"

"Could never say no to you, love." He grins cheekily, looking up at you from his comfortable spot in the bathtub. You give him a poke on the tip of his nose, causing him to wrinkle said nose and make you laugh. Bucky smiles at the sound, ice blue eyes softening as he listens to it echo in the bath.

"Right, flatterer. Time for your bath." You sit on the stool and begin washing his hair. His dark brown locks are soft to the touch, all thanks to your insistence that he use conditioner. You massage his scalp as you apply the shampoo, making sure that the shampoo is lathered thoroughly. He lets out a sigh of contentment, closing his eyes and enjoying the sensation. You focus on making sure his hair is as clean as possible, knowing it will be a good while before you can do something like this again, and Bucky is never this thorough when taking a bath by himself.

It's a habit he has, to shower as quickly and efficiently as possible. A habit learnt from his time in the army and a habit forced onto him by Hydra.

He'd confided in you one night that Hydra always had people to wash him down, that he didn't even have privacy in the shower and so you always gave that to him. To make up for all the lost privacy times, you'd said when he asked why every time he took a shower you left the room even though you two were already married, and he'd laughed.

"I don't mind if it's you."

So you occasionally stayed in the room, often times on your phone scrolling through social media when he took a shower, leading to the one time a completely naked Bucky exited the shower only to stumble upon the sight of you sprawled on the bed, staring up at your phone.

"Hey Buck," you'd greeted nonchalantly, sparing him a glance before looking back at the phone screen. His cheeks burned with embarrassment, and so did yours but neither of you acknowledged it, or teased the other about it. Instead, Bucky walked towards the bed you were sprawled all over to tug his clothes out from underneath you, giving your stomach a gentle smack with the fabric before getting dressed.

"You crumpled my clothes." He pouted.

"They were crumpled in the first place, me lying on them makes no difference."

"Excuse me? I took all that time and effort to iron them and you say they're crumpled?"

"You did a horrible job ironing them then."

"Like you're amazing at ironing clothes yourself! You're the one swearing at the clothes for 'not staying put when you iron them' and glowering at the iron!"

"I do not!"

"Oh so it was someone who sounds and talks a lot like you who was spouting curses in French, German and Russian at a pair of pants that day?"

"Pants are difficult!"

"You don't get to snark at my ironing skills when you don't have any."

"Well neither of us have ironing skills, clearly." You rolled your eyes. Bucky leaned over to give the tip of your nose a peck and stole your phone from you, placing it on the bedside table.

"I suppose we'll either have to learn how to iron or suffer with crumpled clothes." He grinned, flopping onto you.

"Buck! Your hair! It's still wet!"

"That's not my problem."

"It is when you sleep on a wet pillow tonight!"

"Then I'll take your dry pillow for myself."

"I'm going to make you sleep on the couch wrapped in towels!"

"You'll miss me when you sleep."

"As if!"

He'd really been kicked to the couch that night after refusing to leave to dry his hair.

Since then he'd brought a towel into the bathroom so that he could wrap it around his waist before stepping out into the bedroom just in case you were randomly lying on your shared bed. He also took care to dry his hair before disturbing you, not wanting to be banished to the couch again. Sure, you had joined him on the couch that night but he had felt bad about making you squeeze onto it with him, even if you had reassured him the next day that you slept well. He hadn't missed all the extra yawns and cups of coffee you made.

"Care to share what's making you laugh, love?" Bucky gives you a poke on the cheek.

"It's nothing." You smile, resuming the washing of your husband's hair.

"As if." He pouts. "Why won't you share? Sharing is caring."

"You really need to stop learning from Bob."

"That was from Walker, actually."

"Walker?"

"I assume he learnt it from Bob." Bucky shrugs.

"Well that makes sense." You finish rinsing off the shampoo and begin applying the conditioner to the ends of his locks.

"Have you showered yet?" He suddenly asks.

"I'm going to shower after you're done."

"It'd be faster if we both showered at the same time." You dance out of the way as his arm shoots out to grab you. "Hey!"

"At least let me take off my clothes first. I don't plan on showering with my clothes on."

He playfully pouts, slumping back into the scented water, blowing bubbles as he waits for you to strip and join him in the bathtub. When you finally do, he perks up, grabbing the shampoo bottle.

"My turn!"

"Wha —"

"Stay still. I'm going to wash your hair for you."

"Buck —"

"Please, love. Let me take care of you too."

"It was supposed to be a 'take care of my husband' day," you huff, but turn around and let him do it anyways.

"It's now a 'take care of the love of my life' day." He crows, happily settling into a comfortable rhythm of washing your hair, taking care to cover every inch of your scalp. He quietly focuses on the task at hand, a small smile forming on his face when he feels you relax against him.

Once the hair is done, the both of you take turns washing each other's back, an intimate action that neither of you have done often. You usually shower alone, taking turns in the shower if need be. Showering together never crossed your mind, you're pretty sure this is the third or fourth time you've showered with Bucky. It feels nice, the gentle strokes of the sponge running over the skin of your back, the soft kisses planted by your husband. You could soak in this forever, and you almost do when a sponge rudely smacks you in the face.

"Your turn. No dozing off and leaving me to wash my back by myself!"

You blink, the words slowly registering themselves in your mind then it hits you. Bucky scowls playfully at you, pressing the sponge into your hand and turning around so that you have access to his back. Your index finger automatically traces over the top few scars, causing him to shiver and inhale sharply.

"Sorry," you murmur and he shakes his head.

"It's alright. I just…need some time to get used to it. Please, continue. I do want a clean back." He chuckles, but it's hollow.

"Buck…if you're not comfortable, I'm alright just leaving. Really. You don't have to force yourself."

"I'm not."

You sigh, placing the sponge on his back. "Promise me you'll let me know if you get uncomfortable."

"Promise." There's a softness in his gaze, his lips curled upwards into a small smile.

"Alright. Let's get your back cleaned."

You run the sponge over his back, applying a little more pressure over the dirtier areas on his back. He slowly leans into your touch, chest rising and falling in even breaths as he lets you do your work. After rinsing it off, the red scars stand out against his pale skin, ugly and beautiful at the same time.

"May I touch your scars?" You ask softly.

He exhales, body trembling, then gives a nod. "Yeah. Sure."

You gently trace over the jagged lines, pausing every time he takes a sharp breath and continuing only when he nods, meeting your gaze. You know the stories behind some of the scars, he's told you about them before when the nightmares plague his sleep and they replay in your mind as your finger ghosts over the marred skin. The others conceal stories unknown to you, but you refrain from asking, knowing that Bucky will share them when the time is right.

Once you've finished tracing his scars, he turns back around, tugging you closer.

"Stay with me," he murmurs into your ear, resting his head on yours.

"Always." You lean into his chest, basking in the warmth of both his body and the scented water. Your fingers intertwine with his beneath the water's surface, resting on the bathtub's floor. You feel his breath tickle your hair, hear the music softly playing in the background and smile, content. It was nice of Walker and Alexei to help the two of you get a quiet night together, free from the rest of the rowdy team.

When you feel your skin start to wrinkle, you gently nudge your husband out of his sleepy stupor.

"Come on, let's get out before our skin wrinkles." You press a kiss to his cheek, extracting yourself out of his embrace.

"Mine won't," he mumbles tiredly.

"Pretty sure it's slow aging, not immunity to water that you have," you snort, amused. He makes a disgruntled noise, but rises from the bathtub anyways, joining you on the bathmat to dry himself off. He presses more kisses to your face in between the toweling, knowing that it will annoy you even more and gets smacked in the face with your towel in return. He laughs, lightly smacking you back in the face with his towel and you yank his towel away, glowering at him playfully.

"No more towel for you."

"Then how am I supposed to dry myself off?"

You really didn't think this through.

He casually steals your towel, drying the rest of his body off before tossing it onto the pile that is his towel and slips out into the bedroom, laughing when you shout at him about personal hygiene or something. He knows you will catch up sooner or later, and quickly gets dressed for bed, getting to the hair dryer first.

"Don't you dare take forever to dry your hair, princess," you snark, slipping into your pajamas. "I need to use that hair dryer too."

"How unfortunate that you didn't get to it first. You can't stop me from hoarding it."

"Princess James Buchanan Barnes, I swear, you're the reason we're late to briefings not the other way around."

"Am I really? I distinctly recall someone needing to use the toilet every time we're about to leave for the briefing room, which then causes me to need to wait for them, making us both late."

"I never said you needed to wait for me."

"I can't show up without my significant other in tow, that would be rude and unprofessional."

"What part of that is rude and unprofessional again?" You roll your eyes.

"The part where I don't get to remind everyone that we're together."

You let out a huff of amusement, which then turns to surprise when Bucky comes over with the hair dryer and starts to dry your hair for you.

"I thought I said today is a 'take care of my husband' day?"

"I recall saying it's a 'take care of my significant other' day." He purposely tilts the nozzle of the hair dryer to blow hot air in your face, laughing when you let out a yelp. "Let me take care of you too. You prepared the bath, at least let me return the favour somehow."

"Have I ever told you how much I love you, James?" You sigh, smiling.

"Many times, but do keep telling me. I like hearing about it." He leans over, pressing a kiss to your lips. "And I love you too."

You return the kiss, deepening it until you run out of air and break away, cheeks hot.

"We should take scented baths more often." You brush a thumb over his cheek.

"We should." He leans into your palm.

"Love you, James."

"Love you too, Y/N."

[rei-ismyname]

Nightcrawler gets to be angry

X-Men Blue: Origins retconned Kurt's biological parents to Destiny and Mystique. It was an additive retcon that I broadly enjoyed but I felt Kurt's reaction was a little muted. Fortunately, they dug up Chris Claremont so he could speak his pain. Kurt, not bloody Claremont.

Raven and Irene aren't the most giving people. In fact, they're pretty selfish and shitty to anyone that isn't each other. Nevertheless, they're here right now to listen and explain. That giant Xavier head isn't just an artistic flourish btw - creepy bastard is watching from his prison cell.

Destiny explains the why of all the cruelty, but that doesn't do much for Kurt. It fucking hurts to be thrown away and rejected only for absent (at best) parents to suddenly want a relationship. I'm really glad this path was taken, as the importance of biological family is given too much weight by Marvel IMO. Kurt is a very forgiving person, but you don't owe anyone anything just because of a biological connection. Not your time, not your love, not forgiveness, and not a relationship. 'True family' is who you choose.

Kurt flat out says that trust is earned. You want a relationship? Put in the work. Destiny might be good at navigating the future, but she's not great with people. She has no response, so Kurt confronts Mystique. Significantly, Kurt has very recently been horribly betrayed and used (again) by the mother that raised him - Margali Szardos. B turned him into a monster and sold him to ORCHIS.

I don't love the 'papa' in inverted commas. I find it hard to see it as rooted in anything but bioessentialism. It's not commented on, though, so I don't know what to do with it.

Raven is such a shithead troll. Shifting into a form very similar to Kurt is an ... interesting choice. Kurt has all the questions you'd expect, but she doesn't really have answers. I think she's being honest, but it still hurts. It's significant that they've been enemies for most of their life, and Kurt has known she was his mother for a good while.

Raven is absolutely deflecting here. That attitude is fine for her, but it's pretty obvious Kurt doesn't share it. I really like Kurt with the beard btw. He looks fantastic.

It's a fucked up way of acknowledging Kurt's pain while speaking her own, but she offers to let him kill her. We're never going to get a novel length story of resolving these feelings, so a fencing framework is as good as any for the medium.

Destiny wigs out because the future is unclear, basically confirming that Kurt seriously considered it. Good for him, though he decides that's too easy. Honestly, that's so Raven - offering death instead of any kind of hard work. She didn't exactly sign up for Destiny's magic baby scheme either, but this is the first time she's put any effort into this relationship.

In the end, it comes down to 'this sucks for everyone.' They talk about it and reach some kind of understanding, but Destiny and Mystique bail secretly for unexplained reasons. Not exactly a convincing display of having learnt 'abandonment hurts.' They'll always be related, but love and trust are not a given. Kurt is left hugging the person he actually has a relationship with - Rogue. They already had an extended family relationship through the X-Men, and they likely always will.

I'd be interested in seeing them explore what a sibling relationship means to them, but maybe another time. There's plenty of future stories that can follow up on this - it's only a matter of time for Destiny's Child(ren.)

[catyangz]

💌loveletters

pairing: ricky x gn!reader

genre: fluff/romance

summary: in which the reader writes ricky a love letter in hopes that their confession reaches him; wc 881

a/n; hey everyone! this is my brand new writing account. i’m very unfamiliar with the concept of tumblr so please bare with me as i slowly find my way through figuring this app out😅😅 i may be very inactive as finals are coming up and i have to prepare for uni, so forgive me if i don’t find time to post. i don’t usually write, and this is the first fanfic i have ever written and decided to post it to see if i should continue on doing it as a hobby as i quite enjoyed writing this one! reblogging, likes or any form of interaction would be appreciated and i’d love to hear your thoughts on it:) the whole story is basically just one huge love letter to ricky so its like zero plot and more truth bc who wouldn’t fall for this man?? anyways i will have to say i got inspiration from 5sos, sabrina + beabadoobee lyrics so a huge thank u to them hehe:) i rly hope u enjoy reading!

shen quanrui. what did the name mean to me? to start off, the first time i saw you, it was needless to say i fell in love. we were in the canteen and you were smiling amongst the herd of your friends. oh, that darned smile. it tugged at my heartstrings. in the crowd of people, you were the one who stood out to me most.

you had the most perfect hair, like you actually put effort into the way you looked. it was an unfamiliar feeling, it was refreshing. it was impossible for anybody to see you and not fall for you. you were the most popular, the most loved out of everyone in the whole school. you were kind to everyone, and you worked hard because you cared. you were so confident and down to earth. it wouldn’t take a 5 year old to know your intentions were the most genuine.

i thought “how could somebody so perfect exist?” it was almost unrealistic. too unrealistic. i tried so hard not to be like everyone else, to not fall for the likes of your charms after hearing your name constantly being discussed in a positive light throughout the hallways. hearing about how loveable and amazing the shen quanrui was.

but after we locked eyes that one friday, i haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since. you were my lifeline, my only supply of oxygen that pumped the blood in my veins to keep my heart beating. the person who truly showed me what the word “loving” meant. you were the flower and i was your honeybee, constantly feeding off your pollen. i always wondered if you would ever like me back, as i thought reciprocating my feelings would simply be out of the question considering how many admirers you had.

after all, you were on the basketball team. it was easy for you to capture everyone’s hearts after they saw how impressive you played. not only could you play but you could also draw. extremely well. the more i learnt about you the more i thought, “what couldn’t this man do?”

you had the ability to make my heart turn into an art class, painting my world with vibrant colours. i never thought i’d see the earth more brighter after i had gotten to know you. every day my whole life started to get a little better, and i looked forward to getting up for school in the mornings. i learnt to appreciate life and the ups and downs that came with it. because somehow i’d always have stored in the back of my mind that the ones you would face, you would know how to get through it. and that was what motivated me. it was you. it has been you all along.

i started to cherish the little things in life, savouring every moment that came with it. because you taught me that there’s always something good worth getting out of something bad. how the world is made up of energy and i take control of how my story goes depending on how i choose to write it.

the butterflies i saw on my way to my part-time job last weekend couldn’t compare to the ones you gave me living in my stomach. every single aspect i came across started to remind me of you. and i could no longer understand what hate was when everything around me was so full of love.

the more spring faded away and summer came into light, word around town was that you were moving away to the coast. it was then i could’ve sworn i felt my heart shatter into a tiny thousand pieces. i didn’t know what i was going to do without you. after all these months of admiring you from a distance i wish i had finally spoken up. from all the letters that i’ve saved, this is everything i didn’t say.

so here it is, shen quanrui. this is my love letter to you. i hope you don’t mind, i asked your friends for your new address. i’d be lucky if you had even read this at all, let alone get this in the mail. but i hope this letter reaches you. and i hope my feelings do too.

from a fellow classmate,

signed y/n.

Ricky looked up from the paper unfolded in his hands, signed by one of his classmates that he had little interactions with. He was unbeknownst to these sort of things, oblivious in fact. He’d never have known the signs to look out for when it came to somebody having a crush on him. He was the type of person who had to be told straight up.

So when he got the letter in the post a month later, he’d only wished one thing upon himself. And that was being granted the knowledge of the person he had always secretly liked for years and tried so desperately to grab the attention of, the reason why he had started putting effort into dressing himself in the first place, had actually liked him back.

Now, as he stands staring at the letters inked onto the piece of parchment in total utter disbelief, he could only think of one solution.

Go back.

tags; @elikajinnie @birikitti @simjack @starf4lls @strawsbe @jromzz

[system-to-the-madness]

Nothing Extraordinary - Dazai Osamu x Reader

Pairing: Dazai Osamu x Reader (can be read as any gender, no pronouns used) Genre: (angst to) fluff Word Count: 2 360 Warnings: use of (y/n), mentions of dying (nobody dies tho), Reader is scared Dazai doesn't love them Summary: Even after a year of dating there are three words Dazai and you have yet to exchange A/N: Happy Birthday to Dazai, even though his birthday is already over in Japan...

A soft exhale brushed over your slightly parted lips as you pressed “send” on the file you had spent the past three hours preparing. A look at the clock on your desktop screen told you, you it was only half past three, but the sun shining in through the windows of the Armed Detective Agency had already a strong orange tint.

Absentmindedly your gaze wandered over to your boyfriend’s desk, finding it empty. You wondered what kind of unimportant task Osamu had found this time to get around doing his paperwork.

Confused you tilted your head.

Taking a closer look at his desk that bordered yours, it seemed like the files Kunikida had piled on it this morning had already been moved to the “outgoing” folder, which meant he had at least made the effort to shift them around at one point. But had he actually done them?

Reaching over to his desk, you grabbed a bunch of the files out of the box, flipping them open. Indeed, they had all been processed neatly, in Osamu’s handwriting. What was wrong with him? Usually he only did them when Kunikida stood next to him, threatening him with exposing some kind of embarrassing secret of his to you.

The first time Kunikida had used that threat, Osamu had thought he had been bluffing, and thus you had learnt of the time Osamu had been ‘stuck’ in a restaurant’s bathroom for an hour straight because the clearly labelled door would have opened through pulling, not pushing. Of course you had thought Kunukida had made that up, after all, someone as clever and cunning as Osamu would never- but a glance at your then-boyfriend-of-three-weeks had revealed just how true Kunikida’s story was, the red flare of his cheeks having glowed under the cool blue light of the office’s illumination.

Ever since then Osamu knew to take Kunikida’s threats seriously. But since the blonde skill-user had not spent the better part of the day standing next to Osamu, supervising his work, you couldn’t help but wonder if your boyfriend had unlocked a new skill that allowed him to finish his paperwork within the blink of an eye.

Or maybe he was sick? No, if he were, he’d have clung to you the whole time, whining about how miserably he was feeling. Sometimes he really behaved like a huge child. Why did you put up with him again?

Because I love him. 

Yeah, only that you had never told him that. You had been dating for almost a year now, and Osamu had as good as moved in with you, but you had never told him you loved him, nor had he told you he loved you.

Of course, you made sure to express your feelings in action and a few times it almost would’ve slipped over your lips in moments when you were distracted or tired, causing you half a heart attack each time you caught your tongue in time. And as hard as it was sometimes to decipher his behaviour, you were fairly certain Osamu was at least somewhat emotionally attached to you.

But there was always this fear.

This fear that he’d pull away the moment you expressed how serious and deep your affection for him had grown. This fear that he’d take it as the sign to draw back and drop you like he dropped all these girls he had been meeting with before the two of you had almost died in each other’s arms during a mission, before he had pulled you into his chest and kissed you as if it were the last thing he would ever do before both of you suddenly had the same idea which had ended up saving your lives, before he had asked if saving each other’s lives qualified him for a date with you. As if you had been out of his league before that, when really he was the one who could barely save himself from suitors who were attracted by his intellect, his charm and of course also his good looks.

Tearing your thoughts back into the moment, you shook your head and took a deep breath, focusing back on the screen before you displaying the confirmation that your file had successfully been delivered.

Another glance at the clock. 15:35pm. You reached for the notepad besides your screen and ticked off the report you had sent just two minutes earlier. The next point on the list was… annoying. Not difficult or hard, just annoying. With a small sigh you went back to work.

Your eyes were trained on the screen, following the signs that appeared while your fingers were flying over keyboard, focusing on the words you strung together. You barely noticed the hand that carefully placed a plate with grapes and strawberries next to your keyboard, white bandages covering the skin from right underneath the thumb until they disappeared into the lazily rolled up sleeves of a dress shirt. A moment later the hand disappeared and a second, equally bandaged hand placed a cup of freshly brewed green tea next to the plate.

This time you noticed the movement from the corner of your eyes, glancing at the already retreating hand, unable and unwilling to hide the smile tucking at your lips. It didn’t happen often, but occasionally Osamu would bring you snacks while you were working. It were little things like these, the little efforts he made, every day, small things that accumulated over time which made your heart beat hard in your chest whenever you thought of him.

“Thank you, Osamu. I love you.”

The moment the last syllable had left your lips, you realized what you had just said, and froze up. There were reasons why you had never told him. You knew he struggled with forming permanent, close relationships, with opening himself up to others. If you came across as too eager, too clingy, too pushy,… he’d leave faster than you could blink.

All you could hope for now was that he hadn’t heard you, so you quickly continued typing, having barely missed a beat in your rhythm. Exhaling slowly, you relaxed your shoulders.

He hadn’t said anything, so he probably had snuck away and not heard your confession, otherwise he certainly would have snickered, or teased you. Only for you to come home to an apartment later that had been cleared of all his things. No, he hadn’t heard you. Most certainly not.

You had already typed another full line before a sudden voice right next to you startled you into interrupting your work once again, this time making you whip your head around to look at the man standing next to your desk.

“I love you, too.”

Osamu’s voice had been quiet, his eyes not fixed on you but instead a drawer of your desk, before he looked up almost hesitantly. There was something shimmering in his eyes which not even you, as his girlfriend of a year got to see often; a vulnerability and hesitancy, as if he wasn’t certain he had just trusted someone with a secret they would mock him for. You could never help but feel unsettled when this shimmer glossed over his eyes: Dazai Osamu wasn’t the kind of person to fear being mocked. Not by anyone. Not by anyone but you.

It took a moment for his words to register in your brain, until you had processed them, and you couldn’t help the way your eyes widened at the realization of his words.

“Osamu that’s- that’s not what I meant,” you quickly denied, before noticing how it had to sound to him. “I mean, I didn’t mean to pressure you into saying it back! I don’t want you to say things like that just because you feel obliged to-”

The soft smile that begun spreading over Osamu’s face irritated you enough to forget what you had meant to say.

Slowly he crouched down, placing his hand on the armrest of your chair and turned it enough to make you face him. Biting your lower lip, you watched him scan over your face, his hand subconsciously moving from the armrest to your knee. Warmth sept through the thin fabric of your fabric trousers, the elegantly cut kind Kunikida had advised you to wear when you had first started working for the Armed Detective Agency.

“It’s true though,” Osamu said, his voice so quiet that you’d be surprised if anyone but you could hear it right now. “I do. I’ve known for a while now. It’s not that kind of fleeting feeling of a crush, even though I wanted it to be only that. But the more I began to deny it, the more I realized that you have carved yourself into my heart and now it carries your name. Admitting it is scary though. What if you don’t feel the same?” He brought one of his hands up to your face, the backs of his fingers ghosting over your cheek, warm and familiarly gentle. “What if I allow myself to love you, and you leave, or get taken from me? To love you means to offer myself to the possibility of hurt and I don’t want to be hurt anymore. But I want to love you. I do love you. With all I have.”

Orange afternoon light caught in Osamu’s whiskey-coloured eyes, igniting his long lashes in warm auburn. Single hairs threw fine shadows over his skin, and all of a sudden you once again realized how delicate his features were, how beautiful his face, how warm his gaze.

His words echoed in your head, tumbled over one another, until you couldn’t grasp a clear thought anymore, so instead you bent forwards and gently touched your lips against his. The hand he had still placed at your cheek came to cup your chin, but he didn’t pull you closer, just held you.

Kisses like this were rare. Osamu was always excited and full of passion, and so were his kisses. And the times he wasn’t, when the shadows in the corners of the rooms got too long and deep, threatening to swallow him whole, his lips moved desperately against yours, demanding you to offer him a lifeline, a way out, a distraction from old memories coming back to claim him and pull him back into the dark.

Now he let the kiss linger, your faces close enough for your lips to touch, for warmth to be exchanged, for him to feel your pulse beneath the delicate skin of your lips. But nothing more.

When you pulled away after several seconds, you saw Osamu’s eyes had fluttered closed, and remained closed for a moment longer. While he couldn’t see, you instinctively darted your tongue out, wetting your lips; they tasted of him. Even such a short kiss was enough for him to leave his mark on you like this.

“Thank you.”

His eyes were still closed when he spoke, making you tilt your head at him.

“For what?”

“For making saying these words for the first time something… so normal. Nothing extraordinary. Just intertwined into our everyday lives. It lessens the anxiety.”

“I was scared too, you know.” You didn’t elaborate on the reasons. He didn’t have to know you thought he might not love you. But he was Dazai Osamu, always ready with another surprise up his sleeves.

“I know, my angel. I know. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier.”

“No, don’t be. It’s not your fault, nor mine. It just was. Just happened like this.”

“I like the way this happened.”

When he finally opened his eyes, they were gentle and warm, and the way he looked at you was nothing short of lovingly. Yes, lovingly. And this expression had been in his eyes for a while now, when he had looked at you, you just hadn’t been able to identify it. How long had it been there already? You were not sure. Most certainly not from the beginning on, when he had ignored you entirely for your first months at the agency. But it had been there for a long time, longer even than you had been dating. You knew you had seen it in his eyes, when he had lent in to desperately kiss you that time you had almost died together. You wondered if that had been the moment he had realized his feelings for you. One day you would ask him. But not now. Now you just wanted to know-

You had already opened your mouth to ask him if he wanted to take a small coffee break with you, when Kunikida’s booming voice interrupted you.

“Dazai! File OS0346 are missing the sketches I specifically asked for!”

Osamu, still crouching in front of you rolled his eyes, making you chuckle.

“Kunikidaaa,” he whined. “Can’t that wait until-”

“Of course it can wait,” Kunikida interrupted your whiny boyfriend. “But then I’ll tell (y/n) all about the time-”

“Nope, nope, no, I got it, I got it,” Osamu quickly jumped to his feet. “Already on my way. No reason to destroy my good image here.”

“Which good image,” Kunikida growled, throwing a file onto Osamu’s desk as he passed it.

You couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped your lips, earning a playfully scolding glance from your boyfriend, who slipped into his office chair, whining dramatically while doing so.

“Just so you know, Kunikidaaa, I’m signing out at exactly 5o’clock, and so will (y/n), and nobody will be able to contact us until tomorrow morning.”

Turning your chair back to face your desk, you glanced across the room, seeing Kunikida’s reddening face as he was staring daggers at Osamu. You chuckled again and tried focusing back on the report you were supposed to write.

Underneath the desk, something bumped against your foot and a moment later hooked around your ankle. Safe from Kunikida’s or anyone else’s eyes, Osamu had linked his feet around yours, shooting you a smile and a wink before both of you focused on your work again, the small contact at your feet a constant reminder that your lives were now inseparably intertwined.

[hwnglx]

hyunjin's real personality behind the scenes reread

based on tarot. i do not know these idols personally. energies are always changing. what i say is NOT straight fact. pls take it with a grain of salt!

felt drawn to update a few of my past readings. enjoy ⏦ﾟ♡︎

shuffled songs: tv by billie eilish where's my love by SYML

+ hyunjin is an immensely hard-working individual. it comes to him naturally. he doesn't read as someone who does any of his work half-heartedly, and puts a lot of effort into his craft.

he's very disciplined and consistent in his commitment to bettering himself continuously. he isn't someone who will remain still once he's reached a certain step in his journey of self-improvement, but always looks to continue climbing.

he has a great eye for detail. not the type to settle with things being okay.. they usually need to be perfect. down to the most trivial components, others might easily overlook. he just sees things in their entirety. very observant, almost hawk-eyed.

i also see hyunjin being a person who's quite likeable. someone you can have a fun time with. he gives me very friendly and pleasant energy, that makes it easy for people to feel comfortable and open around him.

he's good at being sociable, when the situation asks for it. i see him having learnt how to keep his personal boundaries in tact, protecting his privacy, while slipping into the role of the social butterfly, if he needs to.

emphasis on “role” here.. the connections he cultivates feel more superficial than intimate. i don't think he's really the type to allow direct insight into his true soul for many people, but moreso keep them at an arm's length; make them feel like they're close, when they're really not.

he's excellent at empathising though, and can often find himself naturally in tune with other people's emotions. this can make him an individual who's comfortable to be around, due to him intuitively matching himself to the person he's with.

he reads as the type of person who can get very animated, and visibly excited once something sparks his interest. there's a youthful, almost childlike energy in hyunjin, where even the more simple things can feel special and fascinating. that kind of enthusiasm can be contagious; it can really lift the mood of those around him.

i see hyunjin truly blossoming when he gets to express his passionate and creative side. he has a natural appreciation for the beautiful things in life.

there's something very genuine in how eager he is to express himself through his art. it seems tied to his deeper desire to understand himself, and his place in the world. to seek meaning behind the cards he's been dealt. i keep sensing him asking.. “why..? what for..?”

hyunjin is a man of deep and sincere emotion, who experiences life in a deeply impactful manner; so, having a space to channel all those strong feelings, especially through creative outlets, it can be very healing to him.

to me, it feels like.. “even if i can't understand it, i'll just turn it into art.” i keep seeing him paint in my minds eye, and it feels like he's releasing all the chaos inside of him, as the brush moves across the canvas. it helps him find some sort of meaning, some sort of.. beauty? in everything he feels. otherwise the emotional weight can easily crash him. he has a core that's much more fragile than it might seem.

it doesn't have to be drawings, this can also show itself through his love for music. it's that familiar feeling, when a song speaks straight from your soul, perhaps revealing what you didn't even know you were feeling. hyunjin can be someone who experiences healing through feeling understood. feeling like the strength of his emotions isn't ridiculous, or his feelings aren't useless.

i got the child divine, and poet as his archetype, which fits beautifully with what i've just described.

the child divine shows itself through that wide-eyed spirit. the way he can find joy in the seemingly mundane. the way his heart stays open to life, even if it's quietly guarded.

the poet knows how to turn feeling into form. this archetype reflects how naturally hyunjin channels emotion into art. how creation becomes a form of survival. his words, movements, brushstrokes, they're rarely hollow. they come from the core of his being. from the places he doesn't always have words for.

worthy to note, that while channeling his energy, it feels remarkably difficult for me to put what i feel into words. there's a lot going on, like so much i wish to say, but i keep struggling to let it out? i also keep wanting to revise my wording. like it's never good enough, damn lol.

this is something i've observed whenever i read for people with virgo energy, especially moons.

it's almost like that virgo moon is nagging inside of you all the time, telling you to pull yourself together, to not be dramatic, to get a grip on your emotions. it gives you this innate desire to restrain yourself. hyunjin can feel like that, especially due to all the pisces in him obviously clashing with that.

he seems to carry two essential sides with him; for one, the more naive and impressionable side, that finds excitement in the most simple sources. he can often independently act on a whim, due to unexpected sparks of passion, which he can feel very strongly about.

then there's a more serious, grounded, and mature side. one that i believe is likely to come out most in his work. a side that's focused, composed, and practical.

i see the combination of those two sides making him the kind of artist who not only has the creativity, imagination, and passion. but also the ambition, discipline, and work ethic to turn those visions into reality.

- hyunjin is someone very reserved, though that may not always be obvious on the surface. he guards himself, and his soul, very intelligently. the difficulty he can have in understanding and fully accepting himself, often shows up as a hesitancy to open up to others. especially without the fear of being judged for it.

he can experience this dilemma between seeking connections in order to fill parts of himself he feels like might remain vacant for ages, if he stays on his own, while also dreading connections, that expose his heart too deeply.

this can express itself in this back and forth reaction, where he might pull you in, but push you back soon later. it could also be the reason why many of his connections usually seem to remain more surface-level. intimacy is a scary thing for him. yet he needs and craves it at the same time.

“he's yearning for something that isn't really there.” this is a sentence that kept sticking with me for this part.

i sense hyunjin having the habit of living in a constant state of nostalgia. a tendency to live partly in the past, or in imagined futures. it’s not always rooted in reality. especially when it comes to emotional connections, he can put people on pedestals, idealizing them to the point that disappointment becomes inevitable.

he can also grow attached to whatever makes him feel momentarily seen, soothed or fulfilled, even if it's not healthy.

he can be on a constant search for something that fills the empty spot in his heart, and it can feel like an endless hunt.

this can cause him to be quite reckless and impulsive, in a way where he just acts on whatever causes a spark in him. this approach can look selfish on the outside.

it can result in hyunjin essentially “using” people in order to get what he thinks he needs, and leave them behind if he feels like they aren't doing it for him anymore.. which as i said, is a very likely scenario for him.

he can experience many situations where he looks back on his compulsive behavior, and perhaps kick himself in the behind for it. hyunjin does seem to struggle genuinely understanding what it is he actually wants and needs in life, which can cause him to just act out and live in the moment.

he can isolate himself when he needs space to introspect, to quiet the noise inside. but that solitude, though necessary, can leave him feeling lonely. like “i'm alone, again.” when the party's over by billie eilish started playing in my head. (he really seems to like her music)

his energy is incredibly gloomy. it's like this continuous grey raincloud, hovering on top of your head.. there's also an inner restlessness, like you're constantly looking out to somehow explain what it is that you're feeling, why it is that you're feeling this way. and desperately trying to let it out, so this inner darkness doesn't consume you.

i can also sense a lot of unresolved and unchannelled anger in him, which has the potential to be let out at the wrong times, or aimed at the wrong people.

[phightingheadcanons]

That anon who rambled about phinishers (aka me >:3) is back at it again! Mostly because someone reblogged my first post asking who’s a Focus and who’s a Release. Well, here’s what I think!

Sword: Focus. Fun fact: in the brief moment he’s airborne, Sword transfers all of that built-up energy into his blade, causing the explosion 👍 

Skateboard: Release. For as long as he’s fully charged, his senses are cranked up to 11. He uses this to plan out where he wants to race off to.

Biograft: Phinishers don’t exactly work when you don’t naturally feel strong emotions. Or emotions at all. Subspace added in the overdrive mode as a substitute. It probably works on a timer.

Katana: Focus. Similarly to Sword, he also channels his energy into his gear.

Ban Hammer: He’s technically a Focus…but by the gods does he want to use it on any opponent he sees, regardless of their health. Sometimes he’ll get inpatient and just use it, even if it means wasting his ult. (Couldn’t be me-)

Rocket: Release. He gets a lot more giddy and excited when fully charged.

Slingshot: Focus. His eyesight improves like mad when fully charged. So much so, that the effect lingers until his phinisher is complete.

Hyperlaser: Focus. Many phighters power up their gears with their energy, and Hyper is no exception. Some speculate that he actually steals the energy of the demons he takes out with his ult, allowing him to do it again. Meanwhile Hyperlaser has no idea why that happens 🤷‍♂️ 

Shuriken is a weird case. To start his phinisher, he has to focus. But when his concentration falters, the giant shurikens get launched. He normally does this on purpose, but he’ll accidentally toss them all willy-nilly if he gets distracted.

Scythe: Release. Tis’ hard to ignore the thrill of the hunt, but she’s learnt how to manage it for the most part. Scythe also had to teach herself how to channel that energy into her ranged phinisher, which doesn’t come as naturally to her.

Medkit: Focus. For whatever reason, his ult in particular takes a lot more focus to properly perform. It’s astounding how good his concentration is.

Boombox: Focus. But as he gains more and more charges, a feeling of anticipation sets in, with it culminating in his (literal) beat drop. Sort of a mix between the two.

Subspace: Release. And extremely impulsive, like Ban Hammer. A deadly combination.

Vine Staff: Focus. Oddly enough, the lotus will persist even if her concentration is broken. She just has to unleash it first.

Coil: He’s 100% a Release phinisher. When fully charged, he has the urge to go phucking feral.

In total, that’s 9 Focus, and 5 Release phinishers. Yap sesh complete!

— 🍃 anon

Scythe needing to put active mental effort and concentration into not murdering people with her phinisher is really funny to me <3 LIVE YOUR TRUEST LIFE SCYTHE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[katharsisboy101]

Alibaba's Relapse and Resurgence - A Magi Character Analysis (Part 2)

This is the second part of my Alibaba mega-analysis, in which I'll go through the second Balbadd arc, the Kou Empire arc, and the Final arc.

First Part Here.

Balbadd is Relapse

What I love about the second Balbadd arc is that it shows us how Alibaba's development isn't straightforward—because that's not how humans beings work. We take a step forward and two backwards. We believe that we learnt our lesson but, as soon as our insecurities resurface, we let them dominate our thoughts and make horrible decisions as a result—decisions that serve no purpose but to try and stroke our ego, to prove that we're valuable and that our fears are unfounded.

And decisions disguised as selfless that are actually selfish are bound to backfire.

Alibaba is a character that comes to believe more and more in himself as the story moves forward, but he's still defined by his insecurities—he still compares himself to others the moment things go slightly wrong, he takes decisions to try and be someone he's not because of his feelings of inadequacy, and he isolates himself because he overthinks and feels as if involving others in his matters will only put them in danger.

He has a great heart, and he truly cares about others, but due to how his low self-esteem he's constantly misguided in his selfless quest—he ends up taking selfish detours in order to prove to himself that he's worth something, that he's trying to do it right according to everyone's standards, when he'd be much more productive if he just believed in himself and acted upon his own beliefs and ideas.

And all of this comes to a boiling point once Alibaba's mental state is revealed to us on the boat to Balbadd. When he fought in the war in Magnostadt, compared to Kouen, he felt as if he was nothing.

Considering Kouen is the person to blame for Balbadd's subyugation to Kou, it's no wonder that Alibaba feels the need to surpass him and reclaim his country... and yet, despite his efforts, Alibaba still is too young and inexperienced—too naive, to face someone like him and believe he can truly win.

Hell, even Balbadd's state of affairs is telling him that he's not needed.

Because Alibaba's past in Balbadd represents his greatest failure, now he feels like he has to try and do something for it in some way. He wants to make up for his naivete by becoming a figure of importance to his country, and yet his "royal responsability" also contradicts the very ideas he proposed for the "democratic republic of Balbadd".

Alibaba's selfishness and selflessness come into full display here, and it's wonderful—it's human. It's incredibly ironic that in the very same chapter, Toto remarks just how much Alibaba's presence has helped so many people—the pirates, the gladiators, Morgiana, Kougyoku... and yet he just can't see it.

It's as if the manga itself is telling us that Alibaba's worries are misplaced—that instead of thinking about what he's lacking and how he's failing compared to Kouen or Sinbad, he should think about what he's good at—his honesty, his kindness, and his ability to reach out through them—and have faith in that path.

However, due to his low self-worth, instead of believing in his way of doing things, Alibaba feels compelled to play dirty, like Kouen.

Because the proud people of Balbadd, who fought so hard for the lives and happiness they wished to have, had settled into being satisfied with mild comfort and security while throwing away their dignity in the process. This grimly reminded Alibaba of his past self, so he decides to fight for his people and his country—responding to the promise he made with his father and following his duties as the royal prince of Balbadd. Thus, he faces Kouen and Koumei, now without turning down his head on the process, using all his wit and newfound confidence and showing how far he has come.

However, despite his progress, what Alibaba chooses... is to join "the dark side", a freaking colonialist empire—because if he doesn't, then he'd repeat the same mistakes as before.

To not take the perfect offer Kouen made to him—consisting of Alibaba becoming part of the forces of the Kou Empire and assisting him with his knowledge, wit and battle abilities, in exchange for the control of Balbadd—would be to be too naive, too stupidly optimistic, like he always is.

Alibaba resents his own best qualities, and so, he takes the deal, not because it's what's best for Balbadd, but rather, because it's what he has to do in order to reach his ideal self—someone like Kouen. Someone like Sinbad. He rationalizes his choice in a million different ways—it's for Balbadd, it's what I have to do to stand my ground against Kouen, it's what I have to do to be king... but when did it become about that?

Paradoxically, because Alibaba wants to become someone powerful and strong enough to make the hard choices for the sake of his country, he also goes against everything he once stood for—democracy, kindness, idealism, his promise to Morgiana...

But of course, he's unsure. Because even if it might seem like a positive development at first, with Alibaba supposedly gaining the maturity necessary to understand that he will never make a change without dirtying his hands, the truth is that such a misguided decision would have been... a mistake, as good as killing himself, symbollically.

Because by obeying Kouen, who purposefully strikes at Alibaba's insecurities in order to take him to his side, Alibaba fell back into the habit of following others and trying to copy what they do right instead of forging his own identity and finding out what are his own strong points, and it would have led him to become as twisted as Kouen and Sinbad were.

After all, once he chooses to fight Hakuryuu in order to "protect Balbadd", what he actually ends up doing is almost killing one of his trusted friends, cutting his legs off, and going against everything he had previously learnt. And it's precisely because of that... that Alibaba ends up dead.

Alibaba is punished for choosing wrong—for, despite having the best intentions, once more making the same mistakes due to his low-self worth, trying to compensate from what he perceives that he lacks.

Finding your Worth

Despite Judar claiming that Alibaba lost because he wasn't merciless enough, after going through the life-changing experience of... literally dying, Alibaba finally understands.

He didn't do it for Balbadd's sake. He did it for himself. And when he cut Hakuryuu's legs, that wasn't for Balbadd, either, he just lost himself in the violence of war.

So now, what's left? Is Judar right? Does Alibaba have to become twisted, like Sinbad and Kouen?

No. Finally, Alibaba will believe in himself. No matter what anyone else thinks, he will follow his path founded in kindness and empathy, which will be his most valuable assets moving forward!

This epiphany wasn't reach in an instant, though. In another dimension, Alibaba meets the people of Alma Torran, and he proves his determination to them.

He shows why he's "Alibaba", and manages to escape and come back to life, with 100 years of experience and newly acquired knowledge from them that, as we all know, he WILL use in a practical manner.

Alibaba in the final arc is the ultimate version of the coward we knew at the beggining of the series. An Alibaba that has all the key things he lacked at the beggining; strength, experience, and confidence. And thanks to that, he's able to shine like he never did before, using the skills he gained throughout his life to the best of his ability in order to face even the likes of Sinbad.

He's calm, and he knows that he doesn't need to make quick judgements just from hearsay. He explores the world Sinbad created, and without being given the answers from anyone else, HE decides what he likes and dislikes about it, a farcry from the easy to manipulate Alibaba from before. I guess that you could say that now he KNOWS who he is. He fights with confidence, he negotiates with confidence, he has faith in his ideas, takes the help of others when needed, and, through opening his heart, he gains the trust of those around him, and... just like that, the mediocre Alibaba flourishes into a marvelous person who took advantage of his best traits to shine. Ja'far puts it perfectly:

He helps Kougyoku out of the goodness of his heart, is incredibly upfront about Sinbad's twistedness (proving his honest nature once again), and ends up making the Kou Empire great again.

Alibaba thrives, and the only thing that changed is that now, he's living with pride in himself... with worth.

Balbadd is Letting Go

When Alibaba comes back to Balbadd, everything he had been worried about had been fixed WITHOUT himself, and he realizes how foolish he had been. How he was a hypocrite for trying to install a democratic republic while doing all these things for Balbadd purely due to the fact it was his responsibility as its prince with royal blood.

That's why, when offered the chance to take the reins once again, unlike someone like Sinbad, who has to control everything, he responds saying...

I find this scene wonderful, not just because it shows his growth in regards to finally letting his ego-stroking obssession with Balbadd go, but also because it showcases how wrong people like Sinbad and Kouen were by taking matters by their own hands and committing so many atrocities for their counties instead of believing in their people. After all, just imagine the atrocities Alibaba would have continued to commit in the name of the Kou Empire's expansion, losing himself and his moral integrity in the process all to protect a country that wasn't even his responsibility in the first place.

The idea that his previous determination was foolish is reinforced once again in his meeting with Aladdin, Morgiana and Hakuryuu. He apologizes for cutting Hakuryuu's legs and trying to kill him; for almost losing his moral integrity in order to protect something, thinking it was the only way.

Ohtaka subverts our expectations by showing how seemingly irreparable relationships full of differences and conflict that have been built up throughout the manga can be solved easily, in basically less than a page, because sometimes the solution really is that simple—simply requiring someone to be the better person. People could argue this is rushed and disappointing, but I’d say it's the perfect way to illustrate the strength of Alibaba’s ability to understand, forgive, and apologize. The entirety of the final arc is a subversion of battle shonen, of big, climatic fights (Sinbad vs Kouen), of tales of royalty and selfishness, favoring empathy and love instead.

Alibaba’s simpleness and kindness is a clear foil to Sinbad's—the main antagonist of this arc, someone who thinks the ends justify the means and that would do anything for his country. His growth is also reflected with his relationship with Morgiana, going from someone who was "rejected" and had his confidence DESTROYED as a result... to a confident young man who straight out asked the girl he was in love with for MARRIAGE, and she accepted, without second thoughts on the matter. As a final test of fire, Alibaba has to go against the at-first-glance perfect Sinbad himself, and prove why no one, no matter how much they shine, can rule and enforce their ideology over everyone else. 

Sinbad vs Alibaba

Once Sinbad brainwashes the entire world, even Morgiana—the person who Alibaba views as the bravest in the whole world—is saying that Sinbad is right. And Alibaba's confidence is shaken.

Even he, previously, was blinded by Sinbad's light. He followed him, his idol, blindly, thinking he could no harm, almost to the point of losing himself as his assistant as a result... something that happened to basically all of his followers, who discarded their protagonism in their lives, favoring the charisma of the High King. Maybe Sinbad was right again. Maybe... he should just obey, after all, he's just a coward, right...?

AS IF! 

Alibaba shows how far he has come by going against the entire world, even those he loves or looks up to—believing that HIS way is the right path to take, because that's the answer he came up with by himself. The boy who didn't know who he was and submitted to the blinding will of others is no more... now HE makes the calls, because he believes in himself and in the lessons that came from all that he has gone through. As he puts so eloquently in his fight against Hakuryuu:

Believing in the importance of free will and multiculturalism, and in order to protect their loved ones, Aladdin, Alibaba, Hakuryuu and Judar enter the Sacred Palace... and once again, Alibaba isn't shaken by what everyone tells him is "right" or "wrong", "allowed" or "not allowed.

He comes up with an answer, and I love this moment, because the Alibaba from the past would have given the naive, easy, and not realistic answer that made Sinbad and Arba react incredulously, but now he has matured, and he can come up with something realistic and satisfactory, without compromising anything in the process. 

And, by joining efforts with everyone, they end up with a solution that respects everyone's beliefs and wishes—the complete antithesis of how Sinbad was operating and a perfect encapsulation of Alibaba's character—someone who joins forces with others through emotions and creates solutions wit his brain and his heart.

It's beautiful and natural growth, and I can't praise it enough. And during the final confrontation with the entire world, he continues to deliver, going against his own master Sharrkan and winning, this time through his strength and experience.

But it doesn't end there. Faced with an infinite amount of enemies, he continues to believe, recalling the faith Aladdin and everyone else had in him.

He deserved to be King Vessel, and he'd prove it right there and then. And in a wonderful union of the thematic and physical, he fights. Through his strength, he shows his growth. His confidence, and his determination. He is what Sinbad would have been if he didn't lose himself, he's... a true king vessel, one who fights for and alongside everyone, first and foremost. And once the option of gathering all the power in the world is handed out to him at the cost of the lives of everyone he loves—even when he's told there's no other way...

He refuses, because he knows he's still just human.

After all, through all of his development, Ohtaka reiterates the idea that no matter how incredible Alibaba is, at the end of the day, he's just a normal guy, no matter how many labels everyone tried to put on him. The wine trader of Qishan, the leader of the Fog Troupe, the prince of Balbadd, the ultimate King Vessel... He's all of those things, and yet... he shouldn't let himself be defined by those labels. Because he's so much more than that, and through his journey, he was able to understand that.

That he's great... because he's Alibaba.

It's this confidence in himself and the certainty of who he IS that allows him to reject the infinite power he is offered, knowing that he could be corrupted, just like anyone else. And it's thanks to that decision, that everyone lives, and a new world is created, full of possibilities for growth and change.

His Name is Alibaba

I think that Alibaba's development is... one of the best I have ever seen in fiction. It's so natural and satisfying, and it ends up with a character who you want to root for until the very end. Sinbad and almost every figure in his life always pushed these ideas on him... whether it is about royal duties, about sacrifices, or about power, and it's inspiring to see how he slowly comes to reject them, thanks to the confidence he builds along the series progresses. It's a reminder of the importance of knowing yourself, and of making decisions out of your own judgement, without being influenced by others' biases and limited views.

For that, you must gain experience in order to have a storage of information to compare to when you're going to make a decision, and that's precisely what Alibaba did, by going to different places and discovering different cultures and ideas. But even then, that's not enough—because you need the strength and power necessary to make a change and not be bossed around by those more powerful than you... while also never compromising your morals and integrity; with the values who define who you are, and that let you know the type of person you've become when it matters the most.

Cooperating with others allowed him to make up for his weak spots when it was necessary, and his bravery let him build the world he wanted to have for himself and for the people he loved.

All said and done, I think that Alibaba is a shining example of path to follow to improve one's self worth and of the importance of bravery—in the sense of having the courage to decide what to do for yourself. As he develops, he enhances and has more faith in his strongest qualities, realizing the way in which he's capable of influencing the world. Thanks to his friends' help and kind words, and by believing in himself as a result, he slowly went from someone who relied on others to tell him what to do and how to act, to someone who can inspire others and confront even the likes of Sinbad, all while staying humble and not letting himself get swallowed by his own ego. He's a normal person, your everyday man, and that's why he is the strongest character in Magi. He developed his good qualities as best as he could and he turned out to be respected and capable, which is proof that, given the right tools, even those who were thought to be "trash" can decide, and change the world. 

You only have to keep yourself grounded instead of getting down by mistakes or tragedies, while constantly clashing views with others in order to improve and learn—and having the bravery to take a step towards your dreams, even if the road to get there might be hard and messy, and things might not turn out like you expect. If you don't take a risk, things will never change.

His first step was defying the wine trader, and from there on, once he had the courage to enter a dungeon, he achieved greatness. There can be many different ways to get there; some less righteous (as proven by Hakuryuu and Judar), but as long as you don't stagnate, doing the things that your heart tells you to do instead of bending down to others, no matter how brightly they may shine, you are moving along "the great flow" of progress, diversity and freedom.

All that was an extremely long way to say... "be yourself."

[laura1633]

hi laura, sorry to disturb, i had a really shitty day and was wondering if you had a cute little lestappen snippet or prompt, like pure sappy love? nothing much, really, only some cute words so my brain switches off ✨ thanks a lot, have a lovely night <3

Hi anon, so sorry to hear you've had a shitty day. I really hope you at least get to relax this evening and are able to switch off from things.

I don't really have anything written like that but I have tried to write a very quick few words for you, just some Max and Charles being in love. Sorry it's so rushed and maybe not quite what you were looking for but hopefully it helps just a little.

Sending lots of love <3

Charles is half asleep when he hears the click of the front door. The Monegasque’s eyes fly open and for the briefest of moments he freezes and listens to the footsteps as they approach his room. 

“Max,” Charles squints his eyes to make sure he is seeing things properly, “You’re not meant to be back until tomorrow.” 

“I didn’t want to spend another night without you, I have to go back in the morning for a few hours,” Max says simply as he slips off his jacket and then makes quick work of the rest of this clothes, stripping right down to his boxer briefs before clambering on to the bed. 

“You came back just to sleep next to me?” Charles looks at Max in amusement, he’s meant to be in the UK doing simulator work. He’s most definitely not meant to be in Monaco until at least tomorrow evening. 

“Of course,” Max grins, “Bad for the environment I know, but very good for me, I don’t like sleeping without you next to me.” 

Charles’ heart flutters.

“So do I get a kiss for my effort?” Max brings his hands up to cup Charles’ face, kissing him slowly, lips soft where they massage against the Monegasque’s. 

Max is a good kisser. Charles hadn’t expected him to be quite so tender with it. Sure in the heat of the moment things can get a little more adventurous but in moments like these Max treats him like the most precious thing on earth. There may have been a time Charles would have despised that, the feeling of being weak or fragile. Not anymore. Now he can’t wait for Max’s soft touch against his face and delicate press of lips. 

“You really came back just to sleep here?”

“I really did,” Max grins, “You know you look so cute when you’re all sleepy” 

Charles feels his cheeks heating up. 

“And cute when you blush,” Max hums, “So cute that when I leave tomorrow I’m just going to scoop you up and put you in my pocket.”

“Stop it” Charles giggles, more playful than protest, he is actually rather a fan of Max’s cutesy talk. 

“I can’t stop it,” Max strokes a hand through Charles’ hair, “It’s your fault for making me feel like this.”

“Feel like what?” Charles bites at his lips, whoever said the excitable butterflies would fade with time is lying, he’s just as giddy in Max’s arms as he always was. It’s nice to feel protected, loved, cared for. 

“Feel like I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Max grins, “and I know that is sappy or whatever, I just… last night I was in bed alone and I missed you.” 

“I missed you to,” Charles admits as he leans across and pecks Max against the lips before nosing along his jaw. If there is one thing Charles has learnt it is that it’s nice not just to feel loved and cared for but to also feel in love and want to care for someone else. With Max he has that. Max is broad and strong and looks fierce on track but he’s soft and kind and Charles just wants to see him happy. 

Max settles down on his side, his forehead pressed against Charles’, soft little kisses dropping between the two of them as their legs tangle together under the covers.

“Lets do this for the rest of our lives” Max says contentedly, “Me and you, lets do this forever.” 

“Forever,” Charles hums delighted.

They came into this world just 16 days apart, they grew up in each other’s orbit, the universe pulled them together and nobody is ever going to pull them apart.