#but nope also on opposite political ends

[sarahreadstoomanycomics]

I made the usual mistake of giving into temptation and clicking on a list article that was recommended to me. But I actually like their number 1 slot here??? The rest of the list was mixed for me on what it put but props for remembering that Carter and Ollie always clash because they’re on opposite ends of the political spectrum.

[wildestdreamsblog]

Might as well be drunk in love: 1 of 3

Pairing: OT7 x Reader (CEO AU)

Summary: In which your friend thought it would be funny to give you a love potion, and in which seven CEOs accidentally drank it.

Warnings: Love Potion, Yandere behavior, Obsessiveness, Possessiveness, Manipulative behavior, Violence, Mention of death, Disability, If you’re not 18+ please, PLEASE, do not interact. Be mindful of the warnings. Let me know if I miss anything.

A/N: This idea came to me when I went to the mountain and saw a love potion wine thingy being sold there. I think it's just the name of the wine, anyway! I really, really tried so hard to finish this in one post but it's already almost 8kish and we aren't even near the end sksks Happy New Year, my loves! I hope you'll like my gift for you <3

“Am I that hopeless?”

“What?” your friend asked in faux innocence, blinking her eyes owlishly at you. “I don’t know what you’re getting at, sweetie-“

You glared at her as you pointed in an exaggerated manner at the expensive pink tumbler she handed you mere seconds ago. The tumbler was too fancy, something that you wouldn’t buy for yourself and something that a certain handsome but infuriating CEO of yours was fond of carrying around.

However, what was insulting was the content of the said tumbler.

“I just gifted you that because you mentioned that it was beautiful-“

“Do you really think I’d end up alone?!”

“I don’t understand-“

“You literally just said that you put the love potion you bought in the mountains here!” you hissed lowly, keeping your eyes around the conference room as your department waited for the seven CEOs to arrive. You attempted to smile which more or less came out as a grimace at one of your colleagues who looked at you weirdly because of your mini-outburst. You weren’t exactly meek in nature, nor were you shy. However, you weren’t really keen on letting anyone overhear that your close friend bought you a love potion just because she thought you would end up alone.

That was embarrassing, even for you. So nope, you would for sure keep this under wraps.

Her brows furrowed harmlessly, although you could see a hint of smile on her lips, “You’re welcome?”

“I’m not thanking you-“

Just then, all the seven CEOs walked in the conference room, their presence commanding and silence reigned through the whole room. The first to enter was Min Yoongi. He was strolling in the room with his hands in his pocket. He was said to be the ace of the group who could smell bullshit despite it being miles away. He honestly looked like he would rather be anywhere else than here right now, though. It was the complete opposite of Jung Hoseok, also known as the sunshine of the group. He was smiling widely as he greeted the department and some employees by their names, yet you weren’t fooled by his beautiful smile. He was the strictest of them all. He was perfectionist down to the core and he was the last to forgive any mistake. The last of the hyung line to enter was the Kim Seokjin, the most beautiful man you have ever seen. It was like the room literally lightened up when he stepped in, like the birds sang melodically the moment he opened his eyes. His tall form and his movement were precise as he confidently sauntered to his seat which just so happened to be beside yours. He placed his pink tumbler on the table, so eerily similar to yours sans the engraved of his name on his tumbler. The beautiful asshole didn’t even spare you a glance. Your back unconsciously straightened when the lead CEO, Kim Namjoon, locked eyes with you for a moment when he entered the room.  He was said to be one of the most intelligent man in the whole country. You didn’t even doubt it one bit. He was capable, and his leadership was on another level. Should he decide to run for a political seat, you would undoubtedly vote for him. He had what it took, you thought. He was charismatic, calm and he knew when to listen.

The CEOs were dubbed by the employees to be divided by two: the Maknae and the Hyung line.

Finally, the maknae line entered. The three of them could always be found together. Park Jimin, the eldest of the line, who had one of the most beautiful smiles you ever saw. In fact, you once overheard your colleague that he interacted with her once and it left her thinking of what they really were. He was followed by Kim Taehyung and also labelled as his soulmate. He was expressionless as he entered, only cracking a smile when he turned to Jimin. You always thought that he could be a model or an actor if he wanted to. He definitely had the looks for it. Last to enter was the muscular Jeon Jungkook, also known as the golden maknae of the group. There were no contracts, mergers or acquisitions that he couldn’t convince the other party of signing. Not only was he capable of everything, but he excelled in everything. Thus, his nickname. However, despite the way he held himself during the negotiations, you observed him to be shy and highly reserved. All of a sudden, he looked up from his seat as though he could feel your eyes on him, his doe eyes curious as he took you in. He held your eyes for a moment until he blinked owlishly and looked down at his hands in curiosity.

Kim Namjoon sat in the middle, the others sitting beside him as they regarded the room with a powerful look.

 “Shall we begin?” Kim Seokjin asked, his eyes focused on the slides reflecting in the projector. 

Several headaches, passive aggressiveness from Namjoon, Hoseok and Jimin, disappointed sighs from Jin and Yoongi, difficult revisions ‘suggested’ by Taehyung, and corrections of miniscule errors of calculations by Jungkook later, the meeting finally ended.

You were weary as you trudged out of the conference room the CEOs were still in. They dismissed the department, expecting revisions within the day after tomorrow before discussing among themselves. It was honestly not a lot of time and you could already feel the lack of sleep you and the department would further experience under their tyranny. You willed yourself not to fall asleep as you walked to your desk, your close friend who was equally tired as you sat down on her seat beside your desk.

“I’m so tired. It’s like my soul and all the happiness I was able to experience in my young life were sucked out of me,” she lamented, her head resting on her desk. “If only the pay isn’t so greaaaat. ”

You nodded at what she said, already likening the CEOs to dementors in Harry Potter. Interacting with them made you aged several years. Additionally, meetings with them made you reconsider whether you needed a roof over your head, whether you needed to eat at least twice a day, whether you needed to drink clean water-

Speaking of…this wasn’t your tumbler. 

The horrifying realization made you stood up abruptly. You lifted the pink tumbler to your widening eyes, and by that name there was no denying that this wasn’t yours. Your sudden movement awoke your friend from her own misery, yet you didn’t have the time to explain. Without any further thought, you ran back to the conference room, screaming and crying about how you were definitely going to get fired.

Of course, the elevator was under maintenance.

Of course, you had to run numerous flights of stairs.

Of course, it was just your luck that you ran into your manager just when you reached their floor.

And of course, the moment you opened the door, there they were, innocently drinking from a glass, the tumbler emptied as it sat in the middle of the table.

“Don’t drink that!”

Taehyung was the first to turn to you, his dark expressionless eyes meeting yours with intense stubbornness. He kept his eyes on yours as gulped the contents wholeheartedly.

Oh heavens, no.

He put the glass down with a resounding thud which felt like a nail to your coffin. You turned to look at the other CEOs with shaky eyes and it was apparent that they definitely drank their fair share of whatever was in the tumbler. You, on the other hand, weren’t sure if it was really safe for consumption. You were going to kill your friend for her prank!

Their eyes were focused on you. You couldn’t even blame them. You shouted at them all while looking like a lunatic with your disheveled hair and huffing breaths like you did a marathon. Oh wait, yes you probably did by the amount of running you did today. They were probably thinking that you were mentally unfit for this job and oh my God you were going to lose your job.

“May we help you, Ms. Y/N?” Hoseok asked you politely, his eyes never wavering from yours which was…unusual. Despite him being the image of kindness and approachability, he never looked at his employees for longer than necessary. He was a man that possessed such discipline when it came to his time. This… was absolutely an unnecessary length of time for eye contact.

“T-that’s my drink,” you finally said after tearing your eyes from Hoseok’s. You pointedly looked at the empty pink tumbler, not minding the intense look Namjoon was giving you.

“We apologize, little one,” Namjoon broke the silence, his deep voice awakening you from your stupor. “Yours looked like hyung’s.”

Little one???

 Jimin smirked before running his hand through his blonde locks. His eyes were on yours as he looked up at you. “Yours undeniably taste better, though.”

Before you could even blink, Yoongi pointed at you with a rare smile on his lips. “You looked thirsty. Would you like to go to my office and drink with me?”

Was that…an invitation?!

You felt a hand tugged your sleeve. You turned, only to find beautiful doe eyes looking up at you from his seated form. “Hi! What year were you born?”

“199x-,“ you answered absentmindedly, you eyes roaming around the room when he tugged your sleeve again for your attention.

“You’re older than me!” he gasped; his excitement palpable as he stood up. He towered over you, his grin pleasant and you thought at that moment that he looked a lot like a bunny, or a kangaroo with the way his chest muscles were bulging over his office clothes. “Then you’re my noona! I can call you ‘noona’, right? Come on, take a seat here!”

He pulled the chair closer and tapped on it eagerly.

This was wrong, you thought. Was that thing really effective?! You dreaded to think that it was and you had a certain someone to torture once you get out of this room.

You were shaking your head before he could even pull you and you watched as his expression fell. Suddenly, he looked like a child that lost his toy with the way he was pouting. And nope, you couldn’t deal with that today. You looked at the man who hadn’t spoken one bit before smiling sheepishly at him. You placed his pink tumbler in front of him.

“I apologize. I must have switched yours with mine-“

His jaw tightened as he leaned in. Heavens, he was even more handsome this close. Kim Seokjin looked up at you with his ethereal eyes before resting his chin on his hand. “I’ve been drinking yours since the meeting, my love. It’s absolutely not your fault. Mine was coffee. This-“ he lifted the empty tumbler, “-is, I presume, a juice.”

Confusion further painted on your face, “You knew? Then why did you keep on drinking-“

He shrugged his broad shoulders, “It’s…addicting.”

“O-okay, then I’ll just leave yours here-“

“Tell me, my love. Do you like your job?”

Welp, here it was. You were so going to get fired. Oh my God, how were you going to feed your cat? He had such an expensive taste!

“I-“

“Because there’s an opening in my office. Would you like to be my secretary-“

“But hyung, you already have one-“

“Shut up, Taehyung,” he hissed at the now pouting man before turning to smile at you as though he didn’t berate his co-CEO in front of you. Chaos ensued as the boys fought and bickered for who would be your direct boss as you inched closer to the door.

“I’m just gonna go,” you whispered and before you could even reach the door, Taehyung looked up at you with his sharp eyes.

“Where are you going!”

“I-I have to finish the report this week, right?”

Namjoon stood up before declaring that he would finish it for you. And when you shook your head, “I am officially moving the deadline to next month! No need to stress, my little love!”

You blinked owlishly before doing what was best for you and your sanity- you ran away.

“So, they drank it?”

“Are you even listening to me?!” you shrieked over the phone, walking back in forth in front of your cat that was now looking at you as though he wanted to be adopted by a sane person and not you. “I just told you. They all drank it. All seven of them!”

You could hear the laughter in her voice which was not helping your panic, “I thought you didn’t believe love potions?”

“I-I didn’t! You didn’t see how they were acting! It was so peculiar!”

“Well, honey, how did they act?”

“Kindly! And it’s so weird!”

She paused, her silence making your heart beat faster. “Holy shit. It’s definitely effective. I need to go back there and buy another one for myself-“

“Focus! Is there an antidote or anything?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to ask my grandmother that lives there. I’ll let you know, but for the meantime, hold on very tight, okay?”

“What do you mean?!”

“Uhm. She said it’s very potent? I thought she was kidding. We’ll observe them tomorrow, okay? I’ll fix this.“

You were only able to sleep for two hours last night for two reasons: your work that you accomplished at eleven in the evening, leaving you six ample hours to sleep, and second, them.

Your phone didn’t stop ringing last night. You didn’t know how they obtained your number, and you dreaded to think that they used their position to direct the Human Resources department to give your personal number (yup, they definitely did).

You were about to fall asleep when your phone wouldn’t stop, and when you opened your eyes, you wished to all that was holy that you threw away the tumbler as soon as she handed it to you. Or that you didn’t choose the sit next to Seokjin.

You wished to God that your phone wasn’t blowing up now, but it certainly was.

Kookie: Hi, noona! Welcome to the Bangtan groupchat!

You squinted your eyes as the glaring screen illuminated with several messages from them.

Jwehope: Darling, are you a sprite? Because you've got the right amount of fizz to make my heart pop!

Jiminie: That’s so corny. I, for one, think that little one is a magician.

Jiminie: Because everytime I look at her, everyone just disappears.

V: Do you want to disappear, Jimin? Because I can arrange that.

Joonie: Ms. Y/N-shi, do you have a moment? I asked because I would like to discuss something.

At that, your trepidation grew. Among five, the lead CEO definitely held a serious tone. Did they find it as weird as you did that they were paying you attention? Did they trace it to that drink? Were you now in an even bigger mess than you initially thought?

You replied tensely: Yes, I am available, Kim Daepyonim.

WWH Jin: Why are you still awake? Beauty sleep is essential, my love!

Joonie: Great! I’d like to discuss the exponential growth of my feelings for you.

What.

The.

Fuck.

Suga: You’re all so hopeless. My Y/N would never fall for that.

Suga: On the other hand, would you like some Samsung stocks?

And that was why you never got to sleep peacefully last night. You sighed as you got on the bus. You opted to leave at an earlier hour because you wanted some time to think without the noise of the world and the buzzling movement of people commuting. You could feel a headache coming, but you prayed that it wouldn’t come through.

You should have known your prayers were seldom heard.

A vacant seat on the backside of the bus greeted you, and you were only too elated to finally sit throughout your commute. Peace, finally, you thought. You had barely settled in, barely breathed a sigh of relief when the once empty chair beside you was filled in by none other than him

“Fancy running to you here!” Taehyung noted in a deep voice as though this was not part of his plan, as though he didn’t wake up at a godforsaken hour just to ‘run’ to you.

You blinked, astonished by his presence. This was the last place you expected him to be. Hell, you didn’t even sure he ever experienced riding a bus! What the fuck was he doing here? Where was now your peace?!

“You-You’re here…” you trailed off, your eyes widening in shock as your brows furrowed in disbelief. You had foolishly thought that maybe, once they slept it off, then it would slowly be flushed out of their system. Oh, how wrong could you be. “Why?”

Taehyung smirked at you, his dark eyes taking you in. His dark hair was gelled up, his suit impeccable and without any crease in sight. He was somehow manspreading and you weren’t stoic enough not to notice the way his thick thigh was touching the side of yours. “I wanted to see you.”

“You’re so…honest.”

He didn’t even look embarrassed by his honesty. It didn’t displace him; what did was the annoying pain in his heart as the hours passed by and you weren’t in his arms nor his sight. He hated it. It felt wrong!

The other boys weren’t fairing any better but oh well, to each of his own. He may or may have also drained their cars of gas so they couldn’t leave. He thought that no one needed you as much as he did.

“I surmised that you wouldn’t believe if I say I frequent this path just for the hell of it, correct?”

You nodded dumbfoundedly as speech eluded you. His candor was definitely out of this world, and he seemed to not care as he only stared right at you.

“Now,” he whispered before tucking your hair behind your ear. “Now I feel at peace. The annoying pain finally stops.”

What pain?!

Before you could even ask him to elaborate, his head leaned on your shoulder.

“Daepyonim Kim-“

“Just stay like this for a while. I didn’t get to sleep, my love,” he answered in his hoarse voice, his eyes already closed as he dozed off. You didn’t know why you let him. It absolutely was not due to the fact that you felt your heart skipped a beat when he laid his head on your shoulder. Nope.

You managed to run away from Taehyung once the two of you arrived at the company, simply by practicing your non-existent ninja moves and awkwardly slipping out of the elevator just as the doors closed, his face an image of betrayal and panic. You breathed a sigh of relief before running out of the building. You still had an hour before you were needed, you for sure wouldn’t spend it inside that establishment or you would end up crying.

You were focused on your phone as you read real life stories of love potions. The sharing of stories kept on increasingly became more serious and scarier. You had yet to find a post about antidote. You weren’t 100% set on it being real, but the way Taehyung acted today was not right.

For heaven’s sake, the man barely said any word to you for the whole year you worked in their company. He had only looked at you before, and now he was outright going to you. But maybe, the other CEOs weren’t affected?

It was a hopeful thought, and you felt yourself smile a little- which of course vanished just as quickly when you looked up from your seat in the coffee shop to see Park Jimin sitting in front of you. You didn’t even know how he moved so smoothly and quietly. He was smiling at you, his head tilted to the side. His blonde hair stood out as the sunlight hit his hair perfectly.

“Good morning, beautiful!”

“Daepyonim Park,” you gasped both at shock and well, his beauty. His smile turned wider before he tried to hide it as he sipped from his coffee cup.

“Just Jimin, little one. I presume Taehyung- the bastard who will soon be six feet underground for what he did, by the way- already went to see you?”

You nodded, “He did…”

He scrunched his nose before resting his chin on his hand as he leaned into you. His pouty lips were protruding even more as he looked over his long lashes to you. My God, this man was so charming and his movements seemed so sensual. You didn’t know what it was about him, but you finally, finally understood your coworker who had a major crush on him for years based on one interaction.

“He’s so bad, my love. Did he tell you that he drained all our cars’ gas tank at two in the morning?” he asked in a conversational manner as though it didn’t faze him. His other hand reached to yours, slowly entangling them together and giggling a little at the slight size difference. He found them perfect and cute.

God, you were so endearing, he thought to himself.

“He did what?!”

He nodded slightly, holding your hand up to inspect further before quietly taking a picture of your clasped hands. You were so out of it that you just let it be.

“What Taehyung failed to account for was the existence of taxis. He only managed to anger six men, so good luck to him today. But enough about him,” he stated before looking into your eyes. Being the sole focus of Jimin was just too much, you thought. He was bigger than life, and his inherent appeal was palpable that even girls around the coffee shop kept on stealing glances on him. “I miss you so much today that my heart and head hurt so much, yeobo. I thought that I was going to die if I don’t see you.”

Your brows furrowed in concern before pulling your hand from him and you could have sworn you heard him whimpered. You laid the back of your hand on his forehead, trying to see whether he had fever today. He felt fine, you concluded, as you looked closer to see if he looked sick.

Maybe the ‘love potion’ caused these symptoms? Taehyung did mention experiencing pain.

You managed to escape from Park Jimin when he insisted on buying you pastries, and you in turn ran to the exit like your life depended on it. And perhaps, it did because you were running late. You only had fifteen minutes and the coffee shop you went to was not fifteen-minute away from the office. You were running like a lunatic, waving at the taxi that finally took pity on you. You were about to open the door when a large and tattooed hand slammed it shut.

You looked up in anger, ready to berate the man who did such a rude gesture when you recognized who it was.

Right then and there, and despite it being barely eight in the morning, you already met the entirety of maknae line. Jeon Jungkook looked like a badass with his all-black getup, his hands wrapped in motorcycle gloves, and his hair carelessly falling around his face. Despite all that, he looked innocent with the way he grinned at you, his nose all scrunched up when he greeted you.

“I’ll give you a ride, noona. Come on,” he stated as he gestured at the black motorcycle haphazardly parked on the side. You had never ridden one, and you didn’t want to start now. On the other hand, the taxi was already driving away and you could only look at it with longing.

You decided that you could afford being late just this once instead of riding with him. You were shaking your head.

“But you’re going to be late. I’m going there, too, so it’s no bother if that’s what you’re thinking-“

“No it’s just… I like to walk during the mornings…really.”

He frowned at you as he removed his gloves, “Didn’t you read the memo about tardiness, Y/N?”

“What memo?”

He was typing rapidly on his phone, “About how there would be 50% deduction of the salary should there be any tardiness this month…didn’t you know?” he asked innocently as he finished typing, his doe eyes trained on yours. Coincidentally, the moment he pocketed his phone was the moment your phone dinged.

“I don’t think that’s legal, though. I haven’t received the memo-“

You looked down at your phone, and there it was, an email about that. How could it only reach you now?!

You looked up in panic, and he looked at you with a hint of satisfaction before covering it with an innocent smile. “Shall we? I promise I don’t bite.” Yet.

He drove like a lunatic and you thought that you would really rather be late than experience a thrill such as this. Of course, it was only natural that you didn’t want to put your arms around him. You technically didn’t know him at a personal level and Jungkook did know that.

So, of course, like the intelligent man that he was, he only did the thing that made sense. He sped up, and he chuckled as your adorable screams reached his ears. Your equally lovely arms were now wrapped around him as they should always be and for once since yesterday, the ache in his heart eased. He felt at peace.

He giggled when you finally realized that this was not the path to the office, but in his mind, his other hyungs already got to spend time with you. Shouldn’t he too?

Jungkook helped you get off his bike, his eyes closely watching your expressions as you took the scenery around you. It was quiet despite the busy world below. The overlooking garden he brought you to was enchanting and it remained untouched by the quick-pacing world below. Jungkook couldn’t help but mirror your smile.

“It’s even more beautiful at night, noona. I come here when things get quite overwhelming.”

You turned to him as the two of you sat down. He had laid his leather jacket for you to sat on, a true gentleman you would think if only you weren’t aware that he drank the potion. “The golden maknae gets overwhelmed, too?”

He scrunched his nose at you before softly pinching your nose, “Of course, I do. I’m only human. I was trained when I was only thirteen…it gets too much sometimes. But it’s okay. I like it, and I like the hyungs, too. That’s why I cannot get mad at Tae.”

“He didn’t just empty the gas tank, but he also hid the keys. For added measure, he deflated my tire. He only did that to me. Should I be mad, little one?” he asked with the perpetual charming and shy smile on his face. “Ahh, but I cannot stay mad at him. I do understand him.”

“You do?”

He nodded eagerly, “I would have done the same thing if only he didn’t do it first. You do make us crazy, little one. Why is that?”

It was an eventful morning, and you weren’t foolish enough to think that the rest of your day would be any different. You friend was still yet to be found as she was preoccupied with researching for further information about that potion, which she should have done before giving it to you!

You sighed for the million time as you stared at your food. You were sitting alone in the company’s cafeteria as you were eating your late lunch. The workload was just too much today despite Kim Namjoon’s departmentwide directive that the revision would be presented the following month. Your superiors did find it peculiar and thought that the head CEO was simply playing with them and that he would cruelly demand the output the next day. See, even his reputation preceded him, you thought. It wasn’t in his nature to be lenient when it came to deadlines.

The sudden gentle thud of food a lunch box made you jumped from your seat, your eyes widening as you saw that it was none other than the eldest of the CEOs, Kim Seokjin. Disbelief held you captive. It was an unexpected sight – the CEO, whose tailored suits and polished demeanor spoke of boardroom authority, now standing before you with a container of something that smelled absolutely delicious.

He smiled at you as he took the empty seat in front of you. He busied himself with laying and opening the numerous food containers in front of you. Your eyes widened at all the homecooked meals in front of you.

“I got up at four in the morning to prepare all these. I still don’t know what your favorites are, but we’ll figure it out as we go, right?” he asked, busying himself with putting food on your plate. “Always eat on time, little one. It’s bad to skip meals.”

“W-why did you cook all these?”

He blinked owlishly at your question; surprise written on his face. “Well, my love, I couldn’t sleep and I felt this stabbing pain by the mere thought that you weren’t eating enough.”

“You don’t have to do that-“

“So from now on, I decided that I’ll always cook for you,” he declared strongly before lifting his chopsticks with vegetables to your mouth. Suddenly, you felt eyes on you.

How could you forget that you were in the company?! Your head turned, looking at the employees who were all watching your interaction with the unobtainable CEO. They were whispering and you knew by the end of the hour, everyone in the company would know of this. How could you live once they had the antidote? You could already hear the rumors about how you were just for their entertainment once they tossed you aside.

You were about to stand up when Seokjin gently gripped your chin. He turned you to him, his beautiful eyes willing you to listen to him. “Don’t mind them, little love. Pay attention to me only. Nothing and no one matter outside us, okay?”

It wasn’t okay because none of this was real. On the other hand, the meal tasted heavenly…

---

If they weren’t going to get sick, you definitely would. You felt like you would collapse any moment.

The amount of stress was taking a toll on you. You felt like you needed to be on your guard, lest another CEO would ambush you. You were just human! And they all looked like they stepped out of a photoshoot, or that they were ethereal beings that decided to go down on the mortal realms. The way they were showering you with attention and declaring their attraction to you and the way they said that not being with you felt like a stabbing pain in their hearts were all getting to you, damn it!

You were just a girl.

And once this all ended, you were dreading to think of what would be left of you now that you saw them on a closer and more personal level. You wanted to think that this couldn’t get any worse, but it did as you read the most elusive of the CEOs’ email to you.

Hi, my little one,

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request your presence at a meeting in my office to discuss my growing feelings for you today at 2:00 pm. Your insights and expertise on this matter would be highly valuable to the discussion, and I believe your input will contribute significantly to our objectives of being together forever and ever.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and I look forward to our discussion.

Best regards,

CEO Min Yoongi

He had this faraway look on his face when you were led by his secretary in his office. His hands were in his pocket as he looked at the bustling city from his floor to ceiling window. His black long hair was sleeked back, revealing his stoic face. The dark suit he was wearing did nothing but compliment his form. You had never noticed how broad his shoulders were until now.

He looked like he was not paying attention, yet he turned around the moment that the door closed behind you. Min Yoongi looked at you for a moment too long that you started to shift uncomfortably. His attention was just too much, and you couldn’t act like you were no longer affected by any of it.

And from the looks of it, the moment you blushed was the exact moment his face softened. He gestured for you to take the seat in front of his desk. He mirrored your movement, now sitting on his expensive swivel chair. He clasped his hands and rested them on the mahogany table.

“Daepyonim Min-“

He held his finger up, asking for your silence before spilling what you thought to be both outrageous and the most beautiful and heartfelt thing anyone had ever said to you in this life. “You’re beautiful, and not just in the way that you look. No. You’re beautiful in the way that the sun finally shines after a month of storms; you’re beautiful in the way that the waves keep on going back to the shore even after they were pushed away in the desire to kiss the sand; you’re beautiful in the way that flowers bloom after the unforgiving winter coldness. And that is why I’m giving you Samsung stocks.”

Confusion settled over you like a fog. You had almost melted from what felt like a poetry when he once again brought up his stocks idea from last night.

“I-I really don’t need Samsung stocks, Daepyonim Min…”

He looked aghast at your statement, before reaching over the table and holding your hand in his particularly large ones. “Call me Yoongi, my love. Or better yet, call me your other half,” he implored you and he only let go when you nodded in confusion.

“Also, nonsense! Everyone needs that stock, little one. Besides, nothing speaks more about my love for you than giving you all my Samsung stocks. And above and beyond, it filled me with this immense pain knowing that you’re just out there not owning any of their stocks. I couldn’t breathe with the mere thought of you going without.”

“Excuse me?”

And with a stoic face, he said, “Congratulations, little one. You’re now a millionaire."

At six in the evening, the head CEO finally made an appearance. You did find it peculiar that you had a fairly quiet afternoon after meeting with Yoongi. Your brows were pinched together as you were lost in thought when the elevator opened, revealing the head CEO. He had yet to notice you, his large and imposing form leaning against the side of the elevator. His eyes were close. You noticed that his white sleeves were already folded, his tie already loosened as his black suit laid on his thick forearms.

Kim Namjoon was the image of weariness, and you thought he looked quite pale. Your growing concern for him was what made you stepped inside the lift rather than running away yet again. The sound of your heels as you stepped in was the only sound in the elevator. You pressed for the ground floor and you saw that the floor for basement three was already pressed. Perhaps, the head CEO was going home now. Now that you were standing almost next to him, you only further affirmed how small you were next to him. He was already larger than life, and the way he always held himself exuded confidence made him more striking…and manly in your eyes.

The ride was fairly quiet, and through it all, he had his eyes closed. You kept on stealing glances, thinking that maybe among the other CEOs, he took in the least amount of potion. You felt lighter with that thought. At least you only had five men you needed to find the antidote for. Come to think of it, you hadn’t seen the sunshine of the group, Jung Hoseok yet.

The elevator dinged, signifying your floor. You had taken merely a step when you felt a large hand completely encircling your wrist, effectively stopping you from leaving. You automatically turned, startled to find him with his eyes trained on you. He looked way too alert for someone who had his eyes closed for the past minute. You gasped when he pulled you closer to him as he pressed the close button.

“Daepyonim Kim,” you called him as you craned your neck to look at his draconic eyes.

“Leaving so soon?" he asked, his deep voice carrying a subtle mix of amusement and curiosity.

You hesitated, the words tumbling out of your mouth as he caught you off guard. “I... uh, yes. I was heading to the lobby. I’m about to leave for the night," you stammered, attempting to regain composure.

A playful smile curved his lips as he completely blocked the exit. leaned against the elevator frame, effectively blocking your exit, which sounded successful as the door closed. “I missed you,” he breathed as he took you in, his thumb gently running over the inside of your wrist as though touching you brought him immense comfort. “A lot. It was hell without seeing you the whole day.”

You blinked owlishly and you wanted nothing but to hide your face from the intensity of his gaze, but he wouldn’t let you. Instead, he smiled so gently at you, the dents on his cheeks making an appearance which made him more charismatic that you couldn’t say no when he told you that he would take you home.

But he didn’t exactly say which home because you ended up in what turned out to be the CEOs’ huge ass mansion. Your eyes roamed around the mansion, the high ceilings and the fancy marble flooring all screamed wealth that you didn’t even dare of dreaming to have. He confidently led you to what appeared to be a grand dining room. The room bathed in the soft, flickering glow of candlelight, casting a warm and intimate ambiance. The delicate flames danced gracefully, creating patterns of light and shadow that played across the table. The air carried the subtle fragrance of the candles, a mix of vanilla and subtle hints of lavender.

The dining table was adorned with crisp, white linen, and the flickering candles were nestled in elegant holders, their glow reflecting off polished silverware and crystal glasses. Each flame seemed to dance in harmony with the gentle melody playing in the background, creating a soothing symphony that enveloped the space.

He pulled a chair for you, and instead of sitting across from you, he sat beside you. He chuckled lowly when he caught your questioning eyes, “I have been apart from you for so long today, little one. I need this to feel alive.”

You straightened up in vigilance that the other CEOs would show up. “Are the others here, too?”

He looked at you like you said something funny. The chef he hired today gently laid all the dishes he made, explaining about each dish before wishing the two of you an enjoyable night. Namjoon told you that he wouldn’t feed you any of the food he made unless he enrolled himself in a culinary school first, hence the chef. He waited for the chef to leave before turning his full attention to you.

“I shipped them off to Antartica.”

“You what?!”

“I simply said we were flying to Japan for a quick meeting. They believed. I lied. End of. So anyway, how many children do you think we should have?”

My God, you wanted so bad to lay on your bed and sleep the whole night. You though about filing for sick leave tomorrow, you were long overdue for a leave, anyway. Kim Namjoon was kind enough to drop you off. However, it was only after you promised him that you would talk about possible schools for your future children that he let you go.

On the other hand, your friend finally called and you were sorely disappointed to know more about what she gathered today. Her grandmother had to ask the other folks that lived in the mountain about your situation and it somehow appalled you that you weren’t the first to experience this.

It was, at the same time, sad to see people resort to this from loneliness.

Was an artificial, forced love and companionship better than being alone?

There were both an instant and quite a long-term effect of the potion, she said. The instant was mostly upon ingesting the liquid. Once they locked eyes with the owner of the potion which so happened to be you since she technically gifted it to you, then the immense attraction would start. You thought that this explained why the seven of them all acted that way in the conference room.

The long-term effects were what caused you to groan all the way up to your apartment. And right then and there, you saw what the long-term effects were. As you trudged up to your apartment, you felt the exhaustion to your very bones. You were looking forward to a hot shower in an effort to wash away the problems that stemmed from a simple prank when you saw who was leaning against your front door.

The last of the CEO, Jung Hoseok, was leaning against the door, his head bowed down as he clutched his heart. He looked like he was in unfathomable pain, his lips almost the shade of white. And your friend’s words echoed in your mind.

‘Prolonged non-contact with the object of their desires will cause them to be physically ill.’

You hurried up to him, holding his shoulders as you looked at him. You were crouched down in front of him, peeking up at his pained face.

“S-sir, are you okay?”

His chest tightened, his face contorted, a mask of agony etched with lines of distress. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, evidence of the intense effort to draw in even the smallest amount of air. The hallway fell silent, save for the raspy, labored breaths that escaped him.

‘They may try to fight the unexplainable feelings they have, and this will only cause them harm. In fact, if they go without you for a long period of time, their body will suffer for a long time.’

“Hoseok? Can you hear me? I’ll call for help, okay?” you tried to make yourself sound calm for his sake, but seeing him struggling, desperate to gasp for air was making you panic. Your negligence did this, you thought. You should have made sure that you were holding the right tumbler that day.

You were about to turn to call for help when you felt a hand pulled you closer, and before you knew it, he had his arms around you. He was still breathing hard, but you noticed that the shallow breathings were farther and apart as though he could finally breath. The moment you touched him, the moment you looked into his eyes was the exact moment that a wave of relief swept over him as the oppressive grip on his chest began to loosen. The moment that you called his name was the moment that the torment that had shackled his every breath gradually lifted, replaced by the sweet release of a deep, calming respiration.

“Don’t leave me.”

‘However, every interaction with you would only make their attraction grow further.’

You placed a glass of water in front of the man who now looked perfectly fine as though he wasn’t fighting for his very life outside your apartment. He was offering you reassuring smiles as he gently watched you. He was surrounded by sacks of expensive cat food, toys, and vitamins. And of course, your cat was only too happy with them, evident by the excessive purring he was emitting as he climbed on the CEO’s lap.

“I did hear that you have an adorable son int the form of a cat,” he started as he petted your spoiled cat. “As his future daddy, I would like to provide for him as early as now.”

You didn’t pay attention to whatever he was saying, and instead, you sat next to him to see if he was really fine. The paleness was now exchanged by a healthy look on skin. It was as though that didn’t happen.

“Hoseok, listen…the reason that you are all acting this way to me, the girl you didn’t even notice before this, was because-“

“Because of that drink, right?” he interrupted you, wearing a soft smile that conveyed he harbored no anger.

“Y-you know…”

He nodded before tilting his head, “I do. It’s weird, as you said. The thing is, all of us suspects the same thing. You, little one, only confirmed it.”

“I didn’t mean for any of these to happen-“

The soft look he had was now dropped, revealing the strict CEO that everyone knew him to be. “Regardless, little one. You need to take responsibility over your actions.”

“H-how?”

“You’re going to live with us until all of this fades. You’re going to take responsibility over us, my love.”

Part 2 sneakpeak, Part 2, Part 3 sneakpeak, Part 3

[skyewritesstuff]

greedy | p. mellark

my masterlist.

summary: after months of being in what you think is a situationship with peeta, you finally confront him about whether or not there's anything truly there or if you're just another girl who has fallen for his kindness and misinterpreted the signs.

pairing: peeta mellark x reader (college!au, fratboy!peeta if you squint)

fandom: the hunger games

warnings: nothing too serious. implied nsfw at the end. afab reader. sorta ooc peeta...it's mostly environmental because we all know peeta's a flirt.

notes: based on greedy by tate mcrae even though the verse at the end gives me everlark vibes. also, this has been beta read. :)

word count: 2.8k

He’s here. Are you coming?

You looked at the blue and gray text thread, Clove’s name, and contact picture with a little clover emoji sitting right on top of it. A sigh escaped you as you looked up from your phone at the fraternity house that was positioned in front of you. You’d been leaning against the fencing that surrounded the yard for what felt like an hour, but in reality, it’d only been a few minutes.

As of late, facing Peeta Mellark has always been an unpredictable situation. While he was kind, polite, and charismatic, that charisma oftentimes led to him getting entangled metaphorically (at least you hoped) with other girls. You couldn’t tell if he didn’t know how to say no, was weighing out his options, or if he was what Clove often referred to as a “fuckboy”. 

Fuck it. You rolled your eyes, stuffed your phone into your jacket pocket, and made your way across the cement walkway leading to the house. Having second thoughts, you pulled your phone back out, pulling up the same conversation with Clove.

Is she here?

The person you were speaking of was none other than Katniss Everdeen. She was the most recent girl that Peeta had been hanging around with and was simultaneously the cause of your latest installment of confusion. According to some of your other friends, she’d been friends with Peeta for a while and the study date you ran up on in the library was nothing but a platonic catch-up amongst busy friends.

However, one Madge Undersee had more than the opposite to say. All it took was one group mirror shot in the bathroom at a nightclub posted on Instagram, featuring you and Peeta in the outskirts of the photo, his arm wrapped securely around your waist, for her to send you a heated DM saying that he and Katniss had been a thing for forever and that you were coming between them.

You very quickly sent back, “Funny how the alleged ‘other girl’ always gets shit while the dude gets to slide by.” with a sarcastically placed upside-down smiley that was left on read still to this day.

A typing bubble appeared in Clove’s thread.

I don’t think so!

You let out another sigh, relieved that for now, Katniss wasn’t a worry. You walked into the house, looking around. There was a cloud of smoke in the air, presumably from various substances and/or a smoke machine, and bright lights coming from various directions. You squinted, trying to make out anyone you knew, but specifically trying to find Clove.

“Hey!” The greeting was slurred, long, and drawn out as an arm was all but dropped onto your shoulders. Finnick Odair was standing beside you, laughing at what appeared to be nothing. Finnick was a grad student that you’d met while waiting in line for coffee, quickly discovering that you two had mutual connections.

“Y/N…Y/N…you look…beautiful, stunning, ravishing…Have you seen Annie?” 

You chuckled at how rapidly his thought process changed. “Nope, I just got here! Maybe try calling her?”

“Ha,” he let out, “I don’t…I don’t know her number…”

“But she should be in your… never mind, you’ll find her I’m sure.” you grinned, shaking your head.

“Alright, sweet!” Finnick started to walk away, but then quickly turned on his heel back to you, pointing in your direction.

“Almost forgot…Peeta’s looking for you!”

“What?”

The question was ignored as he walked away, approaching another male at the party the same way he’d approached you. Peeta was looking for you? Was he serious or just on another planet from the amount of alcohol in his system?

You kept maneuvering through the crowd, trying to locate the kitchen, knowing that’s where most of the snacks and drinks were. The kitchen also usually served as a good place to wait around if you were looking for someone. 

You pulled out your phone, shooting a text to Clove to meet you in the kitchen. You stared down at the screen, hoping for a speech bubble to pop up saying she was either on her way or giving you simple directions to wherever she was located. You then felt yourself collide with someone in a way that wasn’t painful, but most definitely was going to lead to an awkward exchange.

“Oh shit…I’m so sorry…”

You were met with blonde hair and a black hoodie and then a beautiful set of oh-too-familiar blue eyes.

“Don’t be!” Peeta smiled, “I was looking for you! I sent out Finnick to look for you and everything.”

You rolled your eyes with a smirk, “Well, you might want to find someone sober enough to complete the mission next time, just saying.”

“You are probably absolutely correct…but it’s fine. Why send someone else when it’s something you can do on your own way better, right?” he smiled, leaning on the wall, taking a sip from his cup, “Do you want something to drink?”

“What is that?” you gestured to the cup, raising a curious yet somewhat fearful eyebrow.

Peeta shrugged, “I think it’s some kind of jungle juice. The base has to be Hawaiian Punch because of the color if that helps.” He extended the cup towards you, “Want to see for yourself?”

You nodded and took the cup, taking a sip. It was definitely Hawaiian Punch, and it wasn’t as strong as you thought it would be, which could either be a help or a hindrance. 

“Pretty good, right?” he asked. You nodded in response, handing the cup back to him. “Do you want me to get you some of that…or I can try to mix you something myself?”

“Whatever that is, that’s fine.” you answered, following him over to a large orange Gatorade dispenser that had the word “NOT” written on a piece of tape, stuck above the label. You chuckled under your breath as you watched the blonde grab a cup, scoop out some ice, and then fill the drink. As he did this, you took the time to take in his appearance as your brain had been busy keeping up with the conversation instead of taking a good look at him.

He was in a black hoodie with a small logo on the chest; his blonde hair falling into his face a little. He also was wearing gray joggers with his university lanyard sticking out of the pocket, falling onto his leg with a pair of somewhat beaten-up sneakers. Despite his relaxed appearance, he looked put together. He looked good.

Peeta turned back to you, handing you the cup, which you took with a smile. “Do you wanna go somewhere quieter?” he asked, gesturing to the surroundings before refilling his cup.

Your stomach turned with nerves. He probably just meant to talk, but what if he didn't? You knew for a fact that your bra and underwear were not fancy, nor did they match, and you probably had the lowest body count in your friend group. You took a hard swallow.

“...To talk…” Peeta laughed, his tone sounding a little nervous as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and took a sip from his cup. The lights well-hid the red flush on his face.

“Oh…okay, yeah!” you laughed back, watching as he extended his hand. You took his hand, noticing how he immediately laced your fingers together as he walked you through the main hallway that you’d just walked through and up the stairs. 

Someone at a distance must’ve seen you both making your way upstairs, because someone wolf-whistled and then called Peeta’s name, causing him to sharply turn over his shoulder to try and identify the person. He quickly stuck his middle finger up at no one in particular, given the culprit was never identified, and then sped up a little as you both got up to the top of the stairs.

“I'm sorry. People are dumb and make ridiculous assumptions…like I’m really not trying to…”

“Peeta, it’s okay.” you reassured him, “If Clove had seen me, she probably would’ve been ten times worse and reminded me of one of her ridiculous tips to supposedly eliminate your gag reflex that she learned on TikTok.”

Peeta somewhat choked on the sip of his drink that he was taking, laughing at your comment, “Who said you couldn’t learn something off of the internet.”

He led you down a shorter hallway to a door. He knocked twice before opening it, finding it just as he must’ve left it, as you quickly put two-and-two together that this was his room. He shut and locked the door behind him, took another sip from his drink, and sat it on his bedside table before flopping on the bed as you leaned against the wall.

You took a big sip of your drink, hoping the alcohol kicked in sooner rather than later to get some control of the nerves that were bubbling up across your entire body. You watched as the blonde turned on his side and looked over at you.

“I'm not gonna bite, sweetheart…unless you’re into that.” 

You couldn’t refrain from rolling your eyes at his cheesy line before you walked over to sit your drink next to his. Then, you removed your jacket, hanging it from his footrest. Before you could even turn your attention back to him, you could feel his eyes on you. It was like he was bearing a hole into the exposed skin on your back that was left uncovered from your dress now that your denim jacket had been discarded.

When you turned back around, he rolled onto his back with his hands behind his head, smiling up at you. “You’re gorgeous.” 

It was spoken so matter-of-factly as if he was telling you the most basic of observations…as if it were obvious to anyone who looked at you. You could feel your chest swell slightly at his words. Your instinct was going to be to tell him to stop or to refute what he said, but you took a breath and let out a small, “Thank you” in response as you sat on the edge of his bed and then slowly inched your way back onto the bed, laying next to him.

The room was silent, aside from the bumping music that was playing behind the door and down the stairs, and your eyes were fixed on the ceiling fan, watching it spin to avoid meeting Peeta’s eyes, fearing the burning blush that would overtake your body if you did.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, breaking that silence.

“Nothing…” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the full truth either. You weren’t giving your full thought process to anything. Instead, your brain was in several places at once. You’d thought about the makeup tutorial you’d seen earlier set to the song that was playing downstairs. You’d thought about how close Peeta was to you. You’d also thought about Katniss and Peeta’s study “date” from a while back too.

“Baby, if something’s bothering you, you can tell me.” he said. You finally glanced over at him. He was on his side, facing you, leaning against one hand while the other played with his hoodie string.

Baby.

Before you could stop yourself, the bigger question tumbled out of your lips, “What’s up with you?”

His features scrunched together in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“You take me on dates. You kiss me. You hold my hand. You call me baby.” you paused, “But then, I see you at the library with Katniss Everdeen and I have one of her stupid little friends in my DMs accusing me of being a homewrecker because you have your arm around me in a photo I didn’t even post…and I’ve seen you talking to other girls too, Peeta. You do the same thing, leaning against the wall, standing close to them. You’re smiling and laughing and the girl is playing with her hair and laughing back at you. What is all of that? Am I just the one you know will answer your random texts and calls to hang out…go to the club… make out in your car? Am I some weird escape from reality like…who…”

You were quickly silenced by his lips on yours, one hand coming up to your cheek, pulling you in closer to him. It was almost second nature at this point and your body quickly betrayed you despite your frustrations and melted into the kiss as it deepened, your hand coming to rest on his ribcage, progressively snaking onto his back and then upwards into his blonde locks as he moved over top of you.

The motion of him nudging your leg with his knee so he could position himself knocked you back into reality like a harsh slap to the face. You put both hands onto his chest and applied just enough pressure to jerk him back into the present as well. He looked confused. His chest was rising and falling rapidly and his lips were slightly swollen.

“Did I do something?” 

You propped yourself up, causing him to move, rolling back onto his back, his arm dropping across his chest as he rather obviously tried to cool himself down. You sat up, looking down at Peeta, whose eyes met yours.

“You never answered my question.”

“Yes, I did.” He looked at you like you’d missed the most obvious sign in the universe, but you already knew he meant the kiss, and that was not the answer you were looking for.

You shook your head, “A kiss isn’t an answer. If anything, it just proves my point. I don’t understand you. You clearly, in some way, want me. So, what is it? Are you just playing the field…fucking a bunch of random girls…Are you in love with Katniss still?”

“Katniss?” Peeta looked like you’d slapped him clean across his handsome face.

“Yes, Katniss…” You repeated, glancing from him to the door, wondering if it’d just be better to get up and go home. You knew fully well that he’d follow you. There was no getting out of this.

“I get it. You’re hot. You’re nice. I genuinely don’t think you’d try to intentionally hurt anyone, but…”

“That’s it, right there.” He pointed toward you as you spoke, “You talk about me and my mixed signals…what is that? You go from basically saying I’m some piece of shit heartbreaker to saying I’d never hurt anyone. You do that a lot. You’ll go from dancing with me and kissing me…letting me hold you while you’re sleeping to acting completely disinterested in anything outside of a friendship. I’ve never dealt with anything like this before. Girls are usually pretty forward with me…regardless of whether I feel the same or not. I don’t know if it’s intentional…like you think it’ll make me want you more or what, but it’s driving me crazy. Other girls may want me...I don't know for sure, but I know for sure that I want you, not them. I’m trying my best to show you that…but you just keep pushing me away and I wish you’d stop.”

Your eyes dropped to the floor, suddenly hyper-aware of a scuff on the toe of your boots. Your heart pounded as you tried to process what he’d said. He was usually so confident and sure in his abilities to keep sucking you back in, but the wavering tones in his voice indicated otherwise. He was serious.

You turned back to him, “I…I like you a lot…a lot more than just a friend…which is why seeing you with those other girls drove me fucking insane. I want you and for you to only want me. I don’t want to just be some kind of convenience for you. I’m either your girlfriend or nothing at all.”

His lips curved into a smile as your arms crossed over your chest, waiting for a response from the blonde. Peeta sat up and moved in closer to you, his forehead resting against yours, lips inches from your own.

“As you wish, girlfriend.”

His lips were on yours as soon as the title was spoken, moving slowly and sensually. His hand came to your waist as you fell back onto the bed, pulling him down with you as you finally let him move over top of you. The kisses grew needier and more passionate as your hands moved to the hem of his hoodie, pulling it and his white undershirt over his head and allowing for him to toss them behind him.

The articles of clothing caught your jacket, bringing it to the floor as well. Your phone slid out of the pocket as it vibrated, going completely unnoticed next to the clothing.

Where are you?

Hello?

Oh my god, Cato just said he saw you going upstairs with Peeta. Good luck. ;) Remember what I told you about spelling your name. Trust me, works every single time.

[bluberryfields]

"I want a proper apology."

The dramatic “apology dance”

In the entirety of Season 2, I think the “apology dance” scene is pretty close to my favorite.

The way Crowley walks in like he’s entering a stage in a packed theater.

The way Azi clearly sees him coming and fusses himself up to look extra focused on his work and not at all excited about Crowley’s return.

Crowley, noticing that Azi has yet to look at him, ramps up the drama by:

Whipping off his glasses (taking off his armor)

Response from Azi? Clears his throat and focuses harder on his work.

Time for Level 2 Drama, it seems.

Stalking over to the table (no sauntering here)

Tossing the glasses down (looks casual but absolutely isn’t)

Ringing that little bell (like a ceremonial gong signaling “this is fucking happening”)

Walking back into the rotunda where he has maximum visibility (also maximum vulnerability)

Azi now has no choice but to react, which he does by slowly looking up and over at Crowley, who looks like the human-shaped embodiment of dread.

Finally announcing “I’m back” like the bitchy customer who just yesterday had declared they were never shopping here again

I mean, wow. Amazing. Glorious.

Not to be outcunted, Azi just casually turns back to his work and practically hums, “Yes. I can see that.”

Damn, Aziraphale, did you take lessons in passive aggression from my mother?

Now Crowley groans in a way that I felt to my core and asks, “Do you want a big, ‘I think I said the wrong thing,’ sort of an apology, or can we take that as said?”

He averts his eyes until the last second because this probably feels more demeaning than begging Azi not to do his magic act at Warlock’s birthday part.

Still turned away, Azi replies in a tone that is a mix of hurt and guilt that makes me think this has been coming for awhile. "I'd like the apology actually." I bet you would, Angel.

Back to Crowley, he pauses to assess his options, takes a deep breath, and says the magic words: “You were right.” Also looks like he almost says something else but either doesn’t know what to say or doesn’t want to say it.

Oh wow, so convincing. Bravo.

Finally, Azi puts down his glasses and his work and turns to address Crowley. He is not happy.

“Not good enough. I want a proper apology.” Also, side note, but Michael Sheen’s voice here is just…yum.

Before Azi can finish, Crowley is so quick to reject this idea. “No.” with a shake of the head.

You're not winning this battle, Crowley, and you know it.

“With the little dance.” Azi’s voice perks up and his eyes brighten at the hope this will happen. Seize that opportunity!

Again, Crowley barely let’s the word “dance” come out before he tries to shut it down. “I don’t do the dance.” Nope, no sir, not this demon.

Oh no, now Azi’s anger joins the hurt and guilt for a vicious trifecta. “I did the ‘I was wrong’ dance in 1650, 1793, 1941…” each date being spat out with increasing amounts of venom.

Oh Crowley, you brought this on yourself, girl.

This non-apology combined with his “I'm sorry. I apologize. Whatever I said, I didn’t mean it. Work with me, I’m apologizing here. Yes? Good. Get in the car.” and I can see why Azi reacts to this the way he does.

Crowley knows he’s beaten and concedes with a “Fine!” that feels the very opposite of the word.

Okay so before the “proper apology” can begin, Azi gets up from his chair, straightens his waistcoat, and stands with his hands grasped in front of him like a proper gentleman. A properly petty gentleman.

Then the main attraction! Crowley, looking completely stone-faced, does “the little dance.”

It’s wonderful. He looks so silly and childish and graceful and mature. And god, that deep knee bend at the end? Amazing.

Also amazing is Crowley’s face when he says "Kay?” while bobbing his head and eyebrows back like a sassy rooster? *chef’s kiss*

For Azi’s part, god it is just a delicious mix of polite poker face and barely concealed thirst. I see your eyes scanning Crowley, drinking in that thin, dark Duke. That little dance will live in his head forever.

And that’s the signal to go back to normal! Crowley regains control and Azi falls back into the supporting role.

Long-term relationships are hard, yo.

[absolutelynotararr]

THE MEANING OF NAMES IN THE EPIC: PART 2. POLITES AND EURYLOCHUS

RAR!

Part 1 part 3

Yes, yes, yes, I couldn't ignore these two. And in general, they were the very first ones whose names meanings I looked up on the Internet!

  Let's start, perhaps, with Polites, cause Eurylochus...ha-ha... the most interesting is usually left for last ;)))

The search for the meaning of the name Polites was long, cause I wanted to find something other than 1-2 meanings, but most sites gave the same information, so here I will tell only about these two meanings

• If we translate "Polites" from Greek ( Πολίτης) - then the translator gives us "citizen", but if we try to divide the name into parts, then only one will be, in my opinion, normal - "politics " (Πολίτ). If you try to search for something by this meaning, then deep in the sites it gives out - free citizen, or something like that. That is, the first meaning is completely connected with the political and civil meaning

• BUT-BUT-BUT the second thing that the search didn't give me right away... "Respect". Yes, our beloved good-natured Polites really leaves something good also in his name !!! And, as for me, it's super cute and great (and suspicious), what is such a positive quality as respect and as a result in the musical we have a kind sunshine !

Now Eurylochus-...

• I was 86% sure that Jorge was looking into the meaning of the names to get inspiration for the songs and the changed plot, and now I'm 96% sure of it. CAUSE THE MOST POPULAR ENGLISH MEANING IS "TURNED INTO A PIG BY CIRCE"! AND IN THE MUSICAL WE GET THE OPPOSITE OF THAT MEANING (of course, there are other reasons for this event, that Eurylochus was the only one who was not turned into a pig, BUT STILL-) .It seems to me that Jorge decided to make fun of Eurylochus (at least a little) by putting him in an event that is opposite to the meaning of the name

But do you think my confidence will end there?? NOPE! ABSOLUTELY NOT!

• If we divide the name into two parts again, then in addition to "Wide" from the "Εὐρύ" part, we also get... "Each" (  Εὐρύ again) and "Team" (λοχος) ... That is, if you slightly rework the resulting translation, you get... "Everyone on the team". WHAAAT DOES EURYLOCHUS MEAN FOR THE EPIC FROM A MUSICAL POINT OF VIEW?  True, true, true - the voice of the team, EVERYONE IN THE TEAM!

This cannot but be suspicious and lead to certain conclusions, don’t you agree? I absolutely love finding something like this, you should have seen my shock and joy when I found such a cool detail!!!

I, LITERALLY SINCE THE DAY I FOUND ALL OF THIS:

Updated: I am considering these meanings of names only from the point of view of the MUSICAL, how JORGE could have been inspired by the names for certain moments in EPIC. Here are just assumptions and simply interesting facts that someone might not know and I decided to tell those who didn't know about it! If there was anything here related to the original, I would have noted it first!

[klausinamarink]

One Kid Gone, Another Up and Vanished (part 3)

Part 1 Part 2 jfc you guys are hungry next: Part 4

Eddie’s not at school. He’s been marked absent since homeroom started according to the secretary.

“For the seventh time, Mr. Munson. He won’t even graduate if this continues.” The lady adds.

Anger brews slow in Wayne’s blood. The shimmering kind, like you think the pot is safe until you touch it. But none of that is aimed at Eddie. Never.

He doesn’t leave after politely thanking the secretary. He racks his brain for a moment and asks if it’s possible for Jeff Endes to come down and speak to him.

It takes few minutes longer though. The secretary tells Principal Higgins, who asks him what he even wants from a seemingly random student. Wayne gives a small lie about Eddie being sick and needing some homework from one of his friends.

They raise their eyebrows with subdued judgement, but Higgins offers a small staff room for Wayne to wait in private.

Jeff is soon brought in, his face drawn with confusion. “Mr. Munson?”

“Told ya kids to just call me Wayne, I ain’t married.” He jokes, mostly to try lighten his own mood. It barely works, but it makes Jeff crack a smile.

“Sorry, but what’s going on?” Jeff sits down opposite from him, glancing at the now-closed door. “Is Eddie okay?”

Wayne closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He sees the van behind the lids and the bloodstained wheel and Eddie running through the woods from Lord knows what.

He opens his eyes and instead asks, “Did Eddie stay after school for that band practice?”

Jeff’s eyes narrow slightly but he nods. “Yeah. Entire time aside from couple breaks.” Then quickly, “I played the trombone.”

“Did anything happen during then? Anyone gave him a hard time?”

“Nope. He got left alone. There was one guy flipping his knife like a show off after practice ended and Eddie wanted to try. Cut his wrist by accident, but it was a little scratch.”

“And after? When the practice was done?”

“He got to his van and left the parking lot. He said he was going home.” Jeff’s eyes narrow again. “Did he?”

Wayne rubs the front of the temple with his thumb. “No.” He says quietly. “That’s been worrying me.”

The teen straightens, the worry reflecting him. “Wait, he didn’t?”

“That’s why I thought to ask you. If you know any place that I don’t on where Eddie might’ve gone. I haven’t checked the entire town yet but…”

Jeff is already taking out a notebook from his bag, flipping to a blank page. “Yeah, yeah, I know a few of his spots! I think he might go to the Hideout first-”

“That edge of town bar?” Wayne frowns. He’s been there himself once or twice. Good drinks and music, little seedy. Not really his place to frequent. But if his nephew went there instead of home last night, then Wayne is going to drag him back grounded.

“We performed there a couple times as our own band. I think the folks like our music, even if they’re just covers.” Jeff rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “Please don’t tell my parents I’ve been there.”

“Can’t promise that.” Wayne says lightly. Jeff finishes writing and rips the paper out, giving it to him.

“I added some directions the best I can for a couple of them, in case you’ll miss them. Like Skull Rock is deep in the woods and some students go there for, um, stuff.”

Wayne skims over the list and folds the paper. He’ll check these locations soon, but he has to be sure if Eddie is somewhere in Main Street. “Thank you, Jeff. I cannot thank you enough.”

As he gets up, Jeff says, “You didn’t answer my question. About Eddie being okay. Is he okay?”

Is he?

“If he is, he’s grounded until graduation.” Wayne tells him. Then he leaves the room and out of the school.

—

The trailer park comes into view, thank god. But just like the woods, it’s covered in vines. What also frightens Eddie is that it’s devoid of people. There are cars, stuck and swallowed by the vines, but no passengers inside. Even the trailer homes themselves, when he peeks through the dusty windows and sees their items and furniture but nobody using them.

The lack of lights - at least ones that don’t shine pale from the streetlights - don’t help either.

Yet he can hear them.

He hears Mr and Mrs Caroline starting another argument, the shot firing of Mr. Meier’s car, the four year LaChance twins shrieking at their sandbox, and Josephine the collie barking.

Eddie looks at Little Byers, wondering if he’s already gone crazy. But the kid nods and says, “I hear them too. You can hear everyone but not see them.”

He doesn’t know if he should let relief or misery win over him.

As they walk to the Munson trailer, he picks lightly at his bandaged wrist, where the blood stopped flowing out at some point. Thinking.

He’s thinking a lot, even more than during the boring classes at schools. Mostly about Wayne and if he’s doing okay and if he had noticed Eddie didn’t leave out his breakfast note. Also about if Jeff and Frankie and the rest of Hellfire noticed either. About their campaign that he would miss if he could find some way out of here. And how admittedly cool this viney nightscape is. The Vale of Shadows, Little Byers calls it.

At least his new companion plays D&D.

“Why did you call me Little Byers?”

“Huh?” He shakes out of stupor and looks down at the boy beside him. They haven’t really spoken to each other since they started walking. He knows twelve year olds are weird creatures in a state between kids and teenagers, but this boy is tiny. Probably because of the bright vest almost engulfing his frame.

”You called me Little Byers earlier?” He scrunches his nose. “Is that supposed to be a dumb insult?”

”Oh, of course not! It’s just that, you know, some people refer to others by their last names. And there’s your brother at school who’s a Byers and you’re-” Eddie lamely gestures at him. “-the little Byers. I promise it makes more sense in my head.”

Little Byers blinks before smiling softly. “You can just call me Will.”

“Or that. Yeah, Will sounds better. Because that’s actually your name.” Eddie squeezes his hand. “You can just call me Eddie. No weird names required, unless you get bored.”

Will snorts.

They get to the front porch of his trailer. There’s a vine close to the knob which Eddie very much ignores and hopes isn’t locked. Thankfully it’s not, but it takes longer to get the door open. After another shove by his shoulder, it bursts open.

There’s a faint musky smell but otherwise, nothing appears unchanged. Except for the vines and snowflakes everywhere, of course. Though Eddie has a sneaking suspicion that they might be more ash than snow.

“Woah…” Little Byers - Will, Eddie keeps his promises - release his grip from Eddie’s hand as he stares around the living room in wonder. He giggles as he points at Wayne’s proud mug collection. “One of them is Garfield!”

“Wayne!” Eddie calls out, giving no time to comment back. He goes around the living room, tripping over a couple vines. He keeps calling as he goes to his bedroom. “Wayne! Can you hear me?! Uncle Wayne!”

Silence.

Okay, don’t freak out. Don’t freak out. DO NOT freak out.

He quickly runs back to Will, who’s moved to the couch. “You said I could talk to him, right? How do I do it? How did it work for your mom?”

He says it too fast that he’s not sure Will could understand him. But the kid’s face lights up and answers, “I used the lights!”

Eddie stares.

“I mean, it’s kind of a project in progress?” Will says sheepishly. “But I swear my mom knows it’s me! I know she’s trying hard to understand and I’m trying my best too.”

“…use the lights how?”

Will looks around and shuffles to the lamp besides the couch. “It’s a bit harder because I think it’s daytime right now and the lights are off.” His hands hover around the lamp with a concreted stare. Eddie watches with a drop in his gut as absolutely nothing happens.

Will glances back, the sheepish smile back on his face. “I’m sorry. But it might be better to wait for your uncle to come home. We can try it together!”

Eddie nods numbly. He’s been in the Vale of Shadows no longer than Will and he’s already losing hope.

Fuck.

His stomach growls. So does Will’s.

Ah right. That’s another problem.

Eddie gets up and walks to the kitchen. The fridge and cabinets are unsurprisingly webbed with vines. He checks the top cabinets, opening them hard enough that the thinner vines fall off.

“Oh thank you, baby Jesus.” He practically weeps on the spot when he sees the canned soups and cereal. He grabs the soups because this Vale of Shadows is cold as shit and a warm breakfast is what he and Will needs right now.

“Good news, there’s chicken soup ready to be heated up and devoured.” Eddie calls out with a grin. A couple cans tumble out, but he catches them before they hit the floor.

Wills runs in, his eyes widening as if he dug up treasure. To him, canned soup might as well be.

“Now it would be extra lucky for a nat 20 right now…” Eddie mutters as he digs into the drawers, cringing when his hand touches some vines. Ew ew, they’re slimy. His hand clenches around the familiar utensil and brings it up to the air. “Can opener!”

Will claps, giddy with excitement. Eddie crouches down next to him as he starts cutting open the first can. Please make it edible and not rotten looking please please-

When he gets the lid off, he and Will share a sigh of relief at the sight of normal chicken soup.

“Okay, Little Byers, do me a favour and turn the stove on.” Will nods and does so, although he has to climb on the counter. Eddie grabs another can and starts opening it as well.

“Uh, Eddie?”

“Yeah?”

“The stove isn’t working.”

He stops. “What?”

“I-I thought it’s just at my house but-”

Eddie stands up and turns the power dial on the stove around. The light indicator stays dark. He does it again, hearing the click repeatedly but feeling no heat.

He looks at Will, who looks back helplessly.

“You said- you said the lights…” Eddie starts and then stops himself.

Will’s eyes are shining with tears. “It’s just the lights. I’m really sorry. I didn’t know about the power.”

Eddie slides down to the floor, canned soup abandoned in his hand. Then he curls himself up, trying to feel his own fading body heat as he quietly breaks.

- -

Taglist: @unclewaynemunson @steves-strapcollection @hellion-child @sidekick-hero @mmmmwaffles94 @demolitionjetstar @hbyrde36 @princessstevemunson @sirsnacksalot @tartarusknight @lyriclight @kodaik97 @plsdontdrinkmylavalamp @wuttttttttttt

[heartz4shauna]

Werewolf Jackie!!

jackie is so werewolf coded with that luscious mane omd SORRY okay .

🐺jackie is, not more OPEN about being a werewolf, but less secretive if you know what i mean?

🐺like, for example, she’d totally paint her claws. a bright super cute pink and flaunt them around the cabin. “how did you get your nails so long? and.. curved?” she scoff, rolling her eyes like, “it’s genetics.”

🐺she also blames all of her attitudinal problems on her person, “you had your period last week, too, jackie.” someone’d spike up an she’d give them a death glare, “we were in a fucking plane crash.”

🐺she doesn’t feed as often as she’d like because she is SO afraid someone will find her in the middle of the woods.

🐺so when natalie and travis bring back game she ravages on it. not nearly as politely as she wants to but GOSH. everyone gives her looks and she doesn’t even bother responding

🐺bares her fangs a lot, too. like during practice, she’d bare them to intimidate the opposite teams centre forward

🐺if jackie had have eaten the mushrooms, she’d be sinking her teeth into EVERYONE. when they asked her about it the next day she’d be like, “no else did that? must’ve gotten a strong one in my soup.”

🐺she tries to take care of her fur as best she can, because when she does get to feed, she’s greedy with it. ripping off pieces from the carcass and carelessly shoving the meat into her mouth. she tries to sneak off to the lake after feeding, barely grazing her fur with her claws to untangle any knots

🐺her and shauna have tried to feed together once but it ended.. not greatly. they both got to aggressive, possessive over which pieces of the animal they got. when shauna claimed a piece, jackie would complain that it wasn’t 50/50. they don’t like mentioning that incident to each other

🐺she gets so annoyed when anyone tries to wear her clothes in the wilderness. “nope. hands off. that’s mine, it says jackie taylor on the tag.”

🐺she’s such a gold girly and she’s SO grateful for it. she loves wearing jewellery and she’d just HATE if she couldn’t because she was silver.

🐺she doesn’t like talking about being a werewolf to anyone, expect for her counterpart, shauna. that’s honestly how they became so close. they shared that one huge thing in common, and no one else knew! at sleepovers, they’d bare their fangs at each other, see who had the better howl, the whole lot. in the morning, they’d be worn tf out

hope these are okay!! love u

[lyrenminth]

Lazy afternoons

Request:  Joe with his lazy wife

If someone told you that you, the laziest person in the world, would be dating an athlete you would have laughed your ass off. But people say opposites attract and that's how Joe came into your life. In the beginning, you tried to be fit, and go for walks or jogging but the truth was...you weren't made for that. Since elementary school, you prefer to lose any game that keep you moving, you hate sports class, and although you dance around when listening to music, it wasn't as physical as practicing a sport. When you asked him why he married your lazy ass, he just shrugged. "I mean, I knew what was getting into" he explained "but you have the most interesting mind" You raised your eyebrows. "Like I am crazy or something?" He laughed. "No, you have weird ideas. And I like our weird conversations" "It's because you are kinda weird too, baby" you said, smiling. "Yeah, I know" You were grateful to have a rich, handsome, and strong husband who love you for who you were. The things you considered flaws, he found them endearing. He never told you to work out more or be something you weren't. He never suggested changing your clothes or style to fit more with the WAG lifestyle. He liked you. You were resting on the couch watching Netflix and eating chips when he arrived from work. "Baby" he turned the lights on and came closer to you to kiss your forehead. "What are you watching?" "It's a documentary about mushrooms," you said. "Oh, interesting" he went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. "Mushrooms are really cool" you yelled from the living room, "Can you bring me a bottle of water too, please?" He appeared minutes later handing you a bottle of water. You sat on the couch and tried to open the lid, but your weak hands couldn't get the job done. After trying a couple of times, Joe said, exasperatedly: "Give me that" he opened the lid for you. "Mmmm, so sexy Joey" you murmur almost purring "My hero" "That's why you married me, right?" "Well, besides your amazing face, your confidence, your hot body, and your bank account...yeah" He left out a chuckle. You offered him your bag of chips which he rejected politely. He watched the rest of the documentary with you. In the end, he said "Yeah, fungi is cool" You laughed, and he slapped your tighs gently. "Let's go sleep" "Would you carry me?" "Nope" "Why not?" "Because you have legs" "I also have a husband" "That's isn't fair" he pointed at you "you need to move more" "I was born with glass bones and paper skin. Every morning I break my legs, and every afternoon I break my arms. At night, I lie awake in agony until my heart attacks put me to sleep.” you recited the SpongeBob SquarePants line, trying to sound hurt and sad. Your voice started shaking. Joe squinted, trying to look mad and serious, then started laughing. "You are the worst!" but he carried you easily, princess style while both laughed at your interpretation "did you really memorize the whole line, didn't you?" "I am a very good actor, Mr. Burrow" "I never doubted you for a second"

[afterthegreatunknown]

a long, complicated denouement headcanon, featuring the sbg

Despite their ‘100%’ identical appearance in TPP/the ASOUE period, the Denouement triplets weren’t 100% identical. Dewey, Ernest, and Frank did not like being mistaken for one another when they were children, partly because the adults thought it ‘cute’ they dress identical. By their pre-teen years, they begun to differentiate from one another, and by the time they became young adults, were 100% no longer identical. Did that stop anyone from mistaking them for the wrong brother? Nope. But they (reluctantly) accepted it as it is.

(It’s ‘100%’ identical because there is one [1] thing that prevents them from truly being 100% identical.)

After an incident that had Dewey almost dying by a fire-starter, the Denouements realize that to keep their family and the newly built Hotel Denouement safe, they had to be identical once again. Fearing also for Dewey’s life, they hatched a plan that they didn’t want to do, but knew was necessary to allow them to be secretly neutral a la Olivia Caliban under the Madame Lulu persona at Caligari Carnival (the organization didn’t grant them permission to be neutral).

The Denouements ended up faking Dewey’s death in an unrelated VFD accident, and have Ernest and Frank fake their own family schism. Ernest ‘joins’ the fire-starters, while Frank remaining ‘loyal’ to the fire-fighters. With the two brothers now on opposite sides yet still running the Hotel Denouement together, both sides end up treading carefully with their actions. As such, the Denouement triplets achieve the goal of neutrality underneath almost everyone’s noses (some are in on the ruse).

So, by ASOUE, they’re ‘100%’ identical. But in the past, they weren’t, yet sometimes still got mistaken for one another despite making it easy. What were those attempts? Who are those that can 100% tell the brothers apart, mostly pre-canon? Who can’t 100% tell the brothers apart, pre-canon (and maybe during canon itself)?

100% can tell the Denouement triplets apart:

Raymond ‘Q’ Quagmire: As their [adopted] cousin, Raymond discovered a speaking quirk the Denouements triplets individually have. Dewey speaks in a steady pace that isn’t too polite or formal; it’s in between. Ernest speaks slightly faster on the casual/friendly side. Frank speaks slightly slower, more directly + formal, and is the sole Denouement to throw in a cuss word in conversation if given the chance/angry (sometimes minor, sometimes major).

(This speaking quirk is the one [1] thing that prevents them from being 100% identical by the ASOUE period.)

Joan Quagmire, nee Morstan, and her triplet sisters Alex and Lindsey: The sisters picked up the speaking quirk after their first meeting with the Denouements. The sisters also discovered how each Denouement triplet -at least Ernest and Frank- use a different dominate hand. Ernest is right-handed, while Frank is left-handed. Dewey while ambidextrous, is more likely to use his right hand than left. So if Joan, Alex, or Lindsey are interacting with either Dewey and/or Ernest but don’t know who it exactly and they’re using their right hand for something, the speaking quirk is their guide.

(By the ASOUE period, Ernest and Frank successfully taught themselves to use their other hand. Frank had the harder time though.)

The Snicket Siblings: The Snicket siblings, not long after picking up on the speaking quirk, discovered the Denouement style their three (3) hairstyles differently. Their first style -short hair with bangs- has Dewey leaving his bangs alone, Ernest sweeps his bangs more towards the right, and Frank sweeps his bangs more to the left. Their second style - hair down to their neck nickname ‘the Mane’- their ends are all different; one of Dewey’s ends goes down  while the other ends flips upward, both of Ernest’s ends flip up, while both of Frank’s ends goes down. Their third style is the ‘growing out’ stage between hairstyle one and two; Dewey never tucks and runs a hand through his hair, Ernest tucks and runs a hand via his right hand, and Frank tucks and runs a hand via his left hand.

(By the ASOUE period, it was agreed via Dewey’s insistence that they rotate one another in a cycle, to keep it lively. During the period of TPP, all three brothers were in their ‘Mane’ phrase, copying Ernest’s style.)

Bertrand: After picking up on the speaking quirk, Bertrand discovered the Denouements react differently regarding hugs and handshakes. Dewey accepts and gives them out with glee. Ernest is always shock when receiving them and ends them quick; he also rarely initiates them but when he does, he does it in a friendly/casual matter. Frank reluctantly accepts and gives them out. Frank is also the sole Denouement willing to tackle/throw someone to the ground if they’re very suspicious, VFD member or not.

(By the ASOUE period, Ernest and Frank managed to act like Dewey regarding hugs and handshakes. Frank also managed to stop tackling/throwing people to the ground, making others do it in his place, like the waitress in TPP who threw that man on the floor after he asked for sugar.)

Beatrice: After picking up on the speaking quirk and hair quirk, Beatrice discovered the Denouements wear different colors socks, even if they’re all dress identically for reasons. Dewey wears blue socks, Ernest wears green socks, and Frank wears red socks. Beatrice also learned another 100% sure way to tell them apart if all three are in a matching suit and tie (they don’t wear bowties) with matching socks; Dewey always has his tie properly on, Ernest’s tie is slightly loosen, and Frank for whatever reason is missing a cuff link, or has one unbuttoned cuff.

(By the ASOUE period, the Denouements decided to wear white socks only. Ernest and Frank also decided to copy Dewey’s dressing habit. Ernest constantly fights the urge to loosen up his tie. Frank quickly adapted to wearing both cuff links/have buttoned cuffs.)

Can 100% tell apart the Denouement triplets. HOWEVER...

R: R learned the Denouement triplets dressing quirk of different color socks, taking weeks to figure out which color each triplet associated with. However, when it comes to a matching suit and tie with matching socks, R for some reason, thinks Dewey is missing the cuff link/has the one unbuttoned cuff, Ernest has the tie properly on, and Frank has the slightly loosen time. R discovers she got this particular quirk wrong post-canon, after an accidental meeting with the sole Denouement triplet survivor.

Monty: Monty learned of the Denouement triplets hair quirks for hairstyle one and two after several rapid conversations with each brother in under an hour. However, Monty never did figure out the quirk for their third hairstyle, and so he keeps quiet on who he thinks he’s talking too to avoid trouble. In Monty’s defense, he rarely interacts with the Denouements when they’re growing out their hair; Monty has the odd luck of interacting with them with either short hair with bangs or with ‘the Mane’.

Widdershins: Widdershins picked up on the Denouements’ speaking quirk after a few years of interactions. However, Widdershins can be trick into thinking he’s talking to the wrong brother. The only Denouements who does the tricking is Ernest, but that’s only in the month of April. Widdershins is mainly trick by his associates who also can 100% tell the brothers apart due to them wanting to prank the Denouements, or are angry at the Denouements and are using Widdershins as their stand-in.

Can 100% tell apart Ernest and Frank, but throw in Dewey...

Gregor and Hector + Josephine: The three discovered that Ernest is right-handed and Frank is left-handed. Because Dewey is ambidextrous with a leaning of using his right-handed, they will make the mistake of thinking Dewey is Ernest, and vice versa until correct, which in that case, they’ll apologize to both. At least Hector and Josephine. Gregor will apologize to Dewey, but not Ernest. Ernest has no idea why he never gets the apology.

Miranda and Olivia: The two Calibans discovered together that Ernest is a bit of a motor-mouth, and Frank is a bit of a slow talker. Dewey’s steady, polite pace has him getting mistaken as Frank by the two. In their defense, they don’t interact much with the Denouements, so they will apologize when corrected. Olivia does it more so, especially to Dewey.

Can 100% tell apart Dewey and Ernest, but throw in Frank...

N (Nestor) Caliban: Like his sisters, N. discovered that Ernest is a bit of a motor mouth. However, his discovery was made when Ernest was with Dewey. As such, Frank’s slightly slow speaking matter is mistaken at times by N. as Dewey trying to get his point across. N. usually realizes he’s wrong after thirty seconds, apologize, and continue on with the conservation.

Haruki: Haruki, because of all the coffee drinks Ernest partakes in with him and Larry, knows the man’s quirks. But Haruki doesn’t know the quirks of Dewey and Frank, for Haruki rarely visits the Hotel Denouement. As such, whenever Haruki runs into Dewey or Frank at a party or meeting, he avoids saying their name or says ‘Denouement’ when talking to one of them.

Can 100% tell apart Dewey and Frank, but throw in Ernest...

The Sebald Siblings: The reason why Sally and Gustav can’t tell Ernest apart from Dewey and Frank is because they interact with Ernest the least. Every quirk known for Dewey and Frank, the Sebalds know. It’s just Ernest’s quirks they lacking knowledge of. They’re as such, apologizing constantly.

Can 100% tell Ernest and Frank apart, but they don’t think Dewey exists (because they got the luck of never interacting with Dewey properly):

Ike: Ike discovered the sock quirk by accident, and the dominate hand quirk after observations. One of the two SBG fire-fighter members to think Dewey as non-existent, sort of. Ike thinks Dewey was a brother to Frank and Ernest (in that order because Ike assumes Frank is older due to his demeanor), but died after choking on an avocado pit. Attempts to tell Ike the truth about Dewey never happen due to Ernest finding it hilarious to stop anyone from telling Ike (this is why Gregor never apologizes to Ernest).

Larry: Larry is the other SBG fire-fighter members to think Dewey as non-existent, sort of. He too, thinks Dewey was a brother who died after choking on an avocado pit, and also not told the truth due to Ernest finding it hilarious to stop anyone from telling Larry. Larry learned on his own very quickly Ernest and Frank have different hairstyles after accidentally getting coffee with Frank once. Larry does learn Dewey is, or was, real, post-canon, and promptly punches the sole surviving Denouement triplet in the stomach for making him [Larry] thinking Dewey died by other means.

Olaf: After interacting with Ernest and Frank after so many years, especially Ernest, Olaf picked up on their hair quirk. Regarding Dewey, Olaf thinks of him as their dead brother who didn’t survive childbirth that comes to ‘life’ every April Fool’s Day. Attempts to tell Olaf the truth are always interrupted by outsiders, before attempts just stop happening.

Esme: Esme picked up on their hair quirk after an accidental night out with Frank (best night Esme ever had). Regarding Dewey, Esme thinks that Dewey was their brother who died as a child in the same fire that also killed their parents, and goes with the ‘joke’ every April Fool’s Day that brings Dewey back to ‘life’. Attempts to tell Esme the truth never happened.

[Regarding the matter of Dewey faking their death and his funeral, which would reveal to the four that Dewey is a real person, they were all conveniently out of the City and Land of Districts at the time of it happening. On the matter of Ernest ‘joining’ the fire-starters while Frank ‘stays’ loyal to the fire-fighters, their return had them learning of a family schism that drove the brothers apart, and weren’t given more information about it.]

100% can’t tell Ernest and Frank apart, and has no idea Dewey exists.

Jerome: Not part of the SBG or VFD, but his association with Beatrice and the Snickets (mainly Jacques) puts him on the list. Jerome, try as he might with Beatrice’s help, he just can’t tell Ernest and Frank apart. Jerome managed it twice, but they were lucky guesses due to Frank swearing. Jerome didn’t get better even after learning of VFD during the ASOUE period.

Charles: Not officially part of VFD, but because he offer his services and has knowledge of VFD and its working, he gets put on the list. Charles, to avoid embarrassment on being wrong, refers to Ernest and Frank as ‘Denouement’, even in less formal settings. This actually works to Charles’ favor, for either one will always say, “Please, call me [X].”

Fernald: Not part of the SBG, but he is a lump member. Fernald legit can’t tell Ernest and Frank apart, even with help from his stepfather (before he became a stepfather). And Fernald didn’t get better after joining the fire-starters. Fernald as such, keeps quiet and hopes others like Olaf or Esme, will recognize they’re talking to Ernest, before jumping into the conversation himself.

100% can’t tell the Denouement triplets apart and doesn’t bother to make the attempt to learn their quirks:

Georgina Orwell: Because Georgina doesn’t see herself as part of the SBG and never makes the attempt to associate/interact with them as if she is, this is chalked up to rare interactions between them. The Denouements rarely are in need her services, and Georgina rarely goes to their hotel (she prefers the Preludio). When they do interact (usually in a meeting or party), Georgina takes the polite route and calls them ‘Denouement’.

Bonus: A lump OSG member who 100% can tell the Denouement triplets apart, but pretends otherwise:

Adeline Montgomery, Monty’s older sister: Adeline is four years older than Monty. When the schism broke out, Adeline being ten and Monty being six pushed her into being lump with the OSG. Adeline can tell the Denouement triplets apart by their hair quirk. The reason she pretends not to is because she feels bad that Monty, who also uses the hair quirk, still makes mistakes, so she makes herself worse in comparison.

[punks-never-die205]

Not really an ask but just wanted to say that I love how you portray Kid and the others as being respectful towards women, especially those of a certain profession.

I kinda headcanon that Kid is also respectful of people who may be intoxicated and offering to sleep with him. If they're sober and aware of what's going on, of course. They're tipsy but still aware of what's happening, he'll consider it. Slurring words, blackout drunk and not really understanding their surroundings, nope not happening.

If someone's looking for a good time and alcohol is involved, it's best when both parties are lucid enough to remember what happened the night before. In momdern AU where someone's blackout intoxicated he'd politely turn down the offer and try to get a little bit of hydration in them, maybe even make sure there's a designated driver or a cab to get them home safely.

(In my opinion) Just because someone gave consent, it's best to play it safe and say "Maybe some other time, sorry" you never know when it's the alcohol talking.

Yes, in canon he's a pirate with a high bounty due to civilian casualties and has an attitude like a ratel/wolverine/fighting bull, he's still got a tender side that most people don't know about.

Given how often pirates with high bounties are found to be almost the complete opposite of how they're portrayed, I don't know that I think the crew has that many causalities under their belt. If any. The one canon instance of violence we have of the crew outside of the shared fight in shabody and the shared Wano arc, is there run in with the brownbeard pirates.

Of which, none were killed, because they all ended up in Caesars' "care".

If he's not killing other pirates, I don't think he's killing much of anyone.

But that's off topic - on the Kid Crew, consent is king, as I've said before, and yeah. Kid might be a big shit about it, but he's not going to take from someone who isn't going to remember in the morning. He might lead them on, honestly, keeping them hooked so they don't go wandering up to anyone else, and then just getting them home or getting them sobered up.

He'll poke at them when they do sober up. "So, sweet cheeks, are you still on the menu?" Subtle is a waste of time, and you might've been sloshed, but most people get pretty honest on the sauce - he's not going to let it go.

He won't hound you though - he just needs a sober answer to work with. "Yes, but I want to die from embarrassment rn" is a valid answer.

>.>

"Oh, you can be embarrassed for me little mouse, I won't mind."

[connorswhisk]

Etiquette

some daryl x glenn i owe @mrowsaysthecat from wayyyy too long ago that really isn't long enough for the time it took me to write 😭i'm so sorry

also on my ao3!

He was positive that Gina wanted him. More than positive, to be totally honest - she wasn’t exactly keeping her flirtations very… subtle with Glenn. Running her hands all up and down his arms. Laughing just a little too loudly over any joke he might crack.

They hadn’t been in Alexandria for that long at all. She really couldn’t be blamed for not knowing any better. He’d already politely told her he wasn’t interested, but the words hadn’t seemed to deter Gina and he knew he’d have to say something else, slightly more aggressive this time. Before he got a chance to, she snatched the bottle of red from the dining room table and topped off her own and then Glenn’s glass, pouring pretty damn generously if Glenn were to say so himself.

“You were getting low,” she said, face flushed pink. She pushed the drink into his hands, her fingers lingering against his. “That oughta fix things up.”

“Thanks,” said Glenn. “Listen, Gina, I really don’t - “

“Hey.” Daryl had appeared suddenly at his side, seemingly having escaped from whatever stilted conversation he’d been roped into with Reg and Pete. “Y’all doin’ ok over here?”

“Just getting to know each other,” said Gina with a tipsy smile. “You’ve sure got yourself a gorgeous friend, Mister. I didn’t want him spending the whole night alone.”

“He ain’t alone.” Daryl clapped a large paw to Glenn’s shoulder and held it there. “Our group is pretty big, case you hadn’t noticed.”

Gina laughed. “Oh no. I mean, a handsome guy like Glennie?” (Glenn stifled a snort as he felt Daryl physically bristle at the nickname) “He shouldn’t be drinkin’ by himself.”

Now here is when Glenn assumed Daryl would scoff, maybe mutter something sarcastic under his breath, and stalk off into a solitary corner like he so usually did. Glenn would politely but firmly let Gina down and strike up talk with Rick or Maggie or Jessie or whoever.

But he stiffened when he felt strong arms enfolding him from behind, and a broad, heaving chest pressed against his back as Daryl rested his chin slowly in the crook of Glenn’s neck.

“What,” Gina said, blinking repeatedly with owlish eyes. “What are you…?”

Grazingly, Daryl’s teeth nipped across the flesh of Glenn’s jugular. His lips brushed along Glenn’s Adam’s Apple, causing Glenn’s eyes to widen of their own accord.

“Ohmigod,” exclaimed Gina, hands flying up to her mouth in drunken horror. “I’m - I’m so sorry, I had no idea!”

Daryl made a grunting sound; it thrummed across the surface of Glenn’s skin and vibrated there teasingly. “Now you know,” he said, and his breath fanned out hot against the edge of Glenn’s jaw. “This one ain’t on the market.”

Gina was red as a raspberry. “Yeah, I - Yeah, I’m so sorry,” she repeated, sounding utterly mortified. With hardly a second glance in their direction, she quickly swiped the bottle from its spot on the end-table and scurried away to the opposite end of Deanna’s house, hiding herself behind the bewildered hostess.

“Ok,” said Glenn, turning his head slightly to better meet Daryl’s smoldering gaze. “You know I wasn’t planning on hooking up with her or anything, don’t you?”

“‘Course,” said Daryl lowly. He was staring at Glenn’s lips. “ She didn’t seem aware of that, though.”

Glenn shook his head. “Keep looking at me like that and I’ll start thinking you might want me.”

“Not one bit,” Daryl muttered, and covered Glenn’s mouth with his own, tongue snaking out to press against Glenn’s.

Glenn entertained the notion for a solid five seconds before reluctantly pulling away. “Public displays of affection like this are usually frowned upon when you’re in a guest’s home,” he said lightly. He was pretty sure Eric was staring at them.

Daryl snorted. “C’mon. You know I ain’t house-trained.”

“Nope.” Glenn brushed the backs of his knuckles against the side of Daryl’s stomach, and grinned at the way Daryl shuddered. “Just way too jealous for your own good.”

[animehouse-moe]

Mobile Suit Gundam - The Witch From Mercury S2 Episode 12: May All Blessings Find Their Way to You, I'm Wishing It

So, somewhat surprisingly, GWitch has ended with this episode. Because of that, and how it ends, this post is going to be a little different. There's not really a whole lot to chat about, because well, this episode is all about concluding the series, but there are things that I want to chat about (well, mostly gripe) still. So, allow me to get started.

I didn't really think it would end today. I thought there'd be the announcement of an OVA or maybe even a movie, but nope, just straight to the end. I don't think I'd lower my rating or perception of GWitch that much because of it, but I would say it takes a hit.

The most egregious issue is how cleanly things end up. About the only consequence is that Shaddiq remains in jail, and Suletta is left with lasting damage done to her body by the permet score. I'm rather surprised, really. Considering Suletta's involvement with Gund-Arm, I would have thought they'd at least end her character with losing an arm like her mother or something of the sort. But this is not the case, rather it looks like Suletta is on the path to a (near) full recovery, as shown by the crutches that accompany her.

So, I will give GWitch a bit of a break on this final episode, purely because it actually shows Suletta and Miorine together. Not as holder and prize, but as a romantic couple outside of the context of Astacassia. I think it'd be lovely if GWitch made some sort of side story OVA that could explore the daily lives of the characters in their happiest positions in life. Mostly because I'd kill to see Miorine and Suletta being all romantic and cute together (but a camping episode with El5n and Guel would be great fun too).

But anyways, back to being grouchy about the rushed ending of the story. The Permet Ghost thing. Begrudgingly, it makes sense. It's woefully underexplained and underexplored though, so the existence of everybody who's died feels like a bit of sleight of hand to provide an emotional crescendo to the moment. I think they needed more time to actually introduce Permet Ghosts and the effects of higher permet scores, because aside from Prospera's trip down memory lane, the others serve very little purpose. I think if they stripped it to only Suletta and Prospera's interactions with Permet Ghosts (sans original Elan) though, it would have been much better received. Hell, I think Notrette would have been a far better choice as a Permet Ghost than Elan was to help Suletta raise her score. We know she already existed within Quiet Zero, and playing opposite Prospera would have made much more sense.

So there's that, and my thoughts on it. I think the visuals for this episode are cool as hell, and I do think that the events fit with how we understand and know Permet to behave (to a degree, don't think anything showed us that permet can disintegrate other matter), but I also think that much more time was needed to approach that happy ending in a more believeable way. It needed more time spent on Shaddiq if they wanted to use him effectively, it needed more time on the Space Assembly League and the politics that intertwine it with the Benerit Group and Earth, and it needed more time with the higher permet scores so that what comes off as an asspull wouldn't have come off as one. As my first Gundam story, would I say it's good? Absolutely I would yeah, but I think I'd also cite the ending as one of, if not my only, gripes with it as a series. It just feels so counterintuitive to the diversity in how GWitch approaches the rest of itself through its two seasons.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

There is nothing wrong with being mindful of your own personal safety.

We all have a right to feel uncomfortable, and to act accordingly. It’s okay to cross the road to avoid others, I do this myself.

So too we should all be mindful of how we can make others feel safer when walking home at night – this is just basic common decency.

But what isn’t okay; is to fear monger, vilify and create a cultural panic around ‘men’ as a group.

To talk about men as if they’re monsters forever lurking the shadows; comparing experiences with men to walking through a room of snakes, or swimming in a shark tank, and yes, eating from a bowl of poisoned M&Ms.

This is not advocacy. This is ignorance, and hate.

Neither do such thought experiments help women ‘feel safe’ either. In fact, such terrifying analogies will likely make them feel the opposite.

Neither do you get to tell men (who are at a significantly higher risk), that they can walk the streets at whatever time they like, without fear or consequence – under the protective shield of so called ‘male privilege’.

Walking home at night is not an opportunity for you to inject your bigoted political ideas around men, or stoke fear and division.

I am tired of it.

I am tired of the endless pearl clutching.

I am tired of seeing the conversation of violent crime centred on highly privileged millionaire celebrity women, who are not at risk, and taken away from those who are – which is young, inner city, working class black boys.

I am tired of the conversation making no effort to understand what shapes violent crime, or how to reduce it, to instead fan the flames of a gender war.

I am tired of seeing tragic stories hijacked for political ends, to become yet another bludgeon to hit ‘yes all men’ with.

It is boring. It is divisive. And most of all, it doesn’t achieve anything.

So let’s look at the numbers, for a more reasonable and evidence based insight into violent crime.

--

Sources:

[1] https://tinyurl.com/5ah8vw34

[2] https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/tables/table-39

[3] https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2010-2019/national/asrh/nc-est2019-agesex.xlsx

[4] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/homicideinenglandandwales/march2022

[5] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/31065232_Gender_motivation_and_the_accomplishment_of_street_robbery_in_the_United_Kingdom

==

Xians will thank their god for everything good in their lives, but are pathologically incapable of blaming it for the bad things that happen. It's either "free will" or "Satan" or some other excuse. This is hypocritical.

If you blame men as a category for violent crime, then you can also give credit to men as a category for the decline of violent crime over the years. To not do so would also be hypocritical.

Or you just blame the extreme minority who are actually responsible.

And if you're still like, nope, changes nothing, then okay. But just do one thing for me. Type: "I'm justified crossing the road when I encounter..." Then go look up violent crime by race, pro rata it, and see how you feel about finishing that sentence. I dare you. If one would make you feel racist about making assumptions about and blaming all members of one group, then the other should also make you feel sexist about making assumptions about and blaming all members of another group.

In fact, such terrifying analogies will likely make them feel the opposite.

This is, of course, a feature not a bug. Women's fear is a valuable political and ideological commodity.

"... as we know from the war on drugs and the war on terror, for those in the business of providing protection, high threat levels are bread and butter. Likewise, for those in the business of healing race relations, racial division is your sworn enemy but your secret friend—so much so that wounding and healing become part of the same operation." -- Lyell Asher, "Why Colleges Are Becoming Cults."

The same thing applies here. The point of stupid analogies and stories is the same as the threat of hell: to control and manipulate, to gain authority by building dependence through fostering fear.

When someone is encouraging you to be afraid, stop for a moment and ask yourself, why. What do they get out of it?

[lyssaterald]

Take Flight, Lesson 7-17: Not Every Old Friend is a Friend, Family Included

Realizations.

Content Warning: General spoilers for the main story. Minors and ageless accounts do not interact! Named character, and slight mentions of character’s past and history which ARE expanded on as they ARE important to this chapter. Weirdly, I switch between past and present tense. Sorry, not sorry. Unbeta read.

Some references are made to previous chapters. See the Masterlist.

------

Somehow, after Diavolo's interrogation, I was pulled into an underground labyrinth with Mammon, Levi, Beel, Asmo, and Solomon. Apparently, keeping Mammon from trying to sneak into the castle vault or stealing certain paintings and keeping Levi from tripping was enough of a distraction for a painting of Asmo's ex (one of many) to activate it's curse and transport us else where.

Coming to with Solomon was not how I had planned to spend the rest of my evening after the things I had already gone through. Him interrogating me, or trying to, was also low on my list of things to focus on. I owed him less than nothing if he was going to be a giant prick about having guessed correctly about my heritage and provided a means by which I could safely talk about certain things.

Solomon showing off how to summon Asmo to us was another lesson he thought he was teaching me. His summoning chant was...weird...but it did summon Asmo so I had to admit I was impressed by that.

Having Asmo try and enchant me again was less than thrilling, and ignoring them made both Solomon and Asmo upset, but I'd had enough that day and I was tired. So, I was tracking Mammon, Levi, and Beel using their pact-bonds for the second time that evening. When they rushed by at the end of a corridor, they were screaming and being chased by a giant snake that was snapping at their heels.

And I noped right the fuck out, shut down my bonds and turned in the opposite direction. They were grown-ass demons. They could take on a giant snake. Until they couldn't and then they rounded another corner and Mammon grabbed me around the waist and continued running and screaming. I just hung there like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder, letting everyone run deeper into the labyrinth.

When we stopped, I wriggled away from Mammon and hopped towards Levi. I silently held my hand out and waited for him to reluctantly hand over his phone since I had left mine in my assigned room. I handed Beel a snack when he eyed the phone in my hand and he gulped it down still in the wrapper.

"Asmo, if the snake comes back, would you charm its scales off?" I asked absently and then Solomon and Asmo were engaged in a side conversation.

Flicking through Levi's contacts was an interesting lesson in...weird...then weirder, and then I found Lucifer's contact and thankfully dialed it. He picked up on the first ring.

"Levi, if this isn't an emergency-"

"Lucifer, can you please just come and get us from the underground labyrinth?" I asked him.

There was silence for a long moment and then, "Lyssa?" His tone was suspicious and incredulous.

"Yes?" I kept half an eye on the little group as Henry 1.0 slithered around the corner.

"You are never polite. To anyone. In fact-" I turned the phone a little into my shoulder.

"Asmo, I said CHARM it, not try and sex it up!" I screeched overtop Lucifer's comment. "Beel, STOP TRYING TO EAT IT! LEVI MIGHT ACTUALLY MURDER YOU! Solomon, Mammon! DO SOMETHING AND HELP THEM!" To Lucifer, I asked, "What?"

"Never mind, it is you. Why should I come and find you?"

"Because if you don't, I will find a way to set fire to your desk and all your paperwork, for a week, when we do get out." I was tired, depleted of energy and done. If being polite failed, violent threats would probably rile him enough-

"Actually, stay lost for a bit longer. You have Beel with you. I'm sure you'll make it back by dinn-"

"Is that Lys?" Diavolo's cheerful voice came across the speaker and I could have cried in relief. "Where is she? I wanted to show her the gardens-"

Pitching my voice up, I almost yelled, "Diavolo! I'm lost in the underground labyrinth with Solomon and several of your Avatars. Can you please send someone to find us?"

"Hey, Lys, wait where you are. I'll have Barbatos open a portal in just a moment," Diavolo called back and no more than a second later a portal opened two steps away from me.

There was a split second in which I stared at the brightly lit study beyond the portal from which Diavolo, Barbatos, and Lucifer stared at us. The phone dropped from my numb fingers as I ran at the exit and launched myself at Diavolo on the last step. He caught me with a surprised expression as I threw my arms around his neck and just hugged him.

There was a screech and then a bit of a stampede as Solomon and the Brothers escaped the tunnel. A chaotic couple of minutes followed that as someone dealt with Henry 1.0, Barbatos closed the portal, and Lucifer sorted his brothers.

And in that time, I just started shaking and the tears didn't stop. Too much fear and whiplash and events that had been too much for me to deal with. Dame had almost broken me, almost broken herself, almost broken my family, and it wasn't fair. She had taken what was needed and left me with the consequences. Just like my entire life, and it hurt to breath.

No noise, no sound, not even breath. Quiet, stay quiet, don't be noticed. Lungs burning, one shaking exhale and a gasp. Listen, wait, no tears, quiet, stay quiet, don't be heard.

The tears were slow and painful and silent. They burned in my chest and throat, it hurt to shed those tears.

Hands that reached for me, always hurting and hurting and hurting. Silence was the only defense I had, silence was the only protection when claws and fangs and wings failed. Quiet, just keep quiet and this will pass.

------

Time passed, arms slipped around my shoulders and knees. I was lifted and I only tightened my grip when someone else tried to take me. Voices overlapped and I didn't care. I kept my face buried in Diavolo's shoulder and just shook. Eventually, the sound of my harsh breathing-when I did breath-was the only thing in the room.

Warm arms held me, fingers slipped though my hair, adjusted my body so we were comfortable. How long did it take for the tears to ease, for my breaths to quiet even as they continued to shake?

My grip eased on him when he set his chin on my own head and we sat there. He just held me and then gentle fingers traced across my cheeks and wiped away the tears when I laid my head on his collarbone instead of my forehead. Darkness crept around the edge of my eyesight as the world faded in and out and I struggled between sleep and consciousness.

"Lys?" Diavolo asked.

"Mmmm," I hummed back.

His fingertips traced over my cheek again and I turned my head towards his touch.

"What...do you do next?"

Next?

I tilted back from him a little and he lifted his chin from my hair so I could meet his gaze.

He wasn't sure how to take care of someone who was upset. Had he been mimicking someone he had seen sometime in the past? The thought slipped from me as I laid my head on his shoulder again. 'Water?" I rasped.

I had been screaming and then crying, so dehydration was very possible at this point and my voice and throat were raw. The last time I had had something to eat was...yesterday around lunch. I'd gone to bother Lucifer about skipping the event and that had been our dinner.

My stomach growled audibly at the thought and I could feel the blush rising across my neck again. Diavolo's hand on my hip kept me in his lap as he raised his other hand and beckoned to...someone else.

Wait. Had I really been clinging to him and sobbing my heart out while the others had watched on? And then he had sat with me on a-a quick glance said we were sitting on a-couch until I had come back to myself?

A gentle clink drew my attention over my shoulder to Barbatos, who had set a tray on the end table behind me. There was an assortment of treats and tea that he must have prepared. Had he seen me breaking apart?

Emerald eyes flicked over me and he smiled slightly at my attention. Then, he was gone and I just blinked at the suddenly empty spot he had occupied. I was not crazy, Barbatos had been there.

The two steaming cups of tea with the strong scent of mint and honey were proof enough of his presence. Discomfort began to lodge in my stomach like a heavy stone, even though I didn't think Diavolo was holding my actions against me.

Welp, we had come this far. Might as well finish it.

I prodded the hand on my hip. His grip wasn't uncomfortable, just...possessive...and I didn't know whether I liked that or not. The reluctance with which he released me said almost enough to me about where I was standing with him, but I was up and walking towards the tea on his other side so that I could take a moment to think.

He had never had anyone lean on him like this, not in sadness, and he liked the feeling of being needed. Why had I reached for him when Mammon and Lucifer had both been as close as he had? He had only just been interrogating me and using the Rut against me not even two hours prior to that. The Ruler's bond had risen because of his questions and the answers I had given him.

The cup of tea was warm in my hands and the fragrance had a calming effect on me. Lucifer...I hadn't reached for him because he had tried to attack Luke and I not too long ago over that grimoire. The eldest brother might be a steady beacon to his brothers and he might have warmed up towards me a little, but he still registered as dangerous to me. Mammon...had been caught up in chaos when I had had enough and he was usually a chaotic presence around me. Diavolo had sent the portal that had brought me out of that place. He had been one of the only ones since my arrival to offer help and solace.

Diavolo was dangerous in a different way than Lucifer and his brothers, one that registered as almost normal to me. That was why I had taken to him in that moment. He also carried a scent that reminded me of the pine forests and rain after an ocean storm of home.

The tea was soothing to my throat as I glanced at Diavolo and realized he was still watching me. I wasn't sure what to say. Thank you sounded like an idiotic thing with everything else that had happened. Sorry was just a flat out lie. I didn't want to walk away from him and the warmth he had offered me, but I also didn't feel like returning to him when he seemed to be sliding into some sort of an attachment for me. So, I settled for silence and munching on the snacks that Barbatos had brought while waiting for him to say something.

"Your eyes are puffy," he observed.

"It happens when someone cries for a while." My voice was a little stronger and the soreness of my throat seemed to be minimized when I talked quietly.

"How...did you and the others get trapped in the labyrinth?" It wasn't his actual question, but it was the one he went with.

"There was a painting of a witch named Helene. Apparently, when she was alive, she had an affair with Asmo and it resulted in her lover's nephew cursing her into an eternity as that portrait. She activated a spell and teleported us there, where Mammon woke up the snake and then we all got caught up in being chased by it." He was smiling by the time I was finished and I was grinning with resignation.

"It's never dull with the Brothers," he laughed. Silence settled between us again and, in that silence, I could feel the Rut reawakening. It was a small hum at the moment, something easily ignored and passed off, but it's energy was there. "Are you...feeling better?"

"Yes." I hadn't meant for the word to be sharp, but there it was. Nothing changed in his expression, though, and I sighed, picking up the tea again. Even cooling down, it was still doing good for my throat. "Why do you pay so much attention to me? You don't seem to be as interested in the angels or Solomon." He wore his public mask with them, but with just the Brothers and I...he seemed to express a wider range of reactions and emotions.

"You're an anomaly. You haven't once been impressed by titles or power and you seem more interested in getting to know individuals than anything."

That was because I was used to dealing with my own family, most of whom had been born from the royal bloodlines of the dragons. Not that I was going to tell him that. I favored him with a long look as I finished the tea and set aside the cup. "You don't touch the Avatars in any way, even Lucifer. Yet, you haven't shied back from doing so with me since the second day I was brought here."

He lifted one shoulder and dropped it in a half shrug, smiling crookedly as he did so. "Barbatos was the one who recommended that I do so. His advice has always been useful and accurate." There was something else there, something in the way that he interacted with the eldest...

That I was not interested in looking at closer.

"Shouldn't we return to the others?" I asked abruptly.

"We can, if you're ready to."

Except that I wasn't.

The last hour or so had been almost an oasis of peace, away from the chaos and the awakened pain that had been my dame's pull on my memories. Did I get this tired with my own family and just never noticed? It wasn't that I wasn't growing fond of each brother in their own way, including the one in the attic. It was just that...

My entire life had been spent in the protection of others. When was the last time I had been protected? There had been times when I had broken apart, but it had never been with any of the partners that I had had in the past, never even among my own siblings. Even Mammon wasn't really a protector when he couldn't stand against his own family, not for me, not that I wanted or expected him to.

The Devildom was nothing if not a test for me in the ways I could fight for myself and be forced to depend on others. It was uncomfortable. Maybe that was the reason I was collecting the Brothers' pacts, a means of assured safety and control for myself. Being left powerless by my own dame had just been the painful accounting of my life I had always chosen to ignore.

Love could bind, but it was also a choking leash. The dragons had always been bound by their love for each other and the loyalty they had been forced to give their ruler in return for their sanity. In the Devildom, there was no leash, not really. And the stark reality of the earlier reminder of my own choking leash had left me disquieted.

Humans were lucky in that their own freedom was practically assured from birth.

"Lys?"

I met his golden eyes and found myself wondering when he had started calling me that? Why hadn't I noticed?

"Not yet."

Just for now, I wanted to stay with him and that little bit of peace I had found.

[pnthra]

CONTINUED FROM HERE. // @rexpyre

well, while astraeus was far from happy with his father for roping him into the political side of their family's dealings... he didn't mind the eye candy he saddled him with. the romantic part of him envisioned a proper hallmark film to be born from this sort of dynamic, but the wild and free part was resistant. why couldn't he go and find love out in the world, of his own free will?

... or he could end up like his parents, and simply find things outside of his marriage...

eugh. nope. no.

he had to shut that thought down, the imagery of his parents getting their freak on with other people an immediate turn-off.

quite the opposite of ignis, the fine hunk of meat distracting him easily from his souring thoughts. a giggle escaped him when pulled in, and when he smiled, it was wide and sharp-toothed.

" that's my lil' secret~ "

ignis's father told his father, who in turn told him and made a rather sharp point to be a good future spouse and find a way to celebrate. he had also given him what little information he had on ignis's likes and dislikes, presumably hoping it would result in a physical gift--but, like, what was a better gift than aster himself?

" well? " two fingers trailed up ignis's chest, and while still smiling, he flirtatiously wiggled his shoulders, tapping ignis's bottom lip. " you gonna unwrap your gift? "

[a-milkbread-bun]

Manhwa~ The Emperor reverses time

Ok y'all need to get heads up about the FL of this manhwa. Because, She. Will. Frustrate. You.

This is basically a regression story, but opposite gender. Usually the FL is the one who regresses n mostly ends up leaving her lover or husband who mistreated her. Here however, the Emperor after the death of the Empress (ofcourse!) realises both the Empress's love for him and his own feelings for her. And the like the FLs who always get to go back in time as a blessing or apology from God, our ML has to pay a price for the time trip. But he doesn't mind. He vowed to make her the happiest in second chance he got. Mind you, he goes out of his way to do it.

Well, okay. You might say he mistreated her, he deserves it. Agreed. Even up till the 69th chapter, he is ashamed of his past self and is haunted by the then him. He seems to have mental disorders and borderline anxiety issues. He sleeps with a sword under his bed. Oh well.

Now our darling FL. Till the age of 7 or 8 Elizabeth was abused my her parents who tried to make her into a doll fit to become the Empress. She was whipped, forced to wear such tight corsets, that even adult women in the manhwa got horrified upon hearing. The ML, Leon gets her out of the hellhole along with the help of his loving parents. Who proceed to love the heck out of her. She was showered with love, in the palace of the Emperor than in the Duchy palace she lived. She deserved the happiness the Prince (ML), his mother, and his father gave her. At some point she started liking the prince and also felt a bit jealous of the fact that the little prince had what she could never have, namely parents and their vast love. She kind of avoids him until he fesses up.

Ok...

Fast forward to them in their teens, now her issue is that she loves him. She is okay with saying her feelings out for him, but afraid of getting rejected so kind of keeps it to herself. Typical red flag habit in manhwa characters. Ik it's for the plot, but I'm kinda done with this one trope. Anyway she confesses, and the ML is scared. Like obviously, duh. He literally reversed time just so she could be happy. What was the guarantee that he could keep her happy, of he couldn't in last timeline? Could he even keep her happy? Would he take away her beautiful smile? While the ML was confused about all this, with devastated expression on his face, the FL, Lizzie was quick to misunderstand him and also quick to think of cancelling their engagement. Leaving the ML, even more vexed if possible. Great move, honey. She mentally corners him, honestly, until again he confesses about his feelings. Twice. Not to mention he was taking care of an age old contract that appeared out of nowhere, which held a lot of sus stuff about ancient marriages that had been happening between the ML & FL's family. Power politics. Add an unknown brother of the FL with not so good intentions and his parents' life almost in danger to the mix, and voila! i say the ML has pretty much suffered whatever the FL had in her past life.

Does it end there?

Hell nah!

She wants to know everything he keeps a secret from her. Wanted to know about the contract, and although it was sort of a test that the Father Emperor gave to the prince to check whether he would be a good Emperor, the FL is the one who solves it, without even telling the ML. um... 😶

Another woman appears. This lady is also good friends with the Empress. But. But, her family is rebelling and to protect her best friend from a different but less popular family, she takes it upon herself to act like double agent for the prince and her father. Like Im still tryna figure out this woman. But that's not the issue.

Our wonderful FL, Lizzie, is jealous. But she won't admit it. Nope. Instead, she just assumes. And misunderstands. Who's surprised again? ik I'm not.

Like gahhhhhh!

She proceeds to think of cancelling the whole damn marriage this time. The vibes i got of her character were that, she herself is unsure whether she seriously loves Leon, but just assumes and refuses to change the beliefs and assumptions that she has about Leonhart.

Frustrating, i tell you.

And since he's taken an oath to make her happy, as you can guess, every time she threatens him with the relationship card and the happiness card, he will withdraw.

Y'all if this was villainess, we'd be calling her something entirely different, alright?! Like this woman really bottles up stuff, instead of talking it out. She will talk with the ML's mother but nop openly, maybe more.

With ML? yeah right.

The way I see it (I haven't completed it. i reached chapter 69, n just had to vent) he is quite close to being carted off to the psych ward.

My problem with the FL's character isn't even the wishy washy dainty girl attitude, it's the way she's manipulating the ML without even realising it. And she knows at this point, that all she needs to do for him to react is, give a fake smile (ML has trauma from her fake smile from the original life when he remembers it), look miserable, and then try to look like she's holding it together, and finally do the age old trick of squeezing out some tears.

Really. The FL of this one puts me off so much. She is such a sweet girl, when she wants to be.