#but sadly she's the pessimistic type so it's hard

[thrpr0phetuseek]

[ they smile faintly, snickering at her joke and suggestion ]

“Well, I thank you kindly for that. I wish all those who came here were as keen as you. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. Still, I thank you for your thoughts . . . perhaps I should, shouldn’t I?”

[ they tease that last part, a hint that perhaps she’s won them over on that idea ]

hello...? is anybody there...? (i should stop getting lost, ugh...)

— @hydo-in-the-river

[ they hum, trying to stand up only to nearly fall, in which they decide to stay sitting down ]

“Hello. Where are you? Who are you? . . . have you come for a prophecy?”

[jwminssi]

drippin’ | jikook

Jimin has a problem: he can't fail Pharmacology and he's really close to it with his last grade. Then that problem turns into two when he has to ask Jeon Jeongguk for tutoring sessions considering that he is, you know, a vampire. And then it turns to three when Jimin finds himself even more attracted to him than he thought was possible.

jikook | rated m: making out, blood play | word count: 6.3K | read on AO3

Jimin has never really been the type to panic easily. Growing up with very calm parents, he was taught from an early age that freaking out over something won't help the problem be solved; in most cases, actually, it can only make it worse.

Living like that has always worked for him; Jimin came to be a laid back person who seems to be always in control or, to those who don't know him, who seems to not care about anything at all — when in reality, he cares even more than he should.

Except sometimes he can't just ignore the feeling of pure anxiety that fills him when something doesn't go the way he had planned for it to go.

Case in point: his last Pharmacology test.

Jimin spent countless hours studying for it, writing down everything he could and collecting tips and tricks to make him retain this knowledge better. Sadly, all his hard work made no difference as he still got a low grade and, to top it all off, the risk of failing the class as a bonus.

He's brooding over it, eyes fixated on his computer screen where the numbers still sit, almost mockingly. It's been about half an hour since his Professor announced she would be putting the grades online for the class to see and Jimin still hasn't shaken off the feeling of failure and insufficiency.

“Hey, what's for dinner?" Taehyung pulls him out of his hole of self-pity by barging into his room and throwing himself on his bed.

"Pizza?" Jimin suggests halfheartedly, closing his notebook and putting it aside with a sigh.

"What happened?" His friend sits up, studying him carefully upon noticing the slightest note of sadness in his voice.

Jimin rubs at his eyes. "Think I'm gonna fail Pharmacology."

"What? No, you're not." Taehyung immediately interjects. "You're super smart, Jiminie." "Well, I got a bad grade and Mrs. Kang said that I'll have to work really hard to catch up." Taehyung frowns. "But you studied like hell for it."

Jimin shrugs. "Wasn't enough."

He feels like a failure and, in his pessimistic state of mind, can only see the worst outcome possible. His mind only provides him with images of himself taking another test and getting even worse grades in the future.

"Why don't you ask for help?" Taehyung suggests, as usual shining a light into Jimin's life. "Whose help?"

"Every class has a top student." He answers. "Whoever it is, I don't think they'll refuse to help you."

Jimin hums. "You're right. I'll look into that."

Taehyung claps, smiling and ready to move on. "So... pizza?"

It's only later that night, when Jimin is in bed and almost asleep, that he remembers who is the top student of his Pharmacology class.

Jeon Jeongguk.

Dark, tall and mysterious. Impeccable style, with his dress shirts and boots. Parted hair that never seems to be out of place. Sharp eyes and even sharper jawline that make him awfully intimidating.

That Jeon Jeongguk.

And, well, Jimin would be fine with asking him for help despite being more than intimidated by his looks because he's sure he's not a bad person.

The thing is that he is, you know... a vampire.

Not that this should be an issue at all. It's been at least two centuries since vampires have been included in society and living side by side with humans in more than normal settings and relationships. They receive government help to feed and have made a deal to not bite anyone unless given explicit consent – apparently, that's a thing that people are into.

Honestly, Jimin is okay with it. He has no prejudice whatsoever, has learned to live with them and their differences since he was born, though as a kid he did find it weird how some of his parents' friends never ate with them when they threw dinner parties.

The actual problem revolves around Jeon Jeongguk himself.

Besides the obvious fact that his looks don't make it easier for anyone to come near him without spontaneously combusting, Jeongguk also doesn't allow for any unnecessary approach to happen because of his closed off personality.

If Jimin were to voice his opinion on the matter, he would say the other takes advantage of the still remaining – though almost gone – image of danger that's been attached to vampires since the beginning to build an aura of mystery around himself and keep people away.

It's not that he's rude or anything like that, but Jimin can't help but be intimidated by Jeongguk's demeanor.

And now he needs to ask the vampire in question to tutor him a few times a week so he doesn't stain his university record.

Just great.

"Listen, he's old, right? He has to be polite, at least." That's Taehyung's way of trying to help when Jimin whines to him the next morning.

It really says something that even Taehyung, who studies a few buildings away in a whole other departament, knows who Jeongguk is and why he seems to be avoided at all costs.

The comment doesn't do much to ease Jimin's nerves immediately but, as time goes by and he gets to watch Jeongguk throughout the one class they have together, Jimin starts believing that he can't be so bad.

Of course, he looks absolutely pissed off all the time and like he could cut anyone's head off if they so much as breathe the wrong way, but it's all good.

Jimin is not freaking out at all.

Once Mrs. Kang says they're free to go – not without reminding Jimin of his imminent failure first – he goes in search of his maybe-not-so-friendly vampire classmate to just get everything over with.

At least he knows Jeongguk won't humiliate him, he'll only say no.

Probably.

Hopefully.

Jimin finds him reading a book in the common area, posture perfect even around all the other students slouching all around him. He takes a deep breath, tells himself that he needs to do this and marches straight ahead with a purpose.

"Hey..." Jimin starts, trying not to be intimidated by the way the other looks at him, squinting before going back to his book. "You're Jeon Jeongguk, right?"

That earns him another look, this time with a raised eyebrow that probably has everyone else cowering under it, such is the intensity that it carries. Jeongguk nods once, not even bothering to close his book as if he doesn't expect this conversation to last too long.

"Do you ever speak?" Jimin asks, only half joking. He really needs the other to cooperate with him but to be honest he has no idea how to deal with his cold demeanor.

"Only when necessary." Jeongguk answers and it sends chills down Jimin's spine; there isn't anything particularly special about his voice but still, there's a hint of something that no one else has. Jimin wonders if it's a vampire thing. "Park Jimin, right?" The human only nods, suddenly nervous under his gaze. "Well, did you need anything?"

The question reminds Jimin of why he went against his better judgment and looked for Jeongguk after classes ended to talk to him.

"I can't fail Pharmacology." He blurts out as if that explains everything.

Jeongguk is still looking at him like he shouldn't be there at all. "That doesn't seem to concern me."

Jimin sighs. "You're top of the class. I need help. Can you understand that or is your vampire brain too old to process it?"

His eyes double in size once Jeongguk's eyes flash red before going back to their usual brown, realizing what he just said.

"You do understand that insulting people is not the best way to ask for help, right? Or... is your human brain to small to process it?" Jeongguk flips it back at him and Jimin relaxes because there's a hint of amusement on his face.

"Sorry, it's just..." He sighs, sitting down on the bench next to him. "I'm desperate."

That damn eyebrow is still up like it knows all of Jimin's secrets. "I can tell." He just stops and stares until Jimin has to look away because he can't bear this intense stare. "I'll help you." Jeongguk finally says after what feels like an eternity.

"Really?" Jimin asks, not even bothering to hide his surprise because he was sure he was about to be mocked right then and there.

"Next test is in three weeks, right?" Jeongguk doesn't seem to mind his exaggerated reaction. "Is two times a week good for you?"

"Whenever you can, honestly, I just..." Jimin rambles until he realizes he's doing it because of the look on Jeongguk's face and merely clears his throat. "Yes, it's perfect."

"Good. We can start tomorrow." Jeongguk then goes back to his book but turns to face Jimin when he doesn't get up. "Anything else?"

Jimin jumps in his seat, realizing he got too caught up in his thoughts to just leave. "Ah, no, um..." He tries to work through the awful feeling of his face heating up. "Thank you, Jeongguk."

He nods again. "You're welcome."

It takes all of Jimin's control not to trip over his own feet when he leaves, dying to get away from that scorching gaze; he's suddenly thankful vampires don't have any sort of powers, like mind- reading, otherwise he would be in an even bigger mess if Jeongguk were to decide peeping inside his brain for a moment there.

Because as much as he was terrified while talking to him, Jimin can’t even find it in him to deny that the whole exchange only served to make him even more attracted to Jeongguk and the atmosphere of danger and mystery that surrounds him.

Jimin can barely pay attention to his classes the next day, drumming his fingers against his desk, often getting looks from the students around him as he’s probably radiating waves of anxiety.

Taehyung only made things worse for him when Jimin told him he was going to study with Jeongguk from now on. He made sure to remind him that they would be alone with each other for at least a couple of hours, something that had never happened before and that Jimin had no idea if he would be able to survive.

First, because he doesn’t exactly see Jeongguk as the most patient guy so who’s to say he won’t kill him. Second, because Jimin can’t trust his heart to keep on beating when being placed at such close proximity with the vampire in question.

Oh, and Taehyung also sat by his side for hours until Jimin finally admitted that he might have started to harbor a crush on Jeongguk along the time they shared that one class together. It’s not a big deal, not something Jimin would ever even think about acting on since it’s based more on the image everyone has of Jeongguk than anything else – they don’t know each other, after all – but Taehyung screamed like the whole world was ending, so that was that.

Once he leaves the classroom, Jeongguk is already there waiting for him, leaning against the wall like a model straight out of an editorial shoot; Jimin has no idea how he looks like this so effortlessly.

“Hello.” Jeongguk greets him first, seeming slightly less cold than the first time they talked, which actually helps ease Jimin’s nerves a bit. “You have to eat, don’t you?”

Jimin feels his stomach perk up at the mention of food, especially since he didn’t even have breakfast that morning but the idea of sitting through a meal with Jeongguk staring at him and just waiting there until he finishes doesn’t exactly feel very appealing.

“Ah, I can eat when we’re done...” He says, trying to magically get out of this situation, but Jeongguk only narrows his eyes at him.

“Lunch is important, Jimin.”

The two fall into a staring match that barely lasts five seconds because Jimin just can’t for the life of him face Jeongguk for too long without feeling his cheeks start to gain color. He gives up.

That’s how they find themselves sitting at a table on the corner of the university restaurant, Jimin nervously sipping on his water while he watches Jeongguk pull out a bottle of his own from his backpack.

“I’m guessing that’s not beetroot juice.” He comments before he can catch himself when a small drop of red stains the vampire’s lips after he drinks from it.

“It is not.” Jeongguk answers, stoic as ever but with a slight tinge of concern in his eyes. “Does it bother you?”

Jimin shrugs, keeping cool and thinking logically about it. If he’s already there, might as well try to be friends with him – even though, he wouldn’t mind being more and, wait, where did that thought come from? “Lunch is important, you said it yourself. What does it taste like for you?”

Jeongguk remains silent for a while. Jimin is not sure if he’s thinking about what to say, if he’s bothered by the sudden curiosity or if he’s just not going to answer at all. “It’s sweet.” He finally says, actually surprising Jimin. “Human blood is sweeter and just better in general, but... It’s not always available.”

Jimin hums, thinking about everything he knows on the subject which, granted, is not a lot and very clouded by the prejudice that blinds the country. “The government gives it to you, right?”

“Yes. Blood bank donations.” Jeongguk explains, then makes a displeased face. “Not that they’re too happy about it.”

Jimin almost can’t focus on what he said because he finds himself distracted Jeongguk’s lips, now tinted red after half the bottle is gone and extremely attracting in the way they contrast with his pale skin. When he catches on to his staring, Jimin clears his throat and hurries to answer.

“Well, would they rather you go out killing people?” He ends up raising his voice just a little more than necessary, getting attention from some people around them and a smirk from Jeongguk.

Jimin really thinks he could die of embarrassment right now but thankfully he doesn’t say anything.

“We don’t need to kill to feed.” That’s what Jeongguk answers, completely ignoring – to Jimin’s happiness – that he just caught him staring at his mouth like it’s the only solution to all the problems in the world right now.

“No?” Jimin mutters, still shy but willing to make the conversation flow until they can’t remember what just happened.

“Not humans.” Jeongguk goes with it, though he doesn’t seem even slightly as nervous as Jimin is. “Your blood satisfies us easier. One blood donation is like a full course meal.”

“Oh.” The human says, frowning as he remembers all the things he ever heard about vampires and their killing sprees, nothing like what Jeongguk is suggesting right now. Jimin feels bad for believing the things people made up to corroborate their prejudices.

“Not quite what they say around, huh?” Jeongguk shoots him a significant look, as if he knows exactly what’s going on in his mind. Jimin wonders again is vampires really can’t read minds.

“Yeah...”

Jimin eats faster than usual, especially after Jeongguk finishes up his own drink, not wanting to prolong the awkwardness that comes with having lunch with someone that doesn’t quite have the same habits as him and that he doesn’t really know at all. The silence that stretches out between them is not exactly uncomfortable but it doesn’t feel right either, so he spends the walk to the library thinking of possible topics he could bring up to break the ice in their developing relationship.

"What are you doing here?" Jimin asks as a way to make conversation as he opens up his books.

"If I remember correctly, you asked for my help." Jeongguk answers, matter-of-factly as usual.

"No, I mean... in school." He explains. "Aren't you immortal? Thought you'd be bored of sitting through lectures by now."

Jeongguk shrugs as if it's obvious. "I enjoy learning."

"Okay, that's understandable." Jimin agrees, because he also really likes how much knowledge he can obtain in school. "How many degrees do you have?"

"Fifteen." Jeongguk answers and if he doesn't want Jimin to intrude in his life or something like that, he doesn't show it.

"What?" Jimin almost raises his voice way more than he’s allowed to in the library and he swears he sees a glimpse of amusement in Jeongguk’s eyes at his reaction.

"Excluding masters degrees, doctorates and PhDs..." Jeongguk says as if it’s no big deal, but Jimin is not having any of it, completely taken aback by the discovery.

"You have a PhD?" He asks, books completely ignored as he turns to face Jeongguk properly.

"I have four."

"Holy shit, how old are you?" Jimin only realizes how disrespectful that question can be once it’s already out but he doesn’t have the time to regret it because Jeongguk straight up chuckles at him, eyes crinkling and all, and he feels his heart skip a beat.

“Old.” That’s all the answer he gives him, and Jimin doesn’t pry any further.

Probably because his mind is too busy freaking out over the fact that he just made Jeon Jeongguk laugh.

As their tutoring lessons go by, Jimin learns that despite closed off, Jeongguk is endearing in his own way.

He has a really strong sarcastic vein that makes itself known frequently, causing Jimin to giggle more often than not.

He's attentive to Jimin's doubts with the subject and always ready to go back during an explanation and start over, or to drop his own books to answer a question. He is a wonderful teacher as well, making sure his words are clear and easy to understand.

Jeongguk also starts to answer to Jimin’s attempt at making conversation more often and, though he doesn’t give him too many details about himself or his life before turning into a vampire, he’s still receptive to the human’s curiosity and doesn’t seem bothered by his questions – if he thinks it’s to much, he simply shoots Jimin an amused look and doesn’t answer.

Through the two weeks that have passed since they started getting together to study, Jimin notices a change in behavior from Jeongguk – subtle, but it’s there. He doesn’t act cold like he does with everyone else and that makes Jimin’s heart practice cartwheels inside his chest, even though he tries to ignore it and act like it’s not happening.

But he can’t, especially because Taehyung doesn’t let him even try.

He’s always pestering Jimin about Jeongguk, especially since he found out that they exchanged numbers – they don’t text much, mostly to talk about the subject they’re studying, even though Taehyung somehow has convinced himself that Jimin has definitely sent at least one nude picture to him.

Or when he catches Jeongguk staring at them when he comes over from the Arts Institute to have lunch together and insists that the he’s desperate to join, to which Jimin rolls his eyes and tells him to stop making things up inside his dramatic brain.

But Taehyung always has an answer ready and he keeps arguing that if Jeongguk truly didn’t care about Jimin he wouldn’t look at him everywhere they go.

And, well, the staring is definitely more frequent than it should be, Jimin will give him that, but it’s still not enough evidence that there is anything going on besides their mutual class. He just can’t bring himself to believe it.

It’s only on their second to last tutoring session that Jimin really gets proof of how affected by him Jeongguk truly is.

"Are you okay?" Jimin asks when Jeongguk moves in his seat for about the hundredth time since they arrived.

"Yes...?" Jeongguk tries to answer in his usual way, but he sounds off.

"You seem a bit out of it today." Jimin insists, hoping he can get something from him and maybe help if he can.

Jeongguk doesn't say anything, though, so Jimin turns back to his book, not really surprised that he couldn't get an explanation for his odd behavior. Even though they have definitely been getting closer, Jeongguk is still not the type to talk about himself too much.

"Did you not put on perfume before coming here?" He suddenly blurts out and Jimin frowns.

"I- what? Do I smell bad?" Jimin is halfway through sniffing himself when Jeongguk lets out an incredulous laugh.

"Do you smell bad..." He mutters, shaking his head. "Quite the opposite, actually."

"I didn't, but-" Jimin is still confused and almost offended but then it hits him. And the idea makes him feel hot all over for some reason. "It's my blood, isn't it?"

Jeongguk scoffs, clearly irritated that he's feeling like this. "Nice to see your brain has finally started catching up on things."

"Don't even try changing the subject." Jimin turns to him completely, leaving his book aside without a single care in the world. "Are you all bothered because you can smell me, is that it?"

"Why are you smiling like that?" The refusal to answer only confirms it.

"Are you imagining yourself biting me right now?" Jimin mutters as he inches closer, loving the effect he has on the other.

"Jimin..." Jeongguk warns, eyes hard and voice lower than customary.

"That's dirty, Jeongguk, we're in public." Jimin teases, one hand coming up to rest on his thigh while he looks at him through his eyelashes.

In all honesty, Jimin has no idea what he’s doing or where all this courage came from, but knowing that there’s a chance that Jeongguk is attracted to him as well has raised his confidence levels about a thousand times. Suddenly, he doesn’t feel so nervous around him anymore.

Because if there is one thing Park Jimin can do is be a charmer.

Jeongguk holds his wrist before he can move any further. "Focus on your work."

"Ah, but now I can't." Jimin shakes his head like a kid who just found some trouble to get into. "Now I want you to bite me."

"I am not doing that." Jeongguk tries, but the way he sounds affected by the mere suggestion is obvious.

"Why not? I can see you want to taste me..." Jimin pulls his arm free and traces a path on his bicep with his fingers. "Aren't you thirsty for me, Jeonggukie?"

"Yes, I am." Jeongguk answers, and it surprises Jimin how quickly he agreed. "Is that what you want to hear? I want to take you somewhere we can be alone and crave my fangs on your neck, suck your blood out of you until it drips down my chin because I won't be content with just one drop."

Jimin’s body shivers visibly and it’s obvious that Jeongguk doesn’t miss it because his eyes flash red for a split second. "Do it, then." The human says, slightly out of breath.

"Jimin...” Jeongguk shakes his head, trying to get some clarity back. “Feeding off humans can be very... intense."

"Are you scared you won't be able to stop?” Jimin has no idea why he’s so into this, why his whole body seems to be on fire with the thought of being bitten by Jeongguk. “I trust you, though."

"I wish that was it.” Jeongguk tries to put some distance between them, as if that will make Jimin’s smell dissipate in the air, but the other only moves closer again. “No, um...” He swallows, watching carefully for his reaction. “I mean sexually."

"Oh.” Jimin swears the temperature in the room just went up by a few degrees. “So... what, you get turned on?"

"Not just me." Jimin doesn’t really know what to make of this information but a dozen images of him under Jeongguk panting and moaning his name invade his mind at the same time; judging by the way the other is looking at him, he’s not too different.

"Well, then, let's fucking go.” Jimin ends the distance between them, not even caring that they’re in the library anymore. He just can’t pretend he doesn’t want Jeongguk to eat him up any longer. “It's not like you haven't been making me horny since the first time I saw you."

Jeongguk smiles and shakes his head but doesn’t look or move away. "You're insufferable."

"Come on, you know I won't be able to get anything done now.” Jimin almost whines, even though he knows he already won this. “My apartment is so close..."

It doesn’t take long for Jeongguk to agree. "Alright."

The walk to Jimin’s place is silent and filled with expectation from both of them. Jeongguk constantly steals glances his way and Jimin doesn’t think he has ever seem him this agitated, but it’s not like he can do anything to help when his own nerves and anticipation are taking over him.

They’re still quiet as Jimin unlocks his front door, going in first and listening closely to make sure Taehyung isn’t home – his best friend is always listening to music or playing video games loudly, so it’s easy to figure out they’re alone.

He honestly doesn’t know how to feel about that.

"So, how do we..." Jimin clears his throat after he takes his shoes off, finding that Jeongguk is smiling at him like he can smell his increasing nerves.

Which he probably can.

"Just come here." Jeongguk says, sitting down on the couch and patting his thighs so that Jimin gets the message.

"Gotta be honest, never thought I'd sit on your lap outside of my dreams." The human jokes, using that as an escape to hide how he truly feels: the anxiety mixing up with the way his body responds immediately to the close proximity between them.

"That's a great piece of information I'll save for later, thank you." Jeongguk mutters in his usual tone, though Jimin has noticed he's been more amused lately. He likes to think he's the cause of that.

"Are you gonna kiss me?" Jimin whispers when Jeongguk pulls him even closer by the thighs, almost completely gluing their bodies together. He swallows, already feeling his breathing picking up from anticipation.

"Do you want me to?" Jeongguk whispers back. He's studying Jimin's face carefully, enjoying the lack of space between them and taking advantage of it to observe every little detail he couldn't see before.

"Do you really have to ask?"

Jeongguk smiles in his typical way and leans in.

He licks the seam of Jimin's lips sensually and elicits a whole-body shiver from him in doing so; not even Jimin himself knew he could be so sensitive. Jeongguk then pulls his bottom lip into his mouth and sucks slowly, now receiving an impatient whine from the man on his lap.

The teasing doesn't last for too long, mostly because Jimin moves on his own to deepen the kiss.

He sighs when Jeongguk finally does what he wants, licking into his mouth with vigor as if Jimin's lips are the answer to all of his problems. They groan and grab onto each other hungrily, finesse completely forgotten the more they get into it.

Jimin's fingers make a mess of Jeongguk's always carefully styled hair, satisfied that he can make his wish to ruin his impeccable looks come true. He pulls away to stare at him and shivers again at the way his eyes are glowing red, matching with his swollen lips, which are now slightly parted because of his fangs coming out.

Under Jeongguk's gaze like this, Jimin feels like prey.

And he loves it.

"Bite me." His voice sounds wrecked just from the kissing and Jimin has no idea why. He remembers Jeongguk saying that feeding off humans affects both parts, but he thought it would only start after being bitten; maybe the fact that he's been wanting Jeongguk for a while makes it more intense from the beginning.

Jeongguk pulls Jimin's head back by his hair to expose his neck and traces a line over his jaw to his pulse point with his tongue, making him moan quite loudly and sink his blunt nails on the vampire's shoulders over his shirt.

He inhales deeply and groans against Jimin's skin, leaving wet kisses all over his neck, the sharp tip of his fangs tickling the sensitive skin.

Jeongguk holds him in place firmly before finally sinking his teeth into him.

Jimin curses under his breath and closes his eyes at the sensation: it hurts – of course it does – but it's the pleasurable type of pain, the kind that has his toes curling and his mouth hanging open. He has to hold back his moans when he feels the other sucking on his neck, fighting his hips so that they stay still as well.

Jeongguk lets go of Jimin's hair to wrap his arms around his waist, holding onto him for dear life as he continues to feed. It's been a while since the last time he actually bit a human – about twenty to thirty years – and he had forgotten how good it feels.

"Jeongguk..." Jimin whimpers, pushing him away only to crash their mouths together again.

He doesn't care that he can taste his own blood in Jeongguk's mouth, though a part of his brain tells him that he definitely shouldn't be enjoying this so much.

They kiss like there's no tomorrow, a mess of tongue and teeth, saliva and blood, not able to hold back. Jeongguk's fangs are still out and feeling them against his mouth makes Jimin want this even more.

"Keep going." Jimin mutters against Jeongguk's lips, encouraging him to go back to his neck.

When he does, Jimin starts circling his hips, moaning when he finds that it feels better than any other time he chose to grind on someone to get off. His mind is cloudy with lust and he doesn't even notice that he rips the buttons on Jeongguk's shirt in his haste to touch him better.

Jeongguk is holding onto his hips to help him move, grip tight as if he's afraid of letting go. When Jimin scratches down his abdomen, he pulls away from his neck abruptly to kiss him again, blood messily dripping down his chin and on their clothes.

Jimin gets lost in the way Jeongguk's kiss feels so different from everyone else's. He's floating in that pleasure, immersed in a bubble of their own and completely unaware of anything that doesn't involve what they're doing.

That's why he misses the moment the front door opens and Taehyung walks in with his brother Seokjin.

"And I mean, fuck that but-" Taehyung stops mid-sentence and his voice catches Jeongguk's attention, forcing them to break the kiss and stare at the newcomers. "What in the name of God..." He starts when he notices the state the other two are in but only shakes his head. "You know what, I'm not even gonna ask what type of kinky shit you two are into."

Once Taehyung is gone, dragging a somewhat horrified Seokjin by the wrist to his bedroom, Jimin finally seems to gain back some clarity.

"We should... get cleaned up." He says, still panting and starting to get bothered by the tightness in his jeans.

"How's your neck?" Jeongguk asks instead of making any effort to get up, studying his face then turning his head to get a better look at where he bit him.

"It's fine.” Jimin answers, still affected by what just happened. He can’t seem to be able to clear his head from the fog that fills it. “Though you could probably-” He’s interrupted by his own moan when Jeongguk licks over the bite mark to clean up the blood that dripped down over his soft skin. “Yeah, like that, shit."

He tries to move his hips against Jeongguk’s again but the other stops him with a firm hand, though he still doesn’t pull away.

“Jeongguk...” Jimin whines in complaint, wanting nothing more than to finish what they started.

Jeongguk doesn’t answer. He continues to lick Jimin’s skin anywhere he can find remnants of blood, over his neck and up until his chin, until he reaches the corner of his mouth. Jimin thinks he shouldn’t be enjoying this so much now that he’s a mess of saliva and half-dried blood, but he finds that he only wants more of Jeongguk, the effect of his kisses intoxicating and addictive.

“Finish what you started.” He says, pulling back to look into Jeongguk’s eyes, now back to their usual brown.

“What?” Jeongguk answers, and his voice is hoarse showing how affected he was and still is by their little make-out session. “I came here to bite you, and I did.”

Jimin full on pouts. “Want more now.” He moves to start kissing Jeongguk’s neck down to his collarbones that are exposed because of his ripped shirt. “Want you.”

Jeongguk lets Jimin push him back against the couch and attack his lips. The kiss is hungry like the previous ones but he still holds Jimin down, not letting him grind on him like he so desperately wants to, and it doesn’t take long before Jimin whines, mouth still on his.

“We’re not alone anymore, Jimin.” Jeongguk says, something else hidden in his firm voice. Jimin swears there’s a hint of possessiveness in there and the thought sends another shiver down his spine, especially once he remembers he’ll carry the bite mark with him for at least a few days and everyone will know. “Let’s get cleaned up.” He pushes Jimin out of his lap gently and follows him until they’re side by side in front of the bathroom mirror.

Jimin gasps when he sees their reflection, though Jeongguk doesn’t seem surprised in the slightest; in fact, he looks quite amused. There’s still some blood over his face and neck, a few drops on his shirt that are definitely going to serve as a permanent reminder of that day, all of that adding up to his swollen lips and the quickly forming bruise where the bite sits.

Jeongguk isn’t much different: his hair is completely out of control from Jimin’s fingers, the area around his mouth down to his chin is stained blood red, his white shirt is open and a few stray drops landed on his muscular chest and ran down his abdomen.

Jimin is sure he just started to drool.

“You owe me a new shirt.” Jeongguk is the first to turn the water on, carefully washing his skin and then using his damp hands to take care of his hair, managing to do a pretty good job at it.

“I think this looks just fine, actually...” Jimin says, still staring at the way Jeongguk’s muscles bulge when he moves, resisting the need to adjust his pants. Then, he stops and thinks: he really doesn’t want anyone to stare at Jeongguk when he walks around campus back to his own place. “You know what, you’re right, I’ll get you something to wear.”

Jeongguk stares him down for a good five seconds with his usual smirk in place, once again as if he knows exactly what’s going on inside Jimin’s brain, until the human decides he can’t do it anymore and moves so he has successfully pushed him away from the sink to clean himself.

Jimin hates the way he can still see Jeongguk’s smug expression even after he closes his eyes, but he hates even more the fact that the vampire has completely pulled him in, alluring him with his aura of mystery and turned it into almost suffocating desire.

Especially because Jeongguk doesn’t show him even half of what he feels or thinks, and Jimin has no way of figuring out if they’re into each other in the same intensity. Because he wants Jeongguk so badly, but it’s more than a make-out session or a one night stand; Jimin wants him for and with everything he has to give and he’s not sure just how much of that Jeongguk is willing to share.

That is, until a thought crosses his mind. It’s something that Taehyung had managed to plant in his brain a while ago and has now grown into something Jimin can probably use to his favor.

"You can smell everyone else though... right?" He asks suddenly as he dries his face, looking at Jeongguk through the mirror, and he seems like he has been dreading the moment that question would come up.

"What do you mean?" Jeongguk tries to gain himself some time. Jimin knows what he’s doing but still explains it to him anyway.

"You can smell people whenever they pass you by."

Jeongguk bites the inside of his cheek in thought, seemingly having realized that there’s no escape from this conversation. "If there isn't anything too strong masking their scent, yes."

"And it doesn't bother you.” Jimin concludes with a dangerous smile, putting the towel down and stepping right into his personal space. “What makes me so special, hm?"

Jeongguk rolls his eyes but stands his ground, looking down at Jimin when he gets close enough that their chests are touching. "You had to ask, huh?"

"Of course.” Jimin nods, eyes still locked and smile firmly in place. “What makes you want to drink my blood instead of theirs?” He pushes, loving the way Jeongguk swallows hard and doesn’t seem so keen on answering. “Not gonna lie, that makes me pretty happy.”

"You're really gonna make me say it."

"Obviously."

Jeongguk sighs, studying Jimin’s face before bringing his hands up to hold his waist. "I like you.” He admits. “It unbalances the chemicals in my brain so your smell feels stronger and more appealing."

"Oh.” Jimin breathes out, wrapping his arms around Jeongguk’s neck as pride swells up in his chest at having been able to catch the vampire’s attention. “Yeah, I definitely enjoy that."

Jeongguk smiles at him and pulls him into a kiss, this time a much softer one and it’s like they had never been this close before with how different it feels.

“You’re impossible.”

Jimin gets a perfect score on his Pharmacology test.

(No, it does not have anything to do with the fact that Jeongguk promised he would take him on a date if he did.)

[drawing-way-outside-the-lines]

🖊+ the OC you'd be besties with :D

Thank you for the ask :) Hmmmm... you're making it hard.... cause I do see a great potential to become "besties" with many of my OC's. Tumblr is making it even more difficult though, since it only allows me to attach 10 images to an ask post. I would have liked at least 5 more options, so sadly I'm now leaving out Wyatt, Travis and a bunch of lesser known characters such as Kris and Declan. Anyway, I love the question, cause it really made me think, who I could see myself become very close with, so here's my answer:

Dalton may or may not be an angel in disguise? He's undoubtedly too good for this world, and must be protected at all cost! I am at the firm belief, that had the world been blessed with more Dalton's, planet earth would no longer be in trouble, and it would basically be paradise. Dalton is the embodiment of everything good and pure, and only love runs through his veins. He's goofy, messy, a bit of a nut. He's extremely romantic, at least when it comes to writing lyrics. He's that type of person who will never give up the hope of a better tomorrow, at the same time he has a sentimental/melancholic view of everything around him, and at times a pessimistic view of the world, and where it's all heading. He's wildly creative, and there's not much he can't do when it comes to creating. A dreamer, has a vivid imagination, and a way with words. He's deep, often too deep for his own good, and as a result often drowns in his own depths. Also, he really likes crazy colored socks. And has the most radiant smile in the entire world! - When Dalton smiles, everyone smiles!

Gizmo is that guy you can call late at night, sobbing on the phone, cause your loser boyfriend/girlfriend AGAIN ran off with the household money. He'll rub your back while you sob about how miserable you are for hours, then share a big tub of ice cream with you, yes, you'll get to eat the biggest portion! He's warm, kind, thoughtful and will do anything to make you smile again. He's basically a big warm hug just waiting to wrap around you. Super down to earth, super chill, super friendly, super helpful. Trust me, he's simply plain super. Oh and he has a really great humor and scores high on the geek/nerd factor.

Andy... what's not to say about Andy? With a charisma brighter than the sun and a body hotter than Hades, who can honestly say he didn't get to them in some sort of way? He walks into everyone's heart with big dirty boots, whether he was invited or not! He's strong, but has a very sensitive soul and a loving heart as big as the moon! He'd do anything for the people he love and care about, and he's always ready to fuck shit up and get on some sort of crazy adventure. If you're into cheeky comments and sexy half smirks, Andy is the man for you! Cocky, but it's mostly just for funz. He has a fairly good self-esteem on one hand, and a shitty one on the other. However, he can melt even the coldest heart when he sings, and he's never shy to write a song about someone he cares for. He's multi talented, and doesn't mind if you spill beer on the floor of his 1969 Ford Mustang. And hey, he's a really fucking good dancer, he proves that by constantly dancing away from his problems! What problems?! He can't hear you! Music is too loud!!

Will will will.... will you please take a second to read about this awesome chick named Will(ow). She's crazier than that crazy aunt you have living in an old shoe factory in Memphis... yes, you know Aunt May, the free spirited naked, artist aunt with 50+ cats in her backyard. Well, Willow beats her! There's a reason her dad has been calling her Willow-Wonka, since she was a child. She has a filthier mouth than a harbor worker, and a louder more masculine laugh than a drunken sailor! She absolutely 100% commits to always having a blast, and to keep up with her you better get fucking going, cause she's always at least 5 steps ahead! She's a bright colored atomic rainbow, always spreading joy wherever she goes! She's a rollercoaster, just like her dad, but she always has her heart in the right place.

Your neighborhood friendly demon. A bit of a prankster, but never mean, unless you repeatedly get on his nerves, well, then he'll make you cry and beg for mommy. Nah he's cool, perhaps apart from the stalking, on the other hand, you're sure to never be alone for too long, if you know Raven. If you need coffee, he will always bring you HIS favorite - cause he knows better, he is several thousand years old after all! He's up for anything your heart desires, and if you're tired of superficial friendships/relationships, and you search for someone with a substantial depth to them, Raven is your guy. Protective, respectful and patient. Fuck authority! He's deeper than the deepest ocean, however, he is just as dark, don't go swimming into the deepest end, you might not like what you find. He's charming, highly intelligent, an observer, and if you're into getting lost in deep conversations, you've come to the right person.

That grumpy guy who always frowns at you at the supermarket checkout line. Highly intimidating, but oh so HOT! You just can't look away, though you're sure his glare might actually, eventually, kill you, if you don't! But damn he's worth it!!! You want to get to know him, but as you approach him, you barely get an annoyed grunt out of him. He's mysterious, sarcastic, always stuck in a cloud of smoke, smells like wood, motor oil, fresh herbs, incense and stale beer. He drives a black Dodge Charger and you swear the roar of the engine makes your privates purr just as loudly as Adrian himself does. He's a mechanic, which makes you wish you had a car, so you could launch it into a tree, just to have an excuse to drop by his place. He's quiet, and at first seems cold and distant. But if you manage to penetrate the exterior, there's a heart of gold beneath it and a friend/partner for life.

'Chase the man' - as he calls himself. Cheeky whirlwind of chaos and destruction, not in a negative way, he doesn't mean it! It's the adhd/add! Shit is that a rainbow?! Where were we?!!? Gets distracted easily, but keeps his focus with home grown, home rolled killer joints, yes, he will totally share! Ultra fast hardcore drummer, covered in colorful tattoos, down to earth, loves to chill and play video games. Don't expect him to be able to pay for himself, so whenever you go out, better carry money enough for both of you, as Daniel usually is broke. Where did his money go? Who knows? Not Daniel! He's the type of person who is friends with literally the entire planet.

Sam, say it deep, say it warm, feel the crisp Autumn wind carry red, brown and orange leaves in your direction. Smell the nutmeg, cinnamon, Anis, Clove, Thyme and Bay leaf. Candle light and old leather-bound books, Latin scribbles on yellowed pages, and warm fuzzy blankets - that's Sam. With a kindness unlike anyone you have ever met, he cares about everyone around him, from the soil you step on, to the seagull in the sky. Every living thing is valuable, and should be respected and taken care of. Sam is warm, attentive, curious, calm and collected. It's hard to rattle him, and he always serves as a steady rock for people around him. Whether it's the old lady who needs help to get over the street, or his sister needing help with a larger knitting project, Sam is always ready with helping hands. You'll never get a better foot rub/massage than Sam can give you, just saying.

Leo has a certain flow, as if he's constantly moving at the same rhythm as the sea, the sun and the moon, and the music of everyday surrounding us all. He's simply in tune with every particle of the universe. He's playful, optimistic, always up for some fun and games, and is simply that person who has such a great energy that it straight away affects everyone around him in a positive way. He's spontaneous and free-spirited, and every day to him is like a dance. If you need a 'pick-me-up' - Leo is your best bet! He's great with compliments and even better with self-esteem boosts! Oh, and he's actually a really good listener too!

Walter, is super down to earth, extremely chill, highly causal and enormously friendly. Although he mostly sticks to himself and his 4 roomies, he's actually quite outgoing and talkative, it's just that he prefers to chill around on his own, just as he prefers to listen rather than speak. He's quiet, but not to a point of being silent. Charming, smart, quick thinking and resting in himself. Walter is always pleasant to be around, and you'll find yourself looking forwards to seeing him again. He's a surfer, so he always smells of fresh saltwater and warm sand - if you're into that sort of thing?

[idkwhoiamanymorebutwtf]

How Mervana shows Louie’s response to trauma.

I made a super short post basically saying “Hey I like how Mervana highlights Louie’s trauma and it’s effects on him” and people seemed interested in hearing more about it so here’s that post.

Now, it’s no secret (generally) that Louie really hates adventures. That’s obvious throughout the show, up to the most recent season. He never seems to want to go on adventures, always objecting to them or not going or changing his mind and wanting to go back half way through. The show never fails to remind us that he hates them. What’s more, the show never fails to remind us exactly why Louie hates adventures. In Glomtales he was actually happy to be missing the adventure at first, commenting “Well, at least I can skip out on another insanely dangerous adventure”. Something that only changed when he realized they were going somewhere not only safe but actually fun, something very rare. In The Golden Armory Of Cornelius Coot he rocks back and forth trying to convince himself of why the adventure was worth it, clearly extremely distressed. “Do not laugh in the face of my danger” he shouted when Dewey starting giggling. Later in that episode he basically sobbed out “I wanna go home”. In Challenge Of The Senior Woodchuck he says “I’m cold and terrified, this sure seems like an adventure to me.”

Most of the family isn’t actually affected by the constant stress and danger they’re put in. Huey, Dewey, Webby, Della, and Scrooge all find it incredibly exciting, Donald used to once upon a time and he stopped adventuring after it stopped being that. Nobody else has really gone through what Louie has. He isn’t built for adventuring. He’s been kidnapped, physically and mentally hurt, almost killed. Constantly. According to an article I read, “Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that can have lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional well-being.” and well, that absolutely fits the bill here. Below i’m going to put some symptoms of trauma that are in line with what we’ve seen from Louie throughout the show

Anger, irritability, mood swings

Anxiety and fear

Guilt, shame, self-blame

Withdrawing from others

Feeling sad or hopeless

Feeling disconnected or numb

Fatigue

Being startled easily

Edginess and agitation

Extreme alertness; always on the lookout for warnings of potential danger

Detachment from other people and emotions

Emotional numbing

Suspicion

Throughout the show there are many instances of Louie’s trauma being very obvious to anybody paying attention. However I think the episode Mervana actually showcased the effects outside of just Louie being visibly distressed over actively being in danger. Other episodes have shown his symptoms, obviously. His anxiety and fear are always on during at adventure and when they aren’t he’s shockingly, almost unusually numb to the situation. He’s almost always very fatigued (although the line between what’s fatigue and what’s just ‘laziness’ is a bit blurred), and he’s almost always a bit too hostile towards others. But Mervana showed a really direct ‘cause and effect’ type relationship with the things they’ve been through and his behavior throughout that episode.

Starting off the episode, we can see Louie seems very detached. He’s texting throughout Huey and Scrooge’s monologues. As I said earlier, when it comes to adventuring he’s always either in fight or flight mode or he’s completely detached, maybe offering occasional dull but volatile remarks here and there. Eventually Louie makes a comment about how “Now there’s two people putting us in constant danger” before sitting like this for the next minute or so

The other’s are mid conversation but he just kinda sits there blankly for a while before turning to make another remark. “Yeah, I definitely can’t wait to find a bunch of lost undersea monsters who definitely won’t have a dark secret that almost gets us killed”. And it’s important to recognize that Louie isn’t just being a pessimist here. He may not be in panic mode at the moment because he tends to emotionally detach himself until it’s time for his fight or flight responses to kick in (likely a way to cope with the constant anxiety that seems to follow him) but he’s still got a very good point because they are put in constant danger and this episode really, truly, is no different. Webby even asks “Why do you always have to assume the worst?” to which Louie pulls out his running list of the times they’ve been offered as a sacrifice. He’s almost died countless times. He’s watched his brother’s and sister almost die countless times. No, not countless, he’s counting. He’s literally keeping count of the number of traumatic experiences he’s gone through, which is at least one hundred and twenty. And that’s just the amount of sacrifices, which is to say nothing about kidnappings or non sacrifice related straight up murder attempts. 

Let me just say, though, that his suspicious nature, while completely natural due to his past traumatic experiences, and while somewhat grounded in reality because they did end up in danger during this episode, wasn’t completely accurate. Most of the Mervanan’s were genuinely good people but Louie immediately assumed they were going to hurt him and his family. He was on edge. He was immediately suspicious, even before he met them, even before he was given reason to be suspicious. The only person who read into things as deeply as he did was Beakley, who’s a secret agent. She will have been trained to be suspicious and pick up on small signs that something isn’t right, but Louie wasn’t. Louie was just on edge and suspicious of everything because those are big signs of trauma. He was right that something wrong was going on, but it wasn’t observational skills on his part as shown by the fact that he was sure they’d be put in danger before they ever met the Mervanan’s. 

A few times this episode we see the flip from Louie being on edge and suspicious to him actually genuinely being put in danger. And you can see clear as day that he gets no satisfaction out of it. Everyone else is usually proud or energized. Excited to fight, smug when they win or get away. It’s not the same for Louie.

And you can see there’s a difference even between Beakley’s suspicions based on genuine observation and valid doubt when compared to Louie’s which are based in the fact that he’s a traumatized individual who’s had his brain rewired in a way that makes him suspicious to an unhealthy degree. “You have no idea weather or not they’re going to feed us to their monster king?” Beakley asked The Harp. She was suspicious because she knows how the world works and realized something was wrong (because something was wrong) but she was rational about it. They didn’t have solid evidence, she didn’t know for sure. But Louie immediately replied by saying “they definitely are” which isn’t a rational thought process when he really, truly had no evidence to believe so other than his deepseeded instinct to trust nobody.

And when Beakley admitted that she didn’t trust the Mervanan’s either there was very little smugness in the way he handled it. Louie didn’t insist as hard as he did that something was wrong and that you can’t trust anybody just to prove a point to Webby. Immediately he interrupted Beakley and Webby’s situation by jumping in with “We need to get the harp down to the Mervanan’s or we’re all going to die!” Louie was truly in panic mode throughout this episode. He wasn’t just being a pessimist trying to crush Webby’s bright optimistic hope, he was trying to protect his family. When he first set off to find the harp he said “I’m going to find the harp before we all get sacrificed”. Then when he was debating weather or not to tell Webby the truth he pointed out that “If she doesn’t (find out the truth) she’ll be fish food!”. Then when he’s trying to move the harp down to the other’s his biggest concern is “Gotta save family”. It’s not just pessimism, it’s fear and suspicion, which are very different things. 

Later on we see that Louie’s ideals don’t fully match up with his behavior either. “The king turned himself into a monster, but you’re not him.  You built a society based on truth, and the truth is you don’t need Mervana to be good.” before turning to Webby and telling her “Somebody once told me that you have to look for the best in people and not assume the worst” and honestly, I don’t feel like this is abnormal thinking for him. Believe it or not, Louie is the kind of person to believe in other’s positive traits. He does very often see the good in people and obviously on a level of principal alone he doesn’t think all people are bad.  

However principals and logic are often overcome by the brain’s natural response to trauma. And those natural responses often aren’t as idealistic as “anyone can be good and you shouldn’t assume the worst in people”. Fear and anger and anxiety. Seeing danger everywhere. Always being on guard. They’re not something you can control. No matter how much you believe people can be good that instinctive urge to trust nobody spurred on by trauma is often much stronger. Especially when you’re not getting any professional help and have someone to protect. Even if Louie wanted to believe in people (and I think he does), his survival instincts are stronger than that. Even if he didn’t care about his own safety, he has a family who are too dumb to care about their own so he has to do that for them.

Overall a LOT of Louie’s storyline during Mervana was obviously highlighting his response to the trauma he’s had to deal with over the course of the show. And sadly I don’t think he’ll stop having these reactions anytime soon because it takes more than just knowing people can be good to deal with changes to your brain’s chemical makeup.

[arigatouiris]

a regular movie cliche // hawks

Author’s Note: Hawks is just Kuroo with wings, yanno? I mean— he didn’t even need to be in the anime to be attractive geez. Also, I’ve started commissioning fics, so if any of ya’ll are interested, please check out my post on my page and get back to me if you have any requests! I hope you like this one shot! Thanks for reading~!

Word count: 4606

Pairing: Hawks x Reader

Warnings: angst, quirkless reader, fluff, slight sexy times uwu

There was no surprise in the fact that Hawks couldn’t sleep that night. Sleep was mainly just broken bits of unconsciousness that embraced him and left him cold; Hawks was pretty much used to waking up and feeling tired, but that morning, he not only felt tired, he felt broken.

He thought of you.

He lay still on his bed, staring at the ceiling, the slow movement of the ceiling fan did little to distract him. He laid his arm over his forehead before feeling the familiar sense of dread envelope his features. He could practically hear his heartbeat against his ears, and a mild ringing sound that vibrated against his temple. He didn’t know what these meant, he didn’t know why he thought of you that morning, especially after having forcefully pushed you out of his life himself. 

It’s been a few months since he had last seen you, and he wondered if adult relationships were supposed to be complicated. As a teenager, he barely had time to focus on the girls who were pining after him; some were blatant, some were shyly leaving him letters and hoping he’d respond, but he was cold to each and every single one of them. He had been cold to every partner he had in the past, and he especially was cold to you, but why did it hurt him instead of hurt you?

Ah yes.

It was the age-old fear. 

Hawks was worried that someone could happen to you because of him. Therefore, he took the coward’s way out and managed to run away before anything could manifest, before people could use you against him, turn you into the only weapon that could bring Hawks down. It was an age-old fear because which hero didn’t worry about that? Hawks had always worked alone, and now, bringing you along, especially after discovering that you were quirkless, there was no way Hawks could let you in. He told himself it was for your benefit, he’d rather not have your mind on his hands, after all. There was no use running away from this fact; Hawks wasn’t the type to deny his own emotions. He’d accept them, but he wouldn’t chase after them. To him, you would always be the woman who he almost, almost fell in desperate love with.

But to you...

To you, he’d remain the toxic playboy that took your virginity and left you. Ghosted you after leaving you a vague ‘This ain’t working out’ message. He understood that there was no way you would ever forgive him for what he did; he had encroached through your boundaries, despite how well he knew you guarded them, and he had made use of you. You would never forgive him, moreover, he would never forgive himself. 

He realized a moment later that he hadn’t moved, and he had work to do. He was the #2 Hero now, there was no room for him being a bum and thinking about someone he knew he had to eventually leave behind. 

     “Ah, there we go again,” He grumbled before getting up from the bed, mentally preparing himself for another routine-filled day.

Each day felt like an extension from the last. Hawks realized a while ago, after leaving you, that the plot of his life doesn’t make sense to him anymore—that although he thought he was following the arc of a story, a story he had carved for himself out of sheer willpower and hard work, he kept finding himself immersed in passages he didn’t understand, that didn’t even seem to belong in the same genre—which required him to go back and reread the chapters he had originally skimmed to get to the good parts, only to learn that all along he was supposed to choose his own adventure.

Instead, he was filled with a gnawing bitterness that seemed to swallow him every day. Hawks wasn’t a pessimist, but realism pinned against pessimism rather strongly, he wasn’t against the idea of not being optimistic because that didn’t work. He’d wake up, go on his rounds, head to his agency and fill out paperwork or ask one of his assistants to do it. He’d return, eat chicken wings till he got tired, watched a TV show, go around flying, and struggle to sleep. This was what had become of the #2 Hero’s life. 

As he flew to begin his rounds that morning, Hawks couldn’t help but think of you. You had the innate ability to ward yourself into his mind unwelcome and unannounced, it was strange not because he allowed it, but because he had no choice.

He could recall how he met you as if it was just happening. 

*

Not often was he taken aback by a common villain. While he was strong in the air, a villain with a jet quirk proved to be a bit of a hassle; he threw a strong jet-powered gust of wind toward the winged-hero, which flew him directly into a building. The landing was quite rough, he had crashed through a window and fallen very harshly against a wooden flooring. He was thankful that his wings prevented any shard of glass from piercing his skin, but he wasn’t so sure about his new jacket. 

     “Are you okay?” 

Hawks opened his eyes and spotted you, hovering over him with eyes filled with actual concern, your hair swept behind your head. He blinked a couple of times before focusing his gaze on your attire. What the hell were you wearing? He was sure he had seen it somewhere before, it seemed familiar, like the image was stuck in the back of his mind but he couldn’t quite place where he had seen it before.

     “Are you concussed?”

He heard whispers around him now, and he was quite certain that the two of you weren’t alone. Hawks moved a bit to see young kids wearing a similar attire to what you were wearing, wooden sticks in their hands, their eyes holding the same concern; albeit, some of them actually recognized him for who he was.

     “Sensei, that’s the winged-hero!”

     “I’m aware of who he is, Mitsu-kun,” You answered, giving the young boy a mean look, “Mimi-chan, could you help me clean this up?”

This Mimi-chan yelped a very obedient ‘yes’ before scurrying off to, Hawks guessed, bring supplies. He watched you now, a smirk settling on his features. You didn’t look too worried, but you gave him a questioning look as if to ask him how long he planned on lying on your floor.

     “I don’t mind crashing into buildings if you’re the view.”

Loud giggles could be heard across the room and he felt his heart flip at the way your face reddened instantly. You turned to your students, he assumed they were your students, and hushed them rudely, which sadly didn’t stop the giggling entirely. It was then he realized that his head was against your lap, because you pushed him away after he had flirted with you.

Something about the way you behaved let him know that you were not used to close interactions with men. The action was almost cute.

     “Is that... kendo?” He guessed, knowing that he was right.

Finally, he thought internally. I was struggling to figure out what sport this was. 

You nodded before standing up straight, taking the cleaning supplies from young Mimi. Hawks followed after you and shot her a smile, which made her eyes turn into hearts, which in turn had you glaring at the young girl like she had stolen your cookie. Turning to Hawks with a deadpan, you tilted your head a bit as if to ask him if he was forgetting something. Suddenly, his eyes widened and his wings spanned to his sides.

     “I almost forgot about the villain,” Hawks turned to you and pointed rather accusingly, “Your fault for distracting me.”

     “Please leave.”

Hawks laughed out loud before jumping up, “I’ll remember you, kendo-san!”

     “Sensei, I think he likes you.”

     “Mistu-kun, why don’t we have a spar?”

     “I’m sorry, Sensei. I won’t say it again.”

*

It was the police radio that alerted him. Apparently there was a villain very close to where your kendo studio was located, but Hawks wasn’t the sort to let that bother him. He flew around the area he patrolled, knowing full well that your kendo studio did not even come close to where he was assigned. He didn’t know what kind of villain it was, but if it were a regular villain, there surely had to be other heroes around that could maintain said peace.

Also, if the villain were to apprehend you, it wasn’t his concern anymore. Hawks had severed ties with you for a reason and if he were to keep worrying over a past flame the way he was, then the entire ordeal wouldn’t make sense.

She’s strong, he thought internally as his eyes scanned for crime in his own area. Even if she’s quirkless, she’s real strong.

Hawks tried telling himself that more than anyone else. True, he knew you were strong. You were a kendo trainer, having mastered the art at such a young age. It had been passed down in your family, and you were simply carrying it forward with such tenacity and skill that left him floored. His mind travelled back to the time he had asked you out, or if he were to recall correctly, the time you had said yes to him after his weeks of pining after you.

He spotted you in the supermarket from a distance. You often cursed at his eyesight because of how he always managed to catch you from such a far off distance. Chuckling to himself, Hawks landed right in front of the supermarket before following you inside, tapping your left shoulder and moving to the right; an antic that kids did when they were around their crushes.

You turned to your left and spotted no one, but the annoying chuckles filled your ears and your face immediately turned to an ugly deadpan before you turned to face Hawks’ rather amused smirk.

     “That’s not funny.”

     “That’s because you’re a grouch.”

Scoffing, “I’m not a grouch, you’re just very annoying.”

     “I see you’re having a rather hard time choosing between shrimp and chicken,” Hawks said, bringing his hands behind his back and coming to stand beside you, “Pick the chicken.”

     “I want to treat myself a bit tonight,” You said, “So chicken really isn’t—”

     “Ah, then you should definitely pick the chicken.”

You frowned at him, “And why should I listen to you?”

Hawks leaned forward toward you, noticing how easily your cheeks turned red. But, you didn’t budge. You knew of his flirting, it was slowly easing into you—your initial displeasure with how easily he could fluster you left you a bit angry, but this was Hawks. This was who he was. The more he leaned in however, you stumbled backwards a bit, his hand gripping your wrist to ensure you stood on your feet. You pulled away, your blush only intensifying.

     “I didn’t take you as the shy type, kendo-chan!”

     “I’m not shy,” you answered honestly, “I was just surprised.”

     “Your face says otherwise.” His breath was on your nose, you forced yourself to turn away.

     “Hawks—”

     “Pick the chicken.”

     “You haven’t told me why, Hawks-san.”

He didn’t waste time, “Because if you pick chicken, then you might just get a surprise visit later from a very famous winged hero.”

You chuckled at his words before turning away, intentionally heading to the vegetable section. Hawks let out a mild groan before following you like a child, noticing how you sported a rather amused grin on your face. It played with his heart.

     “What if I want to eat alone?”

     “Aw, that’s too bad. This winged hero wants company.”

You rolled your eyes before picking out a few vegetables, not sure where your conversation was going. Hawks was suddenly telling you about candy he ate as a child, and you were telling him about Harry Potter—which stumped you, because you barely spoke about your interests with people, let alone heroes who were flirting with you blatantly.

     “Oh, I’ve read those!”

Your eyes twinkle at Hawks’ revelation and you turn to him with wonder. Hawks noticed the star-struck expression on your face before an evil grin plastered on his face. He nodded before raising a pointer finger.

     “My favorite character was Voldemort,” Your wonder filled smile froze. “He’s super cool! I was rooting for him—”

You turned on your heel before walking away, finally having realized what he was doing. Sure, you could tolerate some teasing; but you were not a pushover. You were frowning now, before heading to the meat section, picking out shrimp was the last choice—

     “Ahhh, come back!” Hawks said rather pathetically, laughing at his own failed joke.

You stopped all of a sudden, before your hand moved to the chicken. Hawks’ eyes widened before he noticed you, a calm expression on your face. You weren’t shy, that’s what you had said, but here you were. Face red, not meeting his eye, barely moving.

     “I... I don’t cook too well.”

‘Fuck’, Hawks thought before moving to hold the frozen chicken and inspect it, ‘She’s so fucking cute’.

     “Don’t worry, I do.”

You’d picked the chicken that night.

*

Ah fuck it, he thought before flying down toward the kendo studio. He was just doing his job as a hero, that was it. He wasn’t expecting to see you or anything. He wasn’t trying to take a glimpse of how miserable you may have looked, so he could feed the demon inside his heart that told him you’d be much happier without him. 

His heart froze when he spotted police cars right outside the studio. Upon spotting him, one of the cops rushed to him and started to say something, but all Hawks could do was look up at the first floor—where your studio was, and he suddenly felt like he was underwater.

     “Hawks!”

He snapped out of it and looked at the cop in front of him.

     “A hero with an implosion quirk’s taken students and a teacher hostage!” Ah fuck, “It’s a kendo studio. With a quirk like his, we can’t approach out of nowhere. He might harm the inhabitants. Sources say that the teacher is quirkless, and the students haven’t mastered their quirks.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck, Hawks felt the panic grow inside of him. 

     “He’s made a statement asking the police to leave. He’ll hurt people if any hero is deployed to the scene.”

     “Fuck.” Hawks let out, unable to contain the growing panic.

For the first time, he has no idea what to do. Turning to look at the first floor, he wondered what you must be feeling, what the students must be feeling, and he cursed himself. Perhaps, if he was with you...

His eyes widened. If he was with you, this wouldn’t have happened. It was even after pushing you away, you were in danger and it felt like his life was being trampled upon. The damage had already been done. There was no taking the fact away. He was in love with you. Your sass, your kind gestures, your shyness, he was in love with every aspect of you—and only when you were in danger did he get to realize this like a fucking movie cliche.

     “We can’t let anyone near them for now,” The cop instructed him, “But, we’re waiting for backup from—”

He can’t lose you. But, can he lose you even if he doesn’t have you?

     “We can’t wait.” Hawks said, eyeing the first floor.

*

You had no idea what you and Hawks were. You washed the dishes quietly, wiping them and placing them back in the counter. A soft smile sat on your lips as you realized you missed the bird brain when he wasn’t around. It had been close to a week since you last saw him—the previous rooftop date that he had planned still fresh in your memory.

However, your face darkened when you thought of each time you kissed and how scared you felt. You were 21-years old, having never taken a lover before. You wondered how that would make him feel, considering he might have had some significant experience. You felt inadequate all of a sudden, the insecurity bubbled in your chest, but you thought Hawks was better that that. ‘What do I know?’ You thought, bitterly. ‘I want to know him, but he barely tells me anything.’

You had almost revealed your entire story to him. Of how you came from a kendo practicing family. Of how you were quirkless like your father, of how you spent more time training because you were insecure of never having a quirk. 

You let out a breath when you realized that you had overshared because you didn’t know what the right amount of sharing was. Suddenly, the door to your balcony opened, and Hawks walked in—a bit battered up, and your eyes widened when he waved and grinned at you.

     “There’s a front door...” You said, your eyes fixed on his form.

     “Ah, yes, but the balcony was closer, dove.”

Hawks noticed how you were almost in awe upon seeing him, but he knew you missed him. His heart constricted abnormally at the thought, but he swallowed and waited for you to approach him. You threw your hands around him and hugged him, breathing into his grimy texture. You had missed him.

     “Let me clean you up.” You whispered, and you knew he’d let you.

Hawks’ gaze was fixed on you as you cleaned his wounds. A smile sat on his lips as he carefully observed your every feature. Your hair was tied at the tip, forming a dolphin tailed split at the end, and your eyes were focused on cleaning his wounds. 

     “You missed me, didn’t you?”

     “I did...” 

Hawks couldn’t understand how you were so honest. It killed him that he couldn’t be the same. He believed you were the type to merely put up a tough exterior and be shy on the inside, but you were honest—unafraid to show your emotions to people. It was a trait he admired, and deeply envied.

Suddenly, Hawks grabbed your wrist before pulling you toward him and kissing you squarely on the lips. Your eyes widened at the sudden gesture, but you had missed him, so you kissed back, softly at first—before feeling his intensity rush through you like osmosis. You were breathing heavily when he moved to attack your neck, biting and kissing you exactly where you wanted him to, your eyes closed to make sure you felt everything to the maximum. Hawks’ hands travelled down to your waist before pulling you to him, and then sitting you down on his lap. He held you like you were made of glass, but kissed you like his life depended on it.

A moment later, your hands fall on his shoulders and you pushed so lightly that you thought he wouldn’t notice. However, he stopped instantly, looking you in the eye, searching for any sign of discomfort.

But you were looking at him with such a heavy blush on your face that he thought he could quite literally just die. You were so beautiful, the image haunted him. 

     “I...” 

‘Do you want me to stop?’ He thought, waiting for you to say something.

     “I haven’t done it with anyone before.” You whispered, avoiding his gaze.

Hawks’ eyes widened animatedly. A rush jolted through his body and all Hawks wanted was to be gentle with you that night. Softly, he pulled you close and your foreheads touched, and he smiled so warmly that you felt your heart could burst.

     “Relax, little bird,” He whispered, before laying you down beside him gently. “And tell me if you’re sure.”

You didn’t know. But, he was hovering over you right then and was smiling at you—his attention undivided. You would be lying if you said you weren’t aroused, you would be lying if you said you didn’t want him. And the way he was looking at you right then, it left you more certain than unsure.

Your hands move to tug at his shirt, and Hawks let out a breathy chuckle.

     “Don’t force yourself just because we’re in this situation, alright? I’m a horny bird, I can practically just push this to another—”

In one clean sweep, you put your hands around his neck and pulled him toward you, kissing him on the lips to shut him up. His eyes widened and he kissed back, chuckling against your lips. 

     “I’ll be gentle, dove.” 

And he was. Every time Hawks touched you that night, you felt like you were melting into him. They were right about carnal desires being an effortless display of human affection to the maximum, but Hawks put in a lot of effort right then to ensure you were comfortable. Your bodies pushed and pulled against each other that night, shadows dancing on the wall, and everything he did, he did for you.

You collapsed to sleep instantly, against Hawks’ form, and he watched you intently. You cuddled to his left side, almost as if you were used to his warmth. Hawks felt uneasy, but he didn’t let it show. Just for that night, Hawks would love you openly. Just for that night, he won’t run—he held you against him, cuddling you to his chest, your face nestled at the crook of his neck. He felt the back of his eyelids burn at how comfortable he was right then, and how much his heart was telling him that he didn’t deserve any of this.

He kissed your forehead before feeling tears fill his eyes, but he was a master at blinking them away. He held you tight that night, because he believed it would be the last time.

Suddenly, he was afraid. He was afraid of loving you and losing you—he was afraid that his path would ultimately leave him alone, and after having a taste of you, Hawks’ feared being alone more than anything else.

Which was why, the following evening, Hawks broke things off with you via a vague text message.

*

A loud crash sounded from the first floor, and he didn’t waste time in rushing over to it. Hawks couldn’t think of anything but you, and his heart was rummaging against his chest. Rushing into the studio, he spotted you—above the said villain, your kendo sword pushed to his neck. Your knee was in between his legs, pinning him to the ground.

You look up to spot Hawks, gawking at what you were doing, and you yelled, “He was lying about his quirk! Get the students!”

He didn’t waste time before quickly grabbing a few of the students and bringing them down, it took him literally just two trips to get them all down. However, a moment later, you were on the ground, the villain had grabbed your hand—which emitted a rather strange light, clearly burning you through your uniform. You winced, right before Hawks pinned him down using his feathers. You ran downstairs, and Hawks apprehended the assailant. The villain’s quirk was sunburn, and he assumed that was what the burn was against your skin. He turned around and spotted you speaking to your students, worry plastered all over your features.

His heart tugged at how strong you were right then. 

He almost forgot he was looking at you until you turned and looked at him. Your eyes widen for a second before a soft blush came across your cheeks, and you turned away, a nasty frown on your face. Hawks could literally feel his heart squeeze at the action, but it was entirely his fault. Letting out a breath, he knew he had to get out of there, but froze when he heard your voice from behind him.

     “Thank you,” You were looking at him, the blush evident on your cheeks, “For saving me, and the students.”

He couldn’t believe you. His heart is practically breaking at how honest you were, at how pure you were—and he quite honestly knew right then that he didn’t even deserve to be standing in front of you. He notices your lower lip was quivering, which meant that you wanted to say something more but you were forcing yourself not to. 

     “(y/n)-chan,” He said, “I...”

You waited, your eyes were eagerly waiting for him to say something—anything that could quell the distance between you. 

But when he looked away, your eyes widened at how he just gave up. You bit your lower lip before nodding once and turning to walk away, pausing for just a moment. Hawks notices the burn through your arm, the one the villain had given you, and he instinctively goes to touch it, but you pulled away. 

     “Takami Keigo.” Hawks froze.

     “What... did you say?”

You look at him like he was an idiot. 

     “You told me your name that night.”

He does not remember doing that. Hawks could swear he never mentioned it—but a faint memory plays in the back of his mind and he wondered if it was a dream or if it had actually happened; turns out it did.

*

Hawks kissed your forehead for the thousandth time that night, unable to stop touching you. Sure, the two of you had done the deed, but Hawks was more touchy than he usually was. 

     “I’m sure you’ve wondered,” Keigo says in almost a whisper, “My name is Takami Keigo.”

     “Takami... Keigo...” You repeated, deep in the confines of sleep.

Keigo chuckled before pulling you closer, leaning toward you, feeling tears sting his eye again.

     “Fuck,” He breathes in, “You terrify me.”

You don’t stir. Keigo was quite positive that you were asleep. 

     “When I’m with you, I’m practically afraid all the damn time. Because... you can literally die because of me and I might not be able to help.”

*

You frown at him as shock plasters all over his face.

     “You’re bound to be afraid all the time if you don’t tell me anything,”

Hawks looked at you like you were a godsend.

     “And honestly,” you folded your arms, blinking away the tears stubbornly, “The fact that you think I’ll just up and die is so insulting. I’m strong, you know?”

When Keigo laughed right then, you turn to him with a surprised expression. You wanted to yell at him, but you were aware of his reservations. You were also aware of how he looked at you when he believed you weren’t looking. You were awake when he believed you were sleeping. You could see him blink away tears before he notices you looking, and it did quite a number on you.

Your expression softens, “You don’t have to be scared...” 

In an instant, Hawks embraces you—right in public, your eyes widening at his sudden gesture. You gasp before trying to push him away, but he wouldn’t budge. He breathed into your hair as if he finally found life again, and his grip merely just tightened.

     “You’re embarrassing me! Hawks-san!”

He didn’t care. Hawks smiled widely as his wings wrapped around you as well, caging you to him. Your hands are at his side and you’re beating him playfully, but he doesn’t care. All he could sense was you.

     “S-Stop! Hawks-san!”

He laughs out loud, feeling like it was the first time he was laughing. 

     “I love you so fucking much, little bird.” His voice broke at the end and you stopped.

Slowly, you hug him back, gripping the back of his jacket.

     “I love you too, dumb bird.”

[juviin]

Here’s literally all the rosie lore. 

(template 1) (template 2)

Name: Rosemary Nare Etana Alias: Ro, Rose, Rosie Personality: Rosemary is very open about her emotions. She takes a while to warm up to people, but when she does, she loves people very strongly. Relatives: Father (estranged), Mother (deceased), 4 older siblings, 2 younger siblings. Status: Alive Species: Human Gender: cis female Age: 19 Eyes: Gold Hair: Pink Appearance: Rosemary is 5′5 and has short pink hair. She has two scars, one along her back and one on her lower right abdomen. She also has a tattoo on her calf of a lily. Birthday: July 30th Constellation: Leo Height: 5′5″ or 165 cm Blood Type: O Occupation: Magic Knight -Squad: Black Bulls Country: Clover Affinity: Lava Magic (On a scale of 0-10: 0 being terrible and 10 being the best) Physical Strength 5/10 Magic Amount 7/10 Magic Control 9/10 Magic Sensing 6/10 Cleverness 9/10 Growth 8/10 Equipment: none

(this next one is all in first person which i am NOT used to writing in but...)

Part 1: The Basics

What is your full name?--Rosemary Nare Etana

Where and when were you born?--I was born on July 30th in a large city in the Common Realm, however we moved to a small town shortly after I was born.

Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)--

Lily Etana was my mother’s name. She worked several jobs while raising us, like waitressing and being a maid. She was very kind too, but a lot of people took advantage of her for that. I guess that’s why Val and I have taken to being aggressive about how we feel, and aggressive in sticking up for her. When I was 12, an assassin killed her and gave me the scar across my back. I’m sure he was sent by my grandparents, but they played the fool and even sent an advisor to her funeral. Since then, that advisor has scheduled meetings with me monthly to make sure I haven’t told anyone.

My father’s name is Andranik Typhos the fourth? something like that, but I don’t know very much about him. I know he’s a noble, but I’ve never met him. I don’t hear that many complaints about him, and Mother says he was a wonderful gentleman, but I’ve met his parents, and I find it hard to believe that they would raise a lovely son.

Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?--I have four! On my mom’s side, at least.

Valerian is the oldest. He’s sixteen years older than me, so he’s a lot more mature than me, and very protective of us younger siblings. He has three kids, too, and his wife is Eli’s cousin. They have been married since I was only three, so she’s been in our lives forever. The two of them basically became my parents after our mother died, so I couldn’t be more grateful to them.

Then is Dahlia. Dahlia is 12 years older than me. She’s very calm, and there have been more than a few times where Valerian has been freaking out and Dahlia always keeps her cool and fixes the problem. She’s the best at makeup.

Basil is in the direct middle, and they’re 9 years older than me. They are very energetic and mischievous. I don’t think Basil wants a spouse, but they’re very dedicated to their craft. I blame them for the multiple scams of my father’s estate, but who’s complaining? Basil also has a scar along  their right cheek, running from their nose to their chin

Azalea is the closest to my age, she’s 25. She’s a lot like our mom. She treats everyone with kindness, but I worry about people taking advantage of her for that.

Also, I know that my father has two children younger than me with his wife, but I’ve never met them and I probably never will.

Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.--I live with the Black Bulls! The base is really crazy and always changing, but there’s always something going on, so everyday is fun.

What is your occupation?--I’m a Magic Knight, but I have also worked some other jobs in the past.

Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks--I’m 5′5, and around 150lbs. My skin is pale, so I tend to burn very easily, and my eyes are yellow and my hair is pink. I like to wear warm colors and clothes that aren’t very tight, as well as boots. I have two large scars, one is about three inches and is a slash along my stomach, while the other one is about eight inches long and runs across my upper back, both from assassination attempts. I try to hide both of them. I also have one tattoo on my lower calf, so it’s usually covered.

To which social class do you belong?--I believe I’m considered a commoner. I likely wouldn’t be considered a noble unless something happened to my father’s legitimate children, though I have no interest in being taken in by his family. 

Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?—I get nosebleeds often because of an injury when i was younger. 

Are you right- or left-handed?—right handed

What does your voice sound like?—If I had to describe it, I’d say it’s medium in pitch and kind of airy. 

What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?--nothing particularly?

What do you have in your pockets?—um. a handful of flowers, a pocket watch, and assorted candies. 

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?—I sometimes bite my nails. 

Part 2: Growing Up

How would you describe your childhood in general?--Average for the most part, I’d say. I had a loving mother and 4 great siblings. Still, my mother’s death hit all of us very hard.

What is your earliest memory?--Sadly, my first assassination attempt. That one was when I was around five and it was sent by my father’s family. It gave me the scar on my stomach, and also gave Basil the scar on their face from them protecting me.

How much schooling have you had?--I went to the small schoolhouse in town up until I was 12, and then I started going less so I could work more. 

Did you enjoy school?--I enjoyed learning, but I’ve found that I learn more outside of school.

Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?--I learned basic first aid and how to identify certain plants and herbs from my siblings. I mostly learned battle from experience and assassins.

While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.—my siblings, especially Basil

While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?--We all got along very well as kids, though they were all a lot older than me so that did strain our relationships a bit, especially as the youngest.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?--As a child I wanted to work in medicine, even though my magic is ill suited for it. I only decided that I wanted to become a Magic Knight after my mother’s death.

As a child, what were your favorite activities?—i used to love helping my mother garden. 

As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?--I cried a lot more than I do now. I was always scared, as I knew from a young age that my father’s parents wanted me dead.

As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?--My only friend was really Eli, but she hung out with all the kids from town, so i vaguely knew them.

When and with whom was your first kiss?--also Eli, when we were about 12 and 13.

Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?--I’m not. After Eli left town I kind of lost myself for the next two years until I became a knight. 

Part 3: Past Influences

What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?--My mother's death perhaps?

Who has had the most influence on you?--Eli. I think if not for her, I would be a very different person.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?--The amount of nobles I’ve insulted to their faces on official magic knight business.

What is your greatest regret?--being born.

What is the most evil thing you have ever done?--I don’t think I’ve ever done anything “evil”, only some malicious things, but I don’t regret them.

Do you have a criminal record of any kind?--No, but I probably should for extortion.

When was the time you were the most frightened?--The first attempt on my life.

What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?--My elder brother catching me lying about my profession. 

If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?—i would be stronger. 

What is your best memory?—probably the first few months with the black bulls. It was genuine happiness for the first time in a while. 

What is your worst memory?—the aftermath of my mother’s death. I don’t remember the actual event, some mix of trauma and head injuries, but I do remember the weeks following. 

Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions

Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?—i think i’m more pessimistic, but i'm trying to be an optimist. 

What is your greatest fear?--My greatest fear is once again being too weak to protect the people that I love. 

What are your religious views?--I’m not religious.

What are your political views?--I think that the Clover Kingdom’s nobility is corrupt, and the whole system needs to be fixed.

What are your views on sex?--I think nothing much of it. 

Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?--I think I’m a hypocrite on this. I think killing is unacceptable, but I wouldn’t hesitate to kill the people that harm the ones I love. 

In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?--In my opinion, the most evil thing one can do is to habitually hurt and abuse others.

Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?--No. I don’t think that anything like that is real.

What do you believe makes a successful life?--I think that money plays a large part of success. 

How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?--Very open. My emotions are very easily read.

Do you have any biases or prejudices?--Yeah i hate nobles. 

Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?--I try to stay out of the public eye as best I can. I also refuse to do jobs near my grandparents’ home. 

Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?--Finral or Eli. I’d do anything for them.

Part 5: Relationships With Others

In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?—I try to keep people at a distance, but when I become close to someone, they become one of my People. I’d do anything for the people I’m close to. 

Who is the most important person in your life, and why?--Right now, it’s probably Eli or Finral. They’ve positively affected me in more ways than I can count.

Who is the person you respect the most, and why?—Captain Yami is the person I respect the most. Joining the Black Bulls changed my life so much for the better, and I’m so grateful that he gave me that opportunity.

Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people—Eli is my best friend. She’s loud and always smiling, but I worry about her. I’m also pretty close to Magna.  He’s a great friend and brings out my mischievous side more. 

Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.--Finral is great. He’s a little goofy, but he is very loyal and loving. 

Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.--I think I’m in love right now. 

How close are you to your family?--I’m very close to my older siblings.

Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?--No. I think I’d like to at some point be a mother, but not for a while longer. 

Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?--I think I would find it hard to turn to anyone, but if I was so desperate, probably Eli or Magna. I’m too afraid to show Finral my weakness. 

Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?--No. I need to be strong enough to protect myself. 

If you died or went missing, who would miss you?--I think that the bulls would. 

Who is the person you despise the most, and why?--My father. My mother spoke kindly of him, but he abandoned her. 

Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?--I argue more.

Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?—depends who I'm with, but I’m more likely to take a leadership role.

Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?—I’d prefer a smaller group, personally, but i’m not bad with large groups. 

Do you care what others think of you?—yes. immensely 

Part 6: Likes And Dislikes

What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?--I enjoy reading romance novels, and spending time in nature. Flower fields remind me of home and give me comfort. 

What is your most treasured possession?—my pocket watch. my mother gave it to me, since it was a gift to her from my father. 

What is your favorite color?—i like warm pale yellow

What is your favorite food?—I like crepes!

What, if anything, do you like to read?—I like to read romance. 

What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?--I enjoy reading. On days off, I often spend hours at a time sitting outside and reading.

Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?—I generally don’t, but I will drink sometimes. I probably drink an average amount. 

How do you spend a typical Saturday night?—generally hanging around the Bulls hideout. If I have a day off I often go visit home to see my mother’s grave and give her flowers. 

What makes you laugh?—My squadmates! I’ve been told my sense of humor is bad..

What, if anything, shocks or offends you?--I hate the prejudices of the Clover nobles.

What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?—When that happens (because it has before) I will usually walk around the base, sometimes I eat a snack. I also like to head outside and look at the stars when I can’t sleep. 

How do you deal with stress?—I will usually end up letting it out, whether emotionally or magically. I don't like to bottle things up. 

Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?—I prefer having a plan. 

What are your pet peeves?—people talking over others. 

Part 7: Self Images And Etc.

Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?--I wake up at about 7 every morning, and get ready for the day. If I have a mission, I’ll leave for it early. On days I don’t have a mission, I will either go visit my mother’s grave or go see my grandparents or their advisor.

What is your greatest strength as a person?--I’d say my strength is supporting people. And also throwing lava. 

What is your greatest weakness?--I lie a bit too much, and I am a bit indifferent towards people I don’t care about.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?--I would want to be more caring. 

Are you generally introverted or extroverted?--I’d say introvert.

Are you generally organized or messy?--Organized. I don’t like disorder.

Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.--I’m good at lying, cleaning, and fighting. I’m bad at controlling my emotions, sewing, and cooking.

Do you like yourself?--No, I really don’t. 

What are your reasons for being a magic knight*? Are your real reasons for doing this different than the ones you tell people in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons…)--I am a magic knight because I want to protect people. 

What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?--I want to heal from my past. 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?--I hope to still be a Magic Knight, and hopefully a higher rank.

If you could choose, how would you want to die?--I would want to die swiftly if I could choose.

If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.--I would try to isolate myself from the people I love, so that they wouldn’t have to deal with grief. I think I would generally be calm.

What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?--I want to be remembered for my strength. 

What three words best describe your personality?--open. loyal. decisive.

What three words would others probably use to describe you?--Rosie is loyal, smart, and loving!!-Eli

[eleanor-devil]

Boruto: Sacrifices [Remade] | Chap.10 - Hardest Battle

Written by: Eleanor-Devil & @mirage-05​​

Prologue | Chap.1 | Chap.2 | Chap.3 | Chap.4 | Chap.5 | Chap.6 | Chap.7 | Chap.8 | Chap.9 | Chap. 10 - You’re here

Checking on her daughter to make sure she was tucked in safely, Hinata’s eyes drifted back to the clock on the wall. Naruto was running late… Of course, that wouldn’t be the first time. The woman had adjusted to the life as the Hokage’s wife smoothly and without a complaint, she knew Naruto’s dedication to his duties and that was one of the many qualities she admired in the man she loved. And with the village still on high alert after the recent attack, she knew it was Naruto’s top priority to see the village to safety and peace once again before being able to rest properly. But it wasn’t very usual for him to call Boruto to his office at such a late hour. It was already past midnight… and something nagging at the back of her mind gave the woman a chilled feeling. She sighed and leaned down to gently caress Hima’s hair as the little girl mumbled and shivered in her sleep. And just then, there was a soft knock on the door. As quietly but quickly as she could, Hinata went down the stairs. She opened the door and came face to face with her husband. Or well… a clone of his. For her Byakugan induced eyesight, even when the dojutsu wasn’t activated, it was a very clear distinction. “Naruto…” she whispered, concern and apprehension in her voice, especially because she noticed the grave look on his face. “Hinata-san…” Ironically, the clones would always address her with honorifics, although it was a little awkward for the young woman. “Naruto-san will not be able to come home tonight. There has been another attack.”

The woman’s heart skipped a beat. “Is it… bad…?” she managed to ask, her mind immediately snapping to her son. “No, it has already been thwarted, but…” Naruto’s voice faded away as he had to look away for a minute. “But… something unfortunate has happened.” “Naruto…” Hinata was almost hesitant to ask. “Boruto’s friend, Mitsuki… he was attacked by the assailants. He was taken to the hospital, and both Naruto-san and Boruto are with him now.” The woman’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes widening. Shock was still the dominant expression on her features when she was eventually able to lower her hands a minute later. “A-and how is Mitsuki-kun…?” Naruto sighed. “We don’t know all the details yet but… I’m afraid it doesn’t look very good. We will keep you updated.” Not able to say anything more, Hinata just nodded, and had to lean against the door sill as the clone disappeared in a puff. … The first thing Shikadai noticed as he was heading to the border for his patrol duty was that there was an abnormal activity in the village for this late hour. The jounins were rushing everywhere, apparently in a big hurry, and whispers… there was a great deal of whispering going around. And although he didn’t stop to listen to most of them because duty was awaiting, the young Nara caught some words… “new attack”... “genin”... Just what was going on…? Well… surely he would find out when he reached his post. He had always viewed these late-night patrols as a kind of a drag, but now he was feeling anxious, restless… At first, it didn’t seem like anyone was going to pay attention to him when he arrived at the border. It had been almost a solid minute before he finally came across a familiar face. “Mirai!” The young woman strode over to him, looking a bit distraught and… very confused. “Shikadai… what are you doing here?” “Uuugh… I have the next shift...” “Oh…” This fact, for some reason, seemed to be an inconvenience to the Sarutobi. “Look… the circumstances have changed. You are no longer on patrol duty.” “What? But…” Now he was more alert and anxious than ever. “Mirai, just… what’s going on? I heard something about a new attack…” A pensive look settled in Mirai’s red eyes. “Yes… there has been an attack not even an hour ago. It was thwarted, but…” She didn’t continue for a moment. Shikadai’s eyes widened. “The genin…” The woman sighed. “I don’t know all the details… Only that… apparently Konohamaru-nii-san’s team got involved and now they’re in the hospital. I don’t know which one of them got hurt.” She might not, but with a sinking feeling in his stomach, Shikadai realized he probably had a good idea who. After all, there was only one known hot-head in the team. Mirai clamped a hand on his shoulder, giving him a small but gentle smile. “There’s nothing for you to do here now. Just go home and rest.” As she turned and walked away from him, the Nara muttered to himself. “Sure… I’ll do just that.” ... He had a bad feeling about this. He had just barely seen Kurama bringing in two men before a call came from the hospital, stating that 0 blood type was needed immediately. So, curious as he was, and being also someone that happened to have that blood type, he had rushed to the hospital. To put it mildly, there was total chaos going on. It took Kakashi a while to finally stop a nurse. "I came for the blood donation..." "Oh, Lord Sixth," a relieved look came over the nurse's face. "You are type O, right? Please, follow me." She brought him to a small room. Kakashi was too wired up to sit still. "What is the situation?" he asked as the needle pierced his skin. "The Hokage will come here to inform you in a second." the nurse said simply. Indeed, as soon as the nurse finished and rushed out with the blood bag, Naruto walked in. "I'm so glad you could come, Kakashi-sensei..." "What's going on, Naruto? I came as quickly as I can..." "Just in time, too. The surgery has only begun a few minutes ago, we needed immediate-" Before Naruto could finish, there was a ruckus outside. “Yamanaka Inojin, I thought we taught you better manners than to come barging in a hospital!” “But we came for the blood donation too!” “You don’t have the correct blood type, young man.” “These are our friends we are talking about!” Perplexed, the Hokage turned to the door of the room as six agitated-looking genins indeed pretty much barged in, followed closely by a strict and exasperated looking Ino. “Lord Seventh, forgive me, I did try to stop them.” Naruto nodded wordlessly to her. The kids, on the other hand, seemed to have totally forgotten about hospital rules in their panic, they all started talking at once. “Lord Seventh - I heard it on the news-” “And I spoke to the border guards-” “Where are Boruto, Sarada and Mitsuki?” “Are they okay?” As they paused for a minute to catch their breath, Kakashi leveled a gaze to his old student. “I’d say you owe an explanation to all of us.” Naruto sighed before conceding with a nod. “I will. Let’s just move out of here.” … “Boruto…” the young Uzumaki heard Sarada’s voice all of a sudden, which was the only thing that made him turn away from the doors that directed to the surgery room. He didn’t even have time to blink as two blurred green and purple shapes moved forward, and a second later he was being hugged tightly by Metal and Sumire. “You- you guys…” he managed to stammer as he felt a pang in his heart. “We heard about the attack…” Metal said sadly as they pulled back. “But I didn’t imagine it would be… damn…” Shikadai shook his head as he took in his best friend’s appearance, mainly… his blood-soaked shirt, that was something hard to miss… especially when said shirt used to be white and it was now massively tinted in dark red. “Lord Seventh told us what he could…” “Is Mitsuki-kun gonna be okay…?” Sumire asked in a tiny voice. “We… we don’t know…” Sarada stammered in a shaky voice, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. “Well, we didn’t come too long ago… All we know is… he left us a letter telling us he was leaving Konoha and-” “What?!” was the collective response they received from their friends, which resulted in a passing nurse shooting a disapproving look at the group and then hushing them. “What do you mean, leaving Konoha?” Inojin said at last, flabbergasted. “Yeah… that’s one thing he’s gonna have to answer to us for when he gets better…” Boruto’s voice faltered as he looked at the doors again, and his next word was almost inaudible. “If…” “Hey hey, what’s with the pessimistic attitude?” Chocho said, rubbing her best friend’s arm. “Mitsuki is strong, right?” “One of the best in our class,” Metal added with a kind smile. “There’s no way he will just give up like that, I won’t believe it!” Iwabe supported them firmly. They were finally able to bring a thin smile to the faces of the remaining members of Team Konohamaru. “Thanks guys…” Just then, Ino approached them. “I appreciate your concerns about your friends but you really can’t all stay in here, and there’s no point, we don’t know how long the surgery will take.” The kids definitely looked reluctant to leave, but there was nothing to it. One by one, they bid goodbye and started to leave but Shikadai didn’t move. “I will stay with you guys.” he said determinedly. ”I won’t be able to rest properly if I don’t know Mitsuki is okay.” … There was no news. Simple as that. It had been hours now and there was still nothing about Mitsuki's state and how the surgery was going. There had already been an exchange between the medics and they all looked exhausted, it was clear to the adults that the situation wasn't good... Naruto was trying to control himself from pacing around the halls, it would only put the kids nervous, and right now they were calm, smiling softly at something they were watching on Boruto's phone, they did not need to have a nervous crisis because of him. So instead of pacing, he sighed... again. He looked sideways at Orochimaru, who... hadn't changed his position much or at all since his son had been taken down the hall, standing at the very same spot, not having even moved an inch. His arms were crossed, his fingers tight. His eyes, hard and cold as steel, were glued to the surgery hall's doors. Minutes ticked away, slowly, agonizingly turning into another half an hour... 'Please...' Naruto thought, closing his eyes for a minute. 'Please help him... Please let this turn out alright...' The doors of the hall opened and everyone's eyes turned to it but no sight of Mitsuki in his bed. Instead who came out was one of the medics. He didn't look exhausted but he seemed close to it, so Naruto guessed it was yet another shift. But instead, the medic stopped close to him before bowing. "Lord Hokage..." he started. His heart skipped a beat and he tried his hardest to not think of every single thing that could have gone wrong inside that surgery room. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Ino and Kiba moving a little closer to the kids, while Sasuke, Konohamaru and Kakashi moved closer to him and the medic. The Hokage gulped once, and although keeping the calm tone to it, his whisper came out a little strained. "How is he holding up?" The medic sighed through the mask. "He lost a lot of blood but thanks to the donation he is stable. The surgery is still going but it's very complicated. His heart was damaged by the lightning, I'm afraid that will leave a scar but..." He stopped for a moment before he continued. "...but that will be the least of his problems if he... if he survives..." 'If...?' The hollow word echoed in the man's mind, leaving behind horror and a terrible sadness...  He slowly raised his hand to grab the front of his cloak, where his heart is. It felt like he couldn't hold it in place... "What... what do you mean, the least of his problems...?" The medic sighed again before looking back at the Hokage. "Lord Seventh... if the boy survives this... it will be a miracle if he doesn't get a heart condition after that lightning trauma he suffered to his chest... all in all I’m afraid to say that his heart might become very weak." The silence the medic's words left behind was... deafening. A lump had formed in his throat, and trying to gulp it down, Naruto felt a lone tear making its way down his cheek. "Excuse me... I need to go back." "Thank you..." he managed to whisper. Please... please bring the child back to us, safe and sound, he wanted to add... But words simply didn't form… “I just don’t get it…” Konohamaru muttered, his hands pushing hair out of his eyes, although the motion looked more like he was pulling his hair out. “Mitsuki wouldn’t just barge in battle without fully assessing his enemy, he knows better… And lightning is his second main chakra nature, he never once lost a battle that way…” "You said that he sent a distress message to you?" Kakashi intervened. "Yes..." Something then clicked on the Hokage's mind, and he turned to look at his former sensei. "You think he heard something he shouldn't and had to defend himself when he was attacked?" "Well, that would be my best guess. Or he tried to turn back and warn the guards, and that was when those ninjas found him." The older man's tone was disgusted. "It's something we will know once the interrogations are over." "Heartless cowards," Konohamaru growled, so mad that he was shaking. "So they thought it was easier to go all out against a child... Didn't even have the courage to face stronger ninjas..." Silence once again reigned over them as they returned to their torturous wait. Sasuke glanced over his friend for a brief second, then walked over to him. "Naruto..." he said silently, apparently only for him to hear. "Maybe it's not the time for this but... We should also consider the possibility that the boy could have some connection with those ninjas." The Hokage's head immediately snapped to him, a confused look on his expression. "What is that even supposed to mean?" "You know what I mean. Maybe this was not a coincidental attack." Naruto's eyes hardened, so much so that they looked like two dark storm clouds. "You are right. This is not the time, nor the place." "We can't just disregard this. For just one time, use your head. With Orochimaru here-" "That's enough." the blond cut in, and his tone was so sharp and unrelenting that Sasuke had to close his mouth, only with a slight frown on his face. "There is a child in there, the same age as our children, fighting for his life. Put your heart in it for once, and just pray." They didn't say anything more to each other after that. Naruto glanced once again at the Sannin, who had not moved, at all. Realizing that he had to tell him about what they had learned, the Hokage took a deep breath, gathering his courage, and approached the older man, Sasuke right behind him. "Do not waste your breath." the man practically spat out of his teeth. "I heard all of it." "Orochimaru..." Naruto tried to start, but he was cut into yet again. "So you all think that my son is somehow related to those ninjas?" the man continued, and the blond had to gulp, not knowing what to say. "Be glad... be glad that my son tried to protect your worthless lives even when he was barely clinging to life, because if I had not promised him... We would not be having this conversation right now." The Hokage closed his mouth in a tight line when those words left the Sannin's mouth. He didn't know what promise Orochimaru had made to his son but he was clearly holding on to it... "What... promise?" he dared to ask. "A promise to not crush this village. He seemed to think this was not your fault... Although I fail to see why." The Sannin's voice was almost emotionless until this point, but the hint of a dangerous threat etched its way to his tone as he spoke next. "Just know this... My promise is only ever valid if Mitsuki makes it out of there... So you better start praying that he keeps holding on." he finished in a low, venomous hiss, his eyes moving to Sasuke for a fraction of a second. Naruto felt another lump in his throat but didn't look away... Instead he looked into the Sannin's cold golden eyes. "That is not the only reason why I am praying." The Sannin just kept glaring at him with those icy eyes, unimpressed. After a moment of assessing the Hokage, he finally spoke again. "Tell me one thing. Why... did Mitsuki decide to leave Konoha in the first place?" Naruto didn't know what to say... the situation was already bad enough as it was, with Orochimaru threatening to end Konoha if Mitsuki didn't survive... What would he do when he found out about the harassments...? But... he couldn't hide it either... better tell the truth now. Sighing, he looked down. "Three days ago... there was an attack in Konoha's orphanage. Everything pointed that it had been you behind the attack and... Mitsuki suffered the consequences of that. Because he is your child..." And just like that, Orochimaru felt his careful control slipping, albeit only a little, and managed to control the shaking of his hands, of anger. "So that was your idea of peace...? I thought Konoha had become a better place... Yet my son had to suffer the aftermath of an attack - which I have not even heard of, mind you." He was silent for a moment, and then squinted. "What kind of consequences?" he demanded, a dangerous tone audible in his whisper. This caught Naruto's attention. He knew that the Sannin, from years of experience, would praise an attack if he had been the one behind it but... that wasn't the case now. "You mean you weren't behind the attack...?" "I guarantee you, if it was indeed me behind the attack, I would not go into hiding like some coward," he hissed through his teeth. "I always play my cards on the table, if you did not notice that just a moment ago. What motive would I have to attack your village?" A venomous glint came into his eyes as he asked once again. "What kind of consequences?" Naruto gulped... No... he couldn't just go and say that the clans were the ones behind the harassments against Mitsuki, not when he was dealing with Orochimaru. "Children... that's all... they played some... pranks against Mitsuki." "Do you think... even for a minute... that I believe my son was driven out of the village because of some childish pranks...?" His anger and hatred were brewing deeper down. He hated being lied to - especially when he was doing the exact opposite. "Tell me the truth." What could he do…? Orochimaru was clearly losing his patience. But he was the Hokage and although the clans were at fault, he couldn't expose them like that "I..." he started. "The clans did it. They ordered harassments to be held against your son." A new voice joined the conversation and although Orochimaru just moved his eyes, Naruto turned his head completely in Sasuke's direction. "And they were done, by children." "Sasuke...!" Naruto hissed, low. The Uchiha eyed his friend with his usual calm look. "Those people are grown-ups, Naruto. They knew clearly what they were doing. If they had courage to do that then they also should have the guts to deal with the consequences." He eyed his former sensei once again. "Children, however, can be very easily manipulated into the best soldiers, they don't question, they don't think if it's right and they don't think of consequences." "Oh, there will be consequences, you can be sure of that. If Mitsuki doesn't survive... the clans won't survive to see another day. I guarantee you will suffer for all eternity." He silently added, 'Like I am now...' in his head, his mouth a thin, straight line. "The matter is already being taken care of..." said Naruto. "The clans are not going unpunished for what they did, I assure you of that." The Hokage then sighed, the matter from before suddenly returned to his mind. "I still don't understand...why they would attack him... Kakashi-sensei theorizes that he might've heard something..." "He would not let rogue ninjas discover him...!" He had taught the child better than that... "But in any case, he should not have been there alone." His gaze once again drifted to the doors of the surgery hall. "Especially not tonight..." The last part did catch both Naruto's and Sasuke's attention. The Uchiha narrowed his eyes as he eyed the Sannin carefully. "What do you mean by 'especially not tonight'...?" "Ever since he was little... I noticed the moon has a powerful effect on Mitsuki." the older man began. "At nights with the full moon, he would always be full of energy, there were nights he would just stay up, training or doing other things that would normally wear people down. On new moons though... he would become so weak, sometimes even to the point of falling sick." He jerked his head to the window that was not too far from them. "What moon do you think tonight is?" Naruto's eyes widened as he recalled that in that night, before Mitsuki had come to say goodbye, he had casually looked up at the night sky and noticed there was no moon. "Crap..." he murmured. Sasuke was surprised for a moment but was quick to recover. "I see... does that influence his chances of survival as well...?" At Sasuke's question, the Sannin didn't bother to say anything, his only answer was the closing of his eyes and his fists tightening a little more. As the two stayed silent, it was clear that their talk was over. He had nothing more to say, anyway. He was already going through a plan to crush all those meddling clans... The deep silence was killing Naruto, pretty much all that could be heard in that hall right now was the sound coming from the video that Boruto and Sarada were watching on the cellphone. Sighing, the blond looked at Orochimaru before asking. "How...far does the moon affect Mitsuki...?" The Sannin sighed, nearly regretting having let this information at their disposal. "The child is affected by the full cycle of the moon, as per say. As I have said, when it is nearing the full moon, he is energetic, lively, he would be hard to handle. The waning moon has the opposite effect. He would mostly spend all the night in his room, sometimes not even coming out of the bed. I remember during one cycle he got really ill, Karin had to stay up all night..." Not a random choice for name at all, he thought, his mind was far away... If what Orochimaru was saying was the full truth then Mitsuki was extremely vulnerable and weak when the ninjas attacked... had he known that it was new moon night? Had he known he would be weak at that very moment? Naruto wanted answers... badly... "I have never heard of such a thing before... I wonder why it affects him." A humorless, cold smile came to his face. He glanced for a short while to the window again, before turning his gaze back to the door of the hall. "You are aware Mitsuki is not an ordinary human, are you not?" he said simply. Orochimaru was and always will be a full mystery that Naruto would never understand... even his current words had left him more confused than ever but... he did not dare to ask for the meaning of it because he was sure... that if Orochimaru wanted them to know, he would have let them know. … Shikadai looked up at the adults with a worried look on his face, he had caught up to a couple of words from the conversation, not the full length, but it was enough for him to get the scope of it… This was serious, Mitsuki’s condition was very serious… Thankfully, though, Boruto and Sarada didn’t seem to have heard it, they were focused on the videos and photos including Mitsuki on the blond’s phone, and Ino-san had been careful about diverting their attention too. Determined to keep things that way (because heaven only knew that they couldn’t handle a breakdown from the two right now), the Nara tried to force an uplifting tone in his voice. “Hey, Boruto, why don’t you show us the next photo?” Boruto smiled a bit at his friend before turning back to face his phone, he slid his finger across the screen to the next picture but actually found a video. At the beginning he couldn't remember well what that video was about but as the scenes started going, his smile widened, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Aren't there safer ways to go on ice?" came a voice, and by the closeness of it, it was clear that the speaking person was the one who was holding the camera. The voice was easily recognizable as Mitsuki's. "Oh come on, are you telling me that you're chickening out?" a figure suddenly skated into the frame, and they were all looking into the widely-grinning face of Boruto. "If you consider making sure I don't break a leg, an arm or even lose my teeth, chickening out then so be it." replied the voice to which the Boruto in the video rolled his eyes before moving a bit away from the camera. "Aw fine. At least make sure you get everything on record, because I'm planning to use my amazing skating skills to-" WHAM! Not exactly looking at where he was going while boosting, Boruto had skated, turned around in what was supposed to be a graceful twist... and had slammed right into a huge trunk of a tree. Needless to say, Mitsuki's chuckles soon echoed through the whole video sound and it was clear that he was trying to calm himself down as the camera moved closer to Boruto and he tried to speak in between laughs. "Are you okay?" "It's not funny," the pout Boruto pulled off was so... cute and funny that in a moment, more laughter could be heard, while those who were watching the video just smiled brokenly. "Delete this, will you?" "Oooh no," Mitsuki said with a chuckle. "This, I'm definitely keeping." "No, come on man!" All that the camera was filming right now was the greyish winter sky, meaning that Mitsuki must have raised it really high so Boruto couldn't reach it. "Give it back, Mitsuki! That's so uncool!" "Nuh-uh," that was all that he got for an answer. As the only sounds after that were heard, which were the two boys horsing around and finally falling back on the ice, the video came to an end. Boruto was now gazing at the screen with slightly teary eyes, a small, fond smile on his face. "I never thought I would be glad he kept this..." he mused, then gulped. He had forgotten about the video altogether... Ino didn’t know what more comforting words to offer, it didn’t seem like anything she could say reached these two right now, so… out of her motherly instinct, she just reached out and held the blond in her arms. ... It had felt like ages... When he finally heard the doors of the surgery hall open and a general shuffling as everyone gathered, Boruto practically jumped to his feet, and the phone slid from his fingers, hitting the ground with a thud. Slowly, the stretcher on which his best friend was lying was pushed out, followed by the nurses and medics and finally Sakura and Tsunade, all of them looked very tired. It wasn't like the blond could notice anyone but his best friend right then, though. Mitsuki looked... almost peaceful, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. He could've easily been just sleeping, if not for the fact that his skin was even paler than usual, and he was covered in bandages, everywhere... His friend never seemed younger to him then he did right now. "Please, give us some space." one of the nurses urged, and Boruto noticed pretty much everyone had gathered around the stretcher. The adults drew back slightly, but Boruto, Sarada and Shikadai remained by Mitsuki's side as he was brought to his room. The Nara, for once in his life, seemed to be at a loss of words. They watched in silence as the staff connected their friend to some machines, including an oxygen supply and the heart monitor, filling the room with steady rhythms in a second. Sarada brought her hands to her mouth, trying to hold back her sobs. As Sakura and Tsunade came out after the nurses, the three approached them. "Mama, can we... go inside?" Sarada asked in a tiny voice. Sakura sighed and thought about it. "Only for a little while," she said finally. "He needs his rest." The children quickly nodded as they immediately walked inside the room. In less than a second, they were by Mitsuki's side. Boruto and Sarada grabbed his hands and squeezed them a little, not too tight of course... “Dammit, Mitsuki…” Shikadai mumbled with a catch in his voice. “How did you even get into this…?” "He’s an idiot, that’s how..." Boruto said in a whisper as he looked at his friend, biting his lip. "...do you have any idea of how much you scared us...?" Sarada sighed, Boruto was right, but if Mitsuki was hearing them, as some people claimed that while sleeping people could still hear the others on the outside… that sure wouldn't cheer him up. "He is right but… don't listen to him now..." She smiled softly. "You're going to be okay now and that's what matters..." The adults had gathered in front of the room, silently gazing inside, relieved that the kid had made it through the surgery even with such serious injuries. Konohamaru felt pride filling his heart, trying to drown the sorrow inside, as he looked at his students. "He is going to be alright..." he mumbled, more to himself than anyone really. "He sure is..." said Naruto softly. It was apparent in his features... he was grateful to God for having listened to their prayers. The Sannin was trying his hardest to keep his emotions at bay as he watched his son fighting for his life. He had always been the fighter, the strongest... His warrior spirit had not failed this time, either. He realized that he was proud... and glad - really glad that the child still carried that stubbornness... It seemed like they had been there forever, with the adults carefully watching over them, and medics dropping in every now and then to check. The three kids remained at the boy's side, talking to him... in hopes that he would soon wake up and... do something to cheer them all up. After what felt like an eternity, Boruto noticed a movement out of the corner of his eyes. "Mitsuki...?" he whispered unbelievably, as the blue-haired boy's fingers twitched once again. Sarada raised her head and looked at Mitsuki in amazement as his eyelashes fluttered slowly, his eyes opening a crack. Both of the kids gasped then, and a tearful smile made its way on the girl's face. "Mitsuki..." she whispered happily. It took a while for the blue haired boy to understand his surroundings. Where was he...? What had happened? Why did his body feel so... weak and numb...? But slowly the images of what had happened flashed in his head... the attack, the rogue ninjas... his father's arms... Mitsuki closed his eyes back for a moment before opening them again. "Bo... ruto...?" he whispered. "Sar... Sarada...?" He still couldn't make out the figures in front of him, but the blonde and black hairs seemed unmistakable… and another one… was that Shikadai…? His throat suddenly feeling parched, Mitsuki tried to gulp, but everything seemed to hurt now... Boruto was so relieved that he actually laughed - it was a broken laugh if anything, but a laugh nonetheless. "That's right, we're right here," he said, hastily wiping at his eyes to prevent the few tears from falling. "You are where you truly belong," Sarada mused in a broken voice, giving a gentle squeeze to Mitsuki's hand. Mitsuki couldn't help but return the smile with an equally broken, weak one. “Just take it easy, you’re going to be alright…” It wasn’t usual to see the always well-composed Shikadai like this, but now he looked quite shaken indeed. Mitsuki moved his golden eyes slowly to where Boruto was but looked past him, to the people outside of the room staring at him. "He is awake," he heard one of them say, though he couldn't make out who. Konohamaru had moved closer to the glass panel, a huge weight lifted from his heart as he saw his youngest student's eyes turning towards them, and couldn't help but smile himself as the general mood around him lightened with the child's awakening. "Well done kiddo... I knew you would make it..." he whispered. The boy felt his eyes burn slightly. He felt content... everyone in here was safe and sound. He had done it right... He tried to say something but no words came out. He felt his heart tug. Something... didn't feel right about this. He felt his body growing numb and cold with each passing second, so much that he had begun shaking a little. His heart was thumping loudly in his chest, he could feel each pound... but they were getting slower... 'Was this how it was supposed to be...?' he wondered. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, this time slower. Somehow... he felt this was just right, and that he... was actually ready. He gently pulled his hand out of Boruto's, reaching for something that was covering his mouth and nose. He didn't know how much strength he had left... He needed his friends to hear him... Boruto panicked a bit when he saw his friend reach for the oxygen mask. He couldn't take it off yet! He still needed it! The blond was quick to put his hand over Mitsuki's again. "Hey, easy there man. You can't take it off yet..." Sarada felt something was off, the look in Mitsuki's pale golden eyes was strange... Something wasn't right, they were so... empty, nothing like the gaze she was used to from him. Mitsuki felt a tremor shaking his body as his heart tried to do its job against all odds, even if for a few prolonged seconds. He slowly tried to raise his other hand but pain shot through it immediately. Seeing that he crumpled his face because of it, Sarada held on to his hand more tightly. With the last bit of his strength, Mitsuki gave his friends' hands a weak squeeze. "Thank you..." he whispered, and his eyes moved to Shikadai as he heard something in that steady noise change. "...for being my friends..." "What... nonsense are you talking about?" said Boruto, a worried frown crossing his features. "Why are you thanking us?" Shikadai felt his heart starting to race as his eyes widened, something was definitely wrong about this! He had been to hospitals before, he was sure he never heard the machines going haywire like this! “I-I’m going to call the medics!” he stammered to no one in particular, his friends’ attention wasn't on him. "Mi... Mitsuki..." Sarada whispered, a mix of emotions replacing her relieved one slowly as she got up from where she sat, watching the boy's chest moving slower - this was definitely not right! Her head whipped to the heart monitor as the pace picked up. Boruto didn't really know what these all meant, but their reaction gave him chills. "Mitsuki!" he shouted, holding on to his friend's hand, but the blue haired boy had lost his grip. "No, no... stay with us!!" This was more like a scream, and the blond felt himself losing his grip. "Fight it, stay with us!!!" "Boruto..." Even through all the sounds of the machines and the ringing in his ear as a reminiscent of his yelling, Boruto heard his friend's voice, and his own heart skipped a beat. "I'm sorry..." Mitsuki's hand slipped from his grasp and fell onto the mattress, just as the blond watched in horror his chest stopped moving altogether. An ear-piercing cry filled the room, breaking harshly into the deafening silence. … Shikadai froze, face-to-face with the adults as he heard the sound, their expressions a reflection of what he was suddenly feeling inside - a large, terrifying hollow, as if his stomach had dropped a couple of feet, leaving his body behind. Without even realizing what he was doing, the boy turned behind, his horrified gaze landing upon two of his best friends… trying to reach Mitsuki… He… was supposed to do something, he went out of this room for a reason, he was sure of it… but suddenly… he couldn’t remember what that was at all… ... Naruto had realized something was wrong the moment he had seen the kids start to panic, so he was ready to go get Sakura and Tsunade when Shikadai opened the door and came face-to-face with them. What he wasn’t at all prepared for was, though… His blood froze in his veins as his head quickly turned towards the boy in his bed, watching both his son and Sarada screaming for their friend. 'No, no, no...! You have to fight it!' This and many other frantic thoughts raced through the Hokage's mind as he stared in disbelief at what was happening... "Naruto!" Kakashi’s sharp voice woke him from his shock as he remembered what he had to do. He ran as fast as he could towards Sakura's office. He didn't even knock, he just abruptly pushed the door open. "Sakura-chan, Granny Tsunade! You have to come now!" Just the way he entered the room and the pure horror on Naruto's face left no need for further explanation as Sakura and Tsunade both practically ran out of the room, a few of the nurses also on their heels. Tsunade reached for her com to announce code blue and the room number, and Sakura, hearing the shrill cry of the heart machine, upped her pace. ... The little, blue-haired child was completely alone in the darkness... Well, that wasn't really accurate. There were people around. People he... remembered somehow. All with their backs to him. And he was scared... For some reason, he was scared beyond belief. He opened his mouth to call for them, tried to reach forward... But it seemed like they were too far away... 'You are no longer wanted here...' a voice came, and following that, one of the people surrounding him started walking away. There were many words, many hurtful phrases ringing around the darkness, and one by one people left, as the child only watched in fear and helplessness... Getting smaller and smaller with each step taken away from him... 'Why won't anyone come to your help...?' A tall brunette with a blue scarf walked away, and tears now started to fall from the child's eyes. 'Outsider!' rang a chorus of voices, as a blond and black haired duo walked away laughing, hand in hand, not taking a glance back. Broken, Mitsuki tried to run after them... but fell. He turned to the last person... A tall, black haired man. 'Dad...?' came a very feeble, childish voice. 'Why don't you hurry up and die already...?' with that, the man was gone, too. Now but a toddler, Mitsuki pulled his knees to him, hugging them with his small arms, and cried, cried... After what felt like an eternity, a shadow fell over him. The toddler raised his head, wondering, hoping if anyone had come back for him... His eyes widened in fear as he saw a gruff man with spiky blond hair looming over, looking down at him with a merciless leer. Without a heed to the child's crying and whimpering, the man grabbed a fistful of Mitsuki's hair and raised him in the air, laughing loud and cold... ... The girl, Sasuke's daughter, got up on the bed, trying to revive his boy, the Sannin could see how endless tears rolled down her cheeks one by one, unstoppable, as her whole frame shook. The boy had completely frozen... 'Mommy...?' a young voice inside his head asked, an almost hysteric tone to it, and for the briefest of seconds the room disappeared as the man saw two familiar bodies in front of him... A black haired man and a brown haired woman... Lying side by side, apparently dead... Then a small figure with long, black hair approached them. 'Daddy...?' ... Boruto had completely frozen in time the moment his friend's hand slipped out of his own and fell with a silent thud against the mattress. Blue eyes widened in horror, mouth hung open, he even found it difficult to breathe. Sarada was in shock too, but she was quick to snap out of it. She had to do something! Anything! Practically climbing on the bed, the Uchiha put both her hands, one on the top of the other, against Mitsuki's chest and pumped it. "No, no, no, you're not gonna die on us, you idiot!" Tears were starting to fall from her ebony eyes but the girl just kept on pushing the chest. But Mitsuki's eyes remained closed and the machine kept its chilled sound around the room... it wasn't working! "Mitsuki, come on!" Sarada cried out, and even more tears rolled down her cheeks. She wasn’t going to give up on her friend, she couldn't! "Get your heart beating!" She tried to hold back her sobs, but it was no use. "Please don't leave us!..." Her frame shook with the harsh sobs that were almost tearing her lungs apart, but she kept on pumping. "Please..." she begged, trying to tune out that awful sound. ...At that moment, her mother and Tsunade came in running. "Get them out of here!" yelled Tsunade as she reached the bed and pushed Boruto out of the way as gently as she could. Sakura took her daughter in her arms and quickly set her back on the floor. The pink haired woman then moved swiftly to the dying boy and returned to do what her daughter had been doing all along. "Start keeping track of the time!" Boruto only came to his senses as he felt strong arms grabbing him. "No! NO!" he screamed, his eyes still on his friend. "LET ME GO, I NEED TO BE WITH HIM!!" he continued screaming, and actually tried to kick whoever was holding him as he was being taken out of the room. "MITSUKI!!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, and started sobbing harshly. Then that someone scooped him up and he suddenly found himself snuggled into his father's chest. "Don't look..." Naruto whispered, his voice strained and grave. Boruto held onto his father's clothes as he started crying his heart out. He never realized Naruto was taking him out until he felt a cool wind ruffling his hair. Sarada tried to return to her friend's side but as soon as she did, a strong arm grabbed and scooped her up as well. She only realized she was being taken when she saw Mitsuki and her mother getting further and further away... But she didn't have any strength left... not even to scream the way Boruto had... … “Move away, boy,” Shikadai heard Lady Fifth’s urgent voice and felt her hands firmly moving him aside. Maybe he shouldn’t… but he just couldn’t help it as he immediately drifted back to the window of the room, watching the chaos inside, his friends getting forcefully taken away… He couldn’t move… All his muscles were locked in place as he looked on, shell-shocked… He had forgotten that they weren’t at all alone, at least not until he felt a familiar touch, a motherly but firm one… “Please don’t take me out too,” he whispered, his tone so listless that he wasn’t sure Ino heard him. Gently, Ino turned him away from the window and held him tightly to herself. “Don’t watch then…” “This… this can’t possibly be happening…” the boy kept murmuring numbly, not even realizing he was shaking like a leaf. “We… we are still children… there has to be some sort of rule setting kids apart from these situations, right…?” Ino didn’t say anything more, just held him closer. They would have to bring him back… right…? ... Not... all was lost, no he wouldn't believe that. Truthfully, he should have taken this in his own hands from the beginning instead of trusting Konoha. There was still Juugo... And even if that plan fails, he could always deliver his son's soul to another, healthy body, maybe even one of those children's bodies if it came to that point... 'I just want my parents back...!' the voice, his seven-year-old voice screamed in his head, tears in his voice... He was... crying...? 'Why did it have to be them?! Why do I have to be alone?! That's not fair!' ... "How many seconds?" Sakura asked, sweat dropping by the side of her cheek. "Fifteen," a nurse answered, quickly looking at her watch. 'Good Lord,’ Sakura thought, forcing her mind to stay clear. "Move your hands." she heard Tsunade call, and she used the time to focus her chakra in her hands. She watched as her mentor injected a small portion of adrenaline directly to the boy's heart. "Hekirekite no Jutsu!" She brought her hands back down on Mitsuki's chest, and the boy's body lifted slightly from the bed. ... The boy was crying, the pain was too much to bear... Why... why did he have to suffer so...? Shouldn't it be quicker if he just let go, and never looked back...? Suddenly, the man's cruel laughter stopped, and his hand released the toddler's hair. Before he could fall, though, he was caught, held gently and lovingly in a pair of warm arms. He dared to raise his head and look... The angel's light was pushing away all the darkness, all the hateful voices, trying to heal his heart... The pink haired angel smiled fondly at him, her arms tightening around him a little more, her expression so merciful and loving... 'It's okay, baby, it's going to be alright...' she mused, almost cooing. 'Don't be afraid... I'm here...' ... Sakura mentally cursed as the machine's sound didn't change. Seeing no changes with the first charge, Tsunade repeated the same move... She had to be careful, the boy’s heart was already so weak due to the burns... but they had to bring him back. "Come on..." Sakura whispered, not taking her eyes from the boy's face, counting as she continued with the compressions. "You can do it, Mitsuki, come on..." she let her chakra flow to his body once again, but the results were the same... ... Don’t be afraid...? How was he supposed to do that...? The little toddler could feel nothing but fear, even with the angel here... None of those people who he cared about was here... They... didn't... care about him... 'Why do you fight...?' a sinister voice rang in his ears, blocking the angel's. Squeezing his eyes shut, the toddler pushed away from her. He scrambled to his feet quickly and started running, deeper and deeper into the darkness... Then he stumbled onto something and fell forward, landing hard on the ground. Cruel laughter echoed all around the black void, and the toddler curled in on himself, sobbing. 'Outsider! Outsider! Outsider!' the chants echoed repeatedly while the boy kept crying, wishing this to all end... ... The minutes passed, excruciatingly slow but also painfully quick... and nothing. "...Sh... Shall I announce the time...?" The nurse couldn't finish the sentence, a sad look visible in her eyes. Sakura was distinctly aware that there was some sort of chaos going on inside or outside of the room, but her mind had automatically tuned out any sound other than the machine. "Wait... wait just a second..." she mumbled in response to the nurse. She still had her hands on the kid's chest, she couldn't give up... She had to act careful, but she knew just the tiniest amount of shock that might do the difference, and she would never forgive herself if she didn't give it all her best. "Sakura-san... It might be too much already..." The nurse warned her. "Let's just leave the child in peace..." another nurse said, her voice shaky. Tsunade snapped back to herself and hastily hushed the nurse, staring at Sakura. Sakura remained in silence as she kept looking at the heart machine, her chakra still flowing through Mitsuki's chest... 'Please… please come back...' Sakura thought... ... The toddler wasn't sure how long he stayed there, curled up in the fetus position, crying, hurting... He felt a warm presence approaching... felt someone putting their arms around him yet again, but he lacked the energy, the will to look up... He didn't know anymore... ... Outside, a leaf from a nearby tree fell from its place as the clouds dropped their first tears and wetted the ground, little by little...        

[thattimdrakeguy]

what did you think of the current gotham nights

I only read the latest issue and I assume that’s what you meant,

So I can tell ya that I thought it was really bad. It’s the type of things that panders to fans, but it’s really really flawed.

If this was a fan fiction, it would just be slightly below average. Characterization would suck, but when it’s a fan fic writer were this isn’t their job, and don’t have the knowledge of everything, it’s easier to forgive and not mind, because that’s pretty ridiculous to get angry over.

But this is an OFFICIAL DC Comics published comic. Their is higher standards to them. It just stunk fiercely, and I’m not even gonna give them an excuse, because they don’t deserve it. They’re making comics, they barely try, and getting money for it.

Everyone’s just rounded down to one trait, literally in the beginning in Tim’s case.

And one of the other traits he has, that made him important to the Batman legacy in the first place, which is understanding Batman and why Robins so important, is given to DICK.

I assume because this writer never did any research on Tim, and I don’t even think Steph, because she’s a non-character. She just says the generic lines anybody could, because they realized she wasn’t saying much, or at least that’s my guess, because I kept forgetting she was here. Maybe just cause she blends into the background more cuz the colorist dulled all the colors. Like Tim’s costume is just gray now.

Getting back on track though, when you can’t even be bothered to read a character’s origin when it’s your job to write them in official media, you’re a crappy writer, you are dog shit. This is just pathetic. They couldn’t have been bothered. Even editorial didn’t bother correcting that.

My guess for this is just because everyone makes Dick the motivational, inspiration Robin, which isn’t completely wrong. But don’t give him Tim’s spiel when he’s literally right next to you. It’s not like they’re bothering to give him any other traits besides smart and mildly pessimistic.

And it half-way acts as a character study too, so that makes it EXTRA EXTRA bad. You just can’t be cocky and assume you know the characters, when the only thing you make clear is that you don’t.

But I wouldn’t expect anything else from the writer that thought Damian, the kid that was abused and broken over and over again till he became a perfected warrior, who thinks of himself as an adult, and has only been shown having more sophisticated interests (besides a laptop and I think an iPhone? But to be an iPhone or iPod or what ever makes no sense. I don’t even understand the laptop, because that’s in his origin, and why the heck would Ra’s give their experiment kid that they abuse about every day access to the world wide web?), interests such as like painting, a freaking interest in video games, and specifically acting like his favorite would be called called “Cheese Viking”, when he hasn’t played with anyone his age (Super Sons wasn’t around yet, and if it was it was very very very early on. I think Super Sons sucked regardless cuz of bad characterization), he’s been shown in the Manor for three years without an interest that I can recall, like he lives with Batman and an elderly former secret service agent as a butler, and it doesn’t fit his personality. This writer couldn’t be bothered to put care into anything. Most thought is cheap fan service that doesn’t work from a character perspective.

Basically what I’m saying is, when I saw the name “Tim Seeley”, I knew it was going to suck, because he just never tries all that hard. He just does fan service to scrap by.

This is the guy who does so much fan service, he co-wrote “Grayson”, a series notorious for having scenes that are so weirdly sexualized for the fans, that it can come off as sleezy, and in a lot of cases, just writing Dick to be constantly sexually harassed. It’s not great the way he chooses to write.

He even writes Dick and Damian’s relationship to be like Dick and TIM’s. Dick and Tim was absolute big brother little brother. Dick was more serious with Damian, he was his mentor and father figure, he was stern, not Batman stern but he was still in-charge of him and wanted him to learn, he used to let Damian know what he did wrong (at least some of the time) and sometimes even taught him lessons the hard way. Dick and Damian love each other, but they always get misrepresented as a Dick and Tim relationship. Which I don’t understand, because even though I like Dick and Tim’s more, since I am a Tim fan, Dick and Damian’s is way more interesting from a writing perspective, and they always just write it so bad to be pandery.

When you take take one of Tim’s most iconic traits, and well-known relationship, and give it to others, you should not be writing these characters, or a character study on any scale.

Jason in this is just an angry, cynic. And I like when he’s angry and a cynic, but they just make him absolutely annoying. Jason has charm. Read Under the Red Hood, he does horrific stuff, but he’s a charming personality despite that. In this they just made him almost whiny. Like a bad parody of Jason rather than the actual spectacle the real character is.

Nothing about this was good.

It’s only getting by on fan service, but I’m not blinded by any fan service, because I just want good stories that do the characters justice. Which is ultimately what any critic would go off of if they care. “Does it tell a good story?” “Does it do the characters right?” “Was it ever bland anywhere?” “Does it not make sense?” “Are there any mistakes?”

Those are basic things that people do for actual critiques, not just saying your personal opinion as ya read without much thought, and an opinion is an opinion, but I review stuff so this is what I go off of in a lot of my posts.

The story is half attempting to be a character study, and it failed very quickly, so it doesn’t tell a good story.

How the story failed was because Tim Seeley is a lazy writer who doesn’t know the characters better than a superficial level. So it doesn’t do the characters right.

It’s bland because they’re in the same spot the whole issue. Which could be good, but they’d have to actually do the characters well, to make the story interesting, which they obviously didn’t, so it’s just bland and tasteless.

And it doesn’t even always make sense, because why is Steph there? I know she’s a Robin, I consider her a Robin, but not in this timeline. She literally sees for herself that she was Robin another timeline, and gets emotional because she wasn’t in this one. So why would Clayface kidnap her with the other Robins, if she’s not a Robin in this timeline? Clayface logically wouldn’t know that, because he wasn’t involved with the Bat-Family at the time that was found out. At least nowhere in a place to overhear it as far as I remember. I’m pretty sure only a few people ever knew it too.

And Tim is sadly ... “Drake” in this issue. But-- Damian calls him “Red Robin” in a scene, and I can’t tell if that’s him being snarky or rude by calling him by his old name, but to me I just think it was a mistake.

The issue was just garbage. Like I can’t say anything good, besides the concept could’ve been good, but that’s still saying they did a crap job with the concept.

Tim Seeley shouldn’t have been the one to write it. I don’t know who because I have yet to see a DC writer that can actually right the characters well, and not just write them superficially and make stuff up on their way.

DC isn’t in the place where I think they could actually make this work. They don’t have the talent or the range.

[niccerooniererer]

So you posted that worldbuilding post; what about Fant

Bro,,,

Bro ily

Anyways

B A S I C S

full name: Fant Restic Sound (picked up Sound after learning of his mom)

gender: demiboy

sexuality: bi though more likely to fall for guys and masculine folks

pronouns: he/him, sometimes to express his very gender neutral moods he might use they/them

O T H E R S

family: Asy, Ekorélt, his dad who sadly still needs a design n such, his full angel mom, Melinda who I should draw more cuz she prett,, also to mention not by blood ones, he has sort of a sibling dynamic with Serlie, I don't mention that enough

birthplace: the place where my angels live, I forgot the name I'm soRRY

job: singer, usually light rockish or pop kinda stuff. Or whatever he feels like tbh, whatever his big gay heart yearns for

phobias: he's very afraid of rejection and losing the ones he loves, also closed spaces

guilty pleasures: hamster content,,, you might catch him watch video compilations of hamsters being funny at 3 AM if he was really sad throughout the day. Also writing in his early teens, he felt really cringy in the beginning when he was trying to articulate his feelings for a certain guy.

M O R A L S

morality alignment: lawful good

sins - lust/greed/gluttony/sloth/pride/envy/wrath - he envies people who aren't special like him as that got him bullied a lot when he was younger. Also sloth more so lines up with his depressive episodes, he could sleep away whole days at those times, more than not affecting his health negatively

virtues - chastity/charity/diligence/humility/kindness/patience/justice - look at his smile--- he's also just as kind

T H I S - O R - T H A T

introvert/extrovert: he's such a mystery on this one- like he loves being alone but also likes being around people. He's either a strong introvert or ambivert, more likely the second.

organized/disorganized: his room is a mess, like his feelings

close minded/open-minded: he isn't opposed to new ideas, unless if it's something about a certain boy loving him back 1 that's not a new idea 2 he will never believe you.

disagreeable/agreeable: he's not even the type to put up a fight with you

calm/anxious: calm on the outside, anxious on the inside

cautious/reckless: he's kinda neither,,? Like you will catch him be careful with his words and the next time witness him kabedon his crush for some reason. He's wavering mess

patient/impatient: oh boy, he is very impatient- but it mostly comes out as anxiety and not wrath

outspoken/reserved: not the type to voice his opinions unless he's with ppl he trusts

leader/follower: he can kinda take up either roles if he needs to, but he prefers to do stuff alone

empathetic/unemphatic: the caring and the empathy is stored in the demiboy!!

optimistic/pessimistic: literally expects the worst all the time

traditional/modern: not much to say to this one

hard-working/lazy: as I mentioned, he'd rather sleep for eternity (but he luckily has ppl who get him motivated)

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

otp: y.....you know 😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

ot3: none, he wouldn't even be able to share

brotp: him and Serlie! Absolutely best sibling dynamic friends

notp: the previous, them romantically will never feel right, especially since Serlie is a lesbian

[nottheripperjack]

Still rising towards the dark, don't care what's down below 'Cause no one can see me and no one has to know The atmosphere is lonely and beautiful I don't miss a thing I used to know, I used to know

TASK 001 FOUND BELOW CUT....

~~JACK’S STORY~~

MANNERISMS:

What words or phrases do they overuse? 

Jack fucking uses ellipses in texts like her life depends on it. She also swears a lot. Probably too much.

Are they more optimistic or pessimistic?

Jack is pessimistic by nature after her sister’s death. She’s striving to get better but that’s a bitter pill to swallow. 

What bad habits do they have?

What bad habits DON’T they have? She drinks a lot, or rather, she used to. She’s trying to overcome her alcohol addiction but that will... Take a lot of heavy lifting.

What makes them laugh out loud?

Honestly? It could be literally anything. Whatever it is, it has to be her type of humor. Which, let’s be real honest, is all over the place. Just like her. 

How do they display affection?

Jack is a very touchy-feely person. She calls people ‘babe’ no matter who they are. She’ll hold your hand or hug you. Hell, she’ll even snuggle her friends.

Do they make snap judgments or take time to consider?

Snap judgments only happen when its matters of herself or the lack of self-worth she believes she has. When it comes to anyone else? Hell no, you better sit down and think about all the pros and cons. 

How do they react to praise?

Cockily on the outside, not believing it on the inside. 

How do they react to criticism?

Taking it to heart and working on how to irradiate that behavior or thing that is being critiqued. 

What is their philosophy of life?

Life’s short, go fuck someone. (This has since changed).

When was the last time they cried?

When they realized their addiction had gotten the better of them. 

If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?

Ask her on a good day, Jack would say something about her addictive behaviors. Ask her on a bad day? Jack would say that she wishes she could have taken Vic’s place.

What is their obsession?

At the current moment? Animal Crossing.

What are their pet peeves?

Snoring, loud chewing, people butting into the conversation, the list could go on. She has a lot.

FRIENDS & FAMILY:

Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of?

Her family is that stereotypical American family. Consisting of her mom, dad, younger adopted brother, and herself. Extended family is all on the east coast so she doesn’t see them much. Her father is Adrian Novak, a well-known author for his mystery crime novels. Her mother is Katrina Novak, a high-school English teacher.

What is their perception of family?

She maintains constant communication with her parents and brother. Unfortunately, she doesn’t talk about her sister much at all. Jack sadly thinks her family blame her for her sister’s death but in reality, its just been her blaming herself for all these years. 

Do they have siblings? Older or younger? 

Her late sister, Victoria, was her best friend growing up until she died in a car accident when Jack was fifteen and Victoria was seventeen. She has a younger adopted brother named Bryan, who is just now entering the fifth grade. He has CP. 

Describe their best friend.

Jack has several best friends but the one she considers to be her closest confidante just so happens to be Tara Chapman. She’s her kindred spirit, her better half, and someone that she looks up to in all of the ways that she still wishes she could do with Victoria. She’s not a replacement for her late sister by any means but... She means a lot more to her than Tara probably fully realizes.

Do they have any pets?

No but they want to get a corgi and name it Bread Loaf. 

PAST & FUTURE:

What was your character like as a teen?

Before shit hit the fan? Jack was in sports. Volleyball and martial arts took up the majority of her time when she wasn’t trying to focus on school. And she really, really hated school. 

Did they grow up rich or poor?

Due to her father being on the New York Times Best Seller’s list... She grew up in a pretty good financially stable home. 

Did they grow up nurtured or neglected?

Jack definitely came from a nurturing and loving home. After Victoria she disconnected with her family more than she’d admit. She mentally distanced herself from them and shut down. 

What is their greatest achievement?

Becoming a paramedic.

What was their first kiss like?

Jack was kissed by a boy named Stephen in seventh grade. Let’s just say that the second his lips landed on hers, she slapped him so hard he fell into her parent’s swimming pool.

What is the worst thing they did to someone they loved?

Jack believes that it’s her being responsible for Victoria’s death since it was her volleyball game that she was driving towards. However, the worst thing they’ve probably done to someone they loved was let their own shit get in the way of their happiness. It happened with Ben when she didn’t believe her about the drunken kiss. And it almost happened with Riley when she chose to ignore her feelings and pretend like she didn’t care about her more than that for four years. 

What are their ambitions?

Be a mom one day. Own a corgi. Build her own home. 

What advice would they give their younger self?

Don’t go to that damned volleyball game.

What smells remind them of their childhood?

Campfire smoke, cinnamon, and Japanese Cherry Blossom perfume.

What was their childhood ambition?

They wanted to own a video game store. 

What does their five-year plan look like?

They don’t have one. Other than don’t be dead from a work-related incident.

LOVE:

Do they believe in love at first sight?

No. Jack’s far too cynical for that. She believes in lust at first sight. Or rather, she did. 

Are they in a relationship? Are they in love?

Yes, to both. Jack is in a committed relationship with Riley Sawyer, a highway patrol cop. They’d been friends for four years and finally decided to bite the bullet they’ve been dodging for that whole time.

How do they behave in a relationship?

Previously? Not well. She didn’t do relationships and the one that she had in high school wasn’t remotely healthy. Now, Jack is learning how to relationship. 

When did your character last have sex?

Last night.

Has your character ever been in love?

Twice. Once with Ben, her first love. Second time is now with Riley. 

Have they ever had their heart broken?

Three times. First was Victoria, second was Ben, and third was by herself.

Are they crushing on anyone now?

I mean. Hey boo @sonderbound​

WORK & LIFE:

What is their current job?

Paramedic at Los Angeles Fire Department

What do they think about their current job?

They love it. They are currently on suspension from March 27th to April 27th due to alcohol abuse. 

What are some of their past jobs?

Barista, pizza delivery girl, EMT. 

What are their hobbies?

Dungeons and Dragons, video games, playing guitar and singing, sketching out her future home.

Educational background?

Associates Degree. Jack tried college but it wasn’t for her.

Do they have a natural talent for something?

Helping others.

Do they play a sport? Are they any good?

Volleyball. Yeah they went to state four years in a row and won. 

MISC:

What is in their fridge?

Well, used to be alcohol. Now it’s full of food and coca cola. 

What is on their bedside table?

Alarm clock, watch, iPhone charger, change.

What kinda car do they drive, and is their car messy or clean?

Her name is Lyla and she’s a Kawasaki Ninja Crotch Rocket. So uh... She keeps that motorcycle very clean.

Do they carry a purse? What is in their purse or wallet?

They carry a wallet. It’s a tyvek Mighty Wallet that’s got a bisexual colored symbol of Wonder Woman on it.

What is in their pockets?

iPhone, gum, keys.

What is their most treasured possession?

Her sister’s silver snowflake necklace. 

~~Jack’s Jams~~ FOUND HERE

In A Nutshell

Work Out, Sweat It Out

Time to Feel Like Shit

Good Times Gonna Come

[the-arcana-asra-thot]

Asra × Female!Reader

• (Y/N) is having an anxiety attack and suffocates herself into fainting and then Asra finds her and is like

     - wtf no

     - uhh,,, I need to comfort my baby!! !!

     - and then imma ask her what the heckle she did and reassure her that I love her bc I do >:((

• And ye!!

//tw- mentions of anxiety attack and suicide attempt\\

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hot tears streamed down my face as I trashed and kicked, making my blankets and sheets fall off my bed.

My barely present nails raked down my arms, leaving pulsing red marks down my appendages. I clenched my teeth and winced at the sensation.

I gripped at my hair and pulled, my lungs heaving with effort.

I let out a long held in cry, hearing it echo in the small shelter of Asra's room.

I fucking hate myself. Why does anyone even give me the time of day? Probably because they pity me. Who wouldn't? I'm just a hopeless lost cause, after-fucking-all. Or they just use me and then they will throw me aside once I'm drained and even more futile than before.

I sat up abruptly and slapped my hand over my mouth painfully.

I don't deserve to let it out. I deserve to self-implode and die agonizingly.

I stopped breathing, hoping to silence my pathetic sobbing. I knit my brows together and shut my eyes tight, concentrating on shutting the fuck up.

Suddenly, my world became dizzy and twisted; distorted intensely.

I didn't let go, though. I kept my hand firm over my damp nose and mouth, suffocating myself with increasing effort.

I opened my eyes and blinked my tears away, attempting to get rid of any signs of struggle.

I honestly couldn't tell if I was slipping out of consciousness or if I was closing my eyes; I couldn't decipher anything that was going on; my mind was clouded by a storm of pessimistic thoughts, and I restrained myself of any liberties at the moment, anyway.

••°°°°••

I wake up with sunlight dappling my features, highlighting every inch of my face. My throat is dry and my head is reeling. I attempt to sit up, but to no avail. I was exhausted.

I saw water on a small, carved wooden table. I reached a shaking hand toward it and gripped the contained liquid. I threw all my strength into sitting up, and this time, I was successful.

I brought the bowl to my mouth, being pleasantly surprised by the feeling the warm sensation that the heated stone caused my lips to feel.

The water smelled of honey and sugar.

I smiled weakly. This would make me feel much better.

I let the warm, welcoming liquid slip down my throat and swallowed it slowly, relishing the feeling.

Quicker than I would have liked, the liquid was less than a mere drop in the bottom of the bowl. I set it back on the bedside table.

I let my memories of the previous events flood back to me. Dread overcame my senses.

Asra must have seen me like that. Oh, no.. I didn't want him to see me like that. I.. I let myself go because I thought he wouldn't be back for a while.... he.. must've sensed something had gone awry.

I groaned and buried my face in my slender hands, feeling my eyes to be extremely puffy.

I gently pushed away the covers that Asra had presumably laid overtop of me.

My bare feet touched the polished wooden surface of the floor, the chill shooting up my legs.

I shivered and headed to the bathroom, looking in the small mirror Asra keeps on a shelf in his wardrobe.

I looked like hell.

Well, it felt as though I had experienced it, so.. close enough.

I smoothed my hair down and continued my minuscule trip. I felt the even colder tiles touch the soles of my feet.

I gasped slightly before grabbing the brush I had abandoned on the bathroom counter.

I brushed it through my hair, making my (thin/thick) and (hair type) hair volumize. 

I let the faucet water run, waiting for it to warm up; I was tired of feeling cold.

I let my fingers travel under the flowing water, attempting to let the feeling resonate within me.

I dampened my hair, making it flatten and getting rid of the frizz.

Once I was done, I turned the water to be frigid and rubbed my eyes, hoping to subside both the puffiness and redness that infested my eyes.

I sighed sharply before walking down the steps and looked into the booth that we held our tarot readings in.

I reached out lazily to brush back the curtains and entered the shop proper.

As soon as I entered the main room, I felt warm arms wrap around my waist and felt hair softer than cotton tickle my forehead.

I gasped, startled.

Soon, I eased into the hug that Asra had provided me, letting his love and comforting presence wash over me.

His voice was barely above a whisper when I felt his breath caress my ear.

"Did you attempt any-... anything yesterday?" His voice wavered, and his usually steady breathing hitched a bit before resuming, this time slightly more shaky.

My shoulders drooped with guilt. I didn't think he would know.

"I-I.. no."

The words hung in the air, obsolete with any meaning or truth, and Asra could sense that.

"(Y/N)," he began cautiously, "Are you telling the truth?"

He pulled back so he could look into my eyes.

His soft lavender orbs were not warm and happy as per usual, but hurt and worried. Barely evident tears lined his bottom lid.

"Asra, I-"

He grabbed my shoulders, his lips quivering.

"Don't lie to me! Please, I need to help you. I.. I need you."

His words cut deeper than the sharpest blade could ever.

I looked away. Guilt was emanating from my entire being as my (eye color) eyes searched the floor, seemingly for an answer or distraction.

He pulled me close to his body and let out a weak sob.

"Pl-please don- don't ever do anyth-thing like that again," Asra choked out, sniffling as he held me closer than he ever has before.

Silent tears streamed down my face.

"I won't. Ever. Please, don't cry.." my words wavered and I rubbed circles into Asra's back, wanting to calm him and reassure him I will never leave him.

He continued to sob and I rocked him back and forth and slowly led him to the couch in the back room and sat down next to him, still cradling his form in my arms.

Once he had calmed down a bit, he met my gaze.

Wiping tears from his beautiful eyes, he said, "Promise y-you won't ever-.. ever take yours-self away from me?"

"Oh, Asra.. I promise. Sincerely. I wouldn't ever want to hurt you like that," I said, giving off my most honest aura. "Please know that. I love you, and I would never even come close to damaging you like that."

Asra seemed satisfied with the answer and pulled me into his lap and made me straddle him.

Once again, we sat in silence. The only sounds we listened to each other's shaking breath and in sync heartbeat.

I let my fingers run through his soft hair and rubbed his back with my other hand.

"I love you. So, so, so much. Never forget that," Asra mumbled into my chest.

I smiled sadly. "I know. I won't. I love you, too. More than anything I've ever known."

I pressed my lips to the top his head, hoping to reassure him that my words held the utmost truth.

••°°°°••

I wake up with warmth surrounding my frame, comfortable as ever.

I smile and find Asra's hand, bringing it up to my lips in an affectionate manner.

"Hello, beautiful. Had a good rest, I hope?" He mumbled, his voice groggy from sleep.

I chuckled. "Yes, it was lovely. What about you?" I turned around to look into his eyes that I adored too much to put into words.

"The most fantastic sleep I've had in a while." He smiled and pulled me closer.

"Mm, that's probably because you're always sleeping somewhere foreign, hm?~" I tease him, propping myself up with my elbows.

"You got me," he spoke. "Stay here, I'll make us some food. Also, I'm keeping the shop closed today. I'm thinking we should take this as a vacation day for just the two of us~" he prompted as he walked out of the doorway.

"Sounds like a plan, my love," I call to him, snuggling into the couch, already missing his warmth.

My fingers grasp onto his shawl that he left behind, bringing it close to my face.

I let his scent enter my nose, filling me with bliss.

He smells like his favorite smoky-tasting tea and cinnamon- with a hint of vanilla, as well.

I smiled and yawned, content with my life.

I get up, longing for his presence.

"What are you making? Smells delicious~"

He looks back at me, smiling.

In that moment, my breath was taken away and I knew he was the only one I am ever going to love and that he is all that I will ever need.

"Asra.." I breathe out, taking in all of his features.

He turns around and cups my cheeks in his hands, suddenly concerned at my change in demeanor.

"Are you alright, my love?" His concerned eyes search my face.

"I.. I think I just fell in love with you all over again." I laugh, peppering his face with kisses.

"Ah, I do that all the time," he whispers, drawing me close.

We stare into each other's eyes with small, contented smiles dancing on our face.

"I-" we both began at the same time.

Asra laughed and I beamed in amusement.

"You go ahead, (Y/N)."

I smile and brush a stray curl out his his face so I could see more of his dazzling features.

"I just wanted to tell you how much you mean to me. Nothing you do could ever make me not love you, much less dislike. You.. You're so perfect, and I'm overjoyed I got to be a part of your life, and you a part of mine. I feel privileged and lucky to have gotten to spend any time at all with you. I guess what I'm trying to say is.. I love you. Unconditionally. No one else could make me love them more than I love you, no matter what they did or however hard they tried. Just know I will forever be here for you, and know that you are appreciated, even when we have a small quarrel."

The words slip out of my mouth so easily, as if already engraved in my brain. Or rather, heart.

Asra scooped me in flush against his body and kissed me with burning and powerful love. No other emotion besides love and happiness was poured into that kiss.

I felt warm and protected in his strong grip.

Nothing could ever feel more welcome and blissful as this. Just Asra and I. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That was eh.

I liked it but,,

I kinda

h a t e d

the uh

ending.

[ilovemygaydad]

I’m Doing Fine

from the friends in dark places au

pairing: none

Summary: (Junor year; about six months before Patton and Virgil meet) Patton isn’t feeling his normal, happy self anymore.

WARNINGS: depression, panic attacks, self deprecating thoughts, self doubt, feelings of worthlessness, self hatred, minor descriptions of self harm/suicide, minor descriptions of verbal violence 

tag list: @hufflepuffgirl01 @cocobearthe4th @cas-is-a-hunter @band-be-boss-blog @theunoriginaldaisy

a/n: okay i’m done with reuploads, so here’s some new content!!! i apologize to everybody who has had to witness this shit

a/n 2: jsyk, it’s totally okay to ask for a modified chapter if you need it or if i need to add tags! i get it, and it’s no problem for me to quick edit a chapter or whatever :) also, feel free to send requests or questions that you have!

first of main plot - companions

consider buying me a coffee (please)

-

October 7, 2016

Patton couldn’t get out of bed. It wasn’t that he couldn’t physically get out of bed; he just didn’t have the mental strength to get up. He pulled his blue duvet over his eyes and aggressively punched the snooze button on his alarm clock. Another missed day of school. Whatever.

Twenty minutes later, Mrs. Shea walked into Pat’s room with a worried expression pulling at her face. This was the third time in October he hadn’t gotten up for school, and it was only the seventh day of the month.

“Hey, honey. You feeling okay?” she whispered, softly making her way to the side of his bed. Patton was laying in a tight ball under the covers, and his hair barely stuck out from underneath it.

“My stomach hurts really bad…” Lies. Everything he’d been saying recently was one giant lie. “I think I should stay home today.”

His mom sighed. “Alright. I’ll leave some soup in the fridge for you to heat up if you get hungry, but I’ve got to go to work now. Love you.”

“Love you too.” As soon as he heard the door click shut, Patton released the choked sob he’d been holding in. There was no reason for him to be so sad; he had a wonderful family, so many beautiful belongings, and the most caring friends that he could ever ask for. And yet here he was, laying in bed and feeling like the most useless piece of garbage known to man.

Tears ran across the bridge of his nose and across his cheek, sinking into his pillowcase where they leaving a growing wet patch in the fabric. Good thing the wet pillow wouldn’t bother him while he was asleep.

---

“Have you seen Patton? He wasn’t in first block,” Roman asked Logan as they sat down at their lunch table. Patton never missed school unless he physically couldn’t get out of bed, yet he had been absent so frequently as of late.

“No, and I’m starting to get worried. He’s been acting so unlike himself. I can’t help but wonder what must be going on.” Logan took a bite of his sandwich and flipped on his phone, pulling up Patton’s text conversation. “And look.”

Logan

Read October 6 at 7:15 pm

Patton, what did you get for the third problem in the chemistry packet? I want to double check my answers.

Patton

Delivered October 6 at 7:18 pm

I haven’t done it yet. I’ll check in with you after advisement tomorrow.

Logan

Read October 6 at 7:25 pm

Don’t worry about it, Patton. I’ll just ask someone else. Good night.

“I sent that first text at around seven pm, which was around the time I finished my homework after tutoring, and the second at 7:19, so right after he sent his text. He never takes that long to look at or reply to texts. Plus, he didn’t say goodnight to me. I truly am worried.” Logan pushed up his glasses, which had slipped down his nose, and looked at Roman. The usually over-the-top teen looked sullen as he mulled over the information.

“Can your mom drive us to Patton’s house after school?”

---

They arrived at Patton’s as soon as humanly possible after school. They’d explained to Mrs. Christiansen that since Patton had missed school, they were going to need a ride to his house so they could help him figure out what homework he needed to get done. Thankfully, she’d bought the lie and gave them no questions.

Roman hopped out of the minivan and practically sprinted to the door, roughly poking the doorbell. He could hear the bright ring sound through the house as Logan walked up behind him. They waited for two minutes, but nobody showed up. He rang again with slightly less aggression.

Less than a minute later, the door swung open, and a disheveled Patton stood in the doorway. His hair was sticking in practically every direction, and his rumpled pajamas made his slight frame look even more stick-like. Pat’s nose was red and puffy; his eyes looked just as irritated. The smile on his lips looked fake and didn’t meet his eyes in the slightest.

“Hey, guys! What’s up?” The cheerful ring in Patton’s voice was gone, replaced by a duller version of himself.

Act natural. They can’t know. This is your cross to bear. Not theirs.

“We wanted to come check on you since you didn’t come to school,” Logan explained, casting a worried glance at Roman. This was unsettling.

Just get them out.

“Thanks for the gesture, kiddos, but I’m all good! Just a bit of a cold, you know? Well, I’ll see you both tomorrow.” The door began to swing shut, but Roman shot out his hand to stop it.

Damn it! Try harder.

“Woah, Pat. Calm down a sec. Are you sure you’re okay? You look like you’ve been crying.” Roman’s voice was laced with caution; he didn’t want to seem too interrogative.

Patton’s smile faltered for a second before coming back with even more faux brightness than ever. “It’s just the cold. Darn thing’s making my eyes water and nose run!”

Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies.

“Right…” Logan didn’t believe a word his friend was saying. “Why didn’t you come to school today? You seem well enough for your usual standards to not miss—OW!”

Roman’s heel dug hard into Logan’s toes, warning him not to overstep any boundaries.

“I was feeling really awful this morning. I could barely roll over in bed.”

“Pat, we’re just... we’re worried about you. You’re our best friend,” Roman interjected.

I’m doing fine.

“There’s no need! I’m great!”

Logan desperately cut in. “You haven’t been acting like yourself recently. Our text conversations have been curt and to the point, and you haven’t sent your trademark goodnight text in well over a week—“

“I SAID I’M FINE!” Patton yelled, finally at the end of his rope. His two friends stared at him in shock, mouths hanging open and eyes wide. Pat stood there for a moment to catch his breath before he realized what he’d just done. He sunk to the ground and roughly tugged at his hair in frustration. Tears rolled down his face, and sobs racked his body.

Suddenly, he was being lifted off the floor and carried through his house, ending up on his soft bed. Blankets wrapped around him, and soothing words were whispered as he let out all of the pent up shit that he’d stored away.

Soon enough, the tears stopped coming, and Patton’s breathing evened out to a slow rhythm. He shifted to look at Logan, who was sitting cross legged next to him, absently petting Pat’s hair.

“I don’t deserve you guys,” Pat mumbled, shying away from Logan’s touch. That snapped Lo out of his thoughts.

“What do you mean? Of course you do. If anything, Roman and I don’t deserve you.” Logan had his Mom Voice on, and it was clear that he’d be ready to fight any of Patton’s worries away.

“No, I don’t. You guys are fantastic and nice, but I’m terrible. I yelled at you. That’s not something that any good friend should do.” Patton sighed and rolled his face back into his pillow. Hopelessness travelled through his body in icy waves.

Logan made an affronted noise. “That is most certainly not true. Roman and I were pushing you past your breaking point; that was our fault. We shouldn’t have done that. You are the best friend anyone could ask for, Patton. You’re compassionate, kind, loyal, and most of all you love each of us with your entire heart.”

“I guess…” Pat trailed off into his pillow. He heard the door click open and someone, probably Roman, walk in. Logan gently kissed his hair and slid off the bed, walking to the door before softly closing it again. Outside he could faintly hear the muffled voices of his friends talking, but he couldn’t quite make out their words.

He was barely awake for another second as his emotional exhaustion caught up with him.

---

“How is he?” Roman asked once the door was closed, making sure his voice was hushed enough that Patton wouldn’t be able to hear.

“I think he’s okay…” Logan fidgeted with his hands. “But I do believe he’s depressed. He has a lot of the symptoms: pessimistic attitude, feelings of worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, weight loss. I-I’m really worried about him, Roman.”

Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he broke down. Patton was supposed to be the light of the group. He was supposed to provide comfort to them, and they’d neglected him in return. It was their fault, and they’d lost constancy in their group. Logan’s breathing sped up as he lost control of his feelings.

“Woah, Lo. It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay. We’ll figure this out.” Roman enveloped Logan in a soft hug, but he was immediately pushed away. Logan sank to the floor, pushing his back against the wall. Roman stared at him for a moment in shock before kneeling down and just barely resting his hand on Logan’s knee.

“Hey. You’re going to be alright. Just listen to my voice, okay?” Roman softly began to sing one of Logan’s favorite Pink Floyd songs until he was calm again. “That’s good, Lo. Why don’t you go take a nap in Pat’s bed while I do some research?”

Logan nodded and allowed himself to be led to the plush bed, where he almost instantly fell asleep. Roman sadly smiled at his two friends, both suffering in such different ways.

He sat down at Pat’s desk, opening the laptop and typing in the password. pattoncake2001. As much as Roman loved his friend, the kid really needed to get more secure passwords.

Google Chrome popped up once the screen had loaded. Roman’s heart dropped as he looked at the open tabs.

lasting feelings of worthlessness

symptoms of depression

how to hide depression from others

He impulsively collapsed the browser and stared at the dark background of the Spotify app before regaining his senses. Roman felt so bad for Patton; he couldn’t even begin to imagine what his friend must be going through.

As he moved to close Spotify, he caught sight of the playlists Pat had saved. Most of them were things he’d normally listen to, like X Ambassadors, but there were some playlists named “depression help” that just made Roman’s mood sink even further.

After a few more minutes of clicking around, he reopened Chrome and began to Google symptoms of depression for himself. He clicked on the first few links, finding mostly the same things, but then found a link to a Tumblr blog. Hmm. That might help.

Roman immediately regretted his decision. Graphic images of self harm and suicide flooded his screen. Panic bubbled up in his chest until he couldn’t stand it anymore. He snapped the laptop shut and pushed it away from him as if it had physically hurt him.

That was enough research for one day.

---

October 8, 2016

Everything had gotten so out of control, and Patton hadn’t been aware of any of it. During his sophomore year, he’d become really good friends with a girl in his class, Hayley Aster. She was sweet and caring and funny, and Patton enjoyed talking to her at school and on the phone. Their friendship wasn’t Logan and Roman tight, but Patton considered her one of his best friends.

But once they started their junior year, Hayley started acting... weird. And now that he thought of it, so had his other friend, Luke. And basically everyone else. It was like his entire class seemed off.

He’d been curious--of course he had been curious--but everyone seemed to be avoiding him. It was his fault, probably. Patton had started to distance himself from Logan and Roman, not wanting to upset them or bring them down as well. 

And then he’d learned the truth. Not from Luke, obviously, nor Hayley. It was Kay who had told him on October first. Luke had been so obsessed with staying best friends with Hayley that he’d spread rumors about Patton to try and distance him from her. Rumor after rumor--the same fucking song, just with different words. If you didn’t like Patton Shea, you spread rumors about him until his life was ruined, apparently!

Oh, and that wasn’t all. It never was. Everyone knew who had started the rumors, but nobody had the courage to step up and tell Patton that Luke was the one to start them. They were too terrified by the idea of being Luke’s next target to do anything. They’d even managed to keep the rumors away from Roman and Logan because they were too damn self-preserving to risk the wrath of Patton’s friends.

Patton hadn’t even done anything wrong this time, yet everyone still hated him. 

God, Roman and Logan were too good for him. He didn’t deserve their care. They’d sat by his side all day and night, and they’d only left just now to buy him some of his favorite candy. Patton wasn’t sure if either of them had slept at all, which was also worrying!

Patton was a burden, and he knew that, but he didn’t know what to do about it. Well, he had an idea, but he was too much of a coward to actually go through with it. That was another thing that he was--a coward. Running from his problems, too afraid to actually do what was best for everyone. They didn’t need him; he was just going to end up sad and lonely.

Suddenly exhausted, Patton curled into his blankets. At least he wasn’t too afraid to sleep.

---

Logan and Roman had picked up Mr. Christiansen’s beat up Intrepid and drove to the Meijer off Main Street. They wanted to pick up candy, of course, and some other nice things for Patton like a new pair of slippers and some good smelling candles, and it was also convenient that they needed to get some things for their respective houses. In short, they had a long list of items to buy.

Roman wheeled their cart around to the stuffed toys isle. The two browsed for a few moments before Roman pulled a specific plushie from the shelf. A tiny stuffed dog the color of the sky. It was perfectly Patton.

A few beats of soft silence followed the find before Logan spoke; his voice was barely audible over the static noise of the store. “Roman, I’m terrified for Patton. What if he doesn’t get better? What if—What if he—“ Not for the first time that day, tears streamed down his face in a cruel betrayal of his cold façade. 

Roman gasped and discarded the toy he was holding in the cart, rushing to tightly hug Logan. An unsure Logan was never good. “It’ll be okay, Lo. It will. Patton’s so strong.” Roman’s voice wavered ever so slightly. If Logan wasn’t completely sure that Patton would be okay, then what would happen? Lo knew basically everything! He was their rock; always solid when they needed the support. And now even he was crumbling.

“I can’t lose him, Roman! I can’t. Oh, god, he’s supposed to be the sunshine against any darkness in the world, and look at him! I’ve never seen Patton so lost,” Logan sobbed. His body heaved as he pressed his face deep into Roman’s neck. They’d been the perfect trio for what felt like forever, yet everything threatened to fall apart in an instant.

“We’ll help him; I swear on it. We’ll be okay. It’s gonna be okay.”

---

“Ohmygoodness, I love him!” Patton squealed as his friends presented the tiny plushie to him. It was adorably small, and possibly the tiniest bit under-stuffed, but Pat adored the little guy.

“What are you going to name him, lovely?” Roman inquired, pacing the room to put away some of the other items they’d gotten.

“Blue Puppy!” There was a childlike grin on Patton’s face as he lightly squished the toy.

Logan frowned. “That seems a little bit uncreative, even—Christ!” A swift jab in the ribs by Roman was enough to shut even the most idiotic brainiacs.

“That’s adorable, Pat! And does Blue Puppy have any friends that you would like to introduce?” Roman knew exactly what he was doing. Patton’s mind seemed to run on a sort of childish encouragement system when he was upset, so, logically, having him make up stories about different things that brought him comfort would help distract from the intrusive thoughts and provide nice feelings.

“Oh, uh, Logan could you grab the bucket of plushies from my closet?” Logan obliged and set the tub on the bed next to Patton. “Alright! Well, we’ve got Winnie the Pooh, of course, and Piglet. Oooh and there’s Zapper. And—oh…”

Patton cut off, pulling a light purple teddy bear from the conglomeration. It didn’t take long for Roman and Logan to figure it out. Hayley had given him that stupid fucking bear over the summer. Oh, how could Roman be so stupid as to forget about that?

“Um, I think I’m done for now. Thanks for your help, though.” Pat shoved all of the toys, excluding Blue Puppy, back into the container and lightly slid it away from him. He slipped under the covers, listening to the muted noises of his friends cleaning up. The door clicked shut, and Patton was alone.

He’d always be alone.

[cartoonlonk]

“Extremely detailed character sheet ”

Character Chart

Character’s full name: Link Reason or meaning of name: His parents just really liked that name. According to Astrid, his name “Evokes kindness and strength in the same breath.” Character’s nickname: Small Fry, Kid, Lonk, Linny, Skittles, Peaches, Lil’ Elf, Mr. Swordsman, Mr. Fairy--- so much more Reason for nickname: I think most of these from the game(s) are because Link doesn’t disclose his name unless someone asks. So They end up just tossing out random nicknames at him. Unless you’re Linebeck and refuse to say his name gnklrnkg Birth date: December 13th

Physical appearance

Age: 13 How old does he/she appear: Link looks a lot younger than he appears. He’s very baby faced and short, though no one seems to point that out. They just know he’s still fairly young. He’ll be taking a sip of the youth fountain when older too. Weight: 84 pounds Height: 4′8″ Body build: Link is short and round in some areas. His cheeks and stomach have yet to fight off his milk fat. His arms are very “noodle-like” and his legs are short and stubby. Even if he is a warrior, the only muscle he might claim to have is in his legs. They’re the power house for him. Shape of face: Round Eye color: Black Glasses or contacts: N/A Skin tone: Olive tan Distinguishing marks: None that can be seen unless you look close enough. He has faint scars here and there---some of which across his knuckles--- but the worst one comes to his back. Being sliced from the mid center and across to the left hip. An attack that left him dead. Hair color: Golden blonde Type of hair: Soft, straight Hairstyle: Left messy, poofy. It’s slightly managed. Voice: His voice isn’t high pitched, its in the middle but slightly leaning into higher pitched territory. Overall attractiveness: Just a cute lil elf. Physical disabilities: None Usual fashion of dress: The green hero’s tunic. It was only meant to be worn just on his 11th birthday but its been carried out throughout the years ( and adjusted to his slightly grown height ). Favorite outfit: Doesn’t have a favorite. He feels bad if he ever picks favorites. The tunic is just his go-to since he doesn’t have the brainpower to fight himself on what to wear. Pink is nice though Jewelry or accessories: Wears the gossip stone around his neck. Just in case Tetra calls or Korl ( sadly there’s little to no hope for that ).

Personality

Good personality traits: Loyal, Caring, Protective, Heroic, Brave, Determined, Hard-Working, Friendly, Optimistic, curious Bad personality traits: Gullible, impulsive, naive, curious Mood character is most often in: Neutral while alone, upbeat while around others Sense of humor: His humor comes from Popsicle sticks. It’s very childish and often deriving from puns. He gets a kick from other people making jokes though. Character’s greatest joy in life: He takes pride in his family, it’s all he’s had. He loves them to bits. He wouldn’t be himself without them and he’d risk his life for anything if it meant keeping them safe. Character’s greatest fear: He has a number of fears but the biggest one that comes to mind is abandonment. Why? Link is terrified of being alone, he has trouble sleeping alone as it is during his travels. That’s why he cuddles his plushy, Puko or his sister’s telescope. He fears that one day everyone will leave him and he’d have no one to turn to. Link is really dependent on others. For comfort and helping him make right choices. What single event would most throw this character’s life into complete turmoil? When his sister got kidnapped. Character is most at ease when: The smell and taste of his grandmother’s soup, being in the comforting arms of his loved ones, playing his ukulele. Most ill at ease when: Being alone for too long, swimming in deep water, around ghosts or redeads. Enraged when: People insult his friends/family. He’s never really one to get mad from being bullied himself. His anger usually results to him crying afterwards  Priorities: Finding new Hyrule Life philosophy: There’s always a rainbow after every storm. If granted one wish, it would be: Probably have a better memory. Why? I’ve said it many a time that he’s suffered head trauma so his memory isn’t the sharpest. He takes pictures and writes a lot just in case he forgets everything one day. Character’s soft spot: Cute things---he just loves anything cute. Is this soft spot obvious to others? Oh yeah---he cant say no or be mad to anyone adorable, it’s the law. He’s very protective over them too. Greatest strength: His kindness and courage. Greatest vulnerability or weakness: Goodness is he gullible. You can get away with bloody murder if you know how to play the cards right.

Traits

Optimist or pessimist? Optimistic  Introvert or extrovert? In the middle Daredevil or cautious? In the middle but he does lean more to daredevil  Logical or emotional? Emotional  Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat? Disorderly and messy Prefers working or relaxing? Relaxing Confident or unsure of himself/herself? Acts confident but is unsure of himself Animal lover? Hell yeah !

Self-perception

How he/she feels about himself/herself: Pretty okay about himself! He’s still learning about who he is---sure he was dubbed the hero on two separate occasions but that doesn’t make up who he is. One word the character would use to describe self: “Unique!”  What does the character consider his/her best personality trait? “I guess how nice I am? Sometimes I’m told I’m too nice.” What does the character consider his/her worst personality trait? “I put a lotta trust in everyone. So I guess how easily I believe in peoples?”  What does the character consider his/her best physical characteristic? “My ears? I guess!” What does the character consider his/her worst physical characteristic? “My stubby legs!” How does the character think others perceive him/her: “Um.   .  .weird! I get funny looks all the time.” What would the character most like to change about himself/herself: “Maybies me rememberin’ thin’s bettah.”

Relationships with others

Opinion of other people in general: There’s potential friendship in them all! Does the character hide his/her true opinions and emotions from others? Sometimes, it really depends on how dire the situation is. Otherwise Link is one to wear his heart on his sleeve. Person character most hates: Ganon, Toffee Best friend(s): Aryll and Tetra ( in other verses he has Otto and/or Claus ) Love interest(s): None currently. He just loves giving love to everyone. Person character goes to for advice: His grandma Person character feels responsible for or takes care of: Aryll and Ana Person character feels shy or awkward around: N/A Person character openly admires: Orca, Keahi, Akane, Compass, Luigi, Dreambert, Geno--tons of people, actually Person character secretly admires: N/A he’s pretty open when he likes someone. They’d probably be his rival Most important person in character’s life before story starts: His sister and grandma After story starts: Tetra

Stole it from the dash lmao

[maddyperiez]

For the OC ask game :PP #5, 11, 15, 24, 26 annnddd 31!! ^_^ For whoever was in the last fic you worked on. lol

okay so the last story i worked on was hypervigilance (teen wolf). even though robyn is the main character and narrator, i have two more ocs there, so i'm gonna answer these for them too! annie is pink. robyn is red. yvette is blue.

5. is your oc imaginative or more down-to-earth? annie’s imaginative. especially because she’s always looking for ways to do things, even if she has nowhere to start. robyn’s a writer so she’s definitely more imaginative. yvette is more down to earth which is why she’s a little less hopeful about things than others and a works hard to suceed in the things she wants.

11. are they critical of others? not a lot. if annie wants to criticize something, she is very “passive agressive” about it. yes, robyn is very critical because she’s picky and likes things her way. but she generally knows when to to voice her opinions or to keep quiet. she may hate how that random person is dressed, and she might talk about it with a friend, but she knows not to say it to the person ‘cause how other people dress is their decision. yvette is very critical. she usually keeps it to herself because she isn’t the type to voice her feelings, but people annoy her to no end.

15. are they opinionated or more willing to change their minds? annie isn’t very willing to change her mind but she also doesn’t care enough about certain things to “fight” about it. if she does, she’ll probably say her opinion like she doesn’t mean anything by it. a kind of manipulation. robyn is very opinionated and she voices it a lot. people’s stupidity are one of her biggest pet peeves and she doesn’t hold out on telling them how dumb their idea is. yvette is more willing to change her mind, and, sadly, she’s the easiest to manipulate.

24. do they tend to see the good in people? annie does but she doesn’t insist on it if the person is unwilling to be good. robyn is the one most likely to actually seek that goodness out on the the person and encourage them to be good. yvette is more pessimistic about people and she feels very protective towards the people she considers good (which is rare).

26. do they have a lot of mood swings? annie doesn’t. she’s contained about her feelings and very hard to read. robyn is a very expressive person which means she has mood swings all the time. she’s intense about everything that happens, and life isn’t constant about it’s situations. yvette is also prone to mood swings because she gets irritated and bothered very easily, and since she doesn’t talk about her feelings, they’re always on the verge of coming out.

31. are they good giving advice? annie is. she’s very thoughtful, smart and ready for things. robyn can be good giving advice because she’s very smart too, and anti-bullshit, but it depends on the situation. she’s usually not good though, because she lets her emotions/temper take control. sometimes, she can advise the person to take revenge or to be daring or something in a situation in which this wouldn’t be the best way to act. from an impartial point of view, yvette is very good with advices because she’s intelligent. she watches horro movies and is all like “jesus, don’t go there. it’s so obvious.”, but if she’s emotionally involved, she can get too overwhelmed to rationalize (isaac is her best friend and she wished she could end his dad even though it wasn’t the best option).

[jack-katz]

ORIGINS & FAMILY:

Name: John David Katz

Nickname: Jack

Birthday: December 18th

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Place of Birth: New York, NY, USA

Places Lived Since: Washington, DC; Chicago, IL, USA; New York, NY, USA; London, UK

Current Residence: Hackney Wick, Hackney, London, UK

Nationality: American

Parents: Benjamin Katz & Mary Katz (née Doyle)

Grandparents: Eliezer Katz & Ruth Katz (née Geller); John Doyle & Niamh Doyle (née Murphy)

Aunts & Uncles: David Katz, Ava Aoun (née Katz); John Doyle, Sean Doyle, Michael Doyle

Number of Siblings: One - Daniel Katz

Relationship With Family: Jack is on very good terms with his family and especially his parents who’ve always supported him throughout his career. They’ve rarely been the type of parents to scream or shout, but they convey their disappointment in ways that can break their children’s hearts. He used to be closer to his Dad’s family because of proximity, but since moving to London it’s been easier to go back and forth to Connemara to finally really get to know his Irish grandparents and uncles.

Happiest Memory: The bow he took at the end of his first school performance.

Childhood Trauma: None, aside from some sadly expected bullying whenever he moved to a new city that was usually targeted at his lankiness, love of the arts, and Jewish heritage.

PHYSICAL:

Height: 6′0″

Weight: 160 lbs

Build: Slim, usually bordering on just plain skinny but he has been known to build up some lean muscle either for a role or because he’s made a sudden sweeping decision to get into better shape.

Hair Color: Dark Brown

Usual Hair Style: It varies depending on what stage of growth it’s at. When trimmed short, it’s fairly neat and looks good. It grows fast, though, faster than he can usually keep up with so it starts to get curly and out of control usually every couple months and he’s yet to figure out how to really get it under control. Sometimes the stars align and it looks good on its own, but most times he just wakes up with a really bad hair day and decides it’s the day to go to the barber.

Eye Color: Green

Glasses? Contacts?: No need for them currently, though his eyesight has definitely gotten a bit worse over the last couple years

Style of Dress/Typical Outfit(s): Very casual unless it’s something someone else picked out for him. A lot of graphic tee’s and old flannels and jeans that only fit properly with a belt and some pretty beat up sneakers. The belt never matches the shoes and he has two sweatshirts he tends to wear - dark navy and black so it can be hard to tell which one is which. He’s anything but a fashion icon, though at the very least he does his laundry on a decent schedule so his clothes are always clean - just not always very stylish.

Typical Style of Shoes: Sneakers about 90% of the time, hiking boots and flip-flops often when on vacation, and occasionally loafers for fancy events.

Jewellery? Tattoos? Piercings?: No tattoos or piercings. Whenever he gets a great idea for a tattoo he always seems to have a role coming up and doesn’t like to take any bodily risks around that time.

Unique Mannerisms/Physical Habits: When he gets really nervous or anxious he tends to drum his fingers on his leg or together to try to get out some of the nervous energy.

Athleticism: When it comes to genuine contact sports like rugby and American football, Jack isn’t that good. Running based sports, however, he’s not that bad at, though he only likes to play for fun. He enjoys soccer/football and actually doesn’t mind going for runs when he’s trying to get in shape. In high school he’d sometimes just show up to the soccer field during practice times and play around until the coach got mad at him for not being a real player and kicked him off the field. Theater was always his main focus in high school, anyway.

Health Problems/Illnesses: None, aside from potentially very high cholesterol in his future.

INTELLECT:

Level of Education: Most of high school completed but no diploma.

Languages Spoken: English fluently and natively, Spanish almost fluently from middle school and high school classes, and some Hebrew and Gaelic he picked up from his parents. Also bits of conversational vocabulary from a handful of languages in places he’s visited like French, Italian, German, Czech, and Japanese. He’s very, very good at picking up languages through context and immersion, but he hasn’t taken real classes or spent long enough in each places to really learn the language beyond basic conversational things.

Level of Self-Esteem: It varies from day to day but can be sadly very low during slower times in his career.

Gifts/Talents: Acting is truly a talent and one that Jack possesses as much as he tries to insist it’s really not that hard; artistic ability like drawing and painting which is less polished than acting but still a natural gift; the ability to pick up on languages very quickly; singing and dancing talent that is perhaps not absolutely outstanding but naturally good and can be improved with lessons leading up to a show.

Mathematical?: Not really, as Jack’s passions have always lied more with humanities and creative outlets.

Makes Decisions Based Mostly On Emotions, or On Logic?: Emotions, or he’d probably have his high school degree right now.

Life Philosophy: Do what makes you happy.

Religious Stance: Jack would call himself a Catholic but also considers himself a bit agnostic but never would consider himself to any point have been an atheist. He also enjoys learning about Judaism from his father and father’s family, even if he never had a bar mitzvah or went to Hebrew school. He did receive the Catholic sacraments up through Confirmation but his mother was never terribly, terribly adamant about him being brought up Catholic and she always encouraged him and his brother to explore Judaism and other religions as well. His parents, though both dedicated to their own religions, were very liberal and open as both people and parents so they encouraged a very open attitude in their sons toward religion. If Jack ever had more time and energy on his hands to really dive deep into religion and his personal beliefs, he might, but it’s not something he feels particularly inclined to do at this point in his life.

Cautious or Daring?: Daring in his creative exploits and travels, but cautious in basic day to day activities and interactions.

Most Sensitive About/Vulnerable To: Criticisms about his work.

Optimist or Pessimist?: He’s optimistic for other people and pessimistic about himself.

Extrovert or Introvert?: Introverted, bordering on ambivert.

RELATIONSHIPS:

Current Relationship Status: Single

Sexual Orientation: Bisexual

Past Relationships: 

Eloise Pelletier - his first girlfriend in middle school. The relationship lasted a month, but they were each other’s first kiss and have remained friends to this day. Eloise is now an accomplished stage actress and aspiring director.

Riley Huizar - his high school girlfriend. The two started dating around homecoming his sophomore year and stayed together for about two-and-a-half years, but Riley dumped him after a series of disappointments including: he missed their second anniversary for an audition, he missed a long-planned nice dinner date to attend a stand-up show, and she learned he wasn’t going to get his diploma. It was a messy ending that came when they were both drunk at a friend’s house and the two never spoke again afterward.

Lillie Piasta - dated for two out of the three seasons Jack was on SNL. She was one of the female writers for the show who was a few years older and Jack never quite realized that the reason she never seemed older was because she was pretty immature. She dated younger men fairly consistently and people tried to warn Jack that after a couple years of the whining and tantrums from the woman who, for all her humor, had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth and been spoiled her entire life. Even though she’d been working longer than Jack she expected him to pay for everything and wanted lavish gifts that he caved to at first but stopped after realizing it was a waste when she never used or wore anything. Lillie was fired from SNL shortly before Jack chose to leave to pursue a movie career, and she wanted to move with him to London but he wasn’t ready to move in. She dumped him at the airport before he left.

Natasha Laris - dated for one year after Jack officially moved to London. Jack was a guilty pleasure fan of love at first sight stories but never quite believed it could happen. He still doesn’t think love at first sight is real, but he believes sparks at first sight are real and stronger than he ever anticipated since he met Natasha. The two met  through a friend at a fundraising party Natasha had organized on behalf of a charity she worked for. It wasn’t ultra ritzy like a lot of other fundraising galas Jack had been to or heard about, but still elegant and enjoyable. Natasha just had a way of making everything elegant and enjoyable. Jack doesn’t remember asking her out because he believes the nerves caused him to just black out for the thirty seconds it took to ask and receive a positive response. They both fell pretty hard and fast but it was over the holidays when they both had some downtime and real time off. Then life picked up again. Jack had filming commitments, Natasha had a lot on her plate helping to run a decently sized charity with hardly enough staff. They saw each other when they could, but it only got more difficult over the months to find extended time alone together unless they were away on vacation - of which they only went on two brief ones as that was all they could manage. By the next Christmas, while struggling to figure out how they were going to spend the holidays after promises to meet each other’s families, they realized it just wasn’t feasible. It wasn’t just the holidays that weren’t feasible, but being together at such a busy and overworked time in their lives. Jack has only seen her once since they broke up, a couple years later - with a boyfriend who he was told by a friend worked a 9 to 5 office job, weekends off and the opportunity to work from home, and had a set amount of vacation time to use at his own discretion. It was the only time he ever envied an office job.

Primary Reason For Being Broken Up With: Forgetfulness, not committed enough, and his schedule was too hectic.

Primary Reasons For Breaking Up With People: A hectic schedule.

Ever Cheated?: No, it’s something he doesn’t understand.

Been Cheated On: No.

Level of Sexual Experience: Experienced even if he might not seem it. He lost his virginity in high school to Riley and since then has always had a healthy, active sexual relationship with whatever girl he’s been with. Since breaking up with Natasha it’s the longest he’s ever gone without having a girlfriend, but between Riley and Lillie there was still enough time that he had a couple short flings and some one-night stands that were usually enjoyable even if not serious. He sees the benefits in fun in both long-term relationships and short flings. After Natasha he went through a lengthy dry spell of his own volition but for the last four years has mostly just had flings that last anywhere from a single night to a few weeks and are always fun. He does know in his head how many women he’s slept with but it’s not something he’d ever like to broadcast and only his closest friends who’ve known him for years know the extent of his sexual experience and exploits.

Story of First Kiss: Eloise and Jack both lied to their parents and said play practice lasted a half hour longer than it actually did so they could spend time together alone behind the school theater. For twenty-nine minutes all they did was hold hands and talk until Eloise heard her dad’s truck around the corner. Jack snuck in a quick kiss and went to sleep that night on cloud nine.

Story of Loss of Virginity: Riley’s parents were always far more trusting of Jack than he ever expected them to be and would constantly leave Riley and Jack alone together at the house while they were out at work or going out on dinner dates. Jack didn’t push Riley at all, though he was ready whenever she was. She let him know she was ready when she pulled out a whole list of things that needed to happen beforehand, as was her way with most things. She was going to see an OB-GYN that specialized in adolescent care, look into birth control and whether there were options that were safe for a sixteen year old (though she’d already done her own research and knew the pill was the best option), and regardless of whether she went on the pill or not, Jack needed to buy some condoms. Jack was so nervous about the condoms he made his friend Avi go in and buy them, mostly because he was always more confident than Jack. Despite all the strict rules and guidelines and plans in the months leading up to Jack and Riley actually having sex, the night itself was still kind of special to Jack and he quickly became even more comfortable with buying his own condoms after realizing what all the fuss was about.

A Social Person?: Not really.

Most Comfortable Around: His family and closest friends, of which there are about a handful between the USA and UK.

Oldest Friend: Toby Hartman, his best friend from NYC who lived next door to the Katz’s first apartment in the city. He’s currently a doctoral candidate at NYU who lives with Daniel Katz in the two-bedroom flat Jack owns in NYC.

How Does He Think Others Perceive Him?: Jack thinks others perceive him as having an equal number of failings as accomplishments and thus is just a mediocre human being who just happened to be in some largely broadcast shows and movies. He knows his family has high opinions but thinks the public doesn’t have a very high opinion, mostly because he only focuses on the negative reviews of his works. 

How Do Others Actually Perceive Him?: Jack Katz is an accomplished young man who maybe got lucky that he was int he right comedy club on the right night, but it wasn’t luck that he was funny enough to catch the right people’s attention. Everything since then hasn’t but just luck but has also been a testament to his talent and willingness to do whatever and move wherever for his work. Even if he’s not flashy with his money, he’s no doubt made quite a bit.

SECRETS:

Life Goals: Do work that makes him happy and that others find enjoyable, maybe even inspiring.

Dreams: Travel to every country in the world, become fluent in a new language, write a full script, direct a movie, perform in a Shakespeare play, finally learn to cook at least one decent dish, own a restaurant, and many others that come and go with the days that pass.

Greatest Fears: Forgetting a line during a live performance.

Most Ashamed Of: There were a couple jokes Jack tried out during his early days in comedy that crossed a line but thankfully never even made it to a real set. He just tried them out on his family, and their response was enough for him to hope no one ever learned of those jokes he thought up when he was younger and more inexperienced. There are also many minor mishaps that have occurred during rehearsals and conversations that, though not necessarily shameful, are very embarrassing and he tends to remember as being more extreme than they really were.

Secret Hobbies: It might not be that secret, but Jack really enjoys video games. He’s not as good as he wishes, but they’re fun.

Crimes Committed (Was he caught? Charged?): None, aside from some truancy.

DETAILS/QUIRKS:

Night Owl or Early Bird?: Night owl

Light or Heavy Sleeper?: Heavy sleeper

Favorite Animal: Dogs

Favorite Foods: Anything greasy

Least Favorite Food: Iceberg lettuce

Favorite Book: “Audition” by Michael Shurtleff

Least Favorite Book: “The Catcher in the Rye”

Favorite Movie: Pulp Fiction

Least Favorite Movie: The Emoji Movie

Favorite Song: Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

Favorite Sport: Soccer/football

Coffee or Tea?: Coffee

Crunchy or Smooth Peanut Butter?: Smooth

Type of Car He Drives: N/A, he’s never had a car and doesn’t have a license

Lefty or Righty?: Lefty

Favorite Color: Green

Cusser?: Yes

Smoker? Drinker? Drug User?: Smokes when he’s drinking sometimes and others he’s with have cigarettes; drinks daily, though not to excess daily; occasionally uses drugs but usually just pot

Biggest Regret: Passing up on some more serious drama roles in the past

Pets: None

[wanderbitesbybobbie]

REAL TALK: Competitive Food Business and Getting Started

The Covid-19 Pandemic has pushed many of us to start our own businesses, for some a side hustle and for others, an easy way to supplement financial uncertainties caused by the current circumstances. In the Philippines, a great deal of online food start-ups have managed to thrive and were able to expand themselves into physical shops and ongoing franchises, but sadly half of the total number has remained just a “start” with no visible end in mind.

I have been planning to write an entire article about starting a business in general and entitle it “How To Start A  Business From Your Own Home: A Step By Step Guide”. However, I have decided to focus on Food Business and tackle about the expanse of food industry, as majority of the inquiries I get specifically targets this trade. I have been in the Food Business since 2010 particularly in the pastry industry, starting from a small stall in a Food Bazaar in Ortigas. I was one of the young entrepreneurs who braved the waters of starting a business without any idea of what comes next. As a young chef straight out of college and culinary school, I had numerous fresh ideas. But the thing about this industry, your fresh idea will only remain “fresh” for at least a number of days. Soon, you will find better prototypes of your own idea from a different brand or worse, you will find someone using the same recipe you found on Google or YouTube, selling the same products as yours and your ideas just ends there. NOW YOU’RE STUCK…

HERE’S A FACT. Food Business is very easy and inexpensive to mock-up. Think of a recipe, buy the ingredients, and whip it up in the convenience of your own home kitchen, effortless, right? Send samples to friends and family, ask friends to like your online pages, easy market. But the clear question is… How long will it last? Is the business sustainable?

After my food bazaar stint, I have founded a start-up called The Royal Chimney Cakes and Pastries and what started as a passionate hobby, eventually became a lucrative source of income for me. From a mere online shop, selling cupcakes and crepes, I was able to expand into an actual Pastry Shop Café with a physical store. I was able to cater for a bigger market, targeting events like weddings, birthdays, debuts, and corporate functions. It was going well… but it wasn’t good enough to thrive. A lot of pastry shops offered the same services, targeted the same market, and even copied some of my originals. I guess, my “original” can only remain original once it is patented. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ORIGINAL IN THE FOOD BUSINESS. People can easily copy your recipe, add salt and sugar, and the recipe is theirs. No issues, whatsoever. It didn’t just happen to me and my shop. It is a vicious cycle in the industry that you should be aware of. Even bigger establishments deal with the same dilemma. Remember the Facebook or Instagram Ad you saw the last time saying they were the “first-ever- this-and-that-best-product”? Chances are… THEY ARE NOT.

A good example of this is the “Chocolate Dream Cake” in a metal canister trend two years ago. It became so popular that a lot of home-bakers decided to create their own version of it and sell it online. The same thing happened to “Custaroons“, because they became a craze, it was very easy to re-make them. Until, the original makers decided to patent their products. No one is allowed to use the names “Dream Cake” and “Custaroons” legally. Good choice, but not effective. People still make the same things, just in a different name, and a better version. Even if the product is virtually identical in the market, by just a mere change of one ingredient, people can claim it’s theirs. And unfortunately, potential customers tend to buy the cheaper version and not the original.

For this, I was done. I closed down my physical shop, but it doesn’t mean I was giving up. I still had one of my trusted bakers working from her own kitchen, delivering under my brand. The Royal Chimney was still there while I was away. It was waiting for an upgrade. I was not ready to close it down totally. I treated it as my baby, and my baby has to grow healthy.

I wanted to compete, and to be able to compete in this vast sea of like-minded entrepreneurs, I had to equip myself. Now, I am happy to write this article to be able to share to you what I learned from my mistakes. I hope I can help make things a little easier and less stressful for you by sharing my knowledge and experiences as you go through the birth-pains of starting a business. After two years in pastry and business school, I have now started my new business version 2.0 Sunday’s Cheesecakes.  I still keep The Royal Chimney as one of my flagship brands, as I already have a good number of returning customers there. I didn’t want to put that to waste. Re-introducing it as a smaller brand, focusing only to a few number of products was helpful for its growth.

While I start anew, imagine I am talking to you casually in a coffee shop (given this quarantine situation) and sharing my tips from everything I have learned from running my first ever stall business, failing to keep it afloat, trying again, online selling, managing my business pages, until now running a physical store.

What I want you to understand is that the Food Business is never glamorous. It is not for the faint-hearted. It will always be gruesome and toxic. You will find yourself in many sleepless nights. You might even become depressed of the pressure and ask yourself “Why did I even start doing this?”

Success is not an overnight process. It takes a lot of faith, hard work, patience, money, and consistent dedication. As a business owner, it is even worse than just working as an employee in the food industry. That’s if, you find yourself pushing through with your start-up business. I wrote an article about the difference of running a business and being an employee in the food industry, which can shed you some light. Read: When You Want To Enjoy The Holidays But You’re A Pastry Chef. Even if you have zero intention of committing to growing your food business, you might find some of these tips useful in your other endeavors.

However, with great passion and love for what you do… You will always find success in every little way possible. I can’t believe I just wrote a 9-paragraph Intro. I will not advise you to do the obvious things for your business like creating a proper and catchy business name for starters, taking good-looking photos of your products, or making yourself visible online. Pretty much, you have already done that. What I’m about to share to you is an entrepreneur’s view points and what you have to be aware of when starting a business. Let’s get you started with game-face on and the proper business mindset.

START WITH THE END IN MIND: BUSINESS PLANNING 101

A SOLID BUSINESS PLAN. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This is often overlooked by a new business owner, thinking that it’s very easy to sell online these days. “I’ll bake, I’ll cook, I’ll make these and that” and sell it online, not knowing what’s next. I was a victim of this mindset when I started my stall in the food bazaar. Here’s a background story.

I asked the bazaar organizer what was not in their bazaar. She said no one was selling crepes, so in an instant, I bought equipment to make crepes. I was the only one selling crepes that time, and I managed to pull it off for about two years with 3 stalls in different locations, operating in three different time slots. I was able to expand really fast from the sales I generated out of them. My bazaar stall operated from night time until wee hours of the following day. My two other stalls catered for corporate food courts, thus they follow office hours.

Sounds impressive, but guess what? It failed. Why? With no business plan and three stalls after, I didn’t know what to do next. I just got tired and sick of doing it, my staff were all dazed, and I had too many tasks on hand. I had to do marketing, I had to do my inventory, I had to organize my clients and contacts lists, and the duties just did not end there. It just kept on piling up as the business expanded. I had zero work-life balance. I was just exhausted. I didn’t know if I really wanted it and I got too overwhelmed with making it big. Do not make the same mistake as I did. Otherwise, you’ll end up sick, drained, broke, and completely confused.

WHAT DO YOU ENVISION? What is your niche? What are you planning to put on the menu? What are the possible products you might consider adding in the future? Business Plans can be very taxing to work on, but this is a very essential part of running a business. I learned it the hard way. What is in a business plan anyway that you have to spend time working on it? You can easily get access to business plan templates on Google, BUT in many instances it is not what you need. There are multiple types of business plans, but the important part is that it meets your requirements. A proper business plan entails THE FOUNDATION of your business down to your EXIT PLAN.

Sounds like a pessimistic piece of paper, right? We haven’t even started, why EXIT? This enables you to know what your next step would be, in case your business doesn’t run as smoothly as you expect. How do you deal with loss? Do you plan to sell your brand to a bigger and more established company? Do you plan to downsize it? In case the business triples its value, do you plan to expand to a bigger market or franchise your business? What are you investing on? Are you spending more than what you can handle? Who are your target market? What are the strengths and weaknesses of your business? What are the opportunities for you and possible outside threats?

Treat the business plan as if it is your skills assessment. What are your mission, vision, short-term and long-term goals? What can you offer to your market? How will you source out your finances? Where will you put your profits? What are your modes of payment? How do you establish your ordering system? Are you open for reselling? How do you handle resellers? In situations like a pandemic, how will you handle your cash-flow? What is your logistics plan? What is your marketing strategy? What are the papers, permits, licenses involved in starting your business? How much budget should you allot for paper works?

Your business plan should be able to answer all of these questions. If in time, while running the business and you experience a hiccup, go back to your business plan and check what needs to be adjusted. It’s not just a piece of paper. IT LITERALLY GUIDES YOU HOW YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS.

RESEARCH: KNOW YOUR COMPETITORS AND YOUR MARKET

I am a very aggressive entrepreneur. My business partners know this well. If your pastry shop is visible online, most often than not, I have already scrutinized what you are selling. Sometimes, I even buy products from my competitors to know the quality of what I’m dealing with. If you have what I have on the menu, I will stalk you for a bit and research your market. Do we share the same market? If yes, then I have to come up with a better strategy to position my brand ahead of yours. Real Talk, No Bullsh*t.

When I was younger, I wanted to be able to offer what others cannot offer. Let’s use my crepe stalls as an example once again. When I asked the bazaar organizer what was not in the bazaar, I wanted to be the sole seller that offers what’s not there. I wanted to have what others did not have. Selling crepes, because others cannot simply make them. It requires skills and equipment. However, my success in the crepe-business did not last long. Even if I was the only one selling it, not a lot of people patronized it. I studied the foot-traffic of the bazaar. It caters to call-center agents working on the graveyard shift. The bazaar had shuttles in call-center offices to drive in traffic.

What was wrong with my business? Why do people not buy it? The answer was simple. I was competing with the wrong competitors and I was selling in the wrong market. The call-center agents were looking for something they could have for “dinner”. A rice meal, a complete package that is very convenient for them to have on a short period of their “break time”. Crepes are associated with dessert. They simply did not have time for dessert. My usual customers were trend-seekers, or families on a weekend shopping, and they were not constant bazaar goers. You will find them in high-end malls, ordering crepes while sipping on a cup of fancy tea. That was where I should be. I realized this when it was already too late. I have spent a lot already expanding my crepe business. It’s a very amateur mistake.

Nowadays, the competition begins with who gets the most likes on their online pages. Back in the days, who gets the longer queues wins the deal. Let me tell you this. If you are obsessed after Facebook Page likes and Instagram followers, then you are on the wrong business mindset. Getting exposure is very substantial, but the more important question is… Are they your market? Do they actually buy your products? Or are they just there for page likes?

REMEMBER: 4,000 “LIKERS” is never equal to 4,000 buyers. In this day and age, the number of followers and “likers” define your place in the industry and tells about your success. Though it can be a very efficient marketing tool, you may or may not be able to find your potential regular clients online.

Which leads me to the next important factor…

EFFECTIVE MARKETING AND BRANDING

I get it. Most of us did not major in Marketing. If you have no idea about Marketing at all, then it’s time to learn and educate yourself. Before the social media era, I had to resort to making x-deals with magazines, TV ads, and newspapers and handing out a lot of flyer print-outs. Those are the conventional methods you can still use, but here’s something I would like you to absorb.

WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE MARKETING TOOL?

Here’s a saying I go by every time I find myself in the middle of a marketing lag. FOCUS  ON THE QUALITY OF YOUR PRODUCTS, AND THE CUSTOMERS WILL LOOK FOR YOU. Not the other way around, you looking for customers. Let your products work for you and speak for itself. Quality versus Quantity. I would rather have five returning and regular clients, than ten clients who bought mediocrity with no chances of coming back. If you are after profitability through influencing customers, nothing is as powerful as word of mouth. It is a very compelling factor when making purchasing decisions, both in the internet world and outside of it. Remember, not everyone is on the Internet all the time.

Most people trust recommendations from their friends and their families when making a purchase. Thus, customer retention and recommendation is very important when building your brand. Make a good quality product and ask your customers for their experience. I would like you to take this “secret formula to success” by heart.

Excellent Products + Superb Customer Service = Regular Returning Clients (also known as ROI, Return on Investments)

Do not focus on your Page Likes. You can start a campaign like “Feedback Fridays” or “Leave a Reco” or a star system. Get people talking about your products. Customer interaction is key.

ONLINE PLATFORMS AND DIGITAL MARKETING

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I am pretty sure you found this article through one of my Social Media pages. Yey, me! My online pages work and they have reached you. Though I am telling you that the best marketing tool is word of mouth, entrepreneurs like us would have to adapt to the modern world. You might have the greatest products and ideas in the world, but if no one knows about it, your start-up business might end up struggling. INVEST ON MARKETING. But do not just focus on increasing your followers. Make your online visibility EFFECTIVE. I am sorry if you are not tech-savvy, I myself is not a tech guru, but do not fret. Most Social Media platforms are easy to navigate. If you have an Instagram Account or a Facebook Page, you might as well maximize it.

Browse around your pages and behold what it can do for you and your business. I would like to write these things in bullet form to make this easier for you.

Make a social media ad and target it to the right market (given you have already researched everything about your target market).

Set-up an instant reply tool to make it easier for you to get back to inquiries. This enables you to screen your potential buyers or simple inquirers. Most buyers make their transactions privately, thus sending you a private message and asking details about their orders. They will go after you if they are really interested with your products.

Set a budget for marketing ads.

Share your business ads to target groups.

Upload appealing photos, write a persuasive introduction, and boost them.

Create a business account on Instagram which allows you to post the same contents directly on your Facebook Pages. (You won’t have to post your contents twice. Connect your Instagram Account to your Facebook or Twitter Business Pages.)

Build a website and create a community out of it. This allows your return clients to create more buzz about your products and services that you offer.

Like what I have said. It is very easy to navigate around Social Media Platforms. But if you feel like these things are too demanding for you to do, you can always seek help from professionals. Nothing is wrong with working with the right people, who practically knows the ins and outs of Digital Marketing. Anvorte Corp. is a good example of Web Developers who can help you with this kind of Marketing Strategy. Their services often come with free consultations. I know, because this website is a productive result of what they can offer. 🙂

BRAND COLORS AND AESTHETICS

Your brand name and the materials you use to present yourself matters! Do not create a logo for the sake of just changing your boring business profile photo on Social Media. Believe me. The value of your business often starts with a very effective logo. The colors you use, your shapes, your features, your boxes, your stickers, your packaging, it all adds up to a complete customer experience. Every single detail of your branding has an impact on how your clients gauge your value. Your branding tells what sets you apart from your competition. On all occasions, customers notice these kind of details and it can MAKE or BREAK your sales.

Be consistent with your branding. If you choose certain colors for your brand, stick to it. If you want a rustic approach, show it on your ads. Show it on your packaging. If you market yourself as a dainty high-end brand, then walk the talk. Apply it on every little detail of your product.

ASSESS YOUR SKILL SET AND BUSINESS CAPABILITY

DO NOT BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW. I cannot reiterate this enough. Attempting to do something more than you can handle is business suicide. Learn from my mistake. I have expanded my crepe business without any background and knowledge in managing a business. I thought I was in control, but it ended up as a failure.

Also, never promise anything to your customers without any idea and capability of accomplishing them. This will not only build strong doubt, but it can stain your credibility and integrity towards your clientele. “We will cross the bridge when we get there”, is a very bold quote (and a stupid one). We often say yes and dive to new opportunities without having a concrete plan. Always ask yourself, is it good for the long run? In reality, most new entrepreneurs decide to build a business with a certain goal… that is to make profits. But making profits is not attainable in a quick snap of a finger. Trying to do big things all at once to make profits will not only overwhelm you, but it will also make your business bleed into its slow death.

How do you know if your business is doing more than it can handle? Read this article 4 Signs That Your Business Has Bitten Off More Than It Can Chew.

My advice is, take it slowly and surely. Take baby steps and absorb each process through constant learning. Do not try to be jack-of-all-trades, understand that not everyone is your market. You are not everyone’s cup of tea. Focus on establishing a steady customer base before you expand your market and reach out to a bigger audience.

SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Today’s Social Media feeds will always be a reminder of what we can and cannot achieve. Do not let that limit you! While being friends with a lot of people, may or may not be able to drive traffic to your business, I would like to talk about your inner circle. Most often than not, the people we choose to hang out with and the people we choose to be a part of our circle has a great impact on our decision making, the way we perceive, and how we react to things.

The same goes with how we run our business. As we constantly strive to make it to success, some people tend to pull us down and distract us from attaining our full potential. “Crab-mentality” is quite pervasive when you decide to build a business. Do not let this stop you from achieving what you have envisioned. Seek for people who have the same goals as yours. According to Forbes, “Highly successful people are generally willing to share what it really takes to make things happen. They have the ability to help you learn from the mistakes they’ve made along the way and the “tricks and tips” to help you reach your goals faster. Seek out leaders of your field and get some real face time with them.” Look for a mentor, someone who has already clearly achieved their goals. Learn from their experiences and let them be your inspiration.

While being successful in business requires a lot of hard work (and sleepless nights), having the right people around greatly affects our mindset. Surround yourself with positive people, the goal-oriented, the visionaries, the hard workers, the learners. Seeing other people’s desire for success will keep you motivated to reach your goals. Surround yourself with people who will push you to become a better version of yourself. This will reflect on how you handle things while you run your start-up.

Also, do not be afraid to approach professionals. In building a business, you’re going to need some help to launch your start-up. You will need accountants, lawyers, financial advisors, web developers, designers, and of course your whole set of staff to complete your team. Even if you’re doing this business by yourself from your own home, I am pretty sure there is someone who is willing to support you all the way and lift you up when you feel discouraged. Your life path and mindset may change according to the connections you settle with. So choose your people wisely!

FINALLY…

Now that I have shared to you how I got myself started, it’s time to put it to test. These tips and factors may not be everything, but it can serve as a guide on how you will equip yourself. Do not be afraid to test the waters. I was once asked in a convention where I was a guest speaker for entrepreneurship, what would be my noteworthy advice for the new entrepreneurs who would like to venture and compete? My answer… You greatest competitor is yourself. Strive to be better a version from Day 0 until present. Furthermore, BE BRAVE. TAKE RISKS. NOTHING CAN EVER SUBSTITUTE EXPERIENCE.  

I would like you to expect the unexpected. Do not get discouraged if things do not run smoothly. You will face A LOT of setbacks. You will make mistakes and you will have to face tough decision-making. Sometimes, you will make wrong decisions, but that is OK. It’s part of it. You have to learn from your own mistakes for you to be able to handle what lies ahead. Just make sure your business goal is genuine. Make sure everything is legit, from registering your business name down to paying your taxes. As long as you’re doing it the right way, you will be just fine! Do not wait for the perfect timing, there’s no such thing. Sometimes, you just have to go for it! Life is too short to wonder what could have been. 🙂

BEST OF LUCK! I PRAY FOR YOUR SUCCESS! MAY WE ALL BE ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK TOGETHER!

  DO YOU PLAN TO RUN A START-UP?

DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR THE ENTREPRENEURS OF THE FUTURE?

DID YOU EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WHILE RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS?

HOW DID YOU SOLVE THEM? WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK OR SHARE ANYTHING?

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

  REAL TALK: Competitive Food Business and Getting Started was originally published on WanderBitesByBobbie