#ch: kya

[devilsmenu]

@hiddenangcls - Chad & Kya cont. from here because beta editor

"People say that the teenager years CA be quite rough but still wasn't right what I did, I shouldn't follow the crowd. I hope my parents don't think I'm a disappointment".

[jeevanjali]

Puja Ghanti Benefits: मंदिर में कितनी बार बजानी चाहिए घंटी, जानिए घंटी बजाने का महत्व और लाभPuja Ghanti Benefits: मंदिरों में या फिर घर में भी पूजा के दौरान घंटियों का इस्तेमाल किया जाता है। घंटी बजाने की परंपरा काफी पुरानी है। माना जाता है कि घंटी बजाने से भगवान प्रसन्न होते हैं और आपकी बात सुनते हैं।

[devilsmenu]

"People being pulled off from their currently living is very dangerous, especially because it's not everyone that have efforts" Jumin said with a shrug. "Yeah, it's not much" he nodded. "I don't know if people would be impressed by it though. Do you have any skill beside throwing water bottles?".

"All I have on me is currency from where I came from," Kya said, holding up a coin to show him. She grimaced. "Seems like these are about as valuable as rocks in this place." No big deal. She traveled a lot so she was used to not having much money. "I have a plan, though. Think people would pay to watch me toss some water around?" She unscrewed her bending pouch and pulled the water out with one hand, moving it around her body and into her other hand to demonstrate.

[manincaffeine]

Being a man is not easy

⬇️(See whole thread)⬇️

Career problems -

Bachpan se hi Hume sikhaya Jaata hai Ki ghar Ka Saara Bojh Tumhare Kandho par hai, Isiliye padhai pr Dhyaan diya Karo varna Kamaoge kaise...

Relationship problems -

We boys are sensitive too, we get hurt too if someone cheats, Whenever someone cheats us, Hum khud me kamiya dhundhne lagte hai Ki Mujhi me koi Kami hogi Isiliye usne chodh Diya

And secondly ladkiyo ka hua toh breakup, Humara ho toh ch*tiya katna

Emotional problems -

We boys are not allowed to express our feelings in front of someone, Jo Kuch bhi Ho Khud sehen karo, Ladke ho Tum

We're not even allowed to cry,

"Abee kya ladkiyo ki tarah Ro raha hai, ladkiya Roti hai aise, Ladke nahi"

Society problems -

Agar ladki ho toh she's brown, chubby, Minnie, zero figure But Agar Ladka Ho toh he's Kaluua, Mota, Chotu, Patli Haddi etc etc, Sadly but we boys face this too And lastly because of some people we all men are targeted,

Like there are men who are kind, humble towards girls, but society me kisi bhi matter pr humesha ladke ki hi galti dhundhi Jaati hai, Not everytime but mostly.

But still we men are used to face all this problems and keep a happy fake smile on our face.

All I want to say is,

BEING A MAN IS NOT EASY TOO..!!!

[scarabsinthestardust]

Tender // Ch. 1

Josh x male OC

I tried to write this in a way that you don't necessarily have to read Better in the Morning if you don't want to, and I suppose you don't, but there are quite a few mentions of things that occurred or that were discussed in BitM. It may make more sense if you start there, but I don't think it's a requirement.

With that being said, this one is not going to be for everyone. Parts of this are going to get VERY dark. Each individual chapter will have its warnings, but I am going to go ahead and disclose that this will include a significant amount of child abuse, and in later chapters, domestic violence, which can be very triggering for some to read. There may also be mentions of religious trauma, something that is particularly difficult for me.

On that note, if you choose to read, I hope you enjoy and thank you for being here. And please forgive me for what's going to transpire.

/////

MASTERLIST

This fic is heavily inspired by music from the Ballroom Thieves.

word count: 2100+

CHAPTER WARNINGS: language; anxiety; depression; unspecific undiagnosed mental illness; mentions of alcoholism and vehicle accidents; mentions of hospitals; a very tiny mention of sex if you squint

I’ve always hated the rain. I hate soggy clothes and wet socks. I hate the sounds of it beating against the windows like an angry beast trying to gain entry. I hate the booming thunder. I hate the flashes of lightning, especially the burning smells when it strikes something. It keeps me awake, in a constant state of anxiety, preventing any semblance of peace in my rattled mind.

But Josh can sleep right through it.

He’s been my anchor during the storms, keeping me on solid ground. His soft snores, and sometimes not-so-soft ones, give me something other than the rolling thunder to focus on. I listen to his steady breaths and the occasional words he mutters in his sleep.

I never meant to fall in love with him, but like a spell that I cannot break, he pulled me into him. I’m hypnotized. This feeling is foreign to me, the feeling of caring for someone like I do for him. And I don’t think I will ever want to let him go. But eventually, he will inevitably find out who I really am, that I’m not a good person, and he’ll leave. He will find someone better, someone he deserves, and hopefully someone who deserves him. Until then, I will hold onto him as tightly as I can, and just hope I don’t ruin him.

It was months ago when I disclosed to him that I’m an alcoholic, fully expecting him to be revolted and to decide he wasn’t interested anymore, but that’s not what happened. There was pity in his eyes, an inescapable casualty I imagine, but not once did he ever treat me like I was less than a man because of it. When I told him about the accident, I never felt any judgement from him, nor any pressure of guilt, although I didn’t particularly need any help in that department. He told me was proud of me for working so hard at staying sober, but I’m not sure if I really earned that.

I had kept everything to myself for so long. I never even told Kya, my best and only childhood friend. I don’t know why I didn’t; I knew she would never judge me for those decisions I made. And she proved me right when word eventually reached her ears. Josh was so angry at her for bringing the liquor that night. I tried to explain that she didn’t know, but he had convinced himself that she was trying to sabotage me. I was annoyed that he wouldn’t listen to me, but he became so fiercely protective of me that I soon forgot my irritation. No one had ever shown that kind of passion in my defense.

Then Josh’s little brother Sam got into a car accident. It took weeks for him to come back from what seemed like the brink of death. I was with Josh when got the phone call. I clearly remember how he paled when he heard the news, and the heavy sense of impending dread that seemed to hang overhead. He was upset, rightly so, and practically shaking with worry, and fear. I did not want him driving alone, so I tagged along to the hospital.

Why are they always so cold? You would think a warm, cozy atmosphere would be more beneficial to the healing process. Instead, you’re plagued by the fluorescent lights, incessant beeping, and constant poking and prodding. They smell of formaldehyde, reminiscent of sickness and death. It made my skin itch, like hundreds of invisible bugs trying to burrow into me. I hated being there at the hospital, and more often than not I had the urge to leave, but then Josh would lay his head on my shoulder, tears staining his cheeks, and I knew I couldn’t leave him.

Sam was released from the hospital and is okay now, and Josh is finally home getting some much-needed sleep. I assumed he might want to be alone, but he surprised me yet again when he asked me to come over. He asked me to hold him when the events of the last few weeks caught up with him and the dam broke. I couldn’t understand why he was still crying; his brother was home and recovering. The worst was over. Perhaps I couldn’t wrap my head around it because I don’t know what it’s like to love someone on that deep of a level and come so close to losing them. So, I did as he asked, keeping him held to my chest, my arms wrapped tightly around him, until his body gave out from exhaustion, and he slipped into sleep.

It's almost dawn now. I’ve been awake since the rain started. How long has it been… an hour? Two? I tend to lose track of the time quite often. Josh is no longer latched onto me. Instead, he is on his back, arms sprawled out above him and one leg sticking out from under the blanket. I’ve gotten into the habit of watching him while he sleeps, still in a state of utter disbelief that someone like him was ever even remotely interested in me. But he doesn’t know me, not really.

The storm is worsening. The rain is hitting the window so hard I think it might break. I try to focus on the man sleeping next to me as my heart rate quickens. The room is still dark, so all I can see is his silhouette, but I’ve taken the time to memorize him, the shape of his nose, the small scar on his left cheek, the way his eyelashes sit against his skin when he closes his eyes. He’s always so soft and he smells like vanilla. Even after we’ve spent the night tangled up in each other, me buried deep inside of him, both of us covered in the scent of sweat and sex, I can still smell a hint of vanilla. There have been times when I’ve convinced myself this is all a vivid dream, because there’s no way that he’s real.

A particularly loud shock of thunder rings out, and I involuntarily squeeze my eyes shut. Breathe in. Breathe out. I feel myself starting to slip, but I can’t let myself, not here, not where he can see. I’m fighting to pull back and I don’t hear the rustling of the bedding next to me. My eyes shoot open when something softly brushes my cheek.

“Finn? You okay?” Josh’s eyes are on me, still drowsy with sleep, his features painted with concern. It’s daylight. When did that happen? And although the sky is still darkened by storm clouds, I can see his face now. “You were making noises. I think you were having a nightmare.”

Was I? “I’m good. Sorry if I woke you.”

“Not you. The thunder, I think.” He rubs his eyes and scoots closer to me, draping a warm arm across my chest.

The storm raging outside chooses this moment to remind us that it’s still there. Another impossibly loud boom reaches my ears, and despite my pathetic attempt to control myself, I jump at the sound. I expect him to laugh, to poke fun at me for being spooked by something so stupid. He doesn’t. “These Tennessee storms are wild, sometimes.” He nuzzles into the crook of my neck, and I breathe him in. “You ever been in Michigan during a snowstorm?”

“I don’t think I’d want to.”

He chuckled. “I definitely prefer the rain.”

I keep my thoughts on the topic to myself. I envy him for how easily he finds the silver lining in every bad situation. He sees beauty in all things, even where all I can see is destruction, and where all I can feel is hatred, anger, and fear.

It’s not as if I haven’t tried to work on it. I’ve seen therapists, taken medications, prescribed by psychiatrists, and attempted the holistic route with yoga and meditation. When those all failed, I resorted to self-medication. I was never one for how hard drugs made me feel, so I stuck with alcohol. I would have drowned myself in it, with no concern for how it affected those around me. And then everything changed when I saw myself in that little boy that I almost took everything from. I didn’t sleep for days after the accident, and I had nightmares about it for weeks. I saw that little boy in every one of them. I should have died that night; I was sure of it. I was convinced that fate made a mistake. I wanted to fix the mistake, to remove myself from the world that I didn’t deserve to be in, but I was too much of a coward to follow through. And most days, it feels like I’m being punished for it.

I’ve trained myself to be very good at hiding whatever battle I’m waging in my head. If masking was an Olympic sport, I’d be a gold medalist. But every once in a while, I lose my grip on reality and fall back into myself, into the memories of all the things I can’t escape from and that made me what I am today. Josh makes it hard sometimes. He’s just so fucking curious about everything. I know he means well; it’s perfectly normal to want to learn all you can about your partner. But when he pesters me for information I don’t want to share, it makes my blood boil. I bite my tongue, though. And when I meet his big, ‘baby cow eyes,’ I know I can’t stay mad at him. Something about him, something almost magical, draws me back into him and quenches the flames that threaten to burn me alive.

One afternoon during a particularly lazy day, he had planted himself on top of me as I laid stretched out across the couch. He was bored and fidgety, aching to get up and do something. So, he resorted to seeing how much he could annoy me. When I got sick of him poking at my sides and biting me like an angry piranha (he really is so childish sometimes), I abruptly sat up, pushing him backwards and pinning him underneath me on the opposite end of the sofa. It scared me how easy it was to overpower him, but he just laughed. It was all part of the game, and I was still in the running. “Are you finished?” I made sure to hide any sign of real irritation and grinned playfully. I couldn’t stand the look of hurt that would show in his eyes if he thought I was unhappy with him.

His brain jumps between topics and ideas quicker than I can keep up. It always makes me falter when he changes the subject so suddenly. “Why don’t you have an accent?”

“Uh, what kind of accent am I supposed to have?”

“Well, Kya has that southern accent. It gets stronger when she gets mad,” he giggled. Pissing off his twin’s girlfriend seemed to be a favorite hobby of his. “You’re both from the same place, so why don’t you have one, too?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I left West Virginia when I was pretty young. I guess it just didn’t stick.” The truth was that it was intentional. I hated to hear the remnants of that place in my own voice, so I forced myself to break the habits that gave way to the southern drawl. It’s more difficult to keep it on lockdown when I’m intoxicated, though.

I could tell he wanted to say more on the subject but thought better of it, and I was subjected to another sudden change of topic.

I don’t think I’ve ever met someone that talks as much as he does. He’d ramble on about absolutely nothing for days if I let him. He’s loud and has an obnoxious habit of talking over people. He can be immature and stubborn, impossible to deal with once he’s made his mind up about something. And it drives me to want to rip my hair out how nosy he is, always wanting to be in everyone’s business. But on top of all that, he’s intelligent, he’s funny, and oh so sweet. He’s a brilliant ray of light in an otherwise dreary world, and my heart wants to sing for him.

He throws his leg over the top of one of mine, drawing us ever closer. It’s a little too warm under the covers, but I’ll manage. I run my hand through his curls, plush and messy, before placing a kiss on his head. I hear his breath even out and I know he’s fallen back asleep. I start to doze off after him, and I notice the storm seems to have let up, too.

TAGLIST

@hollyco @fleetingjake @musicislove3389

[phuljari]

presenting you all the.... social media au!

summary : khushi is a model and influencer; arnav just seems to stumble upon her profile one day— not so much by accident. (or what if khushi fell in love at first sight?)

warnings : just some hindi/hinglish, cussing in both languages

a/n : i am...trying something new (by using the word prompts) #IPK 13th Anniversary Fiesta @arshifiesta

titaliya_k

tagged: @/charlottetilbury @/hudabeauty @/saritaraman

liked by charlottetilbury, payaliyaa, guptagarima, aakash_r, shyamjha, hari_prakash, arnavsinghraizada, saritaraman and 176,987 others

titaliya_k the bangs are back babyy 🤩🔥

styled by the one and only @/saritaraman

view comments

charlottetilbury GORGEOUS✨

user1 khushi noooooo

user2 the bangs look fugly

⤷ user3 tf is wrong w u

user3 the lashes are LASHINGGG😍😍😍

payaliyaa bahut sunder❤️

guptagarima papa ko bohot acchi lagi👌

shyamjha aap kitni khoobsurat hai khushiji 🥰

amanmathur @/arnavsinghraizada

iMessage

Aman: Sir, please check your social media

Aman: The influencer pro-fashion was looking for

seen

Arnav: And?

Aman: On it, Sir!

iMessage

Payal: Khushi

seen

Payal: Khushi! Someone called Aman was asking for you

Khushi: Aman who?

Payal: He says he works for AR Designs

Payal: He wants to set up a meeting

Khushi: What do you think? As my manager and not my sister ofc

Payal: AR is... big. But we already discussed with Pro so i don't think we should proceed. Thought I'd run it by you first though.

Khushi: Damn did you check out the owner

Khushi: He's so hot omg🤤

Payal: Khushi!!

Khushi: Haan jiji?

Payal: Back to earth! Shall I tell no to Aman?

Khushi: Won't you ask how much they're offering?

Payal: That would be unethical. You're supposed to sign the contract and send it over to Pro by tom. no?

Khushi: Just Ask na jiji, you know Papa is looking for a groom for you. I think it's important that we help lessen his burden financially

Khushi: Especially after he had to sell the shop and all..

Payal: You don't have to put your values aside for me, pagli! But if you insist, I will set up a meeting.

iMessage

Khushi: I'm sorry

Payal: Kyun?

Khushi: Because now you'll have to say no to Pro from my behalf na 🥺

Payal: Kya? Kyun? It was just a meeting!

Khushi: They're really good at business, so they convinced me

Payal: Wtf Khushi

Khushi: No, really, jiji. Plus the 1.2 Cr package ofc, sone pe suhagaa ✨

Payal: OMG

Khushi: P.S. He's really hot in person too, I bumped into him on my way out

Payal: How tf did you manage to triple the amount Pro was offering you?????

Khushi: Good looks and charm! Aur kya jiji 💁‍♀️

Payal: Mai nai maanti

Khushi: Okay, I may have flirted with him a bit 🤏

Payal: WHAT

Payal: THE FUCK KHUSHI

Payal: You flirted with Arnav Singh Raizada? 😭

Khushi: Which part of "I bumped into him on my way out" nai samajh aaya?

Khushi: I didn't, you really think so low of me? 😭

Payal: Arey! No! Of course, you got it on your merit! I am very happy for you!🥰

Khushi: 🥺🥺🥺

Khushi: Babe guess what

Preetika: Kya hua behen?

Khushi: I met someone

Preetika: OML HELP

Khushi: I think he may be the one 😌

Preetika: Saali kisse milke aayi tu

Preetika: Kamini

Khushi: Haan bas yahi sunna baaki reh gaya tha 😔

Khushi: So much for best friends

Preetika: Abey tujhe pyaar hota hai aur roti mai hu 😭

Khushi: 😒😒😒

Preetika: Kaun mila

Khushi: 🤭🤭🤭

Khushi: Wait, I'll send you his recent post on insta

arnavsinghraizada

tagged: @/ardesignhouse @/amanmathur @/harvardmba

liked by forbesmagazine, harvardmba, serenaying, alan_vexly, amanmathur, hari_prakash, aakash_r, titaliya_k and 246,807 others

arnavsinghraizada Was called to host a seminar at Harvard Business School last month with @/ardesignhouse team and @/amanmathur by my side! Wish you'd been here too @/aakash_r brother! Phenomenal experience, really impressed by the new cohort!

Best of Luck to you all!

view comments

aakash_r Bhai! If you were there then it had to be phenomenal!

alan_vexly had an amazing session with you mr. raizada! hope to get more chances to learn from you some day..

ardesignhouse woohoo!🥳

amanmathur It was an honour!

hari_prakash bhaiyya 🍵

user1 he's so gorg

user2 wtf his handsssss

user3 pray for palestine!

user4 click on my profile!

user5 i wanna go to harvard to find a man like him actually😭

⤷user1 omg ikr, i am moon struck!

⤷user2 reallll

preetika123 oh em gee such collywobbles

TBC

<next>

[blueesnow]

(6/6) Mikado Nagi's Private Story [Utapri Live Emotion]

Ch 1: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 6 with Nagi)

-Hotel Lobby- Haruka: (Looks like there's still some time left before the new program's production presentation begin…guess I'll just wait here and look at the materials) Haruka: (Its content is educational variety and one of the main MC is--) Nagi: …Wah!! Haruka: Eh, Nagi-kun? …Kya! Nagi: Hey! If you keep that up, you'll fall…! - Nagi: ….Sigh, that was dangerous. Geez, why are you so clumsy? - Nagi: No matter how you look at it, you acted way too surprised just because I called you from behind. Even though you were supposed to be a working adult, that was so pathetic. Nagi: And to think that I took time to call you out. If you were somehow to fall just now that would make me look like I'm the bad guy, yknow? Haruka: Fufu, I'm sorry. Thank you for helping me out. Haruka: I came here at the invitation from a producer that I know, and by chance I was just about to go and greet Nagi-kun. Nagi: Hmm~? So you were looking for Nagi. But, if you think just normal greeting works on me then you're wrong! Nagi: There has to be something more that you need to say to me, right? Can you give me words that will make Nagi happy? Haruka: Yes! To think that you were selected as one of the main MC, that's so amazing. Congratulations…! Nagi: Why of course, it's Nagi after all! Educational program fits exactly for a genius like me♪ Nagi: With an incredibly cute MC such as me, there's no doubt that I'll make everyone smile in front of the TV☆

Ch 2: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 11 with Nagi)

-Hotel Lobby- Nagi: That's the news site, and over there is the TV crew. Looks like there's a lot of media assembled here. Nagi: If it's like this then that means I can show a lot of people to a cutie Nagi. Make sure you also check me out too okay! Haruka: I'm looking forward to it! The starting time starts soon right… Nagi: Somehow people over there are quite in a hurry~? …Staff-san, is there something wrong? Nagi: Eh… The host announcer can't come? Isn't that a pretty bad situation? Haruka: That's right. Even if we managed to find a substitute, we have to at least delay the start time… Nagi: There's no need to do that. We also don't have to go search for a replacement. Who do you think is standing in front of everyone right now? Nagi: It's Mikado Nagi, the cutest and most genius in the universe! Leave the hosting to me, I'll do it in a flash. Haruka: (Certainly… Nagi-kun will be able to do it right away. But as expected, it's difficult to host without any preparations.) Haruka: (If I could somehow prepare something in this remaining time… Ah, those materials over there…) (choices) <I found the script> Haruka: I found the host's script. Here it is. Nagi: Nagi is perfectly fine even if he doesn't look at it though~? But, well, I should at least give my thanks to you. Thank you. Nagi: The MC's talk, explanation of the program content, Q&A session… looks it all went pretty much just as planned. <Sound and lighting instructions!> Haruka: Here is the sound and lighting instructions! If there's anything that needs to be changed, let me know and I'll pass that to the other staffs. Nagi: Heh~ That's very thoughtful of you. Since Nagi will be doing both the performing and hosting duties, we need to make him stand out even more. Nagi: For the BGM… can I ask you to play it during this timing? Also, put the pin spotlight on Nagi over here! (back to story) Nagi: Yup, it's all perfect! No one ever expects me to be the host, so it's going to be a fun surprise to everyone. Nagi: Make sure to pay attention on me okay, Haruka. That camera over there and this camera right here, Nagi will take them all!

Ch 3: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 21 with Nagi)

-Hotel Lobby- Nagi: Hi everyone~ Thank you for joining us! Nagi will be your special host for today☆ Nagi: Fufu, were you surprised~? Then the surprise was a huge success! I hope you can keep your eyes upon Nagi's brilliant performance, okay. Nagi: Now then without further ado, let me introduce you to the members who will be helping me here together to make this show even more exciting. Let's give them a big round of applause♪ Haruka: (Amazing… While he manages to deliver words that needs to be conveyed, he also livens up the atmosphere with Nagi-kun's usual way of speaking) Haruka: (To think that he was able to easily handle the role of a host on such a short notice, Nagi-kun, you're so amazing…!) - Nagi: And that's all for the production presentation. Please look forward to it until the broadcast date, okay! Bye-bye~☆ - Haruka: Nagi-kun, thank you for all of your hard work! I was very impressed with how amazing you handle your role as the announcer host, I even forgot that you're supposed to just be a sudden substitute…! Nagi: Geez~ You're exaggerating a lot. But well, I knew how you feel. I mean, it turned out to be more than perfect after all☆ Nagi: Getting a perfect 100 score is a given. But the one who manages to get a result of 120 score is Nagi! Haruka: All of the staff members around were also grateful to Nagi-kun, you know. Nagi: I only did it because it would be a problem for me if the time was delayed. It's a new program after all, so you have to make a good first impression. Nagi: But, thanks to Nagi's brilliant way as a host, all of the expectations have risen. There's no doubt that this program will sure be a big hit♪ Haruka: Yes! I can't wait for the broadcast date either. Nagi: If that's the case, then why don't you go and check out during our recording later? You're probably curious how Nagi being an ultra cute MC, right! Nagi: This is not all that I have in store. I'll show you more just how charming Nagi is☆

Ch 4: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 31 with Nagi)

-Photographic Studio- Haruka: …And done. After that… Eh? The one standing there, isn't that… Nagi-kun! Nagi: Hm…Haruka? What, I didn't knew you were also in this studio too. Nagi: Looking at you now… It looks like you've just finished saying goodbye to all of the people involved, and was on your way going home…I guess? Haruka: Eh… Wow, you're amazing! How did you knew all that? Nagi: Looking at the jacket that you were about to put on, plus the pass that you're holding in your hands. It was all obvious☆ Nagi: Hey, if you're free after this then come with me. There's a cafe nearby that I want to check out. Haruka: Wow, that looks fun. But, are you really okay going with me? I don't know whether Nagi will enjoy it or not… Nagi: Geez~ Nagi's the one who's inviting you, so of course it's perfectly okay☆ Nagi: Stop worrying about unnecessary things. As long as you're with me, that's more than enough. Nagi: Come on, stop hesitating. Let's go! - Haruka: This… isn't this a cafe that's currently trending on social media right now. Nagi: That's right! I heard that they also served cute foods and drinks too. So I wanted to come here for at least once. The menu is… Nagi: What will you order? With so many options here, it's hard to choose right! Nagi: Whoa… this, isn't this very lovely? This one is colorful. Oh, they also have one with Nagi's color too! Nagi: Hmmm, each one of them is cute but… Maybe I'll order the pancake. Ah, this one…!

Ch 5: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 41 with Nagi)

-Cafe- Nagi: Look, there's a musical note imprinted on the pancake! Haruka: All of them are so cute it'd be such a shame to eat them…! Nagi: Aren't you glad that you came here♪ Let's take a photo right away. While holding the plate of the pancake…the angle should be around this much. Nagi: For the pose… That's right, I'm going to listen to your special request for today. Which kind of Nagi would you want to see? (choices) <The usual cute Nagi-kun, please!> Haruka: As I thought, the cute Nagi-kun is the perfect choice! Your smile would fits perfectly with the wonderful sweets, what do you think? Nagi: I'm already cute enough as it is, but you're asking for more? Can't be helped then~ How about this? Nagi: It's a special menu just for you. I'll give you a smile as sweet as a-whipped-cream♪ <Maybe a cool Nagi-kun…?> Haruka: While we're here, maybe a cool Nagi-kun…? Nagi: Are you trying to say that I'm only just cute most of the time? Don't you underestimate Nagi. Let's get started. Nagi: …Hey, Haruka. Look over here. Rather than sweets, you should just focus and be obsessed over me. (back to story) Nagi: …Yep, the picture turned out great! As expected of Nagi☆ Here, look. Haruka: Wow, what a wonderful picture…! It's full of Nagi-kun's charm! Nagi: Right☆ Hehe, thanks! I'll send it to everyone in HE★VENS later♪ Nagi: Now then, it's time to eat. Bon Appetit♪ …Mmm―! It's so sweet and fluffy! Haruka: …Fufu. Nagi: …Hey. Just now, you probably thought that Nagi was acting just like a kid, don't you. Nagi: Your face says it all. But you can't speak for others either, can you? …Look, you have a cream on the side of your lips. Nagi: Here, I got it. …Fufu, your face is all red. It's 100 years too early for you to treat me like a kid.

Ch 6: (unlocked if you reached intimacy lvl 51 with Nagi)

-Downtown- Haruka: Nagi-kun, thank you so much for today! I had a lot of fun! Nagi: You spent time with Nagi after all, so it's a given☆ That cafe had a nice atmosphere to it, right? Haruka: Yes, as expected of Nagi-kun! Please let me know if you found a nice place again. Nagi: Sheesh, don't just rely on Nagi all the time, you should also try to look for one too. But well, maybe I might let you know if I ever feel like it. Nagi: Oh and when you go home, make sure to keep your eyes on the road while you walk, okay. You're a klutz after all. Haruka: Yes, I'll be careful. See you later. - Nagi: …Now then, I guess I'll head home too. Oh, but before that, time for me to send the photos to everyone in HE★VENS♪ Nagi: We took a lot of pictures. Nagi is also a genius with his photography skill! The cuteness of the sweets is also doubled as well. Nagi: Oh, this one is her picture. *giggles* She had a cream near her lips again! Nagi: Her cheeks are so puffed up too. Talk about a weird face! Seriously, she's so funny. Nagi: Now on to Nagi's pictures… Yep, it all turned out really well! Was it because of the natural lighting? Somehow my expression looked much more better than the usual… Nagi: I seem to look like I had a lot of fun. …Was it because I was with that girl? Nagi: …Pshh, nu-uh. There's just no way. Besides, I'm the one leading her around all day too… Nagi: Everyone in HE★VENS is quite handful and troublesome people, so I guess that just means I'm starting to get used to taking care of the adults around me. Nagi: Yep, that's totally it! Geez, I ended up thinking of something weird. Let's go home quickly and make preparations for my next job~

[2n2n]

ch. 117

ALRIGHT...... off we go !!! To the set-up chapter.......

I guess whatever you do to the world, Lemon is still going to be a dog...

Aidairo-sensei are.. so funny... this is so predictable... they love to create a specific food situation and give everyone a discreet idiosyncratic order which will be dictated to us the viewer for our pleasure and knowledge...... they have some sort of interest in this kind of thing..... thank you Demmy's

she is kawaii

its nice she has this on her phone and can look at it whenever she wants... (: poor girl... painful but intriguing, right? She must have had to linger and really think about him...

pooooooooooooooooor Nene-chan.....! Pooooor Nene-chaaaan she's trying to be such a selfless girl again....! Tsk tsk... it's not faaaair you know, you've been through so much, if only you could be selfish! Too noble and pure-hearted to confidently usurp your boy's timeline... too small & unconfident to declare their love's existence as important or essential to Amane's being....

*nods*

uhhfgggf nooo don't put them side by siiiiiiide 🫣 IYAAAAAA... the size discrepancy.... Amane's smile & Tsukasa's blank gaze.... KYA... ah Tsukasa you're at perfect pelvis height.... wwww

Surprised to see Akane unwilling to change the world back... genuinely is aligned against the proliferation of kaii, then. All things told, the last world was terribly unsafe for Aoi, of all people.

I'm glad for Teru's unconventional mind.... as a boy made happy by unusual things, that makes sense for him. Happiness isn't something as prescriptive as a list of things accomplished, or an age reached. Surviving doesn't mean flourishing...

she's quick to diminish her own importance, our Nene-chan...

I think in this world, love is the most important thing of all. I wonder what Yugi-sensei's everyday life was defined by... what did he feel, going home alone each day?

a nice and painful face from Teru! I like it....

how fragile life is. He's a bit of a control freak in many ways, he really wouldn't like this sort of situation... deferring to some greater force. Wouldn't it feel much safer to craft reality for yourself & those you love... to have a choice and exercise it, and prove that you can.

Really though, why would the Minamoto family need parents HAH, Teru is so happy with his precious little brother & Princess... being the breadwinner... I'm sure.

I like such an angry Aoi hehaaa... cucked !?!?

tell the AUDIENCE THAT, NENE-CHAN!! You've got such excellent taste ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

ohhh this poor Aoi of this world haha, she's not ready for this directness at all, is she....! Hahaha... I wonder how easily one could 0 to 60 an Aoi who hasn't been confessed to every single day of her life? It works on her much better right here than it typically did in our reality, doesn't it.... you've made her heart stop.... she used to tease you about that as your goal..... haha. Isn't this Akane so impressive and crazy seeming, you have to be bewitched? Oh Akane's charm point....

jesus, the gang increases in size then.... I suppose we want to really carry as many people through this arc as we can. That makes me suspect that we'll really pingpong all over between different people's experiences .... since I can't imagine AidaIro-sensei would want to balance so many people in 1 room interacting... I wonder how we'll divide the gangs up in the longrun? Honestly, so long as Nene-chan isn't stuck with someone like Kou, I'll be content.... he's strapped to Mitsuba seemingly, I hope it stays that way for a while...

lets GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

so many more questions than answers already....

on this first glance, we would have so much confusion, trying to make sense of this appearance... how would we question if this was the Red House of this world?

such questions would occur: is the house so dilapidated even without a murder-suicide occurring here? Does that mean Yugi-sensei never occupied it, never inherited it from his family? If not a massive family suicide, why would it be abandoned in such a terrible state? If not cursed & ominous, why would it be avoided, as such a palatial estate? It was a large & well-furnished, well-loved house, in the Yugi's childhood... what situation would cause their parents to allow it to fall into such chaos? Why would nobody take it over? Who owned it, in its final years of occupation? Where did Yugi-sensei live? Did he rent an apartment elsewhere? Why wouldn't it simply be sold?

At what point did Yugi-sensei no longer call this home, in this timeline? Were his parents still alive, as he moved out? How long ago did they die? Did he outlive them, or die before them?

This just doesn't look like the house of a family who lived happily & as long as they could....

but this might

changes rapidly in appearance from panel to panel.

So our previous questions are moot.... or are they? Haha....

No longer crawling with ivy and dilapidated, chains gone, shingles fixed, NOW it looks like a place Yugi-sensei could have inherited and lived within in his adult life. So is this as it truly is, haha....? Now this looks like a house maintained by a living & fine family ... with few sudden & unforeseen miseries.

I wonder what our Red House's life was like, in this timeline....

I'm quite fond of the idea of Yugi-sensei living in it, taking it over from his parents when they pass away....

a handsome man in a beautiful house~~

let's see what will happen!

[erisenyo]

Hey there, can I ask how you come up with your OC names?

Anon I am THRILLED you asked because I am about to dump so much in-my-head-only worldbuilding on you, so much more than you probably needed or wanted lol.

As always this is not short, and forgive in advance the butchery I’m about to do of like, all of phonetics and linguistics.

OKAY so generally speaking, when it comes to names I have a set of foundational building blocks/general guidelines for the various countries and I work from there. These are based on phonetic characteristics of the canon names we see, and then from there I'd start layering in additional fun along groupings I've noticed around gender or class or family lines or whatever if I want to take the worldbuilding that deep.

So for example, with the Water Tribes…

We have Sokka, Katara, Hakoda, Bato, Kya all from the South, so I pick out...

Hard K or T sounds being quite common

Primarily A and O as vowels

Vowels being between consonants (ie, being single vowels)

Names being 2-3 syllables

In the North, we see Yue, Hahn, Agna Qel’a, Arnook, Kanna, Pakku...

Some similarities with the Ks and hard Qs

Now we see some softer ‘gn’ and ‘hn’ and L sounds, and the addition of P (which makes Bato’s “B” and Sokka’s “S” stand out)

Some ‘oo’ instead of ‘o’ vowels (so double vowels)

Hahn and Yue with no hard consonant sound at all (and both upper class!)

So that gives us some basic starting blocks to start building up names that sound like they fit within the Water Tribe culture in terms of sounds, as well as some potential regional and class differences to start working with! (Maybe Q sounds are only in the North, and upper-class people have soft consonant names, for example.)

Similarly in the Fire Nation…

The royal family is Zuko, Azula, Ozai, Azulon, Sozin, Iroh, Lu Ten, so...

A lot of Z and K sounds

(Male) names that end in N

A lot of two-syllable names (with the emphasis on the first syllable)

A lot of riffs on each other (Sozin and Ozai, Azulon and Azula, Azulon and Zuko)

Iroh and Lu Ten stand out as having fairly distinct names comparatively, with the “oh” ending and the softer "Ir" and "Lu" starts

Chan, Zhao, and Ruon-Jian are the other upper-class guys we see, which gives us...

short syllables again

N endings (for men) agai

The ‘two word’ name again (so Lu Ten's name naming structure is used elsewhere)

The introduction of “Ch” and ��J” and “R” and double-vowel sounds (ao, uo, ia)

We also see Roku and Kuzon...

So very similar names to our royal bunch with those Ks and Zs and oku/uko and uzon/ulon sounds

Also older names from 100+ years ago, and commoner names

Mai, Ursa, Ty Lee as our upper-class ladies gives us...

short syllables again

‘two word’ names again

M sounds!

Mai and Ursa both don't have a hard consonant stop

Some phonetic/vibey similarity with “Mai” and “Ty”

And adding in Chit Sang (another commoner!) (presumably!)...

Another two-word name

Introduces the ‘ng’ ending

Leverages a lot of the consonant sounds we already saw

Uses an “it” usage of the "I" vowel (vs Iroh’s I)

So pulling it all together, in addition to those foundational consonant and vowel sounds, we also see that the royal family has a distinct naming convention that may be rooted in archaic naming styles.

And we can start to build out some ideas around gendered naming, family/honorific naming, and some potential class/pre-unification culture differences, as well as some space to speculate about why Iroh and Lu Ten’s names are so different from the rest of the royal family, too (as well as the ammunition to suggest that Zhao comes from a family of suck-ups lol)

Moving onto the Earth Kingdom (where I truly went wild)…

We start off with Toph, Haru, Long Feng, Kuei, Jet, Bumi, Poppy, Lao, and there's a lot of varability here!

Generally, the names are one or two syllables and start with a consonant

We see more double-vowel pairs (uei, ao), perhaps in the upper class but just as many single vowels

Consonants are hard or soft, and don't seem to group like the Water Tribe or FN royals did around particular sounds

Names end in vowels or hard sounds or softer 'ph' and 'ng'

Those guardrails are fairly wide and broad for feeling out distinct-sounding names, but it makes sense given how huge the Earth Kingdom is and its history of war, displacement, movement, etc.

So for a fic like That Love You've Been Looking For which was super EK-centric and focused on worldbuilding, I ended up breaking it down into broad regions and leaning into place names as well to help articular some basic rules:

In the southwest (Gaoling, Toph, Lao, Poppy), I decided that there’d be a mix of single and two-word names, and that the ‘ph’ ending would be used by women and the ‘ng’ ending for men

On the western coast (Haru, Omashu, Bumi), I went with primarily two-syllable names that follow a ONE-two pattern (PA-lo, BU-mi, CHE-lu, HA-ru) and went with mostly softer consonants

In the north (Ba Sing Se, Si Wong Desert, Long Feng), I went with short multi-word names where each part would be a single syllable

And in the center I was kind of pulling it together from what was left, but I went with names that end with an ‘an’ or ‘in’ sound and echoed some of the place names I was using

So we have some building blocks for the various regions, this time that we can use to indicate where someone’s family could be from and to give each region a more specific feel.

For Kyoshi...

I generally lift the Earth Kingdom rules, but view it as more of a trade-center and melting pot (Suki could fit in WT or FN rules), so it's deliberately a lot looser and with more variation.

And everywhere has a Lee/Li, so none of these rules are hard and fast, and I imagine too that there’s a ton of cultural mixing and fads and trends and whatnot in naming across various regions.

A quick note from a process standpoint--

This approach is very much not trying to find names within various existing real-world cultures. If I'm writing ATLA canon-world, I tend to stick to the idea of leveraging real-world contexts as a base rather than a strict guide. Something I wanted to flag, as there are other ways to go about OC naming that lean much more heavily into researching the naming conventions of various cultures throughout history, thinking about translation and name meaning, etc.

And also, if I need a lot of names, I'll often use the Fantasy Name Generator and look for names that either fit or that I can tweak into the above 'rules.' (Otherwise I accidentally start giving people ship names lol, RIP to Mailee, Maizula, and Yutara, you lived on under new personas)

I also don't always dig as deeply into the way names can signify class or status or whatnot, either. It can be very fun, but sometimes you just need a one-off name so your POV character looks like they actually interact with the people they nominally see every day haha

Editing 10/24 to add - this is representative of my prior approach, going forward I have shifted to leveraging real names as much as possible and building headcanons around, for example, different real-world inspired cultural influences within the nations

[lowcallyfruity]

When u say Kya it reminds me of the little squeal vil did in ch 5

😢😢😢 IDK WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE I FORGORRRRF

But I imagine his cute little smile

[devilsmenu]

❛ by myself but not alone. ❜ ( tony and kya )

"That's good. You can be by yourself but not be lonely or something like it" Tony replied with a nod. "Have you seen someone from your home here?".

[kishmishorkissish]

Aaj acha acha khele ye

Ta fer ajj Punjabi ch sledging ho je fer tan maje hi maje .😌😌

And this is the first mi post in which he is present (correct me if am wrong) to ye baaki time kha tha 💀

So my theory is (READ AT YOUR OWN RISK) :- kya pta ye kahi gaya ho kisi se milne ifykyk🌚🌚💀💀 baaki tum log khud hi smjhdaar ho and kl waale match mai maine uske parents ko nhi dekha ... (Correct me if am wrong) to 🌚🎀🎀

Te punjab tan ehda hun sauhra(sasural) ae 😭🎀

Jo log theory puch rahe they bhai ye ajeeb theories hi milegi mere se 💀💀💀

Nd be delulu but in good way

Toodles.

Ajj mi jeet je hor kujh nhi chahida

Aap log vi pray kr lena ki jeet jaaye hum aaj 🎀🎀🎀🎀💙💙💙💙

[jeevanjali]

Hanuman Ji: जानिए हनुमान जी को सिंदूर अर्पित करने का महत्व, फायदेHanuman ji: सनातन धर्म में हनुमान जी को मंगलवार का दिन समर्पित है इस दिन हनुमान जी की विशेष पूजा की जाती है। आपको बता दें कि हनुमान जी को सिंदूर अर्पित करने से भगवान हनुमान खुश होते हैं और भक्तों पर विशेष कृपा करते हैं

[soulc-hilde]

The Traitors

Series: The Lost Waterbender / Ch. 03

Pairing: Sokka x OC! Ikkara

Words: 1.5k

Synopsis: Sent off from her homeland in order to fulfill her duty, a young waterbender takes on the responsibility to teach the Avatar. Forced to abandon her people just like Aang was force to abandon his childhood, the two bond over their desire to be freed. Rushing off into the night, the duo are swept off in the midst of a rain storm. Waking in her homeland, Ikkara is left confused and 100 years behind the present.

"I'm just not understanding how neither of you two know about the war," Sokka rants. He and Ikkara were settled on a long seat that settled around. 

As he was absentmindedly cooking some fish, Ikkara was using her bending to keep the rowdy children entertained. Creating little, moving snowmen that chased the little terrors around. 

She shrugs, "if you can't understand it then I surely can't. I mean, it's hard to believe but not impossible. I can see the change and how it's affected my tribe." She shakes her head. 

"When I left, our tribe was spirited and majestic," she describes, nostalgically. "The village walls looked over our head, practically touching the sky, protecting us from the tundra and the beasts that lurked outside."

Ikkara finally meets his eyes, "but now? The most spirit I've seen here are the kids and the hope that shines in Katara's eyes. Everyone else looks stressed and exhausted. It breaks my heart."

"Not trying to sound like a jerk or anything," Sokka sighs, "but the world you knew 100 years old has been tarnished and burnt to the ground thanks to the Fire Nation. Everyone and everything you knew is gone."

A voice speaks from behind them, "not completely." They turn to see Gran-Gran practically leaning over their shoulders. 

"Excuse me," Ikkara questions. The older woman sits beside Sokka, a soft smile taking over her wrinkled features. She explains, "your Chief Nilruq's little girl, aren't you?"

Ikkara's eyes widen, nodding repeatedly, "yes. Yes! How do you know him?" Kanna shakes her head, "unfortunately, I do not as he had passed just moons before I was born, but his story lives on through our people."

She continues, "typically, tales of his bravery and how he fought for us have been shared with our warriors while his name has been called on in prayer to guide our soldiers through battle."

"My daughter, Kya, was a waterbender and admired your story," Kanna gives a watery smile. "Every Southern Waterbender wanted to follow in the steps of Ikkara, the child master. They waited, anticipated for the Avatar to be reborn whether in our tribe or the North, hoping they achieve just an inch of what you could."

Ikkara closes her eyes, heading shaking in despair as she silently cries. "I'm sorry," her voice trembles, "I've abandoned my responsibilities. I've abandoned my people." 

Surprisingly, Sokka sets down the stick that held the fish before carefully pulling the older girl into his side. He wished he could utter something encouraging or at least uplifting. 

"Oh, child," Kanna sighs, "you've done nothing of the sort. You were a child then and you still are. Even your father wished he could've saved you, prevented you from leaving the South Pole. But some things must be done for a reason."

Before much else could be said, a whistle catches their attention. Turning around, they watch as a red flare pierces the sky. While everyone's faces drop in horror, Ikkara looks at it with confusion. 

"What is that?" She asks. Sokka clenches his jaw, "a Fire Nation flare. Where's Katara?" Ikkara shrugs, "I remember her saying that she wanted to talk to Aang. I even caught a glimpse of them penguin sledding."

Sokka jumps to his feet, spear in hand as he charges for the village gate. Kanna guides the teen girl to her feet with a gaze of disappointment. The two follow the crowd, huddling anxiously as Aang and Katara jog towards the village.

"I knew it!" Sokka cries out, "you signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?!"

Katara snaps back, "he didn't do anything, it was an accident." Aang rubs the back of his head, "yeah, we were on the ship and there was this boobytrap and, well, we boobied right into it."

Ikkara sends him a glare, "Aang, you should've returned to the village. Do you how much danger you could've put the two of you in?" The boy avoids her gaze, pouting.

"Katara," Kanna starts her own scolding, "you shouldn't have gone on that ship. You knew better, now we could all be in danger."

Aang steps up, "don't blame, Katara. I brought her there, it's my fault." Sokka points at him, "aha! The traitor confesses, warriors away from the enemy!" 

The group of children sadly pout, lowering their heads as their tiny feet shuffle back to their mothers. Sokka continues, "the foreigner is banished from out village!" 

"Sokka, you're making a mistake," Katara growls at him. He shakes his head, pointing his spear at the boy, "no. I'm keeping my promise to Dad. I'm protecting you from threats like him!"

Ikkara jumps in front of Aang, pushing the spearhead away. "Hey, Aang's not a threat. We're not a threat. He's made a stupid mistake and he's already apologized for it. He's just a kid." 

"See!" Katara insists, "they're not our enemy. Don't you see? They've brought us something we haven't had in a long time, fun." 

Sokka scrunches his face with distaste, "fun?! We can't fight firebenders with fun!" Aang smiles, "you should try it sometime." Ikkara glares down at him causing the boy to shrink behind her back.

"Get out of our village, now." Sokka glares. Katara turns to Kanna, pleading, "Gran-Gran, please. Don't let Sokka do this." The older lady quietly shakes her head in response.

Katara steels, gritting her teeth, "fine! Then I'm banished, too! Come on, guys, let's go." She pulls the two by their sleeves, tracking down the slope. 

Sokka watches her, take aback. "Where do you think you're going?!" He screams. She shouts over her shoulder, "to learn waterbending. Ikkara will teach me and they'll take me to the North Pole."

"We are?" The duo asks in sync. However, Aang grins, "great!" Ikkara, however, looks at the younger girl with uncertainty. 

Sokka calls out, "Katara! Would you really choose them over your tribe? Your own family?" Ikkara sighs, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Katara," she trails, "I already lost my family to time. The South is no longer my home, but it is yours. We don't want to come between you and your family."

The girl bites her lip, rethinking her words, "so, you're leaving? This is goodbye?" The duo nod, somberly. Ikkara gives her a sad smile, "I would've loved to have taken you as a student."

She gives the girl a bow before climbing onto Appa. Aang smiles at Katara, "thank you for penguin sledding with me." He leaps onto the bison, landing on its head.

"Where will you go?" She wonders. The two shrug before Ikkara speaks first, "I guess go back to the temple and look for the other airbenders."

Aang snorts, "I haven't cleaned my bedroom in 100 years. Not looking forward to that." Instead of laughing, Ikkara just looks down. The boy calls out to the village, "it was nice meeting everyone."

"Let's see your bison fly now," Sokka sasses. Aang encourages the beast, "come on, Appa. You can do it, yip-yip." The bison groans, slowly standing up.

Sokka scoffs, "yeah. I thought so." A little girl dashes after the bison, "no! Don't go, please? I'll miss you." Her tear filled eyes stare into Ikkara's. 

"We'll miss you, too," she shares, softly. Katara watches them trudge on, sadly, as they disappear into the distance. Kanna goes to soothe her granddaughter, "Katara you'll feel better after you--"

"You happy, now?" The teen bites in frustration, storming past her elder. "There goes my one chance of becoming a waterbender." 

Sokka begins to bark orders at the group of boys, "alright, ready our defenses! The Fire Nation could be on our shores any moment now!" 

One of the boys chime, "but I gotta--" Sokka shouts, "and no potty breaks!"

Lost in the abyss of snow and ice, Aang, Ikkara, and Appa settle in an ice enclosure. Aang laid asleep as Appa was nodding off, but Ikkara was awake and distracted. Her eyes couldn't stop watching the village. 

Appa roars, softly. Nodding, she responds, "I liked them, too. Especially that Sokka kid." 

From the corner of her eye, she notices a speak of black sailing its way to village. Her eyebrows raise, expecting this of the sort, "looks like that flare caught someone's attention."

Leaning down, coming face to face with the bison, she points at the airbender. "Keep him safe, boy," she pats his head. Jumping down from the ice, her boots land on the snow. With a slight twist, it grips around her ankles and solidifies. 

Bending at the knee, she thrusts her hands behind her, creating a wave of snow that carried her to the village at high speeds, racing the Fire Navy ship. "Don't let me be late," she mumbles, "not again."

[lookismaddict]

Lookism Chapter 435 Memes/Thoughts I Have:

(SPOILERS !!! I don’t own any of the Lookism panels and the translations. Only the memes that I made.)

Not much happened here, so Imma keep this short and simple.

Nah mf, you lied.

Ohhhh shit, the return of Zack 2.5!!! 😳 (2.5 because Zack got a glow-up and got stronger. So that’s his 2.0. Plus, Kwak Jihan is like, HALF of Zack here. 2nd half is Gun.) The “Kya~” 💀 AND OFC DANIEL WOULD PULL IT OFF. HE ISN’T ONE OF YOUR SIDE-CHICK LACKIES BRO. 😭

Um… because he can? Why? Is Jinyoung your side hoe? Like… why are you all over his di-

Goddamn, that bite mark tho and those scars on his chest. Can I just…

“Lord” ? Oh “Lord”, I knew he had some type of praising kink- 💀💀💀💀

You already know that guys who drink makgeolli like this are actual freaks. Like… it’s obvious. 💀 Bruh I really wanna try makgeolli. I wonder if it tastes sweeter than straight soju or something…

Also, same pot? 👀

Bro... what the fu... When did this arc turn into a whole horror movie? 😭😭😭

*WARNING: IF YOU GET SCARED EASILY, THEN I SUGGEST YOU GO HOME FOR THIS ONE. SCROLL DOWN AND DON'T LOOK!!!*

OOMFASKDJFHASDKJFHASDFJHASDFIAHFIEWHFIERHQWEIFHQWEIFHQWEFIOQWHQWHQFUHQWERFUQHE4FUIQ4H DUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE, WTF?!?!!?!?!? I JUST GOT JUMPSCARED WHILE READING THIS CHAPTER. WTH MAN. I DIDN'T KNOW WE GOING BACK TO THE CULT ARC. TF???

AND BROOOO WHAT IS THIS, THE MANDELA CATALOGUE????? PTJ PUTTING ALTERNATES NOW IN HIS CHAPTER??? (I love that channel btw and I love Analog horror. 🖤) PERO HNNNNNGGGGGHHHH WTFFFFFFFFF!!!

NAH, FUCK YOU!! YOU AND THAT PET HOARDER FROM THAT ONE ARC SHOULD BE BESTIES, BC WTFFFFFF. YOU GUYS ARE SCARY AF. I'LL YEET YOU INTO THE PILE OF PSYCHOS BRUV. YOU GOING IN WITH THE WHOLE ENTIRE DOG GOD CULT, DANIEL'S STALKER, ZOE'S STALKER, AND THE REST OF THEM. ALL OF YOU, GET INTO THE PIT AND BURN IN THE FLAMES OF HELL!!!

PTJ really giving us these angles man, sheesh... Man's wearing BAPE TOO? Bape underwear bruv. I can't- 💀 These mf's flexing on us, even with expensive underwear on. I'm dying in the inside.

Bitch you thought. (Also, he's giving me Gun vibes here. Shiiiiiiiiiiiit... Calm down, my feral ass, it's NOT HIM...)

AWWWW NOT THE DOGS GIVING HIM THE SCARED SIDE-EYES. 😭😭😭 (But nah, they really were all talk, barking and shiii. ALL BARK, BUT NO BITE. SMH 😤)

Yeah, you're all going to get GOT. Say your prayers now. 🙏🏽

OK, THAT'S YOUR FAULT FOR UNDERESTIMATING HIM THO. LIKE SORRY BABE, YOU DIDN'T GET THE MEMO??? 🙄 (Also, damn. If you were planning to break your phone in the first place, you should've just given it to me. I really needed a new one... 👁👄👁)

OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO SHIIIIIIIIIIIT, WE GOT BACKUP?????? 👀

OHHHHH SHIIIIIISDFKJASHDFKJDHFHKSDHF IT'S HUDSONNNNN!!!!!!!! OMGGGGGG I NEVER EXPECTED TO FEEL HAPPINESS WHEN I JUST SAW HUDSON. LIKE BROOOOO COMING IN WITH THE CLUTCH FRFR. 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 PERO DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN, HE REALLY BODYING ALL OF THEM. OMG IM FUCKING SQUEALING RN AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

OMGGGASHDFJASDHFJSDFHDSFDJKH. I... AM.... SCREAMINGGGGGGGGG!!!!!! JAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!! 😫😫😫😫💛💛💛💛💛💛

A KING FOR NONVIOLENCE, LET'S GOOOOOO!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍 (I loved how he just shows up without having to beat up anybody. Instead, he drives his motorcycle and scares people off of cliffs. God bless his pure heart.) 💀

UGHHHHHH THIS LINE UP IS SO GOOD BRO. I'M ALREADY HYYYYYYYYYYYYYPED!!!! 😆😆😆😆😆

AAAAAAAAAALRIGHTYYYYYY, SO THIS CONCLUDES CH. 435. Holy crap, I haven't finished a review THIS early in a while. BUT ANYWAYS, I really want to know why they're getting in Daniel's way of learning more about Jinyoung Park. Like, who are they? Jinyoung's bodyguards or something? 😅 They most likely might have beef with Jinyoung, but they've been hella pressed ever since Danny boy arrived. He's just trying to find this man, just leave him alone!! 😩 But what if they joined forces in trying to find Jinyoung...? Idk, just a little afterthought in the back of my mind. They might have some sort of compromise or something. Eugene style...? 😂✨ Anything is possible at this point

Also, "short and simple" my ass. I just realized that I went overboard AGAIN.

[scarabsinthestardust]

Tender // Ch. 4

MASTERLIST

word count: 2200+

CHAPTER WARNINGS: language; mentions of drinking/alcoholism; arguing/one-sided arguments; depression; anxiety; unspecified undiagnosed mental illness; tiny little spoiler for Better in the Morning, but nothing that will be a shock to readers that are caught up on it

The trouble with things going smoothly is that one tends to get complacent. They get comfortable and let their guard down. They make mistakes and people suffer for it, mostly the ones they never wanted to hurt in the first place.

Josh and I have been going strong for the last six months. We’ve not so much as bickered since the first argument. He’s somehow convinced me, on some uncertain level, that maybe I do deserve this happiness. The fear is still there, of course, but Josh has found a way to quell it, and suddenly I don’t feel like I’m drowning. He’s my spark, my ever-burning flame, and I think maybe I might be able to keep it from going out.

I never wanted kids, and that hasn’t changed, but watching Josh light up around them only increases my love for him. It’s no different with his new niece. He’s been fawning over Kya and Jake’s baby nonstop since she was born and has made it his life’s mission to ensure he’s the ‘favorite uncle.’ He talks about her constantly, and I’m surprisingly not put off by his incessant chattering these days. But I suppose all good things must come to an end.

We’re in his kitchen, cleaning up after dinner. Although I still have my own place, I find myself spending most of my time at his house. He’s talking a million miles a minute about his day, and his most recent visit to Kya’s. He tells me practically everything the baby did, which isn’t much considering she’s, well, a baby, but Josh is excited, so I let him have his moment. Then he says something that makes my heart stop.

“Jake said they’re probably gonna go to West Virginia soon to visit… uh, whoever you guys know up there. I thought maybe we could tag along, make it a whole family trip.”

“No. I’m not going to West Virginia.” Bile is rising in my throat at the thought, and I’m infuriated he would even suggest it.

He reaches out to touch my arm. “I mean, I’d be there with you the whole time. I think it’d be-“

“I said no.”

“I want to see where you grew up, and whatever happened out there, we can-“

The last remaining calm in me dissipates, and I snatch my arm from him, slamming my fist on the marble countertop so hard it shoots pain up to my elbow. “Drop it!”

He blinks at me in shock, and I pretend I don’t notice the way he flinches. I’ve never raised my voice like this toward him, but now the dam has broken, and I can’t stop. “Why can’t you ever just fucking leave shit alone?”

“Finn…” His voice is so small and soft that I almost feel bad. Almost.

“Stop. Fucking. Talking. For once in your life shut the fuck up. I don’t understand why you always have to keep pushing and pushing for shit you know nothing about! Maybe no one’s ever told you no, you’re so used to getting everything you want, but it doesn’t fucking work like that. And you don’t even understand one piece of what you’re prying for. So, stop acting like a spoiled fucking brat, and quit digging!”

I know he doesn’t deserve any of what I said, but the damage is already done. His eyes are filling with tears, and he takes a step away from me. His jaw tenses and he nods, refusing to look me in the eyes. “Fine. Okay.” He doesn’t argue, the first indication that I’ve truly hurt him, only turns away and disappears down the hallway.

My heart’s racing, my skin feels like it’s on fire, and I’m squeezing my fist so tightly my nails are digging into my palm. The house is too small; the walls might be closing in on me. I don’t hear anything, and Josh doesn’t come back out. I should go apologize, but it seems like such a daunting task that will only result in more confrontation, and will inevitably lead me to hurt him more. That’s the last thing I want to do, so I grab my keys, slam the door on the way out, get in my car, and drive.

I don’t have a destination, I just need to get away. It’s already dark; the bright oncoming headlights in the opposite lane make my eyes water. Or is it the guilt and anxiety? I very much wish I could go back and do things differently. Maybe it’s not too late to salvage my relationship with him, but I can’t return to him like this, when my mind is still mottled with rage. I don’t trust what I might do. Instead, I’ll do what I do best – run.

~

JOSHUA

When Josh told his twin he was coming over, Jake wasn’t expecting to find him with bloodshot eyes and splotchy, tear-stained cheeks. “Shit, what’s wrong?” Jake ushered him inside and directed his attention to Josh, concern painting his features.

“Finn and I got into a fight. And he didn’t come home. It’s been 24 hours. His phone’s going straight to voicemail. I checked his place, and I don’t think he’s been there either. What if something happened to him? What if-“

“Josh, calm down. I’m sure he’s fine.” Jake coaxed his brother to sit down on the couch. He gently reminded Josh to keep his voice down, so he doesn’t wake the baby. “Did he say anything before he left?”

“No. No, we argued… he was so pissed off so I tried to give him some space and he just left.” Josh didn’t want to elaborate on the details; he knew how Jake would react to Finn being the primary aggressor, and he didn’t want to make his boyfriend out to be the bad guy. He blamed himself for it anyways. “I don’t know what to do. I’m worried about him. And I checked the weather, there’s another storm coming through. What if he gets stuck out in it somewhere?”

Jake shook his head. “What are you talking about? He’s not a fucking dog, Josh. It’s just rain. He’ll figure it out.”

“No, he’s right to be worried.” Kya’s voice came from behind them; they didn’t hear her come around the corner until she spoke. “He’s always been terrified of storms. I don’t know why. He used to hide in the closet when we were kids, until it passed. But that also means he watches the weather like a hawk. I’m sure he’s found somewhere safe to hunker down until it passes.”

“Is this normal for him, to just disappear?” Josh’s eyes pleaded with her for some kind of reassurance.

Kya shrugged sadly. “He’s always been a little ghost-y, I guess. But I didn’t think he would just drop off without telling you. What… was it that bad of a fight?”

Josh swallowed as he fought back tears. “It… no, it was stupid. And I’m the one that upset him. I started it.”

Kya watched him carefully; there was something he wasn’t telling them. But she didn’t call him out on it. She figured if it was something serious, he would have said something. “He’ll come around,” she said. “He doesn’t handle confrontation well. I’m sure he just needs some time to cool off and clear his head. He’ll come back.” She didn’t let on that she was suddenly doubting her own words.

When Josh eventually returned home, dejected and depressed, he curled up on the couch under a soft throw blanket. He held his phone close and made sure the volume was turned up in case Finn did call him back. He wanted to stay up, wanted to wait just a little longer, but exhaustion won out and he soon drifted to sleep.

~

It’s barely dawn by the time I make it back to Josh’s house. His car is here. He’s probably asleep, which makes me falter. I don’t want to wake him up, but I know the longer I stay away, the harder it will be. I’ve rehearsed a hundred different conversations in my head, like memorizing a script that will change based on how Josh responds to each line. I’m honestly quite terrified. I considered just staying gone, but I know Josh well enough to know that kind of uncertainty would only hurt him more. If I’ve lost him, at least we’ll both know it.

I ring the doorbell. I know where he keeps the spare key, but I don’t feel like I’ve earned the right to use it. I don’t realize I’m holding my breath as I wait for a response. I’m surprised at how quickly he comes to the door, and I’m even more shocked when he throws his arms around me so hard I almost stumble backwards.

“Where the hell have you been? I was so worried about you. I thought… I thought something happened to you.”

He was worried? About me? I coax him inside so I can shut the door. I’m not keen on providing intel on our private lives to the neighbors. He sniffs and rubs his eyes with the back of his hand. When I finally get a good look at his face, my chest aches. He hasn’t slept; he looks exhausted. I know he’s been crying, and I hate that it’s my fault.

He allows me to lead him to the couch, but instead of sitting with him, I kneel on the floor in front of him. “I’m so sorry.” It seems like a good place to start. “I’m sorry for how I treated you. You didn’t deserve that, Josh. I lost my cool, that’s all on me. And… I understand if you want me to leave, if you don’t want this anymore.”

“Where did you go?” he asks quietly.

“Uh, Wichita.”

“Kansas? What the hell is in Kansas? Or… who?”

I’m mildly taken aback at the implication, but if the roles were reversed, I’d be thinking the same thing. “I promise you, it’s nothing like that. I didn’t plan to go to Wichita, I just ended up there. I…” I hesitate to tell him the whole truth. Hiding it is easier, and he may not ever forgive me. But maybe he’ll pity me instead, and that’s almost worse. “I messed up, though.” I pull my AA chip from my pocket and place it in his hand, careful to avoid his eyes. “I’m sorry. I know you’re probably disappointed in me. I found a meeting before I came back, but if you don’t want-“

“I don’t want you to leave.” He looks at the chip in his palm before holding it back out to me. “This doesn’t define you, Finn. You’re allowed to make mistakes.”

Mistakes get people killed. “You deserve better,” I admit. I’m giving him an out, an escape route, and the small piece of me that is still decent wants him to take it. I slip the chip back into my pocket, although it feels dirty now, contaminated somehow.

He’s staring down at the carpet, and I can see the wheels turning. “You weren’t drunk, though.”

“I got drunk. I went to a bar, and-“

“No, I mean before you left. You weren’t drunk when you screamed at me.”

“No,” I whisper. “I… I can’t go back there, Josh. You trying to convince me to, it… it triggered something in me, I guess. I can’t stand feeling like I don’t have a choice.”

“I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I know you didn’t. I’m working on it, though. And I know it’s a lot to ask, but I promise if you give me another chance, I’ll do better. It won’t happen again.”

He stays quiet for a moment, sniffling as he considers my words. I’m still not confident that he’ll forgive me, and I brace myself for the worst. But instead, he leans forward, resting his arms on my shoulders and pulling me to him. “I’m sorry. Just please don’t leave. Let me help you,” he practically begs.

I give into his pleas, and we stay like this until he asks me to come to bed with him. “Will you just lay with me?” I hold him then, neither of us saying a word. His fingers absentmindedly trace my skin, just under the hem of my shirt. They trail along the small scar just above my right hip and I tense up involuntarily. The little patch of marred flesh is just a reminder, another in a long line of stories I will never tell him. He’s learned to quit asking about it, now.

I don’t think I really sleep. Josh eventually drifts off and I’m left alone. I don’t want to admit it, but my gut is telling me this is wrong. Something in me is screaming to get away from here, from him. Except it’s not because I’m in any kind of danger. It’s because I know he is. No matter how many promises I make, how many times he forgives me for the things I’ve done, or how much he pleads for me to stay with him, I will inevitably hurt him over and over again. There is no doubt in my mind that everything he’s tried to build in himself, I will bring it all crashing to the ground. I do love him, more than I’ve loved anyone this way. Some say if you love something, you need to let it go. But my love for him, and my own selfishness, is why I know I never will. I’ll hold onto him for as long as I can, even if all I do is drag him down with me to the pits of wherever the hell I end up.

///

@hollyco @fleetingjake @musicislove3389 @hailthegodsong @josh-iamyour-mama @katuschka

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