#especially since it’s totally unexpected that early on

[bubblybloob]

What would Hornet think upon Ghost showing her their new sib?

Vessels: Being destroyed by Fog Canyon’s jellies

Hornet, watching without reaction: “Little shit lived.”

In this au Hornet juuust barely missed Ghost when trying to find and kill the vessel that had escaped her. Aside from the brief glimpses they saw of her as they made their initial way through Greenpath, they haven’t been acquainted, nor have they fought.

Masterpost

[merrybloomwrites]

A Podcast Love Story

Summary: The story of Shayne & Y/N, as told through a series of podcasts

AN: This story was inspired by a request from someone that tumblr isn't letting me tag, so that's dumb lol

Also, I tried to follow the actual timeline of when these podcasts were posted but I did take some creative liberty, so some things might not match up with when the were really posted irl

Wordcount: 3.4K

CW: very light mention of smut, talk about pregnancy

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SmoshCast #75 – How Shayne and Courtney Feel About Being Shipped Together

Dating someone who’s in the public eye was not entirely unexpected. You live in Los Angeles after all. When you and Shayne started dating in 2019 you decided to keep it a secret for a while. Neither of you were ready to share your relationship with the Smosh viewers yet.

This became more difficult when you decided to quarantine together in 2020 during the pandemic. Two weeks after he returned from Australia, when you were sure that neither of you had Covid, you packed your necessities and headed to Shayne’s. It was nice being together, but it did get complicated when he needed to film videos.

Sometimes you would go for a walk while he was filming. Other times you would hide in the other room. He’d triple check all his footage before submitting it to make sure you, and any of your belongings, weren’t in frame.

One day, a few months in, he and Courtney are recording an episode of the SmoshCast. He sets up at the small dining table in the corner of the living room. You’re on the couch, meaning you can’t be seen on the camera, but you are in Shayne’s view. It might not have been the smartest decision since you’re now stuck there for the entire time they record, but you have a book and a snack, so you get cozy.

You can only hear Shayne’s side of the conversation, so you’re not fully paying attention. That is, until you hear Shayne say, “If we so much as say hi to each other, Shartney fans poop themselves.” The mention of this ship between him and his castmate has you more focused on the conversation. Not because you’re jealous, because that would be ridiculous, but because all of you find it quite funny how hard the two of them are shipped.

He can’t stop looking over to you for the entire ten-minute segment. It’s subtle, but there’s definitely a connection between the two of you. It’s obvious that he’s reassuring you that there’s nothing to worry about. You especially like when he says, “You can ship me with anything. Ship me with bananas.” And you nearly lose it when he says, “I am begging you, please, make a ship edit of me and Kathy Bates.”

They continue to talk and the conversation steers towards how fans make assumptions based on what they see in videos. Shayne brings up how people were concerned about him for a few weeks at the beginning of quarantine. He starts to explain, “I was very quiet in those early podcasts, but the reason was, one, I was not getting enough sleep. I kept staying up late,” here he looks at you before quickly saying, “playing video games.” You again struggle to keep quiet, knowing that was not the truth. Unless “playing video games” has now become code for “having intimate moments with my girlfriend”.

He continues to talk about how his setup for recording was less than ideal and finishes by saying, “I wasn’t sad at all, I was actually having great days.” Again, you share a quick look, showing that you agree with him about how wonderful it’s been since you started living together.

They wrap up the podcast a little while later and Shayne is officially done with work for the day.

“Playing video games, huh?” you say teasingly.

“Oh yea, totally a pro gamer now,” he replies.

“You think so?” you say with a laugh.

“I mean, I could always use more practice,” he answers as he lifts you from the couch, carrying you to the bedroom.

SmoshCast #85 – American Horror Story: Adulting

A few months later and things are looking better in the world. This means a return to the office for everyone. You’d landed a job at Smosh, working in post-production, so now you and Shayne work together. You were nervous about being around each other all the time, but luckily there’s still a fair amount of the day when you’re apart. Shayne is often filming or in meetings or busy writing, and you spend most of the time at your desk working on the next video.

But sometimes, you get a break to see him. Shayne, Damien, and Coutney are filming a new SmoshCast episode, and you sneak in to watch from the back. The theme is “Adulting”, and they somehow start by talking about how they interact with the younger generation. You can’t help but smile as Shayne talks about his niece, endeared by the relationship he has with her. He also mentions grandchildren, which makes your imagination run away thinking about your future together.

You stay for a little while and just watch your boyfriend. He’s not saying anything crazy, or doing anything special, but you love listening to him give advice. You also love how attentive he is to his friends, how closely he listens to everything they say. When you do go back to your desk you take a moment to think about how lucky you are that this man, with a solid head on his shoulders and more emotional maturity than you’ve ever seen before, is your other half.

Smosh Mouth #5 – Shayne and Y/N Share Their Love Story

“Welcome back to Smosh Mouth, I’m Shayne.”

“And I’m Amanda.”

“And today we have a very special guest. We have my lovely wife, Y/N Topp,” Shayne says, smiling at you as he finished the introduction.

“Hello everyone,” you say into the microphone.

It’s weird being in front of the camera. It’s only happened a few times in the years that you’ve been with Shayne. Even though you also work at Smosh, you’re always behind the scenes. You’ve only really been in videos that highlight the crew, so the focus has rarely been on you.

But today you’re finally sitting down to do a podcast for the channel. They’d just revived the podcast after a nearly three-year hiatus.

So much has happened in your personal life since then. At the time that SmoshCast was airing, your relationship with Shayne was fairly new, and you weren’t ready to share it yet. Within a year of that last episode going live, you two had gotten engaged. This led to you guys getting married, and as of 22 weeks ago, you being pregnant with your first child.

“Well, I for one am very excited to have you here today,” Amanda says. “I cannot wait to grill you on every last detail of your relationship.” You all laugh at that, knowing that while you’re sharing more personal information than you ever have before, no one is going to push you or Shayne too much.

“So,” Amanda continues. “Tell me, how did you meet?”

You look to Shayne, encouraging him to start the story.

“We met in 2019,” he begins. “Someone had recommended a book to me, so I was at the library to pick it up. While I was looking through the shelf Y/N came over and started looking through the section as well. We kind of started at opposite ends and moved to meet in the middle. Turns out we were both looking for the same book.”

“No you were not!” Amanda interjects.

“We really were,” you say to confirm. “We basically have the most cliché meet-cute story.”

“Ya, no kidding! So, what happened next?” she asks.

“Well, I had picked up the book first and noticed Y/N glance at it. So we started talking and I told her she should take the book first and I’d read it when she’s done.”

“And then he very smoothly said he could give me his number so I could tell him when I was returning the book,” you add.

“Look at you,” Amanda says. “Making the bold moves.”

“I had to give it a try,” Shayne says with a laugh.

“And it worked. I texted him a couple weeks later, the day before I returned the book.”

“I didn’t have her number,” Shayne says. “And I was kicking myself for not getting it because waiting to hear from her was pretty torturous I’m not gonna lie. So as soon as she texted about the book I asked her on a date.”

“Which actually shocked me at first. I really though he only was interested in the book.”

“Did you know who he was?” Amanda asks. “Like, had you watched Smosh or seen him on TV before you met?”

“I did know who he was. I had just started watching Smosh, so I recognized him but really didn’t know much about him.”

“Did you start watching old videos and try to get to know more about him after you met? Or after he asked you out?”

“I tried not to. I wanted to get to know him naturally, not through videos online. But there was a video posted after he asked me out but before our date called ‘Why We’re Bad at Dating’ and I couldn’t resist. And I truly think it helped us hit it off on that first date.”

“How so?” Amanda inquires.

Shayne takes that question, saying, “In the episode I talked about what I do on dates that kind of lead to there not being a second date. And Y/N/N called me out on that.”

You chime in, adding, “He said he puts on a ‘CW’ version of himself. I told him not to do that. And I admitted to being just as anxious about the date as he was so we should just forget the pressure and hang out and get to know each other.”

“Well, that’s adorable,” Amanda says. “So obviously you started dating and kept dating. When did you take the next step?”

Shayne takes this question and says, “I asked her to be my girlfriend a couple months later. And then we moved in together shortly after the start of the pandemic. Which was slightly challenging when it came to filming at home for Smosh since we wanted to keep the relationship a secret for a while.”

“Yea, how in the world did you make that work?”

“We were very, very careful,” you say. “I definitely hid in the bathroom more than once to stay out of frame.” At this you all laugh, and you add, “Totally worth it, though.”

“Ok, next juicy question. Shayne, how did you propose?”

“So, I hired a sky writer,” he says before laughing and continuing, “No, just kidding. We’d been dating for a year and a half, living together for almost a year at the time. We rented a cabin in Colorado for a few days and on the second day we went on a hike. Packed a picnic, did the whole thing. And I uh, I proposed at the top of the mountain.”

“You guys are literally a romcom,” Amanda quips.

“Would a romcom do a hike proposal? I feel like they’re always at fancy restaurant or the beach. Or like, yelling ‘Will you marry me?’ As the girl walks away down a street in the pouring rain,” you say.

“Oh, a hike proposal is very Lifetime or Hallmark.”

“Good point, it’s totally been in at least one of those movies.”

“Did you like that it was on a hike?” Amanda asks.

“Yea, Y/N/N, did you like it?” Shayne says, pretending to be truly concerned and worried about your answer.

“Hated it,” you say jokingly. “No, honestly, I loved it. Shayne and I always bonded over how much we love nature, so it was perfect for us. I can’t imagine it being any other way. I know a lot of girls want to make sure their nails are done so they get that perfect ring picture, which totally fine, not judging at all. But it definitely felt right that I literally had dirt under my nails and scrapes on my palms from slipping up the hill. Much more authentic that way.”

“And the wedding, anything you want to share about it?” Amanda asks.

“We actually got married in New Mexico,” you say. “It was the central spot for both our families. It was last April, so, beautiful weather during the day. And we lucked out that the temperature didn’t drop too much at night.”

“Very nice,” Amanda replies. “Shayne, anything to add?”

“We kept it pretty small, just family, and close friends. I feel like it was a very typical wedding, but it was ours, you know? So, it was special.” Shayne blushes and you know that your wedding day means more to him than he’s letting on. And that’s fine with you. It was a private event, and even though you’re sharing your relationship now, neither of you want to give away too much about your wedding.

“Aw, he’s getting red,” Amanda jokes. “Did you go on a honeymoon?”

“We did. We went to Hawaii. Neither of us had been before so we knew it would be special for us. We wanted to experience something new together,” you answer.

“Cute!” she replies. “Now, dedicated fans know you guys are together, know you’re married and all that. But there is some news you two have to share that no one knows, is that correct?”

“That’s right,” Shayne says. He looks at you, silently asking if you want to say it. But you can tell he’s bursting to tell everyone, so you give him a nod to continue.

“Y/N and I are having a baby,” he says.

“Hell yea you are! Smosh baby!” Amanda cheers. “Congratulations to you both! Y/N, how are you feeling?”

“Pretty good right now. I’m in the second trimester so my morning sickness is mostly gone, thank god. We’re very excited, got some classes we’re planning to take and we’re reading all the books so I’m sure we will still be extremely unprepared,” you say with a laugh.

“If there’s anyone I trust to figure it out and be great parents, it’s the two of you,” Amanda replies earnestly.

“Thank you, Amanda,” Shayne says.

The podcast continues with Amanda continuing to ask questions and you and Shayne sharing more stories about your time together.

You wrap up recording by mid-afternoon. You have an appointment with your doctor scheduled and since it’s so close to the end of the day, Shayne was also given time off to join you. Everything goes well and as he drives you both home you can’t help but be grateful that the two of you were brought together.

Smosh Reads Reddit Stories: Office Nightmares

It’s been a month and a half since recording your episode of SmoshMouth, and three weeks since it aired. The news that you and Shayne are expecting a baby spread faster than anything you’d experienced before. You’d both received messages of congratulations from more people than you had ever expected: from Smosh fans to Disney fans, and even Goldbergs fans. You never imagined the amount of support you’d receive.

You had the morning off for yet another checkup with your doctor. You get back to the office early, but technically you’re still scheduled to be off, so you opt to sit in as they record the next Reddit Story video/podcast. It’s one of your favorite series currently, and you love listening to Shayne read all the stories.

He begins the third story, reading the title, “Am I the asshole for telling my wife that I’m not taking off of work to be present at our daughters’ birth?”

They joke around for a bit, and then he dives into the story, reading how the man explains that he couldn’t take off work cause there’s a project and they need him there. The wife finds out that’s a lie, and it mad that he didn’t take time off. He says he wants to work more so they’d have more money after the birth, and that the baby wouldn’t even remember him being there. He finishes by saying he doesn’t know why it’s such a big deal to be there at the birth, and even blames the wife’s hormones for her being upset about it.

Shayne, along with Spencer and Tommy begin to share their thoughts on the story. You smile and nod as Shayne makes the point of, “He keeps saying the baby’s not gonna remember, but you’re fucking wife will!”

They even give reasons why they’d understand him not being there, with Tommy saying, “If they were really desperate for cash then I’d get it,” and Spencer saying he’d understand if he were terrified of being around childbirth.

The boys then look over to you and Spencer says, “Y/N, you’re pregnant, how do you feel about this story?”

“Yea,” Tommy adds, “would you kill Shayne if he did this?”

“Oh, for sure!” you call out.

“C’mere,” Shayne says. “You’re probably the one most qualified to give an opinion here.”

You look to Kiana who’s directing the video and she gives you a nod, so you walk onto the set and stand behind Shayne, leaning down so your face is next to his and your voice will get picked up on his microphone.

“What are you’re thoughts on this?” Tommy asks.

“You guys definitely made a lot of great points. I mean, childbirth is terrifying, and I keep trying to ignore the fact that I do have to actually, you know, birth a human. But I know that Shayne will be there and is studying to be the best support person. I mean, he’s read enough books about it, I think he could deliver the baby himself if necessary,” you say with a laugh.

“I will add, if this was the father of my child, I’d wonder what he actually deems important. Because this is arguably one of the biggest days of everyone’s life. First of all, it should be important to him. It’s literally his child entering the world. It’s a privilege to be one of the first people that baby will ever meet. And then, what will be a big enough deal for him to take off work in the future? Baby’s not gonna remember her first birthday, is he gonna go to that? She has a dance recital at three years old, is he going to think that’s silly and not go?”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that, but it makes sense,” Spencer replies. “He definitely seems to have his priorities and being there for his family isn’t one.”

“I truly cannot imagine not being there when our kid is born,” Shayne says. “My worst fear would be if something kept me from being there.”

“Because you’re a good person,” Tommy says bluntly, and everyone laughs.

You head back off camera as they continue on.

After a few more stories Shayne begins another entry, titled, “And I the asshole for eating the last doughnut before my pregnant coworker could have one?” He looks at you once he reads it and laughs before saying, “Y/N’s face says, yes absolutely you are.”

He reads the story which explains that the young employee ate his allotted two doughnuts, and when the pregnant coworker didn’t show up after half an hour, he ate her two as well. She gets there shortly after and explains she had car trouble and is upset to see everyone had a treat but didn’t save her any. Later, the boss pulls aside the employee to tell him he’d been rude to his coworker.

After he finishes the post the boys discuss the etiquette of eating communal snacks in the office before Shayne says, “Also, if there is one thing I know, it’s that you never mess with a pregnant woman’s food unless you want to die.” You laugh so loudly at this that you know for sure the mics picked it up from across the room.

“Y/N, anything to add?” Spencer says.

You walk over again and state, “Listen, all I’m say is that I’m mad you guys are just talking about doughnuts when we don’t have any. Cause cravings are a bitch and now I am literally not going to stop thinking about doughnuts until I get one.”

After moving offscreen you realize you need to pee, again, so you leave the studio to head to the bathroom. Once you’re out of the room Shayne says, “Hey Kiana, can I have my phone a second?”

“Why do you need your phone?” Spencer asks.

“I gotta doordash some doughnuts.”

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AN: Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any requests for Shayne stories!

Taglist: @american-girl001 @tatumrileyslover @queenofcaradelle @1nkm0nster

[librarycards]

pls ignore this is its too weird or too much labor, but i was wondering if you maybe had any tips or resources for ppl who have creative desires like writing but brain fog and fatigue tends to get in the way?

i do! it may not work for you bc people have very random/unexpected ways of dealing with this, but it's *very* common and there is hope :) [i think a lot of this is applicable across form, but i'm using "writing" here because it's what i'm familiar with]

one way is to be strategic about timing: this includes thinking about when you're least foggy/have the most energy, and/or the most "downtime" where there isn't anything in particular you need to do. many people wake up early so that they have alone time before their responsibilities. some people stay up late to write. i tend to do my daily writing (which I elucidate on below) in the evenings, around 7-10pm. whatever works, works!

relatedly: scheduling/routine is, for me, critical. i think it is for a lot of creative ppl. I write every day, in multiple ways: i keep a journal - i've done this since i was like 12, so it's as ingrained as brushing my teeth and i don't really think about it - and also work on some aspect of my current longest project [so, for the last 4 years, it's been the aforementioned second novel; for the 4ish years before that, it was Failure to Comply. i write other stuff during the daytime, of course, because writing is also my job(s). but if you're looking to establish a consistent creative practice, you don't need to be aiming for a certain hour or word count.

Instead: Aim for consistency and progress. Not perfection, not a "muse," not magic. There is no shame in making something that doesn't seem good, or that you end up deleting. in this particular instance, "perfect is the enemy of good" is 10000% true, and i think especially applicable to people who already experience external + internalized ableist ideologies on a daily basis. your art, regardless of what it is, should be a space where you get to make mistakes, change your mind, and learn new things. it should be something you can come to when you're tired, unsure, confused, scared, etc, even if it means just keysmashing and then closing your notes app for the day.

for me, having a daily practice, regardless of anything, means embracing the days where i write only one word and then despair, as well as the days i write pages. when i feel most depressed, in a very clinicized sense, i try to move from "everything i make now is going to be shitty :(" to "everything i make now is going to be shitty :)", not because i'm happy about it, but because....that's simply part of creating. everything is a bodily function. if you're not feeling good, maybe your poop will look weird. so too with writing. but you still do it. it can be mechanical. but it'll happen, and by doing it consistently, you give yourself the *opportunity* to locate insight hitherto buried, to have an idea creep up on your tiredself.

i guess in sum I'd say that the healthiest thing i ever did for my writing is something tantamount to body neutrality, which has also been an immensely positive addition to my set of frameworks for physical embodimindment. creative neutrality, i guess. this doesn't mean i don't tie my ego and personhood to work/productivity/quality. i mean, i totally do, and it sucks, but there we are. but it also means that i place that in a corner that does not touch my desire to chip away at something big, regularly. i make time every day to summon the urgency of whatever i'm working on, not because i'm proud of it at that moment, but because i want to give it another opportunity to give me something cool.

tl:dr: give yourself the gift of consistency and time, and don't be scared of making stuff that isn't good, or gets deleted, or doesn't make sense. write from wherever you want, physically, mentally, spiritually. give it the opportunity & even the expectation to happen and then work from there.

[buryhny]

One Night Stand ; 31

➥ rundown ; as if the unexpected twist of a one-night stand turning out to be your CEO boss wasn't surreal enough, the situation takes a more challenging turn when both of you discover that you're expecting his child.

→ genre ; enemies to lovers | CEO au | pregnancy trope | slowburn

→ Jungkook x y/n

→ contains smut, fluff and angst

→ Chapter thirty one ; wc | 7.3 k

primarily on Wattpad

index ⇢ next chapter

Jungkook had trouble falling asleep, his mind had flooded with too many worries that caused him discomfort. what must be their problem? is something really bad? Is his mother okay? he was overwhelmed with the number of questions he had.

it's almost 4 am and his thoughts had successfully taken away all his sleep so he decided to just wake up. there was no point in laying on the bed and shifting left to right when he wasn't gonna drift off.

"maybe they've changed? maybe they aren't the same anymore." he speaks under his breath as he thinks about Taehyung and how he must be a better man but when he's reminded of the way Taehyung was so close to you despite being a total stranger, didn't align with Jungkook's assumptions of him being better.

he stood from the bed with a piercing headache, tired eyes looking around his room and his weary body tried to walk around. this has been the case for a couple of days now, first, he was worried for you and now the other men. The only days Jungkook ever slept without the disturbance from his thoughts were when he was with you, cuddled close to you, sharing the same bed.

he decides to walk around and check on you, he pushes the door open slowly, careful not to make a sound and disrupt your sleep. he watches you for some time and sees you finding it difficult to sleep.

your eyes closed but a frown lingers through your creased forehead as you whimper and try to use a spare pillow to lay your bump on. He didn't realize he had been watching you for quite some time, but he had already seen you move around about 15 times in 5 minutes.

you're having discomfort sleeping and it makes him worry when he hears you whimper from time to time. he wonders if you're okay but asking you now would seem to intrude especially since it's 4 am. he doesn't want to seem creepy and scare you off.

he leaves your door slightly ajar and walks back to his room. He contemplates texting the men who had sworn to make him talk to them. Jungkook sits on the edge of the bed and rubs his face with his hands before he lets them sit under his chin.

he changes into shorts to do some boxing, Bam wakes up from his sleep when he hears the sound of Jungkook walking to the gym. sometimes he's glad that he's got all he needs at home, it saves time and energy as well as allows him to do his activities whenever he wants.

he prepares his quick coffee before he gets to working out. 30 minutes of boxing and an hour of yoga. that's his plan. he'd got his boxing gloves secured around his wrists and all he needed was some music. "bam-ah, it's too early. get some more sleep."

he murmured to the pup before he began punching the bag in front of him. although Jungkook was feeling for music, he didn't think he needed it, considering the time. in fact, that wasn't the actual reason, he just wanted to get rid of the numerous thoughts in his head and stop those voices.

he wanted some peace. he was so into it, that he didn't realize that he'd spent more than 45 minutes boxing. he wasn't tired either, he could go on for hours. he thinks about you, and what the future might hold for the two of you. about the baby? it never crosses his mind. Taehyung, Yoongi, his mother and maybe even Jin. he's never heard from the oldest.

what stopped him from continuing was someone by the door. he felt eyes on him and when he turned around, his eyes met yours. you were leaning against the door, watching him and he doesn't know how long you've been here. "hey!" he speaks breathlessly, it's when he realizes that he'd overworked his body way too much than he had expected when he suddenly feels dizzy.

you watch him remove his gloves, his breathing deeply and heavily, while the sweat drips down the strands of his hair as he examines his knuckles that are red from all that boxing. he's shirtless, the beads of sweat on his chest, threaten to tickle down to his shorts, his v-line creeping out and his face flushed and glistening.

it's a sight that makes your mouth water, he looks too good to remove your eyes from. he looks at you and raises his eyebrow but you're too immersed in looking at him that you don't notice him judging you too. "did I disturb your sleep?" he asks but you don't respond to him, he sees where your eyes look and it's fixated on his chest so he leaves a chuckle as he wipes off his sweat from his nose and mouth.

"hello?" he mutters and then you flinch and take your eyes off him. "y-yeah?" he bites his inner cheek and looks down before he sees you. the redness of your cheeks confirms your embarrassment as you blink multiple times and look around the room, amazed that he's got all the gym equipment.

it gives you the idea to pass some time here, after all doing exercise is good for pregnancy as well as it helps with easing your delivery. "did I disrupt your sleep?" "no you didn't." "then why are you awake at 5 am?" he looks at the clock and then frowns.

'I spent an hour boxing?'

he hears himself speak inside his mind. "i.. haven't been sleeping well." you say and take the face towel that he holds and wipe off the drip. you examine his face now that you're close to him and he looks down at you and notices the dark rings around your eyes.

"what's wrong? Are you worried about your parents?" "I'm not worried about anyone, i just don't find comfort in any position. I think it's just a second-trimester thing." you mutter and hand him the towel back as Bam circles around your feet and licks your open legs. "Bam-i that tickles!" you laugh.

what you said may have added to Jungkook's already running mind so he tries to think of something he could do to help. "Is it the bed? Should I look for a softer mattress? or.."

"Hey, it's not the bed Jungkook." you say and giggle at how cute he looks with a concerned expression. he walks to the table and grabs his T-shirt so he can put it on. "what's the matter then? is it the change in place or is it something we should consult a doctor about?"

he asked and you just laughed him off as you pet Bam's ears. "it's nothing serious, I guess it's just a part of pregnancy." "I think I read about a pregnancy pillow. is that a thing?" he asks you at which your eyes sparkle with a couple of nods.

"oh yes, I think that's what I need. it popped up on my for you page." Jungkook acknowledges what you said and looks away, he tells himself that's the first thing he's got to do after he's done showering. he won't let another day pass with you unable to sleep.

"I'm just having terrible back pains, so I can't lay on my back for too long. and moving to the sides is getting difficult too so I'm just not as comfortable as I used to be." you tell him at which he nods and looks at you. "I will sort it out, for now.... wanna join me for yoga?" he grabs the yoga mat and looks at you with an eyebrow raised. you clap your hands and agree.

"oh goodie!!" you whisper under your breath, which he catches on fast and giggles. you sounded so innocent and sweet. "come on then." "with my pj's?" His eyes assess you from head to toe and then he nods. "yeah, you've got some shorts on."

you walk towards him, and he lays the mat for you, Bam and himself. "why'd you got so many mats?" "I just have them for the aesthetic, to fill up the spaces." he says and shakes it off. you laugh at how Bam prepares for his yoga too, he looks forward to his daily yoga sessions. Jungkook sits beside you and stops, he frowns and then realizes that you can't do the usual yoga that he does.

you've got to do prenatal yoga and it's different from regular practices, it has unique features that are exclusive for pregnancy to make it comfortable and easy. Jungkook gets on his feet and turns on the television that's fixed on the wall, he googles for prenatal yoga and finds a reputable instructor that YouTube offers.

you feel warm at how considerate he was, your heart feels tingles and butterflies, something that you've been feeling recently, a lot when he's around. It's amusing how you've overlooked the fact that you're pregnant and can't do the usual yoga practices you've been doing your whole life, but he noticed it before you did. "there, you can follow this."

he mutters as he turns the television to you and sits beside you. "thanks for being so thoughtful." you whisper and he gives you a sheepish smile with a shrug. "just do the basic steps, breathing and stretching. we should consult your doctor before you can do any heavy poses."

he instructs you with a cold look on his face that ... almost scares you. "okay Mr Jeon." he breaks his serious character and giggles with his bunny teeth on show. he loves it when you call him by Mr Jeon. sometimes he wonders if he has a Mr Jeon kink. you both have your yoga session with Bam, You felt relaxed and calm, and the quiet environment made everything so much better.

Jungkook incorporates Yoga so he can collect himself, collect all his scattering thoughts and allow himself to get going with a beautiful start to his day. "oh god, my back hurts." you whine as you palm your hips, your hand can't reach your back anyway.

"you good?" he quickly asks and looks at your face for any signs of concern. "my back pains are just getting worse. this bump is getting bigger and I can't breathe." you chuckle and cradle your belly, you feel satisfied when you do so, it makes you feel cute.

"fuck, if it gets worse then please let me know. don't keep it to yourself." he murmurs and you nod with a sigh. you lean on your palms and watch him, he looks at you confusedly. "I a-" "Let me guess. "I look very delightful. and you wanna do m-" "I'm hungry and craving pancakes topped with cream, strawberries, blueberries and Nutella."

you say as you bite on your lower lip and tease him. Jungkook chuckles and whispers. "I make better cream than store-bought." he says under his breath to himself. "heard that but no thanks I'm craving for something sweet not salty." he turns to face you and bites his inner cheek. "that so? remember me quite well huh?" "Don't you remember me?"

you ask him almost like a threat as you both get closer to each other. "I do, in fact..." he leans towards you, a few inches distance left between you two. "Mmm?" "You're sweeter than any dessert, darling. you can satisfy all my sweet cravings,"

"Okay now! what the fuck was that?" you groan in laughter and hit his chest, the both of you unable to contain each other's laughter. you both can't lie but you can feel the taste of it but you let it slide because now's not the time for anything sexual. you're both still at the beginning stage and there's more to it than sex.

"come, I'll make you the pancakes." "yay!" you squeak as he lends a hand to help you get on your feet. it's getting difficult to move around easily, the bump is bigger, rounder and just as heavier as it looks. "pancake time!!!" you scream and walk towards the kitchen, making him laugh hard.

He'd never seen you this happy. It had always been fleeting glimpses, and he never thought he would get to share these extended moments with you. Jungkook pulls out the mixer and the ingredients for the batter while you watch him make your breakfast, it's almost 7 am. Although you never have your breakfast this early, it still feels nice to be with him and be a part of his routine.

he drinks his coffee and it's all that he needs to get going. Bam's breakfast is ready too and is waiting to be served, the pup waits patiently by his bowls until he gets his meat. you don't understand why Jungkook has no staff around, he's got everything that he requires but no helpers? and why do they only come by his place on specific days?

it's leaves a big question mark in your mind and he's the only one with the answers. "there! your pancakes. I haven't got Nutella though. Can I drizzle some melted chocolate instead?" "Sure! anything chocolate works."

you say with a smile and he pours the melted brown liquid. he makes a mental note to take you to the supermarket so you can fill his kitchen with your favorite items too, so you can have them anytime you crave. "mmm, this tastes so good Jungkook!"

you moan and close your eyes. he chuckles and sips on his coffee, leaning on the counter as he admires you. Watching you eat brings him more joy than sex, a feeling Jeon Jungkook never imagined he could experience. "Is that good enough?" "good enough?? Jungkook, these taste better than my mom's!!"

you beam and continue to throw more into your mouth. what better way you start his day, than with you here? you've so easily taken away all his worries and thoughts, you just made everything positive and he can't stop looking at you. "your mom wouldn't like that. you better not tell her." "Oh, she'll say it herself if she tries them." "Will she?"

"yeah, totally!" he smiles and nods. "aren't you having any?" he shakes his head and points at his coffee, at which you frown. "That's not enough. You never have a proper meal. Even when I was working, all I ever saw you do was drink coffee the whole day."

"that's because I don't have an appetite." "That's not an excuse. here." You offer him a piece of your pancake that's speared on your fork. he turns his head away, reluctant to have it. "hey, have something. come on." a pout grows on your face and he can't deny you anymore. "okay, just this once." you nod.

you feed him the pancake and smile. "you need to have your meds." "oh yes, this reminds me. I've got to see Dr Sohee." Jungkook tilts his head as his eyebrows draw together. "is it about the back pain?" "no, I've got my 6-month scan. I'm 24 weeks today."

you speak with excitement lingering in your tone, your eyes light up and your hands Instinctively reach to caress your bump. "right. Is it today? I can take you." "Oh no no, you've probably got work. I'm good." You scrape the remaining chocolate off the plate and lick the spoon, tidying up the dish. Jungkook thinks he doesn't have to even wash it, it looks as clean as new.

he places it in the dishwasher and then comes to you. "I'll take you y/n, don't worry about it." he says sternly as he gives Bam his meat and then heads upstairs with you. "i just don't want to bother you..." you murmur and he stops in his tracks to look at you. "You're not a bother, baby. Get that silly thought out of your head."

He taps your forehead with his index finger and tightens his lips. "sure?" you look at him with large eyes, he wants to hit his head on the wall at how adorable you freaking look. "of course, darling. come here." he opens his arms to pull you to a hug but you push his chest. "eww, you stink. shower first."

he laughs with his bunny teeth. "I'll take a shower and be back then mm?" you nod and walk to your bedroom as he walks over to his. you pull up the blinds and the sun enters through the windows. 'it's not too bad, waking up before 12.' you think to yourself as you open them up, to let in the fresh air.

Stepping out onto the balcony, you take a moment to watch the streets below. It feels calming, a stark contrast to your apartment. The scenery is soothing to watch; while it's stunning at night, the rising sun maybe even more beautiful. after a few minutes you walk in and make the bed, place your plushy on the center of the pillows and pick what you're gonna wear for the day. an oversized tee and shorts pair the best.

Jungkook on the other hand, picked out his suit for today. a white shirt paired with a grey suit and light blush pink tie. As he buttons up the cuffs of his shirt, he remembers that the helpers will arrive in about an hour. Since you're alone at his place, he needs to let you know about their arrival.

but also maybe get your help with his tie, just so he could feel your hands on him. he bites his lips at how mischievous he is but he decides to go on with his impulsive thoughts. before you can freshen up, you hear Jungkook voice you. "y/n?" you walk out of your bedroom and follow his voice to his bedroom.

You glance around his room and can't help but marvel at how much it reflects his personality. Every detail seems to embody who he is. it's modern, classy and black and it's just so him. "wow, never thought a room could represent you so much. This room just screams Jeon Jungkook." you mutter and glance at him as he stands in front of the mirror, fastening the cuffs of his shirt. "you called me?" you wait by his door, twirling a little as you wait till he responds.

you can't get enough of how he looks in shirts. his whole office attire is everything, it's the only thing you wanna see him wear. the way the shirt fits his body, his biceps stick out so perfectly you can almost carve them with your eyes, the waistcoat captures his slim waist so gorgeously and all that's left is the coat.

"care to help?" his voice makes you flinch as you eyes soon move from his chest to his face. "yes?" he walks closer to you, fixing his waistcoat in place. "my tie." you see his tie looks disheveled, which of course he did intentionally just so he could use your hands.

he always does his tie by himself, which you're aware of too. your hand reaches the tie around his neck and places it according to the length it has to be. he looks down at you as you make the knot and let it come together. He notices how your eyelashes flutter with each blink, how your eyes stay focused on your task, and how your lips tighten when you're concentrating.

you place the tie inside the waistcoat and adjust it under his collar, your hands reach his shoulders before it comes to his neck. he feels your touch and the coldness of it through his white shirt. he's so close to you, he's just a few inches away from you. your eyes glance at his before you look back at what you're supposed to do.

he sees the blush creep up your cheeks, tinting them a soft pink. it makes him smile. "there, all done." you say as your hands stay on his shoulders, you meet his eyes and see how he's biting his inner cheek while he observes you. "you're gonna be late." you whisper as you tear your eyes away from his, you can't look at him, he makes you feel shy. "thanks.."

he murmurs at which you nod. "you need to take your hands off from me if you don't want me to be late." he jokes and you soon take them away, "i-i'm sorry-" he pulls you back to him and places his lips on your forehead, your eyes naturally close at the feeling of them on your skin. his lips always feel so soft, so safe.

he lets the kiss linger for a few minutes before he leaves apart. you look up at him with a sigh and smile. you feel so safe around him, with him, beside him. "have lunch and your vitamins. Text me for anything and I'll be back soon, okay?" you nod.

he looks at you for a few more seconds before he grabs his coat and office bag. "take care." you whisper. "you too, darling."

-

Jungkook sits on his chair as he reaches out to his drawer to pull out all the letters he received throughout the week. he usually reads his emails and answers them every night but letters are a bit messy and he takes his time with them, which is often why he misses out on certain important clients.

however, he truly hopes he doesn't find anymore letters from Yoongi, that would ruin his mood for the entire day. His day began on a high note; he was so in good spirits that he greeted every employee who passed by with a cheerful 'good morning,'

which is unusual for Mr. Jeon. he received replies from them but he failed to notice the frown followed after their response. clearly shows how out of the ordinary it was. Jungkook happily hums when he finishes sorting all his letters, relieved that none of them are from the people he wants to avoid.

he realises he didn't mention about the helpers coming by, he soon takes his phone and sends you a text. Jungkook relaxes for some time before he gets to the meeting that everyone has been anticipating for the week.

-

a yawn escapes from Hoseok's mouth as he enters the Jeon Industries building. he's got a bit of insomnia to deal with and only manages to get through the day with 30 minutes of sleep, and even that wasn't uninterrupted.

he's got projects to deal with and he's glad for Park who does everything so well. Jimin has been well after he was given your position he's even better at his work now. he's fully aware that this is a temporary position but he's taking advantage of it very well,

he'd impressed far too many clients and the praises between the staff don't seem to stop. it's a good thing, Hoseok thinks. It eliminates all the unnecessary attention he receives after your abrupt departure.

-

You freshen up and decide to unpack the rest of your luggage. you play some music on your phone while you fold your clothes and place them inside the closet. You're waiting for the helpers to arrive so you can get assistance with the clothes because you know for sure that you're not gonna be able to finish these off today.

you see a middle-aged woman knock on your room door, she's got a beautiful smile on her face, a lovely dress that she wears, long and flowy until her ankles, her cheeks sagging and her eyes smile lovingly.

"hello dear, may I come in." "Sure." she walks inside and Bam who was seated on your couch, runs to the woman and circles her feet. "good to see you Bam." she speaks kindly. the woman approaches you and examines you for some time before she looks down at your bump and then at the bed with all your clothes.

"need help?" you nod and she takes your t-shirts and begins to fold. "what's your name, dear?" "Lee Y/N." she nods and mouths your name. "pretty name," she chuckles along with you. there was silence, it was comfortable because the lady beside you was kind and wore a smile at all times.

her hair is golden but her grey strands stand out. She gets some black garment hangers so it will be easier for you to choose from, which you appreciate a lot for her thoughtfulness. "he never brought anyone home." She murmurs, causing you to stop folding your clothes. the woman exhales sharply and then proceeds to ask. "How many months are you in?" "Six months."

"Ah, this is the best time. It'll pass quickly, so make the most of it." she says, your hand cradles your bump as you look down and think. 'Man, it did go fast. six months already?' you didn't want to let go of what she said earlier, what did she mean by he never brought anyone home? do you want to ask her about it now, especially since it's the first time she's met you?

You smiled at her words, taking a moment to reflect. You should be able to feel the baby moving by now, it's always very light and you don't seem to understand what they are. are the tickles the baby or something else.

She cleans up your room while you drink your vitamins, and Bam stays close to you and waits for you to pet him. he loves it when you tickle under his chin and rub the top of his head. With Jungkook,

it's a whole different story. When he flips Bam's ears up and down, the little pup just lights up with joy. It's like Bam can't get enough of it, wagging his tail and bouncing around all excited. you spend the rest of your time seated on your couch while the rest of Jungkook's staff cleans up the house.

With nothing else on your agenda, you know you'll probably spend the entire day glued to your phone, scrolling through social media, checking messages, and maybe binge-watching videos. You're not one to nap during the day, so it's just you and Bam, and you're starting to worry about how to pass the time in this huge house. there's got to be something to do.

you walk to the kitchen and see the old woman by the dining table, setting up the chairs after she'd done vacuuming the floor. "hey..." you voice out for her since you didn't know her name, it was slightly awkward to call her out. "yes dear, do you need anything? you could've called me from your room, and I would come up to you."

she's gentle with her words and tone, you can almost see your lovely mother in her. You've made a mental reminder to ask Jungkook about her later. "no that's okay, I was just wondering if... maybe Jungkook has something to do? does he have anything at all?"

the woman smiles and gives you one short nod. "of course, let me guide you. Come." you follow her, as she walks to a room in a corridor. Jungkook's home has a minimalist vibe, with everything around being simple, classic, and visually stunning. There are many rooms you haven't seen yet, since he only showed you your room and the kitchen, and that was during a time when you weren't on the best terms.

But now, you're thinking it might be a good idea to ask him to give you a tour so you can get familiar with all the spaces in his home. Maya is her name, she told you while walking with you to the room she had just opened. Her smile was warm, and her voice carried a hint of excitement as she chatted about the house and the different rooms you might find interesting.

she didn't specify what each room was for but she told you that there were a total of 13 rooms in this mansion and it made you think what did he need 13 rooms for when he lived all by himself. "this will entertain you. I hope you enjoy.... reading."

she opens the door to the room filled with shelves of books leaving your jaw to drop in awe. it's not a metaphor here, your jaw actually drops when you see the number of books he has been hiding behind the doors. you don't think you can count the books in here, it would take you days! "oh...my god. Jungkook owns all these books?" you exclaim in excitement.

Maya chuckles and answers your question. "yes, these belong to Mr Jeon. he's read all of them." "All of them?" "Why yes, but he hasn't been reading any books lately so that's why the door stays closed." she speaks and you walk around each shelf and notice the number of romance books he's got.

"no way.." you giggle and grab a book, you love reading so this is gonna keep you occupied for the rest of the days to come. "I think I'm gonna grab a few books and take them to my room." "you can sit here if you want." she takes you to the corner of the room where there's a lovely little couch and plenty of cushions.

it looks so comfy and is just what you need. "oh thanks a lot Maya, you saved my day." "oh, it's nothing dear, enjoy reading. if you need any snacks, a drink anything. just voice my name and I will bring anything for you." you nod and the woman leaves the room.

you sit on the couch and look at the 5 books that you chose, contemplating which one you should read today. You can't seem to take your eyes off this really old book that's in your hand, it's 'The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks.' you stop to think for a bit and then realize that there's a film about this story which you'd watched once long ago.

you flip through the pages and see wording written with a purple marker and a red one but with two different handwriting.

'the book has nothing like the film!' the purple words say.

'the movie is shit too!' the red one.

'no it isn't!' and the last purple words.

you chuckle as you think this must be Jungkook's writing although the two handwritings look very different from each other. You choose to read it and find out why he claimed the book is completely different from the movie and why he thinks the movie is shit too.

-

the clock strikes 6.50 PM and Jungkook has packed up to leave. he told you that he'll be taking you to the gyno so the appointment is at 7.20 PM and if he leaves the office now, he can make it to his place and pick you up to drive straight to the Drs.

[ From Jungkook ] I'm leaving, be ready!

[ Y/n ] for what?

[ From Jungkook ] appointment?!!

[ Y/n ] oh shit yes slipped out of my mind

you pick out a cardigan and sweatpants because you're too lazy to get yourself dressed up, it's just the gyno anyway and secondly, you can't get your eyes off the book that you're reading. there's no way Jungkook does not like this book, he's crazy.

you soon put on the clothes and just a little bit of tinted serum so you don't look like a disaster, some clear lip gloss and a ponytail. you look okay. there's still time until Jungkook arrives so you stay inside the library. you've been in there for hours now, and the only times you ever leave is when you want a snack or when you have to pee which was about 9 times,

it ruined each moment of the book when you couldn't control it and had to run to your washroom. Bam follows you too and stays beside you while you read. you moved spots about 15 times by each hour.

Jungkook walks in to find only empty couches. "y/n? I'm back." he places his coat on the sofa along with his bag before he walks to the kitchen and doesn't find you there, he thinks maybe you're in your bedroom, asleep but when he opens the door, he's greeted with the empty bed. he begins to panic a bit, assumptions flooding his mind yet again.

"y/n??!!" he calls you out, this time louder and then he hears you answer him. "down here!" He follows your voice and notices that the door to his library is open. he never showed you this room before, how did you know? Jungkook walks inside and sees you seated on his ash-grey couch, with a book in your hand.

you tilt your head when you feel him standing behind you. "hey! how was work today?" you ask. "it was good- how-? how did you find this room?" you keep the book on the couch and get on your feet. he looks at you with a frown decorating his face. "well. I should ask you. why you didn't show me this room before?"

he looks at you, you're dressed in comfortable clothes, you look so beautiful even though you're in casual home wear. he sees the lip gloss and can tell that you've got some foundation or something on your face because it looks glowy and... he could go on. he looks down at the ground, his mouth open to speak but then he sighs.

"I- I just never thought about it." you suddenly feel very conscious about being in this room. what if he didn't want you to know? why are you even in his personal space? you both aren't super close yet so you shouldn't be loitering around his house when you've only been shown one room, that is your bedroom.

Jungkook notices the way your face changes like it lost its glow when he stammered his last sentence. no he didn't want you to think that you can't use his rooms or anything of that sort. of course, he wants you to know about every room, everything in his house, heck, even himself. he wants you to know and see everything.

"well, you should've. but um- I'm sorry if you didn't want me to know about it. I should've asked you-" "Hey.." his hands cup your face immediately. "don't be sorry. you don't have to ask me anything, you stay here now, this is your home too."

he coos to you as he speaks softly, letting you know what's his is yours too and you don't need to apologize for anything. "okay." you whisper and he nods, watching your eyes for some time until he realizes you've both got to go. "let's get going now, shall we?"

your smile gets wider and you nod super fast, like a child. he chuckles and gestures for you to walk first. he then peeps a bit to see what exactly you're reading. 'the notebook.' his smile fades as he recalls the back of the book where certain words have been written.

"come on!! I can't wait!!!" "Coming!" he leaves the room, trying to forget what he just saw. "you've got no idea, I'm super excited!!!" you squeak as he fastens the seatbelt for you because he wants to be a gentleman and does it instead of letting you do it. "yeah?"

"yeah!!!! oh my god...." your voice trails as he takes the driver's seat and then looks at you. "what?" "the gender... but I'm not ready to know!!!! what do we do? Should we keep it a secret? or find it out now? or we can-" Jungkook begins to laugh, you're so clueless and confused and cute, he doesn't know what to do, he just wants to keep watching you.

"what?!!! you're not helping me!" you fold your hands to your chest and look out the glass, slightly annoyed at his behavior. "baby I'm sorry." "you're mean!" "I'll make it up to you, I'll take you to the convenience store after we leave the Drs okay?"

You abruptly turn to look at him with a smile on your face. "sure??" "Of course darling." the drive to the hospital was quiet but comfortable, you could not stop thinking about the scan and the gender. it's getting real and you don't know how to stop your excitement from flooding. Jungkook glances at you and bites back his smile, you look so happy and eager, he can see it in your eyes.

You both enter together and make your way to Dr. Sohee's room. You sit in the waiting chairs and wait for your name to be called. your legs shake in anticipation, as your teeth keep nipping on your bottom lip. Jungkook gets concerned and places his hand on your thigh. "hey, calm down."

"how can I? I'm so fucking excited!!!" you whisper under your breath and cover your face, to stop your cheeks from turning any redder from all that thrill. he nods and taps on your thigh when the nurse calls you inside. "hello Y/n, how have you been?"

Sohee greets you with a smile as she gestures for you two to take your seats. "I've never been better!" "That's good, I see someone has been waiting..." she looks over at Jungkook before you and you three chuckle. "I just wanna know her gender already." "her?"

"well i-" "She likes to call her bump 'her' because she's got the bump and she's a she. if that makes sense..." Jungkook seemed slightly embarrassed as he interrupted when you were about to explain but then he seemed like his explanation didn't make much sense. Sohee laughs and nods as she says she gets it.

You hide your face in your hands and give the man's thigh a gentle tap from underneath the table. "well, come with me then. let's find out." you follow Sohee inside before you stop in your tracks and turn to Jungkook who stays seated. "you can come too."

you murmur and he tries to say it's okay but then you assure him that he can come inside too, so he does. you lay on the bed and raise your cardigan to allow Sohee to place the gel on your bump. Jungkook sees how big your belly has become, he hasn't seen it from this closeness and when he thinks about it, that his child is inside there, somehow he doesn't like that feeling and tries to shake it off. Sohee spreads the gel and monitors the heartbeats that Jungkook and you hear, it's so loud and peaceful and...

it brings you so much relief. the man who stands beside you can feel his heart rate rise too. he feels uncomfortable here and the sound of the heartbeat ringing so loudly, makes him want to leave but he doesn't. A soft smile appears on your face as your eyes close upon hearing it. It brings you a sense of serenity. "it sounds so gentle.." you whisper and sigh.

you look over at Jungkook and your smile gets wider, he looks and you and gives you a tightened smile. "okay!" you now see your baby floating around in your belly. "oooop!" Sohee stops and looks at you. her eyes get so big. "do you wanna know the gender?"

you bite your lip, contemplating if you should do this now or not. you look at Jungkook and he seems to have zoned out a bit, then you sigh and say. "no, not now." Sohee respects your decision with a nod. "well then, look here." she points at the screen. "this is your little one's thumb like you call your bump 'she'. she is sucking her thumb and is sleeping well."

an 'aww' leaves your lips as you look at the monitor and see how adorable your baby looks. Jungkook sees the picture but he can't seem to smile. "here are your pictures." Sohee hands a print of the scan and wipes off the residue off your bump.

Jungkook helps you and you both get back to your seats. "everything is fine, normal. your baby is okay and I've got your gender. baby is healthy and weighs a good 2 pounds, everything is developed and you've got nothing to worry about. get back home, have some cake and get a good rest." you chuckle and nod. "thanks Dr! I'm glad that baby is safe."

"of course, you both are taking good care of the little one." "uh Dr, y/n's been having some trouble sleeping. what can we do about it?" Jungkook asks. "oh that's normal, just some back pains I'm assuming. get yourself a pregnancy pillow and you'll be okay maybe some cuddles would do too."

she winks at Jungkook and he blushes. you both leave the room, you've got a smile decorating your face and Jungkook's got one too because you're happy. "Why didn't you want to find out the gender?" he asks, intrigued about why you want to keep it hidden when you were jumping in excitement to find out. you look down the ground as you walk in your crocs.

it's unattractive, childish but it's you and even though Jungkook so badly wanted to laugh at your Hello Kitty Crocs, he didn't because you look too adorable and he loves how raw you are. "um...I want to find out the gender with you."

Jungkook frowns at this and stops walking further. you both are close to his car parked at the lot and he just needs time to absorb what you just said. you turn back and look at home, gesturing him to come and he does. "but I was with you." he says as you lean against the door of his car and he stands in front of you, between your legs.

He feels guilty, even hurt when you say that. You can see it on his face: his large eyes are downcast, and he wears a visibly pained expression. "no.. you weren't with me.... anyway, you promised to take me to the convince store. let's go!"

you take your passenger seat and he walks to the driver. he knows he's not gonna get any sleep tonight after what you just said to him. The drive was yet again quiet, unspoken words lingered. He's gonna go home and talk this out with you. he stops at the store and lets you walk inside as he follows.

"get your snacks, I'll get the necessities." you nod and grab a cart, you get a large jar of Nutella, some chocolate flavored milk and now you're about to grab some chips. "shit, the options are crazy." you whisper to yourself and contemplate which ones to get.

you see some Korean snack that looks appetizing but you can't seem to reach it. "fuck-" You raise your hand high, trying to reach the bag, but then a hand comes over to help and retrieves it for you. "here you go!"

he hands over the chips to you. "oh thank you!!!" you take it from his hand and place it on your cart. "y/n?" you hear a familiar voice call you out. you look at him and freeze when you see the man. "hoseok?"

He looks at you with surprise, his eyes widening. When he notices your bump, his gaze shifts downward, and he becomes motionless, unable to blink as he takes in the sight.

"you're-? you're pregn-"

"Hey y/n, I found a new pasta shape, it's minion shaped, should we get it- Mr. Jung?

next chapter ⇢

[the-golden-vanity]

Is there anything that’s stood out to you as different or unexpected the first time you went sailing? Especially if you’ve ever spent long trips out at sea. I’m writing a seafaring character and I’d love to hear any firsthand experience about it 👀✨

Hello, shipmate!

Firstly, I'm honored to be asked such a question. I'm far from an expert, but I suppose crewing a tall ship on the open ocean is an experience few are lucky enough to share in this day and age.

I signed on to the Pride of Baltimore II for a voyage up the coast with the idea that after reading so many books about pirates, whalers, explorers, and other seafarers, and after watching so many movies and TV series set during the Age of Sail, the only way I could feel truly complete was by experiencing the Age of Sail firsthand. I think I told more than one person on Boat Tumblr that this would either fix me or it would make me worse.

...I'd like you to guess which one happened.

Much of what I encountered on the ship was familiar to me from history and fiction. However, what reading and watching movies can never quite capture are the physical sensations. Here are a few:

The ship makes noise. All the time. It's very rhythmic and predictable, and it is constant. Timbers creak, ropes strain; if the wind is variable or unfavorable, the sails flap loudly. Some of my fellow guest crew were bothered by this, but I loved it. At the end of a watch, especially one where a lot of work needed doing, the rhythmic noises and the rocking motion of the ship were just what I needed to fall asleep for the next seven hours, or until I was called up for standby. I understand now what it means to be "rocked in the cradle of the deep."

If your vessel is well-ventilated, your vessel is sinking! When you are belowdecks, you are essentially in a wooden box. If it's warm on deck, it is oppressively hot and stuffy below, and although my berth had a door, I kept it open most of the time to catch what little breeze came through the main hatchway. The temperature cooled down as we sailed north, and was eventually pretty decent, except when the auxiliary engines were on. I can only imagine in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with steam-powered auxiliary engines, it would have been even hotter!

No one knows what day it is on board. Everyone's on watch on a "4 hours on—4 hours off—4 hours standby" schedule, so you're on duty for 8 hours total, split between opposite sides of the 24-hour day, so "days" don't really have much meaning. This would probably also explain why I saw several of my shipmates wearing an outfit multiple days in a row–it just didn't occur to them that it was a different day.

Before you get your sea legs, you will spend a lot of time stumbling around, falling on your ass, holding onto things for dear life. This, I think, is pretty common knowledge. What I don't think is common knowledge is the fact that once you get your sea legs, land feels like it's moving under your feet. While you're fully awake, it goes away pretty quickly. However, I was waking up for days afterward—like, 4 or 5 days afterwards—convinced that my room was rocking like a ship. Deeply strange, but absolutely worth it, since it meant I had been at sea.

That's what I can think of right now! Let me know if you have any other questions, I'm always happy to answer them.

[staciesometimeswrites]

Stacie's Master List of 9-1-1 Fics:

(Mostly BuckTommy)

As We Go Along Rated: G

BuckTommy

Summary: Buck still bakes every time he thinks about Tommy. And he thinks about Tommy a lot. In fact, he thinks about him so much that sometimes the man manifests in the things Buck creates without him even trying. Especially with Christmas just around the corner.

No "happy" ending

It Was Dinner and a Movie Rated: T

BuckTommy

CW: Mild homophobic language

Summary: The boys decide to do a first date do-over now that Buck is more comfortable in his skin. And while things go mostly smooth, something small always has to interfere, and Tommy is over it. He was afraid to speak his mind once, but he's older, wiser, and has a much lower tolerance for others intolerances now. While this date won't be perfect, he refuses to let the small-minded make it worse.

LA's Link to the Sky Rated: G

BuckTommy

Summary: Buck and Tommy have a full week of opposing schedules and Buck is excited because he has something special planned for Tommy, and he can't have him catching onto it until Buck is ready.

Shine Bright Like a Northern Star Explicit Version Rated: M

BuckTommy

Summary:

Buck surprises Tommy with a late night beach date and things get a little bit emotional.

For the rated G version of this story, please check out Chapter 5 in my previously published work "A Thousand Butterfly Kisses."

A Thousand Butterfly Kisses Rated: G

BuckTommy (Incomplete 5/8 Chapters, All individual one-shots)

Summary:

A collection of short stories about various dates Buck and Tommy go on, including taking the kids to the zoo, picnics under the stars, ferris wheels and roller skating at the pier and so much more. Nothing but fluff and happiness for these two! (Except in one instance.)

Each story is completely independent of the other. At least one story will contain age related death but there will be a warning in the author's notes at the beginning if that's something you're triggered by. Any other triggers will be in the A/N each chapter as well as a short description of the story.

Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty Rated: G

BuckTommy

Summary:

Tommy keeps his promises, and even though he's late, he still shows up, tired and exhausted as he is. In thanks, Evan shows him what it means to be taken care of and prioritized.

The beginning is just like the end of 7x06 but hopefully it's only a small part of it.

Someone Like You Rated: G

BuckTommy

Summary: Buck manages to keep it hidden from everyone for over a month, but one day he just breaks. When he does, the only thing he wants, more than Tommy, is his big sister to hold him and tell him everything will be alright.

Post 8.06 Canon Compliant - No "happy" ending!

Right as Rain Rated: G

BuckTommy

Summary: The cat distribution system hits Buck while Tommy is at work.

Walk With Me Rated: G

BuckTommy

Summary: Buck and Tommy go for an early morning walk together.

Satin and Lace Rated: E

BuckTommy

Summary: Tommy likes to wear lace once in awhile, trying to be true to himself and getting out of the mindset of toxic masculinity, but he's never told Evan. One day, Evan walks into his bedroom after Tommy has gone to change after a very windy date, and to say Tommy is caught unawares is an understatement. Only Evan's reaction is totally unexpected and shenanigans Tommy has never experienced before ensue.

Oh Captain, My Captain! Rated: G

Bobby centric, includes all main couples

CW: Mentions of depression/poor mental health

Summary: Bobby has no issues being honest about his feelings. Until he does. It's been months since he left the 118, and he wakes up every morning regretting it, but he made this bed and now he's being forced to lay in it. But he doesn't want anyone to know. Can't let anyone know his weakness. Athena, the amazing woman and wife that she is, does notice however, and she makes it her mission to bring that smile back to her husbands face, and bring his family back to him, any way she can.

Groundhog Day Rated: T

BuckTommy

CW: Vehicular accidents, mentions of coma's, mentions of blood/bruising

Summary:

Tommy is being forced to take a vacation, as ordered by his superiors at Harbor, and he hates it. Sulking, he heads out to the open road with no plans in mind, planning to hole up in a crappy motel for a week when his plans are ripped from his hands. As he drives along an empty country road, a semi comes out of nowhere and meets him in a head-on crash. When he wakes, he's in an unfamiliar room, greeted by an unfamiliar child who looks just like E... Buck... and... Buck?

He can tell that something is wrong but he doesn't know what so he lives out the day, growing more and more confused. He makes love to Evan that night, falling into peaceful sleep. When he wakes he doesn't recognize where he is, but he's greeted by a kid that looks just like Evan and... Evan? Except parts of the world keeps distorting around him, the headaches get worse every time it does, and in the recesses of his mind he can hear a voice calling for him, but he doesn't know how to reach it.

Something is seriously wrong, but he doesn't know how to fix it... Or how to get back to his true reality.

I Told You I'm Sorry Rated: E

BuckTommy

TW: Some dub-con with a blowjob

Summary:

Tommy goes over to the loft to grovel but the second "I'm sorry" leaves his lips, he can't get much else out after that because one second he's speaking and the next Evan is trying to take a chunk out of his bottom lip.

[thetruthwilloutsworld]

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

Spoilers if you haven't watched the Season Finale

Parade.com

Paulette Cohn Jan 17, 2025

'Outlander' Author Diana Gabaldon Weighs in on the Shocking Season 7 Finale (Exclusive)

The bestselling author reveals how she helped shape that unexpected ending. Plus, her favorite moments from the episode.

If you’re a book reader like me and not just a TV watcher of Outlander, the Season 7 finale was quite the shocker. It hinted that baby Faith, Claire (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser’s (Sam Heughan) child, didn’t die in France and that Master Raymond (Dominique Pinon), who was prominent in Season 2, had something to do with the mystery.

“No part of the ending is from the books, save that Frances's mother's name was Faith,” bestselling author Diana Gabaldon, who created the Outlander novels the series is based on, tells Parade.

In the books, soon after Fanny (Florrie May Wilkinson) comes to live with the Frasers, she shows Claire her tiny cache of possessions, including a locket, with an indistinct miniature of a woman with dark brown hair, and the name "Faith" engraved on the cover. So, while the series changed the when and where Fanny showed Claire the locket, the event did take place in the books.

Courtesy: STARZ

Also, according to Gabaldon, “They totally made up the [use of the song] ‘I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside’ in Season 2 and re-used it here.”

She indicates that it will come into play in the prequel Outlander: Blood of My Blood, as well, but that since that series won’t premiere until this summer, it’s too early to discuss it.

“I agree that the ending of 716 is flat-out weird, partly owing to their (evidently) having exhausted their budget,” Gabaldon continues. “They could have made a more convincing visitation by Master Raymond with blurry special effects, rather than having him just walk through the door and stand there. Better to have kept it soft-focus and leave it up to question as to whether he'd actually been there, or perhaps Claire imagined or dreamed the whole thing. But easy for me to talk; I don't have to figure out the logistics.”

Then she adds, parenthetically, (“I'm frequently pleased that I can do things easily in a book, that are incredibly difficult [not to say expensive] to do in a visual medium. A book is a remarkably useful [and economical] way to tell a story.”) That's not to say that Master Raymond showed up in this manner in either An Echo in the Bone or Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, upon which Season 7 was based.

That said, Gabaldon did have some input into the idea and maybe something similar will show up one day in one of the Outlander spinoff novels she writes, like the Lord John Grey series, especially if she does a book featuring Master Raymond, who is an interesting character. Or if she changes her mind and maybe does a second graphic novel. The first one, The Exile: An Outlander Graphic Novel, features Jamie Fraser.

Sam Heughan

Courtesy: STARZ

“They actually did get the (general) idea from me, though,” she admits. “When chatting with [showrunner] Matt [Roberts] about All Things plot wise, I mentioned that if I had written a second graphic novel (I didn't, for assorted reasons), I would have shown what actually happened after Faith's presumed death at the Hopital des Anges, and how/why Master Raymond resuscitated and nurtured the baby secretly, but wasn't able to come back with her before Claire and Jamie left France. So, they liked that idea and ran with it.”

Because Outlander is ending with an eighth season that will be only 10 episodes long, and Gabaldon has a lot more story, Season 7—as mentioned—was a combination of An Echo in the Bone and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, which together are more than a million words of adventure and story.

“The show had 16 hours; just listening to the (very good) audiobook versions takes more than 90 hours, which tells you something about how much has to be left out,” Gabaldon points out. “It's amazing that they're able to make a comprehensible (and usually very good) show, using no more than 20 percent of the book version of the story. (On the other hand, a visual medium is also economical, insofar as they can capture thousands of words of description in a few seconds of film.)

Sam Heughan, David Berry, Caitríona Balfe

Courtesy: STARZ

“Naturally, I have my favorites among the episodes: Ep. 708 and the two battles of Saratoga, for instance, and the parallel stories of Jamie and William [Charles Vandervaart], and some of the later episodes in the second half of Season 7—I love how they handled the accidental triangle among/between Claire and her two husbands, with the collateral damage to Lord John. <g> In re which, while I love and admire all of the actors, who did a remarkable job with this season, my kudos to David Berry, for Lord John's adventures in the last few episodes of 7B."

There’s no word yet when Outlander Season 8 will begin airing, but it has finished filming, so possibly later this year. The Outlander: Blood of My Blood prequel has been announced for this summer.

[miwhotep]

I now feel that it's time to bring this analysis back since I still see the topic coming back again and again. I already did a longer version of this back in my early days of joining the fandom here, but now I do a shorter one again.

MILVERTON WAS NOT STUPID IN TWO CRIMINALS. HE WAS INCONSISTENTLY WRITTEN.

Because everything related to his plan in the last chapter was completely against of how he acted before that. Let me explain it in four points.

1, The one thing people always bring up - not knowing about Sherliam

I will be honest, this is what bothers me the least and if that would be the only thing I could list, I wouldn' even keep ranting on the topic. But still, even this doesn't make any sense.

Milverton knew about Mary's past in France (France!!) and as a media mogul and blackmailer who lives from information, he wouldn't know about Sherliam? Come on, the train incident where the celebrity detective Sherlock solves a crime with a noble would totally end up on the cover of the newspapers - "the great detective and the aristocrat: an unexpected crime-solving duo!" - because there is no way this could be kept as a secret, people always gossip over things like this. Because of Sherlock Holmes, even London newspapers wrote about the case since Sherlock can make the papers sell. And it would especially end up in Milverton's noble-supported newspaper too, since with it, he could please his patrons who would be overjoyed to see a fellow noble solving a crime committed by a commoner.

Furthermore, Milverton thinking that "Holmes and Moriarty's social circles could have never collided" doesn't make any sense. Milverton dealt with Sherlock before in blackmail cases when Sherlock was hired by noblewomen to negotiate with Milverton. Also, Milverton is a prime example of that every social circle can collide - he is a commoner who takes up cases from and blackmails both nobles and commoners alike. He really shouldn't be so surprised - and really, he perfectly researched Mary's past in other country and he wouldn't be able to research if two men met when one of those meetings even needed to end up in the news? (And now I didn't even talk about the Noahtic because I don't want this analysis to last forever.)

2, Threatening William to publish his identity as the Lord of Crime

Before this one occasion, we always see Milverton using his victims' loved ones against them to make them act as he wanted - just remember the police officer, Sturridge or Whiteley. Ruskin and the bodyguards also point out that this is Milverton's tendency. Then, knowing about William's brothers, why didn't he used them against William instead of threatening his name going public? He could just say "all three of you guys will end up in my newspaper as the Lord of Crime" and William would probably rethink everything since he wouldn't want Louis to get hurt. So yes, in the most crucial case, Milverton used a different method instead of his usual, surely-working one. Changing his ways suddenly doesn't make any sense.

3, Miscalculating Sherlock

Why was Milverton so sure about Sherlock's morals that he will definitely arrest the Lord of Crime and leaves Milverton live when his entire plan was based on that Sherlock will definitely act immoral and break in his house? How could he be so sure that Sherlock won't just shoot him and takes what he want after this? Especially as a person who believes that everyone is capable of evil and has a hobby of tempting the good-hearted to sin. He was already sure that Sherlock commit at least one act against the law on that night so Milverton knew that Sherlock can be totally dragged to make questionable decisions. Like, shooting him.

4, Not caring about his own safety at all

Yes, we got to the point what angers me the most. Because Milverton travels with a shielded carriage, has two - with Ruskin, three - bodyguards who always accompany him, he always drops any case he took up for the sign of the smallest danger, so he is very serious about his safety and basically a coward. How could he face two of his greatest enemies alone? It is completely against Milverton's coward nature. We could see that even for the blackmail negotiation with Sherlock, at least, Ruskin was there with him. And what he did with Sherlock and William was also a blackmail negotiation, with people where he knows that one of them already murdered several bad people - bad people like Milverton - and the other one loathes him more than anyone else. It was an extremely dangerous situation even if he thought that he could win. Milverton would have never done something so dangerous on his own.

+1, Ruskin's absence

And here's also an additional plot hole - where was Ruskin the whole time? Ruskin, who was basically always on his boss' side. Ruskin, who loves his boss enough that even when his life was in danger, he chose to go back for Milverton into the about-to-crash house. Ruskin was not shown fighting with the others in the manga. He was completely forgotten in that chapter until he went back to the burning room to search for his boss.

And here we reached the end. For the record, yes, I know that from a writing perspective, Milverton needed to get out of the picture so the Moriarty Plan can keep going. But this could have been done without a character massacre - especially that the reasons for Milverton's inconsistent actions was never adressed. That's why other than this, I never made analysis of that chapter. There is no logic in it when it comes to Milverton.

[grvning]

A few years back, when I was still living in one of the places that further confirmed my interest and love for Science, I was also considering giving that old sixties show a watch. Curiosity had been pushing me to at least visualize the first episode or so, and proceed from there.

I cannot precisely recall what happened in my brain back then, but I never finished that first episode, namely episode 1x02, as I am not certain that 'The Man Trap' was yet available then. I might be wrong about that.

I grew up with a bit of Star Trek in my life, through my father's dedication to using that Voyager starship car freshener - what a beauty it was, beheld through my elementary schooler eyes, perhaps even with some sense of wonder. And yet, I became exposed to the Star Wars movies to a much greater degree, to such an extent that I spent most of life never watching anything that was remotely Star Trek-related at all.

Science Fiction has always been a consequent part of my life, taking me to different kinds of civilizations and futures, seen through different prisms, asking different yet somewhat similar questions. The potential of humanity against its very own self-destructive tendencies, very human ones, might I add.

I spent my childhood watching staples of Sci-Fi such as 'Stargåte SG1', 'Sliders', 'Quantum Leap' - staples in the 90's to early 2000's context, at least - and became fascinated with each of them. What always managed to grab my attention and never let me go was the science behind it all, the human limitations to our future perspectives, and all the dynamics at play in between, entangled with each other as an intricately woven spiderweb.

After spending most of my life being a Star Wars aficionado, delving deep into the psychology of its characters and exploring its ships and worlds, I finally got to watching 'Star Trek: The Original Series'.

There are a few things which I was not expecting, but I can say that the most unexpected one of them all is the amount of emotion the show and surrounding fanbase are imbued with.

I was not expecting to feel so much, to get so deeply involved with the characters and their struggles. I was not expecting to relate so much to some of them. My cheeks tend to remain as dry as the next Vulcan's, and yet, I would lie if I pretended that it were still the case.

Most of all, I relate to Spock's behavioral and thought patterns, more often than not. His direct and informative speech gives me a sense of comfort in how it is unequivocal and factual. His logic remains, even at his most emotional moments, a shoulder to rely on. But so does his emotional turmoil, in that he doesn't deem it acceptable, especially not as the Vulcan that he is convinced that he must be. He has been told his whole life that the Vulcan way treats emotion as superfluous, as it must be shed, and that logic is the supreme intellectual principle to follow; the irony of that philosophy shows quite frequently in the show, notably through Sarek's life decisions.

Most of the people whom Spock works with add to the challenge, as they are quite human and prone to being indirect and/or to mistaking his directness for something else. This could easily apply to my professional life, as well, although I wish that my colleagues and direct superiors also valued integrity and principles above their own egos (vastly male department, around sixty people in total. Specialized technical department for a reseller. I am the oldest woman there, being around one third of Shatner's current age).

I have felt so much since I started watching TOS, too much. The burning and all-encompassing love that Spock and Kirk feel for each other, the clear, deep bond that both the characters and their actors shared... How could one remain cold in the face of such warmth and sunlight? TOS took over my life in a way that made it a safe place to escape to, to try to find the strength to confront the real world and how detached from it I feel and how ill-fitted it is.

This post could go on. I barely can express in words what I have in mind, but at least it is on the digital paper. For posterity, perhaps.

Dan-neruk klem-bosh nash-veh na'Star Trek.

Dif-tor heh smusma. 🖖

[doumadono]

Hiiiii, sweetheart.

Emergency Request here...

As you may know I got stood up by a a person I considered... My friend. The person was my friend since junior high school, despite some "turbulence" in past I kept in touch with her.

I got stood up on New Year's eve. I prepared something warm to eat, snack, drinks... I even planned some nice movies to watch and games to play... And she didn't show up nor she picked her phone. I saw her being online but that's all...

Eh, I feel a little pathetic if I can be honest.

I just... I need some comfort from Erasermic... I just want my two fav men to cuddle me or something like this.

Proszę, dziękuję i pozdrawiam. 🐺💎

Our very own New Year's Eve - Erasermic x Reader

A/N: I'm still angry that you had to go through such a disappointing experience, especially from someone you considered a friend for so long (but I told you before what I think about her). Your effort to create a warm and welcoming New Year's Eve atmosphere speaks volumes about your kindness and thoughtfulness. It's completely understandable to feel hurt and disappointed. Please, don't waste you time on someone acting like a total jerk. I hope this little piece will cheer you up, even if a little bit ♥

EMERGENCY REQS MASTERLIST

As the early morning light streamed through the windows, Aizawa and Yamada returned home after celebrating the New Year's Eve with their fellow UA teachers. The sight that greeted them was unexpected - you curled up on the couch, a gentle sob escaping your lips as you cradled one of your cats on your lap.

Aizawa's brow furrowed with concern, his strict demeanor ready to address the situation, but Present Mic placed a calming hand on his shoulder, guiding him to the side. "Shota, let's figure out what's going on first." In a hushed tone, Present Mic whispered to Aizawa, "Our kitty is visibly upset, and the last thing she needs is us being stern. We need to show her love, not discipline."

Aizawa's usually stern expression softened, concern etching lines on his face.

Yamada, with his ever-present energy, approached cautiously. The sight of you in distress tugged at his heartstrings. "Hey, kitten, what happened?" Mic's voice was gentle as he sat beside you, his hand reaching out to stroke your hair.

You looked up, tear-stained eyes meeting his concerned gaze. "I-I got stood up by a friend," you managed to choke out, the hurt evident in your voice.

Aizawa's brows furrowed, a protective instinct rising within him. "Why didn't you call us? We would have come back immediately," he said, his voice tinged with a mix of anger and worry.

You sighed, a shaky breath escaping your lips. "I didn't want to ruin your night. You were having fun with your friends."

Aizawa's stern expression softened slightly at your words.

Mic was quick to intervene. "Babe, your happiness is our priority. You should've called. We're a team, remember?" Hizashi took your hand, squeezing it reassuringly, while Aizawa wrapped his arms around you in a protective embrace.

"We're here for you, always," Aizawa murmured, his usually gruff voice surprisingly gentle.

Mic planted a soft kiss on your forehead. "Let us make it up to you. How about a New Year's celebration of our own tonight? We'll have dinner, music, drinks — whatever you want."

You looked up, confusion evident in your eyes. "But New Year's Eve is already over."

Mic grinned, his infectious energy returning. "Who cares? It's our house, our rules. Besides, I'm declaring a second New Year's Eve celebration tonight. We're going to make it unforgettable."

Aizawa rolled his eyes but couldn't hide a small smile. "He's impossible, but he's right. We'll make sure you have a fantastic night to remember."

And so, the duo spent the morning turning your living room into a makeshift celebration space.

In a hushed conversation away from your earshot, Present Mic convinced Aizawa that showering you with affection was the best way to ease your pain. "Let's show her all the love we've got," he insisted.

Present Mic, determined to lift your spirits, took charge in the kitchen. He prepared a feast that would rival any high-end restaurant, showcasing his culinary prowess. The savory aroma filled the air as Aizawa joined in, silently supporting his friend's efforts. The dining table was adorned with an array of dishes, each one carefully crafted to appeal to your tastes.

As the evening progressed, Hizashi decided to add a sweet touch to the celebration. "Hey, sweetheart, how about we make those chocolate cupcakes you love?" he suggested, an optimistic glint in his eyes.

Despite your initial reluctance, the sadness pouring out of your existence, you found yourself nodding. Hizashi guided you through the process, his infectious enthusiasm turning the task into a shared experience. Mixing ingredients, laughter echoing in the kitchen, the cupcakes baked to perfection, their rich aroma adding to the ambiance.

After the delicious dinner and sweet treat, the three of you migrated to a cozy set of couches. Hizashi pulled you gently between them, his arm enveloping your shoulders. Aizawa's legs intertwined with yours, his rough hand tenderly caressing the curve of your hips.

Present Mic pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, whispering, "You mean the world to us, you know that, kitty?"

Aizawa added, "We're here for you, no matter what."

You felt a comforting warmth envelop you, surrounded by the two men you cherished. The presence of your cats, peacefully napping nearby, added to the serenity of the moment.

"Tonight's about leaving behind what hurt you and embracing what brings you joy," Hizashi murmured, his fingers tracing soothing patterns on your arm.

Aizawa, not one for excessive words, simply nodded in agreement, his gaze conveying a depth of understanding.

The ambiance in the room was a delicate blend of warmth, laughter, and the lingering scent of chocolate cupcakes. As you snuggled between Aizawa and Present Mic, the conversation continued, weaving an intricate tapestry of shared moments.

Hizashi, his voice gentle, broke the silence, "You know, those cupcakes taste even better with your smile."

Aizawa, offering a rare smile, added, "He's right. Seeing you happy makes everything worthwhile."

You couldn't help but smile, feeling a surge of gratitude for the two men who had orchestrated this evening of comfort and joy.

Yamada grabbed a throw blanket, covering the three of you as you leaned into his embrace. "Now, let's continue this night with some chill vibes," he suggested, grabbing the remote to cue up your favorite show.

As the opening notes of "Home Alone" filled the room, Hizashi's fingers tapped the tip of your nose. "One of the best holiday movies, right?" he mused, his eyes reflecting the flickering light of the TV.

Aizawa, arms still wrapped around you, chimed in, "Classic. The kid's resourcefulness is impressive. If my class was in charge there, those burglars would pray to be sent right into the Tartarus."

Shota's remark caused Hizashi to choke on the sip of his coke. "Shota, dear Lord, ease up on the kids. They're nice kiddos!"

"Yeah, I wish they could ease up on me, so I could get some damn rest," the black-haired man grumbled.

You giggled, resting your head on his chest, rising and falling slowly with each breath he took.

The movie played in the background, the familiar scenes casting a nostalgic glow over the room.

You released a contented sigh as the movie came to an end. "Boys… Thank you."

"That's not the end!" Hizashi grinned at you, leaping out from under the covers, leaving you exposed. You nuzzled closer to Aizawa, seeking warmth.

Aizawa's hands reached around to your back, rubbing it gently as he planted a tender kiss on your lips.

Just as Present Mic returned, he huffed a little, looking a tad offended. "I was gone for thirty seconds, and you're already claiming our girl yours, Shota?!" He presented you with three glasses and a bottle of champagne. "I was keeping this hidden for a nice occasion, and it arrived today! Shota, come here and open it for me. You know I'm a bit clumsy."

Aizawa efficiently opened the champagne, the cork popping with a satisfying sound. He poured the sparkling alcohol into the glasses, handing one to you as you gracefully got up.

Present Mic, raising his glass, declared, "To you, my loves! To my sweet, charming kitty." He reached his free hand out, rubbing your cheek, "And to my one and only, handsome as hell Eraserhead." He grinned at Aizawa.

Shota acknowledged with a nod. "To you guys. May this year be better than the last."

You raised your glass, a smile playing on your lips. "To my handsome pro heroes, always ready to serve and protect. To my two absolutely cute boys that can turn into wild tigers in the sheets!"

Aizawa scoffed a little, but Present Mic playfully pointed out, "Look at that, kitty, you made Aizawa blush!"

Shota downed his champagne and glared down at you, his thumb rubbing against your lips. "So how about we move to the other part of the celebration now, kitten?" His tone was low and seductive, causing a familiar tingling in your abdomen.

With a mischievous grin, you nodded. "Yes, please. Let's celebrate our very own New Year's Eve." You bit your lower lip, adding, "I can't wait."

[a-killer-obsession]

🔞 Minors DNI 🔞

A search for a rumored Vegapunk weapon leads the Kid Pirates to an unexpected new crewmate, with a bloodlust that rivals their own and an incredible power.

CW: Please check AO3 for all current warnings, but general warning for smut, slow burn, serious gore, and really dark themes. AFAB reader, she/her pronouns.

Masterlist || AO3 || Chapter 1

Chapter 47 - Assassin

Finally in the capital, you begin to gather information on the whereabouts of your missing crew. Not everything you learn is good news.

Word Count: ~4.5k

A/N: the map we see of Wano in the anime shows Okobore as closer to the town with the castle ruins (Bakura), and in Kuri, but in the anime it's in a way more dry area which looks more like Kibi? So I went with it being in Kibi as more of a halfway point between Bakura and the Flower Capital. Also if you hadn't already picked up on it, I've spread the timeline out. In the anime it's like weeks at most between Punk Hazard and Wano but I wanted it to be more like months for extra ~angst~

Also sorry for the late upload! I totally blanked on scheduling this post!

The journey to the Flower Capital wasn't difficult, especially with your skills and making the journey at night. You were exhausted by the time you arrived, having been ill prepared to immediately make the journey without taking sufficient time to rest at the base, but you couldn't wait one more day to find your crew. You travelled only at night, able to see just as well if it was daytime thanks to your devil fruit. The land was fairly flat, practically a desert, and you only encountered one patrol between the base and Okobore, and since you had the vision advantage you were able to see it long before it saw you and cloak yourself until it was out of range.

It was deep into the night by the time you reached the small town, just as run down as the one the base was in, and practically deserted since everyone was in their homes. This worked to your advantage as well: nobody saw you, and it was easy to use your fruit to see through the buildings and find an abandoned home to take shelter in. The home was crumbling, close to falling apart, and had no furnishings inside, but it would do for one night. You were more than used to sleeping on hard floors from your time before Kid found you anyway, so it didn't bother you, at least you had food in your belly. You were doing hell of a lot better than most of the people in this town. You probably had time to make it all the way to the capital tonight before sunrise, or at least close enough to cloak yourself the rest of the way, but you were exhausted and your breasts were tender from how full they were. You desperately needed to sit and drain your milk before continuing.

You did just that, ate some of your rations, and used your duffle bag as a pillow to sleep. You couldn't remove your mask as it would undo Kin’emon's spell, but the flowers and mesh were soft so it was fine to sleep with. Your sleep was restless; between destroying your sleep schedule, missing Dawn, and being anxious to find your crew, it was hard to settle for long. You did your best to stay in the building until at least close to sunset, but too antsy to stay still anymore, you decided to cloak yourself so you could set off early, at least until the sun was down. Once you got into the capital you would blend in, you only had to cloak yourself until you were inside.

You saw far more patrols as you got closer, including a glimpse of Hawkins riding some sort of deer creature, and it took everything in your power to not attack him. Nobody you encountered had good enough observation haki to catch you, so you made your way through to the town that sat at the entrance to the capital: Ebisu.

Ebisu was unnerving to say the least. The streets were empty, since it was probably three in the morning, but you could hear laughter coming from inside the houses. It echoed through the streets, but what concerned you the most is that the laughter didn't have just one source, multiple houses had laughter coming from them. It was like a horror film to walk through the dark town, so you hurried through, making your way into the clean, lantern illuminated streets of the capital as quickly as possible. You kept yourself cloaked, as it would still be suspicious for a young lady such as yourself to be walking around so late at night. Using your fruit you looked for somewhere to hide and rest for the night, finding an empty apartment which was lavishly furnished.

Your plan for now was to take some time during the day for scouting, meet up with the undercover Straw Hats to see if they had heard anything, and then further scout while cloaked in the evening to try and find some semblance of a prison or overhear information from the shadier variety of people who would be out late. You found a spot in the room to hide your bag for now, if this apartment was to be occupied when you came back, you had left your bag somewhere it wouldn't be found, and could easily sneak back in to reclaim it. The duffle was the last part of your outfit that wouldn't fit in with the rest of the city, so you had to leave it behind if you wanted to walk freely during the day.

You rested and ate the last of your rations, knowing you could steal what you needed now that you were in the city, drained your milk, and did what you could to sleep. By now you felt bone deep exhaustion from having hardly any quality sleep for two days, and with the added comfort of the futon you found in the apartment, you were able to fall asleep quite quickly, sleeping until noon.

The Flower Capital was beautiful, now that you were seeing it by daylight, languidly making your way through the streets and trying to get your bearings. The city surrounded a hill with a Wano styled castle atop it, surrounded by waterfalls and ornate bridges, and topped with a giant, beautiful curved tree that was the centrepiece for the city. The city was bordered by grass topped hills, waterfalls scattered among them and cherry trees pink with bloom decorating their peaks. Blossom petals floated through the streets, fragrant with incense, perfumes and the smell of quality food cooked in streetside stalls. The buildings that tightly lined the paved streets were decorated with brightly coloured roofs and all manner of signage with expertly painted calligraphy advertising wares for sale. The people of the city seemed happy and well fed, in beautiful, delicately embroidered kimonos, going about their day with not a care in the world and no mind for those suffering outside the city walls, broken up by the occasional Beast Pirate in their softcore BDSM outfits.

You homed in on any conversation you could as you walked, searching for any mention of your crew or a prison, but most conversations you heard were mindless drawls about some pretty new fan they'd brought, some lovely geisha they'd seen, what extravagant meal their servant was making for dinner. It was mind melting how out of touch and privileged these people were when everyone you'd seen outside the city were starving and wearing rags. You hated that you looked like one of them, a few women even giving you passing compliments on your kimono. You wanted to tear it off and burnt this place and all its stuck up residents to the ground, but hidden somewhere among these self-obsessed cunts could be your friends.

Eventually a delicious smell caught your nose and your stomach grumbled, pulling you from your destructive thoughts, so you let your nose lead you. You were pleased to find that the source of the smell was Sanji, now working undercover as a soba merchant. You approached him happily, and while he offered you a bright smile when he saw you, he was too busy to properly greet you. None of the other Straw Hats you had met were with him, but you did recognize his crewmates, Robin and Franky, sitting on some nearby crates eating their own bowls of noodles, so you decided to introduce yourself to them while you waited for Sanji to have time to say hello.

Robin was well educated on all the big players on the Grandline, and had heard about you from Sanji as well, who frankly hadn't shut up about you since reuniting with the rest of the crew. She offered you a warm smile as you approached her, shuffling over on the crate to make space for you to sit. If you thought Nami was pretty, Robin was somehow even more beautiful, especially in her disguise as a geisha, in a stunning black kimono and an extravagant hairstyle. You returned her smile and sat next to her wilfully.

“What name are we going by here?” She asked quietly for only you to hear.

“Mienai, yourself?” You replied.

“O-Robi,” she told you, “be sure to not forget the honorific when speaking a woman's name, O-Mienai.” You gave a small nod to her advice, making sure to take it to heart.

“Franosuke,” she spoke to the blue haired man, a cyborg who was undercover as a carpenter, “this is O-Mienai, she travelled here with Sangorou.” You appreciated the subtle way she taught you Franky and Sanji's undercover names, she was just as intelligent as her reputation claimed.

“Lovely to meet you, O-Mienai!” Franky cheered, giving you a playful smack on the shoulder that knocked the wind out of you. It reminded you of your boys, and made you miss them more. “Sangorou says you're looking for your… friends, yeah? Any luck?”

“I only arrived in the capital last night,” you explained, “I haven't had much luck so far. Everyone here is so far stuck up their own ass I don't think they even realise there's anything happening outside their own digestive system.”

Robin made a small feminine giggle and covered her mouth with her sleeve, as was ladylike and expected of a geisha, you were all in public afterall. Franky made a full chested laugh and almost dropped his noodles, not expecting you to be so crass. They really should have expected it, you were a Kid Pirate after all.

“I may be able to help you with that,” Robin said once Franky had his boisterous laugh under control, “our own dear captain has been taken to the labour prison camp, Udon. My clients have been speaking much about the prison with his arrival, and they spoke of another Worst Generation captain there as well, with specific mention of how strong he seems with only one arm.”

“KID!” you squealed, “thank you so much O-Robi!”

“We're not sure yet how we'll rescue Luffy,” she hummed, quiet enough that nobody would overhear, “but perhaps you can at least find a way to free your captain. The prison has multiple strong walls and guard posts, but with your devil fruit perhaps you can get one out at least.”

“I owe Luffy greatly, if I can free him I promise I will,” you replied in your own hushed tone. “My captain is… quite stubborn though. If he orders me to leave Luffy, then I'll have no choice.”

“I understand,” she smiled, “you must follow your captain, just as we must.”

Sanji finally found a break in the crowd and joined your small group, presenting you with a fresh bowl of soba which you happily accepted and sitting on another crate to eat his own. “O-Mienai,” Robin told him subtly, to which Sanji gave an understanding nod.

“Where's the little one, O-Mienai?” Sanji asked, looking at you curiously.

“Ah, I made a deal with… your friends,” you replied, “I guess I'll be joining you all for the festival after all. She's safe with the others while I look for my friends.”

“Ah, that's probably a wise choice,” Sanji hummed. “It's too bad though, I was hoping to see that cute squishy face again!”

“I'm sure you'll get a chance after the festival,” you smiled, hopeful you'd all even survive the raid, “for now though, O-Robi has given me a good starting point to find my friends.”

“Ah, that's good!” Sanji replied with a forced smile. Secretly he hoped your crew would be unsaveable so you'd have no choice but to join the Straw Hats. He'd play papa to Dawn if he had to, after all he had blonde hair and blue eyes just like Dawn, he could totally pass as her dad. Surely a beautiful woman like yourself would be more happy with a gentleman like Sanji, not like those brutes on the Kid Pirates.

A nearby boy shouted something about the criminal Luffytaro as he waved a stack of papers, making his way down the street to sell his wares. Since Wano was cut off from the rest of the world they didn't receive news coos here, instead having their own local newspaper. Robin beckoned the boy over and purchased a paper with the local currency, and the three Straw Hats groaned at their captain's face plastered on the front.

“Just as my customers said,” she noted, “he's been taken to Udon.”

“Do we know how we're gonna get him out?” Sanji asked.

“Not yet,” she sighed, “we'll have to speak to Law. And figure out where Zoro went after his incident.”

Robin flicked through the paper and something caught your eye, your hand darting out to keep her from turning the page. On the page was the face of a man with an eerie smile, his hair pulled back into a long, thick ponytail and scruffy facial hair on his chin. It was hand drawn in black ink, a representation of the criminal pictured instead of a photo, but something about that smile unnerved you.

“The assassin Hitokiri Kamazo,” Robin explained, “the public paints him as a serial killer, but my clients say he works for the shogun himself, killing on his orders. I hear he ate a defective SMILE.”

“Ah, I guess that explains the expression,” you hummed. You couldn't stop staring at the picture though. Something about it was clicking a familiarity in your brain, but you couldn't place it.

“He only comes out at night, so you should be wary of him if you intend to scout after dark,” Robin continued, turning the page as you finally released your hand from the paper.

“Of course,” you hummed, “thanks. I should be going now anyway. Thank you for your help, O-Robi, and for the soba Sangorou.”

“Anything for a beautiful woman!” Sanji grinned, “come back any time if you need food! I'm your humble servant!”

“Right…” you replied awkwardly, handing him your now empty bowl and dusting off your kimono, “see you all around.”

“I wish you luck, O-Mienai,” Robin smiled, “I'm sure we'll meet again before the festival.”

You gave her a small forced grin and walked away, still thinking hard about that picture and trying to place why you would recognize one of the shogun's subordinates.

You wandered the capital for a while longer to no avail. Out in the open you couldn't get close to the heavily guarded castle, you would need to return under the cover of night and your cloaking to investigate it for a potential prison. You did find a set of cells towards the outskirts, but they mostly held drunkards and those who failed to pay their taxes, small-time criminals under little guard, none of your crew among them. You suspected your crew was somewhere better defended, like within the castle grounds perhaps. You walked what must have been most of the city, before giving up and making your way back to your hiding spot. You stole some food along the way, as well as another newspaper, staring at the picture of the smiling man as you ate slowly, tearing the photo from the newspaper and tucking it into your bag before resting and waiting for night to fall.

When night finally came you cloaked yourself and made your way out to the street. You'd spied a few drinking establishments during the day and intended to make your way back to them. The streets were still fairly active as geisha and their clients made their way through the streets, as well as a significant uptake in Beast Pirates, but outside of the main streets where the entertainment establishments were, the streets were quiet. Alleyways were dark and abandoned, making good spots for you to rest from cloaking yourself and focus on listening through the walls with your fruit. You were currently outside a more pirate establishment, occupied by Beast Pirates and the geisha who were serving them.

“... we fucked him good, strapped him to a bench and took turns, his ass was bleeding everywhere when we were done,” one pirate laughed, “the cuck probably loved it too, loved his own blood being used as lube.”

“I saw the gag they put on him,” another replied, “bigger than Greg's baby dick!” The group all laughed among themselves. “Faggot probably loves having a cock in his mouth twenty-four seven, bet it has him begging to get his ass fucked!”

“Ain't you the faggot if you're fuckin’ him?” Another asked.

“Ey? It ain't gay if its rape!” The other retorted, “a tight asshole is just as good as a tight cunt! As long as they're screaming, ey boys? His hair's so long he looks like a bitch from behind anyway, screams like one too.”

The conversation made you ill as the pirates all laughed and agreed, and you changed the setting on your mask to tune it out, deciding to wait a little for the topic to change before checking back in. As a rape victim, the last thing you wanted to hear about was some guy getting ass raped. The Beast Pirates were just as bad as the Marines, you looked forward to killing as many as possible when the night of the raid came.

Approaching footsteps caught your attention and you quickly cloaked yourself, staying still flush with the wall so whoever was approaching wouldn't collide with you. A scared looking samurai ran by, constantly looking over his shoulder as he made heavy breaths, blood pouring from the wound on his chest he was clutching. A laugh came from where he had been, before another man ran through, thick blonde ponytail and red coat, trimmed with green hems and purple feathers not dissimilar from your hair colour, billowing behind him as he ran. His face was bandaged, you realised as he got closer, only his mouth and eyes visible, a scythe held in each hand as he ran. The ponytail and the situation gave away his identity though, it was no doubt the assassin, Kamazo.

Time seemed to slow as he passed you, looking directly at you with that wide eerie smile on his face, lips painted purple with a deep cupid's bow, and blue eyes that sparkled like a deep, icy ocean. You had no doubt he had observation haki, because he'd looked you right in the eye, despite being invisible. You understood now why that picture had itched your brain, why that smile had set off a wave of familiarity. It was because you knew it. You knew that smile that only those closest got to see, those beautiful eyes so similar to your daughter's, that unruly mane of blonde hair.

“KILLER!” you shouted after him, uncloaking yourself, but he did not stop running. You followed after him as fast as you could in your stupid wooden shoes, hiking up your kimono skirt for more leg space as you chased after him. He'd cornered the samurai in a dead end, the man now lifeless on the ground, blood splattered over the walls and dripping from Killer's blades. His back was to you as you caught up, his head slowly turning to look at you over his shoulder as you panted from the sprint.

“Killer- I foun-” you began, but like lightning he had you pinned against the wall, a blade to your throat. You could feel the trail of blood that trickled down your neck as the cool metal bit into your skin, and you struggled to comprehend what was happening. Killer was smiling wide, laughing openly at you, but it didn't feel right. You could tell that his true feelings were different, there was a conflict in him, a deep sadness that you could see as tears pricked at his eyes. He laughed again as you tried to move, pressing his scythe harder against your neck. “Killer, what are you doing? It's me, it's Yin, [y/n], it's me”

“Kamazo, fa-fa-fa-fa,” he laughed, “Kamazo.”

“You're- that's not your name,” you coughed as he restricted your breathing, his body hard against yours, giving you no space for your lungs to inflate, “what have they done to you?”

Killer laughed more, and it sounded pained and forced. It reminded you of when he was having an episode, and you wondered if he was just struggling because he didn't have access to his medication. There was something else though, something felt more wrong than that. Later, after all this was said and done, you would realise that in that moment you had activated a new ability of your devil fruit, honing in on the wavelengths that made up his brain activity and feeling the way the wires were crossing wrong. You could physically feel his brain trying to express sadness and despair, before something unseen rewired those paths to display joy. “This isn't you,” you whispered, “come with me, we'll find Kid together, find our friends.”

“Free the captain Eustass?” He growled, before letting out another string of laughter, “you speak of betrayal against our great shogun Orochi. I will cut you down, traitor.”

Something was so very wrong here, what had they done to your loyal lover? The man who would give his life for his captain and crew? What had they done to entirely change his personality and make him such an obedient dog for the shogun? “Killer, please-” you cried.

“KAMAZO, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa,” he spat, throwing you to the ground, his smile never faltering. You didn't want to fight him, but every hair on your body was bristling in fear for your life as he approached, brandishing his scythes. “No more from you, traitor. You will not get in the way of the great Orochi. I will end your life here, and send your head to your captain.”

The way he said ‘your captain’ made you well with tears, and as they streamed down your cheeks you realised you would have no choice but to fight him. Whatever they had done, you couldn't fix this on your own. Somehow they had taken the most loyal man you had ever known and truly broken him, somehow tricking him to go against his own captain, against his best friend, the man he raised. You had to fight him, there was no other way, you had to at least disarm him so you could get out of here until you had Kid to help you. You never wanted to hurt Killer, no matter how he had hurt you in the past, but there was no other option. You loved him, you wanted him home, but it wasn't possible right now. If you stayed here you had no doubt he would fight you till one of you was dead.

Killer rushed at you, swinging his blades and laughing maniacally, and with one swift movement you dodged and attacked, using his own hair as a grappling point to swing yourself around him, pressing your hand to the back of his skull and sending a vibration through it that would cause him a instantaneous concussion. Killer went down hard, and you kept your momentum as you swung in front of him, completing a full circle, grunting as you caught his much larger frame before he could break his nose on the hard ground.

You couldn't leave him out here, he was technically a wanted criminal, so you did what you could to drag him to the edge of a nearby stream that ran through the city, pulling him down the rocks that lined the edge and leaving him to rest under the bridge. He would be safe there until he came to, and then hopefully he would have the chance to get somewhere better. You daringly took the opportunity to hold him to your chest as you wept, knowing he could wake at any moment, but you couldn't bring yourself to let go. You knew he was at least alive, which was more than you could say for most of the crew, still having no idea where most of them even where. But something was irrevocably wrong with him, and there was nothing you could do. With Kid's help maybe you could sedate him, get him somewhere else, try and undo the mental damage Orochi had done, but you weren't strong enough on your own. Not physically or emotionally.

Nothing about Killer seemed right, not his clothes or his expression or even the way he had attacked, which had been far sloppier and more frantic than his usual fighting, no doubt the only reason you were able to take him down so quickly. You could almost mistake it wasn't him if it wasn't for the fact that you knew him inside and out, and you would know those eyes anywhere. He began to stir, and you startled - it was time to go. You gave him one last soft kiss on the forehead, not knowing when you would even see him again, apologising profusely before you fled, not daring to look back at him. Knowing he was in the city meant it was no longer safe for you here, he had exceptional observation haki, he would hunt you down and no doubt find you. You ran back to where your bag was stashed, and with the strap firmly over your shoulder you fled to Ebisu town, hoping he wouldn't venture that far to find you. You wouldn't be there long anyway, you needed to get to Udon and free Kid as soon as possible. Killer's life now depended on it.

You quickly found an abandoned building to hide in, but every small hint of laughter from the surrounding neighbours had you on edge that Killer was near. It was driving you near mad, and finally after hours of the eerie sound you cracked, bursting into tears as you rocked back and forth, hugging yourself for some much needed comfort. You felt so unbelievably alone in that moment, so helpless and afraid that Killer would find you and you'd have to hurt him again, the guilt of knocking him out already weighing heavily on your mind. No sleep came to you that night, and you cried until your tears ran dry and your throat was hoarse.

[NEXT CHAPTER]

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Taglist: @h0n3y-l3m0n05 @tremendoushorsepatrolgoth @iggy5055 @eyes-ofhell @luvnisstuff

[nian-7]

hi! Can I get Hajun, Kanata, Reo, and Shogo with a fem reader who got her period in a not so convenient situation and how they would handle it? Thank you! Sorry if it’s too specific!

yep, you totally can! hope you enjoy!

Hajun, Kanata, Reo, Shogo x fem!reader

✧getting your period in an inconvenient situation

✧comfort-ish

-Acts as if nothing is wrong, politely excusing both you and him from the group so he can talk to you without drawing any sort of unwanted attention. Asks what you'd like him to do rather than doing it unprompted.

-He wants to know what you want from him rather than assuming. You'll have to ask him to go pick up some painkillers or pads/tampons/etc or whatever else you might need or want.

-Hajun wouldn't mind going home early so just ask him and he'll have someone on the way to pick both of you up. A simple text to someone in the group is all he'll send saying something came up so you and him have to leave.

-Kanata was genuinely not prepared at all for you to lean over and whisper in his ear that you got your period and need to go to the bathroom to take care of it.

-Kinda froze for a moment as if the world was ending but he does end up following you to the bathroom and waiting outside, scaring the ladies who go in and come out with his cold expression.

-He's not judging or blaming you since he knows you can't control it, he just is a bit shocked that it just suddenly happened. He'll let you use his jacket if you ask for it but doesn't really think to offer it in the first place as he's not dealt with periods before you came along.

-Little bit of panic but it's alright, Reo has got the right idea of what to do, asking if you brought pads/tampons/etc and if you need him to get anything for you.

-He's got the right intentions but is just not too sure how to act on them, waiting for you to tell him to go pick up painkillers for your cramps or mention to Iori that you want to go home because you're not feeling well.

-He'll be sure to check in on you if you say you don't want to go home and want to continue the outing. Making sure you're alright and haven't changed your mind on wanting to stay.

-Was likely prepared and helped you out. He'll give you his jacket if needed and wait patiently for you to finish. Shogo wants to make sure you're okay and so whatever you both were doing can wait until you're comfortable again.

-He's since learned to ask if you wanted him to carry around a pad if you needed him to in case there was a similar unexpected emergency like before.

-He cares more about you than whatever plans you had and so those plans will simply just have to wait. However long it takes for you to get yourself situated again is how long he'll wait. If you just simply want to go home then that's fine with him.

-Asks if you want to stop by store to get some painkillers as well if your cramps are especially bad. Very caring overall, you couldn't ask for someone who handles it better.

please do not repost any of my work without my permission, thank you for reading.

[artssslut2]

Unexpected: Part Eight

Art Donaldson x Pregnant!Reader

Art had been on a winning streak for a while now and you couldn’t be prouder. He was really becoming a name in tennis and living his dream. You were also living yours, you loved physical therapy and learning about medicine, you finally felt like you knew what you wanted. You had also crossed six new countries off your travel bucket list. Your time on the road was coming to a close soon through because you were becoming farther along in your pregnancy. You were 32 weeks now and struggling more everyday. Your job required you to be on your feet almost all day, and doing a lot of physical activity, which wasn’t ideal right now. However since you just started you didn’t want to slow down. Art was worried that you were pushing yourself too hard but you didn’t listen. He knew that your feet hurt and your back was killing you and that your hips were sore. You didn’t tell him but he knew, he knew just by the faces you would make and the way you walked.

“Y/n please just slow down a little, you have to rest.” He would tell you with worry in his voice,

“It’s not like I’m dying. I just started this job and I can’t seem lazy, I’m already taking time off soon.” You argued

“No one thinks your lazy, your eight months pregnant what your doing is - is incredible. But i know you need a break. I can tell your in pain baby.” You just kept walking and didn’t look at him

“Well I’ll have a break soon” you said as he followed behind you rolling his eyes. As if giving birth and taking care of a newborn was a break.

You were watching Art play the final round of a tournament on a blazing hot day. You were sat on the sidelines by the rest of Arts team. You felt off all day, not normal off this was different. You were having Braxton hicks all day and your back pain was at an all time high. You did your best to hide it from everyone especially art. You were very stubborn and didn’t want him to be right. Braxton hicks can come from stress you remembered. Maybe you did need to rest. All you wanted to do was lay down and sleep but you couldn’t. You didn’t want all the stress you were putting on your body to cause you to go into early labor.

“Ready to go?” Arts hitting partner asked you pulling you out of your thoughts. You had completely spaced out because the match was done and Art had won.

“Yeah sorry” you smiled standing up, even standing seemed impossible lately. Arts hitting partner offered you and hand and you gave in and took it. You walked back to the locker rooms to meet your boyfriend, feeling pain shoot through your body you grimaced before entering.

“Congrats Superstar” You smiled going to your very sweaty boyfriend who was in the middle of taking off his shirt.

“Hey baby.” He pulled you in for a kiss

“You were amazing out there Art” you praised him and he blushed,

“I think that was the best I’ve played ever” he beamed on a high from winning the tournament. There was a knock at the door and his coach peaked his head in

“Art we need you in five for interviews” Art nodded. Shit. You had totally forgotten about the press conference and awards he still had to do. You didn’t know if you could handle all of that.

“Alright you ready?” Art asked wiping his face with a towel.

“I think I’m gonna just head back to the hotel.” You said hesitantly, art looked surprised because you always stayed for these things “I-m just really tired and” you hesitated because you basically admitting that you were wrong “my back hurts… A lot” you admitted annoyed. You thought this was going to be a big I told you so but then you remembered Art wasn’t like that

“Oh okay. D-do you want me to come I’m sure I can-“

“No. You go I’ll be okay, I’ll have the car take me” you assured him. He gave a sympathetic smile

“Text if you need anything okay?” He told you nodded and smiled before heading to the car.

Once you got to the hotel you took a long hot shower and ordered food. You felt a little better now that you were laying down with your three heating pads on your back and hips. You thought about how early you had to get up tomorrow and groaned out loud.

You heard art come through the door and into the bedroom,

“Hey babe how you feeling? Is you back still hurting you?” He asked kissing you head and leaning into you for a hug.

“Ehh” you responded art frowned at you “it’s a little better though”

“What can I do for you?” He asked genuinely coming over to lay by you. You thought carefully about what you were going to say, it was not what you hoped for

“Mabye, we leave a week earlier than we planned?” You asked shyly. Art look surprised because you had been fighting against that so hard. “I -I just kind of want to be home right now. I’m so exhausted” you admitted for the first time in your whole pregnancy. Art smiled lightly

“Of course we can my love. I’d like that too.” You smiled back at him,

“You were right” you sighed “I do need to slow down” you admitted unhappily. Art chuckled

“I usually am. I know you pretty well” he joked and you playfully rolled your eyes. He put his hand on your stomach and kissed your cheek.

“I’m always right Sunny Baby” he said leaning towards your bump. You gave his head a pat. You agreed that Sunny was a cute nickname, but only until they found her real name. You were so thankful that Art was so understanding.

[p-receh]

EPISODE 1

preview arc

Spoiler alert as always.

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A significant contrast of ambiance I noticed when watching Gentar arc was the TV version used a lighter tone than the comic counterpart. And ... did the area feel bigger and brighter here?

I like that this version started in space rather than on earth. If they wanted to convince the audience the season 2 events happened within two months, they really needed to show how tight it was.

Unlike Sori and Windara's arc, this time I have to read the comic AND watch the show back to back.

This show has only 4 episodes but I felt like I'm missing something in the first ep.

For instance...

How the heck did the final goal from utilize Daun's 3rd tier, "Rimba/Jungle", into Api's 3rd tier, "Nova"?

Even the comic didn't bring the name in Baraju's early arc. It was a suggestion from Hang Kasa, not an order by the other person(in this case: the Commander).

And the show didn't explain the reason behind the commander's brief about this and you expected us to easily grasp it??

The show's barely started and I'm like:

"Am I missing something from Windara???"

They may want to cut long expositions of who those were and immediately shortened into the main issue. Mixed some lines from Baraju's arc so they could quickly jump into action for the future tv show. That's also why the gang was in this cut to bridge the story between Gentar and Baraju.

Except, Papa Zola resigned from the main cast (along with Adu Du and Probe). This arc is officially his last appearance in the Boboiboy series. He will be focused more on his adventure with his family in the upcoming movie later this year.

Also, I think it's funny, but when Gopal told Oboi to use Fusion elementals other than Frostfire because of how frequent it was, I laughed at the irony when Supra was in the mix yet he didn't even bring it up. The comic version made more sense in context since it was the only fusion he always used before Gentar by the way😅

Anywho, the TV ver started the story where the gang had to split up due to an unexpected distress signal during their journey to the planet Volcania. After that, it thematically followed the same structure as the comic ver, issue 15.

I said this in my preview post, we got to see Gentar's introduction right from the get go, especially in the opening vid. Aside from the main gang, the elementals are replaced with Gentar(but still got some tiny bits of Gempa & Hali for the sake of fusion part).

Oh, not to mention this is the first transformation where Oboi's front bangs cut sideways. Which IMO, that cut was cool as heck! Man, I love his suit on the tv ver! So good ... 😘

And I love how exaggerated his entrance was. The spotlight, the speeches, the ambiance, and every surrounding supported him as if he were the self-proclaimed celebrity in the block. And I love he purposely dragged his power-ups longer than the comic ver. It. Was. That. Necessary.

(If you guys telling me that this is not Boboiboy and totally a new character, I will 100% believe in you)

Other props to the tv ver is his weapon. They want to show how big and important it is. Not just randomly pop-out. Thus, enter his magnetic powers to assemble all the scrapes into his iconic hammer.

To match the whole "lively" vibe of the theme, the animation took very high notes of Japanese anime style and geniously incorporated into their 3D renders.

At first I thought they would go spiderverse-esque but using this method is also perfect for this arc. Kinda reminds me of Snoopy's art style actually.

(and also ashamed of why Sonic Prime didn't do this method even though their flat animations had some potential wtf!!!! Yes I'm still salty over the 2nd and their final season other than the animation period)

Ehem.

Okay. Continue to the main antagonists themselves: the Probe x Jo robot hybrid and Adu Du introduction.

I appreciate the animators that still manage to make it as creepy as ... I'd say the FNAF / Poppy Playtime horror standard. Although kinda a bit downed with the lighter background setting.

(now, will my country censor the horror part? Gonna be a nuisance I'd tell ya🙂‍↕️)

Whooo man when Adu Du entered the frame, my eyes instantly widened. I still remembered my reaction to how much his character development changes in the comic. But God I'm still not prepared in tv ver! Especially in this shot!

Like, sir who are you and why you are so cool?!?!! 😳😳

Aaaaaand that's all for now, onto the 2nd episode!

[chelastuff]

The Big Alchael Meta Post

So, I'm obsessed with Alchael. I think it started as joke, but like my relationship with YIIK, it progressed to a point where I could no longer pretend it was ironic.

I’ve made Alchael related metas before, but none of them really cover everything I wanna say about them. Because of that, I figured it would be easier to just make one giant Alchael meta analysis that goes over everything in one place.

Sometimes, I’ll half-jokingly say things like “Alchael is canon and the most important relationship in YIIK”. While it’s true that it’s a joke and hyperbolic, I do think that there is some real strong evidence that Alex is into Michael in a way that goes beyond platonic affection, and that Alex’s obsession with Michael is massively important to the plot. If you’re totally new here, you’re probably wondering where I’m even getting this from, especially since a lot of people’s impression of Michael is that he’s there for comic relief early in the story, but he becomes irrelevant after a certain point only to come back when Proto-Michael happens. But in this post, I’m gonna lay out my reasoning and begin to unravel some of the Alchael related layers in the story. Also, it’s solely going to be focused on 1.25 - so no I.V stuff (I will probably have more to say on them after it comes out, but that will be its own post).

I. Background

I’m gonna start by hitting you with some general background knowledge in case you aren’t super deep into the meta-conversation and theorizing surrounding YIIK, so here it goes:

Alex, being an unreliable narrator, changes aspects of the narrative to suit his own delusions and wants. Alex presents the story as taking place in 1999, but it actually takes place in 2016. Similarly, Alex claims that he is 26 and Michael is 19, when Michael is actually older than Alex. 

The biggest evidence of this comes in the form of the ONISM post “Weird game a QT’s brother made”, where Michael describes “seeing this girl” and playing a game made by her kid brother. Allison is Alex’s older sister, so if the girl in the story is Allison, it would mean Michael is around Allison’s age, making Michael the older one. The post would also indicate that Michael’s primary relationship was with Allison, not Alex. 

Of course, all of this is very different from what we actually see in the game, and I think once we figure out what changes were made and why, it can be very revealing. Michael, instead of being Allison’s friend, is now recast as Alex’s best friend. Instead of being his actual age, he’s permanently stuck at 19, studying for the SATs forever. And importantly - Allison is completely gone from the picture, totally erased from the narrative aside from a few references to her. The fact that she was the one who Michael’s primary relationship was with is gone completely. Alex effectively erased Allison from the story in order to take her place - and this place was Michael’s romantic interest.

II. Nubile 

So, given that Michael in YIIK is effectively fulfilling a fantasy/delusion of Alex, I think it’s worth pointing out some lines that are kind of… strange, and in my opinion, are further evidence that Alex’s obsession with Michael goes beyond simply wanting to be his friend. Mainly, I want to point out this exchange: 

(footage source)

For those who don’t know, the definition of nubile is “(of a young woman) sexually attractive” or “(of a young woman) sexually mature; old enough for marriage”. Haha, funny joke right? Michael is using a word to describe an attractive woman, but he’s not a woman! How unexpected!

I’ll circle back to the nubile thing in a bit, but for now I actually wanted to point out something else about these lines. If we assume that the relationship that we see between them in YIIK actually represents what Alex wishes it could be, it’s strange that Michael still delivers lines that are mocking Alex in this way, isn't it? It’s also interesting that Michael’s go-to insult is often calling attention to Alex’s body, and that in this case, he uses this to point out just how attractive he is in comparison. The comparison isn’t even solely about fat shaming Alex here - the use of the word “nubile” is pretty explicitly making it about being more sexually attractive than Alex. 

The game calls back to the “nubile” joke in the next scene: 

I almost feel like I’m being redundant with my analysis at this point, but, like, come on. Now Alex is the one pointing out Michael’s relative attractiveness, and Michael just straight up nonchalantly agrees with him! Sure, this is the kind of joke flirting that wouldn’t be out of the ordinary between friends, but once again keep in mind that all of this is being presented to you through Alex’s filtered lens, which is why I believe that it highlights the specific belief of Alex's that Michael is more attractive than him. With the use of the word "nubile", it makes it specifically about Michael’s sexual desirability and compares him to a woman! It’s stuff like this that really makes me doubt that Alex just innocently wants to be Michael’s friend, and makes me think there’s some other stuff going on here.

III. ONISM / Obsession

Now, I want to jump all the way to the near end of the game to highlight a monologue that happens right before the New Years Eve segment, wherein Alex reflects on his past with Michael, how they fell apart, and the inconsistencies within his own story. I highly encourage you to watch this scene and the monologue yourself, especially since I see a lot of people glaze over it in let’s plays, due to the sheer amount of (seemingly irrelevant) detail that it has. Here is a link.

The first thing I want to point out is just how much about his meeting with Michael that Alex remembers and is able to recite in excruciating detail. With how much Alex is able to go on and on, we are shown how many details he remembers about the summer Michael moved in and the house he lived in. I don’t think anything in the game is described in as much detail as Alex describes Michael’s house. Yet, when it comes to remembering how old Michael was when he moved in or moved away, and what year he moved away, Alex contradicts himself multiple times. I believe that the reason why he’s stumbling over himself when it comes to the timeline is because Alex’s timeline is wrong. I think It might even be an instance where he knows he’s lying, and he’s scrambling to cover his lie.

Then, Panda reminds Alex that he and Michael had “a falling out”. The details of this are fuzzy, but it seems to involve Alex traveling to Canada to meet Michael and ultimately being stood up. Although, I think it’s very possible that the actual reason they “fell out” happened before this, and Alex is omitting those details. I find it pretty wild how obsessed Alex must be in order to fly to another country just to try and fail to rekindle his relationship with Michael. 

However, it seems even after this “falling out” happened, Alex never actually got over Michael. Not only does Alex wish for a world where Michael is 19 forever and thus never leaves him, he also remains a regular visitor of his website, ONISM. In fact, it’s Alex’s obsession with Michael’s creation that sets the stage for the entire plot. It’s how Alex discovers Semi’s disappearance, and where he gets the basis for the version of her (Sammy) that he creates in his head. This is one of the main reasons why I say that Alchael is the most important relationship in YIIK.

I.V. Losing My Religion

Throughout the game, you receive phone calls from someone who calls himself “your best childhood friend” and who is very heavily implied to be Michael. In one of these calls, he describes listening to “Losing My Religion” with Alex. 

The song is also brought up in the monologue before New Years Eve that I mentioned already: 

So, it seems like Losing My Religion is a song associated with Alex and Michael’s relationship. Given this, is it possible that we can learn about them from the meaning of the song? Michael Stipe, who wrote the lyrics of the song, has consistently said in interviews that the song is not literally about religion, but rather about a narrator who has unrequited love for someone else, and loses his composure in front of them. He even referred to it as a “classic obsession song” in two separate interviews. 

Now, it’s worth noting that the timeline that is being presented in those screencaps actually makes zero sense. Losing My Religion became a hit in 1991, but if the game takes place in 2016, Alex should have been born around 1990 (. For this to make sense, Alex would have to have been listening to Losing My Religion with Michael when he was one year old, and with how vividly Alex remembers the summer that Michael moved in, I just don’t find that very likely. (Sidenote: This also wouldn't make sense if the game actually did take place in 1999, which would place Alex at 18 in 1991 - around the time he would have started college).

In my personal opinion, I think what’s more likely is that this is an extension of Alex’s main character syndrome. If you’re the main character of reality, a song is a hit when you listen to it the most. If this is true, it means that Alex was repeatedly listening to a song about unrequited love and losing your cool around a person you’re obsessed with right around the time that he met Michael. Very interesting! On a related note, when I was researching the meaning of Losing My Religion for this meta, I came across a Michael Stipe quote where he said “I've always felt the best kinds of songs are the ones where anybody can listen to it, put themselves in it and say, 'Yeah, that's me.’”, which kind of blew me away because this is exactly what Alex does with all media, so it would make perfect sense if he did it with Losing My Religion as well.

With that, I'm going to end the analysis here. Although this covers pretty much everything I wanted to say about the Alchael implications in the base game, I get the feeling I'm probably going to have more to say about them when I.V comes out. I also may write some more YIIK metas on other topics, so let me know if you'd like to see that. Until then, thanks for reading!

[eventuallyaugust]

bbtr misc. female idols who got a crush on txt seol

note: just pretend that you're viewing this piece in 2023, just like hyunseol's kprofile. i gave proofreading this.

warning/s: a bit angst in some parts if u guys squint

itzy — choi jisu (최지수) ⸻ early 2020 - present

first meeting

when lia first met hyunseol, she'll say it was something unexpected, like really unexpected.

her encounter with the txt member happened when the latter bumped into her who was heading to a restroom at a music award show.

pretty unexpected, right?

when they bumped into each other, poor surprised lia lost her balance but good thing hyunseol is here to save the day (good thing too because lia tries to avoid any interaction with her slightly strict stylist)

but enough of that because there's something else that needs our attention right now, like how did hyunseol here break lia's fall?

things you need to know: an arm wrapping around a waist

lia didn't realize hyunseol's hand placement at first since she is too busy looking at the latter's face and too stunned at what had happened.

but when she did, oh boy, she felt blood rushing to her cheeks and the area where hyunseol's hand landed became warm even though she had a fabric of clothing that separated her skin and the bighit idol's hand.

hyunseol profusely apologized to her, thinking that she embarrassed the itzy member without any slightest hint that the blush on lia's face isn't from embarrassment but from something else.

lia is so flustered that she couldn't bear to say why she is blushing, too flustered to think of anything else but how close her face was to the other idol earlier, how warm hyunseol's hand was against her side, and the scent that was coming from the tall idol.

lavender and jasmine, two scents she didn't imagine would smell good together in someone until now.

the two stood in the hallway in an awkward silence before hyunseol's manager came strutting towards them with that motherly tone of hers.

"there you are, seol. i've been looking for you, come on. you guys are up next for the performance."

with a final bow, the bighit idol let her manager dragged her away without saying anything, leaving lia standing in the hallway before a hand fell on her shoulders.

the stranger got startled when lia flinches before the latter turned her head and saw one of her members, yeji staring at her skeptically.

"are you okay?", yeji asks her, concerned.

"y-yeah."

lia stutters out an answer as she places a hand over her chest, hoping that small action would calm the raging storm in her heart.

start of interest

lia immediately get interested on hyunseol the moment they parted ways on their first meeting.

her curiosity on hyunseol started with a research on the tall idol, like who she was, how long she has been a trainee, etc.

when she found out that hyunseol used to be a jyp trainee, she somehow started regretting not signing up in jyp earlier and often gets thoughts like what if i had met seol earlier?, what if i had become friends with seol if i had signed up with jyp immediately?, etc.

she was so curious on who hyunseol is she even started watching those txt (un)helpful guide videos in youtube, because apparently, moas considered hyunseol as the most charismatic member in txt.

one video led to another various more and now, she started watching the group's mvs and immediately understands why hyunseol has a huge fanbase coming from various other kpop groups.

everything about hyunseol are insane, especially her vocals, her dancing skills, her confidence, and her visuals as if she was made by the greek goddess of love and beauty herself. a living and breathing of perfection.

her curiosity led her into getting caught by ryujin who had a knowing look over her face and she immediately felt guilty after like a child guilty of hiding their mother's most precious broken vase.

but surprisingly, ryujin just told her that she was expecting lia getting interested on her best friend and a "you weren't totally good at hiding your interest on seol, you know."

okay, lia probably is not good at keeping everything in the low when she realized that she starts to listen more on hyunseol-related stories ryujin shared whenever they eat together (probably her members realized it too and that thought just made her more embarrassed than before)

ryujin chuckled when she saw lia blushing furiously before patting her member's shoulder. "it's okay, unnie. there's nothing wrong with liking seol. you know i won't mind that and besides, you're not the only one who's crushing on her."

"what?"

and that was the moment lia's world stops for a moment.

----

fromis_9 — lee chaeyoung (이채영) ⸻ early 2021 - present

first meeting

when chaeyoung first met hyunseol, it was after bighit change to hybe and acquire various companies to become one. she could remember it clearly as if it just happened yesterday.

it was a normal day for fromis_9 as a hybe staff gives them a tour around the huge building and talking about the company's rules and regulations when jiheon, who was standing beside her, suddenly let out a small squeal and started to hit her arm.

she looked at the maknae and the latter could only point at the front double doors to see bang si-hyuk, a female manager, and six tall figures walking inside.

she had heard of the six-membered group from jiheon, the moa resident of fromis_9 and mostly, the maknae always talks about oh hyunseol, her bias and bighit's wildcard.

fromis_9 was in front of the lobby when the well-known chaotic group passed them and bowed to them while hyunseol met jiheon's eyes and approached the latter before she smiled widely when the latter let out a squeal and pulled her into a hug.

"nice to see you again, fangirl. how have you been?"

"ahhh, unnie!!! it's nice to see you again, too."

the rest of fromis_9 looked at the pair in stunned silence and when they look at the txt, they saw the members looking at their oldest and jiheon with wide smiles plastered on their faces.

"you know each other?"

hyunseol looked at chaeyoung, the one who asked and smiled at her while nodding before she gently patted jiheon's head and met chaeyoung's eyes again. "yeah, i met heonie through yujin. your maknae was pretty excited and shocked when she learned that i'm friends with yujinie."

the rest of fromis_9 looked at hyunseol with their mouths forming into 'o' and laughed at their maknae's reaction while chaeyoung remained her eyes on hyunseol with a dazed look over her face. mainly, her eyes were focused on the latter's lips and how it stretched into the brightest smile she ever seen (with jiheon being in second).

"txt, come on! bang pd-nim is waiting!"

"we'll be there!", txt loudly replied back and bowed to the nine girls with hyunseol smiling at chaeyoung last as she finally pulled away from jiheon's hug before the six-membered group ran off to their manager.

chaeyoung was left looking at hyunseol's face until txt disappeared behind the elevator doors and snapped out of her trance, hoping her members didn't notice her odd behavior.

jiheon, who noticed her unnie's actions, smirked and looked away with a shake of her head.

start of interest

chaeyoung didn't exactly know when and how she starts to get interested on hyunseol, but once she heard jiheon blasting some txt songs in their dorm, she knew she'll end up thinking about the txt member more than once.

she doesn't know how to ask jiheon about hyunseol without getting suspicious, but when she gave up to her curiosity, she asked jiheon and the latter surprisingly answered all of her questions like who hyunseol was, what her favorite foods are, etc.

the maknae was so receptive in answering her questions chaeyoung was starting get suspicious of jiheon and confronted the latter about her behavior one day.

"you're interested on seol unnie, so i'm just helping your interest on her grow even more."

"s-so you knew? ever since?"

"yeah, and don't worry, i didn't tell unnie about your... sudden interest on her. i'm evil, but not that evil."

but those words alone didn't convince chaeyoung and that drove her in asking the maknae. "why are you helping me when you already knew that i'm interested on seol?"

"why not?", jiheon retaliates with a smirk. "besides you're attracted to tall people, right? unnie, i told you that seol unnie is tall tall. she's like 5'11 foot, unnie."

chaeyoung could only blink at the maknae's words with her lips slightly apart. "oh, also unnie." she looks at jiheon and sees the latter looking at her in a serious matter.

"don't fall for seol unnie too hard. you're not the only idol who is interested on her."

----

ive — kim gaeul (김가을) ⸻ late 2021 - present

first meeting

(be warned: slight angst)

when gaeul first met hyunseol, it happened when she caught yujin and wonyoung sneaking out of the dorm at the late of the night after a hectic schedule.

when the two got caught, yujin answered with a pleading voice, "wonyoung and i needed to meet someone. please, unnie, let us go."

"can i tag along with you guys? just to make sure you two will come back home safe."

yujin and wonyoung looked at each other for a moment and shrugged before gaeul changed her clothes.

after hitching a taxi, gaeul couldn't help but wonder who the person yujin and wonyoung were trying to go to this late

when gaeul decides to ask who this person is, yujin just answers with a nonchalant shrug, "you'll meet her when we get there" while wonyoung tried her best not to fully break down right there and then.

due to her members' odd behavior, gaeul didn't bother to ask again and has fallen so deep in her thoughts she didn't realize the taxi had already stopped if it weren't for yujin who pulled her out of her thoughts.

when they stepped out of the vehicle, gaeul realized they are in front of an apartment building before wonyoung walked inside first, hurry present in her steps and yujin led gaeul inside.

gaeul then saw someone waiting by the lobby, talking to the receptionist and to her surprise, yujin and wonyoung immediately ran to that stranger, pulling the latter in their arms.

seol, who was the stranger, got startled and turned to the two tallest members of ive, worry plastered on her face when she heard sniffles from them.

gaeul accidentally caught seol's eyes and the latter bowed at her before the former immediately looked away with a blush, her heartbeat consuming her sense of hearing before she chastised herself for even reacting that way and gently pinched herself.

"come on, let's take this in my apartment", seol says as she keeps an eye outside the building for unsuspecting sasaengs lurking in the shadows.

after a painfully 1 minute in the elevator, the txt member led the three ive members inside her apartment and to her living room before grabbing some tissues and water bottles with a few snacks in the kitchen.

"here, some water, tissues, and snacks. now tell me what's happened."

gaeul took the single seat across her members while keeping her attention on the older girl while seol took a seat between yujin and wonyoung who immediately clung on the txt member.

she saw how seol kept her attention on yujin who was crying on the latter's shoulder while letting out the problems ive is experiencing under the media's cruel hand as wonyoung buried her head against seol's arm, tears adorning her cheeks.

and soon, gaeul found herself crying along with yujin and wonyoung when the topic reached to the most sensitive ones like how the netizens made liz uncomfortable wearing the clothes she likes, how leeseo was mocked by some fans when she was doing her thanksgiving speech, etc.

but through it all, gaeul always sees seol listening to yujin's rants and vents with undivided attention and open ears.

seeing seol being so caring to her members, attentive to whatever topic they are talking about, and somehow being good at making her members smile made gaeul's heart flutter.

she doesn't know why or how but hearing the short laughters seol and her members share amidst of the sensitive topics, gaeul couldn't help but to view seol in the different light considering she knew there are only a certain group of idols in the industry that could be trusted.

after that small session, seol's phone rang and the bighit idol immediately answered the call before standing up and walking away, leaving the three ive members talk to themselves in the living room.

"so gaeul unnie, what do you think of seol unnie?"

gaeul threw yujin a look and saw a hint of mischief on the way the leader is looking at her, narrowing her eyes at the latter. "why are you looking at me like that?"

"looking at you like what?"

"like you want to start something i don't approve of."

yujin snickers. "wwhhaattt? i do not. you're just jumping into conclusions."

gaeul gets silent while rolling her eyes.

she then looked around and examined every furniture present in the room before she looked at the picture frame beside the tv and spotted seol with a kid seated on her shoulders.

meanwhile, yujin and wonyoung are talking about their oldest while keeping their eyes on the latter, seeing how distracted gaeul is.

after the phone call, seol immediately barged inside and put her phone inside her sweatpants pocket as gaeul noticed a hint of daze in the way the txt member looks at her members but she didn't ponder on that thought any longer.

"hello, sorry. that was my manager. she was asking something, but anyways— why are you looking at me like that, yujin?"

"is it our time to go?", yujin asks.

"go? at this hour? god no, you girls will stay at my guest rooms. i won't let you girls leave, especially now that you know crime rates are high around this time." seol shook her head, the trio only noticing spare clothes in her hands. "now, go change your clothes. the clothes you two left behind days ago are in the closets."

once yujin and wonyoung left to change their clothes, seol turned to gaeul and gave the clothes to the '02 liner with a smile. "here's some spare clothes, gaeul-ssi. i hope you have a good night's sleep tonight."

"why are you doing this?" gaeul's eyes immediately widened when she realized she talks her thought out loud and covered her mouth with a gasp before grabbing the clothes. "uhm, s-sorry, s-sunbaenim. you can just leave that question unanswered, i'll just—"

"it was the right thing to do, gaeul-ssi." the ive member looked at seol to see the latter looking at her with a solemn expression.

"besides, you girls deserve some kindness, not to mention the whole world. we may not be fully acquianted with one another, but i hope you are aware of how much yujin and wonyoung kept saying how proud they are to have members like you, even they don't know if you guys aren't exactly the the type of people to have deep conversation with or not."

seol looked away with a sigh and shook her head. "it's unfair and unfortunate for your group to be targeted by such unkind and mean people in your debut. you girls just want to achieve your dreams and besides you aren't doing anything bad, so..."

"why should they hate your group?"

seol's question kept gaeul up at night thinking as she spent the night looking up at the ceiling filled with glow-in-the-dark stars.

start of interest

gaeul's interest on seol didn't start growing until it was the last week of december 2021 after hyunseol had given six-membered group delievered foods in christmas with a printed note, "hello, ive! merry christmas! i hope you guys have a good day ahead of this special day. i wish i could bring these boxes myself, but i was needed at a short notice in the company. the first box contain your favorite foods while the second contains my gifts for you. merry christmas again 🫶 sincerely, azrael"

at first, the ive members didn't know who this azrael person is and almost called their manager if not for yujin and wonyoung explaining to them that azrael is hyunseol's english name and the bighit idol always used that name for deliveries.

why?, the question gaeul kept asking to herself. why is she so... helpful? caring? kind? pretty? funny? smart? understanding? open-minded? and more positive qualities that somehow describe how perfect she is??

being a curious person herself, she decided to watch some videos about hyunseol and her group that either could be from the group's official account or the fans while she hid in the comfort of her room.

her curiosity and interest not only led her to watching txt's mvs but also the behind-the-scenes, the group's variety show 'to do', and some music awards performances. it eventually led her eyes being glued to her phone screen more often and her members may or may not have noticed her sudden interest on her phone.

as the leader of her group, yujin noticed that gaeul started binge-watching something but whenever she approaches the latter, the oldest always puts her down as if she's afraid to accidentally spilled a secret.

one day, when ive took a break from practicing, yujin saw gaeul wiping her sweat off her face while facing the mirror in the room and immediately approached the latter before dragging the '02 liner out of the room, "gaeul unnie and i will bring some snacks, we'll be right back!"

due to the quick turn of events, poor gaeul didn't get a say in the impromptu hang out. all she could do is follow the leader out before she gets confused when latter asks, "so why are you suddenly being interested on your phone? i've been noticing how much you kept smiling to yourself while watching something in your phone."

i could lie to her and save myself from embarrassment, gaeul thought to herself. or i could say the truth and get this feeling over with.

yujin, sensing the hesitation, immediately added, "if you aren't ready to tell me yet, it's fine. i totally—"

"no, it's okay. i'll say it." gaeul took a deep breath. "it's because seol unnie. i was watching txt's variety show, to do the other day and i was trying not to laugh because i don't want to draw attention to myself while watching."

yujin scratches her nape, trying not to smile and avoiding gaeul's eyes. "well, you kinda failed because you did draw attention to yourself the other day to the point the members kept asking me what you were watching that got you smiling so wide."

gaeul's face fell. oh shit.

----

gfriend (former) & viviz — jung eunbi (정은비) ⸻ early 2022 - unknown

first meeting

when eunha first met seol, it was around viviz' comeback for their mini album, beam of prism. she doesn't know why but she could still remember the way how seol laughed at wonyoung's joke when her group entered the interview room (idk what it's called where mcs interview idols just like jangkku interviewed the idols).

the moment the three idols walked in the room, eunha immediately met seol's eyes and saw how the latter's eyes brighten at the sight of her. the bighit idol and jangkku immediately bowed at the three idols while greeting them.

sinb immediately smiled at the sight of the 5'11 foot idol while umji ran to the bighit idol and pulled seol in a hug while the latter let out a loud "umji unnie!"

her two members are close with the txt member ever since their gfriend days and she could always hear umji talking about the bighit idol to their leader, sowon even in the maknae's sleep.

hearing so many stories of seol from umji made eunha grow curious, but she never get the chance to meet the idol herself considering in the industry, hyunseol is known to be everywhere and anywhere. it is only a matter of luck to meet the idol herself.

but eunha didn't expect to see seol hanging out in interview room with the two new mcs out of all places. it's just too... random place to be in.

hyunseol and umji then pulled away from the hug before the latter smacked the arms of the tall girl, earning a groan from the txt member.

"ow, what was that for, unnie?"

"that's for telling me that you won't make it, and this." umji then grabbed ahold of hyunseol's t-shirt and pulled the latter down to her height before kissing the latter's cheek. "is for coming anyways. thank you, seol."

"y-yeah, a-anytime", hyunseol stuttered while blushing. "but unnie, you should know that i was going to tell you that i'll come."

"then why didn't you?" hyunseol could only look at sinb and the latter jerked her head back before her eyes fell on umji.

"so it was you all along?!"

hyunseol took several steps away from the scene and stood beside eunha who suddenly got nervous at the bighit idol's presence beside her.

why? it's because hyunseol was so tall beside her and she admits that the 5'11 foot idol is so prettier up close.

eunha doesn't know if hyunseol being pretttier up close is because of the latter's dimples making an appearance, the way the txt member's eyes disappear in her cheeks whenever she laughs, or maybe the way the bighit idol carries herself with confidence.

like she owns the place (and eunha's heart and the viviz member doesn't know it yet)

but whatever it is, eunha could only feel her heart starts having a rampage inside her chest while her thoughts became about the txt's oldest member.

start of interest

eunha's curiosity on seol didn't get bigger not until she got a birthday gift from her and a bunch of teasing from her fellow viviz and former gfriend members.

"happy birthday, eunha unnie! umji unnie told me the other day your birthday is getting close and well, i want to give you a gift even though we aren't close and acquianted with one another. i hope you have a great day today and i also hope you enjoy my gift. from azrael."

umji could only squeal in excitement once eunha told her friends who gave the gift and what gift was. it was a korean cookbook and a blank notebook to which has another note stuffed between the blank pages. "while you cook various foods, i hope you could make recipes that could satisfy your tastebuds, make you reminisce the past, and make you inspired to do more. use this notebook for the ideas you make because i know you'll do great now and forever, eunha unnie."

"eunha unnie, you received a gift from hyunseol, ahhh!! azrael is her english name if you're wondering." umji then shook her head and sighed with a hint of smile on her face. "but wow, i didn't expect her to go through with it."

"what do you mean?", yerin asks and soon the other five women looked at the youngest, intrigued.

"well, you see, unnies. i dragged hyunseol with me when i was shopping for my birthday gift to eunha unnie the other day since i don't know what to get for eunha unnie."

"then?", sowon asks, clearly interested on the maknae's storytelling.

"well, you know that we're close, right? to the point i shared some random trivias about you guys and everything that happened to us, right?"

yuju answers, "yeah, what about it?"

umji scratches her nape. "well... i told hyunseol from before that eunha unnie likes to cook. although i expected this to happen, i'm still surprised that hyunseol still remembers that info and decides to buy eunha unnie a cookbook and this blank notebook."

"when did you tell her that eunha unnie likes to cook?", sinb inquiries, narrowing her eyes.

"uh... two years ago?" umji looked at her unnies in confusion.

"and hyunseol still remembers that even though it's been two years?!"

eunha could feel herself blush as she held the txt's member's gift close to her chest, unable to join the chaos her six friends were in.

----

iz*one (former) and actress — kim minju (김민주) ⸻ early 2020 - present

first meeting

when minju first met hyunseol, it was when she decided to sneak out of the dorm at night. too late in the night that she could get scolded by eunbi, but she couldn't care less.

normally, she goes to the place she frequented, a karaoke bar, but with everything that is happening in her mind and the stress coming from the group schedule, she decided to ditch the bar and let her feet led somewhere new.

and that's why she ended up standing in front of a park that had a kid's playground and some benches around the area that overlooks a riveed.

she was walking towards the nearest bench by the river when she felt a presence nearby and when she was about to run away, a hand with a handkerchief immediately got ahold of her mouth.

tears soon build up in her eyes and fear immediately consumed her as she tried to break free, but a strong scent invaded her sense of smell as she slowly started to feel dizzy.

seconds later, minju could breathe again as she felt the strong grip on her vanishes and tried to catch her balance, but her knees gave up on her.

then a strange thing happened.

another arm had caught her and before she could slap the stranger with the force remaining in her body, she heard a voice that stop her.

"it's okay, minju-ssi. you're safe, i'm here. this bastard won't bother you anymore."

she doesn't know what happened next, but all she could remember was that she fainted.

when she woke up from the terrifying night before, minju finds herself in a bedroom and immediately gets alarmed because the only thought in her mind that time was where the fuck am i?

she looked around the room in panic and found some picture frames settled on the nightstand. once she laid her eyes on the pictures, she slowly recovered from her panic.

oh, so i'm in hyunseol's bedroom, yena unnie's best friend. it kinda looks... like her.

suddenly, the bedroom door opened and showed the txt member holding a bed food tray. the two stared each other for a moment before hyunseol smiled, making minju gulp at the sudden increase of the pace her heart took inside her chest.

"hey, you're finally awake. i was getting worried that you got too affected by what had happened last night."

the bighit idol walked in and placed the tray on the desk table nearby before she sat on the end of the bed and looked at minju solemnly.

"i'm sorry you had to go through the feeling of almost getting kidnapped yesterday." minju looked away and hyunseol immediately regretted saying those words as she stood up and walked up to the food tray, her back facing minju. "sorry."

"what's happened to the suspect?"

"i called the cops on him and threw him behind bars."

"how?" hyunseol could only smile and immediately recomposed herself.

"don't worry about your pretty little head on that. come on, you need to eat breakfast after that ordeal."

hyunseol carefully set the bed food tray on the bed, mindful not to get clumsy in front of minju. once she finished, she placed the silver utensils on the side.

"i don't know what food you usually eat at breakfast, so i hope you like blueberry pancakes and greek yogurt."

"i..." minju didn't know why she feels her heart beats against her ears, but just seeing the '99 liner's effort of preparing breakfast and seeing how nervous hyunseol is if she likes pancakes or not makes a small smile appear on her lips.

"i like it."

hyunseol smiled and nodded while having her eyes trained on her desk table, the feeling of blood rushing to her cheeks getting to her.

"oh okay, that's good to hear. i'll go now so you can enjoy the silence. i hope you enjoy the food, minju-ssi."

but before hyunseol could take a step, minju already stopped her.

"please stay, i could need a friend right now."

starts of interest

minju wasn't supposed to get interest on any idol because she knew it could lead to some kind of scandal and didn't want to bring that kind of damage to her group.

but whenever she hears her fellow member, yena talking about the bighit idol whether it may be because of her unconditional kindness, undeniable charisma, or her outrageous height (yena's exact wording), she couldn't help but remember the time hyunseol took care of her and became true to her words when she asked the bighit idol not to tell anything to yena.

(until now, yena doesn't know the almost kidnapping)

she tried to not to acknowledge the rampaging emotions happening in the deep pits of her stomach whenever she hears hyunseol's name, but whenever she does, her heart pounds with each breath she takes.

she wants to tell the others about the strange feeling she got ever since she and hyunseol talked, but how could she even talk to them without mentioning the part she almost get kidnapped?

sure, eunbi would scold her about that but that's the least of her problems because she's more concerned for mentioning the word, crush.

knowing her members, they would get excited over the fact that she got a possible crush and hyunseol getting known as minju's crush in iz*one is something she isn't ready for.

but she needs to take some risks every now and then and taking risks is what she'll do.

"uh, everyone. i've gathered all of you today to tell you something."

"it sounds pretty serious when you're nervous, minju-ah", chaeyeon voices out her concern while the iz*one members took their seats on the couch and on the carpeted floor.

"i just want to hear your opinions on this because it has been bothering me and makes me feel confused, so please i hope you take this seriously."

the rest of iz*one members look at one another, muttering things minju couldn't understand before they returned their attention on the '01 liner.

"it's okay, minju-ah. you can tell us anything." eunbi's soft motherly voice toned down the anxiety minju felt in her nerves before the latter took a deep breath.

"okay, i think i like hyunseol unnie."

"hyunseol unnie? from txt?" yena immediately stood up on the floor and looked at her member in surprise. "when did you meet her?"

"last week."

looks like she needs to tell them the whole story by how confused they are right now. take another deep breath, minju. you can do this.

"okay, you see. i met hyunseol unnie when i almost got kidnapped last week, but it's okay—"

"what do you mean it's okay?! you almost got kidnapped last week!"

minju retorts back at eunbi, "but it's okay, unnie! i'm okay now! hyunseol unnie saved me—"

"she saved you?", yena repeats before she starts smirking at the younger girl. "she saved you, huh? did we hear that right?"

minju blushed with a sigh. oh boy, she could feel the wave of teasing coming from the girls.

----

twice — chou tzuyu (周子瑜) ⸻ late 2019 - present

first meeting

when tzuyu first met hyunseol, it happened at the mma 2019 when nayeon decided to bring newly befriended idols to the twice waiting room with everyone's permission.

the other twice members were resting in the room when nayeon suddenly barged inside with a wide smile on her face.

"hello, everyone!"

"what do you have on your sleeve now, nayeon?", the leader asked the oldest.

"remember my request to bring two friends in the waiting room?"

"yeah, who is it?"

"you'll see." nayeon smirked at momo before she walked up to the door and talked to a pair behind it.

"okay, are you guys ready?"

"go ahead", jeongyeon says, eager present in her voice.

"okay, come on in!"

the door then was pushed open and two tall figures came out, bowing to the jyp group. when the latter finally lifted their head, tzuyu was not disappointed to know the identities of the two strangers are.

kang taehyun and oh hyunseol of tomorrow x together, bighit's newest group and bts' juniors. tzuyu also had heard about the two members especially the various titles several netizens had given the txt's oldest in the span of several months after their debut.

bighit's wildcard, txt's solace, and nation's best friend.

seeing the 5'11 foot idol in front of her somehow made sense why seol was given those titles, although tzuyu feels that two of these titles contradict one another.

in bighit's wildcard, mystery is present around the tall physique of the bighit idol. one look from seol could give tzuyu the shivers she would feel whenever she felt an unsettling sensation in her body.

also, tzuyu had heard from various idols that seol was known to be the hidden ace of bighit, but she doesn't know if those statements held some truth in them.

in txt's solace, tzuyu had seen several videos containing hyunseol and her unconditional love for her members from cooking them food, gifting them expensive yet meaningful gifts, and being the best older sister the other txt members could have.

while the title, nation's best friend is a bit self-explanatory considering the various friendships hyunseol has formed with a variety of idols from different companies.

tzuyu couldn't grasp the question how hyunseol managed to befriend idols from almost all of the groups whether it may be a girlgroup or boygroup, but all she knows is that she feels a bit jealous on the fact that hyunseol could easily make friends without getting involved in dating rumors.

"hello, twice sunbaenim. it's an honor to meet you." taehyun tried to hide behind hyunseol, getting flustered and the latter took notice of it, stepping forward.

meanwhile nayeon looked at her members proud. "see? i told you guys i would eventually befriend her."

hyunseol nodded and smirked at twice's oldest member. "yeah, nayeon unnie was so determined to be friends she even dragged us on the way here."

the '95 liner blushed and pouted. "hey, i told you to not tell them that!"

"you didn't exactly make me swear on txt, nayeon unnie. besides, you were so adamant on befriending me i simply couldn't resist telling them that", hyunseol teased.

the twice members laughed at nayeon who was now smacking hyunseol's arm with the latter letting the older girl do whatever she wants.

"also, i agreed to befriend her because taehyun and i want to give you our albums. we hope we aren't interrupting something when we came in."

jihyo then smiled and stood up. "no, no. you aren't interrupting something. we are actually expecting you since nayeon and jeongyeon had a bet against each other on who you would befriend first."

hyunseol blinked and tilted her head at twice's second oldest. "you... were trying to befriend me earlier?"

jeongyeon blushed and nodded while the rest of twice members noticed the reaction of the second oldest and jihyo turned to hyunseol, confused. "may i ask what happened?"

the txt's oldest member turned red and cleared her throat. "she asked me if i can hang out with her and get drunk after the awards show."

tzuyu has never seen jihyo turn her head so fast until now and doesn't know if she'll laugh at jeongyeon or feel bad. "what did you just say to hyunseol?!"

"i'm sorry! she was in the legal age already, so i thought of inviting her to drink!"

hyunseol speaks once the chaos temporarily stopped, "uhm... i would accept your invitation, jeongyeon unnie, but i don't think the company would allow me. that's why i rejected your offer, sorry."

"so... you're willing to get drunk?"

hyunseol and taehyun shared a look before the former answered whike scratching her nape, "yes, but i never get drunk, momo unnie."

"eh? are you sure?"

"seol noona...", twice then turned their attention on taehyun who suddently got nervous. "has a high alcohol tolerance."

"when did you find out about that one?"

hyunseol and taehyun shared a look once again before the oldest of txt avoided the nine women's eyes.

"when g-idle had a bet against me that i will get drunk first before all of them."

"so who won?"

"of course hyunseol did. that's why she found out she had a high alcohol tolerance."

"so if you—"

the waiting room door then opened and showed txt's manager, yongsun before she bowed to the 3rd gen idol group. "hello, twice. i hope you don't mind me fetching seol and taehyun. the award show is about to start."

"oh, of course we don't mind. we need to get going, anyways." jihyo bowed at txt's manager before she turned towards the two txt members. "thank you for the albums. you can just give them to tzuyu here."

hyunseol then approached twice's maknae and gave txt's album while bowing at the latter. due to her sudden nervousness, the txt's oldest member accidentally touched the other idol's hand.

the 5'11 foot idol blushed and immediately stepped away when tzuyu had grabbed the album from her. this is so embarrassing.

the two txt members and their manager gave their final bow to the girl group before they walked out.

once the trio left, jihyo threw the maknae a look and her eyes widened when she saw the hint of pink invading the latter's cheeks.

start of interest

tzuyu doesn't know if she should let her interest drove her into finding more about seol, but hearing so many txt songs on her way to the agreed rendezvous on the day she will hang out with shuhua doesn't help her decision-making.

she thinks it was god's sign to tell her to give in and she isn't usually the religious type of people, but she doesn't know if she could give it a shot or not because what could she lose in a simple curiosity?

her [REDACTED]

taking the seat in front of her friend in the café, tzuyu couldn't help but sigh and her action caught shuhua's attention.

"are you okay? did you guys have a rough week at practice?"

"i wish it was from the practice, but no."

shuhua looked at her taiwanese friend and tilted her head. "is it a crush problem?"

tzuyu could only nod in embarrassment and shuhua's jaws drop. talking about crushes is normal between them, but tzuyu's crushes? that's rare, considering tzuyu herself finds it hard to get interested on people.

"so... what's wrong?"

"i don't know if i'm just curious about her or have a crush."

her. shuhua pondered. tzuyu might like a another female idol.

"first of all, who is it?", shuhua asks before she takes a bite off her blueberry crêpe.

"oh hyunseol."

shuhua immediately choked on her food and tzuyu went to her aid, giving the g-idle member a drink. once shuhua finally got to breathe, she croaked as she looked at her friend with wide eyes. "oh hyunseol? really, her?"

"yeah. what seems the problem?"

"i'm surprised that you have a crush, but having a crush on oh fucking hyunseol? that's expected."

"why?"

shuhua ran her hands over her face and breathed out, the pain from getting choked is slowly decreasing. "i know you don't care about what netizens think, but i also hope you know what you're getting into."

tzuyu's eyebrows creased together. what does she mean by that?

shuhua added, "other than being known as nation's best friend, she is also has the reputation as being nation's heartbreaker by the netizens who hate on txt for fun."

"how? how did she become a heartbreaker?" tzuyu then took a sip of her coffee.

"because netizens think hyunseol intentionally make friends with every group to flirt with one member and break their hearts after."

"but what do you think? yuqi sunbae is friends with hyunseol unnie, right?" tzuyu took three bites of her chocolate cake.

"my advice? go for it." tzuyu's head shot up in surprise, her mouth filled with cake. "what? just because netizens think of hyunseol that way doesn't mean i believe their words. besides, i've already met seol unnie and believe me when i say that netizens are just jealous of her and her friendships with various idols.

"but it's still your choice, you know if you wanna pursue your feelings or not."

tzuyu finished her cake as she finally decided before she speaks up, "i have a question."

"ask away."

"is there any chance that you'll like seol too?"

shuhua smirks, raising a brow. "aww, are you jealous i might take her away?"

shuhua's teasing made tzuyu blush like a madman and smack her friend's arm. "n-no, i-i'm just curious."

"sure, ms. curious." shuhua took a sip of her drink and chuckled before looking at the tall girl with a serious expression.

"if i'm not so stupidly in love with soojin? i would." shuhua cleared her throat, blushing as she looked away. "like hyunseol, i mean. but luckily, i already have soojin with me, so there's no need for me to join the chaos of being attracted with seol."

tzuyu then fell in silence after that.

is it really a curse to like seol?

----

red velvet — kim yerim (김예림) ⸻ late 2019 - present

first meeting

when yeri first met seol, it was when the latter accidentally got lost in the asia artist awards backstage. red velvet members saw her looking around the hallway frantically and irene decided to lend a hand as the leader of her group.

"oh, shit!" hyunseol jumped as she felt cold fingers wrapped themselves around her right arm. she turned around to see the five red velvet members and her eyes widened when she realized what she said.

"oh, i'm sorry, sunbaes. it wasn't me, it was azrael. i'm sorry, i'm sorry." the txt member bowed profusely and the sm idols chuckled, making hyunseol's ears turn red.

"azrael, huh? i heard that you're one of the english speakers of your group." wendy starts a conversation in english.

hyunseol's eyes slightly widen with familiarity and nodded. "yeah, i am. nice to meet you and your group, wendy unnie. i hope you didn't mind me swearing in front of you."

wendy chuckled and patted hyunseol's arm. "we don't mind. besides, we curse too, you know. just not around irene unnie, though."

hyunseol's lips twisted into a pout and wendy chuckled again. "but don't worry, she won't mind now considering we did scare you. anyways, what's wrong? we kept seeing you looking around the place."

"yeah, you look like a lost puppy looking around."

"a cute puppy", yeri mutters and joy's eyes rose in mischief, trying not to smirk.

but it seems that the txt's oldest member hadn't heard yeri's words and hung her head low. "i've lost my members in the sudden surge of crowd and now, i'm trying to find them, but it's been unsuccessful so far."

"did you know where your waiting room is?", irene asks, her motherly instincts coming out for a moment.

"no, unnie. my manager was leading us to our waiting room when i lost them."

"aww, don't worry, i'm sure we can help you find them", seulgi consoled as she patted the tall idol's arm, smiling.

hyunseol scratched her cheek. "uhm, i'm not worried about getting lost. it's more like getting worried for my members—"

"seol noona, where are you?!"

the loud voices of yeonjun and huening kai cut hyunseol off as it boomed through the hallway, startling all idols and staffs present in the area including red velvet.

"anddd that's what i'm talking about." hyunseol then sighed and turned to the 3rd gen group with an apologetic look. "sorry, my members tend to panic or feel edgy whenever they realized i wasn't with them or they lost me."

"separation anxiety?", joy asked.

"no, it's just the fear of leaving me behind, especially the maknae. huening kai grew protective of his older members." hyunseol ran a hand through her hair and threw her wristwatch a look, her eyes widening a little bit.

"anyways, i need to go. i'll see you around, sunbaes." hyunseol bade goodbye before she shouted, her hands around her mouth. "yeonjun, huening kai!"

"seol noona?! wave your hands so we can see you!"

hyunseol then did what she was told and turned back to the five sm idols, giving them a wave before she turned around again and walked away.

"w-who was that?" yeri finally got her voice back after being so speechless in front of the tall stranger.

"it's txt seol, nation's best friend and nation's heartbreaker."

start of interest

yeri is aware of her sudden interest on txt's oldest member (she found out that seol is the oldest when she stumbled upon the group's official website) after hearing the title the idol earned in the span of several months after debut from seulgi.

and through nayeon, the idol she is currently hanging out with, yeri's interest on seol has been amplified. especially after the twice member's story with hyunseol's birthday gift for another twice member, jihyo.

"jihyo was so happy that hyunseol remembered her birthday and got her a bunch of clothes as a gift, especially the ones that are good for the skin."

nayeon sighed and placed her chin on her hand. "jihyo's so lucky to receive a gift like that." the twice member then looked at yeri to see the latter deep in her thoughts while staring at now-lukewarm coffee before gently nudging the younger girl.

"are you okay? you're spacing out. what's on your mind?"

"hyunseol." nayeon jerked her head back at the quick response.

"hyunseol? why is she on your mind? did something happen to you two?"

"no, i'm curious about her." yeri then threw the twice member a look. "seulgi unnie referred hyunseol as the nation's best friend and nation's heartbreaker. i'm curious how she got both of those titles when they're contradicting one another."

"oh, that." nayeon suddenly got quiet for a moment and sighed before speaking up again. "the nation's heartbreaker isn't true, though. male fans of various girl groups gave that title to her because they are jealous of her and what she is capable of, knowing their idols are at seol's disposal."

"those fans are aware of their idols' crush on seol?"

"some idols talked about it in vlive while some kept it secret. those obsessive male fans are jealous of seol because she has the confidence and freedom to talk their idols while they don't."

"is all of that true?"

nayeon shook her head as she sipped her coffee before she put the cup down and speaks, "god no, but it was the observation between me and jihyo had after tzuyu started liking seol."

yeri looked at nayeon stunned and when the latter noticed her behavior, nayeon just raised a brow back. "what? you think everyone is immune to seol's charm?"

"i just didn't think—"

"think that tzuyu will like seol?" yeri nodded. "most idols call it seol's curse, you know."

seol's curse?

"it was called seol's curse because seol has so many admirers she'll have a hard time dealing with them." nayeon finished her cake with two bites and wiped her mouth with a napkin while yeri looked down at her hands.

"you know, jihyo and i felt bad for her because apparently, she didn't want to get involved in this mess and despite the chaos happening in seol's life, she could still keep a smile on her lips."

"but..." yeri then looked up and met nayeon's eyes trained on her. "there's nothing wrong with liking seol, especially if you're not doing anything bad. as long as you still respect her as a human being who has feelings, then you can still continue being infatuated with her."

nayeon then placed her hand over yeri and smiled at the younger girl. "i know what you've heard of seol and please believe me when i say what the netizens kept saying negative things about seol isn't true."

nayeon gently squeezed yeri's hand. "seol is an innocent person and she didn't mean to make almost every female idol to fall in love with her, so please..."

"don't let the opinions of others change your view of her because you'll miss the real story."

"i-i won't, nayeon unnie. i-i promise."

who are you really, oh hyunseol? and why are you so mysterious?

----

female idols who almost got a crush or stopped having a crush on seol

kang hyewon - almost; reason: already have fallen in love with eunbi

kim chaewon - stopped; reason: claims seol being bad for her heart (her exact words: she's too much of a green flag)

cho miyeon - stopped; reason: doesn't want to be rejected by seol by the time she'll confess

seo soojin - almost; reason: already in love with shuhua

kim jiwon (liz) - almost; reason: wants no drama in the group

lee joowon (jooe) - stopped; reason: afraid of the scandals

----

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