#fic: oap

[prepare4trouble]

Does it bug anybody else how people seem to consider Ed and Stede to be old? I mean, they’re not kids, but Taika and Rhys are in their 40s. They aren’t ‘old men’. They’re at the beginning part of what most people would consider to be middle aged.

And maybe this is just a me thing, since I’m not that much younger than them, as I approach my 42nd birthday next week, but I’m not old. I mean, I’m not a kid, but I barely even feel like an adult most days.

And yes, I do know that for a pirate in those days, 48 or so would have been considered ancient. I know the real Blackbeard died in his mid to late 30s and Stede Bonnet at 30. But that’s reality, and OFMD is not supposed to resemble reality. If it did, it would be a very different show.

Anyway, I’m not having a go here, and maybe to younger fans they really do look like two decrepit, ancient, old men, or maybe people are just joking around, but more likely this just seems a bit like a byproduct of the film and TV industry’s obsession with youth. I think people are surprised (not in a bad way, just pleasantly surprised) to see people not in their 20s depicted as being in love, and having sex, and all those things that we’ve been indirectly told for years can only happen up to a certain age. And then to see it in a queer romance too, that just makes it stand out all the more, and compared to a lot of the other media people see, these characters do seem older. Because they are.

So I think what I’m saying isn’t, “Hey, stop calling them old!”, which I guess you’re welcome to do if you really must, it’s more something along the lines of, “It shouldn’t be unusual to see these kinds of relationships, and if it was more normalised then maybe people wouldn’t think they were old.”

But it’s also to remind people that calling them old perpetuates that idea that romance in your 40s and beyond is unusual, and that’s not a good thing to be telling people, even by accident.

[0zzysaurus]

I feel like the valvert girlies are the only ones out here truly understanding the old men…. I mean, if you’re not partial to MsurM (which I am but nevermind that for now) then the real chemistry doesn’t start until they’re 54 and 64… Since most valvert fics are post-Seine, they’re both gonna end up being at least a bit older than that too by the time they start rawdogging…. You’re gonna show me two mid-30s to 40 year olds and say “look at these old men!” Die. Coward. The winters will turn to summers and the Gillenormand household will be bustling with grandchildren, and Javert will be 70 getting his OAP hole eviscerated by that geriatric 80-year-old greymuzzle saint

[thalialunacy]

Today's prompt fic will be coming tomorrow - this afternoon I acquired two cats whose person had to go into assisted living. It's a pretty common story, and I'm glad I can be of help. Technically I am fostering them, but as one of them is 19 and they are bonded, I have a feeling they aren't going anywhere.

Me and 3 cats, 2 of which are OAPs, in a 928 sq ft house. 😅

[trobedgirldads]

the bad news: my oap didn’t advance to the next round of comp

the good news: i will have much more time to write my fics!!!

[inverted-typo]

Oap! Reblogging this because I didn’t realize it was collaboration fic! My bad! @athenadione

This scene from @vilavi-2 fic has lived in my head rent free for so long so I finally got to cement it visually 😂 we need more jealous Raven imo

[poutiyoongi]

once a princess

The first time they met was an accident. She stood in the shade of a poplar tree with a blinding smile on her face as though she couldn’t feel the searing heat of the early-September day. He was walking past with his best friends, attempting–and failing–to make it from one side of Disneyland to the other without being recognized. It never failed to amaze him how many people in the United States knew his group.

The red of her dress caught his eye first. He’d never been one for autographs, but something was pulling at him to go to her. The line of children waiting–some little girls were even dressed in the same costume she wore–tugged at his heart. Smiling, he walked away from the group to stand in her line. Later, when his group members would ask him why he did that, he wouldn’t have an answer. He just knew he needed to meet her.

And if that meant standing in a line with twenty little girls and their families, then so be it.

“What are you doing?”

Taehyung jumped as Jin’s voice rang out next to him. Jungkook laughed and placed an arm around Taehyung’s shoulders. He scrunched his face up and tried to shrug his arm off.

“Nothing,” Taehyung muttered. They were getting closer to the princess. Behind them, the line was cut off by a burly man around Jin’s age dressed in a plain Disney uniform. Jin and Jungkook shared a skeptical glance.

“I didn’t know you watched, uh,” Jungkook narrowed his eyes, struggling to read the sign a few feet away. “Elena of Avalor.”

Taehyung’s cheeks flushed as he refused to look at his friends. They knew good and well he didn’t watch the animated children’s cartoon, but he couldn’t bring himself to explain why he was so drawn to this woman. Not that he could even explain it in words.

“Do you have a notebook?” Jin said, suddenly serious. Taehyung shook his head.

“How will you get her autograph if you don’t have a notebook?” Jungkook said. His words broke around his laughter. Taehyung’s nostrils flared which made Jungkook only laugh harder.

The little girl ahead of them turned to glare at the trio as if to tell them they were being too loud.

“Uh, sorry,” Taehyung said in English with a smile. The girl rolled her eyes and turned forward, bouncing on her toes when she realized her turn was next. The reality of the moment hit him then. What was he doing? “Okay, let’s go.”

Jin laughed. “What?”

“We lost the others for this,” Jungkook said, eyebrows high on his forehead.

“I changed my mind.”

“No,” Jin said through his laughter.

Taehyung tried to turn around, to get under the stanchion separating the line from the rest of the park, but between Jin and Jungkook they stopped him from running away. They were invested, now.

“Next!” A Disney worker said, as if they materialized out of nowhere, but had really been standing next to the princess the entire time. Taehyung swallowed hard and walked forward slowly. Jin had walked forward and grinned at the princess while Jungkook walked behind Taehyung to make sure that he didn’t bolt.

Up close, her cheeks were flushed rosy and she smelled like coconuts. Her eyes were large, and brown, and the ponytail cascading from the wig she wore lay perfectly against her right shoulder.

“Hello, princess!” Jin boomed.

She grinned. “Hello! How are you?”

If she wondered why three grown men were in her line, it didn’t show on her face. Her smile didn’t falter. In fact, if Taehyung didn’t know any better, he would say it grew larger. Whether it was because she recognized them or because they were the end of her line, he wasn’t sure.

“Very good!” Jin said. “And you?”

Her eyes glittered–glittered!–as she clasped her hands to her chest and rose up on her toes. The actions made Taehyung smile. She was a great actress.

“I’m having a beautiful day!” She grinned and looked around. “I’ve had a wonderful afternoon meeting so many new friends! Have you had many adventures today?”

“So many!” Jin said. Taehyung looked down at his feet and shook his head. Not everything had to be yelled, but the older man had been excited about the visit to Disneyland for months. As if they’d never been before. “We go everywhere.”

“That sounds like such fun! Would you like a picture?”

Jungkook smirked and looked between Taehyung and the princess. He pulled Jin towards him while simultaneously pushing Taehyung lightly towards the princess. Caught off guard, Taehyung bumped into the princess instead of stopping himself before colliding into her.

“Oh,” he heard a sharp inhale of breath close to his ear in addition to the raspy voice that was deeper than the one she had been using when she spoke as the princess. Her smile dropped for a second as Taehyung took a step back but, in the time it took for him to blink, her persona was back in place. She posed with him as Jin and Jungkook each snapped pictures of them together before they walked away, giggling.

“Goodbye, princess,” Taehyung said, nodding at her before walking away.

///

Shit.

Shiiiiiit.

Irati Gonzalez made sure her signature smile–sorry, not hers, Elena’s–didn’t slip from her face as she looked to her side where her best friend and handler Chris stood. He had a smirk on his face as they watched the three men walk away.

“Shut up,” she murmured out of the corner of her mouth, not daring to drop her smile even for a moment, should there be any Elena of Avalor fans still around hoping to see their favorite princess. Chris chuckled as he began to lead her away from their spot under the tree, away from the only guests that had ever been able to rattle Irati. She was known for her professionalism, her steady hand when it came to eye and lip liner, and her bright smile.

Not for falling half in love with a random guy in her meet and greet line.

As soon as they walked through a cast member only door, Irati leaned back against the wall, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

“What the fuck was that?” Chris said.

Irati opened her eyes slowly. All she could do was shake her head. She was overwhelmed by the depths of a stranger’s brown eyes and the way his blonde hair curled around the back of his strong neck. 

Strong neck. Please. It had been too long since she’d had sex.

Yeah. That had to be it.

///

She’d had three meet and greets the and no time to continue to dwell on the gorgeous stranger that had been in her line the day before. By the time the sun began to set, Irati was exhausted. Her black curly hair was frizzy from being hidden in a sweaty wig all day and her face was freshly scrubbed clean of the heavy stage makeup she wore as Elena. Dressed in a simple pair of baggy jean shorts and a white v neck shirt, Irati walked through her usual shortcut from her dressing area to the employee parking lot.

However, as she made to cross into the quad near one of the food courts, a song began to blare from speakers on a makeshift stage. In the middle stood seven men in coordinating outfits. She furrowed her brow, unaware that there had been a concert that day. Rolling her eyes, she crossed her arms and decided to wait it out. There was no way she could make it to her car faster than crossing the quad and she wouldn’t cross in front of the performance.

She wasn’t trying to get fired.

Pursing her lips, she watched as the men danced in perfect sync. She bopped her head along to the beat as the performance went along. A few of the members looked in her general direction and the fans around her yelled at the tops of their lungs each time. Eyes widened, she rubbed at her ears, wondering how much longer the performance would run.

The pile of homework on her desk would wait for no woman.

///

In the middle of the song, Jin tapped Taehyung on the shoulder and nodded his head towards the right side of the crowd. It took him a moment before he found her but, when he did, his eyes widened, and he almost missed the next step. Luckily, he’d been in the back where it wasn’t as noticeable.

Was it her? He was sure it must be. There, standing with her arms across her chest, nodding along to the song. He wondered if she remembered him. She didn’t look very different than she had in her princess costume. Her face looked younger, however, and you could tell she had purple bags under her eyes. He wondered if she’d been sleeping.

By the time he ended up in the front line again, she was gone.

///

Three days into their five-day hopper passes, the group of friends decide to finally catch the nightly parade. They sit on main street, accompanied by more security than usual now that the word was out that they were in Los Angeles, waiting for the parade to begin. The sun was barely setting, the rays mixing with the sky turning it all shades of cotton candy.

It was fitting, considering where they were.

Taehyung took a sip from his water as the first float passed by. His friends were rowdy that day, as usual, yelling and waving at the characters on the floats. He stood there, somehow in the middle of the action, but feeling like he’d been left on the periphery.

His mind was elsewhere, and it had been for days. He hadn’t been able to get eyes the color of the darkest quartz out of his mind. Running a hand over his face, he shook his head and tried to get into his friends’ excitement, but he just couldn’t make himself. He took a step to the side and sat down on the sidewalk.

“You good?” Yoongi sat down next to him, looking away as he asked the question, as if he didn’t want people to think he cared. Taehyung smirked. Everyone knew Yoongi cared.

Shrugging, Taehyung looked out into the street as more and more floats passed by.

“I’m okay,” he said. “Like always.”

“The hyung’s told me about the princess,” Yoongi smirked. It made Taehyung want to strangle his friends. “You like her.”

“I don’t know her,” he said. And it was true. He’d met her once, when she was in character, and yet he didn’t know why he was so attracted to her. It couldn’t just be due to her beauty. He’d met many beautiful women and yet none had made him feel this way. He groaned.

“So?”

The rest of the groups’ yelling got louder as a new float began to drift closer to them. It was red and Taehyung immediately knew it was her. It had to be.

He stood, leaving Yoongi on the ground with that smug smirk on his face as if he knew something Taehyung didn’t, and took a step closer to the floats. A security guard stopped him from going any further, but he was close enough.

She could see him.

He was there. The man from her meet and greet and the concert were the same person, as she’d suspected. He was wearing casual clothes–some tight jeans and a tee shirt with some writing on it that she couldn’t make out–and he looked like he was in a trance as he gazed up at…her. Eyes widening, she looked around for a moment before looking straight down at him and blowing him a kiss.

Her cheeks blazed red as his friends hooted and hollered and hit him on the back as her float continued to drive past at a snail’s pace. He was watching from between his fingers as he covered his face with his hands. She giggled and waved.

It was something she’d done many times as Elena, but this time it was different. 

This time it was Irati. And it was only for him.

///

Taehyung jogged through fantasyland, searching for the poplar tree under which Elena of Avalor would have her last meet and greet of the day. It was his last day at the park before their tour began in earnest. He didn’t want to leave without at least saying goodbye. It couldn’t have just been him. The feelings must have been shared. He knew she felt something, too.

It was a funny feeling but something in his stomach told him that he wasn’t alone in this.

He was breathing hard by the time he made it to the tree. The sign was still there, the stanchions still there, a few young children still gushing about how they’d met their favorite princess and she was so pretty and so nice, but no princess. Taehyung leaned his palms on his thighs and bent over, breathing hard for a moment before standing up and noticing one of the princess’ handlers cleaning up underneath the tree.

“Uh, sir?” Taehyung cleared his throat, hoping his english would be enough to converse with the handler, seeing as he’d lost Namjoon a few minutes into his jog from Adventureland to Fantasyland. “Where is princess?”

Taehyung bit his lip as the handler shook his head.

“Just missed her, man. She finished up like five minutes ago,” the handler said. He looked like he felt bad for Taehyung.

He nodded and tugged a piece of his hair before his eyes widened as an idea came to mind.

“You give her note?”

The handler furrowed his brow for a moment, looking at Taehyung up and down before shrugging.

“Yeah, why not,” the handler took his cell phone out of his pocket and unlocked it before handing it to Taehyung. The notes app was open, and he quickly nodded and wrote down a simple note.

“Thank you,” Taehyung said with a smile as he gave the handler back his phone before walking away. He was upset that he hadn’t been able to see her again, but hopeful that he’d been able to get her a message before he had to leave. He just had to trust that the handler would pass it on.

///

That night, in a cramped apartment in a cheaper part of Los Angeles, Irati lay on the old, hand-me-down couch that her best friend Chris’ grandmother gave them when they moved in together at the beginning of their second year of college. She was half-watching a rerun of a baking competition as she wrote an essay for her history class when Chris burst through the door breathing hard.

She gave him a dirty look after jumping in her seat, knocking her phone, notecards, and highlighters onto the floor.

“What is wrong with you,” she murmured as she leaned over to grab her items.

“You have an admirer!” He yelled as he walked over to the corner that housed their makeshift kitchen. Sitting up, Irati furrowed her brows as her heart beat faster. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but a certain blonde stranger did appear in her mind.

He tossed his phone, unlocked, in her lap as he sat on the couch with a bag of chips in his hand.

“Go into the notes,” he said, mouth full of chips. Irati grimaced as crumbs went everywhere but ignored that in favor of following his directions. She opened the first note and her eyes bulged out. She feared they would never go back to normal.

For my princess,

I wanted to say bye. I missed you. Email?

Her heart beat three times in one second. The note was signed Taehyung and, just under it, was an email. Irati immediately sent herself the information and deleted it from Chris’ phone. God only knew what he would do with an actual famous persons’ information. Better safe than sorry.

She saved the note on her phone and read it over and over until Chris poked her in the side.

“Smile a little harder, will ya?” He rolled his eyes. Irati mimicked him.

“Leave me alone, thanks!” She tried to hide her smile in her chest but there was no hiding the bright grin. “I’m allowed to be happy, too. You’re not the only one that can be in a relationship.”

“Woah! Relationship!” Chris laughed. “You guys haven’t even really met.”

Irati grumbled. “Whatever.”

“I’m just kidding,” Chris threw an arm around Irati’s shoulders and squeezed. “I just want to see you happy, best friend.”

“Thanks,” Irati said, smiling as she leaned her head against Chris’ shoulder.

“Even if that means becoming a strange famous dude’s pen pal.”

Irati slapped Chris on the shoulder lightly. His laughter drowned out her groan.

///

Taehyung’s phone buzzed when he turned it back on as soon as the airplane landed safely in New York. It had been a week since they’d left Los Angeles and he’d given up on the princess. Maybe her handler hadn’t given her the note, or she thought it was weird, whatever. She hadn’t emailed him, and he didn’t expect her to.

That is, until he looked at his phone’s screen and saw that he had an email notification. Opening the app nonchalantly–you know, in case it was a spam email–he tried to keep his face from betraying his feelings. Jimin’s head lay on his shoulder and Taehyung wasn’t sure if he was awake or not. It was a chance he would have to take because, there, in his inbox was a new email from an unfamiliar name.

From: irati g. To: kim taehyung disneyland princess girl sorry for the delayed email. I’ve been working doubles practicing for the halloween parade. and, to be honest, i wasn’t sure what to write. chris (my friend, the one you gave the note) says i should just ask you random questions but. i don’t know, i feel like you get asked a lot of random questions already. so, um. my name is irati. it’s nice to meet you. - princess elena

“Princess?” Jimin murmured.

Taehyung’s phone bobbled in his hand as he attempted to keep it from falling on the floor. He’d become so entranced as he slowly read the email that he’d forgotten all about Jimin lying on his shoulder. In his moment of surprise, he allowed Jimin to swipe the phone from his hand and turn in his seat to face the group members across the aisle.

“Joonie,” Jimin said, holding Taehyung’s phone out to the older man. “Can you translate?”

“No!” Taehyung reached across Jimin to try to intercept the phone, but it was passed off just before he could reach. His cheeks flamed as Namjoon read the email on the screen with Toongi pretending to read over his shoulder. “Give it back.”

“Princess?” Namjoon asked with an eyebrow raised. Jin, Hoseok, and Jungkook poked their heads above the chairs in front of them to better listen in on the conversation. And to better poke fun at Taehyung.

“Ah, the princess!” Jin boomed. “Of course!”

“Taehyungie fell in love at Disney,” Jungkook said with a laugh. If his cheeks were pink before, they were flaming red now. He placed a hand over his face as Namjoon began to read the email aloud, translating from English to Korean. He got a few sentences in before stopping to look at Taehyung and hand the phone back.

“It feels too personal to read out loud,” Namjoon said with an apologetic smile. Taehyung smiled awkwardly and hid his phone in the almost-too-tight front pocket of his jeans before leaning away towards the window as Jungkook and Jin retold the story of how Taehyung met a “real life princess” (in Jungkook’s words).

///

Irati was in the middle of her organic chemistry class when her phone buzzed in the back pocket of her jeans. Her fingers itched to slip it from her pocket to check whether it was the email she was waiting for or if it was yet another text from Chris reminding her to buy trash bags because they’d run out.

As soon as the clock hit three pm, Irati was standing up with her backpack over one shoulder and her iPhone in hand as she walked out of the lecture hall. She was sure she had been supposed to learn something in the hour that she’d been in class, but all she could focus on was the email she’d sent the night before.

Opening her mail app, she grinned seeing that there was a reply. The email was written half in English, half in Korean. Irati grinned as she stopped at a red light, waiting to cross, before running the email through a translation app. She hoped it would be more accurate than the one that Chris had used in his attempts to speak Spanish.

From: kim taehyung To: irati g. disneyland princess girl ah, i finally learn the princess’ true name. irati. i like it! very pretty.

She had to put her phone in her back pocket as she crossed the street after reading only a few lines. Her face burned, and she just knew that the blush would be visible from outer space. God. All he’d said was that her name was pretty.

i hope you don’t mind if i still call you princess, however.

Okay, now she was truly dead. She moved through the crowd of students leaving the afternoon lecture to sit on an empty bench tucked away from the buildings.

i love halloween. dressing up is so fun. you must like it, too, right? or is it boring since you’re in costume every day? you’re very thoughtful. we do get asked a lot of questions, but if there’s anything you want to know you can always ask. i hope you don’t mind me asking questions, either. i want to get to know you. i hope it’s not weird that i said that. i’m taehyung. nice to meet you, as well, princess. tae

She couldn’t say how long she sat on that bench, staring off into space with a goofy smile on her face, but when her phone buzzed in her hand she jumped so violently that she nearly fell off the edge of the bench. Swiping across the screen, she placed the phone to her ear and said hello.

“Where are you?” Chris yelled in her ear.

“What is wrong with you?” She groaned. “Who yells like that? Ouch…”

Massaging her ear, she transferred her phone to the other side, catching the end of what Chris was saying.

“…and they’re asking where you are. I told them you weren’t feeling well but were on the way.”

Irati made a face before looking at her phone. Eyes wide, she hopped off the bench and ran to the parking lot three blocks away where her car was parked. She was late for work. Other face actors she’d been friends with had been fired for less.

“Shit,” she said, out of breath as she made it to her car. “I’m on the way.”

“Parade is in thirty minutes,” Chris said as he ended the call.

Irati could only hope she would make it in time.

///

From: irati g. To: kim taehyung disneyland princess girl oh, you flirt! i don’t mind if you call me princess. just know i was late for work because of that email. halloween is one of my favorite holidays! i love wearing costumes and doing different makeup and candy haha. dressing up as elena is different for me. it’s like becoming another person. when i am elena, i’m not irati. it never gets boring, though. i don’t know if that makes sense, but i think you’d understand. what’s your favorite song right now? - princess irati

///

From: kim taehyung To: irati g. disneyland princess girl i hope i didn’t get you into trouble at work. i won’t deny it, though. i am flirting. i hope that’s okay. and it doesn’t get weird in the translate me too! my friends and i always celebrate halloween with a big party and costumes. it’s fun. maybe you can come next time. i know what you mean. you don’t have to explain more. i feel the same. uhhhhhhhh the elena of avalor theme song hahaha tae

///

From: irati g. To: kim taehyung disneyland princess girl it’s okay, they only made me dress up as minnie mouse for a week and a half. i’ve been through worse (although the suit does smell horrible in 100+ weather). haha send me an invite and i’ll see what i can do. stoppppp i don’t even like the elena theme song haha - princess irati

///

After the initial emails, their frequency came faster and faster. The pair could go back and forth for hours jumping for their phones when the tell-tale ding sounded. They’d sent as many as one hundred emails on a rare day when they both had a day off.

It was nice, for both of them, to have something that felt sacred. Hidden, almost, away from the world. Not that her world was as big as his, but it was nice to keep something to herself. Something that she could build and keep away from her parents and friends. It was strange how she and Tae–as she’d taken to calling him after a few months of exchanging emails–met but it worked. There were no expectations, which is what made their friendship so fun.

Chris plopped down on the couch next to Irati and pouted as she ignored him. She was reading the newest email from Tae with a grin on her face. They’d just finished their world tour and he was telling her about trying to wake up one of his group members. They’d gone so far as to throw pickles at him, but he still wouldn’t wake up. Irati giggled quietly.

“Ugh,” Chris groaned. “Just date him already.”

She jumped in her seat as though she didn’t even realize Chris had been there the entire time.

“We’re friends,” Irati rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, sure,” Chris said, reaching over to grab the remote before turning the tv on. “Just saying, I don’t think you’ve ever smiled or laughed like that at anything I say, and we’re friends too.”

Irati shook her head and ignored him in favor of tapping a response at the keyboard on her screen. The issue of distance had come up before–it was nearly impossible for it not to after spending almost a year talking and flirting with someone–but they’d agreed it was nearly impossible for them to do anything about it.

Friends was more than enough for Irati.

///

On the other side of the ocean, Taehyung paced the living room waiting for his phone to buzz. It was a very important day for him and he awaited an email from one of his closest friends outside of his group members. He tapped the mail app as soon as the vibration registered in his brain. There, the first message, was from Irati.

It was a simple, one-line message but the contents made his heart race.

i got in.

He tapped away at the screen, more than overusing the exclamation point, when someone walked into the room and plopped on the couch.

“How’s Irati?” Jungkook said around a mouthful of grapes.

Taehyung looked over and smiled. “She got into the study abroad program.”

Jungkook swallowed his snack but, before he could respond, Namjoon and Yoongi walked in.

“Did little sister find out about the program yet?” Namjoon said. He sat next to Jungkook and stretched out.

Before Taehyung could say anything, Jungkook threw his hands in the air and yelled out the news.

“She got in!”

Yoongi laughed as he walked into the kitchen, leaving the other three members to celebrate the good news. He’d been secretly hoping that Irati would get into the program. She had taken up a big part of Taehyung’s life for someone that none of them had truly met before. She was good for him. It was nice to see him happy.

///

One month later, the morning of her long-haul plane trip from Los Angeles to Seoul, Irati dragged her hand over her face as she lay on the floor of the apartment she shared with Chris. It was nearly empty since he couldn’t afford to live there without her. They’d been packing for an entire week.

And it had just hit her that she was leaving for a year. There would be no more late nights on the hand-me-down couch or early morning practice sessions at Disneyland or bailing Chris out of bad situations with his girlfriend. She sighed deeply before turning her head to look at Chris. He sat on the couch playing video games and purposely ignoring the looks she was shooting him.

Pity me. Ask me what’s wrong.

She got tired of waiting and rolled her eyes before looking up at the ceiling.

“What if he doesn’t like me?” She bit her lip and scrunched her nose. “What if I did all of this, moving to a foreign country, and it’s all for nothing?”

“Relax, bro,” Chris rolled his eyes, not taking his gaze off the video game on the tv. “He wouldn’t have willingly read all fifty gajillion of your sappy emails if he didn’t already like you. Just go. Live a little.”

Irati sat up with a nod. She fixed the messy bun on top of her head before standing up and brushing any dust from her casual baggy v neck and jeggings. Moments later, after finishing his video game, Chris stood and walked over to her as she was about to put her backpack on. Ruffling Irati’s hair, he brought her into a tight hug.

“I’m gonna miss you, best friend,” Chris said. She nodded against his shoulder, trying not to cry. She couldn’t remember the last time they’d been separated for more than a few days at a time. They’d been childhood best friends, grew up next door to each other, and now…now they were grown up. “Email me.”

The smirk on Chris’ face as Irati pulled away made her roll her eyes and playfully slap him on the shoulder.

“Whatever you say, bro,” she said before turning away to grab her things so he wouldn’t see the tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

She was really doing this.

///

The flight was long. Like, longer than any flight Irati had ever taken. By the time the airplane landed, she was ready to get down on her knees and kiss the ground. Between the turbulence and the dry, stuffy air onboard…she was ready to have her two feet on the ground again.

She rubbed her face and yawned as she walked out of customs towards the baggage claim. Taehyung said he would find her, but there was really no way of getting into contact with him. Her phone didn’t work–she tried–and the Korean she’d been teaching herself (with the help of an app on her phone) wasn’t that advanced.

She’d take one thing at a time.

So, she stood at the baggage claim waiting for her bag. It was five minutes before it started going and another few minutes before her overstuffed suitcase made its way towards her. She tried her best to lift it from the carousel, but it was too heavy. She let it go around before trying again.

Except, the second time, a hand reached out and grabbed it before she could make a move.

An older man wearing a suit and a friendly smile nodded at her. She smiled and thanked him quietly.

“Irati Gonzalez?” He said. She lifted an eyebrow and nodded. He motioned for her to follow him towards the back of the airport. She looked around, bit her lip, but followed him. There was only one person who knew her name in Korea and he’d said that he would figure something out, so he could pick her up from the airport.

She trusted Taehyung.

At the end of a corridor, the man opened a door that led into an alley. He walked ahead to place her bag in the trunk and sit in the driver’s seat.

Or, at least, that’s what Irati thought he did. She was too entranced by the figure leaning against the black suv in the alley.

“Princess,” he said. His voice was deeper than she remembered. He wore a simple pair of ripped jeans, a tee shirt, and colorful sneakers. She smiled, and he returned it with the softest smile she’d ever seen. “It’s so good to see you again.”

He spoke in English, the words slightly accented, and waited her reaction with a cute smile on his face. She grinned.

“It’s good to see you too, Tae,” she responded in Korean, wanting to surprise him.

“Seems like we’ve both been keeping secrets,” he said, jaw slightly dropped, as he walked closer. Irati giggled. He wanted to remember that sound for the rest of his life.

“Seems like it,” she whispered. She looked down at their feet, just inches away from each other, and back up to him. “Is it weird to say I missed you? Even though we technically just met.”

He shook his head. “If it’s weird, we can be weird together.”

They looked at each other for a long moment, as if committing their appearances to memory before Taehyung opened his arms for a hug. Irati took half a step forward and his arms closed around her as her head lay against his chest. He placed his chin on top of her head. They stayed like that, quietly enjoying the others’ company, for a long time.

He was warm. Smelling of detergent and cologne, Irati wanted nothing more than to just burrow in his arms and take a nap. He felt comforting and she was so, so tired after such a long flight. Her eyes drooped closed when he started rubbing his hand up and down her back.

“You’re sleepy, yeah?”

She nodded and felt, more so than heard, his laugh rumble in his chest. Placing a kiss to the top of her head, Taehyung slowly released Irati and led her up into the car that awaited.

She fell asleep in his lap before they made it to her dorm.

[nicolos]

vibrating up and down like somebody talk to me about this oap fic somebody talk to me about this oap fic

[rileys-universe]

!!! ONE ACT

SO,, if any of my followers are familiar with my AO3 story Curtain in 5, 4. . . (lapidot lesbian thespains ;))) ) you know about OAP and all it entails kinda.

I made art for it awhile ago (http://rileys-universe.tumblr.com/post/158289106994/scene-from-my-one-act-play-lapidot-fic)

BUUUUT-- my one-act group just placed first in Texas 2A state contest!!! (2A just means we from a tiny little school)-- I got the single outstanding technician award and asgksagkl i’m yelling

MORE CHAPTERS WILL BE OUT SOON NOW THAT MY OWN OAP HELL IS DONE WITH AND WE HAVE OUR CHAMPION RINGS YES

[oswildin]

hey there! i was gonna ask something. do you think you could start using the "read more" option in your fics? you know after like the summary etc. part or after the first paragraph. i love your work and i usually reblog them but long posts can get annoying. it's fine if you don't want to just a suggestion.

I’m gonna sound like a right OAP but I have no clue how to :’( Help this old lady pls

I use the phone app btw

[floralseokjin]

Hello, everyone! Even though Devil Seokjin’s story has been complete for quite some time, I am still not ready to give it up /sobs/. I still receive some asks about the universe as a whole and how it works, and because I am in the middle of writing a Hoseok story set in the same world, I’ve been imagining and creating a more in depth universe as I go. I think it would be beneficial and informative if I compiled it all into one post. As well as fun! 

I’m unsure if there are any loop holes, or perhaps, if I will change some things in the near future, as I began writing The Devil’s Wears Armani before I even thought of the universe and how it works. But if anything changes, I will update this post! Additionally, if you notice something I haven’t spoken about, or have any other questions, please ask away! 

The more I write about this universe, the harder I fall for it. Some things found in this post I have already included in existing fics, some will be included in the Hoseok fic, and the rest are saved for two additional ideas I may get to writing,  Yoongi and Jimin’s. So, fingers crossed! 

;index

i. how being a devil works ii. how hell works  iii. how selling souls work iv. characters in the universe v. stories in the universe  vi. potential stories in the universe  vii. characters with no stories 

i. how being a devil works

• A devil works pretty much the same way as a human. They have the same lifespan and will die of old age eventually. The only difference is that they can not die from human illnesses. Terminal or other. 

• Although that’s a little up in the air now! With the revelation that some devils can turn more human with their time on earth; like catch the flu, needing prescription glasses, getting drunk etc (Seokjin, I’m looking at you...)

• Devils do not have any magical powers. They are just a lot more cunning than your average human! The only “magic” per se, is the removal of the human’s soul. 

(See more: iii. how selling your soul works.)

• You cannot get turned into a devil! You’re either devil or human. However, if a devil mates with a human, they will create halfbreeds! These can die from human related illnesses, but can reside in hell if they like. 

• Most devils are just like humans. They see themselves as equal and alike, and have no qualms with befriending/falling in love with one. These are usually the ones who live on earth! But there are exceptions. Jimin for example; he likes living on earth and has no problem being friends with humans, but he doesn’t think he will ever fall in love with one, because they wouldn’t “get” him fully. (Cue, a potential Jimin oneshot.) Also, there are probably also devils who live in hell but have no qualms with humans. 

• However there are also devils who segregate the species. Hoseok for example, who is only interested in them for sex. And there are also devils who hate earth and wish the integration never happened (again, Hoseok.)

• There are probably also more “evil” devils, lurking in the depths of hell (maybe even earth) but that’s not really a part of the universe I will ever concentrate on. However, they do exist. 

• A lot of humans obviously know of the existence of devils, it’s just a very well kept secret. They blend in so well, it would be impossible to tell anyway, unless they disclosed it to you! Many businesses in the human world are run my devils (popular or small), and most devils on earth work beside humans in normal day to day jobs. 

ii. how hell works

• Devils can choose to live in hell or on earth, due to the integration of both species that Seokjin’s father implemented back when he was alive (Seokjin’s father was the original CEO of the accounting company on earth and after his death Jin took his place as both CEO and “King” devil.)

• Seokjin just like his father did, and his grandfather before him, keeps hell in check and is in charge. Head devil if you will! Seokjin’s twins are the heirs to hell and shall share it when they come of age/Seokjin gives it up/he dies. 

• That’s why he leaves Hoseok in charge whilst he lives on earth. Now Hoseok makes sure everything is in check while he’s away. Hoseok is his childhood family/best friend (their fathers were close friends) so Seokjin trusts him with such a job even if their lifestyles are vastly different now. 

• Hell is filled with the devils who don’t want to live on earth or just ones that share their time between both. It is also filled with the humans who sold their souls. 

• A devil will take a human’s soul most of the time without disclosing the truth behind their decision. Which is; once agreeing to sell their soul their life is a ticking time bomb. They will die within the year and thus get sent to hell to live there for eternity. (See more: iii. how selling your soul works.)

• A human can only reside in hell if their souls have been taken. It is impossible any other way unless they are a halfbreed (half devil, half human). 

• To put it simply, hell looks and acts like earth for the most part. Devils have companies and jobs. There are rich and poor ones. The humans must work too. However, if they are lucky enough or cunning enough they can survive by finding a devil mate who will look after them. The night life in hell is very prominent. It’s all about partying and sex. 

• The only difference between hell and earth is that there are levels. This is a little hard to explain, but basically the level I talk about and will write about (Hoseok oneshot) is the top level of hell (the one closest to earth). The most civilised level. One that works like developed (and capitalised) countries in the human world. You work to live and pay your dues. 

• I’m not sure how many levels there are but the deeper you go, the deeper you go into no mans land, or more fittingly, no devils land lol. These literally could range from red terrains, pitch black land, and the deepest of levels, the true pits of hell, filled with fire and hot lava. It is said, that the True One, Satan himself lives there. In my mind, some levels are used by certain devils (maybe the most evil ones), some are used as tomb storage for the dead demons. One is used as a type of prison (devil and human) and some are used for the now immortal, soulless humans when things get too eternal/overpopulated. (See more: iii. how selling your soul works.)

• I have also wondered how hell would work as a whole… Like is it just as vast as the world above? How would that work? Surely Seokjin couldn’t be in charge of the entire stretch of endless lands in hell and to be honest, that’s something i’m still thinking about lol. In my mind, the best scenario is for there to be multiple devils who are in charge of separate stretches of land. (ie. America, Britain, Asia etc in the human world, but of course, they’d have their own names in hell!) When Seokjin says he rules hell that would be an exaggeration. He is just one out of the multiple devils that rule hell together! He would only rule one part of hell if this idea is true! But yeah, still working on this one, and seeing as I’m concentrating on Seokjin’s area of hell in this universe, it doesn’t matter anyway!

iii. how selling your soul works

• So a lot of humans accidentally summon a devil (See TDWA.) This means they would have no prior knowledge that demonkind exist until then. Summoning would basically be “I would sell my soul/I want to sell my soul…” etc and then poof, a devil appears!

• Humans could also know a devil beforehand and sell their soul that way. But one thing is for sure, they rarely know of the consequences. A lot of the devils who take souls do it just because they can (it’s fun/asserts their superiority/used as a bragging tool etc). Some devils will not go through with the soul taking if they think it’s for stupid reasons (and of course, it they are a little more humane!)

• Humans think it will get them what they want instantly but of course there is a price and that is death! After selling their soul they will die within a year. They are always given what they asked for/what they wanted, before that but are unable to reap the benefits in the long run (depending on what it is). 

• Also note; some humans want their soul to be taken so they can go to hell, despite the repercussions. (I have a yoongi fic planned with this sort of storyline). Maybe they hate earth, want to follow someone, or are just plain greedy and think they know it all. Whatever the reason, a lot of the time they are not always tricked.

• Does a human change upon their soul getting taken? Not really, but their humanity would drop substantially after residing in hell for a long time. They would harden as a person and often become greedy and self obsessed (if they weren’t already). But it’s more so hell changing them as a person, not the removal of the soul. 

• A devil will rarely take the soul of someone over 50. They do not want OAPs roaming around hell (ruins the aesthetic lol) but of course there are exceptions.

• Once in hell, you are there for eternity. It is impossible to escape, and that effectively makes them immortal. They do not age, and are basically cursed. Living forever in a place that is not their own, nor are they truly welcomed/respected. (Of course there are exceptions.)

• Like i said earlier, they have to work, but if they find a devil mate then they usually look after them/help them out. Only problem is only a small percentage of devils are monogamous in hell, so they can get pretty bored of their human “plaything” quite quickly. Not that a lot of humans care. They can sometimes be hooking up with numerous devils at once. Basically everyone pretty much loves sex in hell lol, but maybe some fall in love who knows...

• Humans can also fall for other humans. There’s no rule to that either, and that would probably work out better considering the whole immortality/cursed for eternity thing. 

• Humans can not conceive nor impregnate in Hell. 

• One last thing; which is again a little up in the air and something I need to work on, is that I probably need to think of an overpopulation problem. If devils are takings souls willy nilly it’s going to get pretty crowded fast. This is where the levels come in! I’ve already said there is a level working as a jail. There is a law to follow even in hell, so anymore breaking it in the top level will get dropped to “jail” (human and devil.)

• Living for eternity doesn’t seem pleasant at all, so I have an idea. If a human gets bored of life, they can just stop existing. That includes no eating or drinking and eventually they will become immobile, not really alive nor dead. This means they can be kept in tombs in a deeper level of hell! Haven’t really thought much about that, for example, is it the human’s choice? or are they forced? Is there a time period in which they can exist in the top level of hell?? Again, all up in the air, but possible solutions. 

• And lastly, is there a way a human can officially “die” in hell? They wouldn’t really need to seeing as they could be kept immobile but I have been toying with the idea of incineration to be the final, fitting death of any soulless humans. (They would have to be immobile first.)

iv. characters in the universe (so far)

— Seokjin (devil; ruler of hell, residing on earth.) — Hoseok (devil; seokjin’s second in command, residing in hell.) — Jimin (devil; friend of seokjin’s, residing on earth.) — Taehyung (halfbreed; best friend of jimin, residing on earth.) — Yoongi (human; seen in ‘My Sweet 666.’) — Namjoon (human; seen in ‘My Sweet 666.’) — Jungkook (human; seen in ‘My Sweet 666.’) — TDWA oc/reader (human; seokjin’s wife and mother of their twins, residing on earth.) — Burn in Hell oc/reader (devil; seokjin’s cousin, residing in hell.)

v. stories in the universe

— Seokjin → The Devil Wears Armani (3 parts.) → My Sweet 666 (oneshot.) → The Devil’s Family (oneshot.)

— Hoseok → Burn in Hell (she said) (oneshot) 

vi. potential stories in the universe

— Yoongi → Untitled (oneshot; set in both earth and hell.)

— Jimin → Untitled (oneshot; set on earth.)

vii. characters with no stories

— Taehyung (he falls in love with TDWA oc/reader’s best friend in ‘The Devil’s Family.’) — Namjoon (does not know the devil universe exists and will never know.) — Jungkook (does not know the devil universe exists, but eventually will one day when he meets and falls in love with a halfbreed woman on earth.)  

see you in hell!

[ambssssssssss]

Real talk tho, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt this passionate about anything, like at all. I know I have other ships and I write fics for other fandoms and such but there’s just something about Amar A Muerte and Juliantina, something that I really struggle to put into words. I feel like this is going to get long so feel free to ignore my ramblings beneath the cut

As someone who has struggled with depression since age 12, I’ve always found it difficult to really feel things. I’ve mastered painting a smile on my face and the art of crying when I think I should be upset even when I don’t feel a thing. I know how to get people off my back when it comes to how I feel about things. I know how to smile like there’s nothing wrong even when I’m dying inside. I know how to hide. 

That’s why I got into fandom culture. To hide. Here, I can hide behind a username and an icon. I can freely say what I like and I can be open about who I am in ways that I just can’t be with my friends and family. I don’t have to feel when I’m interacting in fandom, I can just be. This really helped me when I was in high school. I had to spend all day acting like I was fine and everything was right in the world. I played basketball and did OAP and dated and got a job. I was at the top of my class and I had the best group of friends, but I was never really me. Not until the end of the day when I could go into my room and plug into fandom. 

Fandom showed me that it was okay to be unapologetically me. That people may not like me for who I am but that’s their problem and not mine. I started the feel okay. I started to understand what it means to be happy in your own skin. The smiles I painted on my lips started becoming more and more real. I started writing fanfic and posting it online and I actually had people reading! People who didn’t know a thing about me other than I liked this particular pairing from this one show and I wanted to write for them. By the time I graduated high school, I felt free. 

Now, I’m a junior in college and I’ve been in a dark place for months. I’ve felt like I was 14 again and so full of confusion and sadness that I could feel myself becoming numb again. I didn’t feel anything because I didn’t want to feel anything. And, it’s so much easier to pretend that things are okay now, especially since I don’t live with my parents. I can bury myself in readings and essays and it’s the perfect excuse bc when I say I’m tired, people assume I mean I’m tired of school or homework. Not that I’m tired of feeling. I’ve been drifting for months through this dark tunnel of all the worst emotions until I finally saw the light at the end. 

That light was Juliantina. 

A beautiful story about two young women, around my age, who are just trying to make it through a bad time. I’ve watched them struggle with their families, with alcohol, with classicism, with questioning their sexualities. I see myself in both of them. I see bits and pieces of my own story in them and something inside me clicked back into place. Juliantina reminded me that it’s okay to feel. It’s okay to be sad and angry and want to be alone, and it’s okay to be happy and joyful and ready to share everything. 

Most importantly, Juliantina reminded me that it’s okay to struggle. When bad things happen and the world is too overwhelming, it’s okay to take a step back. Juliantina has had to face another obstacle at every corner. It’s a constant struggle for them to be together, but they keep trying. They face it together because what they have is worth it. They’ve shown me, that it’s worth it. 

Every day has been a struggle, but it’s getting better. My grades are improving, I’m making more friends, I’m actually excited about an upcoming project. I don’t feel like I’m using distance to hide from my family, I actually miss them. My best friend asked me to be her maid of honor and I was so overjoyed I couldn’t even speak. I’ve struggled and I will keep struggling, because I know I’m fighting for my happy ending. 

So, thank you Juliantina and Amara a Muerte, for giving me this story. Thank you for reminding me that when things get dark, it isn’t the end. Thank you for helping me reignite my passions and really inspiring me to keep at it. Thank you for reminding me that my happy ending may not be what I expect, but it will be worth it. 

I’ll never forget what this story has done for me. 

[missmitchieg]

Sometimes I go on ao3 for fun and sometimes I see fic tagged like [Objectively Awful Person]/[Sunshine That OAP Hates & Literally Wants Dead & In Fact Actually Hunted Down To Kill] and go "*blink* Oh. *head tilt* Huh... You sure this the road you wanna go down, babe? [Sweetheart Who Needs A Hug & Some Weed] and [Hot Flirt] are just down here *points* and really like Sunshine... Why not ship the asshole with this other asshole so they can be rude but very handsome assholes together?"

[hangmansradio]

Hi! In regards of the mcr fandom: I'm old -trust me-, and I read everywhere (sm) young mcr fans (specially post break up) saying awful things about us, and how we should be doing other important things with our lives and not reading slash. It's like they decided what is 'morally'aceptable and what not. Like omg you guys are disgusting and disrespectful for shipping them!!!! So, the bullying is not only againts the authors, they think if people are older than 20 they have no right to do or like certaint things.

As a fellow OAP I fully sympathise. I've seen a lot of shit towards older fans but luckily haven't had it thrown my way personally. It's baffling to me that people think you hit a certain age and just... Stop. Stop creating. Stop loving the music. Stop loving the fic. But the only way for some people to stop being morons is for them to simply grow up themselves, and we can only hope that when they do, they find some kindness within themselves.

And if they don't. Fuck 'em ✌️😂

[a-hundred-jewels]

Cruel Summer ch9: i wanna feel every feeling in the book

Fic Summary

Read on: Ao3 Wattpad

Word Count: 10000 ish

Summary: oh my dear, dear rosy. but what is this? it appears there is more to her than meets the eye! and jane, what's going on with you? have you found sabrina's groove yet, dear girl? lmao can't believe i considered including a flying rabbit.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to Rick Riordan and Jeanne Birdsall. The title of this chapter comes from the song "every feeling" by ezra furman.

Excerpt:

I wake up the next morning from a disturbing dream about talking plants that all look like Tommy when something fluffy taps me on the nose.

I, having been the OAP for many years, have been woken up in a number of strange ways. However, when I open my eyes to see a huge yellow dandelion sprouting from the wood of my bed, with the flower inches from my face, I unsubtly stifle a scream.

[fuckyeahexofics]

hi! i have hunted for a kaisoo fic where its a bad ending, no other relationships are involved and basically kyungsoo meets jongin in a coffee shop and he pretends to be different people in society every week? the first experiment was dress as an OAP, ksoo starts a blog & they get famous jongin takes a polaroid for each experiment he does, he takes a polaroid with ksoo at the art show & its in the last page of jongin's journal ( i wont spoil the end but i cant find it ANYWHERE) pls help!

Hello! This is Gicleur!

-ana

[bloodyflammable]

Works In Progress

 Do Dis: List all the things you’re currently working on in as much or little detail as you’d like, then tag some friends to see what they’re working on. This can be writing, art, vids, gifsets, whatever. 

Tagged by the wonderful <3 @bixgirl1

My wip folder is full of rubbish, but here is what is the most likely to be finished some day:

Stay Safe, Astoria : A letter game I’m co-writing with the brilliant Drakey. Going through 6th to 7th year, featuring Astoria and an American OC.

Stalking people : A depressed!Harry stalking teacher!Draco the marauder way, because he’s got to be up to something.

Nine : A mpreg serie of nine ficlets that for some reason I’ve decided to write simultaneously. Which is unproductive.

Untitled “Harry is dying in a bed at St Mungo’s” fic : Which is just as it sounds. Featuring Draco having flashbacks of every time he fucked things up during their 10 years relationship. 

Untitled OAP infidelity fic : In which Draco and Harry have had an affair for 15 years when they finally decide to tell everything to their wives. Unlinear narrative. I’m quite excited about this one.

Untitled love me if you dare scorbus fic : Very angsty fic following Albus and Scorpius throughout their Hogwarts years and probably after. They dare each other to do more and more stupid things and fall in love in the process which leads to an extremely destructive relationship. This fic is approximatively 0% written (I kid not you. There are literally 15 words written in my Word doc) but I consider it a wip nevertheless because it takes me a hell lot of my thinking time. I basically just wait for the perfect time to start writing this baby <3

If anyone is interested in betaing one these, let me know ;)

Tagging @effcat