#he is a threat to them because he understood how the game works. he plays his cards right so he can have an assured win
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mizinthropy · 8 days ago
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HELLO YES I TOTALLY AGREE THIS IS THE BEST GODDAMN TAKE ON LUKA i am going a little insane
8:48
Always thinking of my tags I did on that one post
(under tags cuz of abuse/mentioned distorted eating, and cannibalism for the lyrics in the second picture)
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#didn't see the comic yet but. still#tw ed#luka having an eating disorder is so important to me. not (only) because i am projecting onto him- but because it's a huge foreshadow#for his attitudes. wanting to eat more. craving more. insatiable. yet he is being restricted. denied of his humanity#what is left then? just a hollow doll that will probably be discarded the moment he is of no longer use?#and besides how can the guy not be fucked up in the head after all he's been through? experimented with his heart. starved. those surgeries#also messing up with his body. how can it still be a little of humanity left if he is just there to perform and be pretty and to ENTERTAIN.#some weeks ago i was thinking about sua and her idealization of mizi. how she considered mizi her god- comparing her to one#and... how human is it to have faith?#faith and love can be similar sometimes. i think sua messed up the two when mizi gave her hope. not saying that she didn't love mizi!!#just that she saw her like her god. her universe. her reason to live. till did the same. and ivan also- but with till.#in a world where you're basically objects to those monsters- all that is left of the human race was the love they had for each other.#sua and ivan sacrificed themselves. till died in hopes of seeing his beloved (goddess) again.#then... why is luka still standing? why is he the winner of two consecutives seasons?#he stripped himself out of the specs of humanity he had left. hyuna is gone so- why bother to care about others?#luka is fragile. his health is oh so fragile. his body- malnourished for someone his age. yet he looks like a doll. younger. deceiving.#he is a threat to them because he understood how the game works. he plays his cards right so he can have an assured win#yet... at the end of the day he is still a puppet. at the end of the day he is still craving.#do you ever think about that comic of luka chewing on hyuna and think that not only he was being starved but he bites to show his possession#yeah me too#what i am trying to say is: luka will probably die soon. after seeing hyuna... i don't think he can still keep his perfect prince façade#ok anyways i rambled too much#on my way of making a fanart of him eating a heart (his own?) because Yeah Why Not#can you tell he is my favorite character
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deliciousangelfestival · 2 months ago
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The Imperfect Couple - 10
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Character: politician!Bucky x ex-wife!reader
Summary: A separated couple must pretend to be happily married while the husband runs for Vice President, dealing with old issues and political pressures during his election campaign.
Warning: The couple's arguments could be triggering.
Chapter 1 , Chapter 2 , Chapter 3 , Chapter 4 , Chapter 5 , Chapter 6 , Chapter 7 , Chapter 8 , Chapter 9 , Chapter 10 , Chapter 11 , Chapter 12 , Series Masterlist
Main Masterlist || If you enjoy my work, please consider buying me a coffee on Ko-fi 🙏🏻
Thank you to everyone who has read this chapter. Leave a comment and Reblog, please. I'd love to hear your thoughts. ❤️
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Feeling the tension rise, Greg nervously tried to leave, but you stepped in. “Don’t!”
“Yes…?” Greg’s voice wavered.
“Don’t tell them I’m pregnant. Because I’m not. I can’t lie about that.” You rubbed your temples, feeling the weight of the situation pressing in on you, even though it was still early in the morning.
You shot a glance at Greg. “Schedule a press conference. Both of us will speak.”
Greg nodded rapidly. “Yes. Yes, that’s great.” He scurried out of the apartment without a second thought.
Bucky muttered under his breath, “I paid millions for this campaign team, and this is what I get.”
You snapped back at him. “No! Don’t change the subject!” Your voice was sharp, frustration burning in your eyes. “All of this is your idea.”
Bucky didn’t flinch, his calm demeanor frustrating you further. “My idea, yes. But it’s your choice now,” he replied, as if everything was calculated in his favor.
“Me? Lying about being pregnant? Have some humility, Bucky!” You threw your hands up in disbelief.
Bucky’s lips curved into a small, calculating smile. “I’m proud of you for making that decision,” he said smoothly, as if this was some twisted game he’d already won. His calmness was unnerving, like he already knew the outcome.
You sighed deeply, your breath heavy with exasperation. Bucky casually walked over to the coffee machine and offered you a cup. You took it, reluctant but exhausted. When you sipped, the familiar taste made you pause. It was perfect—exactly how you liked it. He still remembered.
But even the perfect coffee couldn’t wash away the bitterness and exhaustion hanging over you like a dark cloud.
You set the cup down and looked up at him, your eyes narrowing. “What’s the deal you made with Steve?” The question hung in the air, sharp and deliberate, like a card you were waiting to play.
Bucky leaned back slightly, his eyes never leaving yours. “The deal?” He sipped his own coffee, his expression unreadable, but there was a flicker of something—calculation, maybe? “Let’s just say... Steve’s skeletons are a lot messier than mine. I was always just the distraction.”
There was something chilling in the way he spoke, like he was always one step ahead. You realized then—you were in deeper than you thought.
Bucky took a slow sip of his coffee before setting it down on the table. His gaze stayed sharp, his voice deliberate. “The reason he chose me is simple. I’m the gatekeeper. Let’s be real, picking me as the youngest candidate? That’s a huge risk.”
The opponent was formidable—strong, relentless, and hungry for any opportunity to exploit weakness. So, what other option was there?
Bucky was the safest choice, not just because of his background, but because he held Steve’s deepest secrets—truths that couldn’t be silenced with money or threats. Bucky came from wealth, from power, from a lineage that made him untouchable. Steve knew that. He also knew something else: Bucky’s weakness was you.
Despite the disagreements within the party, Steve silenced the dissenters. He’d calculated every move. Choosing Bucky was risky, but Steve needed someone he could control, someone who could take the fall if necessary.
Bucky knew why he was chosen. He understood the game—Steve, the elder statesman, needed a younger face to shield him from the inevitable attacks. Bucky was to be his defense, the gatekeeper, the distraction.
The rumors about you and Bucky were intentional, designed to take the heat off Steve. Let the world believe Bucky was struggling in his personal life. Let them focus on his public spectacle while Steve worked in the shadows, untouchable.
Edgar and Brock—the opponents—would see the headlines and think Steve had been weakened by Bucky’s scandal. But they were wrong. This was the plan all along.
Bucky would take the blame. He would absorb the media’s attention, while Steve quietly solidified his path to the presidency.
For Bucky, it was more than a political maneuver. Accepting Steve's offer wasn’t just about power—it was his chance to break free from the chains his mother had shackled him with. And it was his chance to get you back.
He knew Steve had calculated his every move, and yet, Bucky had his own agenda. In the end, he wasn’t just a pawn in Steve’s game; he was playing his own, too.
You sighed heavily, rubbing your temples. “This is why I never wanted to cover elections. Everything is rigged.”
Bucky chuckled softly, a knowing look in his eyes. “That’s politics for you, sweetheart. It’s not about being clean—it’s about playing the game better than everyone else.”
You shifted, suddenly feeling the urge to get answers. “What about Steve’s skeletons?” you asked, your voice edged with curiosity.
Bucky had just picked up a chocolate muffin, but he stopped mid-bite. Setting it down, he met your gaze, dead serious. “I’m the only one who knows,” he said quietly. “I can’t tell you. I’ll carry those secrets to my grave.”
His loyalty to Steve was unsettling, a bond you could see ran deep.
“And don’t even think about digging for information,” Bucky warned, his voice firm, eyes hardening. “You’ll put both of us in danger if you try.”
The finality in his tone hit you like a wall. He was serious, and it was clear that stepping into that territory wasn’t just risky—it was deadly.
“Bucky,” you said softly, your voice filled with exhaustion.
“Hmm?” He didn’t look up from his phone, his attention split.
“If I can’t do this anymore... I want to leave.”
The silence that followed was thick. Bucky didn’t respond immediately, didn’t even look up at you. Instead, he remained still, his fingers lightly tapping against his phone. Finally, he spoke, his tone low and measured. “Get ready for the press.”
You sighed heavily, frustration and defeat settling into your chest like a heavy weight. Leave? Could you even escape at this point?
The thought circled in your mind, but Bucky had already made it clear—he wasn’t letting you go that easily. His control, his manipulation—it had all tightened around you like a noose.
And despite everything, despite the lies, the secrets, the betrayal... you could see it in his eyes. He didn’t plan to lose you again.
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
Soon, you stood next to him in front of a swarm of cameras, bright lights burning into your skin.
Bucky adjusted his suit jacket, offering a polite smile to the flashing lights. He stepped up to the podium, and as soon as he began speaking, it was as if a switch had flipped. The man beside you was no longer just your husband—he had become the perfect politician.
“I want to thank you all for coming here today,” Bucky began, his voice smooth, confident. His gaze swept across the audience, calculated and calm. “Marriage is never easy. It's a journey filled with highs and lows, and like any relationship, it can face... turmoil.”
The word hung in the air, a subtle indication of the cracks beneath the surface.
“Over the last few years, my wife and I have faced our share of challenges. We chose to take separate paths for a time, not because the love was lost, but because we believed it was what we needed. We both needed space to grow as individuals,” he said, pausing to glance at you.
You stood there, silent, watching him weave this narrative so effortlessly. Seeing him like this—so fluent, so convincing—it was almost sickening. He was lying, and yet every word that came from his mouth seemed to be wrapped in a veneer of truth.
“But sometimes,” he continued, “fate brings people back together. We crossed paths again, and in doing so, we rekindled that old romance we once shared. This has not been an easy journey, but we both realized that our love—despite everything—was worth fighting for.”
You forced yourself to stay composed, even as your mind raced. How had he become this person? So skilled in deception, so willing to put on a performance for the world. This wasn’t the man you had married.
This was a man molded by ambition, by politics. He had learned to manipulate truth, to twist it to his advantage. And now, he was using that skill to reshape the story of your marriage.
He went on, his tone softening just enough to appeal to the emotions of the audience. “I know many young couples out there experience similar struggles—times when things seem too difficult to overcome. But I stand here today to tell you that it’s possible. Love is complicated, but it’s also worth the fight.”
The live chat on the screen buzzed with comments, many of them expressing support, calling your relationship ‘inspiring,’ applauding your ‘courage.’ They were buying it. Every single word.
Bucky turned to you, offering a practiced smile. To them, it was a look of adoration. To you, it was a silent warning. Stay in line. Play your part.
As Bucky wrapped up his speech, the room filled with the sound of reporters typing, cameras flashing, and the quiet hum of people whispering. His words had been perfectly delivered—calm, composed, and persuasive. But it was the next moment that truly sealed the deal.
He turned toward you, and for a brief second, his eyes met yours. You could see the flicker of something—regret, perhaps, or exhaustion. But before you could fully process it, he stepped closer. The cameras zoomed in, the world seemed to hold its breath, and Bucky pulled you into a tight embrace.
His hands rested on your waist, steady, as though he were trying to ground himself. You stiffened at first, the tension between you impossible to ignore, but the weight of the press watching forced you to respond. Slowly, you lifted your arms and hugged him back, trying to make it look as natural as possible.
Then, without warning, his lips brushed against yours. A kiss, soft but purposeful, meant to sell the image of a couple rekindling their love. The cameras went wild, and you could feel every flash burning the moment into eternity. But beneath the act, you could sense the hollowness of it all.
"Still think we’re good at pretending?" you whispered, your voice barely audible.
Bucky’s eyes flickered with something unreadable, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Maybe it’s not all pretending."
You stayed locked in his arms for a moment longer, both of you playing your roles. To everyone watching, you were the perfect couple, finding your way back to each other. But to you, it felt like a performance—one more layer of the deception you both had to endure.
And yet, for all the pretending, there was an undeniable truth beneath it. The way Bucky held you tighter, as if he needed that connection to steady himself, made it clear. He wasn’t just showing the world something—they both needed this.
🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
Once the press conference ended, you felt drained—emotionally and physically. As you walked off the stage, Bucky’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen and answered immediately.
“Steve,” he greeted, his voice low. You stood beside him, listening quietly.
“Didn’t expect it to go this well,” Steve’s voice crackled through the line. “Good job. I was hoping you could drag this out for a few more days, though.”
Bucky leaned against the table, his tone casual but firm. “I couldn’t do that. My wife’s already pissed about this. I’m not pushing her any further.” His eyes flicked to you as he spoke, his face unreadable.
There was a pause on the other end. Then Steve’s voice came again, smoother this time. “Still, you handled it well. Let’s hope the media stays focused on you two and not... anything else.”
Bucky smirked, the expression barely reaching his eyes. “They will. This whole mess? It’s just a distraction, Steve. You know that.”
Steve chuckled lightly. “I’m counting on it.”
Bucky ended the call without another word, sliding the phone back into his pocket. He turned to you, eyes narrowing slightly. “See? Everything’s under control.” He reached out, his hand resting lightly on your arm, but you pulled away.
Control. That’s what it was always about with him. And for now, he had it. But for how long?
You noticed something you hadn’t before—Bucky’s jaw was clenched, his shoulders tense, and his grip on the phone was tighter than usual. His usual confident façade seemed to falter, even if just for a moment. He looked... uneasy.
You had never seen him like this, not even during the press conference. Something about that call with Steve had rattled him. The way his eyes darkened, how his fingers twitched slightly as if restraining himself from saying more—it was a side of him you rarely witnessed.
And in that fleeting moment, you understood. It wasn’t just you who felt trapped in this web of lies and manipulation. It was Bucky, too. For all his calm demeanor, all his calculated moves, he was just as cornered.
He wasn’t in control like he wanted you to believe.
For the first time, you realized that Bucky wasn’t just pulling the strings—he was tangled in them. Just as trapped as you, if not more so. The weight of Steve’s power over him, the pressure of the campaign, the expectations, the secrets—it was all bearing down on him, too.
And in a strange, twisted way, it made him seem... vulnerable.
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jaegeraether · 6 months ago
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Sunsets and footballers (Part 72)
Lucy Bronze x Reader (59) / Alexia Putellas x Character (29) & Jordan Nobbs x Leah Williamson (14)
Masterlist (other parts here)
((**3.1k**))
ALEXIA POV
“Fuck.” Lucy growled. “Fuck. Fuck.”
“It’s okay. It’s just Ona.”
Alexia watched her jaw twitch as she drove. “Did you ask her to come?” She repeated.
“No.”
She saw her hands on the steering wheel turn white with just how hard she was gripping. Alexia knew Lucy. She couldn’t console her. She needed to be there in the room with them. With Blau. She needed to physically be there to protect her. She was always that way.
Alexia looked down at the warm pile of grey fur cuddled in her lap and smiled. Chiquito was on his back in a position that should have been impossible for his spine, a single paw over his eyes and the other touching Alexia. Needing to know she was there.
“When did you talk to her?”
“This morning after I realise I… was alone.”
Lucy immediately sympathised. She didn’t have to look at her to know. She felt it.
“She call me about the national game this week to see if I go.”
She ran her fingers through the soft fur of his belly, watching him squirm as he enjoyed it, moving his paw from his eyes and slow blinking up at her.
“Will you?”
Alexia sighed. She’d been trying to avoid all of these thoughts. “I don’t know.” She replied in Spanish. Lucy knew enough for that.
She nodded. “If there’s anything we can do…” She cut herself off.
“I know. Thank you. Today will be fun.”
“And there’s YFN’s birthday this week…”
“Oh?”
“This is the whole reason this Lumos event is happening. I called a few girls to come and distract her but it got out of hand. All of the WSL games were played yesterday so everybody has a day off today and came down to mingle and get their content done. It’s a lot. But I really just wanted to organise her birthday with people while she was busy.”
Alexia gave a small smile at that as Chiquito began playing with her hand, pulling it close to lick and then cuddle to it. Lucy was smart by doing that. Blau would have picked up what she was doing otherwise.
“Why you leave so late?”
“The organising? Because I wasn’t supposed to be here. I didn’t know what was happening with her and work and Spain and the clubs. And then the accident happened…”
It wasn’t an accident, but she didn’t want to use the word ‘assault’, which was more than understandable.
Chiquito grew tired of being on his back and stood, stretching and then stood on his back legs to nuzzle up to her neck. He was a very loving cat, and she knew he must have missed… her.
Alexia loved Chiquito. She allowed herself to be herself with him. Giving him all of the love and kisses and attention. That was the real Alexia, deep down. Too deep to find. Or at least she thought it was.
She looked over and saw that worried, protective, jaw-twitching Lucy had returned.
“Ona won’t be a problem. She just want to check on me.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I know her.” She replied in Spanish.
“Ona likes me.”
“I know.
“She really likes me.”
“I know.”
“I… I was lonely and let her get close. But we didn’t do anything…”
“I know,” Alexia said, softer.
“But you don’t know. My one job is to protect her. And only then make sure she’s happy and loved and has everything she wants. But I feel like I’ve just let her down every step of the way. The messages, the stalking, the brick… the fucking brick… Kristie. Mark. Her believing she was alone and we were broken up. The… accident…”
She almost whispered that. The assault. Alexia didn’t say it aloud but she understood now. Even if Ona wasn’t a threat, everything was a threat to Lucy now. She just needed to…
“I just need to protect her.”
Alexia nodded and she put her hand on her friend’s arm and squeezed. It felt good to be the comforter and not the comforted.
Chiquito settled back down into her lap, his back to her tummy, and his body curled around the entirety of Alexia’s free hand, claiming it as his own.
YFN POV
“Hey chicken,” Caitlin said as her arms came around her from behind and then she spotted Jordan and Leah. “Jordy! Leah!”
She ran around the table and shoved Katie aside to hug their best friends.
Jordan gave her a laugh and a hug back, and so did Leah. “Just did some interviews did you?”
“Yep, just need ta take some photos and we’ll have a break and get some a that lunch YFN was talkin’ about,” Katie said.
Jordan nodded silently and the couple immediately picked up on tension, their eyes wandering around the table.
“Wait, what’s happenin’?”
“What’s the issue? What did we miss?”
“Nothing. No issue..” YFN insisted.
Katie ignored her and started looking around the room until her eyes found Ona standing near the entrance, talking to several Man United players from her days there, though her eyes finding YFN ever so often.
Kyra crashed the party then with her cheeky attitude and said her hello’s. She took a bite of the closest item of food on YFN’s plate and her chewing slowed as her eyes found what the girls were looking at.
“What’s she doing here?” she asked.
Silence again. Shit. They didn’t know about Alexia and Ridley and there was no way to explain otherwise.
“She’s-” Leah started.
“-just here to see Alexia and do some press.” YFN cut off, appreciating that she was trying to help.
“Wasn’t she and Lucy a thing?” she asked.
“Not exactly..”
“Speakin’ of – where is she?” Katie interjected.
“Picking up Alexia.”
“Alexia’s coming? That’s great! Is Ridley coming?” Kyra blurted. She couldn’t be mad at her, it was Kyra after all and she was as innocent as they came.
More silence. Leah didn’t even attempt to speak this time. The silence lasted until Katie said, “Fuck. That bad?”
YFN cringed but it was all the response they needed. “That’s why she’s here?”
“I assume so… please don’t say anything.” She looked at Kyra and grabbed onto her cheeks with her good hand, her face puffed out with the food she had in there. She reminded her of a little Lucy sometimes. “Especially you. Don’t mention Ridley at all. Got in?”
She nodded until her face was released and she could swallow. “Yes, mum.”
“She looks a little out of place…” Alex said sympathetically, looking at Ona across the room.
It was true. Although she was surrounded by friends and former teammates, she still looked a little awkward and to be honest, she didn’t blame her. But in YFN’s head, everybody was making a big fuss over something so small. Lucy and Ona were never a thing. She liked Lucy, but so did the majority of the lesbian community. How could she ever be upset at someone for liking the person she adored with every fibre of her being?
“How far away is Lucy?” Kyra asked as a joke-not-joke.
Katie slapped her arm.
“We need to get going over to do our photos..” Caitlin said, tugging at Katie.
“On your way… can you two invite Ona over here, please?” YFN asked.
ONA POV
Ona had never before heard Alexia in such a state as that morning. She was crying, her voice shaking, half-asleep, and yet, somehow, Ona knew she was still holding back. She was destroyed. And Ona knew exactly what that felt like. She was always head over heels for Lucy and truly believed they were on their way to becoming something more when she’d met YFN. She didn’t hate either of them, she didn’t hate anyone. She simply grieved something she’d lost, and what’s worse, the potential of that something. And so when she heard Alexia so heartbroken over Ridley, she did the one thing she’d want someone to do for her. Be there.
Ona booked a flight as soon as Alexia had hung up. She’d messaged her but assumed she’d fallen asleep, and some part of her said maybe catching a flight was too dramatic, but she’d heard that pain in her voice, and Alexia was never, ever like that. Ever. She was going to be there for her friend because that’s who Ona was.
She was aware from a young age that she felt differently… more deeply… more passionately than other people. She was touchy and almost shy, and had her feelings affected by anything quite easily. She loved hugs and kisses, anything physical, from any of the people she was comfortable with, and although she knew it could be a bit much for some people, she didn’t care. It’s just the way she showed her emotions and to be quite frank, it helped take the edge off of the enormity of the things she felt. Alexia acted tough, but Ona had known her for a while. From Barca, the Spanish National team and prior to that, when they were young. And so she knew she was really a softy. She liked hugs. She liked being cared for. She just didn’t want anyone thinking that.
Ona messaged as she landed, and still nothing. She could have been asleep or more likely, she was ignoring her. She wasn’t surprised. Instead – she saw all of the messages from the girls about the Lumos event and jumped on board. Even if Alexia wasn’t there, perhaps players there would know where she was, or… maybe even YFN.
Although they’d had very little interaction, she knew it was because of their awkwardness towards the situation rather than any animosity. Whenever Ona had caught her eye at the pub, she’d never shied away from it. She’d always given her a smile, and not an empathetic one either, a polite one. That told her everything she needed to know about the woman. Yet, regardless of how nice she seemed, Ona did also hold a little hope that she would see Lucy at some point and be able to talk to her because fuck, did she miss her.
When Alexia didn’t respond, Ona took a taxi from the airport to Lumos and was greeted by chaos. She followed the directions of the staff as best as she could with their quick English and found herself being led into a room reverberating with a loud mass of voices, music, pets and other sounds. She didn’t have to wonder where to go first. Just as soon as she stepped into the room, her eyes found YFN. She was holding a phone up to her ear and paused before giving a smile and collecting herself.
She wondered if she should go over, or if she even liked her, but before she could argue both sides further in her head, her old Man United friends were there and surrounding her with excitement at her sudden arrival. She greeted them all and had a little catch up, letting them tell her about the different things she could do content-wise today. They encouraged it and honestly, it sounded like a great idea to fulfil her content needs in her own time and space, rather than being forced by her manager to find some for her to stay relevant and find sponsors. She just wished she’d brought Coco. Regardless of the girls all chatting around her, and Ona trying her best to distinguish the English from each other, her eyes kept finding YFN as she was talking in her group.
Just when Ona thought she’d be stuck there forever, two Arsenal players she’d briefly met before, Katie and Caitlin came over from YFN’s table and extended an invite to join her.
“Go, go!” Lucía García encouraged in Spanish. “She’s organising it all for us so she’s the person to talk to!”
Lucia wasn’t aware at that stage of Ona’s crush on Lucy otherwise she would have offered to keep her in the wheelchair. An over-exaggeration as she usually did.
She politely withdrew herself with the promise to see them all later, and headed over to YFN’s table where she now sat alone. She looked around and saw Leah Williamson, Jordan Nobbs and Alex Scott all sitting in an area with couches, headsets and microphones, talking and pointing around the area which was set up for podcasting.
“Hi,” she greeted, politely using English.
“Hola, Ona,” she smiled in return, though wincing slightly and dropped the smile a little. Ona’s eyes found her bruised jaw and she felt sick in her stomach. As she came around the table to kiss her on either cheek, she saw the wheelchair she was sitting in, her knee in a brace, her arm in a sling and couldn’t help the pure empathy that seeped from her. How was it possible to do that to another human being? And if Ona had ended up with Lucy, would they have done the same to her?
She sat down adjacent to her, YFN automatically moving her laptop and paperwork out of the way.
“How are you?” she asked, genuinely curious.
YFN chuckled and it was a cute, humble thing. “I’ve been better.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“No, thanks for the offer though. I appreciate it.” Another smile. She was also great with eye contact and her eyes held… intelligence and awareness. She could see why Lucy liked her so much. “You’ve come for Alexia?”
“Sí. I could not see her here..”
“She’s not yet. I think she’s slept most of this morning or just been ignoring her phone. Luce is on her way here now with her.”
“Ah.” She felt good, knowing that Alexia was coming, and that she’d seen her messages. “Do you know much?”
“I was going to ask you the same..”
“She call me this morning very upset. She kept saying ‘she left’ and that she didn’t deserve to be loved.”
“That Ridley didn’t deserve to be loved?”
“No.. no… Alexia. She wouldn’t let me say anything bad about her to make her feel better.” Ona knew her accent was strong as she struggled for words in English, but YFN was patient with her, following every word.
She nodded.
“Is it… true? She is gone?”
Another nod. She looked as if she knew more, but didn’t say, and Ona didn’t ask as she knew the relationship between the two and that it was private.
“Never coming back?”
She sighed. “I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure. I just… I’ve never seen Ridley so in love before. And the one thing I know about her is just how unpredictable she can be sometimes.”
“Did they…” Ona didn’t finish the sentence, fearing the question was too inappropriate but she knew just how much of a difference that would have made to the situation. Sex always complicates things.
“I believe so.”
Ona swore in Spanish.
“Didn’t you have a game last night? You must be tired..”
“I am used to it I think,” she admitted. The two shared a smile.
“For what it’s worth, I think you coming here to be there for Alexia is beautiful. You’re a really good friend.”
Ona hadn’t expected the rawness of what she’d just said. She held her eye contact and could feel the blush on her face a little. “Thank you. She would do the same for me. Alexia… does not have… do emotions well… if that makes sense. She hides and be’s strong so when I heard her I knew I must come.”
YFN nodded knowingly. “Will you stay here or take her home?”
“Whatever she wants. I need to be with the national team by Wednesday.”
It was Monday now and their new coach was not lenient in the slightest, though still somehow a slight improvement on the last. Alexia was still injured and not playing, though she tended to go and be supportive when she could. Right now Ona wondered if that was what she needed most.
“I wonder what will be better for her,” YFN pondered aloud, mirroring Ona’s thoughts. Her heart jumped a little. Maybe they were a lot alike in the way they thought and empathised and acted. Maybe that’s why Lucy liked her so much. And maybe, just maybe, Ona was also Lucy’s type.
She shook the thoughts from her head and watched as YFN wriggled a little uncomfortably in her chair. It must be horrible to be stuck in one place for fear of pain and an inability to move far.
“I am really sorry for what happened to you. You didn’t deserve it.” She meant it, every word. And she wanted to say more but knew she didn’t have to. YFN understood the ‘more’ without her having to say it. She’d noticed that about her.
“Thanks Ona. I really appreciate that. It means a lot.” She reached across the corner of the table with her good arm extended, and Ona took her hand and squeezed. They held each other’s hands and eyes and it felt cathartic, almost. And she knew it was more than just a thank you. It was a sign that things were okay between them, and that they both understood and appreciated each other, regardless of the Lucy complication.
As if she knew she was there, YFN’s eyes snapped straight towards the entrance Ona had walked in to see Lucy standing there, almost dishevelled, her eyes flicking between the two and to their joined hands and back. God, she looked good. Ona saw her throat bobble as she swallowed her emotions.
With her eyes falling on YFN and only her, she made her way across the room with purpose, and Ona couldn’t help but want her eyes back on her. She was distracted from her wanting, though, as she spotted Alexia entering the room with her famous frown and sunglasses. She was dressed well, as was typical of la Reina and her facial expression held no happiness there. She moved her glasses to the top of her head and her eyes also found the pair, examining the situation and then Lucy stalking for them. She was always in Captain mode.
She looked quite normal besides the slightly red, puffy eyes, which could be explained away easily with a lack of sleep, and Ona was unsurprised and indifferent by the attention she caught just by being there.
In fact, the only thing different about her was that she had a little grey cat perched over her shoulder, his head scanning the room before nuzzling back into her neck.
The little grey cat who Ona immediately recognised as Chiquito.
135 notes · View notes
angellesword · 4 months ago
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BAGGAGE | JJK (13)
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Summary: Drowning in debt and blood, Jeon Jungkook knows he's better off alone, lest he brings people down with him.
But one drunken night changes everything.
In a blink of an eye, Jungkook found himself drowning not only in debt and blood, but also in dirty diapers and judgmental stares from you, a.k.a his long-lost love and the guardian of the son he didn't even know existed.
Genre and warnings: best friends to lovers, co-parenting, idiots in love, slow burn—really slow burn, mutual pining, angst, fluff, implied smut, kissing, minor character death, slight getting back together, cursing, blood, stabbing, loan sharks, OC cusses excessively so watch out, hurt/comfort
Pairing: dad! Jungkook x adoptive mom!Reader
Word Count: 5k
← Previous Chapter (12) | Next Chapter (14) →
Baggage Chapter List
*****
With no money in the bank or dignity to uphold his principles, Jungkook's response to a threat was always flight. He'd long understood that a peasant like him had no chance of fighting.  However, the possibility of you and Soobin getting hurt because of his cowardice sparked something inside him.
Jungkook didn't know how, but he resolutely grabbed Lee Sung's knife with his bare hand, ignoring his trembling hand and his mind telling him to run.
"Now, now, Lee Sung-ah ~" Jungkook's body twisted until he faced the loan shark. His demeanor showed how he stubbornly refused to bend in the face of intimidation. It made Lee Sung's lips curve upwards.
"Not crying for mercy, Jungkook-ah?" A mocking laugh. Lee Sung watched as fresh blood trickled down Jungkook's hand. Jungkook didn't let go of the knife and even gripped its blade more forcefully. "Did hanging out with the feisty professor make you feel invincible?"
The mention of you was enough for Jungkook to lose his playful smirk, bare his teeth at Lee Sung, and snarl. One would think he was a helpless prey (and Jungkook guessed there was some truth to that), but the case changed when his enemies dared to involve you. Besides, Lee Sung had met Jungkook when he had nothing with him. Lee Sung never knew how Jungkook's mind worked and how he dealt with things when no Park Jimin was keeping him in check.
"Easy there, Lee Sung-ah~" Mirth crinkled in Jungkook's eyes. "Our game is for us alone, remember?"
How could Lee Sung not read the real meaning in Jungkook's voice wrapped in an almost syrupy charm? It was a threat, but Lee Sung couldn't help but chuckle. 'Jang Min-ssi,' Lee Sung whispered inwardly as his eyes darted to Jang Min standing meters away from them. "I understand now why you want to involve the professor in this game.'
"I'm so glad you mentioned our little game." Lee Sung blinked his gaze back to Jungkook. He forcefully retracted the knife, leaving a nasty straight cut in Jungkook's palm. Jungkook's face became unreadable, though. He couldn't feel pain—he only felt his heart chastising him to fight for you and his son.
"Because we want you back in our chess game, Jungkook-ah." Lee Sung's smirk grew big. "Jang Min-ssi said he needs you to play the king again."
Jungkook's eyes darkened. Meanwhile, a dangerous smile tugged at Lee Sung's lips as he raised his hand in the air, a small vial gripping his fist.
⋆ ˚。⋆⋆ ˚。⋆
You got home at around midnight. You weren’t in the mood to do anything anymore, but the guilt you nursed was becoming too much to bear.
"Mama will help you change your clothes, oki?" You picked up a pajama set from your son's drawer and helped him dress up. You usually soaked Soobin into a warm bath before going to bed. Unfortunately, you weren’t up for it tonight.
'I'm a bad mom,' your mind supplied unhelpfully. You felt as though you didn't deserve Soobin. You thought you had slowly forgotten how to care for your son as Jungkook did it on your behalf. 
Months of playing house with your bastard of best friend lifted half of your burden, but now that Jungkook wasn't around, you were starting to feel helpless.
Just where is that bastard?
Your eyes flicked to the wall clock. This was the first time Jungkook was home late. He didn't even tell you where he was going; he left early in the morning and excused himself for today's office work.
There was no point in stopping Jungkook. Admittedly, you were tiptoeing around him as you didn't want to pressure him into accepting the offer to work with you.
Tonight was the night Jungkook was meant to give his answer. However, You supposed that even a meticulous person like you sometimes went through some lapses.
"You've got your dates mixed up, Mam."  Lee Sung told you earlier this day. You went ahead to the office even without Jungkook. You went there with your son, though. You hoped Lee Sung could babysit Soobin while you went to dinner with Jungkook later.
Although you had reservations about Lee Sung, you couldn't deny that he was still a good babysitter, and Soobin seemed to like him. Your son never fussed and would sleep calmly in Lee Sung's arms.
It had been weeks since Lee Sung landed in Korea, but you refused to contact him. It felt weird being around him while Jang Min was thousands of miles away. You were not one to overthink, though you suspected that your boyfriend's assistant kept you under a hawk-like gaze and was reluctant to follow your requests unless Jang Min explicitly told him to oblige.
Today was one of the times when Lee Sung had explicit orders from his boss.
"Your dinner date with Jungkook-ssi is tomorrow. You're scheduled to meet up with the boss tonight."
"What?" You rubbed your ear as if that would help you understand what Lee Sung had just said.
Your boyfriend's assistant smirked. "Surprise! Boss Jang Min is back in Korea! He wants to see you first. He said there was no need for me to babysit Soobin-ah. He is very much welcome to join your date."
You should be over the moon. Your boyfriend, who you hadn't seen in months, was finally here. Regrettably, your mind was occupied with something else.
"But Jungkook..." You trailed off. You were sure you set up your date tonight. You even made a calendar invite about it so you wouldn't forget.
You were about to check your calendar, but Lee Sung folded down your laptop--an abrupt move that almost pinched your hands lingering on the keypad.
"Oops. Apologies, Mam~." Lee Sung sing-songed. "I've personally checked your schedule for this week. I have synced your calendar into mine for so long. Do you still doubt me, hmm?"
The pitiful look made Lee Sung look like a clown.  You visibly cringed; the thought of your dinner date with Jungkook vanished because of it.
"Okay, fine." You scowled. "I'm bringing Soobin to my date. Where and when should I meet Min-ah?"
"Wanna pick him up at the airport first?"
For some reason, You really didn't. But how could you do that to your lover? Ultimately, you agreed and spent hours on the road and waiting at the airport. You thought your uneasiness would clear once you came face to face with Jang Min. Surprisingly, you were still plagued by jitters.
"Hi." Jang Min kissed you on the mouth. He whispered a few sweet nothings to you before turning to look at Soobin, "Little one, I've something for you."
It was a Hot Wheels Elite 1:18 Scale Ferrari F40. Your eyes twitched. You looked at your boyfriend uncomfortably, "This is expensive. You shouldn't have."
It was wrong to say that to someone who had just given your son a gift. You knew as much. You were about to retract your statement when Jang Min shrugged.
"It's a simple gift, Cолнышко мо. You shouldn't habitually give those discount-store wonders for Soobin. It’s disgusting."
You were taken aback, and despite Soobin not understanding what Jang Min meant, you still wanted to cover your son's ears so he couldn't hear such a mean statement.
"Price doesn't matter to me, Min-ah." Your jaw tensed, your chin jutting.
Jungkook had some free time a few days ago and arranged a scavenger hunt for Soobin. You found it cute, prompting you to take videos and tell Jang Min all about the activity.
You had to admit that it was a cheap game. Jungkook spent 6,600 KRW on rewards he planned to give Soobin during the hunt. His grand prize was the most affordable brand of strawberry pudding, but your son thoroughly enjoyed it.
The game was a success. It honed Soobin's observation skills and exposed him to more physical activities. You participated in the game, too. Jungkook encouraged you with a teasing tone by saying, "Of course, you are welcome to join! You have the temper of a three-year-old. Ow! Don't hit me, such a meanie!"
"Don’t call me that, you piece of shit!" You snarled and hit Jungkook when Soobin wasn't looking.
Jungkook pouted.
"But you are mean, and you snarl like a wolf. Wolf has a good sense of smell; you can teach our pup how to hunt."
It was a feat to ignore your fluttering heart after that. ‘Our pup,’ Jungkook said. You couldn't control your emotions, so you gingerly shut your mouth and faked a hiss before turning to Soobin to brief him on how to play the game.
Overall, it was a fun experience. You won a prize because Jungkook hid an I.D. lace you were meant to find in the bushes. It had a simple design which you loved.
You have been going to your office these past days. The new lace helped because now you wouldn’t struggle to clip your I.D. on your clothes.
"Your old I.D pin is tacky. The new lace will make you a little less uncool."
"Shut the fuck up, bastard," You hissed.
Your playful banter continued, and you appreciated simple moments like this. You made up your mind not to let a mean comment from Jang Min get on your nerves.
Thankfully, Jang Min shrugged his shoulders, too jet-lagged to argue with you. You pushed through with your dinner date, though.
It was in a fancy restaurant Lee Sung had arranged. Soobin set aside his new car toy in favor of running around the place. You were in a private room, so no prying eyes darted on Soobin.
Unfortunately, you couldn't hear what Jang Min was discussing because of how loud Soobin was.
Gone were the days he sat still. Even Jang Min noticed this.
"Why'd he become so hyper suddenly?"
Your shoulder deflated. "I don't know."
It was the truth. You refused to say that the change started when Jungkook started babysitting Soobin, but Jang Min knew about it anyway.
"He's having too much fun with Jungkook-ssi, I supposed." Jang Min propped his chin on his palm as he called Soobin.
The child went near Jang Min at once. He batted his eyelashes at your boyfriend, earning a soft smile from Jang Min.
"Sleep?" Soobin asked obediently while Jang Min caressed his cheeks.
"Later, little one. You can play. Just don't be naughty."
Your heart softened at the sight. Jang Min and your son really did get along. However, you couldn't ignore the uncomfortable feeling in your chest:
You appreciated your boyfriend bonding with Soobin, but that's all to it. You found that you couldn't feel anything for Jang Min aside from gratefulness for trusting and caring for you and Soobin all this time.
"Min-ah." You muttered softly.
Jang Min told Soobin to play with Lee Sung before he turned to look at you. Your eyes looked as deep as the sea. Jang Min wanted to sail through it.
"What is it, Cолнышко мо?" Jang Min held your hand.
Months passed since you last touched him. You used to feel warm whenever your boyfriend's touch lingered on your skin. But now, there was nothing but coldness.
Jang Min's hands were damn cold. You tried to remember if it had always been like this. You didn't flinch now that Jang Min grabbed your hand, giving you a sense of familiarity that the coldness you felt was nothing new.
It was as if this winter feeling had been going on forever, and you simply thought that the cold water was warm since you had just gotten inside your home after being out in the snow.
"Cолнышко мо?”
You snapped your head up and met Jang Min's eyes. They're not chestnut brown—it didn't feel warm.
He wasn't Jungkook.
"Jang Min-ssi," Your chest heaved. You called your boyfriend's name with ragged breath.
Silence lapsed between you. Jang Min's white ushanka froze your heart more.
"I think we should break up."
It was said so suddenly. You gave no preamble, the paradoxical undressing phenomenon kicking inside you. It was your last straw before your feelings for Jang Min succumbed to hypothermia.
There was just no fire left to ignite your heart.
But Jang Min still held a match.
"You've had a long day, Cолнышко мо." The Russian man let go of your hand to signal the server to mind your bill, and then he casually wiped his mouth with a towel before indulgently looking back at you.
It's like Jang Min didn't hear or mind what you said.
"Maybe we should talk about this tomorrow. I only got home, too." He even made an excuse to shoot you down.
"No." But you couldn't wait anymore. You knew you were cruel, but every layer of your clothes begged to be shed. You were seconds away from dying out of the cold. "We—I have been postponing every serious conversation with you. I—"
You licked your lips and swallowed audibly, yet it wasn't enough to relieve your dry and aching throat.
You picked up your glass of wine and drank it in one go.
You looked at Jang Min guiltily.
"I can't anymore, Jang Min. I just..."
No silence or sugarcoating would lessen the abrupt guilt coating your heart.
You ripped off your last layer of winter clothes.
"I don't think I love you like that anymore." Or if I love(d) you at all.
Breaking the news of wanting to end your relationship was sudden, but the moments leading to it were not. You guessed it was partly your fault for ignoring the negative emotions you had felt for Jang Min over the past few months. Now, it was too late to fix them.
You were done. You couldn't fight even when a fraction of your mind told you so. Because if you loved Jang Min like your other half, you wouldn't feel nauseated at the thought of mending your broken relationship.
It's over.
You wanted to say more—to apologize to Jang Min for wasting his time, but you knew there was no point to that. It would just feel like slapping Jang Min in the face. Giving an excuse would only make you feel better. Jang Min wouldn't benefit at all.
"Alright." What was the use of a small matchbox when winter had come? Jang Min could only offer you a small smile. Not even you, who had been intimate with him, could decipher the quick curve of his lips.
"It's late. We should head home."
Jang Min insisted on bringing you back to his house. You were reluctant but agreed since you were with Soobin and didn't like driving while your son remained in the back seat alone. Besides, all of your things were under Lee Sung's care.
Lee Sung handed you your phone and wallet right after you entered the car. “Your phone’s dead.”
You shrugged. You didn’t have any important calls today, anyway.
"Thanks. Lee Sung-ssi--" You then offered your ex-boyfriend's assistant a genuine smile. It was the first time you attempted to be genuine to Lee Sung. "--For everything, especially for looking after Soobin."
"You make it sound like this is our last meeting, Mam." Lee Sung chuckled, oblivious that his boss was a single man now. "I know you got used to me driving you around, but don't get too sentimental on me. Tachihara's driving you home tonight, but we'll see each other soon. I just need to deal with a rat."
You were only being polite with Lee Sung. Frankly speaking, you didn't care what his agendas were. The word rat also left a bad taste in your mouth as you were reminded of your previous conversation with Jang Min. You didn't want to be rude, though—as your ex's calculating eyes were watching you. Soobin was also nuzzled in Jang Min's arms.
"Use your best trap, then." This was your farewell before shutting the car door close. You dared to look at Jang Min just to see his expression; for some reason, Jang Min's upper lips curved more.
The nauseating feeling clogged your throat again. You and Jang Min were done, so there was no need to give him the benefit of the doubt.
But you couldn't—afraid of what you’d know. You just did what you were good at: you pretended the uncomfortable feeling flooding your heart wouldn't drown you.
⋆ ˚。⋆⋆ ˚。⋆
The rat was not caught in the trap because Jungkook freely trudged back to your apartment at one in the morning. He had dealt with Lee Sung, and only when he knew Lee Sung wouldn't harm his family did Jungkook decide to head home.
Jungkook was used to going back to a quiet home. Seeing Lee Sung tonight made him think he was back to his old life; this was why it shocked him to see you waiting for him.
"Welcome home, Kook." Your tone was lukewarm, masking all worries and guilt you harbored today because at least one thing was right:
Jungkook came back to you.
Sadly, Jungkook didn't seem too thrilled to see you. One look at your dropping eyes was enough for Jungkook to know you had an eventful night.
Jungkook sneered.
Jealousy was a little shit. Jungkook thought he was over it until he saw you smiling at him, acting like you didn't ditch him for the night.
Don't even get him started with your insincere concern. You had the most gentle smile when you welcomed Jungkook home, but it abruptly changed into an arched brow when you spotted the dried blood on Jungkook's skin.
"What happened to your hand?" You were alarmed, mindlessly crossing the distance between you two. Your rational thought disappeared as deep-seated fury and worry clouded your mind.
"Who hurt you?" You couldn't take it. The low grumble coming from your throat was akin to a wounded wolf.
Protect. You needed to protect Jungkook.
You seized your best friend’s wrist, chest tightening as an unbearable ache spread through your limbs.
There was a deep cut on Jungkook's palm, and God--you wanted nothing but to lick the wound and purr on Jungkook's neck. You knew you shouldn't feel this way. Breaking up with Jang Min wasn't an excuse to suddenly unleash your feelings for Jungkook.
But you were tired and pushed to your limits. Earlier, you wondered if you loved Jang Min at all. Now, the sinking feeling in your chest mocked and rejoiced as the thought of never getting over Jungkook overwhelmed your senses.
You found that the candle lighting your anger toward Jungkook was blown away—just as the darkness in your vision couldn't see and ignite the scorching type of love you once thought you felt toward Jang Min.
You heaved a deep breath.
Everything was too much and too little at once. Tears glistened in your eyes, but the lonely wolf inside of you was deprived of howling in the moon.
Jungkook pulled his hand away.
"What do you care if I got hurt?" His tone was scathing. Between the two of you, Jungkook held the burning lamp. He couldn't shake the image of you kissing another man, even though he knew it was irrational.
He hurt you first. But it didn't mean Jungkook turned into a fucking rock that wouldn't be shaken at seeing the love of his life get taken away.
Jungkook no longer felt human. Unfortunately, he still had his flesh and blood. His body tingled and felt like it was subjected to the fire after being in the frying pan for a long time. He was hurting, and masking his vulnerability didn't work anymore. Jungkook, in the face of the moon, finally bared his broken heart.
"Is that all you got? Pretending to care when you didn't even have the decency to tell me you're not coming to our planned dinner?"
A sharp edge to Jungkook's tone made your breathing hitch. The last time Jungkook acted this way was when you underestimated his venture with Oda. You never thought you’d see this side of Jungkook again. You got used to having the upper hand.
But you couldn't deny that you were in the wrong now.
"Fuck." You cussed, eyes widening as you struggled to keep your hands to yourself. You wanted to hold onto Jungkook, afraid that he'd bolt. "I—Jungkook, I didn't..."
Didn't what? Didn't know that Lee Sung messed up? That you blindly followed Jang Min’s assistant’s claim when you should have known better?
You felt stupid.
Jungkook was wearing the suit you bought for him. You could also tell that your best friend had blow-dried his hair earlier, as it had a more prominent curl at the end. Jungkook was probably nervous but sucked it up because you promised him a good time. You weren’t blind. You might not know what answer Jungkook would give, but you knew it took him much courage to be there.
Jungkook was never one to show up. He was a bolter, for fuck's sake. And the one time he didn't run away was also the time you made him wait in vain.
I'm sorry You liked to say. Unfortunately, the words were stuck in your throat.
Jungkook took in your expression. You looked constipated—as if acknowledging your mistake would be the end of the world.
Jungkook scoffed and shook his head.
"Whatever." He turned away. "You've always been like this, anyway."
That did the trick. You snapped out of your reverie. You looked at Jungkook as if he had offended your ancestors.
"What the fuck do you mean by that?"
But Jungkook wasn't looking at you anymore. He was walking toward his bedroom—as if he wanted nothing but to shut off the world.
You didn't think so. Jungkook had every right to pout, but he couldn't get away from accusing you of some bullshit. What did Jungkook mean you had always been like this!? Weren’t you the one who returned to Incheon after Jungkook and Jisoo stomped at your heart!?
"I'm talking to you, asshole!" You were about to forcefully grab the bastard's hand when Jungkook suddenly turned to you.
Your bodies bumped. You trembled when you felt Jungkook's hot, staggered breathing fanning your cheek.
Silence clouded the room, both your chests heaving.
The rim of Jungkook's eyes was red. He unconsciously nuzzled his nose against your cheek. You held back a flinch, your heart beating erratically against your ribcage.
Jungkook's heart wasn't doing any better. He wanted to claw it out and stomp it until it became a mess. This way, he wouldn’t feel anything anymore.
But that wasn't possible now, was it? Jungkook didn’t want his emotions to overwhelm him, but he didn’t think he could ever let go of the high he got from feeling the warmth of your skin.
You were addicting. It was easy to fall for you, making Jungkook think that what you two had was salvageable.
It wasn't. He made a mistake before, and you made a conscious decision to hurt Jungkook in return.
Jungkook took a step back. He could almost hear your silent protest. It made Jungkook want to pull his hair out.
You two really were fucked up. You both wanted to let go of each other, but neither wanted to unclench your fingers.
Jungkook sighed. He looked at you with resentment and defeat in his eyes.
"You never answered my letters."
Apologizing for your mistake was hard, but apologizing when you didn’t know what you did wrong was impossible.
"What letters?" Your mouth parted in confusion; a deep crease formed on your forehead. You had no idea what Jungkook was talking about.
Jungkook sniffed.
“Jungkook, what letters?” An unberable sense of panic shot through your body. It didn't help that your best friend looked hopeless.
Jungkook didn’t know where to start. All of this was fucked up. He just wanted to--
“I was in prison for years." –let it out. Jungkook broke the news to you as he took out a folded paper in the pocket of his dress shirt. “I sent you hundreds of letters from there, but you never responded.”
The paper was shoved into your chest. You panickily gripped it, scared Jungkook would snatch the paper. You had a feeling that this piece of paper contained the truth you had been craving all this time.
“I was going to accept your proposal, but I didn’t want to base our relationship on a lie.” Jungkook was doing well in trying to steady his voice. “I wanted to come clean to you. I wanted you to know that I paid half of my sins inside that shitty hole.”
You gasped lowly, too stunned to speak.
Jungkook had the urge to laugh because wasn’t it funny? He was just cradling his anger at you for making him wait in vain, but now he was forced to retreat again--to clip his claw and pretend it didn't hurt. How could he ever stand a chance against you when he was deemed as the evil one from the very start? As if making a mistake robbed him of feeling things—like he wasn’t allowed to start over again?
Jungkook didn’t know how to redeem himself anymore. He apologized to you for taking this long to tell him the truth.
“I…” You trailed off. You couldn’t meet Jungkook’s eyes. You were retreating, too.
Jungkook should have seen this coming--
“I..I need to process this.”
--and he had. 
You were forced to be fed with information. You had no chance to chew them, so now you choked. 
Jungkook clenched his jaw, forced to pacify himself to accept this. It’s okay, he told himself, because what else was he supposed to do aside from watching you crawl back to your room?
⋆ ˚。⋆⋆ ˚。⋆
Jungkook paced back and forth in the living room before standing before your bedroom door.
4:02AM. It had been hours since you last confronted each other. You said you needed to process the information slapped to your face, but you didn’t say how long.
Jungkook couldn’t help but probe. He knocked on your door once.
There was no answer from the other side of the room.
Inhale, Jungkook commanded himself before trying again.
This time, he used his voice: he called your name.
Jungkook had known you for years and understood that you wouldn’t be able to sleep after the intense stimulation you had experienced. He was proven right when he pressed his ear to the door and heard you stirring on the other side.
Jungkook's breath caught in his throat, a sudden intake of air filling his lungs, but he didn’t choke. 
He felt relieved. You were listening to him.
Jungkook couldn’t waste his chance. He set aside his feelings in the hope of making this right. 
You slowly sat on the floor while listening to your best friend speak. You were glad you couldn’t see Jungkook’s face, as that would prompt you to break down and cry.
“You said you need to process everything, but will you listen to me?”
Your lips were pursed, yet you rested your head on the door.
Jungkook let out a breath, “Being in prison should have been the first thing I told you, but I…”
There was silence. Jungkook forced himself to continue.
“I was scared. When you told me about Soobin, I didn’t know what to do with him. I…” 
Don’t say it. Don’t say it.
“I didn’t want him,” Jungkook said. 
Tears cascaded down your cheek, your fear materializing in the form of Jungkook’s soft tone but venomous words. You hated yourself for wanting to continue listening to him. Your treacherous mind was making you feel as if there was more to Jungkook’s story—that this wasn’t the time to snarl and hate him for feeling things.
“Soobin is my baggage, and he’s so, so heavy. He is a reminder of the things I have to carry with me wherever I go.”
Stop. Don’t say that to my child.
“But he isn’t like that anymore. Soobin is not a thing. He’s not a baggage. He’s my…”
Jungkook swallowed thickly as he puffed out his chest. “He’s my heart.” As he is yours. 
“I understand if you want me gone. I kept the truth from you. You are a mother. I know you wouldn’t want your son to be associated with an ex-convict like me.” Jungkook said this as if he was sure there was no room for any other opinion. Jungkook did not regard himself highly—or even as a human after he fell from grace. It didn’t even occur to him to keep his anger to you. He cared more about what you would feel after knowing the truth. His own feelings be damned.
“But…” Jungkook clenched his hands into determined fists. “Please know that I won’t leave. Not unless you told me to.”
Your head snapped up, but you soon wiped your tears and pressed your ears on the door, thinking you could hear Jungkook say that again. Did you get it right? Was Jungkook really telling you he wouldn’t leave?
“I made the mistake of hurting and pushing you away. I am still living with the consequences of that. I don’t mind. I can pay for it for as long as you want, but I refuse to want to die because of it.”
Jungkook had wished for nothing but death since he messed up his life. However, he was done with that part of him. He said Soobin was his heart, but that was a lie. You and Soobin served as his heart—his family kept him going:
You and Soobin pumped blood into Jungkook’s veins.
Wanting to die was easy. It was his wish, but… “From now on, I will live for you and Soobin.”
Jungkook rubbed his face against the door, hoping you could somehow feel his sincerity. He wished to see you and look at your eyes as deep as the sea. Jungkook wanted to drown in them.
“I will be here,” Jungkook repeated. “For as long as you will take me.”
There was no response from you, but Jungkook didn’t mind. He simply closed his eyes, wishing that when the sun rose, you would find it in yourself to take him back.
⋆ ˚。⋆⋆ ˚。⋆
A/N: the fourth pic in the book cover finally made sense. Please look forward to Jungkook's life in prison soon ~~
I don't know when the next chapter will come out since starting next week, I am officially joining a new team in the office. Your girl is a fixed asset accountant or somethin' haha. Please wish me luck <3
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haveyouseenthisskeleton · 11 months ago
Note
Every year at the start of December s/o becomes a kiss assassin, leaving mistletoe in strange places, offten hidden in plain sight but over looked.
s/o will have kisses and that is a threat
(Obviously if skelly isnt down to kiss they wont )
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Have a mix between the two of them!
Undertale Sans - He tries to escape his fate, but you're very persistent. So Sans will do everything to make your job harder, hiding in impossible places or teasing you from places you can't reach, challenging you to come and get him, before teleporting elsewhere as soon as you reach him. He's a dirty cheater. And the worse is that it's making him laugh. Once you have him though, you're wrapping him in gift paper and torturing him for hours.
Undertale Papyrus - He likes that game a little too much and starts a competition out of this. Now you're two trying to get the other to kiss, and Papyrus is counting points. He's going to win this battle and flush you to death, so you better give up now before you regret it. You bet you'll give up! Gyftmas Eve, you have the same score. Gyftmas day is going to be a war.
Underswap Sans - He's a blushing mess, but also, you swear you saw him running under the mistletoe, screaming that he has to kiss you now, sounding so excited. He's far from running away from the tradition and he will gladly find all the mistletoes you hid away and have his kisses for this well-done task.
Underswap Papyrus - He turns bright orange every time it's happening, unable to look you in the eyes. He can't stop purring and he thinks it's so embarrassing. He's just so happy to have this much attention during December. It's like his favorite period ever and he will insist you keep on with the tradition all January because why should Gyftmas be only one month, that's boring.
Underfell Sans - He cleverly cleans all the mistletoe during the night so you don't get him during the day. Too bad he's really bad at finding it and he gets tricked every day by your hiding skills. Don't tell him you understood he was the one taking off the mistletoe so you put it back in the morning, he's going to pout. He's so frustrated, but he's no chicken so he kisses you anyway. But don't get the wrong idea, he's clearly not defeated yet!
Underfell Papyrus - Oh come on! That's cheating! Why your mistletoe is always working but never his? You think you're so much better than him? He'll show you how good he is! He can be a serial kisser as well! He's going to ruin your little prank by kissing you even more and then you'll crawl at his feet begging him to tell you how he managed to get you every time! You're not going to defeat him like that, he is the Great and Terrible Papyrus! You can't stop laughing at his tantrums every time you get him. Edge is so mad.
Horrortale Sans - You all have a headache because now, every time Oak sees you, he's purring like a tractor to have a kiss. He doesn't care there is no mistletoe anymore, he just realized he has free kisses this month and he wants to get as much as he can, even if it means he has to purr like a pneumatic drill all month. Willow is judging you so much for this.
Horrortale Papyrus - He gasps loudly every time he spots a mistletoe, as he knows what is coming. You then have the pleasure to see his face turn bright red as he's shifting awkwardly, blushing more and more as you get closer. The first times are fine. At the end of the month, it's just attempted murder. Willow is on the verge of crying every time you got him. Please, he loves to be showered with kisses, but he's begging you: that's too much now! He can't take it anymore!
Swapfell Sans - He rolls his eyes at you every time, but you suspect he likes that more than he lets one because when he finds a mistletoe and you're not around, he's so disappointed lol. And after that, he comes to find you to claim his kiss pretending you're going to get annoyed if he doesn't play your silly little game. Yeah, sure. That's probably that, right.
Swapfell Papyrus - He's going to ruin your game by always putting something between the two of you when you're trying to kiss him. It can be Edge's cat, an old sock, a pillow, his feet somehow, a rubber chicken, and even a chicken mc nugget once. God, you hate him so much! Rus loves your game though, he's never running out of new ideas to destroy your hopes.
Fellswap Gold Sans - He hisses every time you kiss him, but he's not trying to get away. It's just an angry hiss for his reputation, but you know he secretly likes this. He's a blushing mess and he sometimes even loses his words after you did that. He's too proud to accept he's enjoying this. Now get off his face this instant!
Fellswap Gold Papyrus - What do you mean only one kiss?! That's unacceptable! He wants more! He's going to cover the house in mistletoe so you can't do anything but kiss him all day long. Please, he needs attention. Give the boy more attention! He's begging you! It's December, you should give him even more attention!
Mafiatale Sans - You want to get him dirty like that? That's too easy. He's going to make you struggle to get to him by trapping the house with lame magic tricks to give you hints of where to find him for your kiss. But... Uh... He's not as talented as his brother with puzzles and traps and one out of two doesn't work so that's a bit embarrassing. You end up tearing the whole house to find him, not caring if he's not happy about you cheating. You're gonna get your kiss!
Mafiafell Papyrus - He stares at the mistletoe like it insulted his family on twenty generations every time you tricked him into this. He won't run away, he's too proud of this, but he's not happy you managed to trick him this easily. Added to that, you won't stop calling him the Grinch because he doesn't like Gyftmas all that much and that's pissing him off even more. Why would you do that to him? You lucky he saw you're going to gift him a new gun at Gyftmas because he wouldn't do it otherwise lol. That's how he's nice.
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tiredofthehumanlife · 27 days ago
Text
Coryo and the tambourine player sitting in a tree
Barbie dolls: peacekeeper!Coriolanus Snow x gn!Covey!reader
Word: 5.4k
Summary: Before the Games Lucy Gray says Coriolanus would get along great with one of her cousins and he finds out exactly what she meant when he meets you
Warnings: two whole songs in here pal, the first one is Theatre by Etta Marcus second is All I Want is You by Barry Louis Polisar, and now no bullying on the song choices okay bc I said so, also you now play tambourine and guitar and can sing you're a triple threat, Coriolanus turnz simp, and I won't take it back I like it on him, him and Lucy Gray are just besties now btw, alluding to you having days where you can't do anything now is it mental illness or disability idk you tell me, you kiss and call him lover boy far too frequently, you eat southern slang up so fucking much they should get you a horse and herd of cows atp, yeah that's it
Maybe Peacekeeping wasn’t the best job but it did have its ups. For one he got to talk to Lucy Gray. He remembered back in the Capitol she mentioned how one of her cousins would love him. She went on about how they would work together ‘like flower and honey bee, tree and leaves, winter and snow, wink and nod, seed and pod-‘. Lucy Gray went on and on until Coriolanus lost track of all the words but he understood the message. Apparently, he and this mystery cousin of hers would get along great. 
Of course that was a while ago and he was sure he had changed since then. He wasn’t so positive if Lucy Gray still thought that. Coriolanus had already seen Lucy Gray and the rest of the Covey on stage. He met them backstage with Sejanus and was so glad to reconnect with another friend after the mess the Games were. Lucy Gray told him he had to come to the next show next Saturday. She said she had a surprise lined up for him. 
Obviously, he came. Firstly he would get to spend time with his friends again and he’d get to find out what this surprise was. He thought it was kind of silly because the show was going as it normally did. Maude Ivory stepped up on her wooden crate and started introducing everyone again. The crowd cheered as usual. As usual Tam Amber on mandolin, Clerk Carmine on fiddle, Barb Azure on bass, and Lucy Gray with her guitar. Coriolanus didn’t understand how on earth this was different from any other night until he noticed Maude Ivory hadn’t stepped down from her box. 
“And finally after a quick break, welcome back our very own tambourine player-“ Maude Ivory called out a name he hadn’t heard before, pointing her hand out at the curtain. A loud jingling came from behind the curtain and then as it was pushed back you were revealed.
If every student in the academy’s beauty was combined it couldn't shine a light on you. You had your hand held above your head and in it was a crescent-shaped instrument Coriolanus had never seen before. It had little silver circles inside of it. He liked the sound it made but it was definitely new to him. You waved to the crowd as you stood next to Barb Azure. The crowd seemed louder than it had been with the other band members, but he supposed that they didn’t see you last weekend. 
Coriolanus had decided to sit closer to the stage today, all because of Sejanus' complaints. Now he was grateful he did that because he wanted a closer look at you. You smacked your instrument against your hand and your thigh. He liked how it intermingled with the other sounds of the band. You were very pretty. You joked around with the rest of the band, laughing along at the jokes Lucy Gray made in the audience. Your smile was so captivating he wondered why you chose music instead of modeling. The Covey moved through lots of songs, all making the drunken crowd sing along. As the night was winding down, Lucy Gray stepped back from the mic and kicked Maude Ivory’s crate to the stand. Maude Ivory stepped up and spoke into the mic. 
“Okay, we’re a few songs out from the end of the night. Please be kind to our Somber Soul. They love sad songs so just settle down and listen with your heart.” Maude Ivory said, sticking her hand back at you again. You and Lucy Gray traded instruments. You slipped your head and arm through the strap of her guitar. Lucy Gray took your crescent instrument and headed behind the curtain. Maude Ivory dropped down from her crate and left the microphone stand open for you. You readjusted the strap on your shoulder, running your fingers on the flowers and Lucy Gray’s initials embroidered on it. You stepped up to the mic and greeted the crowd. 
“Hey, you miss me?” You asked. The crowd let out whines and screams of ‘yes’s. You snorted at them. “Yeah thought so.” You turned your head to the side and started plucking the string and fiddling with the pegs on top. 
“Yeah, last Saturday was one of my bad days.” You said. The crowd made a sad sound and you smiled at it. “But I’m here now, that’s all that matters right? Once somebody told me the best thing to do is just finish one task each day. Hm? Today my task is to make a memorable night for you.” You chuckled at the screams of excitement. 
“There is one thing I need to ask of you. Is that alright with you?” You asked. Coriolanus noticed he felt soothed by your voice. Something about it made his anxiety slip from his shoulders. The crowd all let out strings of agreement. 
“For this song, I’m going to need three of you resting on a bucket to let Tam Amber borrow them. You’ll get them once I’m done with the song, I promise.” You said. A woman stood up quickly, forking over her dirty plastic bucket. You reached down and thanked her with a bright smile. Coriolanus was glad he sat so close to the edge of the stage. He was on his feet and sticking his bucket out for you before his brain could catch up. Your eyes moved to him and your smile flickered away like a suffocated candle. 
“Hey, I know you. You were in the-“ A third bucket tapped against your arm, distracting you. Your smile came back as fast as it had left. You thanked the man and took both his and Coriolanus’ buckets. You handed the three of the buckets to Tam Amber and moved back to the microphone. The three who had handed off their chairs leaned against nearby walls. 
“Thank you all for the chairs.” Your eyes glanced over at Coriolanus against the wall. You looked back out into the center of the crowd. “Sorry to say this won’t be a cheerful song. I love you all, but as lovely Maude said, I’m a bit of a somber soul. Okay, ready?” You turned your head back, looking at your bandmates. Tam Amber, Clerk Carmine, Barb Azure, and Mauve Ivory all gave you a short nod. You turned back to the microphone stand. 
“Here we go.”  The crowd quieted, knowing your song was approaching. You started strumming a gentle tune. The Covey behind you started harmonizing with you. Maude Ivory added humming and ‘ooo’s as supporting sounds. Tam Amber started tapping against the buckets with sticks. You sucked in a breath before leaning for the microphone. 
I rehearse a work of theatre for you
Come alive 
I’ll play dead tonight, I’ll remember each line
Go again, I won’t mind you, I would fake it every time
I could stop pretending, quit dreaming and
Turn on the lights 
I am holding on to 
Every word I made up for you 
I’m not flesh, I’m not blood
I am plastic, you are God
Your words were slow and gentle. Coriolanus thought of a brisk breeze shuffling leaves above his head. Your singing was captivating and Maude Ivory’s backup vocals added to your appeal. You had a soft smile gracing your lips as you sang. You sounded like you were whispering messages from the clouds. Then the music around you started to pick up its pace. Tam Amber beat his buckets faster and your voice got louder. Your smile was gone. 
I wanna be loved, I wanna be loved
Like right out of a movie where I sweep you up
I wanna be loved, I wanna be loved
Like right out of a movie where I am the star
Yes, I’ll be the star
You moved more than Lucy Gray did when she sang. You jerked your body around like all the emotions you were singing about were pent up under your skin and the only way to get it out was to move with your words. Your voice was loud and hurt. Your words dripped with your yearning and Coriolanus felt like the crowd was as taken aback as he was. Just as fast as the loud had come it dispersed again. It was like the ocean receding and then washing back over him. You were back to lightly smiling and Tam Amber was back to his slow tapping. 
I’ll put on a show and watch it with you
Touch my thigh
You sank your body into itself to mimic neediness. You pinched your eyebrows and looked like if you weren’t singing you’d be whining away like a kicked puppy begging your pets. You straightened up and returned your face to neutral. 
I could blush, I’m so shy, rest your head on my side
You fluttered your eyelashes and paused your strumming for a split second to tip your hand under your chin, smiling pretty at the crowd. Your hand was back on the strings, flying away. 
We could stay in my mind, we could be what we like
With that line, the fast was back again and Tam Merry was beating away at his buckets. Your voice was powerful with its sadness and frustration. Your hands were fast as lightning on the guitar strings. Coriolanus wondered if you’d bleed. 
I wanna be loved, I wanna be loved 
Like right out of a movie where I sweep you up
I wanna be loved, I wanna be loved
The loud music continued and Coriolanus felt like he was being whisked away. 
Call me “Baby” 
Your voice and pain hung in the air, holding notes that made Coriolanus’ heart squeeze. 
When you forget my name, I’m just glad that you came
The pain in your voice seemed to triple as you dragged your voice through your line. Coriolanus jotted down in his mental notepad to commit your name to memory. He would not cause you to pour your heart out to a group of drunken strangers like this. For someone so pretty as you he hated whoever sparked these emotions under your skin. Your breaths are quick, sucking in deeply to have enough supply to hold your notes in your next words. 
Call me “Baby” 
Let me die on the stage, Let the orchestra play
Coriolanus wondered what made your pain was so strong you wanted to die in public. Maybe so you’d feel like you’d have mourners. He didn’t know who the orchestra was or if it was a metaphorical orchestra. Every instrument other than your voice dropped out of the background, falling into silence. 
Let the orchestra play
 
Your voice stood still in the air. You peeled your eyes open and looked around at the crowd. It was silent. Your chest heaved up and down as you caught your breath. You pulled your hands away from the guitar, searching the eyes of the drunks around you for a symbol of approval. The Covey members behind stayed still as statues as their song was met with silence. Coriolanus assumed this was the first time this happened to them. He was sure the crowd was just too drunk to process all of that was thrown at them. Coriolanus barely had a sip.
He pushed himself off the wall and started clapping. Your eyes shot to him and flickered up and down, sizing him up. He kept the smile that grew from listening to your voice on his face, raising an eyebrow at you. You set your shoulders back and lifted your chin, looking away from him. A clap on the other side of the room joined him and you looked toward that one instead.
Soon enough everyone in the crowd was clapping and cheering. The smile was back on your face and you moved back to the microphone. You thanked the crowd before slipping away backstage. You and Lucy Gray joined the stage a few minutes later with your original instruments. The Covey played through a few more songs before disappearing behind the curtain together. 
Coriolanus and Sejanus were able to slip away from the group without anyone noticing. Coriolanus felt anxiety stir in his stomach at the thought of finally meeting you. During the show, you didn’t seem to like him very much. You side-eyed him and looked like you wanted to stab him for most of the time you saw him. His anxiety settled a little when he heard the soothing noises that came with being around the Covey: chatter, laughter, and soft tunes.
He and Sejanus let themselves into the garage, taking in the group. The Covey was scattered around in different seats. You were sat in a tire like a circular pool floaty. Lucy Gray was next to you shaking a jar of water at you. Sejanus slipped off to play a game with Maude Ivory as Coriolanus headed towards you and Lucy Gray. 
“Just take it.” Lucy Gray demanded, shaking the jar at you again. 
“I will later, I’m trying not to think right now. I’m just not going to move for the next few minutes.” You said, dropping your head back in a position that did not look comfortable. Lucy Gray groaned and looked up. She smiled at Coriolanus. 
“Hey, How’d you like the show?” Lucy Gray asked. Coriolanus tilted his head from side to side. You peeked your eyes open and startled at a new person standing so close to you. You shot your hand up and smacked it against Lucy Gray’s stomach. She sighed and helped pull you off the floor, dusting off the back of your clothes when she noticed them covered in dust. You shooed her hands away and met Coriolanus’ eyes. He decided you were prettier in person than on stage. 
“I know you. You were in the Games.” You said. Lucy Gray nodded and started talking before Coriolanus could. 
“He was my mentor, he basically was the only reason I made it out of there.” Lucy Gray explained. You stared at Coriolanus for a moment. He felt judged and quite bare without his uniform. 
“Well, I didn’t do much. I just-“ Your arms flung around him before he could finish the sentence. Your hold was tight. His chin was pulled over your shoulder and he could see Lucy Gray behind you. Lucy Gray motioned for him to hug back. He gently patted your back awkwardly with the tips of his fingers. 
“Thank you. For saving her.” You whispered in his ear before pulling away completely and taking a step back. You straightened your clothes and looked around like you were the most nonchalant person on the planet. 
“Yeah well I’m sure there were plenty of other people who helped Lucy Gray in there, so it’s not really that big of a deal.” You said, clearing your throat and pretending tears hadn’t been clogging the back. Coriolanus chuckled and looked to Lucy Gray to find her enjoying your act as well. 
“You were great out there, by the way. Your song was-“ Coriolanus searched his mind for the words and felt like he had blanked. 
“Disappointing?” You tried to finish. 
“Moving,” Coriolanus said, raising an eyebrow at you like a teacher does at a student when they said an answer that is incredibly wrong. 
“Moving you to disappointment?” You asked, smiling through your words. It wasn’t even funny but something about you made him laugh. A lot. Whatever you said, if there was a smirk on your face, he was chuckling or snorting. And you seemed to smile a lot while you talked. Lucy Gray smiled and pointed between you and Coriolanus. 
“Told you.” She rang out in a sing-song voice. “I knew you two would get along.” Lucy Gray was beaming like her evil plan was coming to fruition. Coriolanus thought back to her talking about her mysterious cousin. 
“What did you say again? Like bees to flowers, a wink to a hug?” Coriolanus said, glancing between you and Lucy Gray. Lucy Gray shook her head at Coriolanus. 
“Like flower and honey bee, tree and leaves, winter and snow-“ Lucy Gray started. You gasped and your hand smacked her forearm. 
“Like the song?” You asked, eyes searching her face. Coriolanus felt lost and was certain the Covey must know a billion songs because he had no idea what you two were talking about. 
“Yes, like the song.” Lucy Gray answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. You looked back to Coriolanus shaking your head in amazement apparently. 
“Love that song.” You muttered. Coriolanus shook his head. He was completely lost. He truly wished he knew all the songs the Covey did so he could join in on their amazement with such simple things. 
“Never heard it. Is it good?” Coriolanus asked. You dropped your jaw and sucked in a deep breath. 
“You’ve never heard it?” You asked, apparently so stunned you needed to pull your jaw off the floor. Coriolanus shook his head. 
”Nope Never.” he muttered, glancing at Lucy Gray for help. A new expression pulled over your face and Coriolanus felt his face warm. Something about the way your eyes moved over his face made him feel hot to the touch. 
“I guess I’ll have to play it for you sometime.” You whispered. He nodded. 
“Guess so.” Coriolanus hoped all his unspoken words about the way you were making him feel with just your eyes were in his tone when he responded. By the way your lips tipped up, he suspected the message was received. 
“Alright we need to start heading home, and you need to make it back to the base before curfew.” Lucy Gray said. Coriolanus nodded and started leaving with Sejanus. When they were a few paces away he heard your voice yelling after him. 
“See you later, Mr. Peacekeeper!” He snorted without even seeing your face, just knowing you were beaming made him laugh. Coriolanus glanced over his shoulder to see you waving goodbye. He raised a hand and gave you a small wave, nothing compared to your obnoxious swaying. He looked back at Sejanus to him smiling at Coriolanus knowingly. 
“What?” Coriolanus asked, already feeling defensive. Sejanus shrugged. 
“Oh, nothing just you know. ‘Guess so’.” Sejanus mocked Coriolanus’ voice and batted his eyelashes at him. Coriolanus shoved Sejanus away by his shoulder. “You just met. They sang more words than they said to you.” Sejanus pointed out. Coriolanus shrugged. 
“Well. Like flower and honey bee.” Coriolanus repeated Lucy Gray’s words without fully knowing what they meant but he was pretty sure he used it right. Sejanus rolled his eyes and leaned his weight against Coriolanus. Certainly, he had taken a few swings from a bottle of white liquor tonight. 
“Coryo and the tambourine player sitting in a tree,” Sejanus said in a sing-song voice, tilting his head this way and that. Coriolanus shook Sejanus off his shoulder. 
The more time Coriolanus spent with the Covey the more he understood what Lucy Gray meant. Somehow you and him moved in a magnetic way. He wouldn’t even think and he’d find himself standing next to you.
Conversation between you two was as easy as breathing was, for a non asthmatic. Coriolanus didn’t think about the best words or phrasing he just wanted to make you laugh.
You made him laugh so easily, that you even coaxed a strong laugh with his full chest from him when you retold a story about Shamus within the third day of talking to him. It took much longer for him to get a laugh from you. Towards the end of the fifth day, he was able to make you laugh so hard that you snorted like the happiest pig on the farm. You looked as shocked as him when it happened, slapping a hand over your mouth. Coriolanus started to laugh with you, rocking his body towards you. He held onto your shoulder as doubled over with laughter. His laugh spurred another snort from you and slapped a second hand over your mouth. 
Only a few more days after that, he was more than positive he knew what Lucy Gray meant. He could think of nothing but you and all he wanted to do was sit and speak with you.
While sitting on the bank of the lake, the rest of the Covey and Sejanus in the water splashing about, he asked for a kiss. He wasn't sure if he could imagine a bigger smile on your face.
You slipped your hand behind his neck and pulled him into a kiss. He wasn't sure if he ever wanted to do anything else again. Your lips were warm and made him sigh against you. Coriolanus leaned forward and tried to chase after your lips when you pulled back.
You heard a boo from the lake and you rolled your eyes at Barb Azure. You leaned back into Coriolanus, kissing him with more urgency to prove a point. And for the enjoyment of kissing him. Coriolanus slowly settled back into the dirt, letting you lean over him and kiss him silly. He let his hand push you closer to him by the back of your neck. You nipped at his bottom lip and he hummed. 
“Oh break it up, you two! There's kids here!” You heard Lucy Gray yell. You pulled away from Coriolanus, sitting back in your spot. Coriolanus stayed lying down, almost positive he was dead and in the afterlife. He kept his eyes shut and decided his home was now this patch of dirt. You’d come by once in a while and kiss him before disappearing again. He’d wait patiently for you to come back.
You reached over and lightly smacked his chest with the back of your hand. He startled and sat up on his elbows. 
“Alright?” You asked. He stared at you, taking it all in. Coriolanus kept his eyes on you, not wavering and not thinking of the friends and family playing a game in the lake a few feet away. 
“Kiss me again?” Coriolanus asked, his eyes wide and begging. You pressed your lips together and tilted your head to the side. 
“I suppose, but only if you come to our next show.” You said. Coriolanus shrugged. 
“I can manage that, though I am a busy man. I’d have to squeeze it into my very busy schedule-“ You cut him off by leaning forward and pressing your lips to his. Coriolanus would grin if his mouth wasn’t busy because his yammering worked in his favor. You pulled back far too soon for his liking but he accepted it. 
A few days later he was perched on a crate again, watching the Covey on stage. Towards the end Maude Ivory stepped up to the microphone, saying you had a song you wanted to share. You and Lucy Gray traded instruments again. Coriolanus got Deja vu as you took place at the microphone stand. You started plucking the strings again like you were learning where they were again. 
“A few weeks ago my cousin told me I needed to meet this guy. She said she knew we’d click real fast. Said our tickers were made in the same factory and all that.” The crowd awed and Coriolanus felt his heart skip a beat at the thought of you talking about him. Though he once again got lost in the strange words the Covey seemed to fancy. The fuck was a ticker and why was it made in a factory? The crowd understood it though, swaying into each other to touch their hearts. 
“And I thought she was off her rocker. And then I met him and I was like, well butter my ass and call me a biscuit. He was finer than a frog hair split four ways and he could make me cackle like a hyena. And lord what a fire he set on my skin with his gentle touches.” You kept a soft tune plucking in the background of you talking. Coriolanus wanted to write down all the phrases he didn’t know and ask you the meanings backstage but something told him he’d just want to kiss your face all over after the show. The crowd made coos and you nodded. 
“That’s what I said.” The crowd chuckled and you continued speaking. “He’s here tonight. That lover boy just needed a little sugar and there he came running for the Hob. Give our Lover boy a round of applause will you?” You raised your hand in the air like it was a great excitement to clap. The crowd apparently thought so because they burst into applause. He had to keep his anonymity so he clapped along. Up on the stage you glanced over at him and laughed at the loud crowd before rounding them back to slow chatter with your voice. 
“Alright, alright. Don’t spoil him too much, that’s my job.” Coriolanus snorted. It wasn’t funny but you said it so it might as well have been. 
If I were a flower growing wild and free 
“This song is dedicated to him tonight. Though sing along if you know the words.  So as Lovely Lucy Gray said ‘like flower and honey bee, tree and leaves, and so on and so forth’.” You shook your hand out in front of you to show the continuing list. 
All I'd want is for you to be my sweet honey bee
And if I was a tree growing tall and green
All I'd want is for you to shade me and be my leaves
Your voice stood alone, with no instruments behind it. When you finished saying leaves, your bandmates joined in. Lucy Gray was fine on the tambourine but had nothing on you. Coriolanus decided he loved this song. You dedicated it to him after all. 
If I were a flower growing wild and free
All I'd want is for you to be my sweet honey bee
And if I was a tree growing tall and green
All I'd want is for you to shade me and be my leaves
Coriolanus knew where part of Lucy Gray’s words came from. He did like this song. It screamed devotion and he wanted to scream it back at you. Maybe your tinkers were suited from the same cord, what was it? Tracker? Thinker? Tadpole. That’s it. Yeah tadpole.
All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side?
All I want is you, will you stay with me
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea?
Coriolanus wanted you to look at him so he could smile so pretty at you, that you go blind. You swayed back and forth as you sang and the crowd started to pick up the movement. Coriolanus started swaying with you, wishing it was just you two so he could dance with you. 
If you were a river in the mountains tall
The rumble of your water would be my call
If you were the winter, I know I'd be the snow
Just as long as you were with me when the cold winds blow
All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side?
All I want is you, will you stay with me
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea?
Coriolanus decided he was going to have the rest of the Covey teach him this song so he could sing it to you over and over and over and over until you were heading for the dirt in pretty boxes. You finally glanced over at him and your smile grew when you saw him swaying and grinning like a 13-year-old who just got their first allowance. The crowd started to sing. The voices of the Covey swaying together in the air with the drunk audience. It sounded like a mantra. 
If you were a wink, I'd be a nod
If you were a seed, well, I'd be a pod
If you were the floor, I'd wanna be the rug
And if you were a kiss, I know I'd be a hug
Coriolanus wanted to join in and feel the words vibrate in his chest. He knew nothing though, he had caught on to the tune so he started humming it. He would stumble sometimes but it still made him feel included.
All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side?
All I want is you, will you stay with me
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea?
This was the easy part. He muttered a few of the words before going back to his humming when he fumbled too many times to feel confident. 
If you were the wood, I'd be the fire
If you were the love, I'd be the desire
If you were a castle, I'd be your moat
And if you were an ocean, I'd learn to float
Coriolanus held onto Sejanus’ shoulders, sure he was going to faint with an overflow of care for you. They swayed in time with the crowd and The Covey. You looked over at them and sent Coriolanus a wink. Right, that’s it then. He’s fainted for sure. Alas, your tune went off and his legs still held him up. 
All I want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side?
All I want is you, will you stay with me
Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea?
Coriolanus could die right there and be more than happy about it. You moved back to the stand waving your hands in the air to get the crowd to quiet down. Your smile was still bright on your face, your eyes crinkling. 
The tune kept playing without words for a while, the crowd humming along before it died out. You held your hands up as a signal for you being done and the crowd cheered. You stepped back from the mic to clap. Your eyes floated over to him.
  Coriolanus cheered his head off. He thought he might lose his voice tomorrow morning. Or maybe it’d look suspicious that he cared so much about the Covey’s love songs but in that moment he didn’t care. It was just your eyes on him and his cheers ringing in your ears. He wanted to scream for an encore but the band looked tuckered out and that would definitely raise eyebrows. You laughed. Hard.
A snort floated over the heads of the audience like a blown kiss. It was headed directly for its intended receiver and no one else. You clapped your hands over your mouth and nose, trying to cover the noise that had already left. 
“Right, you guys think he got the message?” You laughed at the loud cheers. You nodded in approval. “I think so too.” Lucy Gray stood next to you at the microphone. You gently slipped the guitar off your body and onto hers, taking your tambourine from her. You shook it out a little like you were regaining your talent. A few more songs, none of which caught his attention like the one you sang did. He and Sejanus slipped into the garage like they did for almost every show they went to nowadays. 
Coriolanus found you standing next to Maude Ivory playing hopscotch, messing about with your tambourine. You looked up when you saw him out of the corner of your eye. He didn’t bother with greeting words, just dipping his head down to kiss you gently. You tapped your tambourine against his stomach, making a tinking sound. He pulled back and your hand found his dogtags resting on his chest. You fiddled with them as you stared at him. 
“You like the song?” You asked. The grin on his face was evidence enough that you knew he loved it. He knew you wanted to hear it in words though. He nodded. 
“Oh loved it doesn’t even start to describe how I felt listening to that. It was…” Awe-inspiring? Beautiful? Did his heart stop? Gorgeous? ”Moving.” he decided. Coriolanus hoped you caught the joke. Your smile grew and you snorted. 
“Moving you say? Lover boy, was that not you screaming your lungs out for little ol’ me?” You teased, tilting your head to the side. Coriolanus shook his head. 
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. You know you sure do have some strange sayings, I don’t even know what a lung is.” Coriolanus said, shaking his head like you were out of your mind. You grinned. You leaned against him and pressed your lips to his again.
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angelgoeslewd · 9 months ago
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Angel, hello, as you may have noticed I'm a slit for Wren and Landry so if i could request something with Wren Landry and Mickey like maybe a mission that requires the three of them or just play cards or maybe both like playing cards will talking about a mission, sorry if it's too loose just tell me and I'll try to add to it, thank you!
I was FEELING this one!!! the new dol update has me thirstin for Landry + Wren hardcore (and Whitney….. and Kylar…. but SHUSH.)
Wasn’t sure if you wanted this to be lewd or not so made it suggestive but open for more endings ;3 still an 18+ rating because of the game itself tho
enjoy!
⚠️ warnings: 18+ content, minors DNI!, the use of the c-slur, lots of suggestive flirting, open ending, GN!Reader, lots of swearing
🌟 this work is being REWRITTEN! check back for the completion check ✅ and a new story with extra content!
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ever since the new laws came into effect, your petty thievery seemed to have less and less… appeal.
your repeat offenses from before had your fingers too quick for any cops to actually gather hard evidence against you. there was nothing like the threat of being caught. would they put you in the stocks? would they punish you off the table? even their degradations did something to you that you couldn’t explain. the risk was high, even if the prize was mediocre. but Quinn was cracking down on the corrupt officials and honestly? it bored the hell out of you.
no longer was there a risk of any… hard justice. what little morals you had prevented you from diving too far into a life of true hard crime and the small acts of terror you did manage no longer paid off in terms of satisfaction. even messing with Whitney seemed more appealing than any small acts of crime around town now.
so here you sat, utterly bored out of your mind and tipsy off your ass (you might even be drunk out of sheer spite of Quinn himself, but you’d never admit that to anyone), the only patron allowed into the pub this early into the day. your sharp wit and constant theft had made you good friends with Landry, enough so that he rewarded you with access to the pub even when it was technically closed. sometimes it felt like he was the only man you felt really understood you.
(Robin was too innocent, Kylar idolized you too much, Whitney’s retribution had a weird tinge of softness now, and Sydney nagged too much about how you needed to change your character- too much too much toomuch.)
of course, even Landry’s understanding of you and what you desired was only an arm’s length, only reached so far under the surface that it was impossible to tell what you really wanted.
and that was your need. that never ending desire. the heat that pooled low in your stomach when you lifted something. endorphins swirling. how shaky your hands felt when they rushed through you, despite knowing your fingers were as calm and still as always.
you wished to be caught.
you wished to held against your will as you struggled and punished.
you wanted to see how his eyes somehow managed to sparkle and darken with absolute delight at your newest prize. you wished to be rewarded.
but… how could you even bring that up? the man was almost a decade older than you, if only that. how could he ever get that dark part of you? to see you in that sort of light, when you were eternally shrouded the dark cloud that loomed over this town.
it was why you were even here, at his place of business. bitterly loitering around for some sort of thrill. a cat, pacing endlessly at the rat’s nest, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
but Landry was no rat, however. and you were more of a lap cat playing tiger. you know this.
your face soured at the thought. ridiculous. your need was going too far this time, maybe due to the fact you no longer had any outlet. and with that, you raised your finger for another shot — whiskey to damper the dullness of what your every day life had become thanks to fucking Quinn and his idealistic political agenda.
“Hey, kid.”
You heard Landry’s call, and despite the little worm in your brain aching to ignore it, you raised your messy head from the bar’s countertop and stared at him in response. his hazel eyes looked concerned as he ran them over your face, most likely catching on the dark circles under your eyes; it was nothing more than a slight wrinkle of the forehead to indicate such, but you knew him well enough at this point to know his tells. he was worried. “Don’t ya think that’s enough? I mean… it’s still so early.”
your brow raised at the man, a scoff erupting from your throat. you pointedly ran your own eyes over him. typical bartender, thinking they knew what ails you, polishing a pint glass, but you knew what those rough hands were capable of. you had seen what passed through them and goddamn, you were fucking jealous of those musty old jewels. “You’re complaining about me spending money…? At your place of business? Who are you and what have you done with Landry, ‘he who doesn’t ask questions’?”
despite his concern, he barks a laugh, his face relaxing at your humor. Landry sets down the glass behind the counter and picks up another. “No,” he states, very simply, quickly turning the wet crystal in his toweled hand. “I’m complaining about your appearance.”
“Not fit to be seen in your be- bar?” you hiccup, hoping your inebriation hides the slip of your tongue.
“Not in the slightest.” His eyes flicker back up to you, taking in your state once again. “You just seem… off, yeah?”
You don’t really know what to say to him then; like him, everything with you costs a price. You both stare at each other for a moment, silent.
It’s a challenge.
It’s a game.
It’s the most thrilling experience you’ve had all day.
and you hate it. emotionally held hostage by the man you want have a clean slate with. but without payment, you weren’t budging. Bailey had at least taught you that resolve.
so like any brat would do, you spit back, “I asked for fucking whiskey.”
Landry rolls his eyes.
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you once again find yourself in an empty bar, late this time, after everyone has been kicked out by the owner himself. everyone except for you. it’s almost like deja vu. your head slumped against the counter, Landry washes glasses yet again (how boring being a bartender must be, you think, no wonder he’s gotta get his rocks off with fencing.)
“Bailey’s gonna be worried.”
your head shoots up this time, a look of incredulous disbelief smeared across your features. “Bailey?” you ask, huffing a laugh. “Please. The man could not give less of a shit about any of us.”
Landry himself seems as calm as ever, not even bothering to look your way. but you don’t base anything off of that. you yourself do it all the time.
he shrugs, “He’s called a couple times, looking for ya.”
“He’s making sure I’m not dead in a ditch somewhere so he can properly balance his ledger,” you say bluntly, picking up your glass and taking a swig. your voice is raspy when you begin again, “Besides, if he cares so much, he can come look for me himself.”
“Don’t say that.”
you’ve looked away from Landry when you feel it. the tension that lines the air. the shift of the mood to something dark and heavy. it’s so sudden that you turn your head back to him; the water is running, but his hands are still in the sink as he gazes down into it. “I don’t like you thinking like that,” he says softly. you blink a couple of times, wondering where the hell this is coming from, open your mouth to reply, but you don’t get anything out before he starts again, “Look, something’s the matter with ya, and if you don’t want to tell me, fine. But that’s no reason to do- this-!” he gestures at you, haphazardly. “It bothers me seeing ya like this. You used come in here with a spring in your step and pawn off whatever goodies you’ve gotten those pretty little hands on, throw a few punches, then disappear like you got somewhere to be. So what’s going on? Boyfriend dump ya? School stressing you out? Fuckin’- get it off your chest or something, stop acting like a wet cat and-”
“I thought you didn’t want me to tell you. Thought you didn’t care.” The smirk on your face is there to piss him off. If one of your skills was spitting back at any blessings thrown at you, you’d be a master at it. And it works. Landry looks downright offended at you when-
when he laugh? he’s laughing. at you. your smirk turns into a pout.
“‘m sorry, doll,” he manages, “I didn’t- I’m not laughing at you- I- I just love that about ya. Always trust ya to be a little brat.”
“Yeah… well.” Landry continues to bubble with laughter, wiping away fake tears from his eyes.
“And- and as a side note, never said I didn’t care- just knew I had to push you a bit to find out more.”
“You are such a fucking asshole.”
“No wonder we work so well together, huh?” he says, a toothy smile growing wider by the second, “The cunt and the asshole. A perfect system.” Landry turns off the water, drying his hands and making his way to stand in front of you. there’s so much about this conversation you don’t want to dissect. an uncomfortable feeling of standing on ground that you don’t know will hold. why is he doing this to you? playing with your goddamn emotions, like he knows. he can’t fucking know, you’re sure of it. there’s no possible way. but the way he’s looking at you now. proud. that look in his eyes the same you saw when you got your hands on that microchip, but now he’s looking at you.
isn’t this what you wanted?
you don’t know.
“So… you gonna tell me? Or do I gotta buy you another drink?”
“You own the place. That doesn’t count.”
“You askin’ me out?”
you choke on your drink. fucker.
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“Hey.”
you stare at your phone. after last time, you expected things to go back to being a little more normal between you and Landry. he got what he wanted. finally able to pull out your disillusion with life. yeah, you knew he could feel you were hiding more than you let on, but he didn’t push any farther than that, nodding while you spoke, letting you vent your grievances with Quinn and his stupid fucking town. it was kinda nice, to get it off your chest. but you were positive nothing would come about it. Landry was just a friend, you reminded yourself. a good friend.
“Who the hell said you could call me on this phone?”
Always up to your level, a crackling laugh came through the speaker. “I did,” he said. “Now listen- I think I got a way to cure that little bug of yours.”
You were intrigued. “Uh huh.”
“Come by the bar tomorrow. 8am. You were probably already plannin’ to but I want you there sharp, ‘kay?”
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you showed up at 8:15.
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“There they are!” Landry’s voice seem to echo across the bartop, booming through the empty pub as if through a speaker. He stood to greet you, with arms open as if expecting a hug. You begrudgingly gave him one.
“Why am I here.”
“Aren’t you usually?” it’s a unfamiliar, bored tone that has you looking over Landry’s shoulder, landing on a thin boy, who looks not much older than you, black roots that melting into wild electric blue hair, choppy and chin length. he’s wearing a black and grey hoodie, slumped back in a bar chair, thin fingers clasped around an equally blue drink. he looks at you, expressionless, and his eyes surprise you. they’re bright yellow. cat-like and gleaming. those lithe fingers raise the glass to his lips, sipping it, and coughing just as quickly. “Fuck- Landry! I fucking hate this shit, you know that!”
“Hey now,” comes the smooth purr of a unrecognizable voice. the owner was a man who’s face was obscured by a dark cowboy hat, tipped just so that his eyes were hidden from your gaze, he was draped over the chair, like a sweater that had been forgotten and sat casually enough to feel like such, easily blending in to his surroundings despite the bar being empty. he held a highball glass filled with golden liquid, swirling it around, making the metal accents of his outfit clink with every arm movement. “You be nice. Ol’ Landry’s already putting out with these free drinks, the promise of a fair game, and…” His hat suddenly lifted, his eyes piercing as he finally met your own. You felt very naked as they trailed down your body. “—some very nice company.”
You immediately turn to your hospitable host, whose arm is slung over your shoulder and hiss, “What the hell is this-!”
He just smiles, a bit apologetically, his eyes shifted away from you as he answers. Not a wonderful sign. “Just a… little get together. Some old friends-” A scoff erupted from the blue-haired boy, who still sipped on that god-awful colored drink.
“We’re gambling, darl’,” the cowboy stated, gesturing loosely at a stack of chips on the table.
Your eyebrows knitted as you blinked, mouth parted, but for once in your bratty life, you felt… speechless. The bar owner’s arm is slightly tensing and relaxing around your neck and that’s when you realize —
That’s when you turn to him, letting his arm drop between you two, and lower your eyes to the floor shyly —
Your voice, a whisper, to ensure the other two don’t hear, because you’re sure Landry wouldn’t like them catching onto this —
“You did this… for me…?”
Landry won’t look at you, his own gaze fixed onto the table as the cowboy reaches for the blue drink and the smaller man smacks his hand away. But his head gives a small tilt downwards, before it just as quickly tilts back up.
You don’t know what to say. He doesn’t either, judging by the way he sets and unsets his jaw.
“Come onnn,” The smaller one says, “Are you guys done whispering over there?” He fixes on you, “Done having daddy issues? Ready to get your ass kicked?”
The effect is immediate. “Yeah fucking right,” you bite back, moving to take the seat next to him. “You’re going to regret saying that when I bust your bank-!”
“I think he would rather you bust something else of his-”
“Shut the absolute HELL up, Wren! Like you weren’t undressing them 2 fucking seconds ago!”
Landry figures he should start the game before Mickey starts throwing stuff at Wren…
Again.
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(But you fit in so perfectly. You look so at peace, content with this thrill of adrenaline that he really couldn’t ask for much more. Even if it costs him another set of glassware.)
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basketballanonsblog · 11 months ago
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I'm a little nervous to post this because this is the first time I've written for Tzuyu. I dedicate this to @dinoooo-w who requested a Tzuyu one-shot (I hope you like it). It's just fluff
Synopsis: What's the best way to confess to your crush ?
Paper Trails
Power forward.
That was your position on the school's basketball team, something you prided yourself on.
It also boosted your popularity amongst your peers but for the past few months, there was only one person whose attention you longed for.
Chou Tzuyu.
She transferred at the beginning of the semester, and the first time you saw her, was painfully memorable.
You dribbled the ball before passing it to your teammate. Swiftly, you ran closer to the hoop, but your attention was stolen by the prettiest girl you had ever seen. Walking to the bleachers had never looked so good.
A minute later, it hit you that you were still playing. Literally hit you. The impact from the basketball knocked you back to reality. You weren't too disoriented, but some gathered to check if you were alright; effectively blocking your view of the person who unknowingly had a role in this commotion. Not that you were mad or anything, just curious.
Since then, it was difficult not to notice her. She sat a few places in front of you in most of your classes, and her presence was so magnetic. You could listen to her talk for hours, even if it was about algebra.
It became a dilemma after a week of losing sleep over her. No one had made you this giddy before.
Class had finished, you were almost out the door when you heard your name.
"Y/n, you dropped your pen." You spun so fast, you swore you got whiplash.
"You know my name?!"
"It's hard to forget the name of the person who got hit with a basketball." Tzuyu said no more and walked away.
Her tone was so dry, you couldn't tell if she was teasing you or not. Either way, that was your first interaction.
-x-
"I don't know man, what if it doesn't work?"
One of your teammates, Jeongyeon, suggested leaving a written compliment in her locker.
"What's the harm? She won't know it's from you, so you can play it cool. Besides, the team has agreed that we're sick of seeing you pining." The joke made you feel a little better.
Right, here goes nothing.
You slipped the paper in and left.
-x-
This went on for a month, and now again, you'd notice when she read the little notes you left her.
One day, in a bold move, you decided to ask her about them.
"A little birdie told me that a secret admirer is leaving you love notes."
Her lips curled up minutely.
"Yeah, they're cute, but honestly, I'm uninterested and throw them away after reading them."
Your heart sunk.
"Oh."
"Yeah...anyway, I'll see in you class y/n."
-x-
You missed again.
"Y/n! What is up with you today? You haven't made a single shot this afternoon!"
"Sorry, coach, I'm just having an off day." 
He sighed but didn't berate you further. With a big game next week, he understood the pressure that comes with it.
"Damn, she really got under your skin, huh?"
"I don't know what I was thinking, she's way out of my league."
"That's true." You didn't regret throwing a basketball at her.
"You know, Jeongyeon, you should really be nice to your captain, or else you'll end up doing extra push-ups."
"Empty threats don't work on me, young one. Anyway, I think you should write one more hand it to her directly, so she knows."
-x-
For some reason, you took her advice again.
You managed to catch her after school. You trembled a bit when you approached her.
"Tzuyu." The words flew out your head when she smiled at you. "This is for you." You practically shoved the paper into her hand before running away.
She opened it, and her smile grew.
I like you, will you go out with me?
Tzuyu knew exactly how to give you her answer.
-x-
"Ten seconds on the clock! Will y/n be able to make the shot in time?"
You were just a bit too far from the hoop, but you took the risk.
9
8
7
6
There was silence as the ball glided through the air.
5
4
3
2
1
"And it's in! What a victory for the last game of the season!"
Your team tackled you in a hug and then lifted you in the air since you scored the winning shot. Amidst the celebration, you locked eyes with Tzuyu, who waved at you.
You met her outside once you had showered and changed.
It was her turn to give you a piece of paper.
Yes.
P.S. I never threw them away, I knew it was you leaving notes in my locker. Your handwriting is distinct.
You looked back up at Tzuyu, who held her gaze on the ground.
How can someone be this adorable?
"I'm meeting the team for some pizza to celebrate. Do you want to join me?"
She reached for your hand and grinned.
"It's a date."
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old-stoneface · 1 year ago
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in later books its like clear that vetvimes is at a comfortable point like they arent really butting heads quite as much anymore, and vimes is just nastily loyal while vetinari dotes on his guard dog, but earlier books - the ones that i have become extremely obsessed with - are all about the tension. the tension. the defining feature of the tension is that its half power play and half sexual. vimes is frothing at the mouth with the promise of retaliation but he cant he cannot resist saving the patrician. he saves him all the time. he Wants to save him. and he cant figure out why. why does he save him?? vetinaris winding just works on him? sort of. yeah. it does. even when vetinari isnt aware hes doing it. vimes is pulled in so close to him while vetinari is twisting him up and wringing him out. the problem with their communication is vetinari hasnt fucking explained himself, and hes right not to, because if vimes understood vetinaris motivations then vimes wouldnt be as malleable. but vimes is angry because he doesnt understand. vetinari is inscrutable to him.
there is this constant question between vetinari and vimes of which one is the master - who is the servant of whom? you look at it surface level and think well vimes is vetinari's guard dog. but they have this mutual respect and trust that develops over a very long time. vetinari is unexpectedly emotionally affected by vimes' actions all the time, and he has no idea how to handle that, because vimes can surprise him. even after hes been patrician for so long, pulling all the strings. he sees something special in vimes, and he fosters it and feeds it and helps it grow, and then it turns around and holds vetinari in its jaws while vetinari still holds its leash - the threat of violence is there but the jaws never press down . theres never any true risk. its a game, its a dance, theyre like lovers..
vetinari doesnt see it as strictly romantic - he sees the tension as tension. he doesnt know the full extent of his power over vimes or what hes doing to him. i think vetinari has a very deep affection for vimes, but its not something that would control his response to vimes. he does let it show when hes rewarding him, though vetinari does have very good self control and discipline. vetinari engineers this tension between them, pulling vimes in very close before pushing him away (he isnt rejecting vimes. he is pushing him away), vimes gets obsessed with that feeling of danger and rebellion - the dynamic that allows them to bounce off each other and snap back like a rubber band - its easy to see how it can become something sexual for both of them. especially vimes with his addiction to danger. he isnt aware he can have those feelings. homosexuality is lost on vimes because hes spent years pushing it down and ignoring it - i personally think it was one of the reasons that he was an alcoholic - the world isnt nice to people who are different and vimes is very aware of that.
the catch and release and winding and unwinding is what gets him. its a thrill. hes addicted to the danger of vetinari, while vetinari has little regard for his feelings beyond being able to manipulate them at first. vetinari tries to keep it impersonal but he cant help it, not in feet of clay, not in jingo, and he doesnt understand himself why he has involuntary feelings of genuine concern for vimes either
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thyandrawrites · 1 year ago
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How do you think Reo would've treated Nagi if kunigirireo won the match and they picked him?
Good question 🤔 thank you for sending it over! I had fun playing around with the idea before I could come up with a response. I'm not too good at what if scenarios tho so take my thoughts on this with a grain of salt!
I think that winning Nagi back under those circumstances would exacerbate their miscommunication more than it would solve it, you know? Here's my reasoning for why.
A big factor in why Reo forgave Nagi in the NEL arc was not that Nagi chose him, per se, but that Nagi asked Reo along in Nagi's own dream. Reo's attitude until Nagi offers that is still fairly cold. He's not moved by Nagi needing him, or by his apologies, or by his compliments. It's specifically the fact that Nagi grew enough to develop his own aspirations, and that he wanted to share them with Reo just as much as Reo originally wanted to share his with Nagi. This, I believe, because Reo too matured enough in their time apart to recognize he basically forced his dream on Nagi instead of giving Nagi room to grow one on his own. 
Now, if they were to reconcile before that development… 
The main difference with the NEL arc is that it wouldn’t be Nagi asking Reo along, but once again Reo picking Nagi, and Nagi going with it. Of course, by this point Nagi at least has enough motivation to want to stay in blue lock, but flipping their positions to mirror their earlier stances negates the reciprocity that their bond had just acquired in the NEL arc. 
It also wouldn’t fully assuage Reo’s insecurities, imho. On the one hand, Reo would likely feel vindicated. He won Nagi back from Isagi, thus proving to himself that he deserves to stay at Nagi’s side more. Proving it to Nagi is a whole other matter. For that, given Reo’s perfectionism and sky-high standards, he would want Nagi’s approval from the man himself (oblivious to the fact he had it all along). Even more so after a win. He would want to be sure Nagi prefers him over Isagi, at the very least. However, I doubt Nagi would be very receptive. Since from Nagi’s pov his partnership with Reo is a given, and he was never looking for a replacement, he would not rise to meet Reo’s need for validation. 
So. They wouldn’t talk about it. Then I’d expect their soccer to get worse on top of that, too. 
Reo would go back to relying on Nagi's genius, and without the threat of elimination and giving up on his dream he wouldn't feel as compelled to develop his chameleon style. And Nagi would go back to relying on Reo’s creativity and revert from the growth his playstyle just had with Isagi. So their monster combo would actually get worse, without their respective soccer growth factoring in. 
my soccer meta on this: Nagi’s ego (or at least his motivation) isn't active but reactive. It sparks in response to a challenge that shakes off his boredom. Back in team V, Nagi was at his most apathetic when he was up against opponents much weaker than him and Reo combined, while his head was actually in the game when he met egoists that made him work for a victory. Isagi understood this side of him much better than Reo imho, what with them being the same in that respect. Nagi adapts well to Isagi's playstyle because Isagi is a monster constantly seeking stronger rivals to devour, and Nagis' ego thrives off that "excitement" too. Then, when he played with Isagi, Nagi was more involved in the game, more proactive. Whereas when he goes back to Reo, he mooches off Reo's own vision of a goal.
As for Reo, his real strengths lies in his dexterity as an allrounder and in his aptness at replicating highly specialized plays, both of which are skills he fully hones only to play a soccer that is at Nagi’s level of genius. With Nagi readily available, he would simply pass to him and never develop his chameleon style, the thing that drew Nagi back to him in the first place. 
Basically, by relying on Nagi too much, Reo would open up the chance of making his own playstyle too “boring” to sate Nagi’s newfound soccer curiosity. And by reverting to the role of Reo’s right hand man, dulling his own genius and his spark for the game, Nagi would exacerbate Reo’s belief that Nagi only ever tried hard for Isagi, and thus that Reo’s inferior to him. 
Of course, I might be wrong about this. Things could get better if Nagi still developed his dream of beating Isagi and if he still asked Reo along. But they could also get a lot worse if Reo misconstructed it as Nagi only having eyes for Isagi now, even after Reo “won him back”. With the added weight that without Reo’s chameleon style this time around, Nagi wouldn’t think their combo would be strong enough to beat his rival and thus wouldn’t seek Reo’s aid and prompt the conversation that leads up to their reconciliation 
I hope this makes sense! and thanks again for sending me such an interesting question!
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jayktoralldaylong · 9 months ago
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ACOTAR will always have the favouritism spot in my heart cause it was my first (and it didn't do as much damage - F you TOG 😭😭), but there were things that TOG did better.
1. The web that connected all the characters. That must have taken forever to plan and I loved it! Everything had to go according to plan, had to happen for a reason, and 36 different gods working together to direct and make sure every player in the game was exactly where they needed to be at the right time. Diabolical! 🤩🔥
2. The Villains. Omg THE. VILLAINS 🔥🔥🔥
In ACOTAR we had Amarantha and the King of Hybern. In Throne of Glass, it's Maeve and the King of Adarlan (Male villains do be lacking names but that works to make them even more terrifying.)
In ACOTAR everyone was terrified of those big two, they were a constant looming threat that no one could solve, but it started to feel like the idea of them was scarier than actually meeting them in person. Fighting them was pretty......underwhelming. The stakes were high of course but the defeat...kind of underwhelming I won't lie. No one really thinks about them anymore. Of course the scars of Amarantha linger deeply in Rhysand, Tamlin, Lucien, Feyre, but no one ever really talks about anything else that happened Under The Mountain. We witnessed the end of Amarantha's rule, understanding that she was a terrible person but never really fearing her. I have no problems with how Hybern died, the Hybern war just didn't give me the feeling I usually enjoy in conflict. Not nearly enough tension (No complaints though because TOG was a work built to give readers heart attacks and I'm not sure I could stand for going through that a second time. 💀💀).
The easy settle of everything is why ACOTAR is a comfort novel. I can read that and be comforted.....by the lukewarm villains, and the knowledge that everything is going to work out in the end.
But TOG VILLAINS OMG!!
The King of Adarlan was TERRIFYING!! And there was so much opportunity for him to be a flop.
We had him since Book 1, he is not a looming presence, he is something the characters occasionally interact with, he is Dorian's father. Yet somehow the more time we spent with him, the scarier he became. It also helped that Aelin had personal beef with him and she was scared of him which made the readers equally fear him. And when the shoe dropped and we finally got to witness his evil, it was heart shattering! Omg. The things he did. The marks he left on Chaol, Aelin and Dorian the most.
Then Maeve? Downplaying Maeve's evil was a genius play because by the time we understood all the shit she'd done.....my jaw hit the floor.
She really pulled an
"What if I told you NONE of this was ACCIDENTAL? And the first time that you saw me nothing was going to stop me! I laid the groundwork and then just like clockwork the dominos cascaded in a line! What if I told you I'm a mastermind?" 😏😏
Readers: 😳🤯
Maeve: "And now you're mine."😈🔥
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tadpole-apocalypse · 11 months ago
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Ok now that I’ve had a chance to play all the way through Morgan’s game to the epilogue and work on her story in my head, I’ve got some new ideas for how I intend the story and romance to proceed.
Act 1 - very early game
Morgan knew something was off about Astarion from the beginning. All of the other tadpoled brains in their party had minds that she could skim surface thoughts and feelings from to determine threats to herself. But her magic bounced off of him with no impressions...unless she uses her tadpole. But she's still getting used to being connected to a hivemind with all the others and can't go digging in his head with the finesse she is accustomed to; it's all clumsy and obvious and they can tell right away when the tadpole is being forcibly used to read into the other's mind. (And everyone gets mad when she tries)
Even without doing it deliberately they do still get impressions of the other’s thoughts and feelings over the mind link. And his seem normal to her considering their situation, except that she cannot use detect thoughts on him and it pisses her off.
When she caught him at her neck the third night, she forcibly used her tadpole on him because she thought she was about to be attacked. She saw and felt echos of what he felt, the pain of a never ending hunger, the disgusting slide of coagulated vermin blood down his throat and the barest amount of satiety it brought. The entire conversation he made himself as small and pathetic as he could and it worked on her; she pitied him.
To Astarion's delight, she knew nothing of vampires other than what she'd read in tawdry publications. She believed him when he said he would only need a little of her blood. He wasn't anything monstrous that she could see, just had peculiar diet needs. Now she understood he had a condition that prevented her from reading his mind and she was able to relax around him. The vampire thirsting for her blood.
(Shadowheart eventually has the vampire talk with her)
Astarion at this point thought Morgan was a naive idiot. For willingly offering her neck like the fools who showed up at Cazador’s front door begging for his dark gift, and while she didn’t go out of her way to help others, she could be swayed by the occasional sob story and then waylay them for days off on some unprofitable venture she swore would only be a trifle to deal with. He resented having to tag along to all of it, especially once they knew they had to stay in range of the artifact to keep their minds. He had to stay with this group because he’d lose himself either to the Absolute or to Cazador if he left on his own. And he had to get her on his side (in love with him would be even better).
He didn’t find her looks particularly attractive (he has elvish beauty ideals and also Cazador’s twisted beauty standards in his brain, he’s a dumb idiot bastard man) but her naiveté towards what he was was too enticing for him. And useful. She had experience being pursued by random men for sex and was stone faced to his usual sweet talk. But she still responded to his flirtations anyways and was eager to see if he lived up to his boasts about his sexual prowess, and then was pleasantly surprised to see that he did indeed. It was a welcome reprieve from the constant threat of death they faced each day, and he was nicer to her and bitched less about her decisions, at least to her face.
No one caught feelings yet, this was just depraved carnal lust as far as both are concerned, or at least what Morgan assumes is the case for him as well. She doesn’t know or pick up on his ulterior motives because she assumes his motivations are sex and blood. This early in the game he is still vague about his slavery and Morgan does not stop to really think about it; she assumes he was in some kind of shitty servitude arrangement; not a continuous, torturous hell he had no escape from.
She won’t really comprehend that until much later into Act 2 dealing with his scars.
Next part - Tiefling party, and Morgan’s sexuality thoughts 🤭
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stagehunt · 6 months ago
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some  quick  and  rambling  thoughts  about  2.2  that  are  actually  timely  for  once  yippee      *  only  talking  about  aven  centric  things  here  but  100%  come  scream  and  cry  with  me  about  everything + everyone  else  bc  i  am  still  totally  reeling 
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getting  my  biggest  concern  out  of  the  way  first,     aven’s  current  standing  with  the  ipc.  i  was  working  with  the  assumption  that  while  most  of  what  aven  did  in  penacony   ( his  scheming  in  order  to  smuggle  jade’s  cornerstone  into  the  family’s  territory  +  keep  his  own  on  his  person,   making  some  light  attempts  at  negotiation  with  the  family  to  ensure  there  was  not  a  simpler  course  of  action  that  the  ipc  could  take  before  things  started  to  get  chaotic,   messing  with  the  auctioned  items  &  econ  etc )   all  went  very  smoothly  in  accordance  with  a  pre-approved  plan,   but  that  luring  acheron  out  to  confront  him  was  a  decision  he  made  on  the  fly  that  only  ratio  was  fully  aware  of  /  alternatively  figured  out  on  his  own  before  it  actually  happened     —    what  with  her  presence  in  penacony  being  uninvited  and  his  comment  about  ratio  catching  on  quickly.  however.  i  do  think  that  the  strategic  investment  dept  at  least  predicted  that  he  would  use  the  penacony  assignment  as  an  opportunity  to  find  an  “out”  for  himself  and  in  the  aftermath,   most  definitely  understood  what  he  had  tried  to  accomplish.  they  let  him  believe  that  freedom  might  just  be  attainable,   whether  to  test  him  or  simply  torment  him  i  don’t  know,   but  he  has  very  evidently  not  escaped  the  ipc  and  they  were  never  going  to  let  it  happen. 
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almost  funny  how  reminiscent  this  is  of  the  conversation  between  topaz  and  aven  when  he  was  first  teased  in  game.  i  believe  jade  is  most  definitely  rubbing  it  in  his  face  here  that  his  only  gains  were  for  the  company’s  sake  and  not  anything  personal  or  meaningful    –   there’s  a  quiet  apprehension  that  she  does  know  exactly  what  he’d  been  thinking  he  may  be  able  to  achieve  with  his  grand  death  in  play,   and  also  that  he  has  a  little  more  to  answer  for  than  simply  breaking  the  cornerstone  and  tapping  into  the  emanators  power.  it  will  go  punished,   he’s  already  evidently  been  pulled  from  the  assignment,   but  i  don’t  think  that  this  will  be  a  reason  for  them  to  use  their  power  and  have  him  executed.  if  only  because  jade   ( and diamond )   isn’t  very  likely  to  act  on  that  threat  until  her  “investment”  in  aventurine  has  turned  all  of  the  profit  that  it  can,   or  he  steps  too  blatantly  out  of  line.
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found  this  dialogue  very  interesting  too.  naturally,   aven  isn’t  interested  in  high - risk  low - reward  bets  and  he  knows  that  almost  anything  he  puts  on  the  line  right  now  would  be  inconsequential.  the  ipc  will  not  elinquish  control  of  him  nor  alter  the  agreement  he  made  with  jade     —    it  feels  like  him  being  subtly  put  back  in  his  place  beneath  all  of  the  pretenses  of  their  conversation.  noting  that  he  hasn’t  forgotten  jade  holds  that  power  to  have  him  killed  when  she  pleases,   betting  his  life  in  the  very  next  breath  regardless,   all  the  while  they  are  not  using  the  voice  changers  we’ve  seen  in  official  meetings  before:   jade  doesn’t  have  full  control  over  what  happens  to  him  in  regards  to  the  cornerstone,  but  this  is  purely  between  she  and  him.
*     i’ll  probably  still  write  up  an  au  verse  in  which  aven  did  successfully  fake  his  death  at  that  point  in  2.1  since  a  fair  bit  of  plotting  has   revolved  around  this  general  assumption  that  he’s  won  his  freedom  already,   so  dw  about  that
anyway  moving  onto  more  assorted  things:
argenti  and  aven    …     if  we  don’t  get  any  additional  information  about  them   ( which  i’m  certain  we  will )   i  am  begging  for  plots  +  dynamics  because  i  love  the  energy  of  their little  throwaway  comments  about  each  other  and  i  just ???  think  they  could  be  a  really  fun  duo  to  play  around  with.  what  was  that  about.
boothill and aven … i sincerely sincerely hope we get to see them actually teaming up now and while i’m assuming that would take the form of aven fulfilling the role of an informant to him while still returning to pier point with the ipc, i’m also living for the idea of him going mia and hunting down oswaldo with boothill starting immediately fdgkjh something i was talking to layla about just before the update dropped was how aven speaks of wanting to make his family proud of him before they can be reunited — in his mind he has a lot to reconcile himself with, a lot that he has to make up to them. there are many different ways he could go about doing so and revenge is not the best one but i can see him believing that taking oswaldo out would be a good start, as well as one of the first things he can do for himself in a long, long time. i for one think he MORE THAN deserves to take revenge anyway.
ena.   this  is  more  of  an  interesting  little  observation  than  a  solid  take  on  anything  because  i’m  frankly  too  eepy  to  keep  rambling  for  much  longer  but  trust  i’ll  touch  back  on  the  subject  again  later   dfkjghd   anyway.   given  the  implications  that  sigonia  was  likely  a  planet  under  ena’s  gaze  despite  not  acknowledging  the  aeons   (  what  looks  like  the  planet  being  seen  in  their  art,  sigonia’s  history  lining  up  somewhat  well  with     “the ancient planets that once fervently worshiped order would shine briefly before their total collapse...  perhaps this is the "path" of these planets.”    and  most  obviously  their  eye  being  a  mirror  image  of  the  avgin’s )   AND  thinking  back  to  sunday’s  question  to  aven  about  whether  or  not  he  had  the  ability  to  read  /  tamper  with  or  manipulate  people’s  minds     …     i  just  find  it  very  interesting  that  when  the  puppets  emotional  dials  were  locked  under  the  influence  of  the  order,  that  was  represented  with  ena’s  eyes ??? yeah idk where i'm going with this one either but stay tuned
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nightingaletrash · 10 months ago
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Now that I've watched the Bakura vs Bonz duel, I think I've figured out why the insistence on turning the Rare Hunters' death threats into shadow games feels so flimsy. (yes this is just an excuse for me to talk about the shadow games vs the death games shhhhhh)
First off is that it doesn't work with the lore: none of the Hunters have the power to turn a duel into a shadow game because its the Millenium Items that make shadow games possible. Without their power, it's just not possible, and adding a purple cloud doesn't change that. I really doubt that Marik goes around and 'blesses' buzz saws and bits of glass to give them access to the Shadow Realm in very specific ways.
Second, the death games are all about the illusion of power, whereas the shadow games are based on real power; if you put Marik and Arkana next to each other and ask an outside observer to pick who they think is more dangerous, they'd probably go with the guy who locked a kid in shackles and threatened to cut off his legs if he lost a card game, because that's a very extreme measure and it gives Arkana a lot of power over that kid. But Arkana's power starts and ends with his power over Yugi. It's contained to his stage, just as all the other Rare Hunters only possess power over the stages they construct. Yet their power is only as real as their abilities, which are very limited, and so they build in safeguards to protect themselves. Parachutes and hidden keys, means of escaping their own death traps in the event they lose because they know that their power is so limited. That's why they rely on theatrics and death threats. It's a projection of power, to make themselves look and feel more powerful, all while plotting a way out should their intimidation tactics fail to overwhelm their opponent.
And this is where the Bakura vs Bonz duel comes in. Whereas the Rare Hunters make their death threats very overt, Bakura's threats are very subtle despite his being so blunt. He doesn't state his intention to send them to the Shadow Realm... because he brings them there immediately. Its evident that when the duel begins that the environment has changed in a way that it doesn't in the death games. The colour palette has changed and the characters comment on the fog, and those visual cues are enough to clue in the audience to what has happened. Bakura has made this duel into a shadow game, and the world has changed to reflect that. But Bonz doesn't realise he's in a shadow game because he has no idea what that is; he thinks the only stakes are a place in the Finals. Only as the duel nears its end does Bakura reveal what the stakes really are and what they stand to lose. And those stakes go both ways. There is no built in loophole for him, no pre-planned way out if things go south. You win or lose in a shadow game, and while Bakura certainly has power here, there is an element of control that he's surrendered for the sake of terrorising and condemning some guys. Yet he doesn't fear it, doesn't fret about it, because he's got full control of the situation thanks to the power imbalance between him and his opponent.
And that's what 4kids really screwed up when they turned every threat of death and violence into 'being sent to the Shadow Realm' because its not meant to be some random threat that anyone could pull out of their hat and could happen to anyone. It's not something anyone can do just because they know about the Shadow Realm. It's about how even the most extreme of mundane threats still pale in comparison to the threat of something that can be barely understood.
tldr; while 4kids really watered down just how much of a threat the Shadow Realm is, the people who actually play shadow games are operating on a whole other level from the guys making death threats.
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ellis-exists · 2 years ago
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So, I just watched the S3 finale of The Owl House and I have a lot to say. Spoilers ofc. Also please tell me if The Collector's pronouns are He/Him or They/Them. I use He/Him in one paragraph and They/Them in another, so please tell me thanks!
The ending for The Owl House and Amphibia felt similar (IN A GOOD WAY) with the protagonist "dying", coming back to life with grand power to end the massive threat, and then living again with the proper chance to say goodbye. I have to say, this got me crying/tearing up on a few occasions, especially with how childish and pure The Collector is. (I just realized I have to change my pfp I'll do that later) He just wants to make friends, but he's unaware of how to do so because everyone he's met has used him for their own advantage.
The Collector is one of my favorite characters because he's like me; We don't know how to make friends properly and just hope it works. They just want to help and I can't blame them, especially when Luz takes the hit for them. The fact that it took them a bit to realize that Luz was actually gone broke me. The Collector is so pure. I love them and want them to be my friend. Also, when Luz, Eda, and King were showing The Collector how they became friends, they started looking upset and during the games they played. They felt left out and I can understand that, making me relate to them more.
Raine is my most favorite character for various reasons but that's for another post. The fact that they were possessed by Belos as a puppet was like "Bitch what the fuck?!". Also, the fact that the moon sticker came off to reveal Raine's original outfit was like a punch in the stomach and I can't explain why. I wanna give props to them for fighting off the little shit that is Belos and the fact that Raine broke their violin to protect the Titan's heart just shattered me, especially since it didn't work.
Closer to the middle/end where the trio (Luz, Eda, and King) come to save Raine, they were whistling Eda's Requiem and I had to get up from my bed and just stop like "damn stop trying to break my heart" so yeah. At least they and Eda got their happy ending tbh good for them.
There are also a few things I want to point out that aren't long enough to have paragraph explanations, but I don't want to gloss over them:
Camila as a puppet was crying when Luz's light particles(?) entered The Archives, giving her that motherly instinct that her daughter is gone without her even realizing it.
The Collector was going to sacrifice themself to save everyone else in The Archives probably because Luz sacrificed herself for them.
Everyone (I think) understood that The Collector wanted to help and let him.
WILLOW'S DADS GOT TO KISS ON SCREEN AYOO???? I WAS SO FUCKING HAPPY YOU WOULD'VE THOUGHT I WAS ON A SUGAR RUSH!!!
Alador and Darius got a gay scene (okay maybe not gay but it gave off the vibes, especially since I ship them.) (The scene is during the credits when Owlbert is getting the others in The Demon Realm)
The fact that the birds just don't care that the trees on the Titan's arm are sideways and just perch there anyways is amazing.
Everyone got a glow-up and I'm here for it
I love how overly animated some of the scenes are. It makes it more immersive and energetic and I am here for it as well.
The Titan in The Inbetween wearing a Bad Girl Coven shirt and Glyph pajama pants with a little Hooty replacing his right eye is something I thought I'd never see, but I love it. He's such a dad.
The "I loaf you" message The Titan wanted Luz to give to King is such a dad thing to do and I fucking love it. Gave me something to laugh about after the angst I just witnessed.
FLAPJACK'S GRAVE
Hunter working with Eda's dad (I'M SO SORRY I FORGOT HIS NAME I KNEW IT BEFORE) in Palisman carving is just AHHHHHHHH MY HEART
Everyone growing up and doing what they love is so amazing I wish Disney didn't cancel TOH so that we could've had more exploration, especially the lore.
Raine's face is stained from Belos' goop and it looks like they've been crying forever and idk what to say.
GUS' DAD HUGGING THE ILLUSIONS BEFORE HUGGING GUS LIKE IK HE DIDN'T KNOW WHICH ONE WAS GUS BUT THE IDEA THAT HE'S WILLING TO HUG ALL THE ILLUSIONS TO GET TO HIS SON IS JUST AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
That's not all I have, but for rn it is. Tell me what you thought about the finale. If you made it this far, tell me which version of Raine I should cosplay (the original, the puppet, or the glow-up/finale version)
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latinokaeya-moving · 2 years ago
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okay under the cut rosaria kaeya albedo dynamic discussion and why i’ve been obsessed over it for months at this point
i just think rosaria kaeya and albedo are all characters that play around with interesting concepts like the authenticity of their projected self, the dichotomy of revealing truths vs concealing lies, the way their past has come to define them and how that continues to impact their present/future lives (or not); and what makes them so fascinating in Particular is the way these ideas impact their interpersonal dynamics in such a way that it seems to juxtapose with their popular perception or at the very least skews it slightly differently to common belief (at least those held by both other characters in game and by the audience itself) and the implications all of this Must have on their relationships with one another
like the manner in which rosaria talks about kaeya and albedo in her voicelines… she mentions that despite knowing the smooth talk and pretty words are kaeya’s protective veil she finds him incredibly easy to see through anyway; meanwhile for albedo, who for all intents and purposes appears to be the most bluntly honest/straightforward of the trio, she says she finds him “profound and mysterious…impossible to read at a glance”; that’s all completely to the contrary of what is commonly understood to be either of their ‘established’ characters, and speaks to rosaria’s ability to scratch at beyond the surface and get closer to the root of peoples’ ‘true’ natures!
and i just think there’s something so incredibly juicy about the idea that rosaria is the one able to sus out that contradiction, that as a vigilante character she has taken it upon herself to cast judgements and deliver retribution to wrongdoers in the name of protecting mondstadt, and that she latched onto these two characters that unbeknownst to her seem almost cosmically destined to bring strife and disaster to mondstadt, and she said “you are both liars, are secret threats hidden in plain sight, and i see you, see through the both of you, because liars and threats see themselves in each other. but because i see the way you work for and in the name of mondstadt (just like i do), i will simply continue to lie in wait, watching you until the day of reckoning arrives” which is just. so insane. like!!!
and Then, because kaeya’s character is so heavily defined by the need to be constantly performing, to deny the truth of his authentic self and put on a show for others, his view of rosaria and albedo are coloured by this self imposed restraint. when he talks about them he says, for albedo: “a calm, collected and handsome fellow… just the type that people like”; for rosaria: “…i have a good impression of her, much better than most. she is honest with herself”. it’s interesting how he leans towards describing them in the context of what others must think of them, and whatever he has to personally say is tacked on offhandedly, as if wanting to seem casual about it.
kaeya, i think, is a character that’s self aware enough to know he is bound by his lies, and therefore gravitates to those he believes are honest, forthright, and genuine. he is intellectually aware that everyone has secrets, obviously, but he also does not see himself as someone worthy of passing judgement on that. and it’s not so much that kaeya cares whether or not they lie, have mysterious pasts, keep secrets, but more so the manner in which they present as being faithfully genuine to their characters, as not caring for what others think of them and simply existing as themselves, for themselves.
i think kaeya’s relationship to rosaria and albedo must have began with a sense of deep rooted respect for that sort of authenticity that feels so out of reach for himself, but that which can (and has had the potential to!) evidently develop into him taking off the masks, peeling off his layers, letting down his hair in their presence in private as their relationships have progressed (if what rosaria has to say about him is true, and if what is to be understood by the way in which albedo has come to trust/include/value kaeya in the upbringing of klee, the person albedo views as his most important family member)
this is getting too long so the final point i will make is that the interlinking portrait imagery also goes crazy with these three, what with the way portraits, by nature of having both a creator and also distinct subject of study, function to not only to be a conduit through which said subject can be perceived by its viewers, but more specifically is a gateway to understanding the creator’s own perception of their subject. the many many references made in game to albedo’s artistic talent and how he is constantly using kaeya as a muse for his drawings, therefore committing him onto a canvas in a manner more permanent than any of his masks + rosaria calling albedo a “dignified oil painting” she’s interested in figuring out the story of, that she considers some sort of challenge of her own perceptive abilities + kaeya’s performance arguably being a live portrait of himself, something rosaria sees through and chooses to ignore in favour of paying attention to his “true colours” instead… Yeah
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