#hoping once I meet that special person than I will be able to dream about it again

[rosicheeks]

2, 29, and 53 for the asks :))))

2. what would you name your future kids?

Haven’t thought about this in AGES tbh not sure anymore

29. favourite film(s)

Anastasia , Encanto , Treasure Planet

53. 5 things that make me happy

1. Music 🎶

2. Spending time with loved ones ❤️

3. Apple scented candles

4. Homemade cookies

5. Fuzzy blankies

[hannieehaee]

LIKE YOU DO

18+ / mdi

summary: when your brother's best friend suddenly reveals his newfound crush on you, you find yourself at a crossroads, thinking back to your own unrequited crush on him from back in middle school, making you wonder if you should be the better person and give him a chance.

content: brother'sbestfriend!seungcheol, frienemies-ish to lovers, reader is jeonghan's adoptive sister of his same age, mentions of previous unrequited crush, lots of unserious banter, afab reader, they're both inexperienced, smut, penetrative sex, oral (f receiving), etc.

wc: 7.8k

a/n: this one was kinda short sorry T-T i rlly enjoyed the concept though so it was fun to write! hope u guys enjoy!!

masterlist | kofi/patreon

support me through a one time tip<3

"Jeonghan?"

"Yeah?"

"Why does Seungcheol keep showing up during my breaks to bring me coffee?"

"Oh. He's trying to break you down so he can ask you out," He responded in the most nonchalant way possible.

"What? Since when does Seungcheol even like me?"

"Are you kidding? he's had a huge crush on you since we were seventeen."

"Dude, what? Where the hell was that attitude back in middle school when I was following him around like a fucking loser?", you grumbled at the memory of your former unrequited crush.

It was pathetic to think about, but it was true. You had sadly had a tendency to follow your brother and his friend around during the majority of your tweens and teens, always carrying the false hope that Seungcheol would one day look your way. As expected, he never even so much as glanced at you during that period of your life.

It's not like you could blame him. You were just a few years behind the rest of the herd when it came to puberty, you were still donning braces and also had a less than favorable sense of style. By all means, you were a bit of a loser up until turning 16. However, it was still sad to know that the guy of your dreams simply saw you as a nuance he had to deal with in exchange for being able to hang out with your brother.

Except that had been well over two years ago (give or take). By the time you were 16 and a junior in high school, you were confidently over your crush. You had stopped following him around by the time you entered the second half of your teens, but your crush would still occasionally show remnants of itself any time he was around (which was often, as he and Jeonghan were practically attached to the hip). However, it was far more lowkey than before and eventually died down altogether. You were long past those awkward years of tweenhood and now had a developed sense of style, along with an air of confidence you now carried with you. Puberty hit you all at once and your entire persona changed along with it. You had an established group of friends and were even a bit popular, no longer needing to hang around Jeonghan and Seungcheol just for a glimpse of the boy's attention. By the time you were 16, you were over Choi Seungcheol.

This carried over to the last two years of high school, now with a completely different dynamic between you and your former crush. Despite attending the same grades at the same time, you did not belong to the same social circles, so you would not see each other too often. However, since your brother (and brother's best friend) continued to attend the same school as you those last two years of high school, you still bumped into Cheol from time to time, specially whenever Jeonghan would bring him over.

Over the years, Seungcheol came to see you as less of a nuance and more of a friend. After turning 16 (upon your glow up and the dissipation of your crush), he would engage in casual conversation with you. He would even seek you out on his own at times, though you were never too enthusiastic about these meetings. Middle school you would've been elated at such development, but you didn't think much of it after having gotten over your crush, now bitter over how it had all played out so fruitlessly for you.

After having gotten over your crush, you came to resent Seungcheol a bit, now realizing the way he used to sometimes take advantage of your crush to get you to be his lackey and how he would even make you the butt of jokes among his friend group (whenever your brother wasn't around, of course). During the years in which you were infatuated with him, you truly believed it was just some sort of inside joke between the two of you; a 'will they, won't they' type of dynamic. However, upon leaving that childish phase of your life, you began to look back at it in embarrassment. After that, you distanced yourself from him. During ages 16 and up, you would even come to avoid him, something which Jeonghan thankfully never commented on despite having also been aware of your former crush.

And now. Now you were being made privy to the fact that Seungcheol had apparently begun to return your crush only a little over a year after you got over yours. At seventeen, Jeonghan said. That's the year you like to believe you truly got your act together. After your glow up at 16 years of age (appearance and personality-wise), you began to engage in new hobbies, new friend groups, and overall went through a full transformation of your former loser self (or at least that's how Seungcheol had made you feel all those years). You had put all relationship related interests aside since your catastrophic crush on Seungcheol left you high and dry. After graduating, you even left the country for a few months, deciding to start college a semester after your brother to explore the world a bit in order to find yourself before starting school back up again.

That period of time proved very useful to you. You mingled in the arts of casual dating in your absence (something which you had never done thanks to your irremovable crush), made friends, took up new interests, and most of all, grew out of any remnants of your former feelings for Seungcheol.

Except that all came crumbling down the moment you came back, suitcase in hand, and found Seungcheol at the door of your brother's apartment upon your arrival for your move-in day with your brother, which now seemed to include Seungcheol in the equation.

You had been less than elated when your brother suddenly informed you that instead of solely moving in with him in order to begin attending his university, you would now be sharing the apartment with an unwanted guest – Seungcheol. This had been the first time you saw him again after graduating, which had also been your last day to see anyone for the past six months over the duration of your trip.

Since your brother had begun attending school while you took a sabbatical from education, he had found himself an apartment so you would have a place to move into upon your return. The agreement had been for the two of you to be the sole habitants, until Seungcheol suddenly decided to attend the same university as you and your brother, promptly moving in with Jeonghan in your absence. It seemed like that had been the original plan, one which died when Seungcheol simply decided to stay, moving his things out what was supposed to be your room and moving them into what then became a shared room between him and Jeonghan.

This was when you first began to have suspicions about Seungcheol.

Although your crush had died down about two years back, you still felt awkward in his presence. His existence was a constant reminder of his consistent rejection of your feelings, something which had not helped your confidence much in the past. But it now seemed like Seungcheol had been the one seeking you out more than the other way around. Even back when you were saying your goodbyes before leaving on your vacation, Seungcheol had seemed even more disappointed at your prolonged absence than your own brother. You hadn't thought much of it at the time, except that this behavior kept up as the two of you became roommates.

Seungcheol would now walk you to class whenever possible, even when it meant going out of his way. He would lend you notes from the classes he had taken the prior semester; ones which you were currently having to take. He would show up between your classes with either drink or food in hand. He'd stop by your workplace at the school's cafe whenever he had down time. He'd stare down any guy that would try and interact with you in any of these instances. You were completely casual about it, trying to not read too much into it, but the worst thing about it all was that you liked it. You liked the attention he was finally giving you.

Though you were suspicious about Seungcheol's intentions, you had never considered the possibility of Seungcheol actually liking you romantically until your brother had so casually informed you just now. Even through your immediate complaint about it, your heart sped up at the thought. Your mind went back to every single memory of your own crush on him, thinking back to every single thing you used to like about him. Up until the moment in which Jeonghan called your attention once more, having answered your question but receiving no response from you due to the extended internal monologue you had gone through due to the sudden revelation.

"Sorry, what did you say?", you finally responded.

He chuckled at your absent-mindedness, taking a sip of the coffee in front of him. "I said that your crush was just puppy love. He can't help that he didn't return your feelings at the time. It's been like what, three years since you got over him? Are you really still mad about it?", replied Jeonghan as he nudged you to eat the muffin he had bought you over twenty minutes ago.

Puppy love? It sure didn't feel like it during all those years in which you pined over him. But maybe Jeonghan was right. Maybe it had simply been interpreted as a harmless crush by both Seungcheol and Jeonghan. Except this did not justify every single remembrance of Seungcheol's constant dismissal and mockery of your feelings through the years, only ever looking your way once you were finally over him.

You took a deep breath, deciding to try and be rational in your response, "He mocked me over my crush for years, Jeonghan. He made me the butt of every joke and took advantage of how into him I was for his own entertainment. He only ever started respecting me when I changed my appearance and personality completely. Why should I even consider giving him a chance?"

"Hey, I'm not telling you to do that. Just keep an open mind, okay? We were kids. I'm sure he meant it all in good fun. You know he can be kind of an idiot at times," he took a pinch of the untouched muffin in front of you, "Is there no part of you that maybe still likes him?"

"Did you come to my workplace to harass me into dating your best friend?", you snatched the muffin away – the muffin he had 'bought' despite getting a discount due to your position as a barista, "I'm not the same loser I was in middle school, I have options."

"Oh, yeah?", he smirked, "Then how come you've never had a boyfriend?"

"I'm only 19, it's not like I've dedicated my entire life to celibacy. If I wanted one I could get one. Easy," you argued, "Are you gonna leave any time soon? I need to get back to work," you began to gather his and your cup to head back to your work duties.

"There's literally no one here," he whined, "And stop dodging my questions. Do you like him? Do you want a relationship or not?", he pushed, "I'm your brother, you're supposed to trust me with this type of stuff."

"Adoptive brother," you corrected as you wiped the table Jeonghan was still sitting at.

"Don't say that. I hate it when you say that," he whined.

"You know what? You're right," you decided, halting your movements.

"I am?"

"Yeah. I should get a boyfriend."

"Oh. You mean someone who isn't Seungcheol, don't you?", he sighed.

"Of course. I'm not just gonna come crawling back to him just because he decided he likes me now. And you're right. Now that I'm over my crush and I'm back home, I should get a boyfriend. Maybe that'll get Cheol off of me," you declared.

"So it is about Cheol then."

"Jeonghan, shut up!"

Things changed for you after that conversation. Or at least the way you looked at Seungcheol shifted.

While you had questioned why he would suddenly begin showing up as frequently as he did, showing genuine interest in your company, you had not once entertained the thought of him liking you. Jeonghan informing you of his crush in such a nonchalant way also made you realize that Seungcheol had been quite obvious about his sudden liking to you, always becoming standoffish when other guys were around and even carrying your backpack for you.

The thought of him liking you pleased you. Even if you wanted to be in denial about it, your crush finally being reciprocated was something you had given hope on back when you were about 15. However, knowing that Seungcheol only started seeing you in a non platonic way after your feelings had finally dissipated also annoyed you beyond belief. How was it fair? He got to tease you and treat you as if you were nothing but a nuance for years, only to turn around a few years later and decide he wanted you? You weren't about to stand for it.

You meant it when you told Jeonghan that you would consider entering the dating scene.

For years, you hoped Seungcheol would eventually like you back, so you never even as much as looked in anyone else's way. When you got over your crush, your pride was too wounded to even think about romance. The only exception had been during your trip overseas, where you dated boys here and there, but it was never anything that lasted over a few weeks. Now was finally the time to begin dating.

Okay, granted. Maybe part of you was doing this just to give Seungcheol a taste of his own medicine, but that part didn't matter too much. You decided you'd just disregard his crush just like he did yours; drinking in all the extra attention but never doing anything about it

~

"Hey, wait up!"

You slowed down without looking back, able to recognize that voice even in your sleep.

"Forget about me? I always walk you to your next class," he chuckled, breathless, "Uh, here. Got you your favorite," he said as he handed you a beverage of your choice.

"Thanks, Cheol," you replied, disinterested as usual.

Even before knowing about his intentions, you had kept a very clear emotional distance from Seungcheol for the past couple of years. You were sure he was aware that your crush had died down years ago, now leaving you completely indifferent towards him, but he never once brought it up. The most reaction you could gauge out of him was the way he deflated a bit every time you spoke to him and failed to show the same enthusiasm you once did.

"So, any plans this weekend?"

"Oh, yeah. Going on a date," you said nonchalantly.

This made him stop in his tracks, causing you to have to slow down your walking once again to turn back and look at him in feigned interest.

"A date? W-what, with who?", he spluttered, a frown making its way on his face.

"Just some guy I met on tinder," you responded, "C'mon, I need to get to class," you nudged him.

He took your instruction to keep walking, still frowning, "A guy from tinder? You don't even know him? I- Is your brother okay with this?"

"It's not really any of his business, now, is it?", you scoffed.

"Since when are you even dating anyway? I thought you needed time to 'find yourself'. Isn't that the whole reason you were gone for half a year?", grumbled Seungcheol.

"Not like it's any of your business, but yeah, I am dating. I'm 19, it's not like I've never dated. I went on dates while I was traveling. It's not that big of a deal."

"You dated? What? And you never told me?"

This made you stop in your tracks, turning to him and making him halt too.

"'Tell you'? Why would you need to know anything about my dating life? We're not even friends."

"Oh, so now we're not friends? I've known you literally since the day Jeonghan's parents brought you home and now we're not friends?", he was beginning to get agitated, you could tell.

Pushing his buttons was fun at first, but now you were also starting to feel frustration at his entitlement over you.

"As far as I can remember, we've never been friends. You just liked the attention I gave you and made a joke of me for years. Is that friendship to you?"

"We- we shouldn't talk about this here, okay?" he looked around to see if anyone was paying attention to the two of you, but saw that only a few other students were walking by, completely unsuspecting.

"You know what, Cheol? Thanks for the drink. I can get to class alone. I'll see you at home," you snatched your bag from his arms and marched away, leaving a confused Seungcheol behind.

"Cheol told me you guys got into a fight," was the first thing Jeonghan said as he walked into your workplace at 7:30 sharp in the morning.

"God, it's bad enough I have to live with the two of you, do you need to gossip about me too?"

"I told you about his crush in confidence! I can't believe you'd betray my trust like this," he said with zero emotion behind his words.

"No you didn't."

"No I didn't", he giggled, "Give me my usual, yeah?", he took a seat on the counter right in front of you, grabbing a nearby muffin to accompany the drink you were now making him.

"So you're really dating now?", he inquired after less than five seconds of silence.

"How much did Seungcheol tell you?"

"He gave me a rundown of the entire conversation."

You groaned at this. Men were truly the nosier gender.

"Yes, I'm going on a date with some guy from one of my classes tomorrow."

"I thought you said he was from tinder?"

"I just assumed it'd annoy Cheol even more if he thought I was choosing some random guy over him."

"That's mean", he pouted, followed by a grin, "Good job."

You handed him his drink and took a moment to sit down from your side of the counter, sighing dramatically at your brother.

"Are you really not interested in Cheol at all?", he rubbed at your arm to show comfort.

"I ... Maybe? I liked him for so long. It's hard for that to just go away, specially knowing he likes me back. But I can't just let him win me over so easily, you know?"

"Maybe you should talk to him? Let him explain his thought process and see if it's worth giving him a chance."

"Maybe," you sighed.

"Not 'maybe.' You're talking to him. Spending a single night with the two of you while you were icing each other out was enough for me. I told him I'd stay somewhere else tomorrow night so the two of you can talk after your date. It's a done deal."

"Dude! Can you stop making decisions for me? I-"

"I'm your older brother. It's in the fine print," he argued.

"Adoptiv-"

He grabbed the muffin and put it to your lips, interrupting your sentence, "That's enough of that."

You opted to just let him win (yet again) and mentally prepare yourself for your conversation with Seungcheol the following day.

Joshua.

That was the name of the guy you'd be going on a date with this afternoon.

He was cute, polite, smart, and seemed to be an overall great guy based on the few interactions you'd had with him during class. He was actually who you used to walk to class with before Seungcheol had intercepted your routine by forcing his way into your schedule.

You weren't particularly excited about going on this date. Joshua was the perfect guy by all means, but you didn't feel any type of spark when you were with him. You were pretty sure he didn't either. It was hard to tell. Nothing really compared to the way you felt for Seungcheol during the majority of your teens. You doubted you'd ever crush on someone so hard ever again.

You had never admitted it out loud, but you were pretty sure your crush on Seungcheol had at some point become love. You didn't just like Seungcheol, you (had) loved him, which made getting over your infatuation even harder. It had also made that unbecoming feeling of rejection much harder to let go of. The reminder of the constant rejection you had gone through was enough to not even entertain the idea of looking at Seungcheol with the same enamored eyes you always reserved for him ever again.

And so now you were getting ready for your date. Whether anything came of it didn't matter too much to you. You needed to show both Seungcheol and your brother that you were truly over Seungcheol. That you wouldn't fall for him when it was finally convenient for him.

~

The date was overall nice.

The two of you had opted for something casual, deciding to an arcade and have a casual meal that consisted of nachos and some convenience store ramen afterwards.

The date felt like an outing you'd have with any other friend. Maybe because that's what it actually was in the end.

It didn't take too much time into your date for both you and Joshua to say what you were thinking – You were better off as friends. You both chuckled at it, finding it comedic how you had both had the same thought, meaning there would be no hard feelings at the end of the day.

The night was spent playing games and bantering with one another. It was a casual and quite relaxing outing between two friends. Which is what left Joshua to inquire as to why you had asked him out in the first place as he walked you back to your apartment.

"There's, uh, this guy I'm trying to get over," you decided to be honest with him. You could really see a friendship forming here, plus he seemed like a trustworthy guy, so lying would be fruitless.

"Ah. Makes sense", he clicked his tongue, "Is it Choi Seungcheol by any chance?"

That caught you off guard. And it must've shown in your face, as Joshua chuckled in return before continuing.

"I've just noticed the two of you together a lot lately, that's all. What's the story?"

If only Joshua had known about the length of the story you were about to tell him, he likely would not have asked, but the simple question was enough to fire you up and let him in on every excruciating detail.

By the end of it, Joshua's face had gone through every reaction. From surprised, to angry (likely in empathy), to apprehensive.

"Well, he sounds like he was a dick in high school-"

"Right!"

"But ...."

"'But'?!"

"Listen. You were what, 15? Guys are so dumb at that age. I did my fair share of dumb things. And having a pretty girl be so into you at that age would give any guy a huge ego. Maybe he's being honest about his feelings," he had reasoned.

"Why is everyone on his side? What, am I supposed to just forgive him?"

"Of course not. But maybe part of you still likes him. You shouldn't let your pride get in the way of finally being with the guy you like."

That last statement had left you thinking.

You already had doubts about your feelings for Cheol, knowing that your conflict towards his newfound feelings was enough indication to realize that you might've still been holding a torch for him.

But it was his comment about pride that really had you reconsidering things.

Was it really just your pride stopping you from even giving Seungcheol a chance?

The way that you saw it, if you gave in to Seungcheol now that he finally liked you back, it only proved how weak you were for him, how easy it was for him to just snap his fingers and have you at his feet once again.

But you also needed to consider the fact that he had liked you since seventeen. You were both nineteen now, going on twenty. He had held back on his feelings for two years, hoping that you'd someday reciprocate once more. Clearly he wasn't hoping to use your old crush against you, or else he would've done so already.

These conflicting thoughts plagued your mind all the way until Joshua hugged you goodbye at your apartment door, while you were unaware of Seungcheol watching the two of you with a frown from the small window behind you, completely misreading the situation.

"Joshua Hong? That's the guy you're dating?", were the first words he said to you when you walked in, fully washed with venom and disdain.

This was starting off well.

"Were you spying on me?"

"You didn't answer my question," he rebutted.

You walked past him and let yourself fall back on the couch, sighing at the conversation you knew was awaiting.

"Cheol. Stop beating around the bush by snooping into my life," you started, the beating of your heart betraying the confidence in your voice, "Jeonghan told me you wanted to talk, so talk."

"Is there even a point? If you're already taken, do I even have a chance?", he chuckled bitterly, taking a seat across from you on a lone loveseat.

Oh.

This was the first time Seungcheol had ever acknowledged his romantic feelings towards you in the two years in which he's supposedly had them. It made you feel weak to admit it, but that statement alone already had your resolve melting.

"I- I'm not taken. Joshua and I are just friends."

"You came back home together at 10. You're wearing a skirt. I saw the two of you hug outside. Am I missing something?", he scoffed.

"Dude, I- What? Those are all completely platonic things. Not like you have any right to complain anyways .." you trailed off.

"Okay, if it's not a date then why did you tell me it was one on Wednesday? Huh?"

"Because I wanted you to know what it felt like!", you blurted, abruptly getting up from the couch.

"What? You-"

"It's not fair, Seungcheol! I liked you. For years. And you never looked my way. You made fun of me, you used me, you ignored me. I was just some dumbass who couldn't take a hint, and now you like me? Now you wanna know who I'm dating and who I like? Hah," you were halfway through your rambles before you realized it.

He got up from his spot and walked over to you, solemn and hurt look on his face. He seemed embarrassed by your statement, though also accepting of it.

"You- you're right. I never took you seriously. I ... I always just saw you as Jeonghan's weird little sister, I-"

"We're the same age!"

"Okay, but Jeonghan was always so protective towards you, I always thought of you as a little kid. I'm sorry, I know how harsh and unfair that sounds, but I don't want to lie to you. I don't know what changed, or when it did, but I- at some point I just couldn't stop thinking about you," he breathed out.

"Hah," you chuckled bitterly, "Was this when I changed my look, Cheol? Are you that shallow?"

"N-no! Listen, I know the timing was bad, but it wasn't that. I always thought you were pretty. I know you probably didn't see it for yourself, and ... I know my teasing probably didn't help your confidence, – and that's something I regret so badly – but you've always been beautiful. It had nothing to do with that, I swear," he held his hand to his chest as if to swear by his words.

You couldn't help blushing at his words, avoiding eye contact for a moment before responding.

"Then what was it?"

"I guess I just missed you", he shrugged sadly, "I got so used to having you around and to knowing how much I meant to you. I took you for granted, and I regretted it the moment I lost you," it was his turn to feel embarrassed, "When you stopped seeking me out, I finally began to see what you were like past your crush. You were so fun and carefree. So nice and, and beautiful. You saw me in rose-colored glasses and I just didn't see you at all. Not until then," he finished.

"What does this all mean, Cheol?" you said, almost exasperated, "Am I supposed to forget the way you'd mock me or just straight up ignore me for years? Yeah, sure, we were kind of beginning to become friends once high school was almost over, but it didn't mean anything to me by that point. I was just over it."

"And are you over me?"

"What?"

He lifted his eyebrow in question, taking a few steps towards you.

"Are you really completely over me? Do you feel nothing at all?", his eyes were confidently following your gaze as he questioned you.

"I- Yes, I am," you gulped unwillingly, taking a few steps back as he took some forward.

"I don't believe that. I mean, you left only for a few months and I never stopped thinking about you ... There's no way you got over me that suddenly, is there?"

"You think too highly of yourself, Cheol-"

"So you feel nothing at all?", he had made his way into your personal space by now, almost crowding you against the wall, "Aren't you curious, at least? Don't you wanna see if there's anything left?", he breathed out.

"I, Cheol, I-"

"Just tell me no. Push me away. Tell me to fuck off and I'll leave you alone," his gaze fell to your lips, slowly making its way back to your eyes again.

"I can't, I ... Cheol ..."

Due to your lack of rejection, Seungcheol closed the gap, gently pressing his lips against you as he let out a breath of relief in his kiss.

You'd kissed a few boys during your time away. Hell, you'd even kissed Joshua earlier today, but neither of those experiences had felt quite like this. During all those exchanges, Seungcheol had always somehow been in the back of your mind, making you wonder what it would've been like if he had been the guy you were kissing instead. Now you finally knew what it was like ... And you were already growing addicted.

It was only a few seconds into the kiss when the two of you let your desire for the other take over. He groaned against your lips as you ran your hands through his hair, pulling his face as close to your own as possible. His hands ran down to your waist and caressed your back in a way far too desperate for the first kiss shared between the two of you.

With no words, he kissed you until running out of breath, eventually lowering his head so he could attack your neck with licks and nips to the sensitive skin on there. You leaned your head to the side, allowing him more room to suck into as he rejoiced in your sighs of pleasure.

It was a mutual exchange. The two of you seemed to be equally desperate for the other, your wandering hands never halting in the exploration of the other's body. His hands eventually dared to venture under your top, slowly sneaking their way towards your breasts. He kissed your lips once more as his hands caressed and played with your tits, moaning against your mouth every time you'd whine at his touches.

"Angel ...", he breathed against your lips, "Are you still sure? Are you still sure you don't want me?", his words were slightly muffled by his inability to disconnect from you for more than a second.

"I need- fuck, Cheol ... Just-"

"I know ... It's okay. You don't have to say it," he pushed his tongue into your mouth once again.

Cheol separated from you and led you to your room by your hand, closing the door before pressing you up against it and kissing you again.

The way he kissed you was nothing but sensual and full of emotion, making you forget any complaint you had against him as his lips connected to yours again and again.

His hands took advantage of your caged in position, feeling up every curve and squeezing at his favorite parts. There was a depraved urgency behind his movements, almost as if he had been aching to do this; burning to finally have you to his full disposition. When he seemingly had his fill of caressing every inch, he pulled away barely enough to speak (which had been a feat, as your lips desperately followed his, and his own were unable to resist yours at first).

"Let me take you to bed," be begged, "I've wanted you for years. Please, let me have you," he plead against your lips, giving you a languid peck as he finished his request.

"Cheol ..."

He pulled away a bit more at the hesitancy in your voice, "I know I was an asshole. I know I hurt you for years. I know I don't deserve you," he took a deep breath before intensely looking into your eyes, "but I can't stop thinking about you. If you ever felt even an ounce of what I've felt towards you since we were seventeen, then I'm so sorry to have caused you such pain. I was a stupid teenager who felt too cool to look your way long enough to realize you were far too good for me. Please. Please, I'll beg if you want me to , just ... Give me a chance," he finished with a pained expression in his eyes, voice wavering by the end of his speech.

"You made me feel like such an idiot, like-"

"I'm the idiot – Me! You're perfect," he grabbed onto your hands and brought them up to his lips, "I love you. So much. Jeonghan's so fed up of hearing me tell him how in love with you I am. All my friends know how I feel about you. I'll embarrass myself time and time again proving it to you," dropping your hands, he wrapped his arms around you again, bringing you closer to him as his eyes dropped to your lips.

That had been a shock.

You had never expected for Seungcheol's feelings to be anything more than superficial, much less did you expect for him to confess to you in such a way. The thought of him gushing about you to his friends was enough to make you blush, but knowing that he was willing to prove his feelings for you as much as you saw fit made you weak at the knees. This was all you had ever wanted, tenfold. If your current reaction to his revelation was anything to go by, then you were now realizing that your feelings for him had never truly gone away. You had carried a torch for Seungcheol all these years, even when you thought you had completely gotten over him. Even when you weren't thinking of him, he was always plaguing your mind.

And so you kissed him.

You put all previous hesitancy aside and followed your desires, pulling him to you as you let passion take over.

He didn't question you, choosing to press you up against him instead, blindly walking the two of you towards your bed and laying you down in it, crawling on top of you once more to keep kissing you.

No words were exchanged for a while, the only sounds filling up the room were made up of your collective moans and the ruffling of the bedsheets – result of the way you were feeling each other up. You were glad Jeonghan had decided to stay elsewhere tonight. Hell, he probably knew the two of you would snap and end up in the way you evidently did.

Pulling away for a quick moment, Seungcheol pulled away and threw off his shirt, causing the cloudiness in your mind to clear up for a moment so you could lean up and run your hands through his bare chest, earning a chuckle from him.

"Like what you see?", he smirked like the cockiest shit you'd ever seen, except it kinda worked on you regardless.

But you couldn't let him have the upper hand here, so you did what any sensible girl would do and threw off your own top, leaving you in a pretty lacy bralette.

The smirk wiped off his face immediately as his eyes lowered to your breasts. To make matters worse for him, you decided to sensually pull off your bra, making a little show out of it just to see how much lust would overtake him at the sight.

"Fuck ...", he muttered, leaning down so he could get his hands on you.

You stopped him before he could, however. Smirking at him, "You have to ask, Cheollie."

"Angel ... Don't play this with me."

"Ask, or else you can't touch me."

"I- Fuck. Please. Can I touch them?," he breathed out, eyes still glued to your chest as you played with your own mounds just to mock him.

You nodded, taking his arms and leading them to your chest.

He took full advantage of this, feeling you up like a starved man devouring his last meal. His mouth joined in on the fun soon after, kissing and licking at your nipples, groaning whenever your hands would pull at his hair.

He undressed the rest of you during the following minutes, making quick work of your shoes, his own, and your skirt. His pants were the last to go, leaving the two of you in just your underwear.

"Help me take it off?", he led your hands to his hardened cock, hooking your fingers on his boxers so you could get them off for him. You pulled his face down to your own and sucked on his tongue as your other hand aided him in removing his boxers. He did the same to your panties, finally crawling on top of you again, with your bare crotches finally facing one another.

"Fuck, I want you so bad," he breathed against your lips, beginning a slow grind against your cunt.

You ground against each other like animals in heat for a while, losing your breaths with the other's lips. The way his hardened length graced your folds with the perfect friction had you getting wetter by the second, making you wail against his lips.

"Can I eat you out, baby?," he groaned into your mouth, a desperate look in his eyes.

"Y-yes, fuck," you cried.

He kissed at your nude body on his way down, licking and sucking splotches of red and purple wherever he could until reaching your thighs, using his strong arms to open them and wedge himself between them.

"God ... Been dreaming of kissing up these thighs for years. You're so fucking gorgeous, do you even know?", he sounded pained as he said so, pressing soft kisses at the softest part of your thighs, "Dreamt about you since were seventeen," he blew cold air into your cunt, causing you to retract a bit.

"Cheol ..."

"Is this how you felt? Huh? Did you want me just as badly as I did you?", he finally gave you an experimental lick, groaning at the taste, "But you never got over me, did you? That's good," he nodded to himself, licking more and more, "That way I get to keep you," and that was all he could say before his mouth became fully occupied by your cunt.

And he was right. Even as your crush died down, you got older and began to have thoughts about him. Thoughts that accompanied you on the many lonely nights while you were abroad and away from him. During all those nights in which you swore you were over him. It was nice to know that you'd had a similar effect on him these past few years.

You didn't have much time to ponder about it as Seungcheol quite literally lost himself between your legs. His arms proved to be as strong as they looked, forcing your legs open even as the stimulation made you try and close them around his head. His groans of pleasure against your weeping cunt did not help matters, simply leading you to your end all the faster.

"Fucking delicious, fuck. No one's ever had this before, right, beautiful? You've been saving this cunt for me? Hmm?", he slurred his words while he made out with your pussy, groaning once more when you whimpered in confirmation, "Need to taste you, angel. Cum for me, fuck. Wanna be the first one to feel you like this," he rambled, delirious on your taste.

And you were equally as delirious, falling apart for him almost as if your body had been following his direction. He continued to make sinful sounds against your cunt as he tasted you all through your high, making you even more lightheaded than you already were.

Giving you no time to recover, Seungcheol climbed atop you once more and made you swallow any words you may have had by sealing your lips with his own, forcing your the remnants on your taste onto your own tongue. You battled each other like this once more, hands careless as they grabbed at one another in desperation.

"C-condom?", be pulled away to ask.

"No, Cheol. I- You don't carry?", you managed to let out.

"I, No. I- I've never ..."

He looked uncharacteristically bashful, making you tilt your head in curiosity. Until it hit you.

"You're a virgin?"

He pulled away at this, sitting up a bit on the bed and creating a small distance between the two of you.

"It's not- I've done stuff before, just not ... this. I, uh, I was waiting for you," he confessed, forcing his eyes away from your gaze.

This broke your heart, but in a good way.

If you had any remnants of doubt in your mind about his sincerity about his crush, they were gone now. He had waited. For you. He wanted you to be his first, so he waited for you to come back. He waited for you to like him again. In the same way you had never seriously dated anyone before, he waited.

"Cheol ..."

He must've misinterpreted your tone, as he continued to refuse eye contact with you, seemingly embarrassed at being a virgin for some reason.

So you took matters into your hands, grabbing onto him with a confident hand and pulling him into you once more. With some unexpected strength, you managed to switch positions with him, now straddling him as his back laid against your mattress.

Before he could question you, you kissed him again, this time with a passion you knew you could only reserve for Seungcheol. He kissed you back with equal want, making you feel like you'd reached a stage of nirvana no one had ever before. Every emotion behind the kiss was far too intense to even describe.

The rest of the exchange was almost wordless, with a few silences being filled by praise for one another. You finally sat yourself down on him, condomless, but not regretful at all for your decision. If you were to ever let anyone impale you without filter, it'd be him.

The bruises he left on your hips were accepted with delight. It was only fair, seeing as your nails also left marks on his chest. The two of you left your mark on the other; a silent way of letting the other know who they belonged to.

You bounced and ground on top of him, almost wailing at the way in which his hands guided your movements in such a desperate way. At some point you began shamelessly humping against each other, filling the space with depraved sounds of pleasure.

Cheol looked down to the spot connecting you, groaning upon seeing the wetness seeping from your cunt, but decidedly bringing a hand towards your mound in order to toy with your clit. The arch of your back and extra tightness of your cunt were enough for his orgasm to approach more rapidly than planned.

"With me," he rasped, "Cum with me ... Need your first time to be with me. Just like this."

You barely registered his words. Your eyes were already rolled back, and your back arched almost to the point of breaking. Your toes completely curled and your nails digging into his reddened chest. But you understood, and your body acted accordingly, bringing you into orgasm as he softly counted you down, leading to an almost perfectly synchronized high.

A few moments of comfortable silence (sans the heavy breathing) went by before Seungcheol carefully pulled out of you with a low groan and did his best at cleaning you up with some kleenex near your bed. He gave you a soft peck after he was done, settling the two of you under the covers and held you in his arms.

"Always wanted this part too."

"Hmm?"

"To hold you like this", he clarified, smiling down at you.

Blushing involuntarily, you agreed, cuddling further into his warm chest, leading him to softly run his hands up and down your back in a comforting manner.

"I meant everything I said. I'll always regret treating you the way I did. There's no reason why you should, but I hope you'll forgive me," he sounded pained at his own words, likely feeling genuine hatred for the way in which he behaved during your early teenage years.

You pulled away from his chest, creating a small distance between you so you could look into his eyes properly.

"Seungcheol, I ... I love you," you started, "And I forgive you. I was wrong to judge you so harshly for not liking me the way I wanted you to back then. I'm sorry for letting my pride get in the way. I shouldn't have iced you out after I got over you. It was the only way at the time to protect myself from the rejection and-"

"Stop," he went to hold your cheeks in his hands, "You have nothing to apologize for. You forgiving me is all I wanted, and ... and knowing you feel the same is more than I was ever expecting. We'll move past all that, okay?"

"Okay," you nodded sweetly.

"Now ... Is it too soon to ask you to be official?"

"You waited until after popping my cherry to ask me out?", you laughed.

"In my defense ..."

"You have none!"

"Okay, whatever! Just say yes so Jeonghan doesn't continue to suffer through my rants about how much I like his sister," he pulled you into his arms again, returning your laughter.

"Fine! Yes! We're official," you feigned annoyance, but were unable to not mimic his own smile.

It had taken far too long, but you finally had the upper hand. He liked you. He asked you out. He was yours. The wait had been worth it.

To read short 2k word continuation u can go join my monthly tier on kofi or patreon!

content: smut, penetrative sex, deprived cheol, banter with jeonghan, etc.

wc: 989 (teaser); 2009 (full drabble)

sneak peak:

"Okay, I need the two of you to get the hell out of my apartment."

That had been the way in which Jeonghan welcomed the two of you upon walking in on you and Seungcheol calmly watching a movie together in your shared living room.

It had now been three months since you and Seungcheol began officially dating. Since you were roommates, this also meant that you were now living with your boyfriend. Despite the fact that Cheol and your brother shared a room together (leaving you with a room of your own), Seungcheol still had the tendency of spending a few nights per week sleeping over at your room.

So far, the dynamic between the three of you hadn't changed too much. The biggest difference was that now you and Seungcheol finally developed more of a friendship than you had during the period of time between high school and college in which you had begun to ice him out in order to protect your own feelings. That, however, died down as soon as you moved in, eventually leading to your current romantic relationship with each other.

Jeonghan had been happy for you, having known that if he forced the two of you (and subsequently left you two alone in the apartment) to talk, you'd inevitably end up confessing your feelings and finally getting together. He had seen it coming since middle school, he had said. It only took about six years for his matchmaking to come into fruition, but it led to some pretty interesting slowburn – his words, not yours.

In these past three months, however, some awkward moments had arisen.

Being your brother, Jeonghan always found it uncomfortable whenever he happened to be around when you and Seungcheol would do couple activities. Seeing you hang out was fine, obviously, but a few weird instances had already left him traumatized.

So far, he had walked in on you making out a total of five times, feeling each other up over your clothes two times, Seungcheol making eyes at you seven times, had come across your discarded underwear three times, and had even walked in on you having sex once. At some point a line had to be drawn, and apparently he had chosen that to he now.

"Dude, you're the one who wanted us to get together," you argued.

"I wanted the mutual pining to stop, not to almost walk in on my sister getting railed every other day. Leave!," he said, though he simply sat down on the couch, forcibly creating a wedge between you and Cheol.

"Let's just go to your room, babe," Seungcheol got up, taking your hand while giving Jeonghan a dirty look, "Nuance," he grumbled.

"You're the nuance," responded Jeonghan, though already immersed with the popcorn and TV he had stolen from you.

Seungcheol led you to your room, closing the door behind you and instantly turning to you.

"Hi, baby," he whispered, holding you close to him.

"Hi," you giggled at him.

He leaned down to kiss you, his hands on the small of your back and pressing you up against him. His lips were basically on yours before Jeonghan's sudden voice made the two of you jump back in surprise.

"Don't have sex! I swear to God, if I hear the two of you having sex one more time, I'm evicting you! Just sleep like normal people!," he had yelled from the living room.

He had a bit of a point. The walls were relatively thin here, and you weren't exactly quiet when you had sex.

Seungcheol groaned and buried his face in your neck, "Baby, will you still love me if I kill your brother?"

"I'll love you even more," you pouted.

He snickered, removing his head from your neck and giving you a singular peck on your lips, "C'mon, let's go to sleep."

~

The two of you had initially thought that Jeonghan's complaint about you having sex had been a fluke. You believed that maybe he was stressed that day and that he hadn't meant what he said when he stated that he did not want the two of you to sleep together anymore. However, his words proved to be more literal throughout the following week.

Any time the two of you were so much as together, Jeonghan would groan and complain, saying that if he caught the two of you doing anything less than PG, he would cause 'any trouble possible to stop it' (his own words). It was beginning to frustrate you, but your frustration could not compare to that of Seungcheol's.

"I'm going to kill him. I'm really doing it this time," he said decidedly, hearing Jeonghan's incessant attempts to interrupt whatever was going on behind your closed door.

"Babe-"

"I just want to have sex with you! It's been over a week since I've had you, I'm going insane", he pulled at his scalp.

"Yeah, I know, but he just-"

"Babe, I don't think you understand. I'm hard every day. Even seeing you gets me going by now. I can't do this anymore! Any time I try to touch you, he's there somehow!"

The manic look in his eyes spoke for itself. And it was true. Seungcheol's constant blue balling this past week and a half had him growing aroused at the mere sight of you in shorts. It was flattering, but it was beginning to affect you too. Knowing how badly he wanted you made you weak at the knees, causing the two of you to grow incredibly frustrated at your brother's antics.

You realized now that maybe you shouldn't have been so liberal in sleeping together while living with your brother. You should have known he would snap sooner or later, no matter how much he had rooted for the two of you to get together.

You wondered how this would end up playing out, because the two of you were already beyond breaking.

...

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[dixons-sunshine]

Shopping Spree, Hangout Dreams AU Headcannons Part 5 | Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader

Word count: 592.

A/n: Focusing back on them before the apocalypse for now. And the last part personally had me giggling. Kids, huh? Anyways, I hope you like this!

Specially dedicated to my biggest supporter on this au, @ddamm.

★ Daryl bought his own motorcycle shortly after the two of you moved into your final apartment.

★ He had spent years saving up for it, even hesitantly accepting any money you wanted to add to the savings for his motorcycle.

★ He was hesitant to take your money because he felt bad. He didn't want you to “waste” money on him, money that you could use to buy yourself something nice.

★ However, you were adamant, and your contribution to the savings helped him immensely.

★ The day he bought his own motorcycle, he was ecstatic. It wasn't anything fancy, but he loved it, and therefore, you loved it as well.

★ You'd been with him for over a decade at that point. You knew practically all the lore surrounding the motorcycling community. Daryl took great pleasure in teaching you everything he knew.

★ It made Daryl happy to know that you took interest in something he liked. He could go on for hours about motorcycles and you wouldn't mind. You'd actively ask questions and ask him to explain something you didn't understand.

★ Daryl was even teaching you how to ride one. It wasn't quite like teaching you how to ride a bicycle, like you had joked when he had suggested teaching you how to ride a motorcycle, but you got better with time.

★ Soon, you were able to ride one on your own, though you still preferred to have the professional—Daryl—ride it instead with you on the back, holding on to him.

★ Going away from motorcycles for a bit, Daryl was also the one that taught you how to drive a car.

★ Merle had essentially given his truck to Daryl way back when, and the old thing surprisingly still worked years later, all the way to the start of the apocalypse.

★ That was the first thing—apart from a bicycle—you ever learned to drive.

★ When Daryl bought his motorcycle, he basically gave you the truck to go to and from work, the supermarket, basically anywhere you wanted to go.

★ During the earlier stages before he bought the motorcycle, he'd go and pick you up from work with his truck.

★ He once picked you up a bit later than usual due to the field trip you had taken your class on, and when you had gotten off the bus to greet him with a cheek kiss, the kids all collectively commented on it, eliciting chuckles from you and your husband.

★ “Ew.”

★ That's also how your class had gotten introduced to your husband. After that, they never stopped asking about him.

★ “Mrs Dixon, how'd you meet Mr Dixon?”

“Mrs Dixon, have you and Mr Dixon ever kissed with your mouths like my mommy and daddy?”

“Mrs Dixon, do you love Mr Dixon?”

★ You had also once gotten a question from one of the kids that had you choking and blushing.

★ “Mrs Dixon, do you and Mr Dixon play with your clothes off?”

★ You changed that topic of discussion very quickly. Nope, you weren't gonna teach a bunch of five year olds about sex.

★ It did make for some good comedy when you got back home. Well, for Daryl at least. When you told him about that, he couldn't stop laughing. He found the question hilarious.

★ “Well, what'd ya tell him?”

“I didn't say anything. I changed the topic.”

“Ya could've said yes. We do “play with our clothes off” a bunch'a times.”

“Daryl, I'm not gonna say that! Do you know how many parents would be plotting my murder?”

“I know. M'jus' messin' with ya, Darlin'.”

[laundrybiscuits]

“Eddie,” Robin says, eyes wide in a way that means trouble. “Edward Munson, I sincerely hope your last will and testament is in order, because you are going to completely and totally die when I tell you who just got hired at Scoops Ahoy.”

Eddie groans. “Don’t tell me Tammy Thompson is giving up on her Nashville dreams.”

“No, I hate you, shut up forever, you’ll never guess.” Robin pauses, then in a dramatic whisper she’s definitely picked up from Eddie himself, says: “Steve Harrington.”

“Jesus. No shit?”

“Yeah, I have to train him. Oh my god it’s the worst. He’s so bad at, like, everything.”

She shoves at his shoulder until he moves out of the doorway of the trailer, and flings herself backwards onto his couch. “Like! Okay! I showed up to my shift thinking it would be a completely normal day in which I would be bored out of my skull distributing frozen dairy products to the flotsam and jetsam of Hawkins, and Ned’s like, hey Robin, you’re showing the new guy the ropes today. And then that freaking jackass has the freaking nerve to say—” Her voice drops a full register. “Uhh, nice to meet you, I’m Steve. Nice to meet you! God!”

Eddie cringes sympathetically, sucking air between his teeth. There’s a special kind of indignity to being so completely and utterly below the radar of Hawkins High royalty, even former bearers of the crown. It’s not as if Hawkins is a big town; Eddie’s pretty sure he could pick every single person in the graduating classes of ‘84 and ‘85 out of a crowd. He’ll probably be able to do it for ‘86 too, though he’s trying not to think about it too hard. So he’ll be a senior again (again) this fall, whatever. It’s fine. It’s whatever.

Once in a while, he wastes some time really, really wishing he’d gotten to know Robin earlier in the year. Maybe even last year. For undying friendship reasons, yeah, but also because with her in his corner, he might’ve actually passed enough of his classes to fucking graduate on his second fucking try.

But he’d only actually met her, like actually met her for real instead of passing her in the hall sometimes, when he’d let himself get suckered into rejoining band. It wasn’t like he could’ve brought his guitar in, but he let it slip to Miss Genovese that he could read music and keep time, and they needed someone to wallop the bass drum, and he figured a little experience fucking around with percussion might be the one thing he could salvage from the year. He’d just…been so goddamn tired of feeling stuck, spinning his wheels. Music was something he could actually handle; something he could actually get better at. Something he could master. He's man enough to admit he needed a win.

The actual songs were all stuffy Holst and Sousa numbers, but they’d had some fun technical bits he spent his evenings hammering out for a couple weeks. And then right around the point when he’d gotten good enough to get bored and think about quitting like last time, it had somehow wound up that shooting the shit with the gangly weirdo in the trumpet section was one of the best parts of his day. Unfortunately, by the time they’d gotten close enough for her to start bullying him about homework and shit, it had been way too late to save his chance at walking that ‘85 stage with assholes like Steve fucking Harrington.

Not that Harrington would’ve even noticed, apparently.

“Anyway, the one singular saving grace about the entire situation is that he looks even dumber in the sailor costume than I do, so at least that will make me feel better about my life until he gets fired for burning down the ice cream freezer or something like that. Eddie, I cannot stress this enough: he is so bad at this job.”

Eddie very tactfully does not bring up the litany of screw-ups that Robin’s admitted to over the last couple weeks since she started at Scoops; he just says, “Buckley, it sounds to me like you might be in need of some quality relaxation time this fine evening. I can offer you a nice cold beer, some herbal refreshment…or a fiendishly weird new song to learn with an intro riff that'll make you cry.”

Robin, inveterate nerd of his heart, sits up immediately and chirps, “New song, please!” just like he knew she would. She’s going to run off and elope with his acoustic one of these days, and he’s not even mad about it.

“Coming right up, m’lady,” says Eddie. “I promise this entire Harrington situation will be over before you know it, and neither of us will ever have to think about him again.”

(ETA: First chapter of this fic has been edited/expanded and posted on AO3)

[cricketnationrise]

For the ficlet fest: 6:42 pm, a private stage, and Arthur Fox please. My ao3 is katsudonforthesoul. Congratulations on the followers!! It's so kind of you to give back to us as a way to celebrate, especially on top of all the other things you do!

thank you so much for your kind words! the not so secret part of the ficlet fests is that all y'all's prompts are so fucking cool that i have an absolute BLAST writing them <3 for once the Arthur feels are non-angsty, which is exciting for all of us, frankly. enjoy!

read the rest of the ficlets here

❤️🤍💙❤️🤍💙

6:42pm, a private stage

“O, for a muse of fire that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention!”

No one becomes an actor hoping for small audiences. 

Famous actors can wax poetic all they want about how “reaching even one person is meaningful,” but at their core, in their secret egos, all actors want to be able to interact with the largest possible audiences. That dream is why Arthur tolerates filming; the reach is so much greater than live theatre. Even so, he’d much rather be on a stage, in front of a live audience. That feedback, that energy of a crowded room, solely focused on him and the story he’s telling is intoxicating.

“A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, and monarchs to behold the swelling scene!” Arthur winks at Catherine as he finishes the line, making her giggle. As much as he loves a packed house, there’s something special about performing for her alone, hidden away in his flat for once. She’d worn down her PPO’s enough that they’d grudgingly allowed her to stay the night, and that they’d monitor from down the hall instead of right outside his door after sweeping his place. Arthur can’t stop looking at her, casual in a way she rarely is, even in her own rooms in Kensington, completely at home here with him. The next line, something about Mars and hounds, pours out of him automatically, years of muscle memory serving him well, but Arthur couldn’t have told anyone what it actually is right now. He’s too distracted trying to memorize the precise configuration of laugh lines around her eyes.

He comes back to the text in time to appreciate the irony. “But pardon, gentles all, the flat unraisèd spirits that hath dared on this unworthy scaffold to bring forth so great an object.” It’s one thing to try to imagine vast battles and courts of ages past when you’re watching from The Globe, the building itself drenched in echoes of people imagining the same things for centuries—it’s another thing altogether to try and imagine fantastical settings and the grand scale of the story with a backdrop of worn out floors and his amazingly shit telly. Can this cockpit hold the vasty fields of France, indeed?

“Or may we cram within this wooden square the very casques that did affright the air at Agincourt?” Arthur recites, swapping “O” for “square” to reflect the shape of the room, grinning when Cat catches the change. She’s a princess, and she’s bloody brilliant, and she’s dating him. And if she wants him to perform Shakespeare for her, he’ll do it with bells on.

He bows a little at the next line. “O pardon, since a crookèd figure may attest in little place a million, and let me, ciphers to this great account, on your imaginary forces work.” Arthur meets her bright gaze steadily, as the lines ask her to imagine mighty monarchies and proud-hoofed horses.

Arthur paces forward and kneels before her where she’s perched on the couch. “For ‘tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings carry them here and there, jumping o’er times, turning th’ accomplishment of many years into an hourglass.”

“Did you mean, my entire life?” Cat snorts. 

Arthur just chuckles in response and takes her hand for the last line. “Admit me chorus to this history, who, prologue-like, your humble patience pray gently to hear, kindly to judge our play.”

Cat twines her fingers with him and leans her face close to his. “I can’t believe you memorized a scene that wasn’t your own from Henry V, you gigantic nerd.”

“It’s a good monologue,” he protests. “And you like that I’m a gigantic nerd.”

“God help me, I really do,” she admits, standing up and pulling him up after her. “Now, let’s put a different gigantic part of you to work, shall we?”

“Well, if you absolutely insist…” Arthur fakes a heavy sigh, but lets her tow him toward the bedroom, more than happy to do her bidding.

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Malleus Draconia Masquerade Dress Personal Story: Part 3

"We should begin from the top once more"

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[Noble Bell College – Lecture Hall]

Mage Training School Student: Ah, Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma-Malleus Draconia-san…!

Mage Training School Student: Um… Th-That performance you just gifted us was spectacular…! That's all I wished to say! S-S-So now, I take my leave!

Noble Bell College Student: We are so blessed to hear a song performed by you, Draconia-san… It is most definitely a great honor for our school to have been able to host this cultural exchange!

Noble Bell College Student: I know that Rollo-kaichō must be just as elated. Thank you very much for your wondrous singing voice!

Malleus: Despite this being a masquerade, they still came up and addressed me by name… Heh, how frivolous.

Malleus: ...It seems the gift was a success.

Malleus: I am certain that explains why there are more folk than usual who aren't attempting to keep their distance.

Malleus: This is all due to Ashengrotto and Shroud's willingness to collaborate. I should thank those two.

Malleus: And also… I should give my thanks to Flamme for providing us this opportunity.

Riddle: Malleus-senpai. Are you taking a breather from the dancing?

Malleus: Ah, hello, Rosehearts, Spade.

Malleus: Yes, just a moment ago, I successfully danced with the one I intended to have dance with me… So now I am resting for a spell.

Malleus: Are you two also here to rest?

Riddle: We were searching for you, Malleus-senpai. Just as we thought to express our sentiments, you disappeared.

Deuce: We already talked to Ashengrotto-senpai and Idia-senpai… But, man, Draconia-senpai! That performance was amazing!

Riddle: I agree. I would certainly be interested in learning how to sing so confidently as you did. May I ask what pointers you would have to help others like me sing beautifully like that?

Malleus: I do not know if this would be considered a pointer…

Malleus: However, from the moment I first heard the song, I was incapable of not feeling emotionally drawn to it. Perhaps that is why I was able to sing it so well.

Riddle: Did you have some kind of special interest in that song, "Let My Wish Resound"?

Malleus: I suppose I did. When Lilia introduced me to the song and sang it for me for the first time…

Malleus: With one rendition of the lyrics, I felt this unforgettable strong sense of empathy resonate within me.

Deuce: If I recall, "Let My Wish Resound" was a song of the Bell-ringer's hopes and dreams to meet everyone he possibly could.

Deuce: Does that mean… Did you sing it with the feeling that you were looking forward to meeting everyone here at the cultural exchange?

Malleus: Of course, there is that as well, but…

Malleus: I believe that this song is not only about hope.

Malleus: The Bell-ringer must have longed for the bright new world, and yet feared it at the same time.

Riddle: Fear? Even with such optimistic lyrics?

Malleus: That is right. Because it takes courage to want to learn of something you have no knowledge about.

Malleus: I've had that same feeling.

Deuce: Eh!? Even someone as confident as you had to show courage somewhere…!?

Malleus: I do not think it is anything that shocking. I am a student, same as you.

Malleus: When I was to enroll at Night Rave College, it naturally required me to muster up some courage.

Malleus: Compared to when I lived in my castle, I had absolutely no experience spending time anywhere there were large gatherings of people.

Riddle: …I think I understand.

Riddle: If that's the case, then I think I might be able to imagine just how it felt for you.

Riddle: He felt an equivalent amount of anticipation and dread…

Riddle: And yet the Bell-ringer gathered his courage and stepped into the crowd of people.

Malleus: Exactly. That is precisely why he was able to gather so many important people in his life other than his mentor, the Righteous Judge.

Malleus: I have nothing but respect for a man who is both kind and courageous.

Malleus: I am more than honored to have been able to perform "Let My Wish Resound" to show my gratitude to being invited to this gathering.

Deuce: Wow… I'd never even thought that there was something so deep hiding in the lyrics of that song.

Riddle: Neither had I. I had memorized the lyrics, yes, but only as the words on paper…

Riddle: I hadn't put any thought into the emotions or context within the song.

Riddle: Malleus-senpai. Your thoughts and emotions truly registered to everyone via that spectacular performance.

Malleus: Your backing vocals were just as good. It was thanks to everyone's efforts that the song was a success.

[[Yuu] approaches]

1. Hey, Tsunotaro, good job out there.

Riddle: Oh, [Yuu]. Did you come here to tell Malleus-senpai how you felt about the song, as well? Riddle: We were just speaking on that matter.

2. Oh, this is where you all got to.

Deuce: [Yuu], weren't you with Grim? Well, I guess you gotta take your break from that noisy furball when you can. Riddle: We were just speaking of that song, "Let My Wish Resound," with Malleus-senpai here.

Deuce: I want to hear your thoughts on it too, [Yuu].

Deuce: What did you think of Draconia-senpai's performance earlier?

1. It was really moving!

Malleus: It moved you? I see… Fufufu. I may have had confidence in myself, but hearing it directly from you is a wonderful feeling. Malleus: As long as my you were able to feel all of the emotions that I poured into that song, I am more than pleased.

2. It looked like you were having so much fun!

Malleus: It looked as though I was having fun? Me? Malleus: …You seem to always have a keen eye when it comes to me. I suppose I truly was enjoying singing from the heart as I did.

Malleus: When the crimson lotuses appeared, I thought of cancelling this… However, I am pleased that we were all able to take part in this masquerade.

Malleus: [Yuu]. Will you dance with me?

Riddle: That's a great idea. Since it was a cultural exchange, I had only been dancing with students from other schools, but…

Riddle: Since this is a rare opportunity, why don't we have a dance together as well, Deuce.

Deuce: I'd be honored! But hey, [Yuu], you better dance with me next.

Malleus: That's right. The masquerade has only just begun.

Malleus: We've met many new people, and connected with them… Let us enjoy this splendid night to our heart's content.

(Part 1) (Part 2) Part 3

[fratboykate]

And that time Yelena took 2 to the chest for Kate... does Kate kiss those scars? Does she run her hand across them in bed when she feels nervous?

Again...not EXACTLY this, but I think sort of answers your question :) Here's 1.8k of fluff.

---

Yelena is stretched out on a chaise lounge, sporting a bikini top and board shorts. Her toned arm is draped over her face, shielding her eyes from the sun's glare. Marrying a celebrity undeniably came with many downsides, but having a luxurious 60-foot lap infinity pool in her backyard, overlooking the sprawling expanse of Los Angeles from the hills, wasn't one of them. Yelena just capped an intense hour of training with a hundred laps in the pool. Now, she basks in the sun, not only to dry off but also because her body is fucking sore, rendering her temporarily immobile.

Unexpectedly, she feels the lounger sink slightly under the weight of another person. Before long, Kate's lips start a reverent trail up Yelena's body. A smile tugs at Yelena's lips, but she remains still, not uttering a word or moving a muscle. Kate's kisses explore every inch of exposed skin, pausing to give special attention to the two prominent scars on Yelena's chest. Among the other smaller scars, remnants of injuries sustained during basic training or deployments, the larger and darker ones beneath her right clavicle and left sternum stand out.

Kate does her best to block out that fateful day. She knows there's footage of the incident floating around the internet, but she’s never had the desire to watch it. Experiencing it firsthand was traumatic enough. She doesn't need to relive it. The only thing Kate vividly remembers from that exact moment is talking to a fan then seeing Yelena rush to move in front of her and shove her out of the way immediately before a series of deafening bangs shook the meet-and-greet room. Yelena went down, and chaos ensued. Kate remembers more about the aftermath than the actual shooting — the warmth of Yelena's blood, its viscous texture, and the distinct smell. Kate doesn’t think she’ll ever be able to forget the scent of Yelena’s blood as it poured out of her and onto Kate’s hands and thighs. She’ll also never forget how it felt as it dried on her skin or the feeling of desperately scrubbing her fingers in a hospital bathroom, attempting to cleanse herself of the stains. Those memories are forever etched in the brunette’s mind, so Kate kisses those scars with added reverence, hoping to keep the haunting images at bay.

"How am I supposed to memorize any of my lines when I look out the window and all I see is my hot wife lying here half-naked and alone?" Kate playfully remarks.

"Sounds very inconvenient." Yelena retorts, her voice tinged with amusement.

Kate continues her ascent, planting kisses along Yelena's body until she reaches her neck. She lingers there, placing a series of long kisses on and around Yelena's pulse point. Finally, Yelena moves the arm that rested beside her on the lounger, using it to wrap around Kate's waist and pulling her in close, effectively trapping her. Yelena keeps her other arm atop her eyes.

"I was trying to sleep.” Yelena complains.

"How rude of me.” Kate teases, nuzzling into Yelena's nape. With her left hand, she toys with the baby hairs at the back of Yelena's neck while her right hand delicately draws lazy figures over Yelena's torso. Once again, her fingers linger around the two scars, tracing circles with veneration. "Do they still hurt?" Yelena shakes her head slightly in lieu of verbalizing an answer. "I had a dream about it the other night. There was so much blood, it just kept coming, and you were lying there. I kept screaming your name, but your eyes were sort of...blank. Empty. Nothing behind them...I guess that sounds more like a nightmare."

Yelena's hand tightens its grip on Kate's waist, silently offering support and reassurance. Her touch is meant to be tangible proof that she is indeed here and that the dream was nothing more than a cruel trick her mind played on her.

"When was this?”

"A few weeks ago. When I was doing press in London. Maybe it was just the jetlag messing with my head."

"Sounds like it." Yelena mutters as she lazily caresses Kate’s hip.

"It scared me. It felt so real. I kept trying to feel your heartbeat, trying to make sure you were alive, but I didn’t feel it. I couldn’t.”

Yelena’s hand moves up from where it sat on the younger woman’s hip to clutch Kate's hand. Yelena briefly brings Kate’s hand to her lips for a tender kiss before placing the open palm over her chest, where her heart beats steadily. Kate can feel the rhythmic thumping against her hand.

"Still beating...that's real.” Yelena assures her.

Kate raises her head and seals their lips together. Yelena slightly shifts her forearm off her face, cracking one eye open to meet Kate's gaze, the vibrant blue orbs locked onto her own.

"You can never leave me. It's not allowed. I’d die.”

"So dramatic, Kate Bishop." Yelena ripostes with a faint smile.

"I mean it. You're like…vital to me. I need you."

"Seems like it's a good thing I'm not planning on going anywhere then." Yelena cups Kate's cheeks in her palms. "I'm here…it was just a dream."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Yelena lifts her head and leans in, kissing Kate's lips tenderly and reassuringly.

"But..." Yelena interjects, swiftly wrapping her arms around Kate's waist and lifting them both, effortlessly throwing Kate over her shoulder as she stands. Kate shrieks in surprise.

"Yel, what the fuck?!"

"...there have to be repercussions for not letting me sleep!" Yelena hollers mischievously as she charges forward and dives into the pool, still carrying Kate on her shoulder.

The fully clothed Kate gasps as they hit the water.

"Oh, that was uncalled for.” Kate grumbles, spraying water at her wife in retaliation.

"I was this close to a great nap.” Yelena retorts, splashing her back.

"Why does that mean I have to go swimming?!"

"My heart told me it's what you deserved, and I always listen to it.” Yelena offers with a grin.

Kate swims closer to Yelena, wrapping her legs and arms around her waist and neck, effectively clinging to her.

"Do you?" Kate asks.

"Always.” Yelena utters with certainty.

"Is it saying anything about afternoon sex?" Kate teases, her voice dripping with lust.

Yelena pretends to listen attentively to an invisible voice.

"Not that I can hear, no.”

"That's a shame... cuz I was gonna put out." Kate playfully laments.

"Were you?" Yelena raises an eyebrow.

"OH YEAH. It's kind of the whole reason I walked out here. The abs are distracting, but it's because they're verrrryyyyy sexy. Make my mind wander.”

"Is that so? Interesting."

"Uhum..."

"Where does it wander to exactly?" Yelena asks, her tone suggestive.

"You. Me. That lounger. No clothes."

"You do know there’s cameras everywhere, and the guys out front can see them, right?" Yelena reminds her.

"Free show! They can call it an employment perk." Kate suggests cheekily.

"I'm not having my guys watch me have sex with you." Yelena argues, shaking her head.

"LAME... I think that might make you a bad boss. They're probably bored. It would make their day infinitely more interesting." Kate argues in jest.

Yelena bursts into laughter.

"I'm still going to pass." Yelena insists.

“There are no cameras in our bedroom.”

"Correct.”

"Although... I wouldn't be opposed to that." Kate adds roguishly.

Yelena hangs her head back, amused by Kate's audacity.

"We're not making a sex tape.” Yelena states firmly through her chuckles.

"Once again...lame! I could use some...content when I go away on Wednesday. Something to keep me busy while I'm all alone at night.” Kate pouts, trying to convince Yelena.

Yelena leans in and presses her lips against Kate's before responding.

"I'm sticking by my answer."

Kate sighs, feigning disappointment.

"So unfair. Three whole months, sleeping by myself. Without you. What's a girl to do every night?"

"It won't be three months. I'm coming in June for a few weeks and then again in July AND August.”

"But you won't always be there! A little video might make me miss you less. That's all I'm saying.”

"No cameras while we're naked. That’s me speaking as both your wife and highly trusted security expert.” Yelena tells her categorically but lovingly.

“BOOOOOOOOO!”

Kate grouses in response and Yelena's laughter fills the air.

"Do I at least get to see you naked? Without the cameras?" Kate asks with a pout, leaning in for a kiss.

“Now?”

“When else, babe? Yes, I’m trying to get laid right now.”

Yelena shakes her head and rolls her eyes.

“Don’t you have a dinner to get ready for?”

Kate groans in realization.

“UGH. I totally forgot I have that thing with Eli. I would so much rather be here with you. I can cancel.”

Yelena gently caresses Kate's cheek.

“It’s work, Kate. Don’t cancel.”

“It’s not like I HAVE to meet him before we start shooting. I can meet him when we get to set.”

“You’ve said it helps you when you get to know your costars beforehand. Go to the dinner.”

Kate sighs, a mix of disappointment and desire evident on her face.

“I hate that you’re so good to me. Be less rational, please. I’m horny.”

Yelena cackles and walks to the pool stairs with Kate still clinging to her. Yelena effortlessly carries Kate’s extra weight around and makes her way to the lounger. She wraps her beach towel around both of them, creating a cozy cocoon, and starts heading in the direction of the house.

“Babyyyyyy...Come onnnnn…” Kate pleads. “I have time. I don’t even have to do my makeup. It’s just dinner. I’ll be a really good girl. Yeah?”

"Where do you think I'm taking you now?" Yelena's teasing smile widens as she responds.

"Ugh, you're the best wife ever.” Kate exclaims, holding onto Yelena tightly while they climb the stairs to the third floor.

Yelena's hands find their way to Kate's ass, giving her extra leverage as they make their way up. Suddenly, a thought crosses Kate's mind.

“Bed's gonna get wet.”

"I wasn't planning on using the bed." Yelena confidently tells her.

"I don't know what that means, but I'm FULLY invested already.” Kate responds, excitement evident in her voice.

Yelena chuckles and closes the door behind them as they enter the bedroom, ready to enjoy their intimate time together.

---

Three days later, Kate boarded a plane bound for Prague to begin filming the movie that would later garner her a second Academy Award nomination. Little did she know that this very film would also be the catalyst for the downfall of their marriage.

[choicesficwriterscreations]

September MC & OCs of the Month - Special Edition: Harper Gale

Help us in welcoming September's MCs and OCs of the month! That's right, plural! Most months, CFWC highlights one randomly selected MC or OC from our Meet My MC / OC List. (More info here.) But this month, we're doing something different.

In August, @lilyoffandoms hosted a Writers Appreciation Month, and we announced the September Writer of the Month would be selected from its participants. But all participants agreed - Lily deserved the honor! Still, we wanted to do something nice for the eleven writers who elected to participate to help uplift other writers in the fandom. So, this month, each of the eleven participants will have one of their MCs or OCs highlighted.

We will introduce each MC / OC individually, and once all eleven have been highlighted, a masterlist for the month will be created. We hope you enjoy getting to know all about them!

The tenth MC of the Month is @karahalloway 's OC Harper Gale for a reprise!

Learn more about Harper below....

In your words, tell us what you like most about your MC. 

Probably the fact that she knows what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to go after it.

For instance, Harper has had a dream of going travelling around the world for several years, and at the start of (Un)Common Attraction (my somewhat modified rewrite of TRR1), she jumps at the opportunity to go to Cordonia, figuring that this is her chance to kickstart her around-the-world adventure. And even though things don’t exactly go to plan, Harper still tries to make the most of the opportunity at every turn.

She also realises relatively early on that she is much more interested in and feels like herself with Drake, and even though Drake tries to push her away — out of loyalty to Christian (my version of Liam) and in a bid to avoid a scandal — Harper refuses to take ‘no’ for an answer, knowing that Drake has feelings for her too, and eventually convinces him to come around. Obviously, the press scandal on the night of the Coronation Ball throws a massive wrench in the works, but Harper refuses to throw in the towel, despite a lot of proverbial sh*t hitting the fan.

Other things I like about Harper are that she has a very strong moral compass and will fight for what she thinks is right, even in the face of resistance from those she loves and cares about. And she has a big heart — she is always trying to find ways to surprise Drake, be moral support for Max, Hana and Christian, and is always the first to offer help, even if she doesn’t really like the other person.

Do you feel your MC is like you at all? How are you alike or different?

As is the case for many authors and their OC, Harper and I share some similarities. We’re both curious, pragmatic, and down to earth, love to travel and have new experiences. We’re also both quite outdoorsy, love animals, as well as OTT action movies 😆 

However, Harper is a lot braver and a helluva lot more resilient than I am — I would never have taken Maxwell up on his offer to go to Cordonia for the social season, and I am not sure I would’ve coped with all the things she goes through in Cordonia the same way she did.

Also, while we both tend to say it like it is (and this gets us into awkward moments sometimes), Harper is a lot more outspoken than I am and will call out BS then and there, while I just do the silent eye-brow raise, akin to Drake 😅

What is most important to your MC? What is their motivation in life?

One of the most important things for Harper is being able to be herself. 

This was a big reason why she turned down Christian, because she couldn’t see herself living a ‘fake’ life whereby she had to constantly present an ‘idealised’ image of herself to the public, always having to watch what she said and did, and no longer being able to live a ‘free’ life (in my rewrite, for various reasons, I moved the timeline of this conversation up, so it takes place during the social season, rather than at the end of the engagement tour). 

This is also the reason why she gravitated towards Drake very early on — because Drake has always taken her at face value and never expected anything more from her other than exactly what she already was (whereas both the Beaumonts and Christian focus on, and try to use Harper’s status as a lady — and subsequently a duchess — to further their own ends, whether overtly, or covertly).

In terms of where I am with Harper’s story at the moment, her main motivations are clearing her name after the press scandal that broke during the Coronation Ball — in part to set the record straight and restore her reputation, and in part because she doesn’t want to have to keep hiding her relationship with Drake. Because this is kind of an all-consuming thing at the moment, she doesn’t really have mental space to think about more generic motivations 😅

What are their biggest pet peeves/dislikes?

Harper’s biggest pet peeves are being made to feel like an idiot (which is the main reason why she has a hard time getting along with Bertrand, who is a perfectionist taskmaster when it comes to etiquette), and being woken up at stupid-o’clock in the morning for a stupid reason (she very much wants/needs her beauty sleep).

She also takes issue with the two-faced nature of the nobility — outwardly presenting perfection, while inwardly falling prey to infighting, lies, manipulation and entitlement. This is another reason why she gravitated towards Drake almost from the very start because both of them can see the rot of the aristocracy through the superficial glitz and glamour.

If your MC could change one thing - anything - what would it be? 

I’m not sure Harper would want to change anything — she believes that things happen for a reason and every cloud has a silver lining, even if you can’t see it at the time.

So even in the midst of her worst experiences, Harper is able to find some kind of light on the horizon (even if it feels intractably out of reach) and focuses on that to get her through whatever hardship she is facing.

What is your MC’s favorite quote or song? Harper has a lot of songs she likes to listen to, depending on her mood, but one of her favourites is Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts. It very much captures her attitude of freedom, adventure, and curiosity, and the belief that great things are waiting for you if you’re willing to step outside of your comfort zone:

Life's like a road that you travel on

When there's one day here, and the next day gone

Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand

Sometimes you turn your back to the wind

There's a world outside every darkened door

Where blues won't haunt you anymore

Where the brave are free and lovers soar

Come ride with me to the distant shore

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your MC:

I have had a ton of fun getting to know Harper over the 3 or so years that I’ve been exploring her view of the world. But like with any relationship️, you are always learning new things about each other, so I’m sure that as I continue fleshing out Harper and Drake’s story, I’ll learn new things about both of them ❤️ 

Because unlike some other characters I’ve written — who arrived fully formed — Harper actually developed somewhat slowly as an OC. For instance, when I started my TRR1 rewrite, I didn’t even know what she looked like, and it took me about a year to find an FC for her! 😅 

But from the very start, Harper has always had a very clear and distinct voice, which is part of the reason why I ended up writing her story from first-person POV. And the more I write her, the more I love her — almost like a sister — because she feels ‘real’. She has good qualities, yes, but she also has flaws — she can be too trusting, she isn’t always completely honest, she tends to overthink things, she gets heated and emotional and will rip into people (usually legitimately, but that doesn’t make the confrontation any less intense).

And I love her dynamic with Drake 😍 Nine times out of ten, their interactions just write themselves because even though in the big scheme of things, they haven’t known each other for that long, they are very in tune with each other and in many ways they are two sides of the same coin, which means that their interplay is always a perfect storm of snark, sexual tension, and humour.

To learn more about Harper, please see her character bio.

[quillium]

Dick is shorter than Jason had remembered. 

Maybe it’s that he had a growth sprout from the Lazarus Pit, or maybe it’s just that Dick had always been distant, far off, the first and thus probably the More Loved One.

Dick peers at Jason’s face with something startled in his body language, before he relaxes into something smoother, peppy and bright.

“Hey,” Dick’s smile is easy, bright, and Jason, despite having anticipated this, feels a bit crushed that Dick seems the happier for his having been gone. “Can I have the mango special combo? With 30% sugar in the drink.”

“Of course,” Jason says, ducking his head down and working the register as fast as he can so that Dick can leave soon.

Don’t recognize me, don’t recognize me, don’t recognize me--

“Are you a student at the university?” Dick asks, jerking his chin towards the doorway.

“Yeah,” Jason says, “First year.”

“Ooh, nice. You must be swamped with work.”

“Not too bad,” Jason lifts a shoulder, thinks I crammed two languages and five styles of marital arts trying to catch up to you and be the perfect Robin, “I was homeschooled so I’m used to this kind of pace. actually. Been looking for clubs--got everything down but friendship.”

Dick brightens and leans forward, “You should join the dance club! No experience necessary--it’s a good way to get your workout in and make friends!”

“Are you in it?” Jason asks, unsure of which answer he wants, which answer will sway him to join.

Dick’s grin slips a bit, and he rocks onto the balls of his feet, “We’ll have to see,” he admits, looking away, “I had a minor wrist injury so we’ll--we’ll have to see how that goes.”

“Oh,” Jason clears his throat. He doesn’t bother asking how Dick got it--Dick’s good enough at lying that Jason wouldn’t be able to tell the truth. “That sucks.”

“Yeah,” the cheer returns, full force, “But I’ll be there as a coach, at least, sometimes, so--so I’ll be around. If you need a friendly face.”

“I’ll think about it,” Jason says, half-meaning it.

Dick’s smile is undamped as Jason hands him the drink, “I look forward to seeing you,” he says, bright, cheerful.

Jason’s traitor heart wonders if Dick might’ve acted like this to him, ever, as a younger brother, once he stopped being angry--

Wonders if his replacement gets Dick’s smile, Dick’s brightness, because Talia said that his replacement was loved and cherished by Nightwing.

“We’ll see,” Jason’s smile is tight, awkward, “Don’t get your hopes too high.”

“Too late,” Dick says, beaming, bright, “The deadline to join is this Monday but you don’t need a portfolio or application--just show up to the meeting. It’s the dance club, so we’re chill--don’t go to the dance team. They’re intense.”

“Cool,” Jason says. He thinks he used to be good with words. Or maybe that’s just his 15-year-old hubris speaking--it feels so long ago. Like a distant dream.

Dick nods, and he’s still smiling when the door closes behind him, the bell ringing.

There aren’t many customers at this hour, so Jason’s just left at the front, standing, waiting for the next person to come.

He wonders how pathetic it may seem, if he goes to the Wayne mansion right now, and tells them who he is. Who he was.

He can’t think about that, now. Can’t afford to.

Jason tells himself that joining the dance team would be a stupid decision.

(Still, in his head, he holds it tight--deadline Monday.)

__

ch 2 of wait for me (a little longer)

[isabellehemlock]

15 Questions & 15 Tags

Thank you @boutiquetraveltravelboutique for tagging me on this one!  I was telling @nalyra-dreaming how I had seen her reply to these and I was like, “OHHH I want to do it” and then planned on it doing once I was back full time and then here I was getting tagged for it while I was away - how lucky am I <3

So here we go!

Are you named after anyone?  Sort of.  Basically, Katharina is a fairly common German name version of Katherine, and my mom does have a Tante Katharina who is turning 90 this year!  But I think it was more “I like the name” vs. being named after them.  However, both my middle names are for my paternal and maternal grandmothers.

When was the last time you cried?  What kind?  I definitely have no problem sharing the “my joy overfloweth” kind of crying at any time - literally got an emote of my bday face from like two years ago being all happy crying at digital gifts and well wishes lol - but the sad, or anxiety kind?  Nah.  I’ll dip before anyone gets to see that.  Let’s blame my Scorpio vibes and not the c-ptsd. 

Do you have kids?  I do!  I have (in my belief system) one child in Heaven from a pregnancy loss and two AMAB kiddos I refer to as my rainbow babies.  I consider them precious gifts that I hope I never take for granted <3   

Do you use sarcasm a lot?  In person, I can easily dip into a Vince Vaughn kind of sarcasm lol (you can even get glimpses via VC chats haha), but online??  My brain reads very literally, I’ll blame the ND codedness, so I use tone indicators and sometimes do ask for them - and happy to provide them if asked, too.  

What's the first thing you notice about people?  Oh!  That’s an interesting question - hm, if given the opportunity (say, a large gathering) I tend to observe how they treat others, especially people who cannot do anything for them - are they kind to the staff?  To the retail worker?  Do they put the cart back?  Do they roll their eyes at someone herp derping and having a (harmless) good time?  Do they snicker and sneer?  Do they speak to people in a kind way? 

When meeting someone directly for the first time, I try to observe what their comfort level is when it comes to personal space and eye contact - everyone is different - so still observing, approaching slowly, smiling, just doing what I can to help create a comfortable safe space before introducing myself with name, and pronouns and (though certainly not implying pressure that they have to share theirs), allowing them to know I’m a safe space if they’d like to share :)  

You can really tell my human services/mediation training is shining through lol  

What's your eye colour?  Blue and green with gold colored central heterochromia 

Scary movies or happy endings?  Both, but if I have to pick one, scary movies!

Any special talents?  Tbf some of it this might have more to do with practice vs talent lol, but essentially, all the art things - writing, drawing, singing, some dancing, etc.  Because of chronic lung disease the last two are obviously impaired, but at my peak health days of my youth I competed in nationals for show choir and was a lyrical soprano - I can still hit the notes on good breathing days :) 

Where were you born?  Fulda, Germany 

What are your hobbies?  Most recently consistent?  Fandom works: writing, digital art, doing fandom events.  I’ve also enjoyed various crafts (mostly paper media, but some mixed media as well).  I’ve gotten compliments on my digital prints via my old etsy store, and made Saint peg dolls, and mini Saint altar shrines - I still make the occasional ones for parishioners as requested.  But yeah, most of my hobbies are digital <3 

Do you have any pets?  Too sensitive to pet dander, ammonia, and all related pet things lol - however my mom and brother have animals upstairs in their apartment (two dogs, and three cats), and my kiddos have two guinea pigs (and I haven’t been able to be in their room for more than five minutes at a time since) lol

What sports do you play/have you played?  I was the sick kid in school lol.  I did have a couple stable years in my mid teens, so I did show choir which involved dancing and singing show tunes haha

How tall are you?  Five feet and five and a HALF inches - the half is very important also Marilyn Monroe was the same height, and as a fellow curvy gal I’m like yesssss

Favourite subject in school? English and History :)

Dream job?  Kindergarten teacher, or an art teacher - but especially anything related to children’s services - I went to school for it and am grateful to have had opportunities to work with children in the past <3

1516 people (though no pressure of course) . . . 

@energievie @timidkoala @cosima-nova @actualmermaid @thirdspin @wrenaspun @werebearbearbar @yourlazyturtle @you-came-back @sunray-sunray @dominicknight @prouvaireafterdark @angelicmousegirl @nicolos @nicelytousled @ongreenergrasses

[revyved]

@enrhysmion said: No matter where their journeys lead them, the moon's devoted followers are all united in their hearts. Rhys hasn't met many clerics of Selune despite spending so many years traveling with his instructor, and he must confess that Isobel intrigues and inspires him. She embodies hope in a way that he could never imagine being able to; her brightness cuts through the deepest darkness. She keeps everyone alive and protects the integrity of their souls. It's a blessing—no, a miracle—that her personal adventure brought her here in the midst of all this madness.

He determines that it's the ideal time to approach her now that the others are unwinding from the attack on the Last Light Inn. Rhys has often pondered the reason for the moon goddess' unwavering confidence in him. He is a deceiver; he is a shadow that hides the radiant light, yet Selune favors him and bestows upon him powers that are not rightfully his. He considers whether the goddess might be planning something special for him. Perhaps she believes he will assist Isobel. Even though he has a lot of questions racing through his mind, he decides to ignore them. He can't put extra strain on Isobel's shoulders when he doesn't even know her. It is up to him to maintain and resolve his dilemma.

"I wish I could be of assistance. Sadly, I lack such powers, and I worry that my light is too weak to drive away the shadows. I apologize sincerely, Lady Isobel. I demonstrate that I am a poor ally and a terrible devotee of our Lady." He leans on the balcony rail, his mouth curled into a sorrowful smile. His healing skills are almost useless in this scenario, despite his usual confidence in them. Since practically everyone has already passed away, who can he pretend to save? Shadows long for souls, not bodies. He doubts his ability to deal with them.

she’s earned a moment to rest, she thinks. a quiet few minutes to settle her nerves after marcus’ abrupt appearance. even now her heart dances in an uncomfortably chaotic rhythm, not quite steady, not quite right. she still feels the earth once caked in her chest obstructing the motion. isobel should have known this would happen. such an attack was inevitable, yet she let her guard down nonetheless. foolish. if not for the new arrivals, she’d likely find herself tossed at ketheric’s muddied boots.

pale, moonlit-stricken eyes look up the moment rhys shares the balcony with her. the cold yet stale air keeps her senses sharp, still on edge after hearing the reason for marcus’ approach. ketheric wants her back — partially to doom the innocent lives here, and the other reason too distressing to think on in present time. it’s surprising to hear rhys apologize for such a thing. his words bring her from her thoughts, quietly coughing into her fist before smiling.

“ a poor ally ? while i understand your fears - such a place oft draws them out - i must also assure you of your importance in all of this. the shadows here are no ordinary magic … as you’ve readily learned. the darkness is permeated into the very land, yet i wouldn’t have offered my guidance if i figured you a lost cause. there is far more for you to achieve here than you think. “

her smile warms akin to a starry night. “ our lady of silver has a path for you, one she knows you have the means to walk. she shares our dreams and our hopes, our sadness and fear. you may discover more about yourself when tested so… “ she speaks from her own experience. dying and descending into empty darkness, nothingness, until violently woken. “ i don’t think it’s a mere coincidence to meet a fellow devotee. it would bring me joy hearing more about you. i do insist though — you have nothing to apologize for. “

[marjiex]

Hanahaki

Chapter One, Part One

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

My own original thoughts and writing gathered from my beloved notes app.

Chapter One: Petals

How did it begin? Was it the day I met you on that hill? Or when we talked for the first time? Maybe it was way back when I could only see you through a screen, right? I am not so sure myself. About the day I began to like you. There is a brief answer that I think it was when you began to show me your love for the world. The days where I did not know you yet were dark. I remember those days being so dark and so lonely. I was distant from the world to a point I did not dare dream or hope for a light to guide me out of the dark. Yet there you were. My light. Coming into my life when I did not even think it possible. It was only because of you that I was able to see the beauty of the world again. What I once came to despise I learnt to love once more. You never knew it. I never told you. But I am grateful for that. Grateful for having you in my life. Sharing your passions allowed me to reclaim my own. How could I continue to hate them when you made them sound so lovely again? Music, books, films, hobbies. I was reborn, into a better person. You helped me reborn. I had admiration and respect for you always. Since the start. Although perhaps it was then that I began to develop feelings stronger than admiration for you. How could I have known that developing a small crush would later come to destroy me? I didn't. In the first year I got to know you as a person I was grateful to have a friend. Just two girls who shared so much similar interests. You were unlike anyone I had ever met. Nothing compared to the horrible people of my past. You were beyond their level. Better. I think to myself that perhaps the reason I became so attached to you was to continue having you by my side. To not lose the light I had finally gotten ahold of, afraid that if I did not hold on you would begin to disappear with the rest of the tiny stars in the sky. You stayed my moon. Shinning brighter and bigger. I cherished every moment together from the start. I noticed every small thing you did. How we both had no one to sit with on the first day of school and ended up sitting together for lunch. Only us two. I remember watching Jojo's Bizarre Adventure together at our lunch table because you introduced me to it. Your passion for this show and how it connected to your love for Rock music amazed me. I remember reading the funniest fan fiction we could find on the internet to each other. How we laughed so loud without a care what anyone around us thought. Since the start you always made me feel comfortable. I especially loved when you began to bring me snacks. The Madelline cookie you brought from home for me, just for me. Even when we began sitting with our group of friends, I knew I still had you. I liked to think that us meeting was destiny. How we were assigned to the same homeroom. I took it as a sign that we were something special. It is so stupid, I know. However, back then I really wanted to believe that we could become something. You made me believe we could have, right? When you wanted us to cosplay Hua Cheng and Xie Lian, knowing there were love interests. When I was not feeling okay mentally, and you kept calling me although it was so late at night, and you were supposed to be sleeping. Playing video games together and matching characters that were always shipped. Drawing hearts on my schoolwork. Letting me rest on your lap when I was tired. We even started giving each other nicknames. I liked when you acted this way with me. Even when you were only fake flirting. When I found out you did not do that with our other friends made me feel so special. Hell, we even watched adult content videos together. So tell me. How could I have not believed we were something? Also, the fact that you had been living 3 minutes away from me my whole life. Going to different middle schools but sharing the same campus. I did not know you yet and you did not know me, but we lived many of the same memories. So how could I have NOT believed we were something special? HOW?

[reba-ceres]

Colorful

FFXIV Write 2023 Prompt 3. (I pick!)

(I finished this prompt while at work, but I cannot access Tumblr or Ao3 from my work computer due to security settings. I still want to share what I made, so I've decided to post the pieces I finish here that I haven't been able to submit.)

Summary: Serina compares the variety of people she has met since leaving Ishgard to going from graphite drawing, to painting in a full palette of color.

Ishgard was a very monotonous place when it came to a representation of the varied peoples of Eorzea. Midland Hyur or Wildwood Elezen. There were the occasional Duskweight sprinkled in, but they were often mixed blood with Wildwood, and only sported some of the unusually shaded skin tones. There were also halfbreeds, those who were half Elezen and half Hyur, but such children were often shunned in the light of the purity sought by the upper crust of Ishgardian society, and found themselves more often than not scrapping out an existence in the Brume. Though Serina had read about them, she had yet to meet a bastard of the mixed persuasion.

Ever since the calamity, Ishgard had gone from a beautiful castle of a place to something that was cold, metallic, and gray. Watching the color bleed from her home was like watching the hope fade out of a badly preserved art piece. Serina had been young when it happened, only fourteen. Old enough to remember the before, but young enough to make the adjustment to the after. Barely.

The first bit of color she had found in Ishgard had been the day that Alena Ena had entered into the Scholasticate as a special exchange student. Suddenly she was faced not with a textbook telling her dry and sometimes biased facts about a certain race, but a real life representation. Alena’s jade eyes brought warmth, and her dark skin a comfort of sunshine.

Once she ventured south, and left Ishgard with her new friend, Serina didn’t see very many different peoples at first, but she did get her first taste of color again. Green trees, brown earth, tan stone paths, blooming flowers. It was like waking up from a long dreary dream of winter and finding herself in the heart of a full blast of blossoming spring. 

The people were more of what she expected, more Hyur and Elezen, though dressed differently in Gridania territory than they would have been had they dwelled within the walls of the Holy See. Even their skin tones seemed warmer and more welcoming. With temperate weather, they spent more time outdoors, and the pale pallor many Ishgardians had was markedly absent.

Then she met her first Miqo’te.

Once more Serina realized how different she was from her other Ishgardian counterparts at her wonderment at meeting someone so different from herself. His colors were beautiful, with vibrant sunshine-red hair and emerald eyes, and the energy he exuded was unlike anything she had seen in other men. He was passionate, excitable, and loyal with no ulterior motives. Until she met Rai’ji, she had thought everyone had the close guarded snootiness that was so prevalent in Ishgard, with Alena being an exception.

Realizing how different each and every person could be, even those who adhered to their own dogma, was what turned Serina’s world into a world of color and hope. She found herself wanting to meet people, make paintings, and view vistas. She wanted to go on an adventure!

Thank the Twelve that, in the end, she did!

[crazyunicorn56-blog]

Collide

Today’s blog is special. Today I have a confession to make. I know I haven’t written here for a while, but I have been slightly occupied. Also, I just didn’t know how I could say what I wanted to say on such a large platform filled with strangers. It has been a scary journey for me, and I am sure a lot of you as well. So I’m just going to come out and say it. Pun intended. I’m gay. 

Many of you have followed my daily journey through the city of my dreams for so long and without this constant support I would not have been comfortable enough to come out the way I have. So I thank my readers. And I feel like I owe it to you to tell you my love story. 

It all started the day I posted my last blog. I was at a farmer’s market on a perfectly ordinary Sunday evening. Coincidentally, someone who was about to be very special to me was also there. We bumped into each other and she seemed so rude at first. I was taken aback. But we eventually started talking and I found out she was one of the sweetest people I have ever met. She showed me the correct way to shop at the market and we exchanged numbers. A few days later, we met once again and this time I showed her my favorite spots in the city. The rooftop of my building, a secluded park and of course, the library. She really seemed to enjoy the peace and tranquility. Although we have only been dating for a short while, I am really happy she is in my life, and I hope everyone struggling with coming out finds their confidence and their person! I mentioned today’s post is special, and that is because, even though I will not be able to formally introduce you all to the person who makes me happiest, I can get them to share their views through writing. So here you go. 

Hi. I’m not so good at blog writing but here goes. We met on a day where I had given up hope. I was lonely and depressed and missed home more than anything. But after meeting my person, I started seeing color in plain objects, she made me feel at home again. Although I still miss the countryside at times, I have come to realize that home is not a place, it is a feeling, a person, an object. It is whatever you decide for it to be. So I am glad for my home, for she makes me thankful for everything.

[perpetualoutkast]

In my life, of what seems like mistake after mistake, I don’t know what I did to make a friend like you. Seeing everyone turn their backs on me, in my lowest point & darkest days. You kept your word & have stood beside me, even when I was going nuclear on a public stage. Your umbrella has been something, I’ve been caught inside, since the first time I laid eyes on you, all the way back in high school. Your cheerleading pin, has always hung on my wall. I can’t tell you how many times, I’ve looked at it, just to put a smile on my face. Or, that it has lifted me out of a dark place.

Everyone might look at you & get caught in how absolutely beautiful you are. That’s a mistake, because then they don’t see the greatest gift you ever had. It was always your mind & intelligence that captivated me. I could sit there all day in Chemistry class & just get lost in you, as you worked away, to solve the problem.

You were my first muse I ever had, inspiring me to write poetry, about what you meant to me. I was so terrified handing that first one. I’ve never been able to hide my feelings about you, because I never wanted you not know you were something special. I remember I had wrestling meet early one Saturday & you had plans also. We missed that school dance, except you invited me over for pizza together in your basement watching a movie together.

I never second guess skipping out on senior prom, because I just couldn’t see you there dancing with another guy. Yet, I never once disrespected you or tried pushing myself onto you. You were the type of woman I always found myself dreaming of, but knew I never wanted lose you as a fiend in my life. So, I also walked a tight rope around you, making sure I never crossed any other line.

I’ve always enjoyed every moment we ever shared together. I enjoyed meeting your family & your momma has always been my favorite. Watch out though, can’t be disrespecting the roses, now. I think she might of enjoyed those more than you did when I gave them to you. I’ve never forgotten how she was so in awe of them.

There was so much I learned from you, on our late night phone conversations. I might as well of, just taken notes, cause you weren’t tree of knowledge. I learned new thing, you convinced to try things I didn’t want to & your favorite thing, has been a life crusade of mine to master. Hoping one day, I’d be able to show that to you personally.

Tina used to get on me, teasing the first two years of college. She could still see how I was still, all caught up over you. I can’t help it, my heart was yours. You were literally love at first sight. I remember asking someone when that happened. I just had to know who you were. It’s only grown over time, especially in my moments of trials & tribulations.

I’m so sorry I missed everything, I mean of all people, how the hell could I be so clueless. I hate myself so much, for being absent. You were missing your biggest fan, for so many years. I don’t know what it is about you, but girl I can’t ever quit you. It’s not fair & I feel bad about others. I have such a high level of love to a few in my life, but I have to be honest. You have always held my thrown & when I found you again. It was a wtf moment, it changed everything. I had no clue or idea, I’d ever see you again. Now, I just worry I never lose you again.

In that poem, do you remember that last line?

Please, don’t let me be just another paige, in your life story. It’s so hard to trust anyone & all I’ve wanted, was just a friend. You have shown me more, than I could ever have imagined or dreamed asking for.

You lifted me up & I want to spend the rest of my life, lifting you up even higher. Shattering all these glass ceilings, that have held not only women but minorities behind. My dreams were never fame, money & being a celebrity. Mine was having a family. Now, I just want to spend every day I have left, showing you, that you are the most amazing woman in the world & showing you what you mean to me & how special you truly are. You can’t even put it into words, the way I feel about you. There’s no limits or boundaries, which can contain my heart or my feelings in loving you.

I have one question, What took you so long? I tried to tell you all this, back when we were teenagers. Even after all the horrors that went through. I would do it over & over every single time, if in the end, I got to be with you.

I lost everything, but I found you again. That’s a price, I’m willing to pay. You are priceless, there’s no amount of money, I’d ever sell you away for. I can write & write about you forever.

Thank you,

[kpop]

K-Pop Spotlight: Dreamcatcher

We’re diving headfirst into the spirit of Halloween and all things spooky in this week’s spotlight with the genre-pushing girl group, Dreamcatcher. We caught up with the group ahead of their HALLOWEEN MIDNIGHT CIRCUS online concert to chat about the upcoming show, their favorite seasonal treats, and getting to spend the holiday with InSomnia. Check out our full interview below!

Tell us about HALLOWEEN MIDNIGHT CIRCUS and what it was like preparing for your latest online concert.

JI U: This time, it’s going to be different from what we’ve done before with the addition of a virtual world. I think it’ll be fascinating seeing the entire stage in a new light. Also, I think it’ll be a fun concert to watch, considering that we will dress up differently for Halloween.

SU A: I’m so excited because it feels like it’s been a while since we’ve done a Halloween concert. I’m really looking forward to what kind of fun concert it will be this time, and I can’t wait to show InSomnia.

SIYEON: We are preparing hard every day to show you a better performance every time. It’s not face-to-face, but I’m looking forward to a similar hot reaction from fans.

HANDONG: We always prepare a lot to show a different side of us at Halloween concerts. I’m excited to see what kind of fun it will be this time.

YOOHYEON: Wow, I really like Halloween, but it’s not my favorite day. Even so, I’m so happy to be able to have a concert the day before when we can feel the (Halloween) atmosphere. I can’t wait to do it!

DAMI: I’m very excited and have high expectations for the new challenges we’re taking on.

GAHYEON: I’m so happy to show you new fresh performances, and I’m looking forward to the fans’ responses.

Describe your dream Halloween costume and why it resonates with you.

JI U: I’ve dressed up as vampire Alice before, and I think it looked really good on me. It has a pure but decadent feeling…

SU A: My dream is to become a completely new person who doesn’t have any traces of my usual self. If I’ve done a lot of pretty things as myself, I think I’d be endlessly curious about the kinds of characters that could appear from me.

SIYEON: I really want to try dressing up as Hela, the villain from Thor: Ragnarok, later. It’s an attractive character that I really like, and I think it would go well with our image on stage.

HANDONG: Unfortunately, I couldn’t perform with choreography last year. This time I’ve picked a costume that fits well with the mood of the song.

YOOHYEON: My dream Halloween costume is actually Peter Pan…Haha, it’s a character that I really really like, and I’ve always wanted to do it even before Halloween. The outfit is what it is, and it’s really hard to get! I hope I get to show it to you one day!

DAMI: I want to try the Black Widow costume someday. It was suggested to me, and I think a tight leather bodysuit would look good on me.

GAHYEON: Vampire? I think red lipstick looks good on me.

In your opinion, what’s the best part about getting to spend this Halloween eve with InSomnia?

JI U: We’re all in a situation where many people can’t gather and have a party, but I think it’s nice that InSomnia and us don’t have to be lonely because we can be together through the concert.

SU A: Making fun memories with InSomnia is a huge part. Halloween is only once a year, and I think it’s great that we can make it more memorable together than anyone else.

SIYEON: I think the best part is that we can do special stages together because it’s Halloween. InSomnia also seems to be looking forward to it a lot, so I feel great.

HANDONG: Although we can’t meet in person, I hope we can enjoy and make it a memorable Halloween together.

YOOHYEON: Firstly, I think it’ll be fun because we can show everyone a different side of us in cosplay. Next time, I think it’ll be fun to meet everyone in person when they can dress up and participate with us!

DAMI: I think it’s the best day to show off DREAMCATCHER’s creepy concept.

GAHYEON: I think it’s nice to show everyone our cosplays and have fun performances.

What are some of the challenges you've faced performing for an online audience versus live at a venue?

JI U: Above all else, because there are no cheering sounds from InSomnia, it feels empty every time we perform. Even if things get difficult, we get energy from InSomnia’s cheering, so (not having them there) makes me so sad.

SU A: The biggest regret (with online concerts) is that we can’t see or hear InSomnia. Hearing their shouts and cheers is what makes it really fun and a perfect stage, but since we can’t, it’s a little boring.

SIYEON: I think it’s communication. It’s a shame that we can only exchange our excitement and passion through writing and video. I’m just waiting for things to get better soon.

HANDONG: I’m so sad that I can’t hear the fans’ cheers or see their faces. It’s more fun, and I get more excited when we can hear and see them. I miss InSomnia so much.

YOOHYEON: The biggest difference is whether there are audiences or not, right? There’s definitely a difference in energy depending on whether everyone is there in front of us or not. If you enjoy it together, it’s more exciting, and the concert is even more enjoyable.

DAMI: It’s a pity that we can’t make eye contact and communicate with the fans.

GAHYEON: I think it’s hardest because we can’t hear the cheers. So, I think the fact that it’s hard to communicate directly?

What’s your favorite treat to enjoy around Halloween?

JI U: I like pecan pie. It's delicious.

SU A: Of the Haribo gummies, I like mini-sized ones. The texture is better, and because it’s small, it’s more tantalizing and yummy.

SIYEON: I like chocolate rather than candy. Milk chocolate!

HANDONG: On Halloween, I like witch finger-shaped snacks!

YOOHYEON: As expected, I like chocolate…! But instead of chocolate that’s too sweet and has caramel inside, I like moderately sweet chocolate with a simple taste. For example, Ghana’s Milk Chocolate!

DAMI: I think I eat sour snacks often.

GAHYEON: Chocolate for me. I like sweet things.

Are there any spoilers you can give us for HALLOWEEN MIDNIGHT CIRCUS?

JI U: Fun, charismatic, pretty, and a chilling performance!

SU A: Whenever we have a concert, we always try something new, so I think it would be good to look forward to those new performances. We’re working hard on it, so please look forward to it.

SIYEON: I think I’ll be flying in the sky.

HANDONG: The tension is going up to the sky.

YOOHYEON: Hmm…I don’t know….!! Where are we now?!

DAMI: It’s worth watching!

GAHYEON: Um…A performance that suits me?

Want more from Dreamcatcher? Check out their upcoming online concert HALLOWEEN MIDNIGHT CIRCUS—tickets are still available here!