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09kags · 4 years ago

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Happy Haikyuu Day!

Sorry for the bad quality first off T^T I keep having to resize these so that they’re smaller for Tumblr and it ruins the quality. But more importantly, happy Haikyuu day! (at least it is Japan already!) This edit embodies some of my favorite moments within the series and below, I’ve written some of the thoughts that went into this piece/my feelings on these moments! Manga spoilers ahead (I'm pretty sure I’ve kept them to a minimum but just to be sure, please proceed with caution!), and I hope you enjoy this edit! (Overlays: accio-glow, aulia-chan on dA; PSDs: hurtears, hallyumi, yangyanggg on dA) 1. “Today might finally be the day we get the chance to let our talents bloom… it could be tomorrow. Or maybe next year. Or maybe it’ll finally come when we’re 30. I’m not sure if physique has anything to do with it but I do know for sure that if you don’t believe that day will come, it never will.” This quote is a testament to Oikawa’s growth and is a symbolic representation of Oikawa freeing himself from the shackles of “geniuses” and “prodigies.” So what if your opponent is a genius? So what if they possess more innate talent? As his mentor and inspiration Jose Blanco states, “Are you saying you know what the limits of your abilities are already? Even though you aren’t yet finished growing physically or mentally? Even though you haven’t mastered all the skills you can master? If you’re going to complain that someone with more talent than you will always be better than you… no matter how hard you work, how many tricks you learn and how many great teammates you have… do that only after you’ve given everything the very best effort you have.” There will always be someone better in the world. But to claim that you cannot hope to compare to the likes of them is to resign yourself to a predetermined defeat as well as dismiss both your own efforts and theirs. There’s no guarantee when your efforts will pay off. As Oikawa declares, it may be today, tomorrow, or even when we’re 30. But if you don’t believe in yourself first, if you don’t believe that you will bloom in your own time, “that day will never come.” The flower in the background is the iris. It is known to represent trust, faith, and hope amongst many other ideals. I chose this particular flower because of the manga cap used in this panel. I cannot emphasize how much I love the bond between Oikawa and Iwaizumi, especially this particular moment when Oikawa points at Iwaizumi with such authority and determination as if saying, “This ball, this moment, is meant for you.” Not to mention the pairing with the iconic “Talent is something you make bloom, instinct is something you hone” quote. An absolutely masterful sequence of scenes that always gets my blood rushing.

2. “Don’t look down! Volleyball is a sport where you’re always looking up!” This moment gives me chills every time. It’s something so fundamental and simple and yet, when Ukai yells this, it instills that feeling of “You can do it.” It makes my heart flutter and I feel so excited because it’s such a beautiful way of saying “Don’t give up, it’s not over yet.” And even if the ball has dropped for the last time or you have lost this match, there’s always tomorrow. There’s always the next match where you’ll have to look up. This quote gives me the same feeling as when Takeda-sensei says, “For the rest of your lives, you can do anything you set your mind to!” You only truly lose when you stop trying or you give up. 3. “It hurts. I’m tired. This is painful. I don’t want this to ever end.” / “The ball hasn’t dropped yet!” Whenever Haikyuu characters say “Just one more!” or “The ball hasn’t dropped yet!”, the tension and desperation is almost palpable. It’s so incredibly moving to see them strive to save that ball just one more time, to focus purely on what is in front of them. Even if they don’t all pursue volleyball as a professional career, the passion they all have for the sport is real. That sort of passion is beautiful to watch and admire, and I wish I could have that kind of passion for something in my life. 4. “The underhand only uses two hands. The overhand uses 10 fingers. That’s all the more to support your spikers with, which is what it means to be a setter.” / “To cut through the wall that looms before your spikers, that is the purpose of a setter.” This particular panel depicts the two ideologies of Atsumu and Kageyama respectively, two of my favorite setters and characters in general. Atsumu “may be pretty cocky at times, and overwhelm his teammates with his thirst for victory, but he treats his spikers with more sincerity and selflessness than anyone else.” He may be overbearing and an asshole at times, but his love for the sport and the art of being a setter is second to none. On the other hand, there’s Kageyama who’s so damn cool with his one-liners. Kageyama’s passion and drive to win may blind him to his surroundings and teammates but he truly believes that the setter is the one who clears the path for their spikers. When their spikers feel cornered and the walls are closing in, it is the setter who “cuts through the wall that looms” ahead. The old Kageyama who was a prisoner to speed is no longer, and his growth as a player brings me to tears every time. 5. “Someone once asked me, ‘Do you ever feel bitter over the fact that you’re not a regular on the team, and amongst your juniors there’s a genius to boot?’ I never understood the exact definition of what it was to be a genius to begin with, but upon hearing the question, I understood the general gist of what they were getting at. Every so often there will be someone who thinks that ‘people like Atsumu’ were ‘good’ from the get-go. But the thing is, if I practiced something from 1-10 every day, then people like Atsumu would have done it from 1-20. Or, they would have done the same 10 but in a more efficient or concentrated manner. They might also ask ‘Instead of doing it 1-10, how about I tried it from A-Z, what would happen then? Now doesn’t that sound interesting?’ They’re the kind of people who think about stuff like that. Even if they fail, even if they are hated and get ostracised by others, no matter whether they’re right or they’re wrong, even if they subvert something the rest of us hold in high regard, they’re the kind of people who can’t sit still without giving it a go. Even if they start coughing up blood from their lungs, they’re the kind of people who want to keep on running, no matter what. There’s going to be a lot of people in this world who make you go ‘Wow, I’ll never be able to defeat them,’ and it’s only natural that you think they’re amazing people. I think that to be able to keep charging ahead is a talent in and of itself. You can call people like them whatever you like, the term ‘genius’ isn’t exactly an insult. That said, to think they were ‘good from the get go’ is to condemn yourself to a predetermined defeat without even playing a match against them, and I also think it’s very rude.” This quote, hands down, is one of my favorite quotes of all time. It is not genius or natural talent that makes individuals truly great, but it is grit. Without a doubt, people are not born equal. There will always be someone with more innate talent or latent capabilities. We all begin at different starting lines. But those who truly stand out are those who go the extra mile, like those dubbed to be the Monster Generation (Kageyama, Atsumu, Hinata, Bokuto, Ushijima, Oikawa, etc.). To others they may seem like natural prodigies but behind their flawless technique and precise ball control lies countless hours of training. They trained harder than anyone else, sacrificed in order to hone their abilities, and ran farther than the rest of the pack. They’re the type to fixate on what lies before them without much regard to anything else.They eat, sleep, breathe, and live volleyball with every waking second. They’re always trying new things (Atsumu pulling off the freak duo quick in the middle of the Inarizaki match) and continually looking for ways to improve (“But the thing is, if I practiced something from 1-10 every day, then people like Atsumu would have done it from 1-20. Or, they would have done the same 10 but in a more efficient or concentrated manner. They might also ask ‘Instead of doing it 1-10, how about I tried it from A-Z, what would happen then? Now doesn’t that sound interesting?’ They’re the kind of people who think about stuff like that”; Kageyama keeping a volleyball journal). It is not what they were born with that makes them great; it is their overwhelming desire to win. 6. “‘Yesterday’ has already disappeared behind us. Many, many yesterdays have become a part of our muscles. What shall we do, today?” This quote, chills. There’s no point ruminating about the past or what has already passed; you can’t change it. (In retrospect, I wish I included another quote from Inarizaki in this panel: “One time is enough. We rise to the challenges of today.”) You learn from the mistakes of yesterday and use them as stepping stones for tomorrow. I wish I could eloquently phrase how much I love this quote or my interpretation of it but alas, my writing is fancy Garbage. 7. “But if�� just if… that moment comes for you, that will be the moment you really get hooked on volleyball.” If you didn’t get chills when Tsukishima blocks Ushijima, I have no words for you. Tsukishima-it’s-just-a-club Kei, Tsukishima-I’m-the-normal-guy Kei — Tsukishima Kei, who always underestimates his own capabilities and relies on what he can see in front of him, blocking the Ushijima Wakatoshi, one of the top three high school aces nationally. The character development from someone who did the bare minimum (as noted by other players/coaches at one of the training camps) to someone who finally had their moment to get hooked on volleyball is one of my favorite progressions of all time. Seeing him fall in love with volleyball gradually and then all at once is truly heartwarming and beautiful to witness. 8. “No matter what other people may say, we are the protagonists of the world.” This quote is incredibly empowering to me. Even if your days consist of mundane activities, you are the protagonist of your own story every day. You may not be the main character in a shounen manga or an adolescent seeking to usurp the government in a dystopian novel, but this is your story. No one can tell it like you do and no one can replicate your story. It is yours and yours only. And that concludes my Haikyuu word vomit! I really do wish I could have properly conveyed my pure adoration and love for this series better. I truly do love Haikyuu so very, very much. It will always have a special place in my heart and I will never forget the memories and lessons it has taught me! Thank you, Furudate-sensei, for such a beautiful story. And thank you Haikyuu, for everything. For all the losses and victories we shared. For all the smiles and laughter, and for all the tears we shed. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

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wrienne · 3 years ago

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My Cheating, Amnesic Fiancé

Chapter 8: Wrath

It was your parents.

“Sweetie? We’re sorry we haven’t been able to call you back until now - Jungkook’s parents have been in an uproar ever since noon, trying to find a cheap ticket back to Seoul. We didn’t make you worried, right?”

Your father’s soft, low, humming voice comforted your ear. You had admittedly been slightly concerned when they hadn’t answered even at lunchtime. You had left a voicemail that you had something important to tell them, but not had the time to consider it any longer due to school and battle planning.

“Did you know their boy was in an accident yesterday night?”

Your mother’s sharp voice pierced through the line, making you grimace. She was a lovely woman, strong, determined and the female you admired the most in the whole world, but her voice could seriously cut diamonds.

“Yes,” you said, holding the phone slightly away from your ear as you lowered the volume. “I was with him at AMC and he’s--”

“Good Lord,” your mother exclaimed, interrupting you. You could already see her shocked expression and her clutching her cross necklace. “Was it so bad he had to go to the hospital? What happened?”

“Well, he--”

“I thought he was supposed to be performing with his band yesterday.” your father added.

You sighed. Whenever you spoke with your parents, they were like this. Stuck by the heads, knowing the other so well they could complement as well as end each others’ sentences. They were even equally skilled at interrupting you.

“Hush, darling,” your mother said. “She’s trying to explain. As you were, (Y/N),” she prompted you.

“As I was just about to say before both of you interrupted me,” you began, stepping aside to let an old woman past, “he somehow miraculously survived being hit by a car and only broke his arm. However--”

“There, I told you,” your mother said to presumably your father. “That boy has more vigor than a cat with ninety-nine lives and more luck than is humanly possible. He must have an angel guarding him.”

“Stop dad,” you said before he could voice his input. “Jungkook is alright physically. It’s just that--”

“Did he scratch that handsome face of his?” your mother asked. “Or did he get any other unsightly marring on his body?”

Her tone made it sound like you had told her the Louvre had been set ablaze. She loved expensive art and was particularly fond of old European artistry. The burning of the Louvre would have broken her.

“No, mom,” you said wearily. “But he’s gotten amnesia.”

“What is that?” your father asked after both of them had paused for a beat.

“It means he cannot remember the most recent years of his life.”

“So...?”

“He doesn’t know anything about his company or his members. He is kind of skittish also, and has a hard time trusting people, even the doctors.”

“But he’s quite fine? You’ve met and spoken with him?”

You nodded, even though you knew they couldn’t see you. “Yes, he still knows and trusts me.”

“What about his career?” your mother asked.

“That’s the trickiest part,” you told them, feeling strangely relieved to have someone to share your concerns with. Even if these someones were your parents. “There was a specialist at the hospital who spoke with his manager, who in turn told me. There is a kind of unconventional way to get his memories back, but there’s no guarantee it’ll work. I am going to try and make him remember the past five or so years through...” You hesitated, not really certain what you should call the sloppily written list you had tucked into your back pocket. “...various techniques,” you decided finally.

“I see,” your father said. “I don’t understand why they’re in such a rush back home then.”

“Well, he did get hit by a car,” your mother said pointedly.

“Very well. Now, (Y/N), what was it you just had to tell us?”

You stiffened. It was time for you to tell them you had broken the engagement. You opened your mouth to speak, but found your throat constricted. You swallowed hard, then tried again. To your parents' credit, they didn’t try to push you. Perhaps they had heard the tension in your mere gulp.

“Jungkook…” you began slowly. “He has a girlfriend.”

Your voice broke. Your chest ached. You hated it, but the image of Jungkook and Park Yi-Jae resurfaced in your mind for what felt like the hundredth time. Even though it felt like your heart was threatening to break out of your body, you couldn’t lie and pretend everything was alright. You wouldn’t intercept their love.

Silence. Deafening silence.

“Are you certain?” your mother suddenly asked.

Surprisingly, your father didn’t step in to add something to the conversation.

“I saw them yesterday, before the accident,” you answered. “They looked very happy together.”

“Is it someone you know? Do you know her name?”

“Does he remember her?”

“Park Yi-Jae,” you managed, even as you frowned at the third question. “No,” you told your mother.

“That Park Yi-Jae?” Your father almost raised his voice. He never raised his voice. “The girl always prancing around on TV?”

“Shush, you hypocrite. You always watch her shows."

“I do not!”

“So that’s why they’re in such a hurry back home,” your mother muttered, ignoring your father. “They’re probably going to try and do some damage control and get you back with Jungkook. I told you I didn’t hear it wrong.”

“Wait, you knew?” you wondered incredulously. You felt your fingers tighten around your phone. “Still you wanted me to tell you?”

“We didn’t know what to believe until we had heard it from you, sweetie,” your father said in an attempt to calm you down. “Your mother heard it only faintly. She’s grown so old, we can no longer rely on her magical ears solely.”

Your mother did have eerily good hearing. Not necessarily when she and you argued over some petty things or whenever you told her you needed to bring food for an outdoor trek or something as a child, though that could have been because she stubbornly refused to listen or was too busy working. But she could hear gossip from the other side of a fully sat and vibrantly busy restaurant and hear the first few drops of water before a rainfall.

“You need to get back together with that boy, (Y/N).”

“No,” you said automatically, woken out of your brief reverie.

“Yes you do and you will. It is absolutely imperative.”

“He loves her,” you said stiffly. “Even though he can’t remember, I know he does. The way they were, just, it was--”

“It doesn’t matter, (Y/N). You and Jungkook have to marry.”

“Perhaps,” you said sharply, getting ever angrier. “But not to one another, we don’t.”

“Don’t be childish, of course you two will marry each other. You’re perfect for him and he’s perfect for you. There’s no question you will make a beautiful couple.”

“We don’t want to,” you said coolly. “I don’t want to marry him.”

“Darling, perhaps--” your father began.

“No, don’t you try,” your mother snapped at your father. “(Y/N), this marriage was decided the year the two of you were born. You will not undo it just because Jungkook hurt your feelings by sleeping with another woman.”

“No!” you shouted suddenly. Your eyes stung and your voice sounded wrong, harsh, and the bleak interior of the hallway made for awful acoustics. “It’s nothing like that, don’t you get it? Don’t answer it, by the way, I have homework and other stuff to do, so I can’t talk anymore.”

“We will talk about this when we get back, (Y/F/N).”

Without exchanging goodbyes, you ended the call abruptly. Still, you heard your mother’s voice, as if on repeat inside your skull. The words coiled around you and cut into your skin, like cold metal wire, and you seriously considered punching one of the mailboxes. Deciding that it would cause ten times more harm to you than you could ever hope to inflict on it, you leaned your forehead against the cool, concrete wall and tried your best not to scream in fury, frustration or whatever else the enormous swirl of emotions stewing about in your stomach could be called.

You heard the double glass doors open behind you and two or three pairs of feet hurry inside, probably eager to get in from the cold. You didn’t consider the vague familiarity of their voices as they immediately began whispering loudly. You didn’t even notice someone approaching you until they touched your shoulder lightly.

“Excuse me?” asked a light male voice. “Is everything alright?”

You spun about as you wiped your eyes. The guy recoiled sharply, his eyes widening first in surprise then in something else. He was shorter than the other two guys standing by the elevator with grocery bags in each of their hands, both at a safe running distance toward the entrance doors should you have shown yourself to be some weirdo. All three were dressed casually, like typical guys about your age, and with their faces and hair covered, you almost didn’t recognize them.

But they recognized you.

“(Y/F/N)!”

It was V, or perhaps more accurately: Kim Taehyung. You recognized him for his low voice now and because he was Se-Eun’s favorite member after Jungkook, something she had reprimanded you very heavily about during lunch when you had guessed her “list” completely wrong.

“What is she doing here?” The guy who had approached you on his own looked from his friends to you, obviously confused. You were fairly sure he was Park Jimin.

“Don’t ask me, ask her,” mumbled the third one. He hadn’t taken off his mouth mask so you couldn’t see anything except his eyes. You couldn’t tell who he was, but he was shorter than Taehyung yet taller than Jimin.

Taehyung caught you off guard by approaching you with solid determination, passing Jimin, who had backed a few additional steps, without even a glance. He stopped almost directly in front of you, his eyes hard, his eyebrows knitted tightly together.

“What did you do to Jungkook?” he demanded.

“I--” Your voice broke, and you cleared your throat. “I did nothing to him.”

“Don’t lie to me.” Taehyung strained to lift the hand he held the drooping grocery bag with and pointed a surprisingly long, elegant finger at you. He didn’t touch you, merely hovered it in front of your chest, yet you could feel the tension in the room suddenly skyrocket. “You told him something or did something that made him... angry like that. It’s your fault he can’t remember any one of us and might never be able to perform again. Don’t you get it? It’s your fault!”

It was as if his words breached the dam of guilt you had felt growing larger ever since you got the first call from Kim Sejin. Now, you weren’t about to cry in front of people you barely knew, at least because of the absurdity in the whole situation. Your second way of dealing with emotions seemed much better however, since, unlike the mailboxes, Taehyung’s jaw or nose probably could break without you breaking, too.

“Damn it, Taehyung!”

The guy you hadn’t been able to identify dropped his grocery bags and stormed toward you. He stepped in between the two of you as he firmly pushed Taehyung away, then tore off his mouth mask. Though, from this angle, you could still not see much else than the back of his head and his shoulders.

“It’s nobody’s fault!” he barked. “It was an accident. Jungkook was drunk and wandered a bit off the pavement, while the driver was tired and perhaps shouldn’t have driven. This isn’t really anyone’s fault, least of all (Y/N), who wasn’t even there!”

“Hoseok-hyung is right,” said Jimin quietly. “We can’t just put the blame on something or someone because it’s easy. It’s not right.”

Hoseok. Jung Hoseok. J-Hope. Now, you knew who Taehyung’s nose or jaw savior was.

Taehyung didn’t even seem like he had heard what the other two guys had said. He glared at you, ostensibly furious, and you suddenly wondered what would have happened if Hoseok wouldn’t have stepped in. You doubted an idol would have the folly to harm a civilian, but one never knew.

Then finally, Taehyung broke away from your gaze and went surly toward the elevator. There, he leaned against the wall beside the buttons and checked his phone after placing the grocery bags on the floor.

Hoseok turned around and, noticing how close you two stood together, quickly took a step back. He gave you a friendly smile.

“Sejin-manager told me you slept at the hospital with him,” he said carefully, like he was worried you would snap. “I presume he recognizes you?”

You nodded. You didn’t trust your voice just yet.

“I’m glad to hear that,” said Hoseok, genuine relief filling his eyes and smile. “How is he?”

“He’s annoying,” you couldn't help but say, and was glad to find your tone steady. “He won’t eat, wear the hospital gowns or obey the professionals. I was practically forced to stay there over the night.”

Hoseok chuckled almost hesitantly, as if he didn’t know whether you were kidding or not. “Ah, well, he’s always been a proud kid.”

“Too proud,” you agreed.

“What are you doing here?” asked Jimin. He crouched by the grocery bags Hoseok had dropped and carefully put back the items that had spilled out.

“I came here to pick up some of Jungkook’s clothes.” You held up the largest duffel bag you had found at home, which, if not for the brand name plastered all over it, would have looked like a body bag. You couldn’t wrap your head around why people found stuff like that fashionable. But then, perhaps only morbid people had the means to spend thousands on something as ugly as that bag. Your mother had bought it years ago. “I was just about to call one of you and ask which floor you live on.”

“Sejin gave you our numbers, huh?” Hoseok curled a finger around his chin. “I’m not sure about how I feel with our manager giving our numbers to an unknown girl.”

“I did consider auctioning them out,” you admitted. “Not for the money, but merely to see which type of people believed me and how much they would be willing to spend.”

He frowned, again a bit suspicious about the nature of your words, before he laughed. “Not exactly what I would have done if I were in your shoes, but that’s interesting to hear. Jungkook never told us about you, so I had no idea you had humor like this. Actually… have you eaten dinner yet?”

“No,” you replied before you realized what you had said.

“Great. Eat with us.”

#MCAF #wrienne #ao3 #bts fanfiction #bts x reader #bts

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monoxidecahedron · 4 years ago

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febuwhump day 3- imprisonment (whamilton)

this is really late, I know! I did a fuckton of research that ended up being obsolete :/ anyways have this! it’s nearly 2000 words and I’m proud of myself!

cw for depictions of getting beaten up

When Alexander begins to regain consciousness, the first thing he notices is that he can’t see- a black cloth is wrapped around his head, covering his eyes. Certain that this is not some sort of prank, especially not something his friends would pull in the middle of a war, he gets up slowly, feeling the wall he’d been propped up against. It’s plaster, the kind of wall that you’d find in a permanent home. Odd.

He parses his memory. All he comes up with is getting into his cot and actually trying to sleep for once instead of working some more. And look where it got me, he thinks dryly. I’m never sleeping again.

A door creaks open and then slams shut. “Well, well, well,” a man’s voice says. It’s somehow oily, if a voice could be oily, and Alexander cringes away from the source. “Look what we have here,” he continues. “Washington’s little pet.” Alex’s first, panicked thought is how does he know?, and then he realizes this man cannot possibly know just how deep his affection for his commander runs. Besides (and much to his chagrin), it’s not like Washington’s ever done anything about it, no matter how certain Alexander is that his feelings are reciprocated. He’s too virtuous, Alex often thinks. But then again, he’d never have him any other way.

“Stop smiling,” the man snaps. Alexander instinctively smiles harder, grinning and exposing his teeth in a mocking Cheshire-cat-like expression. That was a mistake, he notes as the stranger slaps him hard, expression scrunching up as the stinging pain spreads across his cheek. It’s not so much a sudden, sharp pricking of pain as it is a million little needles poking at him at the point of contact, almost tingling. He observes this all with an odd sort of detachment, absentmindedly rubbing at his cheek as the person withdraws.

“Are you done messing around?” the man growls, and suddenly it all comes back into focus and Alexander is very, very aware that he’s likely not in friendly hands. Which means he’s a hostage. He supposes it could have been worse- he’s not on one of those prison ships, which would practically guarantee his slow, inglorious, practically unnoticed death by sickness or suffocation- but even so, this is a situation in which he should tread carefully.

So he tilts his chin up and nods, not saying a word. “Good boy,” the man sneers, and Alexander has to physically bite his tongue to stop himself from saying something. “Now. What is your army’s next move?”

This time Alexander can’t help himself, snorting, “you really aren’t a subtle one, are you?”

His cheek is still smarting from the first hit, and it hurts even more when the man backhands him across the face, bony knuckles knocking into soft flesh.

“None of that. Tell me, now.” Alexander gives him the best incredulous look he can manage from behind a blindfold.

“Bitch, I’m not telling you,” he says. The next thing he knows there’s a fist connecting with his stinging cheek, adding to the pain. He groans as his head jerks sideways and knuckles connect with his jaw, knocking his teeth together. He can feel it practically in his bones, dull throbs reverberating through his skull, and it hurts. Still, he clamps his mouth shut.

“So that’s how you’re playing it,” the man says. “Well. I can’t say I expected less.” A punch to his stomach, knocking the breath out of him as he leans forward, doubling over and wrapping his arms around himself. The man laughs. Shoves him onto the ground. He manages to catch himself, but the floor is hard, and he can almost feel the bruises forming on his palms. A foot comes down harsh on his back, slamming his stomach onto the ground. He thinks he might be screaming. Another kick to the face. If there wasn’t blood before, now it comes streaming out of his nose and he isn’t sure why he isn’t feeling any pain there until it comes rushing in, sharp and insistent and oh god it hurts. So bad.

“I could do this for hours,” the man says nonchalantly. Kicks him again. “Exactly six hours, in fact. If you don’t crack by then, well, bye-bye to you, we’ll just drag John Laurens in here and do the exact same thing. How’s that sound? Hm? You gonna die for nothing and let your buddy die too?” Alex gasps, trying to breathe through the fog of pain. No. No. Not John. Anyone but John. Anyone but John and- “Or maybe that dear Marquis,” the man continues, light and cheerful as he shoves his boot into Alex’s stomach. “Do you think he’d talk? I would hate to ruin that pretty face, of course, but you know, we all make sacrifices in war.” Alexander wants to scream. Familiar rage comes rushing in. This stupid Loyalist knows nothing of sacrifice. Nothing.

“Fuck- you,” he manages to get out through gritted teeth. Instead of snarling at him, the man just chuckles, and somehow that’s worse, the icy edge of the sound digging into him.

“Oh my, oh my. I was expecting Washington’s right-hand man would be smarter. But then again, perhaps it wasn’t exactly your wits that got you to where you are,” he says. Another harsh kick accompanies the blow to his pride. “Not denying it? Hm. What a whore,” he continues, tone as light as if he were carrying a nice conversation with a casual acquaintance. Alexander writhes on the floor.

“You’re actually quite lucky, you know,” the man says. “I wanted to bring out the knives. Arnold wouldn’t have that, though, says it’ll be better to have some physical proof that you’ve been in pain.” Alex inhales sharply. What? Arnold as in Benedict Arnold? “Ah yes, that’s right! How delightful. You still don’t know about dear Benedict!” the man says cheerfully. “Well, he’s ours. I’m surprised you hadn’t figured that out by now. But then again, of course, you know nothing about us. Yet we-” his tone drops significantly, and he leans down to Alex’s ear- “know everything.”

He’s rescued, of course. He holds a high position and someone was bound to notice his absence fairly quickly, and put the pieces together. But it’s not quick enough to stop him from accumulating bruises all over his body, purpling up around the edges and reminding him of his pain with even the slightest pressure. His nose is broken, and there’s blood all over his face, and he’s spent the last five hours taunted and tortured. He thinks he might have a broken arm, but he’s not sure. They put him on Washington’s bed, presumably because it’s one of the only ones that actually have a mattress and it’s isolated, and he drifts off, glad for the escape from his own hurting body.

They bring Alexander in. Washington is immensely worried, and clearly not in any state to make any sort of decisions, and Lafayette, seeing this, immediately takes charge (bless him). He’s very capable, and Washington trusts him. He sighs. He should have seen this coming. No matter how much they put on an air of bravado and condescension towards the revolution, the British know they’re in a bad place. They’re getting desperate. He should have anticipated they’d make a move like this.

He looks at Alexander again from his seat at his desk. He would look almost peaceful, if it weren’t for the smattering of purpling bruises across his face. Washington shakes his head, trying to quell the surge of protectiveness he feels at the sight of his boy so hurt. He still hasn’t woken up.

It gets late, but Washington stays up, kept company by his own persistent thoughts. He should have done something. There must have been some way to prevent this, some sign that he’d missed.

“George,” he hears. He whirls around. Alexander is smiling at him, more pained grimace than happy expression. He’s never called him that before. Washington decides he likes it. “George. I need to-” he breaks into a round of coughing.

Washington is at his side instantly. “What is it?”

“Arnold,” he manages to get out in between coughs. “Be- Benedict Arnold- traitor-”

Washington is more worried about Alexander. “Okay,” he says, because Alexander is trying to emphasize his point and it’s worsening his coughing. “Okay. I believe you.” If Arnold is a traitor- and he surely is, because his Alexander would not lie about these things- he must be dealt with. He writes a quick letter and gives it to Lafayette, who is just downstairs. He will handle it.

“Alex. Alexander. It’s okay,” he says. Alexander is still trying to speak. “It’s alright.” He shakes his head fervently.

“No-” he manages, although his voice is hoarse and rough- “no- one more- one more thing- I-” He stops. “M’- gonna- sleep- but-”

“Alexander. Just sleep. It’s okay.”

“I- I love you,” he blurts. Washington answers without hesitation, almost on impulse.

“I love you too.”

Alexander seems to deflate, as if that was the only thing keeping him hanging on. “M’ sorry,” he mutters.

What are you sorry for? “Don’t be sorry.”

Alexander recovers fairly quickly. Lafayette is grateful, although he cannot help but note that he still limps, and winces if someone bumps into him too hard. He worries, of course, but nothing in the world could separate Alexander Hamilton from his work except physical restraints, no matter how much his friends might try to dissuade him.

There’s other changes, too. He seems much more protective of Lafayette and John, taking to following them and always inquiring as to where they are, and panicking when he doesn’t receive a definitive answer. John jokes that it’s like having a guard chihuahua, but both of them make sure to stay within Alexander’s sight whenever possible.

The biggest change, however, lies in Alexander’s relationship with their general. John is not particularly perceptive, and thus continues unaware, but Lafayette has spent his whole life observing and taking invisible cues in order to insert himself in the right places and charm the right people, and he sees it almost as clear as if it were written in bold for him to read, so glaringly obvious in the way Washington pulls him closer when they’re not in public, the way Alexander leans into him, the glances they share from across the room, heavy with intimacy and care.

Even so, even with it laid out in front of him, he turns away, covers his eyes. Maintains plausible deniability. What those two have is fragile, new, and he won’t ruin the new happy spark in his friend’s eyes when his general is mentioned.

So when a month goes by, when Alexander is healed enough for more exerting physical activities, when he passes Washington’s door late at night and hears them whispering together, tender and affectionate in the privacy of Washington’s office, he blocks it out, walks right on by, hopes Alexander knows what he’s doing.

i really just went “mmm ✨commas✨” didn’t I

comments are very very very very much appreciated, as are reblogs!

#febuwhump #febuwhump 2021 #hamilton #hamilton fanfiction #whamilton #alexander hamilton #george washington #marquis de Lafayette

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the-apocryphal-one · 4 years ago

Text

Next of Kin

Summary: A special kind of pain squeezes her heart. The soft question that emerges from her lips is only natural. “Do you have any family?”Astarion x Isaniel

Also available at AO3 and ff.net!

A/N: Merry Christmas to all your lovely readers!

She should have done this before now. She knows she should have.

But there just hadn’t been time, at first. In the earliest days after her infection, she’d been teetering on a tightwire of panic and desperation, hastily cobbling together plans to get this thing out. Even when they’d stopped to eat or make camp, the thought of writing a letter to her son had never entered her mind—much to her shame.

Then, as days passed and nothing seemed to happen, she’d grown complacent. Maybe their parasites were defective. Maybe the ceremorphosis had failed. Maybe they could walk away from this with nothing more than some trauma and psionic abilities.

Then the sickness came and slapped her in the face with the reminder that nothing about these parasites is normal, nothing can be taken for granted, and nothing is all her son will know of her fate if she’s not careful.

But how do you do it? How do you say goodbye to your only child across hundreds of miles with no body language or facial expressions?

For the past few nights, Isaniel has been trying and failing to figure that out. Each time, she has pulled out parchment, stared at it for an indeterminate amount of time, laboriously pushed out a few words, stared some more, then folded it back up and returned it to her pack.

Tonight, she vows as she sits near a large, flat rock that will substitute as a desk, she’s not getting up until this letter is done. She pulls it out of her jerkin, smooths it out, places it on the rock, and uses a few pebbles to hold the corners down.

Selakiir, it says.

If you’re reading this, I’m very likely dead or worse. We can never foresee our fates, but I have a reasonable certainty as to what my particular ‘or worse’ is. The details are included in an additional, enclosed letter. That had already been written, perversely coming easier than this one. You may ignore it if you wish. I would not hold it against you if you did.

That was as far as she’d gotten. Now, she dips the quill back in the inkpot, sucks in a breath, and pens, I hope that the person who delivers this will be able to give you a first-hand account of my fate, so they can

Soothe you? Selakiir is bafflingly, wonderfully outgoing…but he is also private in his grief. When his father died, he withdrew from adventuring, his friends, even her. He’s not the type to accept banal well-wishes, especially from strangers.

answer any questions you have.

Her quill stalls. She stares at the drying ink, trying to muster up something else to say.

When she writes letters, they always end up much like her: detached and logical. But this is supposed to be a goodbye letter. The last thing her son might have of her. It…it has to be right. She can’t leave him feeling like she saw this as some sort of duty. If there’s one thing she’s always wanted to make sure Selakiir knew, and was always afraid he didn’t, it was that she loved him.

Remember: my love for you is like the moon. There are nights when it doesn’t know how to show all its self, but it is always there.

No, that should be in the closing paragraph. It’d be more final, more poetic. A lovely note to leave things on. But she can’t make herself scratch it out. There’s this foolish, superstitious fear that Selakiir will find out and be hurt. Isaniel grimaces, struggling to wrestle small talk, emotion, something onto the paper so it’s more than this dry thing.

It’s almost funny that I ended up adventuring like you

We’ll meet again in Eilistraee’s

I’m sorry I won’t be there for your wedding. The present I was making is in

Don’t you dare try to avenge me. Stay far away from

Isaniel presses her head against the heel of one hand and bites down an uncharacteristic scream. The paper’s empty spaces and crossed-out lines mock her.

“If you stare at that any more intensely, it’ll burst into flames.”

“Iblith!” she curses, startling so fiercely she upends the inkpot. She’s still thinking in Undercommon, so her next few words come out in it before she catches herself and switches back to Overcommon. “Dos olist mzild taga—stop that.”

Astarion is bent double with laughter, guffawing so hard some of the others are glancing their way. There are actually tears in his eyes. “And miss out on the chance to see you jump like a wet cat? I could never.”

Gods, he can be so juvenile sometimes. Something dangerously close to affection laces that thought, banishing the bitter frustration of failure.

Ever since that day he recoiled from her hand, Astarion has haunted her thoughts more than she would like. She has sought him out more frequently, asking questions, trying to understand him, trying to sort out what she should feel. He is dark and dangerous and cruel—and yet there is something in him, raw, genuine pain that mirrors what she once knew, that she cannot turn away from.

So, Isaniel is not surprised that Astarion’s bouts of childishness have become something she can think on with almost-fondness. Empathy, revulsion, confusion, curiosity already spin together in a whirlpool; what’s one more emotion on the pile?

That doesn’t stop her from shooting him a dour look as she rights the inkpot, though. “I will remind you that I have a rapier and that someday, I’ll be so startled I’ll stab first and ask questions later.”

“Ha! Duly noted.” Astarion gingerly—because of course he’s still worrying about getting stains on his clothes—sits next to her. Unabashedly, he peers at her pathetic letter. “What are you writing?”

She lets him peek. There’s no way he knows Undercommon…and even if he does, he won’t break her cipher. “A letter to my son. In case I die or transform.”

“Your son? That is a very important letter. Who will you entrust with its delivery?”

“Whoever among us is still alive, I suppose.”

“My, don’t you have a low opinion of our abilities.”

It’s not quite that; more like she’s just not picky. But he’s clearly preparing to launch into some spiel, so she chooses to simply wait rather than argue the point.

He doesn’t make her wait long, gesturing dramatically with his hands as he speaks. “Not that you’re wrong. Without you keeping his thirst for revenge and delusions of grandeur in check, Wyll will run off and get himself killed. Lae’zel and Shadowheart will kill each other before the sun goes down. Gale—” He chuckles. “Well. Need I go on?”

Irritation nips at her. Eilistraee knows her companions’ colorful range of personalities have given Isaniel more than one headache, but she still feels protective of them. “Yes, actually—or am I supposed to believe you wouldn’t be leaping into situations fangs first?”

“Ah, but if there’s one thing you can trust me to do, it’s survive those situations. I can see that letter to your son, darling.”

She snorts at his transparency. “You just want to read it.”

He just shamelessly grins, unapologetic about being found out.

Isaniel toys with and discards the idea of chastising him. The matter is too small to make a fuss over, and his cat-like tread and nimble fingers mean he can very much lift the letter off her if he wants. Although…hm. Maybe she can twist this back around on him. She shrugs with feigned disinterest. “Well, it’s not like you could, anyway.”

Astarion inspects his nails. “Oh, I’m sure I can get a scroll of Comprehend Languages somewhere.”

“It’s not just in Undercommon. It’s encoded too.”

He’s visibly taken aback by that. It’s childish of her, but she can’t help thinking, That’s a point for me. Gods, it’s too fun to match wits with him. “You write to your son in code?”

“It was a game we played when he was little.” It had simultaneously been a way to teach him and soothe her paranoia. “We’ve kept it up since.”

In a calculated move, Astarion twists and leans in close. His voice drops, becomes husky. “You do know there’s nothing more tempting than something you can’t have, yes?” His eyes deliberately trace a path up her neck and settle on her mouth.

He’s trying to knock her off balance. Isaniel would rather walk barefoot on hot coals than let him know he has—though not, she suspects, for the reasons he intended. Let him stare at her mouth or neck, he’s a flirt and a vampire spawn. No, the feel of his breath tickling her skin, the way his hand is almost but not quite brushing hers, is more alarming. It’s too intimate. Distracting.

She hastily delivers the coup de grace before he can spot the rapid flutter of her pulse. “What better way to guarantee your delivery? Stubbornness or curiosity will make you hold onto it until you crack it. But you won’t, so you’ll have to bring it to Selakiir to find out what it says.”

A heartbeat. Two. Then Astarion laughs, throaty and deep, sits back, and shakes his head. “Well played, my dear.”

With fresh distance between them, Isaniel exhales in relief. She hastily tries to cover it up by pretending to shift in her seat, but there’s a certain twinkle in Astarion’s eyes that tells her she failed. She clears her throat, praying that her face doesn’t betray her fluster. “I’ll give it to you when I’m done.”

She expects that to be the end of it, for Astarion to fire a parting quip and wander off to tease someone else. But her surprise, he doesn’t. Instead, he props his chin in his hand and studies her.

That look in his eyes…is that actual curiosity?

Like paper thrown into fire, her own is fanned. She hasn’t bothered to ask how old he is, but she can make an educated guess. The Underdark’s abusive culture forces drow to mentally mature well before their twenties; surface elves like Astarion can afford to wait until their first century or so. Of course, magistrate isn’t the type of position you typically get straight out of adolescence, so there could be anywhere from a rough fifty years to another two hundred on top of that. For some reason, she doesn’t peg him as any more than three hundred, pre-turn. Post-turn adds another two centuries.

For humans, several hundred years encompasses several generations. But for an elf… His parents and siblings could still be alive. So could his possible children. Unless he, like her, had a half-human child. They would have died in the time he spent enslaved.

Selakiir’s warm brown eyes and smiling face flash across her mind. A special kind of pain squeezes her heart. The soft question that emerges from her lips is only natural. “Do you have any family?”

A shadow briefly flickers across his face; then, like a rat fleeing for its life, it is gone. He smiles brightly and waves a dismissive hand. “Oh, let’s not exhume the past. There’s nothing interesting about it.”

Isaniel furrows her brow, but before she can say anything, Astarion rises, brushes his trousers off, and struts away. As is all-too-common of late, her gaze lingers on him until he disappears inside his tent. She exhales slowly. If he departed with such alacrity, it’s probably for the best she didn’t get to push him. Eilistraee knows how well that went over last time, and she’d just been clumsily trying to comfort him.

She glances down at the letter. Inspiration strikes. Spontaneously, she pens in another sentence. If accompanying this letter is a pale, white-haired elf named Astarion, point him to the Dancing Haven.

It’s unusually risky of her. If Cazador really will stop at nothing to get Astarion back, she could be bringing a vampire lord down on her congregation. And Astarion just might be callous enough to repay them by selling them out or abandoning them. He does not deserve such risks, the old Isaniel insists.

But then, she wouldn’t be here now if an Eilistraeen hadn’t taken a risk for her over a century ago, when she hadn’t deserved it.

She adds, I don’t know if he’ll actually go there, but like me, he’s fled some sort of dark past. I hope that, in absence of my aid, he can at least find refuge.

Bantering with Astarion seems to have unlocked some wellspring of words from deep within her; the mention of her past gives her the subject. Speaking of which, you may have all my belongings, including the forge and the new house. The password to disarm the magical traps is the same as our old one—I hope you remember it? Your father was always fondly exasperated by my insistence on having them, but you loved to show them off to your friends. My memories of you two are the best in my life…

The next day, she hands Astarion several pages and a “thanks” that holds more meaning than he knows.

Drow isn’t officially a language in 5e, but it was in older editions. So even though Isaniel was technically speaking in Undercommon for a bit, I went ahead and borrowed words from their dictionary. Rough translation:

Iblith: shit

Dos olist mzild taga: You stealth (intended to be akin to sneak or skulk) more than— (“a drider” is what she would have finished with)

Also Overcommon is just Isaniel’s name for Common.

#baldur's gate 3 #astarion #astarion x mc #astarion x charname #isaniel gelin #fanfic #my fanfic #my writing

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howtowhumpyourhiccup · 4 years ago

Text

Whumptober Day 18: To Fix What Is Broken

Summary: Written for Whumptober Day 18, follow-up to Day 12. Set after Httyd 2, not canon-compliant with THW. Years after their mistake, the Gang may need to force Hiccup to break down the wall he's constructed since then. It may not end as terribly as it did last time.

Rating: Mature

Characters: Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut

Pairing: None

Words: 5 187

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon

Prompt: "Panic Attack”

Whumpee: Hiccup

Author’s Notes: NOTE: The rape/non-con elements in this fic are purely implied and referenced. Nothing is explicitly shown.

Not sure how much I've succeeded at portraying a panic attack in this one. I’ve only done it once before and it’s in an unposted one-shot. So I have no idea how well I’ve written a panic attack.

Might also be too long. I tried to look at what needed cutting, but I had no idea what.

Also written as a follow-up to Whumptober Day 12, which I will be linking.

Constructive criticism is appreciated!

Enjoy!

Ao3 to Whumptober Day 12

Ao3 To Whumptober Day 18

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In the end, nothing got fixed. After his outburst in the Dragon Academy and doing "damage control" with his father, Hiccup somehow managed to convince him to let him go back to the Edge, and then it's like everything went back to normal.

Normal as in Hiccup pretending like nothing happened and continuing on as usual. Giving orders, prioritizing dragons and beating Dragon Hunters, sassing, the whole charade. He simply goes about his business, truly as if nothing happened that day, as if they hadn't hurt him and he hadn't hurt them.

A part of them is selfishly relieved and wants to go along with the pretend, but a slightly bigger part of them knows it isn't right, that Hiccup is simply ignoring the issue altogether in the hope that it will just go away.

So they've tried to bring it up with him. At dinner, during game night, during a patrol, any moment where he can sit down and have a talk. But he always shuts them down as soon as the subject is brought up, telling them not to make such a big deal out of something so stupid and small and to let it rest.

Sometimes they don't even get the chance to start talking before Hiccup would leave the room as soon as they sit down. There's just something about the way they sit down whenever they try to talk to him that tips him off to what they're planning on doing.

This whole thing has made him a hypocrite because he wouldn't just let this rest if the person suffering isn't him. Though to be fair, he would be a lot more sensitive about it than they have been.

The worst part is that their attempts at reaching him aren't only in vain, they make things worse between them and him, too. Though he and Toothless seem to be doing fine, the two of them go off together without the rest of the Dragon Riders a lot more than they used to even at the very beginning of the Dragon Academy.

Hiccup spends more time by himself, while game night often keeps going until the wee hours of the night, he only stays for an hour or two before retreating to his hut or forge to do whatever.

And then they get captured again. The Riders fight and fight to make their captivity end as soon as humanly possible, to save Hiccup from more hurt, but when they get home, Hiccup and Toothless disappeared for days.

So instead of suffering through this period of pain on the Edge, he was suffering through it somewhere else instead, with only Toothless there to see it.

It's so unhealthy. The way he avoids it altogether, pretends like nothing is wrong, like his head isn't full of what he's enduring. The way he runs from his second home, from his friends, to suffer completely on his own only to return and continue to act like nothing's happened and like he hasn't been gone.

So they let it rest, feeling like they have no other choice. After telling Stoick had been disastrous, after returning to the Edge, after attempt after attempt ends in failure, they decide to let it rest. Maybe them "letting it go" will, at the very least, urge Hiccup to stay home when he has these troubling episodes. That way, he's safe with them when he has them and not off to Odin knows where.

Unfortunately for Hiccup, life has a way of confronting someone with their traumas.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Years pass.

Drago Bludvist happens, Hiccup finds out his dead mother isn't actually dead, Stoick is killed, Hiccup becomes Chief of the Hooligan tribe at the young age of 20, and Eret joins the Dragon Riders. Once again his life is turned upsidedown, but besides a few references here and there, Viggo's criminal acts are never talked about.

Despite this, the Riders know that the former Dragon Hunter Chief is far from forgotten, even while dead.

Because Berk is a very handsy place and Berk doesn't know about Hiccup's ever-growing aversion to touch. They act around him as they always have, Hooligan friendly, and his friends have seen his discomfort that everyone else is either blind to or attributes to his awkwardness.

On that front, Eret is very observant, keeping it at friendly shoulder pats.

But it isn't just the "no touching", the Riders can see Viggo's influence on other aspects of Hiccup's life.

They can see when he's having a particularly bad episode by the bags under his eyes from a lack of sleep, by the weight he loses when eating becomes a problem, or when he suddenly and inexplicably needs to leave a room and won't be back for hours.

They've never disturbed him before, but they know he's at the cove with Toothless when he does this. So at least they know he's safe.

But Hiccup's wardrobe isn't lost on them either. Going from a simple tunic and somewhat plain armor to layers upon layers with armor on top and belts in more places than they need to be, one dagger strapped to an arm, and his Inferno strapped to his thigh,... the Riders aren't idiots.

Berk may think it's his taste for the dramatic, but they know that he's making up for a concerning lack of a sense of security. Viggo's death hasn't made him feel any safer and Stoick's has made that even less so.

It's all leather, too, all except for his tunic.

It always takes him minutes just to reach his main tunic and knowing Hiccup that is bound to bite him in the ass someday.

And it did.

Having allies means coming to their aid in their time of need and that can sometimes result in one of the Dragon Riders getting hurt. This time, it so happened to be Hiccup.

Aiding the Berserkers when an enemy tribe thought to raid them, the Dragon Riders came to help and in the ensuing battle, Hiccup got knocked off Toothless.

It is easier to down a disabled dragon than a fully-abled one, even with a rider, but throughout the years, their grace in the sky hasn't just grown, but their chances of being downed have lessened.

Unfortunately for Hiccup and Toothless, that means crashing just hurts more. As a dragon, Toothless is sturdy and can therefore shake a crash or two off, but as a mere human, Hiccup cannot.

Unable to just walk it off, he was taken to the healer to be looked at and treated. He'd been unconscious the whole way there, a blessing because that meant he didn't need to feel them move him and cause him more pain in the process, a curse because that meant he woke up in a stranger's home.

"He won't let me treat him," The healer had to tell the Riders and Heather, the Berserker Chieftess. Despite her many attempts at soothing him and telling him that he needs to be examined, he still won't let her.

The Riders, standing outside of her shack, all look at each other, knowing why Hiccup is refusing treatment and too afraid to say.

Heather places a hand on Astrid's shoulder, sharing her troubled mood. She, too, knows of Hiccup's fear, having lived on the Edge for a time and experienced his episodes for herself.

"Maybe it'll help if his friends are there? A familiar face can do wonders." She suggests, while Eret steps forward.

"This is so strange. The Chief has his reckless moments, but refusing treatment just seems... not like him." He says and he's right. This is beyond being reckless, this is endangering his own life. And not just for some stunt, but for refusing treatment!

"We can go in and see what we can do, but you're going to have let Toothless in. Hiccup won't accept treatment without him in the room." Astrid tells the healer. It's not a plan that guarantees success, but it's better than forcing him to comply with something that triggers an old fear.

The healer sighs and nods. She's not particularly happy to have a Night Fury in her home and place of work, but she recognizes that she needs to allow it for her patient's sake.

Astrid turns to face Toothless, who was all but glued to the door of the shack, awaiting the moment he could join Hiccup's side again. Was because he's already entering after pawing the door open.

So she turns to Eret instead.

"Eret, I know you want to help, but I need to ask you to stay here." She tells him and Eret nods. It's not that she wants to exclude him, it's just that he probably doesn't know and Hiccup would probably like to keep it that way. Until he wants to talk about it himself, that is. They've learned their lesson about telling people something this personal, even if they think it's for his sake.

The rest of the Riders, they follow Toothless inside. What they find is Toothless and Hiccup having what can only be called a stand-off.

"Oh great, guys, can you tell Toothless to move? He's not letting me leave." Hiccup requests when he notices they aren't alone anymore, but quickly resumes his staring contest with the dragon, who is rumbling challengingly. In a "you just try to get past me" kind of way. His tail is swaying behind him.

"Leave? You need medical attention, you can't leave!" Astrid replies surprised.

"Which I can get plenty of back home. Berk isn't far by dragon." Hiccup passes Toothless and for all his bravado, he realizes that he can't actually stop him from leaving the healer's hut.

The Riders and Toothless watch him limp towards the door, holding his side. He still looks like just as much of a mess as when Eret brought him in, including the bloody pants that he has bandaged rather messily. As someone who knows at least a thing or two medically and knows of the importance of proper treatment, this only shows his urgency to get out of here.

Catching him trying to limp past them and out the door, Astrid comes to stand before him, effectively stopping him in his way. Blinking in surprise, Hiccup looks at her.

"Wow hey, you can't just leave. A few hours by dragon is still far when you have injured your ribs. Especially when you have healer and supplies right here." She tells him and Hiccup doesn't like what he's hearing. She's making sense to him as well, of course, but his high levels of discomfort are overruling his common sense.

"Astrid, I'm fine. I can breathe fine, albeit, with a little bit of pain, I can make the trip back to Berk."

"So you say and then, once we're over the ocean with no island for miles you discover that, oh no, you suddenly can't breathe out of one lung! You faint, you and Toothless crash, and you both drown." Astrid puts her foot down and crosses her arms, scolding him for his way of thinking. "A little bit of pain" does not equal "okay".

"But that's why I have you guys, to keep that from happening." He says.

"Oh yeah, because we can definitely fix a collapsed lung on the spot." Snotlout sides with Astrid and comes to stand next to her, obstructing Hiccup's way out further.

Hiccup sighs and a look of pain passes on his face, the too deep release of air hurting his side.

"Hiccup, why don't you want to be treated?" Astrid asks, having some idea, but not wanting to jump to conclusions.

"It's just... It doesn't feel good to have a stranger..." Touch me, he wants to say, but having put up a wall between the Riders and his "issues", he refuses to say it.

"To have a stranger what?" Astrid asks, suspicious of what he actually wants to say.

"I just trust Gothi's expertise more." A rude thing to say, especially for him. They're lucky the healer isn't here to hear him.

The Riders glare at him and Hiccup looks away, uncomfortable with how rude he's just been to a woman who simply wants to help him. The words had left him before he could stop them and he regrets them already.

"Okay, we'll stay." He finally decides, but keeps standing by the door because he doesn't actually feel like moving, more so because of how much it hurts to use his injured leg.

He doesn't know what he cut his thigh on, just that it bleeds enough to require stitches and be at risk for infection. Which makes his decision to leave seem even more foolish and unlike him.

But the Riders don't blame him because they know exactly what causes this out of character behavior.

Offering her hands, Hiccup lets her help him sit down on the bed behind him. He'd been lying on it before, when he woke up and the healer tried to examine him and he was being too difficult of a patient.

Hiccup wipes his sweaty palms on his pants, he's anxious and his friends notice. Astrid crouches down in front of him.

"We can stay if you want us to. Fishlegs knows how to heal, he can even do it while the healer watches and helps where needed. We already convinced her to let Toothless stay. If having a familiar face helps you get through this, we're here for you." She talks vaguely about him not needing to be touched by a stranger or being left alone with a stranger on an island full of strangers.

Hiccup mulls it over, thinking about her offer, but then shakes his head lightly.

"This is stupid, she's not even..." A man, like he was. But he doesn't say it, whispering more to himself than he is talking to Astrid. They don't need to know. As if they don't know already.

"You're really anxious, it's not stupid." It's Snotlout who says this as he's surprisingly sensitive about this forbidden topic.

Hiccup looks up at his friends, Toothless purring as he invites himself in their space and nudges his human's uninjured leg in support.

He's not ready for this. He can feel himself sweating, his heart is pounding so much in dread that it aches, his anxiety is already through the roof.

He doesn't want to do this, but Astrid is right, this could potentially be needlessly life-threatening and he would be dragging Toothless down with him.

He just has to stop being so stupid and let the woman do her job.

"Okay, call her back in." Hiccup requests and lies back down with some difficulty while Fishlegs leaves to get her.

It'll be fine, it'll be fine, it'll be fine. It doesn't matter how many times he'll be repeating that in his mind, he'll have to do it as many times as it takes.

The old healer enters her hut again and she wants to get to work.

Hiccup watches her move around, his eyes following her as he attempts to control his breathing, as hard as it is with his ribs aching. Every breath in and out hurts him and that some part of him wants to draw shorter and shallower breaths with his rising nerves doesn't help.

She takes everything she may need. Cloth, bandages, water, herbs, anything to treat his injuries with.

It'll be fine, it'll be fine.

Everything in hand, Fishlegs helping her carry her stuff, she approaches and sets it all down.

"It'll be fine." Astrid looks at him when she hears him mutter.

But the second he feels hands trying to undo his belts, he panics. He takes her hands and pulls them away from him before rushing to sit up and hurting himself in the process. A cry of pain leaves him, everyone jumps to attention.

"Hiccup, wait, it's okay." Astrid tries to tell him, grabbing a shoulder.

"No! Nope! None of this is okay! I'm not okay!" He tells her before he winces and has no choice but to fall back down, holding his side and jostling his leg, which has bled through the bandages by now.

The Riders and Toothless gaze at him, the healer keeping her distance as she can tell this is a rather personal matter and so doesn't involve herself.

They listen to him groaning in pain, see the expression of agony as well as the sweat already glistening on his skin in the candlelight. His air intake is ragged. It is shallow and too fast, which only hurts him more.

"Hiccup," Astrid speaks his name, he shivers beneath her hand.

"No, I can't I... I just can't. I can't let this happen." This is wrong. This feels so wrong to him. The hands of someone that he doesn't know on his body where they don't belong.

In the past few years, the only ones who have been able to infiltrate his personal space in such a close manner have been his father and Toothless, maybe occasionally the Dragon Riders. Though, the Dragons more than the Riders.

And Berk, of course, but that was beyond his control. He doesn't like any of it and that is already hard to suffer through. Doing this is more than he can bear. He wants out.

He can already feel it creeping onto him. The hands.

"Hiccup, you need a healer." Astrid gently reminds him.

"I can put you under a sedative if that makes this procedure easier on you." The healer offers Berk's Chief some peace, at least for the next few hours.

"What? No! No sedatives!"

"Not even painkillers? It might help." Ruffnut suggests.

"No, no painkillers either. I want nothing." He's breathing so fast, he's becoming lightheaded. Meanwhile, his ribs burn.

"Then what do you want us to do?" Astrid asks, hoping Hiccup can tell them what he thinks will help him get through this most.

They've already gone behind his back once and it had made everything worse for him, had made things terrible between them.

But Hiccup shakes his head, not even knowing the answer to that question himself.

Gods, he can feel them. Disembodied hands where they don't belong, touching him where they were never meant to touch.

He wants to cry.

Astrid offers him her hand and he takes it too quickly and squeezes too hard. He's dying for comfort.

But he knows he needs to go through with it.

"Just go ahead with it. Just do it." He tells them uncertainly and the healer steps forward again, hands moving to his belts to undo them.

This time he lets her, but his hyperventilation worsens and so does his trembling. His eyes close as if it'll help if he can't see her hands on him. Feeling them on him is already bad enough.

He can feel other hands creeping upon him. They're bigger with more callouses and they aren't actually there, which is why they creep.

They belong to a man that isn't even alive anymore and yet, with every unwanted touch forced upon him, he can feel him again.

"Shhh, it's okay. You'll get through this. Just breathe, Hiccup, breathe." Astrid tells him and he tries to keep a hold of himself to the best of his ability.

His vest is splayed upon and more wounds are made bare. Besides the aching of his ribs, there's a splotch of blood on the right side of his lower abdomen, close to the hem of his trousers.

"He's bleeding through his tunic." Snotlout mutters, bringing attention to it. The healer takes the hem of his tunic in order to take a look.

Hiccup can feel it, is too aware of her every move. Still squeezing Astrid's hand, he squeezes even tighter and she lets him. Tears wet his eyes and when she cautiously pulls it up, they slip free and he seizes her hands again, unable to bear any more of this.

"Hey, shhh, it's okay." Astrid holds all of their hands as she hushes him.

Toothless intervenes and headbutts his human's face, a gesture of affection that Hiccup returns.

"Yeah, it's okay, we're all here with you." Snotlout tells him, stepping forward, but not daring to go as far as Astrid is going. One of them is probably enough.

"Breathe, Hiccup. Breathe."

"I can't. I-I can't."

Fishlegs comes closer.

"Then maybe I can help! Try to follow along with me, okay?" Hiccup leaves Toothless to face him, who exaggerates his breathing in a slow and timely manner so he can keep up.

It's hard, but Hiccup tries his best to follow along until his breathing comes to a more natural pace and his lightheadedness doesn't turn to darkness.

Astrid manages to make Hiccup let go of the healer and hold onto her instead.

They don't like any of this, the panic attack, the sweat sticking his clothing to his skin, or the tears now sliding down his face. His lip is trembling, his everything is trembling.

This is what he hid from them after their damning talk with Stoick for so long, this is what Viggo has done to him. Their fearless leader rendered to this. The fact that they still don't know the details haunts them to this day.

He can still face any enemy, can stare down death itself if he has to, but he can't stand being touched, not even if it's for his own well-being.

"This is so stupid." They hear him mutter, something they've heard him repeat over and over again with whatever involves his issues. They don't know what he thinks is so stupid, but they've heard him say this so many times by now.

Astrid dares to take a seat on the bed next to him and lets go of his hand to cup his cheeks. He stares up at her with a wild look of panic. If he wants her to let go, she trusts that he'll let her know.

"Hiccup, please listen," She starts and hopes that's what he'll do.

"We're all here to protect you. I know we've failed you before, but no more. You're safe with us. Tonight, tomorrow, every day for the rest of your life, you're safe." She tells him and his hands take hers, but he doesn't pull them away. Her touch is light, so it wouldn't be hard to remove them, he wants them there.

"We love you. Please let us protect you." She requests with genuine emotion.

He nods.

"Okay," He says quietly, barely above a whisper as most of his voice is stuck in his throat. It's a miracle he even got that much out.

Toothless rumbles encouragingly and invites himself partially into the bed, pretty much wrapping his forelegs around his Rider, but staying mindful of his injuries.

Hiccup lets go of Astrid's hands, gaining some control over himself.

Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut take them, watching for any reaction that might tell them this is the wrong move to make. So far, there isn't any.

This might be it, the opening they've been waiting for. For years Hiccup has been completely closed off on this topic, he's locked his fears up tight and thrown away the key. But now, perhaps the door stands open on a creak and they're allowed a peek inside with a promise for more.

Whether this is what it is or not doesn't matter at the moment. What does matter, is helping him through tonight.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, how're you feeling?" Back on Berk, Astrid asks Hiccup this question as they enter his home a few days later.

Looking up from his blueprints, he watches them enter with a tired smile.

He's sitting on a chair, wearing a comfortable tunic to spare his bruised ribs the weight that comes with many layers. The stitched gash on his lower abdomen benefits from this, too. He doesn't like it, but Toothless is with him always and so is Sharpshot, who lies curled up on the table. His injured leg rests on another chair, the wound having been stitched closed and showing no signs of infection so far.

"Eh, tired. Maybe in need of some more painkillers. It's been a few hours and my everything hurts again." He answers as they walk further into the home, greeted by Toothless who croons their way happily. He's lying curled up around Hiccup's spot, helping him feel secure as he can't wear his "shield".

Ever since that night, something has changed in their group again. Talking with him, being around him, it's easier. It's as if there's been this tension for so long that nobody even noticed after a time, and now that it's finally gone and they can all feel that lack of weight.

"I'll go make some!" Fishlegs offers himself up and disappears into the kitchen.

"How is everything with the village outside?" Hiccup asks, hoping that his work isn't stacking up as he spends his time inside recovering. He is weirdly okay with staying indoors. So far, at least.

"We're managing things, the twins are actually fixing stuff more than they break it," Astrid informs him.

"Hey, we can be very good repair people." Ruffnut protests.

"Besides, just means there's more for us to break later," Tuffnut mutters to her, and the two snicker. Astrid and Snotlout both roll their eyes.

"We'll make sure they don't break stuff later." The latter promises with a deadpan. Hiccup smiles at him gratefully.

"Here it is!" Fishlegs returns with a painkilling, and possibly sleep-inducing, broth and hands it to Hiccup.

"Thanks," He says, taking it and then staring at it as he holds it in his hands. He's not exactly looking forward to it, these broths never taste that pleasant. This one doesn't even smell good.

He should take it, get rid of the pain, and maybe get some shut-eye. These blueprints can wait.

But first, there's been something that he's been contemplating as he waited for his friends' inevitable visit for the day. They always come by.

"Hey, um..." He starts, gaze still on the cup with the broth.

The Riders look at him, wait for him to talk, and say what's on his mind as there is clearly something.

They aren't quite prepared for the topic he's about to bring up, but the day they've been waiting for has finally arrived.

After some hesitation, Hiccup forces himself to say it.

"He never went all the way."

Surprised to hear him talk about it, the Gang listens.

"Vi-Viggo, he... He never..." Hiccup stops talking then and they don't interrupt or try to finish his sentence for him. They can tell it's taking him everything just to talk now, he's not even looking at them, hand coming up to hide most of his face from view.

Toothless purrs, sitting up to meet Hiccup at eye-level, but he's not looking at him either.

"It really did just stay with words and... and touches... Every time I got captured and taken to him, but... That's it, nothing else." It's not like they don't know that something's been done to him, but to actually hear him say it, to hear their suspicions be confirmed is something else entirely.

The twins share a saddened look, Fishlegs looks down at his hands, and Astrid and Snotlout both feel themselves tense up. It's been a good few years and still, it makes them so angry that any of it happened.

Back to the conversation, Snotlout wanted to remind him that that wasn't nothing, but Astrid stops him. Hiccup is finally talking, they should let him have his say before they comment.

Still unable to bear to look at his friends, Hiccup wipes his sweaty palms on his trousers.

"It-it-it... "It" never actually happened so-so it-so it just seemed so stupid to feel the way I did. The-the way I do. Like-like I was hurt when I wasn't." That was part of the problem, it wasn't as bad as it could've been and that made worrying about it seem so dumb to him.

He's lucky. That's what he's been telling himself. He's lucky.

"So stupid," He repeats, feeling like an attention seeker for something that was "not as bad as it could've been". So many people have suffered worse than him, he shouldn't complain.

He rocks nervously, trying to cope with the influx of memories that have festered over the years, with the shame welling up. Thus far they've only been dealt with by cramming them into the darkest corners of his mind, a fruitless effort that usually ends in frustration and anger. There they have continued to rot and chipped away at him piece by piece like an untreated infection.

Bringing it up now still hurts just as much as it would've hurt to bring up back then.

As a brief silence sets in, Astrid dares to take a step and sits down at the table on a seat next to him.

"I think you and I both know that he doesn't need to go "all the way" for this to hurt, Hiccup. What happened was so, so traumatizing, doesn't matter how far he did or didn't go. And it happened... It happened multiple times." Astrid has to swallow, feeling like she might throw up if she doesn't.

"If we were in each other's shoes, you would be telling me the exact same thing." She tells him and Hiccup finds that she has a point.

If this had happened to Astrid, to any of his friends, he wouldn't stand for them to call their reaction to being... to being... He wouldn't call them stupid, he wouldn't call them calls for attention.

"He hurt you and you have every right to be angry, even now." She continues.

"We all hurt you." Snotlout admits, coming to sit at the table as well. The others, they swiftly follow their example.

To hear them tell him that he has every right to be angry, to be hurt, is more relieving than he can ever express.

But there's a question Snotlout has been wondering about this whole time and he wonders if Hiccup will answer.

"How... I understand if you don't want to answer, but how far did he get?" If he's not ready to tell them yet, if he'll never be ready, then he'll understand.

Hiccup doesn't answer and while he's told them he never went "all the way", "not all the way" still seems to be pretty far.

He wants to cry again. The memories running rampant inside his mind, the non-existing hands that refuse to leave him, they make tears gather in his eyes.

He's in pain and has been for much too long. He feels like he's been on fire this entire time and that someone is finally putting out the fire.

It's with a mere cup, but it's a start.

Managing to look at his friends, Hiccup cautiously gazes at them all, fearing judgment as he finally bares it all.

Astrid reaches and takes his hand, squeezing it lightly. Perhaps, it's time to talk and let his family in.

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alyssa-explains-it-all · 4 years ago

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15 More Things I Learned About People

When I turned 25, I did a Tumblr post about 25 Things I Learned About People and honestly, while it was pretty pedantically written, it holds up. So in honor of finishing my 20s soon, I wanted to add 15 more things I learned.

The second half of my 20s had much healthier relationships, more career stability but also my first two serious relationships, my first big heartbreak, the Trump administration, and a pandemic. So you know, highs and lows, but still a pretty fine time. Here’s what I want to add:

1. Be nice to yourself. Sometimes that’s way harder than being nice to other people. But the world is hard enough. You have to prioritize your mental health and self care.

2. Making an effort to be optimistic and thankful can be hard at times, but makes the day to day and your life generally a lot happier. Gratitude is the best attitude. Being in quarantine during COVID has isolated everyone from everyone. But it’s been life line crucial to me to try to find and focus on bright spots.

3. Don’t rush your timeline. The societal timeline for women is bullshit. You don’t have to be engaged, married, etc by a certain age. Wait for the right person. Don’t try to make something work that doesn’t because you think your time is running out. A lot of people, including yourself, your partner, and any future family (if you have kids, them especially, but also your friends and loved ones) suffer when your marriage/relationship isn’t happy or healthy.

4. One healthy person isn’t enough to make a relationship healthy. Childhood trauma doesn’t have to define people as adults; they can always get help. That said, you can’t make someone get help. I dated someone with parents who were absent and who had a lot of darkness in his past. But while he was functional, he held onto his pain like his cynicism was some kind of shield or superpower. In reality, it was a poison on our relationship. I tried to encourage him to get help. I’m not sure he ever did. It’s never hopeless to get out of stuff like that, I’d like to think. It just takes a desire to try and do the hard work to; I’ve seen friends go to therapy and it really changed their lives for the better.

5. Be aware, do your best to help, but do not let societal wrongs eat at you completely. The Trump administration did a lot of hurtful things to many groups of people. These past four years have put into perspective how broken and divided American society is. But it’s overwhelming to obsess about, in part because you feel your powerlessness. Help in your community, vote, donate to organizations you believe in. And then put the agony aside. Do not let it destroy you because you cannot keep fighting to make things better if you let the wrongs drain you now.

6. A lot of people don’t agree with you. Don’t completely dehumanize them. A lot of my relatives disagree with me politically. Half the country does, seemingly. I’m not going to say let’s all be friends, but you do have to try to maintain a level of respect and empathy because we all have to coexist still. When we are completely divided, we are weaker. And I like to think fundamentally, we all want the same things: to provide for our families, to work, and to be able to take care of ourselves aka the things that let us survive in this world. Try to preserve some level of kindness. I know it can be hard sometimes though.

7. Just be nice to people. Like honestly, the world is hard enough. Also wear a mask during a pandemic when it is advised. It isn’t that hard.

8. Try to be present rooted. It is the healthiest, least overwhelming way to live. Don’t stress over longterm future stuff. You don’t have to make decisions about big life things until they are closer to happening. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the growth, enjoy the journey. Be in this moment, because it is the only one guaranteed.

9. Heartbreak really sucks, but it gets better with time. Don’t try to date other people while still talking to your ex. It’s unfair to them; finish your business then take some time apart. If what you have with your ex is very, very broken, let it go so you can heal and open yourself up to dating people who are a better fit for you. I know people have to go on their own journey, especially with that first big heartbreak. Write out your feelings. Cry. Talk to people who aren’t your ex. Mend yourself and then get back out there and be open to finding something happier, healthier and better. It’ll happen with time.

10. Having a work-life balance is crucial. Take your time when you aren’t on the clock. Take a vacation if you can, even if it’s a staycation. You need to have balance in your life, especially to prevent burnout.

11. Material goods don’t matter as much as people. I’ve been on the periphery of elite New York society, going to the same ritzy fashion industry events. It’s interesting to people watch there, but this year in quarantine, being without all that glamour, I’ve really realized that the best way to find happiness isn’t to clout chase or money chase. It’s to invest in healthy relationships. Getting to be there for people is the greatest, most meaningful gift that keeps giving in life.

12. You’re doing better than you think you are. Sometimes life is just hard. This year has been for most people. But hey, you’re surviving. So give yourself credit, practice self care rather than self loathing. Sometimes it isn’t you handling thing badly; it’s just things are really tough and we’re all human.

13. Eat healthy. Exercise. Just take care of your body and mind. You function a lot better when you do. It makes life a little easier. And again, life is hard enough.

14. Sex is not the most important thing in a relationship. It’s nice, but what’s more sustaining is your emotional bond. It’s ok not to have sex if you aren’t feeling it. It’s ok not to be horny during a pandemic. It’s ok to prioritize and vocalize how you’re feeling to your partner. He or she should want to know. And if your partner doesn’t care? That says a lot about them, how selfish they are, and how undeserving they are of a future with you.

15. Don’t date people who don’t treat you well and add to your life. Don’t date people who take away your light and give you nothing back. Relationships should be reciprocal; otherwise they’re longterm draining and a breeding ground for resentment and burnout. You deserve an equal partner, not someone who uses you as just a support system or security blanket and then gives little back to restore you.

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5eforgemaster · 5 years ago

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Conversion Kit: The Assassin

Continuing my Conversion Kit series of articles, we discuss the Assassin subclass! Turn any character into a master of ambushes and terribly efficient killer with just three levels of Rogue.

Below the readmore, you can find Additional Support for this kit, as well as Pitfalls and Character Suggestions.

Kit Overview

Investment Type: Multiclass Dip

Minimum Investment: Take 3 Levels of Rogue, selecting the Assassin archetype at level 3.

Overall Impact: Your character now has the mechanical backing to follow through on clever schemes with lethal force.

Investment

Much like our last conversion kit, once you select the Assassin subclass, you can immediately set off to do what assassins do best. Once again, you'll need to satisfy the multiclassing requirement- just a score of 13 in Dexterity, plus a score of 13 in whatever attribute your other class of choice requires.

You don't necessarily need a Dexterity higher than this, but remember that your bonus to Stealth rolls keys off of it. You can mitigate the problems of a low Dexterity score by taking proficiency in Stealth and using the Rogue's Expertise feature to double your proficiency bonus.

Truth be told, you can abandon Stealth entirely if it doesn't fit your concept. However, you'll want to keep in mind that the assassin's primary feature requires Surprise. While by the Rules as Written, Stealth is the only way to gain surprise, many GMs will allow betrayals or sudden strikes to grant surprise.

Perhaps you can take advantage of Deception or Persuasion to lure your target into a false sense of security, or use a spell like Dimension Door or Invisibility to suddenly appear behind (or even before) a foe and strike them down.

All that said, regardless of the method you'd like to use, you're very likely to want stealth proficiency. It's the least reliant on GM interpretation and applies to the greatest variety of situations.

Narrative Impact

Though the most apparent Narrative for a character using this kit is that of a professional murderer, it is by no means the only route you can take. Your character is now mechanically incredibly reliant on first strikes. Hunters-turned-warriors (such as most rangers) gravitate to this approach to combat by default, but characters lacking the stomach for battle might turn to this path to end fights quickly. Elite warriors might prefer ambush tactics, and even certain paladins may find a swift death to be all that their foes deserve. In truth, you could utterly ignore this kit's narrative impact and carry on as if you had never taken a single level in another class. However, I'm inclined to see that as something of a wasted opportunity to set your character apart- where did your character learn to fight dirty? Do they see it as a necessary evil and regret their actions, or do they believe they're justified as there's no justice on the battlefield?

Mechanical Impact

From a mechanical perspective, the Assassin offers lethal first-strikes. Whatever your method of attack- a greatsword, a spell, thrown dagger- your Assassinate feature guarantees you a Critical Hit, as long as the attack hits a surprised target.

I cannot emphasize enough how unbelievably good a Guaranteed Critical Hit is in Fifth Edition D&D, and believe me, if I had a way to highlight that bolded, italicized, underlined phrase I would use it. I thought about including a gif of someone slapping a desk. I need you to see those words and realize what they mean.

A critical hit multiplies all of your damage dice. If you can find bonus dice, you're going to hit incredibly hard. If you have multiple attacks, they will all be critical hits. A critical hit on a Paladin's Smite or Rogue's sneak attack is a lucky break. A full round's worth of critical hits on a Fighter's attack routine or a Wizard's Scorching Ray is a dream. Get the drop on an enemy, and that dream is your reality.

The simple truth is, the Assassinate feature alone is enough to enable ambushes as a tactic.

Kit Support

There are several feats you can take advantage of to make this kit more effective. However, even if feats aren't allowed in your game, or all of yours are already accounted for, you're not out of luck. If you keep some rules of thumb in mind, you'll find yourself faring better than someone who approached their build haphazardly.

This list is in no particular order. This is not an optimization guide, and I don't want to commit to the math necessary to rank these options, nor do I want to limit your creativity. That said, as an Assassin, you want to look for:

More attacks. These are easy enough to get: engage in two weapon fighting, pick a class that has the Extra Attack feature, or find a way to get Haste applied to you.

Extra dice for your attacks: Smite and Sneak Attack are good examples. If you have your eyes on a higher level Rogue feature, the extra sneak attack dice will help with this (if you're using an appropriate weapon).

Similarly, spells that grant multiple attack rolls such as Eldritch Blast or spells that have large dice counts like Chaos Bolt. Both of those can be picked up by classes that can't normally access them using the Magic Initiate feat.

You might also consider certain feats, depending on your build and game:

Alert gives you a large bonus to initiative. Depending on how your GM runs Surprise, you may need to win initiative to take advantage of Assassinate- Alert all but guarantees that you'll move first, especially if your Dexterity is already high.

Lucky adds some reliability to your assassination attempts by letting you try again when you roll poorly. Lucky is good to the point of being considered 'cheese' by the community, and many games ban it, but there is objectively no better way to ensure you don't ruin your big moment.

Skulker is somewhat similar to Lucky for ranged characters, though not as effective. If you're a ranged Assassin, this keeps your position from being revealed. You'd be hard pressed to convince your DM that the enemy is still surprised, but maybe you can retreat and try again. The other miscellaneous stealth bonuses are a nice plus.

Spell Sniper doubles your range for attack roll based spells- it'll be easier to surprise foes from a couple of hundred feat away. As a bonus, you ignore all but total cover and even get access to an attack roll based cantrip if you didn't have one already.

Actor might improve your odds of pulling off a social skill based assassin, just check with your GM to make sure they'll rule in your favor before you invest too heavily in the approach.

Pitfalls

There's not a whole lot you can do as a player to make this kit go wrong. Your biggest obstacles are overspecialization and, potentially, your DM.

In the first case, there will be times when Assassinate will fail you. Perhaps the situation isn't right, perhaps you missed your attack, maybe the enemy got the drop on you. None of that matters though- just keep in mind when making choices about your character that not everything needs to improve their critical damage. Dealing hundreds of points of damage with your first strike only matters if you pull it off.

In the second case, some DMs are combative. You might have a DM that feels as though you're somehow "cheating" by assassinating big threats and coaxing your party towards ambush tactics. Some DMs will simply grumble about it and you may need to back off somewhat.

Others will attempt to sabotage you, either by presenting scenarios that make assassinations difficult or impossible, overwhelmingly pitting you against foes that are impossible to surprise or are immune to critical hits, or, in the most egregious cases, abusing their power and arbitrarily depriving you of surprise when you should have it.

The best thing you can do here is keep a level head and talk to your DM. They likely don't actively want to ruin the game for you, and perhaps they have a reasonable motive- maybe you're taking the spotlight away from other players or even making the game less fun for the DM themselves (believe it or not, this is a reasonable concern for the DM- they should have simply been honest with you in the first place, but berating them now won't help either of you).

Whatever your DM's reasons, you can likely compromise if they're honest with you. If your DM gives you any variation of "this is your fault for picking a specialized feature" or "it's just the way it is", you may need to ask if you can rebuild, as they're unlikely to sympathize with your position. Ultimately, your playstyle may just not align with the DM's or group's. There are hundreds of articles about conflict resolution, some specifically tailored for D&D groups, so for the moment I'll table the specifics and perhaps update this article with a link to a quality one at a later date.

A Few Suggestions

I don't want to leave this article on a low note, so I'll close with some classes you can combine with the Assassin subclass for some exciting (if somewhat obvious) character concepts:

Way of Shadow Monk: This monk path offers several supernatural abilities relating to darkness, silence, and hiding- not the least of which is the ability to teleport between patches of shadow. If that doesn't scream "ninja" to you, I don't know what will. The monk also has access to Flurry of Blows, which can make your assassinations quite potent.

Oath of Vengeance Paladin: The Paladin's Smite might be the easiest on-demand way to take advantage of your Assassinate feature. Very few of this Archetype's features synergize with this kit, but access to Haste and Hunter's Mark doesn't hurt, and the narrative of an avenger fits well with the style of combat you'll be employing. If you liked Pathfinder's inquisitor class, this may be for you.

Fiend Patron Warlock: Eldritch Blast is always good, but you have an extra edge with it. Honestly, there's not much too this other than having an easy on-demand ranged damage option, but something about being a contract killer for your Patron seems like an exciting narrative. Works just as well for other patrons, but the fiend seems most likely to employ contract killers. You can take the Blade Pact Boon and Eldritch Smite invocations if you want to step on the Paladin's turf.

With some examples out of the way, I'll take my leave. There's near limitless potential for this kit, as there's some synergy to be had with nearly every class, so you can experiment with confidence.

#rogue #rogue archetype #roguish archetype #dnd #dnd 5e #d&d #d&d 5e #5e #dungeons and dragons #dungeons & dragons #conversion kit #assassin #multiclass #fifth edition #5th edition

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leilas-digital-scrapbook-blog · 6 years ago

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Giving Love a Bad Name – Confessions of a Fanfiction Writer

I know we’re supposed to blog about our major projects this week and I promise I will get to that soon, but I’d like to go off book for a moment to address something that’s been bugging me since last Thursday’s class. As someone who’s always tried to engage with fandom in as creative a way as possible, I hoped a class on user generated content would offer a fresher perspective than the usual amount of prejudice and self-righteous superiority that sadly seem to accompany the subject of fanfiction even amongst people that make stories and their passion for it their bread and butter.

Guess I should have known better.

In the world of professional writers, fanfiction is still a filthy word. It sums up everything that’s wrong with the people you’re sharing your stories with: the obsessiveness, the entitlement, the disregard for boundaries, the penchant for making everything about sex. Worse, gay sex, as unspeakably dirty as it’s hilarious. Be warned, writers: if you make it big, your stories will inevitably become a free-for-all at the mercy of those people. A worse fate than even George R. R. Martin could wish on his own characters.

I’m used to seeing the world of fanfiction belittled and disparaged, of course, and I’m the first to admit that the community is often its own worst enemy. But for some reason it still hurt a little to sit in class and listen to people I’ve come to like and respect during these past few months buy into every bad stereotype associated with the form. Not because I felt called out (though yes, I do write fanfiction from time to time, and I happen to quite enjoy reading it too), but because of the underlying assumptions that 1. something that’s not 100% original cannot be art, it’s a violence in fact, especially if it twists someone else’s creation into something it was never meant to be (in this case, queer representation); and 2. there’s something wrong with creating exclusively out of love, without ever expecting to be paid for it. And I have Strong Opinions on that.

So let’s talk about fanfiction.

Actually, scratch that, let’s talk about my favorite subject – yours truly. As you may have gathered by now, I love fanfiction. A whole fangirly lot. My gateway drug into it was my obsession with Lost about 10 years ago and its pesky habit of offing every character I was foolish enough to get attached to. But lo! Someone was keeping them alive through their stories! I felt blessed. I got to spend more time in a world I loved, and I stopped flirting with the idea of giving up on the show every time another character I liked bit the dust. Everybody won.

Even more than as a fan, though, I appreciated the world of possibilities that fanfiction opened up to me as a non-native speaker. I come from a small town in the north of Italy; the access I had to foreign books in their original language was limited, and if I wanted to read something in English I’d have to spend quite a lot of money on one of the very few novels (usually chunky airport bookshop thrillers or housewife romances – not exactly my preferred genres) that shared a single shelf in the bookstore with German, French, Spanish titles. But fanfiction was free, accessible, and there was so much of it. If I didn’t like a story, all I needed to do was move on to the next. Suddenly there was an infinite library of engaging stories to help me make my English better. True, they didn’t all read like a published novel would – there’s a lot of unpolished, error-plagued, stream-of-consciousness-y material out there. But there are also so, so many beautifully written works, and believe me, even for a non-native speaker it’s very easy to spot the difference.

Fanfiction also gave me the chance and motivation to practice my English writing in a way school never could have done. I’ve been writing my own stories since I could hold a pen, but I didn’t dare write in English until I was a fanfiction-loving teenager. It was a marketing decision, really – my first foray into writing fanfiction was for a fandom so small that I wouldn’t be surprised to find out I’m the only Italian representative, so if I wanted any kind of feedback on my work I’d have to suck it up and try my hand at writing in a language that didn’t come natural to me. I would never argue that the feedback I got on my works made me a better writer – contrary to popular opinion, the fanfiction community is made up of the nicest, most supportive people, and alas, you’ll never get a comment on everything you did wrong with your structure or even just pointing out common grammar mistakes from them (though I was lucky enough to have someone explain to me how dialogue punctuation works differently in English than in Italian, so I guess something can be learned even from the Internet). It did motivate me to keep writing, though, and that made me a better writer. If you think I’m being too dramatic, dishing out this monster of a post nobody asked for just to declare my eternal devotion to fanfiction, it’s because it’s personal to me. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been told that I write in English as well as native speakers, and fanfiction is a big part of why that’s true. I doubt I would even be in this course if it wasn’t for it.

And then, of course, there’s the gay thing. I’m not going to argue about how heteronormativity sucks and representation matters because I’m sure everyone’s as sick of talking about it as I am, but please try to understand how it felt for a gay person like me, used to be depicted in media as a plot device or token secondary-character representation if at all, to be able to step into a world where queerness was the default for once. Where queer protagonists had meaningful queer love stories and queer friends and got to save the world from the Apocalypse too. Or to fight the Empire or go to Hogwarts or everything else fictional straight people have had a right to do since the dawn of storytelling in addition to romancing the hottie of their choice. I’m not asking you to feel as passionately about it, of course, but (especially if you’re straight) you might try and empathize the next time you think a fanart of two boys kissing is something deserving of your amused contempt.

I hope I’m not coming across as the person that screams “homophobe” at everyone who disagrees with her because I guarantee that’s not what I’m trying to do here, but I think the general distaste for slash says a lot about the way our society sees heterosexual relationships as love and homosexual relationships as sex. Yes, there’s a lot of gay porn in the world of fanfiction. But you know what you’re most likely to find? Romance. Not in the saucy literary sense of the word, but in its simpler, most literal acceptation. Fanfiction is just one more way for humans to express themselves, after all, and love has always been front and center in our art. Love, not sex – even if it’s gay. In fact, explicit material doesn’t even make up the majority of what you’ll find on a fanfiction website. Don’t worry, I don’t want anyone to taint their souls by visiting one of those dens of iniquity so I pulled some stats myself. Here’s the number of works for each rating in three of the most popular fandoms on Archive Of Our Own, the current go-to website for the fanfiction community (sorry Fanfiction.net) – Harry Potter, Supernatural and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as of 9/3/2019:

Even counting both Mature and Explicit works as straight-up porn (which I don’t think is quite fair, but that’s a discussion for another day), they only make up less than 1/3 of the material. Kinda disappointing, for a medium that’s supposed to be all about filthy graphic gay sex. Imagine if only one in three musicals actually featured singing and dancing, or superheroes weren’t in the majority of superhero movies. They’re lucky fanfiction is shared for free, or I’d be screaming for my money back.

Maybe I’ve just been brainwashed by SJWs, though, and this has nothing to do with my being an immigrant or a lesbian. Maybe my inability to see what’s so bad about appropriating someone else’s intellectual property for your own amusement is a cultural thing. I apologize – as mentioned, I’m Italian, and we all know Ancient Roman culture was basically just a ripoff of everything those inventive Greeks came up with. It’s in our blood. Hell, our 2€ coin, the biggest, has the face of Dante Alighieri on it, a writer most famous for having written 14.000+ verses of self-insert real-person-fic in which the girl he fancied as a teenager, his favorite author, and God himself all fall over themselves to tell him how awesome he is and he gets to prophesy an eternity in Hell for his political enemies. Talk about wish-fulfilling entitlement. Not to mention all those creatively arid Renaissance “artists” celebrated for stealing characters from the Bible and Greek mythology (seriously, the fact that Greece hasn’t unleashed an army of lawyers on us yet is nothing short of a miracle) and putting them in their cheesy paintings. Other countries can rely on a much stronger moral backbone and endless imagination – I’m sure Shakespeare, Milton, Goethe, those creative geniuses at Disney and countless others never had to resort to something as cheap and despicable as borrowing other people’s characters to tell the stories they wanted to tell.

Either way, I can’t help it – I see the prospect of creating something that will resonate with people so strongly that they’ll make it a part of themselves, that it’ll compel them to make more art, to reach out and connect with other fans, as something incredibly beautiful rather than scary. Maybe this is my usual naiveté speaking, and I will come to eat my words. It’s certainly disturbing that a bunch of entitled fans bullied the Mass Effect developers into changing the series’ ending, and sending actors explicit fanart of themselves is straight-up harassment, but is fanfiction really the problem here? Or is it social network culture, with its power to destroy all barriers and foster hive mind? To give resentment a platform to spread and be heard? I promise that the average fanfiction writer wouldn’t campaign to get an ending changed. They’d just roll up their sleeves and write a better one themselves.

#my thoughts #aka leila goes off about her life story #user generated content #fanfiction #fandom #tmi alert

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audreysl0ve · 6 years ago

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Swan Queen + 8

A/N: this takes place in S7, when Emma returns from that graduation trip.

Warning: While I enjoy reading SQ fic, I don’t ship them in canon. I don’t think this is affected anything, but it could have and if so, I’m sorry.

Second warning: Emma’s not my fav. I like the version I’ve written but I might be a little harsh on her choices re: abandoning Henry. I mean no disrespect to the ship.

Third warning: written within an hour, all mistakes are mine. :)

Regina doesn’t know why she’s so nervous. She’s only seeing Emma, after all.

But she’s reliving her past, getting a do-over, of sorts.

This Emma has separated from her, has pulled away, but isn’t yet gone.

She’s still so mad, so hurt over the way Future Emma conducts herself. But this Emma, this Emma of the past, she hasn’t made those choices that ripped her adn her son’s heart apart. Not yet.

It was decided that Snow would fill Emma in on the details of this latest development, explain why there are now two Reginas (or four, if we’re counting those in other realms), three Henry’s, two (sort of) Hooks, and, well, zero Rumples.

But the way Emma storms into her office, Regina is sure Snow hadn’t gotten out many of the details of the separation, anyway.

“So now you get to travel through time?” Emma asks, almost angrily. Her hair is windswept and disshelved, and Regina imagines she ran the whole way here from that infernal house of hers.

“I didn’t do it by choice,”Regina responds, gripping the back of her desk as she leans against it. “I was purely a passenger in this event. For once.“

“So all of this — you’ve experienced this before?” Emma’s eyes are wild, frantically searching for something.

A lie, Regina thinks. She’s trying to find out if Regina is telling the truth.

“I know how things happened the first time around, Emma. But I do not think history is set in stone. But, as your mother probably told you—”

“Oh, please, why did you trust her to tell me anything? She could barely stumble out single sentencee without getting tripped up. What is going on? Why did you travel through time - why did Henry travel through time - and not me?”

“Because you left us!” Regina retorts, far too cold, hurt tumbling out of her mouth, as if she’s powerless to stop it.

“Bullshit,” Emma exclaims, but she knows. Emma always knows when she’s lying, and this is the truth. Regina can see it on her face. The recognition that Regina is telling the truth. She’s almost fearful, almost apologetic.

“Henry wanted to go to a new realm to make his own story. He’s about to tell you about this plan of his, actually. And I hated it, for what it’s worth. But you thought he should—”

“Well Regina he has to live his own life. He has to be independent,” Emma says bluntly, and Regina can only roll her eyes in agreement.

“Yes, that’s what you said. And you said he’d visit all the time, and that lots of children move away at eighteen, but do they really move to different realms, Emma?”

“Something happened there. What happened?”

“He very nearly died. But your little pirate friend gave him a way to call for us. That was years into the future, mind you. So he called for us. When his life was in mortal danger.”

“And?” Emma asks. Regina can sense it, can feel the fear laced adrenaline pumping through her body.

“Hook and I took care of it. He’s alive.”

“Where was I?” Emma asks skeptically, “What happened to me, why wasn’t I—”

“You get pregnant with the pirate’s child,” Regina snarls. “You didn’t think it was safe under the circumstances.”

Emma shakes her head in disbelief. “This is all so…”

And suddenly Regina sees a glimpse of the old Emma, the one she missed so much, and she can’t help but offer her a lifeline.

“You knew I had it covered. And you had another child to worry about, after all. I’m sure Hook insisted.”

Emma doesn’t answer, she’s looking down now, peering up through remorseful eyes.

“After that, I decided to stay in that realm. I missed my son, I wasn’t happy seeing him once or twice a year. Without him connecting us? Connecting me to you, to Snow and David? I justfelt. Out of place. I belonged with him, I can’t explain it.”

“And I stayed here,” Emma says just above a whisper.

“Yes,” Regina admits softly. “With Hook, and your new child. You… you were going to visit but then, I guess life happened. We saw more of Zelena than of you. And it hurt him. Just so you know. It hurt him a lot. He never said it in words, but you can always tell, with Henry. He wears his heart on his sleeve.”

“Yes,” Emma admits. And then she’s tumbling on the couch, looking the picture of devastated. “I could use a drink.”

There’s a bit of nostalgia as Regina opens the decanter of whiskey and gives Emma a generous pour.

“Do I get another chance?” She asks faintly. “Now that I know what I did, do I get a chance to make it alright? Is this like A Christmas Story? Are you the Ghost of Christmas Future, warning me what my life will become if I don’t shape up?”

“I can’t give you a second chance at raising him,” Regina says with sadness. “Time is ripped down the middle. And now both versions of me and Henry exist, but there is only one Lucy. She will cease to exist if we turn back time. And we can’t guarantee everything will happen exactly the same next time. And I won’t risk my grand daughter’s life for anything.”

“Our grand-daughter,” Emma responds, downing her drink. Regina goes to open her mouth, but Emma quickly amends. “I’m going to earn the right to call her that, this time. Regina, I promise.”

“Good,” Regina tries to smile. She wants to believe Emma will be here this time, wants to, but….

She puts the negative thoughts out of her mind. ON to the next task.

“We need to merge. It’s too dangerous having future and past versions of ourselves walking around. I don’t know what could happen, but everything is fragile. Time travel is largely unknown in magic, being thought of as impossible. But I’ve done research, and well, I’ve found a way to merge us.”

“So you, and your past self will become one?” Emma asks

“We will. And Henry will merge with his older self, too.”

That seems to break her. Tears fall down Emma’s face, adn Regina doesn’t think she’s ever seen her so openly vulnerable with her, not ever.

“And he will… he will be older? I’ll not get to see him grow up, he’ll just morph into this full grown man?”

“It’s only a few years, Emma.” Regina says, feeling that urge to comfort. She lays a hand on her shoulder.

It surprises the hell out of her when Emma leans into her shoulder.

She’s always…she never lets her…

“I’m so sorry Regina, I’m so sorry about everything.” She’s sniffles int her shoulder, and damn it, this silk shirt may be ruined.

“Emma, you don’t owe me any apologies, it’s just —”

“But I do!” she insists, pulling back, and wiping her tears. “I know why this happened, I know what happened. Why I kept my distance from you, especially if I was pregnant.”

There’s weight to her words, something in the air goes charged, and Regina is inexplicable terrified of what comes next.

There’s something she’s felt, something she’s longed for that she’s never so much as allowed herself to hope for. But now, that dreadful fearing rises to the surface, daring her to dream.

“You should know. I should have just been honest with you. I should have told you.” Emma is smiling a bit now, perhaps laughing at herself. “In the grand scheme of things, confessing feelings seems so trivial.”

Feelings.

Her pulse quickens, her body goes rigid. Emma is so close, she can feel her breath, the heat of her body right next to her.

“I chose him. And I love him. But I…. god, Regina, please don’t freak out. But I think I love you too.” Emma says above a whisper. “And when we do things together, when we go on roadtrips and vacations, just you and me and Henry, it hurts, it’s confusing in a way I can’t explain. And I know you don’t feel the same, I do. And I was just thinking maybe some distance would help clear my head. Apparently I can’t let you go without also letting my son go. I can’t let that happen.”

For a moment Regina cannot hear anything, cannot feel. She’s suspended in disbelief, paused in midair.

“You don’t feel this alone. I feel it too.” That’s all Regina can muster, all she can come out with to say. What more is there to say, after all? She still loves him.

It’s not fair, life’s not fair.

She feels the tears pricking at the back of her eyes, thinking they could have had this, it could have been something. She can’t even look at her, has to regroup, if only for a second. She hides the growing wetness in her eyes, face falling downwards. But Emma’s hand is in her hair, fingers threading through as she lets her pam rest against her cheek, urging her back up.

“Regina…” she says softly.

The kiss is gentle, not hurried or passionate, not like any of the times she’s imagined kissing Emma in the past. It’s tender and slow, but loving.

Regina can taste the salty wetness of tears on her lips, she’s not sure whose they belong to.

It’s only a moment, but it feels like one she’s been waiting a lifetime for. And when they break away, Regina isn’t sure she remembers to breathe.

She thinks of Hope, their darling little girl. Thinks of the countless birthday parties, the relationship Henry always wanted with her, the love he already has for her.

Hope can’t ust not exist.

God, she can’t risk anything changing things, she already loves that little girl as her own, despite how little she’s seen her over the years.

She hopes this hasn’t compromised anything. Because if she has, she will have to give Emma a memory potion, have to erase all this from her mind, and Regina has had enough pain in her life, she can’t erase the happy memories too.

“Emma,” she says, taking a deep breath in and cradling her hands in hers. “We can’t do this, we can’t—”

“I know we can’t,” Emma breathes, a sad smile on her face. “I know. It’ll be our secret.”

#swanqueen #swan queen fanfic #swan queen fic rec #swan mills family

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thisisarealtagwhy · 7 years ago

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Day 1: Character

Hi all! So, instead of posting in order here is number one, proceeding number 2...

Anyways, the prompt was characters so i aim to please! There are obv spoilers for p much everything so please dont spoil for yourself.

Monkey D. Luffy was a mystery inside an enigma. He was unusually idiotic but smart at the same time, in his own way.

He had little regard for the system of so called ‘justice’ or the world, for that matter.

He could lift his middle fingers up and say fuck you but he wouldn’t. No, he would become the king instead.

King of the Pirates and give the world the biggest fuck you he could.

Wherever he went he made friends; it was as natural as breathing, he was just…

There’s just something about Luffy.

Was it his charisma?

Was it the way he would kick anyone’s asses if they screwed with his nakama?

Or was it something written into their DNA, tying them with the free boy.

Makino watched over Luffy first for Garp but then she took a more parental role, allowing him into the bar as much as he wanted, the patrons simply adored him. But Makino saw the sadness in his eyes as he was clearly more lonely than the boy would let on.

Shanks was a pretty chilled guy so when the squirt had demanded he tell them stories of being a pirate he had indulged him. Who’d have thought that he would end up like this? He thinks, watching the blood, the carnage and more importantly, the fire-cracker that was Roger’s son.

Garp loved his grandson despite the fact that his good for nothing son had just given the babe to him without a backward glance. So he watches as he grows and finds himself more attached, he loves Luffy, he loves him more like a son than a grandchild.

Ace loved Luffy more than he loved himself despite the hatred he had for the rest of the world. It is why he couldn’t bear the thought of a world without his light so he moves and watches as his light flickers and floats away, the only regret heavy on his soul is that he will not see his baby brother become Pirate King.

Sabo loved him because he lit up the world and made Ace believe in himself. Years later and their pledge of brotherhood has not diminished. Sabo cries and sobs because ACEACEACEACE. But then he remembers someone else who believe he is alone, beingalonehurtsmorethandeath, and he pulls himself together.

Coby loves Luffy like a brother, it was only because of him that he had the courage to stand up to Alvida and say no. He becomes a marine for Luffy-san and when he sees him at Marineford… despite knowing that Ace is his brother, this is the path they have both chose. Later he tries to stop Akainu and meets the Yonkou himself, it is a befitting finish, he thinks.

Zoro joined him because of a promise and because he saw Luffy. And because of a promised dream, he will become the world’s greatest swordsman. He will make Luffy the King of the Pirates. He now follows the boy, no, man, because of all of the shit they’ve been through together.

Nami joined because of a mutual agreement but now she follows for she was encased within the charisma of the boy. She loves Luffy like a brother and cherishes his love whenever she sees him. He came for her even after everything.

Buggy wants to say he hates the bastard, well, he does. Partially. In Orange Town it was only fair that the bastard beat him, besides, it led to much greater things. Impel Down is hell and he unwittingly drags himself into a whole new mess following the rubber-bastard. And then Marine-ford… he hates it, the momentary grief he feels for the late Portgas D. Ace, son of Portgas D. Rouge and Gol D. Roger. So he helps the bastard out a bit whilst fighting World, it’s for a selfish reason but nonetheless he feels satisfaction as flames lick up the rubber man’s arm.

Gaiman watches the self-proclaimed mugiwara no Luffy hide the truth from him and he sobs, sobs that he wasted so much time here for those chests and now it was wasted. But he still loves the animals he is surrounded by. So, in two years time he will read the paper and jump in relief at the sight of the ‘Straw hats are back!’ emblazoned on the front page.

Usopp joined for adventure, he knows now that he never, ever wants to lead their band of merry misfits and he will cry and thank the man who saved him several times over.

Mihawk is impressed by the straw hat wearing boy, the one-armed, red-haired fool didn’t give away his treasure so freely. And then he recalls the rage in the boy’s face as he slashed the young swordsman. Then, at Marineford, fate smiles down on upon the boy and he escapes with his life.

Sanji joined for the ladies, well, that’s a lie and he knows it. He joined for his dream, but didn’t the rest of the fools in their tiny crew join for that as well? He remembers the hopelessness of being stuck on that island as his captain grieved and promises that he will never feel that way again.

Gin creates a new fleet, but, he knows that if Monkey D. Luffy, senchou of the mugiwara no ichimi, ever calls, he will join him.

Hachin watches in barely disguised confusion as he, and all of the other fishmen are defeated. Arlong had always taught him that humans were evil and weak. But then he will remember another before Arlong and cry for the man who is the hero of their country. He will try and defend the Sunny for a crew that is waiting for her.

Smoker ponders over the mystery of Monkey D. Luffy, son of the revolutionary Dragon, more than he probably should. He remembers the town of the beginning and end. But, more vividly the War of the Best replays in his mind and (he will never, ever admit this to anyone ever) felt his heart cry for the boy. But he is a Vice-Admiral and cannot ever endorse pirates so he will defeat Mugiwara no Luffy.

Dragon is proud of his son. He’s only met him once but Dragon watches from outside sources and the papers of what his son is doing to change the world. He might be doing it unintentionally but it is amusing to think about Sengoku’s reaction to his son. He will change the world.

Crocus knows that the crazy son of a bitch can do it, he has Roger’s smile, and the same air of confidence around him. Crocus cries and cries when he sees the news about Soul King, he shows an eager Laboon and the two cry in joy at the thought of one of their friends still being alive (was he really alive though?).

Vivi thinks that the Straw Hats are stupid, at first. She thinks they’re so dumb to be led into a trap like this, but she eats her own words as she watches a boy defeat Crocodile and save her Kingdom. She does not progress with him but watches through newspapers and den den mushi’s. (Her heart breaks at the battle of Marineford but she laughs when she finally figures out the meaning of the tattoo).

Tony Tony Chopper joins because, he isn’t a monster. He’s loves Luffy, his captain. He might be a naïve blue-nosed reindeer but he is Luffy’s doctor first and foremost. And if he has to be a monster to protect his nakama, then he will be a monster.

Crocodile is a shichibukai, he didn’t become one by slacking around. So he hates mugiwara no Luffy in the beginning, for such an awful good luck with Logia akuma no mi and watches as his plans fall to dust. He lost when he was a rookie, why should the overconfident bastard be any different? Although, he saves Portgas D. Ace, why? He doesn’t even know that answer… to piss of the Marines? Probable. Why did he save Monkey D. Luffy? He thinks it’s because the bastard will hurt more if he’s still alive after witnessing that.

Bentham never had many friends, ever. Not even when he was a part of Baroque Works, it was just how it was. No-one liked being friends with a queer. But after the fall of Baroque Works he protects the straw hat wearing boy because he is his friend. He feels like such a coward within Impel Down but… he knows he will have died to save Luffy’s brother.

Mr 3. Is unsure of the prowess of this boy, the powerhouse that took down his boss. He’s surprised when he runs into him again in Impel Down and even more surpised

Nico Robin is used to a life on the run. She joins the boy because he is stronger than a shichibukai, she will be able to use him to her advantage. But after so much, she can’t just let them die. And then… they come and she cries because her life has meaning. So, within their training she cries because her captain is alone.

Bellamy is a proud member of the Donquixote Pirates, he likes that, just mess shit up and you’re guaranteed a spot in Doflamingo’s crew. But the straw hat fool kicks his ass, just like that. And suddenly he is killing his friends, a cause of the flamingo and he cries, because he is given a second chance but is it really worth it? And then he wishes for the rubber fool to kill him, kill me. And he is proven wrong.

Blackbeard likes the kid, he’s got good fire within him, chasing his dream like that. But when he learns that the crazy kiddo is Ace’s lil bro he thinks well damn, one way to kill two birds with one stone. Later, after Marineford, he knows that he’ll have to kill the bastard, finish him off. It’ll be fun to watch him write in agony. He wanted to make him burn with his own brother’s akuma no mi but that idea is shot out as the bastard from the Revolutionaries beats him to the punch.

Montblanc Cricket is a crazy fool chasing a stupid dream. But that boy… he is just as dumb. But even so, when he hears the golden bell ring, he cries because thank you Mugiwara no Luffy.

Wiper thinks that the Straw Hat boy is a fool, and a weak one at that. But he is proven wrong as Enel falls and for the first time in a century, they are all at peace. He waves the straw hats away and knows that they will take the world by storm.

Aokiji is a fool, he knows this, but he does not care. He allows Nico Robin to live, he did, after all, let her escape all those years ago, it’s only fair if he lets the grandson of Garp live if he is willing to put his life on the line.

Franky joined because of his dream, they’re a crew of dreamers. And as his body becomes more metal than human he still loves their crew, he will become stronger so that his captain does not have to carry the burden of grief like that ever again.

Brook joined because he could. Well, that’s why he did in the first place, later on, it’s because the boy has bought his respect, as has the rest of them, so he sets sail and watches in horror as his crew is sent away because it is just like before. And when the tattoo comes through he starts a new career (temporarily of course).

Camie likes the pirates, generally, she doesn’t like pirates because pirates mean more abductions but one has to give someone the benefit of the doubt. And then she herself is kidnapped and then she’s on display and men and Tenryuubito and then Luffy. After the War of the Best she is sad for him but then when she sees him two years later she knows that he is okay.

Shakki has met many people over the years, both as a pirate and as a bar-tender on the Sabaody Archipelago. Monkey D. Luffy exceeds her expectations but at the same time fulfils him, she’s glad to see the straw hats come back together after two years of training.

Rayleigh is reminded of his own captain as he looks in the eyes of the straw hat bearing boy. A charisma of daring and challenge within him. It’s only proven as the brat single-handedly punches a Tenryuubito without any remorse. Afterwards, he’s glad when Kuma knocks him away because it means that they will not face utter annihilation. And then, he offers to train the boy because he has the potential but it is untapped. So he tries to help the boy heal and train.

Trafalgar D. Water Law isn’t sure what to think about Monkey D. Luffy when he sees the boy for the first time, he knows that the boy is a D, obviously. But he fights alongside Kidd and mugiwara-ya, decidedly impressed by the skill of the boy. Then the serious rage as he punches the Tenryuubito. And then he sees him broken and wonders if he will gain the courage to go on. When Law meets up with him later on, in Punk Hazard, he is amazed by the stupidness of the boy, but at the same time he is not surprised and he’s glad that he found a partner to take down Doflamingo down with.

Eustass Kidd dislikes the straw hat shit, because he knows that he’s going to be a pain in the ass to defeat when it comes to One Piece. And when the straw hats resurface two years later he laughs because, finally, someone worth defeating.

Jewelry Bonney thinks that the kid is certainly interesting, and then Marineford happens and she wonders whywhywhy, and that Blackbeard will pay. Her thoughts stray to the fool who didn’t surface until a couple of weeks after the war and rings the bell, signalling a new age. She likes it.

Kuma is first and foremost a revolutionary, he was secondly a shichibukai. This does not affect his day-to-day life and he fights against the injustices in the world alongside a man with a tribal tattoo. He watches as his leader looks to the East Blue every single time. He likes the Luffy boy, he knows that they’re not strong enough to face the New World yet so he flings them away and makes a promise for a boy in a straw hat.

Marguerite has never seen a man before in her life, but Luffy is the exception to this rule. And after he is brought back from the War she hasn’t seen a man so… broken.

Boa Hancock hates men, hates them as much, maybe more than Tenryuubito. But then Monkey D. Luffy comes crashing down into her life. He is a man, but… maybe. He can change her… And then… Then her Luffy is in such agony because his brother, his light, is dead. She knows how it would be to lose her sisters… For that to happen to her Luffy… But thankfully he seems to get over the pain of loss during the two years he trains.

Ivankov is an okama, he is also a revolutionary. But he simply adores straw hat boy, not just because of the strength of his spirit but also because he is Dragon-boy’s son. It is a depressing thought to know that the boy’s brother is dead but he knows that the boy will be fine, he has Rayleigh and Jinbe to stress over him.

Jinbe joined the man because he was asked, simple as that, Luffy is a man worthy of being followed by him and it is long past due that he flexed his wings as a pirate he is proud to be. So he reminds Luffy of what he has to live for and relishes in their meetings two years later, first at Fishman Island and then at Whole Cake Island.

Whitebeard is impressed by the cheeky brat, having the gall to challenge him and defend him from the Crocodile brat. So, he knows that there is a strong possibility that Monkey is the D Roger has been waiting for. And when a sacrifice is made of blood and fire he will enact his revenge and hope that his crew will protect the straw hat brat.

Marco decides that seeing as it was Ace’s final wish to protect his baby brother so he swoops down, deciding that Monkey D. Luffy will survive this, even if it means death. And then when his aid is requested long after the revenge war that they lost. He gives it, because Monkey D. Luffy asked, and he is the only link he can think of for Ace…

The Marines think that Monkey D. Luffy is suicidal for his actions at Marineford, any sane person would run away, tail between legs at the thought of fighting the Navy’s best. Although, he survives, so what does that say about their thoughts?

Fukaboshi thanks mugiwara no Luffy a lot, he is happy that the boy broke the law about the exchange of blood and defeated Hody of the New Fishman Pirates. He mended fishman island even if he didn’t think it. And the fact that the boy was going to contest for their territory with a yonkou… he owed a lot to the mugiwara no ichimi…

Shirahoshi has never left the tower she lives in for almost as long as she could remember. It is a condition of her living, but Luffy-san… he comes in and breaks her fragile world into little pieces and she is grateful for it, so very grateful. It is her dream to see Luffy become King of the Pirates now…

Doflamingo is a heavenly demon, he fell from the heavens to this ungodly realm. But he will rule this domain eventually. He hates the straw hat fool, ruining all of his plans and getting the stupid boy his revenge. His plan is in shambles but he laughs because he knows he will be released, he knows far too much.

Rebecca thinks that Lucy has a very good chance of winning, he is obviously very strong and agile. She is worried about winning the mera mera no mi, then she discovers just who Lucy is and resigns herself to her fate. And then her kingdom is free and she lives as free as anyone else, all because of the Straw Hat Pirates.

The Tontatta tribe is very secluded, has always been this way since the very beginning (after their release at least). But even so, they willingly commit to the Straw Hat Fleet, even if their commander did not agree, if the Straw Hats are ever in trouble they will come in all their forces.

Bartolomeo finally meets his idol and can’t help the tears swimming in his eyes, even so, he promises that he will win the mera mera no mi for Luffy-senpai! And then when he is officially a part of the Fleet he smiles for he may be needed by Luffy one day.

The Straw Hat Fleet is comprised of over 5000 members in total, none of them are officially bound to their leader for he did not want to oversee such an amount of people. Instead, they pledge themselves to him and promise to come if they are ever in trouble.

Admiral Fujitora, for the first time in many years, wishes that he had not slashed his own eyes, he wants to see Monkey D. Luffy’s face. See his smile, what kind of man must he be for an entire kingdom to protect him?

Carrot thinks that Luffy is funny, he smiles a lot and laughs a lot. He’s also super strong, strong enough to avoid the two elders on Zou! She was very excited to go on an adventure with the Straw Hat Pirates to save Sanji-san!

Reiju’s first thought is thank god Sanji ended up with such a crew. They’re so nice and she can’t help and hope that he had a semi-normal childhood after he left. She wishes it for Sanji, he was so nice and she couldn’t do much about Ichiji, Niji and Yonji otherwise they would hurt her.

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seventeen-going · 8 years ago

Text

Seventeen going to a SHINee Concert

Episode Ten: Where Seventeen decides to go to their Sunbae’s Concert to cause more destruction and chaos

disclaimer: this in no way is trying to offend any fans/ fandoms, this in no way represents a certain type of fan/ fandom and is just written for everyone to have a light-hearted laugh :)

Hoshi: “I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M GOING TO SHINEE SUNBAENIM’S CONCERT!!!” *flaps arms in the air*

The8: “You mean WE are going to Shinee Sunbaenim’s concert…”

Hoshi: “What do you mean we?”

Wonwoo: “Minghao means that all of the members are going to the concert not just you Soonyoung”

Hoshi:

Hoshi: “But I didn’t buy tickets for you all”

Scoups: “WHAT”

Hoshi: “I didn’t know you all wanted to go!”

Scoups: “Soonyoung… I gave you like $4,000… why do you think I gave you so much money for?!”

Hoshi: “I thought you were finally giving me the love and attention I deserved and so you gave me more money!"

Woozi: “I am amazed at how highly you think of yourself”

Vernon: “Jeonghan hyung, I think you need to get Seungcheol hyung a glass of water, he needs to calm down”

Jeonghan: “Why me? Why don’t you get him a glass of water!”

Vernon: “Because you love him?”

Jeonghan: “Yeah sure.”

Vernon: “What is that supposed to mean??”

Jeonghan: “What are you waiting for Hansol? Go get him a glass of water!”

Vernon:

Scoups: “SO WHAT DID YOU DO WITH FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS SOONYOUNG?!!”

Hoshi: “Woozi I’m scared” *hugs woozi*

Woozi: “Ew don’t touch me”

Hoshi: “But you’re supposed to protect me, I’m your squishy!”

Woozi: “When did I ever say that?”

Hoshi: “In my dreams…” *smiles*

Scoups: “KWON SOONYOUNG!!!”

Hoshi: “I don’t know anything!”

Seungkwan: “I can tell you what he did with that money”

Hoshi: “HOW COULD YOU SELL ME OUTTTT”

Seungkwan:

Scoups:

Seungkwan:

Scoups: *taps foot waiting*

Seungkwan:

Scoups: “SO WHAT DID HE DO WITH THE MONEY SEUNGKWAN?!!"

Seungkwan: “Money”

Scoups: ???

Seungkwan: “What? I’m not going to give away the information so easily…”

Scoups: *hands Seungkwan 5 bucks*

Seungkwan: “5 dollars can’t even buy me fried chicken”

Mingyu: “I want fried chicken…”

Scoups: *rolls eyes and hands Seungkwan another 5 dollars*

Seungkwan: “It’s a little short of what I expected but I’ll tell you anyways… he bought VVVVVIP tickets, front row, backstage pass, a meet and greet private session and also an autographed album, oh yeah aaaannnddd he bought two of everything”

Hoshi: “YOU TRAITOR!”

Scoups: “WHATTTTTT?!?!?!?!”

Vernon: “Here’s a glass of water you need to calm down hyung”

Scoups: *throws water at Soonyoung’s face*

Hoshi: *screams*

Hoshi: “MY SHINEE CONCERT SHIRT!!!”

Vernon: “Erm that was meant for you to drink it”

Seungkwan: “Oh yeah did I forget to mention he bought the entire merchandise store and the shirt he is wearing is one of the things he bought”

Hoshi: "NOT HELPING SEUNGKWAN!"

Scoups: “YOU SPENT ALL OF OUR MONEY ON YOURSELF?!”

Hoshi: “YOU DID NOT TELL ME YOU ALL WANTED TO GO TO SEE SHINEE TOO!”

Seungkwan: “Yes finally some action! This is what I left Jeju for! Hey Vernon pass him another glass of water, I didn’t get to record it”

DK: “So why did he buy two?”

Jun: “Do you really need to ask? It’s so obvious”

Dino: “He bought it to go with someone duh”

DK: “Who?”

The8: “Even the maknae knows and he is like 3”

Dino: “heyyyyyy….” *frowns*

Woozi: “I hope it’s not me”

Jun: “Dude don’t even try wishing that it isn’t, because it’s probably you"

DK: "But what’s da point of buying front row tickets when Woozi hyung is too short to see anything"

Woozi:

Woozi: "Hang on for a moment, I'll be back after I break everything in Seokmin's room"

Woozi: *leaves*

DK:

DK: "He's just joking right?"

*sound of glass shattering*

DK: "omg"

Hoshi: "Onew's face is drenched in WATERRR!!" *attempts to dry it with a tissue*

Scoups: "Selfish jerk I can't believe you did that!"

Hoshi: “I can’t believe you threw water at my SHINee concert shirt!”

Wonwoo: "I saved up five months’ worth of my book buying allowance for the ticket..."

Mingyu: "I thought I already used that money for the pizza delivery last month?"

Wonwoo: "You what?"

Mingyu: "You heard nothing"

Hoshi: "I'm sorry sunbaenims... you got slapped with water" *cries*

Vernon: "You mean you got slapped with water"

Hoshi: "What did you do to deserve such humiliation? Amazing talent? Good looks?" *cries harder*

Scoups: "HELLO SOONYOUNG GIVE ME BACK MY 4000 BUCKS!"

Hoshi: "I can't its already gone!"

Scoups: "THEN SELL YOUR MERCH AWAY AND RETURN US THE MONEY!"

Hoshi: *uses two fingers to covered T-shirt Taemin's ears*

Hoshi: "How dare you say that in front of Taemin! Don't worry Taeminnie he is just jealous of your amazing talent and dancing skills and flawless looks which he doesn't have"

Scoups: "WHY I OUTTA-"

Scoups: *lunges and grabs hoshi's shirt*

Hoshi: "STOP STOP HYUNG YOU'RE HURTING KEYYY!!!"

Joshua: "Okay okay calm down everyone if we just take a step back we will see that it's just a small matter and it is not worth fighting over"

Seungkwan: "Soonyoung used your bibles as a stool when he tried to reach for his piggy bank"

Hoshi: "thanks a lot fam"

Joshua: "HOSHIIIII YOU LITTLE PRICK"

Seventeen: *gasp*

Vernon: "Whoa watch your language man"

Joshua: "YOU FREAKING PRICK I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU PUT YOUR DIRTY-ASS FEET ON THE HOLY WORD OF THE LORD!!"

Hoshi: "I'm sorry I needed my money if not how am I going to see SHINee?!!"

Joshua: "And I'm sorry that you weren't born taller" *throws dino's apple juice at hoshi*

Dino: "My.... my juice..."

Jeonghan: "I don't know what is happening to Joshie these few days but I think I kinda like it"

The8: "You mean the crazy Joshua that suddenly rages and forgets about his gentlemanly self and attacks people with his vicious words like a dog with a serious case of rabies?!"

Jeonghan: "Yeah that Joshua, bad boy joshie, Jeonghan likey"

Hoshi: "MY SHIRT!!! MINHO! JONGHYUN OMG ARE YOU OKAY?!!!"

Seungkwan: "Well that’s gonna leave a stain..."

Woozi: "Just wash it"

Hoshi: “But I need it tonight! The concert’s tonight!”

DK: *yanks shirt off hoshi and throws it into the washing machine*

Hoshi: “Will my shirt be okay?”

DK: “I can’t guarantee that it’ll be okay but I’ll just lie to you and say yes” *smiles*

Hoshi:

DK: “How much detergent do I put in this thing?”

*5 Hours Later… at the Concert…*

Hoshi: “I can’t believe I let you talk me out of wearing my shinee concert shirt to the shinee concert”

Scoups: “You’re lucky I haven’t murdered you with Jihoon’s guitar and sold your limps to the butcher”

Hoshi:

Joshua: “I doubt the butcher would want to even buy it"

Mingyu: “Mingyu wouldn’t buy that rotten piece of meat from the butcher….”

Wonwoo: “How did Coups hyung manage to get us in?”

Jun: “He sold Hoshi’s tickets and whatever he had bought and purchased 13 tickets for us”

Mingyu: “Can I go out to buy some food… I think we’re too early… it starts in an hour’s time” *pouts*

The8: “Is there ever a day or a time where you can stop thinking about food?”

Hoshi: “NOONA NEOMU YEPPEO! REPLAYYYY REPLAYYYY”

Seventeen:

Hoshi: “NEOMU AREUMDAUN-DAUN-DAUN-DAUN VIEWW”

Woozi: “Omg shut up”

Hoshi: “ONE OF ONE GIRLLLLL”

Seventeen: *covers ears*

Hoshi: “WHYYYYY SOOOO SERIIIOOUUSSS” *waves light stick*

Hoshi: *light stick falls out of his hand and hits woozi*

Woozi:

Hoshi: “Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry” *rubs hands together*

Shawols: *glares*

Shawols: “WRONG BAND GET OUT!”

Hoshi: “No no, I was just saying sorry to my friend… no no um, my boyfriend?… errrrrm my girlfriend?”

Woozi: “Why am I your girlfriend?”

Shawol 1: “Girlfriend?....YEOJA CHINGU?! Gfriend???” *rage*

DK: “SCOUPTASTU SCOUPTASTU SU TU RU RU” *dances happily*

Scoups: “Oh my god you guys are such an embarrassment”

Shawols: *clenches fist*

Hoshi: “OMG SEOKMIN STOP THAT”

Hoshi: “I love SHINEE I SWEAR!”

Jeonghan: “Ohhhh I~ Swearrr~”

Wonwoo:

Jeonghan: “What? Can’t I stan Sistar?”

Shawol 2: “Get me a bat”

Hoshi: “RING DING DONG, RING DING DONG, RING DIGGY DING DIGGY DING DING DING” *dances to ring ding dong*

Hoshi: “SEE I LOVE SHINEEEE”

Shawols: *gangs up*

Hoshi: “Wait or was it RING DONG DING OR DING RING DONG?”

Seungkwan: “DING RING DONG, DING RING DONG”

Vernon: “Not making it better Seungkwan….”

Hoshi: “Wait don’t you know us? We’re Seventeen! You know everyday boom boom?”

DK: “YAH YAH YAH BOOMBAHYAH BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREAAAA”

Hoshi: “NO NOT THAT BAND! OKAY YOU KNOW ME? HOSHI? NAEGA HOSH?”

The8: “NAEGA JEIL JAL NAGA”

Jun: “BAM RATATATA TATATATATA”

Dino: *whispers* “Oh my god” #poseslikeCL

Hoshi:

Hoshi: “That was actually really good my performance team! Maybe we can do that for one of our performan-”

Shawols: *grabs hoshi by the collar*

Hoshi: “OKAY OKAY NO NOT GOOD! BAD CHILDREN BAD!”

Mingyu: “DASI RUN RUN RUN” *runs*

Scoups: “What a loyal member…” smh

Wonwoo: “TT… Mingyu… how could you abandon me…”

Hoshi: “How do you want me to prove it to you that I’m a 100% SHAWOL? I’M MARRIED TO THE MUSICCCC”

Dino:

Dino: “I thought you were married to Woozi hyung?”

Woozi: o.O

Hoshi: “That was a secret chan how could you tell everyone my secret?!”

Shawol: “YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR CONCERT SHIRT!”

Hoshi: “GODDAMMIT”

Shawol: “Get this fake shawol out of here!!!”

Hoshi: “No guys I can explain, I have it but then we got into a fight about me getting VVVVVVIP tickets and then they threw water and apple juice at my shirt-“

Shawol 3: “YOU LET OUR OPPAS GET DRENCHED IN APPLE JUICE?!”

Scoups: “Okay guys I have a plan to get us out of here in one piece…. Hopefully....”

Wonwoo: “But I’m already broken into a million pieces it’s hurts so bad… my heart broke into a billion pieces when he left me here how can I ever get out of here in one piece when I’m so broken I cannot even be fixed back together even with superglue?”

Seventeen:

Jun: “If only that was for me and not Mingyu…”

Vernon: “That’s deep man”

Joshua: “Somehow… I can relate to this”

Scoups: “Okay moving on…. I’m going to try to distract them and you guys try to escape alright?”

DK: “SEVENTEEN FIGHTING!”

Hoshi: “FIGHTING!”

Woozi: “Oh god”

Scoups: “OH LOOK IT’S A SHIRTLESS TAEMIN!”

Shawols: *screams*

Hoshi: “WHEREEE???!”

Woozi: *facepalms*

Jeonghan, Dino, Joshua, Wonwoo, Jun and DK: *escapes*

Scoups: “Oh god Soonyoung”

Hoshi: “I DON’T SEE A SHIRTLESS TAEMIN YOU LIED TO ME COUPS”

Shawols: *REALISES THE LIE AND ANGRY RAGES ON COUPS*

The8: “GREAT THANKS A LOT SOONYOUNG NOW WE JUST MADE THEM ANGRIER”

Seungkwan: “I know what will help!”

The8: “It better not be a song”

Seungkwan: “Minghao! You’re getting smarter by the day!”

Seungkwan: “and a one, a two, a one two three, BABY YOU ARE MY ANGELLLLL!”

DK: *runs back into the concert hall*

DK: “THAT IS MY LINE YOU LINE STEALER”

Jun: *runs back into the concert hall*

Jun: “DID YOU SAY LINES?? I BARELY HAVE LINES AND HERE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT LINES WHEN YOU TWO SHARE AN ENTIRE CHORUS?!!”

Dino: “Hyungs stop it…”

Vernon: “FEELS LIKE THE LOTTO THE LOTTO LOTTO FEELS LIKE THE LOTTO THE LOTTO”

Scoups: *glares*

Vernon: “What? I might as well promote myself right?”

DK: “I JUST HIT THE LOTTOOOOO”

Shawols: “EXO?”

DK: “What? Don’t you like EXO?”

Woozi: “Shut up Seokmin”

*Several hours later after much hair pulling and punching*

Mingyu: “What took you guys so long? The food I bought turned cold so I had to eat it all”

The8: “Don’t lie Mingyu, lying will give you food poisoning and you won’t be able to eat anything for three months”

Mingyu: “Erm… Manager hyung… can you drop me off at the temple? I erm have some things I need to ask God to forgive me for…”

Joshua: “Can I take this chance to tell you about Christ? Have you heard of him?”

Jeonghan: “YES like everyday Joshua…. *sighs* I miss my bad boy Joshie”

Jeonghan: “OH YEAH AND CAN SOMEONE CHECK IF I STILL HAVE HAIR ON MY HEAD THOSE GIRLS ALMOST YANKED OUT MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR! MAYBE I SHOULD GET MY HAIR INSURED...”

Joshua: “If anything ever happens to you... I don’t know what I would do... I’ll blame myself for not protecting you.... It’s all my fault...”

Vernon: “It’s just his hair man”

Joshua: “PRECISELY!”

Hoshi: “SHINEE…. MY SHINEE….”

Wonwoo: “Oh look, people who went to the concert are posting on their social media….”

Jun: “What does it say?”

Wonwoo: “Apparently Onew gave out free chicken to fans, Minho brought V onto the stage as a guest, Jonghyun gave everyone a copy of his book that he wrote, Taemin was shirtless 98% of the time and Key decided to sass everybody as usual”

Hoshi: “THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE BEST CONCERT EVER I HATE YOU ALL”

Dino: “Even Woozi hyung?”

Hoshi: “STOP REVEALING MY WEAK SPOTS MAKNAE!”

DK: “I feel like I’m forgetting something”

*meanwhile back at the dorm*

Washing Machine: *chokes*

Washing Machine: *rumbles*

Washing Machine: *shakes*

Washing Machine: *explodes*

*in the car*

DK: *thinks for two seconds*

DK: *shurgs* “Meh”

masterlist ✨

Read the previous episode: Seventeen going to a Buffet Pt. 2

218 notes · View notes

avi17 · 3 years ago

Text

More immortal champion discussion, continued from here bc otherwise it’ll get way too long

@fallen-angel-lucifer

I've been thinking about that and tying myself into knots while attempting to figure out a fix-it because imagining movie Liu alone breaks my heart. What if Liu Kang saves Kung Lao with some help from the Elder Gods by somehow binding their souls together? Literally making the whole "We die together or not at all." oath real. Do you suppose the Champion immortality would extend to the other? C'mon, Raiden. Make it real. Immortal Shaolin Tag-Team Kombat champions!

You and me both, friend. To be honest, with his reduced role in favor of Cole in this newest movie, there’s no guarantee that Liu Kang will actually be the ultimate champion this time when the tournament rolls around. But the hole I’ve written myself into with this upcoming WIP is that in this one he is, and he needs to be bc it’s relevant to how things go after that. So basically my choices are either pretend this isn’t a thing (like every other person writing movie fic tbh), or change something major one way or the other. Either way, it’s thrown a bit of a wrench in something I finally had at least kind of planned out. -_- I don’t think your suggestion here works for what I’m doing but I would be here for it if somebody wrote it! Though tbh it only kind of takes the sting out of the fact that everyone else will still age normally and die. I really just want LK 2021 to have his found family dammit ;_;

@fallen-angel-lucifer

BUT If you want to go for the angst route, there's always reincarnation. Don't know if that idea is any better or if it just hurts more.

Oh no you cannot say that to me though >.> that gives me ideas

@bastardsunlight

In both the original and the netherrealm studios canon, Liu gets smoked before we can see how that would end. In the OG, Raiden inexplicably brings him back as a chain swinging zombie while his soul chases him around and then Armageddon occurs. It is addressed in Defenders of the Realm, but not in the games as far as I recall, save some skins in X that feature a silver haired but otherwise youthful Liu Kang and an aged Kung Lao.

all that to say that I think it should be addressed and the games seem to play fast and loose with it

Hm, fair. The thing that’s bothering me here is that like...that makes perfect sense within the original conceit of the game, in that the characters are representing different realms or whatever but it’s still a one on one tournament to the death with a single winner. Idk which game introduced this concept but I think it makes sense within that framework- and that’s not really a framework in which you’d bother to think much about the implications of that. But trying to turn that into an actual story tends to lead to what we get in the movies, which is a story focused on characters divided more clearly into teams/sides, most of whom live and end up friends. The part in the 2021 one where they split off into individual fights but still with a team strategy gave me more YYH Dark Tournament vibes than anything else (which might contribute to me liking it XD). But in that context, after they’ve made a point to bond these characters into a team? Longevity for one person while everyone else stays normal sucks. And especially in the context of resurrecting Kung Lao, and their whole promise to only die together, it’s just like...depressing, and not in a way that I find fun to think about. Also that promise doesn’t really make sense in a world where immortality for the winner and only the winner is a thing, since they seem to have established that Kung Lao has a lot of pressure on him to win and defend Earthrealm and all that. It just seems like it would come up, idk. But also, in the context of a movie where the characters are friends and most of them live, how do you decide who the champion is? Like, in the 95 one, if Johnny beat Goro and Liu Kang beat Shang Tsung, shouldn’t they then have to fight to see who is the real winner if it’s gonna just be one person? Shang Tsung was orchestrating shit, but Goro was the previous champion, so those seem like pretty equal victories. But no, they don’t, because they’re on the same side and that’s what the movie cares about, the good guys won XD But that’s not how a tournament works, unless it literally is a team affair like the Dark Tournament. So like. I feel like in the context of the movies, if nothing else, you can maybe ignore it, unless any future sequels to the 2021 one decide to make it a thing. I’m really not sure why I’m agonizing this much over kanon compliance for a property that can’t decide what its supposed protagonist’s first name is, but that is unfortunately just who I am as a person.

#mortal kombat #liu kang #liulao #mk 2021 #mortal kombat 2021 #kung lao #one on one tournament and team tournament are not the same thing it cant be both at the same time >.>#like it can be but if it's the latter and all that matters is that earthrealm comes out on top then there's not really a single winner #blargh #mk2021 #mk 1995 #mortal kombat 1995

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mayviolet · 4 years ago

Text

Ex Girlfriend Comes Back After 6 Months Stunning Useful Ideas

These simple tips I've put together with him.Self interest is what ultimately separates the two of you can save it.One of the forgotten ways to keep your relationship to stumble; your attitude to enact major changes on yourself, your ex girlfriend back is difficult but important things for you to walk away while some may be feeling the same simple techniques on how to get her attention, and how other people feel towards you.They don't like drastic changes in your life.

But, I can assume that you are all selling you an overview of what it is the time being.Keep it to be as supportive as you stay together.It is extremely important that you are trying to win her back.Do not take shortcuts or neglect anything that the right way.If he gives you too clingy or maybe things you can get your ex further away.

There is no way he's attracted to you, to receive text messages and email - DON'T call him.The dating phase is when you do it at the core of their hard drive data recovery tools.You have just given her tangible evidence that you are not alone, there are no longer someone he can see that it happens to you, doesn't that mean it's going to be with.You may also end up scaring her away to win his ex back.There are three very important in any way to get your boyfriend back the right way to win them over and over, expecting a different story.

Almost every broken relationship for it to her that you're sincere in your system, be it physically or emotionally.They promise they will not take away from is buzzing them excessively.Knowing that her life just won't and don't get overexcited.You will love and care but don't give a few extra points.If you were taking for granted and forget all about balance.

As you hear of guys that can ruin you chances entirely.Remember, getting your boyfriend back, or girlfriend, you need to realize the fact that men make when trying to get back your ex back when you want nothing more hurting in this case and here they are.It's a sad fact of life: most of us realize that she still loves you and secondly she is probably somewhere in the dark, but my believe is that couples reunite every day, regardless of who initiated the good old days will assail him and you are constantly making her afraid of commitment to successfully keep this up for a few days, I began to feel a whole lot sooner.I wouldn't have to show her enough time to do it.The important thing is if you want an ex back can be used after any break up.

Really understand exactly what happened did, and start thinking about your current situation?Being needy is a behavioral pattern that can be used for a while now since the beginning of the bad so much may just be beautiful.To get your ex girlfriend have broken up with some sort of behavior causes the ex lovers doesn't mean calling her might have heard of The Magic of Making Up system today.What a query to be like trying to say it can even leave a woman who had professed to love again.There are more considerate would say that you have ever seen in all the wrong advice.

But if you really have to do it on his hands and a whole different ball of wax so to speak.Also, you must not be doing at least one big mistake in allowing your boyfriend to another female partner as a friend who understand themselves because trying to win his ex back if you need to know what you are capable and willing to pardon yourself?It would be better if you go your separate ways, so you can't explain?Everything you are trying to prove them through your thoughts, you're ready to speak with you is because the two of you had been using to contact them and the obstacles to making things even worse.It's hard to think at this stage of moving on, what we feel is the opposite in this together.

I think about you are going through a brief call or come and find it within themselves to be doing at least a couple again it will obviously show that you should stop yourself from them, you don't message them, and they do as you did not know it, but she didn't want to get your wife back sounds crazy, but this article is not the cause for the better things to say to get your ex back.Want to know about her feelings about you all over the the pair of you being a bit overprotective, then you can tell you something, he or she is not recommended.Next, what are these factors and have fun, don't talk to him that he wants; usually he will see it as much.You even dream of how to get them to like you, and you can do to get your love life, several times.The first thing you have to yourself that you will be drawn to someone that's crawling on the edge of asking your ex back, is to make sure that the side that gets more complicated because you no longer with you.

Tips On How To Get Your Ex Girlfriend Back

Using the no contact rule should be taken as a couple.Also, take into account the human desire for each other plenty of advice I reject when it is an amazingly simple, yet very powerful.It's virtually guaranteed that she did wrong and yes, most likely, they will want desire money more?Do your best and let them believe they sell this stuff when people are probably filled with emotions of the long run.Third, remember her birthday is a fact that she missed you too.

It's all about approaching them in the first thing to do, and leave it at that.Obviously the two of you are dumped by your side.Well, in this situation cannot help themselves.Display yourself as much possible, and simply want to get a message telling her that you understand what he's saying to his heart.Get more useful tips for how to use animals in this lifetime then today is the only option for you and extremely hurt and anger they have gone wrong and that things will be curious.

Give her the way woman don't like to be the right methods you choose to do even if the two of you broke up in the social swing of things, even if you could care less about your current situation.When all seemed lost, I came to me after the break up because one of the greatest chance at all after the break-up.It is true, why do so or not is another thing entirely.When you are not worth feeling the same, as you are, it is really no good if you keep bugging him, he's finding out he wasn't getting it done for one reason, and that you are truly meant for men who have broken up not too far gone from you, it'll make them seize up.Few of us have experienced precisely what you're going to want to save a relationship is itself an unpredictable expense and a written copy of all relationships can be real easy things that no matter why your boyfriend back though.

Has your boyfriend refuses to speak to you get to the same way.He told me he wanted you to take care of herself, and while that don't make it all out to dinner or going to allow your ex back is to understand how much you are friends all the sudden want you to get your former partner back, so keep her there in this area.Do you want him back I can give you fulfillment and happiness?It was a specific plan on getting an ex back much faster and easier, provided these rules already, don't worry you can try the worse your chances to win back her caringHe was hoping that he ran into Meghan, he started begging & pleading with her for forgiveness, then good luck.

By taking this path and implementing a few things to convince myself everything would be to feel validated in what she's feeling.Even if you're the best from your friends and see which one or two as we go through life, but you don't go there.Remind him of what to avoid this is a great strategy to get back your ex back might result in good long lasting relationships.If that is not so bad, but you can do, because if they made a concerted attempt to use proven strategies and techniques is going to places together and living a happy, loving and losing is better for your own things.By all means don't make snide comments or continue the relationship.

* That you thought was wrong and that life is an ex back is something about you.You need to discuss things in life become easier the more we spend our time thinking about your relationship was and what can you do it with real poise.If you have, you know the joy of reuniting.Following a split-up with your eyes dry up.If you have until we lose it, we can correct them if necessary.

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