#i got party members on here so i can't share until they've figured it out ♥

[l-a-l-o-u]

Capucine 🌼

[nexuschampion]

Several people surrounded Michelangelo at an event they had been invited to for what they assumed was a way for the guests to have access to the talk of the town. As was becoming normal, he was the center of attention, but he wasn't comfortable with this particular crowd. They were all nice enough, but they were the sort that only said and did what they thought they were supposed to. It was so contrary to his nature that he had to check himself almost every minute so he didn't blurt out something insulting. Which made him like them. Which he hated even more.

"Hey , hey, so you all know why turtles don't like to share?"

It was easy enough to redirect topics of conversation to something a little more personable.

"Because they're. . . . shellfish!"

The group laughed. Politely. It was a terrible joke, but even that couldn't get any of them to be 'real' with him. It was frustrating because he really wanted to get to know these people. Some of them seemed like they'd lived very interesting lives.

"Terrible, terrible joke I know. I'm not really used to being a shell-ebrity yet. I'll figure out eventually though. Anyone want a shell-fie?"

As he pushed, they relaxed a bit and eventually he steered the awkward polite conversation to something more fun. The group rotated it's members now and then until probably everyone in the room had taken part. When the buzz finally started to die down he excused himself.

"Wanna go make out in the hall?" he chuckled as he caught up with Shadow, who had retreated from the crowd long ago. "You are looking like a snack right now and I'm a bit peckish since all they have here are things on toothpicks."

"Hmm, let me think about that, no, I don't think I would actually like to jeopardize this thing we have going. There is a second floor that is probably pretty empty right now though."

He grinned. "Ready to go home?"

"God yes. These people are insufferable. I've been ready for an hour."

"I know. Sorry about that and thanks for coming anyway. I can't blame them though. They know not what they do and al that nonsense. One more dance though?"

"How can I say no to that?."

There was a small area meant for dancing off to the side which had been half full most of the night. He took her hand and they settled into a lazy shuffle.

"I wanna do something crazy but I won't because it might break them. I'm not sure they've ever actually have a real good time. That guy whatshisname though, I think I'm gonna take him up on his offer for lunch. He was pretty fun. Hey, you know what? I think I'm good at this networking stuff. I should be a CEO of something. Or something. Any ideas?"

"I think we've got enough going on Mikey. Isn't it enough? I don't think we can squeeze any more time out of the day."

"Eh, I guess so. Just seems like a waste of talent. I bet I could be doing so much more."

Shadow rested her head on his chest. "Mikey, if you try to take on some new effort on your own April and I going to be the one that wind up running it."

"Yeah, you're right. Dumb idea. I just like meeting all these people with different stories and lives. Not that any of these people will talk about anything other than their latest vacation or innovation or some crap. I mean seriously, these people are boooooring."

"Pretencious"

"Blind"

"Entitled"

"Pretitled! Borind? I'm sure plenty of these people are great if you go out for a drink but who would know?" He scanned the crowd, frowned, and lead her off the floor. "Anyway, let's go start the real party."

"Pajamas"

"Hot chocolate"

"Warm fuzzy blanket. How fast can we get home?"

"Depends if you want to take a cab or the Mikey express."

"Hmm, it's a bit cold for a rooftop run in these clothes."

"The long way it is then. Let's stop at Quorners too. Appetizers for the whole evening's sustenance is a dumb idea."

@accioturtur

Inevitable

"Mr. Hamato, thank you for your time. We want to be clear that this is an unofficial visit, off the record, we would just like to get an idea of your experiences."

Mikey smirked. "Yeah, sure. Earth Protection Force not doing so well these days?"

"That agency has been disbanded as we have adequate plans for multiple potential scenarios regarding alien transgressions. We just have a series of questions to help us gauge the security of not only our country but the world."

"No pressure" he chuckled. "Trust me though, anything I might know that you don't, I won't be able to elaborate."

"Are you aware of alien civilizations?"

"You were around when the Triceriton thing happened yeah? I think that speaks for itself."

"Are there others?"

"Of course there are. You think the only intelligent life forms are humans and a literal dinosaur species?"

"Are there any you can specify?"

"You mean are there any that are a threat to Earth? Sure, plenty coud take us out, but Earth isn't exactly a target destination so I really doubt we have to worry about it."

"The Triceritons disagreed."

"The Triceritons had Earthly origins."

"What about multiple dimensions? There are theories that there are layers of alternate realities."

"Closest I've gotten is a really wild dream where my father was a villain and I had to take him down. Sorry."

"Have you been in contact with any foreign entities on this planet that might be a threat?"

"What, like other mutants? Spies from other countries? My life isn't that exciting. The only people who aren't regular humans I have regular contact with is my own family and friends."

"Would you be willing to share information if you happened to come across it?"

"This is sounding a lot more like recruitment than a friendly chat. Look, if there is an immanent threat I would weigh my options. I'm not taking sides or any of that shit. I'm just one guy."

"One guy with very unique skills and" the man looked him up and down. "One guy with unique skills and physical opportunities. We can make you a citizen, if that's something you would like. Give you a pension in exchange for those skills."

Mikey paused at that. "I don't really like the idea of opening up the pandora's box of being a recognized person. I'm good. "

"We'd just like you make you aware that there are options. We do have a lot to offer, in exchange for favors."

"Mmm okay. Although we both know I'm capable, I'm not an assassin, I'm not a soldier, and I'm not for sale. I do what I know is right for the people right in front of me. That's all."

The man, dressed formally, suit and all, nodded. "You could be doing a lot more for your country. We'd just like to ask you to keep us informed if you become aware of anything regarding national or worldwide security, and we would like to do the same for you."

"Alright." He shrugged. "You get wind of an end of the world thing you let me know and I'm happy to help. And I'll let you know if I hear anything. We good?"

"I believe we're good Mr. Hamato. We look forward to any correspondence. Call this number at any time for any reason."

"Like a late night pizza service? Nice!"

The man stood and looked at him with zero humor. "Have a nice day sir."

"Yeah. Yeah, um, you too."

@accioturtur

[rikumorimachisgirl]

So, I started writing this Mystic Messenger fic last year but lost the inspiration to continue. I finally finished it today, so I hope you like it.

Oh, and I commissioned this lovely artwork from @hydeine last year, too. I said I'd tag her when I finally post the fic. I suppose today's the day. Here we go...

Title: Strawberry Pancakes

Pairing: Jumin Han x OC (Iris)

Genre: Fluff

Word count: 2,665

Author's notes: Some of the scenes were faithful to the game.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mystic Messenger, but I own the idea of this fanfic.

It started with pancakes. Those thick, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fluffy stove-top cakes that both of them - apparently - were both fond of. 

The first time they talked about it got him into a spot of trouble. Over an utterly dull lunch date with his father and his latest conquest, amidst the rich ambiance of the Michelin star restaurant where only the who's who in society were spotted, Jumin Han chose to indulge in a little tête-à-tête of his own at the RFA chat room with her. 

Her. Iris  - RFA's accidental member, unofficial party organizer, everyone’s cheerleader, and about the only other person who resonates with him. Jumin quietly as he waited for her to respond to his last message. Over the last twenty minutes, they have gone from talking about Elizabeth the 3rd’s grooming habits to his favorite breakfast food.  

| ‘I like chocolate chip pancakes.’  He felt his lips stretch sideways as he read her message. It was strange, he thought, how he's been joining the chat room more often since she joined. In the two weeks that they've been chatting, he felt closer to her than he's ever been with anyone in his life. 

| ‘I figured you would.’ He typed and sent.

|’Huh?’

|’You seem like the type who'd indulge in something with high sugar content early in the morning.’

|’That was a lucky guess, Jumin.’

|’But I don't believe in luck.’

|’Oh, and I suppose you think you've got me all figured out already? If you're so smart, tell me what I’m thinking at the moment.’ He smirked at her cheeky response. 

| ‘Iris, I'd like to remind you that I’m a businessman, not a fortune teller. If you’d like me to infer based on our conversation though, I'd say you're thinking that I like buttermilk pancakes, to which the answer is no. I prefer strawberry pancakes.’

Silence. 

| ‘Am I really that predictable?’ Her message finally came in two minutes later. He chuckled. In his mind, he imagined she probably would’ve pouted as she replied. 

“You seem rather amused, son. Did something happen?”

The sound of his father's voice snapped him out of his daydream. The young executive silently cursed himself for carelessly dropping his guard. Clearing his throat, Jumin straightened up and ran a hand through his dark locks. 

“My apologies, father. I had urgent business to take care of.” He tucked his phone in his pocket while wishing that Iris would understand why he hadn't gotten back to her. 

“Judging by your smile, I take it that business is going well?”

It took all of his willpower not to roll his eyes at his father's new girlfriend. Glam Choi was it? And what was it that she did? Judging by how she managed to turn heads, he deduced she must be some kind of celebrity. Nothing special, he thought; after all, his father, the Chairman of the Board of C & R International, seemed to have dated them all - socialites, celebrities, models, beauty queens - some of whom were even a year or two his junior. 

“Jumin? Are you all right, son?”

He silently cursed himself once more. While he was silently judging his father’s new girlfriend, he had once again dropped his guard and gave the older man the opportunity to call him out. 

“My apologies.”

“That's twice you've apologized. My, what an interesting day it is indeed, ” the stately older man said curtly. “Is our company not to your liking, son? Please just bear with us for a few minutes more. After all, your assistant told me that you won't have an appointment in the next hour or so.”

Jumin took a deep breath and sighed. If he had only known his old man’s agenda was to introduce his new girlfriend, he would’ve begged off right away. God knows he’d much rather be eating pancakes with her now than having a full-course meal in this place. He shook the thought away for a moment. Now wasn't the time to dream of her. Fixing his grey eyes at his father and the young celebrity he decided to date, he feigned a smile. “Very well, father, you have my full attention until then.” 

OoOoO

The second time they talked about pancakes was more of an afterthought. It happened right after their first kiss. 

Their first kiss. The very thought of it still made his heart race. He remembered every little detail as if it were yesterday. He had Assistant Kang to thank for arranging everything for him. Thanks to his efficient employee’s quick thinking, he was able to meet Iris a week earlier than the rest of the RFA members, although if he had a chance to do it over, he wouldn't be as flustered as he was when he first laid eyes on her the night before.

He watched in awe as she stepped into the foyer. She was everything he’d imagined - slender and graceful, her brown hair cascaded down her back, and her dark brown eyes looked back at him with the same level of wonder. 

“Jumin, i-it's so nice to finally meet you.”

He swore he’d never felt his heart beat faster than it did at that exact moment. ‘Get a grip, ’ he scolded himself, as he schooled his emotions before it got the better of him. He must not lose his footing, after all, he was Jumin Han - businessman, philanthropist, future CEO.

“You’re beautiful.” The words slipped from his mouth quite naturally, and he immediately regretted it when he saw her cheeks turn several shades redder. 

“I’m sorry, ” he cleared his throat. “What I meant to say was that I hope you traveled safely. If I had known Assistant Kang was going to ask you over, I would’ve sent out my driver to pick you up.” 

And then she smiled, and he knew right away that he was going to do whatever it takes to keep her. 

“Who is this woman and what is she doing in your house?”

Jumin gazed at the shameless woman his father had been forcing him to marry and resisted the urge to throw her out of his penthouse himself. 

“Sarah, please don't be like that. I'm Jumin's friend -”

“And what kind of friend comes a man's house alone? By the looks of it, you probably stayed the night, too!”

If Iris was the least bit upset at the insults hurled at her, she did not let it show. Unfortunately, he was far from being gracious. 

“This is dragging on far longer than I expected. I'm actually quite surprised I hadn't thrown you out the door the minute you showed me that fake cat picture. My security will show you out.”

“What? No, you can't do that. I'm your fiancée,” Sarah cried out incredulously. 

“Oh, please,” he said haughtily. “If you think that we'd  gotten engaged just by exchanging a few words, you're clearly delusional.”

“So, you're choosing her over me?”

“I don't know why you're even asking,” the dashing Chief Director of C & R International said, as he turned his attention to the willowy brunette who stood quietly in the corner. Something about the way she looked at him urged him to come closer to her. With each step he took, the answer became clearer. He stopped in front of her and smiled. She was a good head shorter than him, and she looked adorable gazing up at him with those big brown eyes. 

“It wasn't like I had another choice to start with,” Jumin finally said, his eyes never leaving hers. “Iris,” he whispered, as he lifted her chin and closed the gap between them. He could've sworn he felt a shock wave run through his body the minute his lips touched hers. Suddenly, the sound of Sarah's protests faded, and all he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat - or was it hers? He really couldn't tell - but every single one of his senses zeroed-in on the beautiful woman in his arms.

Her lips were the softest he’d ever kissed - not that he’s had lots of experience - as a rule, he only kissed women because he needed to close deals with them and the kisses they shared were always cold. This, however, was different. As his mouth moved over hers, again and again, all he could think about were two things - how her kisses taste like strawberry pancakes, and that he could never get enough of her. 

OoOoO

The third time they talked about pancakes was a memory guaranteed to make her blush almost immediately. He remembered vividly - Provence in July, a month after they'd gotten married. He promised to take her on an unforgettable honeymoon anywhere she wished. He thought she'd choose to go to Paris, Santorini, Milan, or even Ibiza, and he’d be happy to take her there; but instead, she chose to go to his newly-purchased winery so he could still oversee their daily operations while spending time with her and Elizabeth the 3rd. 

That's so like her. 

He woke up alone in bed one Sunday morning. Frustration marred his beautiful face as he ran his hand over her now-empty side of the bed, and found it still warm. She couldn't have been gone for long, he thought. And Elizabeth the 3rd, who usually enjoyed sleeping late, was not in the room as well. Still half-asleep, he forced one eye open to glance at the clock on her nightstand. 

‘Six-thirty, ’ he groaned silently, as he rolled on to his back. What exactly could his wife be up to this early? Sighing, he rolled out of bed and left the room in search of the beautiful woman who disappeared from his side before he even got to kiss her good morning. 

The house was quiet except for some movement coming from the kitchen. Raising an eyebrow, he quietly made his way to the large French country-style kitchen his wife loved so much and found himself entranced at the sight of the lovely brunette he now called wife, stirring something in the mixing bowl while their pet sat on the counter, looking curiously at her. 

"I hope I get this right, Elizabeth the third, " she told the cat softly. "Jumin's pancakes always taste good, so I hope he'll like these."

Her innocent declaration made him gasp. She was making pancakes for him. And that realization made him pick up his feet and head over to where she was at. 

"I see you both are up early."

"Jumin -, " she cried out in surprise, as she felt his arms wrap around her waist from behind. "Good morning, my love. I didn't expect you to be up so early."

"I could say the same about you, especially after we made love several times last night, " he responded, as he planted soft kisses on the side of her neck. Her cheeks turned red at the thought of their passionate night together, and he smiled, knowing how embarrassed she was. "You're blushing."

"I can't help it…, " she murmured. "And I think you've disappointed Elizabeth the third." 

He watched their pristine white cat jump off the counter and saunter out of the kitchen. "I think she's just giving us some privacy. Don't worry, she'll be fine, " the dashing young businessman said as he stopped kissing her, but kept her in an embrace. "So, tell me what you're up to." 

"I was going to make strawberry pancakes for you, " she started, her face still flushed. "But I'm not sure they're as good as the ones you make."

"Is that so?" He unwrapped his arms and moved closer to the counter where the mixing bowl was. "I suppose there's just one way to find out." 

She watched in silence as he dipped his long and slender finger into the bowl and scooped up a tad bit of better. Carefully, he brought his finger near her lips, while watching her gently. "Say ahhh…, " he said and laughed at how dutifully his wife complied. "Well?"

"It's sweet…"

Cocking his head to one side, he smiled at her wryly. "Is that so?"

"Why don't you taste for yourself?" 

His eyes twinkled with excitement, as she failed to realize how enticing her offer was. Cupping her face with his hands, he leaned forward and whispered, "I suppose I will, " before he ravished her mouth - and all of her body - over and over just like the night before. 

The pancake batter was left untouched until later that day. And as she had placed ointment on the scratches she had left on his back, he feasted on the strawberry pancakes she had made just for him. 

OoOoO

The fourth time they talked about pancakes was on Valentine's Day - the first of many they'll be spending together. He thought of many ways they could be celebrating this together and spent a lot of sleepless nights thinking of the perfect present for her. Never once did he think they'd be spending the day spooning her in bed, with one hand caressing her swollen belly. 

Thirty-eight weeks. She had been carrying their first child for nearly nine months, and despite her growing belly and her slight weight gain, she continued to look even more beautiful. 

"I really want pancakes, Jumin."

His hand stopped moving, and he raised an eyebrow at her upon hearing her request. "Darling, I asked you what you wanted for Valentine's…"

She snuggled closer to him as she felt his low voice vibrating on his chest. The gentle sound of his voice always soothed her and the baby, and she wanted to hear more of it today. "And I told you I want pancakes."

He frowned, feeling a little upset at her answer. In truth, she could have anything she wanted - jewelry, cars, all the designer items a woman could get her hands on - but all she wanted to for Valentine's was his home-cooked pancakes. "That's all you want?"

"That's all I want, " she hummed. A few seconds later, she felt the baby kick and the sensation made her giggle. "See? Even the baby wants pancakes."

"But the doctor said you should lay off sweets…" He should have known better than to speak those words because no sooner had he said them, she immediately turned to him with sad puppy eyes. He sighed. He knew at this point that he had lost to her once again - after all, he could never resist her - but he wanted to make her victory a little harder. "As I was saying, the doctor said…"

"But Jumin, I haven't had anything sweet since we found out I was pregnant, " she said, pouting. "And I'm really craving the strawberry pancakes you make."

"Will that make you happy?"

"Very much so."

Sighing again, he untangled himself from her and rolled out of bed. "All right. I suppose I can alter the recipe a little bit. You just lay there and rest, okay? I'll be back with your pancakes."

Elizabeth the third jumped from her bed and walked beside Jumin as he stepped out of the room. "How long do you think before she rolls out of bed and follows us?" He asked, glancing sideways at their precious feline as she mewled her response. "Ten minutes? That's too generous. She's been too fussy lately, but something tells me you're spot on, so we need to move fast."

And true to form, a very pregnant Mrs. Han waddled out of their room ten minutes later, enticed by the mouthwatering scent wafting from the kitchen. 

"Those smell heavenly, " she said excitedly, as she made her way beside her husband and stood on tiptoes to give him a kiss. "Thank you, Jumin, " she whispered before she waddled towards the cozy little breakfast nook she had designed for them. 

He smiled, as he watched her walk away from him. She had no idea how happy she's made him, how lucky he was that she came into his life, and how thankful he was for all the many things that brought them closer together. Especially strawberry pancakes.  

The end.