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shae-pine · 9 months ago

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I Explain the Context for the songs in The Outsiders Musical

Spoilers for the Musical under cut! I was lucky enough to see the show in person so now that the album is out I decided to provide context for the songs so people listening to the album can know where in the story each one takes place/what is happening on stage during. Also some fun tidbits sprinkled in because this show is really so amazing I can not praise it enough.

Tulsa '67:

The self-explained exposition song. We get the intro being the first line of the book and then we get the song as out introductions to the characters. One thing that is interesting is that there's a projector screen on stage and for this song Pony sits in front of the screen and speaks to the audience while the other characters are behind the screen. Acting out little scenes to show their personality while Ponyboy narrates and at the end of the song the screen lifts up to show a clear view of the stage. It's also right before Ponyboy gets jumped.

Grease Got a Hold:

Right after Ponyboy gets jumped. Like the song says in this version of the story a greaser isn't just something you are born into it's something you "earn" by being beaten down on by the socs. It shows the differences in each character most notably Darry and Dally because Darry hates the idea of Pony being stuck as a greaser, presumably because he wants more for his little brother, while Dally sees being a Greaser as something to be proud of. Presumably the first time Ponyboy gets to grease his hair (this song was also performed on the Today show and I highly recommend looking up the performance it's so good, it should be available on the today show website along with the other songs performed that day)

Runs in the Family:

Darry gets a song! After the previous song we cut to Darry in the Curtis home reflecting on where he was going in life versus where he ended up. In the musical the fact that Darry would be a soc without the gang is played up a lot more. The emphasize Darry's friendship with Paul and their history seems to go a lot deeper than just football buddies. Paul mentions gifting Darry a madras shirt and Darry being over at his house. The rest of the gang piles in at the end of the song.

Great Expectations:

The titular 'I want' song in any musical. The night after getting jumped Ponyboy tells Soda about reading great expectations and after Soda bids him goodnight he starts singing. When he mentions Darry and Johnny the actors come on stage. And at the end of the song the chorus of overlapping voices is the whole gang on the outskirts of the stage looking down/at Pony while Ponyboy sings out to the audience. (This song was also performed on the Today show)

Friday at the Drive-In:

The Soc introduction song. I think an important thing to note is that while the greasers dancing is far more rough and tumble. Jumping around and over each other, spinning and getting out nervous energy. The socs are far more reserved in their movements. They are still dancing around with spins and flips but this scene features a lot of partner dancing that's more self contained than the greasers who jump all around the stage.

I Could Talk To You All Night:

After Johnny tells Dally off/Dally leaves. Ponyboy and Cherry go to the concessions stand together. While in line Ponyboy tells her about Johnny getting jumped to which Cherry tries to defend Bob as Ponyboy already knows it was her boyfriend who beat Johnny up. Her defending him is half hearted though when Pony insists Johnny didn't do anything, he mentions reading Great Expectations to her and she tells him how Pip gets a happy ending before they start this song. It carries the story forward up until the end of the movie/the scene where they try to walk the girls home only for Bob and the socs to stop him. Also, in the musical Cherry does not go with Bob and instead breaks up with him right then and there because she's tired of all the fighting.

Runs in the Family(Reprise):

Ponyboy and Johnny make it to the Curtis house and instead of falling asleep at the lot it's stated that Ponyboy just spent so long talking to Cherry that that was why he was late for curfew. He acts nonchalant about it and Darry bursts into the reprise. There's also a scene here where Darry goes to advance on Johnny only for Soda to step between him(I think this was meant to be a moment where Darry is just lashing out because he's under a lot of stress as a guardian and Johnny is there but it hurts my heart a little to think Johnny was scared in that moment as he backs up and ducks away before Soda steps in front of him) And after the slap Ponyboy freezes until Johnny runs over and tells him they gotta get out of there.

Far Away From Tulsa:

After getting hit is when the two wind up at the park. Their conversation in the book about a life outside of Tulsa is now taking place after Darry has hit Ponyboy which makes his desire to find a place without worries all the more real. Johnny and Pony have this beautiful moment on stage together where they look out to the audience together and imagine a life where they can do and be whoever they want. Which makes it hurt all the more that right after they sing all their desires for a better life is when Bob and the rest of the socs show up.

Run Run Brother:

The two make it to Buck's after the stabbing of Bob where they ask for Dally. It's worth mentioning that Dally straight up mentions his willingness to die for Pony and Johnny, and that he thinks of the two of them as brothers, though I can not remember if this happens here or after 'Grease Got A Hold'. After the first bit of the song the scene shifts from Buck's to Pony and Johnny running to the train/hiding from the workers as they make their way to Windrixville. There's also a line in the beginning when Pony says 'when I came to there was Johnny with his knife' this is important and I'll explain in 'Little Brother.' I also really like the detail of before, during 'Grease Got a Hold', 'you're a greaser now and you ain't going back' was said as a proud statement and now when the chorus sings it it sounds sad and almost like a death sentence.

Justice for Tulsa:

We cut back to Tulsa after the boys escape. The cops line up the socs on the stage as they call for justice now that one of their own has been murdered. When Cherry speaks she is doing it at the vigil the soc's are holding for Bob before Randy approaches her. He's organizing a hunting party against the greasers. It's worth mentioning that when Cherry speaks against him Marcia tries to go to her side only for the other soc girl in the show(Bev) to hold her back. Cherry leaves alone and once she's gone Marcia pick up a flashlight, which serves as the symbol for the socs hunting down the greasers with no mercy during this scene. Where in the book Dally mentions Two-Bit getting jumped during this song we see it happen. The socs jump him and Bev holds a lit cigarette to his cheek while the guys hold him down(in the live version of this song we hear Two-Bit's scream) It's worth mentioning that Randy does not get a redemption in this version, in fact, outside of Cherry the socs are pretty much painted at the bad guys with her as the one exception. Even though we get Randy's emotions with 'this can't be real, he can't be gone' rather than feeling sadness over his friend's death for too long Randy switches to anger. Cherry's role as such has been adapted to be a mix of her and Randy from the book in terms of story beats.

Death's At My Door:

The boy's are in the church, as far as I can recall this was after they cut their hair and I believe it was meant to be implied that a day or two has passed since Bob's death. Though if this is before or after Pony read the poem I no longer remember. The two boys are relying on each other in this scene as they reflect on how nothing is gonna be the same again what with their ability to go home taken away unless they want Johnny to be thrown in jail. Something I forgot to mention before is that Pony blames himself for his parents death. In the musical he say that on Darry's birthday he was supposed to pick up a special frosting for his brother's cake from a bakery his mother liked. But because he forgot his parents had to go out of their way to go and get it and thus were hit by the train because they had to go over the tracks. He tells Cherry before 'I Could Talk To You For Hours' that if he had just remembered his parents would still be alive. Which is why in this song he claims death follows him because he believes his parent's would still be alive if he had remembered to pick up the frosting, and that Bob would still be alive if he hadn't run out of the house/if Johnny didn't need to protect him.

Throwing in the Towel:

We cut back to Darry and Soda after the boys have been missing for a few days. Darry finally breaks down to Soda all the pressure he's under and how he feels like his brother's would be better off without him. He admits how much he thinks this is all his fault for being too hard on Pony and causing him to storm off after hitting him. During this scene while Soda and Darry are singing Ponyboy can be seen at the back on the stage watching them, and during the last chorus of the song 'this it the darkest hour of the darkest night' his voice joins his brothers. (This song was also performed on the Today Show and you should go watch it)

Soda's Letter:

Back in the church now right after Dally gets there after greeting Pony and Johnny he hands over the letter for Pony to read. Ponyboy reads it at the front of the stage while Soda's actor sing behind him/looking at him. Pretty much unchanged in terms of what Soda's letter gives to the story/when it given/read. The final "Ponyboy this house ain't a home without you" is sung by Darry who makes his way onto stage when Soda mentions him in the letter and we see him behind Ponyboy all but begging his brother to come home in this song.

Hoods Turned Heroes:

This is the fire song. We see Pony, Dally and Johnny in the church, I saw Pony light the cigarette and toss it behind him. I saw the flames go up and a terrified Ponyboy going "it's my fault" and then we cut to Two-Bit, grabbing the paper and beginning this song. We see a somewhat split stage in terms of spacing, the greasers back in Tulsa on one side, passing the newspaper between them as they read it, and we see Pony and Johnny in the middle saving the kids from the church. The scene is actually so creatively done and I adore it, outside of the fire they have two actors hold up a blanket and use shadows to show Pony and Johnny pulling kids from the fire since there are no child actors in this production. Interlaced with the puppetry of the saving kids we see Johnny and Pony sliding out from under the blanket and jump around beams that are held up by other actors while the paper is being read. All ending with Dally going in after Johnny. The scene changes to Dally holding Johnny, who's been changed into a hospital gown, and Dally gently lays him on the hospital bed when the song ends.

Hopeless War:

Before the rumble Pony does not leave the hospital. He stays there watching Johnny until Cherry comes in. She looks at Johnny, asking after his health, before turning to Pony and begging him not to fight. But if you recall earlier, as far as the musical is concerned the fire was set by Ponyboy's cigarette(sidenote: I think it'd be cool if every night they rotated who lights the cigarette and throws it and just switch Pony's line from "it's my fault" to "it's our fault" but I only saw the show once so I assume it's the same every time for who lights the fire even though it the book and movie we don't know for sure) So Pony can't listen to Cherry, even though in this scene she's taking the place of Pony's discussion with Randy in the book about the fight not making areal difference, because he sees this as his only chance to try and do something for Johnny since he can't do much else but watch over him in the hospital.

Trouble:

We cut to directly after Pony's discussion with Cherry. The greasers have their war cry of trouble brewing as everyone prepares for the rumble. While Ponyboy gets ready Darry comes up and begs him not to fight. If you recall during "Grease Got a Hold" Darry says how Pony "better know what you're fighting for" But he still doesn't want his brother to have to fight. But by this point Pony had his reason for fighting and he's the one to rally the gang with the call of "Do it for Johnny!" right before the socs roll up. Dally does say “do it for Johnny” at the beginning of the song but it’s Ponyboy who uses it as a war cry. Dally also has a moment where he calls out Darry for being on the greasers side when he was so against being a greaser before, but Darry looks at him and says confidently "once a greaser always a greaser". Paul has a moment with Darry where he calls him out for wanting to be a soc but Darry shuts him right down and the rumble is on.

Little Brother:

Right after the rumble the entire gang heads over to see Johnny, yes, the entire gang. Not just Pony and Dally everyone gathers around him and tells him about beating the socs. They watch as Johnny tells Pony to stay gold and they all break down when he passes, Dally runs out before anyone can stop him. He makes it to the top of the stage, and he begins his song. breaking down the boards around him in a show of anger and violence while the ensemble sings below him looking up. He says tearfully "I could not save you" remember during 'Run run brother' where I said the knife would be brought up later? It's because Dally was the one to give him the switchblade. Before the socs get their number Dally comes across Johnny staying in the lot while his parents are fighting. He tells Dally how he's been uncertain since he was jumped to be out alone. So Dally reaches into his jacket, pulls out the blade, and gives it to him(that one promo pic) and Dally tells him that "if you're gonna use it, use it" and I believe he says something along the lines of "because if you do there's no going back" Dally gave Johnny that knife to try and protect him, but all it did was sign his death warrant. It protected him from Bob but not from anything else, not from the fire. And when Dally said he would die for Pony and Johnny he meant it. He sings and is joined by the cast who echo him "little brother" but he stands alone at the top of the stage. He makes his way down to the bottom portion of the stage, stepping onto the train tracks(in my mind it's the same spot where the Curtis' parents crashed) planting his feet and squaring his shoulders before the song ends, and the train comes. According to Ponyboy his body derailed the train, and Pony likes to believe that despite that, some part of Dallas Winston managed to make it's way back to New York. (Playbill released Joshua Boone singing this song and it's so heartbreaking because there is no ensemble in that version so you have to sit with the harsh melody when Dally makes his choice to face the train head on)

Stay Gold:

After Dally's death we head back to the Curtis house. We don't get a time frame but going off the book it's been a week or two since they've both died. Cherry comes by with Johnny's things from the hospital, she mentions she volunteers there now, and gives Pony Johnny's letter for him. Pony refuses to read it but after Soda has his break down about "we're all we got left" he grabs Johnny's letter and starts to read it for Pony. Getting a line or two in before Pony asks for it, starts to read it himself, and the song begins. Johnny Cade joins us back on stage as he sings to Pony his hope for the world he has to leave behind. And of course, that request to stay gold.

Finale (Tulsa '67):

After reading Johnny's letter Ponyboy begins to write his theme. He finishes a page or two before joining his brothers at the table, he tells them what he writing about and Soda tells him to read it. Pony says it's only a few pages but Darry speaks up, "Can I read it?" he asks. And Pony hands it over, it isn't Ponyboy reading that intro again, but Darry, determined to do better by his brother and reading his work. He and Soda pass the theme to each other, taking turns reading sections aloud while Pony sings. Sings about Tulsa and the gang, of Dally who saw being a greaser as a badge of honor, of Johnny who wanted more for himself and more for Ponyboy who vows that "in his memory I'll stay gold!" The entire cast comes onto the stage as they sing, no longer to each other but to the audience, "stay gold!" It is something that has stuck with me and will stick with me to know that those final lines were no longer characters talking to each other, but talking to the audience right as the show comes to an end.

Anyways this got way longer then I thought but if you want me to ramble more about the show literally just ask I can not stop thinking about it. Might make another post about the differences between the musical and the book.

#the outsiders musical #the outsiders #the outsiders musical spoilers #outsiders musical spoilers #ponyboy curtis #darry curtis #sodapop curtis #steve randle #two bit mathews #dallas winston #johnny cade #ace the greaser

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thenamesblurrito · 5 months ago

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so. Transformers ONE was a good movie

i HIGHLY recommend going in blind, i do think it's incredibly effective with as few spoilers as possible beforehand! seeing it on the big screen is really really nice too, i encourage you to watch it in theaters without reading up on it first if you can!

long full-spoiler review and dissection of elements below (i reached the text block limit a couple times oops):

general stuff:

gorgeous. just genuinely visually gorgeous. so many details, colors, textures, everything was so beautiful. the stylization itself may not be my favorite but it was executed so well that i ended up loving it. their optics! their colors! their movement! the way the visuals serve the lore and the story is extremely well done too, i felt like everything i was seeing was deliberate, relevant, and a treat for the audience instead of just "ooo visual noise look at how powerful our cgi rendering is" (which is how i felt about the "live action" Lion King prequel(????) ad they showed before). all the little cameos and repaints and everything in the background? mwah. GORGEOUS MUSIC TOO AAAA THE WAY THAT TFP'S MOTIF IS IN THERE AAAA

the visual effects and action, the way they USED their roboticness/transformation sequences/vehicle modes in fighting and moving and emoting, it was VERY GOOD. Orion grabs a Death Tracker and RIPS THEM INTO PIECES BY TRANSFORMING AROUND THEM AND FORCING THEIR FRAME TO SHATTER. insanity

this is ABSOLUTELY the origin story movie the fandom has wanted. even if it wasn't your preferred origin story, this movie SHONE with love and respect for the franchise and drew on so many influences to craft a powerful version of the beginning we all wanted to see

in some ways i wish we had more, i think it would've been extremely effective to see things expanded upon, especially D-16's emotional descent and maybe some more Quints. actually looking at the content and pacing of the movie though, and the audience it's aimed at, i don't think there's anything they should've cut in favor of other stuff. i understand why it wasn't dwelt on more, but hooooo i would've liked to see Dee breaking apart a little more thru the middle of the film. apparently the novelization has more scenes of this and i would love to read it

i had so much fun watching this movie. it was a rollercoaster. it was a TREAT. i was sitting there enjoying every second both times i saw it because it was a good film that rewarded me greatly for being a Transformers fan, giving me so many easter eggs and injokes, while also being perfectly understandable and fun for a complete newbie. excellently balanced appeal to old and new fans alike

there was no wink to the audience about how stupid and childish a movie about robots is, there was no lampshading of how silly sci fi is, there was no betrayal of the emotional tone of the film. so many stories now kneecap themselves by mocking their very concept, and the audience watching them, in a very cinema sins-style irony poisoned way. this movie never does that. its humor is fitting, its drama is real, its emotion is all SINCERE and i love how i was never mocked by any part of the movie for engaging with it sincerely

this movie loved being a Transformers movie

anyways. specific stuff:

love how Wheeljack managed to explode everything despite not even being a scientist. he's just THAT good

THE INJOKES AND REFERENCES. "you don't have the touch OR the power." calling them Gobots. the corny More Than Meets The Eye bits. "don't be a glitch" is a headcanon swear i've been using for years now and they canonized it!! "High Guard, eject". "paging doctor Ratchet." the new take on "all are one". the really interesting way that the term Transformers is an actual significant in-universe name, and how Orion and Dee ARE NOT Transformers at first!

the sheer number of cameos is ASTOUNDING. what an excellent mix of masc/fem designs too, they really made it normal on this Cybertron which i appreciate! apparently Blurr exists here, his name was on the leaderboard!!!!!! good job Chromia i am so proud of you for winning. and the shots of the bots getting cogs at the end was aaAAA!!! <<33 my HEART! Jazz's little smile looking at his new doorwings!!

I GOT ALL MY SILLY OLD DEMIGOD FAVES I GOT THE THIRTEEN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM AAAAAA ALPHA TRION MY GRANDPA god i'm so sorry you're dead but i can't believe you showed up on the big screen <<333 you and your rockin rhino unicorn lion alt mode. and your superpowers. god you're so cool. "old timer" NUH UH HE'S STILL BETTER THAN YOU!!!!! using Zeta for the thirteenth was an interesting choice! i did think he was Overlord for a hot second. it's the lips. Solus wasn't fridged by virtue of everyone else died too yippee!! ALSO MEGATRONUS THE COOLEST ONE WOOOO HES NOT JUST A FIERY EVIL GUY!!!!

the way Dee himself was, in a way, the Fallen of this continuity.... 😭

the way Sentinel was handcrafting his downfall with each touch of the blowtorch. carving the sigil of the Decepticons into the one who will kill him. dooming Cybertron in a moment of petty mockery. AND HE DOESN'T EVEN DRAW IT WELL IT'S LIKE A MESSY CRAYON DRAWING CMON

planetformer Primus in a blockbuster movie? CANONICAL EXPLICITLY STATED PLANETARY ROBO MPREG BIRTH IN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES???? THEY USE THE WORD BIRTH. BORN. we are never escaping the reproductive insanity in this franchise

Shockwave you whiny tantrum throwing wuss. let Elita beat him up more. it's good for him. also love how that could be construed as a ref to her G1 resistance force

CASUAL MIND READER SOUNDWAVE???????

Elita was perfect, no notes. i would not like her if i met her but i respect her so much. she really is better in every way and down to business. Best First indeed

so much cool implications and fascinating timeline confusion. 50 cycles since the Primes were slaughtered? the way Sentinel leveraged their reputation to make himself beloved, casting himself as their peer? the way he didn't choose to villainize them, the way he apparently openly admitted to the loss of the Matrix and how it impacted the planet? when did cog theft start, and how old is Orion since in the novelization it states his entire generation is cogless? who remembers the og Primes? who is in the know about it all?? hoooghhghhh fascinating.

the implication that the High Guard worked with the og Primes?? the possibility STARSCREAM was a loyal guard for Cybertron's DEMIGODS????

okay i was not expecting a backstory for STARSCREAM'S VOICE in this movie but holy. god. the shippers will be going insane over this one. hoogh holy fit. what is wrong with you. the utter contradiction of being both an instigator and a coward when he gets in over his head and immediately backpedals

also obviously this is the I Love Divorce movie and megop shippers will be having a field day but i DEEPLY appreciate just how solid a friendship Dee and Orion have and how badly they fall apart, even thru a strictly platonic lens. i also appreciate how there was no forced comphet attraction/romance!! i was dreading the possibility of it, i mean Oplita was RIGHT THERE but they didn't force it at all thank youuuuuu. i would rather have this dynamic with its zero intended romance than awkward, OOC attraction shoehorned in to detract from the plot

Bee was actually good! like yeah he's def the kid appeal character and i prefer it when he's in a younger gen and not OP's peer, but he was wayyyyy less annoying than i was expecting! i think he fit the movie and did his job in it well, and i absolutely laughed at him multiple times. "i get to work for the GOVERNMENT! :DDDD" bee. please. the fact that he's been going insane and desperate after isolation for so long really helps make his character work instead of being just irritating

Airachnid you are so cool. you are TOO COOL. PLEASE TONE DOWN YOUR COOLNESS. i adore how she is not good at facial expressions thank you evil autism moments. love how her signature move is stabbystabbystabbystabbystabbystabby

Sentinel. god. Sentinel. SENTINEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i need to draw him getting ripped in half. it's like they distilled the worst parts of every single iteration and combined them into a SuperBad version. horrifically realistic kind of guy. i love to hate him. real Metro Man from Megamind energy. and megachurch pastor energy. the IRONY that Orion and Dee were probably actually helping him, that he was probably being genuine in the medbay when he said he loved what they did by racing, that he may have been honest when he said he was gonna have them fixed up in his own facilities and had them tour the mines! because them racing increased energon production by 150% and Sentinel needed that!!! he needed that for the Quintessons!!! i think he was being genuine when he first met Dee and Orion and then Darkwing ruined everything!!!

Darkwing is the curly straw of this continuity

the Quintessons were hoooooooooooooooo. whoooooooooogh. hoohhhhhhhhhhhh. the biomechanical. the shapes. the textures. eugh. icky. creepy. excellent. the way their ships looked like the Nemesis. the way they're STILL a looming threat. i wanted to see more of them but i get why the movie wasn't about them. i hope we see more in the future

the way Orion is the kind of guy who, in an attempt to be selfless, keeps making selfish or thoughtless decisions was SO INTERESTING. it set up the dynamic of his and Dee's friendship very well, with Orion always wanting the best for his buddy but ultimately overwriting or ignoring what Dee says!! the way Dee clings to the social contract of protocol for safety because that's all he knows and his ANGER when it's broken, even when it's Orion breaking it, because that's not SAFE it's an UNKNOWN it has CONSEQUENCES WHEN YOU DEVIATE. and then it's revealed that the social norms have been a lie the whole time and Sentinel has "broken protocol" more than ever and Dee has no safety left because it was always broken. Orion wanted to be more, he could feel there was more. Dee just wanted security

Dee spent so much of the movie complaining and arguing and it was very funny and good characterization but it was also a hint at how much bitterness was under there the whole time. so much of his complaints were threats of violence. he always had Orion's back and then when he learns the truth he abruptly. stops. do you notice he doesn't really have Orion's back after this? he's no longer by his side? he's there, but he's not... there. he was the first to shoot an enemy and took joy in it. all of his emotions were so justified and then what he does with them is what makes it a tragedy. he didn't have to do this. augh

i really, really like the fact that they managed to pull off the ending without it fully turning into a "boohoo if we do anything violent we're as bad as the bad guys waaaa". the specific phrasing of "rebuilding cannot start with an execution" went HARD. and it's demonstrated in their actions too like, Dee was out for REVENGE and it was PERSONAL, Orion was fighting for JUSTICE and it was UNIVERSAL. Sentinel was beaten, everyone knew the truth. it was over. but Dee in his (very justified!) anger and broken trust was too overcome to back down. they were given the power to change their worlds, but Dee was thinking only of his world. Orion was thinking of everyone

ironic that as soon as Orion starts thinking of other people and considering what they need instead of forging ahead, Dee decides to center his own feelings and actions to the point of murder. even after Sentinel was dead, he just kept shooting, he did NOT AT ALL care that some of those shots were clearly hurting innocent civilians/going wide and shooting out into the city/damaging actual important infrastructure and not just Sentinel statues. i believe it's Bee who said "he's gonna kill everyone" and he proves it by attacking Elita and saying "I won't stop until every last one of his followers is dead". THE FACT THAT HE FELL SO FAR AS TO SEE ELITA, HIS PEER AND FELLOW FREEDOM FIGHTER WHO WAS THERE WORKING AGAINST SENTINEL WITH HIM FROM THE START OF THIS QUEST, AS ONE OF SENTINEL'S FOLLOWERS.... by the end of it, Dee really was nothing but blind anger

and the way kneeling was a common thread!!!!! aaaaaaa. Sentinel betrayed the world by kneeling to the enemy. Dee won respect by refusing to kneel. Orion gained followers by willingly kneeling to his peers. hooghh

Orion jumping and stumbling and falling this whole movie because he just THROWS himself into things because he BELIEVES in things, he's the one to take leaps of faith, to take that step out into the unknown! and Dee refusing to save him as one final nail in the coffin, so clearly feeling like Orion jumping in front of the blast was yet ANOTHER way Orion is forcing his hand, corralling him into doing something he thinks is best but did not consult him on, finally FINALLY saying NO and leaning in to the tragedy!! and in the exact same way Sentinel handcrafted his enemy in Dee, Dee has now handcrafted his enemy in Orion!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA and now that Orion took that last leap of faith and fell, now is when he RISES. ONE SHALL FALL AND ONE SHALL RISE. god. it reminds me of Spiderverse, the way they use falling and rising

the way the tragedy is worse for how well everyone was working together.... for one shining moment, the miners and the High Guard, the rescue mission, it was going so well. they were doing it. they were winning. it didn't have to turn to slaughter. if there was to be an execution it should've been by trial, by the voice of the people, not Dee deciding for Cybertron as Sentinel decided what truth was. augh.

in an abruptly different note, the way they have characters move and fly is so cool. i love the jetpacks. i love how flight is not "flyer" exclusive. it's fascinating and i think really fitting for the general city of Iacon itself. all those towers going up and down

THE TRAINS!! THE MOVING ROADS!! HOW COOL IS THAT!! LOOK AT THAT WORLDBUILDING IM OBSESSED WITH THIS CYBERTRON HOOGH. this movie was VERY good at building a rich, functional world of detail and making it very alien in a way i want to chew on forever. the moving mountains and greebled energon mines. the living planet. the deer!!! ooghghh. PRIMUS LOOKS LIKE A STAR

i do like this Primus actually, yeah it was a deus ex machina but that's the POINT. Optimus himself is an act of god and his presence heralds miracles. Dee couldn't bring justice to Cybertron because justice is restoration. justice is healing what was hurt and doing right by the wronged. yes that often means consequences upon the perpetrator but that's NOT what Dee was doing, he wasn't even THINKING of anyone else!! would killing Sentinel get ppl out of the mines? would it restore their cogs? would it bring equality to a clearly oppressive society? like he LIVED this (cogless bots with limited options, the talk of tiers as if they are social castes you can be demoted from, lower city levels where ppl can be banished, etc) but it was Orion who ultimately addressed this. i'm sorry if it feels like insult to injury to rub his Primacy in your face, Megatron, but stealing a cog just like Sentinel and declaring the age of Primes over, when it was the age of Primes ending that made you cogless and oppressed in the first place, is only an extension of your trauma, anger, and violence, and is not solving the problem!

a cog stolen from him at birth! and then he steals it from Sentinel in symbolic revenge, stolen again, but even that wasn't Sentinel's, it was stolen too! the way he discards the cog from Onyx, willingly gifted to him, to continue the trend of desecrating the dead! man. MAN. the name he took, the cog he took, the symbol he took, all from his hero, the one he looked up to, the coolest Prime, and THEN DECLARED THE AGE OF PRIMES OVER

the gilded pompous showmanship of it all was so gross, the way Sentinel's face was everywhere, the way he had instant access to everyone in Iacon via announcements that took over the media. but this was clearly derived from the previous Primes!! we see their statues, we see their stately tower, and unless Sentinel had all that built in "mourning" (which is totally plausible imho) he was really just setting himself up as an inheritor of that hyperwealthy standard! we don't know anything about the rule of the og Primes beyond that they're favorably remembered and loved (possibly because of propaganda but i think it was also genuine) and that they may have been losing the Quint war (considering that info was from jerkwad supreme i find it suspect) but just by comparison to Sentinel i think they HAD to be better rulers. there weren't cogless bots forced to mine for 20 shifts in a row back then!!! Sentinel is stealing their aesthetic as if that gets him the same power and acclaim. he's trying to steal their legitimacy. he paints himself across the face of Iacon to hide the fact the planet itself went into a coma because of him. he has ALWAYS been rejected. i call him a megachurch pastor but really symbolically i could say he's a fallen angel, and his visual design really fits too

i'm coming back to the deus ex machina thing bc i know it may be considered weak in a plot construction sense but i want to engage with it as literal. like, there is a literal in-universe god in the machine. they know it. they worship it, at least a little bit. i would consider this story to be analogous to Prince of Egypt, in that the deific is a real and tangible character with impact on the plot, and not a meta excuse to save the day. Orion made his choice, and as a result Primus made HIS choice. it's not necessarily a happy ending but if even Megatron acknowledges that GOD mandated this guy to be a Prime and the planet itself responds by COMING BACK TO LIFE.... i keep thinking of it like a cityspeaker, how they're the ones who commune with Titans to know their needs and tell them what needs to be done. is a Prime just the cityspeaker of Cybertron, able to help it remain healthy and functional?

the divine right to rule is REAL on Cybertron. you can like it or not but you have to contend with that when discussing fair leadership, political accountability, and representation of the masses re: Cybertronian government and Primacy

god i'm still so obsessed with the Thirteen i need to see them better i need to look at them. i love them. insane. i really need to invest in a chewtoy

also i know it may be a throwaway line but i'm very curious why Primus had to transform and sacrifice himself to save the universe. Unicron, maybe???

also how did Alpha Trion narrate the archival stuff telling the fake story of how the Primes died and the Matrix was lost. did Sentinel get a deepfake of his voice?? is that part of how he made the transition to power?? AUGH THE DISRESPECT KEEPS COMPOUNDING

Alpha Trion. my blorbo. my old man. holding you so tight. like an ancient rescue dog. im gonna groom you and give you treats and buy the biggest plushest dog bed from costco for you

anyways

good movie, guys

#transformers #tf one #tf one spoilers #macaddam #i loved it. mwah. yeehaw yippee excellent wooooo #ew canon

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cheesy09 · 17 days ago

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[CN] Kiro's In the Heart of Destiny Mind's Quest (3/3)

🌸 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date that hasn't been released on the EN server yet! 🌸

Trigger Warning: This Mind's Quest explores mature sexual themes, and themes of trauma. Avoid reading this date if you do not meet the game's required 17+ age rating.

I highly recommend reading the main story chapters (at least season 1), as well as Kiro's R&S: Top Experimental Subject before reading the Mind's Quest.

Prev: Part 2

——*:･ﾟ✧——*:･ﾟ✧——

[MEMORY SILHOUETTE]

Although he has only been on this tiny P Island for less than a day, Kiro feels as if a long time has passed by.

After the mess on the beach is cleaned up, Kiro whispers a few words to his subordinates and walks towards the girl.

At this moment, she is wearing a thin blanket and staring blankly at the sea under the setting sun. Kiro can't help but lower his voice.

Kiro:[so incredibly soft 🥺] How are you?

MC: Hmm? Are you done yet?

Kiro: Not yet.

MC: Then you should go deal with it first. Too many things have happened today, and I want to digest it all alone first.

Kiro: But...

MC: Are you worried about me?

The girl smiles at him and tilts her head.

MC: How come the Boss is so calm and decisive when facing danger, but suddenly becomes indecisive after the dust settles?

MC: Don't worry, I'm just stewing in my feelings. When you're done with your work, I'll need lots and lots of Kiro comfort.

As she teases him, the girl leans towards Kiro's lips and steals a kiss from him.

Then, she nudges him.

MC: Go on.

Kiro takes two steps forward in compromise, then turns back to emphasize to the girl.

Kiro: I'll be back soon.

Before he reaches the dock, several BS subordinates greet him head-on.

Subordinate: Boss, Sarah has confessed that she and several former experiment subjects of the "Flower House" have been secretly investigating BS.

Subordinate: After learning that the Ansoto family also bore a grudge against BS, they struck a deal with them.

Subordinate: Tsk, a few experimental subjects and a gang of mafia, and they still want to stir up trouble....

Kiro frowns when he hears the words "experiment subject" and coldly interrupts his subordinate.

Kiro: Where are the employees from [MC's Company Name]?

Subordinate: Oh, we've picked up those employees from the hotel and they're on their way to the pier.

Subordinate: They were quite frightened and are still being comforted...

The subordinate curls his lips, revealing a somewhat sheepish expression.

Subordinate: Or maybe we can just wipe away their memories?

Kiro: .......

Kiro tries hard to resist the urge to roll his eyes — These people are just BS members who have come over on temporary basis to help out, so it's normal for them to be caught up in their old ways.

He still needs a lot of time to slowly make BS into what he wants it to be.

Kiro suppresses his emotions and corrects them, word by word.

Kiro: These are the Queen's employees. They have their own thoughts and consciousness, and are not passers-by who can be dealt with casually.

Subordinate: But if they go out and talk...

Kiro: Then wait until they stop talking.

Without any explanation, Kiro stops his subordinate from arguing and waves his hand.

Kiro: Take them away from P Island with Ms. Sara and settle down.

As he says this, he happens to glance at Sarah from the corner of his eye, who is currently sitting in the cabin.

The writer who wanted to kill herself half an hour ago now lowers her head and stares at the back of her folded hands.

Her figure appears isolated from the hustle and bustle, as if she no longer cares about anything around her.

—Kiro has seen too many people like this.

If MC didn't exist, perhaps he would have become one of them.

Kiro purses his lips, dismisses his subordinates, and walks towards Sarah.

Kiro: Ms. Sarah.

Sarah: ....Need something, Boss of BS?

The other party's tone is stiff and full of rejection, but Kiro reaches out to her regardless.

Kiro: —I think we need to get to know each other again, Ms. Sarah.

Kiro: If you need a male lead for your work in the future, please reach out to me. If you need a film or television producer, then please reach out to my girlfriend.

Kiro: May we talk about your script?

——*:･ﾟ✧——*:･ﾟ✧——

[CHAPTER 6]

Hephaestus: If all of your issues have been resolved, why did you call us?

Hephaestus: To make me play the incompetent cop who shows up late at the end of a Hollywood superhero movie?

Kiro: Who said they've been resolved? There are still a lot of things you need to finish.

After the people from BS arrive, the farce on the island comes to an end.

Hephaestus glances at Sarah sitting on the boat and curls his lips.

Hephaestus: What a mess indeed... What about you and MC? Aren't you going to get on the boat?

Kiro: I have my own yacht, you guys can go first.

Hephaestus: Alright, you two in your own little world.

He rolls his eyes, stops Kiro from leaving, and throws out two articles of clothing from the cabin.

Hephaestus: Don't wear that tattered fisherman's outfit for a yacht date in Italy.

I sit on the yacht waiting for a while, and then see a tall golden figure walking towards me.

MC: You're back... Huh? Why did you change your clothes?

Kiro tugs at the collar of his new shirt and smiles at me.

Kiro: Hephaestus reminded me to pay attention to my appearance while out on a date, and I think he is right.

During this night, the yacht sails across the water, making a subtle gurgling sound, while the surroundings remain quiet.

Kiro sits at the bow, his golden hair slightly tousled from the sea breeze. His back blends into the deep night sky, making it impossible to look away from him.

A dozen thoughts flood my mind. I can't help but get closer and gently touch his shoulder.

MC: What's on your mind?

Kiro: While I was cleaning up the mess, I had a conversation with Ms. Sarah.

MC: How is she?

Kiro: Not so good. It will probably take her a long time to get over it.

He lowers his eyes and sighs.

Kiro: But she asked me to help convey her apology. Actually, from the very beginning, she had no intention of adapting "Flower House" into a film or TV series.

Kiro: She just wanted to use you as bait to lure me, the Boss of BS, here to complete her revenge.

MC: I knew it!

The whole story becomes clear to me. But while I'm angry, I'm also left feeling a little confused.

MC: However, wasn't this too high a cost? She even wrote a book...

Kiro: For a revenge plan that was twenty years in the making, this cost was not high.

Kiro: What's more is that, to some extent, "Flower House" is her autobiography.

Kiro: If she had really succeeded in killing the Boss of BS, it would've been her "suicide note" of successful revenge.

MC: .......

I bite my lip, and fear surges into my heart like the tide.

Is this the only thing she has been thinking about for the past twenty years?

MC: Even though she has clearly left the flower house, her heart is still trapped in it... How agonizing.

Kiro's hand touches the back of mine, and a reassuring warmth emanates from the palm of his hand.

Kiro: [softly x1] I can understand her pain.

His fingers slip through the gaps between mine and he clasps them tight. His voice is softer than that of the sea breeze.

Kiro: [x2] MC, If I hadn't met you, I might have been darker and more extreme than she was.

Kiro: [x3] Thankfully, you are here.

These four words hit my heart like a heavy hammer.

I suppress the stinging sensation welling up in my nose and nod vigorously.

MC: Great...

Kiro: [laughs slightly] What's great?

MC: I'm saying... It's great that you didn't turn out like that.

Kiro smiles, holds my hand tightly, and wraps me in his arms.

Kiro: Yes. Luckily, I haven't turned into a ruthless killing machine for BS, and as Queen, you are no tool to be taken advantage of.

Kiro: We are MC and Kiro, a very powerful producer and superstar.

He pauses, his tone becoming more resolute.

Kiro: We both have lives we really want to live. That life cannot be dictated by anyone else.

The doubts that arose in Sarah's study are now all cleared away by him.

A sweet and sour sensation fills my heart, making my every heartbeat carry with it a sweet pain.

I raise my face and speak faster than he does.

MC: Kiro, kiss me.

A hint of surprise flashes across Kiro's pupils, and then morphs into a knowing smile.

Kiro: [chuckles] Okay.

As night falls, the boat floats over the rolling waves, and It feels as though we are moored on an isolated island off the coast. All we can ask for is each other.

In just the space of a few breaths, his kiss changes from gentle exploration to burning passion.

The intense yet non-aggressive warmth makes me melt into his arms.

But it's not enough.

At least in this moment, it is far from enough.

Instinctively, I hook his tie and drag him closer to me, and we end up laying down on the yacht together.

Kiro protects the back of my head, his deep blue eyes full of concern.

Kiro: [whispering] What's wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?

MC: No.

I don't know how to express to him, that the greed that arose last night is now rekindling again, and has burned a giant black hole into my being.

Only he can fill it.

I eagerly raise my legs and wrap them around his waist until there is absolutely no space left between our bodies.

Under the night sky, I cast aside all inhibitions and lay everything bare before him.

MC: I no longer want to be bothered by those dark and painful things. I just want to remember the joy I have with you now.

MC: Kiro, give me your orders.

MC: Make me only remember....

I whisper those words of desire into his ear and every muscle in his body tightens up.

A long time passes before he speaks in a husky voice.

Kiro: I'll hold you to that.

The next second, the blue in Kiro's eyes fade, and that extremely overpowering golden hue floods my field of vision.

Kiro:[with a shuddering breath] I command you...

Kiro: Feel me.

In an instant, it is as if my body is no longer my own, and all of my senses surrender to his control.

Kiro's breath, Kiro's lips, Kiro's fingers....

Bodies that are already familiar with each other awaken their instincts to the max under the influence of absolute command.

He elevates my feelings to the highest threshold. Even the most ordinary touch and kiss makes me writhe in pleasure.

I so badly want to scream, yet all that escapes me are terribly sickening gasps.

Traces of excessive heat spread all the way down until they are completely wedged between me and the ground.

The boat seems to sway more violently than before. Is it because the waves have become more turbulent?

My distraction lasts for only a moment. Then, even the afterglow of my thoughts are completely consumed by him.

All concepts of time and space seem to blur in this moment. All I can feel is the overwhelming passion that only this golden sun god can give me.

It is only when I regain consciousness amidst those undulating movements that I realize that Kiro's eyes have returned to their familiar blue.

He kisses my wet bangs, his smile soft and gentle.

Kiro: [breathlessly x1] Now, you command me too.

Kiro:[x2] Make me look only towards the light that belongs to me.

[END]

——*:･ﾟ✧——*:･ﾟ✧——

Masterlist: Here

#mlqc #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc kiro #THE ENDING ASDFGHJKL YOU KNOW THEY WERE DEFINITELY DOING IT ON THAT YACHT ASDFGHJKL #MC WANTED HIM SO BAD I-*DYSFUNCTIONS*

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megamagimugi · 6 months ago

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(M) 331 poster and sketches

I absolutely love this fanfic by Yoshi_with_hat on AO3 and personally consider it a masterpiece, one of the best this fandom has to offer. Might be my personal favorite if it's even possible to pick just one. So I decided to show my love for it in the best way I know how: by doing more fanart! I went with a poster this time.

I wanted to do more. This story deserves it. But eventually only made this poster and a few sketches and didn't really want to wait anymore to post them. Maybe I'll do more someday since I regularly reread this story, but for now I'm afraid that's it.

The sketches, however, contain major spoilers. Please, I beg of you, if you haven't read the story yet, skip the sketches. This fic's greatest strength, other than its well crafted characters, is without a doubt its plot with some brilliant twists you couldn't possibly predict. If you've already read it, feel free to take a look though. If you're curious, then please, read the story until the end first. I highly recommend it to any Mario fan, especially anyone who likes Mario 2D platformers.

Speaking of which, I think this is a perfect spot to put the link to the story:

Alright. So, as for the spoilery sketches.

Here they are:

72 wall jumping out of the pit, Bowser carrying 42 and Peach (with Kevin's wand) on his shoulders, and 304 telling Loggi what he did.

Now, after my fourth reread I must say one thing. This fic made me cry twice this time (honestly don't remember if it did on my previous reads, but maybe? probably?). I don't even cry at movies very often, let alone written word. It's so rare! And it's all because of 304. Yes, his thought process was flawed and eventually he did a horrible thing, but other than that I relate to him way too much, with him being rejected for no clear reason when he only wanted to be accepted and make some friends... Man. It just hits too close to home. When #1 cried for him, I could certainly relate :')

Alright. Dear Yoshi_with_hat, if you see this, I really hope you like it. And thank you for writing this amazing fanfic.

#my art #promotional poster #sketches #not my writing #fanart of fanfiction #mario fanart #mario #super mario bros #smb #mario bros #fanfiction #fanfiction recommendation #ao3 link #ao3 fanfic #(m) 331 #mario fanfic

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mirandasidefics · 1 month ago

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But Home is Nowhere- Chapter 13

Pairing(s): Lucien x Plus Size Reader, Azriel x Plus Size Reader, and Ruhn Dannan x Plus Size Reader.

Summary: Reader and Ruhn have a heart to heart and your friendship finally begins to move forward. Those from Midgard also learn some interesting information from their most recent trip.

Word Count: 5.8 K

Warnings: Some mild spoilers for Cresent City 3. If you haven't read this series, or this book I highly recommend that you do as parts of this story will make much more sense in the next chapter.

Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the delay of this chapter. December was an extremely rough month for me. I'm going to be talking with my psychiatrist about a possible medication change to see if that will give me some more energy and focus without adding to my anxiety.

As always, a HUGE thank you to my beta reader @hardcoremarvelfan for all her help!

Series Masterlist Divider by @/tsunami-of-tears

Previous: Chapter 12 Pt2 Next: Chapter 14

Ruhn didn’t even register that he had fallen asleep until he turned over and a bright light attempted to penetrate the darkness of his closed eyes. Groaning, he turned back over, his arm draping over the plush body next to him. A soft gasp caused Ruhn to open his eyes to find (e/c) orbs staring directly at him.

“Uh…” Ruhn cleared the gravel from his throat as he gave the woman a sheepish smile, “Hi?” (Y/N) glared at him for a brief moment. Ruhn held his breath waiting for her to berate and kick him out. However, her expression softened before she pressed her forehead against his chest.

“You’re home,” Her voice was soft, muffled by how close her face was to his chest. Ruhn had to suppress the shiver her warm breath generated on his skin.

“Of course,” He carefully tightened his hold on her waist. “I had no intention of not coming back. Just…took me a bit longer to get here than I thought it would.” She nodded against his chest; however, the softness of the moment was short-lived.

“You fucking jackass!” She perched herself on her elbow before smacking the center of his chest. “Do you have any idea how worried I was last night? Where the hell were you?” Ruhn couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped him as he looked at her stern expression.

“I’m sorry,” He apologized through his laughter. “I didn’t mean to make you worry. I was out with Cassian. Apparently I looked like a kicked puppy, so he thought alcohol would make that better.”

“Don’t blame Cassian,” She narrowed her eyes. “You knew perfectly well that…” She paused, releasing a long breath through her nose. “You know what, you don’t owe me any explanation or apology. You’re a grown male and capable of making your own decisions.” Her eyes returned to his, and Ruhn had the good sense to recognize that there was more on her mind. He knew that a week of active avoidance between them would require work to recover from.

“I do owe you at least one apology for what happened last week,” He corrected. “That is if you’re willing to listen to me now.”

“Excuse me?” The woman sat up fully. “You could have apologized at any-”

“Would you have actually listened to me before you had a chance to calm down?” He smiled softly. She narrowed her eyes again, but allowed him to continue. “I know that you needed some time.” After a moment she relaxed her expression, laying back down against the pillows.

“I hate the fact you know me so well,” She turned her head to look up at the ceiling, “But you’re right. I did need that time.”

“I know,” Ruhn teased, watching as she rolled her (e/c) eyes. He paused before his voice took on a more somber tone. “I am sorry for what I said on your birthday. I didn’t…I never want you to feel like you’ve been forgotten. You mean too much to…everyone here.” He paused, allowing his lackluster apology to sink in. He couldn’t tell her exactly what he revealed to Azriel a few hours ago. He couldn’t tell the woman lying next to him that he was in love with her. Not just yet anyway, not while there were things he needed to figure out if he wanted to do things right.

“Thank you, Ruhn.” She turned on her side to face him again. “I know you didn’t mean to be hurtful. While there is a lot that needs to be…worked out; I just want things to go back to how they were before. Return to the day to day life with one of my best friends.” Ruhn could tell that her words also held a mixed bag of emotions. He doubted that he knew the subtle twitch of the corner of her lips before curling up into a half-hearted smile indicated she was attempting to prevent tears from springing to her eyes.

“Friend…yeah” Ruhn paused. “I haven’t been a very good one of those have I? I’ve kept you at a bit of a distance, and that isn’t exactly fair to you.”

“You went through a lot. You don’t have to tell me anything about your past if you don’t want to.” Her voice was gentle. “And I shouldn’t be holding that against you.”

“That isn’t the reason I’ve held back,” He admitted. “I’ve been so scared that…it's been a few years and fear has ruled almost all of my actions. I don’t want that to continue, at least not with you.”

(Y/N) nodded, understanding evident in her eyes as her gaze met Ruhn’s. A heavy silence fell between them. Ruhn could tell that she was allowing him time to decide how the rest of the morning would unfold. As the silence in the room pressed on, she remained curled up against his side, head resting on his shoulder. Her hand lazily-and likely absent mindedly-following the geometric pattern of the tattoo spanning from his left bicep to his shoulder and extending down to his left pectoral.

He wanted to savor this quiet moment. The peace of lying next to her warmth and softness. If there was ever a perfect moment to open up to the human woman, now would be the time. Ruhn recalled that when he first started to share his personal history with Agent Daybright he spoke to her of his father. He would have to start with something different this time. It was only the right thing to do to ensure that he didn’t treat (Y/N) like a replacement.

“Would you like to hear about my mother?” His voice broke through the comfortable silence. She tilted her head up, a soft hum of confirmation.

“Please.” Her voice was soft as she looked up at him.

“Her name is Lorin…” As soon as Ruhn began to speak to her about his mother, it was like the flood gates had finally burst open. He rambled from one topic to another, and he certainly hadn’t intended to reveal so much of the trauma he endured at the hands of his father. She quietly listened to everything he shared. No judgment or pity filled her eyes. She never interrupted, only nodding occasionally to show she was following him. He even shared a few things that he had not spoken to many people about. Not only did he explain how the tattoos started as a way to cover up scars, but he also told her the meanings that each design held for him.

A rendition of the Starsword, surrounded by a few simple stars, covered the inside of his left forearm. He recounted the details of his Ordeal, the desperation he felt to find a way to protect his friends, Declan and Flynn, his brothers if he was being honest. On the outer side of the left forearm were roses mixed with thorn covered vines. While he had grown to hate his Father’s villa in FiRo, it had been where he grew up.

Above that, in the space of his inner bicep, was a simple design of The Embrace. He explained the image depicted Solas and Cthona coming together as one. This led to him talking to her about how each of Midgard’s houses were blessed by or honored at least one of the five major deities from his world. While Solas was the deity for his own House, he couldn’t remember exactly why he had been so compelled to have what was more commonly regarded as a symbol for the House of Earth and Blood inked into his skin. It took him a minute to realize this was the last tattoo he had gotten before their attempt to overrun the Asteri. Shortly after he had started speaking to Agent Daybright. However, he kept that last bit of information to himself as he remembered who Agent Daybright turned out to be…and which House she belonged to.

He continued to his right arm, a series of braided knots covered the entirety of his right forearm, the design covering the area that held the worst of his scars. The outer bicep depicted a tree, its branches creating an intricately woven knot and its roots a mirror image. A perfect balance above and below. Her hands traced along each of the designs. He thought he heard her muttering to herself as she examined the tree, taking extra care to outline and follow each branch and root pattern.

“I’ve seen this tree before,” She admitted softly. “Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life. It was believed in some parts of my world to be what holds the nine worlds of the cosmos.” The woman paused, and Ruhn could see the gears in her mind twirling. “No… ” With a quick shake of her head she sat up, pushing the covers to the side.

“No, what?” Ruhn sat up as well, moving to follow her.

“Where did you get the idea for this tattoo?” She asked, brows bunched up together as she stared at the black ink design. He had yet to add any color to it. Mainly because he wasn’t sure what colors best suited the image. It was one of his more rare black and white dreams where it first appeared.

“I-I saw it in a dream,” His voice was slightly hesitant. He had never told anyone that before. He always made up some story about seeing it in an art piece on Avallen decades ago. But for some reason, the truth slipped from his lips as he looked at her.

“What was the name of the deity for that scary house in Midgard again?” Her eyes remained on the roots of the tree as her hands twisted up sheets in front of her.

“Scary…you mean the House of Flame and Shadow?” Ruhn continued to watch as (Y/N) nodded acknowledgement. “Urd, a Goddess of Fate. While she may be considered more of the patron of that house, all of Midgard honors her in some fashion.”

“What do depictions of her look like on Midgard?” She finally looked at him. Again, Ruhn could see that her mind was putting together bits of information. Information that he knew she would only continue to withhold.

“I honestly don’t really know. There aren’t very many pictures of statues of her outside of the Bone Quarter in Lunathion. That’s where her temple is believed to be. Only the dead and necromancers are really allowed over there. Unless you have a death mark. Which are not at all easy to get.” She nodded again, chewing her lower lip and picking at her thumb nail. Her (e/c) eyes staring off into the distance. “What’s going on, (Y/N)?” His use of her name snapped her out of whatever rumination plagued her mind.

“Nothing,” She shook her head a final time before a smile took over her features. “We should probably get some breakfast going. You can tell me some more about your Ordeal and the Drop.”

The months after Ruhn’s apology, things returned to normal for the most part. The biggest change for the better was that your and Ruhn’s friendship improved significantly. He moved all of his belongings back into your bedroom, including things that you didn’t know he still kept in the other room at all. He also resumed sleeping in the bed with you each night. The only exceptions were the times he went to Midgard, which were becoming more frequent. He explained that his friends, Declan and Flynn, had spent months looking on their own for any information regarding the Star sword and Truth Teller. This, of course, resulted in him finally opening up to you about all the events that preceded his capture by the Asteri. Listening to him recount the highlights of the year before you met had never made you feel more grateful for being a person of no importance back on your own world.

His opening up did have perks as he also filled you in on many of the Fae traditions and life on Midgard in general. You had so many theories running through your head that your attention couldn’t be divided anywhere else when the subject of life on Midgard came up. Of course, it wasn’t the only reason you listened to him so intently. The way those blue-violet eyes of his lit up…it was clear that cared deeply for those that had remained on Midgard. He missed them fiercely, his family. That’s really who they all were to him, his family. Despite Bryce and Hunt also being in Prythian alongside him, it was clear that he struggles with being separated from the bulk of his family. You had to suppress the intrusive desire of wanting to be included in that sentiment. Any time the thought arose you found yourself remembering that the events on your birthday were simply a fluke. Just because you grew close with the male, didn’t mean he saw you as anything more than a friend. He was no different in that regard to Lucien, a simple yet close friend.

It was a strange concept to think about. You had been in Prythian for nearly five years, and you still felt like an outsider. An intruder posing as someone who is supposed to belong. To anyone looking in from the outside it would look that way. Nanny for the High Lord and Lady, friends with the first Valkyries in centuries, and routinely seen around Velaris with the elusive and infamous Shadowsinger. Regardless of what they all said or how close you had become over time, you could still feel the tension from where you were kept at a distance. You couldn’t exactly blame them either. You were mortal. You would die in just a few short decades while the rest of them would continue to live on for centuries if not millenia.

The only person that you knew, with absolute certainty, saw you as an included member of their life was Nyx. You were well aware of how much the little heir adored you, and you adored him in turn. Knowing that there would be at least one person-

The landing of Hunt’s feet on the cobblestones outside the townhouse distracted you from further diving into a downward spiral. The crunching of stone was followed by the beating of wings as he took off again, likely to get whomever he had left over at the Moonstone gate they built at the Sidra’s edge near the River House. No sooner than hearing the angel take off again did Bryce burst through the front door.

“(Y/N)!” Her voice held an excited sing-song lilt. The corner of your lip twitched up as she rounded the corner from the foyer into the parlor. Bryce’s crimson hair flowed around her, reminding you that despite her half human heritage she looked fully Fae. You tried to push the faint sting of envy, reminding yourself that she doesn’t exactly enjoy that half of her heritage. Though you knew she’d be grateful when she finally realized her long life span will allow her to have as much time with her mate and found family that many humans crave.

“I have a surprise for you,” Bryce continued, bringing a wrapped gift box out from behind her back. The absolute look of mischievous glee on her face was the only thing that gave you any pause. You still took the fairly large box from her outstretched arms before the two of you resumed sitting on the sofa.

“What is this? My birthday was six months ago and it’s not yet solstice,” You asked, eyeing the perfectly square package. Nothing about the box or its wrapping gave away what the contents could possibly be, and there wasn’t anything that either of you had specifically discussed her getting from a more “modern” world.

Bryce had been kind enough to obtain some basic feminine essentials for you during some of her past trips to Midgard. You were extremely grateful for her efforts in gathering a variety of period products for you. You spent your first few cycles bleeding through scraps of cloth and felt like you were practically confined to your bedroom and the ensuite bathroom. You quickly decided that you did not want to spend a week every month in that condition. While you had asked the females in your new life how they managed their own cycles, Nesta explained that High Fae only experienced two cycles a year. Due to the infrequency of cycles the pain was reported to be nearly unbearable and resulted in many females being completely bedridden. Nesta also confirmed that scrap linens were the preferred method of keeping things clean for humans and Fae alike, regardless of the financial resources available.

“Just open it,” Bryce encouraged, plopping the box into your lap. “Especially if you don’t want the guys to see what’s inside.” She tapped the top of the box, a shallow sounding thud indicating that the box was entirely filled with only the Gods knew what. You lifted the box, examining the meticulous wrapping. Each corner of the golden paper was tucked in tightly and secured.

“What the hell did you get then?” You narrowed your eyes in her direction as you held the box up to your ear and began to shake it. “Doesn’t Hunt know anyway?” You set the box down when it didn’t make any sounds.

“Nope,” Bryce chirped. “If he did, he would not have let me give that to you.” Her smile grew as she patted the box again.

“Okay, now I’m worried.” You eyed her warily, your fingers subtly twitching against the smooth surface of the paper. “Do I even want to know what this is?”

“Yes, you do.” She moved closer to you on the couch. “I can say with absolute certainty that some, if not all, of the items in there will be…useful in the future.” Her amber eyes shone as bright as the starlight that simmered under her light bronze skin. You rolled your eyes at her playful insistence and quickly tore open the golden wrapping. The box itself was fairly nice, sturdy and could be easily kept to hold whatever its contents already included.

“I swear to whatever is holy Bryce if this is some-” The words immediately died on your tongue and your jaw literally dropped. Bryce erupted in a fit of giggles at seeing your shocked expression. Inside the box was a plethora of items that made up what you could only describe as a ‘family planning care package’. You could admit upon immediate inspection that at least half the items in the box would be useful. PH balancing feminine wash, extra sanitary pads, a few reusable menstrual discs and cups. The other items…well, she was right that you definitely didn’t want anyone else seeing the contents. Especially Ruhn. You didn’t know how you’d explain the presence for the large box of condoms, two decently sized bottles of lubricant, two packages of pregnancy tests and…

“Ovulation tests? Are you fucking kidding me Bryce?” You wanted to be mad, but her laugh was too infectious. You fell into your own fit of laughter right alongside her. Through your laughter you took another look at the box of condoms.

“Fucking hell, how much sex do you think I’m going to be having?” You held up the box of condoms, a variety pack, and began to examine it. “One hundred condoms? Really?” You shook the box at her for added emphasis on just how ridiculous the item was.

“Hey, I just wanted to make sure that one of my closest friends had everything that she would need.” Bryce managed to defend through her continued laughter. “Especially if she is going to continue sleeping with my brother.”

“Bryce! You know perfectly well Ruhn and I are not like that,” You placed the care package in between the two of you while the box of condoms remained in your grasp.

“Sure, whatever you say,” She smirked, the deep red of her lip stick amplifying her mischievous tone. “Then this can all be for whenever you do meet that special someone, which you will.” She held up a finger to silence the objection which was poised on the tip of your tongue. “I know this, because you’d be-”

“A novelty, Bryce. Anywhere I go in this city I am looked at as a novelty.” Your voice took on a slight edge. “I am the only human living in the Night Court. Hell, I’m the only human living in all of Prythian.” You sighed, setting the box of condoms in your lap.

“Which is exactly why I picked a variety pack,” She smirked, completely ignoring your statement. Your eyes followed her elegant finger as it pointed to the side edge of the box. “Glow in the dark.”

“Oh sweet Jesus,” Your laughter returned and doubled as you read the words on the box, directly under the list of flavors making up a quarter of the box’s contents. Tears of laughter quickly filled your eyes as Bryce broke down right beside you on the couch in the parlor. The two of you were so busy laughing that you didn’t hear Hunt return with Ruhn in tow.

“What are you two so giggly for?” Ruhn smiled from the entrance to the parlor. Still facing Bryce your eyes went wide, the box of family planning items still opened between you and the half fae female. Without even needing the ability to speak mind to mind, Bryce immediately started helping you repack the box with lightning quick reflexes.

“Nothing! It’s nothing!” You shouted, sliding the box under the couch. Once it was fully tucked away you looked up at the male. Your jaw dropped for the second time and gasped, “What the fuck did you do to your hair!” You stared at Ruhn, eyes watering as you stood to meet him. The past two months Ruhn had allowed the hair on the shaved side of his head to fill in. You had been unsure as to why, but now you knew. You lifted your hand to the right side of his head, where the beautiful waist length locks had once flowed.

“I know,” Ruhn brought his hand up and gently grasped your fingers. His hair was short, equal in length on both sides. The style honestly reminded you of Azriel’s typical cut. However, the fresh cut combined with Ruhn’s features made his resemblance to Rhysand all the more striking.

“You’re not sleeping next to me when you look like him,” There was no laughter in your voice.

“It will grow back, don’t worry,” He reassured, his fingers interlacing with yours as he led you both back to the couch. His arm easily fell along the back of your shoulders as he leaned in to kiss your temple. You felt your lips twitch trying to suppress the smile. Your friendship had certainly gone back to normal, yes, but there were times when he was a little more affectionate than before. Just like he was right now. From the corner of your eye you saw Bryce’s wide knowing grin. You’d have to remind her, yet again, that your relationship with Ruhn was platonic. Even though a small part of you wanted the dynamic to go in a more romantic direction.

“I tried to tell him he didn’t need to cut it that short,” Hunt joined in on the conversation, sitting himself on the arm of the couch behind Bryce. His own hair also appeared freshly cut compared to the last time you saw him.

“And steal your and Cassian’s signature look? I don’t have the wings to pull it off, ” Ruhn joked, his blue-violet eyes turning towards you. “Besides, it's not exactly like I wanted to cut it.” His thumb gently stroking the sliver of exposed skin on your shoulder.

“So why did you?” You asked, your hand reached out again and this time he allowed you to pinch a few strands between your fingers.

“Well, I had planned to just grow it all out.” He answered, a soft sigh escaping his lips. “But that prick was right. Even with the long hair I’d be too recognizable.” You bunched your eyebrows together as you looked between them.

“Our father,” Bryce supplied, her tone now short and clipped. You nearly choked on air at the news. A sinking feeling in your stomach had you anticipating that this last trip was much more eventful than any of their previous trips to Midgard had been over the past few years.

“Your father?” You angled your body towards Ruhn. “You saw him?”

“Yeah, and we actually had a fairly interesting conversation,” Ruhn admitted.

“If you count not immediately being turned over to the Asteri as interesting,” Hunt added, a slight smirk on his lips. You blinked, trying to prepare yourself for whatever asinine reasoning they could have had for going to such a well guarded location such as the Autumn King’s villa given their high profile fugitive status.

“Why would you even risk a trip like that?” You focused your attention on Ruhn, even though you were fairly certain the entire meeting was likely an impromptu affair by Bryce. Both siblings had told you all about their respective histories with the selfish male that sired them. It went without saying that you had no desire to ever meet the asshole. “How do you know that he isn’t planning to just turn you in the second you all get back to Midgard? What was so important that you had to risk-”

“Easy sweetheart,” Ruhn reassured, his arm bringing you closer to his frame. “We had very good reason, and at this point seeing him and getting the information we got out weighed the risks.” He met your eyes, his expression soft as he tried to subtly comfort your worries.

“Fine,” You relented. “What did you learn then?” You settled back into your spot on the couch as you waited for them to explain.

“We learned what the Star Sword and Truth Teller may be able to create when used together,” Bryce answered. “Something that may be able to destroy the Asteri.” Her voice no longer held any hint of the playful spirit it had moments ago. You sat up straighter. This was news you had not anticipated hearing. In fact, you had hated to admit that you long gave up any hope that you would live long enough to hear any good news for your friends in their efforts to rescue their world. If the blades could truly be combined to destroy the Asteri, well that was worth risking a visit to their father. Honestly, that was information worth risking everything.

“What…” You were at a loss for words. “W-what can they do?” Your voice was hesitant, and you hoped that they didn’t see the true reason behind your question. You knew it was important for them to be able to go home. You also knew that once the Asteri were gone, the three of them would return to Midgard permanently. You tried to stop the thoughts of how much you would lose if the trio left Prythian so soon. Specifically, the loss of one of the people that had become so important to you. The fact that you didn’t want to be parted from Ruhn permanently hit you like a ton of bricks. It was only Ruhn’s gentle squeezing of your shoulder that pulled you back to the moment.

“Legend has it the two blades are supposed to open a portal when combined,” Bryce’s voice was eerily calm, “Specifically, a portal to Nowhere.”

“What?” You stared at her, waiting for a punchline that never came. “Nowhere? Really? You’re telling me the giant skull of a deceased Celestial is real and floating around somewhere in the universe?” All three of them looked at you as if you had morphed into said giant skull. “Guardians of the Galaxy? Come on, you don’t have the MCU or Marvel comics in your world?” While Bryce and Hunt stared at you with confused expressions, you could make out the subtle twitch of Ruhn’s lips as he suppressed a desire to laugh. “Nowhere is the name of the skull in the Marvel Cinematic Universe…or multiverse…point is I was trying to be funny.”

“You are funny,” Bryce’s lip finally curled up in a half smile. “At least I assume you are when your audience knows what it is you’re referencing.” You gave her an exasperated smile before tilting your head back and groaning.

“Okay, so what the hell does your father mean by ‘Nowhere’ then?” You asked leaning back against the couch. Ruhn’s arm remained draped over your shoulder, his thumb resuming its gentle strokes along your skin.

“Unfortunately the fucker was less than helpful in that regard,” Bryce’s good humor was gone again at the reminder of the Autumn King.

“She means that he wasn’t entirely sure,” Ruhn clarified. “All he found on the subject was what the blades were supposed to do and nothing more. However, he indicated that maybe the Fae archives on Avallen held more information that he had yet to locate.” You couldn’t suppress the snort quick enough. Hearing the name of the island where the Fae first settled on Midgard always amused you. Another item to the growing list of similarities between your world and theirs.

“Well that is maddeningly unhelpful,” You shook your head softly and pulled your legs up onto the couch. You leaned your body closer to Ruhn’s.

“Yes, but there is one positive.” Hunt gently reminded both siblings. “He already had Flynn and Dec looking in the archives.”

“They didn’t even find anything useful,” Bryce countered, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Yes they did,” Ruhn snapped. “The series of maps they found-”

“Show nothing but the fact that land masses change over millennia,” Bryce spat.

“Bryce,” Hunt’s calm tone cut through their bickering. “It may not have been what we were hoping to find, but the information is interesting.” Hunt took a moment to look towards you. “Dec and Flynn found maps of Avallen, some of which included smaller islands that had since disappeared. The disappearance of the smaller islands wasn’t over thousands over years, but within a couple of decades, which makes the information interesting.”

“Yeah, land masses don’t change that quickly Bryce,” Ruhn added childishly. You smacked his chest before shushing him. His sister responded with her own equally childish response of sticking her tongue out in Ruhn’s direction.

“That is interesting,” You looked between Ruhn and Hunt. “But I’m with Bryce on this. How is that information relevant to defeating the Asteri?”

“It likely isn’t relevant,” Hunt conceded. “But the land where the Starborn Fae settled in Midgard underwent massive changes and significant loss of fertile land. I don’t think that’s a coincidence when their former home underwent similar changes.”

“The Prison island…” Your voice trailed off as Hunt nodded, a soft approving smile on his face.

“I told you she was smart,” Ruhn boasted. “Hunt and I came to the same conclusion. Something caused the islands to become barren.”

“Well according to that magical hologram Silene left, the land was reduced to its waste land status after she made it into the prison,” Bryce added. “A collection of nasties poisoning all traces of life apart from themselves.” You felt the gears turning in your mind. It was hard to argue that both islands would become practically devoid of life around the same time by chance. The list of potential reasons was endless. Anything from a saturation of dark energy to a specific spell to a lack of magic entirely. You also speculated that perhaps Midgard and whatever planet you were currently occupying were mirrors or alternative versions of each other. Though, there was more evidence that both worlds were part of the same universe rather than some type of multiverse bullshit. A confirmation of the existence of a multiverse was not quite on your bingo card for expected life experiences. Then again, neither was going through a magical portal and landing in a world that you-

“Bryce, you need to take me to the Prison island again.” You turned to face her fully. “Please. I don’t care what Rhysand says, I need to see the island and those tunnel carvings for myself.” The half-fae female looked at you, her eyes studying the determination on your face.

“Alright,” Bryce’s conspiratorial smile returned. You knew that she enjoyed any opportunity to piss off the High Lord. “When do you want to leave? We can even go right now if you want.” She stood from her spot on the couch.

“Oh no,” Ruhn immediately stated, also standing from his spot next to you on the couch. “You’re not going by yourselves.”

“I agree,” Hunt looked at Bryce. “I know that you’ve been down there several times now, but you’ve made the Drop and you’re a badass, but…(Y/N) is human.” He softened his eyes as he looked at you.

“Are you Alphaholes for fucking real?” Bryce scoffed, hands immediately going to her hips. “She has daily training with two 500 year old warriors AND the two of you. You really think that she’s not a badass in her own right by now?” Despite Bryce’s faith in your self-defense skills you knew Hunt was right. Your eyes met Hunt’s, his expression reflecting what you knew was true. You may be able to defend yourself in some scenarios, but your body couldn’t heal itself in the same way if you were to get injured. The chances of you surviving any major injury were significantly smaller. However, the reminder that you were simply a fragile human stung nonetheless.

“Yeah, I am being ‘for real’,” Ruhn met his sister’s glare. “We have no idea what kind of creatures are in the prison. We also don’t exactly know our way around apart from a single path down to that room leading to the tunnels.” Bryce rolled her eyes.

“Well I can’t teleport more than two others plus myself. So unless you’ve managed to finally learn long distance travel through your shadows you might be stuck here as look out Big bro,” Her smile was less than friendly.

“She needs protection Bryce, and no offense to Hunt, but if she went down he’s more likely to protect you than her,” Ruhn looked at the angel. You watched in silence as the two males just stared at each other. The two of them were clearly having a mind to mind conversation.

“You know it's rude to have a private conversation in front of others,” You quipped, trying to help ease the tension from before. You turned and started to make your way to the staircase. “I’m going to get a warmer coat so the two of you had better figure out who's going with us by the time I get back.”

General tag list: @loving-and-dreaming

Series tag list: @jenniferpendragon @impossibelle @sweet-chai-amore @myheartfollower @iimichie

@fightmedraco @nikkitch0703 @eerievixen @ang-taylorsversion

@randomness-it-is @thehighlordishere @rachelnicolee @hardcoremarvelfan @awkardnerd @sundayysunshine

@jpgtae @cheneyq @morganwdarius @latinxbipride @catharticlovewriter

@mis-lil-red @rcarbo1 @celmentine111002 @abacteriamicroorganismsalmonella

The crossed-out name means tumblr wouldn't let me tag you

#acotar x reader #crescent city x reader #bhinfic #ruhn x reader #ruhn danaan x you #ruhn danaan x reader #ruhn danaan x plus size reader #azriel x reader #azriel x y/n #azriel x you #azriel x plus size reader #ruhn x you #ruhn x y/n #lucien x reader #lucien vanserra x reader #lucien x y/n #lucien x you #lucien vanserra x plus size reader

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toastyyjams · 6 days ago

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TELL US ALL OF YOUR ORV THOUGHTS MY HSY BRAINROT IS SO BAD I LOVE HER SO MUCH

TY FOR GIVING ME AN EXCUSE TO RANT ABOUT ORV OMG

if any pjsk followers of mine reading this dont know orv its a series called omniscient reader's viewpoint!

i highly recommend reading the webtoon first for visualization but definitely read the novel starting from the chapter 180s (theres . like 551 chapters it took me months to finish but it took my older sibling like 3 weeks so it depends how insane u are /lh)

def recommend it if youre a huge fan of found family dynamics mweheheh and also mythology . its like a heart wrenching story disguised as a BL

gonna get into spoilers from the novel so heres ur warning !

anyway u said all my thoughts. so here we go

hsy oughhhh i love her sm shes more than just 'girlboss' i think shes more girlfailure cuz how do u manage to plagiarize ur own work smh /j

YOOHANKIM DYNAMIC MAKE ME ILL like the author cant exist without a reader . but the story also cant exist without an author . but you cant read anything if theres no author to create that story yk like THEYRE ALL TIED TOGETHER ITS AGHHH

during the previous ask i mentioned how orv handles platonic love and im still super happy how its portrayed esp kdj and ysa ... ik alot of ppl ship them romantically and/or often make them exes or such

but ive read rly good kdj x ysa platonic soulmate fics and OUGHH MY GOSHHH it made me go crazy cuz they care about e/o sooooso much

like how that one scene where kdj randomly traumadumps on her and as a defense mechanism he goes haha . just kidding XD ! but then ysa just . quietly holds his hand and shuts him up

bc ysa will never understand what hes gone thru but she can and will listen/support him when he needs it yk theres no words that need to be said shes holding his hand as kind of an anchor like 'hey ik u said u were joking but ik ur not and thats ok'

jung heewon too oughhhh when she goes "this is no salvation" I WENT BONKERSSS kdj stop hurting your companions!! u want them happy but u deserve it too!!!!!! shaking his shoulders YOURE KINDER THAN YOU THINK THE STORY YOUVE LOVED FOR YEARS AND KEPT YOU ALIVE LOVES U BACK KDJ AUGHH

i love the fact that 98% of the novel is in first pov of kdj and the fact that hes an EXTREMELY unreliable narrator . like i usually dont like first pov but orv does it well

esp when all of a sudden during the epilogue it started being third pov when kdj split into the 49% and 51% IT GAVE A RLY GOOD SENSE OF "wtf is happening . something is wrong" it rlly gives us readers the same feeling the characters have like uhmmm kdj ur ok now rigjt. right! i remember feeling so confused and uncomfortable at the sudden third pov ITS SO CLEVER

can i just also say i absolutely hate the live action . orv is meant to be consumed as a novel LIKE OF *ALL* POPULAR WEBTOONS TO ADAPT ITS THE ONE THAT WOULDNT WORK AS LIVE cashgrab ass scheme smh

i also hate and admire the fact that anyone who has finished orv is a kdj fragment . i hate how anyone who finished the entire novel kins kdj in some sort of way . like when i kin pjsk characters for example im just like haha i relate #relatable but when it comes to kdj . hes just so uncomfortably relatable for me like i need to put him under a hydraulic press

"you who reads this will survive" ITS SOOO CLEVERR its addressing kdj and YOU! the whole theme of the novel is just so . personal lowkey so when the live action got announced and some annoying ass mfs were making fun of orv fans for being upset i wanted to rip my hair out THE STORY IS FOR US kdj himself would be rolling in his grave at the disrespect for a webnovel fr

#asks #sry for the use of colors all of a sudden #wanted to make it easier to read #im normal about orv!!

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ichiwashername-o · 9 months ago

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Sorry to bug you, but I had a question: as someone who's full extent of knowledge re: Oz and Wicked is "I have seen the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie, and I've been told both that the books are super crazy and Dorothy's actually gay as hell, and also been told Wicked is the secret sad gay backstory of Glinda and Elphaba." I'm surprised to learn a) that Scarecrow was a real guy, b) he and Tin Man knew each other pre-Oz movie's story, and c) he apparently dated Elphaba, so my question is: is he a "her boyfriend until it turns out she was gay and the romance was doomed" boyfriend, or was I lied to about the nature of the story of Wicked being a sad lesbian backstory?

Oh boy, a lot to unpack here so let's see if we can break this down XD

Without getting into spoilers, it's important to know the book Wicked is a very, very different thing from the musical Wicked. I admittedly had never read any of the original Wizard of Oz books beyond the first one so I don't know anything about the whole "Dorothy is gay" thing but apparently that's true? I'll leave it to others who've actually read the series to verify on that.

My comics are solely focused on the musical adaptation of Wicked and such major plot points and characters are very different from the book, and if you'd like a break down, I'll post it under the spoiler below. Although I would recommend either waiting in eager anticipation for the movie to come out this November or find a Wicked bootleg slime tutorial on Youtube if you'd like to see the theater adaptation yourself. I highly recommend doing so.

Ok, so to break it down: Yes, both the Scarecrow and the Tin Man were actual people before they become the iconic figures we know and love (at least as far as the musical is concerned) And yes, Wicked is gay as hell, and though the musical isn't nearly as gay as the book, the relationship between Glinda and Elphaba that can absolutely be read as gay.

The Scarecrow, whose name is Fiyero, was a prince who initially dated Glinda but then things happen and he falls for Elphaba instead. He breaks off his engagement to Glinda to run off with Elphaba. The two have a steamy sexy duet together but tragically the relationship is bitterly short; the Wizard's guards take Fiyero prisoner and try to torture him for information on where Elphaba is hiding. In a desperate gambit to save his life, Elphaba casts a spell on him, which turns him into a scarecrow.

Also Fiyero and the Tin Man (who in the musical is Boq) went to university together so they sort of know each other. In fact, all four of them went to school together, which is where the majority of Act 1 of the musical takes place.

The book is very, very different: Tin Man (Nick Chopper) keeps his original backstory of getting his limbs chopped off by an enchanted axe and Fiyero dies (I can't remember exactly how but probably somewhere along the lines of "Wizard's guards capture him and beat him to death"). Obviously the musical changed these things to tie all the characters together and give it a bit of a happier ending.

I do not blame you if you are now more confused than before.

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izurusstuff · 1 year ago

Text

⚠️ 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!! ⚠️

message from izurusstuff: hello, lovelies <3 i woke up today and immediately ran to tumblr because of an amazing thought i had >:) it’s inspired by @goddess-of-green’s teacher nagito smut, i highly recommend you check their’s out because it’s awesome and lives in my mind rent free. also this is 18+ only, minors do NOT interact!!! and everyone’s legal age. also there’s spoilers for the danganronpa 3 anime and ending of goodbye despair, so read with caution if you don’t want spoilers

summary: You’re a student at the University of Tokyo a couple years after The Tragedy. The whole ordeal inspired you to become a psychology major with a minor in ethics. It’s your senior year at the university— you only have a semester left until graduation. Everything was perfect until this point, but your high-level ethics professor makes it hard to keep up your perfect grades. Fed up, you confront him, which leads to… something special ;)

A+ (Teacher!Izuru Kamukura x Fem!Reader Smut)

It’s another day in class towards the end of the semester. Finals are quickly approaching, and your stoic teacher is handing your papers back at the end of class. For some reason, he just wouldn’t give out A’s in his class. Your perfect 4.0 GPA was going to be brought down by this right before you graduated! You grew tired of his antics. Of course, it didn’t really tick you off until you spent days without sleep trying to finish your paper. Every other source told you that it was amazing and captivating.

But you got a B+, an 89.9

You were basically fuming at that point. It was obvious Professor Kamukura wasn’t going to admit that your paper deserved an A. Rage boiled through your body. Your nostrils flared and your knuckles tightened. You stared into your professors eyes with pure anger. He wouldn’t admit it, but your reaction wasn’t boring to him. He was used to boredom. His eyebrow ever so slightly raised at you, which only pissed you off more.

Without breaking any eye contact, you ripped up your 30 page paper in front of him and slammed it on his desk. Oh boy, he did not know what he was signing up for when he messed with the valedictorian’s perfect GPA.

“Can I help you?” He scoffed.

His apathy was the straw that broke the camel’s back. With your fists balled up, you took a deep breath and let it OUT.

“Is it your mission in life to make everyone miserable? Is it because you got used by your school to become a human weapon? Why the FUCK do you have to be so condescending?! Do you KNOW how hard I worked to be here?! DO YOU?! If you hate people sooo much and you’re always bored by them, why did you take the job here? It’s not like you’re the best of the best! I can name thousands of people who’d be a better teacher for this job than you are… so why do you think you’re hot shit? You’re not… you’re a hurt little boy with some weird complex a-and you’re RUINING everything… so what the fuck is your problem, Kamukura?!”

Holy shit. Your response had him speechless for a brief second. He had to compose himself before staring you down and giving a response. However, you weren’t even CLOSE do being done…

“Your paper was bori-”

“Boring? Yeah, I fucking KNOW! Everything’s boring to you! But I am NOT letting your stubborn ass ruin my perfect GPA, do you understand?! What would capture your attention? Writing my paper on Junko Enoshima? Chiaki Nanami? Ooh I know! How about Hajime Hinata!”

Ouch. The last name really struck a nerve with Izuru. He actually felt a sense of sadness; something he hasn’t felt since he watched Chiaki’s final moments. Kamukura simply walked away, the nerve!

“Oh, you think I’m DONE with you?!”

“Doubtful.” He rolled his eyes, opening the classroom door for you. Huh, weird.

“I’m heading to my office. You can come with or continue your temper tantrum in here until the next class comes.”

You stood in shock for a moment. He was actually inviting you to his office…? I mean, it was in his own weird way, but it counted, right?

He walked in front of you without saying a word, only motioning to the door of his office.

Izuru’s office definitely didn’t fit him. There was a few coffee mugs, packets of chamomile tea, kawaii stuffed animals, a sword, etc. Were these all the gifts his former classmates gave him?

“Sit.”

You did as he said, looking around at everything in awe. Kamukura pulled out a folder than had your last name on it with copies of your old papers. You were utterly shocked he kept up with stuff like that.

“[L/N]. Your final semester here.”

“How did you-?”

“You’re valedictorian. I hear about you wherever I go.”

He… knew stuff about you? You were utterly shocked and dumbfounded. You thought you were just another boring face to him.

“I’ll say this one time and one time only. Your response to your grade impressed me. We both know that never happens.”

“Oh. Sorry, I guess?”

“Don’t apologize. It takes away character.”

You looked at the floor and nodded as Professor Kamukura looked through your folder more. Surprisingly, it earned a few impressed eyebrow raises from him.

“Your papers have no mistakes. They’re merely boring to me. Except for your last one on the ethics of Hope’s Peak. For obvious reasons, I do not have any interest in reading a paper about the school that used me.”

Realization hit you, and you actually felt bad for him. It was the first time you did. You looked at the ground and nodded. Kamukura obviously picked up on your regret, which he rolled his eyes to and tapped on the desk to get your attention.

“Why are you remorseful? It’s just a grade. If you need an A that badly, I’ll change it.”

You shook your head. It nearly knocked him out of his seat in surprise.

“No. It’s because you’re still a person, which everyone forgets about. Including me.”

Your humanization of him really REALLY struck a nerve. But in a good way. The tone in the room shifted to a way more positive one, and you swear you saw his mouth turn into an ever so slight smile.

“Your response… was not what I was expecting, Y/N.”

He used your first name?! You jolted up to stare at him in utter disbelief.

“If you want to go, I won’t keep you.”

You shook your head. Neither of you knew what to say next. However, it seemed you two were truly seeing each other as humans. Not human experiment and student who only cared about her grades, but humans… and tension filled the air. Both of you stood up with Izuru locking his office door and backing you against the wall.

Your heart fluttered so incredibly fast. Just mere moments ago, you were about to square up with your teacher. Now you want nothing more than to hold him. Little did you know he felt the same about you.

His red eyes expressed a hint of worry behind them. You could tell he was concerned about hurting you or pressuring you into this.

With a deep breath, you closed the distance between you two and finally kissed him. You expected him to shove you away and call you boring, but his hands merely cupped your face as he deepened the kiss. You melted into it, completely forgetting that he was the reason you wouldn’t have a perfect GPA. But in that moment, you couldn’t care. You didn’t care that you were passionately kissing your teacher who has no emotion towards anything.

“Are you sure you don’t want to leave?” Kamukura asked, not taking his eyes off your mouth. You could tell he wanted nothing more than you to stay with him.

“I’m sure…”

His mouth slightly widened into the barely visible smile he had before. He smiled into another kiss with you, pushing you up against the wall. Izuru obviously knew what you were thinking, but he didn’t want to make the first move out of respect (consent king). So, you took his hands and moved them down to the dip in your hips. He definitely got the memo.

“Tell me if you want to stop.”

You nodded. The kisses got more rough, but he took his time with caressing your body. You loved the passion he was showing, but God you wanted him to hurry up.

Once he got to your chest, you took your shirt off, giving him an uncovered view of your chest. He was mesmerized by your body. Kamukura pulled you into yet another kiss, but this time it was by grabbing your ass. You were surprised by his strength, but then again, he WAS made to be impossibly strong…

While he was doing his own thing to you, you unbuttoned his shirt and watched it slide down his muscular arms. Holy shit. You weren’t expecting that. You should’ve, but you didn’t.

He softly chuckled, and that surprised both of you. Izuru removed his shirt, pulling you closer. You could feel each other’s body heat. You finally took off your bra and slid your skirt down. He took no time in reaching for your chest and caressing it. Meanwhile, you got his pants off. He led the two of you to his desk…

Kamukura laid you down and kissed down your body until he got to the line of your underwear. With a delicate touch, he took them off and put himself between your thighs, looking up at you with curiosity and lust. You whimpered, and that only made him more crazed.

He gently rubbed a finger up your slit, causing you to whimper yet again. You could see his smile through your half lidded gaze.

Finally he stuck a finger in. You gasped out in pleasure, and he slowly moved it in and out. You grabbed his hair and whimpered again. Fuck it, he couldn’t wait any more.

Kamukura removed his last article of clothing and slowly slid into you. Your hands grasped onto his toned back as your moans got louder with every inch he put in. He looked down at you, putting his hands underneath your back as he began his thrusting.

You heard his soft grunts, making you further crazed. You wrapped his legs around his torso and he sped up. The light of the hallway peeking in through his blinds gave his toned body a beautiful glow, and you were starstruck by it.

In an odd moment of wholesomeness, he placed a soft kiss on your forehead while he harshly thrusted into you. The duality, good lord.

Your whimpers and tightening drove him crazy. He sped up as fast as he could, causing his desk to shake. Even if someone heard you two, neither of you cared because of how good you both felt.

Even though it felt like seconds, moments passed before you tightened around him from finishing, therefore making him cum too. Both of you were unbelievably sweaty from the deed, and you laid on his desk staring at the ceiling.

“I’ll change your grade to an A.”

RAAAA THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVE THINGS IVE EVER WRITTEN, SHOUKD I MAKE A PART TWO…

#izurusstuff #danganronpa #danganronpa x reader #izuru kamakura smut #izuru kamakura x reader smut #izuru kamakura #izuru kamukura smut #izuru kamukura #izuru kamukura x reader #danganronpa izuru #danganronpa smut #danganronpa angst #danganronpa goodbye despair #danganronpa anime #danganronpa 3 anime

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robins-egg-bindery · 1 year ago

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The Words Hung Above by eriaX

“I’m thinking of leaving.” Steve almost chokes on his cigarette, hastily moving it from his lips and looking to Eddie where he stands beside him. He looks relaxed, despite the words that just left his mouth. A thin trail of smoke travels up towards the sky from his own cigarette that’s pinched between his fingers. Watching the smoke slowly fade into nothingness feels oddly foreboding. Like this small, almost-friendship he has managed to build is going to fade away, too. He decides to hold on to it, if he can. --------- Or, After Vecna is defeated and life returns to normal, Steve finally has a chance to become actual friends with Eddie Munson. But any potential for friendship seems lost when Eddie decides to move to Nashville to pursue music after graduating. It’s Steve’s idea to become pen pals. Over summer and into fall and winter, Steve battles insecurities around himself, as well as his own future and his parents’ expectations. As his friendship with Eddie deepens into something greater, Steve finds that there’s more to himself than he expected, and more to his friendship with Eddie than he ever imagined.

fic by eriaX

500 pages / 118,368 words

Title Font: Breathing, Crimson Pro

Body Fonts: Californian FB, The Signature, Indie Flower

Bound for the Steddie Big Bang 2023!

More info (and spoilers for the fic, beware!) below the cut!

What a project! This was an endeavor with the author for the Steddie Big Bang, and it was so fun to design the vibe of this with them! Thank you for sharing your story and this journey with me <3

I love the letters that populate the story; if you skipped the content of them above, I highly recommend experiencing them in the context of the fic. I wanted to do something tactile to emulate them without interfering with the storytelling element; something that could stay archival in the future while also adding a dimension to the text. We selected the handwriting fonts together, and I fought the battle with my cricut to get it to write it properly. I had to go over carefully by hand to make the ink fill in well, but the result is perfect!

I also selected different inks as the months pass, even varying colors within Eddie's letters; I like the idea that maybe he was trying to make the letter perfect, doodling in the corners for Steve.

Music is another big device in this book, something that connects Steve and Eddie across the space between them, so musical notes and rests populate the header. Steve is Eddie's breath of fresh air amidst all the noise <3

I tried to keep the handwritten style across all the elements, including the title pages. We selected Dragonfly duo for the cover cloth, with gold accents; the deep blue color was reminiscent of the song that inspired the fic, and the gold felt fitting; the relationship that develops between Steve and Eddie being the sunlight leaking through the fear and uncertainty they face.

If you haven't checked it out yet, go read the fic!!!

#fanbinding #bookbinding #fanfic binding #fanficbinding #me myself and i #fanfic #ficbinding #binderary #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve harrington x eddie munson #steddie big bang #steddiebang #steddiebang23 #binderary2024 #stranger things

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guywrestlingaddiction · 10 months ago

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That Wresting Moment: Model v Model - Chase Lundquist v Jett Bentley (88wrestling.com)

Wresters come in all backgrounds, so for this moment I thought I'd start by running through who does it best and we begin with two really really good looking male models that somehow made there way to the ring; Chase Lundquist v Jett Bentley in Muscle Model Mayhem.

Rex Brody v Nick Milani (muscleboywrestling.com)

SPOILER ALERT: I highly recommend viewing this match in its entirety before reading this post.

The Backstory

Our fight opens typically enough, the guys are pure shredded muscle. So much so that Jett points out, "I'm the shredded one" and Chase comes back in disbelief with, "Oh you're shredded [removes his shirt revealing shredded abs]?"

Bonus modeling points for Jett sporting the Cindy Crawford mole

Chase: These are real abs right here.

Not the most aggressive start to be sure, but soon we're off as our two shredded muscle models fighting it out.

The Action

Chase is the aggressor in the first round; putting Jett in a few holds while he prances around the ring. Yes, prances - these two are models after all.

Our two models take turns a lot. Putting each other in leg locks.

Now make no mistake, there are some highlights between the two. Chase getting some hits in on Jett's sculpted body...

... and Jett, finding his way in gay wrestling, just enough to put a little hurt on his golden opponent.

The Moment

But let's face it, we all came here to watch two models and what do they do best. So this moment is all about our men posing and boy do these two strike a pose.

Is this Cameron Matthews quality wrestling, or Mason Brooks trash talk, or Morgan Cruise level domination? Perhaps not. But we didn't come for all that anyway so it's unfair to judge our two young, shredded studs by all that; we all came here for two guys that are really really good looking.

So let's face it, the wrestling is not the focus here. In fact, we are here for one thing - to see shredded, golden muscle studs, straining away under something like wrestling holds.

Jett trapped with no where to run

Those made for the camera muscles that could grace any runway are the same muscles lubed up with sweat and pushed to their limit. So yes, this is a wrestling match with a focus other than the wrestling and yes those are fighting words, but model v model offers a slower paced, less physical fighting form that does the sweaty job without leaving a single hair out of place.

#gay wrestling #88wrestling.com #chase lundquist #Jett Bentley

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flightfoot · 10 months ago

Note

Any feligami fic recommendations?

Felix is Fine by SortaArtsy

Felix wakes up sick, but is determined to keep it under wraps. Kagami refuses to be fooled. Feligami fluff. Implied past trauma/ abuse, though nothing explicit. Set post S5 so there are SOME SPOILERS!

If you want a Felix sick fic, this story’s the fic for you! I like how Felix and Kagami actually talk about why Felix is so determined to keep the extent of his illness hidden, what caused him to feel like he needs to do that, and Kagami’s understanding about it. Colt sucks.

---

to assess the equation of you by ThisKwamiNeeds-aNap

“I’m not a wanted fugitive,” she said, dryly. “You could change that.” She wasn’t sure if he was joking. Wasn’t sure if she wanted him to be joking. She stared for a long second, as if she could read more into his intent in the pupils of his eyes. They stayed there for a long second, unblinking. OR: Félix and Kagami try to talk about that after credits scene in Pretension

---

the awful felix saga by chivalrousamour

It should be noted that Félix was not exactly the most normal of people. He was idolized by others and popular, yet never had many friends. His social skills mostly amounted to knowledge of how to smile and speak politely enough that people let their guard down around him. As a result of his tendency to ignore or hate most people, he only had the few loved ones, and he'd commit murder for them. Like literally commit murder for them. Several murders, even. He did not have good knowledge of boundaries or restraint. So it should really say something that Félix, of all people, looked at Adrien's phone, and immediately said "oh, what's wrong with this guy." Because, like, dude. Why did Adrien have so many pictures of a girl he wasn't even dating? Even Félix knew that cropping group pics to be just the two of them was a weird thing to do.

So this is part of a series. I put that series on my top ten completed fics of 2023 list. I think you can mostly understand what's going on here without reading the other fics in the series, but I highly recommend you do read them, because they're hilarious! But this fic should at least give a taste of the tone of the rest of the series and give an idea whether you'd like to read the rest.

---

The Peacock and the Dragon by TheVioletThread

kagami reflects on love, past and present, lost and won. felix destroys everything he has ever loved.

This is a three-chapter story, with the chapters being mostly independent, rather than naturally leading into each other.

The first chapter is from Kagami's POV, delving into the mindset she's grown up with due to Tomoe's parenting.

The second chapter, on the other hand, is from Felix's POV and mostly follows his horrific backstory, the abuse he suffered at Colt's hands, and his mindset even after Colt died.

The third chapter goes over Amelie's life, how she thinks of being the one left behind to deal with her parents' expectations, how she does, in fact, abide by them, basically being sold away to the highest bidder, and the despair as she's unable to do what she was "purchased" to do: provide an heir to Colt.

There's some beautiful prose here and exploration for Felix, Kagami, and Amelie, I highly recommend giving it a look!

---

one does not love breathing by @wackus-bonkus-maximus

All of Paris watched as Hawkmoth murdered Chat Noir, taking the Black Cat Miraculous for himself. Ladybug swears revenge, but her enemy—and every miraculous in his possession—disappear without a trace.

Six years later, a new team of villains launches an attack for the last remaining Miraculous: Volpina, armed with new powers; Queen Bee, with questionable loyalty; Argos, the new holder of the Peacock Miraculous; and Cat Walker, who Ladybug hates the most.

Takes place after S4 - Strike Back.

So this is mostly a Lovesquare fic, but there's lots of different perspectives here, including Felix's and Kagami's. They may not be the main couple, but they still have more focus and development here than you're likely to find in most other fics.

Which is especially impressive since Feligami was one of the major pairings in this fic even BEFORE the Miraculous season 5 bible got leaked. Wackus was clairvoyant on that front.

#ask #miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic rec #felix fathom #kagami tsurugi #feligami

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bomberqueen17 · 5 months ago

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Liveblogging the Aubreyad: Post Captain Part Two

More book, less background, all spoilers.

I will here put in a plug for listening to the Simon Vance audiobooks of this series on 1.25x speed, can't recommend highly enough. Except his foreign accents are terrible, I won't lie about that. Anyhow. Get a library card and check these out if you would rather not read my summaries, which despite their thoroughness are not entire. The books are a challenging read but I did manage it at 12 but I did that through the power of being a socially isolated undiagnosed neurodivergent child so I don't necessarily recommend that either.

A NEE HOO, the book:

In part 1 we got female characters (sweet innocent Sophia? or her worldly, dashing cousin Diana?), sweet bachelor pad, social lives, horse farts, and *jazz hands* financial ruinnnnnn, and our intrepid heroes have fled to France where a Frenchman ruined Jack's composure by kissing him. But now, war has broken out, and they must flee without being arrested, which will be very difficult because Jack is approximately the most ostentatiously English person ever to have existed on this planet, in this universe.

And so now we pay off on my earlier bullet-point about Jack's fursona.

I had genuinely forgotten about this when I first relistened to the books. I listened to this long expounded-upon scenario, where a convoy of English prisoners of the French is resting and there's a man with a tame bear passing by and the prisoners, especially a sea officer trying to impress a lady in company with him, want him to make the bear dance even though it is hot and the bear is obviously tired, and the gendarmes finally come over and insist that the bear must dance to prove it really is a tame bear, and I was just expecting this to be some background descriptive passage included in the book for the atmosphere as so many are until, as they are finally left alone and the bear-leader is sitting counting up the coins people tossed at them, unaccountably reciting them to the bear as if the bear is going to care, the bear out of nowhere answers him.

“When one sea-officer is to be roasted, there is always another at hand to turn the spit,' said the bear. 'It is an old service proverb. I hope to God I have that fornicating young sod under my command one day. i'll make him dance a hornpipe - oh, such a hornpipe. Stephen, prop my jaws open a little more, will you? I think I shall die in five minutes if you don't. Could we not creep into a field and take it off?' 'No,' said Stephen. 'But I shall lead you to an inn as soon as the market has cleared, and lodge you in a cool damp cellar for the afternoon. I will also get you a collar, to enable you to breathe. We must reach Couiza by dawn.'

Stephen for his own inscrutable reasons names the bear Flora and tells everyone it is a female bear whose female troubles make it bad at dancing. Meanwhile Jack is being slowly murdered by the suit, his bare bloody feet glued to the costume's paws, insects eating him, never able to eat or drink enough, always overheated. By the time they make it to the Spanish border, Jack is nearly dead. It's a good character study: he is still thinking tactically at some times, still has the capacity to wonder whether Stephen might yet betray him, to notice that he has heretofore in their acquaintance underestimated Stephen severely, but his innate and natural response to this kind of hopeless privation and suffering is to simply submit to it and endure, doing whatever Stephen tells him to, understanding that there is no useful resistance he can make; he resents Stephen but also recognizes that Stephen too is suffering, this is simply what must be done and he must endure it, beyond any concept of limits. As they finally reach Spain he sits on a rock and dreamily tells Stephen he is glad Stephen seems so happy, and just sort of echoes whatever Stephen says, clearly well beyond comprehending what's going on anymore. (He does revive once the bear suit comes off.)

He spends some time very ill in Stephen's house just across the border. Stephen owns a castle there, though it's mostly in ruins. Once Jack can move, they make their way, this time both as humans, down to Gibraltar, and book passage home in an Indiaman* that has happened to put in there for repairs.

[* for the record the word Indiaman refers to a merchant ship plying the rich trade route to India, and would have female pronouns, like any ship. Actual human Indian men, if sailors or soldiers, are referred to as Lascars, with normal human pronouns as applicable, and as far as I can tell this is just a neutral descriptor and even though racial attitudes of the time were what they were, was not ever particularly used as a slur. Now You Know. Listen I'm trying to look things up as I go, since there's Period-Typical-Everything in here, but I might miss some, do be advised; I don't intend to condone any anythings in any of this nor do I wish to carelessly use loaded terms but it can be difficult to suss out what's what in the modern context.]

Aboard that Indiaman is another of my earlier bullet points: yes it's TOM PULLINGS. Jack recognizes him by his huge grin from across the ship, he's so delighted to see them, human sunbeam that he is.

Never confirmed as a lieutenant after the acting commission Jack had given him in the Sophie, quite without any political influence or hope of help in that quarter (though Jack had written letters of introduction for him to every single captain he knew who he thought might have a spot for him), TOM PULLINGS has given up on the Navy and taken a job with the East India Company, which pays better but is entirely without glory or hope of promotion.

“Why, sir, I could not get a ship and they would not confirm me in my rank. No white lapels for you, Pullings, old cock, they said. We got too many coves like you, by half." ''What a damned shame," cried Jack, who had seen Pullings in action and who knew that the Navy did not and indeed could not possibly have too many coves like him.

Another fun bit of fuzzy timekeeping which I should tally somewhere here is that while we know Jack and Stephen's adventure in France was of some considerable duration, every so often for the next few books Pullings will point out yet another Indiaman and say delightedly "I made two voyages in her", and I should start a running tally of How Many Indiamen Has Tom Pullings Been In somewhere because each voyage is a minimum of six months, and we have seen Pullings earlier in this book, he attended the St Vincent Battle Ball in February of-- whatever year that was. (Side note: Mowett mentions having served previously in the Namur, which was at the Battle of St Vincent, and it was only three years before, so it's perfectly possible he was there, but it's never brought up. Thinks to think upon!)

(I am sure some fan at some point has already done this work. But all the discussion boards are from 2003ish and it is hard to search them. Better than modern fandoms, where it all vanishes into private Discords, but it is... sort of sad, to look through the moribund message boards and remember being in spaces like that and how great they were. RIP to the golden days of the Internet.)

I've already explained how promotion works, so I don't need to elaborate on how very slim Pullings's career prospects are. He shows Jack all around his ship, and Jack tries very hard to be polite, but merchantmen, after the Navy, are a sort of sorry, squalid state of things, and there's not a lot to be polite about. Pullings clearly does the best he can but he has only a thin crew, a poor-sailing sluggish fat ship, and a timid captain to work with. What's worse, many of the crew are Lascars-- fine seamen, but they seem poorly; the initial assumption that they are simply not used to the cold proves wrong, it turns out that they're all succumbing to the flu, which is affecting the Europeans too but is hitting the Lascars that much harder. So the ship is now critically short-handed, with many of the crew incapacitated by the flu.

And then a French privateer heaves into sight, the Bellone. The captain doesn't know what to do and is terrified. Pullings beats the ship approximately into shape by sheer dint of competence and strong feeling, but there's not a lot of hope, he quite simply has very little to work with. Jack steps up and volunteers to take charge of one of the divisions of guns. It is so long since they have been used that he has to fire one to blow the port lid off, it having been painted into place long ago.

A brisk action ensues, but the Indiaman, despite all the heroics Jack and Pullings can manage, is overwhelmed and taken. Jack and Pullings are both moderately-to-severely injured in the fight, Jack left briefly in a coma after falling down a hatchway and Pullings being both shot and stabbed. The French steal everything aboard the ship including the passengers' personal property and Stephen's surgical implements that he was in the middle of using, impose a heavy prize-crew, and undertake to sail the Indiaman to a Spanish harbor. Jack will certainly spend the war a French prisoner, with no hope of getting home, getting a command, advancing his career, staying relevant.

But then an English brig, recognized as the Seagull by Pullings because his uncle used to be the sailing master in her, shows up and fights the French prize-crew to a standstill. Our heroes spend the action locked up below, but the French captain lets them out when the action grinds to a pause, the Seagull heavily damaged trying to repair itself enough to continue. Things look bad; the Frenchman is annoyed and might just sink the Seagull out of spite, but then a squadron of homeward-bound Royal Navy ships of the line round the headland-- the HMS Colossus, a 74, the Tonnant of eighty guns, more behind them-- and Jack puts his hand down over the touch-hole of the gun the Frenchman was about to fire at the Seagull and coldly tells him he must surrender to the brig.

Which he does.

So now Jack is home to England, and back in the running to get himself a ship so he can participate in this war and stay alive in his career-- but where he also is still at constant risk of being arrested for debt.

The new First Lord of the Admiralty is Lord Melville, whose family name is Dundas-- the older brother, in fact, of Heneage Dundas, who was a midshipman and then a lieutenant alongside Jack, one of his best friends. Melville thinks his younger brother is a bit of an idiot, but has some small fondness for Jack anyway. So there's hope. But Jack is arriving so late that all the best posts have already been snapped up. Melville promises to do his best to find him something, but tells him not to hold out much hope of something actually good. Jack does explain his specific problem, however-- the debt thing-- and Melville is understanding of it at least.

Jack has taken lodgings in a tiny shack outside of town with Stephen, giving rise to this charming description, please to look out for a particularly excellent 19th-century word usage:

At present they were lodging in an idyllic cottage near the heath with green shutters and a honeysuckle over the door - idyllic in summer, that is to say. They were looking after themselves, living with rigid economy; and there was no greater proof of their friendship than the way their harmony withstood their very grave differences in domestic behaviour. In Jack's opinion Stephen was little better than a slut: his papers, odd bits of dry, garlic'd bread, his razors and small-clothes lay on and about his private table in a miserable squalor; and from the appearance of the grizzled wig that was now acting as a tea-cosy for his milk-saucepan, it was clear that he had breakfasted on marmalade.

Stephen you slut indeed.

They go to a party-- a risky proposition, with Jack a wanted man, but Everyone who is Everyone will be there, and he quite simply needs to remind his various powerful acquaintances that he is here and in need. So they go. Diana is there, and also a well-connected, very wealthy merchant named Canning. Canning's merchant ships are very much preyed-upon by privateers-- especially the Bellone-- and he has been commissioning privateers of his own to defend them. He very politely, indirectly goes as far as is decent toward offering Jack the command of the latest of these, which is to be very large and powerful indeed. It is deeply, deeply tempting, and Jack considers it at length, but his ambition above all else lies with the Navy, and Lord Melville is also at the party and tells him he should come the very next day to a meeting, Melville thinks he might have something for him.

Diana also offers to Jack that he might come see her the next day. He points out, sensibly, that he is at risk of arrest, and so it would be deeply irresponsible of him to go jaunting about the city. She scorns him for this, saying he is being a coward to even consider such things as his own personal ruin. She quite openly only wants him if he's willing to ruin himself for her.

Jack goes out for a walk late that night, out in a deserted area, to think. A man tries to mug him and his immediate reflex, honed by kind of a lot of hand-to-hand combat experience, is to just absolutely beat the shit out of the guy in about two blows. He lays him out cold and then, standing over the body, realizes he can't leave the man lying here as it's coming on to freeze and the fellow will die of exposure. So, cursing how complicated everything always has to be on land, he carries the man home, as you do, and ties him to a chair, and promptly falls asleep in the other chair waiting for Stephen, who went to visit other friends after the party.

(Several times in the series it is made plain that Jack has been at sea since he was an actual child, and his understanding of how laws work by land is very extremely fuzzy at best; his education in general is shockingly lacking. He knows the Articles of War cold, could recite them back to front, can cite them by number unfailingly, but only has a vague notion of any other kind of law, and no idea at all how the land-based justice system actually works. And how could he?)

Stephen comes home near dawn to find them thus, Jack asleep in one chair, and the would-be mugger wide awake, terrified, and extremely-competently tied to their only other chair.

The would-be mugger is an excellent plot device: he succinctly and intelligently explains to Stephen and the reader exactly how English debt law works, he himself being extremely experienced in it. (Stephen is gently spooning food into the man's mouth even as he is still tied to the chair, he having admitted he only took up trying to mug people because he had not eaten in several days.) Jack also forces the man to eat some of Jack's own breakfast, under peril of being headed up in a cask and tossed overboard, which makes plain to everyone involved a) how serious he is and b) where he's more normally accustomed to being.

Jack makes his way to the meeting with Melville, who finally offers him a ship. It is not a good ship. Melville actually feels guilty to even offer it. It is called HMS Polychrest, it is a misguided experiment gone wrong, built by a corrupt dockyard to the specifications of an ill-informed landlubber with ideas. But, it has cannons and it technically floats, so Jack takes it.

He's aware that Melville feels like shit about it, though, so he figures he has one, and only one, big concession he can ask for. And he shoots that shot on one, very dear, very precious thing that he very badly wants:

TOM PULLINGS, to be made lieutenant at last, and to serve with him in this misbegotten floating disaster.

I will break off again here because this is too long. Stay tuned for PART THREE, in which I promise I'll tell you how Barret Bonden punches out a cop.

#liveblogging the aubreyad #jack aubrey #post captain #stephen maturin #tom pullings #book reports #such as they are

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perhaps-in-anotherdream · 2 years ago

Text

[CN] Victor’s Mind Quest: Melding Into You (Eng Translation)

⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a mind quest, 纵融流入你, that is yet to be released on the global server! ♡

[Additional warning]: Same old warning LOL. Considering the super vivid explicitness, if you don’t qualify for the 17+ rating of the game (CN server), it’s very highly recommended that you don’t proceed under the cut~ :>

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

─

【Subbed Video】

[Heads-up]: Yes, read the transcript for reading, of course! But for the life of me, PLEASE DO WATCH THE VIDEO!! YOU DO NOT WANNA MISS WU LEI’S GODLY VOICE ACTING AND THOSE CLOSE-UPS AKSJSJSDGFG (+ excuse my real-time reactions 🤪😂)

youtube

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【Transcript Version】

【Chapter 1】

With every breath, the air is saturated with the briny smell of seawater. The sun is beaming so brilliantly that it appears almost white, reminiscent of a melted silver sphere.

The scorching sand sears through the soles of my shoes, grilling the bottoms of my feet. The water within my body evaporates continuously as sweat trickles down.

MC: Ngh… Victor…

Lacking strength, I weakly tug at the hem of his shirt, and my hand naturally reaches into the backpack, retrieving the item I need.

MC: Ah… we’re about to run out of this last bottle of water too.

I hold the remaining half-filled bottle of mineral water against my ear and give it a shake, attempting to quench my thirst by listening to the sound of water.

MC: I feel like I’m being roasted from head to toe…

V̲i̲c̲t̲o̲r̲ ̲s̲h̲i̲f̲t̲s̲ ̲h̲i̲s̲ ̲p̲o̲s̲i̲t̲i̲o̲n̲ ̲a̲n̲d̲ ̲s̲t̲a̲n̲d̲s̲ ̲i̲n̲ ̲f̲r̲o̲n̲t̲ ̲o̲f̲ ̲m̲e̲ ̲a̲t̲ ̲a̲ ̲d̲i̲f̲f̲e̲r̲e̲n̲t̲ ̲a̲n̲g̲l̲e̲,̲ ̲a̲l̲i̲g̲n̲i̲n̲g̲ ̲h̲i̲m̲s̲e̲l̲f̲ ̲a̲t̲ ̲j̲u̲s̲t̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲ ̲r̲i̲g̲h̲t̲ ̲t̲u̲r̲n̲ ̲s̲o̲ ̲h̲i̲s̲ ̲s̲h̲a̲d̲o̲w̲ ̲s̲h̲i̲e̲l̲d̲s̲ ̲m̲e̲ ̲f̲r̲o̲m̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲ ̲s̲c̲o̲r̲c̲h̲i̲n̲g̲ ̲s̲u̲n̲.̲

Victor: Let’s take a break if you’re tired.

I shake my head, gazing at the beach with endless waves in the distance and our private yacht stranded on the shore. It still feels unbelievable to me.

Who could have imagined it would turn out like this before we set off?

Recently, the several new projects Victor has been working on have been progressing steadily. And I have also finally managed to carve out some time for a vacation.

Thereupon, we hopped onto Victor’s private boat and set sail, fully prepared for a delightful voyage at sea.

However, the navigation system suddenly failed when we were out at sea, leaving us without any means to find our way back to shore, and eventually, we ran out of fuel.

We drifted at the mercy of the waves for over ten hours at sea before finally making landfall on this unnamed island with no signal. And now, we are on the verge of running out of resources.

Victor sighs and reaches out, placing his hand on my forehead and the nape of my neck while I’m lost in thought.

Victor: Your body temperature is still normal. It doesn’t seem like you’ve got a heatstroke.

H͟e͟ u͟n͟s͟c͟r͟e͟w͟s͟ t͟h͟e͟ w͟a͟t͟e͟r͟ b͟o͟t͟t͟l͟e͟ a͟n͟d͟ p͟o͟u͟r͟s͟ o͟u͟t͟ a͟b͟o͟u͟t͟ h͟a͟l͟f͟ a͟ c͟a͟p͟f͟u͟l͟ o͟f͟ w͟a͟t͟e͟r͟. T͟h͟e͟n͟, h͟e͟ d͟i͟p͟s͟ h͟i͟s͟ f͟i͟n͟g͟e͟r͟t͟i͟p͟ i͟n͟t͟o͟ t͟h͟e͟ w͟a͟t͟e͟r͟ a͟n͟d͟ p͟r͟e͟s͟s͟e͟s͟ t͟h͟e͟ m͟o͟i͟s͟t͟u͟r͟e͟ a͟g͟a͟i͟n͟s͟t͟ m͟y͟ p͟a͟r͟c͟h͟e͟d͟ l͟i͟p͟s͟.

As my lips become moist and cool, I can’t help but rub my lips against his fingertips. At this moment, looking up, I find that his own lips are also slightly chapped.

Victor: Where has your imagination run off to again?

Looking at his fatigued yet still unwavering expression, I find myself unable to utter a single despondent phrase like “We’re doomed” or “What are we going to do?”

I͟ s͟i͟m͟p͟l͟y͟ c͟u͟r͟v͟e͟ m͟y͟ l͟i͟p͟s͟ u͟p͟w͟a͟r͟d͟s͟ a͟n͟d͟ m͟o͟i͟s͟t͟e͟n͟ h͟i͟s͟ l͟i͟p͟s͟, m͟i͟r͟r͟o͟r͟i͟n͟g͟ h͟i͟s͟ g͟e͟s͟t͟u͟r͟e͟ j͟u͟s͟t͟ n͟o͟w͟.

MC: I’m just thinking, CEO Victor is always so thoughtful in moments like this.

Victor doesn’t expose my thoughts. Instead, he simply takes my hand and guides me in a different direction, heading straight for the lush forest at the heart of the island.

We savor a brief moment of relief, cooling ourselves off beneath the shades of the trees before Victor opens his mouth unhurriedly.

Victor: The coastal area we passed by appears deserted and untouched for a long time. Instead of trying our luck under the blazing sun, it’s wiser to change our route.

MC: What makes you so sure?

Victor: In the spot where our boat got stranded, there were long discarded fishing nets underwater. Judging by the level of corrosion, they must have been there for at least three to five years.

Victor: Since we can’t be certain that help will be available, we need to move towards a location abundant in resources.

Victor: In areas filled with vegetation, even if we run out of fresh drinking water, we can still resort to extracting water from the soil layer.

Victor: The emergency food in our bag is sufficient to sustain us for half a month, and that should provide ample time for the insurance company to locate us.

As always, he calmly assesses the situation, and his confident tone sparks courage within me.

MC: Makes sense! I now feel like I was really being carried away earlier, thinking that we were about to dominate the headlines of next week’s news.

MC: Something like, “The CEO of LFG and his girlfriend have been missing since their trip at sea, suspected to have been killed on an unnamed island”...

Victor glances at me with a helpless yet amused expression.

Victor: You have the energy to crack jokes now. Seems like you’ve had a good rest?

Taking a deep breath, I muster all the strength I have left within me and tightly grip back onto his hand.

MC: Hmm! Let’s go! Let’s set off!

—

As we go deeper into the woods, the terrain grows steeper. After walking for more than ten minutes, we’ve arrived at the highest point of this small hill.

I involuntarily find myself stopping in my tracks, my eyes widening.

MC: …Victor, look!

Clusters of cottages dot the landscape along the paved road, nestled at the foot of the hills. The lush greenery of the island encircles them, akin to pearls embraced by green velvet.

Smoke rises from the kitchen chimneys of some houses, and clean laundry hangs in the front and back of the yards. Down by the seaside, freshly caught seafood is being sun-dried.

After being away from any signs of human habitation, I finally lay my eyes on the sparkling radiance of human civilization once again.

I can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, and from the corner of my eye, I see that Victor’s previously slightly tensed jaw has also relaxed.

Our footsteps can’t help but quicken, and we hurry towards the seaside village.

—

Fifteen minutes later. We find ourselves seated on the cool, wide wooden chairs in the courtyard of the village chief's house, drinking water from enamel cups in big gulps.

The village chief listens to our experiences and nods understandingly.

Village Chief: Don’t blame yourselves. It was just a stroke of bad luck that you happened to be caught up in it.

Village Chief: Even we old fishermen didn’t anticipate that this magnetic storm would have an impact on our coastal waters.

During the conversation, we learn that the name of this island is White Pearl Island, and the villagers here make a living through pearl farming.

As Victor had surmised before, the western coast where we made landfall had only been used as a fishing ground about a decade ago.

As time went on, the village prospered through pearl farming, and the villagers abandoned the fishing grounds to develop and operate pearl harvesting sites in the eastern coastal area.

While the village chief briefly steps away, Victor leans against the door with his arms crossed, appearing as composed as if he were standing in his own office.

Victor: What’s on your mind?

MC: I’m thinking, this place is so serene, untouched by excessive development. It’s perfectly suited for a sojourn.

MC: And who knows, I might even have the chance to enjoy a sumptuous seafood feast prepared by CEO Victor using fresh fish and shrimp!

A smile tugs at the corners of Victor’s lips as he pinches my cheek.

Victor: Always thinking about food.

Victor: Although, if a certain someone wants a peaceful vacation without any disruptions, this place certainly meets your criteria.

MC: I’m very satisfied, but I wonder if CEO Victor will be able to adapt?

I͟ a͟r͟c͟h͟ a͟n͟ e͟y͟e͟b͟r͟o͟w͟ a͟s͟ I͟ l͟o͟o͟k͟ a͟t͟ h͟i͟m͟. V͟i͟c͟t͟o͟r͟ b͟e͟n͟d͟s͟ d͟o͟w͟n͟ a͟n͟d͟ u͟n͟t͟a͟n͟g͟l͟e͟s͟ a͟ f͟e͟w͟ s͟t͟r͟a͟n͟d͟s͟ o͟f͟ m͟y͟ l͟o͟n͟g͟, s͟w͟e͟a͟t͟-s͟o͟a͟k͟e͟d͟, k͟n͟o͟t͟t͟e͟d͟ h͟a͟i͟r͟, a͟ s͟m͟i͟l͟e͟ f͟o͟r͟m͟i͟n͟g͟ o͟n͟ h͟i͟s͟ l͟i͟p͟s͟.

Victor: Why would I want to pass up the opportunity to reside in this “Seaside Utopia”?

—

Beneath the setting sun, Victor and I find ourselves standing at the entrance of a run-down health center.

The rosy golden light casts upon the shabby outer walls and stairway marred by dust, serving as a declaration of the antiquated and abandoned state of this place.

I wrap my arm around Victor’s and give him a wink.

MC: Although there isn’t a proper inn in the village, the village chief’s recommendation is not bad.

MC: For a village without a tourism industry, the living conditions here are much better than I imagined.

Victor: I see, so I wonder who was murmuring about being stranded on a deserted island earlier, and now in the blink of an eye, she can just “go with the flow”?

MC: It’s true that I’m not adept at survival on a deserted island... but I definitely excel at turning a place into a warm and cozy little home.

With his eyes on me, Victor’s lips form into a smile, warm like the hues of the sunset glow.

Victor: Well, I’m looking forward to seeing your performance.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 2】

The moment the rusty key turns the lock and the door opens, a stream of sunlight floods through the crack, illuminating the billowing dust.

MC: Cough, cough, cough–– so dusty––

V͟i͟c͟t͟o͟r͟ c͟o͟v͟e͟r͟s͟ m͟y͟ n͟o͟s͟e͟ a͟n͟d͟ m͟o͟u͟t͟h͟, p͟u͟l͟l͟i͟n͟g͟ m͟e͟ b͟e͟h͟i͟n͟d͟ h͟i͟m͟. I͟ s͟q͟u͟e͟e͟z͟e͟ p͟a͟s͟t͟ a͟n͟d͟ r͟e͟s͟t͟ m͟y͟ h͟e͟a͟d͟ o͟n͟ h͟i͟s͟ s͟h͟o͟u͟l͟d͟e͟r͟, p͟e͟e͟r͟i͟n͟g͟ i͟n͟.

…it appears that the deserted state of this village health center exceeds my imagination.

The unattended floor, constantly exposed to heat and humidity, is covered in a layer of mold and dust. Each step on it produces a creaking sound. I try turning on the incandescent bulb, but it doesn’t light up.

There are even more “surprises” awaiting us as we step inside. The water in the toilet tank fills up slowly, and it makes a gurgling noise when flushed. The window glass is cracked, resembling a spider’s web.

The sole good news is that the signal of the landline phone at the health center is quite stable. Using his phone’s contact list, Victor dials the insurance company.

They inform us that they will come to rescue us and the boat once the seafaring is no longer affected. At that time, they will contact this phone number again.

As Victor wraps up the phone call, I have already prepared the cleaning tools and solemnly hand him a mask.

MC: Comrade Victor, it seems that our transformation task is very demanding!

Casting a brief glance my way, Victor rolls up his sleeves and takes out a screwdriver from the toolbox.

Victor: Does it scare you?

MC: Absolutely not! With the hardworking and wise CEO Victor at my side, why would I be scared?

MC: Let’s get to work!

As I go from scrubbing the floor to changing bed sheets and pillowcases, I gradually feel like I have turned into a cleaning robot.

In the meantime, Victor takes apart the light bulbs and rewires the filaments, restores the pieces of furniture that are still usable, and even goes through the process of repairing the electrical circuitry in the house.

By the time we’ve finally renovated the health center to a state that people can actually live in, the setting sun outside the window has long dipped below the sea surface.

As I lean back and topple onto the one-person hospital bed, to my surprise, I immediately hear an ominous creaking sound coming from beneath me.

Before I can react, the wheels at the bottom of the begin to roll, causing both the bed and me lying on it to move backward––

MC: ?!

A hand grabs onto the bed rail at its head, forcing it to a stop. As I lift my head, true to my expectations, I am met with the sight of a Victor with knitted brows.

Victor: …

MC: …ahem, this bed is surprisingly fun. CEO Victor, would you like to give it a try?

Victor: Indeed, it’s quite entertaining. Maybe I should build a track for you, and I bet a certain someone can ride the bed from the health center all the way to the sea.

I make a face at him and bend down to close the valve next to the wheels. Then, Victor and I each lay down on our respective beds.

After a long period of hustle and fatigue, we certainly both are in need of a thorough rest.

I nestle under the makeshift bedsheet that serves as a thin blanket, almost wishing to never wake up once I fall asleep. However, as soon as I close my eyes, the sound of rain reaches my ears from outside.

The torrential raindrops relentlessly pound against the roof tiles and awning, creating the reminiscence of war drums on a summer island beating against me.

My sleepiness is entirely vanquished by the joint assault of rainwater and roof tiles, ultimately leading to a complete and utter defeat.

In a daze, I open my eyes and habitually reach for my phone tucked under the pillow. It’s already 2 a.m.

Since I don’t have any sleepiness anyway, I simply decide to hold onto my phone, which has no signal or internet, and start flipping through my photo album.

From the sights we’ve shared together, to the fine delicacies cooked by Victor, and onto the little animals gravitating around him…

I find myself being so enthralled as I delve into the photos that I have completely forgotten about my insomnia. Whenever I come across something interesting, I excitedly turn over and delve deeper.

At this moment, the bed beside me makes a creaking sound. And with the dim light of my phone, I see Victor sitting up.

MC: Huh, you’re still not asleep?

Victor: I’m not so dull that I won’t be able to hear the sound of a certain someone tossing and turning.

Victor walks over and sits at the edge of my little bed.

Victor: I’m not feeling sleepy yet. I’ll keep you company for a bit.

As the screen of the idle phone gradually dims, fading into a dark and somber hue, Victor’s outline also slowly dissolves into obscurity.

Amid the darkness, just as I shift slightly to the side, his warmth instantly draws closer.

His long, slender, and toned body presses against mine, as Victor leans against the edge of the bed, squeezing into the cramped space of the tiny bed with me.

–

[Anika’s Notes]: Haha, I love how MC calls the bed “小小床” (xiao xiao chuang), really emphasizing how small it really is LOL *cries in their inability to sleep a single night apart* 🥺

–

The bed creaks under the weight, apparently struggling to bear our combined load. His arm comes around me, embracing my back.

Victor: Why are you still not sleeping?

MC: [coquettishly] It’s my first time spending the night in a health center, so I’ve not adapted to it yet. And the sound of the rain on the roof is so noisy!

MC: I feel like I need someone to coax me to sleep~

Victor’s arm clasps me deeper into him, letting my face rest snugly against his chest.

Victor: Dummy…

Victor: If the sound of the rain is bothersome, just listen to my breathing. Don’t let your mind wander anywhere else.

In the dimness of the night, I can clearly hear his breathing. It sets off an uneven and erratic rhythm in my heart.

He is so close… so close.

The proximity is such that even the slightest movement causes our skin to graze against each other, sending tingles of sensation through me. It’s so close that his lips, when opening and closing, brush against my ear from time to time.

I try not to let my imagination run wild, but I feel that tingling sensation from my ear spreading to my cheeks.

Victor gently pats my back, and t͟h͟e͟ s͟o͟u͟n͟d͟ o͟f͟ h͟i͟s͟ v͟o͟i͟c͟e͟ c͟a͟s͟c͟a͟d͟e͟s͟ d͟o͟w͟n͟ u͟p͟o͟n͟ m͟e͟ l͟i͟k͟e͟ d͟r͟i͟f͟t͟i͟n͟g͟ d͟a͟n͟d͟e͟l͟i͟o͟n͟s͟, bringing with it a soft and tingling sensation.

Victor: Is this method not effective?

MC: It’s very effective. I’m already feeling more relaxed.

Victor: So why are you staring with your eyes wide open instead of sleeping? What mischievous thoughts are you up to?

MC: It’s not that easy to fall asleep, okay… How about we play a little bedtime game?

Victor: …insatiable.

The freshly dried quilt cover has no trace of detergent scent, allowing Victor’s warm breath to permeate through it––

Akin to a tiny hook, it entices me to draw closer, pressing myself against him.

MC: Or else, let me just soak up some of that “Victor energy.”

With these words, I extend my hand under the covers and wrap my arms around him, simultaneously tilting my head up and nuzzling my cheek against his chin.

Victor allows me to s͟h͟o͟w͟e͟r͟ h͟i͟m͟ w͟i͟t͟h͟ k͟i͟s͟s͟e͟s͟ a͟n͟d͟ g͟e͟n͟t͟l͟e͟ r͟u͟b͟s͟, until the sleep bugs slowly cast a veil of moist and warm haze before my eyes.

I close my eyes and curl up against his chest, longingly and fondly.

Victor: Sleepy?

I initially wanted to deny it, but a sly idea sparks in my mind, and I pretend to be drowsy as I reply.

MC: Mhm… a little…

With my eyes closed, I snuggle closer and plant a kiss on the nape of his neck before nestling my head back down, pretending to be in a sleepy state.

Victor: …but I’m not sleepy anymore.

I hear Victor take a deep breath, somewhat helplessly brushing away the stray strands of hair from my face.

Following this, a soft and warm touch falls at the corner of my lips.

MC: [blushing] Ngh…

Pretending to be drowsy, I tilt my head slightly, positioning myself so his kiss lands precisely on my lips.

Victor: …

His breath falters momentarily, then transforms into a knowing and husky exhale.

Victor: Your acting isn’t bad.

The softness on my lips slightly intensifies, prying open the space between my teeth and transmitting a dry and warm heat.

I͟ f͟e͟e͟l͟ a͟s͟ i͟f͟ V͟i͟c͟t͟o͟r͟ h͟a͟s͟ p͟e͟e͟l͟e͟d͟ o͟f͟f͟ t͟h͟e͟ t͟h͟i͟n͟ l͟a͟y͟e͟r͟ o͟f͟ t͟u͟l͟l͟e͟, opening my moist eyes and crashing into his intent gaze on me. I deliberately pout my lips at him.

MC: [blushing] What do you mean… where was I acting…

Victor: Hmm, so you were not acting? Were you playing, then?

Knowing his intentions, I press myself closer to him, lovingly using my lips to lightly brush against the corner of his mouth.

MC: I thought… the game had already begun.

Victor lets out a knowing smile. Following this, h͟e͟ b͟e͟n͟d͟s͟ h͟i͟s͟ h͟e͟a͟d͟ s͟l͟i͟g͟h͟t͟l͟y͟ a͟n͟d͟ p͟l͟a͟n͟t͟s͟ a͟ s͟e͟n͟s͟a͟t͟i͟o͟n͟ o͟f͟ p͟r͟e͟d͟a͟t͟o͟r͟y͟ p͟a͟i͟n͟ o͟n͟ m͟y͟ c͟h͟e͟s͟t͟.

Victor: That’s true.

Victor: This game will continue for a long time, and…

His voice is so irresistibly alluring to me that I͟ c͟a͟n͟’t͟ h͟e͟l͟p͟ m͟y͟s͟e͟l͟f͟ f͟r͟o͟m͟ c͟l͟i͟m͟b͟i͟n͟g͟ u͟p͟ a͟n͟d͟ f͟i͟l͟l͟i͟n͟g͟ e͟v͟e͟r͟y͟ r͟e͟m͟a͟i͟n͟i͟n͟g͟ c͟r͟e͟v͟i͟c͟e͟ w͟i͟t͟h͟ k͟i͟s͟s͟e͟s͟.

MC: [blushing] And what?

Victor: When it ends is up to me to decide.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 3】

[Anika’s Notes]: Yeah, mark the euphemism in MC’s very first monologue here, and you’ll see what she really meant later on LMAO 🤪

–

C͟o͟n͟s͟i͟d͟e͟r͟i͟n͟g͟ t͟h͟e͟ i͟n͟t͟e͟n͟s͟e͟ r͟a͟i͟n͟f͟a͟l͟l͟ w͟e͟ h͟a͟d͟ l͟a͟s͟t͟ n͟i͟g͟h͟t͟, I͟ i͟n͟i͟t͟i͟a͟l͟l͟y͟ t͟h͟o͟u͟g͟h͟t͟ t͟h͟a͟t͟ t͟o͟d͟a͟y͟ w͟o͟u͟l͟d͟ b͟e͟ a͟ l͟i͟t͟t͟l͟e͟ c͟o͟o͟l͟e͟r͟.

Much to my surprise, even at noon, the sizzling hot and humid summer air persists over the sea surface.

Sitting at the edge of the deck, I hold a glass of chilled water and dip my feet into the seawater. The refreshing contrast in temperature compels me to sigh contentedly.

MC: Ha–– sure enough, being on the sea surface is the coziest thing during summer.

This morning, Victor requested the village chief for help in refueling our boat. After that, we sailed the boat to the coastal waters from where we could see the village.

MC: [musing to herself] The sea, the fishing village, the sunshine… it would be even better if Victor were here.

Victor: I’ve only been in the water for ten minutes, and a certain someone already couldn’t wait any longer?

Just as I m͟u͟r͟m͟u͟r͟ h͟i͟s͟ n͟a͟m͟e͟ t͟o͟ m͟y͟s͟e͟l͟f͟, a spray of water blooms at my feet–– and there is Victor, floating up.

He takes off his diving cap and slicks back his damp hair. His entire being exudes a nonchalant charm.

A touch of a smile plays at the corner of his lips, r͟e͟m͟i͟n͟i͟s͟c͟e͟n͟t͟ o͟f͟ t͟h͟e͟ b͟r͟e͟a͟k͟i͟n͟g͟ o͟f͟ d͟a͟w͟n͟ o͟n͟ t͟h͟e͟ s͟e͟a͟’s͟ h͟o͟r͟i͟z͟o͟n͟, making me unable to help myself from squinting my eyes and fixing my gaze upon him.

Beads of seawater coalesce into droplets on his handsome cheeks, reflecting the dazzling sunlight and shimmering gorgeously.

MC: Isn’t it because I want to share the scenery above the sea surface with you?

MC: What was it like on your end? Is the underwater scenery here beautiful?

Victor: It’s alright. The water isn’t as crystal clear as in tourist spots, but there are plenty of shells being cultivated by pearl farmers underwater.

He leverages his body onto the boat and sits down beside me.

Victor: Once you finish enjoying your luxurious iced water, let’s go together to collect shells underwater.

MC: Huh? It wouldn’t be appropriate to collect someone else’s shells without permission…

Victor: You dummy, I’ve already talked to the village chief about it.

Victor: We accidentally ended up on this White Pearl Island. If you don’t participate in the “unique activities” that you like, would you be willing to return?

MC: You’re right. Then I should hurry and get in the water before it gets too hot!

I down the water in one gulp and bring the diving suit over, getting ready to change into it.

Victor: And this one, too. Don’t forget about it.

Victor reaches out and picks up the goggles that are set aside, but as he hands them to me, his eyebrows involuntarily knit together for a moment.

MC: What’s wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?

Victor: It’s probably because my back got scraped when I was under the water. It hurts a little.

MC: Huh? Why didn’t you say anything earlier? Show it to me, quick!

–

I promptly ask Victor to take off his diving suit and carefully examine him from all sides, finding large patches of dark red sunburn marks scattered all over his body.

MC: And you always call me a dummy? How could you be so careless? It’s not a scrape; it’s sunburn!

Victor: …

A rarely-seen expression of embarrassment appears on Victor’s face, but he swiftly regains his usual composure.

Victor: …I’m not such a dummy that I’d forget to put on sunscreen. It’s probably that the magnetic storm is affecting the UV rays, so the sun is stronger than usual.

MC: Humph, sophistry. Luckily, I brought some medication. You wait here!

As I speak, I squeeze out an amount of ointment and rub it onto a patch of red mark on Victor’s body, using my fingertip to spread it in circular motions.

MC: [affectionately] If not treated promptly, sunburns can leave lasting marks. You have to wait for the cream to be fully absorbed like this.

MC: [affectionate business-like tone] CEO Victor did not take sun protection seriously this time. You must remember my notes properly.

Victor: Do you usually use this tone when giving feedback to your employees?

MC: I certainly do not. I’m just like you. This “small stove with a gentle fire” approach is reserved only for you.

—

[Tidbits]: The term MC uses here is 温火小灶 (wen huo xiao zao). It’s an idiomatic phrase used to describe a situation where someone is receiving preferential treatment or special privileges– the kind of partiality or preference you naturally tend to have for someone you love/ care for. I decided to do the literal translation here instead of a sophisticated one because of the innuendo later, haha~ 🤪

—

Due to Victor’s resolve to work out all year round, every muscle on his body has reached its prime condition. His skin is toned, and it’s silky smooth to the touch.

The red sunburn marks on his skin now have created the resemblance to a piece of white satin fabric being dyed red.

I can’t help but apply the cream with even gentler movements, massaging along the curves of his muscles to minimize any pain caused by the rubbing of the medication.

Victor breathes in gently as his muscles tense in response to the touch of my wandering fingertips, their texture moist and supple.

His skin already has a faint reddish tint due to sun exposure, but after applying the cream, it takes on a radiant sheen under the light, tempting me to keep touching further.

A hot and humid air lingers between us, perhaps causing some slight tingling sensation. His breathing seems slightly constricted.

Victor: …that’s enough.

MC: No, it’s not! I’ve only applied the ointment to one spot; I need to treat the other parts properly as well!

With a deadpan tone, I make him pull down the diving suit from his chest, revealing his neck and chest, which now have a reddish hue from the sunburn.

–

[Anika’s Notes]: Before we get into it, LMAO, I swear MC’s fetish for Victor’s Adam’s apple (and especially knowing he’s sensitive there), every freaking time, is something else entirely 😂

–

There is a slight redness at his Adam’s apple. And watching his subtle resistance, a wicked idea arises within me.

As I reach out and apply the ointment with my hand, my fingertips gently caress his Adam’s apple at the same time.

Victor’s Adam’s apple quivers slightly, and a raspy moan he’s unable to hold in escapes through his teeth.

Victor: Trying to mess around again?

Victor seizes my mischievous hand and runs his curled finger pad over my fingertips, silently questioning me with his eyes.

MC: [blushing] No, I just thought that it would make you more comfortable this way.

I shamelessly make up a twisted excuse, but Victor narrows his eyes and studies me for a moment. Then suddenly, he curves his lips into a smile and clasps my hand, bringing it to his chest and caressing it.

MC: [blushing] !!

The unforeseen sensation of smooth touch seeps into my hand, carrying the fiery heat that uniquely belongs to summer. I can’t help but let out a small gasp of surprise.

Victor: This way, I’ll be more comfortable.

MC: [blushing] But…

Victor: Are you planning to treat different parts in different ways?

Victor narrows his eyes slightly, and his deep gaze carries an air of someone in complete control. My competitive spirit can’t help but surge.

MC: [blushing] N-no, I won’t. I’ll make sure to carefully and thoroughly smear it onto every single part.

Taking the initiative, my fingertips spontaneously roam across his chest. And as the cream gradually melts with the warmth of his body, it becomes slightly sticky.

MC: [blushing] Stop fidgeting. The cream is all over me now… it’s so sticky…

T͟h͟e͟ s͟a͟l͟t͟y͟ a͟r͟o͟m͟a͟ o͟f͟ t͟h͟e͟ s͟e͟a͟ p͟e͟r͟m͟e͟a͟t͟e͟s͟ t͟h͟e͟ k͟i͟s͟s͟e͟s͟, a͟n͟d͟ I͟ m͟u͟r͟m͟u͟r͟ i͟n͟c͟o͟h͟e͟r͟e͟n͟t͟l͟y͟.

Victor: All I can say is that… a certain dummy is just as careless.

Victor’s eyes are reminiscent of ocean waves beneath the blazing sun, passionately and fiercely locked onto me.

Victor: If it gets rubbed onto you, just let it be so.

Victor: Since the “small stove with a gentle fire” approach is reserved only for me, I’m sure the Big Producer won’t mind going through the process again later.

The sunlight brings waves of heat onto the deck, while the tide continues to swell, lifting the boat higher and higher.

The boat glides like a nimble fish, swaying its body amidst the splashes of white foam created by the churning waves and producing the sound of crashing water.

Ripples spread out in circles, gradually expanding across the surface of the sea.

—

[Anika’s Notes]: LMAO the water euphemisms, no wonder Victor’s key word was “Moist.” Also, their energy LOL. Last night was gentle “love making” ft. biting on MC’s nips, among other things, and the next day was rough fcking ft. givin’ him head, among other things 🤪

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 4】

[Anika’s Notes]: Mark the very first monologue here, too, cause the euphemism will be given the explicit visual later on LOL~ 🤪

—

T͟h͟e͟r͟e͟’s͟ b͟e͟e͟n͟ f͟r͟e͟q͟u͟e͟n͟t͟ r͟a͟i͟n͟f͟a͟l͟l͟ d͟u͟r͟i͟n͟g͟ t͟h͟e͟ d͟a͟y͟ a͟n͟d͟ n͟i͟g͟h͟t͟ o͟n͟ W͟h͟i͟t͟e͟ P͟e͟a͟r͟l͟ I͟s͟l͟a͟n͟d͟ r͟e͟c͟e͟n͟t͟l͟y͟. A͟n͟d͟ f͟o͟r͟ s͟e͟v͟e͟r͟a͟l͟ c͟o͟n͟s͟e͟c͟u͟t͟i͟v͟e͟ d͟a͟y͟s͟, i͟t͟’s͟ b͟e͟e͟n͟ p͟o͟u͟r͟i͟n͟g͟ h͟e͟a͟v͟i͟l͟y͟ d͟u͟r͟i͟n͟g͟ t͟h͟e͟ n͟i͟g͟h͟t͟t͟i͟m͟e͟.

The rain at night, complemented by the sea breeze, is extraordinarily tranquil. And during these sleepless nights, Victor and I find ourselves engrossed in lengthy conversations, naturally resulting in us sleeping until noon.

…well, to be more accurate, I’m the one primarily responsible for letting nature take its course and dawdling in bed.

On occasions, by the time I wake up, Victor is already fully prepared and informs me about the plans for the new day.

Sometimes, we would dive into the water and swim under the gentle caress of the waves. Other times, we would wander hand in hand, exploring the desolate and peaceful stretches of the beach.

However, today is a bit different. When I wake up, I happen to be greeted by the sight of Victor carrying several large bags into the courtyard.

MC: Eh, did you go shopping?

Intrigued, I open the bags to take a look inside, only to find that they are filled with a variety of fresh vegetables, fish, and shrimp.

Victor: Today, we have something new in the plan.

I don’t know how, but somehow Victor has procured a bicycle. After he hangs the bags on the handlebars, he pats the back seat, gesturing me to hop on.

Victor: The village chief has arranged a suitable vacant kitchen space for us. Get on the bicycle first.

His words pique my curiosity. I carefully circle my arms around his waist, and under Victor’s control, the bicycle steadily glides along the unfamiliar road.

–

The narrow path is incredibly rough, and the unevenly paved road occasionally causes the bicycle to jolt violently.

MC: V-Victor, can you go a bit slower?

Victor: Relax the hand that’s clamping down my stomach a little, and I’ll consider it.

Victor frees one hand and pats my hand that is wrapped around his waist.

Victor: You’ve already experienced my bicycle driving skills last year. Are you still not confident?

MC: …pfff, CEO Victor sure does hold grudges well. How do you even remember such details?

Victor: It’s only that I just can’t forget that silly expression on a certain someone’s face before getting on the bicycle back then.

MC: Hehe, although I’ve already experienced it, this time, it’s an advanced version of the track with a higher level of difficulty…

The sea breeze sweeps through, as if bringing the sound of the waves crashing along the coast where we rode last year to my ears, while simultaneously carrying our synchronized laughter even farther away.

–

[Tidbits]: Refresher- a big callback to the dual proposal date, i.e., the Love Pledge Date on EN~ ❣️

–

At the end of the narrow path stands a small, white lighthouse, resembling a tiny chess piece amidst the vast blue sea.

MC: Could it be that the kitchen you mentioned is inside this lighthouse?

Victor nods and, with one hand holding mine and the other pushing the bicycle, walks towards the opened door of the lighthouse.

—

Victor: The magnetic storm is not over yet, so the village’s boats are unable to sail too far. The original caretaker of the lighthouse has returned to the village for a break, so the kitchen here is temporarily available.

Victor: When you first arrived on this White Pearl Island, didn’t you want me to personally cook a seafood feast for you?

Victor: This place is just right for us. No matter how much fuss we make and loud we are, it won’t disturb anyone else.

The corners of my lips can’t help but turn up wildly. I pounce on Victor and lock him in a big bear hug.

MC: Yippee, then it’s time for me to show off my skills!

I find a brand-new apron in one of the bags and skillfully fasten it around Victor, smoothing out any wrinkles.

MC: Chef, what tasks do you need your Sous Chef to fulfill?

Victor arches an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. He takes out a few vegetables from the bags and hands them to me.

Victor: Well, let’s begin with washing the vegetables.

MC: Sure thing~

As we finish washing each vegetable that pairs well with seafood, their leaves are now adorned with shimmering water droplets, reflecting a brilliant sparkle.

When the ingredients for the dishes are almost prepared and only waiting to be cooked, I walk over to Victor with my hands swinging behind my back.

The view of his figure from behind remains as poised and graceful as ever. He seems as if what he’s standing before is not a rustic clay stove, but the back kitchen of Souvenir.

Just as I’m about to lean over and peek into the pot, Victor blocks me with his arm.

MC: Don’t be so stingy! Could this be some secret recipe that I’m not allowed to know?

Victor: …there’s nothing that you can’t know, but I have another task to assign to you now.

As if he’s long been prepared, Victor somehow pulls out a list from his apron pocket and hands it to me.

A little confused, I take it from him and find that it’s a list of materials, listing items such as rubber pads and sponges.

Victor: I asked the village chief before coming here, and these materials we need are stocked upstairs. Let's get them ready beforehand, and we’ll have use of them when we get back to the health center.

Looking at his sincere expression, I forget about any teasing intentions and nod in response.

MC: Alright, leave it to me.

–

I rummage through the second floor of the lighthouse. Once I’ve found and readied all the materials we need, I swing open the door leading to the first floor.

The next second, a dense plume of pungent smoke rushes into the room, instantly clouding my vision.

MC: Cough, cough–– what’s going on? Is there a fire?! Victor!

Amidst the billowing smoke and intense heat, I hurriedly run down the stairs skipping every few steps, only to find that the first floor is also consumed by rolling clouds of dense smoke.

With a strenuous effort, after I’ve managed to push open the door to the lighthouse, I hear Victor’s unhurried voice coming from behind me.

Victor: I’m here.

–

As the smoke dissipates, it becomes evident that there is no fire inside the room. Victor is calmly seated at the dinner table, with a dish already prepared and placed on the table.

Upon seeing that he is unharmed, I shift my attention to the dish waiting on the table.

The dish is vibrant and delectable, skillfully plated with precision, showcasing his usual level of expertise.

If one overlooks the lingering smoke in the room and the smudges of ash on his face, everything appears to be the same as usual.

Nevertheless, the present situation is undeniably bizarre, leading me to narrow my eyes in suspicion.

MC: Victor, what happened?

Victor stays silent for a brief moment before pointing towards the clay stove in the kitchen, where the firewood is still burning.

Victor: I… [breaks into a short coughing fit and still sounds adorable] cough, cough––

Just as he is about to speak, the smoke causes him to choke, and he bends over in a coughing fit. After a while, he finally speaks in a rather peculiar tone.

Victor: The stove got damaged.

MC: …?

Victor: I’m being serious. It’s damaged.

Taking a brief look at the smoke billowing from the firewood and the partially charred wall, I roughly have a grasp of what must’ve happened here.

Seeing how calm and collected Victor was, I had assumed he had already grasped the technique of burning firewood. I never expected to witness such a scene of disaster.

MC: …cough, well, it’s a bit unfortunate. But CEO Victor still perfectly completed his cooking, didn’t he?

With the spirit of not ruining the mood, I suppress my laughter and pick up my chopsticks to take a bite.

As the fish slides into my mouth, it brings with it the freshness and tenderness of the ocean. My eyes can’t help but lighten up.

MC: Despite a minor hiccup, Chef Victor’s cooking is still incredibly delicious!

Victor: The quantity and ingredients used are the same as I calculated, so the taste shouldn’t deviate too much.

MC: You’ve worked hard. Now you take a break while I go and prepare a dish for us to try.

As I walk towards the stove while recalling the firewood-burning techniques I had previously learned, Victor suddenly grabs my hand.

Victor: …you sit here and wait for a bit. I’ll go and clean the pot.

The smudges of ashes on his face make his typically concealed emotions more prominent. He seems to be a bit… embarrassed?

Victor’s complete deviation from his usual demeanor sparks a “rebellious” impulse within me.

MC: I’ll do it, I’ll do it. Chef Victor can sit back and enjoy some well-deserved rest. Go and wait to savor a seafood feast.

Without waiting for him to stop me, I have already lifted the pot lid skeptically.

Victor seems to take a short breath, and I find myself nailed to the spot in surprise.

A half-pot of charred and unidentifiable food clings to the edges of the stove. I can’t help but widen my eyes and look at Victor, who has a slight furrow on his brows.

He loosens his hold on my hand, and his gaze shifts from the pot to my face, his expression subtly composed.

Victor: I…

MC: You…

Victor: Never mind. As you can see, it was indeed a failed cooking attempt.

Victor: I have never used a cauldron before, so I made a mistake in my calculation. Go ahead and laugh if you want to.

MC: Pfftt, HAHAHAHAHA…

Granted a special pardon, I can’t help but burst into laughter, and it takes me a while before I can stand up straight again.

MC: It was your first time using a clay stove, and it’s perfectly normal to struggle with controlling the heat at the first attempt. I’m sure I would have done even worse than you.

Victor: “Even worse than me”?

Feigning ignorance, I clear my throat and lean in close to him, smiling as I gaze into his eyes.

MC: Looking at this from this angle, CEO Victor still has excellent foresight.

MC: If something like this happened in the village, everyone would think it was a fire. Luckily, there is no one around here.

Victor: The precondition of this “luckily” is that your attempt also doesn’t turn into an accident.

MC: Okay. But if I do stir up trouble, I’m sure CEO Victor won’t just stand by and do nothing, will he?

Victor’s expression softens as he takes the cauldron from me, which I’ve strained to lift.

Victor: Dummy… instead of overthinking, why don’t you think about how we can clean this cauldron together?

So, after thoroughly cleaning the pot, arranging the firewood, and tidying up the stove, I change the placement of the firewood and light it. This time, there is no plume of black smoke.

Victor: …you know how to burn firewood?

MC: When we were filming the countryside program before, I learned from the villagers that the positioning of firewood is crucial for proper ventilation.

MC: It’s coming in handy now. It feels like my previous learning wasn’t in vain after all.

A soft chuckle reaches my ears. Victor leans over, watching me.

Victor: A certain someone’s curious nature does indeed come in handy in moments like these.

MC: CEO Victor, are you not curious about the secret of setting up firewood?

Victor: If I say I am, will your chin soar to the sky?

MC: Just a little bit, definitely not that high.

Victor squints his eyes at me and gives a slow nod.

Victor: Go on then. Tell me about it.

MC: Well, let me hear you address me as “teacher” first.

Victor: …

An expression of being rendered speechless emerges on Victor’s face, and he stares at me with the look of “Are you a dummy” written across his countenance.

I can’t resist the urge to curve my lips upward, signaling my surrender.

MC: Alright then, if you address me as “Chef MC,” that will do too~

With a half smile on his face, Victor points at the cauldron in front of us.

Victor: Chef MC, your pot is about to burn.

MC: …!

MC: AHHHHH, don’t just stand there! Come and help, Victor!

In the end, before the ingredients run out, we eventually manage to prepare a dinner sufficient for two people.

Looking at the painstakingly prepared meal on the table, I even feel moved.

MC: It was really a challenge… but given that I got to witness CEO Victor’s culinary mishap for once, it was not a total loss~

Victor: You seem more thrilled about watching me make a mishap than you would be about eating pudding.

MC: Well, it’s not like I’ve seen you make so many cooking mistakes before…

Victor looks at me helplessly and shakes his head, laughing in spite of himself.

Victor: You’re right. I really can’t remember when was the last time I was this frantic and flustered.

MC: But to be honest, I think it’s rather nice this way.

MC: Today is a teensy bit less perfect than yesterday, but tomorrow will be a teensy bit more perfect than today.

MC: Each day brings something unique, and that’s what brings more freshness. I love that I get to see a novel version of you this way.

I reach out and circle my arms around Victor’s shoulders, brushing off the ash on his face with my fingertips. Then, I plant a kiss on the corner of his lips.

MC: See! Today I kissed Victor who didn’t even realize he had smudges of ash on his face~

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 5】

After dinner, we take our time to clean up the mess in the lighthouse before returning to the village.

Victor leads me along the stainless steel ladder, and together we climb up to the roof of the health center.

With the hottest hours of the day behind us, the sea breeze at dusk gently caresses us, carrying a slight salty moisture.

Watching as he puts together the sponges and rubber pads, my curiosity prompts me to speak.

MC: Sponges… rubber pads… it looks like you’re setting up a recording studio!

Just as these words leave my mouth, a realization suddenly dawns on me.

MC: Are you planning to add a soundproofing layer on the roof?

Victor: Not too slow. I don’t want a certain someone to toss and turn all night when it rains and end up looking like a panda the next day.

MC: Hehe, in that case, I’ll lend a helping hand too.

With a smile on my face, I take out the tools from the toolbox and help Victor set the soundproofing layer.

MC: I never imagined that you would not only know how to repair light bulbs and water tanks, but also be skilled in putting together wooden furniture and even installing soundproofing.

MC: It just feels like there’s nothing you can’t do. You’re so incredibly extraordinary, yet you always call yourself an ordinary person.

Victor: But on the flip side, there are things at times that many people can do, but I find myself not knowing how to do them.

Thinking back to the dinner experience, I can’t help but tug at the corners of my lips and look at him with an act of being very much in earnest.

MC: Indeed, there’s still more to learn when it comes to using a clay stove.

MC: But that’s actually great. Since coming to this village, I get to see a new side of Victor every single day.

V͟i͟c͟t͟o͟r͟’s͟ h͟a͟n͟d͟ r͟e͟a͟c͟h͟e͟s͟ o͟u͟t͟, t͟h͟e͟ b͟a͟c͟k͟ o͟f͟ h͟i͟s͟ h͟a͟n͟d͟ b͟r͟u͟s͟h͟i͟n͟g͟ a͟g͟a͟i͟n͟s͟t͟ t͟h͟e͟ s͟w͟e͟a͟t͟ d͟r͟o͟p͟l͟e͟t͟s͟ o͟n͟ t͟h͟e͟ t͟i͟p͟ o͟f͟ m͟y͟ n͟o͟s͟e͟, his voice infused with a smile.

Victor: If that’s the case, I have it easier then. Even without having to be here, I get to see a new side of a certain dummy every single day.

MC: Humph, it’s not like I don’t know how to do anything. Do I really make mistakes that often?

Victor: It’s all thanks to your imagination. You always manage to create unexpected stumbling blocks for yourself.

After Victor has finished setting up the last piece of the soundproofing layer, we organize the tools and do a quick cleanup.

Once everything is done, w͟e͟ l͟e͟a͟n͟ b͟a͟c͟k͟ a͟n͟d͟ l͟a͟y͟ d͟o͟w͟n͟ o͟n͟ t͟h͟e͟ s͟l͟a͟n͟t͟e͟d͟ t͟i͟l͟e͟d͟ r͟o͟o͟f͟.

The rays of the setting sun bathe us in its glow, outlining our figures with shades of depth and shallowness reminiscent of the sea’s undulations.

MC: After a day of hustling, taking a rest feels exceptionally comfortable.

Victor: Mhm, the moment right now, it’s very lovely.

From the rooftop, we gaze into the distance, all the way to the far-off horizon. As far as our eyes can see, everything is bathed in the resplendent hues of the setting sun.

The enormous sunset is making its leisurely descent beneath the sea, marking the end of yet another day.

Everything in this small fishing village unfolds slowly; even the sunset that flits by in an instant in the city seems elongated as if captured in a slow-motion sequence.

MC: I never could have imagined that I would be experiencing life with you in a completely unfamiliar fishing village like this.

MC: I often feel as though this period of time is like a dream.

Victor: We’ve been to different villages and islands in the past. What’s different this time?

I tilt my face to the side and watch him, the twilight casting a golden shade along his jawline.

MC: Even though the previous trips were relaxing, I would always put myself in the shoes of a tourist.

MC: I knew I didn’t belong there because the trips would eventually come to an end, and you and I would return to the familiar rhythm of our work and daily life.

MC: But this time, the magnetic storm has made the date will come sooner or later uncertain.

Victor: Yeah, I know.

Victor: Occasionally, I also have fleeting moments where I get the impression that this is how we were truly meant to live.

MC: Moments such as?

Victor: When cooking, collecting pearls, tidying up the room… in many occasions like that.

Victor’s voice seems as if it’s imbued with twilight, radiating a warm aura.

Victor: Once you are uncertain about what becomes of tomorrow, the weight of being a tourist vanishes.

Victor: So, occasionally being able to experience a life like this–– I quite like it.

MC: I feel the same way too. This is really great.

I shift back, letting my ears be filled with that familiar heartbeat.

MC: Here, we don’t need to worry about the company’s profits and losses, and there’s no pursuit of wealth and fame.

MC: You’re not the CEO of LFG, and I’m not some producer either. I don’t have to secretly worry about you shooting down my proposals.

I hear Victor’s deep chuckle echoing behind me, reaching my ears.

Victor: It sounds like the last part is the main point here. A certain someone just outright said that she could laze around and not have to work here.

MC: That’s not the main point.

Victor: What is it then?

MC: The main point is… I genuinely love this alien yet fascinating life in the fishing village, and the fact that I’m sharing this life with you.

MC: Here, we solve each other’s various small and big troubles that crop up in our daily lives––

MC: Together, we stumble on trivial matters, learn how to solve them, and finally reap the rewards––

MC: And also, “play” together with interesting activities...

My voice softens as the sea breeze whisks away the trailing echoes, guiding our eyes to interlock.

Victor: It goes beyond that.

Victor: This village’s more significant appeal to me is in the feeling that it’s simultaneously small and vast in its essence.

MC: How so?

Victor: Because if I want to find a certain dummy, I can walk through the entire village in less than half an hour.

Victor: But when we want to explore the world beyond, the entire ocean unfolds before us.

His pupils are dyed with the fiery colors of the sunset, transforming into a valley of such depth that they fail my ability to capture in words at this moment.

We gaze at each other for a long, long time, neither of us saying anything, as if the world contains only the two of us––

Lasting for so long that I believed even the setting sun would descend between our locked gazes, sprinkling stars into our eyes.

A soft laugh can’t help but escape my lips as I reach out, resting my hand on Victor’s neck once again.

MC: Since we arrived in this village, I feel like our time no longer belongs to this world.

MC: It’s as if it is a creation of you and me. And only because of us, the rhythm of time alters, sometimes fast and sometimes slow.

Victor: When does it become fast?

MC: Those times that I don’t like, fraught with difficulties.

MC: Like when we have to deal with the water-soaked floor due to leakage, or when we have to fetch water from the well because the water tank is not working.

MC: Because you’re by my side, these troubles that are unfamiliar to us always pass by quickly.

Memories of those hard-pressed moments seem to resurface for Victor, causing a smile to curve on his lips.

MC: So, that’s when a thought occurred to me.

Victor: And what was that?

MC: If you were truly a fisherman on this island, and I had been living in the city all along, I would have definitely chosen to go out to sea on a certain day.

MC: Then, on a sultry summer day or perhaps a rainy night, I would have found myself stranded on this island, where our paths would have crossed.

MC: At that time, I would have undoubtedly been attracted to the “ordinary fisherman” Victor and become an ordinary fishing village man and wife with you.

MC: What I’m trying to say is, no matter where you are or what kind of person you become, as long as it’s you, our trajectories will eventually converge.

–

[Tidbits]: The term MC uses here is “夫妻” (fuqi), which means “married couple”/ “husband and wife.” So, I wanted to keep the essence of MC’s innermost wish~ 🥺

–

My fingertips twitch, as Victor takes my hand and brings it to his lips, planting a kiss on my index finger.

Victor: I believe that.

Victor: So, no matter which possibility it is, I will be here waiting for you.

Victor: However, it’s never been in my principles to wait around passively. If you don’t come soon, I’ll leave this island.

Victor: No matter what I encounter at sea, I will never look back.

MC: Uh…?

The twilight has already begun to dissipate, and the profound darkness of the night seeps in from behind. The final glimmer of twilight casts its light upon Victor’s eyes.

So warm, so radiant–– it’s as if his eyes hold all the unspoken secrets of blazing fervor.

Then he leans in, personally unveiling this secret with the warmth of his lips.

Victor: My principle is to always continue sailing in one direction, knowing that I will inevitably meet my beloved.

The lingering sunset casts its glow upon us, and the fragmented light and shadows intertwine with our profound love and yearning for each other, all submerging together beneath the sea’s surface.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 5, Interwoven Emotions】

[Tidbits]: This is a bonus chapter (equivalent to the memory silhouette in SP MQs), described in the narrator’s POV, comprising moments before Chapter 4~ 🥺

—

Upon receiving an invitation to the village chief’s residence, Victor arrives to find the village chief standing in the courtyard, holding a flat clay jar in one hand.

Village Chief: Mr. Victor, I have already completed the communication process according to your guidance regarding the marketing of pearl farming you facilitated earlier.

Village Chief: Everything went smoothly, and they have agreed to come for a field assessment after the magnetic storm has passed.

The village chief’s aged and weather-beaten face has a tinge of joyful redness as he presents the case forward.

Village Chief: We are truly grateful to you for guiding the path for our little village. Everyone here feels that you two are the real lucky pearls of our island.

Village Chief: This is the finest pearl from our village, consider it as a token of our gratitude. I hope you won’t find it inadequate.

Having concluded his words, the village chief twists open the jar, revealing its contents to Victor.

Inside the box lays a black pearl that could fetch a lavish price at any auction. It absorbs all the ambient light and radiates its luster in an ethereal manner.

H͟o͟w͟e͟v͟e͟r͟, V͟i͟c͟t͟o͟r͟ d͟o͟e͟s͟n͟’t͟ h͟a͟r͟b͟o͟r͟ a͟n͟y͟ a͟m͟b͟i͟t͟i͟o͟n͟ t͟o͟ t͟r͟a͟n͟s͟f͟o͟r͟m͟ t͟h͟e͟ f͟a͟t͟e͟ o͟f͟ t͟h͟e͟ P͟e͟a͟r͟l͟ V͟i͟l͟l͟a͟g͟e͟ b͟y͟ h͟i͟m͟s͟e͟l͟f͟. H͟e͟ i͟s͟ m͟e͟r͟e͟l͟y͟ a͟ d͟r͟i͟v͟i͟n͟g͟ f͟o͟r͟c͟e͟, c͟a͟r͟r͟y͟i͟n͟g͟ o͟u͟t͟ a͟ m͟o͟d͟e͟s͟t͟ g͟e͟s͟t͟u͟r͟e͟ w͟i͟t͟h͟ l͟i͟t͟t͟l͟e͟ e͟f͟f͟o͟r͟t͟.

Victor: The partnership is a matter of negotiation, and it’s mainly the outcome of the island’s villagers’ dedicated hard work. There is no need for such a precious gift as thanks.

Village Chief: How can that be! You are the great benefactor of our village, and we must properly thank you regardless of what you say.

Victor: Since it’s like this, let’s opt for a simpler way then.

Victor lifts the corners of his lips, forming a gentle smile.

Victor: Currently, there are no long-distance sea journeys in the village, and the lighthouse appears to be unused. I wonder if you’d be able to let us borrow it for a brief period?

There is no reason to refuse, and Victor quickly receives the key sent by the village chief.

Over the past few days, they have been dining on the dishes prepared by the villagers. Thanks to the unique coastal environment, the ingredients are abundantly fresh, resulting in naturally exquisite flavors.

But he also has a desire to try his hand at cooking in the kitchen himself.

I͟t͟’s͟ n͟o͟t͟ o͟n͟l͟y͟ b͟e͟c͟a͟u͟s͟e͟ t͟h͟e͟ c͟o͟o͟k͟i͟n͟g͟ m͟e͟t͟h͟o͟d͟s͟ i͟n͟ t͟h͟e͟ f͟i͟s͟h͟i͟n͟g͟ v͟i͟l͟l͟a͟g͟e͟ a͟r͟e͟ r͟a͟t͟h͟e͟r͟ s͟p͟e͟c͟i͟a͟l͟, b͟u͟t͟ a͟l͟s͟o͟ b͟e͟c͟a͟u͟s͟e͟ h͟e͟ c͟a͟u͟g͟h͟t͟ w͟i͟n͟d͟ o͟f͟ a͟ c͟e͟r͟t͟a͟i͟n͟ d͟u͟m͟m͟y͟’s͟ i͟n͟a͟d͟v͟e͟r͟t͟e͟n͟t͟ w͟i͟s͟h͟.

According to the plan, he purchases the ingredients and makes arrangements for the next steps of his preparations.

–

Underneath the humble clay stove inside the lighthouse, Victor picks up the few remaining pieces of firewood and gives them a pinch.

Dampened by the overnight rain, the pieces of firewood seem to have lost their efficacy as a fuel source.

Victor: …looks like there are more things I need to try than I initially thought.

After selecting a fresh batch of dry wood, he firmly secures one log and raises the axe in his hand.

He tries to smoothly engage his shoulder muscles to sequentially drive the motion in his arms, and then exerts force in a downward strike with his hands.

Due to long years of usage, the handle of the axe has been worn down. The vibrations transferring from the iron head to the wooden handle c͟a͟u͟s͟e͟ h͟i͟s͟ p͟a͟l͟m͟s͟ t͟o͟ s͟l͟i͟g͟h͟t͟l͟y͟ r͟e͟d͟d͟e͟n͟.

After a while, the rough-shaped logs have transformed into evenly sized pieces of firewood, neatly stacked on one side of the woodshed.

Victor takes a look at the time.

Although it’s not as challenging as he thought it would be, there’s still room for improvement.

With the thoughts of a certain dummy who has no idea about his plans, Victor feels a heightened sense of ease about exploring new territories he has never encountered before.

In the past few days, he has purposely observed the villagers’ cooking techniques so that once he has gathered sufficient examples, he will be able to innovate and improve upon them.

He preserves the distinctive essence of the island’s cuisine but m͟a͟k͟e͟s͟ s͟u͟b͟t͟l͟e͟ m͟o͟d͟i͟f͟i͟c͟a͟t͟i͟o͟n͟s͟ t͟o͟ t͟h͟e͟ t͟a͟s͟t͟e͟s͟ t͟o͟ s͟u͟i͟t͟ h͟e͟r͟ p͟r͟e͟f͟e͟r͟r͟e͟d͟ p͟a͟l͟e͟t͟t͟e͟.

The firewood, ingredients, and cooking utensils for the clay stove are all prepared and ready. Right now, all that’s remained is waiting to bring her here.

As Victor takes in the sight of everything before him, a small yet soft smile graces his lips.

Victor: [I AM IN TEARS, HE IS SO JOYED] It seems that managing the firewood and controlling the heat for the cauldron might not be as challenging as I initially imagined.

And he is also looking forward to seeing what kind of surprises a certain someone will bring to today’s dinner plan.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 6】

We remain in each other’s arms on the rooftop for a long, long time, until the tangy and moist smell of earth quietly creeps in. A few droplets of water fall onto my body, bringing a sense of both temptation and reminder.

Victor releases me and takes my hand instead.

Victor: It’s raining. Let’s go into the room first.

I nod and follow Victor off the rooftop, running through the sprinkling drizzle and into the health center.

It’s only when inside the room that I can truly experience the effectiveness of the soundproofing layer.

The sound of rain, which originally sounded like drum beats, has now transformed into a soft and somewhat muffled tone as it lands onto the soundproofing layer.

We bring the electric fan over to the edge of the bed to alleviate the sultry heat that accompanies the summer rain, relishing in the precious moments of relaxation.

However, this moment of tranquility lasts for even less than half an hour. After numerous tosses and turns due to the sweltering heat, I eventually get up and leave the small bed.

I walk to the refrigerator and fetch a bottle of chilled water, pouring it into two glasses. With a complacent expression, I raise the glasses at Victor.

MC: Are you hot? Check out what I’ve got!

Exhilarated, I hand him a glass of cold water, while my peripheral vision catches sight of a basin on the floor containing a clean towel soaking in water.

After taking a sip of the iced water, Victor notices my gaze and arches an eyebrow at me.

Victor: Wiping your body will make you feel cooler and more refreshed.

MC: Oh, yeah! How come I didn’t think of that!

I set the glass down and lean closer to Victor with a beaming smile.

MC: But it’s just too hot. I don’t feel like moving at all. What should I do~

Victor: …want me to do the work for you again?

MC: That’s not it! I’m just here, hot’ly seeking “Vi”... umph!

–

[Anika’s Notes]: Uh, this was a tricky translation LOL. MC actually uses a pun on Victor’s name <热来找“李”> (re lai zhao Li), and his first name is under the quote. What she’s doing here is killing two birds with one stone– requesting “Li Zeyan special service” for the wiping. And for the other implied meaning, she states it explicitly later on LMAO 🤪

–

Before I can finish my sentence, the damp towel in Victor’s hand has already been laid on my body.

The sudden coolness causes me to flinch, and I subconsciously arch my waist. But he firmly holds onto my arm.

Victor: Don’t move.

The cold towel sequentially wipes across my face, neck, and arms… leaving behind a trail of cool moisture embracing every inch of my exposed skin.

A slight quiver runs through me. However, after a brief moment of comfort, the dampness clinging to my skin is no longer a source of pleasantness.

A burning thirst, corroded by restlessness, seems to consume every crevice of my body, as if it were seeping out from the cracks in my bones. I yearn for something more indefinable, a need for something intangible that can bring me solace.

MC: [blushing] Victor…

I call his name with a lingering intonation, yet Victor simply raises his eyebrows in response.

Victor: Turn around. I can’t wipe your back like this.

Humph!

Seeing that Victor isn’t taking my hints, I take matters into my own hands and pick up the water glass, seizing the opportunity to hide a piece of ice in my palm.

MC: [blushing] Vic—tor—

Victor: What is it–– hiss!

Victor is startled by my sudden attack, causing his eyebrows to jump. But he swiftly recovers and captures my mischief-making hand.

Victor: Why are you always so mischievous?

I sport a bright grin and squeeze the ice cube in my hand, wearing an innocent expression on my face.

MC: I’m very well-behaved, you see.

MC: Aren’t I also helping CEO Victor cool down this way?

I entertain the thought of mounting another sneak attack as I say this. But as soon as I turn my wrist, Victor’s palm clamps me even harder.

Victor: I don’t need this kind of cooling method.

MC: Huh?

Victor: Because I have a more effective approach.

Before I can grasp the meaning behind his words, I feel a sudden tightening around my waist, causing me to be caught off guard and topple backward.

I let out a short gasp of surprise, only to have it immediately silenced as his lips consume mine.

The ice cube in my hand is too cold and slippery, making it impossible for me to keep hold of it. Victor effortlessly snatches it away from me.

T͟h͟e͟ s͟p͟r͟e͟a͟d͟i͟n͟g͟ i͟c͟y͟ w͟a͟t͟e͟r͟ s͟e͟e͟p͟s͟ i͟n͟t͟o͟ o͟u͟r͟ i͟n͟t͟e͟r͟t͟w͟i͟n͟e͟d͟, s͟c͟o͟r͟c͟h͟i͟n͟g͟ b͟o͟d͟i͟e͟s͟, c͟a͟u͟s͟i͟n͟g͟ m͟e͟ r͟e͟f͟l͟e͟x͟i͟v͟e͟l͟y͟ t͟e͟n͟s͟e͟ u͟p͟. Unable to endure it any longer, I blurt out a plea for surrender.

MC: [blushing] It’s t-t-too cold, I––

Victor: It’s too late for that.

A second cube of ice comes down, along with his kisses.

I almost want to regret the prank I made just moments ago, as I now find myself t͟r͟a͟p͟p͟e͟d͟ i͟n͟ a͟ c͟r͟o͟s͟s͟f͟i͟r͟e͟ o͟f͟ e͟x͟t͟r͟e͟m͟e͟ c͟o͟l͟d͟ a͟n͟d͟ e͟x͟t͟r͟e͟m͟e͟ h͟e͟a͟t͟, unable to move in the slightest.

–

Creak, creak… the fragile hospital bed emits a series of repetitive protests, as it has been repeating often throughout this period.

The curtain next to the small bed sways high in response to our movements, and then descends gently and tenderly, accompanied by the seductive glow of the dusky rays.

Bathed in the soft, intoxicating light and shadows, Victor gazes at me. The sheet loosely draped over him has slid most of the way down, exposing a body that still bears sunburn marks.

He leans down, pressing his entire body against mine. In the unseen space, his searing palm cradles me, lifting me up.

I find myself hooped between him and the narrow bed, with my hand holding the glass forced to be raised high, circling around his back.

V͟i͟c͟t͟o͟r͟ h͟o͟l͟d͟s͟ a͟n͟ i͟c͟e͟ c͟u͟b͟e͟ b͟e͟t͟w͟e͟e͟n͟ h͟i͟s͟ t͟e͟e͟t͟h͟, a͟n͟d͟ t͟h͟e͟ s͟e͟n͟s͟a͟t͟i͟o͟n͟ o͟f͟ c͟o͟o͟l͟n͟e͟s͟s͟ b͟l͟o͟s͟s͟o͟m͟s͟ o͟n͟ m͟y͟ c͟h͟e͟s͟t͟ a͟l͟o͟n͟g͟ w͟i͟t͟h͟ t͟h͟e͟ t͟r͟i͟c͟k͟l͟i͟n͟g͟ w͟a͟t͟e͟r͟ d͟r͟o͟p͟l͟e͟t͟s͟.

MC: [blushing and moaning] Mmm…!

Shivering, I͟ s͟u͟r͟r͟e͟n͟d͟e͟r͟ m͟y͟s͟e͟l͟f͟ t͟o͟ t͟h͟e͟ t͟o͟u͟c͟h͟ o͟f͟ h͟i͟s͟ l͟i͟p͟s͟ a͟n͟d͟ a͟l͟l͟o͟w͟ h͟i͟m͟ t͟o͟ s͟l͟o͟w͟l͟y͟ g͟l͟i͟d͟e͟ t͟h͟i͟s͟ i͟c͟y͟, w͟e͟t͟ s͟e͟n͟s͟a͟t͟i͟o͟n͟ a͟c͟r͟o͟s͟s͟ m͟y͟ b͟o͟d͟y͟.

And this mildly stinging coldness also impels me to hold him even tighter.

The temperature gradually climbs as our bodies intertwine, intensifying the already intoxicating and enchanting ambiance.

It’s only when the translucent ice has completely melted into an ambiguous tide of water that Victor finally speaks, his voice tinged with a husky tone.

Victor: …still want to provoke me more?

I tilt my face up and stare at him in a daze, finding his eyes radiating with a satisfied and sly glow.

I incline my right hand slightly, and the iced water from the glass spills out, landing on his back.

MC: [blushing] Does this count as another act of provocation… mmph!

Victor doesn’t let me speak any further and firmly clamps my chin, using his lips and tongue to block the smile I couldn’t suppress.

Victor: Of course it does.

Just as I’m about to seize this brief opportunity to speak, another kiss cuts me off again.

Victor: After all, I’m merely an ordinary person now, and I don’t have to be so reasonable.

Victor: So, from now until the break of dawn, there will be no more pardoning for any of your actions.

The heat of his burning love submerges me, drowning out each of my futile attempts to plead my case.

Outside the room, a corner of the sky clears up, and the rosy blush of the sunset climbs up the window, sneakily peering into the bewitching scene inside.

The subtle patter of rain has completely dissipated at some point, but we are too caught up in our own world to notice.

Engulfed in the nearly dizzying collisions, we fill each other’s souls to the brim with only the resonance and whispers of this moment.

I feel as though I have transformed into a pearl calm, being picked up by Victor from that shimmering shallow beach——

M͟o͟s͟t͟ w͟i͟l͟l͟i͟n͟g͟l͟y͟, I͟ s͟u͟r͟r͟e͟n͟d͟e͟r͟ a͟l͟l͟ m͟y͟ l͟i͟n͟e͟s͟ o͟f͟ d͟e͟f͟e͟n͟s͟e͟ f͟o͟r͟ h͟i͟m͟, l͟a͟y͟i͟n͟g͟ b͟a͟r͟e͟ m͟y͟ r͟a͟w͟e͟s͟t͟ b͟e͟a͟u͟t͟y͟ b͟e͟f͟o͟r͟e͟ h͟i͟m͟.

Thereupon, all the gullies of yearnings and restless desires are finally quenched as they are engulfed by a mountainous tsunami——

— before finding solace in the serene tranquility of bliss.

────────────────/////

[Tidbits]: The phrase used here is “山呼海啸”, which literally translates to “mountains calling and seas roaring.” The idiomatic phrase conveys the idea of an event that is extremely grand, extraordinary, or of significant magnitude, evoking a sense of intense impact or overwhelming force.

[Anika’s Notes]: Yeah, good thing it was an abandoned health center and there weren’t people at least in the vicinity LMAO. Hats-off to the writers for one of the most intensely vivid and beautiful sex scenes writing I’ve ever read in my little life LOL— the blend of profound love, intense zeal, raw passion-- yet not losing the sense of reverence~ ❤️

─

────────────────────────────────────────────

【My two cents, feel free to ignore LOL】

—

#did i underline the parts i wanted to bring light on + have y'all focus and rethink what you read? YES I DID AKSHDH LMAO #I STILL CANNOT GET OVER JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL + MAGNIFICENT THE WRITING IS. PG I REALLY HOPE YOU’RE PAYING VICTOR’S WRITERS WHAT THEY DESERVE #THE ROLLERCOASTER OF EVERYTHING ASKKASHHHJJ #mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #mlqc #mr love victor #mr love queen's choice #恋与制作人 #李泽言 #love and producer #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc translations

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tickly-giggles · 2 years ago

Text

Watch Your Back (My Hero Academia)

A/N: This is a sequel to Feather Ticklish, so I highly recommend reading that before this :D Also, this does get kinda angsty at the end, but I promise it's a fun read and there's no warnings aside from the mention of cigarettes :>

Warning: Tickle fic ahead!

Characters: Dabi, Hawks

Shipping: Technically DabiHawks but they're still not together yet

Lee: Hawks

Ler: Dabi

Word Count: 3,093

Summary: It's been a few weeks since Dabi warned Hawks to watch his back, but nothing has come of it. Hawks decides to go about his work without worrying about it too much (spoiler: he worries a lot) and, during a private outing to the hideout late at night, he runs into Dabi.

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

Weeks had gone by like normal with no signs of hostility from Dabi aside from his usual snarky attitude. He didn’t want to admit it, but Hawks was on edge, and only grew more so as time dragged on.

“Watch your back, birdie.”

He shivered at the unpleasant memory. Hawks may have only tickled him, but Dabi was a villain. Did he really expect him to solve this amicably?

"I'd be lucky if all he did was burn me,"

he muttered to himself as he sifted through a cardboard box he had found behind the bar counter of the hideout.

He had joined the League to gather intel, so that was what he was going to do. Or, at least, it's what he tried to do. He couldn't get what Dabi said out of his mind, and the fact that he never made any move or gave any indication of revenge only worried him further.

With a frustrated grunt, he shook the thoughts out of his head and continued to search through the box. There wasn't much worth noting. It was mostly filled with junk, aside from some polaroids. Hawks couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.

The League of Villains looked like anything but. One photo depicted Toga and Twice holding hands and dancing together. Another had what looked to be Shigaraki shoving at the camera. Judging by each villain's personalities so far, Hawks figured Toga was the one to take the picture.

The last polaroid showed all of them. The camera must have been set on a timer, because they were all positioned together in a group.

Toga and Twice looked happy as can be, Toga sticking her tongue out and winking with Twice ruffling her hair and giving the camera a thumbs up.

Mr. Compress did his best to look formal with a bow and a tip of his hat, but it was easy to tell he definitely didn't mind the camera.

Spinner was the opposite. He tried to look like he wasn't interested by turning away from the camera, but his overall demeanor was that of childlike excitement.

Shigaraki did not prefer to be on camera, and it was obvious in his reluctant pose. He had one hand stuffed in his hoodie pocket, and the other scratching at his cheek absentmindedly while he stared off to the side.

Then there was Dabi, apathetic as usual. He stared into the camera, thumbs stuffed in his pants pockets, and his face void of emotion. Hawks furrowed his brow, as if trying to decipher what Dabi was thinking at the time of the photo.

"The hell are you doing?"

Hawks squawked and fumbled the polaroids, haphazardly shoving them back into the box. He whipped around to see Dabi standing there, eying him curiously. He leaned to the left to peer at what Hawks was looking at.

"Where'd you find that?" he asked, his tone indiscernible.

"I- uh- I- it.."

Hawks swallowed and collected his thoughts,

"It was behind the bar. I was just curious."

A moment of awkward tension passed before he handed the box to Dabi,

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snoop."

"Yes you did,"

Dabi smirked as he took the box from him,

"You wouldn't have gone through it otherwise."

“Ah,”

Hawks rubbed the back of his head with a nervous chuckle,

“Ya got me. Um, what’re you doin’ up so late, anyway?”

“I could ask you the same question, birdie.”

Dabi set the box on the counter and stared intensely into the hero’s eyes. Hawks stared back, not daring to blink.

“Couldn’t sleep, I guess,” he breathed.

“So, naturally, your first thought was to come here,”

The hot headed villain took a step toward Hawks,

"Why dont'cha tell me why you're really here?"

The number two hero didn’t back down. If there was anything he learned from being a pro for so long, it was to never show fear. He swallowed the lump in his throat and slowed his heart rate as he tried to think of an answer.

When he couldn’t think of any substantial excuse, he simply shrugged and laughed airily,

“I was curious about everyone’s lives. We hang out a lot, but it’s mostly for meetings and all. I wanna get to know everyone a little better.”

“And what better way to do that than snooping through our stuff~?”

Hawks’ relaxed smile faltered at Dabi’s tone. He watched him as he got ever closer, practically pinning him up against the bar. The air in the room felt quite warm all of a sudden, and there was a tightness in Hawks’ chest that he couldn’t relieve. He wanted to avert his gaze, but he knew doing that would practically be admitting defeat. Instead, he continued to stare into Dabi’s harsh, ice blue eyes.

“Well?” Dabi breathed,

“Are you gonna be honest with me, or am I gonna have to- GAHAH!”

The pro hero watched Dabi clutch his midriff and stumble backward. He didn’t really mean to squeeze his side, it was just the first thing that came to mind! He was trapped, he had no other choice. It was a survival instinct.

Suddenly, Dabi's intense glare pierced through Hawks, and he quickly realized that he was probably better off dead.

Hawks’ fight or flight response kicked in. Being as quick as he was, he was relying on his skills to get out of the hideout faster than Dabi could blink. Sadly, that didn’t end up being the case. Dabi tackled him as soon as he made to run, and the hero grunted as he fell face first into the floor. The villain grinned and sat on Hawks’ lower back. After a small struggle, he was able to pin his wings underneath his feet, effectively rendering him immobile.

“Guh! L-Lemme up!” Hawks growled, squirming fruitlessly.

“I warned you, feather brain. I can’t believe you had the balls to do that again,”

Dabi chuckled coldly,

“I’d be impressed if I wasn’t so pissed off.”

Hawks desperately tried to flap his wings, but to no avail. He foolishly tried turning his head around to at least see Dabi, but was met with nothing but pain in his neck.

“So what’re you gonna do?”

He snapped at the villain,

“Kill me?”

“I told you to watch your back, didn’t I? Not doing such a good job at that right now,”

Dabi’s tone was pondering as he scanned the hero beneath him,

“I wonder…”

Silence filled the room, and the tightness in Hawks’ chest returned. What was Dabi going to do to him? Fully expecting the worst, he clenched his fists and readied his body for whatever amount of pain he was about to endure.

And then…

“GAAHAHAHAHAHA WHATTHEFUHUHUCK!”

Dabi cackled at the reaction. He skittered and scribbled his fingers along Hawks’ back, greedily drinking in the desperation of his victim’s thrashing.

“What’sa matter, birdie? Your back a little sensitive~?”

“WHAHAHAHAT ARE YOU DOHOHOHOING?!”

“What’s it look like, you moron?"

Hawks wriggled and squirmed helplessly, the tickles feeling even more intense because he couldn’t arch or turn his back away from them. He was completely trapped, entirely at the mercy of a member of the League of Villains. Even his wings were unable to flap properly due to Dabi putting most of his weight on them, not to mention the odd angle he was at. Being so vulnerable only increased Hawks’ sensitivity, and his face erupted in red.

“OKAHAHA- HAHAHAHA!! OKAY YOHOHOU GOT YOUR REHEHEHEVENGE! Y-YOHOHOU CAN STOP NOHOHOHOW! GAHAHAHA!!”

Dabi smirked at the mess of a hero beneath him. His thumbs and forefingers nipped at his shoulder blades with intense accuracy while the rest of his fingers scribbled along the sides of them,

“I’m just gettin’ started. You tortured me, so I’m gonna get you back twice as bad. You shouldn’t have messed with me, Hawks.”

“STAHAHAHAHAP! I-IHIHIHIT TIHIHIHICKLES!”

Dabi jolted and he grumbled as he dug into the hero’s back with even more force, relishing the delightful shriek he ripped out of him,

“Just shut up and take it, bird brain.”

Hawks slammed his fist against the floor in ticklish frustration. He couldn’t even remember the last time he was tickled. He didn’t get much attention, if any, when he was a kid. The pro heroes dedicated their lives to work and keeping the public safe; there was rarely time to kick back and relax with each other.

He remembered poking at Endeavor once or twice, but he never showed any desire to get him back. Jeanist tended to lean on the serious side, but he had a playful bone in his body. If Hawks tried to mess with him, there was a chance he would fight back. Mirko was probably the only pro he could mess with and expect revenge from, but he never had the chance to try.

It tickled so bad. The way Dabi’s fingers vibrated against every inch of Hawks’ back, especially around his shoulder blades where he elicited the most extreme reactions, was torture. His touch was so precise, it was like he knew just what to do to drive him crazy. There was no chance to get used to any one feeling either, considering the villain would switch up his tactics every few seconds. Whether it be the amount of pressure he used, the way he moved his fingers, or the spot he tickled, every new moment provided a fresh combination to drive Hawks completely insane.

And yet, despite the fact that the number two hero had tears of mirth streaming down his bright red face, and his throat felt slightly sore from his screaming laughter, he would be lying if he said this wasn’t the least bit fun. To completely give up mercy and laugh like there was nothing to worry about was an experience Hawks never realized he needed.

“I can’t believe your back is this sensitive,”

Dabi chuckled after a while,

“Kinda makes me wonder about these pretty little wings of yours~.”

“N-NAHAHAHAHA!! C’MOHOHOHOHON, DAHAHAHAHABI! ENOHOHOHOHOUGH, PLEHEHEHEHEASE!”

“Begging already? Pathetic, especially for someone who once called himself a hero.”

The tickling ceased and Hawks gasped for air, falling limp on the floor. The villain smirked down at him. The way his disheveled hair fell over his gorgeous face, the tear streaks that marked his flushed cheeks, the residual giggles that bubbled past his bright smile. Dabi’s chest tightened, and he swallowed a lump in his throat.

“A-Ahahare you… dohone?” Hawks asked past breathless giggles.

Dabi’s smirk returned and he chuckled evilly,

“I told you I was just getting started,”

He ran his fingers through the feathery fluff on Hawks’ wings,

“I really am curious about these~.”

Hawks jolted and his wings twitched violently, practically bucking Dabi off of him. The villain laughed in amazement and quickly regained his balance.

“Hohoholy shit! I think I found the jackpot~.”

“D-Dahahabi,” the hero laughed nervously, his wings already tingling,

“Ihihi’ve had enough, plehehease.”

“Can’t take what you dish out, huh? Too bad, I’m not done with you yet. I’ll stop when I’m ready to,”

Dabi positioned his hands on his victim’s wings, causing them to twitch again,

“Until then, you’ll lay there and take it like a good little bird.”

The shriek that escaped from Hawks was ear-piercing. He bucked and thrashed violently as Dabi dug his fingers into his wings. The villain took note of how much more of a reaction he got closer to the hero’s back. Hawks’ hysterical laughter suddenly went silent. He slammed his fists and kicked his feet against the floor, his face was engulfed in cherry red, and he couldn’t tell his tears from his sweat at this point. Words couldn’t describe just how bad it tickled. The way Dabi mercilessly dug into his feathers drove him ballistic. It was torturous, his nerves were electrified, every single movement of the villain’s fingers sent a violent jolt of ticklish agony through Hawks’ entire body.

Why did he love this feeling so much?

Hawks wasn’t sure how much time had elapsed before Dabi finally decided to have mercy. His wings were burning with residual tingles, his feathers were all ruffled from the constant tickling, and he felt like he was going to pass out at any moment. The villain chuckled and stood off of the hero, giving him a moment to recover.

“God, you’re so sensitive. If only I had known this little secret sooner. But, now that I do, I’m never letting you live it down.”

After a few moments of residual giggles, heavy breathing, and slight coughing, Hawks shakily stood up. He used the bar counter as leverage, but stumbled and almost fell back onto the floor. He grunted when he made contact with Dabi, who had moved forward to catch him. With a hum, he absentmindedly nuzzled against the villain’s chest, then finally stood on his own. Dabi decided to ignore the heat that rose to his cheeks from the gesture.

The number two hero chuckled fondly and leaned up against the counter,

“Thahat was uhh… something. You are awful.”

“Not my fault you’re so sensitive~.”

“Can you not say it?”

Dabi frowned,

“Say what?”

“Tickle.”

The villain jolted and looked away bashfully, eyes narrowed in embarrassment,

“I don’t like saying it.”

“Why? Does it fluster you~?”

“No!” Dabi shot a glare at the hero,

“It’s just a stupid word. I hate using it, so I don’t.”

Hawks simply shrugged in response, then caught the box out of the corner of his eye. It was seated on the counter, right where Dabi had left it. He turned around and plucked one of the polaroids out of it, examining it once again. It was the group photo of the League. Dabi approached him and ripped the polaroid from his hands.

“Hey! I was lookin’ at that,” he pouted at the hot head.

“Ya shouldn’t look through other people’s stuff, bird brain,”

Dabi punctuated his sentence with a flick to Hawks’ forehead,

“Besides, what’s in here that’s so important to you?”

The winged hero grumbled and rubbed the area, then gave Dabi a small smile,

“These photos. They’re really cute,”

He chuckled and poked Dabi’s cheek,

“Would it kill ya to smile once in a while, though?”

“Yes,” Dabi replied bluntly, smacking Hawks’ hand away.

Hawks grinned and sighed fondly.

Silence fell over them for a few moments. Dabi reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He took one in between his teeth, and his index finger suddenly burst into a small, blue flame. He carefully lit the cigarette, then offered the pack to Hawks.

He chuckled and shook his head,

“No, thanks. I don’t smoke.”

Dabi shrugged and stuffed the pack back into his pocket, extinguished the flame on his finger, then took the cigarette out of his mouth and wistfully breathed the smoke out.

The aura in the room was peaceful, almost like the two of them were genuine friends. A pang of guilt tugged at Hawks' heart, but he ignored it and turned to Dabi, who was staring at the polaroid. His expression was calm.

The hero smiled, feeling melancholy, and decided to break the silence,

“So, why are you up so late?”

Dabi remained so still that Hawks almost thought he didn’t hear him. He opened his mouth to ask again, but was interrupted by the villain letting out a low, mirthless chuckle.

“I guess I couldn’t sleep, either.”

Silence reigned once more, and he took another puff of his cigarette before he continued,

“Ya ever hear of ‘the butterfly effect’, Hawks?”

The question was so sudden, Hawks gave the villain a puzzled look. After a second, he responded,

“Ah, a butterfly flaps its wings in Rio and causes a tornado in Chicago, right?”

“Correct. Though, I guess in your case, you flap your wings in Japan and cause a ripple in some other part of the world.”

“Where’s this coming from?” the hero asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

Dabi huffed sharply, and his grip on the polaroid tightened,

“Ya ever wonder where you’d be had you made one choice a bit differently?”

“I… dont–”

“Heh, never mind. That was a dumb question.”

Hawks frowned, but otherwise didn’t respond to Dabi’s sudden drop of the subject. What did he mean by that? Surely he didn’t regret becoming a villain. Granted, the winged hero had no idea what Dabi’s motivation was aside from the main goal of the League. Hero society was corrupt, he knew that was an idea they were passionate about, but…

"I'm not one for sentimental talks,"

Dabi chuckled suddenly, putting the cigarette up to his lips,

"So don't take much of what I say to heart,”

he inhaled deeply, then crushed the finished cigarette against the counter while exhaling the smoke through his nose. He flicked it across the room, then turned to look at Hawks, who had a look of befuddlement on his face.

“Do you… regret the choices you’ve made?” Hawks asked carefully.

Dabi stared at him for a moment, emotionless, before he grinned wickedly and blew the remainder of the smoke in his face,

“Do you?”

Hawks scrunched his nose and coughed, whisking away the smoke with a disgusted grunt. He then watched Dabi as he made his way out of the room, but was surprised when he turned to address the hero a final time,

“We’re even now, got that? Don’t even think of trying that shit with me again.”

With that, he disappeared deeper into the hideout. Hawks couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped his lips. He shook his head and casually left the building, taking into the air with a swift flap of his wings. He cringed when the air hit his feathers, they still felt a bit sensitive.

As he flew back to his own home, he thought about the conversation he and Dabi just had. He didn’t know what to make of most of it. How did they go from tickling to a serious discussion about fate and paths in their own lives?

…Did he regret his own choices?

Hawks sighed and shook the thoughts out of his head. He was a hero, Dabi was a villain, and there was no way to change that. Even if there were moments where Dabi felt like a genuine human being, even if he felt like he was actually bonding with him, he couldn’t allow that to cloud his judgment. He was on a mission, and he would see it through to the end.

His chest felt tight again.

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