#i hope this makes sense auuuugh…

[mcybree]

hi ive just read some of your fh posts and i just wanna say. first of all yes

second i think i feel similarly(??) about nearly every c!relationship in the life series

nobody in this series is mentally okay, they're in cyclic death games and are repeatedly undergoing trauma, that, eyesandears-wise, literally fragments their souls- they obviously won't be perfect and they're probably gonna be actually quite Bad

and void do i love that from a story perspective

desert duo aren't okay. flower husbands aren't okay. renchantyn aren't okay. southlands aren't okay. mean gills aren't okay. bad boys aren't okay- literally any relationship isn't okay and i enjoy the hell out of it. they're all flawed in one way or another and i enjoy it a lot

Honestly I didnt know how to reply to this one for a while because I didn’t really have a point to make here? Like yeah the nature of death games makes it really difficult to keep a healthy stable relationship with how much shit they’re going through constantly so a lot of it is fascinatingly messy... but also I’m (SHOCKINGLY) the kind of person that gravitates towards more optimistic reads on the series than not, which. okay yeah it doesn’t look that way with how I post but yall are gonna have to trust me on that one LMAO

All of the characters and relationships in the life series are flawed to different extents but to me it’s in the same way real life relationships are and for being in the context of CYCLICAL HORRIFIC BLOODSPORTS quite a few of them are okay actually. Namely the roomies were really awesome this season (GRIAN DIDNT KILL THEM🎉) but the ranchers, scott and cleo, tango and skizz (based on the last two seasons— I would NOT cite them here for Last Life I’m just listing them here bc I think theyve moved past that and are good friends again which. yay!!) and crastle duo are all pretty solid too imo and im sure there’s more that could be listed here

What I’m trying to say is that yeah the detrimental tragic bad is there and it’s interesting and there’s so much of it because everyone in these games has ten million issues at this point, I think it makes the good relationships and moments of genuine care that persist against all odds even sweeter. So yeah, I guess I too love that the cubes are fucked up. The fucked up cubes can love so that means I can too

[vickyvicarious]

aww, why didn't Quincey's VA introduce the gunshot :( I hoped to hear him sound slightly smug. then again this way it isn't spoiled for anyone new

the way Jack says "one's own wonderful experiences" almost like he's rolling his eyes. Not really, he's not being sarcastic so much as using the sense of 'wonderful' that means 'out of the ordinary' but still he has a fun tone here

Jack's surprise at Jonathan not looking like Rambo or whatever is always funny

Ooooh, they've rearranged things again I see!

Jonathan spends so much time on trains lately. Mina must be so jealous.

hehehehehe the way he describes "the... opportunities of acquiring an abnormal thirst" is so funny

"consequent thirst" I love it every time.

hehehehe Jonathan saying "if he knew what I knew he would, I think, have raised his terms" this man has jokes today!

I love Jonathan and Mina working together and getting everything organized. I just KNOW they are such a good team, in such perfect sync.

oh MAN I wouldn't have predicted that tiny whispered "Stop. That way madness lies..." but I love it

Jonathan immediately pointing out Dracula barometer Renfield. I WISH we could see them interact so badly

speaking of Renfield, I wonder if him happily wanting to leave is because he knows there is another vampire out there now and is hoping Lucy will turn him into one?

"to have a strait-waistcoat ready in case of need." ughhh seward

the little rustly paper noises after Jonathan's (tiny) entry

Mina gushing about Jonathan with such a smile in her voice. She is so proud of him and loves him so much. I also do love that she was so worried about him leaving even after he seemed stronger. She's happy he is recovering so well but wouldn't have held it against him at all if he didn't

"I feel myself quite wild with excitement!" The delivery of this line is SO CUTE and also makes me so mad that van Helsing is gonna tell everyone to exclude her. she's ready for a vampire hunt! let her go on a vampire hunt!

the way she speaks of pity for the Count is very perfunctory here. as to be expected, but... well, I'll save that

"It was - to me - a-a painful. meeting" auuuugh

HEHEHE "blowin' my trumpet!" was so fun

Arthurrrrrrr, I love how he gets to cry but also it makes me sad to listen to him cry :( I personally feel like he wasn't quite openly sobbing as much until Mina spoke to him but mileage varies I suppose

ohhhh the hesitation before Mina says "now she is - gone..."

Mina and Arthur skipping straight to cuddles and adopting one another <3

and yet despite him being so open about expressing his emotions he couldn't speak of them. It makes me so sad, and is not at all the sort of thing I want him and Lucy to have had in common

"the sunshine of your life" reminds me of what Mina wished for Lucy to have and I'm so sad about it

I'm not a fan of all this 'no one but a woman can comfort a man' but I love how Mina and the suitors all connect so quickly and comfort one another almost immediately. especially to them she is just a stranger at first but the shared love for lucy unites them

Quincey's declaration after Mina kisses him is delivered so well

Jack why are you suddenly calling them "Godalming and Morris"?? Are you feeling self-conscious about everyone reading your diary (and its many exclamations over their manhood)? usually you full name Quincey Morris and just say Arthur or Art

"Oh, very well," Renfield sounds so deliberately casual. "Juuust wait a minute till I tidy up the place." ahahaha I love this moment

Renfield: *sits quietly* Seward: looks like he's thinking of murder!!! (granted the attack on himself gives him more reason but this isn't the first time)

I LOVE the delivery of all Renfield's lines so much. His voice is SO GOOD akldjflsdf I can't be coherent about it

Renfield dragging Seward so badly here.

ughh, and Seward in turn being so dumb and condescending about being SHOCKED by Renfield talking eruditely and Mina SOMEHOW getting him to do so by... talking kindly to him?!?!?!

Renfield talking in past tense about his beliefs here... once again I wonder to what degree he's being genuine about any of this

Renfield's goodbye to Mina...! I nearly teared up.

van Helsing saying Mina has a man's brain annoys me especially given what he says next but I do find it funny that he immediately clarifies 'a smart man that is'

"the milk that is spilt cries not out afterwards" my favorite line

Mina blushing hehe

Mina specifying when dinner was, again so conscious of time

van Helsing saying that he has "trained" himself to have an open mind is some really interesting characterization if you think about it

I love that almost all of van Helsing's vampire information is shown in Jonathan's journal

the music when vH brings up the possibility of them all becoming vampires

<3 Jonathan and Mina holding hands and sharing a wordless look of understanding <3

~GROUP HANDHOLDING OF FRIENDSHIP AND VAMPIRE SLAYING~

"We have on our side power of-" I interrupt van Helsing: "friendship and document review!"

Ohh I really like the music as van Helsing lists off where the vampire has been

positioning Dracula as a prisoner to his nature is such an interesting description, especially given the thing with keys (I may be writing a meta on this, I was thinking about it the other day)

the music through all this speech is so inspiring.

I love everyone just sitting there awkwardly for a moment after Quincey leaves, then carrying on without mentioning it

OMG THE COWBOY MUSIC AFTER THE GUNSHOT AHAHAHA

art why are you running straight to the window that a bullet has just come through

the muffled "Sorry! I fear I have alarmed you. I shall come in and tell you about it." is sooo funny

I fucking love this scene

but then it's followed by 'leaving Mina out' scene. BOO HISS

Mina I wish you would speak up here. :( She sounds so off-balance and disappointed

Quincey why are you suggesting an evening assault on his home. We just went over the hours when he is weak. For that matter why is everyone else accepting. People, I know you want to prevent other victims but please be smart about it

[eyeswaitingfortuesdaynight]

omniscient reader's viewpoint liveblog day 3 💪 (chs. 7-11: ep. 2 - protagonist)

reading this on the subway train as the author intended. YJH INTRO TIME LET'S GOOOOOOO

the korean government must have scrambled those jets quickly!!!!! too bad it's monster food now

'It was my turn to be a clown.' - it's always your turn to be a clown, kdj

i genuinely don't think anyone else survived the train other than kdj's group and yjh. between culling everyone who made a fuss at first and the difficulty of deciding to take a life and acting on that decision.......1/30-50 probably isn't an unrealisitic number of survivors

lgy is truly the 10yo kdj stand in ........i feel so bad for the kid. i hope kdj can learn to love him as much as sys

i know there's at least two sponsorship selections....possibly a third one after the 7th scenario to account for the new incarnations, and maybe a fourth after the 10th scenario to account for the new incarnations that showed promise later? that makes the most sense to me

WHO WAS YSA'S SECOND POTENTIAL SPONSOR??? aughhhh i wanna knooooow

'I felt uncomfortable and excluded this guy.' - LOOOOOOOL oh god damn that's harsh. i'm sure kdj was nicer about it in the webtoon

does.....does uriel sponsor evil incarnations so she can force them to be nice? that is. so fucking funny. i love her.

the star stream trolling sp by giving him weak modifiers is also hilarious

i gotta say, kdj is great at dropping foreshadowing...takes like 100 chapters for the way of being strong without a constellation hint to come to fruition

if twsa had a fandom, there would 1000% be diehard yjh/lhs shippers by the way kdj describes lhs

it's actually Mino Soft in the novel???? nope. rejected. bad vibes, not as funny. not changing this now

lhs is also a reader......i love him...........also i need to take this into account in the future and contrast him with the other mentioned readers (kdj, ysa, hsy)

'Indeed, Confucianism was still strong in South Korea.' - KDJ AND HIS THOUGHT PROCESS IS INFURIATING AND HEARTBREAKING AUUUUGH. he can't understand why people would want to check up on his parents other than confucianism......

yjh doing his best to recreate the shining is never not funny. does he do this every turn????

i'd be curious to know the percentage of incarantions that survived the 1st scenario without killing a human. 1/100 maybe?

kdj is surprised by yjh's high strength this early...i wonder if that's FORESHADOWING.......

3 or 4 skills per beginner attribute is probably average, judging by lhs' profile and kdj's own attribute to skill ratio

kdj has a good way of describing the scene in as few words as possible (specifically, this description of the broken bridge). broad brushstrokes, as it were. i need to remember that.

'I was a bit surprised.' - also noting that kdj has started minimizing the description of his own emotions....he's probably feeling less overall tbh, with the 4th wall

...i guess demonic heads get reformed since i distinctly remember kdj describing knw's corpse as 'just a torso' earlier in this episode. pretty sure that was reflected in the webtoon too

'This couldn't be the exclusive skill of Han Myungoh, who had a big belly.' - this guy is as skinny as a rake in the webtoon WHERE IS HIS BELLYYYY

kdj is controlling his breathing again....but also telling himself to calm down .........it really is a habit

it took less than 5 minutes for kdj to get epically betrayed and abandoned lol

bookmark!!!! i wonder what the max level of understanding is.....

'Despite him being a hated figure, I couldn't help feeling strange emotions.' - 👀👀👀👀 interesting kdj states this when knw's last words were 'Don't want to die'

yjh just destroying zombies barehanded is. so great.

'The man destroyed all the demonic people threatening me and appeared in front of me. An overwhelming force without any weapons. He beat the demonic people with only two fists.' - YJH LITERALLY DESTROYED ALL THE ZOMBIES ON THE BRIDGE BAREHANDED I'M SIMPING SO HARD *swoons*

'His personality had worn out after going through regression three times. His principles were cut away in order to maintain his sense of self. The current Yoo Joonghyuk would never hesitate for the sake of his purpose.' - see, this is a much more nuanced and empathetic description than 'lost his humanity' in the webtoon translation. like killing people for your own purposes is not just as human a thing to do as choosing to save other people. it always struck me as a particularly harsh way to word yjh's personality change, esp. when yjh is kdj's blorbo and kdj knows how yjh got to this point.....i think the webtoon in general tries to flatten kdj's low and high points to make him more plateable for a wider audience, which i noticed when comparing scenes side by side for my fic. which is exactly why i prefer reading the source material of stories over any adaptation - things get lost in the medium translation even with the best adaptations.

kdj specifically calls yjh a professional gamer. which is good because i literally can't see yjh streaming to any audience pre-scenarios except maybe for contract-mandated team streams. he can't perform on command and doesn't give a shit about entertaining anyone except maybe his family. bad karoke aside lol

'I liked, hated, grumbled, and cheered Yoo Joonghyuk on. That's why I stuck with Yoo Joonghyuk for over 3,000 chapters.' - translation of this line in the webtoon is a bit more flowery, but i like this barebones description. it's charming how utiltarian kdj is with everything he describes, truly a reader to the core

'Yet Kim Namwoon died and the others survived.' - huh. i guess yjh saw them through the window....but shouldn't they have seen him through the window when he was kicking down the door? maybe he shattered the window after his first kick and made it hard to see through, especially if the window has wire mesh

'I started telling the story. I told the story using as much concise, short, and accurate vocabulary as possible.' - yup, that's how kdj tells stories. at least he's honest about this.

'His eyes changed and memories that seemed to belong to Yoo Joonghyuk crossed my mind.' - kdj get images along with people's thoughts if they're remembering something??? that's fascinating. tho it would be absolutely hilarious if this was a mousou telepathy situation (fic idea??)

'Due to the impact of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, I could feel Yoo Joonghyuk's mental pain and suffering.' - kdj gets feelings too ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. and yjh is feeling bad about killing everyone in his car even on his 3rd turn AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

'I have never seen a protagonist as careful as Yoo Joonghyuk.' - i'm simping too, kdj

augh reminder to myself to backtrack in proofreader and standardize the lie detection messages - the epub isn't consistent with the format of them. gonna have to check if the webtoon is consistent or not

like how kdj never says he's a seer and lets yjh completely misunderstand. peak trickster behaviour

yjh.... bringing himself to allow another seer to be his companion after the 2nd scenario.........repeating the word in his head...................i'm tearing up, i'm not even kidding rn

'Now Yoo Joonghyuk's face was as difficult as a philosophy book with no commentary written.' - i see kdj failed philosophy, just like me

'Yoo Joonghyuk was smiling brightly like something made him happy. Son of a bitch.' - W E E P I N G YJH IS HAPPY HE HAS A COMPANION THAT UNDERSTANDS HIM AND CAN HELP HIM i'm i'm 😭😭😭😭😭

'…Damn, I have to use that method after all.' - such a good cliffhanger ahhhhhh

[animeniacss]

6 Years - Hoseok x Reader - Chapter 26 - How Do I Feel?

Synopsis: 6 years. That’s all it can take to take another look at someone and see that they have completely changed. You were once an eager 20-year-old, with your dreams all in view, and Jung Hoseok at your side to view them with you. However, after a break up the end of your junior year of college, everything seemed different. Now, you’re a recently divorced single mother of two, and your life is nowhere near what you thought it would be. However, after reuniting with Jung Hoseok, you may just be able to capture a little bit of that exciting youth you once knew so long ago.

Feat. BTS Members, Nayeon (TWICE), and Yuna (itzy) 

Genre: Romance, SingleMother!AU, Past Relationship, Drama, Some Depictions of Violence/Domestic Abuse

Length: approx. 4.6k words 

Chapter 26 - How Do I Feel? 

           When Hoseok turned to face you, you were unsure what to say. Slowly, you stood up onto your feet and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

           “Hobi, I-.”

           “Are you okay?” he asked, stepping closer to you. You glanced down. “What did he say to you?”

           “He was trying to make me listen to him. I was trying to get him to leave me alone but he wouldn’t.” You felt your head drop a bit, resting on his chest. Hoseok’s arms wrapped around you and he sighed. “I tried to hang up, I really did. I just couldn’t. I don’t know why; I don’t have an excuse. I’m sorry….” Hoseok smiled a bit.

           “Don’t be sorry. He shouldn’t have been calling you.”

           “But I should’ve hung up right away when I knew it was him on the other end…I just gave him what he wanted, I’m so stupid.”

           “You’re not stupid.” He assured, running a hand through your hair.

           “I am.” You pouted. Hoseok rested his chin on your head. “You should be mad at me this time.”

           “Well I told him I wouldn’t call the police this time, so the fault is really on me.” He said.

           “Are you really not going to call them?” You asked, looking up at him curiously. He sighed.

           “Do you think I should?” he asked curiously. You were silent for a moment. “Because he shouldn’t be calling you. He’s not even out on bail one day and he’s already violating the rules.” Eventually, you nodded, turning around and grabbing your purse. Hoseok watched you pull out Myung-Dae’s card, and held it out to him.

           “Will you call?” you asked curiously. “Or should I do it?” Hoseok smiled, taking the card from your hands.

           “I’ll do it.” He said, kissing your forehead. You smiled a bit, nodding as you watched Hoseok head outside the front door, closing it behind him. When he was gone, you turned back to the kitchen and looked at the opened cabinets with different foods inside. After a moment of starring, you let out an aggravated groan. Your heart was still racing at a crazy pace even after getting the phone taken away by Hoseok, and it didn’t seem to be stopping.

           “…I’m ordering.” You said, getting on your tiptoes to close the cabinets. You could faintly hear Hoseok outside. He was talking, but you couldn’t make out what he was saying. Honestly, you really didn’t want to know. “Myung-Dae is going to be so angry with me…” you mumbled under your breath. Deciding to try your best to push it from your mind, you made your way to the girl’s room. The sound of giggling and chanting could be heard, and you opened the door. “Girls, do you-?” Before you could finish, the sight of the room overtook your vision. Min Ja and Hyo Bin looked up from the toy chest. Hyo Bin was standing inside of it, both of the girls decorated in tons of different dress-up clothes. Hyo Bin had on a crown that was too big for her, and a blue princess dress. Min Ja wore a princess dress as well, this one was pink, as well as a cape and held a plastic sword in her hand. Whatever toys had to be removed in order to fit Hyo Bin were scattered all around the floor. You sighed, resting against the doorframe. “What on earth are you two doing?”

           “We’re playing princess. But Hyo Bin wants to be the princess and I want to be the princess. So, Hyo Bin is the princess and I’m the other heroic princess that saves her from the evil dragon!” Min Ja hurried to her bed, picking up the cute, wide-eyed pink unicorn doll that she had taped crudely colored wings onto. “See? Scaaaary.”

           “Min Ja, this room is an absolute mess.” You said, walking over and kneeling down in front of the toy box. Hyo Bin only offered you a big, toothy grin as she fixed the crown on her head. “Why does Hyo Bin have to be in the toy chest?”

           “…She fits.” Min Ja said simply. “And the closet is too dark.”

           “What about your homework?” you asked curiously, picking up a few of the dolls off the floor and tossing them back into the chest.

           “I finished it.” Min Ja said simply.

           “Mama, those are bad guys!” Hyo Bin said simply, pointing to the dolls as you tossed them in. “Mamaaa.”

           “Honey, we need to clean this room…” you said softly, and Hyo Bin whimpered a bit. You groaned. With every passing day, Hyo Bin was aging to be more and more like her older sister. You didn’t know if you liked that or not because their whines sounded almost exactly the same.

           “What’s going on in here?” you heard a voice hum from behind you. Glancing over at the door, you saw Hoseok looking around the room. “Are you guys playing a game?”

           “Yeah! Princess and heroic princess and the evil dragon!” Min Ja said simply, pointing to the unicorn. “Do you want to play, Mr. Hobi?” Hoseok walked in, sitting down beside you.

           “Of course, I do!” He said happily. “What should I be?”

           “Hmmmm…you can be the evil dragon owner!” Min Ja held up the unicorn and tossed it at him. He caught it easily, and stood up, holding it in his hands.

           “Alright then.” Coughing into his hands, he mentally prepared himself. After a moment, he scrunched up his nose and furrowed his brows, trying his best to make a scary and intimidating face. It made Min Ja absolutely lose her mind, and she doubled over laughing. You couldn’t help but chuckle either. “Halt!” He stuck his hand out in Min Ja’s direction. “I’ll never let you rescue the princess. She’s mine!”

           “No way!” Min Ja giggled, hurrying up to him. She grabbed hold of his hand and tried with all of her might to yank him down to the floor. “I want to rescue her!” Hoseok dropped to his knees, still trying to keep the intimidating face as best as he could despite the smile that was trying to fight its way onto his face.

           “Take this!” Hoseok shouted, lifting up a few of the scattered dolls and tossing them in Min Ja’s direction. She covered herself as she began to giggle. “My army of dolls! Ahahaha!”        

           “Oh my God…” You shook your head in amusement, glancing at Hyo Bin. She was watching the two intensely as if she actually were a princess watching her hero fight for her life. It was kind of hilarious. You reached out and rubbed her back as you continued to watch. Min Ja ran over again, pretending to confused Hoseok by running back and forth. When he got dizzy, she ran behind him and jumped onto his back, toppling him to the floor.

           “Ooof. Auuuugh, I’ve been vested….” He groaned, dropping his head in defeat. You watched as Min Ja giggled, sitting on his back for a few moments. Glancing at Hyo Bin, you scooped her up into your arms. When she looked in your direction, you lifted a finger to your lips and told her to stay silent. She copied you, smiling as well. Standing up, you tried to tiptoe away. However, Min Ja was a sharp girl. She let out a very dramatic gasp.

           “THE EVIL WITCH IS TAKING THE PRINCESS!” She screamed. Hoseok looked up.

           “WITCH!?” You gasped for a moment. Hoseok quickly got up, scooping Min Ja into his arms.

“We need to get her, Mr. Hobi! You have to be good now!”

           “Okay!” He nodded. Next thing you knew, you were jogging down the little hallway, Hoseok and Min Ja shouting behind you as they attempted to chase you. Hyo Bin was shouting too, and you were praying the neighbors had a good sense of humor. As you hurried into the kitchen, you set Hyo Bin down and sat beside her, sprawling out on the floor.

           “You win.” You said simply. “You win, you win.” Hoseok and Min Ja high-fived happily as Hyo Bin hurried up to them. “Your prize is that you get to pick what we order in.”

           “BARBECUE!” Min Ja shouted. “I want barbecue!” You glanced at Hoseok, who nodded.

           “Sounds good to me.” He said. You nodded, and Hoseok handed you your phone so you could make the call. As you waited for the person on the other end, Hoseok led the girls back into their bedroom so that they could continue to play until the food arrived. You decided to just rest on the couch, covering your face with your hands as you listened to the ruckus going on in the other room.

           When the food arrived, you paid the lovely teenager for making the journey, before bringing the bags of barbecue into the kitchen. You didn’t even have time to call out to them, by the time the food hit the table, footsteps came rushing in your direction, the clattering of chairs making you look up. Hoseok set Hyo Bin in her little seat, and Min Ja hopped up as well. The girls were still in their dress-up clothes, and Hoseok somehow had a crown on his head, resting lopsided.

           “…I hope your room is clean, young lady.” You said sternly as you set the main bowl of chicken in the middle of the table. Min Ja looked over at Hoseok, who waved his hand.

           “We’ll clean it after we eat, okay?” He assured. Min Ja nodded in agreement.

           “Yeah, after we eat, Mommy.” Finally taking a seat, you nodded.

           “Alright fine.” You said. Everyone took their plates and utensils, thank you for the meal as everyone began to dig in. Min Ja was sharing all the interesting things that had happened in their princess rescues princess game. Hosoek apparently died, but came up as a good prince who wanted to help defeat the dragon. Hyo Bin turned out to bed a magical fairy princess. Aliens were somehow involved. You had no idea what was going on, but Min Ja’s eyes were glowing as she chatted about it. The sight made you feel so at ease.

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

           “What did Myung-Dae say?” you asked curiously, tossing your clothes into the bedside hamper. Hoseok was just getting out of the shower, shaking his hair out with a towel as you finished putting on your pajamas. Hoseok and you had read the girls to sleep only minutes ago, while you finished tossing the last of the dolls into the toy chest, and tossed the girl's barbecue stained dress-up clothes in the laundry room for tomorrow’s load. “I didn’t want to know at first, but now I do.” Hoseok smiled as he sat on the end of the bed, tossing the towel to the side.

           “I told him Weong-Bin called and he said that he would talk to him and bring him in. I’m not sure if he was going to do it tonight, it sounded like he was getting ready to go home. But he also said that if this does happen again, just to immediately hang up and call him. Or me, if I’m not home.”

           “I figured he would say that.” You chuckled a bit. Hoseok smiled, heading over to the dresser and grabbing a tee-shirt to toss on. He stood by the mirror, running a brush through his damp hair. “But I know that now. I still feel silly I didn’t do it the first time.”

           “Don’t beat yourself up over it, that’s exactly what he wants.” Hoseok assured. “Weong-Bin will most likely be in jail until the trial, so there’s no need to worry about it anymore.”

           “But…what if he’s found not guilty and released?” you asked, looking over at him. “Then nothing will change, and he’ll only be angrier… I don’t think I’ll be able to handle it.”

           “I don’t think he will. They have evidence of the bruises, and Min Ja even said she’s heard him hit you.”

           “…I don’t feel right putting her through all of this, either.” You said softly.

           “Nobody wants to put a five-year-old on the spot to put down her own father. But she’s a strong girl. She’ll be just fine.” Hoseok assured. You nodded, and Hoseok crawled across the bed, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you into his arms. You chuckled, nuzzling into his embrace. “You’ll be okay too.” He assured.

           Just as the two of you were finally ready to turn in for the night, you heard a noise at your bedroom door. Glancing over, you saw Min Ja standing in the doorway, wearing her little nightgown and a pair of pink slippers. Her hair was a bit messy, but it was clear that she had not fallen into a deep sleep yet.

           “Min Ja…” you hummed, sitting up. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?”

           “I heard you talking about Daddy…” she said softly. She walked over to your bed, and you quickly scooped her up into your arms. She wrapped them around you. “People go to jail…when they do bad things…” she said softly.

           “That’s right sweetie…” you said softly.

           “Is it because Daddy hit you all the time?” She asked softly. You let out a shaky breath, and Min Ja didn’t really need to hear much else about it. “He told me that he stopped making bad mistakes. He lied…” In hopes of calming her down, you ran a hand through her hair. “Is Daddy mad at me too?” You glanced down at her.

           “Why would he be mad at you?” you asked curiously.

           “He told me not to tell anybody about our secret talks. I drew lots of pictures, but I promise I didn’t tell anyone.” You could see her eyes get a bit wet. “I don’t want him to be mad at me, Mommy…” You sighed softly.

           “Min Ja, you did the right thing, telling your teacher how you felt through your pictures. Do you understand that?”

           “But Daddy thinks I told them about our secret talks.” You glanced at Hoseok, who sat at the end of the bed, watching silently. “I know Daddy made lots of mistakes. But I don’t want him to go to jail. Then I’ll never see him again…” you couldn’t help but feel bad that Min Ja felt this way, but she was simply to young to fully understand. You didn’t think that you had to strength to really try and explain anything to her now. What if it only made things worse?

           How is she going to be able to testify if this is how she feels? You thought to yourself. You knew you wouldn’t be enough, Min Ja’s viewing of these awful moments made it much more than just the typical “He said – She said” among two bitter divorcees. “Min Ja…” you said softly. She looked up at you. “Daddy has made lots of mistakes. He needs to understand that what he did was wrong. He shouldn’t ever hit anyone, and he shouldn’t have made you feel so sad. Daddy needs lots of help so that he can be a better person.” Min Ja still looked a bit confused. “I know you’re probably really confused, and that’s okay. It’s okay to be overwhelmed.”

           “What does “overwhelm” mean?” she asked curiously.

           “It means that you are so confused, that it makes your head hurt a lot. And you don’t know what to do to make it feel better. It can be scary sometimes.”

           “…Are you overwhelmed too?” she asked softly. You nodded, smiling a bit. Min Ja reached up to your hair, patting it like you were doing to her. It made your shoulders relax, and you rested your head on her forehead. “Am I not allowed to love Daddy?” she asked, after a moment of silence. You quickly looked her in the eyes.

           “You can love your Daddy, okay?” You said softly. “I’ll never, ever stop you or your sister from loving your Daddy.” You knew this may change as the girls grew up, and learned the full extent of everything that had gone on. However, for now, you would only be sinking to Weong-Bin’s level if you told your girls how to feel about him. Min Ja nodded.

           “Okay, because I love Daddy lots and lots. But…if he moved in again, he’d make you sad. I don’t want him to make you sad, Mommy…” You smiled a bit. “Plus, he isn’t good at playing games with Hyo Bin and me. Mr. Hobi is.” Hoseok chuckled, laying back on the bed as Min Ja looked over him. “He played the evil dragon and the good prince. That’s hard.”

           “It was.” Hoseok admitted. “Do you think I should be an actor, Min Ja?”

           “Mhm.” She nodded happily. You smiled, holding Min Ja close to you as she gave you a tight hug. “I love you, Mommy…”

           “I love you too…” You said softly, kissing her forehead. “But it’s time to go to bed now, okay?” Min Ja pouted.

           “I wanna stay with you…” she begged, holding onto your shirt. Glancing up at Hoseok, he shrugged.

           “I don’t mind. The bed is big enough.” You chuckled, watching as Hoseok crawled into bed. Min Ja followed him, as he opened up a bit of the sheet to allow her to crawl underneath. “Alright, comfy?” he asked, watching as she snuggled into the sheets. When she nodded, Hoseok smiled as he too went under the covers. You slid in beside them but didn’t fully lie down. You sat up, looking down at the two of them. Hoseok rolled over and turned off the lamp, showering the room in darkness. “Alright, time for bed, Min Ja.” He said.

           “Kay…” she said. You could see their shadows shifting a bit, Min Ja rolling over to face you, her tiny hand reaching out for yours. You quickly offered the hand to her and gave it a little squeeze.

           “I’ll be right back.” You said softly, kissing her hand as you slid out of bed. You walked out the room, and into the kitchen, turning on the small light above the dining table. Taking a seat, you ran a hand through your hair before resting your head on the table.

           You just couldn’t wait for this all to be over.

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

           That weekend was a more stressful one for you. You had woken up, made some breakfast, and gotten yourself ready much earlier than you had planned. It was the day that you and Min Ja were going to start preparing for the trial, and even though your entire family and Hobi stressed you get as much sleep as you could, you found yourself unable to, even with Hoseok offering you warm milk and rubbing your back in attempts to calm you down. You were just so nervous; you couldn’t stand it. So, you had been up since almost 5 a.m., trying to find a nice outfit for both you and Min Ja to wear, pacing the living room quietly as you thought about what the process was like. It was very different than the divorce court, at least, you felt it would be.

           “You’re already awake?” Hobi asked, staggering into the living room. He had just woken up and noticed that you weren’t in bed beside him. “It’s like 5 a.m. You don’t have to meet the prosecutor for another 3 hours.”

           “I know.” You said.

           “…Have you even slept?” he asked.

           “No, I haven’t.” you said. “I tried, but I probably only dozed off in intervals of 15 minutes.” You motioned to the kitchen. “I have coffee brewing. Want some?” Hoseok nodded, smiling as you walked into the kitchen, taking the coffee pot and pouring two cups of coffee. Once they were mixed and perfect, you passed Hoseok his white cup with a smiling sun on it. You found comfort with him on the couch, instinctively snuggling up close to him. He smiled as you both drank your coffee, the warm liquid coursing your body and making you both begin to fully wake up. “What are your plans today with Hyo Bin?”

           “Well since it’s my day off, I think I’m just going to take her to the park, maybe grab some lunch.” He shrugged. “Come home and take a nap because I’ll be exhausted from that alone.” You giggled a bit, nodding.

           “Oh, for sure.” You said. “Thanks again for watching her.” Hoseok shrugged, smiling happily. You rested your head on his shoulder. “…I know I’m practicing so that I’m not this nervous during the actual trial, but I’m really nervous.”

           “You’ll do just fine.” He said. “Tell me all about it when you get home, okay?” you nodded a bit as Hoseok kissed your forehead. The two of you remained on the couch for a little while, drinking your coffee, and just taking some time to relax. Hoseok glanced down a few times, seeing that your eyes were closed, and you were breathing calmly. He set his coffee cup down as carefully as he could, not wanting to make you stir now that you were finally still. After succeeding, he reached out and ran a hand through your hair, which only made you relax more. As he watched you, he thought back to the conversation he had with Yoongi and Namjoon.

           He knew that Yoongi was just trying to lighten the mood by mentioning the idea of marriage, but even if that were the case, Hoseok found himself still thinking about it constantly. He had known since he first met you that he wanted to marry you, and even after reuniting with you, and especially after you both started dating again, those thoughts only got stronger. He wasn’t sure when the right time would be, or if there would ever really be a good time. However, he did know that he was going to put a ring on your finger one day, even before Yoongi made his little joke.

           After allowing you to sleep just a little bit more, Hoseok got you up and the both of you went to get the girls ready for the day. You dressed them, while Hoseok threw on some casual clothes and began to make a quick breakfast for everyone. The girls were still sleepy, so luckily, they were not putting up much of a fight about what clothes they needed to wear. With the girls dressed and well-fed, and both you and Hoseok ready to go, you each took the child that you were responsible for and headed out the door.

           “Hyo Bin, be good for Mr. Hobi, okay?” You said to your daughter as she waved him Mr. Hobi’s arms.

           “Okay, Mama.” She said happily. “I’ll be good.” You kissed her forehead.

           “Call if you need anything, okay?” Hoseok said to you, before kissing your cheek. You nodded.

           “I will, but we’ll be alright. Right, Min Ja?” you glanced down at your daughter, who was holding your hand tightly.

           “Mhm!” She grinned. “Bye, Mr. Hobi! Bye, Hyo Bin!” Hyo Bin waved to her sister as you and Hoseok began leading the girls down opposite ends of the street. When Hoseok was far enough away, he turned to see how far you had gotten. You were almost down the street, waiting for the light to change and allow you to cross. That’s when he looked at Hyo Bin.

           “Hyo Bin. I wanna buy Mommy a pretty ring. Will you help me?” He asked. Hyo Bin’s eyes sparkled, and she nodded. “Really? Okay, but you can’t tell Mommy, okay? It’s a big surprise. Like a birthday.”

           “Like a birthday, okay.” Hyo Bin put a finger to her lips and let out a long “Shhhhhhhh”. Hoseok laughed a bit and headed down the street with her, a slight spring now in his step.

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

           “HEY! I DON’T DESERVE TO BE IN HERE!” Weong-Bin shouted as he was dragged down the hallway by the police officer. “What if they were lying!? Check my phone, I never called that lying bi-.”

“Alright, whatever.” The cop scoffed, shoving him into a cell. Weong-Bin looked around, seeing only one other person in the room. The man was probably about his age, a bit heavier, with a full head of black hair tied up in a small ponytail. Weong-Bin tried to shout at the policeman as he was leaving but to no avail. He was completely ignored from this point on. “HEY! I want my lawyer here NOW!”

“No use yelling.” The man in the cell said, and Weong-Bin looked over. “Hey, nice to meet you. Guess we’re roomies now.” He smirked. Weong-Bin sighed, walking over to the open bed and sitting down on it, groaning. “No greeting?” He asked. No response. “Nothing?” Still, no response from Weong-Bin. “…Alright.” The man shrugged, laying back down in his bed.

That was two days ago, and now Weong-Bin was stuck in a jail cell, bitter and frustrated. Why did Hoseok have to come home at that specific time? What the hell gave him the right to speak to him that way? Just thinking about it made him even more furious.

           “Hey.” He heard a voice and looked over to it. It was the same guy, who eventually said his name was In-Ho, and he was in jail for assaulting someone in a bar while he was drunk. To this day, he still had no idea who he had attacked, but he knew for a fact he almost killed the guy. Weong-Bin never asked him this, but In-Ho was sure to share it. “…Hey!”

           “What?” Weong-Bin scoffed.

           “What’s got you so mad?”

           “Why the fuck do you care?”

           “We’re roommates. Means we’re basically friends.”

           “I’m not planning to befriend criminals.”

           “Look in the mirror. I know you’re in here for slapping your wife around.” He snickered. Weong-Bin scoffed.

“It’s not like that. Her boyfriend is filling her head with lies and exaggerations.”

“Lemme guess, a new boyfriend is making this tougher?” In-Ho asked curiously.

           “Unbelievably.” He scoffed. “I’m sick and tired of the scumbag thinking he can just come back into the picture and take what’s mine. He didn’t make my girls, he’s not their father. And he sure as hell didn’t marry my wife and make her into the woman she is today. I did all that, my family is my pride. He’s taking it away and I can’t handle it.”

           “Oooooh.” The man sat upon his bed. “So, you’re a fucking narcissistic control freak, huh?”

           “What?” he glared, eyes narrowing in anger. The man let out a loud belly laugh now, grinning a bit.

           “You heard me.” He leaned forward, looking at Weong-Bin. “And it seems he’s the reason you’re back in jail instead of on bail, huh?”

           “Damn right.” He scoffed. “I hate him.”

           “It sounds like you should do something about it.”  Weong-Bin blinked. “You have any connections on the outside you can call?”

           “…I have a few.”

           “Anyone desperate enough to do something drastic for a few extra bucks?” Weong-Bin raised an eyebrow, staring at the man without saying a word. The man smirked a bit, leaning back.

           “What do you mean?” Weong-Bin asked curiously.

           “Just answer my question first.”

           “I know a few people who got let go in my company this past quarter due to budget cuts. But why are you asking?” In-Hoe grinned.

           “How much money does this mean that they lose?”

           “A lot. My company is very high up and powerful, we make high salaries every year.”

           “So, someone who got fired, probably won’t be able to pay their bills and support their families huh?”

           “…Yeah?” In-Ho was now silent, resting his chin in his hand. It looked as if he was thinking about what he was going to say next.

           “So, which one of these guys do you think is most likely to kill if it means getting some money?”  

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[theblueskyphoenix]

Grid Ghost Chapter 11: Cautionary

“Professor! Look! Look!”

Grace smiled as she beheld the invention before her. While still a work in progress, the mini power generator before her was quite a sight to see. She placed a hand on Obake’s shoulder, a proud look in her dark colored eyes.

“You’re doing wonderfully, Bob. Think you’ll be able to get it done in time for the open house?”

“You bet ya! I just need to put the finishing touches on the amplifier.” Obake held up the piece he was working on, an ecstatic grin on his face. “With this, this generator, or anything for that matter, can run on a huge amount of energy for days and never hit a low battery. Think of how much that could help people!”

“I’m sure it will.” Grace chuckled, squeezing his shoulders. “You’re going to make the world a better place, Bob.”

“You really think so?”

“I know so and I certainly can’t wait to see what you can do.”

Did you, though?

Obake sighed, looking at his reflection on the visor of the helmet he was working on. 

He should’ve been in bed right now but he just couldn’t bring himself to sleep. When there was work to be done he had to get it done when he could. Plus, he wanted some alone time in his lab and late at night was the only time he could get that.

It had only been a week now since detaining Dragoness. Saga had become a lot more quiet for everyone. Tadashi and Trina still went out to go help people but at least there was no concern of an arsonist causing trouble. Despite that, Obake couldn’t really rest easy with the information they had.

Liv has a whole team of people out there tracking other people like they’re rare animals. I can’t just sit by and let her get away with it. I’m not going to let them meet the same fate I did.

Obake lowered his head, feeling at the left side of his face.

I can’t… let someone else go through that same pain.

“Make it stop! PLEASE! I BEG YOU!”

“It’s okay, Bob. It’ll all be over soon. Just breathe.”

“AUUUUGH!!”

“Bob?”

Obake straightened up, looking behind him to see Kim in the entryway of his lab. She wore a look of concern as she peered in.

“You okay?” she asked.

Obake stared at her in silence before turning away, looking back at the helmet on the table.

“Just have a lot on my mind.”

Kim made her way over, pulling up a chair, sitting next to him.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked, rubbing his back.

Obake remained silent for a moment before letting out a sigh.

“It’s… strange for me to be doing what I’m doing now. I used to be a crime lord for a whole year and now, here I am trying to be a hero and help people… I have to wonder if…” he lowered his head. “If Granville would think differently if she saw me now.”

Kim frowned at this.

“I’m guessing the last time you saw her it wasn’t exactly a happy reunion?”

“Not really…” Obake closed his eyes. “It was right before I was going to destroy the city. I mocked her, Kim…”

“Bob…”

“Told her it was because of her I was the way I was… and while there was some truth it wasn’t her fault I decided destroying the city was a way to make the world a better place. I just…” He brought his hands to his face. “I was just so angry at her for not being there for me when I needed her. She said she looked forward to seeing what I could do and yet… she wasn’t there during therapy. She wasn’t there to help me pick up the pieces.” He sighed. “And Liv used that as a means of coercing me… and I want to let that go. I really do. I want to forgive it… but I just wonder if she could ever forgive me.” Obake moved his hands away from his face, looking at them. “As far as she’s concerned, she created a monster.”

Kim brought an arm around his shoulders, stroking his arm. 

“I think with time, she may forgive you. It’s like I said before, those you hurt might not forgive you but the least you can do to prove to them that you’ve changed and are truly sorry for what you did, by doing what you’re doing right now.” She squeezed his shoulder. “As for Granville, I think she would forgive you because you’re being the man that she believed you could be.”

Obake gave a small smile, bringing an arm around her.

“Thanks, Kim… I needed to hear that.”

“Anything to help.” Kim rested her head on his shoulder, looking at the helmet he was working. “So, come up with a vigilante name yet? I doubt you can go by Obake again.”

“I can’t and I won’t be. Instead, I’m going by a name that Trina and Tadashi came up with that I quite like a lot.”

“Oh yeah? What is it?”

Obake grinned, the left side of his skull glowing for a moment as the purple EL wire on the helmet lit up.

“Grid Ghost.”

oooooo 

“It seems we have a problem on our hands.”

Naoki was resting his chin on his hands, looking at the monitor before him. Coilin and Drake were staring back at him from a window on said monitor, both having their arms crossed. 

“Prey tell, Takeuchi.” Coilin raised an eyebrow.

“Erin has been apprehended.” he narrowed his eyes. “Not sure how but she was and her lab was ransacked. Any research she had on The Phoenix is now gone.”

“Hm… I see how that’s a slight problem but I don’t see how it affects us directly.” Drake closed his eyes. “I mean, Erin was a dear friend of ours and she will be missed but honestly, I’m not sure how much use that mutant would’ve been to Liv anyway. The stuff we’re looking into is way more valuable in regards to bettering humanity.”

“Think deeper, you two.” Naoki growled. “The fact Erin was apprehended means someone found out what she was up to. Which means they probably now know about us and by extension, know about Liv. I don’t think Ms. Amara would be pleased if the public found out the true nature of Sycorax. She already has enough to worry about. Let’s not give her a reason to turn her frustrations on us.”

“Fair point.” Coilin ran a hand through his hair. “I’d rather we not have our funding cut or have Liv sick one of her… “creations” on us because of a slip up.”

“Hear about what she did not too long ago?” Drake asked. “While the public didn’t know it was her doing, but she mutated a well known chef thief into a weird cat hybrid creature. Did you know she could do that? Last I checked she was still in the works with that kind of tech.”

Naoki grimaced, shuddering.

“I’ve seen the police footage. I was hoping it wasn’t whom I thought, but goes to show she’s making faster leaps than we are. That’s why we need to prove we’re useful so our own goals don’t wind up thrown to the wayside. I’d rather not become some freak of nature. We’re already after those.”

“You think I want that either?”

He narrowed his eyes.

“All I’m saying is… we need to be more careful… and we need to move soon. I already have my own plans in motion, I can’t take them back. What do you two plan to do?”

“We’re planning a capture of the water being soon. It’s taken a lot of deep research and coercion but we found some very willing people who know how to trap the being. For a price, of course.” Coilin grinned. “Regardless, we have a cage just for him.”

“Puts a whole new twist on a house of mirrors.” Drake chuckled. “He’ll be clay in our hands and eventually, Liv’s.”

Naoki smirked, leaning back in his chair, lacing his fingers together.

“Lovely. He’ll certainly be interesting to study. Do send me the video files later, won’t you?” He chuckled. “He won’t even know what hit him. Brilliant plan really. Where did you source the trap from?”

“Some odd folks who in our honest opinion are kind of too superstitious but yet are so helpful. We’ll explain more when we have the specimen. It makes more sense when there’s evidence to help explain it. What about you?”

“Yeah, what do you plan to do with those stitched together freaks?”

He grinned.

“First, get as much information as I can regarding to how their bodies are functioning… Then, when I have the data I need, I’ll simply take what I need. It doesn’t matter, they’ll just be part of my “trials” my clinic front is creating.”  He grinned. “No one will even realize they’re gone until it’s too late. I WILL achieve my goal… and by extension, bring Liv a step closer to hers.”

“Sounds like we’re all setting into motion then.” Coilin narrowed his eyes. “Though, I guess for once I have to say this. We must proceed with caution.”

“Indeed.” Naoki’s grin faded. “Whatever took her out could come for us next.”

“Well then.” Drake smirked. “We’ll just give them a nice “warm welcome” if they dare grace use with their presence.”

Naoki nodded, looking to a frame on his desk.

“A warm welcome indeed.” 

Naoki smiled. 

“Gentlemen, let’s begin.”