#i read about the resolution and was like “huh i wonder how long it will take israel to break it��

[totallynotcensorship]

tags update: rafah is 8th on trending

edit: it is now at 7th

FOR CONTEXT:

israel has launched an invasion and heavy bombing of rafah(a.k.a the "safe zone" 1.7 million Palestinians were forced into) after the UN approved a ceasefire resolution for the rest of ramadan... all 2 weeks of it. results were 14 votes for YESes. 0 NOs. and 1 didn't vote(take a guess who it was) the resolution called for an unconditional release of all hostages on both sides. so yes, mr "i am totally just doing this to get my hostages back whom i totally care about and totally didn't kill" Israel is launching harder attacks even after being promised all hostages release. just in case anyone was still questioning if Israel was using hostages as just an excuse for colonialism

russia tried to turn it into a permanent ceasefire but the US vetoed it. i guess vetoing a ceasefire looks less bad when russia is the one proposing it

DON'T STOP TALKING ABOUT PALESTINE

[eri-pl]

Silm reread 0: the letter to Milton Waldman

(which includes some Tolkien's thoughts +a recap of the whole Silm)

After the FA, a quick break (yet another) for the foreword of the book (at least in my edition this letter is there as the foreword)

So we get into authorial intent. Which is (for me) somewhat less important than what's in the book proper and how I read it. Don't treat all that is said here as "I claim it to be canon", it's just what Tolkien wrote in one letter in 1951. Please remember that as we go along.

A lot of talk about myths and fairy tales and that we don't talk about Bruno religion in them, not directly. For reasons that I still can't fully grasp, but also instinctively it seems to make sense, but also I am insecure with talking about relogion, so…

Anyway, Tolkien does not like machines. Yes, I know, but still, I don't really get him. I don't see what's wrong with tools, even automated tools. Also: oh how the Professor would hate generative AIs.

Fefe gets a lot of criticism: He was greedy, his sons were greedy, this is why the Elves had fallen. also, terrible, bad Oath.

Also, Oath explained: it is against anyone who claims a Silmarill or rights to it. So, no, touching it is etc fine as long as you intend to give it to Feanorians ASAP. Nice to know. Also, the oath is about hatered and revenge against abovementioned people, no mention of reclaiming the Silmarils in the explanation of it.

Yes, the idea of Dadgor Dagoradh is Ragnarok-inspired, of course it is but it's nice to see it in writing.

"Beren wins, Lúthien helps." OK I get it why you need this optics, sir (because Beren is less powerful), and I think I can see at least two reasons why you can't genderswap them, but still, I am a little unhappy with this.

Elwing owns the Silmaril, not Earendil (as we were wondering). Also, Elwing jumps into the sea to save the Silmaril, but I'm not sure whether to read it as "because she wants to save the jewel" or "because the story / "Fate" / Ulmo needs the gem saved so she gets a weird impulse and she follows it". And yes, they reach Valinor thanks to the power of the Silmaril.

M&M steal the Silmarils "enslaved" by the Oath. Huh. May be the translation. And they die. If Tolkien kept this version, a whole fanfic genre would not arise. ;D Seriously, "Maglor gets some kind of resolution" is a big genre, maybe the biggest genre of gen Silm fics.

Speaking of "facts we don't like"; the returning Elves live on Tol Eressea. Only.

Sauron in SA starts with beautiful motivation and slowly falls.

The Ruling Ring could be mastered by someone powerful and heroic, but of course it would still not be a good idea. But Sauron wuld be defeated (and replaced by a new Dark Lord).

The Numenoreans learned Quenya during the War of Wrath, from their allies. So, they speak Vanyarin Quenya, ith the "ty" read as "ch" XD Because, let me remind you prom previous reread part, the Noldor did not participate in the war. (But don't worry, iirc this means that they do have the Lisp)

Tolkien never mentions Morgoth's name (neither of them), which is … I get him, but it does stand out. Also, this is the man who didn't want to use a cup with the Ring Verse on it, because it was too evil, he used it only as an ashtray. Sauron is, however, mentioned by name a lot.

Also, I do have some other quirks, so probably shouldn't laugh at the Professor. Like: I would need a good reason to read the Oath of Feanor [prose version] out loud. Everyone has things they attach weight to, I guess.

Ar-Pharazon was a real danger to Valinor, (because the Ainur would not fight him, I think? but why? they fought against Men during the War of Wrath? Or did the Maiar fight only against uMaiar and mosters?) he could wreck it. Huh.

But also, the Valar did get power and permission to deal with it, So they made the world round themselves, thanks to the extra permissions? Or did they only put the Numenoreans under the mountains? Unclear.

Aman moves to the Unseen World, I don't like this version, I don't think it works, I think that in some places with the Valar, with Valinor, tolkien wants to have things both ways (just like the Elves making the Rings of Power did). He wants to make it both vaguely religious and mythological and it's jarring at moments… IDK, maybe it's just me.

Wait, it's spelled Gil-galad? With a small g in the second word? TIL.

[pidayforpi]

Favorite villain and what you wish we could have seen more of - DT ask

(I am super aware this has been nearly a year and I am so sorry for putting you on hold for so long you don't have to see this but if you do I hope you will like it thank you and sorry ahhhh)

(1) First: Favourite villain...Jim Starling Hum...this is immediately a hard one...

Okay yes...If Mister Starling counts as a "villain", he is my favourite (at least, the first favourite that comes to mind when I see this question). For purely subjective reasons. not my fault that he is my type of duck man a huh huh huh

("The Duck Knight Returns!" literally gave me 2 of my favourite characters in DT17 in 1 episode who then never appear again. Sadge)

But if Jim doesn't count and I turn off my extremely biased mind, I would say Lunaris.

Solely because of his moonvasion plan. As complex as DT17 writing could possibly be (it is still a children's comedy show, after all), the plan is actually quite clever. He really uses Della as much as he can:

(a) Steal the rocket blueprint because I can't for my life build one myself

(b) Get as much information about the Duck Family and their allies, who will be one of (if not) the biggest adversaries I will encounter on Earth

(c) Lastly, fake a betrayal as the casus belli

Perfect.

Honestly, Lunaris only lost because of a lack of resources/knowledge that he can't possibly obtain/predict:

There is literally only 2 military personnel on Moon, while the rest are all civilians (who make up a barely functional army)

One of said military personnel immediately deflected, and that personnel ultimately helps dismantle the plan

He doesn't have all the information about all people on Earth (e.g. Flintheart, Fethry, Gladstone), because he is not based on Earth in the first place (unlike, for example, Bradford)

Our protagonists literally have the power of god and anime on their side (if Zeus wasn't being cringy and childish, the moonvasion would have ended as soon as it had started)

Now that I have finished the entire series, I actually like the resolution to Moonvasion more than that to The Last Adventure. Bradford has everything that Lunaris lacks: He has a functional task force (okay still one person deflected but she is taken care of soon enough). He has all the information about everything he needs. He somehow can disable and overpower the protagonists' power of god and anime.

Bradford is literally winning until he is somehow not anymore.

FOWL is literally OP until it is somehow not anymore.

The Last Adventure is definitely epic, even more so than the Moonvasion arc. It has a wonderful buildup with interconnected stories (one thing I absolutely love about Season 3 is how the Kit Cloudkicker episode - which seemingly is just a cameo episode - is still tied to the main conflict of Season 3). Everything looks amazing. But as an action anime fan the solution to the conflict is one thing I feel somewhat confused about.

For one, I have to agree with Mister Buzzard: "Family is the greatest adventure of all" is not a reasonable rebuttal.

(For any JoJo fans reading this, I think this is the DT17 equivalent of "So it's the same type of Stand as Star Platinum.")

(And speaking of JoJo, Lunaris literally got Kars-ed at the end lmao)

Sorry @shychick-52 if you have no idea what I am talking about, I will stop now.

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

(2) More I wish we could have seen more of...JIM STARLING I wonder...

Okay, I am honestly curious about what they had in store for Negaduck. I think I have seen the behind-the-scene episode idea somewhere (i.e. The ultimately scrapped idea). At the very least, "Let's Get Dangerous!" could have featured my man, but for what it ended up to be now, I am not complaining either.

Other than that, I want to see more interactions between the Duck Cousins, actually (i.e. Donald, Della, Gladstone, Fethry). With DT17 introducing Fethry (for which I will be forever grateful), the quartet (?) being together is something I would like to see more of. Especially with how extensive HDL and Webby has been interacting since literally the first episode of the show, I feel like it would be awesome seeing a grown-up version of this group in the Duck Cousins.

(Perhaps an episode of the 2 groups hanging out together? Moonvasion is the closest there is to something like this)

There are some interactions between the 4 of them, noticeably the Moonvasion mentioned above, and The Last Adventure. But ultimately there could have been more potential, which might have been limited by Gladstone's and Fethry's little screentime (as much as they are part of the Duck Family, both of them are ultimately guest characters).

That being said, this is purely my subjective feeling. If truly implemented into the show, the Duck Cousins thing would be a bonus instead of a missing piece or missed opportunity (e.g. No Della - Gyro interaction whatsoever, despite the rocket-building manual and Oxychew. And I say this not as a shipper). So, just my personal opinion.

[heartstringsduet]

Fic Rec Friday

The rules are simple: tag the fic that lives in your mind rent free and describe why it's so good / how it has a hold on you. Then tag some fellow associates to see what everyone else is reading. Spread the love! Thanks for sharing the fandom love @welcometololaland ! I really struggle with this because not only do we have so many great fandom writers. I'd never want someone to feel left out. Sorry, you're all wonderful. ahhhh

Without further ado. The fic that lived in my mind is Abundance by @cinnaluminum. I just wrote her a long ass comment about how it has my favorite conflict and resolution between TK and Carlos in the fandom. The tension in the beginning has me feeling uneasy, truly. And then it's so so hot at the same time withoutlosing tenderness. The pacing is also uniquely flowy . So A+ for this one. It's one of the first I read in fandom and I reread it all the time.

I tag @alltheprettyplaces ; @noxsoulmate ; @strandnreyes ; @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut ; @paperstorm ; @lightningboltreader , @liminalmemories21 ; @goodways; @erythrocytebuffoonn ; @happinessandlove92 ; @just-inside-her ; @firstprince-history-huh ; @herefortarlos ; @girlsnightout304 ; @wtfuckevenknows ; @punkemokitten ; @chicgeekgirl89 ; @shirowo ; @actuallysara (I thought I'd tag some of the friendly peeps I see liking my stuff so often. No pressure just wanted to include you if you feel like joining)

[macawritesupdates]

AAAA all of today's chapters have been so good! Girl yuuji was adorable although I truly pity her for how many bras she's going to lose 😅 those things really can be expensive and finding a nice comfy one that fits just right can be a chore. Praying she finds some way to get Sukuna to pay her back or something. Oh man she's going to need to invest in something to cover herself after a Sukuna incident huh it's a little less socially acceptable for a girl to be running around shirtless after all. I wonder how the good will event would go in this au, would todo still ask her about her type? I'm not sure which is funnier todo getting a crush because she's a girl or todo declaring her his sister.

I loved evil queen Sukuna and her little guy so so much ahhh they're the best. I think this is my favorite chapter so far honestly. I love Sukuna trying to be good even if she wants to wipe out her enemies. Yuuji king of nonviolent conflict resolution, let him solve problems through open communication. He's so good at connecting with others even in cannon he gets people who previously wanted him dead onto his side and he's way way better at teamwork than most sorcerers. He's a badass fighter no doubt about it, but when he can he'll talk things through. I love that Sukuna's attempts to be good end up giving yuuji lots of freedom to make his own choices in another court he would probably be given strict clear orders but since Sukuna doesn't want to scare him off and isn't used to making kind choices she has to give him very broad orders and let him loose. Man it works out great for Yuuji and the kingdom he must be so popular there since he showed up the royal murder rate is down 95% absolutely incredible. Used to be if you caused problems the queen would show up and take you out nowadays odds are her loyal knight will show up and talk with you until you find a reasonable solution, you'll still get punched if you're a dick or something but you'll probably survive. Forget Sukuna not letting Yuuji leave the whole kingdom would probably fight to keep him. Imagine some other knight showing up to challenge him and not making it withing fifty feet of the castle before some random baker takes him out with a rolling pin, life is good with their white knight and they're not losing him. It's good for Sukuna too she doesn't have to be alone anymore. Loved the image of her sitting high on her throne with her wine all alone. I could really just go on and on about this one it just hit different. I really enjoyed it.

As for the mafia boss chapter that was hilarious 😂 my god Yuuji baby please you make me wonder how have you managed to live this long. It was beautiful. Did you ever read Amelia bedelia growing up because that's the whole vibe I've got in my head for Yuuji's time as a live in maid, pure comedic chaos. Man I hope they fall in love and get married and Sukuna never stops teasing Yuuji about their first meeting.

Yeah, poor Yuuji is not going to have a good time finding good bras and live in fear of Sukuna ruining them XD Probably goes to missions without wearing the nice ones just to save them that fate XD I can see the Todo point being funny both ways though hehe! Someone has already requested a sequel to that one, so will have to see what happens! The queen one was actually one I had to sit on for a while as I was struggling with how to put it all together and make sure I hit the big points, but I'm glad people have enjoyed it so much! It leaves room for a lot of shenanigans for sure! The mafia boss one, on the other hand, hit me like a bus while I was driving home and I ran inside to write it out quickly before I forgot because the idea had me laughing so much <3 Glad you enjoyed the shorts!

[mainstoryarchive]

Ensemble - 126: Resolution

Wataru: Oh, you're talking about that letter!

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Location: Auditorium (LIVE)

Wataru: Oh, you're talking about that letter!

I didn't want to be rude, so I didn't confirm its contents. However, I wonder. Just what was written in that letter?

It piques my interest…☆

Hokuto: It was a short letter, it didn't contain anything that would interest you.

It was trivial… A message from a grandmother to her grandson, one you can find in abundance in every family.

That if I'm hurt, I don't need to strain myself. That there's no need to listen to what others say and that I should just do what I want to do.

That whatever the result of that might be, that my grandma would be my ally.

That's what was written. Other than that… there was also something along the lines of a grumble written about how she called out my parents and scolded them, I guess.

My grandma is no idol or singer, no actress or anything of the like. She's just a normal person, just like the transfer student.

Even so, my top idol father and great actress mother can't disobey her.

She's a normal grandmother, an ordinary person that you could find anywhere… But I love her.

As long as my grandma is on my side, neither my parents nor the student council president seem scary to me.

I can fight proudly. I can live my own life.

What's even more fortunate is that the stage and my allies were already waiting in eyesight.

President. Even if it's my destiny to obey you, I won't accept it.

That's what I decided. I'm sure my grandma will be happy for me. My parents don't have anything to do with this. I don't care if I'm throwing away my future.

I want to stand here, as Trickstar.

I'll do as I like.

Even if I fail, even if I come to regret my decision, my grandma will be on my side. With just that fact, I can recklessly move forward without looking back.

I will become your enemy, president. No, I was your enemy from the start. I was swayed by sweet words and lost my way, but I finally remembered.

I'm also Trickstar.

Eichi: …Is that so. It's a shame, I really had high expectations for you.

I evaluated you highly, but if you're that determined, there's nothing I can do.

I won't show any mercy, Hokuto.

I will trample upon the dream, hopes and everything else that you've gained at such great pains.

Hokuto: It won't be trampled upon so easily. No, even if it does get trampled upon, it will come back again and again just like a weed. That's what Trickstar is.

Eichi: I'm sure you're trying to praise Trickstar, but I don't think being compared to a weed is that good.

Subaru: Hokuto.

Hokuto: Akehoshi.

I'm sorry. I don't have the right to call myself your ally. I've made you worry, you must resent me.

There's nothing I can say if you tell me to leave right here and now. In that case I'll shut up and disappear.

However if you can find it in yourself to forgive me, let me be your comrade again.

I want you to let me sing with you.

Subaru: There's only one thing that I want to say to you.

Subaru: …You're late, idiot ☆

Makoto: He punched him?! Akehoshi-kun, at least spare his face! We'll be doing a live after this…!

Hokuto: Ufu, ufufufu. Punch me more, Akehoshi! I deserve it for having committed such a great offense, punch me as much as you like…☆

Makoto: Huh, Hidaka-kun's character also did a 180!?

But, it's like a dream that to be able to stand on the same stage as Hidaka-kun again…! You did well in coming back, I'm really glad ♪

Mao: Are you alright though, Hokuto?

You had a pretty big reason for transferring to fine, right?

If there wasn't, someone like you, who has such a strong sense of responsibility, wouldn't have left Trickstar.

Hokuto: Yeah. Don't worry, though I suppose that would be hard. I've come to terms with it, that's why I'm here now.

I don't care if this'll be my last live.

Subaru: Don't say last! Let's sing together again countless times! We're the greatest unit, the greatest comrades! Right, Hokuto?

Mao: Hmm. But if you already finished the transfer paperwork, you shouldn't be able to return to Trickstar this easily.

From a rule standpoint. Though I really hate that I have to be the one to say this.

Of course, I'll welcome you back with open arms.

Eichi: I don't mind. I myself will dispose of the transfer documents using my authority as the student council president.

Your crime of betraying me deserves capital punishment. However, your friendship is a rare treasure. I don't want to break that bond for a such a dull, realistic reason.

I want to fight you at your best. By trampling and exhausting you at your best I will gain the greatest strength.

That's what the DDD is for. Don't worry about anything unnecessary, and bring out everything you have.

I'll turn the tables for you.

Subaru: As expected of the president! You're surprisingly generous ☆

Eichi: Fufu. But please stop creating that 'everything's already come to a happy conclusion' atmosphere before the match has even started.

I have my own objective, that's all…

Let's stop the needless chatter here. The audience is waiting in anticipation of our stage.

As a student of Yumenosaki Academy I want to make this a stage we can be proud of.

[ ☆ ]

← prev ❖ all ❖ next →

[bat-in-the-machine]

The new chapter of Miraculous World Tour: Gotham is up! Originally, it was going to be all fight but then I was like "do I really want to describe what twenty different people are doing in this akuma battle or do I want to get the fuck on with the real plot?" and I decided to get on with the real plot. Preview after the cut as usual!

-snip-

"What was that about death earlier?" Kate asked, frowning.

"Viperion has the power of Second Chance," Alex said. "Basically, he starts a time loop and keeps resetting it until the team makes it through. Absolutely vital when one of the team members is solely responsible for the successful resolution of the fight. Since Ladybug by nature of her powers cannot be expendable, Viperion's role is to ensure that she doesn't fall, and if she does, to reset the fight until they find a way where she doesn't. Based on the stats he gave, you were on the eighth time loop and the previous seven resulted in four cases where Ladybug and Chat Noir were suborned by the akuma's power and three where one or both of them died."

"And they've been doing this how long?"

"Going on six years now," Jones said. "Wonder Woman has been keeping the Justice League out, but DEO has been monitoring the situation since Ladybug teamed up with the United Heroez in New York a few years ago. Plus there was the attack of the Miraculized last year, during the battle that led to the defeat of the original Papillon."

Kate shivered. "I wondered where those freaks came from," she said. "Were they worldwide?"

"Almost. They predominantly attacked places where Ladybug or Chat Noir had been seen in the past, however: New York, Paris, and Shanghai particularly."

"You can add Rio de Janeiro to that list," Kate said. "I saw a group of them fighting some guys in red robes on the beach there before the robed guys disappeared into a..." She trailed off as the security camera footage she was watching Ladybug console the akumatized victim on showed circle made of pure white light appear in midair beside the two. "...into a portal just like that one."

"Ah," Jones said. "Bunnyx. She's a member of the team, but she's not seen in the field often. Her power allows her to access everywhere in space and time, possibly even alternate timelines. She usually only shows up when things are especially dire."

"What is she doing there?" Alex said, trying to zoom in on the image. Unfortunately, the camera was already at its highest fidelity, so all she got was a pixelated blob. Whatever it was, it was pink and metallic. The akuma victim took it reverently, staring at it for a moment, then immediately tackled the rabbit heroine in a hug.

"All right, so what do you want me to do?" Kate said.

"You just did it," Jones said. "Bunnyx showed up here before the attack and asked me to have you come in and provide assistance over comms to her team."

"And you just believed her?"

"She let him read her mind," Alex said.

"I still have a headache," Jones grumbled. "She has so much information in there."

"All of time and space, huh?"

Jones eyed the bottle of headache medicine bitterly. "They do not make a pill that eases the pain of too much information being processed too quickly. Never read the mind of a demigod if you can help it, Kate."

"I'll uh..." Kate frowned. "I'll try to remember that?"

"In the meantime, the Paris team is likely to be regrouping in Gotham to celebrate their victory and unwind, and I imagine you'll be welcome to join them."

"Wait, in Gotham?"

[josies-not-suicidal-now]

There was a restlessness in her. She scrolled like any other day, but something in her was disatisfied, it gnawed at her. The feeling that she might never gain any improvement on this life, that she would scroll herself to her grave. She saw this wonderful comic about transfeminine love and how a trans girl loving a trans girl actually involves four people since the boys they once were are involved as well. Rereading it gave her a sense of nostalgia, of the younger trans girl she once was, and the trans girl she had hoped to become. The feeling pulled at the restlessness dissolved it slowly like a pill in water, but the restlessness persisted. How many times was she bound to reread this comic? Would she ever experience the emotional resolution of its final panel?

Underneath the panel the comic's creator was offering merch for it, oh fuck yeah Josie thought. She clicked on the link and looked at the website, there was a certain horror to it, that there were services with the explicit purpose of creating merch for random tiny creators like this. She wanted a hoodie, it had trans girls kissing on it, so she must have it, the restlessness demanded it. It cost 50€, no doubt the vast majority of which would be spent on lining the pockets of the owners of the website. She mentally reviewed her finances and knew she wouldn't be able to afford weed if she bough it. She sent the link to her newest "sugardaddy", and wrote "please daddy? :3". He was some divorced english dude who had moved to berlin a couple months earlier, when she had fucked him he had really wanted her to talk about how nice his dick was. It had kinda put her on the spot, really hadn't been very comfortable.

She thought about the workers who were going to get the other percentages of the 50€. Their working conditions were entirely unknown to her, their salaries, their rights, their relationships with their bosses, their governments. She didn't even know where they were. She imagined a sweaty Filipino man stood in a textile printing factory without air conditioning that smelled of paints and dyes, among other chemical industrial fumes. She imagined the workers on the cargo ship transporting her hoodie to her. She wondered if any of them would take the time to look at her hoodie and what any of them would think upon seeing it. Perhaps it was less cruel to foist the image of two cute girls kissing next to the shadow selves of the boys they once were, than it was to force them to transport ahegao shirts.

Her "sugardaddy" was responding. "Sure thing, darling ;)" He said, "When am I gonna get to see you again?" He asked, like as if he had to be polite. She wasn't interested in fucking him again, but that usually wasn't a problem. These men liked being depended on almost as much as the sex, and she didn't mind losing him, so long as she got her hoodie right now. Perhaps he needed a little encouragement.

She took off her hoodie which read "M.A.D. Magicians Against Data" and threw it at the corner of the room. She held a peace sign against her cheek and took a selfie with her tits out. She sent it to him with the caption "soon hopefully hehe XD"

When she never fucked him he probably would be too depressed about being duped to do anything about it, maybe he would come to her apartment and make a big stink at the front door, and bang on it, and shout and yell and annoy her roommate. That wouldn't be so bad. Maybe he would persist for so long that she would have to confront him, and he would beat her up, or rape her, or hurt her some other way. That would suck, but at least it would be gender affirming.

He was typing again. "You really can't wait to get this big dick in you again huh?"

Josie checked her bank account, he had sent the money, there was no reason to worry about writing a response.

Typing in her details to order this new hoodie she could feel the restlessness resolving itself. The future would be different than the present because today she didn't have a hoodie with trans girls kissing on it, and tomorrow she would. She could feel the gaze of Marx and Foucault disapproving at her from the heavens, for being so satiated by mere consumption. She could imagine Foucaults furrowed frustrated brow just below his gleaming bald head. She knew nothing about his ideas or if he would actually have cared about her relationship with commodities, but she knew he appeared in video essays often, so he was likely to agree with Marx.

[verxsyon]

·:*¨༺ ❝ 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ❞

@xiaosmoon​ new year’s eve resolutions.

✧ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠. thoma x gn!reader

✧ 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭. drabble ; 1.0k

✧ 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞. established relationship au, modern au ; fluff

✧ 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚. happy new year! this will be my last piece for 2021. originally, this was supposed to be angst, but after reading some of the pieces of from the masterlist, it didn’t work out in my favor. plus, thoma needs a break from my last angst fic of him lol. special thanks to @xiaosmoon​ for hosting the collab.

[ 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 ]

New Year’s Resolutions for 2022

Read more books, specifically ones published by the Yae Publishing House. If I want to impress Miss Yae Miko to publish my novel, reading those would be a good start to find out what style of writing and genres suits her taste. Oh, that reminds me: Zhenyu’s book A Legend of Sword is out. I need to buy it soon…

Be more active outside. Outdoors can be nice sometimes. The weather app states that it’ll be sunny during the first week of January. Maybe I’ll take a walk by then. The social aspect can be worked on as well. I like my friends; hanging out with them is fun. Not when they drag me out of the dorm only for me to see Thoma. Just hoping the next time we don’t have to bail someone (read: Itto) out of jail.

Speaking about Thoma—

“There you are!” A familiar friendly and gentle voice startles you into tossing your phone in the air like a hot potato. When it finally stabilizes in your clutches, you quickly tuck it behind your back. “I was wondering where you went.”

Speak of the devil. It’s Thoma, who you befriended since freshman year and became your significant other not too long ago. The two of you met by accident, when you mistook him as the ginger-haired menace from the Fatui — you jokingly call them the circus — an exclusive organization on campus.

Lately, Thoma has been causing issues to your heart, making it palpitate every time he’s around. Why does he have to be so damn likable? “Haha, were you now?”

“You’re missing out on a ramen eating contest between Itto and Yoimiya,” he reports, then sighs. “I made sure the vendor didn’t include tofu in both bowls so it’ll be a fair game. On the bright side, there’s no need for us to rush Itto to the ER again.”

You shake your head. Itto and his reckless persistence to win. “Sorry, I wanted to get some fresh air before heading back. Go on without me. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Sure. See you.” Just when he’s about to leave, slow music softly plays in the background. How convenient. “Uh, um, this may be stupid of me to ask, but do you maybe want to dance with me? If you want to, of course.”

Thinking about your third resolution on the list, it may be the last opportunity you’ll be alone with him for the night. Your friends won’t ever let you breathe for even a second. “Huh? Oh, I don’t mind. Lead the way.”

Enveloped in each other’s warmth, the both of you sway to the faint rhythm of the background music at the balcony upstairs — a stark contrast to the chaos stirred within the party downstairs. Thoma trips over his shoe, accidentally pinning you against a nearby wall.

“Sorry.” His face hovering over yours makes you realize that you haven’t seen it close enough — the natural charm of making people captivated by him. No wonder you fell in love with him.

Love, huh? The four-letter word makes you realize that the both of you haven’t said it to each other yet. Your relationship hasn’t gone beyond hugging and linking arms, finding yourself flinching from his fingers twisting with yours. His eyes are mesmerizing — bright green like the gardens in the area and even smiling, reflecting his current facial expression.

You’re so in love with him. You want to yell it to the entire world in the horizon, but whether it's too soon and whether the feeling is mutual are the problems. Your third resolution will rot in your notes until the next year. Or the next five years. Or the next ten years. Or maybe even forever.

“So… Have you planned out your New Year’s resolutions?” he asks, ignoring the elephant in the room. “I know you’re committed to this sort of thing, and I actually got into it to better myself for the upcoming year. Some of them sound silly so I’m not sure if you want to know what they are.”

“Believe me. Nothing is sillier than my partner shedding tears from being used as a test subject for tasting peculiar foods,” you snicker, and Thoma retires himself to defeat. Thanks to Ayato, you can use this narrative at every opportunity you have to taunt him. “Come on. Let me hear one of them.”

“Okay,” he says, taking a deep breath beforehand. “It’s about you.”

“Me?”

“Told you it’s silly,” he remarks. “We haven’t made it far into our relationship, and we just began holding hands. I want to be a good partner by being there with you more because I’m freaking in love with you. I’m really sorry for being so busy with work, but whether you want a hug or food or even as unrealistic as buying a mansion with a pool, I’ll give it to you.”

“Thoma.” Squeezing his hand, he immediately shuts up and fixes his attention to you. “Did you just say it? That you’re in love with me?”

His speech jumbles in his mouth, tainting his ears red. “No, you must be hearing things from the fireworks going off. Totally did not let that slip.”

“One, Yoimiya didn’t set the fireworks off yet. She’s probably still busy kicking Itto’s ass in the ramen eating contest,” you point out. “Two, you tend to get passionate and emotional in the heat of the moment, and this is one of those moments. Ha, how funny. What a coincidence.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m freaking in love with you too, Thoma,” you whisper, feeling the heaviness lift from your chest. “My resolution to be a good partner for the upcoming year is being able to say that, and keep on saying it every single day.”

“Oh. Oh.” Thoma uses his free hand to yours that isn’t being held, and brings both of your hands together, cradling them so lovingly. He isn’t planning on being subtle, you believe, from the flickering of his eyes on your lips. “May I…?”

“Yes.” The night is cold, but his lips are warm. The same slow music still plays in the background, and the two of you continue the dance underneath the moonlight, awaiting for the explosive applause from the starry sky.

✧ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬. if your url is in bold, it means i can’t tag you!

@aibiito​​ ; @blissmal​ ; @bluexiao​ ; @bokutosworld​ ; @dreamiehrs​ ; @fadedjae​ ; @help-wtf-am-i-even-doing​ ; @lilikags​ ; @pastelsicheng​ ; @philosopher-of-fandoms​ ; @shxnosuke​ ; @sleepyyangyang​ ; @sucrosia​​ ; @sunfloweritea​ ; @xriin

[batfamtv]

(girls like girls) like boys do, nothing new

can you do a jealous carol x reader ? like reader has had long time crush on carol and admits her feelings only to get turned down bc carol has internalized homophobia and doesn’t know how to react. carol gets jealous when reader is moving on with another mcu character of your choice.

carol danvers x reader

warnings: internalized homophobia, failed the reverse bechdel test (women only talk about one (1) woman, a gay), no gays fighting over Y/N

word count: 2565 for the gays; set in avengers: endgame; everyone lives au

read part 1 here

Now, after a couple of years, you got promoted

Working under Nick Fury and caring for the Flerken really got you qualified to work in the field

And you did, with the best of the best: Natasha, the Black Widow, and Clint, Hawkeye

You were there when Loki destroyed New York, when Ultron threatened to destroy the world

Over time, your powers manifested, they have been dormant for the longest time

Speaking of dormant, you hadnt heard from Carol since the night she left

You talked to Nick, asked him if she’s ever stopped by, but she hasnt

“She’s busy saving the world, Y/N” he’d tell you, but that didnt make you feel better

You felt so hurt, by her reaction, her rejection, but you began to look forward

But you think about her everyday, wondering what could have been

Carol had given Nick a pager, “for emergencies only”, she reminded him, but she also gave you one

Carol told you that it’s just to make sure Fury doesnt send out some false alarms, but who was she kidding? Maybe she did want you to hit her up

But after all those years, you hadn’t

She looks at her pager every single day, wondering if the world would miss her if she decides to come see you, to clear things out

And you have thought about ringing her up too, in times when the world is in trouble, and in times when the feeling you have on your chest is sharp that you couldnt breathe

In times when you miss her so much you cry uncontrollably, hand over your mouth to make sure no one hears

To make sure no one hears how much you miss the woman you love

You were with Nick and Maria when it happened

It was chaos in the city, and you, Nick and Maria got out of the car to investigate

The drivers seats of cars are empty, helicopters crashing into buildings

Almost reflexively, your hand flew to your pocket, where the pager lay there, almost waiting for you to press it

“Y/N?” Maria sounded distressed, and when you turned to her, her body was disintegrating, like sand blown away by the wind

Nick was distressed and eyed you, “You have to call her. Call control.”

You didn’t hesitate, pressing the button as you watched Nick do the same to his pager, watching your mentor and friend disappear right in front of your eyes

When your right hand started to disappear, you moved the pager to your left hand, tears threatening to spill

You were going to die, alone, unloved, and not having told Carol how much you miss her

Her name was the last thing on your lips before you disappeared

When carol came back to earth, she didnt know anyone

But everyone was grateful to her, for returning tony

The burning question in her head, the one thing she almost didn’t want to admit

Where is the woman she loves?

Back then, way back when carol was still a child, she was told that there were a lot of things she couldnt do

She couldn’t be strong, couldn’t play baseball--because she was a woman

She couldn’t join the air force, couldn’t be a pilot--because she was a woman

All of these things she couldn’t do, but there has always been one thing she was not allowed to do, not allowed to be

Because she was a woman, she is not allowed to like other women

Maybe if she tried hard enough, she could break the glass ceiling and become an air force captain, but there was one thing that she just was not allowed to do

And that was to acknowledge weird, different feelings for women

That has always been the case, it was drilled into her being, ever since she was a child

Girls can’t like other girls

And you confessing your feelings to her years ago forced her to acknowledge that her feelings for you were not at all platonic, that she didn’t stay with you for 3 days just because you were a good friend to her

Carol had to face the facts that being with you reminded her that she was human, and deep down, like the child that she was a long time ago, she had feelings that she didn’t believe were right

And she understood that her running away was not the right thing to have done, that she, who almost prided herself for being able to face her problems head on, was not ready to face this one problem that she had been forced to hide deep down, for years and years

Carol Danvers had always liked girls, and she liked you

Carrying that aircraft containing tony stark and nebula did not bother her one bit, what bothered her was that she was coming to earth after all these years

Somehow she believes that she is being forced to finally deal with abandoning you after all these years

But in spite of this, carol is feeling excited about this, because finally, after all these years...she had made peace with it

Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new

And all it took for her to realize that was the beeping of the pager

When everything had settled down, carol had been graciously offered a change of clothes by Pepper, who was hysterically thanking her for bringing tony back

The atmosphere was morbid, everyone in silent despair, and she was quietly begging for someone to fill up the spaces of what has happened on earth since she was last there

Finally, surrounded by a group of people calling themselves the “Avengers” (carol raised an eyebrow at this, asking if nick fury was the one who assembled the group, “Yeah, how’d you know?” Rhodes asked, and she shrugged and said “Lucky guess”), she was finally brought to speed

“It’s been 23 days since Thanos came to earth”

Holograms of people Carol believed were part of this team are projected around her

“We’re trying to take a census, and it looks like he did exactly what he said he was gonna do”

Nick Fury’s face appeared on the screen, much to Carol’s shock

Tears were brimming in her eyes, thinking about the distress call from Nick

Because if Nick sent the distress call and is now, as Natasha said, wiped out...does that mean…?

“Thanos wiped out...50% of all the living creatures”

Y/N’s face appeared in front of Carol not long after

With that, Carol exhaled as tears finally fell down her cheeks...she had her suspicions, but hoped--no, begged--for it to be false

Y/N was gone

And carol was too late

Tony stark had been upset...and collapsed, Carol, who was still in shock, was staring at the hologram of Y/N in front of her

“Carol, right?”

Carol turned, regarding Natasha with a nod

They hadn’t had the chance to properly introduce themselves, but Carol didn’t think there was any time

“Carol Danvers,” Steve added with a chuckle, “I think we all know you by name before we even met you”

“Fury really singing me praises, huh?” Carol was almost amused

Natasha smiled sadly, “Not Fury,” and she and Steve turned their heads toward the hologram of Y/N

“Whenever she had the chance, she would talk about “her”, Y/N’s greatest love,” Natasha whispered, remembering how she and Clint always pretended to be annoyed whenever Y/N would go on and on about this really powerful superhero who shined like the sun, and lit a flame in her heart

And as much as Carol wanted to bask in the appreciation, she felt nothing but shame, knowing she abandoned Y/N, and wasn’t able to save her

Glancing back at the hologram, she eyed her once more

Years had been good to Y/N, still beautiful as ever, leaving her breathless, but she wasn’t there anymore

And Carol knew what she had to do

If she couldn’t save Y/N, Carol could avenge her

Rhodes approached her, Natasha, and Steve, “He’s probably gonna be out for the rest of the day”, referring to tony

With a resolute look on her face, she said, “You guys take care of him, and I’ll bring him a Xorrian elixir when I come back”

Confused, Natasha, Steve and Rhodes glanced at each other before Steve asked, “Where are you going?”

“To kill Thanos,” Carol said matter-of-factly

Natasha could almost feel the anger Carol was radiating with, so she hurried to catch up to her, “You know, we usually work as a team here…”

When Natasha finally had the chance, she pulled carol over to the side to talk to her privately

“I know that you usually work on your own, that there are worlds out there who need you, but earth needs you too”

She was convincing Carol to stay, to try and create a better world for the people who survived, but it was getting quite hard for Carol to remain on earth

“I don’t…” Carol shook her head, “I don’t have much left on earth.”

“If you can’t stay, atleast come from time to time,” Natasha begged, “This was your home, wasn’t it? This was Y/N’s too.”

And Natasha was right, Carol thought, and in more ways than one, it was her home. But now it’s empty, and Carol is in mourning and she had never felt so alone

All those years, she thought she could live with what she did knowing that Y/N she was still on Earth, possibly with someone who is not ashamed of who she is, who is not ashamed to accept their own feelings

And Carol was okay with that thought, but now…

She couldn’t stand being on Earth knowing Y/N wasn’t there

It was like coming home to a cold and empty house

But she looked at Natasha, finally with the courage to ask her what she had been thinking all this time, “Were you and Y/N together?”

“No,” Natasha answered, almost teasingly

Carol felt relief, but above all, she felt obligated

To do right by Y/N

So she agreed to visit and report from time to time, “For Y/N. Because I need to do right by Y/N.”

When Carol returned to earth after 5 years, Thanos was there, and so was everybody who had disappeared 5 years ago

In spite of all the chaos, she couldn’t help the voice in her head, asking, “Is Y/N here? Is she safe?”

But you were nowhere to be found, and she had promised to scour the world for you later

Thanos was defeated, but it was in exchange for the lives of Tony and Natasha

With a heavy heart, everyone attended their funerals, all grieving the loss of two of their comrades, friends

At the funeral, Carol stood at the distance, watching behind everybody else

Behind her, Nick was there, and they exchanged solemn nods and opted to wait until the end of the funeral to reconnect

“You came,” was the first thing Fury said, after all those years that they haven’t seen each other

With a small chuckle, she nodded, “Don’t flatter yourself, I didn’t come because you called.”

“I know,” Fury retorted, amused, “You came because she called, right?”

Carol’s mouth opened, lips about to ask a question she had been dying to ask ever since she came back, but no words came out

When everything was chaos and adrenaline and fighting, Carol was not scared

But now that the dust has settled, she was terrified...because now there was no more excuse to avoid what her heart has been begging her to do

Before she could push the question out of her mouth, Fury handed her a piece of paper. “She’s off-duty. Gave her a whole damn month to recuperate from being wiped off the face of the planet.”

And when Carol unfolded the piece of paper, it was just an address

Nodding gratefully to Fury, Carol turned to leave, about to face her biggest obstacle yet

From what she could tell, it was a safehouse

Apparently, Y/N was someone high up the organization that they had warranted her one

Just a little cottage out on the countryside, a palace she had always wanted

Carol laughed whenever she remember you saying, “Maybe one day I could afford a little house in the middle of Kansas, meet Clark Kent and Lois Lane...I don’t know”

And here you were, at a small little house in the countryside

Carol watched you, almost ashamed to just be staring at you while you make yourself some breakfast

As she approached the porch, she wondered how she could take on the mad titan Thanos, but is now shaking as she brought her knuckles to knock on your door, extremities suddenly feeling cold, and knees wobbling to support her weight

She could barely hear your footsteps because of the blood rushing to her head, to her face, heart beating wildly

And when you opened the door, she noted how your eyes widened the tiniest bit, mouth opened in surprise when you realized who was on the other side

“Hi, Y/N,” was the first thing she croaked out

“You…” you smiled at her, “you changed your hair”

With a laugh, she nodded, running a hand through her short hair, before she let her hand down

Slowly counting to three

And engulfed you in a hug

Absolutely-swept-you-off-your-feet hug, your feet leaving the ground as her arms wound tightly across your waist, almost crushing you

And when you heard her inhale into the nape of your neck, it was like a reflex that you threw your arms around her neck, squeezing her just as tight

And Carol wanted to apologize, and confess, and plead for you to give her another chance

She wanted to tell you that she’s sorry for leaving, i was so confused and i was scared to come back and have you look me in the eye and tell me you don’t forgive me for what i did, but i have made peace with who i am and know what i want and what i want is you and your happiness and you and you

And she may have tried to make a letter to help her organize her thoughts

You held her shoulders back, looking at her, really looking at her, after all these years, and you use your thumbs to wipe away the tears running down her face as she shyly laughed at you and held your hands to her cheeks and kept it there for a second, relishing in your heat because you were finally here, after all this time, after 5 long years you are alive

And she brought your hands down and cupped your face and leaned in

And touched her lips to yours, gently, lovingly, finally

You can taste the saltiness of her tears, but also her apologies, and love, and devotion and you kissed her back, smiling

And as you pulled away, you wiped her tears again, before holding her hands, guiding Carol inside, “Let’s eat breakfast.”

And Carol Danvers, for once, was selfish, and did not think of the world needing her help, because she knows that the world would be fine if Carol stayed home for a while

And home is wherever you are

a/n: thank you so much for your support! i rly hope you like this ;__;

[tssidesfics]

Requests: Analogince where they’re human and also single dads? And they all meet because their kids fought and got called to the principals office

Virgil's POV

Upsides to being a single father to a child with ADHD: you got to raise a beautiful, special boy with a sharp mind. You got to teach him all the coping mechanisms you'd painstakingly learned over the years to cope with his condition and watch as he lit up over the things that brought him joy. You got to watch as he zipped from topic to topic, brighter than the sun, mind racing at a million miles an hour. You got to be the first person to hear about his beautifully creative ideas. You got to have a reason for living, all yours and wonderful, that you didn't have to share with anyone else.

Downsides to being a single father to a child with ADHD: you had no one else to pass the buck to when he got in trouble at school.

"It'll be fine," I chanted to myself for the billionth time as I turned off the ignition and unbuckled myself, gripping the steering wheel and forcing deep, measured breaths. "It'll be fine. He probably won't get expelled for this. This is his first fight and you don't even know why he got into a fight. You didn't raise a bully, so he was probably defending himself or another kid." Terror clasped me around the throat and squeezed. "But what if you did raise a bully and you didn't realize it, and now you've sentenced your son to a life of crime trying to make up for the hole in his heart where his father should have loved him oh God I broke my son!"

Immediately, my therapist's voice spoke up in my mind. You're catastrophizing again, he said in that obnoxiously aware, gentle way of his. Calm down. Take it one step at a time.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, focusing on the feeling of my stomach and then my chest expanding with air. I let it out through pursed lips, a quiet whistle in the exhale.

I'd played through scenarios like this a million times in my mind. The second Cassie told me, five months pregnant with tears streaming down her cheeks, that she didn't want the baby, I'd prepared myself for any possibility. I'd created contingency plans and contingency plans for my contingency plans, because I knew how much harsher the world would be on him. With a grandparent, his biological mother, and me all with ADHD, there hadn't been any doubt Drew would get it, too, and I'd prepared for that. I'd prepared for the possibility that poor grades and emotional dysregulation would put him on the back foot and even get him expelled. I'd taught him all the coping mechanisms I could. I'd tried to show him as much love and patience as I could muster, and I'd show him the same now. We'd get through this. We would make it through this.

I nodded, resolute, even as doubt and worry niggled at the back of my mind. I'd raised Drew alone, without any support from my parents or Cassie, working a call center job that barely paid enough to live off of. I'd demanded a child psychiatrist the second Drew started displaying symptoms and beat the system for the help he deserved. I'd beat the system for the help I deserved. I was a badass. I was a badass.

I got out of the car.

The two people at the front desk--a woman with strawberry blonde hair and a baby-faced guy--looked over, presumably torn from their conversation, when I walked through the door. The woman swiveled her chair to face me with a friendly smile. "Hello there," she said. "How may I help you?"

I forced myself to look her in the eyes and strained through a smile. If you act like a weirdo, it'll just make things worse for Drew. "Hey," I said. "I'm, uh...Drew Griffith's father. You called me and--"

"Oh!" She gestured to the side, at a door that read: PRINCIPAL MOROZOV. "He's in there."

I looked over and gulped, staring in fear at the door. "Say, uh..." I smiled at the woman as politely as I could. "You wouldn't happen to know the correct social etiquette for talking to the principal after your son gets into a fight at school, would you?"

She gave me a funny look. "Huh?"

"Never mind." I hung my head in defeat and commenced the walk of dread to the front door of the office. The wall facing me was all glass, which meant I could see inside. Two adults, one natural-haired in a polo shirt with his arm around one of the kids in the chair beside him and the other behind a desk, looking stern. I couldn't see the other two kids or any other adults.

And then Principal Morozov spotted me through the glass and shit, I was out of time.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. "Sorry it took me so long," I said, hoping that was the right thing to say. "It was hard getting off work."

"It's all right," Principal Morozov said. "We haven't even reached Mr. Accardo yet."

"Hey, Dad," came the halfhearted voice of Drew, hidden behind a chair too big for him, especially when he slumped in it like that.

I peered over the top and smiled at him softly. "What the heck, kid?" I asked.

"He called Patton a freak." Drew pointed at the kid in the middle, with a busted nose and--oh God.

He had scattered burn marks across the right side of his face, with two differently-colored eyes and a scowl.

"So of course you had to beat me up," the kid sneers. "Because that's a perfectly rational, healthy thing to do."

The third kid--Patton, I presumed--bounced in his seat, humming in distress. His father, a man wearing glasses and a polo shirt with a tie, rubbed his back.

"I don't see why my son has to be here," the other father said, looking at Principal Morozov. "He didn't do anything."

“Patton sits alone at lunch time and doesn’t have any friends,” the principal said. “We think if he tried to get along with his peers better, he’d have a happier time here.”

“Or, you know, you could make an effort to teach your students not to bully kids who are different from them,” I grumbled.

“What was that, Mr. Griffiths?”

I hesitated, glancing up at Principal Morozov, then back at Drew. On one hand, I wanted to lead by example: teach Drew that it was okay to stand up to authority for what he believed. On the other, sometimes, you had to pay lip-service to authority just to stay out of trouble. It was a lesson no child had the mental capacities to understand, but I supposed I’d have to do my best to teach him, because if I gave Principal Morozov cheek, he might expel Drew.

“Nothing, sir,” I said, feeling like a child cowering beneath the glare of my teachers again. I prepared to search for the bullshit in the story I was about to get fed and asked, “What happens now?”

"I'd prefer to wait for Mr. Accardo," the principal said.

"Roman teaches at a high school," the bully grumbled, slouched over with a glare fixated on the desk. "He's probably in the middle of class."

"Then you're going to have to stay after school to address this," Principal Morozov told him sternly.

"Whatever."

I had a very bad feeling about that kid. The scars on his face told a frightening story. He could just as easily be bullied for those as Drew got bullied for his ADHD and Patton for being a loner, which probably meant he turned that abuse outward and attacked others for their perceived differences in a never-ending cycle of abuse.

What? I could be bad at people and have a special interest in human psychology. Those two things were not mutually exclusive.

Suddenly, the door banged open. I jumped out of my skin, clamping a hand over my chest and struggling to breathe levelly, eyes crushed shut and body frozen. Then I heard the babbling.

"I'm sorry!" The principal's door opened. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. The kids were in the middle of rehearsal and--Janus, what happened? I'm so sorry, Mr. Morozov." A frazzled man with warm skin rushed inside and sat down next to the bully--Janus--hastily hugging him and turning his attention to the principal.

I frowned at the scene. I withheld judgment and looked at Principal Morozov as he said, "All right. Now that you're all here, there are going to be some serious consequences to what happened today."

********

"I can't believe you let him give me detention!" Drew whined. "Janus deserved to get punched!"

"And you deserve to die abandoned and unloved in a ditch, steeping in your own feces," Janus snapped.

"Janus," his father, Roman, said firmly, kneeling down and taking him by the shoulders. Janus tried to turn away from him, but Roman lightly shook him and made him meet his eyes. He softened. "I know how much you're hurting, but a hero never redirects his pain onto others. There are other ways."

"What if I don't want to be a hero?" Janus snapped. "What if I want to be the bad guy?"

"I don't believe that," Roman said gently, adjusting his bangs. "I don't think you do, either."

Janus turned from him sharply, crossing his arms and glaring at the asphalt. He sniffled.

Drew glanced up at me in confusion and I rubbed his back. "Sometimes," I said gently, "when people are hurting, they deal with that by hurting other people."

"That's stupid," Drew said with the blunt confidence of a ten-year-old.

"Maybe a little," I agreed, "but humans aren't always logical." Drew wrinkled his nose. "I know. It's so annoying, but it's true. You're not always logical, either. Remember when you burst out crying because your pencil broke?"

"Dad!" Drew turned bright red.

Roman chuckled. "So." He stood up and crossed his arms. "You're the little rascal who dared challenge Janus to a duel for--Patton, right?" He looked at Mr. Davis--or Logan, as he'd introduced himself--who nodded. "You're the rascal who challenged Janus to a duel for Patton's honor," Roman finished.

"He was being an asshole," Drew protested.

"I'd say it's not my fault he uses that language," I said through a wince, "but it's definitely my fault he uses that language."

"I'm the same way with Janus, don't worry." Roman chuckled--a low, rumbly sound. He turned back to Drew. "You're got a paladin's heart and a temper. I was a lot like you when I was a kid."

Drew snorted. "You think you're cute, don't you?"

"He's always like this," Janus said, shoving in front of Roman. "He thinks it's so inspiring to talk about heroes all the time, like fairy tales are the best thing ever."

"That's gotta be annoying," Drew said, wrinkling his nose.

"It is." Janus stopped and scowled. "Don't relate to me!"

"Ew! You're a jerk! Get away from me!"

I exchanged a fond, exasperated look with Roman, who chuckled and squeezed Janus' shoulder. "Hey," he said, "maybe, if you apologized, you could have a friend."

"I don't want to apologize."

"So you'd rather another kid think you're a horrible person!"

Janus hesitated a moment before straightened his back. "Yes."

"I don't believe that."

I glanced over at Logan and saw that he was busy talking to Patton, kneeling on the ground and smoothing his hands over his shoulders in measured strokes. It seemed to soothe Patton. I looked at Drew.

"You know how it sometimes hurts you when you think about your Aunt Cassie?" I said softly, pulling him into my side as the shadow washed over his face.

"He called Patton a freak, Dad," Drew argued. "He's not even really my friend, but he's not a freak. He's just...different. Like me."

"I know, kiddo," I said, squeezing him against my side. "You don't have to give him a chance. He hasn't asked forgiveness, and you wouldn't owe him one even if you did. I just know you don't like to see people struggling alone."

Drew hesitated.

I looked over at Logan. "How's Patton?"

Logan glanced back at me, then looked at Patton. "Do you want to answer?"

Patton hesitated.

"It's okay," I said, not looking at his face. Patton hadn't made eye contact with a single person, including his father, since I'd met him. He clearly had more trouble with it than I did, and I wasn't always a huge fan. "I'm autistic, too."

Patton immediately perked up. "Really?"

"Yeah." I smiled, looking over the top of his head. I looked at Drew. "Can I tell him about you?"

"I'm ADHD," Drew told him, turning to him. "I got diagnosed last year."

"Oh cool!" Patton flapped his hands at his sides and bounced eagerly. "I don't, I don't think, because I'm actually pretty good at focusing most of the time and I have a really good memory, but Dad says autism and ADHD are really close together. It's really nice to meet someone else! I don't have many friends."

"Well, I guess you have me," Drew said. "I didn't get in trouble defending you for nothing."

Patton squealed and continued stimming enthusiastically. Drew offered a hug, which Patton considered for a long moment before accepting.

Logan smiled softly at the exchange and looked over to me. "You've raised a very kind son."

"More than half of it is all him," I said. "I do the best I can, but...I'm just one person. He's probably gonna hate me once he's a teenager."

"Nuh-uh!" Drew objected, charging over to embrace me around the middle. I smiled and hugged him close, squeezing him as tight as was safe. He grunted.

I caught Janus staring at us. I couldn't read his expression. He was glaring, but I had a feeling it wasn't anger. But clearly, Roman did understand it, because he knelt down and hugged him close, even when he tried to push him away. He just held fast. I thought for sure Janus would react badly--he hadn't wanted to be held, what was wrong with Roman?--but then he slowly relaxed and leaned against him. I still couldn't read him very well, but that...didn't look particularly resigned.

"You know," Roman said, pulling back after a long while, "I bet Drew and Patton would be willing to forgive you if you really, really earnestly apologized."

Janus shoved away from him, crossing his arms and glaring at the ground. "I don't want to apologize."

Roman sighed heavily, and Drew whirled on him. "You're such a freaking jerk!" he screamed. "What's wrong with you? Why do you have to be a jerk to everyone? I tried to be your friend and you just spit on me!"

"I don't want your pity!"

"It wasn't pity!"

"It's always pity!" Janus screeched. "You think I don't know what these scars make me? You think I don't know I'm a freak? If the fire didn't teach me that, then my parents sure did! I'm nothing! The only reason anyone would be nice to me is pity and I don't want anyone's pity! I just want to be left alone!"

Janus turned and ran. Roman chased after him frantically, never sparing Logan or I a glance.

Drew and Patton stood stunned. Drew looked at Patton, who stared at his forehead. "Well..." he said. "What the heck am I supposed to do now?"

Patton ran in the direction of Janus.

At that point, about the only thing for Drew and I to do was chase after his new friend, hot on the heels of his father.

We found Patton with his backpack unzipped, standing beside Janus' car door, already buckled in with Roman partway into the driver's seat, holding out a picture of a flower.

"It's ivy," Patton said. "It means friendship."

Janus stared at him through the window, unmoving. Patton, to my shock, held his gaze for one, two moments and then averted his eyes. Logan hurried over to hold him, clearly expecting Janus to reject him again.

Janus opened the car door. "Why would you want to be my friend?"

"He didn't say he wanted to be your friend," Drew sneered. "He just said it meant friendship, dummy."

"Drew," I chided softly, and he recoiled into my side.

"Because it's nice to know I'm not the only one who can't make any friends," Patton said. "I like having other friends who are special."

"I'm not special," Janus snapped.

"Dad says that being different is always special, because different people have discovered some of the coolest, prettiest things ever."

"It's true," Logan said. "Albert Einstein, Hans Christian Anderson, and Michelangelo. were all autistic."

"See?" Patton bounced and beamed at Janus. "So maybe we can all be different and special together and do really cool things one day! Like the three Musketeers."

Janus considered strongly. "I'm Athos."

"You can be whoever you want to be!" Patton said earnestly. "Then we can all have lots of musketcheer."

Drew, Roman and I choked on a laugh. Logan shook his head fondly. "He watches one sitcom that likes puns and he suddenly won't stop," he said.

Even Janus cracked a small smile. He accepted the paper. "Fine," he said. "We can have musketcheer."

Drew pouted. "Does this mean I'm your friend now?"

"Yes," Patton said firmly, looking at him.

Drew jumped, looking fearfully at Patton, who somehow managed to look intimidating while also avoiding eye contact. He looked up at me. "What have I done?" he asked.

"Made friends." I rubbed his back. I looked around. "We should probably get all these guys home. They've had a long day, and school will be letting out soon."

"I guess now that all our kids are friends, I'll be seeing more of you," Roman said to both Logan and me.

Logan hummed. "I presume so. Patton does not own a phone of his own. I can give you my number if your children wish to contact him?"

"I hate to say it, but you should probably get him his own phone," I said. "It's dangerous not to have one. If I ever lost sight of Drew...I'd rather he have a phone."

Logan considered this. "I suppose you have a point. Nevertheless, for the moment, you'll have to go through me to reach Patton."

"Don't have to ask me twice. Here." Roman accepted Logan's phone and typed in Janus' number, then passing it to Drew, who stared at it for a moment.

I recited his number to him and he punched it in. "Don't worry, kid," I said. "One day, you're going to have to tell so many doctors your number that it's going to be emblazoned on your brain."

After all numbers had been exchanged, I shook Logan's and Roman's hands goodbye and let Patton and Drew embrace again. Janus stayed stubbornly in his seat, refusing any sort of affection, which kind of concerned me, but then Roman whispered, "This is the most receptive he's been since I started fostering him."

I nodded and smiled, leading Drew back toward the car. He looked at me. "I guess I have friends now."

I glanced back toward Roman's car as it drove away and caught Logan's eye as he loaded into his own. He smiled at me.

"Yeah," I said. "I think I might have, too."

[jungshookz]

kiss me at midnight; myg

➺ pairing; min yoongi x reader

➺ genre; ceo!y/n x secretary!yoongiverse!! sfw!! fluff!! the title says it all!! this is the moment we’ve all been waiting for!! 

➺ wordcount; 8.1k

➺ summary; y/n finally musters up enough courage to tell yoongi about her i-know-i’m-your-boss-but-i-have-non-boss-feelings-for-you feelings. 

➺ what to expect; “careful, secretary min… i might have to give you a raise if you keep sweet-talking me like that.”

                                      »»————-　♡　————-««

“let’s see… the decorators are coming at 2, the caterers are coming at 6:30, the DJ is coming at 7…” yoongi reads out loud as he goes down his checklist, “the bartender sent over the special drinks menu which i emailed to you this morning, and- ah, right, the caterers mentioned that they were able to switch the mini hot dogs to sliders instead-”

“oh, that’s great! mini hot dogs just don’t carry the same level of class as teeny little hamburgers…” you narrow your eyes slightly as you clasp your hands in front of your face, tapping your fingers against each other, “what about the chocolate lava cakes?”

“mhm, don’t worry, those are on the menu as well, as per your request,” yoongi pauses, “ah- the people bringing the photo-booths are coming to set them up at 5 - we’ve already cleared out the space for them, so that should be good to go… also, are we putting a limit on photos?”

“a limit?”

“yes, a limit,” yoongi looks up at you and shrugs, “there’s only so much film and it wouldn’t be fair for one person to take ten photos and for another person to not have any at all.”

you immediately scoff before dismissing yoongi with a flick of your wrist, “silly yoongi, you can’t put a limit on fun. just tell them we’re willing to pay for extra film and for one of their workers to hang out at the party and wait until the booths need refilling.”

“there.. is no limit… on fun…” yoongi mutters to himself as he continues to scribble notes down in his notebook, “and… that’s it!” he clicks his pen before tucking it back into his shirt pocket, “pretty much everything has been taken care of. if all goes well, this’ll be a fantastic new year’s eve party.”

“yay!” you throw your hands up into the air before leaning back against your chair with a giggle, “this is so exciting. i love throwing parties!”

“and i love planning parties...” yoongi hums absentmindedly, looking back down at his list, “so i guess we make a pretty good team...”

“teamwork makes the dream work, right?”

“mm.” 

a couple seconds of silence ticks by as you scour through your brain for a new topic of discussion

you could... talk about the weather? 

or maybe ask him what he did over the weekend?

ask him about what he did on christmas day?? 

“so…” you clear your throat, smoothing your skirt down before folding your arms on your desk and leaning forward slightly, “you bringin’ any... hot dates to the party tonight?” 

wow

that was... not an ideal topic of discussion 

also, way to sound like a creep! 

“me?” yoongi glances up at you and tilts his head slightly, “well, i’ll be with you.” he pauses, dark brows knitting together, “did you… want me to bring a date?” he shifts in his seat, “i’m sure i can arrange for someone to accompany me if that’s what you want.”

“no!” your eyes widen and you shake your head quickly, “i mean- no, i was just- you know, i just- usually you have a plus-one that you bring to parties and, like, i’m sure that you probably had other new year’s plans that didn’t involve being at the party your boss is throwing- i’m just saying that perhaps, if you were planning on actually bringing someone, i just wouldn’t want to be a cock-block-” 

you’re cut off (thankfully) when yoongi’s phone suddenly starts to buzz on your desk

he extends his arm and catches it right as it’s about to fall off (which, admittedly, shouldn’t have been as hot as it was, but yoongi could be sitting there doing nothing and you’d still find it attractive) 

he holds a finger up pardon himself and you nod before leaning back a little

“hello? …oh, perfect. yes, i can come and pick them up now…” yoongi trails off, sandwiching his phone in between his ear and his shoulder before pushing his sleeve up a little to check the time on his watch, “i can be there in… roughly half an hour? yes. alright. perfect. see you soon.”

he hangs up with a beep before looking back over at you, “sorry about that! your dress and heels are ready for pick-up. what were you saying before my phone went off?”

“hm?” you clear your throat, “oh! uh… nothing. i was just- you know, small talk. but you can go now if you want to- i mean, obviously you need to go and pick up my outfit for tonight so i’ll just let you go-”

“alright, perfect-” yoongi nods and gets up from his seat, “i shouldn’t take too long but if anything comes up, just call me-” 

“yep! you got it, homie-” you shoot finger guns at yoongi before quickly forcing your arms down and shoving both your hands in between your knees so that they won’t do anything like that again 

your face flushes bright red as soon as the door shuts behind yoongi and a quiet groan slips past your lips before you smack your forehead down on your desk 

jesus

that... was rough, to say the least! 

sure, you fumble over your words whenever you talk to yoongi on a regular basis, but it’s never usually this bad... 

what’s gotten into you today?!

maybe it’s just the pre-party jitters! 

“get it together, y/l/n.” you mutter to yourself, patting your cheeks lightly before pulling your laptop towards you and opening it up 

if there’s anyone who can get you get your shit together, it’s hoseok

Y/N Y/L/N (10:12AM): help me

you perk up when hoseok responds almost immediately, your laptop letting out a little ping! from his message

you have half a mind to scold him for not doing work and being on the company’s messaging system but you dO need to talk to him right now so 

Jung Hoseok (10:12AM): What did you do this time

Y/N Y/L/N (10:12AM): nothing!! idk what’s wrong with my mouth today i’ve never called anyone homie in my entire life 

Jung Hoseok (10:13AM): ?

Y/N Y/L/N (10:13AM): you had to be here to understand :-//

Jung Hoseok (10:13AM): Okay well

Jung Hoseok (10:13AM): I don’t know what I’m supposed to say now

Y/N Y/L/N (10:13AM): can you just come to my office because it’s too much to type out

Y/N Y/L/N (10:13AM): and bring me an iced coffee from the vending machine while you’re at it because yoongi left to pick my dress up

Jung Hoseok (10:14AM): Let me get this straight

Jung Hoseok (10:14AM): You want me to stop working and you want me to go to your office so we can gossip about Yoongi

Y/N Y/L/N (10:14AM): gossip sounds bad

Y/N Y/L/N (10:14AM): ‘discuss’ sounds more professional

Jung Hoseok (10:14AM): …

Jung Hoseok (10:15AM): See you in ten minutes lmao

                                     »»————-　♡　————-««

“you asked him if he was planning on bringing a date to the party?!” hoseok laughs, leaning back against the chair before folding his arms over his chest and shaking his head, “wow. what, are you going to help him plan his wedding too?”

“don’t say that!” you groan, rubbing your fingers against your temples in tight circles, “i was just trying to start a conversation… i don’t know...”

“start a conversation? about what? about encouraging yoongi to be with someone who isn’t you?” 

“keep up the attitude and i’ll reduce your lunch break from one hour and fifteen minutes to one hour and fourteen minutes.” you raise a brow in warning, hoseok gawking before wagging a finger at you 

“i’ll report you to HR for abuse of power!” he jokes, his smile faltering when he notices that you still have that mopey, kicked-in-the-gut look on your face, “okay, think about it this way: this party couldn’t have come at a better time, you know? because now you know exactly what you have to do!” 

“huh? oh, right.” you nod slowly, “yeah, of course i know what i have to do at tonight’s party.” you snort, pulling away from your desk and sitting up straight, “but... you know, just to make sure that you know what it is that i have to do, would you mind telling me what exactly we’re saying i have to do?”

“y/n. come on.” hoseok presses his lips together before leaning forward, “what do people usually do at new year’s eve parties?” he asks gently, in that infuriatingly condescending tone that people usually use when they’re talking to children

“people share their new year’s resolutions with each other?” you hum, thinking back to the new year’s eve party you were at last year where you ended up talking to a very friendly bartender about all the plans you had in mind for the new year 

hm

you can’t help but wonder how he’s doing 

“well, yeah, but not quite what i had in mind-” hoseok shakes his head, “what else do they do?”

“they... sing karaoke really loudly?” you frown before letting out a gasp, “oh no! i didn’t think of that! do you think it’s too late to rent a karaoke machi-”   

“wow, i really have to spoon-feed this to you-” hoseok slaps his hands against his thighs before letting out a huff, “a new year’s kiss, y/n. does that ring any bells?”

“oh, right! i forgot about that part,” you chuckle lightly, tilting your head back against the top of your chair to look up at the ceiling, “but what does that have to do with-” you pause, head snapping back down to look at hoseok with wide eyes, “oh, you’re saying that i should- with yoongi- hoseok, i can barely look at yoongi for five seconds without breaking eye contact-” 

“why not?! its new years! you have to have someone to smooch when it’s midnight. even i have someone to kiss!”

“wait, who are you kiss-” 

“and you know what the best part is?” hoseok grins, “you have an excuse to get super drunk tonight! and a drunk y/n is a slightly more confident y/n-”

“oh, i can’t- i can’t ask him, no.” you chuckle nervously, your hands suddenly feeling a little clammy at the thought of asking yoongi to kiss you, “because then he’s going to feel like he has to kiss me because i’m his boss, and the next thing you know, i’m being called up to HR-” 

“you’re overthinking this again, y/n,” hoseok sighs, “don’t forget the fact that i caught him checking you out at the halloween party. you have to admit that he’s slightly interested in you.”

“that’s different!” you argue, your brows furrowing, “i was dressed as a sexy friggin’ bunny, for god’s sake!”

“and tonight, you’ll be dressed as a sexy friggin’ boss! the only difference is that you won’t have a little cotton tail and two bunny ears-”

“i don’t know…”

hoseok rolls his eyes at your doubt and resists the urge to get up and slap you across the face to get you to come to your senses

you can’t expect anything to happen between you and yoongi if you’re not willing to do something about it in the first place

he can’t even list out how many times you guys have had similar conversations that always end in you chickening out and changing your mind

you were supposed to make a move at the halloween party but you ended up bailing on the plan at the last minute and hoseok had to listen to half an hour of you whining about it over the phone 

he adores you but sometimes he just wants to grab you and yell at you for being such a wimp when it comes to yoongi 

“okay, you know what? forget yoongi. i’ll be your new year’s kiss!” hoseok teases, leaning forward before wiggling his eyebrows enticingly, “maybe if people see me canoodling with the boss i’ll finally get the street cred i deserve-”

“you know, i don’t know if i’ve reached that level of desperation quite yet-”

“i’m a great kisser, so it’s your loss...” hoseok kisses his teeth, raising his hands in defense, “anyways, just try not to overthink it. take a deep breath, relax, and hopefully you won’t point any more lame finger guns at yoo-”

“-ooou’re fired!” you stand up and slam your fist down on the desk the moment yoongi steps into the room, hoseok jolting at the sudden announcement, “you are fired, my good sir! you heard me loud and clear!” 

yoongi’s eyes widen slightly and he presses his lips together before stepping aside and lowering his head  

“what the hell are yo-” hoseok glances over his shoulder and it dawns over him when he spots yoongi standing by the door, “oh! oh. uh, okay. yes... i am... devastated...” he clears his throat as he rises from the chair slowly, “please... give me a second chance? i... won’t do it again?” 

you blink, pulling down your blazer slightly before giving him a curt nod

“...okay, but this is your last chance. next time, you’re really fired.” you clear your throat, sitting back down before gesturing towards the door, “you may leave now, mr. jung.” 

yoongi nods in acknowledgement when hoseok walks past him and he waits a couple of seconds before speaking up 

“sorry. i didn’t realize you were busy because the door wasn’t closed all the way.” he smiles sheepishly, raising the garment bag in his hand, “i just wanted to put your dress in the closet for you.” 

“yes! go ahead.” you smile, gesturing towards the closet before sitting back down in your chair 

“by the way, i passed by that breakfast place on the way to the laundromat-” yoongi pauses, glancing over at you on his way to the closet, “you know, the place that makes those BLT bagels you like so much?” 

“ooh, with the spicy mayo and the avocado?”

“mhm-” yoongi smiles, shutting the closet door gently and turning to face you, “they do chocolate chip waffles now and i thought maybe that’d be something you’d be interested in for future breakfasts.” 

“oh, no way!” your eyes widen in excitement, “i’m very interested in chocolate chip waffles for future breakfasts!”

“that’s what i thought.” he chuckles, making his way back towards the doors, “anyway- i’ll be out there if you need me, boss.” 

“mhm!” 

you immediately get up from your chair as soon as yoongi leaves the room 

you told yourself that you were going to wait until tonight but you’ve been thinking about your dress all week and you wanna see it now!! 

“dress, dress, dress-” you murmur to yourself like a maniac, your heels clicking against the floor as you jog over to the closet 

you push down a squeal of excitement after unzipping the garment bag and getting a good look at your outfit for tonight

you spent hours searching for the perfect dress and it was totally worth it now that you’re looking at it  

it’s a navy blue midi-length dress that sort of cinches in at the waist but the skirt itself is relaxed so you don’t need to worry about your legs being constricted 

there’s also a high slit in the skirt which is exciting (you had to shave your legs yesterday which wasn’t as exciting) 

and it’s a long sleeve dress but the sleeves and sheer and billowy but cap around your wrists 

it’s classy but also a little sexy but not like your halloween playboy costume level of sexy

you’re still not sure what possessed you to dress up as a playboy bunny but even you have to admit that that little black dress looked great on you 

you zip the bag back up before pushing it aside to sneak a peek at the suit that yoongi will be wearing to the party 

he asked if he could keep his suit in your closet and obviously you said yes because it’s yoongi 

your eyes light up when you notice something peculiar about his outfit 

it’s navy blue as well!! 

the corners of your mouth lift in a wide grin, your heart skipping a beat at the thought of you and yoongi (unintentionally, but still) wearing matching colours tonight 

heh 

                                    »»————-　♡　————-««

“c’mon, stupid thing...” yoongi frowns to himself as he struggles to tie his tie

he’s been at it for the last ten minutes and it seems like his gummy worm fingers aren’t going to be useful anytime soon 

and it probably doesn’t help that he’s using his phone camera as a mirror instead of going to the bathroom to use the actual mirror

he doesn’t know if it showed this morning but he’s been a nervous wreck all day! 

he practically zipped out of your office as soon as he had the chance to and he just hopes that you’re not suspecting anything 

it’s just that as each day goes by, he gets more and more conflicted over what to do about his feelings for you 

this wasn’t supposed to happen!

when he first realized that you liked him, he was flattered and admittedly it was a nice stroke to his ego knowing that his boss was interested in him, but he didn’t know it’d turn into this 

he didn’t know he’d end up liking you back 

this is a disaster! 

he’s not supposed to like you back!

he already tried forcing himself to stop liking you but if anything it’s made things worse

he thought your schoolgirl crush was sweet at first and then one day he found your poor excuse of asking him to stay after hours to help you re-organize your pens was cute and ever since then it’s gone downhill 

like the other day when he was eating lunch with you - you took the paper sleeve that holds the chopsticks and you folded it into a makeshift chopstick rest and gave it to him to use and,,. he’d have to be crazy to not find that wildly endearing

yoongi lets out a huff and leans back against his chair as he looks at himself on his phone screen 

“good going, moron.” he grumbles to himself before lifting his hand and flipping himself off, “you and your feelings.”

of course, it’s not technically a... bad thing that he likes you back, right? 

...but what’s everyone going to think?

he knows that he’s on the list of people getting the christmas bonus (because he helped you type it out) but what if people think he just slept his way to the money?? 

oh, god

that’s not who he is!

this is too much to think about right now 

he just had this suit pressed and he’s not about to ruin it by nervously sweating in it 

he’s just going to enjoy this party with you and then deal with his feelings later!  

future yoongi can handle it

present yoongi is just going to enjoy the ride B-) 

“whatcha up to?” 

“-!” yoongi jumps and scrambles up from his seat when he hears your voice all of a sudden, “y/n! sorry, i didn’t hear you come out of... your... office...” he trails off, voice softening slightly as he takes in how beautiful you look in your dress 

obviously he already knew what you were going to wear because he was the one who picked up your outfit from the dry cleaner’s but... it’s a different experience actually seeing you in it 

beautiful 

there’s really no other way to describe it

you look... beautiful. 

“i don’t know why on earth you’re wearing a tie to a party.” you snort, eyes flicking down to the tie hanging loosely around his neck, “this isn’t a business meeting, yoongi.” (you decided it’d be best to take hoseok’s advice. no overthinking - just relaxing! and it seems to be going well...) 

“oh.” yoongi snaps himself out of his daze before shaking his head, “i… i don’t know why, either. i guess i’m just used to wearing a tie.”

“well, i say ditch it - you know, let loose a little! it’s new year’s eve, after all.” 

before yoongi even knows it, you’re stepping towards him and sliding the tie from his neck in one swift movement before tossing it onto his desk

ᵒ ᵍᵒᵈ

you even smell pretty 

he freezes when you reach up to undo a couple of buttons on his shirt, his hands gripping the edge of his desk so tightly that his knuckles are stark white 

“there we go!” you smile, fixing yoongi’s collar before nodding to yourself, “much better. also, do you think you can help me with my heels? i put them on already but the little buckles are flimsy and i can’t do them because of my nails.” you raise both your hands before wiggling your fingers 

“mhm, of course.” yoongi steps aside and gestures towards his chair, “take a seat and i’ll take care of them for you.”

yoongi’s chair squeaks slightly as you sit down on it and you make a mental note to get him a new one 

...maybe you should get everyone in the office new chairs to make your crush on yoongi less obvious

hm

lots to think about

“so, do you think anyone’s going to have fun tonight?” you ask quietly, leaning back against the chair, “i’m nervous.” 

“i’m sure everyone’s going to have fun, y/n,” yoongi lowers himself onto the ground so that he’s down on one knee before raising your leg so that your foot is pressed against his chest, “they get free food, free alcohol, and there are fun 2021 party hats and stupid 2021 glasses to match. what’s not to love?”

“me. i’m the part they don’t love.” you snort, propping your elbow up on yoongi’s desk before leaning against your fist, “i’m gonna take one step onto the rooftop and immediately ruin the party somehow. i bet the dj will stop playing music and his records will make that awkward scratchy sound.”

“don’t be so harsh on yourself…” yoongi scolds, tucking the thin strap into the buckle and giving it a little tug to make sure it’s nice and secure before lowering your foot gently, “besides, if anyone looks at you weirdly, i can just call security and have them escorted out of the party.” he tuts, smiling up at you as he lifts your other foot 

“ooh. careful, secretary min… i might have to give you a raise if you keep sweet-talking me like that.” you joke, pushing the ball of your foot gently against yoongi’s chest teasingly

“oh, yeah? i wouldn’t be opposed to that, boss…” the corner of yoongi’s mouth twitches in a side smirk as he slips the other strap into place, “alright, there we go! heels are nice and secure.”

he gets up from the ground, dusting his knee off before extending his hand to help you get up from his chair, “ready?” 

“as ready as i’ll ever be...” you reach for his hand only to pause, your nose scrunching slightly as you pull away, “i don’t know. let’s think this through. do we have to go to the party?”

“well, you are the host.” yoongi points out, “and i planned the whole thing! do you know how hard it was to arrange for a karaoke machine on new year’s eve?” he frowns playfully, “you can’t bail on me like this.” 

“i guess...” 

“listen- whenever you want to leave, just let me know and i’ll grab the entire plate of sliders, a crisp bottle of champagne, and then we’ll head back down here to eat, drink, and watch the fireworks from your office window.” yoongi tilts his head, his hand still out for you to take, “deal?” 

“...throw in the chocolate lava cakes as well and we have a deal.” 

                                   »»————-　♡　————-««

“wow! you really outdid yourself, yoongi.” you nod in approval as you look around, “look at this place!” 

you never even knew the rooftop had the ability to look like some trendy upscale bar that sells cocktails for $30 each 

“hey, if this secretary thing doesn’t work out, maybe i could become a party planner.” yoongi jokes, lifting his glass up with a smile

“you know, i really think you could.” you clink your glass against his before taking a sip of the bubbly champagne, “by the way, you don’t have to hang out with me all night. you’re allowed to go and mingle with your coworkers.” 

“i know.” yoongi hums before his nose scrunches slightly, “but every time i talk to them, they’re always gossiping about something and i think gossiping is unproductive.” 

“wha-” you gawk, your lashes fluttering, “you’re telling me that you’ve had access to juicy office gossip this whole time and not once have i ever heard any of it??”

“i mean...” 

“you have to tell me something. i’ll take anything!” 

you grin excitedly when yoongi gestures for you to come in closer 

“jungkook and tzuyu had sex on the photocopier by the supplies room.” he blurts out quickly, clearing his throat before taking a sip of his own champagne, “but you didn’t hear it from me!”

“they- what?!” you gasp in shock, jaw practically dropping to the floor, “they did?? during work??”

“no, it was after work!” yoongi shakes his head, “i think you had a meeting across town that night which is why we weren’t here... otherwise we... probably would’ve heard it but- it’s on the CCTV security cameras and everything. of course, since the photocopier is kind of out of frame, you can only see their lower halves-”

“well, then how do you know it was jungkook and tzuyu??” 

“their shoes! and jungkook’s socks. he’s the only one who wears bright purple rubber-duckie socks to work.” 

the two of you turn to look at jungkook across the rooftop and you blink before looking back over at yoongi with a pout 

“that’s my favourite photocopier.” you mutter, “i hope they didn’t get any... fluids inside of it-”

“gross! why would it be inside of the machine?!”

“i don’t know! people go crazy during sex sometimes!” you raise your hands in defense before clearing your throat quietly, “okay, but seriously, i feel like having vigorous sex on a piece of office equipment is definitely violating something so i might have to bring them in for a little chat-”

“ooh, can i be there when you scold them?” 

“absolutely-”  

“miss y/n?” you jump in surprise when someone taps your shoulder gently from behind

you glance over your shoulder to see joy before smiling politely, turning around fully to face her, “joy! what’s up?”

“i’d like to talk to you about something, if that’s alright - do you have a moment?” 

“oh! um, of course-” you pause, turning to hand yoongi your glass, “let’s head over there for some privacy. what’s on your mind?” 

“it’s just... you know, regarding past comments i may or may not have made about you-” she chuckles uneasily, “seeing as you still have to figure out who’s getting christmas bonuses this year, i thought that-” 

yoongi bites back a grin when you turn back to look at him with pleading eyes and he shrugs helplessly before raising his own glass at you and downing the rest of the champagne 

                                  »»————-　♡　————-««

yoongi’s never been a huge fan of parties mainly because he’d much rather enjoy a bottle of champagne and full-sized burgers in the comfort of his own home 

he really only started going to parties once you became CEO of the company and he wasn’t left with a choice because he was worried that you’d fire him if he didn’t attend any of these festive celebrations 

he likes to think that you’ve opened him up to new experiences, helping him become a better human being overall 

:-) 

“hey!” yoongi chokes on his tiny burger patty when someone gives his back a hearty slap, “i’ve been looking for you everywhere! i have a bone to pick with you, min yoongi.”

yoongi’s brows furrow in confusion when it’s hoseok that plops down on the bar stool next to him 

“what-” yoongi swallows his bite before giving his chest a couple of pats to help get the masticated chunks of meat down smoother, “what did i do??” 

hoseok opens his mouth to say something before pausing, eyes flickering to the side as he reconsiders what he’s about to say 

he’s a little tipsy thanks to the open bar so he didn’t really think this decision through but he’s here now so it’s a little late to back out 

you explicitly asked him not to meddle but he feels like if he doesn’t do anything, then you’ll never do anything and you’ll just go to the grave keeping your feelings for yoongi a secret 

does this count as meddling? 

he just has to find a way to steer the conversation towards the topic of you and yoongi and romance 

this might be meddling, now that he’s thinking about it

...

it’s fine! 

he’ll do it in such a subtle way that yoongi won’t even notice! 

“it’s not something that you’ve done. it’s something that you haven’t done.” hoseok clears his throat, narrowing his eyes at yoongi suspiciously, “do you like y/n? because she likes you.”

(not very subtle, but hoseok never likes to beat around the bush.) 

“woah-” yoongi’s eyes widen in surprise and he lets out a nervous chuckle before looking around, “ha, i- um- where did you get that idea from?” 

“you didn’t deny it.” hoseok grins in success, “so you do?” 

“i...” yoongi pokes his tongue against the inside of his cheek before he lets out a huff and his shoulders droop in defeat, “yeah. yeah, i do. ...but what does that have to do with you?” 

“oh, it has everything to do with me!” hoseok chirps, clapping his hands together excitedly, “i’m here to give you advice!” 

“yeah, okay,” yoongi immediately scoffs and rolls his eyes as he turns back to pick up his drink, “no offense, but i don’t think i should be getting advice from the guy who was almost fired today-”

“oh, please, i wasn’t getting fired when you walked in.” hoseok raises a brow, “we were talking about you before you barged in so y/n obviously panicked and changed the subject to make it look like she wasn’t going all goo-goo-ga-ga over you-” 

“what? you were- y/n was talking about me?” yoongi perks up, his interest in the conversation suddenly reigniting, “really?” 

“she’s always talking about you,” hoseok points out, “don’t get me wrong - i love going to her office to talk about you instead of doing my work, but it’s exhausting! which is part of the reason as to why i’m willing to give you advice to get this show on the road.” 

“i don’t need advice, though.” 

“of course you need advice. if one of you finally made a move, i wouldn’t need to give you advice, but here i am.” hoseok gestures to himself before shrugging, “so... what’s wrong with you?”

yoongi scoffs in offense

that’s a little ruDE

“what’s wrong with me?”

“yeah. why haven’t you made a move yet if you like y/n back?” hoseok emphasizes as a reminder that this crush goes two ways and that yoongi can be blamed for the lack of action just as much as you 

“because... i can’t! it’s not that easy, man.” yoongi shakes his head, “i can’t just ask her out. she’s... like... she’s miss y/n.” 

“yes. and the sky is blue.” hoseok frowns, “i’m sorry, what’s the problem?” 

“she’s the boss!” yoongi snaps, glaring over at hoseok, “she’s our boss!”

“exactly! she’s the boss! if you’re going to date someone in the office, it might as well be the person signing off everyone’s paycheques at the end of each month-” 

“but you can’t- the rules!”

“what rules??”

“there are no rules! that’s why i’m so confused! i’m used to rules! that’s how the world works in my head! what the hell am i supposed to do now? go rogue?! i’ve never gone rogue before!”

“oh, god, who do you think you are? some secret agent? all you’re doing is asking someone out-”

“i can’t date y/n-” 

“give me a legitimate reason as to why you can’t date y/n.”

“i’ll be penalized!” 

“who’s going to penalize you?!”

“the boss of our boss!” 

“please!” hoseok groans loudly, throwing his head back in frustration, “you don’t think he’s goofed around with any of his secretaries?”

“okay, but this isn’t me goofing around with y/n, this is me... being serious with y/n!” yoongi presses his lips together, unsure of what to say next, “yeah. i wanna be serious with y/n.” 

“i promise you that no one cares about relationships as long as work is handed in on time and bags of money are being made.” hoseok hums, gesturing for the bartender to fix up another drink for him 

having this conversation about you with yoongi is just as exhausting as having this conversation about yoongi with you 

...

he doesn’t know if that sentence made any sense but all this alcohol is making the words jumble up together 

“well, okay, but-” yoongi chuckles nervously, turning and setting his glass down on the bar countertop, “then we’d have to make a file with HR declaring the status of our relationship, and then we’d have to talk about whether or not we want to keep things private or let the whole office know- oh, god, and what if it doesn’t work out? what if we break up? it’d be embarrassing after having declared our love for each other in front of everyone! and favouritism! don’t even get me started on favouritism! people are going to bag on y/n if they find out that i’m on the list of people getting a bonus! ...but, in my defense, even if we weren’t together i would probably still be on that list because i’m hardworking-” 

“yoongi-” hoseok interrupts, slapping both his hands down on his shoulders before letting out a sigh, “do you like y/n?” 

“yes.” yoongi answers without missing a beat, “i like y/n. a lot.” 

“okay. then that’s all that matters, right?” 

yoongi opens his mouth to respond but he pauses

huh 

that... is a fair point... 

it shouldn’t matter what anyone else thinks about his relationship with you 

what is it about alcohol that makes some people so wise?

“do you know what kind of a person you’d be if you just repressed your feelings and pretended that they didn’t exist at all? a coward, that’s what you’d be. because y/n is a fantastic woman and you need to hurry up and make a damn move before she realises she’s wasting her time on you and moves on to someone else who isn’t afraid to show their true feelings for her.” hoseok shakes his head gently before pulling away from yoongi with a nonchalant shrug and a snort, “but, you know - i’m drunk as hell and i’ve had nothing to eat so all the things coming out of my mouth righ’now could be complete and utter bullshit!” he hiccups, giggling to himself, “who knows!”

“well… what do you suggest i do?”

“what else do you do at a new year’s eve party?” hoseok’s head flops to the side, the over consumption of nothing but champagne suddenly hitting him like a brick wall 

“…share new year’s resolutions?”

“wha- god, you guys are truly the perfect pair- no, dumbass, you kiiissss someone at midnight.” hoseok slurs, “you already know she’s into you. and now i know that you’re into her so she’s definitely not going to oppose giving you a big ol smooch!”

“well, it’s-” yoongi pulls his sleeve up to check his watch, anxiety bubbling in his stomach when he realizes there are exactly twelve minutes to midnight, “oh, god.” 

okay

that’s fine!

it’s fine, he can work with twelve minutes!

all he has to do is 1) find you, 2) start a casual conversation, 3) somehow transition the casual conversation into a not so casual conversation about his feelings for you, 4) transition from the not so casual conversation to asking if you’d like to be his new year’s kiss, 5)- 

“i can’t pull this off in twelve minutes. i don’t know how i’m going to do this!” yoongi swallows thickly, turning to look at hoseok (who’s starting to doze off), “how the hell am i going to do this??” 

hoseok picks himself up off the counter, turning to face yoongi before a wide smile spreads on his face and a little gasp of excitement slips past his lips, “hey! i’ve been looking for you everywhere. i have a bone to pick with you, min yoongi-” 

“okay, buddy-” yoongi quickly reaches out to keep hoseok from toppling over, “you’ve definitely had one too many-” 

                                  »»————-　♡　————-««

ding!

yoongi steps off the elevator with a huff, quickly checking the time on his watch for the millionth time tonight 

he spent two minutes running around the rooftop like a headless chicken in case you were still up there somewhere 

luckily jungkook told him that he saw you leave the rooftop and there’s really only one other place that you’d be 

he makes his way down the hallway towards the double doors of your office, smiling in success when he sees that one of the doors is slightly ajar 

bingo! 

maybe it’s because he’s now confident about his true feelings for you, but he feels like there’s a spring in his step right now! 

(it could also be because of the liquid courage, but that’s neither here nor there.)

he pushes the door open a little to stick his face in, giving himself a mental high five as he sees you leaning against your desk with a flute of champagne in your hand, staring out the window 

“hey!” yoongi clears his throat, knocking on the door gently, “there you are.”

“hm?” you turn to glance over your shoulder, “oh, yoongi! yeah, hey.” 

“i didn’t realize you’d disappeared... i would’ve brought the sliders with me if i knew you were in here.” he jokes, shutting the door behind him with a quiet click, “everything okay?”

“ah, well. maybe next time.” you smile stiffly, turning away from him to look back out, “yeah, everything’s fine. joy practically talked my ear off up there so i just felt like i needed to get away from the party for a little while.” 

“you know, the fireworks are starting soon...” yoongi points out as he makes his way over to you, “you’re probably going to get better pictures of them up there than down here in your office.” 

“yeah, i know… but it’s also going to be very loud up on the rooftop and i’d prefer to start the new year off with working eardrums.” your nose wrinkles as you let out a chuckle, “also, i…”

“what?”

“i… i don’t know, i just don’t really want to start the new year awkwardly standing in the middle while everyone else is getting new year’s kisses.” you reach up to scratch the back of your neck before chuckling awkwardly, “that… makes me sound like a very bitter single person and i swear it wasn’t supposed to come off that way-” 

“no, i totally get it.” yoongi shakes his head as he wipes his hands on the side of his pants, “as a matter of fact, i kind of wanted to talk to you about something-”

“hold on, hold on- before you say anything, i-” you interrupt him, turning to set your glass down, “i, um- i have something that i wanna say to you as well. can i go first?”

“oh! yes, okay….” yoongi cowers down a little, pressing his lips together tightly, “is... everything alright?”

“yeah!” you nod quickly before pausing, “i mean, sort of. kind of. i’m… not sure if it’s going to be a good idea or not, but i just want to let you know that if you… you know, if you feel uncomfortable or something after i tell you this, you’re free to pack up and leave, you know? i mean, i actually already have a letter of recommendation written for you so if you wanna go off and work for someone else, i’ve already put in a lot of good words for you-”

“woah, woah-” yoongi raises his hands before letting out a chuckle, “i- while i definitely appreciate the gesture, you know i’m… not planning on going anywhere, right?”

“yeah, well… things change!” you clear your throat, gaze averting as you reach up to scratch the back of your neck, “things... change. i… don’t mean to sound so elementary school about it, but i…” you trail off, the little voice in the back of your head reminding you that this is your last chance to back out and not tell yoongi about your feelings for him

you’ve chickened out more than a handful of times, so what’s going to different about this time around?

you look up at yoongi and he blinks twice before offering you a soft smile, “you…?”

oh 

how are you supposed to back out when he’s looking at you like that?

and maybe it’s just because he looks particularly handsome tonight in his suit or because you’re all riled up on cocktails, but...

“i like you.” you blurt out, trying your best not to cringe or make any faces, “like… in a… romantic? way?”

yoongi’s eyes widen and the smile fades from his face, though you don’t have much time to process whatever reaction that was before he’s speaking up 

“you like me.” yoongi repeats, swallowing thickly before nodding, “in a romantic way.”

“yeah.” you shrug, “and i have for a while, but i just never said or did anything about it because i thought it was inappropriate - you know, because i’m your boss and around the time i started liking you was when we held that seminar for workplace harassment and i didn’t want to make you feel like i was harassing you or creeping on you or anything - a-anyways, at first i thought i was attracted to you solely because you’re hot in that broody, college skater-boyfriend kind of way and i thought it’d go away on its own, but then the feelings never went away, and then i thought that maybe this was just a more serious schoolgirl-type crush that would take time to go away, but then a lot of time went by and it still didn’t go away, so… here we are now, at the end of the year, and i… still have a huge, huge crush on you-”

“-i like you too.” 

“okay, cool, but i’m not done talking about-” you pause, your eyes flickering upwards, “wait, what?” 

“i like you, y/n.” yoongi breathes out with a smile, his shoulders visibly relaxing, “actually, i’ve known for a long time that you liked me and at first i was just flattered and admittedly i was a little cocky about it but then i... actually started to like you one day and- well, i didn’t want to say anything because- woah-!”

yoongi yelps when suddenly a paperweight is hurled in his direction and nearly whacks him in the face, “what the f-”

“are you kidding me, yoongi?!” you snap, slapping your hands down as you glare at him across your desk, “are you kidding me?!” 

“okay, i-i-” yoongi stammers, “i wasn’t expecting this reaction so i’m not entirely sure how i’m supposed to-” 

“you knew that i liked you this entire time-” you groan, reaching up to pinch the bridge of your nose, “and you knew that you liked me this entire time... and you didn’t say or do anything about it?!”

“well, why didn’t you do anything about it first?” yoongi exasperates, “you- you’re just as much at fault here as i am!”

“because i-” you laugh lightly in disbelief, “because i thought that if i told you that i liked you, that you would feel pressured into saying that you liked me back because i’m your boss! how would i know if your feelings were genuine or if you were just playing along? of course i couldn’t tell you!” 

yoongi chews on the inside of his cheek anxiously as you let out a huff before stepping away from your desk and heading over to stand by the window again 

“i...” he trails off, bending down to pick up the paperweight before setting it down on your desk gently, “i’m sorry that you... struggled with that... but... i think the important thing is that i do like you, y/n. i genuinely like you, and i was an idiot for not saying anything earlier... i let my doubts get in the way and...” he sighs, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, “i’m not good at- i’m not good at dealing with this kind of stuff and usually i just brush it aside and hope the problem goes away but i see you almost every single day so i couldn’t just brush it aside-” 

“yeah, well-” 

both of you freeze up when you suddenly hear the countdown chanting echo from up on the rooftop and yoongi feels his heart plummet to his stomach when he realizes he didn’t even ask if you wanted to be his new year’s kiss 

shit 

shit!

“i’m just-” yoongi shakes his head furiously, “i get nervous when there are no rules and there certainly isn’t a handbook for what to do when you’re attracted to your boss-”

10!

you let out a scoff as you turn to face him, “-and you think there’s a handbook for what to do when you’re attracted to your secretary?!-” 

9!

“i was a total coward for not saying anything sooner and i wish i did! i wish i kissed you at the halloween party!”

8!

“you- you wanted to kiss me at the halloween party?” 

7!

“of course i did, dumbass!” the name slips out of yoongi’s mouth before he even realizes it and he smiles sheepishly when you give him a warning look, “...miss dumbass.”

6!

“anyways,” yoongi coughs, “i-if you’re still interested, i’d really like to kiss you tonight if that’s okay-” 

5!

“wait, did hoseok put you up to this?” you narrow your eyes in suspicion before pointing to yourself, “because he told me to ask you to kiss me tonight-”

“yeah, he put me up to this because we both know that you certainly weren’t going to make the first move-”

4!

“how dare you?” you scoff, crossing your arms stubbornly, “i could make the first move if i really wanted to-” 

3!

“what?! that’s bullsh- oh my god, can we agree now to kiss first and then argue about this later?!” yoongi snaps, eyes full of panic at the thought of not making it on time, “please??” 

2!

“fine, but-” 

1- HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

you don’t get a chance to say anything else before yoongi swoops in swiftly to lean in and kiss you, warm hands quickly reaching up to cup either sides of your face 

the sound of people cheering and fireworks going off in the sky is nothing compared to the erratic thumping of your heart and the high-pitched ringing in your ears 

oh, wow

your lashes flutter as you feel yourself relax, your fists uncurling against yoongi so that your hands rest on his chest

you can feel his rapid heartbeat through his shirt and that’s all the confirmation you need to know that yoongi really, truly likes you back 

yoongi’s hands leave your face so that he can reach down to grasp your hips and pull you towards him, only for his arms to snake around your waist a second later 

your hands slide up his chest before your arms wrap loosely around his neck, feeling as though nothing else matters except what’s happening right now 

you’ve dreamt about this moment for so long but it’s so much better than you could’ve possibly imagined it to be 

and you’re not sure if it’s the copious amount of champagne that you consumed tonight but you just feel so warm inside 

yoongi pulls away (far too soon for your liking), his eyes lidded and hazy as he smiles fondly down at you, “happy new year, boss.”

you can’t fight back the wide grin on your face when he leans down to nudge his nose against yours, both of your hearts undoubtedly beating in time   

“happy new year, secretary min.”

❄️christmas with cee 2020 masterlist 🎄

help me help you make your wishes come tru (aka send me a request)

why don’t you explore the rest of the library while you’re here?

or perhaps you want something shorter to read?

[nat-20s]

Part 4 of Wonderful! Au! This one isn’t an episode! And It’s not funny! It does, however,  provide the context around Part 3! Also, Jon signs in this one, and sign languages have their own grammar and structure, but I display his signs translated into English and denote them with <> instead of “”. Here goes!

~*~

When, two days ago, Jon woke up gasping at 3 am, Martin didn’t think anything of it. Their nightmares were much like their chronic headaches: sometimes occurring daily, sometimes going weeks in without showing up. They were uncomfortable, surely, and sometimes had lingering effects, but there was a routine to them that took away much of their sting.

When he then throws off the covers, grabs the pack of cigarettes that only gets touched maybe three times a year, and makes a beeline for their balcony, Martin realizes that something worse is going on. Dread starting to settle in his stomach, he attempts to stave it off through action. He grabs the comforter  and puts on a pair of slippers, going to accompany Jon. The early morning spring air is bracing enough to someone like himself, who, barring a certain deeply unpleasant year, had always run hot, it must be awful for the heat sink that is Jon. Sure enough, he finds Jon shifting on his feet, trying not to shiver too much as he’s handling the lighter.

Getting closer, while still allowing Jon breathing room, he offers over the blanket with a gentle smile and gentler words “Wanna talk about it?”

Jon doesn’t take the blanket. Jon doesn’t even look at him. “Talking to you has often been the problem, so no, thank you.”

Oof. Instinct tells him to react with a matching tone, to jab right back. That instinct is one that he’s long learned to ignore. Instead, he wraps the blanket around his own shoulders and replies with a certain level of blitheness, “Huh. Probably shouldn’t have married me then.”

Jon’s shoulders slump, and the harsh lines of his features soften. He still, however, won’t look at Martin. “Sorry, that was...a poor way of phrasing things. Sometimes I just think..”

There’s a silence between them for a few seconds as Martin waits for him to expand on the thought. When he doesn’t, Martin prompts, “Yes?”

Jon sighs with all of himself, before taking a drag of his cigarette. “Four years ago. If you hadn’t been there, I think I would’ve gone through with it. I’m glad for the life we got to build afterwards, but. Sometimes it feels as though I’m being rewarded for failure. Or perhaps, more accurately, for compliance.”

Four years ago. Four years ago exactly. The date dawns on Martin, simultaneously the worst day of their lives, and the day of their freedom from the fears. The realization makes him understand why Jon’s treading the ruts of a worn out argument, a old ache. These days, Martin doesn’t have much to say on the matter. He thinks the second Fucking Jonah Magnus opened the door, and that it was Fucking Jonah Magnus who did it, they no longer had any right choices to make. No matter what way they did the math, the outcome was always going to be terrible. However, when he wakes up warm, with their cat curled up at their feet and his husband curled into his side, he can regret the build up all he likes, but he can’t deny his joy at how it, eventually, all shook out. “Reward would imply intent, and I don’t think what we have now was orchestrated by anything other than ourselves. It’s not like the web promised us a summer wedding if we finished opening the rift.”

It’s too early to have the conversation. Jon seems to realize this at the same time that Martin does, because he snuffs out his cigarette on the railing, and says he’s going back to bed.

Four hours later, Jon leaves the apartment. He doesn’t say where he’s going, and Martin doesn’t ask. In the past, it would’ve been enough for his anxiety to spike, for the insidious thoughts of “this is it, he’s finally sick of me, always knew this would happen,” to circulate. He’s mostly able to stave off that way, able to come to the rational conclusion that this day was hard every year, and that they both needed space to process, that they weren’t even fighting, really. Mostly. He still has to keep himself busy to stave off the worst of it. The sardonic part of himself notes that their apartment’s always sparkling when they’re at their lowest, stress cleaning a habit the two of them share.

Jon gets home close to midnight, and doesn’t look at him as he falls asleep. On the couch. Maybe they’re fighting after all. Martin wishes someone had told him.

This morning, Martin wakes up cold for the first time in months. Blearily, he makes his way towards the kitchen, and finds Jon upright and scrolling on his phone. The bags under his eyes suggest he slept about as well as Martin. He looks up, at Martin, when he walks by, which is a marked improvement. Martin stops in his tracks, and he wants to think of something easy to say. He wants to offer tea or breakfast, he wants to give reassurances, he wants to remain steadfast in his conviction that saving their former world and ending up somewhere else was the best move, he want to smoothly open up discussion. Instead, he blurts out the question that’s been keeping him tossing and turning for the past several hours. “Are we okay?”

Jon opens his mouth, closes it, and lets out a frustrated huff through his nose. He raises his hand in a fist and nods with it. <Yes.>

Inanely, he asks, “Are you okay?,” which only gets him a flat stare before Jon signs <I’m getting some damn sleep.> and shoves past Martin to what is supposed to be their shared bed. Martin lets him, for now, but they’re going to clear out some of the tension this afternoon.

He makes the elective decision to record the episode by himself. He supposes he could send out a tweet telling their audience it’s an off week, but he wants to record it, both for himself and for Jon. After he’s done, he does a three knocks in rapid succession on the doorframe of the bedroom, a code they had established, god, back in the Prentiss days to let the other know it was them. Jon stirs under the covers, so he asks, “Can I come in?”

A hand rises up, giving the same nod as earlier. Before he walks in, however, he also asks, “Can I join you on the bed?”

<Yes.>

Martin crawls in next to him, and Jon immediately turns over to face him. Before he says anything, Jon signs <I love you.>

“I love you too. Hey, did..did you hear me recording?”

<No. You did an episode solo?>

“Yeah. Sort of figured you weren’t up for it.”

Jon shrugs and gives a tilt of his head that Martin reads as “Fair.” <What’s it about?>

Martin gives a shit-eating grin, the first smile hes given in the past two days. “It’s a surprise.”

Jon sticks out his tongue at him, which makes some of the weight on his lungs lift. “It’s also not what we need to discuss. What’s been going on, my love?”

<Same old, same old. Crushing guilt, swells of regret, the general feeling that I don’t deserve this life. I’ll get past it again. It’s just hard, this time of year.>

Martin knew all that already, but, “There’s something else though, this time, isn’t there?”

Jon drops his eyes down to his hands, which he keeps resolutely still. With nothing but an earnest plea, Martin asks, “Why did you sleep on the couch? That’s not ‘same old, same old’.”

To his surprise, Jon comes in closer, only leaving enough room between them that he can still sign. <I love you. So much. Enough to terrify me, sometimes, but.>

“But?”

<Sometimes I can’t look at you without seeing the past. I’m sorry.>

Involuntarily, Martin glances down to Jon’s abdomen. Despite his torso being covered, Martin knows the shape of the scar there, because there are times where he can still feel himself creating it. “I know how you feel. And it’s. It sucks, but I think it’s okay. As long as..as it’s not the only thing you see looking at me.”

Jon shakes his head, and gives an only slightly fragmented smile. <Not at all. Mostly I look at you and I see my favorite person in all of existence, literally.>

Martin relaxes into the mattress and runs his fingers through Jon’s hair. Pressing their foreheads together, he replies, “Ditto. Don’t tell The Duchess though, she’s the jealous type.”

That gets a proper laugh out of Jon, and Martin’s sure that they both know tomorrow is going to be better.

[filliteapot]

What are your thoughts about Fruits Basket Another?

(it's gonna be long)

You know, I tend to always underestimate my fav authors, thinking that I've already had my best and deepest emotions from their works and now I can just enjoy their new works calmly. So I was just happy that Takaya started drawing something after hiatus (I still had hopes for Liselotte when Another started) but I never waited and wanted nothing from it to begin with, so I was just following the story wondering what it will be about. However it turned out that Takaya stays Takaya even in a story written for fun: Another hit me with some things that could be expected from this author but somehow were disregarded by me.

I don't like the idea of 'sequels' of popular works, to be honest. Usually they bring nothing new but show the desire to get some more money and attention from fans, but I do not think it's the case of Another. It's not a sequel, but more like extra story and a chance to say something some time after the original work ended. Another is precious to me mostly because of this: it shows clearly that she is still my fav mangaka, but not quite the same that she was in the original Furuba. Maybe it's about age and maturing, but I think Another is that work of hers where she expresses her ideas and views way more openly than she did in Furuba and even works after it. I noticed the same thing with Tamura in her Mystery. Sometimes people find it annoying ("authors are preaching"), I'm not a fan of authors straightforwardly throwing morals at readers, but I guess these two are masters who can show how to do it right. And, as I got a bit older myself and saw all kinds of complaints towards the original Furuba, I think it's for the best that she started expressing herself in not such a subtle way, maybe more people will understand it like this.

Another gave me much, in fact. I guess it's still a story hard to plunge in if you haven't read the original, but the storyline I appreciated the most is the heroine's. Seriously, I'd enjoy it as much if it wasn't related with the Sohmas and all: I felt like Sawa and her problems much closer to the characters from Hoshi wa Utau than Furuba. I saw a comment for the first volume, something like 'huh are there really complexes like this irl' and thought 'you are lucky if you think it's unreal', bc yeah, she is one of the most relatable characters for me. Showed so openly with her pain and weaknesses she became so dear to me that I cannot be ungrateful to the author.

It makes me think that I would gladly read something by Takaya she wouldn't be obliged to relate to Furuba, as I always thought the original story is completed and doesn't need any extras (it's the reason why I never read Furuba fics and why it's so hard to draw fanart), but in this regard Another also surprised me giving me something I didn't think I needed: a conclusion for Akito's storyline. I still think that it's not necessary to show all the path of the character from their lowest state to their 'perfect' version to write a quality story. I was completely satisfied with this storyline in the original but could not ignore all the comments who wanted more, wanted 'a clear resolution and proper punishment for the abuser' (lol we've read a different story with you). Okay, Takaya went and drew it. I guess she had reflected much on her story while she was drawing other things then Furuba. Pretty sure that much things we see from Shiki's point of view are her own thoughts (sry I cannot not apply the image of the purest anf honest people from the family discussing Akito-related things to the bloodlusting part of the fandom, they just look the same to me). What amazes me is that Takaya didn't actually need much pages to show all she wanted for this 'conclusion'. I should have never doubted her writing ability.

Also, I'm grateful for Shiki. I love introverted and closed up characters and never get enough of proper representation of them in stories. Guh, I just realized why I ended up loving Another so much: it makes such boring and quiet people as Sawa and Shiki the center of the story, while all other extraordinary and bright Sohmas are actually not so much in the focus and we don't even need to get to know them deeply. I get why people was disappointed and called them faint shadows of their parents, and maybe I'm not reading Takaya's intentions for Another right, but really, that's not my problem: my introverted self is giggling pleasantly that once in a while I got what I wanted.

Plus, with all my love and respect for Takaya, I didn't think she would make me care so deeply about a fictional couple again. But she did. I lost again.

Now I'm just sad that it got evident to me that Takaya cannot take the regular publication anymore, but now I just hope she can rest, with no harsh feelings.

[girl-with-cat-eyes]

Divorce? Is that a kind of Cheese?

Summary: Sea monsters mate for life. They're not like people, they don't separate or get divorces. Mates are permanent. Except when they're not.

Or: Giulia and Alberto are both children of divorce. Luca is confused.

A/N: Here it is! The long-awaited Luca fic! I hope you all like it! Special thanks to @psadler1 for beta reading this! And now without further ado.

Luca bounced in his seat as the train carried him home from Genoa. He couldn’t wait to see his family and tell them all about what he’d learned while he was away. He couldn’t wait to see Alberto again. He smiled at the thought of seeing his friend.

Giulia smiled from where she sat next to him, “You’re really excited to get home, huh?”, He nodded shyly, “So am I. I love my mom but I miss my dad while I’m away.” Luca sat back down from where he’d been staring out the window. A question formed in the back of his mind, one that he’d wondered since he’d left Portorosso and met Angelina. He’d never dared to voice it until now, “Why don’t you’re parents live together?”

She looked away and, for a split second, Luca thought he saw her tearing up. He wanted to take back the question but, before he could, Giulia blinked away her tears and schooled her expression, “They used to. When I was really little we all lived in Portorosso together. But they fought a lot. And eventually, they sat me down and told me they were getting a divorce and I’d go to Genoa with Mama for school.”

Divorce? Luca wondered what that could be. It sounded like some kind of fancy cheese. Like the ones, Angelina would buy to make sandwiches with. Judging by her tone, however, Luca didn’t think it was like brie or mozzarella. He decided to test his luck once more, “What’s a divorce?” “It’s when two people who are married decide they don’t want to be married anymore. You probably have a different word for it.”

Again Luca was puzzled, “You can stop being married?”, he asked. From everything he’d heard up to this point, marriage seemed pretty permanent.

“Yeah. Don’t you have anything like that?” He shook his head, “No. Sea monsters mate for life.”, He’d known this since birth. Upon turning 16 they would declare mates and spend the next two years courting before sealing their relationship. And that was that. They spent their lives together. Your lifemate was your everything.

“What if they stop loving each other??”, He rubbed the back of his neck at the question, trying to think of an answer. In truth, Luca didn’t know what would happen then. The thought of not loving your lifemate enough to leave them was unthinkable. You just didn’t do that. It was permanent.

Then again, from what he’d been told, marriage was supposed to be permanent too. That didn’t stop Giulia’s parents from divorcing, “I don’t know. But I can ask my parents and tell you what they say?”

Giulia sighed, “It’s ok. You don’t have to.”, Luca nodded, but was secretly determined to find out.

The question didn’t come up right away, he was busy catching his parents and Alberto up on how his school year went. The reunion had been full of hugs, kisses, and tears. His mother and Massimo had worked together to make a feast of both human and seafood for the pair, with Alberto even chipping in to make some desserts. It was a fantastic night of dancing, singing, and eating. And at the end of it all, Daniela and Lorenzo agreed to let him spend the night with Alberto.

The taller sea monster had been all too eager to show him the changes made to his island. He wasn’t fully ready to stay with Massimo all of the time, so Massimo agreed to let him go back and forth between the two places. Of course, that didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to make sure that Alberto was safe and protected. So the pair had spent the fall working to make it more secure from the elements. Luca was impressed upon seeing the changes that had occurred while he was away. They’d spent the night catching up and playing games together. Luca had had a blast. So much so that the question of divorce was forgotten completely.

He didn’t think about divorce again until two weeks later. He was eating dinner with his family, listening to his mother catch him up on everything that had changed while he was away. It was just them tonight; most nights they ate with Giulia, Massimo, and Alberto, but they had a family dinner at least once a week.

Daniella was prepping dinner, sharing all the family news he missed while away at school, “And did I tell you that your cousin Camilla picked Donnie Branzino to be her lifemate? I love her I do, but Donnie Branzino? Out of everyone she could have picked, she picks Bianca Branzino’s boy? Now we have to deal with them at every family gathering from here on out.” Luca stilled in his seat at the mention of lifemates, the conversation he’d had with Giulia returning full force, “Mama?”, he asked, trying to be discreet.

Daniella turned and sat his plate in front of him, “No you cannot go have dinner with your friends. I worked all day making your favorites.”

Luca shook his head, “It’s not that. I have a question about lifemates.” She raised an eyebrow at him, “Lifemates? You have two years before you have to worry about lifemates. What do you want to know?”

He swallowed, gathering all of his confidence before speaking, “What happens if they don’t want to be lifemates anymore?”

“What do you mean?” He shrugged and tried to act casual, “Like if they stopped loving each other. Could they stop being lifemates?” “Sweetheart.”, she placed a hand on his shoulder, “You know we mate for life. Sea monsters don’t fall out of love or stop being mates. Did you hear something?”, Luca sighed and lowered his gaze to the food in front of him.

“Giulia told me about this human thing called divorced. It’s when two human mates stop loving each other and then stop being mates.” Daniella sighed, “That’s awful. But I can’t think of anything happening like around here. Have you Lorenzo?”, for once the other sea monster was paying attention and shook his head.

“Not that I’m aware of.”, Luca nodded in response. He supposed it really was as simple as he first thought. That was until his grandmother spoke up.

“I remember a pair of lifemates who split up.”, Luca looked over at her, hoping she’d elaborate.

“Go on?”, he encouraged with a smile.

“You were only a baby when it happened. Only 3 or 4. There was a couple who lived on the outskirts of town. They had a son around your age. My friend used to babysit for the wife, I can’t remember her name. Lucia? No, Liliana? It doesn’t matter. They argued all the time. Eventually, they split and went to two different pods. He took their son. And then they were both gone.” Luca swallowed at her story. “Oh.”, were the only words he could find himself able to say. The rest of the meal was silent.

“And sometimes human mates just leave each other?”, Alberto asked. They were gathering stones along the beach while they waited for Giulia to finish her deliveries. Luca had told him what she’d said in the meantime.

“Yeah. And I asked my family what happens if lifemates fall out of love and my grandma told me about this couple she used to know that just left. They went to two different pods like they were never together. I always thought lifemates were forever. It’s crazy, right?”

He over at Alberto, expecting him to agree. Instead, he was staring at the ground, a dark look on his face, “Berto?”

“My parents split.”, It came out as a whisper, almost too quiet to hear. Luca’s jaw dropped. He knew that Alberto’s dad had left him, the thought of a parent leaving him filled Luca with white-hot anger. But he’d never said anything about his mother. Luca had assumed that she’d died.

“Oh?”, Alberto sat down and Luca sat beside him, “What happened?” “They fought all the time. And then one night I heard my mama say she couldn’t deal with my papa anymore. And then she left. Only she didn’t take me with her. She...She forgot me. I don’t know why but she did. My father said she didn’t want me. That she didn’t want either of us.”, Tears slowly but surely began to drip down his face, Luca was regretting ever bringing it up.

He wrapped an arm around Alberto, pulling the other boy close, “I’m sorry she left you. She shouldn’t have done that.”, Alberto shook his head fiercely at his words.

“It’s my fault. She left because I’m such a bad kid.” “You’re not bad. You’re amazing. And anyone who says otherwise is a liar.”, Luca hugged the other boy tightly.

“My dad always said so.” “And he’s as much of a liar as Bruno then.”, the resolution in Luca’s voice was as clear as the sky on a sunny day, “You are amazing. And my best friend.” Alberto snorted, “Thanks.”, he whipped his eyes and sat up, “Sorry about crying on you.” “It’s fine.”, Luca rubbed his shoulders, “I’m sorry your parents put you through that.”, They sat like that for some time before Alberto spoke up.

“I wish I didn’t have to pick a lifemate.” Luca looked at him, “Why?”

“Because what if I end up like my parents? I have to trust that they understand me like you do.” Luca looked at Alberto in understanding, “I get how you feel. What if my lifemate doesn’t like me going to the surface? Or what if they don’t like me hanging out with you?”

Alberto sat up straighter, “Lifemates are stupid. Who needs them? We have each other.”, Luca nodded in agreement. Surely a lifemate couldn’t be as cool as being with his best friend, “It can be you, me, and Giulia exploring the world. No lifemates needed.”, The pair sat like that for only a moment longer before getting up and swimming back to town. One thing was clear for both of them; all they needed was each other.

A/N: As always, leave a comment if you liked it.

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #916: Resolutions (King of Fighters)

8:45 p.m. at K and Kula's Apartment.......

Shingo: (Sighs While Sitting Down on the Sofa with the Gang) Ah man.....I can't believe the year is almost over.

Rock: I know. Time flew a lot more quicker than usual this time around.

K': (Lazily Slouches on the Sofa) If the year wants to end that quickly, then so be it. All we can do now is keep moving forward.

Rock: That is true.

Shingo: Yeah....You guys got any resolutions for the New Year coming up?

Kula: (Excitedly Raises her Hands) Ooh! I got one!~

K': (Starts Smirking a Bit Teasingly at the Blue Haired Girl) Does it involves eating more ice cream?

Kula: (Immediately Pouts at K') No! It has nothing to do with Ice Cream, K'. (Smiles Softly) It's about living my life to the very fullest. No matter who hard and annoying it can be at times.

Shingo: (Smiles Brightly) That's a great resolution, Kula. Mines' kinda similar to yours in a way.

Kula: Really? Yay!~

Rock: Now that you mentioned it...(Turns to Shingo) Whatever happened to that dream of you wanting to create your flames? You never really talked about it as much recently.

Shingo: Oh, I'm still hoping to create it one day. I just don't want it to be the main focus in my life, you know? Especially when there's so much to look forward to. And besides, if the dream never comes to tuition, I could always my use lighter for defense.

Rock: (Raised an Eyebrow in a Bit of Confusion) You used a lighter in fights?

Shingo: On some occasions. I figured it could help my punches have a little more to them than just causing regular damage. (Starts Pouting a Little) Kyo would always tell me how dishonorable I look whenever I use it....

K': ('Tch') Man, don't listen to a slacker. If you wanna use a lighter in a fight, then more power to you.

Rock: Yeah. Plus, I'm pretty sure there's a few fighters in tournaments who use weapons in combat.

Shingo: That's what I've been trying to tell him! But he never listens to me.....

Kula: I told you he's a jerk.

Shingo: Yeah....But it is what it is I guess. (Turns to Rock) Do you have a resolution of your own, Rock?

Rock: (Place his Hand on his Chin) I'm not sure.... Haven't really thought about it as much. But I guess mines would be to spend more time with my new dad and mom.

Shingo/Kula: Awwwwww~

K': Already taking a liking to the new family life, Bogard?

Rock: (Smiles Sheepishly) I wouldn't exactly call it new or anything like that. Terry and the others have been looking after me ever since I was a kid. Still, having him and Mary officially adopt me......It's too great of a feeling to even believe.... H-Hey, do you think I should tell them I love them in a text?

K': I-

Rock: Nevermind. (Already Has His Phone Out While Texting) I'm already texting them as we speak. Annnnnd.....sent.

Meanwhile at Pao Café .....

Blue Mary felt her phone vibrating on table before picking it up and checking the recent message that was sent to her. It wasn't long before her heart begins to melt in Pure happiness as she starts hugging the phone close to her.

Meanwhile at Smash Town's Big Bang Burgers......

Ken: So then I told the guy "If you wanna fight me that much, why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" And then he starts going on and on about how he hates me...........(Continues Talking About Some Guy Nmaed Rufus)

'Phone Vibrating'

Terry: (Picks his Phone Up From the Table and Starts Reading the New Message That was sent to Him Before Turning Back to Ryu and Ken) Hey guys, you mind if step out for a minute or two?

Ken: (Stops Talking Before Turning to Terry) Oh. Uh...sure, man.

Ryu: Take as much time as you need.

Terry: (Happily Gives the Duo a Thumbs Up) Thanks. Be right back! (Makes his Way Out of th Door)

Ken: I wonder why Terry wants to step outside for......

Ryu: Perhaps he's not feeling well- Wait. (Noticed Something Outside of the Window) Is...Is he crying out there?

Ken: Huh? (Turns Arouns to see Terry Crying Ousode of the Restaurant) Ah. I see that type of crying before. Those are Pride Tears.

Ryu: (Raised an Eyebrow in Confusion) Pride Tears?

Ken: Is where a father have so much pride over their offsprings that eventually burst into tears. ('Sighs Relaxingly') Yep. I remember the day when I was crying like that once. Best day of my life.....Remind me to Video Chat Mel & Sean later when we get back to the Mansion, will ya bud?

Ryu: (Simple Nodded) Will do, Ken.

Back at K' and Kula's Apartment

Kula: (Turns to K') Alright, Mr. Lazy Pants, tell is what's your resolution is gonna be. And it better not have anything to do with you sleeping around all day.

K': Well, that's part of it actually.

Kula: (Starts Groaning While Pouting at K Once More)

K': Okay, but in all seriousness, mines is kind of like a combination of all yours. Living life to the fullest, not letting any bullshit come my way, and hanging out with you idiots. Because.....(Starts Blushing a Little) Well....You guys sorta mean the world to me. Even if you do get in my nerv- ACK! (Immediately Gets Pulled Into a Group Hug by Kula and Shingo) Hey! Who the hell you gave you two permission to hug me!?

Shingo: (Smiles Sheepishly) No one. We kinda did it on our own terms

Kula: (Smiles Brightly While Snuggling onto K') We wanna show you how much we love you too!~

K': Dammit, I know how much you idiots love me! We don't need a damn hug to prove that! (Comically Glares at Rock) And the hell are you doing with that phone of yours, Bogard!?

Rock: (Holds his Phone Up in a Camera like Fashion With a Teasing Smirk on his Face) Oh nothing too crazy. Just thinking about taking a picture of you guys and probably sending it to Maxima.....or Whip....or even the Ikari Warriors if either of the them have their numbers.

K': Do it and I'll burn your ass to a crisp!

Rock: You do know I can fight back, right?

K': ('Tch') Please. Just because you beaten me once, that doesn't make you any stronger than I am. I can easily mop the floors with you with little to no effort, so don't test me!

Rock: ('Sigh') Alright, fine. (Puts the Phone Down) I won't take a picture of you. Happy?

K': I will be once you tell these two idiots to stop hugging me!

Kula: (Pulls Away From K Before Smacking him in the Arm) Hey! We're not stupid!

Shingo: (Pulls Away as Well) Yeah! We're just as smart as you guys are! And at least I'm not a shameless High School Dropoutlike Kyo!......Please don't tell him I said any of that.

Rock/Kula: (Starts Bursting Out Laughing)

K': (Starts Rolling his Eyes) Relax. I won't say anything. (Points at Shingo) But ONLY if you promise me never to hug me like that again.

Shingo: Deal.

@helsic

@illyrilex

@keyenuta

@26shann

@cyber-wildcat

@ma-lemons

@theweebmaster31