#i'll let you know what i learn lol

[storkmuffin]

Follow up question to the ask about what got you into kpop! What do you make of the popularity of Ateez and SKZ. Both groups seem to have a certain individuality that makes them stand out and I think contributes to their immense success, but if that is the case why do many groups continue to play it safe? Is it a "high risk high rewards" kind of thing do you think?

I say this as a person who knew about BTS existing, and had a couple of their big hits on rotation on my spotify playlist but otherwise felt no 'pull' towards them while they were active (I think they're dormant now because of the military service requirement) - I have to assume that the decision by JYP to launch a new boy group in 2018, and for KQ to decide to wade into the Idol Making Business in the same year was highly influenced by the success of BTS, which really gained momentum from, I dunno, 2015 onwards.

OK from here on out I'm just making shit up, so take it with salt and pepper and cilantro, too:

There had to have been an analysis of what sold well, or what characteristics of BTS appealed a lot to western audiences. I have to assume that inclusion of Changbin and Han, as well as the decision to allow the long-in-the-wings Bang Chan to debut as members of an IDOL group, when none of them fit the mold and instead have all these frankly unnecessary extra chops was part of aiming them at the West. There was a point that k-pop wanted to make about how Idol can be 'real' rappers and 'real' composers and 'real' directors of their own art, and JYP did that through this group. (He also having been a very non-standard pop star back in his day.) Bang Chan and Felix, the English fluent Australians, one of whom speaks Korean as a second language, are part of this 'international' marketing decision from the start.

As for Ateez, their creating this 'lore' concept and being very theatrical in how faithful they were to it made them look frankly strange to the general Korean market, so once they had some sort of reaction in the West they immediately went on foreign tour first. In 2022 and also in 2024, Hong Joong was asked by Korean media, What do you think about the immense disparity of your name recognition and influence outside the country compared to how little you're known at home? (His answer was diplomatic - If we continue to make good music, the recognition will eventually come.) The non-fan and sometimes anti-fan commentary I've seen in Korean about Ateez is that they are a group better suited or perhaps intentionally designed to appeal primarily to the overseas market, and will need to be 'reverse-imported' in order to raise their standing here.

For a very long time, Kpop has been in a 'pleasant music' or easy-listening era. The kind of music and music videos a mother of a 12 year old girl wouldn't mind her seeing or be alarmed by. Comfortingly formulaic, soothing, bouncy but not too wild, sexy in a sweet way and definitely not too raunchy. They're still making it - I would put Riize and NewJeans' stuff in this category. The existing, 'classical' model for marketing seems to be to build a big fanbase in Korea, become a national phenomenon, and ride that out to the world.

The thing is, both Stray Kids and Ateez have done so well that this is likely to directly influence the next batch of Kpop Idols, maybe 6th Gen. "Harder" sounds, more direct lyrical and compositional participation by the Idols themselves, an emphasis on rapping, and a willingness to address grown up themes with a more mature performance style. This is my hope, by the way.

I also happen to think that the quieter, softer sounding songs on the Ice On My Teeth comeback, with the suits and the less crazed looking, 'cool-tone' rather than' volcanic' choreography is also part of Ateez going, Well if this is the level of what the Korean market can tolerate, we'll give it to them and see if it sticks.

[reneedenoailles]

some of you piss me off so bad because why is it that it's the "red flag girlies" who are the problem and yet you "green flag" girls throw the sticks & stones constantly by calling us boring, wannabe different or edgy.

you're not morally superior for wanting to romance a man you'd date in real life comparing to me wanting to romance a man like amen, for example. and i say him because you guys will say amen girlies are the worst people of this fandom as if some of you guys' faves (livius) don't have insane fans.

i'm just really fatigued by this whole red flag/green flag thing and honestly just wish we could let go of those terms altogether. yeah, how does that sound ? getting rid of reductive terms shoving characters in boxes they barely belong in ?

on that note, if i see any of you refer to vincent as a "red flag" i'm going to run you over with a soulless truck.

[keeps-ache]

once again i am on the playlist lol

[unproduciblesmackdown]

speaking of the horrors brian goosebumpsphantomoftheauditorium is still So funny for being like yeah i'm a ghost i know i'm a ghost. & he's befriended the horror fan menace duo who are giggling clutching each other like omg omg okay. we're fine. we're breaking into the school at night to investigate the horrors aaaa what if there's a ghost eek ok ok!!! & brian ghost who knows he's a ghost is like omg guys aaaa stopppp ;;m;; suffering thee Most but he's not putting on an act to conceal his phantomly destiny. he's just like that

[sisterdivinium]

I would hope that this new interview with Mr. Barry sheds some light on the methods and motivations of media analysis after his admitting to how certain references taken for granted by a certain portion of fans were not exactly deliberate on his or the crew's part.

This does not mean we are not to draw significance from the final version of the oeuvre, but that we should tread carefully when we attempt to decrypt stories so as to not fall into traps laid by our own wishful thinking. Analysis is a vital, demanding skill that follows certain rules meant to solidify whatever propositions it might suggest along the way, to validate its findings; humility in face of what is being analysed is essential, as is the position one should take concerning its creator. To say that "the author is dead" is not to repeat some quirky little phrase for the sake of clout, nor should it give the impression that reading into a text (lato sensu) is a free for all, no holds barred, anything goes activity.

I've long witnessed people try to identify the "sources" of Warrior Nun, the myriad inspirations that could have (and did) shape the show we know and love, giving very confident opinions as to that and thus leaving no space for doubt or for unconscious workings or for the happy accidents that necessarily take place during any creative endeavour -- as if the creators of the show were, themselves, omnipotent, omniscient beings who planned every single detail seen and unseen in the series.

Needless to say they are not.

And this does not in any way diminish the magic surrounding what they have created and given us. If anything, it enhances it. Mere mortals telling stories that reverberate in the most unexpected manners, establishing connections, even if unintended, with an astounding multitude of other narratives and areas of human knowledge, causing an impact on an audience much greater than anyone could ever have predicted -- is not that marvellous? That creativity and teamwork would create something grander than its initial, apparent limitations, unbeknownst to themselves?

Interpretive work is not about certainty; it's about the possibilities of doubt and curiosity and things left unsaid. There's no final word.

Next time someone claims with all the misplaced authority in the world that this must inevitably signify or allude to that, doubt it. The search for sources is not amongst the most reputable approaches in understanding fiction, or not it all alone, and for good reason. Instead of "where did this come from?" let us ask instead "where can this take us?" and "can it do so indeed, can I textually prove that it does?"

I find these questions infinitely more intriguing and I hope that the disappointment stemming from some Word of God declarations might inspire others to pursue them as well going forwards.

[elektroyu]

This may sound a little esoteric, but sometimes I really wonder what my higher purpose in life is. By now I think I have a pretty good idea of which (overall) direction I need to go (= art stuff in the widest sense). This is exclusively because that's what feels right to me and seems to be what I always come back to in some way.

But beyond that? I'm not sure how I'm going to pay for living (literally living, like eating and housing, let alone pets orz). Are these things supposed to be connected? Or am I supposed to find another way to get income, somehow despite my health condition?

What am I supposed to do for other people so that I can get income of my own*? What is it that I can GIVE others? Where is the thing that I can do that can provide others with a high enough value?

I have no fucking clue at all, and that's scary as hell.

*at least I'd like to have an income of my own that I basically earn myself with some kind of work. Not at all looking forward to end up depending on benefits for the rest of my life

[puppyknucklezzz]

i swear I'm a lot cooler medicated and like, safe, and when i can do my routine and stuff, rn my nervous system is rattled and the past few months felt like it undid the past couple years of therapy, and i haven't slept good outside of the recent covid naps lol,bbut im recalibrating and stuff, lol, stick with me I'll be shipshape by new years fs.

[miniimight]

"S'NOT MY BIRTHDAY..." silly girl, thinking you need an occasion in order to be spoiled by them!

with gojo, nanami x fem!reader

notes trying out this writing thing again lol

in previous relationships, you had to deal with the bare minimum. a generic greeting card on valentine's day, a bunch of snacks for your birthday, and a necklace for christmas because 'that's what girls like, right?'

now, with him, it's different. he has no qualms about getting you anything your eyes linger on, no matter the price. he had so much money, he picked things up and swiped his card without so much as a glance at the cost. it baffled you sometimes.

it happened was early on in your relationship. you then quickly learned to just sit back and let him spoil you!!

GOJO

satoru's fingers were laced with yours as he swung your connected arms between you. he inhaled deeply, looking up at the high ceiling of the mall. "today's a good a day as any to throw some cash, don't you think baby?"

you giggle and squeeze his hand. "one or two things should be okay." that's what you budgeted for, anyway.

he rolled his eyes, scolding you for your tiny imagination before allowing you to pull him along to your favorite stores.

it wasn't long before your eyes spotted the store you loved but couldn't afford. your stare was glued to the window display, all the cute tops and pants and bags and shoes and bracelets and...

when he felt your steps slow, satoru glanced at you. you were laser focused on the clothing store—naturally, he sharply turned towards it.

"hey!" you squeaked at the sudden change of direction, and you hurried to match his pace again. "toru??"

"i saw you looking, baby, why didn't you just say you wanted to check it out?" he teased.

you looked over to the side, embarrassed. "i... i don't wanna tempt myself, cus i know i'll gaslight myself into buying something."

he narrowed his eyes, not in scorn but in confusion. "who said you were buying anything?"

"huh?" you chirped, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

gojo stared blankly at you. you really were adorable, thinking he wouldn't spend his last dime on whatever you wanted, regardless of how trivial it was. a smile pulled at his lips.

"my sweet girl," he cooed. "my sweet, slow girl..."

you gasped indignantly and poked satoru's side, earning a giggle from him. "slow?!"

"obviously, i'll by whatever you want, silly." he tugged you towards the entrance of the store.

"but..." you resisted his pull. "it's not my birthday or anything..."

huh? he pouted. "as if i need a special reason to get you stuff."

"but..." heat creeped up your neck as you reveled in the unfamiliar feeling of being spoiled. something inside you told you that he was just being nice and was waiting for you to shut him down, save him the expenses. "it's not fair, is it? i didn't get you anything so far..."

his face fell slightly as he pulled you away from the busy traffic of the moving crowds. satoru pulled your chin up to face him. "i dunno what's running through that pretty head of yours, but answer me this, okay?"

you nod.

"you want it?" he gestured towards the store.

you hesitated, eyes straying from his face. he quickly squished your cheeks, causing your eyes to widen and snap to his. "—!"

"don't overthink it, pretty girl, just tell me."

"yesfh." you answer dejectedly, muffled against his hands.

"then you'll have it." he told you. "i want you to have anything and everything you say you want. i wanna buy it for you. and being able to hear you say 'my boyfriend got this for me' is all i need in return." he grinned cheekily.

you pouted, looking unbelievably cute in his eyes. he despises the partners of your past for leading you astray, thinking you needed to do something special in order to be appreciated. don't worry, he'll fix that in no time.

he pecked your pursed lips before hugging you. "okay?"

you giggle. "okay."

"yay!! now let's go!!"

by the end of the day, he had to call ichiji to help carry all the bags to the car. he was so proud of you!

NANAMI

kento was your shadow as you glided through the store, picking up things and setting them down.

"oh, this is so cute!" you squealed holding up a tee for him to see.

he smiled, more because of your excited expression than the t-shirt. "it is. you should get it."

you hummed, in thought. your hands drifted over the material, picking up the tag before inhaling sharply. "nah, another time."

he frowned. you'd done this at every store so far, picking up things you said you liked but leaving them behind. he was bewildered. "but... you like it, do you not?"

you winced, hoping this topic wouldn't come up. "i do! it's just the price. out of my budget, you know?" you said, trying to be light. you burned with discomfort. might as well just say you're poor.

kento frowned. "oh..."

"yeah."

you quickly turned away, avoiding the confused look on his face.

"y/n." he called you.

"...yes?" you glanced behind you, seeing him standing over the shirts.

"are you under the impression that you would be paying?" he asked.

you blinked. "oh?" yes, you were, but you were surprised to learn that he had the opposite understanding. "well... yeah."

he frowned, disappointed with himself. "i'm sorry. i didn't intend to make you feel that way."

you stepped closer, rubbing his arm soothingly. "what are you talking about?" you laughed softly. "you didn't make me feel any kind of way. i'm not upset, if that's what you're getting at. i never expected you to spend your money on me."

his frown only deepened. oh, how he has failed. "why not?"

you faltered. how did you manage to make it worse? "i'm not sure i understand..."

kento shook his head. "have you been thinking you'd be using your own money for purchases? this whole time?"

"um..."

"sweetheart, i'm paying. for everything, at all times." he refused to hear anything else, cutting you off when you opened your mouth to retort. "we'll have to circle back to the stores we previously visited."

it was your turn to frown. "kento, it won't be my birthday for a few months! you don't have to get me anything right now."

"what does your birthday have to do with anything?" he asked, genuinely confused. "i don't mean to interrogate you, my love, but i think i am the one who doesn't understand."

"you'd get me anything i asked for?" you shoot back, spelling it out for him. "for no reason?"

"for one reason," he replied. "simply because you want it. it'd make you happy."

warmth spread across your face. "that's two reasons." you mumbled.

he clicked his tongue, exacerbating your bashfulness when he pulled you into his side. he kissed your forehead. "you make me laugh, y/n. i was so confused as to why you weren't getting anything. surely that's not how you usually shop."

he bought that shirt for you, as well as the many things you thought were cute at all the stores you stepped foot in. now, you shop without any hesitations.

© miniimight ! thanks for reading <3

[sheep-from-rad]

this is inspired by @luludeluluramblings 's neglected! influencer! **I'll expand this later, I'm eepy**

*I don't own Rät. It belongs to Penelope Scott. Batfam belongs to DC*

Not gonna lie, everytime I read a Yandere Batfam x Neglected Reader (I wish we have more defiant one tbh, i have parental issues and I tell you I will never ever forgive my parents fast. It's my dad's fault I don't know how to ask for help and that everytime he's near me all my danger senses are high up. Ending this here before it becomes a rant/vent lol) all I can hear in my brain is Rät by Penelope Scott

Maybe we can do it like this: Neglected! reader uses music to let frustrations out and leading to them becoming this anon singer online. Reader started out with being a black screen singer at first, making covers of songs and then later they started when gaining popularity they started having this anime avatar or an anime persona (maybe even a vtuber model) and original songs left and right.

Reader lives a normal life flying under the radar in daylight but when alone they sing their hearts out in different songs, they even learn different languages for foreign songs too. I can imagine reader singing Japanese songs too something around Kikuo to One OK Rock covers.

AND THEN the big fight with Damian, reader really can't bear living in the mansion anymore. They bear it too much and now the bottle is already full. Before they left they dropped the song cover of Rät or maybe it's not even a cover in this AU, maybe they wrote the song in this AU. Gotham immediately loved the song maybe even tried to decipher the song too because singer! reader just dropped it and disappeared.

The song immediately gained notoriety because to the people of Gotham the song sounded like a protest. A question to the current hierarchy, a question to heroes and how villains came to be. No one still notices that the reader is missing until Tim was tasked to clean up some camera file storage around the mansion.

Tim watches every footage before cleaning it, no matter how boring it was to see if something went amiss while they are out on their secret vigilante nightlife. What did he find on the camera footage? He found the reader going around their bedroom and to the attic back and forth with a microphone and few recording equipment. When he reviewed the attic footage he found clips and clips of reader singing, editing, and uploading videos.

Suddenly, the last song they dropped made sense. The lyrics made sense. It was about them not about Gotham society.

[astralis-ortus]

when it's less-than-ideal

✱ boyfriend!bc x gn!reader

— you can't judge a relationship only based on its good days.

w.count → 0.9k genre → comfort, a dash of comedy at the end warning → chan referred to as chris, babe, my love; reader referred to as baby and babe; kind of sad but it ends well♡ a.n → basically i'm projecting what kind of relationship-slash-communication style i want in a relationship, so... yeah. think i'll be on my own for quite a while, lol. anyways! i also have an announcement here about requests, commissions, and fanart shop, do check it out♡ ⋆ if you're enjoying my stories, do send me a ko-fi ⋆ see masterlist

chris has been acting weird lately, and you don't know why.

you're usually not one to mind—given the way his schedules these days barely even spare the time for him to rest, you understand that your boyfriend is bound to be less like his usual self. you've sat down with chris to talk about it early in your relationship—the expectations, the ideal and less-than-ideal situations, the how-tos, and 4 years in, everything has all worked out just fine.

lately, however,

chris has been acting really strange.

"babe, i'm home," chris' voice softly echoed through the apartment, followed by the rustling of what you could assume is the layer of jacket and hoodie you got him to wear to battle the dropping temperatures of november seoul. "where are you?"

"kitchen!" you chirped, swiftly rinsing off the pots and pans you've been battling against for the past 10 minutes, "i'm still washing the dishes. are you hungry? i made some curry for dinner, it's in the—babe? are you okay?"

the cheeriness in your voice immediately turned into worry when you felt chris' arms around your waist, holding you tight as he allows himself to melt onto you, face buried in the crook of your neck.

after all the years of being at the receiving end of chris' special mix of physical affection, you've naturally learned to differentiate the meaning in your boyfriend's touches—is he just being affectionate? or is he trying to tease you? is he jealous of the interaction you had? or did he sense something and is trying to keep you safe? you have always been able to read chris just from the way his skin grazes upon yours, and so far you've barely ever been wrong,

but god, you sincerely hope you're hitting far from the mark this time.

"hey," you softly called out upon the absence of chris' response, quickly disregarding the dishes to rinse your soapy hands before turning to face chris' tired features, "is everything alright, my love?"

instead of an answer, chris simply leaned onto your touch as soon as your hands came to cradle his cheeks—ones freezing from the cold weather he just escaped moments ago, and only then, you realized just how long it has been since you've properly seen your boyfriend.

how come you haven't noticed the dark, looming shadow in his eyes? or the way his skin had lost its usual glow and instead grew dry with the season? how come you didn't see the way the corner of his lips had grown heavier, or the way his curls you oh-so adored had adopted its long forgotten frizz?

how come it took you so long to properly see chris?

"i'm sorry, baby," running the pads of your thumbs across chris' cheeks, you forced yourself to swallow the lump of guilt lodged in your throat, "i just realized i've been too inattentive to you, and i'm sorry. have you been wanting to talk it out with me?"

and only then, you saw the faint glimmer you fell in love with, peeking between the grey clouds in chris' eyes.

"yeah," despite the hoarseness in his voice, you could hear the warmth returning in the words chris uttered as he nodded, "but i just… i didn't know how to bring it up since i knew you've been dealing with your own stuff as well."

chris quietly exhaled, soft breath grazing your lips when he leaned his forehead onto yours and let his eyes fluttered close, allowing his walls of self-protection to finally crumble as he speaks, "i'm sorry, baby. it was never my intention to let this fester for this long or to make you feel bad in any way. i just didn't know how. i promise."

you know you're not perfect, and neither is chris—but you also know chris has always made it his life mission to make sure you're the happiest you've ever been when you're with him. one honest mistake will never erase the efforts and sacrifice chris has ever made for you, and you'll never let that happen.

"i know, baby," you hummed, lightly dragging the tips of your nails against his scalp when your fingers found the dark locks of his hair, "i don't blame you. i shouldn't have assumed about your condition and let it slip too. i won't let it happen again, i promise."

and you can feel the way chris' shoulder relax at the words you utter,

because just like him, he knows you'll do everything in your power to keep every single one of your promises.

"thank you, baby," chris pulled you into his embrace, completely engulfing you in his warmth while he pressed his lips on your forehead. "i promise i'll try to be better at this too, and thank you for being patient with me. i love you."

it didn't matter how many times have you heard chris whisper those three words in your ears, or how many times have he held you like you're everything that ever mattered to him,

chris will always make your soul feel the most alive it has ever been.

"i love you too, baby," you finally allowed yourself to smile as your arms found their way around your boyfriend's waist, holding him close as you listen to the rhythm of his heartbeat—

"…babe?"

"…yeah," chris sheepishly nodded while rubbing his stomach, "i haven't had lunch too, actually…"

a protest involuntarily slip past your lips along with the forming lines of frown between your eyebrows, perfectly portraying your disapproval of chris' course of action.

"go sit down, i'll fix your plate for you," shaking your head, you turned towards the pot of warm curry on the stovetop in faux disappointment before you continued,

"and we'll talk about whatever's been stressing my christopher out, okay?"

oh, you can definitely confirm,

the sound of chris' soft chuckle will never fail to bring a smile to your face.

©️ astralisortus, 2024. | likes and reblogs are highly appreciated♡

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I am genuinely so proud of my wife for becoming a crafts person over the last few years.

Like, I was always a crafts person. I was an arts and crafts kid. My parents sent me to classes or summer camps or after-school clubs pretty much continuously from when I was about 5 years old, and over the years I did metalsmithing, stained glass, polymer clay sculpting, loom weaving, oil painting, charcoal drawing, clothes-making & tailoring, carpentry, woodcarving, macrame, miniatures, beading, jewelry-making, basket weaving, leatherworking, paper-making, bookbinding, papier mache, decoupage, sand sculpting, and probably more that I'm forgetting. There was never a day in my life while I was growing up when my entire bedroom floor wasn't taken up by 2-5 different ongoing art projects. As an adult, it's given me the firm confidence that I can walk up to pretty much any crafting skill, and get the hang of it, and enjoy doing it.

My wife never had that. She wrote, but that was really her only artistic outlet. Art & craftsmanship were just not any of her business. She always expressed admiration for my gumption when it came to making things with my hands, usually with a "bigger idiots than me have done it" attitude, but she was certain she'd be bad at it if she tried it, and that she wouldn't have fun. As evidence, she would offer every time in her life when she had attempted to learn a craft, and didn't have fun, and all the Arts And Crafts kids picked it up a lot faster than her.

Which like - yeah! Learning how to do a new craft is a skill all on its own! Fine motor control is a skill developed over time! So is spatial reasoning, and materials intuition! She wasn't just 'trying to learn wreath-making,' or whatever, she was trying to learn how to learn how to make something with her hands AND wreath-making, at the same time, so of course it would take her longer than the kids who already had the first part, and of course it would be more frustrating for her. I knew she wasn't uniquely bad at crafts: she just didn't know how to approach picking them up, because she was never encouraged to learn.

And then the pandemic hit.

And while we were all trapped inside and going insane in new and exciting ways to all of us, she tentatively decided to pick up embroidery. She probably wouldn't stick with it, she explained: she'd probably be bad at it. It probably wouldn't be fun. But she thought embroidery was pretty, and literally what else did she have going on?

And then she did stick with it. For over a year. And she got pretty good at it! She embellished a baseball hat for her sister with cactuses and wildflowers from where they grew up which came out adorable. She made an embroidered portrait of one of our friends' cat that they still have displayed in their entryway. And she discovered - and remarked on it often, with mild surprise - that she was having fun. She'd say a lot of stuff like "this stitch was so frustrating at first, but now that I get it I really like doing it," or "I kept getting this tangled but I've figured it out now. I just needed to relax."

Then she took up pottery. We did that as a couple for about a year, too. Now she's a knitter.

And it's just been so great, to see her eyes light up when she sees a sweater she likes, and hear her say, "I could make that!" She's slowly let go of the perfectionism that I think holds a lot of people back from doing crafts: that dismay when you make a mistake which leads to discarding a whole project, or starting something over. More and more she's taking on the veteran crafter attitude of "oops lol, whatever I'll just keep going." She's picking things up faster. She's taking pleasure in learning incremental steps. She's started to see crafting as something that relaxes and engages her, instead of as something inherently frustrating. I've gotten to watch her learn to find joy in making something with her hands. I always knew she was creative and artistic and capable of learning how to do anything. It's been so much fun to watch her start to take that on as part of how she sees herself.

We have this running joke about how she will prematurely declare herself to be in an era. Like, she'll go swimming twice and announce that she's now in her "swimming era," and then never go swimming again. Or she'll make one smoothie, buy a bunch of fruit, and declare that we are now in a "smoothie era," and then a week later we have to throw out a bunch of fruit that's gone bad.

The other day (while she was knitting, and I was sitting on the couch next to her doing crochet), she went, "I feel like I've gotten - like, I'm a bit crafty these days, I think. Like, I've done a couple of different crafts, and gotten pretty good at them. I think this is now, kind of, you know...something that I can say that I do."

I supplied that I would even go so far as to say that she was in her "crafting era."

Her eyes widened. "It's an era?"

I pointed out that it was something she'd been doing pretty much continuously for the last three and a half years. That feels like the start of an era to me.

"Yes," she decided. "It's an era. This is my crafts era. I'm a crafts person now."

She's planning to make me a sweater with a duck on it for fall.

[justauthoring]

Sleepless Nights Aided by You.

Summary: It's hard to sleep when surrounded by the threat of death. But Dae-ho makes it bearable, even if only a little.

Pairing: Kang Dae-ho x F!Reader

Word Count: 1,529

A/N: LOL, hey guys, I did not think I'd be posting this but I've been obsessed with Squid Game and specifically Dae-ho. I thought I'd break my own writing haitus to give you guys this little fluff piece. I'll post a little update about the status of my Tumblr soon, but for now, enjoy this :P

(Also, to everyone who sent me a message after my update post, thank you <3 Know that I did see them and read them and I appreciate all of you!)

It's been nights of this and the sleeping never gets easier.

You'd have thought that despite everything, the exhaustion would override the racing thoughts. Surely, forced to participate in gruelling and sometimes physically challenging games with the constant threat of death weighing over you and being underfed that the sleep would come naturally.

But you've always been a lousy sleeper; before all this, before the games, you'd spend nights staring up at the ceiling of your worn down, small apartment stuck in your thoughts. Even as a little girl with the carelessness and naivety that came with being young, sleep wasn't something that came easy to you.

So, really, you shouldn't be surprised that in that suffocating and prison-like room, you wouldn't be able to sleep now either. It was beyond just the games itself - with each passing day, it became abundantly clear that there were more people you couldn't trust than those you could.

The blue 'X' patch on your sweater was enough of a reason to make you a target to some. Being a woman was another. The large piggy bank that carried the sum of those already dead was of course probably the biggest reason. Among the many other things you'd come to learn about the people you'd been trapped with.

You were lucky enough to have found yourself a group of people that took you in and it wasn't that you necessarily didn't trust him. Befriending a previous winner of the games had been something you'd been unsure of before, but Gi-hun had really only shown the best intentions of trying to help as many people survive as he could.

It wasn't just him. Seeing a group of men so willingly take in a pregnant woman and doing the utmost to protect her had been enough of a reason for you to trust them.

Everything else that had ocurred was beyond what you could've imagined in a place like this. In the midst of the games and the constant disappointment of voting, they'd made you realize that there was still reason to fight and most importantly, smile when you could.

(And most of all, a certain someone had made all of this just that bit more bearable.)

You did trust them. Gi-hun's plan to set up a barrier around where you all slept was smart and having people take turns watching had proven to only be further effective.

It still didn't mean that it made it any easier to sleep.

Letting out a huff, you rub at your eyes, frustrated with your inability to even sleep for a little bit. You were getting to your wits-end with exhaustion and it was certainly going to start impacting how you performed in the games. Being sloppy and tired wouldn't just mean losing, it would mean death.

You roll over to your side, facing towards your group and the direction that allowed you to see who was keeping watch currently.

When you saw the familiar numbers of '388', your decision was made.

Figuring that tossing and turning in bed wasn't doing you any good regardless, you crawled out of bed. Careful of Jun-hee who was beside you and tip-toeing your way around Young-il, you step in behind Dae-ho. Alert as he is, he jumps faintly at the sound of you, easing the second he realizes it's just you.

His lips curve into a soft smile but the confusion is plain in his eyes as you take a seat next to him.

"Are you okay?" He asks, voice soft so as not to wake up the others.

You nod with a tired smile. "Yes," you assure with a light bow. "I couldn't sleep. I saw it was you keeping watch so I thought I'd come and keep you company."

Dae-ho's face falls with understanding. "Oh," he mumbles, "I heard you tossing and turning."

Flushing faintly, you bite your lip. You hadn't realized you'd been so obvious in your struggle. "I'm sorry if it was distracting... Hopefully I didn't wake anyone up." You glance back the sleeping bodies of your friends, frowning.

"No, no," Dae-ho shakes his head, waving his hands at you. "I was more worried. It doesn't seem like you've been sleeping well since we got here."

Blinking, you turn to him. You didn't realize he'd been paying attention enough to notice. But really, you shouldn't be surprised - over the course of the games, Dae-ho had proven time and time again that he was at the very least paying attention. From reassuring you with jokes and smiles to encouraging you during the games, it was clear Dae-ho cared enough to pay attention.

"A little," you admit with a small shrug. "I know I should sleep but I can't get rid of this... nervous feeling. It's something about this place. I never feel safe."

Shoulders falling, you glance down at your lap, fiddling with your fingers. It was impossible to deny how terrified you were. It wasn't hard to see everyone was terrified, but you couldn't shake the constant nagging weight on your shoulders that every breath might be your last.

It was driving you crazy.

A hand falls on your shoulder, soft and gentle, and you turn to Dae-ho in surprise.

"I won't let anything happen to you."

It's such a simple thing, really. The words themselves hold little weight, but the way Dae-ho looks at you tells you he really means it. There's a determined glint to his eyes and though his face remains warm, the usual goofy smile he keeps on for the sake of trying to stay positive is replaced with certainty.

In a place like this, you didn't make a promise like that without meaning it.

Not to mention, over the few short days you've gotten to know Dae-ho, you know he isn't the type of person to lie about something like this. The concern on his face is genuine and it warms your heart in a way you thought impossible in a place like this.

The you who had thought it foolish to trust people at the beginning was long gone and you could no longer ignore the way something like that coming from Dae-ho made you feel.

"Thank you," you whisper, biting your lip as you look up at him. As he lets his face ease into a warm smile, you shake your head. "I have no idea how you do it, Dae-ho."

Raising a brow, he pauses; "hm?"

"Stay so positive," you explain. "I feel like I'm falling apart at the seams but you still seem so strong. I know you're scared, how could you not be... But you don't let it bring you down."

This time it's his turn to be shocked. Lips parting, he meets your eyes. "I am scared," he admits, nodding. "But I want to be strong... for-for everyone. For... you."

You're struck once again by his words, finding his words endearing and heart-warming all the same. You trusted all your friends, but it was foolish to say that Dae-ho wasn't the one you'd felt most safe around. From the first moment you'd met him, he'd made sure to help you survive. From simple encouragement to physically making sure no one bothered you.

It's why you chose to sit with him when you saw he was keeping watch. You find yourself naturally gravitating towards his presence and warmth and maybe it's selfish, but he doesn't seem to mind you relying on him all that much.

Swallowing thickly, you shift closer to him, moving so you're pressed against his side. His face shifts at the action, surprised, cheeks warming lightly as he moves to make space for you. The arm that had been pressed against his side moves to rest behind you, tucking you into his side.

"I do feel safe with you," you assure, nodding at him. "You make it easier to be here, even if only a little. When I'm with you... I feel like I can breathe."

A moment of silence passes, the two of you enamoured with one another before Dae-ho speaks up. "You... You can sleep here; if-if you want. I have watch until morning, I won't go anywhere."

Meeting his eyes, you notice then the way your eyelids have grown heavy. You'd been exhuasted before but in that moment it does feel as if you'd actually be able to close your eyes and fall asleep.

The nagging feeling eating away at your chest with the overwhelming threat of death wasn't gone, but it had... subdued since sitting with Dae-ho.

"You don't mind?" You ask him.

He shakes his head. "Of course not."

"Okay," you agree, turning so you're facing forward. With only the briefest moment of hesitancy, you let your head fall against his shoulder, leaning into him and letting some of your weight fall onto him. Dae-ho's arm moves to wrap around your waist instead of resting behind you, helping keeping you supported.

"Wake me if you get uncomfortable," you whisper, already feeling the sleep set in.

Dae-ho nods, but you both know he'd never do that. Not if it meant you could get some rest and stay by his side.

[maxivstappen]

congratulations for 1k, you really deserve It !!

for your event: can i ask for a carlos sainz fic based on "break my heart, and I swear i'm moving on with your favorite athlete" by sabrina carpenter in good graces

thanks xx and ily

౨ৎ YOUR FAVORITE ATHLETE ! ‧₊˚.

౨ৎ 1K EVENT — short n' sweet series (not posted yet) ౨ৎ

pairing — carlos alcaraz x reader / carlos sainz x reader

summary — break my heart and i swear im moving on with your favorite athlete! angst & sweet revenge (again lol)

warnings / disclaimer — none, just my not so perfect Spanish (please correct me)! hope you liked this <3 thank you lots for your support and sorry for my absence - school is really time consuming at the moment :( i'll be updating more frequently again soon — masterlist (not updated sry) / prev. work

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12th of January - TWITTER

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4th of February - @.yourusername ✓ just posted on INSTA !

liked by landonorris, alexandrasaintmleux and 1,723,981 others

yourusername girls just wanna have fun or whatever 😝 love ya @.alexandrasaintmleux

view all 31,821 comments

user1 omg why did she unfollow carlos?

user2 @.user1 she follows carlos wdym

user3 @.user2 no they mean carlos alcaraz the tennis player, y/n‘s boyfriend (if they’re still together). I suppose you’re an f1 fan?

user2 @.user3 yes haha sorry i didn’t know that, and I don’t watch tennis so that’s why i was confused

alexandrasaintmleux ✓ my only love🥹 never ever leave me again!!

-> ♥️ by @.yourusername ✓

charles_leclerc ✓ @.alexandrasaintmleux what do you mean ‚only love‘?? don’t you think you’re missing someone?

alexandrasaintmleux ✓ @.charles_leclerc so sorry, of course i love my baby leo just as much🥰

charles_leclerc ✓ @.alexandrasaintmleux 😔

user4 oh they’re so HOT

user5 @.user4 CARLOS FUMBLED IF WHAT I‘M THINKING IS TRUE

user6 ONE CHANCE Y/N JUST ONE

landonorris ✓you can finally focus on the better sport now 🙌

-> ♥️ by @.yourusername ✓

user7 @.landonorris WHAT DOES THIS MEANNNNN

user8 @.user7 i think carlitos and her broke up 😭

yourusername ✓@.landonorris only saying that cause i keep beating you at tennis

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5th of February - TWITTER

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5th of February - TEXTS

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6th of February - @.yourusername ✓ just posted on INSTA !

liked by carlitosalcarazz, carlossainz55 and 1,576,971 others

yourusername if i speak i am in trouble 🤭

view all 26,933 comments

landonorris ✓ AHHHHHHH

yourusername ✓ @.landonorris AHHHHHHH

user9 @.landonorris LANDO SPILL

user10 guys alcaraz liked😧

user11 @.user10 HES JELLYYYYYY

alexandrasaintmleux ✓ hope you had the best night ever☺️

yourusername ✓ @.alexandrasaintmleux wasn’t as fun as it would’ve been with you🙂‍↔️

alexandrasaintmleux ✓ @.yourusername let me take you out next time 🤭

carlossainz55 ✓ @.yourusername @.charlesleclerc they’re flirting again😞

charles_leclerc ✓ @.carlossainz55 they will never stop😞

user12 THE LAST PIC

user13 @.user12 MYSTERY GUY SPENT THE NIGHT

user14 @.user13 THATS CARLOS SAINZ

user15 @.user14 i was about to call you delulu but…. i think you’re right

user16 @.user15 guys go get some sleep it’s okay … delulu isn’t always the solulu 😚

user17 HES HOLDING HER SHOES

user18 SOFT LAUNCH BUT WHO TF IS SHE LAUNCHING 🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥

carlossainz55 ✓ ❤️

-> ♥️ by @.yourusername ✓

user19 @.carlossainz55 @.user18 WE KNOW WHO SHES LAUNCHING🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

user20 @.carlossainz55 OHMYGAWWKDKSKALSKSKS

user21 TENNIS WAG TURNED F1 WAG AND IVE NEVER BEEN HERER FOR IT

user22 @.user21 you’ve never been what?

user23 @.user22 you need to learn matching people’s freak fr😣

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A Couple Weeks Later - TEXTS

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20th of October - @.carlossainz55 ✓ just posted on INSTA !

liked by yourusername, charles_leclerc and 3,445,912 others

carlossainz55 won the race and got the girl😉 great work from the team (and me)

view 1 comment

yourusername ✓ love you baby

- comments have been disabled -

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20th of October - @.yourusername ✓ just posted a story on INSTA !

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hope you liked it <3 guys please correct my spanish PLEASEEEEE (the question marks are weird like that on purpose because i’m a lazy bitch)

gen / sns taglist :: @norrisdriver @1655clean

[keeps-ache]

💫💥today💥💫 i start learning blender >:| !!

[thrfted]

꩜ DATING MR. CRAWLING .ᐟ

SFW GN!Reader HCS after the blissful love life ending.

Italics is in the other world’s language! Sometimes more the implied message rather than a direct translation. I'll probably do Mr. Hood later too :3 !

Your bed is much more comfortable than anything in the other world, and it only makes it better that mr. Crawling gets to be in it with you. He grows accustomed to your nightly routine and is always excited to cuddle up. Big spoon, little spoon, facing each other—all of it makes him as happy as can be!

(^ As someone who still has a twin size, some of us have to invest in a much bigger one lol)

Generally so so affectionate and loves when you’re physically affectionate !! You can kiss his head and he’ll giggle, maybe point at his face and ask “Again!” You leave kisses all over his face, and his hands pull you in close when you finally kiss his lips.

One of Mr. Crawling's strongest traits is his patience—especially when it comes to you. The first day you come home without him trailing behind (much to his dismay, and honestly yours), he’s at the door to greet you, smiling and giggling as you wrap your arms around him. You find out he hadn’t done much but wait for you to come home. (With no complaints of boredom on his part, and all the worry on yours.)

He'll sit as you play with his hair, trying out new hairstyles or putting in clips. “Me cute? Pretty?” he asks. And if you let him do the same in return, he'll giggle and compliment you too.

I think he’d look through your closet and enjoy watching you try on clothes too. He compliments you and feels each of the fabrics, liking the ones that feel softest. He might try on some of the accessories if none of the actual clothes (sort of…) fit, and is really happy when you match!

Mr. Crawling is a fast learner. You worry he'll feel overwhelmed with all the new technology and words and whatever else, so you focus on making sure he’s comfortable. But he points at things and ask what they are, repeating after you. “You teach me language?” he asks and you laugh softly before nodding. “I teach you language.”

He will accidentally touch a hot stove top or pot if you don't remember to warn him beforehand. Then whenever you cook he gets worried you'll hurt yourself, watching to make sure you're alright (forgive him if he pulls your hand away and says “Danger! Don't touch!”)

Since he doesn't know his birthday, you make the day you returned special instead! He's happy to just stay in with you, eating a good meal and watching or learning something new.

Mr. Crawling also learns when yours is and does his best to make it a good day for you too. He tries singing happy birthday and makes food with what you have at home, mimicking the meals he's seen you prepare.

You teach him how to call your phone while you're away. It's supposed to “be for emergencies,” but you both know he's going to call just to hear your voice, and who are you to complain?

I think he gets sad sometimes when he sees or hears you talking to friends—the way you communicate and laugh so easily compared to conversations with him. The other world's language itself is limited, and he hasn't learned enough of your own. You spend some evenings reassuring him, reminding him learning is a process, and it doesn't change your feelings!!

He does his best to learn on his own. You buy (exercise) books and show him shows for younger kids and he spends a lot of time alone with them, both to surprise you, and also just because he loves talking with you and wants to talk more and more.

The first time he speaks your language is a special day. After many days of calling out that you’re back, he decides to say it himself. “You home!” You almost drop everything in your hands, and that’s when he continues, “Miss you.” It feels odd hearing it in his voice, but he’s grinning so wide, and you won’t find out for a while just how excited and nervous he was waiting for you to get home.

One of Mr. Crawling’s favourite things to say and hear is “I love you.” Every time you say it, he gets all giddy and tries to get closer to you (as if that’s possible while already cuddling in bed). He says it a lot while you’re doing chores or really nothing, just to remind you and see you smile. There’s no way in his mind for those 3 words to lose their meaning, or become any less special.

[coco-cinnamon]

Better Than Me?

౨ৎ Warnings: cursing, drinking, Y/N being a bit of a player (I've never wrote Y/N doing that so lmao), sexual themes, degrading, smut, Rafe being an ass but, when is he not lol 18+ MDNI.

౨ৎ Pairings: Rafe Cameron x Female Kook Reader.

౨ৎ Summary: When Y/N is at a party, she messes with Rafe, pretending like she's tired of him and going to go to Topper for her new sex buddy but, Rafe makes sure she learns her lesson.

౨ৎ Word Count: 900+ words.

౨ৎ Author's Note: this was originally supposed to be a re-write of one of my old Topper fics but, it turned into a Rafe fic lmao. I'll post the old Topper fic soon.

©coco-cinnamon 2024, please do not steal, copy, modify, repost, or translate my work.

Sipping your beer from a red solo cup, you surveyed the lively party. The pulsing music reverberated in your chest, as Rafe Cameron's parties always went all out. When one of your friends caught your eye and waved you over to the dance floor, you smiled back, ready to join her. But before you could make your way through the crowd, a hand suddenly gripped your arm.

Attempting to pull your arm away, you snap, "What the fuck?!" But it's no use - their grip is like iron around your arm. You whip yourself around to see who had grabbed you. Looking up, you're met with ocean blue eyes staring down into yours, hazy with lust. "What the fuck do you want, Rafe?" you ask, finally managing to yank your arm out of his grip. He just smirks at you, his eyes a mix of amusement and lust. "That isn't any way to greet the host, is it?"

You crossed your arms, your gaze piercing up at him. "Again, what the hell do you want?" you asked.

He smirked. "Well, I figured since you came to my party, we could head up to my bedroom. I'm sure we could do way more interesting things up there than you would be able to do over there with your friends."

You cocked a brow, considering his words. He watched you, his impatience growing evident on his face. With a sarcastic smile, you said, "Thanks, but no thanks," and began to turn away. Before you could fully turn around and walk off, he yanked you back to face him again. Rolling your eyes, you groaned, "what now?"

"I thought we had something good going on here." he said, tilting his head quizzically. "We did, at first." you replied with a small shrug. His jaw clenched slightly as he growled, "What do you mean 'at first'?" Maintaining a calm demeanor and a small smirk, you replied, "Exactly what I said. At first, we had a pretty sweet thing, but then I got bored. Plain and simple." You crossed your arms as you continued, "You care more about your own pleasure than mine, so I'm no longer interested."

Rafe scoffed bitterly. "No longer interested? That's bullshit, Y/N, and you know it. You and I both know there's no one here who can make you feel as good as I do. No one knows your body like I do. Do you really think any of these idiots could make you cum the way I can?" He growled, tightening his grip on your shoulders.

You smirked up at him. "Maybe, maybe not. But it's worth a shot to see if anyone can do better. As of right now, I've got my eye on him." You gestured towards Topper Thornton, who was across the room drinking and chatting with Kelce. Rafe let out a mocking laugh, as if the very notion was absurd. "Really?! Topper Thornton is who you're interested in?" he scoffed. "That's got to be a joke, Y/N. You'd actually lower your standards that much?"

"I think I already lowered my standards when I started sleeping with you," you retorted with a smirk, knowing you were getting under his skin. You begin to speak once again, "I mean, Topper is very attractive. Or if you'd rather, I could go and sleep with Maybank. I know for a fact that he'd know how to—"

But you get cut off as Rafe's hand suddenly wraps around your throat. He yanks you forward, his nose only inches from yours. The height difference causes you to rise up on your tiptoes. "Cut it out Y/N or I swear to god I will take you up those fucking stairs right now and fuck your ass so hard that you won't be able to walk the next day." He said, his voice lethally soft. You look up at him, remaining defiant as a a smirk playing on your lips before you speak "I think I'd rather Topper over there to fuck me."

"You want Topper to fuck you?! Fine!" He snaps, his grip around your throat tightening slightly as he continues, "but just know that I will make you beg on your fucking hands and knees when you crawl back to me, begging me for my cock because Topper couldn't fuck you properly." With that, he roughly drops you. You glance over to where Topper stands with Kelce, then shift your gaze back to Rafe. He smirks down at you, tilting his head. "Well? What are you waiting for? I thought you wanted to whore yourself out to Topper." His grin widens as he sees your face twist with annoyance. "Or are you having second thoughts?"

You glared at him before turning around and starting to make your way towards Topper. But before you could reach him, Rafe came over and grabbed you, throwing you over his shoulder. He then smacked your ass roughly, eliciting a squeak from you.

"I- what the hell, Rafe?!" you yelled as he carried you towards the stairs. "Did you really think I was going to let you fuck him? You're mine, Y/N, and by the end of the night the only name that will be able to leave your lips is mine," he growled.

౨ৎ Author's Note: tysm for reading, babes! part two coming soon!