#it can be really difficult and sure it’s not all my fault because the horrors are relentless but idk

[sleepylaing]

Énouement [5]

“Uhm... thank you,” she says shyly, running her eyes over your uniform until she finds your name tag, “Akashi-kun... right?”

You give her a perplexed look. Huh? Why are her cheeks so red? Is she that worried?

a/n: so it's finally here. sorry if i made anyone wait too long. just for some reason this chapter got really difficult for me and i couldn't bring myself to finish it. i haven't really proofread this, so i apologize for any mistakes. hope you understand. enjoy!

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ch. 5. koi no yokan

You open your eyes, breathing heavily. The remnants of the images from your dream are still imprinted on the your eyelids. You gulp down the scream you never heard. Your throat is dry. Droplets of sweat glisten on your forehead. Your eyes dart from side to side, lost in thought.

You see a couple of figures near you. You make out blond hair, chaotic steps from side to side and you can almost feel the clatter of his teeth against each other:

“Whatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedo it's all my fault.”

You make out ginger hair, muscular arms resting at his sides, a low voice:

“Should we go to the hospital?”

“Surely he should go to the hospital! After something like that, you think he's just going to get up and go home like nothing happened? Of course he has to go to the hospital!”

In the emotional, slightly nervous voice, you recognize Sakura.

A low wheeze escapes from your throat. You cough painfully. Your eyes are still blurry in front of you, the back of your head still throbbing, but you must convince yourself.

“Nirei... chan... are you... okay?”

The taut thread of silence that's lingered between the guys since you started coughing finally breaks. They all call out to you at once, and you wince at the ringing in your ears.

“Even in this state, you're going to worry about others and not yourself, Akashi-chan?” Kiryu asks with a sigh. His eyes reveal something soft, regretful, incomprehensive.

Nirei stops his thrashing and hurries to crouch down next to you - you were in a lying position, sprawled out on something warm: what exactly, you decide to find out later.

“I'm sorry, Akashi-san, I'm so, so , so sorry. I'm the reason you got hurt. Because I was weak, they hurt you. I'm really, really-”

“What are you apologizing for?”

He looks at you with his big honey-colored glass eyes. Stares-with infinite guilt in his eyes. With a terrifyingly large amount of regret. With horror.

Unharmed. Alive. At this point, that's all you care about.

“But-”

“I would do that again.”

An exhausted sob. Thin tracks of tears stream from reddened eyes. Akihiko pitches toward you. Rests his head on your stomach, sprawling out in a loud wail. You tense up at first, but then relax, placing your hands on his shoulders affectionately and letting him cry. Stupid, stupid Nirei.

“I'm sorry,” he rises awkwardly after a while, wiping away tears and blushing in embarrassment. You want to tell him again not to dare apologize, but you're interrupted by a sulking Haruka.

“That's all well and good of course, but we kinda need to go to the hospital... or whatever we decided to go to,” he mutters, pretending he wasn't looking at you with bulging eyes the whole time.

“No. I hate hospitals,” you say, and everyone squints at you in disbelief.

“B-but...” Nirei begins.

“I'm fine, really. It just... It hurts a little. It'll go away in a couple days, I'm sure.”

“You're out of your mind!” exclaims Tsugeura, splashing his arms.

“Think of us, Akashi-chan. We were worried about you,” Mitsuki says. “Suo-chan got really angry. He almost finished off everyone there. It's a good thing we had our captain.”

You blink stupidly. Forget to take another breath. Turn around slowly. And can barely keep from flinching.

A dark scarlet eye followed you continuously. Every move you made. Every breath you take. You meet his unblinking gaze, timidly looking over his porcelain face. The tightly compressed lips, the chiseled chin, the neat eyebrows, the black eyepatch. When Suo realizes you're looking at him too, a fire flashes in his eye. He tilts his head to his shoulder and continues to silently burn you with his gaze. You feel like your hair is starting to smoke.

You swallow hard. So that's what — now that's who — you've been lying on all this time.

That's whose gaze has been burning the back of your head all this time.

Unconsciously, the first thing you try to do is pull away. Warm fingers only strengthen their grip on your waist. After a couple more failed attempts, you give up.

“Are you sure, Akashi-kun?” a sharp note slips into his voice. On your name, he puts special emphasis. “They hurt you pretty badly”.

Inwardly, you cheer with relief. A few more seconds of such silent stares would have been unbearable.

“Yes,” you nod, “I have bandages at home. And ointment. I can handle it,” you add, looking at him pleadingly. If Hayato decides to drag you to the hospital himself, you're not likely to turn away. Somehow, you're sure he can.

For a while longer, he just stares at you. Tenderness flickers in his gaze for a second, and he covers his eyelid, dropping his chin in defeat.

“Fine,” he agrees, and somewhere in the background Tsugeura clucks indignantly, “We won't go there now. On the condition that you go there anyway. Tomorrow.”

Your shoulders slump relaxed. You moo in agreement, not objecting. Tomorrow is good. You'll have time to treat your wounds and tie the bandages on your chest tighter.

“Are you sure you'll be okay?” Nirei asks cautiously.

“Mhm,” you moo, “I've had worse, don't worry. I once had my skull almost fractured and broke a couple of fingers, but made it home alive!”

“How is that supposed to reassure us?!”

***

After convincing the guys that you'll be fine, you slowly walked back to your apartment while they went to report to Umemiya. Walking a little further, you look around to make sure they've definitely all gone into the diner and no one is following you.

Only then do you finally allow yourself to hiss quietly in pain and sit down on the nearest bench, tucking the pant on your left leg. There was a shallow cut beneath it. Looks like you twisted your ankle in the fight, too. You were lucky Suo had refused to let go of your arm on the way back, or you would have collapsed right there.

That's not good. How are you gonna get to work like that?

Even though you told the guys you'd lay down and not get up for at least a couple more days, you couldn't take the day off. You couldn't afford to lose money. After all, much, much worse things did happen to you, but you never gave yourself a break. You couldn't afford to feel sorry for yourself.

When you barely make it home, you take a quick shower and untie the blood-soaked bandages. You fearfully touch the back of your head. It hurts. You blindly treat it, change into a loose white shirt down to your knees, and finally fall onto the hard futon.

No sleep in either eye. Too much has happened. You stare blankly at the old cracked ceiling. It's quiet. Dead quiet. So quiet it makes your ears pop. So quiet you want to scream. You feel something wet running down your left cheek. The right one stays dry.

You're confused. You don't understand.

When you came to Makochi, you were looking for nothing but refuge. A quiet place to live your quiet, worthless life. A place where no one would know you. A place where no one would look for you. A place where you didn't owe anyone. A place where you weren't tied to anyone.

You wanted to walk down the street without attracting stares. Wanted to work at a normal job. Wanted to live without constant fear for yourself and what was left of your family.

You didn't want to find new weaknesses. New friends.

But today seems to have proved just the opposite.

Stupid.

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

Attached.

Ridiculously fast. Terribly easy. To the point where you were willing to sacrifice herself. To the point where you never regretted it.

You let out a muffled chuckle. It's not funny at all. Your rotten heart clenches in your chest. You close your eyes again. That's enough sentimentality for today.

The crescent moon mocks you again, peeking out of the window.

You haven't slept this night.

***

You didn't go to school for the next week. The boys calmed down only after you sent them a picture of yourself in front of the hospital walls. The rest of the time you were dealing with money problems and working off your absences at the bar. Your boss was already unhappy that you didn't show up for work the day of the fight with KEEL and the day after, so you also had to stay overtime and help clean up the whole place.

You even had to break up a fight once. You were helping in the kitchen when suddenly you heard a strange commotion in the hall. At first you wanted to pretend you hadn't heard, hoping one of your coworkers would deal with it, but when you heard the angry shouts and the clinking of dishes, you realized it couldn't go on like this, and with a heavy sigh you went into the hall. Two girls — maybe a couple years older than you — were shivering, huddled together. In front of them stood two big burly men with evil grins on their faces. One of them was holding a purse carelessly.

That's the last thing you need. Technically, it wasn't your turn to keep an eye on the guests and stuff, so it wasn't really your concern. But your boss was still a little pissed at you, so he could ticket you for broken plates and other damages he made up. You sigh quietly again. You'll have to intervene.

What a hassle.

While you were walking here, you managed to hear a little of their dialog. Something about "give me your number", "not dating", and the following insults of not the mildest content. All in all, you get the picture.

You take a deep breath and put on a friendly smile. At least you try. Your colleague once told you that you shouldn't serve customers with a face like a brick.

“Dear guests,” you say loud enough to get their attention. “I think these lovely ladies have already made it clear they don't want to get acquainted.”

Four pairs of eyes turn on you in an instant. One is angry, mocking. The other, surprised, hopeful. You don't raise an eyebrow: already used to it.

“Huh? Who are you? An errand boy?” one of them asks.

“If you like it that way,” you reply with a smile, not the least bit hurt. Those were right to some extent. You didn't care what they said anyway.

Upon hearing it, they laugh nastily. You wait patiently for them to finish.

“And what are you going to do to us, boy? Kick us out? Hit us with the mop you use to wipe up the shit behind your mom?”

“The first one was correct,” you reply calmly. “I'm asking you to leave this place right now.”

“Wipe your snot first,” replies the man who was holding someone else's bag. But s second later, a wide grin suddenly appears on his face.

“Listen! Okay, we'll spare you today and leave,” he says, reaching his hand out to one of the girls. “Birdies, let's go.”

She recoiled fearfully. “We said we're not going anywhere with you!”

“Are you feeling bold, bitch?” he snarled. You notice his hand reaching out to hit her. The girl closed her eyes, clenching in fear.

In a flash, you're already at her side and effortlessly catching his fist. It freezes inches from her dazed face. The man's hand twitches, but you only clutch his wrist tighter, not letting him move.

Veins swell on the man's forehead. “Aren't you fucking nuts?” he growls angrily. You feel him boil over.

“I don't like repeating myself twice.”

“I could fire you from this shithole with one sound, fucker!” he shouts, yanking your hand from your iron grip again. Only on the third try do you let him.

You couldn't care less.

“I'm afraid that will already be up to my boss to decide, not you.”

The girls behind you gasp in surprise when the two men lunge at you without warning. You don't know what they're trying to accomplish—maybe grab you, knock you down, or immobilize you—but you dodge their grasp with the same nonchalant ease. You knock one out with a knee to the stomach and twist the other's arm, snatching the purse from his fingers. The man cries out in pain as you stop just short of twisting his wrist.

You didn't want to use force until the last moment. What if they ask you to be a guard now, too?

Me-eh. What a hassle.

“Do you even know who we are, you son of a bitch?!” wheezed the man on his last breath.

“No. I don't care.”

In the next second, you've thrown them both out the door and, still not holding back, kicked them heartily goodbye.

Closing the door firmly behind them, you turn around and hand the purse to the frightened girl. Taking a quick glance at them, you make sure they're not hurt. Then you pull out your small phone to text the receptionist to come over soon. Suddenly, one of the girls snags the sleeve of your sweatshirt.

“Uhm... thank you,” she says shyly, running her eyes over your uniform until she finds your name tag, “Akashi-kun... right?”

You look at her, perplexed. Huh? Why are her cheeks so red? Is she that worried?

“A... You're welcome,” you reply and stare again at the broken screen that won't light up. Pouting your lips, you began to quickly poke at the power button. Damn. Is it something with the battery again?

“We don't even know how to thank you,” her friend utters, fiddling her fingers with excitement. They glance over at each other. Incomprehensible smiles grow on their faces.

“I did it so my boss wouldn't punish me. And also because you reminded me of myself. Don't thank me, I didn't do anything special.”

“You don't have to,” you reply instead, because your coworker told you that guests don't always need to be told the truth. And if you do, it's only the one they'll like.

At that moment, the screen lit up victoriously. Finally taking your eyes off the phone, you squint down at the spot where someone else's small fingers were still firmly gripping your sleeve. It's burning. Under the skin. Different. Not like the other time. You don't like this burning. Mentally sighing, you think back to your coworker's admonition for the umpteenth time in those five minutes.

“Maybe there's something we could do for you?” the one closer to you utters. Her slender fingers shamelessly begin to outline something on the fabric of your sleeve.

Your fragile mask can't take it after all and cracks. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, you stare at them incomprehensibly. What do they want from you, after all? Also, you want to pull your arm out.

But you don't want more trouble. These girls are probably a percentage of your paycheck tomorrow. Their lipstick alone is probably worth like half of your monthly revenue.

You mentally wrinkle.

This is why you didn't want to get involved in this from the start.

The silence lingers. You know you need to answer. You don't want to answer.

Just as you open your mouth, a man in a suit comes out of the office. When he sees you, he comes rushing toward you. The girls, to be exact.

Your shoulders relax a little.

Lucky.

Carefully releasing your hand, you quietly float away to the kitchen. Your back is escorted by two pairs of awe-struck, admiring eyes.

You don't notice anymore.

[m4rv3l-girl]

I have one that's slightly personal,it's okay if you don't want to do it though.Reader that grew up in a toxic enviroment(mostly verbal abuse,yelling,maybe very mild physical violence,the one that tends to get normalized such as slapping)has a troubled relationship with their parents,but struggles to realise that she was actually abused and what happened was wrong because she was gaslighted into thinking that others had it wrong and she should be grateful things weren't worse.Bucky who knows very well how belittling any kind of mistreatment is,will take none of that and tries to make her understand that not all situations are black and white and human relationships can have many dynamics,but still be problematic and hurtful.

Warnings: Mentions of a difficult childhood. Mentions of abuse.

You never really thought of yourself as someone who had a bad childhood.

Unpleasant? Sure. Tense? Definitely. But bad? No. It wasn’t like you had bruises to show for it. No horror movie level of abuse. You always figured people had it worse. Your parents weren’t outright monsters, just… difficult. Critical. Harsh when they were in a mood. But they put a roof over your head, didn’t they? They kept you fed. Maybe they called you ungrateful or selfish or stupid sometimes, but didn’t every parent lose their temper?

At least, that’s what you always told yourself.

Bucky wasn’t buying it.

You hadn’t planned on telling him any of this. But one night, curled up on the couch, something in the way he spoke about his own past cracked something open inside of you. You told him things you’d never told anyone. Things that had been rattling around in your head for years, growing dust, never quite making sense.

It had started with something simple. A passing comment, really.

“My mom used to hate when I did that,” you had said with a laugh, after Bucky made some offhand remark about you never finishing a drink before grabbing a new one. “She’d go off on these whole rants about how wasteful I was.”

Bucky had chuckled at first, but something in his expression shifted. “Sounds intense.”

You shrugged. “She was just like that. Always had to make a point out of everything.”

That should’ve been the end of it. But Bucky had this way of looking at you, of listening—not just to the words you were saying, but to what was buried underneath them. You weren’t sure how it happened, but one minute you were brushing off a memory, and the next you were talking.

Really talking.

It felt strange at first, saying it all out loud. Like admitting to something embarrassing, something you weren’t even sure you should be embarrassed about. But Bucky sat there, patient, steady. No interruptions. No quick reassurances or attempts to rationalize it away. Just listening.

“I mean, I know everyone’s parents yell,” you said, running a hand along the seam of your leggings, fingers searching for something to fidget with. “But sometimes it was like… like there was no middle ground. Either she was fine, or she was furious. I could never tell what was going to set her off.”

Bucky’s hand found yours, metal fingers wrapping gently around them. Not pulling, not pushing. Just there. “That’s a lot to live with, doll.”

You shrugged. “I guess. It wasn’t like I was scared of her or anything. I mean, she never—” You cut yourself off, reconsidering. “Well. She wasn’t violent.”

Bucky didn’t say anything, but the weight of his gaze was heavy.

“She slapped me a couple times,” you admitted, voice quieter now. “But it wasn’t, like, a real hit. Just quick, like I was being put back in my place.”

His grip on your hand tightened just slightly. “That’s real enough.”

You exhaled, shaking your head. “I don’t know. It’s not like I ever had bruises or anything. It was just how things were. Sometimes she was fine, sometimes she’d lose her temper. And when she did, she always made sure I knew it was my fault.”

Bucky’s jaw tensed. “What do you mean?”

You hesitated, an old, familiar instinct telling you to soften the edges of the story. Make it sound better than it was. But if there was anyone who would see through that, it was Bucky Barnes.

“I mean… I don’t know. She’d tell me I was too sensitive. That I twisted her words and made her out to be the bad guy. That I was lucky I had it so good, because other kids had it worse. And I guess I believed her.”

“Of course you did,” Bucky said, quiet but firm. “You were a kid. She was your mother.”

You swallowed hard. “She had this way of making me feel stupid for being upset. Like, if I ever cried, she’d laugh at me. Ask if I was really crying over something so small. And when I got older, she’d say things like ‘you just love playing the victim, don’t you?’ or ‘God, you’re exhausting.’”

Bucky made a low, disgruntled noise at that. You could feel the tension in his body, the way he was holding himself back. Not from you - never from you - but from the frustration curling under his ribs.

“I think that’s why I don’t… I don’t really get upset when people say mean things now,” you continued. “I just kind of take it. ‘Cause I spent so many years being told that reacting to it was worse than the words themselves.”

And Bucky, in that soft, steady voice of his, had simply said, “Doll… that’s not normal.”

It had made you laugh. “It’s not that bad, Buck.”

“It doesn’t have to be ‘that bad’ to be bad,” he said immediately, blue eyes locked onto yours with a mix of stubbornness and something heartbreakingly tender. “You’re allowed to say it hurt you.”

Something in your chest twisted, but you shook it off. “I mean, everyone’s parents yell.”

He tilted his head. “Not like that, they don’t.”

You rolled your eyes, the instinct to minimize and deflect kicking in like second nature. “C’mon. It wasn’t abuse or anything.”

Bucky didn’t flinch, but you knew him well enough to catch the way his jaw set. The slight narrowing of his eyes. “Sweetheart.” He took a breath to reign himself in. “I know what abuse looks like.”

His voice was careful, deliberate. Not patronizing, not pitying. Just a statement of fact. And, well. If there was anyone who could speak to the nuances of mistreatment, the shades of gray in human cruelty, it was Bucky Barnes.

You swallowed hard, the automatic defenses scrambling to take over. “I mean, they had a rough time. It wasn’t easy for them either. It wasn’t like they didn’t love me.”

His expression softened, but his gaze stayed unwavering. “You can love someone and still hurt them.”

You opened your mouth, then closed it. That… wasn’t something you’d ever considered before.

Bucky sighed and reached for your hand, his metal fingers curling around yours with infinite gentleness. “You think you have to justify it, don’t you?”

The words hit harder than you expected. “I don’t know.”

“Yeah, you do.” His thumb brushed absently over your knuckles. “You think if you say it out loud, you’re making a big deal out of nothing. That if you acknowledge it hurt, you’re being unfair to them.”

Your throat felt tight. “Well… yeah.”

Bucky exhaled through his nose. “Doll, listen to me.” He leaned in, his voice quiet but firm. “Pain doesn’t have a ranking system. You don’t have to measure it against someone else’s to decide if it’s valid.”

You let out a shaky breath, staring at where your hands intertwined. His warmth, the sheer steadiness of his presence, made something in you ache.

“I don’t know how to see it any other way,” you admitted, voice small. “I’ve spent so long convincing myself it wasn’t a big deal.”

Bucky nodded slowly, like he understood. “That’s how you survived it.”

You blinked at him, caught off guard by how easily he put it into words.

He leaned in slightly, his forehead nearly touching yours. “But you don’t have to just survive anymore, doll. You get to feel it now. You get to be angry, if you want. You get to grieve what you deserved but didn’t get.”

A tear slipped down your cheek before you could stop it. Bucky caught it with his thumb, brushing it away like it was nothing. Like it didn’t make him see you any differently.

“You deserved better.” he murmured.

You let out a shaky breath, gripping his hand tighter. “I think I’m finally starting to believe that.”

His lips quirked up in a soft, proud smile. “Good. ‘Cause I’m sure as hell not letting you forget it.”

——————————————————————————————————

Here you go, Hun, I hope it was what you were wanting. ❤️

[dreamin4smth]

Maria Robotnik VS Sonic 3

So I watched Sonic 3 last december and I can’t stop thinking abt it. Especially what they did with the Shadow and Maria story, so now Ive come here to speak my mind and go through just how GOOD of an adaption they are in the movie. Holy shit. That was wild.

Ill be comparing Game!Maria and Movie!Maria and how their characters work in the story. Im sure there are hundreds of analyzis out there of them that might be saying the same things I will. Idk I havent watched any, but these are my own thoughts Ive gathered from watching the movies and the games. So I hope they make as much sense to you as they do to me lmao.

Because, good lord, it must have been difficult for the writers to handle the question “how do you adapt the story of a hedgehog made by the blood of space alien colonizers all in favour of saving sick child from dying?“

What did the writers do? Well lets see.

To understand the difference between Movie!Maria and Game!Maria we need to understand what Maria as a character does to the story. So lets start there.

Game!Maria

Maria robotnik in the games serves a special roll that promotes her to something more than just a character. Game Maria is a symbol. Her story is set from the moment we learn of her, and her character is more there for plot reasons rather than being an independent veichle in her story. The Maria we meet is soft spoken, compassionate, a fanatic and an inspiration for Shadow. She’s dressed in blue with golden hair and with a leap in her step. There is little fault to be found in her because thats not what she’s ment to be. Maria is a representation of innocence.

She’s a sick child who wishes for everyone on earth to be happy, and all of this is ment to lead you to the horrors of her then being killed. But the point is, Maria in the games is stagnant. She represents the life that Shadow had on the ARK, but more importantly, she represents SHADOWS innocence. Maria as a character is not her own story but rather a subpart of Shadows, and that is where we find the biggest difference with the Games and the movie. Dont even get me started on the almost religious imagery that follows her around. I mean, her names MARIA. Her roll is to be the center of love in Shadow’s life. Shes a sister, a best friend and even motherly at times. And while Shadow generations definetly gives us more of a laid back version of her, we can still see her maintain that untouchable rightousness that makes her character almost age-less. In a sense. She’s a child to highlight her innocence, yet in all other terms she really isn’t. Game Maria is an idea.

So what does the movies do then?

Movie!Maria

Sonic 3 saw all this and decided to do smth a bit different. To introduce such a compex narrative in a movie for children would definetly have been... Difficult, so instead they tone down the version a bit and make it their own thing. Who does Maria become? She becomes a CHARACTER.

Movie Maria is a child who is going to be living at a base filled with adults and scientists. She walks into the first scene with caution and nervousness, and yet as she meets Shadow, she finds a kin. And who we meet is a Maria that is goofy, mischevous, gleeful and daring. She’s a child here. She builds blanket forts, throws pop-corn at her brother, makes him driver her around on roller-skates and plays the guitar. Movie Maria is not ment to represent more than what she is, and still, it works. Movie Maria is innocent but she’s not the definition of it. She’s a person that shadow lost rather than an idea that he lost. The Maria we meet in the movie is a moving character that was abruptly stopped by external forces. She was always ment to have a future and a story, and yet she lost that. Movie Maria’s tragedy lies in her lost potential while Game Maria’s tragedy lies in her inevitable outcome. This also creates a difference in what they do to Shadows own personal journey, which ill get into more later.

So before that one more thing I love that they do with Movie Maria is that they still let her keep that inspirational part. She’s the one to inteoduce the line “the light shines even though the star is gone“ to Shadow and unknowingly ends up helping Shadow in his grief. While Game Maria is activly trying to bring positive change to Shadow’s life, Movie Maria uninentionally does that simply by showing kindness and love. She is still Shadows sister who was always there for him and loved him, just in a different light. She is still his moral compass. Shadow can be a good person because of her impact on his life, and in my opinion, as long as she fits the afformentioned categories then Maria can be whatever the writers want her to be.

So last but not least, lets talk abt her sickness.

Maria’s Sickness

Game Maria is deathly sick. Her days are numbered until a cure can be found, and the only hope left for her is Shadow. This creates a dependency between the two because suddenly, Shadow’s life isnt his own. He is alive for and because of Maria. She’s a part of his identity, so what happens when he loses that part of himself? This internal conflict directly influences Shadow’s self worth. Shadow is as much angry for losing her as he’s angry for losing himself. The very reason to why he says “goodbye shadow the hedgehog“ in Shadow 05 is because he can no longer be the same person after losing Maria. His goals and his dreams are haltered when the ARK gets invaded, ans it all leads back to Maria’s sickness.

Which is why... Well... The fact that the movie removes this part of Maria sure is... A choice.

And while I understand that showing a sick child who is then killed by the military would probbaly raise a few eyebrows from adults, that still doesnt change the fact that a very unique and important part of Shadows story was removed.

Movie Maria is there more or less on her own ackord. She has a future ahead of her. Her and Shadows relationship isn’t built on mutual depenency but rather as a circumstantional one. Which still works, dont get me wrong, but it does make the story just a tad more generic. Shadow is no longer angry for losing such a big part of his identity, he’s just doing the former part now. Grieving the most important person in his life, as well as his home.

This hardly ruins the story ofc, its just a different take on the story that, in all fairness, fits the vibe of the movie better. Bringing in terminal illness and conversations around that would definetly be a tough one. And because of them making Maria more of a character now it still works. She’s already an innocent and tragic character. She’s not ment to be innocence and tragedy incarnate like she is in the games. You get the point.

All in all. Almost perfect adaption of Maria in my opinion. I love movie Maria and it was such a clever way to go with the character. She and Shadow will always have a special place in my heart.

Hope you liked my little thought essay. I can talk abt Sonic characters all damn day 🫶

[evergreenglade]

hey!!! Can I have Jin Kazama x Pregnant wife (who happens to be a model) Reader headcanons. An idea I have is what if they have to keep the pregnancy a secret from Kazuya due to a fear of harm??? Make it fluff with a bit of angst

Jin Kazama x Pregnant Model Wife Headcanons

Once again, I apologize for taking so long! I tried my best to encapsulate everything you put in the request. Hopefully, it's what you wanted!

- It takes him a while to process the fact that you're pregnant. When you first break the news to him, he's just in shock. He experiences so many emotions at once that his mind just stops working. You better have a chair ready because Jin will need to sit down and process everything for a few moments.

- Once it sets in, he becomes angry with himself. He took every precaution to prevent this from happening, and yet somehow, it still did. It's his fault. It has to be. Jin blames himself for burdening you with a child potentially capable of mass destruction, and although he's tried to separate you from his family feud, you're bound to get dragged into it anyway, and it's all because of him.

- The fact that you're a model only makes matters worse. You already get a ton of publicity and exposure on a daily basis, but now that you're pregnant, that'll increase tenfold. With help from Lee and Lars, you and Jin have managed to keep both your relationship AND your marriage a secret so far. However, with a child on the way, it'll be impossible to keep that secret any longer. People will ask questions about the father's identity, and it's only a matter of time before the paparazzi find out the truth.

- Upon realizing this, Jin launches into full-on panic mode. As soon as he's revealed as the father of your child, his face is going to be all over the media. And Kazuya will be the first one to see it. Jin isn't entirely sure what his father would do, but he has his suspicions. He can only imagine the sheer horror of G Corp soldiers busting down your door, hunting you down like hound dogs trying to take you and the kid. If those suspicions are correct, then you'll likely be forced into hiding until the war is over. As long as Kazuya retains his powerful position, there's no telling how much danger you'll be in.

- Additionally, the people closest to him are sure to freak out. Xiaoyu and Hwoarang would panic, and he already knows Lars won't take kindly to it. He's not sure how Lee or Alisa would react, and that uncertainty only makes him more nervous. Jin knows that he should tell his loved ones before they find out through the media, but the mere thought of mentioning it makes his heart skip a beat.

- To top it all off, Jin's main mission is to exterminate his bloodline once and for all. The fact that you are now pregnant is pretty much the opposite of what he wanted.

- His course of action was to take Kazuya's life, then take his own. He was ready to sacrifice himself so that the Devil Gene would no longer exist. As much as he loved the people closest to him, as much as he adored and cherished every moment with you, he knew deep down that the world would be better off without people like him.

- But now, this complicates everything. He doesn't want to take his own life and leave you to raise the kid by yourself. Sure, friends and loved ones might help you out, but at the end of the day, you're going to have a lot of responsibility on your hands. Additionally, Jin knows how it feels to have grown up without a proper father figure, and he'd seen how difficult it was for his mother. He knows how it feels to have lost a parent, and no matter how much time passes, it will always hurt. Does he really want his child to witness those same struggles? To feel the same pain? Does he really want to leave you behind, after everything you've been through?

- Beneath that cold, edgy exterior, there's a soft spot in his heart that truly wants to settle down with you, but he doesn't believe it'll be possible.

- As he tries to solve his dilemma, a million questions race through his mind. Like, what if the kid has the Devil Gene? Will he have to kill his own child? But it's not just his child; it's your child too, and he can't bear to imagine the pain you'd feel if that were to happen.

- But then, what if the kid doesn't have the Devil Gene? What if they turn out to be a normal kid? In that case, he'd care for them and love them until the end.

- But that's when a thought strikes him.

- Why does it matter whether they have the Devil Gene or not? They're still human, after all. They still deserve love and compassion and nurturing. Just because they have the Devil Gene doesn't mean they're inherently evil; they still deserve a chance. Hell, Jin himself has it, and although he's done some terrible things, he's trying his hardest to atone for them.

- Maybe Jin could help teach them how to control it. Not that he really has control over it himself, but that's okay. Maybe they could learn together. Maybe that could be their way to bond.

- That's when he starts to realize how happy this truly makes him. He loves you more than life itself, and the fact that he's going to have a child with you is one of the greatest blessings life can give him. Being a father will come with a lot of responsibility, but Jin is willing to bear it and do the best he can for his kid. He realizes that he is willing to undergo the trials and tribulations that loom ahead, and he will fight to the ends of the Earth to keep you both safe.

- Jin will try and convince you to take a break from modeling and lay low for a while, as any publicity will become more dangerous as time passes on. You think it would be suspicious to just drop off the face of the Earth, which is why you let your agency know beforehand that you're going to be taking a hiatus for personal matters.

- As the baby starts growing and it becomes progressively obvious that you're pregnant, you will be heavily discouraged from going outside at all. For the baby's safety as well as your own, it's best that you refrain from going out in public where the paparazzi are bound to catch you.

- Naturally, Jin becomes very protective over both of you. He starts treating you like a glass vase because he's scared of hurting you somehow. He also gets slightly paranoid around the others and sticks by your side to make sure nothing happens to you.

- He still blames himself a lot for everything that's happening, and he's sorry that you can't just have a normal pregnancy. You have to reassure him that no one's at fault for this, and you're just as willing to fight for the baby as he is. If you have to break away from your normal life to keep them safe, then so be it. It'll all be worth it in the end.

- With a lot of encouragement from you, Jin confides in his friends, starting with Lee, who is happy to help you guys out. As the CEO of a well-known company, he can try to pull some strings and get the press to leave you alone. While it's no guarantee that they'll be gone completely, Lee will try his best to hold them off for a little while. He'll also give you a secret place to stay, stocked with plenty of food and water.

- Lars almost freaks out but manages to keep himself composed. He congratulates both of you and agrees to help you out in whatever way possible. If there's anything you need, be it more food, more water, or just more paper towels, he and Alisa will go out shopping and get it for you.

- Alisa and Xiaoyu are super excited and happy for you. Although the circumstances are not ideal, they still want to make sure that you enjoy yourself and celebrate your pregnancy. In fact, they've already started planning your baby shower.

- Hwoarang also ends up being super supportive. Though he makes himself out to be a tough guy, he has a big soft spot for babies. Rest assured, he will fight tooth and nail to keep this kid safe. Also, Hwoarang has officially proclaimed himself the child's godfather, and there is nothing you or Jin can do about it.

- If Jin's stressed out, you let him lay down and press his ear to your belly. Listening to the baby and being physically close to you has become the most calming feeling in the world to him.

- If Jin doesn't know what to do in certain situations, he'll stop and ask himself what Jun would do. He loves his mother deeply and thinks very highly of her. She was a loving and nurturing woman, so when it comes to taking care of you, he tries his best to emulate that kindness. Jun was a wonderful parent, as well as an excellent role model. When the baby arrives and he officially becomes a parent, Jin deeply hopes he'll turn out to be half as good as she was.

- He will constantly ask you if there's something he can do better. From this point forward, Jin will always be questioning whether or not he's doing the right thing. Your input is valuable to him, and if there's any advice or guidance you have to give, he'd greatly appreciate it.

- At the end of the day, Jin wants to be the best father he can be. Your child's happiness, as well as your own, mean the world to him. No one can take either of you away from him, and Angel have mercy on those who dare try.

[tinybeetiny]

I will always protect you: C.B

Yandere!BeomgyuxBullied!Fem!Reader

I was watching this horror movie and got the idea for this…. This has some…. Heavy topics…. But it’s my first Yandere (if you can even call it that... i really tried) ☺️ please skip if you feel uncomfortable and PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS

If you would like to be a part of the taglist please fill out this form My other taglists are on my blog.

CW: strong language, heavy depictions of bullying, kidnapping, violence, mentions of death, blood, spitting, please let me know if I forgot anything

Masterlist | TXT Masterlist

“Oh, look what we have here” Your body freezes and your heart begins to race. How much more of this can you take? Park Sunyoung, ironic right? (her name literally means kindhearted) You don’t really remember when the bullying started but it’s been YEARS of torture. Hair pulling, slapping, stealing your money, your clothes, your homework, everything. No one helps you; no one ever looks in your direction. Of course not, her father was some powerful rich politician which meant she could do whatever she wanted, and she did. “Oh, come on (y/n), didn’t your parents ever tell you it’s not nice to ignore people when they’re talking to you” she sneers as she rounds your desk and perches herself on the side. You do nothing but stare down at your hands in your lap. You let out a yelp when she grabs a fistful of your hair bringing her face close to yours “Are you deaf bitch?” “Sunnie, Beomgyu just got here!” One of her little friends whispered. Sunyoung released her grip and stood up “Well. How does my hair look? Give me a mirror.”

Choi Beomgyu was from an equally powerful family and just as popular so of course people saw them as a power couple, but as popular as Beomgyu was he didn't really hang out with anyone. Sure he has his friends and he's super friendly to everyone but he was always so quiet. Wherever he went he always had headphones in and Sunyoung was not far behind him, always pining for his attention. She never really got it but boy oh boy did she try. She would leave a couple buttons undone and her uniform skirt would be a little more hiked up than usual but still, he would never spare her a single glance. Today she was determined to get him to pay attention to her.

"Beomie, there you are!" Her voice filled the halls as she tried to catch up to him, but he didn't hear her, his music too loud."Beomie wait" She called after him, but he was too far at this point. Frustrated, she stomped back to her classroom to take out her frustrations on her personal punching bag. "Oh Sunnie! How did it go?" one of her friends perked up when she slammed open the sliding door "I didn't even get to talk to him because I was too late." She stalked her way over to you as you tried to subconsciously hide yourself but of course it didn't work "If this bitch wasn't being so difficult then I would've been able to keep an eye on the time" She spit in your face. How was this your fault? You were here first. You didn't even say anything. All you did was move to this stupid city, to this stupid school. You didn't even know why she targeted you, it's like she woke up one day and decided that she hated you. Suddenly your mouth started moving before your brain could stop you "I didn't even do anything; you came up to me" You quietly said looking down "The fuck did you just say to me?" her voice going real quiet but stops when your homeroom teachers walks in but you know you're not off the hook.

The whole day you kept looking over your shoulder for Sunyoung and her little group knowing that any minute they could come. By the end of the school day, your guard was still up wondering what was going on. You decided to skip cram and head straight home hoping you could evade the punishment waiting so patiently for you. Walking down the steps in front of the school you almost breathed a sigh of relief until a hand grabbed your hair dragging you to the back of the school where the dumpsters are. You couldn’t see your attacker but you had a very good guess of who it was. You tried to kick and scratch yourself free but nothing worked. You’re thrown onto the dusty ground and six pairs of shoes surround you “So you want to get mouthy huh?” Daeun sneered. You looked up to see the six girls glaring down at you. "You hurt poor Sunyoung's feelings" Cheonsa pouted, wrapping her arms around the little leader of their "gang?". Deji walked up and snatched your hair again forcing you to look up "She was sulking all day. The sadness just brewing" It takes everything in you not to roll your eyes at the sentence "What do you have to say for yourself?" ChoHee asked crossing her arms in front her chest.

You sit on your knees, the little rocks digging painfully into your skin and your scalp starts to sting with how hard Deji is gripping your hair. Sunyoung walks up to you and squats down so that she's at eye level with you "Are you gonna say sorry? First, you ignored me, then you ruined my chance to talk to Beomie, and then you hurt my feelings without an apology." Her face held a look of hurt that was so obviously fake. You flinch slightly when she harshly grabs your face with her hand and squeezes your cheeks "Jeez look at her girls. So pathetic" Her tone was so condescending that it made something in you snap. Next thing you know spit was flying from your mouth and landed right smack in the middle of her face. The realization of what you did hit a little too late only when her screams filled the air did you fully comprehend what had just happened. "UGH you nasty little bitch" She wiped her face with her hand and with that same spit-covered hand she sent a hard slap across your cheek.

You don't know how long you've been laying there 2-3 hours? In reality, it had only been 15 minutes. The feeling of their punches, kicks, and slaps still lingers everywhere. Your body screams in pain as you attempt to push yourself off the ground. It takes several attempts until you're able to somewhat stand up, not very stable but you're up. You limp your way to the front of the school and slump down against one of the pillars at the entrance. Your legs ache as you bring them up to you, wrapping your arms around them and placing your head on your knees. You just want to rest for a little bit until you feel strong enough to go home. You may look absolutely wrecked but you definitely didn't let them walk away without a scratch. You're pretty sure you pulled a couple clumps of hair out and a few of them have quite a few bruises. You really wish you knew what you did to make Sunyoung hate you so much because you really cannot recall ever being any type of way with her, no mean words, no disrespectful actions. It's like she woke up one random Thursday morning and decided you were the spawn of satan. Ever since that day, people avoided you so that they didn't have to meet her wrath as well. So it wasn't a surprise to you when the handful of students who still lingered outside left your presence unacknowledged, bruised and all.

"Hey (y/n)" You looked up from your knees to find Beomgyu standing in front of you. "Oh. Hey Beomgyu" You look up startled by the sudden voice, a little shocked that he was talking to you. In the years that you've known him you shared 10 words with him. "Are you okay? You look pretty bad." He pointed out "Gee thanks. What every girl wants to hear" you spit out sarcastically. Usually, you wouldn’t talk to anyone like this but considering the circumstances… but Beomgyu doesn’t seem to notice or care in fact he squats down to your eye level examining your face. Your eyes widen in shock when his thumb brushes over the cut on your lip “W-what are you doing” you stutter pulling away from him. His own eyes widen when he realizes what he’s doing and snatches his hand back “Sorry. I didn’t mean to” “It’s fine. Just wasn’t expecting it I guess” The whole interaction with him made you feel a little uneasy, not because he was acting but because you were anxious that Sunyoung and her little gang might still be lingering around. "Um not to be rude or anything but I really don't think we should be talking right now" You mumble out before returning your head to its cozy home on your knees "Why's that?" he questioned not really understanding what you meant "Doesn't Sunyoung have her claim on you or whatever" Your voice is a little muffled but he heard your words loud and clear. "Who? Oh, that girl who's always following me around? I've only ever spoken to her once" HIs face scrunched up in confusion. Your head shot up with a look of confusion matching his "What?! Really?" "Yeah... I only know her name because my friends tease me about her all the time" He has a look of distaste etched onto his face. He is quite disgusted honestly. There was absolutely no way he would ever associate himself with that awful girl. Your confusion only grew, with all the talks of them being the "power couple" you figured he would look a little less... disturbed "Wow... the more you know" He only shrugs in response before giving you a small smile and walking away.

A few days went by Sunyoung was nowhere to be found. Her family goes on quite a few vacations so no one really noticed her absence. Only when a week went by did suspicions rise and they raised even more when her friends went missing as well. Numerous rumors went around, some good, some bad, and some utterly ridiculous. The most popular rumor was that they went to go debut together but when all of their parents showed up at the school it was quickly squashed. A few more weeks went by and they still haven’t been found. A part of you hoped that nothing bad happened but a bigger part of you was happy that you didn't deal with their tormenting every day. The talks of their disappearances didn't die down, still flowing through the halls with ease. You didn't understand how people could talk about one topic for so long but it is the biggest thing that's happened at your school in quite a while.

Over the past couple of weeks, Beomgyu has been talking to you a lot more which confused you as well as everyone else around you. But after very hesitantly giving him your number you learned that you both had a lot in common. He started to slowly become your first friend at the school. After a few more weeks Sunyoung and her friends were no longer the talk of the school. It was sad to say but even their parents weren't really looking for them anymore. It was quite unsettling how everyone just went back to normal but you didn't want to question it, as bad as you felt about it you were just happy you didn't have to look over your shoulder anymore. You've been able to focus on your schoolwork more and your teachers are a lot happier seeing your grades improve. You've been going to cram every day instead of running home to hide. This particular night Beomgyu decided to join you. Walking out of the school the dark night sky greeted you "Hey (y/n). I can't help but notice that you look a lot happier these days" He beamed his pace matching yours "Eh yeah a little bit. I feel more free than anything" He doesn't say anything for a moment not really knowing how to express his words. You stop walking when you notice he's not next to you anymore and when you look over your shoulder he's standing a few feet behind looking down at his shoes "Beomgyu? Are you okay?" You ask making your way toward him. He nods still not looking up "Do you um. Do you trust me?" His question takes you aback. You haven't really known him for that long so it's hard to say, he's never given you a reason not to but you're still very weary of people "Um I don't know, why?" When he looks up he has a very serious expression which starts to worry you a little bit "It's just that we've been getting a lot closer and I am starting to care for you quite a bit. There's um there's something I want to show you but I need to know if you trust me or not" His face softens a little and you think about his words. You stare at him momentarily, sure you both have gotten pretty close in the last month but how are you supposed to know how genuine he is? The look in his eyes tells you otherwise and you think that maybe just this once you can trust someone "Okay, I trust you" you nod at him watching as his face lights up "What is it that you want to show me?" He gives you a bright smile before taking your hand "Follow me"

You had been walking through the woods for almost an hour now and you were starting to get a bad feeling "Beomgyu... are you going to kill me?" He paused at your words and whipped his head around to look at you "No! Never. I would never do anything like that to you. Ever" Your eyes widen slightly at his intensity "Um okay" "Don't worry we're almost there" He reassures. After five more minutes of walking you come across an abandoned building of some sort and that bad feeling comes back but when Beomgyu slides his warm hand in yours it starts to dissipate a little "This is where I come when I need to be alone... which is most of the time" He chuckles and you can't help but smile at the sound. He moves to open the door and the sight behind it is something you definitely were not expecting.

Screams filled the air, but no one could hear them, not this far out in the woods. “(Y/N) HELP ME PLEASE!” You feel frozen in your spot and your stomach turns at the sight in front of you. Sunyoung was bruised and bloodied but most importantly hanging from one other beams on the ceiling. “B-beomgyu… what. What is this?” You stutter turning to face him. His face was calm, a small smile etched on his face “It’s for you my love!” Your face etched into horror when you look into his empty eyes “Why? This, this isn’t right” You feel your chest tighten the more you watch her struggle “Why not? For years she tormented you. Years of insults, years of physical abuse, years of her taking from you. Aren’t you tired of it? This is the only way” he says "No. You can't just do this to people" You try and reason with him but his eyes are so calm, so distant. Something about his energy made you squirm. Who knew he was capable of this? You looked up to where Sunyoung was hanging by her wrists and thought back to every time she pulled your hair, pushed you down, tripped you, took your money, dumped milk on you. Then you start to think that maybe this wasn't such a bad idea, with her out the wa- no, no this wasn't right. She may be a bitch but no person deserved this.

You look over to the corner of the room and see two of Sunyoung's friends lying lifeless. Sickness fills your stomach and you feel like you're going to pass out. You look back to Beomgyu who's just standing idle, glaring at the bound girl in front of you two. He's different. He's not the same Beomgyu that silently walks through the halls. he's not the same Beomgyu who studies more than he talks to others, he's not the same Beomgyu who was the sweetest person in the school. No, this Beomgyu sent terrifying shivers down your spine. He always seemed so normal, calm, and collected. Where was all of this coming from?!

Little did you know it's ALWAYS been this way. You never noticed the way he would look at you in the hallways, you never noticed the glares he would send anyone who got too close to you, you never noticed the way he would follow you home every single day, and you never noticed when he would watch you through your bedroom window for hours on end. All those times you felt someone watching you or felt eyes constantly on your back, it was him. He was obsessed with you. It started off with a small crush, maybe that's why Sunyoung started to hate you. He rejected her so she thought that if her and her little group bullied you that you would seem less desirable. But oh no, she didn't realize the target she had put on her back.

His sudden hand on your shoulder makes you jump "Don't worry my love, I would never hurt you. Not like the filth at school. I love you. I would do anything for you! You deserve to be loved, doted on, cared for. I can do those things for you. I will always take care of you. I will always love you” he took a step towards you, leaning so his forehead was placed against yours

“I will always protect you”

[chewyfics]

The Tiger, The Witch and The Wardrobe Ghosts

also available on ao3 here !!

Pairing: Junhui x Soonyoung x Wonwoo x Seungkwan

Summary: Witch!Seungkwan and Shapeshifter!Soonyoung falling for Ghost!Junhui and Ghost!Wonwoo 🔞

Words: 12k total (1 chapter on ao3, split into 2 for tumblr)

Content: supernatural/modern with magic au, found family, tiny bit of angst, mentions of death (because ghosts), hurt/comfort, ghost sex, smut (in part 2) warnings under the cut ♡

a/n: after all this time i think this is still my favourite fic. it's very soft and silly i promise. oh and i took quite a lot of creative liberties regarding supernatural powers. never claimed to know what i'm talking about <3

Smut warnings: ghost sex, anal sex, passing out

Soonyoung and Seungkwan had been together for three years, inseparable friends for far longer, when they decided to find their forever home. 

The low price was a little suspicious at first, but it made sense when the real estate agent nervously informed them of the rumours. Something to do with it being haunted. It came across as incredibly discriminatory, which was pretty wild considering they were supernaturals themselves, so they stopped listening soon after that. 

Of course they didn't mind sharing a space with a ghost, already having been friends with one for years, so they didn't really have any concerns. In hindsight, they probably should’ve paid more attention.

Their "housemate" didn't officially make themselves known until after they'd already begun moving in. Of course they'd felt a presence, but there were no clear signs of a ghost being around. Soonyoung figured the spirit was just shy. Not surprising, really. He wouldn't feel too excited about strangers in his home. But what was surprising was that he met them first. One of them, anyway.

Soonyoung generally avoided shifting if he didn't have to. As much as it was fun, it could be exhausting to change his physical form. Having Seungkwan basically use him as a pack mule was easily his least favourite experience with it, but it was pretty neat to have a use for all the extra muscle. The scratch behind his ears with each trip from the car was a much appreciated bonus. Seeing ghosts who wanted to stay hidden was an unexpected downside.

Soonyoung could say with one hundred percent certainty that he didn't do it on purpose. He was literally just taking boxes upstairs. Heavy ones at that, full of thick books and Seungkwan's witchy stuff that didn't have a place in his workroom. Judging by the absolute horror on his face, the man he stumbled upon had definitely not intended to be seen. But everyone knows that cats can see ghosts. It wasn't his fault.

He was quite pretty, in Soonyoung's opinion. His features were a little blurred, but his sharp angles and wide eyes were clear enough to think so. Tall and quite broad, too. Seungkwan would definitely like him.

Whether the shock was just from being found or the fact that a large predatory animal was in his house, Soonyoung didn't get the chance to ask, finding himself alone a moment later. Shame. At least he could brag about meeting him first.

 

It wasn't until Seungkwan was unpacking his equipment, still seething over Soonyoung seeing the spirit first, that he finally felt the air turn cold. He'd been practicing for this moment for days, hunched over his desk rereading the spellbook over and over to make sure he would do it right. It was old magic, no longer taught and difficult to tame, but he knew he could do it.

He closed his eyes and slowly rose from where he knelt on the carpet, feeling the energy begging to escape his fingertips. Taking in a calming breath, his eyes snapped open, glowing silver as the room was bathed in glittering light to reveal a man standing ramrod straight just inside the door. 

Soonyoung's description hadn't done him justice at all. He was gorgeous, staring back at him from behind round glasses perched high on his nose. He thought his smile was friendly enough, but the spirit vanished with a grimace before Seungkwan could get a word out. 

He turned back to the cardboard box with a disappointed hum as his eyes faded back to normal, kneeling down to continue pulling out the bottles. He'd worked hard on perfecting that one. The ghost could've at least given him time to say hi. Oh well. They would meet again, he supposed.

 

Still, Seungkwan drove himself mad waiting for Soonyoung to come back from Jeonghan's shop. He decided it would be more appropriate to swoon in person than have whoever was around getting up in their business. He loved them, but their friends could be unbearably nosey and now was definitely not the time.

"Why didn't you tell me he was so handsome?" Seungkwan said dreamily, sitting on the counter as he watched Soonyoung stirring soup on the stove later that evening. Soonyoung rolled his eyes but didn't bother hiding his fond smile, used to his antics after so many years. 

"He's so tall. And you know I have a thing for guys with glasses. No fair."

That made Soonyoung pause, putting the lid back on the pot before turning back to his boyfriend. "Glasses? He didn't have glasses."

They stared at each other for a drawn out moment, seeming to both come to the same conclusion. Seungkwan massaged his temples with a sigh.

 

They didn't bother asking the real estate about it. Mostly because they didn't want to have to speak to the agent who was not very discreet about his views on the supernatural, knowing they would probably be given some kind of bullshit story in the hopes they would leave. Besides, their two ghosts would have to pop up again eventually. 

Soonyoung had been hearing hushed voices on the second floor since they moved in, but they always stopped when he dragged Seungkwan up the stairs to help investigate. He swore they were coming from the spare room wardrobe. He was starting to think he was going crazy. The annoyed expression from Seungkwan each time didn't help. It wasn't his fault that he kept interrupting his potion making. But clearly plan A wasn't working. So, plan B. 

——————————

“Is it insensitive to ask you to ghost hunt with me?” 

Seokmin nearly choked on his tea, spluttering as Minghao whacked him on the back with a deep sigh. Joshua raised an eyebrow, perched on the armrest of the couch they were sitting on. 

“You're asking someone with a ghost for a boyfriend, who is also sitting right in front of you, if it would be insensitive to join you in ghost hunting? Really?” Joshua deadpanned, petting Seokmin's hair as he caught his breath.

Soonyoung blushed and lowered his eyes to the empty mug in his hands. “It was a genuine question.”

The three stared him down, waiting for the explanation that he was embarrassed to give. To be fair, he hadn't really planned for Joshua and Minghao to be there when he asked to come over. He forgot Joshua couldn't really go very far on his own. 

“Okay, look,” he looked up at the ceiling to get his thoughts in order. “I didn't mean hunting. I meant that we have two people in our house who disappear when we try to talk to them. We don't know what to do. I thought you could help.”

“You wanted Seokmin specifically when you know he was absolutely terrified of Shua when we moved in?” Minghao narrowed his eyes, clearly trying to work out what Soonyoung was playing at. 

“You were the first person I thought of,” he groaned, already over the interrogation. “I feel like I'm going crazy. I keep hearing voices upstairs but they go quiet when I go up. I swear they're coming from the spare room wardrobe. You were the only person I knew would believe me.” 

He ended his spiel with a mumble, knowing it sounded silly out loud. Why would ghosts be hiding in a closet, of all places? He'd opened it multiple times just to find bare shelves, not finding anyone even in his tiger form, but he'd narrowed it down to it being the right place. It was just strange. 

He looked back up when the silence stretched on too long, finding the three sharing glances he couldn't quite work out. Boyfriend telepathy, he supposed, before remembering that Joshua was, in fact, telepathic. Ghost privileges.

“It doesn't sound silly,” Joshua turned back to him, his signature smile back in place. The whole mind reading thing was unnerving, in Soonyoung's opinion. “I mean, we tend to hang out where we died. What did Seungcheol call it?”

“Respawn point,” Seokmin snorted, seeming to be over the shock already. Probably Minghao sending out a calming aura with his giggles or something. Soonyoung still didn't quite understand what it was that he could do. As far as he could tell, Minghao just left feathers around the place. 

“Maybe they both died in there? Bit of a weird place for it to happen, but you know Minnie found me in the bathtub.” 

Joshua grinned as Seokmin batted at his thigh, turning his body translucent before the slap could land.

As much as they could laugh about it now, Soonyoung would never forget that phone call. Hearing Seokmin bawling down the line about seeing some dead guy when he was naked was definitely memorable. At least it worked out pretty well for them in the end.

“Do you think it would help if you came with us?” Seokmin's voice broke him from his thoughts, directed at the ghost in question. “Maybe they would be more open to talking to you.”

Joshua floated up a little as he mulled it over. “I guess it couldn't hurt. Shared experience or whatever. Less likely to freak out on me than dealing with you two idiots too.”

Soonyoung couldn't argue with that and frankly didn't care, excitedly bouncing up onto his feet to wrap Joshua in a hug now that he'd made his body solid again. Maybe they would finally get somewhere, after all.

——————————

Seungkwan popped his head into the hallway at the sound of voices, eyes lighting up when they landed on Seokmin toeing off his shoes by the door. 

“Hey-” he stopped short as Joshua suddenly appeared from the pendant around his neck, shocked into silence before erupting into a fit of giggles as he was lifted from the floor.

“Kwannie!” Seokmin dashed around the ghost to spin Seungkwan around in a tight embrace before setting him back down on the floor, squishing his cheeks between his palms. “We missed you!” 

Soonyoung leaned against the door as he watched the two with a fond smile. Seungkwan really was the group's favourite. He just somehow got lucky by being Seungkwan's favourite. But he was only distracted by them being obnoxiously cute for a moment before noticing how tense Joshua had gotten, seeming to stare at nothing on the ceiling.

“They're definitely up there,” he heard him mumble, eyes narrowed and shoulders hunched. “But I can feel their anxiety from down here. I think it was definitely a good idea for me to come with. Do I want to ask how you freaked them out so badly?” 

Soonyoung looked at a spot on the carpet to avoid Joshua’s piercing gaze, shrugging his shoulders at his exasperated sigh. He couldn't catch whatever the ghost grumbled before disappearing, which was probably for the best. Grumpy Joshua was a force to avoid reckoning with at all costs.

Seungkwan noticed his discomfort, tearing himself away from Seokmin pressing kisses all over his face to take his hand. He was dragged into the living room and dropped to their couch, Seokmin cuddling into his side after flopping down next to him. His boyfriend curled against his other side, waving his hand to have their teapot and three cups float from the kitchen to settle on the coffee table. 

Seokmin snapped his fingers to bring out the sugar jar and carton of milk, much to Seungkwan's barely contained disappointment. Both himself and Minghao would never understand how he could have it so sweet, but Soonyoung wasn't far behind being just as bad. Annoying their boyfriends with their questionable tastes was their trademark by that point.

“Want to talk about it?” Seungkwan asked as the tea poured, scrunching up his nose when he made the other two. “You didn't tell me you were bringing anyone over. Is it about the ghosts?” 

Soonyoung hummed as he sipped his drink, not really sure how to word it without sounding like he'd done something wrong. Luckily, Seokmin was a little better with his words.

“It is, yeah. Soonyoungie came over to ask if we could help. Shua thought he might be able to do something considering, you know, ghost. It can't hurt to try, anyway,” he blew at the steam rising from the teacup between his hands, projecting his highest level of sunshine.

Seungkwan pulled his knees up towards his chest, nodding sagely before resting his head against Soonyoung as he waited for his drink to cool. Not having milk had its downsides.

“I'm sorry for not helping more,” he sighed, pressing a kiss to Soonyoung's shoulder. “I just don't know what to do if they don't want to meet us. I hope Shua works it out.”

With his usual impressive timing, Joshua appeared so suddenly that Seokmin almost spilled his tea down his shirt. Without a word, Joshua flicked both Soonyoung and Seungkwan's foreheads with a scowl. 

“What was that for?” Soonyoung rubbed over the spot with an identical frown and narrowed his eyes.

“What is wrong with you two?” Joshua widened his eyes and floated off the ground in disbelief. “Why would you force them to appear like that? No wonder they've been hiding. I'd probably do the same. You're lucky I told them you didn't mean any harm by it. That was fucking stupid and I hate you both.”

Soonyoung didn’t argue that it wasn't on purpose. The first time, anyway. He had a point, even if he was being overdramatic. He squeezed Seungkwan's hand when he saw how red his face had become, Joshua lowering himself to kneel in front of him when he noticed the same. 

“I'm sorry,” Seungkwan mumbled, chewing his bottom lip at Joshua's sigh. “I didn't think using magic to talk to them would be a bad thing. I didn't think at all, I guess. I'm really sorry.”

“It isn't me you need to apologise to,” Joshua placed his cold hands on Seungkwan's knees, voice softening. “They asked me to tell you that they aren't mad. Just a little wary. Be gentle when they choose to come out, okay? It'll be fine.”

Seungkwan looked back up to offer a teary thank you. Seokmin rushed to gather him up in his arms, cooing over how cute he was squished against his chest. Soonyoung felt a gentle tap on his thigh, following Joshua out to the hallway while the other two were distracted. 

“Lucky you didn't go all tiger on us in there,” the spirit crossed his arms over his chest, but his smile made Soonyoung relax a little. “They were watching from the kitchen. Surprised Kwannie didn't feel them, honestly.”

Soonyoung shivered as cool air passed by his side. It lasted barely a second, but he knew it was them passing by to go back upstairs, obviously on purpose considering they could have gone straight up. His heart clenched at the nod Joshua sent towards what appeared to be empty space. It took more self control than he usually had to not shift, but he knew that was basically the worst thing he could do in their current situation. 

Joshua seemed pleased by his decision, lifting him up by the waist to drift back into the other room. Another thing Soonyoung would never really get used to, but wrapping his arms around his shoulders for the short trip was way more fun than the mind reading thing.

——————————

Seungkwan went back to his work after they said their goodbyes, but Soonyoung wasn't really sure what to do with himself. His brain was so muddled by what had happened that he couldn't really do anything at all. He leaned against the back of the couch and stared up at the ceiling with a sigh. It was a lot for one day.

His head jerked down at the sound of someone clearing their throat, an embarrassing squeak leaving his throat at the sight of two people appearing in the middle of his living room.

The one he recognised smiled shyly with an awkward little wave, but the other kept a stoic expression, eyes cold behind his glasses. Soonyoung assumed it was supposed to be intimidating, but all he could think was how right Seungkwan had been. He really was unfairly handsome. They both were, even in their semi-transparent state.

The ghosts exchanged confused glances at his reaction, or lack thereof outside of open-mouthed staring, before drifting closer. 

“Hey,” Pretty Boy Number One leaned forward with his hands on his knees, speaking to Soonyoung like a spooked animal, a slight accent shining through his words. “Sorry to kind of, um, pop up out of nowhere? But your friend was really nice and we felt bad. I can't really speak for Wonwoo here, but he trusts you so I don't see why we shouldn't. I hope you don't mind that we were listening in earlier, too. We just wanted to be sure.”

Soonyoung nodded dumbly, eyes flickering between the two until Pretty Boy With Glasses, or Wonwoo, apparently, cleared his throat a second time before stepping closer too. 

“Junhui and I have had some not great experiences with people here,” Wonwoo's voice, deeper than a thousand oceans, washed over him as he spoke. “I think we have the right to be cautious. Especially after what happened.” 

That snapped Soonyoung out of his stupor, burying his face in his hands to avoid meeting their eyes. But before he could gather his thoughts to respond, another voice called out from behind the spirits.

“I'm so sorry,” Seungkwan's eyes shone as he whispered his apology. “I'm sure Joshua explained but we really weren't thinking. We should've known trying to make you talk to us like that would be harmful. Please forgive us.” 

Junhui's expression crumbled, looking like he wanted to reach out to comfort on instinct, but Wonwoo held him back. It was understandable, and Seungkwan valiantly tried to keep a brave face, but tears spilled down his cheeks before Soonyoung could even stand. 

He rushed over to hold him close, trying to apologise with his eyes when he caught the ghost's concerned looks. Seungkwan had always been a little sensitive, and it had been a difficult day for the both of them, so he should have seen it coming.

“Should we, uh, leave you with this?” Wonwoo pushed his glasses up to pinch the bridge of his nose at Junhui's awkward wording, but Seungkwan spun himself out of Soonyoung's grasp before he could get a word in.

“Don't you dare disappear again!” he sniffled, scrubbing at his cheeks. “You can't leave now. Please. Please don't go.”

Wonwoo hummed, eyes narrowed as he searched over their desperate faces. He sighed when he caught Junhui's pout, seeming to back down a little. “Alright. What do you want to know?”

Soonyoung's jaw dropped, not expecting to actually have some kind of conversation with them so soon. As much as he'd had so many questions before, he wasn't sure what he wanted to ask now that he had the opportunity. Seungkwan beat him to it. 

“Is asking why you're here, what happened, too big of a first question?” 

Junhui's body stiffened, reminiscent of the first time Soonyoung had seen him. Wonwoo looked more uncomfortable than fearful, sighing as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Honestly, I think it might be better to leave it for another time,” the corners of his mouth lifted when Junhui relaxed. “Is there anything a little smaller?”

“That's totally fine!” Soonyoung cut in before Seungkwan could respond. “I have been wondering about what you guys do, actually. Isn't it boring just hanging out upstairs?”

“Oh! It was super boring before you guys moved in. Like, I love Wonwoo, but there's only so much we can talk about, you know?” Junhui lit up, floating up from the carpet with excitement and ignoring Wonwoo's grumbled 'gee thanks'. “He's been having a lovely time reading the books you dumped up there and I've been doing a couple things around the house. I don't know if you noticed. Mostly just dusting and switching off things I guess you forget about. Oh, and the kitchen tap was dripping the other night so I turned that off too!”

Soonyoung's heart did a funny little flip at how proud he seemed to be at helping them out. He looked back to Seungkwan when fingers squeezed at his own, his awed expression giving away that he felt the same. Huh.

“I have a question, actually, if you don't mind?” Wonwoo asked, directed at Seungkwan. “What kind of witch are you? I've never known anyone able to just, like, make ghosts appear?”

“Ah, yeah,” Seungkwan's cheeks turned pink, eyes locked onto a spot on the floor. “I kinda dabble in a few things. Mostly making potions to sell, but I've picked up other stuff along the way. Nothing bad, I swear! Just… different, I guess. Old. I come from a family of witches so a few spellbooks were passed down to me and… yeah.”

Wonwoo seemed to take that as a good enough answer, at least for the time being. Soonyoung never really understood why it was embarrassing, he thought the things his boyfriend could do were really neat, but he knew better than to question it. Questioning a witch is never a good idea.

They said their goodnight's after that, the conversation naturally ending and sleepiness setting in. It seemed like they'd have plenty of time to talk in future, anyway. Junhui followed Wonwoo upstairs with another little wave, leaving Soonyoung and Seungkwan alone in their living room. 

“Well, I don't know about you, but my head kinda hurts and I think the cure is bed,” Seungkwan tugged at Soonyoung's arm without waiting for a response, knowing he would have followed anyway. 

Later, Soonyoung stared up at the ceiling with Seungkwan's limbs wrapped tightly around him, mind spinning but feeling the most relaxed he'd been since they moved in. He still had so many questions, but he was content with at least knowing the two other people in the house weren't afraid of them anymore. That was enough.

——————————

Of course it didn't take long for a mini family meeting to be called under the guise of a late night coffee date. 

“I cannot believe you didn't tell me first!” Jeonghan whined dramatically from the other side of the table. “I thought I raised you better than this.” 

“First of all, you loathe anyone implying you're a motherly figure, so you're not allowed to use that as an argument,” Jihoon rolled his eyes. “And Josh told you the moment he got home from their place, anyway. You weren't missing out on anything.” 

“Hao told me!” Mingyu said around a mouthful of cake. “I found out first! Besides him and Seokminnie, anyways. I'll take it.”

Werewolves were always messy, so he was used to it really, but Soonyoung still scrunched his nose up at the crumbs flying from his mouth. He wasn't the worst for it, but he certainly didn't have the best table manners in the world. Some people (Seokmin) found it endearing. Soonyoung did not.

“We didn't plan to tell anyone,” he sighed, a headache already coming on. As much as he usually loved to see his friends, he couldn't help feeling bitter about Seungkwan already having plans with Hansol and Chan. “We just wanted help. Really, that's it.”

“Seriously?” Jeonghan scoffed, voice raising in pitch and hair floating up from his shoulders as if he were underwater. “You have two hot ghost housemates and you weren't going to tell me? Leaving me to find out from Joshuji, of all people, too. No respect in this house.” 

Soonyoung didn't bother pointing out that Joshua told Jeonghan, his self-proclaimed soulmate, literally everything that could be considered gossip within their group. There was even less point bringing up that he was married. Like that would ever stop him being a menace to society.

“When can we meet them?” Mingyu bounced excitedly in his seat, barely reacting to Jihoon wiping his mouth with a napkin. Soonyoung thought back over the last week. 

 

The spirits were still keeping to themselves for the most part, but they were gradually coming out of their shells. The morning after they first talked, Soonyoung had woken up in his tiger form, as he did ninety percent of the time, and hadn't worried about shifting before going downstairs. He scared Junhui half to (a second) death, not expecting to find the ghost by the stove making scrambled eggs of all things. 

Junhui had spun around, brandishing the wooden spoon like a weapon before recognising the animal was actually just Soonyoung. He shifted to his human form with a sheepish smile, grateful for the ghost letting him off a glare instead of disappearing entirely. In his defense, he hadn't really expected to find someone in his kitchen, let alone have breakfast made. 

Seungkwan nearly jumped out of his skin when he sleepily wandered down too, but lit up when he worked out what was happening. It looked like Junhui would have blushed if he could. He didn't stick around for long after the two settled down to eat, but just the gesture itself was so sweet that they didn't mind. Even with the initial scare, he'd done it every morning since. 

Wonwoo was hiding out a lot less too, but it still took a couple of days before he showed himself on the lower floor again, Soonyoung finding him on the couch with a book against his knees. Soonyoung made himself known with a little wave before slowly walking closer, doing his best to not look too excited by Wonwoo raising his head with the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.  

He didn't need to ask what he was reading. He immediately recognised Seungkwan's spellbook, the cover falling apart with age and use. The one he could only assume held the magic he'd used to see the ghost. Wonwoo pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Soonyoung expectantly, like he was waiting for him to ask what he was doing with it, but Soonyoung just sat at the other end of the couch and pulled out his phone. Wonwoo hummed, relaxing against the arm of the seat and going back to scanning the pages. 

It hadn't become a routine like breakfast with Junhui, but Wonwoo wasn't going out of his way to avoid them anymore, so it was more than enough to be considered an improvement. But whether it was enough to have the rest of their unconventional family come over to meet them was another story entirely.

 

“I can ask what they think about it, I guess,” he stared down at the table to avoid their eyes. “But I can't really guarantee anything.”

Jeonghan fell back against his seat with a huff and fiddled with the bottle hanging from his necklace, the seawater from their last family beach trip sloshing inside it with the movement. He said it increased his powers somehow, but Soonyoung was pretty sure he was just sentimental. Maybe it was both.

“I'll talk to them when I get home. I promise,” he spoke directly to Jeonghan, but the other two perked up too. “I'm pretty sure Kwannie has been dying to throw a housewarming party, anyway.”

Jihoon sat back with a pleased little smile, fangs poking out over his bottom lip as he squeezed Mingyu's hand in an attempt to calm him down. For a stupidly big guy, he really was just an overexcited puppy. He had no idea how Jihoon could deal with it so well.

Jeonghan picked up his phone, thumbs flying over the screen. Soonyoung assumed he was texting Seungcheol the good news now that he would actually be awake. Or he should be considering Jihoon was. Vampires were funny things for sleeping schedules. 

With his friends sorted out, now all he had to do was tell the ghosts they may need to expect some visitors. Not anxiety inducing at all.

——————————

He arrived home to hushed voices coming from Seungkwan's work room. Peeking around the corner, his heart swelled at the sight of them together at his desk.

Junhui had rested his chin on top of Seungkwan's head and his hands on his shoulders, more solid than Soonyoung had ever seen from him before, excitedly watching whatever it was that his boyfriend was doing. Wonwoo stood a little to the side, arms folded over his chest, but he was clearly just as interested in what was happening. 

He didn't want to interrupt, but Wonwoo looked up just as he considered tiptoeing away. He looked a little surprised, eyes widening a little behind his glasses, but gestured for him to come closer. Soonyoung stepped in shyly, which felt a little silly considering it was his house, but the moment felt fragile and he wasn't going to ruin it. Junhui tipped his head a little to meet his eyes, but didn't move from where he stood against Seungkwan. It didn't feel threatening. Just comfortable, like it was an everyday thing rather than something random and new. 

Soonyoung had kind of picked up that Junhui was a touchy person, even if being a ghost likely made that difficult. He'd seen his fingers itching to reach out for the past week, but he guessed it never felt like it was the right time. But from where Soonyoung was standing, it looked incredibly normal. The excited grin directed his way added to it, and something in the back of Soonyoung's mind clicked into place. He wasn't sure what exactly, but something was there.

“What are you up to?” he broke the comfortable silence, coming closer to see what Seungkwan was working on.

He met his boyfriends glowing eyes, golden instead of their usual silver when he used the ancient magic, raising his eyebrows at the small flame dancing over his fingertips. That was new.

“Wonwoo taught me,” his whisper sounded awed. “Isn't it pretty?” 

Soonyoung's brows rose higher as he looked up to the ghost, surprised to see him look a little sheepish. That was also new. And cute. Huh.

“You know magic?” he asked, swallowing down the lump forming in his throat. “Like, outside of ghost stuff?” 

“I was a witch, back before we died,” he rubbed at the back of his neck like it was more of an embarrassing secret than an absolutely insane piece of information. “I can't do this anymore, obviously, but I still remember things well enough. I wanted to know if Seungkwan could do it.”

“He's a natural,” Junhui piped up, turning back to watch the flame resting in Seungkwan's palm with a faraway look in his eyes. “I missed this.”

Soonyoung had so many questions, but decided to bite his tongue. He didn't want to dampen the mood. Turned out he didn't have to. He forgot about the ghost privileges.

“Your thoughts are so loud, Soonyoung,” Junhui snorted, batting at Wonwoo's arm for letting on that he was reading him. “No, we didn't die in a fire. I think you would've been told if this place had been burnt down.” 

Soonyoung groaned at the same time as Seungkwan giggled, enough to lose focus and extinguish the flame. He seemed too happy to really mind. 

“I was going to ask if you could do that or if it was another weird Josh thing. I guess that's my answer.” 

“Pretty sure we would know what you're thinking even without the ‘ghost privileges’,” Junhui laughed along, turning a little more transparent as he floated back to lean against Wonwoo. “I can't speak for your friend, but we really try not to do it. I personally don't enjoy feeling like I'm invading someone's privacy.”

“Oh, believe me, he definitely doesn't feel the same.”

Seungkwan agreed immediately, burying his face in Soonyoung's shirt as he laughed even harder. Soonyoung petted his hair until he got his breath back, trying to ignore the way the other two were watching.

“Speaking of, actually,” Soonyoung kept his gaze on the top of Seungkwan's head, too nervous to meet their eyes. “Jeonghan wants to know when he and the others can meet you. I said I'd ask you first.”

Wonwoo's eyebrows furrowed. “Who?”

“Hannie! He's the witch I sell my potions to!” Seungkwan beamed up at them, faltering a little when he saw their confusion. “Well, he owns the magic shop, anyway. He gives me a list of what clients need and Soonyoungie usually takes them over. Seokmin, Chan and Hansol work there, too.”

“You met Josh and Seokmin already. Or, saw Seokmin, I guess. There are, uh, a few others. They all really want to meet you.” 

Junhui and Wonwoo looked at each other as they rambled, communicating in silence. 

“How many others?” Junhui asked, voice quiet and laced with anxiety.

“Counting Shua and Seokminnie,” Seungkwan counted on his fingers. “Oh. Nine. Gosh, it doesn't feel like that many.” 

“They're our family,” Soonyoung added before Wonwoo could voice his concern. “It would mean a lot to them. And to us.”

Wonwoo sighed, features softening with Seungkwan's pleading eyes. Junhui's shoulders slowly dropped from when they'd ended up around his ears, but still nibbled at his bottom lip as he thought it over.

“Joshua would be here?” 

“Of course! And you can disappear at any time if it gets too much,” Seungkwan's voice cracked, suddenly just as nervous. “Everyone is super lovely, I promise.” 

“Alright,” Wonwoo surprised the other three with how easily he agreed, Junhui opening and closing his mouth as if to argue, but relented with a sigh. “If Joshua is here, we'll try. But who are the others?”

Seungkwan jumped at the chance to talk about their funny little family. He described each of them with maybe a little too much detail, but the ghosts relaxed further with each person, Junhui eventually giggling along with the silly memories Seungkwan added in. 

A family made up of witches, vampires, a shapeshifter, a werewolf, a siren and a ghost, plus a couple of regular humans they'd picked up along the way, was admittedly a little strange. Everything about Soonyoung's life was a little unorthodox if he really thought about it, but that was how he liked it. There was comfort in the chaos.

He left Seungkwan to his storytelling, slipping out of the room with a little wave to go upstairs. He hadn't realised how late it had gotten. He'd already been tired, but exhaustion was starting to really settle in from the up-and-down day. 

“Hey.” 

Soonyoung jumped at the sudden voice, spinning around with his pyjamas halfway up his thighs. 

“Oh, sorry,” Wonwoo didn't look sorry at all, more like he was holding back a laugh than anything else. “Is this a bad time?” 

“Nope,” Soonyoung pulled his pants the rest of the way up, not having the energy to be embarrassed. “What's up?” 

“I wanted to thank you, actually,” Wonwoo rocked on his heels, looking unexpectedly shy. “It means a lot to us too, you know. Wanting us to meet your family. I told you we haven't had great experiences with people since we died, so it's a bit scary, to be honest. But we'll do our best. I promise.”

“Oh. Thank you.”

It didn't feel like enough, but Soonyoung wasn't sure what else to say. His chest ached. He was too tired to think about what that meant, but he felt it.

“Anyway,” Wonwoo continued when it was clear Soonyoung wasn't going to say anything else. “Seungkwan said he'll let us know when you guys work out a date, so, yeah. I'll let you sleep.”

Soonyoung mumbled something resembling goodnight and dropped into bed after Wonwoo left, still a little shell-shocked. This was going to be interesting.

——————————

Finding time for 13 people to be free was nearly impossible, but they managed to settle on the date a few Saturday's later. Jeonghan was more than happy to close the store early when he finally had the chance to meet their “hot ghost housemates”.

With Junhui's help and Seungkwan's fretting, they ended up with more plates of food than was probably necessary considering nearly half of them couldn't eat it. Well, Seungcheol and Jihoon could in theory, but listening to them complain about their digestive issues was absolutely not worth it. Hansol and Chan usually took their leftovers home anyway, so there wouldn't be too much waste. Plus it was cute seeing them work so hard, comfortable after spending more time together.

Of course Jeonghan and Seungcheol turned up half an hour early, the latter looking groggy from waking up before it got dark out. Jeonghan, however, was far more chipper than usual. 

“Hello, my beloved Soonyoungie,” he squeezed Soonyoung in a tight hug as soon as he opened the door. “Sorry we're late.”

He didn't have time to say anything before Jeonghan pushed past, leaving Seungcheol to shake his head in the doorway with their drinks in his arms. He didn't make it far, anyway, his irises beginning to shift from brown to blueish-green as he stopped just short of the living room. Wonwoo and Junhui stood equally as frozen.

“Hi,” Jeonghan said when Soonyoung elbowed his side to make him stop openly gawking. “I don't believe we've met. I'm Jeonghan. You can call me Hannie.”

“Oh, um,” Junhui twisted his fingers nervously over his chest. “Junhui, or just Jun if you want. And this is Wonwoo.”

“Lovely to meet you both. We'll get to know each other better soon, I'm sure.” 

Jeonghan's smile was saccharine sweet, blinking away the glow before spinning around to grab the bottles from Seungcheol to take to the kitchen. Seungkwan's delighted squeal was loud enough to reach the living room, so they must have run into each other.

“Sorry about him. Unfortunately, he's mine,” Seungcheol sighed, holding up his hand to show the gold band around his finger. “And I’m Seungcheol. It really is nice to meet you, though.”

The ghosts nodded awkwardly, floating closer to Soonyoung when he left to find Jeonghan. Soonyoung rubbed at his temples.

“Sorry. I should've warned you he would be like… that. He'll settle down soon.” 

“It's alright,” Wonwoo's lips tugged up at the corners. “I think it'll be easier for us when Joshua gets here, though.”

Perfectly timed, a knock came at the front door, the ghosts trailing behind him to the hallway this time. Seokmin rushed into his arms just as Jeonghan had, but it was much more genuine. 

“Hi!” he beamed up at them, Minghao following to introduce himself far more quietly. "Gosh, it's so nice to properly meet you this time. Oh!"

Seokmin pulled the pendant out from under his shirt, Junhui and Wonwoo visibly relaxing when Joshua appeared with a grin. Joshua grabbed their hands to tug them into the living room, the other three following with fond smiles at their excited chatter. Soonyoung had never been so grateful for Joshua's presence.

Mingyu and Jihoon arrived shortly after, Mingyu bounding to the kitchen after a short hello at the smell of food, with Hansol and Chan turning up a few minutes later. It was noisy, the room buzzing with energy, but having everyone together would always be that way. It felt good, Soonyoung thought, their home feeling truly alive. 

“How are they?” Seungkwan asked when Soonyoung draped himself over his back as he finally finished up with the snacks. “It's not too much, right?”

“Really good, actually. I'm so glad Seokminnie worked out the whole necklace thing. Joshy is a lifesaver.”

Seungkwan hummed and twisted in his arms, pressing a short kiss to his lips before wriggling away to take out the last of the food. Soonyoung chuckled at whoop from Mingyu in the other room, leaning against the bench and closing his eyes. He was fine, happy even, just needing a moment to breathe. 

“Hey.”

His eyes flew open, finding Wonwoo had appeared a few feet away. He really needed to stop doing that. 

“Hey. You alright?”

“Yeah, I'm good. But Joshua ended up with Hannie and Junnie is getting along really well with Minghao, so I thought I'd check up on you. You disappeared a while ago.”

“Oh,” Soonyoung blinked up at him, a little surprised he'd noticed. “Thank you.”

Wonwoo smiled softly and pulled him into the other room by the hand. It was cold but solid. Soonyoung felt incredibly warm.

Part 2 ->

[cosmicjoke]

Hi again, Cosmic!! I know I just wrote here like 2 days ago, but I was unable to sleep at all with not much to do and I had the bright idea to do something entertaining with the paper I had by writing down actual (bananafish related) questions to contribute to your ask me anything. I hope the handwriting isn't too bad. I can leave a typed translation if you need it, but as of right now Im being very lazy - Also, Im not sure exactly sure why, but despite having no clue what you look like, I sketched a drawing of us together by drawing you as what maybe you look like - I hope you dont mind it. I'm not any artist at all. My only intentions are that I thought it would maybe bring some joy or something. So I hope it can!

Hey there brookshieldsfan! Sorry for not getting back to you until now, I've just been a bit busy the last, couple days.

Anyway, thank you so much for your questions about WIEN, and for the drawing! That's very sweet of you!

I'll try my best to answer your questions without going into a whole essay, lol.

That's a tough question to answer. I think, more than anything, especially if we're talking about Ash at the start of my story, that I would just want to tell him that he's worth so much more than he's been made to feel and believe about himself, and that it's possible for him to break free and live a good and normal life. I would want to encourage him to believe in that possibility for himself. Of course, the tragedy for Ash is that he never really had an adult in his life to help him toward that end, or to encourage that belief in himself. I think in order for Ash to truly break free of the life he was trapped in, he would have needed the help of an adult, and he just never really got that.

Chapter 12 was rough to write, just because it's a flashback to the first time Ash is raped, and he's just a very young child, and because I didn't want to sugarcoat it or hold back on the horror of it, I found it difficult to write. Trying to get into the mindset of a 7 year old boy going through something like that for the first time was hard. I also found chapter 19 really painful to write, because of the cruelty of what Marvin and Frog put Ash through, with the situation with Ryan, and the self-hatred Ash feels for himself in the aftermath, even though none of it was his fault. And then chapter 70, because it deals with some very complex emotions in relation to victims of sexual abuse and their abusers, how it's not unusual for attachments to form between the two. I wanted to explore that reality while also still capturing the evil and horror of what Dino was doing to Ash, so that was a really delicate chapter to write, along with its aftermath, and I really wanted to get it right.

Luckily for me, I don't personally relate to any of Ash's experiences, either in "Banana Fish" or in WIEN. Still, I hope I'm able to empathize with his emotions and what he endured and was able to convey those feelings accurately as a result.

Blanca is one of those complex characters that's easy to feel a lot of resentment toward, just because of all the ways in which he failed Ash. Overall, though, I think he had an at least somewhat positive role in Ash's life in my story, because he was the first, actual adult Ash had ever interacted with that didn't, in some way, physically or sexually abuse him. Of course, one could easily argue that Blanca abused Ash in other ways, certainly emotionally and mentally, I think, though I believe that was unintentional on Blanca's part. It's a hard question to answer, because on the one hand, Blanca gave Ash a sense of safety and of being seen for maybe the first time in his life. But at the same time, he worsened Ash's self-esteem and further warped his perception of himself by projecting his own issues onto Ash. So it's probably half and half. Blanca helped Ash in some ways, teaching him to defend himself against the likes of Marvin and giving Ash an adult he could turn to and mostly trust. But he also drove Ash deeper into a life of crime and further conditioned Ash into believing himself unfit for anything else.

I definitely think Ash thinks of Cape Cod as his home, more than NYC, just because of his time with Griffin there. Those are pretty much the only happy moments of Ash's life, those few years he had with his brother. When he got to New York, everything pretty much went from bad to worse for Ash. He also refers to himself as a "hayseed" with Eiji, later on in canon. So I definitely think Ash feels sort of foreign, in a sense, being in the city, even though he obviously adapted to it remarkably well and I think most of Ash's hard edges come from living on the streets of NYC.

Anyway, I hope that answers your questions and thank you for asking! I'm always down to talk more about BF and my BF stories! It's such an honor that there's people out there who still care enough about them to ask!

[weirdmorefics]

Unmasked Chpt 4

AO3, Etsy Shop, Youtube,

Chpt 1 Chpt 2 Chpt 3

TW-Gore, Horror

A/N- So sorry for not keeping up with chapters I am really suffering from fanfic writer curse LOL. Been to the hospital twice this week.

Taglist- @bunbunbl0gs

Word Count- 1,478

Spencer's stares will not cease but he doesn't speak.

"I didn't want to tell you, I knew you would freak. I'm fine you're fine! You will continue to be fine if you get the hell out of Woodsboro!" I rant.

Spencer furrows his eyebrows at me, "You are the one who should be off this case! You are entirely too close to it! I am calling Emily right now."

He tries to pull his phone out of his pocket but I am quick to grasp his hand, "I am doing this with or without the BAU! Would you rather I do it by myself? Trust me, I prefer you out of danger- I mean the whole BAU out of danger. I don't want any more people killed because of me. So please don't make this more difficult for me than it already is!" I say in a mix of begging and anger.

He slides his phone back into his pocket, my hand still grasping his, "I won't let you do this alone."

I am unsure how to feel. I would have died of pure joy if Spencer had said this to me in any other situation but right now, it just makes me more scared. The more I care the more likely Ghostface will kill him.

I clench my fist to suppress any emotion Ghostface is always watching.

"Jill," Sid shouts out concerned.

" Stay away from me," she cries.

The father of the poor girl runs into the house full of worry and is quick to console Jill. I understand why Jill is scared of us she should be I think everyone should be scared of the curse of the Prescott's. Hell, even I am.

The father of the girl leads Jill out of the house and Jill's friend enters the house in a run. I can hear her friend whisper comforts to her but they are probably doing nothing as she sees what her future looks like through the eyes of Sidney.

The cops run back in saying there were no signs of Ghostface outback.

"Call the coroner, the body is upstairs," I relay to the cops and run my hand through my hair practically pulling it out of my skull.

Spencer puts a soothing hand on the small of my back, "We have to talk to the team."

I nod just thankful he isn't trying to push me off the case. We exit the house the cops and Sidney in tow.

The neighbors are shouting wretched things at Sid and me.

"This is all the Prescott's fault."

"You two are just like your mother!"

"They bring death wherever they go!"

"No wonder Y/n's an agent! Must be easy when murder follows you!"

"I thought this was over when they left!"

"You two never should have come back!"

I bite my lip, I want to be angry at their words but it's all true. I feel Spencer's hand move from my back to my waist as he grips my hip protectively.

I look up at him to assure myself he doesn't mean it, it was probably an accident. Instead, I find his eyes glaring daggers into the passerbys shouting harsh words.

"Clear the area," one of the cops shouts.

"You shouldn't have to deal with this," he mumbles.

"It's fine... it's not like what they are saying isn't true," I sigh.

Spencer's head quickly turns to face me and looks at me with serious eyes, "Y/n none of this is your fault."

"Sure," I say unconvincingly making Spencer sigh.

Sidney sees Jill off to the paramedic and I watch them closely ignoring my own surroundings. I just need to protect my family, and my team, I don't have time to worry about myself.

Spencer's hand touches my cheek and I swear I jump five feet in the air.

"Y/N," he keeps saying my first name instead of my last. It gives me butterflies each time the way he says my name with such care. I am totally overthinking it though he is only calling me by my first name because he doesn't know if he should call me Prescott now or continue with the fake one. I don't have time for these trivial thoughts. Spencer is making things so much more difficult. I can't focus around him.

As if he notices my mind drifting he repeats my name once again and my eyes meet his I could get lost in his eyes forever.

"This is not your fault, these people should not blame you. I would yell at them right now if I didn't think you would use it as an opportunity to run off and try to solve the case on your own." He states seriously, he wants to be sure I believe him.

I smirk, "You know me too well, but don't try to pretend you wouldn't do the same in my situation."

"Hiding things from the team is what got me into prison in the first place, we are better as a unit." His eyes darken and I am shocked he would bring up his time in prison to me without me forcing it out of him.

I shake my head desperately, "That wasn't your fault! It was entirely Cat's fault she's insane!"

"I shouldn't have given her the ammunition," he frowns.

"You were doing what you thought was right for your family, you should not feel guilty! It's what makes you, you, and I wouldn't want you to be anyone else." I look determinedly into his eyes.

I swear I see him flush but it's probably just all the police lights.

"Then why don't you want me to help," he smiles at me.

I am taken aback, "what does that have anything?"

"You don't want me to be anyone else? You don't want me to stop doing what's right? Helping you is what's right Y/n," he steps closer with each sentence.

I am so flustered I swear my body is on fire. I feel the urge to fan myself with my hand to help extinguish the flames. Luckily the moment is broken as Prentiss jumps out of the van with the rest of the team.

"So much for getting some rest at the hotel before the case," Luke mumbles out.

Prentiss looks like she is in full-blown mama bear mode, "What the hell happened?"

Dewey follows close behind, "I was just about to ask my officers that as well."

They seem to both already know each other they must have been going over the case together at the precinct. I am glad Dewey isn't as closed off as Sid is.

The local officers that were on the scene started relaying how they tried to cut him off in the backyard but missed him and compared him to a ghost.

I sigh and clench my fist that's the stuff I bet Ghostface would love to hear to be compared to the supernatural.

One of the officers turned to me with suspicion, "How did you manage to get the jump on him Y/n?"

"This isn't my first rodeo, "I growl.

He puts his hands up in defense, "Hey all I am saying is it's weird that you have survived three Ghostface killings and willingly come back here when the murders start again."

I am clenching my fists so tightly that I think all the bones in my hands may break. I can't believe this is what the people I've known my whole life think of me. I am trying to take a deep breath, I am trying to remain calm.

The thing I wasn't expecting was Spencer stepping in front of me and barely remaining calm and not remaining civil at all.

"You can't speak to a federal agent here to save your ass like that," he states his tone so low it sends chills down my spine. My eyes widened did Reid just swear and not only that did he swear on my behalf?

Prentiss turns to Spencer her face full of professionalism but eyes full of fury, "Reid! Van now!"

Dewey looks at his men as well, "You two get outta here as well."

"Yes sir," they look to Dewey with respect which is nice but also felt odd seeing it. He didn't get much of that when Ghostface first arrived but he just started being a cop then, and now he's the boss. I'm proud of him and I won't let Ghostface take him away.

I see the coroner roll out the poor teen girl's body and breathe in deeply. This won't happen again I won't let it. I don't want to be powerless again... but I am worried that my feelings for Spencer make me powerless. My feelings for him are just another weakness Ghostface can use against me but I don't know how to stop them.

[felixcloud6288]

Higurashi: Festival Accompanying Chapter 1

We know all the secrets surrounding June 1983, but we don't know everything leading up to that month.

Everything begins at some point likely around the mid 1950s. Before she was Miyo Takano, she was Miyoko Tanashi. She was scared of horror stories, loved collecting the flags that came with her kids meals, and loved her parents very much.

S-Save me r/vexillology!! I'm trying to identify all 19 of the flags Miyoko has collected.

The flags I can identify for sure:

Brazil: near the bottom center

Canada: near the center to the right of Brazil

China: in the top right corner

Denmark: In the top left, above South Korea and partially buried under two other flags

Finland: Above Denmark and slightly covering it up

France: The flag covering up Denmark

Germany: bottom left corner

Greece: Center far right

Japan: Near the center

South Korea: Center far left. Partially covered by the drawer wall

Switzerland: Bottom center, next to Brazil

Turkey: Bottom right corner

United Kingdom: Top Center

United States: Top center. Right above Canada

Meanwhile I think these are also in the pile:

Argentina or Austria: The flag under the Swiss and Brazilian flags. I'm leaning toward Argentina because red is drawn in darker shades

India: The flag at the top right above the US flag and partially covered by the drawer

Italy or Ireland: Flag to the right of Switzerland and above Turkey. I'm leaning more toward it being Italy.

I cannot figure out what the flag between Canada and Greece is. At first, I thought it was the Czech Republic, but the shading on this image doesn't match the Czech colors at all. And it's backward too. There's also a flag in the top right corner that is very hidden. All I can tell is it has white on the bottom. My guess is it might be Indonesia. I was also considering Estonia, but Estonia was under Soviet rule at this time and it was illegal to fly the Estonian flag.

I was really hoping the Mexican and South African flags might be in here.

You're placing a curse on your kid if you tell them god will give them happiness if they're good. You're telling them it is their fault when life happens and things fall apart. And almost as if on cue, Miyoko's life falls apart on the same day her father told her that. The only thing you could say she did wrong was she didn't hear her father when he called out to her.

Mr Tanashi losing his right hand in the train derailment is just twisting the knife. It's not enough that Miyoko's mother died in the accident and that she saw her father die. She's also denied one final headpat before he dies.

I want to try being fair to the social workers working on Miyoko's case. This is the mid 1950s. World War II ended at most a decade ago. Around 4% of Japan's population was killed in the war. Two cities were utterly destroyed, and there's the general economic collapse that comes from long-term military action.

No matter how much they may want to help, resources in this environment are stretched thin. Trying to find and contact a single person with no leads would likely be difficult today. It would be a herculean task in the 1950s.

And it's also this kind of scenario that lets an institution like the one Miyoko was sent to to exist. Those social workers were genuinely clueless about how that orphanage mistreats the children brought to it. They genuinely think they're providing the best possible solution given the situation, and the head of the orphanage knows how to put on a kindly face in front of them.

I genuinely don't know if the panel of the man patting Miyoko's head is real or her imagination. Him giving her even the slightest kindness is so out of character. And Miyoko grew up in the exact opposite of an abusive home. Her instinct when seeing someone raise their hand to her is expecting kindness and being utterly confused when she's hit instead.

I love and hate how that first slap to Miyoko is so perfectly executed. A full page image on the right half of the page spread. You just turn the page and see Miyoko violently slapped across the face. It's as sudden to us as it is to her. And right before it happens, the chapter implied that there is hope for her despite everything that's happened. But that one slap knocks the hope out of her and us.

back

[cowardlychimera]

dream team au random fun facts and stuff under cut (because uhmmm scary!) yaaay :3

Sunny first!

genderfluid, and didn't decide on an orientation because he's too busy Facing Horrors for that

he's the shortest of the 4! refusing to take care of yourself for years can do that to you

he's japanese american wowww!

after the good ending, his dream world didn't disappear at all, just simply... started reconstructing itself, with everything except white space (and sometimes red space) becoming inaccessible to him, since the state of a dream world reflects its dreamer's state of mind

he no longer uses Omori as a vessel or anything anymore, letting him be his own person (but Omori still chooses to function as a guardian, protecting the dream world from intruders and helping keep things in order, just like BYC, Humphrey, and Abbi. he's just. a little more chill about it now. a little.), so instead Sunny appears more like his normal self in his and others' dream worlds, just taking on a monochrome palette like Omori. it's not easy letting go of everything all at once, after all

music is still difficult for him, but he's very good at learning other languages!! this is very important and helpful actually, since only one of the other 3 is fluent in english...

he's helpful to a fault. often ignores his own health to work on figuring out ways to help the other dreamers and figure out how dream worlds work instead

connected to last detail, Sunny keeps a notebook on everything he learns about dream worlds! haha almost like a dream diar-

eventually he does start school again, but instead he gets to do online school, since it's a bit difficult for him to build up the courage to explore the new city on his own...

he toootally doesn't subconsciously see Madotsuki as another Mari haha what're you talking abooouutt (this is bad for everyone.)

Madotsuki time!!

I normally see her as an adult, but for this au she's 17! mainly just so I could have her be adopted by Sunny's mom tbh (I'm aware adults can be adopted but it makes more sense this way in my head just trust me)

she's also pretty short, just barely taller than Sunny! (but she's actually around average height for women in japan so she's not really THAT short, the other 2 are just tall weirdos <3)

Madotsuki's gender is Madotsuki (she's happy with being referred to as both female and male, but doesn't care to figure out what, or even if, there's a specific label she identifies with. Schrödinger's gender) for orientation, maaaybe lesbian. she doesn't really care though

she's very shy, anxious, and quiet, only talking when she has to. she eventually opens up more and talks more, but it takes a while. but if Sunny can do it, so can she!

she actually looks up to Sunny a lot, despite being a bit older than him

her art style is more abstract

Madotsuki can be a bit of a perfectionist at times... just like a certain big sis (coughMaricough)

she's chubby (not sure if this is a good word to use since I've heard a large variety of what people consider chubby

not 100% canon to this au because I'm not sure I could handle it properly no matter how much research I do (I may or may not also be a bit of a perfectionist at times <3) but! she's both japanese and peruvian

connected to last detail, she's fluent in japanese and knows quite a bit of spanish. Sunny is the one who teaches her english!

now for actual Lore, she was born in japan, and her parents died when she was young, moving in with another family member who is. less than kind

the npcs Monoe and Monoko represent two people Madotsuki was close friends with as a kid (because why not), but after losing both of them, one in quite a tragic way, things really started to fall apart

the npc Poniko represents someone she looked up to at school and wanted to be more like: popular, pretty, perfect. she took advantage of Madotsuki's desire to be more like her.

the npc Masada represents her piano teacher! the only adult in her life she trusted at the time. he was the only person in her life who was worried about her.

she developed psychosis as a kid, which resulted in an incident at school involving a knife and a bully. she dropped out after that.

eventually she moved to the US with the family member who took her in, never leaving the apartment, and only leaving her room when necessary when she was sure she was the only one home

moving on, she can get VERY protective of Sunny. she's already lost so much, she can't lose him too. she's not letting go of the one who saved her.

connected to last thing, due to Basil's history with Sunny and some very unfortunate similarities with a certain someone (coughPonikocough), Madotsuki's VERY suspicious of Basil. it takes a very long while for her to warm up to him

on a lighter note, she can act quite silly and childish! she enjoys being mischievous with Sunny and can be very stubborn and playful

most important detail ever: she loves frogs. huge frog fan. based on my favorite page in the yume nikki manga <3

ough that was long. Urotsuki time!

she's an adult and the oldest of the 4, and actually enjoys it! she likes feeling needed for once

she's also the tallest! very tall! a giraffe!! around the same height as Kel and Hero, even! what a freak! (affectionate) this detail is actually based on how the stretch effect (exactly what the name implies. makes her quite long) is treated like the opposite of the child effect quite a lot. and the stretch effect's action is just her crying, which cooouuld imply this effect represents her fear or whatever of growing up. I like being mean to her :)

she's also genderfluid, like Sunny!! yay!! based on the 2 boy effects in yume 2kki. for orientation, pan, because projection!! and also it makes perfect sense to me. can't explain why

her personality tends to switch between excitable + silly and aloof + blunt. to most people it seems like she's a faker and an asshole, but both sides are genuine. she's both at the same time, just struggles to socialize in a way everyone wants, even exaggerating parts of her personality at times to make up for that. the other 3 don't seem to mind how she acts, though. they know she cares

she's very caring of course, even if it doesn't show at times. she enjoys helping and taking care of others! even if her reasons at times are unhealthy, it doesn't change the fact she just truly enjoys having people to care for. she's pretty protective of the other 3, and would do anything to keep them safe.

her art style is more realistic, but is very inspired by anime. nerd

she could count as conventionally attractive physically, even with her intimidating height and personality, since she's naturally curvy, with an hourglass shape. she actually hates this quite a bit at times, and other times couldn't care less. she's too busy Facing Horrors

she's japanese and also russian. I have no good reason for the russian part. I made a joke about it once and it just stuck. she was raised as 100% japanese anyway

she's fluent in both japanese and english! she was determined to learn as much english as possible so she could move from japan to the US as soon as she could. an attempt to escape a past that'll haunt her dreams forever

she has and needs glasses but usually refuses to wear them. based on glasses effect, I mostly just wanted to add this detail though because I think she's cute with glasses...

her dream world works similarly to Sunny's, with guardians protecting her dreams and keeping them in order. she just. has far more guardians than him. toootally a normal amount though hahaa (lie)

Lore time! there's no fucking way I'm adding every single thing in yume 2kki to this au, so I picked only some themes and npcs I liked, and filled in spaces with whatever I wanted! anyway, she was raised by neglectful yet strict parents who expected her to exceed expectations, especially in school. she did manage to get good grades in all her classes, but of course they weren't perfect. it wasn't enough for her parents, despite her attempts to do better

she also got into fights quite often with bullies after being pushed around one too many times, and broke rules quite often too, quickly becoming the most disliked student at school. she's not the best at knowing when to back down

I added the npc Shimako to Urotsuki's Lore, because I like her and find her very interesting :3. in this au, she was Urotsuki's best (and only) friend, but due to Urotsuki's unpredictable behavior, inability to express her emotions properly, and struggle to understand and read other people well, they slowly drifted apart. they eventually stopped talking after they parted ways after graduating, despite having each other's contact info. after many failed attempts to just dm or call each other, Urotsuki one day noticed Shimako stopped going online. she took too long. she'll always blame herself for this.

YAY FINALLY ALMOST DONE! so much typing... Sabitsuki's turn!

she's also an adult, but a bit younger than Urotsuki. they often argue about who's in charge (the answer is neither of them. Sunny is secretly pulling all the strings /j)

she's definitely taller than Madotsuki, but also definitely shorter than Urotsuki. a bit shorter than the average for men in japan

her gender is. well. complicated, you could say. she's afab and does identify as female, but she doesn't feel cis due to disconnected feeling to since she never really felt like she was even treated as human in the first place. agender could also fit her, but she doesn't care for labels anyway. for orientation, same thing, she doesn't care for labels, but she could count as mspec

she has albinism! wowie!! I actually researched a specific genetic disorder(?) that causes albinism and is connected to blood disorders and bruising issues, because it seems like a perfect fit, buuut I couldn't find enough useful info for me to be confident enough in portraying it properly, so while certain symptoms and stuff are canon in this au, I'm not sure if I can say she does in fact have it

anyway, she bleeds very easily (it's actually canon in .flow she gets nosebleeds often) and bruises very easily too, and has contacts to help with her sensitivity to light and hide her eye color. she has a limited supply due to refusing to keep up with medical stuff, but she doesn't leave her apartment much anyway

she can seem cold and standoffish to strangers, but she's actually pretty chill and sweet once she gets to know someone better. she definitely has a soft spot for Sunny and Madotsuki, and tends to spoil them a bit when she gets the chance. she's often aggressive and competitive with Urotsuki, but that's because Urotsuki is just extremely good at pissing her off, and even messes with her for fun sometimes. they do eventually get along more, but will always be at least a little snarky with each other sometimes

Sabitsuki actually does make herself seem more intimidating and tough on purpose, in an attempt to scare people away and make sure no one ever hurts her again. she's afraid of letting people get close to her and being vulnerable around others, but it doesn't take long for Sunny to wear her down. it's nice having someone who can easily read the real you but would never even think of judging you

she can also be VERY protective, especially with Sunny and Madotsuki, with how easily she can see a bit of herself in them. she's determined to make sure no one ever hurts them the same way others hurt her

her art style is much more realistic, but still noticeably a bit stylized

Sabitsuki also has a morbid fascination with human bodies, for a variety of reasons

she's pretty skinny, to an unhealthy degree even. she's naturally thin, but she tends to avoid and forget about eating. and when she does eat, it's not uncommon for her to accidentally eat way too much way too fast and just throw it up again...

Sabitsuki's 100% japanese, but in this au grew up in the US so I could keep her close to the other 3

fluent in japanese, and can understand and write in english but struggles to actually speak it

LORE TIME! .flow isn't as vague as yume nikki is, but it's still vague enough that I essentially made up my own story for this au anyway lol. her mother died during childbirth, and Sabitsuki fully believes her mother should've lived instead of her (based on. so many things in .flow. feel free to ask about what specifically if you're curious!), and her aunt took her in and raised her

her health was even worse as a kid, so she spent a lot of her childhood in a hospital. it wasn't all bad though, since this is where she met her first friend! the npc Oreko represents this friend. she often snuck into Sabitsuki's room to keep her company and play with her. they'd keep each other up to date on stuff in and outside of the hospital! though, she didn't live long. Sabitsuki refuses to let go of her memories of her

her aunt did her best to give her as normal of a childhood as possible, but slowly struggled more and more to afford anything, really. she eventually gave up and got into sex work for money, but it wasn't enough. her mental health quickly fell apart. Sabitsuki resents her for this but also can't blame her either

as her aunt's life fell apart, Sabitsuki did her best to stay afloat as a teen, taking on a few jobs here and there to try to help. then she met Smile at school

she quickly grew attached to him and started depending on him instead, even joining the gang he was part of. she managed to blend in well enough despite her appearances, willing to help with any task she was given to keep her spot in the only place she felt like she belonged: in dark alleys with the strays

she felt safe with Smile and his sister. they were like a messed up little family to her

but of course, nothing good lasts forever! soon enough, other members started taking advantage of her, eventually resulting in Sabitsuki murdering one of them. she went to Smile for help, but he refused. his sister was his priority, and he didn't want to put her in danger. Sabitsuki didn't take this well, but he forced her out anyway

she quickly went into hiding after that to avoid punishment for killing another member, managing to find a shitty yet cheap apartment in another city, the same city the other 3 end up in too

aough jesus christ I'm done typing no more

[artofmyraid]

Hi hi! So my sibling and I got into a conversation about in stars and time, their super mentally drained starting school again, balancing life stuff and with the general exestinatlisim of in stars and time, sooooo...

... Good chance we will not continue for a long while, if ever.

(From here on, this is about to turn into a decently long ramble about in stars and time (spoiler free) , so yeah!)

So, on a related note, this line of thought brought up an interesting question. They were wondering why this game was harder on them mentally to play than omori. They just weren't sure why.

I mean, the thought process does make sense, omori leans waaaay more into the horror aspect , its placed in real life, and focuses on the extreme topics more than in stars and time does, so they weren't sure why in stars and time has been harder to play. (Despite this, they do absolutely love the game, even if they may not finish it)

Which got me thinking cause yeah, in stars and time emotionally destroyed me way more than omori did(/postive)

A decent amount of the especially heavy trigger warnings are optional for in stars and time while their required for omori. (Which is a part of why it hit harder, I think)

This led me to the conclusion that I had realized at the very start of the game, with the very first few conversations with the party members. It's the same moment I realized this game was going to be different from others. For me, at least

Which was that these characters are absurdly human. Their unique despite fitting into some classic tropes.

I don't typically have favorite characters, I'm often fairly neutral. Sure, I'll have guys I'll like more than others, but even that's rare for me. Similarly, I don't ever hate characters either.

And that's because their just that. These fictional guys are characters to me. Subconsciously, at least they don't really come off as human?

Which isn't really that big of a deal it's hard to write characters that come off as human, because humans naturally don't make much sense in general we're a complicated mess of personality, motivations and generally contradicting traits so yeah fair enough. It's really hard to articulate a persons being into writing, and even if you feel you have that, a lot of it can just get lost in translation?

Plus, even if they dont come off as human, they can still be fun and interesting characters for one reason or another, its not really a mark against other stories, but a positive tally for in stars and times writing.

ANYWAY! Got a little off track there. The reason in stars and time has become so special to me is the characters.

Omori is great, the story is good, and the characters are likable. It explores its topics well, in general. it's a good solid game. Don't mistake this as me being against the game, Omori is cool, I'd been interested in the game for years before it came out.

But the characters from in stars and time are just... written really well, the dialogue is fun and enjoyable, you get a good understanding of the dynamics right off the bat, and all the options and responses are fun. And you just learn so much about everyone.

I like to put it like this, most characters from the media I find I struggle to name their personality traits, maybe I'm just experiencing poor media, or im just clueless, but I find that it's really difficult to name personality traits, or summarize who they are outside of their stories or "roles".

And literally, within the first conversations with the party members, including siffrin, I just didn't have that problem... I loved them all instantly I could name traits despite knowing little about them, I even clocked a favorite character instantly and I can name my favorite characters from all media on one hand, even then I often don't decide a characters my favorite until reaaally experiencing the media, I might not even decide their my favorite because of the media provided!

And that's not really the fault of the media itself or even the writer of it, but in my eyes, it really is a testament to just how good in stars and time is. Loveable cast of characters that make the story hit super hard, even in the small moments.

So anyway, yeah, in stars and time is an incredible game that means a lot to me. The characters are just... exemplary, and they really make the story. Which just makes this game stand out to me when compared with the other things I enjoy.

Maybe it is just me that feels like that. Who knows! Either way, it's the reason that in stars and time has come to be so special to me. My reason why this game hits so hard when similar games haven't managed to hit the mark in quite the same way.

Goodness, I wonder if this made any sense to anyone other than me, I do not usually put my long ass personal ramblings in text posts. But my sibling seemed interested in me posting this, so i decided why not, lol.

TL;DR In stars and time has incredible writing, the characters are so human in ways that I just can't find in other media. The game has such a huge emotional impact, even more than other games, that have a bigger focus on similar topics or lean more into the horror of this kinda stuff.

Also, if you manage to stumble upon this and haven't played in stars and time, I'd REALLY suggest giving it a try. The anniversary is soon, too! (Make sure to read the games warnings, though)

[skylinx2o]

What’s your most favorite games

Geez, this is a hard question ; -; Because I like a lot of games to be honest...

So, the one I like the most at the moment is 'Corn Kidz 64' on switch. It's a retro styled platformer (not a coincidence, it will become pretty obvious I'm really into retro games). It's pretty silly, kinda difficult sometimes but to me at least pretty relaxing and engaging. The main character is a goat lol Tho, this game's humour might not be up everyone's alley :v

Other games I play most frequently on switch are Animal Crossing and Sky: Children of The light. Not much to say here, just cute cosy games to relax with.

Now let me think.... I played Oblivion a lot on my PC some time ago, tho, it was more messing around and exploring plus adding mods. I don't know, the storyline is interesting, but it's not my fault that then sights are so pretty for such an old game (even more so after I modded the hell out of it.) Plus the random things happening around the map make for some fun stories

I also played Sims quite a bit. Both the Sims 4 and 2, but I like 2 more because it has more subtle and cool details. I'd argue it's even more realistic than 4 despite older graphics. But even more than the main game, I like the spin-off for the Sims 2, the Sims castaway. Basically, the Sims 2 but you're stranded on a tropical island.

Oh, and just remembered! From more modern games, I really loved both Unravel games. It's another platformer, and it has gorgeous scenery! You play as yarn creatures in this one :3 It has no dialogue, and story is shown in scenes of memories that appear in the background as you play. And the stories are rather moving

As for mobile games, I think I liked the Cookie Run games the most. I played a lot of mobile games, but non aren't really that good. Pokémon Go and Pikmin Go are fun to Play from time to time, I guess, but I wouldn't call them my favourite.

I really liked the Rayman series a while ago, you can still find some old Rayman art on my Instagram account… But not so much now.

And I liked playing the old Counter Strike (is it called Counter Strike Source? Idk, I think it was even older version) but only with other people, and I have no one to play it with now.

There are a lot more games I like, but some are retro games, like all the classic survival horror games, and emulation can be tricky since, some of them never came to PC. So I haven't really played them… But I like a lot of retro-styled indie games like that, I should play them… I'm sure I'm forgetting some games, but that list would be too long anyway

Ah! How could I have forgotten! Lara Croft/Tomb Raider. This series was why I wanted to be an archaeologist (plans didn't work out tho.) I'm planning to buy the three first games for my switch, since they re-released it not long ago with some graphic improvements! :3

Oh, and one more game I feel like I'd really like would be Vintage Story. It has the look of Minecraft, but is more focused on survival and has some more complicated mechanics. Plus eldritch horror. And underground abandoned cities! My jam really - w-

[cytser]

i'm annoyed so you get a rin vent on a platform that doesn't have my face directly attached

i've seen so many posts both on twitter and tumblr recently guilting people for not posting about current events, and acting as if you're morally/ethically at fault if you're not actively posting about it. and i'm sorry, but are you hearing yourselves?

obviously, what is happening is extremely disturbing. there aren't words to describe the level of horror, so i'm not going to try to find them. i should think this goes without saying, but i'm going to say it just so we're clear that my post isn't coming from the angle of 'but who cares about what's happening?'

but you have absolutely no idea how people are impacted by what's happening. you have no idea what personal connection people may have. you have no idea the impact it may be having on their mental states, and when you act so dismissive and act like 'this is negatively impacting my mental health' is a privileged take, you show what you really think about mental health.

there are so many reasons why people may not feel able to talk about it! people may not be able to understand what's happening. people may have grown up in warzones. people may have delusions, obsessions, flashbacks, suicidal ideation triggered that they do not have a healthy way of managing.

and from a practical standpoint, what is the point in expecting everyone to burn themselves out? when people are burnt out, they lack an ability to critically examine what they're reading. with the amount of propaganda and mis/disinformation, it is extremely important right now for people to be taking time and care to consider what they're reading. insisting that people shout while burnt out just means that mis/disinformation is going to rule. who does that help?

'you're privileged to not be under threat of death!!' well, for a start you don't know everyone's personal situations. but beyond that, you guys know it isn't morally wrong to use one's privilege, right?

when this all started, it triggered my ocd so badly that for days straight i was compulsively checking the news and making myself more and more afraid and distressed. every person who i told, including my literal actual therapist, suggested i stop. so i did! and now i take my news from trusted friends (and a few select other reliable sources) and am trying very hard not to fall into another ocd spiral because with other things going on in my life as well i'm genuinely unsure if i'd survive

i'm glad if you've never reached a level of mental distress where you're concerned for your ability to keep yourself safe, but this is the reality that a lot of people are dealing with, and those people are also the one's most likely to think they're morally failing if they refuse to share every post they see

if you do have the energy to keep posting things, then obviously i encourage you to. but i also encourage you to be critical about what you share, to make sure you understand the history, to understand that everyone is spreading propaganda, and to seriously consider the bias held by the people who's voices you're sharing.

first- and second-person accounts are typically you're best bet, along with people who's jobs revolve around this (activists, journalists, politicians but be fucking careful there), as you can generally assume they know the history - but still be careful, make yourself aware of red flags, read the replies if you're worried because odds are someone will be providing more context there. sharing propaganda is not helpful, it just makes it harder for you to understand what's happening and how to help

part of why this is so difficult to talk about is because the levels of performative activism and just straight-up horrific things i've been seeing on my social media is way more than i've seen during other conflicts. it is very dificult to engage with without a good knowledge, and most people who are engaging do not have a good knowledge

i've had to unfollow so many people over the past couple of weeks because they've clearly been so poisoned from propaganda. it seems a lot of people care more about looking like 'good activists' than they do about actually being good activists

[daydreaming-scheming-demon]

i guess this isn't entirely related, since im not sure how much of this can really be called society's fault. but most of my own childhood was sitting inside all day playing video games and watching youtube videos. sometimes i wanted to go out, but there wasnt really anywhere for me to go. and the most exciting things to happen to me at school was maybe having time to do something on my laptop during lunch. walking to the store alone was one of the most exciting things i done outside my room. didnt have many friends to do anything with, either.

my adult life doesn't feel much different. only it's worse now. the place i live isn't very walkable, and there's nothing around to do anyway, and if there was i know it'd be too costly to do, and if it weren't i know i wouldnt have any friends to do it with. and i dont want a car because i know i couldnt afford it, or at least itd eat up enough money that i wouldnt have enough left for other things.

im an introvert and have always loved games, movies, shows, all the good shit found on the internet. i even look back at my childhood and feel nostalgia. remembering back when i used to play splatoon all day, the excitement i got out of the octo expansion for splatoon 2, discovering fnaf for the first time and getting scared because it was my first real horror thing. discovering undertale for the first time, that was a big one, loved undertale, really changed my perspective as a kid. playing minecraft all day, i still remember my very first minecraft experience and my 3 block high dirt house. and how i remade the fnaf maps in creative mode.

it's nice and nostalgic looking back, love it. but sometimes i get sad that none of those nostalgic memories include anyone besides myself, and that all of them were spent in my room.

in fact, thinking about it now, my childhood isn't much different than my adulthood. still in my room a whole lot, still watching youtube videos, still playing video games.

dont get me wrong, id love to go out. there's just not many places to go, and not any people to go places with.

im sure part of this is probably my own fault, or due to how i was raised, or the area i live in, or just plain bad luck. but it's just depressing sometimes. and it's depressing knowing that other young people didnt really live much of a childhood either, because i know then that it's definitely a problem with society, and a problem that's going to be difficult to change.

i still have hope for the future. or at least my own future. im not sure what im going to do, especially with the housing crisis here in australia. it's difficult to find a place for rent to begin with, and even more difficult to find an affordable place, and if im gonna dream of buying a home i might as well dream of riding a dragon while im at it.

it's all so bleak. it's even bleak for the ones who found success, let alone me. but i dont know, there's still an insane little part of me that still has hope. and still wants to try make things better. somehow.

Maybe this is the wrong platform to pose this question given the average tumblr user but

Is it just me or did our generation (those of is who are currently 20-30 ish) just not get the opportunity to be young in the 'standard' sense?

Like, everyone I talk to who's over 40 has all their wild stories about their teens and 20s, being young and dumb, and then I talk to my friends and coworkers and classmates, and we just... dont.

[sand-scourge]

just finished watching death note, wanted to write my thoughts. spoilers below (and i may also post spoilery things about the show in the future so if you dont wanna see that mute the death note tag)

i should preface this by saying i watched the english dub, i dont really know how different it is from watching it subbed but i guess it would be good to provide that context anyways.

good show. i havent really watched much anime in the past (the only anime ive seen prior to this are gregory horror show, scott pilgrim, and hoshi no kaabii), but i enjoyed this. i found a lot of stuff difficult to follow since there are a lot of rules and at times i wasnt sure who knew what about the investigation or properties of kira and the death note. this isnt really a fault of the show, it was just a lot for my lizard brain to handle.

my favorite characters were L, ryuk, and rem.

i found L to be a very compelling character as he is quite mysterious but also quite entertaining. i found him to be a great antagonist that the audience can root for and his strange mannerisms and deadpan deliveries made him really endearing. i think his mental warfare with light was the highlight of the show for me. i felt that near didnt really capture the same feeling for me with the exception of the climax.

i really like ryuk because hes for the most part just an observer who occasionally likes to fuck things up a little bit which i find very fun. his motive for starting the events of the show just being because he was kinda bored is extremely funny to me. unfortunately he became less prominent as things progressed but i dont think he needed to have too much of an active presence. i also thought the final scene with him talking to light was very well done.

rem originally didnt really stand out to me much but the more i saw of her the more i liked her. her death felt very inevitable and i saw it coming from a mile away, but it hurt all the same, not helped by the fact that L died at the same time. her story is really tragic but i also kind of find it weirdly beautiful for some reason. she fell in love for someone who she knew would never reciprocate these feelings and sacrificed her own life in hopes that the woman she loved could live a happy and long life. her sacrifice was in vein though with misa committing suicide in the end (or at least thats what i think was implied, i could be wrong). rem didnt even have anyone to mourn her death, she just died and that was it. all of it is really sad to me. she deserved better...

i think i preferred the first half or so over the second half. although the second half was good, it didnt really feel the same.

i dont really know why i felt the need to say all of this, but those are my thoughts.

[trpg-dingusmaster]

Ran my usual group through a 5e adventure while the usual gm needed a break.

I... shoukd have kept it more simple but I really wanted to use the interesting but not the best written alternate ending because I liked the extra challenge... so I had to come up with a different reason this thing would happen besides the-- idk because I said so-- kinda reason that was the as written situation because I was sure they'd be more critical of that than I was.

But I wasn't really able to reign in the group enough to... actually DO it so it came out very lack luster and like I gave up on the theme 1/2 way through. I guess at least my issue is consistent- I'm way too ambitious with the bullshit I wanna do. But I have learned at least some ways I can do this adventure better and was encouraged to try and run it at a convention.

The adventure as written was supposed to be a one shot, but we took like 4 sessions to get through it. But I feel like it was the right call to just let them all chit chat and derail, and let these sessions be way more... loose than usual. Though this wasnt cool with everyone nit thatbthey tried any to reign the group in either. I think 1 person actually just doesn't like how I gm tho and maybe his issue wasn't what I originally thought and another didn't appreciate the lack of structure I think she wanted to engage with the content more but was bored from the lack of structure, but everyone else I'm pretty sure had a decent enough time? And I think the group may have needed over all a few sessions of mostly chit chat but yeah maybe not 4.

But I shouldn't have tried to do the thing I wanted i think, or not the way that I did? Or been clear with the group- I want to have time to do this can arrange that? I dunno. But it wasn't bad by any means I just need learn to set better expectations for myself. I saw how they were kinda wanting things to go and I should have read into that better.

I'm glad im... I dunno having a better time gming. I know they're kind of aware how not very comfortable I am behind the screen because of vague "ive had not awesome and very disheartening experience" ( not really horror story material but like... solid blows to my confidence and self esteem never the less) and did take some blame for those things but... like... knowing half or so of the fault is mine doesn't really make it hurt less? It doesn't make it less difficult to deal with? So I appreciate they're patience with me.

I was also sick for 2 of the four sessions, I didn't tell them, I should have either told them and/or maybe not run? But I didn't wanna. I have some personal things going on and kinda needed the distraction.

It was good over all but I'm very much still my own worst enemy.