#it's just that i don't really like my tape design

[so-i-did-this-thing]

you may have already answered a question like this, but do you do anything with steampunk ? or even renaissance faires ? what is your opinion on steampunk, I feel like it would be right up your alley ! you'd make a dapper af steampunk costume, I have no doubt ♡ (also hi, love your vibes, hope you're hydrating)

Hmmmm. HMMMM.

I have some very complicated thoughts about Steampunk. Overall, the aesthetic is fun, but I get burnt out on seeing the same persona and visual tropes. One also really has to tread carefully with how they navigate the colonialism and capitalism of the source material, things that are baked into a lot of the design shorthand that's become popular over the years. (I think about this issue a lot as a polar exploration fan.)

I actually did think up a steampunk persona once upon a time, and it'd probably surprise folks -- not posh at all, nor really overlapping with my tweedy style. I'd be a black market information broker - think mobile card catalog and ticker tape machine - just a feral little man dealing in secrets of any kind. Sort of my pushback against all the gentleman explorers and airship captains.

Wrt rennfaires -- my partner is usually cast for 1 or more. Faires are more entertainment than education, but I have plans to do some historically inspired shitpost costumes at some point or another, ranging from a marginalia-sona to landsknecht in the extreme hotpants:

Because *someone* has gotta counterbalance all the cis dudes in their sandlars, trousers, and pirate hats.

I also want to do an accurate plague doctor, this kind of mask:

As you may be guessing now: when I stray out of my niche fandoms into something more mainstream, I tend to either to do my own thing, or do the popular thing, but go off-road.

I am partly like this because I don't like being compared to other cosplayers/costumers. So, you'll rarely find me in any "popular" fandom/subculture.

I hope that wasn't too disappointing an answer! My commitment to The Bit drives most of my approach to costume work, and I am very picky about what kind of Bit I do.

[bacchuschucklefuck]

and! barbarian!fig! its her

[kiwisoap]

How to Make Your Own Binder that Fits Well and Looks Good

A while back I was in need of some new binders and thought hey, I bet I can make one way cheaper than buying it from somewhere (especially cus some of the ones I’ve bought in the past didn’t really fit right). Except when I started looking for a binder patterns online, I was very surprised that I really… couldn’t find many that looked very nice lol. Most of them had really wrinkled necklines, or didn't bind well, or just overall looked weird. A lot of the patterns also required a serger, which I don't have.

So I just said fuck it and made my own pattern! And it ended up being relatively easy! And the binders fit REALLY WELL and are comfortable to wear, even for long periods. The neckline doesn't show under shirts with loose collars, and the bottom hem doesn't gap or stick out. Here's me wearing one:

(plus I was able to make myself 5 of them for a total of like ~$50.)

So I figured I could throw together a guide to help out anyone else who wanted to make their own binder but was dissatisfied with the patterns available!

Disclaimer: This tutorial is going to assume a baseline level of sewing experience, and also will require access to a sewing machine. It is not a complicated pattern, but it will most likely require some tweaking and adjustments after you make the first one. Don’t be afraid to make alterations to make it fit better!

This tutorial is for a gc2b-style half-tank binder. It could be altered to be a full-tank binder, but all instructions will be for the half-tank design.

Materials needed:

Stretchy fabric, probably listed as 'athletic fabric' (I use this kind from Joann’s. Most athletic stretch fabrics should work, look for around 80% nylon/20% spandex blends)

Stiff fabric (I use this shirting cotton because I like how lightweight it is. If you want something a little stiffer with more structure, you can use a cotton or cotton/poly blend twill like this. gc2b binders use twill for theirs.)

Lightweight fusible interfacing (I use this kind) (get FUSIBLE not sew-in)

Fusible webbing like Pellon Wonder-Web (this is technically optional but it WILL make your life easier when you’re sewing - just make sure to get the kind with the paper backing!!!)

“But kiwisoap thats 4 whole kinds of materials, surely I don’t need that many!” Ok sure, you can probably get by without the fusible web and interfacing, but consider: they are both dirt cheap (im talking like $1-2/yard), they will make it much easier to sew the final product, and will give you an overall better-looking result. This tutorial is written with the assumption that you’ll use them.

"How much fabric will I need?" Measure the circumference of your chest below your armpits. Add 6 inches just to be safe. This is the yardage of stretch fabric you’ll need, and should give you enough material to make at least 3 binders without much excess left over. You will need around half as much stiff fabric.

Other supplies:

Big Paper (for drawing the pattern)

Flexible measuring tape

Sewing machine

Iron

Pins

Step 1: Measuring

You will need 4 main measurements for this pattern.

A) Measure the circumference of your chest just below your armpits, then divide the number in half. This will be the widest part of the pattern.

B) Measure from the top of your shoulder down to where you want the binder to end. For most folks, this will usually be around the natural waist (narrowest part of the torso), about 3-6 inches above the belly button. This will be the overall height of the pattern.

C) Measure the distance from below your armpit to where you want the binder to end. This will determine where the arm hole starts.

D) Measure the circumference of your waist where you want the binder to end, then divide the number in half.

So for example, after dividing A and D in half, my measurements are 17", 15", 7", and 14.5".

Next:

Subtract one inch from measurement A - This will help provide some compression. You might need to take it in even further depending on how it fits, but one inch is a safe starting point. I take mine in around 1.5 inches.

Subtract half an inch from measurement D. This will help prevent the bottom edge of the binder from gapping. Again, you may need to take it in more or less, depending on your own body.

Add 1.5 inches to measurement B and one inch to measurement C. This is to account for the hems and armhole placement.

This makes my final measurements

A = 16"

B = 16.5"

C = 8"

D = 13.5"

From here on out, we are only going to be working with the measurements that we have added/subtracted to, NOT the ones we initially took.

Step 2: Drawing the Pattern

You will need a piece of paper large enough to accommodate the entire pattern. This may involve taping multiple pieces together, or using a piece of newsprint, etc.

I recommend folding the paper in half to ensure that you get a symmetrical pattern. However, this means you will need to divide measurements A and D in half again, or else you’ll end up with a pattern that’s twice as wide as it should be!

Also note: the pattern is drawn with the seam allowance built in! You don’t need to add any seam allowance.

To draw the pattern:

Begin with your folded paper. Measure and mark B and C on the paper, and draw a line extending across the paper. These will be your guidelines.

Measure and mark A and D along the middle and bottom guidelines, respectively. Remember, the paper is folded, so you only use half of the measurement for A and D.

Draw a loose curve connecting the endpoints of A and D. If needed, you can also just draw a straight line between the two.

Mark the opening for the neck hole. Depending on your size, it will measure around 6-8 inches across at the top (remember to divide this in half for the folded paper) and about 5-6.5 inches deep. (mine is 6.5" across and 5.5" deep) Draw a curve to connect the two points. This part will take some tweaking and adjusting to get it to look right lol.

Measure the width of the strap - this should be somewhere between 2.5 - 4 inches wide. They will end up about 1/2” to 3/4” narrower once you sew them. Draw the line at a slight angle, as shown.

Connect the endpoint of the strap to the endpoint of line A with a curve like in the diagram.

This will be the pattern for the front piece.

To make the back piece, trace the front pattern, but make a very shallow curve for the neckline instead of a steep one, as shown:

The last piece is the stiff front panel. This is what provides the flattening effect of the binder. To make the pattern, trace the front pattern again. Trim 3/8” in on the sleeves and neckline, and 3/4” to 1” along the bottom. This gives a flatter hem. Then trim the straps shorter by a few inches. This helps the binder lay flatter along the shoulders.

When you're done, you should have 3 pattern pieces that look approximately like this (stiff panel shown overlaid on the stretch fabric to show how it fits together).

NOTE: If you want more compression or just want to make it a bit sturdier, you can add a second panel of stretch fabric to the back piece. Just use the bottom half of the back pattern (from the widest part down to the bottom hem) to cut out another piece of stretch fabric. Attach it to the back piece with a strip of fusible webbing and a zig-zag stitch along the top.

Step 3: Putting It All Together

Once you’ve made the patterns and cut out the pieces of fabric, you should have something that looks like this:

The next step is adding interfacing and fusible webbing. Use your pattern to cut out 3/8" strips to fit on the top of the straps for both pieces, and to the neckline, sleeves, and bottom hem of the back piece, as shown:

If you want to add it to the bottom hem of the front piece, it will help keep that hem flat when sewing it down later, but it's not essential.

If you choose to also use fusible webbing (WHICH I RECOMMEND), you will apply it to the stiff front panel similarly to how the interfacing was applied, ~3/8” strips along the neckline, sleeves, and top of the straps. Cut out two strips for the neckline and sleeves, because we'll use those later too.

Iron the strips onto the front panel as shown:

Once it's on, just peel off the paper, position it webbing-side down on the stretch fabric, and iron it to fuse the two pieces together so everything stays in place while you sew. THIS MAKES IT WAY EASIER TO SEW.

After the stiff front panel is fused to the stretch fabric, you’ll sew the straps of the front and back pieces together, then join the pieces along the sides. Pin the hell out of it to keep everything in place -this type of material is VERY prone to puckering.

When sewing, USE A ZIGZAG STITCH. A straight stitch will NOT WORK for stretch fabric. I adjust mine to 1.3mm long and 3.5mm wide which has worked well. If your machine doesn’t let you adjust stitch length or width, well. That sucks, I don’t really have any advice.

After you sew the front and back pieces together, you can add more fusible webbing to the front panel to help hold the hem down flat and prevent it from puckering while you sew it. Just add the strip, peel the paper off, then fold the hem over and iron it down. This part isn’t really necessary, but it does make the hems look nicer. If nothing else, I would recommend adding it to the neckline.

After that, you just fold & pin all the hems and sew them up with a zigzag stitch, then go over the raw edge at the top of the stiff panel (where we cut the straps shorter).

And that’s it! You’re done! And now you can make your own binders whenever you want!

And hey! If you used this tutorial and wanna throw me a dollar or two on ko-fi, I wouldn't complain.

[spacegyaru]

DON'T LOOK AT IT!

your phone got lost for some reasons. the following day, the sex tape you made with your boyfriend (shidou, kaiser, sae, and bachira) was all around the internet. how would they react?

cw: r18+, mdni! mentions of sex tape and implied sex. humiliation. somewhat angst and comfort. a little bit toxic, esp shidou and kaiser's.

a/n: i'm going to start this with characters who are most likely to have sex tapes first then i'll add other characters!!

masterlist | part 2 (reo, nagi, hiyori, otoya, yukimiya) | part 3 (rin, isagi, chigiri)

shidou ryusei

this guy is a fucking freak. in your relationship with him, every intimate and lovemaking session must be recorded. he would watch it from time to time, and he may have even threatened you a lot of times that if you decided to cheat or leave him, he's going to post those videos online. that guy is 100% shameless.

if your sex tape with him goes viral, shidou would absolutely give zero fucks about it. he would be even smug and confident. even if you feel sad and humiliated, he's just going to make fun of you but would try to comfort you with hugs and kisses… and another lovemaking session together. this time, no cameras on. only for a while, until the issue dies down.

“awww, don't you want people to see how much of a dirty girl you are? you're even moaning my name loudly while i drill you from behind. or are you ashamed of you belong to?”

michael kaiser

another freak who won't give a a fuck about it. like shidou, he would act smug and proud about it.

his management told him that he could lose potential sponsors with that video alone. but he know that he's one of the best players so they couldn't just drop him like that. and apparently, he's actually right. he almost fired his secretary for telling him what to do.

if you feel humiliated, kaiser would try to comfort you. but his way to comfort you is not by words, not even by affection. he would shower you with gifts and designer bags, even with the management telling you to stay apart first until the issue dies down. he honestly don't get it. why do you feel ashamed with letting the whole world know who you belong to?

“what do you mean you feel ashamed? you were fucking me, michael kaiser. i'm no nobody. come on, let me just take you on a shopping spree and get this off your mind.”

bachira meguru

another freak, but also a sweetheart. not all, but MOST of your lovemaking sessions and intimate encounters are recorded using your phone. whenever he's away or on tour, he would watch it and touch himself at the thought of you. when you told him that your phone got lost, you were the only one panicking. he told you that he could just buy you a new one, but that's not what you're concerned about. the videos. THE FUCKING VIDEOS. LITERALLY. FUCKING.

then days later, one of your videos with him went viral. you've never felt so humiliated your whole life. but bachira was just like “huh? what's wrong with that? people already know we're together, right?” you smacked his shoulder with that insensitive comment of his.

hours later, bachira apologized to you, bought you flowers, and ice cream to comfort you. he realized that he did something wrong when you avoided him for being so clueless and insensitive about the issue. he also posted an apology to the social media, after his management and his own mother scolded him. he got extra scolding from his mom when he told her how you responded to it.

“y/n baby, i'm really sorry about it. i thought it would be alright because the whole world already knew how much we love each other. would you forgive me, please?”

itoshi sae

not that much of a freak, but you were the one who brought up the idea of making a video together so he could watch it while he's away. he’s not that much of a fun but would do it just once or twice during your relationship.

when the video went viral, sae mostly scolded you for it. he didn't outwardly ‘scold scold’ you, but he gave you cold shoulder. apparently, his management told him that you guys shouldn't be seen together in public for a while. he knew he couldn't resist if ever he talked to you even nicely.

you started crying because he really acted coldly around you. he sighed and felt guilty about it. so while the issue hasn't died down yet, he took you out for a shopping spree. he bought you some cartier jewelry and new designer shoes.

“jeez, stop being dramatic. we're going out tonight and i'll take you to buy that designer shoes you've been eyeing. but we're never recording any of our sex again, okay?”

a/n: comment down which character should i do next!! i'm thinking of hiori but idk, suggest more pls!!!

[puddinrin]

IDIOTS EVERYWHERE! >TEAM THANOS X F!READER

summary: being the babysitter of literal grown men with your gorgeous wife se-mi

pairings: se-mi x f!reader (wlw because we all wanna be her bitch), platonic! thanos, nam gyu, min su & gyeong su x f!reader

warnings: man children

a/n: (name) is a fashion designer!

part one: lady boss! here

literal man child. all of them.

you think min su at least is more responsible than the other three

but no, boy can literally be utterly clueless sometimes

namgyu at 11.40 am

min su ask lady boss if we could bring allen into the apartment

dw u cute she wont get mad at u

"(name), nam gyu asked if they could bring the german shepherd from downstairs into the apartment." min-su asked, looking up from his phone after reading the message that was sent to him.

"sure. tell them to get its dog certificate from the owner and it can sleep in my room too." you replied, full of sarcasm as you and se-mi, who let out a snicker at that - prepare the coffee table for lunch.

min-su perked up, shocked that you agreed without any arguments. "really?!" you looked at him, baffled, searching for any signs he realised that you were just being sarcastic.

spoiler alert, he didn't. god bless this man and your patience.

thanos has a habit of holding the handle of your bag when going through a crowd

his brain shut down at random times

so he needs you or nam gyu or anyone else to make sure he don't face plant into a pole or smth

while nam gyu holds you by the back of your neck while he walks behind you

leading you to wherever you guys are going

you and se-mi love to spite the others by being lovey dovey with each other

can't help with how se-mi can't keep her hands to herself too

while you walk with the others, she has a hand on your waist or hip, keeping you close to her

she love holding your hands too

keeping your intertwined hands in the pocket of her black leather coat when it's cold outside.

"your hands so cold, baby." se-mi frowned as she held your hands, caressing your skin. she then intertwined your fingers together before putting it in the pocket of her black coat.

you smiled giddily as you couldn't help but feel flustered from her action. "let's get some warm soup later, the one you like." she suggested, rubbing your knuckles with her thumb.

"okay." you nodded, before holding her arm with your other hand, hugging it.

from behind, nam gyu dramatically gagged at the scene in front of him. "gosh, couples."

thanos groaned, slinging his arm around min-su's shoulder, pulling him to his side. "min-su, cutie. come on, hold my hand too."

"i refuse." he replied, trying to push him away.

you have to hold back se-mi from killing them

however, se-mi doesn't bother holding you back from jumping them whenever they get on your last nerve

she encourages you to send them to hell and have the devil personally give them a tour of it

especially when you're taking measurements for their outfits

"su bong, hold still!" you groaned, smacking his stomach. he let out a playful 'ow', holding his stomach dramatically. "so fierce, senorita."

nam gyu chuckled as he watched the scene before him, snacking on a bag of lays chips.

"don't blame me if your pants drop in the middle of your performances because i couldn't get the right measurement." you threatened lightly, circling the measuring tape around his hips.

thanos gasped, grinning as he clapped his hands. "the fans would love that, wouldn't they?!"

gyeong-su cackled, looking through the designs of outfit that you had planned for them on your ipad. "nah, you would blow up on X."

nam gyu laughed, brushing his hands against each other to get rid of any chips dust. "that would be great publicity for black stones wouldn't that?"

"oh my god, no one wants to see your weeny, choi su bong!"

se-mi didn't have to hold you back from killing them

but she had to hold you back from strangling yourself with the measuring tape hanging around your neck

they love taking pictures of you

they your personal paparazzi

especially thanos, nam gyu and se-mi

it could range from you looking like an utter goddess that graced the world to the most mememable picture of you.

their birthday posts and instagram stories of you is whole rollercoaster ride

> thanostone4u

liked by semilw, gyeongsuuue and 23k others

thanostone4u happy birthday to my highness

> thanostone4u's story

caption: came to support us or to make yourself at home?

> namgyu124's story

caption: girl complains i don't take enough candid pics of her 😒

> namgyu124's story

caption: she's missin slippers bcs girl threw them at me

> semilw

liked by namgyu194, minsublackstone, blackstoneofficial and 18k others

semilw my princess

> semilw's story

caption: she amazes me everyday

[copperbadge]

Recently I ran across an article about an art center that was doing creative expression classes for people with disabilities. Not that unusual, I've encountered that and trauma-oriented art therapy before, but it was the first time I'd come across the idea since getting diagnosed with ADHD. While the class was aimed more at high-needs disabilities, it occurred to me that I could -- if I wanted -- make non-prose art about being disabled.

Outside of my work in scene design I've never been much of a visual artist because I've never felt I had the combination of "something to say" and "a meaningful way to say it", but I started to question how meaningful and complex I really had to be to just make some statements about having ADHD. I can do it in prose, after all.

So I started thinking about how you would talk, in visual language, about things like time blindness, shame stemming from undiagnosed disability, the shift in behavior that medication can induce. Ways to express my condition to people who don't experience it. I still didn't really know how to build the pieces but whenever I went to an art museum I'd think about how I might do a gallery installation. The centerpiece of my mental gallery was a pair of barcodes, one marked "Neurotypical" and one marked "Neurodivergent".

[ID: An interior view of a small booklet, with pages marked 1 and 2, showing barcodes -- on the left, labeled Neurotypical, and on the right, in slightly weirder configuration, labeled Neurodivergent.]

And then I thought, why not make a zine? Nothing you're thinking of couldn't be put in zine form instead of on a gallery wall.

[ID: The booklet continues to pages 3 and 4; on page 3 is a postage-style label reading AUTISM with up arrows on either side, and on page 4 is a QR code labeled ADHD. The QR code technically should work but it just dumps a block of text I wrote about having ADHD into a browser.]

I grew up with zine culture in the 90s and I always wanted to make one but much like with visual art, I never felt like I had the right kind of thing to say; either I had too much to say or too little, and anyway I wasn't confident that what I wanted to do wouldn't just come off as trite and obvious. But you can make a six-page zine out of a single sheet of paper, so I did: I made Helpful Labels For Strange Brains by idab zines, a division of Extribulum Press. (i--dab is a term for a cuneiform tablet that contains a royal communication.)

[ID: The last two pages feature the same image -- a cereal bowl with a spoon in it, the spoon containing a single Adderall pill. One image, however, is captioned "Wake up. Pour yourself a cup of iced coffee. Fix a bowl of cereal. It's going to be a good day." while the other is covered in a detailed ADHD-style step-by-step process for the same actions, culminating in "It's going to be a day like that."]

I'm pretty pleased with how it came out -- the art all looks intentional and it still has that "taped this together after school" aesthetic I remember fondly from the 90s. And the confines of six pages, each only a few inches square, offers a good structure to keep things clear, simple, and meaningful.

[ID: The cover of the zine, labeled "Helpful Labels For Strange Brains" in a kind of esoteric stampy font.]

Especially nice is that if you wanted to you could just hand out the flat sheet, and let folks fold it into a booklet or not -- there's instructions for folding it on the back of the zine. Additionally I have some sticker backed printer paper so I could print it such that you could literally turn the labels into real labels.

Anyway if you want it, here ya go. You can print it on a single sheet of paper and follow the instructions on the back to fold it. I thought about selling it but I do not have the spoons to do a bunch of printing and folding and shipping.

[banananutmuffin28]

Don't Go (I'll Stop You Before You Do)

Pairing: Se-mi x GN! Reader | Player 380 x GN! Reader

Synopsis: There's a glint of steel in the far right corner. The lights flicker on and off, but you manage to catch a glimpse of Se-Mi's face as hands wrap around her throat, as the weapon sinks into her skin.

She screams, and you run.

A/N: I wrote this on a whim! So sorry if my writing is a little subpar here, I was SO eager to get it out! I tried my best, though! (I love Se-Mi so much it hurts).

A man twice your size walks up to you, his face twisted into a ghoulish smile. You take a step back, eyes trained on the fork in his tight fists.

You try not to focus on the blood that oozed from the tip.

The lights flicker on for just a split second, illuminating his bared, yellow teeth.

He was a large, brawny thing. Muscles bulged from his bloody tracker, and he had to bend over slightly to meet your gaze. His hair was slicken with sweat--he was covered in it, really. It trailed down his veiny neck, past a tattoo of a design you couldn't quite make out, and fell onto your shoulder.

You bit back a scream.

He leaned back, amused at your expression. He didn't seem to care about the contestants fighting behind him, rather, it seemed as if he relished in it.

Lazily, he tapped the tag taped to your tracker.

"You really shouldn't have picked X if you didn't want to get hurt," He drawled. "In fact..."

The man stepped back, and continued talking, though you soon drowned out his words. Instead. you flickered your eyes around you, trying to devise a plan to escape his clutch. You couldn't stay here. You had to make sure that she's okay. You had to-

Pain exploded in your cheek.

With a gasp, you scramble backward, wincing when your back collided with the cold steel wall. Hot, sharp pain stung your right cheek and tears pooled in the corners of your eyes.

The man leaned in, trailing his fork on your neck.

"You listen to me when I talk to you, you hear?"

Hate broiled within you, and your face curled into a sneer. You shift your body to the side, hands pushing his fork back as you knee him in the crotch.

"Go fuck yourself."

The man howled, his legs buckling beneath him. He ripped his hand away from your grasp and swung his fork around wildly.

"Why you little-"

A burst of pain escaped from your shoulder, making you scream in agony. The man wedged the weapon deeper into your flesh, twisting and turning until you collapsed onto the floor.

Meaty fists plummeted against your skull again and again, each new crunch spiraling you further and further into the depths of unconsciousness.

Desperately, you roll to the side and begin wrenching the fork from his hands, fighting to keep your eyes open.

This was your only chance. You couldn't overpower him, and you can't let yourself die while Se-Mi's fate was still left unknown. You had to go to her no matter what.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but you slammed your head against his before any words could escape.

His grip loosened ever so slightly, letting you pry the fork from his hands.

Quickly, you begin stabbing the weapon into his neck, his face--anywhere that looked important.

Soon, blood was pouring from his wounds and his movements grew sluggish. The metallic liquid permeated every one of your senses, and you were afraid it would brand itself into your very soul. With a final stab, the man fell to the floor and didn't get back up. You let out a shaky sigh and crawled away from the man.

Fearfully, you looked around.

Everything felt like it was...more muted, as if you were merely a fish watching the chaos unfold from below. Your head hurt like hell, and each breath you took didn't seem to give quite as much air as it should. The wound in your shoulder was something else entirely, choosing to make itself known with every little movement you made.

Quickly, you tear a piece of cloth from the limp man and wrapped it around the wound.

Like hell were you going to bleed out now.

You look around the room, gripping the utensil with so much force that you were surprised it didn't crumble in your hands.

Where the fuck is Se-Mi?

You let out a breath and scrambled in the direction of her bunk. You supposed you were somewhat fortunate that the man ambushed you in bed, as you didn't need as much sight to devise where she was.

The further you ran, the harder fear gripped your heart. Fallen bodies lay strewn across the floor, accompanying equally as many splotches of blood.

What if one of them is her?

You shove that thought to the furthest corner of your mind.

No, Se-Mi was one of the strongest women you knew. She wouldn't let someone kill her so easily. And, she had Min-Su to protect her!

Right?

When you reached her corner of the bunk beds, you looked around wildly.

Men and women alike grappled against each other, too busy in their own fights to pay you any mind. An elderly man was clubbing his opponent with a metal pipe, a woman was slamming her own against the floor, while another group entirely cornered a lone contestant.

"Se-Mi!" You scream, loud enough to make your sore vocal cords hate you. "Where the hell are you?"

There was no answer.

"Fuck, Se-Mi, please!" You yell.

Suddenly, it was getting harder to breathe, to see. You didn't know if it was due to the lack of blood or the stupid flighty panic pounding in your chest, but whatever it was it was sapping the strength away from your legs and rendering your ability to stand upright near impossible.

A flash of Se-Mi's bloody face appeared in your mind, almost mockingly. Above her stood Thanos and his lackey, drenched in her blood and grinning from ear to ear.

No, no, no-

You can't let that happen. You won't.

Se-Mi was the only light you still hand in this damned tunnel of the world. You couldn't fail her, not now.

You had to-

And, just then, you hear something that makes your heart drop.

It was your name, whispered oh so softly that you were afraid you had imagined it. But then, you hear it again and again, and soon you were running towards the voice, uncaring of who you pushed past.

You glared into the darkness, as if your gaze could part away the dimness to reveal your beloved. If you could see just a little further, then maybe you could spot her and kill whatever bastard was hurting her.

Panting, you stop for a moment and crane your gaze to the right and-

There's a glint of steel in the far right corner. The lights flicker on and off, but you catch a glimpse of Se-Mi's face as hands wrap around her throat, as the weapon sinks into her skin.

She screams, and you run.

You run faster than you thought you were ever capable of. Your surroundings blur, the screams of the others become muffled, and in your mind it was just you, Se-Mi, and the man who was stabbing something into her jugular.

"Get off of her you asshole!" You hiss, hooking your arms around his armpits and pulling him back. In the corner of your eye, you see Se-Mi yank herself away from the (fork? glass shard? You couldn't quite tell) object and sink into the floor.

Angrily, Nam-gyu whips his head towards you and sneers. "Why, if it isn't Se-Mi's little bitch. I'm surprised you didn't come running to her aid the second I plunged that shard into her. Thought you were lying dead in a pool of blood or some shit." Hastily, he yanks your head back. "After all, you wouldn't ever abandon your master, now would you?"

"Just shut up, you asshole," You spat out, and slammed your fork onto his chest. He moved away at the last second, letting the weapon swing in the air instead.

You let out a curse as you begin to lose balance, but turn your body to the side just enough to lock his neck in your elbow. You lean against one of the pillars holding the mattresses upright and begin to squeeze, cutting his airflow.

The sight of his panicked eyes made you smirk.

"And you're one to talk," You spat out, pulling his hair to slam his head against the metal beam. "You've been following Thanos around like a lost fucking dog. I'm surprised you can make decisions without him around."

You pause, and take a quick glance around the room.

"Where the hell is he, anyway?"

There's a sharp intake of breath as Nam-gyu stills.

And then he bites your shoulder.

Swallowing back a sob, you release your hold on his neck and step backward. Whatever small blood clot that managed to form breaks, allowing the dam to break loose. Nam-gyu pushes you onto the floor, voice cracking as he kicks your ribs.

"He's fucking dead! Your side fucking killed him!"

His hands grab your collar, and he pulls you close enough for you to see the veins bulging out of his neck.

"And now, I'm going to kill you too--"

Nam-gyu doesn't get to finish his sentence.

What were once words instead turns into choked gurgles. Blood spills from his mouth, and his eyes roll back into his skull. A thick glass shard protrudes from his throat, deep enough that you knew he was a dead man walking. Another, smaller shard soon follows, spraying you with his blood.

Before long, his limp body was thrown to the side, and his filthy presence was instead replaced with a comforting one.

Se-Mi nuzzled her face into the crook of your neck, breathing shallowly. Her arms wrapped around your waist, and though your ribs and shoulder screamed in protest, you couldn't bring yourself to pull her away.

"...Thank you," She murmured, and you melted into her touch.

"It's nothing, really," You say, suddenly feeling bashful.

"No, it was everything." Se-Mi pulled away to look at you, cupping your face in her hand. "I would've died if it wasn't for you."

"What about Min-Su?" You furrow your brows, looking around. "Where is he?"

Se-Mi let out a shaky sigh, stilling in your embrace.

"It...doesn't matter."

"But it does! Why the hell would he--"

Se-Mi gently flicked your forehead, rendering your brain momentarily speechless. "Hush now," She whispered, arms bringing you close to her once more. "All that matters now is keeping you and I safe. You're bleeding."

Delicately, she rips a chunk of her tracker to use as a make-shift band-aid, tying it around your shoulder and knotting it twice. Then, she pulls you to a safe corner of the room and begins fussing over cuts you don't remember getting.

Basking in her attention, you turn your gaze to her neck and cup the wound. Though the bleeding had stopped, the size and brutality of the wound made your heart ache. It was long and ugly, like someone had taken a miniature saw and brandished it against her jugular.

Worry wormed its way into your heart.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt too much when you move?"

"I'm fine--"

"No, you are not!" Frowning, you break from her hold and press a kiss to her neck. Your gaze turns downward, noticing a gash on her leg. "You really shouldn't ignore your own needs, Se-Mi."

Protectively, you wipe the blood away from her calf and kiss her nose.

"I'm your partner, Se-Mi. We promised to protect each other, okay?"

Se-Mi smiles, and leans into your touch. She places a hand in your hair and kisses you softly. You whine and kiss her back, savoring the sweet taste of her lips.

"I know, I'm sorry" She whispers when the two of you pull away at last. "I love you."

With a smile, you intertwine your hand in hers.

"I love you too."

You didn't know what hellish nightmare would happen tomorrow, but what you knew for certain was that you would face it with her, together.

[helslastangel]

I'm back bxtches

Random Observations #9

Y'all still need the disclaimer or will reason prevail?

🦂 Scorpio Mars are POWERHOUSES in my not-so-humble opinion. If you are prone to procrastination, especially in your career or as an entrepreneur, Aries Mars might hype you up but a Scorpio Mars (esp in 10H) is gonna make damn sure you finish your to-do list.

I had a friend with this placement and she literally bribed me with weed to come to her house, then she took my phone and house keys and made me sit and finish designing my business cards and send them to Vistaprint before she'd give my damn keys back. Made over $5K USD from my next few clients though so I wasn't even mad about it lol

🦀 I don't care what the astrology girls like to say - my observations of Cancer moons is that they are FORGIVING AF. Like it takes a lot for a Cancer moon to be really done with you and chances are you're more wrong than they are.

Cancer moons come off as manipulative to a lot of people. But when you actually dig below the surface, you'll notice this common thread where people who aren't good at seeing other people's points of view unless they need something immediately project that attitude onto people who genuinely give a shit.

Obviously there are evil Cancer moons and they're extra terrifying for the above reason, but they're the minority and the slander is unnecessary imo. The people who have literally put up with my WORST behavior the longest and genuinely dropped it after a good open conversation were all Cancer moons.

👬 Which leads me to another interesting astro trope I'd like to kick over right about now. Gemini moons. Love them but in my experience they are usually what people think Cancer moons are. Gemini moons, from my observation, don't soak up as much, if any, of other peoples' energies. They're gonna keep it moving emotionally regardless of how you wanna be in the moment. That means they can easily smile with you for years if that's the path of least resistance, but that does NOT mean they particularly like, care about or think highly of you at all. They MIGHT, but you will NOT know unless they want you to know or you somehow trigger them enough to rip the black tape off the redacted parts of their mental file on you.

If you're someone who is used to everything being totally transparent and straightforward, you're in for a wild ride with a Gemini moon in your life. I've had quite a few as friends or coworkers, etc., and I promise without fail there always came the day where I ended up wiping tears of laughter from my eyes, feet up on my desk, twiddling my thumbs listening to the 11-minute voice note from the latest Gemini moon in my life. Pretty much telling me in no uncertain terms exactly what they thought of me, where I should go, why, and how happy they would be to direct me there personally.

As a Capricorn moon, I never have the kind of reaction they'd like to this but it's always interesting to see the abrupt change as they can literally seem perfectly cool 3 minutes before the other twin takes over. I don't even think it's a good or bad thing, just how it goes.

Cancer moons seem this way but chances are you chose to ignore the VERY OBVIOUS SIGNS THAT SOMETHING (probably everything) was wrong, lol. Cancer moons can't hide their feelings for shit (reason #101 why I love them; it's easier for me to fix a problem if i can quickly see there is one 😂).

🦁 Let's change tracks and talk about Leo mercuries for a minute. Y'all get your inside and outside voices mixed up a LOT, lol. Every Leo mercury I know had trouble speaking quietly in quiet-appropriate situations but then catch them outside trying to get their friends attention at the other side of the street and suddenly it's like Tom got their tongue and tossed it to Jerry. Can barely get a sound out. Why is that? I know it wouldn't be all Leo mercuries but for those who experience this, please tell me what it is, I'm genuinely curious lol. As a Libra mercury I kinda have a similar problem. On another note, I've noticed that Leo mercuries can be highly persuasive people even if solely because of the amount of power and confidence they put behind the things they say.

My ex-husband has Leo Mercury at 24° (Pisces degree) and I promise you that man could make you believe anything against your will 😂 One time he was trying to get out of having to go to a friend's event and rather than just decline like a normal person, he crafted this masterpiece of an excuse that somehow involved me needing his attention (I had been on the couch under his arm half the day so no lol) but the way he spoke on the phone?

I swear to God even I caught myself nodding along all like "yeah, yes I did feel a bit neglected today and wanted more time with babe"... 😂😂😂 like NO TF I DID NOT FEEL NEGLECTED AT ALL but I got second-hand convinced lol. And yes he was loud when I or his friends were 12 inches away but couldn't raise his voice for shit to order through the drive-thru at McDonald's lol it was cute, though, I'd do the yelling into the intercom thing 😂

🐟 Lemme say this about Pisces suns - you are very underrated, from my observations. I've noticed Pisces suns in particular struggle with one of two major issues when it comes to others' perceptions of them - either people seem compelled to minimize/infantilize their contributions and achievements, or people fail to notice they exist altogether (or forget about them easily). I've always held my Pisces sun friends close for as long as I could and hyped them up because nearly every Pisces sun I've met has been incredibly talented and usually creative in some way. I'm talking genius levels of ability in some area that goes completely overlooked or undervalued by the majority of people in their circles.

These are the people who you vaguely notice as the cool server, hot bartender, friendly delivery guy, helpful sales associate, only for you to run into them somewhere else and you find out they run a whole personal training business or play 6 instruments perfectly and give lessons to kids, or taught themselves professional photography and have a camera in their bedroom worth more than your savings account. I've met so many Pisces suns who seemed to be one way and then there were so many layers to them that it was like reading an interactive novel.

That's what was on my mind for now, drop your favorite placement from your own chart in the comments, I'll compile them for random observations #10 😘

[r-n-w]

I miss Tumblr and then I remembered it was still here and missing it wasn't strictly necessary so I decided why not just post?!

So today I wanna show you one of my DnD journals that is and will forever be unfinished and mildly scrappy. I don't journal every single time I play so the notes don't always make sense but it's something nice to do when I'm playing over Discord and need to keep my hands busy!

Without further ado, the journal of Crusty Pebble, a weird rocky goblin who won't stop blowing his obnoxious little horn:

Medium effort first page with a print of an old map I had leftover from a photoshoot. I've just realised it says CHINA in prominent letters right at the top. This wasn't a campaign in China, it's set in the fantasy land of Hemelin in an evil city called Dragonspring. Ah well. It's a cool oldy looking map there for the vibes. I love the washi tape border, it's such a cool design!

One of the inventory pages - we constantly used the Portable Hole as extra storage. At one point a bunch of the party's pets got petrified and without an immediate means of rectifying their state, we threw them in the portable hole for safe keeping, and they remained there for a good 10 sessions!

Max effort spread! Back at session 2 when I had all the intentions of being this peak for every session going forward. Spoiler: I managed five and a half spreads over the course of two years with fornightly sessions. But it's ok! No one is grading this :')

When will my obsession with stamp stickers end?? They're eternally CUTE.

Another fun spread, though it seems I forgot to draw a map of the Drua Garden... I love the earthy tones going on here - fitting for a session set under the ground in a druid grove!

Inexplicable MAX MAX EFFORT going on here, I guess I was really feeling green that day! I remember stepping back from this with a "what have I done..." feeling, but looking back on it now, it's really fun! And loads of these open up to reveal random information, check it out:

It's all from these sort of underground spa caves we visited for a pampering DnD session. We don't always treat the plot with a lot of urgency....

Who doesn't love a shopping episode!!! This is the one where we all got our aforementioned pets - a pack of Drakehounds (dragon-based pups). We all gave them B names like Burger, Bongle and Bungeon. I immediately sent Bungeon into battle where he was subsequently petrified by a basilisk and it took me over 10 sessions to rectify that mistake, and now he remains at the back of every fight because he must now be protected at all costs <3

Aw, lil Bungeon.

Thanks for checking out my journal! A lot of the stuff I used is stuff I make for my shop like journals, stickers, etc, which you can check out here.

More importantly though, if you wanna take a look at my other journals leave me a note and I'll do some more tours!

<3

[renai-fr]

Perler Flight Banners!

Made the first of these when I made the flight flags a bit back (my flight, Light), and figured it was a good time to make the rest of the flight banners and share the designs! To the best of my ability, they're also to scale with each other, so I think they'd look pretty good if you wanted to make the whole set and put 'em on your wall or something.

Sort of also for Dergtober's first prompt ("Flight"), but uh, ran into that thing with trad media where sometimes you run out of materials, ha! This is also why they're mostly not fused (Ice and Water share most of their mid/light blue beads, for example).

(Crafting info after the break!)

First off, all of these are either 17x34 or 19x34 (these squares are 17x17 on their own). They fit fine on the larger squares, but my big squares happen to all be either bright red or bright yellow, and don't show off the colors very well. They almost all use transparent beads for structural reasons- if you want to cross-stitch these, the transparent beads are fine to ignore! I was just making them so they could theoretically hang on a wall.

Colors used (my best guess, not gospel! I get most of my beads from kits/mixed bags, and they don't always list the color names :/ )

Light: Cream/Créme, Yellow, Cheddar, Transparent

Lightning: Copper (metallic), Robin's Egg, Parrot Green, Glitter Blue, Turquoise, Transparent

Fire: Black, Cherry, Orange, Cheddar, Neon Orange, Transparent

Arcane: Pearl Pink, Cheddar, Raspberry, Pink, Light Pink

Plague: Red, Cherry, Raspberry*, Pewter, Brown, Kiwi Lime

Earth: Brown, Light Brown, Pewter, Dark Gray

Ice: Robin's Egg, Pastel Blue, Gray, Dark Gray, Toothpaste, Light Blue

Shadow: Pastel Lavender, Purple, Dark Gray, Pewter, Toothpaste, Transparent

Wind: Kiwi Lime, Dark Green, Bright Green, Yellow, Rust, Red, Transparent

Water: Denim, Turquoise, Pastel Blue, Parrot Green, Teal, White, Marshmallow, Pastel Yellow, Transparent

Nature: Olive, Bright Green, Kiwi Lime, Dark Green, Marshmallow, Cream/Créme, Transparent

(* I used Raspberry on Plague's flag because I ran out of Cranberry. Cranberry looks WAY better, but like... mismatched didn't work at all. I highly suggest using Cranberry in place of Raspberry in all places it occurs on the design!)

Another color note- when you fuse metallic beads, the shiny stuff makes a lil halo around the bead's center hole. For Lightning, since they have wires/chains on their banner/support, I figured it would work fine, but you could swap the Copper beads out for Rust and it would look good enough, I think. You do lose the shiny factor doing that, though.

A couple of these extend off of the side of the boards; better to use a bigger board for them if you have one (or like, if you have a third 17x17, sticking it to the side of the others and scooting the entire design over a peg would also work!)

As is very visible on the Light banner, it's really easy to get a faulty fuse where the boards meet. The trick where you put masking tape/painter's tape on the back of the beads before ironing (the OTHER side, and then take the tape off to iron its side, to be clear) helps a lot on multi-board fuses. You don't have to poke holes in the tape, but I find that doing so with a ballpoint pen or what have you can help a lot with keeping the beads from moving around, etc.

Happy crafting- if you end up making any of these, please ping me (or um, whatever I'm supposed to call it... still don't quite know how this site works) so I can see!

[sapphicides]

call me crazy or gay but i genuinely think the writers, directors, and hell, even the actors knew what they were doing when it came to how they portrayed shauna and jackie's relationship in the pilot. watching it for the first time, i went in completely blind, with no exposure to the fandom, the ships, or anything beyond the core premise of "a group of teenage girls get stuck in a nightmarish lord of the flies/lost scenario after a plane crash and do crazy shit to survive." i fully anticipated any romance in this show, if at all, to be straight. yet i still saw how they established shauna and jackie and immediately thought "my god, these bitches are gay"

from the very first scene we see of jackie (almost) by herself being her faking an orgasm with jeff, clearly implying that she's disinterested in her own boyfriend, to the very first scene we see of shauna and jackie alone together starting with this rom-com esque image of jackie stepping out of her house while music plays in the background and shauna goes from resting bitch face to all smiles

from the longing stares they give each other in their school gym, to shauna responding to tai's "freeze allie out" proposal simply with, "jackie wouldn't like it"

from the scene of shauna dressing with jackie in her room before the party, her snapping at jackie when she merely suggests that shauna sleep with randy and jackie looking genuinely hurt and apologetic by it, to the infamous party scene where shauna looks on at jackie and jeff longingly– except, she's only really looking at jackie, because the entire shot is framed around jackie. for the majority of that scene, jeff is barely even in frame, a faded blur in the background, until he puts his arms around jackie and physically puts himself in shauna's line of vision

the way she immediately takes a pained sip of her beer after

the way she turns around to randy flirting with her, only to turn away with a look of disgust on her face (just like how jackie looked disgusted during jeff's attempt at getting her off)

the way she can't pull her eyes off jackie even when jeff is dropping them off, even when she knows she's about to fuck her boyfriend once she's gone

the way she says goodbye to jackie, tells her she loves her, and jackie doesn't say it back, so she asks jeff to say it to her when they have sex

the show sets up their dynamic to be one that feels inherently romantic to first-time viewers, only to flip it on its head when its reveled that shauna's true interest is in... jeff. she's really in love with jeff? the guy who's face we see maybe a couple of times total, that jeff? the guy who's basically a background character the entire episode, that jeff? yeah, i don't buy it

you could argue that the show places so much emphasis on jackie because it's trying to convey that the affair is eating away at shauna. to some extent, i agree with this, but i really doubt that it's only this. it would explain shauna's snappy and, at times, cagey behavior around jackie, but it doesn't explain the way that jackie is framed by the camera, music, or even some of the writing choices. whenever we see jackie through shauna's eyes, the camera is always focused directly on her, often times with her face illuminated brighter than anyone else. the music that plays behind her is shauna's kind of music (both supernova by liz phair, which shauna chooses to listen to in her car's tape deck, and miss world by hole, which undeniably fits her grungey music taste). she's joined at the hip with shauna, even in scenes where she's with jeff– seriously, there's only one scene where she's completely alone with jeff without shauna, and it's that one. and the same goes for shauna

for the entirety of the pilot, they are in a constant state of push and pull with each other, almost all of their actions being dependent on one another. jeff feels like a plot device at best, a character designed to come between them and to be thrown away once they realize who each other's real love interest is. even upon several rewatches, it still feels this way. even in the adult timeline, it still feels this way. we barely see adult jeff, but we feel both jackie's literal absence and her metaphorical presence in the form of shauna's collection of porcelain bunnies

there is so much foreshadowing and detail packed into the pilot that i have a really hard believing that this was just an oversight or mishandling of their relationship on the show's part. do i think there's going to be any kind of big love confession from shauna any time soon? no. but do i think they intentionally laid the groundwork for her to realize the feelings she had for jackie at some point? yes, i really do

[buryhny]

One Night Stand ; 42

➥ rundown ; as if the unexpected twist of a one-night stand turning out to be your CEO boss wasn't surreal enough, the situation takes a more challenging turn when both of you discover that you're expecting his child.

→ genre ; enemies to lovers | CEO au | pregnancy trope | slowburn

→ Jungkook x y/n

→ contains smut, fluff and angst

→ Chapter forty two ; wc | 8.3k

primarily on Wattpad

index ⇢ next chapter

Jungkook spent the rest of his night with you, secretly. you insisted he comes up to your bedroom since it's the last night you both have here in your home country, the flight is early the next day so you will be leaving your parent's place by midnight.

"y/n you're gonna get us in trouble-" "no I'm not, I just want you to look around..." "we can do this in the morning too." you rolled your eyes while you tiptoe back to your room as he holds your hand tightly, making sure you do not fall over in the dark.

"not when my parents are gonna keep their eyes glued on the both of us the whole damn day." You gently close the door behind you, making sure to lock it. Turning around, you face the man standing there with his hands on his hips, and you wrap him in the biggest hug you can manage ...though your pregnant belly gets in the way, making it impossible to give him the full, squishiest hug you're aiming for.

"I've missed you so much." Jungkook can't stop beaming his signature bunny smile. To him, this is the cutest you've ever been, and he's at a loss for words—or actions—that could convey just how head over heels he is for this version of you.

"I've missed you much more darling.." he murmurs into your hair as he places a kiss. You pull away from him and look up to see his face, his hair covers his forehead and his eyes curiously search your face as they smile before his lips do.

Jungkook watches you, he notices how you look at him with so much love and adoration and he wants to tell you so much, not just three words but so much more, he can't find them though.

The words, because it's not much, he doesn't think he can just say it, it's not worth it, he wants to show you to make you feel them and he just can't wait to go back home and embrace you in himself. "let me show you around."

you whisper and change the atmosphere because you know and feel it too and here is not the place, god it's not. This isn't your home now, your home is where you and Jungkook belong together, sleep together share memories and make love together and it is waiting back in Korea for you both.

"I've spent my whole life here; you can see the very old posters of The Beatles and Ariana Grande." You both glance at the walls, where the faded, curling edges of the posters tell stories of years gone by. Jungkook chuckles softly, his eyes lingering on a particularly worn Beatles poster. "This one looks like it's been through a lot,"

he says, pointing at a corner held together by yellowing tape. "Well, it survived my teenage angst and an unfortunate attempt at redecorating," you reply with a laugh. He smiles warmly, his gaze shifting to you.

"You had an awful taste in decorating, my love," Jungkook teases as he turns around and walks over to inspect the other posters plastered on your wall. You frown, trailing after him.

"Really? You get to tell me that?" "Why not? Just look at this selection," he says, smirking as he points to one of the posters. "You've managed to pick the top 10 most random and iconic pictures ever—like, what even is this lineup?"

You cross your arms, glaring playfully. "Excuse me, but this 'random lineup' was carefully curated during my teenage years. Don't disrespect the effort!" He laughs his bunny smile in full force and taps on the corner of a faded Ariana Grande poster.

"Yeah, because clearly, this is peak interior design, genius." you roll your eyes and punch his shoulder which he giggles over, he loves teasing you over the stupidest matters, it's how you two even bonded. How this whole everything started- teasing.

Whether it was the night you both met each other at the club, how you took the first step teasing him about how he stares at you and how you both teased each other the whole past 8 months whilst being together as boss and secretary to now... to-be- parents and maybe more?

There's not much around your old bedroom, after all, it has been more than 3 years since you've been here and nothing has changed, except how lonely and unlively it is now unlike before, how you would keep it colorful with fancy lights and books decorating your table and how your bed would be made with plushies and cute bedsheets, now its all just dull and mature.

maybe you don't like this much because you're used to the shades of rich colors back at Jungkook's place, how bright yet soothing the colors feel unlike your old bedroom which has far too many colors. Your tastes have changed now, you've become a new person, a better person and you like it, you like yourself more now.

"I want to go back home." you murmur as you lay on Jungkook's chest, his fingertips caressing your locks as he leans against your bedhead. "this is home too. Your home, your first home." he reminds you, he wants to tell you to recall the memories and moments, although the definition of home has changed for you now, this place and the people here are still your first.

He doesn't want you to forget that no matter how much it changes for you. "I know... I know and I- I love this place too, it's dear to me. But..." your voice trails as you play with the thread of your sweater, a pout decorating your lips.

You know this is not what he means yet Jungkook's words feel like you don't care or feel much for this place and it makes you sad and angry even that his words feel like it's putting you down.

You just miss your place, the place you've gotten so comfortable the past few months, a place you never want to leave. Even though that place has no people except for Jungkook that you feel dear to, it means much much more than a place with people you know.

You've formed that connection with the walls of the house that you don't need people, you don't need anyone, all you want is Jungkook and Bam and it's enough, it's the world for you.

It's funny because you grew up with people around you, your parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins, many pets and friends. Coming to Korea was a massive change to your life when you had no one to call your own but after the whole chaos you finally found peace, love and people in one person and even though he was with you here, right next to you, he doesn't feel home yet and you know its because of the rules your parents made.

"but..?" he asks gently. "but I miss it." he chuckles this time, your head shakes at the rumbling of the laughter from his stomach. "just one more day and we'll be back there, bear. Don't worry, I'm not leaving you here or anywhere. You're coming with me, home. our home."

"Promise?" he smiles, and this time he looks down at you, while your head shifts to look up at him. "I will never go back without you, you're in this with me, forever. Understand?" he presses his fingers together on either side of your cheek, making your pout even bigger as you both erupt in laughter.

"it's too late y/n, I think I should get back to the room-" "Stay until I sleep, please... I can't fall asleep," you mumble as you gaze at him for sometime, trying to tell him that it's difficult to sleep up here, alone.

He smiles, nodding his head he decides to stay just an hour longer until your eyes close. His fingers run through your hair, his breathing soothes you in the silent night.

You realize just how close you are to Jungkook—something you haven't felt in years, not even with the man you loved for so long and had plans with. Jungkook looks up at the ceiling, thinking about how calm he is around you and how much he loves you. he can't wait to go back home too, to have you all by himself.

He places a kiss on the temple of your forehead, and attempts to leave your room but your hold on his t-shirt is too tight that he does not have the heart to pull you away, so he decides to stay the night even though he is unsure and afraid even of what your parents might feel about this.

The morning comes by, and the chirping of the birds and the sun's rays wake you up. You blink a few times before heaving a deep sigh, as you turn to your side you notice the bed is empty and there's no sign of Jungkook. You think he must've left early in fear of what your parents might say. "morning baby!"

-

you caress your belly as you attempt to get out of bed slowly, now that your bump is getting big. After freshening up, you head downstairs, stopping in your tracks when you hear laughter—coming from not one direction but three. You peek into the living room and freeze.

Jungkook is sitting there, laughing with your parents like they've been best friends for years. "Oh, Y/N, honey! Come here," your mom calls out, way too cheerful. You frown, feeling completely out of the loop, and reluctantly sit down beside Jungkook. He turns to you with those smiley eyes, his grin wide enough to make your heart do a little flip.

"You didn't tell me you won the prom dance and got crowned prom queen?" he teases, his voice all playful. Your jaw drops as you look between your parents, trying to piece together what's happening. "Uh... what?" you ask nervously, your voice almost cracking.

The sudden question catches you completely off guard, and for a good reason—you'd practically erased that memory from your mind. It was, after all, one of the cringiest moments of your life, one you'd been trying to delete ever since. "go on, tell him." Your mom leans forward, clearly ready to nudge you further into the conversation, but your curiosity gets the better of you first.

You glance between the three of them, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, hold on," you say, crossing your arms. "Can someone explain how you three became best friends overnight? Because this was not the vibe yesterday." the three of them erupt in laughter, confusing you even more.

"Oh, hun, should we tell them?" your mom asks your dad, her eyes glinting with mischief. Your dad chuckles, giving her a nod. "Your mom and I caught you two in the kitchen last night." At that, Jungkook choked on the water he was drinking, his coughs escalating into a fit. Meanwhile, your eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

"You... what?" Your mom waves a hand, trying to stifle her laughter. "Oh, don't act so surprised! We saw you two, all close and cozy by the fridge. You thought we didn't hear the giggles?" Jungkook finally catches his breath, his face flushed, whether from coughing or sheer embarrassment, you can't tell.

"I... uh... wow, okay," he mumbles, avoiding eye contact. You gape at them, mortified. "Seriously? You were spying on us?" Your dad raises a brow, clearly amused. "Spying? You were right there! If you're gonna sneak snacks in the middle of the night, at least keep it down." Both Jungkook and you have never been so embarrassed before, his eyes turn red, and so do your cheeks.

"It's okay now," your mom says, her tone far too reassuring for your liking. "Your dad and I experienced this too back in our day. It's not too—" "Stop. Right there." You hold up a hand, your face burning with secondhand embarrassment.

"Please don't finish that sentence." Jungkook shifts awkwardly beside you, looking like he's debating whether to laugh or flee the scene entirely. "Yeah, uh... let's not compare notes here," he mumbles, scratching the back of his neck. But your mom just smiles knowingly, leaning back in her chair.

"Oh, sweetie, you'll understand someday." You groan, sinking lower in your seat as Jungkook glances at you, his lips twitching like he's fighting back a grin. "At least they didn't hear all the nonsense we spoke about..." "Oh god, we did. do not have to whisper now, we heard all of that." "okayyyyy I'm leaving-"

"Y/n, sit back down and have breakfast." "you need to stop embarrassing us!!" "fine, I'll stop." your mother puts her hands up, giving up as you all laugh it off. "now tell me the whole prom stuff. " "mom I can't believe you told him that!" "I had to!!" ......

Your parents realized a little late how deeply the two of you loved each other. Your father quickly came around, accepting your feelings almost immediately. Your mother, however, was more hesitant. She wasn't happy with your choice, as he didn't fit her expectations, especially with his tattoos and appearance.

-

But as she watched the way you both missed and cared for each other, she began to see how genuine your love was. all night she barely got any sleep, recalling how unfair she was towards you both, she understood she'd been wrong to withhold her support, especially after watching you two in the kitchen and how close you two were.

She never really had anything against Jungkook, and now she knows she never will. It's so obvious how much he cares about you—she can see it in his eyes now. The first time she met him, she didn't even give him a proper look, brushing him off completely. But now, as she takes a moment to notice him, it hits her.

There's this little ache in her chest because she knows she was unfair, cold, and unwelcoming to someone who's done nothing but love, support, and take care of you—all on his own. it took her some time to get over her thoughts and talk to him, she's glad you woke up later. you didn't have to see the awkward conversation between your mother and Jungkook.

putting her ego aside was difficult but not too much because she looked in the eye of the boy who loves her daughter and who she loves too. Jungkook could see her hesitation but he calmly paid attention to her and with your father around, it took no time for the three of them to gel up.

the four of you sit together in the living room, laughter fills every corner as he flips the next page of your baby album. "y/n! you're adorable. I've never seen a prettier child than you." Jungkook hums softly as he settles beside you, pulling the photobook closer to his face to admire you better.

His gaze lingers, studying your features closely. Your lips were always so plump, and your eyes so big and round—he can't help but wish they hadn't changed much as you grew older. But then, there's your hazel eyes now, deep and alluring, like a siren's call. It's those eyes that make him fall for you even harder every time he looks at you.

"she was the prettiest child.  no one in either of our families has seen a child more beautiful than her." "Mom now..." you roll your eyes as you blush at the compliments you receive. it's too much to handle and it's brushing on your already large ego. "Our Y/N is a princess. We just needed a king for her," your dad says, draping an arm around your shoulder and pulling you closer with a proud smile.

Meanwhile, your mother, sitting beside Jungkook, nudges his shoulder with hers, raising her eyebrows playfully. Jungkook tries to smile, but the lump in his throat is hard to ignore. Your dad's comment echoes in his mind, and though it was meant as a compliment, it only makes him doubt himself more.

A king? He thinks you deserve so much better—someone greater than him—and he can't help but feel a little low, wondering if your parents might secretly feel the same way about him. "He is one, Dad. He keeps me like a queen," you say proudly, placing your hand on Jungkook's thigh and looking up at him with a warm smile.

Jungkook glances at you, chuckling softly. "We're not playing kingdom here," he teases. "All I want is a partner, and she's... she's just the perfect woman I could ever hope to find. Though, I do agree—she deserves a king, someone way bet-..."

You roll your eyes, cutting him off with a playful smile. "You need to stop! I don't need a king. Even though you... are one—with your mansion and all that— you're just a simple man. And that's exactly what I love and want."

The two of you get so caught up in your words, exchanging soft smiles and heartfelt glances, that you don't even notice your parents watching you. They exchange a look of pride and joy, their hearts full. Seeing the love and understanding between you both reassures them that you made no mistake—in fact, you've done everything right by choosing this man.

"alright alright now... you both need to get a room." your dad jokes and you immediately cringe at her words. "ew dad!!" "What?!! you two were lost in your world, I had to say something. anyways I've got a great plan." he gets up from the couch and claps his hands. "why don't you both, go around the city.. show him your school,

and the parks and just spend the rest of your day out... Jungkook has barely seen around the neighborhood." you look over at him and see him raising his eyebrows at you. "should we..." you whisper and he shrugs.

"It's a good idea, I haven't made out with you in so long-..." "shhh y/n-" "okay dad!!" you pull Jungkook's arm so he can get up from the couch, he looks over at your mom and sniggers. "is she always this excited?" "Trust me she is, only if she loves the person."

"You need to be careful, baby," he says as he puts on a coat for you, evenings can get cold so he can't take the risk of you falling sick. You're dressed in a summer dress, that fits your bump perfectly. It's a pretty baby pink and lavender and a hint of cream.

;

"I am! I'm just so excited," you exclaim as you grab a couple of snacks to put them inside your bag. "Sit down, I'll tie your lace." You sink onto the couch as Jungkook gets down on his knees to carefully tie your shoelace. With your growing belly in the way, bending down has become nearly impossible, and you can't even see your shoes anymore.

"All done!" he says, giving a gentle tap on your thigh as he stands back up. "Y/N, honey, son... take care, okay? Call us if you both need anything," your dad says warmly, and you both nod in response. You step out into the front yard, pausing at the doorstep while Jungkook walks to your dad's car. He opens the door for you, carefully guiding you inside.

As he climbs into the driver's seat, you give a wave to your parents before driving off. You guide him through the neighborhood, showing him the area and telling him how different it was during your childhood, and how you made friends around and were so close to them as you grew up. He listened to you ranting about high school drama and the dork you were.

You didn't tell him about the other details, because you wanna save them for later when you show him the place. "Isn't this nice?! I never thought I would be driving around the town, pregnant! never imagined this day would come so so soon..."

You let out a soft sigh, gazing at the early signs of fall while taking in the familiar sights of your hometown. Jungkook occasionally glances at you as he drives, his pace careful and unhurried. When you finally speak, it stirs a question in his mind: are you truly happy about this?

On the surface, you seem cheerful, your usual excitement shining through. But deep down, could there be a shadow of sadness or guilt you're keeping from him? He doesn't want to press you, yet his curiosity lingers.

"Oh! Let's walk around here," you suddenly say, pointing toward a garden. "You can park over there." Without hesitation, Jungkook steers into the spot you indicated. You both walk around the concrete, and you look down, biting back a smile as you feel giddy about this place.

The man beside you frowns as he looks around in an attempt to find something that amusing you so much. "anything or anybody around? Making you smile so much?" he asks as he gets closer to you. You roll your eyes and silently gesture toward a bench overlooking the children's playground. Without a word, you both take a seat.

Jungkook waits patiently, sensing that something's on your mind but unable to pinpoint what. Is it a memory? Someone nearby? "You've got to tell me what you're hiding," he finally says, breaking the silence. "Do I look extra good today, or what?"

he dusts his jacket and makes his eyes to show off himself to you. "Oh, please!" you scoff, rolling your eyes. "Calm down, Mr. Full-of-Yourself." You have to admit though, he looks irresistible in that hoodie and baggy sweatpants, he looks so warm, you might even...

"What is it, then? Why are you blushing so much?" he asks again,  this time more insistently. you chuckle and look at the little children sliding down the red max slide. "you wanna know?" you ask and he nods eagerly. you get closer to him, however you don't meet his eyes.

"I had my first kiss here..." Jungkook's ears perk up at your words. "I was 15, and there was this boy named 'Taylor.' We weren't anything official, but I knew he liked me... One afternoon, we walked to this park, just talking about everything—the craziest stuff. We sat on a bench, and he was quiet, a little shy, never saying how he felt. I guess I was too, at first. But then, the words just slipped out..."

your voice trails off,  your gaze lowering as a faint blush creeps onto your cheeks. Jungkook watches you intently, his expression soft, his dark eyes focused entirely on you. There's a moment of silence as you gathers your thoughts, his quiet presence giving you the space to continue. "...and before I knew it, it just happened."

your voice is barely a whisper now, face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and nostalgia. Jungkook leans in slightly, his curiosity evident, waiting patiently as if the story holds more than just words. you take some time as you smile, looking at the kids.

"so.. how was it?" he asks. he doesn't want to show you but he feels tenderly jealous. He's fully aware that this was all a years old tale but he couldn't help but feel that pit in his stomach. "it was really bad, the both of us were....sloppy and god.."

You chuckle softly as you reminisce, watching Jungkook clench his jaw, his lips twitching like he wants to laugh too but holding back. You glance at him and notice how his expression shifts—his brow furrowing deeper with a hint of discomfort. This makes you laugh even harder, and he frowns deeper, clearly resisting a smile.

"What's funny?" he asks, his voice low and serious. You reach out to pinch his cheeks gently. "You look so cute when you're jealous, you know." He frowns again, gently pushing your hand away. "I'm not jealous." "Oh, heck you are," you tease, cupping his jaw and pulling him closer just a little.

"There's no way you're kissing me on this bench where you kissed some random Taylon." You burst into laughter, shaking your head. "His name is Taylor, not Taylon! God, baby, you're hilarious." Jungkook stiffens at that—at the unexpected nickname.

Did you just call him baby? His breath catches for a moment. he looks over at you and sees you still laughing, caressing your bump. "what did you call me again?" he asks. you look around the place like you hadn't heard him, picking your inner cheek to act like you're not with him. "look at me." he murmurs but you don't.

You continue to ignore him, enjoying the moment as you gently tease him. "Darling, look at me," he says softly, pulling your elbow gently to turn you toward him. You comply, your gaze meeting his wide, warm brown eyes. He looks at you like he's never heard that word before—though he often uses it himself, hearing it come from your lips feels different, sweeter.

His heart races, faster than it ever has before. You notice the way his eyes sparkle, full of emotion, and can't help but smile. "What did you call me?" he asks, his voice soft this time, almost reverent. He seems to want the entire world to be silent so that when you say it again, it resonates loudly in his ears—only his, spoken from you.

so you give in to it and whisper. "Baby...my...baby..." This clenches his heart so much, that he feels it in his throat, he feels his heart drop to his stomach, and he feels the little cocoons in his stomach open up and become butterflies as they fly around, making him feel giddy. he loves it, he loves everything you say but this- this is heaven.

he might die if you say it once more. You notice his eyes shifting across your face, each glance more intense than the last. Those sparkles—bright and endless—reveal more than just emotion.

You see the moonlight, galaxies, and the entire universe swirling inside those deep, warm brown orbs. Every blink feels like a new revelation, a glimpse into a world only he holds. you never thought a man would feel so much by one word, but here he is.

the man of your dreams, your life and your world. going crazy that you called him 'baby'.  his lips twitch, he can't wait to kiss you. he must kiss you, god, he must. so he does. he cups your jaw and gently places a kiss on your lips. the kiss makes you feel so out of place, it feels soft and tastes ever so sweet. you missed him, that you know, but this much?

it's like you can't get enough of him, and he feels the same. here you are making out with the man you know you are settling with, the father of your child and the man of your unexpected dreams. kissing him on the same spot you had your first kiss and somehow this one feels a thousand times more than anything you've ever felt.

It's real, raw, sweet, it's a dream and everything you've ever needed and ever asked for. it's like living in a bubble, a perfect bubble in a perfect world, with the perfect man and the perfect kiss.

your kiss is interrupted when a little boy comes to you and taps on your knee. you look at him curiously. "hey...are you okay?" you ask him and he nods. he seems to be about 4, not younger or older. he wears a blue jumpsuit and a little bucket hat. "you have a little boy?" he points at your belly and you look down at it with a smile.

"I'm not sure, love. maybe a boy or a little girl.." the boy giggles as he looks over at Jungkook who gives him a wink. "what do you think champ? boy or girl?" "Mmm.," he thinks. "my mama has a baby too. little brother. I think you...have a baby girl." he says and you look at Jungkook with wide eyes who looks back at you with a wide smile.

"yeah?" he asks and the boy nods. "I hope so too.. just like her mama." he murmurs as he looks over to you and you blush. "Jo- jo, come to mama..." you both hear his mother call out for him and he responds immediately. "here.. for you.." he hands you a lollipop, which you take with a smile. "you look pretty, lady..." "thanks love."

"come here." Jungkook gives the boy a high five before walking away toward his mother, who gives you a warm smile. You glance at the man sitting beside you, who has bright red ears. "You heard that?" you ask, raising an eyebrow.

He nods and opens his arms, pulling you into a gentle side hug. "He was the sweetest boy." "He is, he is," you whisper, smiling softly. Jungkook places a kiss on your head, his thoughts lingering on the moment.

The way you spoke to the child so kindly, with that motherly tenderness, shows a different side of you—a side he hasn't seen before. But he knows without a doubt that he'll cherish this part of you the most. For once in these few months he can't wait to see you give birth to the child you're carrying... his child. 

Jungkook and you leave the park after spending only a few minutes there. Once back on the road, you decide to show him around—a little tour of the places that shaped your life. You point out your college, where you spent countless hours chasing dreams and deadlines, and then gesture toward a few of your cousins' homes.

Though you glance their way, you quickly decide against visiting them, especially in your current situation. You know too well that stepping inside would mean turning your personal life into the day's headline.

Your cousins wouldn't hold back from sharing the news with anyone who would listen, and right now, you're not ready for the world to know even though you're cousins are the loveliest people who would be over the moon to meet your baby, you know you need to prepare yourself and Jungkook for this before you face them.

As the evening dwindles, Jungkook and you wander around town, pausing frequently at various stores so you can use the restroom—pregnancy often comes with its own set of challenges and honestly you're so done with them, you can't wait to be free but you know you're gonna miss this way too much once you've given birth.

you feel beautiful and you love the feeling of carrying your child inside you, it's a blessing that you cherish so much. "I'm feeling for some ice cream right now..." you mumble and the man beside you squints his eyes as he turns to face you. "I do not like the sound of that." he says which makes you groan.

"I'm not gonna fall sick! I need some." "Nuh-uh, you've been having way too many the past few months, I can't take the risk." Jungkook can be very protective and sometimes he is very serious about it, when he says no, it's a no. but not now, you haven't had anything cold for some time and you know the ice cream takes well here, especially the ice cream trucks that serve the best crispy cones.

"please, I promise I won't have any more ice cream until I deliver. this will be the last!" You plead, and somehow, this prompts him to roll his eyes. He dislikes seeing you lower yourself like that. he glances at you and sees how you've got that ridiculous pout on your face that makes his insides clench because you look so fucking adorable so he can't say no.

"you promise?" "I do!" you say and nod eagerly, which makes him chuckle. "fine, puppy."  He mutters under his breath, following the directions you give him as you guide him through the streets to one of the town's most famous ice cream trucks.

"I can't park there, where sh—" "Just park on the side; we can walk down," you cut in. "Oh, no, no, no," he scoffs, shaking his head. "I'm not letting you walk that far." "Jungkook, stop being a dad now." "I'm being a dad?! I'm your man of course I'm gonna take care of you, that's a long way down, you can't walk so far."

"I can and we will so park right there Mr. Jeon, come with me." He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly. You're being stubborn again—something he dislikes, but he knows it's part of the package that is you, and he has to handle it. You might have noticed the subtle shift in his mood caused by your insistence.

"I'm sorry," you mumble softly, guilt creeping into your voice. "I just wanted to walk with you while I eat some ice cream." He sighs, his tone gentle as he responds. "I wasn't mad, darling. I'm just worried about you." he places his palm on yours and rubs his thumb.

"we'll do as you wish." he smiles and parks the car by the street before helping you. you both walk down the lane, admiring the surroundings and how couples are all around the place, making you feel like you're one of them too something you've always been jealous of, that you don't have your person but all the people do. but here you are, with your man, walking down to get some ice cream you've been craving.

"the clouds are getting dark." Jungkook says and you look up. "I hope it doesn't rain." You both stand in line, patiently waiting for your turn. You already know what you're going to order, but a strange craving has been tugging at you, and you desperately hope they'll accommodate your request. Jungkook stands beside you, his hand enveloping yours as he gently caresses and plays with your fingers.

he loves how your skin is always so soft, he doesn't know how, maybe it's your body lotion. but it does magic, or maybe it's just you. You're magical anyway. "ooo, I can't wait!" you clap and giggle like a child, which makes him giggle too. You've become such a foodie and he loves seeing you do the happy dance and make all those crazy yet cute sounds.

you feel a few baby kicks and you so badly want Jungkook to feel them but you're waiting until your surprise. You've been planning a few surprises for him and hopefully, they go well and maybe he'll bond with the baby better.

He's getting along well, very well and it makes you so happy but you know he can do better and maybe when you surprise him with everything, then he will open up more and be himself when it comes to baby matters until then you tell yourself to calm down and feel these kicks by yourself.

"good evening kids, what you'll like to have?" the vendor asks, you can easily say he's an aged man in his 50's, who loves spreading joy. you smile back at him and look at the flavors. the cotton candy intrigues you with its pink and purple shades even the birthday cake flavor looks good, so you decide to get that.

"One scoop of cotton candy and a scoop of birthday cake, with some sprinkles, chocolate syrup- oh and strawberry syrup...and maybe some...caramel sauce too," you mutter and Jungkook's eyes widen like saucers when you say all the topping options available.

"Okay-" "in a waffle cone!" that was all it took for Jungkook to crack up. the vendor laughs too as he shakes his head and grabs a cone. "on it kiddo. pregnancy is wild I guess."

he says to Jungkook, giving him a wink as he scoops the ice cream. "very wild I must say." "It's all a fun ride, enjoy while it lasts.... what would you have?" he asks. "one mint and choc only, thanks," "ew." you comment in a whisper, as Jungkook gives you a side eye.

"here you go, mama." the man hands you the ice cream which looks crazy but you know it's gonna be super satisfying for your cravings. "love to see adults being kids." the man says as he hands Jungkook his ice cream and he pays the bill. "mmmmmm, this is so good!" "is it?" "you wanna tr-" "oh hell no- enjoy your craving miss."

He holds your hand again as you both slowly make your way to the car. "Y/n..." "Mm?" you respond, looking up at him. He glances over to see you carefully shaping your ice cream into something he can't quite describe—you're trying to form its sides and shape it, and it's a bit odd because then you bite into it and it gets all messy, but he finds it endearing.

"What?" you ask again, and he lets out a small snicker. "You're crazy you know." "mm hmm, tell me something I don't know." this makes him scoff as he nods his head and looks at you again. "you keep looking at me... what? is there ice cream on my face?" you ask, not sparing a glance at him, fully focused on flavoring your delicious treat.

"I keep looking at you because you're beautiful," you let out a sigh. "tell me something I don't know." this makes him laugh, he loves your cocky side, you're a crazy woman. As you both walk, he starts to feel a few drops falling on his skin. At first, he doesn't think much of it, but soon enough, it begins to drizzle. "It's starting to rain,"

he says, and you both pick up the pace. He doesn't want you to get wet, especially with ice cream in hand, so you both hurry yet carefully to the car. By the time you reach it, though, you're already soaked. "hurry."

He opens the door and helps you get inside safely before he gets to the driver's seat. "fuck." he breathes heavily while you're struggling to breathe, because you can't stop laughing. "y/n this is not f-"

"oh my god, this has to be the most fun I've ever had in a long long time!!" you say, holding your belly because it's hurting so much with the laughter. "baby you're soaked. oh god.." He takes off his hoodie and hands it to you.

"Here, put this on." you hand him your half-eaten ice cream cone before taking the hoodie. Without hesitation, you slip it on, letting out a soft "mmm" as the warmth surrounds you.

Despite being damp on the outside, the thick material hadn't absorbed much water, allowing his comforting warmth to seep into your body. he admires you from top to toe, he fucking loves it when you wear any of his clothes, it gives him butterflies especially when it doesn't fit you, and it makes him realize how small you are.

"you're gonna be cold though." you mumble as you look over at him and notice him in a tank top, he doesn't say anything just tsks you. You zone out for a moment, wrapping yourself snugly in the oversized sleeves that practically swallow you whole. He watches you with a soft smile, shaking his head in disbelief. You're such a kid—it's almost hard for him to believe.

Just a few months ago, you were so different, someone he imagined would grow into a fierce, unstoppable woman. But now? Now, you're just a sweet, endearing puppy, and this whole journey has been nothing short of a whirlwind. "shall we go home?" you look at him immediately. "what no! we didn't have dinner-"

"but you're wet, baby. let's get you changed, don't want you to fall sick now." he turns off the ac and gives you back your cone. "you've had ice cream too.. and we have to pack anyway, we'll be leaving in a few hours." "yeah now that's exciting." you mutter and he raises his eyebrows. "woah you're being straight-up rude now."

"What?!?! I just want you all to myself." he places his palm on your thigh and rubs it. "you have all of me anyway." "yeah but.." you let your finger caress his jaw to tease him and he understands your motive yet he doesn't say anything, he knows if he says something to tease you back, you might hop on to him and just take him raw.

now that's not what he wants, not in the car and certainly not in the middle of the streets, You've both outgrown that with this pregnancy, now it's time to be more responsible. "I know darling, I know." "ugh Jungkook, you're such a pussy blocker." he cracks up and looks at you like you're insane. "what the fuck is that?!!" "exactly what you are, mister." "Oh, baby..."

you both get back home safely, your mother rushes to bring a towel to dry off your hair and Jungkook does his own. "did you both have fun?" Your mom asks, and you nod quickly, spilling everything about what you both did—how the time flew by, how many bathroom breaks you had to take, and how you ended up getting ice cream.

;

Meanwhile, Jungkook takes over the packing. Since you're busy hanging out with your parents, he figures it's best to give you three sometime alone. After packing his stuff, he heads upstairs to tackle yours too.

"Hey, I'll do your packing, okay?" he says softly. "I'll help y—" "No, no, don't worry. Spend time with your parents," he whispers with a reassuring smile, just as your mom asks if you'd like some tea. "I'll have black tea!"

he shouts before heading upstairs. Jungkook steps into your room and opens your wardrobe, ready to pack your clothes. As he pulls the doors open, his eyes catch the posters plastered inside. He can't help but laugh, shaking his head at the glimpse of your teenage self.

He starts folding your clothes neatly, grabbing your toothbrush, hairbrush, and face wash before opening the suitcase to pack them. When he spots a few bags tucked inside the suitcase, he hesitates. 

He knows it's your stuff and debates leaving it alone, but curiosity gets the better of him. Carefully, he peeks inside one and freezes when he finds a few baby clothes, most of them with words like "Daddy" and "Dada" printed on them. He stares for a moment, his mind racing, before quickly closing it back up, deciding not to pry any further.

Letting out a small breath, he grabs a fresh set of clothes for you, zips the bag, and finishes up quietly. "did you need some help?" you scare him when you walk inside the room, he sighs and shakes his head. "nop, all done." you hand him the tea and sit beside him on the edge of the bed. You notice he's a bit quiet and it whirls your mind a bit then you think, he might seen the little clothes. "did you snoop on my things-"

"what?! No!" he says too fast which takes you back but then he sighs and nods. "I did, I'm sorry- I didn't mean t-" "dad gave them..." You say it with a small smile, but his brows knit together when he hears your words.

"But when?" he asks, genuinely confused, especially since he hadn't noticed your dad going anywhere. You chuckle softly, placing your hand gently on top of his. "After you told him..." "Told him what?"

Jungkook blurts out, utterly baffled. He stares at you, completely lost, trying to piece together what you mean but coming up empty. "about you.." you whisper and this makes him chuckle. "seriously?" "I know my dad is a bit.." "he's cool, he's a cool dad." Jungkook says, remembering how kind your dad was to him and how he jokes around.

"I- i never got a chance to say this because I was upset too but... I'm sorry that they were rude to you. They never usually do that but I think everything was too overwhelming so-" "You do not have to say sorry for that." Jungkook turns to face you, taking both your hands in his and holding them tightly. "I understand, it was a very justified reaction.

Your parents are sweet, I'm just happy that they are supportive now and have accepted me." his words touch a part of you and you can't say that you feel very grateful to have an understanding man like him.

He looks at you and smiles, his eyes smile before his lips do and that says everything you. You can't wait to tell him the words that you've been feeling, but you know the right time will come and it may be now but next time could be better.

The two of you continue to look at each other for some time until he takes his palm and places it on top of your bump, caressing it. "all good?" he questions and you nod, placing your palm on his. "All Very good." the two of you break into laughter. 

;

The four of you sit down for dinner together. Your mom initially planned to cook, but you were adamant about getting takeout from the In-N-Out pop-up since it's something you can't get back in Korea. The meal is lively, filled with laughter and lighthearted jokes, making the evening feel warm and effortless. You're relieved to see how easily Jungkook connects with your parents, but for him, it's something much deeper.

He's not just bonding—he feels like he's found a family, a complete one. He sees your mother as his own, your father as the father he's always longed for. It's everything he's ever dreamed of, and for once, it's not just a dream. He's living it. "okay y/n, time to leave." he looks over at his watch, the cab is gonna be here any minute now.

You nod and walk to your mother, giving her a big hug. "I'm gonna miss you, Mom." "Oh dear, take care of yourself and the baby. Call me every day, and let me know when you deliver, okay?" your mom says, cupping your face gently before kissing your cheek. She then caresses your bump with a warm smile. "Oh, the baby is so big! I can't wait to meet him or her." You smile back, your heart full. Your dad steps closer, waiting patiently for his turn.

He looks at you with kind eyes and opens his arms wide. "Take care, honey," he says softly, pulling you into a warm hug and placing a tender kiss on your hair. Jungkook stands to the side, watching the whole exchange. A tinge of emotion swells in his chest as he takes in the sweetness of the moment. It's heartwarming, almost overwhelming, to witness such love.

Then your dad turns to him, his expression just as warm. Without hesitation, he pulls Jungkook into the biggest hug he's ever received, leaving him momentarily stunned but deeply moved. "take care, son, we're always with you. " Jungkook feels something in his veins, he feels so loved, he feels that fatherly affection and it's so so nice.

"take care of my y/n, and the baby too yes?" "will always, dad." Jungkook gives your dad another hug, a tight one which makes the both of them chuckle. you smile and hold Jungkook's hand. "take care Jungkook." your mother says and he smiles. he runs to give her a hug, carefully placing his arms around her as she pats him in the back. "see you soon, mom.." he mumbles and she gives him a tight forced smile. "the cabs here, we'll take your leave"

Your dad helps you to the door, steadying you with a gentle grip, while Jungkook lingers behind to grab some snacks, something you always seem to forget. "She always forgets to pack snacks," he mutters to your mom as he stuffs a few bags of chips into his carry-on. "She knows she'll be hungry in about four hours, She can be so clums—"

"I know my daughter loves you with all her heart, and I know everything was just a mistake, but if you don't marry her, Jungkook... I swear, I will not let her stay with you for long." Jungkook pauses as your mother speaks.

"I love my daughter, but I also value our family name, she's naive and has done a terrible mistake which i can not reverse, but if you don't make things legitimate—like they're supposed to be- I might as well, find someone better for her."

next chapter ⇢

i don't usually type a/n notes here because i don't have much of an audience here on tumblr like wattpad but happy new year!! hope this update was good enough, do leave a like and comment if you enjoyed reading this chap!! mwah.

[skysiren41]

My thoughts on Poppy Playtime chapter 4

So I just finished watching Dawko's playthough of chapter 4 and here are my thoughts

Spoilers obviously for chapter 4

● While I think this is still a good chapter, I don't think it's was as consistently good as chapter 3. I'd still consider it the second best of the chapters but it just has a few things that hold it back from being the best

● I think my main problem is how it handled it's villians, specifically Yarnaby and Dr Sawyer. With how much Mob promoted them and build up the history they have they don't really explore either character. It's especially disappointing for Sawyer, whose been build up since the start of the series as one of the big bads. They don't really show up all that often, and I found their deaths kinda anticlimactic

● Pianosaurus fans were done dirty, such a cool concept and design wasted on one cutscene. Personally I think it should've been Pianosaurus who chased us first instead of Yarnaby, it would've been short yeah but it would've at least give us Pianosaurus fans something

● I'll be honest I did not care for the Nightmare Critters. I get what they were going for with them being rival or evil opposites to the Smiling Critters, but I don't know I feel like they were only added due to how popular the Smiling Critters are. I think you could've removed them and put Pianosaurus or Yarnaby instead in their moments instead

● On a more positive note I wasn't expecting to enjoy Doey as much as I did. Not only is the animation on him fantastic, but I think the way they wrote his character was really well done. He's definitely one of the most tragic characters in the game and has honestly already become one of my favorites

● One thing I've always respect about Poppy Playtime is how dark it's willing to go to show the horrors of what these toys have gone though. Like holy shit I thought chapter 3 was already pushing it with the Dogday scene, but THIS chapter literally starts with a kid dying in the first minute, and it's only downhill from here. I appreciate that unlike something like Fnaf which seems to be too nervous about going in a darker direction, Poppy Playtime actually matures with it's audience and isn't afraid to explore dark themes

● I wasn't really shocked when Ollie was revealed to actually be The Prototype, I called it since chapter 3 with how he just showed up and how it was later showed in a tape that The Prototype can mimic voices

● Same with Huggy Wuggy being revealed to be alive, that's been teased since chapter 2 though I'm curious about how there gonna handle him

● Kissy continues to be the MvP and the only toy I can trust in this god forsaken factory

● I like how they explored the morality of Poppy's character. When you think about it, it's because of her want for revenge that not only allowed The Prototype to manipulate her, but she indirectly caused the Safe Haven to be attacked which resulted in the deaths of both the toys there and Doey. I've always loved when media has a character be so caught up in getting revenge that they indirectly cause harm to the people they care for, and I think they do it well here with Poppy

● As always the voice acting is superb. I especially wanna give my praise to Michael Kovach as Doey, he absolutely killed it. I know some are getting tired of him appearing in a lot of indie shows and games, but I think it shows just how talented of a voice actor he is

[snowthedemonfox]

So we got some screenshots for Ep 3, and I'm going to talk about some things I've noticed + some theories

I went off for over an hour in the bunnydoll burrow's VC talking about everything I noticed, but I'm realising writing it all down would be a smarter move, cause I know I'd forget it. If I've missed anything you think is important, let me know! I'll edit this post with new notes.

Let's start with the first screenshot, because that just makes the most sense:

The elephant in the room is the realistic human hand. I don't doubt this is the scene that has some level of blood and gore in it. We can't see what the hand is connected to, but whatever it is, it seems to be taller than Pomni and Kinger. They're both looking up, and the camera angle is facing down towards them both.

We can see 2 heads hanging from the wall behind Kinger, and what we can assume to be a 3rd behind the desk behind the hand.

One of these heads, as many have pointed out, seems to resemble Pomni. The face is entirely white, what I can assume is an eye seems to be the same size as Pomni's, and you can see that familiar looking hair on the side.

Even the other two things we see look like other members of the cast!

The head to the right of Kinger looks like Ragatha. It's got the hair, and even the face looks to be made of actual fabric, like a real doll. It seems whatever these things are, they're meant to look like more 'horror' versions of the characters.

(Side note, but if I had to guess, if Glitch releases a 3rd sticker sheet for episode 3, I wouldn't surprised if we got a new set of icon variations for the main cast. But instead of candy, we get these horror versions instead. I think that'd be cool, and I really hope that's what happens.)

You could even go as far to say the 'human' hand we're seeing is from the horror version of Kinger. Like I said before, the camera is looking down at them. Why would it be looking down? Because whatever's looking at them, is attached to the wall.

Moving onto other details in the room, we can see there's a chair behind Pomni with some kind of light on it. At first, I thought this might have been the tape recorder from the February trailer, but you can see the tape recorder is on a desk, not a chair.

And while there is a desk in the room, whatever is on there doesn't look like a tape recorder. It looks more like a photo, or some kind of radio.

The giant 'M' on the rug. We know the ghost lady's name is Martha Mildenhall, so this probably implies she owns the mansion the gang are exploring. Why would she need their help, though? Maybe whatever force is moving the hand in the screenshot, is some kind of 'evil' ghost, and that's why Pomni and the others are there to help. There's evil ghosts inhabitating the mansion, and Martha needs help to get rid of them. It's simple, it's your basic video game quest, it seems like a normal adventure plot that Caine would come up with.

There seems to be something behind the chair, but I can't make out if it's a door, some curtains, or some kind of closet. The lighting isn't doing me any favours. Either way, I doubt it's important to the episode, probably just background decoration.

As for my other thoughts that aren't as related to the screenshot itself, I do believe that everyone is going to be split up. Obviously Kinger and Pomni are working together, but I'm still not sure if Jax would be hanging with Ragatha & Gangle, or if he'd be off doing his own thing. As for Zooble, I'll get to them later.

And this might just be me looking into things too much, but it almost looks like one of Kinger's eyes is focused entirely on whatever is behind the camera, while the other isn't focused at all. Like he's half paying attention to the 'danger' he and Pomni are in.

But that's really all I have to say about the first screenshot. Let's move onto the main event:

Again, let's get the obvious out of the way: new Zooble design! They've got some new parts, like the arms, unicorn horn, and the blocky yellow and pink thing, but also some old parts, like the bluish-green ring, and their classic black and white antenna. So far, I like this design! I'm happy to see that they've decided to mix things up a bit. Not my favourite design, but still decent. They've got good taste.

Before I talk about Zooble and Caine, I first want to talk about the location they're in. At first, I thought this might've been Zooble's room, but looking closer, it's obviously not. Then I thought it was that little desk area at the end of the dorm hallway.

But nope, the hallway has different plants, picture frames, wallpaper, and no chairs to be seen. The plants we can see look similar to those seen in Caine's resturant realm from Ep 1, so I think I can safely guess that this is a new location, made specifically for him and Zooble to chat.

Speaking of that, I think that's going to be the driving point of Zooble's character development this episode. Something is going to convince them to join the future adventures, and it seems this will be that something. We know thanks to the AMA, that Zooble not going on adventures is important to their character, so having their episode focus on this topic makes sense.

What I can assume happened to lead up to this interaction is this:

Caine announced the adventure, and just like in both Ep 1&2, Zooble immediately expresses that they are not interested, and walks off. Caine can't really do anything about it yet, so he focuses on everyone else. Explains the rest of the adventure to them, and sends them on their way.

He then catches up to Zooble before they reach wherever they planned on going, and teleports them both to this new room. It looks almost like some kind of waiting room, or a room where they're both supposed to talk things out. It's got the comfy chairs, wall art, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a little table between them.

Zooble, obviously, is not impressed. They don't care about Caine's adventures, and want nothing to do with whatever he has planned for them in the meantime. Caine, on the other hand, just wants to figure out why Zooble doesn't want to go on his adventures. He spends so much time figuring them out! Just for the humans! Why won't Zooble participate!?

This very likely evolves into an argument between the two. I like how Caine is clearly angry in this screenshot. It's nice to see him show some more variety when it comes to emotion!! Zooble doesn't care for whatever Caine is saying, and Caine just wants to understand why they don't care.

Something happens, maybe they do talk it out, maybe something else, but by the end of the episode, Zooble decides that maybe going on a few adventures isn't that bad. I think it's way too early to guess what happens in that huge timeskip, but for now, this is the best I've got.

I feel Zooble's arc in this episode might touch on a few topics, like how while they might think staying by themselves all day and doing their own thing is better for them, isolating themselves isn't doing anyone any favours, and that, for lack of a better term, going 'outside' every once in a while can't hurt.

... and that's pretty much all I can think of to say regarding these two screenshots! I'm sure we'll get to learn more as the episode release gets closer, but I'm excited to see how things turn out!! :3

[spacemothsota]

Cassette player from Cassette?

You know, I love cassettes in Transformers. (I love them so much that if you woke me up in the middle of the night and asked me what cassettes Soundwave and Blaster had, I could probably list them all by name.)

Many people underestimate them because of their size and the fact that they transform into cassettes and they are often reduced to the "children's" equivalent, but listen.. Just listen. In my mind, cassettes are not children at all, no, not at all, to go through such a war and stay alive, you know guys, they are definitely adults. Maybe teenagers close to becoming adults or this stupid period when you are kind of an adult, but you still need a "More adult adult". Moreover, in the comics, Rumble and Frenzy were actually miners, so let's keep that in mind, okay? In short, cassettes are quite adult and independent, this will be useful to us in my subsequent words.

In general, it seems like the show and comics have never said how strong this connection is between the cassette host and the cassette. What kind of connection is this? How do cassette host and cassettes work? Like… I don't remember it being said directly, but obviously there is a connection. (Remember how Soundwave feels pain from Ravage's death, or from Rumble's injury? Obviously the connection is strong, but what kind of connection is it?) How do cassette players and tapes work? HOW?

How the fuck does this work???

Well I have a couple of ideas about it actually, it may seem unusual, but here are a couple of my ideas.

It's pretty obvious that it's similar to symbiosis, where one species helps another in some way. While symbiosis can be parasitic in nature, I'm guessing that for Cybertronians it's more like a mutually beneficial phenomenon. Usually, creatures of different species enter into symbiosis, be it clownfish and sea anemones, or butterflies that feed on animal tears (they need it to get sodium). I think that cassette player and cassettes are more closely related. Aside from the obvious symbiotic relationship, where the one offers the cassette safety, care, and a secure life in exchange for some services from other side (like recording information, spying/intelligence activities, etc.), it seems to me that this could have a deeper evolutionary mechanism, for example for survival purposes?

Ever wonder why there are literally only two Cassette Host in the show and comics? It's literally just Soundwave and Blaster (Soundblaster doesn't count, he's a clone. Sorry, fans of that guy). It's also not really clear what niche they occupied in the caste system the Functionalists founded, but it's probably not a very high one since Soundwave was found on the street by Ravage. I think the fear here might be precisely because bots like them are capable of this type of symbiotic relationship. They don't need mods for it, they are designed to share their space and path with trusted Cassettes. This connection itself must imply that you understand each other on some deeper level. Maybe like Gestalts, a common type of internal connection that other bots can't recognize? I think that makes sense. You're basically slightly in each other's heads. The Cassette Host not only takes on the responsibility of providing the cassette, but also of regulating this internal connection, both emotional and physical. In return, the cassettes provide an unlimited ability to store and accumulate data (I think this is connected to their altform, that is, Rumble and Frenzy can be quite smart, they just don’t need it. A striking detail in this regard would be Rewind and how he helped Tailgate reduce the bomb’s radius, but there’s a lot that can be said about him). Understand? This increases the likelihood that the Cassette player and the cassettes act as a single, well-coordinated organism, it’s no wonder that the functionalists were afraid of this. This symbiosis can resemble from the outside both a family unit and a business gang, where there is a boss and cronies. In any case, here’s another thought of mine, what if…

What if, under certain conditions, a cassette tape could become a cassette player?

I know this might sound weird, but just hear me out. You know, I often come across the idea that cassette hosts can create cassettes, and that's a possibility, because my idea is based on that. Could a spark of such a bot be predisposed to create smaller sparks to provide security and support for those cassettes that don't have the ability to become cassette players? Look, we have a cassette host, it can have its own cassettes that it created, or those that were reformatted into this altform and taken under its wing. If the host is hurt or killed, cassettes can remain destitute and forgotten until they die, but what if, due to the symbiotic relationship of these Cybertronians, they have some kind of evolutionary mechanism? What if one host has enough cassettes that it realizes that it strains the internal communication and does not allow time for each? Then one or two cassettes created by the bot and having a predominantly humanoid form and also access to comfort and resources, begin to gain mass of the protoform, form a cassette deck and so on. They become new cassette players, provided that they have always been in this altform and have not been reformatted, I think the second type of cassettes is not capable of this mechanism. Why is this an evolutionary mechanism? Well, because perhaps earlier these two types of Cybertronians really belonged to different groups, but in the process of millennia and millions of years they were simply close for so long that they turned into one group. You know what, in essence, cassettes would be like an axolotl from our world (like… Have you seen an axolotl? They are actually not an adult version of an ambystoma)

This mechanism would essentially explain why we know only two cassette hosts and so many cassettes. Probably, before the war there were a sufficient and diverse number of them, but during the war many could have died and Soundwave and Blaster essentially picked up the destitute, deprived of communication and scared cassettes. None of the cassettes had the necessary level of comfort, fuel and other factors that would contribute to the evolution into a new host, you understand? In essence, this means that Soundwave and Blaster were loaded with an additional level during the war (that's why they look tired, taking care of so many charges is tiring…)

I can just see how after the war, with the improvement in the quality of life, one of the cassettes finally decided that the conditions are good enough, but there are too few hosts… It's time to evolve into an adult version and become a cassette player.

I hope Soundwave can rest and this won't be another world.

[kkoga]

Masterlist ! next !

WC — 1.16k

Creds to @cafekitsune for the divider!!

Chapter 1 — Love is a scam

Valentine's Day at Dream Academy was the worst.

The hallways were drowning in heart-shaped balloons, pink streamers, and tacky paper hearts taped to every available surface. 

The student council had really outdone themselves this year, turning the cafeteria into some kind of lovesick wonderland. 

The scent of chocolate and cheap roses hung in the air like bad perfume, and to make matters worse, a live band was playing slow love songs on the stage.

It was the kind of scene that would make any hopeless romantic swoon.

Too bad you weren't one of them.

Slumped over your lunch tray, you stabbed halfheartedly at your food, watching couples exchange shy smiles and hand-written love notes. Someone let out an excited squeal near the entrance—probably another confession happening. Gross.

"Ugh, I hate love," you muttered, setting your fork down with an irritated clatter.

Your friends, who have been watching you with a mix of concern and amusement, exchanged knowing looks.

"Okay, Grinch," Dani teased, nudging your arm. "What did love ever do to you?"

You shot her a deadpan look. "Dumped me three weeks before Valentine's and now it's rubbing itself in my face."

"Fair point," Lara said, sipping her soda. "But in love's defense, Jay was kind of a jerk."

Jay—your now ex-boyfriend—wasn't the worst guy in the world, but he wasn't exactly the best either. You've been together for almost a year, and then, just when you thought things were solid, he hit you with the classic "I think we should take a break." Which, as everyone knew, was a breakup code for "I'm already over this, but I don't want to look like the bad guy."

So yeah. Love sucked.

"I don't get why this holiday is such a big deal," you grumbled, watching as a guy from the soccer team handed a bouquet to his very flustered girlfriend. "It's just an excuse to flex relationships and make single people feel miserable."

Dani smirked. "Or maybe you're just better because you're single now."

"Gee, thanks for the insight, Dr. Phil."

Lara leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms. "I mean, if you really hate it, you could just skip the rest of the event. No one's forcing you to be here"

You let out a dramatic sigh. "Yeah, but then I'd be sitting in my room alone, sulking. At least here, i get to be bitter in good company"

"Aww, that's the spirit!" Dani cheered, patting your back like a proud coach. "Embrace the bitterness!"

The band on stage finished their song, and the lead singer stepped up to the mic. "Alright, lovebirds, this next one’s a classic. If you’ve got someone special, grab ‘em close!"

As the opening notes of some cheesy love song filled the air, couples started slow dancing near the stage. You groaned, resting your forehead against the table.

This was going to be a long night.

Before Dani could respond, the speakers crackled, and a voice boomed across the cafeteria.

"Attention, everyone! Don't forget to follow the Valentine's color code! If you're not wearing a designated color yet, grab a shirt from the booth near the stage!"

You groaned. Right. The stupid color-coding system.

Every year, the school forced students to participate in this ridiculous tradition, where your relationship status was basically put on display through the color of your shirt.

Red meant you were in love. Orange meant you were single but had a thing going with someone. Blue was for the heartbroken. Pink for those searching. White for the ones who prioritized studying over romance. Yellow meant you were moving on. Black? Bitter. And wearing your normal uniform meant you weren’t interested at all.

Dani stood up, pulling a black T-shirt from her backpack and grinning. "I, for one, am proudly representing Team Bitter." She slipped the shirt over her uniform, showing off the bold lettering across the front: LOVE IS A SCAM.

Lara rolled her eyes and pulled on a yellow shirt. "I’m moving on, thank you very much."

You hesitated for a second before sighing and grabbing the blue one from your bag. "Guess I’m Team Broken."

As you pulled it over your head, Dani nudged you. "You could’ve gone black and joined me in my hatred of love."

You smirked. "Tempting, but I’m not that dramatic."

"Rude," Dani scoffed, crossing her arms. 

"Bitter is a valid life choice."

Lara laughed, but then her gaze flickered to the entrance. "Uh-oh. Here comes Mr. Moisture ."

Your body tensed as you spotted him walking in—wearing an orange shirt. Single and connected. So he already had something going with someone else. Figures.

You turned back to your tray, pretending you hadn’t seen him.

"Alright, we are officially boycotting sad thoughts," Dani declared, grabbing your arm. "C’mon, let’s go mess around near the confession booth."

"Why?"

"Because watching people panic over their crushes is hilarious."

You sighed but let them drag you along. If nothing else, at least you weren’t sulking alone.

As the band on stage started another slow song, you glanced around at the sea of red, pink, and orange shirts around you, feeling your stomach twist. Maybe you were bitter. Maybe you did hate love.

Or maybe you just hated the fact that it felt like everyone was moving on except you

The confession booth was one of the biggest attractions at the event—students could drop anonymous notes in the designated boxes, and later, volunteers would pin them up on a large board for everyone to see. Some were dramatic, some sweet, and some just straight-up weird.

"Look at this one," Lara snorted, pointing to a note written in bright red ink. I love you so much, but I’m too scared to say it in person. Please notice me, A.M.

Dani laughed. "Classic secret admirer move. Respect."

You rolled your eyes, scanning the pinned-up confessions absentmindedly. A few were cringeworthy, others were kind of cute—but then, your gaze landed on a small, folded note tucked into the corner of the board. Unlike the others, this one wasn’t pinned up properly, like someone had stuffed it there in a hurry.

Curious, you reached out and unfolded it.

The handwriting was neat but slightly rushed, like the writer had been nervous.

I miss you. - S

You frowned. "Huh."

Dani peered over your shoulder. "Ooooh. Mystery love letter?"

You shrugged, reading it over again. S. Who the hell was S?

"Think it’s for you?" Lara asked, raising a brow.

You snorted. "Doubt it."

"Well, let’s think," Dani said, tapping her chin. "S could be... Samantha, Sarah, Shane—"

"Or just some random person’s confession that got shoved in the wrong spot," you pointed out.

But even as you said it, you found yourself staring at the note a second longer than necessary.

"I miss you."

For some reason, the words sent a weird, unfamiliar flutter through your chest.

You shook your head, stuffing the note back where you found it. It was probably nothing.

Right?