#it's literally just the combination of my picky ideas of what looks nice and what i want to wear

[lovesodeepandwideandwell]

👕

[jiminrings]

lover

pairing: jungkook x y/n

glimpse: jungkook has a crush and LOTS of vacant space on his ears upon seeing piercing artist!y/n, jin is TERRIFIED of needles and just needs to hold someone’s hand, jimin is a chatty receptionist that gets on jungkook’s nerves a whole ton, and tHen some smut :D 

wordcount: 22k

notes: dedicated to jungkook n his pretty earrings because i would totally go through his hoops like what vitaly did in madagascar 3 :D // gif isn’t mine!!

(*´꒳`*)

jungkook is a flexible man

both literally and figuratively

he knows how to adjust bUT he also knows what he wants

there’s a handful of things he gets picky about

body wash, face wash, shampoo, perfume n aLL THAT GOOD HYGIENE STUFF

he’s not jared, 19

he ISN’T a chad that just picks out deodorant with the most aggressive names they could ever find the quickest in a shelf

when jungkook gets shoes (and sometimes splurges on them) he makes sure to get the new stock and atleast a half-inch allowance

because shoes shrink and get worn-in overtime and the condition that you wore them in first, wON’T remain the same

hard drives are touchy issues too

jungkook needs to be able to save and export his works without the processes of it crashing every thirty seconds thank u very much

if ur buying a hard drive that has less than a 1 TB storage, then wHY even get a hard drive dummy

he can make dollar-store paint work, trust him

but god crusty-ass brushes (whether they’re expensive or not) would be the absolute BANE of his existence

on-hand activities were given less frequently in uni because majority of them were done digitally but he would never forget that time

that time when he cracked at the project on the night that it was given and he decided to sleep fORGETTING to wash his brushes and by the time he woke up, they were are all crusty and stiff

he almost cried

okay so after all

maybe jungkook might be picky

hE CAN’T HELP IT

but this time he felt more reasonable in being picky because this is his roommate that we’re talking about!!!

r o o m m a t e

for possibly the whole three and a half years that he has left before he graduates and he just wants his to be a good one :((

honestly can you blame him

jungkook just has two requirements in his head

pLEASE he doesn’t want a roomie that has quick hands and is a kleptomaniac and would steal the wallet he always just has laying around

he wants to be able to leave his things in the most random places at PEACE

and second, he wants someone that’s atleast tolerable

he’s aware that not every pair of roommates mesh well together 10/10 times but the least he could hope for is that there’s somehow mutual agreement

which is why jungkook’s nervous because oh god what if he’s stuck with a klepto that’s gonna steal his laptop and he isn’t even dONE doing his assignment?????

graphic design and fashion design are in the same building and that just means he has a 50% chance of being paired with someone that knows what he’s doing and knows when to back off

... which is cool, maybe???

but tHen there’s also a 50% chance that he’s gonna be roomies with a fashion student and he’s not gonna lie because that sounds sO cool!!!!!

legitimately cool

he knows nothing about sewing clothes??? or like designing them in more than just a graphic designer-type of approach????

that would be so nice

what if his roomie (he’s about 98% sure) has a sewing machine and some embroidery thread and things and stuff????

what if his roomie suddenly thought that “oh my gOD jungkook since you’re my roommate and ur so cool and u have such nice body proportions,, lemme make u some clothes!!” ???

what then

what tHEN

and he’s the type to impress and even though that makes him look like an utter fool, jungkook really did wake up at TWO in the morning to get started for meeting his roomie by ten in the morning

just eight hours,,, cool,,, that’s cool

who wouldn’t like chocolate truffles right???

vERY EASY

melt some chocolate!! add some butter!! some cream!! a tiny pinch of salt because the recipe said so!! aND THEN YOU’RE DONE

no not really

he didn’t take into account that chill was a very vague term and so jungkook kept opening the fridge every ten minutes and the chocolate truffle blob hasn’t cHILLED!!!

that kinda sent him into panic because how is he supposed to sleep now

he got a large bowl he never really used and lmao this is like the first time he’s washing it

HE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THAT HE HAD THIS BOWL UNTIL NOW

placed that smaller bowl inside of the bowl

and tHEN filled the remaining spaces with ice cubes and tHEN put it into the freezer

not his smartest decision ever because uh there’s some raw chicken and beef in that same freezer but that’s cool it’s cool

roomie wouldn’t even know the difference :D

what you know wouldn’t hurt you, right???

well not until the chocolate gets contaminated with the raw meat somehow wOOF ://

jungkook went to take a one hour nap and he’s decided to just check on the truffle blob when he’s woken up!!!

uHhhh

aha that turned into a fOUR-hour nap :))))

he’s kinda panicking because oh god he could’ve made so much more in that time period

the truffle blob dID chill but it’s kinda frozen now and that makes it a little less easy to try and scoop up and shape and put cocoa powder on it

no worries!! he has a spoon and insane strength!!!

jungkook bent the spoon with how hard he’s going at it bUT that’s okay!!! there are more spoons!!! it’s not the end of the world

he’s done with the chocolate truffles and all that’s left is to let them chill in the fridge and he could just pop them out anytime

it’s 6... and all he has done are chocolate truffles....

aha wild idea but wHAT IF HIS NEW ROOMIE DOESN’T LIKE CHOCOLATE

...

....

it’s 10:13 and yeah sure this roomie of his is a little bit late but jungkook doesn’t mind at all because that meant more time for him to prepare

aside from the chocolate truffles, he’s successfuly bought/made/modified:

ice cream sandwiches in every flavor he could find because what if they don’t like chocolate?? or wait what if vanilla’s too plain for them?? ok wHAT IF THEY LIKE STRAWBERRY??? is that matcha-

cup noodles,,, in beef, seafood, and spicy variations

gummy bears!!! half are just the original ones and the oTHER half is what he soaked in vodka because uHhH what if the roomie likes alcohol as much as he does??? or maybe they just like citric acid in bear form or mAYBE even both???

dalgona because what if they aren’t an iced tea person,,, or an orange juice person,,,,, jungkook totally understands!!! the entirety of his right arm may be significantly more ripped by the end of this

mozzarella sticks that he buys in bulk whenever he goes to the grocery and that jungkook popped into the oven hurriedly because wAIT WAIT what if they’re lactose intolerant,,,,

cereals,,, he has some cereals,,,, maybe they haven’T had breakfast yet and they wanna have cereal??? he has some milk too!!!

some ice cubes leftover if u wanna pop them into the cereal if they’re feeling a lil spicy

god jungkook just wants to be liked sO BAD and he’s such a people-pleaser that it’s exhausting :(((

this better work or else he will literally combust and eat boozy gummy bears until he’s silly drunk :(((

but tHEN the front door opened and uh jungkook remembers locking it always but

oh

oH

that’s his roommate!!!! holding a duplicate key already!!!!! with bags on tow aND WOW!!!!!!

this guy MUST be a fashion student

jungkook didn’t wear an apron and he honestly salutes anyone who does which is why there may be some bits of cocoa powder on his chest that he’s wiping off quickly

“hEY man!! i’m jungkook!! jeon jungkook!! come in, come iN!!! was the traffic bad or-...”

wait

hold on just a second

how sure is jungkook that this guy with a really handsome face and wide-ass shoulders that’s like the same size of the doorway, is hIS roommate???

bruh

what if this was just a random-ass dude that happened to have a duplicate key aND HE’S HERE TO ROB HIM OR SOMETHING

“woah hEY i’m jin!! kim seokjin!! lmao yeah i live two floors down aND then i have all these bags and i just wanted to take one trip in the elevator but then in the same time i cAN’T and-“

oh

oH jin definitely just said too much words huh

right off the bat jin is rEALLY setting an impression huh

he got a good look at jungkook and he could tell that he looks younger than him

or maybe that’s just kook’s bambi eyes assessing jin that’s standing parallel to him right now

or maybe it’s some of the cocoa powder on his gray shirt and jin might assume that he’s a baby because he’s spilled some

“oh yEAH YEAH i prepared uh like a housewaeming thing for you!! well i mean this isn’t a house and it’s not your house bUT it isn’t mine either but in a tECHNICAL sense it’s — yEAH do u want chocolate truffles or something.....”

“oh jungkook you shouldn’t have!!! if it’s worth anything, i made this beret for my roommate and well it’s yOu right??? and i kinda sewed my initials at the back to commemorate like a friendship??? or something???? i don’t know man it sounds sO lame and-...”

bro

brO

jin’s eating literally everything that jungkook’s prepared and he heard the mention of the alcoholic gummy bears and his eyes almost pOP out of their sockets

for a moment, kook was kinda terrified because oh god are you cAMPUS POLICE????

turns out that jin loves alcohol AND gummy bears and he’s never tried that combination before

it’s like they’ve been friends for their whole entire life and conversation was just so easy to slip into

“how did you kNOW i eat this exact brand of mozzarella sticks??? they’re so good and you could even buy them in this hUge-ass box!!”

“how did you know that this beret would fit my hEAD?? i literally thought my head was too big for berets and this is like thE perfect size!!”

jin casually asks what they should eat for dinner later that night and jungkook dOESN’T skip a beat saying what he wants and jin dOESN’T hesitate either in agreeing

lmao jungkook started calling jin hyung not even 48 hours upon meeting him

“jungkoOooOoK :D so as you know, i’m gonna have a makeshift booth for my project, right? and like since your my very nice and kind and handsome and tALENTED best friend :D i was wondering if you could make the brand design for me? the logo? the layout of what i’m gonna put? this and that? say yes please pls :D”

...

....

“you cook all the meals for a week.”

“i already-...”

“obviously you’re gonna take all the credit bUT somewhere in your booth, there’s gonna be a piece there that’s inspired by mE.”

“okay fine what-...”

“if you get the highest mark and you bETTER, you need to check out my cart because-“

“oKAY DEAL!!”

it’s a two-way street okay

that just goes to say how far the both of them are bonding

in technical terms, their courses are kinda similar

and it’s just fun too because jungkook gets along with jin and the other way around!!

“jin-hyung i need a fRESH new background for this layout do you have any silk fabric??”

“do you want it sleek or do you want it crumpled?”

“can i try both??”

“yeah lmao i don’t see why not :D”

jin’s a nice roommate and an even better friend and hyung to jungkook and he can’t be thankful enough

it’s his personal goal in life to be the reason for jin’s first strand of grey hair and every morning jungkook cHECKS

sometimes he won’t be discreet at all

like he’d tug at jin’s hair and it’s freshly dyed and jin’s mighty sensitive because oh god what if it was freshly bleached??? tHEN WHAT

or maybe he’d toss a froot loop to his hair and he’d go :D hyungie lemme get that for you :D

“jin can u pls make me a bomber jacket :((“

“are you gonna pay me??? no??? well then NO”

“how about a bandana can you make me one can you make me one pLEASE”

“every piece of fabric could be literally a bandana if u think about it kook”

“how about a shirt that says ‘dad’ in the front but at the back it’s appa from avatar embroidered at the back lmao”

“why would you oH OMG I SEE WHAT U DID THERE :)))))) ok that sounds cool i’m proud i’m actually gonna do that :))) wait let me make one for me too :))))”

it’s a support system

even until him and jin graduated, they are sTILL roomies because that means not only do you pay half of the rent, you’re also not alone!!!

jin’s older and he may not voice this enough bUT he relies alot on jungkook as much as jungkook relies on him

jungkook’s the bug killer

he’s in charge of killing everything that’s crawling and slimey and has atleast made jin shudder once

he even has designated slippers for swatting spiders!!!! he’s used things from cereal boxes to his mousepad just going hard at these insects that bother jin

jungkook also has a higher pain tolerance

and he has this experience with these kind of things

and jin’s just scared shitless bUT

“please kook i nEED you to come with me to get my ears pierced :(((“

“but you already have your ears pierced.”

and that’s true

but it was just a standard piercing in the lobe that even babies have

“no i’m talking about a hELIX piercing!!!”

“oh you aRE???”

jungkook’s attention is fully caught now and he’s stopped working on the commission he’s handling as of the moment and right into jin who’s looking panicked

“i thought you said that you didn’t want it because it would hurt?”

he’s a bit frazzled because he remembers jin swearing that he’d go to his grave earlier rather than get his hard cartilage pierced

“well i changed my mind and i think it’s gonna look good on me :)))”

that bit’s actually true because jin didn’t order like five clip-on earrings after much thinking that he did LOVE how it looked on him

he contemplated for a moment that what if he just wears these clip-ons for the rest of his life y’know

but clip-ons hurt more than actual piercing like he sWEARS the blood flow to his ear stopped because the clasp was too tight and to loosen it means to lose it forever

and besides that, he’s LITERALLY allergic to fAKE things like these

huh guess he has actual taste with or without the allergic reaction to fake metal

of cOurse he’s gonna go to jungkook for moral support because the younger one has more piercings than him

jungkook has four piercings in total!! those two standard lobe piercings that even babies have, a second lobe piercing on his left ear, and his newest one!! — a mid-helix piercing on his right!!

he’s very-well aware that jin needs moral support and he’s a really sTURDY rock for his hyung that is more on the easy to get spooked side

and as much as this fuels his ego, he’s really hesitant to come with him because he’s jUst busy y’know??? and his latest commission is for this big online brand and he’s known to deliver right on time

he’s halfway through but the second half is really just as crucial as the first half because uHhhh jungkook’s dedicated and he’s getting paid and this is one of his jobs and this sustains his living

“i don’t know hyung.,.,.. when do you want to get it done?”

“well i was hoping nOW :D”

it’s 8 in the morning

eIGHT in the morning and jin could immediately see the bafflement in jungkook’s face so he quickly explains why because he just wants this so bad

“wait wait it’s because so i don’t chicken out!! it’s like nOW OR NEVER!! and the more time i spend thinking about it, then the mORE time i spend thinking about it. but i really dO wanna get this piercing and i just-...”

“i haven’t even had breakfast yet :((((“

oh

right jungkook’s coming with jin alright

it’s the line he pulls off when he’s convinced and of COURSE it’s hinting at jin to buy him breakfast to make his time worthwhile

jungkook’s a friend but he’s also an entrepeneur hA :D

besides him freelancing and picking up projects that require his skills of graphic design and making layouts,,,

he also has a lil online shop!!! he puts his works on bags and sticker and stuff and he is aLWAYS up for commission no matter how ridiculous it is

one day it could be someone asking him to draw them sketch-style with hearts around their head

or the other day it could be making a batch of twenty stickers and a print in a canvas bag, and very specifically, did it require to say

he’s being dead serious

really

lmao jungkook can’t stop laughing while he was designing this

HI MY NAME IS YOONGI AND I HAVE A BASKETBALL GAME TOMORROWWW

now at first he really didn’t knOW if the person that sent this commission was being serious because uH are you sure???

but then they sent in 50% of the fee and jungkook was immediately oh okay yea dude i’ll do this for you lol

he’s highly sure that this yoongi guy isn’t the one who commissioned him because wHY would you clown yourself like that??

that one’s for the books surely

now jungkook doesn’t know if seokjin always gets his way (spoiler alert: he does) but within an hour, he’s all clean and changed into new clothes and he’s nOW standing with jin right in front of this shop

this uh really nice-looking tattoo and piercing place that looks great from the outside and he has to hand that one over

“...,.,.. so have you ever been here before??”

......

“....,.,.. well nO actually but i read that it has gREAT reviews and the staff is also cool and the interior’s pleasing too so yEAH yeah let’s get it!!”

wait it does look pleasing

it’s not the most spacious shop in the world but the floor plan makes the shop look bigger than it actually is!!! and the granite tiles by the front look cLASSY too!!!!

kook lets his eyes wander to where the granite tiles stop and meet the wooden flooring and he just can’t help thinking in his degree y’know

graphic design just rates to sO many things in real life and he did not spend four years to try and maximize his knowledge in it as much as he could

oh they aLSO have a front desk??? that’s-

“hi welcome to hope ink sLASH vante studios!! walk-in, appointment, or are you just here to see me?”

what

the

fuck

is that a greeting

wAS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE A GREETING

jungkook’s trailing behind jin and he kinda scoffs at this dude in the front desk because what even

is that a part of the script

ok maybe jungkook just woke up in the wrong side of bed today bLAME HIM

jin, on the other hand, snorts at the greeting right away and it turns into a giggle and it pleasantly makes this receptionist do the same

the receptionist is this rEALLY fit guy with pink hair dressed in a white button-up and he looks pERKY AND CHATTY

a-and jungkook already hates him and he doesn’t know why bUT maybe it’s just because he isn’t amused whatsoever and he jus wants to come home immediately

oh right he even has that commission left to do and suddenly he’s feeling the time pressure

can they jUST speed this up

he’s here for moral support not for a chat with this pink-haired guy that doesn’t have a name tag and hOW can jungkook hate a guy that he doesn’t even know the name to ://

“walk-in?? no problem. you have six more people queued in front of you but not one of them has arrived sO yeah come with me!! what’s your name?? seokjin? jin??? okay come with me man!! lmao ur ᵍʳᵘᵐᵖʸ friend could come with too”

“i hEARD that.,..,”

“.,.,.. i know.”

jimin also finds jungkook irritating because he’s just being chirpy and this guy meets him for like two seconds and he’s already being a downer on his mood

he doesn’t even know his name!!!

although this jin guy is cool because obviously they r VIBING so hard

jimin’s leading the two of them to wherever jin’s gonna get his ear pierced and jungkook lags around behind to observe

this is a cool place!!!

to his left there’s a literal empty space with a rectangular podium in the middle of the area and it looks wEIRD ok

maybe a stall’s supposed to be there???

lol or maybe the tattoo artists do their tattoos there as if it’s a stage?????? oh god jungkook’s too fatigued for this he rEALLY needs to get glasses and get his eight hours in

to his right there’s some glass partitions with reclining chairs on them!!

and there’s some closed rooms to what jungkook can make out and he guesses that those are reserved for tattoos, maybe???

anyways he’s reading too much into this

he’s only moral support for a customer aND he’s not even gonna get anything done!!!

“you could just sit on this chair right here....,. lol and uh what’s his name.,.,. jungkook?? hmmm i’ll bring out a stool for you i guess...,.”

there are PLENTY of empty reclining chairs here why can’t jungkook just sit there????

jimin’s just being playful getting on jungkook’s nerves because he hasn’t been able to do that in a while with customers,,, because obviously they’re customers,,, and he doesn’t wanna jeopardize the shop rIGHT

“wait here, jin. we have two piercing artists in and i’m just gonna call them and y’know what you could just pICK who you want or like just pick the one who gets to your first!!”

okay

jimin’s a receptionist and he is fAIRLY new to this job but not to the other people working here

the usual script was to be formal and lead them to the artist or to the waiting area and formal just sounded SO boring

blame him for not being an uptight senior citizen

“one customer for an ear piercing!!! :D”

jimin’s head pops into hobi’s room where practically all of you are gathered when there’s no customers because the airconditioning is just sPLENDID

taehyung’s on his switch while he’s laid on your lap and you’re just on your phone from having scrolled in the same feed for like five times

“which one?”

you and tae ask at the same time and that’s when jimin kinda giggles and scratches at his nape as he stands around sheepishly

aha :D

“that’s the thing though i jUST told him to pick which one gets to do his piercing or... whatever....”

taehyung groans at that because oh god it was hobi who hired jimin and he’s told him off to nOt do that for a couple of times and here he is giggling like this isn’t the 35th time he’s put you and taehyung in this position and making the customer pick

“i’ll do it lmao don’t worry tae :))”

about time you do some actual work anyway

it’s not even lunchtime but you do wanna feel as if you’re productive because watching taehyung play animal crossing fRUSTRATES YOU

he whines a thank you because even though that meant more time for him to play, that also meant you deserting him and just have his head hit the cushions instead of your thighs :((

jimin’s walking with you as he leads you back to jin and there’s aLways a skip to his step and that is ur goal

ur goal is to be as happy as jimin in life because look at him!!!!

pink hair and cozy snug sweaters and dangling earrings and it doesn’t take much for him to laugh!!! what a trooper

the bell chimes and that’s his cue to jog over back to his spot and he just waves you over to go along like you cOULD walk over there by yourself

no problem!!! :D

uh-oh

it’s a problem

it’s really a problem

it’s a problem when the customer sat on the chair is so hot and cute and charming and hANDSOME

if angels do exist tHEN GOD HE MUST BE ONE

he looks so !!!!

WOW

he is actually so breathtaking are you sURE HE’S ACTUALLY REAL????

he has this long-ish hair that reminds you of taehyung’s but the only difference was that tae has a perm aND THIS GUY DOESN’T

and he has this cUTE nose that you wanna boop so bad and u saw him at the exact time that he was cheesing and he has this mole under his lip!!!!

ALSO

THE WAY HE’S SAT ON THE CHAIR

his arms are holding him up and he’s relaxed and oMG LOOK HIS EARRINGS ARE SO CUTE

they look heavy n they’re very flashy silver but oh god he could really really pull them off

you want those earrings aND YOU WANT THIS GUY

that’s cool y/n just breathe :D keep your cool :D you’re jUST gonna be stabbing his ears with some needles that’s all :D

“hi!! i’m y/n, your piercing artist for today!! what’s your name?”

jungkook’s beyond amused at jin who’s sitting on the chair at the other stall because lol he is so scared that he looks on the verge of crying

bUT he does feel sorry because no jin!!! the pain is just vERY quick and you’ll be done in no time!!

he wants to go to where jin’s at and actually sit on the stool that jimin provided for him but lmao no maybe later

he’s using it as a foot rest because he is really comfortable in this position and he’d rather not move until someone calls him out or something :))

or maybe when jin needs a hand to hold but like the piercing artist isn’t here yet so he has some time to lounge around hehe

“hyungie!!”

jungkook tries calling out just to take jin’s attention away from hyping himself about the pAIN he thinks he’s gonna be in

“what what?? whAt????”

“want me to deck the one who’s gonna be piercing you?? :D”

yAYYYYY jungkook’s got him to laugh!!

i mean he’s not actually gonna deck the piercing artist because uh that’s a lawsuit and second what the fUCk for

but it’s just this humor that jin thoroughly enjoys, especially now when he looks so near to tears

he gets teased anyway for looking out for jin even though he’s the younger of the friendship duo so why not joke about owning up to it??

“yA i’m serious!! i took up boxing for awhile and excuse you — my dad made me take up taekwondo when i was a kid!!”

“what are you gonna do? put the artist in a headlock??”

“...,.,. jin that’s mma,,..,.”

“lol you’re probably gonna be charged for traveling before you could land that kick”

“.,..,., jin that’s basketball and-..,..”

“maybe you could score a goal or something but jungkook that’s gonna be sO rare for you”

“.,.,. jin are you-...”

oh

OH

jungkook has probably never seen anyone so angelic he’s mid-laugh in and he sees you walking towards him and gOD ARE YOU REAL

maybe this isn’t a simulation you’re just that Perfect with the capital P :(((

“hi!! i’m y/n, your piercing artist for today!! what’s your name?”

oh god okay so this is where it goes down

“h-hi i’m jungkook!! i’m uH the friend of the one you’re gonna pierce today!!”

oh

you just wanna p-word right now

p for perish

you can nOT be embarrassed more

aha you’re just gonna detach from this situation as fast as possible because oh god you really looked like a FOOL in front of this really handsome guy :((

“hI i’m y/n and i assume you’re the one who’s gonna get pierced??”

if this guy isn’t it (and hE MUST be) then that means you’ve officially embarrassed yourself twice to tWO handsome men

the third time for yourself, the fourth for jimin who could be seeing this now, the fifth for maybe this random good ghost taehyung swears lingers by here, the sixth for-

“yEAH I’M JIN!!!! that’s me uh i’m sorry for jungkook,, jimin told him to sit by the stool and he didn’t wANt to and now we know wHY he should be sitting on the stool instead :D”

cue jungkook whose head is hung low while he’s sitting on the stool near you because god he also made a clown out of himself

it’s cool cool cool cool cool

“what piercing are you gonna get today? :))”

“mid-helix thank u vERY much :))”

jin’s pointing at his right ear and holding up his finger and that’s not exactly the mid-helix is but it’s ok ur gonna correct him later

he looks very nervous

you could literally see his fingers trembling and you just feel so sorry for him

jungkook can see that VERY clearly and so he’s just patting jin’s knee and you glance at him briefly and he’s looking RIGHT at you ahem

you hand jin a mirror and he yelps a bit when you lift your hand but you were jUST gonna wear gloves

kook doesn’t wanna laugh but in the same time he wants to laugh

“bro calm down y/n’s just putting on gloves!!!”

AND EVEN HIS VOICE SOUNDS GOOD :(((

you can’t shake off how how good your name rolled off from jungkook’s tongue and if ur being honest u feel kinda jittery

aha that’s my name :D omg what’s ur last name jungkook??? what a coincidence that’s gonna be mY last name too :D

chile

u nEED to calm down because otherwise you’d be as nervous as jin right now and you’re the one who’s gonna pierce him

lmao and you also met jungkook for the first time today so that’s a factor too you guess

“i’m just gonna be marking, okay?? does that look good to you?”

he calms down at that and takes a good look in the mirror and oOh that does look good!!!!

jin literally looks like he’s gonna faint

:O

“okay i only bust this out for a few customers,.,. and since you’re special and you deserve it and you look like you need it.,..”

that’s true tho

you have jin and jungkook’s attention fully and they’re peering at whatever you’re doing

you have this special box here in your cart and you’re hoping that you still have one of em aND

slime

it’s slime

bRAND-NEW SLIME

it’s the smooth matte type of slime and there’s a packet of like styrofoam beads you could mix into it!!!

technically this isn’t part of the payment but it’s ok yOU BOUGHT THIS YOURSELF!!!!!

specifically for the customers that you get that are terrified of needles or they’re so nervous and they don’t have anyone accompanying them

:O

jin’s very much speechless

:D

he takes the lil tub from you very excitedly and you’re just about to get the wipe and-

“here jungkook, you look like you wanted it too :))”

jungkook’s doe eyes grow mUCH bigger as you plop one on his lap and thank god because he would’ve wrestled with jin to have it

yo if he gets to marry you then he has to squeeze in you giving him slime at the first meeting into his vows somehow :’’’)

“y’know, i started working here about half a year ago!! i’m friends with the owners,” okay this bit is another one of your calming tricks

you’re pretending to get some stuff fixed and some things gathered but in reality,,, it takes about like ten seconds max to gather what you actually need

jin looks like he’s in the road to calming down anyways

“bUT i got my piercing license, i wanna say, a year and a half ago?? lmao funny story but i took training and certification out of a dARE and i took it with my uhhh friend :))”

wait what now

jin kinda looks concerned but in the same time he doesn’t because he’s in Zen mode rn

although you assure him that you DO take this very seriously and you’re fully certified and you passed through all the stages you needed to go through

“idk what jimin told you but i’m pretty sure he said something long huh”

“he said sLASH out loud.,.,”

“okay sO hobi, is the one who owns this shop!! it’s originally hope ink but tHEN taehyung owns another shop called vante studios and then rent’s expensive, right?”

“TOTALLY”

“I KNOW RIGHT????”

jin and jungkook can fully agree

jin’s been wanting to open a shop for sO long and jungkook’s been wanting to open a physical store for all his crafts but rent and decent space!!!! they r bitches

“they just decided to merge like two years ago!!! and it was for the better too!!! taehyung was my friend ever since uni and tHEN my course was graphic design-“

jungkook’s heart just flatlined jin was about to interject that oH kook here is also but nO JUNGKOOK BEATS HIM TO THAT

he squirms in his seat and even raises up his hand very eagerly and you look kinda alarmed

“me too me too!!!! i also studied graphic design!!!!”

“that’s sO COOL!!”

jin is enjoying this very much right now

if the two of you get married then he’s gotta have to add the they were vibing in the first meeting part to his best man speech

if he isn’t the best man then WHY is jungkook gonna get married in the first place :///

“i used to work at this company and boy was i overworked!! like i have so many things piled up but i just also don’t wanna half-ass the projects just to get through them quickly-“

“eXACTLY-“

“and so i quit :D”

that is quite the climax to your building story

that was very abrupt and frankly jin can’t get enough

which is perfect!!

because as he’s frustratedly asking you more questions while his hands blindly knead the slime and at one point he even stops, you’re already prepping up what you need

jungkook was also in the verge of frustration because you can’t just end it there :((

but then in his peripheral vision he could see what you were getting and it was a really good thing you already asked jin about his preferences and your professional opinion about this piercing

(if you were to ask him that now instead of earlier, it would be BACK to square one and you’d have to fish for another story in your head)

oh wow ur really good at this huh

kook has nothing but admiration and mad respect for you :3

he does his part on chatting up jin more and you internally praise him for that because look at that!!!! he knows what you’re doing!!!

you gesture for him to hold jin’s hands because you wouldn’t want to be distracted or have this hurt more than it should

piercings should be done in a quick and precise manner with no room for error on the artist’s end

and as for the customer, they literally need to stay still because hypertrophic scarring is a thing and you don’t want them to have that

jin’s story high is about to end because oH you’re standing near to him as he’s sat down and he’s starting to shut up because oh god oh god don’t look at the needle don’t look at the tHAT’S A BIG NEEDLE

“deep breath in for me, alright?”

you may have broken him and you haven’t even started yet

“jin? hmm? y’here with me?”

you found that saying your customer’s name helps to ease them and bring them down a bit and it works just as well with him

“do it with me and jungkook, okay?”

kook’s alert at that and you don’t even have to nudge him to do this with you

he even does it exaggeratedly to try and ease jin in the slightest and he even has him going along with him

ᵗʰʷᵒᵒᵖ

“jIN YOU DID SUCH A GOOD JOB!!! :D”

:O

omg jin can’t believe it either

“iT’S OVER??”

well not technically yet because you have to put the earring in but the worst part was already over!!

you had to still jin for a second because he kept laughing and therefore he’s trembling just a tiny bit so you have to grip on his shoulders-

oh they’re wide wide

maybe if you hold them for a little longer you could envision how wide the doorframe is to the

“aHEM ʲᶦⁿ⁻ʰʸᵘⁿᵍ’ˢ ᵉᵃʳʳᶦⁿᵍ ᵖˡᵉᵃˢᵉ”

lol jungkook really isn’t as sly as he think he is you finally put the earring in and hand jin his mirror back and he’s gushing

from how pretty it is

sure his ear is red as fUck but even if it’s not fading out yet, it still looks so cute and he feels no ounce of regret whatsoever

he did a helix piercing it’s ok he’s SURE he could tackle on the world rn you’re just cleaning up the tiny bit of blood and jin doesn’t even notice

“if that’s all, i need to talk to you about aftercare!! okay so-“

no no no

wAIT jungkook forgot that piercing sessions lasted this quick he can’t have that

he’s only been with you for like tEN minutes maximum and no no he’s not taking that this is TOO quick

“NO UH ACTUALLY I-“

jin’s taken aback because why are u being so loud for

jimin’s ears even perk up at that and if he’s being honest, he even jumped up a little because wHY is jungkook like that

you’re alarmed too because uH wait did you do something wrong??? oh god is it-

“i also want a piercing...”

ok listen you were actually expecting to do more piercings on jin because normally people don’t come here for a single one bUT jin just wanted one

and well jungkook’s cute and kinda and nice and you feel so weird having only met him for like ten minutes and u hate how good and quick you are at your job :(((

because that means less time to interact with jungkook

“... done by you.”

you’re pretty sure you could ascend to heaven right here right now

:D

“okay yEAH no problem!!! i’ll uh,, i’ll just get set up and i could talk to the both of you about aftercare after i pierce your ears aha :D”

you toss the gloves quickly to the bin

you’re making sure to wash your hands eXTRA clean and extra slow so you could be thorough :)))

jungkook practically pushed jin out of the chair with your back turned to them because Y/N SAID IT’S MY TURN :P

now he knows he said that he only came here for moral support but maybe getting a few more piercings done by someone he may already have a crush on after two seconds, isn’t necessarily a bad thing, right??

he always wanted more piercings anyway

he didn’t think for it to have them now but he kNOWS he definitely wants them now

“what’re you thinking about??”

wait no he didn’t prepare for this gOD are you seeing right through him

and the fact that he has a pathetic lil crush on you

“well aCTUALLY that’s aha quite a hard question to ask because uhm yOU SEE-“

that’s IT jungkook is now the fool and he should be-

“the piercings that you’re gonna get, koo.”

not only do you look calm and collected

but you also called him KOO and jungkook now wants to change his name in his birth certificate because fUCK jungkook whoever that bitch is

hIS NAME IS KOO NOW!!!!

“y-yeah that’s what i’m trying to get at!!” he’s scratching the back of his head and tries to suppress the sheepish smile that’s just widening as the time ticks by

“dealer’s choice :))”

“d-dealer’s choice???”

this is not the first time that a customer gave you the reins to do what you please because they trust you enough to do so

but jungkook giving you that decision with no hesitation at all and he’s all giddy sitting on his chair staring right back at you.,...,

whoosh

speechless luv speechless

jin is too because he’s partly listening and partly taking pictures of his ear and his side profile so he’s just mumbling off to the side smh now these two are gonna play poker now??

“i uh personally think that both your sides are good sides and it’s true sO i was thinking of a second lobe and third lobe on your right ear!!”

oh no not you confessing that he looks immaculate on the first meeting :((

yIKES jungkook’s just blushing profusely as he nods along with his lips pursed because if they aren’t then he will sqUEAL

“because it’s gonna fit you just nicely and you already have this mid-helix on your right!! and by the looks of it, it’s jUST freshly-healed and i don’t wanna hurt you or anything with another cartilage instantly and !!!! is that okay with you?”

he is okay

definitely MORE than okay

somewhere along the lines when you were disinfecting his ear, taehyung’s strolling out because what’s taking you so long??

jimin only said that it was just for one customer and like a single helix piercing and that doesn’t take long at all

he wants someone to watch him play animal crossing because who eLSE is gonna get frustrated with him (and therefore motivate him to do better) playing it besides you

“there you are!! wHAT’S — oHhh do you need me to take over for you?”

tae cares for you very much

sometimes a little too much

but all in good reason!!!!

the moment you offered him a sip of your iced coffee you bought from the convenience store, he automatically knew that he wanted to protect you from the wORLD

if only you didn’t look at each other as really really close friends, 10/10 the two of you would probably be a couple now lmao

he always asks this question in that tone that sounds intimidating because

if his voice is deep he makes it even deeper bc that would scare off some people

some people being the occasional group of frat guys that come 

here to get pierced and they’re all lining up for YOU and not for taehyung

they r small-minded

not to mention creeps

and they’re trying to smooth-talk their way to you and you aren’t having it

and sO IS TAEHYUNG

and jimin

and hobi

and even the stray cat jimin lets in the shop from time to time because lil chimmy looks like he’s gonna claw this dude’s nose right OUT

(( this is why jimin’s scolded for giving the customer the choice when the scenario’s unnecessary))

lol taehyung took over for you and he stared down all these frat guys and got them done quickly and u know what he may or may not made it hurt aNYWAYS

jungkook isn’t that type though

you tHINK

you’d hate for him to receive taehyung’s sternness and so you’re quick to wave off tae with a smile

kook is kinda scared because uhhhh is this your boyfriend and uhhhh do you know how to patch me up because he looks like he’s about to wHOOP my ass :((

“no need, tae!!” his stance relaxes at that but he’s still wary, a knowing smile on your lips as you face jungkook who’s shying away from taehyung’s stare

“jungkook, this is taehyung — the one i was talking to you about!! my friend aND one of the two owners of this shop :D”

“heymannicetomeetyouimjungkook”

atleast tae shakes his hand back so that’s good in hindsight

he isn’t nervous about the piercing but he IS nervous with how jimin and taehyung are eyeing him because he’s deduced that they’re your friends and they think somEthing must be going on

pls he’s only met you now :((

but he wishes he’s met you sooner

you’re marking down on his ear and he catches a whiff of your perfume and it’s safe to say that he may be wHIPPED already

although tae caught him doing that and now jungkook’s just pretending to sniffle from a cold

even goes the extra mile to tell jin outloud that they should get vicks candies after this

he is not slick at A L L oh my god he does not have any game whatsoever and it makes taehyung laugh to himself for a moment because oh god

he’s seen frat boys get their rip-off calvin klein knickers in a twist but he hasn’t seen a customer like jungkook that has a cRUSH on you point-blank

oh ok :)))

jungkook sees a mischievous smile on taehyung’s face that’s directed for him and he does not like it at all

“something tells me that i don’t need to distract you with a chat like i did with your friend, hm?”

he hears you mumble under your breath when you lean in and he stifles a giggle at that because n-o he isn’t a scaredy cat like jin is

however

for this occasion he wishes that he has a weak heart because there’s absolutely NOTHING he wouldn’t give just to have that Jin Treatment

jungkook eagerly nods his head when you ask him if you’re ready and taehyung nearly doubles over in laughter because he didn’t know that this guy was tHIS desperate ok

ᵗʰʷᵒᵒᵖ

“good job kook!!!! :D”

hehehe

he’s been told that atleast a hundred times before but coming from you??

he could ascend to heaven because it just makes him blush so mUCH and every miniscule thing u do or say to him?? enough for him to set himself on fire

that’s right :D i did a good job :D say that again pls :D

there’s just one more piercing left to do and he barely flinches

merely blinks and before he knows it,,,,

he’s done

like actually done this time

:((

taehyung pats him on the back because he’s there to brief him and jin with the aftercare

why can’t yOu do it????

oh that’s right jimin YELLED for you all across the shop so he could beckon you over to the front desk

jungkook’s pouting the whole time

ok yes i’ll disinfect this twice a day :((

ok yes sir i will go here if i feel like there’s something wrong with my piercing or if it’s showing any signs of allergies or infection

wait did u say i could go here..,.,,.

anyways he’s very gutted to know that he has to leave because he did come here in the first place to support jin

and here he is with two fresh piercings and blushing cheeks,,

just plain-out wondering when he could see you again

or probably the 70% chance that he’ll never do

he’s just standing behind you as you converse with jimin and while jin’s by the counter to pay for himself and jungkook (which then turned out that taehyung gave him a 50% discount overall because it’s like yO man i appreciate you and u feel like my hyung thank you) and he must look like an utter fool

jungkook has never been this nervous before

he’s been told that he visually looks intimidating as fUck but it all breaks when he smiles or giggles and basically stops scowling

jin teases him every single time whenever he wears these big romper stompers as he calls them and he has to say every time that nO he is not an e-boy :(((

he’s tucking his hands in his pockets because oh god oh god jimin’s giving him a look and then that prompts you to look at what he’s looking and he’s not prepared yet oKAY

he has no lines and no direction and-

“y/NNNNN aha!!”

lol he’s cute

it seems like your nervous jitters were passed to him because you very quickly got over them by distracting yourself

you know mAYBE you just find jungkook attractive and you don’t have a crush on him

that thing exists

he’s saying your name like it’s the eighth wonder of the world and honestly he feels like it is

“can i have the number?”

he asks upright and fuck that sounded so straightforward and too quick because if it wasn’t stressed enough, he just met you today!! t o d a y he doesn’t know at all that his voice sounded much like a squeal

or the fact that jin’s practically gAWKING at what jungkook just did but at the same time he looks like he’s a proud dad!!

or that jimin’s just snickering at the back and shaking his head at jungkook while clicking his tongue because lmao he knEw that this guy had a thing for you

he just didn’t know that he’d advance to you this painfully and awkwardly

jimin’s had a lot of awkward interactions with customers but nOT to this point that he looks like he’s gonna pass out

taehyung’s cupping his hand over his mouth because oof that wasn’t as smooth and jungkook thinks it is

it’s like waterslides but there’s not enough water in it so for the first half it’s all smooth but then at the second half it’s just dried out

and your back’s just skidding and hurting and you have to manually push yourself down the slide and now EVERYONE in the pool’s now looking at you awkwardly and then u decided that you want to sink into a blackhole

aha tae wonders who got that experience :D certainly not him :D

“o-oh the number for the shop i mean!!! piercings and stuff like that!!! a cALLING CARD IS WHAT I MEANT”

okay now jungkook reeled too far in

jin’s massaging his temples because the second-hand embarrassment is too much and he wants to make it clear that he is not affiliated with jeon jungkook OR whatever his name is

it’s like casting your fishing line to the water and you just feel this slight bite (but it’s probably just your wrist snapping) and all of a sudden you feel like it’s the biggest catch eVER in history

you’re wondering on the down-low of uhhhhhh lol why is it so light and it’s like i kNOW i’m powerful but why is it too easy for me

then turns out that it’s just a random piece of seaweed

lol definitely NOT jin :D of course not :D

you’re a bit bummed because honestly you really thought that jungkook would ask for your number

although you could just give it to him but you’re not tHAT daring on the first meeting

“calling card yeah sure :)))”

you outstretch your hand because the stack of calling cards are literally just on jimin’s desk and jungkook also failed to account for that

you hand it to him and jungkook’s just blinking rapidly because oH,,,, landline,,,, o-oh you really did just give him what he ASKED for

here’s the catch

jungkook’s a big dummy

HE MISSES YOU OKAY

it’s been a solid week ever since he and jin got piercings done

jin’s beyond happy with his piercing and he looks at himself in every reflective surface every single time because he’s just in LOVE with the new addition

he’s already dreaming of his next one and what earring he’d put in once this one’s all healed

doesn’t help that jin keeps mentioning you every single time either

or the fact that he is stiLL playing with the slime you’ve given him and kook’s conflicted whether he wants to steal it or throw it out of the window his piercings are all good :( he can peacefully sleep on his side now :(

normally that would be a good thing but now jungkook’s wondering if it’s wrong to hope that atleast there may be sOMETHING WRONG with it :(((

just so he could drop by the shop

speaking of the shop

he found the instagram account :D

not necessarily found because well the handle was in the calling card

ANYWAY

there’s a big following for it!!

he assumes that these tattoos are done by the hope guy and they look pretty awesome

there’s the piercings too!!!

that’s jin’s ear!! tHAT’S JUNGKOOK’S EAR!! :D

why is he so happy

he has no idea on which one of you runs this account and he’s a lil shit.,... that’s why he won’t slide into the shOp’s dms in hopes that you’re the one running it

what if he sends a cute message of “hey i miss u” and it turns out that it’s jIMIN who’s in charge of the acc

that’s a big L for kook

if jimin were to picture that situation, he would block and clown jungkook for life

he’s scrolled far enough to see a picture that isn’t of ink and reddened ears

it’s a picture of the staff!!!

you’re standing brightly in the middle with your arms around taehyung and *grunt* jimin while you’re the embodiment of :D

and jungkook’s smiling to himself in the dark because uh it might be late in the morning when he’s doing this

now there’s TWO other guys and he knows that one of them mUst be hoseok but he’s not exactly sure which one of these dudes because he doesn’t know what hobi looks like

he’s now on a roll because the other handles are tagged :D and well :D

jungkook isn’t a creepy guy ok

he’s just genuinely curious about you and he misses yOU who he’s only met for like less than an hour who was really gentle with him even if u poked a needle to his ear otherwise

now you’re not really thAt uptight with your feed because in your humble opinion

ahem

pictures with the same aggressively saturated/unsaturated filters going on and on are kinda very annoying for you because now every picture looks like the other and what’s the pOINT

there’s multiple pictures of the guys there!!!

taehyung looking sophisticated and intimidating and sOft at the same time that jungkook feels smol

ok ok maybe he should level his wardrobe game up a little bit

jimin looking very smiley and poised and kook huffs because he’s not the oNLY one who could pull off a cardigan smh ://

that’s IT he’s going to jin the first thing in the (normal waking hours of) morning and requesting (kINDA DEMANDING) that jin makes him a cardigan please

oh so that’s hoseok

he looks intimidating-ish and in the pictures he looks stOic but there is this one picture tho that he’s smiling and that makes jungkook smile too finally there’s you!!!

most pictures of you are taken either by a really nice camera OR a grainy film camera one

taehyung takes your pictures with his expensive-ass dslr aND his film cam and there’s just something about it that mwah 𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒻’𝓈 𝓀𝒾𝓈𝓈

you don’t look ugly in them and u don’t hate the way you look in them and it’s just!!! wow!!! taehyung baby please develop these right nOW

jungkook’s sighed wistfully atleast twenty times now

damn he just wants to see you again is that tOO much to ask for he doesn’t know what time at all he goes to sleep but he knows for sure that he’s awake now

like awake AWAKE normally, jin just lets jungkook laze around and sleep away because he

too can attest to the fact that the both of them need sleep so much he only wakes him up when jungkook tells him the night before to wake him up at this certain time at aLL costs

..,... oh you mean *all* costs .,..,.

so far jin really enjoys all the things he’s came up with

he’s tried spraying jungkook with the same bottle that he uses for the plants repetitively until he wakes up

oooooh he’s also tried piling on froot loops on jungkook’s nose (his record’s twelve!!!) until the smell made jungkook sniff and thEn sneeze

you know that scene in how i met your mother when robin was drunk asleep then a baby wakes hEr up by crying then she just wakes up,,, dazed n confused,,, and goes to comforting the baby and turns out that it’s a sTRANGER’S baby??? yeah that one

jin made this alpaca plushie and it looks like him with the gentle smile and he named it RJ because what a cutie :((( you shall now be named RJ

and sO what he did was play a random crying baby loop on his phone and bURST into jungkook’s room

“jungkook the baby the baby’s cRYING”

and jungkook’s all groggy but then he yawns and stands up

“aisH ‘mkay heYYY bud calm down, hmm?? i’m-“

wait hOLD UP

jin still has that video on his phone to this day,, of jungkook cradling and even patting the back of a plushie with the hush noises,,,, until he eventually realizes that he is not the father

and most certainly that this is nOT a baby

but the thing is

jungkook didn’t ask jin to wake him up

his projects this week have all been completed last night

what is perhaps something so important this morning that jin is literally sHAKING him awake to the point that jungkook’s ducking underneath his hands because he thought it was an earthquake????

“you know? you know how we talk about us collaborating aLL the time?? the endless opportunities???? how you knOw i’ve been literally figuring this out in the majority of my spare time and-...”

jin’s talking so fast and that wakes up jungkook because whew slow down he is at the capacity of turbo the garden snail pre-nitrous oxide

“yeah sure online shops are cool!! we bOTH have our own!!! we work two jobs!! but we both know that we like it better oUR way right???”

no printer just fax

maybe it’s the stubbornness in jungkook but he just doesn’t like it when someone’s breathing down on his neck and making demands profusely even if that is what a job entails lol

jungkook’s just nodding because he feels that whatever jin has to say is important with how quick he’s talking and how big his eyes are

“what if i told you — jungkook are you rEADY to hear this-“

“yeah yeah whAt is it??”

“i mean it are you pREPARED to hear-“

“what wHAT??? now you’re just making me antsy!!”

jin’s trying to calm himself by pursing his lips and even his finger that’s raised is trembling

“what if i told you that i earned us an excellent aND affordable spot at a famous shop,,, the perfect placement and i know the owners and we could go there, right now, to finish settling and start setting?”

...

....

.....

“jin are you fucking sHITTING ME???”

oh my god

jungkook’s springing out of bed and is just jumping up and down with jin out of sheer joy because oMG

they’ve both wanted this for so long and kook feels like he is actually about to cry

“you wanna know something???”

“of cOURSE i wanna know something!!”

“hope ink?? vante studios?? remember when we got our ears pierced by y/n?? do you remember that platform thingy???”

yes yes i remember get to ur point jin

“i was so curious with it that i texted taehyung at 11 in the evening last night and i didn’t kNOW that he would reply,,, turns out that it was a space for rent and obviously i was like wHAT DID YOU JUST SAY???”

oh my god oh my god is this what jungkook thinks it is

“and then this morning, he gave me hoseok’s number and he said that we could head to the shop and discuss terms!!! he sounded sO excited too!!”

wait

does this mean

does this mean that he gets to see you again???

:O

“you’re telling me that i get to see y/N??”

you don’t know what the commotion is about

you’re a lil bit disoriented coming into the shop because you and jimin

went out for shots the night prior

you regret challenging him to a dare

now said jimin is here surprisingly early,, absolutely hammered because oh god he regrets taking you up for your dare

he thinks he’s being sly with his sunglasses on but he is positively wrong <3

you had to do a double-take because this was just weird

the shop should be open by now but the sign says that it’s closed

and something in the air feels weird and somehow..,. baby powder fresh??

hobi and tae are sitting on the waiting area discussing some things and they keep giggling every few seconds

“jimin what’s going on??”

you’re nudging him to move from his seat but he refused to yield so now ½ of your buttcheeks is sitting on his chair

“bro i don’t know aNYTHING”

thing is, yOU’RE the one who takes care of him when he’s drunk and forces him to drink water so he wouldn’t be as wrecked the next day

“shouldn’t receptionists know the gossip??”

“shouldn’t yOU be talking a little quieter??”

lol ok go off mr. jimin the receptionist

he’s already apologized for his quips and you know by now that whenever he’s grumpy and this rekt, he’s a bit more catty and has sensitive ears so now the two of you are just talking in whispers and jimin has his head rested on your shoulder :((

“i think someone’s finally renting the stage”

“really??”

you and jimin just call it “the stage” because the platform at the shop just looks so ominous and empty,, even if jimin doodles something on a sticky note and puts it at the center of the stage

hobi was the one who wanted it to be there!!!

right when he and tae decided to merge, he wanted a bigger space to accommodate this stage for future tenants

it’s a good business opportunity and easily profitable!!!

although no one’s rented it

maybe now’s the time!!!

jimin loves making assumptions lmao

his mind,,,, wow jimin’s mind just perplexes you

“i think it would be a waffle stand!!”

“jimin… why would someone put in a waffle stall… in a tattoo shop..,.,.”

“honestly why nOt?? some clients get tattooed for what, like five hours?? let’s say they’re hungry. do you tHink they’d bring a lunchbox with them??”

“you’re right.,..,. you’re absolutely right.”

before you and jimin could condense the options furthermore though, tae and hobi are already walking towards the two of you that are still whispering

they’re gonna announce something!!!!

tae’s trying to keep it together as hobi’s trailing it out with his speech and he’s taking tOO long

“someone’s gonna be renting out the stage!!!!”

he basically squeals and you and jimin nod to each other aha

he was aiming for perhaps a bIGGER reaction

“oh lmao we already guessed it ten minutes ago”

“but do you knOw what’s gonna be there??”

jimin immediately raises his hand begging for hobi to call him on to answer as he’s violently flailing around

“you know??? what is it then???”

“waffle stand :D”

the outright cackle hobi lets out is enough to send you meanwhile jimin’s pouting,, still confused before you urge him to take a seat

the two of them won’t tell you at all and then agreed to just keep it as a surprise until the tenants come

jimin’s literally at the edge of his seat as he lets you take ¾ of the chair because nOw he’s excited

the door chimes and you stand up at lightning pace that you forget jimin’s sTILL sitting there lmao

well he’s sitting.,.. just on the floor

you’re hurrying to pick him up and the moment you drag him up with you, you feel like yOU’RE the one who’s gonna fall sheesh

your knees are bUckling

“jungkook!!!!!”

jungkook’s happily waving at you and he forgets that the two of you aren’t close because he’s about to make his way to hug you

it looks like you’re the only who’s in shock

it’s starting to sink on why jungkook and jin are here and you immediately freak the moment it clicks in your head

“oh my god did something happen with your piercings?? let me-“

you’re in panic mode and you’re walking so fast towards jin and kook stops you before your heart could even explode

“no nO!! don’t worry!! didn’t they tell you?”

“tell me what??”

taehyung and hobi are grinning so hard and it’s only a matter of seconds before tae has his arm around your shoulder as he gestures to them

“they’re the tenants!!”

oh

OH

DOES THIS MEAN-

:O

“hihi nice to see you again, y/n!! look at my piercing it’s healing sO quickly!!”

jin is the first to put you in an embrace and you squeal when he does because omg he is a furnace

you’re pointing at his ear excitedly and he even babbles on how he wants more now and you instantly add on to that conversation

jungkook’s a bit uHhh because he wanted to greet and hug you fIRST!! 

although he does get his turn because jin turns his attention to hobi who he’s excited to meet

jungkook can’t help but to hug you a little bit tighter and mayhaps even sniff the scent of your perfume again !!!! omg he missed you so much everything’s going great

jin plus jungkook and taehyung plus hobi were able to agree on a deal within the day!! it was so easy and both parties are such delights

they’d get a partition done in the meantime so while you all get to work, jin and kook could have things done with it being a surprise factor for the patrons!!!!

their ideas already sound so good

you learned that jin studied fashion design and jungkook with the graphic design and how you’d even hear stories from them on how they saved each other’s asses so many times

their layout for their stall??? immaculate

jungkook’s fingers are itching to layout the floor plans and all these graphics because fuck he is ecstatic and he cAN’T hide it

you find his smile to be absolutely aDORABLE

that smile with his nose scrunched up and he looks like a bunny and how he laughs loudly and it’s actually contagious

you finally got to exchange numbers :D

kook was the one who texted first and it was out of the blue because he’s wasted all this time just thinkinG on how he’d approach you first

then he was designing prints to go on to the stall until his body dropped and with the energy he had left he went :]

what do you think :) about :) my designs :)

and then you REPLIED and he didn’t think that far ahead

you commended him for it and you realize that your way of designing is different from his but in the same time somehow alike???? yes synergy

“what more do you have left to do?? lol u should really go to sleep koo :D”

“just some more cards i guess?? like the ones with the ~opening sale!!!~ and things like that”

inch resting

you may be so whipped for jungkook that you may or may not have did those layouts yourself

hehe

:D

kook comes to the shop early on the morning so they could be hands-on with the set-up all that but he instantly gets energized the moment you come near him

he should’ve fixed himself up a little bit longer

it’s all clear that he looks fATIGUED and jimin keeps teasing him that he looks like triangle gimbap :(( and he wasn’t annoyed then but he is nOW because oh u might think of him like that too

you put a whole-ass hard drive on his palm and you could’ve just gave him a flAshdrive or sent him the files like a normal person would but he’s special ok

and the gears in his head are turning because oh my god what is iN this wHY are you giving me this and-

“opening sale,,, discounts,,,,, layouts you had left.,….,. y’know :))”

brO

bRO

jungkook’s so happy and he’s still in disbelief because you did that?? you really did THAT for him and you haven’t known him for like a week but you still did it??

this is such a big deal and he doesn’t know how he could express that he’s thankful for what you did besides

ᵐᵐᵖʰ

hugging you :((

oh god you’re really falling for jungkook qUICK

you don’t wanna say that you’re the type to get attached quickly but you aRE the type to get attached quickly :((

although you’ve only been in one (1) relationship before and it went for pretty long but you won’t get into that lol

taehyung knows this so well and mAYBE that he knows that for a brief time when you first met him, you did have a tiny crush on him but that dispersed quickly

it’s just this feeling in you that jumps up every now and then

that’s it tHAT’S the person

but then it isn’t that person

tae knows you enough and well,, he tries to interfere with your decisions from time to time because you get crushes and well sometimes they’re not crush material at all lmao

he knOws you have the hots for jungkook

but he’s not sure whether or not jungkook feels the same

://

he needs to keep his mind open ok

he doesn’t know jungkook that well but he does know that there are a LOT of guys like jungkook

that sounds pretty hypocritical of him but taehyung’s just that way hehe he just doesn’t speak his thoughts loudly

but he is THINKING

and he’s shutting up and he won’t go off on you yET of how maybe you should feel this one out with jungkook and try to analyze if it’s uhm a two-way thing y’know….

that you’re not the only one who’s getting attached….

it’s officially the opening for the shop and jin and jungkook couldn’t be happier

everyone’s having so much fun!!!!

they didn’t expect these many people and ph god the tears are definitely coming whew

it feels like everyone and everyone’s mother is at the shop and they’re all genuinely having a good time :D

there’s tONS of flowers and you all surprised the both of them with an additional blowout and wow it’s really endearing to try and digest

the people that came in for their tatts and piercings to be done?? they aLL went to the stall!!! their appointment isn’t due yet and they’re a bit early??omg why not go to that pretty shop WITHIN this shop???

they’re all done with their appointment and wanna buy a bomber jacket?? some stickers?? some prints within this frame?? that’s it they will go rIGHT now

vice versa too!!!

the people that initially came for jin and koo’s shop?? they were intrigued and went “lol why not let’s get a piErcing while we’re at it!!!”

business is booming

u gotta say that

satisfaction levels are off the roof

jimin is absolutely having THE time of his life because he gets to chat and he LOVES chatting!!! so much!!! omg who are u!! lemme talk to you about this pretty kitty i saw on my doorstep this morning :D

this whole time, jungkook is beaming and glowing and it makes your heart go whOosh

everytime he bumps into you or sees you in his peripheral vision? would absolutely waddle towards you and sling his arm around your waist and point to all the people in there as he giggles excitedly

whatever’s going on

whatever tHIS was

you’re loving it :(( you want more and it’s driving you crazy that you’re too chicken to make any moves towards jungkook and hE ALSO WON’T

you don’t wanna approach any of the guys either because adding them into this equation won’t make it any less confusing

hobi would just furrow his eyebrows at you because it’s ???? not that hard ???? just confront him and ask if he wants to take it to the next level with you ???? or like idk cONFESS ????

jimin would absolutely tattle and before you know it, you’re already in a reddit or quora thread because he too needs advice, before he himseLF gives advice

taehyung??

well you’re not exactly sure on how tae would react but u know that you’re scared to open up either way because you just aren’t prepared!!

“whatcha doing?? :D”

jungkook’s been awfully too enthralled and his eyes are literally less than an inch away from whatever it is that he’s holding

he’s slouching too and you distinctly remember seokjin getting these chairs with these backrests on them, specifically not for him to do so

he hasn’t been speaking for awhile now and nORMALLY you’d hear his voice every now and then even if you were back to your station or even in the break room

he’s just so fOcused and although that’s not necessarily a bad thing, he needs a break every now and then ok

here you are with a glass of iced tea you just made :)) only supposed to fix up a glass but then taehyung had glared and pouted you from across the room :)) so now you have made a pitcher and everyone’s happy :))

kook kinda jolts at that and it’s what reminds him to blink and tear his eyes away from what he’s holding, looking up at you and a fat tEAR drops from his eye

oh god did you make him Cry

lol no

jungkook’s just wiping it off because he hasn’t blinked in awhile and his eyes are beyond strained at this point

“i brought you-…”

did jungkook just-

oh

did he-

you were supposed to put the iced tea down on his table and you even brought a cOASTER for it

but then jungkook probably doesn’t think of that because he’s wordlessly put his hand on your tummy and sat you down

he’s sat you down.,..,. on him.,…

in technical terms

jungkook’s sitting with his legs slightly spread apart and you’re sat rIGHT at that remaining space

and mind you

this chair is not the biggest chair in history

nor is jungkook’s thighs small.,., hence him taking up the entirety of the chair and leaving a tiny space on it for you to sit

aND YOU KNOW THAT

and out of instinct did you think that you’re gonna fall off, you hoist yourself up and he even helps you out for it, going so far as to wrap his arm around your tummy once again and bring him up on his lap more securely

you’re now sITTING ON JUNGKOOK

although you’re not sure if he realizes this bit that much because he still seems genuinely preoccupied with what he’s doing

his chin’s propped up on your shoulder and his arms around yOU all while it looks like he’s stringing a thread through these beads before he decides to speak

“this mom came in today asking if we could make party favors for her kid’s birthday party,” he absentmindedly hums and for any other scenario would

you ask him to continue on

but now you’re in a PRESSING scenario

literally

your cheeks feel so hot right now and it’s worse than when you try those hiit workouts that straight out come from hell

“so fORTY kids, right? this seven-year old has so much friends?? anyway!! she wanted to have bracelets spelling the kids’ names bUt with these acrylic pendants — sounds good but a lil complicated, right?”

“rIGHT you’re right!!!! :)”

jungkook suddenly stomps his foot down as he huffs because this goddamn string just won’t get in this damn bean and u feel your sOul quiver

“aha let me get that for you!!!”

you’re flustered if it wasn’t that any mORE obvious but apparently, jungkook takes no notice at all because he just scrunches his nose in thanks when you take it from him

“but then, she said that she wanted one more thing to give away!! wanna guess?” he nuzzles further to your shoulder and by your neck and you swear that you’re absolutely dYING

you cock your head to the side the moment jungkook gets back the unfinished bracelet from you and he even nUDGES HIS NOSE TO YOUR

NECK

mhmmm

good food…. good fucking food…..

“matching little cream bERETS that have their name embroidered on them.”

jungkook snorts because hmmm isn’t that a bit too much?? is this kid 7 or 70

“and so yeah, okay, jin-hyung entertained the order and the beret part. and then we gave her a quote. and then she said that she needs it tWO days from now!!! T W O !!!”

the way he emphasizes is adorable but gOd the way he’s practically teasing you right now and pretending to not know about it at all is just sINFUL

“it was a rush order, and she said that she’d pay triple even bEFORE jin could say that she’d have to pay extra!!!” he wraps up on this particular bracelet then before tying it off, having to lean more so he could see better and in turn making you aDJUST

makes you screw your eyes shut because you’re positive that kook would be the death of you

“do you know how mANY variations the name kayleigh could have?? because i certainly dO”

jungkook snorts once more before he could even adjust the way he’s sitting but this time though it’s you who’s caught him off-guard

“this chair hmm???”

now listen

he’s had this scene play out in his head and yes he may or may not have planned for it

of cOurse he would take any chance that he gets to sit you down on his lap

HOWEVER

this one was purely innocent!!!

jungkook was so endeared with you preparing him iced tea and he was just so stressed with these bracelets and he wanted to show you them!!!! that’s all!!!!

but then the equation played out in his head that oh.,.., there is Not Enough Space for two people in this chair that is clearly built for one person only

and tHEN the realization came to him that oh you are INDEED sitting down on his lap and the way you’ve reversed this card is commendable

he swears you were flustered just awhile ago but nOw??? you’re full-out hinting him on this directly and not beating around the bush and oH god that just made him-

“y-yeah this chair, hmm?? what about it??”

jungkook’s the one that’s stuttering now and he unconsciously wraps his hands around your waist tightly as he chews on his bottom lip

your throat’s a bit dry but there’s just this sudden desire that’s popping into you and it automatically cuts our whatever awkward filter you have on

he feels you obviously grind on him in a clockwise motion and you’re playing it oFF so smoothly that he almost forgets that the two of you aREN’T exactly alone

“why don’t you show-

“are those bracelets??? omg”

hobi’s voice resonates from the distance and it automatically goes higher because he’s walking towards the booth in an eager pace

okay fUCK

you automatically yelp and jungkook squeals and before you know it, he’s standing up sO quick before he practically sits you down on his chair forcefully

jungkook’s legs are literally in a tWist as he’s standing behind the backrest and you have to grasp your cheeks to try n cool them down

“yeah!! aha it’s for this client omg but i have so many more to go through and it’s just really busy and all and so i-“

“lemme help!!! today’s a slow day for me anyways!! :D”

hobi’s walking in and he’s aiming for jin’s unoccupied chair that is literally just beside yours and kook is sCRAMBLING away oh god oh god someone’s gonna see this tENT in his fucking pants

“aha omg need to pee!!! y/n’s iced tea makes me wanna pee so badly aha she’s — IT’S so good omg just need to go the bathroom!! aha brb!!!!”

hobi is a little bit perplexed? but uh he doesn’t wanna delve into it that much

you’re shoving your face into your hands because that’s… the glass of iced tea…… it’s not even sipped from yet…..

it’s okay it’s cool

delayed gratification!!! yeah, that!!!! that applies to here, right????

right???

pls say right

it’s always been this flirty and touchy and affectionate atmosphere between the two of you

you were testing out on jumping in puddles basically :((

of course you don’t want jungkook to be this “friend” that you have frequent loving banter and sexual tension with aND is the type to sit you down on his lap and then completely ignore you as you stew in tension

.... of course not

do you know what to feel? not really

truthfully you aREN’T that strong-willed and you only become proactive when the case is absolutely necessary

you have a backbone in you it’s just not THAT strong

which is why you don’t know how you should treat jungkook’s sudden shift in emotions and the way he’s practically avoiding you

you don’t wanna push into him and force yourself over anything he isn’t ready with!! of course not

you don’t know whether you should be enraged because it’s hIM who’s sending mixed signals and right when you think you’re making progress, it’s always two steps back

you don’t know whether you shouldn’t think about it that much because maybe just mAybe it isn’t your loss!!!! jungkook just has a lot on his plate and you shouldn’t be bothered!!!

you DO know that you’re kinda sad 

because you’re just so clueless and no matter how tiny of a nudge (you wrote on a paper towel and slid it to him) or big of it (you wrote on a piece of tracing paper with jimin’s glitter pen) that you give him, he wouldn’t be open to you

atleast let you in just the tiniest bit

atleast tell you if you’ve done something wrong or if he needs anything from you

:(

is jungkook losing his shit?? 100% percent

here’s the dish

jungkook is a bIT of an asshole

to further explain, he’s just so mighty afraid of commitment while knowingly doing y’know.... things that you’d DO in a committed relationship

maybe afraid is not the word

it’s a mix of fear and uhhhh perhaps disinterest

:D jungkook is totally an asshole isn’t he :D

he’s had mORE than a fair share of experience lol that’s for sure

but perhaps his first real experience of an actual relationship was with ji-eun from uni

aha well it did initially start with one-night stands :)) and then eventually it became friends with benefits :))

then ji-eun addressed him as boyfriend one night to her friends and jungkook remembers stiffin up that night because uhhhhh??? oh do i have a girlfriend now

he didn’t ask and he didn’t complain

now ji-eun eXPECTED for him to roast her for it but??? he played along???

he’s noticed that ji-eun’s become more affectionate with him and tOuchy but it’s not for escalating things

she’s constantly texting him and inviting him out to eat and normally,,, after sex,,, the most jungkook could ever get was a gRANOLA BAR that she lets him steal when he’s sneaking out but uH you wanna eat lasagna??

he was just sO out of it because is this what being a boyfriend entails??? aha safe to say that he does NOT want a relationship ://

he tried out this boyfriend thing for a 7-day free trial and he immediately left and broke things up with ji-eun (she hates him now but she’s still pining over him)

(( whenever jungkook adds something to his stories, ji-eun goes hAM on those heart emojis ))

he’s just not into commitment

he wants the time and the freedom that most people get less of when they’re in a relationship

jungkook doesn’t get why these girls still get mad at him when he’s made it clear in the first place that he’s oNLY in it for the s-

yeah ok maybe he’s an eternal douche of a frat boy ://

he doesn’t want you to take it the wrong way though

bECAUSE HE LIKES YOU

HE’S SURE

OK MAYBE NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE

but he is sure of it to a degree :D

he just finds it as another ji-eun situation but this time he has more interest!!!

he’s actually thought that maybe being a boyfriend isn’t all that bad

however jungkook’s mind immediately started drifting to how maybe you aren’t a fan of him staying up in the early hours of morning, doing something he could’ve done mUCH earlier and then you’ll hate him or something

he doesn’t wanna go to brunch or wear matching clothes :////

he once came into the shop wearing a black button-up with a black shirt underneath and THEN jimin came in later but with just a black button-up with that he completely REFUTES the idea of relationships because lit rally everyone in the shop kept teasing him to jimin and he doesn’t even liKE jimin

“oh uHhH you wanna take it... slow?”

you’re blinking slowly at jungkook who’s standing in front of you and is looking a little... nonchalant??

nonchalant but in the same time he looks nervous

nervous sweats but he’s playing it off by running his hand through his hair and making these tired eyes at you

quick is he pulling this off oR does he look like an absolute ass

“yeah!! it’s just like uh y’know... casual. a casual, laid-back type of thing!!!”

you don’t know how you’re gonna process that

but you do wanna respect jungkook’s wishes no matter how much you feel it’s a bit tIMELY and insensitive

“o-oh!! casual.,,. slow!!! of course aha no problem :D”

you can’t help but connect the dots aha

he’s decided to tell you THIS right when you were being called by jimin to do a piercing and you have no time to spare

the week before, you remember getting him a drink even if he hasn’t asked for it

or five days before when jungkook materialized out of nowhere and put his hand around your waist before nuzzling his nose to your hair

*immediately spots you and squeezes you when he comes up to you from behind*

“i want a conch piercing!!!! not now tho but i want yOU to do it to me :D” 

*immediately dying*

“of course ggukie i’d literally want nOTHING more aha :D”

*immediately regretting making it sound that you are a goddamn sIMP*

or like two days before, you were all eating lunch and you were so full and a little bit sleepy that you rest your head on his shoulder

or maybe just yESTERDAY, jungkook’s sat you down on his lap and hobi interrupted whatever that was happening

and perhaps after that encounter

uh

you may have kissed him on the nose before going to your station

:((((

it’s okay

it’s tOtally ok lol

it’s not like you’ve been distracted the whole day or perhaps the days after that because you’re kept up with the thoughts that maybe jungkook isn’t into you as mUCH as you’re into him even though his actions say otherwise

nope :D

taehyung’s worrying at this point

lmao he knows that you don’t know that he kNOWS what’s going on

sure,, you and jungkook are sly but tae’s observant to the point that he’s memorized all these little quirks about you

he’s been your friend for the longest time!!! of cOurse he knows when something’s bothering you

he’s deduced that maybe jungkook broke your heart or something along those lines,, although he doesn’t assume that it was an actual relationship just yet because if it were, then you would totally tell him about it

... right??

there’s this distance thing going on in between the two of you and he’s tested it out a couple times to test his theory

first, the two of you aren’t iGNORING each other but all your interactions are either short-lived or dare he says,,,, casual n basic

he’s commanded jungkook a couple of times things like “the extra roll of receipt paper is in y/n’s station go get it” or-

“get me a pair of gloves from y/n’s cart”

“tae you already hAVE gloves in your cart”

“ok wHO is the owner and who is the tenant here?? or maybe you and y/n just fought and you’re sO SCARED OF-“

“jesus christ oKAY!!! i’ll get the gloves!!!!”

you look so dejected

taehyung pokes your cheeks and you just LET him

he bought you mac n cheese and spelled out “cheer up :-)” using the shells and you merely smiled at it before proceeding to bOW your head to the table and look distraught

he’s offered his ear as tribute because you haven’t done a rook piercing in awhile and you miss it but you just shake your head nO at him and :(((

and the thing is

you’re so tIRED about being hung-up with jungkook

usually you just shut down and you get back to your feet a week later and you’re all happy!!!

but no jungkook just had to be a pesky little shit in your head and decided to LIVE THERE RENT-FREE

“hiii welcome to hope ink sLASH vante studios!! walk-in, appointment, or are you just here to see me?”

jimin looks up from his phone because he was cLEARLY not trying to help organize some of the audits that hobi told him to lol

hmmmm now this customer does look interesting

he looks cOOL if jimin’s being very honest

he also wants his hair color fo sure and maybe if he just snapped a picture of it right now, this customer tOtally wouldn’t notice at all!! :D

he’s a very tall lad and is in this denim jacket and his HAIR

his hair’s a combination of dirty silver and ash grey and it’s all slicked back!!!

“oh uhhh i’m here for a piercing!! i don’t have an appointment.”

jimin nods at that and turns to him a logbook with the needed contact information and the sheet

kim namjoon

hmmmm

a walk-in customer?? a handsome one at that?? the fate of whose piercing artist would dO his piercing lying on his hands???

hee-hee

now normally jimin with his stereotypical secretary traits, he either knOws or assumes everyone’s business

he doesn’t know what happened to you and jungkook but he for sure knows that you need a pick-me up!!!

you need an appointment

a dick appointment mayhaps lol

usually jimin’s always scolded to how he’s letting the customers pick when unnecessary, and this is the PERFECT timing to correct that tendency

the P in park jimin also stands for Petty

“smoking hot dude for a piercing session with y/n please!!! :D”

he of course had to yell that outloud into jin and jungkook’s stall,,, one in which everyone’s there and you and jungkook are sitting at the opposite ends of the room

hobi shakes his head at that and jin instinctively oOOOOOOHs his way to but jungkook nudges his ribcage pretty fucking hArd and it wasn’t discrete at all

taehyung purses his lips because hmmmm.,.,.. jimin actually doing his job correctly.,..,.. that’s sus

“hot as in as hot as you?? oR hot as in he has the same hair color as what taehyung had back in uni and-”

“ʸᵒᵘ ᵖʳᵒᵐᶦˢᵉᵈ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵗᵒ ᵗᵃˡᵏ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ᵐᵉ ᵃˡᵐᵒˢᵗ ᵇᵘʳⁿᶦⁿᵍ ᵐʸ ˢᶜᵃˡᵖ ʷᶦᵗʰ ᵇˡᵉᵃᶜʰ :⁽⁽”

tae pouts and grumbles at that because if he focuses hard enough, he could feel his scalp on fIRE

now you and jimin have always been jokingly flirty with each other

and neither of you take offense and shit bUT a certain jeon jungkook certainly does because he used to not care about both of your antics ok

he didn’t mind because well uH who in between the two of us actually gets to be that intimate with y/n???? me buddy mE

it’s not a competition tho and jimin finds kook to be weird because it looked like that everytime he has his hand around your shoulders or something

jungkook looks like he would bARK at him for doing so and ???? he’s weird

he’s brooding right now if it wasn’t obvious

because for the most part, this distance and casual thing was working for his side

but now that jimin’s escorting you back and you’re play flirting with him again,, he just can’t feel this certain twinge in his gut

he’s not jealous

he’s sure that this is everything but jealousy

he doesn’t get jealous ok

jealousy is just reserved for people who have feelings for someone and are in committed relationships :)

goddamn

jimin was right

you are nOT in cowboy boots nor are you in the matching chelsea boots jimin got you for your birthday but you are definitely shAking alright

“h-hi i’m y/n, your piercing artist for today :)) what’s, uh, what’s your name? :))”

the man in front of you raises his eyebrow but chuckles later on bc for second there he thought you were rEALLY straightforward and he’s used to be the one catching people off-guard

“namjoon. kim namjoon.”

he puts out his hand for you to shake and almost nO customer at all does that and so you’re internally squealing because omg :) wow :) namjoon you polite thing :)

you’re clearing your throat to break off because you swear namjoon looked like he was about to devour you whole with only his gAZE!!!!!

perhaps you were too enthralled into the stare that you don’t notice to how the guys are looking at the interaction while hiding behind this wall

someone’s getting TOO huffy to the point jin had to ask if this certain someone needed some allergy medicine

“what are you getting done today??”

“oh, about that! dealer’s choice, if you may. i trust you.”

did he just-

jungkook instantly scowls thay because excuse yOU denim jacket guy

tHAT’S HIS LINE

dealer’s choice!! that’s his line!!! that’s what he said to you and god does he need to trademark that line??? that’s what he pulled and that’s what anyone getting pierced by you that looks like they have a shot with you, sHOULDN’T pull

:((

you hum at that and you’re trying to keep your smile to yourself it’s all cool

“how do you sleep, by the way?”

jungkook’s eyes are widening twofold because WHAT is he hearing correctly???

he’s looking up at taehyung because he’s the other piercing artist here and he’s looking at jungkook weirdly because he looks so panicked

“that’s a legitimate question, jungkook.”

IT IS

because you’re figuring out if the plan in your head isn’t a good combination with how he sleeps and namjoon laughed at that

“by myself or with you?”

you choke on air at that and namjoon laughs once again as he mumbles that he was kidding before giving you an actual answer

you can’t look at him in the eye because you are still flustered that tHIS fine specimen is flirting with you

y o u

i mean there is no harm in this right.,.,.

jungkook said he didn’t want anything between the two of you anyway :D

“i’ll do your right ear for today. two upper helix and a tragus, how does that sound?” you wait for an answer before putting on your gloves and namjoon nods when you point them out, a sly smile on your face before marking

“you could come in anytime to have me do your left when you’re ready for it — i got you anyways; it’s on the house.”

this time it was hIS turn to be flustered but he keeps his cool, clenching his jaw when you mark him out

“do you need anything before we start? slime?? stress ball?? oOh this keychain i made???”

you proudly hold up this stuffed heart shaped keychain, one that you put in your belt loop because it went very well with your get-up to go to waste

jungkook has his eyes narrowed because he knows you’re innately irresistible but wHY the hell are you pulling out all the stops to emphasize that

taehyung meanwhile has a scowl on and if it was possible to sizzle then he’d be burnt barbecue by now

“no WE made that :///“

you’re cute,,,, namjoon really thinks so

“does your number belong to those options? it really shouldn’t.,.,. it should be a priority”

:)

aHEM

OKAY NO

jungkook has his eyebrows furrowed and at this rate he’d be getting wrinkles on his forehead

next best thing for him? taking his phone out his pocket and tHROWING it to the ground

it snapped everyone out of their trances

he pretended to be sheepish while getting it because aha :D omg how did my phone go there :D

his case is a heavy-duty one but that’s nOT in his worries rn

you proceed to pierce namjoon and it finished as soon as he came because lol piercings really don’t take that long at all

ended with him still paying tho as he insisted

even tipped you more eXPENSIVE than the rate of the piercings themselves and you even tried to give it back to him but namjoon,,, the man that he is,,, he is PERSISTENT

“best piercings i ever had,, besides :) i like the one who did it on me anyways :)”

“but namjoon you have nO piercings :)”

“exactly :)))”

now that tHAT’S done and you are now $$$ richer.,.,.

“jimin you fucker i kNOW what you did there”

the boy smiles brightly and giggles and you aren’t really mad at him because absolutely who in this world would have the heart to??

“i have no idea what you’re talking about”

that has got to be one of your most memorable interactions ever this week perhaps throughout your whole professional piercing career

and it tRULY made you smile and it’s one of the only things throughout this week that genuinely made you smile

yeth you may have scribbled your number very quickly on his palm before he left

you’re just about to pass out on the couch over to the break room because wHEW your heart is racing and you aren’t really exactly opposed to that

namjoon was such a dream and he was very polite too and he was fLIRTY but not the creepy kind

although the door to the break room suddenly swings open and you’re rattled

“jungkook.”

he obviously doesn’t look like he’s gonna greet you back because he looks stone-cold with his gaze set on you

you’re a little bit intimidated because what could he pOSSIBLY want after saying that he doesn’t want anything to do with you??

“you like him? hmmm??”

there it is

there’s this jealousy that’s raging off from him and currently he is fAR too in it to even acknowledge that he iS jealous

this makes you scoff for a moment before crossing your arms across your chest because really,,, is tHAT what it takes to give jungkook a wash of reality???

“m’better than him — whatever his name is.”

your throat is dry because jungkook’s taking these big strides towards you and god he’s just tOO intoxicating for you

even just hIS scent wants you to light yourself on fire because whew.,.,. if he was a drink then he’d be too hot and flammable

not that you’d drink him in or anything :D

“you don’t even kNOW him”

you’re just about to chew him off and before you could, your words get caught in your throat because jungkook dIPS down right at the exact moment

his lips hovering around your neck and testing little licks on it

you whimper because holy fUCK and jungkook takes that as invitation to bOldly kiss you right on your skin, trailing down towards your clavicle where the hem of your shirt meets

“don’t need to, baby.”

you’re sat on the middle of the couch with both his hands trapping you besides your head and he’s crouching down, just mERE mere centimeters from your lips

jungkook’s just staring you down and you audibly gasp because look at him!!! he’s so beautiful!!!!

wait you’re supposed to be mad at him :((

“mind if i have a taste?”

he whispers as soon as he breaks eye contact from you and you whine at that, feeling him suckling on your jaw as you clench

“why not?”

oh

okay

he knows what you’re playing at alright

just awhile ago you were a whimpering mess and noW that he was asking for permission to do something that’s more scandalous than him kissing your neck.,..

hmmmm

you’re being dismissive of him intentionally

just a last-minute plan that involved a shot at his ego and not to embarrass yourself further because after all aha :) not eVERYTHING is all forgiven

ok then :)

jungkook’s kneeled riGht in front of you and he has such a tight grip on your waist even if you know you won’t be going anywhere any time soon he’s licking to your folds with feather-like intensity

if you’re not gonna show any reaction, then atleast hE wouldn’t give everything to you

of course his underlying motive is to tease you and make you beg for it

but every now and then jungkook’s looking up at you and his nose is nudging you in the process but you sTILL won’t back down

did you just-

DID YOU JUST BRING OUT YOUR PHONE

you’re practically dying in the inside but you keep your reactions to yourself and your jaw clenched

in truth you’re just scrolling through your expenses through this month in your notes because it was the fIRST thing you could open in your phone ok

jungkook huffs so loudly because first of all wHERE did you get the audacity

fine then :D

he suddenly stops and that’s when you shoot him a sly look from behind your phone, feigning an irritated quirk of your brow

“you really won’t budge??”

before you could register his words tho you’re iMMEDIATELY moaning he’s eating you out toO good and it was just plain-out sinful with how he was able to make you come from that to this

“jungkoOK fuck-“

his thumb presses firm on your clit before quickly retracting it and that earns him another mewl and a tug on his hair

“that’s right… my name sounds better on your lips, yeah?”

your pure pleasure is consuming you wholly and before your eyes could shut again with how overwhelming the sensation is oH MY GOD is the door unlocked?????

there’s something to how your eyes widen towards that fact and to how jungkook quickly notices that hmmmm he dID leave the door unlocked something about it makes him even more passionate in devouring you and it makes you wanna tHROW yourself into oblivion because the fact that someone.,., someone could literally come in this room aNYtime given is enough to make you almost yell

“fuck fUCK jungkook i’m gonna-“

his lips are all red and puffy and even his cHIN is messy and it makes you moan because fuck it was impossible to how he still looks so dreamy!!!!

he makes no move to slow down as he squeezes at your exposed thighs, his dull fingernails scratching at you before he stares back up at you, nOt even lifting up his mouth from your core to speak

“not stopping you, baby.”

that alone throws you into bliss and you’re cumming sO hard that you feel like you’re gonna black out

jungkook’s lapping on your release as if he’s starved and still tastes you out through your orgasm

that… was an experience alright……

your eyes are fluttering because wow that drAined you

before you could even look for him, kook’s coming at you to clean you up :))

lol he found this face towel on the couch and he figures that it belongs to jimin but nOPE not anymore aha

he dampens it with the water available and he’s EXTRA careful with you because you r sensitive and fragile at the time being

he even wipes at your arms and your neck to cool you down!!!

jungkook’s biting down on his lap as he rests the towel meanwhile on your nape and there it is

that dreamY look on his eyes again that just makes your heart flutter :(( your nose nudges his and it makes him giggle the slightest before he leans down to kiss you

and it hits you that you haven’t even kissed jungkook in the lips eVER

although that doesn’t really happen.

just as you were about to pull him in, something must have snapped in jungkook because he suddenly retracts from you as if he’s got burned

he looks empty and lost, not even sparing you another look before he’s storming out of the break room

and you’re all alone 

again.

:(((

“you wanna tell me what happened with you know who?”

taehyung has HAD it okay

he’s trying to be as patient as he possibly could with you

he wishes that he could just read minds so tHAT way he won’t have to budge out the answer from you

because in his very humble opinion, this approach helps too!!!

you’re sad and distraught and he gets that!! he does!!

but maybe if you let him know what happened to you, then he could be sad WITH you

you were the one who taught him that :((

you were roommates in uni and he was so down in the dumps when he got this almost failing grade to the point that he’d take his frustrations out on you

and you very kindly put up with him but then he drew the line to when he blew raspberries to his palm when you made him dINNER!!!! and that’s when you yelled at him and told him to tell you on what the fUck is bothering him

so that way he won’t bottle it up and that way you could try to help and eliminate what it is because you’re also caught in the crossfire thank u very much

it’s his idea to take you out to this party and you’re not being your usual self in this one

and the way tae talked to you upfront made you look up from your drink that you still haven’t finished, a pout on your face

now ok taehyung wasn’t close to giving up on fishing the answers from you but you thOught he was because he was leaning back on his chair

you also really wanted to tell him what was happening too and so you did!! completely caught him off-guard when he stole your drink away from you and almost spit it out the moment you started telling him what was happening

“you didn’t have to open up with THAT y/n jeez you could’ve opened up your story with the start!!! not tHAT”

the somehow comic relief taehyung brings you puts a smile on your face because although you don’t voice it out often, you’re infinitely grateful to have tae

he is perhaps the most understanding and rational person in your life and he’s just so soft and supportive and quick-witted that

oh my god are you crying

you’re in the middle of telling the whole timeline when taehyung feels your head nudging at his shoulder and nOrmally he presses it down

but this time it felt different because well you were sobbing

and now you felt so heavy and there’s this unexplainable weight in your chest because god jungkook is just so fRUSTRATING!!!

he’s beyond angering and frustrating and he makes you want to launch yourself to the ground

“i-i don’t — tae it’s juSt god fuck aHhH!!!! h-he’s so-“

taehyung nods in agreement even though you couldn’t see him because your face is shoved into his chest and he’s rubbing soothing circles onto your back

“i know, baby :((“

he’s in disbelief too

jungkook is an ass and no matter how much taehyung wants to understand that he may have good n pure intentions, his execution is just so fucking horrible

there’s no in-between

either you wanna be committed or not!!!! that’s it!!!

this just wasn’t a netflix trial you could have for a month and when it hints to you that you’re gonna have to give a little bit more,, you immediately fLEE

or maybe it’s just taehyung trying to see the best and over-analyzing things that maybe,,,, maybe jungkook’s just… jungkook

there’s no changing him

he’s unhinged and does whatever he wants (would sometimes stop when reprimanded) and whatever repercussions that are brought out, his first instinct is to toss it aside instead of facing it head-on

you must’ve been lying on taehyung’s chest for atleast an hour because you realize that you aren’t crying anymore and the tears on your cheeks are dry :((

“d-do you want a punch?? i’m gonna go get a punch. four seasons?? we like that, right?? okAy i’m gonna get us some punch!!!”

that’s you for sure :))

you’re immediately bouncing up and clapping your hands pretending that you weren’t a sobbing mess just minutes ago

taehyung knows that you do whatever you need to cope so he just puts his thumbs up,,, even if he prefers pineapple more than four seasons but it’s okay,,.,. whatever you want :))

you needed that

tae was mumbling whatever he had in his mind while you were crying and you listened!!! you don’t know what part should you take from it but you dO know that somewhere along the lines, maybe he’s right

you just want some punch is that too much to ask :(( crying has left you dehydrated and water is the most preferred option but uh that shit is PLAIN

maybe this party isn’t so bad after allthe lights don’t give you a headache 

and you see the punch table rIGHT ahead of your path and oooh red cups aren’t the only cups available!!!! that’s so-

“Y/NNNNNNN!!!! look, look!!!! look at me!!!!!”

a voice shrieks from behind you and you immediately feel a pair of arms wrap around you

you’re kinda in panic because taehyung isn’t tHIS heavy and you look down on the arms wrapped around your middle and that’s-

jungkook?

the man in question comes to your view and it’s clear that he’s beyond intoxicated with his glassy eyes and the drunk blush on his cheeks

you took a two-day leave from work that taehyung gracefully granted you to avoid jungkook.,,. jungkook who’s standing right in front of you

“loooook!!! look at meEeeeeEe!!”

you’re rigid in your place because out of aLL the people you could possibly see in this party, why did it have to be him??? you’re okay with seeing yoo-

he’s pointing on his ear and he even waves his hand across your face and is that what he’s talking about??

it’s glimmering underneath the light and???

is that

is that a conch piercing???

you’re rendered breathless because it seems wrong to you…,. not criticizing it as a professional but rather, criticizing it as-

“i thought i was supposed to be the one to do that to you?”

jungkook’s blinking at that as if he’s digesting your questionmeanwhile 

your throat is tIGHTening and there’s this fresh wave of tears again because you’re literally quite reminded of him

wHEN HE’S IN FRONT OF YOU

and he’s still pointing at his ear before he’s using his other hand to something or someone behind you and you cAN’T bring yourself to care because-

“oHhh lisa did it on me!!”

taehyung arrives at the exact time you needed him to just hastily, frazzled because he’s trying to connect the fucking dOts on what’s happening

here is his five-second deduction

you’re tearing up and your bottom lip’s trembling which means you’re about to sOB

jungkook’s right in front of you and his right hand is pointing to his reddened ear

a) taehyung has never seen this conch piercing before

b) he would know because he’s one of the two piercing artists in the shop jungkook also works iN and he’d remember if he pierced him or not

c) it’s reddened and there’s some dried blood near the piercing which indicates that it was freshly-pierced

and jungkook’s other hand is pointing to this girl that’s sitting on this couch with a lamp beside her and she’s nOT wearing gloves and taehyung guess that she’s the one who pierced kook???

he’s not sure

although he’s sure that jungkook is fucking wASTED and you can’t bear whatever that’s happening

“can you go home by yourself?? or should i call hoseok to pick you up?? i’m uh, i’m gonna take jungkook home..,. are you sure you could take yourself home???”

you don’t need to be told twice because you’re bolting out of the house so qUICK

oh god you need to get out you nEED to

jungkook doesn’t remember sHIT

he’s drank himself stupid last night is what he’s certain about

there’s no explanation to how he even got home last night and the post-it notes on his console table doesn’t help in the slightest bit

“you’re stupid. - taehyung”

that dumps cold water on him because oh god what did he dO this time

he’s done enough stupid things in these rocky weeks alone!!! what did he do this time :(((

“taehyung told me how stupid you are. he’s right. you’re stupid. - jin”

jin too???

jungkook cusses himself underneath his breath because his head is kILLING him (rightfully so) and he’s about to run his hand through his hair when-

wait

wait a damn second

… he has a new piercing?

he’s immediately fumbling towards the floor-length mirror and he just then realizes that jin’s already went to work wITHOUT him and that puts the pressure on him even more

true enough, his conch is pierced and he’s racking his head on wHY does he have it until it all snaps in his head

lisa.,,..,.

it’s coming back to jungkook now

he remembers you taking two days off and those were the loneliest two days ever he’s ever had working in the shop

then by the end of day two he was such a mess that jin didn’t even know what to do with him

thus came to him via text that there was this hUGE party that’s about to be thrown and he honestly thought why not!!! :D

everything’s going wrong anyways lemme go to a party :))))

and then he bumped into lisa!!! his sorta fling back in uni that he may have dropped suddenly and here she is,,,,

she complimented him on his piercings and jungkook was confused because he already had them back in uni???? okay then thank you????

and he doesn’t know how he obtained this piercing but he’s sure that lisa was the one who did it on him

AND THEN HE SAW YOU

you were crying and he can’t remember wHY but then jungkook’s piercing stings again and it’s like his soul hates him too

because oh

right

lisa shouldn’t have been the one who did that on him

there’s a lot of things jungkook sHOULDN’T have done

god why is it only hitting him now

he’s took a shower as fast as he could and he may have been crying

while he was taking it but that’s not the point

the point that shocked most was you

in work

you actually came to work!!!

taehyung wasn’t able to reach you that night besides get a text from you that you arrived home safely and that’s about it

he thought you needed more time off considering what happened but you’re hERE now????

jin, who had a crash course on everything that’s happened between you and jungkook is also even MORE shocked and he keeps gasping every two seconds

hobi’s happy to see you back again and he welcomes you with a warm hug that you melt into :((

jimin on the other hand completely invades ur personal space in 0.01 seconds because he’s bounding towards you vERY happily

“i missed you!!! i missed you sO much!!! my two days were basically pOINTLESS without you!!!! i asked myself wHy am i still working here without you here-“

“jimin i hired you to work-“

“and i already know that this place is falling aPART without you here and if i leave??? then what???? so i decided against resigning and waiting for you to come back and then you cAME BACK!!!! :D”

he’s so giddy that you automatically become as giddy as he is, just letting him twirl you around while he still has you in a bear hug

jin has a sorry look on his face as he hugs you and you knOw that he knows :((

he’s mad disappointed in jungkook

you automatically know that there’s one person missing here and you’re slightly thankful for it

you just wanna work in peace and it seems that there’s kinda a big waiting list for you to get through and jimin’s calling them up at the moment to let them know that you,, the piercing artist they specifically requested for,, is back!!!

you’re not chirpy and that’s understandable

lol you’re in spain but the s is silent

this quiet you’re encasing yourself in leaves you along with your thoughts and your thoughts are the fUrthest thing away from quiet

it’s not just about the piercing, y’know?

it’s not that piece of jewelry on his ear and it’s not jUst about who pierced it on him

it’s about the sentiment and things that you can’t explain because you don’t wanna say the L word considering that jungkook doesn’t feel the same

and he probably never would

you think growth and suddenly it’s not!!!

you think jungkook wants something more as much as you do and then suddenly he leaves you!!!

you think you’re moving up steps but in reality you haven’t even left your initial one in the first place!!!

you’re so preoccupied with your thoughts that you managed to ignore jungkook who came in late and was beyond surprised and at the same time nERVOUS that you came in for work

although not to preoccupied to ignore that someone was plopping themself on the client’s chair in front of you

you can’t recognize them from their hair color but you dO recognize with how it’s oddly familiar with it’s shape

and then your eyes trail down and upon see only the eyes you’re immediately freaking out

“YOONGI!!!!!”

oh my god

it’s yOONGI!!!!!

your shriek practically leaves everyone in alert and even hobi who was in the tattoo room rush out mid-session to see what was going on

yoongs is more than happy with your reaction and he squeezes you even tighter than the embrace you’re giving him rn

….

….

jungkook doesn’t know if he is the only one here who is beyond lost but uhhhh not to be rude or anything

but who the fUCK is yoongi???

his heart sinks seeing you hug this unknown person and god he could do nothing but wish that it’s him on the receiving end

he’s immediately stalking towards jimin because after all, he iS the one who’s let this guy through

that’s right he did let yoongi go to you asap and it was a surprise for you too and he’s the only who knew that he was visiting :D

10/10 secret-keeping skills

jungkook has a cat-dog relationship with jimin but he’s putting that aside for now because he’s dESperately pawing at jimin’s arm to ask who tf is this yoongi

jimin’s shocked because he didn’t think jungkook would be literally begging him rn but okay,, he’ll give in since this kid looks like he’s gonna bawl

“ah!! yoongi-hyung!! haven’t seen him in awhile :D”

jimin answers and that doesn’t answer shit for jungkook but now that someone else said his name, it sounded familiar??

he can’t exactly put his finger on it but it just felt so distinct

“are they related or?”

he’s asking more because he’s prying for an answer and well jimin’s still watching your interaction unfold

ngl he’s enjoying not giving answers for awhile

but then again kook is shaking him slightly and he’s pleaded again to give the younger boy an answer

“lmao they’re exes, jungkook”

w hat

a prick of fear arises on him because him?? you?? relationship????

“… y-you mean yoongi’s y/n’s ex-boyfriend?”

he’s trying to take in this bit of information and he doesn’t know HOW

he doesn’t know how he should react nor can he explain this sinking feeling in his stomach

the fact that jimin is now speaking without being asked doesn’t help at aLL

“yup!! from what i know and what y/n told me, they were together for three years!!”

“tHREE YEARS???”

o-oh

jungkook’s eye is twitching and his breathing skips because wow

that’s nice

three years :)

that’s a small number, right?? you were in a committed relationship with someone for three years!!! and said someone is now your ex-boyfriend

and for sOME reason, you’re hugging him and the two of you are all good!!

there’s this fear in him again because he doesn’t want to entertain these thoughts, honestly

thoughts that maybe he’s a tad too late and that perhaps you’re back with your ex-boyfriend and you want nothing to do with him because compared to yoongi, jungkook is perhaps nothing!!! :D

“mhmm-hmm. broke up on good terms tho as u can see, they’re still cLOSE, yoongi went abroad and well,,, y’know”

you missed yoongi so much

well uh you don’t love each other like that anymore

it was bound to change anyway

him going abroad to pursue his dreams and you just wanting to stay

it was a mutual decision to break up but although the label wasn’t there anymore, the both of you still looked out for each other :)

lol he’s the reason anyways to why you’re in this job in the first place the both of you were drunk after a date (you watched a basketball game) and then came on the dare that hey.,.,. baby what if you get a piercing license or something

and originally you were supposed to be the only one who took it but then yoongi joined you :))

and some time later you took a break and then resumed and hence the piercing license :))

“c’mon. if i’m gonna get my helix pierced, then i should atleast get it done by my best girl, right?”

yoongi nudges you and it’s this playful aura with him again that makes you laugh

he never really was the one to make you cry or break your heart now that you think about it

kinda sad to think that no one was really at fault for the breakup :(( you and yoongi…. it just wasn’t gonna work

it makes you wary because there always seems to be a trend in your lovelife

the common denominator is that things don’t work out lmao

:((((( lmao :(((((

you’re done with his piercing in a blink and you still can’t stop thinking to how maybe you just aren’t cut out to be loved :((

that sounds so sad

it’s always the word almost for you and it’s exhausting!!!!

after your breakup with yoongi, you didn’t have a relationship after because uH you just didn’t want to

you just didn’t want another off-chance to spend perhaps the best years of your life and then have them move abroad to pursue what they want 

you were afraid to be hURT after yoongi

and somehow yoongi is now a timestamp in your life because there’s eras

there’s B.Y. (before yoongi) and A.Y. (after yoongi) lol

then jungkook came along and it’s this sudden shift in you that you were decided!!!

you are gonna love again and you tOTALLY are into jungkook :D

sike he’s just not into you

…or not?

jungkook’s rushing towards to where you and yoongi are sat and no one was able to register the situation even if everyone was on their toes watching

“do you have a basketball game tomorrow????”

he’s staring at yoongi like a madman and yoongi is so confused because what

“i said dO YOU HAVE A BASKETBALL GAME TOMORROW???”

okay yoongi is dumbfounded

but then he repeats this madman’s words again for two more times and then it hits him

“how did you know?”

yoongi is laughing because how could this dude pOSSIBLY know about this

he’s taking out of his phone from his pocket so quick and then he’s taking out the case

AND THERE IT IS

that sticker

that sticker jungkook made aGES ago

HI MY NAME IS YOONGI AND I HAVE A BASKETBALL GAME TOMORROWWW

fuck

he’s met you before!!!

he didn’t meet meet you but his point is that your paths have crossed before!!!!

the gears in your head are turning because how did jungkook know???? he doesn’t know yoongi and no one would know not unless-

“y-you? you’re the one who made that for me??”

ok this is clearly now a private moment and jimin is dragging yoongi back to where the rest of the guys are eavesdropping but mAybe it’s for the best that they leave altogether

jungkook nods and it feels like his head’a gonna fall off

you’ve got this done and customized for yoongi’s birthday back then and you never thought that a sane graphic designer would do it for you.,..,.

you could always do it but you were in a slump back then and for once, you wanted someone else to bring what you want to life

you thought it was a stupid idea to base yoongi off this vine for one of his presents

and you said to yourself that if the fIRST graphic designer i could get in contact with refuses to make it, then u r gonna scrap that idea

but then this graphic designer eagerly accepted your commission even offered a discount but you still paid him full-price with a tip

who kNEW that it was jungkook???

“i know i’m the most confusing and aNGERING human being ever and a sHITTY one too-“

it’s somehow coming back full circle and he’s only realizing now to how mUCH deeper this goes

“but you have no idea how much i want to hold your hand.”

jungkook has commitment issues he’s refused to address for quite some time now and it’s only now

god it’s only now that he has someone that genuinely makes him want to question this mentality of his

“i kept looking for reasons to nOt love you and it’s impossible because they make me love you more”

he’s tried hating to how you go and make tedious crafts like making stuffed keychains (the latest one is named mang and he’s a hORSE) or trying to channel that restless energy into anywhere you could get your hands on

tried to despise the way you yearn for affection and how you’d go so cranky as to give people quips when you don’t get your fix

tried to loathe the way you’re so understanding and nurturing and gOd he sounds like a real asshole

“it’s not being tied down if it’s with you”

jungkook is sure

he has nEVER been more sure

because god he feels like he doesn’t have to pretend to be anything he’s not when he’s with you

he dOESN’T mind adjusting and he doesn’t mind complying to what you could possible require of him

“and if it in a literal sense is, then i don’t mind at all”

jungkook has never wanted someone sO BAD ever in his life

and he couldn’t agree more that he is a total dummy and how he wants to repent a million times over even if it means to get shut down by you a million times more

“because it’s you.”

:D

he means that

he really does mean that

he’s a sensitive thing and it’s hitting him now to how much shit he’s made you go through and he wants to make up for it!!! pLS

“let me take you out on a date, please?”

oh god is he tearing up

is jeon jungkook tearing up in front of yOU

his arms are glued to his sides but the moment he meets your eyes he absolutely losEs it and goes leaping to hug you

maybe he shouldn’t have done that

maybe he should

but jungkook knows that he’s never felt more calm and complete and loved whenever he’s with you :(((

he’s hanging in there

maybe at the slightest nudge of your nose to his neck in his embrace

somewhere along the lines

somewhere along the lines to how the guys are over there peeking out of the break room and in an array of emotions.,..

jungkook’s fiNAlly hugging you

your hands behind your back

his hands holding yours

:))

[welcome-to-the-cafe]

Shang-Chi (2021) Review Pt. 2

This one will be about the less character-relevant stuff, such as casting, props, settings, and design.

Easiest first: props and costumes.

A bit cool, a bit silly, and bit too "Chinese-themed".

The old Ten-Ring troops had normal armor for the time and age. The new Ten Ring troops looked like the Snake-Eyes fodder ninjas but with tassled helmets. Like I appreciate what they were going for, but...it look dumb dude. And what they were doing with only one hook sword? The electrified thing was cool, but y'all didn't use the bladed hand guard, the combo hook move, the spiked pommel...wasted potential smh. And then the electric arc crossbows....again I appreciate the idea, but that was silly, especially after we showed the Ten Rings sniper with a normal ass gun. Or, just go full sino-futurism and give me the chainsaw spiked club, the electrified monk's spade, taser three section staff.

The villager's clothes were too...saturated, and monochromatic. It kinda reminded me of Mulan (2020) actually, the white people's ancient Chinese clothing. In contrast, in the he TianLongBaBu wuxia series I've been watching, people dress in...normal earth tones. Oh also, too many fucking sandals, where are my black loafers and thick white socks, with rope bindings? Like the kind modern Shaolin monks wear?? The villager's weapons too. Only Xialing's was kind of interesting, the rest are vanilla staffs and sword+shield. Boooo. Where's the dragonscale fangtianhuaji? The dragonscale guandao? Ok I'm done. Just disappointed.

Wenwu's costumes were pure drip in every scene. Zero complaints.

Shang-Chi's letterman's jacket was my favorite costume to be honest. He should not have changed in the village. The final costume seemed a bit too...modern, but not quite to the level of the Black Panther suit. It just seemed like Western superhero top with a vaguely Chinese pattern on it. Or it looked kindof...southeast asian? Wish it had no sleeves.

Katy should've kept her Macau drip. The "traditional" robe just didn't look right.

Xialing looked the best in her inverse Bruce Lee colors crop top and sweats. Like damn.

Ying Li's robes' green is too saturated in my opinion, unnaturally. Same with Michelle Yeoh's character. Now that I think about it, I hardly ever see bright green in traditional Chinese clothes...or modern Chinese fashion. Her pristine white/biege wushu outfit is also meh for me.

Death Dealer's dark blue + yellow colors are quite striking, but a bit odd and out of place with the rest of the Ten Rings' getup. Perhaps it was intentional, since he's the elite trainer? I wish it was more modern, a la Snake Eyes' suit. I would also like to complain about his opera face makeup though; why only the top half? Is that even a real opera face design? It's kind of a dumb half-ass reference I think. Like, Noh masks are used all the time for creepy effect, why not Beijing Opera?

Next, CGI animals.

Morris the Hundun/Dijiang was cute, but I half expected him to suddenly go nuts and devour Slattery, since the Hundun is one of the primordial evil beasts. But Disney needs their marketable mascot. I even saw a Lego piece for him before the movie was released!

The trip through the other world was a bit too safari-like. Like wow, the Ninetails is just chilling by the road, and a herd of Qilin conveniently pass by. The execution of these creatures were fine, though the Qilin eyes were too "dead".

I don't have problems with the Lions' design, but they were completely unnecessary, and lowered the stakes for the final battle for me. Those two lions could literally tear apart all five of Wenwu's trucks in less than a minute.

I stated already, the big evil monster, the little soulsuckers, and the dragon are completely unnecessary to me. Even when I saw just the wood carving of the soulsucking bats, I felt disappointed. Xialing and Shangchi spent way too long riding the big dragon and not doing kungfu :/

Onto settings.

I just recently visited Bay Area! The hilliness of SF was nicely showed off by the bus fight.

Macao seemed well-grounded and normal for a modern Chinese metropolis. Was portrayed better than Tokyo was in Snake Eyes in my opinion. The bamboo scaffolding scene reminded me heavily of Rush Hour 2's Hong Kong fight, and I could hear Jackie Chan assuring us "don't worry, Chinese bamboo, very strong!".

The Ten Rings compound was...eh. No defining features to locate it anywhere real so whatever. But the interior was weirdly homey?

The Ta Lo village is what I really want to complain about: why they gotta throw Chinese people back to the Xia dynasty like that? Straw huts? Really? And there was a total of like 7 buildings there, across a tiny area. That is not a village, it's a medium-sized temple complex. Kung Fu Panda 3's hidden panda village was loads more impressive, with interesting geography. This was on a flat plane next to a pond. Combined with the costuming, it's like hello, it's hokey Western orientalism again.

Casting.

Tony Leung. Perfect. Outstanding. Phenomenal. Sexy as hell. I have recovered fully from Lust, Caution. I see on Tiktok that westerners are thirsting after him, and I am very satisfied. The "Killmonger-Loki" Effect is now the "Wenwu-Killmonger-Loki" Effect. I only wish he were younger, because I hate the "daddy" kink. Mr. Leung, you are a hero to Asian-American men. Thank you.

Awkwafina. Yeah she is pretty good as the unabashed ABC friend. But lately, I feel she has been over-used as the main Chinese-American actress. On some social media, I have seen Black users complain of her 'blaccent' and vow to boycott Shang-Chi in protest. I'm inclined to defend her, as it is probably what she grew up with, and the boycott feels like another attempt to draw moral hierarchical divisions between minorities. Similar sentiment is "yall didn't come out for Black Panther, why should we come out for Shang-Chi?". I don't have any data as to whether 'we' did come out for Black Panther, but I generally disapprove of POC factionalism.

Simu Liu. I'm glad that Westerners are thirsting over him too. I'm glad he's very enthusiastic and affable, and well-liked in the Asian-American community. He's us! And he got a shirtless scene! But the catch is...he doesn't fit the current Chinese standard for "hot guy actor".

From the majority angle: that's toxic af. He's hot enough, why are we being so picky with dumb Asian beauty standards? Will we ever properly support ourselves? Like damn, this is the first Asian-American lead in a goddamn Marvel movie, and this is how you treat him?? By the Heavens.

From the other angle: his eyes are small, his jaw kind of round, head kind of wide. Not the most masculine, but definitely not feminine. He's a normal Chinese-American dude. Chinese dude, Harbin, Heilongjiang born. Compare that to Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Chris Pratt, Sebastian Stan, Chadwick Boseman, Anthony Mackie, etc. These are among the finest western specimens; why did the pick the Asian hero to be played by the 'normal-looking' dude? Was Jackson Wang not available? Or Ludi Lin? I personally have a suspicion that his appearance most fits the stereotypical look of an Asian man to Western audiences, and that's why he was cast.

He's received hate for this, from Reddit r/aznidentity, the sub that I frequent, which currently is cheering Shang-Chi's box-office success. That's toxic af, and must be heartbreaking for him. Unfortunately, it's part of the larger conflict of Western and Eastern media, representation, markets, and culture. And that's a big fish to wrangle in part 3.

[talesofstyles]

Did I Break It?

A domestic dad!Harry and husband!Harry, where you share a glass of wine in the kitchen and enjoy scraps of the kids’ leftovers while trying to figure out Year 3 maths homework. Oh and followed by quite a realistic smut because some nights aren’t just meant to be, right?

Honestly, you thought you’d be done with maths when you finished school. Well jokes on your younger self because here you are, a little over a decade later, nursing a much-needed glass of Riesling as you work through equivalent fractions to check on your son’s homework while Harry deals with bedtime stories upstairs. Or so you thought, because now you hear the sound of the stairs creaking (that would probably finally get fixed by the time your last baby turn eighteen), followed by familiar footsteps coming into the kitchen. There’s absolutely no need for you to lift up your head and glance towards the arched doorway, because you’d recognise that sound anywhere. But you do it anyway.

And there he is, your husband, making his way into the kitchen looking all happy and soft. Although you won’t deny the fact that he does look like he needs a wash and a good night’s sleep, because that’s what being in charge of bedtime routine for four young children aged eight and under does to you. But even then, the combination of exhaustion and pure joy on his face that makes him look very much like a dad, is a sight you enjoy getting a front-row seat every night and one that you wouldn’t trade for the world. 

“Tha’ was quick,” you comment as you feel two arms sliding around your waist, and then a chin drops onto your shoulder. You let out a small, contented sigh, before setting down the white wine on the kitchen island and wrap your arms around his.

He cheekily takes the opportunity to pull out one of his arms from around your waist, and proceeds to steal your wine from the counter. “Hey!” You protest, eyebrow raising playfully at the sight of him smirking before taking a sip.

“Wha’?” He feigns innocence as he sets the glass back down on the counter. His smile is still playful as he looks down on you, before leaning closer to give you a soft, chaste peck just beside your ear.

“I haven’t cooked for us,” you start before you take another slug of your wine. “If you’re hungry, think there’s still some leftovers in the kids’ lunch boxes.”

“Oh, no school dinners this week?” Harry asks as he makes his way to the other side of the kitchen island where your children’s lunch boxes are sat. He opens one of them and immediately begins munching on a baby carrot.

“Nope,” you shake your head, and you frown when you see the untouched veggies and a nearly full sandwich with only one or two bites max missing. Although the treat is surely gone. “Whose is that?”

Harry flips the lid to see and mumbles your daughter’s name, before helping himself to the cold sandwich. “She only took the KitKat,” he laughs.

“Your daughter,” you roll your eyes comically.

“Nope, nuh uh, she’s all yours ‘cause I swear to god you’re just as picky when it comes to food,” Harry teases you as he takes the last carrot stick before moving onto the second lunch box, grinning proudly when he finds it perfectly empty. “Now, this is my son.”

“S’tha’ so?” You muse, realising the fact that he’s right and you’ve lost this one.

“Mhm,” he hums. “One hundred percent my boy.”

“Here, check your boy’s homework then,” you can’t help but grin as you slide his maths book across the counter.

“Easy peasy lemon squeezy,” he mutters jokingly as he catches the book, and his eyes widen as he looks at the questions. “Whoa, equivalent fractions. Year 3 kids do that now? What ‘appened to number lines?”

You let out a hearty laugh. “I know right?! I’m pretty sure I did this in Year 5.” 

“Okay, we’ve got this,” he rolls up his sleeves, making you laugh even harder, before tucking a pencil behind one of his ears. “Six over twelve is blank over ninety six. Fuck, what’s ninety six divided by twelve?”

“Now’s the time to use yer brain innit, big head?” You tease him this time.

“Oi!” He complains, trying to sound annoyed but the smile plastered across his face is hard to miss. “Be nice t’me.” 

You chuckled. “When am I not?”

Harry rolls his eyes in response, before he takes the pencil from behind his ear and holds it between his teeth instead as he tries to figure out the next question. There’s something about the way his brows knit together, and the way he bites his bottom lip when he takes the pencil from between his teeth and begins scribbling some numbers down on paper to count properly because his phone is charged upstairs in your room, that makes you can’t keep your eyes off of him. Although technically, that isn’t new, you two have disgust people around you by your inability to keep your eyes (and hands) off of each other for years. But there’s just something about him tonight that makes you all mushy. 

You know how much he loves prancing around the stage in front of thousands, sparkly suits and all, and you hope he gets to do that for the rest of his life. But seeing him right now, looking all cuddly and soft and the epitome of a family man doing the mundane things like eating the scraps of whatever is left from the kids’ meals and double-checking their homework, your heart swells at the realisation that this is what he meant to be. 

“You’re staring,” he shoots you a playful smirk. A little part of you hates the fact that your cheeks still flush, even after ten years of marriage and four babies later, for being caught staring. But the bigger part of you loves the fact that you still blush because of him, that he still makes you feel something you can’t even describe, and she wins.

“Sue me,” You challenge him, both of you smiling simultaneously.

“Nah,” he grins and shakes his head. “M’just as guilty.”

“Hey,” you start, pausing to take another slug of wine before you continue. “We haven’t shagged in a while.”

“S’tha’ you asking?” You notice how his grin grows ten times bigger and you love it, even more so with the familiar pair of dimples digging into his cheeks. “Does mummy want a shag? Hmm?”

“Harryyyy,” you whine in protest, because he knows how much you hate it when he calls you mummy, completely the opposite of him who gets crazy whenever you jokingly call him daddy. The word feels strange coming out from literally anyone else besides your own kids. “You’re ruining the mood.”

Your son’s homework is now forgotten on the other side of the counter. He stops behind you, sliding his arms back around your waist just the way he did earlier before he turns you around to face him. 

“Wha’?” He feigns innocence once again and you roll your eyes. “Yer a mummy,” he states, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear, still grinning ear to ear. “Mum t’me babies.”

“Yeah,” you respond in a sarcastic deadpan. “I wanted Ryan Gosling’s babies.”

“Funny that you’ve just said this now,” he retorts. “Four babies later.” 

You can’t help but giggle, and you pull him by his waist even closer to you so you can wrap your arms around him. “M’joking. I love you. Love ‘avin yer babies.”

“Oh yeah?” He asks, and you notice the way his lips quirk into a gentle smirk. “I can probably squeeze one more in there, then, hmm? Fifth baby, the cherry on top?”

Your eyes widen in terror. “Oh no, no no, don’t get any ideas,” you warn him. “Four is a good number.”

He lets out a giggle. “It is the best number,” he agrees. “And don’t worry, m’joking. Unless…” he trails off and smirks at you.

You push him away only to have him pulls you back into his embrace, before bringing his face down to meet yours and lock your mouths together.

“Not gonna take me to our bed first?” You asked him, eyebrow wiggling playfully when you finally break the kiss.

“Thought you love me shaggin’ you in the kitchen?” 

“I’m a lady, Styles.”

“Yeah, right,” Harry laughs. “M’pretty sure at least half of our babies were conceived here,” he mutters, before he leans closer again to give you another lingering kiss. 

“Wait,” you stop him and pull back. “I’m not hungry but it’s okay if you wanna have a proper dinner first?” 

He licks his lips, smirking at you. “Got my dinner right here.”

“Wow,” you chuckle. “That line still works?”

“We’ll see now, won’t we?” Harry murmurs before he starts leaving a trail of kisses from your jawline down your neck. 

“Bed,” you remind him.

“As you wish, darlin’.”

It feels forever before you finally reach your bedroom upstairs, but when you finally get there, he wastes not another single second before he pushes you against the door and kisses you hard. He lifts you up into his arms and strides over to the bed, and both of you fall into the mattress together.

Your breath hitches and your head loll to the side as his mouth finds your collarbone, his lips warm but his tongue even warmer. You feel his hand runs down your back before he plays with the seam of your shirt, slowly inching it up and you savour the feel of his warm hand as it brushes across your ribs. He barely lifts your shirt up and over your head before you sit up and reaches behind your back to unclasp your bra, and not wasting much time before you move your arms quickly as they slip out of the straps and toss it somewhere on the floor.

He starts kissing down your neck and over your naked chest. And you let his hand wander further south, cold fingers creeping underneath the waistband of your shorts, giving you a sneak peek of what’s to come. 

You hold your breath when you feel his palm against your clothed core, before you feel him slowly pulling his hand out and begins fumbling with the button of your shorts.

“Fucks sake,” he mumbles in annoyance when the button is being stubborn, and he pulls himself up for a second to see and try to figure out how to unfasten the bloody thing.

You let out a giggle before you sit up to try and help him out. But as you raise your head, he’s coming back down to have another go at it, resulting in you whacking him right on the bridge of his nose. Harry groans in pain as he rolls into his back, covering his face with both hands as he does.

“Oh my god!” You quickly sit up and try to lower his hands so you can see his nose. “Are you okay? Are you bleeding? Is it broken?”

“Mhm,” he nods his head to assure you that he is okay. You wait for another few seconds before he pulls his hands away. “Am I bleeding?”

“No, but you’re crying,” you grimace. “Harry, I’m sorry.”

He let out a chuckle as he wipes his own tears. “Hey now, s’alright. I’m alright, yeah? Don’t worry. No blood, just a little tear.”

“Rain check?”

“Hell no,” he grins before his mouth attacks yours once again, taking your breath away. He holds himself up while he hungrily kisses your lips, slowly bringing you down to lay on your back again. 

His five o’clock shadow is soft against your flushed face, dragging against your skin with every movement of his lips. You pull away when you feel his fingers fumbling with the button of your shorts again and giggle. “Let me get that.”

“Probably a good idea,” he nods and begins working on his own boxers.

After you manage to discard every piece of clothing without any further incident, things are progressing rather quickly and smooth sailing and before you know it, he flips you over so you’re on top of him. Both of you smile at the same time, realising the switch of power, and you notice how much he is trying to savour the rare occasion.

You lift up slightly, feeling the tip of his cock settle just where you desperately need it to be, before you slowly sink home.

“Save a horse, ride a cowboy,” he jokes and you snort.

You slap his chest playfully. “Shut up, you’re ruining the moment.”

Soon enough the laughter and pained groans are replaced by passionate whimpers and gasps. He searches for your fingers to intertwine with his, and while it’s heartwarming, it makes you lose your balance and you can feel him slipping out of you. You try to reconnect without letting go of his hands, but you miss and feel him jab hard against the crease of your inner thigh. You quickly jump off of him as he cries out in pain and folds back on himself.

“Fuck!” You sit up straight away. “Harry, are you okay? Shit, I broke it, didn’t I? Oh my god, tell me, did I break it? Do we need to go to the A&E?!” 

“No, no, s’alright,” he tries to calm you down, and while his words are comforting, looking at his face you know that he’s not okay.

You run your hand on his back, trying to soothe him. “Did I break it?”

He let out painful laughter before he takes a deep breath. “No, you didn’t,” he starts. “Although I hope you’re happy with four ‘cause I don’t think we can have more after this.”

“I’m sorry,” you apologise again, cringing at the sight of him clutching his manhood in pain.

“Really, s’okay doll,” he tries to comfort you. “No worries, yeah? S’not broken, I promise. It’ll be up and runnin’ before you know it.”

You chuckle at his attempt to lighten the mood. “It really wasn’t meant to be tonight, huh?”

“Married you, didn’t I? Got the rest of our lives to shag” He grins, and it’s either the pain has disappeared or he’s just a really great actor. “‘Sides, this makes a pretty great story.”

“You’d never let me live it down, wouldn’t you?”

“Nope,” he shakes his head in laughter. “Hey, remember when you almost broke my nose AND my dick in one night?”

[intheseautumnhands]

Um! Kliego, and.... your favourite other TUA ship (lawd, I'm suddenly hoping that you ship kliego lmaooo, sorry if you don't :'))

Hah, it’s fine! I’m into pretty much every single Hargreeves ship to some extent. Klaus/Diego* is not super high on my list to be honest, but I’m definitely still into it overall! I think it’s just fandom saturation more than anything that puts it lower down, because I do think the dynamic could be of interest.

* (I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I cannot use smushnames. I don’t begrudge anyone else use of them, they don’t bug me *that* much, but typing them feels so awkward.)

Choosing a favorite is honestly harder because I just want to ship all of them but I will... I dunno. Maybe RNG stuff I’ve written lately to pick. XD

Gonna cut since I’m already rambling before I even put in the questions, whoops.

(Also, two-days-later A: Hi I fell asleep in the middle of this and then barely touched my computer yesterday. Sorry!) 

 Klaus/Diego:

when of if I started shipping it: I walked out of my first viewing singing the song of my people at every single combination possible (Not even walked out, I watched over several days, it only took the first. not even half a season.) (The song of my people is, of course, I Ship It by Not Literally.)

my thoughts: Again, it’s not my #1 ship for the show, but I definitely could see it. I like that, of all the possible combos that could have hung out during the time between leaving home and the show, they seem to have the least amount of active vitriol and bitterness. It opens up interesting windows for that time period, as well as means it’s among the ships that need the least foundation work to get to somewhere decent afterwards. It makes it an interesting counterpart to some of the more actively difficult combinations, which I like especially in a poly context (because I am me and everything happens in a poly context).

What makes me happy about them: Again, the possibilities during the time gaps! And the general sense of... friendliness? It does feel like they’d have a lot less to get over than a lot of the pairs and I like it. (granted I think Klaus in general, while he has plenty of issues, seems to have less of them with his siblings specifically than most, so that’s playing into it, but I also see Diego as probably the one with the most after Vanya, so that’s interesting in and of itself.)

What makes me sad about them: I’m just sad for all these children growing up in their shitty, shitty childhood. And by sad I mean I want to read a lot of things that make me want to cry. Either as children but also I’m down for adults unwillingly letting the conversation drag around to their trauma too.

things done in fanfic that annoys me: Klaus is snarkier, more clever, and a lot stronger, mentally and physically, than I feel like a lot of fic gives him credit for. I think that goes for a lot of fic in this fandom, but since it’s one of the biggest ships and he’s in it, I feel like it shows up a lot for K/D. I’m not a big fan of them being really close as kids, either, which comes up a lot; my headcanon for Diego being pretty distant from all his siblings is strong enough that it takes a lot of set-up for me to accept anything else. (Awkwardly getting close in late teens as both of their ‘get me the fuck out of here’ drives get stronger and stronger is easier for me to see than close-as-kids.)

things I look for in fanfic: Tropes! The writers for this ship give me all the tropes. I want to marinate in it. I’m also kind of into general ‘it was casual, then whoops, I caught feelings, now what??????’ for them, because I could see it. Other than that, like... look, if it looks like it’s interestingly written or has an interesting concept, I will read it. I’m not super picky in this fandom, if it’s Hargreeves-centric and doesn’t bitch at shippers in the tags I’m in to at least give it a try.

My kinks: Uhhhh. Hmmm. I haven’t actually read a lot of kink fic for this ship or considered it, but I feel like I want mutual sadism/masochism.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Honestly my hope is for most of the characters to end up without another major romantic plot. I’m here for canon Allison/Luther but hoping the rest of them just... don’t. Especially since I don’t see them going for two sibling ships and that’s really all I’d want to see. If not that, both of them with new characters would be my preference, because there’s no one actually in the show I’d be down for. Maybe if they somehow warp the timelines around enough to bring Patch back, but even then, eh, just let me have family stuff.

My happily ever after for them: In general as characters, my ideal endgame for both characters is in healthier places than their start point, still clearly working out their shit, and on good terms as a family. As a ship: I feel like both of them would get bored eventually by any kind of ‘and then they went and got a happy domestic place to live and nothing exciting ever happened again’, even if it might be nice for a little while, so... active, somehow. Either they end up somehow finding some kind of active hobby to screw around with together, and enjoy flirting with each other while they do it, or like, I don’t know, get bored one day and accidentally buy a business just to have something to do and find they get weirdly invested in running it. (Maybe, like, a restuarant or something else that’s really high-stress. Or maybe the gym Diego boxes at goes for sale and he doesn’t like the look of the most likely potential buyer and buys it himself before he realizes he has no idea how to run something and has to slink back home and let Klaus laugh at him. Shit, I want that fic now.)

who is the big spoon/little spoon: This assumes either one of them are capable of sleeping totally still which honestly I don’t see. They both seem like the kind of people who flip around in their sleep and wake up five times a night. So, they both take it in turns and also sometimes just end up in weird sprawled positions, either on top of each other or really far from each other.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: Honestly, I feel like joking around and talking together would probably be it. I could see road trips, too.

Uhhhh I RNG’d things I’ve written lately and I got Ben/Allison. Nobody else writes that but it’s the tiny ship of my heart so I’m gonna do it anyway. I’m sorry, my random teeny ships are what you sign up for when I get to choose. >>

when of if I started shipping it: On like my third rewatch Allison’s little “I miss him” while she’s watching the cameras burned itself into my brain and I have wanted more for the two of them ever since.

my thoughts: I just! Look it’s pretty much canon that everyone loved Ben, but something about his snarky-but-because-I-want-you-to-do-better-and-I’ve-given-up commentary with Klaus and Allison’s alternating defensive and concerned mode -- I just want them to team up together to despair everyone else’s problems and try to figure out how to help (and often failing; I feel like in a general sense, they’re both better at pointing out the problems than actually fixing them on their own). And I feel like they both get prickly in ways the other would understand and be able to deal with easier than most of the family.

What makes me happy about them: I feel like this just blends into the thoughts above. I love the potential for how they might interact, and the potential for them to call out each other’s shit (and probably everyone else’s).

What makes me sad about them: Everything about Ben in canon is sad! Even the happy things are sad!

things done in fanfic that annoys me: There are exactly two fics for this pairing and one is me and one is PWP smut, which just isn’t super my thing. So uh. there needs to be fic to annoy me. Please write fic specifically to annoy me, oh no, don’t throw me into that briar patch. (That said, in general, I feel like both of them get their sharper points filed down a lot in fic. They both have their pointed sarcasm and their moments of outright lashing out, and I want to see more fic deal with that.)

things I look for in fanfic: Again, I say, please let fic exist. Also, I badly want a proper AU of Ben surviving and running off to Hollywood with Allison. I did not do it justice in my tiny thing.

My kinks: I want switchy powerplay with an emphasis on play -- competitiveness and teasing and wrestling. Also younger or AU Allison who hasn’t yet tried not to use her rumors for everything not trusting anyone but Ben enough to gag her, because her voice is her best weapon. 

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Please please give me an Allison/Luther endgame. Ben I have no feelings on -- I still stand by not wanting any other romantic subplots, really -- but I am rooting for Allison/Luther in canon no matter how many others I ship them with.

My happily ever after for them: Possible in canon, as characters: Allison figures out how to balance ‘not using her rumors at all’ and ‘rumoring everything always’; Ben gets brought back to life and gets to be happy. As a ship: Honestly, connected to the family and both doing their own, fulfilling, non-superheroy things. Allison can act and Ben can get a chance to figure out what he wants to do, because I feel like even if he’d survived that would’ve been hard for him.

who is the big spoon/little spoon: Especially if we’re going with some semblance of canon and Ben’s died and come back, he’s the little spoon, because being wrapped up in someone else is comforting. But also just any kind of cuddling is welcome.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: Judging everyone. No, I kid. Sharing and discussing books and movies, maybe. Ben passes along books he liked* and they watch movies together and Allison dissects acting choices and they both debate themes and ending of more ambiguous stories. They are loud movie watchers if they stay home to watch things, and go have loud debates over coffee after if they go out. *(I actually have a whole tangent in a fic that got cut out that I want to reuse for this fact, specifically about Ben having a slightly masochistic Lovecraftian phase in his early teens and passing it on to Allison, and Allison in her 20s thinking that if it fits either of them, it’s her, because she gets in people’s brains and rewires them and they forget what she’s done to them, and if either of them could make people go mad, it’s her.)

[merry-thieves]

Up and away Chapter 2

(A Kit x Ty fanfiction)

Okay, Kit thought as he stalked through the forest trying to gather himself. First of all, he was a fey, no doubt there. Secondly, that meant he wasn't a Shadowhunter or even a human anymore. Which lead to a whole lot of new questions he couldn't think of as of that moment. And thirdly, he had no idea where he was, how and why he came here and how he was supposed to get home. All considered, Kit was surprised he hadn't collapsed already.

But he had an uncanny feeling that his magic, which seemed to stay put and not leaving him any time soon, had a way of calming him. But aside his magic, he needed a way home. So, he knew he was in some weird forest with old trees, strange flowers, purple ponds and a pink sky, which seemed to shift to an unnatural turquoise.

Kit stopped dead in his tracks, taking one more look about the glen he was currently in. Please no, he silently begged. Why was he in faerie? This was literally the last place he was ever supposed to go! If anyone knew he was here, he was practically dead. Or worse captured and kept as a slave. He really needed to find a way out of here or disguise himself before another faery might find out his identity.

Maybe he could find the Unseelie court and ask Kieran for help. But how would that go? "Hi Kieran, remember me? Did you know I'm the long lost descendant of your oldest sister, the one you never met? So, technically you're my uncle of sorts and that is actually my throne." Yeah, definitely not. And he was pretty sure that some guard would stab him before he could even attempt to speak to Kieran. So that wasn't an option.

And it was pretty unlikely for him to find one of the hidden passages that lead back to the human world. Even if he found one, he could find himself in the australian Outback for all he knew. His Marvel-pyjamas and lack of shoes didn't seem like the right attire for any of the possibilities for where he might land. He couldn't even go to an institute anymore. The Shadowhunters would only see a faerie in pyjamas and the institute doors would be locked for him.

And speaking of his clothing, something about the material made Kit's skin itch like it as coated in some mild acid. Which didn't make any sense since they just came out of the wash but... But Kit knew that faeries didn't like to be near human technology, food and many other things human-related (except the humans themselves). So maybe it was the same for synthetic clothes. Great, so that meant from now on he would have to dress in faerie clothes and he couldn't play on his x-box anymore. Or generally, touch anything with iron. Just great! If he was lucky, he would still be able to watch movies... from some distance. And what about food? Would he have to rely on fresh fruits and vegetables? He remembered how picky Kieran was about human food back in London. Did that also mean he was a vegetarian now? Were faeries even vegetarian?

Really, the only good thing about this probably was that he must be able to eat those weird faerie fruits now without going completely nuts since they were only meant for faeries. Well, he was fey now he would definitely try them before he starved to death here. But his most urgent need right now was to get rid of his clothes and find something suitable to wear. The question was how? Maybe he could conjure something out of somewhere but he had no idea how to do that. And he doubted that his magic was similar to any of the warlock's he saw before.

But he was a prince of faerie and the heir to both thrones, wasn't he? So shouldn't faerie be at his command, at least in some way? It was worth a try Kit decided, focussing his magic on his hands and his heart. He didn't know why he did it that way but it seemed to be the right move to do as he knelt down on the grass, pressing his now white-hot glowing hands to the soil.

At first, nothing happened. But then something like an invisible thread shot from the earth, lodging itself into Kit's heart, anchoring him to the land. Kit gasped, breaking the connection and pressing his hands against his chest. Still, even though his hands weren't glowing anymore, the thread was there, tying him to the land. It didn't hurt or anything, though it certainly was strange. Like he knew everything that happened somewhere in faerie in the back of his mind as the land was a part of him and he was a part of the land. And if that was true, did that mean he truly was supposed to be the ruler of faerie by the right of his bloodline?

Kit tried to deny it but a small voice inside of him which seemed to gain strength the longer he spent in faerie told him to accept the truth and with it his legacy. Though before Kit could think about this any longer he needed clothes. So he reached out to the land and transmitted his wish, no command and only a moment and a flash of light later, Kit was standing in the glen in, well, faerie like clothes. He wore a white linen shirt, soft, brown breeches, a dark blue coat, kneehigh leather boots and the final piece: a golden circlet on his head. Even though he didn't have a mirror at hand at this moment, Kit was pretty sure the only way to describe him in his current attire was princely. But the circlet was just a bit too much and way too obvious, so he put it in a pocket in his cloak. He was trying really hard not to think about why the land of faerie thought it necessary for him to wear some sort of a crown.

The rest of the clothes though... Put aside that the itchy feeling was gone and that he was way less suspicious than in superhero-pyjamas, they just felt right. And he couldn't deny that the breeches and shirt fit quite nicely. But if he was able to command the land to give him clothes, which was so surreal, shouldn't he also be able to ask for an exit out of it? Just thinking about it confirmed Kit's suspicion. A humming in the back of his mind told him that if he truly wanted to leave he could. The problem was he wasn't so sure anymore if that would be the right thing to do.

Of course, a part of him desperately wanted to go back to his room in Devon, waking up to find out he gad a strange dream and then spending the day with his family. He already missed Jem, Tessa, and Mina, But the other part of him, a part that seemed to grow stronger the longer he spent in faerie, bound to the land, dreaded going back to the human world. All the noises, pollution, technology and iron. Kit knew that his binding to the land was mostly responsible for his change of thought. Not that it was manipulating him, no, but it made him more fey the longer he stayed within its borders. And it wasn't like the process was unconformable. It was more like the opposite. Kit knew that only a short time ago he would have freaked out and tried to flee by the prospect of being changed but now, he revelled in the feeling of the changes.

His whole body felt lighter and every step he took was more and more graceful. Kit couldn't comprehend how he thought himself stealthy as a Shadowhunter. Moreover, he could feel his immortality. The way time stopped in his body, leaving him forever young. And the magic, the magic. Kit felt outright giddy when he felt it rushing through him again like it wanted to play. Like it wanted him to play. And how he wanted to. To find out what his magic combined with the strength of the land had to offer.

But he knew it probably wouldn't be wise to be exposed for that kind of experiment. And he already had been out in the open for too long. Kit still wasn't ready to go home, so he told himself he would spend only this one day and night in faerie to explore it and find out what it meant to be fey. At the same time hoping that the time difference when he got back home wouldn't be too great. Kit knew the responsible thing to do would be to go to his family and figure everything out. But that would mean to worry again. And right now he wanted the carefree life of a faerie, and he sincerely doubted that once he was back in the human world, he would ever be allowed back to faerie. So he might as well use this chance to the fullest. With that determination, Kit set off to discover what mysteries the land of faerie only showed to its inhabitants.

[irageneveart]

Following on this horror theme what about MC showing the RFA the horror classic The Thing? Maybe when they went on that vacation, she sit all of them together to watch her favorite movie, what would be their reaction? I feel like Jumin would understand the end of the movie but what about the rest? 😂 Thanks! Is great to get to know another horror fan!

hi hi hi!! it’s so nice when other people combine fandoms through me (mysme + horror in this case) and I’m honored 🧡

usually I am faster with HCs but I had to rewatch the movie and my weekdays are hella tiring, but here we are!

thank you for your request and I hope you’ll enjoy! o/ this turned out in a drabble with bullet points lol, sorry it’s a tiny bit long (1200 words!)

RFA Watching John Carpenter’s The Thing

the first snow has fallen and by tradition RFA is spending few days at a resort between the mountains

winter break is something they all agreed on, part of their job, planning the next year and looking back at the year that almost passed, but also because spending time with your friends and family is important

the resort is a beautiful place, as expected being rented by Jumin, and it’s completely theirs. some of them want to spend the time skiing, while others are enjoying the fire cracking inside and the smell of an old book. regardless of their activity all of them engaged in a snow fight started by Zen and Jumin, or some snow pranks set up by Seven

everybody was surprised when Jumin actually responded to Zen’s snowball, but no one expected him to win as well. Zen’s nose was red for hours afterwards

this night was on the slower side. outside, the wind was raging and they could barely see anything due to the snow storm. the sounds were loud against the wooden cabin and the fire was wildly dancing in the chimney. Yoosung was feeling nauseous, what if the cabin falls apart??

V came by earlier with a box of different things the RFA could use while in the holiday. movies, a karaoke set, chess and many others. however he excused himself and left before anyone could bring up that maybe he should stay. some things never change

everybody was in the living room, minding their own business scattered around the room. the raging storm outside was enough of a background sound

“Let’s get over these long faces, let’s watch a movie!” MC broke the silence after scavenging through the box V brought. she was holding “The Thing” with John Carpenter’s name written in golden bold letters on top of it.

While Zen recognized the director’s name, a big one in the film industry, Jumin was one to name some of his cinematic masterpieces

Saeyoung tried to spook Yoosung with how gory and disturbing the movie is, while Saeran told him is a very simple and easily predictable movie. poor boy didn’t know who to listen anymore

after few more arrangements and pleas because Jaehee and Vanderwood weren’t too keen to watch it, they finally settled down and put the movie on

not even 10 min through and Seven, who already knew the movie plus all 4 endings, started to tease what was coming next. not enough to be spoiler but subtle enough to be annoying. Vanderwood had to stay the rest of the movie beside him, threatening him with a taser. you speak, you’re getting tased

the first half of the movie was pretty quiet, everybody was trying to understand what was going on. Yoosung and MC were the only ones loudly whining and complaining, what it’s wrong with that guy trying to shoot a dog

When the truth came out and the dog transformed, there were loud different reactions. Zen raised his eyebrows in a disgusted grimace, Jumin expected the dog to be different, but not to transform. Seven wanted to explain how that was made, but Vanderwood didn’t have any of it. Needless to say Yoosung and MC were the only ones to cover their eyes, Jaehee being visibly engrossed by the visual but still watching it

Saeran was the only one who said “cool” lmao. He knew the movie, surprisingly, but didn’t remember much of it

Now as the movie processed and the tension settled in, everybody made their own assumptions about who will change next. Vanderwood, although not knowing the movie and also not expressing his opinion out loud, he made the right assumptions about who will transform next almost every time

Zen was almost ready to bet Clark wasn’t guilty. He isn’t one to know psychology or anything, but he knows when someone is hiding something

MC and Jaehee, seeing Zen so into the movie knowing how picky he is with actors and acting in general, were exchanging quiet glances filled with pride

Jumin and Zen were having a very interesting debate on who will transform next. Nothing like they usually do, it was a normal conversation while both of them were focused on the movie and calmly stating their opinion. quite a sight

Not one to enjoy horror movies too much, Jaehee found herself emerged into the movie as well. There was something about the acting, it felt natural, minus the extraterrestrial thing their reactions were accurate. Fear and paranoia can drive people crazy

Poor Yoosung whenever someone else transformed he was visibly sad. “Noooo he was a kind man”; “Nooo why did he have to die”; “What, he dies too?? Noooo”

The most uncomfortable moment was Fuchs’ transformation and screech. The sound he made raised the hairs on their arms for almost everybody

Most of them doubted Blair is infected, until they found out he escaped on his own. It was clear he’s a thing now and most likely “the final boss” as Saeran put it, Yoosung eagerly agreeing at the terminology

As the movie was getting close to an end, everybody had one last question: is MacReady infected or not?

The big finale ended and the black screen settled in, leaving Childs and MacReady endlessly waiting for their death

“Wait what? That’s all??” I feel you Yoosung

Jumin was thinking. “Indeed.” he said out of nowhere, taking the attention to everyone. Tell us juju

“John Howard Carpenter is truly a genius in the film industry. Childs’ mystery, the ending leaving us hanging even when we do know what will come next, the information we lack making us need more… I am pleased. MC, you were quite inspired to choose this movie, I thank you. I must thank V for bringing it to us, as well. Please excuse me.”

Wait wait juju where are you going. He literally just left everyone in a dead silence

Now that the movie was over Seven loudly inhaled and then started to spit out everything he knew about the movie. Tasing? Tickling? Slapping? He was quiet the entire movie do you really think anything will stop him now?

Yoosung would have loved the alternate ending, where MacReady was waking up in a hospital, while Saeran said he liked this one better, there was no need to show us a real ending. This feels better

Jaehee wasn’t sure that was the ending, because something was bothering her: MacReady’s breath was so visible that it was almost covering his entire face in the final shot, while Childs seemed like he wasn’t breathing at all. MC and Zen backed her on this, both of them noticing the same thing. assuming that Childs was actually The Thing makes all of their deaths to be in vain. The Thing won

Vanderwood leaned towards Jaehee’s theory, but he was too busy trying to make Saeyoung to shut up with his trivia attack

The debating continued later that night when they ate together, everybody stating their opinion or bringing new ideas of endings, laughing and enjoying their winter break

Outside the blizzard had burned out, small snowflakes still lingering in the air, afraid to come closer and touch the cold ground, afraid to forever disappear within the cruel white tapestry of nature

[talietikasero]

So I’ve been working on a fic for a couple of months, and I thought I’d put it here because this site killed off external links. Formatting might be a little funky

Set during the events of Tekken 7, combining parts from Anna and Steve’s character stories. Picking up from Steve’s T7 ending and mixing in the updated story of Anna’s wedding being crashed by Nina. The idea is a what-if with the possibility that the two of them are still at the cathedral. I haven’t been able to fully write chapter 1, but it’s still a work in progress. Here’s part of what I’ve got that I’m willing to share here. Italic text in parentheses are internal dialogue.

__________

 [“Come out! You can’t hide from us forever! We’ll find you!”]

“This was a mistake. I can’t keep this up.” 

“Whoever this kid is, he can’t take them all on by himself.” With a firm grip on the railing, she readied herself and leapt over, landing next to a pillar that was near the cover the man had found. “Hey, are you alright? You’re not looking too good.”

“What in the hell. Who are you?”

“(Play it cool. Make a good first impression.) Can’t you tell? I’m your guardian angel. (You just lied through your teeth.)”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you can’t be serious… I can’t really see that. You may be wearing the same colors, but I don’t think I can fully trust someone I literally just met when other people are trying to kill me. Especially someone dressed in something like that. It looks nice though.” 

“(He didn’t buy it.) Okay, okay. You got me. But I was about to ask you the same thing.” Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that a small stream of blood was trickling down. ”Are you, uh how do I put this. Are you sure you can keep fighting with that bullet in your left arm?”

“Shit! I didn’t even notice that.” He ran over to the pool and began to wash the blood off.

“Use the basin to wash it off. I think I have a small cloth you can use… to… clean it… or not. (Okay?) On second thought, maybe what you’re doing isn’t such a good idea.”

“They’ll get an unpleasant surprise for next time. What’ll happen? Satan is accidentally summoned?” He rinsed off what was left, leaving a trace amount in the water. “There, I think I stopped the bleeding. Where’s that thing you offered?”

“Here.” She took one of her pocket blades out and cut off an unconscious soldier’s uniform sleeve, noticing that there was a medical icon printed on it. “You managed to even take down their combat medic? You’re insane.” She tossed the cut cloth down and reached inside one of the uniform’s pouches to find an antibacterial gel packet, gloves, and a roll of gauze. “Hold out your arm. This isn’t the best idea, but it should help. Fair warning, this is probably going to sting. The best thing you can do is clean and dress your wound.”

“(Not letting my guard down just yet…) Thanks.”

“Do you have another shirt or a jacket?”

“Yeah, it’s on the staircase. Why?”

“Use your tank as a wrap.”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

“It’s a trick I’ve used before. Just trust me.”

“(Do I really have a choice here since you’re really the only one I can somewhat trust?) Okay?” He walked to the stairs to retrieve his shirt and started to roll up the left sleeve. “Never really had to do this before, but it’s better than having you cut this off too.”

“Hey, I only do that to enemies and people I don’t like.”

“I could use some privacy. Please turn around.”

“Alright.” She faced the other way as he changed clothes. “Lucky you, there aren’t any more of those guys right now. How long have you been here anyway?”

“I lost track. An hour? Three? Time’s lost to me… Done. Could you tie this?”

“(I think I’ve seen this kid around before.) Loose or snug?”

“Somewhere in-between so it doesn’t fall off or constrict.”

“Like this?”

“Perfect.”

[“Hey! He’s over there! And looks like he has backup! Take her out too!”]

“Oh, come on!”

“There’s no time for introductions, we’ll pick this up after the fight’s over.”

“Got it, that is if you don’t leave first!”

___________

 “Nice work out there, kid. Now, what were you saying about ‘if I don’t leave first’?”

“The last woman in a dress I met here tried to kill me and ran off. By the looks of it, she crashed some wedding earlier.”

“Nina… That sister of mine is a bitch, I’ll give you that. She posed as me and assassinated who would’ve been my husband. Don’t know how or why everyone present didn’t know that it wasn’t me that walked down that aisle.”

“That explains the mess of bodies, blood, and broken glass back in the main hall. Wait, did you say she’s your ‘sister’?”

“Older by two years. Now that I think about it…” She studied the face before her, noting the striking similarities. “No, you can’t be. There’s no way you are-… (This is bizarre. Is he... her son?!)”

“(Oh my god?) Are we-?”

“Relatives?”

“Unbelievable. I’ve had a nephew this whole time?! I didn’t think anything of it, but were you part of-”

“If you’re going to end that question the way I think you are, the answer is yes. Unfortunately for me, I was. We can’t stay here. They’re going to send more after us.”

“Follow me. I know how to lose them. Start running!”

__________

[Chapter 2]

“There’s so many options. No wonder why this place is popular. That cherry tart looks good, but so does that strawberry one… ag Dia, I can’t decide.” Anna redirected her attention from the food display to see Steve more focused on the drinks than treats. “You look tired. Do you want something?”

“Anything would do. I’m not picky, so I’m fine with whatever you decide to get.” [New message received four minutes ago. “Hey, you’re still in Italy, right? My flight just landed.”] “I’m going to find a seat.”

“Two cappuccinos, espressos, cherry cream sodas, and cherry and strawberry tarts please.”

“Sure thing. Those’ll be right out.”

“Now, where did he go off to?” She took a quick look around, finding him seated on an armchair near the back, and made her way over. “We should be fine now that we blend in.” She checked her phone, with a text from Bruce waiting for her. [“Anna, where are you? I went to the cathedral and you weren’t there. Is everything alright? Please answer me.”] “Oh, good. He’s still in the country. ‘Bruce, don’t worry yourself. I’m still here, but in civilian clothes. Come to the café by our hotel.’”

Steve’s attention was fixed to his phone, reading and clearing the notifications. “‘Yeah. Wait, what are you doing here?’” [“Sightseeing. What else? You told me you were staying for a week or so.”] “’Oh, right. Uh, I’m at a café right between the airport and my hotel. Come meet me here.’” [“Got it. Give me a few minutes. I need to stop by the rentals.”] He looked up to see Anna seated across from him. “I appreciate the gesture, but you didn’t have to buy me a new outfit.”

“I gotta ask why the staff were pretty nice to you; it’s just like they met a celebrity. You don’t have to pay me back because it’s the least I could do after that stunt you pulled. You needed one since what you were wearing reeked of sweat and gunfire. It’s not often that I see someone take on the Force by themselves, let alone I help them. How’s your arm feeling?”

“To a level, I’m, uh, ‘famous’. It’s not as bad now but using my tank top as a temporary bandage wasn’t the worst solution. I’m pretty sure I’ve had worse injuries than this. Just that the main difference is I’m not in a café with a newly met family member and in a hospital. Though there was this one person I fought that gave me trouble…”

“It’s black. A little bit of blood is the least of your worries. A wash or two should do it. Would that work for your other shirt? Maybe, or maybe not. Although if it were on the chain print, it’d make a good rust effect.”

“I’ll try to keep that in mind, but please don’t try to ruin my clothes for the sake of ‘art’.”

“Your orders miss.”

“Grazie mille.” As the waitress left, Anna opened a sugar packet to mix in. As she was stirring, she cracked a smile. “Just in case you end up losing it, I know a guy that can build you a robotic one.” The comment was enough to make Steve wince. “What? I can’t have a good laugh? I’m kidding about that.” She sipped some of her coffee. “It’ll take some time, but wounds heal.” Another sip, and she placed the cup back on the saucer. “Would you like to try semi-formal introductions? Or would you like to tell me what you were doing there? An Italian cathedral isn’t where I’d think to run into someone like you.”

“Introductions? I think I can do that, but do you think this is a good idea with all these people near us? Not to be that person, but there might be a spy. I don’t think we’ve got them off our tails just yet.”

“You’ve got a point…” She glanced around and noticed all the other patrons minding their own business. “This shouldn’t get anyone’s attention but think of it as an exercise. I’ll start.” She cleared her throat and held her hand out. The two shook hands as she began. “My name is Anna Williams. I’m 41, an experienced assassin trained in the styles of Koppojutsu and Aikido, and I’m the secretary / bodyguard of Kazuya Mishima.”

“That was a lot to take in… My name’s Steve Fox. I’m 21, the current world middleweight boxing champion, and a former human experiment created by the Mishima Zaibatsu intended to be a super soldier for the Force. How many times have you heard that line?”

A couple seated nearby overheard and looked to see who it was. “Is that who I think it is? That couldn’t be… You should look because that voice sounds familiar.”

“Oh my god, it is! He hasn’t been seen anywhere for a while, but what’re the chances we see him here? Who’s that lady with him? A bodyguard? She’s pretty fashionable.”

“Can’t tell... We could ask him for a photo or to sign something for us.”

Anna caught the conversation and made eye contact. “I think you’ve got fans here.”

“I can hear.” Steve turned around to speak to them. “Do you two have a notebook that I can autograph? I’m really not one for photos.” One reached into their backpack to take out a pen and journal and handed it to him. “And here you are.”

“Thanks! We’re sorry to bother, but it’s nice to see you’re still around!” The couple gathered their belongings and left.

“I stand corrected and take back my last statement.” She watched as the couple exited and rejoined what she believed to be their tour group. “That was weird. How often does that happen?”

“When I first got my title? Too many times that I couldn’t even step outside of my flat without being hounded. But now? Rarely.” He picked up a fork and took a piece of the strawberry tart. “Wow, that is really good. I try not to eat sweets or anything junky that often, but I’ll just work it off like nothing next time my partner and I train.”

“Once in a while isn’t that bad, but good for you about staying on top of what you consume. Besides, you’ve had a rough day and you’re technically on vacation. Anyway, so that’s what the mark is for. Incredible, your story’s something right out of a comic book. Here’s another question: how did you get out? It must’ve been someone inside.”

“Did you ever meet a Dr. Kliesen? She was the closest person I had to a guardian angel. The other ‘doctors’ kept calling me some code, but she gave me my name. I wonder if she’s still alive.”

“I can’t recall; however, I do know a Dr. Bosconovitch. Old man created the Jack series and that pink haired robot that what’s his name with the anime hairdo travels with. Aria? Anastasia? Alisa? Something starting with ‘A’. Cute as a button, but you’d think chainsaws on her arms are overkill.” Hearing the words “chainsaws” and “arms” in the same sentence caused another nearby patron to perk their ears up.

“What’s this about a girl with arm saws?”

“They’re probably talking about some cartoon character.”

“Son of a bitch.” Anna muttered under her breath. “You wouldn’t think they’d have brushed it off as that though.”

“I did try to tell you be careful of what you say.”

“At least I don’t have to try and teach you how to think like me; you do need to be aware of your surroundings, of which I clearly wasn’t but I caught it immediately.”

“Pretty sure I do already; there was a time where I was trying to stay under the radar. Back to your other question: I was there looking for an answer. I got much more than I expected, but-”

“You can tell me. I’m here to listen.”

“But-…”

“It’s okay with me if you’d rather not say anything. I won’t get mad if you stay silent, but I’ve learned from experience that it’s better not to bottle it up.”

“I fought the Force to let her get away.”

“…”

“The silence is deafening. You are mad, aren’t you?”

“Not at all.”

“I’ve been told I’m too nice at times, even to the point of letting something like that happen. Even if we’ve got a relation that I went in knowing she’d reject.”

“(Quick, say something reassuring to help him feel better.) You can’t really tell exactly what she’s thinking. The only relation you two have is a non-consenting one, if you can even call it that. You didn’t ask to be ‘born’, but she didn’t ask to be put into cryo-sleep either for close to twenty years.”

“Explains why we look roughly the same age. Were you put into sleep as well?”

“(Oh good, it worked?) I volunteered. She was forced. I was woken up first. Decided to fuck her memories up too for the fun of it.”

“You two really hate each other, huh?”

“She is responsible for our father’s death. All these years later and we’re still fighting on whose fault it really was. We learned how to fight from them; your grandfather taught us Koppo, and your grandmother was the best person to learn Aikido from, being a world champion and all. Mom and I had a close relationship…”

“…Is she still alive?”

“Neither of us know. I think I have something that’ll interest you, while we’re still here.” Reaching into her tote, she took out her work laptop and set it on the table. “The Zaibatsu has files on everyone who’ve participated in the tournaments.” She powered it on and entered her login info. “You, me, our friends, and even the dead.”

“T-the dead?”

“Oh yeah. For example, those men in jaguar masks. The names remain the same, but they’re not the ones from years past.” There was a Zaibatsu logo icon with the label [participants]. “Skimmed theirs and the armored one is the younger brother of the original; the other was an orphan the first took care of.” Anna typed the surnames “Fox” and “Kliesen” into the search bar; the latter returned one result for a “Leo”.

“Oh. I never would’ve guessed.”

“Here.” She rotated the screen towards him. “This one’s yours and I think I found the one for your guardian angel’s child. Says someone recently got to it.”

He tuned out the surrounding noise to focus. “Mostly everything’s correct. Nothing’s actually changed since the last time I checked this.” He scrolled for a few seconds until something caught his eye. “Oh, that’s new. They know that I destroyed that one lab.” [Last accessed 15:34:55, one month ago.} “(What the-…)” 

Anna raised one brow and tilted her head to the right. “That was you?”

“It was a while ago, but yeah.” He swapped over to the file labeled “L. Kliesen” and skipped to the “family” section. [Family: Mr. Kliesen (father, status unknown), Dr. Emma Kliesen (mother, deceased.)] Reading that one word listed next to presumably the last photo taken of her made his heart sink further down. Trying to prevent his voice from cracking, he muttered to himself. “’Deceased.’ That’s…”

[“Don’t worry. You’re going to be okay. Please remember that. I’m sorry, but I have to go.”]

“Are you alright?” She asked in a concerned tone.

“I didn’t think I’d be able to take any additional damage today, but here I am. She’s gone. The one person who treated me like a human is gone.” His face was blank, but she could sense the mixed repressed emotions.

“My apologies, but am I interrupting something?”

“Bruce? What are you doing here?”

“Huh, I didn’t think to meet you with Anna of all people, in Italy of all places. Small world isn’t it?”

“To put it bluntly, she’s my aunt.”

“So, you’re Ni-”

“Yes.” Anna lightly elbowed his side. “Please, don’t finish that sentence.”

A young man wearing a dark blue shirt, brown jacket with the sleeves rolled up with shoes of the same color, khaki pants, and aviator sunglasses entered the café. “Yo! There you are.”

“Oh? A friend of yours?”

“Close friend.” Hwoarang repositioned his sunglasses to the top of his head. Turning over to Anna, something clicked about her. “You look familiar. Have we met before?”

“Don’t believe we have, but I’ve seen you around.” She recalled that his hair was more of a red-orange and that he wore goggles. “Wasn’t your hair a different color? You’re one of Kazama’s ‘friends’, aren’t you?”

“It was, but someone can only consistently dye their hair for so long. Also, yeah, if you wanna say that.”

“Going natural, huh? If I’m being honest, that streak you’ve got suits you.”

“You’re too kind.”

“You’ll have to excuse him.” Steve remarked as he drank his espresso. “He’s a real try-hard when it comes to first impressions.”

“I’m working on it.”

“I’m sure you are.”

Anna couldn’t keep herself from giggling. “You two sound like an old married couple.”

“At this point, we might as well be.”

“Look at that, there’s already a ring. When’s your special date?” Bruce couldn’t keep a straight face. “I’m sure we’d be available by then. Isn’t that right, Anna?”

“Oh absolutely.”

“God no. Don’t give him any ideas.”

__________

[Chapter 3]

“We’re on the next floor. If you two need anything, just come to room 1211.”

“Thanks. Are you two doing anything tomorrow? We were thinking of going on a tour or just wander the city.”

“We’ll let you know.”

“Alright then. Have a good night.” Lightly shutting the door, he fought off tiredness to walk enough distance to safely drop face first onto the mattress. The softness muffled his voice. “It’s only 8pm and I am exhausted.”

The room was quiet, with the only sound coming from a running shower. Five minutes passed, and the water stopped.

“That was much needed. I feel completely refreshed.” Hwoarang stepped into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist. He noticed Steve fast asleep with his head between two pillows. “Huh. Today must’ve been rough for you, eh?” He picked up the clothes laid out and went back into the bathroom. Examining himself in the mirror, the area around his right eye was still visibly damaged despite treatment. “Fuck. That’s not going away any time soon.” He put on some loungewear, exited again, and sat on one of the room’s chairs with his legs resting on the left arm. “That’s new, a few more notifications than I usually get. Package delivery update, something from Xiaoyu, and… oh.” The last notification was a message from the hospital Baek was admitted to. “Please be okay…”

Fifteen more minutes had passed, and Steve woke up. He rubbed his eyes and sat upright. “How long have I been out?”

“About ten minutes? Twenty, maybe? Just so we’re on the same page here, that woman from earlier is your aunt?”

“Yeah, how we met is by a strange coincidence…” He stood up and stretched for a few seconds. “She told me today was supposed to be her wedding, how it went downhill because of who I tracked down to the same cathedral posed as her and turned it into a war zone.” He walked towards the closet and took out one of the coat hangers. “What’s weirder is that we booked rooms at the same hotel.”

“It might be more than just that. There must’ve been a reason as to how and why you two met today after all this time. When I first entered, she was one of the people I saw also participating but we never fought; she was always set to go against some lady in a purple suit. Then you showed up and she was absent?”

“Huh, I never noticed that last bit you just said. Then again, can’t really say I was fully paying attention because there were a lot of people trying to kill me at the time. My focus was just staying alive.” He took off the new jacket Anna had bought for him and hung it up. “You’re starting to sound like some street-side fortune teller. I mean, you may be right, but I can’t just jump to a ‘this is all laid out in the stars’ conclusion.”

“Just throwing something else in there to try and make it interesting. And before you ask, no I don’t have a deck of tarot cards in my luggage. How’d you get this room anyway? Did your adoptive parents put in a good word for you?”

“Nah. I’ve been to my fair share of luxury hotels, mostly from travelling to fights. The front desk recognized who I was and gave me a discount.” A cold compress was taken out of a mini first aid kit the hotel provided upon request. “You’re not looking too well. This should help.”

“For someone who’s a degree of famous, you still amaze me at how you don’t let it get to your head.”

“It’s just a title, something I can keep a hold of for a while. Hold still!”

“Ow! Steve, what the hell!”

“Stop making sudden movements while I’m trying to treat your eye injury.”

“Okay, okay. How does it look?”

“Not as bad now. It may take more time than you’d expect, but just be patient.”

“Or it could just become part of me, like how your scar’s your most ‘defining’ feature.”

“That’s… oddly sweet of you?”

“I almost forgot. I got you something.” He reached into the duffle bag placed on the table and took out a small teddy bear dressed in a pilot uniform that was holding a heart. “Saw it at the airport and thought you might like it.”

“You didn’t have to but thank you.”

“Happy late Valentine’s Day.”

Meanwhile in their own room, Anna kicked off her flats and sat down on her bed. She broke open a small wooden box, pulled out a bottle, and poured herself a glass of what would’ve been her wedding gift wine. Gently swirling the alcohol, she glanced over at Bruce, who was busy checking his laptop for everything from unread emails to how the G Corp military were doing in his absence. “Can’t let this go to waste. Would you like any?”

“Not much of a wine person, but I’ll just have the amount you poured.” Another glass was taken out, and the two made a small toast. Bruce sipped from his, whereas Anna downed hers.

Taking a second to settle, she cleared her throat. “Bruce, how do you know him?”

“Who? Your nephew?”

“Who else would I be talking about? Yes, him.”

“I forget you can drink more than humanly possible and still function. To answer your question, the fifth tournament. He was your usual cocky kid that thinks they could take anyone down. Had to beat some sense into him, now we’re acquaintances.”

“Damn, I do have a lot to catch up with. Any word from Kazuya yet? How’s he faring without us and against his own fucked up family?”

“He actually did it.”

“No. You’re kidding.”

“I’m not when I say that he finally got rid of his old man. I wasn’t there, but I heard from the soldiers who were around the perimeter.”

“And now Kazuya Mishima has solidified his image as the hero in this ongoing war.”

“There’s still that bastard son of his. As far as I’m aware, he’s lost his bodyguards.”

“Both of them? I knew Nina’s gone because she has no loyalty for an employer, even if they are a big name. What about the other? Did he leave because of the lie he was promised? I feel a little bad for that girl…”

“No idea.” Bruce opened the files with the names “E. Gordo” and “C. Monteiro” attached. “Says here her grandfather was his master, he was dying, and there’s a note with ‘Zaibatsu scientists unable to provide critical medical care; patient is now deceased’. The man was a Capoeira legend.”

“Why did you decide to accompany me anyway? I understand that he was one of your soldiers and that Kaz was busy.”

“Aside from him asking me to have your back, I don’t think those girls would’ve been up for the job.”

“Who were they again? There’s that nature lover and now the cat pop star.”

“Julia Chang and some kid that goes by the name Lucky Chloe. As dreadful as she is, the cat’s made a fool of Gordo.”

“Vid or it didn’t happen.”

“Pour yourself another glass then.” Bruce searched through the helipad’s surveillance footage and found the “match” between Chloe and Eddy. “Watch this.”

[“Step it up a gear, old man! You’re gonna be my backup dancer, so don’t mess this up!”

“O-old man…?”

“You got a problem? You lost and you’re still gonna gimme attitude? Again! ‘It’s me, Lucky Chloe!’ Hey, you think I’m doin’ this ‘cause I wanna? This job isn’t as easy as it looks! You’re workin’ with a professional now! Get with the program, hair-for-brains! Again! ‘It’s me, Lucky Chloe!’ No, no, no! Your hand goes like this, and your hips like this! Oh, and when we do this for real, you’re wearin’ a girly costume.”]

“Haha! Well, she is good for something now.”

“Then there’s that Chang girl. I know she’s valuable to us, but that’s steadily decreasing.”

“His half-brother and the fembot ‘rescued’ her.”

“Funny how she’s adopted but looks almost identical to Michelle.”

“You really do get bored and read up on everyone, huh? How do you think Michelle’s holding up?”

“Don’t know but most likely still hates the Mishimas. Says here she’s been on and off the radar since the attacks all those years ago but has taken up a side gig with Julia. They’re a mother/daughter wrestling team.”

“Figured and that’s good for both. Someone’s got to take down those big guys, and what better team to do so than those two. The big bald one tried to hit on me a while back.” She looked at the photos and compared how little Michelle’s aged. “Wow, time’s been really nice to her. What’s her secret?”

“Probably sold her soul to Ogre to retain her youth. The pendant she was attacked for was able to control him. Like a witch, but in a good way.”

“Oh, you’ve got jokes now.”

“I’ve had them, you just haven’t been around me long enough to hear any.”­­

____________________

[Notes per chapter:

C1: I can’t write a fight scene to save my life OTL. If you look at the stage layout, there’s a small pool of water on the ground floor / right under the starting balcony.

C2: “ag Dia” is Irish for “by God”. Since the exact location of Duomo di Sirio isn’t specified, a friend and I came up with the idea that it’s set in or at least near Rome and/or Vatican City. The outfit for Hwoarang I described is his new “casual” outfit from T7. Upon close detail inspection, there is actually a ring he wears on his right hand. I improvised Dr. K’s words and Leo’s file.

C3: I picked Chloe’s version of the fight and actually copied the dialogue from it. The “wedding wine in a wooden box” comes from an idea I saw my cousin and her husband do at their wedding: place a bottle inside with letters of what they loved about each other, with the condition “only open in case of a fight” so they can be reminded of why they’re together in the first place while enjoying some wine. Hopefully this note clears it up. The validity of this is questionable, but I put Anna’s birthdate (December 11) as her hotel room number.]

[poiregourmande]

Zach/Eugene

They’ve just wrapped after a long, exhausting day of shooting The Try Guys, and the four of them are absolutely beat.

“Man,” Ned says, “I’m telling you, as soon as my ass hits the couch at home, I am not moving ever again.”

“I know, right?” Keith nods, digging his car keys out of his jacket, “Becky and I are doing takeout and Netflix, and I’ll probably just crash in front of Gilmore Girls.”

“Same,” Ned says as he reaches his car, and they exchange their goodbyes.

Zach and Eugene look at each other. Their night promises to be like every other: drinks with coworkers, coming home too late, hungover the next morning.

Zach doesn’t want to be the first to say something, but he knows party boy Eugene will never admit how envious of married life he is at this very moment.

“So…” Zach tries to sound casual. “That seems nice.”

Eugene just shrugs, a noncommittal hum in his throat.

“I mean I wouldn’t mind not having to find parking near the bar, not having to fight for a seat. To be honest none of this sounds relaxing right now.”

“Beer is relaxing.”

“Not when it costs 10 bucks.”

Eugene chuckles. “You got me.”

They take Zach’s car to his place. When they get home he throws a frozen pizza in the oven and goes to the fridge to find beer.

“Actually I think the married way to do this is with a bottle of wine,” he calls to Eugene who’s setting up Netflix in the living room.

“Sure.” Eugene isn’t picky when it comes to alcohol.

When the pizza’s done, Zach brings everything to the coffee table and they settle in front of Friends.

“Figured it’s a safe choice and we can turn our brains off,” Eugene explains.

They clink their glasses of wine together and Eugene presses play.

The pizza’s gone before the first episode ends and although it’s pretty nice, it doesn’t quite live up to the hype Ned and Keith built.

Zach feels like something’s missing. Something to bring this regular night between two friends up to the cozy, forget-the-rest-of-the-world experience their married friends are always raving about.

And then it hits him and he almost chokes on his wine. Cuddling.

Eugene would kill him if he dared to suggest it, but to be honest, the prospect of cuddling with Eugene sounds a thousand times better than mindless grinding with strangers in a club in the hopes that one day his bed will not be as empty.

So he tries to hint about it as a joke – that way he can totally say he was kidding when Eugene inevitably shuts him down.

“Look at us,” he says in what he hopes is a sarcastically cheerful tone, “we’re turning into an old married couple – “ a nervous chuckle – “the only thing missing is the cuddling!”

He stands up to bring the empty plates back to the kitchen, the better to hide his growing anxiety at Eugene’s silence. A few excruciatingly quiet seconds pass before Eugene pulls him by the hand and sits him down between his spread legs, his back to Eugene’s chest.

“Relax,” Eugene says, barely a breath, not even a whisper, and Zach realizes he is stiff as a plank, waiting for Eugene to dismiss it as a joke, a prank, a mistake.

Eugene runs a hand down his arm and Zach’s whole body goes slack against him.

Eugene’s fingers are still grazing up and down his arms and a single question goes round and round in Zach’s brain, almost like a chant is this a joke? is this a joke?

He’s waiting for Eugene to push him away, to leave, to say “I don’t cuddle” because that’s how things work in Zach’s world usually.

But Eugene doesn’t seem like he’s going anywhere. He keeps on raising goosebumps along Zach’s arms, keeps on bracketing him with his long legs spread along the entire length of the couch, keeps on breathing right next to Zach’s ear, and when Friends pulls a chuckle out of him, it tickles Zach right underneath his earlobe.

They’re halfway through the second episode when Zach esteems Eugene might be in it for real, and that maybe he’s not leaving.

Zach sets a tentative hand on Eugene’s thigh, and it is not batted away, nor does the thigh escapes from his grasp.

In fact, Eugene squeezes his waist tighter between his thighs, and one of his hands tangles between Zach’s fingers.

The wine is warm in Zach’s chest and Eugene is warm on Zach’s back and all of it combined lulls Zach right to sleep.

He wakes up, and judging by what’s happening on TV, he must have been out for like two episodes – yeah he can tell a Friends episode from a single scene, it’s one of his useless gifts.

Eugene is still bracketing his entire body, but he pulled a blanket over them and set Zach’s glasses carefully on the coffee table.

“Hey there, sleepyhead,” he whispers when Zach turns to look at him.

“Sorry I dozed off, it was –”

“Real comfy, huh? It would probably be better for your back to resume this in your bed.”

Zach turns red from head to toe, but there’s no sign on Eugene’s face of any innuendo or euphemism. Zach nods and scrambles upward, biting back a whine as the cold hair hits his back where Eugene had previously been.

He rakes a hand through his hair. “So, um, this was great…”

“Got a pair of sweatpants I can borrow?”

“W-what?”

“Well I’m not sleeping in skinny jeans.”

A bit confused, Zach walks to his bedroom, where he find his least ratty pair of sweatpants. Eugene is pulling the covers back from the bed.

“What side do you sleep on?”

Zach drops the pants.

Eugene. Is about. To willingly. Sleep with him.

Something does not compute.

Eugene picks up the pants and starts taking off his pants.

Zach instinctively turns away, as if they’d never seen each other in various states of undress before.

When Zach turns back to Eugene, he is now wearing Zach’s sweatpants, a bit too short for him, and a t-shirt, and he’s sitting down on Zach’s bed.

“You coming?”

Eugene pats the mattress next to him and Zach’s mind short circuits.

Eugene obviously realizes that Zach’s legs have stopped working because he pulls him close, maneuvers him to lie down on the bed and then starts spooning him.

There’s no way this is happening. He’s clearly dreaming, asleep in front of Friends, alone.

After a few minutes, he gathers up the courage to speak. “Eugene?”

“Mm.”

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to sleep.” The words are muffled against Zach’s back and his warm breath sends a tingle down Zach’s spine, making his toes curl.

“Can we talk about this?”

Eugene emits a grunt that sounds a bit like “about what?” still plastered against Zach’s back.

“About how you always avoid physical touch and emotions and now you’re literally spooning me, in my bed?”

If anything, Eugene cuddles in even closer. “There’s nothing to explain. I like you and you said we were having a married couple night.”

“So this is just a one time thing?”

He feels Eugene shrugging behind him. “Do you want it to be a one time thing?”

Zach turns around. He has no idea if he’s allowed to say what he really wants, if he can voice the desires that have haunted him for the better part of the last year, if this is even a good idea at all.

He must be doing a pretty good job of conveying all of this through his eyes because Eugene smirks. “Thought not.”

Zach can’t tell who made the first move but all of a sudden their lips are together, sharing an exploratory dance, and its everything Zach has ever wanted.

Maybe married life wouldn’t be the worse thing ever.

send me ANY two buzzfeed people and i’ll write you a drabble!

[emmelfish]

So, it looks like the roaring success of a wedding party added to Brandi’s reputation. You sure you don’t wanna roundhouse kick your BFF Dina there for smooching your firstborn son?

(John Burb – lover of drama, sitter of fences, gossip extraordinaire and never met a dirty joke he doesn’t like – glides by without a word but a mental note to regale his wife with all the sordid details.)

I still don’t know which of the two of them initiated that, but I guess this is what happens when you combine cute blond Fortune sims, one of whom has recently reached an... eligible age?... and our old friend ACR.

Darren had at least five of those six beers, so this doesn’t surprise me in the least. Dreamer, I’m cutting you off!

Time to celebrate the transition of the terrible twins, the perfect ending to this... interesting wedding.

Growing up next to a rain puddle, is it everything you ever dreamed of Skip Jr?

Sadly, it’s also time to say goodbye to the Mortimer Goth cosplay and the buzzcut...

... and hello to... this! I’m pretty sure given he’s Sloppy and Playful, SJ’ll be a Nature sim, so it’s not even like this is hobby-appropriate costuming (it’d be better for his sister, she’s bound to be Sports or Fitness with her personality points).

There’s something so ritualistic about the way they stand around cheering somebody aging, I love it. It’s even better in weddingwear.

I’m also a big fan of how different Skip Jr looks to his older brothers. And this genetic correctness! I’m not sure how we ever put up with the gender-reversed Brandi clone EAxis stuck in the vanilla game. THANK YOU @meetmetotheriver 💟

I’m excited that he grew up well, but scared of what kind of child he’ll be. Nowhere near as terrified as I am re: Suse though.

Darren finally told one dirty joke too many? And in front of A CHILD?! No wonder he and John Burb get along so well.

Beau: Hey I’m gonna be a teenager in like a day, I can take it.

We’ll be the judge of that.

Oh god, I don’t know if I even really want to do this, but here we go.

Yo Bran, when did you change into your afterparty gear? (Seriously, I had no idea she had that maternity formalwear lurking in her wardrobe.)

Susie: *stares at fire* Yes, yes, consume the souls of my nemeses...

Skip Jr: Uh, Mr Dad, I think you’re supposed to put her down.

Beau: This is gold.

Skip Jr: Seriously DreamerDaddy, I really think she’s meant to be on the floor...?

Skip Jr: I can’t watch.

(Legitimately though, at this point I was hiding from the screen and peeping through my fingers to take these screenshots. I love a good glitch, but this was beyond terrifying.)

OH MY GOD.

THEY’VE MERGED INTO SOME KIND OF MONSTER.

Oh thank heavens. I just had Darren do the ‘put Susie here’ action and while her arms did get stuck like this for a while, everything went back to normal and she was a child and not some warped giant baby. Good bloody lord! Darren, had you forgotten how to transition a toddler? Dirk’s not that old!

Hey Suse, you’d better not be hunting bugs just to set fire to them.

Susie: Well I won’t be setting fire to anything if my stupid jar stays this empty.

While I’m kind of loving Susie’s blazer and jeans, gotta get those twins into the colors they were in as tots. It’s my rule! (When feasible.)

Yeah we get it guys, you love each other because you’re both pretty awful. Had enough of this yet Beau?

Beau: Urgh. I’m disappearing into a place where I can control everything, thank you very much. This here dollhouse.

That sounds like a strangely familiar concept.

Ah, back to some semblance of a (relatively) normal life! Skip Jr’s already making good use of those Playful Grouchy traits by beating Beau to death with a pillow, and Susie’s slyly charming her way into an older brother’s affections just as she did with Dustin.

This loading screen will look rather different... imminently. Room for two more?

Oh yeah! Remember Dustin’s strange schoolfriend who marched brazenly into the Broke trailer and randomly picked up and snuggled the twins when they were but babes? Skip Jr clearly does, and now that he can articulate this experience, is telling Beau just how traumatic it was.

Back to plate-making, you! Yes I know you want a vacay, and you’ll get one when you sell several more of these. Also what’s that ‘get caught cheating’ fear? Why is cheating even crossing your mind? You literally just got married and it upped your chem with Daz by one whole bolt – three is the magic number, don’t mess with perfection!

With Susie being an active-grouchy sports lover, I got her a nice Goal of Paul to play with. Of course the first thing she does is stand in it and jeer her brother.

Skip Jr: Listen sis, this is your game not mine.

I’m fine with whatever happens as long as that ball doesn’t hit poor Darleen’s gravestone.

Susie: So what we got going here.

Beau: Well we have this whole saga, see. Shirley here has been struggling with her feelings towards Muriel for quite some time now –

Susie: So she sets fire to Muriel’s hair in a passionate fury and then these two ladies over here come and chop her good with samurai swords to avenge Muriel?

Beau: Uh, no –

Susie: ‘I curse the day Shirley was born!’ ‘As do I, we will demand blood for blood!’

Beau: *sighs* Not really what I was going for. How exactly are we related again?

Susie: This is great! Do you have any of those little green army men? Let’s have them explode the house in an act of WAR.

Oh hi! Tinkering Lady is COOL! Dirk finally bagged the elusive invite to go play with cars and trains and robots. I think he’s our first too.

I am going to aggressively marry her into one of the families at some point, I have to. Boho style, badass purple streak in her hair and pink eyes too? She has it all!

Brandi, that is not acceptable. You have a pottery badge for crying out loud.

Oh okay, you’re going into labor. I suppose that’s a fair excuse.

Even cool Tinkering Lady is running to see the miracle of life!

Darren: Oh, you’re having the babies, love? That’s nice.

THE MOTHERFUDGING VERTICAL RING GLITCH IS BACK AGAIN ON HIS SECOND FRIGGING MARRIAGE

Susie?

Susie: Astarte and Proserpine are busy avenging Muriel and fending off acts of terror, god, leave me alone.

Dirk looks like he’s singing a power ballad and I’m loving it. Meanwhile Beau is like, this ain’t my first rodeo.

Here we go... again. AGAIN.

The cramming into the doorway while Brandi gives birth in the narrowest place in the whole house is a treat tbh.

And here they are! We gots two gals. Not saying they’re not lovely, call me a picky sim breeder but I was expecting them to be... at least S3? The genetics in this game confuse me sometimes.

Speaking of genetics, look at this brown-eyed babe! Take your pick, they could be from Brandi’s dad or either or Darren’s parents. I’ve named them after surrealist artists (because I figured their parents’d be into that), so we have little Frida here...

... and mere seconds younger, her sister Remedios!

As per usual everybody cheers the firstborn twin and poor Remy doesn’t get a look-in. Even Susie dragged herself away from her macabre soap opera to say hi.

Susie: Who run the world? GIRLS! Who run the world?

Skip Jr: Bang bang!

Beau: No. I only have three Playful points. I refuse to engage in your nonsense.

And here are the twin ladies in their matching rubberbabybuggybumpers. Next up, we have our dearest Beau hitting teenhood! I’m gonna miss him as a kid.

[phthalology]

yooo, the ultimate rare-pair Aloy/Sylens for the ask thing!!

002 | Send me a ship and I will tell you: 

When I started shipping them: Right around “mutual self interest” and/or “new science of understanding,” because egad am I here for ships who are bound together by inconvenient pacts and/or being the only people in the world who experienced a certain thing. I suppose that description could apply to many combinations of characters, but HZD emphasized it with the main plot being about secrets only Aloy and Sylens ever saw. They just check a lot of boxes that work for me. 

My thoughts: This is not about the ship per se, but … I keep thinking about what a good look it would be for Aloy to cut her hair. I know, it’s part of her deal, but it’s a quick way to switch her look from “appropriation / using braids and beads as shorthand�� and “how is your hair that pretty in the wilderness” to “Mad Max.” 

What makes me happy about them: They are (were?) a pairing I needed at the time, a sort of emotional IV of resilience and the idea that sometimes the world isn’t over when it seems like the world is over. It’s no coincidence that HZD resonates with people in a world where the news seems to uncover one world-ending scenario after another. It’s nice to see a story where a person can find a life and a romance despite having lived through their own sort of end of the world. 

I also think video games have a particular ability to do that; in the YA novel prologue portion of the game I was attached to Aloy, but it was only after her near-death that attachment was solidified because the emotional height really pinned me to her perspective. 

To me, Sylens is the person who understands her the best. And despite his best efforts, she also quickly understands him: she’s also a loner, she’s also separate from her own family, she also grabs ideas hard and won’t let go. I don’t think he’s a mystery to her. He’s a challenge, not in that he doesn’t love her but in that his love fights with many other aspects of his nature, and that keeps the ship interesting. 

(One thing I’ve always thought but never really said, for the record: I generally picture my protagonists in fic as closer to my own age than what they’re presented at in the game. I’m older than Aloy, so I don’t really find it interesting to dig into her mindset as a late teen, even though I think it’s a sign of a good voice that she was written as young in parts of the game. That’s not an aspect I choose to emphasize.)  

What makes me sad about them: A lot of the things that could potentially make one sad about them are things that actually reassure me: they’re probably never going to stay together in one place for long, and they’re probably not going to end up on the same side of the ultimate battle. That’s fine. In fact, it’s a nice guarantee that the dynamic I liked in the game in the first place will continue. (Psychoanalyze away!)  If the game managed to convince me that he would choose Aloy (or her connection to GAIA) over his aspirations of restoring APOLLO or whatever it is he and HADES are up to, I’d probably be happy. But I do think …

The scene where he leaves her in the mountain is just so weighty; she clearly had a lot of emotion riding on the idea of meeting him in person. (Whether or not it was romantic or not – I clearly can’t fully get on board with but also find it very convincing and moving that she might see him as a parental figure at this point, one more person leaving her to fulfill some grand destiny they won’t explain. Even Rost was a bit cryptic at their last real conversation.)  

“Where will you go?” she asks, as if she thinks he would tell her, as if she’s reaching out to find one more point on the map that might just maybe be a home to replace the precarious one she lost for good when Rost died.  

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: Most of these apply to my ships in general; it’s just particularly notable how they reliably crop up in a ship with so few fics. I don’t like “woobifying” villains, and Sylens’ redemption is not in any way relevant to the ship for me. On the other hand, I don’t want Aloy to be portrayed as emotionless or manipulative; she isn’t savvy about relationships and I don’t like to think of her as insincere. She is savvy about trust, but … it’s hard to describe the difference. Basically, I want them to be unique, not sanded down to a template of a love/hate couple. 

Things I look for in fanfic: There are definitely not enough fics for me to be picky. I have literally read everything on AO3. It doesn’t take long. 

My wishlist: Let them meet in person in game 2, in some other dramatic fashion like in the Sun-Ring. Let them have to grab one another’s hands at one point,  trust expressed in the simplest and most dire of ways. 

I’m also still really hopefully waiting for a really good college AU. Or a daemon AU. 

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Aloy/Varl is really nice, and he’s my realistic pick for who I’d like to see Aloy with if they ever give her a canon relationship. I suppose Sylens might have had other relationships at some point in his life, and imagine if they ever brought his personal life (such as it is) into the game it would be that way? But I also don’t think it’s likely we’ll see him portrayed that way at all in canon. A good perk of a rarepair is that I probably don’t have to consider this. 

My happily ever after for them: this , and/or living in Brightmarket with kids. Don’t get me wrong, they’d need about seven years of reconciliation and therapy before that could happen happily. 

(fandom ask meme)

[notesofarichlycolorednight]

hot take

if you’re gonna write a story that takes place in china

maybe actually do the research abt china???

fair warning: if you like really like cinder and/or marissa meyer you may just wanna sit this one out

in these trying times of lost innocence of childhood and being more aware of social justice issues, i find myself being very critical of the entertainment media i consume

esp when it comes to representation, bc representation is important to me. and it’s becoming more and more important to me the older i get, as an asexual chinese-american woman. i’m still on the fence abt no rep v. bad rep, but this isn’t what this post is mainly abt

i’m currently reading cinder, by marissa meyer for my book club

and i just...i have a lot to say abt it. a lot that i really gotta get off my chest before i feel i can continue to read it

i’d preferably like to talk abt it with my friends (and maybe i will when the time comes), but i’d have to wait until june 1 and finish the book. as i said above, i really have to get this off my chest before i can finish it, so here i am, screaming into the void

so to begin, and i usually comment abt this when it comes to A LOT of east asian rep i see in entertainment media: my beef with the combination of east asian culture to mean one (1) asian/east asian culture

in this case, a combo of east asian cultureS (plural) into one (1), which would be china

honorifics

there are honorifics in china--like you definitely want to apply the correct honorific to your authority figures (i.e., parents, teachers, doctors, bosses, etc.)

and that part of china’s culture was taken, and then adapted into japanese culture today, HOWEVER, the way it’s used in japanese culture today is very��different than how chinese ppl use them

okay so disclaimer real quick, chinese is my second language, and i have not taken up learning japanese, and am i’m going off information i’ve learned from my friends who took japanese as their second langauge; so the information i provide here may not be precisely accruate (hence, having trouble finding better words to explain this)

a lot of china’s honorifics aren’t as “““specific”””--for major lack of a better word--as japan’s

they have mr., miss, mrs., teacher/master, doctor, etc., and, in general, it’s custom to use them bc they are important--authority and hierarchy is v important to collectivistic cultures

japan has “““specific””” identifiers that are often, if not always, used to identify any of those older, younger, or equal to you

senpai, -chan, -san, -sama, etc., as well as other identifiers as placeholders for the person’s name to communicate who they are in relation to the person speaking (e.g., oniisan, oniichan, oniisama)

how honorifics are used in cinder is almost completely wrong, not just in culture, but also through translation

from meyer’s website:

-dàren: for a high-ranking official today is simply means adult, or grown up. it can be used as a respectful honorific toward superiors, but it mostly just means adult. archaically it did mean “your/his excellency.” but again, today, it’s mainly used to refer to an adult. and i imagine however far into the future this book takes places, they’d use it the same way??? but i mean i guess if they went back to imperialism

-shìfu: for an older male this is actually master (as an honorific, such as teacher is, or to specify a very qualified worker). sometimes it can be used to address strangers, specifically older men (not necessarily specifically, or often, used for an older male)

-jūn: for a younger male idk where she got “younger male” from bc it’s mostly used as a measure word. it can be used as an honorific, but translates to “your” not younger male. had she been going by the “honorifics” she uses below, it should be dì, which comes from dìdi (弟弟), which means younger brother (but not necessarily younger male)

-jiĕ: for an older female my best guess is this is derived from jiĕjie (姐姐), which means older sister (not necessarily older female)

-mèi: for a younger female once again, she probably derived this from mèimei (妹妹), which means younger sister (not necessarily younger female)

these specific pinyin (more specifically the last two/three) that she picked cannot be separated from the other pinyin that help to identify them. jiĕ and mèi don’t exist by themselves in the chinese language (compared to -chan, or -san do in japanese), and therefore do not translate as such in meyer’s book. not to mention, multiple characters can be applied to jiĕ and mèi depending on the context and other pinyin/character next to it that helps form the word, or helps distinguish the context

she perhaps simplified these honorifics a little too much. so much so in fact that they lost their meaning. quite literally

and, as i said before, these honorifics aren’t used like they are in japanese culture/language. you don’t tack on honorifics behind someone’s name (like a suffix) as they do in japan. the whole honorific (not just half of it, not like a suffix) comes after someone’s name, such as Lín lăoshī (林老师), which means Teacher Lin. or replaces their name entirely, such as tā shì wŏ de dìdi (他是我的弟弟), which means “this is my younger brother” (as opposed to, “this is bob, my younger brother” or variations of that same sentiment)

names

now, in this futuristic world, i can understand if there are names from other countries (esp. other east asian countries)

however, if your crown prince’s name of china has a japanese name...i’m probs gonna call you out on it. esp bc china and japan don’t have The Best history. now maybe they’ve worked thru it after all these yrs, but still

he’s the crown prince of china

he’s mostly just refered to as prince kai. which i would be okay with if it was just that bc kai is chinese

however, his full name? kaito. kaito is japanese

rikan? japanese. like wtf, if your the emperor of china, you should probs have a chinese name. i mean, you’d think hope?

iko? also japanese (i admit this is being a lil nit-picky, bc cinder or adri or whoever is free to name their android whatever-the-hell they want to, i’m just saying)

and i mean, i guess i can see names from other countries in the real world too, but you have to remember china has the largest population of ppl in the world, so the chances that there are ppl within a certain district who don’t have chinese names is v slim (esp bc you have to take the hsk to show you can contribute to society in china before they grant you a visa to live/work there).

compare that to cinder’s district, where we have cinder, adri, iko, peony, pearl, sacha, fateema, and dr. earland. oh and then the lab tech named li, who’s most definitely the only one i can assuredly say is chinese (and i would hope looks chinese)

now, again, bc it is the future, maybe more (like A LOT more) ppl have moved to china lbr tho, they’ve moved back to imperialism, why would you choose to live there? but i’d still be bitter abt it regardless, bc like china, in theory, should have chinese ppl? w/ chinese names??? i imagine it’s still a p big country in this future

optics

i really wish cinder looked chinese. this is more of a personal thing, and i get that genes aren’t so cut and dry, and if she’s a lunar, then yeah she probably won’t look completely chinese

but a girl can dream for representation other than just mulan ya know (not saying mulan sucks or anything, but it’s like, kinda the only thing i have so)

esp bc the book takes place in china. and she is said to be at least mixed “““““asian”””””

i also wish the fucking prince looked chinese--his skin is fair according to the wikia

bruh

why are you so afraid to make your main characters brown

on a more serious note, and this is getting really nit-picky (kinda) again, but i really wish meyer had put more thought into dr. earland’s character. okay, now, i haven’t finished the book so the good doctor may, in fact,,, be...a...good....................doctor..............?

but my point still stands in that dr. earland comes of as very sexist (with undertones of racism, wheeeeee) bc he hates fateen (who has dark skin, btw) bc she’s taller than him

and he’s also super creepy (as in, “where i’m from, that’s called pedophilia” kind of creepy) bc of his strange interest in young, teenage (cyborg) girls...

yeah

and okay, again, i haven’t finished the book, so maybe he’s supposed to come off that way

but an old, white dude showing too much interest in finding a young woc? not v good optics, regardless of dr. earland’s character yeah?

the fact the fateen points this out does absolutely nothing (aka lampshading).

if you point it out, but continue to fall into a harmful stereotype, you are still perpetuating the stereotype. full stop

misc

i say “misc” but most of this really falls under criticism of the author herself, misc is just shorter

i think it’s great that she’s taking this age-old fairy-tale and putting it into my place of birth, bc representation means the absolute world to me. also i really like this idea that the first telling of cinderella took place in china like fuck yeah, steal that white disney princess from the europeans

but i really wish you’d do it right

in her faq, she apologizes if she got anything wrong, but that’s like putting a band-aid over a bullet wound

how much research is research? did she just google a bunch of stuff, or did she sit down and actually talk to ppl from china? or chinese-americans who have kept their chinese culture?  participate in chinese culture to gain a better understanding?

going by the fact that she wrote cinder in a month, she probably stuck to google

which...i mean i guess i’m glad she made the effort, but it woulda been nice if she’d, after getting a book deal, consulted chinese ppl and edited what needed to be edited yeah? i know she did a little editing, but she said the whole process took 3 months from the time she found an agent to getting a book deal, so like...i’m willing to bet she didn’t sit down with some chinese folk and talk abt their culture (and so on)

and look, it’s really not that hard. and, sure it may delay when the book gets published, but at least it’d be more accurate. and better representation.

rather than falling into what most ppl do these days (i’m looking at you miraculous ladybug) and combining all the east asian cultures to make one (1) culture, and call it--not even east asian--but asian

as if that one (1) monster culture that’s mostly made of up east asian cultures could speak for the variety and diversity of a total of 48 countries, and their respective cultures, that are within the asian continent

now, this whole “calling it asian culture” isn’t meyer’s fault--it’s a side-effect of our society. like i get that, and i’m not trying to put the blame solely on her shoulders

but she still perpetuates it by choosing not to talk to chinese ppl abt a folk tale the may have originated in china, in order to ya know, make it more accurate to china. considering it takes place...IN CHINA

[archived-watercress-blog]

Cautionary Tale Interview! Ginger: Project Lead and Writer!

Which one of the three games did you work on?

Beyond Yesterday’s Grasp. The story was my pitch, and I was so excited when it was picked and I was able to lead and write it!

What is your favorite part of working in a team?

Seeing what you inspire other people to create. I mean, hearing music or looking at art that stemmed directly from stuff that you wrote? I think that’s the best feeling in the world. I love talking to everyone about the project, even if it’s little nit-picky things. Sometimes I think I drove everyone insane with my enthusiasm, I’m a very chatty person and when I’m excited about something I really don’t shut up.

What was rewarding about being a leader? What was frustrating?

It was rewarding to see everyone care about my idea enough to sacrifice so much time and expend so much effort to make this project come to life! And as leader you get to talk to everyone! As just a writer, I had no excuse to chat with the VAs or the artists or musicians, but now I can hit up their PMs! However, it was frustrating to realize that anything that slipped through the cracks did so because you didn’t catch it. Being in charge means (pretty much) everything that goes wrong is your fault and that’s a rough truth to accept, especially when something you care about so much is on the line.

Was this your first leadership experience? If not, did you draw on your previous experience to guide you?

I’ve led other stuff before, but never a visual novel or any sort of creative project. I mostly thought of stuff I wanted or liked from previous people I’ve worked under, and tried to deliver to my teammates.

Was there anything that didn’t make it into the game that you wish had?

Spoiler alert - We really wanted to have a scene with Alex’s prosthetic being used as a Planchette for a ouija board, so Genevieve would talk to her by dragging her hand around to different letters. It was cut because it didn’t fit neatly into the outline, and because it would’ve taken up a lot of our art assets...we weren’t really sure how to implement it.

Why did you dedicate so much time, effort, and passion to this project for no monetary reward? What fueled your creativity and drove you to keep pushing?

Resume fuel. I want to do this for a living and I need experience. Also, it was amazing and I love doing it! Making games is the best.

Which character is your favorite?

Genevieve, actually. She’s such an interesting character and I love what Lasli did with her voice. I love how the player has the ability to shape their interactions with her, and I have a soft spot for her. I can’t hate her, no matter what she does in certain endings.

What was the most difficult part of the process?

Getting everything together? We had several people drop out last minute. Our musician, our original Alex and Caelum VAs, and our CG artist (she only made one CG instead of three). We got sprites late because our artist got a fever and Caelum literally recorded the day before we released and I was up until midnight splicing. I’m amazed everything came together and that the game looks as good as it does considering all the curveballs we were thrown, but thanks to countless people’s hard work, it looks amazing! I can’t express how grateful I am to all the people who came in last minute to make this project happen. This was such a passion project for me and seeing it fall apart would have been devastating.

What is it like writing in a team? Which do you prefer, team writing, or writing solo? Why?

Team writing team writing team writing! I love collaborating with people. I’m a really chatty person and I love writing so team writing is like combining my two favorite things.

How did the story evolve from the original pitch?

Well, the concept was based off this cheesy Nickelodeon show I was obsessed with as a kid. I don’t know if anyone but me and like, a dozen people remember House of Anubis? But that’s where I started with the basic plot and characters. There were so many things wrong with the show, but it did a lot of things right. So I decided to take all the things it did right and make a new story out of it!

My pitch was cut way down, I wanted more characters but we just couldn’t have them considering the time frame. Genevieve became way meaner! And the story became a lot scarier and sadder than I intended, but I’m pretty nice because I love these characters.

What would you like to tell someone who is considering playing our game?

I really hope you enjoy it! So much love and work went into it, so please, for us, have good time.

Like what you hear? Check out Ginger on her tumblr, @gingerthesnap or twitter, or play Cautionary Tale!

[miximax-hell]

Well, let’s do something special this time!

I haven’t introduced a new miximax with anything but reference sheets since the very birth of this blog. For those of you who weren’t there (aka none of you, quite literally), I got this blog going by reblogging old illustrations of Max’s and Kageno’s miximaxes, and I added some information about them to turn those old drawings into proper blog posts. I thought that, for a change, it might be interesting to do that again.

Sure, a lazy sketch is hardly as interesting as a full illustration, but full illustrations have never been popular in this blog, anyway, so it hardly even matters at this point. One of the perks of being unpopular is that no one really cares, so you can do whatever you want! Hah!

But let’s move on. Today, I am truly glad to introduce you all to Tetsukado’s miximax--or an early concept of it, at least. Here’s my answer for those of you who were mad because Tsunami wasn’t part of this project (and if you didn’t know about that, you should check this link--or the “Characters” link on the sidebar).

The final design will come soon enough too. But, for those of you who want more information about TetsuTsuna, feel free to continue reading. uvu

Today, I would like to talk about why I chose Tetsukado to take Tsunami’s powers. To be completely honest, it was a very long process and is probably the most interesting thing about this miximax, although it’s also one of those things only 1-2 people care about. I’d rather talk about it now, along with this early sketch that no one will care about either, than along with the final design, which tends to get a tiny bit more love. I only hope that those of you who do stop by to read this will be satisfied...! If you aren’t, though, by all means, let me know what else you’d like me to talk about.

Enough babbling. Let’s get started.

As I mentioned long ago and a couple of times, while this project is mostly based on crossovers, I do want a fair amount of Inazuma-only miximaxes. Ideally, I want one Inazuma-only miximax for every Inazuma Eleven game released--that is, 15. Right now, and counting TetsuTsuna, I have 6, plus another 7 ideas yet to explore. It’s very difficult to choose characters from this franchise to bring back as auras, but I knew from the very beginning that Tsunami (and Tyranno) had to be part of this. So, in their case, it was mostly a matter of finding the right person to inherit their massive and super cool power.

Now, Tsunami is a very interesting case. He is a defender, but he is a defender whose main perk or distinctive trait was that his ability to shoot was rather remarkable. In fact, despite being a defender, the anime never showed him using anything but shot hissatsus. Even in the games, the main story only ever gave him shots. We can’t ignore he was superb at shooting, but we can’t ignore that he was a defender either. I wouldn’t be doing my work properly if I ignored either of those things, and, even if my art is subpar to say the least, I pride myself in my concepts, okay. ww

I had many candidates to take his aura. My first thought was to give it to any defender from Inazuma Japan, because, well, the team is losing a player, so it’d be rather cool to get Tsunami back through a miximax. But... none really seemed fitting to me. For reasons I will explain some other time, Kabeyama would never be a good candidate. The closest candidate was Tobitaka, since his kicks are strong and both characters are linked through their character songs, but Tobitaka has enough with his own crazy hairdo the connection still seemed quite feeble.

I eventually realised that the best candidate within Inazuma Japan was Hijikata: they are seen together often, are arguably the oldest members of the team, they both come from Okinawa, I’ve always thought that Hijikata has a sea theme going on too, and, well, they’re a nice match in general.

But Hijikata has two problems.

He’s not a defender, and Tsunami’s aura would therefore not benefit him as much as it should. Yes, I’m picky.

He can’t take Tsunami’s aura for the exact same reason as Kabeyama. You smart kids can probably guess why by now, but I won’t reveal it publicly juuust yet.

Those problems, while seemingly minor, really get in the way of the miximax. So, instead of trying to push a wrong aura onto someone, I decided to look elsewhere for a combination that would really suit my tastes. ...Tough as it may be.

After a quick look, I realised no Raimon player suited my tastes either. Which, honestly, I was glad to see. I wanted him in Inazuma Japan if I was going to keep him in the first trilogy.

...And that’s when I took the first real step towards enlightment. Why keep him in the first trilogy when Tsunami had already shone plenty there? Giving love to his adult self, who had NO RELEVANCE WHATSOEVER in Go and barely appeared at all, was faaar more interesting. Why limit ourselves with the power of a kid when we can have the power of an adult? A power that, by the way, had yet to be explored, because all he did in InaDan was shoot once.

So, as much as I was fond of Tsunami making a grand return to Inazuma Japan, I eventually ditched that idea. And it wasn’t easy, because I hate ditching good ideas. ...Or ideas in general.

I started looking for alternatives. The first person who came to my mind was Hamano, because I looove Hamano and he deserves huge amounts of love. Thank @raishiteru for my bias. But... well, Tsunami and Hamano are complete opposites, and not in a good way. While I love contrast, it didn’t feel right to change Hamano from a laidback cutie to some... ADHD guy all of a sudden. It’s a change that doesn’t really help Hamano. And, once I realised that, I also realised that Hamano is a midfielder. If Hijikata lost points for that, so should Hamano. Let’s be fair here.

Once Kai-Kai stopped being an option, I looked at Go Raimon’s defenders. Kurumada, Amagi, Kariya, Kirino, Shinsuke... Meh. I love Kurumada and Amagi, but, well, I don’t see how they’d benefit from Tsunami, and they didn’t fit together either. Considering Tsunami is an Inazuma character, why’d you settle for some half-assed miximax when there are infinite universes out there waiting for you to find your perfect partner? It’s such a waste, both for Tsunami and for the vessel. Tsunami deserves to share his power with someone who will think, “It’s Tsunami or no one else.”

Still, not finding a right candidate in Go got me quite down. I really wanted Tsunami in, and I was afraid I’d have to go for something half-assed or something I was simply not personally content with. I will admit that, despite how much I love it, I didn’t remember Galaxy existed until a long time after I started thinking. But, as soon as I did, everything clicked extremely well.

Galaxy, the ignored season, has Tetsukado in it, and Tetsukado is the absolute perfect choice.

Tetsukado is a defender, like Tsunami. Tetsukado is hot-headed, like Tsunami--although what that hot-headedness causes is completely different and that’s really interesting to look into. Tetsukado is closely related to the sea, like Tsunami, because he wanted money to buy a boat for his dad. Tetsukado is very muscular and strong, which makes him excel at something defenders don’t usually do: shoot--which, again, is Tsunami’s specialty. Tetsukado gets a shoot hissatsu that he uses strategically from his position as a defender, like Tsunami. And, heck, both Tsunami and Tetsukado are newbies when they are first introduced to us. If we’re just looking at them, they truly are a match made in heaven.

But what if we don’t just look at them? Because this is what bothered me the most.

Again, not having Tsunami in InaJapan irked me, but I’ve set this whole project with a simple idea in mind: teams don’t each go in one direction. They move together towards one goal, and players can move around, mix and have different partners. This is why groups aren’t necessarily made of people from the same team. So, even if Tetsukado is an Earth Eleven player, he could very well mingle and play with InaJapan members. In fact, doing that could lead to some very interesting situations, like some InaJapan members being happy about having Tsunami back and treating Tetsukado, to an extent, as little more than a vessel that holds Tsunami’s power instead of acknowledging Tetsukado’s own power and own self. Hmm hmm, nice stuff there.

But, for those times when Earth Eleven is the one who needs to battle alone, can Tetsukado really make the most out of Tsunami’s power if it comes to that? And the answer is yes, he sure can. Those of you who know what I was getting at before will probably understand what I mean, but the rest of you will have to wait until I decide to explain TetsuTsuna’s powers thoroughly to understand why Earth Eleven can let TetsuTsuna run wild. Trust me--it’s cool.

And last, but not least, a question beyond objectivity. Let’s remember for a second that this is not Chrono Stone. Jii-chan isn’t here with his notebook to go around choosing auras and assigning them to whomever he finds fitting. Here, everyone can decide their destiny. Gouenji chose Yuuichi. Endou chose Yagami and Jii-chan himself. Fudou chose Layton, Kurama chose Tyranno and Rika chose Bayonetta. The vessel has full control over their aura. So, Tetsukado should have a reason to want Tsunami.

Beyond the objective fact that they are really similar in many senses, I think Tetsukado would be very okay with receiving the aura of a legendary player who is so similar to him and whom he shares so much with. But, in this case, I think Tsunami would actually suggest it, because Tetsukado is hot-headed in a way that’d probably make him embarrassed to ask for anyone’s aura. But look at Tsunami. All of his friends are fighting (as kids), but he can’t because he was born one year too soon and his young self really can’t take part in that. Tsunami, both young and adult, would feel very, very pissed and frustrated. He would like to be part of the battle, lend a hand, be useful somehow. And he’d probably be on the lookout for someone to take his power as soon as he heard that the whole miximax stuff was a thing.

So not only is this match perfect, but it has the special touch of being the one match where the aura proposes and starves for as much as the vessel. ...You know, other than Handa’s. But Handa’s is a tad different, as you may remember.

Also, much like Handa is my favourite original Raimon player, Tetsukado is my favourite Earth Eleven player. By far, in both cases. ...I see a trend here.

[you-andthebottlemen]

27 - Two POV’s (meeting Van in a bar + finding him through a missed connections app)

Okay so this one is a bit different - I combined two very similar requests. I hope you don’t mind. And to cater for both requests I’ve written it in two POV’s. Thanks guys! Enjoy xxx 

(below are the to requests I combined)

Can you do one where Van sees you at a bar and goes totally confident to talk to you but then fails after being clumsy and falling or something like that (with Van’s POV too) please and thank you 

Hi so could you do one where the reader meets Van in a bar and then they go off in separate directions but then they meet again through a missed connections type post?

**********************

Van’s POV:

I wasn’t one to be nit-picky about manners but Larry was late. Like a solid hour late. I sighed and rested my elbow on the bar counter, swishing the remains of my drink around the glass. 

“That girl’s lookin’ at ya mate,” Rob, the bartender said as he polished a glass in front of me. 

I turned around and he was right. A girl sitting on a lounge, drink in hand was staring right at me. She had a twinkle in her eye and looked like fun. She was fit too. Like, stunning. I knew if I looked for too long, I’d probably fall in love. Get wedding bells and all that. Especially with a few drinks in me. 

“Go and talk to her,” Rob pushed. 

“Nah, she’s well out of my league,” I replied, turning back around, feeling a bit pissed at Larry. 

Rob scoffed and shook his head. I changed the subject and ordered another drink. Rob asked me about the band so I filled him in, as usual, telling him about South America and how insane it was. 

“And Bond was like… beyond wasted, poor lad. He was a total fuckin’ mess,” I laughed, thinking back to how I had to piggy back him inside. Only to have him escape later and find his way back to the fans…after that, I left him to Benji. 

When Rob got called to take an order, I headed outside for a smoke. As I walked past the lounges, the girl looked at me again and I nodded at her slightly before I went out the door. She just kept her eyes on me, flirtatiously. 

The air was cold, my jacket definitely wasn’t warm enough. But the smoke was good, as usual. Relaxing. Knew I should quit though. I sent Larry some texts asking where the hell he was and looked out towards the street. 

“Excuse me, are you Van?” A girl asked nervously as she shuffled towards me from inside the bar doorway. 

“Sure am love,” I smiled, putting my phone away. I always admired their confidence in coming up to me. I’d be shittin’ bricks if I saw a member of my favourite band in front of me like that. 

She chatted to me briefly and we took a photo. I probably looked like shit but she didn’t care.  She walked off with a spring in her step and I went back inside with a smile on my face. 

I sat back down at the bar and ordered another drink. My phone buzzed in my pocket; it was Larry saying he wasn’t coming. Fuck. 

Sighing, I turned back around slowly. The girl on the lounge was still there. Her eyes met mine and she smiled. I took that as an encouragement to go over. Screw it. 

“I’ll see you later mate,” I said to Rob. I downed my drink and stood up.

“Fuckin’ finally,” he laughed, clearing my glass. 

I began to walk over, playing up my confidence. Her friend nudged her ribs and they both looked over at me. The girl smiled and her friend looked like she was saying ‘I told you so’. I smirked and made sure she could see. I had no plan, except to simply walk up to her and see what’d happen. 

We held eye contact as I strutted over. Four drinks in me on an empty stomach, I was feelin’ mighty fine. The girl smiled as if we were playing a game and it only encouraged me more. I smirked and ran a hand through my hair; something I usually did when nervous but had since been told it drives girls mad.

Just as I saw her bite her lip, a stool came out of nowhere and tripped me. Who am I kidding, I walked right into it. I stacked it hard, falling into the table beside me, managing to knock a guy who’s beer then went all over me. 

“Watch it!” He yelled angrily. Shit. 

“Mate, fuck. I’m so sorry. I’ll buy ya a new one,” I said, not even worrying about the drink that covered my clothes. I felt awful. And kind of scared he’d deck me. He was a lot bigger than me and had a real mean looking fist. 

“Just fuck off,” he said, before slamming the glass down and turning back around to his mates.

I looked up at the girl, feeling my cheeks blush red from embarrassment. She was still sitting down, her friend laughing hysterically next to her. But she just had a blank look on her face. I turned and headed to the toilets to clean up from the beer spill. I stopped by the bar on my way, to pay for a new drink for that guy. 

Standing in front of the mirror I sighed, wiping my jacket with a wet piece of towel. I’m such a twat. 

Just then the door creaked open, I didn’t bother to look up but when I heard the soft click-clack of high heels, my head snapped towards the noise. It was the girl from the lounge. 

“Need a hand?” She asked with a sweet smile. 

“This is the men’s room,” I replied, like an idiot. 

“I know…but rules were never really my thing?” She responded with a chuckle, saying it as a sort of question so I nodded. 

“Here, like this,” she said as she took the wet towel from me and sponged my shirt; much more effective than my method of wiping. 

“Thanks love,” I smiled, and she looked at me. She did that thing girls do where they look at you and like, smile with their eyes? Dead sexy. 

“Y/n,” she told me.

“Van,” I replied, she repeated my name to herself under her breath. 

Y/n propped herself up on the counter beside the sink and continued to sponge my shirt and jacket. She pulled me so I was standing between her legs.

“Good thing I’m wearing jeans. Otherwise, this would have been a little inappropriate,” she said. 

“Well I’m standing between a girls’ legs in the men’s toilet…totally not inappropriate already,” I replied with a tone of sarcasm. She just smiled and rolled her eyes.

We sat in silence while she sponged my clothes, listening to the muffled music from in bar through the walls. The whole time I just watched her, looking at her cheekbones, her nose, her eyes. All of it. Y/n was that kind of beautiful where she didn’t have to try. Though she probably did try, as everyone does. 

“I thought that guy was going to punch your lights out,” she said, looking up at me. 

“So did I,” I laughed and she smiled. I felt like I’d fallen in love with that smile already. Damn.

“Totally ruined any chance of coming off cool didn’t I?” 

“Just a bit,” she said with a wink. Y/n licked her lips then, just as I often did. It’s always strange to notice bits of yourself in other people, especially strangers. 

“That’s a nice necklace,” she observed, throwing the towel into the bin. 

“Yeah, it was me Dad’s. I’m a test tube baby, see. So, like, my parents couldn’t have kids and so…” and just like that, I launched into my origin story. Literally. I was unsure why I was dishing my life out to this stranger, but it felt good, natural? She laughed in all the right places and didn’t seem weirded out as some people were. Maybe I was still a bit drunk. 

So from there, the words didn’t stop. We talked and talked and talked. I stood between her legs and y/n stayed on the bench; totally forgetting we were in some smelly, dirty, public bathroom. 

“Oi, you’re not meant to be in here!” Some guy yelled as he walked through doors and saw us. 

We both burst out laughing; y/n took my hand and we just ran past him back to the bar. She gripped my hand tightly and when we got back into the main room, she didn’t let go. 

“Wanna dance?” I asked, spinning her into me. 

She giggled as she fell into my chest, putting her hands on my shoulders. I held her waist and we began slow dancing to the music right in the middle of the bar. People looked at us, some with confusion, others admiration. 

“So, anyway. Back to what I was saying,” she said seriously. 

“Yeah, you were talking about that ‘crazy bitch next door’?” I replied with a chuckle. 

“Oh mannn, she makes my blood boil! Last week I went outside to find her letting her cat poop on my lawn. The fuck?” 

“What would you even say to that?” I asked, confused and entertained. 

“I just stared for a good few minutes and went back inside.”

We laughed and settled into a comfortable silence, still slowly moving side to side. It was warm and I felt good. She was good. Our foreheads moved closer and closer together, almost touching. I looked down at her lips, never wanting to kiss anyone more. 

Suddenly, our small bubble burst.

“Oh thank god y/n, we’ve been looking for you! We have to go!” The girl sat beside her earlier said as she rushed up to us and grabbed y/n’s arm, pulling her out of my grip. Her other friends were behind her and they all looked pissed off and anxious to leave; not having any idea about the significance of the moment they were interrupting. 

“Um, wait. Uh. Thanks, Van? Great to meet you, you’re really lovely, I-” she blurted out as she was being led away. I just stood there alone and feeling kind of empty as I watched her being quickly dragged out the door and away from me. 

****

“Your” POV:

It had been exactly four nights since your encounter with the mysterious, yet incredibly outgoing test-tube baby Van. No matter what you did, you couldn’t get him out of your mind. His blue eyes across the room, his presence when talking or listening, his grip on your waist. 

You’d still not forgiven your friends for tearing you away from him before you’d even gotten the chance to exchange numbers, although they argued that was your own fault. You beat yourself up for that one. You couldn’t let go of how easy it was to talk to him, about literally anything. He was kinda drunk so it was all the more cute. Your friends made fun of him for falling while he was trying to be all confident coming over to you, but you just liked how instead of freaking out about his clothes, he wanted to buy the guy another beer. You knew you’d impressed him by strutting into the men’s toilets as if you owned the place; something you did not do lightly. But you just felt insanely attracted to him, and kinda bad that he’d tripped over. 

You never anticipated you’d be thinking about him still, days later. 

“Y/n, quit your moaning! Actually do something about it. Get one of those missed connection apps or something,” you flatmate Emma joked. 

“Oh my god, I totally should. Shouldn’t I?” You replied, reaching out to get your phone off the coffee table. Emma just shook her head and walked back into her room. 

You downloaded the app and quickly made a profile. You made your display photo a selfie you took that night to make sure he recognised you. If he even saw this. As you typed the post you began to feel hopeless. What’re the chances he’d even have the app? Probably zero. He didn’t seem like a social media kinda guy. You posted the missed connection anyway and got on with your day, trying to push all thoughts of Van out of your mind. 

…..

You were just about to drift off to sleep when suddenly your phone lit up. You grabbed it off the nightstand and turned the brightness down. You saw a message from a name you didn’t recognise. Who the fuck is Larry Lau?

Sitting up, you opened the message, realising it was a reply to your missed connection. This guy Larry claimed to be Van’s ‘best mate’ and that he saw your post but Van didn’t actually have the app. You didn’t believe him though, you’d had your fair share of gross horny guys trying to get in your pants through apps like tinder. But sure enough, he was telling the truth. He sent a photo of himself and Van and your heart stopped. You’d found him. 

……

The air was cold on your legs, probably a bad decision to wear a dress. You pulled your coat tighter around your body and kept walking up the street.

“Hey! Y/n!” A familiar voice called from across the road. 

You looked up and saw Van. Finally. Your face immediately broke into a smile and you waved. He looked both ways then jogged across the street to where you were standing. Without hesitation, he pulled you into a hug and you were inundated with his smell all around you. If that wasn’t already enough, once he let go, he took your hand and led you towards the restaurant. 

“Aren’t you cold?” He asked, looking you up and down and you nodded. 

“I’d offer you my jeans, but I kinda need them,” he chuckled. He was in an almost identical outfit to what he was wearing when you met: black jeans, white button up tucked in with a belt. Instead of his suede jacket, he wore a long grey marled one.

“Besides, they wouldn’t suit your outfit and you look gorgeous anyway.”

“Are you saying I’m only gorgeous because of the clothes I’m wearing?” You teased, feigning offence. 

Van’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open slightly. 

“No, I, er, you’re like beautiful in that dress or anything or nothing - not that I’ve seen you in nothing but, you know. Like, you’re just dead stunnin’ and I didn’t mean that-” he panicked.

You just laughed and he blushed realising you were joking. 

Once inside the restaurant, you breathed a sigh of relief as the heating hit your legs. Van walked ahead of you and pulled your chair out. What a gentleman. He walked around the other side and then sat across from you, a huge grin on his face. 

“Thank god Larry has all them stupid dating apps,” he said with a laugh. 

“Well, if it weren’t for ‘them stupid dating apps’, I’d probably never have found you.”

You and Van picked up where you left off, the conversation was easy and comfortable. You could make each other laugh and he flirted just the right amount. You were all heart eyes for him. The waiter came and took your order and Van said thank you way too many times but you just thought it was sweet. The people around you buzzed in conversation. Usually you'd be more observant of your surroundings but you couldn't take your eyes off the beautiful boy in front of you.

“So. I know that you’re a product of IVF but I don’t know much about you,” you prompted. 

“Well, you know Larry is my best mate. That’s most of it really,” he smiled, the love he felt for his best friend was evident. 

“I’m also in a band,” he continued. 

You just sat there and listened and you could tell he appreciated you just letting him talk, as you did the other night when you were ranting about the crazy lady with the pooping cat. He told you about the years of sleeping in the back of a van, the first time they toured overseas, the arenas they’d just started to fill. You were in total awe. Van’s eyes glittered more than usual as he spoke about music. His passion made fuzzy butterflies grow inside your chest. 

“So I’m at dinner with a total rockstar?” You teased, half joking and half unsure of how to handle things. He was like, actually famous? What the fuck? Van just laughed and shook his head. 

“Nah love, I’m a simple lad really. I like pretty girls, a good cup of tea and smoking ciggies with my best mate in the kitchen,” Van replied, winking at you when he said ‘pretty girls’.

Van was humble and kind, everything he said made you like him even more. From his clumsiness in the bar and the slow dancing the night you met, to his suave comments here and now. All of it was perfect. You and Van made long eye contact across the table, the butterflies only getting stronger. You’d never been so thankful for a dating app. 

[supere1113]

The Conflict Within Myself - Track 5: Diversity

From the wind howling in the background at the end of Synchronized Sound emerges a song even older. A love letter to creativity and ingenuity well as the longest social media bio ever written. But above nearly all, a sign of its own time.

It was late October in 2013. I was on the bus headed back from a Skills USA trip when some creative force entered my head. It had this spunk, this swag, this air about it that was just a feel-good type of vibe. Now that I typed it out, it sounds a lot like the Spirit of Hip Hop paid me a visit on the bus. So, I whipped out my phone, opened Springpad and started writing what would become the first song I would ever write... and complete.

I wasn’t really looking very hard for a name or a writing prompt, but the word “Diversity” seemed to fit what I was itching to write, the spirit of it, at least. When you haven’t ever seriously written anything in a song before, some advice I would give (and you could continue to use this the rest of your life, honestly) is to write what’s around you, and inside of you. What do you do? What happens as a result of that? How does that make you feel? These are the questions I was subconsciously asking myself (I guess) and the song became a poetic stream of answers to those questions.

So yeah, the first official song I ever wrote started with “I walk into school, dominate my classes!” I literally started there. if you’re interested in expressing yourself through written or spoken word, just know that greatness and success are not these esoteric things only so-called “great people” can reach. Everybody has (even if hidden) greatness inside of them, and you can start from anywhere that makes you comfortable. Anywhere.

With Diversity, I wasn’t focused on song structure. I was just letting myself rhyme and stitching together ideas as they came, in the order that they came. As a result, I riff over and bring up a lot of different topics and things that mean something to me. The flow of the song is a confident meandering through the core values of my mind, starting with school.

I’ve always been a passionate person, giving everything my all, and school was most of my life for most of my life up to this point (I’m 22). So, I naturally started with that. I wrote this the year after I got my first (and only) iPod, so I threw that in there before simultaneously representing hip hop and 60s Americana culture (You know, beat poetry and all that lot). After referencing my own overactive mind and the far-reaching extent of my music tastes, I go postmodern on y’all and write about my writing ability.

For the second time on the album, I make note of my own perfectionism, in this case, in the context of writing and literature in general. people always tell/told me that “it doesn’t have to be perfect,” but no one really ever asked me why I thought everything had to be. My answer at that point in my life: I want them to be perfect because as the Christian that I am, I’m doing God’s work, and I want it to be right, and I want to help people. I’m not that far removed from this ideology right now, even at 22, but as a current recovering perfectionist, I would revise a few things to cut me some slack, but I’d be aiming high for the same reasons (bear in mind that the first line of my first album, The Artist In Me, is “It all comes from God.”)

I mention my faith a little more, explaining how we are all a part of each other intrinsically, whether you consider it fate, the universe, God, the force or whatever you may believe. Riffing off of that idea, I start speaking of equality and questioning hierarchy in the same breath before throwing y’all off in saying “God is the pinnacle.” I’m not fine with a person standing above everyone else, but I’m fine with God doing that because he knows everything, and he unconditionally loves us and he’s not out to screw me/us over, not ultimately.

I think I wrote Diversity in three stages over a few, about 6 months, and this next part was the beginning of the third stage.

I start by passing on some of the advice from the music I was listening to at the time in a nice, creative little package. I reference Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, Whitney Houston and Third World, all in that first part. Then, I wanted to yet again mix the past of modern music with the present by referencing Paramore and No Doubt. After that string of references, I put a lil disclaimer on there unless someone a little too picky tries to hit me with copyright infringement. I was learning how to write songs, and when you’re learning, it helps to lean on the shoulders of those who came before you. That’s how you find your taste, your writing style. Try a lot of different things, and keep the parts you like, and there, you have a style! I finish by referencing a song I haven’t put out yet and finally explaining where in my mind the genesis of this song came from (What!).

I have this thing with with time and this thing with numbers (and kinda all symbols). I like beautiful, even arithmetic and nice, round numbers. But I also like the complexity of exact numbers and, in the context of song creation, estimating how long you think a song will end up being after you write it. As for the numbers and other symbols, I have what’s known as Personification Synethesia. That basically means I see personas in numbers and other symbols (even letters). Like, 1-5 are guys, 6-9 are women, 5 is a jockey who’s really full of himself, 6 is feminist who wants to put 5 in his place, and 7 is her lanky, quieter, yet equally passionate, wingwoman. 4 lowkey kinda has a thing for 7, and 0 is gender fluid. When I see combinations of the 10 digits (larger numbers, time stamps, etc.), I begin to see situations, where the digits are interacting with each other (4:40s are an army fighting a battle or war, 58 and 59 are symbolic of death, 3:42, the length of Synchronized Sound, is fierce, light and tight. J is a hillbilly lolz! The list goes on...). Anyway, when I was making Diversity, I had a vibe that I wanted the length of the song to match with. The song, was epic, fierce, imposing, and quite interesting and beautiful. Lengths from 5:00 to 5:30 fit that bill for me, and Skillet’s song My Obsession (which I heard somewhere was lowkey about John’s love of Dr. Pepper, or at least in part lolz) was about 5:01 and had a similar vibe to Diversity’s, so taking the lyrical song length into account, I put it around 5 minutes, and due to the similar vibes, I aimed to put Diversity’s timestamp around that of My Obsession. I ended up with about 5:03. not bad. Personification Synethesia, everybody!

I only say the word “diversity’ once in the song; intentionally. Ever since I found out the title of ‘I Write Sins, Not Tragedies’ by Panic! At the Disco in the late 2000′s, I’ve always been perplexed by such instances when the artist or band does not include the title of the song in the lyrics. Or, when an album (or any project, really) does not include a title track (like Linkin Park with Hybrid Theory and literally every album of theirs before One More Light, which did include a title track). And also when a music act doesn’t have a self-titled album. And this is no statement on the quality of any form of music including these things, but moreso my preferences on how music should be, particularly at this point in my life.

If you were to pin down one thing Diversity stands for, it would be that the sky is the limit for whatever you want to do in life. Whatever it is. Or, as Big Sean will tell you, the sky’s the point of view, so... you’re basically limitless. And I say that because although there may be limits and obstacles that get in your way, you can conquer anything, so it won’t stay in your way.

The sky is the limit. If you want something, you can go get it.