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usoppinggg · 5 months ago

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100% agree on zosanuso couple to throuple being goated. The question is which variation is your fav? You could have established zosan, zosopp, or sanuso. I like them all but i dont think ive ever seen established sanuso bringing in zoro. I like the idea of zoro being blushy and stoic and insisting he "didnt want to intrude"

I have fic recs for the other two variants though its likely youre familiar with them as a fellow avid zosanusoer

Hope you don't mind but I'm gonna use this as an excuse to throw out some ideas on this topic that live in my head and/or partially on (virtual) paper bc I’m actually insane about them!!! It's all under the cut cause this is going to be long.

TLDR; my favourite couple to throuple dynamic depends on how much ~drama~ I'd like to indulge in. I think they're all fun and I'm happy once they're all together, because ZoSanUso is one of my favourite OP ships. I think I've read all the fics of them on ao3 multiple times :P I'm very curious into what version of the dynamics others enjoy!

SanUso -> ZoSanUso

I also haven't seen any established SanUso bringing in Zoro and I think that's a crime!!! SanUso who are very happy together but let's face it, Zoro is hot, and they both enjoy poking fun at him, they both revel in having his attention. It's not easy though, as they both have their reservations. Sanji's a little skeptical at the thought of intimacy and vulnerability with Zoro, and Usopp is terrified Sanji will discover he loves Zoro more than him--or worse, they'll come to love each other and not Usopp. But SanUso talk through it until they're confident it's what they both want, and if it happens, they can work through it together, and with Zoro. Zoro, for all of his stoicism and idiosyncrasies, is a reliable and dedicated problem-solver.

They know that with Zoro, actions speak louder than words, so SanUso make their move. Usopp's always been touchy with Zoro, but he lets his touches linger, presses with more intention. When their words come to blows, Sanji grins when they fight instead of snarling. And they're both flirty with him, smiling and giving him eyes.

It continues until Zoro can't take it anymore. They've been driving him crazy. He doesn't think he's misreading their signals, but without them explicitly stating their feelings, he's left confused. Zoro corners them and asks why they don't just say anything outright, making him guess and wonder. Wonder if they're teasing him.

SanUso of course, feel terrible and quickly assure Zoro that they do like him, and it wasn't their intention to make fun of him, but rather, express their feelings. Zoro shares that actions are important to him yes, but it's in combination with words that gives him the confidence to build trust and move forward.

So! Enter Zoro into the relationship! He's a bit awkward in the beginning, unsure of how he fits in their new dynamic and embarrassed to express his affection. SanUso are happy to close the gap, continuing with their flirty words and touches until Zoro's comfortable enough to lean into them and reciprocate in his own more low-key manner.

A relationship with three people is different, of course, and more than a bit terrifying, but it's also exciting and fun and they all look forward to seeing where it takes them.

ZoSopp -> ZoSanUso

Established ZoSopp is drama. Lots of silent pining on Sanji's part because he refuses to intrude, and doesn't feel like he deserves to impose himself on them. Doesn't want to mess things up for them by inserting himself. He tries to suppress his feelings, tries to will them away, but it doesn't work. So in his usual self-sacrificial manner, he pulls away from them, denying himself even their friendship so he won't yearn for more.

Then there's Usopp, who realizes that he's actively crushing on Sanji despite being in a committed relationship with Zoro. He's happy with Zoro and loves him a lot, but he knows that he's falling for Sanji and it's wrong, so he does his best to push his feelings down. But then Sanji pulls away from them and he thinks it's his fault for being too transparent with his feelings. He's terrified that he couldn't keep it together and is going to lose a friendship and a relationship.

Despite Usopp's denials that something is wrong and his refusal to talk about what's on his mind, Zoro knows what's up. He's not dumb, and he knows both Usopp and Sanji very well. He can see clear as day that they have feelings for each other. And when he thinks about it (while Usopp refuses to be honest and talk to him), he thinks he'd enjoy having Sanji as part of their relationship.

Zoro eventually gets to his last nerve because both Usopp and Sanji are annoying when they try to deny themselves what they want. When they won't even talk and try to fight for what they want. He confronts Usopp first, reminding Usopp that he doesn't have to go through his feelings alone. That they can't work through things if they aren't honest. So Usopp spills everything, all of his hopes and fears and doubts. And Zoro assures Usopp that this is something they can want and have.

Convincing Sanji probably isn't easy because as we know, he doesn't let himself have good things. But he's up against Zoro and Usopp, who are infuriatingly stubborn and blessedly patient. Romantic as he is, he can't possibly stave off his affection when they display it to him so obviously. He soon agrees to enter the relationship and is guarded at first, but with explicit permission to care for them and having them care for him in turn, he inevitably settles into the relationship which continues to thrive with his addition.

ZoSan -> ZoSanUso

In general, I’m only a fan of romantic ZoSan if there’s at least one other member of the EB5 in the mix. Despite the trust they have in one another, I don't think they'd stand the test of time in a monogamous relationship. But add Usopp (and/or Nami and/or Luffy) in the mix and I think it's much healthier all around.

I do have a couple AUs for this situation though because I think it can be lots of fun!

In my favourite one, ZoSan are in an established, but open relationship. They meet Usopp individually—Sanji meets him when Usopp comes to fix the oven at the Baratie/All Blue. Usopp’s his usual funny, charming, reliable self and when he’s done the job, Sanji asks him out. At the same time, Zoro chooses Usopp to do his latest tattoo after coming across the tattoo and piercing shop he works at. It’s a large piece that requires multiple sessions, and Zoro’s thoroughly entertained during each one. Cue them dating.

So both Zoro and Sanji are dating someone else, but neither knows the someone else is Usopp, and somehow, he never gets name-dropped. That is, until one day they're at home, Sanji twirling and humming to himself as he flutters about the kitchen and prepares a batch of treats. When Zoro asks what's got him in such a good mood, Sanji swoons and gushes about the date he's going on tonight, how he longs to see Usopp's dazzling smile, and the swordsman is in disbelief. Because there's no way they're both seeing Usopp, no way he's been unknowingly sharing Usopp with the damned waiter.

But they both know a good opportunity when they see it and try to figure out how they can proposition Usopp without scaring him away. They realize there's no possibility of him not freaking out in some capacity, so when Usopp invites Sanji to his friend Vivi's party, they know they have the perfect chance.

Usopp is, of course, petrified beyond belief at the sight of his boyfriend approaching while he's cuddled up under his other boyfriend. Especially considering that both boyfriends are terrifying in their own right. Before he can truly freak out though, Zoro comes over and explains that he's not angry, reminding him both he and Sanji are polyamorous, and it just so happened that they were both dating Usopp. They invite Usopp into the relationship and he happily accepts.

A lack of communication is definitely an issue here. Still, overall, it's the best possible outcome for Usopp, who's ecstatic that not only can he keep both his boyfriends, but they'll all be dating each other. And Sanji and Zoro never could've predicted how good Usopp is for their relationship--able to bridge the gap between them.

As for which one I like the best, that depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Today, I'm enjoying the ZS to ZSU timeline, but tomorrow it may change. I'm interested in knowing which dynamics everyone else enjoys and why.

Thank you for this and sorry for going a little overboard but like I said, I really enjoy the three of them together!

#zosanuso #red's asks #red's writing #this was fun! it helped with the writer's block i'm currently experiencing #the last one exists as an unfinished WIP but i like it in this shortened format a lot #let me know what you think about them!! i'm always so happy when others like zsu like me #zosansopp #usopp #sanji #roronoa zoro

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fresitalimonsandia · 1 month ago

Text

iv. _iNTENTIONS

𝑳𝒂 𝑽𝒊𝒆 𝑬𝒏 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔

Word Count: 5.8k

pairing: ot8!ateez x fem!reader x ot8!stray kids

thriller & fantasy au (non kpop-idols au)

language: english

chapter summary: through different points of view, we get to know the boys we'll be accompanying on this adventure, though things may end turbulently…

warnings: pregnancy, appearance of other idols as main characters, family fights, death of minor characters mention, possible suggested violence, visions and omens

dividers by diviniyae

author's notes: i really need an exact word count for each chapter, but I hope you enjoy this one.

La Vie en Rose Masterlist

taglist is open!

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Wooyoung's POV

My favorite card is, without a doubt, the Joker. Why?

In a world governed by leaders and kings, I am a vampire who refused to obey the laws of his kind—yet I don’t belong among the other species either, the ones who pretend to embrace this so-called diversity among us. Of course, they're all hypocrites.

I belong nowhere.

The demons�� sick obsession with power led them to create two creatures as strong as themselves, with the same ideals, only fully capable of eliminating any obstacle that dared to stand in their way.

Those beings were werewolves and vampires. Like them, we are creatures driven by instinct—we are not rational. If we discover a way to cause suffering or experience pleasure, that alone will be enough to satisfy what we perceive as our one true need.

It would be a lie to say most vampires have changed. What remains a farce is that we are all thrown under that same stupid label.

We are a minority, one that’s been forced to remain in constant concealment. If you’re not like them, it’s better you’re dead. My family has known this all their lives. They refused to remain the shadow of a bitter, destructive species.

I followed their ideals. At first, I did it simply because they were my parents, my only role models—why would I question something they believed in so strongly?

As I matured, I understood better. The king only acts for his people when they complain. And he stands cornered, trapped between the sword and the power of the oracle.

My family had to beg for the castle’s protection when the vampires threatened to wipe us out. If it hadn’t been for Lord Yoongi, who was there when we arrived, I’m certain the story would have ended very differently.

Though for my parents… it’s always the same ending.

I’ve lived here for five years. I know every corner, every speck of cobweb, every draft that sneaks through the large windows.

My only duty is to guard access to the castle’s chambers alongside a pleasant young man named Soobin. I tried to be his friend—but failed.

He’s kind, just very devoted to his work. Making friends seems like a waste of time to him. Or at least, that’s what I thought… until a week ago, when he began acting differently.

At the very least, I couldn’t complain that the castle pretended I was human—it spared me a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Though eventually, even that protection began to fade. The king wanted to use me as a cover for the competition.

He didn’t want to invite the savage vampires to participate—and what better choice than a quiet-natured refugee, a vampire who managed to stay hidden for years?

These days, my latest task is to pretend to be as ruthless as a demon—perhaps even more than my werewolf companions.

Meanwhile, the king assures everyone that he is a fair ruler, committed to unity among all species.

I don’t even want to imagine the consequences if just one vampire discovered I was merely posing as one of them. I’d be finished.

My only escape is Kang Yeosang. He belongs to a species forced to flee from mine, yet we share a parallel story. He worked in the castle; it was only a matter of time before we crossed paths.

Yeosang is not as naive as many assume. Fairies are among the most underestimated of all species—treated like mere servants. It wasn’t until I met Yeosang that I truly understood the weight they carry.

We opened our hearts to each other: he accepted me, with my clumsiness, my yearning, and my absurd sense of humor. And I accepted him—with his insecurities, dreams, and wild ideas. We became each other’s broken wing—the one we didn’t even realize needed mending.

Maybe I fell in love. Maybe he did too—but not with me.

Choi San. A true human, unlike me. If I were like the rest of my kind, I wouldn’t care about their feelings. I’d do whatever it took to make Yeosang mine.

But that’s not how it works for me. If the fairy’s heart belongs to the one who accepted him before I did, who protected him before I could, who offers him the peace and calm I’ll never manage to provide—no matter how well I pretend to be powerless—then so be it.

My fate was to find him at the lowest point in my life.

Their fate is to be each other’s.

In my resignation, I at least tried to be San’s friend. Perhaps selfishly—just to avoid being completely cast out from the life of that radiant boy with glowing skin and beautiful crimson hair, who, without knowing it, became my anchor.

It seems I was destined to be hated by humans. And honestly, they have their reasons. Still, being rejected by the very circle that gave comfort to the one I loved most… it made everything more complicated in more ways than I can count.

I’m far from being a king. It’s easier to think of myself as a joker—someone who becomes whatever others need him to be, if only to be acknowledged.

Just before the introductory event, before I could invent my backstory, I met my mentor. Park Jimin. A man who serves in the royal guard and, with his looks alone, seemed arrogant and unfeeling.

Once again, getting to know someone better made me see things more clearly. Empathetic, firm, genuine. I couldn’t be more grateful to have someone like him by my side. His only advice was always for my safety—not even for victory.

For the first time since arriving at the castle, I had faith in myself.

I didn’t know how to react to his final piece of advice: “If you can’t beat the enemy, join them.”

Despite my difficulties making friends, I still wanted to try—if I could offer something valuable, I might gain allies. And who knows? One day I could become the king’s right hand.

So, my new plan was to analyze each of the contestants during their presentations. Even though Yeosang was among them, I was well aware that San wouldn’t even let me breathe near him.

Damn his fantasy muscles and my own cursed moral code—I stood no chance.

So that left thirteen.

I entered the sacred hall to begin the introduction event for the contestants. Originally, this was supposed to be held outside at the grand celebration, with all the kingdom’s followers watching.

But, of course, the King had pulled one of his tricks again. The protests from those who despised the entire situation were becoming louder and more chaotic. He feared that. So his best idea? To present us in front of a handful of castle staff and a few sorcerers who would act as judges. Honestly, a bit pathetic.

So here I am, trying to figure out who could become my ally—if this plan actually works.

The first to step forward is one of the two demons. What a coincidence.

His name is Yunho. If there’s one thing I have to admit, it’s that his appearance could easily fool you into thinking he’s sweet and harmless. The truth, however, is far from that. I could sense it the moment I learned who his mentor is.

Miss Sana. A woman known for her explosive outbursts of energy and rage—she lashes out at anyone, regardless of status.

In fact, right before the event started, the King himself showed up, visibly irritated, dragging her along, demanding to speak with his right-hand man—who also happens to be her boyfriend—just to complain about her disgraceful behavior during the recent protests.

Miss Sana couldn’t hide her embarrassment when she realized we had all heard their argument unfold right there in the room.

And that wasn’t the end of it.

One of the mentors—someone I had never seen at the castle before—tried to speak with the King before the event began.

Needless to say, a grumpy King isn’t one to listen.

What stood out, though, was that the one person he did exchange words with was Miss Sana. And judging by her expression, she wasn’t thrilled about it either. It looked like they had a history.

Among those allowed to witness the event was a town announcer, whose role was to ask us questions and help the judges get to know us a bit more. This man looked like he’d drop dead if we didn’t get started—we were still waiting for Park Jihyo’s arrival, a request that was swiftly denied by both the king and some of his aides. And just like that, this madness officially began.

So, Yunho.

A demon who has achieved far more than his family ever dared to attempt—or so he claims. He’s been trained to never settle for second place. A formidable opponent, and for obvious reasons, a complete no-go as a potential ally. I’m fairly certain he’d label me insane if he ever found out about all the things I’ve done—especially against my own species.

They didn’t give many answers regarding his intentions should he win the competition. Not that it mattered. From our seats, we were already squirming, imagining the chaos he must have in store.

Next up was Seungmin.

A warrior trained specifically to fight my species. Another one I can forget about if I ever had the wild thought of begging him to believe in my innocence.

He was the second to present himself, and I could already feel the show was just getting started. His mentor? None other than the suspicious man who had just tried to provoke the king moments ago.

The lack of connection between them was painfully obvious. They had completely different styles, different visions of what the competition meant. Seungmin tried to appear confident, but it was clear he was uncomfortable next to that man. Something about their pairing didn’t add up.

His presentation ended with questions about his family ties—questions that visibly irritated him. Maybe that explained his choice of mentor.

I had to shift my focus when I saw who was up next.

The other demon.

Not even half an hour had passed since I came up with this plan, and it was already on the verge of collapsing.

Or so I thought—until this boy named Felix shut me right up.

It even crossed my mind that he was just as attractive as my Yeosang. Fine. He is charming. But my eyes are reserved for only one person.

Honestly, Felix didn’t look like a demon at all. His body language, his posture, the way he communicated with his mentor—it all contrasted heavily with Yunho. And mind you, Miss Jeongyeon, who appears to be the priest’s mother, is even more intimidating than Miss Sana, who just had an outburst a few minutes ago.

Felix answered the questions kindly, even when some were downright idiotic. Like how he’d feel about competing against friends, or whether he considered Yunho his ultimate rival. When he clarified that he had grown up among outcast demons, the whole conversation took a fascinating turn.

I was pleasantly surprised. I never imagined there could be a group of people who opposed them. Honestly, I was terrified at the idea of spending a whole year in the same space as two demons.

So far, he seemed like the smartest option.

Until he stepped off the platform to greet Seungmin—clearly showing that they were friends.

Great. Just great.

How long is this going to go on?

Now, we were preparing for the presentation of the king’s chosen one. They claimed it wasn’t favoritism, but come on—even the dumbest person in the room could see through those intentions.

The thing is, Lady Tzuyu, the king’s fiancée and soon-to-be queen, turned her gaze toward the far end—toward the temple entrance, where the light shone with greater intensity.

There were some girls seated, listening attentively to the event, which in itself wasn’t a problem... but apparently, it was for her. She had never seen them before.

Y/N's POV

Getting to the castle turned out to be more complicated than I had expected. There wasn’t really anyone to blame… or was there?

Among sorcerers, visions are common. That much is known. But none had ever appeared with such precision and detail as the ones manifesting in my subconscious.

A stormy omen—the ghosts had warned me about this.

My mind disconnected from my body, and a sudden wave of sleepiness overtook me. Instead of falling asleep, I was transported into another reality—an entirely new scene.

It was the famed castle of the Kingdom of Kixxuodo. A beautiful princess was seemingly being attacked by a man whose identity remained hidden, his face concealed in the shadows of a balcony.

Some of the competitors tried to rescue and protect her. No one expected it to be a trap.

But it was—a cruel, calculated trap. The attacker outsmarted them, misled the boys, and caused the death of one of their companions.

I came back to consciousness abruptly, unable to see the faces of anyone involved. The girls thought I had just dozed off, so they lightly shook me to let me know we had arrived at the castle.

If I still hadn’t told them about the pregnancy, there was no way I was mentioning that insane vision.

Once we stepped off the carriage, we thanked the coachman profusely—he still seemed a bit shaken after the rescue.

And now? Honestly, we had no idea what to do.

Should I look for Heeseung?

Could I trust anyone enough to find out where the ceremony was being held?

We entered the garden, immediately surrounded by colorful, dazzling decorations.

But something felt… off.

The atmosphere had shifted. People were complaining that the participants’ presentation was taking place behind closed doors—something about protests and disruptions.

That’s when we saw someone sprinting toward what we could only assume was the castle’s sacred temple.

I convinced the girls to help me sneak into the event. I needed to gain ground.

I had to stop Heeseung from completing the blessing—at all costs.

We slipped in just as one of the participants was being interviewed. As discreetly as possible, we settled near the entrance, trying not to draw attention.

It was crucial to keep our presence a secret—both to protect the girls and to avoid any unexpected reaction from Mother.

We listened as the first boy wrapped up his turn. Then the next participant stepped forward, and the girls’ jaws dropped when they saw who his advisor was—none other than that idiot.

It was hard to keep them quiet. I swear one of them was about to scream if I hadn’t stopped her in time.

Soon we realized the man’s presence in the competition was just… bizarre. It seemed like he had never even spoken to the poor boy in his life.

The girls speculated that he might have unfinished business at the castle. They used to come across letters he had meant to send but never did.

Then came the next person—and this time, I was the one caught off guard.

A stunning, freckled boy with soft dark hair stepped onto the platform beside Mother.

She carried herself with confidence and spoke highly of the boy and his abilities. Despite looking like a demon, he radiated peace and calm. He even shocked everyone by clarifying that he had nothing to do with the demons that are the first boy's family.

I began to wonder why Mother would choose a rejected demon as her apprentice. Of course, I wasn't going to fall for it—he was still part of her ridiculous charade, as far as I was concerned.

Everything was going relatively smoothly until I saw the next person step forward—Bang Chan. A rush of emotion and joy surged through me.

He had treated me with kindness after I signed the documents. It seemed he had reflected on how he’d treated me when we first met and had decided to make amends with a gentler attitude.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear what he was saying. His mentor had an incredibly sharp gaze—and she caught us red-handed.

She politely asked someone named Nayeon to escort us out.

By that point, I was sure Mother—and Heeseung, if he was inside—were already fully aware of my presence. So I didn’t bother keeping quiet. I shouted that I had urgent news related to the blessing.

It was useless. We were completely ignored and dragged out of the temple.

We had to run when they tried to throw us out of the entire castle.

Now I’d have to find another way in—before time ran out.

Seonghwa’s POV

I was so done with all of this.

First of all, I didn’t even want to represent those wretched pirate bastards.

They were only doing this to avoid getting themselves killed while attacking the marine world. Raiding small, poorly supplied kingdoms wasn’t cutting it anymore for them.

When they found out mermans were getting involved, they just had to butt in and stir up chaos. My father had retired from being captain years ago and spent all that time training me to become something better—something beyond the miserable life of piracy.

But the current captain threatened him. Forced me to stay in the crew and represent them in this absurd competition. Those fools actually believe my skills will somehow be enough to get me crowned king.

And that’s not even the worst part.

At 26 years old, I find out that my mother is an insufferable sea creature everyone seems to loathe—and that she’s been living in the damn castle this whole time, not giving a single thought to my existence. My father, in a pathetic attempt to “ensure my safety,” decided to name her as my mentor.

I haven’t dared to speak with him these last few days. Maybe I’ll do it during the next visiting day. I get the feeling all that training was just a setup to move me into the castle with her. I’ll deal with those suspicions later.

As for her? She’s a manipulative idiot, convinced she has every right in the world to control me.

So far, I’ve kept my mouth shut. But I doubt I’ll stay silent if she keeps acting so bossy and unbearable.

Needless to say, I hate being here. I despise the mere idea of being forced to mingle with fake people and other creatures who preach about “peace” or whatever. I’m not going to say we live in a cruel world, but it’s definitely a foolish one—naive enough to think anything will change as long as the same people causing the problems stay in power.

I had no idea when it would be my turn. I was half tempted to fall asleep in front of everyone. The only thing that mildly entertained me was the little stunt those girls pulled earlier. Anything that rattles these privileged showpieces is a delicious spectacle to me.

I had to sit through “Mr. Sunshine” gushing about himself while his mentor—who somehow managed to be even more ridiculous than the woman calling herself my mother—cheered him on like he was royalty.

Even the interviewer seemed annoyed by his optimism. His questions started turning kind of snide—like asking if he was the king’s long-lost brother or something.

Then the sea witch told me to sit up properly, but I ignored her and kept watching the stage.

A guy with long, dark hair introduced himself as Hyunjin—a human apparently well-known in his town for his painting talent.

From that point on, you could tell everyone started getting nervous.

These were supposed to be the best picks from their lands?

Hyunjin subtly acknowledged his disadvantage compared to the rest of the magical beings, but he tried to appear confident in front of the audience and his people, to whom he promised he’d give everything he had to make real progress in the competition.

The most noteworthy moment came when he got emotional after being asked whether he was proud of the life he had now. For the first time, his mentor—whose voice was so fake it could’ve been scripted—interrupted to thank everyone for their attention.

Then came some vampire named Wooyoung. I always imagined vampires as smug, maybe even egotistical and overbearing. This one was worse than the rats that used to try and rob us on the ship.

He couldn’t string a single sentence together, stumbled on his way to the stage, and you could see his hands were drenched in sweat from a mile away. This poor guy won’t last a week here.

Would you change how the winner is chosen?

The only question he answered with some actual sense was that one—he made it clear he didn’t agree with the competition’s system, and reading between the lines, it sounded like no other vampire even knew he was here representing them.

I saw the king’s face twist in bitterness, and if it hadn’t been because I had to start preparing for my turn—after another boring human, who at least I’ll give credit for not being overly sentimental—I probably would’ve already shouted something obscene enough to get myself kicked out of this circus.

San also decided to chime in about how unfair the competition is, blah blah blah. I’m going to die young and irrelevant if this doesn’t end soon. And don’t get me started on his mentor—way too quiet. Looks like he can represent himself just fine without anyone’s help.

I swear I tried everything in my power to keep this from completely testing my patience. They didn’t, unfortunately for them.

There’s not much to say, other than the fact they tried to discredit me for being a pirate. And sure, I’m not a “species,” but I do belong to one of the most isolated divisions of the kingdom.

I can’t even tell what was worse: the questions asking if I tricked my way into the competition, or the fact that my so-called mother didn’t even let me answer them.

Right there in front of everyone, not caring how they’d judge me, I finally spoke—just to deny her. As a mother, as a mentor. At least the contestants before me were good for one thing: giving me the final push I needed to say that I don’t give a damn about this clown show full of liars.

My mother, exasperated, broke down in tears and curses, trying to shut me up. More of the same when I left the temple just to get some air. Hopefully, this’ll be enough for them to send me home.

Not even the king’s most powerful spell could fix this mess.

Changbin’s POV

The event was put on hold after all the strange and scandalous interruptions. In my opinion, they’re also just waiting for Jihyo to arrive—she’s going to represent her apprentice, who, funnily enough, is the son of the royal guard’s sheriff.

I felt a bit bad for the woman, being attacked by her own son. I’d never seen her in the ocean before—she probably left many years ago—and it’s wild to think fate would turn her only son into a pirate.

We mermaids don’t hate pirates. We just want justice for the vandalism and violence they’ve brought upon our kind.

That’s why Seo Changbin, born in the most important coral reef of all, was named a key member and representative of the marine community.

More than the competition itself, my duty is to teach others how our world works and what defines us.

That’s been a little tricky, though, since everyone seems wrapped up in their own problems. Even so, I must not give up! I’m just steps away from being known to all and showing the world my culture.

After we left the temple, I had the chance to practice my speech. I got distracted watching two contestants and their mentors talking to Seungmin’s odd mentor. Even though we’ve known each other for years, I have no idea where he found that guy.

Jeongin is the only prince competing this year, while Jongho is a hunter—or as we like to call him, the predator of elves and fairies. Honestly, after Seonghwa, they’re the two contestants who intrigue me the most.

Nothing is known about their origins. They’ve made it clear Jeongin has no ties to the current king, but they also haven’t said a word about what kingdom he’s from—or why someone as important as Lord Hoseok, a royal himself, would choose to work alongside a hunter.

We also don’t understand why Miss Nayeon convinced Jeongin to let her be his mentor.

It’s impossible not to notice something strange about him. He seems very dependent on those around him, which I personally think puts him at a disadvantage.

So far, I haven’t seen anyone take advantage of him—but I’m ready to step in if needed. Jeongin may not know it yet, but I’m already planning to become his friend.

I want to understand what’s going on in his head and why he acts the way he does.

I was still caught up in those thoughts when I noticed Nayeon chatting with the strange man, drifting away from the others, clearly not wanting their conversation overheard.

That’s when I realized I’d made a huge mistake—getting so caught up in everyone else’s business that I forgot about my own mentor, who had already started drinking before the event even began.

Momo, a fairy who was once forced to marry a prince, shows the wear of that relationship in more ways than one.

She was casually driving a royal carriage through the garden, startling some guests—though others seemed amused by the nonsense coming out of her mouth.

I saw Jungwon, her youngest son, rush to help her down while calling for his older brother, who remained hidden to avoid being embarrassed.

I approached to help them both. Thanks to my strength, I kept Lady Momo from falling. Jungwon gently scolded her for drinking so early and without his supervision.

She just kept yelling, boasting about her coronation as Queen of the Harvest years ago. She greeted me with a kiss on the cheek, then watched her eldest son from a distance, clearly trying to get his attention. It was obvious he was ignoring her. But before she could succeed, something else caught her eye.

That same man again. Lady Momo’s teasing smile disappeared the moment she saw him. Without looking back at us, she started walking toward him.

First Miss Nayeon, now Lady Momo. That man has more skeletons in his closet than he lets on.

I politely said goodbye to Jungwon and walked toward a fountain, away from the main event. I needed space before I started overthinking things I shouldn’t.

But when I arrived, I accidentally interrupted what looked like a discussion between an elf and a werewolf. At first, I feared for the elf’s safety. But it turned out to be a friendly debate—about the arrival of Miss Jihyo.

They looked startled when they noticed I’d overheard them and immediately tried to convince me to keep it a secret.

“It’s important that no one knows Mingi is a peaceful werewolf,” the elf said, pressing his palms together in a pleading gesture.

The white-haired man tried to add something, but it seems that interrupting other people's conversations has become a new trend.

A soft, calm voice called for our attention from within the fountain. A girl stepped out from hiding and asked for our help.

“Sorry to bother you, gentlemen, but this young sorceress wants to reach the top of the tower,” she said, pointing to the temple tower where the harvest blessing was to take place.

“Aren’t you the girl who tried to sneak into the ceremony earlier?” The werewolf, who moments ago had been begging, now spoke with scorn, judging the girl harshly.

“Mingi! Please, don’t be rude!” The elf scolded him. I now remembered the girl as the one who had vanished after being kicked out. I didn’t expect her to still be here.

"How can we help you, sweetheart?" I asked. My sense of duty was stronger than ever. The boys seemed surprised I could speak—when clearly they weren't shutting up and calming down a bit.

“It’s urgent. I need to reach the top of that tower as soon as possible—my fate depends on it.”

She stood up and begged for my help. Honestly, why do people keep thinking I won't help them? Could it be that mermans are seen as ruder than we actually are?

“It’s about the pregnancy, isn’t it?” the elf asked carefully—though by now, both he and the boy called Mingi had long abandoned the idea of sounding polite.

She flinched at the mention, but instead of retreating, she seized the moment—even if it made her self-conscious.

“More than the dragon’s pregnancy, this is about me. I need this to survive.”

She looked at the elf, and the gaze between them felt a bit too intimate for comfort. Mingi and I exchanged confused looks—dragon’s pregnancy?

“I didn’t want to get in trouble this early, but I’m sure our friend from the sea knows the castle better than we do.” He touched my arm—stroking it slightly without realizing—as he tried to persuade me.

We didn't know why we were doing it. She's a complete stranger who could attack us right now. It's as if she somehow managed to draw us in. It was a deep desire to help her. Maybe do good?

Somehow, the four of us slipped through a forest path unseen. I led them to a hidden entrance that would take us to the tower.

We moved as quickly as we could, though the young woman—still nameless—insisted she was in good enough shape to continue.

Along the way I discovered that the elf's name is Hongjoong and he works for the village announcers.

We climbed carefully, aware her brother might be waiting above.

And he was. I can’t say I knew what the others were thinking, but I bet none of us expected a family reunion quite like this.

“It’s been a long time, Heeseung.” The boy was stunned—he almost dropped the tools for the blessing ritual.

“Y/N? What are you doing here? I thought you were—”

“Dying? Is that the word you’re looking for?!” The sweet girl from the fountain was gone. What stood before us now was someone carrying something far heavier.

Hongjoong looked like he was about to faint. Mingi was confused but captivated. And me? Probably both.

“Of course not! How could you think I’d wish that on you?”

“You know perfectly well that Mother does.”

“And that answers my question—what are you doing up here with these weirdos?” He pointed at us, distressed, stepping back toward the tower’s edge.

“You know what my being here means, Heeseung. Be grateful I can’t prove we’re siblings—but this proves I’m the next priestess.” She pulled out a crumpled document bearing the golden signature of the angels—impossible to forge or alter.

Heeseung grabbed it with care, reading as his disbelief grew.

"I don’t get it! How did you find that egg? You couldn’t have done it alone! How did you get pregnant? Answer me!"

He lunged at her, grabbing her arms and shaking her, desperate for answers.

We were so focused on our mission we hadn’t noticed Seungmin following us—and now he was watching everything unfold.

Even though we’d just met her, we were all ready to protect her. It's as if she were a flute player and we were the snake that followed her. Mingi stood firm. But it was Seungmin who stepped in first, pulling the boy away.

Heeseung screamed for us to let him go. Hongjoong noticed she was losing balance and caught her, whispering for her to calm down.

The situation escalated fast. With what little strength she had, she screamed about the arrival of horses—then broke into sobs and begged for mercy… from someone.

We feared her brother had harmed her. Mingi reacted on impulse, grabbing Heeseung by the neck and demanding he undo whatever he’d done.

There was no answer.

Then the wind stirred violently around us.

I looked down at the party. Some guests moved closer, curious about the noise. Others stayed put, waiting for the next part of the event.

But it was obvious—when a fairy manipulates the wind like that, something is definitely going wrong.

Everyone froze. The wind had seized control, commanding the scene like a force of nature with its own will.

Then we heard it—hoofbeats. At first faint. Then louder. Closer. Not a gallop, no… a stampede. Someone had triggered it.

The creatures below surged forward in panic, fleeing as if the world itself were collapsing behind them.

Competitors scrambled to push people back, to keep them clear of the oncoming chaos.

Tables crashed to the ground. Chairs flew. Decorations were ripped apart, flowers crushed underfoot. Food and drink spilled like offerings to something dark and unseen.

No one dared to move. No one except Mr. Hoseok, whose voice cut through the frenzy as he commanded a stable hand to stop the horses.

I was too focused on the crowd, on the sheer urgency of keeping everyone safe, to notice what Hongjoong was trying to tell me. He called out—first to me, then to Mingi: Miss T/N had collapsed.

What in the gods’ name was happening?

Seungmin grabbed my arm and also wanted me to notice something else.. “Look closer,” he said again, voice trembling. “The horses. Look.”

And then I saw it. The stampede wasn’t alone.

One of the horses dragged something behind it—a thick rope, pulled taut by speed. At the other end… a man’s leg. A body. Torn, broken, and barely clinging to consciousness. His limbs flailed like a puppet with its strings frayed.

The moment the horses were reined in, a crowd surged forward, drawn by shock and dread. Who was the man? Was he still breathing?

Jungwon stepped forward with his sword, slicing the rope in one swift motion. The horses were led away. Miss Jeongyeon knelt by the battered man, turning him gently—then gasped.

It was the strange mentor. The weird one we had seen earlier. The one who didn’t belong.

Three girls—those who had been with Miss T/N in the temple—screamed in recognition, grief, or both.

And that’s when we felt it. A shift.

A thick, unnatural mist crept in from the castle’s entrance. It wrapped around the stone and shadows, swallowing light, blurring the air.

Through it, a figure emerged. Slow. Measured. Inevitable.

Miss Park Jihyo.

If the legends speak of death walking in mortal form, it is her they meant. Park Jihyo has returned.

ongoing taglist: @hwangjoanna @juicyjaxxy @breadedloafs

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joelalorian · 6 months ago

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Wonder in Winterland - Part IV

Hallmark!Joel x f!reader | wc: 3913 | masterlist

Series Summary: You, a city girl on a cross-country road trip a week before Christmas, find yourself stranded in a whimsical Christmas town. You soon discover there is more to life than big city dreams. Based on the Hallmark movie Love You Like Christmas.

Warnings: None (although the rest of this blog is 18+ mdni). This is utter fluff and whimsy, with a occasional foul language and lots of banter in the AU style of a Hallmark Christmas movie. Matchmaker!Sarah. Limited descriptions of reader and no use of y/n. Enjoy it with a cuppa hot cocoa and a warm blankie.

AN: This is it, my friends. The finale to this little mini series. I wanted to have this out by Christmas Eve, but my hubs surprised me with a PS5 and a zombie apocalypse game (Days Gone) that I haven't played before. Had to pry myself away to finish this lol. Hope you enjoy and Happy New Year's to you all!

Part IV

The fire burned out overnight, leaving you chilled despite the pile of blankets covering the bed. With hurried motions, you added kindling and wood, stoking the fire until it burned steadily. Back under the covers, feet snuggled in a wonderful pair of cabin socks you picked up at the general store yesterday, you gazed at the fire, recalling the moments you shared with Joel the night before.

The moon hung high above the mountaintops, its silver glow illuminating the snow-covered fields and casting shadows on the inn’s wraparound porch. It was quiet save for the occasional creak of the wooden boards beneath your boots and the distant hoots of a Great Horned Owl. The air was crisp, but you barely noticed with Joel sitting beside you on the porch swing, the heat of his body like a furnace where it touched yours.

“I’ve been thinking about it, you know,” you said with a wistfulness to your voice, breath visible in the frosty air.

Joel’s dark eyes flicked to you, the moonlight catching the warmth pooling in those rich brown irises. “What’s that?”

“About staying,” you admitted, shifting your body to face him more fully. “I want to, more than anything.”

“So, what’s stopping you,” Joel responded with an unreadable expression.

You glanced down, twisting your fingers in your lap. “I don’t know. An over-inflated sense of responsibility, maybe. Self-inflicted expectations. My life, everything I’ve worked so hard for, is back in the city.”

He eyed you for several long moments. “Is it?” Joel’s voice was gruff and tight, the question hanging in the air between you.

Your eyes darted upwards, breath catching at the intensity in the gaze that met your own. “What are you trying to say, Joel?”

Shrugging, he glanced down at his boots. “I’m just saying,” he began, voice softening to a near rasp, “maybe your life’s wherever you decide it is. Doesn’t have to be one place or another, one thing or another.”

His words settled over you like a blanket, comforting but too thick to fully wrap your head around. “You make it sound so simple,” you replied, voice barely above a whisper.

“Of course, it ain’t, darlin’,” Joel replied, leaning in with an earnest expression on his handsome face. “But sometimes the hardest decisions are the ones worth makin’.”

The swing slowed to a stop as the two of you sat there, the night air thick with more than the chilly temperature. Joel’s hand rested on the edge of the swing right next to yours and you both stared as his pinky reached out, tangling with your own.

Before you could second-guess yourself, you leaned in slightly, his unique scent brushing against your senses. Joel’s eyes flicked to your lips; his breath warm against your cool skin the closer he got.

“I probably shouldn’t do this,” he murmured, yet he didn’t pull away.

“Why not?” you murmured with a trembling voice. His large hand gripped yours fully now, other fingers tangled along with your pinkies.

“Because if I do,” he said, his lips curved into a faint smile as they almost brushed yours, “I might not let you leave.”

Your eyelids just fluttered closed when the sound of the door creaking open broke the moment, and the two of you pulled back as Maria’s voice called from inside. “Joel! Are you out here? Sarah’s ready for bed.”

Joel’s eyes lingered on you as he sighed. “Guess the universe has other plans tonight.”

You laughed, the tension easing slightly as you stood and led the way inside. “Goodnight, Joel.”

“Night, darlin’,” he replied with a soft smile, watching as you climbed the stairs to your room.

Heart fluttering madly at the memory of a mere almost-kiss made you wonder how it would feel to actually kiss Joel. With his pouty lips and the bristles of his scruffy beard, you imagined kissing him would be akin to satisfying a long-held craving. You lost yourself in daydreams for a few minutes before forcing yourself from bed and down to the dining room for breakfast.

The morning sun filtered through the inn’s frosted windows, creating a soft glow in the cozy common room. You sat on the couch in front of the hearth, letting the heat from the fire lick your toes until they were nice and toasty. The other guests were still asleep while Maria hummed in the kitchen, and Tommy shuffled through the door with a sleepy greeting, his hair askew and a bundle of firewood in his arms.

You phone buzzed loudly against the wooden end table, the screen lighting up with the absolute last person you wanted to talk to – your boss. A sense of dread settled in your chest as you answered the call.

“Hi,” you said, forcing a neutral tone.

“Good morning,” your boss replied, his no-nonsense tone immediately setting you on edge. “Nice work on revamping the campaign.”

“Thanks. Is that all you called to say?” You stood from the couch, restless, glancing toward the window. A fresh layer of snow made everything seem softer, kinder, pulling once again at your heart.

Your boss scoffed. “Are you on the road yet?” he snapped, his impatience slipping through any pretense at pleasantries.

Dread flooded your gut. “Uh, not yet. My truck should be ready this morning though.”

“The owner of our largest account getting married and personally inviting you to the wedding is a big fucking deal and we cannot afford for you to miss it. Why you didn’t just get a rental car and go instead of staying in that Podunk town is beyond me—"

“Hey!” you interrupted, not caring if you cut him off. “I love that truck. My dead father left me that truck and you damn well know what it means to me.”

He caved a little, shifting to a placating tone as he said your name. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. It’s just… I need you back on track, your focus where it should be.”

With a heavy sigh, you gripped the phone tighter. Silence hung in the air as you prayed for patience, before you finally huffed a defeated, “Yeah, I know.”

“I’ll expect an update from the road later today. You’ll barely make it as it is,” your boss replied before the line went dead.

The temperature dropped mid-morning, the cold more biting than ever with the wind cutting through the layers you’d bundled yourself in to pick up your truck from Jimmy’s garage. The old hunk of metal, held together by little more than the blood, sweat, tears, and unending love poured into over the years, rumbled to life as Jimmy went over the repairs made.

With a heavy heart you drove back to the inn, feeling like your choice was made for you, parking the truck in the driveway to make it easier to load up your belongings. Snow started falling again, rubbing salt in the wound of having to leave. You left the truck running, wanting to make your goodbyes quick in fear that you’d cave to any pleas to say.

Maria stood by the door, her arms crossed tightly and your packed luggage at her feet. “You’re sure you want to do this?” she asked, her voice tinged with reluctance.

You nodded, barely able to meet her eyes and voice tight. “I’ve got to make it to San Francisco. My boss is already breathing down my neck and has made it clear what will happen if I don’t make it to this wedding.”

Tommy leaned against the porch railing, grinning despite the melancholy air. “You’ll be missed, sweetheart. You certainly left your mark, especially on that brother of mine.”

Before you could respond, Joel’s truck pulled to a stop in front of the inn and Sarah burst out of the backseat like a whirlwind. Her red beanie sat askew atop her head, and her arms clutched tightly to something as she ran toward you, “Wait! You can’t leave yet!”

You knelt to meet her as she barreled into you, holding up a small bundle of pinecone ornaments tied with a ribbon. “I made these special for you,” she said, her voice trembling slightly, a sheen of tears in her eyes. “So you’ll always remember us.”

Heart clenching painfully, you clutched the young girl to you and sniffled, careful not to break the thoughtful gift. “Thank you, little bug. I could never forget you, but I will treasure these always.”

“Will we ever see you again?” she asked through a debilitating sob. “I sure hope so, bug,” you replied fighting back tears of your own. Oh, how you hoped so.

When you pulled back, Joel stood a few feet away, his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. Wide, coffee-colored eyes held yours, both of your gazes filled with a potent cocktail of emotions. “Mind if I walk you to your truck?” he asked softly. “I’ll load up your bags.”

Words failed you and you nodded, following him down the path while the others lingered on the porch pretending not to watch while they gave you the illusion of privacy. The crunch of snow underfoot was the only sound for the too-short walk to the truck. Joel turned toward you, a guarded expression marred his brow, yet his eyes gave everything away – the longing, the thought of what could have been, all of it.

“You sure about this?” he asked in a low, mournful voice.

No. No, not at all.

You looked away, the ache in your chest making it hard to breathe when you looked at him. Once again reminded of all the things you have given up for sake of this damned career – this loss would be worst of them all, you knew it. “I must – you know that. I can’t just…”

Joel nodded slowly, his jaw tightening at the words you didn’t say. “I get it, I really do. But I wish—”

“Don’t say it,” you whispered, the tears brimming in your eyes spilling over. It was all too much.

He stepped closer, his presence a warm haven against the cold. The world went still, disappearing until it was only you and him under the falling snow as he took your hands in his larger, calloused ones. Your breath caught as he leaned in, dark eyes peering into your soul as he kissed the tear tracks scattered across your face.

The press of his chapped, warm lips against your cool skin made you weak in the knees. You turned your head suddenly, catching his lips with your own in a searing first kiss, one you would never forget. Forgetting yourselves, the kiss deepened, his tongue dancing along the seam of your lips until you gasped, and he licked into your mouth.

The sparks flew like nothing you ever experienced.

How could you walk away from this?

How could you afford not to?

A whoop startled the pair of you apart, chests heaving from the heady mix of want and lack of oxygen. When you peeked past Joel’s shoulder, you saw Sarah dancing across the porch, cheering and signing out your name followed by, “and Daddy sittin’ in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g…”

Laughter bubbled from deep within, a watery smile spreading across your well-kissed lips as you met Joel’s amused yet bittersweet gaze.

Clearing his throat, Joel pressed his lips against your forehead, then the tip of your nose, and your lips once more before stepping back to help you into the truck. Once settled, he handed you a slip of paper with his phone number and address written in block print. “Please, drive safe. And don’t forget us because we will never forget you, darlin’.”

“Thank you, Joel,” you breathed, “for everything. You and your family made an impression, I could never forget you. I’ll call, I promise.”

He shut your door with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, patting the hood of the truck as you threw it into reverse. Your vision swam as you backed out of the driveway, rear tires slipping a bit in the fresh powder. You couldn’t look back, tapping the horn twice as you drove off, tears cascading down your face.

The winding snow-covered road stretched for miles ahead, flanked by towering evergreens that seemed to close in on you the further you drove away from the Millers. The ornaments Sarah made for you sat on the passenger seat, a bittersweet reminder of what you were leaving behind. The town’s charm and warmth that once loomed large, now grew smaller in the rearview mirror, and with it, your spirits. A bittersweet ache built up with every mile that separated you from the life and people you didn’t want to leave behind.

What the hell were you doing?

You thought it was the right thing, to get to that wedding, to return to your life back in NYC. So, why did it feel so wrong to leave Winterland and all it offered behind? The pit of your stomach ached.

Your phone buzzed with a text notification – your boss sending another sharp reminder of the importance of what awaited you in both San Francisco and New York City. You glanced at the screen only long enough to read the first few words, your blood pressure already spiking from the stress of everything weighing down on you. When your eyes returned to the road, a massive shape appeared in the middle of the road in front of you.

A moose, more massive than you thought any North American four-legged animal had a right to be, stood stock still in the road, enormous body taking up both lanes, dark form stark against the white snow.

“Holy shit!”

You pumped the brakes like your father taught you, the old truck not equipped with antilock brakes, your mind racing in the milliseconds that passed. There was no way around the moose, and you hoped you could stop the truck in time, the thought of hitting the breathtaking creature shattering your already fractured heart. The brakes locked up after all, the truck skidding on the icy road.

The moose bolted into the trees as you fought valiantly to regain control and the vehicle fishtailed, but it was a lost cause. Every movement of your hands on the steering wheel an over-correction, the truck spun sideways before slamming into a snowbank with a sickening crunch. Your head whipped to the side, striking the driver’s side window hard enough to make stars explode behind your eyes.

The truck shuddered before dying, and for a moment, everything went silent except for the faint hiss of the hot engine against the cold precipitation. Pain pulsed through your head, sharp and disorienting, as you struggled to regain your bearings.

Shaky hands searched the cab for your phone, finding it wedged in the bench seat, as the adrenaline drained from your system. You fumbled to unlock it, pulling the slip of paper Joel handed you earlier to type in his phone number, the numbers blurring. You had just enough signal to call for help.

“’Lo?” Joel’s crisp, deep voice rumbled through the phone, and you were both relieved and pained to hear it. Your head hurt so damn much, competing with the pain in your heart.

“Joel?” You fought to keep the tears from falling, but the effort strained your throat, clouding your voice.

“Darlin’? What’s wrong?” The urgency in his voice steadied you somehow. Sucking in a deep, rattling breath, you replied, “I need help.”

You needn’t say any more, already hearing Joel unlock his truck as he demanded, “Where are you? I’ll be right there.”

You gave him the closest approximation of your location, out by the highway. You hadn’t gotten too far in your failed attempt to leave Winterland.

“Stay put, sweetheart. I’m on my way.”

“Shit! Tommy!” Joel yelled frantically for his brother as his truck pulled up behind yours with a spray of snow and ice. The two men jumped out, boots crunching against the ice as they ran to you.

“Darlin’?” he called, his voice urgent yet strong as he wrenched the driver’s side door open. Tommy fetched your belongings while Joel helped you, stowing them away in Joel’s truck.

You blinked at Joel with slightly blurred vision. “I’m okay,” you mumbled, though the knot on your forehead and the associated throbbing suggested otherwise.

Wide, dark eyes scanned your face, his expression tightening when he noticed the bump, a small gash visible in the center. “You hit your head,” he replied, voice low and soft like he was handling a hurt puppy. “We’re going to the hospital.”

“Joel, I’m fine—”

“Can you stand? Walk?” he questioned doubtfully. Joel helped you out of the truck, large hand steadying you with a warm and reassuring grip. You wobbled, head spinning, proving his point that you needed to go to the hospital. “No arguments, darlin’. We’re going to the ER.”

Tommy climbed into the backseat with your luggage as Joel helped you into the front passenger seat. You were shaking, half from the cold and half from the dissipation of adrenaline, and Joel reached over to turn your seat warmer on and covered you with his warm coat after buckling you in.

“The hospital is in the next town over. Shouldn’t take long to get there though,” Tommy assured while Joel worked his way around the truck to climb behind the wheel.

The ride was quiet except for Joel occasionally checking on you and the soft rumble of Tommy’s voice as he updated Maria. Joel’s grip on the steering was tight, knuckles white and jaw set as if holding back a storm of worry as he navigated the icy roads with precious cargo.

The small-town ER was surprisingly empty when Joel pulled up, rushing inside to get a wheelchair for you as Tommy helped you out of the truck. Once inside, the staff whisked you into an exam room, collecting information along with your vitals.

The sterile brightness of the hospital room felt jarring, and you scrunched your eyes against the harsh light. A nurse held an ice pack to your head with gentle pressure while Joel hovered nearby. His concerned smiles were a constant, grounding force.

“Looks like you have a mild concussion,” the doctor diagnosed after some assessment. “I’d like to keep you overnight for observation.”

Opening your mouth to protest, Joel jumped in. “She’ll stay,” he said firmly, holding your gaze as he spoke to the doctor. To you, he added, “No arguments this time.”

You fell back against the reclined hospital bed with a sigh. “Fine,” you muttered, the edges of your irritation softening when Joel pulled up a chair and sat beside you.

After receiving some medicine for the pain, you were allowed to doze off for short periods of time. The nurse came in at various intervals to check vitals as the day turned to late afternoon, Joel never leaving your side.

The buzzing of your phone stirred you from a light doze and you grumbled. It felt like you just fell asleep, dammit. Joel picked the phone up, scowling at the screen. “It’s your boss,” his deep voice a rumbling whisper as he handed you the phone.

Dread coiled in your stomach as you answered, turning the volume down to ease the lingering headache.

“You didn’t check-in,” your boss snapped in lieu of a greeting. “How far along are you?”

Teeth clenched, you spat back, “I was in a car accident. Didn’t get very far. I’m still in the hospital.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he said under his breath, though you heard every word. “That’s unfortunate. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’ve let me – and our biggest client, I might add – down. If you would have gotten back on the road when I told you to, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Silence settled for several long moments as you fought back tears and wracked your staticky brain for a suitable response. When nothing came, your boss heaved a frustrated sigh.

“If you can’t handle your responsibilities, maybe this isn’t the job for you,” he said with finality.

His words cold and detached, they struck harder than the crash. You sat there, phone pressed to your ear and staring into Joel’s kind eyes, as the weight of everything pressed down until something finally snapped.

“You know what?” you replied, voice calm yet firm. “You’re right. This isn’t the job for me.”

“What?”

“I quit,” you said simply, feeling the weight lift from your shoulders even as the words left your mouth. “Consider it one less thing to worry about.”

Joel’s eyebrows shot up, and though he tried to hide it, a small, satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“This is ridiculous—” your boss began, but you cut him off. “Oh, go fuck yourself, Brad,” you spat, ending the call before he could respond.

Joel stared at you, eyes sparkling with barely concealed joy, the worry that clouded them earlier giving way to something brighter. “You okay?” he asked, his voice soft and sweet, the weight of unspoken relief slipping through in his tone.

“Never better,” you said, the realization dawning even as the words left your lips. “I think this accident was a sign that I shouldn’t leave. And him calling to scold me over it just sealed the deal. I’ve wanted to tell Brad to fuck off for so very long.”

Joel’s laugh was low and warm, his hand reaching out to brush yours in a gesture so simple yet full of meaning that your breath hitched. “Good,” he said, smile growing until the corners of his eyes crinkled. “That guy sounded like a real horse’s ass.”

A surprised burst of laughter filled the room, the sound breaking the tension that had been building in your chest for days. “He really is,” you admitted, your fingers curling slightly against his.

Joel’s hand tightened around yours, his expression turning serious, yet the warmth of his gaze never wavered. “So, you’re really going to stay?”

“I am,” you smiled at the warm, certain feeling in your stomach. “I just need to find a job and somewhere to live and move all my stuff from New York and…”

Joel didn’t let you finish. He moved with purpose, slipping into the hospital bed with you. His broad form barely fit, but neither of you cared. His lips met yours in a kiss that was soft yet full of promise, sending warmth cascading through you.

When he pulled back, his voice was low and steady. “We’ll figure all that out after the holidays, darlin’. Until then, you can stay with me and Sarah to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s the way you’re supposed to – with family”

The mention of Sarah made your chest tighten with joy. “She’s going to be over the moon,” you murmured, the thought of her bright smile filling your heart with a new kind of warmth.

Joel smiled, brushing his thumb across your cheek. “So am I.”

Hope bloomed in your chest, mingling with the beginning flutters of something a lot like love. You clung to it with every fiber of your being, realizing that maybe this was the moment your heart had been waiting for all along.

What else, other than the magic of Christmas, could be responsible for turning a simple traffic delay and breakdown on a snowy highway into something so special?

the end

tag list (i included anyone who previously commented, requested, or I thought might like to be added, but please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed): @abirdsnest @brittmb115 @harrysrosetatto @carolineesnell @tuquoquebrute @inept-the-magnificent @lovely-vamp-princess @kyberblade @bluestar22x

#hallmark christmas movie inspired #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller x female reader #joel miller fluff #fluff and humor #ppcu fanfiction #hallmark!joel #BlueChristmasWritingChallenge2024

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lycheeflavr · 11 months ago

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hii ! ive been obsessing over sean diaz for years and you might have a lot of requests from me soooo, I was wondering if you could do sean diaz (pre-accident) hard on crushing on reader who's like the popular kid who usually doesnt really notice him until he gets their number and turns out reader is actually funny and pretty nice despite popular beliefs :))

ah i have been dying to write this request ever since i got it, this idea is just really cute and i could totally see this being canon !!! I hope you like it

Popular Misconceptions

Sean Diaz glanced across the cafeteria, his eyes locking onto the table where you sat, surrounded by a group of friends. You, the popular girl, laughed and chatted animatedly, effortlessly commanding the attention of everyone around you. Sean couldn't help but feel a pang of envy mixed with curiosity. He had always admired you from afar, never quite daring to believe he could be part of your world.

"Hey, Sean, you zoning out again?" Lyla's voice broke through his thoughts, and he turned back to his best friend.

"Yeah, sorry," he mumbled, taking a bite of his sandwich. "Just thinking."

Lyla followed his gaze and raised an eyebrow. "Thinking about her, huh?"

Sean blushed, looking down at his tray. "I mean, she's... interesting."

"Interesting, huh?" Lyla smirked. "Well, why don't you go talk to her? She's not as unapproachable as you think."

Sean shook his head. "Yeah, right. Like she'd even notice me."

"Hey, you'd be surprised. She's in your art class, right? You've got a reason to talk to her."

Sean sighed. "Maybe."

Later that day, Sean found himself in the art room, his sanctuary. He was sketching absentmindedly, lost in the details of his drawing, when he heard footsteps approaching. Looking up, he was surprised to see you standing there, a friendly smile on your face.

"Hey, Sean, right?" you asked, your voice breaking the quiet hum of the room.

Sean's heart skipped a beat. "Uh, yeah. Hi."

You held out your phone. "I was wondering if you could help me with this art project. I heard you're really good."

"Sure," Sean replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "What do you need?"

You sat down next to him, placing your sketchbook on the table. "I need some advice on shading. I can never get it to look right."

Sean glanced at your work and immediately saw the potential. "You're actually really good. Just need a few tweaks here and there."

You smiled, a genuine warmth in your eyes. "Thanks, that means a lot coming from you."

As you both worked on your projects, Sean found himself relaxing. You were genuinely nice, and as you started talking more, he discovered you had a great sense of humor. You cracked jokes and shared stories, making him laugh more than he had in a long time.

"Did you hear about Mr. Johnson's car getting covered in post-it notes?" you asked, giggling.

Sean chuckled. "Yeah, I saw it. Who even has the patience for that?"

You shrugged, grinning. "Probably someone with a lot of time and a lot of post-it notes."

Sean found himself enjoying your company more than he expected. Over the next few weeks, you and Sean grew closer. You'd text each other about everything and nothing, your conversations filled with banter and mutual interests. Sean realized how wrong he'd been about you. Despite your popularity, you were down-to-earth and kind, breaking every stereotype he'd had.

One afternoon, you both sat under a tree in the school courtyard, enjoying the rare sunny day. You were telling a particularly funny story about a recent party, and Sean couldn't stop laughing.

"See? You're not just some quiet artist," you teased, nudging him playfully. "You're actually fun to be around."

Sean's cheeks flushed. "Thanks. You're pretty cool too. I never thought I'd get to know the real you."

You leaned back against the tree, looking thoughtful. "You know, people always assume things about me because I'm 'popular.' But I get tired of all the pretending sometimes. With you, I can just be myself."

Sean's heart swelled at your words. "I'm glad. I like getting to know the real you."

You smiled, a genuine warmth in your eyes. "Well, I'm glad you did. And for the record, I've always noticed you. It just took a while for our paths to cross."

Sean looked at you, surprised. "Really? I thought you were too busy with your friends and... well, everything."

You laughed softly. "Appearances can be deceiving. I've seen your art in the hallways. You're really talented. And you've always seemed like a nice guy."

Sean's heart swelled with happiness. "Thanks. That means a lot."

"Hey, anytime," you said, nudging him gently. "So, you want to hang out more? Outside of art projects, I mean."

Sean's eyes lit up. "I'd like that. A lot."

As the sun set, casting a warm glow over the courtyard, Sean realized that maybe, just maybe, this crush wasn't so impossible after all.

#life is strange 2 #sean diaz #lis2 #lis2 sean #lis2 sean diaz #sean diaz x reader #fluff

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fipindustries · 6 months ago

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ok i think i can finally speak about cxc in more detail:

it was a very depressing thing to read, but that is by design so i shouldnt hold it against it, i could imagine a version of me whose life is not in quite so dire straits and who can actually enjoy misery porn as a stimulant in a comfortable life really enjoying this book. lord knows ive written my fair share of missery porn myself (although apparently by all accounts i have failed in making it miserable, funny that).

if i have one big complaint that i feel is legitimate is probably the penultimate chapter, that goes on for way too long. the entire fight between sister and car is excessive and frustrating to read because over and over again it seems like a character finally manages to get the final word, pull the final ultimate triumphant move that thoroughly defeats the other only for the fight to start again. is really frustrating because i as the reader want an epic fight to end in the satisfying moment where one of the sides pulls the final ultimate mood. it really spoils the rythm and the fun of it if that final move is deflated by the battle continuing all the same. to make things worse we stop the battle to go into a very long vore scene that is actually really hot, but im not in the mood for this right now! i resent how im being flustered when we were supposed to be seeing an epic anime fight here, this is not the time or place!

and then it just keeps going on. is like those biblical passages that is just endless descriptions of war about how the assirians conquered the caanites and the egyptians conquered the assirians and the jews smitten the egypians and a giant list of all he plagues god cursed upon those people and all the ways their wives suffered and the cattle was burned an the slaves slaughtered and so on and so forth.

also the fight ends up in a very unsatisfying and anticlimactic way. right when it seems we are about to actually begin to explore some interesting depths to both car and sister it just ends suddenly. (i think is pretty clear sister was just coping, from the little parenthetical where she insists that as long as you laugh and say "that all?" then they cant tell youve been owned, sister was clearly doing the "im not owned! im not owned!" routine as she turned into a corn cob) and then car gets defeated because uhhhh because reasons i think, i was really checked out of the story by that point.

and then on top if that, i really dont think this was the right place to put this scene, right after the george floyd riots. for multiple reasons.

first of all, i think the riot scene is the perfect climax to the story, all we should have afterwards is denoument. it perfectly mirrors the end of harper's story, both harper and gramm reduced to the lowest point, one consumed by fire, the other by ice. is beautiful. the emotional and thrill inducing heights of the riot are the perfect final word, we dont need an endless anime fight right after that. if you really really want to add an end to the arc of car and sister it should have gone somewhere else, before we discover the dead body of el-mariachi (i dont remember the actual name)

second of all, i feel it kind of undignifies the heavy political weight of the riots if they are yuxtaposed against an equally brutal and violent anime fight. i think the point of that was to show how stupid and pointless and petty internet dramas are when compared with real life political violence, but it almost seems to be impliying "both of these things are equally petty". i think a better way to show how stupid car and sister are it would have been to not give sister and car the epic, awesome, cool ultimate battle, where one is this giant mythological lamia and the other is an immortal all powerful vampire, but to finally tear the veil of stylized metaphor and just show el-mariachi as a pathetic incel furiously typing on his phone and then sitting there quitely waiting for car to type her answer to respond and is all just discord messages. no special effects, no grand visuals.

leaving all that aside, my other big complaint is that the overall structure simply did not work on me. i saw a conversation between nostalgebraist and weasel and friends where weasel explained that the structure they wanted to go for was that of "the continuous note that creates the illusion of a crescendo without ever resolving". in this case i have a hard time telling wether they failed at pulling this off or if they pulled it off well but it was just not for me. i would suggest thought that this structure would have been made more clear if each succesive mini arc was more neatly demarcated by way of chapters or parts or whatever, rather than being distributed across three big overall parts because when a story is divided like that it created the expectation of a more traditional story structure. but im not an expert on this so dont take my word for it.

finally, on a more personal note, i felt this book had a particular attitude towards its characters that ranged from clinical detachment (we are going to explore the lives of these deplorables like an insect under a microscope) to open contempt, which was a bit of a pity. i came out of this book really caring for these people. somehow, i actually really genuenly like all of them (except royce, fuck that guy) i actually do think harper's coworker mark was a pretty nice guy, i do feel pitty for papimon, i do sympathize a lot with harpers desire for meaning, i do find car endearing even at her most desperate and craven, i do think gramm is a pretty smart guy who clearly has an altruistic side, i do want to hear him talk about art, i do think mimmy is a pretty admirable person, i even like sister, for as horrible as she is, i can fix her guys, i want to hug her and tell her that its fine and that she be herself around me, even though i know she would throw a slur back at me or spit in my face. i want to write a big college coffee shop AU where they all live happily together in a big happy polycule.

if only gramm and mimmy had been able to reconcile, if they had been able to admit they still clearly care so much for each other.

but obviously they cant. because if they did they wouldnt be these characters. that is the biggest flaw of all. for as much as this story gestures at structural problems and the nature of the beast ovbiously all the hells we see are hells of their own devising. is funny how the characters lament time and again that they have no choice but to be isolated antisocial weirdoes because they have weird fetishes that society could never accept and this is why they are forced to be stuck being horrible people in the consortium.

but i, as someone who has pretty weird disgusting fetishes myself, many of them depicted in this story, and who has depicted said fetishes in her art, can confidently say this is no big obstacle from having a normal healthy life with friends, both normal people in the real world and wacky kinksters online. gramm's biggest problems where not that he made weird art or that he was a weirdo, it was that he was a petty fuck who couldnt be happy for mimmy's success and that he wasted 3k a month on dumb shit. harper's biggest problem is not that office life is meaningless and soul sucking, is that she herself had little to no internal motivation to actually live her life.

frankly,considering that i lived both harper's lifestyle and gramms lifestyle, fucking skill issue, couldnt be me.

(mimmy is a bit more complicated, her biggest problems do stem more from external societal forces than any inherent flaw in herself, although i will say, given what dana terrace and rebecca sugar managed to get away with in their stories i feel she could have found the way to make the show work despite the censors, like clearly you can be an lgbt creator with a sordid past and still find great success and fulfilment, but i admit is a horrible fight uphill)

there are other minor complaints, i agree with nostalgebraist that harper and her memory issues are cartoony in a way that feels too stylized to properly mesh with the rest of the cast and the story, im not sure what was up with papimon's entire deal, there are many sections of this book that feel too exploitative of real life tragedies, etc. but i do want to say this.

as the days go on and my first impression and the bad ugly feelings and horrible headspace this story put me in dissipate i do find myself looking back a lot more fondly to it.

i want to put this in contrast to my response to herschel schoen. herschel schoen was too cerebral and because of this many parts of it made me bounce hard off it. i didnt have much to say about herschel because i was just not all that invested in the story itself. i came out of it not understanding it and not feeling particularly interested in trying to understand it.

cxc on the other hand is ALL viscerality and heightened emotion and human drama, and because of this, even the parts that dont fully click with me, i am still really invested in asking myself "WHAT DOES IT MEAAAAAAAN?????"

in many ways this feels like a story i would have written if i had like, uh, a thousand times more talent as a writer. in many ways it feels like my story fan.tastic, which is also about the rise and fall of an internet artist with a lot of self worth issues, where the internet is represented as a physical place and its denizens are represented by embodiments of their avatars, i also have a lot of problematic elements in my story and someone goes into a long horrible tirade where they spam every slur they can think of. it also speaks about political issues and being cancelled and the nature of inspiration and the relationship with fandom and internet communities and all that good shit.

i say all this to say that regardless of what response this story got from me, i can respect the excercise a lot, i cant say i wouldnt do the same if i could.

final comment, shout out to my good friend itsbenedict for descriving this as fipbait. even though we dont interact a lot im glad you have such a clear understanding of who i am fundamentally as a person that it allowed you to make such a clear and gutpunching assesment of me.

#cockatiel x chamaleon #cxc

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unrealistic-ideas-for-writers · 5 months ago

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Beneath the Sands: Plot Overview and play guide

Hi Hi!

As I said, I wanted to make a plot post for the participating OCs so the plot flows smoothly and we don't all get lost. This is also to double check who's actively participating and who wants to, versus those who are just along for the ride. Feel free to reiterate what you'd like to do!

The current taglist and what they're here for are as follows:

@uncreative-cryptid ---> Valerian, takes odd jobs and a mineral specialist, escorting the Huaxu Academy research group

@hobbysognodilibri ---> Jiahui, a field specialist from Huaxu Academy, interested in the recently resurface Court of Savantae Ruins

@crypticrainbowmoss ---> Sobeknesef, a local Blacksmith and retired soldier, who winds up guiding the group

@yupuffin (Quay exists, but I wasn't sure if you wanted him to join this expedition, or spark a new Quest Line with Raziel, Demona, Asaro, and the Convent in Rinacita)

@captainsounddisaster ---> Here for the ride, been here since the beginning. I hope you enjoy reading!

@marmartheyarn ---> Also a reader! Hope you enjoy :3

I don't think I forgot anyone, but if this needs to be updated in anyway, just let me know!

Now that that has been established, the below will contain a loose overview of the plot, so if you're interested in reading and remaining spoiler free, stop here ;3

A "play guide" will also been included, and I will officially be setting up a masterlist for this Project with this post and the Prelude as the starting posts.

Plot overview (so we don't confuse each other too much!)

Act I: When Midday Dust Settles

The act opens with the Rover discovering a flier searching for bodyguards for a research group in Jinzhou. The payment is reasonable, but the expedition is far outside Huanglong, so it's attracted minimal attention, with only 1 name present on the contact sheet.

Valerian

Abby, who gets curious about Valerian's linger frequencies, pesters (affectionately) the Rover into checking out the job.

Enter Jiahui!!!!

The Rover chats with her for a bit and meets Valerian, agreeing to join them on the research expedition. (The last CSC ruins were pretty neat after all)

Mini little teleport skip

Its SAND

So much Sand

(Desert nation temporarily undecided unless someone else already has a name???)

The group decides to check out the local village

Chat with a few NPCs- they're very curt and standoffish

Wind up on the path to the ruins on their own

Ambush!

Sobeknesef!!!

cue "The fuck are you doing without a guide???"

Regrouping at the forge on the settlement outskirts

Sobeknesef warily agrees to be there guide

Act II: Ruined by Evening Light

Exploring the ruins!

Various paths and traps

Group gets split

More exploration, combat, and clues

Fractsidus are prowling around

Meet back up in a large room

Share clues

Fractsidus ambush

Someone bleeds on the wrong thing

Floor seal glows

Everyone falls in

CALADIN

babi

Everyone is extremely nauseous because weird time warp

Puzzle time

Caladin is clearly frozen in time

Those sensitive to frequencies + Abby can tell he's still alive

Occasional Fractsidus and Tacet Discord ambush

Puzzle solved!

the nausea goes away!

Entire party is *magically* healed of their injuries

A floating Caladin drops to the ground and the Spectro that had been burning in his hands for almost 100,000 years finally burns out

(His poor hands are probably super dry and cracked)

Introductions but only briefly

Boss Fight!!!!!!

Act III: Dusk steals Life from the Dunes

Frantic escape from the collapsing ruins

Make it out

Here screeches from behind the party

Fractsidus!

More Fractsidus

The Founders make their first appearance!

Fighting, Negotiation, much irritation, and grief

The Boss is back from earlier

Abby saves the day

It's rock licking adjacent, but does the job

Act IV: Dawning of a New Day

Regrouping at the Forge

Caladin is very awkward

Deciding what to do or where he should go

Lending some insight on the Founders and offering aid

Party conversations

We cut to The Founders and their discussions

Ends with quiet morning and tea of choice

Okey dokey!!!

I hope this doesn't feel too restrictive?? I really wanted to give the participating writers some boning for the story so we didn't all flounder about!

I'll happily take other ideas and scenes as well.

Running out words, so pt. 2 will include play guide on how to make this more free form for everyone and more open for interpretation!

#wuthering waves #wuwa #caladin #valerian #jiahui #sobeknesef #wuwa oc #beneath the sands wuwa #plot overview

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coyarchivist · 2 months ago

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- - -coyArchivist [CA] began trolling tumblrCommunity [TC] at 05:58- - -

I have some opinions about Nepeta i wanna share during these wee hours of the morning!

Nepeta is becoming a sleeper favorite as i try to reanalyze Homestuck in different contexts. This is for a lot of reasons but mainly for my own interpretation of Nepeta as a stand in for characters in fandom who are the subject of endless debates about their characterization.

Whether its characters being infantalized because of their kindness and naivety like Papyrus or even Woobiefied like Vriska and even Karkat to a degree, if a character in a fandom has a kind heart or tragic backstory (or even both) the fans who like them can become blind to the possibility that the can be held responsible for their actions or can make mature or rational decisions. And while I personally understand the reflex of trying to justify why you like a morally dubious character or holding a character close as an example of kindness and morality it often ends up neutering your ability to enjoy nuance in characters.

I LOVE Vriska and Eridan because they are uniquely shitty due to their circumstances they are a product of their upbringing and struggles so when Vriskas attempts to be good for selfish reasonsor Eridan ends up rejecting his own potential for goodness in favor of revenge and self loathing fueled violence it paints a very deep and satisfying character that when analyzed gives the reader a lot to appreciate. How this ties into Nepeta for me is this, when you can only view a character in a certain way either rigid purist or apologist a character like Nepeta becomes nearly invisible to you, she is written in such a way where she becomes above the concept of debates regarding her character.

As a Heart player she is a very forwardly unique character and proud of it. She lets you know what she is about almost immediately and is refreshingly uncomplicated about it, it’s all right there on the tin. Her role in the comic is minimal and while this would be a detriment in most contexts when looking at her from the lens of fandom this works in her favor. You get everything you need to know about her at once and if you like her she becomes an open canvas for interpretation, can she smoke catnip? Yea sure! Would it be out of character for her to fujoshi-out over a shipping chart upon discovering Gamzee may have flush feelings for Tavros? Absolutely not! How about a more serious possibly messy exploration of her moirallegience with Equius? YES YES YES she is a very dedicated moirail!

I feel that while this has been a tad bit rambling it’s enough to open up a conversation about Nepeta being a great canvas for fandom. No the possibilities aren’t infinite but its really hard to get her wrong, you either attach to her immediately or shes not exactly your thing and thats okay! Those who do latch onto her and appreciate what she brings will do her justice enough, shes a simple and fun character who can be adapted and explored by the fans in a way the comic never did and thats a gift when it comes to Homestuck.

As a fairly new Homestuck, ive just beginning to understand how its narrative simultaneously walks hand in hand with and left an unmistakable impression on fandom as a whole. I picked up the habit of combing over the really rich narrative and equally rich characters to try and understand it better with hopes to feel the spark i felt picking up the series for the first time all over again when i attempt to create something for myself. Feel free to open up discussion with me and others about the topic im really interested in what the community thinks about Nepeta as a whole and my opinion i shared!

#homestuck #fandom #nepeta leijon #homestuck nepeta #character analysis

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artful-aries · 2 years ago

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Hiii again :D how are you doing? ,-, i hope you're doing well!!!!

My school finally ended and im free- so i was wondering if i can request for some hcs if your okay with it :>

Ive been having this idea for awhile now so, how about Xiao, Zhongli and Cyno with a s/o who avoids conflict? Like, whenever a conversation is slowly heading towards an argument they'll try to end it quickly and whenever a fight is going on they suddenly go quiet due to past traumas

Its up to you whether you wanna write it or not, but make sure to not overwork yourself and thanks for your time :] <3

I’m glad you’re out on break!! I have unfortunately been working my ass off for a promotion that should be finalized in the oncoming weeks, so needless to say I’ve been busy. At any rate, I hope you enjoy! This could be read as platonic if you squint

How They Are With An Argument Avoidant S/O (Xiao, Zhongli, Cyno)

Xiao

If you end an argument before it starts, it will actually take Xiao a little while before he notices the behavior. He thinks that you just finally understand his point and agree with him, rather than just saying whatever will stop the argument from escalating

Socializing isn’t his forte, so picking up on human social cues is quite a task for him. He can tell you’re nervous, that much is obvious by the way your breathing picks up, the way your eyes can’t seem to stay on him for too long, and your heart will be beating slightly harder. He knows this, yet he’s not sure exactly why, and can’t connect the dots. You’ve been nervous around him before and told him it was just because of your attraction to him, so when he notices these things he thinks it’s the same as what you told him before

It’s not until the day you aren’t quick enough to end the argument, when his tone gets sharper with you and you go silent that he discovers the issue in the first place

Even though Xiao knows something is wrong, he has the misfortune of not knowing how to be tactful about it. He will likely just bluntly ask you why you’re quiet, his tone neither gentle or comforting

Obviously, this makes the situation worse, and he’s confused as to why you seem to clam up even more, or in the event that he actually makes you cry, he’s extremely shocked

He’ll stay still as a statue, staring you down like his life depended on it as he tries to think about what he knows of humans to explain why you’re suddenly behaving this way. The fact that he can’t figure it out stresses him, which inadvertently makes him glare at you

If you keep trying to brush this aside and act like everything is fine Xiao will get very irritated with you. Why are you lying to him, and to his face no less?

At the sight of your tears he will do one of two things; either he will leave immediately, or will straight up ask you if you’re afraid of him. Most of the time he will go with the first option, as he often sees himself as some tainted beast with his karmic debt, but under the right circumstances he will feel the compulsion to ask, even though he’s afraid of how you might answer

If you say that you’re scared of him it’ll break his heart, and he will remain stony faced as he simply nods and leaves. If you reassure him that you aren’t scared of him, he will be very relieved, but won’t show it other than a slight tension leaving his shoulders

Xiao isn’t going to dig in much further on your feelings unless you volunteer the information, but he will try to find a way to get you to relax, whether that’s awkwardly asking if you want to share almond tofu with him, or giving you a slightly hard pat to your head to give you comfort

He might not completely understand your reaction, but he does have enough sense to connect the dots and tries not to raise his voice or sound too mean during arguments. Xiao isn’t always successful, but the attempt is there

Zhongli

After millennia of watching humans, the former Archon is pretty observant when it comes to reading subtle emotions and changes in demeanor of people, and you are certainly no exception

With the first few arguments that you go out of your way to deescalate, Zhongli will quietly let you do so, but don’t think for a second that he doesn’t know what you’re doing.

He wants to give you the chance to work your way out of this habit on your own. Humans are capable of so much growth and change in such a short amount of time, and he doesn’t want to feel like he is meddling with that. To him, it’s preferable that you come into your own and develop beyond this habit you have clung to for who knows how long

As long as the arguments aren’t serious, he will continue to let you fall back into your habit, waiting on you to feel comfortable enough to have a normal disagreement with him rather than backing down at the first sign of conflict. It’s only when he feels very strongly about the discussion that he’s trying to have with you that he will confront you on your behavior

Even when arguing he’s never been one to raise his voice or seem threatening, but when you once again try to take the easy way out he will fix you with a stern gaze and ask you why you always seem to shy away from tough discussions with him

If his intensity seems to intimidate you, he’ll softly sigh and ask you to join him for tea, but if it gets you to open up about why you don’t like arguing his expression will soften, and he will pull you into a hug if you’ll let him

Whichever route is taken, he is sure to reiterate that you are completely safe with him, and that no harm will come to you so long as he is alive. Zhongli isn’t naive enough to think that this will solve the problem, but he knows you need to hear it nonetheless

Be prepared to be sat down for a long, extensive talk with him. He’ll make sure it doesn’t sound like he is lecturing you, but it’s important to him that you feel comfortable in this relationship to argue with him. As he will so eloquently put it, “What is a canyon without the river to erode it?”

Zhongli desperately wants you to see arguments as something as inevitable yet mundane as a rolling thunderstorm, and not something cataclysmic like a typhoon. They are a natural part of interpersonal relationships, and he doesn’t want you to fear that form of intimacy with him

He will be one to effectively communicate and help you overcome your aversion to more tense discussions, gently getting you out of your comfort zone until one day you find yourself not feeling dizzy at the sight of his brows that are furrowed at you, you don’t feel ill when Zhongli frowns disapprovingly at what you said. Before you had even realized it, arguing with him just felt like arguing with an extension of yourself

He won’t say anything when he sees how much you’ve changed, but when he watches you argue with him there’s a light in his eyes that wasn’t there before. He’s proud of you.

Cyno

He’s one who is aware of how he could come across before he even knows of your aversion to arguments. Despite how serious he gets with work, he always does his best to not take that energy home with him, but some of that is bound to bleed over eventually

He might write off your dismissive, avoidant behavior the first time, but come the second time when you once again keep your head down and just mumble words of appeasement he will not have it

Cyno will cross his arms across his chest, and flatly ask why you seem to just be agreeing with whatever he says like he’s your boss. He loathes the thought of you behaving like everyone else in the Akademiya. He wants to just be Cyno to you, not the General Mahamatra

When his sternness seems to put you more on edge, he will attempt to make a pun about whatever it was that you were arguing about in an attempt to get you to at least relax a little. If it works, he will be relieved and ask you to not be afraid of sharing your thoughts even if they oppose his own

If making a joke seems like poor timing or if it doesn’t get a smile or laugh out of you, Cyno will frown a little and study you intently, trying to figure out how to approach this sensitive subject. In the end, he’ll settle on asking you if you want him to leave you alone for a while or if you want to have a discussion

Even if it hurts his feelings a little to leave you alone, he won’t show it as he’ll give a silent nod and stay out of your way for a couple of hours before checking back in on you. Though he would prefer to discuss things immediately, he loves you too much to push you

When it comes time to sit down and talk with you, only one question burns in his mind: Why did you seem to be scared of him? Regardless of what you tell him, he will listen without interjection, and will make sure to keep any emotions under control while you express your feelings

Whether it is his fault or not, Cyno can’t help but feel guilty. Perhaps if he didn’t come across so seriously most of the time, then maybe you wouldn’t have felt this way about arguing with him. He’s not one to dwell on his regrets, and will immediately ask what he can do to make things better for you

Your wish is his command, and whatever you suggest Cyno will make sure he fulfills it the next time you two have an argument. The last thing he wants is to instill fear into you, and will do absolutely anything to keep you from feeling uncomfortable or afraid

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