#just so i can find it if i ever want to sorry anyone in the knhedit tag

[bunni-v1]

MORE JEALOUS PURE VANILLA COOKIE OMGGGG he'd totally be a jealous person despite his kindness

kinda imagining that in the stage during the push and pull he was doing, trying to push you away, you become quite close to some other cookies in the kingdom, specifically the creme Republic (clotted cream and financier) and he just gets.... uncomfortable when you two are FINALLY together because you're so friendly with clotted cream and his bodyguard.... like, hello.........

his eyes narrow slightly, and it just makes him feel so unpleasant, knowing that clotted cream cookie can easily strike up conversation with you and randomly tell him something you like—it makes his dough seethe slightly, whether he wants to admit it or not. or how financier and some random vanilla kingdom npcs mention a fact about you he coincidentally doesn't know because he was busy going through it and pushing you away before; OUGHHHHHH

i like to think white lily is involved in this in some way? he can't fully get over her and sometimes he tends to get passive about your very real concerns about how he looks at her as though he has something to say, i wonder how he would react if he finds you actually a bit insecure or unsure whether he'd pick you over her......... since he still cares deeply about his once first love, no?

anyways. yes. jealous PV is a concept that sticks heavily in my mind rn

-🃏

Jealousy Looks Ugly on You

🍓Hi pookiebear, I'm so sorry for 100% butchering the Creme Republic. I refuse to play that shit, even for that stupid blonde twink. Note, this takes place significantly after the events of Beast Yeast, so White Lily is technically visiting as a diplomat from the Faerie kingdom, and pv has already had his character development lol. Assumptions are made, and there is heavily implied past PureLily.

Tw: Poor communication; jealousy; implications at the very end; grammar/spelling errors

Info: Pure Vanilla x Reader; Implied past purelily; angst (not really though); fluff

Patience is a virtue that few cookies can claim to have. It's something that doesn't come easy to most, and Pure Vanilla Cookie has never judged anyone for being unable to hold themselves back from frustration. Except... himself of course.

He was exceptionally patient, to the point most gawked at him for his gentleness and understanding in certain situations. He held himself to a higher standard, and very few things brought out irritation in him. So... why exactly was the sight of Clotted Cream Cookie making his dough run so hot right now?

It wasn't as though Clotted Cream was doing anything offensive, quite the opposite actually. He was having a pleasant conversation, all warm smiles and... gentle touches. With who? Oh. Just the object of Pure Vanilla's deepest affections, the cookie he'd only recently been able to call his other half, his dearly beloved you.

Clotted Cream seems to speak to you with such familiarity, such warmth like perhaps he too harbors some kind of affection for you. Pure Vanilla's eyebrow twitches when he leans in to whisper something in your ear, and you laugh like it's the funniest thing you've ever heard. It nearly pulls a frown out of him, but his calm smile remains steadfast, not wanting you to notice and worry over him.

Still, his eyes narrow when Clotted Cream pats you on your shoulder good-naturedly. The former cookie locking eyes with him and smiling before sending you back to his side like he hadn't earned Pure Vanilla's ire only seconds ago. You are oblivious, as you always are, as he wants you to be. He only smiles at you, wrapping his arm around your waist and pulling you just a little closer than he normally does.

"Did you enjoy your time with Clotted Cream Cookie, my love?" He asks sweetly, though he doesn't really want to know.

You give him a beaming smile, "As always. He knows how to make boring proceedings fun."

"Ah," he hopes you don't notice how he tenses, "What were you talking about just now, it seemed funny."

"Just an inside joke," you smile fondly as you remember, "it's only funny if you were there, or else I'd let you in on it too."

"That's alright," he hums, though his fingers press a little harder into your side as you walk, "I'm just happy to see you happy."

It's not a lie, either. He does love seeing your smile, but not when it's caused by another cookie. Not when it's treated like some kind of secret he's not meant to see. He tries to remind himself that there's no need to be so immature, but his dough is already warm and his mind spiraling. It took him so very long to come to terms with his feelings for you, he missed out on so much. Where he wasn't, other cookies were, and those cookies took his place in experiences that should've been his. Took smiles that should've been his. Moments he should've shared with you.

You place your hand where he holds you at your waist, turning to give him a warm smile. It warms his heart to know you're caring for him in your own way, but he doesn't want to make you worry. To ease your mind, he presses a kiss to your forehead, offering his own smile up to you. You were with him now, there was no need to worry any longer.

·┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆·

Pure Vanilla enjoyed quiet moments with you, especially ones like this. In the garden, surrounded by the white lilies there was nothing more peaceful than that. Your fingers run along their delicate petals as you hum a little tune to yourself, and he enjoys the sight with unbridled delight. His favorite cookie surrounded by his favorite flowers, what a blessing it is on his soul.

There are times where he wishes that every day could be like this. Just you and him in company, taking things nice and slow, soaking in the environment. You turn a little to sneak a glance at him, smiling to yourself when you notice his staring. The shyness cute on your face, something he loves to draw out of you.

Yes moments like these are exactly what he lives fo—

“Y/n Cookie? Are you around?” The familiar voice of Financier Cookie calls amongst the sea of flowers.

You perk up, standing from your spot with a wide smile, “I’m over here with the lilies!”

She comes into view around the corner, normally stern expression softening at the sight of you. Pure Vanilla does not like the look on her face. Still, he holds his tongue, there was no reason to be upset. She was a friend.

“Clotted Cream requests your presence,” She announces, and when you frown she shakes her head, “Nothing serious, he wishes to continue your conversation from yesterday. He’s in he quarters as usual.”

You brighten up, “Oh! I suppose we never did finish talking— ah, but… Pure Vanilla and I were spending some time together.”

He does not frown, though he really wants to. He knows that he could just say no, that you would remain by his side if he asked��� but he can’t possibly take up your time when you are wanted elsewhere. It would be unfair to do so over such petty jealousy.

“We see each other every day,” He assures with that same gentle smile, “Go and enjoy yourself. You deserve it.”

You frown a little, “Are you sure?”

Of course he isn’t, “Positive. I’ll see you tonight.”

You hesitate for a moment, glancing at him worriedly, but ultimately wander off to find Clotted Cream. Financier stays back for a moment, watching you with an odd look on her face. The consideration is enough to pique his interest, so he raises his question.

“Is something the matter…?”

“Oh, no, nothing,” She shakes her head, “I would tell you immediately if there was anything to be concerned with.”

“Then why do you look so perplexed?” He asks again.

She seems to consider if telling him the truth is worth it or not. Mulling her options over for a few seconds before sighing, “It’s just a bit… odd to see them here.”

He frowns, “Whatever do you mean? Is there something wrong with the gardens?”

She shakes her head, sighing off some kind of weight, “Well, they’ve told me a few times in passing that they’re… not a fan of while lillie’s. The smell irritates them, if I’m remembering correctly, so it’s surprising to find them surrounded by them.”

“Oh, I wasn’t aware…” He mutters, grip tightening on his staff.

She gives him a small reassuring smile, but it does anything but help, “I’m sure they just forgot to mention it, that’s all.”

“Of course, thank you Financier Cookie,” He hummed with as much sincerity he could muster.

She smiles tightly at him, and then leaves him alone with his thoughts. And think he does, far too much. Not only are you so close with so many cookies, not only did you leave him for Clotted Cream today, but now he learns you don’t even care for his favorite flower? You hadn’t ever mentioned it to him, but you had to other cookies. Wouldn’t something this important be worth talking about with him?

He takes a deep breath, leveling himself out once again. He couldn’t get ahead of himself, knowing that you would never do anything to hurt him purposefully. He couldn’t stop the ache, though. There was so much he did not know about you, so many things he had to learn that other cookies got to hear without asking.

How much time would it take for him to know you the way they did? He burned with jealousy at how easy it was for other cookies to know you, to see you and talk to you with no effort. Each time you were around he felt himself falling apart at the seams, grasping at any little sprinkle of attention you gave him. He could never be so casual with you, not with the effect you had on him, and it made him so jealous to know other cookies had it so easy.

He sighs again, setting his hat down. Not even the lilies were bringing him comfort now, his mood soured yet again. All he could do was sit and seethe until you returned to his side, imagining what you and Clotted Cream might be talking about that was so important to pluck you from his side.

·┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆·

It is days of this cycle, which he refuses to break, even when given the chance to a million times. He just can’t find it in himself to step in, not when you seem so happy. Besides, it’s not as though he never sees you. He gets to have you to himself for most of the day, and especially at night.

Still, the annoyance grows in his chest little by little. Without realizing it he distanced himself from you, not wanting to overstep, he decides giving you space is for the best. Yet, he doesn’t realize just how much space he has given you. You begin to miss him, but he always has an excuse for you to go and visit with other cookies.

It feels like he does not want you around, even though he misses you dearly. The conundrum reaches a head when White Lily comes to visit. Being the Faerie Queen now, it was rare she took the time to see her old friend. So when the news of her traveling reached his ears, he cleared all his time to be with her.

You had not seen him since she had arrived, unless you were in your shared room. Even then, you hardly spoke more than a few words. There was an awkwardness there that hadn’t existed only a few days prior, it made your stomach ache. But how could you bring up your concerns when he merely brushed them away, always finding some way to make peace with the situation.

You did not hate White Lily Cookie, she couldn’t not control Pure Vanilla. But the sickness in your dough when you see them together does not go away with any soothing. He talks to her with such ease and knowing, in a way he never did with you. And when he looks at her there is a deep affection that never existed for you.

It makes you hurt. You could never be her, not in a million years. Perhaps that was why he was so distant recently, because he had missed her. Perhaps he wished that you were White Lily Cookie instead.

Despite him seeming oblivious, he was anything but. He was fully aware of the distance he had made between the two of you, and yet… he didn’t know how to fix it. His people pleasing ways had come around to stab him in the back, and he had no idea how to heal the wound inflicted by his own foolish actions.

Not until White Lily’s keen eyes picked up in the tension. She had always been able to read him well, it was why he was so fond of her. She knew him like no other cookie did, and he her. Which is exactly why she was the one to notice how worried he’d seemed.

“You’re tense,” She said simply, taking her seat next to him in the pagoda.

He sighs, “Is it obvious.”

“To me,” She smiles, “Tell me what’s on your mind, friend. It’s rare to see you so worried.”

He frowns at her, all the tension and fear from the week flooding him now that she was confronting it, “I am afraid I may be ruining my relationship.”

She blinks at him, tilting her head, “How would you be doing that?”

After a moments hesitation he lists the ways he has been dealing with the situation. The worry that he will never be close enough to you. The annoyance in his chest when other cookies are chummy with you. The distance he has created to avoid those feeling only making them worse. She smiles through the whole thing, knowingly.

“So… you’re jealous?” She chuckles, leaning forward with a teasing smile.

“I… suppose I am,” He admits, “It’s not as though the feeling is new, but it’s never been so strong…”

She laughs at him again, “Because you are in love, silly. Of course it’s stronger, have you talked to them about it.”

“Well…”

“Pure Vanilla.” She scolds, “Goodness, when will you ever learn. You can’t people please all the time, it’s not good for your health.”

He sighs, nodding along in agreement, “I know, I just don’t know how to bring it up so I deflect. And I’ve been avoiding them since you arrived, I can tell they feel horrible, but I fear I’ve gone too far.”

She hushes him, grabbing his hand in her own, “It’s never too late if the intent is there. I’m sure they’ll understand if you just talk to them. I would.”

“Thank you White Lily,” He smiles genuinely for the first time since she arrived, “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

She smiles warmly at him, squeezing his hand tightly. She always had a way to ease his worries with her words. It was just how well she knew him, she knew just what he needed as always.

A throat clears to the side of them, drawing their attention to it. White Lily reacts first, pulling her hands away from him and offering you a smile.

“Am I interrupting?” You ask, mousy with voice shaking.

“Of course not,” She assures, “We were just talking about you, actually!”

Your expression relaxes a bit, inching forward as if one of them might deny you entry, “Nothing bad I hope…”

“Never,” Pure Vanilla speaks with such warmth that you almost forget how much you’d missed him this whole time, “Please come join us.”

So you do, and you sit and talk with them, and things are nearly normal. Pure Vanilla is back to his usual affectionate self, like nothing ever happened. But you catch the way he and White Lily exchange glances, the way banter comes to them more easily than it ever has to you. They just understood each other in a way you never have, and you couldn’t pretend it didn’t hurt. Especially not after he’d pushed you away so much.

Eventually, White Lily leaves with the excuse of needing rest. Yet, you know it’s to give the two of you space. She’s always been observant and understanding, and you’re grateful for her consideration. When it is just you and Pure Vanilla again, you feel the tension begin to creep back between you. The thick wall of awkwardness wedging between you, and you fear for a moment that this is how it will be forever now. Then, he takes your hands in his, leaning over the table to get closer to you.

“I have to apologize,” He begins, “I have been unfair to you, and we have both suffered because of my actions.”

“Pure Vanilla—“ You want to ease his worries for some reason, tell him it’s alright, but he doesn’t allow you to.

“It took me a very long time to let you in, and because of that I fell short on sharing important moments with you. I’ve found myself… envious of other cookies who take up your time, and I’ve been immature in how I handle it,” He admits, stroking the backs of your hands, “I’ve put too much distance between us, and I can see how much it pains you. I’m so sorry for how I’ve acted, I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me.”

It takes you a moment of awkward blinking to take in all he said, and while his genuineness is sweet, you can’t help the laugh that bubbles from your stomach. It’s ridiculous when you think about it. He was jealous so he avoided you, and at the same time you were just as jealous of White Lily Cookie. It was silly, and so easily solved, yet neither of you were willing to upset the other. He seems to find the humor in it all too, laughing heartily at your side.

You laugh until your sides hurt and tears are streaming from your eyes. Leaning your full weight on him so you don’t collapse to the floor. When you finally calm, you find it in yourself to admit to your own plight.

“I would be harsh on you, but I’m just as guilty of jealousy.” You sigh, squeezing his fingers in yours.

“What do you have to be jealous of?” He asks, and you almost can’t believe he doesn’t know. It’s so obvious to everyone else around him that he still adores White Lily, everyone but him it seems.

You shake your head in disbelief, “Gosh, you’re so oblivious. You really don’t know how you look at her, do you?”

He shakes his head with a deep frown.

“When you look at White Lily, I can see how much you still love her. I know you would never hurt me or betray me like that, but it does hurt when I see how you treat her. I feel like… maybe you’ll never look at me like that.” You admit, voice small and shaky the longer you go. It was hard to come to terms with how much it hurt, and worse to say out loud to him. He could reject you, pretend your feelings aren’t real.

Instead, he tucks a finger under you chin and forces your eyes on him, “I already do… I just get so embarrassed when you’re looking that I hide it from you.”

He pulls you a little closer, “I still love White Lily, but not in the same way that I love you. You are my whole world, my love. I would never leave you, not for anyone, and I’m sorry I made you worry for even a moment.”

You smile softly at him, leaning into his touch, “Next time, I think we should both just talk about it? All this dodging each other is silly.”

“I agree,” He chuckles, “I much prefer talking to you than not.”

“Very good,” You hum, sliding your arms around his shoulders, “Shall we make it up to each other then?”

His hand tug you closer by your waist, “I think that would be very nice, yes.”

[wortsandall]

YES THE SEX THING !!! it bothers me so much but i see it less so i didn't mention it. but like jazz is friendly and charismatic and his whole thing is music, so i feel like people have this idea in their head that those traits automatically = a nymphomaniac or something.

which would be fine on its own as a standalone context but in context for jazz-it does become an issue because of the connotations of a black coded character being written that way.

especially since jazz has not been depicted like that in any media that has him in it (as far as im aware) so it's an authors personal choice to add this in there for essentially the reason of...? why?

its NOT a jazz character trait. as far as i've seen anyway as i haven't seen every jazz character ever written but i also feel like if he was intended to be seen like that, they'd have no problem doing that. other characters have been written to be like that-there's jokes about certain characters flirting with earth cars and stuff. i mean knock out's entire vibe is tf prime is something like that with his voice, he canonized interface as a cybertronian word for sex, borderline flirting with starscream, etc...

where the nuance comes in here is that there's nothing wrong with a headcanon. and people can headcanon jazz to be like that. and theres nothing inherently wrong with being a flirt and liking sex, whatever.

it just becomes odd that this trait ive only ever seen be added to jazz and never anyone else. and the way its written 50% of the time is completely the 'black guy with a big dick he loves to swing around' stereotype that makes me click off.

(i read one where because jazz is a spy its mentioned he's had to rape people for interrogation purposes before and i immediately clicked off because what the hell are you talking about ???? it felt completely out of place. i guess you could write a story in which that happens-i've got zero issues with dark fic.

but using jazz of all people? i didn't like that. i know jazz is a spy and he's done bad shit before but i just couldn't believe in that.

its the whole 'he wouldn't fucking say that' thing. because people can do whatever they want (all i'm asking is to be a little more socially aware of stereotyping) but ultimately when you're writing fic and you want it to be in character you have to write a set of circumstances that would make a character actually say that. throwing it into a fic that is ultimately the same universe with the same circumstances just slightly tweaked is not enough of a circumstance to make me believe that he would do that to interrogate people. its bad out of character writing. but this is a tangent)

this is getting long (sorry!) but basically yes the "jazz is a beast in the sheets and needs sex 24/7 and we'll talk about every type of past relationship he's ever had and also did you know he's had sex with EVERYONE on the ark" is something that i find so distasteful. because its not jazz.

when i read the idw comics and saw jazz i did not see what these writers were seeing. and it feels like a purposeful choice to see him like that versus the guy he actually is. im not an expert but he's just a charming musician who's pretty laid back and uses that as an advantage for a spy stuff sometimes.

i don't think it's really an act that he's a generally nice dude who just also has the whole "i got to do what needs to be done thing prowl has" but he actually does feel guilt (which is why i don't think he would ever take an interrogation far enough to rape somebody jesus christ) and he does let emotion get in the way like when he killed that guy on earth.

its feels off putting to turn the guy i described above into the type of guy that would:

- continue to flirt with prowl after being rejected over and over again (comes up a lot in jazzprowl)

-disrespect boundaries/be sexually aggressive in general

-talk about sex all the time even when inappropriate

-run off to jerk off or have inappropriately timed sex

all things ive seen across various different fics. and if you want to write jazz that way you better create a set of circumstances that makes me believe it. because throwing it into tf animated of all continuities (as an example) just make me immediately side eye your priorities

tldr; the jazz sex fiend trend does bother me. i don't think writing him that way or enjoying him written that way automatically makes you racist. but i do encourage people to explore any subconscious bias they may have because that trait doesn't make sense for jazz. especially if you want to write in character jazz fics.

in the spirit of honesty...the way some of yall write jazz in transformers fanfic is honestly appalling. it screams ive never met a black person in my life. it screams i watched michael bays 2007 transformers and took notes, as if the bayverse hasnt been criticized for its terrible stereotyping.

yes, he has an accent. yes, he uses slang. but jesus christ. his usage is not as egregious as yall write it. yall write him like hes stupid and uneducated. the ultimate caricature of a black man. its super insulting.

and i get that he's not actually black due to not being human but he is black coded and the treatment is abysmal at times.

my advice? JUST WRITE DIALOGUE. our brains do the rest. i know what he sounds like, i can fill it in myself.

stop writing "ay, ya sure ya got shit handled, fam'? bro, i 'aint no fool, i gots that dog n' me."

ESPECIALLY BC JAZZ HAS NEVER. SPOKEN LIKE THAT ANYWAY.

sincerely, a (very) frustrated black person.

[stellar-bluelock]

until the world knows your name ☆ itoshi rin x reader

details: fluff | hurt/comfort | childhood best friends | platonic/romantic relationship | ~1.1k words | gn! reader | if there's something i wanted to tell rin after the u-20's match, this is it lmao

On the night of the U-20 vs. Blue Lock XI exhibition match, you will never forget the way everyone's jaw drops when you ask where Itoshi Rin is.

"Rin?" Someone asks in confusion. "You wanna see him?"

You hear the other members whisper, but you're not that surprised.

If Rin hasn't changed throughout his stay in Blue Lock, it makes sense for his teammates to question how confidently you request for his presence.

"Uh, he was in the locker room when I saw him last. I don't know if he's still there...or if he's in the mood to see any visitors?"

Ah. The celebrated striker of the night, Isagi Yoichi.

"That's not unlike him," you respond. "But, could anyone tell him that I'm here to see him?"

One of the blue-haired members volunteers—a quick memory of remarkable passing abilities flashes in your mind. He asks for your name before returning inside the main building.

The chilly air bites at your face as you wait. For a few moments, silence hangs heavy in the atmosphere.

Well, up until someone opens their mouth. The dam breaks.

"Are you Rin's friend?"

"A secret sibling we didn't know about?"

"Significant other?"

"Guys, don't bother them."

You chuckle, a little amused at their curiosity.

(You'll never admit it, but there's a selfish joy you feel from being someone that Rin can trust wholeheartedly.)

"Best friend."

Your answer effectively cuts off their stream of questions—for a few seconds, at most.

The concept of Rin having a best friend seems entirely foreign to them.

"You're..."

"Wait, they're looking for Rin, right? Not Sae?"

"Are you also friends with Sae?"

"What the heck happened between those two-"

Oh, that's not territory they can cross.

"I won't entertain any other questions, sorry." You smile, perhaps a little too sweetly. "But anyway, congratulations on the game."

Some of the boys pout at being denied the chance to learn juicy information about their teammate; thankfully, they don't protest.

"Thanks, it was a tough one," Isagi states and you nod.

This is the first time you've met the striker, but your gut tells you that he's Rin's newest rival—if Rin's glare at the end of the match was anything to by.

"Even I couldn't tell how it was going to end," you admit. "You all had me at the edge of my seat."

"I was lucky to be in the right spot." Isagi pauses for a moment. "But, it only happened because Rin managed to get the ball."

He smiles but it falters for a moment. "I just wish that he was a little happier about the win, but at least he seems fired up!"

"That's Rin for you."

"Are you talking about me?"

At the sound of a new voice, everyone's head simultaneously turns to the facility's entrance.

Rin's eyes are narrowed in suspicion, but you see the way they widen a fraction when they land on you.

(You're not sure if anyone ever notices, but you always do.)

"Yes. I was looking for you."

"You should've gone home. It's getting late."

A few scandalized gasps escape from the group, but a quick glare from Rin shuts them up.

"Uh, we'll leave you to it...nice meeting you!" Isagi laughs nervously, hastily pushing the rest of the team away.

You chuckle at the chaos while Rin scoffs. However, as the rest of the Blue Lock members disappear from sight, you can see his shoulders relax more.

It's just you two now.

As you look at his expression, you realize that it holds a wild mix of emotions. You can't tell what it is just yet.

So, you start with what you know.

"What did Sae tell you on the field?"

The frown is immediate.

"Piece of shit," he seethes. "Didn't even acknowledge me. Talked to me just to praise that stupid Isagi."

You click your tongue. When you were all kids, Sae was never the best with words and talking to others.

(Even then, you find yourself wondering what the hell happened to him in Spain.)

"Just because he scored that damn goal." Rin clenches his fists. "The whole team was centered around me and my attack ability. I got that ball!"

He lowers his head, shaking in frustration. "But nothing. Everyone's cheering his name. Even my shitty brother would rather talk about him."

Hesitantly, you reach a hand out to brush his bangs to the side. Out of instinct, you nearly want to tell him that everything will be okay.

That's what you used to tell him in middle school; a bad match, a bad score on a test, a scolding from his parents, a minor injury, even small arguments with Sae.

But now...those words feel empty. Not when his life has truly turned upside down, for better or for worse.

"Rin?"

He hasn't pushed your hand away, so you get a clear view of his teal eyes, round and unguarded—the very ones that have been burned into your memory for years.

"Although your team won, you have every right to feel frustrated."

He sighs. "Finally. I've had enough of them telling me to cheer up."

"They've been pestering you all these months, huh?" You chuckle lightly.

"I'm sick of it. They keep thinking we're friends. We're not. They're all rivals. It's bullshit."

You recall Isagi trying to hug Rin on the field earlier, only to fail miserably; you can only imagine his and the others' futile attempts.

"Well, whatever the case, stay true to yourself, yeah?" You punch his arm lightly. "You are Itoshi Rin."

Though he doesn't smile, something in his eyes lights up.

"I am Itoshi Rin." He says quietly. "I don't need him. I'm not Itoshi Sae's little brother."

It almost seems like he's saying it to himself instead of you, but his statement makes you sigh in relief.

It's precisely what you (and perhaps Sae) wanted him to realize all this time.

"Yeah. You were never meant to live in his shadow. You're here to make a name for yourself. Rin, do you even know how many people in the world tuned in to this match?"

He shakes his head.

"It's all over the news. It's being streamed everywhere." You smile to yourself, recalling how excited you were to finally see him again.

"But listen, Rin. You held your own throughout the game. You scored a goal. You blasted through the U-20 defense. You managed that one-on-one with Sae. There are people out there that have their eyes on you."

You take his hands into yours, squeezing them gently.

"Whatever you feel about this match today, tomorrow, a week, or months from now, you need to keep them watching. Score the next goal, keep on playing. Don't stop until the world knows your name."

[generic-sonic-fan]

Hi!

When I read your fics I was amazed how you write team dark and their dynamic. I was wondering, since I would like to write about them as well, but am struggling with really getting them to feel like actual people.

Do you have any tricks or things you keep in mind when writing Omega? And on top of that, what do you keep in mind when writing Rouge or Shadow? How do you make these three fit so well? Like three puzzle pieces that kind of have the right shape but still don’t quite align.

I’m sorry if this is a big ask, I’m just quite curious, you have written them so well in Mirror Verse and other one shots like CTRL + ALT + DELETE. Can’t help but ask for the secrets of the master :)

I am so honored by this question and you've also activated my trap card. I LOVE talking about how I see these guys and the vibes I keep in mind for each of them while writing.

The TL;DR:

Team Dark are a group of three mutually beneficial friends who regard each other as equals, even if they occasionally disagree/fight. In my opinion, if this is missing, you're no longer writing Team Dark, but "Rouge and her two dogs" or "IDW Shadow and his no good very bad mandates" or whatever. This is my most controversial opinion.

For Omega, he's the boisterous rebel of the group. He helps keep their momentum going at all times, and tends to be a driving force in conversations and the instigator of new actions.

For Shadow, he's the serious anchor of the team. He helps keep Team Dark together, tending to be the one most willing to let his true emotions show, whether that be his attachment to them or his real opinions on a situation.

For Rouge, she's the charismatic tactician of the team. She helps point Team Dark in a direction, tending to outline the circumstances and situations they find themselves in to help the other two understand better.

To use tropes, they're all Lancers for each other. Ideally, each one of them can be compared and contrasted against each other- not just Shadow and Rouge vs Omega or Shadow and Omega vs Rouge.

To move onto individual breakdowns of how I see each of them and how they fit together- LONG post beneath the cut! You have been warned! Oh, and the actual writing advice is at the bottom because I got carried away, oops.

Omega:

The basis-

The very core of my writing for Omega comes down to three points, which I will reiterate here for convenience. Omega:

Hates Eggman

Will do ANYTHING to avoid being ignored and overlooked again

uses the first point to cover up the second point and would sooner deactivate than admit it

This is, in my humble opinion, what motivates Omega in almost everything he does. He's loud and boisterous. Why? Because he hates being silenced! He's violent and dangerous. Why? Because the idea of being (and being seen) as powerless makes him furious.

Omega's greatest desires, outwardly manifested by his drive to kill his creator, are about choice and freedom for himself. If he wants to do something, he does it. Flat out. Or in the very rare cases of his restraint, he will make it explicitly clear that he is choosing not to for a reason that still benefits him in the long run. This robot has a pathological need for control over his life, and god help anyone who dares threaten that.

That control includes control over his image- he's a deeply prideful individual. Getting him to admit a mistake is like pulling (metaphorical) teeth. Shadow and Rouge are more likely to apologize than he ever will be. He can't stand being perceived as weak, inconsistent, or incompetent.

He's much more of a liar than Shadow ever could be. I've heard the phrase "still waters run deep", and I think that describes Omega perfectly. Like all the other members of Team Dark, he is extremely guarded with his more vulnerable emotions. Whereas Rouge's cover emotion is a flirty suaveness, and Shadow's cover emotion is aloof determination, Omega's cover emotion is a sort of joyous rage. He wants to be seen either as A. Angry or B. Having the time of his life. Good luck getting him to express anything else. (Even in front of Shadow and Rouge!)

But the important part is that he does feel the full range of emotions. And he accepts that he feels all those things, even if you couldn't get him to confess it out loud. I myself tend to accidentally write Omega as more philosophical than I think he needs to be, but that doesn't negate the fact that he does care about things that he pretends not to! How people treat him vs how they treat his organic teammates, his role as the (not quite) only friendly robot in his universe, so on. He has a curiosity about the world around him that someone who was isolated from it might have. And yes, there's actual canon evidence for this now- he spends all of Shadow's campaign in Sonic x Shadow generations making remarks and generating conclusions about the world around him, not just about Eggman robots.

Omega has such a zeal for life that he's not himself without it. He cares. He cares. He cares. Make him have strong opinions on everything.

Fitting into Team Dark:

Omega fits into Team Dark as their catalyst. The definition of "catalyst" is "a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change".

Omega is the one always spurring Shadow and Rouge into motion, and he's the one that forces them into conflict- not against each other, but against the world, and their preconceptions of just about everything. He's the one asking "WHY NOT?" whenever they say they can't do something, "WHO CARES?" whenever they worry too much about anything. He's got too much drive to ever sit idly by, and being friends with him requires at least some level of reciprocation of that energy.

The biggest way Omega shows that he cares is simply by his presence. Shadow and Rouge understand that if Omega did not want to be here, he wouldn't be. Tolerating their own problems and eccentricities is their biggest ask from him. Given that "their problems" usually tend to be far outside his skill range, he's always a bit unsure of how to solve them. And of course, as we covered previously, he hates feeling or seeming unsure.

. . . but he does want to solve them. Because he cares.

He's the most classically tsundere out of all of them. It took him the longest out of all of them to figure out that he did genuinely care about them, but now that he does. . . he's not quite sure how to navigate it? Relationships are still new to him, give him time. The line where "WANTING TO MAINTAIN TEAMMATE EFFECTIVENESS" separates from "SEEING MY TEAMMATE IN DISTRESS MAKES ME DISTRESSED" is really fuzzy for him.

So he tries. He's one to face their problems like he does every other problem- head on. It's moments like this where his own clarity and certainty of character can cut through the fog of a problem that the other two are overcomplicating.

---

He's most similar to Shadow in their shared bluntness and need to feel like they're accomplishing their goals. They're both impulsive. They're both guys who ask "well why don't we just do X" and then they go run off to do X, even if it's already been tried and found to not work by someone before them. They share a mistrust of the competency of others.

He's most unlike Shadow in the fact that Shadow masks, heavily, while he does not. Shadow keeps quiet and tries to blend in with "normal" people. Omega does not, from his appearance to the way he acts. He embraces his differences while Shadow struggles with them. Omega is much more certain in his identity than Shadow will ever be.

---

He's most similar to Rouge in their shared nonchalance for consequences. Rouge is barely, barely governed by the idea that it would be harder to do what she wants if the cops are after her. Omega has come to agree with this philosophy. I've always headcanoned them as being far more morally questionable than Shadow would ever let himself be. They're also both go-getters. When they see something they want, they get it, even if the methods they employ to do so differ.

He's most unlike Rouge in that Rouge loves to play the "game" of society. She gets joy out of playing the fool sometimes and allowing people to underestimate her, something Omega would never tolerate even if he did see the value of such a play. This extends to her proclivity for stealth and anonymity- she doesn't mind having the last laugh over someone in private, whereas for Omega, what's the point if nobody knows that you won?

Shadow:

The basis:

Shadow is a character that I have the most difficulty describing how I write. Probably because, for fuck's sake, he's Shadow the Hedgehog. Everybody knows Shadow. Everybody writes about Shadow. And everybody writes about Shadow differently yet they all feel like the same guy. He is "all of him", and in a manner almost similar to Metal Sonic, there's so many different ways you can portray him yet still have it feel right.

Here is just about the only post I've made about how I write Shadow. It's a bit rambly, but I still stand by it. My favorite paragraph from it is probably this one-

At his best, Shadow is thoughtful, neutral, and surprisingly level-headed. Impulse only gets the best of him when he perceives himself as being the only one who can act competently- if a situation "needs" an Ultimate Lifeform, he's the first to run in and try to solve it. Otherwise, he's much more methodical than the likes of Sonic, Amy, Omega, etc. He values efficiency over fun or flashiness. He's not very good at putting himself in other people's shoes, but if you want an objective opinion on a situation at hand he's one of your best bets to ask.

For me, Shadow is someone who values being stoic and being there for the people who need him. One of his innate desires, one that he consistently struggles with, is to be the perfect tool for the people he cares about. He wants to solve their problems. Ease their pain. Fulfill their wishes about the world. I always thought that his very first line in SA2 to Eggman, about "granting his wish" was very resonant to him both pre- and post-Maria.

Shadow knows that he has the tendency to follow the directions of others, and it's something he fights within himself. He pushes himself to be independent to the point of overcorrecting and putting everyone off. He also has a tendency to form attachments, deeply, and this too is something that he tries to suppress and avoid showing (for Maria-related reasons).

Ultimately, Shadow is the most honest character of Team Dark. His struggles with who he is and his own mental health are too big for him to fight alone- as a result, he's forced to share them. He tries so hard to deny parts of him to himself that he ends up spilling everything everywhere. Shadow tries, and does a decent job in front of strangers, but among friends he just can't hide. He is all of him.

(This ironically results in him being the 'token mentally ill one' of Team Dark when I write him, lol! He's the one who's had to put the work in because of his PTSD, and it shows! He's got more emotional maturity than either Omega or Rouge because he's had to develop it to keep moving forward with his life.)

Fitting into Team Dark:

Shadow is the anchor of Team Dark. He helps ground Omega and Rouge to the world. He's by far the most philosophical and spiritual of the three- he's the only one thinking about stuff like his purpose, his future, his role in life, what he's meant to be, etc. He's a thinker, and sometimes Omega and Rouge need that sort of anchor to the bigger picture to stay themselves.

He is honest and he is earnest. He says what he means, and means what he says. He provides the best evaluations of the current situation. He's almost like the "canary in the coal mine"- if something is going wrong, if the Team or anybody in it starts to lose their way, Shadow is the first to speak up.

He might not be the one to start the conversation, but he is the first one to really talk, and this helps the others open up. The most important thing is that he doesn't even realize he's doing it. He's not self-aware enough to be a facilitator or mediator in any capacity, but he is the stabilizer of the three regardless.

. . . which some might call ironic, given the fact that it's Rouge and Omega helping him stay level when it comes to his erratic mental health. He does lean on them when he gets triggered. He needs to. And sometimes he needs someone to talk him out of his own spiral when he thinks too much. Omega and Rouge help him to unwind from the tight little knots he binds himself in trying to sort out himself.

Saying that Shadow cares about them is like saying that Shadow cares about breathing. It's effortless. Natural. He couldn't stop caring about them now if he tried. It's just the way he's wired. The biggest way that he shows this is by doing things for them and worrying about them. Both in silence, of course.

---

He's most similar to Omega in his potential for ruthlessness and a stubbornness when they've made up their minds. They also relate through their shared otherness to the majority, being manufactured beings who have difficulty discerning the intentions and reasoning of others.

He's most unlike Omega in that he has a firm moral compass and a deep consideration for what is "intended" for him. Furthermore, conflict isn't something Shadow enjoys. Destruction? Sure. Conflict? Not really, so he avoids it for things he doesn't deem important. Omega finds disagreements refreshing, whereas for Shadow they make him feel trapped.

---

He's most similar to Rouge in that they both don't mind slowing down. They both take pleasure in the little things in life, from soft blankets to good fur care products and the like. Though Shadow is more duty-driven than her, they prefer having lives outside of their work. They both need to have periods alone to gather themselves again.

He's most unlike Rouge in that he's selfless while she's selfish. It's not even just that he's got a more heroic moral compass than her- he just fundamentally values other things more highly than he does himself. Of the entire team he's the most likely to step up to "do what's required" or "do what's right". Oh, and he's self-sacrificial to a fault, something Rouge just can't fathom.

Rouge:

Rouge is the hardest for me to write because she's the opposite of Omega in a lot of ways.

This is a bat who puts on a front for everything.

Including in her own narration.

I think my strongest POV character work for her that shows this is chapters 2 and 6 of my 2024 Team Dark Week one-shots. Both of which allude to things about her that she won't even tell the audience, as well as plenty of emotions that she kicks down so that nobody sees them.

Whereas Omega desires physical control, Rouge desires control over information. She's a string-puller, a manipulator, a planner. She's the ultimate tactician, and she will do everything in her power to ensure that she ends up on top and her enemies end up on the bottom, crushed by her own heel if she's lucky, but she'll also settle for their destruction by anyone or anything else.

She's invested most heavily into her social skillset. She always knows the right thing to say. Conversations are if-then equations for her; if she says this, then the other person will feel that. She uses this on enemies and friends alike, and furthermore, regardless of what she might actually want to say or do in the moment.

A friend might be sad, and if she needs them to be happy, she'll console them, even if she would rather grab their shoulders and scream her frustration at them. An enemy might ask her to do something that she hates, but if it means accomplishing her goals, she'll shove that down and do it with a smile. She's flexible, adaptable, mutable, and she can track her status with each individual with ease. . .

. . . except with herself. Not to say that she isn't incredibly prideful, and that she won't stick up for herself, but sometimes the gap between what she needs to be to get the result she wants and what she's actually feeling in the moment can grow so large she disconnects them entirely. She won't just hide her emotions- she will feel ashamed of them and try to force herself not to feel them.

She's the most 'herself' when she's 'off shift', so to speak. She relaxes significantly when she's alone or with the two people on this planet that she trusts enough to do so. She actually becomes less opinionated when she's at her most casual. She can get catty or annoyed by things in this state but she much more go-with-the-flow. While she gets the most pleasure from intensive gem heists, it doesn't take much to just make her happy. A good TV show? She's happy. A fun chat with a friend? She's happy. Painted nails and a good outfit? Happy.

The catch is having the stability to stay that way, hence the impressive tangle of machinations she concocts to keep her little corner of the world totally within her control.

Fitting into Team Dark:

Most people probably were surprised by my previous section stating that Shadow was the emotional anchor of the team. Most people see Rouge that way- and that's a valid interpretation, but I prefer a different take.

Rouge is the team leader. Period. I stand by the majority of this post I made about Rouge's dynamic as the team leader. The TL;DR is that she's the planner and tactician, the expert at cognitively thinking through the best way to aim the two living weapons at her disposal. This also, however, comes with resolving the differences between them when things get heated.

She often finds herself as the one resolving conflict, not because she's the "mom friend", but that she needs these two to get along (and some external parties to get along with them!) or else a lot of her plans could fall apart, and she cannot have that. Being a part of Team Dark is one hell of a vulnerable position for her, and there's some days where she wonders if it's worth it. Being dependent on others like this freaks her out in a way that Shadow and Omega can't conceptualize.

She's always had a soft spot for Shadow and Omega given the circumstances. That much is true. But I think it's only a significant ways into her friendship with them that she resolves to stick by Shadow and Omega's sides should the world turn against them. Choosing to have someone's back instead of distancing herself the moment things become dicey is a huge sign that she genuinely cares. I believe her confession in Sonic 06, and again in SxS Gens, to be the most honest and heartfelt she's ever going to be with them. Shadow and Omega might not understand the full depth of what those moments meant for her.

---

She's most similar to Shadow in that they're both pretty grounded. A lot of the basic assumptions they make about the world and scripts for how to behave are similar between them. They feel their emotions similarly and in response to similar situations, even if Rouge tends to hide them better. They're both just. . . pretty relaxed people outside of extraordinary circumstances. Not to say they don't have moments where they get passionate and excited on their own though.

She's most unlike Shadow in that she doesn't think anything is wrong with her. For all her knowledge on people and emotions and conversation, she doesn't understand that the way she operates is pretty mentally ill, folks! She thinks that she doesn't have any trauma, anything to cry about or angst over, and nothing is further than the truth. Her struggles were 'ordinary', distant from alien bioweapons or growing up on a space station or being freshly created then locked in a basement forever. But they were still struggles, struggles that shape how she sees the world and not in a good way.

---

She's the most similar to Omega in their shared pathological need for control, lol. They're both control freaks, even if said control freaking can occur in opposite directions from each other. It's where they chafe the most and it's because they're so similar. They're also both prideful and care deeply about keeping their reputations consistent. They're both liars in contrast to Shadow's honesty.

She's the most unlike Omega in that she's willing to mute herself to get what she wants. Sometimes she wishes she could scream "why can't you just pretend to be normal?!?!?!" at him when he's stirring up trouble and forcing her to alter her plans. She's calculated. He's rash. Fundamental mismatch of vibes sometimes.

Conclusion

It's been so fun to type out the culmination of almost my two years writing for these characters and how they weave in and out of each other.

In a not-at-all-concise way, I've tried to describe how they fit together and how they all have different sides to them.

I think the most important thing I've practiced to make them feel "real" when you're writing them is to hint, but not outright state, that there's something they're not saying that differs or is deeper than their surface-level conversation. For example, Rouge would never ever EVER say "I'm manipulating people to protect myself." Omega would never ever ever say "I care but I have no idea how to show it." Shadow could maybe possibly say "I'm trying to find myself and resist being the obedient tool I was made to be," but holy shit is he going to have to be going through it to even consider saying that.

You have to hint at it. Dance around the topic. Delight in withholding the information from the readers. Have Rouge sweet-talk someone to do something only for her smile to fade into something anxious and tired the moment their back is turned. Have Omega shoplift something small for Rouge from the supermarket and have him questioning the entire time whether it was even worth the effort, only to be relieved when Rouge squeals in delight. Have Shadow give an abrupt "no" to a seemingly benign request for a favor from Rouge and write him clamming up about why he did so afterwards.

It's blending these deeper facets of their characters into their current dialogue and actions that's my favorite thing to do in my writing. Even better if an outside character witnesses that little glimpse of the interior world and goes "huh, I wasn't expecting that."

Oh, and all the above paragraphs I've typed in this post to perfectly describe each character? Remember that they don't know all that about themselves.

They might be just as surprised as the outside characters are about how they've acted. They might not realize that something was bothering them, or that there was something they feel strongly about, until it surfaces unexpectedly! This can result in fights, or big dramatic moments.

All of THAT dives into the whole "avoiding therapy-speak" discussion currently happening in the greater writing community, one that would require me to write an entirely different post to explain. Here's my favorite primer on the subject if you'd like, but this post is already long enough, so I'll leave off here.

Thank you so much for this ask. You gave my autistic ass the best evening of my life typing this all out.

[blissfulbluee]

Helloo! I fucking love your analysis on gi-hun's character and the way you defended him lol (gotta defend our bbg <3) And sorry for asking cuz I really need someone smarter than me. I saw a post that blamed Gi-hun for Jung Bae's death, that all he could have done was give Jung Bae money so that he wouldn't go to the games (also for ghosting Jung Bae). And that he could have helped other poor people, but he chose to go back to the games.

Also, a YouTube video comparing and saying "who had it worse?" shows Gi-hun and In-ho.

And those takes frustrated me that I couldn't form into words TOT. I'm like a child asking for validation lol.

(again, sorry for asking and for horrible grammar/english)

Thank you! I truly appreciate it. You are all so nice to me :). Also, don't insult your intelligence, please! All Gi-hun defenders have the smartest most beautifullest brains ever. Also, your english and grammar is great, don't apologize. I hope you are satisfied with this answer. I've been waiting to talk about this one.

I also saw that post. Let me get this out of the way first: everyone is entitled to their opinion and I am not making this post to shame anyone or create drama. I just want to get my points out there.

Jung-bae's death is not on anyone except for In-ho.

Gi-hun was not the cause of Jung-bae entering the games. He "ghosted" Jung-bae because he had just went through horrible, unimaginable things and could barely make it through everyday life. People with tons of trauma like that tend to isolate themselves for many reasons. For Gi-hun, he is carrying a lot of weight and it's hard to keep up with relationships when you are constantly experiencing emotional pain. He doesn't want to burden people with that, or put them at risk by being the prior winner who is out to stop the games.

Also, how was he supposed to know Jung-bae was desperate enough to join the games or that he was even a target? He didn't know that he had debt like that or was losing his family to divorce. Maybe you can argue that he would have if he kept in contact, but see my above statements.

In addition, it is vital to Gi-hun's character and his plotline that he sees that money as blood money. He only started using it when he was desperate to stop the games. Plus, what would paying off peoples debts do in the long run? It doesn't erase future debts or all debts for that matter. Gi-hun didn't win that much money. Yes, that is still a good and easier thing to do, but that would not stop the games. It makes sense for him to use the money for finding the recruiter instead so that even if someone has a debt (which is pretty much unstoppable) that they won't be placed in fucking death games. Plus, wouldn't you also want to know about the games and how to stop them after all that had happened to you?

I just don't think its fair to blame Jung-bae's death on Gi-hun, at all.

[meguwumibear]

The first time Zayne asks you to his house, you bring him a sprig of jasmine. You pass by the flower shop on your way to his apartment on a whim and are inexplicably drawn to the thin, white petals. The shop owner tells you the plant signifies new beginnings which seemed fitting at the time.

The look on Zayne's face when he sees the jasimine is one of pain. The light in his hazel eyes dulls, and the skin between his brows wrinkles. You resist the urge to smooth the folds away with your thumb.

"Sorry," you say, unsure what to make of his expression. You scramble around the kitchen looking for a trash can. He's rich, so it takes you some time to find it. You open cabinet after cabinet in search of the thing. "Didn't want to show up empty handed."

After some awkward fumbling, you manage to locate the can. It’s hidden to the left of the sink behind the recycling bin. The trash is empty save for the bag which smells lightly of lemons.

"Wait," Zayne replies with some urgency, his usually calm voice the most panicked you've ever heard it. His hand presses your fingers securely around the stems before you can dump the arrangement into the trash. "You just surprised me is all."

You let him slowly guide the flowers away from the maw of the garbage, lips still weighed down by an unknown force.

"Don't overthink it," you tell him, unable to guess at the cause of his sadness. Seems you may have crossed some sort of unspoken boundary in your efforts to appear polite.

"They're lovely," he concedes, forcing a smile onto his face, "but they'll die in a few days."

Is that what's got him so upset?

"Hang them upside down before they begin to whither,” you offer. “They'll hold their shape, and after a few weeks you can stick them in a vase and keep them forever."

His brows knit together contemplatively.

"They'll still be dead," he tells you, wearily eyeing the plant.

You shake your head at him, "No, their form will just have changed."

"I'm not very good at tending to plants," he insists.

You shrug at him, busying yourself with finding a vessel for the jasmine.

"Lucky you have me then. I can help you string them up when you're ready to."

He lets you fill a glass with water and plop the jasmine into its new home.

Zayne doesn't say anything for a while. He just stands there, statue still, like he’s an android with stalled programming. His eyes remain fixed on the white petals of the plant, almost accusingly. It feels inappropriate to move for some reason, so you fuss with the placement of the stems, waiting for him to take the reins.

"I was thinking," he eventually starts, gaze still stuck on the jasmine, "that I'd like to dom for you exclusively. As previously stated, I believe we are compatible and that I can provide you with the subbing experience you need."

"Oh," you reply, cheeks heating. You chance a sideways glance at him, but his sights haven’t changed. "Yeah, I'd like that. I haven't seen anyone else since we started our sessions anyway."

"It's settled then," he agrees, eyes finally flicking to you. “Moving forward you’ll come to me when you need something.”

“And you’ll come to me when you do,” you add.

He looks at you funny, but doesn’t argue.

“How do you feel about shower sex?” he asks suddenly, as his mind visibly reconnects with his body. He turns toward you, awaiting your reply.

You flash him a cheeky grin, “Lead the way.”

[tommiib]

Taboo: Yeosang x Reader

Y/N thought Yeosang was the perfect escape from the chaos of her life—intense, captivating, and everything she wanted in a man—but as their connection deepens, so does the tension. Beneath his charming smiles and soft-spoken words, Yeosang harbors secrets that threaten to unravel everything Y/N has come to trust, and she finds herself questioning if he’s truly the love she’s been searching for or if he's slowly becoming her biggest enemy. As the lines blur between passion and betrayal, Y/N is torn between the desire to let him in completely and the growing fear that the man she’s falling for might not be who he seems at all. The question remains: Will he be her savior or the source of her downfall?

content warnings: swearing, party, alc, smoking, kissing, suggestive but nothing crazy.... yet

~~~~~~~~~~

This is my first time uploading to Tumblr so sorry if the layout is a bit weird! This is chapter one of a series ive been working on for a bit! I hope you enjoy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Please, Amira, we have to go to this party!” you groaned in frustration, your pleas falling on deaf ears as she remained too heartbroken to consider going out. “Don’t let that asshole get the best of you! Yoona and I will be there for moral support,” you urged, trying to reason with her.

You weren’t exactly a party person, but when you were in the mood, you knew how to have a good time. Tonight was no exception, despite the fact that your best friend/ roommate had been dumped by some guy she’d been seeing a week ago. She hadn’t left her room since. You never met him, but he must’ve been something special to leave your friend this devastated.

With her gorgeous looks and bubbly personality, Amira never had trouble finding or keeping a guy. She wore her heart on her sleeve, but she’d never been this torn up over anyone, let alone someone she’d only been seeing for three months. Skipping classes over it was unheard of.

“I’m just not feeling it, Y/N. Please, don’t stay back because of me. I know Wooyoung is dying to see you. I’ll be fine.”

Ah, Wooyoung—your other best friend, who you’ve known since childhood. You recently reconnected when he transferred to your university at the beginning of the school year, and since then, the two of you had been inseparable.

Before you could protest, your other roommate and close friend, Yoona, chimed in. “It’s fine, Y/N. You already told Woo you’d be there. I’ll stay here with Amira. Besides, I don’t think Yunho will be at the party anyway, so I’m okay with sitting this one out.”

Yoona, the peacemaker of the group, had the kindest heart you’ve ever witnessed. For nearly three years, you’ve watched her harbor a crush on your mutual friend, Yunho. It was obvious they both liked each other, yet neither had the courage to take the first step. The situation was painful to witness, as their mutual shyness kept them apart. 

“I can literally text Wooyoung right now and tell him I can’t make it. Then we can all watch movies and cry together over some birthday cake ice cream,” you sigh, trying one last time to convince them. You’re definitely the stubborn one in your friend group,  always speaking your mind. No wonder you’re majoring in criminal justice.

Suddenly, Amira perks up and stares directly at you. “You’re going. You’ve been looking forward to this party since Wooyoung invited you last week. There’s no way you’re backing out because of me. I’ll be fine here with Yoona. Trust me.” Her tone is serious. “Plus, you need to get laid. It’s making you grumpy,” she mumbles, and you gasp in mock outrage.

“Okay, it hasn’t been that  long,” you defend yourself.

This time, both Yoona and Amira give you a look like you’ve grown two heads.  

“Girl, it’s been, what… a year?” Amira remarks.

You throw your hands up in defense. “I’ve been busy focusing on myself, and all these guys on Hinge are ugly or just looking for a quick hookup. I’m not going through another two-minute disaster,” you groan, recalling last year’s hookup that lasted all of two minutes, literally. A total waste of a night.

And it’s not that you’re against hookups; you just have standards. Which, apparently, are unattainable with the current dating pool. You physically roll your eyes at the thought. All you want is someone who’s hot, clean, smells good, friendly, good in bed, and doesn’t have a sketchy reputation. Is that too much to ask for? It’s not. But yet, it seems impossible to find, especially since getting out of your “serious” freshman-year relationship with this dude named Miko. He was sweet at first, but quickly turned possessive and insecure, practically confining you to his dorm for all of freshman year and half of sophomore year. Since then, it’s just been casual hookups and situationships—you’re not looking to commit until you graduate next year.

“Uh huh, well, go focus on yourself and make sure you get some dick,” Amira says, getting out of bed and practically pushing you toward the door.

“OR PUSSY!” Yoona shouts from the other room, laughing as she watches Amira drag you out of your shared apartment.

You sigh and turn around, only to be met with Amira shoving your purse and phone into your chest. “And don’t even think about coming home tonight. I don’t care if you have to crash at Wooyoung’s.”

Resigned, you slip on your heels and grab your stuff from Amira. “And you people call me stubborn,” you grumble, earning the first laugh you’ve heard from Amira since the breakup. You can see Yoona cracking a smile and giving you a thumbs-up from across the room.

“Okay, fine! But if I come back without getting laid, please let me back in the house,” you pout.

Amira chuckles before saying, “Well, no!” and promptly shuts the door in your face. Rolling your eyes, you quickly book a Lyft to Wooyoung’s, where you’d pregame and head to the party together.

—----------

“WOOYOUNG, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?” you yell at your best friend, who’s lounging on his bed with a smug, knowing smile.

“Hey, it wasn’t my idea! Amira asked me to do you a little favor!” he defends himself.

“So, you invite me to this party and then tell San that I’ve been crushing on him? Which, by the way, IS NOT TRUE!” you huff in frustration.

“Well, you did have that little crush on him,” Wooyoung points out.

“DURING SYLLABUS WEEK OF FRESHMAN YEAR?” you exclaim, rolling your eyes as he laughs at your irritation.

“That guy has a reputation, a bad one. All he does is hook up and break hearts. Even if it’s just a quick fuck, I’m not that desperate,” you say, looking Wooyoung square in the eye.

“You’re right… I shouldn’t have stirred things up, ” he admits with a genuine apology, despite the shit eating grin on his face.

“Seriously, when did everyone start caring so much about my sex life?” you mutter, making Wooyoung laugh.

“When it started making you grumpy,” Wooyoung quips.

“I am not grumpy.”

“That’s what they all say—until they get laid. Then it’s all peace, love, sunshine, and rainbows,” Wooyoung teases, grinning.

“Yeah, maybe for you, Mr. ‘Can’t Keep It in His Pants.’ Your reputation is worse than San’s!” you retort, making Wooyoung clutch his chest in mock shock.

“Okay, that’s a bit extreme. San’s a whore. I just like to have fun! And at least I don’t string people along!” he defends himself.

“Yeah, yeah, but your body count is higher than our area code, which is a little concerning,” you tease, laughing as Wooyoung protests.

“It is not!” he insists.

“I’m just messing with you. But still, my point stands, I don’t need sex to be happy. If it happens, it happens. I’m not going to force it. So you and Amira can especially stop pushing it on me!” you huff.

“Ugh, I guess you’re right,” Wooyoung concedes, rolling his eyes. “Let’s just have fun, get drunk, and look sexy while doing it, okay?” he says with a smile. You roll your eyes but nod in agreement.

You do look hot tonight, as you check yourself out in the full-length mirror in Wooyoung’s apartment. You’re wearing a low-cut, halter-neck black top that accentuates your cleavage, paired with a tiny, flowy black skirt that barely covers your ass. Thin heels, medium-sized silver hoops, and a simple star necklace with your initials carved into it complete the look. Your makeup is bold, with smoky eyeliner and a glossy lip combo that stands out. 

You glance over at Wooyoung, who’s casually scrolling on his phone as he orders your Lyft. He looks just as good.  

Wooyoung has always been attractive, everyone knows that. Tonight, he’s rocking a natural look, his hair grown out to its natural black color, now shoulder-length. His new eyebrow jewelry stands out, having just healed, allowing him to shorten the bar. His lips are glossy and plump, and he’s wearing a black button-up with most of the buttons undone, paired with form-fitting blue jeans adorned with black crosses. He’s accessorized with silver earrings, a silver chain, and his usual array of bracelets and rings. It’s no wonder both guys and girls fall for him—if it’s not his looks, it’s his outgoing, infectious personality.

“Why are you staring at me?” he chuckles, catching you in the act.

“I just think we look hot as hell,” you reply nonchalantly, giving both yourself and Wooyoung a double-take in the mirror as he gets up and stands behind you.

“We do look good, don’t we?” he teases.

“Alright, don’t make it weird now,” you joke.

“Says the one who was eyeing me down like I was her last meal three seconds ago,” he quips. 

“I wasn’t eyeing you down,” you retort, rolling your eyes. “I was checking out your outfit—I can’t have you embarrassing me.”

“As if I could embarrass you. It’s always you doing the weird stuff, not me!” Wooyoung retorts.

“Says the guy who got way too drunk and stripped in the middle of Mingi’s birthday party, only to throw up in the flowerpot at our Airbnb—while in his underwear,” you fire back.

“Hey! We promised not to bring that up!” Wooyoung whines, and you burst out laughing.

“I’m just reminding you! I can’t let that ego of yours get any bigger than it already is.”

Wooyoung scoffs as he heads out of the bedroom. “Whatever. The Lyft is two minutes away, let’s head down.”

“Wow, that was fast.”

“It’s a Friday night in a college town; it’s impossible not to get a Lyft within minutes,” Wooyoung says, slipping on his shoes.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” you agree, spraying some perfume before following him out of the apartment and down to the lobby.

—------ 

You enter the party with Wooyoung by your side, taking in the buzzing atmosphere. It’s not the biggest party you’ve been to, but it’s far from small—probably around 200 people packed into the frat house. The music is loud, and the lingering smell of sweat makes you wish for a drink already.

“Let’s dance!” Wooyoung exclaims, grabbing your hand and pulling you toward the dance floor.

You follow his lead, eager to let loose. The crowd is already moving to the beat, and the energy in the room is electric. As you and Wooyoung find a spot near the center, where the bass hits hardest, Lil Wayne’s "Lollipop" blasts through the speakers.

Wooyoung immediately starts to groove, his body moving with a smoothness that makes you laugh. He’s always been a great dancer, and tonight is no exception. You join in, matching his rhythm, placing your hands on your knees and moving your hips against him. It's all fun and carefree, the perfect way to start the night.

“I missed this!” you shout over the music, throwing your hands in the air as you spin around.

“Me too!” Wooyoung shouts back, grinning from ear to ear.

Just as the song shifts to a more upbeat track, "Ayy Ladies," you spot Mingi making his way through the crowd, a familiar swagger in his step. He’s wearing a black tank top that clings to his toned chest and shoulders, accentuating his broad frame. A silver chain gleams around his neck, catching the light as he moves. His jean shorts sit low on his waist, exposing the band of his designer underwear—Calvin Klein, of course. And, in true Mingi fashion, he’s wearing sunglasses inside. It’s corny, but it’s part of his charm, his signature flair.

“Mingi! Get over here!” Wooyoung calls out, waving him over.

Mingi breaks into a wide smile and strides over, seamlessly joining the dance circle. He starts dancing with the two of you, his movements smooth and effortless. Despite the sunglasses, you can tell he’s having a blast.

“You look ridiculous,” you tease, gesturing to his sunglasses as you continue dancing.

“You know you love it,” Mingi shoots back with a playful grin. He turns to Wooyoung, “You look nice tonight, man!”

“I know!” Wooyoung laughs, giving Mingi a playful shove. “Where’ve you been? Haven’t seen you all week.”

“Just busy with some stuff, you know how it is,” Mingi replies, still moving to the beat. He then glances over at you, “Wow, Y/N, looking stunning as always.”

You feel a warmth spread through you at the compliment. “You’re not looking too bad yourself, Mingi,” you say, eyeing his outfit. “But the sunglasses? Really?”

He chuckles, adjusting them with a smirk. “It’s all about the aesthetic.”

The three of you dance together, catching up between laughs and compliments, the music fueling the good vibes. Mingi’s presence adds an extra spark to the fun, his easygoing nature and corny flair making the night even better.

You’re glad you came out tonight; the night is already off to a great start. You notice Mingi glance down at his phone as he receives a text, then lean over to whisper something into Wooyoung’s ear.

“I’m gonna grab a drink,” you shout to Wooyoung over the noise. “Want anything?”

“Nah, Mingi just told me they’re playing truth or dare downstairs. I’m gonna head there. Wanna come?” he replies.

You shake your head, remembering the last time you played truth or dare at a party. Let's just say it didn’t go well, and you’re not eager for a repeat.

“Suit yourself!” Wooyoung grins before heading off with Mingi.

You part ways with Wooyoung and make your way to the kitchen. Once there, you pour yourself a hefty serving of the mystery punch, the strong scent of alcohol hitting you immediately.

“Damn, did they add any juice to this, or is it straight liquor?” you mutter after taking a sip. It’s easily 90% alcohol, 5% ice, and 5% juice. This punch alone is going to mess you up.

“I don’t think they added any juice, to be honest,” says a deep voice behind you. You turn to see one of Wooyoung’s friends, what was his name again?

“I’m Yeosang, by the way. Sorry if I startled you,” he says, noticing your hesitation.

Yeosang! You remember now, the hottie who had to leave Mingi’s birthday party early! Family issues or something. You’ve only ever seen him in passing, and from what you’ve gathered, he doesn’t talk much. But he’s definitely close to Wooyoung, always hanging out with him, San, Mingi, and their other friend Jongho.

It piques your interest that you don’t really know much about him. With looks and a body like that, you’d assume he’d have a reputation as strong as Wooyoung’s or San’s, but no one ever really talks about Yeosang—not in that way, at least.

“My bad, I’m Y/N,” you say with a smile, letting out a little laugh. His strong eye contact and deep voice are making you a bit nervous. Not to mention, he’s wearing a white tank top that shows off his chest and abs beautifully, paired with a black jacket and loose-fitting blue jeans. His slicked-back blonde hair, with black roots peeking through, and the bright diamond studs in his ears complete the look. His hands are adorned with bracelets and rings, adding to his effortless cool.

“Oh, you’re Wooyoung’s friend!” He lights up, and you nod.

“Yeah, we met briefly at Mingi’s party, but you had to leave early,” you say as casually as possible.

“I remember that! It’s nice to see you again,” he smiles. “You look amazing tonight.”

You feel the heat rise to your cheeks as you try to hide a smile by taking another sip of your drink. “So do you,” you respond, and he lets out a deep laugh. You don’t quite get what’s so funny, but you don’t mind—it’s a rich, deep laugh, and honestly, it’s hot as hell.

“Thank you,” he replies. “I assume you came here with Woo?” he asks, and you nod.

“Yeah, but that jerk ditched me to play truth or dare in the basement,” you say, and Yeosang chuckles.

“The downside of being friends with someone who knows everyone—you get left behind a lot,” he smiles, taking a sip of his own drink.

“Yep, I just don’t understand how he knows half the damn campus when he just transferred,” you say, already feeling a bit warm from the drink, taking another sip.

“I can’t understand it either. It seems overwhelming,” Yeosang chuckles, and you nod.

“Oh, definitely. Have you seen his phone? Over 4,000 unopened messages. It’s insane.”

“I’ve seen it. He really needs to clear that out,” Yeosang agrees, making you laugh.

A comfortable silence follows between you and Yeosang, silently sipping on your drink before Yeosang speaks up. “Wanna go dance?”

“I would love to,” you smile, grabbing Yeosang’s hand heading back onto the dance floor, keeping your drink in your hand. 

His hand is calloused but soft and welcoming. He leads you to the dance floor, where the two of you start moving to the song “Don’t Tell ‘Em” by Jeremih. Yeosang still hasn’t let go of your hand, holding it up in the air as your back presses against his chest, his free hand wrapping around your waist. You feel warm, and you’re not sure if it’s from the heat between you and Yeosang or the punch kicking in. 

“Oh, Yeosang, I’m impressed,” you tease, tilting your head back to rest on his shoulder. “I didn’t expect you to have this much rhythm.”

He chuckles before speaking up. “Why? Do I look like I can’t dance or something?” he asks, raising an eyebrow. 

You shake your head with a playful smile. “No, it’s just that most guys can’t keep up.”

“Yeah?” he says, sounding all smug, and you can’t help but roll your eyes jokingly as the two of you continue to move together. As the song ends, you’re still pressed against Yeosang, his hands resting politely on your waist while you take the opportunity to sip your punch. The next song, “Wild Thoughts,” starts playing, and you hear Yeosang hum the melody, his hips naturally finding the beat. You two quickly fall into rhythm, and he buries his head into your shoulder, his cheeks tinted a light pink, a sure sign he’s just as tipsy as you are.

“I didn’t expect this from you,” you whisper into his ear.

“Expect what?”

“You to be so smooth. I never see you with any girls at parties,” you say, which earns you another chuckle from him. And God, could you listen to him laugh all day.

“So you’ve had your eye on me?” he smirks, his voice teasing.

“Not necessarily,” you reply, trying to keep his ego in check. “You and your little friend group just tend to attract attention, that’s all.”

He chuckles again, leaning down to whisper in your ear, “I’m very different from my friends. You don’t know anything about me.”

Though his tone is playful, there’s a hint of teasing that sends a pulse of excitement through you. He suddenly turns you around so that you’re facing him.

“You’re so pretty. I want to look at you while we dance,” he says, and you try to hide your smile by turning your head away.

“I didn’t take you for such a flirt. Do you compliment every girl you dance with, or am I special?” The eye contact between you two is intense, even though you’ve just met. 

He smiles before replying, “I always try to be a gentleman and compliment people. But I don’t just dance with anyone. I’m a little scared of strangers y’know.” 

You laugh as you continue dancing with the handsome man in front of you until the alcohol and the heat make you feel a little too stuffy. Tapping Yeosang's shoulder, he leans down so you can whisper in his ear, "Gonna step outside, wanna come?" He nods, and you take his hand, leading him into the backyard.

Surprisingly, you find Wooyoung and Mingi along with their other friends Jongho and San, deeply engaged in an intense game of beer pong. Mingi is about to take his shot, with Jongho looming over him, clearly frustrated by Mingi’s poor performance so far.

"Mingi, if you miss this one, you're sleeping on the lawn tonight," Jongho threatens.

"Hey! I'm only missing because I'm already drunk. Wooyoung just got here; it's not fair," Mingi huffs, making Wooyoung laugh.

"Just admit you suck," San teases.

"Fuck you," Mingi mutters before throwing the ping pong ball—and missing the cup yet again. Judging by Jongho’s expression, this isn't the first time.

"Bro, I want a new partner!" Jongho complains.

"Nope, not happening," Wooyoung says mockingly.

Jongho rolls his eyes, finally noticing you and Yeosang walking down the steps toward the hammock set up in the yard. 

"OH SHIT, YEOSANG! COME HERE, I NEED YOU!" Jongho shouts.

"Yeosang? Where? I thought he was staying home with Yunho tonight," Wooyoung says, scanning the yard until he catches sight of you and Yeosang holding hands. His mouth drops slightly. "Y/N??"

"Oh, don't act so surprised—you left me alone," you say, rolling your eyes as you and Yeosang approach the beer pong table, still holding hands.

Wooyoung gives the two of you a once-over before returning his attention to the game. 

"Yeosang, please switch with Mingi. I'm begging you—I can't lose to these two idiots," Jongho pleads, but Wooyoung quickly protests.

"Sorry, no can do. It’s against the rules. Gotta just take your L," Wooyoung mocks, making Jongho lift his fist in a mock threat, causing Wooyoung to dart behind San for protection.

You and Yeosang laugh, watching the antics, until another voice speaks up.

"Wow, Y/N, you look hot as fuck," San comments, earning an eye roll from you.

"Thanks. You don’t look terrible either," you reply, deliberately avoiding giving him any indication of interest.

"My turn, my turn!" Wooyoung interrupts, bouncing the ping pong ball into Jongho and Mingi’s last cup. "HELL YEAH!" he shouts in victory, high-fiving San.

"Song Mingi, you are a dead man," Jongho mutters before downing the beer. "Rematch?" he pleads, but Wooyoung quickly declines.

"I gotta go back into the party, man, do my thing," Wooyoung says, shaking his hips dramatically, making everyone roll their eyes.

"Yeah, I'm not playing with you again, you’re scary," Mingi admits.

"Like I’d ever choose you to be my partner again," Jongho grumbles. "Fuck this, I need a drink," he says, leaving the table to head to the kitchen. You notice San’s attention has been diverted to another girl you don’t recognize, but frankly, you don’t care, as long as you aren’t his next target.

"Wanna head to the hammock?" Yeosang whispers in your ear, and you nod, following him over.

Over in the hammock, you and Yeosang talk for what feels like hours. Whether it's the alcohol or just the vibe between you two, you're having an amazing time. You didn’t come to this party expecting to meet anyone, but now you're glad you did. Despite his quiet nature, Yeosang is extremely funny, witty, and surprisingly good at holding a conversation. You can't help but wonder how in the world this man is still single.

“But yeah, after that, I swore off cooking forever. I still have the burn mark on my arm,” he laughs, finishing his story about how Wooyoung forced him to cook, nearly causing him to blow up his apartment.

“How do you even eat?” you laugh.

“My roommate, DoorDash, or ramen,” he says with a smile. He’s such a man, but it’s endearing.

“Maybe one day I’ll cook for you,” you say, watching his eyes light up.

“For real?” he asks, sounding genuinely excited.

“Maybe,” you tease. “I only cook for people I really like, so you’ve gotta prove yourself first.”

He pouts, his full, glossy lips forming an irresistible expression that you’ve been trying not to stare at all night. He definitely notices but doesn’t say anything, both of you are a little more than tipsy.

“What, you don’t like me?” he pouts, leaning in closer.

“I didn’t say that,” you reply, trying to keep the teasing tone.

“Oh, so you do like me?” he smiles, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Have you always been a tease?” you ask, trying to match his energy.

“Only with people I really like,” he says, locking eyes with you. His big brown eyes are so captivating that you find it hard to look away. God, this man is absolutely gorgeous.

For the first time since you sat in the hammock, there’s a moment of silence. But it’s not awkward—just an intense, charged quiet as you both stare at each other. You’ve never felt this kind of connection with anyone before. There’s a magnetic pull between you, and all you want is to lean in and kiss him, just to get a taste . It seems like he feels the same way as he gently cups your face with his hand.

Yeosang’s hand is warm against your cheek, his thumb brushing softly over your skin. The world around you seems to blur, the sounds of the party fading into the background until it’s just the two of you in your own little bubble. His gaze flickers between your eyes and your lips, and you can feel your heart pounding in your chest, the butterflies in your stomach going wild.

“May I kiss you?” he asks softly.

You nod, unsure if you can trust your voice to give a verbal response. The anticipation is almost too much to bear.

Slowly, Yeosang leans in, his lips barely brushing yours at first. The kiss is soft and tentative, as if he’s savoring the moment. His lips are warm and tender, moving gently against yours in a way that sends a shiver down your spine. You close your eyes, letting yourself get lost in the sensation, the sweetness of the kiss making your heart swell.

But there’s an undercurrent of something more, something electric that builds with every passing second. You can feel it in the way his hand moves from your cheek to the back of your neck, pulling you closer. Your hands find their way to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath your fingers as the kiss deepens. The soft, tentative start gives way to something more urgent, more passionate.

Yeosang’s other hand slides to your waist, his grip tightening as he pulls you even closer. The hammock sways slightly with the movement, but neither of you seems to notice or care. All that matters is the heat building between you, the way your bodies seem to melt into each other. The kiss turns hungrier, your lips parting to let him in. His tongue teases yours, and you let out a soft sigh against his mouth, feeling the butterflies in your stomach turn into a full-blown storm.

The world outside the hammock no longer exists; it’s just you and Yeosang, your lips moving in sync, your breaths mingling in the small space between you. His hands are everywhere, tracing the curve of your waist, your back, and your arms, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. Your fingers find their way into his blonde hair, tugging lightly as you press closer, craving more of him.

Yeosang’s kisses grow more insistent, his lips moving with a mix of tenderness and raw desire that has your head spinning. You can feel the warmth of his breath on your skin as he moves his lips to your jaw, trailing soft, wet kisses down your neck, making you gasp. The sensation sends a jolt of pleasure through your body, and you tilt your head back, giving him better access as his lips explore the sensitive skin of your throat.

He pauses for a moment, his lips hovering just above yours as if he’s giving you a chance to catch your breath. But you don’t want to stop. You tug him back down, capturing his lips in a kiss that’s more intense, more passionate than before. He responds eagerly, his hand sliding up your back as he deepens the kiss, his tongue dancing with yours in a rhythm that leaves you breathless.

The hammock sways more now, the movement matching the feverish pace of your kisses. Your bodies press against each other, heat radiating between you as the kiss turns into a full-blown make-out session. The intensity of it all is overwhelming in the best way possible. You can feel his heartbeat matching yours, both of you lost in the moment, in each other.

When you finally break apart, both of you are breathing heavily, your foreheads resting together as you try to catch your breath. Yeosang’s eyes are dark with desire, and you can see the same heat reflected in your own. Neither of you says a word, but the connection between you is stronger than ever, leaving you both craving more. 

“Yeosang…” you manage to whisper, still breathless from the kiss.

Before you can finish your sentence, a loud, familiar, drunken voice interrupts, shattering the intimate bubble around you. Both of you quickly pull apart, startled by the sudden intrusion. 

You can’t help the feeling of possessiveness that washes over you. What just transpired between you and Yeosang felt amazing, something you wanted to explore further. You wanted him—just him—all to yourself. A deep instinct told you to keep this between the two of you.

A quick glance at Yeosang reveals he feels the same way. His expression mirrors yours, but before you can say anything, Wooyoung stumbles over, flopping down between you in the hammock and throwing an arm around each of you.

“I love you guys sooo much!” Wooyoung slurs, his voice thick with alcohol. You chuckle, realizing he’s way too drunk for any of the hookups you assumed he'd be chasing tonight, meaning you’d be stuck taking care of him.

“My god, Woo, how much did you have to drink?” you ask, laughing as he plants a sloppy kiss on your cheek.

“Way too much of that punch and a couple of body shots,” he mumbles, resting his head on your shoulder.

“Where the hell is San?” Yeosang mutters, and something about hearing him curse sends another wave of butterflies through you. Every little thing he does—from the way his Adam’s apple bobs when he talks to the way he gently pries Wooyoung’s hands off his neck—has you feeling warm all over. You can't tell if it's the alcohol or just Yeosang himself, but you've never been this worked up over a man before.

“He’s with some girl. They left like ten minutes ago,” Wooyoung grumbles before suddenly gagging.

Oh no.

“JUNG WOOYOUNG, YOU ARE NOT ABOUT TO THROW UP RIGHT NOW!” you exclaim, half-laughing with wide eyes. You glance over at Yeosang, who looks just as disappointed as you.

“Fuck,” Wooyoung groans, and before you can react, he’s hunched over, vomiting into the grass right in front of you and Yeosang.

“Well, that’s a turn of events,” Yeosang says dryly, shaking his head.

You wince but smile apologetically at Yeosang. “I think I should take him home.”

Yeosang nods, rubbing the back of his neck, suddenly looking a bit shy. “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.”

“He’s so annoying,” you say lightheartedly, gently wiping Wooyoung’s mouth with the bottom of his shirt. “Begs me to go to a party just to leave me and get too drunk to function.”

“That’s Wooyoung for you. But hey, at least I got to meet you.” Yeosang smiles, and you notice the tips of his ears turning red. You can feel your own face heating up at his words. You really didn’t expect to meet anyone tonight—just to chill, dance, and have fun—but Yeosang changed all of that, and you’re not mad about it in the slightest.

Not only is he incredibly handsome, but he’s also kind, respectful, and funny. You don’t want this night to end.

“Hey, totally okay to say no,” Yeosang starts, fiddling with his fingers, which you find adorable considering how bold he was just a few minutes ago. His shyness is endearing; everything about him is just so cute.

You look at him, nodding encouragingly for him to continue. Your eyes meet his beautiful brown ones again, and you unknowingly bite your lip, something he definitely notices. It seems to give him the confidence to finish his sentence.

“Do you mind if we exchange phone numbers?” he asks, his face turning a light shade of pink.

You can’t help but smile, despite Wooyoung still retching beside you. “Of course.” You hand Yeosang your phone, and he quickly puts his number in, texting himself to save it.

You want to say something more, but Wooyoung’s vomiting interrupts the moment.

“Fuck, I drank too much,” Wooyoung groans, coughing a bit. You pat his back, shaking your head.

“Took you this long to realize,” you tease, smiling down at your friend. As annoying as he can be, you love him.

Looking back up at Yeosang, you speak softly, “Thank you for tonight. I had a really fun time.”

“Me too,” he replies, smiling warmly at you as you stand Wooyoung up straight, using his shirt to wipe his face again. Yeosang makes a disgusted face but then looks back at you. “I hope to see you around, Y/n.”

You nod, feeling a little sad that the night is ending. “Bye, Yeosang.”

“Bye, Y/n,” he says softly.

You wave at him before guiding Wooyoung to the front of the house, trying to avoid as many eyes as possible. Despite everything, Wooyoung still has a reputation to uphold. You quickly order a Lyft, paying extra for priority pickup, and set the destination for Wooyoung’s apartment.

On the way there, Wooyoung falls asleep on your lap, groaning and huffing in his sleep. You push some of his hair out of his face, admiring his peaceful expression.

“Fucking idiot,” you mutter affectionately, laughing softly. Checking your phone, you see the message Yeosang left you. It brings a smile to your face, knowing that this night was just the beginning.

"Next time, less interruptions, deal?"

[reidologyphd]

The BAU members Godly Parents

I love Percy Jackson and Criminal Minds so i'm mashing them together :) this will be a long one so i'll do the hiding thingy but a warning, i realised too late i forgot Elle and Matt :( sorry guys

CABIN ONE - ZEUS

Jason Gideon

he is a natural leader, people follow his orders even if they have authority over him

he can be very tempermental and critical

while the bau was made by him AND rossi he feels very much like the guy, ya know?

CABIN THREE - POSEIDON

Luke Alvez

honestly this is mostly vibes but he gives me major adult percy vibes?

like easy going and laid back until you mess with those he loves

and when you go for his family you better pray to the gods

also another personal thing but he looks like he'd smell like the sea

fiercely loyal

CABIN FOUR - DEMETER

Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau

cares very much for family

I feel like she has this untapped rage that I wish we saw more

she has let her personal experiences and her family cloud her judgement (I don’t see this as a flaw)

Kate Callahan

also very family oriented

as far as I remember all of her plots revolved around her family? (Meg, her sister, her being pregnant because jlh was pregnant irl)

she absolutely would turn the world into eternal winter if someone kidnapped one of her children

CABIN FIVE - ARES

Derek Morgan

this man has so much passion. Like I could make an argument for Aphrodite but I chose ares ultimately

while he is gentle soul at heart I find he is the quickest to become hotheaded and angry out of the team

he thrives on the thrill of the chase and does not ever have a career outside of ‘fighting bad guys’

Aaron Hotchner

absolute thrill seeker but hides it behind a stoic facade

ambitious as all hell and as stated in 1x5 ‘Broken Mirror’ will step on anyone to get where he wants to be

while a very family oriented man also he was never able to prioritise his family over the ‘war’ they’re fighting

I could write a whole essay on this ngl

CABIN SIX - ATHENA

Spencer Reid

do we even need to talk about this one?

I know he’s multifaceted and a nerd isn’t automatically a child of Athens but it’s the fact he loves learning and collecting PHD’s just for fun

he values wisdom and intellect so much I’m sure he’d marry it if he could.

I also just associate this brand of person with awkwardness/social ineptitude. Because things are obvious and clear to them they sometimes forget to factor in the emotional consequences or implications of certain things.

also he has a massive vocabulary and can describe any emotion to you but he cannot recognise when he’s feeling them

Alex Blake

honestly much the same as Spencer

a difference between them is that I think she tries to shove down her emotions because she sees them as pesky and inconvenient, rather than not feeling them

like despite Spencer being like her child she didn’t mention Ethan until one of her final episodes

CABIN SEVEN - APOLLO

Penelope Garcia

i'm focusing less on the medicine side of things and more the creativity because look at her

and in the Riordanverse Apollo is portrayed as... idealistic rather than predatory when it comes to love which i think lends itself well to Penelope's borderline toxic positivity and her insistence on seeing the good in people

she can be seen as obnoxious and loud (never to me though) and most definitely had a theatre kid phase, all of which i think goes hand in hand with being a child of Apollo

CABIN NINE - HEPHAESTUS

Stephen Walker

i'll be honest i don't remember Stephen that well so if this is wrong my bad king

as far as i remember he was perfectly nice if not a little solitary and was pulled in especially since he fit a specific need for finding scratch, like he was a specific part of the blue print?

pretty sure he was also part of a specific task force before and was like a building block there too?

i'm sorry king

CABIN TEN - APHRODITE

Tara Lewis

other than being absolutely g o r g e o u s

i feel like she has a lot of passion and drive but it's shown in a more subtle way and she likes to hide it with her intellect

i also think importantly she enjoys her femininity in a way that say Penelope or JJ don't (not to say those two aren't feminine, they just don't connect with it like tara does?). she's very much 'wears a stilleto to stab you with it' kind of woman, even if she doesn't express that as much

i also think she can be quite emotionally constipated in relationships and such in a way a child of Aphrodite might be because they're used to the flirting and chasing but then don't know how to maintain the relationship

Ashley Seaver

once again don't remember much about this queen but she is stunning

i feel like it's a very child of Aphrodite experience to be looked over and dismissed because of their looks and the two main things discussed with Seaver is that she's pretty and her dad is who he is

she is also very Piper coded in that she resents that femininity and the pigeon hole it puts her in and wants to be recognised for her own merits and achievements rather than her looks.

Piper and Ashley also both have famous dads, albeit for different reasons

CABIN ELEVEN - HERMES

Emily Prentiss

she is a nomad!!! she doesn't stay in the same place for too long!!!

while i am obsessed with the woman she is very adept at trickery and bending the truth, something children of Hermes are good at too

is home for those around her and has no shortage of love to give her friends because she sees her friends as her home too

it just fits

CABIN TWELVE - DIONYSUS

David Rossi

this one just fits for me too the man loves alcohol

he does love his family more but i don't that precludes him from being a child of Dionysus

he does also kill a man so i feel like that qualifies as having the madness, ya know?

not much to say this one just comes from the soul

CONGRATS!!! you made it to the end!!!! as a little treat if you made it this far i love you and i think elle would be a hunter of artemis, i'm really not sure about Matt

discussion is wanted and encouraged!!!

[bigsoggyboots]

Ephemeral

.

Cowgirl!Sev × Black!CityGirl! Reader

random disclaimer: sorry I dipped for like 2 weeks. I encountered major writers block for the first time and went through a stressful 2 weeks of school. Now I'm sick, had to miss a day and a half of school, and wrote this. You could probably tell what I was reading to have me make an idea like this LMAO.

wc: 774

cw: mentions of drinking.

I referenced so many songs I have to put a list:

SAY SOMETHING - TWICE

Brave - TWICE

Green Eyes -Erykah Badu

Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You - Erykah Badu

SAPPY - RED VELVET

an: I said a lot already but the image below is one i edited using Picsart for the first time. It's free to use lol.

“Who woulda’ thought..” Sevika's words brought you away from the scenery before you. She still looked ahead, gripping your hand a little tighter. “..that all I needed was a city girl to show me this.”

You looked ahead, at the rain you both couldn't bear to look away from, then back at her. “Show you what?”

You saw a smile creep on her face before a chuckle left her. “How to find contentment in the mundane.” You blink in surprise. “You think I ever sat and watched the rain with anyone else?”

You turn and feel the blush fill your cheeks as you watch the rain she was talking about. You hated when this happened; when you'd get flustered and grow acutely aware of every sensation. And fortunately so, Sevika did that to you.

Since the day she reeled you in on her horse to now in the early foggy morning on her porch swing.

God, it's a love-hate feeling.

You knew she was watching you, those perfect steel eyes swallowing you whole. She was waiting for you to say something.

‘Please say something you blundering fool.’

“I know the feeling,” You smile, your gaze meeting hers. Neither one of you looked away. “I hadn't known something like that until I met this girl.” Sevika grimaced at your words, the huff leaving her making you chuckle.

“The work I had to do was long, hard, and exhausting. Day in and day out, I did damn near the same things. Wake up, eat, feed the animals, do chores, sleep, repeat.” You saw the way her face softened. You'd be lying if you said it wasn't heartwarming. “I was bored of it all.”

She gripped your hand a little tighter, egging you on. She scooted in closer. Maybe a wrists length away from you now. If you weren't so desperate to kiss her, you wouldn't have calculated that so fast.

“Then there was this one night in the barn. We both got drunk as shit, and she told me all her secrets that night.” Sevika forgot about that. She thought you did too. You told her the day after you did. Liar. “I don't think I'll ever forget that night. The blush on her face, the open wrinkly shirt,” Your eyes trace around her lips. “the smeared lipstick on her lips.” You played a dangerous game there and Sevika chuckled at your bravery.

“Anyways, the night was boring. But, for the first time, I loved it.”

The rain picked up and so did Sevika's smile. You've never seen her so open with you, and the comfort that it brought you was better than any touch could ever give.

“I wanted to live in that night for the rest of my nights. I've never wanted to drink with anyone else but that country girl.”

The rain filled the silence the two of you didn't bother to disturb. What else more could be said? 3 years of feelings were just spat into the air. You couldn't feel simultaneously more uncomfortable and so proud of yourself.

Yet, you both still held the same distance. You feel the shaking in her hand as she forces her hand to still.

Why is she shaking? Why is she waiting?

Then it hit you.

She's waiting for permission.

“Kiss me? Please?” Your voice comes out in an embarrassing squeak. Her lips encapsulates yours before you can even think.

☆

Southern drawl soothes you, puffy lips infuse you, and Ms. Cowgirl can't take her eyes off of you. Nothing but you.

Sevika's too good to be true. You wish you could remember how many kisses were being exchanged, out of either happiness or lust, so you could possibly keep it somewhere in the back of your mind.

“You're smotherin’ me.” You joke as the dogs bark. Even they grew tired of your sappy shenanigans.

The sun peeked out now, the sunrises glow decorating itself on you and Sevika's complexion. It was beautiful seeing how the sun creeped on your figures.

Sevika didn't bother to say a thing, pressing one more quiet kiss to your collarbone. While you stared ahead, Sevika kept her gaze to you. Her laugh was mischievous, prying your gaze away for a moment.

You feel something being placed on your head, and as you felt the object, you realized what Sevika was missing.

Her hair was free now, a little ruffled with small fly-aways; and now she could hardly contain the smirk forming.

Ephemeral was this moment. In your mind, you took a million snapshots as she said her next words.

“You're mine beautiful. And I'm yours. Ain't nothin’ gon’ change that.”

☆

[honeydewandcake]

(1) About you

1. Can we be friends?

2. Is it okay if someone, me included, can private message you?

(2) Fell/Edgy AU

1. How would the toons react if someone's

• Having a hangout and being nice to Shrimpo

• Having a hangout and being mean to Shrimpo

Extra •: Having a hangout and being mean to Shrimpo but has a soft spot for him

2. How would RnD react if they saw someone being overprotective of Shrimpo

3. How would RnD and other toons react if they see Shrimpo covered in blood because he's DEAD and came back from the dead as a ghost and staring at someone's dead body and probably interact with it (such as hugging the dead body, or just standing there and stare it) (Also, this question is related to Onryō's folklore)

Extra question: Ever thought about making your OCs into a Fell/Edgy OCs?

Bonus question 1: Have you heard Confessions of a Rotten girl?

Bonus question 2: Have you ever played Let Him Go?

_________________________________________

I have 2 OCs and they're being nice to other toons and Shrimpo in the Original AU and in the Fell/Edgy AU, they're being mean to the other toons but still hangout with them and also being mean to Shrimpo but have a soft spot for him and Shrimpo knows that (also friends with Shrimpo and other toons knows that)

-LavenderPastel a.k.a A.R, MY

1) I don’t really become friends with someone who I don’t know well, sorry. Although I’m fine with talking casually like this

2) Although many people have private messaged me, I don’t ever respond and I don’t really intend to private message anyone. It makes me really nervous so I don’t recommend using that as a way to communicate with me

3) If they were nice, they would find it disgraceful or laughable. Since no one likes Shrimpo and no one is nice here. If they were mean, no one cares because that’s how everyone treats him. The last scenario is kind of like Dandy, but no one bats an eye

4) RnD would be confused but also kind of jealous. They are territorial in a way, so they really can’t accept that

5) They’d be scared, that’s a very unsettling situation to find yourself in

6) Someone else actually asked me if I could draw my OCs in the Edgy AU, but I never responded because I haven’t drawn anything like that. Although I sometimes think about it, I don’t have any ideas and don’t really want to draw that

7) I have heard of it, I’ve only heard snippets but I haven’t listened to the whole song

8) I haven’t played that before

[briskchips]

You think SMC is ever gonna get a redemption ? I am saying this because the game seem to heavily hint at that. Unlike mystic flour and burning spice (the previous beast we got) SMC is the only beast so far to actively seek companionship with his counterpart rather than to destroy him.

This is purely speculation but based on the info we currently have, the beasts don’t really seem to….LIKE each other very much. Sure they work together and are on the same side BUT it’s only because they have the same goal. It’s out of OBLIGATION rather than genuine SOLIDARITY. SMC calls them “friends” but the same cannot be said for the others (that we have so far). If SMC truly see the beasts as his friends then WHY does he feel so lonely ? Shouldn’t he feel overjoyed that he has companions at his side ? UNLESS he is lying to himself. He is trying to convince himself that they care about him because they are the ONLY ones he has left.

but there come PV, the first person to ever want to be friend with SMC out of GENUINE KINDNESS instead of OBLIGATION. Once he realize this fact, I think SMC might go on a journey of self reflection and perhaps even betray the other beasts and dark enchantress.

sorry about this rambling, these cookies have consumed my every thought 😭

YES do not apologize for rambling I love to read it

I sure hope they're going for a SMC redemption!

SMC repeatedly insisted that he and PV were the only ones who understood each other all throughout beast yeast 8, and while I do think that could still be SMC lying to gain PV's favour (we really have to take every word outta his mouth with a grain of salt), the way he fell SO easily for PV's lie really shows that he craves some kind of equal. The master of deceit would always know better than to accept anyone's words at face value, but he IMMEDIATELY joined up with PV and allowed him control of the realm just at the offer of partnership. If he was aware of any risk, he didn't care in that moment. I mean think about the wording! PV offers both himself and the soul jam at the same time, but the thing SMC chooses to focus in on is PV!

It might've been about the soul jam initially, and I'm sure he still cares about it a lot, but the possibility of having an actual, genuine friend has to have surpassed it by now. That cookie is LONELY and its so obvious, but I think he's gonna get in his own way. He seems way too stubborn to EVER accept PV's proposal unless he's desperate. Not to mention how betrayed he feels now.

I also don't think that PV would be willing to let SMC go just yet. He felt that same connection too, and after struggling with his own relationship with truth all his life, I can't imagine he'd just give up on the only person who's truly understood him. And with his awakened form now being the light of compassion, I think he'd have a bit of a saviour mentality toward SMC. He experienced the same breakdown SMC did, and he made it out to other side. Of COURSE he wants him to experience the same! If anyone can guide him toward a better life, PV wants it to be him (though I'm sure he doubts his own abilities in that).

I think I could see it beginning as a unition against a common enemy. Same as you said; the beasts don't seem to like each other very much (I know it isn't technically canon but the new SMC tier list video actually alludes to their relationship a little bit), but are willing to work together to further their own goals. Once the main heroes learn that DE always intended to steal the beasts' power for herself, and they somehow find a way to communicate that to SMC (god knows where the trio of deceit have wandered off to) I think SMC could be convinced into joining them. But I'm sure he's gonna insist that he be in charge, and I cannot wait to see everybody's heads clash

[jadastarkey]

call in advance

chris sturniolo x sweetheart!farm girl! reader

warnings: swearing, slightly suggestive at the end

genre: fluff

sypnosis: the triplets visit your family's farm and your their guide. Chris didn't realise how pretty said guide would be

~°•☆•°~

"there's a cute girl like..." Chris started whispering into the camera, peeking over his shoulder to find you "like 20 feet behind me" he said as he turned back into the camera.

"Chris she's coming" matt said excited for his brother.

he snapped his neck back in your direction. before turning back and taking the camera from nick to use as a mirror to sort out his hair.

"oh my god! you're acting like me!" nick giggled, shoving his twin.

"shut up, nick" he mumbled. they laughed.

he quickly shoved the camera into the nearest hands so he could be seen right next to you as you walked over. "hey y'all, how're we all doing today?" you asked, energetic as ever.

the southern twist in your mostly Boston accent made his stomach flip and his heart twirl. he wanted to kick his feet and pick the petals of a daisy like a preschooler. your pure existence made him want to crumble and melt into a puddle. just his air coming from your air was making his knees weak

"we're good" nick responded smugly seeing one of his twins blush like that. especially chris. he wasn't exactly known for settling.

"aw that's great! follow me and we can get started." you clapped your hands together and waved them to follow.

chris was eager. he was right on your tail, chatting up a storm, desperately trying to get you laugh to which he succeeded, multiple times.

"alrighty, it's quite loud so anyone at home should probably turn it down" you giggled to the camera, unlocking the barn doors without looking back at them "this is the barn where our chickens-"

"nope!" nick interjected taking a few steps back

matt laughed and pushed him closer to the doors "c'mon nick, they're just birds"

"you know how I feel about birds–" he yelled putting his hand in matts face but someone pushed him through the loosely opened doors, earning a scream of terror filled with clucking in the back.

it was a good thing they did turn the volume down.. if they did.

~°•☆•°~

Once nick was freed, and finished slapping his brothers, and yelling at them, ypu took them away from the chickens– per nicks request –and over to the horses.

"so, these are our horses. we've got, bessy with the brown coat, freya with the grey and June with the dots. don't tell the others, but she's my favourite."

"can you ride.... th- them– the horses of course" Chris asked, scratching the back of his neck and looking back to his brothers who were holding in laughter that was just about to bubble over.

"yeah, I can ride. y'can try if you want. freya'll be sweet enough for ya"

his eyes met your gaze, sweet and welcoming, those soft lips curved up in a sickeningly gorgeous smile.

"and if I do, you'll catch me if I fall" he asked shyly.

"I can try" you giggled.

that was what he liked to hear. not the phrase. those god damn giggles. the uncontrollable laughter you let out at practically every sentence.

he was already smitten.

"Okay, I'll do it"

he perked up and hopped the gate which turned out to be a huge mistake as the squelchy mud underneath made him slip. "matt!" you gasped, trying to grab him before he fell.

"Hey 'm not matt" he didn't care he fell, he didn't care about the mistake. all he could focus on was your touch. the warm from your hand seeping onto his arm.

"sorry! chris. oh my god! you need rain boots on the mud. they have grips." you explained while simultaneously trying to help him up. "put these on"

a pair of pink rain boots landed on the floor in front of him and when he looked up he was stuck at the sight of you walking off, hips swaying and ponytail bouncing with every step you took.

his jaw was ever so slightly open, eyes hung on your captivating presence. the way you moved around the horse, patting her chest and prepping her. the way you knew how to do it. you had all he needed and he was craving it.

his hands dug into the mud and he snapped out of it when he heard the sound of it that made him want to rip his ears off.

he wiped his muddy hands on his pants and put the rainboots on.

~°•☆•°~

he stood with his dirt ridden hands and muddy ass, nerves piling up. you brought the grey horse over. "ready?"

"no- yes. yes I'm ready." he approached the animal but hesitated before her "you promise I won't fall"

"I can't promise that but the more nervous you are, the more nervous she is. just calm down and go slow I'll be right next to you. plus I know a little first aid, so you'll be fine"

he nodded and took a deep breath. he gently held your arm and hoisted himself up and over, matt making sure everything was on camera because he knew he'd want it

"s'not even that bad up here" he said shakily.

"yeah right" matt and nick said in sync. it always made you laugh when they did shit like that. using telepathic shit.

chris rolled his eyes "doll, how do I get movin'?"

"I'll just walk with you and she'll follow me" you took her reigns and started to walk away, giving her no choice to follow.

it was way too fast for Chris making him wobble. he grabbed onto absolutely nothing "ohhh- y/n, get me off, get me off, get me off I'm gonna fall-" He pleaded with actual fear in his eyes.

"Hey, calm down. I got you" you said calm. you held his leg steady "swing the other one around and use me for help if you need to" you said, looking up at him.

his eyes met yours and immediately got lost. your hand on him, your eyes on him, your mind on him, protecting him. God he could get used to that..

"we milking a cow or what, lovebirds?" matt asked.

you both instantly turned red and chris put his hands on your shoulders before hopping off. it took him another few seconds to actually let go.

"thanks" he whispered

"'s no problem"

the tension was palpable and thick. he so wanted to grab your face and kiss you, make you his, take you on dates, and cuddle you to sleep. he wanted you. he craved you. but he couldn't have you. not now atleast.

"imma go put freya away" you said quietly having to find a distraction. you took the horse and with hesitant steps, you walked off.

"yeah" he muttered, reeling from the whole ordeal

~°•☆•°~

usually, your dad said no to guests using your showers but in chris' case he took a leap amd said yes. the boy had managed to get dirt basically everywhere the eye could see. splotches on his face, his hands were coated and nails probably stained but worse of all, his clothes.

that blue fresh love hoodie? yeah that would be brown the rest of its– assumingly –short life. his baggy jeans, once a fresh denim now coated in the stuff.

God know how he even got that bad but it was Chris. he managed to break boundaries on stuff like that.

he stepped out of the shower, towel clutched to his waist and hair dripping wet. he left the fresh clothes in your room like an actual idiot.

he poked his head through which made your head shoot up as the old door creaked "oh- Chris. it's just you.. y'scared me"

"sorry. I left my clothes in here. I'll be quick"

he awkwardly walked through your room and picked his clothes up. he tried to be fast but you didn't mind. you were practically salivating. all that could be yours one day. those biceps, that chest, those abs, that face.

"thank you" He said as he shuffled back into the bathroom.

he got changed as quick as possible and as he picked up the clothes a little slip of paper fell to the floor.

curious, he picked it up and unfolded it, tilting his head as he read

'you can come back anytime, just call in advance 012-345-6789.

-y/n♡'

[dandylion240]

Looking around the drab hallway wrinkling his nose Jayden asked “are you sure this is the address?”

“Positive” he held the paper he’d written the address on. “Check it for yourself if you don’t believe me.”

“It’s just” sighing he didn’t know what he expected. Whatever it was it wasn’t this dismal apartment building. Raising his hand he knocked on the door. They waited a minute before knocking again.

“Excuse me” a young girl said behind them “can I help you?”

“I’m looking for my brother, Jonah Reagan” pointing towards the door. “Does he live here?”

Giving him a cautious look she opened the door “wait here.”

They exchanged looks “girlfriend” Evan asked.

Shrugging Jayden shook his head “don’t know.”

Closing the door in their faces Courtney called out “Jonah are you here? Dad? Anyone?”

“In here” Jonah called coming out of Eli’s room.

“There’s a couple of guys asking for you” she nodded towards the door putting her book bag down. “One of them says he’s your brother.”

“How did they find me” he whispered staring at the door.

“Huh? Did you say something” she asked looking up from the book she was reading.

“No” he shook his head wishing that Cory was there.

Shrugging Courtney went back to her book.

Bouncing his son on his hip making up his mind. He stepped into the hall coming face to face with his twin for the second time that day. A feeling of familiarity and longing washed through him. It was like he’d been missing a piece of himself he hadn’t known was missing. “What do you want” he asked holding his son close.

“Is that…”Evan reached a hand towards the toddler in Jonah’s arms.

“Yeah” he eyed the man that was identical to the man he once loved whole heartedly. Warily he let Evan take Eli from him. With his arms empty he crossed them in front of him.

Jayden stared at him. Muscles working along his jawline. “I’m sorry” he blurted “I should have tried to be more understanding.”

Blinking Jonah felt his eyes tingle “I’ve missed you.” There was so much he wanted to say and so much he couldn’t.

“Me too” Jayden closed the gap between them throwing his arms around his brother. His twin. It felt like two halves becoming a whole again.

“Daddy” Eli pointed at an older man exiting from the elevator.

Jonah’s mouth dropped open. It was the first time Eli had ever called Cory daddy and it had to be now. Clearing his throat he held a hand out towards Cory “I want you to meet some people, Jayden and his boyfriend Evan.”

“Fiance” Jayden corrected after a moment of stunned silence.

Cory on his part stared at the two strangers on his doorstep. “I forgot my wallet” he explained “I’ll order in for delivery.” His eyes watched Jonah carefully looking for clues as to how he was coping with their unexpected visitors.

Turning to the couple “would you like to join us for supper?”

Jayden looked to Evan who nodded. “We need to talk” he said implying they would stay.

“Is that alright with you” Jonah asked nibbling on his bottom lip.

“If that’s what you want” Cory said putting a protective arm around him. “If you’re uncomfortable you don’t have to do this.”

Jayden opened his mouth to protest but the pressure on his shoulder where Evan had put his hand was enough of a warning to restrain him. Instead he glared at Cory who seemed to know his brother better than he did.

Breaking eye contact Jonah nodded “I want to do this.”

“You’re sure?”

Straightening his shoulders he nodded “you’ve told me one day I’d have to face my past. I guess today is that day.”

Previous/Next

[ecos-syscourse]

Something odd is that now that im talking to my friends, or really anyone outside of syscourse, it's so much nicer. I don't have to explain my every action. They already know, because they don't assume negative intent.

Questions aren't as investigative or accusatory. People aren't constantly trying to look for inconsistencies so that they can just make a joke and dismiss what you say.

When you talk outside of syscourse, people respect your opinion. When you talk outside of syscourse, questions are,,, "hey, could you tell me more about this?? :o :3" or "i don't really get it– could you explain what you mean? qwq"

when they do something wrong it's "omg rlly? im so sorry omg!! could you explain so they i don't make that mistake next time? qwq"

it's. really nice. it's really nice not to feel like you're constantly doing something wrong. it's really nice to talk to people who talk to you because they want to. it's really nice to be listened to without constant criticism about phrasing or what people assume you mean.

syscourse... sucks. i think that 90% of you should start interacting outside of syscourse more often. make a new blog and find a community you want to be a part of. you deserve positive, non-stressful experiences. (if you use this to do more syscourse or try to block evade, im gonna hit you with a really big stick.)

we listened to a friend rant about their oc's today. it was one of the best things we've ever done. I think they should write a book. I think they should draw a comic. They're a great artist.

i love everything not syscourse. i love my friends. i love talking to my friends.

i don't love talking to you.

To those that know us from there, I think that we will be very active on our gimmick blog now. X3

(No, we're not quitting. I think we'll focus more on positivity again, though.)

[midnightwind]

okay tumblr decided to be Funny with me so I'm coming back to this outside of the tags because apparently I have too many thoughts about the Crows for my own good

so, cracking my knuckles because it's been a hot sec since I've sat down to be insane over the Crows and their politics! (god fuck sorry just looked up the 'cast list' for 8LT again and wdym Dante was Second Talon wtf- that feels wild okay sorry I thought Emil was Second Talon for some reason) ANYWAYS I think it's entirely possible that Caterina did not push on having Houses Balazar and Valisti vacate their spots, I would find it Highly unlikely that a Talon would not have a successor lined up should something happen to them. Caterina cannot be the only Talon thinking about Legacy and What Comes Next and even if there wasn't an obvious heir to the seat in Houses that lost their Talon I think someone would have stepped up, esp with Caterina looming over them being like “figure your shit out we have to save the country.” (internal fighting still very real, but unless a Knife tried to fight for the spot, I doubt they'd change Houses esp since we haven't heard of a Knife taking a seat recently [we don't know if Teia was Cantori before taking her seat or not to my knowledge])

although there is also a real discussion to be had about how much communication can happen between the Talons post invasion... Viago's letter to Rook mentions that writing letters to Minrathous will be almost impossible because of the Antaam (which I take with a grain of salt because why would the Assassin's Guild use mundane mail that has to be screened... and maybe he just means “they're annoyingly apt at spotting our messages so it's not worth it unless it's Important” idk, it would be on brand for him to also be like "and nothing you write is ever very important so fix that or stop trying to write me") but I think the Second and Third seats are at least still within their initial Houses from 8LT just because of the invasion looming. I do think Caterina might have gone scorched earth on House Kortez however (I can't remember if we have a Codex or dialogue citing this, I know we had a few references to fallen Houses but I read 8LT after finding those and don't want to open the game rn lmao) very much “can't know how deep the betrayal goes so burn it all to save us the trouble” you know?

so maybe Viago did become Fourth Talon after 8LT given he solved the murders and ensured Emil was caught, but then Rook happens. Rook ruins an important strike against the invaders and Viago spares them over it. Caterina understands doing anything for your family (and Rook is set up as his family and potentially his successor even!) but that can't be allowed so he has to be punished! But he's a clever Crow and a good Talon and an important piece on the board (esp when it comes to the Crown of Antiva!) so why not just take that promotion away and ensure he does better next time? scare him, ensure the Problem (Rook) is dealt with, and keep that hard worker under your thumb! I don't know if another House stepped up to fill that role or if there just currently isn't a Fourth Talon (Illario did have a full spread when he tried to take over as First Talon but maybe he just had stand ins or supporters mixed in with Teia and Viago, I don't think all the Talons are in Treviso or should all be there or could all be there that fast) I foresee Bolivar getting ousted by his own House upon his return from 8LT honestly so House Nero may still hold the Sixth seat under a new Talon, and well poor Arainai might still be 8th Talon (never rule out Zevran coming back to run chaos) but it's the weakest seat so I doubt Caterina really worried about solving that with the Antaam happening. and so as long as the House still answers and fights for the Talons in Antiva I doubt it matters who's name has the title, anyone in the House could have taken over for Giuli.

I think bare minimum that Teia should have been promoted to Sixth Talon tho she was core to finding Emil as the killer and it's esp weird considering Caterina very openly favors her. maybe they thought bumping Teia to Sixth but leaving Viago as Fifth would be too confusing? but only people who read 8LT would even find it odd (and even then, would we??) but maybe they had the seats already decided for Veilguard before Tevinter Nights was finished and things stayed the same between...

anyways, the whole of Antiva is primed for a Huge wave of reform at end of the events of Veilguard, esp if Rook is played as a Crow. the heroes of the world (this time) are all decently high ranked or highly respected assassins within the order and one of them even has ties to the crown! I think, if we had gotten to see a little further, glimpsed the road Antiva is on with ousting the Antaam, there would be a decent chance of the Crows becoming proper god damned heroes of legends to the country and Viago making a real move to take the crown from his father (with full backing from at least 2 Houses if not most of the order) and who even knows if having a full 8 Talons would even be needed then? the entire order of Crows could be going through some insane changes at the end of all this

also one other thing that was bothering me. even if we chuck it up to teia's influence and viago being super generous by not overtaking 2nd and 3rd talon (house balazar and valisti) after what happen in eight little talons, house kortez is pretty much done and gone. it makes no sense that a cuchillo house is jumping immediately to the vacated 4th talon position, viago should be a 4th talon now and teia 6th. the setup where they remained at their previous positions would only make sense if they for some reason kept 4th talon vacated, but that makes no sense, it's been years. i think it's just a slipup and by all means viago should be 4th and teia 6th at least. i would even expect more changes in the hierarchy, but on the other hand maybe caterina penalized infighting somehow now that they should be focusing on the antaam.

[kolomo]

ok i finished the apothecary diaries light novel 13 last night here are some thoughts aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah (mild-ish spoilers ahead)

at first, i was kinda bummed out that this volume was a bit of a "filler", but by the end of it i found i really enjoyed having each chapter from a different characters point of view, especially those we haven't seen before like joka's.

i'm looking forward to seeing how all the events that happened within these povs link together later - if there's one thing i know about this story, it's that every little detail is related to another in some way, shape or form.

the next major storyline seems to be steering towards the search for other people (men...) that have imperial blood... the linese hate red hair and green eyes that much, huh. this will all be quite interesting, especially if jinshi's true identity is revealed (i'm afraid of how he will react himself... i feel so sad for him already).

i'm afraid of what jinshi plans to do "publicly" to prove his allegiance to gyokuyou and lihua. the dude tends to err on the side of the dramatic. and we know maomao will be pulled into it somehow, whether jinshi intends her to be involved or not.

and, of course, the big question: is maomao in love with jinshi? i think there is a difference between accepting ones affections and being in love yourself. pairin clearly sensed something, so i wonder whats actually going through maomaos head!

i was a little late to work because i was reading chapter 15... i assume most readers were kicking and screaming at being teased like that, but i thought it was an interesting chapter. does jinshi forget who he is so easily? is it just maomao that has this effect on him? and i know maomao is smart, but holy shit is she smart smart. i found the whole interaction fascinating and enjoyable. i look forward to seeing how their relationship develops further.

oh man. 127 days until light novel 14 releases in english. siiiiiigh.