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dreamescapeswriting · 2 months

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Stray Kids Reaction || Your Child Says Something Inappropriate

⤜Copyright: © DreamEscapesWriting - July 2024

⤜MASTERLIST

CHAN:

Chan had been looking forward to the weekend barbecue for weeks, you had gone all out on planning it together and even made sure all of the kids were entertained so the adults could relax. You wanted it to be perfect for him since it was a rare chance to hang out with his best friends, eat some good food, and catch up on life.

"You okay?" You whisper to Chan as you place a soft kiss on his cheek, his hands busy as he attempts to set up the grill. Your six-year-old son, Rhys, was running around with the other kids, a bundle of energy and curiosity.

"Perfect, everything is perfect." He breathed out, kissing your cheek quickly. Chan flipped the burgers and turned to Changbin, who was recounting a hilarious story from their trainee days.

"Remember when you snuck all that food back to the dorms in your pants?!" Changbin laughed and you started to giggle, watching as Rhys came pouncing over to you.

"Hey, Dad!" Rhy's voice rang out, cutting through the noise. Chan turned to look at his son and couldn't help but smile at him.

"Yeah, buddy?" Chan called back, expecting another excited observation about the bugs he’d found or the cool fort he and the other kids had built, or even about the rocks he now had a growing collection over in his bedroom. Rhy's eyes were wide, and he wore a proud grin.

"I told my friends what you said about Uncle Hyunjin's car!" he announced. You and Chan stared at each other, your eyes widened as you felt your stomach drop, you already knew that Chan was flipping through his mind to figure out what he'd said.

"You said it's a piece of shit and should have been scrapped years ago!" The whole garden went silent as Hyunjin started to laugh a little, ruffling Rhys' hair with his hand and smirking over at Chan.

"I've said worse about the heap of junk, don't worry about it." By now Chan was burning a bright red colour and it wasn't because of the barbecue below him.

"Me and you are going to talk about bad words," You told Rhys sternly, taking him into the house.

MINHO:

Minho and the boys were gathered in the living room, the aroma of pizza and wings mingling with the sound of laughter and the latest action movie playing on the TV. It was their monthly guys' night, a tradition they had maintained since Minho had moved in with you, it was the same night you would spend with your own friends. Cassian - your youngest son of seven years wandered into the room, his curiosity piqued by the laughter and commotion. The boys each greeted him and Chan reached out to ruffle the young ones' hair,

"Hey, buddy, you want a slice of pizza?" Jisung offered, pushing the box close to him but Cassian shook his head, his eyes twinkling as he glanced over at Minho. Minho smirked back at him and nodded his head,

"Actually, guys," Cassian began, glancing at his dad for a moment before turning back to the seven men who were now watching him, expecting to hear a story about his day,

"my dad says none of you has any idea how to pick a good movie." The room fell silent for a split second and then erupted in laughter. Changbin feigned a hurt expression, clutching his chest and grunting loudly as he laid back in the chair.

"Oh, really? Your dad thinks he knows better, huh?" Minho leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with a smirk as Cassian got onto the seat beside his dad and ate a slice of pizza with a giant grin on his face.

"Hey, don't blame me. The kid has a mind of his own." He smirks, high-fiving Cassian, Felix grinned, pointing at Minh.

"Yeah, right. We all know where he gets that from." The room burst into laughter as they started to debate what movie was better, none of them ever settling on something they could all agree on.

CHANGBIN:

"Who's idea was this?" You groaned feeling the sun practically melting your skin as you lay in the shade. For some reason the boys had thought it would be a good idea to head to the beach, bringing their kids and your own to have a barbeque,

"I believe it was Changbins," Minho smirked as he turned to your husband at the grill. You were about to say something when Lily - your five-year-old - started yelling for you both to look over at her

“Daddy! Daddy! Look what I made!” she exclaimed, pointing down at a small sandcastle, with a flag on it. Your heart beamed as you watched how proud she was

“That’s awesome, sweetheart! You’re really good at this.” Changbin chuckled, Lily practically beamed at the praise and you turned to look back at the others.

"NOOOOO!" The cry practically screamed out of your daughter as you turned around to see the sandcastle now crumpled into the sand,

"Piece of fucking-" She yells and you drop your bottle of water, too stunned to even talk. Changbin's eyes widened, and he shot up, cutting her off mid-sentence.

“Lily! Where did you hear that word?” He panicked, kneeling down in front of his daughter as you nervously looked at the others. But Lily looked confused and a little scared by her dad’s reaction.

“From you, Daddy. You said it when you were talking to Uncle Hyunjin last time.” Changbin started groaning as he shook his head for being so careless when it came to throwing words like that around,

“Oh, uh, did I?” he stammered looking at you as you practically glared at him, silently letting him know he was in trouble later.

“Well, that’s not a nice word, Lily. We shouldn’t say that, okay?” Lily nodded and Changbin let her go,

“Okay, Daddy. I’m sorry.” She whispers, kissing his cheek softly as he smiles, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her,

“It’s alright, sweetheart. Just remember, some words aren’t for little kids, okay?” She nods before running back over to the sand and starting to work on another sandcastle.

"I'm in trouble later, right?" Changbin asked as he leaned down to give you a kiss.

"Very much so," You smirk, kissing him again before sending him back to work.

HYUNJIN:

Hyunjin had been looking forward to this for months, ever since it had been announced that he could bring his son in to work he'd been planning what the two of them were going to do all day. Everyone was pretty excited to see Jamie in the work place, he was Hyunjin's youngest son and full of energy all of the time.

“Hey, Jamie,” Changbin called out, wrapping his arms around Jamie and picking him up.

"Wanna see what we've been working on?" He wriggles his eyebrows as the two of them walked into Changbin's studio and sat down at a huge desk. Jamie had always loved watching the boys work, even told you he wanted to be "just like daddy" when he got older and even did the dances...well, attempted to.

Hyunjin walked into the room as he watched Jamie, a huge headset on his head as he listened to the son, even pushing some buttons despite them doing nothing.

"God I love him, he's so curious.” Changbin bellowed out, looking as Jamie pushed the volume up before pulling the headphones off.

“Thanks, Binnie. He’s been looking forward to this all week.” Hyunjin chuckles, but as the room turns calm, Jamie suddenly questions,

“Dad, why does everyone say ‘work is a pain in the ass’?” Hyunjin grunted as he realised he must have heard what he'd said the night before to you,

"This is easy!" Jamie yells making everyone chuckle, Changbin had officially lost it and was laughing into his hands while Hyunjin groaned and walked closer to him to lecture him on bad words.

JISUNG:

"You're basically being forced against your will," Jeongin laughs as he, Jisung and Seungmin all walk into the mall, exchanging a look with each other but their eyes landed on Jisung's daughter. She was clutching his hand tightly and giggled

"Whatever my princess wants, she shall get." Jisung laughed looking down at Emma who was buzzing with excitement.

“Ready to shop, kiddo?” He asked, smiling down at her as she jumped up and down on the spot, her eyes widened.

“Yeah, Dad!” Emma replied with a yell, the boys groaning as they followed the birthday girl.

They wandered through various stores, chatting and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere as Emma looked through all of the clothes for something she wanted. Jisung was in the middle of a conversation with Seungmin about the latest release they had coming out when they decided to check out a new gadget store. As they walked in, Emma tugged on Jisungs sleeve.

“Daddy, can we look at the toys?”

“Sure, sweetie,” He said, leading her towards the toy section and letting go of her hand. She rushed through the toys looking through all of them when suddenly, Emma’s voice rang out loudly and clearly, cutting through the hum of the store.

“Daddy, this toy is a piece of crap!” The world seemed to stand still as Jisung felt his stomach twist and his throat dry. Bending down to her level he looked at her nervously,

“Emma, where did you hear that word?” He panicked and Emma stared at him, confused as to why he looked so upset,

"Mummy said it last week," Jisung smirked to himself, knowing he was going to get to lecture you later

"Well, we'll have a very long talk with Mum about that later, but don't say it again,"

FELIX:

"This is a dumb idea," You mumbled to Felix as he watched the kids run around together, You were all having a picnic out in the sunshine today with all of the kids. Something you weren't sure was the best idea since the kids weren't getting along all that well. Just last week you'd have to split up a fight between Chan's son and yours,

"Everything is going fine," Felix whispered as he looked at you, he knew how anxious you were about it, but your thoughts were interrupted by your daughter yelling over at you both,

"Daddy, Daddy! Look what I found!" Penelope exclaimed, holding up a shiny rock. You and Felix beamed at her, your hands holding onto the rock as she placed it into your hand,

"That’s great, baby. It’s very pretty." You giggled as Penelope smiled hugely at you, but just as quickly as the smile appeared it disappeared,

"Rhys said that the rocks are shit," The rocks slipped from your hands and onto the blankets at the mention of her brother's name followed by a curse.

"Penelope!" Felix yells softly, bringing her into his arms as he starts to beg her not to say it again. The boys all hide their smirks as you go to find Rhys and give him the same lecture.

SEUNGMIN:

Seungmin and Felix were babysitting tonight, well, Seungmin was looking after his own child and Felix was babysitting, Seungmin was running around like a headless chicken trying to clean as quickly as possible before you came home.

"Hey, Ben," Felix called out,

"Which superhero is your favourite?" He chuckled, Seungmin thanked him for distracting him long enough while Seungmin cleaned the paint from the floor, scrubbing as hard as he could to lift the stains. Ben looked up with a serious expression, holding up his toy.

"This one! Captain Marvel!" Felix grinned, pulling the toy and showing it off proudly.

"Great choice! Captain Marvel is awesome." Seungmin smiled, watching his son interact with his friend, each of the boys was like an uncle to him but Ben was always closer to Felix than anybody else.

Suddenly, Ben's action figure slipped from his hand and fell to the floor. Without missing a beat, Ben blurted out,

"Fuck it!" The room went silent. Seugmins eyes widened in shock and he stopped scrubbing the floor and he felt his face flush. Felix winced, hearing the word fall so carefully from the little boy's lips.

"Where on earth did you hear that?"

"Dad said it yesterday when he dropped his phone," Ben said, clearly not understanding what was wrong with everyone in the room. Seungmin quickly got up and traded place with Felix who began to scrub the floor.

"Okay, buddy, but that's not a nice word to use. We should try to say 'oh no' or 'oops' instead, okay?" He looked at Ben who was now blushing and looked to be on the verge of tears.

"Okay, papa. I'm sorry." He nods his head, hugging him from the side,

"Now none of us will tell mum, right?" He asked both Ben and Felix - who was smirking from the floor.

"Promise." He winks making Ben laugh,

JEONGIN:

You knew this part was going to be a good idea the second your friends had invited you and you'd begged Jeongin to let the kids stay at home with a babysitter but he'd insisted on letting them come.

"Emily!" You yelled out for her to come and eat but she ran straight past you and after her cousin while giggling wildly. The fizzy drinks she'd consumed finally getting to her.

"Innie, go collect your daughter," You whine at him,

"She's your daughter too," He laughs, kissing your cheek before chasing after his daughter.

"Not when she's misbehaving," You grumble as Minho walks up to you, smirking as you glare at him.

"Aren't you glad you bought her?" He teased you lightly, but as you were about to come back with a comeback Emily's voice rang out, loud and clear, cutting through the pleasant chatter.

“Mommy says Uncle Minho's girlfriend drinks too much wine!” At that point you wanted the whole world to stop and eat you so you wouldn't have to deal with it. Minho's eyes darted over to you as Jeongin finally grabbed Emily and covered her mouth,

“Kids say the darndest things, don’t they?” You said, forcing a laugh as Minho chuckled deeply. But you were mortified, you hated that your words had been so easily spread.

"She's right," Minho's girlfriend laughs, nudging your arm softly to let you know it was all good between you both but it didn't stop you feeling shit.

@chiisaiblog @sw33tnight @kaitieskidmore97 @laylasbunbunny @stayconnecteed @saymyspringrain @toplinehyunjin @katnisspeetaprim @acciocriativity @just-aelia @choisoorin @straykids5star @midnightfrog625 @beccaskz @scarletemeterio @halesandy @junhannies @gothic4under4lord @lixie-phoria @soulphoenix1618 @aerastus @jin-from-the-block @lensfilm @elizaschuyler18 @piratequeen-impact @kpopsstuffs @chaeyoungs @delulu18 @xyahrinx @katsukis1wife @anthropologymajorkpopmultistan @blairscott @4-chan-inpadella @niktwazny303 @moonlight-the-writer @armystay89 @hadassahchan @yxngbxkkie

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eleni-cherie · 3 months

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a thief's origin✨ || bts • kth - chapter 0.1

"you're afraid I won't wait." "I'm afraid you will."

a criminal and a doctor should be as different as the sun and the moon - but unexpected things happened every day. like him finding his safe haven in her.

»»»

masterlist: here

— genre: thief au, gangster comedy, adventure, romcom, humour, angst, fluff, sexual tensiON, slowburn, mutual pining, strangers to friends to lovers s2f2l

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE. CHARACTERS NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THE REAL PERSONS. ALSO VERY UNREALISTIC PLOT LOL - JUST PRETEND READING A MANGA/COMIC OR WATCHING A FILM, REALLY.

SUGGESTIVE THEMES. MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE & BLOOD (BUT NOTHING TOO GRAPHIC, IT'S STILL A COMEDY!)

»»»

age 25 // 1st year - assistant physician

16th August

Barcelona, Spain

"This is a terrible idea," Yoongi mumbled into his palm that was propping up his chin. Side-eyeing Jimin from his seat in the backseat. "They'll blow it."

"They won't, have a little trust," Jimin argued with a whine. Only earning an unconvinced raised brow from the older guy though.

"Why would I trust these guys I don't know?"

"You know and trust me, don't you?"

And Jimin's grin only widened as Yoongi found himself huffing, unable to object. The younger one taking it as a victory.

His glance then falling to Taehyung on the passenger's seat beside him who had been rather quiet the whole drive there to the docks.

"Yoongi might be right," he eventually spoke up then. It wasn't like Taehyung was too keen to disagreeing with Jimin, but Yoongi had a point.

Much to the master thief's dismay.

"Oh no, not you, too.." Jimin's voice faded, however, when seeing someone entering the warehouse then, catching his attention instead. And he hastily swung the car door open. "Ok, do what you want. I'm going in now!" he announced in a sing-song voice.

Causing the other two to groan in comical unison.

Obviously they wouldn't let him go there alone.

"Wait for us!"

»»»

"Take the vital signs from the patient in room 102, schedule an MRT appointment for room 106 -"

Cassandra was scribbling everything down on her clipboard as she followed one of the third-year's, Dr Moreno, down the hallways, almost bumping into a nurse who was helping an elderly patient going back to his room.

"Oh, and don't forget to get Mrs Oliviera's blood results before the laboratory guys leave."

The older physician came to an halt then, blowing off some of her loose strands, which tended falling in front of her eyes. Her gaze catching something in the distance then before glancing down to the shorter Cassandra, who was too busy noting the latest task down to notice her sudden unsettled demeanor and lightly bumped into her.

"Uhm, anyway, if you're done you can check out if they need help at ER. Heard they got lots going on there this weekend. And if there's any problem, page me. Alright?"

Cassandra quickly looked up and nodded, seeing the tall brunette flashing her a quick smile before stomping away to the direction of the cause of her distress. And Cassandra caught the glimpse of Dr Ramirez, another third-year, walking through the corridors.

"Huh, of course what else," she almost snickered to herself when remembering she might get overheard and instead pursed her lips.

She passed by the nurse station where her colleague and fellow first-year Stella was peeking over the desk with wiggling brows, sending Cassandra a curious look then. Always up for some good gossip.

"What's up with her today?"

Cassandra sighed, letting her gaze wander to where her supervisor and her ex-boyfriend had disappeared to. She had only been there for three months so far, but things like that quickly made rounds among first-years.

"No clue, I am guessing he got on her nerves again."

"As always."

One of the older nurses and someone you wouldn't want to get on bad terms with, rolled in her chair towards them with a knowing look. "Rumors has it the two have a bet going on."

Cassandra was about to ask further, her own curiosity often getting the best of her, when recalling all the tasks her supervisor assigned her to after the daily round. So she excused herself and hurriedly made her way to room 102 first.

First year was hard for most rookies. It apparently got better after entering the second year, but she dared to doubt that until proven wrong.

The daily round every morning was like a quiz show with the chief physician acting as the quiz master and cracking up bemused, knowing all rookies were scared of him.

Then followed the routine tasks and examinations, with an emergency here and there in between.

The intensive care unit was no joke, even if not all of Dr Moreno's patients - who essentially were also Cassandra's, Stella's and the other two rookies' in their team - were in the intensive unit, sometimes they did end up there. And that did take a toll on her, because intensive care usually meant critical conditions.

It wasn't like her intern days anymore - which only lasted three to four months straight - where she mainly assisted in easy routine tasks. This was the real deal now, even if as a rookie she still beared zero responsibilities. The attending physicians would have to face the consequences for a mistake, but that didn't lift the weight off Cassandra's shoulders. Not one bit.

Thankfully, she hadn't made a mistake so far. Yet. Sure, patients had died, but not out of a mistake from her side. Yet.

As one of the other senior physicians had pointed out in one of his very motivational speechess: sooner or later all of them would make a mistake.

His words haunting her ever since, even if he'd later argued that it shouldn't let them weigh down. Being afraid could be a good thing. It'd prevent them from becoming sloppy.

There was truth to that. However, it still left her unsettled.

It was 2am when Cassandra finally arrived at the ER after a busy day and found the ward physician down there. She remembered seeing her around before, Dr Estefan, who was running her fingers through the mop of dark curls while designating patients.

It was indeed a chaotic day there since it was the weekend and normal doctor's offices were closed. It felt like everyone with even a mild cold was coming there in fear of it being something severe.

Cassandra was about to approach her, when a clearly stressed nurse came seemingly out of nowhere, holding a patient's file in front of her face. "You're a doctor, right?"

Cassandra blinked, her mind going blank. Technically, she was one, right? She had the degree and everything. At least she had more medical knowledge than an average person.

"I -uh-" Before she could even stutter out a proper answer, the file was shoved into her hands. The nurse being called by another colleague to assist before Cassandra could object.

Dumbfounded, the young physician took a deep breath and began skimming the filled in pages.

"male - 25 - laceration left arm - sprained arm"

In that moment one of the third-year assistant surgeons passed by - easily recogniseble by the green scrubs contrary to her blue ones and his confident way of walking. He was also one of her supervisor's best friends, so she knew him.

"Eh, excuse me, Dr. Torres. The nurse gave me this file an-"

He had already snatched the papers from her hands, reading over the important info. He glanced at his watch then.

"Ah, you can manage that on your own," he grinned, handing her the file back without giving any sign of wanting to help her out, "Remember what we practiced." He was already walking away, waving. "And if needed, page one of the orthopedists for the shoulder."

Yet again, she was left speechless.

Admittedly, it indeed sounded like something she could actually handle herself. So she inhaled deeply and nodded to herself.

Well, she could take a look and if needed, still call in one of the attending physicians - if she even managed finding an unoccupied one in this chaos.

The note attached to the file said room 044, which was right behind her and where the nurse had probably emerged from.

An insecurity was audible in the knock she gave the door and she took out a pen to scribble down her name as the assigned doctor on the file while pushing it open.

"Hello, I'm here to take a look on a wound?"

There was a short moment of silence before she heard the patient respond. "Y-yeah.."

She hummed, still not taking her eyes from the file as she walked to the counter when hearing him speak up again. "Do I know you?"

"Do you?" she questioned unimpressed as she set the file down and got a pair of disposable gloves, almost knocking off a bottle of oitment. Her clumsiness resurfacing once again.

"Think so.."

"Perhaps you'll remember later," she mumbled, not taking him serious.

She only moved to the city a few months ago to start her medical training after graduation and barely went out. Therefore she highly doubted anyone outside of the hospital would know or recognise her.

Slipping over the gloves with some strange determination, she turned around swiftly. Long curls swaying over her shoulders. "Now let's take a look on th-"

She didn't manage completing the sentence, however, her words getting caught in her throat when meeting a pair of wondering brown eyes. Triggering her memory in the second their irises met and her brows soon joined his raised ones.

"Three.. no, two years ago. Right?"

He was the first one to speak up after the short silence. His attempt to chuckle coming to an abrupt halt as his arm moved, a wave of pain washing over him.

"T-two to three years.." she repeated with a stutter.

Eventually, the scales fell from her eyes as flashbacks from a particular night during one of her interships rushed in front of her mind's eye. Of course.

"Oh, don't say you don't remember me, Doc." He mocked offence only for his smile to grow wider.

"No, no, I do! I also remember your friends," she quickly reassured, almost tripping over her words, "One of them was named Yoongi. Right?"

At this, Taehyung only laughed under his breath. "You remember him but not me? Can I have another doctor, please?"

"Hey!" Cassandra groaned playfully. And she stepped closer, tilting her head at him in an almost marveling manner. "I must admit, I'm amazed you managed remembering me with that concussion though."

"What do you mean? Pops would've busted us without you." A scowl was contrasting his gentle features and she giggled, remembering that odd nickname they had for the interpol agent.

"True. You still owe me one for that, cool guy."

Her lips tucked into a grin full of fake cockiness. She was obviously only joking but Taehyung's expression softened, cracking a small smile.

Of course he remembered her. How couldn't he? He didn't visit many doctors after all - trying avoiding it as much as possible. And he'd especially not come across many with such lovely doe eyes like Cassandra's.

"So.." he cleared his throat then, "What are you doing here? You're an actual doctor now?"

She nodded, not able hiding a little proud smile. "Mhm, only assistant physician though. I'm in my first year."

"I see.."

The young physician decided to proceed with the examination then, feeling they'd spent enough time with small talk - if it could even be considered as 'small talk', considering that term held a randomness and insignificance to it, which didn't feel suitable to their conversation.

Carefully, she touched his arm. His hand was pressing on it firmly to keep the cloth he put on it steady, preventing blood from flowing all over his skin. But it also prevented her from taking a proper look on the wound.

"I know it hurts, but I need to take a look.." she slowly began, giving him an inquiring look to which he nodded. And he let her fingers lower his hand.

The wound was indeed not too severe, aproximately 3cm only. But it must've been deep considering the amount of blood.

"Can you move your fingers for me?" she asked and he obeyed, his left hand moving. "Good, thank you," she smiled. It was indeed good, that meant none of the main nerves was injured. She lifted his sleeve next. There was a light swelling on his brachium as noted in the file. "As for the sprain, we should do an x-ray to rule out a fracture or other bone injury as the source of the problem. But if you can still move the arm, it should indeed be a simple sprain."

"Whatever you want, Doc."

"Here's the deal," she retreated then with a confident posture, pointing at his arm, "I can handle all this. The puncture doesn't seem to be severe and only needs a few stitches, but if you feel more comfortable waiting for an attending doctor, I'm happy to step back. Good luck seeing one before midnight, though."

Taehyung chuckled at her sarcasm. As if she hadn't already taken care of his injury when she'd been a mere intern. Though, frankly, they hadn't left her much choice back then. "Funny how you let me choose. You think I wouldn't trust you a second time?"

She shrugged, biting back a bashful smile. "It's my duty to inform patients about all their options."

Taehyung observed her for a moment, licking over his dry lips in a contemplating manner. "S'okay, I'll take a risk and let you do it."

Cassandra's lips curled into a grin. "Good call."

While she began getting all the needed utensils ready, he took a closer look on her. She hadn't changed much, hence why he'd recognised her so easily.

Same sweet smile, same beautiful coppery curls, same dazzingly chocolate eyes, same cute round nose.

He hadn't noticed her beginning to work, too absorbed in his own thoughts. Only when she desinfected the wound, his mind returned to the examination room and he flinched.

"Want me to inject you a local anaestheticum for the stitches this time?" she asked with an arched brow. An amused smile toying on her lips when remembering their first encounter. "Now I can finally do it after all."

Much to her surprise, however, the young marksman shook his head. "No, it's fine. It already hurts like hell. What is there a little additional pain anyway," he tried joking and playing it off. And Cassandra let him, still giving him a knowing look when preparing the needle and threat.

"Ah, indeed a cool guy," she smirked then and he brushed off the fact he liked that nickname, despite its purpose being to tease him. "Alright then. But if it hurts too much, just say and I'll stop. Promise?"

And his lips tucked into a genuine smile despite his state, enjoying her concern. He nodded. "Promise."

Cassandra began the stitches, peeking at him after each one to ensure it was durable. She could tell he was clenching his jaw, but otherwise didn't seem to mind it. Perhaps the overall pain was indeed higher.

"So.. your name was Taehyung, right?"

The basic trick of engaging patients in a conversation to help them ease up and distract them had proven itself as very helpful to her over the years. That hadn't changed.

"Oh, so you do remember my name," Taehyung scoffed playfully.

She frowned briefly, a short laugh escaping under her breath. "Why wouldn't I?"

He shrugged as much as his injured arm would let him. "Because a minute ago you didn't even recognise my face."

Raising a brow, she got ready to defend herself. Having all the arguments ready.

How she saw countless of patients and couldn't instantly remember all their names. How his face got rounder and his hair seemed darker and definitely longer since their last and only encounter. How it had been years.

But she decided against it, focusing back on her work with a sly smile.

"Since you're talking so big, do you remember m-"

"Cassandra."

Her eyes went round and they met his teasing ones. With a light blush, she huffed and went back to the stitches. "So Taehyung, how comes there's a different name in the file?" She cleared her throat then, the wit returning to her lips.

"A different name, huh?" he played along, "That's odd."

She hummed amused, knowing the reason very well. "And how did your arm end up like this?" she wondered then with pretended nativity.

He most likely wouldn't tell her the truth anyway, but it was her duty to ask either way. And her suspicion was only confirmed when he nervously laughed out, gaze wandering.

"Oh, you know.. stupid accidents happen all the time. Tripped and fell onto something sharp."

That wasn't even a complete lie. He hadn't tripped though, the goon had twisted his arm and rammed the knife right into it. Perhaps trying fighting a guy twice his height - to be dramatic - without his gun hadn't been the smartest idea. Then again, he was entirely blaming Jimin for his current situation. They shouldn't have trusted those guys after all.

The young woman only hummed at this answer, not buying it at all but not able to disprove it either. Simply playing along as well. "Hate when that happens."

They exchanged a small chuckle.

"What are you doing here in Spain anyway?" he wondered out loud then. "Last time I saw you in Germany after all."

She shrugged, her eyes briefly catching the sight of a small golden pedant around his neck. She tried recalling if she'd seen it that night back then as well or if it was new to her.

"Was only there for the internship. Now I was in the mood for something sunnier," she explained with eyes still fixated on the wound.

There was an odd familiarity while talking so casually to him. Reminiscing of long-lost friends when in reality, they had only met once. Though frankly, that one time had been quite a lasting encounter.

"Stitches are done," she announced then and cut the thread. He perked up at this before wincing at the abrupt move. "That fast?"

"Oh, don't you remember? I'm a pro at this," she grinned almost smugly, being sure Dr Torres would be proud of her stitches. And Taehyung chuckled under his breath. Recalling something along the lines.

At last, she smeared some antibiotic gel onto the now closed wound and bandaged it with gauze.

Picking up the file again, he watched her with curiosity scribbling down something.

"As for the sprain.. avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort and regularly ice the area for twenty minutes each time," she said, too focused on the file to notice his eyes following her. "To help stop swelling, you can also compress the area with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops. And elevate the the arm above heart level, especially at night, so it allows gravity to help reduce it."

He only hummed, making mental notes of everything. Or at least he tried to as he kept getting distracted from the small wrinkle between her brows and her pacing around the room. Being in awe with her professionality when she talked like that, knowing exactly what she was saying.

"I'll also let one of the nurses give you some pain medications, if you need."

He blinked as she had interrupted his train of thoughts. "Y-yeah. That wouldn't be too bad."

"Well, then.." She stiped off the gloves and tossed them into the bin. Extending her hand to him then with a bright smile. "I would say come back soon, but this is a hospital and that seems wildly inappropriate. So.. take care, cool guy."

She had to admit, it was a pity she'd never see him again like most patients coming in and out there. Especially considering he was a thief who was, she assumed, still on the run.

Even if this was technically the second time they met. She shouldn't press her luck, she knew.

Taken aback, Taehyung stared at her hand. Eyeing it for a second longer than intended.

This was the part where he should say something, he knew but he had no clue of what exactly or how.

So instead, he simply accepted her delicate hand. Giving it a light squeeze and a shake.

Her cheeks feeling warm at the brief touch and the sight of Taehyung's endearing smile before he let go.

"Thanks, Doc. You.. you, too."

»»»

18th September

A month had passed since Cassandra and Taehyung had met yet again in the ER. Ever since, she had often caught her thoughts swirling back to him. Filled with a mix of curiosity and fondness towards the mysterious criminal with the harmless aura. Although those thoughts became less and less frequent with time.

It was the middle of September now. The weather far from being autumn yet, but the hot summer days were gone as well and so she slipped into a light jacket when exiting the hospital that evening. Mindlessly, she shoved a piece of gum between her lips to keep her mind occupied and distracted from her rumbling belly until reaching home and getting to eat properly.

There were several people around the parking lot, some leaving, some arriving. Not paying much attention to any of them as her sole focus was to get home quickly.

Only when her name echoed over the buzzing city noises, she paused in her tracks.

Glancing confused over her shoulder, she quickly spotted a tall man waving at her lazily. He was leaning against the wall of the ER entrance. And her eyes widened further. Wondering if he had actually been the one calling her or if she had imagined things.

He had ash-blond, mid-long hair which covered his forehead messily. Eyes hidden behind round black sunglasses which matched his black blazer. And for a second she tensed, not recognising this person despite the inviting voice and cheeky rectangle grin ringing a bell in the depths of her memory.

The man huffed out a laugh when noticing her hesitation. Lowering the shades on the bridge of his nose as he tilted his head forward to glance past them.

"You keep hurting my ego, Doc, you know that?" he winked.

And her eyes lit up.

"Taehyung?"

She quickly pursed her lips, realising how careless it might be to say his name out loud like this. Looking around then to ensure no one had heard her, she approached him with fast steps.

In all honesty, Cassandra hadn't expected seeing Taehyung again. Or at least not so soon. But frankly, she hadn't expected to ever see him again after that one night during her internship either and yet, a bit over two years later, their paths somehow had crossed again in a similar situation.

Funny how things worked in indecipherable ways sometimes. It wasn't all too predictable after all.

"I didn't recognise you with the new hair-colour and the glasses, sorry," she pouted apologetically when standing in front of him. Suddenly feeling very small under his striking appearance compared to hers, with a simple cardigan, shirt and jeans paired with a 'just finished a twelve hour shift'-tiredness on her face. Not much was left of it from the moment she'd seen him, though.

"But looks good. How comes?"

He only gave her an ambigious smirk. "Let's say it was time for a new look." Or rather disguise, he thought. Seeing an unconvinced glance behind her long lashes as she hummed.

"I see.. and how's the arm?" She motioned with her chin to the limb she'd taken care of only a few weeks prior. "Any better?"

"Mhm, fully recovered." He raised it with a nod, wiggling it as proof. "Great work as always by you."

She blushed and looked away at the unexpected praise. Coughing awkwardly then. "Well, I'm glad to see that," she nodded. Her heels rocking back and forth at the thought of her next question. "And to what do I owe the honour of this visit? Or was it just to update me on your recovery?"

Taehyung chuckled quietly. Shaking his head. "I still owe you, remember?" he said, matter-of-factly.

Her eyes widened at his words. "You owe me?" she repeated puzzled.

With a non-chalant shrug, he briefly glanced down to the ground.

Truth was, he hadn't expected seeing the young doctor with the warm smile and beaming eyes ever again either. He hadn't planned to. Because even if they relished more the challenge of stealing and there were times when they only stole the object in question to return to its rightful owner or someone who actually needed it - they still remained criminals.

He knew he should stay away from her. And yet, she was one of these people he just couldn't get out of his mind. Whether now or two years ago. No matter how hard he tried.

"You kept your promise two years ago," he said then, "And you didn't call the cops on me last time, either. So I want to make it up to you. If you let me."

Cassandra contemplated for a moment. Folding her lips as her conscience tried arguing with her about all the risks there were - and there were many - when getting involved with someone like him.

But then she glanced at him again and all she could do was smile.

It wasn't his handsome face, but the expression full of charming anticipation on it. It wasn't his heart-shaped lips, but the shy, boyish smile on them. It wasn't his mellow voice, but the words radiating warmth.

Her mind might've been trying warning her, but her chest was telling her otherwise.

"Lead the way, cool guy."

»»»

next chapter: 0.2 here

Don't forget to like, reblog & leave feedback!♡ It motivates me to keep writing :)

taglist: @lilanyxta @naoolammao345 @memna234 @tetehion

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brightlypainted · 4 months

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I went completely bananas and wrote a full analysis of Joker Out and JO fandom stuff and situation... idk

Hi baby boos!

I’ve seen some confusion regarding JO’s latest announcements and social media activity (or lack thereof) so I've tried to analyze the current situation with a critical eye 🤓

I don't use Tumblr much so you're probably more familiar with my Twitter but I got suggested to post this here for easier reading (and... better audience in general 👀)

Long rant under the cut:

Before I begin I must point out that these are my opinions and theories. I have no idea how JO’s communication and management is being organized right now, I’m just making assumptions based on my perception as a fan 🤷‍♀️

(also I’m a communication graduate but my studies and current job cover this sector only tangentially so I may not know how some/most of this works…)

Let’s start with comparing last year’s situation to the current one: one year ago the boys were riding high on the wave of enthusiasm, having had a successful ESC (despite the ending placement) and having gained a lot of attention as fan favorite competitors ✨

A very high % of the growing fanbase, esp the international one, was coming directly or tangentially through ESC and how do you maintain that attention once the contest is over? you increase your social media presence and you start planning international concerts. which they did!

This constant exposure to content made the fandom flourish: we were all witnessing how easily people from everywhere could join and already feel at the very center of attention, both because JO’s communication was being very active and successful and also thanks to fanmade organizations like JokerOutSubs, group chats, old time Slovenian fans sharing juicy pre-ESC content, etc. I'll be grateful forever

We had a past year that could be divided into 2 halves in terms of communication: it all went extremely well until more or less the end of 2023 (last tour dates in Spain) and then started gradually becoming very odd and chaotic all through 2024 until last month’s complete draught

We know that they mostly tend to manage their online presence on their own, so ofc during breaks and during very busy times is harder for them to find good content to share. They had also been very clear about needing time off their phones all through the London era and the album recording in Hamburg, so that didn’t come as a surprise for fans 🤷‍♀️

But having very sensible, personal reasons to quit/decrease social media presence has unfortunately no meaning in communication, where the laws are very simple: once you stop sharing, you stop existing

I don’t want to criticize their choices, because they are entitled to their privacy and offline time. I’m just pointing out that this very long, hiccup-y period probably could have been avoided with better management and with the presence of a smm/pre-planned sm communication 🙃

It also unfortunately happened concurrently to the new ESC season, which was bound to “organically” erode part of the fandom anyway, and to an EU tour that, although successful, has still highlighted a lazy/bad management and yet again a communication that made little to no sense at times (es. the whole campaign that subtly asked people to go to more than one concert, which clearly made fans with less financial and logistical possibilities feel ‘lacking’ and ‘inferior’) 🙄

In their defense, the tour was to establish a fanbase more than gaining more fans and exposure, so pushing for getting more of a loyal than an occasional fanbase wasn’t completely wrong an idea… it just backfired

And it did because the greatest part of their international fanbase is made of very young people who aren’t financially independent and whose interests are bound to be fleeting and shifting ESPECIALLY when they aren’t constantly met with content production/consumption

Let’s also not forget that having completely shifted their attention to international waters at the expense of the Slovenian/regional fanbase has been very risky. We still can’t tell if the gamble was successful or not

It’s never a good idea to ignore/neglect your hardcore supporters, the very people that helped you raise to your current standards. it’s true they are the most loyal, but they are also very easily the ones that could feel more betrayed

I also think it’s very risky trying to shift the fans’ content consumption out of social media and into a (controlled, easier to manage, ofc) site like Openstage for two main reasons: as said before, complete disappearance from socials means communicational suicide and until now, the “dedicated content” directed toward fans on the site has been… too bland and generic (sorry)(they can learn how to improve that)

Openstage has other very interesting uses tho, firstly the early access to ticket sales and secondly the tracking of international fan presence, which was pretty clearly the main goal and reason why they opened the site in the first place... so it’s not ex ante a bad communication choice, just (until now) one that has yet to show its potential and usefulness

So what now? I think it’s time they make a few considerations and sensible choices to maintain what’s currently the status quo and in order to tackle festival season in the best way

They need to keep their international presence by opening their fanbase to a new kind of fans: festivals bring exposure to bands from a very specific type of fanbase, more interested in music than in contents. If they manage to capture the interest of Sziget people, for example, they could gather a new type of international fanbase less interested in the “social media” content consumption and more in the “I wanna see these guys play again, somewhere else, maybe a show of their own” way

(which, to be completely fair, could be the best choice to cure their current crazy/shifting/confusing fanbase state, giving them more peace of mind, more privacy and a more “normal” rock band experience than the one they had in the past year… that we can all agree has been pretty bad at times)

I personally think this summer season must go in the quantity direction (gaining more new fans) and at the same time in the quality direction (less shows, bigger stages) and this is why some of you are disappointed in seeing so little shows compared to last year or to the SYS tour... I get it

Many of us, me included, won’t be seeing JO live for the whole summer season, and I’m aware that is disappointing, but I hope this analysis has helped you put things into perspective and consider maybe one of the possible reasons why this next phase for Joker Out is being organized this way

I’m still hoping they’ll find a good compromise with their social media communication, because right now I really feel that being the main issue with the gradual but constant drop in traction (please boys hire a smm. i adore jan’s sad edits and the unhinged video and stories like the next person but serious work has to be done too)

Ending the rant on a note of hope: I wish to see you all enjoy the summer and the content to come and I hope for the boys to have a successful, fun season full of new experiences, new music, new people, fresh ideas for the future. I’m honestly very excited for what’s to come! 🌻

#joker out #bojan cvjetićanin #kris guštin #jan peteh #jure maček #nace jordan #long post #analysis

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gentlebeardsbarngrill · 6 months

Text

03/13/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Cast & Crew; Leslie Jones; Erroll Shand; Ruibo Qian; Dominic Burgess; Adam Wheatley; Kristian Nairn; Queerties; Fanspotlight: Cast Cards/Our Flag Means Fanfiction; SaveOFMDCrew /Billboards/trucks; Still Fighting; Max Madness; SchadenFreude; Articles; Watch Party Reminders; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Tonight's Taika

== Cast & Crew Sightings ==

== Leslie Jones ==

Congrats to Leslie for her NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Short Form Series!!!! SRC: Leslie's Twitter

== Erroll Shand ==

It's Erroll Shand's birthday! please pop over anywhere you can find him and wish him a Happy Birthday!!! Thank you to @youvebeenricked on Instagram for sending him so much love!

Erroll Shand's Instagram

= Dominic Burgess! =

Our dear crew-mate @iamadequate1 got a Cameo from our very own Jeffrey Fettering (Dominic Burgess!) It's absolutely ADORABLE. You get to meet his cats and fish, and he's just the sweetest man alive-- please give it a watch!

Wanna send your cat pics to Dominic since he shared his cats with us? If you have twitter please add them to the thread below. Thank you to @ouibek for this lovely idea!!!

Ouibek's Twitter post

Speaking of Dominic, he also recently posted an interview he did, please read it when you get a chance!

= Ruibo Qian =

Our pirate queen Ruibo posted some very lovely pictures today, and the message of: 🎼🎶♾️ SRC: Ruibo's Instagram

== Kristian Nairn ==

New music comes out Mar 22, you can pre save it here!

== Adam Wheatley ==

Production Designer and Supervising Art Director Adam Wheatley has dropped some seriously awesome set designs! OFMD Twitter has been having a blast. Check out the full catalog here. Thank you to @adoptourcrew for bringing it to our attention!

== Queerties Results ==

Our Flag Means Death and Vico Ortiz both received Runner Up for the Queerties! Thanks so much for everyone who voted!

== Fan Spotlight ==

Thank you to @melvisik for yet another cast card! This time it's Bronson Pinchot, our very own Ned Low! I totally forgot he was in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, I really need to go rewatch that! Thank you dear for another great card!

== Our Flag Means Fanfiction ==

Our darling crew-mates over at @ourflagmeansfanfiction have a new episode out, this time featuring Stede! On top of that, the #RhysDarbyFaction got a shout out 😭! Please check them out on Spotify or their Instagram!

== Save OFMD Crew / Billboards / Trucks ==

The AppleTV trucks were parked outside Apple today! On top of that, the SaveOFMD Crew sent some love out to David and the rest of the Cast & Crew for all the things they've done for us!

== Still Fighting ==

A lot of fans are still fighting the good fight. Even if we aren't getting OFMD s3, they're sticking it to the man, David Zaslav for stealing our Love, OUR JOY!

#FireDavidZaslav has trended two days in a row, and he's certainly getting some nasty press.

@screenjunkies made a call out to what a horrific job David Zaslav has been doing! Visit Honest Trailers | The Year 2023:

youtube

= Dont Stream On Max =

Are you still interested in causing Max some grief? There's a discord server where several fans are getting together to notify each other and make plans on how to polite menace max. Please reach out if you'd like a link!

= MaxMadness =

So today, Max thought it would be fun to post a really shitty bracket for shows and movies on their platform. They were pitching things like Citizen Kane to eventually be up against Shark Week. If you'd like to see the dumpster fire, feel free to visit their Twitter or Instagram.

Our crew-mate @iamadequate1 decided to make a Max Fan Favorites of our own! This time with cancelled shows! You can vote on this thread below on Twitter!

== SchadenFreude ==

WB is still having a rough time.

== Articles ==

Why is Wall Street Unimpressed with WBD Streaming Profits? Password-Sharing Crackdown Next in Zaslav’s Plans

== Watch Party Reminders ==

= Wrecked =

Times will be 10pm GMT / 5pm EST / 4pm CST / 2pm PST. Watch two episodes per day. Episodes are 21-22 minutes each. Use the following Saturday for the tags/watch if interested but not able to make this time.

Hashtags:

#WreckedPirates

#SaveOFMD

#RhysDarbyFaction

= Mar 15: Lube As A Crew =

Our dear friends over at @astroglideofficial are hosting one last Lube As A Crew, with all of Season 2 in one go! Starts Friday March 15th 12 pm Noon PST ( 4pm EST, 8 pm GMT)

Mar 17: Pirate Radio/The Boat That Rocked Watch Party!

Sunday the 17th of March at 7:30pm GMT / 3:30 pm EST / 1:30 pm CST Hosted & Graphics by @Tillychmo

Watch Party Hashtags:

PirateRadio

AdoptOurCrew

SaveOFMD

OurFlagMeansWatchAlong

== Calendar Reminder ==

Tomorrow is #TheoryThursday! Our crew deserve a happy ending. Let’s give them one! Post and tag us with your favorite fics or art that have happy/feel good endings. They can be your own!

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies! How are you holding up today? Are things any easier this week? If not, that's okay. It's okay to still not be ok.

It's already hump day, and here we are, still kicking. I feel like I've been having lots of ups and downs. Distracting myself with silly things that make me laugh help a lot. Talking with you all on the crew really helps too.

What makes you laugh? Is it puns? Or goofy pictures? Is it unhinged comments, or maybe schadenfreude?

Whatever it is that makes you laugh-- please laugh today. Turn on a special (there's plenty of Rhys Darby specials on youtube or prime video). If that's not your speed, and you want to reach a goofy fic, look up something on ao3 with the weirdest tag you can think of.

Laughter can make us feel so much more alive when we're feeling down, and I hope you get some today.

Remember that you deserve to laugh, and enjoy life. Life will continue to get better, and even when it has ups and downs, you can always laugh, and there will always be bits of joy in the world. You all are my joy. Every day I get by with witnessing all the wonders this crew accomplishes.

You're awesome, and you're kicking ass <3, and you deserve the best. Night Crew. Sending hugs and love.

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Tonight's lovely gifs feature... more hand action! Darby is courtesy of @jodegg! Taika is courtesy of @ofmd-ann!

#daily ofmd recap #daily ofmd recaps #ofmd daily recap #ofmd daily recaps #ofmd #our flag means death #rhys darby #save ofmd #taika waititi #dominic burgess #erroll shand #leslie jones #ruibo qian #finish our stories #long live ofmd #kristian nairn #Adam wheatley #Spotify #Youtube

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cryptidghostgirl · 7 months

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heyhey! You said you had a request but couldn’t see it and in case it was mine here i am once again humbling asking you to feed my delusions. I am the same person who asked for the one with the fake dating trope and the one where reader spawns into the lobby :))

But i am here now going for a more angsty route! >:) Granted, this is more of an OC x Alastor but im describing it more generic for the populace BUT HERE GOES

right before “Cover me” reader kept silently glancing over at Alastor which was on the dance floor, subconsciously making him approach her. He goes of course they have a (Important for later) conversation like “I havent seen you around here. Are you new around town?” “Just moved in actually~” “Well, Id love to give you a tour someday, the names Alastor” and he kisses her hand “Ah a charmer, ill have to be careful around you” (OR A MORE ELEGANT CONVERSATION THEN THAT I SUCK AT DIALOGUE) then theres the knife and gun scene and the team up

And then they get together after about a year or two and I dont wanna say theyre legally married but eventually use wife and husband terms because its more fancy and gives them more respect in eyes of others but they have been together for around 5 years at this point.

but then the events of 1925 happen where readers twin brother dies because some bastards set fire to his house and Reader has an argument with Alastor before eventually going alone to avenge her brother (theyre like “theres too many, youll die” “so be it!”)

Reader kills them all (duh) but because it was January and extremely cold she eventually gets hypothermia and during the delusions it gives she stumbles and gets impaled on an abandoned rusty fence spike and dies :3

Alastor find her and gives her a proper burial and 8 years later in 1933 while visiting readers grave he gets shot canonically

But these 8 years gave reader enoigh time in hell to establish her own dominance and due to the life she lived and the death of hypothermia- she gets turned into a sort of blizzard demon. Around 180 cm with black limbs, white fluffy hair and fluffy ears and a white tail as a sinner form and for the demon form im thinking of the faceless Room Guardians by Anyaboz on Instagram (incredible artist btw) with ice powers like summoning weapons and ice spikes and ice touches and moving freely (like Kindred’s wolf in League) in her blizzard. Taking over half the pentagram like this-

Until 1933 when Alastor pops up in hell, does his demon business and eventually wants to check out these frozen parts and goes into a bar very similar to the one they met and sees reader at the table and then THEY HAVE THE EXACT SAME CONVERSATION THEY HAD WHEN THEY FIRST MET (maybe with the knife and gun scene too hehe) and theyre both like “i forgive you” or smth idk maybe they just have a silent agreement- either way.

After they met the blizzard stops and no one knows why or who did it :>, readers identity as the blizzard demon remaining a secret

BTW I LOVE YOU FOR MAKING MY DREAMS COME TRUE- if you want more i have a ton of ideas because brain rot- (also lil side note i kind of imagine reader as albino because it would fit my ocs lore a bit more- but keeping it basic would fit everyones ideas of their own reader so! do what you please you already made my day better by reading my ideas come to life :3))

yes!! i did see yours and it is currently in third place for requests i need to fill so ill probably get it done by this weekend, early next week at the latest. it’s just taking me a bit because i’m in midterms rn and also i want to make sure i get in all the details :) i think it might’ve been a request for alastor’s mom reader x lucifer?? i recall getting one about that but can’t seem to find it anywhere. long story short,, your request is in progress and i will post it as soon as i have the time to finish it up :)

UPDATE: This piece has officially been posted as of Friday February 23rd, 2024.

Frostbite (Alastor x Reader)

#hazbin hotel #alastor #hazbin alastor #alastor the radio demon #fic writer #hazbin hotel alastor #alastor hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel x reader #request things #request one shot #asks #answered asks

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bananaofswifts · 8 months

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01 - Taylor Swift

No one in the music industry wielded more power over the past year than Taylor Swift, who made history at stadiums, movie theaters and on the Billboard charts, leaving even the most seasoned executives speechless. While they’d long celebrated her staggering popularity as a singer, songwriter and performer, her force as a strategic business leader suddenly came into sharper focus — and industry veterans took notes as they watched some of her bravest and most innovative business risks reap remarkable rewards.

At 34, she is one of the music industry’s most charismatic and influential leaders — and she rewrites the rules.

“The piece of advice I would give to the other executives on this list is that the best ideas are usually ones without industry precedent,” Swift tells Billboard. “The biggest crossroads moments of my career came down to sticking to my instincts when my ideas were looked at with skepticism. When someone says to me, ‘But that has never been done successfully before,’ it fires me up. We have to take strategic risks every day in this industry, but every once in a while, you have to really trust your gut and take a flying leap. My rerecordings are my favorite example of this, and I’m extremely grateful to my team and fans for taking that leap with me because it absolutely changed my life.”

Sage advice for an industry in which instinct has largely been supplanted by metrics and data analysis.

In December, Time named Swift its 2023 Person of the Year. In September, after encouraging her 279 million Instagram followers to vote and linking to vote.org, the nonpartisan nonprofit said it received over 35,000 registrations. She appears on the cover of this issue of Billboard and in the No. 1 spot of our annual Power 100 issue because her force across the business of music is now unparalleled — and because she models commitment to innovation that the rest of the business will need in order to tackle the big challenges ahead.

Swift’s gambles have paid off handsomely over the past year.

Her massive The Eras stadium tour, which began in March after she controversially put all the tickets on sale at once, crashing Ticketmaster and sparking mass hysteria, grossed an estimated $906.1 million in 2023 and is poised to become the highest-grossing global tour of all time before it wraps in December, according to Billboard.

The Golden Globe-nominated Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film, taped during her six-show run at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., in August, has grossed over $261.6 million worldwide since its October opening, according to AMC Theatres Entertainment. In January, the publicly traded movie-house chain announced that the film’s box-office take made it the highest-grossing concert/documentary picture ever released, surpassing Michael Jackson’s 2009 This Is It. Once again blazing a new path, Swift made a groundbreaking distribution deal directly with AMC Theaters instead of linking with a film studio.

Swift has shaken up the catalog market, too. When Scooter Braun infuriated her by acquiring the master recordings of her first six albums through his Ithaca Holdings and then sold them to investment firm Shamrock Capital at a profit, Swift rerecorded the albums with loving precision and added bonus tracks to the new releases. They performed phenomenally well, as she deftly used her tour to promote them. When her latest rerecording (and 14th studio album overall), 1989 (Taylor’s Version), spent its fifth week at atop the Billboard 200 at the end of 2023, Swift beat Elvis Presley’s record for the most weeks at No. 1 by a solo artist. Her industry market share last year was 1.72%. If she were her own genre, she’d rank ninth for 2023 — bigger than jazz.

“She’s the smartest artist I’ve ever worked with,” says Messina Touring Group’s Louis Messina, who promotes Swift’s tours and has worked with her since 2005. “She outworks everybody and she has always had this vision. If you’re around her, you can’t help but believe in her.” —Melinda Newman

#taylor swift

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anogete · 8 months

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Hi. Update of random shit in case anyone cares.

The scary test I was stressed over in the fall when I was posting my last fic? It was the CFP (Certified Financial Planner) exam. Yes, I passed it. The designation requires a bachelor's degree, so I had to go back to school to finish my last 10 classes. Then I had to take 7 more classes that are pre-reqs for the exam. Then I spent probably 700 hours attempting to cram everything you could think of related to personal finance (my god, there is a metric shit ton) into my head. The designation also requires 5,000 hours of experience in the planning field (which I thankfully already had). By the time I passed the test, I was no longer proud of the accomplishment, just relieved to have it behind me.

Work was intensely busy in November and December. I got little reading and no writing done.

I have a WIP featuring the Darcy/Rumlow pairing that has been languishing on my computer since 2020. To be honest, I've mosty forgotten what the conflict driving the plot was going to be. I think I was trying to tie it into the events of Wandavision. Took place after the show and had Monica Rambeau and Darcy kinda sorta working together and trying to figure out what, if anything, crossing the barrier that Wanda had thrown up did to them. Of course, Rumlow is alive and scarred and back with the good guys. And also really annoyed that his recent gunshot wound stuck him on desk duty watching the nerds complete their physicals as part of employee onboarding. Darcy doesn't want to have gym class with Rumlow, and Rumlow doesn't want to be there either but he's also kinda into the sassy brunette who tried to sweet talk him into passing her without making her run a mile. In the chapter or two I did write, the banter between Darcy and Rumlow was so fun, so I'd love to go back to it and try to move it along.

I got sucked into reading Draco/Hermione fanfic recently. Blame those damn Snow edits from the latest Hunger Games movie. Guys, I have never read those books or seen the movies, but blonde Tom Blyth is looking like the fanfic Draco of my dreams. How dare. This rabbit hole led to me deciding I needed to write a Dramione piece. It's maybe 6 pages and has gone nowhere even though I have a vague idea of the plot. My muse is struggling.

I found my old folder of all the fic I wrote in the past 20 years. There are still a couple hockey fics I haven't posted to AO3. There are also Anita Blake fics (I was a hardcore Anita/Edward girlie) and Harry Potter fics (don't cancel me but I used to write Snape/Hermione; NO student/teacher stuff though). I think I have an old Doctor Who fic featuring Nine/Rose (yes, I'm a Nine girlie). And a very old Forgotten Realms fic that paired Catti-Brie up with Jarlaxle. Look, I don't know. It was ages ago. With the exception of the hockey fics, I do not think any of these are of the same quality I've posted on AO3, but I've been toying with the idea of trying to clean them up and posting them so more of my work is archived together instead of spread over various fan sites. Does anyone have any interest at all in reading this shit? Like, at all?

I decided 2024 is going to be my book binding era. I bound isthisselfcare's Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love a couple weeks ago. I did all the typesetting with the help of some macros. Printed it, folded the signatures (the booklets that comprise the book), sewed them together with waxed linen thread, glued the text block together with some mull, and used chip board and book cloth to make the case. It feels and looks like a book, y'all! I could do a better job with lining the signatures up when punching the holes for sewing and with the measurements on the case, but overall I am pretty proud of it. If anyone is interested, I can link a nice tutorial series on TT and/or post progress pictures I took during my book binding experiment. I have to say, it's exciting to have the ability to put my fav fanfics on my physical bookshelf.

#fanfic #mcu fanfic #darcy x rumlow #anogete #dramione #snamione #hp fanfic #bookbinding

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demifiendrsa · 2 months

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom – Traversing Hyrule Trailer

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will launch for Nintendo Switch on September 26, 2024.

Latest details

Regions

Welcome to Hyrule, a vast land where Princess Zelda will journey through her grand adventure. Hyrule is a land of plentiful abundance, from the Central Plateau where Hyrule Castle stands enfolded by its Castle Town, to the outermost reaches, you’ll encounter new and interesting people in each of its diverse regions.

Gerudo Desert – The Gerudo Desert consists of scorching dunes as far as the eye can see and is prone to frequent sandstorms that’s no problem for the women of the Gerudo Tribe. Though there are many ruins full of mysteries here, and an oasis—a great place to relax.

Jabul Waters – Jabul Waters is home to some of Hyrule’s most scenic waterways. It’s also where you can find the Sea Zora and the River Zora, who each reside in their respective villages. Though they don’t always get along. What could they be fighting about?

Eldin Volcano – Daunting cliffs and lava flows dominate the Eldin Volcano region. Pacarico Village is nestled at the mountain’s base, but you’ll have to brave treacherous trails to reach the home of the Gorons. Those rocks may look delicious—alas, they are not for Hylians.

Faron Wetlands – The Faron Wetlands are a lush labyrinth of vegetation. As you wander the jungle you might come across a Deku Scrub. Rumor has it these peculiar creatures have a voracious sweet tooth.

During your travels you’re likely to encounter people dealing with problems great and small. Keep track of quests by browsing your Adventure Log whenever you’d like. Helping people with their troubles is a big part of your journey, and wise heroes are often rewarded for their good deeds.

Waypoints

Objects known as Waypoints are scattered throughout the land. Once you’ve discovered one, you can return toit quickly by selecting it on your map. Even with the benefit of fast travel, getting around Hyrule can prove challenging. At times like these, why walk when you can ride? Gallop right over weaker enemies to send them flying, and hop over small obstacles with ease. Once you learn to make a Carrot Echo, you’ll be able to call upon your trusty steed from anywhere in the overworld.

Smoothie Shops

As you explore you may come across smoothie shops manned by Business Scrubs. Here you can blend the ingredients you’ve collected into delicious drinks. Smoothies have different effects based on the ingredients you choose. They’re sure to come in handy during your travels. You can also equip outfits and accessories to enhance your abilities—and to look fashionable, obviously.

Abilities: Bind and Reverse Bond

Whether you’re trekking over rugged plateaus, through winding caves, or other complex locales, creating Echoes is key to success. But sometimes they may not be enough. A huge boulder like this cannot be learned as an Echo, and your other Echo won’t move it either. For obstacles like these, Tri has got you covered with the power of Bind. Use it to make even a massive boulder follow Zelda’s movement. Bind can help you unearth buried treasure, or even reposition troublesome enemies. You can also use Bind on your Echoes. So get creative and find ways to forge ahead.

Alternatively if you want to follow a moving object yourself, you can use Reverse Bond to go where it goes. Take advantage of a creature’s ability to fly or to move around quickly. Swapping between Bind and Reverse Bond is a great way to find clever paths forward. Let your imagination run wild and you’re bound to come up with all sorts of ideas. Use Bind in combination with your Echoes to overcome obstacles. Understanding how these two abilities work together will be essential to your progress.

Mysterious rifts are overtaking Hyrule. What else will Zelda have to contend with in her grand adventure to save her kingdom? There’s only one way to find out!

#The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom #Echoes of Wisdom #EoW #The Legend of Zelda #TLoZ #Legend of Zelda #LoZ #Nintendo #video game #Nintendo Switch

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newbusinessideas · 9 months

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Top 10 Best New Business Ideas For 2024 - Game-Changing Ideas

🚀 Looking for the next big thing? Dive into these Top 10 New Profitable Business Ideas for 2024! 💡 Explore your potential and turn ideas into success. Ready to start? CLICK LINK for the full list! #BusinessTrends #Entrepreneurship#newbusinessideas2024

Starting a business is an exciting and challenging journey that starts with an idea. And, every year, thousands of businesses are initiated, because, as technology is enhancing business growth and changing customer preferences. So, it is important to explore innovative business ideas that meet emerging trends. And, the upcoming year offers a range of opportunities across different industries,…

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#2024 business ideas #b2b business ideas 2024 #best business ideas #business ideas #business ideas 2024 #business ideas for 2024 #latest business ideas 2024 #new business ideas for 2024 #profitable business ideas #profitable business ideas for 2024 #small business ideas #top 10 business ideas #top 10 online business ideas for 2024

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thedarknesssings · 16 days

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Prompt 3: On a Dark and Stormy Night

Prompt 3: Tempest - FFxiv Write 2024 Characters: Vedastus, Kasimir @zoetic-tome, Fleur @roses-and-grimoires.

Please read This Story for Fleur's side and This Story for Kasimir's side.

Vedastus Secariot wasn’t getting any younger. His legs ached with a bone deep throbbing that promised him agony by morning. A sigh parted his lips. Wind howled outside the stately windows of his Sharlayan home. The occasional boom of thunder rattled the glass in their casements. The weather’s grumbling was not what woke him. His head rolled to the side, pointed ear twitching. No strange sounds warned him of anything unusual.

His eyes cracked open, watching through dim vision as the lightning brightened his bedchamber, laying bare the stark lines of the window. A body lay curled against his, silvering hair spread over the pillowcase and handsome face soft in repose. A frown laced across Vaast’s lips. He gingerly pushed up on one elbow trying not to disrupt the sleeping Kasimir while scanning the far side of the bed and then the room. They were missing a body.

“Fleur?” Vaast murmured the name, sleep clinging to his voice enough to render it scratchy sounding. Kasimir stirred against him, an arm snaking around Vaast’s waist. The soothing stroke of his hand down Kasimir’s side stilled further fussing but didn’t lessen the weight of his arm bidding him stay put.

Normally, Vaast would’ve left well enough alone. Fleur’s restlessness wasn’t uncommon, and he always turned up sooner or later to slide into bed with them well before dawn. Such was life with a researcher. The problem tonight hinged on Vaast’s latest delve into feeling his mortality. The recent business with his estranged family reminded him of that all too well. None of them were getting any younger.

A soft sigh eased from Vaast, and he gently disentangled himself from Kasimir. “Need a drink. Back in a moment.” The reassurance stilled the protest on Kasimir’s lips into a simple hum of understanding and his arm loosened to allow Vaast to slip from the bed.

His bones creaked, a mournful violin playing along to the percussion of the storm battering the house. Several steps later and finally the stiffness in his gait eased some. Vaast stood in the hallway, one hand pressed to the wall for support and his head tipped to the side with his ears straining. What he listened for, he had no idea. Something was not right. A fleeting prayer crossed his mind, uttered briefly on his lips. This very real fear of finding one of his partners hurt or worse pressed on him more and more over the last few weeks.

“Fleur!?” The name rumbled from his lips a bit louder than before, still trying not to alarm Kasimir while trying to figure out what part of the bloody mansion Fleur may have wandered off to.

He winced at that thought. Wandered. Twelve above, the day Fleur’s mind wandered they were all in some serious trouble. He was the most intelligent of them, not that Vaast or Kasimir were dullards by any stretch. Vaast bore the mark of an Archon on his back against a shoulder blade after all. He possessed the mind of an entrepreneur, a business man, whereas Fleur’s mind remained youthfully curious, fitting for an alchemist of his skill.

His hand dragged across the wall, the sound drowned by the rage of the storm outside. His home sat on the edge of the residential district, overlooking the sea. The first great purchase Vaast made after cementing what became his gleaner empire, a home for himself and his then bride. The life he started in this home as a young man was not the life he was to end it with. Love endured, even in death, and he missed his wife often in the lonely parts of his day. She’d be proud of him, he knew, that he learned to love again.

Down through the house he wove his way, past the sitting room, through the kitchen. Stray fingers plucked a scone from a basket along the way. Impossible to pass up on the cheese ones, they were his favourite. “Fleur!” His path finally led him down to the workshop, hand rising to press the door open. The harsh drift of Fleur’s voice made him pause, hand holding the door barely ajar by a half fulm. The scone hovered against his lips, teeth prepared to bite down and yet he didn’t.

“I need more–” Fleur’s voice continued, moving in and out of Vaast’s hearing, breaking up what he could make out. “--More potent.” Vaast frowned and lowered the scone. The tone in Fleur’s voice shot a chill down his spine. If he needed supplies, why didn’t he ask him for them? “--Don’t care what you have to do–”

Vaast backed away, letting the door close once more. That didn’t sound right. His brow furrowed to match the frown on his lips, eyes narrowing some. His hand moved toward the door once more just to halt shy of touching it. Fingers curled in against his palm a moment before he retracted the hand altogether. He needed to talk to Kasimir. The idea of Fleur tangled up in something bad sat like a boulder in his gut. Vaast turned on a heel and strode away, intent on making his way back to Kasimir in his bed. The scone was left forgotten on a side table at the base of the stairs next to a vase.

#ffxivwrite2024 #ffxivwrite #prompt 3 #short story #writers on tumblr #ffxiv writers #elezen #Vedastus #Fleur #Kasimir

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shc2c · 1 month

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The Mysterious Case of Sonic Movie 3 Marketing

An Op-Ed by Malzilla

Let me say this right off the bat, I am not an expert in marketing. I took Marketing classes in college for my business minor but most of it was pretty entry level but it gave me a solid foundation to understand most companies' marketing plans. Or at least try to see the method or goal behind the madness to get a scope of what they’re trying to do. But Paramount’s treatment of Sonic 3 is bizarre. We got toys, plushies etc out in stores before the first trailer.

Sonic Movie 3 has me utterly baffled. Because here we are exactly four months/120 days (122 days at the time of this writing) and do far zip zilch nada.

The last OFFICIAL news we got for the movie was back on Feb 2nd when the twitter released a little teaser showing the logo as well as some of the additional human cast members. Sure Jon Campea on his Podcast YT show announced that Keanu would play Shadow and was pretty much confirmed by official Hollywood outlets in April but no official word from Paramount has been given. They’ve been radio silent for months know, save for a few weeks in April to promote the Knuckles TV show

So why the wait? Some folks I have talked to may think there may be some internal stuff going on, but I doubt it. Yes Paramount is getting ready to merge with Skydance and some layoffs have happened but I don’t think that would affect much of the Sonic movie day to day.

So here we are at four months till release and we’re all wondering “It’s go time right? RIGHT?”

I would think so. And so has the rest of the Sonic Fandom. But alas we’re still waiting for the green light to go. So when is that green light coming?

Soon.

I hope.

Honestly, I don’t know. But looking at two other films marketing that run some parallels to S3 as well as some key dates in the next four months. I'm going to throw some ideas out there.

First off let's look at the marketing on Sonic 2. Movie was released April 8th 2022, and its first official trailer was released on Dec 9th at the 2021 VGAs (it also had a poster released the day prior on the 8th). So right at the four month mark. They followed up with some TV spots and a special Pre Super Bowl TV spot in February AND then the final Trailer March 14th. So a fairly dense four month marketing campaign.

The other film to look at is Spider-man No Way Home, which like Sonic 3 had a December release date. NWH after months of rumors and lack of promotion (sound familiar) debuted its first teaser trailer on August 23rd 2021; roughly four months prior to its Dec 17th release date. It also had another final trailer on Nov 16th; roughly one month prior.

So if we look at both of them we see a very similar four month marketing campaign. So what does that mean for Sonic 3? Let's work backward from the release date till now. The following are dates of significance, IMO to both Paramount, Pop/Nerd/Game culture etc:

Dec 20th - Release Date

The Long Wait will be over and we all bask in the Living and Learning of it all

Nov 28th - Thanksgiving - Possible 2nd Trailer.

Given that Paramount has put Sonic TV spots before Football games before, I would not be surprised if we got the 2nd Trailer during Half Time of the CBS game that airs in the morning of Thanksgiving. This also aligns with the roughly 1 month prior benchmark as seen with both S2 and NWH.

NYCC Oct 17th-20th - TV Spots/Behind the Scenes/Movie Clip

While this date kinda is little too soon for a second trailer, it would be a great time to bring out the whole cast and do some promotion with the masses and maybe some TV spots or a small clip.

Transformers One Release Sep 20th - PONR for First Trailer

I think I can safely say that the absolute LATEST we can expect a trailer for Sonic 3 would nex month with the release of Transformers One. Paramount would have to be utterly brainless NOT to have a trailer for Sonic playing in front of their other Family Nerd Oriented IP.

Gamescom 2024 Oct 20h - 25th - Trailer Release

Kinda funny how the Opening Night Ceremony for Gamescom just so happens to fall on both the four month till release mark AND a Tuesday (Paramount usually releases trailers on Tues/Thurs)? We KNOW SEGA will be there with more SonicXShadow Generations, but really the movies are more Paramount’s game than SEGAs so there is no guarantee it will be released. BUT Paramount has passed on both Summer Game Fest AND San Diego Comic Con. Everything seems aligned for a reveal on Tuesday. I guess we’ll know if we get a poster revealed tomorrow.

Now personally I would have started ramping up the marketing with SDCC. Because right now the two biggest competitors that Sonic 3 is going to have in Dec are Kraven and Mufassa. And both of these movies have had TWO trailers released for it. With Kraven it makes sense since it was originally supposed to be released back in 2023 but then got pushed back 3 times. So I guess Sony thinks it can rack up a solid week one before the family holiday push. Mufassa on the other hand is going to be the big one to beat as family’s will no doubt flock to the much anticipated origin of Mufasa! That last part was sarcasm but this part is not: they need to get the word out to the casuals. I’ve talked to a lot of Non Sonic who are genuinely excited to see Keanu play Shadow. And the time is right to get them hooked.

So in the end, I will say that I’m like Jon Snow and I “know nothing” but I do know we're getting to the point where it’s time for paramount to lace up its sneakers and get going. Whether it's this week or the next or maybe till the opening of Transformers One. But I would recommend Paramount not dilly dally. Sonic Fans are easily frustrated and can turn rabid quickly.

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic hosts coast 2 coast #Sonic Movie 3 #Paramount Pictures #SEGA

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plasticflwrs · 4 months

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⠀⠀ ⠀┈─ GASP OF AIR ⠀⠀／ ⠀⠀ an oh deurim & oliver song story ( 2024 ).

"And then I was looking at my old friend John: / ... and I saw him, / and he: (and this was almost unbearable) / he saw me see him, / and I saw him see me." — The Affliction by Marie Howe.

WORD COUNT. 2.6k. WARNINGS / NOTES. surprisingly, nothing major! they drink a bit of wine on the balcony and talk like they're in an episode of nbc's hannibal. mentions of: alcohol, oliver's poor mental health, dysfunctional relationships, shin yeonghui (derogatory).

The balcony door slides open behind Oliver and he pauses for a moment. There was an unwritten rule of the balcony: do not interrupt someone out there alone. They all did their best thinking leaning against the wall or in the cheap beach chairs from the local furniture store or using it for uncomfortable phone discussions. It was rude to walk out there without at least texting the other person before and, for once, he had his phone off of Do Not Disturb but had not felt any incoming messages. He always kept his phone close and right now, it sat under his left thigh as he looked out at the Seoul skyline, a bottle of cheap wine, and some cheap glass on the table next to him.

He doesn’t turn around. Instead, he hoped that whoever entered his personal space would get the message and go back inside, realizing that he was not in a good mood. He hadn’t been in that mood lately with the upcoming comeback. He was nervous about the record and was already being asked by the higher-ups about what would come next. His songwriting notebooks and fountain pens sit untouched next to him, the blank page mocking him as he taps out the same melody over and over again.

There was something there, he just couldn’t find it yet.

Instead of leaving, they sit down next to him and he can tell just by the hair color that it’s Deurim. Jiyeon and Salem had both dyed their hair similar shades of blonde or orange, he wasn’t sure which, and Junyeong had a shorter haircut. Deurim, for the first time since debut, had lightened her hair to a light brown rather than her usual black and Oliver thought it looked nice. Deurim always looked nice.

They weren’t that close. She liked to stick her nose in Oliver’s business when it had nothing to do with her and had gotten into some fight with Jiyeon a few years back, so he tended to stay away from her. A part of him pitied Deurim. She had no friends in Plastic Flowers and had missed the formative years—the trauma bonding years as they called it—and was thrown into fame with little preparation. Even he, coming back from a few months of Boston, was rattled by how quickly they went from absolute nobodies to the biggest idol band in all of South Korea. They were breaking records set back in the early 2010s like it was nothing and still, they managed to top themselves with each album.

The fans had gotten used to her presence but she remained the least liked member due to her late joining. They were protective over their favorite band and still saw her as an outsider despite her contributions to the latest albums and how quickly she had picked up the pieces broken by Minghui.

Of all the decisions made by Shin Yeonghui, this was one of the few she had gotten right.

He had seen some of the trainees before his departure and she was the only one that stuck out from that generation. Stardom came naturally to her, as if she was born to be in front of the camera, and was shameless with the character she showed for the fans. They had never seen the real Deurim, the one with the sharp tongue and ability to silence a room with a look, and had a completely different idea of her. Sometimes, Oliver commended her for it. His idol persona and his real personality were slowly blurring as if they were becoming the same, and that scared him.

“Are you sleeping out here or something?” she asks, sitting down next to Oliver and pouring herself a glass of wine. He wasn’t sure where it came from but accepted it even with a weird look cast in her direction. “Kicked from Jiyeon’s bed?”

He scoffs and takes a long sip of his drink. “Can’t be kicked from something I was never in.”

“Oh c’mon,” she laughs, bumping her shoulder against Oliver’s as if they were friends. “You’ve been single for two years and haven’t tried anything with Jiyeon? She’s, like, obsessed with you.”

His relationship with Jiyeon is something that Oliver likes to keep private. There were too many emotions surrounding everything and sometimes, it even confused him. That was his best friend, the one person who had always been by his side, and he never wanted to ruin her with all of his issues. Instead of answering, he takes another sip, emptying the glass and refilling it without even thinking. Rather than going for his usual vodka or soju, he subjected himself to the tasteless cheap wine from the local convenience store to avoid a hangover or getting too messy. He thought the peach flavor advertised would make the drink better, but it was just as bad as he remembered. He didn’t know how people liked this stuff.

She hums and nods slowly as if pretending to understand something. “The silent treatment?” She leans in closer to him, placing a hand on his, a familiar gesture, and considers him for a moment. Deurim studies him like a painting in the Louvre, eyes dancing between facial features and she finally smiles as she leans away, out of his personal space. “Wanna know what I think?”

“I bet you would’ve told me either way,” and he doesn’t mean the sarcasm that leaves his mouth without thinking or the slight stumble to his word. Deurim looks at him again as she just shrugs in response, still looking at him with those dark brown and attentive eyes. “Whatever—sure,” he agrees after a beat. “What do you think?”

He’s heard plenty of theories over the years, from friends and gossip articles alike, about his personal life. Many people believed that his relationship with Salem was only for cameras, that he had an awful superiority complex, and was mistreating staff backstage. The woes of fame, he always told himself, were the constant speculation about his life. That’s why the balcony was so great—a way to interact with the public without truly interacting with him. He still heard the ambient noises of the city and could people watch with ease, leaving him to his best thinking and memories of sitting in the Boston Common with his mother on the weekends and having a picnic.

Of course, he’s one of the few people that knew the true stories of all the rumors. He knows the truth, but, hearing what other people believed was always interesting. Deurim had front-row seats to some of their greatest behind-the-stage moments and had a different point of view from the rest of the world. She didn’t know the truth about them, but she was a step higher than the regular popular culture consumer. She knew many things they would never, but she didn’t know everything about them.

“So you do pay attention to me,” she hums, letting the end of her sentence linger before speaking again. “I think that you’re scared.”

“Scared?” He repeats.

“There’s so much history with her,” she says the word ‘history’ like it was something annoying, scrunching her nose and tilting her head to the side. “I don’t even know how you stomach it at this point.”

Oliver shrugs, trying to think of the right words to describe the relationship he has with Jiyeon and Salem. It was all confusing at this point as they all refused to talk about what was going on and they seemed more than happy about leaving Oliver behind. They were often going out together and many nights, he heard them talking in either of their rooms about anything and everything. A few times, his name had even come up, but he couldn’t stay to listen to it. He knew he made many mistakes over the past few years and hearing it out loud always messed with his head, so he tried to avoid their conversations about him, no matter how curious Oliver was.

“It’s not that weird,” he lands on and it’s the truth—he wanted nothing more than to rebuild that friendship back up and avoid any weirdness in the dorm. Even if they would only be living together until September. “She’s moved on.”

“Moved on,” she scoffs. “What are you? Delusional?”

“I’m sorry?”

“You can’t be that stupid, Oliver,” she states, lips pursed and looking at him like he was stupid. His eyebrows furrowed, not understanding where she was going with this. “She’s never going to give you up.”

“We’re best friends. Of course she’s not going to give that up,” Oliver retorts with a frown.

“But do you wanna be more than friends?” Deurim finally asks.

Oliver pauses. He’s thought about it before, but never in depth. He loved Jiyeon, but it felt more familiar to the way he loved his older sister, Ivy. Sure, he wanted the best for her and to see her happy, but that didn’t mean in a romantic relationship and he had told her that before.

“No,” he lands on instead, keeping it short and sweet to avoid saying anything he would regret. Deurim was good at using words against other people and he didn’t want to be the cause of another fight when things were going back to normal. Well as normal as they could be for them. “I’ve never thought of her like that.” There’s a second statement that lingers in the back: that he never wanted to hurt her. When it came to Oliver and relationships, things always turned for the worst and he didn’t want that for Jiyeon.

Oliver wasn’t sure if it was real, but each time he blinked, it seemed like Deurim was moving closer to him. He had never looked at her this closely before and his gaze danced around each of her features, taking all of them in at once, before landing on her lips. She notices within an instant, because, of course, she does. Deurim has always been the observant type and loved to people-watch from this very same balcony over the weekend. She smiles at him, one that feels more real than the others but doesn’t make any more movement towards him. Oliver had never noticed her smile before.

“What?” She asks. “Is there something on my face?”

Oliver shakes his head, “No… I’m just seeing you for the first time.”

Deurim gives him a weird look at the choice of phrasing. He had looked at her before and knew what Deurim looked like, but this was the first time he was paying any attention. He had been so focused on his issues and the other members that he never gave her a chance. He sided with Jiyeon without even listening to Deurim’s side of the story and suddenly, that felt unfair to her.

“You’re seeing me?” She stresses the word just like Oliver did as if trying to understand what he was trying to say. She even considers it for a moment before asking, placing her right hand onto Oliver’s left, “And what does that mean?”

Oliver isn’t even sure what he’s trying to convey. “This is the first time I feel I can understand you.”

She nods, humming and his breath gets caught in his throat as Deurim moves even closer, her hand moving up towards his shoulder. He could feel the warmth of her hand, sending a shiver down his spine as the air around them charged with anticipation and time slowed. He knew where this was going as he looked into Deurim’s eyes, which held something he couldn’t place at that moment. Her touch was gentle yet firm, grounding him to the present moment. In usual moments like this, his mind is running with anxiety and wondering if this was the right move.

“I’ve always been here,” she finally says, her voice barely above a whisper. “But you never saw me. I’ve always seen you, Oliver.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Deurim replies, a smile gracing her lips as she glances down at Oliver’s own. “We all have moments of blindness. You’re seeing me now and that’s what matters.”

He finds himself nodding without noticing, his brain struggling to catch up with the rest of the moment. It was like a breath of fresh air as he looked at Deurim and saw something new, something good. It had been a very long time since he had felt like this. The last time had been back with his family in Boston during his forced hiatus and spending time with them always brought good feelings. They were walking through the Common and it felt right like it was where he was supposed to be. It reminded him of the early days of Plastic Flowers and his relationship with Salem, the easy days and the ones that were spent in fits of laughter rather than ignoring each other.

He’s always been an emotional person—something that his father didn’t like about his oldest son but served well in the career path that he chose. He acts on his emotions without much thought and that explains how he ends up here, with his hand on Deurim’s chin as he brings her into a kiss. It’s chaste for a moment as if both of them are waiting for the other to make the first move and deepen it. He begins to pull away and looks closely at Deurim’s face, trying to understand what she is thinking.

That’s the issue with Deurim.

She didn’t wear her heart on her sleeve like the rest of the members of Plastic Flowers and it was almost impossible to read her most days. She had perfected that stone-cold stare, the look of indifference, and often avoided letting the others see her at her lowest. He’s only ever seen Deurim’s real emotions once and it had been when they won best band for the first time at a major award show. It hadn’t been long after she joined and he understood the emotional relief of seeing the tangible success, holding that trophy in her hand for the first time as she thanked the fans, tears falling easily from her eyes as she hugged each one of them.

However, it seems that Oliver caught her off guard. She blinks almost owlishly at him as if she hadn’t seen this coming. The hand that had rested on top of his moved and pulled him back into the kiss, moving from his cheek and into his newly dyed hair. They stay like that for what feels like hours, trading kisses with ease, even though he knows it’s only been a few minutes at best. His hands wander to her waist, holding her close and smiling through the entire thing.

As Oliver pulls back once again, the melody from earlier suddenly comes with lyrics and it’s as if Deurim has inspired him once again. He hasn’t had a muse since his relationship ended and it takes every part of him not to leave Deurim’s space in favor of grabbing his notebook from where he was previously sitting. He doesn’t move, instead cupping her cheek again to look at Deurim. He isn’t sure how he missed this.

“What’s wrong with you?” She asks, lips swollen and red and smiling at him.

“Nothing,” he says with a shake of his head. “Nothing. I just feel good.”

“Good.”

Deurim is leaning in again and it feels like the entire world is behind them as Oliver meets her in the middle, happy to just remain in this moment for the rest of time.

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