#like the. the acceptance of being an outsider and then being just ?? when someone 'challenges' that by iniating friendship

[beomgyucoded]

Genre: established relationship, idol!Taehyun x non idol!Reader, fluff, so much fluff and warmth, slightly suggestive

Word Count: 3.7k

Warnings: none that I can think of other than it being the slightest bit suggestive in one part

Summary: The Star Chapter: Sanctuary was gearing up for release and fans couldn't help but point out how the album feels like it was written in glitter pen.

The air was warm, both outside and inside your room. You stretched lazily on the bed, feeling the soft cotton sheets against your skin for the first time in hours. Taehyun’s chuckle floated through the space behind you.

“You look so content,” he remarked, amusement lacing his voice.

You turned to find him leaning against the doorframe, a knowing smile on his lips.

Rolling your eyes, you replied, “Can you blame me? This bed feels like a cloud.”

Taehyun chuckled again, pushing himself off the door frame and walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. He reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

“I suppose I can’t argue with that,” he said softly.

“I’m surprised you were able to come over. I’ve missed you,” you murmured, sitting up and leaning into his touch.

"I've missed you too," Taehyun whispered, his gaze tender.

The warmth of his hand against your cheek ignited a familiar flame in your heart. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. His lips lingered for a moment before he pulled away.

“They’re working you guys way too hard,” you pouted.

“You have no idea,” Taehyun sighed, his expression turning somber.

“It’s been non-stop. I feel like I haven’t had a moment to breathe.”

You placed a comforting hand on his arm, feeling the tension in his muscles.

“You need to take care of yourself. Don’t push yourself too hard."

Taehyun’s eyes softened at your words.

“I’m trying," he whispered.

“You have to promise me too,” he insisted. 

“Have you taken any breaks today?”

His voice grew firmer, knowing how easily you lost yourself in work.

"I... I might have gotten a bit caught up," you admitted sheepishly, avoiding his gaze.

"You and your dedication," he teased gently. 

"Always diving headfirst into your work without thinking of yourself."

Feeling a twinge of guilt, you playfully swatted his arm before leaning in to rest your head on his shoulder. Taehyun wrapped an arm around you, pulling you closer, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat grounding you.

"I think we both need a break," Taehyun murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of your head.

“I agree,” you whispered, soaking in his warmth.

After a comfortable silence, Taehyun gently took your hand in his, his thumb tracing soothing circles on your palm. His touch sent a wave of reassurance through you, reminding you that no matter what challenges lay ahead, you’d always have each other.

You first met years ago, when Taehyun was still a trainee. You would often take evening dance classes at a nearby studio for fun and enjoyed clearing your mind after busy days. It wasn’t uncommon to see other trainees spilling out into the hallways or staying late to practice.

One night, you noticed someone else working in the studio next to yours. He looked deeply focused, repeating the same moves over and over until they were just right. You had seen him around before, but that night he looked especially exhausted, covered in sweat and slowing down with each movement. 

On your way out, you decided to take a chance and knocked on his door, offering him one of the water bottles you brought.

"Here, it looks like you need it more than I do," you said with a small smile. 

He seemed surprised but grateful as he accepted the bottle. 

"Thanks...I'm Taehyun," he introduced himself with a shy smile, catching his breath. 

From then on, the two of you would often chat after class about your days, your dreams, and the hard work required to keep pushing forward. 

Over time, these late-night encounters became routine. You would hang out in the hallway after class and talk about anything and everything, enjoying each other's company and finding solace in being understood by one another. 

When Taehyun finally debuted with TOMORROW X TOGETHER, you were one of the first people to congratulate him. Despite his busy new schedule, your friendship continued to grow deeper as you continued supporting each other through life's ups and downs. Without realizing it, those late-night talks and shared aspirations brought you closer until eventually, you became something more.

You remember when he asked you out, that night a mixture of chaos, confusion and relief. 

Taehyun had planned everything out carefully. He’d decided that after movie night at the dorm, he’d casually ask you if you wanted to take a walk, giving him the perfect opening to finally tell you how he felt. What he didn’t know, was that his members had noticed his feelings long ago and were each, in their own quiet way, scheming to help him along.

You arrived at the dorm and Yeonjun was the first to greet you, holding the door open with a warm smile and an encouraging, “Hey, glad you could make it.” 

Then he threw a sidelong look at Taehyun, who blinked in surprise but brushed it off.

The movie was picked carefully by Beomgyu, a romantic comedy that the group had never watched together before. He insisted, with a knowing look at both of you,

“We need something lighthearted tonight, don’t you think?”

As the movie went on, Taehyun tried to focus, but the occasional glances from his friends were keeping him on edge. Halfway through, Kai got up to dim the lights even further, leaning over with a grin. 

“You know, dim lighting really makes the whole vibe cozier, doesn’t it?”

“Sure, I guess…” Taehyun mumbled, catching your eye with an apologetic smile. 

You gave him an amused look back, sensing his friends were up to something but deciding to stay quiet.

Finally, as the credits rolled, Taehyun gathered his courage and turned to you, just as Kai and Soobin exchanged an exaggerated stretch and yawn, subtly nudging the rest of the members to leave the room. Taehyun, still slightly clueless to their orchestrations, took his chance.

“Hey,” he started softly, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the others were gone, “do you want to go for a walk? I thought it’d be nice to get some air…”

You agreed, and the two of you slipped out, walking side by side in the cool evening air. Before Taehyun could say what he’d planned, Beomgyu appeared out of nowhere, calling after you with a suspiciously innocent expression. 

“Forgot to say goodnight!” he said, grinning. 

Then he added, with a barely hidden smirk, “Make sure you two enjoy yourselves!”

After Beomgyu disappeared, Taehyun groaned, finally realizing what his friends had been up to. He laughed, turning to you with a shake of his head. 

“I’m pretty sure they were trying to set this whole thing up tonight.”

“Well,” you replied with a soft smile, “it’s about time you caught on. Did you really not know?”

Taehyun’s face softened as he looked at you, taking your hand with a quiet laugh. 

“Guess they saved me some trouble. I wanted to ask… if maybe you’d like to go on a date with me?”

You nodded, your hand fitting easily in his, and you both laughed at the subtle chaos of the night. In the end, the efforts of his well-meaning members brought you together in exactly the way he’d hoped. 

“Do you want to watch a movie or something?” Taehyun’s voice brought you back to the present. 

“Huh?”

You blinked, realizing you had zoned out while lost in the memory of that night. 

Taehyun chuckled softly, a playful glint in his eyes as he leaned back. 

“You were miles away just now. I thought maybe I lost you to the stars or something.”

You smiled back at Taehyun, grateful for the way everything had unfolded. 

"Sure, let's watch a movie," you replied, grabbing your laptop from your desk, closing out all the programs you had opened.

Opening Netflix, you decided on a movie neither of you had seen before, but had saved to your watchlist. 

The room was quiet except for the soft hum of the movie playing on the screen. You nestled closer to Taehyun, feeling the warmth of his body as he wrapped an arm around you, pulling you in. 

The movie was acting as background noise, neither of you were really paying attention. His rare free time meant more than just physical proximity, it was the comfort of having him fully present with you, not thinking about schedules or meetings or the endless hours of practice.

"Do you want me to grab some popcorn?" you whispered, feeling a shift in his posture.

Taehyun didn't answer right away. 

Instead, he shifted slightly, his eyes glued to the screen as if something had caught his attention. You looked up at him, puzzled.

"Taehyunnie?" you asked gently, softly poking his side.

His arm was still holding you close, but his gaze seemed distant, focused, as if he were deep in thought. Then, his eyes snapped back to you and you could see the spark of realization in them.

"Wait," he murmured, his voice tinged with excitement. 

"Can you… can you grab me a pen? I just got an idea."

You blinked in surprise. 

"A pen? Now?"

He shrugged apologetically, his face lighting up with that familiar, almost boyish grin. 

"I know, I know. I didn’t expect it either. But it’s like—" He paused, trying to find the right words. 

"It’s like the lyrics just clicked. I need to write them down before I forget."

With a soft laugh, you paused the movie and sat up. 

"Okay, okay. I’ll get you your pen," you teased. 

"But only if you promise not to get lost in your thoughts for the next hour."

Taehyun smirked, his eyes twinkling. 

"I’ll try, but no promises. Inspiration’s a funny thing."

Giggling, you made your way to your desk, rummaging around for a pen. 

Since most of your work was done digitally, you didn't have many writing tools on hand.

You sifted through the small drawer of your desk, and just as you were about to give up, your eyes spotted one.

"Found one," you said, turning to Taehyun with a grin.

Taehyun’s eyes lit up as you handed it to him. 

"Is this a glitter pen?"

You nodded, chuckling softly. 

"Yep, a pretty pink one."

Taehyun chuckled, taking the glittery pink pen from you and pulling out the small notebook he always carried around with him. 

After a moment, Taehyun looked up, a spark of excitement in his eyes. 

“This is it,” he murmured. 

“I think this pen is magic.”

You raised an eyebrow in amusement. 

“Magic, huh?”

He nodded, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. 

"I don’t know what it is, but everything I’m writing right now feels perfect."

You couldn’t help but laugh softly, watching as he carefully wrote down more lyrics. 

"Maybe it’s the glitter.”

“The glitter is definitely a vibe,” he said with a laugh, not looking up from the notebook. 

He continued to write, his expression one of pure focus. It was mesmerizing to watch him work, to witness his creative process unfold right before your eyes.

He was so absorbed, and you couldn’t help but admire the way he worked, so focused, so in tune with his craft.

The soft sounds of the pen tapping on the paper was the only thing that filled the room, a comforting rhythm in the otherwise peaceful silence.

You shifted a little closer, resting your head on his shoulder, watching him finish the last few lines. When he finally put the pen down and leaned back, he glanced over at you with that familiar, warm smile.

"Done?" you asked, a teasing glint in your voice.

"Yeah," Taehyun replied softly, his gaze lingering on you. 

“What?” you asked with a laugh, nudging him gently.

He shook his head, the mischievous glint still present in his eyes. 

Taehyun just watched you for a moment, the softest smile playing at the corners of his mouth, but he didn’t respond. You tilted your head, waiting, but he seemed lost in thought again, his eyes warm and full of affection as they met yours.

Finally, he glanced back at the glitter pen on the bed, a small smirk tugging at his lips. 

“Yeah, it must be the pen,” he said with a shrug, feigning nonchalance. 

“Definitely something magic about it.”

You laughed, playfully pushing him. 

“Glitter is powerful, you know.”

He chuckled, nodding along. But in his mind, he knew that the pen didn’t play a part at all. The real magic, his biggest source of inspiration, was sitting right there beside him. For now, he’d let you believe it was the pen. 

Taehyun’s eyes held yours, and without a word, he leaned in, capturing your lips in a kiss. His hand moved to your waist, pulling you closer until there was no space left between you. The warmth of his touch ignited something deep within you, each soft, lingering kiss drawing you further under his spell.

His lips trailed slowly from yours, brushing along your jaw and down to your neck, leaving a path of warmth in their wake. 

His voice, barely a whisper, reached your ear, sending a thrill through you. 

“Do you have any idea what you do to me?” he murmured, his fingers tracing slow, teasing circles along your waist.

A shiver ran down your spine as you held him closer, your hands finding their way to his shoulders, your touch electrifying even the smallest points of contact. You could feel his heart beating steadily beneath your fingertips, grounding you in this intimate moment.

You let your fingers trail down his back, as you listened to the steady rise and fall of his breaths. Taehyun pulled back slightly, just enough to look into your eyes. There was a glint of something playfully wicked there, and a quiet longing that made your heart race.

“Should we try and actually watch the movie this time?” he whispered, though his eyes were fixed on you, clearly not invested in the idea of focusing on the screen. 

You blush at his attempt to divert your attention away from the inevitable, undeniable pull between the two of you.

With a shy smile, you nodded in agreement, feigning innocence. 

"Sure, we should probably try to watch the movie. But I make no promises," you teased, reaching up to brush his hair away from his face.

"You’re dangerous, you know that?" Taehyun murmured, his voice low and full of affection.

He leaned in closer, his lips brushing lightly against your temple.

“Dangerous?” you repeated with a teasing grin. 

How?”

He chuckled softly, his hand finding yours once more, fingers intertwining effortlessly. 

"Because you make it impossible to focus on anything but you."

You rolled your eyes, though your smile couldn’t hide how his words affected you. 

"You’re such a flirt," you replied, squeezing his hand gently.

You bit your lip, leaning in just enough so your noses brushed, the spark of chemistry crackling between you. 

Taehyun’s smile softened, but his eyes still danced with mischief. 

“Did I mention that you’re dangerous?”

“You love it,” you replied, letting your gaze linger a little longer before pulling back to glance at your laptop screen again.

But Taehyun wasn’t ready to let go of the moment. 

He leaned in, his lips brushing against yours in a kiss that was just a touch longer than a peck.

He pulled back, his lips still hovering close to yours. 

“You know, I’m starting to think the only thing I want to focus on right now is you.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, your heart racing a little faster. 

“I’m starting to think that’s exactly what I want too.”

And with that, the movie was officially forgotten, for the second time that night. Your focus solely on each other.

Months had passed since that night, it was the last time you’d been able to see each other. The whirlwind of TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s comeback was finally in full swing, The Star Chapter: Sanctuary was about to drop, and everything was a blur of excitement. 

Teasers, track previews, and concept photos flooded your social media feeds. 

You couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as you watched the fans get hyped, knowing all the hard work that had gone into this moment. 

Scrolling through fan posts, one in particular makes you pause.

"All their songs are written with pink sparkly gel pens made to listen for pretty people only."

A laugh slips out before you can stop it. You remember that late night so vividly, the glow in Taehyun’s eyes when you handed him that silly pink glitter pen, and how he insisted that everything he wrote that night felt perfect. You wonder if any of them actually made it into the final lyrics. 

Without thinking twice, you copy the link of the post and quickly send it to Taehyun, adding a message:

You lean back in your seat, feeling a soft warmth in your chest. You missed him terribly, though you’ve gotten used to it. Getting to see him live his dream was more than fulfilling and it made the time you did get to spend together even more special. Your phone buzzes not long after, his name flashing on the screen.

A second message quickly follows, this time with an image attached. You open it, your heart skipping a beat.

It was a photo of the lyrics Taehyun had written that night, the ones you only got a tiny glimpse of. 

You stare at the photo, fingers hovering over your phone screen as you read the lyrics he wrote. The familiar handwriting makes your heart skip a beat. You can't help but smile, your mind, once again, racing back to that night. 

Without wasting a moment, you tap out a quick message to him:

Can you call me?

You sit back, mind still racing, until the sound of your ringtone fills the car. 

"Hello?" you say, your voice filled with curiosity.

"Hey," Taehyun’s voice is warm, comforting, and you can hear the slight smile in his tone. 

"Those lyrics are so sweet," you say, your smile widening. 

"You held onto my pen, didn’t you?"

There’s a pause on the other end of the line, and then Taehyun chuckles softly. 

"I did," he admits, his voice filled with a quiet kind of pride. 

"I actually wrote all of my lyrics for this album with that pen."

You feel your breath catch in your throat. 

"Seriously?" 

You’re both amused and amazed. 

"I didn’t know a glitter pen could hold that much inspiration."

"Well, it’s not the pen," Taehyun says, his voice turning a little more serious, but still light. 

"It’s just that the pen reminded me of something important. Something I wanted to express for this comeback."

You tilt your head, puzzled. 

“What do you mean?"

"The lyrics... they feel like a reflection of my feelings," Taehyun explains softly. 

"And a lot of them made it onto the album. I’m not surprised though. This album is... different. It’s more of a love album this time around."

A warm feeling spreads through you, his words lingering in the air like a soft melody. 

"And, uh, I may have told you it was the pen," Taehyun continues, his voice barely above a whisper. 

"But really, it wasn’t the glitter or the pen that sparked anything."

You can hear the quiet sincerity in his voice now, and you sit up a little straighter, listening intently.

"It was you," he says, his voice so gentle and full of affection that it makes your chest tighten. 

"You’re the magic, the real inspiration. I could never have written these lyrics without you in my life. Without you, it wouldn’t have come together the way it did."

Your heart swells at his words, your mind reeling with emotion. 

"Taehyun..." 

You can barely find your voice, but your feelings are so clear. You’ve always known how much he meant to you, but hearing him say this, knowing he sees you as his muse, makes you feel overly emotional.

"I’m not just talking about the lyrics," Taehyun continues, his words coming from a deeper place now. 

"I’m talking about everything. The way you’re always there for me, even when things are tough. You’re my biggest inspiration, my strength, and you make me believe in things I never thought possible."

There’s a pause, and you can hear him exhale softly. 

"I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s true. I’ll always be thankful for you, for the way you make me feel, and the way you light up my world."

You swallow hard, trying to steady the emotions rushing through you. 

"Taehyun..." You repeat his name, your voice barely above a whisper. 

"You don’t know how much that– you mean to me. I—I don’t know what to say."

"You don’t have to say anything," he replies, his tone tender. 

"I just wanted you to know that even though I joked about the pen, it’s always been you. You’re the reason everything falls into place."

A few more moments of silence pass, and then Taehyun adds, "I wanted to share that with you at some point, I was hoping it’d be a bit more romantic than this though."

You smile softly, the weight of his words settling into your heart. 

"I’m glad too. Oh? And what did you have in mind?”

“Well,” he started, letting out a small sigh followed by a chuckle, “I was going to ask you to come out with me the night before the album releases. I’d give you your usual album listen, and then tell you everything I just said while we watched the sunrise.”

“And you say you’re as cold as Antarctica,” you teased. 

"I have to get going now, we have a choreography lesson," Taehyun says, his voice matching your teasing tone. 

"But really, I wanted you to know, every time you listen to the album, that you’re in there.”

You feel your heart flutter. 

"I think that’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard."

There’s a brief pause before Taehyun laughs softly. 

"I’m glad you think so. Just don’t forget who the real magic is."

You grin, feeling a warmth spread through you as you hear the affection in his voice. 

"I won’t forget. I promise."

a/n: finally a story that isn't a beomgyu one lol. I'm just kidding, but here's another idea inspired by this comeback and a few posts I've seen! A few of my friends actually suggested Yeonjun for this idea, but I went with Taehyun in the end cause he was the first member I thought of when I came up with this. I hope you enjoy it! as always, comments, reblogs and asks are much appreciated!

Taehyun Masterlist

Main Masterlist

[luna-azzurra]

12 Emotional Wounds in Fiction Storys

Betraying a Loved One. Your character made a choice, and it backfired, badly. They betrayed someone close to them, maybe on purpose, maybe by accident. Now, the guilt’s eating them alive. They might try to fix things, but can they even make up for what they did?

Guilt Over a Past Mistake. They made a mistake, one that cost someone else. Maybe it was reckless, maybe it was a dumb decision, but now it haunts them. They can’t stop thinking about it, and no matter how hard they try to make things right, the past keeps pulling them back.

Survivor’s Guilt. Imagine surviving something awful, an accident, a disaster, but someone else didn’t make it. Now your character is stuck asking, “Why me? Why am I still here?” They push people away, convinced they don’t deserve to be happy or even alive.

Feeling Powerless. Your character is trapped, maybe in an abusive home, a toxic relationship, or just in life itself. They feel stuck, with no control over their own future.

Being Wrongly Accused. They didn’t do it. But no one believes them. Your character has been falsely accused of something serious, maybe even a crime and now they’re fighting to clear their name. It’s not just about proving their innocence, though. They’re also battling the pain of being abandoned by people who were supposed to stand by them.

Public Humiliation. They’ve just been humiliated in front of everyone, maybe it’s a video gone viral, or they were betrayed by someone they trusted. Now, they can’t even look people in the eye.

Living in Someone’s Shadow. No matter what they do, it’s never enough. Someone else, a sibling, a friend, a partner, always shines brighter. They feel stuck in that person’s shadow, invisible and overlooked.

Abandoning a Dream. They had big dreams, but somewhere along the way, life got in the way, and now they’ve given up. Maybe it was because of fear or circumstances beyond their control, but the loss of that dream has left them feeling empty.

Childhood Trauma. Something happened to them when they were young, something painful that still affects them today. Whether it was abuse, neglect, or a significant loss, the trauma follows them into adulthood, shaping how they see themselves and the world.

Being an Outsider. They’ve never felt like they fit in, whether because of their background, their personality, or something else. They long for acceptance but fear they’ll never find it.

Struggling with Addiction. They’re caught in a destructive cycle, whether it’s with substances, behaviors, or even people. The shame and struggle to break free from addiction are real and raw.

Living with Chronic Illness. They’re living with a chronic illness or disability, and it’s not just the physical challenges that weigh them down, it’s the emotional toll, too. Maybe they feel isolated, or like they’re a burden to others.

[r3ynah]

I Can be everything and anything, at once

A 27 years old Phantom was challenged to a bet, by his co-workers at the watchtower. Green lantern stated along with the the other heroes that If he could help every single one of them at least once in a month while not using any his powers and he also had to be physically and mentally there as he helps them. the cherry on top was that he needed to use his real identity instead of his ghost form in this mission.

If Phantom successfully conceals his civilian identity, while helping them, he gets to know everyone's deepest darkest secrets.

But if he loses, he must do everyone a favor and must keep it no matter how outrageous it is.

Ofcourse Phantom agreed, because he was no bitch, okay so maybe he is, he only accepts bets like this if he knows that'll he'll win. so yeah.

Besides, having no powers for this, is really a piece of cake, if you're a raging gender fluid that knows his way around makeup and can easily change the sound of his voice, to be honest the shapeshifting parts that he got from his powers are basically just add-ons.

Well what was he waiting for? afterall he needed all the blackmail he could get, not as Phantom but as Daniel James Fucking Fenton, this was an opportunity to go batshit crazy and he was absolutely stealing it.

The very first hero Danny approached to help was Wonder Woman, who thanked Danny who was now disguised as a woman wearing a long ass Red wig, and some clothes he "borrowed" from Jazz who just joked about Danny being her twin, and wished him luck.

"Thank you, young lady for your brave actions to help me." Wonder woman sincerely thanked the boy in disguise as she held both of Danny's hands as gratitude "may I ask the name of my savior? "

"My name's El, It's a pleasure to know you." Danny smiled a little wider.

The second was Flash, which Danny found completely amusing because of the way he helped the speedy hero, who tripped while patrolling around the city.

Danny who was now in a more gothic attire( thanks to Sam's help) caught the hero's wrist before he embarrassingly fell face first on the ground.

"You okay there sir?" Danny asked, as he kept a firm grip on the man's wrist to make sure he doesn't fall.

Meanwhile Flash who thought he was in those korea tv romance dramas only blue screened for a few seconds before finally get his shit together. "yeah- um- name's Flash, and you are?"

The hero tripped on his own words, making Danny amused as fuck. "James, it was nice to finally meet you"

Okay, about like three weeks in, and Danny managed to help almost everyone in the watchtower, and only a few more to go,( he didn't get why most of the heroes he helped either started to stutter or blue screen in their spot once they talk to him. like damn is this how all of you treat every civilian who interacts with you? that's just sad) but at this time, Dan and Elle found out, and were now demanding to join, with the excuse of basically being Danny but in alternate or clone form, which Danny had no choice but to give in, I mean he wasn't breaking any rules so technically this was alright.

Danny wanted to take a break so Dan took over this time.

currently Nightwing was observing the outside of the gala, Bruce was invited to, something about a bunch of drugs being hidden within the crowd, and was now being passed around.

He intently remained focused on his observation, while also keeping a conversation with Oracle and the others on the comms, he didn't realize that he was too far off the edge of the railing he was standing on, until he missed a step.

Nightwing would never admit that he let a quiet squeal to his siblings ever as he fell, he closed his eyes and braced for impact, he would never expect to fall into the arms of a man 3x bigger than him, he stared at the man, and the man stared at him. 'holy shit' Nightwing thought.

The man, chuckled making Nightwing internally scream. "When I wished for Desiree, to make someone from above to save me from this trash party, I didn't think it would be one of the birds of gotham, to come and fall for me let alone the handsome one."

Okay Nightwing was now full on red from blushing, he was put down gently by the man on the ground, before offering a handshake, once Nightwing accepted the handshake, Dan pulled the hand closer to his mouth then gave a quick peck on the back of the hand vigilante's hand. "My name's Dan Masters, it's a pleasure to meet you."

his siblings can eat dirt on how they were teasing Nightwing Right now, but this was fucking worth it.

And the last to have gotten help from Danny was John Constantine, Danny actually had a reason on why he saved John for last, and that's because John actually knows Danny's identity, so for this mission he asked the help of his daughter Elle.

Elle had helped John by fixing a ruined summoning circle, who also helped him negotiate with a demon, and somehow all day, Elle just stuck to Constatine's side, her explanation? 'He'll die without me' fair point John thought as he took the kid, to order ice cream and to hangout in the park.

"You know kid, you remind me of someone." Constantine stated while keeping his eyes on what's infront of him, which was just a bunch of trees.

Elle who sat next to him, still eating her Ice cream looked up at him and said. "Really?"

"Yeah like you two literally have the same aura and all just a little different, but I don't know who yet." He replied and ruffled the kid's hair. making the girl laugh.

"Hey John!" Danny greeted behind them, and then all the gears inside of Constantine's head began to work. he let out a groan as he realized the girl beside him was the clone of the man behind him, well he needed to kiss that secret of his goodbye. here on this spot right now or he'll die of embarrassment if he waited any longer.

"Danny, let's go on a date." Constantine stated, not facing the Man.

this comment made the Father and Daughter choke on literal air.

[sundew199]

You better fuck me like you mean it

a/n: dear god I hope I did him justice 🤞🏼

Tags: eustass kidd x f!reader, breeding/pregnancy, fingering, doggy, slight size kink or size difference, dirty talk, slight cum eating

kinktober day eight: breeding/pregnancy for anon

Someone looking from the outside in on the Kid pirate crew would never guess the red haired one armed brute had a soft spot. Frankly not even the entire crew knew he even had one, save for his closest crew mates. But the ones who did know, knew it was you. The once new member who joined his crew after they crossed into the new world, not even asking to join, just hoping onto his ship and ask where the next destination was.

Eustass tried to kick you off, tell you that you had no right just joining his crew like that, but it didn't work. It took a while for him to accept you and even longer to spare more than a few words, but once you broke past that barrier it was history from then on.

Neither of you knew how to deal with the harbored feelings for one another, until one drunken night where you woke up half naked in his bed. The awkwardness wouldn't be spared between you two, almost starting back to the beginning until it happened again, and again and again.

You considered it a relationship after he slipped up one night by saying "I love you", asking if he were messing with you while still buried in your cunt. He snarled a defiant 'No!' back to you and suffocated you with a kiss, fucking you the entire night in his cabin.

Something in him softened after that night, discreetly looking out for you without making the favoritism obvious to the other crew members and letting you get away with stuff no one else could. Behind the cold hearted fierce captain, was a man who held you close at night in his cabin and spent lazy mornings with you tangled in the sheets. The two of you were happy, content with life on the sea and all the possibilities of Kid reaching his goal, excited to be there with him, by his side.

"What?! Are you insane?"

"It was just a thought, get your panties out of twist." Snickering as you sat up in bed, leaning on one elbow facing towards him, laughing a bit harder at his baffled expression.

"You think I'd let you have a kid and raise one on a pirate ship?!" The volume in his voice raising with each word he spoke, scoffing some when you pressed your hand to his mouth, shushing him.

"Will you shut up? I was just kidding Jesus Christ." Rolling your eyes and removing your hand from his mouth, yanking the bed sheet further up your body to shield you naked form.

"No you weren't, I fucking know you better than that, you were being serious." Grumbling with a smidge of distain, offended that you were trying to play it off when he was very much taking it seriously.

"So?" Countering back, widening your eyes with raised brows, challenging him like you always did.

"So?!? We're on a god damn pirate ship, the last place a kid should be raised. You think I'm going to put your life and the little tike at risk like that?" Now sounding a bit angry at the initial suggestion, beginning to rethink if you should've mentioned it at all seeing how worked up Kid was getting over this. Though it was nice to see that he cared, not wanting to loose you or any children the two of you may or may not have, but good lord he was acting like you insulted his entire family line.

Sighing loudly and shaking your head, giving small little clicks of your tongue, you sat up, hugging the bed sheet around your torso, giving him a small smile. Tucking the sheet under your armpits, you leaned over with a careful hand to cup the side of his face ignoring the grumbles and locking him in a kiss. He relaxed slowly the longer you kissed him, melting to your soft lips on his and allowing the previous irritation to wash away.

"Just think about it for a sec," Mumbling into his lips, pressing down on his chest and allowing the sheet to fall from it's hold, keeping him from avoiding what you were trying to say. "I'd be having your baby."

"I know that." Grumbling back, slipping his arm out from under you to hold you at the waist, looking up at you to try and see where you could possibly be going with this.

"Not saying we have to, but just imagine it for me. Everyone would know who I belong to, who they'd have to deal with if they dare lay a finger on me." Practically whispering into his mouth, seeing his eye lids droop at your words, the image forming in his head and slowly understanding what you were conveying.

"Mhm." Moving his hand from your waist to the center of your shoulder blades, the warmth of his palm raising goosebumps on your skin.

"There's no harm in imagining is there?" A shift of seductive humor in your tone broke through, silencing whatever answer he may have with another kiss, throwing a leg over his while still holding the side of his face. Kid accepted his silence from you and kissed back hard, nipping and pulling at your bottom lip.

The morning would've continued on like that if it weren't for Killer knocking on the other side of the door, requesting his captain's presence. The muttering and grumbling brought more laughs out of you, watching him from the bed get half way decent. Just before he left, Kid kissed your cheeks and lips, reminding you there was no rush to get out of bed and to take your time. You smiled sweetly up at him, deciding to lounge in his cabin for a good while before joining everyone else.

Nothing exciting was going on today, just a supply stop at a nearby island which ending up being the area everyone decided to get wasted at, meaning the ship would be docked here overnight. You were already back to the ship by the time the rest of the crew crowded into one of the local bars, deciding you weren't in the mood to drink your heart out.

Assuming you were alone for the time being, you headed down to the kitchen to grab a quick snack in just an old t-shirt, nothing else besides your panties. A single light above the sink illuminated the area by the fridge, bent over and rummaging through what little was left to find something decent to eat.

"Did you even bother to check to make sure no one would walk in on you like this?"

The deep gravelly voice startled you, not hearing them come in and quickly trying to pull the end of your shirt down to cover yourself. You scoffed and rolled your eyes when you turned around to see Kid, leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed, eyeing you up and down like a predator would its prey.

"Thought you'd still be at the bar." Not answering his question, instead responding with your own, turning back around to the fridge to keep looking for a quick snack. His heavy footsteps grew closer, slow and calculated until hands rested on your hips. The cool metal from which he used to replicate his lost appendage was icy against your warm skin, the other hand warm and human, contrasting against each other from his touch.

Shamelessly, Kid brought your hips back into him, pressing you to the very obvious bulge in his pants, sharply inhaling and biting back a moan. You could hear him chuckle behind you, letting out a hum as the warmth of his palm spread over your back, moving the fabric of your shirt out of the way.

"Been thinking about this morning." Beginning on a low breath, pressing himself harder into your clothed cunt and basically farther into the fridge.

"Uh huh." Not bothering to try and remember what he was referring to, more so thinking of if you were about to let him fuck you right here or at least try to move.

Without even having to say a word, Kid yanked you out of the fridge by your hips, moving you to bend over the counter instead, catching the greedy smile on his face in the midst of the movement and noticing the tight knot forming in your lower stomach. With the metal hand on your hips, the rustling from behind could only be made out to be his other hand undoing his belt.

"Your little scenario got me thinking," His words vibrating in the shiver that ran up your spine, suddenly so wet and needy for him and all he did was press himself back into you. "I like the idea of you being swollen and round with my baby."

A soft moan left your lips at his words, instinctively pushing your hips back as he pulled your panties to the side, forming a little arch to make it easier to slide into your dripping cunt.

"You're gonna fuck a baby into me?" Working in a little taunt into your tone, eyes rolling back with the metal hand squeezed the flesh of your ass.

"It's what you want right?" Pressing himself into your back, words ticking your ear as he spoke, turning to face him with a begging look to convey what you wanted without words.

Kid laughed under his breath, using the metal hand to keep your spread apart as two of his fingers swiped over your folds. Already being so wet earned an amused groan from him, staying pressed to your back as he gather enough of your slick on his fingers before slipping them in. Every part of Eustass Kid was big, his ego, his goals, his fingers and his dick. Prep work was always required no matter how desperate the two of your were for each other, but even the stretch of two girths fingers were never enough for the stretch around his dick, but it'll have to do.

Even knowing it were only the two of you on the ship, there was always the slight possibility of someone walking on, so you did your best to be quiet. But it was hard, so hard when he scissored and fluttered along that spongy spot inside you that had stars forming in your vision, gasping and clinging onto him.

"You want it bad huh?" Taunting in your ear, shoving his fingers all the way up to the last knuckle inside you, like he were literally trying to open you up.

He didn't even give you enough time to try and answer, switching from moving his fingers around your walls to pumping them, squelching the juices soaking his hand and wrist, making it next to impossible to keep down the moans and whines of desperation. Kid laughed again, like he were pitying you and pressing his cheek to yours as he pressed your body into the counter.

"Fuck - Eustass-" Croaking out, ends of your words filtering out into a broken sob, trying to grasp anything within reach but finding nothing, leaving you clawing at the air.

Yanking his fingers out suddenly, ripping a surprised gasp from your throat, your body fell limp onto the counter, so drained of energy and barely getting a chance to cum on his fingers. You didn't need to see to know he was freeing his cock, relaxing the lower half of your body to prepare for the undeniable stretch that was to come.

Splitting your soaking and sensitive folds with the head of his cock, lubricating himself just a bit, he sighed at the sight, already looking forward to see you leaking with his cum, only to shove it back in. Kid didn't expect the little scenario you mentioned this morning to mess with his head this badly, but the moment he started to picture you pregnant was his undoing. Various scenarios ran through his head from that moment on, like you riding his cock swollen and round, or how much bigger your tits would get, and fuck it, he wanted to see that.

"Fuck me like you mean it Eustass, C'mon."

Your breathy demand that tried to come off as encouragement sent him shoving himself slowly inside you, watching your cunt stretch and swallow his cock. God it was his favorite thing to witness, your gummy walls wrapping around him greedily and taking him in, shit he wouldn't trade this for the world.

Once he bottomed out, felt the very tip press into the depths of your cunt then he felt comfortable enough to pull halfway out and go back in. Fucking you rough and fast, required built up, as brutal as the world may know him, he wasn't that way with you.

Holding tight onto one hip, he slowly formed a pace, steady to your liking and basking in the pitchy desperate moans you let out with each thrust. You were meeting each thrust, standing on your tippy toes to send him deeper and god was he a lucky, lucky man. What woman would go to these lengths while being fuck? You did and Kid knew that and reminded himself to hold onto you.

"Faster." You moaned, bending your back into a deep arch, pressing your forehead to the countertop and letting the euphoria of his fat cock fucking into you wash over.

Colliding his hips faster at your request, Eustass tightened his grip on your hip, knowing the metal finger would leave nice little bruises later, another sight he liked to see as courtesy of him. Marking your perfect skin with his imperfections had the heat in his blood rising, the pull of contrasts to bringing you two together.

"How bad do you want it woman?" Asking through huffs of breaths, watching the way your ass bounced off his pelvis, the ripples he sent through your flesh.

"Badly, please."

"Say it." Demanding with a devilish smirk, knowing you would hear it in his words without having to see his lips curl.

"Please fuck a baby into me, Eustass." Responding to him so prettily it was sickening almost, so sweetly sickening how your words alone could sway his actions, get him to do what you want.

Slamming the hand that wasn't holding tightly onto your hip by the side of your head, Kid returned to pressing his chest onto your back, hips snapping like a piston into yours.

"You want my cum that badly? Fuck you until you're round and heavy?" Growling into your ear, hips snapping harder and faster with each pant of his words, your body shaking beneath him all sense of composure dissipated.

"Yes, yes please yes,"

"Make you a mommy yeah?" Lifting off of your back just a hare to readjust his hips, thrusting into you even deeper, like he were aiming to cum directly into your womb. "Shoot my cum right into your womb princess, make sure it takes."

Your lashes fluttered and your eyes rolled back into your head, clenching and unclenching around his cock with each deep thrust, begging in every which way possible for him. Eustass snarled behind you, standing up straight and grasping both hips as his thrusts turned sporadic and uncoordinated.

"Fucking perfect pussy just for me, fuck I love you." Sputtering out with a groan, slamming into you one last time as his dick began to pulse inside of you, painting your sore and oversensitive walls with his cum. Your orgasm came shortly after, not even needing any extra stimulation besides his dick ramming in and out of you.

Barely able to move after he pulled out, sighing at the way it dripped down your legs, you jolted and groaned at it being pushed back inside you and any remnants being gathered on his tongue swiping over your thigh. He pulled your panties back over, humming at how quickly they turned soaked from the overflow of his cum leaking out of your hole, but having no where else to go.

"So what happens if it doesn't take?" Asking on your walk back to his cabin, a bit delirious and fucked out still.

"Then I'll keep fucking you until it does." Answering like you asked the world's stupidest question, rolling his eyes and letting you into the room first.

"Maybe one more round then, just to be sure."

Catching the way your eyes and lips matched the lustful determination in your tone, Eustass responding with a throaty laugh, locking the door to his cabin before tossing you onto the bed, another long sleepless night ahead for the both of you.

[andy-wm]

The Tarot of VMINKOOK

Their dynamic as I see it, and the absolute validation that Jimin and JK are together.

I really enjoyed the 3rd episode of Are You Sure, partly because I love the VMin dynamic, and partly becuse I was relieved to see that JK and Tae got along.

I also enjoyed watching just the three of them together without the rest of the members because I could really focus on the way they interacted.

This post is entirely my own opinion, and based on my observations. Feel free to politely disagree.

What we had was:

The Siblings - JK & KTH

The Cousins - JM & KTH

The Lovers - JM &JK

The Siblings

JK and Tae have peak adolescent sibling energy Pre-adolescent maybe....

It's typical of the petty rivalry of siblings close in age where the younger is the dominant personality and the older is slightly mistified by the audacity of their little brother.

Tae's eye-roll here 🤣

They will argue over nothing, but they will also readily unite when they have a common goal or foe. In this episode, they ganged up on Jimin for the sake of amusing the viewers (I get that they had a mandate to be entertaining but seriously, poor Jimin 🤣.)

At least it gave JK and Tae a reason to cooperate, because we know JK wasn't thrilled about him joining them. And who can blame him... how often do the two of them get away together?

Tae and JK probably have that "I can talk shit about my brother but nobody else can" thing going on, and I am 100% sure either of them would jump to defend the other if someone outside Bangtan gave them reason to.

I'm sure JK sees Tae as a genuine brother, but that doesn't mean Tae doesn't irritate the hell out of him sometimes. We've seen Tae take liberties, and we've seen JK snipe at him.

What is clear to me, seeing the three of them together, is that competitive-natured JK has to curb his desire to compete with Tae for Jimin's attention - to steal Jimin from Tae - and we've seen him do it, so it's not unheard of. The bottom line is, JK doesn't love sharing Jimin. And that being true, having to totally relinquish Jimin must have been... challenging let's say.

Even giving him a Harley to ride wasn't enough compensation for JK's FOMO when VMin were having fun in the car without him. And that grimace he wore when he was enjoying his solo gokart ride was absolutely hilarious too.

The other thing that comes between them, based on what I've seen, is JK's impatience with Tae's quirkiness. JK does not seem to have the gentle fondness or the endless patience Jimin does with Tae, which brings me to...

The Cousins

Tae and Jimin are like those cousins. You know the ones I mean? The cousins who have that magical bond. They connect on some ultraviolet wavelength nobody else can see, and it's both delightful and annoying for everyone around them (especially for the ultra-competitive boyfriend of one of the cousins, who feels like he's the third wheel when the those two get together).

Jimin and Tae are 친구 - same age friends - and this automatically puts them together - they are peers. It creates an instant friendship bond. But their connection seems like more than that, because Jimin and Tae seem to be so at ease together that neither of them has to mask, and that means they trust one another. That type of deep connection between two people can only come from unconditional acceptance.

Tae doesnt know how to use a drive-thru, and Jimin patiently helps him.

I believe that even if they grow apart, their unique connection will always remain... Because you never forget your first, right?

I'm talking about the first person who really sees you.

Maybe they're the first person you come out to and who comforts you when you're afraid of what that might mean for you. Maybe they're the person who never teases you when you miss social cues, and who will quietly explain the joke you didn't get. Whatever your situation, that person is the one who you trust with your real self. You know you're safe with them.

Both Tae and Jimin have characteristics that set them apart. I'm not in the habit of diagnosing people but Tae does make me wonder, the way he lacks social awareness and sometimes goes off on bizzare tangents, and his very individual fashion sense... not to mention his hatred of shoes. Jimin's gender and sexual identity would have been equally challenging for him, trying as he was to fit in and be a strong man.

They would both have felt like outsiders and struggled with connection and belonging, and I think their genuine support of each other is what makes their friendship so special.

I think that's what the soulmates thing is all about.

And who could possibly compete with a soulmate? Only one person...

In this social game of cards, JK holds the trump.

The Lovers

There's only one reason JK would rank higher in Jimin's books than Tae, when Tae automatically has higher standing on both a personal level with Jimin, and a broader social level.

Jimin and Tae are 친구 - they have a bond unique to people born in their year. That bond means younger or older friends are always going to be more distant, because even with close friendships across age groups, honorifics will still apply. Only with chingus can the honorifics completely fall away.

In addition, Tae is older than JK, so automatically holds a higher social standing. Even though Tae and JK are friends, JK should still defer to him, especially where his chingu is concerned. But JK does not.

This can only mean one thing:

Jimin and JK are in a relationship.

JK's status as Jimin's partner outweighs any other relationships Jimin has. Therefore JK stands as an equal next to Jimin, and that shuffles everyone else down a notch.

That's why we see JK squeezing in next to Jimin (sometimes pushing the older members out) so he can get where he needs wants to be.

That's also why, in episode 3, JK could take the bed next to Jimin and leave Tae to sleep on the floor.

Aside from JK's position as Jimin's equal, we can clearly see that he takes care of Jimin in ways he wouldn't if they were not together. He may not defer to Jimin, but he is visibly devoted to him.

I have never had any doubt that Jimin and JK were lovers, and I never for a moment thought they broke up. It's no surprise to me that this is confirned when we see them on this trip.

But I'm still dying to see the next episode with Tae.

Bring on Thursday!!

[bvidzsoo]

Stern, but sweet

✎ Teacher!San ✎

TW: nothing, just San being soft and hansome

Word count: 1.2k

A/N: Helleur, lovelies! As you can see, those pictures are from San's latest YouTube live, which means I was inspired by it (dies). Also, it's the first time San bias wrecked me and I sincerely hope it stays that way, I've already got 3 official wreckers (dies again). Idk what this is, but he gave me cute aggression and at the same time the need to crawl up a wall...how is that possible? Anyways, enjoy, feedback is always welcomed!

so, you had been working at this school for a year now and you absolutely loved your job

the kids are lovely and you happened to grow attached to them quite fast, wanting to ensure they got the adequate education

but when it comes to your colleagues, well, they are quite boring

most of them are well past the age of 40 and they prefer going straight home after work, most of times refusing your invitations for a dinner between co-workers

and it also doesn't help much that you're a lot younger than most, making you feel left out when you hear them conversing about topics that you're either not interested in or just simply don't understand, like: raising children and maintaining a family at home

but when one of the homeroom teacher moves away and the school is in a frenzy to find someone fit for the job, a man around your age seems to confidently accept the challenge

Choi San, is his name

and my lord, when I tell you he's absolutely ravishing with his sharp eyes and soft looking skin

he looks like someone who would discipline you at the slightest misbehavior, and you don't know how to feel about it at first

but then he smiles and those cute dimples in his cheeks make you absolutely swoon over him, his aura so warm and lovely

you've come to know that Choi San is a man with a colorful personality

in his own class, he's very authoritative and stern, he doesn't allow his students to slack, and he doesn't accept any excuses as to why they haven't done their math homework

but San is an amazing teacher, and despite his subject being math, which many students tend to hate, those who he teaches just simply can't wait for his class to come

despite being stern and quite serious, he always cracks harmless jokes while explaining the hardest equations and theories, lightening the mood, and also helping the students focus

they love San in and outside of the classroom

whenever they have a problem, they know they can go to him as he will listen, giving them smart advice instead of rolling his eyes at them and telling them to get lost (like their last homeroom teacher had done so many times)

when there's a conflict, he first listens to both sides and then comes up with a solution (or punishment) that is fair and doesn't favor a student (like their previous homeroom teacher had done quite often)

but San, with his positive and warm energy, seems to also light up your office, the grumpy older teachers laughing a bit more often, a lot more open-minded with San here now

and well, you're a simple woman and you can't really help yourself when you start swooning over him (of course, when he's not watching you or paying attention to you) about just how perfect, and dreamy, he actually is

San was the one to approach you, and you quite liked that as he talked to you freely as if you had known each other for ages

you feel your most authentic self around him, never having to worry that he'll judge you or make fun of you behind your back (like you have caught a few of your fellow co-workers doing so before)

and seriously, San is just so good with children, that you can't help yourself as you develop a crush on him rapidly

and you hope he doesn't notice the way you gaze at him longingly when he's explaining something thoroughly to his students, or pats them on the head as encouragement, or even brings them candy so he can give it as a reward when they excel on their tests

and you certainly hope he doesn't see the way you stare at him for minutes at a time when you're both in your office, your cubicles next to each other, him busy typing on his computer and you busy...well staring at San

and you definitely do not absolutely die when one Friday he asks if you're doing anything later that night, eager to go to the new Amusement Park, saying he was thinking of inviting a few other colleagues as well since he's on good terms with them

you hate Amusement Parks, but if San loves them, well...you might grow to dislike them a little less

and so you definitely do not dress up all cute and spend two hours on your makeup and hair just because San invited you (and your colleagues, but you tend to ignore that part) out

what the two of you absolutely do not expect is for your colleagues to bail on you last minute, all of them saying the same excuse, "something came up, but we should go next time"

and perhaps you die a little on the inside, because you suddenly realize just how of an awkward person the both of you are, blushing and quickly avoiding eye contact when you catch the other one already looking

you don't want to tell San that you're afraid of heights and anything that goes with high speed when he points excitedly at the large roller-coaster, telling you how he's been waiting all day to go on it

you say nothing, you suck it up, because you're an adult and this is your work crush, and perhaps because the way San has been paying attention to you all evening, keeping people away from your body in the crowd as you moved around, or how without touching you, would hold his arm out behind your back when someone walked too close, made you feel rather comfortable in his presence

so, you brace yourself for the ride and certainly don't tremble as San helps you inside the cabin, sitting down next to you

once you're tied up and secured inside of it, is when you start praying to all Gods to give you strength so that you don't lose your mind during the ride

what you don't expect is San noticing how nervous and pale you are, grabbing your hand and interlacing your fingers with his as the ride takes off, making you clutch onto his hand for dear life

and the ride is so much fun that you're surprised how much you're enjoying it, but perhaps it's also because San keeps making you laugh and keeps talking to you, holding onto you

what you don't expect, once again, is him not letting go of your hand once you get off the ride, and instead he pulls you towards a photobooth, saying he wants to commemorate tonight's 'date'

oh, and you certainly don't faint when San decides to press a kiss against your cheek as the camera goes off for the last photo

seems like your work crush was crushing back on you, huh?

(seems like all of your coworkers knew about it and cancelled last minute on purpose as they've been secretly shipping the two of you and making bets about when you'd finally start dating)

Masterlist

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[writersdrug]

I Don't Need You

Chapter 13. Each Other

Masterlist

Summary: Ridgeback was right: you and König make a good pair on the battlefield. Though, that doesn't mean the mission still can't go wrong.

Warnings: cursing, German that I'm too lazy to translate (nothing important), violence and blood, reader gets socked

As much as a leader should be, and as much as I hated to admit it, Ridgeback was right about everything he’d said: König and I made a decent team.

The morning after König’s temper tantrum, he was waiting outside of my door before breakfast. He mumbled something about “need to work together”, before turning on his heel and marching towards the mess hall. I stared after him, confused, but quickly grabbed my jacket when he barked at me to keep up with him. He was still grumpy, sure… but he wasn’t grumpy with me. Ridgeback must have given him an earful.

For the rest of the day, it was impossible to shake him. He ran training courses with me as we both got a feel for how the other worked. I figured out that König was truly a tank, in every sense of the word. Any poor “enemy” corporal that stood in his way was either launched to the side or pelted with a minimum of five rubber bullets to the head. And this was just a practice course; I couldn’t imagine what he would look like on the field. I was happy to be his six, his shadow that cleaned up the mess behind him. I made sure any stragglers were swiftly taken out, and that no one could sink a bullet into his back as he maneuvered through the course.

It was flawless. It made Ridgeback smirk as the two of us made our way back to the start of the run. His eyes held a thousand I told you so’s that made König scoff and my eyes roll. Still, it was obvious that we worked well together.

After that, I had a brief period of solitude when I retreated into the shower. As soon as I emerged from my barracks, König was there – leaning against the wall, scrolling through his phone. He followed to the mess, where we ate in silence. In the common area I pulled out a checkers bord and challenged him to a game; König obliged, opting to put his phone down and entertain my request. It was only a few, shameful minutes before he had me beat; He chuckled as I pouted and flipped on the TV, letting some foreign movie drone on and pretending I was invested.

It wasn’t humiliating to have him connected to my hip, nor was it suffocating. It felt good to know I had molded so well to someone in the team; that I could see how useful I was. But König was certainly… unexpectedly clingy. “Forcing himself” wasn’t the correct term, but it wasn’t hard to see that he was straining his limits. There was still something holding him back from accepting that we were a decent pair, even if it was just in combative circumstances. Part of me wanted to call him out on his behavior and tell him to stop being a child – then again, I didn’t want to start an argument. Not with the next mission right around the corner. So I let him be.

In addition to the dynamic between König and I, Ridgeback had been right about the mission: it was a downright bitch. Based in some tiny village on the edge of Narikala, Georgia, backed against a thick, snowy forest. The air was bitterly cold, nipping at my cheeks and seeping in through the fingertips of my gloves. I sat next to König on the heli, absentmindedly letting my knee rest against his thigh to savor any warmth I could get. He bounced his knee anxiously – in excitement or nervousness, I couldn’t tell.

Not five minutes after the heli had touched the ground did all hell break loose. König and I jumped out of our seats and were immediately met with a storm of bullets. Pedestrians had already started panicking when they heard the blades of the helicopter – now, they were screaming, running to take cover in the shabby, concrete structures that lined the streets. It was a miracle that we didn’t get separated then and there – well, not much of a miracle. König had grabbed me by my vest and yanked me to the side, out of the line of fire. He didn’t let me go until we had made it into one of the buildings, dropping me rather unceremoniously onto my feet.

From there, things only got worse – but we were able to manage it. Rose and Horangi weren’t far behind us as we cleared each room for them. It was nothing short of difficult: some of the enemy soldiers were able to land a decent jab to König’s side, despite being killed no less than three seconds later by a bullet to the neck.  He seemed… giddy, like a teenage boy playing some first-person-shooter game in an arcade. It was all game to him; throwing punches and firing his assault rifle, occasionally dropping a laugh and scampering off to find his next victim.

Covering his six was surprisingly a simpler task on the field than in training. König didn’t leave anything but dead bodies in his wake. I spent more time helping him with what was hitting him head on. He used his gun more often as a bludgeoner than an actual rifle, ramming it into the faces and stomachs of anything that crossed his path. I forced myself not to focus on it too much – the idea of him relishing in the massacre of others threatened to shake me from my objective, but I pushed past it and continued to follow him through the buildings.

The stench of iron was strong now; the sounds of gunfire and voices shouting in a foreign language echoed across the various concrete walls, but I was all too attuned to it by now. The two of us reached the building where the hostiles had set up their temporary base, covered by thick walls and satellite dishes on the roof. König took the upper ground, running up the stairs on the side of the building. I pulled up next to the lower entrance and cleared one side – almost instantly, a hostile soldier clocked me on the opposite side, right in my face with the butt of his rifle. My back hit the wall before I realized what was happening, but I didn’t hesitate to fire my gun from where I was propped up on the floor. My pulse thrummed loudly in my ears as I blinked a few times, pulling myself up to my feet with a grunt.

Roze and Horangi entered shortly after; Roze grimaced, placing her gloved hand on my helmet and turning my cheek towards her. “That’s gonna be a shiner. You ok?”

I sniffed and cleared my throat. “I’ve had worse.”

“That’s right.” She replied proudly, tapping my helmet, before running off to one of the monitors. “Horangi! The drive.” She jerked her head in his direction.

He pulled a hard disc from his cargo pants pocket, tossing it across the room; Roze caught it effortlessly and jammed it into the towers of one of the monitors, plugging in a passcode cracker.

“They’re calling in backup.” He said, glancing through one of the windows. “Don’t even care who they’re aiming at, civilians or us.”

“Have you heard from Majka?” I asked, unable to hide the slight worry in my tone. “Exfil?”

“No. Comms are still down.” He said bluntly. Even he was nervous, missing the usual, cocky lilt in his tone. “Last I heard, Fender and O’Connor were still on the west side, clearing the exit. Castillo and Zero are setting up foxhole.”

I nodded. Everyone still seemed to be on track, at least – it was daunting not to have Majka in our ears, keeping us connected with who had what position. König was the only one with a ham radio directly to Majka – it was the only line we had to any sort of commanding voice.

“I’ll find König.” I said, tapping Horangi’s arm. “Castillo and Zero will have your backs on the way out. We’ll guard the entrance.”

He nodded, before swiftly crossing the room to stand next to Roze: still bend over the monitor and typing furiously on the keyboard. I turned on my heel and left through the way I came, clearing the room left and right, then running to the edge of the building where I had last seen König. The air was quiet with the lack of shouts, despite the abundance of guns firing. Would König make a sound if he was being attacked? Would he stay silent? How would I know if he was injured? What if he was already?

Suddenly, a massive figure rounded the corner. For a moment I raised my rifle, aiming at the soldier’s chest – until I realized it was König. Switching teams as often as I had made it a struggle to remember who to shoot and who not to shoot, but it was easy to recognize his lumbering form anywhere.  

He didn’t bother with the pleasantries. “Exfil isn’t coming.” He said, maneuvering his body to press flat against the side of the building. He tucked his ham radio back into his tactical vest.

“Huh?!” I snapped, following closely behind him. “The fuck do you mean?”

“You see this?!” he gestured to the chaos around us – it was fairly congested with enemy soldiers. Although we made good headway, we were outnumbered. “They won’t be able to get in here. Majka said we need to get out; he has evac on the way, but it’ll take time.”

I scowled, more at the situation than at König. I knew Roze and Horagni could handle themselves, and they were more than safe with Castillo and Zero on their backs. What got me was the retreat; I’d only ever retreated twice before (ironically, both times falling under Price’s command), and it only did more harm than good.

Before I could give it any more thought, König’s thick fingers were wrapped around my vest again, pulling me behind him. I steeled my nerves as we wound through the buildings, dodging bullet rain and civilians as they sought cover. König appeared to be running us towards the forest, taking us closer to the edge of the village.

“What about the others?” I shouted over the commotion, as he dragged us past the large, stone walls at the entrance of the town. They would essentially be trapped in the center of the gunfire.

“They’re fine.” He said bluntly, dragging me up the hill and towards the tree line, not entertaining the issue I presented. Whether he was truly confident with that statement, or burying his concern for the sake of focusing, was beyond me. I had to trust him; the snow beneath my feet made it difficult to keep my pace with him, but he had yet to let go of my vest, so I had no choice but to stumble after him.

A glance back at the village had my stomach clenching in worry. Would they be able to get out? I looked around at the bodies strewn in the snowy terrain around us, some civilians, some enemies, some of our own. Gunfire continued to echo through the frigid air – Evac wouldn’t be here for a while, I realized, staring at one of the cadaver’s rucksacks – which might not even matter, if we froze to death in the woods. We certainly weren’t prepared to wait out in the freezing cold, however, a native to Georgia might. I dug my heels into the ground and ripped myself from König’s hold, acting on an impulsive survival instinct.

“Was machst du?!” König yelled a babble of German that I ignored. I skidded to a halt by one of the bodies and rolled it over (with difficulty), searching frantically. C’mon, c’mon… I tore open the pockets on his tactical belt and scavenged what I though was useful. König scanned around us – the sound of bullets flying, along with the fact that we were not trying to move away from it, wasn’t sitting well with him.

“We need to go!” he shouted.  

“Alright alright!!” I said, finally snatching the backpack off of the body. Hopefully this is enough…

“Komm!!” König finally ran back, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me back towards the trees. I shouldered the backpack and followed closely behind. We ran as fast as we could up the hill – I struggled to match König’s wide stride, but his grip on my wrist forced me to keep up, or risk getting it torn off if I slowed down.

The sound of a rifle firing nearby made us both jump. König must have assumed the battle stayed within the village walls, however, we were sorely mistaken. The bullets landed in the snow beside us, barely missing our backs. I looked over my shoulder and saw two enemy soldiers steadily following us, shooting in our direction as they clamored up the hillside. I mumbled a curse – König kept tugging me upwards as bullets whizzed by our heads.

“Keep moving!” he ordered – though it fell on deaf ears.

I tore my wrist from König’s grasp and ripped my assault rifle from over my shoulder.

“Scheisse – Bonnie!” he shouted angrily, but I ignored him. If I didn’t try to kill them now, they were going to follow us into the woods.

I fell to my stomach, aimed the gun, and fired. The first few bullets took out the closest soldier – the other one ducked low to the ground, and that combined with the angle of the hill made it harder to hit him. He took position and fired again, missing my leg by a few inches. I pressed myself down, steadying my aim, and fired a final, fatal bullet into his back. He jolted from the impact before falling limply against the snow.

König grabbed me by the collar and pulled me up. “Auf mich!” he shouted, ushering me in front of him. I ran ahead while he scanned across the hill one last time, before we both stumbled into the line of trees.

I did my best to steady my breathing as we continued to sprint, despite the adrenaline starting to wear off. My thighs and shoulders were burning as the effects of the fight were finally catching up to me. Branches from the trees whipped against my body as I ran, stinging and scratching against my skin. Eventually, König passed me – lucky bastard with those stupid-ass long legs – and took the lead, running further and further into the dense thicket of trees. He started to slow down, deciding that we had gotten far enough away from the village.

Retreat always left a sour taste on my tongue.

I rested my hands on my knees, gasping desperately for air. My throat felt like it was burning and my entire body was shaking from the post-adrenaline rush. König leaned against a tree, his head lolling back as his chest heaved up and down. We were both spent – at this point, if there was still anyone pursuing us, our best bet would have been to hide – or just surrender.

I straightened up, placing my hands on my hips and tilting my head back. God, this is going to hurt later. König pushed himself away from the tree. His breathing had slowed to a normal pace, although the stress on his body was evident in every other aspect.

“What was that?!” he spat, pointing back towards the field.

A deep, fiery anger quickly began to simmer in my chest. I slowly looked at König, hands still on my hips and my expression furious. “What the fuck was what, colonel?” I said, my tone clear as day: tread lightly.

“That stunt you pulled earlier.” He stood directly in front of me, looking down through his mask with obvious anger. “Fucking posting up on the hill like that, acting like-“

“You mean saving our goddamn lives?!” I stepped forward so that I was right up against him, despite having to crane my neck up to meet his gaze. “Doing my fucking job?”

“We were fine!” he seethed. “They weren’t hitting us, yeah?”

“Yeah – because I fucking killed them, you’re welcome!” I glared at him with an irate look. “They would have pursued!”

“You could have gotten yourself killed.”

“Well guess who’s alive and who’s dead, huh?!”

“You made yourself an easy target by stopping there!”

“Are you fucking blind?! Or deaf? Did you hear anything that I just said, dipshit?!”

“Vorsichtig…” König spat at me, sticking a thick finger in my face.

“I don’t speak dumbass.” I retorted.

König’s eyes widened with fury, and he leaned down so that his face was inches from mine. “Hör mal, du kleiner Mistkerl- “

Suddenly, he stopped. I continued to stare directly into his eyes, adorning my own defiant glare. He was looking back at me, however, he was focused on something else. He glanced over my head, in the direction of the battle. Realizing he spotted something, I froze in place and listened intently. After a few moments, we heard the sound of quick footsteps, distant, yet approaching. An irritated voice was shouting as they ran towards us through the trees.

We both turned and ran. König ducked behind a tree and grabbed my arm (perhaps I wasn’t fast enough for him to tolerate) – he pulled me against him, with an arm around my waist, holding my own against my sides. He pressed himself against the tree, and his hand roughly covered my mouth. I didn’t even say anything…

We waited silently, listening as the soldier drew nearer. König’s hand around my waist grew tighter by the second, and his hand pressed harder against my mouth, as if he thought I might yell out to the assailant. The footsteps grew closer – the person didn’t even try to mask the sounds they made, speaking loudly into their comm. “I lost sight of the runners.” She said.

Dumb bitch, we weren’t that fast.

“Copy.” She replied to the inaudible voice on her comm. She quickly slipped by us without taking notice of our bodies, not even twenty feet from her. Once we were behind her, König expertly maneuvered us to the other side of the tree, his hand never leaving my mouth. I struggled to breathe against it, as his entire hand covered from my chin to my nose. But we waited quietly for the footsteps to fade into the distance, and then some more, until König was satisfied that she was gone.

He released my mouth; I fell to my knees and gasped for air. “Holy shit-“ I wheezed.

“Sorry…” he said wearily; a complete one-eighty from his recent outburst. I waved a hand at him, signaling that it was ok. He waited in silence as I struggled to catch my breath. The tension from moments before had subsided, although not completely. König shuffled awkwardly on his feet, rubbing a hand on the back of his head.

“I didn’t need to say all that…” he finally spoke. “I was just… fick, I don’t even know. It was a close call.”

I got back onto my feet. “Don’t worry about it.” I said, clearing my throat and dusting my pants off. “Just curious, what did you even say? In German?”

König looked at me, unmoving. “Ah…” he rubbed the back of his head. “Use your imagination and you’d probably be right. I’d rather not get into any more trouble today.”

I nodded, choosing to let the topic slide. “I’m sorry too… I shouldn’t have said those things about you… to a fucking colonel, too.” I said with an apologetic chuckle.

König shrugged. “I’ve heard worse. What you said was tame.” He paused a moment, then broke away from my gaze, looking at his surroundings and sighing. He paused in the direction of where the soldier had disappeared into. “I wonder why she would move so far away from the fight…” he said,  “that seems reckless.”

I shrugged. “She was following orders.” I replied, rolling my shoulders and cracking my neck from side to side. “But the way she tracks is what’s piss-poor; heard that bitch from a mile away.”

König chuckled. “With a sniper rifle and a good angle, I could shoot her from here.” He held his hands up, positioning his non-existent gun on his shoulders, aiming in her direction. His shoulder blade was soaked in blood; something I hadn’t picked up before. It made me panic momentarily – when did he get that? Was that before or after we fled? – but I soon noticed that it wasn’t that deep. It needed to be patched up, for sure, but he wasn’t suffering from blood loss.

“Right, well“ - I slipped the backpack off of my shoulders and began rifling through it- “before we try chasing her down, you need stitches.”

Arms still in the air, König looked back at the cut. “Eh,” he began, reaching over to touch it. “I think I will be fine, this could be worse.”

I nodded and pulled out a suture kit. “Exactly: we’re gonna fix it before it does get any worse.” I pointed a finger at him. “On the ground, big guy.”

König dropped to his knees (a little too quickly) and stared up at me. I paused, shocked at the immediate obedience, and chuckled to myself. I got down on my knees, and König shifted to fully sit down so that I was at a comfortable level with his shoulder.

“You’re gonna need to take your shirt off.” I said. “I’m not tearing it up when it’s this cold. You’ll need it.”

König faltered, as if he was going to protest, but all that came from him was a sigh. He started with his arm guards, followed by his tactical belt, radio antenna, and his helmet, tossing them into a pile next to him. He pulled the hem of his shirt from his waistband, then paused. “Mask stays on.” He ordered.

I raised my hands defensively. “Fine by me.” I reached a hand under the back of his shirt, snaking it up and through the top of his collar. I could feel the smooth muscle of his back covered by a layer of sweat, despite the cold weather. I grabbed the back of his mask and pulled it back underneath his shirt. “Hold the front end under the shirt and then take it off. I’ll hold it back here.”

His breath hitched in his throat, followed by a very visible shiver. He reached through his shirt to grab the front end of his mask, before pulling the shirt over his head, wincing as it peeled away from his wound, and discarded it with the rest of his gear.

The cut was deep and angry, but thankfully it wasn’t terrible. König definitely needed stitches – luckily, that would be the only thing he needed. I grabbed a bottle of iodine solution from the kit as he watched, and he sighed. He pulled one of his gloves off and folded it between his teeth, preparing for the pain.

“Quick sting-“ I warned, popping the lid off of the bottle and pouring it sparingly over the wound. König inhaled sharply and groaned, barely muffled by the glove. I winced at his pain and mumbled an apology. I started threading a suture through his skin, focusing hard on being as gentle as possible. I could feel each fiber of his muscle tugging against the thread. His back was tense, flexed and unmoving as I worked. I peered at the scars on his back; some small, some long, some were thin lines, and others were wide gashes. Even a few bullet scars here and there. I noticed a dusting of freckles smattered across his upper back, thinning out the further down they traveled. Kinda looks like falling stars…

“Scheisse!” he suddenly growled, bringing me back to the situation at hand. Get it together – bad time to get distracted. I glanced up at him and watched as he breathed forcefully through the pain. He would suck a long breath in, before pushing it out between tightened lips, ending it with a small groan.

I looked back down to the wound and continued working. “Sorry, it shouldn’t be too much longer here.”

“Eh, you’re fine.” He said through clenched teeth. “I’ve done this plenty of times, though it never gets any easier.”

I tied off the last suture and grabbed the peroxide once more. I showed it to him as a heads-up. He chuckled. “Give me your hand for this one, yeah?”

I smirked and offered my hand, which he held tightly. He shoved the glove back into his mouth and faced the opposite direction, as if he was trying to be as far away from the pain as possible. I poured the solution on the stitched cut and he immediately hissed in pain. His hand squeezed mine with an inhuman amount of pressure, popping my knuckles and sending pain through my fingers, and I mumbled my own string of expletives. Remind me to never let him do that again. I quickly covered the wound with a piece of gauze and some tape, my hand still occupied by König’s.

“Sorry…” he said, releasing my hand.

I examined my fingers. “All good. I probably deserved that.”

“For what?” he asked, grabbing his shirt and slipping it back over his body.

“I dunno…” I said, leaning back on my heels as he turned to look at me. “I got you distracted on the field.”

“Anything could have distracted me. I’m glad it was just you…” He sat back against the tree. “… and nothing more dangerous.”

I folded my arms over my chest. “You don’t think I’m dangerous?” I quipped.

König laughed and shook his head. “At least not to me. The only thing I fear in you is your attitude. It’s quite sour.”

I scrunched my nose at his comment, followed by a playful jab to his shoulder. He inhaled sharply in pain and I winced, realizing that I had struck his wound. “Sorry!”

Night had fallen (quicker than we expected), and the forest was now freezing. We decided against making a fire, in case the enemy was still clearing out the field. I had been hoping and praying that the rest of them were alright: that Roze, Horangi, and everyone else had made it out of the village and into the woods somewhere, or at least managed to find evac, once they had gotten there. I would let myself freeze to death in the forest if I knew thy had died there. Still, the not knowing was almost worse.

König was pressing his back against a tree with his arms folded over his chest – surprisingly, he wasn’t shivering, but he still looked irritated with the current weather. He occasionally paced around our hiding spot, scanning the woods for any sign of… anything, really. But the world remained quiet, save the crunching of the ground under König’s heavy steps and my teeth clacking together.

I was frigid. I had crouched against the base of a tree, knees tightly scrunched to my chest with my arms tucked in between them. I was blowing warm breaths over my fingers – the fingertips of my gloves were cut off long ago to help have a better grip on things, and the current situation made me regret making that choice. My muscles twitched and shivered as my body tried to generate what little heat it could, which wasn’t much. My fingers and toes began to sting from the cold. Never thought I’d die from hypothermia… first time for everything, I guess.

König rubbed the sides of his arms, clearly not as cold as I was. He stopped pacing, watching me as the sound of my chattering echoed through the small patch of woods we were in. “You alright there?”

I nodded, never meeting his gaze. “P-eachy.” I said, my shivering taking over my voice.

“You won’t make like this before evac gets here.” He scanned the woods again, as if our rescue was about to come running through the trees any second now. Wishful thinking.

“Hopefully it d-oesn’t take that l-long for me t-o pass.” I joked. Neither König nor I found it funny.

König sighed. He dropped himself at the base of a tree and leaned back, spreading his legs in front of him. He looked at me and patted the ground in between them expectantly.

For a moment, I was taken aback enough to stop shivering. “Huh?”

“Come here.” He said, frustrated. “I’m trying to warm you up, blödmann. I’d rather not have you die right next to me.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. I knew whatever he called me was an insult. “No thanks, I’ll be f-fine.” I turned my head back down, exhaling warmth over my fingers. The thought of sitting in König’s lap like that was embarrassing, and something I was absolutely not about to do. Ever.

He stared at me, his eyes blank. I could feel the irritation radiating off of him, but I didn’t care. He couldn’t force me to do anything, and I know he wouldn’t try.

“It’s an order.” He stated firmly, his voice slightly deeper than before.

I looked at him with surprise. “Excuse me?”

“Are you forgetting that I’m a colonel?” he questioned, cocking his head to the side.

I scoffed. “Sometimes you forget- “

“I’m not going to repeat myself, sergeant.” He warned.

And there it was. That feeling. That electric zap in my lower abdomen. That stupid sensation that had got me in trouble with Ghost over a year ago. All from a single order from my superior. I stared at König, hoping my arousal wasn’t obvious, as I attempted to shank every single butterfly in my stomach. Christ, get it together you slut…

I sighed, standing up and moving towards König, who chuckled smugly. Rather than sit in between his legs, I planted myself next to him, our shoulders and hips touching. I brought my knees to my chest again while his remained splayed out in front of him. The excitement I felt earlier was gone, now replaced with an awkwardness. I couldn’t stop the small frown that settled on my face.

König froze at our touch, seeming to feel the awkwardness too. It was a bit amusing, seeing him flop between being cocky and sheepish. Eventually, he relaxed, ever so slightly leaning into my side. Soon, he gained enough courage to wrap an arm around my shoulders.

Reflexively, I tensed and pulled away a bit. “You don’t need – “

“I don’t want to hear it, Bonnie.” He said, pulling me back in. His words expressed superiority, yet his voice sounded anxious. “I’m keeping my teammate warm. I don’t want you to freeze to death out here. We’re benefitting each other, you know.”

I hesitated to give in; in all honesty, König was very warm… even his fingers. They gently rubbed the side of my arm through my sleeve, sending pins and needles through my skin as the feeling began to come back. My head fit easily against the side of his chest, and I felt good too… not even aroused, just safe. The stress from the mission and worrying about my team – it all was catching up to me, but now it was being absorbed into the warmth of König’s form.

I sighed, leaning against his body as a shiver ran up my spine. Under the smell of sweat and gunpowder, there was a hint of musk. I hated how it comforted me.

He felt my movement and chuckled. “Not so bad, huh?”

“Stuff it.” I replied curtly.

König laughed, charmed by my stubbornness, I assumed. “Here, give me your hands.” He opened his free hand and offered it to me. I reluctantly obliged, my sense of reason now being controlled by my dropping temperature. He was able to close his hand around both of mine, gently kneading my fingertips between his. The blood rushing back to my hands was painful, but the accompanied warmth was welcomed. I stared at his large hand massaging mine with half-lidded eyes; now that I felt safe, I realized how tired I had been for the past several hours.

“Thanks.” I mumbled. Even though I was feeling better, the situation was still embarrassing. I tried not to rely on people if I could help it.

“Go to sleep.” He said, ignoring my comment and letting go of my hands. “I’ll keep first watch. It’ll give you a few hours of rest.” He kept his gaze forward, aligned with the trees with an iron stare.

I huffed, tucking my hands into my sides and leaning into him further. I could sense he was just as apprehensive about our unfortunate situation, unwilling to acknowledge the tension between us – which was probably for the better. If we could hold off until evac reached us, we could pretend this had never happened. I let my eyes close, bristling against the contrast of the frigid air and König’s warm muscle, choosing to be thankful that I wasn’t out here alone – and that neither was he.

Right before sleep blanketed over my senses, gently pulling me down from awareness, I felt his arm shifting back around me to hold me closer. I smiled.

I startled awake from a dreamless sleep – pain shot through my fingers and toes when they tensed up. The freezing bite of the wind nipped at them, and they burned as my blood began to flow throughout my limbs.

I looked up at König, at poor, poor König…

He was still sitting upright, his one arm draped limply over my body. His eyes were fixed forwards on the tree line – they were narrowed against the chill of the wind, and dark bags had formed underneath them. His posture was slouched, and occasionally he would drift forwards, only to jerk himself back against the tree. He blinked slowly as he fought away the sleep.

“König?!” I pushed myself upright, staring at him with concern. “Oh my god, are you ok?!”

“Bitte,” he said, still looking at the trees ahead. “Ich muss schlafen…”

“What?”

“I need to sleep.”

“Shit, why didn’t you say something?” I asked, sitting up against the tree.

“I tried. You wouldn’t wake up.” His voice was gravelly from his lack of sleep. “You snored.”

“I- what?” I pulled my head back, looking up at him with an offended expression. “I snored?”

“Like a horse. May I please lie down?”

I scowled. That doesn’t even make any sense… I pressed myself against the tree trunk, ushering him to lean against me. “Yeah, you sleep, Colonel. I’ll keep a lookout.”

Instead of resting against my side, König completely flopped down into my lap. I let out an oof as he landed – it felt like a tree had just fallen on my legs. He let out a long, tired groan, his eyes finally closing for the night. He wrapped his arms around my thighs and hugged them close – his fingers were freezing, making me inhale sharply as he tucked them between my thighs for warmth. I didn’t even have the mental capacity to react to the gesture due to the frigidity.

“König-“ I began to protest.

“Es ist so kalt.”

“… huh?”

“It’s cold.” He mumbled.

I hovered my hands above his body, unsure of where to put them. I glanced around the dark woods, only being able to decipher one tree from the next by the light of the moon. Why am I nervous? There’s no one here but us.

That’s exactly why I was nervous.

I sighed, rubbing my hands roughly over König’s arms to warm him up. He grunted something in appreciation, squeezing my legs tighter. I bit my lip and prayed that he wouldn’t crush me. Despite his appendages being cold, his torso was relatively warm, still. As much as I hated to think about it, his current position over my body did a much better job at fighting the cold than how we had sat before.

“You gonna be alright?” I asked.

Silence. Then, a long, grating snore, akin to a chainsaw cutting through a tree trunk.

I huffed, patting his shoulder (the uninjured one). I leaned my head back against the tree trunk, fixing my gaze to the trees ahead of us. The forest was utterly silent, save for the occasional whisper of wind rustling through the leaves. Thankfully, the ground was spared from snow due to the thick coverage of the trees. My breath froze in the air, puffs of icy clouds wilting away before me. I looked back down at König: he was out like a light, face pressed into my hip and fingers clenching between my thighs.

Wish I had a camera.

Next ->

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[gffa]

Disney, hire me as your Attachment Advisor, I will shove so many George Lucas quotes at your producers and writers, I will shove so many context-laden clips from the movies and TCW at your creatives, I will make powerpoint essays about how it's more Buddhist-aligned, not Attachment Theory-aligned, I will cite literally every time attachment has ever been discussed by Lucas AND in the show itself and show you that it's always aligned with fear, possessive feelings, and selfishness, I will do this work for you for free, I can even literally just point you to my Jedi Citations collection, DISNEY, HIRE ME AS YOUR ATTACHMENT ADVISOR, I CAN HELP YOU.

Everything I saw in the show aligned perfectly with my view of what the Jedi mean by attachment from the movies (especially with Episode II). You fail to understand that George Lucas words outside of the movies mean shit. You cane have the largest collection of words that has come out of Lucas's ass and it still does not change the movies. Look at the poster for AOTC. A Jedi shall not know love. Obi-Wan speaks beautifully about the undercurrent of remorse he feels for not being able to have an attachment with Satine because he lives by the Jedi Code which forbids it.

You people are so delusional.

Hi! You are so right bestie it has been way too long since I've talked about my love for Mace Windu! You are so right to have brought this up and I will meet your challenge! He is the Force's strongest soldier because the absolute nonsense he has to put up with every day, as someone who deals with the rest of the Council being hilarious assholes, who deals with Kenobi and Skywalker's nonsense, who has Yoda as a friend, and yet he seems to genuinely like all of these people?? Even when they're bonkers?? My man is stronger than I could ever be.

Not to mention, he goes on a whole ass mission with Jar-Jar, has to watch him make out with his girlfriend, the queen of the planet who told falsehoods about your family, and you have nothing but patience and kind words to say about them, and you only roll your eyes a little at Jar-Jar's antics, something even Padme does and she's worked with him even longer than you have, and by the end, you're friends with him, you like him and would probably hang out with him again if the chance arose???? Mace Windu is on ANOTHER LEVEL from what I would have done in his position!

And he's a former theater nerd! "The Council's gain was the theater's loss." Jocasta Nu says about how he didn't have time for it anymore after he got so busy with the Council, like can you IMAGINE Mace Windu doing plays? I want to know sooooooo bad how Jedi plays are different from non-Force-sensitive people's plays, I want to know what kind of cool effects they create with the Force, I want to know if they use their psychic empath abilities to literally connect with their audience! I want to know DOES MACE WINDU HELP THE YOUNGLINGS STAGE CUTE LITTLE PLAYS IN THE CRECHE? BECAUSE I BET HE DOES.

Because that man is so good with kids! Remember that Star Wars Adventures comic where he was so gentle and sweet with the little Twi'lek girl? Reaching down to help her up, smiling openly at her, walking with her back to her village to make sure she was safe, talking with her to make sure she understood how important and valuable she was in the galaxy? Because I'm still not over that!

His relationship with Anakin in canon is pretty great, too, like, yeah, Anakin should take a seat and stop borderline pitching a fit about getting a rank he didn't earn, and Mace still offered to believe him, despite that Anakin had accepted Palpatine's forcing the Council to put him on it. He still trusted Anakin to help him in that fight against Palpatine! Plus, oh, man, their banter on the Endurance when they're teaching the cadets? That was such good-natured teasing, that was exactly the kind of banter Anakin would have had with Obi-Wan, and by the end of that whole fiasco (do you ever think about when Anakin was in danger and Mace yelled, "Anakin!" and desperately yanked him to safety, because he was worried about him? because I think about that a lot), Mace complimented Artoo by saying he saw what Anakin saw in him, that he was complimenting Anakin at the same time? Or pretty much EVERY interaction between Mace and Yoda is absolute hilarity, the side-eye they give each other, the teasing Yoda does when Mace is on a mission with Jar-Jar, the way Mace holds his hand out in the comics for Yoda to springboard off of into the middle of a fight? ICONIC FRIENDSHIP, I WOULD TAKE A WHOLE NOVEL ABOUT IT, DISNEY.

Or that time even AT THE END OF THE CLONE WARS, like they are just a MONTH out from Revenge of the Sith, if that, and Mace is STILL trying to get the droids to stand down, that he's destroyed thousands of them, none of them have listened, but he's still trying, offering them a better life away from the war, a purpose again, even if he knows it probably won't work, that man still believed in compassion for anyone and everyone. Like, baby Boba Fett TRIED TO KILL HIM and Mace STILL argued for leniency and rehabilitation, rather than jail, because he saw a young child who was hurting and he wanted better for him. He was direct with Boba, he didn't try to befriend him, Boba would never have accepted that, but he told him, you're going to have to get over your hatred for me, he says this for Boba's sake, not his own, because he knows what poison the desire for revenge is, look at the path it's already leading Boba down.

Or EVERYTHING WITH THE ZILLO BEAST, he tried so hard to rescue that poor creature, he fought the Senate so hard, he was so gentle with the hand he carefully pressed to its face, even when the Zillo beast was dangerous, even when it had attacked them and could so easily kill more, he wanted leniency for it, he wanted to save it because he understood where it was coming from.

Or EVERYTHING WITH PROSSET DIBS, that guy tried to murder him, was ranting about how he would dance on their graves or whatever, and Mace looks at him and says, we need to help him, it's our duty to help him find the light again. And his big punishment is literally just library duty, because when Mace can decide the outcome, that guy always goes for helping people, always goes for the option that would bring them back to the light.

Even as a young Padawan, his greatest struggle was to temper his anger, which was sparked because PEOPLE WERE BEING HURT by the false prophet on Mathas, he was angry because he saw how many people were suffering and the people in charge just let it happen, his heart hangs heavy when he witnesses people in pain, because Mace Windu deeply, deeply cares about the people in the galaxy.

He cared about civilians, he cared about clones, he cared about his fellow Jedi, he didn't have to be bouncy or super smiley to show that, either. It was in every action he took. He cared so much.

And, okay, yeah, he was COOL AS HELL AND WOULD HAVE BEATEN PALPATINE'S WRINKLED ASS IN A FAIR FIGHT.

OR THAT TIME ON RYLOTH THAT WAS LITTERALLY THE COOLEST SCENE THEY EVER ANIMATED, THE SOUND DROP? THE ABSOLUTE BANGER PHYSICAL STUNTS MACE WAS CAPABLE OF? GODDAMN HE WAS SO GOOD.

AND LEST WE FORGET--CUTEST BB YOUNGLING EVER!!!!

[astroa3h]

North Node Through the Houses

The North Node is not just about this life. It’s the unfinished business of your soul, the echoes of past lives that still hum beneath your everyday decisions. Think of it as the place where your soul keeps hitting repeat, lifetime after lifetime, until you get it right. The South Node can show us who we were in past lives, but the North Node shows us what we need to learn from that life. It demands that you evolve beyond the easy way out. It drags you into uncomfortable territory because that’s where the real growth happens.

Let’s get into what it means to have the North Node in each house.

With the North Node in the first house, your past lives were likely spent in the shadows, always focused on other people’s needs, emotions, and desires. You were the caretaker, the mediator, the one who made sure everyone else was happy and safe while you quietly faded into the background. You probably sacrificed your own identity for the sake of peace or belonging. But in this life, the universe is flipping the script and telling you to stop hiding. This is the lifetime where you must step fully into your own power and claim yourself. It’s not selfish; it’s essential. You are being called to develop a stronger sense of who you are outside of relationships, outside of what others expect from you. This might feel uncomfortable at first because you’ve been conditioned across lifetimes to put others first. But now, the universe wants you to put yourself at the center of your life. There will be moments where you’ll feel like you’re abandoning the old you, but that’s exactly what your soul needs. This time around, it’s about self-discovery, standing tall in your individuality, and letting go of the need for validation from others. Trust that this journey is about finding your truth, not living someone else’s.

When the North Node is in the second house, you are here to rewrite your relationship with worth and abundance. In your past lives, you likely struggled with self-worth. Maybe you were in poverty or servitude, or perhaps you lived lives where wealth or security felt out of reach. You learned to believe that you weren’t enough, that you had to prove your value through what you could do for others. In this life, the universe is pushing you to confront those old stories and realize that your worth is not tied to how much you give or how little you need. You are meant to feel deserving of wealth, stability, and comfort. This is a lifetime where you are here to build something lasting, something that supports you rather than drains you. You may find yourself facing challenges around money or possessions, but these are not meant to punish you. Instead, they’re here to force you to claim your right to abundance. This isn’t just about money; it’s about recognizing your own intrinsic value. You’ll learn that you no longer need to live in scarcity, and that accepting what you’re worth is part of your soul’s evolution.

If your North Node is in the third house, this lifetime is all about finding and expressing your voice. In your past lives, you may have lived in silence, either by choice or circumstance. Maybe you were restricted by the rules of society, family, or culture, or perhaps you were the one who chose to stay quiet to avoid conflict or punishment. You likely felt safer keeping your thoughts and ideas to yourself, never really speaking out or asserting your truth. But now, the universe is pushing you to break that silence. In this life, you are here to communicate, to learn, to explore new ideas, and to speak up. You’ll feel an urge to share your thoughts, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable. Your soul needs to experience the power of words, of ideas, of being heard. There may be times where you second-guess yourself or fear rejection, but this is where your soul’s growth lies. You are not here to keep your truth hidden. Whether through writing, teaching, or simply engaging in deeper conversations, you’re being called to expand your mind and share your wisdom. This is a lifetime where communication is key, not just for personal growth but for connecting with others in a way that transforms both you and them.

With the North Node in your fourth house, your past lives were spent chasing external success, status, and recognition. Maybe you were someone who lived for applause or defined yourself by your career. You were so focused on outward achievements that you neglected the emotional and spiritual foundation within. This time around, the universe says, “Enough.” Now, it’s not about what you accomplish on the outside, but how you nurture your roots on the inside. You’re being asked to create a real sense of home — within yourself and maybe even with family. This is about emotional vulnerability, learning to open up and embrace softness, something you might find incredibly challenging if you’ve been wired to believe that only external success matters. You’re being called to redefine success, not by titles or money, but by how connected you feel to your inner world. This will feel disorienting because in past lives, you thrived on that outer recognition. But in this lifetime, your soul’s peace comes from grounding and creating emotional safety.

For those with the North Node in the fifth house, your past lives were all about service to others. Maybe you were a healer, a caretaker, or even someone deeply immersed in community work. While that was noble, it also left you with a habit of putting your own joy and creativity on the back burner. This lifetime is a whole different story. The universe is pushing you toward pleasure, toward self-expression, toward reclaiming your own creativity without feeling guilty about it. You are meant to dive headfirst into what lights you up — art, romance, joy, whatever sets your soul on fire. You’ve spent lifetimes being selfless, but this time it’s about embracing the beauty of being self-full. This won’t be easy because you’re used to measuring your worth by how much you give to others, but now it’s time to give to yourself. You are here to learn how to play again, to fall in love with life and not apologize for it.

When the North Node falls in your sixth house, in past lives you may have been a dreamer, lost in spiritual or creative pursuits, escaping the mundane aspects of life. You were the mystic, the artist, or even the one who wandered without structure. But in this lifetime, the universe is pulling you down to earth. You are here to master the art of daily routine, service, and responsibility. This time, it’s not about escaping into the clouds; it’s about rolling up your sleeves and tending to the details of life. This placement demands you find meaning in the small things — in work, in health, in service to others. You are being asked to take what might seem like “boring” tasks and transform them into something meaningful. Structure will be your friend, even if you resist it at first. You’re learning that discipline isn’t the enemy of creativity but its container. This is about grounding yourself, finding your place in the world by being of real, tangible service.

If your North Node is in the seventh house, this lifetime is all about relationships. In past lives, you were fiercely independent, possibly even a bit of a loner. You didn’t rely on anyone because you thought you had to do it all yourself, and maybe you even took pride in that. But now, the universe is pushing you to embrace partnership. You’re here to learn the beauty of compromise, to lean on others, and to create harmony in your one-on-one connections. This is not about losing yourself in relationships but learning that true growth comes from opening your heart to another. You’ll feel pulled to develop deep, committed partnerships, whether in love or business, and it will challenge your past life instincts to go it alone. It might feel uncomfortable, even scary, to trust others with your heart and your journey, but this is where your soul needs to grow. You’re learning that true strength lies not in isolation, but in collaboration and connection.

With the North Node in the eighth house, your past lives were likely lived in the comfort of the material world. You were someone who played it safe, who stayed on the surface of things, possibly attached to money, possessions, or status. But this time around, the universe is saying, “Dive deep.” This placement is all about transformation, letting go, and stepping into the unknown. You are meant to confront your fears, whether they are about intimacy, power, or even death itself. The eighth house demands that you shed old skins, walk through the fire of transformation, and come out on the other side reborn. This could feel terrifying because, in past lives, you avoided the dark, the intense, the things that couldn’t be controlled. But now, your soul is hungry for depth. You’ll be drawn to explore the mysteries of life, to face your shadows, and to embrace the power that comes from letting go of what no longer serves you. It’s time to step out of the comfort zone of material security and into the transformative power of your inner world.

When the North Node is in the ninth house, in past lives, you were all about the details. Maybe you were the scholar, the critic, or someone who clung tightly to rules and facts. But this time, the universe is calling you to go beyond the known. You’re here to expand your mind, your belief systems, and your horizons. This lifetime is about embracing adventure, travel, and higher learning. It’s about stepping out of the rigidity of what you know and diving into the vastness of what you don’t know. You might feel an urge to explore different cultures, philosophies, or spiritual practices. The ninth house pushes you to stop thinking so small and start embracing the bigger picture. It’s time to leave behind the safety of the familiar and embark on a journey of self-discovery that’s expansive and, yes, a little wild. Your soul craves adventure, and this lifetime is where you’ll find it.

If the North Node lands in your tenth house, in past lives you were likely focused on home and family, living a life that was more private, more intimate. You were the one who kept things safe and cozy, avoiding the spotlight. But now, the universe is pushing you to step out into the world and claim your public role. This lifetime is about ambition, about achieving something that impacts the world at large. You’re here to build a legacy, to step into positions of leadership or authority, and to make your mark. This won’t feel comfortable because your past lives were all about staying behind the scenes. But now, the universe is asking you to stand tall, to take on responsibility, and to be seen. This is where your soul needs to grow — in the pursuit of a greater purpose beyond the confines of home.

In the eleventh house, your North Node journey is about community and collective progress. In past lives, you may have focused on your personal desires or immediate circle, maybe even isolating yourself from broader social issues. But now, the universe is calling you to engage with the world, to step out of the small bubble of personal goals and embrace the power of the collective. You are here to learn how to work within groups, to contribute to causes greater than yourself, and to push humanity forward. This lifetime is about finding your place in society, whether that’s through activism, innovation, or simply connecting with people who share your vision. You’re meant to move from self-centered pursuits to community-focused contributions. This might feel uncomfortable because you’re stepping into a larger role, but this is where you will find your true impact.

Finally, with the North Node in the twelfth house, you’ve spent past lives wrapped up in the material world, focused on tangible results, daily routines, and the practical side of life. But now, the universe is guiding you toward the spiritual, the unseen, and the mystical. You are here to learn the art of surrender, to trust in something greater than yourself, and to dive deep into the subconscious mind. This lifetime is about letting go of control, embracing your intuition, and exploring the realms beyond the physical world. You’ll feel drawn to meditation, spiritual practices, or even isolation at times as you seek to understand the deeper truths of existence. This can feel disorienting if you’re used to structure and predictability, but your soul is craving connection with the divine, the mysteries of life, and the wisdom that comes from stillness and surrender. This is the lifetime where you learn to trust the flow of the universe and let go of the need to have all the answers.

Sending you all my love and blessings, Ash (@AstroA3h via Instagram & TikTok) 💓 Ready for your own personal reading? Visit astroash.net to book yours today! ✨

[dollishbabess]

Do you do batfamily? I literally love your profile aesthetic and I think it would be really cool something like girly reader who is the youngest in the batfamily, I think it would be funny the boys dealing with her and everything. ily🤍

“I PRESSED HIDE ICONS BUT I CAN STILL SEE ME” ── .✦ DOLLISH ⋆. 𐙚 ˚

A/n: this literally made me laugh but tysm ily too, but literally i tried to balance this with sass + a girl who likes pink and other colors instead of stereotypical pink girly girl and etc but if this is not correct then sorry because i only have one sister and a brother and i’m oldest out of all of them.

tags: batfamily x girly!batsis

⋆. 𐙚 ˚

The manor is, of course, dark and filled with heavy, old-fashioned furniture. Meanwhile, you’re room is beautiful with subtle hints of pink decor and white, and a beautiful walk in closet, and your room is the only spot with cozy, neutral decor and soft pinks, which you somehow convinced Alfred was “tasteful and happy”

Bruce pretends he doesn’t notice the little decorative changes you make around the house, like the rose-gold lamp in the hallway or the fresh flowers on the dining table. Alfred, though, secretly loves it because it makes the place feel a little less like a ‘depressive episode’ (I’m convinced if someone suicidal went in that manor they would likely fucking commit at this rate).

“CINDERELLA ARE YOU FUCKING READY?!” ── .✦

When you go to family dinners or galas, the boys have come to expect that you’ll need at least an hour to get ready. They used to complain, but now they’ve just accepted it (even if it means sleeping while standing up waiting) And you’re always perfectly dressed, from your hair to your jewelry.

Tim once asked why you had to wear rings on your ring finger without being married, and without missing a beat, you responded, “Because I need to let people know I have style standards, maybe you can learn a or two about fashion, your dressed like a fucking caveman.”

“ITS EXPLAINABLE” ── .✦

Alfred has somehow become your unofficial shopping partner, knowing all your preferred stores and patiently sitting outside the fitting rooms. He’s the only one who will willingly go with you without complaint, and he even knows which colors you like best

Once, Bruce was caught off guard by a credit card alert because it was awhile someone spent THAT much money and asked Alfred about it. Alfred just responded calmly, “It was for necessary purchases, Master Wayne,” even though the “necessary purchases” included a ton of “designer” things.

── .✦

Damian once challenged you to a chess match, thinking he could beat you easily. Halfway through, you made a risky move, looked him dead in the eye, and said, “You’re about to see a queen move.” Damian lost, and he’s still confused about how it happened.

One morning, Dick said, “Isn’t it a little early for all the glam and glitter?” You just gave him a look and said, “Isn’t it a little late for you to be alive, your social security number is probably one.

YOUR BEAUTY PRODUCTS BECOMING A ATTEMPT ON PEOPLES LIVES ── .✦

Bruce has almost tripped on your eyelash curler twice. The family has also officially banned you from putting skincare masks in the fridge after Jason mistook your green tea gel eye masks for some kind of salad topping (the worse part is… he ate the whole thing and didn’t realize until he went shopping trying to find the exact one until he found it in the skincare aisle instead of the salad dressing aisle…)

Tim opened the wrong drawer in your room once, and it looked like a makeup frenzy had exploded. Lip glosses, nail polishes, tiny skincare samples, and sheet masks cascaded out, and he just stood there, baffled by how much one person could need, (he thought you ran a business for a few days after.)

── .✦

You also gave Bruce a mini heart attack when you told him you wanted a different laptop because “this one’s too boring.” The Batcomputer tech isn’t boring, but you wanted a rose-gold case and “a vibe,” so Bruce ended up ordering one in the exact shade you wanted.

The family group chat is complete chaos. You regularly send pictures of quotes from romance novels, and the occasional inspirational meme with sparkles. Once, you sent a photo of the living room and asked, “Could we get some lighter curtains in here? For my aesthetic and mental well being?”

Whenever someone’s late, you flood the chat with passive-aggressive texts like, “Jason, do you know what ‘be here at 6 PM’ means?” or “Dick, if you’re any later, I’ll be old enough to vote for Kamala at this rate.”

MOVIE NIGHTS ── .✦

You insist on watching rom-coms and dramas instead of the usual action movies. Even though the boys groan, you’ve noticed they secretly enjoy the movies by the end. Tim tried to deny it, but he was caught laughing at a scene in white chicks and you swore to never let him forget it.

Once, you convinced them to watch a “fall aesthetic” movie marathon, complete with hot chocolate and fuzzy blankets. Even Jason joined in, and you teased him the whole night, whispering, “Don’t pretend you don’t love a good blanket.

THE OFFICAL FASHION GURU FINALBOSS 💜 ── .✦

You’ve taken it upon yourself to occasionally “advise” the boys on their fashion. If Tim wears a hoodie that’s “two shades too close to ‘depression’ ” you’ll be the first to tell him. You even convinced Damian to try a collared shirt once, though he looked horrified.

Dick gets roasted the most. He walked out wearing cargo shorts once, and you deadpan, “Going for the ‘i’m so old i saw humans evolve’ look i see.” He didn’t change, but he was clearly a little self-conscious the whole day (he never wore cargo shorts ever again…)

SKINCARE TIPS ── .✦

You’ve taught the boys some random facts they never knew, like the importance of hyaluronic acid for skincare and the difference between ballet flats and loafers. They pretend to brush it off, but you’ve overheard Jason giving roy skincare advice using the tips you shared.

When Bruce had a minor scratch on his face from patrol, you casually handed him concealer. “Just dab, blend, and don’t tell anyone,” you said. He followed the instructions without a word (he used to do that before, just impressed you also knew)

THE BABY OF THE FAMILY ── .✦

As the youngest, you know how to work the “baby sister” angle like a pro. The boys are fiercely protective, and any time you need a ride, money for something “totally essential,” or help with homework, you can count on one of them stepping up.

Once, you asked Damian to grab something from a high shelf for you, and when he hesitated, you hit him with, “Guess i really am alone without a good brother..” He ended up grabbing it for you with a grumble, but you swear you saw him smirk.

@dollishbabess made by me, do not translate, or repost or copy.

Second divider: @cafekitsune, other dividers not sure I kinda forgot sorry

[howlsofbloodhounds]

TW: Kidnapping and involuntary servitude. Dehumanization, both of Killer and Murder (who is dehumanized by both Nightmare and Killer, despite how Killer isn’t aware of/doesn’t much care how he comes off, even if that’s not the intention.)

Hunting, predator/unwilling prey dynamics that is encouraged. Pet/master as well.

Also past hints to previous hunts, starvation as punishment, abuse.

Was thinking about how canon Murder was said to never want to willingly join Nightmare and wouldn’t have any interest in other AUs or ATs outside of his own, and I was thinking about how there’s a canonical Something New timeline where Nightmare just straight up yoinked up Killer and took him into involuntary servitude.

And then I was thinking about these two facts with a Bad Sans Gang AU, and my first thought was “flight risk Murder” and predator/prey dynamics with Murder and Killer (they’re both prey and predator bc Murder is very good at setting traps) and owner/pet dynamics with Nightmare and Killer.

Like, NM is old and ancient and spent some time away from most mortals for quite awhile and Killer didn’t really fight back or attempt to escape him as he yoinked him up, so he assumes it’ll just be the same with Murder.

Only, nope. First mission out and the guy’s making an immediate run for it. Killer has to track him down and drag him back, which presented a surprisingly good challenge because this guy is fast and light on his feet and good at thinking quickly (like Killer). He set up so many various traps or made impromptu ones, he kept Killer on his toes.

This becomes a bit of a routine (no one uses that word around Stage 2 Killer, because then it becomes something to avoid).

Nightmare sends them out, Murder tries to run if he has the energy and Determination, Killer hunts him down with something bordering on amusement and glee.

He’s never hunted another version of himself down quite like this before, and unsurprisingly this leads to moments of squabbling and vicious fighting between Murder and Killer who gets closer and closer to Stage 3 with every hunt. He’s having fun, falling into habit, the thrill of the chase.

They always both come back bloody, beaten, injured, and exhausted, Killer either carrying Murder bridal style or by the scruff of his hoodie, but Killer is uncharacteristically pleased and almost happy to be hunting someone down. (“You fell back into form easy enough, huh. Just like old times, right, partner?”)

Murder is always beyond exhausted and pissed, something bordering on realizing how powerless he actually is when compared to Nightmare (worried he might not ever be able to stop his human because he’ll never get free), and Nightmare is just…endlessly amused.

It’s like watching the cat drag in a mouse to its owner, so he will of course give Killer his well deserved praise and treats. This new behavior is something he hadn’t observed in his weapon yet, and he is admittedly curious.

You’re allowed to rest more today, eat more today. Just make sure to take care of Murder, have him up and ready for the next time. (This is what you’re supposed to do with mortals you don’t want dying on you just yet, right? It seems so tedious..maybe just this one time, just to see what happens.)

Feeling Murder’s anger at Killer, his disgust and discomfort around him (Murder’s embarrassment and humiliation at being wrangled and treated like a pet, even though Killer always takes care of his injuries well just like he does for the cats he adores so much), is like a nice side dish for Nightmare. He can feel Murder’s slowly, ever slowly, dwindling hope; and he assumes it’ll eventually be just like Killer.

That Murder will accept his place, and then will make the best of it, and they’ll all move on from this. Or maybe they’ll keep going but now both his pets will enjoy playing out in the woods or something.

But, no. Murder’s escape attempts begin losing its previous zeal. He’s just doing it because it’s habit now, and not because he thinks he’ll actually get free this time. He causally wanders off, and he spots Killer leaning against a tree like, “so..you come here often?”

He immediately turns around and goes back.

Killer is getting bored and apathetic again, Nightmare can tell. The tingle of “something new” has worn off, Murder is no longer novel. He’s boring and lame now.

But Killer knows he isn’t broken yet. Murder isn’t like him, he can see the spark of defiance and life in those dim eyes. It’s so different from what Killer sees when he dares to catch a glimpse of the reflection in the blade of his knife.

If Murder isn’t broken yet, then he’s just biding time. And Killer can’t wait to see what he does next.

(Who knows. Maybe Killer even does things to attempt to keep Murder’s hope up. Because he wouldn’t be fun if he were just like Killer.) (He doesn’t want anyone becoming like him)

(..of course things would get difficult if Killer starts thinking that Murder could genuinely start escaping him. Hunting someone down brings back memories, feelings, consequences of failure..

Stage 3 will not let this prey get away because no prey means no food means more pain means upset-angry-stomach-body. Pain to stomach and pain to head and pain to bones and soul and disappointment means becoming prey.)

(..eventually, though, it all comes to a head. Maybe Killer finally triggered into Stage 3 and kills Murder in the fight, before it can bring in the prey for observation, proof of having done well.

And maybe this is how Nightmare becomes aware of Stage 3, and is..deeply intrigued about this new side of his weapon. Perhaps this explains why Killer had been behaving oddly, outside of the thrill of something new. Perhaps this wasn’t as new for his killer as Nightmare had thought it was.

The next one they get will be more willing, somehow, someway. “I will get you another friend to play with,” he reassures his killer.)

[skrrts]

the date at 11:17AM (oneshot)

✧ gn!reader x yunho ✧ continuation of this oneshot (also works as a standalone read) ✧ genre: non-idol, slice of life, crush, date ✧ word count: 1,3k ✧ warnings : food/eating

After the two of you finally spoke at the bus station, Yunho is taking you out on the promised date.

a/n: @solaris-amethyst asked to go on that date with yunho. he's a little nervous about it but i hope you like it 😉

You drove everyone crazy by being so indecisive about your outfit, but in the end, your friends all voted for the same one. It was lovely, the colors matched well with your hair, and it was inviting for the warm weather, but you feared it might be too every day? First dates were the hardest, especially with someone you knew so little about, but Yunho always seemed a little more comfortable and elegant whenever you saw him at the bus station.

You checked your phone again as you walked along the crossroad. Yunho wanted to meet you at 11:57 AM near the beach; it was a sweet detail considering how your bus always left at the same time twelve hours later. When you found the tall tree he indicated, you looked around but he was nowhere to be seen.

Should you call him? It was almost time, and you told yourself to wait. He wasn't the kind of guy to ditch someone; you just knew it. Ever since your first conversation a few days ago, Yunho had texted you frequently. The two of you talked about everything and nothing, which you enjoyed. Sometimes, he just asked what you were up to, then he shared how his coffee was a little too sweet or shared about his best friend preparing to move in with his university sweetheart. In exchange, you told him about your work, language school, and other small interests.

At 11:56 AM, a few seconds before the minute would change, he called you, and you answered within the blink of an eye.

“Hi there,” your voice was nervous, but the smile was obvious. Yunho’s voice was soft and sweet, maybe a little shy.

“Turn around,” he asked softly, and you did so without hesitation.

There he stood, bathed in sunlight and shadows cast by the tree, his phone to one ear while the other hand held a gift bag and a few wildflowers he likely picked up on his way. When you looked at him, he was smiling brightly and slowly slipped his phone into his pocket.

You did the same as you stepped closer to him, now wondering if maybe you should have brought a gift as well. A soft blush colored your cheeks as you approached him, Yunho’s eyes politely glancing over you.

He wore jeans and sneakers with an oversized white long-sleeve button-up that was open and complimented his tall figure well, the glasses hanging loosely on it. He was really attractive; it was a little challenging not to just stare.

“You look very pretty today,” he complimented, and before you could say something, he slowly held the flowers and gift bag up to you. “Just a small something,” he mumbled with a shy smile.

You accepted it with a small bow: “Thank you, this is really sweet.” Someone once told you instead of saying that you didn’t need gifts, to simply accept them and show excitement, as the other person put effort in and it was rude to tell them it was a waste of time.

“Can I open it now?” you asked, somewhat shy when Yunho chuckled and stepped to your side, offering to hold the flowers for you.

“Of course, it’s a little silly… Mingi said it would make a good gift, something about bringing good luck.”

You chuckled: “Your best friend, huh? Well, since you said he has been with his big love for years, he does sound like the expert.”

Your fingers carefully pulled something soft outside, and a moment later, you found yourself blinking.

This was the most adorable dog plushie you had ever seen, looking cutely at you with big eyes, and for some reason, it reminded you of Yunho.

“He’s so cute!!” you called out, a little too enthusiastically, and Yunho blushed, rubbing his free hand over the back of his neck.

“You think so? Ah, during my first year of university, we had this really creative guy who had to do a project of making plushies inspired by people, and he made this one of me. I had it for a while but I thought… you said you liked cute things,” he mumbled.

So this was something personal? Now it felt even more special, and you gave the plushie a soft hug before, without thinking, leaning up to press a kiss on Yunho’s cheek. “I love him, he’s the cutest. Thank you.”

Realizing what you just did, you noticed a hint of surprise on his face for a moment, but then his smile widened, and he seemed to relax.

“Glad you think so! I’m happy he gets a good new home. Ah, it’s time, shall we go? I booked a table at the beach restaurant there. They serve fantastic Greek meals.” Yunho offered his hand to you, and after carefully placing the plushie back in the bag, you took it.

Handholding on the first date hadn’t been on your expectation list. Really, you thought maybe you’d get a random cup of coffee, chat a little, and that would be it. Instead, right after you exchanged numbers, Yunho was eager to ask if you just maybe had more time.

Of course you did; this was far from anything you expected after spending weeks of carefully watching Yunho. If anything, this was much more like a fever dream, but you were up for every moment of it.

“You said you really wanted to visit Greece one day, right? You should. I actually managed to go there forever ago during a school trip. We went there for a week; it was a little too … school-focused but I enjoyed it.”

Yunho nodded: “Mhm, I see a lot of photos on social media, and just something about it makes me want to go.”

He gave his name to the waiter, who led the two of you to a table close to the water. The view was pretty, and as this was a more rocky part of the beach, not too many visitors disturbed the view. You both ordered the waiter’s recommendation. It was a little embarrassing, but you had a hard time drawing your gaze from Yunho. He was just such a positive figure, his smile never seemed to fade, and every word was sheer excitement, always sincere.

As the meal was served and the hours went on, the heat started to become a little intense, and Yunho offered to go for a small walk in the shadows.

“Before we go, let me get us some ice cream,” he offered and walked over to a stall, buying two before offering one to you.

While it was hot, neither of you seemed to mind holding hands; it almost felt familiar and far from a first date. You could feel his thumb gently brushing over your hand, and you almost dreaded the end. There was a small bench at the end of the beach before a small hill indicated the street on top.

“This is nice,” you sighed happily, carefully placing the bag on the bench so you could sit a little more comfortably. To your surprise, after a hint of hesitation, Yunho suddenly pulled you onto his lap.

You could see from Yunho’s face that all of this was new to him, but he seemed to try and be bold. The blush on your cheek was consistent now as you mumbled, trying to find words.

“Would it be okay if I kiss you?” he asked shyly, a bit silly after he pulled you so boldly onto his lap.

“I’d like that very much, Yunho.”

Yunho looked at you, brown eyes seemingly admiring your features before finally, his hand rested against your cheek, he leaned in, and your lips met in a shy yet curious kiss. There was no hesitation from your side; you gladly leaned in, your fingers finding their way into his hair.

For a moment, what felt like forever, the two of you kissed until you were out of breath. Yunho seemed truly happy, and you mirrored his smile.

“This was… perfect,” you admitted, and he gently kissed your forehead and pulled you into a hug. For as long as it took you to talk to him, now everything just felt natural and quick.

Yunho hummed happily as you slowly slipped back onto the bench and he curled his arm around your shoulder, allowing your head to rest against his so you could enjoy the view over the ocean.

“It really is.”

[marvelmymarvel]

The Uchiha

Tobirama Senju x Uchiha!Reader

Synopsis: He hated all Uchihas, every last one of them. But you? You were somehow different... And he didn't like that.

Important note: I know the timeline/ages are OFF as Tobirama was 39 when he became Hokage. Let's pretend he was 25 :)

Naruto Masterlist: Here

Also, Tobirama drinks respect women juice. It's canon in this house.

Madara's huff of annoyance sounded out in the room as you turned down yet another suitor. "Sister, why must you sabotage every proposal that comes your way? I'm trying to help you find a husband-"

"I do not wish to get married yet Madara, I'm only 21" You bit back, arms crossed as you pouted up at him. This whole 'suitor' search had been going on for months now, and you were growing tired of the good-for-nothing men your brother brought your way. "And when do you expect to finally be "ready" for marriage, Y/n... Your time is running out-"

"I'm only 21"

You always hated the idea of marrying young and it was the Uchiha way to be married by the time you turned 22. As the head of the clan, Madara was having a very hard time accepting that you were not willing to follow protocols when he was already struggling to maintain power amongst the members. "Y/n please..."

He sounded so pitiful, so tired... But you were done with this conversation. Standing from your spot on the floor, you brushed off the dirt from your dress and started towards the door "We can talk about this later, I want to go for a walk"

"You can't run from this forever Y/n. You will be married within the next 6 months"

You slammed the sliding door shut, eyes rolling in anger as you took off towards the town. "How could he be so selfish, trying to set me up with men that I clearly have no interest in" you huffed out to yourself quietly as you stormed past members of the clan. Some sent you glares, others averted their gazes knowing that one wrong look would mean certain death from either you or your brother.

Your body relaxed as you entered Konoha's downtown area, the Uchiha section and its demands of you were now far away. The sound of the people bustling around the market filled you with joy. There were many girls that were around your age sitting around outside of a cafe, they seemed to be laughing about some stupid thing that had happened to one of them. It was so simple but it was a reality you yearned for.

Sometimes you hated being a part of the clan. They were just so far behind the times and it felt almost suffocating to exist among their stuffy ideologies.

'You're supposed to get married young and give your husband as many children as he desires.'

'Your place is in the home, where you care for your husband and children.'

'Ambitions? You don't need them! Don't forget, your place is beside your husband and that's that'

God, it made you sick. There was nothing wrong with being a homemaker, but it wasn't for you. You wanted to get out there, work, have dreams, and find love naturally... Not through your brother of all people.

You wanted someone else, someone different. Someone who wasn't in the clan and someone who would challenge you to be something more than just a wife and mother. You wanted-

You halted in your tracks as he crossed in front of you, his Kage cape flapping in the wind behind him making him look bigger than he was. Your mouth dropped a little as you watched them walk away, you hadn't seen either of them since Tobirama became the second Hokage and it felt like today was your lucky day.

"Tobirama! Hashirama!" You called out, hand shooting up as you caught up to them. Hashirama smiled brightly at you, arm opening up urging you to hug him "Y/n! How've you been? How's Madara?"

You slyly shot a glance toward the white-haired man, and you didn't miss the slight annoyance that flashed across his face at your presence. You knew he didn't like your clan. You didn't like your clan either.

"I've been good. Madara's been... Madara" You were trying to sound chipper, but the thought of Madara soured your mood again. Hashirama nodded, he knew you and Madara were on thin ice what with him trying to find you a husband and you NOT going along with it. "Husband search not going well?"

Your face morphed into a scowl and Hashirama kicked himself for even asking when he knew that's what was wrong. Tobirama's eyebrows furrowed together at your change in demeanor, he was used to your ruthless attitude, so this was something he wasn't expecting. You grew embarrassed under Hashirama's pitiful look and Tobiramas inquisitive stare, "If I do marry, it won't be an Uchiha" you muttered quietly before brushing past the two men.

The two brothers stood there in silence as they watched you walk swiftly down the street towards some food stands, "I shouldn't have said anything" Hashirama sighed as he rubbed his face in anguish, "Her brother's going to kill me"

"Why does she not want to marry an Uchiha?" Tobirama breathed out, he didn't know what was getting into him, but it felt like he was seeing you for the first time in his entire life. He had known you for years, ever since you were children. He found you to be quite annoying and lumped you together with the other Uchihas that he hated.

Yet something felt off.

"They treat their women like property. It's mandatory that a woman marries before 22 and has a child before 23. Her place is in the home and they can't do anything without permission from their husbands"

"That's ridiculous. Women have needs and desires as well-"

"Yes I know Tobirama but that's how the clan operates-"

"Well, it's another reason as to why I despise that god-forsaken lineage-"

"If you're so upset with it why not marry her?"

Tobirama slammed his mouth shut at Hashiramas statement. Him? Marry YOU? An UCHIHA of all people?! Hashirama stood his ground though, he wasn't stupid and he saw the looks Tobirama has been sending you for YEARS now. Tobirama could lie all he wanted to, he has always cared for you more than he'd like to admit. Tobirama started to take off back to the Hokage's office, not liking the look Hashirama was giving him "I don't think marriage is a good idea, the clan will disown her if she marries outside of their circle-"

"She hates her clan Tobirama and honestly, I think you're the only person who can make her happy"

Tobirama tripped on his footing trying to stop in disbelief. His eyes were wide and his face was full of disgust at what Hashirama was insinuating. Him? Make you happy? Not possible.

"Uchiha or not, you can't deny that you care for her in some way. I know this because you look at her differently than you look at anyone else. You don't even look at the women you try to court that way-"

"I'm done with this conversation" Tobirama huffed out, his face was burning red and the whiteness of his cloak only made it more noticeable that he was embarrassed. Hashirama opened his mouth to make another statement but Tobirama stormed towards the Hokage's office, leaving him standing there in disbelief.

How could someone so smart, be so clueless.

* 2 weeks later *

Your feet kicked at the ground as you waited for your turn to talk to the Hokage. Madara was unable to meet with Tobirama to go over the latest requests of the Uchiha clan, so you were left to the task of talking to the stubborn man who always seemed to make your heart race faster than it should.

"Y/n Uchiha? You're free to go in now"

You nodded at the secretary before standing and heading towards the door, heart pounding as your gripped the wooden door. Sliding it open, you popped your head in before letting out a quiet 'hello'. Tobirama's head shot up at the sound of your voice, he was expecting Madara so this was quite the surprise. "Y/n" he greeted firmly, trying very hard to calm his nerves as he took you in.

You were wearing a simple dress, not too fancy but not too casual. It fit you in all of the right ways, you were attractive sure.

But it was your smile that took his breath away. It reached your eyes, making you appear carefree even though he knew you weren't. "So sorry about my brother's absence. He grew ill over the weekend and asked me to step in for this discussion" you explained sheepishly as you navigated your way to one of the chairs across from the desk.

Tobirama didn't say anything but nodded at your apology, he wasn't upset with this change of plans. He was actually happy. After his discussion with his brother, he tried to push you out of his mind, but every time he saw you he was reminded of the feelings he so desperately tried to hide. "What do you want to speak about?" Tobirama started as you sat down in front of him. You looked at him wide-eyed as if he was asking you something foreign, "Oh! Yes, that" you finally stated as you opened up the envelope with the items to discuss.

Your eyes scanned over each bullet, humming to yourself in agreement with the requests on the page, but you grew still at the last bullet point. Tobirama cocked his head as he took in the way your face fell into disbelief and sadness. "Is something the matter?" His voice was clear but muffled at the same time thanks to the growing rage pounding in your ears. "They want your help with finding my suitor..."

His blood ran cold at the words, if they were asking for his help, that meant-

"They want to look outside of the clan" you breathed out, and in a way, you almost sounded relieved. "Is that something you want?" Tobirama's question was met with silence, but it wasn't a no. "I guess you'll need to marry into a higher-ranking family, do you have a preference-"

"Wait wait wait" you started, waving your hands as your cheeks heated up at the idea of marrying someone who wasn't in your inner circle. You didn't know if you were happy about this, you didn't know if this was a better option. Tobirama studied you from across his desk, you were somehow giving off the energy of relief but also anguish, two feelings that never went together.

"What do you want, Y/n?"

His question took you off guard, it wasn't usual for someone to ask you what you wanted. "I... I want to marry someone who will let me be more than just his wife. Someone that will let me be me." You finally breathed out, your nerves beginning to somehow morph into excitement at the idea of getting what you wanted. "So a higher-ranking individual who will let you be you? Is that all you desire?" Tobirama sounded calm, but inside he was kicking himself. He tried to rack his brain for who you could marry, but all he saw was himself.

"Yes. I suppose"

Your answer was quiet and bashful, had you somehow read his mind and saw the very image of you two together? "Do you have a preference to what clan-"

"Um... Maybe a Senju?" It was bold, very bold of you to blurt it out so quickly. It told him that you had pondered the answer to that question for some time now. "Well, you're in luck. The Senju clan isn't as backward as the Uchihas are. You will have no issue finding a husband who will nurture you and your desires" Tobirama was thankful you couldn't see his shaking hands below the desk. He didn't like the idea of you being with someone in the Senju clan, someone who wasn't him.

This felt wrong. He hated your clan so why were you different? Had he always felt this way and hated you to cover it up? He thought back to when you were kids. You were a couple of years younger than him and you were always trying to talk to him even though it was forbidden.

Forbidden.

'The Uchiha clan is evil. I forbid you from talking to them in any way shape or form'

That's what his father always preached, Hashirama never listened but he did. Now he was regretting it.

"How do you feel about me?"

"I'm sorry what?" You sputtered out, eyes wide at how calm he sounded. Tobirama didn't falter, only stared at you as if urging you to answer even if you didn't want to. "I uh. I guess I like you? I don't know I enjoy your company and-"

"I meant marrying me"

Your blood ran cold but not in a bad way. Your face burned and the heat began to travel down your neck and chest. He was what you wanted, what you've always wanted. Ever since you were kids you decided that he was the one you wanted to be with. But he always hated you so you wrote it off as a stupid crush and tried to move on.

The key word was 'tried'.

"I've wanted that for a while yes-"

"Then it's settled. I will send a notice to your brother. I will be taking you to dinner tonight, do you have a restaurant you like- What's wrong?"

Tobirama noticed your eyes widening at his words and he didn't know if it was a good or bad thing. You had just admitted that you wanted to marry him, so why were you looking at him like he had 5 heads? "I just didn't expect this to happen. I thought you hated me to be honest"

He bit his lip, contemplating what to say to reassure you that you were different. He did hate your clan but he didn't hate you. The hatred he felt was because he was infatuated with you. But how could he put that into words? There was no way to reassure you in the way you deserved. Instead, he stood and circled the desk before leaning against it. "Let me take you out. Let me court you... You'll see that the feeling of hatred was one of forbidden desire"

You nodded slowly at his words, still uneasy and unsure.

"Now where do you want to go for dinner?"

[wordsvomit101]

I would put him as a "sad old man" on my contact list if I were MC.

Sometimes I gotta be a bit petty for MC cause they don't do it for themself. Credits to @shyanimeboi and their friend on X: https://x.com/shyanimeboi/status/1795183592961655077/video/4

Warnings: Sexual content, complicated brainstorming about guilt and legacy.

Of course, you would say that- No but honestly, I would be pissed as hell if he said that to me directly, cause sir your brother lowkey put MC's parent on the news, made their friend see his ancestor temporarily, and then almost put them in the casket as well. It's a miracle that they do not blindly hate everything relating to angels at this point. (Although I'm glad that you at least find closure from it you dismal oldster ╮(─_─)╭)

It's a little heartwarming that he shows that he still loves his brothers a lot, given how he said: "traces that Gabriel is alive and well". It got me thinking about how it could very likely mean that he believes at some point in the future, either the other kings kill his brothers or Lucifer will have to choose between Hell (repentance) and his love for them when put in a corner he cannot back out, and with him being the Sin of Pride, I don't think he would either.

Also, if he is happy just by seeing the brand alone then his brothers either avoid attacking Paradise Lost personally or he didn't face them directly after he told off Michael more than 100 years ago and he did say that he "can no longer meet to ask how he is doing".

This first option seems like something Solomon would say. As his descendant, how MC presents themself in the daily chats and some of their options are probably the closest we get to see how Solomon would act when he was still around. An example would be how they question the goofy 3 rules policy in Paradise Lost that was set by the nobles, I will admit, I didn't think of that either. I was affected by the devoted behaviors of the nobles from both the event and the beginning of the prologue, in turn, I put Lucifer on an unreachable pedestal and I love that MC boldly questioned it and presented their opinions and rationale that bring Lucifer closer to the player and shows more air-headed sides to the nobles. They bring new perspectives and challenge the assumptions albeit in a small but significant way. I love it, I hope they do it more in the future.

He also finally said it, the holy words of every prideful bastard I know on media, "How dare you", it took 4 chats but we finally got here.

How he process his brothers' wrongdoings and his own? Very understandable and something, in my opinion, most victims would rather want to get from their offenders' family members, acceptance and acknowledgment of the issues and the damage that was done, and a genuine effort to do the right things. Familial love is very complicated, and it is… difficult to hate and condemn someone you come to love first naturally in your life. I think Lucifer, besides God (but also not really), first loves his brothers, probably the first angel to do so for their kind, and by reading the Seraphs’ comics it clearly shows how they either don’t care or hate each other guts yet still capable of loving Lucifer. He raised them, he's both their brother and their second parental figure, and he show them love outside of their devotion to God.

And how he addresses them in the chat, he calls each one of them a "child", he was being very quietly affectionate by focuses on their well-being when he saw the brand on MC. He also only does this with them and Gamigin, so it is clear how he sees them from a caretaker standpoint (the allegation of him being born in his 30s and raising his brothers is not so far-fetched now, honestly, he is the true dilf here, not God). He knows his brothers ruining other people's lives but when they turn around and love and treat him so dearly that it can feel like what they have done to others is an illusion.

When that illusion doesn't cloud his judgment and beliefs anymore? It will hurt and it can feel like his perception of his brothers are lie. It can be easy to deny the first time but since it happens again and again he has to accept the change and it ain't gonna feel great to realize how he is not the bystander here and directly or indirectly enable his brothers' atrocities (maybe join them in it too at some point, but this is just my thoughts). It gonna rewire how he views a lot of things and it gonna run back from the beginning to the current time, and with how long Lucifer lived? That's rough buddy.

Now, humans are insignificant in these guys' eyes and a single death is nothing to them in the vast universe, yes, but like Lucifer said, God made humans and with how he said it after that, humanity is a part of God's legacy. Legacy is fundamental to what it is to be human to many, something to be carved on their graves and will at the end of their time, it also helps people who live beyond them to remember and let their spirits or unconscious presence remain on the world. So despite humanity in the grand scheme of things, humans are still the work of God. By referring to God as "Our Father," besides asserting his connection, he also indirectly extends that connection to humans. It suggests a shared lineage and inherent value in all of God's creations.

If I interpret what Lucifer said correctly, then the duty of the Seraphim has always been to protect and care for all beings created by God, ensuring the preservation of His legacy. This duty encompasses all creations, whether great or small, beautiful or flawed. To destroy these creations and leave only themselves as His legacy would be a betrayal of their responsibility. A legacy, regardless of its nature, is not to be forcefully erased. Those who seek to erase it tarnish the very legacy they are meant to safeguard and were entrusted to honor.

So if they can't even accept all of God's legacy, no wonder why they can easily go hunt down every single child of one (1) man they are jealous of. Perhaps this is my speculation on what they did with Solomon, who seemed resigned to being forgotten by the devils in chapter 5. They sought to erase his entire bloodline, his descendants, and his legacy, ultimately aiming to make him extinct from the world (like how poachers do it toward endangered animals). For someone like Solomon, this, in my opinion, could be the most terrible fate for him. I honestly wouldn't put it past God's plan to make MC a part of this war for Solomon.

This option is more like the canon MC than the Solomon option from before. They felt more personal here in their anger.

The desensitization for guilt and emotional detachment is strong in this. Lucifer acknowledges the gravity and permanence of the sins he and his brothers have committed and accepts that he must coexist with his guilt and remorse, but how he goes around with it is mostly for himself. Lucifer mentions that he "voluntarily fell to Hell", a form of self-punishment despite his brothers' protests (but also calling Hell the starting point of sadness is wild cause honestly? Not that wrong, I can't see truly happy devils, and if there is, their development happened off-screen).

Lucifer’s remark that the MC is "not that meaningful enough yet" is his emotional detachment from others. His focus remains on his own internal experiences rather than on the perspectives or forgiveness of others. This detachment suggests that his pursuit of guilt is inward-focused, rather than being about seeking forgiveness or redemption through the eyes of others. Selfish and very prideful, very fitting for the Sin of Pride. The idea that Lucifer is almost addicted to the feeling of guilt points to a self-destructive aspect of his personality. It indicates that he may be using guilt as a way to continually punish himself or a way to keep feeling alive through suffering.

Now this leads to my next point:

Lucifer's search for guilt and remorse indicates a need for intense emotional experiences. Witnessing someone cry, especially if he has caused the tears, could provide a powerful emotional release or catharsis for him. This could momentarily alleviate his own feelings of guilt by transferring some of that emotional burden onto others.

Control. By inducing tears in others, he might be exerting a form of control that he lacks in his own life. This dynamic could satisfy a deep-seated need to reclaim some semblance of power over emotional outcomes.

Witnessing tears might serve as a mirror to his own inner turmoil. It externalizes the pain and suffering he feels internally, allowing him to confront it more tangibly. This externalization can create a twisted sense of connection or empathy, aligning with his need to constantly grapple with guilt.

Lucifer's enjoyment of seeing others cry could be intertwined with his own cycle of punishment and redemption. Inflicting emotional pain might be a way for him to project his self-loathing and need for atonement onto others. It creates a scenario where he can experience the aftermath of guilt without direct self-harm.

Causing others to cry could validate Lucifer's sense of guilt and reinforce his belief that he is deserving of punishment. This validation can be perversely satisfying, as it confirms his self-perception as someone who commits unforgivable sins.

Tears are often a sign of vulnerability. Seeing someone in a state of emotional rawness might create a sense of intimacy that Lucifer finds alluring. This intimacy could particularly appeal to someone who feels isolated by guilt and sins.

[incandescentflower]

You can always tell when the writing for two characters and their conflict is compelling because you start to see continuous fights break out about which character is "right."

But in the case of Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo in particular, it really feels like the entire point of this drama is being missed by a mile to engage in that kind of thinking.

It does remind me of that quote from Blueming that my mind comes back to from time to time.

About pain, it's an absolute thing for a person. It's not something you can compare. If I feel pain, then it is pain. No body can judge you.

Some very wise words about how pain is not something that can truly be compared. And I do think those ideas continue through this narrative as well, but with the nuance of what if it's the person who you love that hurts you because you are both trying to manage that pain.

I know for many people it comes down to how one person treats the other - either directly (Dohoe pushing on Juyoung, challenging him, trying to make it seem like he can cut off Juyoung because it doesn't matter) and indirectly (Juyoung keeping a relationship with Dohoe's father who was both their abuser, pushing him to confront things he isn't ready to confront, thinking he needs to protect Dohoe from himself by keeping the gym even when that is the opposite of what Dohoe says very directly).

It's interesting because I identify with Juyoung's way of dealing with this trauma more, but it doesn't make it the correct way. And I do feel like the story is trying to say that. The 12 year separation really emphasizes that you can't make someone else deal with their trauma on your timeline no matter how much you love them. Love isn't this magic balm. You can't save someone else. But love can be a brightness in the dark, love can be hope. It's a really beautifully nuanced message.

And when you love someone you can hurt them and be hurt by them. You have to be able to see outside yourself and listen to the other person's needs to be in a relationship. And sometimes you have to decide that loving that person is too harmful to you.

It's Dohoe we see struggling with this, thinking loving Juyoung might be too harmful to him, thinking him loving Juyoung is harmful to Juyoung.

Juyoung is not thinking of that harm so people want to protect him, but that is about his own issues he also needs to deal with. He is just as responsible for figuring out his boundaries and deciding what he can manage and what he can't. He has to communicate his truths to Dohoe. There is still so much that he has held back.

And we see him start to do it. We see Juyoung calling Dohoe out on not saying how he feels and retreating so quickly. We see Juyoung saying what he needs. We see them starting to communicate, starting to smooth some of those edges and we can only hope they keep doing that.

Juyoung apologizes to Dohoe, but it seems like it's for trying to push Dohoe too hard too fast. Dohoe is being very clear about what he needs and Juyoung is now finally listening.

It's like a quote from To My Star (another Hwang Da Seul drama) I think of often:

I really like people like you. People who have their walls up. They seem really strong.

Dohoe's shutting things out is what has helped him survive. You can't just open the flood gates up all at once. Dohoe's avoidance is his protection and you can't just bulldoze it down.

This is a dance of loving someone where their needs are in direct conflict with yours and trying to manage that and figure out how much you can accept a little less of them or give a little more of yourself and hopefully bit by bit you come to some place in the middle together.

[lazycats-stuff]

Hi! Could you do a Batfam x teen reader, where the reader does illegal street race, he sneaks out at night to go those race, and the Batfam found out about it !

Thank you ;)

I sure can do!

Summary: (Y/N) races illegally. The family doesn't know.

Warnings: illegal racing, (Y/N) is skilled, Bruce is mad, Jason is impressed, Damian is proud, Bruce is just done,

(Y/N) loved his dad and he often shared his interests with him. He also shared everything with his brothers. But he was harboring a secret that he couldn't tell anyone. He loved cars, which was not a secret to his family.

What was the secret?

(Y/N) raced illegally. Bruce knew that (Y/N) loved cars, but what he didn't know is that (Y/N) knew how to drive. Bruce had plans to get (Y/N) his license when he turned 18 years old, but when he was so young?

Not happening, at least in Bruce's eyes.

However, (Y/N) had an important night tonight. Last time he was on the track, a cocky bastard thought that he was better than him. (Y/N) gladly excepted.

If there was one thing that Bruce has taught him that he uses everyday, it's the fact that you should fear a person who doesn't brag about his skills. You can easily beat someone who brags. But the one who is silent?

Yeah, that will be a much more difficult task. H

Now he had to make a plan on how to sneak out. He had to wait until they went on patrol and until Alfred went down to the cave to make sure that nobody sees him.

He took his phone and looked into the hall. Alfred went into Bruce's office a few minutes prior, so he must be halfway down. (Y/N) took the opportunity to quietly walk to the garage. He tapped his pocket for the car key, checking to see if his favorite car key was in there.

That car is his baby and he would be damned if he didn't use his favorite. Bruce bought him this car last year and (Y/N) took great care of it. He cleaned it, washed it and took it outside to drive, but only in the property boundaries.

Now it was time to beat that shit head.

(Y/N) sighed in relief as he parked the car. He walked through the crowds, just enjoying the energy. It was just free, no stress, but it was also buzzing with excitement. Usually there were friendly races and talks about upgrades on your cars.

Tonight, it was a race with (Y/N) and the shit head who challenged him. (Y/N) still remembers how he first started. Everyone was nervous to have a Wayne kid, thinking that he wanted to get on the top with a snap of his fingers.

But (Y/N) kept his head down, was humble and respectful towards everyone and he showed his skills to everyone and he proved himself. He became very well liked and he made a good friend here, named Aaron.

" Hey (Y/N)! " Aaron said loudly to drown out the chatter of the other people. " Are you ready for the race? " He asked, smirking as (Y/N) pushed him away.

" Of course I am. " (Y/N) answered, accepting a water bottle from Aaron.

" I still can't believe somebody is so stupid. " Aaron mused to himself, shaking his head. (Y/N) is the best racer here and the fact that somebody new is so dense to think that he could beat him so stupid. Of course, (Y/N) is not invincible and unbeatable, but new people are often warned that (Y/N) is the best racer here.

But that doesn't stop people from challenging him. (Y/N) never hated being challenged, in fact, he loved it. No matter who it was, (Y/N) liked the challenge. Only if they aren't cocky and obnoxious about their skills.

The shit head is obnoxious beyond belief and there was nothing that could change (Y/N)'s mind. Absolutely nothing.

" Did you check the car? " Aaron said as they turned back to walk back to the car.

" I did. Yesterday, I didn't have a chance to do it today. I can't let my dad know what I'm doing. " (Y/N) confessed to Aaron who nodded in sympathy.

Aaron and (Y/N) are good friends and (Y/N) confided that this secret was a big burden on him. He didn't tell him about their night jobs of course, but he did tell Aaron that his dad has a very set moral standing. Of course, nothing is black and gray, but he would be mad if he found out.

" I know, but lets check it now. John should be somewhere near by to check it. "

John is (Y/N)'s mechanic and his mentor in a way. He took (Y/N) under his wing when he has first arrived here. John loves his job more than anything and has admitted that he sees (Y/N) as a son. The two had a very strong bond and they both cared about each other.

" Hey son. " John said, looking at the car. (Y/N) said hey back and gave him a quick side hug.

" How is the car looking? " Aaron asked, walking up to the duo.

" She looks good. Very well taken care of. Good job. " John praised, popping the hood open. (Y/N) smiled to himself, happy that his mentor was pleased.

" The engine looks good. I want you to wipe the floor with that shit head. " John said, closing the hood down.

" Yup. I heard him bragging. " Aaron said, groaning after seeing the shit head move through the crowd towards them. " And he is coming here. " Aaron said and John frowned at the shit head.

" Here is the famous Wayne. " He said, getting into (Y/N)'s face.

" Yup. I would suggest that you step away from me. " (Y/N) said, raising his chin. He level him with a bat glare that Bruce taught him. The shit head stepped back. " Now, if you are here to brag about your non existent skills, go back to wherever you crawled out of. " (Y/N) said and the shit head huffed.

" Go back to your car and get ready. " Aaron said, leading (Y/N) to sit in the car. The shit head moved, his groupie following him.

" If you don't wipe the floor with him, you are going to be in trouble. " John threatened (Y/N), glaring at the stupid kid who was walking away to his car.

" I will wipe the floor with him. " (Y/N) confirmed.

" Good. " Aaron muttered, shaking his head.

(Y/N) laughed as he stopped the car. He won by a landslide and he proves why he is so good. He got out of the car and hugged Aaron tightly.

" You did it! Ha! Take that you ass! " Aaron yelled at the shit head who walked off.

John congratulated (Y/N), giving him a hug. There was cheering and clapping and (Y/N) smiled. This felt nice. This is what he loved about this place.

" I knew you would do it. " John said, patting his back.

Everything felt nice.

" The police is here! "

Now that is not nice. Everyone scrambled to run away, but (Y/N) froze as he heard a familiar rumble of the Batmobile. Oh dear God no. Shit. Hell no. Not happening. Nope. This is not good.

" (Y/N) we have to go. " Aaron said, pulling him with him.

" Leave me. I will hold them off. " (Y/N) said, shaking his head. Aaron and John looked conflicted, but nodded when they saw the look in his eyes.

Turns out it wasn't the police, just Batman and the rest of the family. (Y/N) took a deep breath as he watched the Batmobile come to a stop. At the moment, (Y/N) was scared.

What were they going to say?

His dad stepped out of the car, in his suit, Batman persona on.

" Hey dad. " (Y/N) said sheepishly.

" Please don't tell me you are racing illegally. " He said and (Y/N) looked away.

" Oh no. " Bruce said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

" Do you at least win? " Jason asked as he walked up to (Y/N)'s car.

" I do. " (Y/N) said, eyes still locked on the ground.

" That's my brother. " Jason smiled underneath his mask.

" Good. You would be a disgrace to the family otherwise. " Damian piped in out of nowhere.

Dick sighed, shaking his head. " (Y/N), that is very dangerous. "

" And what you lot do isn't? " (Y/N) retorted, finally finding some strength to talk back.

" And what do you think Tim? " (Y/N) asked. He just looked at the car, then back at (Y/N).

" I mean, you really aren't hurting anybody. You are smart and you know how to avoid trouble. You know how to not get hurt. " Tim explained and Bruce sighed.

" Okay. We are going to have a talk after we all sleep. I'm going to say something that I will regret later. (Y/N) in the Batmobile, Dick you are driving his car. "

(Y/N) wanted to protest, but was silenced with a glare from his father. He sighed quietly as he went to the Batmobile. This is going to be an interesting conversation.