#lux illuminated

[aurelion-solar]

Lux: Illuminated - LoR Concept Art by Audrey Axt

[goshyesvintageads]

The Studebaker Corp, 1947

[renatanebitno]

- and that the alpha girl I want, brrmmm brrmmm ... 💕

[e-louise-bates]

Len Davies and Maia Whitney, by @scarvenartist

[angelitam]

Le maquillage couleur pêche de Tom Ford

Couleur phare de la saison, la pêche de Tom Ford. Le maquillage couleur pêche de Tom Ford En référence à Bitter Peach de Tom Ford, il est possible de créer son maquillage Tom Ford. Le maquillage couleur pêche de Tom Ford Bitter Peach de Tom Ford est une fragrance succulente qui évoque les fruits nectarifères à leur plus grande maturité. Pour créer un look personnalisé selon la couleur de la…

[candylandphotos]

Glitter Beauty Face Sparkle Makeup Gold Shimmer

"Radiating Elegance: A Golden Touch of Glitter Beauty and Shimmering Makeup."

[sciencesolutions]

[thefugitivesaint]

Evelyn De Morgan (1855-1919), 'The Light Shineth in Darkness and the Darkness Comprehendeth It Not, no date "De Morgan derived her inspiration for this drawing from the Gospel of St John, Chapter 1 Verse 5. This follows the story of creation and the emergence of God from nothingness, reflecting on the triumph of light against darkness. Christian doctrine is clearly present in many of De Morgan's works, and several of her paintings employ biblical titles and themes. From around 1910 her paintings show a shift into the use of more ambiguous spiritual imagery. De Morgan's mother-in-law, Sophia De Morgan, was a Spiritualist who had a profound influence on the artist's personal beliefs and style; particularly in her later career.

This drawing shows a heavenly figure of light exquisitely rendered in a blaze of gold. She is holding a lamp in her left hand, whilst showing the sign of benediction in her right. Rays of light radiate out to fill the whole composition, brightening the dark landscape and illuminating snakes and reptiles who lurk below in the gloom. This work relates to De Morgan's 1895 oil painting Lux in Tenebris…whose title also derives from the Gospel of St John. In Lux in Tenebris, the heavenly central figure is dressed elaborately in gold and holds a laurel branch, whilst two crocodiles circle below. In 1906 De Morgan also painted another oil titled The light shineth in the darkness…featuring a similar composition, but instead of reptiles at the angel's feet there lie three naked figures, shackled to rocks and blinded by despair. Though De Morgan exhibited and was known as an oil painter, she used gold drawing on dark paper throughout her career. There are fourteen known works in this medium. The contrast between the black paper and gold paint makes these jewel-like pictures singular within her oeuvre." Source

[calchexxis]

I think I skipped a few posts, but here it is, the final chapter of Flashbangs & Frag Grenades.

For those who do not know, this story was actually started before Arcane, and so the entire first...third? Of the series is before any of that dropped. When I first started posting this story, there were less than 100 fics under the Lightcannon tag, and by the time it hit 100, I was more than 10% of them. Now, there are over 1,000.

I don't say this to self-aggrandize, even though I know that's what it will sound like, but I genuinely don't know what Lightcannon as a fic-fandom would look like without Flashbangs. The reason I say that is because, and this is not a joke, when Arcane dropped, the only longform Lightcannon fic/series that I'm aware of that was still being regularly updated was mine. Most of the other fics in the tag were short, 1-2 chapters, or ficlets. There are a few standouts like 'Don't Lose My Number' by Starcola and the '100 Beautiful and Ugly Words' ficlet series by Ironstatic.

I think the longest one of the Pre-Arcane Lightcannon classics was Illuminous Duet by Kindredtea, but even that, ironically, had its first chapter posted two weeks after the first fic of Flashbangs: Wherefore Cometh Light.

Jinx has always had a kind of fun appeal to her, but to me, Lux is my girl. It's so strange for me to see echoes of my Lux in other people's fics. It's even stranger to see my personal ao3 tags 'Jinx is crazy, Lux is Crazier' show up in works whose authors I've never spoken to. So that's what I mean when I say, I don't know what the Lightcannon fandom looks like without Flashbangs, because it was here when it really took off, and it continued through the events of Arcane, and onward all the way to today. I think that Flashbangs codified what Lux was 'supposed' to sound like in fandom in the same way that Arcane codified Jinx, and I am proud of that.

For those of you have gotten this far, there is a Audiobook of Flashbangs in production, being professionally recorded chapter by chapter, and uploaded to Spotify and Apple Podcast completely for free, and we are up to the final book in the series.

If you want to donate to the cause, please check HERE.

I can't wait to see what Season 2 brings. I can't wait to see what you all create. I hope that Flashbangs continues to tell its story to all of you, so with that said, cheers.

Because We Have Come To Terms.

[justafairytailofinnocence]

Hi i saw your newt x mermaid reader and i was wondering if you could do a newt x jellyfish!reader if you have to much on your plate please discard this and make sure to eat healthy, drink lots of water, and take regular naps!! Have a great day!!🫶

Hello dear, thank you for your request, I love mermaids, so here is your request 🪼🧜‍♀️✨️. Comments, feedback and reblogs appreciated 😊

Newt scamander had a new founded creature within a new enclosure, sanctuary.

"Hey, buddy! Don't know where we're going, but feels like we're tryna' beat the Christmas rush on a late night." Jacob said, huffing as he tried to keep up with this crazy fellow he met a few months ago.

"Quickly, Oh Jacob, I've the most exciting new discovery to show you." Newt couldn't wait to show his newfound friend of a recent new species he was yet to explore. As they trailed down the stairs, he stopped in front of a room. The room simulated a nightie ominous glow.

Jacob, trying to catch his breath, looked up, his gaze landing on a silver tank, sealed with a rotary valve.

"Um, a tank? You wanted to show me how plumbin' worked?" He attempted to joke, seeming a little disappointed compared to the other creatures Newt had shown.

"I-i found them, on the shores near the Caribbean, some poachers wanted to dissect them for their skin, for medicine, of course." Newt's voice went a little quiet with disdain on the last line. He was known for being kind-hearted and soft-spoken. But. There were some, only a few people he truly despised—those who wanted to hurt his creatures.

Newt flickered his wand, muttering "lux." A sub spell to lumos. Instead of the wand igniting light, the light ignites in the room.

As Jacob glanced closer, his eyes couldn't make anything at first, until, he saw a bioilluminscent light illuminate through darkness.

Your oral arms gently floated as your tentacles flowed with the current, searching for food. As Jacob glanced up at your face, you illuminated a combination of different colours. Pink, red, Orange, blue, sometimes flashing your colours, investigating this new person.

The bell on your head opened, showing the inner muscle illuminating. Jacob stepped back as your bell closed keeping you afloat.

"W-what is that?" Jacob asked, astounded and amazed. Newt smiling with excitement at his new discovery, "At first, I thought this Cnidaria's habitat was located around the Amazon, but, it was only recently I discovered, their from the deep or as you muggles put it, the hadal zone."

"Cnida-who-now-" he questioned.

"Cnidaria, a phylum of the jellyfish, sea anemones and corals." Newt stated.

"So what'cha sayin' is their a jellyfish." He concluded.

"Of the sort yes, but, I decided to give them a name of homo gelata pisces."

"Homo, gelato pieces got it."

Newt then waved his wand. The window of the tank becoming a liquid entrance. "Unfortunately, we can't open the top, their-uh-not used to this kind of pressure."

"Pressure? Their a fish right, ain't a tank enough."

"No, not really, if you lived in a different environment with different pressures, you'd explode, becoming a blob of organs."

As Newt encouraged Jacob to touch you, he was amazed and entranced. As if you were a mystical alien from another planet.

You turned, sensing a strange presence. "Boy mister, I must say this is truly somethin'."

"No-no, wait, not there—."

Quickly newt grabbed Jacobs hand.

"What?" He quickly jercked his hand back in shock.

"Not the tentacles, one touch and the stinging can last up to a year, the most painful thing imaginable."

"Ok, noted." He said.

"Try up here, the bell." Newt guided his hand to touch the bell of your head. The sensation of your head was soft, slimy and squishy with weird muscle movement.

You emitted a strange pattern of colours. Newt smiled further, finding you a fascination. "They like you."

"Really? How can you tell?".

"Most creatures use sound to communicate but—in the deep its different. I studied different patterns of lights, similar to your muggles morse code. They use lights for communication."

You emitted different colours of blue, pink and red.

"Yes, he's a dear friend of mine."

Jacob was amazed. How newt could get all that from just a flash of light was mind boggling.

You then flashed red, green and yellow.

"Don't worry, you're safe here with me."

Jacob then asked "hey, uh, tell em' if they might like one of my uh baked goods."

You flashed a colour of red and white.

Newt smiled "they said, they'd love to. They live on a diet of mostly zooplankton but, they can adapt to such food changed its incredible."

You flashed a colour of blue and pink.

"What, uh, what does that mean, mister."

"They say your rather the spectacal, a good person with a good heart." Newt translated.

Newt suddenly saw something he had never seen, your large oral arm lifted to touch Newt's and Jacob's. Wrapping around the fabric of their clothes. Your tentacles floated around them.

You didn't sting them but used this as a formal greeting in your kind.

Newt eventually moved you into a much more nicer enclosure where you were free to float where you liked as he fed you zooplankton. You would absorb it through the bell of your head.

Newt spent alot of time with you, you were the most enchanting creature he ever met.

One day, when you turned human by accident. You couldn't help but this whole new world a spectacle. Your skin had bioilluminscent lights and yet your features were more glowing then most humans.

Newt took care of you showing you the whole world and teaching you of wizards and witches.

You were able to transform at will between human and homo gelata pisces.

During valentines day, you learnt of feelings. You had developed feelings for newt in your human form.

When he dove into the tank with you, your whole body lit up as you shared a kiss with him.

He swore to bring you back to your home after.

Requests open ✨️

[aurelion-solar]

Lux: Illuminated - Legends of Runeterra Splash Art

[vilsoo]

୨⎯ 𝐆𝐎𝐃’𝐒 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐄 † PROLOGUE. ⎯୧

incubus!fushiguro toji x fem!reader

꒰ ✟ ꒱ GENRE: horror, demon au, nsfw 18+, porn with plot.

꒰ ✟ ꒱ SUMMARY: Sex demons are not as provocative as you think they are. Not only do they engage in sexual acts with humans, they thrive off their flesh and haunt them in their nightmares. When an incubus disguised as a Reverend turns a hungry eye on one of the parishioners, gruesome events at the cathedral slowly unfold; blasphemy, gore, and terror...

꒰ ✟ ꒱ CHAPTER WARNINGS: violence, blood, death, WC: 1,401

GSW MASTERLIST • NEXT CHAPTER

NOTES. this series is currently being revamped and i hope you all enjoy <33 if you want to be tagged for new updates on here, the taglist is now available in the gsw masterlist !!

ㅤ 200 ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴀɢᴏ ‏‏‎ ‎ ㅤ ʟᴀᴛᴇ 19ᴛʜ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀʏ. . .

"May I have this dance?" The man's silvery voice echoed.

The layers of the woman's extravagant ballgown billowed and rippled ever so graceful, ever so modest, the revering gleam in her eyes crawling under his skin with beautiful intensity. It was no mistake that she saw him before he saw her that night with such feigned enticement for him, her stunning silhouette of the night enchanting his mind with the need to uncover her mystery.

He found her alone on the balcony overlooking the ballroom, the daffodil-colored flames of the crystal chandeliers adorning to her ballgown. Alone in the grand golden halls with colossal stone pillars and a polished luxurious floor, watching the people of the grandeur waltz in perfect harmony.

The man in his dark, embroidered suit held his arm out in wait of her response. She tilts her head at him coquettishly and scrutinizes his features. Every movement of her body was so elegant to him, so serene. "You may," she tells him, the softest mutter of a fragile prayer. Her hand hooks onto his arm, sauntering down the grand stairs with no sign of reluctance.

The man then held her hand as she walked through the night like passion's grace, locking her pure and slothful eyes onto his as they faced each other on the polished dance floor. The orchestra's vibrations and whimsical notes hung in the air, attaching strings of gold onto the joints of the dancers and controlling them marionettes. The two bow to each other before he offers his hand for her again, the silk of her gloves intertwining with his.

They swirled on the dance floor like ocean currents and waltzed in a beautiful rhythm. "You look ravishing, my dearest," he spoke sweetly to the woman. He would pull her closer by the waist, her gracious ballgown beneath, and a wide smile stretched across her face.

Her laugh was as sweet as a deadly sin.

The woman's eyes never left on him, her fingers sliding up his arms with the coldest calculation and a wanton purpose. It felt like wrapping him into a spell, crawling into his skin slowly, and slipping him into a trance with her. Her wild ecstasy was filling her, an insatiable hunger and frenzy slowly growing to its peak. Together, they were raptured into their own little fairy tale.

A dark and twisted little fairy tale.

The two conversed after their waltz, roaming freely in the luxe halls and speaking passionately until the echoes of the party turned faint. Oh, how he didn't know about the bloodlust and rapacious desire boiling erratically in the woman. He doesn't know who she really is, what was really behind that tempting smile full of lies. Taking his hand, she took him far away from the vicinity and outside under the pale moonlight, the sound of gravel crunching in their path.

Dragged into the forest, surrounded by the wicked silhouettes of naked tree branches shaped like lightning bolts, and the moon barely illuminating their faces. The two were nearby a lake. He can hear the ravens and crows cawing among the trees as they fled across the sky, camouflaging with the darkness.

"Where have you taken me?" he asks, completely oblivious of her doings.

She inches closer and holds onto his face in feigned comfort, feeling the beating of his heart that was soon to disappear.

"Somewhere more private."

This was the night. The night the devil herself had come up to earth. An incarnate of darkness, corrupting the fate of men and their pure souls. A young lady so graceful now murderous and fuming with her beautiful prey.

She distracts him with a slow kiss. Nothing could hold her, nothing could stop her, for her insatiable lust for flesh and blood and human terror kept raging. Ravens, crows, and vultures crowded around, perched on tree branches as they watched. Their kiss drowns deeper, the slickness of her tongue moving against his. A wonderful and soft kiss he settled in, blossoming this ravenous desire.

But when the man's eyes slowly peaked open, and the moon was not illuminating of brilliant silver beams, he realized that he would never see the color red the same again.

"Do you see that?" he whispers in alarm, arching his neck at the sky.

"See what?" The woman whirls around to raise her head at the sky, the dark clouds and the moon appearing to be red.

He scanned the setting. Black birds and bats started flying over them, cawing loudly and scattering uncontrollably.

"What are they doing?"

The woman kept her head up high, still holding onto his neck and feeling the anticipation cascade over her brilliantly. A sinister smirk slowly crept at the edge of her lips, hands moving to his chest.

"They're waiting, my dearest."

The woman suddenly shoves him onto the grass, immediately straddling him and ruling over him with tremulous, raw kisses of hunger. Though the man was lost, he was still under her spell. Blood and fire-stained eyes turning a yellow sapphire, the tongue of a serpent and a champion born of bloodlust. Her hand was palming the hard bulge in his slacks, emitting soft sighs from the man.

"Are you scared?" she whispers tenderly, her fingers intertwined with the locks of his hair.

The man shook his head meekly at her. He can feel her shapely curves and take in that addictive aroma, beautiful as the red moon. Lust and longing fill the air as she drew away from his lips and licked her owns.

"That’s too bad. I need you frightened."

Suddenly, her mouth stretches open— so wide, so horrifying, that the man could not believe his own eyes. A succubus personified, one of the deadliest creatures of the night that prey and reap on the lives of innocents. Made to taste like honey and cream, born to obsess your thoughts. He screams, he shrieks, scurrying to stand on his feet, but stumbled when he clawed at his neck.

She laughs hysterically at the man's struggling protests. Puddles of crimson and patterns of clotted blood coat on the grass and soaked his ivory suit. He struggled to fight every rough, jagged bite and puncture of her claws she projected on him, but his strength staggered. The birds were cawing loudly. It didn't take long until his body grew numb, a sign that his life was fading away greatly. Her chin, teeth, and lips were dyed in his splattered blood, a bittersweet flavor on her tongue that drove her libido extremely crazy.

From there she continued to eat his flesh, leaving room for the vultures and other carnivores. She ripped him from limb to limb, muscle to muscle, organ to organ, most signs of beautiful flesh, until his bones were licked clean.

She stared into the sky, the moonshine fading back to silver. Her beautiful ballgown was decorated with his blood, splattered on her cleavage and neck. Evil, fear, and terror— the woman's divine embodiment and embrace. She had a crimson smile extended, fulfilled and satisfied of her wildest, yet primal need.

The deadliest, macabre, and horrifying succubus ever alive; the Sinistress. Incapable of love, incapable of possessing a heart. The root of all evil herself. On the 666th day when civilization on Earth started developing, she was born in Hell from people's fear of sin. With such tremendous and terrorizing powers as a sex demon that feeds off sin and flesh and sexual energy, she continued to scorch the Earth forever, keeping herself young and beautiful, yet sultry and deadly.

For centuries, the Sinistress would linger in the dreams of sinful people throughout her years, mutating them into night terrors and allowing a gateway for other incubi and succubi from Hell to feed off their sexual energy. And once these victims figured that the Sinistress can disguise herself as a mortal, her presence was haunted down for centuries, where the innocent women in town who were accused as witches were targeted and burned at the stake.

Never has she been caught, until, a sneaky priest ordained as an exorcist that has been targeting that succubus for years trapped her soul in a place where she cannot harm others for eternity; the Malevolent Shrine. The nightmares faded, and the innocent were able to work peacefully with no gruesome disturbance in town.

But it wasn't until another human discovered how to unbind her.

VILSOO/POISEUNS © 2023. originally published April 10, 2021. please do not steal, plagiarize, translate, or repost any of my works outside tumblr.

[whump-tr0pes]

Lux in Tenebris, Medieval AU - Wolves, Part 1

Takes place a few weeks after this chapter

Masterlist

AO3

Contents: lost in the woods, environmental whump, attacked by wolves, wolf bite, blood, rescue

~

Nightfall was coming quickly in the forest. Ilya’s heart fluttered as they raised their head to peer at the rapidly fading sky through the dense canopy above them. They couldn’t tell if the trees around them were unfamiliar, or if these were the same trees they had walked past a dozen times already today. They had lost the trail hours ago – of that, they were certain. And with the coming evening came a chill in the air. They shivered and pulled their cloak tighter around them.

As if called by their uneasiness, a howl sounded in the distance.

Their throat tightened in real fear now. They knew as well as anyone that wolves roamed these woods. Hunters complained about wolves snatching the animals from their snares – they shuddered and tried not to think of the creature boy he had found in the snare just weeks ago. Last summer a particularly brave wolf had ventured into shepherd Belven’s flock and taken four sheep. The entire village had mourned with him. Even the loss of one sheep was a hardship. Four was a tragedy.

Another howl rose from Ilya’s other side. This wolf was closer. They shuddered and quickened their strides. The air was colder, too; they could see their breath. One thing was certain: they were not going to reach the village tonight. They had to make camp, and soon, before they completely lost the light.

Ahead, they spotted a fallen tree with branches that spread over the ground, creating a makeshift shelter. It would do. It would have to do. They hurried forward and peered under the branches, making sure they were not unwittingly wandering into another creature’s den. Spotting nothing, they slung their pack from their shoulders and dug around for their flint and steel. Their fingers curled around it and they let out a breath.

Quickly, they gathered some moss for tinder, and some twigs for kindling. They found a few branches for larger fuel for the fire. By the time they were done, they had to strain their eyes to see. They built up a small pile of moss and struck their flint and steel to make a spark. Nothing happened. They cursed and tried again. A small spark flew, but missed the moss. They tried again. The spark landed and caught. They blew a gentle breath at the base of the moss and let it catch the rest. Slowly, they fed the little flame a twig, then another. The fire grew until it was the size of their hand. They build a small structure of sticks around it until the fire lit it. They breathed a sigh of relief as heat bloomed over their cold cheeks.

They raised their gaze to glance around the small clearing surrounding their little shelter. Looking back at them was a pair of yellow eyes.

Their hands shook as they built up the fire, feeding larger and larger sticks into it until it was a blaze. The sky was dark now, and the forest was alive with sounds. Insects buzzed around them, and frogs croaked to each other in the undergrowth. Then, so close it made Ilya’s hair stand on end, a wolf howled.

Another answered. A twig snapped in the trees to Ilya’s right, and they whimpered in fear. A pair of glowing yellow eyes darted past on the edge of the clearing. Another circled, its owner just on the edge of the halo of light cast by their small campfire.

“Leave me alone!” they cried, pawing around for a large stick, a rock, anything they could use to fend off the encroaching pack. “Go away!”

Another howl. This time, Ilya could see the wolf it belonged to. It stood at the edge of the clearing. Its gray fur was illuminated by the fire, and its head arched back with its cry. It was huge; its shoulder probably stood as high as Ilya’s. They skittered back on their elbows, as far under the tree as they could get, their eyes fixed in horror on the wolf as it dropped its head and sauntered forward. Another wolf paced at the edge of the clearing. Yet another stepped into the light of the fire, this one dark brown and just as large as the first one.

“Go away!” Ilya screamed, wedging themself under the tree trunk. “Please!”

A third pair of yellow eyes surveyed them hungrily from the clearing. Ilya’s stomach flipped as they stared back. The huge gray wolf reached Ilya and closed its teeth on their leg, dragging them out from under the tree. Ilya shrieked in terror and pain, hands scrabbling in the dirt and fallen leaves. Canine jaws clamped down on their shirt and tore the fabric.

Someone – or something – streaked into the clearing and bowled the wolf over, snarling like an animal. The wolf whined like a dog and staggered to its feet.

Standing in front of the wolves, eyes wild and clothes torn, was the boy that Ilya had freed from the hunter’s snare. His eyes were huge in the firelight, the pupils reflecting yellow like a wolf’s. Fangs descended past his lip and he lunged for the wolf again.

All three wolves turned tail and ran.

The boy glared after them, his eyes piercing through the darkness. Ilya trembled and let out a sob. He whirled and fell to his knees beside them in an instant.

They flinched away from him. He froze, his hands suspended above him like he was afraid to touch them. He no longer had fangs, Ilya realized. They wondered if the fangs only descended when he was frightened, or angry.

“A-are you alright?” he croaked.

Ilya swallowed hard. “You speak English?”

He nodded slowly. “I… I can speak English, yes.”

Ilya felt shaky, and like they might be sick. “Why didn’t you before?”

“I was frightened,” he said softly. His eyes darted to Ilya’s leg. “You’re hurt.”

The pain washed over them then. They retched weakly into the dirt beneath them. They stiffened when they felt gentle hands at their leg, peeling the torn strips of their ruined pants away from their lower leg.

The boy blew out a slow breath. “You can keep the leg, at least.”

“It… it hurts,” Ilya whimpered.

The boy chewed his lip. “We’re too far from the village for us to make it back tonight. And… and I do not want to leave you here alone.”

“Do you live in the village?” Ilya said. Their lips were going numb.

He looked at them with a sad, strange look. “No,” he said finally. “No, I live… here. In the woods.”

“Then will you take me to where you live?” Ilya sobbed weakly. Sweat broke out over their body. “Please, I…” Their stomach heaved. “Please.”

The boy chewed his lip as he looked around at the clearing. Then, he nodded. “Yes,” he said. “It’s not… it’s not comfortable, for someone like… for humans. But I’ll take you there. And I’ll keep you safe until morning.” With that, he got to his feet and grabbed Ilya’s pack. He slung it over his shoulders. Then, he pulled Ilya up, letting them lean on him as much as they needed. He stomped out the fire before they left the clearing. Every time Ilya looked at him, the moon reflected in his yellow eyes.

Continued here

@womping-grounds , @free-2bmee , @quirkykayleetam , @walkingchemicalfire , @inpainandsuffering , @redwingedwhump , @burtlederp , @castielamigos-whump-side-blog , @whatwhumpcomments , @whumpywhumper , @stxck-fxck ,  @whumps-the-word , @justwhumpitwhumpitgood,  @inky-whump ,  @orchidscript , @inkyinsanity , @this-mightaswell-happen , @newandfiguringitout , @whumpkitty , @pebbledriscoll , @im-just-here-for-the-whump , @endless-whump , @grizzlie70 , @oops-its-whump , @kixngiggles, @1phoenixfeather , @butwhatifyouwrite , @carnagecardinal , @laves-here, @mylifeisonthebookshelf , @wolfeyedwitch , @batfacedliar , @also-finder-of-rings , @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump, @extrabitterbrain, @i-eat-worlds

[sadly-never-after]

Music in the EAH Universe and who listens to them Part 6.

This is just an excuse to try to make music puns and share music I think the characters would listen to. (Some of these are even canon by the books!) I don't even like a majority of these musicians but I am fully convinced of my choices here. I marked in colours the one that are canonically part of the EAH Universe.

Since Tumblr only allows 100 inline links for a post I have to make different parts.

Part 1 (Alistair, Apple, Ashlynn, Blondie, Briar, Bunny)

Part 2 (Cupid, Cedar, Cerise, Chase, Courtly, Daring)

Part 3 (Darling, Dexter, Duchess, Farrah, Faybelle, Ginger)

Part 4 (Holly, Hopper, Humphrey, Hunter, Jillian, Justine)

Part 5 (Kitty, Lizzie, Maddie, Meeshell, Melody, Nina)

Part 6 (Poppy, Ramona, Raven, Rosabella, Sparrow, Tucker)

(❀❛ ֊ ❛„)♡-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈☁︎‎‎‧₊˚ Poppy O'Hair (❀❛ ֊ ❛„)♡-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈☁︎‎‎‧₊˚

Mayhem! in the Ballroom (Emperor's New Clothes, Victorious, She Had The World)

Lady Yaga (Born this way, Alejandro, Bad Romance)

Katy Fairy (Firework, Part of Me, Roar)

April Vineyard (Girlfriend, Sk8er Boi (if you guys listen to the entire song instead of only the first verses you'll understand), I Fell In Love With The Devil)

Truelove (Raspberry, Tongue Tied, Schoolboy)

·:¨༺ ♱🐺♱ ༻¨:· Ramona Badwolf ·:¨༺ ♱🐺♱ ༻¨:·

Rabbit Hole (Jennifer's Body, Credit In The Straight World, Northern Star)

Corset Suffocation (Feels Blind, Rebel Girl, Alien She)

Incandescence (Bring Me To Life, Everybody's Fool, Sweet Sacrifice)

Fall Out Book (Centuries, I Don't Care, Fake Out)

Writtin Park (Bleed It Out, Burning in the Skies, Runaway)

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽🔮☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ Raven Queen ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽🔮☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

Taylor Quick (Anti-Hero, Enchanted, You're On Your Own Kid)

Royale (Royals, 400 Lux, Ladder Song)

Lady Yaga (Bloody Mary, Monster, Government Hooker)

I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY CURSED ME (Mad IQs, New Invention, Absinthe)

Spellannah Joffe (Die Your Daughter, Nobody Wants Me Tonight, My Dog Died)

༉‧₊˚🕯️🥀❀༉‧₊˚. Rosabella Beauty ༉‧₊˚🕯️🥀❀༉‧₊˚.

Penelorepe Scott (Rät, Dead girls, American Healthcare)

Bob Dalan-a-Dale (Blowin' in the wind, The Times They Are A-Changing, A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall)

Joan Bard (We Shall Overcome, Diamonds & Rust, Girl of Constant Sorrow)

Mirra Simone (Sinnerman, Mississippi Goddam, Revolution)

Sam Book (A Change is gonna come, Mean Old World, Jesus gave me water)

🎸⋆⭒˚｡⋆♪ °˖➴જ⁀➴ Sparrow Hood 🎸⋆⭒˚｡⋆♪ °˖➴જ⁀➴

Knight Chloe (Too Close, Hooves, Michelle)

Black Rebel Carriage Club (Beat the Devil's Tattoo, American X, Weapon of Choice)

Wolf Killer Kids (Hang Me Up To Dry, First, Robbers)

The Legacy Keys (Lonely Boy, Weight of love, Little Black Submarines)

Prince Ferdinand (Take Me Out, Love Illumination, Lazy Boy)

Wands N' Roses (Paradise City, Sympathy for the devil, Sweet Child O' Mine)

He gets an extra one because the Knight Chloe ones are all very shippy.

✩°｡ ⋆⸜ 🎧✮🎸⋆⭒˚｡⋆ Tucker ✩°｡ ⋆⸜ 🎧✮🎸⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Giantz (Feel Good Inc., Kids With Guns, Momentary Bliss)

The Spells (Little Girl, Is This It?, The Adults Are Talking)

The Legacy Keys (Fever, Go, Psychotic Girl)

Black Rebel Carriage Club (Red Eyes And Tears, Going Under, Restless Sinner)

Prince Ferdinand (The Dark of the Matinee, Curious, Billy Goodbye)

You are trapped on an eight-hour long road trip with these guys and you have to give one of them the aux chord.

[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC Lucien’s The Sea No Longer Distant MQ translation (Part 1/3)

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!! ⚠️

This post contains a detailed spoiler for a MQ that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

[Warning]: The content of this MQ is pretty explicit and may not be suitable for individuals under the age of 18 (CN server). It is recommended that those who do not meet this age requirement refrain from proceeding beyond this point.

Translation under the cut!

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[Notes from Lux: Special thanks to @ivioivioivi for checking some lines of the translation! Personally, translating this date is a hell of a struggle for me and I wouldn’t able to finish it without her help lol-

Before we start, I’d recommend you all read Fantasy Book Date, Devotion Date, Distant Similarity, and Monochrome Scenery. This MQ specifically references these dates/shares a similar theme so, if you haven’t read it or just want to jog your memory, please check them out first! :>

Currently, I haven't made the subtitled video, so for now here’s the CN video link if anyone wants to follow along his voice acting.]

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

—[Part 1]—

Host: ... And now, we are about to unveil the final award of the evening at the Magnolia Awards - the Best Variety Show.

As thunderous applause erupts, I find myself holding my breath, my heart pounding in my chest.

The "Best Director" award I just received feels heavy in my hands as if it's also waiting for another trophy of equal weight to be embraced.

Host: ...Now, let's take a look at the nominated works for this year's Best Variety Show.

The first nominee, produced by my company, appears on the big screen, a montage of past highlights flashing by.

After the five short films are shown in sequence, the award presenter opens the envelope in her hand.

Presenter: And the winner of the Magnolia Award for Best Variety Show is...

Her final words unleash a thunderous wave of applause, and the dazzling lights make it nearly impossible for me to keep my eyes open, leaving me in a daze.

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

The ceaseless traffic flows by like a stream, and it is not until a vaguely familiar building appears in the distance that I slowly come back to my senses.

I blink, and the white building becomes clearer as I focus on it, standing out with a sense of tranquility in the fading twilight.

….Unbeknownst to myself, I find myself subconsciously drawn to the vicinity of the research institute.

I can't help but sign, feeling a pang of annoyance as I become aware of my own emotions.

MC: I really do want to talk with Lucien after all…

Am I hoping for his comfort? Or seeking his advice?

Perhaps I just want to see him at this moment.

MC: He is probably still busy…

At 7 in the evening, the world slows its pace with the fading twilight on the horizon. The rhythmic flashing of the red traffic light at the crosswalk spreads the last remnants of twilight.

And in that small, illuminated scene, I see a familiar figure.

He gazes steadily ahead, his eyes appearing to hold a multitude of things, yet also seeming to contain nothing.

His face bears traces of exhaustion, and he seems distant and unreal as if he were merely a figment of my imagination.

But in a twist of fate, his vacant gaze shifts in the next second and meets mine.

After a moment of stunned silence, I see him smile gently.

The green light stops flashing at the last second, and I see Lucien standing in front of me.

Lucien: [chuckles] Good evening, MC.

MC: [smiles softly] Good evening, Professor Lucien, I didn't expect to meet you here.

I can't help but smile, and naturally take his hand as we walk towards home.

Lucien: I want to leave work early today.

Lucien: Meeting you proves that this was the right choice.

His voice gently accompanies the evening breeze, and I inexplicably feel that Lucien's mood doesn't seem particularly good either.

Considering his recent state of intense overtime, perhaps he's been dealt with some setbacks or failures.

I swallow the words that are about to spill out of my mouth. I purse my lips and start talking to him about amusing things I haven't shared yet, and listen to him talk about the bickering among his assistants.

Such a rare leisurely stroll, sharing everyday life we've missed with each other, everything is so good.

Lucien: By the way, I forgot to congratulate you on winning the awards.

Suddenly, I hear Lucien's voice.

Lucien: I received your message this morning, but I had some unexpected situations this afternoon, so I didn't have time to watch the live awards ceremony.

Lucien: Having won all the major awards for both "Best Director" and "Best Program" in two variety shows, for such an amazing Miss Producer, I should have congratulated you much earlier.

His tone is so brisk and firmly assured* that I'm momentarily stunned, letting it fall heavily to the ground.

Lucien is also stunned.

The air around me turns stiff, and I don't know how to describe my feelings.

The wave that's directly crashing over me now feels far more immense and intangible than the moment the guest announced it, causing both pain and sadness.

I clench my palms and instinctively muster a smile at him.

After all, if I were to cry pitifully now, it would only make me appear weak and humiliated.

MC: Hehe, I'll accept half of Professor Lucien's congratulations first! Winning Best Director is a small victory, right?

MC: I still need to keep working hard!

I can't even bring myself to look into his eyes and just want to keep walking forward.

Just as I'm about to walk away, he holds my hand to stop me, and when I turn around, I see his deep gaze filled with guilt and comfort.

Lucien: [guiltily] Sorry, it was my mistake for not confirming.

Lucien: [in a comforting tone] Don't worry, you've already done a great job. Awards are just one way of judging, and they can't determine everything.

Lucien: If you feel sad, tell me all about your feelings.

The night falls, and the streetlights stretch his shadow long.

Lucien: It's okay, you can always slow down your growth in front of me.

I look at the person in front of me, take a deep breath, and hold his hand back.

MC: I know, I am moving forward at my own pace.

MC: If I didn't do well, I'll just find a solution.

MC: Please don't worry Professor Lucien, I know what I need to do. I will keep working hard.

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[T/N: Before we move on to the next part, I want to say that this time I won't write an essay because I think the date itself explains its plot theme pretty well, I'll just use T/N to highlight some important parts and more ;)

MC uses the word 笃定 (dǔ dìng) to describe Lucien's tone (and also gaze, which will be used in part 2). I translated it to 'firm assuredness'. This word often describes how certain and unwavering a person is about something or a specific belief. In this context, Lucien is confident that MC will always be the ‘best’ and can achieve any goal she sets. However, this may also imply a kind of ‘expectation’, which is where the ‘problem’ of this date arises.]

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

—[Exclusive Radio - Resignation Application]—

[door knocking sounds]

Lucien: Come in.

Zeng Shu: Long time no see, sorry to bother you.

Lucien: Is there a problem with the project's progress?

Zeng Shu: No, the project is going very smoothly. The results from the last few trials have been very stable.

Zeng Shu: The reason I came to see you today... is to discuss a personal matter with you.

Lucien: Oh? Please go ahead.

Zeng Shu: I want to withdraw from the project.

Lucien: …

Zeng Shu: Ah, don't worry. I will complete all the handover tasks before I leave.

Zeng Shu: The project is very stable in all aspects now. Although the manpower is not abundant, having one less person won't be a problem.

Zeng Shu: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to join the project. I'm sorry I won't be able to work with everyone to see it through to completion.

Lucien: …

Zeng Shu: …

Lucien: Is there a specific reason for this?

Lucien: Although we're not in a critical period, personnel turnover will inevitably have an impact on the project.

Lucien: I believe most problems can be solved.

Zeng Shu: You've misunderstood. There's no problem.

Zeng Shu: I'm just tired.

Zeng Shu: I want to take some time off.

Lucien: How much time off do you need?

Zeng Shu: I’m not trying to pressure you into approving my leave, Professor.

Zeng Shu: I just... need some time to really think about whether I’m actually suited for research.

Lucien: You’re not a fresh graduate.

Lucien: You’ve worked on your own projects, supervised students, and you’re experienced. You’ve also published numerous high-impact papers.

Lucien: I can't understand the meaning behind your statement.

Zeng Shu: …

Zeng Shu: Professor, I'm aware of everything you mentioned.

Zeng Shu: But not everyone can be like you, maintaining such passion for research no matter what.

Zeng Shu: And not everyone who pursues research is as gifted as you are.

Lucien: ...I always thought you were quite level-headed.

Lucien: I generally don't recommend bringing emotions into work.

Zeng Shu: Your judgment of me is not wrong; I am very calm right now.

Zeng Shu: From the moment I had this thought to... coming to your office, I've carefully considered it for three months.

Zeng Shu: This is the result of my comprehensive consideration. I hope you can approve it.

Lucien: …

Lucien: Do you want to withdraw from the current project, or are you not considering joining any future projects either?

Zeng Shu: I won't join any of them.

Lucien: Even the project you proposed two years ago? I received news last week that it can be officially approved.

Zeng Shu: Yes. I'm not considering it anymore.

Lucien: [sighs heavily] I understand.

Lucien: I will respect your decision.

Lucien: However, I hope you can continue to perform your related duties normally before you leave completely.

Lucien: If the project is affected at this stage, it will be difficult for either of us to handle.

Zeng Shu: I understand, don't worry.

Zeng Shu: I'll start the handover process tomorrow.

Lucien: Alright.

Zeng Shu: Sorry for the trouble, goodbye.

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[T/N: This part is interesting because it shows how Lucien's subconscious 'expectation' extends not only to MC but also to the people who work with him. This 'expectation' can make people ‘tired’ and ‘exhausted’ from trying to keep up with him, and it's something that he himself is not really aware of. Additionally, I want to highlight how he doesn't understand the concept of being tired in a non-physical sense, like, at all, which will be important in a later part ;)]

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

—[Part 2]—

Sunlight streams through the windowsill, casting a brilliant and rejuvenating glow over the quiet room.

I walk into the computer room, swiftly turn on the computer, and bring up the rough cut of the video completed yesterday.

In the footage, the guest laughs endlessly in a seaside cottage. The suitable music and adorable text overlays convey the happiness even more directly.

I sit on the seat while hugging my legs, letting the laughter from the headphones linger in my mind, but it can't seem to drown out what happened yesterday.

I don't know when it started, but after putting in so much effort, success has somehow become a kind of arrogant ‘matter of course'.

Perhaps I've gotten used to the taste of success, so when failure arrives, I become even more at a loss.

And compared to this frustration... my mind returns to the firmly assured eyes I saw yesterday.

??: Boss, why are you here so early?

I lift my head and see Willow standing in front of me with a bit of a worried look.

MC: You're one to talk, didn't you come early too?

Willow: I just felt like something was up, so I thought I’d come and check on things.

She says that as she sits down next to me and turns on her computer. The dim glow of the screen reflects on her face, revealing traces of fatigue and frustration.

Yet, she turns her head and smiles at me.

Willow: Boss, do you want to take a break? You've been busy for a long time lately, haven't you?

I think I should say something, but as I gaze into those firm eyes, it seems like all words are inadequate.

In the end, I just shake my head with a smile.

MC: Don't worry, I'm not tired.

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Over the next week, the shadow of failure gradually fades away, and everything returns to normal.

Lucien is still busy, and I'm still immersed in the intense preparations for the summer special.

It's just that I often feel Lucien's gaze on me. During our interactions, he seems to observe me from time to time, yet he never says a word.

Is he thinking about how to comfort me, or is he worried that I'm just pretending to be strong?

After much thought, I stubbornly chose not to break his silence.

Compared to words, perhaps more proactive actions can show him that I have become more resilient.

It seems like an invisible thread is becoming more tense, but neither of us has the time to care.

I come home late at night and notice Lucien sitting on the sofa, looking at some documents.

A vast expanse of night covers him, and his eyes, as calm as still water, seem unable to be touched by any emotion.

MC: Lucien, are you okay?

He doesn't seem to notice my return. He freezes for a moment before slowly raising his head.

Lucien: I'm fine.

Speaking softly, he naturally draws me into a hug, his chin resting on my head. A long sigh escapes his lips.

The world becomes peaceful in the instant, fully contained within this gentle embrace.

MC: [worriedly] Is the experiment not going well?

Lucien: [inhales deeply before speaking softly] Mm. I've tried a few methods, but none of them can quite solve the problems.

Lucien: So, I'm thinking of throwing this out and starting from scratch.

MC: Is the direction wrong?

Lucien: [chuckles] Probably.

He remains silent for a while before continuing slowly.

Lucien: One of my senior research associates who's been working with me recently quit. No one can fill his shoes right now, so it's making the process a bit more troublesome.

Lucien: Overall, it might be more efficient to just start fresh.

MC: Why did he quit?

Lucien: He said he was too tired.

His calm voice seems full of incomprehension and ambivalence. Although I can't see Lucien's face at the moment, I can imagine his slightly furrowed brow.

Lucien: But theoretically, the work arrangements are sound, and I didn't force him to constantly monitor every result with me.

Lucien: So I don't know either.

Lucien: Since he was determined to leave, I let him go.

His tone reveals a rare cold sternness as if he is unwilling to waste time on unnecessary matters.

Lucien: There will always be a replacement.

I blink in a daze, feeling like I can see that senior professor.

I really want to say something to Lucien, but in the end, I still don't know how to start.

Lucien: MC, let's not talk about that. Actually, I really want to chat with you.

MC: Hmm?

He releases his hug and gently caresses my face.

Lucien: [in a gentle tone] I wonder if you're still feeling a bit sad because you didn't win the award for best work.

The soft moonlight made his face appear so gentle at this moment.

Under his dotingly gentle gaze, I don't want to hide my heart. I know Lucien has been waiting for a long time.

MC: Actually, I thought I had already secured victory, but unexpectedly, I failed.

MC: So when the results were announced, I felt very frustrated.

I look at Lucien honestly and muster up the courage.

MC: I originally thought this feeling of frustration was simply because… I failed.

MC: But when I saw you and when you congratulated me, subconsciously assuming that I should be the "best"...

I feel my voice tremble a little.

MC: It was then that I realized I hadn't fulfilled your expectations.

MC: And at that moment, it was the saddest time for me.

Lucien is rational and effortlessly capable. He believes that if something can be done, it can be done.

So he subconsciously believes that the heights I can reach are ones I will undoubtedly attain, or even surpass.

Otherwise, on this long and arduous journey of pursuit, I would only watch his figure grow further and further away.

In those slightly widened eyes, I see a lot of confusion and incomprehension.

Lucien: I…

“Ring ring-”

A sudden, insistent phone call interrupted him. After hesitating for a moment and seeing the caller ID, I decided to answer.

Man: Boss, urgent news! Looks like a storm is about to hit. The weather department says the coastal weather won't be good for the next two weeks.

Man: All the subsequent filming will be affected. We just went over the script and realized we need to make major changes.

Man: What should we do? Should we cancel it? Or what? The guests' schedules are kind of hard to change.

MC: It's definitely going to be difficult to change the guests' schedules now, and it will also affect the following weekly broadcasts. Let's revise the script.

I quickly run through the ideas in my head and a vague idea comes to me.

MC: Have the production team book me a flight tonight. I'm going straight there.

After hanging up the phone, the previous atmosphere has already dissipated. Lucien sits in front of me, much of his body falling into the shadows.

MC: Lucien, I didn't say those things to make you feel guilty or anything, because those were just my own feelings.

MC: It's me who wants to catch up to you and fulfill your expectations.

I smile and reach out to stroke his face, gently smoothing out the slight frown that forms unconsciously on his brow.

MC: I'll take care of my own feelings, so don't worry.

MC: I'll run even faster next time.

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

—[Memory Silhouette - The back of a running figure]—

MC: I'm leaving now. Make sure to drive safely on your way home!

Lucien: Relax, don't worry.

Lucien: You don't need to rush. There's always a solution.

MC: I know. Don't worry~ I'll message you as soon as I land. Don't wait up too late for me.

Lucien: [chuckles] Okay, I'll be sure to follow Miss Producer's instructions. I'll go to sleep as soon as I feel tired.

In the somewhat deserted early morning airport, the girl gives him a quick peck on the cheek before heading towards the security checkpoint.

The security checkpoint is almost empty, but she still instinctively turns her head and waves to him at every turn.

Yet, it seems like she hates to leave him waiting, so she keeps waving back at him non-stop.

Lucien: "Slow down."

He mouths the words, knowing full well the sound won’t reach her, yet somehow he still has this feeling that she can hear them.

As her figure walks into the security checkpoint, she waves to him one last time from dozens of meters away before disappearing from sight.

He doesn't know why, but looking at her figure from behind, he felt as if he was being escaped from.

This feeling makes him very uncomfortable.

He furrows his brows in irritation and turns to walk into the black night.

Where exactly did things start to go wrong?

The girl's slightly bitter smile flashes back into his mind, but it brings more confusion than answers.

Why does his unconscious firm assuredness sadden her more than the failure itself?

Why do I feel assured that she can do it, and why does she think my expectations are so important?

We're clearly not on the same track.

Clearly, she can have her own pace, and I also allow her to fail...

Is it because I am someone special to her?

Does she want to meet my expectations? But my expectation is for her to just be happy and always within my sight*.

Do I have any other expectations for her?

Too many fragmented questions flood his mind, and each one of them feels unfamiliar and chaotic. This feeling of not having a starting point unconsciously makes him a bit infuriated.

There are still more tricky problems and troubles at work waiting for him, which he has to tackle one by one.

Despite thinking this way, her face still appears again and again among the numerous and complicated tasks in his mind.

Compared to those things that can be redone or thrown away, he feels some kind of deep-seated emptiness and unease.

He feels as if she has left him far behind, as if she knows more things that he cannot comprehend.

This feeling makes him even more irritable.

He instinctively turns at a fork in the road and continues until the familiar white building comes into view. Even so, his irritation doesn't seem to have subsided even a bit.

At this moment, his phone vibrates. He looks down and sees that it's a departure message from her.

MC’s message: "I'm boarding~ Just let me know when you get home! Don't forget to go to bed early~”

His fingers, naturally inclined to send a reply in the next second, hesitate just before hitting send. He closes his eyes and temporarily turns off the screen.

In that instant, he suddenly feels very childish.

What does it mean to say that she can handle her own emotions, yet still wants to run away to a faraway place?

He doesn't know the answer and can't think of a way to solve it.

He hurriedly walks into the lab. His sudden appearance caught everyone off guard. After a moment of stunned silence, they quickly come forward to greet him.

Assistant: Professor, why are you here?

Lucien: It's nothing. I'm just here to handle some other work. You can carry on.

Saying this, he walks into his own laboratory.

He doesn't plan to think about it anymore. There are still many things waiting for him, many plans and arrangements to implement—

Lucien: [whispers softly] Why…

The sound of the plane seems to pass overhead in the distance, and the night grows even darker.

Suddenly, he feels very lonely**.

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[T/N: *: Just want to expand on what Lucien said here! One of his expectations is ‘for her always within my sight', I think it refers to what he said back in S2 ch 51

MC: Maybe it’s because I know that no matter where I go, you'll always be watching over me. MC: Lucien, I hope you can always keep your eyes on me. Lucien: Of course, I will always watch over you. Until... you go to a place that even I can’t reach...-

-that no matter where the direction she goes he will always watch over her 🤧 I personally like this quote a LOT, like it's more or less what's ‘growing’ in his route feels like. He won't stop you and will support anything you do, no matter what you'll ‘grow’ to be. Even if you walk in a different direction from him, even if what you do is risky, even if the road is full of failures… He'll always give his unconditional attention, support, and safety from afar. He hopes for her to be ‘always within his sight’ so that he can continue to do so 🥺

**: "寂寞" often conveys a more profound and enduring sense of isolation than "loneliness”. It emphasizes the emotional aspect of feeling isolated or abandoned such as the sadness, emptiness and the yearningಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ]

Next Part=> [Click Here]

[yeeehwa]

One Step at a Time {1}

Idol!Hongjoong x fem!reader

wc: 3,344

summary: you always let your work speak for you, never taking the spotlight, or even let people know your name. everything changed once the comfort of anonymity gets pulled from you.

warnings: cursing, not edited (let me know if I missed anything)

a/n: here’s the first installment of One Step at a Time! Im super happy with this and of the ideas that started processing as I worked on this more and more! I hope you enjoy as much as I do

Feedback is always appreciated

Prologue | chapter 2

✼　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　✼ ✼　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　 ҉　✼

Your eyes scrunched as your phone ringed on the table beside you. The light it broadcast being the only thing to illuminate the early morning. You turned your back to the sound and light, snuggling deeper into bed and sighing in relief when it stopped. Just for it to start again.

“What the hell” you muttered to yourself before grabbing the annoying device. You pulled the charger out of the bottom of your phone as you answered, eyes scrunched at the brightness it emulated.

You put your phone on speaker and laid it down by your head. “What” you groaned into the phone.

An exasperated sigh left the voice on the other line. “Don’t what me. Check the news.” Haewon all but snapped back at you. She sounded awake for it being so early.

You sat up, immediately alert. “Why am I checking the news at” you press your phone to check the time. “8am on a Saturday? It’s an ungodly hour. Let me sleep.”

“Your face is on it” She deadpanned.

You felt the color drain from your face. Quickly, you searched your bedsheets for the remote that decided to hide itself at the times you wanted it most. You found it, hands shaking as you hit the power button.

“The creator of the luxury brand, Luxe, was discovered last night at the Baeksang Arts Awards. After years of nothing more than being a mysterious figure, now has a face and name to them-“ you groaned as the screen flashed your name and face across the screen. The phone slipped from your hand as you shoved your face into one of your pillows and screamed.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to blacklist her now?” You muted the TV as soon as Soomins image came onto the screen, captions letting you know that she told Dispatch everything.

“She broke the contract too. We could sue her.” Haewon sounds utterly gleeful when pointing that out.

“No. No. I don’t want to do that.” You sigh and rub the last of the tiredness from your eyes. “Call a meeting. Make sure to call Seokhoon. I know he can help.”

“Are you sure you wa-“

“Yes.” You cut her off. “He’s the only one who knows her enough to try to calm this down. Call Minjun too.”

You knew her well enough to know that she grimaced and rolled her eyes at your demands. She decided to ignore them, knowing you were stressed. “He was top of my list. I’ll see you at 10.” The line went dead.

You sat there for a moment before flinging yourself back. Staring at the ceiling and contemplating how different your life will be now.

You’ll never have privacy again. So many people can come knocking down your door so they can work with you. Friends who have no idea about your career will look at you differently, start asking for things. You’re not sure how you’ll handle that. People in your life looking at you to elevate their status more. Your future looked bleak in your eyes, and you started to dread this meeting. You rubbed at your face again before sitting up.

Nothing is going to change. You tried to reassure yourself. Everything will be fine. An idol will have a scandal and this will all be forgotten. You weren’t sure if you were hopeful of that or dreading it.

Your feet hit the cold tile, arms raising in the air as you stretched out your arms and back from a restless night's sleep. You never slept much anyway, but with being woken up so early and the weight of everything bearing down on you, you got even less than usual.

Coffee you repeated to yourself as you made your way to the kitchen. Flipping on your coffee pot and digging around in your fridge for some fruit, you leaned against the counter, the overwhelming smell of coffee filling your nose and making you momentarily forget your woes.

A small mewl was heard from the doorway, and a small white fluff ball pranced into the kitchen, the smell of coffee and the sound of you being awake alerting your poor cat that it was, in his mind, breakfast time.

“Muffin,” you cooed to him, leaning down to scratch his chin. “How’s my handsome boy doing?” He meowed back, looking at you with wide eyes. Muffin, like yourself, was a creature of habit. He smelled the coffee and knew it was feeding time. You giggled as he meowed at you again, this time a little more aggressively as he pawed at your hand.

A small chuckle escaped you as you shook your head. “Yes you little gremlin. I’ll feed you.” You did so, and was met with mewls of happiness and contentment, and then left in almost silence. Muffin eating being the only noise being made.

Coffee finished, and you grabbed your favorite mug from the cabinet above you. 1 sugar and the smallest amount of cream,just to give it a little flavor. Perfect. Leaning against the counter, you held the cup to your lips, letting the dark liquid soothe you for the moment.

The sound of your phone ringing broke the silence, making you that much more anxious about the upcoming meeting. Haewons name flashed on the screen.

“Yes?”

“Everyone has been called, texted or emailed. I told them coming was not optional and that we’ll see them at 10. I got quite a few questioning texts and almost all of them cursed me at least once.” She was so nonchalant about it, you couldn’t help but smile.

“Thank you Hae.” You checked the time, eyes bugged when you realized it was already 9:30. “I’ll see you in an hour.” You hung up.

After almost tripping over Muffin and throwing your coffee into a travel mug, you were dressed and ready to go. At least, you hoped you were.

Donning your favorite pair of navy blue and white striped bottoms with a matching blue wrap-around top with a neat bow tied at your hip. A silver chain belt with a long strand of it falling down the side of your leg, matching rings and earrings, and a wide brimmed hat, you looked yourself over in the mirror, making sure every detail looked perfect. You were nervous, and you needed to make sure that you looked collected and put together. You knew Minjun was going to suggest you make a press appearance. You grimaced at the thought.

After checking yourself over one last time, you grabbed your bag, a mask, slipped your shoes on. You walked out the door before turning around, forgetting the most important thing. Coffee. After grabbing it, you finally made it out into the beautiful autumn air.

Walking down the streets of Seoul reminded you of where you lived before moving to Korea. The city with buildings that touched the sky and streets that were busy but there was still a routine to it. Every day that you walked to work, you would be by the same few people who left your apartment building at the same time. You’ve never said anything to them, but the familiarity comforted you. Not seeing them today as you left made you feel strange, and left a bad feeling in your gut. You took a small sip of your coffee, feeling it help calm you a bit.

Your phone buzzed in your pocket, and you sighed, reaching for it. A text message from Haewon, followed by some from Minjun. Then an Instagram notification from your personal account, followed by an absolute explosion of like and comment notifications from your brand's account.

Confused, you don’t remember having anything to announce or queued up to post, you logged into the Luxe account. There, a black background with a lopsided A with a crescent shape behind it in white. You stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, just staring at the symbol. The words coming soon sat in the caption.

“What the fuck!?” You muttered to yourself, staring at the screen. The likes and comments that came flooding in in so many languages made your head spin. You squinted at your phone and tried to start reading some of the comments when you felt something careen into your back, causing you to momentarily lose your balance.

You took a step forward to balance yourself, and you felt a hand clasp around your wrist, assuming to be steadying you as well.

“Shit. I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” You looked up at the wrecking ball of a man who had just ran into you. The already cooled coffee spilt out of the little opening of your cup, onto the concrete and all over your hand.

He wore a blue and white plaid shirt. Ralph Lauren you noted. A Balmain shirt peeked out from underneath. Okay. Balmain. Interesting. A black bucket hat that hid most of his hair, but you saw small tufts of blue hair sticking out. Ripped black jeans and a pair of converse on his feet with a messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

“You made me spill my coffee.” You bluntly said to him. The abstract splatter started to stain the concrete. You shook your hand out, shaking away some of the liquid. You pulled yourself away from him and straightened yourself out. He started digging in his bag for something, and you felt some napkins land in your hand.

“I always carry some on me,” he said. You saw his ears turn a little red as he brought a hand up to the back of his neck. “I have clumsy friends.”

You looked at him, unamused, as your phone kept going off. Accepting the napkins with a small head nod, you wiped your hands off.

“Are you alright?”

You nodded. “I’m fine.” You guestured to him with you handful of soggy napkins. “Thanks for these.”

“Right.” The silence between you became awkward. “Sorry again. I’ll buy you a replacement if you’d like?”

“Oh. Um.” You weren’t sure what to make of his offer. “I’m very particular about my coffee. I’m also in a rush.”

“Oh. Right. Sorry again.” He bowed to you, ears bright red and quickly walked around you, turning the corner and vanished from your sight.

You watched his retreating back in confusion, before shaking yourself out of it and started towards your office again, faster and more determined than before. Each step you took made you more and more furious over whatever stunt your team just pulled in the middle of your own personal crisis.

***

“She’s going to be so mad at you.” Haewon paced in front of the floor to ceiling windows that looked down on the fashion district of Seoul. Her heels clicking on the tile floor each step she took. Nervously, she switched between biting the tips of her chestnut colored hair to running her fingers through it.

Minjun sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose under his glasses. “I know. But it’ll make her stop stressing for the moment and give her and the media something else to focus on for the time being.” He picked up his phone to show his older sister. “Look. All the likes and comments flooding in. The fans are excited! Luxe hasn’t worked with a group of people before! It’s always been one on one! And with them, you know they’ll want every moment documented! Especially this time of year.” Minjun got more and more passionate as he spoke, almost to the point of yelling.

Haewon stopped her pacing and looked at him. “Look. I understand that. But you should’ve at least discussed this with her first! I know it was a very sudden thing, and something that you got literally as soon as you called and made the offer. But. Eight men? With a short deadline? And they want to document it? I thought the point was to get her face out of the media, not in it more!” She sat herself in her chair, to the right of the head of the table. “You know how she gets. She won’t sleep until she gets it done.” Haewon leaned on the table and rested her face in her hands, pushing her bangs off her forehead. “This is going to be bad. I can feel it.”

“We just don’t tell her that it’ll be documented and write it into the contract that they keep her face blurred. Like she’s staff. It’ll be easy.”

Haewon laughed and slid her chair back to the window, on the lookout for you. She decided to ignore her brother. Her eyes widened as she saw your silhouette stalking towards the door of the building. She saw you give a nod to the doorman as he checked your pass and let you in.

“Uh oh.” She smirked a bit. “She’s mad. Like. Mad mad. You are so fucked.” She couldn’t deny that she was excited about watching you absolutely destroy her brother.

“MINJUN!” They heard you yell from where you exited the elevator. Minjun swallowed nervously as he realized how upset you actually were.

“What the fuck is wrong with you!” The meeting room door slammed open, revealing your flushed features and hardened eyes. You smaller your coffee mug onto the table, making the last few drops spill out of it. Unceremoniously, your purse dropped to the floor as you turned to glare at your PR rep.

Minjun swallowed again and started stuttering out his excuse. “People are excited! They’re not talking about you being exposed anymore!” Minjun shoved his phone in your face, as you seethed at him.

Sighing, you walked over to your chair and slumped down, your body deflating as you processed his words. You rubbed your forehead, a sudden headache blooming behind your eyes. “I don’t care Minjun. You should’ve talked about this with me first. I-“

The door swung open again and in walked in Seokhoon. He ran a hand through his long hair and shook it out. You heard Haewon swoon as she studied him.

You shook your head at the love-struck girl and stood up, greeting him with a respectful bow of your head. “Seokhoon. Thank you for meeting with us.” You shot a look over your shoulder at the pair in the room behind you. “We seem to be in a situation.”

His eyes roamed the room over your shoulder, and when they landed on Haewon, he smiled. “So I heard. Why do you need my help?”

“You dated Soomin.” Grumbled Haewon. She crossed her arms and pouted slightly as Seokhoon made his way towards her. He took her chin in his hand and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. You saw her melt at his touch. “You know how to calm her down.”

He smiled down at her again and ran his hand through her hair. “She likes attention. Either get the media to talk about her or get someone more famous than her to ‘sweep her off her feet.’” He scrunched his nose at that last statement. “That’s why she did this in the first place. She wanted attention since she knew she wasn’t going to win tonight, and her show was a flop.”

You grimaced. “So she decided to drag me into this too?”

“She’s mad at you for working with me, and because I fell for Hae.” He and Haewon made eye contact and you can tell that they went into their own world for a moment. You heard Minjun gag in the background, which caused the couple to come back to reality.

Seokhoon turned to you and pulled out his phone. “I saw the Luxe post. Working with Ateez is a good move. Soomin has been after one of the members for the longest time. If you can get them together, she’ll leave you alone, and dispatch will have other things to talk about.” He leaned back in his chair and shoved his hands into the pocket of his leather jacket. “It’s simple. Give her the attention she wants.” He shrugged.

You threw your hands up in frustration. “I’m a fashion designer, not a matchmaker!” You started pacing in the same spot Haewon had when waiting for you. “I didn’t even agree to this collaboration in the first place.”

“Well,” he started, pushing himself up off his chair. “You better get on board fast. Ateez are big and can get your face out of the media. To a lot of people, it could be the collab of the century.” He winked at you as he reached for the door handle. “Make me proud.”

You rolled your eyes at his back as he walked out. Haewon followed closely behind him, sparing a glance at you, asking permission to leave. You nodded and she called out for him to wait. The door closed and you were left in an uncomfortable silence.

Sitting there made you think about everything that could go wrong and you started convincing yourself that it wouldn’t work, and that no matter what, you’ll be followed and used.

“Hey,” Minjun rested his hand on top of yours. The contact helped ground you for the moment. You looked at him. “He’s right, you know. Your face may still be there for a bit, but once the designs come out, all this will be in the past.”

You groaned. “How soon can you get me a meeting with them?” Your voice sounded muffled as you took your hat off and laid face down on the table.

“I can get you with them by the end of the week.” He pulled out his phone and started sending emails. “You’re taking this better than I thought you would.” He paused, reading something. “I want you to do a press conference too. Address what Soomin has done and said about you and our brand.” He said it so casually. Like he was talking about the weather.

You groaned into the table. “You know there was a reason I wanted to stay anonymous. I hate having all the attention on me.”

“Yes yes. I know. But it’s inevitable. Pick your head up. It’s not the end of the world.” You heard his phone ding and him type more out. “When do you want the meeting with Ateez, and the press conference?”

You groaned again. “The sooner the better.” Sighing in resignation, waving your hand at him, dismissing him. You heard him roll his chair back and get up, and finally the door shutting behind him.

Minjun paused by the door, hand on the knob. “You’ll do great y/n. If Haewon and I both love you, the media will too.” He sent you a reassuring smile, even though your head was still buried in your arms, and left, softly closing the door behind him.

After hearing the click of the door being closed, you took a moment to yourself, taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself down a bit and process what has happened in the last 24 hours.

You stood up, deciding to stop wallowing in your own self pity, and to do what you normally do when you work with a new client. You were going to go home and do some research. You snatched your hat, and walked by Minjun in the hall, talking endlessly into his phone. You nodded at him and headed down to the lobby.

You exited the building, not realizing there was a crowd of people lined up at the front of the building. Walking out, you were assaulted by flashing lights and people yelling your name and rapid fire questions at you to get your attention. You froze, and the feeling of Minjun coming up behind you, resting a hand at the small of your back made you shield your face as he made a path through the sea of dispatch, to the waiting black van. Once you were safely in, he climbed in behind you and slammed the door.

Your life as you know it, is about to change