#one eyed hamster

[the-teeny-bees-hams]

Littol munchies

[outeremissary]

Most cursed ass thing about BG3 is the way it makes me think "I should replay BG1." Literally the voice of the devil

[lionheartedmusings]

bear with me bc this is gonna be a bit of a long one, but i've seen folks talking about how they're excited to get the horrors back on the qsmp and while i totally agree that i miss those blood-curdling, creepy, uncanny valley sort of scenes... i think the beauty of the overall storyline (as much as it's execution can be criticised ) is that we as the audience are seeing things in a vacuum.

the qsmp storyline is a living breathing player alongside our povs, and while we're aware of that, we're also not always engaging with it. we're getting swept up in the day-to-day of it all and getting lulled into a sense of security that ultimately makes us unable to truly comprehend the horror of the last few months until we take a step back and analyze it bit by bit.

children went missing in the night, leaving only their identifiers behind on empty beds. there were no leads. people looked and looked, and found nothing. parents were mad with concern and grief, and the all-seeing, all-powerful entity that rules their lives trapped in this hamster wheel of an island has no answers.

then, the items left behind on those beds vanish too.

then, there's mind-controlling, happiness inducing drugs being pumped into people against their will. still no news of the children. people are falling apart at the seams.

people are led to a maze where a wheel is spun and everything they have left of the children of this godforsaken island is gone. burned up. what does it mean? no one knows. they have to live on.

suddenly, a game is played. a clone of a dead child shows up, leading some of them into the same maze, forcing them to walk through a maze of doors and corridors, only to find a game of dice orchestrated by an unknown entity.

new people arrive, bearing witness to the hopeless, grim, sad reality of everyone who was already there. there's hope — there's always hope — but my god the pain is overwhelming.

there's clues, but there's not. the government keeping them trapped here against their will still has no answers, nothing to point them in the right direction.

faceless bears go missing.

faceless bodies show up on the streets. bloodied. dead. eaten.

suddenly, there's thunder and lightning and oh! oh, their children! of course they'll get on the train, that's where the children are!

but they're hijacked. stolen. once again, their autonomy is stripped entirely as another entity with power they cannot comprehend forces them to split into factions and compete for... something. their children's lives are on the line and they maim and kill those they call family because they fear they have no choice.

everyone went through hell — purgatory was a bad title for what they went through. it was hell, with no salvation in sight.

when all is said and done, when all the murder and backstabbing is over, they see their children through glass they cannot break. one escapes because chance said so, and the rest are left behind as the ceiling collapses on them.

the world is ending and their salvation is one singular boat a thousand blocks away. lovers can't say goodbye, friends run for their lives together, a father and a son dash desperately with no hope in sight. some stay behind, through choice or chance.

the government official that has made their life hell returns the children to them, and brings some new ones. those new children get carted off to new parents without option (again) and suddenly everything's supposed to be fine! nevermind your friends are gone! nothing to see here!

behind the scenes, the all-seeing all-knowing government is breaking apart, there's something far more horrifying and twisted at play in the background... but it's nothing the islanders can help with. nothing they can do. they have to live on and pretend their golden cage is fine and dandy bc at the end of the day, it's their only option.

one-eyed creatures show up demanding something "of theirs" back and bc humanity is strong, one islander refuses to hand someone kind and innocent off to them.

it dooms them, as their humanity has every single time.

now, they're under attack and they can barely defend themselves despite months of prep and having amazing gear — again, they try their hardest but everything is stacked against them. they fight, and fight, but their children are on the line and that's their main concern.

every fight? there's bodies littering the ground and panicked screams. explosions. chainsaws revving, and worry, and it's a war ten times a week.

a child loses a life, and now it's personal, but what can they do? no one listens to them, no one has ever listened to them.

and in the middle of all of this? their family is still gone, trapped in a wasteland, or missing, or... dead.

there was no funeral for q!maxo bc there's no stopping to smell the roses on quesadilla island, not really. where's slime? where's pol? where's the people who they haven't seen yet? gone, yes, but they don't have time to stop and worry about them. they don't have time to mourn losses and grieve their dead.

luffy, who came to try and help their friends, was stolen and hurt.

those eyeball workers? they were people once, maybe good people. maybe the best people we never got to meet, but they got shifted and changed into something monstrous and out of their control.

my point being: the story that the qsmp is telling is innately horrifying. it's not just creepy — it's twisted, and tragic, and absolutely terrifying. it's about loss of agency and running on an endless hamster wheel of someone else's making, and how you just sort of... live with it after a while.

and i think that's really fucking cool, because like these characters we too get used to the tragedy of life, little by little, and forget to see the whole thing from a bird's eye view (pun intended).

[upsidedownwithsteve]

dad!Eddie Munson x fem!reader

kidfic from the simmer verse 🍳 inspired by this ask/tiktok

When your daughter turned six, you and Eddie moved out of your apartment and into a home fit for a family. One with a big bay window and a huge garden, an oak tree out the back for Eddie to hang a swing from.

It came with a wrap around porch and the kitchen of Eddie’s dreams and Maeve got to pick the colour for her new bedroom, a mustard yellow that made her room feeling like an eternal summer. She was her daddy’s girl, a princess.

And then she turned twelve.

Eddie was in the kitchen when Maeve appeared, already so much taller than Eddie liked, her hair the same colour as yours but as curly as her fathers. She was just as pouty now, preteen hormones making her perpetually moody, sulking in corners and stealing away to her bedroom with Basil.

Now? Now she seemed to be on a mission.

“Dad?”

Eddie looked up from the cook book he was reading, tired eyed after an early morning meeting at the restaurant. They were making a new menu and Eddie had been worn thin, working too late and coming home to make you taste test all his new ideas. You never complained.

“Yeah, squish?”

“I’m hungry,” Maeve announced, sliding herself onto one of the barstools at the large island. Copper pots hung on a rack from the ceiling, casting bronze coloured reflections off of the girls cheeks. She still had freckles from the summer, a scratch on her chin from where uncle Argyle had tried to teach her how to skateboard. “Can you make me something?”

“Yeah, babe, sure,” Eddie wandered over to the fridge and he pulled out some containers. He wiggled one enticingly. “I made some mac ‘n’ cheese last night, you want me to hear some up?”

Maeve wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like mac ‘n’ cheese.”

Eddie’s face fell and his frown matched his daughters perfectly. If you’d been home from work, you would’ve laughed and called her his comeuppance.

“Well, you liked it fine last week.”

The twelve year old just shrugged, her legs swinging from her stool. “Well, I don’t anymore,” she replied with just as much indignation as her dad. “Can I get some pizza pockets?”

Now Eddie really did huff. The only reason the box of pastry abominations were in his freezer to begin with is because you’d done the last grocery shop. He narrowed his eyes at Maeve but moved to the freezer door when she giggled.

“We need to teach you some taste, kid,” Eddie tried to act stern. “How many you want? You starvin’?”

Maeve leaned onto her elbows and let her hands squish her cheeks. Her nails were black and glittery, painted carefully by you a few nights before and she’d proudly shown her dad her colour choice when he came home from work. “I don’t know, just two.”

“You don’t know?” Eddie questioned and he peered over his shoulder, the over door open. “You said you were hungry, babe. This is a meal for a hamster.”

Basil appeared at the mention of rodents, the black cat slinking into the kitchen to wind around Eddie’s ankles.

“I’ll have some chips too.” Maeve announced. “And some sliced apple, but only like, four slices, okay?”

Eddie blinked. “Four?”

“Yes, please.”

Well, at least she had manners. Eddie grumbled under his breath but did as told, shoving in the pizza horror before washing off an apple under the tap. He cut it as his girl watched, chomping every other slice until only four remained.

The timer on the oven had five minutes left. “Anything else, princess?”

Maeve seemed to ponder this question before she nodded, her little face as serious as could be. “Some grapes too, but just ten. And if there’s some baby bells left, I’ll have one. Oh, and seven gummy worms.”

Eddie’s lips were parted, his brows raised as he stared across the counter at his daughter. He didn’t know whether to laugh or call you and ask if this was some kind of prank he didn’t know about.

“What?”

Maeve blinked. “What?”

So Eddie huffed again and got out a plate, murmuring nonsense to himself as he gathered Maeve’s order, glaring playfully at her as he counted out exactly ten grapes. She grinned as she leaned over, laughing mischievously as she plucked one from the plate.

And when Eddie gasped, all theatrical, Maeve pointed to her plate and told him quite plainly around a mouthful of fruit, “dad, I said ten.”

Eventually, the timer beeped and two pizza pockets with oozing fake cheese were added to the plate. Eddie slid it over with a flourish, cackling when Maeve took offence to one gummy worm touching the pizza sauce that had leaked out. So he snatched it and shoved it into his mouth biting off the side with the sauce before dropping it back onto her plate.

“Dad! Ew!” Maeve gasped, throughly insulted but she slunk off her stool and Eddie flicked her on the as she passed, grinning when she scurried back to her room with Basil at her feet.

[dykealloy]

Rec list please ✍️🏻

(with tropes and just a smidge of reason why the media is recommended <- both very optional of course)

oh boy. okay. Confession time, I've watched a ridiculous number of shows out of east Asia so this is a good opportunity to share some faves from recent memory. If there's going to be one running through-line with these recs it's that I love character-driven narratives which explore interesting interpersonal relationships (socio-cultural commentary is a plus).

In no ranked order, here's my top ten:

Hamster running the emotional gamut wheel (well-written stories about grief, closure and family)

Move to Heaven (2021) Korea, 10 episodes, Netflix Summary: Han Geu-ru is an autistic 20-year-old who works for his father’s business “Move To Heaven”, a company that specializes in crime scene cleanup, where they collect and arrange items left by the deceased and deliver them to the bereaved family. When Geu-ru's father dies, his guardianship passes to his uncle, ex-convict and underground MMA fighter Cho Sang-gu. Per the father's will, Sang-gu must care for and work with Geu-ru for three months to gain full guardianship and claim the inheritance. Eying money, Sang-gu agrees to the conditions and moves in.

This show knows exactly what it is and executes with excellent writing and characterisation. While it does have an overarching narrative, Move to Heaven is structured so that you're exploring a different person's story each episode, so it has a lot of flexibility to explore themes of grief and closure through different lives and relationships, and when I tell you this show can hit emotional beats... (<- may or may not have cried through most episodes on my first watch-through. Emotional terrorism). These stories are really beautifully portrayed and though there are effective comedic beats, there's this clear authenticity in not needing to undercut or distance oneself from the vulnerability of the subject matter.

Geu-ru and his uncle (Sang-gu) add a lot of needed levity, with Geu-ru's need for consistent, structured, methodical routines constantly clashing with Sang-gu's chaotic and combative approach to life. Sang-gu's character arc (though predictable) is just so satisfying. It's kinda hilarious seeing Geu-ru (and his father by extension) inadvertently poke more and more holes in Sang-gu's initial plan of "take the money and run" the deeper he incorporates himself into the space and purpose that his brother once took up, and it's very heartwarming to see these polar opposites slowly develop a respect and appreciation for one another.

Tropes: reluctant to responsible parental figure, tear-jerker

Oh No! Here Comes Trouble (2023) Taiwan, 12 episodes, GTV and iQIYI Summary: Pu Yi-yong was a typical 17-year-old student with a passion for drawing and a hereditary talent for calligraphy. After he wakes up from a bus accident that claimed his father's life and left him in a coma for two years, a 19-year-old Yi-yong must now find his place in the world again. This becomes more complicated when spirits begin approaching him and asking for his help.

This show actually has a lot of similarities to Move to Heaven e.g. exploring different side-stories each episode, focus on victims forgotten by society (the lonely, the homeless, the outcasts and the minorities), themes of grief and closure, polar opposite characters learning to work together, breaking me emotionally at some point. But Oh No! Here Comes Trouble differs in tone (distinct directing style), quirky humour (Taiwanese comedic style is just different and I love it in this show) and presentation (urban fantasy/mystery).

Yi-yong might be one of my all time favourite characters in media. From the outset he presents as this classic, one-dimensional, grumpy delinquent teen (e.g. resting-bitch-face syndrome, scrappy mullet, academically behind, no social grace and a tendency to accidentally hit people in the face with softballs). As fun as that is, the more you watch, the more this show challenges these assumptions. Yi-yong's mum (also an A+ character, god I love her) is a hairdresser, and often uses Yi-yong as her stylistic guinea pig. Yi-yong's not super intelligent, but he's compassionate (albeit at times reluctantly so). He really listens when people talk to him, whether they're trying to comfort him, give him advice, or asking him for assistance (though he often questions and expresses frustrations about his own ability to help other people). There's a humble gentleness to him.

Yi-yong was already struggling to juggle his dreams of becoming a comic artist with the practicalities of his life before he fell into a coma, then he woke up two years later, having completely missed the perceived "pivotal juncture" associated with the transition from youth to adulthood. Time moved on, and so have his peers, leaving an almost 20-year-old Yi-yong lost at sea with no paddle, no map and grieving the loss of his father. And now he has supernatural beings approaching him and insisting that he is the key to settling their unfinished business. To Yi-yong (and to popular east-asian social standards), Yi-yong is a loser. He's academically unintelligent, has no clear aspirations or discipline or future prospects, his family is far from wealthy, he's got zero social status, smarts or rank. Yi-yong is just as much of a forgotten outcast to society as these spirits are.

He does eventually get assistance in the form of Chen Chuying - a junior police officer (helping substantially with the mystery investigation side of things) and Cao Guangyan - former one-sided rival schoolmate and current med student who coincidentally moves next door (initially maintains the outsider perspective of Yi-yong as a hooligan until they get to know each other a little better, by which point Guangyan is already helping Yi-yong get back on his feet) who form a very well-rounded, loveable cast.

I wish I could talk more about this show, I am very fond of it. Please do watch it and if anyone wants to discuss it my dms are open.

Tropes: ragtag trio of idiots, urban fantasy, mystery, tear-jerker, reluctant hero

Get your pussy up get your money up (life is giving lemons and survival is the name of the game)

Honourable mentions here: Yeon Sang-ho popped off with Train to Busan in 2016 and South Korea has been throwing bangers into one of my favourite genre pools ever since. If you're interested in more zombie series I would strongly recommend checking out All of Us are Dead (2022), Happiness (2021), Sweet Home (2020) and Kingdom (2019).

A Shop for Killers (2024) Korea, 8 episodes, Netflix Summary: Jeong Ji-An tragically loses her parents as a young girl. Her reserved and mysterious estranged uncle, Jeong Jinman, acts as her sole guardian and care-taker, raising her with tough love and a survivalist mindset until she leaves for university. One day, Jung Ji-An hears that her uncle has suddenly passed away, and returns home, where she learns the truth behind her uncle's business and by extension, her past.

Ji-An is locked inside a building with no communication with the outside world, nowhere to go, and with assassins after her head (not ideal). Unbeknownst to Ji-An though, her late uncle Jinman prepared a thorough defense system for this very event, setting her up with home-terf advantage and a very dangerous fortress against this army.

Ji-An and Jinman's story is told mainly through flashbacks as Ji-An attempts to survive the raid on their home. Their dynamic is definitely a repeat of the stoic, initially cold father-figure type "I am neither your mum or your dad, and I can never be" to the orphan child that we've been seeing more recently of late. I'm not mad about it. It's a good formula. I won't go into the type of person Jinman is, or the nature of his work/business. Going in blind and slowly figuring this out with Ji-An was a big plus in terms of the viewing experience for me.

Tropes: reluctant parental figure, home alone antics

D.P. (2021) Korea, 12 episodes, Netflix Summary: Ahn Junho is enlisted to serve in the South Korean Army as part of his national service obligations. He eventually goes to the Army's Military Police. While getting used to life in the MP, Junho's street smarts lands him in the D.P. (Deserter Pursuit) unit. Junho is assigned with Corporeal Han Hoyeol to capture deserters, revealing the painful reality endured by each enlistee during their compulsory duty.

imo D.P.'s is at its most enjoyable when Junho and Hoyeol are working as detectives with limited time and resources. Hoyeol's presence especially adds needed levity. He's like the show's own eccentric little court jester (at least until season 2, where he becomes the show's own tortured little court jester). You don't know how much you're missing Hanyeol until he shows up and you're finally given some space to breathe.

This show's gotten a lot of praise for its realistic social commentary around the vicious cycle of bullying, hazing practices, corruption and abuse within the South Korean military. It's well written and fast-paced, and it definitely doesn't pull its punches. I probably wouldn't recommend this show were it not for the quality of its writing, its ability to balance the depressing subject matter with pockets of dark comedy and everyone's favourite dynamic duo Junho and Han Hoyeol. All the content warnings for this one.

Tropes: ptsd, abuse, brotherhood, idk man straight up not having a good time

Weak Hero Class (2022) Korea, 8 episodes, Viki Summary: Straight-A student and loner Yoon Sieun utilizes his wits and tools to defend himself from a boys school full of shit-heads. He slowly warms up to Ahn Sooho, the school's strongest fighter, and Oh Beomseuk, the new transfer Student.

Sieun is here to answer the age-old philosophical question: "Aren't you tired of being nice? Don't you just want to go apeshit?" Even though Sieun is physically lacking, he's very capable of baring his teeth and using his smarts to fight like hell. It's so cathartic to finally see a short, weak, bullied protagonist willing to go violently feral upon provocation.

This show's tone can get pretty dark and surprisingly violent. The true core behind why a lot of people love this show is Sieun and Sooho's friendship. Sieun starts off as a grumpy, glaring, withdrawn hermit with no interest in anything that isn't studying (honestly idk how Sieun keeps finding himself in these situations like. All the kid ever wanted was to hit the books). I won't spoil too much, but watching as Sooho slowly peels away that protective shell Sieun encases around himself is a thing of beauty. I strongly recommend you give the first episode a go (free on youtube).

Tropes: angst, bromance, badass bookworm, adults are useless, abusive parents

Detectives smashing you over the head repeatedly with gay subtext (not explicitly gay but if you have a brain and any semblance of a gaydar that thing is going to be going off like a geiger counter next to the elephant foot)

The Devil judge (2021) Korea, 16 episodes, Netflix and Viki Summary: Set in a dystopian version of present-day South Korea, the world is bereft of law and order and the court justice process has become like a reality tv show. Head Trial Judge Kang Yohan mercilessly punishes the guilty and corrupt, earning him the "Devil Judge" monicker. As bitter rivalry takes shape between Yohan and the highly ambitious Jung Sun-ah, who has risen from poverty to become a corporate social responsibility foundation director. Into this turbulent world enter two childhood friends on a mission for true justice and determined to discover the secret Yohan is hiding: rookie judge Kim Gaon and detective Yoon Su-hyun.

The Devil Judge tackles the concept of the anti-hero (battling evil with evil) and questions why these figures are idolized by the public. It also challenges the naive faith in the rule of law and whether or not the established systems should be upheld or not. The screenwriter has however made it very clear that he focused way more on the relationship between the characters than conveying his own message and boy oh boy is that reflected in whatever Yohan and Gaon have got going on (serious come-hither eyes, gratuitous physical touch, themes of power, justice and corruption, Yohan pressing Gaon up against the nearest hard surface on at least four separate occasions, etc.).

Kang Yohan, the titular anti-hero/main protagonist operates within a failed state and a corrupted judiciary. To a certain extent he knows the self-destructive path he walks is doomed to fail, but to right the system and take revenge, he's on the lookout for a someone that can out him as the Devil and become the messiah that Yohan himself cannot be. It does come off as very "anime" at times (theatrical presentation, tragic backstories, bad writing when it comes to women, naive characters and overly dramatic tone) but hey, if you have very few qualms with that, chances are you're going to have a blast.

Also the OST for this show absolutely fucks. It has no right being this good. Jung Se Rin really popped off. I have Enemy of Truth as a staple in a lot of my playlists.

Tropes: idealist vs jerkass pragmatist, anti-hero/vigilante, whump

The Worst of Evil (2023) Korea, 12 episodes Summary: Set in the 1990s, a former DJ starts selling a new powerful drug. Since the police know little about its origin, rural police officer Park Junmo is assigned to go undercover and infiltrate the criminal empire responsible for the drug trade between Korea, Japan, and China. Junmo later discovers that his wife, Yoo Euijung, also a detective, has volunteered to participate in this dangerous mission and seems to have a past with the underground drug king (and Junmo's boss), Jung Gicheul. The deeper Junmo entrenches himself as Gicheul's subordinate, the more unrecognisable he becomes to those closest to him.

Junmo could have let Gicheul die or slip away like several times in a row, indicates he has zero idea why he does this, then says the line verbatim "I look up to him and I like him and my body follows my heart". What am I supposed to take away from this. This show has everything. Early 90s homoerotic cigarette lighting, sodomy, incredible cinematography, betrayal, close-ups of Junmo's bloody face squished up against Gicheul's thigh. There's some scenes where Junmo is looking at both his wife and Gicheul framed in the same shot like the goddamn camera is daring you to question who he is more jealous of. My biggest complaint is that there was quite literally no need for a wife-stealing plot - the most compelling, messiest gay situationship was right there for the taking.

In episode 9 post-gang war hallway-slaughter, a blood-soaked Junmo hops up onto a table on all fours with a knife between his teeth, locks eyes with Gicheul then proceeds to slash a man's achilles tendon and if you listen closely enough you'll hear me in the background screaming YOU HAVE BECOME HIS DOG. 10/10 watch this show.

Tropes: mafia, undercover, bodyguard, make him worse, devotion and loyalty gone bad gone nuclear, maybe if they fucked nasty about it we wouldnt be in this mess

Beyond evil (2021) would also go here and has similar vibes to the above two, but I personally don't have much to say about it. Unhinged slutty old man, gay stuff going on over there, etc, etc. Citrinekay sums it up nicely here. Guardian (2018) would probably also go here. Definitely check these out if you enjoy/like the sound of these shows.

Lighthearted fun romance (I am not escaping the lesbian fujoshi accusations)

Cherry Magic (2020) Japan, 12 episodes Summary: Adachi is a salaryman with low confidence and a tendency for self-deprecation, resulting in him often acting awkward around others, not being sure how to assert himself in the workplace, and constantly comparing himself to the company's golden boy - Kurosawa. Things become further complicated when Adachi finds out after his thirtieth birthday that he has suddenly gained the magical power to hear people's thoughts if he touches them. Adachi struggles with his newfound touch telepathy when he accidentally discovers Kurosawa is in love with him.

Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard!? (Yes that is the full title, Japan you are killing me) is very sweet and wholesome and the humour hits and I believe in Kurosawa Yuichi supremacy. I know self-deprecating characters can be a downer for some people but Adachi comes off as very relatable and seeing him slowly gain more confidence in himself and his abilities is heartwarming. Great serotonin-booster. If you find this show's premise interesting there's a high likelihood you will enjoy it.

I didn't care so much for the second couple but if you're like me it's easy to skip through these scenes (you won't be missing anything).

Tropes: office romance, telepathy, pining

Semantic Error (2022) Korea, 8 episodes, Viki and Netflix (region-dependent) Summary: Cho Sangwoo is the epitome of an inflexible and strict rule-abiding person. When talented graphic design major Jaeyoung discovers Sangwoo is the cause for his delayed university graduation, he sets out to take revenge (by becoming Sangwoo's biggest, brightest daily annoyance). Jaeyoung finds himself in hot water when he inadvertently develops a crush, and junior computer science major Sangwoo is about to encounter some serious errors in his usual programming.

This is a classic polar opposites attract story, with Jaeyoung the loud, extroverted, brash foil to Sangwoo's reserved, withdrawn, morally black-and-white, logic-first persona. As much fun as it is to see Sangwoo's ordered world thrown into chaos, it's equally enjoyable to witness Jaeyoung jump from being obsessively committed to annoying Sangwoo, to being whipped for him (and the subsequent difficulties this causes for Jaeyoung - a popular, attractive, talented, bi artist used to getting his way - in trying to pursue a highly irritated and emotionally closed-off Sangwoo, who is being challenged with a side of himself he hasn't had to grapple with up until now). Also Jaeyoung has an incredibly hot lesbian best friend which was great. for me specifically.

An entertaining, cohesive story with great actors who have fantastic chemistry. What more can you ask for?

Tropes: enemies to lovers, opposites attract, university, pulling pigtails

Old Fashion Cupcake (2022) Japan, 5 episodes Summary: At the critical juncture of a mid-life crisis, Nozue, a 39-year-old office worker, is stuck in the dull, mundane grind of wake, work, sleep. But due to his age, he's convinced he's well past the point he can take risks by trying something new. As such, he continues to decline promotions at his job and romantic advances from potential partners. He confides one day in his 29-year-old subordinate, Togawa, making an off-hand comment about a desire to be like a young girl - capable of feeling excitement and joy in life again. In an attempt to inspire him to move forward, Togawa suggests an "anti-aging experiment" and the two of them go on a journey together to help Nozue feel young again.

First things first - a large portion of Togawa's proposed "ant-aging technique" involves frequenting dessert cafes and restaurants that are catered towards a younger female demographic and fuck me the food in this show always looks so goddamn good.

The boss/employee thing might turn people away from giving this a shot but what I really love about this show is that despite being Nozue's subordinate (and younger than him - which is a bigger deal in Japan), Togawa is extremely blunt and unafraid to tell Nozue exactly what he thinks (so long as Togawa believes it will ultimately benefit Nozue in the long run), and it's very clear that he does this because he has a strong sense of respect for Nozue (and because spoilers - Togawa is so down bad for his boss like okay boy DAMN. Go get your esoteric old man). This show is also great at conveying emotion and inner conflict without dialogue (I've enjoyed coming back for a re-watch and picking up on little nuisances in Togawa and Nozue's behaviour that I missed the first time around).

Overall this is a very cute, very wholesome coming of age/queerness story that reminds you that it's never too late to pursue what interests you, try something new, and enjoy life while you're at it.

Tropes: fingers in his mouth friday, pining, age gap, office romance, food as a love language

That's it! If you want more recs from a genre hit up my inbox, I had a fun time pulling this together and have many more in the chamber where that came from.

[applesins]

i want them all as my avatar but i can only have one, maybe i have to rebrand, should i rebrand? but what about edna dog?????? oh this is so hard

starting a collection of these, not sure what happened but suddenly i had 3.

[sea-lanterns]

Empress Court group costume idea!

The Empress dressing up as different Archons, and her Courtesans dressing as the guard/foot soldiers of each nation. This including the actual Archons of said nations.

Kinda makes me wonder how Ei and Furina would react to Empress wearing a perfect replica of their own outfits.

~🐁

Furina would think it’s the funniest shit ever. She’s on the floor laughing and slapping the wall, yet feels extremely proud if you choose to dress up as her. She’s even willing to give you her hat for the bit (yes, her precious top hat that she never wants to take off) and stares at you like you are the most beautiful thing to ever exist! (Because you are <3)

Ei on the other hand, would be a bit confused as to why you’d choose to dress up as her, but wouldn’t say anything as she thinks it’s endearing how you’re trying to stay in character.

“Inazuma shines eternal!” You’d try to exclaim in her voice, only for Ei to scoop you up in her arms and pet you like a small hamster. Even when you are trying to mimic one of the most dangerous archons in Teyvat, you still look too adorable to resist 💕

[nkogneatho]

˚｡୨♡୧ ˚｡ 𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑴𝒀 𝑴𝑶𝑶𝑻𝑺 𝑨𝑹𝑬 𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑻𝑻𝒀 𝑩𝑼𝑻...

@osamwah is caring like an angel

@xoxokirby is as sweet as cotton candy

@yuujispinkhair reminds me of swans in love

@desi-the-blue-eyed-kakushi is that friend who cheers you on no matter how shitty life is

@mikage-rehoe is so cat coded i love it

@kitashousewife brings me peace like the greenest field

@saenora is an art made by god that he cherishes

@qichun reminds me of berries. epecially blueberries they are my favorite.

@tetzoro reminds me of the Valentine's because everytime i look at her, she is always filled with so much love and joy

@cosmicstarlatte is my favorite grape soda because she's sweet and tangy all at once

@sugumimi is as pretty as those white ribbons i always tie my hair with

@dabisqueen reminds me of thunderbolt. she is strong and so bright. she brings me strength.

@zorosdimples is a clover because i feel like everyone gets lucky when she appears on dash

@canwenotdothis is my favorite banana and avocado sock that i show off to everyone

@driaswrld is my favorite song who's melody makes me hop and dance

@devoti is my favorite orange cat because she is so unpredictable and unhinged but a sweet little thing

@papersirens is the comic book on my shelf that i rarely read but always admire the art of

@sachiyoh is my favorite milktea boba

@gojoest reminds me of the cerulean blue of gojo's eyes

@rizzmin is the blood you i suck off my loved ones when they're hurt

@snowberi is the prettiest sunset ever

@fuyuaika reminds me so much of pretty tulips i see down the flowershop

@kentoangel reminds of the cute clouds in a clear sky

@strawberrystepmom is fall season and everything autumn related.

@doobea is my favorite plushie

@half-baked-biscuit is my favorite holiday festival

@linpunny is a sweet and sour neon pink candy floss

@margumis is my favorite sentence that i draw hearts around in my book

@yuta-nation is as comforting as my winter sweater

@princess-okkotsu reminds me of saturn

@dreadsuitsamus is my favorite laugh and joy

@vagabond-umlaut is the castle built on a foundation of belongingness

@renhoeku is as strong and pretty as the ring around jupiter

@elusivemoon is blue hour on a chilly night

@bluberrimuffintop is rose quartz crystal

@ringasm reminds me of the constellations in a night sky

@sleepy3 reminds be of the color lilac

@moshimochis is a vanilla icecream that brings me comfort after a hectic day

@shoyostar is a planet that rains diamonds

@oreo-creampie is my favorite dark academia aesthetic

@gojo-mochi is my favorite sweet shop to visit

@nyimasu is a cherry wine giving me company on a lonely night

@moonlit-mizukage reminds me of rain

@vampgloss is the prettiest butterfly i have ever seen

@deskaisers reminds me of stargazing

@eros-lives is the night club i love going to

@benkeibear is my favorite cute lil hamster

@unknownspecies is a tiger shark

[satoruhour]

What do you think about gojo begging reader for a duck lmao? Maybe he wants kids but reader thinks 20 is too young so now he really wants a duck?

a/n: anon u so fuckin real for this, enjoy !!!! had lots of fun writing this / tagging my gojo luvers @jabamin @hyomagiri @crysugu @satohruu

yeah. yeah he would.

would be so eager about it too, like arent you fathering megumi and tsumiki ??? dude

my hc is that yes he took them in around 18 and you were already together with him and getting used to taking care of the two kids

but he would randomly get baby fever while seeing you be so caring and loving to the two, and not to mention for the first two years megumi usually stuck by you LMAOOO

tsumiki warms up to gojo more or less but theres still some barrier between gojo and the kids

so one day while youre both waiting for megumi and tsumiki at their school two years later he randomly announces in his annoying voice that “we should make a baby!!!!”

god the faces of all the parents waiting together with them 😭😭😭 and it’s so funny too cause it’s implied in S1 the siblings walk home together without a guardian and they would do perfectly fine without the two of you.

and bc of megumi’s usual embarrassment of gojo (and sometimes you) he tells you two to stay home cause he knows where you guys live but gojo just HAD to bring you here today bc he finished a mission nearby (lies. his fav kikufuku store opened an outlet near the school) and whats wrong with wanting to see the kids ya know

but anyway you seized his arm and slapped it just as the kids were coming out and shoved him so hard he almost fell. he fake cried that night in your arms and megumi made sure to ban you both from visiting both their schools ever again (it was right next to each other)

it doesnt seem to affect gojo much however until megumi brings home a consent slip for a farm excursion and hes like sure! he goes on the website of the farm and gets a splendid idea

well, splendid by his standards, but terrible by yours

[9:50am, delivered]: satoru i almost couldn’t find ur contact why did u change it 😭😭😭

[9:56am, satoru the bestest and coolest 🩵]: DAMN? why ??? curse me for wanting a cute name on my baby’s phone.

you literally saved me as “gojo satoru”

[9:57am, delivered]: bc thats literally ur name u fucking loser ????? 

[9:59am, satoru the bestest and coolest 🩵]: photo attached

[10:01am, delivered]: you went finding for that pic didnt you 

you’re so engrossed in the conversation (or rather, you making fun of him), pausing so intently that the person behind you has to ask you to move so you can order some damn mochi for your sweets-obsessed boyfriend. but before you can open your mouth to tell the cashier what you wanted, there’s another text that comes in and you’re torn between confusion and incredulity.

[10:01am, satoru the bestest and coolest 🩵]: also can we get a duck

[10:02am, satoru the bestest and coolest 🩵]: and NO i dont mean a fuck you dirty girl muhahah i know you thought that

eh, well, maybe you did.

[10:02am, satoru the bestest and coolest 🩵]: please pleasp eeplelasepplea

and also, you think that maybe you didn’t really want to buy kikufuku for your boyfriend anymore.

gojo is elated later when you hand him the bag of mochi from his favourite store, him still following you around like a puppy, looking almost comical with his tall figure crouching so low.

“so?”

“we are not getting a duck, satoru,” you sigh with your hands on your hips because when gojo begs like that it’s just so adorable, but the other doesn’t let up, using his blue-eyed charm on you and you hate to admit that it’s working — except maybe you would give in if it was a cat or a dog or even a hamster.

“a duck?”

gojo shoots up immediately and you’re reminded of his impending height compared to yours, “yes!”

“no!”

your boyfriend pouts again and reverts to his submission-to-you pose as tsumiki likes to call it, “pleaseee?”

you make a big dramatic out of thinking, “hm, get on your knees.”

gojo’s surprised but he does it without a second thought and you’re taken aback just a little at his obedience. if this was the way to get him to properly wash the kids’ clothes or to clean up after eating in the messiest way known to man, you’d get him to do it all the time, but you’re snapped out of your little realisation when megumi opens the door, tsumiki next to him giggling non-stop — the excursion bus probably had dropped them off on the front porch.

“what’s going on?” you’d think it was the other way round: the two siblings being the responsible adults whilst you two were acting like kids, especially with the way megumi asks the question. gojo isn’t phased.

“trying to convince your surrogate mother here,” gojo nudges his head toward you with a slight scowl on his face, “to get us a duck.” your hand lands a smack against the back of his neck.

megumi pulls a face and tsumiki only laughs even more and starts to nudge megumi with choked laughter, seeing his hands start to form a sign: his rabbit, no, divine dogs shikigami—

four ducks start materialising from shadows, crowding around the two of you and bombarding you with both quacks and playful nips on your skin and your temporary anger with your boyfriend fades, focusing on the seemingly happy faces of the ducks and the way they waddle. you’re stuck in between laughter and the softness of their feathers until—

“oh, this is their natural state, but they turn into angry, sorta scary geese on command too, although i haven’t really gotten the hang on it—”

gojo’s eyes widen, “megs, no!”

needless to say, megumi sits a little sheepishly later as he watches gojo clean up your scratches and mild wounds, getting a well-deserved (light) lecture and a kiss on the forehead later from you for discovering a new shikigami during movie night, gaining a little smile from gojo as he cuddles a sleeping tsumiki closer.

[eeboshmeebo]

Trick or Treat 🎃🕯️

Don't read if you hate autumn and candy and fun

You were dressed up in your favorite costume for today's autumn festival. A cozy, warm, and snug outfit to keep the chilly winds at bay just enough to be comfortable, some accessories... and, of course, a themed bag so carrying all your stuff is easier!

You almost walked in, a bouncing stride full of energy in each step before you slowed down and your face grew paler with every second.

You forgot your wallet.

It was so simple! How could you forget your wallet, you obviously left it in that one specific place you never forget to check! But maybe you were too excited today and kind of-

No, wait, yeah, you definitely forgot it. You don't remember picking it up and putting it in your pocket this morning.

You still had the ticket, though. You went in, handing the ticket over and getting a cute jack-o-apple stamped onto your wrist. Maybe you could just look around and take a few pictures with your phone instead.

"Boo."

"HWUHFDWAH!?!?"

You jumped from the surprise scare, turning around quickly to see that a vampire with blonde hair, rhinestone gem accents on his clothes and cloak, and a bat brooch behind you.

"Monoma!? Don't scare me like that!" You exclaimed, but the expression on your face signified that you weren't really all that scared after seeing him.

However, the smug look on his face was more irritating by the second.

"What? You're cute when you get scared like that. Come on, it's not like I actually hurt you, right?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders and giving you a side-eyed look as if to express that he was perfectly innocent.

"..."

You pinched his face with both hands in retaliation, smudging some eyeliner in the process while you pinched his cheeks.

"Ow! Okay, I get it, bad move, can you- hrhrgrhnnngh-!"

You pulled on his cheeks one last time with a pout on your face, satisfied with the reddened state of Monoma's face that couldn't be hidden even with the white face paint he had applied probably earlier today.

"Weh..."

Instead of the fruit bat he was trying to be, he instead looked like a bumblebee bat with his pouty face and the way he huddled up to rub his cheeks. Maybe a hamster.

"...I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist." You sheepishly mumbled, patting him on the shoulder to comfort him.

You should've known better, really.

He wrapped you in his arms and his cape, laughing as if nothing had happened.

"Gotcha! I knew you'd fall for it the moment I pulled out the teary eyes, sugarlips!"

"I can't help that I'm attracted to cute things, okay?"

"What?"

"Um... you're cute?"

Somehow, Monoma held you even closer after that comment. You could smell the cologne he used, feel his heartbeat against your own, the way his hands clutched your clothes, the smell of cinnamon and syrup mixed with the soap he used.

"Well, if I'm cute, then you're a candy! I'll treat you for today, how about it?"

He was probably doing this because he'd feel like he repaid you. Cute. You kissed him on his face, slipping out of his grasp before leading him to the food stalls.

"How about we start with a treat that's sticky and sweet?"

O(^_^)O (p≧w≦q) ☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

Minutes later, you had a candied apple, a caramel apple, a handheld apple pie, a pumpkin-spiced cider, and a peach pie balancing in one hand.

In your other hand, a bag full of savory treats like stew-stuffed buns, cider-candied maple bacon, crunchy skull taiyaki things stuffed full of hot cheese, potatoes, and onions, and ghost-decorated crab rangoons was kept warm.

"Are you sure you'll be able to eat all of that?" asked Monoma, who had quite a bit of face paint rubbed off from the many kisses you gave him. Which was also why your lips were a bit white as you bit into your candied apple.

"Nah, I'll bring some home as short-lived souvenirs. Unless..." You trailed off, eyeing a place to your left.

"Unless what?"

He tilted his head curiously, almost bumping into a bystander if not for the fact that you pulled him closer and to the side to avoid the collision.

Now between a few darkened stalls, you raised your candy apple to his lips playfully, a fond smile on your face as you looked him in the eyes if only for a brief moment.

"Unless you help me eat some."

He rolled his eyes, taking a bite of your candied apple and chewing on the bite he took before he realized something.

"Hey, you never share your food with anyone, creampuff. What's up with today, in a good mood~?"

You looked down at your candied apple, taking a few bites while you thought. Hey, thinking takes energy, okay? Sugar's quick energy.

"It's because you're cute, Monoma. Remember?"

"...not faaiiirrr."

You giggled at how he whined, missing the fond smile on his face by a split second.

O(^_^)O (p≧w≦q) (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ) ο(=•ω＜=)ρ⌒♡

"How do you eat so much sugar at once? I already feel a bit queasy!"

You both were sitting down on a bale of hay that the event organizers had set out. The sun was already setting from how much time you both had spent in the festival, but it was worth it. For you, at least.

"What can I say except for the fact that I'm naturally sweet?"

"Oh, shut it. I saw how you were like after Uraraka grabbed me."

"Bittersweet then."

"No, definitely not that. More like a warhead candy they sell in America, the ones that can melt your tongue from how sour they are."

"Really? How about you try me, then, I'm better than a foreign candy!"

"And here we go again..."

"What's that supposed to mean!?"

You both bantered, unknowingly moving closer to each other if only to poke and jab each other.

Before you or he knew it, you both were practically shoulder-to-shoulder as the daytime stalls switched out and the night stalls came in.

Eventually, you locked eyes with him again.

You're close. Close enough to feel his breath on your face, to feel his warmth despite the fall wind's chill, to... to...

...

If you didn't take your chance now, it might never happen again.

You kissed him on the lips fiercely, catching him off-guard as you practically jumped onto him. The last of his chalky face paint was rubbed off as your tongue explored his mouth, the feeling of his desperately grasping you for steadiness not going dismissed as he let out a singular whimper into the kiss.

After a few minutes, you reluctantly pulled back.

Ah, what a sight.

Monoma had dazed eyes brimming with tears, lips pinkish from both food dye and the way you nibbled on them before you separated. His chest rose and fell with arduous breaths and his fake fangs were slightly moved from their original place, along with his hair and clothes being more disheveled than you had originally planned.

He mumbled something incoherent before covering his face, huffing in embarrassment from what just happened as you lied down on him.

"Happy fall, Monoma. Love you too~"

Maybe a little nap wouldn't hurt. Monoma would just carry you home, just like always.

========================================================

ヾ(￣▽￣) Bye~Bye~

[the-teeny-bees-hams]

Permanent ;3 face

[the-curious-cat24]

A crack thought (I love the Archons)

Furina and the other Archons visited Liyue to have some dinner ( a small get together), Zhongli accommodates them and offer some Liyue specialty cuisines. One of the region specialty is a dish that's compose of boiled egg, vegetables, mayo and artistically place it on top of an eggshell.

"This dish is delicious" Furina munch the egg dish happily "the crust is soft like a macaron" cheeks puff like a hamster

"that is an eggshell, right?" Venti stated as he peeled the egg shell "its not edible"

"what do you mean, it's not edible" Furina with round eyes and cheeks turn red

"you eat the shells?" Venti laughs

Neuvillette sits closer to Furina and grab a paper towel, gently pries her mouth to spit the food and throws it to the nearest bin. Nahida and Ei covers their mouth, trying not to giggle.

the rest of the night is a successful one, as they continue their dinner and talks about everything or anything, Venti keeps teasing Furina about the shells and he cannot help but sweat seeing that a certain Judge is looking at him menacingly.

[bts-0t-7]

Tonight | KSJ | Chapter 1

Pair: Seokjin x Hamster Hybrid Reader 

Summary: Dedicating his life to never having another person to count on, to be strong, Seokjin finds himself in the middle of an illegal fighting ring. The person he wanted to erase was just at his fingertips but he was slipping. No, he was leaving. He was accepting a change and he was afraid. 

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hybrid, non-idol au, detective, smut, abuse (sensitive topic)

Warnings: abuse, self-harm, self-degration, lots of lying and miscommunications, smuts in some chapters (I’ll put warnings out on those specific chapters:))

WC: 2.7K

Taglist: @m00njinnie @hopefulrascalstatesmantoad

< Prev. Series mstr. Next > 

Seokjin was beyond exhausted. 

His team was beyond exhausted. 

But they couldn’t stop. They needed to pass through this first round smoothly to ensure that the rest of the meetings would not be a danger. Everybody has been up for weeks, searching and cracking codes, breaking streams and smashing boards. It was only a few hours ago that they finally managed to hack into the system and switch up names, landing them where they currently stand. Every single one of his men was in their headscape. 

Tired but alert. 

“Alright, we have gone through the plan again in the car.” Everyone nodded. “Any clarifications? Please do them now.” Nobody moved. 

Soekjin nodded. 

“Let’s go then.”

As the men queued accordingly, they took their time to walk to the entrance, observing the place. It was on a small section of the island - an unmarked territory. The building in front of them looks beautifully frightening. Its architecture could battle against one of a medieval church. On the outside, the building had flags rising high, fluttering against the wind. Its intriguing swirls and geometrical artworks can make anyone jealous. On the inside, what looked like was once a hall, was now transformed with counters of alcohol and stations of arcades. Pity the vibe of what is going down does not do the design of this place any justice.

“Park Seo-Jung ssi?” 

Seokjin tilted his head, a haughty, arrogant look he gave the bouncer as he led his team into the ring, not even bothering to acknowledge. As he side-eyed the security and their systems, they took their first leap of faith right into the lion’s den. 

The moment they stepped into the ring, Seokjin noted three things. One, loud screams and cheers were vibrating the space; Two, the smell of cigarettes, sex, and alcohol permeated the air; Three, the small, tiny being fighting in the ring was no predator. Seokjin had to physically stop himself from frowning at the way the prey was being pulled out of the ring, looking battered and bruised. 

“Sir, they cannot enter.”

Seokjin slowly turned his body around and used the heel of his shoe to throw an unexpected kick to the bouncer up his gut. The bouncer blanched and folded in half. He’s a scrawny little dude. The other bouncers started to surround the injured boy. Seokjin’s team also started to surround him as well, in a ready stance to fight when he stopped them. It would become deadly if they got into a fight. They were here to observe and gain insights into their opponent. 

“Enough of this.” Seokjin tuned his voice into a nasal, high-pitched voice. He let the arrogant annoyance seep through his words as he said, “I am here to bid, not play a game with little bouncers. Father had them follow me through unless you decide to put it up with him,” Seokjin glared daggers at the men. “Leave us.” He ordered. 

The bouncers stared at each other before taking a step back. Seokjin walked through the crowd that had formed to view the drama at the front door with his head up high. He had a face to keep and he would do it well. He was going to burn this place down just like how they burned his family’s late hybrid. Seokjin’s eyes burned behind their lids. Jimin was his brother, his best friend. His parents took him in at a young age and loved him just like he was their own. At first, Seokjin was jealous. Who wouldn’t be? At the age of eleven, his title of youngest was taken away. But over time, as the two of them played together, ate together, and slept together, an inseparable bond thrived between them. 

Seokjin was been the first one to travel to Seoul and pursue his acting career. Jimin followed him soon after to Hanyang University, pursuing dance. It was a snowy night when the both of them were setting up for a movie night and forgot the marshmallows. Seokjin appealed to go but Jimin said that he wanted to play with the snow. Who knew that it would end up with his car in flames and Jimin burned so much he was unrecognisable?

For the next few months, Seokjin was just floating. His grades slowly dropped as he started to cut off people from his life. Seokjin was numb. Seokjin was scared. 

And now that numbness and fear were projecting themselves at the arena. As the announcer raised the flags, the ferocious battle began and all he could see was your small form, efficiently dodging as many hits as came your way. But he could also see the dazed, crazed look in your eyes as you delivered each blow with minimal strength but maximum damage. 

She must have a good trainer for such a technique.

Seokjin would be jealous of such a highly-trained hybrid and beg you to teach him some tricks as well if it wasn’t for the one harsh blow that you took to the side of your head. 

Foul.

Yes, a foul. But this was an illegal ring. The bidders and trainers here are for money, not sport. So Seokjin did what he knew could be the only thing that would probably save you from being exterminated behind the scenes. His hand slapped the table, loud enough to gain the attention of the ones sitting near him. Raising the number lot, he shouted over the winning cheers of the ones who had won the bet and the loud, angry bellows of the ones who lost. From the ratio of the ones who won and lost, he bet that you had a large fan base. But before he could say anything, the announcer beat him to it. 

“Bidding for Ms L/N Y/N!” The announcer gave out. “Starting at $400 thousand Won!”

Bids constantly came in as Seokjin played the waiting game. 

“$700 Million Won!”

“$1 Million Won!”

“$1.45 Million Won!”

The arena fell into a pregnant silence. Seokjin looked over. Why would he bother to bid? 

“All right, $1.45 Million Won to Mr Kang Song-Cho. Going once, going twice -”

“$1.57 Million Won.” Seokjin confidently said. 

If time was moving in slow motion, he could see the widening of everybody’s eyes. But all he could see was the sneaky smirk that adorned his dongsaeng’s lips. Seokjin squinted his eyes at him. 

So he knew…

“All right! Sold to Mr Park Seo-Jung for $1.57 Million Won!”

Yoongi was so dead.

The pounding headache felt familiar. The aching limbs felt familiar. The dryness in your throat and mouth also felt familiar. 

What didn't feel familiar was the smells in the room, of the room, and the silken sheets beneath your touch. You turned to your side, away from the shining lights in the room. All you could remember from last night was losing a battle and being scolded, going into the next match without flushes of hormones, getting hit and then blacking out. You knew it was your fault for deciding to not block the incoming hit and gaining your first loss of the match but you didn't want 'in' any longer. The only way you figured an 'out' was to very obviously die. That was the only way you would leave and never come back. Who said you hadn't tried to sneak away all these years? Who said that you hadn't tried many other ways all these years? But every time unnecessary blood escaped your body, you were taken straight to the doctors and then back to the leader to get punished. So no, nothing has worked - nothing did work - nothing will work. So you did what you thought was best. 

Of course, you were back and left with fresh wounds and a pounding headache to deal with for your stupidity. Slowly, you cracked open your eyes and allowed them to adjust to the light. You thought that perhaps this was the floor of a cage but as you looked around, you saw smooth drapes and large spaces that were filled up with couches surrounding a small table. And then you saw yourself in a big, big bed wearing -

Your eyes enlarged. You - you were - 

You heard a door squeak open and you flug yourself backwards onto the bed frame. Instinctively, you put your hands up to shield yourself, hoping that whoever bought you would not be worse than the people at the ring and your trainer. You had a fairly normal childhood. Well, normal enough. As a prey, you were quite a social butterfly, always surrounded by people left and right. Predators and prey alike. Everybody was friends but nobody expected what their next breath could mean for them. You were all locked up in large rooms with bunk beds and study tables. None of you were allowed out - teachers came in to teach, food was served in the room, and everybody took turns using one washroom. 

Life was as normal as it could be. 

Keyword: as it can be.

As time moved on quicker than anybody expected, all of you grew up and as you hit the adolescent stage, you were all taken out of the room - never to return. When you were all younger, you had seen the older ones leave and never come back. This made all of you anticipate the excitement of finally seeing what it looks like outside. But nothing has ever prepared you for the day itself. 

It was the day when all of you were given a fixed set of responsibilities. From household, fighting, or even for sexual appeals. Each one of you was given a lot and individually pushed into rooms where you would be scrubbed, washed, and dressed beautifully. That day was the day that you smiled the biggest. 

But you wouldn’t have if you had known the life that it would take you. 

You were bidded under household. Nothing seems wrong and all of you were uncomfortably sold off as auction prizes. A household is not bad for a prey like you. But your owner was no prince in shining armour. Your owner was the head of the illegal black market ring. From a young, you lot were trained to have no feelings and thoughts for yourself. Everything was for your owners - both your mind and body. After the exchange in the auction, you no longer belonged to the facility and do not have a backup to go back to. So when your owner harshly yanked you from bed one night and shoved in you the backseat, all you could do was shiver in the winter cold and anticipate the worst. 

However, you have never thought that it would ever end up in this type of situation. Constant beatings, irrevocable wounds, blacking out - so many things. You were not born a fighter but built into one against your own will. If you chose to survive, you would fight. 

So you fought.

Some days, you wish you didn’t. 

Some days, you were glad you did. 

And some days, you wish you could just completely disappear from the face of the world. 

You clenched your eyes shut as you prepared for an incoming blow when the softest hands took yours in them. You semi-peeked open an eye, trying to see who it was. The most handsome face and plush lips you have ever seen stared back at you with a calming smile adorning them. The man’s hands were by no means soft like a lady’s. They held calluses at their knuckles and the base of his hands but they were soft. Or perhaps you were so deprived of touch and affection that you were just hallucinating. 

You were so entranced that you didn’t realise the both of you were in a compromising position and you were staring at him like a complete creep. You yanked your hands back onto your lap and scooted further away from him. You could see the smile on the man’s face drop before coming back up, acting as if nothing happened. Slowly, he got up from his position on the floor and walked over to one of the many doors in the room. 

“It’s good to see you finally awake. As your doctor assigned to you will not be able to make it here today, we shall go over to the clinic together instead.” The man stated, turning over to make a grand bow. “My name is Park Seo-Jung. You can just call me… Seo.”

The man’s smile was blinding. You wondered how happy he must be to be smiling so brightly like there was no care in the world - no burden on his shoulders. You nodded at the man, silent as ever. You never talked much after you got permanently transferred to the ring. It was better to be a loner than to make friends and then have to kill those friends just because of the bidding system. You would not be able to bear that insanity and blood on your hands if you did. 

You knew you wouldn’t.

Mr Park came out of the room holding two three hangers in his hands and … is that … women’s underwear? Just remembering, you looked back down to see what you were wearing and breathed in a deep breath. 

Your body and mind belong to your owner. 

Your whole being belongs to your owner.

You are nothing. 

Right. It is important to remember what you have been taught at the facility. It is not the first time and it most definitely wouldn’t be the last. You had to ensure that your guard is up wherever you go. 

“I will teach you a lesson that teachers never teach.” The calico cat, the eldest in the current dormitory, spoke up. He was the last few of his yearly batch to not have been taken out yet. “Walls have ears. Do not speak, do not cry. Do not show any form of weakness or they will be used against you.”

Back then, you didn’t understand what he meant. He was always a happy cat, prancing around and sleeping under table lamps. But he was also much smaller than the gender of his breed which caused his early throw out. You remember him being not much older than you when he got suddenly ripped away from you. You remembered you had a nightmare the night before, roughly waking everybody up with your cries. The cat had brought his blanket along with him, trailing them to your bed and cuddling with you. 

That was the last time you ever received a hug. You remembered his soft snores that lulled you back to the realm of the Netherlands and arms that encased you, making your small form cuddle against him securely. You had woken up to see him fighting the people in the facility but stopped when he managed to untangle himself from the blanket. That night, you were inconsolable. You had lost a silent best friend and all that he left was his blanket that he never let anybody touch. Now, anywhere you go, that blanket follows you everywhere. 

“I was afraid that suddenly introducing you to a lot of choices could give you a scare, so I picked out what I think would be comfortable for the trip down.” The man placed the clothes on the foot of the bed. “I’m going to set the table for lunch. You can come out whenever you’re ready. If you need help, you can just knock on your door.” 

You nodded, grateful for the privacy that you are being provided with. Since young, privacy was never a thing and you expected none here as well. But somehow, you were relieved that your first few hours… weren’t going as badly as you expected them to be. It certainly gave you a good break for your bones.

[nogenderbee]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕤 ₊˚ˑ༄

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ not a request

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ You know what month it is?! Pride month!!! So time to celebrate my day hehehehe

LESBIANS RISE okey I'm going too extra here-

Also, added unplanned AkiToya reaction just for funsies 🤭

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ fluff

"Kohane! Could you wait after our practice for a bit?"

An's words from beginning of the practice were stuck in Kohane's mind... What did she wanted to do? Is it about her? Poor girl was between worries and thinking it's just about helping with the clean up... But her voice sounded so worried... maybe it is in fact serious...

When the end finally came, blonde girl didn't even wait for others to leaves she just waited for them to be somewhere far enough so two girls can have a little chat.

"An? You wanted to speak with me...?"

"Ah, right! I have something for you. Care to follow me to kitchen?"

Girl with hamster-lile beauty followed her partner to the kitchen, like she asked. Tension and worries building inside her, she was about to burst out with apologies! But then, girl with stars in her hair handed her flowers...

"Huh? What's that?"

"Oh- do you not like them...?"

"N-No! I love them! They're so lovely~ And all are of my favorite color! Are these really for me?"

"Of course they are for you!"

And suddenly all the nervousness and shyness was washed off from Kohane's face, and An couldn't help but crack a loving smile on that. She was so happy she could help her relax... despite the fact it was HER who was nervous now!

"So you see... I've wanted to tell you about this for a long time. I really like being your partner but... whenever I'm called that I... don't want it to be seen or said the way it is."

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry... is it..."

"It's nothing bad! I'm saying... I want people to see is not only as singing partnera but also as... just partnera..."

Upon seeing brown eyed girl's slight confusion and beginning worry, girl with ombre hair quickly continued explaining her point, not wanting to be misinterpreted.

"Y'know... in a.. romantic way..."

That sentence alone seemed to clear all of the doubts. And soon, girl standing in front of An was blushing, it seemed like she was trying to cover her face with the flowers she adores so much now as well.

"I... really? I can't believe we both felt that way... Does that mean that you'd like to..."

"Yes! Yes, I want to take you on the best date of your life!"

An couldn't hold back anymore and just bursted out with determined look. All she needed was a nod, and that's what she got~ Of course, Kohane wanted to say something more but before she got the chance, she was trapped in tight embrace of her partner~

Meanwhile behind a wall, Akito covered his ears, while Toya stayed calm and so was trying to calm down his partner.

"Could they be so lovey-dovey any quieter?"

"It's big moment for them. I'm sure we'll hear so much more about it."

"Why are you so happy about that? My ears hurt just imagining how much one of them will ramble..."

"It's adorable."

Ginger could only shrug with a groan, as blue haired boy chuckled gently at the state of person next to him. But they both were happy for their friends happiness! No matter if they showed it or no~

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

@bleachtheidiot @akitosheart @bad-the-an-enjoyer - come get your Vivids!

@qxmmi - come get your star girl!

[rarepears]

This is the Shen Jiu marries an Arabian prince and gets super into astronomy anon, but I just thought of like.

So, the Arabs do a lot as merchants. Which would probably put them mainly in contact with Shang Qinghua.

It makes me wonder if transmigrator!SQH ended up negotiating a contract with the besotted prince and went "I CAN GET MY POOR LITTLE MEOW MEOW OUT OF HERE AND STOP FEELING LIKE SHIT OVER HOW HIS STORY ENDED!!!!" and proceeded to immediately do everything in his power to make that marriage happen because while he has zero confidence that dropping Shen Jiu in the lap of someone who adores him unconditionally will fix him now or ever, it definitely can't make things worse, and will in fact go a very long way to preventing things getting worse.

Also makes me think of SQH eventually being like the only one Shen Jiu kept in contact with, because yes he's annoying and pitiful, but when he was pulling the "marry Shen Jiu to besotted foreign royalty" bandwagon, it wasn't because he wanted to get rid of him, it was because Shang Qinghua wanted Shen Jiu to be around people who liked and would appreciate him, rather than stuck rotting in Harem Drama Hell. Maybe initially they only kept in contact for trade agreement reasons (which was ostensibly the purpose of this marriage) but SQH always made sure to a) bring some of Shen Jiu's favorites from home, b) genuinely make sure he was okay, and c) check and make sure that his husband was still besotted. Maybe Shen Jiu discovered SQH had a "smuggle my scariest shixiong to......... Eh I'll figure it out" plan in the event of Shen Jiu being mistreated? Or one of his least favorite courtiers says something snide and before Shen Jiu can get a word out Shang Qinghua says something that makes the man cry with fear. Idk how they get to the point of "spiritually you are siblings" but I am having visions of Shang Qinghua and Shen Jiu drinking anachronistic coffee (bc this is Airplane's novel ofc it is) over tanghulu and red bean paste buns and not mentioning the peak lords even once. Just chatting about trade and SJ running the kingdom with his husband and fabric and cool knives. Possibly with a side of Shen Yuan being a prince (adoption? Magic? Who knows) and SQH being his favorite uncle.

.......I wonder if SQH warns Shen Jiu that Binghe is coming/keeps him updated on demonic happenings.

.................wasn't OG Rat Qinghua supposed to get murdered by MBJ for betraying him.

Oh no.

NOW I am going down rabbit holes of Moshang typical violent misunderstandings and lack of communication, except this time SQH is the adoptive younger brother of an Arabian queen, and oh God the court intrigue and politics and drama you could pull with that. Esp if Shen Jiu eventually just. Yoinks SQH. "If this ice king wants to keep you around then he's welcome to start fucking acting like it."

And ofc Shen Jiu's husband won't say shit besides "oh we gotta welcome my brother in law appropriately! Make sure he has clothes and nice rooms etc etc" because he's also familiar with the little merchant/logistics lord who is absolutely wide eyed fluffy hamster levels of ADORABLE (bc I firmly believe SQH is the cutest little thing second to nothing but White Lotus Binghe, and also oblivious to this) and correctly thinks that having SQH's spymaster/logistics capabilities working for them is a good thing.

So SQH gets a break, gets to wear some super pretty clothes, gets to never have to worry about freezing to death, or getting injured accidentally or otherwise, etc etc. The courtiers, especially the scientifically inclined ones, adore him, partly bc he's cheating using modern knowledge. But he tells such wonderful stories! And he runs things so efficiently!

The Queen is sharp and brilliant, beautiful and vicious when provoked. His younger brother is just as intelligent, but is absolutely adorable, skilled at organization and he tells the *best* stories.

(please I just want Shang Qinghua to get so much of the appreciation he craves that he doesn't even know what to do with it)

MBJ and LBH are both sulking in the demon realm bc Shen Jiu is forcing them to think about what they've done and use their words.

......ok now I want "disillusioned but naive" Binghe and "learned but foolish" Shen Yuan to get a romance. They both learn that life and the world isn't what they thought it was together. Shen Jiu is furious but Binghe has taken every bit of his running a kingdom advice to heart and is truly genuinely doing everything right. Finding out the beast refuses to so much as hold hands with A-Yuan until Shen Jiu has approved of him would, once upon a time, have caused him to double down on disapproval. Now- with his doting husband who looks thoughtfully at the pair and says, with the look on his face that means he's thinking of their own relationship, "maybe we should give him the chance to disappoint us first. Something tells me he's not going to,"- Shen Jiu sighs heavily and sets about making a true good faith attempt to finding out if Binghe and a-Yuan are suited to each other.

(the main reason he does so is because his a-Yuan loves monsters, and Binghe will be able to take him to see as many as he wants while still being single mindedly focused on keeping him safe.)

YES YES YES!

EVERYTHING IS A BIG FUCKING RED YES!

SOMEONE MAKE THIS INTO A 100K FIC BECAUSE THIS IS PERFECTION!

[More in #Shen Jiu is forced into an arranged marriage to an Arabian Prince AU]

[leegemma]

I just had like the cutest idea omg

So like a lee!hanbin and ler!chan skz zb1 crossover

I thought that would just be the cutest thing ever💔

Thank you for your request, so sorry it took me so long to get to it! It was a bit strange for me to write a fic with both Hanbin's and Chan's names together 😅

I hope you like it though! (I know the tickling part is really short... but It was really hard to write, so sorry)

Enjoy:)

○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●

Hanbin took a deep breath before walking into to the artist lounge. He was about to meet with one of his biggest inspirations. Zb1 is a relatively new group, and the members were thinking very highly of their seniors, but for hanbin...

He was so nervous to meet bangchan of stray kids, that his arms were shaking as he rested his hand on the door handle, ready to open the door.

See, today, hanbin was told he'll be going on a show as the mc together with a different groups leader. Hanbin was excited at the opportunity to interact with the kpop community. However, it seems that the details of how famous this "leader" is were not explained properly, and when he found out, hanbin freaked.

Ans so now, he was finally ready to try to impress the Australian no matter what.

He opened the door and peeked inside, Chan immediately stood up with a big smile and went up to give hanbin a hug. "You must be hanbin, right?"

Hanbin blushed and nodded tensly. "Y-yes, it's such an honour to meet you... and mc with you today!"

Chan laughed and patted his back, smiling when all the staff members left the two alone. "Oh jeez, you’re so formal. Come on, let's sit."

And so the two sat down. Chan was sat comfortably, while hanbin was visibly nervous, legs shaking and hands resting in his lap.

Chan noticed how the younger's knuckles were starting to turn white, and he chuckled, poking the boy's side, smirking when he jumped. "Why are you so scared of me? I promise I don't bite"

Hanbin's eyed widened as he trued to quickly deny the allegations, while rubbing his side to make the tingle go away. "I'm no scared, I promise! I'm just- I was just really nervous to meet you."

Chan sent hanbin a gentle smile and placed his hand on the hamster's shoulder. "We're both just people at the end of the day, no need to be so anxious."

The awkwardly conversed for a few more minutes before chan sighed and shook his head. "This isn't working."

Hanbin's face darkened, and his eyes filled with tears. "I know... I'm sorry, I'll- I'll leave. I'm sure they can find someone to replace me wit-"

Chan laughed loudly. "No no no! I mean, I can't let you stay so stressed next to me anymore."

Hanbin blushed even deeper. "Oh..."

Chan scooted closer to the boy. "You know... there's one thing I know that can bring people closer, but I'm gonna need you to trust me."

Hanbin nodded. "Okay."

Chan smiled. "Great,how about you just lay down on your back... just like that... and I'm just gonna side on your hips, is that okay?"

Hanbin stared confused as chan lifted his arms up and held both his wrists with one hand. "I'm sorry... I don't really get what this is for?"

Chan smirked. "Oh you will, in just a second..."

That's when Chan started scribbling into hanbin's ribs, eyes widening in surprise when the younger screamed and immediately started hysterically laughing. "Woah, didn't expect this much of a reaction."

"W-WAIHAHAT!!" Hanbin tried twisting and turning, his brain taking way to long to comprehend what was happening.

"Not until you feel more comfortable! You can relax next to me buddy. Or do you think I'm way too old?" Chan teased, digging into the poor boy's tummy.

Hanbin screamed and tried folding his legs up. "NOHOHO! I DON'T!"

Chan laughed, moving to squeeze the knees and thighs that kept trying to attack him. "Good... make sure it stays like that. Some people tend to call me old." He rolled his eyes at the thought of seungmin favorite nickname for him.

Hanbin squealed and eventually fell into silent laughter, managing to wheeze out a few words. "Okay... ihihi... give..."

Chan laughed and got off him, offering him water and patting his back until the boy was all calmed down. "We should probably head over and start filming, yeah?"

Hanbin nodded after drinking, he then smiled at chan before speaking. "Thank you hyung. I really am grateful to be here with you today."

Cha smiled and wrapped his arm around hanbin's shoulder as they walked out of the room. "I know, buddy. Let's finish this quickly so we can go get ice cream and discuss our crazy leader stories, alright?"

"I'd like that." Hanbin nodded, making a little celebratory motion as soon as chan turned around a bit.

Safe to say, Hanbin will remember this lesson for when he's the experienced one.