#or if team best always has the vibes of a dysfunctional family

[afraid-of-the-deep-sea]

As someone who hasn't watched a lot of last life I gotta say I always perceived team BEST as like a tight knit group, sorta like team ties. However like I'm watching bdubs pov rn and it feels more like a family going on to a theme park and nobody wants to be there. Like initially it started off fine and everyone was excited, but then it turns out the lines were longer than expected. And one of them wants to go on this big fuckass rollarcoaster and then it has a wait of like 3 hours, but by the time they realise that it's not worth it they're already in too deep. Then Etho like complains each time he sees the price of themepark food, so they don't buy anything, and then bdubs eats the gum tango bought and tango cannot let that go so he's passive aggressive the rest of the day. And meanwhile Skizz is trying REALLY HARD to make the day work and keeps insisting bdubs and tango just hug it out, but ETHO keeps stirring the pot and making jokes even tho tango is about to throw hands, and it's just a whole mess. Like those have been the vibes in my head

[whumpbug]

GUYS IT'S TIME. i now introduce.....

THE SCARAB CREW!!!!!! 𓆣𓆣

(scarab is the name of the ship they are all on do you guys get it. because. whumbug. beetle. scarab. the ship is shaped like a beetle--okay im done)

the vibes/tropes are: sci-fi/space fantasy, dysfunction junction, found family, accidental child acquisition, AND MORE!!!

HUGE thank you to @lemlem21 for listening to me Yap about them and helping me iron out a lot of the details!!! also for recoloring some of the skincolors!!!!

i apologize in advance. this is a long post. please please feel free to ask questions because this can get confusing. there are 6 characters all with complex traits and names so please ask me for clarification if you need it! i apologize for all the reading guys (˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥⋆)

OKAY! ONTO MY SPACE SILLIES! they are Everything to me.

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THE EXPEDITION PROGRAM (TEP):

okay just before i start, i want to briefly explain why all these people are together on a ship.

in this universe, theres a central government that spans across many planets in neighboring star systems. this is known as the Provinces of the Allied Galactic Empire (PAGE). this is the explored and "civilized" part of the galaxy.

recently, there have been more attacks on PAGE-affiliated planets and systems from the unexplored galaxy (known as the Outer Sector, or just Outsec in shorthand) and PAGE intends to get to the bottom of it.

and that's where Scarab Crew comes in! multiple teams were formed of people with exceptional talents in their species/planets and were sent on multi-year long exploratory missions under the name The Expedition Program (TEP). the scarabs are one team of many!

TEP's goal is to record and report all that they find as well as identify threats and/or the planets responible for the attacks. they are to come back with information and new technology that would make PAGE stronger and more well-rounded!

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NOW ONTO THE SILLIES!! i used different picrws for each of them to match their Vibe

(also i added pronounciation guides to the best of my abilities i hope it helps im sorry in advance)

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Captain Nieven Alaric (Nee-ven Ah-la-rik)

pronouns: he/him

role: captain/leader/correspondence with PAGE

planet of origin:  Asto’is (species: Asto’isian)

age and height: late '30s to early '40s / 6 ft. 0 in.

description: the competent, calculated, and and cold head of The Scarab. he was a well-off government official before TEP, but unfortunately, he lost his family in an attack by Outsec rogues. he is a man hardened by life and unwilling to get attached to others again and because of this, is very efficient when it comes to running his ship. still, efficiency is not always the most important thing when it comes to leading a team. this is something nieven must learn.

species-specific traits: horns on the top of the head-- very interconnected with the central nervous system. decorated as a sign of age and/or accomplishment. also, asto'isians have pointy teeth! they are carnivores!

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Hari Khurana (Huh-ree Ku-rahna)

pronouns: relaxed he/him

role: engineer/medic/chemist

planet of origin:  Earth (species: Homo Sapien)

age and height: mid to late '30s / 6 ft. 2 in.

description: a simple human that started from the bottom. hari grew up in a trailer park, raised by his older sister when his father worked 3 jobs to put food on the table. since he was little, it was known he was a genius when it came to stem subjects. into adulthood, he excelled in every stem job he took on. still, no one expected him to get singled out when TEP was recruiting. aside from his smarts, hari is cheeky, sly, a bit of a Bastard™ but he also has tremendously big heart. he's passionate about what he does, no matter how hard it can be for him sometimes.

species-specific traits: despite his brains, hari is... a defective human. due to malnourishment as a child, he has a plethora of health problems that worry his team to no end. some include: asthma, lactose intolerance, allergies to many foods, marie antoinette syndrome, POTS, among others. he is also a below-the-knee amputee on his left leg due to an accident in his teens.

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Nylathrania (Nyla) Qifir (Nye-lah-trah-nya Kee-feer)

pronouns: she/her

role: pilot/navigator

planet of origin: Harye (species: Haryen)

age and height: mid '20s / 5 ft. 7 in.

description: the haryan are an extremely superstitious, winged race that place an extreme importance on flight. when a child was born with in inability to even lift her wings because of nerve damage, you can imagine it did not bode well. nyla was passed around from household to household with no place to call home. she wants to prove herself to her homeland by becoming the most successful pilot in TEP with her pride and joy of a ship, The Scarab, but even that will never make her good enough for her people, and consequently, herself.

species-specific traits: the bat-like wings and short horns are trademarks of the haryen people. unlike nieven's, nyla's horns are simply bony-keratin structures as extra protection for her brain. her wings are a bit smaller than other haryen's due to muscle atrophy.

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Ytzel (Zel) Mixca (Ee-tsel Micsh-cka)

pronouns: relaxed she/her

role: gunsman/conflict strategist

planet of origin: Huelxa (species: Huelxcan)

age and height: mid '20s / 5 ft. 4 in.

description: born to a planet of war, zel grew up around bloodshed and violence throughout her life. in her culture, getting close to people was discouraged becasue you never knew who would be on the other side of the next civil war. she was often forced to fight her siblings and friends (to an extreme level) as a test of strength, so she comes off as abrasive and rude because violence makes her feel in control. it's a familiar pattern. she hasn't yet learned that love does not need to be painful.

species-specific traits: the huelxcan actually have a second pair of arms! these arms sit slightly more towards her back, in the middle of her rib cage. the huelxcan people also have evolved with enhanced hearing, and wear accessories on the ears to enhance it further.

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Vin’ri (Vinny) L’aoh (Vin-ree Luh-ow)

pronouns: they/them

role: scribe/recorder/photographer

planet of origin: Z’edin (species: Z’edinra)

age and height: late teens (17-19) / 5 ft. 9 in.

description: vinny is heralded as the voice of reason when tensions are high amongst the rest of the crew. they are level-headed and approachable, making them an instrumental member of the team. but their secret? they're so lonely. in their culture, it's customary to stop being affectionate with children when they reach about 14 to encourage growth and independence. vinny didn't have a problem with this at first, but now that they're so far from home? they feel the need for comfort more than they'd like to admit.

species-specific traits: the z’edinra all have a prehensile tail that is about an armspan in length. it is capable of grasping, and can hold their body weight. also, z'edin is an ice planet which leads vinny to be prone to overheating in even mildly warm environments quite easily

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Ren "Alaric" (Rehn Ah-la-rick)

pronouns: he/him

role: healer/newest member (not with scarab crew initially)

planet of origin: Siea W5M (species: Amb’toman)

age and height: about 7 years old / 4 ft. 3 in.

description: ren's parent's were killed when he was only 4, and he was taken to Seia W5M to be sold as a commodity-- his species is sought after for their abilities. he was under the ownership of a man for a few years before he escaped and has been on the run ever since. he covers his eyes with a blindfold to conceal the signature trait of amb'tomans-- white scleras lacking a cornea. because of his years blindfolded, light tends to overwhelm him. he is skittish, flighty, and in need of people who will take care of and love him.

species-specific traits: the amb'toman are a desert-dwelling species that evolved healing abilities to cope with the harsh climate. the short version of how the abilities work is essentially: people spend a certain amount of energy to heal themselves of injury or illness. ren can spend that energy all at once on himself or another person to heal them exponetially faster. the draw back is gets extremely sleepy after healing, and tends to be unable to stay awake

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RELATIONSHIPS: ask me about them!!! there are Some romantic relationships but i also love platonic and familial relationships so ask about whoever you'd like! i'm aiming to start the story early on to when they first meet so it'll be fun to develop their relationships as i write!!

PICREWS: 1 2 3 4 5 6

BONUS: here is all their height differences (ren is itty bitty guys)

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and that's it!!! thank you SO much if you've read to the end, it honestly means so much. and like i said before please please PLEASE dont be afraid to ask as many questions as you want (about specific scarabs, or the crew as a whole but just know if its the crew it might not be as detailed because. theres 6 of them.) these characters can get confusing and i want to make as easy of a reading experience as i can!

i hope you enjoy my little passion project and im so excited to develop these sillies further!! (✿◦’ᴗ˘◦)♡

tagging: @sethlost and @mellowwhumps (≧▽≦)

[tabl3]

Some things™ about the rewrite

Chase and Taylor made a pact to get their little brothers set up

Leo doodled a bunch of L + L shit on his notes (he's so cringe I love him)

Blue Tornado has wings

Solar Flare is selective mute. when she wants to communicate, it's normally by sign language (which work bc her wife is deaf) Gamma Girl wasn't born deaf, but became so due to explosions from her powers.

Techertz think they're hiding their relationship Perfectly

The team always steals Kaz's clothes bc they're big and comfy

Alan is semi-immortal like Horace. he's Skylar's age in the sense that they're both about 40 earth years old

Kaz often has to go down to Mission Command to bring Chase to bed

Skylar and Bree wind up in the kitchen at 3am a lot, either chatting, trying to cook, or dancing to One Direction (it's iconic for them in my rewrite)

Horace is legitimately afraid of Tasha. He works fine enough with Douglas, approves of Bree for his daughter, thinks Chase is the most impolite person to exist, and greatly fears Adam and Leo in his hospital bc they break everything lol

Bree's (non-related) best friend is Taylor

Chase's is Skylar

Kaz, Oliver, and Skylar are each others' obv (plus Gus and Jordan (Kaz and Oliver are the closest ofc))

Leo's are Kaz and Taylor

Tasha and Douglas are each others'

Adam's are his siblings lol (esp Naomi)

Chase feels for Oliver what he does for Leo, making them have an older/younger brother vibe now that they've reconciled

Skylar keeps forgetting Chase is older than her lmao

I aged the SuperParents™ up bc the Flames needed a bigger gap from Oliver

Snowstorm is the youngest hero, age 28. Blue Tornado is 31, Solar Flare 32, Gamma Girl 34, Megahertz 40, Tecton 43, and Horace biologically 47

Naomi plays with the (non-powered) action figures of her siblings, often showing Douglas and Tasha the epic battles (which they love)

How their dysfunctional ass family dynamic w AJ works: Chase: overbearing helicopter mom, Kaz: irresponsible (let's drive this car as fast as we can while dropping mentos in coke) dad, Bree: wine aunt, Skylar: beer aunt, Oliver: uncle that crashes on the couch and tells him to do his worst impulses for his entertainment

Douglas and Tasha are completely platonic, just co-parents and support for each other

Blue Tornado split with his fiance, also amicably co-parenting his young son. He doesn't talk very much bc he's naturally shy, and mostly just enjoys being in his coworkers' company in silence

(he has a crush on Snowstorm)

[kaaytea]

How about being the manager of Inarizaki, Nekoma, Seijoh and Shiratorizawa and how the boys would feel when they finally finally get a manager? :0

New Manager

⤷Includes: Nekoma, Inarizaki, Seijoh, Shiratorizawa

A/n: I haven't written for the HQ boys in a hot minute so I was sUper hyped for this! Thank you for the request, dear 💕

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Nekoma

Nekoma has been manager-less for so long that literally the entire team was dumbfounded when they spotted you chilling next to Nekomata

Like hello??? Who are you and what are you doing in their gym???

There's a good few seconds of silence when Nekomata introduces you

Despite being cats, they greatly resembled their Fukurodani rivals as they blinked back at you with big curious eyes

That is until Yamamoto slumps to his knees and starts tearing up, blabbering on about how they've been blessed with a manager while a quiet Fukunaga pats his back in an almost humouring manner

Yamamoto's out burst is what loosens up the team and they start making their way to introduce themselves to you

The first is Kuroo, who approaches you with a welcoming smirk which was quickly followed by a gentle smile from Kai and a reassuring pat on the back from Yaku

The first years are VERY eager to meet you! Lev and Inouka are bouncing around you spewing out questions to the point where Yaku has to kick them both and send them off to warm up

Sweet Shibayama very nervously bows at you and thanks you for taking care of the team (what a baby 🤧💕)

The entire team absolutely loves you by the end of your first day (yes even the aloof creature that is Kenma, though he'll never admit it)

Nekoma's inner team dynamic is very familial and you're immediately sucked into the little family vibes they got going on

The first years love to be around you! (Specifically Lev bc you're not as mean to him as everyone else)

The first years are always volunteering to help you carry equipment or water bottles

You once caught one of the jokes Fukunaga muttered during practice so now the two of you bounce little puns and jokes off of eachother to see who can get the other to laugh first (he is currently winning. although, you got him to tear up from laughing so hard once which you've been counting as 10 wins)

The third years tend to mother hen you a bit, specifically Yaku and Kuroo

Kuroo made it very clear to you that you're apart of the team even if you don't play on the court, so as captain it's his job to make sure all his players are ok (mentally, physically, socially, you name it! He's always looking out for you and is basically your big brother)

You and Yaku bond over the fact that you're both the unofficial team moms. The two of you are very organized and have a whole ass check list that you BOTH go over at least twice before the team leaves for a game or training camp

Kai is like your calm in the storm that is Nekoma. The two of you have had numerous conversations about anything from books to cafés and he's always willing to lend an ear if you need to rant

Kenma is a fairly distant person but he warms up to you when he notices how caring you are. He even let's you play his DS on the train rides to and from Nekoma

Inarizaki

You're a brave soul if you are willingly becoming the manager of Inarizaki

Kita is actually the one who asked if you wanted to be the teams manager

He saw you cleaning the board in a classroom during lunch break and was impressed by how well of a job you did

It doesn't matter if you said yes out of fear from Kita's blank stare or because you were genuinely interested bc now you're standing in the volleyball gym, clad in Inarizaki's signature maroon tracksuit

The team notices you instantly, particularly a certain blonde Miya

Before Kita even got a chance to introduce you to everyone, Atsumu had wandered over to you with a lazy smile tugging at his lips

Atsumu introduced himself and then started asking what you were doing here

"Are ya lost?" "Ya here to admire me?" "Ya dating one of the players?"

You didn't get a chance to answer his questions as Osamu lovingly threw a Volleyball at Atsumu, cutting off any moment you had to respond

The only problem was that Atsumu noticed the volleyball rOcketing towards him and scrambled out of the way like a startled cat, leaving the ball to hit you instead of its intended target

The silence that hung over the gym was deafening as the younger team members watched Kita and Aran rush over to assist your now bloody nose

Just as quick as it had started, the silence was broken by Atsumu yelling at his brother for hitting a helpless person in the face and the gym quickly descended into madness

Aran held a towel to your nose and gave you a few encouraging pats on the back as the both of you watched Kita chew out the twins (safe to say Kita was hard on them during practice)

Osamu approached you during a water break to apologize and, to the surprise of the entire team, gave you the extra pudding he had as a peace offering

Since that incident Osamu and Atsumu stopped throwing volleyballs at each other's heads (at least when you were around that is)

The team is also surprisingly protective of you

The glares people get at tournaments if they try to flirt with you are terrifying

You become pretty close with Suna as the both of you tend to sit back and watch Atsumu and Osamu fight (you tried to step in once but they literally only respond to Kita so it didn't do much)

Suna also pats you on the head whenever he passes you

(it's something he does to his little sister to show some form of affection/appreciation and now he does it to you for the very same reasons)

This goes with out saying, but the twins love you

Osamu still feels bad about the whole hitting you in the face thing so he always shares any snacks he's got on him with you

Atsumu truly just likes being babied by you

Any ounce of praise or happy smiles directed at him has him acting like a puppy

(does 'Tsumu have a tiny crush on you? Yep he totally does!)

Kita and Aran are absolute sweethearts!! They are both very grateful for all the work you put in and treat you to boba every other week as a thank you :))

Seijoh

It was a new school year and you decided to push yourself out of your comfort zone a bit

What better way to do that then be a manager for a sports team!

Apparently one of your classmates let it slip that you were looking to be a manager for a sports team because you were approached by a very buff and very attractive guy a few days after asking if you'd be interested in helping the volleyball team

You happily agreed to do a trial day that afternoon, to which the player, who you now know as Iwaizumi-san, breathed a sigh of relief and said he'd pick you up after school to take you to the gym

So the school day is over, Iwaizumi meets you outside your classroom and you're off!

As you walk to the gym he fills you in on some of the tasks the manager would have to do

The job didn't sound that terrible so you were a bit confused as to why Iwaizumi was having such a hard time finding a manager

"Let's just say that the applicants were more interested in staring at our captain than the actual job." He had told you

Ok so first unofficial rule....don't stare at the Seijoh volleyball team's captain? A bit odd but who were you to judge, maybe the guy was shy and didn't like attention

Your thoughts were cut off by the crisp slap! Of a ball hitting the floor followed by a few short yells from the players littered across the court

Your attention was then caught by the sensation of someone draping their arm over your shoulders and a tangy apple smell invading your senses

"Oh? I didn't know you were dating someone, Iwa-chan~"

Iwaizumi shoved the brunette off of you and quickly explained that you were just here to test out being the manager for the day

The player's eyes lit up and he turned to you with a bubbly smile, introducing himself as Seijoh's captain, Oikawa Tooru

Ah, Captain.... Now you knew why they were having trouble finding someone who didn't stare

Your first day went fairly smooth, just a few blunders that were quickly forgotten by the team after Oikawa cheerfully told you: "Everyone has to start somewhere, (y/n)-chan!"

After the first week you had to admit that the Aoba Johsai volleyball team were quickly becoming some of your best friends, you all fit together like a dysfunctional family

Makki, Mattsun, and Iwa would always agree/praise you when you joined in one the daily Oikawa roast session

Oikawa (when he wasn't pouting about how "mean" you are to him) was fairly sweet to you

He spent the first month helping you learn the rules about volleyball and explaining the lingo the team often used during plays

Although, he does jokingly flirt with you about 40 thousand times a week so...

Kindaichi is a nervous wreak around you the first few weeks. Eventually his nervous demeanor melts away. Now he goes to you whenever he needs someone to toss the ball up for him so he can practice his spikes

Kunimi likes you simply because you let him get away with napping during water breaks

Kyotani acts like you annoy him but if anyone made you cry or hurt you in some way he would burn the entire gym down in a heartbeat

Did I mention that Seijoh are also very protective of you?

When at tournaments they travel in a small pack with you in the middle to reduce the chances of you getting hit on

Shiratorizawa

Shiratorizawa is a very nice and prestigious school so you thought why not participate in an extracurricular that would be beneficial for, not only your resume, but you yourself as well!

Out of all the clubs you chose volleyball which you're starting to regret a bit since one of your friends informed you that the team is a powerhouse school

Which means you can't make a bad impression or silly mistakes.....at all

That entire philosophy is thrown oUt the window on your second day as the official manager

You somehow managed to trip over your own feet and slam into a cart full of spare balls AND spill the water bottles you were carrying all over yourself

You were hoping that the team, by some miraculous reason, didn't notice but the stifled giggles from a certain red head said otherwise

You would give anything for the ground to just swallow you up and disappear forever

But then you saw a pair of gym shoes standing in front of you and when you looked up you were met with THE Ushijima Wakatoshi, captain and ace of shiratorizawa, offering you help to stand up

You hadn't seen Ushijima be more than a stoic and intimidating guy so you were even more surprised when he gave one of his spare shirts to change into now that you had spilt water on yourself

I guess you could say your little clumsy episode was what broke the ice for you and the team

Tendou loves talking with you

You're an interesting person to him and he finds great pleasure in teasing you (in his own words it's "out of love")

Ushijima ended up not being as intimidating as you originally pegged him to be. Instead, he was just a quiet guy who surprisingly could say some pretty funny things (whether or not he intended it to be funny)

Goshiki just loves you. Period.

You praise him and give him head pats so he couldn't be happier!

Tendou and Shirabu tease him all the time about how he has a case of puppy love for you (which Goshiki aggRessively denies no matter how red his face is)

Semi is someone who is grateful for your assistance with the team and does his very best to get Tendou out of your hair when you're trying to do your manager work. He also shares his headphones with you on long bus rides so you can listen to music together!

[bitimdrake]

I am highly critical of any fics where Dick is the main character, POV, or plays a large role and his friends on the Titans outside Gotham are never even mentioned. It’s a red flag for me! Same with Tim and his Young Justice friends. It says something about what their characterization is going to be to me, even if I can’t quite put what it is into words I know I don’t like it

oh, good pick. So much "batfam fic" gets incredibly isolationist in Gotham and acts like the extended batfamily is all that really exists. I can't quite put it into words either, but I think just...

It's such a strong vibe indicator that this fic is based firmly off Batfamily Fandom and not off DC Comics. Because the giant interconnected world of superheroes, the constant presence of teams and allies, all that is so so essential to the feeling of dc comics to me. But fanon tends to see it as hyper isolated in little bubbles for each hero "family", and that's such a different feeling.

But Dick with the Titans is the best!! ngl, that's where he is happiest. That's a huge portion of his support system, where he finds a lot of joy, some of the most important people in his life. And even when Dick is focusing on Bludhaven/Gotham/family, the Titans not coming up at all is weird. Hell, even when Dick has been in a bad state and isolating himself in comics, he's still almost always on a team. The New Teen Titans were the most important part of his life when he was transitioning from Robin to Nightwing. He was with the Outsiders when things were really bad in Bludhaven. He was on the JLA when he was Batman. He's never really alone, if he'll just let himself reach out.

That last point is super apropos of Tim as well. Ignoring Young Justice/Titans/etc often is tied directly to portraying Tim/Dick like they are incredibly isolated and alone and forgotten, or at least like they are utterly dependent on familial relationships and have nothing else. And maybe the characterization we can't put to words is how that ignores the side of them that is not struggling with a dysfunctional family, but comfortable (or annoyed, or friendly, or in Leader Mode, or anything else) among friends.

[thestorytellersapprentice]

Why Do-yeok

I cannot believe I'm writing another one of this "Why" post. I thought it's a one-time thing with Love Alarm... But, here I am. Maybe because just like the previously mentioned Netflix series, Nevertheless causes huge discourse among its viewers. Team Potato and Team Butterfly. Jae-eon and Do-hyeok. Sanctuary or the gravitational pull.

And first off, an important note: my intention by writing this is not to seek any debate with anyone. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, so here's mine. Feel free to read it or definitely not to read it if you're firmly on Jae-eon's corner and you can't imagine Na-bi with anyone else but him. I just want to sort out my thoughts simultaneously through writing this. And this is gonna be a bit long, I suppose.

So, as the title already declares, I'm Team Potato all the way. And, yep, this means I'm thoroughly on Do-hyeok's side and I want him to be happy because he deserves it. (Still need to see what's in store in the final episode, but I'm perfectly okay with an open ending: Na-bi ends up not choosing anyone but herself, as long as her friendship with Do-hyeok remains intact.)

And this comes down simply because of who Yang Do-hyeok is as a person.

If Do-hyeok is real, then you can bet that I'll date him myself too. At the very least, I'd definitely like to be friends with him.

Why?

Because....

One. His whole vibe is just so....warm and comfortable. We often see Do-hyeok's cheerful sides. He smiles a lot (and boy, Chae Jong-hyeop's smiles are just so endearing, but we're talking about the character here. Ahem.) He's attentive, thoughtful, and open. And he's not only like this with Na-bi. He, by nature, is a very friendly person, as you can see from his interaction with Do-yeon, his cousin, also with Na-bi's friends and the hyeongs in the noodle restaurant that he works at.

And I like it a lot that even just after Do-hyeok confesses to Na-bi and she turns him down, the very next day, they're able to speak with each other normally and just talk about his videos and how she'll watch them and give him feedback. That night, Na-bi also answers his call with a smile on her face. They joke around and not even stopping after Do-hyeok throws her some arguably-cringey-lines (if uttered by other guys and not handled properly). Clearly, Na-bi's very on ease and comfortable with and around him despite everything that has happened.

She even says this on her own: "And most of all, I feel comfortable when I'm with him."

Two. With Do-hyeok, the communication is sterling. Honesty and communication is also very important in a healthy relationship. Your partner isn't a mind reader, so you gotta tell her/him what you feel and think about, especially when you're having a hard time, so you both can work on it together. And our potato guy is the perfect example of openness and honesty.

Even when he's having a hard time, he doesn't lash out (unlike a certain someone), but he communicates it clearly to Na-bi: "I saw you and Park Jae-eon going into your house together. I know I said that I could wait for you as long as it takes. But I felt so jealous."

Do-hyeok also casually throwing lines like: "It's nice to hear your voice. The whole neighborhood seems empty without you." which can be really cringey, but hearing these with Chae Jong-hyeop's delivery = it's just Do-hyeok openly sharing his thoughts. And, again, he's not just like this with Na-bi. That's just the way he is. He openly states his concerns and thoughts to people close to him.

After her first disaster relationship and Jae-eon (who's a master deflector on all personal questions and is truly opaque), IMO someone like Do-hyeok is what Na-bi needs. With Do-hyeok, she never has to guess where she stands. And Na-bi responds to his openness accordingly. She shares her worries and not-so-good moments ("I was spacing out because the critique went badly. I got scolded. This semester is really the worst. I didn't get accepted to the exchange program as well.") And of course, Do-hyeok responds by reassuring and encouraging her.

Three. They begin as friends. Childhood friends, even. And while some may point out that she friend-zones him, I beg to differ. The expression on Na-bi's face when she first sees Do-yeon and hasn't recognizes her is not the expression of someone who sees her just-platonic-friend conversing with a girl. You can practically see the gears in her head turning and she suddenly looks unsure: "Who is that girl talking to Do-hyeok?"

But anyway, iIluminatedquill has written here and here what I want to say and more, so I won't add any more here, other than this: it's my own personal preference as well. I'm just more drawn to romantic relationships which also evolve from friendship. I feel that lust will only get you so far, and the companionship aspect is what makes it long-lasting. (Even in my personal life, my boyfriend is not only my boyfie, he's my friend and partner in crime also.)

Four. Do-hyeok has good and normal relationships with his family. He obviously has good relationship with his Grandpa (judging from the way he's reviving his Grandpa's noodle place until his Grandpa feels better) and is close with his cousin, Do-yeon. While this is based on what's been shown and even though we never see or hear about his parents, I think it's safe to say that Do-hyeok most probably grows up in a loving family and he carries their values with him as he approaches his relationships with people as an adult.

Again, this is mostly personal preference, but as someone who highly value family, for me this is another point for Do-hyeok. I'm not saying that someone with dysfunctional family cannot form loving relationships, but it's what one aspires for.

Do-hyeok cares for people. He takes care of them (e.g. voicing concerns over Do-yeon's plastered hand, preparing umbrella and coffee for Na-bi, etc etc). And, sadly, Jae-eon's distant family background just makes him even more detached and non-committal towards people.

As for Na-bi, she wants to learn from her mother and not following in her footsteps. "I promise myself I would never date while watching my mom." It's heavily implied (and is practically confirmed by her aunt) that her mother dates around as well, and from the one scene we're shown during her birthday weekend, she always feels like her mother neglects her and she's upset about it. So, yeah, Na-bi wants to live differently, and it's clear who's a natural at it already.

Five. I can see them growing together. Yeah, Na-bi's mostly the one who needs to sort out her life, but she also can be a good influence to Do-hyeok. She gives him feedback on his videos (as an example) and he builds upon that.

From Na-bi herself: "I don't want to ever disappoint Do-hyeok." She sees him as such a good guy and always receives things from him. I interpret her line here as her desire to improve herself, to be better. And that's how a good relationship should be, right? It brings out the best out of each other.

That's it from me for now.

I guess some of the points up there can be different priorities for different people, and that's okay. As I've said at the beginning of this post, this is all mine, so feel free to disagree.

To me, Jae-eon is like this very strong gravitational pull: he's sexy, mysterious and very alluring, yet he displays oh-so-many red flags. It's all such a rollercoaster ride with him: very fun and thrilling, yet can also cause you extreme dread.

While Do-hyeok is like a sanctuary. He represents safety, stability and ease. With him, it's like strolling on a park somewhere under the sunshine: things feel warm, pleasant, and cozy.

Na-bi probably still feels the gravitational force of Jae-eon. It's hard to shake off completely on such a short span of time, but I hope she remembers that just like her namesake, she always have her own strength to fly and defy gravity.

[captnjacksparrow]

Hello! I love your analysis and I just wanted to know what you think of team taka. For me personally I'm not a fan of taka because they aren't really friends, just a means to an end. I see a lot of people say Sasuke was better off with them but I really don't believe that as not a single one of them wanted to actually understand him. They followed him but they weren't close with him and weren't very important to him. I love Suigetsu and Jugo and I'm meh on Karin (she kinda gives me some scary vibes), but I don't see them as the besties that I've seen several people say. I've only read the manga through Shippuden (working on watching the anime though) so I was wondering if the anime adaptation added more to make it seem as though they were closer. I was just wondering what you think

Great Ask, @narusasudestiel 👍🏼👍🏼

I see a lot of people say Sasuke was better off with them but I really don't believe that as not a single one of them wanted to actually understand him.

I know why people say this. 

To be honest, no one really wanted to understand Sasuke other than Naruto. 

Kakashi knew the truth about Itachi and still tried to kill him. Ms.Pinky never even bothered to know the truth, but she also tried to kill him. And later, blindly accepted him anyway without even knowing what he has went through. That’s pretty self-explanatory from the way she was guessing whether he wore specs or not!!!! Because she knows nothing about him. 

So, you see how dysfunctional Team 7 is. 

That’s why people think, if Sasuke’s old Team 7 members couldn’t even understand him properly, then it’s better for Sasuke to be with these Team Taka guys whom Sasuke chose by himself. Atleast they are suited to his goals, that is wandering along the road and helping people. As time goes, they might come to understand him better. The Anime adaptation doesn’t add anything much to enhance their bond actually. It was almost similar to the Manga, with very few added scenes.

Sasuke made it very clear,

This is their dynamics throughout the Anime. 

Whenever Sasuke finds them becoming a burden, he always abandoned them without any care. Because he wasn’t bonded with them. 

And at the end of 699, I feel Sasuke is not looking for more friendships and stuffs. He was still that same Sasuke who wants to do stuffs in his own way. But the difference is, unlike before, Sasuke happily accepted his bond with Naruto and was willing to share their pain and dreams. There’s no more denial. For him, A closest Bond who can understand him, in the form of Naruto is enough. He doesn't care if others understand him or not.

All Sasuke need is a team who can work well with him on the road and help people as a way of his Atonement and to achieve his goals, that is to remove the hatred and unite all five Villages.

Someone from Team 7 went along with chased after him and what happened??? A family he never wanted and all that Black Humour drama that entails in Boruto right now.

Imagine what would have happened if Team Taka went along with him?? Sasuke would have been more pleasant than what he is now in Boruto series. He was never a romantic or family person to begin with. The family he always wanted was his own family with his parents and Itachi in it.

He was a goal-oriented person and always will be. That was clearly established in Chapter 3 and that’s why he abandoned Sakura for a decade because he places his goals above his own family. Just like how Itachi once was. Just like how Naruto is now. 

Which is exactly why I feel that open ending in chapter 699 is the best for everyone involved. No pairings and shit. Everyone pursuing their own path to achieve the same goal. On his journey, Sasuke could partner up with Team Taka and could form a new friendship too. That would've been lot better than Sakura going along with him.

My opinion on Team Taka is neutral. They didn't understand him yet. But they would've if they were given some time and chance.

[carriagelamp]

Since it’s Pride Month, I decided this year I wanted to raid the library for a bunch of different queer books to read. Mostly graphic novels in this case, because I’ve had a hard time settling into much reading lately... thought hopefully now that it’s summer and I finally have my second shot I’ll be able to relax a bit more and dig into some heavier novels again. For now, enjoy some light, queer reads that I indulged in this June.

A Wolf Called Wander

A beautiful novel I had been hearing lots about. This story follows the young wolf Swift, who grows up knowing that he and his pack are the mountains, and the mountains are them. It’s in those mountains that he grows and learns and loves… until disaster strikes and he finds himself viciously torn apart from his family and forced out of the mountains that have always meant home to him. Forced to survive on his own. Swift then begins a gruelling journey that makes him face injury, starvation, and the everpresent danger of humans as he seeks a new place he can call home, and new people with whom he can form a pack.

This is all based on the true story of a tagged wolf known as OR-7, following the unbelievable route he took through Oregon and northern California! It was a very neat read, and I’d definitely recommend it if you enjoy stories told from an animal’s perspective because this book is a master class in it.

Bloom

I decided for June to try to read a handful of different queer books, and this was one of the first graphic novels I picked up. It is a super sweet story and the art is lovely. It’s about Ari, a boy who has just graduated high school and is now desperate to move away from his small town and his family’s struggling bakery, to join his band in the city where they hope to make it big. An agreement is finally reached: Ari’s father will let him leave, if he can find someone who can replace him in the bakery, which is how Ari meets Hector, someone who sees artistry and peace in baking. For anyone that’s read Check, Please, it gives off those types of vibes!

Boule et Bill: Bill est Maboul

Another book of Dupuis comics, because I can’t get enough of them! This one I just stumbled across and ended up reading on a whim but it was very cute. Geared younger than the others I’ve read, but still quite funny. It’s the charming hijinks of a young boy, his dog, and the family they live with. Each page or so is a different stand alone joke, a bit like Calvin and Hobbes except expanded beyond a single strip.

Chicken Run: Chicken Pies for the Soul

This was a ridiculous urge I got and had to follow. I recently rewatched Chicken Run (which is, of course, one of the best movies ever made) and felt the need to see if it had ever been novelized. Well, I found something better than a novelization! This is a chapter book with “advice” and stories written by the various characters, post-movie. It really does a good job with grasping the different characters’ voices and making something simple and funny out of it. It was very cute (and available on The Internet Archive if anyone else feels like reading something ridiculous!)

Doodleville

I picked this up on a whim and honestly, I shouldn’t have bothered. It was not very impressive. Very mediocre, awkward feeling artwork, and a story that only slightly manages to redeem it. The concept was kind of neat, and I did like how the ending came about, the rest was rather… plodding. I did not like the main character at all, her friends felt very Intentionally Quirky Aren’t We Cute :3 in a way that just tries too hard, and… yeah. Meh. It technically gets the “queer graphic novel flag” but it’s so in-passing that it feels rather excessive to give it that.

If you are interested, it’s about a world were doodles actually exist as living creatures that can be drawn into existence (the rather unsettling implications of which is never fully explored). This is all well and good, until the main character draws a monster and takes it with her to her art club... where it begins ravanging not only her doodles, but those of her friends. Together they need to work together to figure out how to stop this menace.

FRNCK v4

Phenomenal. I adore the FRNCK series, and book four wrapped up the first “cycle”, revealing several of the big secrets dogging the series so far, and changing how things are going to be able to run in the future.

If you haven’t seen me talk about it before, FRNCK is a graphic novel (a franco-belgian bande dessinée) about a young orphan, Franck, who’s chafing under the constant parade of uninterested foster parents that visit the orphanage he lives in. Determined to learn about his mysterious abandonment instead, he flees the orphanage… but finds himself tumbling through time, landing among a family of cave-people who rather reluctantly take him in and ensure this modern boy doesn’t die in the strange, dangerous new surroundings he finds himself in. You can get these ones in English as e-books, so if you want a really kickass graphic novel series to read please try these.

Haikyu!!

I’ve heard so much about Haikyu!! that I finally gave in and picked up the first book from the library. And I gotta say, it’s well worth the hype! This series really does capture the best parts of a good sports manga -- which is to say the team is filled with interesting, enjoyable character who all need to learn to pull together, boost each other’s strengths, and cover for each other’s weaknesses. Love me some found family tropes and this series oozes it in the best possible way. And then you also get some very cool action scenes as it makes high school volleyball seem like the most intense thing on earth. I can’t wait to continue it

Queer Eye

I haven’t been keeping up with Queer Eye but I was watching it ravenously when it first came out, and this seemed like a very cathartic book to read… and it really was. It had the same gentle, loving encouragement as the show. It doesn’t expect you to change your entire life, but to learn to embrace who you are, and take small steps to enhance those things. There a segment written (presumably) by each member of the Fab Five, explaining the mentality behind what they do on the show and how you can grow in those areas too. It’s very zen.

Spinning

I got this graphic novel out at the same time as Bloom, but it was the one that interested me less of the two... though that’s just because I have less interest in “real world” slice of life as a genre and this one is meant to be autobiographical. If you’re into that, you’ll probably love this because it really is stunning. Very pretty, and the format and pacing is all really well done. It’s a coming of age story for Tillie as she grows up dealing with a crosscountry move, complicated friendships, a burgeoning attraction to girls, and attending competitive figure skating classes.

This Place: 150 Years Retold

A stunning and heart-wrenching graphic novel told by a collection of different First Nation’s authors/artists, recounting oral histories about the 150 years since the colonialist formation of the country known as “Canada”. In other words, this is a post-apocalypse story, but one that really happened and that entire peoples are still fighting to survive. It’s very eye opening and beautifully told. Very strongly recommend the read, especially if you’re at all interested in history.

Torchwood: Serenity

Whoops, not technically a book. I had thought these were technically audiobooks at first, but rather they’re audio dramas that were played on the radio. Still, I decided to include one because I’ve been listening to them like a person possessed and they’re too fun not to at least mention. Let me indulge in my obsessions.

If you don’t know Torchwood, it’s a BBC series that spins-off from Doctor Who, focusing on the enigmatic and flirtatious Captain Jack Harkness, who is running the covert organization known as Torchwood, which is tasked to protect humanity from and prepare them for alien contact. It’s goofy and campy but also more adult and heavy than Doctor Who tends to get, so it is (in my opinion) a really fascinating series. Though it also has content warnings coming out the wazoo so maybe make sure it’s for you before delving in.

Serenity specifically is possibly one of the best Torchwood stories I’ve ever experienced. The Torchwood team concludes that there’s an undercover alien hiding in the idyllic gated community Serenity Plaza, and so that means it’s up to Jack and Ianto to go undercover as a happily married couple and flush out the alien without being discovered first. Even if it means being sickly sweet together, pretending to care about the local neighbourhood barbecues, and actually caring a bit too much about the Best Front Lawn competition. What is truly magical about this one, is that it manages to make it a Fake Dating AU despite the fact that Jack and Ianto are actually dating in canon. But they’re both used to dating as a pair of alien hunters with insanely dysfunctional lives, and who now need to figure out how to deal with domesticity. It is marvellous.

Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice

A middle grade novel that felt a bit like a cross between Harry Potter and Pokemon. It’s about orphan Barclay Thorne who wants nothing more than to be accepted in the rule-bound village of Dullshire, and live up to his apprenticeship as a mushroom farmer. He certainly wants nothing to do with the fearsome Beasts who live beyond the village, deep in the Woods or the sinister Lorekeepers that bond with them. It was, after all, a Beast that had killed his parents all those years ago. But when he finds himself at the very edge of the forest, hunting for an elusive mushroom, he is suddenly unable to avoid any of that. Not when a wild girl and her bonded dragon appear to summon a horrible Beast and end up getting Barclay bonded to it instead. Now, if Barclay ever wants to be welcomed back into his home, he has no choice but to venture into the Woods and find a way to sever the bond imprisoning him to the massive, monstrous wolf now imprinted on his body as a living tattoo.

I honestly can’t decide how I felt about this one. I feel like it’d be a really fun read for maybe a grade 5 to 7 student? I was a bit more meh about it. It was fine, but it was very hard not to draw unfavourable parallels to Harry Potter. But for a kid who’s never read Harry Potter? Or even an adult that has but is looking for something different to scratch that itch, this might be a good book to try. I’ll probably try reading the second book when it comes out.

[k-writer1998]

Who Said Love Was Easy? (2/12)

      There are many different kinds of people who come and go from your life. Some will stay constant and sturdy like a river, growing alongside you, others will come like a whirlwind who wreaks havoc and leaves just as quickly, then there is everything in between. In this twisted maze of connections, that is where our story begins. A steadfast boy, a girl with a past, a little bit of alcohol, mistakes, and some love. Where can you go wrong with that?

angsty fluff

w.c: 1.7k

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

      I’ve been spending more and more time at the pub, partly because I was still trying to coax the weary Jeongin into friendship but also Jaehyung has been inviting me to come over more, his nosy-neighbor-senses kicking in. I’ve nearly broken Jeongin though cause he’s warmed up sufficiently since running into him. Gahyeon on the other hand seems to be cautious around me but as the saying goes “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” It wasn’t like she was any bad, if anything I could see why Jeongin was so infatuated with her. She gives off girl-next-door vibes minus the naivety. Like Jeongin, she brought in a lot of customers with that personality but as the only female server a lot of guys come through in hopes to be served by her. That meant Jeongin’s eyes were constantly on her, ready to step in at any given moment.

“It’ll be faster if you just start barking at people. Then everyone would think you’re crazy and people won’t pay attention to her. Are you trying to burn holes into her skull?”

“Can you not for one day y/n?” he rolled his eyes.

“I’ll stop if you stop first,” I wink before adding, “If anyone so much as looked at her the wrong way Chan, Younghyun, and Jaehyung would be there in seconds you know.”

“There’s just been a lot more creeps lately and it’s been really packed.”

“It can’t be helped. It’s summer vacation for college students so everyone’s going out to de-stress from exams. Why so overprotective anyways?”

“She got bullied in high school. She’s the type to say what she wants so a lot of the girls didn’t like her and a lot of the guys bad mouthed her because she rejected them bluntly.”

“Oh? she looks so pleasant I would’ve taken her as a pushover.”

“Wait why am I even telling you this?” He blinked a few times at the realization.

“Because we’re good friends obviously,” I leaned forward with a smile.

“Whatever, I’m telling the hyungs you dropped the honorifics.”

“No you aren’t.”

      There was a call from the kitchen and he briskly walked away. I shrugged it off since he was still working after all but as I watched his figure disappear into the kitchen, the next thing I knew Jaehyung bursted from the door and stormed over. My mouth fell agape at Jeongin who was watching me from the kitchen door snickering to himself. Snitch.

“l/n y/n!”

“Jaehyung-oppa listen-”

      Safe to say I was thoroughly lectured but it was worth it to know I made him smile… albeit because of my sorrow but minor details. Jaehyung asked to go home together again so I sat quietly in my corner seat as they had a store meeting. Watching them interact, now and throughout my time here, their dynamic was really something. Jaehyung and Younghyun act like they hate each other and are at each other’s throats yet they match each other’s energy to work perfectly together, Chan is like the middle child who acts like the youngest but will step up when needed, Jimin always butts heads with everyone but she still makes sure everyone is cared for, and lastly there are the two newest members Jeongin and Gahyeon… long term friends from school with the same sunshine type energy that every one of the older employees love to dote on like some dysfunctional… family… 

      Allowing my mind to fill itself with thoughts of Jeongin recently, I nearly forgot what time of year it was. Almost. My thoughts betrayed me and not wanting to make Jaehyung’s worrying/nagging worse I stepped out into the summer night. First it was just the loneliness setting in but it's different now with certain annoyances making an appearance last year. It’s like they’re watching and waiting… haunting me to make sure I can’t be happy for the rest of my life. All because of something I had no control over. As I tried to collect myself before I went down the family trauma rabbit hole, I received a text notification and rolled my eyes at the message. A strong urge to throw my phone came over me as my vision blurred red for a second and felt my arm raise for a moment, phone in hand, before a voice brought me back to my senses.

“Regardless of whatever you saw on there, I would advise you not to break your phone unless you can afford a new one.”

      Of all the people, he was not the one I pegged as someone who would’ve followed me out here. My brain was racing to pull itself together, still spiralling from the earlier train of thought, that my response exposed how confused I was.

“Jeongin? What are you doing out here? Aren’t you guys having a meeting?” 

“Yeah but hyung keeps looking to make sure you don’t leave so I decided to take one for the team and tell you to come back in so he can focus.”

“And here I thought you came out for me,” I joke as my arm falls back to my side, my snarky smartass persona finally loading up again.

“Whatever makes you happy,” he rolls his eyes before asking, “Is something going on though? You almost threw your phone and hyung usually isn’t this antsy with you.”

      He noticed? I couldn’t help the small surge of happiness that shot through me but of all the things why did he have to notice this? As tense as I was at his observation, I threw on my usual smile and did what I did best.

“Awww so we really are friends, you care,” I tease and he glared back at me. “Everything’s fine, really. Jaehyung-oppa thinks I get kinda weird around this time of year cause something happened last year. He’ll be back to normal by next week.”

“... okay. Are you gonna stay out here? We’re basically done anyways,” he responded as he glanced at the group inside before eyeing me suspiciously.

“Yeah, let him know please. Also let him know to stop being a worrywart.”

“Tell him that yourself.”

      With a huff he walked back in and I was finally able to relax. Leaning against the window with a sigh, I wished it was winter so I could watch the smoke curl from my lips into the air. It’s oddly calming to watch it disappear and to feel the chill set in my bones. Instead I’m left with the stifling heat of summer and the slightly unsettling thought that Jeongin possibly saw through the act… I’m such a mess. I want him to pay attention to me and now that he has I’m getting antsy. Well this is the only exception I guess, Jaehyung only knows cause he saw it happen. If I had it my way no one would know. Once in the safety of my four walls, I fell into my bed with a groan. Today kinda sucked but I knew it would only get worse until that day comes. Looking at my desk in the corner of the living room with unfinished work strewn across its surface, I let out a sigh. Might as well work to get my mind off it.

      Ding. Ding. Ding. Drowsily raising my head from my desk, I rubbed my eyes in annoyance. The sun was up and Jaehyung knew my door code so who is being so irritating this early? Looking at the intercom monitor, I should’ve known it would be one of those vermin. With a groan I went to “greet” my half-sister, clad in her expensive private school uniform, as I glared and leaned against the door frame.

“To what do I owe the honor of a visit from the princess herself?”

“You weren’t answering mom’s messages and she wanted to make sure you’d be coming home for dinner this weekend.”

“Let me guess. Grandma is invited so I have to show up to make you people look good? Not interested so leave.”

“Don’t act so high and mighty. If you didn’t want to be a part of this family you shouldn’t have-”

“Get it right,” I sneered. “Your mother kicked me out for being a reminder of her husband’s infidelity and was forced to sign away my rights to the family and shares left to me in dad’s will just so I could get the money he left me for college. I’m sorry I actually care to visit dad besides his death anniversary and happen to run into grandma, nothing changes the fact that I’m the illegitimate child right? So run along before you’re late.”

      She stamped her foot and huffed at my indifferent face and challenging tone before turning on her heel and stomping to the elevator. I tiredly rubbed my face before running a frustrated hand through my hair. I did not need this first thing in the morning. Back inside my apartment, I grabbed my phone and called my best friend.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this early morning wakeup call?” He groaned in annoyance. We both weren’t morning people.

“How early can we hang out?”

“Depends. On a scale of “I miss you” to “I want to pull my hair out,” how bad is it?”

“Younghee blew up my doorbell at seven in the morning to tell me to have dinner with them.”

“Oof. I’m shadowing my dad today but tomorrow night for sure, okay? I promise we’ll have fun and you can forget about them. ”

“Our handsome Changbinie is so great~ This is why you’re my best friend.”

“Shut up, I’m still two years older and I’m your only friend y/n.”

“No, I have Jaehyung-oppa and the others from the pub!”

“How can you be friends with someone who doesn’t like your best friend? I didn’t even do anything to Jaehyung-hyung to be hated like this.”

“I don’t like you and you are my best friend.”

“I- Nope, you love me by default because I’m the only one who knows all your secrets,” he countered.

“Who said you’re the only one?”

“Lover boy doesn’t count. He was drunk and probably doesn’t remember plus it’s not like you’ll see him again.”

“Wrong. I can since I have~”

“Young master, President Seo says you must get ready.”

“That’s me,” he groans, “you better catch me up! Maybe your life won’t be a revenge drama afterall," he gasped teasingly. "Is it a romantic comedy?”

“Shut up, does that make you the second lead dearest best friend?” He faked a gag and I chuckled, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

[code-verxnica]

Okay I’m a do another character thingy if you’re stilling doing it asdjkkj

Vincent valentine 💔

HIM!! BINCENT BALENTINE ❤️

send me a character and i’ll list:

favourite thing about them

You meet him. While he’s sleeping. In a coffin. Sir you’re a goth (yes I know the story but I had to make the joke ;3)

I dig his personality and his outfit. His background as a Turk.... bro.... a pretty boy...who broods.... (as someone who likes Jason Todd and Bruce Wayne, I IMMEDIATELY took to Vincent) Looks like the long lost brother of Dante and Vergil from Devil May Cry just with black hair instead of silver.

least favourite thing about them

I love the trope where people who can turn into monsters but why are his limit breaks like that ;-; (idk maybe once I get used to them my tune will change)

favourite line

“Our battlefield is now beneath the Earth.. The gate to tomorrow is not the light of Heaven, but the darkness of the depths of the Earth.”

Had to look it up cause I didn’t remember the full quote but, that is some dramatic stuff right there and I love it

brOTP

Literally everyone in the party

*slams hands on the table* GIVE ME THAT SWEET SWEET SEMI DYSFUNCTIONAL FOUND FAMILY

OTP

I think I’ve seen him be shipped with Cloud, Tifa and Cid (don’t know who I ship him with personally but I think there’s potential with the three I mentioned)

nOTP

Nothing against it but uhhh Vincent and Lucrecia (the whole thing with the baby and Hojo) yeah...

random headcanon

Everyone always writes down whatever he says cause it’s pure gold

Absolutely has written poetry. I mean come on

Yuffie and Marlene braid his hair sometimes. It makes them happy and he actually quite likes the little intricate braids they make.

unpopular opinion

Listen, I love FF7. LIKE A LOT. I will talk off Bee, Val and Mirage’s ears off about it if I could.

But I absolutely would have loved it if 7 was about Cloud, Zack, Aerith, Vincent, Red XIII and Sephiroth, teaming up and going on an adventure to beat up Hojo. Tifa, Barret, Cid, Yuffie, Jesse, Biggs and Wedge all show up to support them on their mission. The Turks are still there but I’d like to think they’d ease off on once they found out the groups mission.

Also, I don’t think Vincent is Sephiroth’s dad 🤷🏼‍♀️

And Dirge of Cerberus is not the best game ever but it’s certainly not the worst either

song i associate with them

✨Vincent Vibes✨

favourite picture of them

Not a picture but:

MWCKWKDKWMWK 👉🏻👈🏻 The moment he shows up in like part 2 of the remake I am GONE

Send In A Character And I’ll Tell You What I Think About Them! ❤️

[luvknow]

sincerely, hwang hyunjin

genre: ceo!fem reader x assistant!hyunjin | light humor ; fluff ; fake dating ; swearing ; alcohol consumption ; you have Lots of Money summary: being the company’s youngest ceo of one of the top soju brands in the country does not get easier as the days pass. you’re forever thankful for your assistant, hwang hyunjin, who knows everything about you and what it takes to keep your head on your shoulders. wc: 6.5k a/n: inspired by this post!

“Good morning, Miss _____!”

You were barely walking down the hallway towards your office when you heard Hyunjin’s greeting echo loudly, as it always did. When you asked him his first year of working here how he even knew it was you, he told you it was the way your heels clicked on the tiles. Apparently you just exuded CEO vibes by the way you walked, and it was one of the best compliments you’ve ever received. You’ll never understand why he doesn’t just wait for you to approach his desk to say hello, but you’d rather not question his, uh, uniqueness. It’s been like that for five years now, so there was no use in asking him to change his ways.

“Good morning, Hyunjin,” you replied groggily. “Do you want to get some coffee with me -”

The boy eagerly hands you your long-awaited iced americano with an extra shot of espresso. A sense of pride spread through his body as he saw your eyes glitter adoringly at the bitter drink.

“You’re a lifesaver,” you cried out.

“I know ~”

“Do you know what’s on the schedule today?”

“Yes, and you’re not going to like it.”

“Great... Break the news to me.”

“At 9, you have a conference call with the presidents of the company; at 10, you have a quick meeting with the quality assurance and control team to taste batch #003267; at 10:30, you have an interview set up for the opening office position; and at noon, you have lunch with your father.”

“Uuuuuuggggghhhhhhhh,” you groaned loudly and unladylike at the last part.

Ever since you took over the company, the only thing your father ever talked to you about was work. He’d ask about his favorite employees, how the product was selling, and how the competition was doing. He’d never how you were doing, or what was going on with your life outside of work - hell, he’s even asked how Hyunjin was doing! But never you.

“You’ll be coming with me to lunch, right?” you practically begged him.

“... Do I have to?”

“No, but I would really love it if you did ~ Please ~?” you pouted cutely.

Hyunjin sighed exaggeratedly. He could never say no to you when you looked at him like that. Who was he to say no to his boss, after all? “... Fine...”

“Thank God.”

“I feel like ever since I started here, I’ve been with you to every occasion where you’ve had to meet up with your father.”

“Not every occasion... It’s not like I have you there for the Holidays.”

“But you have tried to get me to be,” he accused. “You even bribed me with overtime pay.”

“Which you so foolishly rejected.”

“You know salary workers don’t get overtime pay, right?”

“Overtime, holiday bonus, potato, tomato, it’s all the same! You get more money out of it,” you muttered bitterly.

Hyunjin just rolled his eyes. You were always grumpy like this on Mondays, so your attitude was no surprise to him. He never found it annoying, or anything anyways. In fact, he thought you were quite cute like this, but he’d never admit that to your face in fear of you calling Human Resources on him.

From the start of your schedule until lunchtime, things went smoothly as they usually did. Of course your favorite part was the Quality Assurance testing - you never cared much for the chemistry behind all of the brewing and details of the soju, but you still took part in the testing because you got to drink shot after shot on the clock to make sure the flavors brewed tasted how they normally do.

“You know you can have a taste, too ~” you tempted the tall boy beside you before downing the last shot.

“No, thank you. I’ll never be able to take five shots of soju at 10:00am ever again,” he groaned.

“Ah, yes... I remember I had to have my driver take Little Trainee Hyunjin home because you were puking.”

“I was so sure you would have fired me after that.”

“No way! You did everything I asked of you when you were a trainee. I couldn’t lose such a valuable person so soon.”

“Glad to hear that my value at this company relies on me doing anything you say and almost dying because of it...”

“Don’t be so dramatic, Hyunjin,” you scoffed. “Though it is your job to do what I ask.”

“... So...”

When lunch rolls around, you’re not surprised that your father picks some fancy, probably Michelin Star restaurant with no customers inside because only people with your father’s money could afford to eat at a place like this. As you begrudgingly walk inside, you could tell Hyunjin was nervous. He wasn’t nervous because he was meeting your father - he’s done that plenty of times already. He’s nervous because he always felt out of place whenever he’s in public places with you. Whether you’d take him with you to business trips or simply treating him out to a nice lunch as a close friend, he always knew someone like him didn’t belong in places like these. No matter how hard you tried to convince him that being with you meant that he belonged, too, it never eased his nerves, so you learned to just let him calm down on his own.

You spotted not only your father, but your mother also, sitting at one of the tables and panic began to rise in your chest. Your Mom never liked to talk business when the whole family was together, so this must have been some other serious matter. Now you regretted bringing Hyunjin along. The poor boy was about to witness how dysfunctional your family was.

“Hi, Mom and Dad,” you greeted nervously. “I, uh, brought Hyunjin along because I thought this was a business meeting...”

“That’s all right, I should have told you your mother was coming,” your father smiled uncharacteristically. “It’s always a pleasure to have Mr. Hwang around.”

“Hello, Sir. Ma’am,” Hyunjin bowed deeply.

“No need for formalities. Please, have a seat.”

You and Hyunjin gave each other a quick side glance before sitting as if you two were kids caught doing something bad and now you were in trouble. Hyunjin probably was clear of all scolding that would be said today, but you were as ready as you’d ever be to receive all the nagging.

“The reason we wanted to meet with you today is because the big Charity Gala for foster children is coming up soon,” your Mom began. “You’ll be representing the company.”

“Of course.”

“Do you have anyone in mind you’ll be bringing as a date?”

“Uh, no? Can’t I just go alone?”

“Honey, this is the biggest Charity Gala of the year! You can’t just show up alone to these events,” she tisked. “It’s bad for publicity. Besides, wouldn’t this be a great reason to go out and meet someone?”

“Mom, where am I going to find a boyfriend in that short amount of time?”

“I’m not saying find a boyfriend just like that, I mean...”

Your father sighed at your mother’s lack of words. “What she’s trying to say is don’t you think it’s time to start dating...? Find someone you could marry one day?”

“What? Where is all of this coming from?”

“Nowhere! We’re just worried about you."

“What’s there to worry about? That I won’t bring a date to yet another gala full of your stuck up business friends? Who has the time to worry about that, anyways? Or the time to even consider dating when I’m running an entire enterprise on my own!?” Before your once-normal volume could reach the point of yelling, Hyunjin kicked you lightly under the table to let you know you were getting out of hand. You cleared your throat after you calmed down.

“Ok, you don’t have to bring a date,” your father began. “But I want you to talk to people while you’re there. Maybe you’ll meet someone you really like. I know a lot of men and their sons who will be attending and I can assure you they are good people, so just socialize a bit, ok?”

“Fine.”

“Good. I think this calls for a bottle of wine, if you ask me.”

The meal was mostly spent talking about work and the upcoming gala. Your father had already donated a healthy amount to the organization and instructed you to prepare some bullshit speech about how much you cared for everyone involved. The latter end of the meal was then spent catching up with Hyunjin’s personal life. Somehow you always knew that Hyunjin was like the son your parents had always wanted, so it was no surprise seeing how much they grew to love him in these past five years. There were times when you’d be so jealous of the little bits of affection he received, but what parent wouldn’t love him? He was a sweet, handsome, and smart boy - the poster child for the perfect kid.

“God, can you believe them!?” you groaned when you two arrived back at the office. “Forcing me to talk to their crusty old friends and their snobby sons as if I can’t get a man of my own - you know, they never believed in me as a child.”

“Yes, you’ve mentioned that before...”

“And like, why is bringing a date to these things a social requirement these days!? I don’t want to lug around some stupid boy as an accessory!”

“You don’t have any friends you’d want to bring?” Hyunjin asked.

“They’re all going, too, and with dates probably...”

As you both arrived to your desks, Hyunjin went ahead and sat back down in his, but you hadn’t walked into your office yet. Curiously, he looked up at you with a raised brow and noticed the childlike pout you had on your lips.

“What...?” Hyunjin asked nervously. Then it clicked in his head what you were silently begging for. “Oh, no.”

“Please ~?” you begged cutely.

“I refuse to attend a Gala where men’s cufflinks cost more than my paycheck.”

“I will literally buy you cufflinks, just please be my date!” 

Shamelessly, you got down on your knees in front of his desk and took his hands in yours. Your pouty, bug-eyed face was now in full-view in front of Hyunjin and he had no way of avoiding it. He should be used to this by now, since he always caved in to what you wanted when you did this, but he’ll still always blush whenever you held his hands.

“C’mon, please? You’ll be with me the whole time and we get to dress fancy, eat good food, drink expensive champagne - it’ll be fun, I promise.”

“I don’t have the proper attire -”

“Not a problem, let’s go shopping!” you cheered, pulling the confused boy up from his desk.

“Miss _____, we have a lot of work to do today -!”

“Which can be completed tomorrow.”

Hyunjin dramatically groaned as you dragged him out of the building, though he wasn’t complaining. These past couple of days, there was a lot of work to be done, so he was thankful for a break finally. It’s also been a while since the two of you spent time together outside of the office, and it was even more rare to see that you were excited about something. He’d never been so eagerly dragged out of the office before, let alone being hand-in-hand with you. You hadn’t let go until you walked into the elevator, went down thirty floors, walked out of the building, and into the car, as if you were afraid Hyunjin would make a break for it if you hadn’t been holding onto him.

You always adored how your hands fit so perfectly.

Hyunjin had one, maybe two suits buried somewhere in his closet. He’d wear them when you two went out to business dinners with potential buyers, but other than that, he had no reason to wear them, so he was excited to finally dust them off for this gala. Thinking you two were only going to to shop for cufflinks and maybe a tie, Hyunjin was surprised when the car pulled up to one of the country’s top suit stores, or whatever you call them.

“Eh? What are we doing here?” he asked when you both walked in.

“Buying you a suit?” you stated obviously.

“Wait, what? Miss _____, you don’t have to do that.”

“But I want to. Think of this as a present for tolerating me these past five years.”

“Miss _____...”

“And what did I say about the Miss?”

“To not call you that.”

“Yet you still do, huh? We’re friends, you know that, right?”

“Of course I do, but you’re still my boss.”

“We’re not even in the office!” you pouted.

“Ah, Miss _____, you’re so cute like a child,” Hyunjin snickered. “How are you so scary and cute at the same time.”

“That’s the best compliment I’ve ever received.”

Hyunjin didn’t have the worst taste in clothing - in fact, he’s consistently won best dressed as a superlative at the office - but when it came to actual formal wear, he had no idea what to look for.

“You said you’re wearing black, right?” he asked while flipping through his tenth rack of suit jackets.

“Yeah. The fabric is satin, if that helps.”

“I didn’t think that mattered...”

“Oh, Hyunjin, you helpless boy...”

You really hoped he would be the one to find something he liked, but after an hour of searching, you figured he needed a little help, so you shoved five complete designer suit sets in different shades and fabrics of black for him to try on. You knew this decision was going to be hard when he showed you wearing every single one and he looked good in all of them.

“They all look good on you,” you sighed. “I hate you.”

“I can’t help that I’m beautiful,” Hyunjin wore a bashful smile on his face as he smoothened the velvet suit jacket in front of the mirror. “I think I like this one the most.”

“Me, too. Let’s buy it.”

Hyunjin had never felt so embarrassed to purchase something before. When you were checking out at the register and you handed the cashier your heavy credit card, they eyed you both suspiciously and Hyunjin avoided eye contact out of embarrassment. In the eyes of the cashier and your blushing assistant, it must have looked like you were his Sugar Mama, or something.

“Why are you always so shy when we go shopping? People are going to have the wrong idea about us,” you scolded in the car.

“It’s embarrassing! Not even my Mom buys me things anymore...”

“Ah, so ungrateful.”

“Miss _____, that’s not what I -”

“Relax, I know you didn’t mean it that way. You don’t always have to be so tense around me, you know. We’ve worked together for a long time.”

“I just... I feel bad because I can’t pay you back.”

“You already have.”

“How!?”

“By dealing with me, of course.”

Throughout the rest of the car ride, Hyunjin can’t help but wonder if you would have done the same to anyone else. If you asked someone else to go with you to the Charity Gala, would you have bought them a suit, too? And why didn’t you ask someone else to go with you? He knows you have guy friends of much higher status than him that would give up their own arm to be in his position. It would do wonders on your reputation if you went with someone who was as highly-regarded as yourself to this gala and yet you chose someone as lowly as him, and for the past five years, he still doesn’t understand why.

What surprised him the most was how you’ve been single for nearly your whole life. Sure, you’ve been on a couple of dates here and there, but he’s never heard of you ever having a long-term boyfriend or even going on a second date. But how was that possible, when men of all ages and bank accounts have lined up for your attention ever since you took over the company?

Though looking back on all of the guys you once dated or the ones who pined over you, none of them could ever measure up to you. None of them even deserved the dates you so generously went on. To even share the same space with you was a privilege in itself, and for that, Hyunjin was grateful.

No one ever saw you the way Hyunjin did everyday. Others only saw you as cold and bossy and described you as such. Maybe if you were your father, or just a man, you would be seen as hard working and a natural leader, but that wouldn’t be the case for a long time. But Hyunjin saw you as hard working and a natural-born leader. You had a lot of pressure on your shoulders, so of course there were moments when you weren’t your most pleasant. But no one ever saw you during the holidays when you’d leave little presents on people’s desks, or when you giggled at kitten videos on your desktop, or the way your lips pouted when you were really tired.

No one else saw you as a girl or even a human. They only saw you as the boss. Hyunjin saw you as everything. You were his boss, a beautiful woman, and most importantly, his friend. You two have come a long way in five years, and Hyunjin hoped the years would continue on.

But one day, you’ll find someone you’ll fall in love with. Someone who will look at you for you, and not for your money. He would see you the way Hyunjin would see you and you’d return his gaze with such love in your eyes.

Whomever your future was with, he’d be a lucky man.

Tonight was another night spent with dry, old people dressed in fabrics richer than even your own paycheck. At least you’d be able to milk out the bar and the hors d’oeuvres platters with Hyunjin by your side.

As you were fixing your hair almost ready to go pick up your date, the doorbell rang. Curiously and cautiously, you went down to open the doors only to reveal a nervous, but suave Hyunjin on the other side.

Your handsome assistant was dressed in his all-black with the velvet jacket suit you bought him last week. He wore his hair completely different than when he did at the office. Rather than his bangs covering his forehead, he styled them with a charming curl that revealed his forehead.

“Hyunjin, what are you doing here? I was going to pick you up.”

His mouth was open, but no words came out, for he was too stunned to speak when you swung the door wide open to reveal you in your dress. He’s seen you in probably a million dresses before this one, but none ever made him as speechless as this one.

You were so, so beautiful.

His gawking was making your cheeks burn.

“I-I, uh...” he stuttered. “I didn’t want you to go out of your way...”

That boy was a real sweetheart. What did you ever do to deserve him?

“C’mon, let’s get this night over with,” you said, trying to hide your embarrassed smile.

Pulling up to the Gala was like pulling up at a red carpet event. The driver dropped you two off right at the front door where all the other CEOs and their sons filed in with their arm candy. Hyunjin was too afraid to open the door.

“Can you do me a favor tonight, Hyunjin?” you asked.

“Of course, Miss _____. Anything.”

“Will you pretend to be my boyfriend?”

The boy nearly choked on his own spit. “Wh-What!?”

“You can say no, of course.”

“No, I’ll pretend, but why? Is it so you don’t have to explain to anyone that you don’t have one?”

“Well yes, but I just thought it’d be fun.”

With a playful smirk, you exited the car first and strut your way to the main entrance with a stumbling Hyunjin following closely behind you.

“Ready to play house?” you teased.

“I practically play house with you whenever you drag me along to meet with your parents,” he scoffed.

“Good. Pretend this is one of those times.”

Pausing in the foyer, you held your hand out to your date, who only looked at it questioningly.

“Hm?” he asked, raising his brow cutely.

“Pretend boyfriends usually hold hands with their pretend girlfriends.”

With a sudden, foreign confidence, Hyunjin laced his hands with yours and followed your lead inside the main ballroom. Your eyes twinkled with the string lights that dripped from the ceiling and although your eyes danced about the room, taking in all the flowers and decorations, Hyunjin never took his eyes off of you.

“Miss _____!”

Not even five minutes inside and one of your father’s old business pals was approaching you and Hyunjin eagerly with his wife by his side.

“Hello, Mr. Choi,” you greeted respectfully.

“It’s so nice to see you again! I see you’re doing well. Who’s this?”

All eyes landed on your assistant and you can tell he’s nervous by the way he squeezed your hand tightly as if begging you for help. It was quite cute, actually.

“This is my boyfriend, Hyunjin,” you answered quickly.

“Boyfriend? Is that so? What do you do, Hyunjin?”

“O-Oh, well, I...”

“Oh look, Mr. Park wants to say hello! If you’ll excuse us.”

Before Mr. Choi could stop you, you dragged your date to the other end of the room and ended up hiding behind some waiters handing out the hors d’oeuvres. Shamelessly and bitterly, you let go of Hyunjin’s hand to shove a few pieces down your throat.

“Wow, I’ve never seen you so... barbaric...” he snickered. “You couldn’t think of a made-up profession for me?”

“Trust me, if I did, we’d be stuck in an hour-long conversation about the one semester you spent overseas for medical school, or some bullshit like that. There’s no use to lying to these people. All they want to do is one-up you and see who has the most money...”

“You think we can avoid all of those conversations tonight?”

“We can definitely try. Champagne?”

You stole two glasses of sparkling champagne from a moving platter and handed one to an eager Hyunjin who looked equally ready to loosen up a little with some drinks.

When the drink touched his lips, his face twisted cutely in disgust. 

“This shit’s gross!” he groaned. 

“I know, right?”

“How do you rich people drink this!?”

“By chugging it.”

“You know, it’s a real mystery why you don’t have a boyfriend when you exude so much class.”

“Hey, low blow, fake boyfriend.”

Throughout the night, while you both were avoiding all questions directed towards Hyunjin and his made-up profession (to which you decided he was an up and coming fashion designer), you recognized a bunch of peers who have now done the same as you and took over their father’s companies. You could say you grew up with some of these people - as a kid, your parents would sometimes take you along to business dinners and you’d along play with their kid and your parents would be weird and comment on how one day, you two would get married.

That only really happened with a couple of them, but one boy in particular was your parents’ favorite.

“If it isn’t my childhood sweetheart, Miss _____,” you heard a familiar voice call.

Hyunjin had left you to go to the bathroom, so you were stuck at one of the tables scrolling through your phone. When you looked up, a cheeky smile grew on your face when you saw who the owner of the voice was.

“If it isn’t my future husband, Mr. Joshua Hong,” you teased.

The boy hopped into a seat next to you with a wide grin and boy, did you forget how handsome he was. Unlike all the other business men, Joshua liked to wear red to events, and he stood out amongst the crowd so easily, but red was definitely his color.

“How’s my mistress doing? Your empire doing well?” He asked, referring to your company.

“Whoa, if anything, you’re the mistress.”

“I can’t be the mistress if I’m the one with the fiance!”

“You have a fiance? You, Playboy Joshua Hong?”

“Yeah, she’s over there talking to some of the other wives,” he pointed out.

A beautiful woman made eye contact with the both of you and Joshua happily waved over to her. She grew a gorgeous and loving smile and waved back to the man she was so in love with. In more ways than one, jealousy bubbled in the pit of your stomach. Whether it’s because you wished you were her or because even a former playboy like your friend was able to find the love of his life and you still haven’t, you were so jealous that even he found someone to spend the rest of his life with.

It seems that everyone here has.

“Sorry I took so long,” Hyunjin apologized, sitting on the opposite side of you.

“Oh? Miss _____, are you cheating on me?” Joshua teased.

“Huh...?”

“Shut up, Hong. This is my co-worker, Hyunjin. Hyunjin, this is Joshua Hong, an old friend of mine. We kind of grew up together.”

“Co-worker or assistant?” Joshua scoffed.

“They’re the same thing, you asshat.”

“Are you two dating?”

“No, we’re just pretending.”

“Ah, so you’re still single ~?”

“Go back to your fiance, you weirdo,” you blushed, playfully shoving the boy out of his seat.

“I really should, she looks desperate for help. The wedding invitations are being sent out soon, so look out for one, ok? Bring Hyunjin along if you’d like,” he winked.

After the charming man left, you watched him run up to his fiance and wrap his arms around her protectively. He whisked her away from the nasty women of the business she was talking to and planted little butterfly kisses on the side of her head. At one point in your life, you thought that could have been you getting married to him. But you never liked him in that way and you’re happy that he found someone who could ten-fold. If only you had someone who saw you the way Joshua saw his fiance.

“Is he an ex-boyfriend?” Hyunjin asked.

“Not really. We never dated, but our parents wanted us to, so it’s an on-going joke that even if we’re seeing someone that we’re each other’s mistress, or something.”

“How come you never dated?”

You shrugged. “When we took over our respective companies, we haven’t really kept in touch. I thought I would never get the time to date, but somehow he did, and now he’s getting married...”

A deep, lonely sigh escaped your lips at the thought of your future with someone else. It seemed like you were the only one here without a legitimate partner and the fear of never finding someone to pour your love into was seeping in.

Hyunjin suddenly got u from his seat and held his hand out to you.

“What...?” you asked.

“Let’s dance.”

“Huh? Why?”

He shrugged. “I like this song. And I don’t like seeing you like this.”

Gladly, you took the hand of your handsome date and he led you to the dance floor where you danced the night away to the DJ’s odd mix of pop and waltz. Hyunjin really knew his way around the dance floor and you were quite surprised. It was like you didn’t know him at all. Time seemed to pass over you because as the night ended, you and Hyunjin were one of a few couples left in the venue.

“Oh jeez, we lost track of time, huh?” you noted.

It wasn’t unusual for Hyunjin. He always seemed to lose concept of time when he was with you.

“I’m hungry. Wanna get some pork belly and soju?” you asked, practically begging him with your eager and sparkly eyes.

“More drinking?” Hyunjin groaned. “I am hungry, though...”

“Loosen up a little, Jinnie, it’s the weekend,” you said, walking ahead of the stunned boy. You’ve never given him a nickname before.

“But I didn’t bring a change of clothes.”

“So?”

“Aren’t we a little over dressed?”

“Hyunjin, my love, if anything everyone else is under dressed.”

How much champagne did you drink tonight for you to be calling him these nicknames and pet names? And since when did you not care about ruining your clothes? Either way, he kind of liked this side of you. He wondered if he ever met you in college, would you act as careless?

Normally, you’d ask for your driver to take you, but the restaurant wasn’t that far away from the Gala venue and it was a beautiful night to be strolling the streets. Humming softly, you led the way and Hyunjin followed behind as he normally did and watched you adoringly. Your normal work walk was a powerful and dominating stride, but in this moment, you were dancing and skipping about like a little girl. Sometimes you’d look back to make sure he was following, and when your eyes met, you made sure you smiled with your cherry-red lips.

He hoped he could see you like this more often after tonight.

On a Saturday night, your favorite barbecue place was packed with all sorts of people - young college students, old business men, laughing wives - you and Hyunjin fit right in, if you said so yourself. When you walked in, only a few heads turned to gawk at you both, but then kept at their business afterwards.

“This place is huge... Do you come here a lot, Miss _____?” Hyunjin asked.

“Once in a while.”

“_____-ah!” one of the aunties yelled from the kitchen. “Back again this week, huh? Are you having the usual?”

“Yes, please!” you grinned. Next to you, Hyunjin gave you an accusing side glance. “Ok, so I come here a couple of times in a while, sue me.”

You led Hyunjin to your favorite table in the back where it wasn’t too loud but it wasn’t too secluded, either. Your usual waiter, already knowing your order, brought over your favorite bottle of soju and said the barbecue would be out for you to cook shortly. Hyunjin was amazed at how well the workers here knew you and your order. How often did you come here? And with whom? Were you sneaking off with someone he didn’t know about?

“So who do you usually come here with?” Hyunjin asked, hoping he didn’t sound too curious.

“No one,” you shrugged. “I usually come here alone.”

“Alone? Why?”

“Because I like the food? And who would I even go with?”

“You never ask me to come here with you.” Hyunjin sounded a bit insulted that you didn’t even think to ask him to come here with you, but at least you weren’t with someone he didn’t know about.

“Hyunjin, I could never ask you to spend even more time with me than you already do.”

“But you know I’d gladly do so.”

“It’s part of your job, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but I like my job, which means I like spending time with you. So please, don’t come here alone anymore. I’ll come with you.”

“Are you worried about me, Hyunjin?”

“N-No, I just don’t want you to feel lonely.”

You sighed deeply at the lovable boy across from you. “I often wonder what I ever did to deserve you.” You poured Hyunjin a shot of the soju and held it up to cheers. “Cheers to us, hm?”

“Wow, you’re drinking our competition? You’re cheating, Miss _____,” he teased.

“As long as you don’t tell my father ~”

Hyunjin didn’t drink much after the first shot you poured. He only really cared about the pork belly that kept on coming out plate after plate even before you guys finished the previous one. He wasn’t one to complain, though - the gala only served hors d’oeuvres the whole night and he was starving. But you weren’t eating as much as him. Rather, you opted for the soju and even when Hyunjin stopped drinking you kept on going until you finished a couple of bottles. You hadn’t eaten much before arriving, either, so he can only imagine how the alcohol was affecting you right now. He was thankful he was here with you so you weren’t alone.

The whole night, you two reminisced about the good ol’ days when he was still a trainee and all the silly mistakes he made.

“Remember when you ripped your pants during your presentation?” you tried to spit out between giggles.

“How could I forget? Your father bought me a new pair for keeping my composure throughout the whole thing...”

“Aha, and you had your little Ryan plush boxers on, too!”

“Hey, those are my lucky pair! Don’t make fun of them!”

“I’m not! They’re really cute!” you hiccuped.

“I think that’s enough soju for you,” he scolded, taking away the almost empty bottle.

“No wait, lemme just finish it!” you pouted. “As your boss, I am ordering you to give me the bottle!”

“As your friend, I’m putting my foot down and saying no more. C’mon, I’ll walk you home.”

You sighed dramatically as Hyunjin dragged you to pay out your bill to which you literally shoved him away before he could hand auntie his card. You would never let Hyunjin pay for you! Your precious date only rolled his eyes in response, but he couldn’t even pretend to be upset with you, especially when your cheeks were so pink. 

While walking next to each other, Hyunjin made sure to keep a close eye on you. Luckily, you were still able to walk properly. You even proved further how fine you were by dancing and skipping again. You looked so happy like this. Again, he wondered how you were still single when even in your most vulnerable moments, you were so pretty and likable. But then he watched your smile quickly melt into a lonely frown, your eyes staring at nothing but the sidewalk, and he thinks that maybe you’re thinking the same thing.

“Miss _____, can I ask you something?” he asked when you stopped dancing.

“Only if you drop the Miss once and for all.”

“I’ll drop it for tonight.”

“Deal. What’s your question?”

You saw Hyunjin fiddle with his fingers. “What your parents said the other day, about finally dating, and what not... Do you not want to date anyone?”

A pathetic smile casted upon your painted lips. “Where is this coming from all of a sudden?”

“I just... don’t get it.”

“Why?”

“You’re so... I-I mean, how... Anyone would be so lucky to be with you. And so many do, but you never go on dates with them.”

“Hyunjin, of course I want to date. Of course I want to fall in love - to be loved. I want to come home to someone who will kiss me hello and go to sleep with someone who will hold me against their chest. I want to feel like I’m flying, like I could conquer the whole industry - no, the world - when they’re standing next to me. But how can I when I dedicated my life to the business world? I barely get five hours of sleep a night. The answer is I simply don’t have time, and...” you paused.

“And...”

“And who would love someone like me? A cold, bitter workaholic. I’m simply not lovable.”

Hyunjin halted in his tracks and grabbed onto your wrist, pulling you in so you were forced to look at him. Your eyes looked so tired - five years worth of staying up late and waking up early, having the weight of the business world on your shoulders. But more than anything, you were lonely, and he saw it right in front of him.

“What are you doing?” you asked.

“Don’t ever say that about yourself,” he said sternly. “You are so special, Miss _____. Yes, you’re a workaholic and you’re strict and sure, sometimes you’re a bit bitter -”

“I feel ten times better.”

“Hold on, I’m getting to my point,” Hyunjin giggled cutely. “You’re also intelligent, kind, silly, selfless, and a million other things. Miss _____, anyone would be so, so lucky to have you.”

Hyunjin looked down at the hand that held your wrist. Gently, his thumb traced little circles on your skin and you raised a teasing brow at your lovable assistant.

“Hwang Hyunjin,” you addressed, making him snap his head up quickly. You only said his last name when he was in trouble.

“Y-Yes?”

“Are you in love with me?”

“Huh!? I-I... W-Well, uh -”

“Are you in love with your boss, Hwang Hyunjin?” You adjusted his grip on your wrist so that he held your hand instead and took a step closer to the nervous boy. Who wouldn’t be nervous after a blatant confession?

“I... Of course I am,” he muttered quietly.

“Hm? I couldn’t hear that,” you teased. “One more time for me?”

“I love you, Miss _____,” Hyunjin said, tucking your hair behind your ears.

“Mm, I could get used to that,” you hummed, dragging Hyunjin down the street.

“I’m really hoping you don’t remember this in the morning.”

“You know I never forget anything, Mr. Hwang ~”

“That is unfortunately very true...”

The walk home was incredibly brutal. It was an hour walk away from the restaurant and yet neither of you bothered to call your driver or a cab. When your feet began to hurt in your heels, Hyunjin didn’t hesitate to bend down and give you a piggy back ride home.

“You must really love me if you’re doing this,” you giggled, pressing your cheek to his.

“Will you ever let this down, Miss _____?”

“Will you ever not love me anymore?”

He knows you’re joking, but behind all the alcohol and the teasing, he thinks there’s some genuine worry behind your words. But there’s no need for you be.

He shook his head and the little curls in his hair tickle your cheek. “No. I don’t think I’ll ever stop.”

“Then no, I’ll never let this down,” you sighed happily. Your grip on his neck tightened. “Hwang Hyunjin... I love you, too.”

“I know.”

“Oh, yeah? Am I that obvious?”

“When I’m the only one you smile at, giggle in front of, and allowed to give you a piggy back ride, it’s pretty obvious. But don’t ever stop either, ok?”

“Ok, boss ~”

[scenessystem]

Travelling and triggers

The Pat Down in the TSA line (I have to have the full-on due to not being able to be scanned.)

They touch the pelvis/groin area, chest, hips, stomach etc. It’s so upsetting they let women do it which helped but it made my skin crawl and made me feel sick. I dissociated the first time and then the second I was thrown into hypervigilance. 

Flying effects my lungs/blood pressure was painful on it’s own but not being able to breathe just always gives me panic of flashbacks. It sucked so much. 

I was thrown into sensory overload on the planes and then later when i was playing sled-hockey (which i was travelling for). And i had to hang on to being present and not burst into tears after the games. During one game i actually dissociated not sure what happened but the muscle memory made sure i didn’t actually fuck up bad. 

I actually did cry after a game when i had spent most of my spoons and my brain was on high alert and in pain. 

I had to be social, it was nice to some extent as having interaction w/ other people not related to me was great. I really enjoy some of my teammates though as the youngest member of the team i am the baby of the team again. (Our club has kids but not the team). And i can tell they all see me as kids. 

Our coach actually though we were 7 years younger then the body is. He also thought we were unable to talk because i was silent for a long time. For Alex it the anxiety and fear but for me a lot of it was learning team dynamics and how to best be respectful and not end up on the wrong side.

This tam is exceedingly casual and it is really had. We say yes sir, no sir, jump and being yelled at, call people Mister or at least coach and that isn’t how it works and it’s so odd to me. Like the way people just insult people who have that power of them is hinky to me. I mean we’ve never been overly formal with the family but any strangers yes. And When alex is fronting she wants to bad to do exactly as they say but the auditory processing, executive dysfunction and just background noise makes it so hard. 

Talking to others was again legit good hard and draining but good. Comfortable enough to joke around a little bit and be honest. I hate feeling like i’m testing boundaries. 

Also did the best to stay away from controversy. Really the only ones being football players don’t know how to tackle right and the cities around where we live are not real cities. 

Had to endure more than one political conversation with my mouth shut to avoid that whole mess and let mentions of homosexuality pass without speaking of out own non-straigthness. It hurt me a bit but we were around rich white people a group with notoriously shitty views. 

ost of them get chronic illness stuff so that topic wasn’t off but the few times some C-PTSD related comments surfaced i got some looks but not to bad. 

Oh wow there as more than once time people made a i have “multiple personality” jokes. Some of it was referring to the sport but not all of them and it was all banking on “ooh scary” the same way the referenced bipolar too as a joke. WHich is the worst 

But the theory that if your best friend and you aren’t a little gay to each other it’s not a real best friend. My two coaches are really close and just they got that my bff is my spouse vibe. 

[head-and-heart]

The 100 Highlights - “Sleeping Giants” (5x03)

Hey, guys! It’s Kate back this week to recap the latest episode of The 100, “A Dad Story”, by listing some of my personal highlights of the episode. I have to say, every single episode of Season 5 so far has been super solid and this episode is no exception to that. Can’t wait to dive into this one!

Can I just start off by saying that I love how tastefully they have been implementing music into the show this season so far? I absolutely love Tree Adam’s score and its honestly weird sometimes to think that we had an entire two seasons without his genius, but I also think there’s power in not using any music at all for certain scenes. It creates a different vibe (and it becomes more effective when music is used). My one beef with the score in previous seasons has been that there were certain scenes I felt music wasn’t required, and that scenes would actually be more powerful without it (such as in the scene where Bellamy finds out Octavia is “dead” in Season 4 - I felt the music was detracting from his cries of grief). But I have noticed this season that they have quite a few scenes, compared to usual, where the music is used extremely liberally if not at all! And it gives a different vibe to the show - reminds me of TWD a bit at times. I love it.

Hi there. Charmaine Diyoza is joining Niylah, Luna, and Jaha on the list of characters who have the most soothing/pleasant voices to listen to on this show. It’s hypnotic. Honestly. God.

I’d like to take this moment to say that Emori and Raven’s friendship and trainee/mentor relationship is EVERYTHING!

The dramatic irony of Bellamy and the others listening over the radio and thinking the woman they are talking about is Octavia ... it’s A Lot

“She’s a feisty one. Pretty too.” Yasss that is my QUEEN

I have to say that the new characters we’re getting this season are possibly the best new characters we’ve ever been introduced to. Kara Cooper was amazing. Charmaine is a chilling, smart, yet reasonable antagonist and every line she says is fascinating. Madi has so much character potential, and McCreary is just the right kind of sociopath that can fuck our heroes up and ensure the show is always interesting (and also the kind of villain I feel JR has been so hesitant to incorporate into the show in the past, with the whole “there are no good guys” everything-must-be-morally-grey stance). Not to mention Zeke, who is just like ... everything I could ever want guys. THE NEW CHARACTERS ARE JUST SO GOOD. And the acting has been REALLY strong.

CHARMAINE DIYOZA IS SO FUCKING COOL AND RUTHLESS AND BADASS AND I ALREADY LOVE THIS NEW ANTAGONIST. She manages to be both authoritative and intimidating without ever having to raise her voice or pull out a weapon. That’s power. 

Seriously fam, I can’t get over how awesome these new characters are. We really hit the jackpot this season. They’ve opened up so much room for future story by introducing all these new people.

I really love how they have managed to show just how close the members of the ring are with each other while also demonstrating the tension between everyone, and all the ways that they can push each others buttons. There are so many layers to all the dynamics up in space and I am pleasantly surprised by it because, with how the season has been described, it sounded like the factions were going to be spacekru as a unit vs the bunker vs Clarke/Madi vs Eligius. But by showing all the conflict within these small groups, it creates potential for allegiances to shift around more than I was expecting. The bunker is built upon internal chaos, Eligius is far from being a unit (with a handful of loose canons and Zeke thrown into the mix to switch things up), Spacekru has some conflicting opinions/beliefs, and even Madi and Clarke are not completely on the same page about how to deal with the new threat. It’s really exciting all the different things the writers might do with that.

The scene where they find the cryo chamber felt like it could have come straight out of a scene from the mummy, where one character walks past a coffin and disturbs one of the dead. And when Kodiak’s eyes popped open, it was like a mummy awakening from the crypt. There was just something so eery about the vibe in there. The suspense was glorious.

“Murder ... murder ... arson resulting in murder ... armed robbery ... resulting in murder” I love one (1) comedian

Great-great-grandpappy Blake had four pHD’s. Bellamy is descended from a family of nerds: confirmed. I love winning.

The debate between Bellamy, Raven, Murphy and Echo over what to do with the sleeping army was just so tense and SO GOOD. Every single one of them had a good point. This is The 100 handling moral dilemmas at their finest.

“Clarke didn’t die just so we could go back to the ground and make the same mistakes.” THIS IS BELLAMY AT HIS BEST - THIS IS WHAT HIS ENTIRE CHARACTER ARC HAS BEEN LEADING TO. THIS MOMENT. He finally got to face that sleeping army of 300 once again and had the opportunity to choose differently this time. And he did. isaythatsmybabyandimreallyproud.gif

ZEKE SHAW IS AN ANGEL I FREAKING LOVE HIM. “Believe it or not, this is the best conversation I’ve had in over a hundred years.” HIS SMILE IS THE CUTEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN Y’ALL HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH I WANT TO JUST HUG THIS KID

But seriously, let’s talk about Zeke Shaw. Hearing someone take about life before the apocalypse is just ... wow??? I didn’t know how good it would feel to find a character that we can actually relate to, that understands our time. Hearing him talk about being an altar-boy just outside Detroit, being a fun-loving adventure-seeking kid with a Harley Davidson, made my heart warm.

“God, I miss that bike. More than most of the people.” First of all, relatable. Second of all, my heart hurts. When you think about it, Zeke’s story is pretty tragic. Leaving his whole life behind only to wake up a hundred years later to discover that everyone he once loved is dead and the world is irreparably changed. Imagine how fucking jarring that would be? Even if he doesn’t show his sadness much, I’m sure he must be feeling it, if his reminiscing is anything to go by.

HIS SMILE IS SO BRIGHT. WHEN DO WE EVER GET GENUINE SMILES LIKE THIS. LIKE, GOD, I MIGHT BE FALLING IN LOVE WITH THIS GUY

I’m never going to be over how awesome these new characters are fam. They’re so well-rounded already I’m shaking

“Start with how the world ended.” “Which time.” MOTHERFUCKER I’VE GOT CHILLS. HOW TO BE A BADASS WITH TWO WORDS: A GUIDE BY CLARKE GRIFFIN

“I left Clarke behind to die and I can’t - I’m not doing that again.” MY BOY GOT CHOKED UP IT’S BEEN SIX YEARS AND HE’S STILL SO AFFECTED BY HER LIKE F UCK

But real talk, that BR scene was beautiful. Their relationship has been chronically strained in the past but it really feels like they’ve built a true partnership up in space and I’m super here for it. They’re a good team, and they have a bond that kind of reminds me of a sibling-like bond (one that’s not as fucked up and dysfunctional as what the Blakes have). I really loved it.

“There wasn’t an escape pod.” “...Wut” Congrats, you PLAYED yourself. What a classic Murphy move dam

“You know what, you’re right: dying alone would have sucked.” I LIVE FOR THESE SEASON 2 PARALLELS

Real talk though: I may not ship them romantically but Lindsey and Richard have hella good chemistry and Raven and Murphy’s scenes together always pop so this is a GREAT sign for 5x04

“Just breathe” Bellamy Blake is the daddest dad to ever dad you heard it here first

BELLAMY AND EMORI BELLAMY AND EMORI BELLAMY AND EMORI 

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A SMILE MORE BRIGHT

“She’s just a kid.” Bellamy, this is the most on brand thing you have ever said.

“Bellamy. Clarke knew you would come.” CUE MY SCREAMING AND FLAILING HOLY F UCK I KNEW I WAS GOING TO DIE WHEN MADI AND BELLAMY MET BUT THE FACT THAT SHE RECOGNIZED HIM ENOUGH FROM CLARKE’S DRAWINGS (and JUST him) OH MY GOD. This is the fanfic meeting of my dreams. 

Madi: *grabs Bellamy’s hand* Me: *dies*

“Madi ... no.” “Madi, no.” I LOVE TWO SOULMATES

“I won’t let anything happen to Clarke. I promise.” Even after all this time he’s always looking out for her. And Madi just trusts him. So easily. Ugh my heart.

BELLAMY STEPPING OUT OF THE HEADLIGHTS LIKE AN ANGEL. BELLAMY HOLDING UP THE BEST DAD IN THE UNIVERSE MUG. BELLAMY BARGAINING FOR CLARKE’S LIFE. BELLAMY HOLDING CHARMAINE’S ARMY AGAINST HER. BELLAMY PERFECTLY BALANCING THE HEAD AND THE HEART. BELLAMY. 

i’m turned on

Let’s be honest though that “Best Dad in the Universe Mug” is the MVP of the show for sure. That mug has singlehandedly carried the whole season. Riley who? Nothing but respect for my new fav character.

No offense but Clarke immediately dissolving into tears on the floor at the sight of Bellamy is highkey relatable. Me too bitch the fuck

SHE.

IS.

BOOM OUT MOTHERFUCKER

okay okay okay I gotta backtrack though because when Bellamy says those words he is literally JUST staring at Clarke, right into her eyes. Because those words were not for Charmaine, they were for Clarke. So she would know just how important she is to him. So she knows that, even though they have aged, their connection has not. I mean, fuck. 

THIS EPISODE WAS SO FREAKING EPIC GUYS. IT WAS POSSIBLY EVEN BETTER ON REWATCH. IT WAS JUST SO GOOD. 

And 5x04 is gonna kill us all so expect some WORDS from me next week. Byeeeeeeee

[marzaid]

fascinated by this evil white man you have called captain squiggles and I am eager to learn more about him and any other ocs you have that you want to talk about

So Captain Squiggles comes from this aging space pirates story that I started writing until my executive dysfunction paired with my inability to like anything I do and I haven't finished it even though I know what I want for it.....He's the captain of 1 ship (in the past he had more) but he's 665 years old and has evil magical daggers that he's used for centuries to murder people and steal their life force and magic to keep him alive. Basically he's the villain of the story and is the stereotypical cis allo het white man.

The main team that we see in the story are Pluto, Artemis, Eun-byul, Oh-seong (Eun-byul and Oh-seong are siblings and they come from a family that have always been pirates. Parents are Muyeol and Misuk who are pirate legends but idk if if include their whole lore in it or do another separate story).

There's a few other characters like Pinkbeard, Jimjam, Grimmy but I don't have th very developed yet. Plus team of ancient robots who hunt through space for (mainly humans) who have wronged other robots.

It's not very put together and most of the characters are names and vibes buuuuuuuutttttttttttt.....if you wanna ask about any of them I will do my best to tell you

[violetsystems]

#personal

I walked up to the Nike store over lunch Friday.  I’m not running the marathon.  The last few months I’ve barely scratched four miles.  My times have been under nine minutes which is good enough for me under the circumstances.  I picked up that shirt with the hot dog.  I liked the message.  Why Ketchup when you can lead?  Maybe I was just hungry.  These days I bring my lunch to work and leave the office for an hour to walk.  The personal politics of this city seemingly follow me around every waking minute of the day like I’m some superhero in need of more work to do.  So much so that worrying about anything outside of this city let alone country is distracting and possibly unsafe.  People try shit with me every day here in Chicago.  They apparently try the same shit on the Internet too.  If someone could imagine trying to process the exhausting amount of times people have started shit with me it would be mind shattering.  I do sometimes think people just hate me for no reason.  I used to be more concerned about the logic.  I also used to be a little less self confident and less focused.  Sometimes you lead to get away from things.  I’ve been travelling to New York every two months since January maybe.  I used to go to Asia twice a year for three weeks at a time by myself.  Led a boring existence in hostels sleeping on shitty mattresses for thirty dollars a night.  These days people ask if I have any exciting plans to leave the country.  I say it’s not safe for me to and they blink.  I go to New York instead and somehow this is less exciting, adventurous or dangerous enough to people to sound like a getaway.  It’s true I can’t get away from anything in New York.  It’s all right there.  And so am I.  Safe and sound at this point.  NYPD running club stalking my Instagram.  Fire department too probably.  That’s neither here nor there.  My phone reminded me of all the pictures I had taken there over the years.  All those morning coffees overlooking the WTC memorial.  I saw my hair slowly get shorter and my face less fearful.  I’ve also seen my hair get more grey.  Time passes.  People forget about all the actions you made on your path to transformation that were brought on by positive decisions in your life.  They just see you as they see you.  Jealous of how you got there without them having any say in the matter.  A walking contradiction in so far as nobody has ever asked how I feel about anything.  They pretend to already know.  Have plans for me I will never know.  Set traps on a daily basis that I walk through comically like a Tom and Jerry cartoon.  To be honest people have talked so much shit about me by now I don’t see how they can have any more say in how I live my life.  That’s largely a decision I have to police for myself.  Because people cross the line with me every day here in this beautiful Sanctuary city we call Chicago.  If you know how a sanctuary city in America is supposed to work in these modern times you know we are the city that works.  We are one of the most progressive big cities in America albeit highly dysfunctional.  If you don’t believe me Conde Nast seems to think so for the third year in a row.  I lead the pack in every way in that respect.  Because I live here.

Now that I’m finally on vacation I’m ready to enjoy it.  Partially by leaving the city entirely.  I still have to mow my mom’s lawn this weekend.  On the outside it must look like I lead a very lonely existence.  People try to get me to be part of their shit for sure.  And then people from my hometown schedule entire events in New York City the exact dates I’m there and pretend I’m invisible.  I’ve given up on any dj’ing dreams almost quicker than I gave up trying to stream Hearthstone.  The more information it seems I divulge on here magically someone tries to subvert it.  And it’s not even hidden very well anymore.  Sucks to be me.  I shudder to think anyone recognizes that I’ve been visibly part of a protest movement on my commute every day.  Shuttling in on the pink line to work doing my best.  My best is never good enough.  People expect more.  People need a hero.  People need my attention when they pretend I don’t exist.  The psychological reality I’ve come to face is bleak at best.  But it just has taught me better than to react to things that ultimately are not worth my time.  People waste my time daily.  Trying to trick or punk me in some abusive way and hide it under some community action or artistic protest.  Targeted by every fringe movement imaginable.  Hoping to catch me in a paradox of free speech and hang me like a martyr.  This all is what I deal with any time I walk out the door.  And yet when I drop off in Queens people bubble up to me asking for directions or a safe space to catch their bearings.  Back home these days I have adopted an invisible eye roll and a deep breath.  People are awkward and project their fears and politics on me daily.  The trick is to know where it is all coming from.  When it’s an organized action of a mob of public opinion stalking you at every turn it can be frustrating at best.  People see me as a convenient enemy.  A target dummy.  The unfortunate thing people don’t see is that people watch this.  Part of the whole aesthetic that drew me to obscure street wear brands like Undercover was the silent troll of it all.  People are either genuine or they are not.  There is some mystic way of finding that out.  That can be informed by wisdom, life trials and maybe the road you travel.  But the “vibe” you get from people is a lot more than magic.  Except when you are more in control of your reactions.  Body language.  Tone.  Intent.  Situational factors.  Where you are at in your life.  These are all things that speak in a moment.  The quicker we react to things the more we miss these hidden messages.  We may think someone is nice and walk away bothered by one particular thing they said in passing conversation.  You make a decision to say no.  You resist.  You say you need to think about it.  And the facade breaks down.  People didn’t get what they wanted from you.  So they gaslight you and tell you you are crazy.  Berate you and tell you hateful things if you are lucky.  Mostly they’ll just say them behind your back and people will begin to believe it.  And years later people find out all the times it was too late to do anything about this.  There is no closure unless you want to open up a pandora’s box of hurt feelings and betrayal.  Part of leading is never looking back I guess.

There are mornings like today when I look at my life and see it as completely broken.  And then I think about how some things never changed.  They grew.  How I can’t be enough for some people after all these posts.  How my politics aren’t readily obvious in what I silently accept and what I bark off on my lunch break.  Like I don’t care what gender you are when you use the same bathroom as me.  You don’t see me rush you down and celebrate on Instagram.  But when somebody leaves a dead bird at the entrance to my work at 7:30 in the morning I’m a little less amused by the social experiment you are trying to achieve.  How your good buddies Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are fighting the good fight against freedom of speech while denying a woman’s right to choose.  How none of this makes any fucking sense and yet people live their lives in chains as they watch CNN, Fox News, or whatever for profit company they’d like to view the world through.  And meanwhile I can sit in my home and play video games with people in China.  A portal is open to a country I’ve visited on my own and by myself.  I read an article once about an ex consulate who claimed viciously anyone visiting China by themselves was putting their privacy and freedom at risk.  I didn’t really get that vibe in Shanghai.  I just ate McDonald’s.  Again your mileage may vary.  Part of my extended family plays sports on an all female team in China.  One of the very first trips to Asia I made was to China via Beijing and HK.  South Korea was on that trip.  I felt very safe in South Korea.  So much so that I visited there almost fourteen times up until the very first summit between North and South Korea.  I would argue that trip jeopardized my privacy far more than setting foot into Mainland China.  But again politics are personal.  Pizzas are forever.  McDonald’s in China for the record is pretty good.  Although the fries were soggy.  Part of leading is having your own opinions and beliefs about things.  If you are me you notice you lead alone often.  There is a crowd out there bubbling.  Conde Nast seems to think so.  There’s a place everyone fits in.  Even me I guess.  But looking back only slows me down.  People want me to react but never respond in a calculated way.  They’re afraid of listening to me speak.  Always probing my weaknesses.  Always trying to set me up to fail.  If I ever look back it is to my successes.  The successes nobody sees.  Like a giant firewall was placed over my life and all the good I have done here in America.  How many movies have they banned in America again?  Mine is still in production I guess.  If I never become a star that’s fine.  I was just trying to make sure you shine as bright as you are to me.  That’s the only star I follow out here in the dark.  Make sure you follow your heart in whatever you do.  And make sure your heart is full of love before you shut the door.  Hate and anger can only lead you so far.  For now I’m shutting the door on work for the entire next week.  More time to think about you.  <3 Tim

[cyberstabbing]

Crime

Playing With Power - When a mafia boss, Gerard, wins Frank in a poker game he sets out to be the first man to break Frank as his pet. But Frank is tougher than he looks and his pride refuses to back down. As their relationship unfolds their feelings for each other manifest into something much more dangerous - love. Trigger warning: This is an extremely dark story involving S&M and some non-con sex. 87k

Under the Hide of Me - Prohibition in New Jersey means mob bosses and bootleggers running hooch up and down the shore and into the city. Gerard Way, his brother, and their friend Ray are running an operation for the Capo Maranzano. Rival factions are trying to take over the business, and Frank Iero, from a prominent Mob family, is sent to them as their new driver. But the Ways and Ray are hiding two secrets: their own still on a farm in the Pine Barrens, and something darker yet. They’re werewolves. 18k

The Enigma’s Anomaly - Frank is a skilled assassin. He kills people for a living. He is not meant to fall in love with someone he’s been hired to kill. He’s supposed to just kill the guy and get it over with.If that’s the case then why is Gerard Way still alive? 146k

A Kiss on Bloody Lips - Frank stumbles on a serial killer that’s been terrorizing his city for weeks, and gets more than he bargained for when his obsession comes to a climax. 12k

Promises, Promises (Don’t Send Me Back In 30 Days) - “Sources on our investigative team say this was a bank robbery gone wrong, and that, when faced with a police task force surrounding the building, the suspect grabbed the nearest person and is now holding that young man at gunpoint as he makes his getaway.” 26k

Two Industrial Loads On Hot - Frank works the overnight shift at the laundromat, partially because it’s easier to push prescription painkillers on the side in the middle of the night, but mostly because there are fewer disapproving old people around to tattle on him for playing The Floor Is Lava on the washing machines. 3k

I keep thinking about this. There’s just something about it.

Public Enemy - In 1932, Gerard Way has been making a name for himself robbing banks up and down New Jersey. Frank Iero, analyst for J. Edgar Hoover’s Division of Investigation, is determined to catch him. 21k

I probably failed my math test today bc of this fic. I just stayed up reading this instead of studying. Whoops.

Point of No Return (not!fic) - So, have any of you seen that movie Point of No Return where Bridget Fonda is forced to be a government assassin after being busted for killing a cop while she was a drug addict in her misspent youth? And Gabriel Byrne (hello, yes please!) is her handler and Dermot Mulroney (before he got all skeevy) is her hotass photographer boyfriend? <1k

godspeed us to sea - His first thought is oh Jesus, it’s over already. He wonders if Gerard will even bother to bury him. i don’t know how long this is … maybe around 30k?

Mob! AU. I cried. Not that much gore tbh.

​Everything in Your Eyes - Gerard's been part of super crime for the past five years, and he's never seen anything like this. A telepathic noir story. 5k

a must-read.

The FBI Gets Shit Done - A new series that’s like a cop show but with words.

Gerard, the boss, is an expert profiler and an easily irritated man at the head of a team that is dysfunctional and somehow functional at the same time. The arrival of newbie, Frank, is what sets the story in motion with the instant hatred instituted between Gerard and Frank. Their two styles of crime solving clash perfectly to make the team efficient and productive. However, the two men at each other’s throats may be a disguise for the feelings just below the surface. Three parts, 16k, 35k and 18k (70k in total)

Thicker Than Water - Frank used to be able to count the number of times he's killed for the Family on the fingers of one hand. That was years ago, but he'll always remember the first one. Gerard was daydreaming, and Frank had only just learnt how to use a gun. Frank was twelve years old. 1.9k

;_;

You Keep Me Sane - Gerard has become infatuated with a young librarian that had only spoken to him once before, and he realized that he didn't have the usual, unrelenting craving to kill. No, He had a different urge, one that seemed a little more dangerous... 144k

I read some of this before I started keeping track of read fics, so that’s why it hasn’t been on here until now. But aloooot more words have been written since 2016 (144k now. holy shit), and someone just reminded me abt it, so here’s to rereading!

Shook-Up World - Part 1 of the 1930s Dragverse series - Frank is just a kid when he discovers Gerard's secret, and it changes his life. When they meet again by chance years later, Frank's carrying around a few secrets of his own. 5k

On the Getaway Mile - Part 2 of the 1930s Dragverse series - It's the last year of Prohibition, and bootlegger Frank Iero wants to sever his ties to the world of organized crime and go straight, but his mob connections have other plans for him. No one would like to see Frank get away from the mob more than Gerard, but he's got problems of his own--like the fact that he's a cross-dressing cabaret singer constantly struggling to keep his true identity secret from those who can't be trusted. With the help of a devoted brother, a detective who just might be as trustworthy as he claims, and a wealthy, eccentric Scotsman who features prominently in Gerard's past, Frank and Gerard just might be able to get out and start a new life together, but it's not going to be easy.

A tale of gangsters, garter belts, love (hopefully) overcoming all obstacles, and a whole lot of coffee. 40k

Here’s the comment I left - not too spoiler-y I hope: God, this fic needs a fucking movie. Also, I googled '30s halter gown' to better understand what Gerard was wearing and *waves fan* holy shit. No wonder G could jerk off at the thought of dresses. Now I want to re read the whole thing again and google all the outfits! Kudos to you, seriously, the amount of research that must have gone into writing this ... insane.

Like Fog on Glass - For Gerard, love can only come in the form of possession. If he is owned, he is loved--if he is sold, he becomes nothing. Untouchable in the eyes of the man, his Master, whom he held above all others.

For Frank, love is...enigmatic. Romantic. You can't buy it on street corners or in seedy bars on the outskirts of town. You can't steal it. You can't force it or kindle it from nothing. At least, you're not supposed to.

Love was certainly not what Frank expected to find when circumstances led him to spend his final $5k on a broken human being put up for auction on the bad side of town. Love...you didn't give that to creatures like Gerard. 111k

The Collision of Your Kiss - Gerard can hardly believe it when his new neighbor and latest obsession, Frank Iero, agrees to go out to dinner with him. It seems as though Gerard's dreams have come true, but he soon discovers that Frank's "hobby" is a little unconventional. Gerard still wants to be with him, though--if Frank's deadly secret doesn't put a wrench in their relationship. 4k

A Lap-Dance is so Much Better (When the Stripper is Crying) - Ray—and his ambiguously named friend ‘John’—force a depressed Frank to go the strip club downtown after he’s been broken up with. It’s a shame no one would listen to him when he insisted that this wasn’t just a strip club—it was a whore house. And no, he did not appreciate the lap-dance. 4k

Purgatorio - While on leave from the police force, Detective Frank Iero occupies himself with three things: drinking, brawling, and being alone. But when a series of brutal murders calls him back to active duty, he must find a killer while confronting people from his past, including estranged best friend turned businessman Mikey Way, and deal with his unwilling attraction to Mikey's enigmatic older brother Gerard. 27k

It’s been a while since i read this, but i remember it really good. It had such a mysterious vibe to it, and I loved how dark and gritty it was. Oh and Gerard makes really fucking cool metal sculptures in this one. ‘Twas awesome. 

Rising With the Heat - "Bullet?" he says, voice high and confused. "Um, hi?" Frank says, dropping to the ground. "You're the one – have you been following me all week?" Gerard asks, slowly lowering the spray can. Bob's going to give him so much shit for this. "I just wanted to make sure you got home safe." 2k

Frank is a superhero sidekick who’s fallen for Gerard, who he previously saved from getting mugged. Gerard finds it cute. And maybe a little bit hot.