#see this is what i mean with the paranoia

[jihyoruri]

❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ 𓍢 MOONSTRUCK jang wonyoung x reader

♪ ❝just the two of us 깊어져 가는 moonstruck❞ in which youngji came up with the perfect idea to invite the two most admired girls in the industry to her alcohol

↳ warnings paranoia!yn,, yn from this fic, swearing, alcohol ofc, flirting (?)

yn laughed as she sat down, her carefree, light laughter filling the room. across from her, youngji was completely mesmerized, her gaze fixed on yn.

“what’s wrong?” yn asked, her tone laced with amusement as she tried to catch her breath.

“I just realized this is my first time seeing you up close,” youngji replied, her voice full of wonder. she waved her hands dramatically. “you’re so pretty, oh my.”

yn shook her head with a sly smile. “you’re prettier,” she quipped, a glint of mischief in her eyes that made youngji throw her head back in exaggerated defeat, sending the staff behind the cameras into fits of laughter.

“she’s trying to kill me.” youngji said to the camera before clasping her hands together, “okay! let’s get started.”

“I can’t escape you,” youngji jokes, “everywhere I look it’s paranoia, how does that feel? you guys are so big!”

yn tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips. her relaxed, almost effortless charm filled the room. “it’s so crazy, our kind of concept doesn’t really get far in this industry so it was such a shock to all three of us… I guess people just like our whole vibe and our personalities you know, our little bit of chaos, not mine, the guys chaos I should say.” she says knowing very well she’s also apart of the chaos.

youngji raised her eyebrows knowingly. “sure, sure. like you’re not part of it.”

yn shrugged innocently, earning laughs from the staff.

youngji nods before looking down at her phone and her face lights up “speaking of chaos, now we need to talk about something very interesting. recently, at an award show, you said something that’s been trending everywhere”

yn’s eyebrows rose, her confident facade momentarily replaced with curiosity “oh no, what did I say? it could’ve been anything. I say some crazy stuff.”

youngji pulled out her phone with exaggerated flair. “don’t worry, it’s good. here, let me show you.” she played a clip of ive’s performance from the award show, with the camera cutting to paranoia seated among the idols. the audio picked up yn’s low voice murmuring, “she’s such a princess,” as she watched wonyoung onstage.

yn burst into laughter, leaning back in her chair. “how did I not know this happened? wonbin and jay probably knew this was trending and didn’t tell me because they’re assholes.”

youngji laughs at the disapproving look yn’s staff gives her from behind the camera.

youngji wagged a finger at her. “it’s everywhere. the fans are obsessed. and honestly… isn’t she a princess?”

yn shrugged, “I mean, yeah. she looks like one, she looks like she coughs sparkles.” she jokes even though it’s obvious she’s quite uninterested in this topic.

as if on cue, the studio doors opened, and wonyoung walked in, youngji shot up from her seat, throwing her arms in the air. “ladies and gentlemen, the princess herself!”

wonyoung laughed, taking the seat next to yn. “you didn’t tell me I’d be crashing the show,” she teased, looking at yn.

yn’s expression faltered the moment she saw the girl, her gaze shifting to the side as she scratched the back of her neck. after a pause, she glanced back up at the pretty girl, adjusting her beanie before quickly looking down again.

“come come,” youngji said waving the girl, “sit with yn!”

the atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. youngji poured drinks for the pair, as they sipped, the conversation flowed naturally.

"wonyoung, since yn, shockingly had no idea about the viral video of her, how did you find out about it?" youngji asked, her tone teasing. wonyoung stole a quick glance at yn, who still hadn't spared her a proper look since she walked in.

"yujin unnie showed it to me," wonyoung says, recalling the moment with a small smile. "I thought it was hilarious, I even saved it on my phone." she sneaks another glance at yn, noticing how her shoulders stiffen slightly at the last comment.

"ah, yn, you're close with yujin, right?" youngji asks, turning to yn, who nods without hesitation

"that's my best friend," yn replies with a grin. "in fact, I’m gonna give her a call later because I know she probably knew about this little surprise." her words draw small laughs from the group, though her tone is completely serious

"you’re also friends with chaewon, how could I forget? so, are you just friends with all the girls from izone?" youngji teases. "wait, are you secretly friends with wonyoung too?"

"no," yn and wonyoung respond at the exact same time, their firm answer making youngji’s mouth fall open in exaggerated shock before quickly recovering.

youngji clasped her hands together, eyes gleaming with mischief as she looked between yn and wonyoung. “alright, since we’re all here and getting cozy, let’s play a little game. just quick, harmless questions. you know, to get to know each other better.”

yn raised an eyebrow, her fingers lightly tapping the rim of her glass. “this feels like a trap,” she said dryly, though a small smirk tugged at her lips.

“it’s not a trap!” youngji declared, then paused. “okay, maybe a little, but whatever I like gossip.”

the staff chuckled as youngji turned to yn first. “yn, if you had to describe wonyoung in three words, what would they be?”

yn blinked, her gaze flickering to wonyoung for a split second before she focused on her drink. “uh… tall, sparkly… and…” she hesitated, her voice dropping slightly, “graceful.”

wonyoung’s lips twitched into a smile as she took a sip of her drink, the corners of her eyes crinkling slightly. “those are decent answers,” she said lightly.

“decent?” youngji teased, gasping in mock offense. “those are compliments!”

“they’re fine,” wonyoung replied, her tone playful as she glanced at yn, whose face was unreadable.

“okay, wonyoung’s turn,” youngji announced, leaning forward eagerly. “what about yn? three words.”

wonyoung tilted her head, pretending to think deeply. “hmm… quiet, short.” everyone in room let out laughs at yn’s scoff for the second one “…and…” she trailed off, her gaze locking with yn’s for a brief moment before she smirked, “a troublemaker.”

the room erupted in laughter, with youngji who looks at yn “troublemaker… yn what type of trouble are you causing?”

“she knows what I mean,” wonyoung said simply, her voice tinged with amusement.

yn raised her glass in mock acknowledgment, before taking a sip from it and looking off to the side, “I’ll take it, I guess.”

youngji raised a brow, sensing the growing tension between the two. “alright, next question. yn, if you could trade lives with any idol for a day, who would it be?”

yn leaned back, her thumb brushing the side of her glass as she considered. “probably someone who can actually dance,” she joked, earning laughs from the staff.

“oh, come on, that’s a cop out!” youngji protested. “you’re a great dancer, she’s lying to you guys, pick someone specific!”

yn sighed dramatically, her eyes flickering to wonyoung again before quickly looking away. “fine. maybe… jennie sunbaenim. she seems cool.”

youngji pouted. “that’s everyones answer! wonyoung, same question. if you had to trade lives with yn for a day, would you do it?”

wonyoung tilted her head, pretending to consider it. “hmm, maybe. her life seems interesting. chaotic, but interesting.”

“chaotic,” yn repeated, narrowing her eyes slightly, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice. “nice.”

“you said it first,” wonyoung quipped, earning another round of chuckles.

the questions continued, each one laced with youngji’s teasing charm. with every sip of their drinks and every glance exchanged, the tension between yn and wonyoung became more apparent.

finally, youngji leaned forward, her voice dropping conspiratorially. “alright, yn, let’s get serious for a second. I heard some rumors about you from your trainee days.”

yn immediately tensed, her fingers tightening slightly around her glass. “oh no,” she muttered, shaking her head.

“no, no, it’s nothing bad!” youngji assured her, though the mischievous glint in her eye said otherwise. “apparently, you were pretty popular with the girls back then.”

the entire room gasped, the staff bursting into laughter as yn’s expression turned into a mix of exasperation and amusement. “who told you that?” she demanded, though her tone was light.

“a little birdie,” youngji replied, leaning back with a smug grin. “so, is it true?”

yn sighed, setting her drink down with a dramatic flourish. “no comment.”

youngji clapped her hands together. “that’s basically a yes! oh my gosh, yn, you heartbreaker!”

she turned to wonyoung, her grin widening. “what do you think, wonyoung? was yn out here stringing girls along?”

wonyoung didn’t miss a beat “I think she probably just liked the attention,” she said, her tone light but pointed. “she seems like the type to string them along without even realizing it.”

yn’s eyebrows shot up as she looked at wonyoung for the first time since she’d entered the room, her expression caught somewhere between disbelief and amusement. “wow,” she said, dragging the word out, while everyone in the room was shocked to hear those kind of words to come out of wonyoung’s mouth.

youngji’s eyes darted between them, practically sparkling with excitement. “wait, wait, wait,” she said, holding up a hand. “are you sure you two don’t know each other like that?”

“we don’t,” yn said quickly, her voice steady but her gaze glued to her glass.

“we really don’t,” wonyoung added, nodding her head.

youngji leaned back in her chair, shaking her head with a grin. “alright, if you say so. but I’m telling you now, the fans are gonna love this episode,” she muttered, loud enough for the staff to hear, which sent the room into another round of laughter.

yn let out a low chuckle, shaking her head while wonyoung busied herself adjusting the sleeves of her jacket. the air between them felt thick with something unspoken, but neither said another word on the matter.

as the laughter faded and the cameras continued to roll, youngji carried on with her questions, steering the conversation into safer territory. but the tension between yn and wonyoung lingered, subtle yet impossible to ignore.

and little did youngji know, she was completely right about them possibly knowing each other. because they did, but that’s a story for another time.

[foundtherightwords]

Fallen Empires - Chapter 9

Pairing: Geta x OFC

Summary: Having done the unthinkable to secure his throne, Emperor Geta rules with ruthlessness and paranoia. Now, after escaping an assassination attempt, a badly injured Geta is saved by Daphne, a young widow, who takes him back to her remote village without knowing his true identity. As Daphne nurses the former emperor back to health, attraction blooms between them, and Geta discovers a soft side he didn't know he possessed. But can their love survive his thirst for revenge and his desire to reclaim power?

Chapter warnings: none

Chapter word count: 3.2k

Prologue + Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60533293/chapters/158509354

Chapter 9

The next morning, Daphne came back from her chores to find Romulus sitting at the table, all dressed up in his old cloak and belt, with his dagger in its sheath dangling from his belt. She looked at him askance, still stung from the previous night. It had started out so well—when she returned from the village, she could tell he'd been waiting for her, and she'd wanted to tease him a little, to see if he had truly missed her. Perhaps she'd gone too far. But then he had made her blood boil, and this time not in a good way. First, he'd had the audacity to order her about in the bedroom—though she didn't particularly object to the act he'd proposed, it was his tone that insulted her. And then, after she'd overlooked that first offense and stirred from her sleep to help him out of his nightmare, he'd kicked her out of the room. Her room! Ingrate fool! She could tolerate some male arrogance, but she had her limit.

"Going somewhere?" she asked coldly.

He avoided her eyes. "Yes. I think it's time I rejoin my legion." His voice was polite but flat.

Daphne's heart stumbled, as if his words had just grazed it like a knife. The day before, down in the village, she'd heard about a big battle going on in the Parthian city of Nisibis, not far from the border. Everybody had been talking about it, saying it would decide the war. She had sat with her mother and Mikkos, praying for Attikos and other men from the village, who were no doubt fighting in it at this very moment. Upon returning to the hut, it had been on the tip of her tongue to tell Romulus about the battle, but she'd stopped herself. She was afraid that if she'd told him, he would've left immediately to join his fellow soldiers. As angry as she was with him, she didn't want him to go. Not yet.

Had he heard something after all? But that was impossible. How could he have, stuck up here with no one for company except the goats? So why did he want to leave? Was it because of what had happened between them? Did he regret sleeping with her? Was he married after all and now regretting his infidelity? Or perhaps he simply didn't want to stay with a woman who had threatened to kill him. She hadn't really meant it, of course she hadn't. It was only because he'd made her so mad... Oh, why had she let her temper get the better of her?

She put the jug of fresh goat's milk down on the table and turned to the larder, bringing out bread and cheese and olive, moving slowly so she would have time to compose herself. "You wish to go to Edessa?" she said.

"Yes."

She didn't want to tell him that the army was no longer in Edessa. "But you're not—"

"I know I'm not well enough!" he snapped, reverting to his old irascible self. Then he took a breath, and continued in the same flat voice as before, like he was trying to distance himself from her. "You mentioned that there's a town a couple of days from here," he said, "where I can get passage to Edessa."

"You mean Adala?"

He nodded. "Adala, yes."

She finished setting out breakfast. "And when do you wish to leave?"

"As soon as I can. I'm well enough for a two days' walk, surely?"

"Yes." She found herself mimicking his tone and grimaced in annoyance.

He got to his feet. "Right. Prepare some food for me then." His old commanding voice was back, and she glared at him. He must have realized how he sounded, for he corrected himself, "I mean, if you could spare some food and point me in the right direction, I'll get out of your hair. I've imposed upon your hospitality for long enough." He'd never spoken to her so courteously, so coldly. She wished he would shout and whine and complain as he had before. It would be a hundred times preferable to this polite stranger.

But there was no point in clinging to him any longer. He was never going to stay. This was bound to happen sooner or later. It would be better if he left now, before she became too used to his presence.

She sighed, thinking of the long summer days ahead, when she would be alone again. Despite the heat, she would sit outside with Midas and the goats, just to feel the presence of some living things other than herself, or go into the garden and put her ears to the beehives, listening to their gentle buzzing, just to hear something other than her own thoughts rattling inside her head. She would miss him, miss this strange, infuriating man...

Then an idea occurred to her.

"Perhaps I should go with you," she said slowly. Her mind was telling her this was not a good idea. Better to cut off the wounded limb and make a clean break, than to draw out the agony. But her heart was saying otherwise. "I have to visit the apothecary in Adala anyway," she explained, "to trade for a few things and restock my shelves."

Romulus looked at her, considering the option. She thought she could see the conflict in her heart reflected in his face, as the desire to spend more time together waged war with the fear of a prolonged goodbye. "Very well," eventually he said, in that same stiffly polite tone. "I would welcome your company."

"Then give me some time to pack," she said, trying not to sound too excited. "And you don't want to travel under this sun. It's better if we leave in the evening. It will be cooler then, and you can stay hidden."

It was clear that he had not thought about the danger of being discovered. He nodded and took off his belt and his cloak.

For the rest of the day, Daphne busied herself going through the various jars and bottles and packets of herbs, taking stock of how much she had, what she could use to barter, what was running low. She had to admit that labeling the jars had been a big help. It helped, too, to have Romulus's assistance as he wrote down her inventory on the wax tablet. For a while, the easy companionship between them felt like the old days again, and Daphne managed not to think too much about the imminent departure. She also remembered to bring Amalthea and her kids to Ione, who was most eager to watch the animals while Daphne was away.

They descended the hill as a waxing moon rose over the rock cliffs. With Midas's bridle in her hand, Daphne led them around the village instead of through it. She knew that on a cool, moonlit night like this, the villagers would be out in droves, sitting on their doorsteps, the women weaving, the men fixing their tools, all sharing drinks and gossip, and this detour was the only way to avoid detection. Once out of the village, they followed the stream as it wound its way through the valley to meet the Balikh. The water was low and sluggish this time of year, but the soft murmur of the current was enough to mask the sound of their footsteps.

"You all right?" she asked Romulus, when they were deep in the valley. "Would you like to ride Midas? Or should we stop for a rest?" She had heard him wheezing behind her for a while, but didn't want to stop before they were far enough from the village.

"I'm fine" was all he said. She looked back at him. His face was gray in the pale light of the moon, his dark eyes were enormous, and he was breathing heavily.

"No, you're not fine," she said, putting Midas to a halt and moving some of the saddlebags of herbs aside. "Get on."

Romulus glanced at the donkey and made a face. "No."

Daphne sighed, exasperated. Such ridiculous creatures, men. "I'm sorry I don't have a war elephant for you," she said. "Get on. I'll not have you collapse on me again."

He looked at Midas once more, before apparently deciding that his comfort was worth more than his dignity, and climbed on the saddle. Daphne suppressed a triumphant grin as she took up the bridle and walked on.

They walked through the night, under the silver moon. After it set, they pushed on for a while longer, until the sky brightened into a pinkish gray and a strip of gold appeared on the eastern horizon. The sun rose rapidly, spreading light and heat across the valley. Eventually, when the heat became too much, Daphne drew them to a stop under a bank of willow trees by the stream and made camp. Romulus looked up and down the bank warily, but after she assured him that they would be perfectly safe, he sat down next to her, with his back against a willow. They ate some of the bread and cheese Daphne had brought along. Then, shielded from the hot sun by the sweeping willow branches above and cooled by the gentle flowing of the stream beside them, they slept.

The sun had dipped behind the hills again, but it was still light, by the time Daphne woke. Romulus was no longer lying near the willow tree across from her, and she bolted up, afraid that he might have slipped away while she slept. But no, he was still there, sitting a little further down the bank. He was trying to shave with his dagger and making a mess of it.

"Need a hand?" Daphne said.

He jumped. "Hades!" he cursed as the dagger clattered to the ground. "Are you trying to kill me?!"

"No, but you may cut your own throat if you try to shave with that meat cleaver." She pulled her own little knife from her belt and sharpened it with a stone from the riverbank, before handing it to him. "Here, try this."

He took the knife from her and tried again. One scrape, and he threw it to the ground as well. "I've never done this before," he said, sounding both frustrated and embarrassed. "There were always barbers..." He glanced at Daphne. "Can you do it?"

Daphne hesitated. "But I've never shaved anyone before," she said. "Well, I did, once. My husband. The morning he left to join the army." It had been the last time she saw him.

Romulus shrugged. "It's not hard. I'm sure you can do a better job than I."

"You trust me?"

She only meant to ask if he trusted her not to make a mess of his face, but a hesitant look came into his eyes, and Daphne remembered that she'd threatened to kill him just the night before. Of course he wouldn't trust her.

She handed him the knife. "It's best that you do it," she said.

The look in his eyes changed inscrutably as he looked from the knife to her and back again. Then, reaching out his hand, he pushed the knife back toward her and raised his chin expectantly.

Crouching down in front of Romulus, Daphne started to scrape the knife across his jaw. A small whimper escaped his throat. She jumped back, holding the knife aloft. "That hurt?"

"It's fine." He cleared his throat. "But usually the barber would put some kind of oil in my beard first, to soften it."

"Why didn't you say so?"

Daphne dug through her supplies and found a jar of almond oil, which she rubbed into his beard. The pulse just below his jaw beat wildly under her hand, and when she happened to lift her eyes to his face, the look he gave her made her own heart thump along with his. How she longed to kiss him there, on his jaw, to feel that pulse and his warm, smooth skin beneath her lips... But he would probably push her away again, and she was not willing to repeat that exercise in humiliation. She put the knife back to his beard. He was right. With the oil, the knife glided over the hair much more smoothly and easily.

"Is that better?" she asked. Romulus nodded once and sat still, as if afraid any movement would cause her hand to slip. "Relax," she said. "I won't nick you. I promise."

"I'd rather you promise not to gut me like a fish," he said.

She glared at him, but his tone was light, and something like a wry smile was lifting the corner of his mouth. She felt her cheeks grow hot. "Don't test me," she warned, trying to put on her sternest face.

His teasing smile grew, and for a moment he looked once more like the man who had taught her to read, the one who had helped her after her father's disastrous visit, the one who had held her hand when she told him about her husband. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said.

His breathing calmed after that, yet her own remained ragged as if she'd just made an uphill climb, and she couldn't help noticing the heat between them. She forced herself to concentrate. Scrape, scrape, scrape. The hair fell away under the blade, slowly. They were breathing the same air, their bodies feeling the same heat, separated only by two thin layers of linen. She wanted to hit him and then kiss him, and then hit him again, for making her feel this way. But she did nothing, only reminding herself that he would soon be gone. Scrape, scrape, scrape.

Once his jaw was clean, Daphne moved on to his mouth, trying not to notice the feel of his lips between her fingers. Then she leaned back to survey her handiwork.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"Very well."

In truth, her shaving was rough, and there were uneven patches here and there along his jaw where she hadn't gotten all the hair. But, freed from his scowl, and with his curls getting longer and falling over his forehead, the face that emerged from under the beard was sweeter, almost boyishly handsome. She cleaned the oil off with the end of her stole and flicked away the little hairs that stuck to his skin, her fingers lingering over his now-smooth cheeks. He tilted his head, pressing his face into her hand, his dark eyes gazing into hers. Daphne's heart jumped. She knew that look. He'd looked at her the same way the other night—had it only been two days ago?

It was on her lips to ask him to stay, to keep this touch, this fire between them just for a little while, just a little longer... Her thumb brushed across his mouth, and he jolted away as if her finger had been a poisoned arrow.

"We best get a move on," he said, getting to his feet.

The plea for him to stay died in her throat. With a sigh, she stood up as well and began packing their things.

They continued in silence, with only the moon as their constant companion. The next day, they left the valley and the stream behind as the path rose toward a plateau. The willows became shrubs, then the shrubs became tuffs of tired brown grass, before getting swallowed up altogether by the tired brown sand of the plateau. Adala lay on that plateau, a handful of mud-brick houses lining narrow, winding streets, all congregating around a small marketplace. Having neither pastures nor arable land, it made its living as a trading post, where merchant caravans stopped for a change of horses before heading to larger towns, and where farmers and shepherds from surrounding villages brought in their goods to barter and exchange. It was the one place Daphne had learned without her grandmother's guidance—the old woman had never left their village and had seen no need for it, but Daphne had understood early on that she could not make a living if she stayed in their village all her life. Besides, she liked the hustle and bustle of the town, though only in small doses.

They pushed on, not stopping to rest, and came into Adala in the early afternoon. Romulus had jumped off Midas's back as soon as the town came into view. Now he stalked next to her, his head low, the hood of his cloak pulled up to cover his face, and his hand gripping the dagger tightly.

"Stop worrying," Daphne said. "No harm will come to you here."

"You can't be sure of that," he mumbled, his eyes darting left and right. It wasn't a market day, so the town wasn't particularly busy, but that only made the two of them stand out more. Eyes were turning their way, with curiosity that would soon turn into suspicion, Daphne knew.

"If you're trying to appear suspicious and draw attention to yourself, then you're doing an excellent job," she said drily.

He straightened up and pushed the hood off, looking slightly abashed. After that, he walked more normally, though he still kept a hand on the hilt of the dagger.

They walked past the marketplace under the shadow of a temple of Zeus and turned into a side street. Unlike the rest of the sleepy town, it was crowded here, as the townspeople flocked to The Lynx's Head for their drinks, snacks, and daily gossip. Part tavern, part inn, part gambling den, it was the true center of Adala, much more than the marketplace and the temple ever were.

Daphne stopped a little further down the lane and nodded at the tavern. "There you are," she said. "Go inside and ask Eukleis at the bar if she knows of anyone going to Edessa. You'll get passage in no time."

Romulus glanced at the crowd gathering outside The Lynx's Head, looking uncertain, but said nothing. He still said nothing when Daphne handed him a little pack containing a change of clothes, a wineskin, some food, and a small vial of poppy juice, in case his wounds still bothered him.

"Well," she concluded. Her voice shook a little, and she cleared her throat, trying to sound cheerful. "I must hurry before the apothecary closes for the day. I guess this is goodbye."

Romulus opened his mouth, but no words came. He kept gazing at her, with a beseeching look in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. She waited. Ten, fifteen, twenty heartbeats passed. He still didn't say anything. His hand moved at his side, but he didn't reach out for her.

"May the gods watch over you on your journey," Daphne said. Then she pulled her stole over her head and led Midas away.

"Daphne?" Romulus called after her.

She spun back so quickly that she hated herself for it. "Yes?" she said, hope flickering painfully in her heart.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "And may the gods watch over you as well," he added, almost as an afterthought.

There was a pang in her chest that might have been heartache, or it might have been mere disappointment. She nodded at him and walked down the street without another look back.

Taglist: @sheneedsrocknroll92, @justnobodynothingmore, @barcelonaloverf1life, @myotakureprieve, @flawssy-227, @itsrainingbisexualfrogs, @deliciousfestsalad (if you want to be tagged or removed, let me know!)

[medeaaa]

I rlly need a fic of viktor and jayce becoming like the power couple of piltover in like the hexgates years

(I knowwww it would be antithetical and reductive of arcane’s themes of isolation and structural oppression regarding viktor ikkk but I want it anyway)(but honestly I think it could be done well in regards to that anyway - think the cost of sacrificing your sense of self and identity in order to fit into a world that fundamentally opposes it, and then being rewarded for it, like I’m thinking about how in the show I think we get hints that viktor holds very true to the parts of him that were forged in the undercity in that he always brings up that the point of science should be to ‘change lives’ and ‘help people’ clearly thinking of his own upbringing and the people in Zaun, as well as how he seems completely detached from the wealthy piltover social scene unlike jayce, and while this is definitely in part due to classist prejudice, I also think Viktor actively shuns the elite and sees them as a source of people’s suffering. It’s also his willingness to hold true to his undercity character that I think makes piltovans avoid and disregard him.

So think if the inverse happened, if viktor caved to the pressures of piltovan social pressure and tried to actively change and hide aspects of himself that the upper class piltovans found distasteful. A bit like jayce in a sense where he’s paraded around and has to change himself to appeal to the council and investors. Like what happens when they both get to be the centre of all this attention and praise and pressure and gossip. If they’re treated like a celebrity couple and they’re both become transformed into symbols of innovation and progress that is simultaneously elevating and dehumanising. And the thing is Viktor would never truly ever feel like he succeeded in fitting in, because he would always be viewed a little bit differently due to his background (I wonder the kind of narratives that piltovans would impose on his story in this scenario if it would be sort of poverty porn esque, the underdog, or the ‘good zaunite’ following what I think arcane behind to explore in s2 with vi’s character) and his disability. But also because Viktor would always have to actively choose to play this part and play at social customs and culture that are not native to him and there would be this constant paranoia or imposter syndrome, where he worries that people can see right through him and are questioning the validity of his apparent acceptance into piltovan society

And also how this would splinter into their relationship and how jayce and viktor would have this joint pressure - would it be easier with them both carrying it, or would resentment of the respective roles they have to play seep into their relationship and interactions with each other? Would there be a fundamental misunderstanding on Jaycee’s part on what exactly it means for viktor to try and assimilate into piltovan society, a society that would be actively hostile to him otherwise?

Idk this started with me just wanting some fluff and it ended up spiralling into this lmao

[pickleskisser]

spade anon back again

i was wondering if you had any headcannons about what it be like to sleep with the boys (not in THAT way but like, actually sleeping) which ones cuddle? which ones would much rather not?

HIII omfg this took longer than usual cause,,, school,,, break,,, but i got it done now!!! even threw in an additional Charles section ;p

Sleeping habits with the band + Charles Offdensen

Nathan Explosion

A cuddler. I have no proof it's just a gut feeling.

He's a diehard big spoon though. He thrives off looking down and seeing his s/o there in his arms...

Christ he's such a sap under those layers upon layers of brutal bullshit.

He's a guy who likes routine too. So, once you've slept with him enough it's a pattern he relies on your presence.

Spoiler: you better have a good reason if you're skipping out on nightly cuddles.

Overall a big teddy bear he's a cutie.

Pickles the Drummer

This guy is all over the place. A complete mess if you will.

Your nightly routines consist of making sure he's in bed, first of all.

He has a tendency of just passing out wherever. It's not too awful but about once a week you're going to have to hunt him down and find him face down in his own vomit in a hallway.

Due to this his s/o will grow a subconscious habit of a night time self care routine? Of sorts?

Getting him decently clean before bed just kinda becomes a thing.

And yknow what. He appreciates it!

He loves being doted on.

I think he cuddles but not a big Spooner.

He likes laying on his partner's chest or vice versa.

It's nice listening to your heartbeat, it's soothing. And on the flipside having you lay on him is like having a weighted blanket.

It's the shit for him!

Skwisgaar Swigelf

While I'm not the biggest believer of the whole Skwisgaar having like a 100 step self-care routine.

I do think he has one.

Just nothing insane. He does care on a small level. But one expensive face wash with benzol peroxide and a face mask every now and then is about it.

And you are absolutely being dragged into this. He holds his self image to a high standard and you are a part of that.

Now the actual issue is getting him to bed.

Sometimes he gets too caught up in his composing and practicing he neglects some basics to self preservation.

Just gently remind him it's good for him and to his benefit and you can get him to give in without much struggle. Mostly.

Sometimes he's adverse to touch. Nothing personal it's just a lot to him sometimes.

But he always need to be facing you in bed. If anything you need to be the last thing he sees before he shuts off his mind.

Toki Wartooth

Do I even have to say it?

Cuddles. 10000%

He doesn't care how, just that he needs it.

He is also a man of routine but in the sense that he has rituals.

He does things a certain way, and in a certain order.

If you follow his routine with him he'll love you until the world combusts. But he also understands if you have your own thing, just don't disrupt his.

He also can't sleep without you and it deeply upsets him if you can't.

You will have to make up for it with LOTS of cuddles later.

William Murderface

personal headcanon alert.

I think he has insomnia.

Due to a mix of paranoia and night terrors he does not get a lot of sleep.

He can have periodic naps during the day but that's it.

Though once he's dating someone, like, actually dating someone, he tries to fix his sleep schedule.

Going to bed with him always starts with a movie, he needs the background noise.

He'll keep it on a low volume if it bothers you, but you can not make him give up his diy asmr.

He likes holding his partner, and I think their weight helps him calm down enough to try and rest.

That does not mean it always works though. But he enjoys you being their and humoring him nonetheless.

If you curl up with him for a nap though, you basically have his hand in marriage.

Charles Offdensen

His sleep schedule is garbage, but you best believe he's making sure you get your full 9 hours.

Obviously, he won't overstep. You are an adult and capable of making decisions and taking care of yourself.

But you may notice subtle nudges if you start slacking. Say you are busy with work at home, he might persuade you to take a five-minute breather. Come lay in the bed with him. No, he did not light a lavender candle, yes, the weighted blanket is necessary, of course he's going to massage his sweetheart's shoulders, don't look too deep into it.

Of course he is a massive hypocrite, and brushes all of his partners concern off when it comes to his habits.

That does not mean he is completely unable to reason with though, especially if they're wanting to go to bed with him.

When it comes to cuddling, he is neutral on it. If it's something you want, then sure.

He is a chronic back sleeper though, so spooning is rare, but he happily offers his chest as a pillow.

[mylodeclerck]

"Oh shit really? Well you got one more now! Consider me your new friend!" Mylo beamed, looking as happy as a child receiving candy. Mylo frowned for a second as he took in her words. He didn't yet learn a lot about the supernatural, hell he wouldn't even know how to know what someone is. So he'd become hyper vigilant about certain things people said... sometimes a little too vigilant, it started to become a paranoia thing. "Oh yea-- I guess not." he chuckled, nodding his head. "I mean-- I do tend to sleep in a lot. I'm basically a lazy teenagers at this point -- sleep all day, play all night." he joked.

"Oeh I'm not a wine drinker but any nice drink with netflix is a perfect night for me." he nodded.

"I mean-- it'd be weird to be a paramedic if you didn't want to help people you know? In Belgium we have this show-- it's called 112 hulp is onderweg, which basically translates to 911 help is on the way... and it follows these paramedics and that show-- god I love that show. Just seeing the real things you get to see- from fucked up to just plain sad is just-- god. I remember there was this one episode which just made me really sad about this older woman who was all alone, and her husband had just died and she didn't know what to do so she ended up calling the emergency number and just-- god it still gives me chills, like how those paramedics handled it just like talking to her and stuff? God I couldn't, I'd be crying right next to her man but they were just so-- like-- calm and like sweet just- god that made me bawl like a goddamn baby right there."

"Better than me, I've been here my whole life, and I don't have a lot of friends." Aelin smiled slightly. Mylo was easy to talk to, which, coupled with the lack of heartbeat, meant he was like her. As a hunter, she would have preyed on him; he seemed too trusting at first impressions. "Well, you'll have all day to do chores. Not much else to do when the sun is up."

Thats what Aelin would do: "I got some chores, and by chores, I mean wine and Netflix. It was one of those kinda nights."

He seemed to get the frustrations of being a paramedic. "Yeah, but I love my job. I like helping people." even if she couldn't help herself.

[kiddolane]

Okay, I'm about to have a serious fandom hot take here. This may get controversial, but I really need to get this off my chest because I will go absolutely fucking insane if I hold it in any longer:

If there's one thing I've come to really hate in my short time in the IASIP fandom, it's the moralizers in the Macden community.

The entire appeal of Macden is that they're both toxic to each other, and paradoxically, it works, because while they're both so fucked in the head, that fucked-upness is in complete compatibility with one another. Even in their lowest moments in s13 and s14, doing and saying horrible shit to each other, they manage to make it through all of that and come out of it stronger (as evidenced by their improving relationship in s15 and ESPECIALLY s16).

[Okay, here's where I really start to get ranty, and potentially even controversial, so I'll put a cut right here.]

That's why I absolutely CANNOT stand it when the moralizers try to make one of them the sole villain of the two. As if everything wrong with the entire relationship is that person's fault only and the other one is a total saint. It's annoying enough when I see it from Mac moralizers, but Dennis moralizers just drive me up the fucking wall.

Trying to make it seem like Dennis is Mac's poor little victim, minimizing his role in the tumultuous spiral their relationship went through in s13 and s14, and just forcing and shoving that interpretation down people's throats as though it was the Holy Gospel. Anyone who disagrees with them is treated like an illiterate moron who is too stupid to see Mac's flaws and not someone who thinks the interpretation is making things too lopsided in Dennis' favor. The sanctimonious, condescending vibe it all gives off is so fucking suffocating.

But that's not the worst part...

The worst part is when they use actual social justice rhetoric in their interpretation (especially once it turns to sexual assault). By doing this, it automatically shuts down all the discussion right then and there. They have full control of the conversation because people are now scared into silence, scared to give a different interpretation. They're forced to agree, or else they'll be perceived as awful people who support rape culture or some other problematic position. That kind of mentality and paranoia can really eat away at a person's psyche over time if they're not careful.

This should NEVER happen in a fandom. Ever. No one should ever have to feel scared and paranoid about sharing their ideas.

This tactic is not only underhanded, but it's also dangerous, and the moralizers really need to realize that, even if they have the best of intentions.

The point of fandom is that fictional character and shipping preferences do NOT define someone's actual, real-life morality (especially not when said preferences involve putrid assholes like the Gang lol). Trying to blur that line is annoying at best and potentially dangerous at worst, and it needs to stop.

[katyspersonal]

Perhaps Marika's situation is less about 'perpetuating the cycle' and more about reactionary paranoia?

I was thinking a bit more about the reveal what the Hornsent once did with Marika's folks and why (this ( x ) post by drenched-in-sunlight for context) some more!

Like, think about what kind of folks she has been oppressing in her reign past the point of simply taking revenge on the Hornsent! Misbegotten, for one, were also considered sacred due to odds of their contact with Crucible, so were the Crucible Knights fashioning themselves after it. With Fire Giants it was more plainly stated that there was a fear that they might burn the Erdtree once. And who knows if they would? Their fire had it's worshippers and was a godly thing too, and perhaps Fell God was called Fell for a reason? Albinaurics were creation by Nox, people who once angered the Greater Will itself, in their pursuit to have the 'Lord of the Night' and pretty much counter Marika's rule..

The thing I am seeing is not "becoming the very thing she sworn to destroy", but "if some folks believe their kind is blessed in any way this is an instant 🚩"! Because that's the shared link between the species she put under oppression - considering themselves and/or being considered divine. She didn't just take revenge or continued the cycle, she "learned" from her traumatic experience but she learned a bad thing, and now crippling some species believed to be "blessed" before they went "far" is her whole MO. She destroys them before they can even THINK of being purer and better than her! Because really, who is to tell they won't come after her and her family? After all.. the Hornsent did once believe they were divine, didn't they?

I know I compare her with Gwyn often, but whereas he was very cunning and smart in his fear, Marika was more outright oppressive. Marika is like if Gwyn personally obliterated Manus and all Pygmy but one and made humans live in constant humiliation and mistreatment 🤔 Because nothing and no one should be considered sacred besides those she personally blessed, or else it is 🚩🚩🚩. She didn't perpetuate the cycle but attempted to stop it, by solidifying herself and her vision as the one and only thing that can be "divine" or will EVER be divine. Better oppression by one power forever than the cycles of thriving and then being killed by multiple powers! It is the dilemma of being "preventive". You can't be nice about it, but how CAN you take any chances, after having seen what funny thoughts can lead to?

(On the brighter note this makes her/Radagon's alliance with Rennala much nicer because glintstone and moon sorceries were in the contrary with the Golden Order once but merged after marriage (according to Rogier's research, I trust that man lol). She didn't put Carians and other sorcerers under oppression at the end of the war. It means that love was the only thing stronger than paranoia, once ;-;)

[cannibal-nightmares]

let's make trouble in the dream world, we'll hijack heaven with another memory now; i make the most of the turning tide, it just split what's left of the burning silence

[twistedlovelines]

you show the boys ur vibrator that looks like a lipstick and they're all varying levels of gagged

[roman-roy-apologist]

gang i need to write a young brad fic from zack’s perspective as an older sibling in an abusive household

[spaciebabie]

shoutout 2 this person in my class who i can tell wants 2 talk 2 me really bad but instead of doing that whenever she has the chance she'll talk 2 whoever else is around and ignore me entirely unless im mentioned by name

[qoldenskies]

Also you 🤝me

Doing Bad Things Happen Bingo looking at Rise and cackling wickedly…..now to make them their own separate thing or write more CC brainrot

always the option to mix it up a little !!! i'll probably be writing a little cc if i get an idea for something really good with my bthb but im probably going to focus mooostly on original prompts so mess around. do what your heart desires!!!

[grossillygirl]

:(

[bleue-flora]

https://www.tumblr.com/bleue-flora/756891956367556608/ngl-i-thought-the-anon-that-said-a-few-characters?source=share

Good points although I suspected it was about them because c!quackity had the urge to burn down kinoko kingdom because he felt left behind by his friends lead to him self sabotaging, also the whole controlling c!slimecicle thing ect,,, then for c!tommy ig attacking c!wilbur with a sword when c!wilbur said he was going to utah, hating c!ranboo for taking c!tubbo away, and the other self destructive based. Apparently directly after the 'the discs were worth more than you ever were' there was a lot of regret, which reminds me of going from saying something horrible then immediately regretting but I don't have bpd, I've only been told by a therapist that I have bpd traits so I cant say much either. Now that I think more about it, maybe they meant c!wilbur

To be fair, wanting to burn down Kinoko Kingdom after losing his fiancés is a fairly understandable urge (especially given the context of the dsmp vs the real world you wouldn’t go burn down someone’s house because they hurt you) and I’m not so sure controlling Slime is a very BPD thing to do, is it? Eh I’m not sure, given his history of manipulating others to his agenda I’d say Slime is only one of the victims, just the most impressionable. And given his other behavior I think we are perhaps dealing with another person with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). His disregard and non consideration to how other people may feel. To the point of blowing up Purpled’s spaceship and thinking he’d be fine with that. His lack of understanding of the consequences of his actions, like being utterly confused by doomsday, as if they didn’t poke the bear by attacking Technoblade. Perhaps because he’s older than Tommy is, he has a little more skill in blending in with society and has grown his manipulation skills to get what he wants…. I don’t know, certainly his enjoyment of torturing another human being for about 80 days is a bright red flag…

I mean both of those things happen at the point where Tommy is already getting more unstable, and him stabbing Wilbur for leaving makes perfect sense to me honestly. And Tommy is scared, so lashing out as someone who makes him feel safe is leaving would trigger a strong reaction. As for Tubbo, their friendship is very… messed up and I think while Tommy doesn’t seem to value Tubbo more than the discs, he still is more akin to a valuable thing to Tommy. A thing Tommy feels entitled to, and that belongs by his side following his every whim, and just like the discs he doesn’t appreciate Tubbo being stolen from him. But also jealously is a typical thing to happen so that isn’t the most deranged thing he had done to be fair.

I mean we all say things we regret later, especially in the heat of the moment with emotions high. But even though he seems to regret and want to take it back minutes later, his behavior has also backed up this statement. Again dragging Tubbo into war and war to get hurt, his hesitation to give up the discs for Tubbo’s life in both of the disc finales. If it was one isolated statement then sure, but it’s backed by his actions which reflect a similar sentiment.

I think we can have some traits that perhaps look like a lot of disorders or whatever, but that doesn’t mean we are, if that makes sense. I’ve had people say that about autism where they’re like - well I do that too so does that mean I’m autistic, everyone can’t be autistic just cause they do blank - but it’s not about one thing or two things or even things that look similar. It’s about a culmination if that makes sense, as well as the context and reasoning behind the behavior.

As for Wilbur I don’t think he has BPD but instead I actually think he’s a Narcissist, I mean reading the Millon Theory breakdown of Narcissism [here] it just seems to fit to me.

[everymadara]

Chapter 624

[katyspersonal]

*has another bad memory activated after a chat* I remember at the beginning of me joining the BB fandom, in summer 2021, I had the worst luck ever of attracting a person over discussing Izzy with now deactivated user, who instantly jumped at me with so much warmth, interest, questions, engagement and trust that by that time not even my friends were so affectionate

We exchanged Discords and chatted for a week or two, and I was feeling so, so, SO safe. It's been after a what, three years period of emotional abuse from every corner, loneliness, depression and meds? It felt like a final healing ray of warm sunshine after the longest and coldest night. She (at least it was her pronouns back then, dunno if it changed by now or not) wished me good night and good morning and was so genuinely invested in talking to me, I thought I've found a new friend.

......then, one morning, I messaged her a headcanon I thought she'd like, but saw that she blocked me on Discord. And Tumblr. I did not know why, so I asked a shared mutual to ask her what happened on my behalf. But while waiting for that mutual, the pain grew so severe that I no longer wanted to know. I simply made a throwaway account on Tumblr to tell her in her face how much it hurt and that she should not lure people with fake sense of trust and warmth if she is ready to just backstab them like this. And what did she do? Well, she posted a rant about me in her blog, namedropping me so people could "stay safe", pretending like I've done sone irreparable harassment to her when I just told her to not act like a friend and then bail without explanation, and worse: she revealed that all along, she was reading some twisted emotional manipulation in my messages when I was just being socially awkward, and instead of addressing her problems with me in MY face, she was showing my messages to her friends to discuss with them how """manipulative""" I was and took their advice to block me and run. 🤦‍♂️

Needless to mention that as soon as Eugene started a crusade number 2 against me, she instantly joined her on this one like "heeeey guys I am a victim of this horrible abusive monster too, she MANIPULATED me and HARASSED me when I tried to get away!!!!" 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Ever since she blocked me after acting very affectionate and friendly in every way possible, I've had nightmares about her for half a year and I still, to this day, feel scared every time I hit a good conversation with someone in the fandom. I always get paranoid that they, too, might read nonexistent malice in my messages and discuss the level of my "harm" behind my back. After what she did I struggled to trust anyone in the fandom. But of course she acted like she was the victim who got harmed here. All because she could not address her suspicions of me in my face and because I told her "don't fucking cultivate strong trust only to break it"!

Fuck you, Spade, you deserve my hatred even after all this time, and I'll hate you until I stopped second-guessing everyone I chat with. Which is still a problem I have. I hate people who throw words of affection and warmth around like they mean nothing and then act all weirded out when people they got to trust them, big shock, started to TRUST them! "We weren't even friends we only talked for like two weeks!!!! 🥺" then why you did literally everything to act like a friend to me? And I sure hate people who can't even say "Hey, this thing you say makes me feel unsafe like you want to get certain reaction from me, can you Not" instead of talking bad faith trash about me behind my back. I hope a moment of fame feeling like a victim of terrible abuse was worth it, huh? God, you should become friends with Anna, you two are horribly similar.