#shows all the orders you have placed in the past.

[sunseed-fandump]

OH BOY TIME FOR ANOTHER TAROT ANALYSIS!!!!

Here's Shadow Milk Cookie's REAL cards before they were changed! Despite not having the numbers, the imagery is consistent enough and makes it easy to know which card is which!

First up we have XV - The Devil, in the upright position.

In summary, The Devil represents oppression, addiction, obsession, dependency, excess, powerlessness, and limitations.

"Getting the devil card in your reading shows that you have feelings of entrapment, emptiness and lack of fulfillment in your life. It might also mean that you are a slave to materialism and opulence and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to shake off the feeling of wanting to indulge in luxurious living. You might be aware that this kind of lifestyle is leading you down the rabbit hole, but you have that feeling of not having any form of control over your actions or urges."

Second we have XIII - Death, also upright.

This card represents transformation, endings, change, transition, letting go, and release.

"Death is one of the most feared cards in a Tarot Deck, and it is very misunderstood. Many people avoid mentioning this card because it has that much power. Most times, people take the name of the card literally. However, the real meaning within the Death card is one of the most positive in the whole deck.

The Death card signals that one major phase in your life is ending, and a new one is going to start. You just need to close one door, so the new one will open. The past needs to be placed behind you, so you can focus your energy on what is ahead of you."

Lastly, we have XX - Judgement.

In the upright position it represents self-evaluation, awakening, renewal, purpose, reflection, and reckoning.

"The traditional Judgement meaning focuses on the moment when we reflect and evaluate ourselves and our actions. It is through self-reflection that we can have a clearer and objective understanding about where we are now, and what we need to do in order to grow as humans. The Judgement card appearing in a reading signifies that you are coming close to this significant point in your life where you must start to evaluate yourself.

To see this card can also indicate that you are in a period of awakening, brought on by the act of self-reflection. You now have a clearer idea of what you need to change and how you need to be true yourself and your needs. This can mean making small changes to your daily life or making huge changes that not only affect you but the people close to you."

When applied to Shadow Milk Cookie, an interpretation of these cards are hinting at a great event or change that will force him to reevaluate either himself or a decision he's made. Leading to some sort of renewal or reckoning. Now is this his actual fate? Is it hinting at a possible redemption or is he going to get hit with the karma stick in a future update leading to his demise? I'm not sure! It could swing either way.

But what about the altered cards? What was the fate Shadow Milk Cookie wanted?

Our first card in this reading is X - The Wheel of Fortune.

Upright, it means change, cycles, fate, decisive moments, luck, fortune, and unexpected events.

"The Wheel of Fortune turns evermore, seemingly to communicate that life is made up of both good and bad times, and that the cycle is one that we cannot control. It is something that is subjected to both kings and workers, and that nobody on earth can avoid what is fated. When you have good moments in your life, make sure that you enjoy to the fullest, for what comes up must always go down. The same is true in reverse - when you are in a bad situation, things will eventually become better again."

Next we have Black Sapphire Cookie as IV - The Emperor.

This card represents stability, structure, protection, authority, control, practicality, focus, and discipline.

"It’s all about control when it comes to the Emperor, for this card means authority, regulation, organization and a fatherliness. The Emperor represents a strategic thinker who sets out plans that he must see through. He is a symbol of the masculine principle - the paternal figure in life that gives structure, creates rules and systems, and imparts knowledge. Where the Empress's desire for their kingdom is to create happiness, the emperor desires to foster honor and discipline. He guides with a firm hand, following the calling of the crown above all else. Though he is a ruler, he understands that to reign is also to serve - thus he acts rationally and according to what is for the greater good of the kingdom."

Lastly we have Candy Apple Cookie, one might mistake her card for the Empress, but don't be fooled! Due to the distinct symbolism of the black and white pillars behind her, I firmly believe that she's actually II - The High Priestess!

This card represents unconscious, intuition, mystery, spirituality, higher power, and an inner voice.

"The meaning of the High Priestess is related with inner knowledge. Her appearance in a reading can signify that it is time for you to listen to your intuition rather than prioritizing your intellect and conscious mind...

The card itself shows a night-time scene, meaning that the world in which she protects and guards is one that may at first seem frightening, but has the potential to lead us into the growth of the self. When she appears in a reading, she is calling to you to listen to her message, and follow her into your own depths. There is searching within yourself to be done for the answers that you seek. The answers to the questions you have are within, not without."

What do these cards mean when put together?

An ever shifting troubled fate leading to the establishment of a ruler or mentor figure followed by listening to this mentor's message and guidance towards a new outlook/enlightenment.

I think, with this reading, Shadow Milk Cookie is sort of hint-hint nudge-nudging at PV again. Basically more of his "join me and i'll lead you to a better world. i'm destined to guide you." sorta gaslighting BS.

Sorry for the long post. All and all, these are both very interesting readings!

[russellbee]

JEALOUSY with LN4 + MAX F

nortrell x reader, but lando is oblivious.

(andi's note!! lando and max have been on my mind for some reason, so getting my thoughts out for you all! 🙃🙃)

16+ for sexual themes — read wisely! (additional warning for alcohol!)

Your back is leaning against a wall facing the dance floor, the strange coolness of the material touching your exposed skin. Lando, the oblivious fucker who you wore the shirt for, is out on the dance floor grinding against a stranger. You can feel your teeth grate against each other, your annoyance expressed through the clenching of your jaw. Max has joined you in leaning against the wall, a beer in hand. His eyes follow yours, scanning the crowd.

He scoffs when he sees Lando, "He's practically eating her." You make a noise in agreement, watching as one of Lando's hands grips onto the strangers waist. The muscles in his forearm tighten, veins showing underneath the swirling multicolor lights. You swallow down the salvia that builds in your mouth, rolling your eyes as if you don't want to be in her place; kissing Lando, feeling his hands move places that aren't exactly friendly.

"Might have to stay at your apartment tonight," Max remarks. Lando's hand has moved down to the stranger's ass, the pads of his fingers digging into her flesh. "Why? Don't want to jack off to Lando fucking again?" You tease watching Max's face flush at the mention. It was when they were still living together in London from what he told you. A part of you is intrigued by what Lando might sound like, what he might say when he's got someone in his bed. The other knows if you were in that same situation, you’d feel crushed that he’s fucking someone else.

You and Max have both known about each other's feelings for Lando for a while. When you were all younger, Lando was the center of your friend group — though he still is. Anything he wanted to do, you did it. Surprisingly, it wasn't until 2018 that you two discussed it. It had been a moment of weakness for the both of you, a similar situation to now.

You had all gone out and met some friends at a pub to celebrate Lando's contract. Lando ended up chatting with a girl, a face none of you would remember now. Max had choked on his drink when Lando went in to kiss the girl, and your jaw had dropped. At that point, Lando didn't have the charm he has now, so he didn't go anywhere past that. But you and Max ended up at your flat, discussing your shared feelings for him.

Now, with Lando in F1 and Max out of racing, you've been spending more time with the latter. Neither of you have discussed it, but you can feel the tension between you when you talk. Nothing malicious. Rather it’s something raw and taut; stretched to the point of breaking.

You look at Max, finding his gaze. "You wanna go now? Might as well ditch him, we know where this is going." You recognize a certain gleam in Max's eyes, the one he had when you got too in depth about your fantasies during a drunken ramble. "‘N leave him here?" His words are hushed and you can only hear them because he tilts his head a bit, moving closer toward you. You can make out the familiar scent of his cologne, woody and crisp, like a cold night. It clings to the couch in his flat, the one you've slept on numerous times, and the hoodies you've borrowed. There's also a trace of Lando's cologne; suave, strong and expensive.

"I'll text him, come on." You grab Max's wrist gently, eyes pleading. He casts one last look to Lando before swallowing the last of his beer and following you out.

It's a bit chilly for a summer night, the cold nips at your skin, cooling you down after being in that club for an hour or two. Max gets his phone out, ordering an Uber to take you to your flat. You text Lando, telling him you've left and taken Max with you. You don't expect a response till at least 10 am tomorrow.

The Uber arrives quickly and you're back at your flat in no time. When you close and lock the door to your flat, you can feel Max's hand on your back, cold like the wall at the club. When you turn around, you're practically face to face. You notice he has the same look of unadulterated want you often see when he's watching Lando.

"This fine?"

"Yeah, 'course." He kisses you as soon as you stop speaking, drawing you closer by gently pushing against your back. You meet the intensity of the kiss, feeling a little prideful when a quiet groan escapes him. Your body relaxes against Max's, and you can feel the contours of his body; recognizable from the years you've spent together.

Your phone buzzes and you hesitantly pull away to check it, knowing there’s only one person who’d text you this late. You laugh a bit when Max groans, leaning his head against your door.

lando

whatttt

i'm comin over

"Why's he choosin' now to spend time with us," Max complains, leaning against you as you stare at your phone. "We can make him sleep at the foot of the bed, he always hogs it anyway."

"it's kinda nice having him there, y'know?" You nod, because you do know. Lando has been a constant presence in your life, just like Max. Without them, it's like a part of you is missing. It's the only reason you and Max have been so reluctant about telling him anything you've discussed with each other. Would it still be the same if Lando didn't like either of you back?

You've both decided you don't want to know the answer.

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters on Blind Dates

Last Valentine's Day, my special was a series of Valentine's Day Poems. This Valentine's Day, I'm going to randomly pair up Cosmere characters & imagine what a first date between them would be like (something I've done before...). I'm using a random number generator & my list of Cosmere characters! Let's see what happens!

(As in the past, this is truly random...except that I omitted anyone underage or anyone from the last time did this. Talking to you, Gaz, who was managed to be rolled THREE times!)

1. Lyn & Kiin

Kiin: Listen, the fact is--I'm already married. Kiin: But to make up for it, I did make you this sweet, spiced pudding! Lyn: ... Lyn: Definitely not the worst date I've been on.

2. Kenton & Hrathen

Kenton: Oh wow, you REALLY remind me of my father. Kenton: Stubborn, uptight, unyielding, rigid... Kenton: I'm out. Hrathen: ... Hrathen: All I said was that I ordered us wine.

3. Veil & Sixth of the Dusk

Veil: You know...you remind me of someone. Veil: The intense eyes, the scars, the fact that you're a hunter, the very colorful chicken you have with you... Veil: You're a lot like Mraize! Dusk: ...You remind me of a tree I met once. Veil: ... Dusk: I don't meet a lot of people.

4. Aesudan & Sigzil

Aesudan: [petulant sigh] Aesudan: I mean, you're hot 'n' all. Aesudan: But you don't look like you have the sweltering desire for power and conquest burning within your manly breast. Sigzil: That's...fine. I'm not interested in you. Aesudan: What?! Why?! Sigzil: You're married! You let your infant son be tortured by evil spren! Aesudan: Oh, like YOU don't have any faults! Sigzil: ...This is the LAST time I try a blind date...

5. Charlie & Allik

Charlie: I think I'll start off this date by ranking every glass of milk I've ever had. Allik: Oh...yeah? I was gonna show off how high I can count. Charlie: ... Allik: ... Charlie: Are we...both trying to blow this date? Allik: I-I just I have a lovely woman I'm already into! Charlie: Me too! Allik: Want to...just talk about how great our SOs are instead? Charlie: Honestly, that sounds like a ton of fun.

6. Sebarial & Colot

Sebarial: [sniffs the air] Sebarial: Hmmm.... Sebarial: I sense in you a man who doesn't quite know his place, who isn't sure where he belongs... Sebarial: A stray, one might say... Sebarial: Do you want to move in with me?? Colot: It's been 30 seconds!

7. Crow & Navani

Navani: I like dangerous women. Crow: I have within me a dangerous power that keeps me alive but will ultimately destroy me. Crow: I need a partner who will do whatever it takes to reach our goal, no matter the consequences. Navani: I made a god-killing weapon through the power of toxic yuri. Crow: Do you want to make out?

8. Silence & Hesina

Hesina: ...Wow, it sounds like you've had a rough go of it. Silence: Motherhood has hardly been easy for you, either. Hesina: Do you want to order large amounts of wine and sweets? Silence: Maybe just this once...

9. Shai & Ulaam

Ulaam: Give me the right materials, and I can make my body into anything I can imagine! Shai: Give me the right materials, and I can remake a man's soul. Ulaam: Do you want to make out?

10. Dalinar & Ialai

Dalinar: Well, this is...awkward. Ialai: [waves a hand] Just think of it as a chance to imagine what might have been. Ialai: Had we been together, you never would have burned your wife alive, you know. Ialai: I would have been right there, helping you take that city. Ialai: You also wouldn't have nearly died on the Tower--I doubt Torol would have been such a threat without me. Dalinar: Okay, but...we don't like each other. Dalinar: And I couldn't choose any path that would lead away from Navani. Ialai: Who says marrying me means no Navani in your marriage? Dalinar: ...What? Ialai: What?

[thetinyadventurer]

So I did some thinking last night and I finally understood something: I think I understand why Helga would’ve come back for revenge in the proposed sequel to Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

I’d be royally pissed too! First of all that betrayal from Rourke would hurt like hell! She spent 13 years with the guy, enduring life-threatening situations, overcoming obstacles and she believed he had her back! In the comic they released titled “The Secret of the Shepherd’s Journal” Milo’s grandpa expresses concern for Helga’s safety when she goes to scout out an ancient temple on her own. He warns Rourke and Helga that the place is likely guarded and heavily trapped. Rourke assures Milo’s Grandpa that she’s “been through far worse than this”. And he’s right if you look into her dossier file. To me, this shows two things. One, Rourke’s worked with Helga long enough that he knows her strengths and what she’s capable of. He knows that she’s tough as nails and is competent enough to not only carry out his orders but to succeed as well. In short HE TRUSTS HER! Two, Helga would have the same trust in Rourke in return. You don’t just go out and fulfill your C.O.’s orders without question unless you are a) absolutely loyal to them or b) trust them completely. Again, those two have been through a lot and I imagine that they’ve come through for each other time after time.

Sidebar: Now that I think on it this explains why Helga stuck with Rourke to the very end during the expedition to Atlantis. Even though she was clearly uncomfortable at some points. (Seriously just look at her expressions during the Heart of Atlantis Scene. Girly is NOT okay!) But she pushed past her own feelings to fulfill her end of the bargain because, again, SHE TRUSTS HIM! They’ve been through harder situations in the past and Rourke’s come through before so why SHOULDN’T she trust him?! Also, at that point, once they’d taken The Heart of Atlantis there was no going back. They’d taken an artifact that is sacred and vital to the Atlantean people, they committed regicide— They can’t undo their actions with a simple “sorry” so they had to commit! Plus if they gave it up at that point they would’ve been met with retribution.

Anyway! Rourke’s betrayal would have hurt so damn bad! I kinda have an idea of what it feels like to be betrayed by someone you trusted and I imagine the feeling was 10x worse for Helga. She’d be feeling anger, disbelief, confusion and a myriad of other emotions. Of course she gets her revenge when she shoots the balloon thus dooming Rourke to his fate.

HOWEVER, now that we have confirmation that she would’ve survived via Rourke’s shattered crystal remains we can infer that her suffering wouldn’t have stopped there. For one thing, her injuries would’ve been extensive and painful as hell. If Helga came back as a cyborg we can infer that the shards from Rourke didn’t heal her completely. Otherwise she’d have no need for replacement parts. So this chick, once she SOMEHOW managed to survive the intense volcanic eruption, would’ve had to crawl her way out of that place. Probably still injured and in extreme pain. I asked my husband (who has incredible pain tolerance btw) what it feels like to break a bone and he explained to me that it does more than “just knock the wind out of you”. You hear the crack and then you feel it. REALLY feel it. It’s a pain that’s so intense that it can immobilize you and put you into shock depending on the injury. So… Helga trying to move with numerous broken (maybe even shattered) bones would be the worst experience ever! And let’s not forget the damaged, possibly ruptured, organs that she’d be dealing with. I imagine that she probably would’ve spent days in utter agony and she couldn’t die because the crystal shards would’ve kept her alive.

Even worse, there’s no one coming to help her. Everyone thinks she’s dead (obviously) so she’s on her own. She’d only have her own thoughts for company and I imagine that the anger and resentment would grow with each passing moment. And who’s to say that Rourke’s own rage didn’t somehow transfer over to her via the shards and add fuel to the fire. She’d probably be blaming everyone for her predicament at that point and thus the seed of vengeance is planted.

Anyway, she makes it to the surface somehow and is probably rescued by some people. Some wounds might’ve gotten infected at the time resulting in amputations and such. And by the time she’s somewhere safe her life has changed forever. She’s lost limbs and who-knows what else, everyone thinks she’s dead. She can’t go back to Mr.Whitmore for work because of what she did (she’d probably get imprisoned) and it’s not like she could go home to her family. The world is in chaos being plunged into WWI and who knows what her family dynamic is like so… She’ll have to adapt. She’d probably obtain the cybernetic limbs and would spend a significant amount of time recovering. Next she’d gather resources and would obtain a crew. This would also take a long time… And that entire time her friends are reaping the rewards of their trip to Atlantis. They got the money she believed she was owed.

After all, SHE’D made the difficult choices! SHE was the one who was willing to get her hands dirty— To go against her conscience and leave an entire civilization to die out! She was willing to risk it all and would hope it’d be worth it— Only to get stabbed in the back and forgotten while her friends get rich! AND THEY DIDN’T EVEN LOSE ANYTHING!

So yeah, of course she’d be pissed!

Though I doubt she’d be willing to take personal responsibility for any of it. From personal experience, trauma and the emotions that come with it can really screw up your brain! Rational thought (at least for me) wasn’t exactly in the cards and I think it’d probably be the same for Helga, too. To Helga she’d be a victim in all of this and knowing her she wouldn’t take that sitting down. Going back to Atlantis and getting revenge for her would be cathartic (and less expensive than therapy). It wouldn’t take her suffering away but it would make it all worth it!

TLDR: I overanalyzed about Helga again and I made an essay. Basically, I can see why Helga would come back for revenge. I’d be pissed off too if I’d been betrayed, mortally wounded, mutilated and forgotten about, too.

Anyway! Enjoy your day people! Here’s a Helga gif!

[museguided]

Out of all the places to run into him–well, it couldn’t really be surprising anymore, could it? A bewildered smile was all he could manage, an expression that escaped Akane’s notice as she leaned into the bar between them to get a closer look at Yuu’s face. 

“It is you! Hah! It’s been ages and that look on your face hasn’t changed at all!” Akane giggles, kicking her heel up like a schoolgirl in her glee. Mika tilted his head quizzically, mindful of the line slowly building behind them. But he was intrigued; he had known Akane since elementary and he never recalled her mentioning anything about Yuu, at least not specifically.

Granted, with his own disappearance over the years, it made sense that there were some aspects of her life he didn’t know about at all.

Of course, the employees had to keep their business moving. Something Akane thankfully recognized when Yuu’s coworker took over. Mika’s gaze followed Yuu as he walked away, regretful that he couldn’t say more, but it was likely for the best. They could all be properly introduced and reunited later, as promised. He ordered a coffee after Akane asked for a latte and preferred pastry, opting to pay for the both of them before he scooted her down the aisle in the opposite direction of Yuu to wait for their drinks.

She complied reluctantly, looking over her shoulder with a small pout until the guests and employees in her line of sight became too much of a nuisance. Her loosely braided hair flipped to lie over her shoulder in the rush to peek up at Mika’s face. “You knew his name,” she noted, unsatisfied with his expression, “and that honorific…” Crossing her arms, she turned to face him when he stopped moving her along, “when did you two get to know each other like that?”

“Well…” he drawn out, wondering if he should explain it all when Yuu wasn’t nearby to interject. With how resistant he was to the mere idea, Mika didn’t want to back him into a corner. “It all started a few weeks ago… when I stepped on his foot.” Akane’s expression lacked any skepticism he expected, ready to accept his story as fact. Likely because she knew him to make friends with anyone, despite the circumstances. Even if he had grown older and believed himself to have changed since then. 

Mika resisted the urge to look back and search for Yuu, himself. It was one thing to meet on the street, or in a store, and it seemed to be something else entirely to find out where he worked. As if he should feel ashamed to find out more than Yuu was willing to show him. But it wasn’t something he could really apologize for when they were starting to understand the extent of their bond. Why now? Knowing what he did, he realized that their worlds couldn’t be further apart. Even if he could find something he could cherish with Yuu, he couldn’t pretend that their bond had the strength to resist the lives structured around them. 

“I guess I’m still trying to figure out how to apologize,” he uttered, not bothering to elaborate any further when Akane frowned at him. His hand curled up against his chest, mindful of his tender heart. Seeing him again should have felt like a relief, like finding a source of warmth in the cold, but instead he felt on edge, anxious. He tried to will it away, dreading the haunting pain from before, but there was nothing to do for something out of his control. 

“We still have time to talk about it,” Akane prompted, still hopeful as her hand curled around his forearm, tugging at it lightly for his attention. He could only silently apologize, knowing he would have to bend and stretch the truth until he had Yuu’s approval to tell her anything about it. Thankfully, the employee called their names, bringing Akane’s attention to her treats as she accepted them with gratitude. 

His heart jumped in his chest at the sound of Yuu’s voice, turning his own attention to him as Akane pushed the cup into his hand. But those green eyes weren’t focused on him at all, seeing past him to their supposed mutual friend. 

Akane smiled brightly. “Wow, so you do remember me,” she teased, looking pleased as punch. “C’mon, c’mon, you two. Let’s go find a table first. Ah, Yuu, are you going to get anything for yourself?” Of course, she subtly nudged Mika with her elbow to get his attention, as if his attention were on anything else but the man before him. “He’s already offered to foot the bill, so get whatever you like.”

“He works here, so I’m sure he could help himself to whatever he likes,” Mika retorted back. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he focused on the pleasant sweet notes permeating the cafe and glanced away toward the queue as he sighed. “But I could, if you want…?” It’s not likely where they planned to meet, nor did they expect to have an audience while they talked, but at least Akane could be the buffer he needed between his own heart and brain while Yuu scrambled the connection.  

Yuu exited after a quick nod to the tall blond and rushed for the cafe, half expecting that pain to start up again. Pain he wasn't looking forward to even more with a rush at the cafe he was rushing toward now. However, the pain thankfully didn't come this time and his quick running steps didn't feel as if he was attempting to trudge through thick mire this time.

He'd have to think more on that later - and he definitely would - right now there was a rush to handle. And good lord, a rush was putting it lightly! The line was practically out the door! More than likely because of the seasonal items and the discount they had at this time of day to get the pastries made that morning sold to make way for the fresh ones. Either way, he had to practically fight his way through the crowd to get inside, clocked in, and get the apron on.

He was all business the moment the clock accepted his punch in so he just gave a very grateful Yoichi a thumbs up as he made his way to take over the register. The poor brunette looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and more than happily gave up his position. Yuu logged him out of the register, switched the till for his own and took over with practiced ease. All while Yoichi rushed to take the till to the office and get to work on the backed up orders.

What Gabe was even thinking having them so short staffed on a weekend he'd never understand. But they had it handled now as Yuu gave the fake customer service smile, apologized for the wait, and took the orders with professional precision. Thankfully, Gabe also gave them the power to turn away rude customers if they needed to, a power that Yuu regularly used. He wasn't a very patient guy on the best of days, but even more so when he'd been in pain all the days before today. Today even he was already miffed about being called away from his plans and had no patience for entitled customers that felt they should get an extra discount for the long time they were waiting.

Yuu had none of that and told them to look around at the clearly short staffed cafe and how long the line still was. He told them in no uncertain terms to either order and pay or move aside for the next customer and take their business elsewhere. That shut a few of them up, but only riled up a few others. Thankfully he hadn't had to continue with those others though as other customers in the line - not yet having their daily caffeine - wasn't having it and told them to get lost and kick rocks. Caffeine as it turned out was a great motivator especially when it was to the point of near addiction for some and they clearly needed their fix.

Thankfully, after an hour the rush had dwindled down to a few coming in here and there. At that time, Yuu quickly turned from the register and started helping making orders and serving them before rushing back to the register when a new customer came in. Finally after another few minutes the smaller crowds also dwindled down. The cafe's patrons mostly all rushed off to their own jobs until the noise of conversation in the establishment became nothing but a soft hum. There were still plenty of people there, but he was able to finally relax a bit and the jerky rushed movements became easy and fluid again.

Though that could also be because a certain soulmate walked in, not that he noticed until the next patron moved on. He had just sighed in relief and was about to do the usual greeting when his name was spoken and he looked up in surprise from the register.

No way...

His sheer shock probably was a comical sight on his face as his eyes grew wider and his lips parted. The usual customer service greeting died before it could even start to be uttered. The two people he least expected to see right then was standing there now. Mika, his soulmate who he was supposed to meet up with in the next half an hour or so and the one friend he had ever had and hadn't seen in years. He'd recognize her on sight.. But wait.. How did these two know each other?

This crazy soulmate thing again isn't it..?

It had to be! How else could it be explained? A friend he hadn't seen in years and his soulmate just happened to know one another?? And they had to! It was clear that they'd come here together.. Which opened up even more questions that had his mouth opening and closing like a choking fish desperately trying to catch air. Until his saving grace came in the form of Yoichi poking him in the side and bringing him back out of his own head.

Oh right.. Still on the clock..

"Ah sorry, Yuu-san seems to be a little tired from the rush. What can we get you?" Yoichi asked with his usual bright beaming smile.

Yuu, still a bit in a state of shock just moved aside and rubbed the back of his neck as he softly frowned. Yoichi could take their orders this time while he grappled with this new information. Though he glanced over at the two again.. Yep, still there.. He wasn't imagining it. And he was still clueless about what to say to either of them.

Were they dating or something..? If they were, why then was Mika so persistent with trying to get him to accept this bond or whatever it was? The thought of that sent a sharp pain through his chest that nearly knocked his breath out of his lungs. He couldn't deny though that this cafe was the place people went to for dates at times. He'd seen a lot of couples come in and out of here. And they looked like a couple. They clearly knew each other too so what gives..? And if they were a couple and fate or whatever was showing him for him to do something about it, it would be sorely disappointed. If anything this was showing him he was right to be cautious before.

And wait hadn't Mika said something about kids..? Did they..? Another pain as his frown deepened and a new feeling took root in him. Jealousy.. Not that he had any right at all to feel that particular emotion. For one they didn't even know they were soulmates until recently.. Plus he'd only mentioned wanting friendship earlier and during their first meeting he'd emotionally pushed Mika away. So really what right did he have to be jealous? None whatsoever. They didn't even know one another! Not really.. They'd met by chance twice, but that's it.

Even so, his hand slowly left his neck to fall to his side as he moved to wash his hands, knowing he was sweating and his hand was now dirty. Besides, Kimizuki was due to come in any moment and take over. Before he got there, there was still plenty to do so he helped to fill the last orders so far and was about to grab a cloth to start cleaning tables. That was when the pink haired male finally came in.

"'Bout time you got here," he said, more snarky than usual thanks to his tanked mood.

"Oh shut up, I'm here aren't I? Besides, looks like you guys handled it just fine."

"We did!" Yoichi chirped, hoping to dispel the tension before they could start arguing. "Thanks to Yuu-san. He came in to cover for you."

"Oh, thanks I guess."

"Yeah whatever." With that, he finally moved to switch his till with Yoichi's again and clocked out after the money was counted and all that. Only then did he finally paint on a fake smile for his long time friend just as she and Mika's orders were finished and set on the counter for them, their names called. "Long time no see, Akane. How've ya been?"

He wasn't trying to ignore Mika, really.. But he was stunned in some ways, jealous in others despite his best self deprecations for it and didn't know what to say to him. So he figured he'd catch up with her first and figure out what to do after about everything else.

[cent-scratchnsniff]

tie tying doodles w ramblings on it in tags

[icewindandboringhorror]

It always seems a bit unbalanced on The Great Food Truck Race when there will be multiple teams who are cooking a wide variety of complex dishes with 10 different components and a bunch of prep work, and then there's that one team who like... exclusively serves plain crepes with some premade nutella on them, or plain waffles with just some whipped cream and cut up strawberries lol...

[autumnrory]

oh godddd i was leaning towards a podcast app but i went through and found a few of the shows i've listened to didn't transfer over and then when i did a quick count there's like 200 shows missing and there's no way of knowing whether it's because they didn't transfer over or they're just not on the app skjdfkjs a nightmare

[jull-reblogs]

I agree that it would be better for the Door of Time to close after Link leaves, but there's no way to be sure that it would. Maybe Rauru could close it? Who knows!

About the Master Sword I should not have phrased it like that, I said myself earlier that maybe Link needed it to regain his memories and that could explain why Zelda made sure he got past the Door. So it's not that it plays absolutely no role in this particular time travel, but there's something else happening since Zelda also uses the Ocarina.

I think there's a misunderstanding haha, I didn't mean that you need to give different names to the brasserie and the building itself. Unless the building houses something else besides the restaurant? If not I would just go with Brasserie La Perle de Lune (in that order ^^), or Brasserie du Clos, or Brasserie Château Marée-Chant as you prefer. I only meant that Château Marée-Chant Brasserie du Clos was a bit long and needed a comma (sorry if my previous answers were confusing, I don't really know how to explain French in English 😆).

Oh a reference to the Indigo-Gos is a great idea, I could see the band playing their song from MM's credits!

Honestly I had never even heard the word "igname", you taught me something! We usually just say patate douce (which literally means sweet potato) ^^ Otherwise the pun with mignon can work, even if it's not completely obvious.

Well the thing with Rhoam's cabin is that my Link and Zelda would never let the Yiga take over the Plateau in the first place. That really bothered me in TotK (especially what was done to the Shrine of Resurrection). Maybe Link will have to defend the Plateau against a Yiga attack, but they would not be able to settle there without anyone doing something about it.

Yes I want the rebuilding of Castle Town to still be a work in progress, but I'd prefer for the new town to be a bit more than small huts. I need to find the right balance between what could be done realistically in just a few years (with the help of technology) and my desire to finally see a "real" city in this version of Hyrule.

I can't remember if you showed me your design or if I just saw it on your blog, but yes I had already seen it ^^ I really like it, especially the lacy parts! It would have been so much better to get that in the game instead of that terrible hair and make-up.

Oooh I love this Stormbringer Lynel, it's such a fun idea! It would make you think twice before taking a stroll through Akkala 😆 The Maelstrom Lynel sounds cool too! I wanted a quest with a sea monster for my rewrite, something like that could be interesting.

The Gerudo instrument was fun! But the weapons and clothes were so lazy… though at least I like that the purple color seems to be a reference to OoT. But the vai looking like barbarians with shaved heads and painted faces were a bit weird next to Ganondorf with his kimono and katana. I don't know, I thought it didn't make much sense.

Ah yes I would love being able to find ancient weapons, and maybe that would make the Sky Islands or the Depths more interesting. I loved the scimitars too, I don't understand either why they were not included in TotK…

I'm not sure it's explained in WW that only Fishmen and monsters can live in the Great Sea. I didn't find it in my copy of Hyrule Historia either but maybe I missed it. The game itself states that there's no fish, which can make sense since this is not a "real sea" and just a flooded kingdom, but then why would whoever created the Great Sea allow the Fishmen to stay but not the Zora? Why would their magic water repel almost all life except for monsters? I don't know this whole thing never made sense to me. It would be so much easier to just say that the Rito are a different species and that the Zora now live somewhere else.

If Link was able to find the remnants of Zelda's study in my rewrite (assuming a journal or plants could be preserved that long) it would not be in Necluda, more like under Hyrule Castle or Castle Town with what I have planned ^^ As for the amber, that's a great idea for the official timelines but here Sun never had to seal herself in amber (since that would have ended in two Zeldas existing at the same time as we already discussed).

Yes being cursed doesn't necessarily make you evil, but in my lore only the Goddesses themselves or a very powerful deity would be able to cast such a curse on an entire race, and being targeted by the gods would probably brand one as evil (and I don't believe the Golden Goddesses interfere with their creation like that anyway). Or that would require the Triforce, but I think we can be sure that this is not what happened.

I also prefer for the voe to be a last gift from the Goddess. I find the Koume and Kotake option interesting to explore but it's not something I want in my "main" lore or in my TotK rewrite. Not sure it would imply that all men are evil though, in this case it would mostly confirm that Koume and Kotake are.

It's true that the Gerudo could never be truly independant in that setting and would always need to seek out males from other races (and btw their insistance on keeping men outside of their city could be explained by a desire/need to preserve their culture). But I can point to other races that are dependant on their deities and would be in trouble without them, which could also be considered bad planning. The Kokiri/Koroks are born from the Deku Tree and depend on his protection, so it seems they would cease being born without him. At least the Gerudo have a back-up plan and can reproduce with males from other races. Same for WW Rito, they can't grow wings without Valoo. They may not necessarily die without wings, but they still need them to become fully grown adults. As for the Goron, we don't know much but it seems that they are born from the earth, and there could be a deity involved in that as well unless they just spawn spontaneously. So I don't think the Gerudo are the only ones potentially doomed by the loss of their Goddess (and they really aren't, they just need to find mates).

Also, are the Golden Goddesses actually shown to be careful planners? After all they did leave behind a divine relic that's been the cause of so much bloodshed in Hyrule. And this relic can even grant evil wishes.

Well the Gerudo would only need to have one child each to keep the population stable while other females need two, that's actually less pressure in a way. But sure they need to travel to find men. I guess it's a lot easier when Hyrule isn't completely destroyed, and also let's be honest… Would it be so hard for the vai to find men who'd be more than happy to, you know, father their children, and then never have to take care of them since they would be raised in Gerudo? It doesn't sound that hard unless what they're looking for is an actual husband and not just a hookup. But does it really make sense for a vai to look for a husband if staying with him means being separated from her daughters? (unless she refuses to send them to Gerudo Town of course).

And do the Gerudo truly live such a nightmare? It never seemed to be the case to me, they seem rather proud and happy. Most of the ones we meet outside of Gerudo Town are excited about their travels and seem to enjoy looking for a voe. So I don't know. Sure if this was a curse it would be horrible for them to lose all their men, but I think it's different if they were an all-female race from the start.

The Sands Goddess didn't have the same planning ability as Hylia because she was not the Goddess of Time. Also she was designed by the Golden Goddesses to only give the Gerudo daughters, so creating only one male could be a huge task for her. Maybe she even had to sacrifice her entire being in this action, which might explain why she doesn't reincarnate like Hylia could, or Jabu and the Deku Tree. So she did all she could and did it in emergency, right before dying, and was maybe hoping to give more males to the Gerudo but simply couldn't.

This might not be 100% satisfying but at the moment that's the best thing I can come up with without involving a curse haha. But I'm not done thinking about this, things might still change.

And don't worry, I can take constructive criticism! ^^

@aikoiya The post was getting long again so here's a new one!

I knew you were going to answer that saying "this is unfair" isn't real life logic haha (and I agree that life hasn't been fair to Sky and Sun anyway). It's just that such an ending would probably leave me feeling unsatisfied and even a bit robbed, and I think it would require a lot of other changes to be made to the story in order for it to work properly. But anyway you're right, as things are now this would just be happening behind the scenes so what I'm saying doesn't really make sense. But just thinking about it changes my perception of SS in a way I don't really enjoy, so it's not a theory I favor.

Yes in that setting I'm pretty sure that the other Sun would not make herself known to Link and Zelda and would let them have their happy ending. But I think Zelda would likely suspect her existence and know that something is wrong. I guess even Link could notice that the Temple's doors are suddenly open and would ask Impa a few questions.

I had no idea Tingle called Farore the Goddess of Wind in WW, so I went on a little quest to see if I could find the same quote in the French version of the game. Apparently it's in Tingle's description of Outset Island and I never had the chance to play with the Tingle Tuner mode. I can't find the same quote in French anywhere and I don't even know if this was included in the HD remake (I guess I'll have to wait for a Switch version to find out… if they ever release one). This has me wondering if this quote isn't something exclusive to the English version, but I can't be sure and I'd like to know what the original Japanese text says. The French wikis mention that Farore is the Goddess of Wind in WW but don't provide any quote, it just looks like the pages were translated from English but that they couldn't find the same quote in French. It's really frustrating!!

Anyway that's a bit weird because WW already establishes Zephos as the God of Wind, and he seems to be a minor deity compared to Farore. The way I see it, wind is just the element that Farore tends to be associated with, and since a lot of myths might have been lost with Hyrule in WW this could just be a mistake on Tingle's part. I mean this is the game that gave us the Golden Triumph Forks haha.

I'm not limiting Nayru/the Golden Goddesses to a singular domain, quite the opposite ^^ To me Nayru being the Goddess of Wisdom includes different concepts such as order, law, science, magic, etc., and even time (since she's introduced as the creator of the world's fondamental laws), while calling her the Goddess of Time doesn't include all of that. That's why I wrote that I found it a bit restrictive. But sure she could have both titles, the same way Farore could be known most commonly as the Goddess of Courage and also called the Goddess of Wind in some situations.

Oh I didn't think of the blocks from OoT! I would say though that they don't really use any time powers, they're just random blocks that appear or disappear for some reason when Link plays the Song of Time (it's just as absurd as playing the Song of Storms to open holes in the ground haha). But yes they were blue and associated with time, and of course Nayru is too. The difference with Hylia in my theory is that Nayru created the rules of time (if that makes sense) among other fundamental laws, while Hylia's power specifically allows her to manipulate time and foresee the future. In a way I see Hylia as Nayru's spiritual daughter who inherited some of her powers over time (and that's why the color purple she's represented with is very close to blue).

The Master Sword has also been depicted as either blue or purple though, so that asks the question of the true color of all of these things! Nayru is definitely linked to time so it makes sense that the timeshift stones are in Lanayru (and Hylia also doesn't have a province named after her).

"From the edge of time" could definitely just be a poetic way to say that Hylia kind of recorded a message for Link before dying haha. But I find it interesting that she would phrase it like that, I like to see it as a clue.

Well if Zelda simply sent Link to a point further back in time, wouldn't there be two Links existing at the same time in the Child Timeline? But sure Zelda creating a brand new timeline also raises a few questions that kind of... make my head hurt. I'm not sure what happens exactly, I've always wondered! All we know is that Link finds himself in the Master Sword's chamber with the Door of Time already open, which hints at things happening in a different way this time (because he definitely doesn't have the three spiritual stones and the Ocarina of Time yet since this is before Ganon's coup, and the ending seems to imply that this timeline's Zelda doesn't know him yet). That's why I believe Zelda might have done something a bit more complex than sending him to a point further back in time, but there's no way to be sure. The Triforce of Courage is also visible on Link's hand during the ending, and we also know thanks to TP that the Triforce is still separated in the Child Timeline despite Link and Zelda preventing Ganon from entering the Sacred Realm this time. So maybe Zelda isn't able to change everything? It's complicated haha.

Anyway, whether OoT Zelda creates a new timeline or just sends Link further back in time, that's still huge time powers and that's not something Link is able to do by playing Zelda's Lullaby.

I also believe it is more likely that Talon inherited the ranch. True, Talon might not always have been so lazy, but maybe if that was the case the game could have hinted at hit. All we know is that he leaves his daughter alone with Ingo and only comes back after Link deals with the situation, which does not make him look so great. And he only promises to work harder after that.

I'm kind of bad with names so I'm impressed you're going through all of that trouble to rename the settlements!!

I haven't gotten to developping the technology that much yet, but I'm really interested in seeing what the different races could do with it! I love the idea of using the Sheikah to infiltrate the Yiga bases. I wish TotK had done something like that and shown the Sheikah helping Link that way.

Same, I was so excited when I heard about these pirates… and then so disappointed to find nothing more than a bunch of bokos with no backstory.

Vignoble is not related to noble (though I kind of make the association in my mind, especially since vignobles are sometimes called châteaux).

Yes I thought you could maybe use clos! Aquaticlos is funny, it can work! Though maybe you could use the same logic as for the raisins (I love this Raisins de Terre idea by the way, it makes sense!) and say that what the Zoras call a clos already refers to something that's underwater, since that's probably the case for most of what they cultivate.

I don't mind helping you with French, I'm glad to do so! You put so much effort and thought into this, it's really interesting.

[giantkillerjack]

Thank you, younger me, for drawing so many things in which the lines were never quite right. It is quite literally the only reason I ever figured out how to get them right.

[a-lil-rat]

I don't want to be a conspiracy theorist on main but all the memes about Luigi Mangione kind of piss me off bc I am 90% sure he is not the assassin.

I know I've joked in the past that all white men look alike but Luigi Mangione litterally does not look like any of the shooter pics.

The shooter has a long face and a sharp chin, Mangione has a more square face and rounder chin, and THE EYEBROWS!! You're gonna tell me he groomed his eyebrows before commiting a murder and they just grew back completely in less than a week? Nah

Not to mention, police claimed he was wearing the same jacket and backpack from the day of the shooting. You know, the same jacket and backpack the NYPD found discarded in Central Park?

And they're saying his fingerprints match the crimescene even though security footage clearly shows the shooter wearing GLOVES!!

Not to mention, after every meticulous step taken to get away with the shooting, why would the perpatrator still be carrying the murder weapon and a manifesto??

I genuinely believe the cops are using Luigi Mangione as a fall guy. They found a centrist Ivy League kid who kind of matched the description in order to shift the narrative from class war back to a less threatening "left vs right" culture war.

His politics are messy enough that people will spend more time debating over what side of the spectrum he is on than the actual issue at hand. THIS IS A DISTRACTION!

Also the story is all over the place. Was it a McDonalds employee or patron that reported him? The story keeps changing but either way it sends the message that the working class will turn on itself during an unprecedented moment of class unity and solidarity in the United States.

Also I think pinning this on an Ivy League kid was done in an attempt to shift the narrative from the assassin being a working class hero to just another trust fund kid. That being said, even if it WAS him, an Ivy League trust fund kid has more in common with you than you have with the 1%.

So people in the US, please think critically about the distraction tactics being pushed onto you and don't forget who the real enemy is.

Keep solidarity.

Deny

Defend

Depose

Edit: I have since been informed that Italians grow eyebrows at a very fast pace.

[undyinglantern]

logically I don’t even think I’m doing horribly (the guy training me told the manager I was doing “pretty well” about handling a “mini-rush”) but mentally my mind keeps telling me oh he’s just lying because we keep getting out breaks at the same time and since I’m practically tailing him of course he’s say that to be nice during the only opportunity to speak to the manager. Only since I’m around and can listen in is he saying something nice.

[chahnniesroom]

night again

pairing: bang chan x female reader

summary: in hindsight, visiting chan's studio right before a comeback isn't one of your best ideas. what was supposed to be a pleasant surprise leaves you spiraling into self-doubt, wondering if chan even wants to be in a relationship with you at all.

word count: 6.4k

tags/warnings: angst, hurt/comfort, misunderstandings, insecurities, reader not eating due to stress

a/n: the long awaited 'he calls you clingy' fic! title is from the english translation of 또 다시 밤 (twilight)

read it on ao3 | masterlist

You love your job. It's challenging for sure and the expectations from upper management are often unforgiving, but you’re proud of how hard you've worked and everything that you've accomplished in the past few years at your company. 

As you've gained experience, you've slowly been given more and more responsibility. You've grown out of your junior role and though you're thrilled by the pay raise and prospect of being a team lead rather than being led by one, it's also daunting.

When you and your new team are assigned an important project with tight deadlines, you're determined to prove yourself. It's implied that you're going to have to have to dedicate a significant amount of time to finish it and while you're no stranger to long hours, it means that any plans you have of seeing your boyfriend, Chan, are out the window.

The timing is not terrible, Stray Kids has a comeback scheduled in about a week so you didn't think that you would be able to spend that much time with Chan anyway, but you usually try to surprise the boys at one of the music shows with a cake and some home cooked food.

Luckily, you've already been planning for this. Although nothing had been confirmed, you had expected that this project would be awarded to your company and you've already been trying to spend more time with Chan than usual in preparation for the busy season ahead for both of you.

Still, you can't help but agree with your best friend at work after she complains how little she's going to see her partner this month. Jinjoo doesn't know who your boyfriend is, but the two of you are close enough that you’ve shared that you have one and that work takes up a lot of his time. You've gushed to her about the sweet things that Chan has done for you and you've admitted that you think he's the one.

“You should bring him dinner sometime!” she exclaims when you mention you're not sure when the next time you'll be able to see Chan will be.

“Well, he’s really busy-” you start to say.

“That’s the beauty of it. I’m sure he would appreciate if you brought him food at work, especially if he’s anything like my partner and gets so caught up with work that they forget to eat sometimes,” she insists.

“That’s true.”

“Just trust me, Y/n. I wouldn’t be telling you this if I wasn’t sure that it’d work. My partner loves when I do this. It’s literally the perfect way to take some time for each other before you’re both too busy. Even if he's super busy, his work can't be bad enough that he’s not allowed to eat, right?”

You agree somewhat reluctantly. You're still unsure about whether or not Chan would appreciate you barging in unannounced, but it is a cute idea and Jinjoo's confidence is enough to convince you.

The next day after work, you head to the company and order takeout for a late dinner for you and Chan, picking it up along the way. It reminds you of earlier in your relationship before you had gotten your current position and when Stray Kids were just gaining popularity. Both of you enjoyed having more casual date nights that provided more privacy as opposed to going out to fancy places and it makes you even more excited to see his reaction.

About a year after you started dating Chan, he insisted that you get a pass to get into JYP Entertainment without having to fill out a visitor's form and have someone pick you up. It has definitely come in handy more than a few times, although you try to limit the number of visits you make. Even though you're allowed to be there, it still feels intimidating to be in the building, like someone is going to recognize that you're not an employee and accuse you of being a sasaeng.

Luckily the late hour means that you make it to Chan's studio without having to interact with anybody except the security at the door, who had waved you through without a second thought. You had double checked with Felix earlier in the day to make sure that Chan didn't have any schedules or dinner plans, so you directly knock on his door without texting or calling him beforehand. 

“Y/n?” he asks, a bit baffled when he sees you. “Did we- Did I forget that we had plans tonight?”

“No,” you say, a little nervous for some reason. It's just Chan, you tell yourself, but it doesn't make you feel any better. “I didn't think that you had dinner yet and wanted to see you.”

“Oh, I see. Come in,” Chan responds slowly, still processing your sudden appearance. “I just have something that I need to finish up-”

“It's fine! You can work,” you assure him quickly. “I don't want to interrupt you too much, I just wanted to drop by since I don't have plans and wanted to make sure that you're eating well.”

Chan’s studio isn’t messy at all, but he still gets up to clear some space on a side table for you, before returning back to where he has Cubase opened up. You pass over his food and feel relieved when he immediately digs in, but your appetite seems to have vanished, you can only get yourself to pick at your meal.

Chan is short with his responses all evening and continues to work on his laptop, even while eating. It throws you off a bit, you thought that he would be able to get to a stopping point and at least make a bit of time for you, but you did tell him that he could. Even so, you're determined to make the most of the last time that you’re going to see them for a while. You know they’ve been super busy the past few days, or more like the past few weeks, but still you had thought he would be a little bit more engaged or at the very least seem happy to see you.

Finally, after half an hour of eating with minimal conversation, you decide to broach the subject that’s been on your mind this entire time. Chan’s finished his food and you know that you won’t be able to get yourself to eat anymore, so you shuffle everything off to the side and inch closer to Chan. 

“You know that client we’ve been trying to work with for a while?” you start tentatively.

Chan hums noncommittally, continuing to type on his computer. Not quite the reaction that you're hoping for, but you forge on anyway.

“We got awarded the job! It’s a great opportunity for the company and everyone is really excited, but-”

“Y/n,” he interrupts. “I’m sorry, that’s amazing and all, but you know that it’s not a good time for me right now. I have something I really need to work on and now that you’ve finished eating, can we please not bother with the small talk?”

“Oh,” you say, a bit caught off guard. Chan has never been the type to cut you off when you're speaking. “No, yeah, I get it. Uhm. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, just-” he sighs, sounding frustrated. “Next time can you please ask me when you want to visit in advance so this doesn’t happen again? You chose the worst timing to come by. I just need some space, from all of… this,” he says, waving a hand between the two of you.

“Sorry, I know it’s a busy time, but I just wanted to see-”

At that moment, an alarm on Chan's phone goes off, interrupting you. When he turns it off and notices the time, he swears lowly, unlocking his phone and typing out a message to somebody. You’re scared to break the silence. Less than a minute later, someone knocks on the door.

“Come in,” Chan calls. When Changbin and Jisung step into the room, they eye you curiously. You keep your head down and try to prevent your hands from shaking as you stand and start to haphazardly shove away all your belongings and the garbage from your dinner into bags. 

“Noona, it's good to see you!” Jisung says brightly, although his smile dims when you make eye contact and can only manage to weakly return the smile. “Sorry for interrupting you two.”

“Hi Hannie,” you reply quietly, not wanting to make conversation, but not wanting to be rude.

“It’s okay, Y/n was just leaving,” Chan says, his obvious annoyance making things even more awkward.

You say bye to the boys quietly and apologise as you shuffle past them to the door.

The handles of the bag from your dinner are digging into your hand painfully and your purse can’t close with the way that you’ve thrown everything into it. You only take a few steps before you have to stop for a moment to save a container from falling and decide to put down everything and reorganise it all.

When you crouch down, you take a second to mentally berate yourself. Everything you had worried about had come true. Instead of being a pleasant surprise, you had come across as a nuisance.

In your rush, you hadn't fully closed the studio door behind you and you're close enough that you can just barely pick up the conversation that happens inside.

“Sorry,” you hear Chan say faintly. “I don't know what's been going on, but Y/n has been… really clingy these days. She just showed up today without asking and I hate-”

You leave before he has the chance to say anything else. You look like a mess for sure, you had just grabbed all the empty containers without bothering to put them back into the plastic bag, your jacket is partially dragging on the ground, and your purse is hanging off your elbow, having slipped off your shoulder. You're pretty sure you hear an empty drink bottle clatter to the floor behind you, but you don't look back to check.

You don't have it in you to care, you just need to leave.

Even waiting for the elevator feels humiliating, so you bypass it and stumble down the stairs. You dump the garbage into a bin on the first floor, not bothering to sort it properly, and step out onto the street, bee-lining to the nearest subway station.

The ride home passes by in a blur.

It hurts, of course it hurts. 

Honestly the reason that your relationship had worked out so far was because you weren’t the kind of person that needed a lot of attention. You understood that both of you were busy and were content to just exchange messages every couple of days because you knew how important Stray Kids was to Chan. Of course you did, they were just as important to you.

If Chan wanted space, well. You were more than capable of giving it to him.

In fact, your upcoming schedule had been the reason that you had wanted to meet up in the first place, the source of your so-called clinginess. You’d never been called that before. You were hyper-independent and tended to get lost in your own mind, easily distracted by different thoughts. It had gotten to a point that most of your exes had complained at least once about you being distant or inattentive.

With Chan, you had been determined not to be the same. It had been difficult at first, to make the effort to send messages throughout the day. You had to convince yourself not to spend too long drafting replies in your head and try not to worry that you were bothering him, especially if you knew that he had schedules at the same time that you were texting.

By the time that you make it to your apartment, your pain has faded into a mixture of resignation and numbness. You don't want to talk to Chan about how you feel, it's your clinginess that he didn't like in the first place, and you don't think you'll have time or the energy for a long, emotional conversation in the next few weeks anyway. If you keep your distance for a while, it just benefits both of you, you tell yourself. You won’t be a distraction to Chan as Stray Kids has their comeback and he won’t be one to you as you take on this new project. 

As much as you want to spend the rest of your night overthinking- something you’ve done more than you’d like to admit- you know that you have a busy day at work tomorrow. Feeling a bit like a zombie, you force yourself to shuffle through your usual nighttime routine, swallowing a melatonin pill before climbing into bed.

Normally, you would send Chan a good night message. Actually, normally you would have sent him a message the second that you arrived home. It was something that he was insistent on starting from early on in your relationship, wanting to make sure that you were safe.

Tonight, you just turn off your phone, plug it into its charger, and sleep.

—

In the morning, you allow yourself to wallow in bed for 5 minutes, before you get ready for work. You’ve never been good at eating breakfast and today’s no exception. Your stomach turns uneasily at the thought of food so you only force yourself to drink some water before you leave.

Your team at work has agreed to get to work earlier than usual just to get a headstart on everything. Though you’re more of a night owl, you’re grateful to find that deviating from your usual routine means that the subway is empty enough that you can find an empty seat, a luxury that you’ve rarely experienced.

It feels eerie to walk through the streets of Seoul when the sun has just started to rise and you’re relieved when you finally make it to your office.

Unsurprisingly, you’re one of the first to arrive. You’re grateful for the time that you have to unpack your things and make a much needed coffee before the rest of your team shows up.

“How did it go last night?” Jinjoo asks you excitedly when she comes in.

“Uhm, it was okay,” you reply noncommittally. “He was definitely surprised.”

“Oh,” Jinjoo pouts at your lack of enthusiasm.

“I mean, it wasn’t bad,” you backtrack, hating to see her disappointed. “It was just so short, he was kind of… busy. But that’s what I expected anyway so that's fine I guess. Thanks for suggesting it to me though! I really appreciate it.”

“That’s good,” Jinjoo brightens. “At least you got to see him one last time.”

“Oh yeah for sure! I think that after seeing him yesterday, it’ll be easier to deal with how busy we’re going to be for the next few weeks,” you say truthfully. 

It’s not a lie, you justify. For the first time since you started dating, you’re not looking forward to the next time that you’re going to see Chan.

You know that your communication is about to reduce to an all time low for the next few weeks, and while you had originally been worried about how Chan would react, now you’re thinking that he’s just going to be relieved not to hear from you. You’ve never thought yourself to have been overly chatty with Chan during the day though, preferring in-person conversation over texting and knowing that he’s generally not available to read your messages anyway, much less send you a reply. It seemed that you were wrong. 

Luckily your team now has to use a shared box that you’re required to put your personal phones into during working hours and only have a little bit of time during lunch and dinner breaks, if you take them, to fish them out. It’s a policy that your company enforces when teams are working on confidential projects and you can’t blame them due to past litigation that they’ve been involved in after a former employee leaked sensitive information.

For once, you're glad for this excuse to not look at your phone, even if you feel a little bit naked to look at the side of your desk or reach into your pocket and not have your phone there. You’re relieved to bury yourself in your work and forget all about your personal life. Even though your project is just starting, you feel like you're already behind. 

When you're finished work for the day and take back your phone, you find yourself reluctant to check your notifications. It's only when you're waiting for the subway to arrive at your station that you finally force yourself to take a look.

No new messages or calls from Chan.

You’re not sure what you expected, but somehow you’re still disappointed.

You get back to your apartment late, you had wanted to finish a couple of things before you left the office and it had led to you being one of the last to leave. You had also stopped by the convenience store closest to your place, not having the energy to cook anything for yourself.

You pick at your dinner half-heartedly. You're used to eating alone, Chan often had his meals at odd times due to his schedules, but tonight the silence feels more oppressive. 

It haunts you, the tail end of the overheard conversation. You have no idea how Chan was going to complete the sentence, but your mind unhelpfully fills in the blanks with worse and worse suggestions.

He hates the timing of your visit.

He hates that you visited at all.

He hates that he has such a clingy girlfriend.

He hates that you are his clingy, annoying, bothersome girlfriend.

He hates you.

In moments of clarity, you can recognize that it's not true. That's not the Chan that you know and he would never say something like that about anybody, least of all you. It's just hard when a small part of you has never really been able to believe that someone as talented and amazing as Chan would want to date someone as unremarkable as you.

You find yourself falling into a new routine, waking early, working overtime, and trying not to cry yourself to sleep. You succeed most of the time, you keep yourself occupied by thinking about work and you're so physically exhausted by your long hours that you fall asleep the second that you get into bed. Luckily, your coworkers are just as overworked as you are and it’s easy to blame your declining condition on the project. Weekends don't help you rest at all, you've committed to your manager that you can work on Saturdays and Sundays are spent completing the chores that you've neglected during the week.

You still talk to Chan sometimes, either right when you wake up or on the way home after work. The conversation is stilted though, both because of the long delays between messages when you text and the limited time that you have when you call. It's enough of a difference that Chan asks you multiple times if everything is okay. Even though you try your best to assure him that you're fine, just busy, you're sure he knows that something is off, although he doesn't question you further.

Most exciting is the day that the new Stray Kids album releases. You've already heard most of the songs for this comeback, perks of dating the member that's the most involved in the writing and production of the album, but it's different now that they're available to the public too. You make sure to organise your schedule so that you're on break when the music video drops and you send a number of messages in the group chat that you have with the group cheering them on. Usually, you try to take a day off to deliver some food to them at the music shows, but you've had to settle for arranging with one of their managers to treat them to a meal.

You can tell when they get breaks because when you check your phone after work, notifications from the members are all in the same blocks of time. It's mostly them thanking you, taking pictures of the food you sent, flowers that they've been gifted, and letters from fans. They have a short promotion period this comeback, but it's packed with different interviews, performances, and fanmeets. At one point, Felix even sends you a picture of Chan sleeping slumped over on one of the waiting room couches. As much as you're relieved to see that he's able to get some rest, the picture has your stomach twisting uncomfortably.

You're proud of Chan, of all of the boys. They've worked so hard and each comeback seems to be more and more successful. Even if you're not confident in what's going to happen with you and Chan in the future, you want to celebrate with them while you still can.

—

After almost four weeks, your project is nearing completion and you've never been more grateful to have a deadline arrive.

You only have a couple more days left until your last submittal is due and after getting off work, you want nothing more than to collapse into bed even though your stomach has been growling the whole walk from the bus to your building. You had caught a significant mistake in a document right before it was going to be sent to a client and the whole afternoon had been spent trying to fix it in time. Your team had just barely managed it, but your head has been pounding for hours and your whole body is tight with stress.

You’re not quite sure how you make it to your apartment, your exhaustion has made you clumsy. You struggle a couple times to enter in the code to unlock your door and trip over a pair of shoes that are scattered in the entryway.

You manage to catch yourself before you fall, then squint back. Yes, you haven’t had the chance to tidy your apartment in a couple weeks, but you’ve never been the type to leave your shoes on the walking path.

A light is on, further in your apartment. You know for a fact it wasn’t like that when you left this morning, it would have been obvious since you've been leaving before the sun rises. Someone else is here.

You stare at the light for a few seconds in disbelief, then slowly reach to grab something, anything that you might be able to use to defend yourself. Your shaking hands close around a full sized umbrella that you keep beside your closet. 

You’ve already made enough commotion that there’s no way the intruder didn’t hear, but you try to keep your footsteps light as you creep down the hall to where your kitchen is. It’s stupid to try and confront them, but the idea of someone in your space, potentially taking your things, is enough to inspire a sudden bout of bravery.

You hold your breath as you turn the corner, launching forward to attack the second that you see someone. You recognise the figure halfway through your swing, and though it’s too late to fully stop, you manage to pull back enough that they’re able to easily catch the umbrella before it hits them.

Chan wraps his arms around you then eases the umbrella out of your hands, resting it against the wall. You sag into his embrace, adrenaline draining away, leaving you exhausted again. 

“Chan?”

You've missed this. His warmth, his comforting scent, the reassuring steadiness that he always provides. You can almost pretend that everything is fine.

“Sorry for scaring you,” he says, sounding more amused than apologetic.

“You should be,” you grumble into his shirt. “I could have seriously injured you if I didn't realise it was you!”

“I don't think that was going to be a problem.” Even though you can't see Chan, you can hear the grin in his voice.

“Hey!” You lightly smack his arm. “You take that back!”

“Fine, fine,” Chan acquiesces, holding up both his hands in surrender. “I'm very glad that I didn't have to experience the full power of your self defence.”

“Yeah yeah,” you huff. “What are you doing here anyway? Other than trying to give me a heart attack, that is.”

“I made you dinner,” Chan says shyly, turning pink.

“For what?” you ask suspiciously. It's easy to fall back into the banter that you typically exchange with Chan, but you can't help but be a bit wary these days.

“No reason. I uh, just haven't seen you in a while,” Chan says sheepishly, scratching at the back of his neck where it’s now flushed red. “We had so much preparation to do and then all our schedules… Anyway, I wanted to surprise you, so I thought I could cook for us.”

Now that he's mentioned it, you can see that he's set your tiny kitchen table and that there's a couple of pots on the stove. Chan doesn’t cook often, but he’s expressed a desire to learn before and you’ve taught him how to make a few of your favourite recipes.

You stare at him for a moment, lost for words.

It's only been a few weeks, but you feel like you've forgotten how to act around Chan. Instead of a comfortable silence, it's almost awkward, neither of you knowing what to say.

“Oh,” you say finally, touched and still a little shocked that he's actually here. “That's- that's so nice, I just- is it okay if I wash up a bit quickly first?”

“No, yeah, of course. I'm sure you had a long day,” Chan says. “Go ahead, I’ll- the food should be reheated anyway so I’ll get on that. Take your time.”

You skirt around him to go to the bathroom, taking a moment to splash yourself with water. This feels like a bizarre dream and you wonder for a moment if you’re making this all up. But when you leave to go to your bedroom, Chan’s still there, puttering around in front of your kitchenette. You change your clothes slowly, mind racing as you try to puzzle together why Chan has decided to visit all of a sudden.

You eventually settle on the most logical reason that you can think of.

He’s finally decided to break up with you.

You’ve figured that this was coming for weeks by now, but somehow it still hurts. Instead of feeling resigned, it feels like you’re shattering into little pieces. You twist your work blouse into a tiny ball as you try not to cry, even though you know the fabric is going to wrinkle terribly. You finish cleaning up in a daze, already drafting what you're going to have to message your manager later. There's no way that you're going to be in any shape to work tomorrow if you’re right.

“Y/n?” Chan calls eventually. You know you're procrastinating leaving your room, but you want to put this off for as long as possible even though you know it’s just delaying the inevitable. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” you reply with a heavy heart. “I’m fine. I'll just be another second.”

You can tell that Chan doesn’t quite believe you. He hovers around you when you emerge from your bedroom, knocking away your hand when you try to pull out your own chair from the table.

He's set the table, going so far as to fold little napkins under your utensils. There's even a tiny vase with your favourite flowers as a centrepiece. All this effort just hurts more.

“You look exhausted. You got home so late. Where were you?” he asks.

“I was at work,” you reply stiffly. You know that if you try and say any more, your emotions are going to spill over and you're either going to scream or cry. Maybe both.

“So late?” Chan's forehead creases with some sort of emotion. You can't quite tell if it's concern or scepticism.

“You're not the only one that has a demanding job.”

“Y/n, you know that's not what I meant-”

“Sure,” you say. “Whatever, let's just eat. Thank you for the food.”

You don't want to deal with this. You're so tired.

You have no idea why Chan’s dragging this out longer than it needs to be. Why he’s forcing you to sit through a meal with him like he’s not about to break your heart. Chan is one of the kindest people you know, he’s probably trying to make this easier for you, giving you one last nice memory, but it just feels cruel.

Chan reaches out, stopping you before you can pick up your chopsticks. He stares at the way his fingers overlap each other around your wrist.

“You’ve lost weight,” he says quietly. You look away, watching steam curl from the bowl of rice that has been set in front of you instead of returning eye contact.

“I’ve been busy.” Is all you can say in response. 

You don’t want to tell him that you’ve been basically subsisting on iced americanos and various convenience store meals in part because of your work schedule, but mostly because of your lack of appetite. Every time you thought of Chan, it made your stomach turn and well, everything reminded you of him. You hadn’t realised how much it had actually affected your physical condition until now though.

“You're not taking care of yourself,” he scolds you. You can feel yourself bristle at his comment even though you know it’s true. “I haven't been around to take care of you either. I'm sorry.”

“Chan,” you protest. It has been weeks since you last saw him in person and you’ve spent more time that you’d like to admit micro analysing your relationship, but you still can’t make sense of his behaviour, especially how he keeps switching between criticism and tenderness.

“What?” he asks in genuine confusion.

“Why are you here?”

“I missed you,” Chan says, sounding hurt and confused. “I haven’t seen you in so long.”

“I just- I don’t understand what you want from me!” You run your hands through your hair in frustration. “One day you don’t want me around, we go weeks without seeing each other, then you’re at my place cooking me dinner? You said you needed space, I gave you space."

“Woah woah woah, what do you mean I don’t want you around?” Chan asks, alarmed. “When have I ever said that?”

“You made it pretty clear that you didn’t appreciate it when I went to bring you dinner that day,” you start.

“No, baby!” Chan stands up abruptly before you can say anything else. He falters when the loud scrape of his chair causes you to flinch back. He slowly walks towards you and kneels in front of you, reaching out to hold your hands in his. His eyes are wide with earnestness. “Of course I wanted to spend time with you. I always want to be with you.”

“So why did you call me clingy?” you ask in a small voice. Gone is your anger, replaced with a self-consciousness that you can’t hide. You look away as tears prickle your eyes.

Gently, Chan lets go of your hands and cups your cheeks instead, turning your face so that he can see you better. His thumbs swipe under your eyes, brushing away the tears that have managed to escape.

“Baby,” he says, sounding even more upset and angry than you feel. “I'm sorry. Did someone tell you I said that?”

“Nobody had to tell me, I heard you say it myself!” you burst out, pushing Chan away. You know that you’re being dramatic, that you keep oscillating between different emotions, but you don’t care. “That day, in your studio, you told Han and Changbin that I was really clingy.”

“You heard me talking to Binnie and Hannie?” Chan asks slowly.

“I didn't mean to eavesdrop,” you sniffle. One of Chan's hands shifts and he carefully tucks behind a lock of hair that has fallen in front of your face. The gentleness makes even more tears well up.

“It's okay, I think I know what you overheard now. It must have hurt, right?”

You can't muster up a response, choosing instead to just nod slightly.

“I’m sorry, I'm sorry,” he soothes you. “Can I explain myself?”

You pause for a moment, then slowly nod again.

“I don't mind that you're clingy, actually, I like it. I shouldn't have used that word. I like that you want to spend time with me, Y/n,” Chan says carefully. “I like that you take time to visit me, even though I know that your work is busy too. I think that it's cute and thoughtful that you think of me and try to take care of me by bringing me food. I know that you intentionally take the time out of your day to text me because you know that I like hearing from you, even though I might not see it or respond right away.”

Chan pauses for a second and you use it as an opportunity to pull away slightly. His hands tighten briefly, before he lets them fall away, giving you the space to process.

It's not that you don't like what Chan is saying, it's just hard to reconcile it with the thoughts that have been eating away at you for the past few weeks. You still don't understand what you overheard though, how it fits into all of this. When you voice your concerns to Chan, he sighs, before continuing to speak.

“I don't know what I did to have someone as caring and thoughtful as you in my life.” You want to protest, but Chan carries on before you can say anything. “It's just that- you visited me without notice and were the sweetest person in the world. I wanted to spend time with you, believe me, I did, but I can't just ignore my deadlines when the rest of the members are relying on me. It makes me feel like garbage when I can’t give you all my attention. That's the thing I hate the most. That I can't be the boyfriend that you deserve. That I can't show you how much you mean to me the way that I want to.”

It makes sense, in some sort of twisted way. You know that similarly to you, Chan often feels insecure. It had taken a while before you had been able to convince him that you really did want to be in a relationship with him even with all of the difficulties that were associated with being an idol. You hadn't realised that your visit had fed into his worries that he wasn’t enough.

“I didn't know,” you say quietly. “I'm sorry.”

“Hey, I didn't tell you how I was feeling and that's on me. I’m the one that’s sorry, you have no reason to be. I should have been clearer about what was going through my mind and it wasn't any excuse for the way that spoke to you. Even if I wasn't at my best, I can't believe that I made you feel like I didn't want you to be around.” Chan shakes his head and you can tell that he's beating himself up about it. This time, you're the one that reaches out to him, grabbing one of his hands in both of yours.

“I am sorry that I put you into that position, though. I got caught up in the idea of how fun and romantic it might be, that I didn't give enough consideration to your schedule. Even though I wanted to surprise you, it would have been better to check with you beforehand. I don't ever want you to have to feel like you have to choose between me and work.”

“It was a really nice surprise,” Chan agrees. “I wish that I hadn't been so wrapped up that I wasn't able to enjoy spending time with you. I really hated not being able to see you these past few weeks.”

“It was really hard for me too,” you admit.

“I missed you so much. I missed your beautiful voice, hearing your laugh, seeing your smile. I missed all the texts that you usually send, they make me feel like I'm not as far away, that I'm a part of your day too. You kept saying that everything was fine and- I know it's hard for you, especially during comeback periods when I'm not as responsive. I didn't want to pressure you into messaging me more often if I'm not able to do the same.”

“No, it's not that. It doesn't bother me. Work was, is still really busy for me,” you explain. “I was trying to tell you that day, but-”

“But I basically shut you down,” Chan realises. He laughs bitterly. “I’m just the worst, aren't I? No wonder you were so confused by why I was here.”

“I thought you were going to break up with me tonight,” you whisper. Chan looks devastated by your statement.

 “No- you know I wouldn't-” Chan stumbles on his words in his haste to correct you.

“I don't think that anymore,” you reassure him. “I understand everything now, it was just that we didn't communicate well and I assumed… It's okay, we're together now, this won't happen again.”

“I promise that I will make it up to you. I love you and I will prove it to you in every way possible. And I'm going to start right now. You still haven't eaten yet, please go ahead.” Chan moves back to his abandoned chair and doles out a portion of the stew from the pot that's on the table. 

“I am really hungry,” you confess. Your stomach chooses that exact moment to growl loudly and the two of you can’t help but burst into laughter. 

Just like that, it feels like things are back to normal.

You know that there's still more that you and Chan have to talk about. The two of you have only scratched the surface on your insecurities, communication, and how those things led to such a significant misunderstanding.

But tonight, it's enough that you get to share a meal with the man that you love.

read it on ao3 | masterlist

[fmhobeus]

fwb!suguru who knew he wanted to fuck when he first laid eyes on you. then wanted to take you out to endless dinners to chat his ears off when he first spoke to you.

fwb!suguru who grew to like you without fucking you, almost forgot it was what he wanted you for – a life together or a night together?

fwb!suguru whose dick got painfully hard when you taunted him, rolled your eyes at him or outwitted him. he lived for your sassiness.

fwb!suguru who happened to fuck you on a random night unexpectedly and it changed the trajectory of his life.

fwb!suguru who stayed after every dick appointment. cuddled with you on the bed, watched movies or your favourite TV show, ordered take out and held you in his arms till you both inevitably fell asleep.

fwb!suguru who couldve sworn he wasn't in love with you. he would still fuck other people (and then come back to you, poor baby was thinking of you the whole time)

fwb!suguru whose grown accustomed to your presence. he calls you when he isn't feeling okay, you call him when something bothers you. he's grown used to you telling him all about work, how you got your nails done, how you saw a cute cat near your apartment. trivial details, which coming from anyone else he would hang up, but he looks forward to them with you.

fwb!suguru who eventually stops fucking other people and is just your man, without you knowing.

fwb!suguru who is determined to mark you up in placed people will notice. your neck, your thighs, your collarbones.

fwb!suguru who believes in giving you his all. all of his long girthy dick that pumps you full it should be criminal, his long slim fingers that have made you orgasm so often and hit that deep spot with unbeat ease, his long tounge... oh god his tounge. he thinks maybe even his long life ahead is yours too, all yours. his little kids too maybe? he doesn't like to think too much about that.

fwb!suguru who has to have your pussy checked with his tounge daily. he has to lap up your insides no matter any circumstances. his voice purrs across your body when he talks you through your orgasm.

"mhmm yeah cum all over my face beautiful, I know you want to"

fwb!suguru who gets sick at the thought of you sitting so pretty for another man when you tell him you're going on a date. suguru who looks so disturbed at the thought of another man even looking at his pretty girl who isn't really his.

fwb!suguru who takes you to corporate events just so he can call you his girlfriend, even if it's just pretend. when you question him it's always "easier explanation than a friend i fuck on the regular, isn't it?"

fwb!suguru who knows how you like your coffee in the morning. he knows what you like for breakfast, your comfort food, your hobbies, your favourite movies, your least favourite movies, your icks, your past. he knows you like he knows himself. he thinks of you when he passes your favourite cafe, he texts you when he sees something in the colour you like.

fwb!suguru who is sure he hasn't felt this way before, who is so vulnerable with you that it scares the shit out of him.

fwb!suguru who is afraid, angered at everything about you. he's angry at how you lull him into a sense of security, how you hold him, how sweet your voice sounds when you call him by his name, how you take care of him, how you listen to him. he hates how your pussy clenches his dick for dear life, milking it dry and how you never let a drop of his cum go to waste, licking it up like a little slut. he's fearful too. about losing you. about where loving you the way he does leads. loving you? wait. he loves you? fuck. fuck. fuck. this hasn't been according to plan at all.

[cloudwisp]

✮ sylus x wife!reader (2)

contents: tooth-rotting fluff. arranged marriage au. sylus as your sweet and doting husband who's simply in love with you and anything that you do. 1.5k wc.

꒰ note ᰔ thank you for everyone's patience who requested a part two!! I truly hope this meets your expectations <3

part one here. ꒱

⭒ You’re an early bird married to a night owl. After gradually moving your belongings into Sylus’ master bedroom, your different sleeping schedules were made acutely aware. His day is just beginning when you’re heading to bed and he’s more or less mentally retired after a long night of business dealings and meetings when your body decidedly rises with the first rays of light at dawn. Because of this, you both compromise to meet somewhere in the middle—Sylus sweetly tucks you in later than your usual bedtime and leaves only when you’d fallen asleep, and you snuggle with him in the mornings until the very last minute and you’re forced to get ready for the working day. However, his sleeping patterns are more on the irregular side and he’ll check in on you when he’s supposed to be resting.

⭒ When Luke and Kieran witness you and Sylus bid each other with a goodbye kiss—an affectionate and wholesome display between lovers as your husband sees you off to work at the front door, they are stunned and lose it from the sidelines at the budding romance. “Wait, what just happened?” “Was there a development while we were gone?” The crow twins would share glances and decipher the scene before them together. They both have been rooting for you and their boss since day one, and they marvel at the way you both are completely smitten with each other. As though you two are like newlyweds who can't get enough of your shared love, unwilling to separate just yet even as you slowly step away from Sylus.

⭒ His touch linger with purpose to hold onto every last part of you and his hands move from your waist and slide down your arms to hold your hands until his fingers curl slightly and mourn the loss of your warmth when he eventually has to let you go. When Sylus watches your figure disappear and return back inside his home he receives a thumbs up and pending double high fives respectively from his two henchmen. He walks past them and ignores their antics by giving them orders, but Luke doesn’t leave his brother hanging and celebrates that their boss is officially and undeniably in love.

⭒ Anniversaries were an unexpected thing to celebrate with Sylus—along with holidays and birthdays. You were caught by surprise when you received a gorgeous dress and pearls inside a pretty wrapped box adorned with ribbons after being married to Sylus for three months. You weren’t quite romantically involved with him at that point and went along with what he planned for the evening, and you had a feeling it wasn’t just a performance for the public at an upscale restaurant but he genuinely wanted to make this night special for you. Then something in the air shifted and became sweeter and you suppose you wanted to start making the smaller things in life count. Even if there wasn’t a particular milestone coming up, you decide to make one up yourself. After all, there’s a true saying that the secret to marriage is keeping it fresh and interesting.

⭒ With the help of the cute twins, they set up a cozy tent in the verdant space of the garden meanwhile you decorate fairy lights all around in swooping arcs and tight lines, arrange pillows and blankets inside, and place a deck of kitty cards in the center. After everything is where you need it to be, you show the boys your gratitude and send them away as you work on the finishing touches. You gather the plate of chocolate-covered strawberries and two glasses for the red wine when suddenly your husband sneaks up from behind you and wrap himself around you, inquiring about how the twins wanted him to come find you… Oh those cheeky little things. Well, never mind them. “Don’t tell me that you forgot what today is. Happy 300 days since our first kiss, baby.” You admit that it may come off as a little silly and no one’s truly keeping count, but you simply wanted to do something nice for him.

⭒ Sylus never passes up an opportunity to take care of his darling wife. Even if that means going along with your unusual ideas like you suggesting to borrow his dress shoes after the auction show was over. He throws you a puzzled look followed by a bemuse chuckle, and he supposes he could oblige if that’s what you really wanted. You explain to him that being well dressed from head to toe to match his outfit came at the price of your painfully, aching feet. And he can’t resist giving into your demands when you ask with such adorable little pouts. There are more practical methods to go about the situation, but he certainly loves humoring you even if things don't work out the way you thought they would.

⭒ Sylus leads you to a nearby bench and gestures for you to have a seat while he removes his shoes and bends down on one knee before you, unworried about dirtying his expensive trousers. He works diligently to undo the straps around your ankles and place your heels aside to focus on slipping his shoes onto your feet. “Well, you look quite fetching in my shoes. Now shall we continue our walk or do you have any more requests to make?” He helps you straighten yourself as he returns to his normal height. You huff and make a discontent noise when you almost trip over your own two feet trying to take a step forward in your (his) much too large and too spacious shoes. “Actually, these won’t do. I changed my mind, I want my heels back.”

⭒ Sylus chuckles at your hopeless attempt, his hand going on your hip to keep you from toppling over and accidentally hurting yourself. “Ah, it appears my shoes are too big for you, kitten. You say you want your heels back, hm?” He kneels before you once more as he retrieves your pair of heels, his fingers brushing along the underside of your leg and he carefully tugs them back on your feet. He gives your ankle a gentle squeeze as he finishes securing the straps, his gaze flickering up to meet yours. "There, I hope you're satisfied now, my sweet wife." His arm then goes around your waist and he effortlessly lifts you off the ground without so much as a warning. He smirks at your precious reaction, your body flushed against his meanwhile your arms encircle his neck for balance. “Why don’t I just carry you the rest of the way instead?”

⭒ You’re snuggled up against Sylus’ chest as you bring a concern to his attention one night. “What happens when our arrangement comes to an end?” The main reason you agreed to marry him in the first place is because it was a contract marriage with a specific time frame of five years that you’d have to spend with him. And you realize that with everything he does, he’s always been considerate of you as a whole even with how he drafted this contract knowing that it could end at his own expense. He provided you with a means of freeing yourself from him if you for whatever reason wished to no longer continue your marriage with him after the term ends. The choice is left entirely up to you because he never wanted you to feel trapped but he won’t make it easy for you. “If I decided to leave, you’d really let me go?”

⭒ Sylus hesitates for a moment, his gaze fixed on you and he seems to be thinking about something as his expression grows serious. “You always know how to ask the tough questions, don’t you sweetie?” After a moment, he lets out a small sigh and nods. “…Yes. Technically, you’ll be free to go. I won’t stop you if you truly want to leave.” Another sigh escapes him, yet his voice remains soft and sincere and he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear and his palm cradles your cheek. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want you to stay. What do you want to happen when the contract ends, darling?”

⭒ You mull over your thoughts, teasing him with a pensive look as you purposely drag on the seconds. “Since you’re leaving it up to me, I think… I want to renew our vows at the five-year mark. How’s that sound?” A surprise and slight disbelief flit across his face at the same moment his countenance softens at your affirmation. “You want to renew our vows?” You offer him a demure nod with your sweet smile and he gently takes your hand in his, bringing it to his face and laying a kiss against your knuckles. “Then it’s settled. I would be honored to renew our vows when the time comes. There will be no more contracts or strings attached. We’ll be bound by our love and our love only.”

[whateveriwant]

Task force 141 reacting to their very pregnant wife still trying to clean, cook etc

This turned more into ‘Task force 141 preventing their very pregnant wife from trying to clean, cook, etc’ lmaooooo I hope that's alright

Price

HA! Good one!

No seriously, it's actually hilarious that you think you'd do anything for yourself when your hubby's around

That man has been waiting on you hand and foot since you first got together. So now that you're pregnant and you think he'd let you so much as lift a finger? You must have a serious case of pregnancy brain, sweetheart

Price is doing all the cooking, the cleaning, the running errands, etc. throughout the entirety of your pregnancy (and at least the first several months postpartum)

He's kept you practically bed bound these last few months to the point where you think there's a perfect indent of your body molded into the mattress

Seven months in, he's suddenly called away to a quick mission halfway across the globe, and you think finally you'll get some of your autonomy back...

Well, think again because who should show up at your door the next morning than your mother-in-law herself, ready to pick up where her son left off

She came at the behest of your husband, of course, and was armed with a detailed set of care instructions

What does your husband think you are? Some sort of one-of-a-kind, priceless artifact that needs special handling? (Actually that's exactly what you are. Price-less… I'll see myself out 🚶🏻‍♀️)

Ghost

When it comes to having some semblance of independence during your pregnancy, Ghost will give you a bit of a longer leash than Price, but only just so

You’re going for a walk around the neighborhood? Hold on, let him grab his coat to join you. Or you're going into the backyard to tend the garden? He'll pull the weeds while you water the plants

But when it comes to letting you do certain things, there are some hard nos that he will absolutely not budge on

You try to use a stepladder to reach the top of the cupboard? Stop! You'll break your neck! You try to pick up anything heavier than 10 pounds? Stop! Give it here! You try to drive?... Don't even fuckin' think about it, precious.

The farther along your pregnancy progresses, the better he gets at predicting (and intercepting) your next move

You were gonna do laundry today? Well, wouldn't you know, he's already got a load going in the washer. You were about to make dinner? Well shucks, he just ordered takeaway from that Greek place you love

His ability to read your mind is honestly impressive once you get past how damn annoying you find it. Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you're incapable of fending for yourself, and you're tired of him acting as if otherwise

But really, you can never get mad at anything he does for you. After all, what kind of a husband would he be if he didn't take care of his missus and your little one?

Soap

If you take Ghost’s cautiousness, mix it with Price’s thoroughness, and crank it up to an 11, you get Soap

From the moment he found out you were pregnant, he put your house into full lockdown mode, stopping just short of booby trapping the front door in case you got any funny ideas

You want some fresh air? Just open a window. You want to go for a walk and stretch your legs? Just take a few turns about the living room like you're some Austenian heroine

Don't let him catch you doing any kind of physical labor, because so help him Jesus he will grab a spray bottle and use it like you're a feral alleycat he's trying to house-train (he wouldn't really... but don't test him)

You try to unload the dishwasher? Ehrr! Wrong move. You try to remake the bed? Ehrr! Nice try. You try to mop up your own mess. Ehrr! Enough already. You try to– OCH, WOULD YE BLOODY SIT DOWN, WOMAN?!

For nine long months during his requested leave from work, your husband is attached to you like some kind of loving, smothering barnacle

But doesn't he miss his job, or the lads for that matter? What if the world needs saving? What will they do without him?

Well, (in his exact words) fuck the rest of the world! You're his world, bonnie, and he'll give you everything you could ever wish for and then some

Gaz

By far, you have the most independence with Gaz than you would with any of the other three men… at least, at the beginning of your pregnancy, that is

Once you get to around five or six months he becomes just as helicopter-y as all the others; he's just ever so slightly more bearable, perhaps

There's lots of peeking his head around the corner to check on you throughout the day or appearing seemingly out of thin air whenever you're doing something he'd rather you wouldn't

You've lost count of the number of times you've been in the middle of cooking or hanging up the laundry or whatever and his hand has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, gently taking the object from you before directing you to sit and rest

And like, look. He knows you can handle yourself. He knows you could conquer the whole world if you wanted to. That's one of the things he loves about you the most

But seeing you like this – so fragile, so vulnerable, so beautiful and soft and pregnant with his child; his child – it just… It makes him…

He just needs to do these things for you, alright, love? Just let him take care of you, please? Would you let him do that?

You already have so much you have to carry. Let him ease some of the burden off your shoulders. Let him do these small things for you because they don't even compare to all that you're doing for him 🥲