#so the clash here did not affect their relationship that much

[cienie-isengardu]

Tomas brought that mean talk Bi-Han gave him on himself. Bi-Han only said he's tired of waiting and Tomas went on a speech why that's disrespectful to their dad. Tomas was out of line. Bi-Han should have been even harsher.

Mortal Kombat 1 made it clear that Bi-Han was not at his best mental state. Kuai Liang himself admitted to be aware that his brother’s frustration ran deeply while at the same time apparently neither Scorpion nor Smoke figured out it was their own behavior and treatment of Bi-Han that fueled the frustration in the first place. The one thing the game consequently showed is that whatever Bi-Han will say, be it an opinion about Lin Kuei’s future or just angry complain, all his brothers have to say back to him is father this, tradition that and I think even the most patient person at some point would reach the breaking point. And Bi-Han did reach his, otherwise I doubt he would openly confront Kuai Liang about their father’s death. 

So as much as it is understandable (human) that whenever Tomas or Kuai Liang mentioned father or the tradition Sub-Zero lashed out in frustration, anger alone is a poor excuse for saying mean things - unless in that scene Bi-Han did in fact speak his mind about not considering Smoke to be a true Lin Kuei. Which I doubt is the case, as they were called for the first big job in a while, and looking how

Liu Kang did not recognize Tomas through the whole story mode

Bi-Han had a final say in who is accompanying him, as he rejected aid of Raiden (Fire Lord’s current Champion) and Kung Lao and Liu Kang did not try to impose them on him

I think if Grandmaster truly had an objection to Smoke performing Lin Kuei duty or not deserving being one, he wouldn’t take Tomas on the top priority mission ordered by a very concerned Liu Kang when there were plenty of other more experienced warriors to pick up. Frankly, even if Bi-Han had a doubt about his younger brother’s skills, it wasn’t a baseless assumption, as the infiltration of the enemy's fortress proved Tomas lacks battle experience in that regard. As was seen during his fall after Nitara’s attack - instead of using his powers that literally allowed him to fly, he screamed in panic and using a knife to stop the fall was his second option after instinctively grabbing the wall with his hands failed. Which proves Bi-Han’s point but it didn’t override the decision to include Tomas into Lin Kuei duties. 

But I digress, so let’s come back to the awaiting scene alone. 

Bi-Han: “How long are we expected to linger?" Kuai Liang: “Patience, Bi-Han. There are many demands on Liu Kang's attention." Tomas: "Were he here, Father would advise us to wait without protest."

For one, Tomas did not say anything about Bi-Han being disrespectful to their father nor even to Liu Kang, only that the man would advise them - mind you, them, not Bi-Han alone - to wait as long as needed without a protest. Considering the real possibility that up to his death, their father was the final authority whose words settled any dispute between brothers, Smoke brought an argument to support Kuai Liang’s Patience, Bi-Han. There are many demands on Liu Kang's attention. He simply said what father would do himself in their situation. Something he and Kuai Liang take comfort in, as they held father’s teaching in high regard, while Bi-Han did not recognize the man’s authority any longer - what the younger brothers may know already but still ignore due to their own grief, or Bi-Han up to this moment managed to keep down his frustration under more or less effective control.

This exchange led the discussion away from Liu Kang’s treatment of high-ranked Lin Kuei to the more dangerous subject of father’s teaching and tradition:

Tomas: "Were he here, Father would advise us to wait without protest." Bi-Han: "But now he is gone and I am Grandmaster." Kuai Liang: “His teaching did not pass with him. They should still guide us." Bi-Han: "Guide us, yes. Shackle us, no." Tomas: “We can't abandon tradition." Bi-Han: "Mind your place, Tomas. Father may have taken you in, made you one of us... but your blood will never be Lin Kuei."

For me, Bi-Han’s response was harsher than Tomas’ words deserved, especially as the “your blood will never be Lin Kuei” has nothing to do with the main course of the argument - i.e., following father’s teachings and upholding tradition. If Bi-Han wanted to point out that Tomas is not in position to decide the course of the clan's politics, as it was Grandmaster’s choice alone, he could have said so instead of bringing Tomas’ past. However, at the same time, Sub-Zero’s words could be much harsher and hurtful, for example to deny him the brotherhood or right to consider himself one of Grandmaster's sons. 

The whole bicker was avoidable or at least could be toned down much better if Tomas did not bring their father into discussion. Considering that Kuai Liang was aware his older brother’s patience is a thin ice due to deep frustration, we can assume Tomas knew that too. I feel like if they acknowledged Bi-Han’s complaint or at least allowed him to vent his anger in peace, none of the following arguments would follow. 

I mean, Liu Kang called Grandmaster for top important mission (capturing Shang Tsung and destroying soulstellers), so we can assume Bi-Han and his brothers drop whatever they were doing at that moment and came ASAP only to be forced to wait for unknown to us period of time - that could be a ten minutes or hours, so Bi-Han’s complaint is not baseless. 

At the same time, I feel it is unfair to accuse Tomas of stepping out of line, as that was no formal meeting and he did not undermine the authority of the Grandmaster and older brother before outsiders. The scene was solely about them and their relationship and if Bi-Han felt comfortable to break out of his Grandmaster’s role to vent his frustration to younger brothers when they were all alone, Tomas had the same right to feel comfortable enough to state his opinion in the following discussion. This is them being brothers not the leader and subordinates, the way they were during the war meeting with Liu Kang.

Please, note, Bi-Han  as Grandmaster is singled out and to whom Fire Lord addresses only, while Smoke and Scorpion stood in their place in silence and won’t speak until the meeting is officially over, i.e. after Sub-Zero’s final decision (“We will leave immediately”). If Tomas spoke during that meeting anything contradictoring Sub-Zero’s words, even if his words were correct, then yes, that would be stepping out of line and deserves any lecture the Grandmaster would consider fitting or even dealing with Tomas’ behavior once they returned to home. 

But during the moment between brothers alone from any outsiders? It is different situation, different power balance to begin with (and really, if they didn’t feel comfortable in each company and didn’t consider waiting together as the quiet moment between just them as brothers, outside the clan politics, I doubt Tomas and Kuai Liang would sit while Bi-Han, their leader, was standing).

Did Smoke really need to bring their father into discussion, especially if he knew the late Grandmaster was a sensitive topic around Bi-Han? It could be easier to just avoid that topic however if we can acknowledge Sub-Zero’s frustration as the reason for his harsh behavior and lashing out in anger, I feel we should also acknowledge that Tomas, the same as Kuai Liang, was a son mourning the loss of father. As Smoke and Scorpion had no idea about Bi-Han’s (passive) role in their father’s death, and we don’t have an idea how long time passed since that incident, so there is a chance it was still recent occurrence and the brothers tried - and failed - to find a common ground between Sub-Zero’s ambitions and Smoke & Kuai Liang’s mourning.

Maybe Tomas was so wrapped up in his grief, he didn’t care or didn’t notice he was provoking Bi-Han? Maybe he on purpose kept bringing the late Grandmaster (tradition) into discussion to force his brother to talk about their father, because grieving people sometimes avoid talking about the dead and he did not want repeat what happened to him not speaking about mother and sister, as intro dialogue implied he did not talk about his biological family after their death (Scorpion: You never speak of your mother and sister.)

For me personally, this scene is not about who stepped out the line and who should be lectured, but rather a needed indication from the narration point that the brothers are drifting apart after their father’s death. Both sides have said things that rubbed the other in the wrong way (hearing non stop about father and tradition adds fuel to Bi-Han’s frustration, Tomas’s hearing no matter how hard he will try, he will never be a true Lin Kuei hits into his sense of self-worth), but even the closest siblings sometimes argue and it happened here.

The argument should not even happen in the first place, and maybe would not happen in any normal circumstances  but since Bi-Han and Tomas and Kuai Liang are affected by things outside their control - frustration and mourning respectively - it is understandable the heavy emotions led them to clashed over relatively small things. 

If there is one thing to say for sure, they have some serious communication problems and that is only partially about Bi-Han not saving their father and lying about that. The story mode showed us Bi-Han trying to explain his reasoning - and as much as game keeps his arguments as vague as possible, he still openly states what he wants for Lin Kuei and himself, while his brothers cling to "tradition" and "father said so" but won't present any countrarguments why those things should matters. Which is a major problem, as both sides want different things and can't find a common ground to agree on.

So no, I don't think Tomas was at fault in this scene, at least not in the sense he wanted to hurt Bi-Han by bringing father into discussion, the same as I don't think Bi-Han should be harsher. What they should have done was to talk about the issue in peace and work out the solution, but alas they weren't given a time nor opportunity until it was too late.

[dragonagitator]

Timeline of major events during Gale Dekarios's lifetime

Here is my attempt to compile a timeline of major events that took place during Gale's lifetime, including his personal history, happenings in his hometown of Waterdeep, and major world events that would have affected him personally or affected everyone in Faerun. I hope this is useful in writing your Gale-centric fanfics!

The time period covered assumes that Gale is 40 years old during the events of BG3 and thus was born in the year 1452 DR. AFAIK there's no canon age given for Gale, but most fanons seem to peg him as being between 35 and 45, so I went with the middle of that range. Please feel free to adjust his estimated age for each event up or down depending on how old you think he is in BG3, e.g., if you think he's 38 then subtract 2 years, if you think he's 42 then add 2 years, etc.

Some of the more interesting implications of this timeline revolve around how much Mystra's powers and presence in the world significantly changed during Gale's lifetime. When Gale was a child or teen and first attracted the attention of Mystra, she was weak, not in contact with her Chosen, and assumed to be dead by most of the world. Gale was ~27 years old and already her lover by the time a "much diminished" Mystra called to Elminster for help, and Gale was ~35 years old when Mystra fully regained her powers as the Goddess of Magic. She seems to have dumped him shortly thereafter.

Detailed timeline and sources under the cut. It's long.

Most of the text that isn't specifically about Gale is copypasted from the Forgotten Realms wiki. See bottom for links. I haven't read all the novels and modules referenced by the wiki for these events yet and thus will likely need to revise this timeline as I work my way through those.

Birth to age ~27: until 1479 DR worldwide: Mystra was generally considered to be "dead"/missing during Gale's childhood and early adulthood because Mystra/Midnight was "murdered" by Cyric in 1385 DR (67 years before Gale was born).

However, Forgotten Realms canon of Mystra's timeline clashes with what Gale tells us about the timeline of his relationship with her:

Gale: "Once upon a time, not quite that long ago, there lived a wizard in a tower. The wizard was what one might call a prodigy, who from an early age could not only control the Weave, but compose it, much like a musician or a poet. Such was my skill that it earned me the attention of the mother of magic herself. The Lady of Mysteries. The goddess Mystra. She revealed herself to me and she became my teacher. In time, she became my muse, and later, even my lover." PC: "What did Mystra's attention feel like?" Gale: "Love. Perhaps it was not quite love, but you see, the wizard was but a very young man. It was most certainly love to him."

Speaking as a middle-aged person myself, while most 40-year-olds would consider 27 to be "young," the modifier of "very" suggests he that was much younger than 27 when he first became Mystra's lover. I'm older than the oldest estimates for Gale's age and I still wouldn't characterize myself at age 27 as being "but a very young woman." That description seems more fitting for someone in their late teens / early 20s.

Also, if he was "but a very young man" when they became lovers, then that means he was even younger (a child or teenager) when she first revealed herself to him and started teaching him magic.

So Gale's relationship with Mystra must have started during the period that the rest of the world believed she was dead or missing. Mystra did still have some sort of disembodied "presence" during this period, so maybe she was simply not able or interested in speaking to Elminster or her other previously established Chosen. Or perhaps she was fragmented, and Gale's relationship began with one of those fragments? Part of her "presence" ended up possessing a bear, but I'm assuming not the part that Gale was fucking.

Birth to age ~30: until 1482 DR worldwide: Gale was born and grew up during the "Era of Upheaval," which was known for widespread wild magic and dead magic zones, a lot of changes in the pantheon of deities, and a lot of wars and political conflicts amongst mortals.

Age ~16: c. 1468 DR in Waterdeep: "Dagult Neverember, the richest man in the city, became Open Lord."

Age ~27: 1479 DR in Waterdeep: "By this year, the Field Ward had been established, and Skullport was no longer inhabited."

Age ~27: 1479 DR in Waterdeep: "The 8th walking statue, the Griffon, appeared in Waterdeep and to defend Ahghairon's Tower. It eventually settled down near the Peaktop Aerie on Mount Waterdeep and eventually became a landmark of the city."

Age ~27: 1479 DR in western Cormyr [roughly 1050 miles / 1690 km southeast of Waterdeep]: "While recuperating in a cabin in the King's Forest, Elminster felt Mystra's presence calling to him. He found her much diminished, possessing the body of a bear that had guarded a cache of items Mystra's still-mortal form had collected. She asked her most trusted servant to find new candidates to become Chosen and to recruit Cormyr's War Wizards. Only a few weeks later, having been restored to his full powers as a Chosen by absorbing the silver fire of the dying Symrustar Auglamyr and then that of the Simbul and Manshoon, Elminster returned to Mystra (in agony from absorbing too much of it) and returned much of it to the Lady of Mysteries, restoring much of her power and divinity. This event became known as Mystra's Return."

I'm assuming that Elminster's acquaintance with Gale must have begun sometime after this because otherwise you'd think Gale would have mentioned "oh yeah she's not actually dead, we've been banging for a while now."

Mystra reestablishing contact Elminster, regaining some of her power, and the rest of the world learning that she was alive is pretty huge and therefore must have been a significant turning point in her relationship with Gale as well.

I'm also assuming that Gale did not become one of Mystra's official Chosen until after this, since it seems like Mystra's Chosen weren't active while she was laying low and letting the world think she was dead?

Ages ~30 to ~35: 1482 DR to 1487 DR worldwide: "The Second Sundering, also known as the Sundering of Toril and Abeir, was a great catastrophic event in the history of the worlds of Abeir and Toril."

Age ~32: 1484 DR worldwide: "Most of the gods created many Chosen among mortals, trying to gather as much power as possible to be as high in divine ranking as they could before Ao completed the new Tablets of Fate, sealing their status and portfolio. People started to claim they had been 'chosen' by the gods and granted special powers, some apparently for 'divine purposes' while others had no idea why."

It's possible that Gale was recruited to be a Chosen of Mystra by Elminster per Mystra's instructions to Elminster to find candidates, but given that the gods were also choosing people directly during this period and that Mystra had a preexisting relationship with Gale, she may have also Chosen him directly herself. Poor Elminster out there trying to find the best candidates and then Mystra surprises him by adding her boyfriend to the roster. Gale being a nepotism hire despite having otherwise been qualified would be pretty funny.

Age ~34: 1486 DR in Waterdeep: "Neverwinter and Waterdeep began to clear the rubble in their cities that had built up over a century of neglect."

Hey, remember when Gale said that he used to be able to levitate an entire tower back when he was an archmage? Maybe this is when he was doing stuff like that.

Age ~35: 1487 DR worldwide: "Stars reportedly fell from the sky, gods long thought dead walked the land and armies led by Chosen clashed everywhere. Major geological instability resulted in numerous earthquakes and volcanoes, as the worlds of Abeir and Toril were separated once again, and areas once consumed by large chasms were restored to their pre-Spellplague status. Ships arrived on the mainland continent from Evermeet, Halruaa, Lantan, and Nimbral—all realms previously thought lost to Toril."

Age ~35: 1487 DR in Candledeep [roughly 650 miles / 1050 km south of Waterdeep] : "In an attempt to fully restore the goddess Mystra and the Weave, Elminster Aumar began his search for Khelben Arunsun's writings on the Weave, heading towards Candlekeep. Laeral and Alustriel Silverhand had also been hiding within the library: the two sisters' duty was to prepare their own destruction, so that no one could use their power to gain control over the Weave." ... "The energies of the destroyed Wards were absorbed by the Shadow King, who then left for Myth Drannor, followed by the three Chosen of Mystra."

Although Gale was likely a Chosen of Mystra by this point, he wasn't one of the three mentioned here.

Age ~35: 1487 DR in Myth Drannor [roughly 1350 miles / 2170 km east of Waterdeep]: "Meanwhile in Myth Drannor, Larloch, the Netherese, and the Chosen of Mystra (allied with the elves) clashed in a catastrophic battle." ... "As Elminster defeated Tanthul in a mage duel, the Netherese enclave crashed atop Myth Drannor. Elminster himself was saved by Mystra, who gained full control over the Weave once more, stopping Shar from turning it into a new Shadow Weave."

Age ~35: 1487 DR worldwide: "As 1487 DR came to a close, the Second Sundering ended with the full return of Mystra and the Weave, the separation of the worlds Abeir and Toril."

Gale was not a character in the novel about these events so any personal involvement would have been minor, but I'm including them in his timeline because he would have been impacted by the "full return" of Mystra to the world. I imagine he would have experienced many of the same issues that spouses of someone just elected to a high-level office go through.

Gale's lack of personal involvement in Mystra's restoration despite being her Chosen AND her lover is kinda weird, which makes me wonder if things were already starting to sour between them? I really wish that I could lock Ed Greenwood and Jan Van Dosselaer in a room together until they came up with a coherent explanation for what the fuck Gale was up to while all this was going down.

Age ~35 to ~39: 1487 DR to 1491 DR: Sometime during this period must have been when Mystra dumped Gale and he went looking for a lost bit of Weave to win her back but got a Netherese orb lodged in his chest instead.

Mystra was newly back to her full power as the Goddess of Magic and laying down the law, and Gale didn't take that very well:

Gale: "We enjoyed each other's company - body, mind and soul. But even so, I desired more. You see, no matter how powerful a wizard we mortals can become, we never scratch more than the surface of the Weave. Mystra keeps us in check. There are boundaries she doesn't let us cross. Yet every time I was with her, I stood on the precipice, gazing into the wonders that lay beyond. I sought to cross her boundaries." PC: "How exactly did you try to cross those boundaries?" Gale: "I tried to convince her. I pouted, I pleaded, I swore my ambition was only to serve her better. But she only smiled and told me to be contented. As inconceivable as it seems to me now, I shared a bed with a goddess and yet I wasn't satisfied. So I sought to prove myself worthy to her instead."

Gale's description of what happened after she dumped him sounds like it took place over a multi-year period, since I'm assuming that he had to spend some time searching for the "tome of gateways":

Gale: "The goddess spurned the mortal. The veils were drawn once more, and the wizard was left behind heartbroken." ... "Poor wizard. Silly wizard too, for he wouldn't take no for an answer. Like so many of the heartbroken, he did something infinitely foolish. One has to think big if one seeks to win back a goddess. So the wizard thought big." PC: "Define big." Gale: "Here goes: Once upon a time, very long ago, a mighty lord lived in a tower. A flying tower to be precise. I'll save his story for another time, but the gist of it is that he sought to usurp the goddess of magic so that he could become a god himself. He almost managed, but not quite, and his entire empire - Netheril - came crashing down around him as he turned to stone. The magic unleashed that day was phenomenal, roiling like the prime chaos that outdates creation. A fragment of it was caught and sealed away in a book. No ordinary book, mind you: a tome of gateways that contained within it a bubble of Astral Plane. It was a fragment of primal Weave locked out of time - locked away from Mystra herself. 'What if', the silly wizard thought, 'What if after all this time, I could return this lost part of herself to the goddess?'" PC: "What was the answer to his question?" Gale: "The answer was to try, and the outcome was to fail."

Not sure how much Gale was around for the next few events, since he might have been gallivanting around the Astral Plane looking for the tome instead of spending time in Waterdeep. But one assumes he'd notice the physical changes to the city whenever he returned, and that he'd hear about local news from his mother and Tara, so he would certainly be aware that these things happened.

Age ~37: 1489 DR in Waterdeep: "In response to increasing dragon and cultist activity, the Council of Waterdeep was formed, bringing together representatives of realms from all across the Sword Coast. The threat of the Cult of the Dragon was driven home when Masked Lord Arthagast Ulbrinter was assassinated, though it inspired more resolve than fear. In the midst of these events, Open Lord Dagult Neverember was ousted by a vote of the Lords of Waterdeep, replaced by Laeral Silverhand. Although Waterdeep was largely spared due to the dragonward, the Field Ward was still burned to ashes by dragon attacks, displacing huge numbers of people."

Age ~38: 1490 DR in Waterdeep: "The cloud giant castle of Count Nimbolo and Countess Mulara appeared out of clouds and hovered over Waterdeep for a while, triggering mass panic. Heralds sent out by Lady Laeral Silverhand tried to calm citizens and promise that there was no danger. In fact, the giants wanted to research Waterdeep's history and meet its leaders, as they search for traces of the ancient giant realm of Ostoria."

Age ~39: 1491 DR in the Astral Plane (I think?): Gale finds the "tome of gateways" and becomes afflicted with the Netherese orb:

Narrator: "You see through Gale's eyes, staring down the corridors of a dread memory. A book, bound, then suddenly opened. Inside there are no pages, only a swirling mass of blackest Weave that pounces. It's teeth, it's claws, it's unstoppable as it digs through you and becomes part of you. And gods, is it ever-hungry…"

Age ~39: 1491 DR in Waterdeep: Gale begins a year-long isolation in his tower in Waterdeep and eventually stops communicating with anyone except Tara. Not sure exactly when his isolation began relative to the other events of this year, so he may or may not have been personally affected by or even aware of some of the Waterdeep events below.

Age ~39: 1491 DR in Waterdeep: "The returned Eilistraee appeared under the walls of Waterdeep causing an influx in the amount of her followers in the city. They eventually sought out Remallia Haventree and asked her for a holy forest-glade in the ruins of the Field Ward. By Mirtul, the housing crisis in Waterdeep had worsened as a mysterious sickness killed or drove out all of the inhabitants of Downshadow, the Field Ward remained desolated by dragonfire, and Mistshore was burned down by agents of Masked Lord Braethan Cazondur, rendering all three unofficial wards uninhabitable."

Age ~39: 1491 DR in Waterdeep: "Fear threatened to overtake Waterdeep once again as the cloud giant castle of Burruld hovered over the ocean near the city. After the Blackstaff Vajra Safahr panicked and threatened the giants, Open Lord Laeral Silverhand calmed the situation, negotiated with Burruld, and learned that their purpose was to search for the lost daughter of King Skyvald, Princess Irie."

Age ~39: 1491 DR in Waterdeep: "In mid-Mirtul, numerous Masked Lords and other people were gruesomely assassinated as part of Cazondur's conspiracy to seize control of the city. Open Lord Laeral Silverhand, assisted by Elminster and Mirt, worked to maintain order in the city while investigating the murders. While attempting to apprehend Cazondur, Laeral herself was killed and disintegrated by a surprisingly simple trap involving falling rocks, but recovered with Elminster's assistance. An exceedingly dramatic showdown at the Palace of Waterdeep between Laeral and Cazondur in front of assembled servants, nobles and guildmasters resulted in Cazondur's death at the hands of an unexpected third party, Xanathar agents Belvarra Bowmantle and Suthool. Including Cazondur, a total of thirteen Masked Lords and scores of others were slain, and several more Lords publicly unmasked."

Please note that our best guess for the location of Gale's tower puts it couple blocks away from Mirt's Mansion and Gale has mentioned being a patron of the Yawning Portal Tavern, so it seems likely that Gale and Mirt would have been acquainted. If Gale was already in isolation by the time all this went down, perhaps Elminster and Mirt tried dropping by Gale's tower at some point but were repelled by the wards that Gale had set up to keep everyone away? Gale seemed very certain that no one cared about him enough to check on him but I wonder how much of that was the depression talking.

Age ~39: 1491 DR in Waterdeep: "A delegation from the city of Mirabar disappeared while en route to the city, having been waylaid by cultists of the Elder Elemental Eye."

Age ~40: 1492 DR in Waterdeep: Gale abruptly departs his tower and doesn't tell anyone where he's going per Tara's line in his origin, "You left the tower in such a hurry, and you didn't leave an address."

Age ~40: 1492 DR in Yartar [roughly 310 miles / 500 km north of Waterdeep as the crow flies]: Gale is kidnapped by the nautiloid. As explained in a previous post, I believe that he was headed north to find an unpopulated area to die and explode in.

Sources:

FR wiki: Gale Dekarios

FR wiki: Era of Upheaval

FR wiki: Second Sundering

FR wiki: Mystra

FR wiki: Mystra (Midnight)

FR wiki: History of Waterdeep

FR wiki: Yartar

BG3 datamined dialogue transcripts

Map of Faerun

Sad headcanons posted to Tumblr by various people over the past few months that I unfortunately didn't save links to. If you saw something in here that you've posted about then I probably got the idea from you. Please feel free to drop links in the comments so people can read the original post(s) about it, thanks!

[slytherinshua]

STARLIGHT IN YOUR EYES : boynextdoor medieval headcanons pt 2.

    how they convey their love to you.

genre. fluff. medieval au. secret relationship (sungho). intentions of marriage (riwoo). warnings. reader is a princess. mention of execution in sungho's. kissing. pairing. sungho&riwoo x princess!reader (separate). wc. 800. request. requested by anon: heyy! i still haven’t gotten over the bnd medieval headcannons, can u please do more of these or seperate imagines for each member?? a/n. lmk if you want the other members as well for now i just did sungho and riwoo since i wanted to expand on their scenarios but i'd love to do the rest of the members as well!!

pt 1 (ot6) here!!

SUNGHO: THE PERSONAL GUARD

sungho was always a clever man, one who thought through things carefully and rarely acted on impulse

his nature made him an excellent guard, but often a lacking lover

his devotion to you was never in question, but his propensity to err on the safe side clashed with both of your longing hearts

there was nothing easy about maintaining a secret relationship with your personal guard, but the hardships you went through always proved to be worth it in the end

sungho couldn't risk showing you affection while in public at all, and while you could get away with a little more than he could without being questioned, you followed suit with his caution to avoid any unwanted consequences

it wasn't for lacking of wanting that sungho refrained from any hint of affection for you in the presence of others

it killed him inside every time he had to act as if he didn't know you better than anyone else in the room

he didn't even dare to try to hold your hand behind your back or place his hand on your shoulder

no matter how much he longed to feel your skin under his, even the slightest physical touch would get caught by the other guards in an instant

they were always on alert for intruders, and that included the palace staff

in order to keep his crucial position of protecting the princess, sungho was forced to act as professional as possible

but there was still one way that he could convey how he felt without getting caught by anyone

and that was in his eyes

only you could catch how his cold gaze softened whenever he looked at you, his dark eyes sparkling with love and adoration

his longing for you was evident in his eyes, and even just a glimpse at his gleaming eyes filled your entire heart

his reputation was at stake as much as yours, and you were both heavily aware of that

if the news that one of the most trusted and skilled guards of the palace was caught in an illicit love story with the princess, he was sure to be banished or even executed for it

so sungho took no risks and did his best to ignore his heart's longing

if only things were different, he would be able to hold you and profess his love for you for as many hours of the day as he could

but as things were now, he had to be content with fleeting glances and precious moments shared together in the privacy of the gardens or your bed chamber

those were the only areas of the palace far away from the preening eyes of the maids or sentries

SANGHYEOK: THE DUKE

sanghyeok's respected position within society allowed him to visit you freely

his courtship with you was adored by both the public and your own parents, and he was very clear in his intentions both to them and to you

sanghyeok never left you with any doubt that he was the man you would spend the rest of your life with

regardless of whether it were fancy balls thrown in your name or sincere words he professed to you privately, you were assured of his love for you

you were no stranger to noblemens' commitment to win over your heart, but never before had you sensed such earnestness as with sanghyeok

he was sincere and everything he did overflowed with honesty and affection for you

you could trust sanghyeok, and knowing that made you fall even more in love with him

as much as he showed his feelings for you, you reciprocated equally

you had rarely cared about looking pretty for a man, none of your past suitors had brought out any want in you to impress them

but you did for sanghyeok

for the first time, you were excited to try on new extravagant ball gowns and jewelry, picturing his reaction when he saw you wearing them

how he would tell you just how stunning you looked in them, how you were the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on

while you loved hearing his compliments and seeing his cheeks dusting a soft pink just from your mere presence, your favourite moments with sanghyeok would always be when you were dancing with him

you had been courting him for months now, but dancing with him still felt as thrilling as it always had

how gently he held you, swaying and twirling to the elegant waltzes and minuets the royal symphony played for the public's enjoyment

and when the music slowed, signaling its finish, he would gracefully dip you, not wasting his chance to press a gentle kiss to your lips

from the first to last dance you ever took with sanghyeok, you were sure your heart would continue to hum with warmth from his pure smile, soft eyes, and gentle kisses

↳ boynextdoor taglist (bolded could not be tagged): @rizzshimura,, @captivq,, @icyminghao,, @eternalgyu,, @metalchick529,,

@schmocolateschmchip,, @kpoprhia,, @candewlsy,, @weird-bookworm,, @blossominghunnie,,

@kangtaehyunzzz,, @snowflakemoon3,, @lovialy,, @lecheugo,, @okshu,,

@wccycc,, @seunghancore,, @ujisworld,, @sobun1est,, @emmylksblog,,

@talkingsaxy

[byunejoo]

four seventeen p.m 𐦍

pairing asakura jo x fem reader

content est relationship, virgin!jo, inexperienced boyf!jo, big dick!jo, he’s kinda massive, oral (m rec), handjobs, fingering (f rec), finger sucking, kind of dom!reader but not really, virginity loss, protected and mentioned unprotected sex, condom breaking, he’s embarrassed, he lowkey has a praise kink, potential size kink, mentioned pulling out (but only barely)

word count 3.8k

notes not a request! (where are the jo requests </3) lol i told myself when i was writing this that it wouldn’t be long bc i wasn’t attracted to jo like that…..brain said “u wanna bet dani?” also this is not proofread and the ending was rushed so don’t mind any mistakes please

To say that Jo was nervous would be a major understatement.

You’d been dating Jo for a few months now and it was nothing short of wonderful. It seemed that the two of you operated on the same wavelength; you both shared the same hobbies, opinions, interests, and even your differences didn’t clash, but instead balanced each other out. It almost felt like you were made for one another.

On the other hand, though, he felt very nervous for the next step in your relationship. So far, all you have done was minimal affection—a kiss here and there, hugging and some slightly-stiff cuddling. But he’d noticed lately how much more clingy you were, how your touches lingered, kisses were longer, and your eyes wandered. He wasn’t dumb. He knew what you were thinking about.

But the issue comes when it actually gets down to it.

It’s not that Jo is a virgin by choice. Well—his own choice. There were times where he brushed off his nerves with others he was interested in, but once they had gotten his pants down, all plans fell through. In short, Jo’s dick is big. Much bigger than most people know how to handle. And instead of making him cocky and confident about his size, it did the complete opposite. He felt almost ashamed.

So, when you took initiative one afternoon, kissing him a little harder and longer than you usually do, he got nervous. He tried to keep up with kissing you back, but all he could focus on was your hand that dropped past his shoulder, sneaking further and further down his front. When he felt your fingertips brush past his belly button, he gasped and pulled back from the kiss. You, shocked from the abrupt action, pulled your hand away quickly and stared at him with wide eyes. Have you done something wrong? Did you make him uncomfortable?

“I’m sorry—,” you both started. The two of you gestured to one another to continue, awkwardly laughing.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” You shared a laugh about speaking again at the same time, but a blanket of seriousness covered the two of you after that. It was quiet and a little awkward. Neither of you wanted to be the one to break the silence after that. You watched as Jo avoided your gaze and fidgeted with his fingers. Those fingers that you often find yourself staring at as of late. Just thinking, wondering, imagining how they would feel—. “I’m sorry, I’m just a little nervous to…do anything.”

You regained your focus, letting your eyes snap back up to look at his face. His cheeks were tinted a slightly pink shade, his ears red, and although he was trying to look at you, he couldn’t stop his shifty eyes. “We don’t have to do anything, JoJo, that’s okay.”

“I want to!” If you hadn’t been staring at him so intently, you would’ve been startled by his sudden burst. “Sorry…. I-I want…to do stuff. I’m just nervous.”

Reaching a comforting hand out, you patted him on the shoulder. “Why’s that, babe? What makes you so nervous?”

Jo finally made eye contact with you. He sighed, squeezing his eyes shut to avoid your gaze yet again. He’s not sure if he could tell you while you’re looking at him like that. He doesn’t want to see the look of disappointment when he tells you “I’m a virgin.”

You snort a little, breathing out a sigh of relief. Scooting closer to him, you pressed right up against him to lean your head on his shoulder. “Thank god. I thought it was something I had done. You know I don’t care if you’re a virgin or not. We can do whatever you want, and not do whatever you don’t.”

He couldn’t deny how he hardened in his pants, thinking about finally having that moment, and with you of all people, being someone he cares about deeply. Out of the corner of your eyes, you saw the bulge in his pants, but kept your eyes trained on his face as you reached for it. You were searching for any sign of hesitation, any sign he wants you to stop. But there wasn’t one.

And when you finally placed your hand over it, Jo felt his breath catch in his throat. He wasn’t fully hard yet, but that didn’t matter. In just a matter of time, with the way your hand was now working over his pants, he would be.

“Is this okay?” You could feel the way his thighs tense beside your hand. He was still avoiding your gaze, but you could see that he was looking at where you touch him. He nods. “I want to hear you say it.”

“It-It’s o-kay.” His voice was a little shaky, but it gave you all the confirmation you needed.

You leaned over, pressing a gentle kiss on the underside of his jaw. Adding a little more pressure, you cupped your hand more firmly around him, squeezing occasionally. His cock hardened, becoming more solid in your grasp. He gasped, taking shallow breaths as you kissed along his jaw and neck while you moved your hand. “Can I take your pants off?”

Your fingers slipped under his waistband when he said yes, hooking around his pants and underwear, pulling them both down to his thigh. His—now fully hard—cock sprung up, hitting against his stomach with a soft thud. Heat rushed from his chest all the way up to his forehead, and you couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. He groaned, reaching for his half-discarded pants. But you pushed his hands away and pinned his wrists to his side. He stares at you with wide eyes, waiting for your next move. Were you going to laugh at him? Humiliate him and tell him he was too big to do anything with, like everyone else?

No, you didn’t do any of that. “Is this what you were worried about, puppy?” He almost sighed at the petname. “Were you worried that your big dick would scare me away?” He nodded. You couldn’t help but let out another laugh. Not because you were laughing at him, nor making fun of him, but you can’t believe that all this time it was only because of something he has no control over.

“Please don’t laugh at me.”

You coo. “I’m not laughing at you. I think it’s cute that you were worried about this. But I promise it doesn’t scare me. Actually, it’s kind of arousing.” As you spoke, you smoothed over the skin of his thighs, hoping to make him less tense. “I’ll only do what you allow me to do. Can I touch you?”

“Yes. I want you to touch me, please.”

As you move to straddle his legs, Jo feels the bed shift under the movement of your knees, much like the way his stomach turns and dips at the realization that it’s happening. You are about to touch him, you’re going to make him cum, being the first person other than himself to do so. Your steady hands reach out, and after what feels like centuries, you finally wrap them around his cock. Two of your hands don’t even cover him completely from base to the tip. You give him a few experimental, dry pumps first before removing one hand. Spitting into the palm of it, you then used it to lubricate the glide of your hands on his length.

It felt much different having your hands on him versus his own. Your touch, although firm, was a lot softer. Gentler. You moved your hands a lot more slowly, familiarizing yourself with the heavy feeling of him in your hands. Feeling every inch of him, every little vein, and embedding that feeling into your mind. Your thumb swipes over his tip, dragging little beads of precum down, making every tug and twist of your hands on his cock even wetter and more slick. All he could do was squeeze his eyes shut and let out low moans. He could barely register when you asked if you could use your mouth, which he agreed to, of course.

The contact from your tongue had his eyes shooting open, feeling like all the air was knocked out of his lungs. He managed to let his eyes wander down, and he was met by the sight of you already looking at him, kitten licking over his tip while stroking him. Then, while he kept eye contact with you, you wrapped your lips around him. Only the tip at first. Gently suckling, hollowing your cheeks, then pulling off. After a few moments, you began to take more of him into your mouth. Just a couple of inches, little by little, until you felt you couldn’t take any more. You used one hand to follow behind your mouth so not one inch of his cock went untouched as you moved your head, bobbing up and down, back and forth. Jo could only grip the sheets beside his legs tightly, moaning and sighing. It was a feeling he’d never felt before. One that he could only think about in his dirty fantasies. The idea of someone being brave enough to pleasure him and his big dick was something he thought was too far-fetched, something he thought he’d never experience in his entire life. But here you are, sucking him off and giving him pleasure he could only dream of.

Before he realizes it, a tight feeling spreads from his flexed abdomen down to his toes, where he curls them while trying to fend off his pending orgasm. He knows he can’t hold off much longer, but he selfishly wants to have your mouth around him as long as he can have it. “Ah, I-I’m gonna c-um…” His words were broken from the sounds he’d been making previously. You didn’t stop nor slow down, and instead attempted to take just a little more between your lips. One hand moved to shuffle his shirt out of the way, the other holding his length steady as you moved your focus to rolling your tongue over and suckling what you have stuffed in your mouth. His thighs tensed and shook lightly as you pushed him right over the edge, humming around him. Your tongue laps up every drop he spills, causing broken moans to rumble from his chest straight to your core. You’d pretty much tuned out your own reactions, focusing on pleasuring him for the first time, but you can’t deny how badly it had affected you.

Once you’d swallowed every drop you could, and he was twitching from overstimulation, you climbed off of Jo’s legs and sat by his side. “Was that okay?” You pressed your thighs together looking at him. His chest was heaving up and down with the deep breaths he was taking to regulate his breathing, his hair was slightly tousled from your previous kiss, and the slight sheen of sweat on his flushed cheeks looked all too good to you. Not to mention the faintest of red marks on his neck from where you’d attached your lips earlier and the way his eyes are squeezed shut. He nodded, not confident in his voice yet. Yes, it was good, he wanted to tell you. Better than I could’ve imagined.

A heavy, but comfortable, silence fell upon the both of you as you allowed Jo to catch his breath. However, you couldn't deny that his labored breathing next to you, and the desire bubbling up and finally coming to a head once you’d finally seen what you’d been longing for didn’t make you want more. But you promised, you’d only do what Jo wanted. You’d go at his pace. It wouldn’t hurt to ask, though, would it?

“Do you want to go…further?” Yet again, his breath caught in his throat at your bold question. “It’s okay if not.”

He nods, seemingly the only reaction he can manage at this point. And with a few more questions, answered with a shake or a nod of his head, you had switched positions. Now you were laying in the spot he previously had been, knees bent and pressed together as Jo sits on his heels, waiting for you to tell him what you wanted him to do. He’d never gotten this far with anyone else, either.

“Take off my shorts. Just the shorts.” You stared at him, watching him nervously lick his lips. His plump lips that you can’t wait to feel all over you—but that’s for next time. This time, you wanted the focus to be less about you, despite how his full attention was on you now. This was his first time, and you want the experience to be all about him. But you aren’t sure if you could take him without some sort of preparation first. So you watch as his trembling fingers hook around the waistband of your flimsy shorts, gently tugging them off of your skin. You lift your hips so he could pull them off easier. Then, you moved your feet once the fabric pooled around your ankles, watching as he dropped them to the side. He struggled to keep his eyes at an appropriate level, totally unsure of where he’s allowed to look. “Look at me, babe. I want you to take my panties off, and I want you to see how wet I am for you.”

Jo feels like he’s going to explode with the words you’re saying. You’re wet? For him? These words are so simple yet so new and vulgar to him, but he thinks he likes them. He wants to hear more. So he hooks his fingers around the fabric of your underwear, much like he had done with your shorts before, only this time more confidently. However, he wasn’t ready for the sight in front of him when he’d pulled them off. Naturally, his eyes followed an imaginary line from your ankles all the way down your legs, where he saw what he thinks is one of his new favorite sights. You’d spread your thighs as he slipped your panties off of your legs, and he had a clear view of your gorgeous pussy. It was so pretty, and you hadn’t lied when you said you were wet. He couldn’t help but admire how some of your arousal had leaked into the seat of your underwear, spreading across your folds that glisten now that he’d removed the clothing.

“Give me your hand.” You reached out for him, and without much thought, he placed his large hand in your own. One by one, you curled his fingers down until he had just his pointer finger standing. Then, you guided his hand between your legs. You helped him slide his finger through your slick arousal, wetting his finger and dragging it back up to your clit. “You feel that? All for you.” After that, you let go of his wrist and let him feel for himself.

He timidly ran his finger through your slit like you’d done, then stopped at your entrance. His fingertip breached the opening, being met with little resistance. Inch by inch, little by little, he pushes his finger into you slowly. Pulling it out, pushing back in, he sets an inexperienced, slow pace. Jo was fascinated with watching his finger disappear inside you. “More. Another one, please.” You breathed out. He hadn’t even noticed any of the sounds you were making before. But he obliged and added a second finger beside his first one. The feeling was new to him, having you squeeze around his fingers each time he thrust them in. And every moan and shaky breath you let out was something he could get used to. “Oh, Jo, your fingers are so good. Doing so well.” Every praise sent a shock through his body, and in turn caused him to fuck his fingers into you just a little faster. Twisting his wrist, curling his fingertips—anything to get you to make those noises again.

Suddenly, your hand shoots down to grasp at his wrist. He freezes in shock, halting all movement. “Mm, don’t stop, please. Almost there.” With barely enough time to register the words that slipped past your lips, Jo watches as you begin to grind yourself on his fingers. Whines, whimpers, gasps, all noises floating through the air make him twitch, already getting hard again. You’re fully fucking yourself on his fingers now, taking charge and pushing yourself closer to orgasm. And when your thighs start to tremble and your hips jerk, Jo finally snaps out of his trance and begins to move his fingers. He curls them and drags them against your walls, feeling you clench down on them. His thumb brushes against the spot you showed him earlier, your clit, and starts rubbing gentle circles on it. Your hips jerked, stomach caving in with the pleasure. A few swears mixed with broken moans ripped through your throat at the added sensation, riding out your high until you lightly twitched with overwhelming sensitivity.

He pulled his fingers out of you, covered and soaked by your slick release. Staring, he’s a little uncertain of what to do now; does he wipe them off? What is he supposed to do now that they’re sticky and covered in you? Luckily, he didn’t have to think much before you sat up on weak arms to take his fingers into your mouth. Your tongue swipes up, down, and between his two fingers, licking him clean of any trace of arousal left behind. His mouth drops open in shock watching you, eyes following your every move closely. You hum around his fingers and pull off with a lewd pop sound. He couldn’t deny that he was hard again, mind racing with thoughts as you stare at him with eyes clouded by lust.

“Can-Can we…keep going?” He’s the one to ask this time. It was obvious that he was nervous from the shakiness in his voice, but you confidently nodded.

You rolled over to your side, stretching to reach your bedside table and pulling open the drawer on it. Reaching in, you fished around before pulling your hand back out with a shiny foil packet. “Have you ever put a condom on before?” He shook his head no and you beckoned him closer. Sitting up, you watch as he awkwardly shuffles his way to you, hard cock pathetically bobbing with each movement. “Watch me do it.”

With a firm grip, you held the base of his cock steady. You pinched the very end of the condom with one hand, and slowly started to roll it down his length with the other. It was a bit hard to do, but you managed to completely unroll it. The entire time, Jo’s eyes were trained on the work your hands were doing, trying to etch it into his memory for later use.

“It’s a bit tight.” He almost chokes on air at your words. “The condom, I mean. Does it feel alright? It doesn’t hurt, does it?” Jo looks at where you’re staring, and he sees the condom stretched tightly around his girth. He shakes his head no again, and you lay back, allowing him to continue.

He shuffles between your spread legs and tries to line himself up. When you realize that he’s just a little bit too shaky, you grab his wrist. “Jo. Are you sure you want to do this? You seem really nervous.”

He nods. You shake your head, urging him to use his words. “I’m…okay. I want to…do this. Please.”

“Okay. Okay. Take your time, babe.” You leaned back, relaxed. “There’s no rush.”

To Jo, it felt like an eternity before he was able to calm down enough to do anything. He was nervous, and excited. It was finally happening; he’d finally lose his virginity if he could just—. He presses his tip into you. The stretch was a lot, almost too much, but your slick wetness and the extra lubrication on the condom made the glide easier. Coupled with the fact that Jo was taking his time — he was pressing into you so slowly that if you couldn’t feel how he was stretching you out, you wouldn’t believe he was moving at all.

Jo braced himself on his hands beside your body. He slowly pushed his length into you until you couldn’t take any more. The two of you let out shaky breaths in unison, adjusting to the feeling. Of you being so full and of him being squeezed so tightly.

It was unlike any time he touched himself. For a while, he’d wrap his large fist around his equally long and thick cock, dreaming about this moment. He knew it would feel different. He just didn’t know it would feel this different. Having your gummy walls stretched and squeezing so tightly around him had his head spinning, and before he knew it, he was absentmindedly rutting his hips into you, trying to pathetically bury himself deeper inside you.

You gasped, grasping his shoulders, lightly digging your fingernails in. “Oh, Jo.” Small moans floated through the room. “You’re doing so good.”

He sits up on his knees to better drive his hips into yours, slightly jolting your body with every thrust. He, too, was letting out small noises of pleasure, trying to focus on what he was doing so it was pleasurable for both of you. But all of a sudden, he stops.

It took everything in you to not whine. Instead, you kept your composure. Maybe he didn’t want to continue anymore? This is a lot to take in, going from completely inexperienced to having your first everything in one night. You glided your hands down from his shoulders to his bicep, all the way down to his wrists to squeeze comfortingly. “Are you okay, Jo?”

He nods, shakes his head, then nods again. “I-Um. I’m…fine. It’s just,” you gently encourage him to speak. “I think…I think it broke.”

“The condom?” He nods. “Pull out. Pull out and let me see.” It took some urging, but he did eventually, hesitantly, pull out. And he was right — the condom had split and now had to be discarded. Jo had a pout on his face as he watched you gently pull off the ripped condom and toss it aside. He was fully prepared for you to tell him you can’t continue, and he accepted that. But you didn’t.

He lets out a confused noise. “We can keep going if you want.” You repeat. “Just let me know when you’re going to finish so you can pull out, okay?”

The feeling of being inside you without that extra barrier is so mind numbing that he almost doesn’t pull out. Almost.

[sufferu]

Bravo to you for choosing not to let Rem be forgiven so easily. Honestly I've never been a big fan of Rem as a character, sometimes her endless pandering and obsession with subaru just really annoys me instead, and I've never understood people looking at her doing all that and then saying “Wow that's so hot I'm so jealous of Subaru!”

As for the ones who want her deeds to be easily forgiven by everyone, my personal guess is that they all only care about her body and the unheathy way she forces herself to act like the perfect waifu just for Subaru's sake, but subconsciously they can't stand the shit she did either, so they secretly want their favorite waifu to be a perfect being without flaws. But to me, isn't it essential to love a character and accept their flaws as well? They did wrong things, but there's no doubt THEY did them anyway, and that is part of what makes them who they are. Another thing is that forgiveness has to be earned, we're not cruel, coldhearted, or closeminded for not forgiving someone who hurts us. So I too agree with that anon who thinks WHDAA cast need to to beat some sense into Subaru on way too forgiving and tolerating the people who have hurt/killed him.

But now that you've decided to do that, beware of those rabid Rem stans coming after you and I'm worried that their harassment goes overboard and affects your personal life

I will say — I believe that Rem and Subaru’s canon dynamic is one of the most intriguing and multifaceted dynamics in the entire series. Their parallels regarding their insecurities and family members, their mutually codependent tendencies, the way they run the risk of becoming each other’s perfect enablers, the genuine sense of love and affection that runs parallel to the unintentional toxicity fostered within their relationship — it’s all really interesting stuff. In fact, exploring their dynamic through the lens of outsiders (including amnesiac!Rem) finally getting to peer under the hood is one of the main reasons I wanted to write a react fic at all.

As for why people like her — honestly, I think it’s kinda easy to guess? She’s a very cutely designed anime girl, she’s incredibly well-voiced, her insecurities are genuinely relatable, she’s got a super awesome oni power-up transformation, her morning star lends itself to some of the best choreographed action scenes in the series (or at least Season 1), she appeals to the whole “submissive maid” aesthetic that she knows Subaru finds attractive (and that also appeals to the target demographic of Re:Zero specifically, let’s be real here) — and frankly, there are so many scenes in anime where characters we’re supposed to like do fucked up shit that it’s not difficult to just…gloss over the whole “tortured the mc for several hours” part of her character. It’s understandable, especially if you’re not an insane person who spends all their time hyperanalyzing the anime they’re a fan of like I am. I don’t think it’s really that far of a leap for her to develop such a massive following, she was basically designed to be as popular an anime waifu as physically possible.

But then, that clash can become…a little uncomfortable if you’re writing a story where “Rem tortures Subaru” is a major plotpoint, and if you don’t want to reevaluate their entire relationship, it makes sense to find a way to just — get the characters to move along, much like a lot of the irl audience does.

But I really like toxic characters and angst and complicated relationships and all that fun stuff, so that’s what I’m gonna focus on. —Also Rem is WORSE in the LN. Girl starts fantasizing about whisking Subaru away while he’s practically comatose from shock (second Arc 3 loop) and then also makes a comment like “even if he had tried to assault her in her sleep, she knew she never would have resisted” like GIRL??? The idea of not tapping that insane well of potential drama is ludicrous to me lmaoo— especially because I really don’t care about maintaining the status quo ;)

(Also frankly, anyone who would start seriously harassing me over whether or not I share their opinion about a fucking anime girl is too pathetic for me to care about. I honestly don’t think I’ll get that big of a response — especially not on Tumblr “Gay Website” Dot Com — but even if I do…I don’t care, lmao.)

[beom-pyu]

truth or drink! (my ex + my boyfriend): choi beomgyu + kang taehyun

part 2 of the truth or drink series! i'm addicited to writing these omg

other parts: yeonjun "couples edition" soobin "engaged edition" kai "blind date edition"

slightly nsfw! (minors dni.)

welcome to truth or drink! y/n’s ex and boyfriend will ask each other a set of random questions. they can either answer the question or take a shot.

“hi! i’m beomgyu, y/n’s ex.”

“i’m taehyun, y/n’s current partner.”

YOU: why did you agree to come here today?

BG: “you told me there would be free drinks so…”

YOU: “i knew you were gonna say that.”

BG: “also because it sounded interesting! i’ve known both of them for a few years, so i think it’ll be fun.”

YOU: and taehyun?

TH: “i know you’ve changed a lot since you were with beomgyu and i’m curious to see how things worked between you guys so i know what not to do.”

BG: “was that shade?”

YOU: “i’m pretty sure that was shade.”

taehyun just smiles and leans back in his seat.

how long have you dated, or have been dating y/n?

BG: “close to two years.”

TH: “five months.”

what’s the relationship between you guys?

TH: “i think we’re pretty civil? not as close as we used to be, but that happened kind of naturally.”

BG: “yeah, we hung out every now and then before i moved to a different city. i’d definitely say we’re friends, right?”

TH: “almost-friends.”

BG: “i’ll take it.”

shall we start?

BG: “wait, i’m gonna need a shot to get through this.”

TH: “cheers.”

taehyun pulls a card and immediately flips it back over.

BG: “you have to read it!”

TH: “anything but this one, god.”

BG: “you have to take five shots if you don’t read it.”

taehyun squints, but gives in anyways.

TAEHYUN: what would it take to have a threesome with us?

BG: “maybe like $15 and a big mac combo?”

YOU: “how do you feel about that, taehyun?”

TH: “immediately no.”

BG: have you ever been jealous of me?

TH: “i’ll be honest. i used to be a little jealous.”

BG: “of me? i’m surprised.”

TH: “you guys were still close after your break up, so it felt a little weird when we started dating.”

YOU: “this is news to me too.”

TH: “it was more so my own insecurities rather than jealousy, really.”

BG: “no, i’m gonna hold on to this forever. the kang taehyun was jealous of me!”

TH: “okay, moving on.”

TH: what’s something you taught them in bed that i’m benefitting from?

BG: “oh! i definitely taught them how to deep throat. it was rough in the beginning.”

YOU: “i’m still embarrassed.”

TH: “don’t worry baby, you’re doing great.”

BG: “yea, thanks to me!”

BG: why do you think i wasn’t a good match for my ex?

TH: “you guys are polar opposites. your personalities clash too much.”

BG: “yeah, i’d agree with that."

TH: "also you're too soft."

BG: "i'm not soft!"

YOU: "you're a little soft."

BG: "are you guys like teaming up on me or something?"

taehyun shrugs and you giggle under your breath.

TH: why do you think your ex likes me?

BG: “you got your shit together, man. like, you have the soul of a 45-year-old, i’m not joking.”

TH: “i’m gonna take that as a compliment...?"

BG: "whatever makes you happy."

BG: how have i affected your partner’s life, for better or for worse?

TH: “hm... i feel like you taught them a lot of life lessons. you guys dated when you were, what.. 19, 20?”

BG: “yeah, we were both really young, so i think we learned a lot from each other.”

you nod at the camera with a little smile and a thumbs up.

TH: did you ever hook up with my partner after we started dating?

BG: “nope. i don’t do shit like that.”

YOU: “yup. i’m completely satisfied with taehyun in bed.”

BG: “swiftly moving on!”

BG: have you two come close to breaking up? if so, what happened?

TH: “pass me the bottle.”

YOU: “no, no, go ahead. answer the question.”

TH: “okay, we broke up after the first two weeks, but we got back together the next day.”

BG: “i need the details, you can’t just leave it at that.”

TH: “i wanted to focus on grad school and i thought i couldn’t make time for a relationship, but i realized i couldn’t lose y/n, so we worked things out.”

BG: "okay romeo and juliet."

YOU: "that's not even how the story goes."

BG: "it's up for interpretation."

TH: is there any part of you that’s not over the breakup? any regrets?

BG: “our friendship definitely took a hit after breaking up and i really regret losing them as an important person in my life. i think i was very immature and didn’t really know exactly what i wanted at the time, so i took my emotions out on them. i was trying to pursue a relationship while still trying to figure myself out.”

YOU: “i think i was the same way. you were my first serious relationship, so it was pretty rocky and i definitely have a lot of regrets, but we both grew from it.”

BG: has my ex ever talked about our sex life with you. if so, what did they say about me?

taehyun swiftly fills up his shot glass.

BG: “what did you say?!”

YOU: “too much, apparently.”

taehyun nods in agreement before downing the shot.

TH: on a scale of one to ten, how good was the sex?

BG: “uhhh…”

beomgyu reaches for the bottle.

YOU: “i didn’t think it was that bad, oh my god.”

TH: “well, i can say you’ve definitely improved, then.”

BG: “i’m taking another shot.”

BG: who’s hotter, you or me?

TH: “you.”

BG: “i was gonna say you’re hotter!”

TH: “well, let’s ask the audience.”

they both turn towards you with expectant looks.

...

YOU: “am i allowed to take a shot too?”

TH: do you think i’m a good match for my partner, and can you ever see us in a long-term relationship?

BG: “you guys are probably one of the healthiest couples i know. it’s actually kind of freaky how well you guys go together.”

you can’t help the little smile that forms on your

face. 

BG: “you definitely show y/n how much they deserve to be loved and i can see that you are both really happy. tae-y/n for life!”

TH: “that was actually kind of sweet. i wasn’t expecting this.”

BG: “i can be a cutie pie when i want to be.”

TH: “okay, that’s enough of that.”

how were the questions?

BG: "honestly a little awkward, but they weren't as bad as i thought they were gonna be."

taehyun silently nods in agreement.

do you think you're officially friends after this?

TH: "not really—"

BG: "yes—wow..."

TH: "we're cool, though."

BG: "hey, no hard feelings. wait, producer, can i take this bottle home? really? thank you!"

[vanilleandclove]

rings of fire | analysis

i am putting near my all into this series because 1. i love visenya, she is so misunderstood and 2. doomed by narrative both romantic and familial ties do something to my angsty soul. princess y/n targaryen, you will always be famous to me. most of this is for you to understand more-so where the characters in this universe come from (near headcanons), i do love analyzing. here is a small analysis of rhaenyra and y/n's relationship as well as an introduction of erryk and y/n's,

"rhaenyra will be the daughter of westeros, as y/n will be the daughter of the dragons".

half return - adrianne lenker.

though the realm tends to nitpick at rhaenyra's and y/n's relationship as they expect y/n to be jealous of her sister, it does not impact their relationship for two reasons: 1. y/n may be the younger twin, but she protects her sister as if she were to be years her senior, 2. throughout the realm, men are sexist and misogynistic to girls, a sibling rivalry will not solve ones hierarchy.

when rhaenyra and y/n were younger, they'd often clash in the ideals of who got their parents attention, as viserys gave rhaenyra minutes of his time, he gave y/n seconds. this led to y/n being surrounded more by aemma, similar to that of maegor and visenya. this is also reminiscent of their dragons, as balerion was ridden by maegor- a bigger dragon than that of aenys's quicksilver who was the quarter of the size, and syrax is smaller than nymeria.

by the time of their 10th name day, y/n was fluent in high valyrian, though viserys was not impressed, but impressed with rhaenyra's progress into the language. y/n frequently restrained herself from being jealous of her sister seeing that her sister could not control how their father chose to father them. then of course, viserys's comment on comparing y/n to maegor as the entire realm distastefully uses his name as an insult, when the girls were much older.

"a kingsguard is no fit for a husband better yet, a princess".

the only exception - paramore.

ser erryk is knighted into the kingsguard with his twin, ser arryk. y/n was there as otto chose the twins to fill vacant spots of the guard, she was often present when it came to the concerns of the kingsguard, to which people whispered was akin to visenya. viserys's repeatedly attempted to get y/n out of combat affairs due to the maintenance of image, he did not want rumors to be further spread.

before the series begins, y/n and erryk have extremely brief conversations in passing, but enough for her to notice her intrigue in the knight. arryk was also starting to notice the affections that arose in his brother.

these two, well four if you want to include harwin and rhaenyra, are doomed by narrative and circumstance. though, when the affair begins, y/n is unaware of harwin and her sister, until she catches them. this is where the sibling rivalry almost begins seeing that she envies the fact that her sister can marry and then fulfill the duties to sire heirs with a different man, but it was rather because, harwin is not bound by oath- being lord commander of the city watch is a different ball game than a kingsguard, he did not hold a vow of chastity and abstinence. but erryk however did, though an oathbreaker, it hurt y/n greatly in the fact that there is always something standing in the way.

erryk sees a woman in her, not a princess, or a dragonrider. he sees the woman who is outspoken but overlooked in court. he sees the wielder of blackfyre and how gentle she is. he sees the woman who snorts when she is laughing intensely, he sees a woman the royal court cannot see. truth be told, he sees his past, present, and future with her.

taglist: @wolvestitches @callsignwidow

[twistofstory]

And here's the guy from the main story~

Wolffish's a full rainwing who was raised among seawings and had picked up a lot of seawing expressions and curses from his family. He discovered the properties of rainwing venom on his own and even learned to spit it quite accurately, and the old scar on his tail serves as a reminder of the danger of this ability. At an older age, he finally visited his native forest and became imbued with traditions of his tribe, but did not stay - he quickly became bored with the life of the rainwing, and he loved his work too much. What kind of work? Wolffish was a mailman. In wartime, his camouflage skills became simply irreplaceable - this way he could deliver a letter to almost anywhere on the continent, avoiding clashes with any dragons. Word about the unusual carrier quickly spread, and lucrative, but much less harmless offers started coming to him. Wolffish didn't refuse them - since his skills can be useful not only for simple letters delivery, why not? Money is money, and the opportunity to provide a comfortable life for yourself and even help your family sounded irresistible. Life was great and all, but interests of his customers often ran counter to each other, and, unbeknownst to himself, Wolffish made some enemies. One day his luck ran out and he got caught... Varan pulled him out of this scrape, and from this began a new era of Wolffish’s life - first as one of the confidants for the gang leaders, and then as Varan’s personal bodyguard. Wolffish isn't confrontational nor vindictive, and he is friendly with his comrades, but most of the Center members treat him with some caution. His camouflage, tracking and venom shooting skills, perfected over the years, have made him one of the most dangerous gang members, and few dragons would risk crossing his path. The habit of walking around the camp unseen also does not help Wolffish get closer to the dragons, so his usual social circle is limited to Varan’s second-in-command, the leader himself and, unexpectedly, Newt. What’s interesting is that Wolffish and Newt aren't just good friends, but also ex-lovers - their relationship developed very rapidly, and just as quickly grew from romance to platonic friendship. Breakup was pretty painless, and they remained quite close. Prejudices towards dragons from different tribes are not so pronounced in the gang, and yet only Newt and Wolffish understand what it's like to be a rainwing (or half-rainwing) far from homeland. What’s ironic is that the “seawing” Wolffish has a much more “rainwing” lifestyle than Newt, who grew up in the tropic forest, but they still often have “sun hours” together (Newt may have inherited most of the genetics from his mudwing side, yet sun is also extremely necessary for his health). Unfortunately, things haven't been so great between them recently. The tense atmosphere of the Center in the light of recent events has affected the relationship between all members, and Newt has an additional reason not to trust his comrades. Wolffish's still a part of Varan's inner circle, and Newt isn't sure he'll put their friendship above loyalty to the gang leader if things go wrong.

Fun fact: “a very competent flirt” was the initial concept for Newt in the first version of the story, but over time I moved away from this idea.

[mintaikk]

I was reading fanfiction and looking at fanart again, and while I find grumpy lover Blitzø funny, I don't think he's a grumpy lover. Have you seen the way he treats people he cares about?

My guy is literally ALWAYS doting on Loona. Constantly giving her affection, constantly giving her gifts, stopping whatever he's doing to go and help her, constantly protecting her, need I go on? Shes literally the only one he actually isn't a jackass to. Like, she can be completely awful, and here he is, defending her no matter what.

With Barbie Wire, while he did sabotage her job, he never once went out of his way to be mean to her, just insulting the people she works with and only getting mad at her because she didn't tell him he was out of rehab. And from what we can see, his is very clingy to her, to the point where it was annoying.

He was a dick to Fizzarolli, but that was before they knew what was going on and when they made up, he's affectionately mean to him and is determined FLABBERGASTED at the way Mammon spoke to Fizz. Like, bro had to take off his glasses to hear that shit.

Honestly, he's a dick to Moxxie, but paying closer attention stuff you can also see that he's still incredibly clingy to him and cares about him a lot, even if he finds him annoying (but also wants to sleep with him and Millie, and literally stalking.???? Yeah, ik it's cuz he wants what they have, but hope the show addresses that instead of it just being used as a joke). I think Moxxie is one of the reasons the fandom believes that he'd be a grumpy lover, but I think it's more about their personality clashes. Blitzø is a Chaotic shit-talking jackass who has crazy ideas for shit, while Moxxie is more reasonable, nervous, and down to earth, which Blitzø believes to be annoying.

For Millie, well, we don't see them have one-on-one interactions much (plz give Millie more attention she's literally so wonderful) but from what we can see, he thinks very positively of Milie and their on great terms, with both of them giving each other nicknames and them enabling each others chaotic behavior. The only downsides that I can see their friendship having is the fact that Blitzø literally stocks her and Moxxie and sexually fantasizes about her, despite Moxxie and Millie being married. Also, Millie referring to Loona as "her bosses hellhound" and treating Loona like a dog, but in the show, Blitzø has only seen her do that once and corrected her once, so I don't think he knows much about that.

This has turned into me analyzing Blitzø's close friendships, and sorry for getting off topic, but talking about how Blitzø would be annoyingly affectionate with Stolas again! From all this, I imagine that if Blitzø and Stolas ever did get into a relationship and get past all their bullshit and trauma, Blitzø would literally just be like, "Oh my Satan, haiiiii😍😍😍😍😍😍😊😊😊😊😊😊❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ how's my favorite prince doing 😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚😚I got you flowers and mice because ily so much❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. Remeber to take care of yourself and take your meds 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺I love you🥰🥰🥰🥰☺️☺️☺️😘😘😘❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"

[fanfictionismyaddiction]

Falling Into Place

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10

Word count: 1.1

Pairning: Aaron Hotchner x Agent!reader

Summary: In the aftermath of Aaron's hurtful departure, the atmosphere in Rossi's kitchen is filled with shock and sadness as the team rallies around you and Ava

______________________________________________________________

As the echoes of Aaron's departure lingered in the air, the atmosphere in Rossi's kitchen was heavy with a mix of shock and sadness. You held Ava tightly, her small frame shaking against you as she cried, and it felt like time had frozen.

“Y/n,” Rossi said gently, kneeling beside you. “You’re not alone in this. We’re all here for you.”

Prentiss stepped forward, her expression serious. “Aaron was completely out of line. What he said… that was uncalled for. You didn’t deserve that, especially not in front of the kids.”

Morgan crossed his arms, his brow furrowed with concern. “Hotch was wrong, Y/n. You didn’t hide anything maliciously. It was just family.”

Reid, who had been quiet until now, added thoughtfully, “He’s been under a lot of stress lately. But that’s no excuse for what he did.”

“His reaction was irrational,” Prentiss said, shaking her head. “He should have trusted you enough to know that your family doesn’t define who you are.”

You took a shaky breath, your heart still aching. “I thought we were building something together,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “But now… I don’t even know if he wants me in his life.”

Rossi placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. “He cares about you, Y/n. He just… struggles with personal connections. And sometimes he reacts without thinking.”

As the team rallied around you, Erin stepped forward, her expression softening. “Y/n, can I talk to you privately for a moment?”

You nodded, grateful for her presence. Leading her to a quieter corner of the kitchen, you wiped your eyes, still feeling Ava’s small hand clutching yours.

“I’m sorry about the way Aaron spoke to you,” Erin began, her tone serious. “He’s a good man, but he can be incredibly stubborn. His upbringing made him wary of trusting people, especially when it comes to family matters.”

“I get that,” you said, still trying to process everything. “But why does he have to take it out on me? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Erin nodded, her expression sympathetic. “You’re right. You didn’t. But you have to understand, he’s been through a lot. His mother’s death, the pressures of being a leader… it all weighs heavily on him. When he feels threatened or betrayed, he lashes out.”

“But I didn’t betray him,” you insisted. “I kept my personal life separate, just like he does.”

“Exactly,” Erin said, her voice softening. “But he saw your relationship with me as a conflict of interest. To him, it felt like you were part of a world he didn’t want to navigate. He didn’t know how to deal with it.”

You frowned, trying to make sense of it all. “So, what do I do? How do I fix this?”

“Communication is key,” Erin advised gently. “But first, you need to understand why he reacts the way he does. His need for control clashes with his feelings for you, and that frightens him. The next time you talk, remind him that family doesn’t change how you work together.”

You nodded, absorbing her words. “I just hope he can see that I’m still the same person.”

“He will,” Erin said, giving your shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “But you have to be patient with him. This won’t be easy.”

You turned back to see Ava still sniffling, her eyes wide and searching for comfort. You knelt down beside her, brushing her hair back. “Sweetheart, it’s okay. We’ll figure this out.”

Rossi, watching from a distance, smiled gently as he saw the bond between you and Erin strengthen. He knew how much you cared for Ava and how deeply this situation affected you.

After a moment, Erin said, “Why don’t I help you prepare the rest of dinner? It might lift your spirits.”

With a small smile, you nodded. “I’d like that.”

As you both returned to the kitchen, the rest of the team gradually began to regroup, sharing stories and laughter to ease the tension. Rossi grabbed a bottle of wine, pouring everyone glasses while Morgan and Prentiss entertained Ava with silly stories, their laughter ringing through the house.

Yet, amidst the laughter, you felt the emptiness of Aaron’s absence. You hoped he would come to his senses, but uncertainty loomed like a dark cloud.

Later that evening, after the food was prepared and everyone had settled around the table, the atmosphere was still light, though the shadow of Aaron’s anger lingered.

Rossi raised his glass, calling for attention. “To family, friends, and the strength we have in one another,” he toasted, his eyes darting toward you and Ava.

“Cheers!” the team chorused, and you felt a little warmth returning to your heart as you clinked glasses with them.

As the night wore on, Ava found herself in the center of attention, regaling everyone with her cooking “adventures” alongside Rossi. The laughter was genuine, and for a moment, you felt at peace.

But you couldn’t shake the feeling of dread about what awaited when you faced Aaron again. Would he understand? Would he apologize?

Eventually, as the evening wound down, you found a moment to step outside for fresh air. The night sky was dotted with stars, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions swirling inside you.

A few moments later, Erin joined you, leaning against the railing. “You okay?” she asked, her tone gentle.

You sighed. “I just don’t know how this will end, Aunt Erin. I don’t want to lose him.”

Erin looked at you, her expression thoughtful. “You won’t lose him if you both work through this. Just remember that love isn’t always easy. It takes effort, understanding, and sometimes a little bit of faith.”

“Do you think he’ll come back?” you asked, vulnerability creeping into your voice.

“I believe he will,” Erin replied firmly. “Just give him some time to sort through his feelings.”

With a nod, you inhaled deeply, trying to gather your thoughts. The night was quiet, and for the first time in a while, you felt a flicker of hope.

“Thank you for being here for us,” you said, turning to Erin. “It means a lot.”

“Always,” she replied, pulling you into a warm embrace. “Now let’s go back inside. Rossi has a five-course meal waiting, and I know Ava can’t wait to show off her cooking skills.”

As you both headed back inside, you couldn’t help but feel grateful for the family you had found in the BAU. No matter how rocky the path ahead might be, you knew you wouldn’t have to face it alone. You just had to hold onto hope—and perhaps, one day, Aaron would understand that family meant more than just blood.

[aayakashii]

I'm going through the Sinostra chapter right now and I can't stop making theories omg there might be spoilers below so be careful, although I'm just enumerating my questions tbh lol

According to one of Taiga's home screen dialogs, there might be some sort of time loop happening which he's KINDA aware of? Or maybe just aware when triggered somehow.

He said "long time no see! You decide to ditch this future too? Sorry I'm not dead yet" which is INCREDIBLY ooc as to how he behaves during the story which leads me to

His extreme memory loss, which apparently lasts less than 24 hours. Why is that? Did he go through so many time loops that it started affecting his memory? There was one small moment in which he remembered Ritsu because he saw the MC face though...

The Clash. What the fuck was it

What's Taiga relationship to Haru? Haru sounds eerily nonchalant regarding Taiga even though the man keeps on threatening Peekaboo. And aftewards, Rui briefly mentions that Taiga has a "destroying what others hold dear" schtick, which leads me to believe that Taiga is seeking revenge for losing something important maybe???? Is the fanfic brainrot too big rn

WHY DOES HE HATE LIKE DOVES??????? I dont wanna go full romantic mode, but is he just resentful of seeing a bird that is the physical representation of someone else's feelings or something......

The spy. Honestly no idea. There's some theories floating around that Haku is the spy, but I would rather see him during the Hotarubi episode before jumping to conclusions, but it's understandable how people might think that I guess...? He IS very nice and helpful and randomly finding the MC fleeing by train was way too much of a coincidence... he does seem to always tie the MC to Darkwick somehow, firstly by KIDNAPPING her and then by talking her into staying. If the MC is the trigger to a bigger event, then one could see that as suspicious. But I would like a bit more evidence first lol

Back to Taiga, why is he. Like why

Okay no but seriously. If we take the timeloop thing seriously + Haku being a spy, here's the theory:

Taiga knows the MC is the trigger for an awful event and tried killing them back in the Prologue in order to cut the problem on its roots. Haku, if we consider him as the spy, WANTS the event to happen (considering he could also be aware of the loop), which is why he saved us and took us to Darkwick, therefore letting it all play out once again.

If Haku isn't the spy, then we would have to chalk it up as Taiga knowing and trying to kill us, but destiny (???) being a bitch, therefore putting Haku there as a pawn to make things play out again

Maybe the spy can control other ghouls? Who know tbh

Finally, what is going on during the first scene we see in the game? Darkwick on fire and the first character we choose jumping off of the building? I wonder what would happen if we choose Taiga as our first card....... maybe I should create a sub acc

Anyway if anyone has more questions/theories PLEASE SEND THEM MY WAY IM OBSESSED WITH THIS GAME I NEED TO THINK ABT IT

There is also a good theory on reddit made by u/imonlybr16 that states this:

"Before the prologue, when you open the game for the first time, you're greeted with the opening scene involving MC running through the halls of a ruined Darkwick. The question is asked "When the world is collapsing around you, whose hand will you take?"

There you're taken to your character choice screen. The guy you choose is later shown on the railing of a balcony, about to jump off.

Now I think I have a very far fetched and vague idea as to what is going on.

In chapter 2, we learn that the person that Alan killed was Dante or at least he thought he did. But we meet Dante and he's very much alive.

This comes theory number one.

***You can't actually die on campus.***

Note the use of actually here. You can 100% still die, you just end up coming back to life.

If Rui is your home screen he talks about accidentally killing someone else in his dorm and being annoyed with having to lift them back to Obscuary. This struck me as a particularly odd dialogue because Rui's curse causes people to die.

Unless, you can't die on campus.

This would explain Dante pretty much instantly. Yes Alan killed him but yes he's alive.

The campus itself is an anomaly, stopping people from dying doesn't sound too far fetched. I expect this to be revealed with the other two members of Obscuary, as that dorm seems to have a connection to death. One of the things that always pops up is that ghouls aren't immortal, no matter how quickly they heal.

Also explains how Calamari didn't die in chapter 3. Ren ran from the dorm > the caves > the jetty and Calamari was already pretty dehydrated in the beginning.

But OP you might say, aren't all the guys talking like they believe they're going to die.

Luckily, that brings us to vauge and far fetched theory number two.

***The campus is on fire due to a rebellion***

In the very last chapter of the prologue we get to see Kaito's wickhive. There we see three pretty interesting threads.

. There's gonna be an uprising soon

. One of you is a demon

. There's a guy who could see the future

Kaito is surprised at something he sees in this scene but we don't learn what it is. This chapter's 'preview' is one of the scenes we see in the very beginning. Blood and a Lily.

I believe that the first thread is foreshadowing and will . After you meet your chosen guy standing on the railing you get a line of dialogue (or not if you picked Towa) that changes depending on who you picked. Some imply that what they're doing is going to save you(Jiro, Zenji and Sho), some apologize stating that they could protect what they cared about until the very end (Luca,Kaito,Haru and Yuri) but three characters caught my attention

Leo: Life sucks and then you die,right? I just want to make the assholes responsible regret it.

Ren: This is exactly why I didn't to do this! I knew this was how it was going to end.

Subaru: This is all my fault. I don't expect you to forgive me, but this is the least I can do. Please take this as my final act of good faith.

Especially Subaru's and Ren's, that seemingly imply either the MC's (Ren's) or their (Subaru) involvement in the current situation. Now what does this has to do with a potential uprising?

One of the things we learn from the very beginning is the inter-politics of the houses and by extension the ghouls. Especially after the fallout of the clash. Things are pretty tense and an uprising or rebellion seems to be the most likely thing.

As to what happened and why? I have no clue. Though one thing to note is that according to the prophecy, as long as the ghouls are in Darkwick, they prevent a disaster from coming. If Darkwick is destroyed however, the prophecy can't be fulfilled, or can it?"

This is such a good theory too, I really think u/imonlybr16 has probably gotten a lot of things right.

Although it's weird that death is such a big threat to us specifically, but maybe the Academy can't prevent death by curses, much like the Mesmer Matches dont work on someone who's cursed. Hhmm...

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

they managed to massacre Aang's character and all the struggle and importance of his choice in the finale in a SINGLE page, and yet there are people who think the comics are good

and of course Katara's would have nothing to say on the matter, toootally in-character

Not to mention: yes, Zuko is right that a lifetime of indoctrination won't magically stop affecting him just because he's aware of it now, but the way the comics really said "If you're not perfect, you deserve to die. Not rehabilitation, not even incarceration despite it being an option, just straight to violent, lethal punishment" is horrying.

And lets not forget the blatant abuse apologism of having Zuko, the kid who was told by his abusive parent that his disfigurement and banishment was "for his own good" after he made one "mistake", turning to his closest friends and asking them to be his "safety net" by MURDERING HIM IF EVER STEPS OUT OF LINE - and said friends then agree to it.

Are you fucking kidding me? The real Aang would have double-down on the "You're NOT your father" bit, and the entire friend group would have been super concerned about Zuko because a victim of abuse saying they're as bad as their abuser thus deserve to die is one hell of a red flag as to how their mental health is going.

Speaking of mental health: I talk a lot about how Azula was constantly being abused by the supposed heroes in the comics, and how the justification of it is rooted in ableism, but this nonsense with Zuko asking to be put down like a dog is also peak victim blaming, and one of the few moments in which one can actually feel bad for comics!Zuko.

And it ties into a disturbing pattern I noticed among Avatar fans - and mainly Zuko fans. They don't truly understand that what Ozai put his children through was wrong, they simply think he chose the wrong kid as the escapegoat. They think Azula should have been the one that is constantly punished just for existing, while Zuko is the golden child that can do no wrong - or else.

This moment right here? With the people that he trusts agreeing to inflict violence on him if he ever makes a mistake? This is that "or else". This is literally the same mentality that led to Azula's breakdown because NO ONE CAN SURVIVE UNDER THAT MUCH PRESSURE.

And that leads us to the main reason why the comcis suck: Yang was using Zuko as a self-insert.

"Zuko‘s relationship with Ozai is something we – Mike, Brian, Dark Horse, Nickelodeon, and I – talked about extensively when we first started working together. There’s this strange thing that happens to people in power. The pressures of power often blur the lines between enemies. That’s part of what happens to Zuko here. Ozai is the only one who knows what it’s like to be Fire Lord, the only one who has the wisdom of experience. I also looked at my own life. I used to clash with my dad quite a bit when I was a teenager. However, as I grew up and found myself in roles that he used to have, I began to understand more and more of his decisions. My father isn't thoroughly evil, of course, but I imagine Zuko feels a little of the same pull."

Yang. My guy. My dude. The words "Ozai" and "wisdom" should NEVER be in the same sentence. Every single action of Ozai's as Fire Lord was based on him being an abusive piece of shit that finally got access to absolute power. He is not a stern dad, he is abusive. He's not misunderstood, he needed to be stopped and locked away. He is a human being with feelings and motivations, yes, but he is WRONG ABOUT LITERALLY EVERYTHING EVER. He NEVER had a point. Zuko has nothing to learn from him except what NOT to do. That's why he looks like an older, unscarred Zuko. A version of Zuko that never changed.

This is the core issue of the comics, and why it had so many moments of unintentional abuse apologism: they say Ozai is a villain, but they're going out of their way to constantly make the characters come dangerously close to saying "Maybe he had a point." That's why they have Zuko turn to Ozai for advice despite claiming he wants to avoid becoming like him - because the guy writting them couldn't understand that the bad guy was, in fact, bad and in the wrong and has no wisdom to offer to anyone.

Avatar, the series, is about the world moving past from the sick mentality people like Ozai had, and about his son realizing that he did not deserve to be abused. The Avatar Comics are about telling Zuko (and others) "Ozai isn't wrong actually, you'll understand when you're older."

No, Yang, they won't. Because there's nothing to "understand" here other than THE GUY THAT ABUSED HIS CHILDREN AND COMMITED GENOCIDE WAS WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING, YOU DUMBASS!

Saying "the villain had a point" does not make a story better unless it is true - and in Ozai's case, it simply isn't. Insisting otherwise doesn't make the story and characters more mature, it just means you couldn't understand a cartoon aimed at 7-year-olds despite being a grown-ass man.

And I won't even get into Bryke approving of this bullshit otherwise I'll start tearing my hair out in rage at how badly they seem to have lost touch with the message of their best work, so let me just use a simple statemet to make everyone understand just how much of a disaster this is:

Even M. Night Shyamalan didn't misunderstand ATLA to the point of thinking Ozai wasn't actually wrong, but Bryan, Mike and Yang did. The comics understand the show less than M. Night Shyamalan did.

I rest my fucking case.

[youcouldmakealife]

Gérard/Sven/Yvette; up to snuff

As we approach the final two weeks publication, here's the last of the extras! For the prompt: I would love early relationship Sven/Yvette/Gerard, angst or fluff or first times or hurt/comfort.

(It's early relationship! But maybe not the OT3 one)

“I have a question for you,” Sven says.

“If it’s about that shirt, the answer is no,” Gérard says.

Sven looks down. “It’s a no?” he says.

“I feel like I’m looking at one of those books of optical illusions,” Gérard says.

“I liked those books,” Sven says.

Gérard did too. He doesn’t even mind the shirt, dizzying as it is, though Sven would get fined if the team saw it, and he clearly knows that, since this is the first time Gérard has seen it.

“It’s visual stimulation,” Sven insists. Gérard has to wonder, sometimes, where he comes from. Ottawa, by way of Sweden, but Gérard knows a lot of Ottawans, and a few Swedes too. They also find Sven inexplicable.

“Don’t you think Yvette gets enough of that in a classroom?” Gérard asks. He can’t think of anything more visually stimulating than an elementary school classroom. It’s almost like that’s the point.

“You have a point,” Sven says. “I’ll change.”

“No patterns!” Gérard says.

“You’re no fun!” Sven says.

Gérard’s fun. At least, he remembers being fun. Lately, perhaps, not so much. Perhaps he’d be more fun if Sven wasn’t constantly asking him for advice before his dates with Yvette.

He’s trying not to be weird about it. It’s hard, though, when Sven’s asking how to look sharp for a woman he only met because Gérard met her first. That is, when he isn’t asking where to take her, what to do, how to act, like he’s forgotten everything in the face of meeting her.

Gérard would think Sven had never dated before, but he was coming to the bitter end of a two year relationship when they met, and he’s dated a few women since, though nothing was serious enough for Gérard to meet them, let alone the rest of the team.

Yvette has met the team, of course. Day one, but Sven’s invited her to every event open to significant others since. She’s only come to one, to Sven’s disappointment — unsurprisingly, the schedule of a hockey player clashes with the schedule of a teacher — but if Gérard needed a sign that Sven was serious about her — he didn’t — that would have made it very obvious. The team’s important to him. More important than anything. Though perhaps not lately.

Sven was hesitant to ask him for advice at first, considering the situation, but Gérard told him it was fine, and he can’t be mad at Sven for taking him at his word. And it should be fine. He wants it to be fine. He’s sure it will be, eventually, and he’s waiting for that.

And who else could Sven ask for advice, really?

His parents? They’re somehow even weirder than Sven is — everything about him was explained the day Gérard met him. Or, nothing was explained, he’s still inexplicable, but at least he figured out where it came from.

Friends? Sven doesn’t have them, outside the team.

So then, the only alternative is their teammates. Yvette seems almost as smitten as Sven, which is saying something, since Gérard wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already surreptitiously measuring her ring finger whenever they hold hands. But even with that latitude, if Sven follows their boneheaded advice he’ll almost certainly end up single again. Every one of their teammates in a relationship got to that point despite everything about them. Gérard is saying that with affection — mostly — but even so.

“How’s this?” Sven asks, emerging from his bedroom, then striking a pose as Gérard surveys him.

“You look good,” Gérard say.

He does. The shirt’s a solid colour, thankfully. Sven was unable to resist pairing it with a patterned tie, but they work together. His hair’s sticking up a little, probably from the quick change, but it’s endearing. Gérard thinks Yvette would find it endearing too, but then, he doesn’t really know that, does he?

“You need to fix your hair, though,” he says, and Sven runs his fingers through it, messing it up worse until Gérard takes over, finger combing it into submission. His hair’s soft and thin, almost downy, like a child’s. Gérard tries not to linger.

“I’m nervous,” Sven admits. Gérard’s well aware of that, though there isn’t really anything to be nervous about at this point. It’s not like it’s a first date, or meeting the parents — if it wasn’t already clear they were serious, the fact she’s already met Sven’s and Sven’s already met hers, well, Gérard thinks that makes it very clear.

Sven’s parents adored her, and Gérard’s not surprised. Sven’s unsure how her parents felt about him, and Gérard’s not really surprised by that either. He bets they liked him, though. It’s hard not to be a little overwhelmed when the full force of his attention aimed at you, but it’s hard not to be bowled over by it either.

“You have nothing to be nervous about,” Gérard says.

“I know,” Sven says, cracking a small, nervous smile.

How could Yvette be anything but endeared? Gérard never had a chance, but she didn’t have one either.

“Thank you,” Sven says. “For, you know.”

“Saving Yvette’s eyesight?” Gérard asks.

“Yes,” Sven says. “Thank you for that.”

“Any time,” Gérard says, and wishes he was strong enough not to mean it.

[cosmogify]

Friday Night Fightin - BF Reference Sheet!

Been going back and forth of adding this silly guy into the rgbfverse and just decided "fuck it". I throw you Mikey, the angel singer combatant.

Friday Night Fightin GF Ref Sheet

Friday Night Fightin Pico Ref Sheet

Name: Mikey Angel

Nickname: Mic, Chichi (like, chihuahua)

Birthday: 2nd April (so close)

Age: 25 (the midget's 25???)

Orientation: Panromantic asexual

Species: Angel creature thing

Height: 5'0 ft (SHORT AHH me who's 4'11)

Weight: 80 lbs (due to having anorexia) (body envy is scary)

Voice: Just normal BF chromatics but with statics here and there from vocal straining. Screams similar to Whitty.

Relationship Status: Dating

Family: Garrett Angel (father), Medana Anděl (mother, they have a picture frame of her with a small vase of flowers and had passed away early in his years)

Partner(s): Stacie Daemon (fightin!GF), Derrick Dino (fightin!Pico) (Stacie's boyfriend)

Friends: Neena Arachnes (fightin!Nene), Darnell Phoenix (fightin!Darnell), Skid Skelly and Pump Pumpkin (fightin!SkidandPump)

Acquaintances: John Dino (fightin!Tankman), Marco Daemon (fightin!DaddyDearest), Janice Daemon (fightin!MommyMearest)

Enemies/Rivals: Derrick Dino (they clash in playfighting a lot), Ayumu Obake (fightin!Senpai)

Personality: A hyperactive individual, even when alone. Constantly on his feet, he will never go a day without singing his lungs out or initiating a battle (purposeful and accidental), whether that's with his fists, rap skills or a silly game of rock paper scissors. If you beat him in Rock, Paper, Scissors he will instantly see ya as a homie. Although he's positive in almost every situation, he's also heavily blunt with his words and says shit in front of his challenger's face to taunt them. He thinks and knows he's the shit when fighting someone, so he tends to come out very prideful or standoff-ish whenever he wins. Despite this, he takes his losses with high spirits, cheering for his challenger and hypes the both of them for a future battle. Despite dating GF and Pico in extension to her, he never cared much nor did he understand the concepts of romance, however he does deeply care for the two of them like he does with his parents, and thinks of the two as family and will show just as much affection. Oh, and people compared him to a chihuahua a lot. Despite his hyperactiveness, he cares a lot about boundaries and would usually talk a few feet away from someone (knowing how loud he is himself, people can hear him just fine). He can be mature when he needs to, but is extremely difficult to stay that way without immense fidgeting on his arm bands, halo and tail. He cannot sit still for his life.

Personality flaw: He rarely thinks before he acts, but whenever he does it's usually when a person he cares was in distress or from seeing his reflection. He's extremely stubborn to not acknowledge his eating disorder and body envy towards the people around him. He would comment of how ugly his figure is without thinking at times, which makes his friends and loved ones worry about him by accident. His hyperactive body also detriments him, being extremely fidgety and no matter how much energy he used up through the day he would still be too restless to sleep and ends up sleep deprived the next day, which is why it is one of the main reasons he thinks that food was a problem, despite having nothing but water half the time. He has been trying to calm his hyperactivity down by participating in slow hobbies but no luck so far.

Likes: Rock and punk music, singing, battles, rock paper scissors, winning, his family, his homies, playing guitar, side hugs, high energy activities, running in the rain, words of affirmation.

Dislikes: Food, flavoured drinks (he would vomit due to tasting like fruit), coffee (used to be a coffee addict when he was younger, now despises it with every fiber of his being), being reminded of his body and weight, mirrors.

Powers: Mic whip and stand melee (basic combo attacks), Mic stand sweep and dash (heavy combo attacks), Wing jump (uses his wings to jump high and fly in the air), Arrow soundwaves (screams into his mic tail to create a piercing soundwave at a certain direction), Mic ground pound (bashes his mic to the ground to create a shockwave around him when dashing down), Telekinesis (only uses it on his mic stand and other small items), Guitar manifest (His mic stand shapeshifts into an electric guitar and shreds the arena stage with a sick tune, knocking back enemies and does small continuous damage), Teleportation (Uses his halo to open a portal, he cannot jump through AUs with it).

Backstory:

Ares, the world where myths, folklore and tales overpopulate the planet. Harpies and dragons soaring through the air, giants roam the mountains as people of the deep sea rule the waters. Human was never a concept in this universe, and yet they're often quite emotional for such mystical beings. Their beliefs in plain sight through their entire existence.

Mikey and his family were no different. Throughout his younger years he was very much known to be a shy kid. His father didn't bother to take note of that, too busy protecting him from any type of harm after his late mother passed away. Of course, since he was an angel, his thoughts had reasoned him that he was the reason she passed. She had given her life to him, and he must repent in unconditional love to his family. It wasn't out of pessimism, it was only a matter of fact. Through this, he would idolise his father, wanting to follow his examples and become a great guardian angel just like him.

7 years old

As he walked to his school and past the university, he couldn't help but indulge in the sin of envy as he watched the older students walking along the pavement and from the crossroads. They were all adorned in handsome or gorgeous clothing, accessories, makeup, whatever fashion style you can think of, and above all else were their body physiques. He can't help but envy them. Heavens, even looking through his own family photos he was envious of how well dressed they were.

Unconsciously, he hugged himself by the sides, standing next to the stop sign as traffic continued in front of him. All he was wearing was a plain polo shirt with shorts and clean blue hair. He shouldn't be thinking something so sinful like this but here he is, jealous of the people around him. He…he needs to do something about this. He remembers his dad always drinking coffee whenever he worked in his office room, it seemed to be what had helped him to get through the day, maybe it would help him as well…

13 years old

He had been drinking the beverage almost daily, for all 3 meals. The caffeine had helped him exponentially, it had made him more energetic, more outgoing, more social. It made him curious of multiple hobbies he had never considered trying. He had made many friends with his classmates and people outside of school, he even made his dad pay attention to him and smile for longer than 1 second.

He had been riding this high for so long he never noticed the side effects at first, his mind obsessed in the world of dueling, a well known and beloved sport amongst various creatures. He would take any opportunity to participate in one, every match being different than the last. He felt accepted in a way, he wouldn't trade this feeling for the world.

15 years old

He felt awful.

Everywhere on his body felt awful, it felt like he had puked everything and his stomach out of him. He had tears fall uncontrollably from his eyes, had he hurt someone? Of course he did, why would someone hate him if he hadn't hurt them. He didn't even know who he had hurt. But right now he felt too weak in the little bathroom he'll be occupying for the rest of the night, he felt his growing tail curling behind him.

This was his punishment, wasn't it. He had engulfed himself in the sins of gluttony, envy and pride, and now he's paying for them immensely. His father looked so ashamed of raising such a child, he should've let nature take its course, he should've just gone with the flow like the other angels. If he did, he wouldn't be in such a state right now.

He needed to go for a run, he can't…bear staying still like this. But he deserved it. He knew this.

19 years old

A duel ring tournament had started again this New Year. His halo hummed as it reflects the summer rays, his tail swaying behind him with an overwhelming excitement to each swing. Right! New year, new him! He fiddles with the spiked bracelets on his wrists as he waits in line to enter the tournament.

"Mikey?"

A familiar voice had perked his ears up as his entire body practically spun towards the direction he heard it from.

"St-Stacie?"

The New Year tournament was being held at his college sports field, and only the students attending it can participate.

"Oh my gosh, Mic! It really is you!"

"W-Wait a minute-!"

She would pace herself into a girly jog, with Mikey unable to react fast enough he was quickly swept off his feet into a tight bear hug, causing a scene in the line. If Stacie's here doesn't that mean-.

"Oi we're in public, Stace. We are not getting fucking kicked out the moment we got here, for fuck's sake."

As expected, Derrick was right behind her as he picked up the both of them from the 1v1 participation line. Once they were in an unoccupied spot, the dino finally sets his partner and old friend down.

"Oh come on dearie, aren't you also excited to see him?"

To prove her point, she softly pinched the bewildered angel's cheeks pulled them gently, accentuating his adorableness.

"H-Hey! Cut it out man, it hurts!"

He patted the pinching hands away from his face but couldn't hold in the giggle from his initial shock. Honestly, he didn't expect his two old friends to be his seniors, but at the same time relieved to see them again after 4…5 years? But the most unexpected was they were now chatting with each other as if his sudden absence had never happened, talking about each other's subspecies and online gossip (mostly from Stacie) on social media. Of course, their light hearted reunion had to end soon.

"I'm probably not the best person to be sayin' this and all, but ya look…ugh, fuck it, ya look like you'll snap in half in a second. Is…everythin' alright back home, Mic?"

Ouch, that…slightly stung, Mikey had to admit. Sure he was blunt himself, but Dee takes the whole cigarette and drags it like it's honey to his lungs. However, it was obvious that the reptilian meant well. He can't blame him for mentioning the obvious.

"Derrick, that was rude!"

"I'm sorry sweets but I had to say it out."

"At least frame it nicely.."

"H-Hey guys! It's fine, really!"

His two close friends looked back at him with both concern and wariness. Mikey never really talked much about his family to them, only hearing the obvious admiration he has to his father. Despite the many good things he had spouted about his old man, they didn't exactly bought it, even if they were genuine. Almost out of habit, he rubbed the back of his neck, fiddling with his choker nervously.

"Uhm, so you guys are also taking part in the tournament?"

He was deflecting them, making the two all the more worried of their close friend and crush. As much as they want to push on the sensitive matter, today is supposed to be a joyful occasion for the New Year. With reluctant looks between the dating couple, they decided to go along instead, lest they'd lose him again like before.

"Oh, yea. We were just about to head over to the 3v3 line and planned to find our last teammate after booking!"

"Wait, don't they usually asked for names first before booking?"

"Well, yes..! Oh! Buuut if you join us then we'll have a full team again to take part! Don't you agree, Dee?"

It was surprisingly good luck in disguise when they received that sudden text from their missing teammate being unable to join. She lightly fluttered her lashes at her partner in a mocking plea, to which she was given with an eye roll and a small smile (ignore the slight blush to his cheeks).

"Yea, yea I do. You'd bring em along anyway without me needing to say shit really."

"Hehe, oh you know me too well hun!"

"Uh, hellooo?! Don't I get a say in this?"

Out of exaggeration, Mikey pointed at himself with an offended look of being ignored by the couple. Stacie couldn't help but giggle and grabbed his hand gently, their fingers intertwining perfectly together. With a bright smile on her face, you'd almost forget she's a demon.

"Nope!"

Almost.

Although he wouldn't admit it right now, it was nice to see these two again, glad even. Hopefully he doesn't mess up their friendship again like before. He'll need to try at least.

Additional notes:

You can add different piercings and face accessories on him if ya like.

His other eye is there, it's just under his halo.

The scars are optional since they're only battle scars

His wire tail can extend pretty far hehe

I actually don't listen to heavy metal WHEEZE

[purpleinksplotch]

Too Sweet

Notes: So my dissertation is due in under a week and yet here I am writing Stray Kids smut, but we all cope with stress in different ways I guess.

This idea has been in my head for a while so here it goes. This is a SKZ poly ot8 fic with mated pairs Chanlix, Minsung, Jeongmin and eventual Hyunbin but it will be Hyunjin centric. Not sure how many parts it will be but if you like it let me know!

This chapter contains angst and some light smut.

---

Hyunjin was feeling lonely.

That might sound absurd coming from a man who had six partners, but it was the truth.

It had started last month during their weekly movie night. Whenever it was Hyunjin's turn to choose a film he nearly always picked romance, and that particular week was no exception. He had selected a cute office-romance that had been receiving good reviews and the pack all settled in to watch, with a few grumbles from the likes of Minho and Seungmin who protested that there was a new action-thriller out that they should watch instead. Chan had reminded them both that it was Hyunjin's turn to choose and so they were going to watch whatever he wanted, and it had only taken one sharp look from the pack leader for the pair of them to fall silent.

The film turned out to be pretty good, and Hyunjin was sitting on the floor of the living room clutching a pillow to his chest and kicking his feet while he watched the on-screen couple kiss for the first time.

"Ahhhh so cute! Aren't they so cute?"

When he didn't receive an answer, he peered over his shoulder and found to his dismay that none of the others were even paying attention. Felix had his eyes closed, curled up against Chan and smiling while his mate gently peppered kisses over Felix's forehead and cheeks. Jisung had fallen asleep on Minho's chest and was snoring quietly while Minho watched him with such a soft expression it might have made Hyunjin cry under different circumstances. Jeongin was technically looking at the screen, but it was obvious that he was more interested in whatever Seungmin was whispering in his ear than he was in the film. From the blush dusting his cheeks, Hyunjin was fairly certain they weren't discussing the intricacies of the plot.

At first he felt annoyed that none of them were bothering to pay attention to the film he had chosen, and he was about to open his mouth and whine when it suddenly struck him that he was being left out. There he was, sitting all alone on the floor, while the couples were cuddled up on the sofas not giving him a second thought.

Hurt lodged itself in his chest and he felt his eyes grew wet with tears. He wanted to get up and walk out of the room, but he knew if he did then someone would go after him and they would probably tease him for crying and say he was being a drama queen. Maybe he was, but he still felt sad that none of them had invited him to cuddle. As if they had simply forgotten he was there.

Over the following weeks, a few similar incidents occurred that only reinforced Hyunjin's growing paranoia. He was the only unmated pack member, but it had never bothered him too much because all seven of them were in a poly relationship anyway: they all loved each other and had committed to each other via pack bonds, and they all had a sexual relationship. So it wasn't as if he was starved of intimacy or affection, and he had always assumed he would meet his mate one day and then they would become a complete pack of eight.

But it had been over five years since Jeongin, their youngest member, had joined the pack and mated with Seungmin. For a while, there had been a possibility that Seungmin and Hyunjin would become mates: Hyunjin found the younger male unbelievably cute, and only Seungmin could make him howl with laughter until his cheeks ached and he could hardly breathe. For his part, Seungmin was comfortable around Hyunjin while he tended to clash easily with other pack members, and even though he wasn't the biggest fan of skinship he allowed Hyunjin to cuddle up to him without complaining -- and enjoyed it, even though he would deny this to his dying breath.

But as much as they adored each other, there was something not quite there. Hyunjin liked to be lavished with affection: he wanted to be spoiled and complimented, and any type of romantic gesture (be it unexpected gifts or spontaneous acts in the bedroom) made his knees weak. Seungmin was more subtle: he showed his love in quieter ways, like making sure his partners remembered to eat even if they were busy and giving them his own food if they forgot, or recognising when they needed space and when they needed someone to talk to and comfort them. Hyunjin wouldn't change Seungmin for the world, and when Jeongin had arrived and Seungmin was immediately smitten, Hyunjin knew that they had made the right call by never taking that final step.

He had hoped that one day he would find his own Jeongin -- someone who waltzed into his life and was perfect for him. But the years had continued to pass and Hyunjin was still alone. He had a full life: a pack who loved him, a comfortable home, plenty of money, a fulfilling job at a prestigious art dealership. Why couldn't he be content with that? Why did he still carry around an ache in his heart as if something -- someone -- was missing from his life?

Hyunjin didn't like feeling this way, but he stubbornly refused to speak to his pack mates about it. He didn't want to seem pathetic or needy, or worse have them pity him. He couldn't stand the idea of being looked at as the sad lone wolf who was desperate for a mate.

If there was one thing that always made him feel satisfied and cherished, it was good old-fashioned lovemaking. And yes, he called it that instead of fucking -- even if he had been known to scream out "Please fuck me!" in the middle of sex. It still counted as lovemaking if it was with people you loved.

So one Thursday evening when everyone was heading to bed, Hyunjin decided to wander along the corridor to Seungmin and Jeongin's room. He hadn't spent much time with either of them lately, and although Minho and Chan definitely took the top spots for being able to fuck him the hardest (and Hyunjin really needed to be fucked), the younger pair had more stamina, and Hyunjin would happily go without sleep tonight if it meant multiple orgasms.

"Ayenahhh!" he squealed as he launched himself onto the bed on top of their youngest member. Jeongin pretended to cry out in pain, but his beaming smile somewhat ruined the effect. He smelled like his favourite coconut-vanilla shampoo, and his hair was still slightly damp from the shower.

"I's too late for you to be this loud," he complained.

"It's not late," Hyunjin asserted, climbing into Jeongin's lap with a smirk. "In fact, I'd say the night is very young."

He leaned down to kiss him and Jeongin's soft lips responded quickly, but with less passion than Hyunjin would have liked.

"I'm so tired, I don't think I can do anything tonight," he said once they sat back.

"Oh."

Hyunjin's body deflated, feeling disappointed.

"Are you sure I can't convince you?"

"Not tonight," said Jeongin. "Maybe at the weekend though?"

A moment later Seungmin wandered out of the ensuite bathroom with a toothbrush in his mouth. His dark hair was also mussed and still wet. He and Jeongin probably showered together, and they might have fucked already. No wonder Jeongin was tired and not in the mood.

"You okay Jinnie?"

"I was hoping to maybe have a little fun tonight but Innie is tired." He winked at Seungmin. "Unless you're up for it Minnie?"

Hyunjin knew what the answer would be before the other man shook his head. Seungmin was a clean-freak and after he had brushed his teeth he was not interested in engaging in any further sexual activity on a given evening. It was one of his weird quirks that Hyunjin found strange and adorable in equal measure.

"I'm tired too, and I have to be up early for work tomorrow."

Hyunjin nodded. "Okay, I guess we can just cuddle instead."

"You won't just cuddle though, when you're horny you start grinding against people and keeping them awake," said Seungmin.

"I don't!" Hyunjin protested.

"You kind of do," Jeongin added.

"But--"

"Go find Felix, I'm sure he'll cuddle with you whether you're horny or not." With that, Seungmin turned and walked back into the bathroom.

Hyunjin couldn't help feeling like he had just been dismissed. Well, fuck him. He wasn't going to beg to stay if they didn't want him. He crawled off the bed and walked towards the door. Jeongin called goodnight behind him, Seungmin said nothing.

Even if Seungmin was being an asshole, Hyunjin decided to take his advice and go and find Felix. Maybe he needed some affection more than a hard fuck tonight after all, and there was no-one better to give him that than his sunshine. And if he was really lucky, maybe Chan would fuck him while Felix held his hand and kissed him and told him he was beautiful.

Hyunjin practically ran to Felix and Chan's room, and he was about to open the door when he heard a soft but deep moan coming from inside. His cock stirred in his pants. Sure enough when he pushed the door open and peeked inside he had to stifle a gasp at the sight before him.

Felix and Chan were both naked, spread out on the bed with Chan on his back and Felix slowly sliding up and down his cock. From this angle, Hyunjin had a perfect view of the pack leader's thick length disappearing into Felix's tiny hole, stretching him out while the blonde whimpered and leaned down to pull him into a desperate kiss.

Hyunjin's mouth practically watered. He couldn't decide which of them he was more jealous of: whether he wanted Felix to ride his cock instead or whether he wanted to take his place and have Chan stretching out his hole until it felt like he would burst. His own cock stiffened and he was about to walk into the room and join them on the bed when something stopped him.

"I love you."

The words were so quiet, so delicate as they fell from Felix's trembling lips. Barely more than a whisper, a whisper that was meant for one person alone.

Chan reached up to cup his face and brushed a strand of Felix's hair behind his ear. The gesture was so tender that Hyunjin felt guilty for witnessing it.

The pack leader spoke to Felix so quietly that Hyunjin couldn't hear what he said, he could only watch Chan's fingers trace down Felix's spine and wrap Felix's small body in his strong arms. If Chan had looked over he would have spotted Hyunjin watching them, but he never once took his eyes off his mate.

With a stinging heart, Hyunjin closed the door. There was no place for him in that room. 

At this point, he was beginning to feel less horny and simply lonely. He would honestly just take a hug from one of his pack mates right now. With only one room left to try, Hyunjin found himself outside Minho and Jisung's door.

He couldn't hear any noises coming from inside, but he decided to knock anyway.

At first there was no answer, and then footsteps padded across the room and the door opened to reveal Minho. He looked very domestic in his black-framed glasses, grey sweatpants and baggy t-shirt that Hyunjin was fairly certain used to belong to Chan. Swapping clothes was one of the many benefits of their relationship.

"Oh, Hyunjin," said Minho. "You need something?"

Behind him, Hyunjin could see Jisung lounging on the bed with a paused Studio Ghibli film on his laptop. They must have been watching it together.

"Nothing in particular I just... Can I join you both?"

He was dying to fall into Minho's strong arms and be carried to the bed, where he could cuddle up between him and Jisung. He didn't much care whether they had sex or whether they just watched the rest of whatever film was playing, as long as he could get some comfort.

And so it felt like a knife in his heart when Minho hesitated and glanced back at Jisung awkwardly.

"Um, actually Jinnie we were hoping to have a night to ourselves," Minho admitted. "Kind of an impromptu date night."

Faced with his third rejection of the evening, there was only so long Hyunjin could remain rational and calm. It was fifty-fifty whether he started crying or yelling, and apparently tonight anger was taking the reins.

"Don't you do that every night? You share a room."

"Yes but we don't always take the time to talk or watch a film together and spend proper quality time with each other," Minho explained.

Hyunjin sighed irritably. "Can you not do it tomorrow instead? I really don't want to be alone tonight."

"I'm sorry Jinnie, we really want to have this time to ourselves--"

"Why?!" Hyunjin burst out. He could pinpoint the exact moment Minho's expression shifted from apologetic to furious.

"What do you mean why? I'm telling you I want to spend time with my mate and you're being selfish."

Hyunjin scoffed. "I'm selfish?! Oh I'm sorry that coming to my pack mates for comfort makes me selfish."

"That doesn't make you selfish. Demanding that we reschedule our date night just because you're bored and want to bother us makes you selfish."

"Oh I'm a bother now?"

"Currently, yes," said Minho coldly.

"Hyunjin," Jisung's head popped up timidly behind Minho's shoulder. "We're not trying to be mean, we just want a little privacy for tonight."

"You can have privacy literally anytime you want. Why is it the one time I come to you and say I need some comfort you're suddenly kicking me out?"

"If you really need comfort you can go to one of the others, but honestly I think you're just being a brat and don't like being told no."

Hyunjin wanted to scream at Minho that he'd already been to all of the others and none of them wanted him, but what was the point? He clearly wasn't wanted here either. Tears were stinging his eyes and he had to swallow back a sob.

"Fine, enjoy your date night," he said bitterly.

"We will. Goodnight."

Minho closed the door and Hyunjin was left standing alone in the corridor again. His arms were wrapped defensively across his chest and his throat burned from the effort of trying not to cry. For a few seconds he was glued to the spot: he couldn't face going back to his empty room, and the pack nest would feel even worse with only him in it.

Eventually he couldn't hold back his sobs any longer and he clapped a hand over his mouth and ran downstairs, ending up out on the balcony that overlooked the garden. He shut the door behind him so that no-one would hear (not that any of them gave a shit about him anyway) then collapsed to the wooden floorboards, curled up into a ball and cried his heart out.

[convenientalias]

Good Books I Read in 2024, Placed in Specific Categories. Also They're All Queer This Time.

A follow-up on this post from last year.

Age Gap F/F Romance

I love age gap romance, and this year I read a variety of it <3. Greener Than Grass and Touchwood are both very grounded for age gap romances--I find age gap often comes along with huge power differentials, millionaires and CEOs etc, but these two books feature very normal older characters. The older woman in Touchwood is a bookstore owner; the older woman in Greener Than Grass is a documentary filmmaker. Mother of Pearl, on the other hand, is far from grounded, featuring not only a wealthy older woman (this is a sugar baby story) but a younger woman who's a fish person with, that's right, tentacles. So we cover a wide range here! One thing they all have in common is that you see the younger character trying to find themselves in the world after some kind of change or crisis, and the older character becomes a source of guidance and/or stability for them. Touchwood could even be called literary fiction, as it focuses as much on a coming of age story as on romance.

Magical soul bonds in a society where these soul bonds can be hierarchical (in maybe even a dystopian way)

Soulbonds are of course a romance trope, and I read them kind of often bc I love paranormal romance, but these three books specifically did really interesting things with the way it worked into their worldbuilding. Let Me Be Yours did this in the most typical way, as it's your classic f/f omegaverse for the most part, but the clash between traditional expectations for omegas and what the characters in the story wanted was really interesting to read and deeply affected the central relationship. The Lowest Healer and the Highest Mage features a world full of mage-healer bonds where mages are in a position of power and healers are only expected to serve them. The main character once sought to destroy this hierarchical system and starts out the story in jail for treason. Finally, A Crown for a Fox is set in a world with mage-familiar bonds between mages and shifters, where shifters are legally required to become familiars and subordinate to their mages. The MC is a fox shifter who has hidden this face about himself in order to remain unclaimed, and now uses his fox form to create an alternate identity for treasonous activities.

Speculative romance with the assassin who really should be trying to kill you.

The Blood We Spill is the only f/f version I read of this trope this year, though I would love to read more. It is also the longest and most lavish of these three books, with a poor little meow meow angsty assassin who is one of my favorite characters of the year. Poison Marked, in contrast, is short, just a little novella, and is unique in that it features an established couple where the fact that one of them is an assassin is well known--but as they're both members of the court and the assassin is sworn to obey the king, this won't save the assassin from being ordered to kill his boyfriend. Then there Prince and Assassin, which is the most straightforward infiltration-turns-to-romance plotline, with the only real twist being that the assassin didn't actually intend to seduce his target and ended up being courted entirely by mistake.

I love angsty assassins who don't ~really~ want to kill their target but are being coerced to do terrible things, so all of these books easily won me over.

M/m romance with characters with abusive or controlling families.

Of these three books, The Billionaire's Familiar is the lightest--the main characters both have clannish families that are very controlling, and perhaps even evil (at least in one case) but there's not much out and out abuse. Hidden Scars, on the other hand, might have the worst abuse backstory, and is the closest to real life, as it's actually a college hockey romance (somehow college hockey romances are really dark these days! I hear this is true in the world of m/f romance as well!). Echo, finally, has the most toxic central couple, with one character being super possessive and abusive himself--definitely one to check the trigger warnings before reading, that one.

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On that dark note, I will draw this book rec post to a close! I read a lot of great queer books this year, many of which did not fit so easily into one of these categories--also some of which would have if I hadn't been so specific on my categories BUT I NEEDED TO NARROW IT DOWN SOMEHOW. Anyway I would recommend any of these books. You should read them <3 or if you already have read any of these, tell me so we can talk about i!!!