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tojipie · 1 year ago

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as long as trade professions exists i WILL write this man working as each and every one of them.

mechanic toji x fem reader | 2.2k words !

content: smut ! semi public (??) not sure if garage sex counts

the feeling of your shoes losing their grip nearly sends you flying as you step into the car shop lobby.

whoever was working tonight clearly had no grasp on what a wet floor sign was, opting to cover the floor in what felt like 2 feet of suds.

“oh! sorry!” suguru exclaims, extending an arm for you to hold onto. “you okay?”

“i’m ok sugu,” you tell him, feeling your anger dissipate at the sight of the shop’s newest bright-eyed apprentice.

you can practically hear him asking you not to tell his boss, eyes big like a kicked puppy.

the smile you shoot him is soft and reassuring.

suguru apologizes again, grabbing a caution sign from the supply closet.

“he’s in the garage if that’s who you’re looking for.” the apprentice adds, sending you in your husband's direction with a smile.

“toji?” you yell, scanning the 8-door garage for his telltale mop of black hair.

“on your right!” he shouts, waving an oil-stained hand in the air to flag you down. cars in varying conditions line your path as you make a beeline for your husband, following his black footprints like breadcrumbs

a 59’ impala comes into view as you weave in between the tall legs of the suspension machines. toji is crouched on the driver’s side with his back to you, fiddling with the front end of the vehicle.

“woah,” you whisper, trailing your hand over interior seats wrapped in glossy leather.

the cherry red exterior of the classic car is blinding, waxed to perfection by none other than the man in front of you

“aht, aht—hey.” toji chides, motioning for you to get your hands off the car.

“no fingerprints,” he says firmly, tossing you a rag from his equipment cart.

you quickly wipe down the headrest of the driver's seat, restoring it to its original sheen. the residue left on your hand smells like lemons, the sterile scent of carwash soap.

“you fix this up by yourself?” you ask, watching him fasten a new headlight into place. the amount of detailing was beyond impressive.

“course i did.” your husband chuckles. “can’t even trust these other guys with an oil change.”

you laugh, recalling the shop’s newest employee and your little wet floor debacle. toji reaches for the back of your calf, rubbing your leg affectionately from his spot on the floor.

“you’re��the one that hires them.” you remind him.

“yeah, gotta stop doing that,” he mumbles, snorting at the way you smack his shoulder in protest.

the impala looks fresh off the conveyor belt with the amount of restoration that had been done to it. you can’t quite recall the last time you’d seen toji put this much work into a vehicle.

“what’s the story with this one?” you ask, stepping back to let your husband stand up.

navy blue coveralls come into view as toji rises from the floor, chest peeking out from where the one-piece garment is unzipped. he’s filthy, covered in motor oil and sweat. god, he looked good.

the raven-haired mechanic steps back with a cocky smile, zipping the garment down to just above his waist.

“what, like what you see?” he asks, slipping toned arms out of his uniform and tying the excess around his waist.

your mouth goes dry, eagerly taking in the way his body ripples under his black tank top.

“nah, nothing i haven’t seen before.” you tease, taking the spray bottle and cloth he holds out for you.

“right, okay.” your husband laughs, ego clearly knocked down a peg.

you’re wiping down the front windshield when he speaks again, answering your question from earlier.

“one of our regulars dropped her off a week ago, needed some help with parts,” he explains. the “her” in question being the obscenely glossy car in between the two of you.

“how’d the inside look?” you ask, strolling over to the sink. the smell of leather polish and windex gradually fades with a bit of scrubbing.

your husband scoffs, recalling the abhorrent state of the under-hood.

“fuck.. awful.” he explains, handing you a roll of paper towels. “some people don’t deserve cars like these.” he laughs, rubbing your back as you join him at the hood.

your husband fiddles with the tool cart, wheeling it closer to begin working on the tires.

“you look good tonight.” toji mumbles, leaning down to accept a kiss from you. you tug on the neck of his wifebeater just as he begins to pull away, roping him into a deeper kiss this time.

“careful.” scarred lips mumble. you feel his hand trail down your back, slipping under the waistband of your jeans and leaving just as fast.

“stop being a tease,” you tell him.

“s’ one hour till quitting time.” he says, grabbing a wrench from the cart. “can you make it, pretty girl? or do you need it right now?”

“i can wait.” you lie, not wanting to distract him from the job.

he nods, clearly not believing you.

“you remember how to get these bolts off?” he asks, handing you the wrench with a sly grin. his hulking form settles behind you as you crouch down in front of the tire he’d picked.

vintage cars like these needed a lot more manual work, not being able to withstand the force of any automated tools.

you unscrew the bolt with ease, fidgeting at the feeling of two warm hands rubbing up and down your waist.

“mhm, just like i taught you.” toji says, nosing at the curve of your neck.

you twist another one free, groaning at the feeling of scarred lips suctioning onto your neck.

“can’t focus.” you whimper, trying to wiggle free of your husband’s embrace.

“s’ not your job to focus.” he chuckles, biting the meat of your shoulder for good measure. toji takes the equipment from you and replaces the bolts with new ones, motioning for you to stand up.

you wait as he washes up in the sink, scrubbing the grime from his hands and forearms. thick hands dry themselves on his uniform, stalking over to you with a look that can only be described as lust.

“think that’s all for today,” he says, voice hinting at something much deeper.

“you’re still on the clock,” you tell him half seriously, taking note of the 45 minutes left in his shift. still, warm hands settle on your hips, backing you up against the washing station

“yeah?” he says, entertaining your jest. deft fingers slip under the hem of your shirt, lifting the garment off your body.

“funny how that works out.” he starts, “guess I'll have to live with getting paid to fuck you.”

your skin is on fire, prickling with every calculated brush of his hand. you lean up to kiss him again, feeling his tongue flit over your bottom lip.

“someone will hear,” you whine in between kisses.

“they know not to bring it up around me,” he says, lifting you onto the counter with ease.

toji’s zipper is next to go, stopping just under his crotch to reveal his boxers.

convenient you think, palming him through the opening in his coveralls. now that you think about it, why hadn’t you two fucked in the shop before?

scared lips peck over the tops of your covered breasts, biting down momentarily to leave a red mark.

the whine that escapes your mouth echoes throughout the spacious garage. blood rushing to your ears as embarrassment takes over.

“shhhh,” he tells you, crowding impossibly closer to muffle your sounds.

“can you stay quiet for me?” he asks, genuinely curious. a small nod is all he needs to seal your mouths in another kiss, shucking your bottoms down along with your panties to position himself in between your thighs.

you scoot to the edge of the counter, kicking off your shoes and wrapping your legs around your husband's waist. he doesn’t free himself from his boxers just yet, choosing to grind himself on your heat while you leave dark hickeys at the bottom of his neck.

“fuck.” he groans, flinching at how loud the sound echoes in the garage.

“quiet,” you whisper.

“i know, i know baby.” you watch as toji hooks a thumb into his boxers, his manhood already dripping with pre.

you pull away from your husband's neck right as he pushes in, a thin string of saliva connecting you to the dark bloom of purple your lips had left.

it’s a tight fit, but not impossible. the angle you’re at has you clenching down on the cock that’s splitting you open, squeezing him like a vice.

“fuck.” you whimper, lifting your husband’s tank top to expose his abs. toji bites the hem for you, letting you caress the dips of his toned muscles.

the distant echo of his rhythmic thrusts reverberates throughout the shop, drowning out your shared pants and groans.

“no fucking point in being quiet, huh?.” he mumbles with a smirk, taking you by surprise as thick fingers slide under your thighs and hoist you into the air.

“wait—wh-” you’re cut off as toji turns around, holding himself inside of you as he walks you over to the car.

“oh shit.” you gasp, mouth agape as you’re set down on the long hood of the impala.

your husband props his knee up on the vehicle, pummeling into you at an angle even deeper than before.

“thought you—ah- said no fingerprints.” you whimper, feeling yourself slide up the hood of the car with every thrust.

thick arms wrap around you, holding you in place while your husband ruts into you from above.

“you’re helping me wipe this thing down after.--fuck” toji says with finality, pulling you into a deep kiss with a hand cradling the back of your head.

the car continues to rock as the two of you go at it, filling the shop with noises that are beyond sinful.

“wanna ride you,” you mumble, taking in the way his eyes darken.

you’re flipped and carried up the hood of the car, the two of you now fully seated on a bed of cherry red aluminum.

toji settles into his back, satisfied with his work. he does it all without leaving your walls, cock still buried to the hilt.

“come on.” he encourages, moving you up and down his shaft with two hands around your waist. you’re practically being tossed around on his cock like you weigh nothing, panting and groaning while your walls struggle to accommodate his length.

“just how i like it, give it to me,” he tells you, leaning back on his forearms to watch where you two connect.

“gonna make me fucking cum, shit.”

you rock yourself onto your husband's dick, feeling him twitch each time you sink to the base.

“wait, wait.” you pant, smiling at the idea that just dawned on you.

you let toji slip out of you for the first time in half an hour, readjusting so your back is to him. cautiously, you reach both arms back, feeling him wrap both hands around your wrists.

“reverse cowgirl? on a fucking chevy? shit.” he chuckles, clearly impressed at your bold move. the raven-haired mechanic gathers both your wrists in one hand, using the other to guide his cock back into your heat.

the first thrust is agonizingly deep, pushing you closer to your edge. strong legs anchor themselves onto the hood of the car, steel-toed work boots leaving murky footprints.

“ah shit—like this?” toji groans, each hand holding your arms behind you at the wrist.

“want it like this? want me to ruin you?

"please." you groan, feeling your climax hit you like a tsunami.

the sound that rips out of toji is purely carnal, a long groan reverberating throughout the garage.

"fuck--oh fuck-hah" he pants, still reeling from the sensation of your walls pulsating around him.

you slowly lift off of his cock, holding onto his leg to balance. warm, viscous fluid drips down your thighs and onto the red surface beneath you. you hadn't even realized he came inside with how intense your climax was.

"fuck, look at this." the raven-haired mechanic chuckles.

the state of the car is absolutely abhorrent. obsidian footprints bleed into sweaty handprints. you'd think a game of twister went down if you didn't know any better.

"oh shit." you frown, stepping onto solid ground for the first time in half an hour.

guilt gnaws away at you at the thought of toji's hard work going to waste. this was his only form of income after all.

"hey, not a problem." he coos, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"s' nothing some scrubbing can't fix, right?" you nod, lifting your arms to let him redress you.

navy coveralls zip back into place, covering the mess of hickeys you left on his chest.

you finally button up your jeans, frowning at a murky streak of oil across one of the legs.

"must've tossed those on the ground when I took em' off of you." he chuckles, dodging a swat from you.

You pad into the lobby first, blissfully unaware of a very disturbed sugaru sitting at the front desk.

your husband follows soon after, watching you walk into the parking lot.

“see ya, man.” the mechanic says plainly, shooting his apprentice a smug wave with a laugh.

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kikyoupdates · 6 months ago

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Love Bite ⭑˚🩸⭑ 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑒

yandere!vampires x f!reader

yandere, reverse harem, original characters, vampire!ocs x fem!reader

Desperate for money to pay off your debts, you sign up for a program that allows you to sell your blood to vampires. At first, everything is fine, and you’re finally able to make ends meet. But they soon begin craving more than just your blood.

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Certain people are dealt a shittier hand in life than others, and unfortunately, you are one of those people.

Life has never been easy for you. As far back as you can remember, it's been one shitstorm after the other. Your parents are as good as dead to you, because all they ever did was make reckless choices and run away, leaving you to clean up their mess. That's how, at the young age of twenty, you've already got more debt than the average person could ever fathom.

Still, you make do. You hustle as best you can to get through one day and move on to the next. It's exhausting, and sometimes it feels like you're ready to give up, but against all odds, you persevere.

"That'll be 50 credits," the cashier says.

You let out a sigh and give her your card. Everything is so goddamn expensive these days. Even a simple grocery trip feels like a big slap in the face.

"Oh. Sorry," she blinks. "It's been declined. Do you have any other form of payment on hand?"

Shit. This one too?

You mumble an apology and dig through your wallet again. Thankfully, you happen to have enough cash to cover the cost. Just barely.

"Thank you for shopping with us," the cashier recites monotonously. She packs your groceries in a bag and hands it to you, then gestures for the next customer to step forward.

You leave the store the same as always, feeling worn-down and discouraged. You'll have to apply for a new card, but who knows when they'll send it to you. Goddammit. You're already scraping the bottom of the barrel as is. You hardly have enough emergency savings to last until then.

It's a shitty day, and unfortunately for you, it's about to get even worse.

"[Name]," a distinct, familiar voice mutters. You flinch at the sound, nearly dropping your grocery bag in the process. There's a man standing outside your apartment complex. A man that always makes your stomach crease in discomfort.

You instinctively step back. "I don't want any trouble, Johnny. Please, can I just get through?"

He ignores you and walks over, and while you stand there, stiff from fright, he peeks into your grocery bag and hums, visibly amused.

"Not exactly a lavish dinner," he chuckles. "But I guess you've got no choice but to be frugal, huh?"

"I just want to go home," you plead. "Please. Don't do this."

Alas, Johnny has never been one to give a shit about your circumstances, and today is no exception.

"I haven't been getting the money you promised me," he glares. "You've been late on your payments, and I'm really starting to lose my patience here."

You try to protest, but he wraps his hand around your throat and forcibly pins you against a wall. He isn't applying too much pressure, not yet, but the threat is there all the same.

"You owe me money, [Name]." His pupils constrict, a telltale sign that he's furious. "I'm done with your shitty excuses. If you can't make good on your promises, then you pay the price. This is the way the world works."

He holds you there, just so he can watch you whimper and cower in fear, then he eventually releases his hold on you and steps away.

"I'm giving you one more week," he says. "If you don't come up with the amount we agreed on in one week, I might seriously have to kill you. And don't even think of running away like your parents did. I'm sure as hell not gonna make the same mistake twice."

Johnny walks off with a steady, relaxed gait and his hands buried in his pockets. It's that easy for him. He can threaten an innocent woman and not think anything of it, the sick bastard.

You sniffle and resist the urge to cry. Fuck your parents. All they ever did was ruin your life. You have no idea where they're hiding right now, but for their own sake, they had better not show their faces around you ever again.

Still. There's no point in lamenting what can't be changed. Your parents are gone. It's up to you to remedy this situation and pay that disgusting loan shark back.

The question is, how?

How in the world will you pull that off? You barely make enough to eat two meals a day and cover your rent, let alone the steep cost of your debts.

It just seems like a lost cause. You've been working yourself to the bone, but you still can't even make a dent in what your parents owe. It's all too much to bear. It makes you want to forfeit your life entirely. At least then, you might finally be able to rest in peace.

Weighed down by the hopelessness of your situation, you trudge into your crappy studio apartment, chuck the groceries in the fridge, and plop down on the couch, defeated.

I guess it's time to look for another job. Something I can squeeze into my schedule. I can probably survive without sleeping a few days in a row, right?

You chuckle brokenly and scroll through your phone, looking for anything you might have a shot at. Finding a good job in this city is yet another hopeless dream for someone like you, who didn't go to college and doesn't have any other notable qualifications. All of your current jobs may as well be paying you dirt, which is why you can never meet Johnny's ridiculous demands.

You're just about to give up and go make yourself a rather pathetic dinner, when suddenly, something catches your eye.

[𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗔𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗛]: 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘃𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀-𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀.

Vampires. Not long ago, a law was passed, granting vampires access to the city. More and more of them seem to be moving here, the central hub of the country. Of course, most people felt uncomfortable with this change, but it seems to be a necessary step in fighting back against years of discrimination. Humans naturally fear vampires, and the government is doing everything it can to integrate them into society.

Since drinking blood by force is considered a crime, this program is most likely a way for vampires to obtain their blood safely and without any consequence, just so long as people are willing to sign up for it.

You take a moment to assess your situation. You have almost no money to your name, and there's a greedy loan shark that's just itching to torture you if you fail to pay him back in time. If you don't get some money, and fast, you're probably headed for the afterlife.

That being said, you've never encountered a vampire before. You've heard all sorts of horror stories about them. That they're physically stronger than humans, have more acute senses, and could easily bludgeon you to death if they wanted to.

But even if that's actually true, how is it any different than what Johnny will do to you if you don't pay him back?

You press your lips together. Perhaps there's no harm in trying at least once and seeing how it'll go. It's not like you're guaranteed to get accepted for the program anyways. And besides, this is being implemented by the government, so surely, they won't allow any humans to come to harm in the process.

Above all else, you are incredibly desperate, with very little to lose.

So, you decide to take a gamble.

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗬 [𝗫]?

...

Your luck might finally be changing for the better, or maybe they're just desperate for applicants, but either way, you got the job.

It was a bit tedious. The screening process was rather lengthy, and they made you do quite a few medical tests to ensure you didn't have any infectious diseases or anything like that. You suppose having a clean bill of health is the one thing required for this position, considering you'll be giving your blood to someone else. Thankfully, even though your life is shit, you've always been rather sturdy, which is the only reason you've lasted this long.

You're currently walking through a glossy white corridor. The building you're in is polished and sleek, some kind of medical company that's been researching vampires for quite a long time. They call themselves Plasma Inc., which is a bit tacky, but you're certainly in no position to judge.

The doctor escorting you holds a clipboard against his chest, and glances over at you every so often.

"We're almost there," he says. After a brief pause, he adds, "There's no need to be nervous."

Honestly, you're a little nervous, but only because you've never done this before. Giving your blood to a vampire... it all sounds so farfetched. You really didn't think this was something you'd ever be doing.

But beggars can't afford to be choosers.

"For the client's privacy and peace of mind, there aren't any cameras inside the room. We will not be able to see or hear anything that happens in there. You signed the confidentiality clause, so please keep in mind that you will be liable for any private information that you happen to disclose."

You knew as much going into this. There's no point in psyching yourself out. Everything's going to be fine. This is all perfectly safe.

...it should be, at least.

"Whenever you're ready," the doctor says. He's stopped in front of a door, and you instinctively gulp as you imagine what—or rather, who—is on the other side.

Okay, then. No reason to back out now. You chose this. It's a desperate measure, and sure, you'll lose a bit of blood in the process, but if it helps you pay off your debt and get back on your feet, then it's easily worth it.

"I'm ready," you say.

The doctor nods briefly, offers you an encouraging smile, then opens the door.

It closes behind you right away, and your eyes instinctively search the room until they land on a motionless, seated figure.

It's a man. Well, a vampire, but still a man. Deep down, you'd been hoping that it might be a woman. A man seems somewhat more intimidating, although you suppose all vampires are stronger than humans, so it wouldn't have made a difference either way.

He's beautiful, though. Vampires are scarce in numbers, and they don't usually go out during the day, so it's unlikely that you would have ever passed by one. But you've only ever heard people speak of them in frightening terms. Never in a million years did you imagine they'd be so utterly gorgeous. Or perhaps this particular vampire is simply an exception.

You don't quite realize how much time you've spent fawning over his appearance until he suddenly stands up.

Instinctively, you flinch, and it's clear that it doesn't go unnoticed.

He narrows his eyes. "If you're not comfortable doing this, you're welcome to leave. I was told that the humans who signed up for this program were all completely willing. I have no intention of taking your blood without your full cooperation."

"Oh. S-Sorry," you stammer. "I'm not uncomfortable. I guess I'm just a little bit starstruck. It's my first time meeting a vampire."

"There's no need to gawk at me. I'm not some animal trapped inside a cage."

He has a rather harsh tongue, but again, you're in no position to judge. Perhaps your reaction offended him, unintentional as it may have been.

"Sorry," you say again, then you offer him a weak smile. "Um... I'm [Name]. I'm not really sure what the etiquette for this sort of thing is, but it's nice to meet you."

It takes him a while to respond. He studies you quietly with those mesmerizing eyes of his, and the silence is awkward, to say the least.

"I'm Xavier," he finally replies. He frowns a bit. "But I didn't come here to chat. If you're ready, I'll like to move on with this as soon as possible."

Right. He's here for the same reason you are. It's not an opportunity for the two of you to exchange pleasantries.

You're here to sell your blood, and he's here to drink it.

"Okay," you swallow. Now that it's come down to it, you can feel your heart beating faster by the second. But this is fine. This is nothing. Compared to all the shit you've already been through, this may as well be a walk in the park.

You walk over to him, taking slow, careful steps, then you sit down in one of the chairs. He does the same, staring at you without blinking the whole time. You watch as he shuffles a bit closer, and he uses his fingers to pull down the collar of your shirt slightly. You shiver at the sensation of his skin brushing against yours. God, his hands are cold.

Xavier stares right into your eyes. "This is your last chance to back out. If you tell me to stop now, I will, but otherwise, I'll take it that you've agreed to move on."

"I'm fine," you reassure. Despite the fact that your stomach is a bundle of nerves right now, you're determined to press on. You need this. There's simply no other option.

You'll do whatever it takes to live on, even if it means selling the very essence that grants you life in the first place.

"Okay," Xavier says, and he wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you closer. His jaw unhinges, and the last thing you see before you squeeze your eyes shut is the pearly-white color of his bright, glistening fangs.

He bites into your neck.

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thealexchen · 9 months ago

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thoughts on LIS: Double Exposure?

This is probably gonna be my hottest take in awhile, but: I deeply dislike the idea of an official LiS1 direct sequel game existing. Excluding all my thoughts on the gameplay, story, Max's character, etc. I don't think a game like Double Exposure is necessary.

This isn't a new take either; back in 2020 I made a Reddit post saying I was glad we never got a continuation of Max and Chloe's story, because in order to have a plot, you have to have conflict. And to have conflict means your characters are forced to change or struggle in some way, and I simply wasn't interested in seeing that again. I never even read the comics. As long as Max and Chloe's future existed only in the fanbase's collective imagination and not in an officially licensed game, Pricefield could be as happy as I wanted and I wouldn't have to witness DN or D9's version of canon.

A lot of fans, including myself, are also confused and upset as to where Chloe could be in Double Exposure. Even if Chloe winds up having a surprise role, it would likely be too logistically difficult to write Chloe into one version of the story and not the other. Either way, DE is strongly pointing to Chloe no longer being the deuteragonist. If D9 was going to make a direct sequel with Max and Chloe, I could at least be intrigued by how they might write their dynamic and how they'd use Max's power in new and interesting ways. But instead there's... none of that. Chloe's nowhere to be seen and Max can't time travel anymore.

On a narrative level, Max and Chloe are the heart of the original Life is Strange. They represent the game's central relationship, and their very first interaction (Max saving Chloe's life) kicks off the entire story. Throughout the story, their dynamic advances the plot and mutually motivates their character arcs. You can't have LiS1 without either Max or Chloe; the story simply wouldn't exist without them. Now in DE, they don't even seem to be in each other's lives anymore. It's true, this series is meant to reflect universal feelings and experiences, which could include breakups, but the romantic catharsis of Pricefield as canon soulmates who defied time and space itself to stay together forever is something you can only get from the beauty of fiction. To jab DE's story with a dose of reality and go, "Eh, they grew apart. Shit happens," totally undermines everything the Bae ending stood for.

On a technical level, Max's rewind was an objectively brilliant game mechanic. LiS1 arrived onto the scene after Telltale had paved the way for the resurgence of choice-based, episodic games, but LiS1 totally reinvented the wheel by giving the player the option to go back and weigh each option before continuing, essentially save-scumming in-game. But the right choice was never that easy to determine, and Rewind brilliantly complemented Max's character arc of overcoming her indecision and learning to live with her choices. Not to mention, you could also use Rewind to solve puzzles, instead of the endless fetch quests the later games had. No other LiS game since then has given the player that kind of agency and interactivity. LiS2 had telekinesis, but the player couldn't use it, only Daniel. D9 tried with Backtalk and Empathy, but Max's Rewind was truly the narrative and gameplay jackpot that they haven't been able to recreate since.

So if you take away one half of the central relationship that made the first game so memorable, and the supernatural power/game mechanic that made it so fun to play... why even bring Max back at all? It just feels like D9 threw away their golden opportunity to build upon the major selling points of the first game and are only relying on name recognition of the Life is Strange "brand" and Max Caulfield.

What upsets me most of all about a direct sequel existing is that it proves that Life is Strange, as a series, now stands more for profits than originality. Life is Strange will always be an IP meant to make money for Square, I know that, but back when LiS1 was just a brand new episodic game, it stood out for how different it dared to be. In a landscape saturated with shooters, sexualized female characters, and casual misogyny, LiS1 instead featured a teenage girl in a contemporary setting that took her seriously and made her the hero of her story. Before it was a franchise, LiS wasn't concerned with the bottom dollar; it was a piece of art that just wanted to tell a thoughtful, unique story.

Whether you love it or hate it, Life is Strange 2 was an insanely risky follow-up to Life is Strange that refused to rely on the convenience of a direct sequel because Dontnod stuck to their artistic vision. Meanwhile, all of Deck Nine's games have leaned on the first game's following to generate interest (BtS being a direct prequel, TC bringing back Steph, and Wavelengths expanding on Steph's connection to Chloe, Rachel, and Arcadia Bay). In other words, all of the subsequent LiS games by D9 have played it very, very safe. It's worked like a damn charm because there are still elements I love about each game, but the basic principle is nostalgia-baiting fans. It's just that now, Double Exposure isn't hiding that nostalgia bait at all anymore and prioritizing profits over telling a unique story. It's sad to see that LiS has strayed so far from its risky, daring, original, and unique artistic beginnings.

Before I end, I'll say that I can't be too cynical about it all, nor do I want to be. Because I can't deny how much joy this whole series has brought me, too. LiS was what got me into narrative adventure games and pushed the boundaries of what a video game could be. If nothing else, I am truly thrilled that Hannah Telle got the chance to play Max again. D9's always been great at maintaining relationships with their actors, and the casts of their games always have consistently great chemistry. Getting recognized by Erika Mori on my own blog is still unbelievable and speaks to the amazing community that LiS has built. As you can see, I'm still posting and reblogging stuff about Double Exposure. And while I don't see myself buying or playing this game for myself, I know it'll keep all of us talking for awhile, and I still live for a good discussion.

Thank you for asking! And thank you for reading.

#lis2 #lis #lisde #life is strange #life is strange double exposure #life is strange: double exposure #life is strange 2 #life is strange before the storm #chloe price #max caulfield #rachel amber #pricefield #my post #answered asks #daraactualtrash #rad mutuals #lis: de

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evermoredeluxe · 7 months ago

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How Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Took Over the Entire World

By Chris Willman

By Alissa Gao for Variety

On the morning that Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” is about to begin a three-night stand in Dublin, the older gentleman taking charge of my passport at airport customs has clearly had his fill of Swifties, probably processing them by the hundreds already today. When I reveal myself to be one too — despite being arguably the wrong gender, inarguably old and lacking a telltale “Lover” mascara star over my right eye — his disdain is palpable. Suddenly, I’m getting way more screening questions than anyone not on a watch list should. “What do you like about her?” he sneers, peering up over specs.

This is probably the wrong time for me to point out Swift’s Irish heritage, or to assert that she is this generation’s James Joyce. (The original king of the Easter eggs, right?) I wouldn’t really go that far — I’m only on record as doing my best to certify her as this century’s Beatles. Trying to figure out how to answer him, the past 18 years of extolling Swift in print flash before my eyes. I end up murmuring the bare minimum: “Um, her songwriting.” This seems to disturb him further. He snaps back: “Aren’t they all the same song” — a slight pause, and I know what’s coming next — “about her breakups?” Then, abruptly, he stamps me through, sparing me a detour to Interpol for more grilling.

In the cab into town, the driver is blasting a local talk-radio personality sharing his dismay about the fans of an awful superstar taking over his country. The host reads an email sent in from a hater who says, “A year ago, when tickets went on sale, my partner and I made a reservation to take our kids out of the country this Friday morning. … Thank you for creating a safe space with your show.” I start to wonder if Swift might have met her match at the Cliffs of Moher.

But from my drop-off forward, the next three days are like living in a Swift-topia. The mile and a half to Aviva Stadium each night is like Disneyland when it shuts its doors early for an affinity group. Whether stopping in the pubs or walking through the charming neighborhood of Victorian brick homes adjoining the fancy new stadium, there’s that warm feeling of people who are united by one quality: They are all super in touch with their feelings — or else they wouldn’t be Swift fans. And they all are happy to stop on the street or over pints to talk about poetical expression. (Well, except for the occasional taciturn, invariably straight young male who has signified his supportive-plus-one status by wearing a jersey bearing the name of Swift’s Super Bowl beau, Travis Kelce.)

So it is that I end up chatting with a middle-aged gay man in a sequin-covered shirt whose female companion whispers to me, while he steps away to trade friendship bracelets with a 10-year-old girl and her mum, that Swift’s music just helped him through a difficult breakup. The girl then runs off to trade her homemade bracelets with a pair of high-helmeted Dublin policemen loaded up to their own elbows with friendship swag — unexpected accessories for long arms of the law.

All the stories about American Swifties swarming overseas to catch “The Eras Tour” turn out to be true: You couldn’t swing a neon golf club around here without hitting a Yank. Approximately one out of every five fans I approach is visiting from the States — and the jubilation they’re feeling about the night’s impending concert is compounded by the fact that nearly all of them financed a European vacation and a concert ticket for roughly the same amount they would have paid on a secondary ticketing site for a typical four-figure ticket to one of last year’s predatorily repriced U.S. shows.

Remember the venerable stereotype of the Ugly Americans, brusquely trampling over refined Europeans in their travels? Thanks to Taylor Swift, who has a gift for laying out global welcome mats, this is the summer of the Spangly American.

At the stadium on night one, just down the row from me are a group of millennials from New Jersey, several in glam unitards inspired by the “Lover” or “1989” portions of the career-spanning show and looking like they were costumed by Swift’s own designer, with fake jewel-encrusted microphones to match. I ask how many hours went into perfecting these nearly pro-grade outfits.

“About 80 hours for mine,” says Megan McLaughlin. “Hers probably longer,” she adds, nodding toward one of her sisters, Margo Steinberg. “She knows all the glues and the best gems.” Indeed, confirms Steinberg, “I was working on mine since January. And, yes, I did quit my job to finish it!” She adds, when I ask if she cares to share any secrets to a particularly good look, “You have to use the B-7000 glue.” (A third sister, Amelia McLaughlin, admits she resorted to buying her spangly dress off Etsy — “I was doing a PhD, but I had to match these girls’ enthusiasm” — while a fourth, Carolyn McLaughlin, skipped the glitter and went for a red dress that matches Swift’s from the “I Bet You Think About Me” video.)

Certainly, there is an element of cosplay to many of the fans’ outfits. Some have seen footage of the new segment Swift added to the tour beginning in April 2024 — devoted to her most recent album, the 31-song “Tortured Poets Department” — and have managed to manufacture gowns that look like they’re made of paper and feature lyric excerpts printed on them in script, à la Swift’s custom-made Vivienne Westwood dress. I meet a group of American women who became friends as literature majors in college who have “Tortured Poets”-themed outfits, one duplicating the Westwood dress and the other with handmade printouts of the latest album’s lyrics pinned all over her black dress, as if she were literally pulling pages out of Swift’s playbook.

It’s the devotion to lyrics, even more than glitter, that is most impressive about the bespoke outfits fans have concocted for the occasion. There are scores and scores of Swifties wearing homemade T-shirts — sometimes singular, sometimes matching with a friend, like walking Burma-Shave signs. Some of the messages are obvious, like the dozens of laddies wearing “It’s me, hi, I’m the husband/boyfriend/father, it’s me” shirts. (Bet that seemed really original at one time.) But a lot of them refer to more obscure songs or stanzas, as if every nearby street or stadium loge section is full of human Easter eggs, begging to be unpacked. It’s hard to think of any other superstar in the history of stadium tours who could have inspired as much fan-crafted clothing rooted in the power of words.

Combos of middle-aged mothers and their teen or 20-something daughters abound; some of them have seized on Swift’s mentions of her own mother, Andrea, to come up with their T-shirt ideas. On Lansdowne Road, I talk to a mum whose red-on-black shirt says, “Had to listen to all this drama,” accompanied by a daughter bearing the legend, “And here’s to my mama.” (This is a reference to Swift’s song “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.”)

Later, in a stadium Guinness line, I chat up a pair of thirsty locals, the daughter’s shirt reading “I call my mom, she said …,” with the mom’s shirt completing the thought: “It was for the best.” (Damn it, I had to Google to recall that’s from a “1989” Vault track that came out last year.) I ask the daughter if she had to explain to her mom what she was wearing. “She’s 52,” she replies. “I don’t think she knows.”

Age is really no guarantor of not getting it — the popular #SwiftieOver50 hashtag on X proves that. Although outnumbered, plenty of older people are unaccompanied by a minor, or by anyone who has been a minor in the past 20 years. I approach a middle-aged couple, Jean Sebastian Conley and Natasha Gagne, again bidden by their matching shirts — “Who’s Taylor Swift?” and “Who’s Travis Kelce?” They turn out to be French Canadians who found their 206-euro SRO tickets to be a steal compared with the extravagant resale prices they briefly considered back home after being shut out of the initial on-sale. I ask what attracted them to Swift since, unlike so many others here, they didn’t grow up with her.

“I really fell in love with her with the ‘Folklore’ album,” Conley says, referring to her low-key Grammy-winning album recorded during the early months of the pandemic. “I think different audiences and older audiences found her through that and ‘Evermore’ because they were more singer-songwriter, a little bit rougher indie music, and that’s what we like most. So that’s how I got hooked.” For her part, Gagne says, “I like everything she represents. And when she redid all her masters, that’s where I thought she was a lady boss.”

It’s a reminder that, for however many mini-narratives Swift packs into the three hours and 20 minutes of an “Eras” show, there are really four or five years of backstory that feed into the audience’s shared awareness. When she sings the ominous ballad “My Tears Ricochet,” accompanied by a coven of stone-faced dancers, at least some fans will understand it as a distant reflection of her very public feelings about the men she considers her business bêtes noires, Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta, who bought and sold (respectively) the rights to her first six albums, spawning much vitriol as well as four “Taylor’s Version” rerecorded albums to date.

When the dancers put their grins back on, Swift plays an ebullient excerpt of a very recent “Poets” bonus track, “So High School,” which every person in the crowd will know is inspired by Kelce. There are some breakup songs of recent vintage too — yes, Mr. Customs Man! — like “The Smallest Man in the World,” which may or may not have cost Matty Healy, the 1975 frontman and former Swift paramour, a night of sleep.

The whole tour is themed around not just the newer records but the rerecordings that have made every older album in her catalog feel improbably fresh. It was, quite possibly, the single most baller move in the history of the record industry … and led to the career-retrospective concept for what is already unquestionably the biggest tour in the history of popular music.

Any discussion of the charms of fandom isn’t meant to forestall discussion of “The Eras Tour” as big business. The numbers are fuzzy because Swift’s camp does not release grosses from her shows, unlike nearly every other artist at the stadium or arena level. Even when the tour wraps after 20 months on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, it seems likely those numbers will continue to be guarded with a zeal on par with the government of North Korea’s. Many industry experts believe the gross will approach or even surpass $2 billion.

What is known for certain — even without a confirmation from Swift World — is that she broke the all-time tour-gross figure when she hit the $1 billion mark, whenever exactly that might have been. The two trade publications that specialize in the touring industry have slightly differing estimates: Billboard calculated a cumulative gross of approximately $900 million when she took a break at the end of 2023, figuring that she would crack $1 billion shortly into the tour’s resumption in April, while Pollstar estimated that she had passed $1 billion by the conclusion of last year. Any way you guesstimate it, Swift took less than a year to break the previous record of $939.1 million, which Elton John grossed with his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour across nearly three years of shows.

One source close to the production said early in the “Eras Tour” era that her average gross each night is $14 million. Others believe that is a highly conservative estimate, with a possible total that on at least some nights edges closer to $17 million. One remarkable aspect is that this does not include the revenue from any inflated resale tickets — which, as anyone who has tried to get tickets through Vivid Seats or StubHub knows, mostly have gone for several times their face value. It was little publicized, but Swift had “dynamic pricing” turned off for her ticket sales, possibly to avoid the controversies Bruce Springsteen encountered when the face value on some of his tickets leaped to the four-figure range upon their first sale. Swift left money on the table by not participating in the scalping of her own tickets, which had an average price of around $230 and topped out at $499, excepting VIP packages, which zenithed at $899 — all well short of what some other superstars ask nowadays. Of course, neither Argentina nor anyone at Wembley Stadium ahead of Swift’s opening night performance in June will be crying for her when she’s in reach of $2 billion without the resale inflation … not to mention the hundreds of millions of dollars in merch.

(This is extraordinary also because Swift hasn’t done any press to promote the tour, except for when she was selected as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year in December. But she doesn’t need to — the tour is constantly being celebrated on social media with every outfit change. And it’s also become so huge, it’s featured more A-list sightings than the Oscars, from Julia Roberts to Tom Cruise to Stevie Nicks, who had the surprise song “You’re on Your Own, Kid” dedicated to her in Dublin.)

Benson Boone, whose “Beautiful Things” is the most-streamed song of 2024 in the U.S. and the world, says he felt dwarfed when performing as the opening act at one of Swift’s seven shows at London’s Wembley Stadium. He has forever committed to memory the exact attendance figure he was given for the night: “89,497,” he says. “Just her stage alone is bigger than anything I’ve ever seen — 300 feet of it!” he says. “I took in every moment. It was cool for me to experience another artist’s world and learn from it. I want to work that hard and be the captain of my ship.”

Although it’s maddening to a media that likes official box office reports and can’t get them, it’s easy to see the wisdom in not flaunting those figures if you’re a superstar artist who counts on being seen as relatable. Swift certainly is proud of breaking records — she posted a tweet when “The Tortured Poets Department” spent its first 12 weeks at No. 1 on the album chart, one of only three albums in history to do so. But she’d rather count fan impressions than dollars. By the same token, she doesn’t publicize or confirm acts of generosity that leak out, like the sizable food-bank donations she makes in every city she tours, or the $100,000 bonuses that the tour’s 50 truck drivers reportedly got for Christmas.

An addendum to all this is how the “Eras Tour” film — released last fall, less than halfway through the actual tour — grossed just over $180 million domestically and $261 million globally, beating the records set by Justin Bieber’s concert film in the U.S. and Michael Jackson’s globally. Massive big-screen spoilers only heightened, rather than diminished, resale demand for the shows yet to come on the 152-date tour and helped precipitate the movement among Americans to head overseas, to make up for the supply found sorely lacking at home.

“She is the torchbearer for the live industry,” says Andy Gensler, editor of Pollstar. “It’s nothing we’ve ever seen before, and it’ll be a long time before we see it again. Her timing was exquisite: The pandemic created this yearning and hunger for live entertainment like nothing else in our history, so she couldn’t have picked a better time to go out.” Pollstar called last year a “historic golden age” for touring, as the top 100 global tours collectively surpassed $9 billion — up 46% from 2022 — with Swift obviously contributing a significant chunk of that total. (This year, the trade reports that overall tour attendance is down, with flat grosses, representing a slight reckoning for the live industry that, obviously, isn’t impacting “Eras.”)

“What my partners and I talk a lot about is how it’s one thing to have a big tour in North America. It’s another thing to have an equally big tour wherever you are in the world and to do doubles and triples in these markets,” says Bernie Cahill, an Activist founding partner and manager of acts including the Grateful Dead and the Lumineers. “It’s an anomaly. It’s not normal. And don’t forget, you’re going into what I call asymmetric venues, which are venues that are not really built for music; these are venues that are built for football games or soccer games and can be very challenging to do music. And they get it right every time — Louis Messina [Swift’s tour promoter since her earliest days] and his team are world-class.” But for all that globe-trotting, he notes, “there are some artists that you see do a show and you know they don’t even know what city they’re in. I always feel like Taylor knows exactly where she is. She has a relationship with that city or that market and those fans and she’s connected to them in ways that are very authentic, that you can’t fake.”

The one big snafu in the rollout of “The Eras Tour” occurred in November 2022 when the Ticketmaster system melted down after too many North American dates went on sale at once, causing thousands of fans to experience long delays. The on-sale broke the all-time record for tickets sold in a single day at 2 million, but it also nearly broke the world’s largest ticketing platform. Swift herself was Teflon in this situation, as the blame fell on a ticketing system not capable of handling so much of the Swift-loving world at once. And although most of the problems people have with Ticketmaster are different from what fans faced in the “Eras Tour” debacle — mainly, hidden fees and monopolistic practices — it could have big legislative consequences anyway. Dean Budnick, co-author of “Ticket Masters: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped,” believes that the Swift hullabaloo was the main catalyst for Congress enacting reform. “There’s no question that perhaps there’s gonna be some meaningful change in ticketing as a result of what people experienced with that on-sale.”

That sense Cahill spoke about of the singer making it clear to an audience she knows exactly where she’s at is in full force in Dublin. Swift introduces the “Folklore”/”Evermore” segment by suggesting that she had a spiritual locale in mind when she started writing that more intimate material, locked in during the first part of the pandemic. “It keeps me up at night all year long: Which era is the most Irish?” she half-jokes to the crowd. “I’m gonna make a case for it being ‘Folklore’ … This album’s imaginary world had a whole aesthetic — like I lived in this cabin in a really green, nature-y, moss-covered landscape. You see where I’m going?… Another thing that I think makes it more Irish than the other eras is, ‘Folklore’ was all about storytelling. And I know you hear this a lot, but you guys are naturally gifted storytellers, right?”

Later on, Swift will cement the local connection by playing, as a “secret” surprise acoustic song, “Sweet Nothing.” She doesn’t have to give the crowd any explanation for that: From the first notes, Irish Swifties will immediately recall that the lyrics reference to the coastal town of Wicklow. The real cherry on top of the show for locals at any international Eras Tour stop, though, comes with a customized moment each night during “We Are Never Getting Back Together” when the spotlight is put on backing dancer Kameron Saunders for a couple of seconds, as he blurts out something locally appropriate, and cheeky. One night in Dublin, it’s the Irish catchphrase “the neck of ye!”; on another, he yells out “pog mo thoin,” meaning “kiss my ass!”; the massive, knowing laugh that inside joke gets makes it clear this isn’t entirely an audience of American tourists after all.

But the basic theatrics and emotional currents remain consistent from show to show. If Swift is surprisingly reticent to make her “Eras Tour” numbers public, that may be, in part, her desire to keep the focus primarily on a personal fan connection. Music industry veterans are taken aback by Swift’s ability to be giant and intimate onstage. “She’s a master marketer of herself — and she is not afraid to be vulnerable to her fans,” says Michele Bernstein, who runs a consultancy that works with stars like Drake. Bernstein could almost be quoting the lyrics of “Mastermind,” where Swift describes herself in almost comically omniscient terms, then dives into a bridge about how no one would play with her as a little girl.

People like my guardian of the customs gate may complain about Swift’s songs centering on her romantic splits, but that subject matter magnifies her own insecurities and weaknesses, expressed in genuinely eccentric wordplay, in ways that keep the audience in thrall to someone they perceive as a humble underdog as well as a veritable cage fighter. She could do a $10 billion tour someday and still keep the crowd enraptured by how she measures up to, or rallies to exceed, the smallest man — or men, or Kardashians — in the world.

This plays out in the “Eras” show in all sorts of symbolic ways, like the new segment in the “Tortured Poets” section where she seems to have fainted from the vapors of failed romance. Dancers in tuxedos try to revive her while a swing version of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” plays over the PA. A pair of women dressed as nurses fit her with what looks like a majorette’s uniform — or, with all its off-white stripes, is it really meant to resemble a straitjacket? The resemblance is probably not coincidental. Swift fans know there’s nothing like a mad woman.

The most exhilarating moment that has been added to the show this year has her gliding down the ramp on a platform, appearing to anyone at floor level like she is levitating like the witch she makes herself out to be in “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” Taylor Swift: She was Agatha all along!

Yes, there is much to unpack. But in Dublin and in every other city where “Eras” has alighted, there is also pure inspiration for those who maybe haven’t always felt like they’ve had a voice, whether it’s her LGBTQ+ fan base or, well, women. It’s a modern transmutation of Beatlemania in which Swift manages to be all four Fabs, and a mirror, as well as object, of that gaze. You don’t have to be a woman to experience the explosion of pure female joy that takes place on a mass scale at an “Eras” gig, but for men, it doesn’t hurt to have a healthy sense of where you might sit on the female spectrum.

Outside Aviva Stadium, two young Londoners have formed their own two-woman straight-gay alliance: One is wearing a shirt with the hand- drawn words “You’re obsessive and crazy,�� and the other’s shirt has the phrase “You’re gay,” each with an arrow pointing to the other. This echoes the original lyrics to Swift’s 2006 oldie “Picture to Burn,” which was rerecorded after some were offended by “gay” as a possible teen epithet. “I am obsessive and crazy, and she is gay,” laughs Zoe Gibson, pointing to her friend, India Day. “We want to bring back the original lyrics. We never found them homophobic — we want to reclaim it.” Day adds, “We’ve listened to her since we were 4 years old, so obviously there’s the nostalgia factor. But for me, she speaks on quite a lot of issues like gay rights and feminism, and all of her songs perfectly sum up the experience of being a woman.”

Some of the shirts are apropos for Pride Month. Seeing a boy of no older than 15 or 16 wearing a homemade “But Daddy I Love Him” shirt (the title of a “Tortured Poets” fan favorite), it’s easy to imagine some courage was required to don that apparel. Along the same lines, I spot any number of women making their own statement in shirts with the modified exclamation “But Daddy I Love Her.”

Gay or straight, 6 years old or 60-something, female or just female-allied, the crowd inside gets its sway on early in the show, with the arrival of the gentle, waltz-time “Lover.” It’s not one of the big set-pieces of this nonstop Broadway-style production — the spotlight is just on Swift and her acoustic guitar — but it might be the one where the entire audience feels like it’s at a four-minute campfire. No wicked witchiness here, just winsomeness.

Down on the floor, I’m seeing what amounts to a Taylor Swift mosh pit: gangs of two or three or five young women, ignoring the fact that Swift herself is just yards away from them on the ramp. They’re singing and acting out every last line to each other, as if the superstar isn’t even towering right over them. A waste of their euros? Hardly. Swift will capture their full attention again as the show proceeds, but in the moment, she isn’t just a superstar — she might be the world’s greatest community organizer.

#variety 2024 #variety #eras tour #taylor swift

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lookout-drive-games · 6 months ago

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As you track down three bounties with your misfit crew, will you finally find answers to the mysterious curse plaguing your life?

Find out in our visual novel love letter to Cowboy Bebop and Telltale Games, BITTER SILVER!

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🏳️‍🌈 Experience a story full of intrigue & action with a cast of queer, diverse characters 😸 Build relationships with your crew including Hobbes, a cute talking robot cat 🖥 No two playthroughs are alike as the game reacts to every choice you make 🔫 Take down bounties in interactive, comic book-styled sequences 🎷 Hear an original, Bebop-inspired score full of jazz, blues, and folk music

We can't bring this game to life without your help so please back and/or share this post if you can! Thanks space cowfolks!

#interactive fiction #indie games #visual novel #cowboy bebop #lgbtqia #digital art #scifiart #afro latina #cats of tumblr #digital illustration #kickstarter #jazz #yoko kanno #blues #cute cats #alien oc #alien #telltale games

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minxmut-cafe · 10 days ago

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HEXED HEARTS | part 1.

Pairing : Slytherin Jimin x Huffle puff Reader

Word count : 18k words

Authors note : I AM BACK!!! Ik it's been a LONG time since I posted LMAO but my exams are going on and I really need to focus lol. This had been in my requests for a long time lol. Also I haven't really watched Harry potter. So my apologies if there's something inaccurate in it. But I hope you enjoy it. ALSO this was originally supposed to be one part but it got too long T T. So it's now a 3 part story because of the word count limit.

PART 2 | PART 3

Warning : Smut, spell, mentions of poison, Sexual penetration, PWP, cunnilingus, intercourse, oral sex (F receiving), bullying, threats, enemies to lover???, masturbation, accidental voyeurism.

Synopsis :

Jimin, a cocky Slytherin, relentlessly bullies the sweet, naive little Hufflepuff. After accidentally hitting her with a charm, she becomes love-struck and overly vulnerable. Despite her efforts to hide it, her innocence makes her an easy target for his teasing and the manipulations of others, leaving her trapped in confusion and desire. In an attempt to revert her back to normal...things take an interesting turn.

__________________________________________________

Jimin leaned against the cold stone wall of the Hufflepuff common room entrance, his usual smug grin plastered on his face as he watched the young Hufflepuff girl approach. She was just about to pass him, her arms clutching a freshly bought butterbeer from the Hogwarts kitchen, when he blocked her path with a lazy flick of his wand.

"Got something for me, love?" he teased, his voice dripping with mock sweetness as he eyed the bottle in her hands.

The girl, her name was Y/N, tried to sidestep him, but Jimin’s other hand shot out, snatching the bottle from her grip effortlessly.

"Hey!" she squeaked, her cheeks flushing a deep pink. “Give it back!”

Jimin didn’t even flinch, instead, he raised the bottle just out of her reach, savoring the discomfort he was causing. "Oh? Why should I?" he taunted, eyes glinting with a mischievous sparkle. "You’re so innocent, aren't you? Too sweet for your own good."

Y/N huffed, her breath shaky as she tried to stand her ground. She didn’t know what it was about him—how he could mock her so easily, take her things, laugh at her expense—and yet, she couldn’t ever seem to stay mad for long. There was something about him that made her heart race, even when she hated what he was doing to her.

Jimin saw the telltale flush creeping up her neck and smirked. Too easy. But then, an idea sparked in his mind. He flicked his wand again, just for fun, and whispered a quick incantation. A flash of light and—whoops—the charm hit her square in the chest.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, he noticed it.

Y/N blinked, her gaze locking on his, a soft, dazed look clouding her usually clear eyes. She bit her lip and swayed slightly, almost as though the world around her had lost its balance.

What the hell did I just do? Jimin thought, a cold shiver running down his spine. He’d only meant to play another prank, not... this.

"Y/N?" he asked, voice lower now, suddenly unsure of the situation.

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, her fingers tightened around the edges of her robes, and her breath came out in shallow bursts.

“Are you alright?” he pressed, though the devilish grin hadn’t left his face.

Y/N’s response wasn’t quite what he expected. She blinked at him again, as if seeing him for the first time, and said softly, “You’re... beautiful.”

Jimin’s smirk faltered.

He watched, almost fascinated, as she stumbled over her words, her hands fidgeting at her sides. Whatever he had done, it had affected her in ways he didn’t understand.

Well, this could be interesting.

But as she stood there, clearly confused by whatever magic had just altered her perception, Jimin couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong.

This is getting really interesting—Jimin's slow realization of how much he messed up, combined with his initial indifference, adds a lot of tension. Here’s how the next scene could play out:

Jimin had never thought much about the aftermath of his teasing. He’d throw a snide comment here, steal a butterbeer there—nothing too serious. The little Hufflepuff was easy to rile up, her reactions far too amusing for him to stop. But lately... something had changed.

Over the past few weeks, Y/N has become strange. More sensitive to his taunts, more flustered than usual. It was almost too easy now. A simple smirk in her direction had her stammering, and sometimes—Merlin forbid—she would look at him with wide, starry eyes, as if he had just saved her from a dragon instead of, say, hexing her quill to scribble nonsense on her parchment.

He didn't think much of it. Maybe she was just being her usual naive self. Maybe she was just going through a phase.

But then, the whispers started.

Jimin had always known she was an easy target—too trusting, too kind for her own good—but lately, people were taking more advantage of her than before. The usual teasing had shifted into something uglier. More cruel. A few times, he caught her looking startled when a group of boys brushed past her too closely in the halls, or freezing up when someone flicked their wand and sent her books tumbling.

Still, he ignored it.

At least, he did until that night.

Jimin had been heading back to his dorm, barely paying attention as he strolled through the dimly lit corridors of the castle. The halls were mostly empty—curfew was approaching—when something made him pause.

A soft sniffle.

He turned the corner, brows furrowing, and what he saw made his stomach clench.

Y/N. Sitting on the cold stone floor, knees drawn up to her chest, her hands curled weakly around them. Her robes were slightly disheveled, her usually bright expression replaced by something hollow. The candlelight flickered against her skin, highlighting the bruises on her knees, a few more scattered on her hands and calves.

Jimin didn’t move at first.

He wasn’t sure why he felt that sudden, uncomfortable pang in his chest, but it was there, unwelcome and nagging.

Y/N sniffled again, rubbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her robe. She hadn’t noticed him yet.

Jimin should have walked away. Should’ve pretended he didn’t see.

Instead, he exhaled sharply and took a step forward. "Oi."

She flinched, her head snapping up. For a second, her dazed eyes met his, and he saw it—the hesitation, the lingering effect of whatever stupid charm he had hit her with.

"...Jimin?" she whispered, blinking in confusion.

He clenched his jaw.

"Tch. What are you doing sitting on the floor like a pathetic little lost kitten?" he muttered, crouching down to her level. His voice was sharp, but his movements were careful.

Y/N swallowed thickly, lowering her gaze. "I—I just... tripped," she lied, a weak attempt at brushing it off.

Jimin's eyes flickered over her bruises. Liar.

For the first time in weeks, his teasing words didn’t come. His usual smirk felt foreign on his lips.

Because deep down, a part of him knew—this wasn’t just some random accident. And the worst part?

It was his fault.

Jimin stayed crouched in front of her, his usual smirk absent, replaced by something unreadable. His sharp eyes scanned the bruises on her skin, the way her fingers trembled slightly as she gripped the fabric of her robe.

He clicked his tongue. "Who did this?"

Y/N blinked at him, eyes glassy from unshed tears.

He leaned in slightly, voice dropping into something firmer. "I’m serious, Y/N. Who? Was it those Ravenclaw pricks? Or was it Jeongmin again?"

She sniffled.

Jimin’s patience was wearing thin. He had seen the way people treated her lately—hell, he’d contributed to it—but even he had limits. This wasn’t just a bit of teasing anymore. Someone had hurt her.

“Y/N,” he pressed, a little softer this time, watching her lower lip wobble. “Tell me.”

Her fingers twisted in the fabric of her robes. Then, instead of answering, she let out a tiny, pitiful noise—half a sniffle, half a whimper—and pouted up at him, her wide eyes shimmering under the dim torchlight.

“Why is everyone so mean to me?”

Jimin froze.

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. He had been ready for a name, for a snarky excuse, maybe even a dismissive I’m fine. But this? This small, defeated question?

It made something in his chest twist—tight and unfamiliar.

Y/N sniffled again, rubbing at her eyes with her sleeve. “I don’t—I don’t even do anything bad,” she hiccuped, voice cracking. "But—but they keep taking my things, and laughing, and—" she bit her lip, looking down. "Even when I say stop, they just laugh harder."

Jimin felt his fingers twitch.

For the first time, he actually looked at her. Not just as the gullible little Hufflepuff he loved to torment, not as the girl who got flustered too easily or tripped over her own feet.

But as someone who was genuinely hurting.

And the worst part? A good portion of that was his fault.

Jimin ran his tongue over his teeth, inhaling sharply. His pride wouldn’t let him soften completely, but for once, the usual amusement in his voice was gone when he muttered, "Tch. They’re idiots. They don’t know any better."

Y/N pouted harder. "But why?"

Jimin clenched his jaw. Why? Because you’re too trusting. Because you never fight back. Because you’re too soft for a school full of people who don’t deserve your kindness. Because—

Because I started it.

He exhaled sharply through his nose and stood up, brushing imaginary dust off his robes.

"Come on," he muttered, holding a hand out.

She blinked up at him. "Huh?"

"You heard me, Hufflepuff. Get up."

She hesitated, but when she finally placed her smaller hand in his, Jimin was hit with a sudden warmth. He ignored it, gripping her wrist and tugging her up to her feet.

She wobbled slightly, her balance off, and before he could think, Jimin’s hands found her waist to steady her.

Too close.

His breath hitched. Y/N was staring up at him again, wide-eyed, lips parted in surprise.

For a second, Jimin forgot why he was supposed to be mad. Why he was even here. All he could focus on was the way her fingers were gripping his sleeve like he was something safe. Like she trusted him.

Like he wasn’t the reason she was like this in the first place.

His grip on her waist tightened before he quickly let go. "Tch. Stop looking at me like that," he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Like what?" she sniffled.

He rolled his eyes, turning on his heel. "Never mind."

But as he walked away, jaw tight, he knew one thing for certain—

This was his mess to clean up.

Jimin wasn’t the type to lose sleep over guilt.

But that night, as he lay in his dorm, arms crossed behind his head, he found himself staring at the ceiling, replaying the way Y/N had sniffled up at him with wide, heartbroken eyes.

Why is everyone so mean to me?

He scowled, turning onto his side. Tch. Stupid girl.

Still, when morning came, Jimin found himself paying more attention than usual.

She was easy to spot—Hufflepuffs were loud, and her friend group had the energy of overeager puppies. But even as she chattered away with them, he could tell she wasn’t fully herself. Her movements were stiff, her usual sunshine-like warmth dimmed.

And she was still too damn trusting.

Jimin’s wand twitched in his sleeve as he watched from a distance. A small hex here, a charm there—little things. Subtle things. When she nearly walked into a swinging suit of armor, an invisible force nudged her just enough to avoid it. When a group of Ravenclaws whispered too loudly about her, their quills inexplicably snapped in half. And when one particularly brave Slytherin tried to jinx her from behind?

Well. Jimin had ways of making sure the hex rebounded.

He wasn’t sure what exactly had changed overnight. All he knew was that watching her flinch at every little thing left a bad taste in his mouth.

So, when lunchtime rolled around, and he caught sight of a certain someone sneering in Y/N’s direction, all thoughts of subtlety went out the window.

Jeongmin.

The arrogant bastard was lounging at the Ravenclaw table, shooting Y/N a knowing smirk while she hurried past him, clutching her books a little tighter.

Jimin tilted his head. Interesting.

He hadn’t noticed it before, but now that he was paying attention, he saw it—the way Jeongmin’s friends elbowed each other, laughing under their breath. The way Y/N ducked her head, trying to disappear.

Jimin flexed his fingers. So, you’re the one.

He stood from his seat, rolling his shoulders lazily. He wasn’t impulsive per se—every move he made was calculated. But some things required creativity.

A hex would be too obvious. A fight? Too much paperwork.

No, if Jimin was going to deal with this, he’d do it the smart way.

The Slytherin way.

Later That Evening…

Jeongmin never saw it coming.

One minute, he was on his way back from the library, minding his own business. The next, the torches in the corridor flickered, and a chilling voice murmured from the shadows—

"Going somewhere, Jeongmin?"

The Ravenclaw barely had time to react before he was shoved—hard—against the cold stone wall.

Jimin leaned in, his wand pressing just under Jeongmin’s chin.

"Funny thing," he mused, voice eerily calm. "I heard something interesting today."

Jeongmin swallowed, trying—and failing—to push back. Jimin barely exerted any force, but the weight of his presence alone kept him pinned.

"I heard," Jimin continued, tilting his head, "that you’ve been running your mouth. That you’ve been having a little too much fun at someone else’s expense." His eyes gleamed in the dim torchlight. "That true?"

Jeongmin wet his lips. "I—I don’t know what you’re talking about—"

Jimin clicked his tongue. Wrong answer.

With a lazy flick of his wand, Jeongmin’s knees buckled, forcing him down.

"Try again," Jimin murmured.

Jeongmin gasped, but Jimin crouched, keeping their eye level dangerously close.

"You know," he continued conversationally, "there are certain spells that don’t leave a mark. No proof. No trace." He hummed, tapping his wand against his palm. "Ever heard of the Cold Shiver Hex? Makes it feel like insects are crawling under your skin for days."

Jeongmin’s breath hitched.

"Or the Whisper Curse? A tiny spell—nothing major. But it does make sure you hear the same voice in your head, over and over." Jimin smiled, slow and sharp. "My voice. Repeating one little word."

He leaned in. "Run."

Jeongmin trembled.

Jimin exhaled, letting the silence stretch.

Then, just as suddenly, he stood, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve.

"Stay," he drawled, stepping back. "Out of her way."

With one last, lingering glance, he turned on his heel, disappearing down the corridor.

Behind him, Jeongmin slumped against the wall, shaking.

Jimin didn’t look back.

But as he made his way toward the common room, a smirk finally tugged at his lips.

Messing with Y/N? Big mistake.

Y/N barely had time to register what was happening before she found herself being dragged through the corridors, her feet stumbling over the cold stone floor.

“Jimin—wait—!” she yelped, nearly tripping.

“Stop whining.”

“Where are we going?”

“The library.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

She puffed out her cheeks in protest, huffing as she tried to keep up. He had grabbed the back of her coat, practically hauling her along like a misbehaving cat.

“Why are you so grumpy today?” she mumbled, pouting. “You’re always mean, but today feels extra mean.”

Jimin’s eye twitched.

She was the one pouting? She was the one acting like he was being unreasonable? After all the absolute bullshit he had to clean up because of her ridiculous condition?

He inhaled sharply through his nose, forcing himself to stay calm.

She wasn’t wrong, though. He was grumpy.

For one, he had spent half his day making sure no one dared to lay a hand on her again. And two, he was pissed at himself.

Because now that he was paying attention, the signs were obvious. The dazed, dreamy looks. The way she got flustered way too easily. How she stared at him all starry-eyed when he so much as breathed in her direction.

And the worst part?

This wasn’t normal.

Not for her.

Y/N was naturally soft, sure. But she wasn’t—or at least, she hadn’t always been—this stupidly, pathetically love-struck.

Which meant… he had caused this.

Somehow.

And that was why they were marching to the library.

Jimin threw her into a chair.

“Sit.”

Y/N let out a tiny squeak, blinking up at him in bewilderment. “You didn’t have to be so rough, you know.”

Jimin ignored her, already scanning the shelves for what he needed. His fingers skimmed the spines of several books—Obscure Charms and How to Break Them, Hexes, Curses, and Accidental Magic, The Unspoken Dangers of Misdirected Spells.

He pulled out three, dropping them onto the table with a thud.

Y/N flinched.

Jimin took a seat across from her, flipping open the first book.

“Alright,” he said, voice clipped. “You’re going to sit there and not whine while I figure out what the hell is wrong with you.”

She blinked. “Huh?”

He sighed, rubbing his temples. “You. Are. Acting. Weird.”

“I am not!”

Jimin shot her a look.

She wilted. “…Okay, maybe a little.”

He scoffed. A little?

“A lot,” he corrected. “And considering the fact that I may or may not have hit you with an undetermined spell—”

Her eyes widened. “Wait, what?”

“—we need to fix it before you do something stupid.”

Y/N huffed, crossing her arms. “I don’t do stupid things.”

Jimin gave her a flat look. “You almost walked straight into a cursed tapestry yesterday.”

“…Oh.”

He smirked. “Yeah. Oh.”

She fidgeted. “Well… maybe I am acting a little different,” she admitted, voice soft.

Jimin rolled his eyes. “A little? You’ve been looking at me like I personally hung the stars for the past two weeks.”

Y/N flushed. “I have not—!”

Jimin raised an eyebrow. “You swooned when I insulted you.”

Y/N gasped. “I did not swoon!”

“You did.”

She buried her face in her hands, groaning. “Oh my God.”

“Yeah, it’s bad.” Jimin flipped a page, scanning for anything useful.

Y/N peeked at him through her fingers. “W-What if…” she hesitated.

“What?”

“What if…” she fidgeted. “What if I like it?”

Jimin froze.

Slowly, he lifted his gaze from the book, staring at her like she had just grown a second head. “What.”

She squirmed under his stare. “I-I mean… it’s not that bad, right? It’s just a little crush—”

Jimin slammed the book shut.

“Nope.” He stood. “Nope. Absolutely not. We’re fixing this tonight.”

Y/N pouted. “You’re being dramatic.”

“I am not—” he exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face. “Y/N. You don’t even like me.”

She blinked.

Jimin continued, voice strained. “Before this stupid charm, you hated me.”

Y/N hesitated. “I didn’t hate you…”

“Oh, really?” Jimin drawled. “So you enjoyed when I stole your butterbeer? When I relentlessly mocked you? When I made fun of you in front of the entire class?”

She bit her lip. “…No.”

Jimin pointed at her. “Exactly.”

Y/N slumped in her chair, deflating. “…Then what do we do?”

Jimin sighed, sitting back down. He flipped open another book, eyes scanning the pages.

“We figure out how to reverse it,” he muttered. “Before you start writing my name in hearts on your notebook.”

Y/N let out a tiny squeak, quickly shoving her notebook under the table.

Jimin’s eye twitched.

Merlin help me.

Jimin was trying to focus.

Really, he was.

But it was proving to be exceedingly difficult when Y/N was sitting across from him looking like an actual water nymph, her chin resting on her hands, lips pouting, legs kicking lazily under the table.

She wasn’t even doing anything. Just… being cute. Like it was effortless. Like it wasn’t completely ruining his concentration.

He flipped another page, trying to ignore the way she sighed dreamily, her fingers tracing aimless patterns on the table.

Merlin’s bloody beard.

It wasn’t helping that she kept staring at him, either. Not with her usual wary glances or that signature Hufflepuff softness. No—this was different.

This was… hungry.

Jimin froze.

Wait.

No. No way.

He narrowed his eyes at her, scrutinizing her expression.

Was that—was she looking at him like she wanted to eat him?

His stomach did a weird flip. He immediately shut that thought down.

No. Nope. No way in hell.

This was Y/N they were talking about. The same wide-eyed, Bambi-looking, butterbeer-loving Hufflepuff who probably cried over injured Bowtruckles.

There was no way she was—

Jimin shook his head. She doesn’t even know what horny is.

Right?

…Right?

His eye twitched.

He refused to entertain the thought.

With a deep sigh, he returned his attention to the book, doing his best to block out her utterly bewildering presence.

“Jimin,” she suddenly murmured.

He gritted his teeth. “What.”

She tilted her head. “Why do your hands look so nice?”

Jimin choked.

“What—?”

“They’re so veiny,” she mused, blinking owlishly. “I like them.”

Jimin snapped the book shut.

That was it. He was finding the cure

Jimin flicked her forehead.

“Ow—!” Y/N huffed, rubbing the spot as she pouted at him.

“Stop staring at me like that and help me find the damn spell,” Jimin scolded, flipping the book open again. “Or at least describe what you're feeling so I know what I’m fixing.”

Y/N blinked, looking up at him with big, thoughtful eyes. She opened her mouth, then hesitated.

Jimin raised an eyebrow. “Well?”

She fidgeted. “Um…”

He sighed impatiently. “Spit it out, Bambi.”

Y/N’s lips wobbled. “I-It’s just… my heart feels like it’s gonna explode, and there’s butterflies, and my knees feel all weak and wobbly, and—and—”

She swallowed, face heating.

Jimin narrowed his eyes. “And?”

Y/N squirmed, avoiding his gaze.

“…T-Tingles.”

Jimin’s brow furrowed. “Tingles?”

She gave a tiny nod.

He frowned. “Where?”

Silence.

Jimin watched as she slowly, very suspiciously, started sinking lower in her chair, face turning redder and redder.

Realization hit him like a Bludger to the chest.

Oh.

Oh, fuck no.

Jimin slammed the book shut.

“We are fixing this right now.”

Y/N jumped at the slam of the book, her already wobbly knees knocking against the chair legs.

Jimin glared at her, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "You're telling me—" he sucked in a sharp breath, "—that I hit you with some random-ass charm that makes you all soft and useless and, and—" His eyes flicked down at her shifting thighs before darting back up. "Tingly?"

Y/N swallowed hard. "W-Well, I wouldn’t say useless…"

Jimin gave her the flattest look.

She fidgeted under his stare, nervously playing with her sleeves. "I just… I feel warm all the time, and everyone seems so much meaner lately, and I don’t know, Jimin, my head's all fuzzy, and my body is—"

"Okay, stop!" he hissed, holding up a hand. He pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply like he needed patience from the heavens above.

Y/N pursed her lips, eyes glistening. "Why are you mad at me?" she mumbled.

Jimin groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I’m not mad at you,” he gritted out. "I'm mad at my own dumbass for hitting you with whatever the hell this is."

Y/N blinked. "Oh."

Then, very softly—"You're not a dumbass."

Jimin’s eye twitched. He shot her a sharp look, only to find her staring at him all dotingly again, her lashes fluttering, her lips slightly parted like he was the most dazzling thing she'd ever seen.

Merlin’s bloody socks.

He had to fix this. Now.

Jimin abruptly stood, yanking his tie loose. "Alright, come on."

Y/N blinked in confusion as he grabbed her coat and dragged her out of her chair.

"Jimin—"

"We're finding this spell and reversing it," he grumbled, tugging her toward the Restricted Section.

Y/N stumbled behind him, half-tripping over her own feet. "Wait—"

"Not waiting, Bambi."

"But—"

"Not but-ing either."

Y/N let out a small, defeated whimper as he marched her through the aisles, her little feet barely keeping up.

Jimin, on the other hand, was fighting for his life to ignore the way she was pouting up at him, her fingers clutching his sleeve like some lost little fawn.

He clenched his jaw.

This spell had to go.

Immediately.

Jimin’s fingers tightened around the book.

His eyes scanned the page once, twice—then a third time just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.

Aquire the object of your desire.

The words stared mockingly back at him.

His throat went dry. "No way."

Y/N, still swaying slightly beside him, tilted her head. "What does it say?"

Jimin didn’t answer. His mind was racing.

It wasn’t a love spell.

Not some stupid, artificial enchantment forcing her feelings. Not some external force turning her into a love-drunk fool.

It was an amplifier.

The charm didn't create her feelings—it just intensified what was already there.

Jimin sat back, the realization hitting him like a goddamn truck.

Jimin stared at the book. Then at Y/N. Then back at the book.

His brain was short-circuiting.

The charm was an amplifier. It only enhanced feelings that were already there.

Which meant—

She’d already felt like this before.

The stolen glances, the nervous fidgeting, the way she melted when he so much as breathed in her direction. The way she looked at him now—

Like she wanted to devour him.

Jimin swallowed, jaw tightening.

There was only one way to fix this.

He shut the book with an audible thud.

Y/N blinked at him, wide-eyed. “Did you find the cure?”

Jimin exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah."

She perked up. "Oh! What is it?"

He turned to her, looking her over slowly—her flushed cheeks, the way she was still swaying slightly, her pupils way too dilated for her own good.

His tongue darted out to wet his lips.

"Well…" he drawled.

Y/N tilted her head. "Well…?"

Jimin leaned in, his voice low and unbelievably smug.

“We’ll have to fuck it out.”

Y/N froze.

Silence.

Absolute, earth-shattering silence.

Then—

"WHAT—?"

Y/N’s entire body seized up.

Her breath hitched, eyes widening to the size of saucers. "E-EXCUSE ME?!"

Jimin leaned back against the table, crossing his arms lazily. “You heard me, Bambi.”

Her mouth opened—then closed—then opened again, but no words came out. Her face burned so hot, she swore she was about to spontaneously combust.

Jimin, on the other hand, looked far too pleased with himself. He tilted his head, watching her with a lazy smirk. “I mean, unless you wanna stay like this forever—getting all weak and breathless every time I so much as look at you.”

Y/N whimpered.

Jimin chuckled, low and deep. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Her hands flew to her face, her brain scrambling to process what was happening. “T-That can’t be the only way—”

Jimin shrugged. “It’s the fastest way.”

She gawked at him.

He grinned. “What? You’d rather wait weeks for the effects to wear off?” He leaned in again, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Or do you wanna fix this tonight?”

Y/N squeaked.

Jimin chuckled again, dark and satisfied. He loved this. Loved watching her squirm, loved how her breathing quickened when he got too close.

And now that he knew she wanted him?

Oh, he was going to have fun with this.

“So?” he purred. “What’s it gonna be, Bambi?”

Y/N swallowed hard, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. Her whole body buzzed—with heat, with want, with something overwhelming—but underneath it all, a small, quiet voice whispered: Not yet.

She didn’t know why.

Jimin was right. This was the fastest way to get rid of the spell. She wanted him—hell, the spell made sure of that—but something in her gut twisted at the idea of just… giving in like that.

She wasn’t ready.

Not like this.

Y/N licked her lips, her gaze flickering away. “I… I think I’ll wait.”

Silence.

When she finally dared to look at him, Jimin was just… staring.

Brows slightly furrowed. Lips parted just the tiniest bit. Like she had just spoken in Parseltongue and he couldn’t understand a damn word she’d said.

"You’ll what?"

Y/N felt her chest tighten. “I’ll wait. Until it wears off.”

Jimin’s head tilted. He genuinely looked confused. “Wait.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Even though you’re, like, two seconds away from melting whenever I so much as breathe near you?”

Y/N whimpered, looking away again. “Y-Yes.”

Jimin blinked, then scoffed. “That’s stupid.”

She frowned. “It’s not!”

He let out a sharp laugh, running a hand through his hair. “You’re miserable, Bambi! I see it! You can barely focus, you freeze when someone so much as bumps into you, you can’t even look at me without turning into a puddle!” He gestured at her with both hands. “This is your chance to fix it!”

Y/N flinched.

Jimin stopped.

The frustration in his eyes faltered for just a second.

Then—

Y/N abruptly scampered away.

Jimin didn’t even have time to react. She shot up from her chair, mumbling something about needing to study or sleep or something before she practically ran out of the library.

Jimin was left standing there, staring at the empty space she left behind.

His jaw clenched.

What the fuck just happened?

Jimin wasn't having it.

The moment Y/N ran off, something inside him snapped.

He wasn’t even thinking—his feet just moved, following her out of the library, down the dimly lit corridors, ignoring the ridiculous pounding in his chest.

By the time he caught up to her, she was halfway to the Hufflepuff dorms, walking with her head down, her arms hugged tight around herself.

Jimin grabbed her wrist. “Hey—”

Y/N jumped, eyes wide as she spun around.

“Jimin—”

He exhaled sharply, scanning her face. "What’s wrong?"

Y/N’s lips parted slightly. "I—I told you, I just want to w-wait—”

Jimin’s jaw tightened. "Yeah, and that’s bullshit. You’re burning up, you can barely look at me without your knees buckling, and yet you ran the moment I gave you an actual solution."

She flinched, gaze darting away.

Jimin took a step closer. "So what is it? What’s stopping you?"

Y/N inhaled shakily. She bit her lip, as if debating whether to say anything at all.

Then, finally—

“…Don’t get mad.”

Jimin stiffened.

Something about the way she said it—soft, hesitant, like she was genuinely afraid of his reaction—made his stomach twist uncomfortably.

He swallowed, forcing himself to nod. “I won’t.”

Y/N hesitated for a long moment. Then, she sighed.

“…I do have feelings for you.”

Jimin’s breath caught.

She looked up at him, cheeks flushed, lips trembling. "And, yeah, I’m all… hot and bothered and it’s so embarrassing, but…"

She fidgeted with the sleeves of her robe.

"You’ve always been mean to me, Jimin." Her voice was quiet. "You tease me, you steal my stuff, you embarrass me in front of everyone. You’ve never been nice to me before. So how am I supposed to trust that after we… you know… you won’t just go back to treating me like a joke?"

Jimin froze.

His lips parted, but no words came out.

Because fuck.

He hadn’t thought about that.

Jimin stared at her.

For the first time in his life, he was completely speechless.

Because—fuck—she was right.

He had been mean to her. He had bullied her. He had made her life at Hogwarts miserable whenever he got the chance.

So why the fuck should she trust him now?

His fingers twitched around her wrist, his grip loosening.

Y/N bit her lip, gaze dropping to the floor. “…See?” she whispered. “You can’t even deny it.”

Jimin’s chest tightened.

His mind raced, searching for something—anything—to say, but for once, his usual sharp tongue failed him.

And then, before he could even try to stop her, she gently pulled her wrist from his grasp and took a step back.

"I need to go." Her voice wavered, but her expression was set. "Please don’t follow me this time."

Jimin didn’t move.

He just stood there, watching as she turned away—her shoulders slumped, her steps small and unsure, her hand brushing against the wall as if she needed to steady herself.

He clenched his jaw.

Something ugly clawed at his chest.

The same feeling he got when he saw her with those assholes. When he saw her bruised and sniffly and small.

He hated that feeling.

And he hated even more that he was the reason she looked like that now.

Jimin exhaled sharply through his nose, his hands clenching into fists.

Fine.

She wanted him to prove he wasn’t the same asshole who had tormented her for years?

Then he fucking would.

Jimin stood there, his chest tight, mind spiraling. The further Y/N walked away from him, the more the words rattled in his brain.

You’ve always been mean to me, Jimin.

He clenched his jaw so hard he thought his teeth might crack.

Fuck.

He had always known he was a bit of an asshole. He liked pushing people, making them squirm, seeing how far he could go before they cracked. But with her?

It was different.

Something about her made him… possessive.

He wasn’t proud of it, but it was true.

Sure, he bullied her, mocked her, made her life hell—because she was fun to mess with. She was soft, sweet, and naive, too easy to rile up. He loved how she’d get flustered, how her cheeks would heat up when he teased her.

But there was always this little something that lingered under the surface. The moments he couldn’t explain away.

Like that time in third year when he saw some idiot bump into her in the hallway and she dropped her books. He’d been about to walk away, but when she bent down to pick them up, the way the guy looked at her—hungrily—made his blood boil.

He remembered stepping in, elbowing the guy aside with a sharp glare, picking up her books for her, all without a second thought.

And there was the time when he noticed her limping after a quidditch match, her ankle twisted. He’d called her a “freaking idiot” but then cursed under his breath and healed her leg, making sure to be extra gentle as his fingers brushed against her skin.

He'd never said anything, but it bugged him. Every time she looked at him, she saw him as a monster, a bully.

But deep down, he always felt this strange protectiveness. Like no one else was allowed to touch her, to hurt her.

Only he was allowed to hurt her.

And now, realizing the weight of those little moments, he felt it, really felt it.

What the fuck was wrong with him?

He had been pushing her away, tormenting her for what? For fun?

A sick feeling churned in his stomach. He wasn’t the same person he used to be, but fuck if he wasn’t still a huge part of the problem.

He cursed himself again.

She’d given him the perfect chance to fix this, to make it right, and instead, he’d acted like a goddamn asshole.

He glanced back toward the direction she’d gone, his hands trembling with frustration.

Jimin ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. No more. He wasn’t going to let her slip away again.

He wasn’t sure what exactly it was yet—whether it was the spell or just how real everything felt now—but he knew this:

He wasn’t done with her. And if he had to destroy his own pride to prove it, then so be it.

CONTINUATION | PART 2

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