#that's all I got so far I lost my momentum

[batfambitches]

Timothy Jackson Drake Wayne; Red Robin:

Age: 20 (default, flexible)

Alias: Red Robin

Headcanons

Tim is Autistic

Timothy Jackson Drake was born to Jack and Janet Drake, both come from old money but well Jack was born and raised in Gotham Janet was not. When he was younger his parents were around more, and they brought him traveling with them. Once he started school they started leaving him at home, he had a nanny at first when he was younger but by the time he was 8 he had skipped 2 grades in school and they decided he didn't need a dedicated nanny. He spent his weeks boarding at school after all.

They had a driver employed for the trips to and from school on Mondays, Fridays and for holidays, a chef who came to make meals for him on the weekends and hired security on the premises even when he wasn't there. He didn't have a dedicated care taker anymore though, and it was rare that he was at home at the same time as his parents.

The last thing that he remembered doing with them as a family was going to Haly's Circus, he was so excited to see it with them after going by himself his driver was with him, but he's pretty sure he only went in with him out of pity the day before during their first show during their stop in Gotham. He didn't expect what happened with the Grayson's any more than the rest of the audience, and it eventually led him to a life he couldn't have imagined.

After that he spent most of his free time, which was a lot with absent parents and being younger than all his classmates, doing school work and obsessing over Batman and later his new prodigy. He put together pieces and figured things out, until he heard one day that Robin had been killed by The Joker. He had a pit in his stomach at that, because he knew what that meant even if others didn't. The Joker had killed Bruce Wayne's son Jason Todd.

When Batman started going off the deep end he went to find Nightwing and talk to him first, when he dismissed him he showed up at Dick's job and told him "I told you why I'm here last night." to which he was guided out to the mans car by his shoulder with an excuse of 'bringing the kid home.' From there he eventually became Robin officially a few weeks before his 13th birthday, trying his best to live up to the title but feeling like he never would. Eventually he became a part of the Teen Titans along with a few other hero friends, traveling back and forth from Titan Tower and Gotham as he was needed.

In December after his 13th birthday he was kicked out of school for missing to much time, because he had so much other stuff to do Tim came to an agreement with Bruce. He would continue to study and learn what he would be in school independently, and when he turned 16 he would take the GED test and apply for online courses for college. The reason his parents weren't notified? Bruce offered to his parents to keep an eye on him and that basically became them letting him become his temporary legal guardian.

After Damian showed up and was made Robin he felt defeated and replaceable, the taunting that he liked to do didn't help the now 14 year olds complex. Despite the fact he wasn't Batman's Robin anymore? He still went out and rebranded himself as Red Robin and working alone, the first time the other's tried to work with him after this he ignored them before explaining the next day why. They had pushed him to the side like he didn't matter, and even if they didn't mean to? He needed time after that.

He was the first one to figure out that Bruce was alive and trapped in time after he was declared dead only 6 months after Damian had come to live with him. In Bruce's absence he kept his word and took the GED test a year and a half before he was originally planning on, getting lawyers involved to allow him to do so to get it out of the way and he could focus on other things. During this time he became doing what he could to keep Wayne Enterprise running smoothly well Bruce was gone, also joining an online college and taking classes for both a business and finance degree.

Once Bruce had returned Tim stepped back at Wayne enterprise, still stepping in when Bruce needed help because he was busy with Batman things. He was only a few months into his college classes when Bruce came back and now with more time to take electives, he added a few photography classes to his roster. He finished his business and finance degrees by the time he was 18, but he kept signing up for different creative classes such as photography, design, digital editing and so on as he wanted until eventually he inadvertently had enough credits for an arts degree at 19.

His parents by now are no better then when he was younger, he saw them maybe once a year and they barley knew what he was up to unless they saw an article about him. When he turned 18 he went to Bruce with a whole power point style argument about why he should officially adopt him now that his parents couldn't argue against it, he didn't need it though and Bruce interrupted on slide 2. He told him that if he wanted to finish his presentation he could, but he didn't need to convince him and if that's what he wanted he could officially adopt him.

[ox-imagines]

Tokyo Debunker as Romance Tropes

Feel free to ask me to write a longer imagine/oneshot for any of these!

Pt. 3 | Jabberwock

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 4 | Pt. 5 | Pt. 6 | Pt. 7

Haru - Love at First Sight

Haru is a very busy man. He’s always on the go, rarely ever thinking about romance because he’s got thirty-thousand other things on his mind. One day, all these things weighing on him distracted him enough that Peekaboo managed to get out of his pen, wandering off out the back door that Ren had left open again. When he realized Peekaboo was missing he almost lost it, flying into a full panic and racing out the door. He found him playing with you in a large clearing in Jabberwock, you sitting on the ground picking wildflowers and handing them to Peekaboo, who’d sort them into piles based on their color. He was so relieved he came to a dead stop on the spot, a horrid crunch coming from one of his ankles from the sudden force of his momentum. He fell over, wincing softly, and you quickly moved over toward him, asking if he was ok. When he looked up at you, his breath caught in his throat. The sun was behind you, framing you and lighting up your loose hairs like they were glowing, and you wore a soft, concerned look on your face, which as far as he was concerned may well have been the prettiest face he’d ever seen.

“I, um, I’ll be fine, it, it happens! Thank you for watching my baby, I can’t believe I let him escape… whaddya say I, uh, treat you to dinner tonight as a thank-you?”

Towa - Soulmates

Towa has always loved the idea of soulmates. Towa loves love, period. Unfortunately, his love and devotion to Haru get in the way of him finding his own soulmate. At least, until you come into his life. He thinks you’re perfect: you understand him better than anyone ever has before, you’ve got an uncanny way of keeping his rapid mood swings at bay, and soon, he listens to you and does things for you unlike he will for anyone but Haru. The two of you can often even communicate without words, you adapting to his nonverbal tendencies so well you sometimes adopt them when you’re around him. You’re a bit free-spirited, but grounded enough that his wild, free spirit is calmed around you. Even if you don’t believe in soulmates, Towa does, and he’s certain that you’re his and won’t hesitate to let you know that on a regular basis. He regularly comes to you with R&R permits asking you to go off campus with him.

“~~~. You’re the one for me, Dandelion. Please never change~”

Ren - Roommates

All things considered, Ren is a good roommate. He doesn’t really help clean, but he also doesn’t spend much time outside his room to make much of a mess in the first place. He minds his own business, he never makes much noise, and sometimes, you can convince him to play video games with you. Ren loves video games. Sometimes, Ren loves video games more than he cares about his personal space, at least considering you’re also laid-back and mind his boundaries, so every once in a while he’ll even invite you into his room to play something with him, or watch game playthrough videos. One day, he does something you wouldn’t have ever expected of him, inviting you to watch a movie with him. You agree and go make popcorn, only to realize he’d meant in his room rather than the living room. You end up sitting up at his headboard together rather than perched on the end of his bed like you usually do when you’re in there. This becomes more frequent, the space between your shoulders decreasing little by little each time, until the night you fall asleep on his shoulder. He gets flustered, not even realizing you’re asleep at first, but he can’t deny that it’s a nice feeling to have you cuddled up next to him like that.

“So, uh. There’s a new movie that came out a couple weeks ago and it’s available to rent now, do you maybe wanna watch it tonight? I know you don’t love horror stuff, but…”

[suzukiblu]

I kind of want to try your method of posting wips a snippet at a time while writing them, but on the other hand I am nervous about it. Can you give me some advice?

I've been trying to nail down the mixed feelings, and this is what I've got so far:

for:

it will get eyes on my fics faster, and I can show off what I've written sooner, instead of needing to finish a whole chapter

it will encourage engagement both in reacting to specific posts and in asking for more

it will be more chances for people to be intrigued and want to read the whole fic

against:

what if I do it and nobody cares?

til now I've been releasing fics a chapter at a time and it would feel weird to change that. inertia and all

what do I do if/when I change something I've written and already posted a snippet of?

it feels weird to post them on my writing blog, which currently only holds finished chapters (and fanart), but if I post them on my main, I feel like they'll get lost and/or I'll miss reactions in my busy activity channel. Where should I post it to? Should I make yet another sideblog?

in direct response to your listed mixed feelings, in my personal experience of writing this way:

for:

it will get eyes on my fics faster, and I can show off what I've written sooner, instead of needing to finish a whole chapter: yes it will, and it feels great! and personally it also helps me keep momentum and helps soften the sting if I drop a fic/chapter later and people don't have much to say about it. I KNOW it's good, other people already told me they liked it!! no, I'm not gonna throw out the whole story because of one mediocre reception, SHUT UP IMPOSTER SYNDROME AND GET BACK IN THE WRITING TRENCHES.

it will encourage engagement both in reacting to specific posts and in asking for more: yes it does, and WAY more people consistently (and more gratifyingly!) engage with me since I've made a habit of posting this way, especially when they're especially interested in a specific WIP over my other ones, and a lot of people just seem to be more engaged and invested in my writing in general. or at least more willing to tell me that they are, if nothing else, haha.

it will be more chances for people to be intrigued and want to read the whole fic: yes it will, and if you post larger scenes and tag them, then more people are likelier to find you/your writing than would if you only post one chapter in the tags however often you update those. also, if you have a fic-specific WIP tag that you link to, it's very easy for people who are just discovering the WIP to go back and catch up all at once ( or for people who aren't into it to blacklist, if that's a concern, as opposed to them feeling like they have to unfollow/block you ).

against:

what if I do it and nobody cares? good news: they probably won't care! at least to start. that's just kinda how it is, to start. I get a lot of engagement because I am REAL prolific and do my best to be responsive, plus I've been updating this blog and in this specific fandom pretty consistently for over a year, and also have also been in online fandom spaces on and off for, like, legit twenty-five years at this point. so I am just very used to being in these spaces, and I also have readers who've followed me for a decade+ or even since I was an actual literal TEENAGER in at least a couple cases, so like, they're already kinda invested in my writing, haha. there are people following this blog who not only read my Inu-Yasha Miroku/Sesshoumaru fanfic back in the day in the Pit of Voles but also still REMEMBER reading my Inu-Yasha Miroku/Sesshoumaru fanfic back in the day in the Pit of Voles, to say nothing of everyone who found me through AtLA or the MCU or the Witcher ( or so, so much Star Wars meta, the Star Wars meta has also definitely been a thing ). also I update my blog pretty consistently and I do writing memes that reward the people who play with me with new content and more progress in their fave WIPs, and also they're technically "voting" for what they wanna see more of, so that also adds to them feeling engaged/invested and me feeling motivated/energized, because they feel like they've affected the growth and progress of the story ( which they have ) and I feel like they're enjoying the story and genuinely appreciate it ( which they do! ). so everyone wins!

til now I've been releasing fics a chapter at a time and it would feel weird to change that. inertia and all: yeah that is the sunk-cost fallacy trying to fuck you up and you can and should tell it to fuck off. if you try it and you don't like the change, you can just stop doing it. you're free! no one can stop you!! hit the bricks, do your thing, the past is gone and it is NOT in charge of your ass! your ass is all yours!! whatever, we do what we want! I am in fact giving you explicit PERMISSION to do what you want.

what do I do if/when I change something I've written and already posted a snippet of?: then you've changed something! if it's a major change, you can repost the updated scene or mention you're making a change in a separate post or just say there's been a significant change when you post the chapter and therefore people who've already read the WIP posts might wanna reread it, but personally I change and tweak and fiddle with stuff I've already posted all the time. usually it's just bits of phrasing or formatting or adding in little details to round stuff out or correct mistakes, or to clarify things that confused people or that I forgot about, but sometimes it's adding multiple paragraphs or even additional little scenes. it's absolutely a thing I do and a thing that I consider fair play. you're literally posting "work-in-progress" excerpts, it is in the NAME that stuff might/will change or be adjusted. shit, if you feel like it, throw the whole story out and start over with a 2.0 WIP tag!! art is meant to be fucked with!!!!

it feels weird to post them on my writing blog, which currently only holds finished chapters (and fanart), but if I post them on my main, I feel like they'll get lost and/or I'll miss reactions in my busy activity channel. Where should I post it to? Should I make yet another sideblog?: the past is gone! you are free!! it's a writing blog that is for your writing and you can write whatever you want on it. the rules are made up and the points don't matter!! if you want a WIP blog too, you can totally start a WIP blog too, but you also don't have to feel obligated to bloat your sideblog collection or to have to go to all the effort of building up a brand-new following for a brand-new blog when there's already people who followed another blog of yours specifically for your writing. it's your writing blog. it's for your writing. write on it how you please!! if you're SUPER-concerned about the change, include a specific tag on all your WIP snippets that people can just blacklist if they only wanna see your full finished updates. for example I use "rintalk" so people can skip my random talky posts/asks if they wanna but also won't accidentally be filtering out anything they DO wanna see from anyone else on their dash; they can specifically avoid just mine. so like, maybe "octo WIPs" or "nb WIPs" or just whatever you're into would work for you, or just something like that.

unrelated to your for/against: posting stuff like this is not an approach that'll give everyone the same results or even WORK for everyone, obviously, but it works for me because again, I'm prolific, responsive, tend to follow my readers' interests, and have been doing this a lonnnggggg time and have built up an audience both from past fandoms and in specifically DC fandom. and also I'm super, super ADHD. definitely also because of the ADHD. there is . . . there is just so much ADHD lol.

but yeah, like, I'm pretty sure I've been updating pretty consistently for the past . . . what, year or so of DC-hyperfixation? something like that?? I've also published over 300k to AO3 in that time and GOD knows how much more word count I've put up on Tumblr, so like . . . tl;dr, I absolutely think you should give it a try and see if it works for you/if you like it, I just also wanna include the caveat that you shouldn't be discouraged if you don't get an immediate return on or big response to said try. like, I dunno what your followers are like or how much they talk to you, obvi, but I personally had to kind of . . . cultivate, basically? I had to cultivate the communication and the back-and-forth, it didn't just happen immediately. we have cultivated, all of us here, hahaha.

for actual practical excerpt-posting advice, generally speaking, the best start I've found for starting out with posting a WIP as you write it is to take, like, the starting scene of the fic/chapter up until either a narratively-interesting/satisfying end point ( or better yet, a cliffhanger ) and post that as a WIP excerpt in the relevant tags. then you're likelier to introduce the story to new people and bring them by your blog to see more, and they'll come in both primed for and LOOKING for WIP excerpts. then, you know, you can post subsequent scenes or bits in chronological order, ideally. personally when I do WIP Wednesday or anything like that, I don't tag little posts like those in the main tags, just with a WIP tag specific to their story ( which, like, obvi you know I have those, haha, I know you've been around MORE than long enough and even if you hadn't pretty sure I already mentioned them somewhere up there anyway, I'm just being thorough ), but anything that's pushing 400-500 words or longer gets fully tagged with ships/characters/fandom/etc and gets chrono/non-chrono links included in the post and then sent out into the world as my lil' story ambassador, haha. just, you know, use a cut or at least a "long post" tag if it's much longer than that, because like, Tumblr manners and all, hah.

ummmmm . . . so yeah idk how much of that was helpful for you, obviously, but if you have follow-up questions or anything, feel free to hit me up, I'm always down for those and I'll do my best to answer!

[luveline]

what about a grumpy!reader / Eddie + roan. Reader is trying so hard not to let work things get to her but she ends up being a bit grumpy at home, that's when Eddie and our favorite girl Roan intervene.

Maybe. Just a thought. I just love them (and you) so much ❤️

thank you!! i love you <3 eddie and roan —your small family tries to cheer you up after a bad day. fem!reader, 1.4k

"It's a new one called the macarena," Eddie says, his hands around Roan's wrists guiding her arms into the right positions. "Macarena by maca-Roanie."

She's dancing on his thighs. You have no idea how he can cope with it. While Roan isn't a heavy girl, whenever she does it to you it makes you squirm. 

Eddie hums the song and poses Roan's arms, across her abdomen and then hands on her hips. "Hey, maca-Roanie," he sings, making her shake her hips in time with the song, bodily turning her to the left.  

She giggles at the suddenness of it, and her eyes light up with happiness when she sees you're back from the bathroom. 

"Dance with us!" she pleads, laughing more as Eddie messes up the move and quickly corrects her arms. 

"Maybe in a minute," you say, as gently as you can manage despite your foul mood. Neither of them deserve to feel shitty just because you do. 

"Now," she whines, her foot slipping off of Eddie's thigh. She runs with the momentum to the end of the couch, her hands grabbing for you. "Please! Dad will sing the song again." 

"Sorry, Ro," you say, giving her shoulder a quick rub. 

You walk over to the TV to turn down the volume a touch before collapsing with a puff into the fat armchair. Relief courses through you as you shield your eyes from the light. 

"Is she okay?" Roan whispers. 

Eddie must pull her or yank her toward him, if her little yelp and subsequent laughter is anything to go off of. "She's okay, mini me. Today's been really long, that's all."

"It feels as long as yesterday." 

"That's the problem. Come on, let's go make a cup of hot cocoa, okay? I'll show you how to do the dance again."

You're glad that they leave, though that soon melds to a bone deep guilt, kind to make you wanna get up and put on a smile and learn Eddie's new dance. You try to force yourself up. 

You sink deeper into the armchair. 

"Can I give her a hug?" Roan asks in the kitchen. She must think you can't hear her far away. 

"I'm sure she'd love that, but let's give her ten minutes, okay?" 

"Is she mad with me?" 

"No," Eddie says fondly. "She's definitely not mad at you. Just tired, babe."

"Will you toast my marshmalloweds with the flamethrower?" 

"Blowtorch," he corrects. You hear a drawer opening, a click, and Roan's impressed Woah.

I'm such a fucking dick, you think, curling into a ball. My poor loves. 

You sizzle in your bad mood, folding in on yourself as tightly as you can. They don't deserve to feel the cloud hanging over your head. Hopefully it'll blow over soon, and luckily they don't seem to mind. Eddie knows better than to think how you feel has something to do with him, or Ro, or that you'd ever take it out on them. 

You don't want work to make them feel shitty too. 

The kettle whines on the stove. You used to make cocoa in the microwave until Eddie found out about superheated water and said it was too dangerous. You can see him in your head pouring the hot water into their matching mugs, Garfield and Odie, Roan's very favourites donated from the Great Munson Mug Collection when she was a baby. Your heart hurts thinking about it 'cos usually you're standing there at the counter listening to her tell you how much she loves Odie the puppy. Eddie used to cut the Garfield strips out of every newspaper and save them in a plastic binder for her until she slowly lost interest, but the love is still there. The plastic binder is proof, tucked up on your bookshelf next to your photo albums and Eddie's records. 

"Sure you got it?" 

"Yes, daddy, I have it. Thank you for asking me." 

"Are you kidding? You're so welcome. Please don't burn your fingers." 

"I have the handle. You're doing that thing Y/N says you do with over drotectivity." 

"Over drotectivity, huh." 

"You're worrying about things more than normal dads worry and it's gonna give you chives." 

"Sweetheart." Eddie snorts, their footsteps approaching the living room. "It's called over protectiveness, and she thinks it gives me hives, not chives. Which it doesn't! I got hives one time and it was from that discount laundry detergent." 

"When Y/N put ointment on your back and said you felt like a rattlesnake!" 

You peek up from the depressed leather of the armchair your face is smushed in. Roan crosses the room with your favourite mug in her small hand, the weight of it straining her wrist. Cocoa sloshes over the side and a marshmallow rides the wave down onto the hardwood. 

"Don't slip," you say softly. 

"Won't slip," she says, grinning. Her smile is all Eddie like a master copy. "I made you cocoa in the best cup with just pink marshmalloweds 'cos the pink ones are for love." 

"What are the white ones for?" you ask.

You take the mug from her before she can burn herself. Eddie presses down on her shoulder as he sits on the floor in front of your armchair, wielding two mugs in one hand precariously. He swoops Roan into his lap and smiles at you from over her neatly coiled curls. "White ones are for making you taller." 

Roan points at her mug emphatically. "I got lots of white. I wanna sit in the front seat of the car." 

"That's a good reason," you say, slouched but not entirely collapsed in your chair, wondering why they've sat themselves at your feet and already knowing the answer. "Thank you for cocoa, Roro. I'm sorry I didn't dance with you earlier." 

Roan shrugs and leans back into Eddie's chest. He narrowly avoids scalding her, slurping a sip from the rim of his mug rather than have it pour down the side to splash her pyjama-clad shoulder. 

"That's OK. I didn't want to play Wombats with you last night and you still hugged me after teeth." 

She can be such a peculiar kid. Her vocabulary keeps growing in an explosion of mispronounciation and wrong definitions, as well as these unexpected shorthands; teeth means brushing her teeth. She'd brushed her teeth and dragged you to her room, imploring you to climb into bed with her for a half hour which you happily spent stroking her hair from her forehead and exchanging sleepy conversation. 

"Honestly, I didn't even think about Wombats. I just wanted to spend time with you," you say. 

Roan's little chin dips up and down as she nods, her hair bouncing against her cheeks. "Exactly! We don't have to dance. We can just sit down all night." 

"I like sitting down," Eddie adds. 

You lick your lips. They're too good for you, sometimes.

"Thank you, guys," you say, taking a sip of cocoa. 

Roan preens. Eddie puts his cocoa on the floor and his hand on your arm, the gap between you feeling smaller and smaller by the second, your bad mood at a low simmer rather than the roaring boil it had been. The ring on his pinky finger is distinct as his loving hand keeps you company, smothering the heat. 

They chat to one another and don't mind when you have nothing to say. All the sugar and love-flavoured marshmallows cheer you up some, enough to put down your empty mug and want a hug. 

"Come here?" you ask, laying back to make room. 

Roan makes a sound that can only be described as a rabid giggle and leaps onto the cushions. Eddie isn't far behind her, mugs forgotten and nearly kneed over as he encapsulates the two of you in his arms. 

"I'll be less grumpy tomorrow," you promise bashfully. 

"You're kinda cute when you're grumpy," Eddie says, indifferent. His smile curls against your shoulder. "Don't force it." 

"I like happy you and sad you," Roan says. 

You smile softly, tucking a silken curl of hair behind her ear. "I'm not sad," you promise, looking her in the eye and meaning every word, "I can't be sad for long with you and dad around." 

[gojozballs]

Gojo x Reader "Peter Pan"

Warning: [This story contains themes of yandere behavior, emotional manipulation, angst, and intense, bittersweet romance]

Y’all this took me a whole week to put together, hope you guys like it!

Materialist

A young woman yearning for something extraordinary is swept into a bittersweet romance with a mysterious, otherworldly man, only to face the heart wrenching consequences of love, obsession, and the clash between fantasy and reality.

Y/n's POV

It was early to mid-20th century, and winter break had wrapped its serene arms around me, offering me days of uninterrupted indulgence in my greatest joy: books. I had just turned 18, and as a gift, my shelves had been adorned with new, enticing volumes. One could say I was a high-level bookworm, devouring stories that whisked me away to worlds far beyond my ordinary existence.

Of all my treasures, the fantasy tales held my heart most firmly, and none more so than Harry Potter. I was rereading it again. I’d lost count of how many times I had ventured into its pages, but it always felt like stepping through a magical portal. The world within felt so vivid, so alive, that I could almost hear the crackling of the fires in Gryffindor Tower or taste the butterbeer in Hogsmeade. I craved a life like that a life filled with wonder, adventure, and the kind of magic that makes your soul come alive.

I often found myself staring out of my window at night, the winter wind howling through the skeletal branches of the trees, wondering if something extraordinary might ever happen to me. It felt like a desperate, childish wish, but oh, how deeply I yearned for it.

It had been a week since I disappeared into the comfort of my books, retreating from the real world and all its mundane demands. Then, something peculiar happened something that felt as though it had been plucked from one of my beloved tales. Three nights ago, at exactly 12:00 a.m., a single red rose had appeared on my windowsill. No note. No sign of how it got there. Just the rose, fresh and perfect, its petals kissed with a faint dew that glimmered even in the moonlight.

The first time, I chalked it up to a prank. But the next night, another rose appeared. And the night after that. Each time, it was as if it materialized out of nowhere. I’d begun to feel a strange mix of emotions curiosity, unease, and, most dangerously, a tinge of excitement. Who or what could be behind such a romantic, almost supernatural gesture?

Our house was three stories tall, with no nearby trees or ledges that could provide access to my window. On the second night, I resolved to stay awake, my heart pounding with both fear and anticipation. I had perched myself at the window, blankets wrapped tightly around me, determined to catch the mysterious visitor. But no matter how hard I tried, the moment I blinked just one fleeting moment the rose was there.

By the third night, my intrigue had grown into an obsession. I was no longer frightened, not truly. My longing to solve this mystery overshadowed any trepidation. I needed to know. Who was behind this? Was it a secret admirer, a stranger with otherworldly abilities, or something beyond my comprehension?

Out Of The World

Now, it was 11:58 p.m., and I stood under my window with a plan. A small, antique clock ticked steadily in my hand, the only sound in the otherwise silent room. The icy air seeped in through the slight crack in the window, and my breath clouded in front of me. My heart raced like the frantic flutter of wings, a mixture of nerves and exhilaration coursing through me.

The clock struck 11:59 p.m. I tightened my grip on the windowsill, bracing myself. This time, I wouldn’t miss it. I would catch them.

As the clock’s minute hand moved closer to the twelve, I slammed the window open with all my strength, the cold wind biting at my face as I leaned out. “Who’s there?” I called, my voice trembling slightly with the effort to sound bold.

But the momentum of my action betrayed me. The sudden force sent me tumbling forward, and before I could catch myself, I was falling. A startled scream tore from my throat as the icy air whipped around me. The world seemed to tilt and spin in those terrifying moments, my room above becoming a blur.

Just as the panic took hold, something bright brighter than moonlight caught my eye. A warm, golden glow surrounded me, softening the harsh chill of the air. Strong hands gripped my waist with startling ease, steadying me mid-fall. My heart thundered as I realized I wasn’t plummeting toward the hard, frozen ground. Instead, I was suspended in the air, held securely in arms that felt both powerful and gentle.

The warmth around me spread, banishing the winter’s chill. Slowly, almost hesitantly, I opened my tightly shut eyes. And then, I saw him.

My heart pounded in my chest, the sound of it echoing in my ears like a drumbeat. I couldn’t tell if it was fear, awe, or something else entirely. All I knew was that the man holding me no, floating with me was the most mesmerizing creature I had ever seen.

His white hair shone like freshly fallen snow under the moonlight, framing a face so perfectly sculpted it could have been the muse of a thousand artists. Those piercing blue eyes held me captive, like an endless ocean I could drown in without a second thought. But then something caught my attention a subtle but unmistakable detail.

His ears.

Long, pointed ears peeked out from his snowy locks, too elegant to be human, too surreal to ignore.

“Oh my god,” I whispered, panic rising in my chest. “Please put me down!”

His expression shifted slightly, an eyebrow quirking up as if he were amused by my sudden change in demeanor. “Put you down?” he repeated, tilting his head as though the concept baffled him. “But you seemed so comfortable in my arms just a moment ago.”

“I—I wasn’t!” I stammered, though even I didn’t believe myself. “Just put me back in my room, please!”

“As you wish,” he said with a sly smile, but his tone was anything but apologetic. Slowly too slowly he drifted toward the open window, still holding me close. His hands, warm and steady, lingered on my waist longer than necessary as he carefully set me back on my feet inside the room.

I stumbled backward, nearly tripping over my own feet as I tried to put distance between us. My heart was still racing, but now it was more out of confusion than fear. “Wh—what are you?” I managed to sputter, clutching the edge of my desk for support.

His grin widened, a playful, almost teasing glint in his eyes. “Something out of the ordinary,” he said, his voice like velvet laced with mischief. “Just like you’ve been yearning for.”

My stomach flipped. His words sent a jolt through me, but my brain was too busy spiraling to fully process them. My gaze darted over him, taking in his tall, broad frame that seemed to fill the room with an otherworldly presence. His movements were graceful, effortless, as though he belonged more to the air than the ground. And his ears—those long, elegant ears that gave him away as anything but human only heightened the surrealness of it all.

And oh boy, was he big.

But none of that mattered, not when everything about this situation screamed impossible. My rational mind fought to regain control, and before I could stop myself, I slammed the window shut right in his face.

The glass rattled from the force of it, and my hands fumbled to yank the curtains closed. I pressed my back against the wall, breathing heavily as I tried to make sense of what had just happened.

“This has to be a dream,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head. “There’s no way any of this is real. No way.”

From behind the curtains, I could hear a muffled chuckle, low and teasing. “You’re cute when you panic,” his voice carried through the window, the sound somehow managing to reach me despite the barrier.

“Go away!” I blurted, my voice higher-pitched than I would have liked.

“Now, why would I do that?” he replied, his tone smooth and amused. “You called me here, didn’t you?”

“Called you?” I repeated, disbelief dripping from every word. “I did no such thing!”

“Oh, but you did,” he countered, his voice lilting as though he were enjoying my flustered state. “Every time you whispered a wish to the stars, every time you sighed over those fantasy books of yours, you called for something... extraordinary. And here I am.”

I clamped my hands over my ears, willing myself to ignore him. “This isn’t happening,” I mumbled. “This isn’t happening. This is just a weird dream, and I’m going to wake up any second now.”

He laughed again, the sound rich and melodic, almost hypnotic. “Dream or not,” he said, “you can’t deny you’re intrigued. You slammed the window, but you didn’t tell me to stop the roses, did you?”

I froze. He was right...I hadn’t.

Roses

The next night, I was ready. Or at least, I told myself I was.

At 11:50, I sat by the window, the roses he had left arranged neatly in a vase beside me. Their vibrant red petals almost glowed under the soft moonlight streaming in. On the small table next to the vase was a plate of cookies I’d baked earlier my peace offering, or perhaps my way of showing gratitude.

My heart raced, but this time, it wasn’t out of fear. I had spent the entire day thinking, replaying his words in my mind. You called for something extraordinary. Wasn’t that true? For years, I’d longed for something anything that could pull me out of the mundane. And now, here it was.

Still, I had to be responsible, I told myself. If I had truly summoned him somehow, wasn’t it my duty to tell him to stop? To return to wherever he came from? I would. I had to.

But as I sat there, my resolve wavered. A question tugged at the edges of my mind: Do I really want him to go?

I glanced at the cookies and the roses. Deep down, I already knew the answer.

“Is that for me?”

The voice startled me out of my thoughts, soft and teasing yet laced with unmistakable charm.

I spun around, my breath catching in my throat. He was there again, standing in the soft glow of the moonlight like he’d stepped out of a dream. His white hair shimmered, his blue eyes practically glowing as they met mine. For a moment, all my carefully rehearsed words vanished.

“You really like staring at me, don’t you?” he teased, his lips quirking into a knowing smile.

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I quickly looked away, feeling like I’d been caught in some unspoken act. “I-I wasn’t staring!” I lied, though my voice betrayed me with its shaky conviction.

“Oh?” he said, leaning in slightly, his tone light and playful. “Then what were you doing, hmm? Admiring me? Daydreaming about me? Don’t worry, I don’t mind.”

His grin widened as I stumbled over my words, desperate to change the subject. “I—I made cookies,” I blurted out, gesturing to the plate. “They’re for you.”

“Really?” His eyes lit up with a childlike excitement, and before I could say another word, he darted forward and snatched a cookie from the plate.

“Hey!” I started to protest, but it died in my throat as I watched him take a bite.

He made a soft, almost delighted sound as he chewed, his eyes fluttering shut for a brief moment. “Oh my!” he exclaimed, his voice muffled through a mouthful of cookie. “This is amazing. You’ve got magic hands.”

I couldn’t help but laugh softly, the tension in my chest easing just a little. He looked so utterly unguarded, crumbs dusting the corners of his mouth as he devoured the cookie like a starved child. It was... oddly endearing.

“Why the roses?” I asked, finally finding the courage to voice one of the questions that had been haunting me.

He looked up at me, still chewing, with a smear of chocolate on his lips. For a moment, he didn’t answer. Then, swallowing his bite, he leaned back slightly, his expression softening in a way that made my heart flutter.

“Because you remind me of them,” he said, his voice quieter now but still tinged with that same playful charm. “Beautiful, but not in the way everyone expects. Roses aren’t just pretty they’re resilient. They bloom even when the world is cold and harsh, like now, in winter. And I thought... if I gave you roses, maybe you’d understand a little of what I see when I look at you.”

His words settled in the air like snowflakes, delicate but impossible to ignore. My chest tightened, my heart thudding so loudly I was sure he could hear it.

“I...” I started, but I didn’t know what to say. How could I? No one had ever spoken to me like that before.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he said softly, his grin returning but gentler this time. “I can see it on your face. And besides...” He picked up another cookie, his playful tone slipping back into place. “You’ve already said plenty with these. Did I mention I really like your cooking?”

I laughed, shaking my head as I watched him take another enthusiastic bite. There was something impossibly disarming about him, as though he carried an entire world of mystery and magic on his shoulders but chose, for the moment, to just enjoy the simplicity of cookies and conversation.

And in that moment, I realized something.

Maybe I didn’t want him to leave after all.

Bond

It had been a week since my life took a turn for the fantastical, and I couldn’t deny it I was loving every second of it.

Satoru, as I now knew his name, had become a regular part of my life in the most peculiar yet wonderful way. Like clockwork, every night at 12 a.m., he would appear at my window, staying until 2 a.m. Sometimes we’d sit and talk for hours, and other times, he’d surprise me with little trinkets from his surreal world. One night, he brought a jar of sparkling dust that glowed faintly in the dark. He told me it was stardust, and even though I was sure he was teasing me, the sight of it took my breath away.

It felt strange to think of myself as just an ordinary person when my nights were anything but ordinary now.

Tonight was no different. We were perched by the open window, me sitting cross-legged on a pile of blankets while Satoru leaned casually against the frame, one leg dangling outside as if gravity meant nothing to him. His white hair caught the moonlight, making him look even more ethereal than usual.

“You mean to tell me your people have magic wands?” he asked incredulously, his blue eyes wide with a mixture of fascination and disbelief.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “No, silly! It’s just a fictional story,” I said, clutching my stomach as his exaggerated reaction only made me laugh harder.

Satoru huffed, crossing his arms as he leaned closer. “Well, your fictional story’s magic wands are nothing compared to Neverland. That thing has got nothing on us,” he said with an air of smug arrogance, as though it were a competition.

I rolled my eyes, still giggling. “Oh, of course, how could I forget? Neverland, the ultimate paradise of magic and mischief,” I teased.

“It is!” he said, clearly undeterred by my sarcasm. “We’ve got everything flying, enchanted forests, golden lakes, mermaids, you name it. Not to mention...” He smirked, leaning in as though sharing a great secret. “The cutest man you’ll ever meet lives there.”

I snorted at his shameless bragging. “Oh, really?”

“Really,” he said, completely serious, though the mischievous sparkle in his eyes gave him away.

Moments like this, sitting in my room with Satoru, felt so out of the world. And maybe that was because they literally were. Even though I was surrounded by the familiar walls of my room, the way he spoke, the way he carried himself, everything about him was a reminder that he wasn’t from here. He was a visitor from a place that sounded too enchanting to be real.

“Oh, how your world seems so fun and enchanting,” I said, sighing dreamily. “I bet there are lots of cute guys there, huh?” I added with a playful nudge, my comfort with him growing by the day.

For a moment, his cheerful demeanor didn’t change, but I noticed something in his eyes a flicker of something darker, something possessive. It disappeared as quickly as it came, replaced by an exaggerated pout that made him look like a sulking child.

“Cute guys?” he repeated, his voice carrying a dramatic edge. “I’ll have you know, I’m the cutest man in Neverland. No competition.”

I laughed again, shaking my head. “Oh, really? That’s quite the bold claim.”

“Bold?” he repeated, leaning even closer, so much so that I could feel the faint warmth of his presence. His expression turned serious, but his lips still held that playful smirk. “I’m the cutest, the strongest, the smartest and most importantly, I’m the one who’s here with you right now, aren’t I?”

That caught me off guard. My laughter faltered, replaced by the sudden awareness of how close he was. His blue eyes seemed to glow, holding me captive in a way that made my heart race.

“Y-yeah,” I stammered, looking away to break the intensity of his gaze. “I guess you are.”

He grinned, leaning back with a satisfied air. “That’s right. And don’t you forget it.”

I couldn’t help but smile. As much as I wanted to tease him, there was something comforting about his confidence, his ability to make me feel like the center of the universe even when he was talking about himself.

Pillow Fight

Every night, I wondered what kind of chaos Satoru would bring with him. Tonight, I didn’t have to wait long to find out.

"Y/N," his voice rang out, smooth and teasing, as he perched himself on my windowsill. “Have you always had that pillowcase with bunnies on it?”

Heat rushed to my face. “Excuse me? It’s cute, okay?”

“Oh, it’s cute, alright,” he smirked, striding over to pluck it from my bed before I could stop him. He held it up like a priceless artifact. “But it’s more of a ‘child on a sugar rush’ vibe.”

“Give that back!” I launched myself at him, grabbing for the pillow. He dodged with infuriating ease, spinning me around until we both tumbled onto the bed.

Before I could regain my dignity, he was grinning down at me, holding the pillow like a trophy. “Surrender now, and I’ll go easy on you.”

“You wish!” I grabbed another pillow and whacked him square in the chest.

A full-blown pillow fight ensued, feathers bursting from one unfortunate casualty. By the end of it, I was breathless and laughing so hard my sides hurt, while Satoru lay beside me, a mischievous smile lighting up his face.

“See? Bunny pillows aren’t so bad,” I said between gasps.

“They’re growing on me,” he replied softly, his eyes glinting like the stars outside.

Midnight Snacks

“You said you’ve never had ramen before?” I stared at him, dumbfounded.

Satoru shrugged. “Neverland cuisine is…different. Lots of glowing berries and questionable meat.”

I dragged him to the kitchen, determined to give him his first taste of real food. Or instant noodles, at least.

“Okay, just pour the water in here,” I instructed, handing him the kettle.

He tilted his head. “Why not use magic? Wouldn’t it be faster?”

“Because not everyone has magic!” I rolled my eyes.

With exaggerated care, Satoru poured the water…directly onto the counter instead of the cup.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Hey, I’m new to this ‘human appliance’ thing!” he said defensively, though the grin on his face said otherwise.

By the time the ramen was ready, the kitchen was a mess, with stray noodles and broth splattered everywhere. We ate straight from the pot, sitting on the counter, laughing at our own incompetence.

“This is…amazing,” Satoru admitted, slurping a noodle.

“Told you,” I said, feeling a strange warmth at the sight of him enjoying something so mundane.

Almost Caught

It was around 1:30 a.m., and I was being unusually loud, my giggles filling the room as I tried to dodge Satoru's teasing attempts. My mom was sleeping in the room next door, but it was always a gamble one that we had played countless times before.

Satoru, grinning like a mischievous child, had somehow managed to corner me. “You think you can escape me, Y/N?” He leaned in, trapping me against the wall, his hand gently resting on my hip. "I’ll make sure you stay right where I want you."

I gasped, trying to wriggle free, but his grip was firm. “Satoru, stop! My mom’s gonna hear!” I hissed, trying to stifle my laughter.

"Not if I do this," he whispered, leaning closer, his breath hot against my ear. Before I could protest, he placed a quick, soft kiss on my neck, making me freeze.

I immediately went stiff, my heart hammering. “You’re going to get me caught!” I whispered frantically, but the amusement in his eyes only deepened.

“Caught? Pfft, I don’t think she’ll mind.” He winked and pulled back slightly, giving me space to breathe just enough to start making a run for it.

Then, just as I thought I could escape, my door creaked open.

"Satoru, I swear—!" I quickly tried to cover my mouth, panic rising.

Satoru, ever the calm one, simply flashed his usual grin, casually stepping back, and using the moment to dramatically fall onto my bed, lying down as if nothing happened.

“Oh, don’t mind me, I’m just… taking a nap,” he said with a wink, all innocence, but clearly not fooling anyone.

I froze, praying to every force in the universe that my mom wouldn’t come any closer.

The door paused just slightly ajar, then my mom’s voice broke the silence, groggy but clearly suspicious. “Y/N…? What’s going on in here?”

I quickly stammered, panic setting in. “N-nothing, Mom! Just… just reading! I’m reading!” I was hoping that my mom wouldn’t ask too many questions, but I could already tell she wasn't buying it.

Satoru, on the other hand, was practically rolling with laughter, but the mischievous glint in his eyes didn’t escape me. He was having too much fun with this.

“Okay then...” My mom’s voice lingered, before she mumbled, “Just keep it down, alright?”

And with that, she closed the door.

I collapsed against the wall, exhaling a sigh of relief. "Satoru! I swear, you’re going to get me in trouble one of these days."

He sat up on the bed, all smirks and playful energy. “Come on, admit it. That was fun,” he teased.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t hide the small smile creeping onto my face. “You’re impossible,” I muttered, but before I could say anything else, his lips pressed against mine in a quick, soft kiss, stealing the words right from my mouth.

"Goodnight, Y/N," he whispered, his voice more sincere than playful.

And just like that, the moment became something far more intimate, a shared silence between us until the next round of trouble came knocking.

Jealous Storm

Satoru and I were lounging in my room, enjoying our usual late-night banter. The wind outside howled through the trees, but inside, the atmosphere was thick with our usual playful teasing.

Satoru leaned back in my chair, arms crossed behind his head, and grinned cockily. "You know, I’m the strongest in Neverland, right? No one can beat me. I get all the girls, no problem." He shot me a playful wink, clearly enjoying himself. "I mean, can you blame them? Who wouldn’t fall for a guy like me?"

I rolled my eyes, smirking. "Oh, really? All the girls, huh? You must have quite the ego."

His grin widened. "Well, it's not like I don’t deserve it." He stretched, making himself even more dramatic. "But hey, I’m generous with my attention. You know how it is."

I leaned back in my chair, the corners of my lips curling up. "Funny you should mention that. There was a boy I once really liked. In fact, I even wrote a whole story about him," I said, trying to see how he would react. "He was... mysterious, strong, and just a little bit arrogant."

Satoru raised an eyebrow, his teasing grin faltering. "Really? This boy sounds like a total catch. What’s his name?"

I leaned forward slightly, a mischievous glint in my eyes. "His name was... Let’s say, 'Toru.' He had this way of... always making everyone around him swoon." I saw his expression tighten, but I couldn’t help myself I wanted to poke the bear a little.

"Sounds like someone you’d really fall for," Satoru said, his voice turning slightly colder, though he was still trying to play it cool. "But I'm sure he wasn’t anything compared to me."

I chuckled, not realizing that I had pushed him too far. "Well, there was one scene I remember... He had this way of capturing attention, of walking into a room and making it feel like everything else disappeared. Girls practically threw themselves at him."

The tension in the room shifted. I looked up to see Satoru’s smile had turned into a thin line, his eyes glinting with something darker. The playful banter was still there, but his usual cockiness had been replaced with a flicker of possessiveness.

Without warning, Satoru snapped his fingers. And before I could even react, a surge of energy surrounded me, and I found myself falling—completely out of my chair.

I yelped, my arms flailing as I tried to catch myself, but Satoru was quick. He was there in an instant, effortlessly catching me in his arms, a wicked grin playing at the corners of his lips.

"Careful, Y/N," he said, his voice low and teasing. "I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself while talking about other guys." His grip around my waist tightened slightly as he pulled me closer, his eyes darkening with possessiveness.

"Geez, Satoru! What was that for?" I laughed nervously, trying to ignore the way my heart was racing.

"Just reminding you who the real 'Toru' is." He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, “You can’t write stories about other guys when I’m around.”

I bit my lip to suppress a smile, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks. "You’re impossible, you know that?" I muttered, half-laughing, half-flustered.

"Am I?" he replied, a glint of mischief still dancing in his eyes. "Or am I just reminding you who you belong to?"

Before I could retort, he pressed his lips against mine in a quick, teasing kiss, his grip loosening just enough for me to stand back up, but not without a lingering sense of possessiveness in the air.

As I straightened up, still a little breathless, he grinned wickedly. "Better watch your words next time, Y/N. I’m not sharing you with anyone not even in your stories."

Uh oh

The room was filled with an electric kind of energy. Satoru and I were tangled up in a whirlwind of feelings, moving together in a slow, heated kiss. My hands were all over him, pulling him closer, needing more of him. He was everything I had wanted, everything I couldn’t have, and I didn’t care if my world was spinning out of control.

"Satoru..." I whispered, breathless, as we broke the kiss for a brief moment. "I don’t want you to ever leave."

He smirked, his hands wandering, and his voice was low and teasing. "Oh, trust me, I’m not going anywhere, Y/N."

I felt a heat rise in me at his words, my mind spinning with desire, and I leaned back, allowing him to claim my lips again. The world outside seemed so distant, and I felt safe, protected in his arms.

Then, BANG!

The door slammed open, and my heart stopped. I froze, eyes wide, as my mother stood there in the doorway, her face a mixture of shock and confusion. "Y/N!" she practically shouted, but I couldn’t move, couldn't breathe, my chest tightening in panic.

In an instant, Satoru vanished. One moment he was there, his arms around me, and the next, he was gone, leaving me alone, utterly disheveled. My heart pounded as I scrambled to straighten myself, smoothing my hair, trying to look presentable. But it was too late. My face was flushed, my clothes wrinkled, and my lips were swollen from our kiss. I must have looked like a mess.

My mother narrowed her eyes, staring at me with suspicion. "What on earth were you doing in here?" she asked, voice dripping with judgment.

I scrambled for words, but nothing coherent came out. I was a stuttering mess, utterly caught off guard. "Uh... I—I was just... um... reading?" I tried to sound innocent, but the excuse was laughable. There was no way she’d believe that.

My mother walked into the room, her eyes scanning the room with suspicion. "Reading, huh?" she muttered, clearly not buying it. Her gaze shifted to the bed, the chaos around the room—the slightly askew sheets, the way everything seemed too... intimate. She gave me a look, a knowing glance that made my stomach turn. "Y/N, don’t think I’m an idiot. What’s going on in here?"

I wiped my hands on my jeans, feeling completely exposed. "Nothing! I mean—no, really, Mom, it's just—uh, just... nothing!" I couldn't even form a coherent sentence, my nerves completely shot.

I quickly turned toward the corner of the room, hoping she wouldn’t notice the small pieces of clothing scattered on the floor—Satoru's clothes, to be exact, but there was no hiding them now. My pulse raced, and I could feel my face burn brighter with each passing second.

"Why do you look like you’ve been... busy?" My mom's voice was low, skeptical, as she crossed her arms. "What’s all this? Why are you so... flustered?"

And then, I heard it a faint rustle in the corner, followed by a soft whoosh of air as Satoru used his magic to make himself invisible. Thank god. But it didn’t help my situation. I looked a mess. My hair was wild, my clothes were slightly askew, and my face was flushed. I probably looked like I had just run a marathon, and there was no way to hide it.

My mother eyed me for a moment, before giving me an exasperated sigh. "Whatever’s going on, Y/N, I don’t want to know. But you’d better clean yourself up and—" she paused, her eyes narrowing at the floor. She then glanced at the window, her gaze lingering there.

Just then, Satoru, in his clever, mischievous way, used his ability to silently disappear and reappear in the doorway without a sound. He gave me a wink, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he slowly backed away, knowing full well how chaotic my situation had become.

I looked at him, feeling both grateful and embarrassed. At least he was making this whole situation less terrifying. He silently waved as if nothing had happened, before disappearing again, leaving me to face the consequences.

I turned back to my mother, who was now clearly getting suspicious, her eyes darting around the room, trying to piece together what had just happened. My stomach sank. There was no way to lie my way out of this one.

"Mom... I really wasn’t doing anything... serious," I said, my voice trembling with nerves. "I was just—"

She raised an eyebrow. "Just what? Don’t you lie to me, young lady. I see the way you’re acting."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I—I was just... distracted."

My mom didn’t buy it. "Distracted with who?" she asked, her tone growing sharper.

I glanced at the window, where Satoru had just disappeared, my heart still racing. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth, not like this.

In the silence that followed, my mom sighed deeply, looking me up and down with a mix of frustration and concern. "I’m watching you, Y/N. And if you think I didn’t notice what’s been going on, you’re sorely mistaken."

She turned to leave the room, shaking her head, clearly not convinced. But I could see the wheels turning in her head, the suspicion building. I sank onto the bed, completely deflated, my heart still hammering from the close call.

I couldn’t help but laugh softly to myself. Of course, Satoru had made a grand entrance and exited just as smoothly but it had been way too close. Still, the tension in the air wasn’t gone yet. My mom wasn’t fooled, and I knew I’d have to explain myself somehow just not tonight. For now, though, I was going to lay low, act normal, and pray that Satoru wouldn’t make another surprise visit at least until tomorrow night.

Maybe this was why I was starting to hope these moments would never end. Despite the surreal nature of it all, or maybe because of it, I felt like I’d found something I hadn’t even known I was searching for.

Reality

They say happy moments don’t last, and tonight, I learned just how true that was.

“What are you doing with your life!?” my mom’s voice thundered through the living room, her words cutting through me like shards of glass. I sat frozen, my hands clasped tightly on my lap as my father looked at me with a quiet disappointment that somehow felt worse than my mother’s anger.

“You skip your classes! And when you don’t, you’re late! Do you have any idea how hard we’ve worked for you?!”

Her words hit me like a tidal wave. I hadn’t even realized how much my midnight meetings with Satoru had begun to affect me, my life, my responsibilities. My once carefully structured days had unraveled without me noticing, consumed by the magic of another world.

“My child,” my mother’s voice softened, but it only made my chest ache more. “Please... don’t fail us.”

I looked up, and my heart twisted painfully as I saw the tears brimming in her eyes.

That night, I met Satoru at our usual time, but something was different. The joy, the spark that usually filled the air when he appeared, was gone. He leaned against the window frame, unusually quiet, his expression guarded yet somehow distant.

“Toru,” I began hesitantly, the nickname slipping from my lips as I clutched the edge of my blanket for comfort. “I... we need to talk.”

His eyes, those endless pools of blue, flickered to me with a faint glimmer of hope. “Talk about what?” he asked softly, though I could see he already knew.

My heart ached at the thought of what I was about to do. “I’m sorry, Toru. We... we can’t do this anymore. My parents, my life—this isn’t sustainable. I can’t...” My voice wavered, and I looked down, unable to meet his gaze.

The silence that followed was unbearable.

When I finally gathered the courage to look up, I wished I hadn’t. Satoru stood there, his usually confident and teasing demeanor replaced by an expression I never thought I’d see. His eyes, always so full of mischief and light, now shimmered with unshed tears. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

“No,” he whispered, shaking his head as though denying reality itself. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do,” I said, though my trembling voice betrayed me. “I can’t fail them, Satoru. I can’t fail my parents. They’re everything to me.”

“But what about us?” he asked, his voice breaking. “What about everything we’ve shared? I thought...” He trailed off, swallowing hard as he tried to compose himself.

I stood, tears streaming down my face. “I’ll never forget you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “But we won’t be seeing each other anymore.”

The weight of my words settled between us, heavy and suffocating.

And then he spoke.

“Kiss me, Y/N.”

The request caught me off guard. “What?”

He stepped closer, his hands trembling slightly as they reached for mine. “If this is really goodbye,” he said, his voice barely steady, “then kiss me. Just once. I need to remember this.”

Tears blurred my vision, but I nodded, knowing I couldn’t deny him—or myself.

As he leaned down, our lips met in a slow, tender kiss that carried every unspoken word, every unfulfilled promise, and every ounce of love I felt for him. His hands cupped my face gently, his touch warm and comforting even as my tears fell harder.

It was bittersweet, the kind of kiss that both healed and broke me at the same time.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered against his lips, my voice trembling as I pulled away.

He smiled softly, his thumb brushing away the tears that streaked my cheeks. “Don’t apologize,” he said, his own tears slipping down his face. “You’ve given me more than I ever dreamed.”

But then something happened something I wasn’t prepared for. Satoru’s body began to shimmer, golden specks of light surrounding him like a veil.

I watched, frozen, as the glow intensified. My heart ached, but I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it. This was goodbye.

As he faded, his voice reached me one last time, faint but clear. “I’ll always love you.”

“I love you too, Satoru,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face. My hands reached out instinctively, but I stayed where I was, knowing this was the end.

His form dissolved into sparkling dust, the golden flecks scattering into the night. The room felt emptier than it ever had, the silence deafening.

I collapsed to the floor, clutching the blanket he used to tease me about. My chest felt hollow, and my vision blurred as fresh tears fell.

Would my life be better without him? Would I ever meet him again?

I didn’t know the answers. But as I looked out the window into the starry night, a part of me couldn’t help but hope.

Regrets

A month had passed since I last saw him since I last felt the warmth of his touch, the mischief in his voice, and the way his presence made everything else fade away. A month without Satoru, and I was nothing but a hollow shell of myself.

For as long as I could remember, I thought pleasing my parents would bring me happiness. But here I was, curled up in my blanket, feeling utterly miserable. I was better with him so much better. It wasn’t until he was gone that I realized how much I needed him. My wishes, my dreams, all that longing for something extraordinary... It wasn’t just about escaping reality anymore. It was about him.

The week after his disappearance had been the hardest. The days blurred together, a haze of emptiness and regret. I barely ate, barely spoke, and rarely left my room.

Then came the inevitable confrontation.

“You were doing so well!” my mother’s voice rang out as she stormed into my room, pulling me out of my daze. She stood at the foot of my bed, her face a mixture of anger and disappointment.

I pulled the blanket tighter around me, sinking deeper into the cocoon I’d made for myself.

“My God, dear, how are we going to marry you off to the Zenin family if you have no good educational background?!”

Her words hit me like a slap across the face. My heart skipped a beat, disbelief washing over me.

“What?” I whispered, sitting up slowly, my body stiff.

She froze for a moment, her lips parting as if she hadn’t meant to say it out loud. Then she sighed, as if the weight of the secret had been too heavy to carry any longer.

“Darling... this has been planned ever since you were born,” she admitted, her voice softer but no less cruel.

I stared at her, the words sinking in. The knot in my chest tightened as realization dawned. “No!” I shouted, my voice trembling with anger and despair. “You are not going to marry me off to some guy!”

She flinched but quickly regained her composure, her expression hardening. “This is the only way you’ll bring honor to this family,” she snapped. “You have no choice in the matter. So compose yourself and stop rotting in your bed!”

With that, she turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

I sat there in stunned silence, my chest heaving as tears streamed down my face. They hadn’t been pushing me for my sake it was all for appearances, for their own selfish desires.

I gave up Satoru for this.

A sob escaped my lips as I curled up into a ball, my body trembling with the force of my emotions. “I don’t want this,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I don’t want this.”

The tears came harder, and I clutched at my pillow, burying my face in it as I choked out his name. “Satoru... please come back. Please, please,” I begged, my voice raw with desperation.

I kept chanting his name, over and over, like a prayer to the universe, hoping no, pleading that he’d hear me somehow.

Finally, exhaustion overtook me, and my cries grew quieter. “Toru... please... I need you,” I murmured one last time before succumbing to sleep.

In the stillness of the night, a soft glow bathed the room in an ethereal light, casting long shadows across the walls. The air shifted, carrying a faint, familiar warmth that seemed to seep into every corner, suffocating yet comforting all at once.

He appeared at the edge of the bed, his white hair catching the moonlight like a halo, though the expression on his face was anything but angelic. His usually vibrant eyes burned with something darker, something possessive. That ache mirrored mine, but there was an intensity there that sent a shiver down my spine even in sleep.

He knelt down beside me, his movements deliberate, almost reverent. His hand reached out hesitantly, trembling not with uncertainty but with the sheer weight of restraint. With a gentleness that felt paradoxical to the storm in his gaze, his finger brushed against my cheek, wiping away a stray tear.

“Silly girl,” he whispered, his voice low and laced with something that made the room feel colder and hotter all at once. There was a faint tremor in his tone, an edge that spoke of desperation barely contained. “Didn’t I tell you? You don’t have to cry for me.”

But I didn’t stir.

He leaned closer, his breath ghosting over my skin. His hand lingered near mine, his fingers twitching as if itching to wrap around it, to claim it, to never let go. “I heard you,” he murmured, his voice trembling with a mix of relief and something darker something unyielding. “I’ve always heard you.”

He tilted his head, his gaze fixed on me like I was the very center of his universe, the only thing that mattered in all of existence. “You don’t understand, do you?” he continued, his tone soft yet suffocating, like velvet draped over steel. “You called for me, Y/N. You need me. And now, I’m here. I won’t leave you again. I can’t.”

For a moment, he simply stayed there, watching me sleep with an intensity that bordered on obsession. His eyes flicked over my features, memorizing every detail as if I might slip away if he didn’t. Then, with a soft sigh, he brushed the hair from my face, his touch light but possessive, like I was something fragile and precious, yet irrevocably his.

“I’m here,” he whispered, his voice thick with unspoken vows. “And I’m not letting go this time. You’re mine, Y/N. Mine to protect, to love, to keep. No one no one will take you away from me again.”

There was no hesitation in his words, no doubt. It wasn’t a promise. It was a declaration. A warning. A claim.

As the glow around him began to dim, the darkness in his gaze only deepened. He turned his head suddenly, his sharp senses picking up a muffled argument from the floor below.

“…a disgrace to this family!” her mother’s voice hissed. “She’ll marry into the Zenins whether she likes it or not!”

“Do you even care what she wants?!” her father snapped back.

Satoru’s eyes narrowed, his expression shifting into something cold and calculating. The warmth that had filled the room moments ago was replaced by a chilling stillness. His lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile as he rose silently to his feet.

“Looks like some people need to be reminded of their place,” he murmured, his voice laced with venom, though it remained soft enough not to disturb her slumber. He glanced back at her peaceful face, his expression softening for a fleeting moment. “Don’t worry, my love. I’ll take care of everything.”

With a final brush of his fingers against her cheek, he disappeared into the night, the promise of something irreversible lingering in the air.

Yearning

Feeling myself stir awake, I became gradually conscious of my surroundings the softness of the bed beneath me, the faint light of dawn filtering through my curtains, and the faint hum of morning stillness. But there was something else, a warmth in the air that felt achingly familiar, like the ghost of a presence I had been yearning for.

“Satoru…” His name slipped from my lips in a whisper, the sound barely audible to even my own ears. My heart ached at the thought. This was definitely him. I was sure of it.

Quickly, I forced my eyes open, turning toward the other side of my bed with a flicker of hope. The sheets were undisturbed, pristine, untouched. There was no trace of him no lingering glow, no scent, no sign that he had ever been there.

Disappointment hit me like a wave, sharp and suffocating, settling heavily in my chest. My shoulders slumped as I let out a shaky sigh, my fingers gripping the edge of the blanket. I bit my lip, trying to swallow the pang of sadness threatening to overwhelm me.

"Did I upset him so much that he doesn’t care about me anymore?” The thought struck harder than I expected, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. The memory of his touch, his voice, his presence all of it haunted me like an echo that refused to fade.

With another sigh, I swung my legs off the bed, letting my bare feet touch the cold floor. The chill sent a shiver up my spine, grounding me in the harsh reality of my solitude. The emptiness of the room pressed down on me, and I found myself craving the comforting, otherworldly warmth that only he could bring.

I glanced at the bookshelf across the room, its rows of spines neatly aligned, waiting for me to lose myself in their worlds. The idea of escapism was tempting, but I hesitated. My hand hovered over my chest, where my heart seemed to beat slower, heavier, as if mourning his absence.

“No,” I muttered under my breath, trying to steel myself. “I can’t stay like this. I have to move on… somehow.”

I walked to the shelf and picked up a book, my fingers brushing over its worn cover. It was a familiar story, one that had comforted me countless times before. But as I flipped through the pages and settled into the chair by the window, I found myself unable to focus.

Every sentence, every word felt hollow. My mind wandered, drifting back to him to his voice teasing me, to his eyes that seemed to hold the universe, to the way he called me silly as if it were the most endearing thing in the world.

I shook my head, gripping the book tighter. "No," I repeated, this time louder, trying to convince myself. "I’ll forget him. It’ll just… take a while."

But the thought of forgetting him felt impossible, like trying to erase the stars from the night sky. How could I forget the one who had brought magic into my life, who had made me feel seen and cherished in a way no one else ever had?

The sound of faint footsteps in the hallway jolted me from my thoughts. My parents. I stiffened, my jaw clenching. They were the reason for this the reason I had to let go of him, the reason my heart felt like it was breaking into pieces.

Ignoring the footsteps, I buried myself in the book, letting the words blur together as I retreated further into my mind. I’d ignore them, just as I’d ignore the gaping void he had left behind. Maybe if I pretended hard enough, if I clung to these stories long enough, I could forget the way he made me feel.

But deep down, a small, treacherous part of me whispered the truth I didn’t want to admit.

I didn’t want to forget Satoru. Not now. Not ever.

Satoru

Three days had passed since my explosive confrontation with my mother over the arranged marriage. The silence between us was deafening. She’d given me the silent treatment, and for once, I had mirrored her energy. My younger self would have crumbled under her cold shoulder, desperate for her attention and approval. But now? I didn’t care.

Or at least, I told myself I didn’t.

I repeated those words like a mantra every time the thought of her ignoring me crept in. I don’t care. I don’t care if she’s mad. I don’t care if she… My chest tightened, and my thoughts wavered. I don’t care if she dies.

But those words felt hollow.

A knot formed in my throat as I stared at the blank screen of my phone, the house unusually quiet around me. My resolve cracked, the mask of indifference slipping away piece by piece.

The sudden ring of my phone shattered the silence, jolting me from my spiraling thoughts. I hesitated before answering, seeing my father’s name flash on the screen.

“Hello?” My voice wavered, unsteady.

“Sweetie...” His tone was heavy, laced with exhaustion and worry. “Your mom... she got into a car accident.”

My heart plummeted into my stomach, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

“She’s stable, but it was bad. I’m staying at the hospital tonight. You can come tomorrow, but for now, stay at home and rest, okay?”

I clutched the phone tighter, my knuckles turning white. “O-okay,” I managed to whisper, my voice cracking.

The line went dead, leaving me alone in a suffocating silence. The weight of his words pressed down on me, and I felt my knees give way. The phone slipped from my hand, clattering onto the floor as I crumpled into myself, the tears coming in an unstoppable torrent.

“Oh God,” I choked out, gripping my chest as if that could ease the unbearable ache. My mind raced with memories, regrets, and guilt. All those words I threw at her, the anger I clung to I’d never imagined something like this.

As the hours dragged on, I cried until I was drained, the world around me fading into a blur of grief and exhaustion. I didn’t even notice the time creeping toward midnight, too lost in my anguish to care.

But then, I felt it a shift in the air, an unmistakable presence that made the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

I froze, my breath hitching as I slowly turned toward the source of the feeling. My heart stopped, and then raced with a mix of disbelief and overwhelming emotion.

There he was.

Standing at the edge of my room, bathed in the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains, was Satoru. His white hair glimmered like starlight, and his eyes a striking, otherworldly blue locked onto mine.

“Satoru…” I whispered, my voice trembling as fresh tears welled up in my eyes.

He tilted his head, his familiar teasing smirk playing on his lips. “I guess you missed me, huh?”

Before he could say anything more, I was on my feet, running toward him. His arms opened just in time to catch me as I threw myself into him, clutching him tightly.

“I thought you were gone,” I sobbed into his chest, my tears soaking his shirt. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

His arms wrapped around me, strong and secure, as if to shield me from the weight of the world. “Silly girl,” he murmured softly, resting his chin on the top of my head. “Did you really think I’d leave you for good?”

I pulled back slightly, just enough to meet his eyes. They were warm, yet there was something darker lurking beneath the surface a fierce protectiveness that both comforted and unsettled me.

“I missed you,” he said, his voice soft yet resolute. “Every second away from you felt like torture.”

I shook my head, still clutching him like a lifeline. “You don’t understand, Satoru. My mom… she’s in the hospital. And it’s all too much. I don’t know how to”

Before I could finish, he leaned in, his lips brushing against my forehead in a featherlight kiss. “You don’t have to do this alone, Y/N. I’m here now. I’ll make it better.”

I closed my eyes, letting myself believe him, if only for a moment. With Satoru here, everything felt just a little less heavy.

But as I nestled against him, the faintest flicker of something cold crossed his features. His eyes, once filled with warmth, glinted dangerously as he glanced toward the door.

“Your parents…” he murmured, his voice low and almost imperceptible. “They’ve caused you enough pain, haven’t they?”

I blinked up at him, not fully understanding his words. But the way his grip on me tightened ever so slightly sent a shiver down my spine.

“Satoru?” I asked hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper.

He smiled, the kind of smile that was equal parts reassuring and unnerving. “Don’t worry about anything, sweetheart. I’ll take care of everything.”

And as his words hung in the air, I couldn’t help but wonder what “everything” truly meant.

Neverland

“Say, Y/N,” Satoru began, his voice playful yet tinged with something I couldn’t quite place. He grabbed both my hands, his face so close to mine that I could see every mesmerizing detail of his crystalline blue eyes. “Do you want to see all the beauty of Neverland I’ve told you about?”

I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him like this his carefree grin, his excitement so palpable it almost made me forget all my worries. “What do you mean?” I asked, thinking he was just here to share tales of his latest wild adventures.

“Come with me,” he said, his tone low and teasing, his fingers tightening ever so slightly around mine. “I’ll take you there. I’ll be with you the whole time. Don’t you want that? The strongest, right by your side?”

The words made my heart skip, but I laughed softly, brushing off his charm. “Oh, Satoru... you know me I’d love to. But my mother... I can’t just leave her right now.” I trailed off, confident he’d understand, but the flicker of disappointment in his eyes sent a chill through me.

“Y/N,” he murmured, his tone softer, almost coaxing. His hands shifted, cupping my cheeks gently, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Don’t you want to see the mermaids?” His thumbs brushed over my skin, his touch impossibly warm.

“That’s... really tempting,” I admitted with a small laugh, trying to ignore how his proximity made my heart race. “But I really can’t. We can do it some other time, when my mom’s feeling better.” I offered him a cheerful smile, hoping he’d let it go.

But his expression darkened ever so slightly, his eyes glinting with something unspoken. “Y/N,” he said again, his pouty voice practically dripping with charm. “I can bring you back before you need to go to her, I promise. Besides…” His lips curved into a sly smile. “Don’t you want to be with me? I thought you missed me.”

That pout how was I supposed to resist it? My resolve wavered as he leaned in closer, his teasing gaze making it impossible to think straight. I sighed, a mix of reluctance and yearning. “Fine. A quick tour. But you better keep me safe, Satoru.”

His grin widened, and he tilted his head, his white hair catching the light. “I wouldn’t dream of letting anything happen to you, my lady.” He took my hand and brought it to his lips, pressing gentle kisses along my knuckles. The tenderness of the gesture made my cheeks burn, but the possessiveness in his eyes only deepened the flush.

“I’ll make you the happiest girl in Neverland,” he murmured, his lips brushing against my skin one last time before he pulled away. And in that moment, it felt like the rest of the world had faded there was only him, only us.

I bit my lip, trying to suppress the giddy feeling blooming in my chest. “Alright, Mr. Strongest, how exactly are we getting to this Neverland of yours?” I teased, crossing my arms as I tilted my head.

Satoru smirked, his eyes gleaming like twin stars, as he leaned impossibly closer. "Pixie dust, of course," he whispered, his voice dripping with amusement, but there was an edge to it something darker, something possessive. "Close your eyes, Y/N," he murmured, his warm breath ghosting over my cheek.

I hesitated, feeling his hands glide from my cheeks down to my shoulders, his touch so light it sent a shiver down my spine. "Why do I need to close my eyes?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Because," he said, his smirk widening, "I want to see that surprised, adorable face of yours when you realize the strongest can make anything happen. Besides..." His tone dropped, velvet-smooth but dangerous. "I don’t want you doubting me, Y/N."

Reluctantly, I let my eyelids flutter shut, and I felt his lips ghost against my ear. "Good girl," he murmured, sending a rush of heat through me. "Now hold on to me."

Before I could react, I felt him slide an arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him. My eyes flew open at the sudden closeness, and my breath hitched as I looked up at him. His cerulean eyes bore into mine, dark and sparkling, like a dangerous sea that could pull me under.

"You didn’t trust me to keep you safe, did you?" he teased, his voice low and sultry. "I’ll show you, Y/N. You’ll never want to leave my side again."

His hand moved to my chin, tilting my face up to meet his. "This," he said softly, "is pixie dust." His fingers trailed down to my wrist, where I felt a sudden warmth a glowing, shimmering light danced between us like fireflies.

I gasped, watching the ethereal glow spread from his touch to my skin. It felt intoxicating, like every worry, every tether to reality was slipping away. "Satoru..." I breathed, barely able to form the words.

He chuckled, his eyes softening but still holding that possessive edge. "Beautiful, isn’t it? Just like you." His words sent a flutter to my chest, but before I could respond, he pulled me even closer, so close that our foreheads touched.

"Y/N," he whispered, his voice dropping an octave, "you’re mine now. No one else will ever make you feel the way I do. Not your mother, not anyone. It’s just us from now on, okay?"

There was a fierceness in his tone that made my stomach twist half in fear, half in something I didn’t want to admit. He was so close, so overwhelming, and yet, I couldn’t look away.

"I... Satoru, what are you saying?" I stammered, but he silenced me with a finger pressed gently to my lips.

"Shh," he cooed, his smile widening, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "You’ll see soon enough. Now..." He lifted me effortlessly into his arms, cradling me as if I weighed nothing. "Let’s fly, my darling."

And with that, we were airborne, the glow of his cursed energy wrapping around us like a cocoon. The wind whipped past, and I felt a surge of exhilaration and fear as we soared higher and higher, the ground disappearing below us.

"Hold on tight," he murmured against my ear, his voice a mix of sweetness and something far darker. "You’ll never feel this free with anyone else. Remember that, Y/N."

I clung to him, my heart pounding as I looked at his profile, illuminated by the shimmering glow around us. For a moment, I thought I saw a glint of pure obsession in his eyes as he looked at me.

"This is just the beginning," he said, his lips brushing against my temple. "I’ll show you things you’ve only dreamed of. And by the time we’re done, you’ll never want to leave me. Never."

My pulse quickened at his words, and though a part of me wanted to question what he truly meant, I couldn’t bring myself to. Maybe it was the glow, the thrill of flight, or just the way he looked at me like I was his entire world.

For now, I let myself fall into the sky, into his arms, into whatever this was.

And somehow, I couldn’t tell if it was freedom or a trap.

[cockslutpadalecki]

You Better Run

Summary: Once you’re on his list, there’s only one two ways off.

Characters: Sergei Kravinoff (Kraven The Hunter) x F!Reader.

Words: ~1K.

Warnings: mentions of multiple orgasms, a little blood consumption, rough sex, mostly just PWP. MINORS DNI.

A/N: Saw the trailer and became immediately feral for this man. I know it’s not much, but it’s all I got right now. Not beta’ed so all errors, spelling mistakes and general bullshit are entirely mine. While likes are gold, feedback is golden. Please support our content creators by sharing our work.

The unmistakable stench of blood is heavy in the air. A thick brew of copper and death that makes your nose itch. You try to scrunch it up to ease the sensation, but as it magnifies, you know you need more than that.

You need friction. You need your hands.

You tug against the weight around your wrists, but it fails to lessen. In fact, the pressure intensifies— tightens until you feel the bones in your wrists protesting, and a low rumble follows.

“Tryin’ to get away so soon?”

All you can do is whine in response, the deep, rippling ache between your drenched thighs ripping away your ability to speak.

The hunter fucks like he fights.

Raw. With violent precision. Every move calculated to maximize pain. But you’re grateful he’s not being driven by the need to kill you.

His needs are far more carnal than that.

More weight is forced against your back, the heady aroma of damp soil and hot sweat heavy in your nose. Can feel it wet on your skin as he covers your body with his, the weight pressing you hard against the trunk of the tree in front of you. The scrape of bark is freshly coarse on your flesh— flesh already rubbed raw by the friction of your body shunting against it with animalistic momentum.

A hand moves to cradle your jaw. Stray fingers smear cooling blood across your lips. You try to keep them out of your mouth, but he curls them inwards, encouraging your lips to purse around his probing digits.

The taste is stronger than the smell. Like rolling a dirty penny across your tongue. It initially makes you gag, but as the taste slowly fades from the back of your throat, another replaces it.

Briny. Almost sweet. The taste of you.

You’re reminded of his fingers buried in your cunt— positioned perfectly to make you surrender to his will.

Minutes was all it took for you to submit.

With some reluctance, you start to lap at his fingers, nipping your teeth along his knuckles in an attempt to stifle your moans. Your stomach tightens, rolling and twisting as you shamefully— eagerly— anticipate each thrust that follows.

Fierce grunts sound from behind you— gutturally deep and rough. “You can leave when I let you,” he tells you, his nose in your hair. He tightens his grip around your wrists, using his steel hold to pull you sharply back onto his dripping cock.

You see white. Your knees give out. You shiver and quake, wedged in like a vice as you come yet again. You’ve lost count, your brain fucked out.

“But if you keep comin’ around me like this,” he whispers, voice broken and jagged with lust, “you won’t ever be makin’ it out of my sight.”

***

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[axelsagewrites]

Heyyy! Ok so hear me out..can I request a Modern AU! Aegon x Fem! OC fic. The OC is neighbors with Aegon, Helena, Aemond, and Daeron. She’s always had a bit of a crush on Aegon but he’s always too busy drinking, smoking, having sex ( the OC’s and Aegon’s windows are directly across so the OC can see everything going on in Aegons room and even sees him fucking a girl), etc. to notice. So, the OC gravitates towards Helena and becomes Helena’s best friend. There’s also one rule the OC can never date or have sexual relations with any of Helena’s brothers. Years later (cut to Tom Glynn-Carney’s Aegon), the OC and Helena are still best friends but the OC goes to a frat party and sees Aegon, obviously oblivious to her because he sees her as his little sisters weird friend/neighbor but he accidentally OD’s. The OC manages to save him by rushing to him and getting him to a hospital. Aegon wakes up and is majorly thankful. Aegon and the OC start to become friends and then very quickly secretly date. Things get out of hand and the OC gets pregnant, and she has to tell Aegon. Aegon starts freaking out not wanting the responsibility and basically tells her to literally get rid of it. Helena finds out about the pregnancy and starts freaking out and gets super mad at the OC and leaves her. The OC tells Alicent but Alicent is way more forgiving and is shoot to have her first grandchild, and tells the OC that she is always welcome to stay if she wants. The OC feels abandoned and scared, etc. That’s all I have for this idea, it sort of just poured right out of my head lol. If you think of an ending or anything extra for the story please feel free add it, I sort of lost momentum of inspiration behind the idea towards the end ( ass you can see lol).

Aegon Targaryen*Neighbour

Pairing: modern!aegon x f!reader

Word count: 2785

Warnings: sad aegon, drunk aegon, high aegon, substance abuse, addiction, over dose, hospitals, flirty aegon, mentions of sex, mentions of pregnancy, fighting parents (nothing graphic or descriptive), one bed trope, angst

Masterlist Here

Your stomach tied itself in knots as your parents’ car stopped behind the moving truck. “Ready to see our new home?” your mum asked but your six-year-old legs were already flinging you out of the car to run up to your new front porch.

“Its huge!” You yelled as you barrelled up to the front door, your dad not far behind with keys in hand so you could run inside to go place dibs on your room.

“I pick the back room!” you called as you ran back down the stairs however your mouth quickly tightened closed when you saw the woman in the doorway. You made your way behind your dad’s leg as he laughed, placing his hand on your head.

“This is our neighbour Alicent sweetheart,”

“Hiya, its nice to meet you,” she smiled before glancing behind her and sighing, “Come inside Aegon. Show our new neighbours what we brought,” You grabbed onto your father tighter however your grip relaxed as the nine-year-old blonde boy walked in with a plate of cookies. “Why don’t you give them to the girl?”

Aegon outstretched the plate to you, and you gladly accepted the wrapped-up treats, “Thank you,” you grinned a toothy smile at the older boy who looked like he was itching to get back to the ball he’d been forced to leave behind to come say hello.

-

Aegon was your first crush however as you grew up you realised how wrong that was. When you were 12 and he 15 you became a little bit obsessed with him however you also experienced your first heart break. Your window was directly opposite from Aegon’s and one night while doing homework you looked up to see him kissing another girl. Sure, you were 12 and he barely knew you apart from you being his little sister’s best friend however you were heart broken still.

It didn’t help that the older you got the dumber he seemed to get. You were privy to all his dirty little secrets because he never remembered to close his blinds when him and his friends all shared three beers or when they passed around their first joint. It got a bit better when he went to college however the summer, he came back you had to race to close your blinds nearly every night when he’d bring a girl over.

By 18 you were completely over your crush and desperate to go to college and get away from Aegon. However, the summer before your first and Aegon’s last year of college you spent a lot of time with Heleana at her house.

Alicent had finally convinced Viserys to add a pool in during the spring and it was nice and ready the day summer break rolled around. In preparation you and Heleana had went swimsuit shopping and had even picked up pool games to play with Daeron who was now 7.

Aemond, who was 19, returned the day before Aegon and greeted you with a warm hug and an offer to fetch you a shirt, “That thing barely covers you,” he rolled his eyes as all four of you tested out the pool.

“Perv much?” you joked as you relaxed into the water as Heleana cannonballed in for the seventh time.

“Stay back Aem,” Heleana said as she swam to your side, flinging her arm over your shoulder, “She’s mine,”

You laughed at her joke, even playing into it as you always did, but Aemond scoff, “Don’t worry about me. Its Aegon your gonna have to worry about,”

“Yeah right,” you scoffed back, “he barely knows I exist,”

Heleana rolled her eyes at both of you, “Yeah right. Besides I already told her that if she gets with either of you, I will murder you both,”

You laughed at her, but Aemond decided to swim up to your side to annoy her more, “But what if she’s my one true love?” he dramatically swooned back but you decided to take it a step further and push him back into the water. Aemond came floundering back to the surface with a scowl as you both cackled, “I take it back. You can keep her,”

-

However, what you didn’t realise was Aegon decided to come home a day early and as you and Aemond were sat at the side of the pool, exhausted and wet, watching Daeron to make sure he didn’t drown Aegon was watching you through the kitchen window.

“Holy fuck,” he murmured when he saw you in your bikini, something he didn’t think you even owned. Then again, he also didn’t know that you had a figure apparently cause right now all he could think was oh damn and to make a mental note to burn all your sweatshirts.

However, Heleana had just decided to go to the kitchen for juice when she saw her brothers’ stares. “Oh, hell no,” she snapped, swatting at her brother’s shoulder.

“Hey! The fuck?”

“You are not fucking my friend- “

“I wasn’t going to- “

“Uhuh, keep it that way,” she scowled as she grabbed the jug of juice Alicent had prepared for you all, “I swear to god Aegon if you even try anything I will kill you. kill you dead.”

-

That summer was a newfound torture for Aegon. Seeing you at his house near every day in a bathing suit was a sick twisted punishment from god. Especially since even when you weren’t there you were lounging in your room in a tank top and shorts with the window cracked open. In a way it was payback it was just a shame you never caught his stares.

-

When college rolled around, he thought he was saved but that was until he saw you around campus. Yep, just both of your luck. While you did your best to look the other way anytime you saw him the longer, he saw you around campus the harder it was for him not to stare. Glow up didn’t even describe the change you had. He was mesmerised. So, in typical Aegon fashion he decided to dive into a bottle blondes’ bed and close his eyes pretending it was you on their knees in front of him.

-

One night you decided to kick back and relax. you had just handed in your last assignment before winter break and thought your first frat party would be a great way to celebrate. You and Sansa, your roommate, got all dolled up and headed to her older brother’s frat, Sansa figured it meant at least this way you knew you were both safe since Robb would be there.

The music was already blaring, the drinks flowing like waterfalls, and the dancing was questionable at best. You and Sansa had met up with a couple friends and were half dancing half talking when you felt a strong arm sling its way over your shoulder, “Look who it is!” Aegon slurred in your ear. “My favourite little neighbour,” he said, his drunken hand moving to squish your cheeks.

You pushed him off of you as you turned round while your friends shared a concerned look. Youd never told them you knew the best tight end of the football team after all. “Hey Aegon. You all good?” you asked, eyes squinting when you saw how bloodshot his were.

“Yeah totally,” he said, his eyes searching the room at a million miles an hour, “Hey I was thinking you should- “he started to say, putting his arm around your shoulder again when Robb came over, “Hey man!” he said, leaving your side to bear hug Robb.

“Hey buddy,” Robb said as he pushed Aegon to arms distance, “You are doing, okay?”

“Never better,” Aegon said, his body now swaying. Robb pulled him in, whispering something in his ear with a stern face before helping him to walk towards the stairs.

Sansa looked to you with a disgusted face, “What a riot,” she said, all the girls agreeing with her, “Can’t believe you need to deal with him,”

“Yeah. He’s a good guy though. Deep down I think,” you said, remembering all the time Heleana told you about their parents screaming matches where Aegon would take them into the basement to have a movie night. Or how his father locked him outside after he failed an exam. Hell, you’d seen the sleeping around and drinking get worse ever since Viserys had died five years ago.

Your friends laughing snapped you out of your thoughts. “Ill be back guys,” you said, heading to the stairs to try find him.

As you searched the corridors you knocked on each door and received a “occupied,” called back at you. that was till you got to this door. you knocked but no one replied. Something didn’t feel right though so you knocked again, “Aegon?” you called but there was no response. Something inside you wouldn’t let you leave so you took a deep breath and tried the door handle.

The door slowly crept open, and you felt your skin flush cold, “Aegon!”

-

You weren’t sure why you got in the back of the ambulance or why you stayed at the hospital while the doctors took him back, but you almost cried in relief when they said you could see him. He looked as white as a ghost, his lips dried and cracked, dark red rings around his eyes, as he laid in the hospital bed.

“Aegon?” you whispered, half wondering if he was dead since he defiantly did not look alive.

“Where am I?” he murmured, his eyes struggling to open, “What happened?”

“Careful,” you said, moving to stop him from sitting up. Aegon’s eyes finally opened, and he stared up at you in shock as you sat on the side of his hospital bed, “You’re in the hospital. You had an overdose,” you told him, figuring it was best to tell him sooner than later.

A million thoughts looked like they were buzzing behind his eyes, but he only asked one thing, “Did they call my mom?”

-

Aegon begged you not to tell his family. apparently, he’d deliberately changed his emergency contact to his father’s number when he fell into a coma so that no one would ever receive a call. This of course made you press on how many times things like this happened and you never seen him look so ashamed.

“Let me help you,” you begged, “We can get you into therapy and- “

“I don’t need it- “

“Damn it Aegon!” you snapped, “You’re lying in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of you and you don’t think there’s a fucking problem?” his head dropped, his eyes welling with tears, and you felt your heart drop. You sighed, your own tears building, “I’m sorry Aegon I just-I just worry about you. I want you to be happy and healthy and just- I want you to get better,” you said, reaching for his hand.

Aegon took yours, squeezing it gently but you knew it took way more strength than you could imagine, “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice hoarse and threatening to break, “for coming to find me. If I was you, I wouldn’t have,”

“It’s a good thing you’re not me then,” you joked, and you saw a tiny smile crack onto his lips, “but the only way I won’t tell your family is if you do something about it. otherwise, you’re gonna leave me no choice,”

-

Aegon took your words to heart and with a little push from you and help from the hospital he had a therapist within a couple of weeks. Turns out when he’s not out drinking and whoring, he’s actually a pretty chill guy. You began to hang out and even when you went back home for winter break, he kept texting you nonstop. While Heleana found it weird her brother was suddenly so close with you, she was also just relieved to see him sober.

Still, you tried to take a step back, but you found yourself weirdly missing him. You ended up going back to college together in his car to save your parents the trip and took turns driving. The whole way you were both scream singing Taylor swift or giving dramatic renditions of Lana del ray songs. Then you realised the sun was setting.

“There’s a motel 3 miles up. Do you want to just stop? I hate driving at night,” you said and Aegon agreed before turning cruel summer back up to full blast.

You both grabbed a couple things out the car before heading into the classic movie run down looking hotel. The receptionist was halfway through her cigarette and the whole room screamed the 60s with faded orange polka dot walls. “Hey, can we get two rooms?” Aegon asked as he fished out his credit card.

She tapped her long red nails at the ‘cash only’ sign before turning to the computer as you know both pulled out whatever cash you had. “Sorry Hun we only half one room,”

You felt your cheeks tinge as Aegon awkwardly cleared his throat, “Is it a twin?”

“Nope it’s a double,” she said as she peered over her glasses at you both, “Is that gonna be a problem?”

Aegon glanced at you but the idea of driving any further as your eyes were barely staying open made you grab his cash and slam it on the counter, “We’ll make it work,”

-

The room was as nice as you could expect. Though you did make Aegon triple check it for murderers as you guarded the door. “All safe. So…” he said, words trailing off as he looked at the bed.

You sighed as you dumped your stuff on the ground, “So,” you said as you plopped on the bed.

“I could sleep in the car- “

“Just get in the bed Aegon,” you sighed as you pulled off your trainers, “I mean we’ve known each other for years,”

He nodded but paused for another moment before asking once more, “Are you sure? Cause I get if you want me to sleep on the floor,”

You laughed a little at his words as you finally kicked off your shoes. “Its fine. Promise. I trust you,” you began to take off your jumper when you realised, he hadn’t said anything, “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he said as if snapping out of a daze, “Just can’t think of a time someone said that” he said it like a joke, but you could see in his eyes it wasn’t.

As tempting as it was to make a joke to try lightening the mood you just gave him the best smile you could before excusing yourself to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Aegon went in after you and as he was sorting himself out you took off your bra and jeans and slipped under the sheets in just your shirt.

Aegon came back a couple minutes later as you scrolled your phone. Silently he took off his shirt and you did your best not to stare or even look but it was near impossible. Him slipping under the covers however snapped you out your daze when you felt his almost bare, bar his boxers, legs brush against yours.

You glanced over at him and saw his cheeks tinged a bright pink as he cleared his throat, “You tired?” he asked, staring at the ceiling.

You smiled a little at him. After all it had been you acting like that for years without him ever noticing. “A bit. You?” he just hummed in response. You sighed before rolling onto your side facing him, “Aegon?”

“Yeah?” he replied as he turned to face you, his nose accidentally brushing yours in the process. You could feel his breath fanning your face as his eyes bore into yours. up close you could really see the lilac in them.

You weren’t sure who leaned in first, but you felt his soft lips press against yours as his hands trailed up your sides. Your hands found his white, blonde hair, admiring how soft it was as your mouths mixed. You knew your best friend would kill you if she ever found out but suddenly that didn’t feel important.

-

Dating your best friend’s brother in secret at a university across state was wrong. You knew it, Aegon knew it, if Heleana knew about it, she’d scream it, but you couldn’t stop yourself. Suddenly every waking moment was spent with Aegon. Everything was going perfectly bar the little white lie you kept from Heleana.

That was until the two pink lines showed up in the bathroom.

Part two here

General taglist: @strvngestark @headinfantasy @meg-ro @427120lxld @obx-josie18 @ravenmoore14 @tessakate @justtilly @jjkjbhj @clairacassidy @valeskafics

HOTD taglist @jmii722 @hypocritic-trash-baby @starkleila @jacesvelaryons

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Possession: a Jey Uso x Rhea Ripley x Jimmy Uso fanfic.

Chapter 18: the night we met by lord huron..

After the show, the tension from the night lingered in the air as Rhea sat with Jimmy in the locker room, carefully tending to the small bruises and small welts on his back from Jey’s chair shot. Her hands were steady, but her mind was racing, replaying every moment of the chaotic match. Jimmy winced as she dabbed at a particularly tender spot, but he said nothing, his frustration evident in the way he avoided her gaze.

Hunter stood a few feet away, arms crossed, his face etched with regret. “Look, I’m sorry about how this went down,” he said, his voice low and measured. “This wasn’t how tonight was supposed play out.”

Rhea didn’t even acknowledge him. Her focus stayed on Jimmy, the sting of everything—physical and emotional—clearly visible in her sharp movements. Hunter sighed, running a hand over his face.

“I should’ve had more control over Jey. He wasn’t supposed to get involved, especially not like that,” Hunter continued, his tone bordering on desperation. “I’ll handle it. I’ll talk to him—”

Jimmy cut him off, his voice cold and sharp. “So this is what we’re doing now, huh? Letting him jump me? Is this what it’s come to, Hunter?” He turned to face the COO, his eyes blazing. “Where are you going with this shit?”

Hunter opened his mouth to respond, but Jimmy wasn’t finished. “You got me and Rhea out here, establishing and carrying this division, making history with these titles. We’re doing what you asked. And now, you’re continuing to let Jey make it personal? Letting him ruin our matches? Jump me with a damn chair like this is some backyard shit?”

“Jimmy,” Hunter started, his voice soft but firm, “it’s not like that. This wasn’t the plan.”

“Then what the hell is the plan?” Jimmy snapped, standing up despite Rhea’s attempts to pull him back down. “Because right now, it feels like you’re setting us up to fail. Me. Rhea. These belts. All of it. You got Jey out there yelling about shit that’s got nothing to do with wrestling.”

Hunter exhaled heavily. “It’s not that simple. You know that. Jey’s not in a good place right now, and—”

Jimmy laughed bitterly, cutting him off again. “Not in a good place? You think I care about what place he’s in when he’s swinging chairs at my back? Nah, Hunter. You’re the one in charge. You better figure this shit out before it blows up even more.”

Rhea finally spoke, her voice low but laced with steel. “We lost tonight because of him. We lost our momentum once again and the feud you wanted to start with Bianca and Montez is dead in the water now. The fans care… they care about why Jey did what he did. All they see is chaos, and not the good kind.” She stood, crossing her arms. “Fix it. Before we all lose.”

Hunter nodded, his jaw tight. “I will. I promise you, I’ll get this back on track.”

Jimmy shook his head, his frustration far from gone. “You better. ‘Cause next time, if Jey pulls this shit again? I’m not stopping at a chair. And I’m not gonna pull punches.”

Rhea watched Hunter leave the room, her expression unreadable. She turned back to Jimmy, who sat down heavily on the bench, his head in his hands.

“Jimmy,” she said softly, “we’re gonna get through this. But you need to keep your head straight. Don’t let him get to you.”

He looked up at her, his eyes full of conflict. “He already has, Rhea. And I’m starting to think that’s exactly what Hunter wants.” He got up and ran a hand through his hair, his mind running a million miles.

Jimmy began to pace the room like a caged animal, his chest heaving with unspent frustration. The words churned in his mind, desperate to escape, and when he finally stopped, his gaze locked on Rhea. His eyes burned with a mixture of anger and hurt.

“You know what?” he bit out, his voice shaking. “I never should’ve fallen for you in the first place.”

Rhea flinched as if the words physically struck her. Her heart twisted in her chest, but she straightened her back, refusing to let him see how deep it cut. “You don’t mean that shit,” she said, her voice trembling. “You’re just running your mouth!”

Jimmy’s laugh was bitter, hollow, like a knife dragging across stone. “Maybe I do mean it,” he shot back, his tone laced with venom. “You think I signed up for this? For the lies, the drama, the constant feeling like I’m competing with my own damn brother for your attention?”

Rhea’s fists clenched at her sides, her voice rising to match his. “You think this is easy for me? That I asked for this?”

“You let him back in, Rhea!” he yelled, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions. “You let Jey come back in by sleeping with him again and tear apart what we were building, and now I’m the one left picking up the pieces! And for what? For someone who can’t even choose me without looking over her shoulder?”

Her throat tightened, and tears pricked her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She stepped toward him, her voice trembling but firm. “Don’t you dare. Don’t you fucking dare stand there and act like you’re the only one hurting. I’ve been trying to keep my head above water while you throw blame at me like it’s going to fix anything. This isn’t just on me, Jimmy! You think I’m the one tearing us apart? Look at yourself!”

His jaw tensed as he looked away, her words slicing through the storm of his anger. “I’m just—” he paused, his voice faltering. “I don’t know how to deal with this, Rhea. With any of it.”

“Then stop blaming me for your pain,” she snapped, but her voice softened as she saw the anguish in his eyes. “I’m not the enemy here, Jimmy. I’ve never been.”

The room was heavy with the weight of their emotions, the silence stretching between them like an uncrossable chasm. And then Jimmy looked at her—really looked at her. He saw the tears she was fighting so hard to hide, the vulnerability she was barely keeping in check.

In an instant, the anger drained from his face, leaving only regret. “Rhea…” he whispered, his voice breaking.

She shook her head, stepping back as if to put distance between them, but he moved faster. His hand caught hers, pulling her toward him with a desperation that matched his guilt. Without thinking, he kissed her, his lips crashing against hers with an intensity that spoke of everything he couldn’t put into words.

Rhea froze, her breath hitching in her throat, but then she melted into him. Her hands gripped his shirt, clutching him as if he were the only thing anchoring her in the chaos. The kiss was messy and raw, filled with unspoken apologies and the ache of two people trying to find their way back to each other.

When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads pressed together, their breaths mingling in the stillness of the room. Jimmy reached up, brushing away the tears that had spilled onto her cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice hoarse. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, Rhea. I just know I’m tired...”

Rhea nodded, her voice, thick with emotion. “I know. Me too.”

For a moment, they just stood there, holding onto each other in the quiet. It wasn’t perfect. It didn’t erase the pain or fix the cracks in… whatever they fuck they were in. But in that fragile, fleeting moment, it seemed enough.

—

Jimmy and Rhea made their way toward Roman’s tour bus, their footsteps heavy with the weight of the night. As they reached the bus, they could hear laughter and conversation filtering through the slightly cracked door. Damian, Liv, and Dominik were already inside, deep in discussion with Roman.

Just as Jimmy placed a hand on the bus door to push it open, Rhea hesitated. “Wait,” she said softly, stopping in her tracks.

Jimmy turned to her, brow furrowed. “What? What’s wrong?”

Rhea sighed, frustration flickering in her eyes. “I forgot my makeup in the locker room,” she admitted, handing him her bags before he could respond. “I’ll be quick. Just… let Joe know I’ll catch up.”

Jimmy gave her a long look but ultimately nodded, taking the bags from her hands. “Fine. Just hurry, alright? Don’t take too long.”

She gave him a small smile, “I won’t.”

As Jimmy stepped onto the bus, Rhea turned and made her way back toward the locker room. The halls were quieter now, the chaos of the night fading into the emptiness of the arena. Her shoes echoed against the tile floor, and when she reached the door, she pushed it open without hesitation.

The locker room was still lit, a few overhead lights buzzing faintly. Rhea spotted her makeup bag on the counter by the restroom and quickly walked over to grab it. She sighed in relief, stuffing the bag under her arm.

But when she turned around, she froze.

Jey was there, leaning against the lockers on the far side of the room. His arms were crossed over his chest, his dark eyes boring into her.

Rhea’s breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn’t heard him come in, hadn’t even known he was nearby. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice tight and wary.

Jey pushed off the lockers and took a slow step toward her. “Could ask you the same thing,” he said, his tone low and unreadable.

“I just came back for my stuff,” Rhea replied quickly, clutching the makeup bag like it was a lifeline. “I’m leaving.”

Jey’s gaze didn’t waver, and something about the intensity in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine. He took another step closer, his presence filling the room.

“Rhea,” he said, his voice softer now but no less intense. “We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t,” she said, backing up instinctively. Her eyes darted toward the door, calculating how fast she could make it out of the room. “Whatever you think we need to say to each other, it’s already been said.”

“You sure about that?” Jey asked, his tone sharp, almost mocking. “Because I think there’s a whole lot we ain’t said yet.”

Rhea shook her head, her grip tightening on the bag. “I don’t have time for this, Jey. I need to go.”

As she moved toward the door, Jey stepped into her path, blocking her way. His proximity made her stomach churn, a mix of fear and anger bubbling inside her.

“Jey, move,” she said firmly, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to keep it steady.

Jey stared at her, his jaw tight, his hands clenched at his sides. “You really think you can just walk out and pretend like none of this happened?”

“I’m not pretending anything,” Rhea shot back, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “I’m just trying to move on, Jey. You should try it too.”

His laugh was bitter, a hollow sound that echoed in the empty room. “Move on? Is that what you’re doing with Jimmy?”

Rhea’s eyes narrowed, her anger flaring. “Don’t,” she warned, her voice low and sharp. “Don’t you dare bring him into this.”

Jey’s expression darkened, his emotions boiling just beneath the surface. “Why not? He’s already in the middle of it, isn’t he? Hell, he’s the reason we’re even standing here right now.”

Rhea felt her chest tighten, the weight of his words pressing down on her. She shook her head, refusing to let him drag her into another fight. “I’m done with this,” she said, her voice firm. “I’m done with you.”

She pushed past him, her shoulder brushing against his as she made her way to the door. But before she could leave, Jey grabbed her arm, his grip firm but not painful.

“Rhea,” he said again, his voice breaking this time, laced with something raw and vulnerable.

She stopped, her heart aching at the sound of it. But she didn’t turn around. “Let me go, Jey,” she whispered.

For a moment, he didn’t move. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, with everything they had left unresolved.

Jey pulled her toward him, his lips finding hers before she had a chance to protest. Rhea's eyes widened in surprise, her body momentarily frozen as he kissed her. The anger and confusion hit her like a wave, but there was something else in his touch-something familiar that made her heart ache. She pushed him off with more force this time, breathing heavily, dropping her makeup bag in the process, the bag emitting a muffled sound of glass and plastic items.

"Jey, stop!" she hissed, stepping back, her chest heaving.

But Jey wasn't ready to let go. He kissed her again, his hands moving to her waist, pulling her closer. He held her in that way, the way he knew always made her weak in the knees, the way he used to hold her when everything was right between them. His lips were desperate, filled with unspoken words, and the weight of not being near her, of not sharing a bed, a life, with her anymore, hit him all at once.

He missed everything. Their home, their relationship-the life they had built together. It wasn't just about the sex or the passion; it was about them.

"Rhea, I need you back," he whispered against her lips, his voice shaky with emotion.

Rhea fought the wave of memories that threatened to flood her. She wanted to feel nothing, to push him away, to never feel that sense of longing again, but she was human. She was so human in that moment.

Meanwhile, in the tour bus, Joe had grown impatient. His eyes scanned the room before he looked at Jimmy.

"Go get her, man," Joe said, his tone slightly frustrated. "We've got to hit the road already..”

Jimmy nodded and stood up, making his way toward the door, exiting off the tour bus. He knew something wasn't right. When he reached the hallway, the sound of muffled voices caught his attention. He stepped closer to the door, and that's when he heard it—a soft moan, the unmistakable sound of Rhea's breath, followed by the harsh sound of lips crashing together. His heart dropped.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he pushed the door open just slightly, just enough to catch sight of Jey holding Rhea against the lockers, his lips on hers. Rhea's hands were pushing against his chest, but Jey wasn't letting go.

"Real fucking nice," Jimmy muttered, his voice sharp, filled with anger and disbelief.

Rhea immediately pulled away from Jey, her breath coming in short, frantic bursts. She turned to face Jimmy, desperate to make him understand. But when she reached for him, Jimmy stepped back, his expression cold and distant.

"No, Jimmy, please..." Rhea's voice cracked, but she couldn't find the right words. "It's not like that, I swear."

Jimmy's face twisted with frustration. "Go off and be with him, then," he said bitterly. "I know where you finally stand…"

Rhea's heart sank, and she shook her head, tears threatening to spill. "Jimmy, wait—please-don't say that."

Jimmy met her eyes, his jaw clenched tightly, his fists at his sides. "Listen to me when I say this, Rhea," he spat, his voice low but full of venom. "I don't give a fuck about you anymore. You want to be with him? Fine. But don't expect me to stand here and keep pretending like I care."

The words hit her like a slap in the face. Rhea flinched, the pain in her chest unbearable. She wanted to say something-anything-but her voice betrayed her. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Jey stood to the side, his fists clenched, prepared to strike if Jimmy did anything.

Rhea, however, was caught in the middle-torn between two worlds, between the man she had loved and the one she couldn't let go of… but which twin was which?

Rhea stood still, the weight of the moment sinking into her chest. She couldn’t bring herself to say a word to Jey. She felt numb, disconnected from everything around her. The silence in the locker room pressed down on her like a thick blanket. There was nothing left to say to him—nothing that would fix this, nothing that would undo the mess they were in.

Eventually, Rhea bent over and picked up her makeup bag and she dragged her feet out of the locker room, her mind racing with the heavy burden of her choices. She walked aimlessly through the hallways, hoping to escape the growing ache in her chest. When she finally reached the tour bus, she spotted Roman standing outside, holding her luggage. His expression was unreadable, a mixture of concern and something else, something distant.

“Rhea…” Roman started, his voice low but steady. “It’s best if you go with who you need to go with.”

Rhea blinked, confused. “What do you mean?” she asked, a faint trace of fear creeping into her voice. She didn’t understand what he was getting at.

Before Roman could respond, her eyes followed his gaze. There, standing together by a car, was the old Bloodline—Jey, Joseph, and the others. They waited for her in silence, their eyes all focused on her, a mix of expectations and something unreadable.

Roman handed her bags to Joseph, who took them without a word, his eyes meeting hers briefly. There was no warmth in the exchange—just the cold weight of reality.

Roman sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. “I’m not picking sides, Rhea,” he said softly, his voice surprisingly gentle.

Rhea looked at Roman, the tears she had been holding back threatening to spill. “It seems like you are,” she muttered, her voice shaky.

Roman’s eyes met hers, the sadness in them obvious but tempered with a resolve she hadn’t expected. “It’s just best this way, Rhea,” he said, his tone serious, yet calm. “Instead of not knowing where your loyalties lie…”

Rhea swallowed hard, her throat tight. She looked between Roman and the old Bloodline, the uncertainty swirling inside her like a storm. It felt like she was being torn in two, her heart fighting with her mind. She wanted to turn back, to go to Jimmy, to undo everything that had happened, but she couldn’t.

Roman nodded slowly, stepping back, a soft sigh escaping his lips. “I’ll see you on Monday.”

Rhea took a deep breath, gathering what was left of her strength. Without another word, she turned and walked toward the car. She could feel their eyes on her, the weight of their expectations pulling her closer to the moment of no return.

Jey reached for her hand the moment she was within arm’s reach. His touch was gentle, yet desperate, as if he knew what she was going through. He led her to the car, opening the door for her. Rhea glanced back at Roman, who stood there, watching her, his expression unreadable.

As the door closed behind her, Rhea looked out the window and saw Jimmy. His face was visible through the glass, his expression a mixture of hurt and anger. He didn’t say a word, but the look in his eyes spoke volumes.

Rhea’s heart wrenched, but she didn’t turn back. She couldn’t.

Jey sat beside her in the car, his presence overwhelming, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he felt a sense of finality. She had chosen. She had made her decision and now, there was no turning back. All of this because of fate…

Jimmy’s eyes were locked on the car as it pulled away, the image of Rhea’s face still haunting him. The lump in his throat was hard to swallow, the weight of her choice pressing down on him like a thousand pounds. He stayed there for a long moment, staring out the window, as if hoping that somehow, the scene would rewind, and things would go back to how they were. But deep down, he knew that wasn’t going to happen.

Inside the bus, the atmosphere was strange—quiet and almost suffocating. Liv, Damian, and Dominik sat silently, watching the movie, pretending like the tension wasn’t thick enough to cut with a knife. But even they couldn’t ignore the change in the air.

Roman sat down on the opposite couch, leaning back with a sigh. He glanced over at Jimmy, who had yet to acknowledge him, still locked on the window. After a few moments of silence, Roman spoke, his voice low but firm. “The Transfer Window is open,” he said, as if offering some kind of plan, some kind of direction in the chaos that had unfolded. “I can speak to Hunter about getting us back on RAW.”

Jimmy didn’t respond. He didn’t move. He just stared straight ahead, his hand clenched at his side as if he could physically will the pain away.

Roman continued, but his tone softened, trying to make it clear that he wasn’t looking for a confrontation. “I’m just trying to find a way to make things right, Jimmy,” he said, though the sincerity in his voice didn’t seem to reach Jimmy.

Jimmy finally stood up, his frustration and pain too much to hold in any longer. He didn’t care about RAW. He didn’t care about any plans Roman had in mind. All he could think about was how things had fallen apart so quickly, how Rhea had made her choice, and how nothing felt the same anymore.

He didn’t even look back at Roman. Without a word, he walked toward his mini room in the back of the bus, slamming the door shut behind him with a force that rattled the walls. The sound echoed through the bus, reverberating through the quiet tension that had settled over everyone.

Inside the small room, Jimmy collapsed onto the bed, burying his face in his hands. It was as if he was suffocating—drowning in the silence, in the betrayal, in the weight of the reality he could no longer escape. The words “I don’t give a fuck about you” kept replaying in his mind like a broken record, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was too late to fix anything.

Outside, the bus continued to roll toward their next destination, but for Jimmy, it felt like he was stuck in an endless loop, trapped in the aftermath of everything that had gone wrong.

Shit would never be the same anymore.

—

The car quietly rolled through the dimly lit streets as the Old Bloodline and Rhea made their way to the airport. Rhea sat in the back, her head resting against the cool window, her mind still swirling with the weight of her choices. She had just left everything behind, the anger, the pain, and the broken promises that had followed her for so long. But now, with Jey beside her, she couldn’t help but feel that there was no sense of clarity…

As they entered the terminal, Jey took the lead, his hand finding hers in a gentle yet firm grip. She forcibly squeezed back, feeling the foreign warmth of his touch.

At the ticket counter, Jey arranged for another ticket for Rhea and he also traded seats with Joseph, making sure she would be next to him on the plane. Rhea followed him, her bags in hand, feeling a sense of nervous anticipation. There was so much unsaid between them, but in this moment, it didn’t matter.

Once they were all aboard, Rhea slipped into her seat, glancing out the window at the tarmac below. The hum of the airplane engines provided a comforting soundtrack to her thoughts. She wasn’t sure what the future held, but she knew one thing — it wasn’t about Jimmy anymore. It wasn’t about anyone but her and Jey… and she was afraid she was making a mistake.

Jey settled in beside her, his hand finding hers once again. It was a simple gesture, but one that held so much meaning. The turbulence of the past weeks seemed to settle, replaced by an overwhelming sense of… forced peace. Rhea turned her gaze toward him, feeling the.. toxic pull.

After a few moments of silence, Jey broke it, his voice low and steady. “After RAW, me and you can go back home.”

Rhea remained quiet and she turned back at the tarmac. She wasn’t sure what home meant anymore. Jey squeezed her hand softly, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles. “I love you, Rhea,” he said, his voice filled with sincerity.

Rhea turned to him once again and she nodded, “I love you too Jey..”

Jey leaned in slightly, his forehead resting against hers. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t easy. But it was theirs.

—

Jimmy’s phone lay in his lap, the screen illuminated with an unsent message to Rhea. The words were there, just like they had been for days now, ready to spill out, but he couldn’t bring himself to send them. He’d tried, over and over again, to find the right words, but each time he typed them out, they felt too raw, too full of everything he couldn’t say.

He stared at the phone, his finger hovering over the keyboard. It was futile. The words didn’t matter. Nothing he said could undo what had already been done. Rhea had made her choice. She had chosen Jey — her past, her real home, the man she couldn’t seem to let go of.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips as he tossed his phone onto the bedside table. He leaned back against the pillows, pulling the blanket up to his chest. The bus continued its steady journey down the road, but for Jimmy, time seemed to slow down. His thoughts spiraled as the events of the past week replayed in his mind.

He had convinced himself that Rhea had been moving on, that she was finally going to choose him. He’d believed that the connection they shared, the chemistry that had sparked between them, would be enough to push her past her history with Jey. But he was wrong.

Rhea wasn’t over Jey. Not in the way he thought she was.

A deep sigh escaped him as he shut his eyes, trying to shut out the pain. The ache in his chest didn’t come from jealousy or anger — it came from something deeper. From the loss of the woman he had loved, he had all then most of her, some and now none of her.

The truth of it hit him hard — Rhea had always been Jey’s. She might have wandered, tried to find something different with him, but her heart had never truly left. And now, she was right back where she started, with him.

The bitterness in his throat faded into emptiness as Jimmy realized he had no choice but to let go. He wasn’t going to chase after her anymore. He wasn’t going to beg for something that was never meant to be. He had to accept that what he thought they could have, what he thought was his, was over.

As the bus rumbled on into the night, Jimmy closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. The journey of getting over Rhea had only just begun, and he knew it would be a long and difficult one. But for the first time in a while, he felt a sense of resolve. He was done chasing something that was never meant for him.

[myonmukyuu]

Art Summary: 2024

I've been posting my art online for 11 years! wowie!!

My yearly review is under the cut (1.8k words):

Previous: 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023

Happy new year everyone!!! This is actually the first time in a long time that I've not posted my yearly summary on the 31st. I was a bit caught up with visiting family and being a good host so I didn't get time.

Anyways! Time for my year in review that no one reads except for me the following year. 💪💪💪

How this year went:

I think this year went... alright? Let's see, what did I get up to...

Ah. Okay! Art-wise it went "alright" but life-wise I had a pretty good year! Got a boyfriend! Got a cat! Went on two holidays (Japan, USA)! Visited family! Met a lot of online friends! Went to a bunch of concerts! (YOASOBI, Nijigasaki 6th, Hololive Down Under, Miku) A pretty eventful year ✌✌✌✌

But this is actually an art year in review so I'm going to focus on that! And... yeah, I think I went 'alright'. I don't feel terrible about how I went, but I also don't feel amazing? C+ or B- I think...

How did my art go?

Like I said, I think I went 'alright'. I felt very rocky several times in the year with periods of art block and a good chunk of time where nothing I drew felt 'right'. Was it burnout? Maybe. It took me some time to find my footing again. It also didn't really help that I had a lot of "interruptions" throughout the year. Traveling, getting sick, artist alleys and stuff really messed with my momentum. I did a lot of individual little works rather than comic works. I'm not exactly happy with that but it's something to look at for next year.

In terms of raw, technical skill I'm not really too far from where I was last year. But to be fair, after drawing for a decade that's to be expected. While I want to be always improving, I know that's not always immediately visible. That being said, my shikishis are a lot better than the first ones I made! (But technically it's more like my traditional skills are catching up with digital skills???)

Like I mentioned earlier I spent a lot of the year feeling "lost" when drawing. It was kind of like I forgot my own style? In my eyes that made a lot of the work shakey in quality at best... But excluding that fact, I'd like to highlight that I should probably revisit fundamentals. I think when I'm feeling lost, stronger anatomical fundamentals and linework would probably ground me a bit better. Will that be something I look at in 2025? Who's to say 🧍‍♀️

In terms of comic works I think I under performed in terms of quantity. And IMO they were affected by me feeling "lost" while drawing some of them. If I were to revisit them I'd probably touch them up.

I liked how the comics turned out though. 😊 (more in the next section)

My 2024 Goals and how I did:

This is the part where I read what I wrote last year and check if I acted on them at all ✌

As always, it doesn't really matter to me if I fulfill these goals or not. What's more important is the "why". It's good to be aware of what is important to you and what isn't.

“Draw more comics.”

Last year I was dissatisfied from a lack of comics. I think I released 1 doujin... and posted 2 mini-comics? So I don't blame myself for being so dissatisfied. Like I said, I’m a story-teller first, illustrator second.

I blamed an art block that had me eventually scrap a 20 page comic that was drafted and lined. I wasn't satisfied with the storyboarding at all. Because I was burned out, the storyboarding was done in a very direct/ dull way so I wasn't happy with it. But, it was a cute idea and I probably should've finished it. (It's like throwing a month of art into the void.)

While I've decided not to salvage that comic, I've taken the experience to heart. This year when I went to the US, I was interrupted while working on a comic I will be uploading somewhat soon. It took about 5 months to finish the comic. Which is a lot for a 14 pager. And that reason is because I was similarly dissatisfied with it. The paneling and the script just felt like it could be better and I wasn't happy working on it. But instead of randomly dropping it, I just re-storyboarded it until I was happier. The comic isn't posted yet, but I like it sooo much more than the initial draft! So my lesson going forward is to put more focus on my personal satisfaction. This isn't my job, it's a hobby I'm passionate about so I should always prioritise my own feelings!

I did end up drawing slightly more comics though. So technically I've "fulfilled this goal". I still don't feel satisfied with my productivity but it's an improvement.

“Push those shikishi to the next level!”

This goal is pretty self explanatory. Like I said, I think I've improved my shikishi craft quite a bit. I've also experimented with various materials like craft flowers and foil! The road of improvement is long and I still have so much more to learn but I'm fairly happy with how I've done.

There is one stipulation though, which is...

“Do artist alley, but don’t burn out!”

...burn out from doing too many artist alleys.

I did explicitly remind myself not to do too many, but I ended up doing 4 this year. I think this had a direct impact on my productivity and my overall satisfaction.

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy doing artist alley with my friends. It's very rewarding. But it's also clear that I've been shooting myself in the foot. While I enjoy making shikishi they're not very sustainable for populating an artist alley table. When they've sold, they're gone. And it becomes empty space on the table. It isn't like prints or keychains where you can mass-produce some more. It could take me weeks to fill my table again. And I think this is where my productivity feels very strained.

"There's a con coming up... so I should prepare! I guess I should put this comic on hold while I work on shikishi/print stock." <- this ended up happening a lot this year. When it comes to making comics I'm really momentum-based where I have to basically hyper focus. So when my momentum is broken, I have a hard time going again...

And focus issues aside, when I combine it with the holidays I've taken I just haven't had as much time to work on comics in general.

It'd be convenient if I aimed to print every comic I made as they're completed (then you'd have a cycle of new prints on the table every time) but I'd rather aim towards thicker books/ bigger projects.

My problems would probably be solved if I made more prints or keychains and the like. I wouldn't have to be so pressed. But again, I know the issue just stems from me. I don't enjoy those things as much and I really want to specialise in shikishi and hand-drawn art along side my comics.

This year I want to be more selective with my tabling. Either that, or draw faster lmfao .

“Actually start planning that next story”

LMFAO what a big joke. I didn't do much on this.

I actually changed my sights to a few more scale ideas, so I'm not terribly fussed by this. Priorities change sometimes, y'know? What's important to me is that I'm still working towards something.

Goals for 2025:

With all of that in mind, here are the goals I've set for 2025! There's a lot so I don't expect to do them all. I would be happy to select a couple of things 😊. Step by step y'know?

"Draw more comics" (Repeatable Quest)

Continue my setsuayu anthology

I'm working on a bunch of little setsuayu stories I'd like to combine into a collection! I don't know if I'll finish for sure, but I'd like to make more progress.

Make non-setsuayu works

I've been bouncing ideas in my head for R3B1RTH comic ideas. And YuShizu. I've always liked these characters so I'd like to finally dedicate some time to them.

Honestly this goal is so incredibly malleable. I don't see it productive to set a static number of works I'd like to release. Because what really matters is if I make work I end up happy with. I could even end up drawing comics that are completely different in topic but still feel satisfied!

"Improve at art" (Repeatable Quest)

I made this goal super broad too because there's a number of things I want to try doing.

General:

study painting techniques

I think more practise with realism and still-life painting would do wonders for me. It'd give me more familiarity with tone and values that would help me in general. I also would like to make little shikishi with still life!

study composition

Recently I bought a textbook about this topic. My composition skills... could be better! It's truly a mystery how I've made so many comics. When I feel stuck with comics, I get the feeling that not being familiar with composition techniques contribute to that.

Traditional:

Continue producing shikishi

This one is a no-brainer! I still want to do artist alley! I still want to practise shikishi more! Not too much to say here specifically since everything else contributes to this.

Learn how to paint

When making traditional pieces, I'm not limited by media. So why not go more multimedia? Specifically I'd like to try a workshop with watercolour painting, or even gouache! Copic markers, although fun to use do have weaknesses. It'd be good to learn more about different media and how they interact with each other to create more interesting pieces moving forward!

Continue to experiment with craft/media

I did a piece with foil this year and it was pretty neat! (but a bit shoddy since it was my first time haha). I'd like to go further and continue designing pieces that use other materials in different ways.

I've also bought special inks that I'm excited to use as well!

"Improve my actual health"

Okay this one is the hardest goal... For context towards the end of this year I've been really tired. By what? I'm not that sure. I'd take multiple power naps a day and still feel sleepy. And I'd get 8 hours of sleep each night... And it's not like I'm restless when sleeping. I sleep perfectly fine but there's always a blanket of exhaustion....

Anyways I think I should eat healthier and get more exercise in. I think it would help my productivity more. (Less snackies for me 😢)

If anyone read this, damn that's crazy!

Let's have a good year!

[badsongpetey]

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 |

The Water Guardian (aka Cryptid Keith AU) Part 10

The irony of climbing, at least for Lance, is that it makes it hard to talk, and talking is his forte. Well, maybe that’s not the actual irony, which is for once in Lance’s life, he’s glad for a reason to stay silent.

The cliff is moderately challenging, it wouldn’t be so bad with ropes or at least chalk for his hands, but as it is, it’s taking a good deal of his concentration not to misstep, and to keep up with Keith. Gone is Keith’s hesitance and fear, replaced by something intense, something urgent, and Lance is doing his best not to fall too far behind.

If he’s being honest, he’d kind of hoped getting out a bit would help Keith shake off his nerves. The Keith he’s grown to know is far from timid. He’s brave, and smart, and kind, and.. FUCK! Lance’s hand slips with his concentration just as he’d shifted his weight and now he’s dangling by the other hand over 100 feet up.

“LANCE!” Keith yells from above him. “Lance! I’m coming!”

Lance grunts and uses the momentum of his swing to grab onto another handhold and stabilize himself.

“I’m okay.” He says through clenched teeth. “I…” he grunts again, louder, as he pulls himself up to the next foothold, “… I got this.”

He hears something move over the rocks above him, and then suddenly Keith is right next to him, eyes wide with fear. “Lance! Are you hurt?”

Lance scoffs. Here he is, winded and clutching the cliff face like a long lost lover, and this asshole doesn’t even have the grace to be out of breath. “I’m okay, hot shot. Don’t get your mullet in a twist.”

Keith makes a sour face at that, but doesn’t move from Lance’s side.

“I’m okay. I just need a sec, just to catch my breath.”

Keith nods and lets out a breath, purely from relief and not exertion Lance jealously notes. “Guess that makes me King of the Cliffs.”

The guffaw that takes over Lance is completely unfiltered. “Oh my god, this isn’t a competition!”

Keith sniffs thoughtfully, “I agree, you really haven’t been much competition.”

“I think I liked you better when you hid from me.” Lance laughs.

“Ah,” Keith says softly, still close, “I think that’s not true at all.”

Lance’s breath catches. This close Keith’s eyes are swirling galaxies of violet and flame, and he can’t imagine any creature, human or dragon, could have eyes more beautiful. Then those eyes turn to look up.

“I think we’re over halfway there. I could carry you…”

“YOU CANNOT!” Lance sputters. “I do not need to be carried, by you, or anyone, anywhere. I’m fine. I’m great. I can carry myself, thank you. Not.”

Keith blinks and chuckles. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry to suggest your majesty is anything but completely self-reliant.”

“Ah-HA! See! You acknowledge my victory!” Lance shouts, triumphant.

Keith slides away, giving Lance room to move. “Yeah, yeah, King of the Falls.”

“Your Majesty.” Lance corrects.

Keith shakes his head. “Does it offend his royal ego if I hang back and climb, so very painfully slowly, next to him?”

“His highness is offended by the wording of the offer, not the offer itself.” Lance sniffs, holding back a smile.

Keith sighs theatrically, “I’ll take what I can get.”

Lance doesn’t stop the smile as he resumes climbing, grateful to have Keith by his side for more reasons than he can spare the brainpower to think about.

Continued on:

[eagleeyecherrypie]

Dickkory fans were robbed and malnourished: a rant

Being a fan of Richonne and watching how The Ones Who Live played out really makes me see how absolutely starved we were as Dickkory fans. I finished TOWL with mixed emotions. On the one hand I was over the moon with happiness. On the other, I was sad and jealous…of myself. What I mean is, the part of me that is a Dickkory fan was savagely jealous of the Richonne fan in me. One was over here fat and happy while the other was counting her ribs again. Both shows had the same potential with the chemistry between their two leads being off the charts. TOWL showed us what could have been while Titans left me wanting and there is no excuse for it.

Exhibit A:

I’ve lost count of how many times Rick declared his undying love for Michonne both in actions AND (very importantly) in words. I mean, I’m so full I’m about to pop.

It literally got to a point like “Dude we get it. She’s the air you breathe and you can’t imagine your life without her. Okay, okay.”

We. Were. FED!!

Exhibit B (or as a lesser man might say, Number 2):

Meanwhile Dickkory fans (me included) are/were over here living off crumbs and trying to find meaning in anything and everything. We all became experts in body language and read into everything we could just to add substance to their story:

“See, every time she touches him he short circuits. Dude is down bad”

Or “When he paused and sighed while mentioning her boyfriend that one time, that means he’s so in love with her that it pains him to imagine her with someone else”

Even the actual “love confession” was weak in my opinion. Far too passive.

I know Titans was not a love story but the man couldn’t have just said the words one time? Or at least used his actual words to discuss how he felt about seeing their baby from the future.

Don’t get me wrong, we got the occasional full bites instead of crumbs, but I would argue that this made the situation even worse. They got our hopes up. We got a glimpse of what could have been.

The show should have just kept all of that instead of teasing us with a love story so RICH with potential only to let us down again and again. They basically either completely ignored it or just keep dangling it in our faces until the final credits rolled. Not to mention the absolute travesty of the wasted chemistry between two actors. Brenton and Anna did the best they could with what they were given. I believe the few crumbs we got were mostly coming from them trying to drive the story along. We all loved the build up in season 1 (the GOAT) but they (the writers) completely lost momentum.

I could even forgive some of this if they just ran out of time to tell the story (again, I get it, Titans wasn’t a love story), but the truth is that they wasted so much time on unnecessary and frankly boring storylines:

🥱

🙄Why? What were the writers actually trying to accomplish here? Who or what was holding them back from greatness?

In conclusion:

Fan fiction is the only thing that got me through with Titans. (Shout out to the ones who held it down with those BTW. I’ve pretty much read them all.) Meanwhile, I personally haven’t read even one story about Rick and Michonne because there is zero need. I left fully satisfied with zero notes. Their story is complete.

Le sigh 😔

[thearchercore]

I totally agree with you that it feels like a weird mockumentary/very meta because they're filming during actual races with the actual drivers there whose terrible race weekends are being immortalized in a movie.

However, my additional two cents: If they completely made the movie from scratch and everything was a re-creation - no real F1 drivers or cars, etc. they'd have to have multiple fake F1 cars made to race each other, multiple actors cast for other driver roles, and honestly? I wouldn't trust them to make it good LOL. It would probably be full of super fake looking cars and completely wrong racing lines and actors who don't look like they could fit in an F1 car. At least currently it looks very real, even though it's almost too real.

Also, sadly, I know we're all criticizing this so far, but ultimately this movie isn't made for us. It's again made for people who know nothing or very little about F1. Brad uttering the words 'build it for combat' told me everything I needed to know. For viewers who aren't into F1, I'm sure it will seem like a very impressive and accurate looking movie.

All we will get out of the movie is pointing out everything they got wrong, and being in the know of easter eggs when real F1 drivers/information is shown.

As F1 fans I think we unfortunately have to lower our expectations.

i never had expectations to begin with but are we sure non f1 fans would tune in? like yes, brad pitt is an appealing factor for the middle aged audiences but if a movie has no clear plot, no extensive marketing, and no clear word of mouth recommendation effect, the title could get easily lost once released.

what's being proven now is that movies that do well in the box office need to build a momentum, a FOMO effect in the viewer that makes the screening of the movie an event they cannot miss.

if the f1 movie does not step up its game in that sense, i dont see it doing well enough to break even. especially when the drivers themselves (that could be a big marketing force if used well), dont seem too onboard with the movie lol

[vermilionskiinmorning]

Too Sweet || F!Resist Durge || Durgtash & GalexDurge

Note: This immediately follows my last Durge fic called Abandoned which you can read here. Warning, this includes some semi-spicy content, but like nothing too spicy because that's just not my forte, but I hope it's alright. Anyway, what kind of interactions would you guys be interested in next? I've got several things planned so far, but I'm also open to ideas

Pairing: DurgexGale & DurgexEnver

Words: 4318

------

The door she’d opened into the back wall of Sharess’s Caress spit Feravel out onto the ground in more of a heap than she’d intended. Then she had been falling when she cast the door so being in one piece was a start. There had been a moment of fear when she wondered if the momentum of falling would pitch her off the scaffolding walkway, but she managed to steady herself before tumbling too far. Quickly righting herself, lest someone see her less than smooth escape from the archduke, Feravel took a few calming breaths.

“You were mine.”

It echoed in her mind bringing forth a whirl of images, but all passed too rapidly for her to grasp hold of anything tangible. Feravel rubbed her forehead trying to stave off the on coming headache. One day, she hoped this throbbing pain would fade. Maybe when she’d made enough new memories that the ones she lost no longer troubled her. Until then, she just had to carry on as best she could.  Tucking her hands into her pockets, she began making her way back toward the lower city.

Slipping back in to her group’s shared quarters at the Elf Song was an easy feat. Though it was late, the tavern below still hummed with energy. There was plenty of noise to cover the click of the door and her footsteps once inside. A cursory glance around the room told her most of her companions were already asleep, but a few of them must still be down in the tavern enjoying the evening -judging by their empty beds. However, in front of the fire on the floor sat Gale slumped half against one of the armchairs with Scratch’s head resting on his knee. Next to him was a half empty bottle of wine and two glasses -only one of them had been used and still sat half full. Gale’s breaths were slow and deep, but she couldn’t imagine he was comfortable.

Had he been waiting for her? He was the one who’d said he needed time to think. She had only wanted to allow that for him by staying away.

As she looked at Gale’s peaceful face, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was Gale’s and if she was, did he still want her to be. They were together, loved each other surely and were forever bonded by that night in the weave when they'd shared everything -as well as the more physical evenings they’d shared together. Bonded was how Gale described their relationship though. It hadn’t occurred to her before that she wanted him to be hers or to be his in any official sense though. They were what they were. There was hardly much time on the road to worry about that sort of thing anyhow. Was it because they’d reached some civilization that she was thinking about it? Or was she now feeling insecure after the claim Gortash made?

“Mine.” Feravel whispered to herself.

Possessiveness ran through her as she uttered the word. Oddly, it made the urge sing in her blood just as surely as her heart did with happiness.

Scratch’s ear twitched at the sound of her voice and slowly he opened his eyes to gaze up at her. His tail wagged happily. Unfortunately, Scratch’s tail was in range of hitting Gale’s arm and before Feravel could make herself scarce the wizard was groggily opening his eyes as well. Instinctively she froze. She hadn’t a hope of escaping unseen when she was so close to him.

“What is it Scratch? Do you need out?” Gale asked the dog groggily.

The dog whined and nudged Gale’s hand in her direction. She shot the beast a look of pure betrayal -all the times she’d slipped him treats and rubbed his belly. Scratch just wagged his tail and Feravel felt certain he would’ve laughed at her if he could as he padded away. She’d remember that next time he came sniffing around her pack.

“Fera?” Gale murmured.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to wake you. Well I sort of did, you looked really uncomfortable. I’d hate for you to have neck cramps tomorrow from sleeping all wonky. You know, when your bed is just over there…” She blurted out. “I’ll go…get some rest, Gale.”

It seemed to take a few seconds for Gale’s sleep addled mind to catch up with her hastened words. Feravel was already turning to make her escape, cheeks burning, when Gale stood and grabbed her by the hand. Halting mid step, she turned back hesitantly to face him.

“Don’t! Don’t go.” He said softly. “I was unnecessarily harsh with you this afternoon. It was unfair of me to hold you responsible for the actions of your past self -a self you can not even remember! Whatever sins you committed in the past; they’re not your’s -not the Feravel I know. After all, despite your dark urge, I've never known you to be the sort of person capable of such things -not of your own will. And who in the world would expect...betrayed in the eleventh hour of an evil plot isn’t usually the secret behind mysterious memory loss."

He paused a moment.

"I swore to help you find a way to free yourself from the urge and I stand by that. It was just, in that moment, I was -I was over come…”

Feravel opened her mouth to speak.

“Please, let me finish?” Gale raised his hand, pleading with her to wait. “That bastard…the way he acted as if he knew you.”

Gale’s expression darkened. Feravel thought he had to be thinking about the interaction with Gortash at the coronation. She bit the inside of her cheek nervously.

“For a moment, it felt like you were this stranger Gortash was describing…”

It surprised her to see Gale’s fingers slowly icing over as his ray of frost cantrip seemed to be forming -as if he could strike at Gortash all the way from there. She reached tentatively for Gale’s clenched fist, lightly taking it in her hands. Her thumb brushed over his knuckles soothingly.

“Gale…?”

He seemed abruptly to return to himself and the ice immediately disappeared from his hand.

“My apologies, I meant only that I’m sorry for my behavior towards you, my dear. I hope you can forgive my transgression?” He turned his hand so that he was holding hers in his palm and covered them with his other hand.

Guilt twisted sharply in her gut. Of course Gale’s expression was open and honest as he always had been ever since he’d shown her his past. They’d had no secrets since then. It was hard for her to actively have secrets anyway when her life felt like a nearly blank slate. Blank aside from the urge and glimpses of Gortash.

Enver Gortash who she’d just let kiss her up in his fortress. She hadn’t even been able to respond but for her surprise in the audience hall. In his office though, she’d been an active participant. If killing Gortash wasn’t already on their agenda, she was sure from the look in Gale’s eye, he would’ve strongly argued to add it after today.

A cold feeling of emptiness settled in Feravel’s gut at the idea of Enver being dead. Though it was chased away by the warm feeling of Gale’s hand on her cheek tilting her face up to look at him. He still held her hands in the one not cupping her cheek and he looked concerned.

“Fera, please say you forgive me?”

Without hesitation, she replied. “Of course I forgive you Gale.”

“That is a relief.” His face relaxed into an easy smile. He brushed his thumb affectionately along her cheek. “When you didn’t come back, I can’t say I didn’t fear you might not. Whether through your own choice or that something had happened to you…Orin’s assassins.”

“I’m here. I’m safe.”

Gale squeezed her hands quickly before releasing her to stride over to a nearby table. The tray of food it held had completely slipped her notice so focused she was on the dark haired wizard.

“I had this sent up a few hours ago. If you’re hungry? I cannot say the flavor is as expertly crafted as what I myself might’ve done, but it is passable and fresh at least. I had hoped we could eat together and discuss our plans for tomorrow.”

She couldn’t say she was hungry anyhow after the veritable feast Gortash had laid out. Not that she could easily tell Gale that.

“Ah, I picked something up at a stall actually.” She flashed him a half regretful smile when his face fell marginally. “But we could still have a drink?”

“Yes! I was able to procure a rather excellent vintage you should love.”

Gale swiftly fetched the bottle and glasses from where they’d been forgotten before the fire.

“Wine?” She asked with a slight hint of humor.

“But of course, you know my weakness, and with a proper selection available I couldn’t help myself. One never knows which day might be their last in such uncertain times. Best to enjoy what time and small pleasures we have.”

He poured a fair measure into the goblet for her and kept the half empty one for himself. They both took seats at the small table and were silent for a time enjoying each other’s company and the wine. Feravel reached across the table and took Gale’s hand again. He smiled at her and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.

“Tomorrow then?” She prompted.

“Ah yes! Sorceress Sundries! No better place in the Gate to find all manner of magical artifacts and tomes. There’s not doubt they’ll have a volume or two tucked away on Netherese magic which could allow us to better understand the crown.”

Feravel furrowed her brow. She wasn’t sure she liked his time much when he referred to the crown. Curiosity was natural. Even she couldn’t say she wasn’t intrigued by its magical power, but she was also wary of its potential for destruction. All magic had an equal and opposite force. The weave…and the shadow weave. Conjuration and abjuration magics. Gale knew this, but he'd been tempted by this same prospect before. Her eyes fell to the spot she knew the mark of the orb was branded into his chest. Hidden just out of sight, much the same as the danger it presented. Had stabilizing the orb robbed him of the lesson he'd learned? She prayed not. 

“Of course…”

He didn’t seem to notice how unsure she sounded and went on to discuss further about the many things they might find at the shop. Even musing over the possibility of healing magics they'd yet to learn of or consider in regard to her own problem. Feravel knew they were unlikely to find anything which might combat the urge though.

“Isn’t this place owned by that wizard who was looking for the Nightsong?” She furrowed her brow in thought -having only just then remembered.

Since they’d discovered the Nightsong was infact a person, or rather an Aasimar, Dame Alyin, Feravel hadn’t really thought much about the adventurers who’d been searching for the mysterious artifact.

“You’re right! I suppose we ought to speak with him while we’re there then as well. Lorroakan, I believe he’s called, I’m not familiar with him myself. We’ve never run in the same circles.”

“Yeah…I wonder if he didn’t know the Nightsong wasn’t an artifact all along.”

Gale frowned. “I suppose it would be wise to be cautious then.”

Feravel nodded then her eyes fell to her glass. It was almost empty. There was more in the bottle, but if they were to be up early she didn’t think it wise to indulge further.

“Perhaps we should take Lae’zel or Shadowheart with us then? I think Karlach and Halsin (maybe Wyll too?) are accompanying Astarion to scope out Cazador’s palace before we make any moves in that regard…”

“Karlach’s going?” Gale asked, sounding a tad amused.

“I think she’s the muscle incase anything goes wrong.” Said Feravel with a chuckle -imagining Karlach attempting to sneak around a vampire's palace undetected. “Or look out. I’m not sure, but I got the feeling she’s meant to fetch us if things go wrong and or seem especially dire.”

“Ah yes of course.”

A few beats of silence passed where they just smiled. It felt almost like they were alone.

“Gale?”

“Yes love?”

Her heart fluttered.

“What will we do after this is over?”

Gale didn’t respond at once. He looked down at their entwined fingers thoughtfully. It felt like he was choosing his words with great precision.

“Would you return home with me, to Waterdeep?”

“I hope you don’t intend to return to your life as a recluse?” Feravel asked.

Gale’s chuckle broke some of the tension that has built between them. “Oh no! With the orb stabilized there’s no need for that, but I could put in for a position at Blackstaff. I believe I might’ve heard about a retiring professor or two.”

He didn’t sound entirely sure, more that he was considering it only now as a possibility.

She hummed thoughtfully. “Teaching would suit you…and what would I do?”

Gale tapped the back of her hand thoughtfully.

“Well is there anything you’d like to do?”

Feravel hadn’t really considered it much. The threat of there being no tomorrow often interrupted any such ideas. She had entertained a few though.

“I might like to open a shop…?” She tested it as though she wasn’t sure whether it fit or not. “With a workshop.” She wasn’t sure why. Tinkering wasn’t exactly her area of expertise, but it just seemed right. “I think I’d still like to adventure though. Search for rare magical items and such?”

Gale smiled, hopefully. “And you’d live with me?”

Feravel’s heart clenched. She’d never had a home. None that she could remember any how. The closest thing she had would be her tent at camp, but that wasn’t a home so much as a place to sleep and a vague collection of her belongings. She had a feeling that where ever she lived and stayed as the Chosen of Bhaal wouldn't exactly be anything she'd now consider a home.

“At your tower?”

“Where else?” Gale asked.

“It’s your home. You’d share it with me?” She asked.

Gale furrowed his brow. “Of course!”

A broad grin split across her face as Feravel all but launched herself across the table to kiss Gale. He was momentarily shocked by her sudden onslaught, but she could feel him smile against her lips as his brain caught up. Their kiss was short but filled with passion which was perfunctorily interrupted by Gale attempting to draw her closer and accidentally knocking his goblet from the table instead. Thankfully it had been empty.

Reluctantly they broke apart.

“I suppose I might be able to take that as a yes then?”

She laughed. “Yes!”

“I know it’s late, but come sit with me awhile?” Gale gestured to where he’d been seated beside the fire when she arrived.

Wordlessly, Feravel followed him and took a seat at his side where he immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulder drawing her close. The familiar comforting scent of parchment, birch and lavender surrounded her as she leaned against him. It was so uniquely Gale that she could’ve identified it anywhere.

“I love you.” She said.

Turning to him, she found him smiling as he always did when she said as much. It made her heart soar.

“And I you.”

He lifted her chin to kiss her. When he made to withdraw though, she followed, deepening the kiss instead. Her tongue traced along his lip teasingly to which he conceded without a hint of protest. Gale slid his hand from her chin along her jaw to where it met her ear. Feravel made a soft sound of satisfaction into his mouth. She maneuvered herself from her place beside him and into his lap as gracefully as she could manage without breaking the kiss. He stifled his chuckle at her scrambling by kissing a trail from her lips along the other side of her jaw. A breathy exhale slipped past her lips and she shifted in his lap to get closer which caused him to nip her neck and shush her quietly.

He ran his hands over her thighs to her hips which he gripped firmly as he leaned forward lowering her back onto the rug. She rested her hands on either side of his neck as she tried to steady her breathing. Gale’s usually bright eyes were darkened and his gaze on her felt like oxygen to a flame, feeding the fire building inside her.

“Gale.”

“I know.” He whispered.

She glanced in the direction she knew their friends to be sleeping. A silent war beginning in her mind. Could they be quiet enough that it wouldn’t wake anyone? Her eyebrow arched at Gale. Wordlessly posing the question to him.

Before he could make any indication one way or another, they hear footsteps out in the hall that were drawing closer. One of the others who’d still been downstairs by the fact they weren’t bothering to hide their presence. An attacker or intruder would have gone to greater lengths to approach undetected. Feravel cursed under her breath as she irritably disentangled herself from Gale who only looked marginally less annoyed by the interruption. It seemed like it took an age for the door to open with the fire Gale had stoked racing through her veins, but when it did Feravel thought she could strangle Astarion who sauntered in looking like he had no care in the world.

“Evening darling and Gale.” Astarion said, grinning at them. “So good to see you weren’t murdered on your little jaunt around town. Our poor wizard was terribly worried.”

Feravel opened her mouth to retort, but snapped it shut for fear of raising voice at him and waking people in her annoyance at him. Astarion poorly hid his smirk behind his hand as his gaze flicked between her and Gale. The bastard knew exactly what he'd been interrupting. Gale for his part seemed to have regained control of himself and just looked rather tired.

“Well…I’ll see you in the morning. Don’t stay up too late.” He winked and strode off towards his bed.

Feravel deflated the moment the spawn was out of view. She looked at Gale and knew there was no picking up where they’d left off. It had been a long day, it was now very late, and the moment of excitement had passed. Besides, Feravel told herself, they wouldn’t have been able to get away with anything undetected anyway. Perhaps she’d be able to strong arm the barkeep for a private room at some point she wondered. Just as she considered it, Gale spoke interrupting her thoughts.

“We’d better get some rest.”

She sighed, looking longingly at him. “I know.”

He leaned in and kissed her cheek chastely, whispering. “Another time, soon.”

Soon, hopefully this would all be over. Then soon wouldn’t be a problem anymore. At his tower in Waterdeep there would be no one to hear them. Well no one besides Tara, but surely there were enough floors that she wouldn’t have to be nearby if it bothered her. Gods Feravel hoped the cat wouldn't follow them around in an attempt to discourage such things. She'd hardly seemed very friendly during their brief meeting at the temple of Ilmater. There must be a way she could win the beast over. Not calling her a cat for a start, she could almost hear Gale say.

Pushing the concern for grumpy tressyms from her mind Feravel made her way to her bed and climbed in. Her insides hadn’t quite cooled down, but still she laid down and closed her eyes. Eventually she would fall asleep she told herself. She just had to stop thinking about Gale’s lips or his tongue first.

When she finally was able to drift off, she dreamed. The most vivid dream she could recall, but perhaps that was because it was not just a dream -it was a memory.

She lay curled up on a plush velvet rug before a crackling fire, a pillow propped under her head and a warm blanket draped over her lower body. The heat wasn’t just coming from the fire though, behind her was a warm masculine body which she was tucked securely against. He was tracing lazy patterns with his finger tips from her shoulder and up the side of her neck. She let out a soft hmmm of contentment when he reached her ear and tucked a piece of hair behind it.

“You are exquisite.”

His breath fanned hot across her cheek causing a ripple of excitement to run through her.

“Flatterer.”

He chuckled. “Perhaps, but not with you.” He pressed a kiss to her neck. “I could never overstate your beauty.” Another kiss, lower on her neck. “Intelligence.” Another on her collarbone as his fingers ran down her rib cage. “Charm.”

Turning swiftly to face him, she pushed him back to lie flat on the rug, and swung her leg over his waist to straddle him. She held his traitorous hand by the wrist pinning it above his head.

“Be careful now, I would hate for you to start something you cannot finish.”

Her words were a sultry drawl. Enver’s eyes reflected a flicker of the firelight. He rested his free hand at her waist as he watched her hovering above him.

“I recall you told me some utter rubbish several weeks ago about only being human…needing your rest. Perhaps I should take my leave so as not to distract you?”

“True, I did say that.” He twisted his wrist from her grasp and she made no effort to stop him -a mischievous grin still playing at her lips. With his now free hand, he took hold of her other hip and pulled her against him, eliciting a soft moan from Feravel. “But, missing a nights rest is nothing for you.”

“Every once in a while at least? We wouldn’t want you to become negligent in your many duties.” She teased raking her finger nails down his chest.

Humming in agreement, Enver lifted his hips up so that Feravel’s core slid down his length and elicited a satisfied moan from the pair.

“I would  so  hate if my favorite Banite were to become dysfunctional. Good help is very difficult to find after all.”

Enver rolled his eyes. “One night will not render me inert, my dear, besides it is still early.”

Feravel lifted an eyebrow and glanced at the window where she could just see the faintest pink steaks coloring the sky. “Is it? It looks to me to be quite late.”

A grin curled his lips. “No, it is very early in the morning.”

“So it is.” She chuckled.

He leaned forward giving her a searing kiss, of such intensity she moaned against his lips.

“I would do most anything for you.”

The words were just a breath against her lips.

Suddenly her Urge twisted inside her, calling for blood. A fire of raced through her causing Feravel to tense momentarily. She wanted to pull away, put a safe distance between herself and Enver, give him a warning, but it was too sudden. Then her hand moved of its own accord to tighten around Enver’s throat. She pulled back to stare into his eyes.

“Would you  die for me?”

Enver stared intently into her eyes.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Feravel’s head ached something fierce and she sat up sharply in bed heaving deep breaths. It felt like she’d been plunged into an icy cold river after being wrapped in a deliciously warm embrace. Nausea washed over her in waves. She barely made it to the washroom before she was vomiting wine and bile into the basin. Pain stung sharply behind her eyes so horribly that they began to water. The pounding in her head was near unbearable. Waves of the intense urge she'd felt in the dream washed over her causing her to grip the basin painfully hard as she gasped for air.

The sound of footsteps behind her immediately sent Feravel into a panic. She hadn't gotten a grip on the urge yet. An icy chill of fear at the thought of what the urge might make her do fought against the burning lust for blood.

"Too much wine?" It was Astarion.

"Don't come any closer!" She snapped.

The footsteps stopped. She could feel his gaze on her back. 

After a moment he asked. "Shall I fetch the wizard?"

"Astarion. If you don't leave. I may gut you."

She managed to force the words out through gritted teeth despite the focus it took to hold onto the basin instead of reach for the nearest weapon. The only other time the urge had been so strong while she was conscious was when it had tried to force her to kill Gale. If she could just ride it out alone it would have to pass. With no potential victim close by it would have to wane...eventually.

But why was it so strong?

The dream. Enver. Had she almost killed him? 

Astarion hadn't moved. His heart didn't beat, but she could feel his presence. 

Kill. Kill. KILL.

"LEAVE!" 

Only sometime after his footsteps receded did she finally start to feel in control of herself again. Breathing slow calming breaths, Feravel experimented by slowly loosening her grip on the basin until she managed to fully release it. When she didn't immediately feel over come by the desire to do violence she leaned back and flopped down onto the floor. Tears filled her eyes.

[burinazar]

I’m on a three day road trip with my sister with the chief goal of rehoming my rats annd auxiliary goals of visiting some people I know and also spending time (like, the two of us) together. I drove, ahem, several hundred miles today. (For a fun game try guessing how many hundreds. It’s probably more than you think.) The forward leg is nearly finished; we’ll be dropping off the rats at their lovely new home tomorrow morning and then coming back at a slightly more leisurely pace and visiting people i know along the way over the next two days.

I’m a swirl of emotions; rat ownership has been such an important part of my life for the last decade. I’ve never known my adult self as a non rat owner. But I decided last year it was time to give my heart a break after the current group, and then decided earlier this year (once I found out I got a position abroad) that the best thing for these particular girls was rehoming them to my amazing friend’s mischief before I went, and all of that is what I know is the right decision at this time for me and the rats. But I’m going to miss having rats so much. So much. I’m pretty sure I will again someday. I really do love them.

Also, on the last portion of today’s drive we got caught in tornado weather and it was the most terrifying and stressful driving experience of my life. I’ve always found storms immensely fascinating but this was the first time I felt genuine fear from one.

…

Now this was obviously A Bad Thing to have happened lol, and a mostly coincidental one on top of that, unrelated to like, anything I actually decided to do. And the end of rat ownership is, if not exactly A Bad Thing an extremely bittersweet thing. But it’s…being hammered in for me today that the inertia based manner in which I’ve lived my life for a long time is probably over for the foreseeable future. There’s probably not going to be a single empty “just exist and float forward and follow the path of least resistance” day between now and whenever the hell I manage to get used to living in Japan. Things are potent and uncertain in a way I think they haven’t been since the first half of college.

That’s scary, and it could turn out badly (arguably most of the Things from back then that were exciting for the forward momentum they conferred upon me turned out badly), but it’s also exciting. My heart was pounding in absolute fear today in a way I could actually feel in my chest, as the sky turned colors I’d never seen it. I was terrified and obviously I’m not happy that happened to us as but I’m also trying to remember last time I felt anything like that, the fear which reminds you that you don’t want to die, especially potent to anyone who remembers the passive feeling of not caring what happens to you or wishing something would take away your choice and quietly end it all for you. And I’m lying in bed tonight writing this on my phone and wiping off tears that are welling up thinking of the rats I’ve loved and lost and the ones that are leaving me now, and all told I’m reminded I am still alive and not the block of interwoven self fulfilling prophecies and mental inertia I am capable of imitating for years on end. I am still a person for whom things are happening. It sounds stupid to realize but on some level I just believed everything interesting that was ever meant to happen to me was far in the past. But as long as I’m breathing changes can come into my life (and I am, and they will). It all goes on, and so can I.

[starcrossed591]

CDrama Year in Review 2023

I'm still very much a CDrama beginner--I just started watching them in the summer of 2022--but since this is the first year I got into them in earnest, I figured I might as well do a year in review a la @dangermousie (whose lists I have found incredibly helpful in deciding which CDramas I really, really need to go back and watch as part of my CDrama education--so thank you!). So, without further adieu, here is my ranking of 2023 CDramas, in order of least enjoyed to most enjoyed*.

(See also: KDrama Year in Review 2023)

*Disclaimer: *not* a measure of objective quality

10. Royal Rumours: This drama was not great? Meng Zi Yi and Jeremy Tsui were fun, but the story started out messy and got messier. For some reason I still finished it, I think because I had a lingering cold and it was all my brain could handle at the time *shrug*

9. Gone with the Rain: I actually really enjoyed this one! The pacing was inconsistent, but Zhang Nan was fun as the irreverent Mo Xi, and we love a grizzled general. Special shout to the teacher who was not actually evil, just a sad lesbian whose gf disappeared on her

8. Love You Seven Times: Intriguing concept, not a strong enough FL to carry it through. The reincarnation stuff really worked for me at first, especially in their first mortal tribulation (as people, not CGI animals), but I got tired of it pretty quickly. I admit, the gifs of Ding Yu Xi as a sexy cat demon *did* pull me back in, but not enough for me to actually finish the thing, alas

7. Destined/Chang Feng Du: Started out really strong, and then stalled out on me. I think I only got up to about episode 22 or so, after their epic desert crossing and new start in a new state--they lost all narrative momentum for me there. I stopped watching and then just...didn't start again. I do, however, remain a big Bai Jing Ting fan, and will be keeping on eye out for whatever he does next

6. Hidden Love: (Contemporary) Age gap romances are hit or miss for me, but Zhao Lu Si absolutely stole/carried the show for me in this one. Although more fun imo when the main couple are in the the will-they-won't-they phase than in the family melodrama after they get together, still the only contemporary CDrama to get me to give it a go this year--and I'm glad I did

5. My Journey to You: Featuring my favorite murder girlies Esther Yu as Yun Wei Shan and Lu Yu Xiao as Shanguan Qian! Gorgeous costumes and sets, sweeping cinematography, and plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. Full disclosure, I have not actually watched the last two episodes because I got busy and then saw weird chatter about them, so I have no comment on the allegedly weird ending

4. Till the End of the Moon: Look, I know the ending wasn't ideal, but for the majority of its run, this drama owned my entire soul. It also introduced me to Bai Lu as Li Su Su, who inspired my first actual tumblr post (that wasn't a reblog) because I was so obsessed with her. And everyone knows that Tantai Jin is the CDrama ML of the year. 10/10, no regrets at letting it take over my life (and the OST my Spotify) from April to May of this year

3. The Story of Kunning Palace: More Bai Lu is always a good thing, and she's extra fun here as the transmigrated former evil empress and totally-over-your-nonsense Xiang Xue Ning here. The reverse haremness of it all totally shows why Bai Lu is the chemistry queen, especially with the princess (Liu Xie Ning) and cranky, morally grey, would-fail-gym-class strategist Xie Wie (Zhang Ling He). So glad this drama made it out of the CDrama vault and didn't languish indefinitely in censorship hell

2. A Journey to Love: Finished this one two days ago as of this writing and am still not normal about it. Ren Ruyi (Liu Shi Shi) and Ning Yuan Zhou (Liu Yu Ning) lead an exceptionally strong ensemble cast in this wuxia that explores the complicated relationships between love, duty, loyalty, loneliness, and companionship. Ruyi and Yuan Zhou are far and away one of my fave OTPs of the year, but just as compelling are the relationships between friends/brothers/fellow assassins Yu Shisan, Yuan Lu (ugh my heart), Qian Zhou, and Sun Lang. This drama definitely has one of the strongest ensemble casts of the year. And the character growth of Yang Ying from little princess abandoned in the cold palace to who she becomes by the end will stick with me for a long time. Plus another 10/10 OST!

1. Lost You Forever S1: I'm not normally a reverse harem girl, but the longing, loss, and hard resolve portrayed to perfection by Yang Zi as Xiao Yao really did it for me here. This whole drama struck an emotional chord for me, and where TTEOTM consumed my soul, LYF took over my heart. Xiao Yao's relationships with her power hungry, overprotective cousin Cang Xuan; hot snake demon Xiang Liu/playboy archery shufu Feng Feng Bei; and perfectly devoted Tushan Jing are all equally compelling to me, and while I may know who she ends up with in the end, who I *think* she should be with changes based on who's on screen at any given time. And A'Nian, my favorite bratty princess who really just needs some strong parenting, holds a special place in my heart. I know we may never get S2, and even if we do, censorship means it probably won't be what the drama makers are capable of, but I'm so glad for this little piece of absolute perfection. And, again, a top notch OST!

Fave Drama: Lost You Forever, by just a hair over A Journey to Love. See above.

Least Fave Drama: Royal Rumours--truly why did I finish this, what was past me thinking

Biggest Disappointment: 2023 is also the year I read Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir, my very first CNovel! But then I didn't even bother checking out its adaptation, Romance of a Twin Flower, because it got rid of everything that made the novel such an addicting read, including a brilliant, strategic, ice cold FL and an ML who actually kind of sucked at the beginning, only to grow on you very, very slowly over time. I'm grateful that the chatter around the drama is what brought the novel to my attention, but other than that, hard pass.

Favorite Male Character: Lots of good ones this year, but I'm gonna go with Cang Xuan (Zhang Wan Yi) from Lost You Forever. The conflict he faces between getting enough power to protect the people he loves the most and that power making him incompatible with those loved ones is so compelling, and his yearning for Xiao Yao even when she's right in front of him is wrenching. Full disclosure, I also just really love the sound of his voice

Favorite Female Character: This could easily have gone to Li Susu (TTEOTM), Xiao Yao (LYF), or Ren Ruyi (AJTL), but I'm gonna go with Bai Lu's Xiang Xue Ning in The Story of Kunning Palace. Something I really loved about this character was just how jaded Xue Ning really was, even in her second go round at life. Yeah, she wants to make amends for the harm done in her previous rise to power, but that has hardly turned her into a good--or even pleasant--person. Instead, she's incredibly skeptical and still plays most things ice cold, especially with her family. As a bonus, we got plenty of Bai Lu's fantastic side eye as she basically had to do high school all over again when she gets called into the palace despite her very best efforts not to be.

Favorite Ship: Ren Ruyi and Yuan Zhao from A Journey to Love have got to be it. They balance each other out so well, and over the course of the drama, learn to communicate effectively with each other whenever they have a problem. They also recognize that not all problems can be solved by ~love~, which makes their relationship even more compelling when they decide to prioritize each other in a way that respects what the other wants from life.

Favorite Secondary Ship: Little princess Yang Ying and Yuan Lu absolutely broke stole my heart in A Journey to Love. Doomed love even more than the main OTP, these two's youthful romance was such much fun to watch, especially as they egged their respective mentors on in their own romance. Yang Ying's recognition that her first love did not have to be her only love is also something I always love to see, even as it broke my heart that (spoiler) she and Yuan Lu never really had a chance at an HEA. Their relationship really exemplified a key theme of this drama: that you should love the people you love while they're still with you because tomorrow is never promised.

Non-2023 Dramas that I Watched: Two non-2023 dramas I watched that deserve a special shout out are Love and Redemption and The Sword and the Brocade. Love and Redemption prepared me to really appreciate the big swings that Till the End of the Moon took, and The Sword and the Brocade went a little way to filling the Story of Ming Lan shaped hole in my heart. The Sword and the Brocade also had absolutely searing critique of the concubine system, even as it featured one of the most genuinely good-hearted FLs I've seen. Would recommend both!

Most Looking Forward To: Yes, I'm a sucker and the censors (not to mention the characters) will probably break my heart, but I'm still crossing my fingers that Lost You Forever S2 will live up to the promise of part one. See above: still a CDrama beginner, have not yet had all the optimism knocked out of me. Sue me.

[therottenkingsreckoning]

Part 2 of Chapter 9! I told y'all I'd get this done quick. This also means that we're halfway through this beast, and I'm so glad you've been sticking with me through this journey so far. Enjoy!

~~Little Flame, Ch. 9, part 2~~

Eddie's eyes widened, and despite himself a smile crept onto his face. "Wha- really? Oh, well that great news darlin'! She'll say yes, I just know it!"

"I really hope so," Sally murmured. Then, seeming to regain her normal bombast, she waved both hands above her head in a gesture towards the imagined spectacle. "But that's all the more reason it needs to be bold! Fantastic! I'll put on the greatest play you've ever seen, with her and I as the leading stars, and that moment will be the most beautiful 3rd act of any story ever written!"

"Oh I'm sure it will!" Eddie said excitedly. It was hard not to get excited when the girl got on moments like this. "And I'll help ya as soon as I've gotten Frank's food!"

She turned to look at him, crestfallen. "Y...you can't help me now?"

Eddie shook his head. "Nope. I've got my own sweetheart waitin' back at home with a cravin' for hot dogs, and by god I'm gonna get 'em." He'd not forgotten the original plan, nor was he going to be pulled away from it.

"Oh well, I'm going there too!" she insisted. "I need to get supplies after all. You could just...help me pick them out real quick, discuss a basic plan, and then I promise I'll let you continue your journey in peace!"

"No good," he told her. "Howdy's fresh out of the stuff I need, which is why I'm here at all." He wouldn't compromise on this.

Sally looked at him with sad, pathetic eyes. "Please?"

He'd maybe compromise on this.

"Alright, fine," he sighed, admitting defeat at last. "But only 'cus it's you, and I do wanna see it go well for ya."

"Oh excellent!" She squealed delightedly, pulling him into a hug. "I knew I could trust you!"

A few moments later, and with his groceries stored in her fridge for momentary safekeeping, the pair had set off. He could've brought it all back to his own house, but the thought of returning without those crucial items was...less than appealing. Probably why I'm choosing to do this at all, he thought. Rather here than there.

Unfortunately for him though, the pinball machine of entropy had not yet lost its momentum, as not even a full minute into their walk, an all-too-familiar pink figure appeared.

"Shit, it's her!" Sally hissed. "I can't let her know what I'm doing, it'd ruin everything!"

"Well whaddya expect me t-" Eddie began.

All that met him was the rustling wind, and a suspiciously star-shaped void to his right.

"Hi Eddie!" Julie said cheerfully, skipping up to him. "Who are you talking to?"

"...no one, apparently," he grumbled.

"Oh...well, have you seen Sally anywhere? I just thought of a great new game for us to play, but I can't seem to find her."

"N-nope!" he lied quickly, glancing around for any sign of his friend. "Can't...can't say I have, all day."

Julie squinted at him suspiciously, and Eddie felt the hair on his neck stand up. He wasn't a very good liar, especially when he was already stressed out as is.

"You sure?"

"Sure am!" He pretended to think for a moment. "Let's see... I went and dropped off all the mail earlier, but uhh...she was outta the house right then." That part wasn't a lie- she'd been gone, as she often was. "Then I came home and started workin' on sorting letters, but I remembered I needed to drop by the store and get and some food for Frank-"

"Oh!" Julie exclaimed. "Is that why you're here? Well, we could go to Howdy's together, and I can say hi to Frank when we bring it all back."

"Wait!" the man blurted out, realizing his mistake too late. She looked at him confused, already turning to head in the direction of the bodega.

"H-he doesn't have the ingredients I need," Eddie continued. "Ran out of the milk and cherries for those signature hot dogs, so I gotta go ask Barbie about it."

Julie huffed and turned to him, crossing her arms. "Ok well, now I know you're lying. Frank wouldn't want a hot dog, especially those ones, he hates them! So what's the truth?"

"That is the truth!" Eddie huffed back, hands on hips. "Ain't ya heard of a craving before?"

"I can tell you're hiding something, and sending me in circles!" Then, seeming to think of something, she smiled smugly and pointed a finger at him. "I'll believe you if you spin around 5 times and point back at me."

"What does that have t-" Eddie began, but it was no use. He was trapped and he knew it, however silly these games might be. Spinning once, twice, three times around and round, his vision blurred and wobbled until his outstretched finger nearly collided with hers.

"Is that good now? Can I leave?"

"Hmm... not quite," the monster said. "What am I thinking of right now?"

"Uhh...flowers?" He said.

"Nope."

"Games."

"Nuh uh."

"Look, lemme go!" Eddie shouted, stamping his foot in anger. "I'm runnin' late, and I just know Frank already hates me right now cus I couldn't just get 'em what he wants, and I'm tired and stressed and a terrible husband and I really don't need this right now!"

Silence. Julie looked at him in shock, and he could sense that wherever Sally had hidden herself she was stunned too. "Oh.." the rainbow monster said gently. "You weren't lying about that, were you?"

"What reason would I have to lie?" He growled, wiping away the tears that had begun to form.

"I...I don't know. I'm sorry," she said, stepping out of his way. "I'll let you get back to it."

"It's fine," the man grumbled. It really wasn't, but he was too tired to keep arguing. Glancing back at her for just a moment though, he said, "Maybe you should drop by later. Help explain what took me so long. He might get less mad at you."

And now, after all the nonsense he'd been through, he'd made his way over to Poppy's barn. Those big red doors might as well have been the gates of heaven, and his angel was visible still in the window, laughing away at some unknown joke. Finally, he could get this done.

Knocking on the door, he was greeted with a cheery "come in!" from the resident bird. She looked up from where she'd been adding pumpkin seeds to a recipe, and her eyes widened at his disheveled & miserable appearance. "Oh dear... are you alright?"

"Yeah," Barbie added. "No offense, but you look like you've been put through the wringer."

"It's been...a day," Eddie sighed. "Been looking for ya cus I needed to ask a favor."

"Oh?" The dog stepped a bit closer, scratching awkwardly at the space between her tied-up ears. It was rare that Eddie Dear asked anything of his friends- the man was self-reliant to a fault, and would much rather be the one giving than getting. So whatever this was must be important.

Eddie clasped his hands in front of him, looking up at her with pleading eyes. "Please tell me you have some cherries and condensed milk I can borrow. Frank really wants a hot dog and Howdy was fresh outta both of those."

An awkward silence, then the hound burst out laughing, relieved. "Didya really come all this way just to ask for that? You could've just asked Jonesy, I left him back at home."

The realization crumpled Eddie, and he hung his head in shame. Yes, he probably could've just asked earlier and saved so much of this hassle. But, fool that he was, he'd gone and overthought. Like a fool he'd made it 10 times harder on himself.

Barbie's laughter faded as she took in his reaction. She put a hand on his shoulder and sighed, "Well I'm sorry to tell ya, but I'm out too. I had my treat for today, but I'm prepared to go hungry for a bit."

And just like that, all his dreams had been shattered. He was so close to Paradise, but it had all been a mirage. Looking desperately over to Poppy, he was met with a shake of her head. "Dear, you know I don't eat things like that." Trying her best to reassure, she added "I-I'm sure Frank will understand. I mean... it's not your fault you couldn't find any."

Mhmm," Barbie hummed in agreement. "She's right. No, hey, look at me. She's right. You got nothin' to beat yourself up for. You tried, and that's what matters."

Eddie wasn't sure he believed them, but what else could he say or do by now? He'd exhausted his options, and would simply have to bear the anger, the crushing disappointment, that his lover would have for him. As he made his way home slowly, footsteps like lead, he was briefly considering swandiving into the nearest lake when the shaking of tall grass nearby caught his ear.

"Hey."

"Hey Mosely," Eddie said dejectedly. "Can't talk right now, sorry. Boutta go get my head bitten off."

"Ah, t-that's the thing actually," the grass continued. "I uhh...overheard what you were talking about just now, and I actually have some."

"Wha- really?!" Eddie instinctively whipped around to peer into the brush, then quickly apologized and turned away from his scopophobic friend. But was it true?

"Wait here. I'll go get them."

And wait he did. If it had been anyone else, Eddie wouldn't have trusted they'd come back. Even now he had his doubts, his nervous impatience as each minute ticked by. But he knew Mosely, and as soon as he'd fully begun to worry he heard movement again. He turned to see a can and jar stacked neatly on the dirt road, still cold when he went to pick them up.

"Thank you." Eddie's voice quivered, damn near sobbing with relief. "I could hug you right now."

"Haha... please don't," said Mosely.

The trip back went quickly. He snatched his groceries from Sally's fridge, checking first that no Julies were around (what an awkward explanation that would be!). Then he was off to the little yellow house with speed.

"Where have you been?!" Frank snapped when he answered the door to their mate. "And what's with the bags? I asked to get one thing for me, not all of this!"

"This is your hot dog," Eddie tried to explain weakly, already visibly wilting as the anger he'd been fearing bore down on him.

"How? Couldn't he m... huh?"

Words trailed off as the man before them seemed to crumple, sinking down to his knees as bags fell an uneven thud-and-rustle on to the floor.

"I'm sorry," Eddie began, hands again clasped in desperate prayer. "I am so sorry Frankie, I tried to go quickly. But then Howdy ran out of milk and cherries so I tried to get some from Barb-"

"Eddie..."

"-but then she was over at Poppy's, so I tried to go there but Sally stopped me to ask about a play and Julie forced me to answer riddles 'cus she didn't believe me when I told her ya wanted hot dogs-"

"Ed- wait Julie?"

"-And when I finally got over to Poppy's she was out which broke my heart 'cus I knew ya really wanted it and-"

"EDDIE!!!"

Frank had heard enough. Grabbing hold of his husband's shoulders, they pulled him forwards...

and into a kiss.

Eddie flinched in shock, then his arms wrapped around his love as he leaned in, finally breaking to rest his head on Frank's chest.

"It's ok honey," the grey chuckled. "I understand now. And you still got me what I wanted."

"I uhh...yea!" Eddie looked up at his mate with doe eyes. "You're not mad at me anymore?"

"Oh I'm still angry," Frank said as he helped their husband up. "But not at you."

Eddie was going to ask about that, but he didn't. Far better to not risk spoiling the moment when he'd seemingly gotten so lucky. "You still want your food now?"

"Mhmm!"

"Well alrighty then!" He practically skipped to the kitchen, feeling sunshine and rainbows right now as his previous worries melted in the loving presence of his partner. "I am sorry it took so long," he called through the doorway. "For what it's worth."

Frank laughed at this as he walked in and sat at the table. "Love, I was actually overreacting a bit. It's only been 15 minutes."