#the plot contrivances bother me that's why.

[neopronouns-in-action]

Neopronouns in Action #085: Stereotypical Amnesia

Neopronouns: za.

Replace all pronouns with za

EX:

"She is going to adopt a new puppy soon, as soon as she gets a fence set up around her yard so the puppy can go outside without her having to walk it. Her uncle is going to help set up the fence, since he has a set of power tools he's letting her use, since she lost hers. She's going to buy toys and train the puppy herself."

Becomes:

"Za is going to adopt a new puppy soon, as soon as za gets a fence set up around za yard so the puppy can go outside without za having to walk it. Za uncle is going to help set up the fence, since he has a set of power tools he's letting za use, since za lost za. Za's going to buy toys and train the puppy za."

___

Za head hurt.

It was, for a long time, the only thing za could think about. Za head hurt, and when weakly za lifted za hands to touch it, za hand came away covered in blood, and it was only then that za realized that za was surrounded by a pool of blood, still warm against the cold stone beneath za.

When za managed to sit up, za was so dizzy za immediately fell back down, and hit za head on the floor, sending even more pain and dizziness rushing over za.

Za didn’t know how many hours passed as za lay there, in pain and dizzy, like the world was spinning below za. There were several times when za lost consciousness completely, but finally za found the strength to open za eyes.

But there was nothing to see. Za eyes burned when za opened them, but even when za wiped at them with za hand, za still couldn’t see anything.

The floor beneath za was getting colder and colder the longer za lay there, so za tried to sit up again, this time more slowly and carefully, making sure to push za up with za arms to stop za from falling over again.

This time the endeavor was a success, and za grinned at the achievement, and immediately attempted to get to za feet. This wasn’t as much of a disaster as it could have been, because za was careful to move slowly, and stretch a hand out to brace against the stone wall that met za questing fingers. It was rough and sharp beneath za hand, but allowed za to pull za to za feet.

Za still couldn’t see anything, and za eyes still stung, but za felt no concern, only a mild irritation, which was due mostly to the pain in za head, which refused to go away. Za was also starting to get hungry, and already za throat was dry with thirst.

Za couldn’t smell or hear water anywhere nearby, and when za took a few careful, but stumbling steps towards what sounded like an empty space, za outstretched hands found only ordered stacks of cold metal rising up from the floor. Za turned za back on the empty space, and tried in the opposite direction, using the combined senses of touch, hearing, and smell to figure out that za was in some sort of tunnel, with fresh air from further ahead carrying with it the promise of freedom and eventually, food and water.

It was slow going, because despite the fact that za was on za legs and walking, za wasn’t steady, and kept stumbling into the wall and almost falling, and had to keep stopping to catch za.

Za guessed that za had gotten through less than half of the tunnel before a new sound met za ears from somewhere ahead – the clatter of stone against stone, and a familiar but unrecognizable voice called, “Furless! Can you hear me? Furless!”

The voice, and the name it called, felt familiar, but hung just out of reach. Was za the Furless being called for? Za thought za might be. It felt right.

Should za call back? The voice sounded familiar and safe, like an old friend za would know, if not for the pain in za head.

Za decided to call, “Hello?” and see if the voice would know who za was from the sound of za voice, which echoed down the tunnel and out into the opening.

The other voice immediately called back, with what za recognized as joy and relief: “Furless! You’re alive! Are you hurt?” The clatter of stones grew stronger, and the voice became louder, as though an obstacle were being removed. Za – Furless? -- imagined, with the help of za hearing, a wall of rocks being dismantled.

The pain in za head was certainly the sign of an injury. “My head hurts, and has bled profusely!” Za called back, taking the opportunity to stop walking and lean against the wall to steady za. “Do you know me?” Za called, “I can’t remember you!”

Some might have thought it would be a good idea to keep that sensitive information a secret, to avoid a potential vulnerability, but za felt that za could trust this voice.

The voice called, “You are my friend, Furless, we came here together to look for gold! You went on ahead, then the earthquake struck! The tunnel collapsed, and it’s taken hours to get the rocks out of the way! How badly are you hurt?”

Za wasn’t sure how to answer that question. Za was in excruciating pain from za head, and still couldn’t see anything, but other than that, za was fine. Za could walk, could probably run if za needed to, and now had someone coming to help.

Za shrugged, not remembering that the voice probably could see the movement.

After a few moments, the voice called again, concerned, “Furless?”

“I am here!” Za called, then, after a thoughtful pause, decided to elaborate slightly for the voice’s benefit. “My head is bleeding, and I can’t see. I am dizzy. My head hurts.”

“Alright, I should be able to get through this wall very shortly, why don’t you just sit down where you are, Furless, and wait for me? Once I can get to you, we can decide what to do next.”

Za shrugged again, but this time remembered to answer aloud, saying, “I’ll wait here then!”

Carefully, za sat down, bracing za on the wall until za sat on the cold floor, legs stretched out in front of za, listening to the sound of rocks moving against rocks.

Za wasn’t sure if za eyes had been closed before, but eventually za realized they’d fallen shut, and despite za efforts to stay awake, za found za slipping back into unconsciousness again.

[kiss-me-cill-me]

Stars Forever

Pairing: Robert Capa x Reader

Word Count: 4.2k

Summary: The night before launch, the crew of the Icarus II stay in a nearby hotel. The sleeping arrangements are less than ideal for you and the ship's cranky physicist.

Warnings: Smut, extremely trope-heavy and contrived shenanigans, kinda enemies-to-lovers, teasing, mentions of birth control (IUDs)

A/N: The title of this fic was inspired by Starless Heaven by Guster. That song has nothing to do with the fic, but it's really pretty so I wanted to share it lol. For the purposes of the "plot" here, reader is taking Trey's place on the ship (sorry Trey). Only one bed is my favorite trope and I just want to write it for every character ever <3

***Please read the warnings before continuing. Minors DNI***

Capa was a few paces ahead of you, walking with his hands stuffed in his pockets. The soft yellow lights of the hotel corridor surrounded you on all sides as you glanced at the room numbers.

“Quit following me,” Capa barked, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder.

You rolled your eyes, once he had turned back around and couldn't see you. This was so typical. 

“I'm not following you. I'm looking for my room.”

You checked another room number. That wasn't it. Capa continued down the hallway, not pausing as he spoke over his shoulder again.

“Aren't you with Cassie or Corazon? Go bother one of them,” he spat.

“First of all, I'm not bothering anyone. And second of all, no. Cassie and Cora are together. I'm rooming with someone else.”

At least, you assumed you were. All you had was your assigned room number. With eight crew members and apparently very heavily limited space in the hotel you were staying at for the night, you had been informed that everyone would need to double up. You, Cassie, and Cora had quickly compared room numbers to determine that you were the odd one out, but you had no idea who your own roommate would be. Obviously one of the guys, which was bound to be at least a little awkward. 

But, you would be fine. This was only going to be for one night. Tomorrow, the lot of you would be driven to mission control and then launched into space, bound for the Icarus II module currently hovering in the moon’s orbit, and then for the center of the solar system. This hotel was simply the closest accommodation for tonight, even if it was slightly too cramped for all eight of you.

“Well, quit walking so close to me at least.”

Capa’s voice brought you back to reality, and you realized that you had been zoning out and not looking at the last several room numbers. You checked the next one. Still not yours.

You slowed down, but only a little bit, putting some distance between you and Capa. You had no particular desire to be close to him. Though you certainly didn't hate him as much as he seemed to hate you. 

His dislike was obvious, but it confused you. You hadn't done anything that should have prompted him to feel so negatively toward you, as far as you were aware. But from the moment you and Capa had met at your first briefing, six months ago, you could tell he was incredibly tense whenever you were in the room.

Finally, your eyes landed on the room number assigned to you. You stopped in your tracks, then looked up, confused. Capa was standing in front of the same room.

“Why don't you get lost?” he asked, still testy.

“This is my room,” you said, motioning to the door.

Capa’s eyes darted to the room number and then back to you. His brows creased as he scowled openly.

“No. There's no way,” he said. “This is my room.”

“Well, it's my room, too,” you insisted.

You felt your cheeks heat up. Usually, Capa’s opinion of you didn't bother you much. He was just a coworker. Both of you had proven that you could put personal feelings aside for the sake of the mission, and whatever he thought about you in his free time didn't much matter. But now, faced with the challenge of sharing a hotel room, you suddenly wished that you had spent a bit more time working on your relationship.

“This has to be some kind of mix-up. Why aren't you with one of the girls?” Capa muttered.

“Maybe because there's three girls and five guys?” you replied, sarcastically. “Jeez, Capa - I thought you were good at math.”

Capa rushed to turn his face away, but you still caught a glimpse of the bright blush that rose on his cheeks. You - almost - felt bad. Usually, you tried not to antagonize him, but sometimes you couldn't help it.

“I know there's an uneven split,” he hissed, slightly wounded. “But why would they put you with me?”

You rolled your eyes again, not caring whether he saw you. Capa always thought of himself as the main character. God forbid he be inconvenienced.

“Look, it's late, and I'd like to go to bed,” you sighed. “I'll stay on my side of the room, you stay on yours, and we won't talk to each other. Deal?”

“Fine,” Capa muttered.

It was just for one night. Already feeling your temper wear thin, you slid your key card into the lock. You didn't hesitate to barge in ahead of Capa, not bothering to hold the door open behind you. He scrambled to follow, muttering something to himself.

You stopped short. Capa nearly crashed into you as you saw it first. There was only one bed.

Capa let out a deep breath of frustration. You watched from out of the corner of your eye as he swiftly turned on his heels and walked out of the room.

“Nope,” he said simply, letting the door slam behind him.

As it turned out, there had been a mix-up. But unfortunately for you and Capa, it was not one that could easily be resolved. Talking to the front desk did nothing, as the clerk explained they were booked up completely.

“There are a lot of people staying overnight so they can watch the big launch tomorrow,” she explained cheerily. “The second Icarus ship. Very exciting stuff!”

Capa looked ready to rip her head off, but somehow restrained himself. You snickered as you followed behind him, this time purposefully trailing as Capa made his way to Captain Kaneda’s room. He was almost cute when he was angry.

Talking to Kaneda didn't get you anywhere either.

“Capa, it's late,” the captain sighed. “You'll both just need to put up with it for one night.”

“But we don't even have separate beds!” Capa grumbled.

“Yes, well… if you two really dislike each other so much, that shouldn't be an issue.”

Capa opened his mouth to speak, but then the scandalous suggestion hidden in the captain’s words dawned on him, and he snapped it shut again. You were tempted to interject and say that you didn't hate Capa - his feelings were all one-sided. But then you thought better of it. You had to admit Capa’s hissy fit was amusing, but if you actually had to share a bed with him, it was better to not provoke him too much.

Capa stormed out of the captain’s room, and you followed. Back in the hallway, you ran into Mace.

“Mace,” Capa called, hurrying to catch up with him. “Hey, Mace - switch rooms with me.”

“Why would I switch rooms with you?” Mace snapped.

Capa and Mace didn't get along either. At all. He must have been truly desperate to ask Mace for help.

“Because I'm with her,” Capa replied, jabbing a finger back at you. “And we only have one bed.”

Mace stopped mid-stride, and turned around to look at you. He was clearly amused. Capa’s scowl deepened, and you shrugged. Mace crossed his arms as he spoke.

“No way in hell am I sharing a bed with her, you, or Searle,” he laughed. “You got the shit room? Tough luck, asshole.”

Mace walked away, leaving Capa to rake an exasperated hand through his hair. He turned to face you, looking you directly in the eye for the first time since you had both left your miserably shared room.

“Okay, one of us needs to take the floor,” he informed you.

You had already started to walk away, and Capa hurried to keep pace beside you.

“Well it's not gonna be me,” you said. “If you can't grow up enough to sleep in the same bed as someone else for one night, you get to take the floor.”

Capa’s cheeks blushed pink again.

“You actually want us to sleep together?” Capa blurted.

“Ugh, don't say it like that!” 

You felt your own cheeks start to heat up as Capa’s blush deepened. Each of you pretended not to notice how flustered the other was getting.

You reached the door of your room and slipped the key card inside. This time, you held the door open as Capa followed after you.

“I'm just saying, why sleep on a hard floor the night before one of the biggest days of our lives?” you sighed. “We can both be adults about this.”

Capa silently considered your words for a minute, stubbornly refusing to meet your gaze.

“Well, just think about it,” you said, reaching for your small backpack. “I'm gonna get changed.”

Capa choked, letting a small, strangled sound escape his throat as you pulled your pajamas out of the bag. When you looked up at him, his eyes had blown wide.

“You're getting undressed?” he sputtered. “In here?”

“In the bathroom, Capa. Jeez!”

You stepped into the little bathroom, closing the door behind you before he had a chance to reply. Pinching the bridge of your nose, you let yourself sink back against the door. This was going to be a long night if Capa kept this up. 

You wished he would calm down. It had been funny to watch him scramble around trying to get out of sleeping with you - or, next to you, you corrected yourself. But now, your annoyance had started to settle in again. 

With a huff, you straightened up. It was only one night. You could handle this, and you knew Capa could too, once he had gotten over his initial shock. You set about changing into your pajamas and brushing your teeth.

When you came out, Capa seemed calmer. He was sitting slouched in the small chair next to the desk, which neither of you would have any occasion to use during such a short stay. It was only one night. The words were a mantra in your head.

“Okay,” Capa relented. “I can agree that it's important we both get a good night's rest. Especially with everything happening tomorrow.”

Privately, you thought to yourself that you were the one who needed sleep more than Capa. Your job as navigator was much more imperative than… whatever he would be doing. Capa was little more than a piece of glorified cargo; just coming along for the ride so that he could deploy the bomb. Which was important, of course - but he would have several months worth of time to catch up on sleep before he had to make himself useful, and-

You stopped yourself. That kind of thinking wasn't helpful. It was just nerves making you snap; you always felt tense the night before a mission. And this would be the longest one you had ever been on. Capa was probably feeling the same way, especially considering this was his first. You thought back to your first flight as a rookie, and felt yourself soften a little.

“So we're both going to be mature about this?” you asked.

“Yes,” Capa agreed, sighing as if it pained him.

“Good. Then go get ready for bed.”

You regretted the words as soon as you'd said them. They felt entirely too domestic. Too familiar. A lover telling her husband to come to bed with her.

Capa stood up, crossing paths awkwardly with you on his way to the bathroom. Once the door had shut behind him, you let out the breath you had been holding. Maybe this was going to be a long night.

While Capa got ready for bed, you crawled awkwardly under the covers. Picking a side so that neither of you would be able to argue about that, you settled in and pulled the blankets over your lap.

Capa stepped out, rustled in his bag for a minute, and then came to stand by his side of the bed.

“So, do I just…”

“Here,” you offered. “We can put a few pillows between us.”

The hotel bed had entirely too many of them anyways. You took a couple and placed them between the spaces that you and Capa would occupy, making a little wall.

Capa climbed into bed with you, a little hesitantly. He flicked off the lamp on his bedside table, and you did the same, plunging the room into inky black. 

In the dark, things felt suddenly more… intimate. Your eyes took a long minute to adjust, but when they did, you saw Capa. Still sitting propped up in bed next to you, just like you were as you stared back at him.

“This isn't so bad, right?” 

Your voice was barely a whisper. Capa’s response came at a similar volume. 

“I guess not,” he agreed.

“Let's try and get some rest.”

You sank down, snuggling into the mattress and the pillows at your side. Pressing into them almost felt like you were cuddling against Capa’s body; ironically, the makeshift barrier only made the bed feel more crowded.

“Stop wiggling,” Capa complained.

You bit your tongue. You wanted to snap at him, but you reminded yourself again that you were probably just both on edge. Something in Capa’s deep voice sounded almost miserable.

“Sorry,” you said instead. “Just trying to get comfortable.”

The only sound in the room was Capa’s breath. For some reason, it seemed like he was breathing a bit harder than usual.

“You okay?” you asked.

“Fine,” Capa replied, the word curt and short.

You sighed.

“Capa, why do you hate me so much?”

An uncomfortable silence hung between you. For a few seconds, you thought that he wasn't going to answer, and tried to think of how you could backpedal out of your question as you stared up at the ceiling.

“I don't hate you,” Capa said finally. “I just… you're distracting.”

“Distracting?” you echoed.

As far as you could remember, you had never done anything particularly distracting. At least not to any of your fellow crew members. The months you had spent together preparing for this mission were serious, and didn't leave much time for distractions of any kind.

“Don't worry about it,” Capa insisted, which only confused you more.

“What do you mean? Don't worry about being distracting, or don't worry about you calling me that?”

“Don't worry about any of it!” Capa groaned, suddenly exasperated.

“What's up with you?”

You propped yourself up on one elbow, leaning over the stack of pillows a bit to get a better look at him. Capa flinched, trying to hunch over himself. But it was too late. You had seen the obvious tent in the blankets.

“Oh. My. Gosh!” you squealed. “That's why you didn't want to sleep with me. You don't hate me at all. You like me.”

“Shut up!” Capa snapped, still trying to cover himself with his hands.

You smiled. This was too good. All those months you'd spent wondering what his deal was, and now it was so obvious. Capa had a crush on you. And a pretty big one, by the looks of it.

“It's nothing to be ashamed of, Capa,” you laughed. “You can admit that you like me.”

“I don't,” Capa insisted.

“I have a hard time believing that,” you murmured, eyes trailing down to his crotch.

“Look, don't tell anyone,” Capa begged.

“Why would I tell anyone?” 

You peeled the blankets back, taking the wall of pillows with them. Capa, in his shock, watched as the sheets fell away but did nothing to try and stop you. His hands were still clamped down over his erection, and you lifted them up to guide the blanket away.

“If I told someone,” you continued, “then I'd have to tell them about this…”

You leaned down, capturing his lips in a kiss. You felt Capa tense beneath you, sitting up slightly before he melted back into the pillows. You followed him, moving to straddle his waist and put your hands on his shoulders, holding him there.

“W-what are you doing?” Capa stammered.

You’d pulled back to look at him, and even in the darkness you could tell just how wide his eyes had blown.

“I dunno - what do you want me to do?” you teased.

Your fingers trailed up and down his chest, his breath hitching once as you reached the base of his neck.

“Well, you could get off of me, for starters,” he answered, voice wavering.

His deep voice, usually so smooth and clear, had taken on a desperate, slightly strained quality. You moved your fingertips over the hem of his shirt collar, teasing just beneath the fabric.

“Come on, Capa. Be honest,” you prodded. “What do you really want?”

“Fuck,” Capa whined.

“Fuck? We can fuck,” you agreed, voice lowering.

“Th-that’s not what I meant and you know it - Shit!”

Capa interrupted himself as you slid lower, centering your hips over his clothed erection. You rubbed against him, and he clenched his jaw, throwing his head back into the pillows.

“Fuck! How come you like me all of a sudden?” Capa hissed, slightly out of breath.

“Who said I ever didn’t like you?” you questioned, sliding your hands under his shirt.

Capa’s back arched against the mattress as your hands moved over his bare chest. You swore you heard him let out a little moan.

“You’re just doing this to torture me,” he accused.

“And what if I am?” You leaned in to whisper against his ear. “It seems like you kinda like it.”

Your gentle touches turned harsh; raking your nails down Capa’s chest. As he moaned again, you leaned in to capture it with a kiss. His lips slotted into yours, and Capa bit down, desperate. You hummed with your lower lip trapped between his teeth, still dragging your hips against him. Capa mumbled something, and you pulled away to hear him.

“Hm?”

“Please don’t make me come in my pants,” he groaned.

You lifted off of him a little, putting a stop to the friction between you. Capa groaned again, this time at the loss.

“Oh, okay,” you said mischievously. “Let's take you out of them, then.”

You moved to take off his shorts, pushing them down just enough to free his leaking cock. Capa had a pretty one, you had to admit. Even in the dark, you could see how it shined with small, milky beads of his arousal. As it sprang out from the confines of his boxers, Capa whined desperately.

“This too,” you said, tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Capa sat up to tear himself out of his t-shirt, and then started to pull off yours. Once you were both out of your shirts, your lips crashed together again, and Capa’s arms wrapped around your waist, pressing into your back to pull you closer.

“Hang on,” you breathed, pulling away to wrestle yourself out of your own shorts.

Tossing them to the side, you went back to straddling Capa, and pushed him back down to lie flat on the mattress. Your bodies were tantalizingly close together, hovering just on the edge of you sinking down onto his cock. Capa’s hands came up to rest on your sides - clearly wanting to touch your breasts but not daring to. You guided his left hand to cup one.

“Fuck,” Capa sighed again, digging his fingers into you.

“Be patient,” you scolded, giggling a little at the way Capa’s brow creased.

“Haven’t you played with me enough?” he moaned.

“I don’t think so, actually.”

You lowered yourself down just a bit, enough to let his tip brush through your folds. You were pretty wet already, but not quite enough to take him in yet. Pressing down more, you trapped his cock between yourself and his stomach, sliding up and down the underside of his length.

“Ah!” Capa gasped.

His fingers tightened on your breast, and you basked in the feel of his hands on you. The way your clit was rubbing against him with every stroke of your hips wasn’t so bad either, and you thought fleetingly that you might actually be able to get both of you off just like this. You considered it, but where was the fun in that?

You sat up, reaching down to position him so that it would only take one more stroke to enter you. You felt how wet you had gotten his shaft, just by rubbing against it, and laughed softly to yourself. Maybe you did like Capa a little more than you’d thought. As you swirled your hips, getting the head of his cock wet enough to slide into you, Capa lost what little remaining resolve he had.

“Fuck - please,” Capa whined.

“Please what?”

“You know what you’re doing, you jerk.”

“And?”

Capa bucked his hips beneath you, but you inched up and away from him, keeping his prize just out of reach.

“Tell me what you want,” you taunted. “You can use your words, right? Or am I ‘distracting’ you again?”

“Yes - it’s very fucking distracting to feel you dripping down my cock,” Capa moaned.

If he was trying to get to you, he would have to do better than that.

“Come on, just tell me. What do you want?”

“You! Fuck,” Capa grunted. “God, I want to be inside you.”

“There, was that so hard?” you laughed.

“Fuck you, you’re driving me crazy.”

He was speaking through clenched teeth, jaw straining once again as his eyes squeezed shut. The sight was enough to make you pulse, clenching around nothing. You had held back for long enough, you decided.

In one swift motion, you sank down onto his cock. The stretch was enough to make you hum, pleasure filling your chest as your walls wrapped around him. Capa was slightly less subtle, moaning loudly at the feel of you.

His desperate, needy sounds were like music to your ears. Slowly, you rocked your hips back and forth, keeping yourself pressed flush against him. Capa let out a breath.

“Don’t stop,” he begged you.

You didn’t plan on it. You kept your pace steady, stopping the rhythm every once in a while to swirl your hips.

As much as you were enjoying the sight of Capa falling apart beneath you, you needed more to help yourself over the edge. You brought your fingers down to your clit, letting the motion of your hips guide the pressure.

“Oh, I’m close,” you sighed.

Your eyes fluttered shut, and you tossed your head back. Capa’s hands were planted on your hips now, greedily pulling you down as far onto his cock as you would go. His voice was a mess as he answered.

“Me too - fuck - you're gonna need to get off of me.”

“Not yet,” you moaned, grinding your hips down again.

“What do you mean ‘not yet?’” Capa grunted, sounding miserable.

“So close,” you replied, your own voice getting shaky.

And then, you felt the coil in your stomach snap. You cried out, pressing down onto him harder than ever as your nails raked down his chest. While you rode out your high, Capa scrambled to grab at your hips and lift you all the way off of him.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck - get off!” he gasped.

As your orgasm faded, you looked down to see Capa, desperate and flushed-red cock in his hand, spurting ropes of cum onto his own stomach. He’d managed to pull you off just in time, but barely. A smirk crossed your lips as you watched him.

You weren’t sure what he was so worried about. As precaution, all female members of the Icarus crew had been required to have IUDs placed months ago. They would last the duration of the journey, and ensure that no mishaps occurred. Although, now you considered that maybe Capa and the other men hadn’t been told about that, to prevent… well, to prevent them from getting any ideas about doing what Capa and you had just done.

You crawled off of him, grabbing a box of tissues from one of the nightstands.

“Here - clean yourself off,” you told him. “I like to cuddle after.”

Capa took the tissues and wiped up his cum, tossing everything into the trashcan next to the bed. You flopped down on top of him, forcing his arms to wrap around you in surprise before they settled into the curves of your body.

Bringing his lips into a slow kiss, you felt the hum of Capa’s moan against you.

“You’re gonna kill me if this is what the next three years together are going to be like,” Capa complained.

“That’s a funny way of saying ‘thank you,’” you teased, resting your head against his chest. “And besides,” you continued, poking him in the ribs, “what makes you think that this is what the next three years are gonna be like?”

You could practically feel Capa blush, his arms tightening and the skin on his chest getting just a bit hotter.

“I mean…”

“I’m just kidding,” you laughed. “Of course I’m gonna keep torturing you like this. Since you like it so much,” you added.

“Yeah, well… maybe I’ll torture you instead next time,” Capa threatened, tugging you harder against him.

“You can try…” Bringing your lips back up to his face, you pressed a kiss to his cheek. “It’s kinda cute that you have the confidence.”

You giggled as Capa held the sides of your face, stopping you from pulling away as he kissed your lips. Both of you sank down, Capa turning to hover over you this time as he kissed you again. 

You smiled against his lips. You could certainly think of worse ways to spend the next few years.

Taglist: @cillianslvt, @cillmequick, @dynamitehacke, @franzine-xii, @hanawrites404, @hypotheticallyspeakingwitch, @littlewinter1917, @mothhball, @nnattu, @red-riding-wood, @sea-star-of-the-ocean, @slut4thebroken (also going rogue and tagging @vintagepvssy because of our only one bed trope conversation lol)

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

I think one of the things I most appreciate about OFMD is how it invites us to engage with it on its own terms, and doesn't bother with the things it's just not concerned with.

There's much to be said about the Cinema Sins effect in how people engage with media, and in how creatives will obsess over resolving "plot holes" and subverting audience expectations at the expense of good storytelling. I'm thinking about this today because I recently finished the new season of Doctor Who, and as a lifelong Doctor Who fan, I had a lovely time. It was often very campy and earnest and a bit overly-contrived in the way good sci-fi often is, and it had a core of emotional poignancy that really carried it and made the finale feel satisfying and worthwhile. And when I came on here and checked the tags to see what people were saying, I just kept rolling my eyes over how much of the discussion centered around plot holes and sci-fi science and the like when I just don't think the show was very concerned about that. Of course, people are free to engage with television in whatever way they like, but I do think there's a trend of of over-analyzing small and relatively unimportant elements instead of considering how the story works as a cohesive whole.

And I've been thinking about how there are so many criticisms and snarky pieces about the ending of The Last of Us video game which hinge around how the medical contrivance that makes the dilemma at the end possible is not realistic, and it always frustrated me deeply because who cares? It's not there to be realistic, it's there to force the protagonist to make a difficult choice between saving one person and saving a world which we've seen through the game is very often cruel. It forces us to ask if this world we've been exploring is worth saving at all. And I've been thinking about the famous "why didn't the eagles take the ring" nitpick of The Lord of the Rings -

And the obvious answer, to all of these things - why didn't the Doctor think of this solution before now, why did the writers not care about medical realism, why did the eagles not take the ring to Mordor...it's because they just fucking didn't, because that would fuck up the story they were trying to tell. But we do live in a media landscape that often seems to value these kinds of nitpicky things over good storytelling.

To me, that's a huge part of what makes OFMD so refreshing. It's entirely uninterested with allowing realism to come at the expense of the story, because it knows it's there to tell us a good fucking story. How does everyone find each other on dinghies in the middle of the ocean? How did Stede find the crew at the start of s2? How is Ed up and walking after being beaten to death? How is it you can survive a stab wound to the left side? Because that's how things work in this story, move along.

At the core of OFMD, there's this strong beautiful story about how the things we're taught about being a man are wrong, about the saving power of queer love and queer community, and the writers are just very uninterested in allowing that story to become compromised by nitpicking realism. OFMD revels in being anachronistic and doesn't mind that it's not reaistic, because it cares so deeply about portraying human emotions and relationships realistically. That's part of how it works so well. This show is unflinching and earnest and always commits 100% to what it's trying to do, and I just really appreciate that.

[iamnmbr3]

Cursed Child rant? as a treat? 👉👈

Oh god. Where to even start. Listen, I know some people enjoy CC and I say more power to you. I'm not here to be the fun police and say what people can and can't like or write fic about or derive meaning from or whatever. But for me, personally, Cursed Child is an absolute mess of the worst kind that irritates me on a profound level.

First off, it's completely inconsistent with the canon characterizations and established rules of world building (and JKR didn't even do that much world building so there wasn't that much to keep track of and yet, they couldn't even bother to do that). I mean, Cedric, who tried to give the Triwizard Cup to Harry doesn't win and that somehow causes him to become a Death Eater??? Huh? It's not just ooc. It's bad storytelling. I mean, even if he was a hugely sore loser why would losing a tournament cause him to join an extremist blood purist paramilitary group? That has nothing to do with him losing. It's stupid and childish and nonsensical and SO bad.

And really? That's the best you can come up with? If the point of that whole thing was the tired trope of 'time travel goes wrong and makes things worse' they could've just had the gang expose Crouch earlier but instead of Voldemort not returning he just ends up returning but not using Harry's blood which allows him to do his original plan of growing his power in secret. And idk. Maybe then he takes over and he kills Harry and Harry doesn't come back. I didn't even put any effort into that. It's a bit dumb and inelegant but it gets the job done without wild character assassination and a lack of logic so profound it would insult the reasoning abilities of a fungus.

But ok, let's judge it as its own vaguely Harry Potter inspired thing rather than as an actual sequel to the canon series. You know what the result is? IT'S STILL BAD. It's just. SO BAD. I don't understand how it's a real thing.

It's like a parody of a bad play. It can't possibly be real. Harry suddenly has a phobia of pigeons? Why??? It's so...stupid. And I'm supposed to take that seriously? What? And the dialogue. The dialogue. "Bad" doesn't even cover it. The fact that "Wow. Squeak. My geekness is a-quivering" is a real actual line in the actual play causes me physical pain. WHO WRITES THAT?! AND THEN LEAVES IT IN THE FINAL DRAFT?!?!?

And Delphi. WHAT EVEN?! She's literally like a parody of a bad fanfic Mary Sue. Down to the blue streak in her hair. But we're supposed to take her seriously? As a villain? Tf? She's like a bad Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way knockoff. The whole play is like an unfunny parody of bad writing. But it's not supposed to be. It actually pretends to be a genuine drama. Which is so much worse. I truly think My Immortal is better. And way funnier.

No effort at all went into the story construction. Characters act incredibly childishly and unrealistically and simplistically. The story doesn't feel like it was written by adults. There's no feeling or depth or emotion. It's all plot contrivances and nauseatingly simplistic writing. It isn't a story. It's just some stuff that happens. Because the writers were just like 'eh it's Harry Potter it'll sell.' And that's not art. That's just churned out content. And it bothers me on such a profound level that they did it and got away with it.

I would be embarrassed to write that for myself, let alone to turn that in as a professional writer. It's so inconsistent with the original story that I legitimately think the 2 guys who wrote it didn't even read the books. They just glanced at the wiki and decided they were good to go. Despite being PAID to do this. How sloppy is that? Not to mention Harry Potter meant so much to so many people who were ecstatic to get more content yet the two clowns who wrote this just skimmed the wiki and then vomited out some of the worst lines ever penned in history and called it a day.

[theharrowing]

Showstopper 📸 3: Nobody has ever made me feel this way

Hoseok knows the rumors.

Everyone in the industry knows the rumors.

Min Yoongi is a player. Min Yoongi is a snake. Stand in front of Min Yoongi’s camera, and you will be just another one of his victims – prey for him to use as he pleases and toss away when he gets bored.

📸 Hoseok x Yoongi

📸 word count: 18.7k

📸 strangers to lovers, model & photographer au, angst, smut, fluff, slash, nsfw, 18+

📸 warnings: Hoseok & Yoongi switch; they are both hot and cold & there is plenty of angst; footsie that turns to cockstepping; explicit discussion of sexual acts; jealousy; attempts at communication; dry humping; hair pulling; use of "good boy"; mouth spitting; blowjobs; deepthroating; a lot of drool; brief delicate cheek slapping; cum swallowing; some overstimulation; frotting; Yoongi is surprisingly submissive; sexual acts happen while somewhat under the influence but not drunk.

📸 notes: this chapter is very dialogue heavy!!! i hope some plot points don't feel too rushed or contrived, but i am trying to squeeze everything into my 4 planned chapters, since i have so much on my plate! 💜

📸 written for the BTS Found Fest!

📸 thanks to @neoneunnajimin for beta reading.

📸 posted jan. 2024 | read on ao3

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Hoseok cannot, for the life of him, pretend that kiss never happened. 

He may as well be drunk each day with the way he spaces out, misses instruction, and does not seem to be fully aware of his surroundings. He is clumsy, always staring at Yoongi's hands, and forgetting to change poses without being told. 

And to make matters worse, Yoongi's moodiness has ramped up. He is quick to snap his fingers and bark instructions. 

"Model," he will say, not using Hoseok's name, "get your head out of the fucking clouds, what is going on with you?"

With a shrug and maybe a yawn, Hoseok will sigh and bat his eyelashes. "Sorry, boss," he will make his voice soft and sweet as candy floss, "just tired this week."

The thing is, Hoseok is coasting until he finds out whether Dior wants more from him. He already has the cover and the money shots – the shit he is doing this week is all random filler images that Yoongi will keep a stock of in case he needs something for an ad. Random outfits, random backdrops, random accessories. 

Why he is bothering to do any of this right now seems pointless. It is almost as if Yoongi is just asking him to be around for the sake of having him around, and Hoseok finds it tedious. After his hot shot Dior campaign, he deserves a vacation. He wore a merkin, for fuck's sake. 

During the third day of this nonsense, Namjoon comes sighing into the makeup room, shaking his head. There are other models around, so he waits to get up close to Hoseok's ear to mutter, "You're really getting under his skin. Are you trying to get fired?"

Hoseok simply stares at him with one eyebrow raised. He knows Yoongi has told Namjoon about the kiss – he tells Namjoon about everything. 

Namjoon confirms that he at least knows something by rolling his eyes, shaking his head, and saying, "Well, he has asked me to invite you to dinner with him today so the two of you can speak."

"I have nothing to say to him," Hoseok says, holding out his perfectly manicured left hand to inspect whether his nails are still shiny and well-groomed – they are. "If he wants to invite me out, he can do it, himself."

On top of everything else, Hoseok is playing hard to get. If Yoongi wants to see or speak to him, he can earn the right. One does not barge into Hoseok's apartment, surprise him with a life-altering kiss, and then carry on like everything is fine. Absolutely not. 

He wants to annoy Yoongi by playing footsie with him under a restaurant booth, or seduce him up in his big, dark office, but not let him have anything more than another kiss. Just to show him that he is not fully in control. 

But he doesn't want to make it obvious to the other models. He has no desire to commiserate with them over the ways Yoongi has used them. 

Ultimately, Hoseok wants to come out on top – figuratively and literally. He wants to have Yoongi sprawled out across that big, leather-topped desk of his, moaning Hoseok's name in his deep, raspy timbre. That's the goal. 

Namjoon pulls out his phone and thumbs around, dimples on display as he smiles to himself. Hoseok likes it when Namjoon plays along with his cattiness, and he imagines that Namjoon is relaying his message to Yoongi. 

Meanwhile, models come and go, all shooting with different photographers throughout the massive studio space. Only Hoseok and Sunmi have Yoongi's attention, and Hoseok has been attempting to watch like a hawk to see if any flirtatious behavior is exchanged, but much to his chagrin, Sunmi only seems to be behind Yoongi's lens when Hoseok is busy getting his hair and makeup done. 

He wonders how many more models Yoongi will kiss this week. How many does he text to ask if they need a ride home? How many go out to lunch with him in secluded corner booths and shower at his home studio?

Whereas before, Hoseok thought he was catching feelings for Yoongi, now he is determined for it to be a power play only. He just wants to fuck him once to get it out of his system – mark up that round little ass of his. Then he can leave this whole stupid company behind. 

Hoseok is balls deep in a mental image of Yoongi bent over his large desk when he hears the man's voice cut through his imagination, bringing him back to reality.

"Hoseok."

Hoseok looks up to find Yoongi's head peeking into the room. Namjoon is still present, still on his phone, but Hoseok can tell by his expression – by the way his eyes are staring unmoving at the device – that he is definitely eavesdropping. 

"Yes, boss?" Hoseok asks with as much indifference as he can muster. 

"How would you like to come on a little field trip with me? Dior wants to discuss a second round of outfits, and I could use some dinner."

Hoseok stretches his back and lets out a deep sigh, then he slouches in his chair and shrugs, acting bored. "Sure. Sounds fun."

Rather than respond, Yoongi simply leaves the room. Hoseok stands to follow, but Namjoon stops him in his tracks. 

"Let's find you something nice to wear," he says.

Hoseok looks down at his favorite baby blue cropped tee and low-rise daisy duke denim shorts and says, "What are you talking about? I look amazing."

"I didn't say you didn't look amazing," Namjoon responds with a playful smile. "But I just think you should wear something a touch more put together."

By now, all of the models have left the room, and Namjoon closes the door. 

"Why?" Hoseok asks conspiratorially. "Is he taking me somewhere nice? Gonna butter me up? Or finally apologize? Maybe try to corner me for another stupid fucking kiss?"

With a sigh, Namjoon turns to a rack of black and white clothing and begins to search until he pulls out a black blazer, black slacks, and a delicate off-white silk blouse. Hoseok rolls his eyes dramatically but cannot hold back a smile as he strips down and allows Namjoon to play dress up. 

The blouse has a deep v-neck that hangs gracefully down to the valley of his pecs, and he wears the fitted blazer fully open, with the blouse tucked into tight, fitted slacks that are accentuated nicely with a black leather belt. Namjoon dusts a thin black line around Hoseok's eyes and chooses a pair of chunky black loafers for him to wear. 

While Namjoon is digging through a chest for jewelry pieces, there are three soft knocks on the door, followed by it slowly opening and Yoongi sticking his head back into the room. Hoseok stares at his boss, watching as his eyes widen and then settle back to their cold natural state. 

"We're just about finished, boss," Namjoon says. 

Yoongi heavy-blinks and nods once, then says, "I'll be in the car."

Hoseok is no fool – he knows that behavior well. "He wants me so bad," he says, giggling to himself while cold metal is draped around his neck and fastened into place. 

Namjoon has chosen a stack of delicate gold chains that drape and cascade beautifully with the deep neck of the blouse. Hoseok dances his fingertips along one of the thickest chains and smiles into the mirror. 

"Joonie Baboonie, you have such an eye for style."

"Baboonie?" Namjoon asks with a chuckle as Hoseok spins on his toes and pats Namjoon on one of his big, strong biceps. 

"Yes, Baboonie! You got this primal ape thickness to you," he says, giving Namjoon's arm a squeeze. 

Namjoon gasps and yanks his arm away, pretending to be scandalized. "I don't even know what to think right now."

"Trust me, it's a compliment," Hoseok says as he turns toward the door, looking over his shoulder to add, "You're easily one of the hottest men on this peninsula."

The tips of Namjoon's ears turn a precious shade of red, and Hoseok grabs his phone, wallet, and keys from where they sit on the vanity counter and slide them into his borrowed pockets, giggling to himself over how fun it is to rile Namjoon up. 

He takes his time walking through the studio, to the large front doors ahead, listening to shutters snap closed while photographers and directors instruct and praise and ask more from their models. Despite feeling fed up with Yoongi's antics, he is proud to be part of this world, and he holds his head high as he pauses before the sliding glass doors and waits for them to open wide. 

It is early evening, still bright and warm outside. Hoseok spots the familiar sedan sitting curbside and is pleased to find only Yoongi waiting for him. He can play coy all he wants in the presence of others, but he is not so sure he can hold up the facade around Seokjin, and the man's absence is a relief. 

Yoongi wears a black mask over his nose and mouth, as well as black sunglasses, and when Hoseok opens the door and slides into the front seat, Yoongi points to the glove compartment and says, "Disguise, please."

Now that Hoseok is alone with Yoongi, he fully takes in his appearance. Between being photographed by him earlier in the day and now, he has changed from his typical flowing black rags into a white button-up top with long, sharp lapels, and charcoal grey slacks that strain against his thighs. His hair has so much volume that the tips fan out in pretty waves, and Hoseok openly stares, feeling his feigned impassiveness crash down around him. 

There is no way he is going to be able to have the upper hand if Yoongi is this fucking pretty. 

"Hoseok," Yoongi says, "we don't have all day."

Hoseok clears his throat, blinks Yoongi from view, and leans to open the glove compartment. Inside is a pair of black sunglasses and an unused black mask, and he reaches for each item to put on.

"Why the disguises?" he asks. 

"I don't like my identity being widely spread, and there always seems to be someone in the high-end districts waiting for me to waltz into a shop or restaurant. Better safe than sorry."

"Why is that?" Hoseok asks, adjusting the mask to fit comfortably over his nose.

Yoongi sighs. "The last thing I need is for the press to see me taking my models out to eat and spread the word that I'm fucking them."

"Because you are," Hoseok mutters. 

"Flirting is not the same as fucking."

Hoseok rolls his eyes and tips his head in Yoongi's direction. His voice is low but challenging as he asks, "How many of them do you fuck, boss?"

It is a shame Yoongi's face is covered; Hoseok would love to see his expression as he says, "Currently, none."

With a hum, Hoseok turns to reach for his seatbelt. He does not believe Yoongi for a second, but he is still happy with the claim. 

"Where are we off to?" Hoseok asks in a far more chipper voice.

Yoongi sighs, turning Hoseok's attention back to him. He has his sunglasses pulled down to the bridge of his nose, and his eyes appear somewhat sad. 

"Look, I'm sorry for kissing you. I should have asked…or…I don't know…refrained."

"Yup," Hoseok responds snarkily.

"But we need to at least pretend things are normal, for the sake of professionality. Otherwise I will not be able to continue having you at M Magazine. I really don't want to let you go, Hoseok."

"Because I'm a good investment. I know."

Another sigh. "Is that really how you feel?"

Hoseok rolls his eyes again, thankful that his expression is hidden, because he suddenly feels dangerously close to crying. He takes his time to think about his response, and then he shrugs. Yoongi is fucking insane if he thinks Hoseok is going to give him an ounce of his dignity.

"I thought we didn't have all day?" he asks, instead.

Yoongi slowly blinks, then says, "We have time for this. If there's something we need to discuss, I can always make time for it."

"Wow, so caring," Hoseok drawls sarcastically. "You're really good at putting on the good boy act when it's just the two of us. How many other models do you do this for?"

Yoongi squints, pushes his sunglasses back into place, and presses the ignition start button. Then he simply asks, "Sushi?"

"Sushi sounds great," Hoseok responds genuinely as he sits back and looks out the windshield, eyes trailing over details he barely registers of vehicles and trees. 

Off they drive. Hoseok spaces out entirely, blocking out everything ahead. Instead, he fights with his own emotions, unsure how he would like to proceed. 

He wants to tease Yoongi, and ultimately break him down. And in order to do so, he knows he needs to drop the snark. But Yoongi has genuinely pissed him off, and it is difficult not to bring it up. 

When the racing thoughts get to be too overwhelming, Hoseok reaches into his pocket and takes out his phone. He has Namjoon's number saved from their spa day, and he pulls up his contact.

Hoseok Joon Baboon, this man is driving me insane. Please snitch on your bestie and tell me what he said about The Kiss™. I feel claustrophobic in this car because I don't know what the fuck this man is thinking.

Hoseok assumes Namjoon is still at work, but there is a chance he is between models, or packing up for the day. It is rare for anyone to stay past five, and it is a quarter to five now. 

For good measure, he also sends a text to Jeongguk. He is eager to pick his friend's brain if Jeongguk is willing to talk about his experience with Yoongi. 

Hoseok Ggukieee!!! Drinks later? On me? I'm having a crisis that only you could understand.

He places his phone face down on his leg and patiently waits, staring out the side window at all the tall glass and concrete buildings. This side of the city is where all the money is. Designer shops, high-end restaurants, five-star hotels. 

Yoongi pulls up to a valet stand, takes a deep, slow breath, and shuts the ignition off. Hoseok swallows thickly, wondering if there really might be members of the press lingering around, waiting to photograph his boss – and, by extension, him. 

As soon as Yoongi is out of the car, Hoseok follows suit, unbuckling and slowly opening his door. He has no idea why his heart pounds, and he glances around at his surroundings, noticing the way people stop and take in his appearance. 

"For Min," Yoongi says as he hands the valet attendant his key. 

The attendant bows and Yoongi turns to Hoseok, nods his chin, and walks toward a large glass door. 

Hoseok follows close behind, trying to elongate his steps to accentuate the beautiful garments he wears rather than prance ahead quickly. He feels like royalty in the outfit Namjoon has dressed him in, and he intends to savor each second he spends in it.

Yoongi holds the door open, and Hoseok steps inside. Immediately, he is hit with rich umami and spicy scents, and he stops and waits for Yoongi to step ahead and say, "Two for Min," to the hostess.

"Right this way," she says, leading the two of them through a lavish restaurant furnished in gold, crystal, and jade, with copious amounts of natural lighting. 

She leads them to a section of private booths with tall wooden walls – an area that is much more dim and intimate than the main dining hall – and she points to a booth all the way at the end. There are no other patrons in this area of the restaurant, yet Yoongi only removes his sunglasses once they are seated. 

"The usual?" she asks, and Yoongi turns his attention to Hoseok. 

"I usually get an assortment of sashimi, as well as inari, miso soup, and sake."

"That sounds good," Hoseok mutters, feeling inexplicably shy as he removes his sunglasses and scoots to the center of the booth. 

"The usual, for two," Yoongi nods to the hostess, who bows and walks away. He busies himself with unfolding his napkin and placing it over his lap, and then pulls out his cell phone. 

Hoseok pulls his phone out, as well. And in that moment, it vibrates.

Joon Baboon All he said was that he made a mistake. He feels like he broke your trust and pissed you off, and for that, he feels guilty. 

Hoseok rolls his eyes and bites his lip to prevent from smiling. 

Hoseok Is that what this fancy as fuck sushi dinner is about?

Joon Baboon You didn't hear it from me…

Hoseok  The magic words!!! 

Joon Baboon But, yes. 

"About Dior," Yoongi says, causing Hoseok to set his phone down on the booth beside his leg and lift his attention to his boss. "Technically, the contract is over if you are pleased with all we have done. But they have reached out to express interest in having you model the upcoming winter line."

"Oh?" Hoseok perks up and folds his hands over his lap, watching as Yoongi pulls the mask from his mouth and neatly sets it aside. 

Yoongi is devastatingly pretty with his hair wild and curly. Especially with the crisp white shirt, his skin looks petal soft, and his lips have a slight gloss – kissable and sweet. Hoseok hates how quickly one look can make every wall he attempts to build around his heart buckle and crumble to his feet. 

"Cardigans, hoodies, handbags," Yoongi continues, "possibly sneakers. Oh, and they have a grey wide-legged wool pant that I believe you would be particularly stunning in, if that interests you."

Hoseok licks his lips and nods. For once, he has nothing snarky to say, and instead, he sits back and takes a deep breath. More Dior means more time spent with Yoongi acting as his agent. He feels conflicted. 

"Would this be something we begin soon?" Hoseok asks, suddenly feeling antsy and shifting in his seat. "Or would we draw up a new contract?"

Yoongi studies his face, then leans forward with his elbows on the table. "What would you like to do? Continue the current contract and get all of that out of the way, or pause with Dior in order to find representation with a more permanent agent?"

Hoseok gently nibbles on the inside of his lip. He figures he may as well be honest with Yoongi, despite how much he loathes putting his feelings on display.

Luckily for him, a server approaches with a tray of water and sake. Hoseok busies himself with pouring small glasses of sake while the server excuses themself. He can feel Yoongi watching him, and he swallows back his anxiety as best as he can.

"In the event that Dior keeps thirsting for my good looks, I think I would like to find a more permanent agent."

He glances up and sees Yoongi watching him, chin resting against his folded hands.

"S-so, if you wouldn't mind putting me in touch with some," Hoseok continues, pulse quickening the longer Yoongi stares, "I would appreciate it."

"Alright," Yoongi says. "I can set up some interviews for this week."

"Thanks, boss," Hoseok mutters as he slides a soju glass forward.

"Any particular reason you are eager to pay money for representation?" Yoongi asks in a teasing voice as he reaches for his glass before Hoseok has a chance to let it go.

The warm graze of Yoongi's fingers makes Hoseok swallow thickly and pull his hand away. Yoongi's signature smirk is back, and it fills his tummies with butterflies and regret.

"Maybe," is all Hoseok is willing to say. 

 Yoongi hums, then lifts his glass, waiting for Hoseok to lift his, as well. 

"How much sake will it take until you comfortably tell me what's on your mind?" he asks.

Hoseok scoffs, referring to the other night as he says, "At least three bottles."

Yoongi lifts an eyebrow and softly chuckles. They tap their glasses together, and Hoseok shoots the liquid back, savoring the almost buttery quality that shines through the semi-sweet flavor.

"How much will it take for you to be honest about your intentions with me?" Hoseok tries. 

Yoongi lets out a slow exhale. "My intentions are to assist you with finding an agent to represent you for the rest of your brand contracts, and to continue assisting you with putting your best face forward in the hottest magazine in South Korea."

Hoseok hums and licks his lips. He wants to challenge Yoongi further, but he worries that this is not the place for that.

The booth rattles with an incoming text message, and Yoongi's eyes follow the sound, then lift to Hoseok, asking, "You gonna check that?"

Hoseok rolls his eyes and laughs humorlessly to himself, reaching for his phone. "You're insufferable," he mutters under his breath. 

"Well, you aren't willing to speak openly with me," Yoongi quips, "so you may as well entertain yourself somehow."

Hoseok tongues the inside of his cheek as he lifts his phone, sees that it is a message from Jeongguk, and unlocks his screen to read it.

"Do you like wasabi in your soy sauce?" Yoongi asks, and Hoseok flicks his gaze up briefly, annoyed with his sudden change in topic. 

"Sure," he says, dropping his gaze down to his phone. 

Ggukie Bun Drinks sound fun, but idk how much I wanna talk about that man…you'll have to loosen me up quite a bit to get me to spill, hyungie.

He sends a quick response—

Hoseok You got yourself a deal, bunny. I'll hit you up when I'm finished with dinner.

—and slides his phone into his pants pocket before leaning forward with his elbows against the table.

"You want me to talk?" Hoseok challenges, keeping his voice low in case there are people sitting in nearby booths. "Alright, boss, I'll talk about anything you want. Pick my brain, since you're so eager."

Yoongi smirks and the sight alone has Hoseok's frustration reaching an all new high. The audacity of this man to push his buttons so much; he is going to lose his fucking mind. 

Hoseok watches as Yoongi uses his chopsticks to mix a dollop of wasabi into a small square dish that he has poured soy sauce into, eyes glued to his long fingers cradling the black lacquered utensils.

"So, you're saying I don't have to spend eight hundred thousand won on booze to get you to open up?" Yoongi teases as he lays his chopsticks down across an empty dish. 

"Eight hundred—" Hoseok gasps, then looks at the ceramic carafe in the center of the table. "What?"

"I know, one hundred and thirty thousand won is a lot for just one bottle, but I rather like how smooth this one is."

Hoseok chuckles and shakes his head. "You cannot be serious."

Yoongi's voice drops an octave as he leans forward and says, "Don't think I wouldn't spend that kind of money on you, Hoseok. Especially if it gets those pretty lips talking."

All the little hairs on Hoseok's body stand at full attention. He has half a mind to excuse himself to run outside for some fresh air. 

"Pretty lips?" Hoseok asks, instead, unable to hide the tremble in his voice. 

Yoongi's smirk becomes a grin, and there is a devious glimmer in his eyes as he says, "I quite liked the taste of soju on your tongue, but I bet this sake would be even better."

Nervous laughter rocks through Hoseok's chest, and he holds his left hand up and shakes his head, muttering, "Okay, you need to stop."

"Awe, what's the matter, Hoseok?" Yoongi teases.

"I am so fucking serious."

Yoongi sits back, resting his hands on the top of the dark wooden table, and Hoseok allows himself to stare at his short, tidy nails and knobby knuckles. 

"Is that why you no longer want me to be your agent?" Yoongi asks. "Eager for another kiss?"

"Fuck it," Hoseok grumbles to himself as he sits tall, looks Yoongi in the eye, and says, "Yeah. That is why."

Yoongi watches Hoseok, eyes trailing from his eyes to his lips and back up. He appears to have something to say, but for once, is holding back. 

Servers approach with trays of food, starting with the miso soup and inari, then the sashimi. Hoseok thanks the servers, smiles impatiently at Yoongi, and then waits for him to start eating. 

But Yoongi keeps his eyes on Hoseok. He slowly blinks, saying nothing, and Hoseok takes a deep, fortifying breath and says, "Yoongi-ssi, I would like to eat. Please start."

"Sorry," Yoongi utters softly, lifting his burgundy napkin and tucking one corner delicately into the neck of his shirt. 

Hoseok rolls his eyes and sits back with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest. Whatever game Yoongi is playing at, it is wearing him out. 

"I was just thinking," Yoongi says as he reaches for his small bowl of soup and lifts it to his lips. He blows delicately at the broth and says, "Seokjin may have room to represent you."

Hoseok sits forward and reaches for his own small black plastic bowl with red along the rim, and he lifts it to his lips. "Seokjin works as an agent?"

Yoongi sips at his soup and closes his eyes. A smile graces his lips, and Hoseok forgets for a moment how hungry he is – all he can do is stare.

"Seokjin started out as my in-house agent," Yoongi says as his eyelids flutter open. "But then he got bored of dealing with fussy models and slowly transitioned to becoming my assistant. Sorry, my goon."

A hint of a smile tugs at Hoseok's lips before he can stop himself. He has a sip of the miso soup, and the rich, savory broth instantly warms him, sending a chill along his spine as he adjusts to the sudden change in temperature. 

With another salty sip, a small square of tofu glides between his lips and practically melts on his tongue, and Hoseok understands why Yoongi reacts the way he does to savoring this soup. It really is delicious, and the perfect starter to the meal. 

"I'm not sure he would enjoy me, then," Hoseok jokes, holding the bowl close to his lips. Steam rises from the broth, and he enjoys the way it dances over his skin. "I'm pretty fussy."

Yoongi chuckles, shakes his head, and mutters, "You're not that bad," before having another sip. 

Hoseok sets his half-finished soup aside and reaches for his chopsticks. The inari is calling his name, and he reaches for a piece while Yoongi sets his empty soup bowl down, and he dips it rice-side-down into the soy sauce and wasabi.

Although inari is a simple dish of sticky rice tucked inside a soft, fried pocket of bean curd, there is a semi-sweetness to it that, paired with soy and wasabi, is quite delicious. He does his best to only bite the edge of it, leaning over his bowl to catch stray grains of rice that fall. 

He alternates between nibbles of the inari and slices of sashimi, hardly taking his eyes off the table until the meal is nearly finished. Yoongi fills the glasses of sake, and he stands slightly to reach across the table and set Hoseok's close to him. 

With Yoongi hovering over the table, looming over Hoseok, the breath catches in Hoseok's throat. He watches as Yoongi smiles slightly and licks his lips, then settles back in his seat.

"How many models are you regularly kissing and flirting with?" Hoseok asks, reaching for his sake.

Yoongi shakes his head, and mutters, "Hoseok—"

"I'm serious," Hoseok interrupts, sitting tall in his seat. "Whatever it is you're doing with me, I don't want it if this is something you're doing with someone else, too. The rides home and gentle knee touches…all of it. I'm serious."

"I'm not taking anyone else on dinner dates or squeezing anyone else's knee," Yoongi insists. "The only other model I am spending time with is Sunmi, but I am not eager to piss off her partner."

"But if she were single—" Hoseok attempts. 

Yoongi shuts him down, "No, Hoseok." He snickers and reaches for his cup of sake. "Not even if she were single."

Hoseok raises his eyebrow. "You aren't fucking Seori?"

At this, Yoongi chuckles. "Did Namjoon tell on me?" When Hoseok says nothing, he continues, "Seori and I had a fling once."

"When?"

"Months ago."

Hoseok tongues the inside of his mouth. "How many months ago?"

Yoongi lifts his sake and shoots it back, then reaches for the carafe to give himself a refill. "Hoseok, you and I shared one kiss. That hardly gives you grounds to interrogate me."

With a heavy sigh, Hoseok extends his right foot, reaching until he feels the toe of his loafer make gentle contact with the side of Yoongi's leg. Yoongi looks down, then up, and raises an eyebrow.

"You intend to share more than just one kiss with me," Hoseok challenges, scooting forward and rubbing his toe higher. "Don't you?"

Yoongi swallows visibly. "This is hardly appropriate behavior to conduct with your boss, Hoseok."

"You started it," Hoseok says plainly, dancing the edge of his shoe against Yoongi's knee. "Call Seokjin. Ask him to represent me."

Yoongi dances his tongue between his teeth as he watches Hoseok. Then he rolls his eyes, reaches one hand below the table, and grazes his fingertips over the joint of Hoseok's ankle. Despite it being a light, innocuous touch, Hoseok's exhale comes out a bit shaky, and he sets down his neglected cup of sake. 

"What is it that you want, exactly?" Yoongi asks. 

He scoots forward, causing Hoseok's shoe to graze his inner thigh. And despite how unaffected Yoongi seems by the movement, Hoseok's heart pounds at the thought. 

"I don't know," Hoseok lies, taking a deep breath and stretching his leg forward. 

Hoseok can feel the moment the toe of his shoe very lightly grazes Yoongi's crotch. Yoongi's lips gently part, and Hoseok knows he must look ridiculous with his mouth hanging halfway open, but it is the only way he can hope to breathe; the air feels far thicker than it had moments ago. 

"You don't know?" Yoongi challenges, scooting forward again. 

The bottom of Hoseok's loafer presses firmly against Yoongi's crotch, and at the same time, both men gasp. Yoongi's eyelids flutter ever so slightly while Hoseok's mouth and eyes widen. 

Yoongi tips his head to the side and asks, "Then what are you doing?"

"Fucking with you," Hoseok mutters before he can stop himself. "Wanted to see how far I could push you."

"Ah," Yoongi responds, resting a hand against Hoseok's shoe while the other pushes the hem of his pants upward to gently grab his ankle, skin against skin. "Well, you have yet to reach your limit."

A server approaches, and Hoseok instinctively attempts to yank his leg away, but Yoongi holds his foot in place with one hand while tugging the napkin from where it is tucked into his shirt and draping it over Hoseok's shoe. 

"Is there anything more I can bring you tonight?" the server asks, glancing between Yoongi, Hoseok, and what is left of their meal. 

"One more bottle should be good," Yoongi says, leaning forward and pressing himself against the sole of Hoseok's shoe while grabbing the sake carafe to give it a shake. 

There seems to be liquid inside, and Yoongi reaches with his other hand, silently asking Hoseok for his cup. 

"One more bottle coming right up," the server says as they turn to walk away. 

Hoseok watches Yoongi, feeling trapped in place and dumbfounded, foot lodged between Yoongi's thighs. 

"Cup?" Yoongi asks, making Hoseok heavy-blink and reach for his sake.

Hoseok slams back the drink, sighing through the sudden onslaught of very tasty liquid. He holds his cup out toward Yoongi, cradling it delicately in the fingers of both hands while Yoongi fills it with more clear sake.

He fills his own cup next, sets down the carafe, and lifts the cup. "To finding you an agent," he says with a grin.

Hoseok lifts his cup and nods, then shoots the liquid back. He reaches for the carafe, but Yoongi tuts his tongue against the roof of his mouth, insisting on being the one to handle it. 

By the time the server returns, the sake is gone, and a new carafe is set between them. Yoongi does not seem to notice the fact that Hoseok's shoe is still in place between his legs, and Hoseok makes no move to drop it. 

"Ah, right," Yoongi says after pouring them another glass. "I forgot that I have business to attend to."

Hoseok watches as Yoongi pulls out his phone, tipping his head to the side curiously. 

Yoongi thumbs around, then holds the phone to his ear, eyes on Hoseok as he smiles and says, "Seokjin…might I ask you for a favor?"

* * *

The second round of sake renders the two of them unable to swing by Dior and peruse their winter line. Or, perhaps the game of footsie distracted them from their goal. Likely, it is a combination of both. 

Hoseok opts not to get dropped off at home first, which is a mistake. Jeongguk is already at their favorite dive bar, and he watches as Hoseok gets out of Yoongi's vehicle, undoubtedly clocking the way he stumbles as his legs remember how to walk. 

To make matters worse, Yoongi must notice Hoseok wave to Jeongguk, who sits directly behind where Hoseok stands, on a rickety metal chair on the bar patio, smoking a cigarette while wearing a skin-tight black shirt tucked into baggy black pants. 

"You know him?" Yoongi asks, turning back to Hoseok, who pats his pockets down to make sure he has everything, standing beside the open passenger door. Yoongi wears the mask over his mouth, but his eyes are visible.

"I do," Hoseok says. "Why? Do you?"

Yoongi studies Hoseok briefly, then says, "He looks like someone I've photographed before."

"Interesting!" Hoseok chirps, drawing out the syllables.

"Something tells me you already know about this," Yoongi grumbles somewhat defensively. 

Hoseok grins, sarcastically asking, "No…why would you think that?"

"Drink water," Yoongi says with a hint of concern that breaks through the annoyance in his eyes, clearly eager to change the topic and leave. "And text me if you need a ride home."

Hoseok sighs and waves Yoongi off, muttering, "I can take care of myself," then he closes the door and stumbles onto the sidewalk, giggling as he nearly trips over his own feet. 

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jeongguk grumbles as Hoseok approaches.

Hoseok is definitely more than tipsy, but he blames his giddiness for his inability to function properly. Seokjin had agreed over the phone to represent Hoseok, meaning once they sign a new contract, Hoseok will feel more confident to pursue his pretty boss. 

He also felt Yoongi become rock-hard under his shoe, but that is a detail he does his best to block out for the time being. That one he will unpack later, once he is home alone. 

"Business dinner," Hoseok responds, doing his best to act sober. He plops himself down in a chair across from Jeongguk and sighs dramatically, wishing he had a glass of water.

"Business dinner?" Jeongguk parrots incredulously. "Dressed like that? Stumbling around drunk? Be serious. I thought you were in crisis mode?"

"I am in peak crisis mode," Hoseok insists. "And anyway, Namjoon dressed me like this. Doesn't he have good taste."

"Namjoon," Jeongguk says in a dreamy tone, lips tugging into a smile. "Should have let him rail me, instead. He was way nicer."

"I bet you still could," Hoseok mutters, fighting the urge to take out his phone and text Namjoon to ask if he would be interested.

Jeongguk looks out into the distance, doe eyes bright and shining. Then he shrugs, and says, "Maybe some other time," and sits back, taking a drag of his diminishing cigarette. "So, what did you want to discuss?"

"Well, Ggukie, I was wondering if you would be open to telling me about what happened between you and my boss."

Jeongguk takes a sharp inhale of nicotine and holds it in. Then he shakes his head and blows a plume of smoke out toward the street. "Nah. Too sober."

Hoseok rolls his eyes and stands up quickly, holding his hand out to Jeongguk while saying, "Let's fix that."

* * *

Two bars and several rounds of shots later, Jeongguk and Hoseok are sitting on the couch in the back of some dingy neighborhood haunt that only people in their mid-twenties seem to patronize. Hoseok has his legs up on a low, wooden table on which neglected pint glasses of water sit creating rings of condensation around their bases, and Jeongguk has his legs draped over Hoseok's lap.

"It was just little shit at first, you know?" Jeongguk mutters, eyes half-squinted in part because there are several bright neon beer signs just to the right of Hoseok's head giving off a greenish-blueish glow. 

Hoseok nods.

"Little touches here and there, using pet names and favoritism, asking me to come to his office, inviting me to his studio. He took it slow at first, as if to suss out whether I was interested. But of course I was interested. I mean, you've fucking seen him."

Hoseok nods a little more emphatically; he absolutely has seen him.

"But then he got really assertive, pressing against me in his office, muttering shit like," Jeongguk's voice drops to a low, mocking octave, "we shouldn't be doing this, and, you drive me crazy, and, I can't keep my hands off you."

Hoseok remembers Yoongi cornering him in the makeup room. But you understand why we can’t do that, yes?

"Then one thing led to another, and he had me draped over the couch of his studio with his tongue in my ass."

"Oh my god," Hoseok mutters, in part because he was not expecting this conversation to veer into this territory so abruptly and in part because he has sat on that couch several times!

Jeongguk says nothing more, only stares ahead as if whatever he is searching for is lightyears away. 

"So…" Hoseok attempts, "then what?"

With a loud sigh, Jeongguk says, "Then we started fucking. Often. At his place, in his office, in the restroom at a fancy sushi spot."

"Oh my god," Hoseok mutters once more, eyes widening while staring out at the busy bar but not looking at anything in particular. "He took me to a fancy sushi spot."

"I've never had someone so eager to make me cum, like…god, the shit that man does. I pretty much stayed prepped and ready to bottom at all times."

"He was always in control?" Hoseok asks.

"Always. And it was amazing until it wasn't. Some girl named Seori was hired and he dropped me like a sweet potato."

Hoseok frowns, turning his gaze to Jeongguk. "Awe, Ggukie. Not a sweet potato."

Jeongguk nods slowly, nibbling on the inside of his mouth. "I know I shouldn't have taken it personally, but it was…it was a lot. He always said he wasn't into relationships but it was hard not wanting more from someone who made me feel so good."

Hoseok heavy-blinks, gazing around the bar, at people standing and sitting, talking and shouting about this or that. He idly traces his fingertips over the hems of Jeongguk's baggy jeans, trying to sort out what he should do. 

On the one hand, he really wants to try to make Yoongi hand over control and grovel for him. But he also feels sad for his friend.

Jeongguk seems to have gotten lost in his mind again, and Hoseok is no better. He still has so many questions, but it is hard to pull any one of them coherently to the surface. 

Finally, Jeongguk sits up straight, removing his legs from Hoseok's lap while muttering, "I think I'm going to venture out and find a sweet potato vendor."

"Okay," Hoseok says, mind still swirling with all the new information. He is definitely drunk enough to call it a night, but he also considers joining Jeongguk on his quest. "Yeah, okay, I think I would also like a sweet potato."

As Hoseok and Jeongguk venture out into the night, the details of events become foggy. He stumbles down the sidewalk for an indeterminate amount of time, and suddenly he is at a food cart, pulling notes from his wallet in exchange for a piping hot, foil-wrapped sweet potato. 

Next, he is at a small metal table sitting next to Jeongguk, typing a haphazard text message to Namjoon that reads, Eating a sweet potato and thinking of you. Because you are semi-sweet and also thicc. You and Jeongguk would make a cute couple btw!

Then he is shivering, still at the same small table, answering a phone call from Yoongi. He hugs his arms around himself tight while Jeongguk stumbles off into the night, toward his apartment two blocks away – also in the direction Hoseok lives. 

"You sure you don't need a ride?" Yoongi asks, voice deep and caring. 

"I'm like three blocks away," Hoseok insists, getting up to stumble in the direction of his drunk friend. "It would take you longer to come to me than it would take me to walk there."

Yoongi hums. “At least stay on the phone with me while you walk?”

Hoseok grins, ignoring the fluttering of his heart as he mutters, “Geez, obsessed with me, much?”

"Excuse me for caring," Yoongi responds, sounding somewhat affronted.

Hoseok chuckles and walks slowly, watching his feet meet brick, attempting but failing to step on as few cracks as possible. He smiles and says, "I don't know, I'm drunk enough that I might start saying regrettable things."

There is a pause, followed by, "Such as…?"

"Such as that I know you used to fuck my friend," Hoseok giggles, squeezing his eyes closed for a second because he knows he must have pushed Yoongi's buttons. "He told me all about your moves, Yoongi, and how you pretty much used the same formula that you're using with me. Which begs the question…which cute newcomer will take my spot, and how long do I have before I'm dropped like a hot little sweet potato?"

The sigh on the other end of the line is so audible, Hoseok can picture the downturn in Yoongi's eyes and the way his lips slightly frown while he is thinking. 

When he says nothing, Hoseok continues, "See, I warned you," dragging each vowel out dramatically.

"And what would you like me to say, Hoseok? Shall I call Jeongguk and apologize to him?"

"Nah," Hoseok responds, glancing up at brick buildings, pleased that he is still stumbling the correct way. "That would just piss him off."

Ahead, Jeongguk has stopped to lean against a tree and light a cigarette, and Hoseok makes note of the way his flat tummy curves from the way he stands slightly hunched over before his hips are swallowed whole by baggy jeans. He pictures Yoongi's large hands pressing on those hips, and the way Jeongguk must have gasped so sweetly. 

Then, Hoseok shakes his head, attempting to dispel the thought; he needs to get laid.

"But you have some reason for bringing this up?" Yoongi asks. 

With a sigh, Hoseok says, "I just hate to think my days are numbered. It's exciting to have caught your attention, but it seems," he drags the word out playfully, "that your attention is fleeting."

"We can talk about this when we're both sober," Yoongi mutters lowly.

Not wanting Jeongguk to overhear Hoseok talking to Yoongi, he stops in his tracks. Sadness sweeps over him, and his body undulates like overcooked pasta ever so slightly in place. Although the sweet potato has bought him a little time before blacking out, he is still quite drunk.

"Are we doing anything productive tomorrow?" Hoseok whines. "These last few days of random shoots have felt pointless, and…I might throw up."

"You might throw up tonight from being drunk, or tomorrow from being bored?" Yoongi clarifies. 

"Honestly…" Hoseok screws up his face, thinking it over. "Both."

Yoongi chuckles. "I can't believe my top model is calling in sick because he was out drinking all night."

Hoseok is quick to push the blame. "You got me drunk first!"

Yoongi laughs, and it is a pretty, rich deep melody that causes Hoseok to sway. Then he says, "Seok…you know tomorrow is Saturday, right?"

Relief washes over Hoseok, and he nearly stumbles to his knees. "Oh, thank god."

"I would like to see you briefly, tomorrow, though," Yoongi adds. "If you are available. Seokjin would like to iron out a contract and have everything set in stone as quickly as possible so that he can move forward with your next round of Dior shoots. We can meet up in the evening, if you prefer?"

Ahead, Jeongguk has continued to walk home, so Hoseok continues, as well. 

"Were these random ass shoots just your excuse to keep seeing me?" Hoseok asks coyly. 

"Hoseok," Yoongi drawls, making Hoseok inhale deeply as a tingle works over his body from the sound. He hums in response, and Yoongi continues, "Please stay on topic. Will you be available to sign the contract tomorrow?"

Hoseok grins. "Only if you can admit that you kept me around this week just to see me."

"I would rather talk about my feelings for you once we are sober and you have that contract with Seokjin signed."

"Your feelings for me," Hoseok mutters, mostly to himself. 

There is a pause, followed by Yoongi asking, "Are you home yet?"

Hoseok stares at the silhouettes of trees and square buildings ahead, the darkness broken by glowing street lamps. "One more block,"

"I could have picked you up by now."

Hoseok sighs. "You totally could not have. And anyway, I wanted to walk."

"Were you dishonest about how far the walk is? Or are you having a more leisurely stroll than usual?"

"Jeongguk stopped ahead and I didn't want to catch up to him while on the phone with you."

Yoongi sighs. "How long have you known that Jeongguk and I have a past?"

In far too chipper of a tone, Hoseok says, "Since the day I was hired."

Yoongi says nothing, and Hoseok wishes he could see his expression. At this point, he is too intoxicated to care whether he could be pushing Yoongi away. He still believes that no matter what, he will have a shot at fucking him at least once. 

It is not as if Hoseok has any interest in pursuing anything more with him. 

"Almost there," Hoseok chirps. He has a pep in his step now that his building is in view. It feels like ages since he has taken a nice hot shower, and he desperately wants to wash his face. "Oh, Hey, boss?"

Yoongi hums.

"Do you need this outfit back? Can you, like…deduct it from my paycheck, or something? Namjoon really put his babussy into this fit, and I might want to wear it again."

With a sigh, Yoongi mutters, "It's yours. Keep it."

"Thanks, boss. But how much do you think—"

"I'm not charging you for it, Hoseok. You're correct that it suits you well. Keep it."

Hoseok's cheeks warm, and he grins, raising his shoulders to his ears with glee and dropping them down. He makes his voice as soft as possible as he says, "Thanks, boss. You're too sweet."

Yoongi grunts, making Hoseok quietly laugh to himself. Either he has struck a nerve with Yoongi, the man is very tired, or both. 

"Alright, I'm walking up to the front door of my building. I'm home safe. You don't need to stay on the line any longer."

"Hoseok," Yoongi says, making him stop with his hand lifted to the knob, key dangling between his fingers. "Tomorrow, will you come discuss a new contract with Seokjin and I?"

"Oh," he mutters, sliding his key into the knob and twisting it open. "Yeah. Tomorrow evening is fine."

"Wonderful. I'll bring a lawyer along so that we can get everything finalized quickly."

Hoseok makes his way to the stairwell, slowly taking each step. "And then we'll celebrate?"

A pause, then, "How would you like to celebrate, Hoseok?"

Hoseok hums, making a show of the fact that he is giving this matter very serious thought, despite only one thing running through his head. 

"A kiss," he finally says, biting his lip as he shuffles down the hallway to his door. The closer he gets to his apartment, the heavier his limbs feel. 

"Alright," Yoongi grumbles, making Hoseok grin. "I will kiss you to celebrate."

Hoseok punches his code into the keypad beside his door, and when it clicks open, he lets out a long, happy sigh. Home at last.

"I'm in my apartment now. Gonna strip out of these clothes and take a nice, hot shower."

Yoongi makes no sound, so Hoseok continues. 

"Maybe while I'm in there, I'll think about earlier, at the restaurant, with my foot pressed between your legs."

Yoongi sighs, and Hoseok steps from his shoes, feeling victorious. 

"I felt how hard you got under my toes. You liked it, boss."

"I did," Yoongi admits, voice low. 

"I liked it, too."

"Yeah?" 

Hoseok shrugs out of the blazer and delicately drapes it over the back of his couch, then he balances the phone between his ear and shoulder as he begins to unbuckle his belt. 

"Yeah. The way your lips parted and eyes widened, so faint and so eager to hold your pleasure in. Beautiful."

"I could say the same for you," Yoongi responds, voice breathy. Hoseok wonders if he is touching himself. "I saw how affected you became."

"I want to see you like that when you're not having to hold back," Hoseok practically moans. "I want to make you unravel."

Yoongi hums and Hoseok holds his breath, waiting for whatever delicious thing he may have to offer. 

But then he says, "We should talk about this when we're sober."

With a sigh, Hoseok's body feels worn and heavy; his spirits feel dashed. 

"You're right," he mutters. "Good night, boss."

"See you tomorrow, Hoseok."

Hoseok lowers the phone from his ear, grumbling, "See ya," as he hangs up.

* * *

Despite the joyous occasion, Yoongi behaves rather coldly. 

At first, Hoseok chalks it up to the fact that Seokjin and a lawyer are present to draw a new contract for his modeling representation. The document is straightforward; Seokjin insists on taking almost no money from Hoseok for his services, citing that he makes more than enough being Yoongi's personal goon – a word he says playfully, with a wink. 

They discuss long-term plans that stretch further than Hoseok's employment with M Magazine, should he move on to other publications, and everything feels official and exciting in a way Hoseok hasn't experienced since he graduated from college as a fresh face getting scouted by seedy, desperate photographers and art directors. 

But even as they bow to the lawyer and bid him farewell, there is something sour looming over Yoongi, like a bitter little stormcloud threatening to burst at any moment and become everyone else's problem. Seokjin even nudges him, attempting to crack jokes, but he rarely smiles, and he hardly makes eye contact with Hoseok. 

It feels like whiplash after how playful he was last night, and Hoseok hovers around the sofa, not feeling welcome enough to sit, but not sure whether he should leave. Until finally, Yoongi stretches and yawns, and Hoseok sees that as an opening. 

"Well, you're tired," he says, sliding his hands into the front pockets of his pressed, black fitted slacks. "I'm tired, as well. So I think I'll head out."

"Yah, Hoseokah!" Seokjin barks. "We should celebrate!"

A yawn works its way from Hoseok's chest, and he lifts his hand to cover his mouth. Seokjin flinches away as if he is at risk of catching some kind of virus from a yawn and frowns.

"We could schedule something for next weekend," he suggests. "Or whenever all of us are free."

"All of us are free right now," Seokjin insists. "Yoongichi, you don't have any extravagant dates planned, do you?"

Yoongi shakes his head, but his eyes are glued to his phone. He seems stressed out, and frankly, it annoys Hoseok. It feels rude to build up his excitement to see him this evening, only for him to act completely indifferent to Hoseok's presence.

"Why don't we all go out to celebrate once Seokjin and I have our first round of Dior shoots under our belt?" Hoseok recommends. 

Yoongi nods, eyes never leaving his phone, and Seokjin sighs but agrees. 

"Alright, sounds like a plan."

"Cool," Hoseok says, nodding listlessly, "then I'm going to head out."

Finally, Yoongi lifts his head to look at Hoseok fully. And for a split, brief, teeny tiny moment, Hoseok thinks Yoongi might finally be direct with him. But then his eyes fall back to his phone as he grumbles, "I'm glad the three of us could sort this out."

"Need a ride?" Seokjin asks. 

Hoseok shrugs but happily says, "I would appreciate it."

Seokjin approaches Yoongi and mutters something lowly before giving him a slap on the shoulder, which Yoongi more or less seems to ignore. Then he makes his way to the door, where Hoseok trails along to slide into the pretty black loafers he wore just last night. 

Hoseok does not say goodbye to Yoongi, and when they step into the elevator, he lets out a sigh.

"I hate when he gets preoccupied," Seokjin complains. 

Hoseok chuckles. "It's honestly pretty rude."

Hoseok pulls out his phone and sends Yoongi a message—

Hoseok The way you hardly looked at me tonight is absolutely crazy. I no longer want that celebratory kiss.

—then tucks the device into his pocket. He does not expect a response to come any time soon.

"I love him, and he's a great businessman, but he is kind of an idiot," Seokjin says, making Hoseok laugh. "He has no fucking interpersonal communication skills."

It feels good to laugh, and Hoseok does not hold back. He bends in half, gripping his knees as the cords of his untied black, silk modern hanbok hang past his knees. He has to apologize to someone once the doors slide open and he steps forward, nearly barreling into them.

"Geez, it's not that funny," Seokjin complains despite still laughing.

"Oh, it definitely is," Hoseok insists as they make their way out into the evening. 

* * *

Hoseok does not hear from Yoongi for the rest of the night while he is out with his friends at the club, nor the entirety of Sunday while he is letting Jimin distract him with brunch and shopping. 

And by Monday morning, when there is still no word, Hoseok decides he no longer cares. He has a shoot later in the morning with Yoongi, and he begrudgingly gets out of bed and goes through his routine as if it were a standard early morning, with the plan of stopping by his favorite cafe for a sweet treat and a latte.

The weather is hot but not stifling, and Hoseok wears the same flowing black silk modern hanbok top he wore to Yoongi's place on Saturday, untied over a tight black tank top and mid-length, black wool shorts. And, of course, his favorite new chunky black leather loafers. He tucks his phone, keys, wallet, and lip balm into a small black handbag and sets out for the day with a forced smile. 

And truthfully, the cafe trip does wonders for the residual sour mood Yoongi had put Hoseok in, leaving him in a much more positive headspace. That is until he arrives at the studio. 

The familiar sights and sounds are like a weight on Hoseok's shoulders, but he holds his head high and makes a beeline through the expansive studio space to his sanctuary. The makeup room. 

Upon entering, Hoseok finds Seokjin and Namjoon standing by a metal rack of clothing, sifting through outfits. He sets his coffee down on the long vanity counter by the mirror wall and prances over to see what they have in store for him. 

"Yoongi wants us to start with this," Seokjin says as he pulls out a charcoal grey blazer and matching slacks.

Hoseok wonders if this is the grey wide-legged pant that Yoongi said he thinks Hoseok will look stunning in. He rolls his eyes at the memory, then smiles widely as he chirps, "Looks great, Jinnie-hyung!"

It takes no time at all for Namjoon to have Hoseok dressed in the grey suit with his hair slicked back and his face made up. By now, they have the process down to a science; Hoseok hardly has a chance to get comfortable in the makeup chair. 

They opt not to pair the outfit with jewelry, but Hoseok wears black and white sneakers that he is not a fan of for this type of outfit. This look is currently all the rage with these high-end brands, and does not understand why.

"I'll let Yoongichi know we're ready for him," Seokjin says as he leaves the room, and Hoseok gives a thumbs-up.

"Wow, so Seokjin-hyung is your agent?" Namjoon asks. 

Hoseok swivels around in his tall, black chair and smiles widely. "Yeah! I'm excited. He seems very knowledgeable and dedicated, and he doesn't want to take all my earnings."

"Of course, he doesn't," Namjoon chuckles. "The co-founder of M Magazine undoubtedly makes a pretty penny."

"Co-founder?" Hoseok asks, shocked. "Yoongi only mentioned he was previously an agent and then shifted gears to work as his assistant goon."

Namjoon shrugs. "Seokjin-hyung has always done a little of everything, with the exception of photography. He has an eye for beauty and design, but prefers the more tedious duties that come with being an assistant. I think he likes being useful. And he tends to feign modesty, which is why nobody refers to him as the co-founder."

That checks out, and Hoseok nods. "Well, I am glad I have a use for him. Gotta get to stardom somehow!"

"Trust me," Namjoon says, leaning close. "You will."

Hoseok visibly swoons, causing Namjoon to lean away with regret painted on his face. "You're the sweetest, Joon Baboon!"

A deep, impassive voice cuts through the joy, with one simple word.

"Ready?"

Hoseok turns to find Yoongi standing in the doorway dressed in a white blazer unbuttoned over a white dress shirt, with matching white shorts, tall black socks, and black loafers. His hair is slicked back, combed behind his ears, there is a pair of black glasses tucked into the neck of his shirt, and he wears a scowl on his pretty face. His trusty camera is in his hand, strap wrapped around his wrist, and his eyebrows are raised high with impatience. 

"Sure thing," Hoseok says flatly, mood instantly killed. 

He slides from his chair and follows Yoongi out, into the studio, to the corner where he prefers to shoot, near the bottom of the steps that lead up to his office.

There is nothing for Hoseok to pose on or near, so he just stands against the dark backdrop, angling his body and elongating his neck and limbs. Yoongi shoots quickly, stepping back and moving forward, eye glued to the viewfinder. 

When he finally does glance over the camera, it is to say, "Give me a little movement, like a twirl but with one foot kicking outward."

Hoseok does some twirls and kicks, accentuating the loose cut of the slacks and doing his best to embody fluidity. He feels as if these shots will be magnificent, and he waits for Yoongi to crack a smile and tell him he is doing well. 

But instead, Yoongi drops his hands to his sides and says, "That's good," then he lifts his camera high enough to begin sifting through the photos. 

On the breast of Yoongi's jacket is a pretty white flower that stands out in the bright glow of the box lights, and Hoseok curses himself for wanting to rub his palms across it, heavy-blinking to avert his eyes.

"New outfit?" Hoseok asks. 

Yoongi shrugs. "If you have time for more, sure."

"If I have time?" Hoseok bites back. "I've barely been here for an hour."

Yoongi continues to flip through photos, making Hoseok wonder if he heard him at all. Then he says, "Yeah, whatever your agent wants," and walks off. 

"What the fuck," Hoseok mutters under his breath as he turns and stomps back toward the makeup room. This behavior has him wishing he would have stepped on Yoongi's balls a little harder at the sushi restaurant. 

Seokjin already has outfits laid out when Hoseok returns, and he is changed into more casual wear, sporting an array of hoodies, cardigans, and handbags. Yoongi is just as standoffish, giving Hoseok almost nothing to work with, but he continues to change shirts and pose, doing his best. 

And then, suddenly, Yoongi's phone rings loud and shrill, making everyone but himself flinch. He sighs and stops what he is doing, muttering, "One moment, sorry."

Yoongi's phone is typically always on vibrate while at work, and he absolutely never drops everything to answer the call. How uncouth, Hoseok thinks, standing under the warm lights with his hands on his hips while Yoongi walks several paces away, talking lowly into his phone.

As soon as he returns, Yoongi mutters, "Something has come up, but it seems like we shot everything we need. Thanks for everything. Great job today." He only spares Hoseok a quick glance, and then he turns to walk up the stairs to his office. 

Hoseok sighs, nods to himself, and begins back toward the makeup room. From the corner of his eye, he watches as Seori rushes in through the front doors of the building, dressed in a light pink hoodie and sweatpants and looking frazzled. She makes a beeline for the steps and runs to the top, where she quickly knocks but does not bother to wait before walking into Yoongi's office and closing the door behind her. 

The feeling that swirls in Hoseok's tummy is envy mixed with something else – something even more bitter. Something numbing. He can't quite put his thumb on it, but he chooses not to dwell on it. 

Until he enters the makeup room with a heavy sigh, and – upon realizing only Namjoon is present – begins to crumble emotionally. Despite feeling the desire to cry, tears only prickle gently around the edges of his lids but never fully gather. More than anything, he just feels defeated.

"I didn't follow your advice, okay," he admits, taking Namjoon somewhat by surprise as he throws himself on the makeup chair. "I should go home. I need to clear my head. I feel so—"

"What happened?" Namjoon asks kindly, approaching with his arms loosely crossed over his chest. 

"You warned me about that man, and I listened! I really did! But my heart and my body did not, and now I feel like I am a marionette hanging from strings eager for a master. But rather than tug on my strings and make me dance, he just fucking leaves me hanging."

"That's…a beautifully pathetic analogy," Namjoon mutters, dimples on display. 

Hoseok attempts to swat at the handsome man, but Namjoon simply leans slightly back, avoiding his fingertips. 

"I don't even care about being in a relationship with him," Hoseok mutters somewhat under his breath. "Like, I'm foolish, but I'm not that stupid. I just…ugh! He…ugh!"

Namjoon chuckles and shakes his head. It is not the laugh of a man who wants Hoseok to feel foolish, but one of a man who has likely had this conversation this time and time again.

"He charms in his own way," Namjoon says. "And then he puts up a wall when he thinks he is getting close to someone. It's like he's terrified of just allowing himself to open up to people."

"Why?" Hoseok sighs.

Namjoon shrugs. "No idea. There's no shocking character reveal or tragic backstory, you know? Yeah, his parents are wealthy and they don't hover, but they are kind and supportive. His relationship with his brother is casual and positive. Aside from his playboy tendencies, he is a great person to work with, and a great person to work for. No gambling problems, no drinking problems, no sordid past. He just…doesn't like to commit to anyone."

Another sigh pours from Hoseok's mouth, this one drawn out with a groan. He drops his head back dramatically, feeling extra annoyed – exorbitantly annoyed. 

Hoseok finds nothing inherently wrong with having commitment issues or with preferring to sleep around without strings attached. He and his friend group have always been pretty loose with hooking up, and it has never caused drama because they all know where they stand with one another. 

But it is frustrating that the result is a lack of empathy and poor communication. Hoseok is fine with being someone's piece of ass on the down low, but he needs to know where he stands. And it annoys Hoseok that, rather than finding a reason to hate Yoongi and make the idea of backing away from him feel easier, he really sympathizes with the guy. 

Hoseok laughs to himself, despite feeling little joy. "If he wanted to just fuck around, I wouldn't even object. And I have been rather forward with suggesting I am open to it, but he just clams up and doesn't say anything."

"Mmhmm," Namjoon grumbles in a tone that suggests he knows this all too well.

"Whatever," Hoseok sighs. "We did well today, and although he was the opposite of helpful or encouraging, I feel good about the shoots. So I suppose I could call it a day."

Namjoon nods and seems to glance at the time on his phone. "Seokjin left during the last shoot – said he had some important business to deal with – but he asked me to tell you that you are amazing, and doing great, and that he looks forward to going over the photos with you and Yoongi. He also says to take some time off and he will contact you with a schedule some time this week."

This time, the sigh that Hoseok lets out is one of relief. Relief to have an agent who is receptive and feels positively about the work they are doing. Relief to have some time off to relax, pamper himself, and get some fucking space from Yoongi. 

He changes back into his black tank top, silk hanbok top, shorts, and loafers. With his arms hanging open, he convinces Namjoon to lean in for a semi-awkward hug, and thanks him for all his hard work. Then he opens that door with a fortifying breath and sets out toward the front doors, eager to get home and unwind. 

The studio is quiet, with only one photographer and model on set in the far left corner. Hoseok does not even look their way, eager to reach the sliding glass doors. And he almost does, before he hears a familiar voice call for him.

"Jung Hoseok-ssi."

Hoseok physically recoils from the sound, closing his eyes to take a deep, annoyed breath. He was so close to making it outside – just a couple more feet from freedom. 

With a plastered smile, Hoseok spins, asking, "Yes, boss?" as he searches for the source of the voice. 

Yoongi stands at the top of the stairs, arms straight down at his sides. He asks, "Do you have a moment?" 

Hoseok nods and makes his way through the large studio space, heart betraying him in a frantic dance the closer he gets. He wonders if there will be any visible trace of Seori on Yoongi's skin or any lingering scent of perfume. 

With each footfall up to Yoongi's office, Hoseok feels his body undergo more and more duress. His legs and hands tremble, his palms begin to prickle, his breathing feels labored. Yoongi turns and enters his office as Hoseok gets close, and once he reaches the top, he takes a fortifying inhale. 

"Yes?" Hoseok asks, attempting to come off as impassively as possible.

"Close the door, please," Yoongi says, making his way toward his desk.

Hoseok closes the door and gives himself a second to collect his composure before turning toward Yoongi and approaching. He expects to find Yoongi sitting at his chair, but instead, he is on the corner of his desk, half-sitting with one foot suspended somewhat, and his arms crossed over his chest.

"I owe you an apology," Yoongi says. His hair is all in place, and there is no sign on his clothing or skin that might suggest anything transpired with Seori. 

Still, Hoseok scoffs, nods, and says, "Yeah, you do." 

"I understand that sometimes my behavior can be a bit…" Yoongi takes a moment to choose his words, and Hoseok opts to fill in the blank for him. 

"Confusing. Frustrating. Demeaning."

"Distant," Yoongi provides.

"Distant," Hoseok parrots with a humorless chuckle. "Sure, yeah, that's certainly one way to put it."

There is sincerity in his rich tone as Yoongi drops his arms to his sides and says, "I'm sorry." 

"You could have at least sent a reassuring text message. Or even an apology. Any kind of communication at all."

"My distracted state the other night was nothing personal, but I should have given you a heads up that I had a lot on my plate."

"The other night, all weekend, all day," Hoseok corrects, allowing himself to feel the full range of his anger. "Not one word. You gave me nothing."

Yoongi sighs and slowly stands, remaining leaned against his desk. 

"And, look, I don't feel like you owe me an explanation," Hoseok says, eager to make his desires clear. "But a simple heads up would be nice. I know that you and I are not an item, and I don't care that we aren't – that's not my goal with you. But don't let me play footsie with your cock under the table and tease me with promises of a kiss, but then give me the cold shoulder."

Something in Yoongi's gaze shifts – darkens. His lips part, and his stance relaxes. 

"So what is it that you want?" Yoongi asks.

"Truthfully?" Hoseok says, and Yoongi nods. "More than anything, I want a healthy work relationship. I want to excel in my field and become a supermodel, and I know that you and your team have the means to do that for me."

Yoongi nods, cracking a smile, filling Hoseok with pride and encouraging him to continue voicing his desires. "I also want to lay you out on your big, expensive desk, and fuck your brains out."

Yoongi's lips part wide in a gasp. It is subtle the way blush rises to his pretty cheeks, but even in the dim light of his office, Hoseok can make out a shift in hue.

"I'm not interested in having strings attached," Yoongi says with the lift of an eyebrow as if in warning. 

"No shit," Hoseok scoffs, holding firm, challenging eye contact. 

They stare at each other unmoving for only a few seconds, but those seconds drag on, thickening the air with rich, palpable tension. Hoseok slowly breathes in through his nose, allowing himself to dwell on the familiar musky and floral notes that cling to the air and drive him wild. 

"Come here," Yoongi commands softly, nearly a whisper. 

As if tugged by some invisible force, Hoseok stumbles forward automatically. Yoongi's thighs spread, allowing Hoseok to get nice and close, standing taller than usual with Yoongi's hips bending slightly. 

Hoseok sets his handbag down on the desk and looms, drinking in the heat exchanged between them. Whereas Yoongi had the upper hand last time – pulling Hoseok near, slotting their lips together, and pressing him into the wall – this time, Hoseok intends on giving him zero control. 

"Tell me what you want from me," Hoseok says, placing his hands on the edges of the desk and leaning close enough to smell the sweetness of Yoongi's breath. 

Yoongi's eyes fall to Hoseok's lips, and he very subtly smiles, saying, "I still owe you a kiss."

"You want to kiss me?"

Yoongi's lips twitch faintly. "Yes."

"Is that all?" Hoseok asks, tilting his head to the side as if giving into the command but keeping the miniscule distance between them. 

"I want you, Hoseok." Yoongi's rich timbre is as deep and alluring as the ocean, and undoubtedly posing just as big of a threat. "Physically…in any way you will allow me to have you…I want you."

"If I let you have me," Hoseok says softly, annunciating every syllable with purpose, "I need at least a little communication. No fucking around with my feelings. Even without strings attached, I still have feelings, Yoongi."

Hoseok drops honorifics, wondering if Yoongi will care, and Yoongi just nods, eyes pleading. He seems genuine, but he has also seemed genuine in the past. 

Still, Hoseok cannot hold back any longer. He rolls his hips forward, connecting their bodies before he connects their lips, breathing in the slight gasp that tumbles from Yoongi's mouth into his the moment their lips touch. 

Yoongi sighs into the kiss, but Hoseok has no intention of going easy on him. He rolls his hips again, forcing Yoongi's thighs to spread further as he licks over his pretty lips and darts his tongue inside the small opening. 

It comes as somewhat of a surprise the way Yoongi seems to melt and become pliant, hands still gripping the desk and giving Hoseok access to do as he pleases, moaning softly but unabashedly. Hoseok lifts a hand and cards it roughly into Yoongi's product-slickened hair, taking no care to prevent the strands from tugging before grabbing a handful. 

With a gasp and a whimper, Yoongi's mouth falls further open, and Hoseok licks inside, darting his tongue around to taste and tease. He hums whenever their lips enclose one another, only for Yoongi to moan each time Hoseok forces him to open wide again.

Finally, Yoongi lifts his hands and grips Hoseok's hips, digging his fingertips and pulling him close. Hoseok rolls his hips again, picking up a slow but firm rhythm, connecting their clothed cocks somewhat haphazardly but with a promise to Yoongi of what could be his. 

"Hoseok," Yoongi gasps against his lips, causing them to tug into a smile.

"Yes, pretty Yoongi?"

"Please," he rasps, fingertips digging with more purpose, pulling Hoseok's hips close. 

"Please, what?"

With a needy sigh, Yoongi tips his head back as if gasping for air. His lips are kiss-slick, and Hoseok sucks the bottom one between his teeth, only releasing when Yoongi whimpers a high, broken sound. 

"What is it, Yoongi?" Hoseok asks firmly, rubbing the tips of their noses together. 

Yoongi heavy-blinks as if struggling to gather his thoughts. He lets out a breathy chuckle, and Hoseok wonders if it is some kind of nervous tick. 

"I don't know," he mutters, eyes searching Hoseok's face. "I want more, but I'm not sure how we should proceed."

There is a shred of vulnerability in Yoongi's expression, laced in Yoongi's voice, that Hoseok so desperately wants to exploit. 

He nibbles on his own bottom lip, backing up only enough to fully take in Yoongis's face. He wonders if it would be more exquisite to use his mouth to make Yoongi fall apart or have the other on his knees for him. 

"I have an idea," Hoseok offers, cocking his head to the side before lowering to a nearby brown leather armchair.

Yoongi watches as Hoseok settles and scoots the heavy chair closer, leaning forward to press his palms against Yoongi's hips through the semi-soft, white wool of his trouser shorts. Yoongi's lidded gaze darkens, and he reaches slowly to graze the backs of his knuckles along Hoseok's cheek before pressing his thumb against Hoseok's bottom lip and dragging it down. 

"Hoseok," Yoongi groans, taking a step forward to properly tower over him. "You have no idea how many times I have dreamed of having you like this."

Hoseok grins, nibbles on the tip of Yoongi's thumb, and opens his mouth to fully suck the digit between his lips when there is a loud knock on the door, followed by the handle rattling. 

Panic rises, and Hoseok sits tall in the leather chair before instinctively slumping back. He is able to use his feet to push it back a little, putting space between himself and the desk.

Yoongi is quick to take a step back, cross one leg over the other, and fold his arms over his chest. He leans against his desk a stoic statue of a man, with his erection hidden nicely by the way he stands. Although there are subtle signs of Yoongi's lips having just been used, and his hair is somewhat out of place on one side, his expression is flat and gives absolutely nothing away.

In hindsight, Hoseok probably should have locked the door. 

"Yoongi-ah," a breathy female voice calls, "I know you said our conversation was over, but I'm here to— oh."

Hoseok turns to find Seori standing with her arm outstretched, holding the office door wide open. She wears a red satin robe that falls just above her knees, and her nipples stand out beneath the thin fabric. 

"Oh!" she says again, eyes darting between Yoongi and Hoseok. "I'm so— I'm sorry. I had no idea you were busy."

"What do you want?" Yoongi asks, running a hand over the hair that had come untucked behind his ear, flattening it somewhat. 

Hoseok focuses his attention on his boss, impressed by how measured and blank Yoongi can become in an instant. Absolutely nothing gives away the heated exchange they shared only moments earlier, nor any hint of interest in the model. 

"Can I, uh…talk to you?" Seori asks. 

Yoongi gives a curt nod and steps away from the desk, arms falling limply at his sides. And despite the hushed way in which Seori speaks on the other end of the room, the sound travels just enough for Hoseok to detect. 

"Please, I just want—"

"I told you, we're finished. Please accept that."

"But Yoongi, I—"

Yoongi speaks low and soft, but loud enough that Hoseok questions whether he wants to be overheard. "Please don't ruin your career over a brief tryst. You are a fine model, and I would hate to lose you because you cannot take no for an answer."

Whatever the woman says next is too pitchy and distraught for Hoseok to make out. He feels awkward eavesdropping now, cursing himself once more for not locking the door. Yoongi's voice drops to an octave that is undetectable at this distance, and soon the office door is clicking shut. 

An exasperated sigh pulls Hoseok's attention, and he turns to find Yoongi standing with his face tipped to the ceiling, taking a deep breath. Really, Yoongi has no one to blame but himself for this mess, yet Hoseok finds he feels for the man. 

"Wanna get out of here?" he offers. 

Yoongi snaps his gaze to Hoseok, instantly relaxing. Hoseok stands from the chair and fully faces Yoongi, but does not approach, watching as the man studies his face, seeming to weigh his options. 

Then he nods and says, "Yeah. Let's go."

Hoseok smooths his hands down his shorts and gathers his handbag while Yoongi quickly crosses the room and shuts off his monitor. He does not touch Hoseok as they leave, and Hoseok gives him space to lock up and walk down the steps toward the exit. 

Across the room, Seori is on the phone, and she seems distressed. Hoseok glances at Yoongi, watching whether or not the man seems concerned, unsurprised when he does not. As they approach the door, within earshot of the model, Yoongi turns to Hoseok, expression as flat as can be, and begins to talk shop.

"So, as I said," he mutters just loud enough to be overheard, "once we have the greenlight from Dior, Seokjin and I will sit down with you to discuss what the next steps are. There is talk of another brand scouting you, but I think Seokjin should be the one to deliver the good news."

By the time Yoongi finishes his sentence, they are outside. The air is far cooler now that the sun is beginning to set, and Hoseok's shoulders rise instinctively as he shivers through an exhale. He wonders if what Yoongi just said about another brand scouting him is really true, or just something he made up on the fly.

Yoongi walks to the left, where his vehicle is parked on the curb, and Hoseok follows suit, slipping into the passenger seat as soon as the door is unlocked and making haste to buckle his seatbelt. No words are exchanged as Yoongi presses the ignition start button and drives off, and Hoseok sits back in the cool leather seat, accepting his fate. 

Despite his attempts at fortifying his heart, Hoseok acknowledges that a small part of him does wonder what it would be like to be the only object of Yoongi's affection. Beyond his money and status in the industry, he imagines what it would be like to receive consistent, uninhibited attention from a man like Yoongi. 

The ride remains silent until Yoongi pulls up to the curb outside his apartment, puts the car into park, and sits back with a heavy exhale. 

"Seok," he grumbles, pulling Hoseok's attention. He likes that the nickname has returned, and he does his best to ignore the way goosebumps break out over his skin. "Out of an abundance of transparency, I just want to state that I am not currently, uh, seeing anyone else."

Hoseok has no idea what to say, so instead he stares. Despite Yoongi's innate ability to keep his expressions measured and cool, there are small tells that give away his nervousness, like the way he slightly darts his tongue across his bottom lip, and how his eyes seem to focus in and out while he thinks. 

"Seori may seem like a current and constant nuisance, but she and I only hooked up once, months ago. I don't want to reduce her worth by calling it a drunken mistake, but that genuinely is all that the experience was. And, well, I don't want to point any blame, but it seems that your presence in the studio has caused her to ramp up her attempts at repeating what we did." 

Yoongi sighs, screwing up his face as if he is pained as he says, "The other day, when I was on my phone during the contract signing, I was attempting to assuage her anger with me giving you the cover, as well as inside ads."

"You were text-fighting with her all evening?" Hoseok asks with more of an edge to his voice than he intended, because, truth be told, he is a bit angry that Yoongi felt he couldn't just say something. 

"My reputation is somewhat exaggerated. I do not come onto every model I hire, but because I am not one to get caught in a dating scandal, rumors fly in favor of me appearing to be a fuckboy. I do occasionally give in to desire, and I am sure your friend Jeongguk has a story of his own…but it is never my intention to use people up and toss them aside."

"He told me the two of you were hooking up until Seori showed up and you dropped him like a sweet potato."

"So you alluded to, the other night." The edges of Yoongi's lips raise for the splittest of seconds, and then he sighs once more. "That was bad timing, at best. Jeongguk was fun to spend time with, but he was clingy and seemed to want a relationship, which I was not willing to provide."

"Clingy," Hoseok mutters, chuckling at the end of the word. 

"I don't necessarily mean it in a bad way."

Hoseok tongues the inside of his mouth, voice low as he says, "Well, he seems pretty hurt."

"It's not like I dropped Jeongguk abruptly. We spoke about it on several occasions, but I admit, he was a hard one to let go of. We had fun."

With a slow, heavy exhale, Hoseok mutters, "Alright, well…I'm still annoyed with you for ignoring me all night, and all weekend, and... You could have at least clued me in a little."

"I shouldn't be telling you this," Yoongi drops his voice lower, "but Seori was attempting to blackmail me. She thought threats of defamation would put me in her palm, and although I have immaculate legal counsel, the whole thing put me in a sour headspace. You are right that I should have said something to you."

Hoseok hums, taking the information in, unsure what to say. 

"I tell you all of this because I was thinking about the other night, at the sushi restaurant, just before your shoe happened to be tucked tight between my legs. You were asking whether I was kissing and spoiling any other models."

A shiver runs along Hoseok's spine at the memory, and he watches Yoongi's lips as he says, "I'm only spoiling you."

Hoseok wants to believe him. He thinks he really does believe him. But he is still determined to only give so much, and not allow himself to get too swept up in whatever Yoongi is trying to do. 

If Yoongi is so eager to insist they are exclusive, where does the line draw between fucking and dating? It is no wonder Jeongguk seemed to misunderstand their arrangement, and Hoseok worries he will end up in the same position.

"Okay," is all Hoseok says because his heart whooshes so loudly in his ears that it is hard to form a more coherent thought. 

"Seok," Yoongi mutters, formed like a question, "what's on your mind?"

"I want to go upstairs," Hoseok says somewhat robotically, eyes lingering on Yoongi's lips.

He watches as the tip of Yoongi's tongue darts out and wets his bottom lip, and he fights the overwhelming urge to lean forward and suck it between his teeth. 

"Alright," Yoongi says. "Let's go upstairs."

Hoseok forgets he is wearing a seatbelt as he reaches for the handle and attempts to get out of the vehicle, finding himself momentarily trapped and flustered. Once he is finally free, he joins Yoongi on the sidewalk, attempting to be as calm as possible as they make their way through the lobby to the elevator. 

Hoseok remembers Jeongguk saying Yoongi bent him over the couch in his studio, causing his stomach to tie in knots. He is not eager to have a repeated experience that his friend had. 

Thankfully, Yoongi seems to have other plans. He holds his key to the pad in the elevator and hits the number five. Hoseok stares at the round button glowing with a golden ring. 

He wonders how the apartment level differs from the studio level. How does Yoongi furnish his home? What kind of vibe is he into?

As the elevator dings, Hoseok sucks in a breath. He grips onto the straps of his handbag while the doors slide open, and Yoongi walks into the small hallway first, kicking out of his loafers and leaving them near tidy rows of shoes. Hoseok does the same and sets his handbag by his shoes while Yoongi enters the code to the door into the keypad.

For some inexplicable reason, the beeping sounds from the keypad seem louder than usual. Hoseok swallows thickly and licks his lips as Yoongi opens the door, switches on a dim overhead light, and shuffles into his home.

Hoseok is not at all surprised to find that everything is black and grey. The floors, the rugs, the walls, the furniture, are all black, with grey curtains and silver accents that add hints of lightness. 

The entire far wall is a window, allowing a gradient of light to pour in from the setting sun, and hanging from the high ceilings are rectangular light fixtures, from which dim golden light glows, illuminating the space nicely. 

From the marble floors, to the plush rugs and matte-finished woods, the textures are so rich and varied that everything appears to be its own shade of black, especially with the golden glow of the overhead lights. Plush, soft couches make a large u-shape in front of the massive window, and sprawled over black tables and shelves are books, various camera equipment, and file folders.

"Wow, so bright and colorful," Hoseok chides as Yoongi leads him to the right, toward the large open kitchen – the same placement as in the studio downstairs. 

"What can I say, I'm a man of simple tastes," Yoongi drawls over his shoulder. "Water?" he asks, tugging open the door of a massive black refrigerator. "Soju? Whiskey? Beer?"

Yoongi looks over his shoulder, illuminated by the bright white glow of his fridge. He has given Hoseok too many options, and he finds he cannot choose. 

"Water is fine," he mutters when Yoongi impatiently lifts his eyebrows. "Unless you want a little something to take the edge off."

Hoseok feels nervous – why does he feel nervous? His hands fidget in the wide sleeves of his hanbok top, and he finds his gaze wandering around the apartment, unable to stay in one place. Perhaps it is the conversation in the car that has caused the excitement from earlier to shift into nervous energy.

"I don't have an edge to take off," Yoongi responds. "Do you have an edge?" 

This kitchen is not as barren as the one in the studio. Yoongi appears to have every appliance known to man, all neatly in place along countertops and storage shelves. This place actually appears lived in and cared for, and Hoseok finds the enveloping darkness surprisingly calming. 

"No," he lies, realizing he had been stuck in his head. "No edge."

Yoongi chuckles and closes the fridge empty-handed, then he moves to the right, to where cabinets sit tall above a large sink, and he produces two shot glasses and a large glass. As he turns on the sink and switches on a filter that is attached to the faucet, he glances over his shoulder and nods to a nearby cabinet, saying, "You seem to have a slight edge. Pick your poison and we'll do a shot to loosen up."

To the right of the sink, above the countertop, is a cabinet with a glass window showcasing several bottles of whiskey. Hoseok finds a Japanese one with an inviting white and black label and pulls it out while Yoongi shuts off the sink and sets down a tall glass of water. 

"Nice pick," Yoongi says as he reaches for the bottle, uncorks the top, and pours two shots. 

Hoseok inches nice and close – close enough to smell the cologne Yoongi wears – and reaches for one of the shots. They clink the glasses together softly and shoot the liquid back, and although it is rich and smooth, the strength makes Hoseok wince, which in turn makes Yoongi chuckle.  

"It's good," Hoseok insists, feeling somewhat embarrassed despite having no reason to be. "Just strong."

"One more?" Yoongi asks, leaning close. "Or is your edge softened?"

"One more," Hoseok responds, tipping his chin upward in a challenge. "I wanna taste it on your tongue."

Yoongi snickers then pours two more shots, which they quickly drink back, and this time, Hoseok does not react as strongly to the earthy, semi-sweet flavor. This time, he picks up hints of caramel and enjoys the way it settles over him like a warm hug. 

Ordinarily, two shots are hardly enough to make Hoseok feel anything but warm and energized. But he only ate breakfast today, a realization that makes him feel somewhat foolish, all things considered, and the whiskey has a bit of an effect on him.

Hoseok feels light around the edges. Fuzzy tendrils of frenetic energy erupt from him like tiny solar flares ignited by Japanese whiskey and Yoongi's proximity. He places his hands against Yoongi's hips and turns him until his ass is against the counter, then he slides his hands to rest against the countertop, caging Yoongi in like he had in his office. 

"Kiss me," he whispers, elated as Yoongi obeys immediately, leaning close to lick over Hoseok's lips and then part his own.

Hoseok sucks Yoongi's bottom lip into his mouth, smiling as he whimpers. He licks over Yoongi's tongue, tasting remnants of heady caramel and something far sweeter and more personal. As if driven mad by the flavor, leans his body against Yoongi's to rut his hips forward. 

"Bed," Yoongi mutters against Hoseok, to which Hoseok nods without disconnecting their lips. He is not ready to stop tasting Yoongi just yet. He wants to commit the flavor to memory. 

Yoongi's hands find Hoseok's hips and grip tightly, working to both spur him on and calm him down. Hoseok parts the kiss with a heavy sigh and nods once more, resting his forehead against Yoongi's and allowing himself to return to earth. 

Then he reaches for the cold glass of tap water and takes a long, slow gulp, hips still pressed against Yoongi with a slight twist to them. He drinks half of the glass down then holds it for Yoongi to have, and takes a step back to give both of them a little space. 

Yoongi drinks then sets the glass aside, takes Hoseok's hand, and leads him through the apartment, past the large glass wall through which the sun sets into an inviting greyish blue with pink hues. The door straight ahead is open – the same place the door to Yoongi's studio can be found on the floor below – and Yoongi walks in and flips a switch that invites a soft purple glow.

Similar to the rest of the house, everything is shades of black, save for the bedding, curtains, and rugs which are forest green. Two of the walls are made of glass, allowing the light from the setting sun to pour in through sheer dark green curtains, and there is dark furniture throughout, but Hoseok's attention is on the bed – a wide mattress on a low black platform that is lifted inches from the floor, under which a purple light glows. 

"You can change the color if you'd like," Yoongi offers, speaking directly into Hoseok's ear and fanning warm breath against his cheek. 

Hoseok tugs Yoongi's hand toward the bed and says, "I bet purple would look nice against your skin," as they stop and face each other. 

Hoseok begins to yank open Yoongi's white blazer, which absorbs the light into a pretty lilac shade, and Yoongi chuckles and takes over, very delicately removing the item and handing it to Hoseok. 

"Leave it there," he instructs with a nod of his chin, and Hoseok turns to find a small armchair nearby, to the right of the bed, over which a black blazer rests. He drapes the new blazer beside the other and turns back to find Yoongi unbuttoning and untucking his white dress shirt. 

With each inch of skin that Yoongi reveals, Hoseok feels his heart begin to race. He shrugs quickly from his hanbok top, tossing it in a heap onto the armchair, then yanks his tank top over his head and chucks it aside.

When his fingers reach the button of his shorts, Yoongi's large, knobby fingers stop his movements, pulling his hands away. Hoseok looks up from his interrupted task to find Yoongi shirtless and sinking to his knees. 

"Let me do it," he insists.

Hoseok nods and swallows thickly, watching as Yoongi's knees are engulfed by a soft, dark green shag rug. Yoongi rubs his hands up Hoseok's thighs, causing a warmth to simmer in the pit of his tummy, and he breathes deep and slow, doing his best to maintain his composure. 

As Yoongi yanks at Hoseok's shorts, pulling them past his knees, he sits high and wafts his breath against his black briefs, warm then cool on his growing erection. With his gaze directed at Hoseok's eyes, Yoongi nudges his nose and lips against him, taking deep breaths as if savoring his musk, and Hoseok reaches one hand to grip Yoongi's product-slick hair and give his head a rough tug. 

Yoongi whimpers, and the sight of him on his knees, submissive and making such pretty sounds kicks Hoseok's need to tame him into overdrive. Yoongi reaches for Hoseok's waistband, but Hoseok shakes his head and says, "Hands at your sides."

With a gasp, Yoongi's eyes widen – pretty and endless depths of inviting brown. Hoseok tongues the inside of his cheek and grips Yoongi's hair a little rougher. 

"You have to earn it."

"Earn it?" Yoongi responds almost sardonically, and Hoseok yanks at his head just enough to make him whimper and sigh. 

"You heard me. Earn it."

"Please?" Yoongi tries, batting his long, dark lashes like a pretty little doll. 

"Please, what?"

"Please let me taste you."

"Only good boys get to suck my cock, pretty Yoongi," Hoseok responds in a mocking tone. Yoongi's pupils react to his words, and Hoseok snickers. "Are you going to be a good boy for me?"

"Yes, Seok," Yoongi practically moans. "I'll be a good boy for you."

"Not just tonight," Hoseok says, tipping his head to the side and peering down at Yoongi with squinted eyes. "You're going to be good to me for as long as we do whatever it is that we are doing. No more miscommunications. No more half-truths."

"I'll be good for you," Yoongi insists, eyes wide and pleading. 

"You're still my boss, so we will have to navigate that dynamic one day at a time," Hoseok continues, reaching his other hand to drag his thumb along Yoongi's bottom lip the way Yoongi did to him in his office. "As long as we are not at work, we are equals, and you will treat me as such."

"Yes, Seok," Yoongi mutters. 

Hoseok gives his hair a tug and grits, "Louder," through his teeth.

"I'll be good to you, Seok," Yoongi's voice switches from coy desperation to firm insistence, deepening as he says, "Please let me be so good to you."

Hoseok's head spins. He nods and releases Yoongi's hair, then drops his arms to his sides and says, "One thing I like about you is your quick wit and sharp tongue…and I'm sure that is not the extent of what that pretty mouth can do."

Yoongi grins, then lifts his hands to paw over Hoseok's cock and grab for his waistband. Arousal soars through Hoseok – lava in his veins – and he does his best to keep his composure, whimpering softly while he holds firm eye contact with Yoongi.

That is, until he pulls Hoseok's briefs down, and Yoongi's gaze falls to his freed cock. His eyes widen, and he licks his lips as he sits high on his knees and shuffles a little closer. With slow strokes, Yoongi makes Hoseok dizzy, dragging against his foreskin before pushing it down, revealing a flushed head and length. 

With a delicate flick of his bubblegum tongue, Yoongi laps up the precum that drips from Hoseok's tip, sending a shiver down his spine. Yoongi drags his lips over the tip and crown, gaze intently returning to Hoseok, teasing with feather-light touches. 

Hoseok smirks down at the man – eager to knock him off his pedestal a little – and asks, "How many other pretty models have you dropped to your knees so easily for?"

Yoongi's eyes widen, burning with something Hoseok struggles to discern, and a scoff comes from between his lips. He seems incensed but so terribly aroused. Hoseok grins. 

"That's what I thought," Hoseok grumbles bending as he grips Yoongi by the chin and tugs enough to make him sit even higher. He feels powerful and possessive. "This is all for me. Now, open." 

As soon as Yoongi's lips part, Hoseok spits into his mouth. Yoongi's eyes widen further, and he keeps his mouth open as if he is waiting for instruction. His submissive side has Hoseok simmering with desire. 

"You're so perfect, Yoongi," Hoseok praises just above a whisper. "So fucking perfect. Now put those pretty lips to good use."

Yoongi nods once – a shallow, quick movement – then wastes no time taking Hoseok's length deep into his throat. Hoseok feels Yoongi swallow and possibly begin to gag, but he is slow with the way he pulls back and sinks down, sucking with his lips tight around the tip each time, eliciting bursting waves of pleasure. 

"Fuck, Yoongi," Hoseok groans, reaching to grip his hair with his right hand. He cannot believe this is finally happening. "Your mouth feels amazing."

Yoongi hums and moans, increasing his speed but never seeming rushed, and Hoseok's head spins as his arousal builds and builds. It has been far too fucking long since he has had someone so pretty down on their knees, and the sight alone of Yoongi's doll lips wrapped around him while tears pool around his delicate, long eyelashes builds his pleasure too fast. 

"I won't last long," he whimpers. "Feels too good."

As if spurred on to push Hoseok over the edge, Yoongi swallows his cock deeper, holding it lodged in his throat until his face begins to redden and his eyes bulge. The sensation is exquisite, especially as Yoongi pulls back, mouth full of thick saliva, making the slide smooth as silk. 

And again, Yoongi sinks down as deep as he can and holds Hoseok there, gaze trained upward despite the way his eyelashes flicker. Hoseok reaches with his free hand and gives Yoongi's cheek a delicate slap, then lower to cradle Yoongi's throat and feel himself buried deep from the outside. 

"Holy fuck," he babbles, nodding. "Fuck, you drive me crazy, Yoongi. Such a good boy, perfect, perfect."

This time, when Yoongi pulls back, saliva pours from between his lips, and he uses both hands to stroke along Hoseok's length while he bobs his tightened lips just past the head, laving with his tongue. 

Hoseok is overstimulated in a way he has never experienced from a blowjob, and his resolve crumbles in an instant. 

"Gonna cum, fuck," Hoseok warns. "Can I cum in your mouth?"

Yoongi heavy-blinks and attempts to nod, lips and hands still working Hoseok over. Hoseok's entire body feels hot – set alight, threatening to combust. 

"Fuck, fuck," Hoseok whimpers, trembling from pleasure that teeters just on the edge of insanity. 

Yoongi stills his head, holding his mouth open and tongue flat while stroking Hoseok with both hands. The tip of his cock drags along Yoongi's pretty tongue, and with one more measured stroke, Hoseok releases, moaning and gasping, practically folding in half as his cum spurts in long ropes, painting Yoongi white. 

Although the strokes slow, they do not stop. Yoongi's large, soft hands milk him of every last drop until Hoseok is gripping Yoongi's shoulders and he is begging him to have mercy. 

"Fuck, Yoongi," he gasps, lowering to his knees, no longer able to hold himself up.

Yoongi's tongue continues to lay flat, cum and drool dripping down his chin, and Hoseok sits high and spits once more into his mouth before commanding him to, "Swallow."

Hoseok watches intently as Yoongi closes his lips and swallows his cum, then his hands are on him, lazily gripping at his throat and neck. He feels drunk with power and desire – feels ready to allow the blaze inside him to swallow both of them whole. 

"On the bed," Hoseok commands.

Yoongi's face is flushed and covered in a sheen of sweat, his once-style hair is fucked up and sticking out on the sides, and his lips are pretty kiss-swollen petals. He breathes slow and deep as he nods, eyelashes fluttering as if he too is coming down from a high. 

Rather than stand, Yoongi turns haphazardly on his knees, gets onto his hands, and crawls. His white trouser shorts hug his plump round ass, swaying with each movement like a beacon of pleasure, and Hoseok crawls behind him, eyes never leaving his prize until they must – until Yoongi climbs up the platform bed and turns, sitting with his feet planted on the floor. 

Hoseok crawls to Yoongi's shins, then sits high on his knees and uses his palms to spread his thighs. He licks his lips and reaches for Yoongi's button and zipper, but Yoongi grips Hoseok by the wrists and yanks. 

"Come here, Seok."

Nodding, still feeling somewhat delirious, Hoseok gets up onto his feet just enough to crash down onto the low bed, caging Yoongi's legs as the man chuckles and crawls backward to the center of the mattress.

"I have an idea," Yoongi promises, rotating to scoot until his shoulders are against the dark headboard. He pats his legs and says, "Come here," while he hastily shoves his shorts and briefs down, and his voice is rougher than usual, no doubt from deepthroating.

For the first time since all of this has started, Hoseok gets a good look at Yoongi. His complexion is soft and supple against the dark bedding, and his body is a gorgeous blend of thin and muscular – similar to Hoseok, yet different. His shoulders are wide, his hands are large, yet he is knobby and slightly lanky, small against the large bed. Breathtaking.

The hair at the base of Yoongi's hard, leaking cock is trimmed low – an inviting patch of black against lilac-tinted skin. Hoseok leans close to kiss along Yoongi's hip and breathes in his musky-sweet scent, but before he can tease, Yoongi has both hands on Hoseok's cheeks and jaw, tugging him upward.

Hoseok lifts and wiggles beside Yoongi, who has slithered down into a lying position. "Kiss me," he groans, still pulling Hoseok by the face, forcing him to crash down against him, licking against his lips. 

As Hoseok settles onto his side, Yoongi drapes a leg around Hoseok's hips and rolls their bodies together. Already, Hoseok's cock is becoming erect, and with each roll of Yoongi's hips, he feels hypnotized. 

"Fuck, Yoongi," Hoseok groans, sinking low against Yoongi's chest to leave marks with his lips and teeth that will be hidden under clothing tomorrow. "You don't know what you do to me."

Yoongi lifts his hand to Hoseok's lips and rasps, "Spit," and Hoseok obeys, gathering saliva under his tongue only to trickle it into his palm. Then Yoongi reaches between them, engulfs both cocks in his warm grip, and thrusts. 

"Oh, shit," Hoseok whimpers in tandem with a deep, needy groan from Yoongi. 

Hoseok spits hastily into his own hand and reaches to engulf them further, then he sets a rhythm with his hips, pushing when Yoongi pulls and pulling when Yoongi pushes. Pleasure grips Hoseok tight, threatening to drag him into the hot, inviting depths of hell, and Hoseok whimpers as he leans into Yoongi, sucking his lips between his teeth. 

The kiss is a sloppy gnash of teeth and tongues with nobody in control. Yoongi seems to be losing his composure quickly, and the more he moans and trembles against Hoseok, the more persistently Hoseok strokes their dicks. 

Their rhythm is hypnotizing – a dance between two bodies so fluid and perfect, Hoseok has a lingering thought that perhaps the two of them were meant for each other. Their connection feels so intense, it scares the shit out of him.

"Seok," Yoongi whimpers, lower lip caught in Hoseok's teeth. "Close. So close. "Gonna—"

"In my mouth," Hoseok insists, releasing his hold on their cocks and haphazardly sliding down the length of Yoongi's body.

He is quick to sink Yoongi deep into his throat, wasting no time sucking as if his life depends on it. Yoongi stays on his side and grips onto Hoseok's hair, hips trusting, never losing their dizzying rhythm. 

Hoseok can feel Yoongi pulsate against his lips and he swallows him deep, moaning and humming around him until Yoongi's hips tremble and he shoots his load straight into Hoseok's throat. Yoongi's voice is pitchy and broken, his body quakes with bliss, and Hoseok breathes through his nose, doing his best to swallow each drop without his gag reflex interfering.

Suddenly exhausted, Hoseok releases Yoongi's spent cock, gasping for air. It is messy the way Yoongi attempts to pull Hoseok's lips back to his, body bent in half while Hoseok stretches and strains until he finally finds the strength to crawl up to him and kiss him properly. 

"Seok," Yoongi gasps against his lips, eyes wide and filling Hoseok's vision. "You're incredible. Nobody…" he pants, "nobody has ever made me feel this way."

Honeyed words taste bitter against Hoseok's tongue as he considers all the different times Yoongi must have used that line before. How many models did he sink his claws into similarly, only to drop without a care in the world? What is worse is that Hoseok almost believes him.

Yoongi holds Hoseok in place against him, lips lazily dragging, eager to kiss despite losing the strength to move. Hoseok's mouth moves on instinct alone, erection long forgotten to the brewing storm inside his head.

"Nap," Yoongi grumbles, body falling limp and relaxed around him. "Then food."

"Okay," Hoseok whispers as he reaches for the soft comforter on which they lay, folding it over them rather than bothering to attempt to crawl beneath it. 

Yoongi smiles, drifting to sleep, and Hoseok leaves soft pecks against the tip of his nose and the apple of his cheek, eager to kiss and kiss and kiss. He wants to commit this moment to memory in the event that this is the last time. 

As Yoongi's body becomes heavy as lead, lost to the firm grasp of sleep, Hoseok waits for him to lightly begin to snore. He waits, laying on his side and tracing each shape of Yoongi's beautiful face, shoulders, and chest with his eyes. 

He waits and he waits until Yoongi rolls onto his back, limbs slipping away from Hoseok's nude body. And then he waits just a beat longer before he slowly, silently slips out from beneath the comforter, collects his clothing, and tiptoes into the living room. 

It is still early in the night, and Hoseok stares out the window at the city below the hill, at the river in the distance, at the cars that drive by. He slips into his clothing, tiptoes to the front door, gathers his handbag and shoes, and, in the elevator, calls for a cab.

Over and over, Yoongi's voice plays in Hoseok's head. Nobody has ever made me feel this way. 

Over and over, his pretty, tearful eyes and soft, kissable lips sear into Hoseok's mind, taking up permanent residence, threatening to drive him mad. Hoseok stares at his reflection in the elevator doors, unsure how he is supposed to feel. 

He got it out of his system. He successfully fucked with the pretty man with the reputation for using people, and he slipped away in the night, giving him a taste of his own medicine. 

But he does not feel satisfied. It is as if vines have snaked their way into his chest cavity and they squeeze, threatening to puncture his lungs with their thorns and steal his air. 

He feels defeated. Deflated. He has accomplished his goal, yet he does not feel victorious. 

Nobody has ever made me feel this way. 

Those pretty words spoken in that raspy voice taunt him over and over, and Hoseok walks out into the chill night feeling emptier than before.  

one more chapter left!!! and don't worry, these two idiots will have a happy ending, okay. i just have to drag you through the angst mud a little more because it's funnnn. 😍😍😍 apparently i can only focus on one bestie at a time, so i will do my best to bring Taehyung into the spotlight in chapter 4!

also i feel like it is silly to have described Yoongi living in an all black and grey space with my whole entire chest, but this is what i had in mind:

MORE COMING SOON!!! COMMENTS & REBLOGS WILL MAKE ME WANT TO WORK ON IT FASTER! LIKES ARE ALWAYS SO SO APPRECIATED!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!!!

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[flower-boi16]

Your post about imp not having human disguises made me realize how pointless the grimoire is like let me get this straight blitzo Millie and moxxie never bother to learn the human disguise spell so that they won’t get seen but for some reason LOONA knows how to used it???

and let’s not forget how Barbie knows how to disguise herself as a human which hey Vivzepop question HOW THE FUCK DOES BLITZO SISTER KNOWS THE SPELL AND SHE DON’T HAVE THE BOOK???? and god don’t get me started on seeing stars like stolas can disguise himself as human without the book but he can’t disguise blitzo moxxie and Millie into humans you know the people his whiny ass beg to help him find Octavia at this point the human disguise thing feels like it only exists for the sake of fanservice and not actually important for the plot

@toastyghostcriticalblog

The grimoire does actually have a purpose within the story…it’s a plot device. It’s an object that only exists to create conflict and make things happen. It’s a plot device, and a very contrived one at that.

First of all there’s the existence of Asmodeun crystals which can be used to travel into our world, and, for some reason, Blitz NEVER thought to kill a succubus and steal one of the crystals for himself. No, he had to steal the grimoire so the conflict with Stolas can happen.

Then it’s also revealed that you can use a spell from the grimoire to create human disguises…which other demons can easily do without the grimoire. So, why don’t the imps use the spells from the grimoire? Why didn’t Blitz take the other options for his business rather than resort to stealing from a goetia prince?

Because then most of the conflict in the series would not happen since the grimoire is the sole thing creating and driving the conflicts within the show, mainly the Stolitz plot line. They had to make Blitz steal the grimoire rather than the crystals because then one of the major conflicts in the series would not happen.

It’s a lazy plot device, plain and simple.

[literary-illuminati]

2024 Book Review #51 – Monstress Volume 8: Inferno by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

This is the last volume of Monstress that’s currently published and (since vol. 9 is coming out in November) the second-last I’m going to read this year. Which could be either a good or a bad thing, I suppose. This is the first volume I can say I genuinely didn’t enjoy, not even grading on a curve fro the highs of the rest of the series but in general. Not awful, but not good either – by far the most ‘comic-bookey’ plot arc so far, and I really don’t mean that as a compliment.

Through a variety of contrivances involving Maika’s friends journeying to the centre of her mind to try and wake her up from her coma and finding a massive and seemingly living statue of Adara Farclaw – the previously semi-mythical ancient hero-sage of the cats – our main cast (plus the ghost of Maika’s childhood self created by the sheer intensity of her own self-loathing) find themselves on the prison world where Zinn trapped all his kin to keep them from devouring the world we’re more familiar with back in pre-history. They’ve adapted surprisingly well, adopting humanoid forms and farming for the food they need. Immortal but sterile, their history since has been dominated by an endless race war between the first generation Fallen Houses (Zinn’s peers) and the second-generation and much reduced in grandeur (but increased in numbers) Defiled. Zinn, Maika, and the fragment of the Shaman-Empresses’ mask they brought with them are a chance to upset the balance of power, or perhaps even escape – and both sides are willing to do anything it takes for that chance.

Though all that plot aside, the actual point of the volume is to a) provide great reams of lore on the Monstra in general and Zinn’s past and present relationship with the rest of their species in particular and b) give Maika a chance to work on her self-esteem issues and guilt over accidentally killing and eating her mom as a child by providing a tulpa of 10-year-old her to scream at, protect, and reconcile with. Also a bunch of stuff about cats.

I can see the version of this story that works for me, at least in broad strokes. But yeah, the one that actually exists really didn’t. The largest part of that is just allocation of narrative resources, I think? As the book goes on, it has become steadily less interested in the themes and aesthetics I find more compelling to focus on it’s deep lore mythohistory and melodrama among the elder gods, to the point of just leaving the actual setting with its fascinating politics and societies entirely for basically the last two volumes. It begins to make me question why I’m still reading. Maika as a character is profoundly interesting, but having her just clearly announce her issues to a literal embodiment of them is not, to me, particularly compelling reading.

On an aesthetic level, the strange and alien prison planet let me deeply unimpressed. It was all so..familiar. Even the two warring nations of eldritch god-monster have ended up basically human-sized and human-shaped, farming and eating and using tools and building structures in instantly recognizable ways. There’s an excuse offered, but I’m still left wondering why even bother if it’s going to be so unspectacular.

I also found myself disappointing in how...monotonous, I suppose? The aesthetics of technology are growing to be. The guns, tools and armour of these cat worldwalkers who’ve been living underground on this prison world for centuries look almost identical to what technology of the Shaman Empress and the toys the Blood Court uses and- Even if you can torture and justify it all to make sense, it just gets boring and samey eventually, you know? Makes the world feel small.

Which is related to my thematic issues with the volume, in a way. The story is clearly much more interested in the grand, superhuman drama of the monstra, the exploration of multiple worlds and lost continents, space age high technology, more species and relics and myths and just – it all piles up so much that the result just ends up feeling more generic and boring than the more focused and detailed world of the first few volumes was. This is made far worse (for me, anyway) by the fact that Zinn seems to have been personally involved with literally every major historical personage that was mentioned at any point.

The most concise way to put it is that at the start of the story Maika et al really felt like people inhabiting a world, and now it’s at Star Wars levels of the world feeling like a canvas for a specific set of people’s melodrama. Nothing wrong with that, in the slightest – I just prefer the other, and feel a bit cheated by the shift.

On a different thematic level I kept waiting for some real, like, narrative pushback or reversal about how the Defiled are treated as these disgusting morally abhorrent abominations for the fundamental crime of being genetically impure and ‘spiritually mutilated’ and...never really got it?

Anyway, pacing wise the arc is much too short to be a complete, satisfying version of the story it wants to tell, and much, much too long to be a part of the longer story it is a detour from. The story never becomes offensively bad, but I am honestly reading as much out of inertia as anything by now.

[panlight]

Re: New Moon and the race to stop Edward’s suicide. I get that it’s Bella’s story and she needs to be in the action, but logically there were other options than flying her to Italy. Castle Volterra has a secretary; surely Carlisle could have called the castle and name dropped himself in a message for Aro. “Detain Ed until I can get there” and fly himself to Italy. Edward only does the sunlight thing to provoke them after they refuse to kill him. If they just arrested him, he wouldn’t be able to fight his way past every guard member.

 Alice says “You can lie with your thoughts and Bella in-person is the only proof that will work on Edward” but surely Alice could have taken a digital/early model camera phone pic with Bella in her kitchen holding a newspaper for the date and Carlisle could use it as proof (or cause enough doubt) to get Edward to come home. For the law, Carlisle has success in changing other humans to vampires and can make the promise to change Bella. It makes more sense for Aro to let the Cullens off bc Carlisle is his friend, and Alice isn’t there as the prize he wants. If he wants Alice later, he has to let everyone go home now.

 But then we don’t get to meet the villains until the next book and even then the ones in charge don’t roll in until the last book. Bella doesn’t get another “special me” moment by shaking hands with Aro for him to be impressed. It is better storytelling and drama for Bella to be in Italy and get the dire reunion with Edward, but the plot definitely could have been tightened up. As you’ve pointed out before, why was Rose never informed that Bella wasn’t dead after all when Alice stayed at the Swan house for two days? Maybe Rose still calls Edward but to say, “It’s pointless to stay away now bc Alice is there. She saw Bella jump off a cliff-“ and then Edward stops listening, spiraling in misunderstanding. That seems more in-character than Alice not keeping her family in the loop.

The whole climax of New Moon feels, to me, like she wanted to do an homage to Romeo and Juliet with the whole “he thinks she’s dead” miscommunication thing. I think she also had this very clear vision of Bella running through the plaza to get to Edward. As someone who dabbles in fiction writing, I get that. 

But it’s just a lot harder to pull off a miscommunication of this scale in 2006 with CELL PHONES than it was back in Ye Olde Verona. So it ends up feeling SO contrived. 

Harry dies so there can be a misunderstanding about a funeral and Jacob picks up the phone at Bella’s house?!? Who does that?!? 

Alice doesn’t bother telling anyone for several days that Bella is in fact, alive, so that Rosalie finally gets through to Edward to tells him Bella’s dead? 

Carlisle and Esme are away hunting, apparently, and also don’t have cell phones or at least no service?

I mean I get that in 2006 cell phones weren’t AS common as they are today, but the Cullens are stupid rich and like, import the latest models of TVs and expensive cars, I’m supposed to believe they don’t also have the coolest new phones? 

All of this involves characters acting in ways real people just . . . don’t. And like I get they are vampires but Jacob picking up the phone at Bella’s house is always going to be weird. Alice being in Forks for like two days before Rosalie finally gets ahold of Edward makes literally zero sense. And if all that STILL happens, then yeah, Carlisle calling Volterra as soon as he’s made aware of what’s going on and then flying there himself is the most logical thing to do and the easiest solution. No one has to convince him Bella’s alive if Aro just ‘arrests’ him and has Alec sedate him until Carlisle gets there or whatever. 

But Bella doesn’t get to run through the plaza and Alice doesn’t get to steal a Porsche so we’re not doing THAT. 

[butterfly--empress]

....About that Attack on Titan Series...

Well, well, well......I wasn't going to make this post, but fuck it, we here and I feel like ranting into the goddamn void, it's been a WHILE.

If you enjoyed this series from beginning to end and don't have the emotional maturity to understand that I don't fucking LIKE THIS SHIT. DO NOT REPLY

I don't have patience and I will block you on sight! As we fandom old's say: Don't Like? Don't Fucking Read!

Anyway onto the rant...

it's June 2024 and I finally after so many years, watched this show because it was recommended to me and I brought into the hype because I had NO IDEA just how derisive S4 and the series finale actually was back in the height of it's day.

I had always meant to eventually get around to watching the show and maybe even reading the manga alongside it, but as the years passed, I just never found the urge to pick it up.

And now that I have, after believing the show was great from beginning to end...

GOD, I sure wish I could get back the time I spent watching the entirety of Season 4, that Finale, and feeling utterly annoyed that a writer chose to end their story on such a nonsensical plot.

In fact, I sort of wished I never bothered at all to be quite honest.

The short of it: Seasons 1 to 3>>>>>>Season 4 and that awful ass Finale.

Very unfortunate too. This is just another case of 'great ideas, bad execution'.

And I'm not sorry but the more I think about it, the more I just cannot turn my brain off, suspend my disbelief and gaslight myself into accepting season 4 and that fucking finale as peak writing.

That shit was awful, the fact that seeing the latest interview from the creator himself, just reaffirms how strong the author's intent was when writing this last arc!

It wasn't the fact this was bad on accident, or that the creator ran out of ideas, OR the story got too complicated and complex, OR that he couldn't commit to what he already established in earlier seasons.

If his words are to be taken at face value from that interview:

It's not that this guy is a bad writer, Attack on Titan's last arc's messy writing:

-Plot holes and too many subplots that go nowhere

-Last minute ass-pulls and Deus Ex Machina that make no damn sense.

-Adding time travel-esque powers out of the blue, and it amounts to nothing in the end.

-Never giving an actual satisfying reason why Eren *couldn't defy his fate*.

--We not gonna talk about his mom...

-I'm not gonna bitch about that Ymir subplot about her loving her abusive ass slave master/husband, after what was already established before this point was fine by itself...nope, not going there...

-That god awful confusing asf 4yr time skip. (listen, I don't know NOR do I care at this point, if this time skip was elaborated on in the manga. This was just a poor attempt to hand wave away the obviously inconsistent switch OR lack of development to the characters I followed since ep 1.)

-The stagnation of already established characters we were with since the beginning and basically being replaced by new characters: the MINUTE the Marley characters took center stage, something in me just KNEW, the original crew were being replaced but hoping to GOD I WAS WRONG. --Turns out my gut feeling was correct and it makes me dislike these character more than I already did.

--Yeah, I really did not care AT ALL for the Marley crew. There's just something about shoehorning in new characters that I have no attachment to and telling me, they are now the real protagonists (who get sudden plot armor and make it alive by the end, with no real consequences...in a series that had no qualms about killing just about 90% of the characters I actually gave some fuck about and knew since ep 1 feels very contrived.)

-The unnecessary death of fan favorites that amounted to NOTHING

--I'm not...I'm just going to leave THIS ONE ALONE because I'll be here all fucking DAY and boy I'm doing enough ranting as it is.

~If You Know, You KNOW!~

-I'm not going to rant about the female characters because 1. we'll be here all day, 2. to be fair: most of the characters sort of fell flat regardless of gender anyway. (But I def get that the female cast in particular was done so dirty in the last arc. It's one thing for shounen writers to write one dimensional female characters...you have to be some kind of SPECIAL to create two-dimensional, even three-dimensional female characters only to downgrade them to their lowest common denominator. THE AUDACITY, THE INSULT TO MY FUCKING INTELLIGENCE!)

-I'm not going to bother about the shipping: it's obvious that a certain ship was going to be canon but god, do I really need to bitch about the utter lack of meaningful development to get it from point A to B?

--Then again, maybe it was supposed to be toxic? Lord knows it fits well into the clusterfuck of the last arc of this story.

--Honestly, I was more into a non canon ship that developed thru friendship naturally onscreen anyway, so I have no horse in this race.

-The BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM of mixes messages, that maybe, certain extreme ideologies are correct and justified.

--Yeah, we gonna leave this one alone too...Honestly because this is actually the one thing I don't think was intentional, even if the blatant implications of it are there...and I don't want to make assumptions of the man's politics and what he believes, and his worldview (outside of his personal feelings about himself), I don't know him personally.

--I will however, rant to high hell and I do think he utilized and underutilized the allegory he borrowed from real life history; which led to the unfortunate 'Fantastical Racism' that happens in AoT.

--The slaughtering of poignant thematic themes, period!

--That bad ending (not that it's tragic per se, but just thematically bad).

~~Are you starting to see a pattern??~~

ALL THIS TO SAY:

He didn't WANT to allow his story to progress 'naturally' in the direction it 'wanted to go'.

Isayama didn't want to commit to anything he established. The story is the way it is, because he INTENDED it to be this way.

Eren fails to be a great hero OR antihero (depending on how one sees it) because Isayama doesn't think he, himself is a great person even if others tell him he is. (Ring a Bell?)

And I think it's a hard pill for a lot of people to swallow. Your time was wasted theory crafting, giving the creator the benefit of doubt, all for him to basically say, because he suffered from a serious case of 'Imposter Syndrome', you are an idiot for ever thinking this story was great, was suppose to be more than it is, and that his success isn't earned because he doesn't feel that way and you have to feel that way too.

The creator wanted a nihilistic, myopic, depressive ending. Worldbuilding, lore, cohesive storytelling be DAMNED, because he let his negative feelings about himself bleed way too much into his work.

He wanted the message if there was one at all: there's no point in putting hope in humans because 'we're all just trash anyway', people will always fight, good people shouldn't sacrifice their lives to help humanity or put any hope into humans evolving to change our ways, so why try to find another way, and maybe 'Hitler was right'.

It gets worse when the creator HIMSELF, out of his OWN MOUTH, stated; if he WANTED TO, he could have given the story a better proper send off. He knows what he wrote, and he knows that the natural, better progression of the story he created would have been better received by the fans and critics alike, if he allowed it to go in that direction, but he didn't want that.

Granted: I'm all for writers doing ultimately what they want with their stories, for better or worse.

But that's not what he wanted. And that's what I take from all of this.

However what pisses me off, is that he should have been HONEST about the story/themes/message he wanted to portray from the start.

I don't have a problem with tragic, depressive tales and it's themes, if it is done right. This was not done right and we know it wasn't, because you can look at past and even present discussions and arguments throughout this fandom and see that people have valid reasons to be very upset. (No one likes for their intelligence to be insulted when the story takes them out of the immersion to the point, that the critical thinking jumps in, and now a person is starting to realize that a lot of writing choices that they ignored before, because the story was still good, are now flaws. Stories don't have to be PERFECT, but once those flaws can't be ignored, people begin to see them as the red flags that they are. We might be hopeful, that these flaws or plot holes will be course corrected at some point, but we will not ignore, when we see the trajectory of a story's plot going downhill to the point of no return. AoT's story went beyond the Point of No Return...ON PURPOSE!)

What grinds my gears about this entire situation is that, we have a creator here, who purposely build up a story, world, characters, and themes that the audience expected would follow through and make sense, given what we have of the story.

Only for the creator to fail spectacularly by trying to fucking subvert the audiences' expectations, and seeming to really not give a damn that it's what he wanted to do from the start.

Despite whatever issues he feels or has about himself, it sours whatever sympathy I may have for the guy, because in a way, what he decided to do of his own free will, seems very jaded and quite narcissistic...

I SAID WTF I SAID

It's the audacity for me.

People were lead on, lied to, and wasted their time for nothing.

Character motivations, deaths, sacrifices, the themes, worldbuilding, all of it, amounted to NOTHING.

We were idiots to put good faith into the author. We were idiots to think, this story was worth it. For some of us, it felt like a slap in the face if you were an original fan since the story's inception and honestly, your resentment for sticking with it til the end for ten plus years for an unsatisfying bullshit finale is very valid.

TL:DR: AoT's ending is trash because the Author wanted it to be trash, and that's really, unfortunately what it all amounts to.

Soo, yeah, I don't think I can really say much more than that.

Man should have just stuck with Keeping It Fucking Simple Simon and just ended the story where literally everybody dies from fighting giant ass flesh eating zombies called titans.

Okay NOW I'M DONE WITH THIS!

Edit: GOD, and here I thought I finally fallen into another great shounen on the same level as FMA:BH after the constant disappointment, that is MHA's last arc.

...Maybe I'm getting too old for anime, at least 'shounen'....idk...anymore

At least Spy x Family can't hurt me...

[annymation]

Hi! Loved how you changed the whole wish sistem and the way the King granted them, makes the narrative more compelling.

Also, love what you plan for Aster's character arc.

Thank you! I thought it would just make a lot more sense if the people of Rosas had no way of knowing for sure how many wishes the king was actually granting, if he does it in a ceremony then people just know he doesn’t grant many and we have… Well we have that plot contrivance from the first movie that bothers me to no end.

Also it just feels more whimsical, like the king grants the wishes without being seen, like he’s more of a benevolent entity than a man…

Plus it explains why the heck the castle’s ceiling can OPEN ITSELF like what was that about???? Was there an explanation I missed???

[total-drama-gun]

The episode in Ridonculous race where Devin calls his girlfriend (the one that makes him realize she’s cheating on him) has always bothered me bc he gets the call as a reward for winning the challenge, as said by Don.

However, earlier in the show we see the step bros calling home to talk to their parents on a pay phone at the airport. So what are Chet and Lorenzo breaking the rules??? I don’t even remember there’s being a rule that you couldn’t have your phone, or that you couldn’t call home.

So like why did they have to win that challenge in the first place to call home??? Did the writers just forget (very possibly) or did Don mean like you can get a guaranteed call bc they are always moving around so it’s probably hard to call home from so far away.

But like idk if he can call her at any point, why doesn’t Devin just try calling her in general??? Does he not remember her phone number or something???? I think about this plot contrivance a lot bc the step bros were forced to not win that episode (that’s the one where they make up) which I feel is unfair bc frankly them calling home at that point in the game would have been a lot more interesting to me then Devin. (This has been written by the one and only step bros defender)

[theboredandkindaweirdhisotrian]

Something that got me thinking:

I'm in a Narnia fans Facebook group and recently someone posted about how the one thing that bothered him the most about VDT the 2010 movie was how of all the things they've changed, they kept the albatross at the Dark Island, because it makes no sense in the context of the movie.

I commented on maybe because they put it in, because of how iconic the whole scene was and of course here's the line, "Courage, dear heart". But the more I thought, the more I wasn't sure if I remember the albatross saying the line. I spent some time browsing for a clip of the scene untill a fellow member commented that the albatross has indeed not said the line to Lucy. I thanked that member and made a notion how VDT feels off because Aslan isn't a tangible presence in the story and found myself agreeing, that in the context of the movie, the albatross makes zero sense. I'll elaborate here:

Sure, there were changes, even major ones in both LWW and PC. But in both, Aslan was a presence to be reckoned with. Without him, efforts felt shortfallen and misguided. In LWW the children would not win against the witch. Say what you want about that river god and walking trees, the old Narnians were fighting a losing battle without Aslan. But not VDT. Just think about it: Untill the Pevensies get into Narnia, it's fine, but then it's like, they sail to the Lone Islands, get captured, managed to escape and learn about the Green mist™, who kidnaps locals because it's very naughty. Immediatley they get a supposed magic mcguffin sword, are told to get the whole set of 7 and place them on some magical table so the Green mist™ will be vanquished and released the poor sods it's hoarded over the time. Note how I never mentioned Aslan and it's the same hecking plot of the film. All mentions of Aslan in the film, however, like "he sent us" and "that's his sword" and "his table", etc. feel contrived and forced. Someone followed up my comment, saying how I put into words why VDT doesn't feel Narnian.

Because it's Aslan. Without Him, it's just another generic fantasy world.

With all the news we're getting about there's some serious goings on about the Netflix project, that's now what I'm afraid it'll happen and it will suck. So to anyone on the project with any shred of artistic integrity of any sort, learn from this, please.

[opha]

warning: fallout prime (derogatory) spoilers

i'm giving the fallout show a fair shot (pirated, of course; even if it was the best fallout media in existence i would refuse to give amazon anything for it). everything that isn't the plot is fine. funny, even, at times. first episode, as much as i hated having to see the BoS so soon, was pretty solid. i laughed out loud more than once at the "representation" knight titus brought to the BoS and it's exactly what they deserve.

the plot itself has very low internal logic from episode 2 on that isn't about the lore at first so much as basic inconsistencies (like "how strong is the power armor's punch", "is the ghoul supposed to be superhuman", etc) with way too many contrivances to carry the story forward. everyone is exactly where they need to be at just the right time, and sometimes they don't even bother to justify it.

then from episode 5 on, when they start to establish their original part of the fallout canon, pretty much every plot reveal makes no goddamn sense and it lapses into "we don't need to explain why this non-ghoul woman has been alive for more than 200 years" level plot craters. sometimes it feels like they're writing like the bombs dropped 20-40 years ago rather than 200. shady sands has a fucking vault under it. you know, the settlement that didn't exist pre-war and was created with vault 15's GECK? yeah. not even gonna get into the whole profit motive for the great war making no fucking sense because vault-tec knew roughly how many people were going to be left in the US after nuclear war, which could be intentional, but it still leaves a sour taste in my mouth that they came right out and said who started it at all. it was left vague in classic fallout on purpose.

before ep 5 i thought it could end up marginally better than fallout 3/4/76, at least. the only relief i have now is that i haven't had to deal with the bethesda-esque dumbing down of super mutants so far. please tell me there aren't super mutants.

[theoneandonlygothicrainbow]

Pixar Movie Reviews

I’ve watched, reviewed, rated, and ranked every Pixar film with the exception of Elemental, which I haven’t seen yet, and all of my reviews will be in this blog. The blog will go in chronological order, starting with Toy Story and ending with Lightyear.

I’m sure my interpretations will not be unanimously agreed upon, and that’s ok. These all just my opinions and I respect other opinions as long as they respect mine.

Key:

Pink: Transcendent with no significant issues

Purple: Has one main problem holding the film back, but still excellent

Blue: Great but not mind blowing

Green: Good but not great

Orange: Above average despite its problems

Red: Pretty average for the most part

Black: Below average or bad

Toy Story

A classic staple of animation, and it’s easy to see why. While a lot of the ideas in this film are pretty dated by today’s standards, the film still proves to be pretty engaging with a lot of the humor, character arcs, and heartwarming moments. Buzz and Woody have a very entertaining dynamic and it’s refreshing to have a protagonist that’s as morally flawed as Woody is. Many are bothered by Woody’s behavior and think he’s too harsh, but honestly, I have the opposite problem. I think the main flaw with this film is the other toys. They’re not infuriating, but a lot of their actions are pretty one note, inconsistent, and dare I say harsh considering what the movie shows us regarding Woody’s character. It’s not a major issue but it does hold this film back for me. There’s also a lot of cliches in this film but again, that’s expected because these ideas were fresh at the time. It’s by no means a perfect film, but it’s definitely a must see for the history.

A Bug’s Life

This film is considered pretty mediocre in the Pixar line up, and it’s definitely one of their weaker films. That being said, I still like this film ok. I think I really like the premise for how dark it kind of is, with the ants having to pay to a higher power and fighting back for it. I also really like Dot. Very cute and sweet, even when Flick, a pretty typical protagonist, fails. Hopper is also an AMAZING villain. He’s very intimidating and brutal in such an awesome way that still fits the story. So what holds this film back? Well, the story itself is kind of hard to buy. Flick believing the circus bugs are warrior bugs is really contrived and silly, and it’s such a forced liar revealed plot line. Liar revealed plot lines are among my least favorite plot lines and this film’s use of it is atrocious. It’s really unbelievable that the town would shame Flick for lying when the bugs were being so helpful toward the town. Also, I hate Princess Anna. She’s so rude and annoying and I hate that she ends up with Flick by the end. They have no chemistry and Flick deserves better than her. It’s not a must see at all, and I don’t know if I’d say I recommend it, but if you want to see it, I think there’s some good stuff to get out of it despite it’s major problems.

Toy Story 2

This film is such a huge step up from Toy Story 1. In fact, I’d argue this was the film that really cemented the Toy Story franchise into fame. It’s honestly one of the most polished films I’ve ever seen, and probably the best sequel film I’ve ever seen as well. The humor in this film is honestly among Pixar’s best. There are a wide variety of jokes and I don’t think a single one misses. The heart behind this film is also very strong. It’s a really heartbreaking follow up about Woody’s realization and fear that he’ll eventually be replaced, and wanting to avoid that heartbreak for the interests of the other toys. Speaking of which, Jessie, Bullseye, and Pete are all very charming characters. Bullseye is adorable and I love how he acts like a dog. He often serves as someone who makes Woody truly doubt his actions. Jessie is also very interesting. Her whole story with Emily is very sad and all of her PTSD with abandonment is really sad. It’s really heartwarming to see her find family again with the rest of Andy’s toys. Pete is also a pretty good villain. I love how manipulative he is of Jessie and Woody and seeing him lash out is really intimidating. I also love Buzz and the other toys in this film. They all have a decent amount of highlight in the rescue mission and I love the role reversal they pull with Buzz trying to bring Woody to reality. The other Buzz character and Zurg are also pretty fun, even if it is a bit odd that toys didn’t suspect that he was off, but it’s not totally unbelievable. This film has so much heart and variety that I think everyone would find something they love about it.

Monsters Inc

This film is one of the most famous Pixar movies to date and it’s easy to see why. The worldbuilding is really creative and interesting. I like seeing a lot of different monsters that vary in style, personality, and ability. It’s also cool to see the film set in a factory like setting and have it be really interesting. The main characters in this film are very strong. Mike and Sully have a great dynamic and they share a lot of iconic and funny lines. This film honestly has amazing humor, definitely among Pixar’s best. Randall is a pretty menacing threat and a good representation of a coworker having a bitter rivalry for a promotion. And Waternoose is honestly the best twist villain in animation I’ve ever seen. You don’t expect it because you already have Randall as a villain, but at the same time, it makes sense that he would be so adamant about harming children with how fixated he is on keeping the company running. He’s an amazing representation of corrupt CEOs who do immoral things to keep profits coming (*cough cough* pretty relevant in this day and age *cough cough*). Boo is adorable and her bond with Sully is so charming and sweet. I also really love the romance between Mike and Celia. There are a couple of story contrivances that bother me and prevent me from calling it a perfect film (the scene where Boo escapes the door for the first time in particular has a lot of that), but this film is still a lot of fun and definitely worth quite a few watches.

Finding Nemo

This movie is considered a classic among Pixar films, and while I can’t say I love this one as much as others, I do think it’s pretty great. The underwater world is absolutely gorgeous, the overall theme about disabilities and being protective over them is really beautiful, and the adventure is really suspenseful and great character development for Marlin. I loved Dory’s character and how she helps Marlin see the fault in his actions. She has a lot of great inspirational lines that are still well used to this day. Nemo and Marlin have a pretty realistic child and parent dynamic that escalated well to the main conflict. Darla is pretty funny threat that’s realistic for the fish to be scared of. The comedic moments are hit or miss for me, but the ones that hit are very funny. Also, this is a film I blocked out from memory because a lot of the imagery scared me when I first saw it when I was younger, particularly Hank chasing Marlin and Dory and Nemo getting taken away by the divers. Even watching this now, I’m still shocked by the amount of scary imagery in this film. It’s kind of weird when coupled with some of the more juvenile (but not super obnoxious) humor. I’m also not a huge fan of the tank gang, even if they do have a lot of good jokes. I still definitely recommend this film, as I’m sure my issues with it are not very common because many rank this as one of Pixar’s best and I can see why.

The Incredibles

Wow this film is…incredible (haha funny pun). I love how it takes the concept of a family of superheroes and plays it realistically. The dialogue in this film is very natural. The interactions between each of the family members feel authentic, and it gets you invested in each of their personal hang ups. The whole idea of society banning superheroes is really interesting and it definitely helps capture the “midlife crisis” and “glory days” vibe the film is going for with Bob. I imagine a lot of older audience members will relate a lot to both Bob and Helen with their struggles about an unsatisfying job and trying to raise their kids the best they can. I also really like Violet and Dash. They aren’t as well fleshed out as the parents but they still feel like real kids who are struggling to adapt to the world around them, especially a world where superheroes are illegal and villains want to kill them. Syndrome is a really strong villain as well. I like that he’s so bitter about Mr. Incredible ignoring him and his technology and plan make him feel like a major threat. The action is well blended with the drama of the main story and is really engaging to look at. There’s also a lot of memorable side characters like Edna Mode, Frozone, Cari, Mirage, and many more. This film is just all around very sophisticated and I definitely recommend it.

Cars

This film is often considered to be mediocre in Pixar’s lineup, and yeah, that’s definitely true. The worldbuilding is easily this movie’s biggest flaw. A lot of this world just feels like “human world but everyone is a car”, and the world definitely has a couple contradictions. It leaves a lot of questions for people watching this film and it can distract from the main story. The story itself is alright though. Lightning learning to be less arrogant isn’t the most amazing arc in the world, but it’s fine for what it is. And I can appreciate some love being shown for Route 66. I don’t think the romance between him and Sally is that well developed though. The side characters are kind of a mixed bag as well. Mater is really annoying, and a lot of the other side characters are just kind of forgettable and occasionally annoying. I do like Doc and King though, as they were interesting and charming whenever they were a focus. Chick Hicks is a passable and funny villain, even if it’s odd that the physical sabotage wasn’t really prohibited mid race. The two best things in this film for me are Life is a Highway, an AMAZING song, and the ending where we see Lightning’s arc wrapped up in a pretty satisfying way. This film is definitely flawed in a lot of areas, but it does have some charming moments. Not a must see but not a must avoid either.

Ratatouille

Fun fact: before doing this Pixar marathon, I had never seen this film before. And GOD do I wish I saw this sooner because this film is beautiful. It’s among the most thematically rich films I’ve ever seen. I love how the film puts a twist on the theme of “anyone can cook.” The critic makes it known that not everyone has the capability to cook, and the film further shows this with Linguine, who was trying to be someone he wasn’t and felt the need to live up to his family member’s legacy. Instead, they make it known that a great cook can come from a wide variety of backgrounds. The ending is easily the highlight in this regard with how it brings these themes together. Easily the best ending to any Pixar film. On top of that, this film really helps you love cooking so much through the amount of passion the characters, particularly Remy, have for it. I kept feeling hungry throughout this film when I watched, which was enhanced by the beautiful animation. And the side characters in this film are also very funny along the way, with a lot of their jokes being very subtle yet still able to be picked up on. The intro definitely bored me a little bit, but considering the differences in lighting compared to the rat sewers and Paris, I’m guessing that was intentional to show how Remy hates being a rat. If so, I applaud this film for it’s very good visual storytelling, along with everything else about it. It’s a very mature film that not everyone would find engaging, but it’s definitely a very well written and thought provoking film that I urge EVERYONE to see.

WALL-E

I see so many people consider this film Pixar’s best, and after seeing it for the first time, I can definitely understand why. The first half is absolutely beautiful with the amount of wordless storytelling about WALL-E, EVE, and Earth in general. Seeing WALL-E and EVE bond is very touching and adorable, and it also provides a decent amount of slapstick humor. I love the overall environment of Earth and how desolate and ruined it is. The second half is often considered to be weaker, but I’d argue it’s just as strong as the first. While there certainly isn’t as much wordless storytelling, there is still a lot of it. We see how lazy and dependent humans have become after leaving Earth, especially in their body mass. There’s also that beautiful scene of WALL-E and EVE dancing in space, and we also see a lot of different robot characters that vary in personality and humanity, in which Otto, the villain robot, has no sense of humanity and is merely following his prior orders. And the captain’s line “I don’t want to survive, I want to live” is among my favorite lines of dialogue in anything. While this film can definitely be pretty slow at points, this film is an incredible cautionary tale about environmental issues and global problems in general. I think this film will always continue to be relevant no matter what situation humanity faces. Definitely watch this one if you haven’t already.

Up

Out of every Pixar film, this one is easily the most overrated to me. The theme about remembering the small moments with people rather than the grand ones is a great moral, but the film doesn’t have a great connective tissue to the message. All it has is the first 10 minutes (which is nice but pretty overhyped imo) and the callback to scrapbook before the climax. The whole bird adventure is technically fine but I found it pretty boring for most of it. I guess it’s meant to be a reflection of how the smaller moments (protecting the bird) are more meaningful than the larger moments (going to Paradise Falls), but I feel like there could have been a more engaging way to execute that idea. I also didn’t like most of the characters. The dogs are cute and funny, but Russell and Carl are kind of eh. They are relatable and have some good moments, but they also have a lot of irritating moments. The villain is definitely one of the better twist villains due to how early his reveal is, and I like that he’s an antithesis about desperation for adventure, but other than that he’s not very engaging or interesting. This film is pretty great in a lot of ways, but it’s definitely not top tier Pixar, nor is it a film I’m in a hurry to see again in general.

Toy Story 3

I don’t this film is quite as perfect as Toy Story 2, but it is still an absolutely fantastic entry to the Toy Story franchise. The progression about the toys moving on from Andy is a really natural and emotional progression to take. I’m sure this was an emotional film for people attached to the Toy Story characters and/or those who related to the big change that moving to college is. The denial over growing up is a very realistic feeling to have and it causes a lot of emotional weight for the toys, as they realize Andy does really care about them despite having outgrown them. The daycare setting is pretty fun and I love the variety of toys we meet this time. Barbie and Ken, Lotso, Big Baby, the monkey, the telephone, the toys at Bonnie’s house, and even some of the background toys are really memorable. And the rest of Andy’s toys get a decent amount of highlight as well. Lotso is a very effective villain who is a great foil to the other toys about moving on from their owners. The way he manipulates and takes control is especially scary. If I had any complaints, I do think it’s a bit odd the toys don’t believe Woody when he said Andy wasn’t abandoning them, and I wished Buzz had a bit more going on than being essentially mind controlled for half the time, but this film is still a lot of fun and deserves the love it gets.

Cars 2

I think it’s no surprise to say that this film is Pixar’s weakest. And it’s astonishingly bad considering their line up of films beforehand. The whole plot is very forced. The racing and spy elements don’t blend well at all and making Mater the main star is very annoying. The spies act unreasonably stupid for the plot to go anywhere and most of Mater’s jokes are very bad. The reveal behind the villain is also very confusing and makes no sense considering the context of the rest of the plot. There are also confusing world building elements that are mainly left over from the first film but they are still annoying. The whole friendship message is pretty cliche and is not a very good match with the spy plot. Lightning is also uncharacteristically sympathetic towards Mater for half of the film out of nowhere. This film does have some positives with a couple of very good jokes that land as well as some somewhat heartwarming moments from the side characters, but overall, this film feels like such a mess that didn’t need to be made at all. I recommend you skip it.

Brave

Yeah this film kind of sucks. It doesn’t really piss me off that much but it just feels very cliche, boring, and predictable. It feels more like a low tier Disney movie rather than a Pixar film. The story is very uninspiring and the characters are the most unlikable and bland out of all the Pixar movies. Merida is such a brat, which is definitely the point of the film but the execution of her arc is very sloppy that it doesn’t feel satisfying when she learns by the end. Eleanor is also very obnoxious and Merida’s little brothers are useless and don’t fit the film’s darker tone very well. The animation is also pretty poor. The lighting is unusually dark to the point where I can’t see a lot of the time. It’s unfortunate because this film starts off well with a cool mystery in the forest, and it has great music and an interesting setting. Not to mention that the archery moments are really badass and cool. But those attributes sadly just make me notice the poor story and characters more. To me, this film had a lot of potential to be very mature and artistic but it’s cliche and forced story beats make it very bland. I don’t recommend this film.

Monsters University

Out of every single Pixar film, I think this one is the most underrated. This film really adds a lot to the world building about the science behind scaring works and how doors are made. It’s really cool. Mike and Sully also have a very entertaining dynamic between the hard worker who just wasn’t meant to be a scarer and the coaster who is relying on his raw skill and family name. I like these two separate character dynamics. They are pretty realistic to many people in college. The overall mature theme of dreams sometimes not coming true is also beautiful. It’s really refreshing to see things not work out perfectly for Mike, even though he really wanted to scare. Sometimes dreams aren’t meant to be, but it doesn’t mean you can’t find happiness in other ways, like Mike eventually realizes by the end of the film. The climax is also very epic. A lot of emotional moments between Mike and Sully and both of them feel like very flawed characters who learn a lot about life through college and their mistakes. This film is a lot more mature than you would expect! The scare games plot is definitely the weakest one, as it has a lot of cliche, forgettable, and sometimes annoying moments with Oozma Kappa, who aren’t awful but they’re definitely not super interesting. I like that they included an adult in college though, as that’s rare. But the scare game plot also proves to be pretty satisfying in the success and some pretty solid jokes. Honestly, I definitely recommend you check out this film. I feel like people are sleeping on how great this is.

Inside Out

God…words can’t describe how much I adore this film. The overall concept about exploring someone’s brain is so fascinating, and the way they portray a lot of these psychological concepts is so interesting and creative. It really helps people, even those not well versed in psychology or neuroscience, understand how the brain works. The dream world being a movie studio, the unconscious being a deep cavern, the imaginations being a row of exhibits, long term memory being an infinite route (like real life!), it’s all so cool! The characters in this film are also very strong. All of the emotions are flawed yet likable characters who have their own perspectives on certain issues that surprisingly don’t come off as one note. I also like the small amount of depth and character given to Riley and her parents. They feel like realistic people who would act the way they do when certain emotions are in control or out of control. The jokes are also very funny. I like how they match with the characters and emotions of the situation as well as fit with the setting. The themes, OH MY GOD THE THEMES. The themes are written so strongly, it’s among the best writing I’ve ever seen. The message about accepting sadness and bad emotions is written in subtle ways throughout the whole film, as well as ways that are very obvious for the characters to learn and understand. It’s a very human film that can resonate with everyone. Everyone feels sadness and everyone wants to push it away, but sometimes it’s incredible necessary. This film is the only Pixar film to have ever made me cry, and it made me cry 6 TIMES. The ending in particular gets me everytime with how heavy, satisfying, and authentic it feels. This film is just…absolutely flawless and incredible. It’s not just my favorite Pixar film. It’s not just my favorite animated film. It’s my favorite film of all time.

The Good Dinosaur

Ironic to me that Pixar released my least favorite film from them after they released my favorite film. While Cars 2 is objectively worse, I would rather watch that than this because this film is one of the most boring films I’ve ever seen. There is such a lack of story for me to get invested in, and half of the time I feel like the film is trying to cover that up by showing pretty scenery. What little plot there is is pretty typical: a dinosaur wants to prove that he’s courageous and then gets lost and has to find his way home, while learning to be courageous. It’s a fine enough story but a lot of it feels dragged out and uninteresting. The theme is just so dry and boring, as well as the characters. Arlo and Spot’s relationship is very mediocre. I like the scene where they explain what happened to them with sticks, but other than that, they feel like every other buddy duo in every other film. The other characters are pretty forgettable too. I also think a lot of the scenes are pretty gruesome compared to the very minimal and kiddy story and characters. It doesn’t really mend all together that well. There’s also a lot of story contrivances, such as Arlo surviving a wave his father was killed in (and the death has NO emotion because it happens in such a stupid way). Definitely don’t watch this one. It’s not entertainingly bad like Cars 2 COULD be. It’s just boring and not a good time.

Finding Dory

This is a hot take, but honestly I like this film more than the first one. I think it does a better job at showing how disabilities don’t limit us as people and that we can still accomplish things regardless of them. I also found the newer side characters to be a lot more fun and interesting this time around. Destiny, Bailey, and Hank are a lot of fun and I like that they are further representations of disabilities. There’s a lot of respect with the subject in how they don’t really bring too much attention to the disabilities. They’re simply there and a part of them, making the lesson feel natural. I also love how they explain a lot of Dory’s attributes from the first film, such as talking to whales and reading. The aquarium is a fun location for this film with a lot of cool hijinks as Dory finds her parents, which proves to be such an emotional journey. This film is definitely very similar to the first one and Marlin is a bit harsh, but overall I thought this film was a lot of fun and an improved version of the first.

Cars 3

This film blew my expectations out of the water. Granted, my expectations were not very high, as it’s a Cars film, but I’m genuinely shocked at how good this film is. The worldbuilding issues are nowhere near as prevalent as they are in the first film, as they try to draw their focus away from that, and the overall story is a lot more interesting than the story of the first two Cars films. I think a lot of older audiences can relate to Lightning’s struggle about falling behind with a newer generation of people in whatever field of work, and trying not to let other people tell you when you’re finished. The overall focus with Doc was really sweet, and it’s really moving to see Lightning try so hard to keep racing until he realizes mid race that he’s not cut out for it. I love the final act of this film because Lightning was able to accept that he’s not qualified to race anymore and give that opportunity to Cruise, a newer racer who has a chance to prove herself, and also take Doc’s legacy of mentoring Lightning. Cruise was a hit or miss character for me and the other side characters, while nowhere near as prevalent in this film as the other films, still have their annoying moments. But Lightning’s overall journey is immensely satisfying. It really feels like this film was an apology for the first two Cars movies, and if that’s the case, I accept their apology wholeheartedly. Nowhere near a perfect film, but it’s a triumph of quality for this franchise. I honestly recommend this, especially to people who have already seen Cars 1. I think they will underestimate the amount of emotion they’ll feel while watching this miracle.

Coco

Before my Pixar marathon, Coco was my second favorite Pixar film behind Inside Out. But after watching a lot of new films and rewatching this one, this film definitely moved down in the rankings for me. That being said, it’s still absolutely fantastic. I love how rich in Mexican culture this film is, as you could not really set this film in another place without dramatically changing the entire story. The whole story itself is really cool. I like how they take the “follow your dreams” lesson and apply it to the reality of corrupt celebrities desperate for fame to the point where they leave their family and morals behind. Miguel is a pretty relatable protagonist that acts like a real kid without being super annoying. And it definitely hurts to see the family be so judgmental of music. It makes you hate them, but at the same time, sympathize with them, because you understand where they’re coming from. The whole Land of the Dead world is absolutely gorgeous and I love the worldbuilding with the skeletons and the spirits. The colors are beautiful and it makes every frame stunning. There’s definitely a lot of emotion with the beautiful song “Remember Me”, which didn’t make me cry like it did for many others, but it was definitely pretty close to making me cry. I like how they foreshadow the song being stolen with the fast version with Cruz feeling kind of out of place and unnatural. So what brings this film down? Two things. One, Dante was useless. He was really gross and was mainly there to be a nuisance, apart from knowing over the photo, which could have been changed a little. Two, Cruz is a good villain with an interesting ideaology, but his actual plan and actions are kind of stupid. He shouldn’t have made a film resembling Hector’s death. He shouldn’t have kept Hector’s photo. And I don’t really understand why Hector didn’t really mention how he wrote Remember Me and Cruz stole it from him. Hector himself is a fun character though, and his love for Coco is so sweet. It’s still an absolutely wonderful film despite a somewhat weaker villain and comic relief animal, and I definitely recommend it.

Incredibles 2

This film gets a lot of hate, but I honestly enjoyed this film quite a bit. I like how this film puts more of a focus on the Superheroes being illegal law and trying to overturn that. It’s funny to see Bob try his best with parenting, as we didn’t see too much of that in the last film. His jealousy with Helen is a little inconsistent and weird at first, but I like how it develops into an inferiority complex. I also like how they focus on how being a superhero affects Violet and her love life with Toni. Dash was pretty annoying and one note in this film though, which is kind of disappointing. The story behind Helen’s plot is really interesting and the action is very good. I also like meeting more superheroes and seeing their powers. Winston and Evelyn were pretty cool characters for most of the film. I do like how they shared the same situation but had different perspectives, one wanting to legalize heroes and one wanting to ban them. Which does bring me to the biggest problem: Evelyn as a twist villain. Her actions and ideaology don’t make too much sense in universe, as she did a lot to raise heroes up, more than what was needed. And Winston didn’t really notice the goggles at that point either which is kind of annoying. Bottom line, the story itself is not as polished and cohesive as some other Pixar films, but there’s still a lot of good stuff from this film that makes it worth at least one watch.

Toy Story 4

Easily the weakest Toy Story film. I definitely would have preferred if this film never existed in the first place, as Toy Story 3 is a much better closer for the franchise. But I will acknowledge that this film does have a decent number of quality elements. The idea of having an antithesis to the first 3 films is interesting. I like how they make Woody’s loyalty unhealthy to the point where he needs to consider other life opportunities that are better for him in the long run. It definitely challenges the ideas of the first 3 films, particularly Toy Story 2, and that’s pretty daring all things considered. There are some solid jokes and moments with Bo Peep, Gabby Gabby, and Forky that support the main conflict well. The hijinks are alright with the van, old timey shop, and the carnival, though not as fun as the ones in the other Toy Story films. Bonnie is adorable and I can buy that she doesn’t really play with Woody as much, even if Woody meant a lot to Andy. It is kind of cruel and unusual to have the parents be so neglectful of Woody though. I’d expect them to know more about the importance behind the toys, particularly Woody. Even if Bo Peep says that “kids lose toys all the time” (a very good point that definitely supports what this film was going for, toys being able to find purpose without owners). The story itself is definitely not very tightly written, as the plot meanders a lot, Buzz’s B plot is awful and annoying, and there is so little relevance to the rest of the gang that they could have been cut entirely. I also can’t stand Duck and Bunny. They were so obnoxious everytime they came on screen. Out of all the Pixar films, this one is easily the one I’m the most mixed on. There are some interesting if not controversial ideas in this film that may be emotional to some and aggravating to others. If I could describe this film in one word, it would be “challenging.” I think whether or not you want to see it depends on how attached you feel towards the other films, but I do think there is some good stuff in this one.

Onward

A lot of people really don’t like this film, which I can somewhat get, but I still thought it was a good time. I think the fantasy like world about magical creatures abandoning magic in favor of technology is a really cool idea. While this film doesn’t really focus on that idea that much, I do like how it plays into the main plot about Ian trying to assert himself and grow, as well as him realizing that Barley helped him a lot through that. The ending is easily the highlight, as we see Ian make an adamant decision that puts Barley’s happiness first. Ian and Barley have a nice and realistic brother like bond that’s definitely a huge facet of them overcoming their personal struggles. The overall magic system is neat. I like that there are specific spells that Ian needs to use and it results in a lot of really cool fight scenes and character designs. There’s definitely a lot of creativity in this film. Sadly, I think this film could have really utilized said creativity a lot more and in a lot more interesting way. There are definitely a lot of contrivances and annoying moments in this film that prevent it from being great, not to mention a lot of missed potential, but I still think it has some charm and heart to it that make it worth a watch.

Soul

This film is amazing, and while I can point to many recent films to refute the claim that Pixar has lost their touch, this film would definitely be the first one I point to. The whole idea behind the purpose of life and finding what keeps us going is beautiful, and there’s so many smaller moments that capture that idea, from 22 eating food to 22 catching the leaf. Joe is a very relatable protagonist and his love for jazz is really touching and inspiring to people who have that passion that keeps them going. The great before world is gorgeous visually and I love the way they set up the souls obtaining their erth pass. 22 and Joe have a great dynamic that develops into something very meaningful for both of them, and I like how vague they leave things by the end. The start of the movie has Joe have an idea with what he wants to do, but as he keeps talking to people about life and as he remains unsatisfied with the gig, he realizes he still needs to figure things out. This is further reflected in the title card being shown only at the end, saying that Joe’s life truly begins now. Bottom line, this film is an absolute masterpiece that shows us that Pixar still has its magic touch.

Luca

I loved this film a lot more than I thought I would. I heard from other people that it was a really slow paced and simple film and I was worried that I was going to be really bored with it. But this film is unbelievably charming in its simplicit nature that I got pretty attached to the story. I even cried at a couple points. Luca, Alberto, and Giulia are all very charming characters that have pretty simple goals that you can’t help but get attached to due to their enthusiasm. It’s really cool to see Luca explode about the world he was restricted from for so long and seeing him fall in love with a lot of stuff from it. Alberto and Luca have a beautiful friendship and they play off each other very well. I also love Giulia’s father. He’s very sweet and I like how he has an arm missing just because he was born that way. Props to body diversity! This film also handles liar reveals very well, with Alberto exposing himself rather than Luca and Giulia being more concerned with their safety than the fact that they were lying. And I also love how Alberto reflects on his jealousy over Luca’s friendship and Luca reach an understanding with him. The whole outsider message is there, even though it’s not a big part of the film, and it’s a really realistic fear many children have growing up. Main reason I don’t think this film is a 10/10 is because I don’t like the bully villain nor do I like the parent subplot of them trying to find Luca, but at the end of the day these aren’t things that will ruin the film at all. It’s still a very sweet and cozy film that many people will love.

Turning Red

This film is epic and I HEAVILY disagree with the majority of the criticism against it. The whole film really plays into the idea of growing up and becoming a person separate from your family. I like how this is reflected in Mei’s culture as well, as Chinese culture tends to be very collectivist in nature. While I am not Chinese myself, and thus cannot comment on the accuracy of representation, I really appreciate the overall aesthetic and how it adds to the story. From Mei’s mother being overbearing and her dad not so much, to Mei embracing elements of individuality outside of her culture, this film has a lot of thought. And considering how this film was directed by a Chinese woman and the feedback I’ve heard from Chinese people is pretty positive, I’m inclined to believe this movie has very strong representation. I really buy the exaggerated style because it portrays family dynamics and growing up very realistically. Mei, along with her friends, feel like very real teenagers. They have a great dynamic and memorable personalities that surprisingly never got overbearing. Their bond is very sweet with how much they care for each other. The climax is also amazing with how Mei’s friends and family team up to save the day, further shown with the combination of the mantra music and 4Town’s music during the ritual. And WOW 4Town’s music is so good. Everytime they sang the song, I was having a really fun time. I love how the lyrics are all about individuality. And I also love how a lot of the things Mei embraces are often perceived as cringe by most people. Growing up is a messy experience and teenagers are often incredibly cringy when trying to figure out who they are. But the cringe never really gets that overbearing. If anything, it really helps add to the film’s comedy, which is very strong. I was so close to giving this film a 10/10, but sadly, one thing is preventing me from doing that: Tyler. Tyler is just a really annoying prick that kind of got off way too easily, especially when he was acting racist towards Mei in a later scene. The film didn’t really need him in all honesty, and anytime he was a focus, he was really obnoxious. They definitely show human sides to him, but if they wanted to redeem him, his arc needed a heck of a lot more polish. But this film is still absolutely amazing and I highly recommend EVERYONE to see it.

Lightyear

I was really nervous about this film, as I heard a lot of people consider it among the worst of Pixar, and I felt like the film was a huge executive push ever since I saw advertisements for it. Having seen it now, it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting and I don’t think it’s Pixar's worst film. But it’s still a pretty big mixed bag that is among the weakest they’ve ever made. I think this film had a lot of really cool stuff going for it with the overall space ranger aesthetic and music. It’s very cool and it definitely makes you curious about the world the film takes place in. But sadly, the world is not fleshed out well at all. If you can buy the whole time travel space plot point, which is a bit of a hard one to buy, it’s hard to get invested in Buzz’s struggle when we don’t see a lot of the world he’s living in changing, nor do we have time to get emotionally invested in his fear. All we really have is a nightmare that’s way too short for us to get invested in. Buzz’s overall character is kind of inconsistent and bland. A lot of conflicts he faces kind of come in and out and they don’t really help his arc become satisfying in any way. The side characters in this film, with the exception of Sox, are pretty mediocre and forgettable. Their dynamics feel unoriginal and it makes it hard to get emotionally invested. And of course, I’ll address the most infamous part of this film: the Zurg reveal. Zurg is a pretty poorly written villain whose actions, ideologies, and of course, overall existence, don’t make a lot of sense in the universe they’ve made. And the dynamic between Zurg and Buzz is so lifeless and rushed that it doesn’t feel suspenseful or emotional at all. Honestly, I feel like this film had potential to be a really interesting and good spinoff from the Toy Story universe. But as it is, it’s just a mash of mediocrity.

Elemental

There’s been a mix (I’m so punny) of reactions to this film, and I would definitely put myself in the category of people that really enjoyed it. I thought the overall story was really passionate. I like the immigration plotpoint in this film and how it connects so much with the family’s business and Ember’s internal conflict about her future. It definitely makes me more curious about the immigrant experience and I would love to learn more about that subject on my own time. I love a lot of the smaller details of their heritage that some into play, such as Ember’s father messing up English and the bow. Ember and Wade’s relationship was absolutely adorable. Their interactions feel very natural and heartfelt. Wade was a character I was a bit iffy on when he was first introduced but he definitely won me over pretty quickly with how sweet he is. I love the banter the two characters share and I won’t lie, I teared up at a lot of moments. The animation was also beautiful. It’s a given because it’s Pixar, but I feel like it’s more impressive here because of the fact that they had to animate subjects that were less solid in nature. A lot of people call this film basic and it definitely does tread a lot of familiar ground, but I didn’t mind that too much because when the cliches were used, they were used in a way that a) boosted the theme of the film and b) avoided a lot of the annoying moments the cliches tend to bring (particular Wade not holding a grudge in the third act breakup). I think the only cliche that kind of bothered me was the fake out death, but the moment where they bring back Wade is still very moving. This film is definitely not perfect. Clod thankfully had very little screen time but he was really annoying whenever he was a focus. The worldbuilding is cool but it definitely has a couple of contradictions and plot holes that aren’t enough for me to take my enjoyment out of the film, but they definitely make your head scratch a bit, particularly the fact that air and earth people were so sidelined. It kind of weakens the prejudice aspect a little. I still think this film is pretty good though. You can tell it comes from a place of passion and it dampers the blow on some problems. I recommend it!

Inside Out 2

I was one of the few people who didn’t need an Inside Out sequel, but this film was definitely a worthy addition to the Inside Out series. I really love the additions to the world building. The idea of beliefs is a very clever one in how they tie into the limitations of the emotions. It’s also great to see the way previous world building elements have evolved, such as the new areas in Imagination Land and the changes in size of the personality islands. The characters in this film are very strong, as always. Anxiety is a very good villain and I also love how Ennui, Envy, and Embarrassment also affect Riley’s personal experience. While Anxiety is the main player here, the other three definitely play a part in Riley’s breakdown and I appreciate that they weren’t useless. I especially love Embarrassment. They were adorable and I loved how their character changed. It makes perfect sense, as they were embarrassed about what Riley’s been doing. The old emotions are also a joy (hahahahaha please laugh at me) to watch. I love seeing Joy’s growth in the first film and how she’s questioning her ability to solve the problem when every solution she uses keeps failing. She’s an excellent foil to Anxiety and her growth showcases how she could have become Anxiety, and I love her helping Anxiety out because of that. This film also has a strong sense of comedy and tension. It was less predictable than the first film and I also found it a LOT funnier, from the sarcasm casm to some amazing one liners from the emotions. The secret vault scene in particular was amazing, with Lance, Bloofy, Dark Secret, and of course Pouchie. I also appreciated the film’s use of varying animation styles with these characters as well as in other scenes such as a Joy plan scene. They fit in well and are very nice to look at. I don’t think this film is as emotional as the first one, but the emotional core is definitely present in many moments such as Joy thinking you feel less happy as you get older, the panic attack, Joy confronting Anxiety, and the ending lines. The ending in general is very well done. The emotion repression is a great idea and I love how it comes back towards the climax. I also respect how they don’t call Anxiety bad all the time, and how they leave things on a vague note, showing how the world is unpredictable sometimes and that’s ok. I probably still prefer the first one overall, as I do have more minor nitpicks with this one, but it’s still an amazing film that I urge everyone to see. I was anxious about it, as many were, but it brought me so much joy.

Final Ranking

1. Inside Out

2. Toy Story 2

3. Ratatouille

4. The Incredibles

5. Inside Out 2

6. Soul

7. WALL-E

8. Turning Red

9. Toy Story 3

10. Coco

11. Luca

12. Monsters Inc

13. Finding Dory

14. Finding Nemo

15. Elemental

16. Monsters University

17. Incredibles 2

18. Toy Story

19. Up

20. Cars 3

21. Onward

22. A Bug’s Life

23. Toy Story 4

24. Cars

25. Lightyear

26. Brave

27. The Good Dinosaur

28. Cars 2

[not-souleaterpost]

Least favorite part about soul eater's 3 introductionary episodes?

Guess the cop out easy answer would be saying the excesisive fanservice, especially when it involves minors, but that is too obvious and boring as an answer.

But if I had to think for anything else...

I could say things like that one can feel that the world wasn't fleshed out yet and there is a kind of disconect between them and the "real" plot that starts after, with that I mean the whole Kishin madness thing - but eh, I dont think that plot consistency is the highest virtue, especially when they started as stand alone things and dumping anlot of lore before it was clear it would be a whole show would be execsive, especially when it would derail the charecterization and other things inside the one shots.

But speaking of charachterization, maybe that could be a flaw - I've seen the argument that Souls and Makas charachters are kinda flipped - with Maka being the one that doesnt rush into things, while in the show proper it was she who actually did a lot of dangerous things without a plan - but even then I never was bothered by that and one can interpret it as showing another side, especially of a Maka that is still kinda paralyzed with uncertanty after the divorce. Hell even Spirit saying things like "oh I care for Blair more than Maka", even if a bit too extreme and tonedeaf, could be seen as the start of his charachterization and arc and reason why Maka really dislikes him (but yeah maybe that part was a bit too extreme if I'm not misremembering some bad fantranslation lol)

So yeah, one other thing that may be kinda clunky for me is the whole contrivance of everybody ending up with zero souls - like I get it, its so everybody starts the series on even footing, or if it doesnt get picked up one still has that "the adventure continues feeling", but still, especially with Kid it felt kinda forced - but again on the other hand its not like a big deal and the comedic note of all the efforts being revoked do to incompetence kinda works too - especially with Soul and Maka once it later gets established that they were kinda still rookies (but again thats all prolly just cause all the shit wasnt planned, so I wont be a stickler)

So yeah, in the end I'm kinda sorry that this meandering answer doesnt have a satisfying conclusion. I think in the end the chapters all had self contained storys that established charachterizations and set up how the personalities could develope in the future while showing the wacky world of it all. I'm not even saying that I found them super engading, but at the same time its hard to find something obviously wrong - I guess one could say that BlackStars is the one with the most emotional resonance, cause its ironically the one least played for laughs and the one with the serious "choice", while the DtK one is mostly wacky and a cartoon - but that has its own appeal.

But maybe even that is kinda a blessing and a curse - the way Ohkubo tried to one up himself - so ok we first start with an actuall scythe, hence the theme, but then how do we one up that, oh a weapon that transforms into like 5 or how many others on demand, and then... Guesss two weapons and they are glocks!

Like one could arguee that maybe it leads to Maka and Soul being overshadowed - but even that isnt really true, because the scythe stayed iconic so yeah, in the end if you thought I had some brillian insight behind all this rambling:

yeah...sorry

(but thanks for the ask, feel free to write another one, maybe I'll have something actually profound to say then lol)

[lunas-otome-blog]

Luna's Review: Lover Pretend

Official Summary: Chiyuki is a college student with dreams: One, to become a scriptwriter like her late mother, and two, to find her father, whom she’s never met. In a stroke of luck, Chiyuki lands a job as an assistant for an upcoming film, but things take a surprising turn when she’s cast as the film’s female love interest! Will she be able to find her father and pretend to be in love, despite not knowing anything about love herself?

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Luna's Thoughts (Spoiler Free)

Lover Pretend follows college student and novice scriptwriter Chiyuki as she works on a movie set, where all the men have connections to her late mother. Basically any romanceable character in this game has the potential to be Chiyuki's half-brother, so the vibes are a little weird lol. Obviously if you know how these games work, you know there's not gonna be any incest, but Chiyuki doesn't know that.

Lover Pretend is basically "Daddy Issues: The Game" as nearly every character has some beef with their father. There's a fake relationship in nearly every route, so if that's not your trope, maybe this isn't for you.

Chiyuki isn't the worst otoge protagonist I've seen, but I don't think the game goes far enough in making her seem awkward or lonely. The whole premise is that she's bad at socialization, which is why she only has one friend, but we never really get to see that in action except in flashbacks. She communicates just fine with others in the game, so there was a disconnect there. I'd have loved to see her struggle her way through social situations like Hibari from Variable Barricade, for example.

The gimmick of Lover Pretend is "Pretend Time," which is a rapidfire set of questions designed to convince someone of something or lie effectively. If Chiyuki says the wrong things, it might result in a bad end. IMHO, Pretend Time could more accurately be called Waste of Time. The premise of these games is already making choices, so why bother making the player slough through additional loading screens and long animations? Fortunately, starting from your second route, you can skip any Pretend Times you've already passed.

All in all, this game was alright. While the plot and characters didn't offend me, they didn't dazzle me, either. None of the characters stood out much and a lot of the plot was contrived in order to utilize Pretend Time. They could have hired any fanfiction writer from AO3 to do a better job.

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Yukito Sena Route (Spoilers)

As is my tradition, I went for the flirty guy first because I don't like that archetype much. But Yukito is a pretty alright guy.

He's a model turned actor who maintains a laid-back, flirty persona because people expect him to be a playboy, like his dad. But he's actually working hard behind the scenes, which is what initially makes him attractive to Chiyuki. It takes seeing him doing his job as a sexy model for Chiyuki to realize she's also sexually attracted to him, which is what finally causes her to acknowledge she likes him.

At first, I thought this route was sort of lackluster. It took until nearly the end, when Yukito was formally explaining why he loves Chiyuki, for me to see that it was actually subtle, mature and rather lovely.

Yukito actually fell for Chiyuki in the common route, when she encourages him to give acting his all. He wants someone who believes in him and his future, rather than someone who wants to keep him in the same place.

Love rival Kirari is annoying at first but charmed me with her straightforward nature, pride in her work as a gravure idol and excellent intuition. While she is rejected in the end, she's treated kindly, and I can imagine her and Chiyuki becoming friends in the future. Best character award goes to the faceless bartender who is forced to stand there awkwardly as Yukito formally rejects Kirari. (Chiyuki is present for this scene, which is so funny to me because why would you bring your current girlfriend to reject another girl??)

When Chiyuki freaks out because Yukito might be her brother, he tells her that's impossible (for reasons we find out later) and actually comforts her and lets her be sad about losing a chance to find her dad before hitting on her.

In the after-ending, we find out Yukito's dad is either a trans woman or a drag queen, and he refers to her with she/her pronouns and by her chosen name, which is amazing, especially for these sorts of games that are usually so heteronormative. I only wish we could have gotten to meet her in-game.

My biggest issue with this route is really that Yukito just isn't my sort of character. I like it when otoge guys struggle a little with their feelings and Yukito is just too confident for my liking lol. Overall, though, I thought this route was really well done!

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Riku Nishijima Route (Spoilers)

Though he has different goals, Riku's personality is a little too similar to Yukito's for him to stand out. He's just a little too confident and flirty for my taste. I was hoping he'd have something unique about him, like that he's actually cold or standoffish, but no, he's just indifferent to acting.

The premise of this route is that Riku doesn't want to be an actor, but his dad forces him to be. He thinks if he confronts his dad with a fake fiancee, his dad will be forced to let him change his career path. Which already doesn't make a ton of sense but whatever.

Anyway, it was an okay setup for a fake marriage trope, which I was on board with ... until he blackmails her. Why ruin this tropey but classic setup with such a gross betrayal? Of course, Chiyuki still falls for him, but it felt completely out of nowhere because he hadn't really done anything nice for her outside of the fake fiancee stuff.

He's also supposed to want to be a stage designer, but we don't get any sort of context for that. We only see him in the act once or twice, and we don't get any sort of backstory on why he likes it or wants to do it. The result is that he seems dispassionate about everything. I didn't buy into his dreams the way I was supposed to.

We also completely drop the "Riku might be my stepbrother" plot until two seconds before the end of the route. It's wrapped up with a lackluster "I didn't know your mother well" from his father and that's it. For how much Chiyuki seemed to care about this mission, it was weird to just forget about it for so long.

Riku manhandles Chiyuki too much in this route for my enjoyment. It was not my favorite.

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Harumi Makino Route (Spoilers)

Harumi was the first route I played where I actually liked the character, but unfortunately it has a lot of flaws.

Harumi is secretly an otaku, and the first arc of this route is him pretending NOT to be an otaku to ... do what, exactly? The only context we get is that there are two girls who like him at school and they think nerds are gross. Harumi throws Chiyuki under the bus and claims she's the nerd and he's just going along with her. Chiyuki, bafflingly, doesn't have any problems with this and helps him lie.

Anyway, he eventually hurts a friend by lying and decides to come clean. He's even able to convince the two girls that anime is kinda cool, and they end up getting into it, which admittedly was fun.

But then we repeat the entire plot for the second half of the route, only this time it's Harumi's dad he needs to convince. I don't know why we didn't just wrap everything up into one big ending, with Harumi convincing everyone he's serious about anime in one fell swoop. There was no reason to segment it into two chunks that just make it seem like he's wishy-washy.

The route goes on WAY too long, with the very last few scenes feeling completely unnecessary. Basically, Chiyuki and Harumi go to a cosplay event and meet people they know there, and for no reason at all, they decide to lie about who they are. Why? The entire thrust of this route is that it's okay to be nerds, but you have to hide from your best friend?

There's also a very weird scene where Harumi's mom spikes his drink (which imho is a huge betrayal of trust) just so Chiyuki can see what he's like drunk. He catches on pretty quickly, so we don't even get to see drunk Harumi. What was the point of this?

While I thought Harumi was a total cutie, this route was really disorganized. Harumi wasn't shown to be particularly vain or attempting to keep up an image, nor was he bullied as a child, so it didn't make any sense for him to hide his otaku side. This route just seemed like a weird excuse to make up lies and exercise the "Pretend Time" mechanic.

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Kazuma Kamikubo Route (Spoilers)

Kazuma is billed as the most important character in the intro, but I would have played him last regardless because he's the childhood friend character. Man I love that trope!

Unfortunately, this route doesn't set up the fake relationship well. Kazuma lies and says he's dating Chiyuki to get her out of a tough spot, but there wasn't really a reason to continue the lie after that. Instead, we get a flimsy explanation for why they have to pretend to date, and the rest of the route is them being awkward around each other.

On the one hand, this route was pretty cute, as Kazuma and Chiyuki pretend not to be falling in love. On the other hand, it was a little tiring, as both of them are such beginners in love that they act nervous about everything. Like, y'all are in your 20s, you can handle watching a kiss scene in a movie theater lol.

They somehow found room for another classic trope — memory loss — and it's pulled off pretty well imho. But I do think it should have been the final arc of the route, because there's an entire other arc that just made the whole route feel disjointed, like it was comprised of several parts instead of one whole.

While not as smooth as I would have liked, it was an okay route. But like Riku and Harumi's routes, a quick overhaul would have made it a lot more successful.

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Eiichiro Asagi Route (Spoilers)

Asagi is the very predictable true end character, but I was excited about it anyway. Who doesn't like a little student teacher romance in an otoge?

The vibes were a little off in this route, as Chiyuki and Asagi confess their love for each other while simultaneously acknowledging that they're half-siblings. Even though I know they're not actually going to be related, it was still weird to see lol.

Of course, this is the route where Chiyuki learns about her father. His past is entwined with Asagi's past, and they both learn some pretty tragic information that genuinely made me cry.

I thought this route was pretty good, if not a bit too short. We don't really see any of the other characters in this route, so it just felt too hyperfocused on getting Chiyuki and Asagi together. Overall, though, a solid true end to the game.