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zomboivex · 3 days ago

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Character Wish Speculations & Drawback Speculations

Fun little thoughts on the characters.

What I think they wished for based off of their Sitgmas and the drawbacks that come with using their stigmas (obviously this will probably not be true so don’t come for me).

And ofc there’s going to be some wild theories in here too. So just- if you don’t agree that’s cool and all. I’m just having ✨thoughts✨.

Organized as follows;

Character Name

Stigma Name

Stigma Ability (if none speculations)

What I think their stigma actually lets them do (if I disagree with the given information or speculations)

Wish Theory & Why

Drawback Theory & Why

Jin Kamurai

Bianerus

Lets him control others to follow his command

I believe this to be accurate. But I do think it’s more of him being able to exert his will onto others. So when his will falters, his stigma is not able to function.

He wished to have others to meet his needs. Likely grew up with neglect. Rich father who’s never home or doesn’t actually care for him. He seeks to resent his father. A mentally ill mother who likely wasn’t able to provide in a way that he needed. And he shows signs of entitlement to others. Especially MC. I think this really stems from him just wanting his basic needs to be met. And it’s what he wished for.

The drawback is the more he uses it, the more paranoid or self-doubting he becomes. We regularly see he distrusts others and hides himself in his room. Additionally, he’s struggling to use his stigma now. Perhaps because he doubts himself and his doubt makes it so that he cannot clearly command others. After all, how can you command others if you can’t even trust yourself?

Tohma Ishibashi

Agreas

Sends vibrations over long distances

I believe this to be accurate.

Wanted to cause ‘ripples’ and make change. Wanted to be heard. Tohma clearly has an agenda of some kind. His stigma seems pretty versatile in how he uses it as well. Between sending his voice long distances, being able to amplify it, and even causing earthquakes. This stigma is clearly all about making changes and being heard.

Causes his body to deteriorate faster. Causes internal pains due to long exposures of ‘vibrations’. Possibly inducing long-running migraines.

Kaito Fuji

Unknown - (I believe there is a datamine leak of it but I don’t know it off the top of my head and I’m too lazy to actively search)

Able to ‘see auras’

I believe this to be accurate due to the recent Frostheim chapter where Kaito saw the aura of his ‘grandma’.

I believe Kaito wished he could know the intentions and trustworthiness of others. He seems like the type that is unsure of whether someone truly will be there for him. Maybe having reassurance is what he wanted.

The more he uses it, the easier it is for him to lose confidence or become scared. Idk man. He screams a lot. But then also has moments of calmness? This one is less cemented for me but ya know.

Lucas Errant

Iggnaim

Allows him to create barriers

Relatively accurate, I would say. We do see him use his stigma and it seems that it does protect him from general harm, from what we’ve seen. Though, in the prologue we also see a large beast-like creature appear, as well. So perhaps his stigma is truly summoning a beast to ‘protect’ him and others?

Going against the popular thought that he wished to be able to shield others, what I think actually was wished for was this; to find his missing twin. Now. I would not be surprised if we learn that his twin had made his own wish with a demon (perhaps to protect others etc) and that is what is now following Lucas around ‘protecting’ him.

Honestly, I would not be surprised if it was the more he used it, the stronger that beast became and eventually cause harm to himself and those he cares for.

Alan Mido

Yagsal Olbalsa

Super strength

I can’t really speculate because we’ve only seen him use the stigma once. But- maybe muscle enhancement?

He likely just wished to be strong enough to probably support others. Etc. But there’s still so much up in the air so it’s hard to say.

The drawback is likely that the more he bulks up, the easier it is for him to not think. Essentially, I think the more he uses his stigma, the more brain cells he loses. Poor Alan.

Leo Kurosagi

Haxs

Enhanced hearing

While I think it does enhance his hearing, I think it primarily lets him focus on one particular noise and block out the rest. Almost line a honing device.

Coming across as extremely insecure but unwilling to show this, it would be easy to say that Leo probably wished for the ability to hear what others are saying about him. However, what I think he actually wished for was the ability to drown out what others are saying about him and only focus on what he wants to. Thus, enhancing his hearing specifically on a particular task at hand.

We’ve already seen how sensitive his hearing is. Loud noises causing him irritation. So that could be the case. But because I think he wished for the ability to block out what others say and only focus on his goal, I think really- what the drawback is would be his apathy. The more he uses his stigma, the more apathetic he becomes.

Sho Haizano

Spurno

Speculated to redirect things

Ya know. Who even knows. He ‘jams’ things. I want to see him use his stigma more before I really speculate further on this. But I think just redirecting things is decent enough to start with.

Sho could have wished that unwanted things don’t come near him. That he can put a stop to unpleasant experiences by redirecting it elsewhere.

I am curious to see what the drawback will be. We haven’t seen much of Sho, to be honest. But it could be that he winds up ‘pushing’ away presences around him that cause him harm. But- this could also backfire in the sense that it eventually just pushes everyone away from him. Causing him to grow distant from people in fear they may eventually harm him as well. We already see him pushing away from his brother and he seems more defiant against Leo. So- maybe. Or it could be he pushes away from his own identity (since he goes by Sho rather than Shohei).

Haru Sagara

Bahnti

Removes effect of gravity

I believe that this is accurate.

Haru maybe wished to have the ‘weight’ lifted off his shoulders. Like less burden. Kinda ironic when you think about how he has to do so much. But he seems happy about it. So it’s probably what he wants to do versus what was expected of him? Why I think this is really just- the pun in it all. Weight off his shoulders. Effects of gravity removed. I mean, moving fast probably helped alleviate some of his stress. Makes sense to me.

He already told us his body becomes more fragile when he uses his stigma which leads to broken bones and injuries easier than the average person. Glass canon type shit. Why? He literally says as much, himself. But it would be funny if we see him eventually just float away.

Towa Otonashi

Unknown

Speculated to be weather control

From Towa, himself, he says that he can ride wind. So I think maybe his power has more to do with perhaps air pressure rather than weather? Idk man. He’s a mystery. It’s probably just weather. But I can’t help but wonder if it’s more nuanced than just that. Who knows man. I can’t speculate on anything about Towa.

Towa probably wished to have a way to show feelings. We were told that he was pretty apathetic beforehand- and quite cruel. But now we seek him as rather chipper and happy. And- very much full of different and varying emotions.

The drawback could be that he simply can no longer speak during the day. And he could eventually lose his voice, only being able to express emotions through actions rather than words.

Ren Shiranami

Raothtas

Allegedly makes things unseeable.

I don’t think it makes things ‘go away’ so much as it just makes the issue ‘out of sight out of mind’. He says it’s useless. So who knows.

Ren probably just wished for his problems to go away. He does seem to do that in the latest Jabberwock chapter- wishing for everyone to just go away. And he does seem to be quite unbothered when that happens, as well.

The drawback is that he’s going to make things he cares about disappear. He’ll view someone/something as bothersome and it’ll just- vanish. God. What if everything around him just left and all he had was himself and then suddenly he vanished too because the only thing left to care about was himself. Yikes.

Taiga Hoshibami

Malab

Unknown - speculated to be extreme luck.

I would say it’s less about extreme luck and more about increasing his odds. The more he attempts something, the better his odds become. This- could also play into the cyclical theory floating around. It’s less that it’s ’time travel’ and more that Taiga is trying to increase his odds at success.

If we’re going off of the above, I would say that he likely wished for a better outcome in life.

Something-something the definition of repeating your actions and hoping for a different outcome leads to insanity.

Romeo Lucci

Tiris

Turns things to bombs. The stronger his attachment to the item, the bigger the explosion

The more attached Romeo is, the bigger the impact the item will have on others. Which- leads to ‘bombs’ or explosions due to his ‘explosive’ personality.

Romeo likely wished for wanting to make an impact on the world around him. Maybe to even bring glory back to his family name.

The drawback is that Romeo loses something important to him, in the process. Likely making him less willing to give up what he does have.

Ritsu Shinjo

Acimo

Allows him to harden his body.

Allows him to ‘defend’ himself.

I feel his wish was straightforward. “I want to be the greatest defense attorney”. And so- he was granted a way to defend himself via hardening his body.

It will only add to his stubborn nature. Eventually, becoming immovable. And- therefor becoming stuck in a mindset that will not allow for him to actually be a good defenses attorney. He won’t be able to see other points of views because he’s so hardened in his ways.

Subaru Kagami

Talnandio

Ability of psychometry.

As he explains on, Subaru can read the memories of objects and people. Often involuntary, in nature.

While it’s easy to think Leo is the one to want to know what others think or say about him- I think this was actually Subaru’s wish. Perhaps even having a lack of an identity due to working at a young age and acting on stage as anything other than himself. Subaru could have been seeking out an identity through what others thought of him.

The drawback is the fact that it physically drains him. And he can’t seem to control how often it happens when he makes contact.

Haku Kusanagi

Unknown

Unknown.

There are a few theories floating around. Shapeshifting, time travel, etc. I would say he probably would have ties to shapeshifting from his warding card and sticker, alone. But this is just speculation.

If we’re going off the above, Haku likely wished to simply be something or someone other than himself. Or rather, a way to become disconnected from his family and their legacy. After all, he doesn’t seem interested in continuing on the family line of work.

The drawback would probably be a loss of identity. Or really having a real connection with himself and his own goals. He probably will never be able to see himself as worthwhile no matter what he does.

Zenji Kotodama

Unknown

Unknown - I don’t think there’s any speculations that I’m aware of.

I would have a feeling that he likely has ties to an ability revolving soothing others. Possibly through creative outlets. Or even alter their moods.

Based on the above, Zenji at least seems pretty tied to keeping an eye on his brother. And he goes out of his way to be helpful to MC. He likely wished for a way to cheer others up and pull the heartstrings with his poetic prose.

The drawback is hard to say since he’s now dead. Being a ghost is already a large enough drawback. But if I had to simply speculate (which is what this entire post is), I guess I could say that it was never getting recognition for his works. Even if they altered moods.

Ed Hart

Unknown

Unknown - currently no speculations that I am aware of.

Already having many abilities, it’s hard to say what his stigma could possibly be. The miasma/purple mist? Turning into a bat? Leveling buildings? I’m going to say that it’s probably something as simple as convincing others to do his bidding. Sure- that’s just vampire allure. But hey. I’m just going for it.

Ed is kind of lazy. He probably just wished someone would do things for him.

The drawback? Brittle bones. His poor achy body. Lmfao Who even knows. I can’t take him seriously.

Rui Mizuki

Unknown

Temporarily removes pain and exhaustion from others

I would not be surprised if it was somehow the ability to ‘swap’ his life force with another temporarily. So he can transfer the pain and exhaustion to himself while giving his ‘health’ and ‘energy’ to the person he’s swapping with. But- this is SPECULATION!!!

Rui more than likely wished to be able to be useful to others. To take away their woes and burdens. To be seen as someone that could be relied upon. To be held as someone important and cherished.

The drawback would be, based on my speculations, the pain and exhaustion being drawn to him. Perhaps this is even why the reaper that cursed him fancied him. Maybe he used his stigma and it simply transferred their ‘pain and exhaustion’ to him. Thus creating a connection and becoming the reapers target.

Lyca Colt

Ramsochisa

Can follow scent of anything he’s smelled before.

I think this is pretty much as it says. He can follow anything he’s smelled as long as it’s something he’s smelled before. Perhaps a sort of memorization ability.

It’s possible he just wished to be able to remember things and always find his way back. Idk. Or a way to recognize familiar things.

Drawback is that he has enhanced smelling. Or, it could be that he can easily be tricked via smells. Becoming too trusting on the ‘familiar’ and untrusting to the unfamiliar.

Yuri Isami

Agnihaet

Hyper stimulates his brain cells.

Brain blast.

Yuri likely just wished to become smarter. To think of solutions in a quick manner.

The drawback likely is extreme hyper focus. He gets on a one-track view that is all he can focus on. Thus, neglecting all other things. Being his well-being.

Jiro Kirisaki

Unknown

Unknown - no speculation at this time

I think his ability is probably being able to identify what is wrong with someone/something. He can identify what’s broken with ease.

Being pragmatic may be a new part of Jiro since his comatose state. It could be that before he wished for a way to identify problems so he could fix them easier. What’s wrong with something? He can find out and then he can work on a solution to fix it.

The drawback is hard to say because we haven’t seen him use his stigma as of yet and he already is in quite the state. My guess would be that while he can identify what the problem is, he may struggle more with finding solutions. But I really don’t know. I have to see more to really guess.

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chrissssssmut · 19 hours ago

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School setting ice queen popular girl x nerd prom story

F(x) Krystal Jung x male reader pls pls pls

COLD HANDS, WARM HEART

Popular girl Krystal Jung x Nerd Male Reader

AN: Made this during my free time! Super short though but hope this is good!☺️

High school was a hierarchy, and at the top sat Krystal Jung. Effortlessly beautiful, wickedly intelligent, and always carrying an air of indifference, she was the girl everyone wanted but no one could touch. She walked the halls with the confidence of someone who knew her place—above everyone else.

She was an enigma, the Ice Queen of the school. People admired her, envied her, desired her, but never truly knew her. She had no close friends, only followers. No one dared to push past her cool, composed demeanor because Krystal never let anyone close enough to try. Every confession of love she received was met with cold rejection, every attempt at friendship subtly brushed aside. It wasn’t that she was mean—she was just untouchable.

I, on the other hand, belonged at the bottom. Just another faceless nerd drowning in textbooks and obscure science facts, existing quietly in the background. That was fine. It was safe. People like Krystal and I didn’t cross paths, and life made sense that way.

I never spent much time thinking about her. Unlike the rest of the school, I didn’t see her as some unreachable goddess. To me, she was just another student—someone who happened to exist in the same building but had no impact on my life. While others obsessed over her, I had my books, my small corner of the world, and that was enough. I never wanted to be part of her orbit.

Until one week before prom.

“Be my date.”

I had been retrieving my notebook from my locker when I heard her voice. I turned, half expecting to see someone else, because Krystal Jung speaking to me? Impossible.

But there she was, standing in front of me, arms crossed, looking down as if I were an insect she had to negotiate with. Her uniform was pristine, her long dark hair perfectly straight, and her eyes? Cold. Calculating.

I blinked. “Huh?”

Krystal sighed, as if she already regretted talking to me. “Prom. You. Me.” She gestured vaguely. “We go together.”

I almost laughed. Almost. But her expression was unreadable, and something told me she wasn’t joking.

“I think you have the wrong guy,” I said, gripping my notebook tighter.

“No,” she said simply. “I don’t.”

That should’ve been the end of it. I should’ve walked away, let her realize her mistake, and carried on with my life. But Krystal Jung didn’t give people the option to ignore her. She lingered, waiting, expecting an answer.

“Why me?” I asked, suspicion creeping into my voice. “You could have anyone.”

Something flickered in her gaze. A shadow of irritation? Amusement? I couldn’t tell. “I have my reasons.”

Cryptic. Classic Ice Queen behavior.

I shook my head. “Look, I appreciate the offer, but—”

“I wasn’t asking,” she cut in, her tone sharper. “I was informing you.”

That threw me off. I stared at her, waiting for the punchline, the cruel laughter that usually followed when people like her toyed with people like me. But it never came. Just Krystal Jung, staring me down like she was daring me to refuse.

And for some reason, I couldn’t.

The days leading up to prom were a blur of rumors and stares. Everyone wanted to know how the school’s most unattainable girl had ended up with the most forgettable guy. Some thought it was a prank, others a bet. A few wondered if I had blackmail on her. I had no answers.

Krystal, meanwhile, acted as if none of it mattered. She barely spoke to me outside of telling me what color my suit should be. When I tried to ask again why she picked me, she waved me off with a bored, “I just did.”

I should’ve let it go. I should’ve just enjoyed the fantasy of it all, but something about her choice gnawed at me. I started paying closer attention to her, watching how she interacted with others. She was polite, cold, detached. She smiled at the right moments but never too much. It was like she was playing a role, keeping a distance that no one dared to cross.

I started noticing things I hadn’t before. How she sat alone at lunch despite the crowd that always hovered around her. How people talked about her like she was a trophy rather than a person. How guys boasted about trying to win her over, but no one ever claimed to know her favorite movie, or whether she even liked being the queen of the school.

Then I realized—Krystal Jung had never been given a choice. The whole school had already decided who she was supposed to be.

Then prom night arrived.

I stood awkwardly outside the venue, adjusting my tie for the tenth time. People whispered when they saw me. Some smirked, some sneered. But when Krystal arrived—when she stepped out of the car in a sleek black dress, her gaze cool and unreadable—the entire room held its breath.

She walked toward me, unfazed by the attention. “You clean up okay,” she said.

I swallowed. “You look…” Breathtaking. Stunning. Unreal. “…Nice.”

She smirked, linking her arm through mine without hesitation. “Let’s get this over with.”

Inside, the dance was exactly what I expected—loud, crowded, overwhelming. I tried to stay out of the way, but Krystal never let go of me. She led me through the crowd like we belonged together, ignoring the way people whispered behind their hands.

Then came the slow dance.

Krystal turned to me expectantly, her hand outstretched. My throat went dry. “You…actually want to dance?”

“Isn’t that what people do at prom?” she deadpanned.

I hesitated, but she was already pulling me in. Her hand rested lightly on my shoulder, the other slipping into my palm. I held my breath. She was so close I could smell her perfume—cool, crisp, like fresh rain.

“This isn’t a joke, right?” I asked quietly.

Krystal’s gaze flickered up to mine, something shifting in her expression. “No.”

For the first time since she asked me, she looked…different. Not cold, not indifferent. Just—Krystal.

“Then why?” I whispered. “Why me?”

She exhaled, her fingers tightening around mine. “Because,” she said, voice softer now. “You were the only one who never tried to change me.”

I thought back to all those times I had barely acknowledged her, how I had never idolized her, never treated her like she was some unattainable dream. To me, she was just another student, another person figuring things out. I never expected her to smile more, to be friendlier, to be anything other than what she was.

And that, apparently, was enough.

The weight of her words settled over me. It hit me then—how exhausting it must be to constantly live up to an image, to always be someone people admired but never truly saw. Everyone wanted Krystal Jung to be the Ice Queen. No one ever let her just be…a girl.

I didn’t know what to say to that. But as the music played and we swayed under the dim lights, I realized something.

For the first time all night, Krystal Jung wasn’t looking at anyone else.

Just me.

And in that moment, it didn’t matter why she chose me. Because I realized I wanted to be chosen.

#fx kpop group #kpop story #kpop scenarios #kpop girls #kpop idols #kpop gg #krystal jung #kpop fluff #fluff #idol x male reader #male reader #male reader fluff #fluff scenario

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awriterinthenight · 3 days ago

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"You Know Where to Find Me"-Luke Castellan

words: 1810

warnings: fluff in the beginning, A LOT of angst at the end, lowkey I imagined the 2nd part in the rain but I didn't write it in the rain sadly lol

a/n I'm trying to write more so hopefully this is good, there will be a part two, and also I didn't mention it but reader is most likely a Hades kid (and will be in part 2) just for plot purposes, also I plan to make one for a lot of character I write for cause I love this idea so much hehe

summary: Luke's been distant since Percy came back, but he asks you to met him in the woods, and something you never thought would happen comes true

The word inseparable didn't do enough justice when it came to your relationship. You and Luke wouldn't leave each other's side no matter what. If either of you had a quest the other always went with. When someone looked for Luke at camp it was no surprise when you were there too. Every activity led by one of you was co-led by the other. Nothing could tear the two of you apart, no matter how hard they tried.

Luke being the popular counselor he was, many girls constantly flirted with him, before and during your relationship. Occasionally the ambitious Aphrodite girl would try her best efforts to break the two of you up. One girl even went as far as trying to spread rumors you were cheating on him, but were quickly shut down when you confronted her. It was safe to say Luke didn't want anyone else, only you.

Luke loved you and everything about you. He'd give up the world for you, would fight any monster just for you. But somehow something did seem more important to him.

"How are you my darling?," a familiar voice said, as an arm wrapped around your shoulders. Luke was nothing if not very affectionate, and loved to show you were his.

You couldn't help but smile at his affections, "I'm good," you murmured, still a bit drowsy from waking up.

He gave a small noise of acknowledgement, "Don't forget we have sword fighting lessons today," he teased, since he started to remind you what activities you had to lead.

You rolled your eyes, "I forget one time that I was supposed to lead an activity and you never forget."

"Oh, it was way more than one time," he said, starting to count on his fingers, "You missed swimming from oversleeping, stable duties last week, arts and crafts multiple times-"

"That was on purpose," you remarked, "I hate glitter and the Apollo and Aphrodite kids always use it."

"Still not an excuse, especially since I had to take over and had glitter in my hair for weeks. Now let's see you also skipped out on-" Luke voiced, but was once again cut off by you.

"Alright just tell me you don't love me," you joked, putting your hands up.

Luke pulled you closer, placing a small kiss on the top of your head, "Never," he whispered to you. A chorus of shouts and disgusted noises came from the Hermes table where Luke's siblings sat.

"Get a room.

"Ewwww."

And the ever classic, "Gross," followed by a strawberry being thrown at you. The Stolls were something else in your opinion.

"You're just jealous," Luke defended, sitting down at his table while you followed after. Technically you were supposed to sit at your parent's table, but after so long Chiron and Mr. D stopped caring, and if your parents actually cared so much, then maybe they should be a better parent.

Chris shook his head, "I don't know what's worse, the pining, or the actual relationship," which was followed by a chorus of, "the pining," since everyone collectively agreed they'd rather willing let the Ares kids test out a new weapon on them, then have to deal with Luke's pining again.

"Come on, I wasn't that bad," Luke defended once again, but even he knew he was down bad when it came to his pining over you.

"Not that bad," voiced Connor Stoll, in a rather high pitched voice.

Connor's statement was then followed by a very animated Travis, "You stared for weeks, which was only barely less creepy than finding out every book she read and everything she liked, just so you could talk to her about it."

"Remember when you made me give you $40 just so you could buy those stupid Star Wars comics just to impress her. You don't even like Star Wars," Chris mentioned, practically yelling at this point.

You turned your head around to face Luke so quickly you could've gotten whiplash, "Are they saying you never liked Star Wars?" you asked in astonishment.

Luke put up his hands in mock defense, "In my defense I did not care for it when I first met you, but now I love it I swear."

"Mhmm sure," you said, crossing your arms.

"I swear," he pleaded, "I'll watch all the films with you if you forgive me," he offered, even though he would watch anything you wanted, or do anything for you.

Satisfied you turned back to face him, "Okay," you said, planting a small kiss on his lips. Which consequently enacted another chorus of, "Eww," and, "Get a room."

"Why's everyone yelling this early in the morning?" a disgruntled voice questioned.

You jumped up at the voice, running over to him, "Percy," you shouted. He'd been resting so much from his quest that you hadn't seen him in awhile.

"Hey," was all he could manage, still not fully recovered yet.

You ruffled his hair, "I guess I'll see you around more now that you're back."

He nodded, "I guess so," he murmured before walking towards his table. Percy seemed a bit off, but then again he had just returned from a rather eventful quest.

Luke stood up from the table, grabbing your hand, "We should go before we're late," he said, referring to the lesson you were teaching in a few minutes.

"Alright," you said, waving bye to everyone, "See you later."

Luke had been off the past couple of days. He seemed quieter, even around you which was odd. He snuck out at night more often, leaving you in an empty bunk. He said he would wake up early and go on a walk to clear his head, so you didn't think anything of it. What was weird though was how he came back late at night sometimes, but he just said it was to make sure the camp was safe after the truth was revealed about Zeus' lightning bolt being stolen.

You and Luke hadn't been alone in awhile, but tonight broke that. Luke left you a note saying to meet up with him tonight in the forest a little after the fireworks started, since it was the 4th of July. Luke liked to surprise you on summer nights like this, but to you something felt odd. You did your best to brush it off though.

You dressed normal, but tried to put in some effort, and even wore a little more makeup. Now you were walking through the dark woods in hopes of finding Luke. He was most likely at the little clearing you always met up at, so you went there.

To no surprise he was standing there leaning against a tree. The only difference was that he seemed more sullen than usual and he had his sword with him.

"Luke?" you said, unsure of what was happening.

His head shot up, his eyes a bit glossy in the moonlight, "Hey."

"You said you wanted to see me here, what do you have planned?" you asked, since he usually had something planned for the night, but everything felt different for some reason.

Luke took in a deep breath before speaking, "I just, I need you to trust me. Do you trust me?"

Rightfully you were confused, but he still answered, "Of course, why wouldn't I."

He nodded, "Good," he reassured, "I want you to come with me," he said, not elaborating.

"Come with you? What do you mean? Where do you want to go?" you questioned, getting more and more nervous each second, "Luke what's wrong? What's happening."

Luke finally looked up at you, merely an inch apart from you, "I can't stand it anymore. The gods don't care about us anymore, our own parents could care less about us. We're overlooked and underappreciated, they don't care about us unless they need us. I'm tired of it. I want to make it right, I want justice for all of us demigods. The gods don't deserve to rule when they can't even be bothered to protect their own kids," he said, as the realization fell upon you heavily.

He was the one who betrayed camp. He stole the lightning bolt and blamed Percy. He was the one leaving to lead the revolution.

Even though you knew what was happening you didn't want to accept it, "No, no, please Luke," you pleaded silently, "Why you?"

Luke shook his head, "We deserve better. You deserve better," he argued, holding your face in his hands.

"But is betraying your friends, your family, really the way to go about this?" you said, taking a step back from him.

Something in Luke's expression changed, and he seemed to only look more sullen, "You're not coming with me are you?" he said, more of a statement than a question, as his eyes met the ground.

He wiped a tear rolling down his cheek, looking up at you again, "I could give you anything. We could live free together. I could keep you safe and you'd never have to deal with the gods again."

You shook your head, your eyes welling up with tears, "No, no you can't. No matter what, if I stay here or go with you, I'm still stuck in this war, but at least if I stay I have my friends with me. And my morals," you said, a few tears falling.

"Am I not important to you? Is what I believe not important to you?" he asked, his voice rising a bit, even though he didn't mean for it to.

"You are important to me, but for the first time I can't follow you," the words felt bitter in your mouth, but it was the truth, "I can't leave all my friends and family behind. I know what the gods do is wrong, but I can't follow after you, please understand."

Luke took a step closer, "Then please understand me. Please just follow me, come with me. I don't want to do this without you. Please-"

You cut him off, sticking your hand out to push him back, "You know me better than anyone, you should've known I wouldn't come with you, if you don't want to do this without me, then you shouldn't have done it at all. I can't come with you. I won't come with you," you said, tears overflowing in your eyes, "Goodbye, Luke."

Luke stood there watching as you walked away. You wanted to leave him like that, to have the last word, and not say anything else, but after all these years you couldn't leave him like that. Something in your heart made you take pity.

You turned around, Luke's head shot up, hopeful you changed your mind, but he knew you hadn't, "If you ever change your mind," you said, your voice wavering a bit, "You know where to find me."

Taglist

@almost-gabrielle @scarlett-8 @atashiboba @that1deerpersondownstairs @herondale-lightworm @purplerose291 @mitskiswift99 @crumby-child @rafslytherin @shanksvskidd @yerrmar @oceangirl15 @livia7137

#x reader #luke castellan x reader #luke castellan fanfic #luke castellan imagine #luke castellan #luke #percy pjo #percy jackson

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starless-nightz · 3 days ago

Note

Could you do pjsk boys with a idol girlfriend reader? If not I totally understand!

Platonic! Project Sekai boys with an idol! best friend! fem! reader

note -> I only write PLATONIC male character request btw please do read my rules before requesting ^^ I did make this into an idol bsf reader request.

warnings -> none.

content includes -> fluff, they are very supportive, and protective.

TSUKASA TENMA

Tsukasa is your biggest supporter and fan! It doesn't matter how famous you are he will show you off and he will proudly declare to anyone who will listen that he knew you before you became an idol.

He comes to every single one of your events, he doesn't care how much the tickets costs he will be there! Tsukasa is practically screaming on top of his lungs while you are on the stage, sometimes even Saki comes along and joins him in cheering on you!

Tsukasa may not look like it, but he's a pretty strong and muscular guy which helps to deal with..... some weird and creepy fans. Tsukasa may be a cheerful and energetic guy but he knows when to be serious.

He always hypes you up whenever you feel down or feel like you don't deserve to be an idol. Tsukasa would tell you how amazing and talented you are and how you deserved it more than anyone else.

Tsukasa tries to teach you some of his Phoenix Wonderland performances, but it usually ends up in the two of you goofing off. He adores seeing you smile and laugh, especially when you’re stressed from work.

No matter how busy things get, Tsukasa never lets you forget how talented and special you are. "One day, when you’re the top idol in the world, don’t forget to mention your amazing best friend in your acceptance speech!"

RUI KAMISHIRO

Rui is incredibly fascinated by the idol industry, so you aren't surprised whenever he has a bunch of questions about what goes behind the scenes. Whenever you have complaints about the industry, he listens carefully and even brainstorms ideas on how to revolutionize it.

Sometimes, he offers to create extravagant stage props for your performances. He’s confident he can build something spectacular, though you usually have to remind him that your agency might not approve of an exploding stage entrance.

Rui is a tall, intimidating guy which helps keep unwanted people around whenever you two are hanging out. While he isn't a fan of fighting, Rui wouldn't hesitate to throw hands to protect you.

He loves seeing how you interact with fans. He thinks it’s amazing how you can brighten so many people’s days just by being yourself, and he secretly admires how dedicated you are to making others happy.

If you ever feel overwhelmed, Rui always knows how to distract you with something fun. Whether it’s an impromptu performance idea or a silly experiment, he makes sure you never get too caught up in the pressure.

No matter what happens, Rui believes in you completely. "An idol’s path is like a grand performance—full of unexpected twists and turns! But I know you’ll continue to shine, no matter what obstacles come your way."

AKITO SHINONOME

Akito acts like he doesn't care much about your idol career, but whenever someone mentions you he feels proud to be your best friend. Whenever someone tries to badmouth he is quick to defend you.

He listens to your songs all the time, but he’ll never admit it unless you catch him. Akito refuses to be called a fan, but when your songs play in public, he subtly bobs his head to the beat. If you catch him, he just scoffs and denies it.

Akito is very protective of you. If you are a popular idol he absolutely dreads it since means you definitely have creepy fans, and god forbid they try anything because Akito will hospitalize them.

If he ever sees negative comments about you online, he gets so mad. He won’t pick fights, but he will rant about how people don’t appreciate how much work you put in.

Akito dislikes it whenever you feel insecure, he doesn't understand how you can't see how awesome and talented you are. He makes sure to remind you that you are an amazing idol and that you deserve all the praise you get.

At the end of the day, Akito always has your back. "Doesn’t matter if you’re an idol or not—you’re my best friend first. And I’ll support you no matter what."

TOYA AOYAGI

Toya deeply respects the amount of effort you put into being an idol. He knows how brutal the entertainment industry can be, so he's always there to offer encouragement and comfort whenever you need it.

He loves watching you perform, and he’s always the most focused person in the audience. He might not be as loud as others, but he watches every single detail, appreciating how much work you put into it.

Toya might not like confrontation, he will deal with anyone that's giving you a hard time or making you uncomfortable. He wouldn't fight, but he will give them a hard talk until they leave.

He enjoys playing music with you in private—it’s a nice change of pace from your usual idol work. Whether it’s just messing around with instruments or quietly singing together, those moments are special to him.

Toya isn’t one for grand gestures, but his support is constant. If you ever feel insecure, he’ll remind you of how far you’ve come, how talented you are, and how proud he is to call you his best friend.

No matter how famous you become, Toya will always be in your corner. "Your music, your performances—they mean a lot to so many people, including me. Keep going at your own pace. I’ll be here, always."

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wreckless-tempestry · 16 hours ago

Text

“It made me think of you.”

Year of the OTP 2025 — February Prompt

Characters: Finn x Shrimpo (Dandy’s World)

AN: Thank you for all the positive feedback on my last post! Reading your comments is truly my source of dopamine. I’ve decided to write these two pretty ambiguously since I want to be accommodating for any peeps who think these two are just a rad non-romantic pairing. I didn’t fully proofread this as i was in a bit of a hurry to finish, but i hope you enjoy nonetheless! Word count is around 6.3k.

I SWEAR GOOB ISN’T THE STEREOTYPICAL ONE-DIMENSIONAL CLUELESS AND INNOCENT CHARACTER… I plan to give him some more screen time (wordtime?) in the future. Gigi also uses they/them pronouns because i said so.

Part 1

A little over a month had passed since the fateful night of the New Year’s dance, and already some new streamers were beginning to adorn the hallways of Gardenview – the shimmering whites of January being replaced with the ominously familiar shades of crimson and pink. And the hearts… oh Lord, the hearts, they were everywhere. On the walls, the ceiling, you name it. Hell, there were even those cliche heart boxes with all the shitty chocolates in them that seemed to always end up in the possession of at least a couple Toons. I love you this, I love you that, on and on and on.

This might be Shrimpo’s most hated holiday for real.

It surprised no one that Shrimpo wasn't particularly festive, but if he had to choose just one holiday to wipe off the face of the Earth, he's almost certain that he wouldn't hesitate to choose Valentine’s Day. It was so… weird. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to make an entire day about love? He already had to suffer through a truckload of other people’s feelings every day he spent in this hell; twenty-four hours reserved for the mushiest of all emotions felt like his own special-made nightmare.

From his spot slouched against his bedframe, Shrimpo glared at the calendar on the wall across from him, on which he had already scratched a rather aggressive line in red pen on the box with the number 13. He had a couple more hours to brace himself before the dreaded day arrived, before he’d be subjected to all the heart eyes and sentiments and — Uurgh.

In an attempt to keep the looming dread at bay, Shrimpo’s gaze flicked upward a little, focusing on the picture displayed on the calendar’s upper page. Two koi fish looked back at him, red and white scales contrasting greatly with the vibrant blue waters that served as the background. Kōhaku, he thought, the word popping into his head with little provocation. His clenched fist loosened a tad.

He remembered when Finn had run up to him a couple days after the New Year’s party, waving that calendar above his head.

“Hey hey hey, Shrimpo! I got something for ya!”

Shrimpo had turned around, blinked once at the rapidly approaching fishbowl, and barked out an “Eh? What?!”

”Look, it’s a calendar!” Finn slowed to a stop in front of him, holding out the calendar in question. “Brightney let me have some, said she’s already got too many of ‘em. We could be matching!”

‘Finn wants to… give me something.’ Shrimpo gave the cover a critical once-over. It depicted a shoal of some fish he could not identify, with the words ‘Aquatic Life’ printed boldly near the top. ‘Figures.’

“…Lemme see.” He extended one hand, and Finn gladly let him take hold of it. He briskly flipped backwards through the pages within, getting glimpses of various fish whose names were foreign to him. A flash of red and white caught his eye, and his thumb stilled momentarily on top of the U in ‘February’.

Noticing the page he had paused on, Finn chirruped, “Those’re koi! Pretty, aren’t they? They’re REEL popular in Japan especially.”

Shrimpo shot Finn a stink-eye at the pun, but did not retort with an insult right away, which Finn chose to interpret as a sign to continue. “This particular type here is called kōhaku koi, because of their red and white markings. They’re one of the three most well-known varieties of koi, actually! The other two are called the Sanke and Showa varieties; both have black scales as well as red and white, but the Showa is primarily black with white and red markings, while the Sanke is like the Kōhaku but with some black marki—”

”I’ll take it.” Shrimpo could sense a full-blown yap-fest on the horizon, and there were only so many hours he wanted to spend standing in the hallway. His evasion tactic seemed to be successful, as Finn’s expression brightened and he bounced jubilantly on the soles of his feet a couple times.

“Oh, yippee! You’ll love it, I swear! They even put in a couple facts about the fish in there too, haha!”

‘Which you already know by heart, I’m sure.’ Shrimpo watched as Finn raced off down the hallway once more, almost bumping into Poppy with a rushed “sorry!” and then he was gone. The calendar remained clutched in his hand, open to the page with the damn koi.

Slowly, he turned and began shuffling in the opposite direction, towards the dorms. He held the gift tight against his chest, glancing down occasionally to ensure it didn’t ruffle or tear.

Kōhaku, huh…

He wondered if he had any thumbtacks stored away somewhere.

About a month had passed since that encounter, and Shrimpo still did not know where they stood with each other. In the interactions they had since the dance, Finn had remained just as friendly and pun-prone as ever – but what sort of friendly was it? Was it just regular friendly, or ‘I'm trying not to cringe at the sight of you so I'm doing my best to act normal’ friendly, or… or… or what!? There might as well be a thousand types of friendly that a Toon could be, how the hell was Shrimpo supposed to know!

This would all be so much easier if Finn just let himself be hated like everyone else.

Groaning in agitation, Shrimpo rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. His brain was not being cooperative today. Why did every train of thought have to become weird and confusing? “I hate brains,” he declared into the smothering fabric.

A knock on the door called for his salvation (or doom, depending on the circumstance). “Who’s it?” he yelled, lifting his head up to speak.

A familiar voice answered him. Shrimpo decided he would have been better off pretending he wasn’t home. He reluctantly swung his legs over the edge of the bed and grabbed the doorknob, hesitated, then flung the door open.

“Heya, bud! How goes it?” Finn seemed to have an extra bounce in his step today, almost exaggeratedly so. Some snippets of red paper had gotten into his head somehow, and were now drifting placidly near the bottom of the bowl.

Shrimpo quirked one dubious brow. “What’s up with you?” he replied instead.

“Hm? Nothin’, nothin’, I’m just… Excited! Yeah, excited for tomorrow.”

So Finn was one of those people, huh… Figures. He looked like the type who’d be all for a day of getting all emotional and tenderhearted. Shrimpo’s expression did not change. “And you’re here because…?”

“Um… just cause! I felt like visiting you, keheheh.”

“Try again,” he deadpanned, doing his best to ignore the peculiar swelling feeling in his chest if he dared entertain Finn’s words – which were not true at all, obviously. Surely.

A brief pause, before Finn accepted defeat and loosened his shoulders, his expression turning sheepish. “Um… can you help me get the, ah, the paper? Out of my head? I was doing, uh… something… with Scraps and Goob, and it got in there one way or another. I can’t reach that far in.”

“All this red shit? Why the hell are you asking me?”

“Well, Scraps couldn’t, cause, uh, she’s made of paper… and I’m pretty sure Goob just ended up getting more of it in there. Plus, his hands aren’t necessarily the best for more, ah… delicate jobs. You’re the first person I thought of.”

The aforementioned details Shrimpo could not deny; Goob could probably crack Finn’s head in half without even trying. For whatever reason, the thought of such a thing brought with it an odd sense of discomfort.

‘The first person he thought of…’

“...Fine, fine,” Shrimpo sighed irritatedly, grabbing Finn by the arm and yanking him forward. “Just hurry up and get in here.”

Finn stumbled into Shrimpo’s room, glancing around with curiosity – though not much had changed since his last visit on the evening of the dance. ‘Why the hell does the damn dance keep coming up?’ The fishbowl’s gaze landed at last on the calendar, and his grin rebounded with double the energy.

“Hey, you did put it up! I knew you’d like it!” His eyes shone like the sun.

“Mm,” Shrimpo replied curtly, grabbing the stool next to his closet and dragging it over next to Finn. He stepped up onto the platform and proceeded to grab the rim of Finn’s head with one hand, to the surprised yelp of the boy in question. “Hold still,” he ordered before plunging his other hand into the water, keeping his eye on the sides of the bowl to pinpoint the location of the paper fragments.

“Ack – careful, Barnaby Wilikers is in there!”

“You’re aware that ‘Barnaby’ isn’t a live fish, right?” Shrimpo snorted.

“He’s my emotional support animal, leave him alone,” Finn retorted with a mock pout, crossing his arms.

“Yeah, yeah, sure.”

The water in Finn’s head was surprisingly warm, Shrimpo mused as he managed to catch a couple pieces of paper in his palm. He wondered where he got it from. A sink, perhaps? Did his head magically procure water? Shrimpo considered asking, and decided against it for fear of seeming ignorant.

“Um, so…” It was Finn who broke the silence, while Shrimpo stubbornly chased after the last stray paper piece. “You doing anything for Valentine’s Day?” His voice gained a faint lilt to it. “Heh, got a special someone you’re getting something for?”

The water felt a tad warmer now. Peculiar.

“Are you kidding? Please. I hate everyone in this dump.” Shrimpo paused his paper-fishing for a moment and laughed dryly. “You couldn’t pay me to get chocolates or some shit for anybody. I don’t even eat that crap.” If ever he took a chocolate bar when on one of the expeditions down below, it was solely to keep it from everyone else.

“Oh. Alright. Guess that’s… pretty on-brand for you. Hah.”

Shrimpo couldn’t see Finn’s face all that well from his current angle, but he sounded… well, not as sunshiny as before, somehow. Before Shrimpo could wonder why, he at last captured the final snippet of paper, and he triumphantly raised his closed fist out of the tank.

“SHRIMPO WINS!” he shouted, whilst some water splashed outward to land on the floor from the sudden movement. Shrimpo pretended to pay it no mind, hopping down from the stool and putting his fists on his hips. “You can thank me later.”

Finn gave Shrimpo a somewhat tight smile, taking a step towards the door. “Thanks, Shrimpo,” he replied, eyes fixated on a spot behind Shrimpo’s shoulder. “You’re…” he paused, then shook his head.

“Nevermind. Bad joke.”

He turned away, and out into the hallway he went.

Shrimpo stared at the empty space where Finn had stood a moment ago. Bad joke? Bad joke? Not once had Finn been so self-aware as to recognize his puns were horrendous; something truly problematic must have happened. Had Shrimpo said something wrong? Had he messed up Finn’s brain by accident? Did Finn even have a brain??

Shrimpo racked his own for any idea as to what might have caused Finn’s change of heart, and rapidly came to the conclusion that he hadn’t a clue. He loathed to admit any weakness, but it was most undeniably true that Shrimpo was not well versed in social cues. Could you blame him? – he never would have thought in a million years that he’d have to know any. He prided himself on dancing to the beat of his own drum no matter how problematic this deemed him, but it would seem that this was one of the few occasions where doing so would not benefit him.

Why was that? Why could he not push Finn’s feelings aside the way he did everyone else’s?

Okay. Revisit the facts. Finn had asked him if he had plans for tomorrow, then if he had somebody he was getting a gift for (ew). Shrimpo had denied this, obviously. And then… had Finn gotten mad? Disappointed? Why? There was literally no reason for him to get upset that Shrimpo didn’t have someone he was going to spend the day with… unless he was some major empath or something and felt bad. Shrimpo couldn’t relate, but even if it were true Finn’s reaction still seemed a bit unusual.

He was getting nowhere fast, and what little patience he had was wearing thin. He had to know the answer to his query as soon as he was able; it was already eating away at his chest and making his brain prickle uncomfortably.

Despite his contempt towards the mere idea of it, he might have to rely on… other sources, more socially adept ones. He could not believe that one stupid fishbowl was getting him so out of sorts, making him resort to such desperate measures.

Stupid Finn. Stupid social cues and stupid paper strips.

Emitting another agitated groan, Shrimpo aggressively shook his hands in front of him for a moment in frustration as he began stomping towards his door. His room was doing that dumb thing again where it started feeling too small, signaling his cue to head out.

He paused briefly as he stood parallel to his punching bag, before whirling to face it and throwing a singular wild punch. His fist landed a bit off-center, but it was enough to make the bag bump against the back wall. Unsatisfied, he grabbed the frame and heaved it to the side with a grunt, making it topple over onto the floor with a loud clatter. Only then did he cross the threshold into the hall.

Like some specter of doom, Shrimpo stood still in the empty hallway, fists at his side and an ireful gaze fixed firmly on the wall in front of him. Where should he go? He hadn’t actually formed much of a plan about which ‘outside sources’ he planned to use.

Other Toons were out of the question, forget Finn himself. He refused to ask for assistance from anyone; he’d already spent too much of his time purposely antagonizing them, no way was he going to wreck all his hard effort now. So then what else was there?

The library – yes, of course, the library. He’d never paid it a visit once during his entire stay, but allegedly libraries had books about pretty much everything, so surely he would be able to find something that could help him out some. Didn’t they have computers in there sometimes? That could also work. He still had his reservations about relying on anything other than himself – and God forbid he ran into Brightney’s book club – but modern problems required modern solutions or whatever. He’d just have to be extra careful not to run into anybody.

Now to actually find where it was. He swiveled on his heel to face the hallway to his left, fully prepared to spend a good amount of his evening traversing through Gardenview. ‘Alright, I’ll try upstairs first, and then–’

“Whoa, look who it is!”

A cheery voice behind him shattered his hopes of remaining undetected. For half a second he wondered if Finn had come back, but a glimpse behind him confirmed something much worse.

“Don’t see you out and about much!” A couple yards away, Goob waved one absurdly large hand at him from his doorway, sporting that moronic smile that Shrimpo had come to despise. “Where ya off to?”

“None of your business!” Shrimpo snapped. Geez, could this guy take a hint? Shrimpo had lost count of how many times he had vowed his eternal hatred towards Goob, and the number of times those vows had been all but forgotten an hour later. In a sense he was almost the same as Finn, except a whole lot dumber. Finn at least acknowledged Shrimpo’s spiteful claims and simply chose to pay them little mind; Goob just straight up didn't seem to remember.

“Uh, okay! Anyway, I have something for ya, so come over here real quick!” Goob’s multicolored hands were already outstretched and making their way towards Shrimpo at an alarmingly high speed. Oh no. Surely he wasn’t going to—

Shrimpo was not proud of the high-pitched screech that left his mouth as he was grabbed by his sides. All of a sudden he was being half-dragged across the floor towards the ginger shitbrain that seemed to have absolutely no concept of personal space. In mere moments he found himself on his ass in front of Goob, whose smile had not changed since the beginning of their encounter.

“Wh— LET GO OF ME!” Shrimpo scrambled away from the offending hands, which let go of him without complaint. Already could feel the skin where he had been grabbed tingling, a sensation not unlike that of an ant colony crawling about. Jaw clenched, he clutched his sides tightly with his arms and glared wrathfully up at his attacker, who looked down at him with an expression that now displayed blank confusion.

“Goob?” A feminine voice called from inside the boy’s room. “Who’s out there?” Light footsteps could be heard getting closer, and within the next couple of seconds Scraps poked her head outside; her ears lowered slightly when her curious gaze landed on Shrimpo. “Oh.”

Goob turned to look at his sister, his smile widening once more. “I was gonna give him his valentine! I know it’s a little early, but he was right there. It was the perfect opportunity, right?”

‘What the hell is this guy talking about? A valentine? He’s gotta be joking.’ Realizing he was still sitting on the floor in front of witnesses, Shrimpo swiftly got to his feet and brushed himself off, ignoring the remnants of the tingling feeling. Goob had just earned himself the #1 spot on Shrimpo’s hit list for that move.

Scraps sighed, crossing her arms as she eyed Shrimpo warily. “Whatever you think is best, Goob.” As the Toon retreated back into the room, presumably to grab whatever it was he had prepared, Scraps raised one brow at Shrimpo and queried, “So… what happened here?”

Shrimpo considered just booking it out of there and heading to the library like he’d been planning to do in the first place — nothing was keeping him here, after all — but that could be taken as a sign of weakness or incapability. No way was he fleeing with his tail between his legs from some paper cat lady and her dumbass brother.

Besides… he might as well see what Goob had pulled together for him while he was here. To critique it, of course.

“The idiot grabbed me and yanked me over here,” he replied with a scowl, gesturing with one hand in Goob’s general direction. “I hardly even said a word to him. Doesn’t he have any common sense?”

Scraps’ ears flattened fully against her head, her tail lashing about behind her. “First of all, my brother is not an idiot, thank you,” she hissed at him, pupils slit and eyes narrowed. “I’m sorry he touched you without permission, but that doesn’t give you the right to insult him, you hear? He’s been nothing but nice to you all this time, and you treat him like this.”

Shrimpo would have gladly started a full-on argument with her (at least there was one other Toon here who had some backbone), when none other than Goob himself popped up out of nowhere and thrust something into Shrimpo’s hands. Scraps, begrudgingly, took a step back.

“Here! I made it for you yesterday!” Turning his scrutinizing eyes downward, Shrimpo was met with a piece of red paper cut out to resemble a heart – or perhaps a lopsided piece of mutton, it was a bit difficult to tell. The words “HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!” were displayed boldly, albeit somewhat off-center, in black marker. Taped near the bottom was a single gumball. ‘How charming.’

“What is this,” Shrimpo deadpanned, looking up towards Goob. “We are not… a thing. You should not be giving this to me.”

“What do you mean?” Goob blinked in mild surprise. “You don't need to be dating to give someone a valentine!”

“Goob’s right,” Scraps added, shooting Shrimpo a look as if to say ‘Don’t be an ass’. “Valentine's Day is about spending time with people you care about, not just romantically. It could be a family member or a friend. Love takes on more than one form.”

Shrimpo refrained from commenting for a moment, absorbing this latest knowledge. He had assumed that love was reserved for, y'know, people who were in love, but apparently this was not the case. Though he didn't have any relatives whom he cared about, and as far as he was aware he didn't have any true friends here (right?), so Valentine's Day still didn't apply to him. Hah. Take that.

And yet…

He felt this info was important somehow, to his own puzzlement. He looked down at the vaguely heart-shaped paper in his hands again. It looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

‘More than one form…’

Wait.

He almost tripped over himself as he stumbled backwards slightly from the suddenness of his revelation. The craft siblings observed this with varied looks of concern.

“I gotta go. I will… I will accept this,” Shrimpo said hurriedly, almost rushing the words to leave his mouth. “Bye.” And he turned on his heel and ran off down the hall like a man possessed.

“Um… okay! Bye bye!” Goob waved at Shrimpo's retreating form. The farewell was left unheard.

The elevator doors couldn't open fast enough. Shrimpo slipped inside the moment they began to and slammed his fist on the button to the next floor up. Only when the doors closed on themselves did he let out a breath and lean against the back wall. He clutched Goob’s valentine against his chest.

He couldn't believe it. He simply could not believe that this was his answer.

If it were true…

‘Does Finn want me to do something for him tomorrow?’

It would explain his earlier reaction, at least. From that perspective, getting told that Shrimpo hated everyone in Gardenview could be cause for some resentment.

However.

The other connotations that went with the theory were… a big pill to swallow.

The elevator doors slid open again, and Shrimpo stiffly marched out. His original plan to go to the library no longer seemed as necessary now (though he could be entirely wrong and the library would provide him with the correct, easier answer). Despite this, he felt there was something that could be done here. He had an inkling of an idea of what it might be.

He looked both ways down the hall, to double check he was alone, before allowing himself to half-fall into a sitting position on the floor. He loosely wrapped his arms around his knees, setting his valentine next to him, and stared off into space with a furrowed brow.

If Finn truly did want something for Valentine's Day… the possibility that he was thinking of something for Shrimpo didn't seem too far-fetched, right? Maybe it was, he didn't know. He didn't seem to know a whole bunch of things nowadays. He was never taught, and to learn seemed an impossible task.

‘Never mind, just assume he's getting something.’ So, theoretically, if Finn was getting Shrimpo a… a gift…

Valentine's Day is about spending time with people you care about.

Would that mean Finn cared about him?

While yes, he already sported a pretty friendly disposition, it could also be that he was just choosing to tolerate Shrimpo out of politeness; this was the explanation that the latter had subconsciously chosen to believe, ignoring any signs that might say otherwise. It was plausible and relatively easy to understand, no room for subtext or misunderstanding.

You did not get a Valentine’s gift for people you merely tolerated – this much Shrimpo knew. You did not become disappointed if they said they had no intentions of doing the same.

Not for the first time that day, Shrimpo thought back to the dance, that fated 1st of January. He had dismissed the entire thing the morning after, blaming anything he might have felt about it beforehand on exhaustion, and left it at that as best as he was able.

But he could claim whatever he wanted – it didn’t mean it was true. It did not erase the memory, the way Finn had looked at him then. Even now he would not be able to describe that look or what it meant, but he knew that was not the sort of look meant for any random Toon.

May I have this dance?

God, life could be so much easier if he had stayed in his room that night.

Shrimpo ran a hand over his face, nails dragging slightly over the skin. He got the sensation he was hurtling towards a line in the sand that could not be uncrossed. Giving Finn a gift in return now seemed on par to giving an admission he wasn’t sure he was prepared to give.

‘Or maybe you’re being a sissy and overthinking it,’ a different part of his brain snapped at him, breaking his spiral into an early midlife crisis. ‘Man up and get something for the fishbowl, goddamn. It’s literally not even that serious.’

…On rare occasions, Shrimpo could appreciate his brain a little. He blinked, inhaled, then took hold of Goob’s valentine and rose to his feet again.

He was thinking about it all wrong, he decided as he began walking down the corridor. This was just a… a chance to prove his capability. Yes. Like the thing with Scraps earlier; he could have left, but he didn’t, because he wasn’t a pathetic weakling.

This had to be like it, right? This whole conundrum was a test to see if he could hold his own. If his resolve would crumble under the pressure. Finn had looked disappointed because he’d expected Shrimpo to rise to the challenge. Damn, he must think Shrimpo was pathetic.

He refused to let that idea stand, no matter how… unique this test was.

Yeah. This was definitely what was going on. He was just tweaking out earlier and overanalyzing it. Totally hadn’t been having a revelation. Absolutely wasn’t half-assing another explanation to save himself from figuring out the original.

Yep.

So… a gift, huh. Where might one be found? The image of a multicolored flower popped into his head, and Shrimpo instantly brushed it off. He hated Dandy. He hated everyone here, of course, but Dandy was #2 on his hit list. (Previously #1, but a certain Goob had claimed that spot a couple minutes ago.) Shrimpo just… didn’t trust him. He’d smile at you in passing, but Shrimpo had learned long ago not to count on outward appearances.

Although… he could think of another Toon with lots of items to offer. One that may be susceptible to threatening bargaining.

He jogged a little ways down the hall before stopping in front of a door. Glancing at the designation code painted on the wall to confirm it was the one he was looking for, he inhaled, squared his shoulders — and promptly began banging on the door with his fists.

“GIGI!!” He screamed, his voice echoing through the empty hall. “OPEN UP!!” Through his peripheral vision he could see a head peering out to see what the cause of the ruckus was, then quickly shutting the door again before he could see who it was. Whatever.

Mercifully for Gigi, it did not take long for them to answer the call of their visitor. “Holy shit, quiet down,” they chastised, glaring at him. “It’s late. The hell do you want?”

“I WANT TO BUY SOME SHIT OFF OF YOU,” he replied, maintaining his original volume to quickly assert dominance over the situation. “LET ME LOOK.”

“Wh— dude, my collections ain’t for sale,” Gigi answered as Shrimpo stomped his way into the room. “Why do you need anything from me, anyway? I don’t have no boxing equipment, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

“IT’S… NOT FOR ME.” Shrimpo had some reservations about revealing his true intentions, but he recalled seeing Gigi hanging around Finn a couple of times, listening to his fish facts — of all the things! Who would willingly sit through a monologue about anglerfish mating customs? (Shrimpo had once endured such a thing, albeit against his will; he could only get so far away in a closed elevator.) Perhaps adding in this detail would help sway the tides in his favor. “IT’S FOR FINN.”

“For… Finn?” Some of Gigi’s aggravation faded, to be replaced with surprise — and then, to Shrimpo’s horror, a sly grin. “Well, well, well,” they drawled, crossing their arms as they leaned against the wall. “Never thought I’d see the day when you finally softened up. Someone catch your eye at last, eh?”

“WHAT— NO!!” Of all the horrid assumptions. Shrimpo clenched his jaw. “I AM PROVING MY SUPERIORITY. I WILL NOT BE BESTED BY A BOY WITH A PLASTIC FISH FOR A COMPANION.”

”Mhm.“ Gigi did not seem impressed by his explanation — but at last they loosened. “All right. I’ll let you take up to two things, and I expect to be paid real nicely. I recommend looking over on the third cabinet, with the tackles n’ everythin’: Finn would probably like that sorta stuff.”

“Whatever.” With the hard part out of the way, Shrimpo felt free to lower his volume, at least a little. Sauntering over to the shelf in question, he rapidly noticed that this might take a little longer than he thought. Gigi was known for being a hoarder, but hell, they could probably give Dandy a run for his money with how much crap they owned. This cabinet alone was only a couple items away from maximum capacity, as was every other.

“Where’d you get all this junk?” he muttered as he began sifting through the collection. It wasn't meant to warrant a reply, but Gigi answered with a vague “Oh, here and there.”

Most of the stuff he was looking at had something to do with fish, with a tackle box here, a painting there, and so on and so forth. There was some jewelry, though, and Shrimpo’s fingers happened to catch upon something whilst rummaging in that general area.

It was two beaded bracelets, one crimson and the other cerulean, bots with the same charm of what appeared to be an octopus. Shrimpo considered them in his palm; he had no idea why one would need two matching bracelets, but whatever. It would do — he’d rather not stick around for longer than he had to. He whipped around and thrust them forward in a silent query.

Gigi glanced at them, a faint smirk reammerging on their face (though Shrimpo did not see why). “60 tapes,” they hummed at last. At Shrimpo’s withering glare, they relented and added, “Okay, fine, 40.”

Shrimpo fished around in his pockets, for once thankful that he snatched up so many of them during runs. “Here,” he snapped, shoving the currency into Gigi’s hands. In the next second he was gone.

“A thank you would've been nice,” Gigi scoffed to themselves, reaching out to close the door.

“FINN!” The rest of the prior evening had come and gone, and the dreaded 14th of February had descended upon them. Although Shrimpo was no less spiteful of the current date then he had been before, he had business to attend to. Namely, a certain gap-toothed buffoon.

Sitting at one of the dining room chairs, the boy himself turned his head with a brow raised, only to devolve into a grin Shrimpo knew all too well. “Shrimpo!! I’ve been meaning’ to look for ya, actually,” he chuckled, scooting his chair over a little and pulling out the one next to him. “Come and sit!”

Plopping down unceremoniously on the offered chair, Shrimpo opened his mouth to rush out the words he needed to say, and was promptly beaten to the punch.

“So, uh… I made something for you. Here.” Reaching into a small cross-body bag he had slung over his shoulder, Finn pulled out an ominously familiar-looking piece of paper and extended it to Shrimpo, who snatched it in one hand after a beat of silence. The words “Happy Valentine’s Day!” were written in a large, round font in the center. The shape of this one was a much more distinguishable heart. Some stickers of starfish and coral were scattered about on the sides.

Of course he had assumed that there was a good chance Finn had something for it, but to see material proof was an entirely different matter. He held the paper on flat palms, as if he believed his touch would rip it in two, and thought ‘This was made for me.’

“…This looks like what Goob made me,” Shrimpo commented after a moment, with striking bluntness, “but less sloppy.”

That was certainly one way to deliver a comment.

“Oh-!” Finn emitted a sheepish hah. “I guess that makes sense; I did make it with him, after all. He offered to work on some handcrafted valentines with me yesterday, and it seemed like a fun thing to do.”

“S’that where the paper in your head came from?” The dots connected quite suddenly, but when they did it the whole ordeal made a lot more sense.

“Yep. Sorry about that, by the way.” Finn shifted in his seat a little, gaze drifting downward to the floor. “Uh, I know you… weren’t planning to do anything, but it’s alright, it’s not mandatory or anything. I jus’ wanted to—“

“OH RIGHT,” Shrimpo interrupted loudly, remembering what he had come here to do in the first place. “I forgot. Here.” He placed the fist he had kept tightly closed the entire conversation on the tabletop in front of him, opened his fingers, and let the items he’d held loose before quickly retracting his hand again. The bracelets sat quietly for the whole world to see, the octopus charms catching the yellow glare of the linoleum lighting above.

Finn stared at them. The silence was deafening. Shrimpo’s mouth opened again to shatter it. “Um.” What was it that people always said in those sappy romcoms again?

“They made me… think of you.”

Hang on, since when did I use fucking romcoms as a reference for social interactions? Stop that. That show was years ago anyway.’

Finn’s hand at least reached to inspect the bracelets, eyes wide and pondering. The tentacles of the two octopi caught together for a moment as they were picked up before releasing each other.

“Are these.. for us?” Finn asked at last, looking back up at Shrimpo.

Shrimpo frowned. “Eh? No, they’re for you.”

At this, Finn couldn’t help but break out in a brief giggle. “Not just for me, silly. They’re friendship bracelets. Each person gets one.”

Shrimpo thought back to how sly Gigi had looked when he'd picked out his gift. He silently resolved to exchange a couple choice words with them later.

“Uh…” He watched as Finn extended one to him, the cerulean one — an offering. For whatever reason, such a simple gesture felt loaded with meaning he wasn’t sure he was fully able to grasp.

It felt almost like a commitment. A confession.

‘Again with this hyper-analyzation thing…’ There was his favorite voice of reason again. ‘Seriously, brother, you’re spazzing out. It’s Finn’s gift, he decides what he wants to do with it. If he wants you to take the bracelet, take the bracelet. Simple as that.’

He felt this brain-voice of his had a habit of omitting certain details, but he decided to let it slide for the time being. He’d already been sitting there like a dumbass staring at Finn’s hand for a second too long.

“…Fine, whatever.” Shrimpo reached out and plucked the thing up with two fingers, lifting his other wrist to slide it on. It felt eerily akin to putting on his own shackles.

Shackles… to what?

‘Dude, for real! Snap out of it!’

Okay, okay! Keeping his fingers straight, he let the jewelry piece fall down to rest on his arm. He pulled on the cords to tighten it, although just a little, and looked up at Finn to gauge his reaction. The fishbowl’s smile was brighter than ever, holding out his own wrist adorned with the crimson beads.

“This is a great gift, Shrimpo.” How warm his eyes were. The flecks of yellow seemed even more prominent, now. “You’re a real great friend.”

Friend.

“Okay,” he answered, for lack of a better word.

The boy seemed almost to glow.

That night, Shrimpo lay silently on his mattress, looking up at his ceiling. Not much had changed since January; it remained as unremarkable as it had been the day he arrived, free of any holes left behind from outbursts. Maybe someday.

He looked down at the calendar. The 14th had been triumphantly crossed off, and tomorrow so would the 15th. And eventually so would the 16th and 17th and all the other days, and then he’d have to get a new calendar so he could check off all the boxes all over again.

He now looked to the calendar’s left. The words Happy Valentine’s Day! looked back at him, written in two different types of handwriting. The room was dark, but he could still see them faintly, unchanging. Even when he slept, he knew they would be there, for whenever he needed to look at them.

Love takes on more than one form.

So do gumball flavors, he mused, chewing on his Valentine’s present.

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