#this is probably a horrible poem

[cherriesforjjong]

what if I fell in love

with a prince charming,

or a knight in shining armor?

but that'll never work out,

because how could I be his happy ever after,

or his damsel in distress

when I can't even handle myself,

deal with myself

or love myself?

[varian-ross-horror-author]

Chronic pain really fucks with your pain scale, huh.

I'm close to tears because of sudden tooth pain, and at the same time I'm like "not as bad as Hell Migraine."

Going to walk into my dentist (hopefully) on Monday like "it hurts sofucking band but no idea where on the pain scale it is. Please make it stop but also I've had pain *way* worse than this."

[chaotic-history]

'Candide isn't an intellectually honest argument against Leibnitz!!' Was it supposed to be?

[tortademaracuya]

listening to the entirety of flowers of evil by ruth white is definitely. An experience

[inseobts]

Truth or Dare Chaos

one piece surprise character x fem!reader

everyone decide to play a truth or dare game to end the celebration in a good mood, but if someone uses the chance to actually confess to you?

words count: 2.2k

tags: post-wano celebration, humor, fluff, unexpected confession

masterlist || ko-fi

The Wano celebration is in full swing, a festival of victory and relief. Lanterns glow in the night sky, laughter echoes through the streets, and sake flows like a river. After years of struggle, the alliance between the Straw Hats, Heart Pirates, Kid Pirates, and even the samurai, finally freed them.

But while the streets are alive with music and dancing, a much rowdier event unfolds inside one of the large banquet halls.

“Truth or dare!” Luffy declares, slamming a cup onto the floor with a grin.

You blink “Seriously?”

“Seriously!” Usopp chimes in, waving his hands “Come on, y/n, we just saved the world! Time for some real challenges!”

Zoro scoffs from his seat, already drinking “This is dumb.”

“Oh?” Nami smirks “Too scared, swordsman?”

Zoro’s eye twitches “Tch. Fine, whatever.”

Kid folds his arms, eyeing the growing group with suspicion “This is a waste of time”

“Sounds like someone’s scared” Law mutters, sipping his drink.

Kid glares “Shut the hell up, Trafalgar!”

Soon, the game is in full swing, pirates of all kinds gathered in a messy circle, some sitting on the floor, others lounging on cushions. The sake-fueled dares begin lightheartedly—Franky dances in his underwear, Usopp has to mimic Kaido’s laugh (horribly), and Robin sweetly forces Brook to write a love poem about his own skull.

Then, the dares escalate.

“Zoro, I dare you to wear lipstick” Nami announces with a wicked grin.

Everyone turns to the swordsman. His scowl deepens “No.”

“You have to” Luffy says through a mouthful of meat.

“Like hell I do—”

Before Zoro can react, Sanji appears at his side, a bright red lipstick in hand “Hold still, Marimo~”

“GET AWAY FROM ME!”

The room bursts into chaos as Zoro dodges, but in the end, Nami’s iron grip on his wallet forces him to comply. The result? A grumpy, lipstick-wearing swordsman with crossed arms and a murderous aura.

“Beautiful” you tease, and he glares daggers at you.

More dares roll in—Kid has to admit that Luffy is stronger than him (his soul nearly leaves his body), Law has to wear one of Chopper’s hats, and Yamato is dared to chug a whole bottle of sake.

Then it’s your turn.

“Alright, y/n,” Usopp announces dramatically “Truth or dare?”

You glance around. Everyone is waiting “…Dare.”

A slow, mischievous grin spreads on Nami’s face “I dare you to let someone kiss you. On the lips.”

The room erupts.

“Oi, Nami, that’s dirty!” Sanji wails, clutching his chest.

“Ahhh, spicy!” Brook cackles “Can I volunteer? Oh wait, I have no lips—”

“Wait, wait, wait” you laugh from embarassment, waving your hands. “From anyone?”

“Yep,” Nami smirks “Whoever volunteers first.”

For a second, there’s silence. A thick tension. You glance around, half-expecting Sanji to throw himself at you dramatically, but surprisingly… he doesn’t.

Then—

“I’ll do it.”

Your breath catches.

All eyes turn to the source.

It’s Law.

The normally composed, ever-serious Heart Pirates captain sits with one arm resting lazily on his knee, eyes locked on yours. There’s no joke in his voice, no teasing smirk. Just a steady, unreadable expression.

The room collectively loses its mind.

“WHAT?!”

“L-LAW?!?”

“HOLY SHIT—”

Even Kid nearly chokes on his drink.

Law, unfazed by the chaos, only tilts his head “Well?”

Your heart hammers. Of all people, you hadn’t expected him to step forward.

You swallow “You’re serious?”

He shrugs “A dare’s a dare.”

The whole room leans in. You feel heat rising to your face, but hell, backing down now would be worse. You steel yourself and lean in.

The second your lips touch, the room explodes.

Cheers, screams, laughter—someone (probably Luffy) howls like a wolf. The kiss itself is brief, but the warmth lingers as you pull away, your heart pounding.

You look at Law. He smirks ever so slightly.

“Not bad” he murmurs.

“Shut up” you mutter, flustered.

“You bastard” Kid mutters, shoving Law’s shoulder with enough force to make a lesser man topple “That was bold.”

Law just smirks, sipping his sake like he didn’t just send your heart into orbit “It was a dare.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure it was” Usopp snickers, elbowing you “But damn, y/n, you look like you’re about to explode.”

You are. Heat still lingers on your lips, and your brain refuses to function properly. You risk a glance at Law—he’s still sitting so casually, but there’s something in his eyes, something smug.

This bastard knew what he was doing.

Before you can retaliate, Luffy claps his hands “Next turn!”

The game resumes, but the energy is wild. Everyone is still high off the chaos.

“Sanji!” Luffy grins “Truth or dare?”

Sanji takes a deep breath, regaining some composure after witnessing you get kissed by Law of all people “Truth.”

Nami smirks “Have you ever had a REAL crush on anyone in this room?”

Sanji sputters “T-THAT’S NOT FAIR!”

“It absolutely is” Zoro snickers.

The cook dramatically throws himself back “Of course, my heart belongs to all the ladies in this room! But if you must know—” His gaze flickers to you for a split second before he recovers “I will take my secret to the grave!”

“BOOO!” Chopper shouts.

Brook chuckles “Very suspicious, Sanji.”

“Shut up” he grumbles, lighting a cigarette.

More rounds go by. Kid is dared to eat something spicy as hell (he nearly breathes fire), Yamato has to arm wrestle Franky (Yamato wins), and Luffy is dared to wear one of Zoro’s haramaki belts as a headband.

Then, the dares start getting worse.

“Zoro” Usopp grins evilly “I dare you to sit in Sanji’s lap for the next three turns.”

Silence.

Zoro’s face darkens instantly “I’d rather die.”

Sanji, on the other hand, shrieks “YOU THINK I WANT THAT MARIMO’S HEAVY ASS ON ME?!”

Luffy laughs so hard he falls backward “It’s a dare, Zoro! No backing out!”

Zoro glares at Usopp like he’s contemplating murder, but the sniper just grins “C’mon, ‘King of Hell,’ prove you’re not a coward.”

“Tch” Zoro grits his teeth and stomps over to Sanji, who looks like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“Don’t you dare enjoy this” Zoro mutters before dropping into Sanji’s lap with a thud.

“GAH!” Sanji nearly topples backward “I SWEAR TO GOD, IF YOU BREAK MY LEGS—”

The whole room is screaming with laughter.

Even Law, usually so composed, hides a smirk behind his sake cup.

The game spirals further into madness. Luffy is dared to drink an entire bottle of sake in one go (bad idea), Bepo has to carry Kid bridal-style for a full minute (worse idea), and someone forces Jinbei to do an impression of Buggy the Clown (best idea).

Then—

“Alright, y/n” Nami turns to you again, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Truth or dare?”

You exhale. After what happened last time, you should pick truth. But your pride won’t let you.

“Dare” you say.

Nami grins “I dare you to sit in Law’s lap for the next three turns.”

The entire room erupts again.

You choke “WHAT?!”

Law raises an eyebrow, but there’s something dangerous in his smirk. “That’s fair” he says simply.

Fair, my ass.

“You could refuse, y/n” Robin offers sweetly “but then you’d have to do a punishment dare instead.”

You gulp. You’ve seen the punishment dares tonight. (Brook had to strip. You are NOT about to risk that.)

With a deep breath, you shuffle toward Law “I hate this game” you mutter.

Law leans back, waiting. The absolute smugness on his face makes you want to throw him out the window.

Cursing every deity, you sit on his lap.

Law’s arms rest casually around your waist, like it’s nothing. “Comfortable?” he murmurs, just for you to hear.

You refuse to give him a reaction “Shut up.”

The game barely continues because everyone is losing their damn minds over this. Sanji looks like he’s about to burst into flames, Usopp keeps making dramatic gagging noises, and Kid just straight-up leaves the room.

“I CAN’T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!”

But Law? Law is unfazed. In fact, he seems to be enjoying your suffering.

You sit there, face burning, waiting for the turns to pass.

One.

Two.

Three.

“Alright, I’M DONE!” You jump up, escaping Law’s grasp. He chuckles, stretching like he hadn’t just driven you insane for the last few minutes.

You glare at Nami “You’re evil...”

“I know” She winks.

The game finally begins to wind down as people start passing out from too much sake. Luffy snores on the floor, Zoro is sprawled in a corner (still wearing lipstick), and Usopp keeps muttering, “Too much romance… my heart can’t take it…”

You sigh in exhaustion “Finally.”

Then—

“y/n”

Your breath stills.

You turn. Law stands there, hands in his pockets, golden eyes locked on you. The teasing smirk from before is gone.

He takes a step closer “Can we talk?”

Your stomach flips “…About what?”

Law tilts his head slightly, eyes scanning your face “You know what.”

Oh...

Oh!

Your heartbeat quickens. The room suddenly feels too small.

The game is over, but something else is about to begin.

Your heart pounds as you swallow “Uh… sure.”

Law doesn’t hesitate, he jerks his head toward the door, and you follow him out into the cool Wano night. The festival outside is still alive, but compared to the madness inside, the quiet hum of distant music feels strangely… intimate.

You cross your arms, trying to act casual “So… what did you wanna talk about?”

Law stops near a wooden railing, leaning against it with his arms crossed. He watches you for a moment, his eyes flickering in the lantern light. Then, he sighs.

“You don’t get it, do you?”

Your brow furrows “Get what?”

Another pause. Then—

“That kiss wasn’t just a dare... to me.”

Your breath catches.

You blink, your brain scrambling “Wait… what?”

Law exhales through his nose, looking almost annoyed. Like he can’t believe he has to spell it out “Seriously?” He gives you a pointed look “You really think I’d kiss you just for fun?”

You’re stunned into silence.

Because yes, that’s exactly what you’d thought. Law was always the logical one, the one who didn’t waste time on nonsense. You’d assumed he did it just to shut everyone up.

But now, as he stares at you with that unreadable expression, your mind rewinds—

The way he volunteered so quickly. The way his smirk was so sure. The way he didn’t flinch when you sat in his lap, like it was something he’d already imagined.

“…Oh.”

Law scoffs “Oh.” He shakes his head “Unbelievable.”

You open your mouth, then close it. What do you say to that? Your heart is racing, your stomach flipping, and now the man you just kissed is standing here, practically admitting—

“You’re really bad at picking up signals” Law mutters, rubbing his temple.

You gape at him “Well, sorry for not assuming one of the most wanted men in the world has a thing for me!”

Law chuckles, low and amused “You think I care about that?”

You stare at him “…Do you?”

His expression softens, just slightly “Not when it comes to you.”

Oh... Oh!

Your heart does a whole circus act. You suddenly feel too warm, despite the night air.

“You…” You take a breath “So you—”

“I like you, y/n.”

Your world tilts.

The words are so direct, so Law, that you can’t even doubt them. He’s looking at you with that sharp, unwavering gaze, like he’s already dissected every possible outcome and decided this is the one that matters.

You can’t breathe.

“…Since when?” you whisper.

Law shrugs, looking away for the first time “A while” then, quieter, “Long enough.”

You swear your heart might explode.

A gust of wind brushes past, rustling your hair. You barely register it. Because Law just confessed to you, and you’re standing here like an idiot, trying to reboot your entire existence.

But then, slowly (so slowly) a smile creeps onto your face.

“Guess I’m the idiot, huh?”

Law huffs a quiet laugh “You said it, not me.”

You roll your eyes, stepping closer “You could’ve just told me, you know.”

His lips twitch “Where’s the fun in that?”

You shake your head, unable to stop smiling. This stupid, stubborn, brilliant man.

Without thinking too much, you reach out and grab the front of his coat, tugging him down slightly. His eyes widen, just for a second, before you lean up and press a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

Law goes completely still.

When you pull back, you raise an eyebrow “That one wasn’t a dare.”

Something in Law’s gaze flickers. Then, very quietly—

“Good.”

And before you can react, he tilts your chin up and kisses you for real.

It’s not like the kiss from before. That one was brief teasing, this one is deliberate. It’s firm and slow, like he’s making up for every second he’s held back. His hand settles on your waist, pulling you closer, and you can feel the heat radiating off him.

You barely have time to process anything before he pulls away, lips just barely brushing yours as he murmurs...

“That one wasn’t a dare either.”

You laugh breathlessly “No kidding.”

Law smirks “Took you long enough.”

You roll your eyes, but you can’t stop smiling “Shut up.”

And maybe, just maybe, this victory celebration turned out way better than you expected.

[inkskinned]

there are days that it is hard, and unfair, and some horrible part of me wishes i could have been born in a different world. i love being queer, i hate how others react to it. when i first came out at 15, my mom whispered: please don't say that. your life would be so much harder.

it is harder.

it is also a tuesday, walking my dog. we are both skiving off of work, and yes both of us have dyed hair and pronouns. mine is patchy - it was my first time trying bleach; i didn't have enough. theirs is a resilient toadstool green. a little girl comes up to us and asks um, excuse me? is your hair real? 'cause jason says you're a fairy.

it is sunday brunch, all of us talking over each other, overfull on love. she is trying out a new name today, and we made her a cake with today's name scrawled in shaky purple letters. she laughs so much she cries and then gets frosting in her hair. someone young at a different table keeps giving us these large, wide eyes: the same look we have all been on the other side of. the kind that says, breathless: wait, is that possible?

it is a half-fight in a supermarket because he loves "dance moms" and says abby's tiktok is funny and meanwhile i think the children in that show should be allowed to sue abby lee miller for child abuse. i tell him that it led to the casual acceptance of child harassment for mainly adult views; and then i am standing, suddenly, in someone else's thrown soda. there's a white lady standing there, furious, saying something about hell-on-earth. i had forgotten i was wearing stuff with pride colors. and then it is this: he had just been casually arguing with me - and within an instant, he squares his shoulders and goes after her like i am his sister

on saturday i sat in a circle while beca played with my hair and we were all over 30 and we laughed about how much happier we are being this old, how much more we appreciate our community. 25 minutes from now, we will be on stage to dance in baggy beige clothing, but for now we look on with envy to the dancers in loud-and-bright buttondowns. where are they getting these shirts! i cry, distraught. everyone laughs. one of our friends has a mushroom witch hat. this would have been cringey in high school, probably. instead we are all delighted with each other; happy just to be here and alive and moving

it's that last week my new friends cried with joy for me when they heard i'm getting top surgery. every so often i have the honor of being the first person someone feels comfortable enough to tell. i'm trying to make long fluttery butterfly wings to wear to pride; but i don't know anything about fabric or dye, so my friends have been sending me their personal advice.

i think in a different poem i would talk about how sometimes you walk into a room and put the mask back on. but i'm sleepy and my whole brain is fuzzy so i think in this one, it's a monday, and my dog and i took a nap on a couch, and i had missed texts from friends. i used to wake up lonely. i think this poem is about walking into a room and seeing someone and just knowing, the way you just-know-sometimes, and then giving them that little smile, and seeing them light up with joy and relief. it is how we always seem to be able to find each other in a crowded room. how we always seem to make friends with each other before even we know-it-to-be-true. it is saying: we're very different people; but i belong to you.

it is harder, yes. but it comes with a built-in family.

[moonchild9350]

Whispers of Beauty

summary: you find your way again after a horrible breakup with the help of poetry and Hyunjin.

pairing: Hyunjin x fab!reader

genre: strangers to lovers au (slow burn), angst, fluff, smut-18+ MDNI

word count: 6.8k

warnings: time jumps, nipple play, clit play, unprotected sex (don't), creampie, multiple orgasms, cum tasting, finger sucking

notes: reminiscing of hyunjin as always. this will also probably be it until i finish the series i'm working on lol. the poems used in this fic are Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal by Tennyson and She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron if you'd like to read them in full!

if you enjoyed, please consider a like, reblog, or comment as it keeps me motivated ♡

dividers by @saradika-graphics

please do not copy, translate, modify, use, or repost my work elsewhere without my permission. ©moonchild9350 (2024)

It was another busy day at the cafe, people coming in to order their usuals as they made their way to work, school, or elsewhere. You lose yourself in the art of making their drinks, the familiar task giving you a sense of comfort.

You definitely needed comfort after a recent breakup, the wounds so fresh, you could still feel your heart rip in two at just the thought. You were in need of some healing and your friend, Ember, knew just the activity that will help.

Every Friday, the cafe you worked at hosted poetry night where others can spend their evenings sharing their original works or reciting works of some of poetry’s greatest authors.

You loved poetry, loved getting lost in the words of those who walked this earth centuries before you. The works always incited emotion, your eyes welling up in tears, or scowling in anger at the passion of the writers.

You also loved listening to others, as they poured their heart out through words, weaving their stories through happy narratives or euphemisms.

While you were dating your ex, your passion for poetry dimmed, finding no comfort from the words on the page as your love for the stories was berated and considered worthless.

You sat aside your poems in exchange for the thought of love, burying the feeling of hopelessness deep within your heart.

Now that you were free, you started engaging in poetry reading again, getting lost in the words once more, your smile returning as you found some comfort from them. Ember suggested you start going to poetry nights, so you could get out of the house, meet new people, and of course engage in your ultimate love.

At first, you weren’t keen on the idea, having not gone to an event like this in years, but overtime you changed your mind, deciding it was exactly what you needed.

So you busied yourself in your work, counting down the hours until the end of your shift and when you could take a seat and enjoy the entertainment of the night.

Time passed, people came, drinks were made. Before you knew it, you were clocking out, taking off your apron and setting it on your hook. You fixed your outfit in the bathroom, then went in search of your friend, hoping she had already arrived.

You smiled as you spotted Ember, sitting on a couch in the corner. You walked over to her, embracing in a hug before sitting down with a sigh, happy with the relief of getting off your aching legs.

“I’m so excited you agreed to do this!” Ember exclaimed, pulling you close so she could hug you.

“Same, it’s been too long,” you replied, wrapping your arms around your friend.

She playfully ruffled your hair, laughing as you protested. “Seems like it’ll be a good turn out.”

You scanned the room, noticing that the tables and couches were filling in, friends, couples, and singles alike settling in for a good night.

“Yeah, the turn-out is usually good,” you replied.

You listened to the chatter, your mind wandering elsewhere in the cozy atmosphere. You’re not sure how much time passed as you stared into space, your mind running nonstop.

“Y/n! It’s about to start!” Ember said as she elbowed you in the side.

You shook your head to come back to the present. The lights were dim, a small spotlight shining on a spot in the center of the room. You assumed this would be where those who wanted to share their thoughts would sit, as there was a small wooden stool present, along with a microphone.

The crowd quieted, their attention focused on your boss who walked to the mic. She tapped on the head before clearing her throat.

“Welcome to poetry night! Tonight we will listen to some talented people recite some of literature’s greatest works. So sit back and let the words flow through your soul.”

You clapped as she left the makeshift stage, the first performer taking their place. You listened to poem after poem, your mind opening up and your heart beating at the promise of the words that were flowing through the small space.

Before you knew it, the night was almost over, the event coming to a close. You clapped as the last performer took to the stage, your eyes widening at the sight of him.

He was dressed in a black sweater and jeans, the fit loose on his slim body. His brown hair framed his face perfectly, the strands hanging down to his neck. His eyes were a beautiful shade of chocolate brown and seemed to shine with the spotlight that shone from above. His lips were large and plush and a pretty shade of pink that had you blushing.

He sat on the stool and pulled the mic closer and adjusted it. He cleared his throat as he looked out into the audience, his eyes roaming those gathered as if he was summoning their attention.

The extra step was moot however as everyone’s eyes were trained on him, awaiting the beautiful words that would fall from his lips.

You watched with bated breath as he opened his mouth and began to speak:

“Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white; Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk; Nor winks the gold fin in the porphyry font. The firefly wakens; waken thou with me.”

As the man spoke, you felt like you were transported to another time, as a princess professes her love for the prince. The words that he spoke were smooth like velvet, yet full of emotion.

His eyes gazed upon the crowd, his eyes catching person after person as he recited the poem, making sure to captivate the audience. Eventually, his eyes made it to you and remained there as he continued to speak.

You couldn’t help but watch his lips as they opened and closed, as he continued his prose. You could feel your face heat up, as you dragged your eyes to his, holding his strong gaze.

He finished in a beat, the crowd erupting in cheers as he stood up and bowed slightly, before returning to his seat. He wasn’t sitting far from you as he was only a few tables away, his back turned toward you.

As the night went on, you couldn’t help but stare at the man, your mind still reeling after that performance. You wondered who he was as you haven’t seen him around the cafe. Ember tapped you on the thigh, causing you to turn and look at her.

You rolled your eyes as she wriggled her eyebrows at noticing how you were staring at the mystery man.

Once the lights came back up, people milled around chatting, discussing the choices of the night. You noticed a crowd of people surrounding the mystery man, mainly women gushing at how well he did.

“I’ll be right back,” you told Ember, who was speaking with some random person that was sitting next to you.

“Sure thing babe,” she replied, a sly smile forming on her face.

You walked over toward the man, determined to speak to him before the night ended. You definitely wanted to compliment him on his choice of work as Tennyson was one of your favorite authors.

You waited patiently as the flock of groupies gushed to him about irrelevant things, probably trying to see who could get his number first. You smirked at their desperation, watching as he tried to disentangle himself from a girl who was trying to hug him.

Chuckling, you decided to help him out.

“Eh mm,” you said, raising your eyebrow at the girls who turned around to see who had interrupted them.

“Others are waiting to speak with the gentleman, just wanted to let you know.”

The girls looked at you with disdain, their eyes narrowed as they hesitated to move. When you opened your mouth to say more, they scrambled away, muttering under their breaths about how they were rudely interrupted.

Shaking your head, you approached the beautiful man and smiled.

“Hi, great job tonight. Tennyson huh?” You said, watching as the man blushed and tucked his head down.

“Thank you, uh…yeah. He’s one of my favorites.”

“Really mine too! I’m y/n,” you responded, holding your hand out to shake his hand.

His eyes lit up at your words, excitement etched on his face. “Ah! Another fan, that makes my heart sing y/n. I’m Hyunjin.”

Hyunjin reached his hand to you, wrapping his fingers around yours and giving you a firm handshake. You couldn’t help but think how soft his hands were, albeit a little sweaty.

“I’d love to chat with you more about him…or poetry in general,” you said dropping your hand.

“Of course, of course, that would be excellent!” Hyunjin said as he nodded, his hair falling into his face at the movement.

“Great, I actually work here, so maybe we can meet-up after one of my shifts?”

“Sounds perfect,” he said, fiddling with his sleeves.

You smiled at how nervous he was, thinking he was pretty cute. “I’ll see you around then,” you said with a wave of your hand.

You turned on your heels and walked away, making your way back to Ember. You couldn’t miss the sly grin she had plastered on her face.

“Well, well, well, someone’s been busy,” she teased, giving you a wink.

“No, no, I just wanted to speak with him and see if he wanted to talk more about Tennyson. Turns out that’s his favorite poet too.”

“Mmhmm, sure whatever you say babe. Did you get his name?” Ember asked.

“Hyunjin,” you said simply, a warm feeling spreading throughout your body as you said his name.

“Well, may great things be in store for you two,” Ember said, as she genuinely smiled at you.

-- --

Weeks passed with you filling your days with work. You picked up long shifts which left you exhausted by the end of the day, causing you to tread home and immediately fall into bed out of exhaustion.

You saw Ember sporadically over the weeks on your few off days, which was a nice change of pace.

You haven’t seen Hyunjin, as he hasn’t stopped by. You pretty much gave up on the idea of the man showing up, chalking it up to that he forgot or wasn’t interested….not that he owed you anything anyway.

Despite this, a part of you hoped he would have stopped by, wanting to discuss with him his love for literature. You were fascinated with him, remembering how velvety his voice sounded as he brought centuries old words to life.

You were working the register one day, taking people’s orders, which you didn’t mind as most of your customers were regulars and really kind. However, the sight of a particular person made you gasp, your eyes widening at the sight of them.

The man sauntered over, a smirk on his face as he approached the counter.

“Well, well, hi love,” he said.

You felt bile rise-up at his words, your mind swirling with a million thoughts.

“What are you doing here?”

Your ex, Elias chucked and ran a hand through his hair.

“Can’t I just stop by for some coffee and to see my favorite girl?”

“I’m not your girl,” you sneered, your fists balling up at your side.

“Oh come on love, don’t be like that. I’ll take you back you know. Just be a good girl and be mine again.”

You were furious, heat rising to your face as your blood boiled. You could feel your hands shake, wanting to punch this man in front of you.

You were about to respond when another person stepped behind Elias, his eyes narrowed.

You looked up and recognized Hyunjin, your heart skipping at a beat at the sight of him.

“You’re holding up the line,” Hyunjin said, crossing his arms and adapting a threatening stance.

“I’m almost done,” Elias said as he continued to focus on you.

You swallowed as you saw Hyunjin’s face turn red, his fists balling up.

“Is he bothering you y/n?” Hyunjin asked you, concern in his eyes.

You merely shook your head yes, scared your voice would betray you as you were close to tears.

“Leave.”

Hyunjin spat the word out with so much venom, even you were taken aback. He seemed so sweet and innocent, but it seemed he had a tough side as well.

“Oh, I see how it is,” Elias said, looking between you two. “Good luck man she’s a piece of work.”

At that, Elias turned on his heels and walked away, walking out into the crowded sidewalk. You found yourself letting out a breath you didn’t know you were holding as your eyes landed on Hyunjin.

Hyunjin let out a huff and then uncrossed his arms, as he walked up to the counter. His eyes searched yours, making sure you were ok.

“Hi,” you sheepishly replied as you fiddled with your apron.

“Hi,” Hyunjin replied as he smiled, clearly happy you were ok.

“So, can I get you anything?” You asked as you smirked.

“Hmmm, I was thinking we could have that chat. Sorry I haven’t stopped by sooner, work has been busy.”

At his words, you felt your heart flutter within your chest, your excitement rising at the prospect of spending time with him. You tried to control yourself before responding, willing your heart to slow.

“I’d love that. I get off at 8.”

Hyunjin smiled, elated that you accepted his proposal. “Perfect, how about I swing by and pick you up then?”

“Sure,” you said as you tried not to bounce on your feet.

“It’s a date then. Oh, and I guess while I’m here, might as well get an iced americano!”

You chuckled and began to ring him up, a smile on your face all the while. When you selected his cup to write his name down, you drew a cute smiley face, adding little stars around the face. You smiled at him as you set the cup down.

“See you tonight y/n,” he said as he turned to walk to the pick-up area.

Your mind was reeling, your heart pounding in your chest. Hyunjin called it a date, an actual date. Is it a date? Did he just ask you out? Or was he just saying that to be cheeky?

The rest of the day, the thought was on your mind, causing you to make a few mistakes as you helped out customers. As the time for your shift to end got closer, you began to feel nervous and jittery, as you weren’t able to stand still.

Hyunjin was right on time, a huge smile on his face as he walked in looking like an absolute angel. You couldn’t take your eyes off him, not realizing you were staring until he called your name.

Apologizing profusely, you clocked out and grabbed your stuff, rushing to stand by his side.

“Where to?” You asked, looking up into his eyes.

“Well, I thought we could take a walk around the city? Chat a little and enjoy the night atmosphere?”

A walk after a long day sounded perfect.

“I love that, let’s do it!”

Hyunjin grinned and bowed, ushering you ahead. You giggled and blushed as he opened the door for you, the little bell tinkling lightly against the glass.

You stepped out into the night air, the crispness a nice welcome after being in the cafe all day. You both joined the many others making their way down the sidewalk.

“So you like poetry?” Hyunjin asked in a serious tone as he stared straight ahead.

“Mmhmm, I do. I studied English literature back in university. I don’t know, it’s just something about reading the words of those from long before you that creates such an intimate look into their life and thoughts.”

“I get it. I’ve been studying and reading poetry a few years now. It’s a comfort to me.” Hyunjin said, as he contemplated his thoughts.

“How long have you been reciting poetry?” You asked, turning to look at him.

Hyunjin paused in thought as he considered your question. “I’d probably say the last three years or so.”

You hummed in response, impressed with his dedication. You both were silent for a moment, the sound of crickets chirping through the night, their song almost melancholic.

“So…” Hyunjin began, “who uh…who was the guy that was harassing you earlier? Of course you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to! I was just curious…” he continued, his voice trailing off.

You let out a heavy sigh. You deserved to give him an answer, especially since he came to your aid.

“That was my ex, Elias. We broke up a few months back. He um…I caught him with another girl in our bed…”

Your mood fell at the thought, remembering the day when you came home, exhausted from your long day at work. You were excited to see your boyfriend and have a relaxing evening…that is until you found out he wasn’t exactly excited to see you as he was between some other girl’s legs.

You recounted to Hyunjin how Elias tried to deny the affair, even though you saw the proof with your own eyes, but you didn’t give him a chance to grovel, ending the relationship that very night.

Hyunjin listened intently, his heart breaking at the fact that someone who was supposed to love you betrayed you instead. He definitely thought you deserved better as you seemed intelligent and kind and not to mention beautiful.

“I’m sorry y/n… he seems like an asshole to be honest.” He replied as he balled his hands into a fist at the thought of the sleaze bag he encountered earlier in the day.

“I recognize that now. There were definitely signs leading up to that night, but I guess I chose to ignore them.”

Hyunjin nodded, “I get it. You were blindsided by what you thought was a loving relationship.”

You hummed in agreement. You were blinded and so stupid, but Elias was in the past. You didn’t have to worry about him anymore.

“You deserve better y/n, just thought I’d mention it.”

You felt the corner of your eyes prickle with tears, threatening to spill over at any moment. Your chest felt heavy at his way of consoling you.

You did deserve better, and you believe that’s why his betrayal hurt so much. Your heart was healing, one day at a time. You could feel another stitch find its way within you at his words, Hyunjin’s company soothing. Somehow at that feeling, you knew you would be ok, and could continue to heal with the help of Hyunjin.

Your mind wandered to the man next to you. Maybe it was fate that you met him that night. If it wasn’t for your friend pushing you out of your comfort zone, you’d have never stayed to listen to others pour their heart out in prose and ultimately never met Hyunjin and his beautiful soul.

Months have passed and you are now dating Hyunjin. Each day is full of bliss as he showers you with love, making sure you feel like a queen.

He is picking you up after work and taking you to dinner as today is your birthday. You tried asking where he was going to take you, but he kept saying it’s a surprise.

You were excited to say the least at the thought of the night to come. Your shift couldn’t end soon enough, as the clock struck six, your boss letting you go early in honor of the special day.

Your face lit up at the sound of the bell, Hyunjin walking into the cafe. He looked handsome in his jeans and sweater, his hair styled neatly.

“Hi angel! Ready?” He asked, stopping at the counter.

“Yep! Let me clock out and grab my bag.”

Hyunjin chuckled as he watched you scramble around, picking up your bag and hurrying to his side.

“Now I’m ready,” you smiled, looking up at your boyfriend.

Hyunjin grinned and took your hand, his fingers lacing with yours as he brought the back of your hand to his lips for a kiss.

Even though you’ve been dating for a few months now, you still blushed at his antics, the novelty never wearing off.

“Then let’s go, angel.”

Hyunjin led you out of the cafe and outside. You looked around your surroundings, your eyes widening at every restaurant you passed, wondering if it would be the one.

However, you passed building after building, not stopping at any of them.

Hyunjin could sense your curiosity, as he gave your hand a squeeze. “We’re almost there, see?” He asked, pointing to a building in the distance.

You took notice of a brick building that seemed empty. You were confused as he guided you to the door, the corridor beyond eerie looking.

“Where are we going?” You asked as you were more than nervous at this point.

You trusted Hyunjin but a part of you was a little scared, not knowing what awaited you within the building.

“Don’t worry angel, let’s keep moving, just one more flight of stairs,” Hyunjin cooed, as you both walked up a flight of stairs.

At the top of the staircase there was a large door, the metal frame seeming unwelcoming. Hyunjin stopped in front of it and grasped the handle while looking at you with a bright smile on his face.

“Ready?” He asked.

You nodded your head and held your breath, prepared for whatever was on the other side. As he opened the door, you were greeted with a balcony overlooking the city, the skyline lit up against the night sky. There were fairy lights strung around the perimeter, casting a soft glow on the rooftop.

In the center, there was a small table, set up for two, the flicker of two candles casting shadows across the table. It was all so surreal. You couldn’t believe Hyunjin did all of this for you.

“Surprise!” Hyunjin said, dramatically wiggling his fingers.

You chuckled at his antics, all of your nervousness gone.

“It’s beautiful! I can’t believe you did this for me,” you said, your voice breaking as you looked at Hyunjin.

“Aww angel, don’t cry,” Hyunjin said as he rushed over to you.

He gently wiped the tear that had escaped while he pulled you closer to his body.

“I’d do anything for you y/n. I love you so much.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his words as the feeling of butterflies fluttered within your stomach. You couldn’t believe your luck, happy that you were able to share this moment with the most perfect man.

“I love you too,” you gushed, your cheeks flushing with the statement.

Hyunjin flashed his beautiful smile before taking your hands in his once more.

“Shall we?”

“Yes please,” you softly said, letting him pull you toward the table.

You watched as he pulled your chair out, gesturing for you to sit. Once seated, he rushed to his chair and sat down. Your eyes followed his every move as he plated up dinner, the food smelling delicious as it was piled up on your plate.

He poured both of you a glass of wine and then signaled he was done. You both began to eat, the food seeming to melt on your tongue as a burst of flavors invaded your taste buds.

Hyunjin filled the evening with chatter, asking you about your day in detail. You were more than happy to discuss your day, as it was a little rough, having some difficult customers come through.

Once you were done eating, Hyunjin dished up dessert, setting down a slice of chocolate cake in front of you.

“You know me so well,” you said as you eyed the cake, your mouth watering in anticipation at eating the sweet treat.

“Of course angel, have to make sure you have your chocolate!”

You giggled and picked up your fork and cut a piece off. You moaned at the taste, your eyes closing as it melted in your mouth. You were in heaven, or close to it.

“So,” Hyunjin started as he twirled his fork around in his hand. “I am going to enter into the poetry night contest at the cafe. I think it would be something fun to do.”

Hyunjin looked at his plate, nervous in how you would respond. He wanted to share his talent with more people, and what better way to do so than through a friendly competition? The prize was also nice, one he believes would be worth winning.

“That’s a great idea baby!” You exclaimed, clapping your hands at the idea.

Hyunjin’s eyes lit up at your enthusiasm, his body relaxing further into the chair at your acceptance.

“Mind if we practice when we get home?” He asked, hope in his eyes.

“Of course, I’d love to help you,” you gushed, excited to hear which poem he chose.

“Great, let’s pack up and then we can head back.”

You nodded and began to gather your trash, helping hyunjin clean up. Once done, you both walked back to his apartment, giggling and chatting the whole way, your arms swinging back and forth between you.

“Thank you for dinner baby, I really did enjoy it,” you said, as you continued your walk.

“I’m happy you liked it angel, anything for my baby.”

You chuckled, your heart swelling at how sweet he is. You walked in silence, enjoying the quiet of the city as it was late. Within the last few blocks from Hyunjin’s apartment building, an idea popped in your head.

“Wanna race the rest of the way and see who can get there first?” You asked, wiggling your eyebrows.

“Oh yes! Let’s do it,” Hyunjin said.

“Just so you know, I plan on winning,” you teased as you dropped your hand from his.

“I’d like to see you try,” Hyunjin responded while squatting, preparing to take off.

“Ok, ready? 3…2…1..go!”

You both took off down the walk, a fluster of laughter and shouts as you both raced to his building. You couldn’t remember ever feeling this happy as you felt the wind blow through your hair as you raced your boyfriend. Tonight was a perfect night indeed and would definitely be one of your favorites.

— —

Once inside, you both made yourself comfy, changing into your sleep clothes. You giggled as Hyunjin pulled you into bed and pressed kisses all over your face.

“I love you sweet girl,” he murmured in between kisses.

“I love you too baby, that tickles!” You chuckled as he tried to pull you closer, all the while continuing to kiss you.

Once he was satisfied, he pulled back to look you in the eyes. “Happy birthday angel,” he whispered as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

You smiled before leaning over to kiss him on the lips, your heart swelling at the gentleness of the kiss. You both laid there for what felt like a lifetime, snuggled into each other’s embrace as you lazily kissed each other. You tugged your fingers through his hair, the soft locks gliding easily through them.

Hyunjin whimpered against your lips, as he pressed himself against you, his length hard against your thigh. You rolled your hips, grinding against him as you deepened the kiss, running your tongue against his bottom lip asking for entrance.

He pulled you closer, your bodies flush against each other as his tongue danced with yours. You wrapped a leg around his waist so you could feel him better and continued to grind against him, sighing against his lips as his cock brushed against your core.

Disconnecting with a gasp, you laid there catching your breath as you stared at your lover, taking in the love mixed with lust in his eyes. Your eyes fluttered as Hyunjin lightly dragged his finger down your cheek, to your lips, his thumb catching at your bottom lip.

You moaned as he slowly pushed his finger within your mouth, your lips immediately wrapping around the digit. You lightly sucked on his finger, your tongue swirling around the digit, your eyes on his.

You smirked as you felt his cock twitch against your thigh. As you released his thumb with a pop, Hyunjin pounced on you, rolling you onto your back. He attached his lips to yours in a hurried kiss, his hands fumbling with your sleep shorts.

He dragged them down as best as he could, you aiding the process as you wiggled out of the fabric, your feet pushing them down your legs. Hyunjin pulled away briefly as he gripped the hem of your shirt and pulled it over your head.

You moaned as he attached his lips back to yours, your pussy clenching as he rocked his clothed cock into your core. He lazily kissed you, his pace slowing down, his heart beating against yours. You were lost in the feel of him when you heard him murmur, his voice sultry in your ear.

“She walks in beauty like the night, of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that’s best of dark and bright, meet in her aspect and her eyes; thus mellowed to that tender light, which heaven to gaudy day denies.”

You pulled away slightly, confusion plastered on your face.

“Baby…what…”

But Hyunjin just silenced you with a kiss. “Shhh my angel, I’m practicing remember?”

It took you a moment to realize what he was talking about, lost in thought as his lips moved with yours, until it clicked a few seconds later. The poem. Ahh it made sense now.

At that, you relaxed further, letting out a sigh as his lips moved to your neck, sucking the skin there and licking the area to sooth it. Your fingers played with his hair, twirling the ends around the digit. As he continued to leave purple marks on your skin, he continued murmuring, his voice soft in the otherwise quiet room.

“One shade the more, one ray the less, had half impaired the nameless grace, which waves in every raven tress, or softly lightens o’er her face; where thoughts serenely sweet express, how pure, how dear their dwelling place.”

Once he was done reciting the next part, he trailed his lips on your chest, pressing wet kisses down the valley of your breasts. He wrapped his plush lips around your nipple, letting out little moans as he suckled the hardened nub.

“So beautiful angel,” Hyunjin murmured in between kisses as he fondled your breasts, his eyes closed in bliss as he savored your body.

His fingers trailed down your tummy, leaving goosebumps in its wake as he made his way to your core, his fingers swirling around your swollen clit. You sighed as he continued to gently play with the nub, shocks of pleasure wrecking your frame as you surrendered to his ministrations.

As he tortured your sweet flesh, his eyes snapped up to watch you writhing in pleasure. Licking his lips, he took a shaky breath before continuing on.

“And on that cheek, and o’er that brow, so soft, so calm, yet eloquent, the smiles that win, the tints that glow; but tell of days in goodness spent, a mind at peace with all below, a heart whose love is innocent.”

You opened your eyes as he finished, his voice trailing off at the end. You looked down at the love of your life between your legs, watching the veins pop out of his arms as he continued to pay attention to your clit.

You were close, the pleasure building, your chest heaving as you tried to breathe. Your hands gripped the sheets, the white fabric bunching up as you rocked your hips against his fingers.

“So sweet, so beautiful, delicate like a flower. Cum for me angel.”

You groaned at his words, your orgasm hitting you hard as he continued to gently fondle you. He grinned as you fell apart, his eyes roaming your face, taking in the look of pleasure, the scent of you as your slick made a mess of his hands.

Once you came down, Hyunjin shuffled up, parting your legs even more. At some point he had rid himself of his clothes, his hand stroking his leaking cock.

He brought his length between your folds, running his cock through your slick, before pushing into you. You both let out a moan, your arms reaching out for Hyunjin as he began to thrust into you.

“My baby,” Hyunjin cooed as he leaned down, your hands wrapping around his neck as you brought him closer to you.

Hyunjin slowly thrusted into you, taking his time, his cock dragging through your walls and hitting your sweet spot each time. You whined as he buried his face within your neck, placing sloppy kisses there, as he murmured his love for you.

You felt overwhelmed as he made love to you, the heat within your core building again. You clutched onto Hyunjin anywhere you could, his hair, his back, his waist as he brought sweet bliss upon you.

You reveled in the sound of both of you, as you breathed as one, punctuated with a low moan as he continued to rock into you. Hyunjin groaned each time your pussy made known how good he was fucking you, his hips stuttering as you squeezed around him.

“Come on angel, cum for me, be a good girl yeah?” Hyunjin moaned into your ear, his pace becoming more erratic as he got closer to his high.

You felt his cock twitch within you, your pussy clenching again and again, locking him in. You were blindsided as the coil within you snapped, your orgasm hitting you hard as you gasped, your pussy dripping with your arousal, drenching Hyunjin’s cock as he continued to fuck you through it.

Hyunjin let out a loud groan at the feel of your walls spasming around him, triggering his high, his cum spurting out within you, thoroughly coating your walls.

As you came down, you watched the man you love fall apart above you, a sight you will never get used to. He looked down at you, sweat dripping down his face, his hair disheveled as he thrusted his hips within you a few more times for good measure.

“Such beauty in your afterglow,” Hyunjin cooed as he pushed a strand of hair behind your ear and trailed a finger from your lips, down your chest, your breasts, your tummy, all the way down to your core.

He dragged his finger through some of the cum that was leaking around his cock that was still buried within your heat. Taking his soaked finger, he brought it to your lips, smiling as you opened and took the digit in.

You swirled your tongue around his finger, licking up the salty liquid, humming as you swallowed.

“Good girl,” Hyunjin praised as he withdrew his finger and his cock.

You whimpered at the emptiness, your arms reaching out for Hyunjin. He snuggled into your embrace, pressing sweet kisses all over your face.

“Stop baby,” you giggled, turning your head side to side.

“Nope, won’t stop angel,” Hyunjin teased as he continued his assault.

You both battled for a little while longer, the room filled with laughter as you both teased each other. Hyunjin settled down however and stared at you, almost as if he was staring into your soul.

“You know I love you right?” Hyunjin whispered, as he memorized your face for the millionth time.

“Mmhmm,” you said as you brushed your fingers through his hair. “And I love you.”

Hyunjin smiled at your confession as he leaned to press another kiss to your lips.

“Happy birthday,” he said as he rested his head on your chest.

This would be one of your best birthdays yet, filled with special moments with the man you love.

The days passed as Hyunjin prepared the competition. He was ready to win, ready to receive that prize so he could surprise you. He had a plan after all.

You helped him practice as much as possible, your nights spent at your place or his, snacks scattered around the table as Hyunjin paced the floors reciting the poem. You were sure he would win, as he improved greatly over the last few weeks.

You had to work the day of the competition, however, Hyunjin would meet you there before your shift ended.

“You got this babe,” you said to him as you left for your shift, giving him a smile as you walked out the door.

Your shift passed, your nerves getting the best of you as the time of the competition drew nearer. Ember showed up early, wanting to support your boyfriend and cheer him on.

You directed her to a table, so that way you both would have good seats for the night. It didn’t take long until Hyunjin showed up, handsomely dressed as always.

He smiled as he approached you. “Hi angel!” He gushed, his body radiating with excitement.

“Hi baby, ready?”

“Of course, gonna win this thing!”

You chuckled at his optimism. “Go sit, Ember saved us seats. I’ll be there soon.”

Hyunjin nodded and blew you a kiss before walking away, taking a seat next to your friend.

You finished your shift and clocked out, the time passing fairly quickly. You sat down next to Hyunjin and placed your hand on his giving it a squeeze. He seemed to be buzzing with enthusiasm, but deep down you knew he was nervous.

“You got this baby,” you whispered, giving his hand another squeeze.

Hyunjin smiled and relaxed, elated that you were there to cheer him on.

The event began in no time, the little cafe packed with patrons. You watched as contestant after contestant performed, their words filling the small space, and taking the listeners to a different place and time.

Before you knew it, it was Hyunjin’s turn. You and Ember cheered him on as he took his place on stage, his confidence oozing as he gazed at the crowd. You were captivated as he began to speak, the words reaching each person, telling a story of love and beauty.

Hyunjin maintained eye contact with each person, his voice raising and falling at the appropriate moments, his hands flowing in movements that helped tell the story.

You couldn’t take your eyes off of him and neither could anyone else. After he recited the last line, there was silence in the cafe as everyone recovered from the journey, before a thunderous applause rang out.

You grinned as you cheered enthusiastically, watching as your boyfriend bowed before walking back to your table.

“Good job babe!” You said as you kissed his cheek, the flesh reddening at the action as all eyes were on him.

As he was the last contestant, the award ceremony began shortly after his performance. You listened as your manager thanked everyone for being there to support these talented people as cheers rang out once more.

Once she was done with logistics, the time came to announce the winner. You held your breath as she slowly unfolded a piece of paper, your hand reaching out to hold on to Hyunjin’s.

She took a moment to read what was written before a smile broke out on her face.

“And the winner is….Hwang Hyunjin!”

Cheers rang out at the announcement, but loudest of all was you. You hugged Hyunjin tightly, tears forming in your eyes at his win.

Hyunjin stood up to go claim his prize, the loud uproar not dying down until he sat down.

“You did it!” You exclaimed, grasping his hands in yours.

Hyunjin beamed, his eyes shining as he tried not to cry.

“I did it for us love.” He said as he gazed into your eyes.

You cocked your head in confusion. “For us?” You inquired.

Hyunjin nodded as he handed you the prize he’d won. “Open it.”

You took the envelope from him and opened it, eyeing two pieces of paper nestled within. It took you a moment to notice what they were.

“Plane tickets?” You looked closer. “Oh! We’re going to Paris!” You exclaimed as you began bouncing on your seat.

“Yes we are angel,” Hyunjin said as he watched you dance in your seat.

Hyunjin needed to win this trip. He wanted to take you to Paris, the city of love, to shower you in love. He also had another plan up his sleeve, one that he had to keep secret for just a little longer.

His mind wandered to the little black box tucked away in his sock drawer, a beautiful diamond nestled in the velvet within. He knew you were the love of his life from that first day he saw you, sitting in the crowd listening to him speak.

You were his muse, his love, his everything; your aura radiating whispers of beauty.

He wouldn’t want to spend his life with nobody else but you. That he was sure of.

Taglist: @jehhskz @jeonginsleftcheek @simpforleeknaur @armystay89 @palindrome969 @slut4hee @ivydoesit23 @amarecerasus @kaysungshine @fun-fanfics @baby-stay92 @velvetmoonlght @possum-playground

[thatnonameuser]

I am not sure if you have seen/remember abt the yandere purge AU. What if MC tries and sell the idea that in their world: yandere are more subtle and only has one day to "claim" their darling, World building stuff. Just an idea. Don't know if that makes it worse or better for the MC.

I have seen the yandere purge AU, and it does work in a yandereverse kind of AU. Obviously it would solve a lot of problems, and now darlings don’t have to live in fear everyday of the year, are going to be much less stressed, and less crime is committed overall. 

I feel as if it could only work if the yandere’s didn’t outnumber the number of darlings and normal people, because then it feels like an event done to uphold the peace. 

If the MC tries to sell the idea that this is a better way to have their darlings, then it’s more than likely going to catch on to the pro-darling rights areas like the Shaftlands and the Queendom of Roses. Those areas I imagine would have issues with certain crimes like murder, assaults and unlawful darling kidnappings.  So it would probably be able to catch on in those areas, because it's a more ‘civilised’ way of dealing with darlings.

Areas like the Afterglow Savanna and the Coral Sea are definitely areas where that won’t catch on. It’s common for crimes surrounding darlings to not be treated the same as the pro-darling areas unless it’s something severe like murder or violent abuse. 

The Briar Valley believes its treatment of darlings is fair and just, the darlings are kept safe, and the entire process of claiming and connecting darlings with their yanderes is already considered civilised. So they’re disillusioned with how their crimes are considered bad. So it’s a no for them. 

The Isle of Woe is a special case, the yanderes there rarely leave the Isle unless it’s to find their darlings, and the only people on the isle are the yanderes that already lived there and the darlings that were brought there. So it’s also a no. 

But keep in mind one little detail even if every nation was to put this into practice, then imagine all the untold horrors darlings experience on that day. Yes, darling kidnappings and assaults would be high. But also consider that some of the yanderes might spend the day without laws ensuring their darlings have no one to run back to. Or in some cases, no one to chase them. 

Murder would be high on that day, because yes, while it is a yandere purge, wouldn’t yanderes take the opportunity to get rid of some people that could later be threats. 

Imagine the fear centered around that one day, that might as well be Valentine’s day, for all those poor darlings, trying to fight to protect themselves. All the yanderes fighting to get their darlings and slay their rivals.  And their families try their hardest to protect their darling kin and aid their yandere ones. 

It would be better if you were the cause, you’d be able to prepare and plan. It would be worse if you weren’t.

If that was put into practice for the whole of TWST prior to  MC’s arrival, then maybe she would feel a lot safer. Because hey, it’s only one day that she’ll be in danger and Crowley’s going to find her way back possibly before that dreaded day. She doesn’t have to worry about endearing herself to them because she’s going to be back home before that day. 

But as the days tick down, and the day of the purge draws closer you start to realise how screwed you are. And then one month before that day, over twenty of those horrible red letters come in the mail. 

Each of them are different, some sweet and sappy like a love poem, others direct to the point about their plan of your capture, some are downright terrifying, incredibly detailed in either their plans, and about how no matter how hard you’d try to escape it would end in failure, or how they truly felt about their disturbing and obsessive love for you. 

At that point, you’d realise how screwed you were.  It would be worse than you could ever imagine since you would have no idea of what to expect, or what they were capable of. 

Either way, someone is going to lose. Whether it’s an easy loss or hard one, that’s just based on luck.

[ilions-end]

🎵 guess who finished the argonautica by apollonius of rhoooodes 🎵

the peter green translation served me well and i enjoyed the sizable commentary section, although it probably influenced my interpretation more than i'd like for a first read (green is VERY opinionated and also hilariously bitchy about scholars he disagrees with. the first time i've read such a sarcastic translator's commentary!)

BUT ANYWAY THE EPIC ITSELF:

iiiii have never felt this much anxiety reading an epic before?? there's an ambiguity and sense of danger in this poem's events that aren't necessarily WORSE than in other epics, but there's a feeling that i can't... actually trust the heroes involved. the argonauts are rowdy and reactive, and jason is NOT able to take charge of them -- he shrinks away and goes silent whenever his leader position is called into question. the mob rules, whoever shouts the loudest (often telamon!) in any given situation gets to decide, no thought of consequences.

or maybe reading about a main character who wants to do great things but suffers from debilitating conflict avoidance is a little too real. agh.

(and it's not like the thebaid! you can't trust the heroes in the thebaid either but their hubris and egos makes them PREDICTABLE. there's something unnervingly ambiguous and potentially unsafe about jason and his argonauts, even though they never get up to anything truly horrible. in this version anyway)

jason is incredibly intriguing -- even at his most unlikeable. it's like he tripped and fell into a story he doesn't belong in, he's so awkwardly miscast as a great greek hero and can't live up to the poem's own hype. he's described as heroic at every turn even when he's not actually being heroic, like in an INCREDIBLE passage as he fights the dragon teeth warriors and he's said to "valiantly hide behind his shield". LOOK AT THAT PHRASE!! HE'S BRAVELY COWERING. incredible writing. apollonius is genuinely a master of subtle sarcasm throughout.

like it says a lot that there are MANY variations of the line "but Jason, eyes fixed on the ground, sat there speechless, unmoving, at a loss in this crisis". and baby there are a lot of crises in an epic...

also maiden-coded jason still makes me vibrate! his frequently downcast gaze, his shy passivity, how delicately his body is described, the way he is a sexual object to pursue instead of the pursuer, how unusually tactile he is... one of the most memorable parts to me is when he finally gets the golden fleece, and what does he do? he doesn't raise it above his head in triumph, he doesn't wrap it around himself like a glorious cape and stride to address his men. he disengages completely and, spellbound, pets it and caresses it and combs his fingers through it in almost erotic delight. just. immediate zoned-out personal gratification, we're hitting masturbation parallels, no other greek hero would DO that!

which also makes it interesting that they use the fleece as bedding for their wedding night. i wonder which one jason enjoys lying with most, medea or the fleece...?

yeah so when medea appeared suddenly allllll my affection for jason evaporated. i'm not one of those "yay medea butchering her children is girl power actually!!" girlies (that's five hundred times too reductive a way to engage with a greek tragedy for me), i was prepared for whatever kind of medea apollonius would give me, but WOW SHE IS SO INCREDIBLY SYMPATHETIC (and intentionally so, see how she isn't even the one to kill her brother in this), she is SO ill-treated here. it's SHE who undoubtedly is the gods' plaything in this, not jason!

like how HORRIBLE her experience of being obsessively in love is! (turns out getting shot by eros' arrow is a psychological and emotional NIGHTMARE!!) how painfully aware she is of her own irrationality, how intense her inner life is. at one point she thinks so much about jason all night that she self-induces a (shockingly realistically described) migraine! she loves him so much she wants to kill herself instead of feeling something so intense and unpleasant and overwhelming. JESUS CHRIST it's so evocative.

she torches her whole life, her own safety, her own family for jason, and all he can do (after a lot of pushing) is murmur vague promises. it's HEARTBREAKING the utter helplessness she accepts to live in for him. there is no safety net for her, no way to regain safety if things go wrong (and you are so painfully aware that things WILL go wrong)

generally the argonautica feels more closely related to the odyssey than any of the other epics i've read. not just all the sailing, but the centrality of magic, and of course visiting a lot of the same places -- including the court of alcinous and arete before they had nausicaa (and arete is already the one in charge!)

more moments i keep thinking about:

that first lovely glimpse of the inherent dysfunction of the expedition as the argonauts have gathered for the first time ready for departure, and jason delivers a speech like "men! now that *I*, jason son of aeson, have arranged MY glorious expedition so that *I* can find the glorious fleece and win MY kingdom back, who do we all figure should be captain? 😉" and all the argonauts immediately start chanting "HE-RA-CLES! HE-RA-CLES! HE-RA-CLES!" it's so funny

heracles' role is generally so amazing, what contrast he offers! because HE IS the old-school hero who can do anything, fight any enemy, who has everyone's ear (if not respect -- he seems to be a LOT to handle, even for the other argonauts), who can LEAD. but they FORGET HIM ON AN ISLAND AND LEAVE HIM BEHIND, and now jason, tripped-and-fell-into-epic-heroism jason!, gotta be fully in charge and timidly face every obstacle himself.

i genuinely didn't know hylas getting abducted by the nymphs was from this myth! AND HE'S HERACLES' LOVER, actually the eromenos to heracles' erastes?? and heracles LOSES HIS SHIT TO AN ANIMALISTIC DEGREE at the loss of hylas. this is why none of the other guys brought along their boytoys, dude, this is a disaster.

i REALLY appreciated the introductory rollcall of EVERY argonaut (even if half of them were never mentioned by name again). i always wish we had something like that for odysseus' main crew in the odyssey. it's nice having that overview.

one of the most memorable glimpses into the lives of the gods i've read: eros and ganymede in the garden, playing knucklebones together under the shade of flowering trees and they're both so youthful and so inhumanly beautiful and the scene is so idyllic -- and then aphrodite stomps in and immediately snaps at her son "what are you grinning at, you unspeakable little horror?" she HATES that spoiled teen. it's zeus and ares all over again.

speaking of gods, that one time the argonauts make landfall, and in the distance they see apollo just walking across the land (each footstep thundering) and they're scared stiff and just wait until he's fully passed by... and then can finally get on with their business. no followup, no consequences, just a random incident to freak them out. it reads like an animal encounter, like they saw a huge bear on a hike, i'm obsessed.

i got jumpscared any time the text mentioned "the son of oineus". i'm like WHAT. TYDEUS?? but no, meleager's here, it's fine.

as i mentioned, jason is the one who murders absyrtus (although medea isn't uninvolved) but i'm particularly fascinated by how neutrally we're told about the rituals he performs to not be cursed for it. like there's our wondrous hero, cutting off his murder victim's hands and feet, lapping up the blood and spitting it in the corpse's mouth three times. all done, welp, time we were on our way!

circe can see at first glance that she and medea are related because they both have the sun god's golden eyes, i love that!. and THEN THEY SPEAK TO EACH OTHER IN COLCHIAN, WHICH JASON DOESN'T SPEAK. he's sitting right there and i love that he doesn't understand what these incredibly powerful women are talking about.

obsessed with how jason is described as "walking like the morning star" (bright, promising, bringing good fortune) on lemnos and is then likened to a star of destruction and woe as he's about to meet medea for the first time. aaaaa it's so good.

the argonauts being challenged to a boxing match, and I GUESSED CORRECTLY that they would choose polydeuces as their champion!! i am embarrassingly proud actually. i did not know there was a boxing match (to the DEATH) in the argonautica but i KNEW polydeuces was famous for his boxing.

also i love that when they get to the garden of the hesperides it's a WRECK because heracles was there THE DAY BEFORE!!!! what an incredible sense of time and place, only seeing the IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH of the labours of heracles.

it's so WEIRD when the argonauts get to libya and they're out of supplies so they all just immediately give up and cry and hug and lie down in the sand to die. until the local goddesses come like "JESUS ARE YOU FOR REAL WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU GIVING UP NOW. GET GOING FOR FUCK'S SAKE."

oh ancient texts, i will never get used to your incestuous dreams of good fortune (no it's GOOD that he cried with shame for passionately fucking his daughter in his dream, that's a very lucky dream to have apparently).

and then apollonius just signs off like "yeah i know they're not home yet but i promise nothing interesting happened after this point. THE END." like he's just NOT gonna touch whatever fuckery happens after, you wanted the argonauts well you GOT the argonauts.

[bellestrinkets]

I don’t think molly loved dutch.

you see, they had the strangest relationship to my understanding. not an ounce of love was ever really shown so that I could say, “yes these people do love each other, they’re just going through a rough patch”. i love molly’s character, i believe her to be misunderstood by many who play the game, yet the lack of love she felt for this man does not go unnoticed by me. if they were going though a rough time, they had been for a long time.

every time i look at her i think about the perks of being a wallflower’s quote; “we accept the love we think we deserve” because, i believe her to be the embodiment of those very same words. grasping at straws to simply get an ounce of whatever it is that she thought love was back; and still she got nothing if not crumbs.

personally, i believe molly was obsessed more than in love. really important distinction in my opinion. because, obsession doesn’t necessarily come with such feeling (love), but it does with a degree of care, and she did care for him, for his opinion of him on her.

it is implied through her poem that, to her very core, she feels this anger towards dutch because, “i was a girl until you call. I’ve-nothing left. I gave you all” and still, in that very same piece she does not blame him for the isolation she was feeling but the others in camp; “your parasites and lackeys crawl. mocking a love they dare not see…” it’s as if she had this constant paranoia that the rest mocks them, mocks her. to a degree, she’s right, we clearly see that she is not the most cherished person at the van der linde’s campsite. however, you can perhaps blame that to the fact she does not do any manual work around there, christ, she’s wearing white boots! (which i think is hilarious and says a whole lot more about her character).

she deflects from the truth because that hurts less. if she really left all that life behind for a man that was not showing her any fulfilling interest, then what was the point of it? why was she there? she’s also really young when compared to dutch, there’s a clear imbalance between the two. so, did this man take advantage of her? i don’t doubt it.

she was obsessed with dutch, wanting, begging for a proof of true affection from the man. she was obsessed with love, the idea of being in love and being loved. we see her take any opportunity to flaunt her love for him, when she talks to the other girls, to reinstate over and over how “i really love him, you know?”

hey, not to discredit that at any given moment she didn’t loved him, she probably did. nonetheless, the despair and dismay of being reciprocated deteriorated it all. to further the case, hosea got more proof of affection from dutch than molly ever did.

it’s was just such a blatant thing, this obsession for dutch’s approval that arthur throws a little jab at both on chapter two. I don’t remember the exact wording but it was something along the lines of, “she’d proof that this x thing was real if it meant pleasing you”. again, I don’t recall the exact wording, but come on, even to the characters saw such disparity in affection. “she did not such thing, she was in love—!” screams karen to misses grimshaw, and I had to hold my pearls.

on her final moments it is showcased the frustration she feels, the rage finally is let loose. for the first time, she’s honest with others, with herself and yet, she dies —in a cruel way may i add—; it’s one of the last spits to her face the whole story has for her. I believe the very last to be the thoughtless and nasty burial she gets, she doesn’t really get one, she’s allegedly burnt.

dutch didn’t love her, he could not even abide to her last wish, “come one, shoot me!” he doesn’t. she dies in a very similar outfit she started out in the game (on chapter 2), there is a sense of closure for that same reason. the cycle of this loveless relationship comes to an end, a bad and horribly tragic one at that.

she is the idiot with the painted face, in the corner, taking up space.

she knows (i know – fiona apple) that.

she deserved better, she didn’t get. she deserved better from those enjoying such piece of media, she didn’t get it. she died a snitch and even though in the same game it is cleared out she wasn’t, people still hold it against her.

molly was not the snitch, she lied, perhaps because she wanted such ending. she begged the man she thought loved her to finish it all and did not even get that from him.

molly did not love dutch, not because she didn’t have love to give, but because the man made her feel insecure, obsessed. she took one big step to be there, alongside him —running away from whatever life she had—, and did not even get a shuffle of feet from her lover back.

[sweetbbyshion]

untitled

-> Toji Fushiguro x Reader (gender neutral)

characters: Toji Fushiguro

genre: fluff

summary: uni has been stressing you out and your boyfriend is as tired

warnings: established relationship, age gap, this was written while i was stressing over assessments and i just needed a big strong sexy man to make me take a break, might be ooc

network: @eveningatthemoviesnetwork

Toji thinks he might smash his head against the wall if he hears you sigh loudly one more time. He turns his body on the couch to peek at you, hunching over a bunch of papers at the kitchen table. He can see two word documents opened on your laptop, one full of words and the other still blank. Next to it, his laptop that you begged to use has google opened and he can vaguely see the numerous windows in the tab. You sigh again, like you have been in the past hour, and drop your head on your arms.

Toji has no idea what you’re doing. He guesses it must be some university project but the calendar displayed on the fridge doesn't have an exam coming up soon. He gets up from the couch and makes his way to you. He puts his hand on the back of the chair, leaning down a bit and squinting his eyes to look at the tiny words on the laptop. Toji feels a bit too dumb when he doesn't understand all of the fancy words you used but your boyfriend can tell you're writing your interpretation of a poem.

“You need to start wearing your glasses.” you murmur, looking at the older man, your head lazily resting on your hand, as he keeps squinting. He scoffs, Toji would never wear those ugly glasses he got. It makes him look stupid, even after the amount of times you denied it and no matter how many times you sloppily made out with him wherever he wore those horrible glasses, a fire suddenly lighting you up when you saw the frames on his face. “Don't come complaining when your head starts hurting again.”

“What you got there that got you stressing out so much?” He decides to ignore your comment, changing the subject to the reason for your stress.

You sigh once more, resting your head on his forearm. “Gotta start writing one of my assessments for one of my classes. The professor is making us write about everything we’ve learned in class with our opinions and academic research to support it. It absolutely sucks and I wanna drop out.” you ramble. Toji’s chuckle has you frowning, “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing. How about you take a break?” As good as that sounds, you shake your head denying his proposal. “Take a break. Not asking. Sit on the couch with me and relax for a bit.” His tone suggests that you would probably regret your decision if you choose to go against him.

Reluctantly, you get up from the uncomfortable chair and stretch your arms above your head. You feel your back crack from being in the same position for so long and you just want to lay in bed and sleep. Toji places his hands on your hips where the shirt isn't covering, squeezing the flesh as he pulls you a bit closer to him and you throw your arms around his shoulders as you sway a bit from side to side. Toji smiles a little when he hears you giggling, happy that you stopped sighing and stressing for a little bit. “ Should I be an old man’s sugar baby? I’ll share the money with you.” You tease, planting a kiss on his cheek. Toji rolls his eyes at your teasing tone. You lean back a little to look at the man, his big hands placed on your back to support your weight. “I'm starting to think you have a type. Like old men that much, doll?”

“Only one.” You reply, playing with the soft ends of his hair that are almost reaching his shoulders. “Unfortunately my old man isn't a billionaire that will give me a yatch for my birthday.” You press a small kiss to his lips. “I can't complain much though, my boyfriend is really sexy.”

Your boyfriend arches a brow, smirking at your remarks. “Yeah? What can I do to steal you away from that grandpa?” You pretend to think for a bit, a small pout appearing on your lips that Toji wants to kiss away more than anything. “Cuddle with me on the couch and watch a few episodes of a crappy reality show before I start feeling bad and go back to my assessment?”

Toji thinks for a bit. He wants you to relax for a while before you (and himself) go crazy with the constant sighing but you have a gift for choosing horrible shows that have Toji wanting nothing more than to punch the TV. Your boyfriend knows he can’t deny your request when he looks at you and you’re staring right back at him. Even if he had it in him to refuse your proposal, your tired eyes and the way you’re looking at him with so much adoration is enough for Toji to pull you to the couch.

You sit as close to him as you can and pull his arm to wrap around your shoulders. You snuggle comfortably on his side while pressing a few kisses on his jaw and neck that make Toji get goosebumps. This time, he doesn't act all dramatic like he usually does when you’re this close to him. He doesn't tease you or calls you clingy while playfully pushing you away just to watch you crawl back to him. This time, Toji lets you push and pull him until you’re comfortable. He doesn't even complain when he sees you open netflix and select a reality show with a weird name and an obnoxious couple on the cover.

Toji thinks all of this is worth it when you place a small kiss on his cheek and whisper “I love you” before falling asleep five minutes after in his arms.

[trans-duckling]

KakaGai Valentines 2025: First Date

Gai was going to ask Kakashi for a date. This was a decision he had made just a few hours ago after some time of careful consideration. See, his rival and him had shared a couple of… intimate moments during the last couple of months. Not much, mind you, just two kisses and —in the heat of the moment— some wandering hands over the other’s body. Needless to say, Gai had not allowed it to go any further —even if some parts of his anatomy wanted to argue against it—, and shortly after the Hatake had run away.

Which was the same that has happened after each and every time they got close.

Of course, he was a patient man and could understand the hesitation of his friend, but ignoring his own feelings was beginning to be too hard. So, even if he knew the chances of success were rather low, he was going to ask Kakashi for a date.

“Yosh! Now I just have to think about the perfect moment to do it!” he exclaimed in the silence of his own home.

The house his father had left for him was far away from the main part of the village, which allowed him to be as loud as he wanted without annoying any neighbors, something his team had joked about becoming a problem once he moved into the chunnin building. That would have to wait a bit, though, since he wanted to invite Kakashi to a nice place and that implied using part of his savings. But it was totally fine! His rival deserved only the best, after all.

“You’re thinking too much about it, Gai” Genma sighed the next day while they trained together. “That’s my honest opinion.”

While he spoke tiredly, his teammate jumped backwards to avoid his hits, senbon moving in between his lips. Gai followed carefully each movement, knowing that in any moment the weapon could be thrown in his direction.

“But I’m not!” he complained, attempting a round kick on him. “A first date must be perfect!”

“According to whom? I know more horrible first dates than good ones” Genma huffed. “You should ask Asuma about it.”

“B-But… Kurenai always speaks fondly of their first date!”

“Yeah, because with time the embarrassment transforms into a funny memory” his friend chuckled. “Seriously, Gai, just invite him to dinner and see how it goes from there.”

“And what about...?”

“No flowers, no poems” Genma cut him. “I can’t believe I have to tell you this, Gai. Are you sure you know the Hatake well enough to even like him?”

“Of course I do! We’re eternal rivals!”

Even if they were talking, their hits didn’t stop and Gai internally celebrated when his kick got Genma in the gut with enough strength to send him to the floor.

“I win!”

“Yeah, yeah…” his teammate coughed. “It would be strange if you didn’t, this being a taijutsu match and all.”

“I’m sure that with enough training you could reach my level at hand-to-hand combat, my friend!”

“Sure…” Genma rolled his eyes accepting the hand Gai was offering to lift him up. “Anyways, follow my advice. Don’t go too big on the Hatake or he will run away, just like when you two…”

“SHH!” his hand slapped against his friend’s mouth in a quick movement. “Didn’t I tell you that was a secret? Kakashi probably doesn’t want anybody to know!”

That comment made Genma frown and angrily remove his hand away.

“Honestly, Gai, if he doesn’t want for it to be public, then you shouldn’t bother” the other boy huffed.

“But keeping a relationship secret is normal! Especially while tensions in between villages are still high.”

A hand came to rest on his shoulder, and when his eyes met Genma’s, he saw on them a determination that was normally reserved for real battles.

“We both know that’s not what you meant” he said. “Don’t settle for anyone who is ashamed and not proud of being with you, Gai. You know better than that.”

He had to look away after a few seconds, nodding silently. He was not ashamed of himself —he had come very far as a shinobi!—, but he was well aware of what people in the village still said about him. Sometimes it was difficult to keep believing in himself when his father was not there anymore to push him forwards.

A new clap on his shoulder brought him back to reality.

“Well, I have to go now” Genma said. “But listen to my advices and, if he says ‘yes’ to the date, remind him that I’ll chase him down if he doesn’t fulfill your expectations.��

“Genma!” he exclaimed, looking back at him in surprise. “You should not make such a threat against a comrade!”

“He’s just a fellow shinobi, you’re my teammate and brother in arms” his friend shrugged, walking away. “See you!”

He disappeared before Gai could complain anymore, so instead he was left there in the middle of the training ground, alone with his thoughts.

Finding Kakashi was easy enough, as Gai seemed to have a sixth sense to detect where his rival was most times. The Hatake walked alone, as usual, dressed in his shinobi clothes and with a serious expression on his face, but by his manner of walking it didn’t seem as if he was in a hurry to get somewhere. Which was perfect for the taijutsu master.

“Rival!” he called. “Wait up!”

In the past, Kakashi would have done just the opposite, disappearing in front of him and forcing Gai into a chase. Lately, however, his friend had just started to stop dead when he called his name.

“Hi, Gai” the Hatake said with a tired tone. “I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood for one of your challenges.”

“Oh, that’s fine, rival!” he beamed with a smile. “I actually wanted to talk, that’s all.”

“To… talk?” Kakashi’s right eyebrow had lifted, looking at him with a mix of confuse and amusement. “That would be a first.”

“Don’t try to act so cool and aloof, rival, I’m sure we have talked as normal civilians before!”

The inquisitive eyebrow maintained its position.

“Well, maybe not, but that’s because challenges are way more interesting!” he complained, huffing. “Anyways, this is important. Perhaps you would like to go somewhere, um… more private?”

Up until now, they had been standing to the side of one of Konoha’s busiest streets, which made difficult for them to have a serious conversation without an eavesdropper. His suggestion seemed to have an effect on his friend, as Kakashi’s manner changed and he turned more serious, nodding quietly.

He jumped away first, the Hatake following easily behind until they were in a small park several streets away. It didn’t have a playground, but instead a couple of big trees that blocked the view from the buildings around them and offered some shadow. The place was empty, which also ensured the privacy Gai assumed his friend would like.

“So? What is that you wanted to talk about?”

He swallowed his nerves away. A Maito never backed down!

“It’s a question, actually” the taijutsu master clarified. “I… I wanted to know if you would like to go on a date. With me.”

In front of him, Kakashi just blinked, as if waiting for something else to come out from his mouth. After a couple of seconds, he seemed to realized that was about it.

“All this secrecy… To ask me on a date?” the Hatake questioned, shifting the weight on his legs.

“Well, I thought you’d appreciate the privacy, rival!” he exclaimed, noticing just after that his tone was too high. “Besides, I didn’t want to invite you on a first date in the middle of a busy street.”

“Wait, what do you mean ‘first’?” Kakashi huffed. “Have you forgotten how to count, Gai?”

He was pretty sure the answer to that question was ‘no’, but then again the expression on his friend’s face told him it may be ‘yes’.

“Uh… I don’t think so?” he babbled, blinking a couple of times. Then, he let out a stressed laugh. “I mean, I would have realized if I had been in a date with you before, rival!”

“Apparently, you wouldn’t” the Hatake pointed out with a sigh, although his manner had suddenly shifted. He looked somehow… nervous. “I mean… What about last week’s dinner at BBQ? And before that, in Ichiraku? I thought that had been our first date.”

“I… Uh… What?!” Gai mumbled, trying to sort out his thoughts. “But, that… I thought you invited me to dinner because you owed me from previous challenges!”

“Since when do I fulfill that part of any challenge?” his rival huffed, half-annoyed and half-worried.

Kakashi did have a point there; anytime he would lose a challenge in which he had to pay the food after, he would never follow through.

“Are you…” the Hatake hesitated just a moment, changing his manner for one just slightly more aloof. “Does that mean you’re also not counting the kisses we shared?”

Just the mention of those made Gai blushed furiously. He had never imagined his friend would be the one bringing them up.

“I do!” he exclaimed. “Of course I do, rival! But I just thought… Well, you ran away after each time!”

The other young shinobi looked at him as if he was stupid. Which he was starting to feel as, at that point.

“Gai, after the first kiss we had to return to the village to give a report, and you were called out to another mission” he deadpanned. “By the time you came back, it seemed like nothing had changed and you didn’t want to know anything about it. I just guessed you felt the same way as I do a couple of weeks ago, when you kissed me again, and just after an ANBU came looking for me. It’s not like I didn’t want to acknowledge it.”

Gai blinked. Once.

Twice.

I just guessed you felt the same way…

He opened his mouth. Then closed it again.

“Besides, I don’t know what you think of me, but I don’t go around putting my hands under the shirt of each person I see…” the Hatake half-joked.

The blush came back. The amount of blood in Gai’s face was not making it easy for him to think clearly. At the moment, all his brain cells seemed to be fixated in bringing him back the memory and feeling of his rival’s hands slipping under his shirt.

It had happened just two days ago, when Kakashi had oddly —although apparently it was not odd anymore, as that has probably been a date as well—, accepted his invitation to spend the afternoon together. Some training after and the two of them lying side by side on the training ground, the Hatake had turned around to lay closer to him and touched him softly. Another team had appeared a couple of seconds after, so the interaction had stopped abruptly and each one had gone their way for a very well-deserved shower.

“I do!” he babbled a moment after, which only brought a confused expression to his rival’s face. “I mean, I do feel the same way!”

“Oh” the Hatake said, for once speechless and… was that a blush coming up from underneath his mask? “That’s… Good. Yeah.”

“And I think highly of you, rival! Never doubt it again!” Gai continued, uncapable of stopping himself. “I just wasn’t sure if you did, or you would like to be in public with me, or if you…”

“Wait, what?” his friend interrupted him. “Why would I have a problem with being together in public?”

Taken aback, the taijutsu master had to swallow his own saliva and brush the back of his neck before finding the right words. Or the closest thing to that.

“I-I mean… You’re an elite shinobi, Kakashi” he tried to explain. “And I’m… well, just another jounin that…”

“Stop right there, Gai” the Hatake intervened once again. “You’re not ‘just another jounin’, you should know that already. Surely the Hokage knows it, and whoever goes against his words is just stupid. If anything, you should be the one worrying about going out in dates with a ‘friend-killer.”

“Rival!” the taijutsu master growled. “I told you to never use those words to refer to yourself again! You are an amazing shinobi and friend, your team was lucky to have you and—”

If anybody would have told Gai the events that just took place would happen, he would have laughed loudly and then complained about joking with things like that.

His honest and tearful discourse was interrupted by a mouth colliding with his. And this time he could feel the lips of Kakashi against his own. Gai’s eyes opened widely as he was kissed by his eternal rival, mask folded around the Hatake’s neck. His body, however, seemed to be ready enough to react without any instruction from his brain, as a second after his eyes closed and he pushed slightly forwards. This was his third kiss, so he knew it would not be perfect, but as his lips moved timidly against Kakashi’s mouth, a warm feeling filled him deep inside.

The other two times his rival and him had kissed, it had been electrical. Almost a lustful reaction in a moment of tension. This time felt different. There was no electricity around them, but something softer.

He decided this was his favorite kiss so far.

“Let’s make something clear” the Hatake said against his lips when they separated. “I do like you, and we have been in four dates so far, understood?”

The taijutsu master just nodded, the temptation to lean in again to share another kiss almost too strong to contain.

“Good.”

As fast as Kakashi had taken his mask down, it was up again and covering his face from the world. Gai had seen it in a couple of occasions, but never had the opportunity to properly appreciate it. He hoped one day he could.

“Being that way, rival” he said, coughing to regain some self-control. “Would you let me invite you to a fifth date?”

“Only if you pay” his friend said. “You owe me, after all the headache you just gave me.”

Gai laughed loudly.

“Of course, rival!”

There were more things he wanted to talk about. Especially now that it seemed like Kakashi did not have a problem with talking about their relationship. Assuming they were in one.

Huh.

Maybe that should be a question for later that day.

Was the mighty Hatake Kakashi his boyfriend now?

[yingdu-lover]

ok so just saw that people have already applied Aristotelian ethics, Kant's philosophy (idk much about this) and other theories (haven't studied but will definitely check out) to analyse link click and its characters

my theoretical approach to link click can be summarised as (not an exhaustive list)

1. Existentialism

2. Absurdism (they are not same)

3. Stoicism

4. Bakhtinian philosophy

5. Foucault

6. Queer-feminist political theory (socio-cultural and artistic representation in South and South East Asia)

7. Postmodernism

8. Poststructuralism

All of these are related. The list of 'isms' and complex theories may intimidate someone at first, but in reality link click becomes very easy (in terms of the vision and significance) to understand. I remember a link click yingdu post that had Roland Barthes 's quotes

oh i found it!

Roland Barthes is a famous post-structuralist (cultural) theorist. One of my absolute favourite 'authors' (iykyk). He is AMAZING!

Writing is that neutral composite, oblique space where our subject slips away, the negative where all identity is lost, starting with the very identity of the body of writing

Oh, Barthes.

He is not. talking about. writing. only.

Apart from literature, he talks about movies, photographs and a lot of other things you would not expect 'culture' to be preserved, emerge or evolve.

anyways-

to me, link click exploits sensuality of the image, still or moving.

for a show that is very 'metaphysically rich,' it treats physicality with equal importance.

If you urge Lu Guang to write an 'ode to death,' he would not miss the body horror, the intimate physical experience of agony when your senses are rendered irrational. and 'death' itself does not mean 'physical death'. That line from 'the eye'

And the clock tower bell only struck nine

or the original Chinese version which says

The clock tower bell struck nine times

'nine' is significant here

this is an excerpt from ts eliot 's famous poem, 'The Wasteland'

Unreal City. Under the brown fog of a winter dawn, A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many, I had not thought death had undone so many. Sighs, short and infrequent, were exhaled, And each man fixed his eyes before his feet. Flowed up the hill and down King William Street, To where Saint Mary Woolnoth kept the hours With a dead sound on the final stroke of nine.

in this poem 'nine' symbolises Christ's death. Basically, the modernist post-war gloom that associates lack of vitality to the 'unreal city'

this scene gives me chills~

and 'nine' also has positive(?) mystical and spiritual symbolism in South East Asian cultures.

okay okay this reminds me of a post i wanted to- ok I will)

(this is just incoherent blabbering)

one of the strongest points about link click is that, it is not pretentious.

it knows what it can show. it shows what it wants. clarity of vision is something even many famous productions lack. horribly lacks.

ok i lost my track I forgot what i was going to say, um.

hyperfixate, cry and theorise. this should be the motto of lcf (it probably is already)

[carmen-is-away]

angsty elliott headcanons.

content warnings: self harm, toxic relationships, mental illness, violence?, mentions of abuse

He gets attached very quickly to people he’s interested in romantically and will ignore red flags and/or try extremely hard to make them fit them into the idealized narrative he’s created of them in his head

He tends to isolate himself from others once he’s in a romantic relationship and hardly ever spends time with people besides his partner

He worships his partner, I’m talking devoting his whole life to making them happy and ignoring his own wants most times

Loves his partner wholeheartedly and is willing to do almost anything for them, even if they’re not always the best to him

He very desperately wants to be loved

He begrudgingly disowned his parents, they were terrible towards him and never supported him along with being horribly neglectful and abusive albeit having more than enough time and money to do so

He gets violently angry and destructive when his writer’s block is at its peak.

I’m talking throwing his journal across the room and shoving everything off of his desk. He’s pulling his hair and yelling and destroying his surroundings and probably hurting himself

He makes sure to not let his partner or anyone see this though. He hates when people worry about him.

It’s usually followed up by a long and sob and horrible depression episode that lasts somewhere from a few weeks to months.

What can I say? He feels his work very strongly

That also goes for the opposite

He’s running to read you his latest poem because he’s fallen in love with it and he expects you to as well

He may have even brought himself to tears

He will be all over you and ready to jump over the moon if you love it as much as he does

If you aren’t as tender as enthused as he hopes you’ll be or you judge his work harshly with less than constructive criticism, it will be a large blow to his ego and it will break his heart a little

He will understand if you’re busy or tired or not able to put your full focus on it, but if you can and you aren’t, or you're being an asshole, he’s super hurt and he may not always admit or display that in front of you

He craves validation, please give it to him, he might actually go insane without it

He also needs affection. He’s very insecure and will begin to wonder if you’re not attracted to him if you haven’t been affectionate with him in a while. He’s been quite touch starved for a long time

Elliott’s a very broken man and he requires a lot of patience and attention

He needs security and stability and someone who won’t take advantage of him

Please give him the space to make decisions and be accepting of him and give him your attention

Despite his terrible mental health, he’s a wonderful partner and father. Even when he’s doing terribly, he’s all ears and open arms for his family

[illiterateaffairs]

DISTRACTIONS SCENE BETWEEN | LET’S JUST PLAY PRETEND

pairing: jamie tartt x f!reader (ted lasso)

rating: T

word count: 1,403

summary: you and jamie bond over board games. takes place between chapters four and five of distractions.

A/N: missing scene number two is here! and happy ted finale day :( everyone please feel free to message me about the show after you watch. have a feeling we’re going to need to cope together <3 distractions official next chapter will be out friday for us all to disassociate with and keep the show alive! when distractions the series becomes our distraction >>>>>

distractions masterlist

When you asked Jamie to grab a sweatshirt from your closet, there were a million things he could have fixated on. 

He could have teased you for your Grey’s Anatomy Grey Sloan Memorial tee-shirt. 

He also could have questioned why you had hoarded a few of his own pieces of clothing - you were thankful he didn’t notice those. 

If he really snooped around, he could have also found old journals full of short stories, poems, and notes you had jotted down once upon a time. 

But no, what he found the most exciting you would have never expected. 

After hearing some suspicious shifting, followed by a thump and quiet yelp, Jamie called out to you. 

“You have Monopoly?” 

You barely processed what he said as he bounded back into the living room and enthusiastically showed off the board game. 

“Oh, yeah?” you looked up from the couch with eyes pinched in confusion. 

“We have to play,” he declared, already moving things off of your coffee table to make room. 

“I thought we were going to order dinner?” you asked, though an amused smile played at your lips. 

Jamie shrugged, as he knelt down on the floor and started taking out the game components, “We could just have some snacks while we play? Whatever you have here is probably good.” After a second, he paused and looked up at you with big eyes, “Unless you don’t want to play, because we don’t have to.”

“No!” you’re quick to console, and you’re not even sure why, “No, let’s play! I can throw some sort of appetizer in the oven and grab chips. Let's do it.” 

“Cool,” Jamie smiled. You got up as he sorted the Monopoly money before dropping it suddenly, “Shit.”

From the kitchen doorway, you curiously watched him jump over your couch and jog back to your room, only to return moments later with the sweatshirt you originally asked for.

“M’lady,” he mock-bowed and presented it to you.

You snorted but thanked him appreciatively.

Forty-five minutes later, you were knee deep in a game of Monopoly, and even deeper in the bag of Pizza Rolls you’d smuggled over from America. While it wasn’t uncommon for you and Jamie to hang out fully-clothed as of late, this night felt different. It felt casual. Simple. Domestic. And none of it was doing anything to help those pesky little feelings you were starting to develop for him.

Jamie had put on music while the two of you waited for the Pizza Rolls to heat up, and you two sang horribly off-key to Alanis Morrissette. And then when you two sat down to play the game, Jamie made himself right at home on the floor. He immediately called playing as the Car piece, and you happily chose the Thimble. He also explained that in the U.K. they have a London version of the game, so he was excited to play with the American version. 

You played peacefully, intermittently exchanging little pieces of small-talk. Though, it was hard to concentrate since you found how much he enjoyed the game so adorably endearing. 

“I’ve got to say, I would have never seen you as a board game kind of guy,” you eventually mused aloud. 

You noticed a slight redness in Jamie’s cheeks, as he looked thoughtfully at the Monopoly board instead of at you. 

“Dunno,” he shrugged, “I find them comforting I guess. My mum and I used to play stuff like Monopoly and Clue all the time when I was a kid.”

You smiled at this little nugget of information about his childhood. “I feel the same way. My dads are board game fiends. We’d have family game night every Friday.”

Jamie’s brow quirked and he looked back over to you. “Dads?”

You nodded, “Mhmm. Two dads. They adopted me when I was a kid. In fact, as a welcome home gift, they actually bought me Monopoly, but it was the Disney Princess version. They upgraded me to this one when I went off to college.”

Jamie smiled, “That’s nice. What do they think of you being all the way over here? They’re in Chicago, right?”

You bit your cheek a little. Telling him you’re actually from Kansas, just like Ted, might be a little too specific to pull off as a coincidence. Instead of lying, you bypassed the question all together, and focused on his first.

“I think they’re happy I’m trying something new, and that I’m doing something for myself. They don’t know most of the story about why Mason and I broke up because I do not need them to worry, but I think they know it's better that we’re not together. I think they probably wish I lived closer, but if I’m happy they’re happy.”

“And are you?” Jamie asked softly, “Happy, I mean?”

You thought about it for a second, but it wasn’t a hard thing to answer. You had never been surrounded by more loving and kind people, and never had a job this exciting. You’re also reluctant to admit that you’ve never been around a boy who makes your stomach flip like Jamie does, but it was true.

“Yes,” you finally said, “I’m very happy here.”

Jamie nodded, his own small smile forming. 

“I think part of me feels guilty though,” you found yourself admitting, “The whole time I was in Chicago, I hardly saw them. I spent a lot of Christmases and Thanksgivings with Mason and his family, because he insisted. I’d make time for them occasionally on my own, but it was hard with my old job. I didn’t really think about being even further away after taking this job. And leave it to them to be more than understanding, and volunteer to come here next time they have the chance. I feel like I don’t deserve them.”

Jamie shook his head, “Don’t say that. Your dads clearly love you. And you definitely deserve it.” He sighed lightly before continuing, “I think it's nice they’re so supportive. My dad…he’s not…”

As you watched Jamie struggle to articulate his thoughts, you didn’t hesitate to take his hand in yours and give it a squeeze. It wasn’t the first time he’d made reference to his dad, but it was usually a sarcastic comment, nothing of depth.

“Jamie,” you interrupted softly, “You don’t have to talk about him if you don’t want to.”

“I know,” he nodded, staring at your intertwined fingers, “He’s just…not the best person. It’s a long story, but we haven’t really talked in almost a year now. And I feel guilty about that sometimes, myself, but I think it's probably for the best. At least for now. But your dads sound amazing, and they’re probably so proud of you for coming out here and trying something new. So I wouldn’t worry about letting them down. I mean, I can’t see how you’d let anyone down, so…” He trailed off quietly.

You smiled and gave his hand an extra tight squeeze. “Thank you, Jamie. And even though you never have to, you can always talk to me about anything with your dad if you ever need to,” he nods, still staring at your hands, “...and I’m sorry if talking about my dads made you feel uncomfortable, I don’t..”

“No, no.” Jamie quickly reassured, turning to face you again, “I promise you, it didn’t. I liked hearing about your dads. Like I said, they seem great.” He gave you another small smile, before continuing, “Maybe we can start doing something like Friday Game Nights? I feel like the team would love it. Beard and Ted too, and we can drag Roy along. I’d pay money to see that guy play charades.”

You giggled. You also tried not to show how touched you were at the offer. Images of Ted at family game nights growing up flash through your head, and you’re sure he’d love a piece of home here, too. 

“I think that sounds perfect.” You gave his hand one last squeeze before reluctantly pulling away, and picking up the dice, “Alright, my turn right?”

Jamie nodded and shook off any remaining anxious energy. As you took your turn, Jamie cleared his throat, “I also saw Jenga in your closet, can we play that next?”

You laughed, “If you’re okay seeing me lose my shit every time I inevitably knock everything over, then sure.”

Jamie grins, “I can’t wait.”

A/N: let me know what missing scenes you’d like to see next! and don’t hesitate to let me know how y’all are doing after watching ted!!!

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[aylinhadtimeforthis]

okay I'm gonna need the dps fandom to put on their critical thinking hats for a second 👀

imagine you live in a time before social media. before mutual friends on apps and before being able to search up someone's instagram profile after you meet them to follow them and maybe say hi.

imagine you just met someone you REALLY LIKE and you don't know anything about them, except when you talk for a little you find out what school they go to. and you want to talk to this person again. what would you do?

if the answer is "well, I'd probably ask around people I know for their phone number, and go to their school in my free time hoping to run into them so we can talk", then I regret to inform you but that is actually a very normal and appropriate answer!!!

however for some reason some of y'all think knox doing that in the movie counts as "stalking" apparently!!!

like. this is not the modern day? just showing up to someone's school trying to talk to them is not "weird" because it is one of and if not the ONLY OPTION!

and if anyone here says "but he didn't even go talk to her! he just stared at her from far away which is creepy." my SIBLING IN FELLOW DPS ENGAGERY!!! SHE WAS GOING TO AN AWAY GAME!!! SHE IS A CHEERLEADER! THEY DO THAT! knox literally LIVES IN A BOARDING SCHOOL. he does NOT know much about the goings-on of the outside world because they seldom get free time and he literally has to SNEAK OUT of the grounds without an escort just to go socialize. he DIDN'T GO UP TO HER because she was GETTING ON A BUS!!!!!!! his ass does NOT know the schedule of ridgeway high's football game attendances 😭!!!!

and if people bring up why he went back after the party, that was to APOLOGIZE. imagine if he never even tried reaching out to say sorry??? like yeah I know he got flowers and a poem and that's not the most "correct" apology in that circumstance but I guess he was trying to clean up his image/reputation a bit which tbh not a bad thing to do after f#cking up THAT horribly.

I seriously don't want anyone calling (movie) knox a stalker or a creep in a non jokey way because as bad as you believe what he did in the party scene is, this one thing at least is just not true.

and yes he literally never sought out chris again after apologizing. I don't know what to tell you man like this is just the reality of what happened