#this is from a week and a half ago when my power was out btw!

[snailfen]

i know her ....

[cyberrose2001]

AYYYYYY! Do you remember that request I sent a while ago of the Ratchet x Fem reader? Ya know where Ratch gets to frag the reader to blow off some steam?

Reader is Cybertrionan btw if that's okay!

Stress Relief

TFP Ratchet x fem! cybertronian! reader

whoaaa you can tell I started this months ago eheh… apologies for the long wait I hope y’all can forgive me 👉🏼👈🏼

Warnings: oral, dom!ratchet

Word count: 517

18+ ONLY MINORS DNI

“I’ve been waiting all day for this,” Ratchet huffs, tossing you off his shoulder and onto the berth, “Too fraggin’ long, if you ask me.”

You refrain from making a smart aft comment about how he had actually been waiting all week, but you’re too preoccupied with how he’s pulling your hips closer to the edge of the berth.

It’s always the same with Ratchet. He would have a busy week (aka working his processor to near power down), barely seeing him all day, then apologise profusely for coming to berth late. And by that time, you’d already be in stasis, waking up to your frame gently tucked into his while he spoons you. It annoyed you, having to wait days; hell, even weeks sometimes before Ratchet had a chance to lay a digit on you.

But you’ve quickly learned throughout your relationship that the longer Ratchet goes without interface, the harder he fucks.

His digits are pressing into the seams of your hip plating, calculated and efficient with aeons of experience against your frame. A low moan escapes your throat as you feel your modesty panel easily click open. You’re already dripping wet at the anticipation, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by Ratchet.

“Then why don’t you frag me then, hm?”

“Oh, I intend to,” Ratchet kneels on the ground, two servos keeping your thighs spread as his hot breath teases your valve, “Only if you can suppress your smart commentary and let me indulge in you first.”

You crane your neck as you watch his dermas latch onto your exterior node and subsequently throw it back against the berth with a clang as he starts sucking and flicking against your node. It’s electric and oh so sensitive as he scrapes it against his dentae.

“Oh, Ratchet.” A filthy mewl escapes your mouth, bringing a servo to his helm when he starts drawing slow circles with his glossa, “Please, I can’t- I need-“

“You need what, exactly?” Ratchet lifts his helm from your heat, and primus, your fluid already coats the lower half of his face in a pink sheen.

“Need your spike- ahhn.”

“What do you want me to do with my spike?” A harsh kiss to your abused node sends shivers up your back strut, which turns into clamping your thighs around his helm as he plunges his glossa into you.

“F-Frag… do you need to ask… nghh… so many questions?”

“So impatient, aren’t you?” Ratchet rolls his optics with a groan, either out of frustration for your impatience to hasten things or his desperate need to shove you face-first into the berth, “Turn around, let me see that pretty aft of yours, sweetspark.”

You obey his command, pedes firmly planted on the ground as you bend over the berth. A weak whine vibrates the bed as Ratchet presses your helm into the silky sheets, another servo pushing his engorged spike against your cunt.

“Now be a good femme and stay still for me,” He groans, sheathing his entire spike into you before pressing his body weight against your back, “my little stress toy…”

[aita-blorbos]

WIBTA for getting revenge against the person that ruined my life?

I (36M) am (still am, losing your job doesn't get rid of a persons PHD) a scientist that specializes in theoretical physics and studies of the multiverse. Until around a year and a half ago I had a job at a prestigious science facility, where I designed a device that would transport anything from other dimensions to ours (we had to set it off a little bit ahead of schedule, but overall, I'd say I did a good job with the timeframe I was given!).

This is where a person I'll call SM comes in.

One of the tests I ran on the device involved bringing a radioactive spider from another dimension to ours, but unfortunately, it escaped and bit him, which resulted in him gaining amazing powers, and becoming a superhero (he killed the spider right after it bit him, BTW.) (just thought I should bring that up.) (really stellar guy, takes important moments in his life REAL seriously.) (I don't think text is doing a good job conveying how sarcastic I am being right now, so to clarify: I AM BEING REALLY SARCASTIC.).

My first face-to-face meeting with SM was brief, but impactful. It happened when he and another important-but-not-so-relevant-to-the-story-guy broke in to my (ex) workplace a day before we were going to set off the device for real, all so that they could steal top secret information from us....And a bagel?! Which SM actually used as a projectile to HIT ME WITH (what kind of person DOES THAT? And with so much unnecessary force, too!)

Then, a day later, he blew up my invention WHILE I WAS STILL IN THE ROOM. I wasn't even one of the people fighting him, all I was trying to do was grab a canister of the dark energy my device was generating, but he didn't care at all that I was there!

Because of him blowing up that machine, I was turned in to...Something else. I don't have a face anymore, and my entire body is covered with these holes. Things fall through them all the time, and it leads to all sorts of embarrassing accidents that always cause people to laugh at me.

Not only that, but by doing this, he also made me lose my job, which was practically my entire life. I look so grotesque, my own family won't even LOOK AT ME, and I can't even get a new job to support myself because of the way my condition makes me look!

So that means by the time SM and I finally met again, I was so dangerously low on funds, I had to resort to a life of crime! I decided to jumpstart it by robbing an ATM machine because that's pretty harmless and easy, isn't it? I mean, it's a machine, nobody loses anything from me taking from one of those, besides for the bank, but who cares about them? They steal from people all the time! I'd hardly say it's a villainous act to take from them, except for the fact that robbery is illegal. Anyway, the shopkeeper assaulted me for trying to steal from the ATM machine.

Maybe I should have seen that one coming.

...Eh, whatever.

It only gets worse from here, because then, out of nowhere, SM shows up, makes fun of me, and then cuts me off while I tried explaining to him who I am and why I should matter to him, just so he could read a text. Which is just unbelievably rude, and tbqh, pretty unheroic!

He spent the rest of what was SUPPOSED to be our epic battle on his phone, texting some person. This fight was meant to be a huge deal for both of us, and he didn't take it seriously at all, he barely even bothered to look at me for a majority of it. At one point, he even webbed me up and left in the middle!

Our fight did eventually resume, and midbattle he told some police officer that I was just a "villain of the week", while I was RIGHT THERE!

Eventually, the fight brought as all the way back to the site of the accident, right where our connection first formed. This was finally a point where I had the chance to tell him everything, what I did for him, what he did to me! And even after all that, he still treated me like a JOKE!

I got really mad at that point, which came back to bite me pretty quickly. As in, I accidentally kicked myself in to one of my own holes (like I said before, I have a lot of holes, they go places, one hole took my foot to my own butt, and I fell in to another hole).

But on the bright side, this resulted in me finding out that I'm a transdimensional superbeing. Which gave me an epiphany! I finally know what I want to do now, and how I'm going to do it. There's a lot of science involved, multiversal travel, stuff like that. But the basic idea is that I'm getting payback. The way I see it, he took everything from me, so why shouldn't I get to take everything from him? It makes sense, right? Because of him, I have nothing, so why should he have anything? It's only fair!

So, as long as everything goes according to plan, by the time I'm done, he shouldn't have anything left, and then he'll finally learn to respect me.

....Wow, this came out way longer than I thought it would.

Here's a tl;dr!:

SM ruined my life, WIBTA if I ruined his in return?

[amourtoken]

I am disgustingly obsessed with the idea of Ari drilling my shit and throwing me around like a rag doll but I also love thinking about doing ‘corny’ couple shit with him. Especially if you’re younger than him, he is doing everything in his power to make sure you know that this is how you deserve to be loved (obsessively and unapologetically). He adores nothing more than being able to feel you cuddle up to him after a long day of work, going on cutest little cafe dates w/ you as he keeps a strong hand on your plush thigh, watching you do your makeup/skincare/try on new clothing. He has the sweetest nicknames for you and his accent makes the warmth spreading throughout your face even worse. He has your coffee order memorized and never fails to bring it to you even when you don’t ask. He has a constant eye on you and his habit of displaying casual dominance shows others that you’re his pretty girl.

“have you seen my girl?” “my girl and sage went out together awhile ago” ON THE TOPIC OF SAGE, my heart melts at the idea of getting along so easily with his siblings, parents and friends that they can’t help but understand the undying love Ari has for you, they’re constantly asking about you if you’re not home when they visit. Basically asking him “where’s your other half?”

This makes my chest ache btw

becoming so fucking intertwined within his life that people automatically cannot think of his name without picturing you??? Crying.

Yeah he can get gross but a relationship is nothing without the softie stuff and HE DELIVERS!!! if there were a quiz on your life he'd score 100 + extra credit. He knows every single restaurant you like and your order from them, how you like your coffee (or tea if you're not a coffee person), exactly what size you wear in specific brands so he doesn't have to ask before getting you gifts, your skincare/self care brands, all of it. He makes sure you're always provided for and never out of anything, he's also the type of guy to make sure you have fresh flowers in a pretty vase in your shared kitchen every single week cause the first time he got you flowers the smile that spread across your face was permanently etched into his brain and now he has to keep up the tradition.

it makes him weak when you get along with his friends and family, it makes him feel complete. You feel damn near as comfortable with Scott and the rest of the 59 team as you do Ari and he trusts them to take care of you the same way he would if he's not around. Plus, you get along great with Sage and you two hang out any time Ari's busy and you don't wanna be home alone. You've got tons of pics together and it's sweet to both him and Scott :(

Like the flowers, Ari makes a POINT to take you on a real date at least once a week. Even if it's just dinner at a small place you like, he never wants to stop romanticizing your relationship and treats you just like he did when you first got together. You fill his heart and he wants to show you. Coming back from your dates and getting to cuddle on the couch while watching some corny show you introduced him to is the highlight of the evening, he'll hold you close or entirely in his lap and the feel of you pressed against his body is an instant anxiety reliever. As long as he has you, everything is gonna be fine.

[smute]

the ios app is such a disaster honestly. idk how many posts ive made on here complaining about the performance and overheating issues but i do know that ive tried to tell @staff about them multiple times, both through apple's report an issue thingy in the app store and directly via the tumblr support page. ive been through every troubleshooting step. i cant even tell you how often i reinstalled the app. i have tested it on wifi and cellular, with 5g on and 5g off. its always the same thing. the app draws insane amounts of power whenever it is active/open, even when im not scrolling, and my phone gets warmer and warmer until it eventually shuts down with a temperature warning or gets too hot to hold in my hand

a couple weeks ago i actually upgraded to a new phone (for context: my previous one was only 2 years old, not some ancient underpowered thing, and apart from tumblr i NEVER noticed any performance/temperature issues so i wasn't really looking for an upgrade, i just got a really good offer from my carrier). the tumblr app also makes my (older) ipad overheat, so i already knew that the problem here wasn't a particular device, but given the chance i was ofc curious to see if things would improve with a newer one. they didn't ���

anyway i conducted a little informal experiment with the new phone to figure out exactly how bad the problem is. didn't even install the tumblr app when i first set it up, just to see how the phone would perform without buggy software (the answer is really well)

under normal usage the battery lasts for at least two fucking days. texting, playing music, surfing, fucking reading ebooks, watching youtube videos, we're talking like close to 30 hours of screen time on a single charge. SCREEN time, not standby.

on saturday morning, while using the tumblr app (and only the tumblr app), i went from 90% to 50% in TWO AND A HALF HOURS. that is insane.

like not only is it super uncomfortable to hold a piping hot thing made of glass and metal in your hands, im also genuinely concerned about the health of my battery lmao

until a few months ago i had NEVER encountered this problem, not even on my old iphone 8 that sometimes struggled with other apps as well. tumblr always worked fine. idk what they changed or which weird new feature that nobody asked for is responsible for this but something is drawing power like CRAZY and literally FRYING MY HARDWARE.

honestly its like the world's shittiest screen time reminder lmao. after 30 minutes the temperature starts to get uncomfortable and after an hour i literally have to take a break, close the app for 5 minutes and let my phone cool off. WHICH IT DOES BTW. like almost INSTANTLY. idk what else to say except that this seems to be a feature not a bug. in the sense that it happens no matter what i do

lmao sorry this turned into such a long rant. like i said, i already messaged tumblr support about it but this has been going on for months at this point and i am P I S S E D

[creedx13]

Creed

The reckoning 

Content warning: violence gore and bullying shame

Hellion is a smug spoiled brat and even worse he has telekinisis of all things. It started with sabertooth “jokes” he introduced himself to me by asking if I was sabertooth’s kid. I said he was my biological father’s farther and I’m not sabertooth. He then told me he was the first mutant in his family. He then said I should have been declawed cause “we don’t need another sabertooth running around” he then patted my head and said good kitty in that patronizeing way he talks to his underlings. Then he started knocking my books off my desk with his mind at random times. I don’t lose my temper too easy so I ignored him he isn't worth my time. Ignoring him didn’t work he did similar things to the new girl with the electrical powers. Fuck this guy, he was dam desprate for a fight and I gave it to him today. 

“HEY Sabertooth wannabe!” he shouted at me from the other side of the base ball diamond Mo was next to me so I asked her if she could go find storm for me and she ran off. That’s my girl this is between the big kids. “Yo creed!” I role my eyes and turn around  “what is your problem!” 

“My problem is some rabid psycho mutt is making moves on sofia when I called dibs when she first got here.” he shot back like it was a perfectly normal and acceptable thing to call dibs on a freaking person. “ you can’t call dibs on a person. She dosen’t even want to talk to you.” I dismissed  “at least she’ll be better off without a monster like you in her life.” before I could even process this the gravel from the baseball dimon flew up and cut my shirt off along with my chest binder leaving a few already healing gashes in it’s wake. I managed to stand my ground and I didn’t let this prick knock me down. As soon as the rags that used to be the top half of my out fit hit the ground the gray gravel storm stopped. He stifled a laugh at my breasts they’re small but they are certainly there. “holy shit you're a chick!?” he exclaimed raising his hands in surender. I’m not proud of this part but I saw red. Next thing I knew I was on him siting on his back clawed hand pinning him to the gravel by his throat, sharp fangs dug deep into his shoulder my second set of claws drew angry vengeful slashes down his back it didn’t matter what he threw at me I barely felt it It didn’t matter what anyone said I barely heard it. I think I heard ms. storm scream my name and I felt two heavy duty tranc darts hit me in the back. Ms. monroe is a good shot. I just caught a glimpse of my oponent? Victim? In a quivering bloody mess under me I think I smelt urine on him but then I quickly blacked out. 

I woke up strapped to an infirmary bed I was flooded with all the rage and grief and dispare guilt fear shame hellion had been putting me through for months all I could so was scream and ugly sob straped down and helpless untill I passed out again.   

I was both physically and socially isolated from my peers for the next few weeks only being able to interact with the medical staff. I humbled that asshole big time sure but I might have gone too far. So I decide to write a letter to golden boy, josh I think his name was. And ask him to heal the damage I have done. I signed the letter Jason Creed Bad Wolf. by the next day I get a letter back well I get my letter but it had been answered using the back of the page.  Don’t worry man, I healed him for you, you're welcome BTW.-Josh  he was asking for It and you didn’t strike to kill if you were anything like sabertooth he would have died ages ago he got off easy. You are not a bad wolf you are a Timber Wolf If anything. Don’t listen to hellion. Mo is worried about you but the girls will need more time but they will come around eventually.-David 

I have good friends, finally, I hope Sofia is ok. Hellion has been moved out of my class good for him.   

[castle-dominion]

c3x6 3xk the triple killer

Seeing the face

uwu secret admirer

alexis the little detective “narrowing down suspects”

Really really dark bruises on the ligature marks. It’s not just a general bruise of strangling, it’s like it was stationary. Linda Russo Beckett actually asked castle what his theory was?

911 has that effect on her RC: I believe that was my idea LP: Yeah but I only listen when it comes from her (could clip)

Wow they’re serious about this, so serious they’re showing a huge briefing onscreen. 

RM: He has a menial unimportant job KB: Still you, castle RC: Just for that I’m basing my next book off esposito KB: *looks at him in insult* (could clip)

Three murders one week. Posing them like this. Tyson & his MOs. Wearing disguises. Dysfunctional relationship with his mother. (later on in this ep & his arc: getting other people to do the thing & getting people to look like people)

Ooh horticulture! (Kb: ?? Ryan: Waters plants) (my man’s rly pretty) KR: Ex-wife. They were divorced last month after being married for four years. RC: So in a way, he did just get out of prison. [He’s sort of joking, but he’s serious regarding the timeline]

Bro some people have medical conditions, don’t make it like a jab on moral character! (Who is this security guard??)

Wow lots of facial hair there mr esposito (Who is the security guard????)

Kin Foster How did she get a liver temp already? Gas repair JE *can’t find the phone bc ppl kept moving it between takes*

RC: The pillows JE & me: What’s wrong with them? Found a penny XD

That was quiet. “Sir, a mr townsend wants to see you?” Ew reporters They’d better hold to that. Let Him Know. My older bro thought that this guy might be the killer

KB: From four years ago. I took a look at calls made to the Triple Killer tip line and this one stood out for me. It’s from May 21st, 2006, which was a week after the sixth murder. A woman called and left a message, but she was too afraid to leave her name. But she did mention that she lived at 24th and 10th. (He wasn’t carrying the right tools? 3xk has improved since then. I mean yeah eight years will do that)

u got the phone records from 4 years ago? really??? (except linda russo did not see HIS face)

(why no pic of the tat on the murderboard? also does he fit the profile, bad mom menial job? Oh his mom died when he was 4. Gates was convicted of the bottle break tho)

Sociopath??? really? You think antisocial personality disorder makes this guy a consistent killer? 

Who was the individual walking by castle’s house tho? (nobody important, nvm)

Oh you know, someone died, someone else did it. (don’t want to clip) some … pervert watching you from afar with high powered binoculars.

I always love the parallels. Rick just wants to protect his daughter & when we have a case like this he’s sure to freak a bit.

“I’d better check they’re actually locked.” Love castle sm. (apparently that was an ad-lib. could clip ig)

Another point for the Ryan ADHD headcanon. I have a system, you’re messing up my system, it might not work for you but it does for me. I’d record this bickering to post but I don’t feel like it. Btw, I think this was also adlibbed (ok so I guess I already wanted to clip this) (I’ll clip both together actually)

Robert Duncan? Is that their name? Interesting choice here.  OH WAIT IT WAS HOLD MUSIC (btw, the detective to beckett’s right is the half asian looking guy, I can’t see what his nameplate reads tho)

Jelly Tyson (the cameras watching castle correct her writing lol)

Love handwriting differences. Castle <3

(“my girl” he says) Wow acab

Is pruno booze? I like how he doesn’t actually remember the exact name, he just knows it’s hog something. (Or so he claims.) That is realistic I think. 

Nice jacket, but that shirt. Idk whether it’s good or bad. Probs good for undercover recon.  Nice music Aww helping him into his vest (clip that) (suddenly has their guns in their hands even tho they were literally doing up the velcro a heartbeat ago) Well that’s a lot of people. (Monty’s gun-- that’s the one he has in future episodes. It’s an old-style gun, not one of the ones with the fancy magazines) XD Castle (Clipping this too) Cocky man. He’s also for sure the guy in the teaser Captions were wrong there. esposito said that, not monty

I like the literary flair but I don’t think this is the time.

Not my type HE’S SOO GROSS OUH i LOVE IT

Esposito <3.  Marcus touching the stuff He’s good at this. From the perspective of a citizen I respect him. I respect him a lot. From a just perspective I totally want him done & gone. Good for him tbh. Rick wearing jeans & that colour shirt, so nice btw.  How is esposito taller than monty here?

Seven not eight? He killed two women at this time & he also killed a fellow six four years ago. 

(Nothing in his apartment ok, but why? We know he (you know who is you know whom) but we also know he DID (do you know what on behalf of you know whom)) he already IS the focus bro

he really is so calm

& they just happen to have a traffic cam there? Tbh the changing clothes is easy to do. Yeah acab, they think they have the one who did it so they ignore evidence to convict them. 

MG: you all better keep your loved ones close Me, having seen the end of the episode: OH MG: Sure hope you catch him Me, having seen him again in s7: I SEE You can say “S.O.B.” & not actually swear

pimply teenagers XD (not clipping) OH SUS NO NOPE NO WAY.  Oh I love Martha. What a great gal. Tell her you’re afraid someone thought your strawberry-blonde daughter is being killed tonight? Lmao martha I love her sm (not clipping tho) MR: Richard, darling, she’s right. You are being utterly irrational. It’s like when I was doing Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and I thought my understudy was trying to poison me. RC: Oh yeah, the daily blood tests I paid for. Wait, she did poison you. The Swiss chocolate she gave you was a laxative. MR: Ahh… it added a certain urgency to my performance. But, the point is, you indulged my paranoia. So therefore, I am going to be in the park, five o’clock, at a discreet distance to make sure that Alexis’ secret admirer is not an axe murderer. Oh & I love her for taking care of alexis

Who is Donna Gallagher though? She is NOT tyson’s gal.  Gates was the one arrested for breaking the bottle, it is in his record.  tyson was beat up in the prison yard this morning, alexis has a note telling her to visit someone at 5pm today, martha is trailing her, it looked like daytime outside the apartment, then beckett calls, then they cut to talking to tyson, then it is DARK & they are at a random motel

Lmao “My name is detective ryan, I’m your new best friend” (not clipping)

Oh no he already has donna doesn’t he?

(Why would 3xk make it so he has an alibi? Wait spoilers within this paragraph I figured it out: so tyson needed to get out of jail & the only way they could get him out is to prevent gates from getting arrested until tyson was out, then once tyson was out he used his magical money to pay for paul’s surgery, & only then can he confess to the 3xk murders. I was thinking “why give him an alibi & tell ppl that 3xk used partners? esp if u want him convicted” but even as writing that I realized it’s good bc then his brother gets involved & he has a REASON to confess & it is not sus, it would be sus for him to just spontaneously decide to confess) (end spoilers, except that this entire liveblog is spoilers)

(Never used the same partner twice, except for Her)

Big bro called it! Body double! (I genuinely thought that he was just one step lower on the stairs to the building) They both have the same tattoo? (but we thought 3xk told the perv paul mccardle to back off...?)

Oh when did Ryan get here? (Oh lol they were in a foster home together, I forgot. I thought they were bio brothers but then they had different last names. they looked similar enough that I thought they were related) I swear Jerry is the real 3xk (going back to read my liveblog like...)

Good gracious, esposito breaking in alone! (could clip... won’t) I was right, he already has Donna. You can probs get him on attempted murder rather than assault & tax evasion here. MG: I’ll try not to disappoint you.

He looks like a mouse

Castle just stammering asking if he can follow Ryan XD KB: Just don’t get in his way (there was a deleted line: “I’m driving” bc esposito always makes ryan take shotgun. then in 4x14 blue btf ryan lets castle drive lol)

WOW US HEALTHCARE SYSTEM (apparently the breath tube was added in post) Man also doesn’t have the hair nor tattoo to make him look similar enough. Gates sent him Get Well flowers! That’s genuinely something so big to me. 

Girl you might want to leave them to talk to Paul anyways

But the thing is do you have enough evidence to convict him of accessory to murder? Only if paul gets immunity? Paul’s going to be the real killer then (also YES get that in writing, cops can lie to you)

Oh they remembered the dad!

Definitely lying. Plus he only said Linda Russo, Sara Townsend, & five other women. It was six the first time. He killed two after prison. He’s missing a Kim Foster.

(at abt 35:30) RC, reading my mind: I don’t understand the operation. KR: No big deal, my dad had one. RC: It is a big deal if u r broke! (how did his family afford that? Raising ryan & two or three sisters, paying for piano lessons apparently, plus a $100k heart surgery at some point? Ouch. Maybe he had dual citizenship tho & got healthcare in ireland, like he’s REALLY irish not just “my family from the 1800s” irish) Ryan’s walk <3 That flat “I guess”

“You accumulate a lot of stuff even in the slammer,” esp if gates left all his stuff to you, WAIT GATES LEFT ALL “HIS” STUFF TO TYSON

KR: You were right, he did try to go after Donna KR: But she’s ok. JG: & gates? KR: He confessed, it’s all over. RC: Aren’t you going to ask? Me: Bro you literally said donna was fine & that the man going after her is held! (3xk really improved his methods as the series progressed tbh, he improved his performance of them)

Why would Castle ask “aren’t you going to ask what happened?” in that loud rude tone “to your girlfriend >:( Donna” & only THEN say “unless... *realization strikes* as if he didn’t have it clicking into place yet He’s removing the evidence he was ever where? Where bro? What evidence?

RC: He’s the real 3xk! But then why did he send two other people to kill for him, huh? This guy couldn’t have killed them himself, we saw that. We know that. He was in prison during the first murder, in fact both. & then again Gates was the one who attempted on donna’s life. (Me: getting my clips after having seen all the 3xk episodes into s7)

Oof Poor Ryan. (also clipping the spin scene & ryan whack scene)

(abt 36:45 for the precinct flash-to; yeah no this is just too long to clip, I’ll get smaller bits)

RM: Maybe [Ryan] & Castle went out for a cold one. That’s what I’m doing on a day like today. Care to join me? KB: Yeah! Yeah I’d love to. RM: Let’s hit it. Ok listen I know it is not super big but this little scene adds so much to the story. Social. People. The language each individual uses. Fellowship. (could clip, idk) They honestly appreciate each other. He is her second father, he is her friend. 

Awwww it looks like wire. If it was duck tape I’d be smiling because Rick has escaped from duck tape before. Darn it.

Jerry is kind of cool & smart in an evil way. Takes ryan’s gun & phone, checks the last calls, even steals his badge. If it wasn’t so tragic I’m sure Ryan would get teased for that.  (Me, having seen 4x4 kick the ballistics & the s6+7 3xk eps)

Storyteller rick! Making it out! (me: has watched all the way up to s7) Ooh rick’s childhood trauma coming back again! Just like the vampire episode! That’s his mom’s PFP on his phone? That’s so Martha. Wait no it says “home” & “mobile” so is it Mom on her Mobile or is it Home on the Landline? (I don’t feel the need to clip this...) (too bad, I did, it was actually REALLY really good)

So sweet that the mom calls him & so sweet that the secret admirer was ashley. Cutest thing ever.  MR: Richard? RC: I love you. B’y this is why I have a codephrase with ma family so that whenever I’m in a hostage situation I can say smth completely normal that my captor won’t see as a red flag but my family will KNOW it means something. & bud if you hang up the phone for me without letting me say goodbye everyone will know I’m in danger. I always try to say bye.

Bro we can only hear the sirens once we see them? If we’re in a stationary place & they are travelling at that speed we would be able to hear them.  Also, why did they come here? I thought they were getting drinks?

RC: It’s clear, he’s gone. I’m fine, Ryan needs an ambulance. KR, muffled from his face being in the carpet: No I don’t. Girl if you got hit hard enough to knock out, you need to go to urgent care or a medi-centre or even the ER. You have a concussion. Not ever concussion sends you unconscious but every ko means you’ve been concussed. JE: *kneels down beside Ryan immediately* (btw they cut a line: jerry tyson? more like mike tyson) (I think I’ll clip this)

Oh she came here bc she was sus that they didn’t come back from talking to Jerry. & as she says, “Your mom called. She said you told her you loved her & figured something must be terribly wrong.” RC: I figured she might. Good girl.

Poor ryan, getting lights shone in his eyes bc he probably has a concussion. At least Esposito & Montgomery are there with him. Lmao he says “No I don’t” & they force him into the ambulance anyway. (I’ve taken a pic of this, I don’t need to clip it. I do need a fic of it tho.)

She gave him coffee He let castle live but he let ryan live too.

Comfort <3

Is this a Mycroft moment? In like the fourth episode of Murdoch Mysteries, they got the wrong guy & let Harcourt/Mycroft go. He ran away into the night & was never seen again in 16 seasons. I kind of hope we do see him again, just for the giggles & shock factor. Whether he is an unstable fellow or turned himself around. The 3xK is gone & I have a feeling we will never see him again. We could tho, another couple years later? A couple seasons from now? I think it would be great. Maybe also a dread pirate roberts thing, since Jerry didn’t actually kill any of the last three victims personally. (Me: looking back on this liveblog after I’ve seen 3x6, 4x4, 5x5, 6x9, & 7x14+15)

Well that was fun. Good episode. I like the detail with ryan esposito montgomery & the paramedics all in the background during the caskett scene

I can totally believe that I basically rewatched 3x6 3xk & reliveblogged lol

[laulo821]

yea i see!! yea it's fallen kingdom– it's the fallen kingdom quintilogy. tbf it's nostalgic to me too so that's why i'm back on them probably? i mean every few months i rediscover (old) music i listened to a while ago but fell out off just cuz life is cyclic and that was the end of this song's cycle for now!

what got me back into the fallen kingdom quintilogy (and other Minecraft parodies) is the Herobrine hype i've been going through since uuhhhh September? cause there is a modpack (From The Fog) bringing him back in the modern minecraft versions and i'm obsessed. this made me dig up fallen kingdom and realise that recently, the fifth installment of the series was out (rising kingdom) and it's a banger honestly. it just slaps. so ive listened back to the whole series and other parodies. also my friends have launched an SMP this week so i'm more in the minecraft mood than usual too hehe

concerning pikmin. it's a funny one. i dont usually listen to game OSTs either but i like the calm atmospheric songs of pikmin. but also. by picking pikmin i include all the pikmin parodies/covers that people have made lmao. them lil guys singing ... dopamine juice. i'm a big fan of meme songs covers. also it's my current fixation so i gotta consume pikmin content lest i explode

for the rest, well. hazbin hotel. ive watched it. not going on details about the show specifically but the songs be slapping for some (most?) of them. it's got that raw feelings power that i seek out in musics yknow. when you hear the singer (or character here i guess) putting their whole heart in it, them breaking on the notes, elevating it with hope and such... loving sigh. but there's also a few of the hh songs i really don't like cus i just find them. bad? or too awkward in terms of writing/pacing i guess. hot take i don't enjoy make you gone nor best dad in hell

then we got the solo album of Charlie Scene, member (slash leader?) of famous band Hollywood Undead. so it's more in association with my second fav group ever Hollywood Undead that i hung up on it. but also it is part of the cycle i talked about earlier. i discovered his solo album in july last year i believe, fell out if it, thought about it recently and have been binging it again! although i admit it is less good that i remember?

another album that's more in my usual ballpark is the Fall Out Boy's one. i picked the album half randomly i'll be honest (chose it because there's My Songs Know in it i believe? my fav from FOB due to Nostalgia™) so it's more about the whole discography than this album specifically. i've been listening to them recently because i was not in the mood for any other rock band of my usual liking (being Muse, TDG, Hollywood Undead and MCR between others). they just fit my current music mood better i guess!!

and the last one is Ceinture Noire by GIMS. French rap. hell yea brother. again it's back in the cyclic rotation i guess. i like his music, he's got a great timber, good writing for me, sick bars. i prefer his um love songs than his street songs(?) but i can appreciate them too. he's pretty big in France btw but he peaked (thanks to mockery) in 2015 or the like so it may be Nostalgia™ again but i enjoy or dare i say, prefer his more recent music too so maybe not!! funfact he made a song with sia so you can picture how big he is. he also made one with sting

thats for my lineup. i'm very pick and choose tho so i'm listening to a whole lot of other unrelated things while these album play ... like there's a lot of the Crane Wives in my randomly generated playlists too! there's a lot of half•alive, there's some Dionysus (from the Jack and Cuckoo-Clock Heart) in there too... it's really varied i guess. but apparently i'm in a very "witch"like music period according to my playlist but i'm really growing out of it and they're starting to annoy me more than anything. so, my music cycle is shifting again.... who knows what awaits....

good evening! whatcha mean my album lineup is fascinating... id love to tell you more about it but idk why it really is that interesting .... or? surprising? i guess >_>

yeah it is i think! at least to me

tbh mostly its just different from what i have been listening to but the minecraft + pikmin rlly stood out to me at least visually. i dont listen to a lotta video game osts or fansongs/parodies (i recognized fallen kingdom maybe?) anymore so its kinda nostalgic to see yk? i have such strong memories of listening to the katamari damacy ost and drawing like. homestuck fanart. it reminds me of that eheh

and its neato! like im thinkin what got u on those lately. and hazbin. aha

+ the others i didnt recognize at all so i just want to know more about em in general :3

[szczylpierdolony]

every interaction with my father is getting me a step closer to gouging my eyes out

[justarandomgirly]

VFX artists are speaking out against Marvel, with many refusing to ever work with the entertainment giant again. This comes as artists share accounts of unworkable deadlines and immense pressure leading to stress and unsatisfactory final products. Many have requested to never be put on a Marvel project again, saying that the studio has the "worst VFX management out there".

These allegations have been made on the subreddit r/VFX, with artists across the industry sharing their negative experiences with the company. Almost no one in the subreddit has a good word to say about the employer, with many saying that the money and star-power aren't worth tolerating such poor working conditions.

In a thread titled "I am quite frankly sick and tired of working on Marvel shows", Reddit user Independent-Ad419 expressed their frustration with the studio. "Marvel has probably the worst methodology of production and VFX management out there", they write. "They can never fix the look for the show before more than half the allocated time for the show is over. The artists working on Marvel shows are definitely not paid equivalent to the amount of work they put in."

Others in the replies are quick to agree. "On Thor they ask for a complete mini-sequence 2 or 3 weeks before deadline", says samvfx2015.

Mickeym00m00's account is much the same: "I request to not work on [Marvel] movies and TV shows. Unfortunately, they're becoming our biggest client. They expect a smorgasbord of options so they can change their mind three more times."

Those who haven't been able to avoid working with Marvel confirm that it hasn't improved in recent years. "I'm on almost three years straight of Marvel. Welcome to the seventh level of hell". Another user shares that their time at Marvel has been a "black hole of sleep deprivation and eating bad".

Another thread from three months ago contains even more damning accounts of what it's like to work with Marvel. These allegations were shared when another VFX artist was disappointed to lose out on the opportunity to work with Marvel - something their industry peers reassured them was no great loss.

"I am on my third Marvel project in a row and literally just woke up 5:30 am on a Saturday with stress going 'I don't want to do this anymore'", writes RANDVR. "It's 6 am now and I am making a reel to apply someplace that has projects other than Marvel because I can't do this anymore.

Mickeym00m00 shared a particularly shocking account of their time working with the studio: "Marvel has seen grown men punch walls and throw monitors from stress. I broke down a couple of times and have seen the strain it can put on marriages. But hey the $$ was fantastic. Fuck Marvel as a client, the credit name is not fucking worth it."

Raistlinuk agrees: "It took me over six months to recover from WandaVision's crunch. It’s not worth it. Not when there’s better run projects that look just as good out there."

Given how recent some of these projects are, it's unlikely that there's been a dramatic change in the past few months. It remains to be seen if Marvel addresses these criticisms as they become widely shared online.

Btw

It explains ridicilous CGI in Loki or Love and thunder

Marvel used to have 1 movie a year or two.

Now its 2-3 movies a year and several shows. Quantity over quality. No wonder cgi workers cant keep up.

[padawansuggest]

Anyways. PSA to anyone who has had COVID and now going to the bathroom is a traumatic and painful experience:

Okay so I was embarrassed to say this sort of thing because ew potty issues, but I have ended up hospitalized way too many times in my life to ignore my colon. It’s almost always the colon for me. My colon is hit or miss, mostly miss, and I had my first (hopefully last) colonoscopy at… idk 22?? 23 maybe.

So I recently told my GP, best GP ever who cares about both my pain levels and mental health, which is awesome, that going to the bathroom was becoming a trauma for me. Like it’s full on giving me nerves and anxiety when I feel the cramps.

She said oh no. I told her it’s been like this since I got COVID several months ago (getting worse over time I mean not me ignoring a major issue for 4 months) and it suddenly clicked in her and she had an entire list of things for me to get, and telling me about how COVID triggered a… allergy response. Like an immune response that is mainly attacking your bowels (half the trauma is because your bowels are soooooo inflamed that anything moving in there is hell) and it lingers. COVID hasn’t been around long enough for us to know how long it lingers but we know it’s at least a few months with it slowly getting worse so that’s not hopeful.

So this allergy response is attacking your bowels, the most likely place to still have traces of COVID or maybe it’s all out and your body just doesn’t know how to stop again. Either way.

- Metamucil, it’s an orange flavor fiber drink that is not made from corn fiber (my worst enemy of the past few years has been getting enough fiber and protein since I’m allergic to corn and it’s EVERYWHERE) and so far has turned my bowel movements from sharp and pointy to, in her own words, fluffy and unobtrusive. I haven’t had a cramp when it’s time to go potty rn, in days. I’ve only been using it since Wednesday this last week. I’m shooketh at the lack of cramps. Cramps has been my normal ‘go potty now’ indicator for years, and no cramps. Wow. I’m defeating IBS lmao. Can be taken up to 3 times a day. Doesn’t make your bowel movements turn liquid like miralax.

- Omega 3 fish oil. Taking daily fish oil can not only improve your focus (it’s an ADHD trick actually, if your focus can be helped with something less powerful than meth, my parents had me on it for a while as a kid and I remember being very calm) but it’s overall good for you, and it reduces inflammation.

- Turmeric. It’s used for reducing inflammation (see how she’s got me on multiple things to reduce inflammation instead of just one? Btw, she isn’t telling me to stop taking pain meds, I actually asked for help that would help me take less pain meds cause I’m taking too many of them and I can develop an allergy to them if I take too many) and I’ve been using it for joint pain for years tbh. I get inflamed joints because my craft of choice involves pinching fibers and pulling them to make yarn, which can put pressure on your joints. Also my back swells like a balloon when I get my period. It helps a lot.

- Calm & Relax, a mixture of Ashwagandha and Magnesium. These relax your muscles. Take them before bed because they help you calm down to sleep, reduce any cramping you’ll have in the night, and genuinely help you reduce movement while sleeping to actually get good sleep. Istg I have been thriving off these the past few days. I feel better.

Anyways. Take the drugs. COVID is nerfing us all directly up the ass and it’s painful, fight back with meds that aren’t just 4 ibuprofen every 8 hours, because that shit catches up with you and it hurts too. Also it just helps reduce the inflammation and pain, but doesn’t actually help your tummy function. This stuff does. I’m replacing my miralax stock with Metamucil. They also got a store brand which is only like 12$ which is great.

[enjennie]

In The Limelight [chenle x reader]

Summary: Tutoring the CEO’s son, when you’re barely interested in business. And falling for him, when you knew nothing about love.

Genre: Fluff. Rich kid!Chenle Tutor!Reader

Warnings: None

a/n: not proofread! I’ve been in a slump lately ☹ my works haven’t been satisfying me but I hope you enjoy this! btw omg this is a reupload bc the first time... somehow, the paragraphs were jumbled up? 

 “Y/N, there are flowers on your desk,” your classmate gestures behind them to the classroom you were headed to before quickly passing by. You could only nod, a little taken aback by the sudden information you received. Flowers? As far as you know, Valentine’s had passed, so has white day and it’s definitely not your birthday.

But as you enter your classroom, the bundle of flowers catching your eyes, you knew one thing for sure was from who it was. As you approach your desk, you lift the thoughtful gift and inspect the small card attached to the string that tied it beautifully together. ZCH, it read in cursive.

 “How was your day?” Chenle’s voice can be heard from the other line, the smile on his face almost something you can hear along with it.

“It was great! Thank you for the flowers, by the way. They’re delightful,” you beamed, eyes landing at the arrangement that now sat on your vanity. Chenle chuckles, his laughter sending serotonin to run through your body.

“Not a problem, I’m glad you like them,”

“Though I’d appreciate if you gave them to me yourself,” you cheekily continued. Chenle could only smile, his face softening at your request. It was a simple request. Yet, he couldn’t do it.

When you notice the silence that follow, you immediately regret what you said. You desperately try to backtrack, sputtering out words. “Well- I mean-, It’s fine- Thank you, still! I love them,”

Chenle hums, “I know. Don’t worry. You’ll wait though… right? It won’t be long,”

You plant your feet to your carpeted floor and nod, even if he can’t see you. “Of course, Lele,”

 Zhong Chenle is the son of the most respected CEO of one of the biggest corporations in Shanghai the entire world. Chenle was the next in line to the company. After his brother had expressed how the business world didn’t interest him, the responsibility immediately fell into Chenle’s hands. And even if music was his love and calling, he had to let it go as to not disappoint his father.

Chenle had accepted it some time ago, going to school only for the degree so he could be eligible to own the business. He accepted the fact that he was going to be living the life his father made for him, not one he made for himself and it was the hardest pill to swallow. But things changed when he met you. There was more purpose to the things he does, it wasn’t just for nothing. Life had gone from monochromatic to colorful.

 “Miss, Y/N. Mr. Zhong just moved and he has to take this class to pass the semester. I trust you can fill him in with our module? Mr. Zhong, this is Miss. Y/N, she scored the highest during midterms,” your world economics professor had marched towards you after class, a tall boy following behind her. He looked just as oblivious as she did, to the sudden weight and pressure being put on you.

You merely nod and say a simple hello, not being able to say anything else. It wasn’t a question, this was a demand. Jeez if I was gonna teach your student I should get a portion of your pay. You thought bitterly. At the time, you were struggling to juggle a part-time job at a café while also maintaining your grades to keep your scholarship.

When your professor left you two, the boy kept his hands buried in his pockets. His clothes were semi-casual and his hair was styled nicely. Who the hell moves halfway through the year?

“So, Mr. Zhong-“ you take your books into your arms and lazily sling your bag over your shoulder, heading towards the door with him trailing behind you.

“Chenle-, You can call me Chenle,” he finally spoke, startling you a little with how cool and soft his voice is as opposed to his striking visual that intimidated you at first.

“Nice to meet you, Chenle,” you give him a smile.

You were gonna be around this guy for who knows how long, might as well try to be his friend. Maybe it’ll make the teaching less of a chore.

  “Wrong,” you huffed, marking his essay and adding in annotations. “Chenle, remember there is a specific way to start these essays and that’s by defining the terms you’re using,”

The boy sat opposite of you, arms crossed and back against the couch comfortably. You were in a café. The café you worked in, to be precise. Your schedule today overlapped with Chenle’s and as much as you didn’t want him to see you slaving around, you also couldn’t miss this paycheck at the café. You gave him an essay to write just to check on his phrasing and structure and left to buss some tables and serve orders. But when you came back, Chenle barely wrote anything and could care less about it.

“Can we not study today?” he whined.

You and Chenle have been meeting each other for a month now, and you’d soon learned about the type of boy he is, the life he led. In ways you didn’t expect to.

 The first time you found out about Chenle’s reputation was through the newspaper. No, not the school newspaper. Not even the local newspaper. But on the Wallstreet Journal, when you had to grab material from any recent article for a class. Chenle’s name floated along with the words ‘Young entrepreneur’ and their company’s name. You gasped so loud you had to excuse yourself from the library and leave in a hurry. That afternoon you smacked him on the shoulder with your thick world econ textbook.

“You’re from a family of business corporates and you’re learning world economics from someone who crammed the exam?” you exclaimed. He stared at you blankly, book in hand and pen in the other.

“And you don’t pay me!” you added. The fact that you’ve been tutoring someone as rich as Chenle just didn’t make sense to you. Why not go to a professional? Instead, he was here with a sleep deprived college student who sometimes mixes up business terms just because she couldn’t care any less. World Economics was a mandatory for you. You studied to pass, sadly.

“I could start paying you, name the price,” he said easily. But you shook your head.

“I didn’t mean it that way, sorry. I actually don’t care about the money,” You led him to the picnic bench with the table outside school grounds and propped your book on it along with your bag before taking out your bento box. “Just blows my mind how you won’t just pay for the classes. I don’t teach that well-” you continue.

“I like you, though,” Chenle calmly interjects. You look up at the boy, movements being halted by his bold statement.

“Pardon?” you felt the need to have him clarify what he said.  The boy leaned across the table, over your textbooks and notes. “I like you,” Chenle repeated himself, but the impact it had on you was just as powerful and hit you hard. Your heart was doing somersaults.

Chenle’s eyes grew thin as he smiled, backing away from you and sitting back down.

“So, chapter 12,” he starts flipping his book nonchalantly, leaving you out of breath with a heart hammering in your chest.

  “What do you mean not study today? You have an upcoming quiz with Mr. Byun this Friday and mind you, that man searches for wrongs, not rights,” you raised a finger at him, shaking it matter-of-factly.

“No, let me help you. Do you usually run the café on your own?” he closes the book and takes his essay from your hand. You’re left slack jawed.

“No. I- Johnny couldn’t come in today,” you explained. Suddenly, you were stammering as if explaining to your boss. At first, you were doubting if it was the same Chenle you were reading about in the articles. The boy you were tutoring didn’t come off as someone who would be running corporates and buying stocks or whatever. He was more laid back and relaxed. Aside from the way he dressed, nothing gave it away that he was indeed the CEO’s son. But there were times where you got a dominant feel from him. Times when he stood with much authority and didn’t accept no for an answer. In those moments, you realize how Chenle’s presence alone demanded respect.

Soon enough, you found yourself behind the counter with Chenle beside you tying the apron to himself. He looked cute, somehow. The way he smiled at customers and tried giving them their recommendations set butterflies run free in your stomach, you almost swooned. He didn’t get much studying done that day, but you surely did. You learned the fact that you falling slowly but surely with Zhong Chenle.

  There were two chapters you’re left to cover. In the short month and a half, you managed to teach Chenle six month’s worth of topics. Seeing him every other day made Chenle a familiar face to see around. Of course, you never actually got to see him around campus when you weren’t tutoring him. It left you wondering if you were actually teaching a ghost. But all doubts went away when the girls in your class started whispering about the cute boy waiting outside class. You quickly found out it was Chenle who they were talking about, and he was there for you. It was safe to say he wasn’t a ghost and is in fact real.

Carrying his book bag, he was stood against the wall with reading material under his arm.

“Chenle, we don’t have a schedule today,” you walk up to him, trying to avoid the dozen pairs of eyes that watched you. Chenle nodded, “Sorry, I won’t be here tomorrow. My father is bringing me on a business trip,” he states.

It wasn’t new for you to hear this coming from Chenle. Just the other week, his father brought him along to Japan for a company deal and Chenle came back with a little keychain souvenir for you. The same keychain dangled from your bag now as you both walked to the exit of the building. “Are you free?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t bring my book with me tod-“ you begin searching in your bag, even if you knew it wasn’t there. You were just trying to ignore the way his question made your heart jump.

“I mean… for dinner. Are you free for dinner?” he places a gentle hand on yours, stopping you from looking further in your bag. Chenle’s bold movements sometimes took him by surprise as well. He quickly retracts his hand, shoving it in his pockets. You let go of your bag, placing your hands on either side of you.

“Why?” you squinted at him suspiciously.

Chenle’s smile is small, but doesn’t go unnoticed by you as he turns his head towards his car then back down at you. “Listen, you don’t have to overanalyze this. I just want to treat you,”

  Chenle had thought about it a hundred times or more, before finally making a decision. Although you’ve been seeing each other in cafes and libraries for some time now, he didn’t want to consider those as dates. Sure, it gave him time to admire you up close and get to know you but he wanted you to know his true intentions. The only problem was boy, was he a wuss. And were you oh so dense!

Despite the subtle and not so subtle hints he’s given you, you remained clueless about his feelings. Unsure, confused and just downright oblivious. From the way he looked at you to how he vocally told you he liked you. You shoved everything under the rug, afraid that this boy was just toying around with you and having a laugh. He found it cute.

 It didn’t matter that you were in your school clothes, carrying about three thick books in your shoulder bag. He thought you looked stunning. You ate at a pizzeria just in town and he expressed how it tasted just like pizza from Italy. You said you wouldn’t know the difference since you’ve never been, and had a laugh about it.

The walk from his car to your apartment wasn’t that far, it’s just that he had to park a little further since there was no more space left in front. As you walked together, you noticed how the vibe and atmosphere between you two that developed as the night deepened, was different. More lax, comfortable. Like friends? You were both silent, until Chenle piped up.

“I lied, I didn’t just want to treat you,” he muttered, looking into the distance of your quiet street.

You turn your face towards him and you catch a glimpse of his face in the moonlight before looking away. He’d taken your bag from you and had it around his shoulder now. Him in his white polo shirt and brown suit jacket. He was always dressed like he was attending some kind of formal event. That’s Chenle for you. Mr. CEO’s son.

“Then?” you prompted him to continue.

Chenle averts his attention towards you as you finally reached the front of your apartment. You both stop walking, facing each other with the moon as your spotlight. You look at him from the light of the moon, it illuminated Chenle’s features perfectly. You would be able to inspect him when he studied, but each look at him made you breathless every time you had to look away. Much like right now.

“I wanted to take you out. Like, on a date,” Chenle confesses.

You could never wrap your head around how bold Chenle could be. Always leaving you flustered after saying such things, this boy was your weakness. But you didn’t give in. At least, you tried not to.

“Oh,” was your only response as you put your hands together, looking up at the tall boy. You hoped it wasn’t obvious that heat was rushing to your cheeks and ears by now. You could practically feel your blood flowing through your body, making you feel warm all over. “It was fun, I enjoyed it,” you shyly admit.

Chenle takes a step forward, raising his hand to palm your cheek gently. It’s the first time he’s ever gotten this close. “But I’m not sure you’re ready for my world yet,” his voice is lower, cool. Like wind.

You part your lips slightly, willing yourself to breathe. Your breath is unstable, shaky. This time, you take a step forward. “Are you underestimating me?” You don’t know where the surge of confidence came from, but you were thankful for it. The look of surprise is quickly melted into amusement as this was definitely the first time you ever made the second move to the dozens of times he’d left you flustered.

Chenle dips his head down close to your face. Eyes trained on each other, you tried to get yourself to breathe. He looked alluring, and you watch his eyes drop to your lips. Your head had become blank, nothing in mind. Just him. Chenle, and nothing else. His calm eyes, button nose and plump lips that you so very badly wanted to press against yours. “Are you sure?” he whispers.

You close the space between you and Chenle, lining your lips with his and connecting them together. The sensation almost sending you on your knees, you grab onto his shoulder for support and he holds you up by the waist, swiftly wrapping his strong arms around you. It felt like such a big relief, you almost sighed.

When you pulled away, Chenle’s smile comes into view as you fluttered your eyes open. He places his hand at the back of his head and scratches, suddenly becoming shy. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

“You’re something else,” you giggle, smacking his arm before snatching your bag from his shoulder and turning on your heel to leave. You feel his hand against yours, forcing you to stop. “I’ll see you after my trip?” he asks.

“Same time… for class,” you reply, looking back at him with a cheeky smile. Chenle lets your hand go, a smitten smile on his face and a warm feeling in his chest. Zhong Chenle wished things were simpler. He wanted to give you the world.

 “It’s just a black tie party and my dad’s forcing me to come with a date,” he fixes himself in the mirror. He looked handsome, as always. In an all-black suit that fit him perfectly. Dressed like he had someplace to be, people to meet.

You sat on your bed behind him, arms folded and face scrunched up into a frown. A date. Probably someone from a rich family, better than you, his future spouse. They’d have perfect little babies together. All these bitter thoughts were flooding in your brain. When he notices your unusual quietness, Chenle turns to face you and gives you a goofy smile.

“What’s on your mind?” he approaches the bed, placing either hands on the side of you and leaning in close. Chenle could tell when you lied and knew exactly how to make you crack. You pull your knees to yourself and don’t bother hiding the scowl forming on your face. You couldn’t do anything about it. After several talks with Chenle, he explained how much pressure he gets from the media and his family. How dating even became a hassle because of how the pressure would then be shared with his partner.

For years, it wasn’t a problem. He didn’t find anyone that sparked his interest, and only had meaningless one night stands. He was fine with it, really. But all of that changed when he met you. For once, he wanted to go after something he loved. Not let it go, unlike what he did with his own passion for the sake of his father’s dream and business.

You shook your head, ridding the thoughts in your head and throwing them out. “Nothing. I know it’s just business. Message me when you get home?” you didn’t need to ask, but you still do. Chenle always kept you updated, whether if it was how the party he’s in has a chocolate fountain or if the bathrooms have automatic toilets. It was always bizarre hearing about his stories and taking a peek of what his world is like. The world of corporates. You weren’t ready for it, and Chenle knew.

 The secrecy of your relationship didn’t last very long, soon enough it’s got media questioning who Chenle was seeing and your status. After a few run-ins with the paparazzi, you both decided it would be best if your meetups were more discreet. Luckily, the cameras hadn’t captured your face yet, but it was only a matter of time until they did.

To top it all off, the news had spread across campus. Girls left and right claiming they were the one dating Chenle, it didn’t bother you too much. You had a scholarship to keep and a job to go to. Sometimes, you’d find a single rose and a letter waiting for you in class, or at the café. Of course, you and Chenle had wrapped up the tutorial classes and he was able to pass the exam. He was one step closer to his degree, but happy wasn’t the word to describe him.

He yearned to be with you, have you in his arms and spend hours together just like you used to before things got complicated. Chenle grew lonely without your presence as months passed. Nonetheless, you hung onto the string of hope that maybe one day people wouldn’t care so much. That you could take all the criticism, the heat.

 It was around 2am when your phone rang, disturbing your slumber. It was a Friday night and you took it upon yourself to catch up on some sleep after the horrendous exam week you just faced. Chenle had said goodnight hours ago. You wondered who could be calling at such an ungodly hour.

You pick up without checking the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“Y/N,” Chenle’s voice filled your ear. Your eyes snap open and you shot up from your bed, pulling the phone away from your ear. Sure enough, it was him. Lele, with a little heart beside the name.

“Hey, are you alright?” You ask worriedly. His voice sounded slow and there was rustling behind him.

Chenle lets out a groan, and your heartbeat picks up its pace. You knew better than to think Chenle would cheat, but it was definitely worrying hearing this without any idea what was going on. “I miss you,” he breathed, voice raspy and low. You couldn’t keep the smile from appearing on your face. In the darkness of your room, your heart swelled with joy. “I miss you too, Chenle,” you whispered back.

Distinct voices come through the line, and you make it out to be Jeno and Jaemin. They’re bickering and you hear a guitar in the mix. “We’ll leave you here, Chenle,” Jaemin calls to his friend before you hear a door close.

“Why did you call?” you ask but you were happy that he did.

“Because I can’t be there with you. Even if it’s all I want right now,” he confessed. Your smile faltered and a hint of sadness falls upon your face as he continues. He was obviously drunk, but Chenle has always been really honest because he couldn’t lie. These days however, you haven’t had the time to talk much and you knew there was a lot on his mind. It hurt to know that it’s been this, and you couldn’t do much about it. “I just want to tell everyone about us. Screw what they think, YN. You’re perfect to me,”

Hearing his words gave you a glimmer of hope. You wished he was right, you wished you could believe it.

“Chenle-“ you sighed. “I want that too,”

There was a moment of silence before his voice came through again and you thought he’d passed out drunk already. “I love you, Y/N. I’ve sacrificed so much for my father, but you’re not going to be one of them,”

His words brought the smile back to your face, tears welling up in your eyes from how happy you were to hear them. It seemed at this moment that you could battle anything, because you were with Chenle. Everything would be alright. He was here and you are too, it’s the two of you against the world.

“Tomorrow, let’s make it official,” Chenle proposed.

You bring your hand up to your lips and bite on your nails, now fully awake more than ever. “Okay,” you agreed. Chenle grins, getting up from his bed. “I’m coming over,” you can hear him walking around now, keys jangling and shoes on his wooden floor.

“You can’t drive-“ you hurriedly try to stop him, keeping in mind his state.

“I don’t drive a Tesla for nothing,” he chuckles. “I’ll be there soon,” The outgoing beeping of the call followed afterwards as he ended the call. The realization hit you a moment later.

 The next day, you and Chenle arrived in school together. He stayed the night, carrying a change of clothes in his bag. For someone who was smack drunk, he sure did pack well.

From the moment you stepped out of his car, many students were around to watch. Exchanging whispers and staring, your cheeks set aflame when Chenle pulls you by the arm, your hands connecting between you and threading together naturally. It drew the attention of many onlookers and you chewed on your bottom lip, not used to the attention.

“They’re staring,” you whisper close to him.

“Let them,” He responds. Chenle tilts your head up to meet his gaze before planting a lingering kiss on your lips, confirming people’s already forming suspicions. “You’re my girl, aren’t you?”

[utterlyinevitable]

pb let me *redact* Tobias challenge 🥲

not me turning your tobias thirst asks into a 3-part mini series 😂🙈

Pairing: Ethan x F!MC (Becca Lao) x Tobias Carrick Rating: Teen+ Summary: Ethan’s still pissed at Becca for her Tobias stint when he was in the Amazon. What happens when the narcissist joins the team? Trope: Angst; Broke Up; Ethan’s POV; Fighting; Jealousy

A/N: the toxin plot didn’t happen in this universe btw.

Part 1  |  Part 2

___________________________

Godly Sins: 3. Parting Wrath of Hera

That evening Tobias and Becca spoke late into the night about anything and everything. Well, everything that didn’t involve Ethan, June and hospital drama, nor their two brief wanton stints - truly getting to know one another and starting fresh.

As days and shifts and weekends rolled by, the sparkle they’ve shared began blooming into a friendship.

It was rather inevitable, really.

Two people who shared an indubitable attraction, forced to spend all their time together out of their boss’ sight - It was kismet.

Meanwhile, Ethan Ramsey had been ignoring them both for weeks outside of Diagnostic Team mandated functions - even then, interactions were brief and mediated by Harper. He’s been on edge since Tobias joined the team as Bloom’s nark, presumably. Or at least that’s what he told himself - convinced himself that nothing good could come from whatever this was.

Oh, how things go horribly, horribly sour.

Becca was sitting in the office waiting for the daily Diagnostics Team meeting to start, busying herself by scrolling through social media over eleven times in the last five minutes.

Steps away, Ethan sat at his desk, keeping a cold shoulder and looking over files he purposely keeps on his desk for awkward times just as these. The air between them stiff and stale, as heavy as it was months ago when they had their falling out. They should have acclimated to the unrelenting suffocation of being left alone together - the third shadow accompanying whatever was left of them.

But they hadn’t. Never really could once she realized Ethan would never forgive her for forming a survivalistic attachment to his biggest adversary. Rebecca Lao wasn’t going to let a man’s misplaced pride stifle her. So, she refuses to stroke his ego by hiding - even through the rancor of being alone with him, and the twangs that erupt when they’re this close. She’s not going to idly hover outside, biding time until Harper or Tobias or Naveen or a nurse, or anyone else enters the office first. She’ll sit and she’ll wait for work to begin.

And Ethan Ramsey will sit at his desk and pretend she’s not there. He’ll pretend he can’t smell her perfume, or hear the tapping of her nails to her phone or the heel to the floor as her leg jitters. He’ll pretend she’s nothing more than a ghost of the past lingering in the cornerstone of his conscious, like all the others. He’ll convince himself he’s angled away from her just enough to keep a peripheral eye on the door in case there’s an emergency, even if that line of vision is really just of her.

If Tobias noticed Ethan staring blankly ahead, he didn’t dare attempt to feign interest. The olive-skinned addition sauntered straight over to Becca, hands full and a thin, satisfied smile at home on his lips.

He set down a large coffee and sandwich wrapped in white paper in front of her. Ethan could just about read the stickered logo from where he sat. But he could see the undoubtable way Becca’s eyes lit up.  

“Is this from...”

“The one and only,” Tobias had a cheeky grin - a kind of unbridled simper.

“That was fast.”

“Said I’d buy you breakfast, and I did.” He pulled out the chair closest to her and sat with his signature nonchalant grace. “Did you think I’m not a man of my word?” His hand was waving, palm up, towards the small feast before her.

“More like a flubber.”

Becca’s playful tone matched his in the most complimentary way.

Ethan caught the shining smile they shared - one that could only indicate an inside joke. One that could only mean they were spending too much time together. One that could only mean they were getting along.

Then Tobias plucked a strip of bacon off her sandwich.

And that was when something snapped in Dr. Ramsey.

They weren’t meant to be comfortable. They’re meant to suffer. That was the whole point of constantly pairing them together. These two flawed and moralless people were meant to be a punishment. Just for a while. Just until...

They made a house out of crushed stones.

They flipped the script on how this was meant to play out, and Ethan vehemently resented them for it.

As soon as Harper entered the office, Ethan bolted to his feet and rattled through the meeting. Swift, succinct and blinded by the need to be alone. Alone to plot what comes next.

He was gruffer with them for the rest of the day, and this time they noticed. The scorn seeped through Ethan’s characteristic distain like nuclear waste. Neither Becca or Tobias were guilty of whatever Ethan was holding them accountable for this time - a scapegoat for his repressed feelings. Then why did Becca feel guilty? She did nothing wrong - then or now. This is a natural progression to the seeds he sowed by banishing them.

Ethan will just have to live with the consequences.  

***

The consequences came two weeks later. Powerful and damning and freezing Ethan in place, right in the middle of his office. Right in front of them. 

Tobias and Becca were perched on the diagnostics’ couch. Becca’s hand is in his and he’s rubbing gentle circles of adoration to the soft skin. He didn’t stop his ministrations as the air around them, once a glorious heated serenity, now turned icy. The chill wafting through with the large presence of their past.

“I don’t want to know,” he grumbles as he pulls himself out of his stupor and storms towards his desk.

The words of her off-handed response were as hard as a lingering look into Medusa’s eyes. “Yes you do, Ethan. So ask.”

The contempt. The exasperation. The overall vile irksome in her tone… It was baiting him. She was baiting him to lose his temper. To acknowledge it all. Ethan didn’t mean to say his inner thoughts out loud, didn’t mean to revert on the divine separation he’s put between them all. And he certainly didn’t mean for her to mistake this moment as an olive branch. However decrepit it is. 

Ethan didn’t ask. Just shakes his head and tries to fall back into his ignorance. 

He hears the creak of the couch as the pair stand up and the shuffling of two people moving as one. Ethan’s trying so hard not to watch them - trying not to assess their every move and read too much into it. The pair move towards the door when he speaks -

An authoritative statement pegged directly at her. Eyes devoid of feeling, blue irises creeping down the Marianas trench.

“It is unethical to be involved with a colleague.”

Ethan Ramsey was foolish. Especially so to believe he could have the last word - the last victory of battle in the war he started. For Rebecca spun around with such purpose, the skirt of her dress catching on the wind. Her hands at her sides balling, sharp nails grazing palms.

A rueful snort escapes her, “Thought it was only unethical if there’s a power imbalance?”

She had him there. With the forced team democracy Tobias wasn’t technically a superior. Never mind that they aren’t together. Not really.

If he was a better man, Tobias would intervene and set the record straight. He’d position himself in the five feet between these two Edenbrook legacies instead of behind her. Watching. Decoding every tell tale in the tableau.

The way they were glaring at one another, well... The suspicion that floated as his reasoning to send the basket all those months ago was more than confirmed. And Tobias Carrick just realized what he’s just gotten himself into.

“There will be no fraternizing within my team,” Ethan’s voice strained to keep calm. Tried not to bellow the rule he’s kept in place when it comes to Rebecca Lao. His ears beginning to redden and the vein of his neck protruding. 

Becca huffed a dry laugh, folded her arms across her chest and looked away. Towards Tobias.

In a few seconds many things happened. Becca’s eyes locked on Tobias, shooting him a look that could only mean one thing. Tobias smiled just for her. Ethan’s heart shattered. And Becca turned back to Ethan.

Her once copper eyes now almost entirely black. “Define fraternizing.”

That had Ethan sputtering and Tobias’ sly smile broadening.

“Because friendship is one thing,” she continued. “Sexual intercourse, another.”

That got a rise out of both men for very different reasons.

“Either way, the nature of my relationship with Tobias is none of your concern.”

They’re staring one another down. His sapphire eyes darker than she’s ever seen - all the hurt they’ve caused one another swirling between. Becca can feel the regret in the tension of his shoulders and the stiffness of his jaw. But for what, she doesn’t know - doesn’t want to. The longer she stands here, looking at him for the first time in months, she fears she’ll see every facet of pain she’s caused, and every reason to back down. And that’s too much to bear. Even after it all there’s still a part of her that loves him, always will. 

She’s strong as stone before him, refusing to waver.

Tobias itches to say something, anything. Something that wouldn’t just cut through the tension... 

“If it makes you feel better we’ll disclose to HR.”

Ethan’s neck could have snapped with the force of the swiftness as his head whipped towards his rival. Eyes narrowed and sizing Tobias up - decoding every subtext of the phrase. Every little bit of their unknown closeness. 

With his steely gaze stuck on Tobias, Becca found the strength to pull away. Turned her back on Ethan and began walking out - not a single glance thrown back over her shoulder for either man. Tobias less than half a step behind her. Leaving Ethan with one final look. 

As Ethan watched them walk out, he deflates. A knife stabbed straight to the heart he wasn’t sure he still had. Red blood that beat because of her. 

For her. 

Still.

***BONUS POV***

As soon as they were out of earshot, down the corridor and away from any lingering ears, Tobias spoke; 

“Ever going to tell me what happened between you and Ramsey?”

“A mistake, apparently.”

He squeezed her hand and that’s all that was said on the subject.      

______________________

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

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[realcube]

waking up the hq boys at midnight to get ice-cream hcs🍦

characters: tsukishima, tanaka, nishinoya, ushijima, sugawara,  oikawa,  kageyama 

note: yes, this was very much inspired by that one tiktok sound where the girl wakes up her bf to get ice-cream- 

also, i use midnight as like..the middle of the night- not actaully 12AM lol

tw// fluff, sangwoo- 

Tsukishima Kei

you did not need to wake him up at 1AM to get ice-cream

man was already up, having just came off his phone and laying like this 😐 in bed as he either waited for himself to fall asleep or was thinking about an awkward interaction he had earlier that day 

anyway, as soon as you turned to him like ‘tsukki, do you wanna come with me to get ice-cream?’

he was suddenly 😴 fast asleep, fake snores and all

you were stubborn though, so you hopped out of bed up to go get ice-cream by yourself if he was just going to ignore you 

although, once you threw your coat on, tsukishima decided to start questioning your unusual behaviour, ‘why do you want ice-cream? it’s night; can’t you just sleep like a normal person and have ice-cream in the morning?’ 

honestly, tsukishima probably finds your nightly antics more endearing and cute rather than annoying 

he’d never admit it though- 

if you talk to him after midnight, on the outside he always looks displeased but really, he loves talking to you period

whether it is at 5PM or 1AM

you shrugged, without an explanation for your craving, ‘i don’t need to reason my midnight urges to you.’

with that, you turned on your heels to head out the door with the full intention of going to get ice-cream - this wasn’t a game 

tsukishima groaned as he finally deduced that you were being dead serious and not just doing this to irritate him

‘ugh, wait.’ he scoffed, forcing himself out of bed to follow you, ‘we have ice-cream downstairs, dumb-ass. don’t bother going out.’ 

you didn’t spare him a glance, continuing to venture to the front door, ‘yeah, but we don’t have strawberry.’ 

tsukishima glared at you, realising that persuasion would not work in this situation so he’d have to resort to brute force and trickery

‘ah, alright.’ he let out a sigh of defeat, ‘at least give us a hug before you go then.’

you paid no mind to how he referred to himself as plural, which is something he only does when he is lying or guilty as he is talking on behalf of his two faces 

also, you should’ve realised something was up when he actually asked for a hug instead of just expecting you to give him one

obliging, you wrapped him in a hug; allowing him to scoop you up into his arms, throw you over his shoulder and carry you to the kitchen

‘let me go, you whore!’  you squealed, lightly slapping his back as if that’d make him let you go 

tsukishima snickered at how childish you were being, ‘you can’t go out in the middle of the night to get ice-cream. you’ll die.’ 

‘i won’t die!’

‘you definitely will.’

anyway, he ends up making you both a bowl of ice-cream and eating it with you at the kitchen table while watching Spirited Away

and despite the fact he had some too, he’ll tease you about this for..the rest of your life 

like sometimes he’ll just wake you up in the middle of the night (during holidays ofc - he respects your sleep schedule) and whisper in your ear, ‘(y/n), do you wanna come get ice-cream with me?’

Tanaka Ryūnosuke

IORFHIEBGEGBO THIS MAN

ik most ppl would think he’d just go with you without a second thought or that he’d be the one asking you to go out for ice-cream but- no- 

well, yes; he wants to 

but when you wake him at 1AM 

(which he doesn’t mind btw bc  sometimes he accidentally wakes you up at like 3AM bc he’s ragin’ on Battlefield oop-)

and you’re all like ‘ryū, wanna go get ice-cream?’ *puppy eyes*

he’s like ‘sure!- but i ain’t got money so- no ❤’ 

then he goes back to sleep 

however, if you say that you’ll pay..he’s already standing with your bags by the door

so you’re definitely gonna have to fork up some cash for that good quality pistachio gelato for him if you want his presence 😌

but tbh, if you said that you were just gonna pay for yourself, he’d come anyway-

Nishinoya Yū

y’all go out at midnight for ice-cream at least once a week-

and it literally began bc you were watching ASMRs and Mukbangs together at 1AM during a sleepover 

and one person was having some lemon gelato and it looked 👌✨ immaculate

in that moment, you both looked at each other and neither of you had to utter a single word for you both to know that there was a mutual goal in mind; to get ice-cream, ASAP

so yeah ig you didn’t have to wake him up but you did need to awake the desire for ice-cream inside him

needless to say, y’all ran to the nearest ice-cream place 

and you made a race out of it 

(you won, ofc)

AND YOU BOTH SHARED A CUP OF GELATO AND IT WAS SO CUTE ! q(≧▽≦q)

and y’know the trope where you have food on the corner of your lip/chin etc and the person kisses you to get rid of it? 

yeah he tried to do that with the trope in mind but he deadass LICKED you IWFBVBBFRI

he was like ‘omg (y/n), lemme get that for you’ 😋👅

honestly, ig it depends if you are into that kinda stuff but ik some ppl would leave fast af ( ﾟдﾟ)つ Bye

Ushijima Wakatoshi

sorry i might have a bit of favouritism going on but i feel like ushijima would be a bigger bitch about it than tsukishima (at first)

but it’s like- solely bc you woke him up y’know?

‘ushijima, wanna go get ice-cream?’

he’s just laying there with his bed-head like :/

silently livid bc you messed up his potential 9 hours of sleep

‘no.’

pester all you want but that is the best you’re getting out of him that night

HOWEVER, the following afternoon (after practise ofc), he took you out for ice-cream 😊

and unlike some would believe (by ‘some’, i mean myself 2 secs ago.) i don’t think he’d be all ‘ice-cream is horrible for your health, (y/n)’ or ‘i can’t believe you’re eating that filth. your body is a temple.’

but that rather he’d just happily eat gelato with you; everything in moderation ig :)

OH AND HE’D PURPOSELLY BUY A DIFFERENT FLAVOUR FROM YOU SO HE COULD BE LIKE

‘(y/n), do you want a bite of mine?’ and give you a spoonful to try like the romance king he is  

Oikawa Tōru

you wouldn’t wake him up bc mf needs his beauty sleep

plus, it was during a sleepover at your house so ofc you didn’t want to wake up your guest 

but he’s a light sleeper so when you’re shuffling through your stuff at 1AM, sneaking around the house to find a jacket (trying to be as quiet as possible so you don’t wake him up); his eyes are open and he’s speculating that sangwoo is near

until he turns around to notice that you’re not laying next to him and he is in fact being spooned by a large pillow (probably a sangwoo body pillow smh)

after that, he hops to his feet and storms through the house in search of you so he can yell at you for ruining his sleep grr

however, once he finds you and realises that you look ready to head out, he feels inclined to firstly ask, ‘where are you going? you know it’s 2AM, right?’ 

you replied by explaining your plan to sneak out for ice-cream and he just stared at you, absolutely bewildered for a few moments

he stood like a statue with that stupid expression on his face for ages so you asked him if he was alright, to which he responded, ‘that’s such a stupid idea.’

‘so, you’re not coming with?’

‘of course i am.’

so you both ended up sitting with your ice-cream cones, in your pyjamas, on a park bench somewhere, admiring the moonlit sky along with the stars adorning it

oh, and that was actually the first time he said ‘i love you.’

Sugawara Kōshi

if feel like suga would be exactly like the guy in the sound/video: confused, tired and extremely reluctant but ofc inevitably he ends up standing outside of a dessert place, hand-in-hand with you

he’d wake up, weary from fatigue and he barely has the strength to argue with you during the day - so how exactly was he supposed to do it in the middle of the night? 

thus, he lugged himself out of bed and threw on a coat but as soon as the cold winter air bit at his nose, he was flooded with the energy and will-power to try convince you stay in with him

(It’s his parental senses) 

‘you’ll catch a cold, darling!’ (yes, he does call you that.) ‘and it’s night too, there’s probably a bunch of creeps out and around!’

at that point, it was just a battle of will

bc you both had each other’s wishes at heart

you wanted him to have peace of mind and he wanted you to have ice-cream

(and he was kinda craving some himself tbh)

so you both decided to stay in, tucking into the half-eaten tubs of Ben & Jerry’s in the fridge 

and after that, neither of you got any sleep bc you both stayed up watching movies and cuddling 🥺

Kageyama Tobio

he was wide awake at 2AM, laying beside you on the bed, practising sets 

so ofc the time wasn’t an issue

but kageyama wasn’t big on sweet treats so when you suggested that y’all should go out for ice-cream, you were shocked - to say the least - when he simply replied 

‘sure’

like why would he oppose? he was already awake. plus, he was kinda craving something sweet tbh

also, he could tell it’d make you happy and he’s whipped tbh

so you took advantage of this indifferency by immediately jolting up and dragging him to your favourite dessert place

the whole time, he acted as usual - it was as if he was just on a regular walk to school

when you got there, you both shared a sundae and he paid; what a king (❤´艸｀❤)

(it was bc you had forgotten your wallet/purse at home- but still a kind gesture 💕)

you both just sat in a booth, pecking away at the sundae while talking about anything and everything that came to mind as the low, distant R&B music from the shop’s speakers played in the background

 ‘it is flat. have you ever been on a plane before, (y/n)? did you see a single curve? no.’

you rolled your eyes, finding it physically painful how stupid kagyeama could be sometimes, ‘it’s science, kags. the earth is round! the curves are just very subtle.’

‘no.’

‘YOU CAN’T SAY NO! IT’S SCIENCE!’ 

[sleepylixie]

Lost Boy

Swan Prince! Felix X Princess! reader 

Fantasy AU, Retelling of the Swan Lake. 

5k words, Romance(Fluff/Angst), Beware of mentions of death(Only mentions, with respect to curses and general dark magical behaviour)

A/N: @crscendoforsung​ hallo, Soro!! Tis me, your Secret Santa!!! You’ve been such a sweet soul (That Jisung anon of yours is so cool. btw-) and I hope you like this little offering to make the end of your year a little bit sweeter! This idea seemed to fit your vibe (and Felix) too well, so I just had to give it a spin~ This here marks the start of Christmas on Sleepylixie!! As always I will be incorporating high fantasy into the stories you will be seeing and I hope all of you enjoy reading them! Huge thank you to @aliceu @decembermoonskz and @seraplantery for helping me through moments of writers block hhhh- Do let me know what you think, my ask box is open!~

Drop me an ask! || Masterlist

I love you as misfortune loves orphans, as fire loves innocence, and as justice loves to sit and watch everything wrong. -Lemony Snicket

The first time you met him was quite by chance. You’d broken away from your maids,  eyes glowing in the darkness as you strolled through the woods, humming an odd tune to yourself. It was a full moon night, so you’d headed out under disguise for a night time frolic in the nearby woods. You’d forgone the heavy skirts and tiaras of your royal wardrobe for the looser bodice and thinner skirts of a homespun dress your maid lent you, tendrils of breeze and grass grazing your ankles as you moved. 

All too suddenly, you stumbled  into a clearing by a lake- it was small but beautiful, almost ethereal with it’s still waters and edges disappearing into the shade of the trees. But what caught your eye was a slash of  of white against the darkness of the far shore- upon squinting, you realized it wasn’t a bird, but a boy. Evidently, he’d noticed you too, because he straightened up from his kneeling position, head cocking to the side as his eyes scanned yours.

You smiled at him uncertainly, unsure of whether you were invading a moment of privacy or worse, a moment of dark magic. Your own magic roiled inside you, careful of the possible threat this boy could pose to you. However, he only smiled back, and stepped onto the water- walking over the surface, almost gliding across the lake to your side of the shore. He didn’t leave a single ripple in his wake, almost like he was just an apparition floating right above the water. You watched in silence as he he stepped out of the lake, coming to a stop in front of you.

He was slight in build, almost birdlike- but his shoulders seemed strong under his white and gold outfit. His bright golden eyes curved softly above his cheekbones, burnished bronze hair falling elegantly over the planes of his forehead.

“Hello, mortal.” His voice was deep, instantly sending shivers of wonder down your spine. “Or should I say royal?” He smiled, rosebud lips parting slightly as he nodded at the signet ring on your finger, the only sign of your heritage. He had a sharp eye for detail, this strange boy who could walk on water. Perhaps he was Fae?

“You know of my heritage, but I know not of yours,” you hedged, not wanting to give him your name; names held power, after all. The boy grinned wider, poking his tongue into his cheek as he eyed you amusedly. “You may call me Felix, darling.”

He wasn’t Fae, after all. He was from a far off land, he said, beyond the bounds your kingdom knew of.  He was to stay in these very woods as an apprentice with a family of magic wielders and alchemists. He was an easy talker and an even easier listener; he enjoyed your accounts of the royal court and the parlour you presided over and your evenings of sneaking past the guards into the night markets.

It was a peaceful time with him, walking amongst the woods- you forgot that you were supposed to be with your maids, basking in the new companionship you’d found. You enjoyed Felix’s company, you realized as the night wound down, making way for a new dawn as Felix led you to the edge of the woods.

“You must come see me in the castle gardens,” You smiled, clasping his hands in yours. Felix eyed your intertwined hands before looking back up at your face. Your eyes were bright, your skin glowing against the soft morning sun. “It is a glorious place, you will love the magical herb-house, and oh, the fountain too-”

“I would be honoured, princess.” He bowed his head slightly, suddenly shy. “But I am a being of the night. Visiting after twilight isn’t the most becoming of a lady of your stature, I’m certain.”

Your brows furrowed; he was right, but you did not want to entertain the possibility of never meeting your new friend again. Stars knew when you’d get to sneak this far out of the castle again. “It matters not, dear friend.” you declared. “I shall slip past the guards into the garden, if it allows me to see you again. That is,” you fumbled, a wave of awkwardness invading your mind as you dropped his hands and stepped backwards.  “That is, if you would wish to meet me again, I do not mean to impose-”

“As I said, princess,” Felix smiles-no, smirks, backing up into the trees, almost melting into the shadows. “I would be honoured. Until next moon, then.”

//

True to his word, you saw him standing next to the fountain from your room balcony the next full moon. Slipping past your guards and into the garden, you found Felix gazing around in wonder, eyes bright as he took in the sight.

The wide fountain was set in the center of a large square hedge of rose bushes. At the center of the fountain was the sculpture of a long-haired mermaid with a trident in her twisted hands, face serene as water gushed around her stone-scaled tail. At night, the water shimmered in the moonlight and the soft glow of the moonflies that flitted around the area, making the scene all the more exquisite.

You loved the privacy and peace the fountain provided you, with the tall rose hedges and the flow of water. The moment you stepped into the hedge, Felix’s eyes shot towards you, widening in wonder. You were dressed in lilac gossamer, a silver cape akin to butterfly wings draped over your shoulders and a matching silver wreath woven into your hair... You looked less like the girl-next-door he met and more like the heiress of the kingdom he lived in. He averted his eyes, rubbing the back of his neck. “You… You look breathtaking, Your Highness,” he murmured, bowing low.

You giggled as you walked towards him, your skirts dragging on the grass. “Felix, please. I’m no more than the girl you met at the lake during the last moon. I plead you to not see me otherwise when I am dressed in the garb of a royal.” He straightened up and smiled at you, his demeanor relaxing almost instantly after hearing your familiar voice. He looked almost angelic in the light of the moonflies, bouncing off the glitter on his eyelashes.

“As you wish, princess.” He turned back towards the fountain, letting his fingers trail in the shallow water of the pool as he sat on the edge. “You were correct, this garden is a work of art.”

“It is, isn’t it?” You responded, sitting next to Felix on the edge of the pool, uncaring of your pretty garments. “The gardens take up a good half of the castle grounds. I love spending my nights there. The herbhouse, in particular. We grow a lot of the kingdom’s alchemical herbs ourselves, so I’d suggested we supply them to those who need it for no cost.” Felix glanced at you in surprise, his fingers twirling together two streams of water from the pool. “That’s generous.”

“It’s our duty as royals to make our subjects’ lives as easy as we can,” you shrugged, leaning your head back to watch the stars. “While levying taxes is a necessity, it felt prudent to cut down costs for a normal man and make alchemy available to all. Knowing what herbs are used for what can save lives someday.”

“That’s very noble of you, princess.” He murmured, his lips quirking up as he stared into the night sky. “I’ve seen royals that are drunk off the crown’s power to the point of greed and gluttony. But here you are, giving everything you can for your subjects. It’s admirable, really.”

“As I said, it’s my duty.” You let your attention slip to the pretty shapes Felix was conjuring out of the pool’s water. “Now, tell me, how has your time in the woods been?”

//

As you grew into adulthood, your daily responsibilities became larger, but you welcomed it. You’d trained and studied for years so you could take on the mantle of crown royal for your kingdom, and you were only too willing to make your contribution to council meetings and parlour galas alike. However, your friendship with Felix was like a safe haven from the day’s happenings, a space where you could just be Felix’s companion and not a royal with responsibilities.

The both of you grew more and more comfortable with each other, letting yourself slip into familiarity when you were together. You showed him all your favourite corners of the garden, but your favourite place to spend time together was at the mermaid fountain. You’d always meet there at the last midnight chimes on full moon nights and sit at the stone edge, talking and flicking water at each other.

He would always bring you enchanted wreaths of flower crowns that wouldn’t wilt for weeks- it was for you to remember him by until the next full moon, he claimed. You would wear them everyday until the magic wore off, counting down the days until you got to see Felix again.

The first time you met him was quite by chance. It had been almost a year since you’d begun to meet Felix in your expansive garden. He was waiting for you by the fountain, just as he had a year ago- but something was different. He’d normally be trying to catch the moonflies or playing with the pool’s water, but today he was looking straight at the entrance of the hedge, almost like he was waiting for you.

“Good evening to you too, sunshine.” You smile, walking straight into his arms, as you always did. Hugs were your way of greeting your magical friend from the woods, once you’d caught on that Felix loved physical affection. He’d normally catch you and swing you around, the two of you trying to stifle your laughter as he set you down. This time however, he pulled you closer by the waist, pressing you to his body as he nuzzled his nose into your neck. A shiver of apprehension slithered down your spine. This wasn’t normal.

You pulled back, but his arms tightened around you, restricting your movement- and that was when you noticed it. His normally gold eyes were the darkest shade of obsidian black, his lips pulled back slightly in a smirk. Instead of his usual outfit of golds and whites, he was dressed in stark red and black, making you stumble back at the realization. In your haste to see him again, you hadn’t noticed his clothes, demeanor or eyes, none of which alluded to the boy you were used to meeting.

“You’re not Felix.” You said out loud, hoping against hope that you were wrong. But the boy that stood before you cocked his head, an action that you were so used to seeing from your friend but right now, looked like a foreign action of pure impertinence. “What makes you think so, princess?” His smirk grew wider. You stood your ground, hackles rising at the almost insulting tone he was using. “Was it the clothes? Or maybe the fact that I’m making it obvious how much I enjoy touching you?”

Your teeth gritted as you let out a snarl of your own. “ Watch your mouth, Felix.”

To your surprise, Felix let out a laugh, sticking his tongue in his cheek- another familiar action that seemed disrespectful on this.. This impostor. “Are you scared of me, sweetheart?” He cooed, taking another step towards you. Your magic stuttered to life as adrenaline rushed through your body, an invisible protective forcefield molding itself around your body. “Oh, that’s adorable.” He laughed again, loud and derisive. “That forcefield doesn’t hold a candle to my kind of power, princess.”

“If you’re Felix, prove it.” You demanded, the fear sharpening your senses to cold awareness.  He rolled the cricks out of his neck, training his jarringly black eyes on you again. “We met at a lake a year ago this day. Or rather, you met my twin. He’s the one you’ve been meeting all this while, although I’m loath to admit it. I guarantee you, I’m much looser with my tongue than my damned twin is.”

“If Felix is your twin, what’s your name?” Your voice was cold, devoid of the fear that was rippling through your veins at the moment. “I’m Ellix. Pleased to make your acquaintance, princess,” he spit the endearment out like a curse, dropping into a mocking bow. When he rose, his lips quirked up in the same arrogant smirk, his hands running through his hair. “And who said anything about different bodies?”

//

A quiet knocking awoke you from your slumber the next night, prompting you to sit up and pull the bedcovers over your body. Were you hallucinating? You hadn’t slept at all the previous night, still reeling from the oddity that was Felix. You ordered him to leave the premises immediately after his strange declarations of having a twin… in the same body? He’d held his arms out, pouting for another hug, but you snarled at him until he left. 

Another knock brought you out of your reverie; you were definitely not imagining it. Pulling a robe around your body, you stepped out into the balcony, to be faced with an unfamiliar boy standing next to the railing, his hands twisting together nervously. He had jet-black hair that engulfed his forehead and high cheekbones that made his round eyes look bigger. Your heart dropped slightly; you were hoping it was Felix, here to explain himself. You needed explanations, and your midnight companion was the only one who could give them to you.

“Your Highness, Many apologies for the late hour.” the boy bowed, his voice high for a male, yet smooth- you shook yourself. You were comparing his voice to Felix’s infinitely deeper one. “Who might you be?” You questioned, your voice even.

“I.. well, I’m Han Jisung, your Highness. I’m from the Twilight Woods. You’re Felix’s companion?” The mention of  Felix’s name had you jolting to attention, but you kept your face schooled to polite indifference. “What is it to you?”

“I heard that he.. He wasn’t himself when he came to you the previous night. I felt it prudent to come to you with the information you must be seeking, because Felix won’t tell you himself.”

“On whose authority do you hold this information, Jisung?” you demanded- you were not going to be duped by dark magic. You magic probed him shamelessly for traces of dark magic, turning up with nothing but an airy silence. “On my own, your Highness,” Jisung smiled sadly. “I’m one of the people who know the truth. I’m His Highness Prince Felix’s elder brother, second in line to the Twilight Throne.”

//

“The Twilight Woods outside your kingdom has had its own royalty, ever since it’s inception. We preside over the woods and the surrounding lands and make sure our subjects don’t wreak too much havoc in your lands. Our folk are wilder, they live much longer than your subjects outside the woods and reside further into the woods than any of your folk would dare to wander. The lake you met my brother at is one of the entrances to our kingdom. For the past 200 years, our uncle has ruled the Twilight Woods. His 3 daughters were in line for the throne- but Mina abdicated and Chaeyoung ran away, leaving only… Sana.

“Everybody knew that she was courting the darkness, with her obscene interest in blood magic. When the King our uncle found her in the middle of a pentagram with her hands wreathed in shadows and her lips red as blood, he knew Sana was beyond help. He had her banished immediately, leaving only my little brother and I as choices for ascension to the throne.

“My brother is blessed with an almost endless bank of magic, but he was a creator first, a royal next. His dream was to become an alchemist, providing treatment and protection to the kingdom with his potions. The kingdom loved him, as did our uncle. He saw greatness in my little brother- in his golden heart, infinite power and unflinching moral compass so he chose Felix as his heir apparent.

“The kingdom rejoiced the new era of their to-be king. The coronation was to be the most special day of all our lives. But that Christmas Eve, days before the coronation… Sana broke through the kingdom’s defenses and ravaged her way to the castle. She trapped Felix in a wall of fire in the throne room, rendering any of us unable to help.

“Even his endless power was no match for the abomination she’d become. When she subdued Felix, she.. she placed a curse on him, condemning him to the life of a wordless bird- a swan by day and only reverting to himself by night. She… She gave him no ultimatum. Just that… that she’d give him 50 years to try and find a loophole, just for her sick amusement. If he failed, he would spend the rest of his existence as a swan, completely losing his humanity.

“What we didn’t anticipate was his magic taking a hit from the curse. The internal war his endless magic had with Sana’s curse had created a.. Well, a dark alter ego. We… We called him Ellix. One that was consumed by his base desires and lacked the grace that my brother normally held himself with. Between the curse and the possibility of meeting Ellix at sundown...there was no way he could possibly take the throne. We are not many months short of the 50 year mark, and the stress and fear he’s feeling just means that Ellix is awoken more often than not.

“Yesterday was one such day when Ellix came out to play, and I must apologize on his behalf. You have been a dear friend to Felix ever since you met him. It would shatter him to realize that his own alter ego had damaged a companionship he holds so close to his heart. Ellix is Felix’s darkest, most depraved impulses put into a persona. It is not the Felix you know, the way no mortal is defined by their darkness.

“When he does meet you again, I implore you to not push my little brother away. He is a lost boy, his power and sense of duty beyond that of beings wizened and old. He needs a friend that doesn’t see him for his curse but for the individual that he is. All I ask of you is to be that person for him, for these last few months of his life.”

//

You waited impatiently for the next full moon, barely focusing on your daily royal duties as you counted down the days. As the full moon night got closer, you steeled your nerves, prepared for the possibility of meeting Ellix- a persona that you were woefully unfamiliar with despite the familiar face he carried. This was just another facet of the Felix you knew. How was this any different from the different faces of a mortal’s personality? You would not be bowed by his drastic change in behavior, you decided.

You hurried your steps as you made your way to the mermaid fountain,  the delicate iron chains around your shoulders clicking softly against the midnight blue fabric of your dress. Rounding the edge of the hedge, your eyes instantly caught Felix’s- no, this was Ellix. His eyes were the same obsidian black as before, standing out starkly against his honey skin and the gold circlet that rested on his forehead. You took a deep breath, calming your nerves. His lips dragged up in a smirk akin to the ones he’d flashed at you the previous moon. “If you’re done taking in my appearance, darling, I must say you look absolutely ravishing yourself. ” You rolled your eyes, pursing your lips against the smile that bubbled to your lips unbidden. “If you’re going to behave like a creepy elder with me, Ellix, I guarantee you I will not be hugging you, or walking with you anytime soon.”

A surprised laugh spilled from Felix, his dark eyes lighting up with amusement. This was banter the two of you were used to, indulging in the easy back-and-forth for hours on end. “No hugging or walking for us then, darling.” The endearment spoken in Ellix’s voice struck a chord, sending a familiar shiver of wonder down your spine. “What do you think about talking?”

You grin back at him, taking his hand and leading him to the edge of the fountain. “That is most definitely my cup of tea.”

//

That full moon night cemented your companionship with Felix’s dark alter ego- who wasn’t as dark as he made himself out to be. Ellix was much more easy with his magic than Felix, using his powers to do even the smallest of things. He was also more confident, almost confrontational with his opinions and his sentiments- even if they weren’t in line with yours. You enjoyed the new dimension to your banter, although a small part of you missed the softness that came with Felix himself.

Despite his openness, however, you couldn’t bring yourself to ask about the curse, or the story Jisung had entrusted you with. It seemed too big of a topic to breach- one that Ellix or Felix would have to address by themselves. So you let the conversation flow in the way they wished it to- quick witted banter and almost flirtatious comments.

The next moon had you encountering Felix again, and you were quick to jump into his arms and he swung you around, the two of you laughing brightly as his eyes crinkled, the jewels under his eyes twinkling softly. He left behind a bracelet of rose-petals and a matching rose wreath. The moon after brought back Ellix, this time with his ornery smirk and a kiss on your cheek before he melted into thin air. 

The fluttering in your stomach every time he said something mildly flirtatious, brought out those presents, or let his touch linger for a second too long wasn’t lost to you. You’d felt floaty and obscenely happy with Felix ever since the first time you met him, the quiet nervousness melting into heady peace and teasing banter every time you met after that. When Jisung told you about the curse, the first thing you felt was a wave of concern that you knew instantly was far beyond the bounds of friendship. You wanted to find him and engulf him in your arms, hold him close and tell him he was brave, strong, more special than he allowed himself to believe. You wanted him to stay close by your side, not for one full moon night but for the rest of your lives so you could tell him every day how much he’d come to mean to you, no matter whether it was Ellix or Felix.

It was a soft, simple feeling that had taken root in your heart in the beginning of your companionship with him and had only grown larger since, pushing the limits of your heart in your affection for Felix. It wasn’t just friendship you felt for the lost boy in your garden- it was love. 

//

“You’re lying. Tell me you’re lying.” Your hands pressed against Ellix’s chest, pushing him away from you. Your magic sparked against your fists as you advanced, Ellix’s only reaction an evil grin. “Why would I be lying, darling?” He purred, his own fingers sparking with the beginnings of a flame. You skirted the edge of the mermaid fountain, your eyes trained on him. The anger and betrayal coursing through your system had you seeing red, but you kept your voice even. “How dare you stand before me and tell me that our companionship was a fraud?”

“Oh no no, darling, I didn’t say it was a fraud,” Ellix bit back, looking like a demon set loose from the Netherworld. “I said that this friendship was a game. You let slip so many royal secrets to me, all of which will go towards the siege that the Twilight army is planning upon your kingdom.”

A snarl of outrage ripped from your throat, sparking your eyes as you stepped closer to Felix, eyes ablaze with fury. “You traitor.”

“I’m the Crown prince of Twilight Woods, Princess,” He used the same mocking tone that drove you up the wall. “I’m a royal before your little companion. Did you really think I agreed to your acquaintanceship because I appreciated your COMPANY?” Ellix spit back, his entire body betraying his disgust.

You reeled back at his words, each one of them pricking your heart with a savage sharpness. “You don’t mean that.” you breathed out, but Ellix was on a roll.

“This entire companionship was built for your desires, with none of mine taken into consideration. You’re too absorbed in yourself, with your hair and your clothes and your little kingdom that you forgot that I was a part of this friendship too. You didn’t give a single damn about me, did you?”He shouted, close enough that the two of you were almost nose to nose. You stood your ground, not wanting to seem weak. Not to him. Never to him- “ You just wanted a sweet submissive little boy from the woods to listen to you, and let me make it clear to you, princess. I am NOT IT.”

A beat of silence passed between the both of you- and then you straightened up, looking down your nose at the boy in front of you. “This companionship is terminated as of this second. I owe you nothing, as don’t you. Does that please you?” Tell me it doesn’t please you, don’t do this to my heart, Felix, please-

“Absolutely, princess-” He pressed a kiss against your cheek, a mockery of an action you’d gotten used to from Ellix. But it only served to set you off, a scream ripping from your throat. “No. You don’t get the last word on this sham of a friendship, you dirty liar. I trusted you with my life and my dreams, and this is what I get in return? You should be ashamed of yourself, Ellix.” Your voice cracked from the rage, but Ellix didn’t bat an eyelash.

“Jisung was right. You’re a monster. Begone, Ellix. Take Felix with you and never return. If you do, I will make sure the guards find a dungeon for you with your names on it.”

All you could see was the glint of his black eyes disappearing into the darkness, likely for the last time- and the only emotion you could recognize from the maelstrom in your mind was that of a broken heart.

The walk to your chambers was a demonstration in self control, eyes silvery with tears cast low and your fists clenched to prevent the scream from leaving your throat. It wasn’t until you reached your chambers that you allowed yourself to fall apart, crumbling to the ground behind your door as you hid your face in your hands- and the soft rustle of paper with the movement of your skirts catching your attention. By some sleight of hand, Ellix had slipped a letter into your pocket.  While you had half a mind to feed it to the flames, the sad, sentimental side of you ripped open the thick paper, scanning the elegant scrawl dancing across the paper.

Greetings, princess.

I’m sorry I never told you the full truth.

Sana did leave one loophole. When she cursed me, she left me 50 years to find a mortal that would love and accept me for my cursed self, a mortal that would look me in the eye and admit to it. But when the complications began to happen with Ellix…There was no point hoping. I bided away 48 years, lost in self-pity and the darkness that the curse festered within me. Until I met you.

You were so beautiful in the moonlight, darling. Over time however, I came to know that it was your goodness that gave you that celestial glow- You were noble and selfless, strong yet soft, relentless in your pursuit for all the good you could bring to your loved ones.

I was smitten by you, but I couldn’t stand to taint you with the horrible scars I bring with me, darling. So I kept my secret and met you every full moon, only falling further and further with every meeting. The first time I held you in my arms, it was like a missing key had finally clicked into my locked heart and princess, I didn’t want to let go of you again. You gave me the sweetest memories in the final year of my life,  and for that, princess, I will be eternally grateful.

I am but a smidgen in the glorious story that will be yours one day, even though it pains me that I will never get to be a part of it- so don’t remember me, princess. Don’t worry about me. Don’t try to save me, because I am likely already beyond the point of saving. There’s no way out for me.

The fact shall remain, as it always will in this letter, even after I’ve passed into the darkness- I love you.

I love you as misfortune loves orphans, as fire loves innocence, and as justice loves to sit and watch everything wrong. Justice has done exactly that with me, darling. It has cursed me to live my last moments away from you, lost in my own mind, my magic fighting against the curse to keep the darkness from claiming me. It is my misfortune that I met you so late into my life, but my life’s greatest honour to have known one who shines as brightly as you.

Beyond Forever,

Felix.

You scrambled to your feet and broke into a run, your skirts whipping around your ankles as you let your memory guide you, eyes blurred by the tears that streaked down your face. Ellix was trying to protect you from the pain of losing him, he loved you, he loved you, he loved you- 

Slipping past the guards and into the stables, you were on a horse, riding bareback in the fastest speed you could coax from it, towards the Twilight Woods. You had time, you had to try, you couldn’t just let him die, not  like this-

Before you knew it, you had reached the lake where you’d met Felix for the first time, the memory of his quicksilver smile and his golden eyes- no, one pair of golden eyes and another pair of obsidian orbs flashing across your mind before another fit of tears claimed you. If you remembered right, Jisung had mentioned you’d brushed by an entrance to the Twilight woods somewhere close by this very place-

“FELIX!!” You screamed aloud, dropping to your knees at the shore. “I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, Please come back to me, I can’t bear the thought of losing you Felix, please-” You caught a view of your tear-streaked face in the reflection of the water, rippling softly, uncaring of your screaming.

The first rays of the morning sun began to hit the edges of the lake as you sobbed aloud, the despair setting in and burrowing deep into your chest as the moments ticked by. You scanned the horizon, desperately looking for a sign, any sign of the kingdom Jisung and Felix belonged to- and then you saw it. 

In the far shore, two figures stepped into the soft morning light- both small and slight in build, dressed in whites and golds. One had hair the colour of ebony, the other hair the colour of burnished gold. You straightened up, your eyes widening as you hurriedly brushed the tears off your face.. It couldn’t be..

Both of them stepped onto the water, walking- no, running across the surface of the lake without leaving a ripple in their wake. You got to your feet, backing away from the shore as Jisung and Felix stepped off the water, their smiles brighter than the sun itself. Felix stepped towards you, his arms held out wide and you let out a quiet sob, running right into his warm embrace.

“I love you, I love you so much, thank the stars-”

“You’re here, you’re real, I love you, I adore you, princess-” Your murmurs mingled together, muffled in each other’s bodies as you clung together, scared to move away. You pulled away, your arms still looked around Felix’s shoulders and his neck, only to be met with the brightest grin you’d ever seen lighting up his face. His eyes- one gold and one black, crinkled with happy tears as his lips stretched into an ethereal smile, his hair a dishevelled mess around his ears.  

Felix was the crown prince to a kingdom bathed in betrayal and grief, while you were the heiress of a kingdom that prospered from the nobility that ruled it. Felix’s cousin was likely on the way, pulling her hair out in the frustration of being ousted. You would likely face the music for screaming at a boy in the gardens and then disappearing for hours on end- but in each other’s arms, the two of you were nothing more than each other’s special little forevers.

In that moment, it was truly all that mattered. 

////

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Do let me know what you think! - Elliana.​​

[beautifulterriblequeen]

B2:S - Chapter 5

Much of this series will be about the differences and additions in the novel version, and how they contribute to my understanding of story canon. But there will be character appreciation, the odd theory and headcanon, and suchlike as well.

Here be lots of Viren deets, Best Boy Soren deets, some writing/continuity stuff, worldbuilding appreciation and half of a theory, Detective Rayla, Moon Temple geeking, Claudium and dark magic, and more!

Spoilers for Book Two: Sky below.

(I know for darn sure that I wrote up a post for chapter 4, but I can't find it anywhere so I guess Tumblr ate it and I'll have to redo it at some point, but today is not that day)

Viren, my evil dude, my bad guy, coming in clutch with the worldbuilding and backstory again! If you want to know decades of information, you gotta talk to Viren. Or read his scenes, at least. Here, he seems to not sleep much when he has a big problem to analyze his way through. Solutions trump pretty much everything else in this guy's life, and he's had a really hard week with a lot of new and complicated problems. Of course he's getting sleep-deprived trying to find his way through them all.

Harrow put so much trust in Viren when he made him High Mage! He just threw himself extra hard at that Lady Justice blindfold, didn't he? Didn't really want to see what Viren was doing in his magic study, so he left Viren to his devices. And Viren has a lot of devices.

Also, this is fascinating: Viren made the secret passage to his "less official study" in Katolis Castle! And he was inspired to do so by the way his own mentor kept the Puzzle House. What else could a Puzzle House be, except a place with secret passages? Yay! secret headcanon that "the Puzzle House" is just "Katolis Castle" from Kid Viren's perspective tho

So either Viren built all of those passageways, or at least the ones to his dungeon. Which means he has to have, or know where to get, a stash of those glowing blue Moonshadow crystals. Hmmm.

I can't wait to learn more about Kpp'Ar and young Viren, btw. From this description of Viren and all his literal secret ways, it feels like another parallel between Viren and Runaan, with the whole "secretive paths, members only, insider knowledge" type stuff. Only the really cool members of this cult club get to know the secrets, and guess what, kid, you're cool now but you can never tell anyone, okay? Our secret.

Yeahhh, that'll never backfire in any way for either of them.

Kpp'Ar calling puzzles and secrets "man-made magic," though. Yes sir, knowledge is indeed power.

This chapter mentions Runaan by name, from Viren's perspective. Generally that would imply that Viren knows his name, even though assassins do not share their names, and Runaan didn't seem to give his to Viren in the first book. However, there was a scene in book one where the last paragraph switched perspective from Viren to Runaan - a technique that's very common in visual media like movies and shows and gives you that "ohoho they left the room and didn't notice this, but you do!" vibe. Using Runaan's name there in book one, where Viren couldn't see it but readers could, helps them keep track of the assassin's story arc while maintaining Viren's racism.

So in book two, in which Runaan has no onscreen scenes (alas), using his name in a scene that calls back to the events in book one helps us remember what happened in that dungeon cell. It would be a bit muddier to recall the specifics if Viren kept thinking about Runaan as "Elf." So I'm cool with the perspective nudge because it serves a narrative purpose: clarity. But I'm also enjoying the angst of considering that, somehow, Viren learned Runaan's name either during or after the coining spell. Mwa ha ha haaa. (Obligatory "Keep my pretty name outta your mouth" goes here)

Okay, back to Viren's scheming! He took the mirror because it was human-sized in a dragon lair. He knew it didn't really fit there, and that made it interesting, so he stole it. But he realized it was really powerful when Runaan wouldn't tell him squat about it - the assassin's instinct to protect Xadian secrets from human hands meant that Viren was holding a very powerful Xadian secret. And that just made him want it all the more. Ah, Runaan, if only your relationship with lying was, like, the exact opposite of what it is. Nyx could've spun Viren a believable tale in 2 minutes flat.

Also of interest: Viren considers his cursed coins to be a final fate. He expects Runaan to remain in his coin forever. With the Chekhov's coins still extant in the storyline, we can assume that they'll come up again eventually, but Viren has no current plans to do anything with his elf money except carry it around.

It's worth noting that Viren admits that he got impatient when he trapped Runaan in the coin. Runaan's first fate in Katolis was supposed to be death at Soren's hands, but Claudia "saved" him from that. His next fate was to become spell components, but Viren's frustration with his stubbornness "saved" him from that fate, too. So now he's in a coin, where no one can chop him up at all. Yay? No, boo!

We get one last line about Runaan before Viren shifts gears: he makes a point of noting for us that Runaan's shackles are still locked shut. However much of Runaan made it into that coin - body, soul, hair care products - he was magicked there, pulled right out of his restraints.

The creepy black liquid that Viren pours right into his eyes is the last of a powerful potion he got from Kpp'Ar, and its recipe is ancient! Humans used it back in the age of Elarion to see through the illusions of the world. And we get a delightfully creepy bit of description about the preparation of this serum, which makes it abundantly clear that it's a Moon magic-based concoction, harvested from eyeless vipers on a moonless night, with the threat of irrevocable madness ("madness" by whose definition, though) if it's done wrong-

Hang on. Hold up. This is a Plato's Cave reference. OH MY GOD.

No no I'm fine, this is brilliant. Sorry, sorry, I couldn't figure why there was so much description for a potion prep that Viren didn't even have to perform himself. But now I get it. I see the light. HA. I should make a separate post for this, it's amazing.

Anyway, for reference, the humans who used this serum were called the Oracles of Ophidia, and Ophidia is a taxonomy group that includes all modern snakes. Can you say "creepy ancient snake rites"? I can! Woo!

Viren activates the serum with a spell, but apparently he's never done it before. He's not sure if it's supposed to be hot and bubbly, and he worries that it's been tainted by moonlight.

Oh, I do hope so.

The magic potion hurts, a lot. Viren will do just about anything, to himself or anyone, to do what he believes is necessary. He just risked madness and blindness to find out what this mirror does! Viren. Can you just. Take a nap or something. Have a Snickers.

This chapter gives us a fun clue that I don't remember from the show: when Viren's vision clears and he can see, his reflection has white pupils and the room reflected in the mirror has inverted colors. You know where else has inverted colors?

You know who else got white pupils for a hot second?

Okay, now it makes sense! Viren and Lujanne were both seeing into the realm beyond life and death. Him with his moon magic potion, and her with her moon powers on a full moon night at the Moon Nexus. Which is Very Interesting! Is it a direct hint about Aaravos's location, or just a separate cool detail? Orrr, does it look like a direct hint because Aaravos is actually trapped in the world beyond life and death, but it's actually separate and we'll see something about white pupils again later on?

Viren really does have self-esteem issues, we all picked up on it with his rant at his reflection. He throws a fit when he catches himself wondering if he's actually worthless. In the book version of his tantrum, he shoves the mirror and hurls a candelabra instead of flipping a table. He didn't need to shove the mirror to set the fire, but it's in here. Foreshadowing that perhaps, if push comes to shove, Viren will choose himself over Aaravos? Giving Aaravos time to peek through and see that the coast is clear?

Soren, my boyyyyy. He has a rough night at the Moon Nexus because two sides of him are fighting with each other. He struggles to understand Callum's friendship with Rayla, and he also fantasizes about chopping off Rayla's head. One of these is a pretty ordinary thing to do. The other is Soren's internalization of what he needs to do to gain his father's approval. If he brought his dad a chopped off elf head every week, he'd probably feel a lot more confident because Viren would praise him a lot more.

Okay, okay, omg, is it just me, or does the "Moonshadow Madness" story, as it's told in the book, seem like Soren just doesn't know what a monsterfucker is? He thinks an elf bite puts humans under a spell. But vampires are sexy, and some people want them to do more to them than just bite them. A passionate kiss under the moonlight could look very bitey, especially if one of the participants has horns and you're already culturally trained to hate them. No yeah, I'm already headcanoning an actual human-elf kiss that got misunderstood by an observer long ago.

it's Lujanne isn't it, we all know, because what is a love spell but a sweet soft illusion, I mean how else does she get supplies for her Caldera, I ask you, and also Corvus was totally sent to investigate once and he told Soren at camp what he saw

And then back to magefam angst: Soren pretending that his sister's nose-tapping is stupid, even though he actually thinks it's cool, just because their dad thinks it's stupid. Viren, istg. Let your kids like harmless things. It's so cute that Soren taps his nose back at her, though! Like they have their own sibling code. I hope we get to see the nose tap again, especially now that they've chosen different sides. It could mean so much, that they're not too far apart yet.

Rayla knows what buttery pancakes smell like. I love this. Do Moonshadow elves have butter and pancakes, does Rayla eat a stack of eight giant pancakes in the morning? Orrrr it is just illusion food? I don't care, let Rayla have pancakes! Everyone loves pancakes. Pancakes will save the world. this message brought to you by the fact that I can't eat pancakes rn, send help

I love that Rayla is both sus of the pancakes and hungry, and that combines into a very motivated "I will get to the bottom of this" attitude. She kind of goes into Poirot Mode when she inserts herself into Soren and Ellis's conversation about Ava, explaining about the wolf's illusion leg and segueing into her claim that the pancakes taste sus. Claudia confirms she used dark magic, and Rayla is furious. It's different than the show's version in that it puts Rayla in detective mode, as the only Moonshadow elf in the scene, and boy does she take that role seriously. Also, she doesn't actually swallow the dark magic pancake bite. It ends up on the ground just like Lujanne's grubs from that earlier meal. These poor kids are so nutrient-starved. You guys gotta eat!!

Rayla's determination and prejudices and the fact that she super knows Harrow is dead all dovetail to make her try repeatedly to persuade Callum that Soren and Claudia are Not To Be Trusted. It's nice that the book keeps taking the time to point out that Rayla is Well Intentioned But Flawed, just like Callum and pretty much every other character in the show. No one is Right All The Time, no one Knows More Than Everyone Else.

Callum loving the sound of Claudia's unique voice is so wholesome. When you like someone, it only makes sense that you like all the things about them that they can't change - like the sound of Claudia's voice. Her choices with dark magic, not so much!

Claudia seems to have the same concerns Soren does about Callum's relationship with Rayla, but she comes out and asks him. The inherent possession implied in "your elf" is interesting, though. Elves are not people to Claudia. They're enemies who can be disassembled for the magic inside them. So maybe more like robots than living beings, if she knew what a robot was. Maybe she heard Soren's "Moonshadow Madness" story and realized he totally missed the kissing implications - but she didn't, and now she's genuinely worried that Rayla could kiss Callum under a full moon and enchant him to do her will. Good thing it's only a half moon, then!

Okay, Callum nervously making a puppet hand and then not knowing what to do with his hands and freaking out about itching and moving and pointy elbows is such a ND mood. The sudden stress of knowing that someone else is noticing your existence and maybe you're Not Existing Right, amirite? Ugh, poor Callum.

The Moon Temple! Omg it's so pretty in the description! Made to be beautiful and useful, full of knowledge but also allowing light and life inside (butterflies and vines). Lujanne, when can I move in, please? Also, it's all the more angsty because Lujanne is the only one who gets to see this beautiful place, but it has lots of chairs and shelves and tables, and it was meant to be used by lots of people. :(((

Claudia knows some of the runes on the walls. She isn't in a hurry to copy the rest of them down or anything, either. Her spellwriting is very precise, and she's a skilled mage. Her father would have made sure she was aware of the dangers of drawing sloppy runes, as much as he made her aware of the dangers of doing dark magic wrong. And the whole point of dark magic is that it's easier to learn than primal magic. Claudia supports her dad and their shared knowledge and life path. She's not gonna go nuts over an elf library she can't translate.

Side note: Between Claudia knowing some Moon runes and Viren building a secret passageway and a dungeon and lighting it with the same blue crystals that Lujanne and Ethari use for light--and Claudia exclaiming that she loves ruins--I wonder once more if there are really Moonshadow ruins somewhere in Katolis, which Viren has found and looted. Father-daughter relic hunting trip, maybe while Soren is away at camp? Omgsh that would be so wild!

Callum out here having a Viren moment with his "I feel powerless unless I've got magic that lets me help" vibes. God. I love their complicated mirroring. One of the hard differences between them is that Callum is very sure dark magic is bad because you have to kill stuff and take its power to cast spells, and he doesn't want to be a person who kills and takes like that. The line he walks to be nice to Claudia on their tour of the Cursed Caldera because he likes her, while telling her that he doesn't want to do her magic, like, ever, is so fine that it might as well be a shifting shadow on the ground. It's a very fitting conversation to be having during the half moon, with its tricks and little white lies.

Callum being out of the castle and his comfort zone, having to deal with the fact that the Claudia he loves is not quite the Claudia who's chasing him down across the kingdom, but of the two of them, he's the only one with a problem with this.

They say that if you really want to get to know someone, you should spend time with them outside their comfort zone - in heavy traffic, with a small baby, taking care of a new pet, trying a new skill, following unfamiliar directions, etc. While the castle is familiar territory for them both, Callum's never really found his comfort zone yet, while Claudia is pretty comfortable with her growing skill set. The creepy part starts to kick in when Callum begins to realize that Claudia's comfort zone encompasses a whole bunch of stuff that seems like it should make her uncomfortable... but it doesn't. But that'll be for a future chapter!