#this scene probably won't make it into the final fic but i'm still very fond of it

[errorryx]

👀

also 👀👀👀 at that excerpt, exciting!!

so glad to get people interested!! here's a passage from the original first chapter, which i've since rewritten.

—

Pearl knows this hunter. She’s a traveler, though she doesn’t sell anything. She has pretty freckles and a sweet, friendly voice, a shriek of a laugh that carries through the town square. Pearl had spoken to her just this morning, and had come away from it thinking they could be friends.

Now, she’s a monster. Hooves and horns and glowing eyes. Any trace of the kindness she’d shown Pearl earlier is gone, replaced only by hunger.

“You’re pretty good at this,” she calls up to Pearl. “It’s been a while since anything in these woods posed a decent challenge.”

“Finally, someone who appreciates me.” Pearl gets sarcastic when she’s scared, and right now is no exception.

The hunter laughs that same bright, clear laugh as before. “And here I thought you were scared of me.”

“Eh.” Pearl shrugs. “I’ve met lots of hunters before. You’re not so special.” She neglects to mention that she’s never been this close to one before, never caught more than a fleeting glimpse as she fled back to safety.

“I know, right?” the hunter says. “I mean, look at me. I don’t even have a way to attack you.”

Pearl squints down at the hunter to verify this information. She has no claws or fangs to speak of, but a well-aimed kick from one of her hooves could do some serious damage. “And I’m sure if I came down there, you wouldn’t even try to kill me,” Pearl says. “You’d just let me go on my way without a problem.”

“Exactly!” the hunter agrees. “It can’t be too comfortable for you, perched up on that teensy little branch.”

“I don’t know,” Pearl says. “I think I like it up here.”

“You sure about that?” The hunter steps up to the trunk, reaching out for the low branch. Pearl holds in a breath, tightly gripping the branch she’s standing on, prepared to swing down from it to minimize the impact of the drop. But the hunter doesn’t go any further, either unable or unwilling to attempt the climb.

“Pretty sure,” Pearl says. “It’s a nice view. I could sit here all night, honestly.”

“Hmm,” The hunter stares right at her, spreading her arms open, and Pearl watches as she starts to sprout fur right then and there. Her nose and fingers begin to darken in the effort. “I don’t know. It’s awfully cold out, isn’t it?”

It is, but Pearl won’t admit it that easily. “You’re not going to trick me into coming down there, you know.”

“And you’re not going to last all night up there,” the hunter says. “So why don’t we make a deal?”

—

wip ask game

[findafight]

Hey! Do you have any headcanons or ideas RE Mr & Mrs Buckley? (Or Mr & Mrs Harrington?)

I like to imagine that Robin’s parents have some suspicions that Robin *maybe* isn’t straight. Melissa *desperately* wants to say something, let Robin know that they love and accept her no matter what (when she finally does come Melissa’s like “You could become a cop or join the army and I’d still love you!”). Richard is very firm that they should leave it be and let Robin come to them if she’s ready.

This doesn’t stop Melissa from dropping hints, trying to prod Robin into opening up to her, but all Robin hears is “Mom is already scared I’m gonna die a spinster”.

This is part of the reason they’re wary of Steve when he starts hanging around. Like, he’s a nice enough boy - if they were sure that Robin liked boys, he’d be a lovely little son in law.

Oooh yes I love her parents I know the companion novels are only like. Half canon but greatest gift we got was Hippie Christmas. (I like to headcanon that Richard and Melissa have a bunch of friends who go by the names they choose in the 60s. Robin's got at least an aunt Periwinkle, and an uncle Salmon [goes by Sal for short!])

Mr. Buckley is the son of Italian immigrants and spoke it at home growing up, Mrs. Buckley was the daughter of French immigrants and did the same, which is how Robin first got her love of language speaking three different ones at home! Richard Buckley loves to cook and little chicklit Robin helped him with a special kitchen foot stool 🥺 and also he is very dad-shaped I think. Melissa probably is the one between the two to decide she's going to read war and peace in one sitting (original Russian optional) and make derisive noises at parts she doesn't like but won't elaborate on what happened. Also she is probably the one to play an instrument (maybe saxophone or bassoon?) There is at least one Buddha in the Buckley house.

I think her parents are supportive to the best of their abilities. Maybe they were in a really welcoming scene before Robin was born (also. Depending on when Robin was born [I've said she's a December 67 baby in a fic but I'm really not picky] she could be a summer of love baby and when she realised this she was horrified and refused to acknowledge it ever again lmao.) And so they pick up some...vibes when Robin was young and would moon over pretty teachers or princesses, give each other Significant Looks when she did.

Robin's line about her mom reminding her she rambles I think is just natural strain between parent and child, and possibly even her mom trying in an awkward and seemingly harsh way to protect her because Robin does have some clearly neurodivergent traits, which people can find off putting and she might be picked on for.

Love what you're putting down with Mrs. Buckley saying they'd always love her to show they'll stay by her if she comes out. But I think the delivery would be more. "Robin, we will always love you. Always..." Here she paused to think of something that isnt about being gay but would still convince Robin even if they thought it was bad they'd be there. "Even if you...decided you wanted to be a c-🤢 a cop. Or maybe even...🤢 Joined the🤮 military..." While Mr. Buckley is looking at his wife trying to charade to her that this is NOT a convincing speech!!

When they meet Steve and he and Robin are just hanging all over each other and bickering, and the Buckleys have to take a step back because did they get it wrong? They like Steve and he seems delighted to meet them and spend time with Robin and is so obviously fond of her... Of course people can like both but they were pretty sure Robin didn't...but her and Steve fit together so nicely.....except when Melissa brings up that it'd be perfectly alright for her to introduce Steve as her boyfriend Robin makes a gagging sound and screeches that he is her best friend and just because she sometimes want to crawl into his brain does not mean she ever wants to crawl into his pants.

Neither Melissa or Richard Buckley actually know what to do with that.

[wildflowerteas]

hi hello I'm just here to say WIA RUINED me and then after going crazy and crying I sent it to my friend and it RUINED him. we're both not the same as we were before we read it, and I hope you know that when I say it left me wanting to scream and kick the wall and punch it too is a compliment. it left me with a weird heavy feeling like dread but not? it's weird I don't really know how to explain it. it's one of those fics you will never ever reread because of the pain it put you in but it's engrained in your memory forever and you look back at specific scenes fondly. your writing is so incredibly beautiful it's so hard to describe. it's so... real but also not? like it feels extremely grounded but it's also deeper than that.

when I saw you had started a new fic I was sitting there like "oh god this is gonna be another fic that ruins me isn't it" but because of the.. chuuya being dead thing I will shield myself and refrain from reading it unless I fully break myself via your art. I still couldn't keep myself from reading the first chapter tho aha.... and obviously it's fantastic. all of your writing is fantasticly beautiful and even though I won't be reading it I know it's going to be a beautiful and heartwrenching story, as I already know is your specialty.

awww oh my gosh thank you so much ?? (≧◡≦) ♡ i'm sorry to have caused such emotional distress, but i'm very glad to hear that it was enjoyed, and that it's going to stick with you. wia was always something i planned on writing for myself, given its themes, but knowing that it breached containment and helped make other lives better ( or worse? ) . . . that really, truly means the world. thank you.

ah . . . yeah. as for tsp and the mcd warning. all i'm going to say is that i have a penchant for twisting the meaning of that tag as much as i possibly can, but i'm so so glad to hear that you enjoyed the first chapter anyway <3 that one was such a delight to write, even if i did agonize about it for two weeks with my beta reader before finally posting. getting to jump into this whole new world ( 70s sskk and 50s skk was . . . phew. what a challenge!! ) was a real test of how much i could bend the bsd cast to fit this new setting without it seeming . . . too off.

as for my specialty?? __〆(￣ー￣ ) yea . . . probably. even if tsp is an entirely different kind of au/character study compared to wia, i am definitely falling for my fondness of tragedy. thank you so so much for checking out the art as well?? wow. that means so much. thank you.

<3

[rikumorimachisgirl]

So, I started writing this Mystic Messenger fic last year but lost the inspiration to continue. I finally finished it today, so I hope you like it.

Oh, and I commissioned this lovely artwork from @hydeine last year, too. I said I'd tag her when I finally post the fic. I suppose today's the day. Here we go...

Title: Strawberry Pancakes

Pairing: Jumin Han x OC (Iris)

Genre: Fluff

Word count: 2,665

Author's notes: Some of the scenes were faithful to the game.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mystic Messenger, but I own the idea of this fanfic.

It started with pancakes. Those thick, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fluffy stove-top cakes that both of them - apparently - were both fond of. 

The first time they talked about it got him into a spot of trouble. Over an utterly dull lunch date with his father and his latest conquest, amidst the rich ambiance of the Michelin star restaurant where only the who's who in society were spotted, Jumin Han chose to indulge in a little tête-à-tête of his own at the RFA chat room with her. 

Her. Iris  - RFA's accidental member, unofficial party organizer, everyone’s cheerleader, and about the only other person who resonates with him. Jumin quietly as he waited for her to respond to his last message. Over the last twenty minutes, they have gone from talking about Elizabeth the 3rd’s grooming habits to his favorite breakfast food.  

| ‘I like chocolate chip pancakes.’  He felt his lips stretch sideways as he read her message. It was strange, he thought, how he's been joining the chat room more often since she joined. In the two weeks that they've been chatting, he felt closer to her than he's ever been with anyone in his life. 

| ‘I figured you would.’ He typed and sent.

|’Huh?’

|’You seem like the type who'd indulge in something with high sugar content early in the morning.’

|’That was a lucky guess, Jumin.’

|’But I don't believe in luck.’

|’Oh, and I suppose you think you've got me all figured out already? If you're so smart, tell me what I’m thinking at the moment.’ He smirked at her cheeky response. 

| ‘Iris, I'd like to remind you that I’m a businessman, not a fortune teller. If you’d like me to infer based on our conversation though, I'd say you're thinking that I like buttermilk pancakes, to which the answer is no. I prefer strawberry pancakes.’

Silence. 

| ‘Am I really that predictable?’ Her message finally came in two minutes later. He chuckled. In his mind, he imagined she probably would’ve pouted as she replied. 

“You seem rather amused, son. Did something happen?”

The sound of his father's voice snapped him out of his daydream. The young executive silently cursed himself for carelessly dropping his guard. Clearing his throat, Jumin straightened up and ran a hand through his dark locks. 

“My apologies, father. I had urgent business to take care of.” He tucked his phone in his pocket while wishing that Iris would understand why he hadn't gotten back to her. 

“Judging by your smile, I take it that business is going well?”

It took all of his willpower not to roll his eyes at his father's new girlfriend. Glam Choi was it? And what was it that she did? Judging by how she managed to turn heads, he deduced she must be some kind of celebrity. Nothing special, he thought; after all, his father, the Chairman of the Board of C & R International, seemed to have dated them all - socialites, celebrities, models, beauty queens - some of whom were even a year or two his junior. 

“Jumin? Are you all right, son?”

He silently cursed himself once more. While he was silently judging his father’s new girlfriend, he had once again dropped his guard and gave the older man the opportunity to call him out. 

“My apologies.”

“That's twice you've apologized. My, what an interesting day it is indeed, ” the stately older man said curtly. “Is our company not to your liking, son? Please just bear with us for a few minutes more. After all, your assistant told me that you won't have an appointment in the next hour or so.”

Jumin took a deep breath and sighed. If he had only known his old man’s agenda was to introduce his new girlfriend, he would’ve begged off right away. God knows he’d much rather be eating pancakes with her now than having a full-course meal in this place. He shook the thought away for a moment. Now wasn't the time to dream of her. Fixing his grey eyes at his father and the young celebrity he decided to date, he feigned a smile. “Very well, father, you have my full attention until then.” 

OoOoO

The second time they talked about pancakes was more of an afterthought. It happened right after their first kiss. 

Their first kiss. The very thought of it still made his heart race. He remembered every little detail as if it were yesterday. He had Assistant Kang to thank for arranging everything for him. Thanks to his efficient employee’s quick thinking, he was able to meet Iris a week earlier than the rest of the RFA members, although if he had a chance to do it over, he wouldn't be as flustered as he was when he first laid eyes on her the night before.

He watched in awe as she stepped into the foyer. She was everything he’d imagined - slender and graceful, her brown hair cascaded down her back, and her dark brown eyes looked back at him with the same level of wonder. 

“Jumin, i-it's so nice to finally meet you.”

He swore he’d never felt his heart beat faster than it did at that exact moment. ‘Get a grip, ’ he scolded himself, as he schooled his emotions before it got the better of him. He must not lose his footing, after all, he was Jumin Han - businessman, philanthropist, future CEO.

“You’re beautiful.” The words slipped from his mouth quite naturally, and he immediately regretted it when he saw her cheeks turn several shades redder. 

“I’m sorry, ” he cleared his throat. “What I meant to say was that I hope you traveled safely. If I had known Assistant Kang was going to ask you over, I would’ve sent out my driver to pick you up.” 

And then she smiled, and he knew right away that he was going to do whatever it takes to keep her. 

“Who is this woman and what is she doing in your house?”

Jumin gazed at the shameless woman his father had been forcing him to marry and resisted the urge to throw her out of his penthouse himself. 

“Sarah, please don't be like that. I'm Jumin's friend -”

“And what kind of friend comes a man's house alone? By the looks of it, you probably stayed the night, too!”

If Iris was the least bit upset at the insults hurled at her, she did not let it show. Unfortunately, he was far from being gracious. 

“This is dragging on far longer than I expected. I'm actually quite surprised I hadn't thrown you out the door the minute you showed me that fake cat picture. My security will show you out.”

“What? No, you can't do that. I'm your fiancée,” Sarah cried out incredulously. 

“Oh, please,” he said haughtily. “If you think that we'd  gotten engaged just by exchanging a few words, you're clearly delusional.”

“So, you're choosing her over me?”

“I don't know why you're even asking,” the dashing Chief Director of C & R International said, as he turned his attention to the willowy brunette who stood quietly in the corner. Something about the way she looked at him urged him to come closer to her. With each step he took, the answer became clearer. He stopped in front of her and smiled. She was a good head shorter than him, and she looked adorable gazing up at him with those big brown eyes. 

“It wasn't like I had another choice to start with,” Jumin finally said, his eyes never leaving hers. “Iris,” he whispered, as he lifted her chin and closed the gap between them. He could've sworn he felt a shock wave run through his body the minute his lips touched hers. Suddenly, the sound of Sarah's protests faded, and all he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat - or was it hers? He really couldn't tell - but every single one of his senses zeroed-in on the beautiful woman in his arms.

Her lips were the softest he’d ever kissed - not that he’s had lots of experience - as a rule, he only kissed women because he needed to close deals with them and the kisses they shared were always cold. This, however, was different. As his mouth moved over hers, again and again, all he could think about were two things - how her kisses taste like strawberry pancakes, and that he could never get enough of her. 

OoOoO

The third time they talked about pancakes was a memory guaranteed to make her blush almost immediately. He remembered vividly - Provence in July, a month after they'd gotten married. He promised to take her on an unforgettable honeymoon anywhere she wished. He thought she'd choose to go to Paris, Santorini, Milan, or even Ibiza, and he’d be happy to take her there; but instead, she chose to go to his newly-purchased winery so he could still oversee their daily operations while spending time with her and Elizabeth the 3rd. 

That's so like her. 

He woke up alone in bed one Sunday morning. Frustration marred his beautiful face as he ran his hand over her now-empty side of the bed, and found it still warm. She couldn't have been gone for long, he thought. And Elizabeth the 3rd, who usually enjoyed sleeping late, was not in the room as well. Still half-asleep, he forced one eye open to glance at the clock on her nightstand. 

‘Six-thirty, ’ he groaned silently, as he rolled on to his back. What exactly could his wife be up to this early? Sighing, he rolled out of bed and left the room in search of the beautiful woman who disappeared from his side before he even got to kiss her good morning. 

The house was quiet except for some movement coming from the kitchen. Raising an eyebrow, he quietly made his way to the large French country-style kitchen his wife loved so much and found himself entranced at the sight of the lovely brunette he now called wife, stirring something in the mixing bowl while their pet sat on the counter, looking curiously at her. 

"I hope I get this right, Elizabeth the third, " she told the cat softly. "Jumin's pancakes always taste good, so I hope he'll like these."

Her innocent declaration made him gasp. She was making pancakes for him. And that realization made him pick up his feet and head over to where she was at. 

"I see you both are up early."

"Jumin -, " she cried out in surprise, as she felt his arms wrap around her waist from behind. "Good morning, my love. I didn't expect you to be up so early."

"I could say the same about you, especially after we made love several times last night, " he responded, as he planted soft kisses on the side of her neck. Her cheeks turned red at the thought of their passionate night together, and he smiled, knowing how embarrassed she was. "You're blushing."

"I can't help it…, " she murmured. "And I think you've disappointed Elizabeth the third." 

He watched their pristine white cat jump off the counter and saunter out of the kitchen. "I think she's just giving us some privacy. Don't worry, she'll be fine, " the dashing young businessman said as he stopped kissing her, but kept her in an embrace. "So, tell me what you're up to." 

"I was going to make strawberry pancakes for you, " she started, her face still flushed. "But I'm not sure they're as good as the ones you make."

"Is that so?" He unwrapped his arms and moved closer to the counter where the mixing bowl was. "I suppose there's just one way to find out." 

She watched in silence as he dipped his long and slender finger into the bowl and scooped up a tad bit of better. Carefully, he brought his finger near her lips, while watching her gently. "Say ahhh…, " he said and laughed at how dutifully his wife complied. "Well?"

"It's sweet…"

Cocking his head to one side, he smiled at her wryly. "Is that so?"

"Why don't you taste for yourself?" 

His eyes twinkled with excitement, as she failed to realize how enticing her offer was. Cupping her face with his hands, he leaned forward and whispered, "I suppose I will, " before he ravished her mouth - and all of her body - over and over just like the night before. 

The pancake batter was left untouched until later that day. And as she had placed ointment on the scratches she had left on his back, he feasted on the strawberry pancakes she had made just for him. 

OoOoO

The fourth time they talked about pancakes was on Valentine's Day - the first of many they'll be spending together. He thought of many ways they could be celebrating this together and spent a lot of sleepless nights thinking of the perfect present for her. Never once did he think they'd be spending the day spooning her in bed, with one hand caressing her swollen belly. 

Thirty-eight weeks. She had been carrying their first child for nearly nine months, and despite her growing belly and her slight weight gain, she continued to look even more beautiful. 

"I really want pancakes, Jumin."

His hand stopped moving, and he raised an eyebrow at her upon hearing her request. "Darling, I asked you what you wanted for Valentine's…"

She snuggled closer to him as she felt his low voice vibrating on his chest. The gentle sound of his voice always soothed her and the baby, and she wanted to hear more of it today. "And I told you I want pancakes."

He frowned, feeling a little upset at her answer. In truth, she could have anything she wanted - jewelry, cars, all the designer items a woman could get her hands on - but all she wanted to for Valentine's was his home-cooked pancakes. "That's all you want?"

"That's all I want, " she hummed. A few seconds later, she felt the baby kick and the sensation made her giggle. "See? Even the baby wants pancakes."

"But the doctor said you should lay off sweets…" He should have known better than to speak those words because no sooner had he said them, she immediately turned to him with sad puppy eyes. He sighed. He knew at this point that he had lost to her once again - after all, he could never resist her - but he wanted to make her victory a little harder. "As I was saying, the doctor said…"

"But Jumin, I haven't had anything sweet since we found out I was pregnant, " she said, pouting. "And I'm really craving the strawberry pancakes you make."

"Will that make you happy?"

"Very much so."

Sighing again, he untangled himself from her and rolled out of bed. "All right. I suppose I can alter the recipe a little bit. You just lay there and rest, okay? I'll be back with your pancakes."

Elizabeth the third jumped from her bed and walked beside Jumin as he stepped out of the room. "How long do you think before she rolls out of bed and follows us?" He asked, glancing sideways at their precious feline as she mewled her response. "Ten minutes? That's too generous. She's been too fussy lately, but something tells me you're spot on, so we need to move fast."

And true to form, a very pregnant Mrs. Han waddled out of their room ten minutes later, enticed by the mouthwatering scent wafting from the kitchen. 

"Those smell heavenly, " she said excitedly, as she made her way beside her husband and stood on tiptoes to give him a kiss. "Thank you, Jumin, " she whispered before she waddled towards the cozy little breakfast nook she had designed for them. 

He smiled, as he watched her walk away from him. She had no idea how happy she's made him, how lucky he was that she came into his life, and how thankful he was for all the many things that brought them closer together. Especially strawberry pancakes.  

The end.