#those flashbacks were the bane of my existence

[crispysnake]

yk you read kith & kin and you read vm origins and you're like yeah I think I know a good chunk of twins backstory angst, but I've since recovered! AND THEN CR KEEPS THROWING MORE SADNESS EVERY SINGLE SECOND I BREATH

[hobbitkiller]

As someone who will defend Ahsoka tooth and nail and finds much of the criticism lacking, here’s what I thought could be improved:

1. Eight episode seasons are a bane on streaming, and it was a detriment to Ahsoka. The fact that Andor got 12 and Ahsoka 8 sucks, partly because I think Ahsoka needed those extra episodes far more to flesh out the dynamics and go further into motivations.

2. The mystery box reveal of Sabine and Ahsoka’s falling out, like so many mystery boxes, was unsatisfying and hastily done given how much that whole mess clearly contributed to both their actions, with Ahsoka being intentionally stoic and reserved and Sabine feeling lost and abandoned. I don’t know if this is something that was going to be dove into later, but I think it should have been given more time.

3. I thought the direction of the final episode wasn’t great. The blocking and pace of all the fights except Morgan and Ahsoka felt off, and Sabine using the Force did feel slightly weightless. I think Natasha did fine, and I liked that her hands were trembling when she pushed Ezra, but something about those shots didn’t land.

4. Marrok was pointless and seemingly existed for Ahsoka to have a cool kill. I don’t think we had time for that with only eight episodes.

5. The balancing act of trying to satisfy Rebels and Clone Wars fans while not completely alienating Mandoverse and movie fans didn’t always work and led to silly things like Sabine’s “I can’t see. How am I supposed to fight?” line, which is a fun reference for film only fans but makes no sense in context for Rebels fans who wonder how she forgot Kanan was blind.

Otherwise, there are things I would have liked to see that are in my wish list for Season 2. Kanan appearing as a vision or in a flashback would have been great. Letting Hera hug her adult children, Sabine with her jetpack, referencing the fact that she was the one who gave Bo-Katan the Darksaber…but these are more personal wants than active criticisms.

I think a lot of the flaws with Ahsoka were based on current streaming conventions, and I hope changes being implemented after the writers’ strike will help course correct.

[minhosimthings]

Someone Older, Just a Little Bit Colder.

Summary: Yoon Y/N and Lee Minho. Perfect enemies. But when some guns and roses get mixed up with both of them, I wonder what the fates have weaved for their story.

Pairings: Fem!reader × Minho, classic Enemies to Lovers. Includes rest of Skz and other groups

Warnings: lots of violence, blood, murder, guns, swearing, mention of food, mention of dead bodies. There is a lot of violence so please do not interact if you are sensitive to these things.

A/N - I finished this finally. This took a lot of time and it is probably my longest work till date. I took inspiration from an edit I saw on Instagram. So here you go! Please enjoy this and feel free to give me feedback. I don't like some parts of the fic that much tho. Cause I was very lazy when I wrote them.

Song rec:

1: I need someone older

"No, no, no" Mournful voices were surrounding your frame. "No this can't be happening. Please Y/N!" Tears, not yours, dripped onto your skin as something red mixed with it to create a pretty little cocktail. "Fuck princess wake up! Fuck no....."

"Y/N! Come down quick! You've gotta get to school!" Another day of school. How mechanical was your life. In your final year of high school, you'd have thought that your life would have sugar, spice and everything nice. But instead, you got stuck with a robotic schedule, which consisted of waking up, going to school, coming back, food time, homework, checking to see if any colleges had sent you mails and then going back to sleep. But you couldn't really complain, because you were in Jeju Island. Literally everyone here had the same robotic schedule. Well maybe except for the richest people here. Your family was what was known as the middle classes. You lived comfortably, but not too plushily and your mom and dad both had jobs. Your elder sister Jinhee and you basically raised each other and now, with Jinhee, already graduated and married (since she was seven years older than you), you were left all alone in your turquoise room, with white borders and black finishes. It wasn't the fact that you weren't happy or anything. But, as a child of the Cosmos and as a ruler of the skies and tides, you wanted to feel that feeling that people had when they would roll around in the grass, or buy flowers from a sweet old lady, or wear ridiculous nail polish with someone, keeping the stories of the stars to yourself, whenever someone asks 'what did you do last night?'. But wasn't that why fairytales existed? To tell you that getting all those things was nothing but a mere dream? A dream which you hoped would come true? Which you hoped that the universe would understand your heart's desire and grant it to you?

"Be safe alright? Got your pepper spray?" "Yes ma don't worry. Im always safe aren't I?" Your mother kissed your forehead gently before letting to walk off to school, pepper spray in hand, knife hidden up the sleeve of your blue school sweater. The road from your house to your school was one of the safest ones. It was a suburban area, with families like yours lining up the street. You had no problem walking by yourself, and casually greeting the wakening families, with their toddlers and teenagers. You felt safe here and in the rare times there was some danger, you knew you could kick their asses (flashback to that one time you thought your dad was a stranger and accidentally kicked him hard in the shin. He still doesn't forgive you for that)

"Miss Yoon. Are you walking alone your highness?" That voice. That voice was perhaps the bane of your existence (not the object of all your desires. Sue me for using Bridgerton right now). A smooth black car pulled up next to you as you were just a metre away from the school. The windows were rolled down to reveal a young boy, your age with fluffy plum brown hair, cat like eyes, a sharp nose and a smirk on his stupid face. Lee Minho. Also known as the worst person you knew. And no this wasn't an enemies to lovers scenario. It usually is but this? Yeah absolutely not. Lee Minho had been your childhood neighbour since he was six. He lived with his grandparents since he was six, with his parents being in one of the richest families of South Korea and working in Seoul. He also went to your school, which was weird considering he was basically a billionaire and still chose to go to the 'middle class' school along with his his seven friends, who coincidentally were also from the seven richest families of South Korea.

"Oh no Minho. I wasn't walking alone. I have an invisible friend that you can't see from behind those stupidly pretty eyes of yours." You threw him a glare as his smirked just increased in size. "You think my eyes are pretty?" "Oh for fucks sake. What do you want?" "Language, princess." Minho chuckled and unlocked the passenger seat door. "Get in." You let out a chuckle and said "With you? Oh no thank you. I would rather go to Hell and dance with the devil." "Oh come on princess." Minho's face only widened even more to form the face of the devil himself. "You know people who die to even touch my car. You're lucky I'm offering you to ride in it." You rolled your eyes at him. So fucking cocky for no reason. You decided that you couldn't take it anymore and just started walking with a small 'I'll see you at school Minho goodbye now.'. Minho seemed to have taken the sign as he locked his doors, rolled the windows down and sped away to school.

Finally some peace. You breathed in the September air as you watched the Magpies fly around with their mates. You always loved Magpies, courtesy to your dad always encouraging you to birdwatch whenever you were free, with the pink binoculars you had. And today, in the serene September air, it felt good, watching two birds in love fluttering around, probably having a conversation about who knows what. There was that odd feeling in your chest again, that feeling which you pretended wasn't loneliness. People never understood the difference between alone and lonely. Yes you can be alone and you can enjoy it to your fullest. Some of your friends loved to be alone, eating chocolate, reading a nice book, sitting by the rain, all of those aesthetic things those Pinterest people do. You always craved to be like that too, but you never could. And you still had to learn to accept the fact that being basic wasn't a bad thing.

"Babe your foundation isn't blended properly come here. Hasn't Mama Huh taught you anything?" Your best friend Yunjin greeted you at the stairs of your school, with her bright unicorn bag and her perfect makeup as usual. "Sorry sweetheart. I really can't focus today." Yunjin gave you a sympathetic look as she blended the foundation on your neck with her hands carefully. "Is it Lee again? I swear to God one of these days I'm gonna go and tell him that you like him and then he'll confess to you and then this can be an enemies to lovers novel where I'm the sassy, amazing best friend who saves the day." You laughed at Yunjin's rambling. "And I thought Chaer was more delusional than you." "Do I hear my name?" A pretty girl with long black hair and perhaps the greatest jawline in the world came up behind you. Lee Chaeryoung, cousin of Minho and your second best friend, also your prettiest friend (sue me she's my wif- I mean my bias) "Hey Chaer. By the way have you guys completed Mr Hong's assignment?" Yunjin groaned at your words as she pulled out a red copy from her bag and opened it to reveal her messy handwriting. "I stayed up to finish this shit. Why do we need to analyse what a curtain means in Shakespearean language? Like I don't know. It could mean the heroine wants to be at an orgy for all I know." Chaer hit Yunjin's arm as you laughed at went inside the school to go to your English class along with Yunjin. Chaeryoung stalked off in the other direction, to her biology class, as you entered the class, where Mr.Hong wasn't present yet. You always dreaded English period, not because you weren't good in the subject, but because of the seating arrangement. Yunjin would always sit at the back of the class while you were stuck in the front with Minho. You internally groaned as you walked up to your seat, where Minho and Chan were talking to each other. Chan was a good friend of yours since your mom was the head of the Jeju Island branch of his dad's buisness. Curly haired, eyes filled with stars and the most gentle behaviour ever, he came straight out of a goddamn book. You always wondered how he became friends with Minho, considering both of them were as different as chalk and cheese. But then again, they has been brought up together, by their grandparents while their parents would stay in Seoul to run buisness.

"Hey Chan. Did you get those physics notes done yesterday?" Chan greeted at you with than omnipresent smile on his face as he nodded fervently like a puppy. "Yeah I got them done! It was really hard though. I really hope Mrs.Choi is absent today. So she can't call me out on my 'mistakes'." You smiled fondly at Chan as he took his seat on your other side, while Minho toyed with a blue hairband. Your hairband. "Minho where did you get that?" He turned to look at you and gave you that smug smirk again. "Why princess? Is it yours?" You scowled as you reached forward and grabbed the hairband out of his hands and stuffed it into your bag. "Yes it is mine! I think you'd know that considering I have been looking for this ever since the playground incident from when we were seven! Oh but I think you wouldn't remember that would you? Considering you're an ajhussi." It was Minho's time to scowl now and he scrunched up his nose like an angry bunny and stuck his tongue out at you, all while mumbling "I'm only two months older you know.", As Mr.Hong entered the classrooms in his pinstriped shirt and began asking for the assignments.

The rest of the day went as normal. You went to all of your classes, had a gossip-filled lunch with Chaeryoung, Yunjin, Miyeon, Sunoo and Jake, accidentally spilt water over Sunghoon from Chemistry, and got top grades in biology as usual.

Gosh September was good. September was lovely. People don't really get why September was so comforting to you. And to be frank, you didn't get it either. But there was this aura that September had that you couldn't shake. It wasn't just all pumpkin spice lattes or orange scarfs. It was..... Something else. Something you couldn't describe. You know that feeling when you bite into an ice cream cone? It crumbles all over you, but you love that feeling, that crunch combined with the sweet ice cream inside. That's what September was.

The bell rang loudly as school got over and you went over to the the basketball court. Being captain of the girls team, you always needed to stay back after school in order to train your team. "Unnie come quick would ya!" Chaewon, the team's greatest shooter called out to you. "Im not that late today Chaewon. That's a record for me!" Chaewon rolled her eyes as she adjusted her shorts. "Y/N are we gonna discuss some tactics for next week's game then? Cause I drew a lot of shit last night and I don't want it to go to waste." Wonyoung, the team's co-captain was nudging some papers into your hands. You gave her a quick smile as you looked over all the loopy drawings she did. "Oh and girls! Please remember to get your registration documents tomorrow! I really don't want to submit them late to Coach Kim." All your teammates nodded at your words and went on to the court, where to your dismay, Minho and his team were also practicing. You were annoyed. You had booked the court for today and has specifically checked with both of your coaches and yet again, your mortal enemy was playing with his team on what was meant to be your court. "Yah Minho! Get off the fucking court. We have it booked for today!" You gave him the biggest glare that you could muster, while he simply strode up to you, ball in hand, and that stupid smile on his face. "Aww princess. You booked the court for today? Well sad because I booked it earlier. I have a signed consent form from Coach Kim too. So either you can get off the court or we can have a practice game together." You felt like blowing up the earth below his feet right now but you couldn't do anything when he showed you the piece of paper on which Coach Kim had signed specifying that the boy's team could play today. "Fine then. But a practice game? Together? Boys versus girls?" Minho simply nodded at your words as you looked back at your girl standing behind you who were currently looking like they wanted to go to war. Seeing their determination, you extended a hand forward to Minho and in a assertive tone, said, "You're on then Lee. I wanna watch your pretty little face when you lose really badly. So what's the prize then?" You regretted asking that question when you saw Minho's face turning into that evil little smirk again. His team was assembled behind him and now you were a bit scared, considering that your tallest player was the size of their shortest one. "How about........ loser has to take the winner to that nice ice cream place that just opened down the street? And it'll only be us two. You know, captain to captain." Hearing that both your team and Minho's team broke out in high pitched 'ooohs' (yes even the Bois) as if you were doing something scandalous. You had no choice but to accept so you extended you hand again as Minho gripped it with his veiny hands and shook it firmly.

Chan and Chaeryoung were sitting by the stands since neither of them played and you smiled gently at them talking and giggling so fondly. The game started with one of the assistant coaches, Jungwon, refereeing. You were more determined now than you were at last month's regional games. You had to beat Minho and he had to take you to that stupid ice cream place. "Scared princess?" Minho asked as you assembled on the half line. You didn't say anything but threw him a smirk, hoping that it would catch him off guard. "Alright, ready set. Rumble!" Jungwon blew the whistle and threw the ball up in the air as you reached forward and managed to slap it onto your side of the court, where Wonyoung caught it and swiftly passed it on to Chaewon, who was standing by the hoops. You heard Minho scolding Jeongin, who was defending Chaewon, for not blocking her properly as you high fived Wonyoung for the quick pass.The rest of the game pretty much went the same way as you kept using witty tactics while Minho kept using speed and strength, which you knew was his greatest weakness. From time to time, his shirt would fly up ever so slightly and you would get distracted for a split second by his abs (which you scolded yourself for).

"Guys can you stop now please? It's 7:30. I'm going home now and you guys should too before they shut the school gate." Jungwon finally ended the game as you looked over at the scoreboard. You had won! You hugged Chaewon tightly before striding up to a very sweaty Minho who, not even in the slightest, looked defeated. "So, Mr Lee. You owe me ice cream now." He gave you a small smile, which made your heart leap, and said "Of course your Highness. Do you wanna get changed and then we can go? Or would you like to come being all sweaty?" You scowled at him and stuck your tongue out as you made your way to the changing rooms as he shouted behind you, "Meet me at the gate!" You quickly took a shower and changed into the tshirt and yoga pants you usually brought with you to change into after a sweaty game.

"Yah are you going to take me in your dumb car?" You questioned Minho as he pulled up by the gate. Chan had taken Chaeryoung home today so you didn't have anyone to walk you home, which was a plus point (for Minho). "Yes princess. Since the ice cream place is not at a walkable distance, atleast for my feet, we are going in my dumb car. And you don't wana walk home this late Y/N. It's dangerous you know? So get the fuck in and let's go. I'm hungry." You begrudgingly got in the car, silently admiring the sleep leather seats as Minho started the engine and turned the car. "Oh and Chan hyung already informed your mom and dad. They're not gonna come home tonight cause they're busy or something so I'll drive you back if you want." You snapped your head from the flying butterfly outside the window to Minho's concentrated face as you shyly mumbled a 'thank you'.

The drive to the ice cream was long and silent. You simply stated out the window while Minho stared forward, trying not to look at the way the rays of the setting sun fell on your skin or how your hair fell in that particular way that just felt good. Do the boys usually confess first? He didn't know. No he hated you. This is absolutely not fucking happening right now. You were Yoon Y/N, captain if the girls basketball team, annoying neighbour, beautiful mortal enemy. No not beautiful. Get out of it Minho!

"Uh is this the place? Looks cute." Minho's car pulled up near a tiny cafe like building called 'Jureimi's parlor', lit up in bright pink signs. "Oh yeah. I'll just park and we can go." You got out of the car as Minho parked nearby and got out too. "Is that boba flavoured ice cream?" You pointed at a brown coloured ice cream in ghe booth. The lady at the counter smiled at you as she nodded and gave you little sample cup. You offered a bit to Minho, who shook his head and went to find a table. "Get what you want. I'll pay." You rolled your eyes at him. He had to pay anyway for losing the game so badly.

You tasted the ice cream, which tasted like heaven and decided that you wanted this. "Can I get this in a cone please? Two scoops." The lady nodded and told her co worker your order, who went to the back to make it. You noticed some pudding cups on the shelf behind the lady. "Are those puddings?" "Oh yes. They're a new addition really. It's a favourite among all the grandmas here." You pointed at the vanilla one and asked the lady to give you that one, while you handed her the money and she handed you your ice cream and the pudding cup. You strode over to Minho, who was sitting with his legs wide open at the little round table in the corner of the store. "Is that for me?" He pointed at the pudding. "No dumbass it's for the Magpies." He gave you a sarcastic smile and grabbed the pudding cup from your hands. "I only got it for you cause this boba ice cream is expensive. So stop smirking at me." He looked up at you with those cat like eyes and slightly pouted, but remained quiet as both of you savoured on the sweet, sticky food.

"Dude how slow do you eat?" You watched Minho as he has halfway through his pudding, while you had already finished your ice cream. "Just slow enough to annoy you baby." You frowned at his words. "Do not call me that ever again. It's makes me wanna vomit." You made a gagging motion as Minho just simply chuckled. "Fine then. While I finish this amazing pudding, how about we play truth or dare hm? Because our impatient princess can't wait for five seconds without doing anything." You thought for a while before finally saying yes. "Alrightly then." Minho smiled at you. "Y/N. Truth or dare?" You picked truth, which seemed like the only viable option, considering the fact that you were in a shop, and Minho said, "How's your brother?"

Your heart dropped as you heard that sentence. How did he know about that? The blue shade of the shop spun around you as you tried to focus on anything else other than what just came out of Minho's mouth. Silence. Yes silence would work. Just give him a glare and it'll be over. "Oh come on princess. We all know what happened to your brother. I just wanna hear it from you personally." Your blood turned cold as your mind kept feeding you memories of that night. That faithful night. That peace filled night. That night when the Magpies stopped singing and September ran cold once more.

"Fuck you Lee Minho." Saying that, you picked up your bag and got up, slamming the chair to the ground, behind you. The lady at the counter looked up to see you walking about the door, pushing it agressively. "No Y/N wait!" Minho knew he had fucked up now. He had never meant to hurt you like this. He had learnt from Yunjin that you were already over your brother's incident. This was just supposed to be normal mortal enemy banter. How do you still remember? He quickly pulled out some cash and slammed it on the counter to the very shocked lady as he ran out after you. You wouldn't have gotten far. After all, you had to pass the school to get to your house. Minho quickly got in his car and started the engine with a blast. You had also left your headband in the carseat. So, that was another excuse for him to chase after you. He wasn't going to lose you again. Not now. Not when he was so close.

The street was dark and cold, lit up faintly by the wavering streetlights. This wasn't September anymore. You could feel December taking all the love out of September. And as you walked upon the concrete, you could feel the Magpies talking about you. You could feel the crescent moon feeling nothing but pity for you. You could feel all the plants with their bugs, looking at you and saying, "Yoon Y/N. You fucked up again just like you always do." You shouldn't have let your anger take control. But then again, when we deal with anger so long, she never tells us that her actual name is grief. Your brother was supposed to be a closed chapter of your life, but like a faded page of an Agatha Christie novel, he lingered on in your brain. All your family had far moved on, but you loved your twin brother, older than you by 8 minutes, too much to let him go from the dusty cabinets of your brain. You tried to forget his screams on that day and that cold, hard cackling but you couldn't. You were right there. Right in front of all the destruction, when your heart broke into a million pieces. Yet how could you forget such a memory?

"Y/N!" Minho was rolling up with this car next to you as you reached your house. The magenta coloured door was locked, your parents were still out on work. "Minho just fucking leave me alone. And I mean it this time. Don't even fucking talk to me." "Yn would you listen to me? Don't go inside the house!" What was this maniac saying? You stared at his figure getting out of the car and swiftly moving across over the lawn to your figure standing at the front door. "please just don't go inside the house." You noticed some figures behind him and you realised that Chan and his friends Jisung and Changbin were also there. "Minho what the fuck are you doing?" Minho looked at with what you thought looked like an expression of pity. "Just please don't go inside the house."

No you weren't going to listen to him. Absolutely fucking not. The last time you listened to him, you ended up in a mud covered ditch. Not today. "Fuck you and fuck your fucking existence Minho! I'm not listening to one word that comes out of that stupid mouth of yours." Before Minho could stop you and before Chan called out your name, you opened the door with gusto, only to be met, not with the familiar scent of Eau de Perfume but with the stench of iron. Your world came crashing down again. Your parents. Lying dead. On the floor. Of your house. Covered in blood. You were frozen. You couldn't move. A sense of familiarity came over you. You knew this feeling. This feeling of feeling like a thousand icicles had pierced your veins. All that came to your mind was him. No this can't be September. September was his birthday! It can't be this bad. No please don't let September be bad. "Y/N. Princess are you alright?" "Min- Minho. They're- they're not. No." The tears weren't coming. This wasn't sadness this was shock. "Chan hyung can you get her out of here? Jisung call the police. Now. Y/N. Y/N what are you doing!" You had strode up to your parents' bodies. Your mom was covered in more blood than your dad. Your dad looked like he was peacefully sleeping. Your mum's head seemed bashed in. Oh god the smell of blood. That night. All that remained was that night. You were too immersed in looking at your parents, that you didn't notice the creeping black figure in front of you. "So you're their daughter are you?" That husky voice was the last thing you heard before a gun shot, Minho's voice and the thud of your body. There was something warm on your stomach. And gooey. And red. This felt nice, you thought. Dying felt nice. If only he felt like this before....

Chan and Changbin slammed the man who had stabbed you onto the wall, destroying some photo frames in the process. Jisung turned on all the lights and went over to the two other men to get a look at the stranger. Minho, on the other hand, had rushed to your side, picking you up in his arms, towel pressuring the wound on your stomach.

"No, no, no" Mournful voices were surrounding your frame. "No this can't be happening. Please Y/N!" Tears, not yours, dripped onto your skin as something red mixed with it to create a pretty little cocktail. "Fuck princess wake up! Fuck no....."

2: Just a little bit colder

"Well well well, Mrs Yoon. How are the children?" Your mother cowered in fear as your elder sister and your dad were tied up next to the fridge in the kitchen. Your twin brother and you were in the clutches of some buff looking men. Eleven years. That's all you were. Eleven fucking years. "Mr. Wang I promise I won't leak the papers. I swear on my children. Please do not harm us." Mr. Wang or whoever he was striding up and down the carpeted room, white papers in his scarred hand. "It's ok Y/Nnie. I'm right here. It's just another November. September will come soon won't it?" Your brother, Doowon tightly held your hand and calmed you down, as your tears threatened to escape from their prison. "Mr. Wang. Please I beg you. Please do not harm me. You have the papers. What more do you want?" Mr Wang smiled at your mother. A cold smile. Shivering and undaunted. "Oh my dear Danbi. I have the papers of course, but you know how I do my work. I do not like bitches who butt their heads into everything. So I want your children to see how their mother is a little bitch." Mr Wang pulled your mother's hair as she screamed and cried out. "Hey don't do that to my mom!" Your borther screamed out as you but the hand if the man who was holding you. Both of you escaped from the clutches of the two men as Mr Wang looked on, slightly amused. "Or what little boy? You gonna beat me up?" Your brother stood his ground, not even daring to break eye contact. "Doowon get back please!" Your mum pleaded with Doowon, but he wouldn't listen. He stepped forward to Mr Wang and stepped painfully on his smooth black shoes. Mr Wang let out a cold laugh as he grabbed your brother by the neck of his shirt. "Grab the little girl too. Let her see how her twin meets with death." A man grabbed you from behind as your family pleaded and you thrashed around, trying to escape. "Let me go!" You screamed as the man took you upstairs while Mr Wang followed with your brother. You reached your bedroom door, which you shared with Doowon and Mr Wang slammed it opened pushing you and your brother inside. "Open that window, Brian." He spat at the man who grabbed you, while you and Doowon stood still. "Now boy. Come here. Come. Here. Now. Unless you want your sister harmed." Doowon looked at you and squeezed your hand before going ever to Mr Wang. And that was the last touch of your brother you had, before Mr. Wang pushed him out of the window on to the green grass below. Your screams had filled the neighborhood, scared the Magpies and threatened September to never come again. September's child,you told yourself. That's all he was. September's child, at the mercy of October.

"She'll be alright Minho. Just give her a few hours. She'll wake up." You were lying on an oak bed with grand purple bedsheets. You had a white sheet wrapped around your waist and your stomach, which stopped blood from coming out of your stab wound. Minho had taken you to his mansion outside of town, where all the sons of the mafias of Korea would hang out. Bang Chan, Seo Changbin, Hwang Hyunjin, Minho's brother Lee Felix Yongbok, Han Jisung, Kim Seungmin, Yang Jeongin and Lee Minho. Stray kids, they called themselves. Basically abandoned by their workaholic parents and brought up by relatives. "Hyung she'll be fine don't worry. Seungmin's aunt is the best surgeon in the country. She stitched Y/N up all fine." Changbin put an arm on Minho's shivering shoulder. Chan and Jisung were also there in the room, trying to comfort Minho and convince him that you would be fine. "What if she's not ok hyung? What do I tell her when she wakes up? Ho-how do I explain to her how I knew that her parents' bodies would be lying in her floor before she even got home? How do I fucking explain that?" Minho looked up at Chan with teary eyes. Chan was worried. Minho hadn't eaten or drunk water for the whole day, ever since you came out of that four hour long surgery. Never before had he seen Minho's cold face so filled with emotion. "Minho listen to me. You can explain everything to her once she wakes up. I called her sister and she'll be coming over in three days from Busan. Now please. You've got to eat something or drink water atleast. I promise you, Y/N will understand if you speak to her properly. Now come on, let's get some breakfast. It's 8 am in the morning. The boys would have woken up by now." Minho listened silently to Chan's words and simply nodded. Words weren't coming out anymore as he slowly got up from his chair and let go of your hand. Taking one last look at you, the boys left the room, all the while commanding two bodyguards to stand outside the door, making sure no one else can even come near you.

"Y/Nnie! Look what I can do!" "That wasn't a proper cartwheel Doowon, it doesn't count!" "Atleast I can do a cartwheel." "Yah don't stick your tongue out at me! Jinhee unnie! Doowon's making fun of me!"

'Do you remember? Twenty first night of September? Love was chasing the minds of pretenders.' "Happy birthday Doowon! I got a CD of your favourite song!" "Thanks Y/Nnie. Let's listen to this song on my birthday every year!"

Purple sheets? This was not your bed. Your bed had dinosaur sheets and made a rickety noise every time you moved. You noticed the white tape wrapped carefully around your waist and dared not touch it. You tried to remember what day it was and where you were as you slowly moved and leaned comfortably against the bed frame, groaning slightly as your stomach was hurting. Gosh what day was it? Was it still September? Or did October come to take you away again?

Lost in your thoughts, you looked around the room, trying to figure out whether you were still in Jeju Island or not. You noticed a drawer close to the bed. Curious, you opened the drawer, to find your phone, a bracelet and a picture of a you and Minho in your jerseys. That bracelet. It was the one which your brother had made for you. Which you hadn't seen ever since that day. And the picture was the one which was taken when you and Minho were elected captains of your basketball teams. You grabbed your phone hurriedly as you realised that this had to be Minho's house. You had to get out. Now. Your memory was coming back to you and you remembered the events that had unfolded the night before. Blood. The smell of iron. The blade of a knife. The tears of a plum brown haired boy.

You threw the sheets off of yourself and made to get up. Stupid decision, you told yourself as the moment your feet hit the floor, you fell down witha loud thud. "OUCH!" you cried out loudly, hoping that this was a soundproof house. Probably not, because five seconds later, you heard footsteps coming down to your door. The oak door swung open with a loud crash to reveal a panic stricken Minho, who had dark circles under his eyes, a worried looking Chan, who was clutching a half finished piece of toast and a very confused Seungmin, who was holding a cup of coffee in his hand. "I knew I shouldn't have left your clumsy ass alone." Minho grumbled as he made his way to you and gently lifted you up, taking care not to touch your injury. You should have probably thrashed around, but for the sake of not accidentally injuring yourself even more, you resisted, as Minho put you back on the head and flicked your forehead painfully. "Yah!" You exclaimed rubbing your forehead. "Ok first of all, where the fuck am I? Second of all, what the fuck am I doing here? Third of all, I know my parents are dead now, so what I am going to do?" You directed the last question at Chan, who scratched his hair and glanced at Seungmin, who was looking at you as if you were his hero. "You know noona, you can come stay with me if you don't wanna stay in Minho's hyung's house." Minho glared at Seungmin as Chan took him by the arm and forced him out of the room, before saying "Minho explain everything. And no I will not help you stop pouting." He slammed the door, leaving Minho and you all alone. All alone in this wood carved room. All alone to face September together. "Alright" Minho took in a deep breath. "Im going to explain everything to you princess. But you will not fucking interrupt me, got it?" You opened your mouth to fire something back at him, but you decided against it in the last moment and quietly nodded. "Alright here goes. First of all I am really sorry for bringing up your brother. I know it was an asshole move and I thought you'd have forgotten about it. Clearly you didn't so I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Second of all, yes your parents are dead. Im sorry Y/N but they are. We informed your sister, she'll come in a few days from Busan. And the reason I knew that your parents were dead and tried to stop you was because my cousin killed your parents." Pause button. Wait what?

"Minho what are you talking about? If this is some kind of joke I will seriously kill myself right here and right now." Minho looked at you with an expression of pure sympathy. "It's not a joke Y/N. You know your mom is the head of the Jeju Island branch of Chan's parents' buisness right? Well all our businesses are connected. And one day when you were a child, your mother had found some papers which proved that my family was in illegal work. My family was ready to forgive her but my cousin, Jackson, wasn't. All those papers were related to his dealings and he wasn't happy that a mere woman had found out about it. So one day, without my parent's knowledge, he found out about your family and well. I think you know the rest don't you?" Too many things. Too many things for your brain to process as it went back to that night. Mr Wang. Jackson Wang. Pretty name, you thought, as you tried to bring his face back to your memory. Scarred. That's all you remembered. Scarred face, scarred mouth, scarred hands grabbing your brother by the cuffs on his shirt. "Chan had found out first. You know him having contacts and all. And when he told me about it, there was this thing inside of me that told me that your parents were probably already dead. I know my cousin pretty well. And he isn't one for patience." "But what did my mom do now?" Minho sighed at your question. "She, she found out some more information about Jackson and she decided to step up. But we all know what happens to heroes don't we?" Your breathing had gotten more steady now and your hands had stopped shaking. Sadness wasn't arriving for you. Not yet. Was it September? Or was it because you never actually knew your mother and father? Because thinking about it, you actually never did.

"Y/N I think it's time to tell you what my parents actually do. What all the boy's parents actually do. We run an underground syndicate over the whole of South Korea. We own every piece of land in Korea. We have information about every person existing in this country. And I want to tell you that your mom was actually one of the most important people for our 'buisness'. She wasn't just some head of the Jeju Island branch. She was a personal spy for my father and mother, put here along with your dad, to spy against, uh, some people." Your head hurt even more with all the information that Minho was unloading on you. You held your head in your hands and massaged your temples gently. Minho looked slightly worried at this and nervously asked, "You ok princess? Want some breakfast?" Oh gosh his lips. "Or a doctor? You know what I'll get a doctor. Chan hyung will say no-" Those lips looked so kissable" "- but what if you don't feel well later on a faint and then you become even more sick-" Don't kiss him Y/N don't you dare. "-and then I'll have to marry you and take care of you foreve-"

Yep you couldn't keep it to yourself anymore. "I wanna kiss you." You blurted out, instantly cringing and regretting your words and Minho turned his head towards you, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted in surprise. "This is adream right? Oh shit I had too much coffee." You were surprised at his words. Wait did he dream of this in a regular basis or what? Or were in you in a coma and this was all in your head? You slightly moved in the bed and as your stomach slightly hurt, you thought, yes definetly not a coma. "Or you could just get me some breakfast? Im hungry and in pain right now." "O-oh yeah I'll just tell t-the guys to get you some. K cool bye Y/N! See you later definetly don't wanna kiss you haha bye!" You were in a state of euphoria as Minho left the room, a blushing mess. Did you just make the Lee Minho blush and stutter? Oh you could jump in joy right now. Well if you could jump. Was this wrong, you thought. Not feeling sad even though your parents had just died? Or were you too familiar with sadness, that meeting her wasn't a big deal anymore?

The door opened again after fifteen minutes to reveal a blonde- haired boy with the most prettiest eyes you've ever seen, carrying a breakfast tray, followed by a taller long haired boy, who looked like he came straight out of those anime comics you read. "Hey noona! Here's some breakfast! Are you feeling better now?" The blonde haired boy, who had a very deep voice, said in a cheery tone. You considered asking him if he was a pixie or an angel because God did he emit that vibe. That positive vibe that just made you wanna pick some flowers and braid them in someone's hair. "Oh hello there. Um thank you for the food. Im sorry if it was of any inconvenience to you." This time, the long haired boy responded instead, saying "Oh no Noona it's fine. Minho hyung would kill us, well specifically me, if, according to his words 'you felt any discomfort', so please eat up. Im Hyunjin by the way and this is Felix." "Im Y/N. Yoon Y/N. But I'm guessing you already knew that?"

"Well of course we know about you. Minho hyung doesn't stop talking to me about you." Jisung had just appeared at the door, dressed in a leather jacket with leather pants, making him look like a biker. "He literally talked to me about your favourite ice cream flavour for five house noona I'm not joking. So please would you tell him you like or something so that I can get out of this hellhole of listening to him?" You were slightly taken aback by Jisung's words and as he plopped and deflated onto the purple couch, you looked at him with a curious expression, "Oh I'm Jisung by the way. Minho's amazingly talented best friend." You heard Hyunjin mutter something along the lines of 'he forgot to add annoying'. "Um I have a lot questions that Minho didn't properly answer. May I ask them,if you don't mind?" You directed this question at Felix, who looked ecstatic at the thought of answering questions, as Hyunjin pulled up two chairs. "Yeah of course Noona! My brother is really vague so please forgive him for that." You smiled at Felix's words about Minho. "Ok first of all where are we right now?" "We're in the outskirts of Jeju Island. This is Minho's hyung's mansion. Well technically our mansion, but my parents are the ones who own it. It's really old and no one cares about it. So we carry out our, er, operations here." Seeing Felix say all that was like seeing a chick with a knife. "So do all of you have like different jobs here? Like in the books and movies?" Hyunjin chuckled at that. "Minho hyung told us you liked suspense literature. Well to answer your question, yes we do have different jobs here. Chan hyung is kind of like our leader. He basically gives all the contacts and manages our profile and connections. You know all the administration shit. Changbin hyung and this idiot over here-" He gestured towards Jisung who gasped dramatically, "-they are our muscle and also so the money work. Lix over here does all the hacking work since his parents trained him and also since he's obsessed with gaming." Felix turned red at that, "Seungmin and Jeongin are our snipers. They are really young but I mean none of us really had an actual childhood. I run the interrogation work. And Minho hyung basically does everything. He doesn't really have a designated position." The way Hyunjin said all of that in the most casual tone weirded you out. He talked as if he was talking about morning coffee, as if it completely normal and nothing suspicious. You smiled awkwardly at Hyunjin who simply stared out the window at the sunlight. "Are all of you so gorgeous over here?" You blurted out, to which Jisung choked on his own saliva, Felix blushed pink and Hyunjin blinked multiple times. "I mean unless you count Jisung out, then yeah all of us are really pretty." You laughed at Hyunjin's statement to which Jisung looked like a furious squirrel.

"Yah Yongbok, Hyunjin are you coming down?" You heard Minho shout from below. "Oh gotta go. Anyways it was nice talking to you noona! I think Minho hyung called the doctor to come in the evening, so you should probably rest up until then. Oh and-" Felix paused for a moment and pulled out a sketchpad from nowhere. "Don't tell Minho I have you this. He told me you like to draw so I sneaked this in here." With that, all of them left you in the room, with a sketchpad, your phone and September's tunes.

You wiled away the hours by drawing the room around you. You tried to draw Hyunjin, Felix, Jisung and Chan too. The house was quiet apart from the voices of whom you assumed was Jeongin and Seungmin talking very loudly. But something was distracting you. That bracelet. The bracelet lying on the bedside drawer. You knew that bracelet very well. It was the bracelet which Doowon had made for you when you were eight or so. And you hadn't ever seen it ever since that night. So what was it doing here? Minho had told you that his cousin and his family don't talk at all, so how was this bracelet here? Was Minho lying? No he wouldn't do that. Yes mortal enemy things but you didn't think this man would be crazy enough to kill. You picked up the bracelet and twirled it in your hands. It was pretty, with gold lining the thing.

You noticed something on one of the biggest pink beads of the bracelet. The bead was... Open? It had a line tracing it as if it was a Pokemon ball, ready to split at any moment to reveal your Pokemon. Curious, you dig your nails into it to open it up. After a few minutes of difficulty (and you almost giving up), you managed to open the ball up. Inside was a tiny piece of folded paper. It was so tiny indeed, that you wondered how someone had managed to fold it. You dug the paper out and unfolded its many layers of folds. This definetly wasn't there when your brother had so lovingly made it for you. The paper was faded, but still looked relatively new. There were some words on it typed out in red, black and blue. The words:.

Yoon Doowon

Birth: September 21, 2005 (Age: Unknown)

Job: Hitman, Ally, Possible heir

Status: Alive

3: Take the weight off his shoulders

'Do you remember 22st night of September? Love was chasing the minds of pretenders all while dancing the night away."

"God boss can you turn that off? It's been playing for an hour now." A stout man, dressed in tight black clothes, which fitted his muscles was sitting spread eagle on a nice blue cushion chair. Sitting in front of him on a much more bigger chair, was a man dressed elaborately in a white mink stole, a pristine white suit, with rings of all colours adorning his fingers, and a big black brooch on a golden chain stuck to his suit. "I won't turn it off until the chorus Brian. You know I love this song don't you? And you shall listen to it until your ears bleed out." Brian groaned and leaned back in his chair. "When is Mr Wang coming?" The man asked Brian. "It's possible he'll be arriving in a few minutes sir. But don't worry. I have intel that he got the job done well and good." "And the little rat? What about her?" Brian shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well she might have gotten away. Lee's gang was there." The man threw his long hair back and threw off the stole, a frown and a red scar decorating his handsome face.

They were in a large room, an office, but it looked more like a King's throne room, where there were chairs for the ministers and wine glasses all decked with pink fluid. There was no door, but a few handing blue beads, which tinkled every now and then. "How could she have gotten away? Who did you send to kill them?" "I sent our best assassin sir." The man scoffed. "Well, clearly he wasn't the best. Does he have family?" Brian nodded in response to the question. "Good. Kill them." "Of course sir."

The blue beads tinkled as a heavily scarred man came into the room along with two bodyguards. "Mr Wang." The white draped man bowed deeply to Jackson who bowed back, only a bit. "Well well well Doowon. You did good. Your parents are dead. This deserves a toast. Shall we?" Doowon smirked at the man and got a green bottle from underneath the table. "Only the finest whiskey for you Mr Wang." Jackson chuckled coldly, taking a glass from the table and extending it forward to Doowon. "But-" Doowon said as he slowly uncorked the bottle. "I do not wish for your bodyguards to be here. You know how the Lee Family works? Even the most trusted allies can turn into back stabbers when their money is involved. " If Jackson Wang was startled, he didn't show it on his face. Instead he motioned for his guards to leave the room, who followed suit, although with a little uncertainty. Brian also left the room, leaving the two scarred men alone.

"Well then a toast. To me and you. Buisness partners." Doowon raised his glass in unison with Jackson, who drank up the whiskey quickly. "Mr Wang I have something to tell you." Jackson looked up at the younger man and waved his hand as if to say 'go on'. "First of all I just want to thank you for taking me in that night, when everyone thought I was dead. You were so ever so good with your observations to notice that I was only playing dead. And then you trained me and everything so thank you for that. And for telling me the truth about everything." Jackson simply nodded. He felt a sharp jab in his stomach and his head started to stir. Doowon was going out of focus now and in what seemed like a split second, Jackson Wang rolled off of the chair, onto the floor. Dead. "But I wanted to tell you sir." Doowon spoke to the limp body on the floor. "That I would like to take over by myself now. You're getting too old and I don't want you to interfere in my personal matters."

"How do you feel now Y/N? Better?" A pretty older woman was checking up on you. She wore a doctor's coat with the nametag 'Dr Kim' on it. She was Seungmin's aunt, the surgeon who had saved your life. "Well the pain has subsided a bit Dr.Kim. I still feel a bit dizzy every time I move, but I think I'm good now." Dr Kim warmly smiled at you as she checked your heartbeat. "Well in any case, I think you'll be fine by tomorrow. You can even walk around tomorrow if you like. But for now, just get some more sleep. I'll tell Minho and the boys not to disturb you alright?" Dr Kim gently squeezed your hand and packed up her equipment. She spoke to you as if you were her own child, with such delicate words and a comforting voice, something that your mother never gave you. "Um Dr Kim? Could you ask Minho to come up here please? If you don't mind?" "Of course honey! I'll ask him. Take care now." She gently kissed your forehead and went out the door.

"You wanted to see me?" Minho was dressed in a blue shirt, slightly open at the top and white pants. He looked so.... refined. And hot, exactly like a K drama CEO. God damn he looked delicious. Don't lick your lips. Do not lick your fucking lips Y/N. "Yeah I have some questions." Minho groaned as he shut the door and came forward to sit on the bed. "What now?" "Where did you get this bracelet?" You held up the bracelet to Minho, who looked at you, perplexed. "That's my bracelet, for your information. My mother gifted it to me. It's been in my family for centuries." Wait what now? "Minho stop fucking lying would you? My brother gave me this as a surprise gift when I was ten. And it went missing ever since the day he fucking died! So could you please tell me where the fuck you got this? Or I'm getting out of this bed and asking Chan." "Woah there princess." Minho looked at you, worried at your outburst. "Alright don't get out of bed please. I don't want you bleeding out and dying. But I'm telling the truth. This is the bracelet my mother gave me when I was twelve. It's been passed on from generation to generation in the Lee Family. It's a special bracelet, because it has these tiny chits inside the beads, telling the person who opens it who the next leader of, well, underground South Korea is going to be."

Too much information again. Number one, you could not stop staring at Minho's pretty pink lips. Number two, why did the chit inside the bead have your brother's name? And why did it say that he was alive?" "Wh-who puts the chits inside of this?" You asked Minho, carefully hiding the chit inside of your hand. "Well my uncle Wang dies. Jackson's dad. His great great great grandpa was the one who made this bracelet. So he has the right to choose the heir." "Minho I think you need to see this." You handed Minho the faded chit. He looked at it for a solid fifteen seconds before looking at you, blinking rapidly, just like how he does whenever someone surprises him. "Y/N oh fuck. Shit come on get up. Quick. I'll help you." "Wait Minho what? What happened?" You asked Minho as he gently wrapped his arms around your waist, supporting you as you slowly got out the bed, and onto your legs. "Y/N we need to get to a safer place. If- if what this chit says is true, you're in more danger than I thought." "Wait Minho stop. Would you stop for a moment? Minho- Lee Minho!" You shouted his name, which made him stop in his tracks, arms still supporting your waist, even though you could still walk fine. "Would you please explain to me what's going on?" "Come down to the hall." Minho sighed and told you. "The boys, except Chan hyung, don't know either. So I can tell them and you at the same time. It'll be easier won't it?"

You nodded, not saying anything. Your mouth was dry and words were not escaping it. Gosh September was meant to be good. Why was it so full of surprises?

"Yah Minho Hyung! Auntie told noona can't get up until tomorrow." Seungmin said to Minho as both of you cam doen the stairs. All of the boys were pin the living room, immersed in their own work. Seungmin and Jeongin were playing chess and Chan was on his laptop as usual. "Chan hyung. I think I've figured out who the Mink Thief is." Chan's head snapped from his laptop to Minho so fast, that you swore you heard a cracking sound. The other boys' attention was also now on Minho. "Are you joking or are you actually telling the truth right now?" Minho smiled at Chan's words and set you down on the couch next to Changbin gently. "No I am not joking. Look at this." He handed Chan the bracelet and the chit, which Chan twirled in his gorgeous fingers, all the while looking at it as if it was some alien substance. "Oh fucking hell. Not him?" Minho nodded at Chan's exasperated words as Chan slumped in his chair, setting his laptop down on the table. "Can anyone explain what's going on please? Minho hyung?" Felix asked. "Alright bitches-" "language Minho" "Hyung stop being so old. Alright bitches listen up. So first of all let me introduce you to a man named Yoon Doowon, also known to us as The Mink Thief, who has been sending our families threats for a long time, also know to Y/N as her dead brother." "Yah! Rude!" "Anyways, one thing that Chan hyung found out a few days ago is that The Mink Thief has been in contact with my cousin, Jackson, ever since the day of Y/N's brother's murder. Also Y/N," he paused at looked into your eyes. "Whatever I'm about to say next will probably shock you so please don't faint out of surprise." You looked at Minho with the best offended eyes you could.

Minho then continued in a much more serious voice, "Yoon Danbi, Y/N's mom has been a spy for my family ever since I was born. Her and her husband had been placed here in Jeju Island along with their only daughter Yoon Jinhee, for an important mission. But soon, people grew suspicious of how both of them would act all the time, leaving their daughter alone for such long periods of time, coming home late at deadly hours and blah blah blah. So, in order to make their family seem much more 'normal', they took in two children. Choi Doowon and Jeon Y/N." "Minho what the fuck are you saying right now." Why were there so many surprises? Was your entire life a lie? Were you adopted for some stupid mission or something? What kind of Marvel shit was this? "Yeah this is why I said, don't faint out of shock." Minho slightly chuckled as Chan looked at repramandingly. "Look yes it's true your parents aren't your real parents. But the thing is your didn't even have parents. You came straight from the orphanage. So when my family took one look at you, someone with no background information which can be traced, they thought you were perfect for this mission. I mean, think of it Y/N, haven't you ever saw your parents hiding any documents from you or getting afraid when you asked for your birth certificate whenever you needed to register for your basketball games?" Yes, when you thought about it, they did do that.

"Hyung don't you think you should have had this conversation somewhere more private?" Felix looked from your distraught face to Minho's. "We probably should have but I have shit to tell all of you too." Minho said to his younger brother. "When Doowon supposedly died that night, Jackson Wang got a new partner in crime. Doowon was probably still alive. I know that no one can survive a fall like that, but I seriously don't know how he survived. So what I'm assuming from this tiny chit here, is that Jackson probably told Doowon the truth about his true parentage and all, and then like a basic villain, Doowon wanted revenge and now Y/N's life is basically a fantasy novel." "Ain't that right?" You scoffed. "My entire fucking life is a lie. I mean is my name even Y/N? Are we just living in a hallucination? What if all humanity is meant to do is just live our boring lives until a giant space turtle comes along and kills us all?" "That would be a cool way to die." Jisung said, not even a bit surprised by your rambling. "Jisung." Chan looked at Jisung with a glare. "Alright listen up everybody. Now that the sad backstory is out the way, we need to get down to buisness. First of all we need to get Y/N somewhere safe. Well safer. So Y/N, would you be willing to go along with Jisung, Jeongin and Seungmin?" You nodded at Chan, who looked very relieved. "Great. Felix, Hyunjin, would both of you search out if Vernon's mansion is still protected and everything? " Felix and Hyunjin replied 'yes' to Chan and quickly went out the room. "Um noona we should get going. Can you walk by yourself?" Seungmin stood up and extended a hand to you, which you gratefully took and got up. "Yeah I can walk don't worry. Um where are we going?" Seungmin smiled at you, revealing his braces. "Don't worry about that. Just follow me to the car."

Fifteen minutes later, you were sitting in the back of a Bentley with Jisung, with Seungmin driving and Jeongin stared out the window, sitting quietly in the passenger seat. "You're lucky Minho hyung gave us his car noona." Jisung commented. "He never even lets us touch it. But then again, we're with you, so I guess that makes up for it." You looked at Jisung's wavy hair and thought to yourself that how can a sweet boy like him, be Minho's best friend. "Jisung, when you said Minho doesn't stop talking about me to you guys, what exactly does he talk about?" "Oh noona I could write an entire seven book Series about that " Seungmin responded instead of Jisung. "He doesn't ever stop talking about what your favourite song is, or what you wore today or how your hair falls in such a perfect way. And when we tell him to just tell you that he is pathetically in love with you, he sulks and says that he would rather kill himself." Well that was certainly surprising. "Oh we're here." Jeongin said, as the car pulled up to a massive iron gate, which had the letters C, H and V on it. What it was guarding was a massive black mansion, which looked very much like a vampire's lair, covered in vines of ivy with a statue of bat hanging out in the big yard. "Chwe Hansol. Also known as Vernon. This is his mansion. He's a good friend of Chan Hyung's and he lets us use the mansion whenever we want. It's the safest place in Jeju Island so we'll be good here noona." Jisung told you, as you stepped out of the car. The mansion looked so ethereal and as you walked into the yard through the gate, you wondered if this was the mansion which was described in the story of the vampire Carmilla. You lived and breathed for that story and you were excited at the thought of hiding in a place which looked exactly like Carmilla's mansion, where she took the blood of her lover, weeping over her body, and complaining about her death.

The boys pushed open the big dual doors of the mansion with difficulty, but not before Jisung had entered a pass code on the tiny keyboard thing which was on the right side of the door. This was indeed Carmilla's mansion, you thought as you entered the big living room, which was decked from head to toe in gold and silver. There was a magnificent chandelier hanging from the ceiling, along with busts of some vague looking people.

"Gosh this is so pretty." You said to Seungmin, who smiled and said "Wait till you see the ball room." You were about say 'theres a ball room here?' when suddenly the lights went out. "Ah fucking hell. Guys stay here with noona. I'll go and see what's wrong." You heard Jisung's voice. "I don't think you need to do that, my dear Mr.Han." you heard a cold voice, which didn't belong to any of the boys. "Who's ther-" Before Seungmin could finish his sentence, you felt a hit to your head, and you blacked out, before hearing Jisung shout, "Noona!"

"Y/Nnie. Wake up." Doowon said in a sing song voice. The boys were tightly tied up to the chairs, with cello tape around their mouths. You were also tied up to the big blue cushion chair, with Doowon, standing in front of you, wearing a red coat and that mink fur stole. He had three bodyguards with him, all buffer than Changbin, all carrying guns and all looking scary as fuck. "Y/N wake up you stupid bitch." Doowon slapped your face painfully, which made you slightly stir. "Hey don't do that she's injured!" Jisung shouted out, having managed to chew through his cello tape. Doowon looked at Jisung with a sarcastic smile and said nothing, while one of the bodyguards punched Jisung. "Doowon?" You had woken up and the surroundings were appearing more clearly now. Your stomach hurt so much and your brain was still fuzzy, except for your dead brother standing in front of you, smirking. "Oh hey Y/Nnie. You miss me?" He asked you in a cold voice you didn't recognise. Never September. This was not September's child standing in front of you. This wasn't September's child, who used to chase butterflies and gift you cute little stones, standing in front of you. "Doowon you're alive." You managed to cough out some words, along with a bit of blood. "Ahh yes I am. I assume your stupid boyfriend already told you what happened to me. So I'm going to skip over the part where I explain shit to you." He let out a cold laugh which made you flinch. "Doowon this isn't you. What are you doing?" You asked him, tears welling up in your eyes. "This isn't me? No Y/N this is me. I've been lied to my entire life and Jackson Wang told me the truth. He taught me the way to survive in our world. He's dead now by the way. Just like our 'parents'." "Doowon please. Stop this lunacy! Atleast let the boys go they haven't done anything wrong!" Doowon leaned down to your level and lifted your chin with his finger. You shivered at his cold touch. "Aww Y/N. Always so fucking innocent. Baby the boys are leverage. Soon the rest of the boys will be here and then after some introductions, I can finally rule all of South Korea." Your tears had escaped now as you looked over at the boys, who were knocked unconscious by the bodyguards. You felt like the most lowest human being on earth, when you looked at Jeongin's bleeding lip, wondering what Chan's reaction would be when he arrived here. "Brian! Go check if the doors are open please. I want them all to waltz in here and call for these pathetic boys. And then we'll hit them where they don't even know it hurts. Maybe we'll start with this one." He moved over to Jeongin. The man named Brian laughed and winked at Doowon. "I'll get the door sir." He moved out the room swiftly.

Fifteen minutes had passed. Fifteen silent minutes. This was silence which you did not enjoy. Silence was sweet in September, when only the Magpies chirped. But now, as you watched Jeongin and Seungmin slightly stir, silence became bitter. "Is Brian not coming? You!" Doowon shouted at one of the guards. "Go out and see where he is! Does it take this much time for the rascal to come back?" The guard obeyed and made to get up from his seat on a rickety wooden chair. BANG! A bullet shot went through the guards head, and as he slumped to the ground, with a pool of blood around his head, Doowon screamed and grabbed Jisung by his chin. "You! What have you done!" Jisung merely smirked at him as Doowon lay frozen there, staring at the body. "Oh for fucks sake what are both of you doing?" Doowon spat at the two remaining guards. "Go upstairs and check if the rats have entered the house already!" The guards nodded their heads fervently and went off in opposite directions, only to be met with two gunshots. The door burst open, as Minho and the remaining boys barged in.

"Doowon." Minho said coldly to Doowon, who merely smirked, trying to hide the fact that he had peed his pants a bit. "Well you found me didn't you? Good job Minho. You know Mr Wang told me how your family works. So I'm honoured that I'm actually getting to experience a member of the great Lee family trying to kill me." You were disgusted by his words. Where did your sweet Doowon go? Where did the boy whom you had cried for day and night go? "Let the boys and Y/N go. Now Doowon. And we won't have any consequences." Chan said to Doowon. He looked furious. You hadn't ever seen Chan like this. "Oh you can take the boys first and then I'll give you Y/N." Hearing that, Changbin and Hyunjin hurried forward, untied the boys, who were concious by now and supported them on their arms, as they carried them back to safety.

"Now Y/N's turn. Give her back to me Doowon and maybe you won't end up choking on your own blood tonight." Minho's voice made your heart go warm. He had nothing but cold fury in his voice. If you thought you had seen his anger on that one particular basketball match in Busan, you were mistaken.

"Now why would I do that? Sweet little Y/N is all ok tied up to his chair aren't you Y/Nnie?" He pulled your hair and kicked you hard in your stomach, which made you cough out blood. Yep, the stitches in your stomach had probably opened up. Fuck no, not now. Don't die in September. Let me wait for October. October seemed more comforting now. The Magpies had their babies in October. Im October, you could get boba on discount. In October, you could hand out with your friends whenever you want. In October, Minho would turn a year older. Wait how did you know that? Why was this room so fuzzy? Hey Minho's face. His beautiful face. It was going out of focus now. Good way to die isn't it. You hoped death came to you, wrapped in white silk and picked you up in her arms like a baby and put you in a cradle. A cradle painted orange and yellow. A cradle with Magpies on it. A cradle which loved all the months equally. But especially October. Especially October.

"Doowon, stop that! Stop fucking hurting her!" Minho screamed at Doowon. You were blacked out now and as Minho looked at your gently sleeping figure, his heart dropped to the bottom of his stomach. "And what if I don't? What will you do oh great Lee Minho? I have her in my arms and I can do anything I wa-" That was the last thing Minho heard before all he saw was Doowon's dumb face, struck with shock, bullet hole in his big head, blood staining his already red suit and his stupid mentality finally gone from this world. "Good job Minho. Now come on let's get Y/N. Guys get Jisung, Seungmin and Jeongin to the car. We'll get Y/N." Chan told the others, while Minho had already strode over to you. He hurriedly untied the ropes around your arms and legs and got you to his arms, fingers looking for your wrists, to check your pulse. Tears were coming out now. Tears he never knew would come for you. He loved you. So much. So much it was honestly pathetic. The way you scowled everytime you saw him, the way your eyes lit up whenever you got a high test score, the way you cherished December for your birthday, the way you existed. He loved everything about you. And he can't lose you. Not now. Not ever.

"Feeling good kitten?" You had woken up in Minho's house again, with Dr Kim checking your heartbeat and adjusting your blood pump. "Minho." You managed to breath out weakly, making Minho's heart drop again. He was quick to stand up and cup your face in his arms gently as tears poured out of your eyes. "Hey hey hey don't cry." He said so gently, in a tone which he never used with you. "No Y/N. Shh. I've got you. You're safe. You're safe." He hugged you gently, supporting your head with his hands as you silently sobbed into his shirt. Once you pulled away, you noticed that his shirt was wet from all the crying and that his eye bags were more prominent. "Im sorry. I'm so sorry Minho. I-I really didn't know about..... about him and I caused you all this trouble. I am so sorry." "Hey hey princess. Y/N listen to me." You looked into his eyes, which were twinkling into yours. "None of it is your fault. You hear me? None of it. If anything, I should have told you all that I know earlier but I couldn't. Because- because I- I love you Y/N." That was it. That's all it took. That's all it took, for your eyes to widen, your hands to reach up to his jaw and for your lips to meet his, in a slow dance accompanied by the melodies of the Magpies outside, celebrating that you two had finally realised your love for each other. You pulled away after what felt like a very short time, but you were running out of breath. Minho and you stared at each other for a while and then burst into giggles. "That felt nice princess. You sure you haven't kissed anyone before?" You slapped his chest playfully as you said "Yah! Don't make me think back about being your girlfriend Lee Minho." Minho's eyes lit up and he stuttered out "Girlfriend? Yep I'm in a dream someone pinch me." You rolled your eyes as you pinched him and he let out a tiny scream. "Oh stop so dramatic. How long was I out by the way? And are the boys alright?" "You were out for two days now kitten. And the boys are good. Jisung is saying he finally got his 'Wattpad best friend gets kidnapped moment' and I think Chan told Dr Kim to double his dosage of sleeping pills so now he's crashed out. And snoring loudly."

"Noona you're awake!" Felix had come into the room, well more like bounced into the room along with the rest of the boys, Seungmin sporting a cast, and Jeongin having a pink band-aid on his lip. Felix hugged you tightly while Chan hugged Minho. "Lix let her go. She needs to breath." Chan said to Felix, who had been hugging you for a long time now. "Seungmin, Jeongin are you guys ok now? I am literally so sorry." Jeongin smiled at you sweetly, his fox like eyes forming crescents and said, "We're good noona. Technically we should be asking you that question. And it's fine please don't apologise." He bowed a bit to you and as you tried to bow back, whilst sitting, Hyunjin said, to Minho "So hyung. Have you finally got your ass together and asked noona out?" Minho glared at Hyunjin as everyone else in the room laughed. "You will be getting your mouth stuffed tonight Hyunjin. And yes I have asked her out. And now she's my girlfriend." "Yah who said I was your girlfriend?" You jokingly said. "Ok I'm gonna ask Jisung out then." Minho said standing up.

Four years later

You had been living with Minho for four years now, as his live-in Girlfriend. He had introduced you to his parents, who had been nothing less that kind to you. They had first apologized profusely for the whole Doowon incident, to which you told them that you really didn't care. You had Minho with you and all of your past had slowly faded away.

And every year as October and September came, you learnt to cherish ,not the month, but the memories you made every day. You learnt to forever keep memories of you, your boyfriend, your friends and everyone around you. You learnt how to let go of grief easily.

And when Minho proposed to you, on the twenty first night of December, you learnt, you just needed someone a bit older, and a bit colder, to teach you what it meant to love a person like you'd love a month.

[eldritch-spouse]

Can I get uuuuuuh reader who quickly figures out Breg is jackin it over the phone and proceeds to order him around & tease him?

As always, you're a fucking gift to all of your horny fans Pinnie 💕 thank you for being a glorious beacon of debauchery. Rereading your stuff is getting me through my second case of rona. Bless 🫶

--🍆🩲

[Yikes. Hope you're doing well, I only had it once. Fem reader. This a little shorter than usual.]

[Based on this post.]

He looks at the phone in pure agony.

Come on Breg, it's been, what... Half an hour longer than you said you'd be home?

It's natural to be worried, of course, but the breeder knows he could probably just text you to make sure everything's alright. Thing is, he hates texting. It's harder for Breg to read and write than the average person. And how could it not be? He learned those basic skills much later than he should have. It's only natural that he struggles sometimes, that he'd prefer to call you, which doesn't involve spelling- Aka, the bane of his existence.

Plus, he wants to hear your voice. F-For no specific reason...

It's not like he's getting lonely. It's not like he hasn't been thinking of bending you over in his hands and stuffing your holes until- Fuck.

Breathe. Think.

The whole house reeks of you, and he's getting antsy. Breg feels sorry that he's so sexual in nature, that you have to deal with this. That he's not strong enough to just turn away from the phone and jerk off like your run of the mill pervert. Nah, he's done that too much already while he was waiting for you to come back. Now he needs more. Dropping the used shirt the monster was twiddling between his digits, Breg reaches for the device and speed dials basically the only person he bothers to use the thing for, his free hand dropping to his slit in shameless preparation.

Takes a while before you pick up. As if you were debating whether or not to do it in the first place.

" ... Yes? "

Finally! His tail immediately starts wagging.

" Angel! "

There's a pause, then a very tired sigh.

" Breg. "

It's more of a groan than a greeting, something that definitely has the monster biting his lip, purposely misinterpreting the noise. His fingers drift up and down his slightly slick opening.

" Hi. "

It seems he's gone stupid. Or maybe it's just that he's focused on exposing himself.

There's the sound of shuffling from your end. " Uh, yeah- Is something going on? "

Well... That's about as far ahead into this endeavor as Breg thought. Time to toss random shit at the wall and see what sticks. The monster dips a finger into his slit and sighs quietly, the sound easily going unnoticed.

" Uhm no- I mean, yes! A-Aren't you late? You should be home by now. " He stresses.

" Mm? Yeah, I'm just doing some maintenance shopping, I'll be there soon. "

Not soon enough for his tastes.

Two fingers are now dipping into that sheath, rubbing and coiling until they find the tips of his cocks. He shivers a little, jolting at the first real touches to his members. " Do you have to do that now? "

Silence.

" ... Yes? Why? "

The breeder exhales again, this time in frustration, insistently coaxing his lengths out. It's a bit hasty of him, and Breg whines at the stretch of his unprepared slit when the roots of both cocks pop out, then relaxes back onto the couch cushions.

" Breg? You there? "

Shit. What did he say again?

" Uhhm- " Ah! " No, it's just that, I mean, we can do that tomorrow, right? You're not working then, so... Come home? " Very persuasive, that'll work.

There's another long pause of pure silence, one he's not too happy about, since the sound of your voice was helping him feel good just moments ago. The monster lightly strokes his left shaft, waiting, breath picking up slightly.

" Be honest, did something happen? Because it sounds to me like you fucked up again and you don't want to tell me. "

Breg gets a brief flashback of the handful of incidents where he set something in the kitchen on fire and quickly scrambles to soothe you. " No no, I swear! " He stops touching himself for a second. " I- I didn't do anything. "

But what if he had done something?

What if he purposely broke some of your stuff, what if he said he tossed all your plates out the window? Would that make you get home faster? Would you race here just so you could yank the breeder down and put him in his place? Punish him. Hips jut as he resumes pumping, circling the head of his cock with a thumb while he pictures you forcing him to the ground, smothering him for endless time as discipline for being bad. Fuck, he can almost phantom the sensation-

" Breg! "

The monster startles, a whine escaping him at your tone, tough he quickly coughs afterwards. It was far from a smooth maneuver. Never once does he risk stopping the flow of continuous pleasure, switching to his right dick while the left one twitches for more.

" Hhn- Y-Yes? "

" Have I been talking to no one all this time?! "

Not at all. The monster may not have gleamed a single word of your monologue, but he was very attentive to the familiar melody of your voice throughout it. " I'm... " He has to muffle another noise, tail thrashing against the coffee table. " I'm sorry, I got distracted. "

" Doing what? "

Oh, the usual, fucking myself to the thought of you. " N-Nothing. "

Idiot.

This next pregnant pause feels intentional, as if you're pressuring him. " Mhm, yeah. Well, I'm hanging up. "

" NO! " Breg shouts, half in anger half in dread, before he realizes that might have deafened you a good bit. " Please, just don't... "

There's a noise like a snort from your side, then more rustling. " Uhuh, why? "

Well fuck. What can he say now, if not the truth? He's never been good at lying, and you know that as well. He'd rather just tell you the truth and deal with the consequences than try to keep up a ridiculous charade. Breg grips the base of his shaft, pulsing.

" You're jerking off. " It's not even a question.

" I- I just wanna hear your voice... "

Painful quiet.

The breeder flusters, suddenly quiet. " No. N-No, I'm not. " Flawless, you must have been totally convinced by the awful crack in his voice.

" I've been hearing the slick of your hand on your dicks for minutes now. "

Breg halts instantly. Is... Is it really that noticeable? He's not quite sure what to say, maybe apologize? Yes, it feels like you're mad at him.

" Why have you stopped? It's not as if I'm going to ground you for beating off. " A hum, it sounds like you're moving something. " Even if you're a gross degenerate that can't keep it together. "

The insult wounds him a little, though bounces right off when he processes your first words, throbbing against thin air. " You- You want me to keep going? " The disbelief is palpable.

" Do you want to keep going? I didn't start this. "

The ambivalence you're displaying does nothing to calm Breg down. It's as if you expect this from him, which honestly, he can sort of understand when he thinks about all the other less-than-adequate situations you've caught him in. Still, the fact that you'd so nonchalantly let him get away with this is exhilarating.

" I want you here... " The pale monster whines out.

The laugh that rings out is jovial and marvelous, making him shiver and squirm. " Well, I'm not there, so make do. Don't let me stop you. "

Breg's not even sure what he's thanking you for. The fact that you haven't hung up? That you're letting him touch himself to your voice? Who knows... His pace resumes, a little more fevered this time, the breeder makes no effort to muffle his heavy breathing.

" Thank you, angel! "

" C- Can you keep talking? " He requests, in that voice where you'll be able to tell he's wagging his tail like a pup.

" Ugh, so needy... " You click your tongue. " What do you want to hear? "

" Just say things. "

Once more, very helpful of him. But it's not like the monster can spare much thought to eloquence when he just wants to orgasm.

" You know Breg... " The breaks between each word sound measured, either his mate is making an attempt to listen to him or you're just teasing for the sake of it. " Jerking off on a call, licking my used clothes, fingering me in my sleep- I don't think you deserve anything nice at all. "

" N-... No? " His cocks jump anyway, it's not as if he enjoys getting reprimanded, but the breeder is intrigued nonetheless.

" Nope. " You chirp. " What are you gonna do to make it up to me? "

Ohh fuck, anything! Anything anything anyth-

" W-Whatever you want! " If he wasn't pistoning into his own hand before, he is now, whimpering in the back of his throat. Why can't you be here??

" Yeah? " Breg nods, then belatedly realizes you can't see it. " And what do you think I want? "

A series of images flash through his mind's eye like a reel show of senseless depravity. It stuns him. Breg gives a full body shudder, tail tensing upwards while he immediately starts scrambling for words to describe half of what he sees.

" I- I can- Do you want to f-fuck my face? " He's been plagued with thoughts of it lately. You forcing him to kneel as you grind yourself over his features, spreading your scent and your mark on him. " It- I promise it'll feel good, I'll make you feel so good, I love the taste of your sweet pussy I'll- Ahn! Mmf- " A frustrated little moan derails his speech as the breeder gets too lost in his own fantasies, as usual.

" Just talking about it gets you in that state? " There's a bit of incredulity behind your tone.

" Yes, yes- Can you please come home? Please? Angel, I need you... " Words cease altogether as the monster parts his mouth in mounting pleasure, furiously chasing his climax, beads of drool splattering to his chest while he groans nonsensically, a sort of pathetic displeasure that you're not there to help him along. Or lick his cum off, fuck, you always look so hot when you do that.

" Hey, hey- Hands off your junk. "

Breg almost wants to scream. Instead, he hisses quietly, the noise tapering out into a muffled snarl.

" Don't give me that growling! "

Well, you weren't the one told to stop out of nowhere!

" Buh- But you said I could! "

A huff. " I said you could keep touching yourself, not that you can cum. "

" But I wanna... " He pouts. As if that wasn't obvious enough.

" Oh, so you don't want to cum in me then? " It's like you enjoy twisting words, and frankly, that might just be the case.

" N- Wait-! I want to, I want it, please please I'm sorry- "

" Then stop. "

Another grumble.

" Breg. " You warn. " Plug that sopping slit and don't move a fucking muscle, you hear me? "

" ... Yes. " The monster doesn't want to ruin his high, but he's also very much driven to please, sinking two fingers into the space between his opening and the members that stand tall and swollen with need.

" If you can follow those simple instructions, we'll do what you said when I get home, okay? " Breg picks up on another sound from your end, jingling keys, then the revving of an engine. Your car.

His tail is a swishing blur.

" Okay. " Anyone can tell he sounds miserable about staying still however.

There's a hum of approval. " What do we say? "

His cocks pulse. " T-Thank you. "

" Good boy. "

When you hang up, the breeder almost wants to cry, rutting into his own digits as he waits.

He's a good boy.

[lordofthenerds97]

Wasting Away: Chapter 5

Rating: M for eventual chapters, mild cursing, and nonexplicit sexual content Pairing: Eddie x Reader, Past Billy x Reader, and onesided Steve x Reader if you squint Summary: You were broken. Falling apart. Trying to put yourself back together. Whatever the hell they wanted to call it. All you knew was you were hurting. The Upside Down had been the bane of your existence for a long time. But now you had a reason to hate it. Will your hatred be enough to help take down the latest in a long line of monsters? TW FOR THIS CHAPTER: •Mentions of suicide •Unhealthy coping mechanisms (borderline Bulimia, other eating disorders) • Reader has flashbacks/mild panic attack Masterlist

With a frustrated sigh, you crumpled the note and chucked it at the nearby trash can. 

They just didn’t seem to get the hint. 

Ms. Kelly had left yet another note in your locker. This time, there was a veiled threat of expulsion should you not follow directions. She was again insisting that you see her. 

Both you and your parents had explained that you had no desire to see a school’s counselor when you were seeking help from an actual professional. But they didn’t seem to get the message. 

It made you more angry than anything. 

You slammed the locker door shut and stalked towards the counselor’s office. Your knuckles turned white as you gripped the strap of the bag slung over your shoulder. You had to remind yourself to take deep breaths to try and calm the rage that was boiling up inside you. 

As you stepped down the few stairs, you saw that the door to her office was open. Taking the opportunity, you stalked inside. 

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re-“ 

“Look,” you interrupted with a scowl. “I’ve told you and I’ve told the principal; I’m not going to see you for counseling. I’m seeing an actual therapist. She’s helping me. I’m coping. I’m grieving. So leave me the hell alone. I’m gonna have my bad days and not be able to get myself out of bed to come to school. I’m not going to force myself, either.” 

She blinked quickly a couple times, looking taken aback by your outburst. “I think if you just let me-“ 

“I swear to god, if you try to talk me into coming to talk to you, I’m walking out this door and never coming back. To you or this school.” 

Ms. Kelly took a deep breath. “Can I ask you a question?” 

You rolled your eyes. “You already did. But fine.” 

“Why are you so against talking to me.” 

Letting out a huff, you gave her a blank stare. “I literally just told you. I’m seeing a therapist. Someone who can actually help me.” 

“What makes you think I can’t?” 

“Because as much as you like to think you do, you have no idea what the hell you’re doing. You’re going to tell me literally the same thing every other person does; to get out of the house, spend time with my friends, get back into the world. I’m sorry Miss Kelly, but you have no clue what I’m dealing with. You don’t know the burdens I carry, the guilt I feel, or the pain I have.” 

She opened her mouth to answer, but you kept right on going. 

“I think you want to do your best to help, but you’re not fully equipped. How do you help kids with PTSD? How do you help someone who had another person die in their arms? How do you help someone who’s seen so much shit that they can’t sleep…and when they do, they’re plagued with nightmares? How do you look someone in the eyes and tell them that the world they knew is gone forever? How do you teach someone to trust again? How do you help someone with a mind so broken that they think the only way to fix it is to kill themselves? If you can answer those questions, Miss Kelly, then I’ll gladly sit down and pour my heart out to you.” 

She looked taken aback, and for a moment, you felt a little guilty for the onslaught. 

“I didn’t realize you were dealing with all of that…I’m so sorry.” 

You sighed. “There’s a lot about me you, and everyone else, don’t know.” Tears had welled up in your eyes but you managed to blink them back. “I know you want to help, I don’t fault you for that. But, please…let me get the help I need. And please stop trying to pressure me into talking to you.” 

She hugged her arms around her middle as a guilty expression took over her face. “I’m sorry. Of course, if what you’re doing is helping you, keep doing it. You’re right…I can’t answer those questions. But eventually, I’d like to learn how.” 

You nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate it. And…thank you for trying to help Max. I know she’s a tough nut to crack, but she needs it.” 

“Of course. And…thank you for seeing me and explaining this to me. You’ve helped me understand a lot. Thank you.” 

Giving her another curt nod, you turned on your heel and headed back in the direction you’d come from. You had to take a deep breath to keep the tears back as you walked. Your sneakered feet would squeak every once in a while with a step. 

Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot. 

Another deep breath.

Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot. 

Breathe.

“I love you trouble. I’m sorry…” 

You faltered, your injured leg shaking under your weight. 

Grunting quietly, you forced yourself to recover, the muscles screaming in protest. 

“You okay sweetheart?” 

Turning your head slightly to the right, you saw Eddie approaching you with a concerned look on his face. “Yeah, just an old injury that hasn’t healed.” 

He frowned. “What happened?” 

“I got impaled by a piece of rebar in one of the many explosions in the mall.” The lie slipped easily from your lips, and you had to force yourself not to wince. You didn’t want to lie to him. 

“Damn. Yet another badass moment.” 

You snorted and rolled your eyes. “Morning, Eddie.” 

At that, he grinned. “Morning sweetheart. How was your night?” 

A half shrug was your answer. “Better than normal but still not great.” 

His concern was back in an instant. His brows furrowed and he examined your face closely. “Need to talk about it?” he asked gently. 

“Another nightmare. I didn’t wake up screaming this time, which was nice. But I woke up at 3:27 and wasn’t able to go back to sleep.” 

He hummed quietly. “I’m sorry. Did you at least make yourself some breakfast?” 

You were quiet, deciding the floor was more interesting than his face. 

“Sweetheart?” 

“No…” you mumbled. 

He chuckled. “I figured as much. I stopped at Terry’s on the way.” He pulled his hands out from behind his back, holding up two white paper bags. “Breakfast sandwich or a burrito?” 

Your eyes lit up and you grinned at him. “You didn’t have to do that, Eddie.” 

He smiled at you. “I know. But I wanted to. So, sandwich or burrito?” 

“Burrito please.” 

His smile didn’t leave his face as he handed you the bag in his left hand. He watched as you quickly unwrapped the burrito and took a few bites. “Dusty told me you haven’t been eating like you should. We’re gonna change that.” 

You paused mid bite, looking at him with a raised eyebrow as your mouth had began to clamp down around the tortilla. “What?” you mumbled.

He laughed. “You’re cute when you’re befuddled.” 

Swallowing, you glared at him. “I’m not cute!” you protested. Then you paused. “Did you just say befuddled?” 

His grin widened. “I did.” 

Now, it was your turn to laugh. The glare melted away as the humor of the sentence hit you. “Who says befuddled?” 

“I do!” 

You shook your head at him and turned back to your burrito. He was right…you were hungry. And the caffeine high you were on was slowly fading away. You were going to need something to help keep your energy up. 

“I’m serious though, sweetheart.” 

You stifled a sigh and continued eating, allowing him to plead his case. 

“Trust me, I know the feeling. I barely ate for weeks after mom and Casey died, Hardly even enough to keep me from starving. Lost a lot of weight and muscle. Almost got my ass hauled to an institute for attempted suicide. My Uncle helped me get straightened out. Now, I can tell you don’t look like yourself. Dusty said you’ve lost some more weight, too. I know you don’t want to eat…sometimes the thought of it even makes you sick, right?” 

Looking at the floor again, you nodded. Sometimes even though you hadn’t eaten in more than 24 hours and you were actually hungry, the thought of forcing down food made you want to puke. It sent a small shudder down your spine just thinking about it. 

“We’re gonna work on that. Breakfast is a start.” He smiled gently at you, nudging your arm and making you look up at him. “You know, I can see why Dustin calls you Bambi. Those doe eyes are adorable.” 

You rolled your eyes and snorted. “Thanks,” you mumbled. “Actually, it came from a DnD campaign. I got polymorphed into a doe. And then I got hunted.” 

Eddie couldn’t help it. He let out a loud laugh. “My god, sweetheart.” 

You smacked his arm. “It wasn’t my fault! I was trying to fight the Hydra that was attacking Will and Lucas!” 

He shook his head. “How the hell do you get polymorphed and not realize it?” 

You glared, knowing full well how. “Dusty is a sneaky little bastard.” 

“Who said what about me?” 

Both you and Eddie turned to see Dustin walking up with a grin. 

“I said you’re a sneaky little bastard!” you said, giving him the side eye. 

“That’s me!” 

Eddie couldn’t stop chuckling. “He really is though. Puts up quite a fight in my campaigns.” 

Rolling your eyes, you finished the last of your burrito and threw the wrapper into a trash can not far from you. “If you two will excuse me, I’ve got to find Max.” 

“I’ll catch up with you at lunch, Bambi. I need some help with some Lit homework if you don’t mind.” 

You nodded. “Sure.” 

Eddie raised an eyebrow. “The smartass needs help with homework?” 

Dustin shoved him slightly, but Eddie didn’t even budge, just smirked at the teenager in front of him. 

The thought made you stop for a moment. It made you wonder briefly what was stopping Eddie from graduating. You knew he’d flunked his senior year a couple times, so that put his age right around 19 to 20. Judging by his appearance, you’d guess closer to 20. Not wanting to bring it up in front of Dustin, or for fear of embarrassing him, you let the thought go. But you made a mental note to cautiously ask him about it later. 

“I’ll see you guys.” 

~*~*~*~ 

It didn’t take you long to find Max. After hunting for a few minutes, you found her sitting outside on top of one of the picnic tables in the shade. She had the headphones of her Walkman covering her ears, and you could make out the lyrics of Running Up That Hill. Glancing down at your watch, you saw there was about 15 minutes before classes started. 

You made your way over to her, dropping your bag on the ground beside hers and plopping onto the table top. She looked up when she felt the wood move before doing a double take when she realized who had sat down. 

“Hey, Max.” 

“Hey,” she greeted. “What’s up?” 

You sighed. “I’m sorry.” 

She frowned, confused. “What? Why?” 

Turning to fully face her, you tucked one leg under the other. “I know I haven’t been there for you…I know you’re dealing with your own shit and grieving in your own way. I know your mom helps as best she can. And I’m so sorry I haven’t been there for you, Max.” Your eyes teared up again as you spoke. “Billy was your brother. I know you guys didn’t get along all the time, but I also know you were both trying. He did love you…you know that right?” 

She blinked in confusion, the corners of her mouth turned down in a frown. “Where’s this coming from?” she asked suspiciously. 

You sighed again and wiped the tears that fell. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot. And I needed you to know.” 

She eyes you cautiously. “You’re not…you’re not doing anything stupid…right?” 

You shook your head. “No, I’m not.” You felt your throat start to close up. “Billy made me promise. No more cutting.” Your problems ran deep, and there were a lot of things you had struggled with over the years. Billy had caught you with a razor in your hands and blood on your arms. After cleaning you up and making sure you were okay, he made you swear you wouldn’t ever hurt yourself again. 

After he died, you’d felt the urge more than once. The guilt was a crushing pressure on your shoulders. It wouldn’t ever make up for his death, you knew that. But having the cool metal pressed against your skin felt like a penance, something you could do to make up for it. 

After all, it was your fault. 

If you hadn’t called him, he never would’ve been on that road. 

And it would’ve been you that was the puppet. 

You pulled yourself out of your dark thoughts and took a deep breath. “I’ll be honest, I’ve picked up a razor a couple times. But I made a promise to him. And I’ll keep it if it kills me.” 

Max nodded. She had seen the aftermath. Billy was on his way to drop her off to the arcade but stopped to get you first. Your parents weren’t home and you were fighting in a depressive episode. He’d screamed for her when he found you.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I haven’t been there for you either.” 

Without a word, you wrapped your arm around her and pulled her to you. You crushed her in a hug, and she returned the favor. 

“You’re coming with me this afternoon. We’re gonna go to the arcade and then rent some movies to binge tonight.” 

She laughed. “I don’t really have a choice in this, so I?” 

You shook your head with a chuckle. “No. Besides, I need to spend time with another girl for a change.”

Max raised an eyebrow as she pulled out of your embrace. “What do you mean?” 

You rolled your eyes. “Dusty and Steve are starting to run off on me.”

She snorted. “Yeah, we need to change that.” 

~*~*~*~

The end of the day rolled round fairly quickly. You weren’t surprised when you saw Dustin waiting for you by your locker. “What’s up, kid?” you said, opening the blue door and grabbing a couple books you would need for your homework before shoving a few others back in. 

He shrugged. “Not a lot. Wanted to check in on you again.”

“I’m actually planning on taking Max to the arcade for a while. Then we’re gonna get a couple movies and have a girls night.”

“That’s a really good idea for both of you. I know you guys need it.” 

You nodded. There hadn’t been a lot of fun in the last several months. Admittedly, you had tried. But that didn’t mean you would always be successful. You were always close with Max. The two of you usually did have quite a bit of fun together. But even that had slowly dribbled away. But, you were trying. “We do.” 

“I was gonna hang out with Steve for a while tonight, we were actually thinking about going to the arcade. But we can totally avoid it if you and Max want to be by yourselves.”

Chuckling, you rolled your eyes. You knew you weren’t going to be able to get away from them so easily. “It’s fine. Just try not to hang around all night? Part of the point of me spending time with Max is because I spend too much with you and Steve. I’m starting to pick up some nasty habits from you two.” you said, scrunching up your nose. 

Dustin snorted. “We’ll play a couple games with you and then get some pizza. Sound good?”

With a dramatic sigh, you resigned. “I guess.” 

In all honesty, it didn’t bother you. While you were looking forward to spending time with Max again, you knew you were going to feel awkward. Logically, you knew you had no reason to. But that didn’t stop the pit from forming in your stomach. It had been a long time since it had been just the two of you. Looking back on the summer, you knew the grief was too raw for both of you. While they weren’t related by blood, Max had so many of Billy’s personality traits. His signature eye roll, a knowing smirk, and the way she carried herself. It was too much. While you were stuck living the nightmares in your dreams, having her right next to you every day was a living hell. 

You felt bad for having those feelings. Now, it tore you to your core. But like Allie had told you, there were things you weren’t going to be able to do for a long time.

Spending time alone with Max happened to be one of them. 

You needed to drag yourself out of those thoughts. For a second, you frowned. “Where’s Eddie?” You hadn’t seen him since the encounter at the beginning of the day. 

Dustin shrugged. “Not sure. Wouldn’t surprise me if he skipped out. Why?” 

“He brought me breakfast this morning. I wanted to give him a few bucks for it.” 

He raised an eyebrow. “Breakfast?” 

You chuckled. “Yeah, you came in on the tail end of the conversation, buddy. I guess someone told him I wasn’t eating and lost some weight.” You gave him a pointed look, to which he rolled his eyes. 

“He might’ve asked about it.” he said with a shrug. “He seemed pretty worried about you the other day. I was too. But I’m glad you’re making friends. Just be careful, yeah?” 

You snorted. “Don’t worry,” you mumbled. “I’m already over analyzing everything.” 

Dustin gave you a sideways look, but you weren’t really laying attention. His warning had sent your head into a tailspin again. 

Everything you’d thought of that morning started running through your mind a million miles an hour. It wasn’t long before you got lost in the abyss.

It took Dustin snapping his fingers in front of your face to snap you out of the trance. 

“Sorry,” 

“You went all zoned out on me, Bambi. You okay?”

The thoughts quieted for a moment as you blinked and regained your focus. “Yeah…just gets overwhelming up here sometimes.” 

He nodded and adjusted his bag as Max knocked into him with a smile. “Hey,” she said. 

Dustin grinned. “Hey yourself, Mad Max. I heard about girls night. Enjoy!” 

She nodded and looked at you. “We will.” 

A small smile took over your face and you threw your arm over her shoulder. “Let’s go.” 

Dustin waved as the two of you headed towards the exit. He continued watching as you walked out the door and down the sidewalk, his eyes not leaving you and Max until you had rounded a corner and were out of view. He quickly dug into his backpack and pulled out a walkie. 

“Steve?” 

“Yo.” 

“Let’s move. Bambi is headed to the arcade with Max.” 

“Get your ass out here, Henderson! We don’t have all day!” 

~*~*~*~

You and Max were killing it at the arcade. 

Your initial feelings of awkwardness had immediately been dispelled as soon as the two of you walked into the arcade. The neon lights and smell of greasy pizza brought you right out of your shell. 

You’d spent the last few hours playing almost every game in the building. And contrary to what Dustin had said, you’d seen neither hide nor tail of him or Steve. 

It didn’t really bother you. 

Max was laughing. You were laughing. 

And that’s what was important. 

Glancing at the watch on your wrist, you grabbed Max’s shoulder gently and tugged her out of line for the bathroom. “Hey, we should head to Family Video if we still wanna rent some movies. My parents are gonna be home and working on dinner soon.” 

“Good because I didn’t really want to use this bathroom anyway.” she chuckled. 

~*~*~*~

You headed down the street, bag of movies and snacks in hand. Max was going on about the counselor, and how annoying she found Ms. Kelly to be. 

You snorted. “Max, you know I would 100% support you seeing Allie. She’s helped me a lot. But if you’re not ready to, I’m not gonna try to force you or press the issue. As far as Ms. Kelly goes…I do think she wants to help. She’s got the right intentions.”

She rolled her eyes. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” 

A chuckle escaped you. “That’s true. But she’s trying. She doesn’t know exactly how to help, but she wants to. I know you and I don’t really talk about what happened…” 

“BILLY!” 

You heard Max’s scream as one of the tentacles tore through your leg. 

You blinked and cleared your throat. “And that’s okay. But I think you need to open up to someone.” 

You landed with a thud beside Billy. He was covered in blood and black goo that could have only come from the Flayer. You ignored the searing pain in your own body as you sobbed and crawled your way to him. 

A choked sound came from you and Max immediately stopped, setting a hand on your arm. 

“You okay?” 

“Shit,” you gasped. You latched onto the hand that was on your arm. 

Panic. Pain. Fear. Anger. All those emotions ran through you at once as you grabbed onto Billy’s shoulders. He grunted as you pulled him into your lap, coughing and making more blood bubble up from his throat. The gaping wound in his chest stared up at you. 

“-snap out of it!” 

A gasp took over and you almost lurched forward. Max gripped your arms tightly and managed to steady you. Your heart hammered in your chest and it felt like you’d been punched in the gut. 

Max said your name again, putting her hands on your cheeks and turning your head so that you were looking at her. 

“Breathe. You got this.” 

You followed her instructions, breathing in shakily before exhaling through your mouth. Your whole body shuddered with the breath, and you couldn’t help the tremor that ran down your spine. 

“Flashbacks?” Max asked? 

You swallowed a cry that threatened to bubble up your throat before nodding. “Yeah. They’re more hellish than the nightmares sometimes.” 

She nodded in understanding. “I get them too.” 

You took a moment to try and compose yourself before you straightened. “Come on. I’m sure dinner is almost ready.” 

Max gave you a knowing look as you squared your shoulders. “Do you need a few minutes?” 

You shook your head and clenched your teeth. “If I take a few minutes, I’m gonna lose it.” 

“Okay. We’ll just slow down a bit then.” 

You glanced over at the redhead as she looped her arm through yours and leaned some of her weight on you momentarily. You reached over with your other hand and set it on her arm. “Thanks, Max.” 

She looked up at you and smiled. “Always.” Then her eyes softened. “Do you want silence or a distraction?” 

You sighed. “A distraction would be nice.” 

She laughed. “Yeah? Alright…well, I’ve been thinking about joining a club.” 

You raised your eyebrows. “Oh?” 

You fell into easy steps as Max talked about some of the different clubs and activities that were offered as a Freshman. Like you, she had been secluding herself and keeping herself closed off. It was starting to affect her and she was craving the chance to throw herself into something. 

The conversation carried itself with you asking a few questions and providing your input. Before you knew it, you were walking up the sidewalk to your house. 

Both you and Max paused. 

Dustin was standing there with his hands in his pockets and a wide, dorky grin on his face. 

That immediately made you suspicious. 

“Dustin…” 

“Hey Bambi.” 

Max looked just as suspicious as you did. “What’s going on?” 

He shrugged. “Oh, nothing. Steve and I just thought we would come by and drop off a present for ya.” 

“What?” you asked. 

He beckoned you forward. “Come on.” 

You shared a confused look with Max before following Dustin around the front of your dad’s Bronco. The garage door slowly began to lift up, revealing Steve sitting on the top of a vehicle covered by a grey sheet. 

“Hey Princess.” 

You just got more confused. “What’s going on?” 

“We all know you’ve had it rough, Bambi. Anyone can see that. And…we know there’s not a lot we can do. But we wanted to do something for you.” 

Steve took that as his cue to hop off the vehicle and walk around to the side. Without saying a word, he grabbed the sheet and ripped it off, sending dust flying in every direction.

You coughed, waving your hand in front of your face. But then you saw it. 

The front end was sanded and dented in places, scratch marks still lining the bumper. The windshield that had been blown out was replaced, a shiny new sticker in the top drivers side corner. 

It was beat up, there was no doubt about it. 

But the open blue door was unmistakable. 

Billy’s Camaro. 

Taglist: @yourdailymemedelivery@1-fuzzy-squirrels@shiggay@chrisevansmarvelmcu@mrsyixingunicorn10@rebelcthulhu @ethen-often @liv-raines@inthemindofaweirdo@mystrangerfics@mattysheelies@hargrovesprincess@ssstutteringbbbill@fuchsia-knight@gooddoggodrogo @jaaxely@sebastiansloserclub@acthenerd@dollface-80 @prettyboyhargrove@uncle-keery@sydneyisnotawriter

[khaleesiofalicante]

Ok yeah. I'm not done, and I'm making that everyone's problem😌. Sooo, other random thoughts!!

I remember in LBAF I, Selena said Rapunzel was her favorite princess when he asked David to tell her a story the first night he arrived at the NY Institute, but pretended not to know it so he could tell her anyway (CUTIES!). The thing is... I didn't realized that was foreshadowing for her powers until recently and I was like WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE?! But same, Rapunzel is my favorite, my first princess crush lol

That Never have I ever fic lives in my mind 24/7, Dani!! And it was so heartbreaking and traumatizing, and omfg Rafael, what are you doing?? I love pain, I need more :)

Where dreams come true was also AMAZING. It was so adorable I wanted to stab myself 🥺🥺. Milo Thatch was my crush since I saw that movie and came out of it bisexual without realizing it LMAO.

Also now that I'm thinking about it, I had a lot of crushes when I was little, but I didn't realize it until later... Is this a bisexual experience????

When you’re married to Magnus Bane, you don’t question whether God exists. You know he does, and you know damn well you’re his favorite. Malec really be saying the most profound things about each other with so much devotion and going on with their lives as if it didn't just destroy mine??? I love it🥰

At this point there's no way David isn't a direct descendent of Jonathan Shadowhunter. There have been way too many connections with him looking like Raziel to be a coincidence😤 istg if shadowhunters start to love him after/if it happens I will kill someone 🔪

I was wondering if the rest of the Lightwood-banes ever found out about what happened to David in IALS? Because he and Max said they wanted to keep that to themselves, as they felt so much of their lives were already shared (good for them). But I'm really curious how they would react🤔

I've read "Good boys go to heaven but bad guys bring heaven to you" like thrice and I'm always laughing like the first time. Those two are so horny and down for each other (no pun intended!) since second 1 in every universe 😂😂

I realized I am a dumbass, because I was reading the name Gabriel as you would say in english and not spanish... SPANISH IS MY FIRST LANGUAGE AND GABRIEL IS FROM SOUTH AMERICA AM I AN IDIOT? ffs, my dad's name is Gabriel, my mind took so fucking long😂

Also, what do you mean some people pronounce Rafael as Rafa-yel??? That name I read it right from the first moment, I've always liked it a lot lol. I'm still confused as to how people say the nickname though, because it is written as "Rafe", but I've never heard that nickname to someone named Rafael, just "Rafa". Idk, I just say the full name lmao

I just want David to be fucking happy and I'm ready to get into a fistfight for him ok??? The way everyone keeps describing him in LBAF with a sad face and knowing something is up because David used to smile even in his sleep?!?!? 😭😭😭

I love how Jackson literally looked at David and went: "This is the gayest, horniest, most fucked up person with traumas I've ever met. I'm keeping him. This is my human now. I will protect him at all costs and kill for him without hesitation." In every universe, makes me soft 🥰

You better pay for my therapy, because now I can't hear the word "louder" and not have war flashbacks of that asshole of Malory 😡

Fun fact: I use art and music as foreshadowing A LOT. Including rapunzel - and Paradise Lost and some other stuff in LBAF V hehe.

I might write David's Never Have I Ever next. It's the only one I have a proper/concrete idea on. But I keep second guessing like "could it be worse????" lmao.

MILO THATCH GIRLIES ARE BISEXUAL I SAID WHAT I SAID.

No one else other than mavid family ever finds out about what really happened to David. It's what he wanted so they let him have that :)

NO NOT YOU PRONOUNCING GABRIEL LIKE A WHITE PERSON NOAH WHAT IN THE HECK.

Jackson rights only. Always.

[ggomos-maribat]

Damian Wayne, the Sy-on Boy

Damian glared at the small girl sitting at the front of the classroom. He could still feel the sting of her punch during their encounter the previous day. Unforgivable! I am the blood son of Batman, heir to Wayne Industries! How dare she? Spite bubbled at the pit of his stomach. The girl should've been expelled right away!

Marinette Martha Lane-Kent. The absolute bane of his existence. Since they first met, she had been pulling idiotic but conniving smiles followed by a 'heh' that irritated him to no end. She was a whirlwind, unpredictable and unbelievably clumsy. It was a mystery how she even got into Eden. The school had no room for disaster human beings.

His face contorted into a frown as he watched her doze off in class. Stupid pigtails. Stupid big blue eyes. Stupid face. His heart began to pound with anger.

Suddenly, Marinette jerked awake and turned to look at him. Heat crawled up to Damian's face and he looked away. What's her problem?

---

There she was again, strolling across the dining hall. Damian was wearing his usual brooding look while he ate. He had seen Marinette attempt to talk to him a few times, but Tsurugi had held her back. He scoffed. As if I'd ever listen to what she says!

Another problem was that the other students wouldn't stop talking about her. How she punched the Damian Wayne, how violent she was, how weird she was. Damian would roll his eyes at the empty gossip. They were students of Eden! They should know better and mind their business. He noticed that Marinette seemed to be bothered about the rumors but he'd never acknowledge that observation out loud.

After finishing his lunch, he stood up to head to the library. My academic progress is not enough. I must surpass my brothers, earn those Stellas and climb my way up to become an Imperial Scholar quickly.

"Sy—syon boy!" A voice squeaked in front of him.

Damian found himself scowling at her. He couldn't formulate any words for some reason.

What's this fuzzy feeling in my chest?

He could sense the other students whispering around them. Marinette flinched, fiddling with her uniform. "I . . . I—uhhh . . ."

She began to sniffle, her hands balling into little fists. Sagged shoulders trembled. Damian looked around in a panic. What? Is she about to cry? The whispers intensified.

Tears gathered in her eyes and trickled down her reddened face. "I—I'm sorry I hit you yesterday!"

Damian stumbled back a little, gaping at her. His heart skipped a beat. What is happening?

"Ma—Marinette just wanted to be friends with you!" The girl sobbed.

What? Where did these flower petals come from? Why am I hearing strings?! When did it get so warm in here?

He gritted his teeth. Marinette continuously apologized as she cried, even spouting nonsense about having stubby legs. She felt so bad that she's actually crying?! My face . . . my face is burning up! No, that's—that's because I'm angry!

His mind flipped through flashbacks. How many times had he stared at her throughout the day? And how did she get so cute?! No! You shouldn't have these thoughts! These feelings!

Marinette's cries toned down into quiet sniffles. Her bright eyes gazed at him expectantly, piercing into his very soul. Damian stepped backwards. Don't look at me with those eyes!

"Damn it!" He blurted out loudly. "Never! I'll never admit it! I'll never forgive you!"

He stormed out of the dining hall, running as fast as he could.

---

Clark bent down to pat his daughter's head. He was starting to regret sending her to school, considering what she did on her first day. The boy had been lucky she wasn't using her full strength in that punch.

"How was school, Mari?" he gently asked. She had come home in a glum mood, immediately grabbing her plushie to cuddle. He was afraid her powers got exposed in school.

"Dada, what does it mean if a person's heartbeat goes really fast?" Marinette asked timidly. "Like ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump."

Clark frowned. "Well, it can mean lots of things sweetie. Maybe fear, embarrassment, anger, or love? Why, did something happen in school?"

"Is Sy-on boy angry at me?" She lowered her gaze. "Marinette tried to apow-lo-gize but his heartbeat went ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump, and he ran away saying he'll never forgive me."

"Wh—what?" Does he have a crush on my little girl?! Calm down, Clark, you might be jumping to conclusions.

"Dada, your heart's beating really fast too."

He coughed. "Can you tell me what else happened, sweetie?"

"I heard the other kids whispering about me." She reached up to touch her ear. "I—I got really scared."

Clark immediately pulled her for a hug. "Oh no, don't mind them, okay kiddo? I'll teach you how to filter your hearing and err—I'm going to have a long talk with Bruce about Damian." 

Cross posted in AO3

[clutterfield]

GHOST BUSTERS

FratBoys! BTS x Comatose! Reader

Main mlist. Previous chapter.

Synopsis

You get into a freak accident and wake up to your body surrounded by seven crying men. Or your unrequited love doesn’t seem so unrequited after all.

Chapter warnings

Minor cussing, Implied self deprecration but very slight

Chapter Rating: T (For Teen Audiences and Up)

Chapter 4: The Fairy Godmother

FLASHBACK

Twiddling your thumbs inconspicuously wasn't such a good idea after all as your employer's sharp gaze pierces you right in your jaded soul.

You didn't mean to sound so cynical and judging from his tells, Eugene wasn't too happy with you, or at least with how you viewed yourself.

His manicured nails beckon you forward and you gulp, eyes darting to the pile in front of you-- Eugene Lee Yang, tarot master and occultist, absolutely hated it when his readings were disrupted but once you came in through his door looking for all the whole disgusting world like a damned drenched train wreck, eyes bugging out with tears leaking to your puffy cheeks, he pauses, red lips pinched looking for an explanation which you give.

You fidget in your seat by his raglan couch, the sign by the door right below the Yin Yang Quatro's flashy neon label saying 'Closed for business', as you silently try to assess a quick look at the spread laid out on the table.

One death card and two other major arcana.

Whoever the client was, the universe was basically telling him or her to fuck off from the situation and just let things be.

Yikes.

"Baby girl, look at me. " He gripes and you flinch, staring at his kohl rimmed eyes.

Your boss was a very hot man, and if he wasn't gay you would have considered your options but he was happily married to a wonderful husband and you were stupidly in love with the seven banes of your existence.

Hence the tears.

"So you're telling me, that those stupid boys left you to fend for yourself while you were sick in bed?" He hums when you nod your assent meekly, sharp jaw twitching with annoyance as his fingers tap lightly over his silk jacket. "Were they aware?"

You shake your head, "I mean I did send them a text but I was left on read. Maybe they were just busy or something. "

Eugene snaps his narrowed gaze to you and you gulp. "Huh. Busy. So you were seriously completely alone?"

Another shake of the head. "Some friends took care of me back at my own apartment so..." You trail off unsure if throwing Taemin into the mix with his consent was okay.

Eugene may be fairly strict with the shop rules but when it came to his employees, you in particular, he was an overprotective mama bear and anyone--rather, any man's name mentioned by you was automatically on his watch list.

Your boss pretends to ignore the friend part for a moment, "I see. And you don't think you deserve any of their attention when you've been nothing but a good friend and room mate to them?"

"That's not--"

Eugene holds a hand up to shush you. "Not yet done speaking, doll." He sighs. "YN, you know I despise little girls without any backbone. What, you don't think you're beautiful enough to be appreciated by a bunch of fuckboys? Bitch, you don't need them. You don't need their attitude. You're a queen. Act like it. " He sniffs daintily.

You give him a watery giggle and he smirks.

"Besides, if they so much as leave you high and dry one of these days, I will go to your house and castrate them inch by fucking inch."

Nothing could compare to an angry Yang boss.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Who the fuck are you?" The Beta Tau Sigma member frowns, arms tightening around you as his brothers close in forming a protective ring around the both of you and your physical body peacefully settled on the hospital bed.

The visitor merely raises a perfect, delicate brow, canine teeth bared for a moment only to recede when his irises pierce yours, and as if a magnetic pull traps you, you subconsciously fly--float to the stranger. " Eugene!" You bleat happily, arms looping around the man's lean shoulders.

Today he was wearing a baby blue silk coat and long skirt, looking for all the world like a top runway model. His red lips land on your hairline. "Hello, doll." He coos and everyone, the Min included, stands stock still as the dress you had been wearing shimmers in the light like an ethereal pixie.

"Holy shit. Was that YN?!" Jeongguk, the wide eyed buck that he was furiously looks to the space where you presumably stood and back to your body with mild hysterics until one of his hyung's, Seokjin was it, lightly knocks him upside the head.

"But hyung she just--"

Seokjin frowns. "Yes we all saw. It's just...difficult to wrap our heads around the thought that two YNs are here. "

Jimin, having had dried his tears long ago speaks up with a much clearer voice directed at Eugene. "I'm sorry, but we've known YN since we were kids and I'm afraid we haven't seen you around before...sir?" He hesitates contemplating whether he was using the correct gender noun.

A sharp laugh echoes within the cramped space of the hospital room, and the boys shift awkwardly, some seeming anxious at the tone the other man had taken.

You let go of your boss and reluctantly float back to the others, Yoongi snatching you up to his side, pushing you behind him with a grim stare at the newcomer.

You remember that Eugene isn't dangerous to you.

But Eugene Lee Yang was dangerous to those he disliked.

And it appears your boys weren't faring well in that department.

So with a grimace, you stick closer to Yoongi, ready to tug him just in case your boss decides to chuck his expensive shoes against someone's head in his wrathful wake.

Of course he would be mad.

You couldn't count the number of times he'd witnessed you cry over these men you were now trying to cover for.

With all the lip chewing you were immersed in, someone addresses the huge elephant rearing its trunk over all of you.

"That question aside, what is happening here--uh, sir?" Hoseok is quick to beat his brothers to the punch, although quite warily.

He wasn't going to be disrespectful to possibly the only person who could give a fucking explanation to everything. He had a gut feeling that whoever this man was, was someone who could help YN and he wasn't taking any chances just so YN can recover fast.

He didn't think he could live another week without being blessed with your lovely smile.

He actually fucking missed you already even if you were right here in spirit.

Eugene quirks a brow but his lips curl up in a genuine smile directed at the resident sunshine, and although he knew that all of them contributed to a majority of YN's sadness, this Hoseok was the least guilty from what he's heard so far.

"Jung Hoseok I presume?" Eugene asks and the boy stammers out an affirmative response. "Charmed. Yes, well. Before I answer any of your questions, YN if you would?" He gestures to you and you reach for him despite Yoongi's quiet protest.

He didn't like you leaving him for some other man no matter who they are.

Two things happen simultaneously as soon as you touch the Yang boss's hands.

You feel a heavy weight settle over you, as if you were being pulled down by gravity.

And then your bare foot touches the hard, cold, bleached tiles one after the other and you shiver with a soft squeak.

"HOLY SHIT YN?!"

A chorus of quaky gasps fill the air and then you are swept up into the nearest person's arms, this time Taehyung's.

You turn your smooshed cheeks from your holder and shoot a glance at the Yang boss with pure joy. "H-how?"

Eugene smiles at you gently. But then he sighs, the shadows appearing on his face aging him for a bit, a tick in his jaw forms and he rolls his eyes. "Doll, you know I'm magical. But that's beside the point. " He sharply claps his hands garnering command at everyone's undivided scrutiny.

Eugene was like that. Commanding with his presence at every turn.

"Gentlemen, if you could, I would love to be invited to your home as we have much to talk about as regards YN's current...state. "

Namjoon, ever the leader steps forward almost in an unconscious manner as if to assert his dominance, "As long as it will help YN, we are willing to do anything. "

Unexpectedly, the Yang boss doesn't laugh, doesn't mock them, only considers them for a moment and then looks at you. "I can see what you meant, darling." You flush for some reason and they all turn to look at you but your boss clears his throat, and straightens. "We don't have the luxury to waste any more time. For YN's sake, I suggest we go now. Because as of this moment, I am your fairy godmother and she's Cinderella. Once the clock strikes midnight, it's poof. If you catch my drift."

Faces pale at the insinuation.

Well shit.

Next chapter

[caroline-ds-world]

Let me love you- Han Jisung

Using Rose as the placeholder for Y/N as I don't like using it in my writing you can change it to your name if you prefer.

Word count: 4,167

Warnings: SUICIDAL THOUGHTS DONT READ IF NOT OKAY WITH THAT,piv sex, unprotected sex don't do this, eating out, fingering, multiple orgasms, breeding kink, blowjobs, I think that is most of them please let me know if I missed anything.

Tags: @bubblelixie @raspbinniecreme

Han Jisung. The bane of your existence in your high school and so far adult life also. But at one point you were best friends. But that was when you two were much younger. Now you're 22 and you can't stand each other. Your parents were best friends so you and Jisung were forced to hang out a lot when you were little. They're still friends but they also accept that you and Jisung don't want to hang out anymore.

Now you are going back home for your sister's wedding. She is younger than you (20) but she is getting married before you. You dread this because Jisung and his family will more than likely be invited and you will be forced to be around him.

You arrive at your parents home, your childhood home right next door to Jisung's. You greet your mother and father, going to your old bedroom to unpack since you will be in town for 3 weeks. Your sister is still finalizing everything for the wedding currently, but is getting married in a week from when you arrive, but your parents wanted you to stick around for a bit as they haven't seen you in years, since you moved out at 18, and moved an hour away. Now you don't come back home often, for fear of being asked all the dreaded questions from your parents.

"Why aren't you married yet?" " Do you have a boyfriend?" " You don't want to let your younger sister get married and have kids before you do you?" And your personal favorite to hear is " so if you don't have a boyfriend, are you gay?". You love your parents but you can't deal with those questions constantly. It reminds you of how inferior you feel.

This problem arose when you were younger. You feel very inferior and like nobody could ever love you. You even tried to commit suicide when you were a freshman in high school, but Jisung stopped you.

Flashback

You were in your room holding the rope you planned to kill yourself with. You had the note written out and everything. As you were getting everything set up Jisung walked in your house looking for you, he called your name, you didn't come downstairs so he came up to your room. When he opened the door he saw you about to put the rope around your neck, came over and grabbed you off the chair you had set under your ceiling fan and kicked the chair out of the way.

"Why Rose? Why would you think to do that? Did I do something wrong?" Jisung asked. All you could do was cry. He held you for as long as it took for you to calm down. After you had calmed down, which took about 20 minutes, you finally decided to tell him. " I feel useless. I get bullied at school, my parents are never around, my brother is a shithead and my sister is always rubbing it in my face that she's the favorite and she's going to have such a successful life. You're the only one that even seems to want me around…." He sighed, grabbing your wrists.

"Rose, do you think I want to lose my best friend? No I don't. You're such a good person. Your family would miss you if you did that to yourself, and they'd regret treating you like shit. My parents love and adore you, probably more than me and my brother. I adore you, you need to stay around for me okay?" He pleaded, tears coming to his eyes, about to roll down his cheeks.

"But Jisung it's so hard to want to when the whole world is against me." "Rose I love you, I can't lose you. You have to stay and let me love you." He argued with you. You then realized he said he loved you, did he mean as a friend? Or more?

"W-w-what? Y-y-y-You l-l-l-l-love me?" You stuttered out. He pulls you to his chest and kisses your head and whispers "Yes I do. I love you, not just as a friend. But I'm not letting this get in the way of our friendship so I'm not asking you to date me, for now."

End of Flashback (for now)

Thinking about that memory as soon as you walk back into your childhood bedroom to unpack your bags for the weeks to come wasn't a good thing cause you broke down into tears. Your sister can into your room as you started crying and joked "What? Crying cause you finally realized my life is better than yours? Because I'm getting married before you? Or because you drove away the only man you've ever loved?" You screamed "GET OUT!" through your tears.

She runs out the door as quickly as she came in, closing the door behind her. You sit down on your bed and cry so much that you fall asleep. A few hours later your mom walks into your room and screams at you to get up. Questioning you " why can't you be married already? Why are you such a disappointment? Do you have no shame or do you just sleep all day?" You quiver in fear and don't say anything in reply. "Dinners in the microwave, you disappointment, cause you missed our dinner." You nod and whisper barely audible a thank you.

She walks out of your room, shaking her head, leaving your door open. You wait until you hear her bedroom door close shut then you make your way downstairs to the kitchen and look in the microwave and find a plate of warm food sitting in there. You grab the plate and a fork and go upstairs to your room to eat it. As you walk into your room you look at the uncovered window (as in no curtains, no blinds) on the far side from the entrance of the room. You then remember that Jisung's room is right across from yours as you can see him unpacking his suitcase in his room .

Shit, did he see your lovely mother yell at you and not care? Does he hate you that much? You thought. Then you see him turn towards the window, look at you for a second and then turn back to his clothes that he has been unpacking. When did he move away? You thought he still loved at home but clearly not if he's got a suitcase of clothes he's unpacking. You sit down at your old desk to eat, not wanting to sit on the bed and risk him watching you not want to eat but forcing yourself to.

After you had finally eaten everything on your plate you took it down stairs and washed the plate and fork you dirtied, all the other dishes had been done already. Once you had the dishes washed and dried, you walked back upstairs to your bedroom. All of this reminded you of your last memory with Jisung just before you and him stopped being friends, this conversation is the reason you stopped talking to him, but he tried to talk to you only for about a month after this happened.

Flashback

You were at lunch eating with Jisung in your high school cafeteria. You stopped eating and went to throw your trash away and came back and heard him say to one of his popular guy friends. " No, I would never date Rose, I don't even like her, she's just my annoying childhood best friend. We've known each other since we were in diapers, why would you ever think I'd date her having seen her like that?!" He'd replied to the friend, you never knew his name at the time, as Jisung had kept you away from this group of friends of his.

You came back to the table slowly after hearing him saying that, only going back to grab your bag and as you made your way to leave Jisung asked where you were going. You turned and remarked " why do you care, Jisung? You obviously don't care about me or my feelings any more so why do you fucking care where I am going?!" He gasped and replied "what do you mean? Of course I care about you and your feelings…" "Then why did you say what you just said to your friend back there?" You were annoyed at home for pretending to care when he literally just said that. You of course remember that he literally said he loves you back in middle school so being that this was the first time since then that he had changed his mood about it.

He looked taken aback at first " baby what do you mean? What I said to Chan? You heard that? I am so sorry, you know I didn't mean that. You in know I love you baby" He begged. You scoffed " well Han Jisung, you wouldn't have said it if you didn't mean it, especially as loud as you said it, so please just stay away from me. I want you to get out of my life if you're going to be this 2 faced." "If only you could stand up to your parents like you're standing up to me right now." He sneered. That was a gut punch. He knew saying that would probably make you try to commit suicide againbut in the end you don't do it, you stayed strong. You also wanted to prove you could go through depressed states without him. That was your main goal.

He tried leaving flowers and chocolates in your locker for a month, trying to get you to talk to him. You continued on going through life without him and that was the last time you talked to Jisung.

End of Flashback

That memory coming up made you so mad you started punching your pillow. As you were punching it you started crying. You then looked around your room and saw all the pictures of you and him growing up. You stopped crying and started to stare at one picture in particular. One of you and Jisung at your first homecoming dance, you were wearing a red dress that hugged every curve of your body and was strapless. He held onto you extra tight that night. You smiled at seeing the picture. You hated it when it was taken but now it was one of your favorite pictures of you and your now enemy.

Seeing that it was now midnight you decided to go back to sleep, grabbing your plushie bunny that Jisung had won for you when you were at an arcade. He said you didn't need a bear because bears are scary in real life but the bunny was cute and fluffy in real life and in plush form. You always found when he said stuff like that so cute. You fell asleep cuddling your plush bunny in your arms.

When you woke up the sun was just coming up behind the horizon, so you got up, got dressed for the day, and walked downstairs to start breakfast out of habit. You always were the one that made breakfast in the house growing up. You decided to make a big breakfast expecting everyone to want to eat so you made eggs, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, hash browns, bacon, sausage, etc. As you were making breakfast the doorbell rang and you went to get the door. When you answered it your worst nightmare was standing there. Han Jisung.

"What are you doing here?" You asked him. He responded " I came because your parents asked my parents if I would. I wouldn't have come if they hadn't asked, no need to be rude, baby. I'm not here for you." Just as he said that your mother came downstairs, welcoming him into the home. You walked back into the kitchen, and set the last plate of food on the table for breakfast. As you did everyone else, your sister, her fiancé, your brother, his wife, their 2 children came downstairs to the table. There wasn't a space for you to sit, they all ate without even acknowledging you or even saying thank you.

You walked into the kitchen to start cleaning up the dishes when Jisung walked in to put his plate into the sink. He grabbed your arm and whispered " I miss you so much still baby, I wish I never said that back then. Will you let me help you?" He looked like he was going to cry, you ignored him, still very upset even though it's been years since the incident, he must've watched you last night without you noticing since you refused to look toward the window.

Soon after your mom walked into the kitchen with her plate. " Thank you for making breakfast, even though you're the family disappointment. I'm glad that you aren't actually our child." Wait hold up, did she just say that?? " I'm adopted?!?! And you're just telling me this now!?" You scream at her. " Yes you're adopted. It's also why you're the family's disappointment." By this time everyone is watching you and her scream at each other because they all got up at the sound of screaming.

"Lynn dear, why are you telling her this now?" Your adoptive father asked your adoptive mother. She replied " well there's no reason to hide it from her now, she is the disappointment of the family and she's not part of the family, she should just leave now."

Once you heard that you ran upstairs to pack your things back up, including the items you left when you moved to university, like all the pictures, and other mementos. Once you had everything packed you grabbed it all and went out to your car and shoved everything in. As you were doing so Jisung walked out of his house next door and asked " are you leaving? I am so sorry about what she said I had no idea. That's just not right, baby." You explained " yes, Jisung I'm leaving and I'm taking everything with me and going back home where I actually belong. Her saying that explains EVERYTHING, why they treated me like shit, why I never felt like I belonged, why I wasn't even a bridesmaid for my own fucking sister? Why was I even here?" He hugged you after that and you melted into his touch, just like you used to.

He kisses the top of your head, trying to calm you down. He then whispers " I know it does baby, I was asking cause I was going to ask if you wanted to go back together…." Wait together? Does he know that you don't just live down the street? "Jisungie…" you called this name for the first time in a long time and he gasps. "You know I love like an hour away cause I went to a University that is that far away right?"

He chuckles " baby, yes I do know that cause I live there too now, I transferred about 2 years ago and saw you on campus, I never approached you cause I don't want to piss you off." You sighed and giggled at him " why?" " Because as I said all the way back in middle school, I LOVE YOU, and I'm not going to leave you alone until you let me love you." " Okay, what exactly does that mean Jisungie?" " It means be my girlfriend? Will you be mine?"

Is that what you want? "Jisungie I don't know….can I have some time to think about it?" "Yeah sure, just let me know, my phone number hasn't changed, so you should still have it." You hadn't changed yours either. " I haven't changed mine either so I will let you know when I have thought about it a little more, if you want we can still go back together, but don't expect me to think about it while you're next to me." He chuckles and nods.

~~Time jump~~ 4 days later

So you came back to university, your adoptive family is trying to contact you because your "sister's" wedding is tomorrow and " you still have to come", you're not going. You don't belong there. You are currently sitting in your dorm thinking just for a few more moments about Jisung and whether you will tell him yes or no, your heart says yes and your head says no. Which one do you follow?

You grab your phone and call him, he picks up on the second ring and as soon as he does so you whisper " yes" to him. He screams because he is so happy. He tells you he'll be coming to your dorm and hangs up. You wait to hear his knock and the second you open the door when you hear it, his lips are on yours. He kisses you with so much passion. He kicks the door closed behind him. You go towards the couch in your dorm, making out now.

As you make out with Jisung you have to break away to sit down on the couch where you sit next to each other, watch movies and just cuddle for the rest of the night. You may make out a little more too….

About a week into dating Jisung you decide while you and him are cuddling to finally answer your "family's" calls. They scream at you calling you a disappointment again and say that nobody would ever want you which makes Jisung take the phone and stand up for you telling them he loves you and always has. They ask him how he could even want anything to do with you, you're not sexy and beautiful like their other daughter they said. He hung up and walked over to you starting a make out session.

As you make out now you can feel him getting more and more passionate about the kiss. Since you were in bed, he rolled onto you and started letting his hands wander. His hands stop at the bottom of your shirt pulling on it, asking for permission to take it off. You break away from the kiss to take it off and once it is off, you go straight back to kissing him, not wanting to miss his lips for too long.

Jisung's lips feel so good against yours, and his hands are now moving towards your breasts, once there he gropes your breast, causing you to moan. He then starts moving down to kiss your neck, while groping you. He sucks, kisses and licks your neck leaving hickies and bites, causing you to moan out "Jisungie please more! I need more!"

He then moves to your breasts and sucks on your right nipple first, his hand still fondling your left breast. You start biting your lip to hold back your moans, causing him to pull away "Baby, keep letting me know what feels good, I wanna know, if you stop making noises for me, I will stop. I need to know that I am making you feel good and that you're not in pain." He explains to you. He then switches to the left nipple being in his mouth and the right in his hand.

You reach out to him still moaning, wanting to pull his shirt off. He pulls away and takes his shirt off, knowing exactly what you wanted. He then starts kissing down your body towards the top of your pants. Once there he looks at you and asks " is it okay for me to take these off? Do you want to continue?" You nod and he doesn't move. He shakes his head and repeats" Rose I need words, do you want to continue?" You beg enthusiastically " please Jisungie, I want to continue, I want you to make love to me." He smiles and goes to pull your pants and underwear down.

Once they are off he brings his hand to your pussy, parting your lips, so he can see how wet you are. " Oh baby, you're already so wet but you can get wetter, I'm going to eat this pussy until you cum." You were shocked he just said that. He then starts eating you out like a man starved and you are the only food around. Licking and sucking your clit as much as he can. Then he slowly brings one finger up to your pussy.

He slips the finger into your pussy, while sucking your clit. You scream more over and over like a mantra. He complies and keeps giving you more and more. He fingers you with one finger while sucking your clit for quite some time before he slides in a second finger. As he is sucking your clit and fingering you, you moan " Ji, feels so good." To which he moans on your clit trying to push you over the edge, you are just about to cum when your phone goes off again, your adoptive sister being the name on the screen, by accident you hit answer and once you hear her voice you lose the build up of the orgasm.

" How dare you miss my wedding you stupid bitch? You needed to be there." She squealed into the phone. You groan out " Karen you're the bitch here, not me, I'm blocking all of you idiots, you don't deserve to be in my life." You state before you hung up and asked Jisung to continue, apologizing for the interruption.

He goes back to eating you out and fingering you, now adding a third finger, moaning against your clit as he sucks as hard as he can trying to build you back up. Finally you cum for Jisung for the first time. You scream out his name as you came extremely hard in comparison to how you had before. Not squirting, just very hard cumming.

Once you have come down from the orgasm you move to Jisung and take off his pants and boxers. Once those are off, you move to where you can suck his cock, with him laying on the bed and you hovering between his legs on the bed. Then you wrap your lips around his cock head for the first time and he groans out your name. You try taking his cock all the way down your throat but you can't, you end up gagging. You grab his hand and put it into your hair, telling him that he should fuck your face.

He starts thrusting his hips into your face, exclaiming " Fuck baby so good, your mouth feels so good wrapped around my cock, fuck I love it, and I love you." He keeps thrusting into your mouth until you gag so much that you have to pull off him. You're crying also while gagging. He coos " awe baby did sucking my cock make you cry? Are you going to cry some more while I fuck you?" As he starts positioning you so he can fuck you. You lay back on the bed with your legs spread, he gets between your legs. Positioning himself at your entrance, he pushes into the hilt.

Once he is fully inside you you moan out how much you love his cock and you want to cum around it, at least that's what Jisung thinks you were saying, it was kinda incoherent. He slowly starts fucking you, thrusting back and forth into your pussy, over and over again. Waiting for you to tell him to go faster, he stays at a slow pace.

You eventually do tell him to go faster so he does. " Fuck Jisungie I'm gonna cum!" You scream/moan out to him letting him know. " Yeah you gonna milk my cock baby? go ahead baby, cum, milk my cock." He replies to you keeping his pace as it is. You cum 3 times in rapid succession. After the third orgasm on his cock and it being the fourth one you've had overall, he groans out " Just a little longer baby, I'm about to cum. I'm gonna give you my cum and you need to hold it in so you can have my babies."

He has a breeding kink? You didn't know this before now. You'll have to ask him about this after this but first let him cum. " Give me your babies Jisungie! I want them all please!" You moan out to him, making him automatically cum inside you.

After a few moments he pulls himself out of you and you ask automatically " so you have a breeding kink?" And he blushes while nodding, now embarrassed he said that. "Yeah, sorry, are you okay with that?" You nod. " Do you wanna cuddle until we fall asleep for old times sake baby? I know you used to love cuddling in my arms, instead of with that old bunny, and since we have been dating we haven't been able to." You nod, letting him wrap his arms around you and falling asleep almost automatically.

[the-other-art-blog]

I'm probably one of the few people who actually didn't like Anthony in S2, for me he did a lot of shit and played the victim😬

I 100% agree with you, anon.

Anthony actually interrogated all available women, crossing them from the list for not knowing Greek? And then he complained for not finding anyone good enough? Who the hell does he think he is?! At least Benedict and Violet called him on his bs.

You know, if he thought all all women were wrong, then maybe he was the problem, not them. Benedict or Violet should have told him that.

He was asking for the "perfect" wife. But what about him? Would he be the perfect husband? How is his Latin and Greek? He's not very cultured it seems. He would bore me to death. What exactly can he talk about? Don't tell me he doesn't have time to read? He has time for prostitutes, he could open a book if he wanted.

He was looking for a uterus, not a woman. He referred to Edwina as a “what”. He wanted a trophy. Is that honorable?

I understand his fear of hurting someone with his death. I really do and I empathize with him. He went through something horrible and he was left alone. He was only 18 years old and he had to make the hardest decisions. BUT, what about Edwina? Why should she be subjected to a loveless marriage just because of his trauma? Especially when that’s not what he offered to her in their courtship. He gifted her a horse on the first day! He did everything to make her believe he was genuinely interested in her. Even after the whole drama at the dinner with Mary’s parents, he still wanted to marry her. Anyone would take that as a sign of love.

All this while he seduced Kate in secret!  He said “your the bane of my existence” one night and the next he proposed to Edwina RIGHT IN FRONT OF KATE! He confessed he would cheat on Edwina with Kate. BTW, implying Kate would just go along with that. He believed to be so irresistible that Kate would betray her sister just life that. Again, who does he think he is?!

It’s laughable and pathetic that he thought he could just read Benedict’s poem. It makes me so angry. How dare he! Those words came from the heart and he used them to lie. He’s a fraud.

Why didn’t he court Cressida instead? She would have done the job and not asked for love in return?

But you know, I can take all of that and still respect him and even like him. Everyone can make mistakes. But he never apologized to anyone. Edwina and Kate deserve an honest apology, same Daphne and Violet, and even Benedict. Yet, he never really acknowledged his mistakes as he should. Everyone just moved on. Like you said, he played the victim and everyone felt sorry for him.

Benedict acted horribly in his book, but he apologized. He really understood that what he did was wrong and mended his mistakes. He understood how much he hurt Sophie. He didn’t just called her his fiancée and pretended everything to be alright. Once they were back at his house he said how sorry he was for everything. So I can actually forgive him. But that’s not what Anthony did on the show.

We saw in the flashbacks how Violet was more of a burden for Anthony that a support. But again, she apologized to him and it is something that she carries with deep regret. I’m not sure Anthony truly regrets what he did. Mary too apologized to Kate.

And what angers me the most are his stans! Honestly, they are treating him like a baby. Like a child who didn’t know any better. But he did! Daphne begged him to reconsider and he, like a child making a tantrum, proposed to Edwina anyway!

Stans prefer to put Kate against Edwina, instead of holding Anthony accountable. BTW, I think Kate did a few things wrong. She’s not a saint either as her stans claim. EVERYONE did things wrong, they’re people. Just like Sophie made mistakes too.

You know who this reminds me? Laurie from Little Women. Everyone ignores his behavior. Very few people will acknowledge when he harassed Jo or that his proposal is full of red flags (listen to @littlewomenchannel podcast. That proposal is a nightmare). He played immature pranks of Meg and John. And he wasn’t a very nice person to Amy at the beginning of their European chapters. And like Anthony, he would judge women, asking for saints, while he flirted with anything that moved. But what does people prefer to do: put Amy versus Jo.

Oh, but Laurie apologized too in the end! In the book at least, in the 2019 film, he’s just like Anthony (when in the book, he may be more like Benedict).

So, to sum up. I just needed an apology. Because that is a recognition that you did something wrong and you’re gonna do better in the future. That’s it.

[infinitethree]

Can I request a wide variety of images of sand popping up around Day as if they were pop up ads on a website until he’s just surrounded by a wall of sand images?

It had been such a lovely morning, too.

The weather was clear, breakfast hadn’t resulted in attempted fratricide (though that is usually more likely to happen at dinner), he had gotten a good night’s rest, Patches was dozing adorably, and Day had decided this meant it was a good time to work on knitting.

His current project is to improve (that word being used extremely liberally) upon the gift he’d given Lucid two years previously; an absolutely eye-searingly hideous, though comfortable and warm, sweater.

From what he’s heard, the admin takes a certain spiteful joy in inflicting its awful presence on others. Aver had seen it, immediately realized who had given it to him, and proceeded to call Day and tell him both he and Lucid were blights upon the earth and, frankly, the world deserves better.

…It may have been the wrong move to immediately agree and say that San deserves someone competent and capable, not whatever you wanted to call what Lucid is.

Anyway.

Day is interrupted from the music on his com and the steady, rhythmic progress of his new worst creation by an image popping up between his face and the garish monstrosity.

It takes him only a few moments to realize what he’s seeing. He narrows his eyes, pauses his music, and says flatly, “That’s not funny.”

This statement causes a half dozen more images of sand to pop up.

The substance is up there with some of the literal worst ones he knows of. Lava? Hazardous, occasionally triggers violent flashbacks, but largely acceptable. Obsidian? Sometimes will catapult him into a catatonic state, but useful. Raw potatoes? Will make him scrub his hands until they bleed, which does the opposite of help his mental state. Eldritch goop? Treated with extreme caution because it made Theo’s eyes turn solid black for a good ten minutes when he curiously poked at it.

But sand?

Sand is the bane of his existence. Any kind feelings he had towards sand died first in the prison, then a second time when he realized he has the memories of Philza fucking Minecraft (the most boring man alive) slowly and laboriously draining not just fourteen ocean monuments, but a dozen chunks’ worth of nearly all the lava in the Prime-damned nether with sand.

And then, finally, fatally, a third time when he had to stop Orph from trying to eat sand in their first home. And then Dee kept encouraging it, largely by distracting Day via trying to do it too.

He still doesn’t know if they both just decided that this, THIS was the ideal way to test his patience, or if they genuinely enjoyed it. The memory of Orph’s long, melodramatic rants on the subject still make him shudder hard enough that his wings will poof up. And then, of course, Dee would join in, and egg him on.

It’s coarse, it’s an irritant, it gets everywhere, it’s heavily tied to some of the worst parts of his life. He has made it a point to make one of his kids deal with smelting the stuff for glass for over a decade, and pointedly rejected the idea of having glass in most of the ‘windows’ of his own home.

Sure, part of that was so he and his kids could more easily enter and exit in an emergency…but it was also partly to do with not wanting to deal with the amount of sand it would take to fill those openings.

“I will find you and break every single one of your bones, in alphabetical order,” Day hisses, feathers fluffing up with anger.

Another dozen popups appear, and he gets to his feet, throwing his project on the ground in frustration. “Why?! What brought this on?! Are you sadistic assholes just enjoying my suffering?! Is this funny to you?!”

He’s interrupted from screaming at the ceiling by a wary, “...Uh? You okay, there?”

He snaps his head towards the sound of the voice, and sees the rather confused-looking Aleph and Khons staring at him.

They both seem worried, too, which Day would be more concerned about if he wasn’t dealing with otherworldly entities needling him for apparent funsies.

“Question askers are being assholes,” he says, making a noise of frustration as more popups appear. “If you’re looking for Theo, he should be out in his studio with–” He cuts himself off, slamming his eyes shut and taking a long, pointed inhale.

He is calm. He is very, very calm, and not about to start figuring out which god he can drag down from the sky and slaughter like the worthless dog they are for this active transgression against his patience, sanity, and most importantly, peace.

Through gritted teeth, he tells them, “With Perce. They’re working on something. If they’re not there, check Dee’s workshop.” His second eldest–actually, all of his kids–have various ways of using the multiple versions of the internet they can access to their fullest extent.

That is to say, they troll people with them.

Each of them has a unique niche of chaos they inflict on unsuspecting people. Perce will edit together well over a dozen versions of a movie or show, use memes that don’t exist and don’t make sense, and otherwise use and abuse his nerdery to make people absolutely furious.

Theo argues with people about folklore, myths, and legends, often cited and sourced with information from other worlds. He can and will post full essays about historical context for a myth that doesn’t exist using sources that are from a dozen other realities.

Orph will release songs or versions of songs specifically to piss off a world’s version of Wilbur, if he’s a musician. There have been multiple occasions where he’s tricked other realities into believing that there’s a new album or single coming out.

Atlas is, somewhat hilariously, the most low-key troll. His post histories in rock, mineral, gem, and bead groups are storied and often entirely genuine…and then he’ll pull some absolute nonsense out of left field. His favorite is arguing with Theo about carved versions of various myths, often poking holes into his points…by using data and a different version of the myth.

Lee, bless his tiny, golden heart, likes to give other realities media they wouldn’t otherwise get. Games that were canceled, movies shut down, projects that otherwise failed to see the light of day; any and all of them are liable to be offered up to others. He does, however, refuse to explain where or who he gets it from. His favorite phrase is ‘I’ve been advised not to disclose that, for the safety of others.’

And then there’s Dee. Easily the most chaotic of them, his method is to do livestreams. Has amassed a following on well over a dozen worlds’ internet, always showcasing some sort of impossible, improbable thing that can’t possibly exist in those worlds. And yet, he makes a point to react to the chat, donations, and other ways that make it clear it’s not prerecorded footage.

He can, has, and will, talk at length about redstone, and the second someone asks about redstone, he gives an entirely too-sincere confused look. “...Redstone? That sounds like a band. Oh, wait, do you mean my wall? Yeah, that’s red sandstone, good eye!”

Questions about Minecraft are met with similar confusion, though more pronounced. “I don’t actually know what you’re talking about. Is that a new show? Is it any good?” And then he’ll put a shulker down sideways on a wall, open it, dig something out, and set it down.

It’s gotten to the point where if his brothers know he’s streaming, they’ll go in and bug him. Sometimes it’s Orph, there to deliver a melodramatic rant. Sometimes it’s Lee, sitting with him and trying to follow his ramblings to glean insight into the mystery that is technology or just be an extra pair of hands.

And, sometimes, it’s Day himself.

Is it maybe a little mean-spirited that he thinks it’s funny? Yeah, probably. But considering he had to deal with some sort of issue in that world for it to be connected to Sanctuary…he thinks he can be forgiven for thinking it’s hilarious when nobody can tell if he and Perce are the same person. There have only been a handful of times anyone guessed–usually very sarcastically–that he’s the dad.

Day answers them the same way; a direct message that says ‘you were right.’ And as soon as they replied, he’d tell them, ‘I’m the dad on Dee’s streams. And nobody will believe you.’ And then he blocked them.

No further attempts to contact him are answered from that world. In fact, half the time he isn’t even so much as a regular in Dee’s chats.

But right now, Dee’s chaos–and Day’s habit of making it even more chaotic–aren’t the focus. Day is too busy trying to deal with the wall of floating images of sand literally encircling him. Moving doesn’t help, because they follow. Turning his head doesn’t help, because they’re forming a half-transparent wall around him. Cursing the gods isn’t helping, because they seem to be actively enjoying his misery.

“...Did they ask something rude, or…” Khons’ wary question is answered by Day telling the literally golden-wooled sheep hybrid, “They’re showing me sand.” He can feel the further confusion that causes, so he adds, “I hate sand. Sand is a fucking awful substance. I feel to sand as Vio does to snow. That being that it should stop existing.”

He’s sure he sounds absolutely insane, but frankly, until someone has well over a literal week’s worth of memories just of tedious, mind-numbing sand placement, then they don’t get to judge him.

“...Do you want us to get someone? Maybe call Vio, so you can commiserate about how much you hate a part of nature? And possibly work out some aggression?” Aleph’s offer makes Day’s eyes narrow slightly in thought. But, in the end, it’s not a terrible idea.

“I’ll call him. Thank you, though. Is there something else I can help–mother FUCKER that’s just a dick move, it’s not my fault someone gave a fictional character the same issues as me, but it’s NOT the same and it’s NOT fictional–” What starts as an attempt to get his anger control abruptly goes sideways as a clip of the infamous Sand Rant starts playing.

He tries to strangle his frustration, mostly so he doesn’t just open his mouth and start wordlessly screaming.

[soukokuwu]

Hi there, I really love your writing. Can you write a scenario where Dazai's black fem s/o who works at the ada and is encountered with a racist client who makes it pretty obvious that she doesn't want the s/o there because of her skin colour and s/o is feeling pretty down at it. Something similar recently happened to me so I kinda just wanna read some damn scenario about it, thanks.

HOME IS NOT A PLACE.      genre; pairing. fluff; dazai x reader      word count. 1,675      synopsis. dazai comforts you after an unnecessary hardship.      warning. brief discrimination      author notes. i’m so sorry to hear that happened to you (& i know i took very long with this, i apologise.) i’ve had similar discrimination inflicted upon me too so i hope you don’t have to experience it again & that you’re feeling better by now. <3

The nerves of some people.

A pair of chocolate beads observe silently, intensively, as the callous words spill out of thin, dry lips.

“I don’t want someone like her to serve me.”

Sip.

The old woman eyes you top to bottom.

“I demand someone else, someone... normal, at least.”

He catches the disdain in her voice. He’s sharp as a tack. Beside him the weretiger watches, cowering as he feels the ominous energy emanating from his superior. He’s seen Dazai angry, furious, but never like this. Never... silent. In this moment, the brunette is absolutely livid.

Dazai’s hands are placed on the table, balled tightly into fists. His eyes are trained on the client you’re trying to appease — she’s too wrapped up in her own head to notice him glaring. As he expects. People like that are often ignorant.

Normally he’d hate to get caught up in things like this, prefers to leave it to Kunikida, but the blonde isn’t around and it’s you she’s speaking to. He’s not going to keep mum when it comes to you. How dare someone insult his girlfriend for something that shouldn’t even matter?

Dazai loves you, he knows you’re way too nice to stand up for yourself, and Naomi is already killing herself trying to appease this witch. He notices the way your nervous fingers are fumbling with each other, the way you press your lips together to stop them from trembling, even the way your feet are tucked under the table brushing against each other. You’re scared, and your head is hung so low... you’re ashamed?

The line has been drawn a while ago. But now he absolutely can’t stay still. Not when it’s leaving you feeling so horrified.

He stands up, forcefully kicking the chair back against the wall with his knees as he does, and everyone in the room goes quiet.

All eyes are on him. His bangs are messy, covering his eyes, and lucky they are, because whatever expression lay under there it isn’t for everyone to see. Even the usually chirpy Kenji is stunned into silence, a wave of fear flashing across his features.

“Oh? Has the whiny granny finally shut up?” Dazai hums.

He’s fully aware that everyone in the room feels even more uncomfortable than before. As they should be; he doesn’t use this tone much, if at all, around them. It’s a tone most associated with who he used to be, a tone that incites a flashback to his port mafia days.

But in the midst of everything, you snap out of your seat and scurry off, your head in your hands. And Dazai watches as you run out of the office. Should he deal with the lady first? Or should he get to you? He doesn’t much know the ‘right’ ways of a relationship, but a nudge comes in from Naomi.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of this,” Naomi assures him, a newly invigorated motivation after seeing his strong reaction.

Dazai mumbles a “thanks” before he excuses himself to find you — shooting one last warning glare at the old lady — and he knows just where you are.

Something cold is pressed against your cheek and you jolt. Dazai pulls it away with a chuckle and waves the cold can of juice in your face.

His features are much softer now than it was before, and you ease up a little when you realise he must be so worrried to have come up here to find you. When you take the can from him, he settles down quietly beside you and looks out at the view, and you two sit there wordlessly.

You are on the rooftop of the building right beside the ADA office. This is your hideout, a safe, convenient space for when you really need an escape from anything. And today is one of those days. Rare as they may be, you expect some people to react that way. Because sometimes humanity is flawed in the worst ways possible.

In an ideal world you wouldn’t be feeling this way. In an ideal world, everyone here would be able to accept you for who you are — not what you look like, not where you’re from. In an ideal world, you’d be free from the judgemental, free of the discrimination.

But this isn’t an ideal world. This is earth. This is life. What can you do but accept it? What else can you do other than tolerate what’s thrown at you? You think back to the harsh words spewed by the woman before — the one targeted at you because of your skin tone.

A rush of memories flood your mind.

Unwelcome looks from classmates. Sneers wherever you went in school. The way your name was associated with the sentences “why is she here?” and “she looks weird”. It was like sentencing you to be a social outcast over something you couldn’t control. You’d been forced to spend most of your schooling days alone, project groups being the bane of your existence. Where you thought it’d be an opportunity to make friends, it just gave the other kids additional chances at mocking you. The worst part was you couldn’t even talk to anyone about it. You had your doubts talking to school counsellors, they could easily be one of them. You didn’t even dream of telling your mother either, being a single mom was hard enough, you didn’t want to pile on more problems.

But it lightened up as you got older and people got more mature. Didn’t mean it stopped completely, though. You still had to welcome several unwanted glares and finger-pointing. But at least the name-calling stopped. And what you didn’t hear wouldn’t hurt you. It got better when you finally stepped out into the adult world. People were generally more accepting now, and you didn’t once feel left out in the ADA. They were all kind, for the most part, and never once did they discriminate against you. All they cared about was your work ethic, and they all generally accepted you for who you are. They didn’t give a damn what you looked like.

They accepted you for you, and that was the greatest gift they could have bestowed upon you. To the others it may have been nothing, but to you it meant everything.

There had never been a day where you were forced to confront your old fears. Until today. When that lady ever so subtly insulted you. It was like every doubt that ever crossed your mind since you were a kid came flooding back to you, the questions of whether you really belonged here, whether you should just give up and move away. But where? This is your home, for as long as you can remember.

“I love your eyes.”

Dazai’s sudden declaration stuns you, and you tilt your head towards him with a curious gaze. He isn’t teasing you, you knew that much. If he was, he would wear that wide, silly grin of his. No, this time his smile is… endearing, comforting.

“I love the way your smile reaches your eyes.”

A pair of hands reach out to cup your cheeks, and you can feel yourself getting nervous. He usually never speaks his feelings. Why is he doing this now?

“Look at me, belladonna,” he coaxes, and you listen. You’re met with earnest chocolate eyes, and you keep looking into them, even as they inch closer and closer towards you. He stops the moment the tip of his nose touches yours, and you feel your breath hitch at your throat.

“You are a beautiful person, my love,” he assures you, voice low and steady. His eyes are still staring straight into yours, and you can just make out his beautiful hair flowing in the breeze. “I’ve thought that ever since the first time I laid eyes on you.”

You chuckle, remembering the first day you stepped foot in the ADA office. Dazai had stumbled over all googly-eyed and took your hand, already confessing his future love with you. And he was right, because look at you now. And all the sounds muffle together as you continue gazing at your boyfriend as he lists down all the things he loves about you. From things as small as how your hands feel in his to the way he absolutely loves how he can be completely himself (or as much as he can be) around you.

“Shut up.”

Without even thinking, you find yourself tilting heavenward, pressing your lips onto his. It’s something he welcomes, by the way, his hands moving from your cheek to your neck and kissing you deeper.

You know exactly what he means by saying all of that. And you find it cute, how his way of comforting you is quite a roundabout, yet why does it still work? But you find the answer when you pull away, that first moment when you open your eyes — really open your eyes — and meet his. He’s right.

That lady’s opinion didn’t matter. It hurts, you know he’s not invalidating it, but he just knows talking about it further would just frustrate you more. Besides, he’s been with you long enough to know; if you want to, you would talk about it, and he would listen. As he always does. Even when it’s about things you considered trivial or stupid, he always gives you the time of day, always tries to make everything better.

He’s right — she doesn’t matter. To you, the one that matters most, is him. And you’re grinning silly just thinking of just how much he loves you, and how easily he makes you feel better with just his words. The lady and her biting remarks are well behind you now, as he envelops you in his arms, giving you an important confirmation: Dazai would always have your back, would always protect you.

Because you can have a myriad of doubts, but one thing is for sure.

Dazai is your home.

tags. @yokelish @gogolparadise @fyowyn-writes @smoochi-dazai @animatedarchives

[robotslenderman]

Dove character analysis

An analysis on Dove, her Nictuku traits, and how they ended up making her resembling the Cappadocians so strongly that her own sire thought she was one somehow.

I always assumed Dove and Modian were close because Dove was clearly distressed when she saw Modian in the condition he was in in the video.

But I was going through the VTMNR code to see the things she tells you about herself that I missed when I was playing that scene, and got to this bit:

"But when he saw my face, he thought he had been tricked," Dove says, her tone bleak. "He said I resembled one of the extinct clans, and treated me like a red-headed stepchild. Imagine that: too ugly to be a Nosferatu. I made my own way then, met up with Jasper Knowles, the Warlock, while he was digging through ruins for old magic, and through him ended up becoming a respectable member of the Camarilla. I didn't see Modian again for a century, when I came to the New World." 

So this started out as an analysis on how Modian must have recognised Nictuku traits in Dove (they are descended from Nictuku, a bloodline of Nosferatu that are blood bound to Absimilliard, the Nosferatu Antediluvian, and sworn to destroy the Nosferatu. If you trace Reremouse’s family tree, the Methuselah they’re descended from was a known Nictuku defector). The Nictuku are said to be particularly hideous, like Dove --

Imagine that: too ugly to be a Nosferatu. 

And a lot of people don’t believe they exist.

He said I resembled one of the extinct clans

So I thought that the Nictuku blood came out really strongly with Dove, Modian realised it, and freaked the fuck out.

But the “one of the extinct” clans didn’t quite fit (people either believe they exist or don’t, but they never talk about them being extinct), and there was a mention of the Giovanni wanting to put Dove down:

"Jasper was interested in another act of diablerie, the one that birthed Clan @{(clan = "Hecata") Giovanni. This was way before you all joined back up with the other necromancers|Giovanni—this was before the death clans all reunited to form Clan Hecata}. He was interested in me because he wondered if I wasn't a Nosferatu at all, but one of the now-extinct clans. Of course, I had been Embraced by Modian in the normal fashion, my dark arts were those of my clan, and Jasper's hypothesis came to nothing…but that wasn't before a bunch of Giovanni learned about me and tried to destroy me because they thought I was a harbinger of their destruction. To escape them, we jumped onto the Simplon-Orient-Express in Constantinople, and there we ran into this Polish Gangrel…anyway, that was all a long time ago."

So I thought. Huh. Maybe the Giovanni have links to the Nictuku?

Then I remembered what clan the Giovanni are descended from. Cappadocians. Whose bane were that they looked like corpses.

Boom. Turns out the Nictuku to the Giovanni’s Nosferatu are the Harbingers of Skulls, whose weakness --

The Harbingers of Skulls clan weakness is an extension of the Cappadocian clan's weakness. Regardless of the quantity of blood a Harbinger of Skulls consumes, their skin maintains a deathly pallor. Additionally, the Harbingers' skin shrinks to make these Cainites appear skeletal, with bony limbs and faces frozen into an immortal death's grin. Because of this decidedly unwholesome and morbid visage, Harbingers of Skulls have Appearance Traits of zero. All Social rolls involving the Appearance Trait automatically fail for Harbingers of Skulls. 

 -- are that they look skeletal. Just like Dove.

And like the Nictuku with the Nosferatu, they want to fuck Giovanni shit up. They’re pissed about what the Giovanni did to the Cappadocians.

So the Giovanni see this Nosferatu with a skull for a face, freak the fuck out, and try to murder her.

Modian Embraces a childe, the Nictuku genes come out strongly --

Additionally, age is difficult and transforming on the bloodline. For every hundred years since their Embrace, the Hungry become more monstrous in appearance. But their physical bodies also grow stronger, until they reach the peak of human (and vampiric) physical potential. They grow slowly but decidedly bent, twisted, and ever more deadly, slowly aging grotesques that blame the Nosferatu for their condition. 

-- but to the extent that happens to resemble a Cappadocian. Modian freaks out, is like “what the fuck, you’re clearly not mine” even though he was there, so poor Dove gets basically orphaned.

The Nictuku weakness doesn’t quite fit Dove. Nictuku need Cainite blood to feed, not kine. Dove might have been feeding on Cainites this whole time and kept it secret, but a Nosferatu courier doesn’t make any mention of having to do that, so I think it’s safe to assume Dove doesn’t. Also, there’s no mention that Dove gets uglier each century in spite of being Embraced ~1830. But she’s definitely Nictuku because she’s descended from Melachoate, which we find out in the Reremouse chapter.

But who knows. Maybe that weakness gets weaker as your generation gets higher. Maybe Jasper was feeding her the vitae of his victims -- she knew he experimented on wights, there’s a flashback where she’s casually chatting to him while standing over an entire pit of them. But that still doesn’t explain why her childe doesn’t seem to have that weakness either.

So. Dove has Nictuku blood, it came out stronger in her than Modian (and presumably Reremouse), Modian freaked, and it basically caused a rift between them so she ended up raised by Jasper instead.

Which is... interesting. Because she is visibly upset at seeing what Jasper did to Modian, but not upset at seeing Jasper get destroyed.

But it might explain why Jasper chose to wight Modian. Dove never trusted him, and maybe he was far from magnamious when he wighted Modian.

But I dunno. Maybe he was pissed off that Modian basically rejected his own childe.

And it makes me wonder -- Dove often speaks about how restless she is and how trapped she feels. Another Nictuku weakness, beside the hideousness and the inability to take sustenance from kine blood, is what might be claustrophobia:

The Hungry will not haven where they cannot see the moon when they rise and leave each night.  [...] They loathe the underground and will not haven there. Ever. This may be related to, or the cause of, the Nosferatu desire to dig.

Dove gets really edgy about not driving, about not getting to leave the city -- essentially about not getting to be in wide open space. We never see her underground, or see any mention of her ever being underground.

She also seems to have a very lowkey manifestation of the Nictuku hatred of the Nosferatu, in that she’s constantly at odds with them.

Firstly, she’s at odds with Modian. Sure, that’s because of his rejection of her -- but Modian is also at odds with her. He was present at her Embrace, there’s no reason for him to think she’s not his, but he does.

Secondly, the way she talks about the Nosferatu is nothing but critical.

"Back in the '80s, some of the younger Nosferatu discovered the internet, and found a new place to hide and hoard secrets. [..] They got online by the dozens, and then by the hundreds, establishing a shadow internet for the undead. I warned them not to do it."

The Nictuku despise the Nosferatu. Dove, who has their blood in her veins, although very diluted, doesn’t hate them. But she doesn’t respect them, either.

"But those Nosferatu, they'd look at themselves in the mirror and see the same ugly, unchanging face as when they were first Embraced. And they'd tell themselves, 'I still have the edge."

She’s like this even with her own childe. You can save her life when you last see her, but when you show up at Elysium she is all but obvious with her dislike of you. She sees another Nosferatu, even a Nictuku one, and seems to have this instinctive, lowkey revulsion of them that she attributes to other things. (She claims the Courier abandoned her, but made no effort to reach out to them despite knowing where they were, and the Courier being completely ignorant of where she was.)

And it’s just. fascinating. And so very sad. She’s this lost little chick who knows, deep down, that her bloodline isn’t the same as other Nosferatu, and it comes out in such subtle ways. And yet it comes out in one glaringly obvious respect -- her face.

[mysteriouseggsbenedict]

riddle of ages final thoughts

spoilers for Riddle of Ages below. Yes, I watched episode 4 of the show and finished this book today...I had the day off with no plans

Okay, so, I have mixed feelings. I’m going to start with what I liked:

I was really invested in reading this. I was on the edge of my seat, frantically turning pages, mainly because the concept of needing to save Mr. Benedict from dying of poison was so incredibly terrifying to me. I knew that there was no way that Trenton Lee Stewart would kill him off (this is a kid’s book, after all) but I was nonetheless desperate to reach the end and find out. All of the scenes with the kids adventuring, solving puzzles, and fighting ten men had similar magic to the previous books. I felt “into it” in the same way as I did with the originals (as far as I can remember, because I read them for the first time ten years ago...oof I’m old.) 

My favorite scenes were by far the flashback Reynie has to his talk with Mr. Benedict over tea (the line “There was no need for knocking. Mr. Benedict had removed the door.” absolutely emotionally destroyed me) and when they MEET JOHN AHHHH. That made me so happy. And what he said about people growing up and becoming more people instead of different people? That really resonated. Like that’s actually incredible wisdom I will take with me in life. Also, the image of Mr. Benedict in a lavender suit is incredible. I also laughed at his joke about “being worth his keep” and agree that zungzwang is a top-tier word.

Here’s what I didn’t like: the ending seemed rushed and lazy. Nothing has actually changed– in fact, the whole point is that the state of the situation and everyone’s relationships to one another have remained exactly the same. It seemed like there was no actual need to write this book. I didn’t like when the society was fighting with each other. It just felt wrong, and the way that they resolved the fight by backtracking into their previous state rather than growing as people made it worse. I think if Stewart decided to have this theme of maturing into different seasons of life, he should have stuck with his guns and actually had Reynie go to university and Sticky work in the lab. Like either bring that arc to completion or don’t introduce it at all. It’s not a satisfying ending to have them experience this angst and then the conclusion is “oh never mind we’ll just reject these offers and live here for some more time.” 

Another big thing is the way that the whole plot of the book was, essentially, a lie. All of the things keeping me in suspense– how would they get Mr. Benedict the antidote, would they be able to get through the KEEP?– turned out to be non-issues that the characters knew the truth about but the reader didn’t. Reverse dramatic irony? It’s okay for there to be some “here is what was actually going on” explanation moments (I feel like that is Mr. Benedict’s style, like in Prisoner’s Dilemma when he explains that he knew Mr. Bane was a spy) but to have the entire plot be like that was disappointing. Those few pages of Reynie explaining how the the KEEP was built as a trap and the KeepSleep sort of felt like all of the intrigue I’d been feeling while reading was deceptive. And, again, lazy– the whole book was summarized in like five pages.

I also was profoundly disappointed that Stewart teased us with Violet coming to the dinner but then we never actually got to see her.

Overall, I would say Riddle of Ages is worth reading. I did enjoy it (until getting to the end), and it invoked some of the same magic feeling as the original series. However, it is not on the same level, and I don’t think it’s necessary for it to exist. I will probably go on with only considering the original three and Extraordinary Education to be canon.

[victoria-daydreams]

My thoughts on The Irregulars

Let’s start off with the things I did like:

The diversity in the show, as I stated previously in this post.

The characters were overall pretty likeable and I surprisingly didn’t find one character annoying, which is rare because it seems like shows will always cast that one character just to be a nuisance.

How this show deals with sexuality between teenagers. Do you know how refreshing it is to see a show that does not treat its teen characters with over the top hyper sexuality, *cough, cough* I’m looking at you Riverdale.

The story overall was pretty strong, it kept me hooked from one episode to the next. Hands down, I think my favorite episode of the whole season has to be between The Tooth Fairy or Ipsissimus. Those two are *chef’s kiss*.

Now let’s move onto the things I despised:

The god awful trap/EDM beats that ran throughout the entire series. Do you know how unbelievably jarring it was to hear that music on the first episode when this show is set in Victorian London? And don’t get me wrong using modern music in shows set in a historical period can work, but it absolutely did not work in The Irregulars.

The costumes seemed time period appropriate, I’m not expert on that, but what the actual fuck was Sherlock wearing. From the moment we meet him he’s wearing some robe, a soiled shirt, and dirty pants. And it never changes. I get that this version of Sherlock is a mess, but costuming in this show for him was ridiculous. That earring was the bane of my existence. Oh my god, his hair! What the fuck was going on with Sherlock’s hair?! I would take that mess of a ponytail that he had in the flashbacks than that god awful buzz cut he has now. Seriously, a buzz cut in the Victorian era????

The unrequited love that Watson feels for Sherlock. John Watson is gay in this show, fucking fantastic, I’m all for it! But, it’s pretty clear that Sherlock only sees John as a friend will never see him the way he does with Alice.

Colorism. I’ll admit this show is not as egregious as other Netflix series because there are both minor antagonists who are light skinned or dark skinned. However, Netflix could’ve easily cast a brown skinned or dark skinned actor for Spike, and don’t get me wrong, the actor who played him did a wonderful job in his role, but I’m sick of Netflix having a paper bag when it comes hiring black actors and actresses. Also, it seems to be running occurrence black male protagonists are cast as a light skin and that the antagonists are dark skinned, *cough, cough* Bridgerton.

Overall, it was a great show, lately I’ve had a streak of shows being somewhat decent until the last episode which would completely ruin it for me, but not this series. To be clear, what happened with Sherlock was pretty dumb, but I’ve watched shows that were so much worse that I can deal with the ending of The Irregulars.

It’s a 3.5/5 for me.

[khaleesiofalicante]

Привіт! Отже, вгадайте, хто вчора був хворий на біса? я!! Не знаю чому, але мені байдуже, бо тепер мені краще 😂

Anyway, after some pills and a home remedy that hurted like hell and left me with back pain (long story) I'm back💙 so here we are:

Alec you almost got killed!! Chill!!

"A guardian. For fuck’s sake, bapak has done more for the nephilim than Raziel himself." Yes to both of this!!

Ok, we all agree that what Magnus did was shitty and wrong right? Like cool motive, still bad...

“I know you,” Bapak stood up then. “And I know your heart like I know my own.” (OMG THE PAIN)

"Magnus Bane. That’s who he was." We love our self-sacrificial idiot, but please dont...

"The shadow world needed Magnus Bane." yeah, the whole world would be dead if not by that man. Quite literally if you think about it.

Omg that shower flashback!! 🥺🥺 And the “Then why don’t you come make it better?” Bdkdblsns help I'm feeling too much.

Ok, so I was going to do the laundry... But this is better :) also I'm still kinda recovering so tomorrow without delay I will😂

Mina is so fucking hilarous😂😂

"Selena took her Poison Ivy cosplay a little too seriously" last chapter: a summary

Same questions as Max....

The park!! Max is a sentimental bastard

Oh shit, there comes a destructive, simp boy again... I love it💙💙

Everyday my worry for Selena just grows

Elyaas!!

Leviathan!!! WHY AM I GASPING? I ALREADY KNEW THAT!! Hsjsbjsbslsb

Same feelings as Max. My dude is a mood!!!

"So are you. You are the purest of the eldest curses, and thus, the most powerful.” The power that that has, the potential that that has, the-

The prince has manners.... Respect that

The dots are connecting!! Hunger, water... Makes sense...

"He probably looked like Jesus on the cross." Sorry but that image is😂😂

"And the ocean parted." HOLY SHIT!!!

“You can control anything that has water in it,” Leviathan grinned, slow and easy. “And you know what has water in it, sugar?” Max gulped.The prince of hell grinned. “Almost everything.” (wow. Many thought. What? Wow. Like percy!! Boy really has power!!)

“Aw,” Max deadpanned. “You had baby fever.” (The way this is basically the explanation of Max's birth 😂😂)

He is the reason Alec and Magnus found him??

"Being a Lightwood-Bane, that was the real blessing." Blessed💙💙

He has a point in the power thing tho...

“I was saving you for a rainy day. And Max, it’s about to fucking pour.” The chills bro!!!

He actually makes sense in the Asmodeus thing

“Do what you were born to do,” Leviathan said. “Unleash chaos.” “Upon whom?” Max asked. Leviathan chuckled. “That’s up to you, sugar.” (I mean... I would like to see it...)

I feel the seashell will be important

No, but honestly he is a good father in the "Prince of hell" scale. He didn’t try to posees Max, trick him, played with his mind, take his inmortality... Boy is an example. And he let him choose what he is going to do and accept Magnus as his father!! Bro, better teach your brothers...

MALEC>>>>

Now its not the time to cover the fear with flirting you two!! Still cute 🥺

"He didn’t get into trouble. He was the trouble." You got a big storm coming 🙂

Their kisses heal my soul💙💙

Ragnor and Magnus please dont. Fucking. Blame. Yourselves. I beg you

I love that Alec said "sorry" and "thank you" tho...

Alec honey, please!! Conect the dots!! Those aren't random questions!!

Alec is a great father, he has grown so much and its just a amazing and in this eesay I will-

I want to stab Kingsley....

Gabriel!!! Love them for existing 💙

Yeah dude, stan your ground!! They wouldnt do it!!

Thats it babe, call them out!!! <33

My feels for Gabriel are like: Would I trust them with my life? Absolutely. Would that be a mistake? Most likely. Do I care? No💙

That plan sucks tbh

Emma always spilling facts. Alec is the real MVP

Lmaoo Julian is a mood

Gigi is a godness 💙💙

Now that was low Max!! Really low!!

You could still warn them Raziel!!

“It do be like that,” 😂😂 no shit

He got a point with downworlders. It feels kinda unfair?? But as Lexi said its an Alliance so they support each other

Lexi (being done) 🤝 Me (being done)

Okayyy, I like where this is going... Do continue speaking!!

“He forgot Selena has a twin.” Ha! Take that Belial!!

She was drowning?? Thats great bro! Give them dreams about falling forever and of drowning. You are doing great :)

"What she saw in her dream were not stars, Lexi. There were souls.” OMG. THAT. That was unexpected

I keep saying this. The amount of trauma Selena will have.... Ugh I want to protect her!!

Lexi's back must hurt from carring her humor around everywhere😂😂

No, wait. What? I didnt understand!! Please explain!! I'm not that smart!! Dots aren't connecting!!

"The person she needed to complete everything in her life." MY HERONSTAIRS FEELINGS!!!

Olivia is amazing, tallented, smart, beautiful, funny, gorgeous-

Please let them comunicate!! After all this, yeah, sure. Aparently saving all nephilim is more important than my OTP smh

Wow. I dont know the plan but hell yeah!!!

Clary, Simon and Magnus are an underrated group!! 💙💙💙

Them>>>>>>>

I love Magnus and Simon's dinamic!! 😂💙

Clary🥺🥺

Yup. Gigi is superior and we should all workship her

OMG I hadnt thought of something happening to Magnus if Asmodeus dies!!! This cant happen. Why do you want my man dead one way of another??

"Because if killing Asmodeus might harm Magnus, none of them would go through with it." Yeah they are all loving idiots

"So, Magnus spoke. For Clary. For the first child he had loved and watched grow up." THEY ARE UNDERATED!!

“She was fighting demons. She was holding the Mortal Sword,” Magnus managed a smile. “She looked glorious.” (OMG WHAT?)

Wait, who wasnt there?? IM STRESS!! Is it Alec? Or Max??

Lightwood be like: Sooo, we agree our spouses are basically perfect? Yeah? Ok, we are done :)

Max!! Yess, please talk!!

The parallel of  “I’m not just a warlock. I'm Magnus Bane's son” to “I’m Leviathan’s son,”... Here, have a knife. Stab me. It would hurt less

“No!” Magnus said. “It's me. Magnus. I’m your father.” 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

Magnys asking if Max is okay rather than making it harder 🥺🥺

The thing about boundaries is sooo important tho..

Nooo. Dude. Man. No. I thought you had learned of mistakes!!! You cant do it again!!

OMG it was Max!!! I knew it!!

"What Max didn’t know was that things we loved can get us killed sometimes." I think he kinda does....

I understand he is worried but thats no way of dealing with this! Hdhsisjis too much

"The look on the boy’s face…Magnus would never, ever forget it. The look of utter betrayal and hurt." Yeah, I mean you are threatening to take his magic again!!!

"He had always been able to sense the boy’s heart. And now he heard it break." Pain. I'm crying wtf?

"There was no love in those blue eyes. And Magnus knew he had lost all love and respect Max ever had for him." Its just too much. It hurts too much😭😭💔

What??? So he is going to...?? What?? I have a lot of questions and a lot of feelings...

До побачення!! Мені потрібно лягати спати, а потім напружуватися для всіх моїх завдань, тому не соромтеся кричати на мене, якщо побачите мене тут протягом наступних 10 годин💙

okay at this point I am like "but didn't noah use this language before huh????"

Ukrainian looks so cool btw. Also why is everyone getting sick? I am concerned :(

I love it when you identify parallels and do throwbacks. Tis very sexy of you 💙💙💙

Hope you finish all your tasks! Get well soon 💙