#too lazy though....ahem.

[fedyushanyanya]

Sweets ✚ Love Letters. 🍫💌

[kangaracha]

CATSKIN for @feelbokkie

prompt felix + twisted fairytale (catskin)

TW for blood, minor character death, mentions of sexual assault, medieval type violence

word count 4444

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I.

When first you meet, it is like two stars colliding - like the sun and the moon dancing around each other in the sky, and love at first sight is a dream for foolish, insipid children and you know that to be true, but...

Maybe in this moment, you forget. Maybe you see his face, warm against the cold ice of the cape that falls over his shoulder, or maybe you watch the soft curve of his mouth as he laughs at something his brother says, standing so subtly apart from the crowd that no one notices they are there. Maybe your eyes meet across the room, sun-warmed brown to striking blue, and time stills and the dance stops and your heart thinks that here and now, nothing else could matter but the taste of his name on your tongue and knowing what his hand would feel like in yours.

But this isn't real. The ballroom is crowded, and he is a familiar face you have never met, and you are a stranger with the moon draped over your shoulders for the night. The band strikes up a dance, a lively rhythm that swings fast and slow, and you are swept into the rush of the current, your feet moving in a pattern that they know from heart. Your hands are still stained with coal; you take every suitor's hand palm-down, hiding the black stains that won't quite scrub from already-dark skin, and you waltz without meaning until pale, slender fingers take yours and hold them tight, tugging you from the dance before you can be passed on to the next partner in line.

"Wha-" you begin, and then you look up into the eyes you've dreamed of for days and months and years and forget what you were going to say at all.

"Sorry," he says, and drops your hand with all the haste you'd expect someone like him to once he looked close enough to see the lie shivering beneath your skin. "I just wanted to know your name, before I lost you in the crowd."

Love at first sight is a story mothers tell to put their children to sleep at night, and you have lost all your senses because in that moment, your mouth opens as if to answer him.

"There you are," a voice says behind you, too sweet to be any you know; and an arm loops through yours, and here is Hyunjin suddenly, jewels dripping from his brow and a fire burning in the back of his eye where only you know what it is for. "It's so like you to wander off. Come on; our friends are looking for us."

"Before you go-" says the mouth you'd seen laughing from across the hall, the prince it belongs to reaching out a hand - but you are already gone sliding away through the crowd that fills his ballroom from wall to wall with more dazzling finery than you've ever seen in your life.

"That was close," Hyunjin breathes in your ear, and there is the voice that you recognise, liquid fire and undertones of dark shadow. "You're supposed to avoid him, you know."

"I know," you mutter and allow yourself to be swept away, all thoughts of love and the sun and the electric feeling that had jumped from his hand to yours swept to the side.

II.

The king likes the ballroom to be full and the people to be colourful, and he likes the crowd to be lively.

The wine flows freely for the last day of the summer, the lords and ladies stripped of their cautious humours and careful tongues. Their laughter is raucous as you slip out into the garden, the sun pulled over your shoulders in lengths of fine silk that cut away the cold wind that bites at your exposed skin. Already, the trees have begun to turn and the grass is wet with the season's rain; you stand in the centre of an autumn scene and watch the leaves flutter and fall, the light of the lanterns glittering from your skirts and the swirl of beading across your breast, woven from the finest gold.

"It's you," says the man beneath the tree; and when he steps out into the light, dressed again in pure white, you forget to pretend that you hadn't seen him, or that you'd simply come out here to breathe in air that wasn't stifled by the laughs of a thousand other people. "I was looking for you, you know."

"Were you?" you ask with the curve of a smile, your tongue loosened by the quiet of the cooling night and the seclusion of the garden. "Or could you just not find someone to dance with?"

You'd seen him earlier, standing at the edge of that floor. Gently turning away the hands of countless maidens in gowns that dripped in jewels under the guise of speaking to his brothers, searching the crowd with his eyes at every moment he thought that eyes weren't watching him. The guilty smile that plays on his face says that he knows exactly what you are thinking of; the step that he takes within your reach says that he isn't going to hide it. "Maybe I was waiting for the right person," he says, and then his cheeks turn pink in embarrassment, his eyes sliding momentarily away from yours.

"You'll waste your entire night if you think like that," you tell him lightly, and then you glance over your shoulder at the doors to the ballroom - to give him a moment to himself, you tell yourself, and pretend that it wasn't because you thought you felt the creep of Hyunjin's watchful gaze over the back of your neck. There is no one at the door though, no one watching through the backs that are turned to the glass. Only he can see you here, the sun standing in the middle of the night's darkness.

"I never got to ask your name the last time I saw you," he says; and with a start that jolts up your spine like electricity, you turn back to him. 

"I never got to ask yours either," you say, in lieu of the answer that you cannot give him. Never mind the danger of him recognising you too closely after this night - if he mentioned to Hyunjin the name of a girl he'd met in the garden, if Hyunjin knew what you were doing between the tasks you'd been given...

"Everyone knows mine," he scoffs; not because he thinks so highly of himself, but in the reluctant acceptance of someone who had never known a moment of privacy. "You can't have come to the woodlands knowing so little."

"And what if I didn't?" you question, playing along on this string of a conversation rather than letting him turn it back around to the question he'd really tried to ask. "What if I'd simply come here to enjoy the night, and seen a man across the room that I thought I'd like to know?"

His smile grows wider, his eyes softening. You like the way that smile looks on him. "Then I'd tell you my name is Felix," he tells you. "And I'd probably ask you to dance before we met like this, out here in the garden where no one is looking. And it probably wouldn't be such a scandal if we were seen either."

"That doesn't sound like as much fun though," you say. "Isn't it much more interesting to meet like this, than to have it all planned out?"

"Are you someone that likes trouble?" he asks, head tilted to the side in question; and the words seem cautious, probing, but he draws in closer again anyway, enough that his hand can brush yours in the folds of your dress.

"Maybe I am," you tease, your heart fluttering and jumping around in your chest like a nervous rabbit. "Aren't you?"

"I think I could be," he says, and his hand brushing your chin is followed by his lips brushing yours; and it is only a question, a stepping across boundaries that promises to rescind immediately if you push him away, but love at first sight is a dream and you think maybe, in another life, you might have been a terribly indulgent dreamer.

You kiss him with all the certainty that had driven you to this point, this garden and this night and this man, and his lips are soft and he smiles too much, and his hands are hesitant to wander, but you've already tried hot, heady passion and men who take what they want. Soft is new, and questioning sends a shiver down your spine, and you think this is a better man. 

And then you stop because you remember, but you play it off as the toll of the bell startling you from a daydream. "I have to go," you say, which is true, and then, "I hope you find someone to dance with tonight," which is not.

"Will I see you again?" he asks; and it's notable, you think, that he doesn't reach out of try to stop you. That he accepts on face value that you are telling the truth and that, even though his eyes say they want you to stay, his mouth would be rude to ask.

"Maybe," you say, the word drawn out like honey dripping long and slow from your tongue. "If you have another ball."

He laughs, his eyes squeezing closed with the pain of it. When they open again, you make sure you are gone from his sight.

You're pretty sure you dropped something like your heart there in the courtyard, but you don't dare to go and get it back. Not yet.

III.

You're cutting through fine hallways of tapestry and stone from the garden, your basket filled with vegetables and your face streaked in dirt. You aren't supposed to be here - a scullery maid shhould be in the dark spaces between the walls, scurrying up and down steep and spiralling stairs, but you're late and the cook is a stone-faced woman with a tongue made for lashing, and you hadn't thought-

The prince stops to look at you, confusion furrowing in his brow as he stares at your face. Recognition; except that today you are hiding under the brown of the dirt and the mantle of wild fur, cobbled together from the backs of many animals but none so fine as te ermine that lines his coat. 

Your heart sinks even as it pounds in alarm at the thought of him finding out what you are and where you've come from. It is a disaster if it happens, surely, but at the same time - maybe you'd tricked yourself into thinking that he remembered you the same way you did him. Or maybe he had tricked you, with the way he'd so quietly given you his name in the garden, the earnesty with which he'd nearly asked you to stay.

"Your highness?" Hyunjin asks at his shoulder, dressed all in his own princely regalia, and Felix turns away. And for a moment you hate Hyunjin, as you slip to the side of the hall where your feet should be, out of the way; because how could he be so beautiful, and so detached and so true to his beliefs that he could play the prince, and you are so suited to fur and treachery that you stand here a maid?

"Sorry," Felix says, to Hyunjin and not to you, and pretends to move on. You can see his eyes flick back again as he leaves though, trying one last time to see past the furs and the dirt, to place where he has seen you before.

You can see Hyunjin's too, piercing when they look directly at you. Warning, that you are overcomplicating things. That this is all about to be a mess, and you are no longer prepared for it. 

Your ire rises again. You know what has to happen, and what he will do to facilitate it, and you know your own roll. You know it all has to end. Who is he, to think you can't carry through on a promise? Who is he to doubt you?

IV.

The final coat is made of feathers plucked from the birds of the sea cliffs, tawny brown and ochre and cream. Hidden in the tunnels of the castle, Hyunjin tucks a sprig of samphire into the curl of your hair, picked from the edge of the world before you had left and wrapped carefully in paper made for preserving these kinds of things. A piece of home, brushing up against your ear every time you turn; a signal to those that you have let in the back door that you are a friend, in case you are caught in the havoc.

"What happened to your hands?" he asks as he steps back to look at you, his own lifting your wrists so that he can see the black marks on your fingers.

"There was grease on the gate lock, to stop it sticking," you reply. "It doesn't wash off like blood does."

He drops your hands just as fast as he'd picked them up, his eyes scanning the feathers again. As if it was this coat that you'd worn when you'd taken a knife to the man at the gate, as if he would find evidence of the blood on your hands smeared across the vanes if he only turns you this way and that. Silly of him, really - the edge of the fur coat was the one that bared the stains. The fur was made for the work of the hands. The feathers were only sent as a signal, a draw of the eyes, dropping in the path of your feet as you walk towards the ballroom.

"Stay away from the prince," Hyunjin warns you, his attention turning in the direction of his own path to the party. "He's looking for a particular girl that he saw last time. He'll have eyes everywhere."

"Not on the ground though," you answer, shaking out the coat and watching a feather of mottled brown drift to the floor. You ignore the way that your stomach dips at the mention of a girl. You neglect to mention that the girl he's looking for might be you, and the rouge brushed across your cheeks and the glitter of gold on your eyelids will only draw his eyes. 

You should have worn the dirt and hidden in the shadows, but that's not how they had prophesised it. The witches had whispered of a feather coat and a dress made of the sun and a moonlight shawl, and you'd been the one foolish enough to wear them, and no one in those rooms had been able to resist the magic of them, least of all the prince.

"Time to go," Hyunjin says as the bell tolls seven, and with one last look between you, you turn your seperate ways. 

You don't know where his heart resides, but you know that yours is in your throat. You hope that he survives the night. You hope that whatever he came here for is worth what it is going to cost.

V.

At the moment the ballroom bursts open, the black soldiers streaming in from every entrance, you are looking at the prince.

You hadn't meant to. You had taken Hyunjin's advice, as much as it grated at you to do it, and you had avoided him, skirting around the edges of the room while he searched in all the wrong places for you, dropping your feathers where the feathers wanted to fall and hiding in crowds of garish colour that sniffed and sneered at your coat of soft brown; but even though you don't wear the sun or the moon, you still orbit around him and him around you when you are in this room, and to stay away from him was-

Impossible, in the moment when you turn and there he is, right on your tail like the hunters following the birds to their nests in the cliffs, willing to jump from the rocks just to collect the eggs that might hide below. Except that he wasn't here to steal from you, or to catch you in his hands and tame you - he only thinks that you are beautiful, or that he could love you if only you gave him a chance.

And then the feathers ruffle and shift in the breeze, and the doors open, and the room fills with the men of the sea, axes and knives glinting in their hands and white teeth snarling within their faces.

Eerie silence falls as the room stutters to a halt, the shiny, red-faced aristocrats turning to stare at the army that have entered their sanctuary. The first one falls by the main entrance, his wine arcing through the air as he tumbles to the ground under the sharp blade of an axe; and then they scream, and they move in every direction, and in the maelstrom of silk and chiffon and eyes of horror you lose sight of the prince.

Slipping across the room is like fighting upstream against a raging river, ducking between bodies and around blades that don't have time to see the samphire behind your ear. You fade away into the one hallway you hadn't marked with a feather, disappearing into the black of the walls and the twisting tunnel down to the kitchens where just moments ago maids had scurried out to deliver the feast, and your heart breaks at the red-suited body that tumbles in on your heels, the eyes of a man in armour of beaten iron that take in your feathers and your face and turn away, back to the bloodbath, but you can't go back. You can't save him. 

And then a gutteral cry echoes down the tunnel, and a body blocks the light that flickers from its entrance, and there he is, your prince. His eyes are scared and his mouth open as he gasps for breath, the little knife he'd used on your countryman held in a white-knuckle grip in front of him as if he thinks he might need it again at any time. Blood splatters the front of his snow-white coat, tarnishing the pearls and sinking into every fibre of the cotton and wool that holds it together.

"It's you," he gasps between breaths, the words reverberating from the stone walls. "I found you."

"You-" you begin to say, but the words are lost in the storm of thoughts that cloud your mind, the race of scenarios that you can imagine coming from this unfateful meeting, this turn in the story that was never anticipated. Every step has been told to you up until now - the coats, and the feathers, and the rush of men into the ballroom that leads to the fall of a kingdom - but no one said a word about this. About him, the prince, the hands that now cup your heart to their chest, and the knives at his back as he stands there, just one step shallow of safety.

You think too much about what has happened and what could happen next, but you don't think at all when you reach out and grab him, dragging him down the tunnel and into the darkness, where only sporadic lanterns burn to guide the way. Around this corner and then that, down a staircase so steep that countless girls have broken their necks tripping on its uneven stones, into the warmth and light of the kitchen, where the smell of the pig roasting over the fire fills the air and the stack of pots waiting for you to wash them later in the night teeters towards the ceiling, stacked in one corner by several pairs of careless hands.

No one is here. They'd timed it deliberately for the arrival of the feast, when the attendants of the ball would all reconvene from the corners of the palace to the ballroom to fill their already ample stomachs. Incidentally, this meant that the kitchen staff were all in attendance too, arranging dishes under the watchful eye of the cook, which meant that when you tried to hide a prince in the kitchen-

"Wait," he says, dragging back against your hold on his arm. "Wait, I know a way out of the castle. I can take you where it's-"

"No," you cut across him before he can finish, and you tug at him again, dragging him step by step towards the maid's quarters. "They're in the hidden tunnels too. There's no way out."

He's so surprised that he forgets to resist you, his body going slack with his jaw and his feet following you across the room. "How do you know that?" he asks.

You don't dare to look back at him as you enter the room you share with the other girls, as you open the little chest-of-drawers that holds everything you brought with you (but not everything you own) and you pull out the clothes you wear day-to-day - grey trousers and a cream shirt slowly staining brown, and the coat of a thousand furs, its edges stained with fresh blood. "Put these on," you order him, shoving them into his arms without looking him in the eye, and then you turn your back.

"I wouldn't punish you for pretending to be from the court," he says to your back as he changes, the white jacket thrown to the dusty floor and then his shirt and breeches. "Or for knowing whatever you know. You saved my life." His boots are too nice to be a servant's, but yours won't fit him; you reach for Alice's old pair while he is busy, set neatly at the foot of her bed, and hand them to him when he is done, picking up the clothes he has discarded instead.

You saved my life too, you should say of the man he had killed, to keep up the illusion, but the lie seems wan in the face of the truth you are going to have to admit to him by the end of the night. You stalk past him instead, headed to the fire with the truth and the lies still sitting sour on your tongue.

The shirt and pants burn easily, the leather of the boots slow to sink between the logs that fuel the flame. You hesitate a moment before throwing the coat in after them, eyeing its precious pearls and hand-woven patterns of leaves and swirls. A silver brooch pinned to the lapel catches your eye; your thumb runs over it, feeling the careful details its maker has pressed together and the chips of diamond that embed its surface.

"That was my mother's," Felix says behind you, a certain grief hidden in the stiffness of his voice. "But you can burn it if you have to."

"I don't have to," you reply, and you work it free of the fabric with delicate and practised fingers. The coat feeds the flame; the brooch pins onto your dress, just above your heart.

 "Pretend to be a servant," you say as you turn to look at him. Your hands reach out to fix his coat, to smear the soot from the fireplace into his golden curls and down his cheeks. "I can't keep you alive if you're a prince, but if you're just a boy from the kitchens-"

His hands catch yours as they slip from his face, the ash that clings to your skin staining his as he grips them tight. "Who are you?" he questions. "What have you done?"

Tight-lipped, ashen-faced, you look up into his eyes - pale blue to forest brown, liar to honest truth. "I'm the feathercoat," you say, as if he will understand the words of a fable that people only whisper over the sea cliffs and the raging storms of the ocean. "I'm the one that brings the woodlands to their knees. I'm-"

Your voice chokes in your throat, your fingers growing numb from the force of his grip on your hands. There's a knife still tucked into his waistband - there's a knife behind him, stuck by its tip into the surface of the cutting board. You only have your feathers, and the excuses that stack up in the back of your throat; that the witches told us it would be so, or your land is the only gift my father will accept in place of a marriage to that man, or haven't you seen the way your father encroaches on our cliffs? Haven't you seen the way your farms destroy our hills and valleys and pollute our river? But those are all reasons that blame someone else, and you are the one that stands here, and the grease from the gate stains your fingers, not theirs-

"I loved you," he says, and he lets go of you like he has been burned. "I saw you across the room, and I thought no one could be so beautiful, and you can't even tell me the truth when-"

A shout echoes down the hall you'd escaped from, the rattle of armour and the thunder of heavy boots against the floor. "Wait," you say to him, a hand suspended in the air between you. You're afraid to touch him, when he could reach for that knife - when he deserves to see your blood run, for what you have done - but you can't let him run to his death all the same. "Wait until we live, and then I'll tell you, and then you can kill me. But wait. Take my hand and wait."

He hesitates, his eyes wary like he doesn't believe you, but the man on the stairs shouts again, calling for someone to follow him, and the fear shoots right into his heart and his hand slides into yours, his pulse fast but his fingers cold. 

"I don't want to kill you," he says, like a promise you can't believe he will keep. "Just keep me alive, and when the sun comes up, tell me everything. Please. I don't have any reason to kill you if everyone here is already dead."

"I will," you reply, and this is a promise that will be kept, whether or not he reaches for the knife when the light of the dawn comes. "I love you too, you know. I didn't mean to hurt you."

And yet, you have. And yet, the guilt and the feathers eat you alive.

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PERMANANT TAGLIST

@amyyscorner @kokinu09 @rainfallingfromthesky @keepswingin @rylea08 @puppysmileseungmin @thatonedemigodfromseoul

[cer-es]

the vash and wolfwood doodles in my sketchbook 🫶🏻🫶🏻

[daisymbin]

OKAYY BUT HEAR ME OUT bf2l mingyu where they’re both *ahem* secretly love eo but their dynamics have always been *bantering and teasing* but one day oc just went 36. "i couldn’t imagine my life without you in it." and mingo just 15. 40. "don’t look at me like that unless you mean it."😵‍💫

FUXXXXXX the way I would crumble if this happened to me irl grrr... thank you for this amazing prompt req!!!

full prompt list!

check out my masterlist! // gyu's m.list

fluff prompt #36: "I couldn't imagine my life without you in it." +

suggestive prompt #40: "don't look at me like that unless you mean it."

it was a quiet afternoon when you called mingyu, expecting to catch up and maybe grab lunch. you hadn’t heard from him in a little while, and a lazy lunch sounded perfect. but when he picked up, his tone was a little off, almost too casual.

“hey, are you coming over for lunch?” you asked, leaning back in your chair, a teasing grin forming.

“nah, i can’t today, im busy” he replied, his voice warm, but there was something else there you couldn’t quite place.

“busy? with what?” you teased. “since when do you have anything to be busy about?”

“i have important things to be busy with,” mingyu protested back, the playful tone creeping in, though it didn’t sound like his usual carefree banter.

“important, huh?” you raised an eyebrow, suspicious. “like what? where are you?”

“at mom's— i mean, your mom’s,” he said casually, like it was the most normal thing in the world. “fixing the light bulbs and making lunch.”

“wait, what? why?” you were confused, your heart skipping a beat. you loved mingyu, but you didn’t expect him to be over at your mom’s fixing things without you. “did something happen? why didn’t she call me?”

“obviously she loves me more,” mingyu teased, his voice full of mischief. “why else would she call me and not you?”

you rolled your eyes. “does that mean i need to go over there and fight for my spot in her heart?”

mingyu chuckled on the other end, and you could almost hear his grin. “you can try, but i think i’m her favorite.”

you laughed, but you couldn’t deny the little flutter of butterflies in your chest. “fine, but i’m still coming over for lunch.”

when you finally arrived, mingyu was standing in the kitchen, a pink apron littered in butterflies tied around his waist, looking way too comfortable in your mom’s space. your mom was just finishing up, heading out the door with a “remember to lock up before you leave, you two!” as she waved to you both.

you raised an eyebrow at mingyu as he set down a plate of food. “you really came all the way over here to fix the light bulbs and cook lunch for my mom?” you couldn’t help but laugh, but there was an edge to your voice. it wasn’t exactly jealousy, but something close to it.

“what can i say?” mingyu shrugged casually, though his smile was warm, teasing. “she knows i’m handy. and besides, who wouldn’t want to hang out with someone as handsome as me?”

“right,” you deadpanned sarcastically. “handsome. so so so handsome.” but despite yourself, you smiled.

you both ate together in a comfortable silence after your mom left for her pottery class, and the moment she left, a different kind of silence hung in the air. your heart felt heavy, and mingyu noticed.

he set his fork down and looked at you, his gaze softening as you tried not to meet his eyes. “what are you thinking about?” he asked gently.

you hesitated, suddenly feeling a little too exposed. it wasn’t like you were about to tell him you had feelings for him — feelings that had been there for far too long. but the moment felt significant in a way you couldn’t explain. “i just… can’t believe you’re here,” you said, your voice quieter than usual. “i can’t believe you came over to help my mom just because she called you.”

"don't be jealous of your mom," mingyu half whined as he teased.

"it's not that," you said softly.

mingyu looked at you, his eyes narrowing as if trying to read you. “what do you mean?”

you let out a breath, feeling a little awkward now. “i mean… i couldn’t imagine my life without you in it.” the words came out before you could stop them, and you regretted them the instant they left your lips.

mingyu froze. his gaze softened, and for a moment, you thought you saw something flicker in his eyes — something more than just his usual teasing, more than just the easygoing best friend you had known for years. he swallowed, his lips slightly parted as he tried to process what you’d just said.

“wait,” mingyu said, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. “like… in your life as a best friend or...?”

you blinked at him, feeling your heart race. you weren’t sure what to say, your throat tightening as his eyes searched yours. the air around you both seemed to hold its breath, like the world was waiting for you to say something, anything.

“like...” you trailed off, feeling all of your unspoken feelings rise to the surface. you couldn’t stop yourself. “more than that, mingyu.”

mingyu raised an eyebrow, clearly still a little nervous but trying to play it cool. "stop that," he laughed it off, “don’t look at me like that unless you mean it, you know.” his tone was light, teasing, but there was a quiet intensity beneath it that made your stomach flip.

you took a deep breath, stepping closer to him. “i do mean it,” you said, your voice steady now, filled with certainty.

mingyu’s eyes widened for a moment, and then a familiar smirk tugged at his lips, though there was still a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. he leaned back slightly, crossing his arms, as if trying to hide how affected he was. “do you now?” he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.

you nodded slowly, your heart pounding in your chest. “i do,” you whispered.

mingyu didn’t move, his gaze flicking between your eyes and your lips, as if he was fighting with himself. but the tension in the room was palpable, and before either of you could say anything more, he closed the distance between you.

his lips were warm and soft against yours, hesitant at first, like he was unsure of how to kiss you, unsure of how you wanted it. but you kissed him back, slow and gentle, savoring the moment like it was something fragile.

mingyu pulled back just a little, his forehead resting against yours as he breathed in. “do you really?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

you smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. hmm, you hummed in acknowledgement.

mingyu kissed you again, this time more confidently. his hands slid to your waist, pulling you closer, and you could feel the heat building between you. his lips moved against yours with a sense of urgency, as if he couldn’t hold back anymore.

your hands found their way to his neck, fingers threading through his hair as you deepened the kiss, feeling the electric pull between you. mingyu’s body pressed against yours, the kiss growing more intense, more urgent.

“gyu...” you gasped between kisses, breathless.

he pulled back just enough to catch his breath, "i love it when you call me that," his lips brushed against yours lightly. “you sure about this?” he asked, his voice low and filled with desire. "because once we start, I won't be able to stop."

“yeah,” you murmured, your voice shaky. “i’m sure.”

with a low growl, mingyu kissed you again, this time with no hesitation. his hands slid down your body, pulling you even closer as the world around you seemed to disappear. it was just the two of you, finally giving in to everything you’d both been too scared to admit for so long.

[jaylleoo14]

Sometimes I like to think that the guys in NRC that have intimidating auras like Riddle, Leona, Malleus, and Floyd for example all get shy and fidgety to initiate more physical touch towards their s/o in the beginning of their relationship ukno? Like dont get me wrong, anyone can think or say otherwise that that may not be the case. BUT LIKE, imagining them being all shy at first and giddy in the stomach as they fidget their fingers and look over at you or maybe looking away with their cheeks a little red🤭 (The envision is envisioning):

Riddle: If you don't mind, can I perhaps scoot a bit closer to you?

You: of course you can Riddle haha

Riddle scooting closer to you with a shy smile on his face, his cheeks going red: May I also perhaps uhm, if you don't mind, held your hands too?

You with an animated cartoon piercing through their heart: godyouresocutethisiswhyiloveyousomuch *AHEM* of course Riddle. I'd love to

Cue a happy Riddle holding hands with you as you both lean into each other comfortably. He lets out a gingerly smile as he rubs his thumb against your hand and squishes next to you ever the more ^^

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Leona watching your back as you do your homework, his tail swishing around in a lazy yet obvious eager manner as he lays on his side

You: I can feel you staring you know

Leona: But you don't feel my arms around you, do you Herbivore?

You: Did you want to put your arms around me?

Leona: I would like to, yes. Can I do that?

You let out a little snort, a chuckle escaping you as a small grin spreads on your face.

Leona: What's with that reaction? >:(

You: Nothing, I just find this side of you to be very nice

Leona: All my sides are always nice

You: Sure sure whatever you say

Leona comes over from behind and peers over your shoulder as you lean into his touch and his arms wrap around you snuggly. He nuzzles his cheek against the crown of your head as you continue to do your homework and you could swear he was purring...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Malleus: Child of Man, there is something I want to try and do with you

You: Hmm? What is it?

Malleus looking deep into your eyes all seriously: I want to attempt doing that with you

You turn to look at where he was pointing and see another couple in the far distance. The lady was holding her girlfriend up in the air and twirling her in her arms as they looked at each other, the look on their faces seeming so in love with one another with their warm smiles.

Malleus: I reassure you that I'll keep in mind of my strength if that helps ease you. I ask for permission to hold you

You let out a small giggle: Oh Malleus, i'm not scared. I'd love to be in your arms

After giving him the green light he does just that, doing as the couple did earlier as he lifts you into his arms and twirls you into the air. You go in for a hug and he gladly reciprocates with a big smile. Though he may be starting to squeeze a little too hard-

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Floyd just resting his cheek on his arm as he leans on one of the counters in Mostro Lounge, watching you study for an upcoming test.

You: Why are you just looking at me like that?

Floyd: Cus' yer so cute

You getting all red in the face: What? Floyd dont you have a shift right now? I came over to study because you said you wanted to see me

Floyd coming up to your booth and sitting in front of you: Yea but now that ya here, I wanna squish you so badly :(

You: Is that gonna make you focus back onto your shift?

Floyd: Maybe~ So? Can I squish ya?

You: Fine. Just for a short moment because I have to focus on this material and you need to go back to work

Floyd: Yay!

Floyd hops up and comes over to your side at the speed of a bullet train, wrapping his arms and legs around you with a tight cuddle session. Time seems to have passed fairly fast and you didn't even notice that until Jade came over to tell you that you had just spent close to an hour cuddling Floyd. Close of an hour worth of study time missed and close to an hour of Floyd's shift gone.

[alliesinnerworld]

here are some of my personal inhun headcanons (that literally no one asked for) :

• inho is more romantic while gihun is not used to receive affection so he’s always a bit shy when inho does something big for him.

• gihun’s love languages are words of affirmation and quality time while inho’s are physical touch and gift giving.

• inho does the cooking (he’s a really good cook and always plates things nicely, he loves to cook a good dinner for gihun) and gihun does the cleaning (he’s very tidy and organized).

• gihun’s daughter LOVES inho, she says that he’s really cool and thinks that his dad jokes are way better than his father’s lol. After she and gihun settle things again they tend to visit her in the states a lot.

• gihun secretly loves being taller than inho because it makes hugging him from the back when he’s cooking easier (inho loves that too).

• nsfw: i’m a gihun bottom truther THEREFORE gihun bottoms and inho tops. gihun is a slow, lazy, morning sex enjoyer while inho is a passionate, intense, evening sex enjoyer (but they both enjoy both a LOT, it just depends on the mood lol).

• i might be biased on this but inho loves the soft curves of gihun’s body, especially his waist, and finds extremely attractive his long legs (especially when they’re wrapped around his hips- ahem what?).

• gihun finds inho’s past as a cop and his physical training in self defense REALLY hot (he probably has a bit of a strength kink).

• they probably get married pretty soon into their relationship even though they have scars left from their previous weddings.

sooo that’s all! feel free to share your hc or add to mine, i would love to hear it! <3

[saerins]

─── 𝐒𝐎𝐅𝐓

+ itoshi rin x f!reader | drabble | content: fluff, established relationship

notes: ahem don’t mind me just …. casually loving rin :’) inspired off this post i saw on tiktok !!

sometimes, you’re annoyed.

no, not by your boyfriend, although he refuses to cuddle you to sleep. but by his tendencies to set more than one alarm. you love rin, an abnormally large amount.

but his alarms will be the death of you.

“rin, i love you but your alarms are killing me.”

he stares at you from where he stands in the kitchen, an innocence you can only describe as adorable (but he’d kill you). today’s a saturday and it’s a lazy day in, with soccer training canceled due to the storm. but still, somehow, your boyfriend’s alarm still blared this morning. and usually you’re a heavy sleeper, but coupled with the thunder, you were unfortunately woken up at 5.30am.

rin’s making breakfast; ochazuke. using your recipe too because he likes it that way.

“i know you still exercise and all but do you really have to set two alarms?” because you have no problem ignoring that first one. that second one though, always gets to you.

rin only shrugs it off, putting his attention back on his food. “maybe i’ll set it softer next time.”

“or maybe just set one?” you try convincing him, sauntering over and wrapping your arms around his waist from behind. “it’s not like you have trouble waking up.”

because he really doesn’t. he hasn’t missed an alarm since you first got together with him over a year ago. rin’s one of the most punctual people you know. he really doesn’t need that extra alarm.

but you fail at convincing him, because apparently on monday morning (sundays are the only breaks from his alarm that you can get), at 5.25am, his first alarm blares, and if not for the fact that you’d watched a horror movie with him last night (which only spell nightmares for you—but then again, you can never refuse rin), you’d probably still be sound asleep.

today though, you’re woken up almost instantaneously, and you decide to stay quiet, like you’re asleep. just to see what your boyfriend does for that five minutes and why he needs another alarm.

you expect him to groan and fall back asleep, like maybe he needs five minutes to himself. but then you have to do your best not to freeze up when you realise that his arms fall around you, your boyfriend nuzzling his head in the crook of your neck.

the realisation hits you like a gentle rain in the middle of summer. this is what rin’s doing for those five minutes before his actual alarm? he’s been hugging you everyday, right before he starts his day. he’s been hugging you every morning before he wakes up for real, before he leaves for training, before every mundane day.

you grin to yourself, feeling the warmth spread across your chest and your face. you think you love rin an abnormally large amount. but now you know that it’s the same for him as well.

“stop smiling to yourself, stupid,” rin mumbles, burrowing his face further into your neck, embarrassed now that you know what he’s been up to.

you giggle. “i love you, rin.”

“i love you, stupid.”

“lots and lots?”

“okay now shut up before i kick you off the bed.”

[fanaroff]

Faust and Narinder’s relationship in 5 minutes!

Faust is short. Narinder’s height does not include the ears but it does include the digitigrade stance.

Narinder’s age is unknown, but he’s been around for over 1000 years. Faust is only around 170 by the time the end of the game (in either of my AUs) comes about. By the time the two actually get together, they’ll be around 215.

Faust doesn’t get to wear Narinder’s clothes often because by the time they’re comfortable enough to steal his clothes, it tends to result in… *ahem*.

Pet name wise, Faust would only really call Narinder “Nari,” or in a very intimate instance (this does not mean in spicy moments) “My Lord/My God”. Narinder is the one who uses pet names the most. My love dear, darling, my sweet, my lamb, little one, etc.

Faust is an extrovert by trade. Though due to some trauma and repeated rejection, they’re more introverted than they used to be. Narinder is not used to people and only has a handful of others he will tolerate enough to interact with.

Faust definitely relies on action to show their care, be it feeding someone, patting, hugging, taking care of, etc. They will say it out loud, but you’re more likely to get a hug and a smile than an “I love you.” A hand kiss, peck on the cheek. To them, saying that is for important moments. Narinder does show in action, but he’s more likely to say something that shows he cares. He’d give quiet praise and gentle “love you’s”.

No spoilers for who confesses for the story, but in a normal circumstance this follows who’s more likely to confess.

Narinder wouldn’t scream at a bug, he will be a bit lazy and get Faust to squish it. Faust does not mind.

Narinder is a passenger princess. Faust shows their love by cooking.

When together, they’re often seen cuddling, holding handles, exchanging gentle kisses, playful frolicking, etc. Narinder will stare followers down if they watch their interactions for too long.

Narinder hovers over Faust a lot of the time and will, at the very least, have his tail wrapped around some part of them.

Faust? Virgin in general. They never had a relationship and was focused more on survival. Narinder would have had trysts as a Bishop of the Old Faith.

[moonmaiden1996]

Hi!! I saw your holiday requests were open, and I wanted to ask if I could request astarion x reader and their first snow while at camp? Please only do this if you want to. Thank you so much for reading this!! 💕💕💕

SOOOOOOOO much fun to write! Please keep sending requests

The early morning light barely touched the forest floor when you stirred awake in your makeshift bed, the cold air seeping into your bones. You stretched, your breath visible in the air as it escaped in a mist, and instinctively, you pulled your blanket tighter around you. The world outside your tent was painted the purest white.

It was the first snow of the season.

You could hear the soft sound of snowflakes falling, a gentle hush that seemed to settle over the camp. You smiled softly, watching the world outside your tent transform into a winter wonderland. The campfire from last night had burned low, but the remnants of its warmth still clung to the edges of your mind. You could feel the chill in your fingertips, though. It was going to be a cold day.

Turning to the side, you saw Astarion, curled up in a ball near the edge of your tent. His crimson eyes were shut, his pale skin glowing faintly in the early light, a stark contrast to the deep shadows that defined his usual brooding appearance. He appeared to be deep in slumber, his usual air of vigilance absent as the snow gently dusted the tent’s opening.

But despite the beauty of the scene, you couldn’t ignore the chill creeping into your bones, and with a small sigh, you carefully left the warmth of your blanket and ventured outside to enjoy the snow before the day fully began.

The snowflakes danced in the morning light, swirling around you like whispers from the heavens. The quiet, soft blanket of white covered the ground, making everything feel peaceful for a moment. But that calm feeling didn’t last long as you heard a disgruntled grunt from behind you.

“Ahem… And where do you think you’re going, darling?” Astarion’s voice cut through the silence, dripping with a mixture of annoyance and laziness. He was standing in the doorway of the tent now, his posture as if he were trying to avoid the cold but still too prideful to stay inside.

You turned to find him squinting at the snow, his white hair already half-matted from the snowflakes landing in it, his face pulled into a very unimpressed frown. His pale features were sharp in the morning light, and there was no hiding the irritation in his expression.

“I thought it might be nice to enjoy the first snow,” you said, trying to hide the grin that wanted to break free at the sight of his disheveled, grumpy state.

Astarion’s lips curled into a scowl. "Snow. Of course. I find it... rather offensive," he replied, shivering slightly, though he was too proud to admit it fully. "Cold, wet, and... it gets everywhere. And did I mention cold? Really, I fail to see the charm in it."

You could tell he was doing his best to appear unaffected, but his arms were tightly crossed over his chest, and the tips of his ears were already flushed a faint pink from the cold.

You chuckled, unable to resist the playful remark, "Are you sure you’re not just upset because it messes with your perfectly styled hair?"

"How dare you," Astarion growled, his tone teasing yet still laced with mock offense. He shook his head in a huff, making the snowflakes that had settled in his hair fall off in small, sparkling trails. "This is no way to treat someone who's already had an exhausting night keeping an eye on you and this entire forest. And now I’m subjected to this… frosty hellscape."

The slight exaggeration in his voice was enough to make you laugh, stepping closer to him. “I’m sure the snow isn't the worst thing you've ever faced, Astarion. You’ve survived much worse, haven’t you?”

Astarion glared at you with an exaggerated scowl, but his eyes softened a little when he saw the playfulness in your expression. He let out a dramatic sigh, and then, with a flick of his wrist, muttered under his breath, “Fine. If it means so much to you…”

You blinked, confused, and before you knew it, Astarion was standing next to you, his cold hand grasping yours as he looked out at the snow-covered landscape. His breath was shallow as he clearly tried to fight the urge to shiver, though his lips curled into something resembling a resigned smirk.

“You really enjoy this nonsense, don’t you?” He gave in, his voice softer now, a touch of fondness creeping in despite his grumpiness. “I suppose it is... rather picturesque. In a rather inconvenient sort of way.”

You squeezed his hand, feeling the warmth of his skin even through the chill that surrounded you. “Maybe you’ll grow to love it,” you teased gently. ''Means extra cuddles in the morning...''

Astarion gave you a sidelong glance, his eyes narrowing playfully. “I’m not sure I’ll ever ‘love’ snow, but…” He paused, considering for a moment. “I can tolerate it if it means keeping you warm, darling. I suppose I’ll survive this winter wonderland for your sake.”

You smiled brightly, stepping closer to him, feeling the moment grow warmer despite the snowflakes that continued to fall around you. The day was just beginning, but with Astarion by your side, even the coldest mornings felt a little more bearable.

[eights-world]

...What was the New Year's Incident of 20XX?

ahem....

new years eve, 20XX...(unspecified year bc im lazy)

sometime after he left the police business, rory is stumbling out of a bar intoxicated as all hell. he wanted to "celebrate" for the sake of knight and got carried away. any who

petey is coincidentally out around the same time, and notices rory sitting outside the bar. he struts up, about to do his normal "annoying the fuck out of him" thing, till he hears weird noises coming from him. he pauses, leaning down to catch sight of him, and realizes rory is sobbing his eyes out.

petey is like "oh shit" bc hes never seen him like this at all. the closest to emotion hed get from rory is sheer anger. he asks if hes alright, hes allowed to ask that, right? he doesnt know, actually. fuck, maybe he should just leave-

too late.

rory turns out, he reeks of alcohol, his eyes are puffy and tears stain his fur. he looks so...broken. peteys legitimately taken aback by the sight.

rory half heartedly growls at him, huffs and turns back around. petey stands there for a second, then sits down next to him on the curb. they sit together. not saying anything. its quiet.

its kinda nice.

fifteen minutes maybe pass, theres still tears slowly streaming down rorys face, but theyre slowly dying down.

eventually, they dont exactly know how long theyve been there, but the sound of fireworks catch their attention. it was officially a new year.

rory has his head against peteys shoulder, and they both look at each other. unsure of what to do or say. a minute passes, and petey is, naturally, the one to break the silence. he says something about if rory wanted a new years kiss, he says it more awkwardly though. not the usual playful and infuriating teasing shit he does. freak.

rory stares at him. looks him up and down. stands up. and walks away.

petey is still sitting on the curb, watching him walk away. he doesnt bother him.

rory doesnt drink anymore after this :33

[kpopmultistanfanficarchive]

Since you're taking svt requests, this may not be the finest but like bf vernon hcs (I crave that man)

Pretty pls

♡ ∩_∩ („• ֊ •„)♡ _👉👈

*taps mic*

*steps up on soapbox*

Ahem.. I've got a lot of thoughts about Vernon but here are just a few of the SFW ones 😅

Vernon would literally be the cutest boyfriend besties 😭

He's not somebody who's just going to come out and be like "hey I like you and we should go out". Honestly, if you're not insanely patient and willing to go through his fifteen stages of overthinking, you should probably just ask him out first.

He doesn't strike me as someone who is into a lot of PDA or skinship so there's not a lot of kissing or hanging off of each other in public. But whenever you're walking around town he will kind of absentmindedly link your pinkies will you walk so that even tho you're not particularly close you're also never more than an arm's length away. 🥲

Even though I don't think he's into showing off his relationship in public too much, in the house is an entirely different story. He LOVES spending time on the couch sprawled out all over each other, legs twisting together and your head on his shoulder (or vice versa tbh) while you scroll on your phones with the TV on in the background. Lazy afternoons like these are his absolute favorite.

He notices little things. Like not just your coffee order or whatever. I'm talking deep cuts. And if you acknowledge it he'll just shrug like yeah you're my person obviously i know that about you

He is so insanely earnest but many times doesn't even realize it. Like he'll say something so sweet and heartfelt that makes your throat clench and then you turn to face him and he's just 😐. He doesn't say these things to get a reaction. It's just so natural to him to say whatever is on his mind to you that he doesn't even realize when it's something that will have your heart and stomach all fluttery.

We all know how bro sleeps (#15 but with palms facing up💀) so sleeping in the same bed was a learning curve at first. But honestly eventually you get used to cuddling up to his rigor mortis lookin ass koala style in the night and it actually ends up being quite cozy 😅

REQUESTS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN FOR SVT

[fairykazu]

sweet to dream with kaeya prompt: red rose - falling head over heels in love petunia - realizing their feelings content: set in canon, teens, mutual pining, lazy ending :( (kaeya) ( requested by @kukikoooo ) event masterlist 𝜗𝜚 genshin masterlist

kaeya

the strongest memory that lingered in kaeya’s mind was when he caught feelings for you. though, by now everyone knows since it’s his favorite story to retell when he’s drunkenly babbling everyone in angel’s share ears off.

he was dumb and you were dumber. you protest otherwise. it’s okay to be in denial. 

in the outskirts of the city, he was knee-deep in a field of windwheel asters begrudgingly. "why did you pick the hottest day of the year to do this?" kaeya grumbled, sweat beading his forehead as he trudged through the asters’ field. 

the air was humid, carrying the faint scent of earth and the distant sweetness of blooming flowers. his boots crunched through the meadow, each step releasing a subtle scent of earthy grass. the midsummer sun blazed down upon him, turning the once vibrant greenery into a dreary sea of orange and terracotta. 

name was just right ahead of him. they were like a little rabbit, hopping throughout the fields. they were picking the "best" flowers one by one, filling up their weaved basket to the brim. while his was barely to the amount compared to theirs or at least, in his standards, he was also picking the best ones.

maybe he was the winner here because his flowers were picked with the utmost delicacy.

"well, the flowers are at their best today. besides, i heard that eula managed to get wind-caressed asters for amber! …" name replied with a bashful grin, their eyes sparkling with excitement. kaeya quirked a brow while they trailed off. "ahem, besides, I want everything to be perfect for the windblume festival."

kaeya chuckled at name's enthusiasm, a hint of mischief dancing in his own eyes. "You and your flower obsession" he teased, poking at name's arm playfully. the two of them had known each other since they were kids. they were like two peas in a pod, sticking together while their friendship had endured countless adventures in mondstadt. "but i guess, it's a good thing, it keeps you from burning down the city with your cooking."

they gasped, nearly dropping their basket on the ground. one thing about name, other than the terrible cooking skills, is that they have the flair for the dramatics. they draped one hand over their face, “but you said you loved my rendition of mint jelly and that everyone in dawn winery liked it too!” 

kaeya’s breath exhaled a laugh, trying to disguise it as cough, as he picked another aster into his basket. “ahaha… i lied.” 

“it was really hard, kaeya.” they whined in response, picking up the basket and continuing on to a different patch of asters. they rested on a nearby tree, sitting down. name pointed their finger at him, “everyone ate it too!” 

kaeya’s eyes grew wide, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards. he leaned against the oak tree, trying to keep his laughter at bay. "no, they didn’t.” he put down their accusing finger down as if it was a weapon pointing at him.

the both of them sat in silence for a moment, the only sound being the gentle rustle of the leaves above them. name paused, pointing another finger at kaeya as he let out a laugh. they poked him in the shoulder, “yes, they did. even adelinde praised me!” 

“i ate them all.” 

“what?” 

kaeya went on a tangent about how even diluc didn’t like the mint jelly even though the redhead convinced you then that you were a baking prodigy. name recalled the moment when they caught kaeya stealing elzer’s jelly, insisting it was the best jelly he’d ever had. but in reality, he was just saving people’s taste buds and their pride. 

“was it really that bad?”  

“not the worst, ive tasted. it was kind of toothpasty.” 

“fine, fine. how many flowers did you collect for the festival?” they dismissed the situation, maybe to shield their own pride. kaeya tried to read their face but it’s clear name wanted to move on from this topic. the eyepatched boy handed them his basket of flowers that were supposedly in the best condition. they brought the basket to their lap, digging their face into the flowers, checking if they’re “perfect” enough. 

 “i got a couple… wait, why did you even want to do this again?” 

they repeated the same reason as before, added, “just want the perfect windblume festival with my favorite pers…”  they looked up from the basket, meeting eye contact with kaeya’s periwinkle eye. but then they paused, swallowing the words. it felt like eternity or at least, the representation of seeing a text bubble appear and disappear in person, in real life. “people. y’know, rosaria, jean, lisa and you…!” 

maybe, kaeya is naive but is he picking up what they’re putting down. “i like you…”  he watched their expression carefully.

they furrowed their brows before realizing what he just said. kaeya watched name mariante what he said on their shoulders before they freaked out a little. well, a little is a stretch. they shrieked, threw hte basket up before frantically catching the basket and landed on their side. “wait, really?” 

“yes.” 

“really?” 

“yes.” 

[yellowhollyhock]

I feel like both Don and Raph could have helped Leo during his ptsd arc. Raph would be the only one who understands Leo’s anger and Don would understand almost getting everyone killed in his cased killed cuz of SAINW.

super sweet idea! I think it's true that they both would be able to relate to him in different ways, and it makes sense they'd try to reach him on those grounds. To be honest, I think that's exactly what would make it difficult for them to help--or well, not by necessity, but what did make it difficult for them to help

Anyways you gave me an excuse to overanalyze Don's reaction to Leo's ptsd arc, and while I'm here I'm doing Raph and Mikey as well

Okay let's talk about Donny. I've thought about this one a lot. We don't ever canonically see him dealing with what he saw in that alternate universe, other than immediately after when he hugs Mikey and Raph. But we can imagine. He's already someone who puts a lot of pressure on himself (ie Underground City). Now the big threat that's been weighing so heavy on him for so long, the thing that he went to the future and saw there was no way to beat except to sacrifice themselves, is gone.

He can finally rest.

And I do feel like that's the attitude we see. He's eager to take out some aggression on the PDs when they show up at the farmhouse, but it's not Obsessive Mode Donatello. Compared to how we know he gets when he thinks something is his fault or that someone needs him help, he Chillin. Also he immediately develops a crush on Jhanna. I mean that's just one reading, but as a lesbo recovering from severe emotional repression I think I know the face of a traumatized soul seeking solace in the idea of a future and falling too hard too fast for Stronk Smort Gorl as soon as she gives him a bit of attention, not that I, ahem, have uh, direct experience or anything

Anyway

I think he's making a very deliberate choice to stop taking things so seriously--to be a kid for the little bit of time he has left to be a kid. To cling on tightly to his relationships with his brothers above all else, because he knows (and likely has it fresh in his mind) he could lose them. Goofing off with Mikey isn't a distraction, it's a priority.

And then Leo is doubling down on being child soldiers. To Donny, all that work they did was to escape that life. Taking down the Shredder should mean, from his pov, they now get to focus on just living, building themselves a little corner of the world they can just stay in and be happy.

I had a breakdown of multiple episodes demonstrating this but my app crashed and it all got deleted so just trust me ok

Big important example though: Dragons Rising. Yes, Donny understands the mission, he'll play his part to get it done, but even more pressing is to make sure he preserves the light in Mikey's eyes. Now that the Shredder is dealt with that's the next thing on his checklist to make sure that future never happens. They put on silly disguises. He wears a mustache and does an old man voice.

Then Leo doesn't see the exact results he wanted from a planned mission and chews them out for treating it like a game. I can imagine how much that remark would sting for Donny specifically, assuming his brothers know about what happened in that alternate dimension. (do you think old man Leo, listening to this sixteen-year-old insisting that they should go after Shredder again, this time they would win, ever said something, even very gently, to the effect of 'be careful Donny, this isn't a game?' y-yeah me neither)

You can hear his barely contained frustration when he defends himself and the others with, "Leo, we did the best we could."

Which is ultimately what will help Leo. That's the exact mantra that brings him through the battle with himself. But he's not hearing it from Don; to him in that moment it just sounds like an excuse. And Donny, who is also a hurting traumatized teenager, very likely doesn't appreciate his hard-earned wisdom being dismissed as childish and lazy.

Now on to Raph: he talks explicitly throughout Leo's arc about how he can see himself in it, and out of everyone, I feel like we see him most directly trying to help. He's sticking right by his side, supporting his ideas, training harder when Leo asks him to train harder. Back to Dragons Rising: in stark contrast to Donny's almost scolding comfort, Raph waits until Leo leaves and then:

"I hate to say it, but Leo's right."

Everything Leo is saying and doing makes perfect sense to Raph--as far as he's concerned, where it goes wrong is when it gets too extreme. 'Yes we do need to take this more seriously, but he shouldn't yell at us.' 'Okay training more and harder is a good idea, but how much more and harder?' He gets needing to blow off steam--he watches Leo face the rat king, and holds back (which is not an easy thing for him to do) because he thinks Leo needs to work this out of his system.

After all, that's what Raph's always done. Step outside, get some air, find someone to take it out on who deserves it so that he doesn't take it out on his brothers. But you know what else Raph is always doing when he does that?

Finding someone to help.

And that's super healthy and really healing. But it's something he does naturally because he likes to, I don't know if he's connected it with helping to manage his temper (it's easy for us to see because we're watching it, but he's living it. Hard to notice patterns when you're in the middle of them).

Anyway, blowing off steam doesn't work for Leo. Every time he faces something down on his own just further reinforces to him that he's the only one taking this seriously, and he absolutely has to be perfect in order for his family to be safe.

I think a lot about Raph, seeing Leo get mad enough to hurt Master Splinter, and then watching him be sent away. From his teenage perspective, wouldn't it feel like Leo is being punished? Wouldn't he wonder about how far he's allowed to push things, how close he might have come in the past to being sent overseas? I think Leo really needed the time for himself and understood that to some extent. He probably felt it was a just punishment as well, but I think he realized Splinter was doing what was best for him. After all, he asked for his training to go to the next level. And he doesn't want to make another mistake like that.

But for Raph? I don't think he can imagine a worse punishment than being separated from his family, especially if he just hurt one of them. That moment between Leo and Splinter had to remind him a lot of himself and Mikey. Imagine how he would've felt if the answer to that had been, 'I can't train you anymore, go to Japan to meet a man you've never heard of who will teach you how to control your temper.'

Also later on when he realizes how much it did actually help and wasn't meant to be punitive, that absolutely would twist into 'why were Leo's problems that important but mine never were.'

So why isn't Leo receptive to Raph's help? Well he is. But his goal isn't to heal. He thinks he's doing the right thing by spiraling further and further. Leo would have sucked up Raph's loyalty not unlike what Shredder did to Karai. Obviously not to the same extreme, but he would keep expecting Raph to be right behind him and work towards his goals, and Raph would've kept thinking that the Leo he knew, an undeniably down to earth Decent Guy, was still in there and would be back if he just held out and stuck around. Raph is not hard and fast with rules, he'd make allowances for his brother who is clearly going through some things. And Leo would have just kept pushing.

Wow that got dark

Anyway

They love each other very much, and ultimately, the fact that Raph did stick it out for so long was likely a big help to Leo. He just wasn't able to see it for what it was until he first shifted his priority to achieving peace within himself, instead of trying to fix the rest of the world. And I do think when he gets back, he'll remember how Raph stuck by him even when he was being very difficult. Because he really did, more than anyone.

As for Mikey, he and Leo have plenty of differences, but they've always been on the same page about one thing: the greater good.

I think Mikey sees Leo doubling down and assumes it's similar to the last time they defeated Shredder: City at War. During that time, Leo and Mikey were the ones who wanted to go out and fix the mess the city was in, stay involved in gang politics. Raph and Splinter were staunchly against it, and Donny went to support and protect the others, with him and Mikey both frequently trying to gently rein Leo in (not something they normally have to do).

Mikey sees it all happening again. Leo feels responsible for the city's safety, doesn't want to rest on their laurels, going into hyper-vigilance after a big victory as an overcorrection from overconfidence.

So Mikey leans just as hard into confidence. He's skipping on training, doubling down on the jokes, anything he can to get Leo to lighten up, or, when that doesn't work, avoid Leo whenever he can. No one likes to be constantly criticized. Just like Donny, he gets defensive: they are doing good for the city, they will keep on winning. After all, he's already a superhero, and a Battle Nexus Champion.

It makes a lot of sense he starts bragging about that again--seeking comfort from the past when the present offers none--and is unfortunate for him that Raph and Donny are just as exhausted as he is from the micro management and constant negativity, and do not take the bragging well at all.

It's also something that ends up helping Leo a lot. Directs all that energy and rage towards a goal, helps him look outside of himself by focusing on helping Mikey, balances the guilt of perceived failures (of himself and of his family) with a simple clear-cut victory. And Mikey knows it helped, he gets to see Leo being closer to himself again. It feels like he's close to a much more important victory, so he keeps pressing. He tries talking more positively about Leo, because positive words mean so much to him and are what's been missing in their home.

It helps some. It might've helped more directly after the inciting event. Either way, it's not a solution. Outside praise has never been enough for Leo, if he's decided he's not where he should be he's gonna keep pushing himself until he achieves it.

And this time 'it' is the assured safety of his family, something he honestly hasn't ever experienced before, and as far as he's concerned, takes more than all of them combined have to give

Overall, yeah I do think both Raph and Donny would've had some useful wisdom to share if 1) anyone had noticed and asked 2) they were able to separate the coping/survival skills they used to deal with their traumas from The Way Everyone Should Deal with Hard Things (big ask from teenagers--as far as they're concerned what they've been through so far is how life works).

Those conversations could've been a big help, although I don't think any amount of family talks would solve things. Leo needed the in-show equivalent of professional help. He needed time away from his family, too, so he could see more clearly what he was doing to them and himself.

I also do think all three of them will have cause to think back later on Splinter's comments that they had healed, but Leo hadn't. I get what Splinter meant by this, Leo's response was maladaptive and even immediately dangerous, but my guy, nobody's okay just a couple months after a traumatic event like that. No not even with meditation, no not even if they are laughing and playing video games. Especially considering how much those boys had already been through. Not to mention the added trauma of Leo 1) having such a drastic personality change that manifested largely as aggression towards them, and 2) being sent away. but that's probably a whole other post lsbfksjs

[brights-place]

⋆˚࿔ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝟏‼ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ Read The full book on my wattpad

๋࣭ ⭑ ❝ 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 ❞𝜗𝜚˚⋆

[Name] 'Raven' Queen

"I want to choose my own happily ever after"

"I don't seem to get this place at all... its nothing like ever after high and the people here too I tell you these guys act like kids especially snooping into my own story! Plus its better if they don't know I'm the daughter of one of the people they idolise they'd flip their crowns if they find out!" - [Name] To Grim

Grim 'The Great' "I'm gonna let you be my minion lucky you!"

"Brothers Grim? Were your headmasters last name? Heh! Of course the Great Grims name must have been spread even towards your universe!!"  - To [Name]

A monster who aspires to be a great mage. He will eat anything and everything, and his tendency to get carried away often gets him and the main character into trouble.

๋࣭ ⭑ ❝ 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐮𝐥 ❞𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Riddle Rosehearts "If you refuse to obey the queens rules, you understand what will happen right?"

"I remind you of your friend..? Hmph.. I'd rather you be reminded of me and not someone else- oh they also enjoy rules and MY! They are the future queen of hearts?! Tell me more" - To [Name]

Housewarden of Heartslabyul. A serious-minded student who firmly upholds the rules written by the Queen of Hearts. While a top student, he is easily angered and just as strict with others as he is with himself.

Trey Clover "Just the one I wanted to see! Would you help me paint the roses red?"

"You know how to bake because of a friend of yours? Ehe thats actually cute and sweet maybe you should come around more I'd love the extra pair of hands if you'd want" - To [Name]

Vice Housewarden of Heartslabyul. Mild-mannered, he acts as a parental figure for the dorm's students, and is frequently left to smooth things over when Riddle's strictness gets out of hand.

Cater Diamond "Play Croquet with me"

"EH?! YOU DON'T HAVE MAGICAM- oh it's called my chapter? BUT YOU DONT POST ON IT-?! Oh my Seven... LET ME JUST SHOW YOU" - To [Name]

Casual and carefree, this expert room-reader is often called on to mediate between others. He's always on top of the latest trends, and has an exhaustive familiarity with social media in all its forms.

Deuce Spade "Hurry up. We'll lose our heads if were late to the tea party"

"Your so strong and pretty my mum would love to meet you- I mean ahem thanks for helping us out even though you didn't need to thanks alot" - To [Name]

An earnest young man who enrolled at Night Raven College with the singular aim of becoming a respectable mage. He tries as hard as he can in his schoolwork, but he can be slow on the uptake, and his grades suffer as a result.

Ace Trappola "Stop Spacing out. You wanna get lost in a rose maze?"

"In my defense, your honour, I simply did not vibe with the law... YOU CANT SAY ANYTHING [Name] YOU TECHNICALLY STARTED A REVOLUTION with your whole rebel thing from where your from!" - To [Name]

A quick learner with an upbeat personality and a mischievous streak. Since he and Deuce are both Heartslabyul freshmen in the same class, they regard one another with amicable antagonism.

๋࣭ ⭑ ❝ 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰 ❞𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Leona Kingscholar "Honestly, most of your life's decided for you from the moment you're born. There's no point in workin hard"

"Dragon games? Hah... sounds weird if that horned bastard heard of it he'd start thundering... Hey herbivore lets do a 1V1 just for fun I know from the savana the females enjoy the hunt so maybe you would too with how strong you are" - To [Name]

Housewarden of Savanaclaw. Perpetually effort-averse, his immense magical ability contrasts with his lazy demeanor. Given his position as the secondborn prince in his homeland, he treats others with an imperious attitude.

Ruggie Bucchi "You're pretty brave, Stepping foot into our territory shyeheehee"

"Why'd I bowed to you when you weren't looking...? And why did I avoid you- uhm ITS NOTHING anyways you gonna eat that donut shishishi"  - To [Name]

A long-suffering runt who spends most of his time cleaning up Leona's messes, both literally and figuratively. Raised in a poor environment, he gets downright shameless when it comes to food.

Jack Howl "If you're scared tuck your tail and get outta here. I'm more then enough for them on my own"

"You have a friend who would of loved to race me? Huh never thought I'd hear that... I do like the thought of you cheering me on though *coughs and looks away*" - To [Name]

A stern student focused on self-betterment. He's the kind of misfit who hates acting buddy-buddy with others, but still respects the pecking order.

๋࣭ ⭑ ❝ 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 ❞𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Azul Ashengrotto "Come this way. We musn't lurk in doorways. It's rude"

"Your giving me this coin...? Why would you give me a coin form your world- ah don't take it it's now collateral for the contract now *stares at coin with slight sparkly eyes*" - To [Name]

Housewarden of Octavinelle. He runs a café on campus and makes it a point to gather information in all forms. His benevolent demeanor belies an extremely calculating personality.

Jade Leech "If you have a problem we can help you"

"My you have large of magic yet you hid all of that from us? My how sad *sniff* we're just here to help poor unfortunate souls. You could come help us too in the monstro lounge... why not? Are you afraid you'd might enjoy it there? Angelfish you shouldn't be afraid to visit" - To [Name]

Vice Housewarden of Octavinelle and twin brother to Floyd. He is soft-spoken and courteous to everyone he deals with.

Floyd Leech "C'mere. I'll give you a nice, tight squeeze"

"Oyyy shrimpy... Professor beakfish said we'd be Partners for this thing ehe~! Hey why dont we ditch so you and I can just go around! TOO LATE! Were going~!! Oh your hands are soft... hm" - To [Name]

Twin brother to Jade. His mood swings make it hard to predict what he'll say or do next. He likes to call others by odd pet names.

๋࣭ ⭑ ❝ 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐚❞𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Kalim Al-Asim "You'll liven things up. I'd know; I'm an excellent judge of character!"

"Habibi! You should try these biscuits! Oh and this and- huh-? Oh okay you dont need to eat a-lot but you can sit by me the whole time I'd love to tell stories about where I'm from if you tell me about this Ever after high thing!" - To [Name]

Housewarden of Scarabia. Born into vast wealth, he is a generous boy who always has a smile on his face. He's grown up with Jamil since a young age, and considers him a brother in all but blood.

Jamil Viper "Could you be a diamond in the rough?"

"Here let me just move this for you, and please dont worry your guests I dont see an issue on helping you out- is that a bug... *runs out of the room and slams the door shut leaving Grim inside* Ahem... That room belongs to the bug now" - To [Name]

Vice Housewarden of Scarabia. Born into a family that has served Kalim's family for generations, he has spent the better part of his childhood and later life being subjected to Kalim's carefree whims.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 / 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫

[tonycries]

coming out as swan anon bc I’m too fucking lazy to turn on anonymous 😔✊🏽 a l s o hear me outtt

personal trainer!toji who always gets a little too handsy during workouts

a n d

doctor!nanami who maybe goes a little too far with his examinations

a n d

lawyer!sukuna who maybe gets a little too, ahem, aggressive when prepping you for a cross examination

can you tell it’s like 2 in the morning and I’m ovulating 🤠

SWAN ANON REVEAL RAHHH 😈😈 AND WHEWWWWW THESE ARE SO 😩

Because personal trainer Toji?? Doctor Nanami??? N' all I can think about is lawyer Kuna proper YELLING and threatening to burn down families he probably gets charged for it in defense of you 😌😌

(He'd have the Tonussy screaming even louder though)

[evenmyhivemindisempty]

Oooooh, pick me, pick me!

Ahem! What would the various Boyd characters play in a D&D game, and what would their play styles be like?

Steve Murphy: Steve doesn’t know anything about DnD, but he immediately studies up on the rules and after a thorough review and cross-analysis of the classes and species, he decides the most tactical pick is a rock-gnome artificer. He’s lazy about the name though and just calls him “Todd”. His gnome is lawful good, and Steve sticks to that religiously. He’s a very studious player who’s very into the gameplay mechanics, and really likes problem-solving in the game. He’s… often sort of obnoxious to play with, and can sometimes steamroll over other players.

Donald Pierce: Pierce plays a half-elf, true neutral warlock woman with a tragic backstory he spent three sleepless nights meticulously plotting out. He’s the type of player that’s sort of dragged into it semi-unwillingly by someone else (Gabby), but once they’re in, they’re *in*. He gets so into the game, and specifically the roleplaying/story elements. (He also LOVES being a warlock, having a patron looking out for him is Very Sexy.)

Cap Hatfield: Cap plays a Dragonborn ranger of indeterminate gender! Their alignment is lawful neutral, and although Cap is overall a casual player, he’s very serious about sticking to his alignment. He does have a fairly intricate backstory for his character, but it doesn’t come up super often. Cap’s a pretty quiet player, and tends to go with the flow in most sessions! He’d actually make an excellent DM one of these days.

Clement Mansell: Clement thinks DnD is GREAT. He has a blast with his bard; he’s a chaotic neutral tiefling man (Clement likes the idea of an “outlaw devil musician”), and he absolutely poured so many stats into charisma. He mostly just acts like himself when he’s playing. He’s sometimes kind of annoying, but he can also be super fun to have around.

The Corinthian: Corinthian plays as a male human, of course! He goes for a chaotic neutral rogue, and mostly just tries to have fun. He doesn’t really concern himself too closely with the rules or the gameplay mechanics, he just likes the story, and building on scenarios with other players. It’s sort of an exotic delight to get to participate in this type of story creation, even just as a player!

Eli Klaber: Klaber designs his character to be a drop-dead gorgeous elf woman, and has every freckle on her face mapped out. She’s a true neutral fighter: the mechanics for fighters are simple, and pretty easy to get into for a newbie. Honestly, Klaber mostly likes getting to roleplay as his character the best. He doesn’t really care too much about what his party does in general.

Ty Shaw: Ty rolls for a male, half-orc barbarian. Despite being a real bruiser Ty ends up actually just trying to talk his way out of problems. His character’s technically neutral evil, but Ty doesn’t actually do much that’s very evil at all.

Quinn McKenna: Quinn makes a character mostly as a concession to Nebraska, who’s running a game, but he ends up having a decent time with it, especially when he realizes how stat focused it can be. He is *such* an optimizer. He doesn’t get as granular during the character rolling process as Steve though - he mostly just fashions a character that’s… kind of just like him: a lawful neutral, human male paladin, who’s taken the oath of the watchers. He doesn’t like having to roleplay at all. When his ‘character’ talks, that’s just Quinn.