#what was going through his mind when he made that acting choice. I'm intrigued

[past-the-dawn]

they weren't lying that bradley jaden!javert really can homoerotic

[talesofesther]

a touch of emotion

Connor x Reader

Summary: After the meeting with Kamski, Connor feels conflicted and lost, luckily you're there to hold his hand through it.

A/N: DBH is one of my main comfort games, and it was about time I wrote a little something for my favorite boy from it. If anyone would like to see more of Connor here, let me know. <3

Masterlist

"Why didn't you shoot?" Hank inquires, narrowing his eyes inquisitively.

"I just saw that girl's eyes… And I couldn't…" Connor answers back, his voice edging on desperate. "That's all."

A howling wind prickles your skin like tiny needles. It was such a cold day, no wonder you hadn't been keen on coming out here today. Leaning back on the hood of Hank's car and pulling your coat tighter around yourself, you watch from afar as Connor tries to justify his choice, even if it had been the right one to make.

He intrigues you. Because for someone who keeps saying he's just a machine trying to accomplish a task, he acts way more human than a lot of people you know. Even on the day you'd met him, he was already all curious and talkative, you couldn't recall meeting any android like him before.

Connor has changed ever since you started working together, you realize it now more than ever. He's becoming softer, personality starting to shine through the cracks as his decisions become increasingly emotionally driven.

"Cyberlife's last chance to save humanity, is itself a deviant."

Kamski's words echoed inside your mind, as did Connor's panicked and distressed expression when he promptly denied it. Ironic, you think to yourself; he shouldn't feel as troubled as he does if what Kamski said is not true.

And that same feeling now lingers. Once they were done talking, Hank took a few steps away to make a call, most likely to the precinct judging by the scowl on his face; and Connor can't stand still, he's pacing around, fidgeting with the cuffs of his blazer as the snow shifts under his feet. There's a permanent frown on his eyebrows, he looks almost… lost, his LED with an insistent yellow color and gaze unfocused on the distance.

You worry your lower lip between your teeth, torn between reaching out to him or keeping to yourself. The snow falls heavier now, and you can feel the tips of your fingers slowly going numb. You've always liked the cold, yet it seems the cold doesn't like you.

Between the snow, the frozen lake, and the white horizon of the frigid weather, Connor stands out. He's holding onto his own arms, hugging himself, and you find it endearingly human, as if he's subconsciously trying to find a way to comfort himself.

You lay your palms flat on the hood of the car and push yourself away, walking up to him before you can think things through. The snow crunching under your feet doesn't seem to call his attention. "Connor?" You say gently, reaching out to him with your hand but stopping short of actually touching him. You hesitate. When did he start making you nervous?

"You okay?"

Those warm and tender brown eyes of his regard you with curiosity, lips half parted as he struggles on what to say. The LED on his temple switched from blue to yellow and blue again. "I- yes. I think I'm fine." Snowflakes are clinging to his hair and falling softly onto the skin of his cheeks; they compliment his features, always so gentle.

You offer him a small, comforting smile. He's still figuring himself out. It was okay, you were patient.

"I'm… sorry," Connor begins again, avoiding looking you directly in the eyes. He purses his lips and closes his eyes for a moment longer, and you doubt you've ever seen any android be this expressive.

"I compromised our investigation," he pauses, "I should have been more efficient." And reprimands himself.

You're shaking your head before he's even done talking. "No, don't say that," you take a step closer to him as your heart holds your reasoning hostage, one hand wrapping around Connor's wrist to keep him with you. "Don't say that when you've made the right choice, Connor."

There was a beat, Connor's face does something complicated that you cannot read, and when he looks up at you again, his gaze is almost too much. The amount of emotion he looked at you with nearly made you choke on air.

"But… we didn't learn anything." His voice is quiet, barely there, as if he doesn't care for his own argument and is only looking for an excuse to hear more of your voice.

"I don't care," the words fall from your lips before you can debate if you should even be saying them out loud at all.

Connor seems surprised, caught off guard as his eyebrows raise just slightly at how fast and true you spoke. His eyes keep searching your face for… something. You couldn't be sure of what exactly he was looking for. Maybe even he doesn't know yet.

Your heart stumbles on your chest when you see Connor gulping and his eyes avoiding yours again. Only then do you realize that the hand you held his wrist with had drifted lower, your fingers now gently grazing his palm. His skin feels comfortingly warm and soft, a pleasant touch sending goosebumps down your spine.

It was all foreign territory to him, you knew it, felt it in the way he tried timidly closing his fingers around your own. His movements are slow, uncertain, and tentative, bordering on afraid.

How naive of you, to be having such feelings for an android. Yet when he's the most caring, honest, endearing, and gentle person you know, how could you not?

Hank told you once; "I think you're breaking our android huh." He'd said it right after Connor had gone through the trouble of finding an umbrella just so you didn't have to stand under the heavy rain, even if you tried telling him you didn't mind. And you'd taken it as a joke back then, not really understanding the hidden meaning behind your older partner's teasing look.

Yet as you hold onto Connor's hand now, feeling the way his thumb shyly brushes your skin, you wonder if he feels it too, if he's willing to feel the same as you do. If you could dare to hope.

"All I care about," you speak slow and careful, syllables heavy on your tongue. You clear your throat so your voice doesn't sound as tender as you feel. "is that… that you didn't let him manipulate you, that you followed your heart." You bring your free hand up to his chest, right on top of where you can faintly feel his thirium pump working overtime.

Connor looked to be about to speak, perhaps to try and correct you about your choice of words, yet all he does is open and close his mouth, eyes trained on yours and LED swirling with a permanent yellow color. For a moment you wonder if he's analyzing you, and worry about what he may find. His hold on your hand tightens ever so slightly; you don't think he realizes he's doing it.

"I'm glad you didn't pull the trigger, Connor. I'm proud of you."

It's barely a second, his LED flashing red before going back to yellow and eventually, slowly, blue; but you see it. He blinked a couple of times as if processing your words or how to feel about them.

"I-" Connor's eyes seem hazy, their tender brown only a thin ring around his blown pupils. His fingers now tangle with yours. "I feel-"

"Alright kids, let's go." Hank's voice sounds all too loudly as he unintentionally breaks the bubble that cocooned you and Connor. "Fowler wants us back in the precinct." The lieutenant speaks with an annoyed undertone as he stuffs his phone back in his pocket.

You're still caught up in the feeling of Connor's skin on yours, in how you're now so hyper-aware of just how close he's standing to you. Connor, it seems, isn't much different.

When there's no answer, Hank finally looks your way and gestures you over; "come on, get a move on, I don't wanna hear another lecture about arriving late," he insists, before plopping himself into the driver's seat, murmuring something about damn love-birds.

Despite the cold, you can feel a warmth coming up to your cheeks. Without mustering the courage to meet Connor's gaze, you focus on the way his hand fits so perfectly with yours. His fingers are awkwardly intertwined with yours, holding strong and gentle at the same time.

Connor seems reluctant to let go. It hits you that perhaps he won't. You could dwell on a thousand reasons of why, or not think at all and simply bask in the feeling. But right now time isn't on your side.

You take a deep breath, and risk a glance up at him.

Any words you were about to say suddenly feel clogged up in your throat. Oh, Connor tilts his head in that endearing way you're so fond of, yet the look in his eyes is one you've never caught before; you can't name it, it feels dangerous to try, but he looks as if he just realized something.

"Come on," you tug on his hand, just about managing the timid words, "we have to go."

Connor follows quietly, his hand steady on yours until you reach the car and are forced to part.

As Hank drives, you watch Connor through the rearview mirror; there's a newfound lightness to him, a warmth to his eyes that makes you feel fuzzy inside. And when he catches your gaze, and smiles, you know he feels it too.

⋆* ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

Thank you for reading this little story. Feedback and reblogs are literally what keeps me motivated to continue posting here, so I’d appreciate it if you could take some time to reblog and comment. <3

You do not have permission to repost, copy, or translate my works on any platforms (even with credit), please respect.

Connor’s taglist: @milkiane@v1ci0us

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2024: October Wrap-Up.

Gr8 news: I am no longer very far behind on my NaNo prep reading!! I had to drop JUST LIKE HOME (reread) and HOUSE OF LEAVES, but I got through the rest of my Haunted House and/or Aliens and/or Parasite/Fungus TBR. Here they all are!

Photos and/or reviews linked:

SHRIEK - ★★★★ I think SHRIEK Is my favorite volume of the Ambergris trilogy, taken as a whole--the one-way conversation Duncan was having with Janice was a really neat narrative choice, and then the reveal in the Afterword's Afterword was, in true VanderMeer fashion, mind-blowing.

FINCH - ★★★★ I was actually surprised by how much I liked this one. It helped me figure out a LOT about what kinds of power dynamics I enjoy in borderline-dystopian fiction, and what intrigues me most about limited agency. It wrapped the story up almost too neatly, for a VanderMeer, but I did still have a good time and blitzed through it quickly. Given this one and SHRIEK, I'm counting the Whole Series as a Four-Star read--I'd like to reread it someday, now that I know what's going on.

LEECH - ★★★★★ (reread) STILL ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVES, OFFICIALLY!! It's very gothic and heavy and fucked up, but it does FASCINATING things with POV, and worldbuilding, and storytelling frameworks. PLEASE check the content warnings, but if none of those are hard no's for you, definitely pick this one up. I suspect anyone for whom Animorphs was a Formative Influence will adore this (but so far my sample size is really only 1)--please prove me right.

A HOUSE WITH GOOD BONES - ★★★½ This was fun! Not my favorite Kingfisher (that award still goes to HOLLOW PLACES), but I had a good time--I laughed, I squealed over vultures, I blasted through pages to get to the end.

STARLING HOUSE - ★★★★ Alix E. Harrow always manages to write exactly my catnip, somehow. Maybe it's the ADHD, but I'm constantly finding connections to my own writing projects in her work, and STARLING HOUSE was no exception! I liked that this one was more modern, and the sibling dynamic was precious, and I love weird sentient houses where space is more of a suggestion than a hard and fast rule. I'll probably reread this one for Driscoll purposes!

WOODWORM - ★★★½ So much rage in such a tiny volume, and I was Absolutely Here For It. I don't tend to read much lit fic, but I do try to read a lot in translation, and I thought this one did very cool stuff with Spanish--the prose felt natural in English, but I loved the linguistic details the translators left in Spanish and how much depth that added. I feel like this one might be a good fit for Carmen Maria Machado fans, too.

HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE - ★★★ Call this a low 3, from me. It was Fine, I guess. I liked what he did with the act structure (labeling parts as stages of grief was very cool), and I liked the family dynamics and history, but a lot of the humor didn't land for me (I got a few sensible chuckles, but a bunch of it wasn't funny), and the "oh this author is A Man, huh" moments made me roll my eyes (seriously: Who thinks about their ~breasts~ when an angry taxidermied squirrel is clawing down your shirt?? No One With Breasts, Mr. Dude). This book did at least teach me that I'm not really interested in gore (it's just boring, unlike body horror, my beloved). I might still pick up HORRORSTOR, but I probably won't look into most of his other stuff, if this one is indicative of his general style. Meh.

THE ART OF EXCESS - No rating (didn't read the whole thing). At the end of ALWAYS COMING HOME, Richard Powers mentioned this book as the reason he finally committed to ALWAYS, so I was curious what this Tom Leclair dude had to say about it back in 1989. I had a heck of a time tracking down a copy (it's very out of print, and my local library had to source it from the Library of Congress for me), but I didn't want to buy it to read just the preface/intro/epilogue, because I haven't read any of the other texts he analyzes. Leclair's style was very readable, and I was intrigued by his framework, but I found some of his conclusions eye-rolly, given his sample size. I posted this one because I think Library of Congress books are fun, but I didn't add it to my Goodreads.

BLACK TIDE - ★★★½ This one had me rolling my eyes in the first couple chapters, and I was afraid I wasn't going to like it, but once Fucked Up Shit Started Happening, the momentum really picked up and didn't stop--I blitzed through it way past my bedtime on a school night. It was fucked up and weird and tense and bloody pull-no-punches horror, but it ALSO made me laugh, and I loved our two fuck-ups surviving the apocalypse together. NOTE: Dogs (and Gulls) Are Not Safe, and the cast is small enough that it matters a lot :( if you can't stomach animal harm/death, skip this.

A HALF-BUILT GARDEN - 81/338 pages read; will report back. Enjoying it so far! Glad I put it on my NaNo prep reading list, though not quite for the reasons I planned--the reflections on motherhood as well as parenting outside the binary have been interesting, so far (and that's relevant for my own haunted house endeavors!). A much gentler ride than BLACK TIDE, and the immersive tech reminds me of Murderbot's world, just Earthbound.

Overall! Fabulous month for reading! Anytime I think "wow I need A Break™ from writing or life," this is the type of reading I mean--where I can spend a couple weeks annihilating books within a day to Refill the Words Reservoir.

Under the Cut: A Note About ~*★Stars★*~

Historically, I have been Very Bad™ about assigning things Star Ratings, because it's so Vibes Heavy for me and therefore Contingent Upon my Whims. I am refining this as I figure out my wrap up posts (epiphany of last month: I don't like that stars are Odd, because that makes three the midpoint and things are rarely so truly mid for me)(I have hacked my way around this with a ½). Here is, generally, how I conceptualize stars:

★ - This was Bad. I would actively recommend that you do NOT read this one, no redeeming qualities whatsoever, not worth the slog. Save Yourself, It's Too Late For Me. Book goes in the garbage (donate bin).

★★ - This was Not Good. I would not recommend it, but it wasn't a total waste or wash--something in here held my interest/kept my attention/sparked some joy. I will not be rereading this ever. Save Yourself (Or Join Me In Suffering, That Seems Like A Cool Bonding Activity).

★★★ - This was Good/Fine/Okay/Meh. I don't care about this enough to recommend it one way or another. Perfectly serviceable book, held my interest, I probably enjoyed myself (or at least didn't actively loathe the reading). I don't have especially strong feelings. You probably don't need to save yourself from this one--if it sounds like your jam, give it a shot! Just didn't resonate with me particularly powerfully. I probably won't reread this unless I'm after something in particular.

★★★½ - I liked this! I'll probably recommend it if I know it matches someone's vibes or specific requests, but I didn't commit to a star rating on Goodreads. More likely to reread, but not guaranteed.

★★★★ - I really enjoyed this!! I would recommend it (sometimes with caveats about content warnings or such--I tend to like weird fucked up funny shit, and I don't have many hard readerly NO's). Not a perfect book for me by any means, but Very Good. This is something I would reread! Join me!!

★★★★★ - I LOVED THE SHIT OUT OF THIS, IT REWIRED MY BRAIN, WILL RECOMMEND TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE AT THE SLIGHTEST PROVOCATION (content warning caveats still apply--see 4-star disclaimer). Excellent book, I'll reread it regularly, I'll buy copies for all my friends, I'll try to convince all of Booklr to read it, PLEASE join me!!

[yfere]

Going to obsess over Husk and Alastor for a second

ok. ok. OK. so. more on why alastor and husk's dynamic makes my head spin. is because, on paper, I have. NO idea,,, how they work??? they have the absolute most clashing personalities I have ever seen, and yet alastor chose husk and continues to choose him as a confidant and a co-conspirator and workhorse, even though he has much more obviously like-minded people around him in Rosie, Mimzy, and Niffty. And Husk -- I'm a little more forgiving on Husk's end because a) he has zero choice in his involvement here and b) he's kind of a bleeding heart himself, so I can kind of understand the moments where he looks out for Alastor or shows care outside of the bounds of his contract. But still. I look at them, and I'm just... why????? I'm so intrigued by it.

Because.... listen. What I understand about Husk is this. That he's a very compassionate person at heart, and cares about other people, even though he tries desperately not to. Hell, from the way he acts he seems like more of a true believer in Charlie's ideas for redemption than even Vaggie at times. He has a high degree of empathy and can easily see through people's bullshit (probably part of what makes him a terror at cards). I think at core he's a very sincere person, and this is part of why it is absolutely not in his nature to sugarcoat things, or refrain from speaking his mind. Husk is also a person who demands two things from the people around him - one is to treat him and his boundaries with respect, and this is why he snaps so much at Angel to begin with, and also what made him so furious with Alastor in episode 5. The second thing that Husk demands is honesty and vulnerability from the people around him, and he's openly disdainful of "fake" people. He tells Angel outright that he would treat him better if he were "real" -- his respect and affection for Angel was contingent to an extent on Angel being willing to drop his mask.

So you take this person, and stick him with Alastor, the fakest of fake motherfuckers in Hell, who can't stand the concept of being vulnerable and whose basic operating philosophy is "wear a mask smile so that you can hide your true feelings and always seem in control." Alastor, a person who is so desperately hungry for respect and power that he goes ballistic over what he sees as disrespect (even if it's just plain honesty), who pathologically needs the upper hand, who is casually and constantly disrespectful, who showboats relentlessly, who spits out one liners and strikes a pose even when he's a hair's breadth from death and fleeing the scene. THIS guy.

...who hand selected as one of his closest companions a person whose philosophy and personality is diametrically opposed to his own. I think... that says something about alastor, though it's hard to say what exactly that is, yet. maybe he likes watching husk "I lost the ability to love years ago sike I'm falling in love again" care and then suffer for caring and start the cycle all over again, similarly to how he said that he wanted to watch charlie try her hardest with the hotel and fail. on the other hand, as much as Alastor tries to stay aloof from the hotel's residents (not him looking over them all from a proverbial theater box in episode 8 as they prepare to face execution day), I don't think he's lying about his affection for them. maybe there's a small part of him that's looking to be surprised, or even proven wrong. maybe he thinks he'll be happy either way, and that's part of why he doesn't act the saboteur. or maybe there's even another element to it... alastor doesn't only court respect and fear, he courts adoration, and deliberately looks for and soaks up the affection thrown his way by charlie and the rest. maybe alastor is attracted to people who can't help but genuinely care for him, even against their better judgment.

[yanderes-galore]

Yandere! Self-Aware! Markus/RK200 (Detroit: Become Human) with gamer darling. It can be depicted as romantic or platonic. Always enthusiastic with the choices made for him and doesn’t mind if darling made some mistakes either. However I’d like the darling to be female, of course if that doesn’t bother you.

The cool thing is this doesn't really require much knowledge about what happens on his route. I'm mostly focusing on how he'd react in this so no need for many spoilers or anything :)

I'd love to experiment with this idea even if I am not the best with Self-Aware yanderes!

Yandere! Self-Aware! Markus (RK200) with Player! Darling

Pairing: Romantic/Platonic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Female Darling, Self-aware yandere, Obsession, Yearning/Pining, Dubious feelings/relationship, Game character comes to real world, Protective behavior mentioned briefly, Isolation, Delusional behavior, Slight worshipping yandere behavior, Slight possessive behavior.

Honestly, with a game like DBH a self-aware yandere actually seems very interesting.

Why, you may be asking?

Compared to other video game characters, games that require you to make choices like DBH affect the outcome and the character.

Essentially, a character in DBH is dependent on their player to develop themselves.

Sure, many self-aware yanderes feel guided by their player.

In DBH it feels more intense because your choices actually develop their personalities.

Although it would only be this intense if they're a player character like Connor, Kara, or Markus.

These characters are ones you play as in DBH, which means you as the player shape their story.

You shape how they act.

You shape them.

These three as self-aware yanderes would be intense due to this.

Like in this example;

Self-aware! Markus can either be a pacifist or choose violence in how he deals with people.

His darling chooses that for him.

Honestly, Markus was already one of the most self-aware player characters in the game.

He was the first to go deviant, funnily enough he'd be the first to grow self-aware too.

It's an experience for him.

Not only does he learn he can be much more than an android, he also learns he's in a game.

He feels he has control, yet you're the one making decisions.

It's a conflicting feeling but he begins to not mind it when you guide him.

He actually... likes it when you shape him and his personality with your choices.

When he does see you he's intrigued by this woman who guides him with such wonder.

Markus does accept every choice you make with slight excitement and curiosity.

He understands if you make a mistake but for the most part he looks forward to what you'll say in certain situations.

Part of him wonders if the others, Connor and Kara, know your presence.

Part of him is actually jealous of the thought and hopes they don't.

Markus accepts the fact that you two need each other in a way.

In order to play the game, you need him.

In order to find just who he is, Markus needs you.

Markus assumes the personality you shape for him is to your taste at times.

Did you want him to be a pacifist? Did you want him to be violent?

He assumes you're shaping him to your tastes... he finds it endearing in a way.

Markus, like most yanderes in a video game, would want to meet his player face to face.

Markus feels he wants to meet the partner who has shown him many paths.

You've shown him kindness, you've shown him violence, what has he learned from all of these choices?

In the end, he is yours.

He actually doesn't mind it too much.

For the most part Markus would watch you through a camera on your device or accept the fact he can only adore you from afar.

Yet let's get... hypothetical and unrealistic.

Let's say by some means, Markus came into the real world.

He'd be curious on finally meeting you and would look you over.

You're a female human as he's seen before briefly... you look about as adorable as he's remembered.

He can't believe you've been guiding him all this time.

He greets you like you're long time partners, which works for platonic or romantic.

He wants to be close with you, he wonders if you can still help each other in this new world....

You may be panicking but Markus tries to reassure you that everything is okay.

He's experienced in taking care of humans, he'll take care of you, his player.

Markus would treat you with care regardless of how you shaped his personality.

He owes it to you, after all.

He... he's indebted to you after everything you've done together.

You made him this way, he's yours.

Markus hasn't seen other humans like you and would probably isolate you.

You're his whole world.

He doesn't care about the other humans in this world, or the fact he's the only android, all he cares about is feeling you in his arms.

He's protective of his yandere but depending on the route you took with him he'll either be violent or calm with it.

Markus wants to keep up the idea of you just relying on him.

He has only ever known you as his partner... the same should be with you.

When Markus enters the real world, he begins to isolate you.

He feels it should just be you and him.

You could be a girlfriend or just a close companion, Markus dedicates himself to you either way.

Markus may even think of ways to bring you back to his world.

He doesn't ever want to part from you again.

But, why do you look at him with so much fear?

There's no need to be scared of him...

Markus is your partner... your host in the game... yours...

You're his partner... his player... all his until the end... aren't you?

[mayhem-things]

Euronymous x reader / Movie night

Euro and Y/N watch a horror movie until he suggests recreating one of the scenes.

SMUT

(1561 words)

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

Øystein sat on his black leather couch, his arm wrapped around her slender figure. The room was dimly lit, creating an intimate atmosphere. They had been arguing for what felt like an eternity, going back and forth about spending more time together. After much deliberation, Øystein finally agreed to meet up, but with a condition - a movie night of his choosing.

Her eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and apprehension, reluctantly accepted his terms. She had already seen 'a Serbian film' he suggested, and their differing perspectives on the movie made it a controversial choice. 

Y/N understood the film's true irony, recognizing it as a provocative work meant to disturb and challenge its viewers. However, for Euronymous, it was a dark masterpiece of raw emotion, an exploration of hate and lust that fascinated him.

Sitting side by side, their attention fixated on the screen, Y/N became engrossed as the scene unfolded. The protagonist, drugged and disoriented, found himself in a sterile white room with a simple bed. A girl lay motionless on the bed, and he was instructed to perform unspeakable acts with her. The reader, feeling uneasy and finding the scene tasteless, requested to skip it. However, Øystein leaned forward, urging her to be quiet, his eyes locked onto the screen. She sighed, crossing her arms and leaning against the couch, her gaze wandering aimlessly around the room.

When the scene concluded, Euronymous  stole a glance at her, a certain satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. It was a look that stirred a mixture of excitement and trepidation within her. His voice, low and suggestive, broke the silence.

"We should try that

"

he whispered, his words laced with an unsettling intensity.

"Are you insane, Øystein? I'm not planning to get killed"

 she responded, her annoyance palpable at the audacity of his suggestion.

He chuckled softly, his arm tightening around her as he reassured her.

"Without the killing part, babe"

he said, his voice tinged with a mischievousness that both intrigued and frightened her. She hesitated, weighing the risks and consequences in her mind. Her eyes locked with his, and a surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins as his touch sent shivers down her spine. Slowly, his cold fingers slid down her shoulder, tracing a path along her arm until he found her hand, gently intertwining his fingers with hers. The chill of his touch mirrored the icy aura he exuded, causing her hairs to stand on end and goosebumps to form all over her body.

Caught in the intensity of the moment, almost entranced, she nodded, her decision made. Øystein rose from the couch, pulling her up with him, their hands still entwined. He led her to the bedroom, anticipation and uncertainty mingling in the air as they ventured into uncharted territory together.

To her surprise, Øystein opened the nightstand drawer and revealed a pair of handcuffs. The glimmer in his eyes hinted at his eagerness to use them, to bind her hands behind her back. Before Y/N could utter a comment or express her surprise, his lips crashed onto hers, sealing them in a passionate kiss that mirrored their deepest desires. The intensity of the moment engulfed them, drawing them further into the realm of lust and longing.

Their breaths mingled, growing heavier with each passing second, only parting their mouths briefly to steal a much-needed gasp of air. Øystein's slender, pale hand traced a path down her body, his fingertips leaving a trail of anticipation along her skin. With a deliberate motion, he reached the end of her shirt, pulling it up and over Y/N's head, revealing her to him in all her beauty. For a fleeting moment, he paused, his gaze drinking in the sight of her exposed torso, his mind filled with aching arousal.

Their hearts pounded in perfect synchrony as Euronymous pulled her waist closer to him, their chests colliding with an electric surge of desire. The fervor between them intensified with each passing moment, their mouths hungrily exploring one another as the layers of clothing were shed and tossed haphazardly onto the ground.

Øystein's voice, husky and filled with command, instructed her, 

"Arch your back and let me take care of the rest." 

Yielding to his dominance, Y/N complied, lying on the bed in a position of vulnerability, fully exposed to his penetrating gaze. The cold metal of the handcuffs encircling her wrists sent a shiver through her body, raising goosebumps on her skin, but it only served to heighten the sensations coursing through her.

The room was enveloped in an air of raw passion and unspoken desires as Øystein hovered over her, his eyes filled with an intoxicating mix of power and reverence. With deliberate and deliberate movements, he explored her body, his hands tracing every curve, every dip, every cuts and every contour, igniting sparks of pleasure along their path. His lips followed suit, leaving a trail of fiery kisses and teasing nips, stoking the flames of desire within her.

The symphony of their moans and whispers filled the room, becoming a chorus of their shared ecstasy. Bound by desire and the constraints of the handcuffs, Y/N surrendered herself completely to the pleasure that Øystein evoked within her.

In that moment, the world outside ceased to exist. They were consumed by the powerful magnetism that drew them together, lost in a realm of sensuality and vulnerability. Nothing else mattered except for the intoxicating union of their bodies, entangled in a dance of passion and surrender.

Øystein continued his teasing exploration, his lips ghosting along the curves of her spine, igniting a trail of electric sensations that intensified her lust with each lingering kiss. Her body ached for his touch, craving the moment when he would finally enter her. Aware of the desperate longing etched across her frame, he reveled in the power he held over her and cruelly took his time, savoring the anticipation.

As her desire reached its crescendo, nearly pushing her to the point of begging, Øystein abruptly seized her bound wrists, pressing her into the softness of the pillows and lifting her hips to meet his own. With a deliberate slowness, his finger traced the outer contours of her vulva, registering how wet and ready she already was for him. The sight of her defenseless and vulnerable body, arching and yearning for him, caused his own arousal to surge, his length growing impossibly harder.

A whimper escaped Y/N's lips, a plea forming on her tongue as she implored him, 

"Please, fuck me. I beg you, please."

Those words proved to be his undoing. Unable to resist her fervent entreaty, Øystein yielded to his primal desires, plunging his throbbing length inside her with a raw roughness that sent a mutual moan rippling through the air. The initial pain of being stretched to accommodate his size mingled with a pleasurable ache, intensifying the intimate connection they shared. Y/N reveled in the sensation, the fusion of pain and pleasure, wanting the ecstasy to stretch on endlessly.

Pausing for a brief moment, Øystein fought to regain control over his insatiable lust, his body trembling with the effort. Gradually, he began to move his hips, establishing a rhythm that sent waves of pleasure coursing through both their bodies. Y/N's own instincts took over, her every motion harmonizing with his, yearning for more intensity, for the unyielding union of their beings.

Their movements grew rougher and more intense with each passing thrust, their bodies locked in a primal rhythm of pleasure and need. Moaning and groaning words escaped Øystein's throat, his voice filled with a raw urgency.

"I'm gonna cum."

Those words sent an indescribable surge of arousal coursing through Y/N's veins. Eager to amplify the pleasure, she pressed her hips against him with greater force, their connection becoming even more intense. He filled her completely, his length seemingly molded perfectly for her, erasing any coherent thought from her mind. The sensations overwhelmed her, rendering her unable to hold back the symphony of moans and heavy breaths that spilled from her lips.

With each deep and powerful thrust, Øystein claimed her completely, their bodies melding in a crescendo of ecstasy. He became noticeably louder, the intensity of their union pushing him to the edge of control. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he released his climax with one last forceful thrust, emptying himself deep inside her. His grip tightened on her hips, ensuring she wouldn't move further, the need to prolong their shared pleasure driving him to restrain her.

Y/N could feel his length twitching inside her, his cum sending shockwaves of pleasure rippling through her. 

Seconds later, his grip loosened, their heavy breathing gradually subsiding as his chest rose and fell with the return of a normal heart rate. After he withdrew from her, the click of the handcuffs opening reverberated through the room, freeing her wrists. The cuffs had left faint pink marks on her soft skin, but it was a trivial concern amidst the aftermath of their passionate encounter.

As they lay intertwined, their bodies basking in the aftermath of their intense lovemaking, Øystein broke the silence with a suggestion.

"We should have nights like this more often," he said, his voice laced with a hint of longing and satisfaction.

Y/N's heart skipped a beat, her own desire echoing his sentiment. In that moment, they both knew that this night had ignited a flame that would burn brighter and more passionately with each encounter, a connection that they yearned to explore further in the depths of their desires.

[t0yac1d]

Ocean Eyes (C.Grimes x F!Reader)

Summary: Ocean eyes, they're eyes you can get lost in. And both you and Carl have that habit of getting lost in each other's eyes.

Warnings: Spoilers (?)

Word Count: 1,094

I've been watchin' you for some time 

At first it was a glance, your eyes were just scanning the room but that glance turned into a longing stare. That was until Carl looked back at you, catching you off guard. He smiled and chuckled at you as your eyes frantically looked anywhere else besides him. 

Can't stop starin' at those ocean eyes 

But as hard as you tried to keep your eyes away from his you just couldn't. They were so pretty. 

Burning cities and napalm skies 

He made his way up to you, the corner of his lips meeting his eyes from how hard he was smiling. 

Fifteen flares inside those ocean eyes

His eyes, they were all you could look at as he spoke to you, all you could really focus on. 

Your ocean eyes

How could eyes that have seen the worst things possible, from the death of others to killing some, still be so beautiful and innocent. 

No fair...

Although you were barely listening he still spoke to you, he knew you weren't really focused on his words right now but can he really blame you? 

You really know how to make me cry, when you gimme those ocean eyes

You mind came back to you, now listening to what he was talking about. You softly smiled at him, he was adorable, he's seen too much happen, too much death and yet he's still smiling, still acting like how a kid would at a party. 

I'm scared...

You admired that, admired how he can conceal it all, admired how he can still push through things no matter how bad the situation was. It was one of the things that made you fall for him. 

I've never fallen from quite this high, fallin' into your ocean eyes 

His eyes were the other, so calm yet so bold. So promising, protecting, honest and trustworthy. 

Those ocean eyes 

You knew you'd make the right choice in dating the Grimes boy.

I've been walkin' through a world gone blind 

I can't stop thinking about her, can't stop thinking about that beautiful face. Especially her way of thinking, and how closed off she was. It made her even more interesting and makes me that much more intrigued. 

Can't stop thinkin' of your diamond mind 

So tough, hard to get into. Her mind is so closed off, so barricaded, she doesn't let anyone know what's going on in there and no one would ever find out unless she let's them. It's fascinating, I don't think I've ever met anyone like her. 

Careful creature made friends with time 

She arrived at Alexandria a few weeks after we did, she was so much more closed off during those weeks, not trusting anyone fully, not staying long during conversations. But soon, she started opening up, words couldn't express how happy I was for her to trust us- to trust me and to confide especially in me. 

She told me everything, ever since that party we've become inseparable. She told me about the groups she was once with, her family, how she managed. 

He left her lonely with a diamond mind 

And a guy she once trusted so much she spilt everything to- like how she's doing right now. How he took advantage of that and took advantage of her hurt and fragile mind, making it much worse. She explained that's how she became so closed off and apologized for not only seeming like she didn't want anything to do with the place or people but for also pouring her heart out. 

She teared up as she did so I hugged her, told her it was okay, that I'm proud of her for trusting me enough to tell me everything. 

And those ocean eyes..

I looked him in the eyes, the same way I first did at the welcoming party. God, he could turn his back on me and betray me yet here I am pouring my heart out to him like I've known him all my life. 

No fair, you really know how to make me cry when you gimme those ocean eyes 

I let the tears out, leaning into him and holding him close, I know he would never hurt me, that he would do anything for me, that he loves me. 

I'm scared...

Bur what if this doesn't end well, what if he does turn his back on me and use everything he knows against me. 

I've never fallen from quite this high 

She backed up, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she looked up at me, and God did she look as beautiful as the day I met her. 

Fallin' into your ocean eyes 

Since day one, there was another thing I noticed about her besides her beauty and her mind. It was her eyes, so deep and rich, looking at them makes me feel at ease, makes me feel like everything's going to be okay and that everything is okay. 

They were as deep as the ocean, I could stare at them for however long I want to and try looking away, but I can't. I don't want to come back up for breath. I could drown in these beautiful, astonishing, caring eyes and I wouldn't care. 

As long as they were hers I wouldn't mind anything. 

Those ocean eyes 

She leaned close to me, slow enough for me to react in case I don't want to kiss her. But I won't back away, I've been waiting for this. I had a feeling about her, a feeling that I would want this girl in my life forever. 

I closed the gap between us and I could feel all my worries disappear. Even though I didn't want to I had to break it. I rested my forehead on hers and was the first to speak, "Do you, maybe, want to go out?" She looked at me for a moment, eyes scanning mine for any hint of a joke. 

I've never fallen from quite this high 

She nodded her head, nervously. 

Fallin' into your ocean eyes 

I smiled at her, and brought her into a loving hug. "I promise- no, I swear to make you feel like the most special and loved girl here." I smiled, kissing her once again. 

"You sure?" She timidly asked, I frantically nodded my head. 

Those ocean eyes...

"Cross my heart and hope to die." He swore, crossing his heart. I guess this is the universe's way of making up for the apocalypse and fallen members. Just one step at a time.

[glaciertea]

Masterlist here

Tales the Songs Weave

Ch.27<<

Chapter 28:  I̷ ̴H̴o̸p̵e̸ ̴t̵o̵ ̷S̷e̷e̸ ̶Y̸o̷u̷ ̵A̴g̷a̶i̴n̷

Word count: 2.3K

Two car doors slammed shut at the same time.

An annoyed huff of air dispersed from one's mouth, titling up at the ridiculous structure looming over them.

“You ready?” A familiar voice called out, triple-checking that the doors were locked.

“Yeah, papá. I'm all ready to go.”

“Alright, let's head on in. After you.”

The two scrolled in very casually, a feigned look of excitement plastered on the face of the disgruntled, who clearly didn't want to be here but had no choice. She was tired of coming into this building; most never held much significance, and it was the same layout across the board with a few minor changes. 

The architecture wasn't as sleek or flashy as the others. It was your standard run-of-the-mill science company. Nothing quite stood out.

Well, except that this one technically did have a very huge importance that she couldn't help but acknowledge. It held importance; it was merely a bothersome scene to go through over and over again.

“¿Gabi? ¿Estás bien?” The man halted in front of her and placed the back of his hand on her forehead. “You seem more out of it today, mija.”

“Oh, si. Estoy bien. Nervous jitters of being here; you know how that can go.” She cranked that smile up that always makes her cheeks hurt.

“Well, let me know whenever you want to go home. You don't have to stay here the entire day, okay?”

She gave a thumbs up and signaled for him to lead the way. They made their way towards a few stops, used to the clocking in progress and all that other tedious crap. Thankfully, no one was around to distract them besides the receptionist at the front. She attempted to flirt with him, and even Gabi couldn't help but find that laughable and embarrassing. He always shows off that ring on display for all to see, so Gabi isn't shocked when he shuts it down. She's almost amused by it.

Continuing on with their journey, she pretended to catch on to what he was saying, acting like she was intrigued, but most of all, his words fell on flat ears. Her mind was focused on one thing, and they hadn't been interrupted throughout the walk, and that's what mattered to her.

“O'Hara!”

She didn't believe in being jinxed, but someone was kicking her into believing it.

“Morning Peter, how are you?”

“I'm doing alright; I got my bean juice, and I'm ready to start the day.” He held a large reusable coffee cup and grinned when he turned over to an unfamiliar face. “Now who is this clone with slightly more hair?”

“This is my daughter, Gabriella.” He proudly placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Oh wow, you can definitely see the resemblance, especially in the height. I've always said you were nothing but legs.”

Rambunctious laughter came from the two while the young girl meekly tittered. She was so sick of hearing about the stupid height, but if it makes them happy, she sucks it up.

“Well, I do hope you enjoy your visit here at Alchemax. It's always nice seeing the younger generation take an interest in the ways of science.” Peter slanted his hand some, taking an outrageous gulp of his coffee.

She wanted out of this.

“Thank you.” She smiled at him.

Smiling always felt too tight on her face. Making this upturned look never felt right, but maybe she can truly make it when she finally sees him.

“You know, science is the future. It's the past and the present as well, and many don't want to realize that. I am a strong proponent of the youth channeling their—”

“Alright, Peter, we get it, but right now we're going to head on off. I promised ‘mini me’ I would show off the mutation area.” Miguel glanced over at Gabi, a look to tell that he had saved them both from whatever spiel he was going to bestow.

“The mutation section? Trying to be a geneticist like dad here?”

“Yes, sir, that's the plan.” She plastered on that dumb award-winning grin, earning a ruffle on top of her head from her ‘father.’

“Ah, man, better watch out for your job then. She may surpass you. But, uh, let me in on a secret. An entomologist is ten times better. Nothing but looking at cool bugs all day.”

“Ay, you and those bugs. You might as well marry one.” Miguel groaned and crossed his arms.

“You know I'm considering it! I don't know how MJ will feel, but she wouldn't mind if I picked a luna moth or an emerald swallowtail. Oh. Maybe a peacock parachute spider. Those things are ethereal, and then some.” He thrust his coffee into the air and caught himself before he caused a spill.

Now she was getting annoyed. All they do is banter, and it irks her to no end.

“Papa, can we go now? I'm ready to look.”

“Ah, yes, still the typical teen. It reminds me of my Mayday. But alrighty now, I'll let you two go. You guys have all the fun.”

A simple nod was given by Miguel and Gabi, and they continued on to their destination. She already had the layout recognized and memorized when she got access to the full map. A simple piece of malware was created to get it, and it was her favorite to make.

“Oh, Miguel. Now hold on, who might this be?” Two women, who may both be in their mid-thirties, approached the two.

Gabi was getting really fucking impatient, but she had to hold it in. 

“Jess, Aya, this is my daughter, Gabriella.”

“You and your wife have a daughter?” Jess raised a brow and placed both of her hands on her hips, trying to recall any conversation about that. “I thought–”

“No, we're still trying for our own, but Gabi here is a special someone who I learned about recently.” Miguel wrapped his arm around Gabriella. Time for the idiotic facade.

“Stepping up and in, I can respect that.” Jess nodded in approval. “You can see the resemblance.” 

“Especially with those long legs.” Aya spoke up.

Gabi wanted to punch her for that.

“Papá…” She had to keep that scowl back. She needed to sound like a bored and impatient teen. The impatient part she had down.

“Right. I was going to show her the mutation lab; she's highly curious about that.” Miguel smiled between the two ladies.

“Well, um, we actually need you on the third floor to check out this diagnosis. That's why we were heading down this way to find you.” Jess peered over at Gabi. “Would it be okay if we stole your dad for about fifteen minutes?”

No!

She needed him so she could have a better entry to where she specifically needed to go. Gabi pulled a disappointed expression.

“I can take her, Jessica. She seems like she's really hounding on going there. And besides, you'll know where we'll be.“ Aya wedged herself in front of the three.

Miguel rubbed the back of his neck. “Are you sure, Aya? I don't want to pull you away from anything important.”

She shook her head and waved her wrist around. “It's no problem at all. I can sneak away for a bit. I'll give the excuse of me being a tour guide to a curious mind.” She winked over to the young girl. “And she's safe with me, so all is okay.”

Jess and Miguel looked at each other, then at Aya and Gabi. “Entonces por mí está bien. Be safe, and make sure you follow the instructions, mija.”

“Stop it. She's fine.” Aya stuck her tongue out and made him put his palms up in defeat. “Alright, Gabi, ready for a girl's trip out?”

She has to fake enthusiasm. “Of course! See you later, papá!” Maybe that was too enthusiastic, but they didn't seem to take notice of it. In fact, they all smiled at her.

A bunch of imbeciles to her.

Miguel and Jess sent them off, right after he made sure to remind her to text if she needed anything, but Aya shooed him away, and the duo twisted and took off in opposite directions. 

Aya was a conversationalist, which, of course, irked her. This dimension held quite a few chatterboxes, much to her dismay. She thought all scientists were introverted and only went out on those mandatory bar outings so they could talk about something other than nuclear fusion or that weird coding bug in the system. Maybe generalizing should be less of a rudimentary factor for her. 

She shrugged that off. That was an insignificant train of thought.

They trekked down many corridors and took two elevator rides. Some wanted to talk to Aya, but thankfully she shut them down, exclaiming she was on a mission. At least she understood the memo.

After several hundred questions about Gabi and other mundane comments, they reached the double doors of where they needed to go.

“Alright, stay close to me, and don't be afraid to be intrusive with questions. Even though I'm a chemist, I have a huge soft spot for things like these.” Aya pressed a few buttons on the keypad when a faint click hit their ears.

The room was huge. Fancy science tech and gear sat neatly on tables; big machines surrounded by computers sat in the middle; and behind them was a giant glass wall.

“When we have organized tours, they love to show off this place.” Aya strided over to a table and leaned against it.

Gabi inclined her head back and surveyed the area a bit more. They had it hidden away, but she knows it's here. To not make it obvious, she asked a few wondering questions about how certain machinery works or what was the silliest thing that happened in here. Gabi scoped around, peeping into bins and other small glass tanks, but to no avail.

Aya was going on about some stupid story when Gabi slipped a sturdy glass beaker into the lab coat she wanted to try on. Help to create an immersion for the woman.

“So, your father and Sam went back and forth about how a cat can't have the same genetics as an alligator; it was crazy how your dad wasn't catching on that Sam was messing with him. It was clear as—”

“I'm sorry to interrupt, Aya, but dad told me you all had this spider that you guys were working on, and I wanted to know if I could see it.”

The woman blinked and ran her hand through her black and golden-streaked hair. “That's strange how he talked about that. That was supposed to be a private matter.”

“It was a dad's little secret thing. The ‘accidental’ slip. But he promised me that he would show it off if, of course, he kept it between us. Well, now it's between you, papa, and me.”

Aya bit her inner cheek and glanced behind her and out of the window. “Alright. But you must keep this top secret, as you can tell that this is a pretty big deal.” She winked and strolled over to another door tucked in a back corner, invisible to the naked eye.

There was a keypad next to it, and it took her around thirty seconds to punch in this code. Gabi's heart pounded throughout her body. She wiped her forehead to make sure no sweat dripped down in the well-cooled room. She watched the woman go in and closed the door behind her. It took a minute for her to come back out, but it was worth every millisecond.

She cradled a medium-sized cylindrical glass container tightly to her chest. The inside held some greenery to help stimulate a biome for the creature.

“Here we are.” Aya twisted her body a bit to let Gabi see. “I like to call this fella Chester. We found him in a chest, so that's how his name came to be.” Aya went to a nearby table and carefully placed the container in the middle so it wouldn't fall off the edge.

“This little guy is special to us. He's going to change the way we view life, not only for ourselves but for the world around us. Maybe it could go further with this simple creati-” 

Aya went down as the side of her forehead hit the edge. Gabi's hand shook, and the slightly cracked beaker dropped and rolled underneath somewhere. Gabi crouched to her knees and checked for a pulse. She was still breathing, which was a good sign.

She latched her arms under her armpits and dragged the woman by the door, avoiding all the cameras she knew were placed. Punching in the code, she took her body in and propped her up against an empty storage shelf, making sure she was at least comfy.

Gabi slid out, leaving the door open a tad bit, and almost tripped over to the spider. While searching for a way to unscrew the top, there was a small red button that was barely lit. Her head darted back and forth to make sure no one was coming, and she pressed it.

A hiss emerged from the top as the lid popped up. A scarlet and dark blue crept out from a few leaves, staring at Gabi. It had a glow to it, almost like a shiny gem in dim lights. Subtle, but still radiant.

She nearly released a cackle but bit her tongue to prevent causing too much of a disturbance, just in case Aya managed to jolt awake. She stuck her hand in, being as still as possible. It took several seconds for the creature to trust her, but it stumbled on her hand. She watched as the magnificent spider crawled all over it, balancing out her fingers so it wouldn't fall. 

“I will find you, papa. We will be happy again. I finally get to be like you and make everything right.” She took out a pocket-sized notebook that was red on one side and blue on the other, grinning so hard that her cheeks were hurting, but she didn't care.

This smile she held seemed much... better. 

A sense of joy. Of actual happiness.

All was going to be as it should.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@prozacgooble @sanguwuxyoonbummy @ella-janehaven

[foxydivaxx]

ZOSAN: End Of Pardise Chapter 1

ZORO'S POV

I must admit, I've been skating on thin ice of luck. My old man, Mihawk, kept me sheltered from the gritty underbelly of the mafia scene for ages. Sure, I knew what pops was up to, but I minded my own business. Getting tangled up with those unsavory types was never my cup of tea.

Or so I told myself. Then along came Sanji. Curse that stupidly handsome Sanji. The day he sauntered into my life was etched in my memory like a tattoo; September 15, a day to remember.

Everyone in the hallway stopped dead in their tracks as Sanji strutted past, paying no mind to the gawking masses. Confidence dripped off him like sweat on a summer day. And why wouldn't it? He was hotter than a furnace. Decked out in rebellious glory—long tees, shredded leggings, boots bedazzled to the nines, and a touch of eyeliner that screamed rockstar.

Silent as the grave, too. Almost eerie. Rumor had it some poor soul ripped his tongue out for getting too cozy with the wrong girl. To add to the mystery, nobody knew a lick about him. He was a lone wolf even during lunchtime.

Intrigued, I decided to play detective. During class, I'd catch him shooting glances my way, a smirk playing on his lips. Was he interested in me, or was I just imagining things?

The mystery deepened during lunch one day. My buddies and I had just polished off our meals when I spotted Sanji slipping out the door.

"Where's he always sneaking off to?" Luffy wondered aloud, his gaze following Sanji's disappearing act.

"Maybe he's a loner," Robin mused.

"Yeah, noticed how he shies away from girls," Nami chimed in.

"Maybe that tale about some dude punishing him over a girl is true," Usopp shrugged.

"Alright, let's play detective," I declared, rising to my feet, Luffy and Usopp trailing behind me.

Call me nosy, but I had to uncover the mystery behind that blonde bombshell who'd been renting space in my head for weeks. Why'd it always have to be blondes, anyway?

But as I followed him, I stumbled upon something I hadn't expected. An older man, stepping out of a sleek red sports car, escorting Sanji away without a word. The sight left a bitter taste in my mouth. Was this guy Sanji’s sugar daddy?

Sanji's POV

Leaving school midday was always a gamble, especially when my dad summoned me with a text during lunch. Being the Consigliere of the Mafia, though, it was par for the course. While others in the gang had their roles, there were certain tasks only I could handle. Maybe it was because I was the youngest member, or maybe it was my knack for blending into the shadows and slipping through the cracks.

“So, what's my mission, Pedro?” I asked as our car sped away from the school.

Pedro, my silent companion and fellow spy, glanced at me from the driver's seat. “Your mission this time is to infiltrate the Charlotte's party.”

Years ago, Pudding had played me for a fool, her deceit staining our once-promising connection. Now, Dad spoke of arranged marriages and alliances as if my heart were just another piece on his chessboard.

But this party—just the mention of Blackbeard sent a chill down my spine. His name carried weight, a dark cloud looming over even the toughest of us.

“Blackbeard,” I repeated, feeling the gravity of his influence.

Pedro nodded gravely. “It’s risky, Sanji. But your father insists.”

“This is going to be one risky assignment. But we have no choice here. I don't know what Father's intentions are, but there's only one way to find out.”

As we returned home to prepare for the mission ahead, I braced myself for the storm brewing on the horizon.

Father greeted me with his usual stern demeanor, and I steeled myself for the conversation to come.

“Did Pedro brief you?” he asked, his eyes piercing through me.

“Yes, but I'm still unclear. Why him, Father? Going after Blackbeard will only stir up more trouble for us.”

“Indeed, but I've made a shocking discovery, son,” Father began, his voice low and intense. “Remember your accident years ago? Turns out that bastard was keeping tabs on you.”

He handed me a document, and as I scanned its contents, my blood ran cold. “Your mother was informed by her sister, Isolde—part of the Italian Mafia, by the way—that Blackbeard wanted to kill her as punishment for a bad trade.”

The revelation ignited a fire within me. “What's the plan, Father?”

Normal POV

Sanji arrived at the party venue dressed in a sleek black tuxedo, his disguise of choice for blending into the shadows. It was situations like these that made his job as an assassin all the more convenient. After all, who would suspect a blonde teenager of harboring such deadly secrets?

That's why they called him the Angel of Death—his presence unnoticed until it was too late. It was his double life, navigating the treacherous waters of high school by day and the dangerous underworld of espionage by night.

Being homeschooled had shielded him from prying eyes, but now, as he mingled with the crowd, he couldn't help but feel exposed. His father's decision to send him to high school had seemed odd at first, but then he met a certain Marimo—a certain Zoro—who added a new dimension to his life. But thoughts of Zoro had to wait; now wasn't the time.

To protect his family's secrets, Sanji had adopted a facade of silence, distancing himself from his peers. So imagine his surprise when he spotted Zoro standing next to who he suspected to be Mihawk Dracule—his own father. Mafia ties, it seemed, ran deeper than he'd realized. His mission to observe Blackbeard suddenly became more complicated.

As Zoro's gaze met his own, Sanji felt a flutter in his chest. What was he doing here? Before he could contemplate further, Mihawk approached him with boisterous greetings.

"Ah, Sanji! Look at you, all grown since the last time I saw ya!"

Zoro's glare didn't go unnoticed as he questioned their connection. Sanji, deciding it was time to drop the act, revealed his true self.

"Our fathers know each other. No big deal," he said with a nonchalant shrug.

Zoro's surprise at hearing Sanji speak was evident. "Why the silence in school, then?"

"Some secrets are best left hidden."

Zoro's attempt at lightening the mood with a joke about "sugar daddies" earned a chuckle from Sanji, though he quickly corrected the misunderstanding.

"Dad's driver, Pedro, is hardly a sugar daddy," Sanji retorted, the tension easing slightly.

Their moment was interrupted by the arrival of Helmeppo and Pudding, casting a shadow over the conversation. Zoro's protective gesture didn't go unnoticed by Sanji, who appreciated the support.

"The only losers I see here are you and your companion. Seriously, that suede suit? It's so outdated, it hurts my eyes. And don't even get me started on that princess outfit—it looks like something a child would wear to a tea party. Do yourselves a favor and upgrade your wardrobe, pronto."

With a well-timed insult, Zoro deflected the awkwardness, leaving Pudding and Helmeppo fuming as they retreated.

"Thanks," Sanji murmured, a hint of gratitude in his voice.

"Don't mention it," Zoro replied, the tension between them momentarily forgotten in the heat of the moment.

"You know, you clean up nicely in a tux," Sanji observes. Zoro chuckles. "Funny, considering I despise formal wear. But since Papa Hawk insisted on dragging me here tonight, I had no choice."

Sanji nods, suspecting that Zoro's father wants to gradually introduce him to the Mafia world. "You look stunning tonight, Curlybrows. Quite the departure from your usual rocker look at school."

Sanji laughs, knowing Zoro would bring that up. "Oh, this? I enjoy dressing up. I don't attend many events like this, but when Dad needs a representative, I'm the go-to person. So I make sure to look my best."

"Your beauty truly shines when you're all polished, with minimal makeup," Sanji smirks. "Is it just me, or do you have a soft spot for blondes?"

"Maybe," Zoro replies.

Pedro watches their interaction with a grin. Compared to the other potential matches Judge had suggested for his son, this one feels different. The fact that Sanji chose Mihawk’s son over the others is significant.

He always knew Sanji had a type, but he never imagined it would be Mihawk’s handsome son. He immediately informs his boss.

"Boss, I think we might need to reconsider marrying Sanji off to that girl."

"Has someone caught his eye?"

"Mihawk’s son Zoro. He's at the party, and he and Sanji seem to have great chemistry."

"Is that so? Perhaps we should invite Mihawk and his son over to solidify the relationship, then."

At that moment, the party's host arrives, and fear grips Sanji as memories flood back, overwhelming him until everything goes blank.

This is the first part of the story. Things are heating up as you can see.

[topazadine]

Developing Character Agency (Or; Cutting the Plot Strings)

Earlier, I discussed some quality assurance checks for characterization, which mentioned character agency quite a few times. Now I'd like to delve deeper into how to develop agency in a way that feels natural.

This post by Mystic Scribe explains agency very well, but I'll distil it down for those who don't feel like reading that post.

Agency is when characters make choices that influence the plot rather than always being acted upon by the plot. These actions change the course of the story and lead to richer characterization.

Characters that lack agency often are held together by "plot strings" (informal term) that make it seem like they luck out every time and go exactly where they are supposed to. This is common in the Chosen One trope, where a woefully inadequate character somehow gets everything done and meets all the right people and is just perfect always for some reason.

There can be complex chains of consequences that lead characters to certain places, but ultimately, the character chooses to go to those places and set off those chain reactions. Sometimes they can be forced by circumstances beyond their control, but their reactions to those circumstances determines whether they have agency or not.

With that in mind, let's delve a bit more into character agency, including why it is important and how to improve it.

(As always, this is just my opinion, and you may disagree, and that is fine. Take what you like and leave the rest.)

Why Is Character Agency So Important?

Agency deepens characterization so that characters feel like real people, not cardboard cutouts there to push a plot forward.

The character's motivations create complications, especially when they are contrary to what the plot demands. It is why we root for a character to get what they want, and why they feel so special.

Now, I am stereotyping a bit here, but literary novels often have characters that lack agency and depth; it's clear that the author wanted the plot to go a certain way, so they made up someone to be their spokesperson for that plot.

Generic novels often have more dynamic characters because they are focused on why that character had to be the one to do this. This difference is why characters like Sherlock Holmes are beloved centuries later, and no one remembers Dr. Hesselius from In a Glass Darkly (the book that gave us Carmilla the lesbian vampire). Dr. Hesselius was basically the 19th century Rod Serling going "damn, wasn't that fucked up? Anyway, I'm Dr. Hesselius."

So characters with agency are memorable, intriguing, and unique. They are who sticks with us long after we put a book down, and they are often the reason that certain books are beloved over others.

Since most of us writers want to make books people remember, we've got to give characters agency.

Tactics for Demonstrating Agency

The character has a motivation that interferes with the plot.

You will need to understand your character's motivations first before developing the plot, as this will make it inevitable that they are sucked into the story and that they will make choices that push things around.

Take Bilbo Baggins. He is intriguing because he has two contradictory motivations: one that pulls him back and one that pushes him further into the plot. Bilbo wants to live a simple normal Hobbit life, but he also wants to go on adventures, which are very unhobbitlike. The wanderlust slowly starts to overtake his reluctance until he is right there in the thick of things.

For maximum benefit, considering pulling a Bilbo: having two contradictory motivations that must be reconciled through the plot. This could be a desire for normalcy versus a deep curiosity, or wanting to avenge someone but being too timid to do it.

The character resists the call, resulting in complications.

I'm sure we're all sick of the Hero's Journey plot by this point, as it can be quite formulaic when done wrong. However, resisting the call demonstrates agency, and it also means the character must find a way to reconcile their reluctance with pressing needs.

Their reluctance must be understandable by their aforementioned motivations. Maybe the character has a young child that they don't want to leave behind, or they don't like change.

The character is drawn into the plot by their personality.

On the other hand, we have characters who initiate contact with our plot. A common tactic in mysteries, this develops a sense of inevitability that does not strip agency. We see that the character is enthusiastically engaging with and guiding the plot, sometimes to their own detriment.

A character who chooses the plot also avoids the question of why this character in particular is chosen for this quest.

The character has goals outside of the plot that cause problems.

When a character has a "side quest" that is incompatible with the plot, they may rebel against it or make incorrect decisions that lead to greater trouble.

Maybe a character escapes from prison and finds someone who gives them a clue that helps them when they are recaptured. The goal here, obviously, is going home.

These sudden reveals may push the plot forward, but it's important to avoid too many coincidences or you've got plot strings again.

The character must balance contradictory desires.

This is the end result of having additional motivations and goals beyond what the plot wants from them.

Balance can be an excellent way to introduce agency because the character must play a complicated game of trade-offs and benefits in order to try to satisfy every desire. This forces them to make choices, which will inevitably shift the plot around.

The character screws up by dint of who they are as a person.

This could be impulsiveness, naivete, blinding loyalty, overcuriosity, being judgmental, or even nastier traits like a mean streak or racism.

The fall from grace makes them have to scrabble their way back to the plot. It also avoids idiot plots, which could be solved by everyone not acting as stupidly as humanly possible. We understand that it was inevitable for them to fail in this particular way, and we need to see how they overcome this flaw.

The character lacks essential knowledge, which results in wrong decisions.

I'm not talking about not knowing how to cook or something, but key information that is crucial to the plot's resolution. There has to be a reason that they don't have this knowledge, such as not meeting someone who has the important information.

An especially fun way to solve this is to have this info being assumed as common knowledge. Other characters are then making choices based on the knowledge that is being withheld not by malice or negligence, but by wrong assumptions.

How to Create Agency

Find a character's motivation that is not directly related to solving the plot. Identify how this can create complications in the plot.

Develop conflicting desires that shift throughout the story.

Choose an additional goal that must be sacrificed, downplayed, or indulged in order to create complications.

Understand the character's personality (shy, bold, overconfident, moralistic, know-it-all, impulsive, timid, loyal, etc) and identify how this would make it inevitable that they would come into contact with the plot.

Use character flaws to create inevitable failures because of who the character is.

Withold key information from the character that they must seek.

I've created a masterlist of writing resources that you can peruse at your leisure, all for free.

The posts I write can sometimes take me hours - they're always intricate, always thoughtful.

I do this as a labor of love for the writing community, sharing what I have learned from almost 15 years of creative writing.

However, if you'd like to support me, maybe you'll consider buying my book?

9 Years Yearning is a gay coming-of-age romance set in a fantasy world. It follows Uileac Korviridi, a young soldier training at the War Academy. His primary motivations are honoring the memory of his late parents, protecting his little sister Cerie, and becoming a top-notch soldier.

However, there's a problem: Orrinir Relickim, a rough and tough fellow pupil who just can't seem to leave Uileac alone.

The book features poetry, descriptions of a beautiful country inspired by Mongolia, and a whole lot of tsundere vibes.

You can also check it out on Goodreads for a list of expanded distribution.

If you do purchase my book, don't forget to leave a review!

Reviews are vital for visibility on Amazon and help to support indie authors like me. Whenever you love a book, be sure to let the author know! It's much appreciated.

[everlasting-stories]

To Feel Again [M]

Genre: light angst, romance

Warnings[!]: smut, penetration, creampie, unprotected sex, mentions of adult toys

Pairing: Doyoung x Reader

Words: 4.4k / One-shot

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Valentine's Day: the day of roses and hearts and chocolates and romantic candlelit dinners. When people proposed marriage and professed undying love.

You sighed, staring unseeing into your bowl of cornflakes as they succumbed to their milky grave and turned to soggy goop. Funny how a date on a calendar could open the pit of despair that lived somewhere near your stomach. It had to be near your stomach. You've been reasonably hungry until you've noticed the date and the pit opened. Your hunger had fallen into it, and the memories and pain rose out of it.

There was a time when this day had been wonderful. Life had been wonderful, you didn't need Valentine's Day, but you celebrated it with reverence and, sometimes, wild abandon.

You knew what love was, what it felt like to love a man and how it felt to lose him. You remembered what he'd said that last morning, how he'd kissed you; how the sun had lit his face as he smiled, promising he'd be back. You also remembered the police, how the sun seemed to dim as they told you the phrases out of courtesy. They were sorry for your loss. They will let you know of details as soon as the investigation on the accident comes to an end.

Since that time, Valentine's Day had passed unheralded, unheeded and uncelebrated. You knew you were a joke of the office - entering thirties soon and never been fucked, that's what they said. The borning woman who had no idea what fun was, wouldn't have known what to do with a man if by some miracle you did catch the attention of one. They were wrong, of course. Not that it was any of their business; it certainly didn't affect your ability to do your job.

If you chose to act and dress your age and spend your evenings quietly, rather than as mutton dressed as lamb in some gaudy nightclub, surely that was your right?

You sighed again, getting up from the table, taking your cereal bowl and dumping the gloop down the sink. A bleak day of petty jibes and pitying looks lay ahead. At least you knew what to expect this year.

Last year had been your first Valentine's Day with this particular company and, therefore, your first with this particular bunch of malicious people - your fellow employees. As front counter receptionist, you were the company's first "public face" and some of your co-workers had decided it didn't look good if that face wasn't surrounded by gifts from admirers on this day.

When the first bunch of anonymous flowers had arrived, you've been flustered, flattered and flabbergasted that anyone would send you flowers. You had hurriedly cleared a space on the counter for them, proudly displaying them, fussing with them to show them off at their best and make them visible from the greatest distance. You kept touching them, moving them slightly, reaffirming they were really there. Your heart sang; someone had noticed you. Maybe he was too shy to reveal himself; maybe he was married and couldn't: your mind was alive with questions, trying to solve the mystery of their origin. You were all in all happy.

Then a large box of chocolates arrived, closely followed by more flowers. By lunchtime, these had been joined by a little plush cherub, two red plush love hearts, a pair of earrings, three more bunches of flowers, four assorted boxes of chocolates and a large jar of candy hearts. They all carried the same anonymous message. And you knew then and there what is the catch behind this.

By the end of the day there were nine flower arrangements, ten boxes of chocolates, three cherubs, the two red love hearts, three teddy bears, two jars of candy, the earrings and a gift box containing four pairs of edible undies. Just before the close of business the final humiliation came - a fantastically wrapped see through box containing an inflatable male doll with vibrating tongue, a massive purple vibrating dildo and a copy of the Sex for The Beginners book.

You had to stay at your post until the last visitor or client left. But the rest of the staff was already heading out of the building. Some boggled at your desk, some snickered, a couple made loud crass comments and a very few had appeared horrified at the pile of stuff surrounding yourself. The building had almost emptied before that last visitor departed. You were sure that, too, was a set-up, particularly when you saw it was the client that had been visiting quite frequently lately.

Myungsoo ushered the man to the street and turned back to you as you gathered your coat and handbag, ready to escape.

"Gee, you're a popular girl. Who would have thought?" He reached your counter and began collecting up the flowers, grinning madly. "Let me help you with all that."

Before you could say a word, he bundled all the flowers, chocolates and assorted other items into your arms. You could barely see where you were going. Myungsoo put his arm around your back and shepherded you out the door, peeking at the vibrator in its transparent box. "There you go, sweetheart. Looks like you're definitely gonna get some action tonight." He turned smartly away, laughing as he rapidly put distance between the two of you.

You obviously had thrown the whole lot in the nearest dumpster and hurried to the relative sanctuary of your car before breaking down and sobbing, burying your head in your hands to hide from prying eyes of curious passer-bys.

Standing at your kitchen sink, you wondered what they'd pull this year. It couldn't be worse, could it? You sighed again and then abruptly shook your head, standing straighter. To hell with it - you were not going to let them get to you today.

It had already begun when you arrived. A bouquet of irises sat at the front of the counter. You were tempted to throw them straight in the garbage, but decided they were too pretty, too unusual. So they stayed. Curiosity got the better of you as you looked at the card, expecting it to say something sappy and insincere, as last year's cards had.

"You are worth far more than they will ever realise. Hear the flowers."

You pondered the card. Hear the flowers?

What on earth did that mean? You raised an eyebrow as you settled into your post: at least it seemed this year would be more intriguing than last. During quiet moments throughout the morning, you'd pick up the card, reread the cryptic message and study the beautiful bouquet, but its secret was never revealed.

No gifts arrived for you, no more flowers. You were relieved, but it only served to deepen the mystery of the flowers. As your lunch hour approached, other staff began filtering out of their offices to take a break. They all noticed the irises. Several of the women stopped and commented on their beauty. No one laughed.

As always, you left the building for lunch. You would usually grab a sandwich somewhere and do a bit of window shopping. Anything to get away for an hour - if you stayed in the office, someone always "needed" you for something.

When you returned, a neatly typed page was on your desk: "The meaning of flowers". One line was highlighted in blue: "Iris: Have Faith. Don't Give Up On Hope." A single purple violet was pinned to the page. You scanned the page to find "Violet (Purple): You occupy my thoughts". You put the page to one side, but still in view, unsure whether to laugh at it and throw it along with the flowers away before the punch line or wait it out. This was definitely a far more sophisticated assault than last year.

Throughout the afternoon a steady procession of couriers arrived, carrying flowers and gifts. You nervously watched each one approach your counter, only to breathe a sigh of relief as the teddy bears and hearts, the chocolates and flowers were all destined for other souls.

At 4:30PM a man approached your station: nothing unusual in that; everyone that came to see someone had to check in with you. What was unusual was that he actually saw you as a fellow human, not a robot programmed to take names and give directions. He smiled at you, a real smile that reached his eyes and warmed your heart. Something familiar in his eyes...

"Good afternoon. My name is Kim Doyoung. I have an appointment to speak to Choi Myungsoo. Would you mind letting him know I am here, please?"

Quickly, you dialled Myungsoo's extension, giving him the information. Myungsoo, as usual was brusque to the point of rude, telling you to "entertain the idiot 'till I'm ready for him - he's not supposed to be here for another 15 minutes".

You were tempted to tell the polite gentleman exactly what Myungsoo had said, but instead used your tact and diplomacy (that was why you were hired after all) to tell him that "Mr. Choi is a little delayed. He will be available in a few minutes."

With that being said, you offered him a seat.

Again he smiled. "Those are beautiful flowers," he said, nodding towards the iris bouquet. "A discerning choice for a lovely lady."

You lowered your eyes, feeling the heat rise in your face, knowing you were blushing.

His voice softened and became much quieter. "You don't remember me, do you?" Your eyes flew to his face, confused. Were you supposed to know this charming man?

"I had an appointment here at the same time, on this day last year. I was waiting outside for a taxi when you left. That was uncalled for, the whole situation that happened - mean and heartless and exactly what I would expect of Myungsoo and his friends. I deal with them only because I must. They offer a service unparalleled in this town."

He leaned across the counter, his voice so low only you could hear. "How they manage it, I cannot tell. They are pig swill and don't know a pearl when confronted with one." Doyoung paused, seeming to weigh up his next statement, then leaned closer to you. "Did you hear the flowers?"

Your eyes again flew to his face, your mouth falling open a little. "You sent them?"

"I did. And the violet. I had hoped to counter whatever crass display they had planned this year. Would you possibly consider spending the evening with me?" His face was eager, hopeful. "A nice dinner?"

You were stunned, flattered, amazed - but also wary. This was Myungsoo's client. He could easily have been put up to this. You studied his face closely, seeking any hint of a lurking cad. His face fell. "But, of course, you have other plans. I apologise for embarrassing you." He moved away and sat, abashed, on one of the hideous lounge chairs to await his appointment.

You studied this man. He didn't seem to fit the mould of Myungsoo's usual cohorts. For one thing he was unerringly polite. He was also good looking, very, very good looking, without being outstanding or flashy. He was also much closer to your age than Myungsoo's and had an air of quiet confidence, like he had nothing to prove to anyone and nothing to fear from them either. You looked at the flowers. Could Myungsoo have possibly thought of something this elegant? You didn't think so. You took a deep breath: to hell with it.

"Mr. Kim?" He looked up. "What time would you like to pick me up?"

In your bedroom, staring at the clothes hanging limply in your closet, the cool bravado that had claimed you as you agreed to the date vanished. In its place indecision, doubt and outright terror took hold. It seemed painfully obvious to you now, away from the office and that lovely man, that it was all another twisted joke, something for the office beautiful people to laugh at during tomorrow's coffee breaks. Why did you say yes? Your wardrobe was woefully inadequate. It was years since you'd been out with a man; you were bound to make a fool of yourself, even if it wasn't a set-up.

At that thought your heart jumped and lurched. The possibility that Mr. Kim - no, Doyoung; this was a date not a business appointment - was sincere in his wish to take you out only heightened your confusion and indecision.

Finally, in desperation and the realisation that if you didn't decide soon, you'd still be in your underwear when he arrived; you chose a chanel-knee length cremé skirt and baby pink cashmere sweater, topped off with knee length boots. The heels were quite high, but you remembered him being tall, so that wouldn't be an issue, as long as you didn't fall over in them.

You were saved from an overcritical examination in the mirror. You had just completed applying your makeup when Doyoung arrived. You grabbed your coat and quickly walked out the door, before you had time to rethink and back out.

"You look lovely," Doyoung said, smiling down at you. Feeling the heat creeping up your cheeks; you weren't used to receiving compliments, particularly from someone like him. You mumbled a shy thanks as he helped you put on your coat and led you to his car.

Sitting in the car as he drove, you were able to study the mysterious man that is Kim Doyoung. He was extremely handsome, not in the classical sense, but he certainly was far from a plain looking man - a man at peace with himself. He knew who he was and was content with that; he knew what he wanted and how to get it; and what was beyond his capabilities and lost no sleep over it. He obviously managed quite well; his car was expensive but not too flashy.

The restaurant he took you too was a quiet small place, away from the standard eat-and-entertain strip. It was intimate without claustrophobia; the decor was elegant without being overbearing; the lighting low but not dim; the service attentive without being intrusive. The food you could not describe - later, you barely remembered what you had eaten beyond it being "nice" - your attention was totally taken by Doyoung.

He was gallant and charming; helping you with your coat and holding your chair for you at the intimate table for two tucked away in a corner. Doyoung quietly suggested items on the menu he thought you might like. It was obvious he'd been here before, was a regular, but usually without company. His choice of wine was perfect to go with the excellent food as you enjoyed each other's company.

And you talked.

You learned a lot about him. Doyoung was 34, older than you had thought; he had been engaged, but his fiancé decided to break off the engagement for simply falling out of love. He had had a series of short term relationships that had petered out and, for the past several years, had lived a solitary life, rarely going out with women. He didn't work as such; his livelihood came from investments, which explained him being a client of the company you worked in. Myungsoo may be a jerk, but he was the one of the best investment brokers around.

He had been attracted to you the first time he met you, a year ago, but had been intimidated by the evidence of all your admirers. When he realised it was all a cruel joke played by his adviser and the other brokers, he was mortified. He had seriously considered changing brokers, going to another organisation but that would have meant he had no chance of meeting you again. So he stayed. He had been in your office on three occasions since then, and each time had seen your quiet, unflappable charm and how your talent and lovely nature were either ignored or taken for granted by those around you. He was determined to gain your attention, but without the office cricus freaks being able to use it against you, hence the mystery flower delivery this morning.

You found yourself opening up to Doyoung. He seemed sincerely interested in hearing what you had to say, hanging on your every word. It was a liberating and wonderfully powerful feeling. You weren't used to being the centre of anyone's attention. You told him of your pride at the independence since the loss of your lover, all those years ago. You were happy in your little home, content with your work, rarely coming to the attention of the office jokers.

It was over coffee that you admitted to Doyoung something you haven't admitted to yourself: your life was lonely and you missed the affection of another person. You missed the companionship of sharing your life with someone.

Immediately after the words had left your lips you regretted them. You have given away too much of yourself, been too forward. You lowered your eyes, not wanting to see the closed expression you knew would be on his face, so you didn't see the fleeting look of pain, quickly followed by understanding and hope.

However, you did feel his hand close over yours and squeeze lightly. You looked up into a face of gentle eyes and soft smile. "Would you like to take a walk with me," he said quietly. "I think it's time we leave - they want to close the restaurant anyway."

You looked around yourself noticing that you two were the only people other than staff left in the restaurant, and many of the lights were dimmed. You gasped in wonder - you had no idea you've been there so long. "Yes, a walk would be lovely."

Doyoung ushered you along the street and across a small, neat park to a promenade along the riverbank. It was enough lit to feel safe and you walked along arm in arm. You felt his arm snake around your waist hugging you closer to him, and you snuggled against him, your arm around his back. The moon was up, the stars were out and the night was peaceful and clear.

Your heart was singing and your eyes sparkled. You've been right to take this gamble. He was sincere, and it was wonderful. But the night was late, and it was rather cold.

You shivered. Doyoung felt it immediately and turned off the promenade proposing to head back toward the street where he had left the car. "I'd better take you home. It wouldn't be much of a date if you ended up ill."

At your door, Doyoung formally thanked you for a lovely evening and asked if he could see you again. You smiled and surprised yourself only a little by reaching up and kissing him lightly on the lips before saying: "Would you like to come in for a nightcap?"

Doyoung blinked, looking mildly bemused for a moment before studying your face. "Are you sure?"

Oh, most definitely, you were sure. You have thought of nothing else since you two have left the river. He looked right, he felt right, and he smelt right. You wanted him but was sure he'd never make a move. He was too much of a gentleman to ever force the issue.

You took his hand and led him into your home, kicking the door closed with your foot, shutting out the rest of the world with its mean people and ugly attitudes. You reached up to kiss him again. This time he lowered his head to yours, cradling your face in his hands as he returned the kiss. The lips met and parted, allowing the tongues to join and caress each other. His hands moved down from your face to caress your body, yours moving up from his hips. Both of you parted, searching each other's faces for confirmation of your desires.

"I think we're on the same page," you said. "Why don't you leave your coat on the couch? Do you want the nightcap now, or after the tour?"

"I'll put a hold on the nightcap," Doyoung answered, reading the desire in your eyes and knowing it was mirrored in his while stripping off the coat.

"Right."

You took his hand again. "This is the lounge. There," you pointed to the right, "is the kitchen and dining room. This way," pulling him down the hall, "is the second bedroom, the bathroom and," dragging him through a doorway, "here is the main bedroom."

"Very nice," he said, looking around, trying not to focus on the bed.

Suddenly shy, you both looked at anything but each other, awkward in a lack of intimate knowledge of each other. Doyoung tentatively reached out a hand to you, aiming to caress your breast, veering off at the last moment to your shoulder, but still lightly brushing your breast with his fingertips. Your gasped breath emboldened him and he reached his other hand, caressing your other breast lightly as you shivered under his touch and sighed.

Your own hands went to his chest, running down the front of his shirt and back up, then beginning to undo the buttons, pulling the shirt from his trousers and teasing his bare skin with your fingers.

Doyoung pulled his shirt off and then raised the sweater over your head and off the arms, moving in to kiss you as his hands went around your back to undo the clasps of a bra and returned to cup your breasts. The sensation on your breasts as he caressed and pinched the nipples sent a sharp message straight between your legs. You could feel yourself becoming moist and shuddered under his touch; breath becoming uneven.

Pushing him away you removed the skirt, letting it pool at your feet while looking into his eyes. Doyoung took the hint and began unbuckling his belt, then grinned foolishly and sat beside you to take off his socks, sneaking kisses of your neck and shoulders as he did so. You both stood again, slightly apart. He dropped his trousers and you could see his briefs pushed out of shape by his erection, the fabric straining.

Doyoung stepped up, taking you in his arms, kissing down your neck and across the collarbone, his hands lowering to your hips, sliding under the elastic and beginning to tug your panties down. Your own hands flew to the top of his briefs. Together, you pulled down the underwear, stepping out of them and standing naked before each other. Again Doyoung moved first, holding you and gently pushing backwards onto the bed, following after you onto it.

He ran one hand down the body of yours, teasing and tickling the beginning of your womanhood and beyond, teasing you with his fingers, tickling across your mound and easing around your damp centre. You moaned as he explored, your hips twisting and twitching. It had been so long since another man had touched you there. It felt amazing, wonderful, but achingly short of what you needed. You could feel his hardness against your thigh. Reaching down, you took his cock into your hand. It was hot, hard and pulsed under your touch. Doyoung groaned and his hips jerked convulsively. You kissed him hard and whispered fiercely, "Please, it's been too long. I need you, now."

"For me too, far too long," Doyoung gasped back, rolling you onto your back and positioning himself before gently splitting your lips and sliding steadily but firmly into you. Your moans were prominent in the air as he stretched and filled you right, not stopping his steady thrust until he was wholly inside you, your warm walls gripping him tightly. Your eyes met and locked as you lay still, immersed in the feeling of each other's body.

Being warm, wet and a safe haven, you were engulfing his cock. Doyoung was filling you with his hard heat, owning your body completely. You fit each other perfectly; you could see it in each other's eyes. You belonged together.

As great as this feeling was, you needed more. Doyoung slowly withdrew, till only the very tip split you. Both groaning as he pushed back in, again slowly feeling each other with delectable inch. Slowly in and out, in and out, revelling in the feeling of each other's bodies, gradually building up speed as your need increased.

You could feel the fire building, the tension increasing as sensation on sensation smashed into you with each thrust, your body twitching, your hips writhing. Still it built; higher, tighter, fiercer. Your entire being was wrapped around Doyoung's cock as it pumped in and out of you. You could hear him grunting with each thrust, feel his body trembling as he got closer to his climax. His speed increased and you breath got caught in your throat, your back arched, legs went stiff as you began to twitch when the white light exploded through you, spreading warmth and scattering your senses.

You felt, from far away but deep within you, Doyoung losing his rhythm before coming, pumping wildly into you, grunting and thrusting hard one last time as he shot deep inside you feeling spent but overly fulfilled.

Your hand was making lazy circles on Doyoung's chest as you lay, curled against his side with a head on his shoulder. You weren't sure how you've come to be in this position, but it felt so right and he smelled so good.

You were at peace while drifting off to sleep.

Waking up without feeling body by your side, you immediately felt the loss. Doyoung wasn't there. Your heart dropped, the pit near your stomach threatened to open and engulf it. Sensing the tears coming up, you accidentally feel something on your side with a hand.

He wasn't there. But there was a note.

"I am so sorry. I hate to leave you, knowing you will wake alone. There is something I must do."

You had just finished reading when the phone rang, disturbing your thoughts. Grudgingly, you moved to answer it. "Hello."

"Wish I was still beside you."

Your heart flipped again. The pit dissolved so you could breathe again before whispering, "Doyoung."

"Y/N. Tell me, what are you planning for breakfast?"

"Uhm. Coffee? Maybe some toast. Why?"

"Don't move. I'm on my way. With breakfast. And it's better than toast."

You lay back in bed, listening to the dial tone after he hung up. Surprised, you smile softly. You must remember to thank Myungsoo for introducing them.

If this is how you will feel loved and feel free to love again, you have no complaints.

Your new chapter is about to begin and hopefully, it will last for a very long time with a man named Kim Doyoung.

[thefirstknife]

Help, I ran Garden of Salvation with some clan mates and i'm Experiencing Great Sadness about the Kentarch 3 again.

I haven't been following you since shadowkeep, and was wondering if you had some theories about what happened, because a lot is left unexplained, specifically about Lisbon-13's motivations. The story from Yardarm-4's perspective shows that something is influencing them before they accept power (stasis teaser?) from the darkness. Do you think they really had a choice? Do you think he was influenced in his decision to kill them? If so, why? As a test just for him? Presumably he's still out there somewhere, and I can't tell from the lorebooks whether Rekkana let him kill her first or not. I just feel so bad for them, they all loved each other. Yardarm probably took the power in the first place to help get them out safely. Do you think it'll ever get concluded? The whole lore series seems interestingly close to what happens with Shayura, just sort of in reverse.

Kentarch 3 fireteam and the whole story on the Garden of Salvation armour and the associated weapons and equipment is amazing and very interesting, I agree. I haven't talked about it before but it's a good thing to revisit every so often! I think there's still a lot we don't really understand, mostly due to not fully understanding the power of the Black Garden.

In short for the general audience, Kentarch 3 was a fireteam that consisted of Yardarm-4 (Titan), Rekkana (Warlock) and Lisbon-13 (Hunter). They went to explore the Black Garden at the behest of the Warlock order called the Cryptochrons which Rekkana was a part of. This order got exiled some time after Osiris for dabbling in prophecies. Cryptochrons were formed around a Oneiromantic Circle and led by a Sibyl (or multiple sibyls; or Sibyl was just a name of one member, it's unclear). Oneiromancy is the practice of interpreting dreams to predict the future and sibyls were ancient Greek female prophets and oracles.

I didn't think this would get long but it did so the rest under the cut:

The Cryptochron order continued operating after its exile and Rekkana received a prophecy from them that revolved around a fireteam learning about the Black Garden and retrieving from it a Vex relic of some sort. The relic is the exotic weapon Divinity and the lore tab on it details the prophecy they were chasing:

"And after any other Cryptochrons they learn of. But your path is more dangerous than most. The Circle has foreseen many fireteams following in your footsteps. You can find the knowledge the order seeks at the Tree."

"Can? Not will?" For the first time, Rekkana sounded concerned.

"The Circle has had limited success in piercing the veil that surrounds the Black Garden, so the order offers no certainties. They say that a group of Guardians will discover secrets about the origin of the Black Garden at the Tree. The Oneiromantic Circle foresees no reason why it will not be the Kentarch 3."

"Nor can I. But…?"

"There is another thread in the tapestry, entwined with this one. The Vex, or some fractal faction of them, worship or honor a… divinity there."

"The Black Heart? It was destroyed."

"Yes, but this is something different. An object. Something like a sacred relic. It is important to the Vex for reasons that we have not yet fathomed. The Circle has determined that it is dangerous—"

"A Vex weapon?"

"Perhaps," the Sybil sounded annoyed at the interruption. "Rekkana, the Circle concluded that it is a danger to you."

"To me? But then, why send me on this mission?"

"When the Circle dreamed of the object, you were beside it."

They agreed that, should they find this object, Lisbon should be the one to carry it. They did find it and he was indeed the one to carry it, as is shown later in another lore tab detailed below.

We know that Lisbon-13 killed the rest of his fireteam because they got corrupted by the Black Garden, something happened to their Ghosts (they all just dropped down and started losing their Light) and then turned on him. He was being hunted and he really had no choice. But he couldn't live with it. In Beyond Light, he's shown trying to kill his Ghost in order to stay permanently dead because he couldn't bear the burden of what he did to his fireteam, even though his actions were justified and he acted in self-defence.

But before he managed to do that, he was faced with his own doppleganger, just like the YW at the end of Shadowkeep. In the end, Lisbon didn't kill his Ghost because the doppleganger offered him power and Lisbon (presumably) chose to take it: his wish was simply to make himself forget about his fireteam (and Rekkana specifically, whom he loved). It's implied that he accepted and after that, we have no formal information what happened.

The outcome of what happened to Kentarch 3 is somewhat known, as detailed in this ship lore. The Vanguard knows Lisbon killed the other two, they're not sure when they lost their Ghosts and they have not found anyone's body, not even Lisbon's. But we know from the lore that came out after that Lisbon accepted the deal with his doppleganger and we have no idea what that entailed. Is he still in the Black Garden? Was he killed? Replaced? Just memory-wiped and sent back? Something else entirely? We'll explore at the end.

I'm pretty sure the voices they heard talking to them were also their own dopplegangers. And it's somewhat implied that they made some sort of a bargain and accepted "new powers" that came "from the wrong side." There's only one description of it:

Her fist glimmered and quaked with an unfamiliar power. She only had to release her grip, and that energy would rip through him, burning without fire.

That's Rekkana attacking Lisbon. It's never fully explained what it is, but it could very well be some sort of prototype Stasis in my opinion. Or some other Darkness power. Not sure why the Black Garden would give them this, which is why I think they simply harnessed the power of their dopplegangers. This is something that's been mentioned a few times in regards to Darkness: duplication. Same is present with the Taken as well (Taken psions duplicate). I mentioned the duplication theme being discussed in Clovis' journal before too.

Honestly, I can't make any definitive conclusion, but Kentarch 3 definitely found something horrifying in the Black Garden and fell to its influence. They also reference doing the puzzles to get Divinity, which they got and Lisbon used it to kill the other two.

Garden of Salvation raid ends with a Pyramid scale opening up and leading us down into the area with the Darkness statue. I think this could've easily been some sort of a lead into the future of Destiny and the powers of Darkness. Kentarch 3 may have accidentally received this power early on or were perhaps some sort of a test the Darkness did on Guardians before offering them Stasis for real.

It's an interesting story and yep, it does mirror Shayura's fireteam and how the story is told! Each member of the fireteam tells the same story from their own POV on armour for that class. I'll link all of them in order, roughly how I think it's best to read each POV:

Rekkana: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Yardarm-4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Lisbon-13: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I like how the armour follows the same name pattern: Righteousness, Exaltation, Transcendence, Ascendancy and Temptation.

Associated Garden of Salvation weapons also have some tidbits of lore that might help, namely:

Ancient Gospel Hand Cannon:

"These forces have existed forever, but only one of them speaks to us." —Rekkana, Warlock of the Kentarch 3

Sacred Provenance Pulse Rifle:

"These gifts were not made for us, but we were meant to have them." —Rekkana, Warlock of the Kentarch 3

Zealot's Reward Fusion Rifle:

"Why not use these gifts we've been given?" —Yardarm-4, Titan of the Kentarch 3

I would really like to learn more about them, and specifically Lisbon because he might be able to actually tell us what happened. He or his Ghost, Piri, who managed to survive last we've seen her. I think the Ghost might be able to give the most accurate version of events. It's interesting that Lisbon was very much against whatever power they received and that was the reason he abandoned his fireteam, which made the other two consider him a traitor to their friendship.

Very intriguing lore story that could possibly be mentioned again in some form. Also as a brighter note, yes, Yardarm literally flew into the Black Garden with an entire ship and crash landed inside. On a less brighter note, we've never seen the remains of a ship in there (to be fair, Black Garden is huge) and it's somewhat implied that they entered through the Vex Gate on Mars which puts the timeline of when they got there into question. The Vex Gate on Mars that led into the Black Garden was destroyed in the Red War. The new gate showed up on the Moon in Shadowkeep (and you can't fly a ship into it because it's in a cave).

An additional note which answers certain things when it comes to Lisbon's fate that I hinted at before: in order to acquire the quest for Divinity, you have to go to the Moon to the Vex Gate for the first time. The gate will open up and a Vex mind will come out. This giant Vex minotaur is called Zeteon, Redemptive Mind. Upon killing this minotaur, you receive "Divine Fragmentation" quest. Details of the quest here. You pick up a Vex core that has strange readings coming from it and you have to decipher it by running it through various Vex technology. Once fully completed, you have to go into Garden of Salvation, do the Divinity puzzles and the weapon will drop from the extra chest at the end.

Why am I mentioning this? Well. Zeteon, Redemptive Mind drops a core that contains information about how to get Divinity. Lisbon was the member of the fireteam that held Divinity and used it to kill his fireteam. There's a quote from Lisbon on the weapon called Accrued Redemption:

"I should never have let it come to this. Now each arrow is a penance." —Lisbon-13, Hunter of the Kentarch 3

Divinity's perks are called Judgement and Penance.

Basically, I believe that whatever deal Lisbon accepted that made him forget his fireteam, free him from the suffering and redeem him ended with him being converted into Zeteon, Redemptive Mind. It's the reason why this Vex in particular had the pieces needed to construct Divinity again. Lisbon was the last person who had it. Becoming the bearer of parts needed for Divinity was both his Judgement and his Penance.

Final note because I love ancient languages being used for the names of things in Destiny: "Zeteon" most likely comes from Greek "zeteo" which means:

to seek, search after, look for

to inquire into, examine, consider

to strive for, desire, wish

Probably tied to Lisbon's search and desire for redemption for what he's done. I think that wraps up his fate quite nicely, although tragically.

[racheloveyunho]

Till death do us part - 4

Y/N grew up in a wealthy family, she always was seen as a beautiful   and smart kid and was most likely to take her father’s place as the CEO of one of the most important companies in South Korea. However, after   the death of her mother, Y/N’s family slowly started to break apart. Her  father was always working to forget his uncalled pain while his kids   were left alone at home.

She was 17 years old when her life took a  sudden turn when she met him in a dark alley. He was a bloody mess,   bruises everywhere but behind blood and dirt, she could see his   beautiful features and his addictive gaze. Maybe she should have walked away, maybe she shouldn’t have helped him, but the moment his gaze   locked with hers, she was already his.

Choi San was his name.

Genre: Mafia AU, smut, angst, fluff, stranger to lovers

Words: 1883

TW series:  Y/N is described as an OC. Please be aware that this story will contain  a lot of triggering content such as smut, blood, death, murder, drug,  kidnapping, etc. Do not read if you are under a legal age!

TW chapter: Obsessive behavior (from Y/N’s and San’s side), threats, swearing and a hint of jealousy.

Here it was, the silhouette I liked the most

"San..."

He hugged me tightly as if there was no tomorrow. I noticed how he was sweaty and out of breathe, probably from running to get to me faster.

I breathed in his unique scent, it was woody scent, something fresh but still manly. I felt safer with him, everything was easier when he was by my side. I didn't want to let him go and my feelings seemed mutual as he tightened his grip on my waist.

I was like a piece of metal attracted to a magnet.

We sat down on the bed and he let me cry my heart out, listening every word I had to say. I told him my story, my conflictual relationship with my father, how harsh he was with me and my brother since my mom passed away and my arranged wedding with this Hwang Jinyoung.

We talked for two good hours about my problems but also about the future we both wanted.

As time went on, I started to feel sleepy, my eyelids were heavy and my mind was cloudy. I slowly closed my eyes until I fell into a deep sleep into San's arms. He gently patted my head to help me fall asleep.

"Don't worry Y/N, I will protect you from now on."

San hummed a song before falling asleep by Y/N’s side.

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

Chapter 4

I woke up in the same room I felt asleep on. The unusual walls made my heart ache at the thought of what had happened between my father and I. I knew deep inside me that there will be no turning back with my relationship with him but strangely enough, i didn't feel bad about it, I was more concerned about my brother than anything.

"Did you sleep well?"

I looked up and was greeted by this angelical face of his. San was laying on the same bed as me, one of his muscular arm holding my frame tightly. I smiled back and hide my face on his chest, smelling his addictive scent at the same time.

"I did."

It was a weird feeling. I knew almost nothing of San, I met him three times and still... I felt as if I could give him my whole body and soul. I couldn't help but think about what my mom told me when I was still a child.

"Someday you will find someone you can rely on, someone who doesn't need words to know how you feel, someone who understand and cherish you as the most precious thing in the world. You will find this person one day Y/N, I'm sure of it."

My lips came upward in a smile as I remembered my mom's word, they had a new meaning to me since I met San.

His grip tightened a little around me while his other hand was busy, gently petting my hair.

"You are acting like a boyfriend"

"Do you like it?"

"Very much" I smiled, looking fondly at him and before I knew it, San leaned on and kissed me slightly.

His lips felt like feather, there was nothing but sweetness and love in this kiss, his right hand cupped my cheek and rubbed his thumb against the soft skin.

When our lips finally moved apart, I looked up to meet his - oh so lovely - gaze.

"You are so beautiful"

"Say the man whom is beauty itself" I giggled softly.

This moment was almost perfect - almost.

My mind was quick to remember about the bitterness of the situation I was in. I looked down sadly, avoiding San's intrigued eyes.

A lot of questions were running on my mind. What will happen from now on? I was still minor and my dad was stubborn, he would never let me escape from his grasp so easily. How will I survive? I didn't even had enough money to stay on this hotel for more than a week.

Unconsciously, I sighed heavily. San took my chin between his thumb and his index and lift my face towards his.

"What is it?" San asked me in a whisper.

"Did you bring your phone with you? I have to call Hana, she must be worried."

After a few seconds, he nodded and gave me his phone. I entered the familiar number and quickly enough, Hana's voice was heard through the phone.

"Y/N!! Is everything okay? I was worried sick! I thought you were coming early in the morning?" Her voice cracked at the end of her sentence. I frowned my eyebrows. She was whispering yelling and it was odd since she was always a loud girl.

"Sorry, I didn't wake up. Why are you this quiet?" I suspiciously asked.

"Y/N, I don't think you should come here, your father was there one hour ago and he was beyond furious! He threatened me and my family, saying that he will ruin our lives if he find out we are hiding you from him!" She cried out.

This sentence came before a long and heavy silence where no one dared to talk. My mind was processing this new information while my heart was scolding me for bringing my best friend and her family into a delicate situation.

San was quietly listening to our conversation, his right hand on top of mine while his thumb was gently rubbing the back of my hand.. 

"I'm so sorry Hana... I didn't mean to bring you into this mess..." I lowered my voice, guilt eating me alive.

"Hey sweety... It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong but... I don't think this is a good idea to go against your father will. He is really scary."

"Are you telling me to came back home and let my father do everything he wants with me?" My throat felt suddenly dry and my heart heavy in my chest.

No answer.

I knew she was just afraid of what could possibly happen to her and her family, she just wanted to protect her loved ones. However, I couldn't help but feel betrayed. She knew how my father was and how hard it was for me to handle this situation.

"I see. Don't worry for me, I'm gonna find a way." I finally stated with the coldest voice I could muster. I didn't let her the time to give an answer and hung up right away.

I stayed silent for a while and so did San.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally looked up at him and sighed with a small smile "Thank you for what you did to me. I owe you one"

"Why are you talking as if you are going somewhere?" he arched his eyebrows before leaning close to me with his signature smirk of his "I'm not planning to let you go away from me, love."

I gasped in surprise "L-love?" I asked stuttering, embarrassed by this sudden pet name.

"Why are you embarrassed about? We just kissed a few minutes ago"

I avoided his gaze and coughed slightly to get rid of the awkwardness "I can't stay here San... You will be in trouble if my dad find out you helped me and I don't want it to happen."

This time, it was San's turn to sight.

"Y/N. Listen to me. I will let you two choices" I frowned but stayed silent to let him continue "You don't know who I am but I can help you. However I won't take you with me if you don't want to. It's up to you. Do you want to stay with me, where I'll promise to keep you safe by my side, or do you want to go back and be toyed your entire life by your father against your own will?"

Silence again.

His face was serious and his voice demanding, It actually made me think I couldn't choose the latter choice - not that I wanted to choose this option anyway.

"Why are you doing this.. I mean, we don't know much about each other and-"

"Kim Y/N, born in Seoul the 25th September 1999 at 3:48. You like horror movies and all kind of sweets, your mother passed away the 4th June and since then, your father had changed completely, leaving you and your brother behind" San said, never breaking visual contact with me "You are the student with the best grades on your class and you are the teacher's favorite and even though you want to attend the prestigious Seoul national college, you don't know what to do in your life yet"

I was astonished, how did he get all his information?

As if on cue, he slipped a hand in my hair "It's been two years now Y/N, no one know you as much as I do. I know every single details about you but now, I don't want to look at your life from far away, I want to be apart of it" He smiled but frowned as I slowly stepped away from him "were you stalking me all this time?" I asked, heart beating fast.

"Come on, I know you are as obsessed over me as I am over you" He laughed before standing up and quickly doing his hair while looking his own reflect on the mirror “I was there every time you talked to your friend about me”

I watched his every move and couldn’t find anything to say. No matter how crazy it sounded, I knew he was right.

"And how are you gonna help me?"

"Your dad isn't all white, quite the contrary" He said "I know enough to tell him to let you be" He added.

"Are you going to... threaten him?" I looked at him through the mirror.

"Why? You don't want me to?" He smiled at me, his back still facing me.

I took a deep breathe.

"No... He deserves it"

He turned around and came closer to me with the widest smirk.

"So... Are you coming with me?"

I watched as the landscape kept changing from outside the window. The spacious car was moving in slow pace in a part of Seoul I never went in.

I knew it was the beginning of something new but everything seemed so unreal, the only thing that kept me back to reality was the warmth of San's hand intertwining with mine.

I quickly take a glance at the driver, his sharp nose and strong eyes made him look cold, a perfect contrast with his tanned skin. I was surprised by how young he was, probably not much older than San and I and obviously both of them were getting along with each other.

I was so focus on looking at the man and wondering who he was to San that I didn't took notice of my staring until I felt San squeezing my hand.

"Y/N...I'm not sure of how I feel about you looking at another man" He pouted cutely to grab my attention back to him. I laughed lowly and gave him a apologetic look "I'm not sure how I feel about you being jaleous while we are not in an official relationship yet" I smirked at him.

"The kiss wasn't official enough for you?" He smirked back "should I give you an other one then? " He asked, his face coming closer to mine.

His lips ghosted over mine but we were interrupted by a loud cough before we could properly touch each other.

"Please San, can you keep your hands for yourself until you both are alone? I don't especially want to see you guys kiss in the back seat of my car" The driver said in a rather annoyed tone.

"Look who is talking" San scoffed "Should I remind you how many times you made out with your girlfriend in front of me?"

The older man let out a dry laugh, his eyes still on the road.

After a few minutes of a comfortable silencex the driver looked at me from the front mirror.

"Your name is Y/N, right?"

"Yes... And you are..?"

"I'm Seonghwa. Park Seonghwa" He said "I'm glad to meet you, San wouldn't shut up and talk about you every fucking day" He laughed, earning another loud scoff from San.

"Watch your mouth, you are older but I'm still the boss here" San growled.

Suddenly, the car stopped abruptly.

"We safely came back to your home sir~" Seonghwa politely stated, not without a hint of teasing in his voice.

San pulled me out of the car, hand still holding mine firmly. I followed him and looked up at the huge mansion in front of us.

My mouth fell agape, this place was way bigger than mine.

"Welcome to your new house" San smiled.

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We are finally starting to introduce the others members!

Also this chapter is a bit shorter, I didn’t even noticed until I checked the number of words but I thought it was better this way, there was nothing to add since the next chapter was already done lol.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it!

See you next time~

Tag list:

@hijirikaww @pinkchampagne2 @xduygu-arsx @joongiebug @leicy0756

[ficklewish]

Dance the Night Away

Diluc x reader

Genre: fluff

WC: 1.6K

Warnings: mentions of alcohol, not proofread

a/n: dance the night away by twice came on while I was thinking of a title so that happened 🕴 diluc might be ooc here, I apologize for that ;;

You hated these formal events. Being forced into an elegant yet uncomfortable outfit and having to be all chummy with random snobby nobles made you want to hurl, especially the overconfident noble men who seemed to not know what personal space was.

You were currently leaning against a pillar, away from the main crowd of the event with a non alcoholic drink in hand. Noble men and women spoke amongst themselves, high pitched laughs and obnoxious chuckles sounding throughout the venue in attempts to win over someone for business. You wanted to go home, but never acted on it as your mother would flip her shit if she found out you had left instead of coming home with a stuck up rich person, ready to marry you so your family could gain more power and money.

You sneered at the thought, hating that your mother only thought of you as a possible bank. Scanning the crowd, all you saw was old men with large beer bellies and women with a little too much lipstick, and you had to clamp your mouth shut to keep from letting a loud groan leave your lips. Taking another sip from your drink of choice, you decide to head towards one of the balconies away from the crowd before a flash of bright red comes into your peripheral.

That's where you first saw him, Diluc Ragnvindr. One of, if not the most chased after man in all of Mondstadt. You couldn't deny that the chatter from gossiping girls on the main street about him had intrigued you a bit, wondering what the man acted like to have everyone want to be married to him. From what you could see, Diluc was an attractive man, and from the way both old and young women swarmed him the second he stepped foot on the main floor, everyone seemed to think that way as well. You almost felt bad for the wine owner, seeing that his personal bubble had been popped by the women trying their best to grab his attention. Almost.

From personal experience, in your mind, all noblemen were the same. Faking their smiles, using their charms and looks to take advantage of people desperate to climb up the social ladder, and once they had gotten what they wanted, they would drop them like old toys in favour for new ones. You experienced it first hand thanks to your father, who used your mother for a better reputation and dropped her the moment someone better came along. Due to this, you despised them all, no matter how nice they seemed in the public eye. The same goes for Diluc, as you looked at him with mild disgust, deciding not to wonder about what he would do to some poor noble. Taking one last look at the man, you make a beeline for a balcony farthest away from the crowd.

Breathing in the cold night air, you sigh, grateful to have been able to escape from the stuffy room, the smell of alcohol was becoming too much. You swirl your drink in your hand, looking over the city of freedom with a bored look. Placing your glass on the railing, you tense at the sound of footsteps nearing your area, praying to Barbatos that whoever was heading your way would leave you be. The anemo archon however, had other things planned for you, as the culprit of your anxiety stands a good distance away from you, heaving a loud sigh which sounded close to a groan of tiredness. Peeking through your peripheral view, you almost choked on your spit when you realized that it was Diluc who stood near you. Still looking at him from the corner of your eye, he looked irritated and tense, most likely from the mob of attention seeking women. It hadn't seemed like he even realized that you were on the balcony, too caught up in trying to relax.

You awkwardly cough to announce your presence, and Diluc snaps his head towards the sound, visibly tensing a bit, however his face was blank, likely trying to hide his surprise. "My apologies, I didn't notice anyone was here." You shake your head, hoping to calm his nerves a bit. "It's alright, no need to apologize." Diluc's shoulders drop a bit, some tension leaving his body, but not entirely. He turns toward the railing, leaning against it. "If you don't mind, I would like to ask for your reasoning in being here. I don't recognize you." You still for a moment, not wanting to be vulnerable in his presence, and he seems to take notice. "That is…if you feel comfortable sharing, I do not want to make you uncomfortable." Pondering his question, you decide to tell him the truth. It's like your disgust for him that was present a while ago had vanished instantly, as the aura around Diluc felt safe and comforting, like he was a friend you've always known.

You both had a nice conversation with each other, talking about the wine industry or taking jabs at the snotty nobles in the gala behind you. From what you could gather, Diluc hated the nobles just as much as you did, didn't like alcohol which was ironic since he owned the Dawn Winery, and had an adoptive brother named Kaeya who was currently drinking the night away, or so he told you. From behind, you hear the orchestra prepare to play a slow piece, intended to have the guests have a dance. Deciding that it was time for you to head home, you only manage to take one step before Diluc stops you with a hand on your wrist. "Forgive me if I'm being too bold, but would you like to have a dance with me?" You feel your face burn, and give a slow nod to him. A tiny smile blooms on his lips, and his hand moves from your wrist to gently hold onto your hand, guiding you to the floor to dance with him.

When walking over to the floor, you notice the nobles have started whispering about who you were and why were you with Diluc. Most of the women sent nasty glares, while some were giggling to others. You did your best to ignore them, keeping your head held high as Diluc takes you to the center of the floor. At the center, he turns to you, still holding your hand as he begins to look bashful. "Are you ready?" You nod once more, giving a reassuring squeeze to his hand as he brings you closer to him, placing his free arm gently around your midsection while the other raises your held hands up a bit. You place your unoccupied hand on his chest before glancing up at him. From this position, you really take in Diluc's features.

He is taller than what you saw from the comfortable distance you had on the balcony. His eyes a shining ruby red, which holds a sort of gentleness in them which is directed at you. His body exudes warmth, and you gladly accept it. The orchestra plays their piece, and people begin dancing with each other slowly, but you only focus on Diluc, and on not stepping on his toes. You look down at your feet, taking extra precaution to not embarrass yourself in front of the nobles, and in front of Diluc. "Eyes up here, trust me in guiding you." You quickly look back up into his eyes, and a slight smirk forms on his lips. "Are you nervous because of what they said while on our way here?" You scoff, looking around briefly before looking back at him. "Of course not, I'd rather drink wine than be nervous in front of them." He chuckles at your answer, swinging you around a bit and bringing you closer to him. His cologne invades your senses, and you breathe it all in.

"To be honest, I don't even have to be here, but I admit that watching overconfident nobles trip over their own feet from being too drunk when trying to leave does make up for the boredom of these events." You snicker, images of one of them rolling down some steps flashing in your mind. "Who knew that Master Diluc could have good humor?" He rolls his eyes at the title, the arm around your waist tightening slightly. "I have humor, thank you very much." A hearty laugh escapes you, and Diluc smiles, one bigger than what you had seen at first.

The song ends, and you become a bit saddened at the thought of having to leave. You had become slightly attached to Diluc throughout the night, and having to leave with the possibility of never seeing him again had a prick of pain shoot through your chest. Diluc gently drags you away from the floor to a secluded corner, away from the prying eyes of the nobles. Once in private, he raises your hand to his lips, giving a kiss to your knuckles before looking up at you through his lashes. "It was a pleasure dancing with you Y/N. Perhaps you'd grant me some more time to get to know you. How does dinner at the winery tomorrow sound? I'll pick you up from the gates of the city." He gives you no chance to refuse, not that you would anyway. You nod, giving him a lovestruck smile as he does the same back. "It would be a pleasure, Diluc. I can't wait." He chuckles, giving your knuckles another kiss as he stares into your eyes with a look of adoration. "Neither can I, love."

[ahogedetective]

"Ah..." When Sonia apologizes to him, Shuichi gives a shake of his head. "...You have nothing to apologize for, Sonia-senpai. You're acting as my mentor, you're supposed to be completely honest with me." He felt bad, giving her the impression he was discouraged by her words. It usually did sting a bit when he was compared to Kyouko, but he knew Sonia did so with good intentions, and he knows she's right. If he couldn't impress then on the same level that his senpai did, then he would fail his exams for sure.. "...I... It's fine. It's only expected, since I am also an Ultimate Detective. I'm not sure how often this school recruits two people under the same title, but I imagine you have to be extremely lucky to have such a thing happen. So... they're going to be expect a lot out of me. I can't... disappoint them. I especially don't want to disappoint Kyouko-senpai, who has always been so kind enough to encourage me." Not that he could deny that the pressure could be overwhelming at times... but it only pushes him to continue to do his best. He promised himself that he would grow to become the kind of detective he could be proud of. "No, you haven't done anything bad. I want to become as skilled and great as Kyouko-senpai. So your suggestion to take on a case great enough that'll impress them greatly, helps very much."

"Oh...?" He perks up in curiosity at her new proposal. "Unsolved cases of theft, huh.... you know, that's not a bad idea at all. I have heard of such cases before, where an item of immense significance has yet to be recovered... Plus, while not at a grand scale, I have taken on the occasional theft case. I'd like to think... I could tackle a major one." Her other idea of creating investigation or crime solving methods, was intriguing, too. The thought of being able to help veteran detectives with his intuitive skills and helpful ideas to solve such cases... it was practically one of his dreams. "Y-You think so...?" A shy smile lights up on his face. Having such a significant impact like that... even he would be very proud of himself. "Y... Yeah! I like that idea, too! If I could accomplish such a feat, and impress the staff testing me: then it'll really feel like I've grown. Thank you, Sonia-senpai: if... no: when I do pass, I definitely have you to thank for it!"

He could feel a newfound wave of determination pump through him. Sonia was trying her best to give him the kind of advice that'll make him soar with flying colors on the exams; it was why he couldn't allow himself to look as if he didn't believe in himself. He has to prove... that the school made the right choice in choosing him as a second Ultimate Detective. That, he's going to say with utmost confidence.

"O-Oh my god... well, that makes me even more relieved that no one got hurt. I'm..sure he got over it. I hope..." And just when he thought that was crazy enough, now he's hearing about some weird elixir turning Gundam's dog into a giant! "An elixir was able to do that to a dog?! I've grown accustomed to the fact that this school is not normal, but even this is too much for my mind to handle. How have you not gone crazy, yet?" Though with casually she recalls all this, maybe Sonia just was not fazes from the insanity that occurs in this school, anymore. Going three years to this school without losing your mind, sounded like an accomplishment in itself... "I-I would be shocked if they didn't postpone it. Am I going to have to worry about those kinds of things, now...? And, Komaeda-senpai... he scares me. I can only wonder what kind of advice he's giving to whoever he has. I'm very worried for them... " He's finding himself more and more thankful that he did not get him as his mentor...

She hadn't meant to discourage him. Sonia had only wanted to help him achieve the best possible result from his examinations, but it seemed like anecdotes of older students, particularly older students who were admitted under the same talent, had been a poor choice. She frowned as she listened to him trail off, like the wind had been knocked right out of his sails. "I am sorry, Saihara-san," She told him sincerely, "I did not intend to compare you so harshly. Truth be told, I cannot imagine what it is like to have another student, a senpai no less, attend Hope's Peak with the same talent you possess. I can only surmise that there must be some amount of pressure to perform, and comparisons likely do not help a student both achieve success and confidence in their abilities."

Being an instructor was tougher than it looked, and while Sonia wasn't one to ignore or dismiss Miss Yukizome's hard work, she did have a flair for making it look effortless. If there was another Ultimate royal, would she be in the same position as Shuichi was in now, and would she have wanted to be consoled and supported the way she was attempting to do for him? She had to think, be creative, support him while encouraging success without comparison to Kyoko Kirigiri and other detectives he might see himself as lesser than.

"Well, consider this," Sonia began after racking her brain of detective cases both real and fictional. She didn't want to compare him and his work too much to the likes of fictional detectives, but it was worth a try. She herself hated it when she was compared to fictional princesses, and felt it worked both ways. "Maybe you aren't as proficient, or confident at least, in unsolved murder cases. But have you considered taking on unsolved cases of theft? Maybe looking into a large or significant robbery, something that has befuddled law enforcement but it is of vital importance that it be returned. Or, perhaps discuss a method of investigation and crime solving you have refined during your first year at Hope's Peak and how it might apply to various recurring themes of cases? Maybe it is theft, or kidnapping, or even murder: but showing how your techniques will be able to assist law enforcement on a global scale? Well, I think if I were in charge of examining you, that would be truly impressive indeed. Your skills would help change the practice of detective work for the better!"

Maybe advice from a seasoned detective would be far more useful than a royal's, but this was the partnership and project at hand and Sonia was determined to do her part in it. Even if that part was regaling Shuichi with stories of exams past, fueled by the look of horror he currently gave her as she teased last year's gym explosion.

"Oh yes, Komaeda-san was responsible for that, in his way," She grinned, nodding in agreement. "In a fortunate turn of events, no one was hurt in the explosion, just Komaeda-san's pride. Though Tanaka-san's Pomeranian grew to be the size of an elephant for several hours due to consuming an elixir from Kimura-san. and we had our examinations postponed for about two months as the school decided where and how we might be assessed. I think it prolonged the inevitable, but Komaeda-san appeared satisfied for some reason."

[fistsandfangs]

i'm really intrigued by your s6 spuffy thoughts can you talk more about what you mentioned in your tags???

lol yeah i really lost my entire mind in the tags oops

but sure, i'm happy to talk more about it. it's the one hang up i have about the show that i still have yet to make peace with and honestly don't think i ever will. i really respect now as i've gotten older how characters challenge us to think from new perspectives, and buffy has always been a character that challenges me in a few specific areas. when it comes to buffy and spike, i'm immediately predisposed to empathize with spike when i comes to the way he's treated regarding his feelings because i'm very much a heart-on-my-sleeve, all in person with love myself, and so it's a really hard thing for me to consume something so personally difficult in media i enjoy. i also feel like i need to preface this by saying that at the root of all my thoughts about what their s6 arc is, i believe they are both in the wrong in certain aspects. i'm not saying that spike has done nothing wrong and buffy is the one making all the bad choices and saying all the bad things.

so, with all that said--

the best way i can think to pinpoint why i'm really bothered by buffy's part in their issues can be summed up in the scene in entropy (?) where buffy accuses spike of spying on her on the grounds that she believes that's well within his character to violate her privacy and life like that, and with all the things she lists that he does (lie, cheat, steal, manipulate), he says "i don't hurt you." that interaction really highlights how the power dynamic is really fucked up and skewed for buffy to use to take advantage of. she knows that spike loves her (and though she's really resistant to acknowledging he really does love her, she believes that he believes that he loves her) and has repeatedly acknowledged outright and acted on the fact that he wants to spare her pain in any way that he can. he wants to protect her from getting hurt and if he can't, he wants to comfort her and try to make it better. granted, sometimes his solutions aren't conducive for her, but the intention (which is really important!!) is always to help her and support her.

with this in mind, i think that is why i have such a hard time with s6 buffy. i've yet to get to a point where i can feel comfortable watching her relationship with spike in this season because of how tremendously cruel she is. i understand that she's in serious pain and she feels horrified at herself for wanting to engage in this dark twisted thing with him, but at its heart, i feel like the thing that makes it dark and twisted, given that she knows that he loves her and that sex with him means something, is that she has backed him into a corner by setting a boundary of "i can only accept this so long as it hurts us". as soon as she starts facing her feelings, she can't bear to let him in anymore. we see at the start of s6 that the dynamic between them is something very sweet and gentle and kind. spike is careful and kind and supportive of her as she tries to feel out how to live in the world again. he's understanding of her circumstances (empathizing with the pain and trauma of having to claw your way out of your grave), he kept his promise to care for dawn without any thought of reward (and continues to from then on out), she admits that when she wants to be alone, she still feels most at peace when she's alone with him, and she seeks his input and advice on how to try to figure out the things that she feels like she's way over her head about ("so what do you know about finances?").

people are fallible and characters aren't meant to be perfect, and i believe that's really how writing should be, but this is something i feel like is much more complex than just a flawed character in the throes of an extended major depressive episode. we don't really see any genuine remorse from her directed at spike for how she has treated him even when she admits her disgust with herself for how she was taking advantage of him. when we see buffy fall apart to tara in devastation at the person she's become, i feel like what we're seeing is just an overwhelming amount of self-hatred at what she sees when she looks at herself. it feels like very...self-focused shame, like people who are disgusted at the realization that someone sees and classifies them as a bad person. we recoil from that moniker because we know it's wrong, and that's what we see in buffy. she hates that she's "a bad person", but what feels really lacking for me is the self-awareness to then turn that self-focused shame into a more... i don't know, i hate to call it this, but altruistic shame at the way she has been hurting spike purposefully. taking responsibility for her cruelty i feel like should have looked like her bearing the burden of her shame about her actions, accepting the discomfort of having to humble herself and hold it and say 'yeah, this is mine.' all throughout s6 in particular, spike is consistently the bad guy in every equation when it comes to his relationship with buffy, and that has always felt wrong to me, like a huge disservice to the story and his character. is he a bad guy broadly speaking? yeah, he's more villain than hero for sure. but is he the bad guy in their relationship? i'd argue no, he's not, and we never really get catharsis for that!!

especially with spike having his soul in s7, the tumultuous and abusive dynamic of their relationship in the previous season is treated as something they can just look back at and say "oh well we can move on now and be good and okay because we're never going back there again" even though buffy never apologizes to him for what she did to him and acknowledges it was wrong by taking that responsibility. it's always framed as buffy's stance being "sex is bad and dirty, and engaging in "dark" sex with you was bad so we'll never do it again." i tried to hunt it down and couldn't find it, but @chasingfictions made an amazing post that really struck me, talking about how, while the idea of the soul being a determination of good and a lack of soul being a determination of evil is a bit too simplistic and unsatisfying in the debate of good vs evil, spike's pursuit of a soul and actually getting it all on his own so that he could be a better man to the woman he loves and the world she risks her life every day to protect is so powerful and beautiful. the fact that in the show's canon, no one that becomes soulless has ever sought out getting their soul back, and no only does he get it back, he wins it back!! he fought to have it as a step towards being better, and that intention of choosing to be better means so fucking much! and he made that choice to take an action of good without the soul in question, after having, on many occasions, acted contrary to his nature to be better.

the writing leads us to a point where we support spike's pursuit of redemption and are moved by it, but to me, i think buffy should have been driven to seek her own redemption too. without it, i personally feel a very pervasive sense that catharsis for everything they went through in s6 was never really achieved.

in conclusion (lmao)... everyone interprets text/subtext differently, and that's absolutely okay, so i'm not saying that this is the only right interpretation of things! but for me, after spending a really long time trying to reconcile this discomfort i feel with buffy's character and not being able to get there, this is where i've landed.