#where it was just a matter of not knowing and not active hostility

[arcanumancy]

They totally could have! But it’s impossible for them to let their guard down long enough to try. James and Sirius haven’t been around for 12 years but, still, when they meet again, the default reaction is wariness.

And not only that. There are deep-rooted fears preventing them from resolving their differences. Snape remembers, most likely with bitterness, how Prefect Remus Lupin did not interceed on his behalf no matter how dire the bullying got. To him, Lupin is a person that will certainly throw him to the wolves (haha) just because he dislikes him. And despite this, he makes Lupin the Wolfbane potion religiously and doesn’t even tamper with it to take the piss. Now, does he do it out of professional pride? A “I’ll make the best potion you have ever had and you will always know that it was I who made it”? Or is it because, as you say, Lupin was never actively involved in the bullying and Snape can find it in himself to be kind? It doesn’t seem likely that he would see in Lupin a potential friend, since he never helped him out, but it could be a way to telegraph that they can be allies. He also drops unsubtle hints to the students about Lupin being a werewolf, but I could argue that he knows there are some Nosey Brats in the class and he remembers too well what happened to him for being nosey about Lupin. Or maybe he’s petty. Honestly, I prefer to think that he was being petty.

And Lupin, at this point, must feel torn in two different directions. On the one hand, he wants to show Snape that he “grew out” of his past behaviour—even if he stayed in the sidelines with the bullying. He wants to be an adult, and have a cordial relationship with his coworker because he isn’t into petty feuds that had nothing to do with him.

On the other hand, he can’t. He still makes fun of Snape and—depending on your where are your limits for what is humour and what is to be a bitch—brings up things James and Sirius said to humiliate him. He perceives Snape’s hostility and resorts to holding that power he once had over him, as part of the group of bullies.

Personally I think Lupin didn’t want to be called out for being a passive bully and pokes fun at Snape to remind him that they aren’t the same. As if to say, I don’t dislike you because of my prejudices, I dislike you because of yours. As you say, OP, both of them are in circumstances that make them vulnerable to be ostracized (poverty) and even hunted down (lycanthropy) and Lupin deals with this by broadcasting as loud as he can that he isn’t the same boat as Snape. “Oh, that dude? Yeah, he’s lame. Not me, though. I’m the funny teacher, the friendly guy.”

I just think the dynamic between lupin and snape is so untapped because it's obvious in the books the remus was not into the bullying severus went through at the hands of his best friend's, but the fear of being ostracized and cast out was too great for him to interfere, and perhaps if he had the whole dynamic between the marauders and severus could have been shifted and i think that remus and severus would have made better friends than enemies and you can sort of see that in prisoner of azkaban like they obviously don't LIKE each other but they COULD idk dude is this thing on???

[vvelegrin]

another funny thing is how every single thing produced or written by a doctor on something that is not commonly diagnosed is like, come on, we're trying!!!! remember that we're trying!!! if a doctor doesn't have the information you need, it's not necessarily their fault, they're working with whta they have :(((( come oooonnnn, it's probably that doctor's birthday, he's just a little doctor birthday boy. you're going to be mad at him on his birthday? wow. did you know every doctor was born on the same day so when you are mad at one you're mad on ALL of our birthdays? we're trying!!!! remember that we're trying!!!! we don't have the resources!!!! and we're not going to look for them <3

[javierduffy]

just a few javieran horse headcanons because i like them a normal amount

branwen

- tall AND fat. kieran makes sure he’s always fed (maybe even accidentally a teensy bit overfed. just because kieran can’t help but indulge him when he butts him with his head or nuzzles at his pockets when he knows there’s treats in there. but never too much because ‘obesity is a problem, even in animals !’). probably about 17hh, taller than average for a kentucky saddler but nothing too big. especially since kieran himself is quite tall

- VERY well-tempered, both naturally, as well as because kieran has literally made him bulletproof. bagged him, blanketed him, stood, jumped, backflipped onto and off of him. this kindly gentleman of a horse only spooks when he wants to be bratty specifically.

- i think he’s about 6 or so, came from the stables kieran worked at after being orphaned, he was just a colt when kieran was just a kid. kieran learned how to birth foals quickly, and branwen happened to be one of them. with the way that they fell in love with each other and the way that branwen whinnied and pranced up to the fence when kieran came back to buy him after the army didn’t work out, you’d think that horse was born just for him.

- his favourite treats, in order, are rutabaga (kieran’s secret for branwen’s glossy coat. also why he’s kinda fat.), boiled potatoes mixed into his oats, apples, and fresh greens. he’s simultaneously incredibly easy to please because of the simplicity of the latter parts of his favourites list and also very needy and complicated because kieran so loves to make his pony happy with his absolute favourite treats, so he tries his very best to get branwen’s eccentric tastes pleased once falling into the VDL’s.

- i always say “a horse’s favourite thing to do is hurt itself”, and i think this statement holds relatively true for branwen as well, though there’s a 25% chance that he’s actually hurt, a 50% chance that he’s only mildly injured or spooked and he’s playing it up to get kieran to dote on him, and a 25% chance that he will protect kieran with his life when they’re in a dire situation (see: snake on the ground or gunfire nearby. or even god forbid a spare tumbleweed find it’s way rolling nearby.) despite kieran’s last wish being his horse getting injured. branwen thinks that he’s gotta be The Man and protect his dad sometimes. it does not help in any situation ever whatsoever.

- branwen is the PERFECT companion for a trail riding date. he’s settled, calm, has a great gait, and as a gelding, truly is not worried about other horses being “faster” than him, so he never gets rowdy nor has any problems when partner riders/horses crowd him. kieran is allowed to ask for as many kisses as he pleases because branwen will never jump when javier’s gold-tipped boots poke him in the side and boaz irritatedly flicks his flank with his tail. truly a goated wingman. also never complains about long rides, and enjoys being out of camp with his rider for as much as physically possible for both of them, so he’s never barnsour in either direction.

boaz

- as an american paint, he’s naturally short and stocky. saddle ends up being a bit loose, though, as javier isn’t as dedicated to keeping him perfectly fed or groomed. he loves him, sure, but horses are somewhat of tools to him, so he kinda does slightly more than bare minimum to keep him kempt and healthy. around 14.5hh, slightly shorter than average and quite dense with muscle

- temperamentally a bit volatile. this horse has just as much drama as his rider, if not a little more. doesn’t like something ? ridden too long ? that stick looks too much like a snake ? hasn’t spent enough time with kieran that day ? he will snort and grunt and bunny hop if javi isn’t on him, and shudder hard enough the saddle shakes underneath him if he is. boaz likes to please his rider, but he also demands pleasure himself, and has no issue with “accidentally” placing a hoof on his owners nice, intentionally clean boots, and subsequently slowly leaning more and more of his weight onto it when he doesn’t immediately get what he wants. bratty pony. generally, he keeps javier safe, though, when it comes down to it.

- around 5 years old. after dutch found javier trying to steal chickens the first time they met, he soon took him back to that ranch and their first take as gang leader and member was a 1 year old grey paint colt for javi to train and subsequently ride. until he was rideable, javier rode a morgan that was formerly hosea’s, named carolina, while he lead boaz everywhere behind him.

- favourite treats, in order, are corn cobs (especially dried), prickly pear fruit AND cactus, sugar cubes, and sliced apples. will force javier to share his maiz with him. javier has always sliced his apples up since he was a colt, not only because javi simply finds comfort in toying with his knife, but also because boaz will not eat them otherwise. javi will also cut all of the spines off of the cactus before letting boaz eat them.

- in terms of injury, boaz is the most dramatic tank on the planet. this horse could arthur morgan-style run face first into a tree and then fall off a cliff and walk it off. but not before he gimps and limps and whines and teeth grinds his way into javier leading him instead of riding him for the next mile or two. once kieran started taking care of him, there is also a 25% chance of boaz faking a terribly painful injury just to get kieran to dote on him.

- kinda the worst wingman ever LMFAO easily annoyed, easily aroused, easily offended, and as a stallion, HAS to walk in front of the “herd” (his rider’s boyfriend and his horse). pins his ears back, smashes into personal space, flicks branwen with his tail (and preferably kieran, if he can reach him) even sometimes will nip at branwen if the latter tries to calmly make this date a date and not a life or death race (whoever loses, their dad is gay) and walk side-by-side to aid their riders’ hand holdings. will make executive decisions via stopping or veering off for fresh green grass beside the trail, will at points actively attempt to shudder javier out of his saddle (has succeeded once when javi was distracted by a story being excitedly told by kieran), and will also spook and take off running so fast javier thinks it must have broken his neck from the velocity. generally makes trail rides a living hell, but kieran finds it charming, and it makes for some cute shoujo-style “omg … *reaches out to help you up after your horse bucks you off because he saw a log that looked nothing at all and everything like a cougar and pink and white soft bubbles surround me* are you okay ? here, let me help.” moments. maybe some day boaz will be allowed off of the national american terrorist list written by javier “rizzless rider” escuella

ok im tired and that’s all i can think of please enjoy and feel free to contribute 👍 i love them so bad im gona cry

[ceilidho]

'still wakes the deep' au

prompt: You're an environmental scientist conducting research on an off-shore oil rig with only a few days left before you're slated to leave. The eldritch creature they accidentally awaken throws a wrench in the works. First Meeting masterlist

-

Choppy waters like Neptune’s eye meet your gaze when you look back at where you came from, the land on the other side but a beige striation on the horizon. 

“Afraid of heights, doctor?” your escort asks, his amusement borderline distasteful. It must stroke their ego to watch newcomers come aboard and flounder, gawking at the swells and waves crashing against the oil rig, each wave so cataclysmic that it’s a wonder the structure stays upright. A wonder of engineering, that is. 

The rig manager stands closer to the railing, staring without fear out into the ocean surrounding you. His sea legs are likelier studier than the ones that wash up ashore every fourteen days when he’s due for his OSHA mandated break. His knees don’t even buckle at the sight of the barnacles clinging nerve-wrackingly high up on the rig legs. Far too high up for comfort. 

“No, sir,” you reply, shaking your head. “Just water.”

He barks a laugh at that. “Plenny o’ that around here. Wouldn’y go leaning my head over the rail then, if I was you.”

You take another look down, balking at the frothy white streaking the latticework barrier around the jacket legs. No worries there; there isn’t a chance in hell you’ll be going anywhere near the rails. You’re too high up to know for sure, but you wonder if there are sharks plumbing the depths beneath the rig, excited by the noise and activity on board. 

You’d be shark chum if you went overboard. Beyond that, you’d be fish food; no sympathy from the sea to be found this far from land. 

“Where should I set up?” you ask instead. 

Sensing your eagerness to get started—and to get away from the edge of the rig—he gestures for you to follow him and sets off towards the door closest to you, leading you into the interior of the rig. “This way, doc—got a room already set up for ye. Cozier in there than out here.”

The first few days aren’t so bad after that. You spend the first day getting unpacked, your suitcase already waiting for you in your quarters, which doubles as your office, and then turn in early after prepping for the next day. 

As anticipated, you spend the next day hunched over the toilet bowl, stomach roiling from spending too long staring at the turbulent waters below. You’ve done this before but it never gets any easier. Despite your chosen field of research, you’re suited for dry land, not the sea. It’s the price you have to pay though. 

No coffee that first morning. Just tea to help settle your stomach. And it does for a bit—lets you get through your first day worth of tests without you upchucking while collecting water samples from the discharge point. You’ll save your indoor work for the days when the crests of the waves are high enough to spray the working deck. By dinner, your stomach is a little more settled, but still you elect to eat in your quarters instead of with the workers in the mess. 

You haven’t been on the rig long enough to have made any enemies, nor do you think that’s something that’ll happen during your brief time on board, but you definitely haven’t made any friends. It comes with the territory. The men that work on these rigs out in the middle of the ocean—even the ones on land, for that matter—tend to view your kind with distrust at the very least, if not outright hostility. 

It’s hard to blame them. The purpose of your visit isn’t to shower them with praises. You’re stationed on the rig for the next few days to collect data and samples to assess the environmental impact of the rig’s operations. It puts you somewhat at odds with them, the outcome of your work being potentially to the detriment of theirs. 

Some whisper the word like blasphemy. Government worker. They say it like you’re the Baba Yaga or a witch living in a cottage at the edge of the village, like uttering the word too loudly will summon you. There’s too much work to do around the rig for them to cluck their tongues like gossipy hens, but the men find time for it anyway. You’d roll your eyes if you were any greener. 

The truth is though, you’re used to it, and at this point in your career, you don’t have it in you to act like it’s such a shock that they wouldn’t give you the red carpet treatment. All you need is a hot cup of coffee, an office (or even just a desk) to write your reports, and some space to conduct your research without being badgered with questions.

Most of the men tend to blur together, a medley of fluorescent yellow hard hats and navy coveralls, respirators strung around their necks and goggles covering their eyes. It’s easy enough to mistake them for one another. 

Only one of them has managed to catch your eye so far, though you can’t say it’s for a particularly good reason. Of the lot of them, he’s the loudest. Which is saying something, considering that the crew tend to speak in shouts and hollers to make up for the crashing waves beneath them and the howling winds above them. He’s also among the tallest, broad shouldered and muscled—a former first responder or military, if you had to guess, though you keep your assumptions to yourself. 

You know better than to ask questions around him because you’ve learned in the short time that you’ve spent on the rig not to give him—Soap, they call him, or MacTavish when the rig manager is particularly pissed off—even an inch. 

It’s another crew member that gives you that heads up. “Din’y pay him any mind.”

“Who?” you ask, looking up from your work.

The crew member nods to the man posted on the other side of the main deck. “Soap. Bit of a showboat, that one. Always stirrin’ up the boys, gettin’ ‘em all riled up. Din’y let him distract ye too much.”

“Oh. Thanks.” You look back down at the data sheets in front of you. “I’m not worried though. He hasn’t been too much trouble.”

Famous last words. 

He isn’t too much trouble until he suddenly is; until he’s suddenly everywhere, always in your way somehow. Not so much underfoot as just always around the corner waiting with his stupid smug smirk that you’ve grown to despise and half-lidded electric blue eyes roving up and down the length of you. Aggravating you at every turn. 

Your first meeting is an accident. At least, it seems that way, and likely is—he seems too blunt for coincidences or chance meetings, happy to tell you to your face that he manipulated the situation in order to get you on your own. 

You’re wandering down one of the many circulatory hallways and slightly lost when a door suddenly opens, blocking your way. A jumpsuit-clad man twice your size walks out, his hair just brushing the top of the doorframe. Though you recognize him instantly, you’d never gotten close enough for the details to cement in your mental image of him. Up close, you get a better look.

The faint lines around his eyes and mouth betray either his age or the life he’s lived. Weathered; bronzed from days at a time spent under the sun. You’d noticed the mohawk earlier, but staring at the side of his head now, you can see the faint puckering of a healed wound splintering out from his temple into his hairline. Though the sides of his head are freshly shorn, the scar looks old—maybe a year, maybe more. 

When he notices that he’s not alone in the hall, his head turns in your direction and he stops, one foot still in the other room. Two thick brows go up at the sight of you standing there with your tablet clutched to your chest. 

“Hullo gorgeous,” Soap purrs, pupils suddenly pinpricks and your stomach drops. 

Because of course he would. You’d long figured he might be an arrogant piece of work from what little you’ve observed of him from across the rig, but you should’ve known he’d also be a flirt. He’s too good-looking not to be one. Tall and broad, with biceps the size of your head. You’re sure he rolls his shirt sleeves up just to feel them strain against the muscles of his arms. You certainly can’t help the way your eyes are drawn there. 

“Ah ken who ye are,” he says, taking a step towards you until the tips of his boots nearly touch yours. The door is still wide open behind him, swinging slowly towards the wall behind it. Soap towers over you easily, tipping his head to stare down at you. Your lips press into a tight line when his eyes drop to your chest, staring at the outline of your tits through your cardigan. 

“Okay,” you say through stiff lips.

“Yer that lass from the government. Ah thought ye'd be auld,” he jokes, shit-eating grin on his face. 

You nearly groan. It’s too early for this shit and you’re too tired from being up all night working on your report on the rig’s discharge water quality. 

“Well, I’m not,” you reply woodenly instead, altogether unimpressed with him. 

For as fit as he is, you’re not here to flirt or hookup, and you’re good at separating work and your personal life. If anyone manages to get under your skin enough to tempt you, it won’t be the man undressing you with his eyes while covered in a thin layer of grime and sweat. 

“Nae, yer no’,” he agrees, voice a low burr. His eyes flick up to meet yours. “I’m John, by the way.”

“I know.”

“…It’s polite tae give yer name when someone introduces thersel's tae ye.”

“I’d rather you just call me doctor.”

“Doctor, eh?” Soap purrs, running his tongue over his bottom lip. “Dae ye dae house calls, doc? Hae been feelin’ a wee bit feverish lately.”

You can’t help the way your cheeks heat at his comment. “Not that kind of doctor. Do you mind getting out of the way?”

“Jesus, I din’y ken ye’d be so fuckin’ prickly. Thought ye government workers were cheery a' the time.”

“Not when we have work to do,” you bite out, decidedly uncomfortable with his shameless perusal and eager just to get on with your day. “Can you move please? I have somewhere to be.”

All that does is force him to take another step closer, toe-to-toe with you now. You should’ve known he’d take that as an invitation. He reeks of grease and brine, the smell pungent and clinging to his skin and clothes. Almost like he sleeps and works in the same pair of coveralls instead of bringing his dirty clothes down to the laundry facility like everyone else at the end of the week. 

You tell yourself to stop staring at where his coveralls open to a sweat-slicked chest, dark hair poking up over the neckline, but your eyes don’t comply. A small cross dangles from a chain around his neck, nestled in the hair just above his pecs. 

“Good Catholic lass, are ye?” Soap asks, noticing the focal point of your gaze.

You scrunch up your nose at that. “No. I didn’t—it’s none of your business anyway.”

The stutter is where his eyes light up, a little gleam in the blue that lets you know you’ve caught his interest. Like seeing a storm well off in the distance and bracing for it anyway, knowing that you’re in its path no matter what you do. 

“A’right, doc, Ah'll leave ye tae it. Gotta get back myself anyway,” he says, rolling his shoulders back and standing up taller, and it’s only in that moment that you realize how low his neck had been bent in order to get closer to you. “Wait. I can’y let ye go lookin’ like that.”

You’re about to ask him what he means when he suddenly grabs you by the front of your cardigan and pulls you towards him, getting the grease on his hands all over the fabric. Your eyes nearly bug out of your skull as he pops the topmost button into its corresponding hole, the only one you’d left purposefully loose. 

The only reason you don’t snap at him to take his hands off you is because your tongue is a knot in your throat. 

“There we go,” Soap coos when the button is in, looking down at his handiwork all over the front of your shirt. “Lookin’ like part o’ the crew already.”

Your heart pounds in your chest long after he lets you go. When he steps to the side, the door flush with the wall by now, you dart around him, walking away as fast as your legs can carry you without sprinting. You ignore the way he belts out a laugh at your swift departure. Ignore the way your stomach cramps at the sound as well. 

He might end up being more trouble than you thought.

[bridge-arsonist]

Why The Voice Of The Cold Hates The Narrator

Replaying the Nightmare -> Wraith route and I'm realizing...

Jesus fucking christ, The Cold hates the narrator. Honestly, I think he might just give Smitten or Contrarian a run for their money.

He:

Doubts every word the narrator speaks

Insults the narrator whenever he gets the chance

Actively suggests killing the narrator, even stating that the princess could help do that

Not only suggests killing the narrator, but also suggests that—no—actually, death is too good for the guy. They should lock the narrator in a void just like the fake good ending. Mind you, this route doesn't even have the narrator do that!

Mocks the narrator when he finally gives up on trying to make you slay the princess

Seems happy that the narrator is gone, saying he had a feeling The Wraith could deal with him

I'm pretty sure Cold over here'd rather be playing Slay The Narrator.

Really though, upon further reflection, The Cold's hatred for The Narrator is also prevalent in The Spectre, where one of the few things he actually seems to have a firm stance on is "We should kill the Narrator". In the Greys, though he's arguably at his most nihilistic, he still seems to oppose the Narrator. He joins the Skeptic in his suspicions, and though he mostly just seems to be having a time provoking Smitten during the Burned Grey, he still does take the occasional second to spite the Narrator.

And honestly, come to think about it, it makes sense. After all, the Cold manifests not necessarily from slaying the Princess, but more specifically, from killing yourself. But not just from killing yourself, slaying yourself in The Tower at the hands of the Broken doesn't manifest him, but specifically by killing yourself to spite the narrator. I mean, other than Empty Cup and Moment of Clarity (Where we don't actually know how he manifested due to the timeskips), each iteration of Cold's manifestation checks out.

Spectre: You slay her, get the good ending, but then decide "fuck this and fuck your contruct", and stab yourself even as the narrator repeatedly urges you not to.

Burned Grey: You kill the Damsel, and in a fit of rage against both you and the narrator, the Smitten kills you, even as the narrator urges him not to. (Funnily enough, this means that, despite the Smitten's line of "you killed her, and so I killed you", it was the opposite, and the Smitten manifested the Cold)

Drowned Grey: You kill the Prisoner, and, just like in the Spectre's route, you kill yourself even as the Narrator urges you not to. If you refuse to kill yourself, Skeptic does it for you, seeming apologetic towards you, but definitely not towards The Narrator.

Wraith: You kill yourself as the Narrator urges you not to, and Paranoid also spends this route doubting the Narrator.

These routes involve various levels of emotion for the Princess, ranging from "My love! Still gonna kill you though" to "So scary! Still gonna kill you though", and an overall perception of the Princess as a corpse. But the Narrator? In all of the routes leading up to Cold's manifestation, the Narrator is met with hostility, usually leading to you killing yourself out of a mix of spite and suspicion.

So Cold's manifestation has two constants:

Some level of apathy towards the Princess, regardless of your previous interactions with her. Whether she's your perfect damsel or your worst nightmare, you don't care. You stab her.

Disregard for your own safety. You're just going to stab yourself, cool. It's better than this hell. Sometimes it's another voice fulfilling this requirement for you, like Smitten in the Damsel, or Skeptic in Prisoner depending on whether or not you willingly die.

Distaste towards the narrator. A conclusion that the Narrator is untrustworthy and distinctly not on your side. No matter how you manifest the Cold, it is clear that you do not like this pesky raven one bit. The Nightmater -> Wraith route shows this through Paranoid's constant suspicion of the Narrator. This distaste frequently, thought not always, occurs due to the Narrator attempting to force you to live out your life in the void, though it can also occur due to the Narrator attempting to make you live a life without the one thing you cherish (Damsel route).

Apathy towards most things, but one thing's for certain: You don't trust that Narrator guy. He tried to make you live out a crappy, boring life for eternity.

Cold's attitude makes sense when you look at how he was created. Just like Smitten was made by deciding the princess was an immediately trustworthy damsel in need of rescuing from the pesky narrator, or that the witch is a gorgeous woman whom you can save by giving your blade in spite of the narrator's wishes—Cold is made through deciding that neither your nor the princess's safety particularly matters, but fuck that narrator guy. He sucks. As apathetic as the Cold likes to act, he reacts to Smitten's threats and the Princess's murder attempts with "interesting", and reacts to the Narrator's explanation of the timeline with "we should kill him".

So, my point?

Well, I think that—not only does the Cold hate the Narrator—but hating the Narrator is part of him as a voice. He's cold, apathetic, and he hates the Narrator. It's been baked into his very being through the choices that you make. The princess doesn't matter, your physical well-being doesn't matter, but know that the Narrator is an untrustworthy little prick.

TLDR: Replaying Wraith made me realize that the Cold probably hates the Narrator very very much, and he does so because it is baked into his very being because of the choices you made to manifest him. You go, king. Let your inner hater run free.

[drabblesandimagines]

Cramped

Inspired by @creativepromptsforwriting prompt 1080! "I can't stop thinking about kissing you." "And what are you going to do about that?" Leon Kennedy x gn reader

“I can’t do this.” Leon mutters under his breath, but you hear it as clear as day from your position.

How could you not, seeing as you’re currently only an inch away from his chest, his head nearly resting atop your own?

You’ve been trapped in this tiny storage cupboard for at least 20 minutes now, waiting for Hunnigan to give the all-clear that all 27 heat signals had dispersed from outside your current location. You would describe yourself as a relatively decent shot, Leon more so, but the numbers weren’t in your favour.

“Claustrophobic?” You whisper back, cautious that your voice may carry. You wish you could shift your left foot ever so slightly, currently standing awkwardly over a bucket that was sat at the bottom at the cupboard when you entered.

“No.” He has his hands braced either side of you against the opposite wall, seemingly caging you in more than the cupboard is. Your arms awkwardly hung by your side, painfully aware of how if you moved even slightly forward you’d be pressing your front into his chest, fingers ghosting against his hips.

“I can’t do this.” Leon says again. “Missions - with you.”

“Oh, come on,” you wish you could step back so you could give him a proper withering stare. “You can’t blame me every time something goes wrong. The intel definitely said only five guards were on site at any one time.”

“No. I mean, I…” He’d rub the bridge of his nose if he could bring his arm forward to do it without hitting you in the process. “I can’t concentrate.” You scoff, immediately defensive. “And how is that my fault?” “Because I can’t stop thinking about kissing you!” Silence. “Oh.” “Yes, oh.” He mocks, frustrated. He's meant to be better than this. Hell, he usually is when the two of you are paired up. Leon’s flirty, sure, but he knows to be professional when it’s a matter of life and death, and trapped in a cupboard with a number of hostiles outside is definitely a time when he should be at his most focused. But ever since the two of you retreated in here, all he can think about is how close you are, how good you smell, the warmth of your body pressed up against his, how he could place his fingers under your chin, tilt your head up… “Well, what are you going to do about it?”

“Sorry?” He looks down at you in disbelief, sure he’s misheard. “I said,” you lift your hand and trail your fingers up his chest before you rest it just above his pounding heart and meet those soft blue eyes. “What are you going to do about it?”

He doesn’t need a third invitation, dropping his hands from the wall. One arm wraps around your waist, bringing you needlessly forward that final inch, your left thigh finding its way between his in lieu of anywhere else to go. His other hands grabs the back of your head and tilts it up to meet his lips, stealing your breath with a deep, frantic kiss... Hunnigan smiles to herself as she leans back in her chair at HQ, your voices falling silent on the comms in what she suspects is the result of other activity – Leon had left the channel open when you'd been forced to find cover. It’s only when she hears Kennedy let out a muffled moan that she taps to disconnect the audio, her suspicions now well and truly confirmed. The computer screen in front of her shows a blueprint of the factory, where two red dots reside in the small storage cupboard she’d directed them to after she’d ‘alerted’ them to the unwelcome company. She still needs to work out how to explain the sudden disappearance of 27 hostiles, but it’s worth it so she won’t be forced to watch the two of you dance awkwardly around each other in the office anymore.

--- This is probably the closest to a drabble I've ever gotten despite my blog name, ha! Masterlist . Requests welcome . Commissions/Ko-Fi

PS: Thanks to @porcelainseashore for helping me clarify the ending <3

[unholywriters]

Bright Looks, Dark Mind

╰┈➤ Summary: He could never hurt a fly, choi San, the one who was always there when you needed him and would always find time to make sure you felt included or safe whenever he wasn't around, but he can't possible be a killer in the mafia right? Let alone the Heir to one?

╰┈➤ Pairings: Mafia San x Male Reader

╰┈➤Genre: Smut, Non-Idol Au, Mafia Au

╰┈➤ Trope info: San always knew what his life was going to, and tried not to get into outside of his circle out of protection but he couldn't help it when it came to you, but of course nothing goes plan.

╰┈➤ WC: 18.6k

╰┈➤ Networks: @cromernet @illusionnet @othersideoutlawsnetwork

╰┈➤Warnings: MDNI

╰┈➤ Ratings: 18+

╰┈➤ Taglist: @sweetinsaniiity

New World university, a place that was tricky to enter because of the long and complicated standards coming from the higher ups in the school. Your Grades not only had to be on top, but your attitude had to be clean, if you were going to be hasty you can't let it show, if you were going to be known as an enemy you had to plan things out perfectly with little of any fails. One wrong move could cost you everything. The pressure from the teachers was tense, even the best teachers had some of the hardest courses, leaving you to take notes on what was you to decide what was important to remember and what wasn't worth remembering. Another reason the books were free and if you bought one that was new, you got to keep it and do as you pleased with it, as long as you got to pass the class is all that matters.

There was one student here who seemed to never falter under the stress unlike most kids who got into here because of their parents. Choi San, known to be the top student in his classes and gym activities, offering study groups for those who were too worried to fail, but never letting them just copy his notes without fully understanding since he also made his notes impossible to fully cheat off of. He was kind, but knew what strings to pull so everyone would either listen, or leave him alone if he so wished to. His uniform always seemed brand new, not a single wrinkle or speck of dust. The cufflinks always shinning and looking polished with his pants never looking a mess, each step ringing felt like a bell for the other students to either flock around him, asking for tips and if he was busy, or if they should move out of the way and allow him to keep walking. Especially if he was in a hurry and needed to get somewhere.

His smile always either always attracted people, or made them look away. it always depended on his eyes, if they felt soft and welcoming, or if they were full of hostile, something rarely anyone ever got unless they truly were crossing a boundary, or they were involved with him outside of school. After all this was his also year, the stresses weren't as ever since he knew he was on track to graduate and would inherit things from his father as promised, given his grades and the appearance he kept up in school and could handle his father's business with little trouble despite how much time he would spend reading books and practicing other things. But today was different for him. It was a weekend, and he got asked about showing a new student around without the pressure of the other students. Which was something he agreed to, knowing the other kids could make someone's new day a problem, but it is strange to him.

They were coming at the last semester, where things get more busy between classes, test, and group activities would get more stressful to prepare for another end of the year celebration, especially for those who were graduation so it would be something they would truly enjoy and remember for years to come. Could have not have waited till next year? Or were they a transfer student? He didn't know that he arrived to the office. Slowly opening the doors to see the headmaster standing in front of a male, in the male uniform, his pack back with his scheduled in his hands, locking eyes with san as he walked in, letting the doors close behind him as he bowed softly. Standing up to show his friendly smile while walking closer.

“There he is, San this is y/n. A transfer student who did so well at their last school they were sent here to finish out the year. Can you help them find their classes and catch up on most of the lessons? I know there isn't any projects going on since those would take too long to grade.” “Why of course, it's a pleasure to meet you, y/n.”

The two bowed to each other, San standing up and being the guide and being as friendly as he usually is with the other students. Depending on the students and how they are. The lockers were something barely anyone used, and he didn't to waste their time.

“No one uses their lockers here either?”

“Depends if they have dance classes and such, since that would be a lot to carry around, is there any classes you would need this for? Though the dance class is more full and it would be hard to keep up. They take these last three months too seriously and have no room for error. Not to mention the classes have a lot of work stacked up just to make sure you can attend the graduation. They take it very serious. May I see your classes?”

Looking at the classes, San was a bit surprised to see all the classes. Even the music class, but decided not to ponder on it too much, knowing that it would give off the wrong impression for when school actually starts.

San spent most of the day waking through the halls and answering questions, his friendly smile never faltering as he kept walking, now having to go upstairs to another part of the building to the literature wing. Where the library also was and took up most of the hall since the books here were a lot to take in. Some being years old and there in attempts to keep them from fading away into nothing, more books or kids to feel more at ease and those in other languages so the kids can better their practice's and get things done at the rate they're wanting. Along with a small place to sit with drinks and rest some.

“The library is everyone's favorite place to come because of the coffee spot inside, everything is free of course. There are just some books you are only allowed to look at since they are old and crumble.”

Turning around, thinking y/n was still behind him, he was shocked to see that were looking inside of the classes. The large stair style of seats leading up and around to the center of the room. The rooms always looked bland, but inside it was always filled with tension some must keep under to keep focused on their glasses.

Shows always made places like this seem terrifying, especially for those who are new and don’t come for wealthy families. Often getting dragged into things they didn’t want to. But of course it was more than that, but y/n was determined. They got here from hard work, not doubting themselves and ready to crumble at the sigh of someone wealth just to bring them down.

“You know, some teachers are supposed to leave their classes locked on the weekend since some kids try to cheat in these classes. Surprised this one was open, I wonder if someone is here and hiding.”

Looking at the doorway, there was San leaning against the opened doorframe, his hands slowly seeping int his pockets with a curious look on his face as he looked around the room to see if anyone was there, the desk would show someone hiding since they have room for you to move your legs and set things under. Sometimes their bags sounding like bombs hitting the floor while they sat in the chairs and started to take notes of things for the day.

“It was just opened. I only saw rooms like these from movies and shows where the poor kid is out of place, but proven to have their spot here. Never thought I’d get the chance to be here myself.”

They admitted, looking at the large white board with a projector being close, but it was off to let the dim lights from the outside windows shine bright inside. It was a cloudy day so things felt more grey, but it felt more relaxed in the empty room. The shelves around the desk having books that seemed to never leave after years, only being pulled as props to use for things. Some of these books even had note markers sticking out against the hard rich wood. The tiles allowing more echoes to be heard with each footsteps, the two of them being alone in a large room. This gave San time to study them more before asking questions. The way they walked, talked, carried themselves with all the things in their hands and shoulders. He wanted to see if they were easy to crack with the pressure here. Would they truly make it out of here? Would they truly make it even a week in a place where you will always be in the light regardless of how quiet you are?

It was something that made him curious, but asking too many questions gets boring. Wanting to find out things from clues and see if he should add you to his social circle. A place where many people try to get into but almost never get in, the last person got in because they were always close with someone else who came to the school, but San wanted to make sure it would be a smart Idea to add them and not just to do as a favor. It was rare someone ever got that from him, let alone just because and if he felt like he was in a truly good mood despite this place feeling like t was crushing your sound each day you walked inside.

“Poor kid coming in the ranks of the Rich kids? Don’t those always ended up with the new kid being paired with the boy everyone is fawning over?”

He teased, watching y/n turn around and begun scanning his face once again but it was hard to. It was like they had practice how to make their face hard to read without giving it away that you were staring and trying to look, something San never wanted people to see because it would make them change. He wanted to see people in their raw colors.

It would be easier to make them crumble an even stumble on their words, he always enjoyed watching people squirm under him while he had a smile on his face the entire time. Those who saw the darkness in the smile would leave and try to keep their distance from him, but those who were still oblivious to his actions would never believe someone until it happened to them, being too late and their social status among the school would be ruined, nearly impossible to get back since San knew how to make you show how foolish you are while he stood in the back, his arms in his pocket and his innocent smiling hiding with the look in his closed eyes. With the dark expression only showing once he stopped smiling and just stared at you. He wondered, would he have to do so with you? It would be easy since no one would stand up for you if given the hard choice to. Those who would, would get cast out from the others with only you and whoever there to support you, depending on how fast you climb these deadly ladders.

“They do, it annoys me sometimes. They made you feel sorry for the poor kid despite their hard work. Why make the new kid go after someone who clearly has more control over the school and risk yourself? It’s a shark tank in places like these. And I have a feeling you’re hungry looking for food.”

The comeback made San show his curiosity, his eyebrow raised high and his mouth slightly curved into a smirk while Y/n got closer, walking past him and back into the hallway, taking in his new surroundings like the read the numbers of each class, not caring if San was trailing behind him. He wanted to come and do this alone, just to plan out places he would go into his classes. Each classroom was a battlefield, the front of the class was more for the note takers, those who were ready to answer things head on without fear, the back was for those who didn’t really want to pay attention but they were also under more watch, depending on where you sit in the middle, you are always pulled into something, and where the gaze of the teacher lands on the most. Sometimes feeling like you’re in the class's front sometimes. If you aren’t careful where you sit, things could either go well in your hand, or it could go against.

Depending on the subject, it can either be a safe place or another place where lies are thrown around in order to throw someone off just to get through the day and act like nothing else is wrong.

“Your last class is down here, extra classes are always last as a reliever.”

“That sounds like something you’d tell anyone to see if they would trust you or try to cling to you as a shield if they shared the same classes with you so you have something to do. Headmaster Lee was very vocal about his views of you and how sad he will be when you graduate because it has now raised his standards for the next person.”

Each word was planned carefully before being told out loud, this was just an introduction to the battlefield of the new school. Trusting someone so soon, giving in because of how they looked was a death wish and you would be left to dry in the sun till you were dried up with nothing left. 2 months doesn’t feel so fast during the day where it feels like there is no end to it. Mainly if the place feels like it’s doing nothing but taking your soul and leaving you with nothing with a smile on its face while you struggle to reach the light you had clung to.

San had a smirk on his face, locking eyes with y/n before they descended the stairs, walking through a large corridor, each side having floor and ceiling lengths windows to show the gardens and outside places to sit and eat. These places were for show, a place where you would be watched and judge for the things you did in such open spaces where people could see you and judging you from the inside, knowing you couldn’t hear what they were saying unless they wanted to. These places were a no-go, people would pester you about why were you there and wanted to know what you were hiding, but if they couldn’t find you, there was no point on starting a rumor because it could always be proven false and that would damage your reputation, losing those some had tried to hard to get close to only to sit there and prove themselves.

“Took notes from the shows and movies you watched I see. Wish some kids here took those shows into thought but it’s hard to do that when your worried about others things.”

“If you don’t live up to the part, your shark food. I have better things to do then play someone's game just because their bored with nothing better to do.”

Keeping their head up high, San walked past them to show them the music room, it was large as well. A place for someone to sing alone in booths, checking their pages, notes and such, somewhere for the choir to sing and those to practice and play their instruments for their own reasons. The walls were more lively with some lights and beanbags to help this place feel more relaxed, almost like they were trying to lure you in like a siren does before taking a bite. It was fitting since the choir here was named New World: Sirens. They would lure you in with their voices, movements, everything they could think of before tearing you apart and enjoying it like nothing else would happen to them. They were undefeated, and untouchable after all. No need to pull anything considered drastic, they had each other back and there was nothing anyone else could do. Even if they wanted to or if they weren’t considered being careful enough with their words and actions. But this was the main place San had control over, knowing if he wanted to sing to someone they would melt with such ease it would be like pouring water into a puddle, watching it expand and each ripple showing someone’s bright dreams becoming nothing more than a shell under his hands. And he wanted to see if they could live, after all they were already swimming so easily.

San watched as Y/n walked around the room, looking at each setup, everything was perfect. To the stands to the way some pencils were left with no dust or scratches on anything. The floor being cleaned enough to show your reflection and shine with the lights, the windows and doors being clean enough to see both inside and outside but the sound proofing making it hard for anyone to hear. The only doors that you couldn’t see through were the private booths for you to sit in and focus. But that doesn’t make them a place of interest. But, this was a place San held dear, he would make sure it was respected.

“I’m stepping into a landmine. This is your place, you got too excited walking do the door instead of telling me where to go.”

Turning around, the two locked eyes but San was more-so standing behind y/n, just waiting for them to turn around just so they could stare at each other while he leaned in closer, his head titling to the side like a curious cat who wanted to know what you would say or do in this situation but also kept his face confusing to read.

“No, this is our personal field, if we’re going off of the things you’ve said. But I like to call it a dance floor, we’ll dance till graduation, if I see you there.”

“Thanks for the doubts, that just makes it more to tango with you along with everyone else, clearly.”

San had led you back to the main entrance, the headmaster waiting so he could do the rest of his things with San there to help in case he had forgotten anything so far, thought it was highly unlikely. San lasses given your stance on most things, figured you could handle the new work and get things done and catch up. After all where is the fun if your given an advantage already?

Each quick step was like a snap of a finger. The seats were filling up quickly with students as they pulled out their notebooks for the first class of the day, math. San had made the choice of sitting next to you, his bag being heavy with his notebooks as he looked at your setup. Small and thin sticky notes that seemed to be labeled, the last pages seemed to be filled and nearly confusing, But you knew where everything was and that was all that mattered. Your pens were used for each class, Any form of blue was used for this class. San was scanning everything while being careful, knowing he shouldn’t speak as the professor walked in. Very little greetings since this class was always filled with information and missing it was fatal in any sense. The desk felt cold but soon it was be a test of listening carefully and if you could write fast enough, leaving things in while also asking questions.

“Where is the new student, I need to know if they need more notes before catching up?”

Opening the attendance book, the professor was scanning the class before seeing y/n raise his hands while already having writing things in the notebook, sitting somewhat in the front with san being next to him, His face content while everyone's else was now on the professor, some quickly gazing over to y/n just to see who the new kid was and if they should bother to ask, but with how fast the teacher was typing and getting ready to have the lessons taught, there was no time. If you wanted to talk, you were on your own for anything related to the class since people could always hear something different and needed time to let the information sink in before anything else.

“I’m caught up in this theory, if you want proof I have most of my old notes to scan to make sure and if anything is missing, I’d like to know.”

Ignoring all the stares, holding the book and walking down the steps to hand the professor his notebook, she was already holding her hand out before looking at the past notes, her eyes scanning each page that was flipped and filled with clean notes and marked. But what surprised everyone was when she was done and her gaze was looking at san, known to be her smartest student and was quick to have things solved like these were the easiest questions to solve.

“He’s a little ahead of you and given the grades at his last school, he’s tied with you, san. Back to your seat, you can talk about this outside of my classroom.”

Sitting back down, y/n gave a quick look seeing the curious look on his face with his trusted pen in his hands. A smirk nearly showing while he was curious before the lecture began, the professor writing and talking fast. One hand flipping pages in the textbook she was going off of with the questions while the other was writing on the whiteboard, explaining things before turning around with her finger pointed to someone in the class, this being how she would make kids answer questions and if they weren’t quick enough, they would feel the stares and pressure from others about being more careful next time for her. After all this was now the end of the year, things were only going to get more stressful before they got better. She would save san for last, but she wanted to see how y/n would answer the questions and how quickly. Every question was a test, each reaction being the answer.

“Y/N, does x equal a while number or a decimal, and if a decimal how many far back?”

“Decimal, 5.76824, rounding would make it 5.8 or would make it 6 if you didn’t want the decimal in the answers spot, professor.”

His head never leaving his notepad unless he heard his name, his hand moving quickly like he was cutting something and making sure nothing was wrong while trying to solve the question before getting called on, Knowing if he fell behind he would be ruined before the end of the day even got close, let alone lunch if San would continue to be a constant presence. Each word was like showing just how fast you will go, some would have two notebooks just so they could have one that's messy, with some points to get the messages across and then go back in their second one to make things look more organized and easier to read, since most of these test will always be no-note, unless the teacher wants to see who will do so, but it was almost always a test to see who was unsure of their answers, to see who will get more information from other students in order to get the answers they were searching for.

The professor knew this was going to be an interesting class, two smart students sitting next to each other, it wasn't a peace offering it was a tactic to see what they could learn from each other. Taking a piece from the other but making sure no one could figure that out. As long as the teacher didn't see a distraction it was fair game, get the work done, turn in the work at the end of the time and get ready for something more compact and makes you question more and more. It was a battle between the pair, each of them answering clearly but quickly and making sure they never stuttered. That would create an opening for teasing and the teacher wanting to make sure that you trusted your answer before choosing someone else, losing your advantage on the playfield.

What was worse was the class length, it was nearly 2 hours of pressure and nonstop writing with more notes flying around before the professor let out a loud clap. It made everyone look up and stop writing, some set down things and this must mean that it's time to stop. To relax some before the next class, maybe looking through notes and having conversations that seemed playful but were also holding more meaning, but making it hard for anyone else to try to listening without getting caught. If you were going to be interested, you had to play the cards right, whispers flew around the room, no one really getting ready but there thing different from the room.

Looking over, San was still staring, but it was more so like he was waiting for you to look in his direction, his eyes were hiding a message no one else could truly know. Was he curious about you? Did he want to throw more test your way just to make things more difficult? No, it would be pointless given the classes and his own life. He has things to collect from people, people to hunt down to get answers from and overall things to organize and show he can handle things himself. After all, he was born and raised in a life like this, how could he not have things figured out on his own with little help. Making sure he owed no one in the end and he had his debts and what not handled before anyone could hear about it and try to use it against him. Which was never a smart Idea, but he always seemed to enjoy it when to came to people, but that was always a question and saved for later.

There was no needs for words to be spoken, the two were just looking at each other, ignoring all the others before trying to come up with what words to say. Like starting a new game of chess. Debating on which piece to move first and how will one of each other try to figure this out for themselves.

“It's a shame you came in the last three months to graduate.”

He started, no one was truly listening, those who would, would've given it away that they were listening in on the conversation, it would then have to be switched around in order to keep people away. But what made San more curious was a slight smirk on his face, why were you smirking at him? Was he missing something more? But what could It be? It was hard to get san to miss anything unless it was true, someone slipped past him and he was just now realizing it.

“Telling you now would be a giveaway. And that would make things more complicated, hyung.”

After getting things packed away just before the bell had rang, Y/n slowly stood up from the chair. Fixing his dark red uniform since it had wrinkled some when sitting down and left the room. Leaving san there in a daze but also with a mission, it was clear you knew something he didn’t know. And that was something most teachers didn’t even have against him, so how was it possible that you had something on him? What did you know about yourself that he didn’t know?

It was pointless to ponder; he had classes to attend, battles to win and more pieces to move around in order to corner people and enjoy watching them squirm from under him. And clearly, he had to put more thoughts into you. Gathering his things and standing, he was quick to walk out and leave to his next class, knowing that you were going to the next one but the question is where would you sit? You were new, right? They always made new students sit close to the front, making sure you move quickly and without fail. But of course he couldn’t be too obvious, people would see that and slip in through his cracks, pulling at certain things and enjoying finally making the most terrifying person crumble. Something he would never let you see within the walls of the school. Then again, no one would ever get this chance and there was no room for you to get inside.

Walking to his next class, scanning the room to see you sitting right next to his seat yet again. His seat wasn’t in the front, it was in the back since this was a class he hated to answer in. Science was always more confusing, but he knew he was passing it simply because he took in all the notes he could, this was the class where kids would have extra notebooks just to make extra notes in more of a neater way, along with the library, making sure he got the right lesson and basically wrote things to make more notes and notecards just to quiz himself. But he was more glad he was about to be done with this class and not have to worry about it anymore. But he knew for appearance, he had to keep it up just to get through the classes. Walking to the lab table slowly, staring at you with question piling in his head, but it was pointless to ask now. What answers would he get?

In a place like this, ears were everywhere, wanting to pick up every little piece and make sure no stone was left unturned for this. Sitting down in his chair, he wanted to sigh, but he knew this class was full of seniors and it was more relaxed since everyone was already stressed as is, the last time this class went full on to make sure seniors could party the results were alarming and were damaging the school's reputation. So for those close to fully leaving, this was more known as a relaxation period. Which was surprising to y/n, a class like this for them? But there was no time to be asking questions no time to give in to something else but a time to prepare, next was history. And that class always focused on the darker side of history that some schools can't teach because of how graphic it can be. Which is why they also rarely have any projects since it would require research that would gain questions from parents and more peers outside, can't have that with a school like this. The funding would be cut, teachers would be less and the quality would disappear, something no one wanted to happen and would make sure nothing else would.

“I will say this again for the new student it seems. This class is used as a break period. We covered everything for the year and the district hasn't approved for a large project given the workload of the other classes. Unless you want to give the class something to do.”

Y/n was quick to shake their head, this classroom was already painful to truly learn everything. You needed to draw things, label them correctly so you would understand and remember them before having to actually write the notes down, drawing things already took so long if you wanted to get things to look right, leave the right labels and make sure the notes that were detailed enough to hold all the right information without fail or complicating things. Overall, this class would make someone wish it was never here, but of course some people needed it for their jobs and majors. San was here to show he can run things on his own without slipping, softly tugging on strings he had wrapped around his fingers before just tugging them in the right way he needed to. And that always made it fun for him, something he took joy in but would never show it unless his dad was around, but it made him wonder, what was y/n in here for?

What was their dream that they needed to get something from here in order to do so? He had such little time, yet so many questions. He felt himself looking over like it was out of habit, staring at yn as they were re-working on some notes to make sure things were making sense for him. After all once the last three weeks come to play, there will be nothing but test, and if he joins the music class seriously, singing till his that hurt since the final will be a duo. Two people having to agree on singing something and make sure they were singing fully with no mistakes, and if there were any, to make sure that no one knew they had messed up. But he wanted to wait till the last class in order to ask, knowing if he tried now people would try. And besides there would be booths no one could go into without permission and some areas made for small and private conversations. Since lunch here was still packed and busy, conversations would overlap with each other, some kids trying to stay silent in order to get more information about people or their classes.

How were you keeping Choi san, the dream student of the school with a twisted mind, now being curious about you?

San was pissed, something he was good at hiding but sometimes depending on the situation. But he could keep a bright and happy smile and appearance in front of everyone around him while he was walking to his classes, going through the motions since most of it was more so taking notes and with their English class, it was more so reading, taking notes since this test would be the second hardest compared to the math test they knew would take the longest time. Now back to why he was pissed on the inside. He couldn't find you when it was lunchtime, he looked in some of the most obvious places and some places that most kids couldn't find out. But you were gone, only to reappear in the last class of the day, you looked more refreshed, relaxed and ready to finish the day off singing. When he walked in he saw you talking with the professor, your eyes filled with excitement, like you just returned to an old place of ours.

He stared at you while being the last one to close the class door, he usually would talk to the professor about what song to sing with someone or if he would have to do by himself, pushing himself to make sure he could cover two parts into one to fit within his registry. But the professor looked over and motioned him over, he was quick to move over with his bag on both shoulders, since the bag was heavy with books, supplies and sometimes some other things for this class. Here, he would bring his tablet in order to find songs to sing and focus on his pitch to make sure things were in tune.

“I was hoping you would be here soon, I'm sure you've yn, do you remember them from freshman year? You two were so close!”

San looked visibly shocked at the teacher, his eyes widening some while he looked at the two of them, his face showing confusion as he tried to scan his mind to see if it was true. It would explain why you seemed to know your way around the school, but if that were the case wouldn’t the headmaster have said something? Or were they just waiting to see if he would figure it out on his own? But this was a class free from the war zones of outside. After all, music brings people together and shouldn't be sued to tear people down like paper being cut with scissors in a quick or painful manner. Maybe therefore he felt himself being curious, you looked and sounded familiar, but times had changed in those years you were gone, and things seemed to come back up to the surface, a fight not all are prepared to do.

“They went here in freshman year? It must've slipped my mind with all the studying I and homework, forgive me y/n, it didn't seem to click just yet for me.”

Bowing softly, his mind was racing once again, this would explain how you just vanished during lunch time, despite his other friend's finally being able to talk to him after classes, he wanted to bring you over just to see if you could handle the group, to see if the roughness of them and the teasing would break you or if you could handle it with these last three months, since they show off sometimes and they can wear their mask to well and pull stings as if they were keys on the piano, barely any pressure to watch you lose everything you've built up to this point. Yet here he was, staring at you while all the memories slowed pour back in, like a flood coining in after a door was opening, well not entirely in that manner but it was enough to keep him distracted some. But he had to keep himself together, even though this was the last class that doesn't mean the adults outside will have the calm stance they have now till they all truly leave the school.

“Well, I brought this up because I knew you were still looking for a partner before the final comes up. I think pairing you two would work, y/n says since they had to leave before the 2nd year, they would still practice their singing. I think it would create something no one has yet to see.”

The two looked at each other. San remembering how he would hear you singing during lunch, you'd leave the door slightly cracked to hear if someone was coming inside and if you needed to stay quiet so they could leave or listen to secrets. Coming to him the next day as a friend with more tea because you wanted to stay with him and his friend group because you loved talking with them during lunch. Everyone would share their food and drinks at their special spot so no one would try to butt in on conversations where they weren't welcomed. How San and the others would always try to sit next to you and would be known as the smart group.

People always tried to have study groups with any of you just to get the best notes, the best scores and overall answers they needed when the teacher would leave and say they could give out things, or if the teacher would even have the share notes for students to compare and get things done. San was sad when he heard you had to leave when summer was over, he wanted to help you. Offer money in case your family was struggling or even offer you a place to stay with him, but you took it as a chance to explore.

To see things outside and maybe they would come back. San was so hopefully that you would've come back to him, he wanted to catch up with you, to see how things were and get the others to be with you so everyone could sit down again. All these memories made him smile, a genuine and rare smile almost no one outside of his friends ever got to see since most of the time his smile would always have something dark. But now he was standing here, he had secrets he couldn't offer to tell you, more blood on his hands than you could wash off with acid. Seeing you smile, like you were waiting for this moment since you had limited time and dragging it out was pointless. But what made him question more was why did you have to come back on a scholarship.

Your parents were wealthy they could send you here and pay for each semester like it was pocket change. But suddenly you had to leave, he wondered what was your family situation, but you two were no longer that close, the two of you had grown in that time frame and there are things that will slowly come to the surface, but he wanted to see your reaction to the man behind that smile. Who would gladly bite you till you stopped fighting him.

“Thank you professor, I think we can make that work. Can we use one of the private rooms?”

Seeing the pure joy on his face, the professor allowed the two of you to walk to a room. Knowing nothing would happen since the glass would show, even though pixelated, it was still easy to see if someone was doing something they shouldn't be doing. The room had red soft walls with a wooden carving to show a floating couch, with some stands, music equipment, chargers and everything they could have needed. Y/n looking around before being pulled into a warm hug, San gave it without thinking, his shoulders seemed to wrap around you like he was protecting you from something but he just wanted to keep you close. Being startled some, but you slowly hugged him back, this was still the same San that would run after you at lunch to give you a hug because he couldn't do so during the morning. This hug was tighter than the other but you still had room to breathe, which was something he always wanted to do the day you left, the night he didn't get to call you because you told him calling would be weird, you were in a new place and everything, your text were rare to the point either of you got to text each other because of the differences. And now here you were, standing in front of him and got your way back here, he remembered your promise before leaving.

“You Really kept your promise to graduate here? Why did you even have to leave if you were so attached to it? I would've gladly got you a place settled so you could’ve stayed closer to us!”

Pulling away and looking down at your smiling face, like you just caught him being excited over a joke or something he truly liked. His voice carrying it while you held onto his arms, balancing yourself since after all, he wasn't that small boy anymore who could barely hug you without looking small; he was larger now. He had grown up and became someone that was almost hard to recognize until you spent more classes with him, it slowly clicked for the both of you.

“Money problems is all, and extended family but I planned on keeping my promise. I didn't want to just be handed things, you know?”

Your tone made him worry, but he kept his mask on. You sounded like you didn't want top fully say the truth, which hurt because he missed you and wanted to know why his best friend had to actually leave. He wanted to ask you, to keep pressing till he got the answers but that would expose you to things he wasn't ready to show you. After all you still had the others to meet again, to hear the excited screams, the hugs, the questions, the meetups. You had everything to get used to, and no was not an option, even if they had to meet you at your place, unless you could score the dorm, those were always the hardest to get into because of what they truly were, they were like apartment with the size and everything, but it would still feel cozy.

“Oh, you have to walk with me to see the others. Wooyoung would point you out quicker than seonghwa-hyung would! Please?”

“Have I ever been able to say no too you? Without a pout of all things?”

San gave you a pout, just to show that despite everything it still reminded the same before he got excited once again, Wooyoung would wait for him by the hallway just to walk with him telling him things from his classes before everyone would meet up and go to San's new house, where they would all get all of their homework done, play games and such before they all had to head home, something san would dread because he enjoyed having his friends over but he also wanted to see the others reaction to you coming back.

But it was enough of that, you two had to figure out what this song was going to be, san going through some samples of tempos he had, wanting to see your honest opinion, not what you think he wanted to hear and he knew he would trust you with that. Your face would say it all before the words could come out of your mouth and be coated, he weaned the raw truth so he could improve and not be distracted into thinking they were good since you two would have to perform this in front of the school as a final, and the college was a large place despite everything, so it needed to outshine the others in some for.

He wanted to work on this more, but he knew wooyoung would barge in before he could get another thing in before he could save everything into his computer, something he was slowly doing with these last 10 minutes while talking to you, his smile showing brightly while hiding his eyes. But his dimples would show and it was honestly just the cutest sight for you to personally see ever.

“Be warned, wooyoung still loves to jump when he's excited so please be ready. He's not a small either.”

“Oh god that scares me for Jongho, did anyone else grow?”

“That's for you to find out.”

San laughed with pure joy as the two of you walked out of the class, being a bit late since san had got gotten up with talking with you and nearly forgetting his computer in the room with his bag. Keeping his hands in his pocket, he spotted wooyoung before you did, seeing him push back his curly black hair with his eyes looking around for him, his lip piercing shinning in the light as he smiled at san, getting ready to run till he saw San pull you in front of him. At first wooyoung slowed down some till he saw that smile, he knew that smile anywhere and it made him gasp before taking off. San staying there to act as a boulder as Wooyoung picked you up, squealing despite people looking over as he hugged you tightly. His smile wide and forgetting that the two of you were still carrying bags with books too heavy, yet he picked you up like it was nothing.

“oH MY GOD SANNIE! WHEN DID YN-INNIE GET HERE?”

“They just got back here today. I almost didn't notice! Can you believe that?”

Wooyoung was so happy he was still jumping at the sound of your laughter before setting you down, scanning you over with his hands in a tight grip.

“Oh, my god you still look the same! Quick quick we've got to go Seonghwa is going to be so happy to see you he might let no one else hug you!”

Wooyoung grabbed both of your hands and ran to the front entrance. Since most of the students were gone given their classes and such, making it through with ease and not bumping into people till he saw Yeosang standing by the door, looking confused why Wooyoung was dragging san with someone else. The person seeming to struggle as wooyoung got closer, seeing Yeosang slowly blink while fixing his tie. His hair was a mess because he usually had gym last, getting a nice run and workout in with jongho, who would usually leave early since his car was known to be the biggest despite one of the older ones wanting to drive most of the time.

“Yeosang! It's Y/N! Look at him!”

“Good lord you're arms have gotten bigger what did you do-"

After looking at you for a while, listening to your tone that's when Yeosang smiled before hugging you, San stood there in the back a little, watching him hug you the same way he did. He knew yeosang missed you, everyone did, but there was something burning inside him as he watched you smile at them, it wasn't jealousy, why would he be jealous at the person his friends adored more than anything here? Maybe it was because he wasn't sure if this was real or not. Maybe he wanted to see if he was dreaming and when he opened the door to see the others, he would wake up in his room and want to throw things, but why did this not feel like a dream?

You were catching up with the others while you walked outside; he saw the shocked look on your face when you saw Min-gi and Yunho. They had grown taller, towering over everyone just by standing but the two had a name that you used to call them, since everyone called them twin towers you would call them the tall duo, a name they only got used to you calling them and when they hear it. They were more than happy to see you. They particularly picked you up off the ground when they got close to you, their cheered of excitement after years of no longer seeing you or hearing you call their names burning something inside of them. They were happy to see you while The parents of the group came over, hongjoong being the first to hug you before seonghwa practically picked you up like a mother happy to see their kid after so long.

You guys would joke that seonghwa was your adoptive mother, but he never denied the claim since it was just how he watched with the others and san was right. It really took a while before he fully let you go. Looking around at everyone with wide eyes as if he couldn't believe you were actually there in his arms but he knew jongho was excited when he finally got close enough, knowing there was only one person who would be held like that in the group, he stilled looked the small but it was clear he had more muscles to him just like san did, if not all the others. Despite the uniforms being tight they all still gave you a hug like nothing was stopping them.

Hongjoong however, stayed back towards san, seeing his gaze never leaving you despite how you were trying to answer questions without giving too much away. He still had to know, why did you have to leave in the first place? Why didn't you take his offer to grow with the and learn of him sooner? Now he had to show you things he didn't think you would like as of now. But it wasn't like he was losing you again. He lost you once already, how was he supposed to lose you again and simply be fine with it?

“Your staring too deep at him, san.”

Hearing hongjoong's voice brought him back, his eyes slowly claiming down as he shifted his attention to hongjoong, looking down to meet his gaze while standing still, blocking out the noises. Hongjoong had the look of he wanted to talk, but they had to stay quiet, although it was easy because everyone was trying to ask questions while making sure you weren't hurt during their excitement runs and hugs.

“They vanished after the last day of summer, came back on a scholarship and seemed to just…blend back in like nothing happened. I'm happy he's back, I truly am but.”

“You want answers why they left. You missed them the most, you'd stare at old pictures to the point if you didn't you'd lose your mind. And clearly, their hiding something.”

“Maybe their family was running low on money?”

“Think san. You knew everyone's parents and their struggles, there was one pair of parents you hated because they acted high and mighty as if they never had children. And you taught them a lesson like your Appa told you to.”

San's face fell for a moment, but it came back with something dark in his eyes. Something hongjoong knew not even he could protect you from or the others could. He knew exactly how to get you to stay this time, by his side and nowhere else.

Despite his efforts to try to get you to stay with him tonight, San truly didn’t want you walking by yourself. He had to see where you lived since it was clear it wasn’t around here anymore, so what did he do? He let the driver take you, knowing there were camera's in the car and trackers to see where you were going. Knowing that during the last hug he gave you, where he almost didn't let you go, he kept one on you just so he could see and hear everything that was happening. Knowing he needed to be careful for your sake.

He got you to come to his house so everyone could catch up, like old times and the living room was actually filled with laughter again and not just plans of other things. For a moment, it felt like you never left till you did once again, but this time he got to watch you leave. He got to see you sitting in the car, staring out the window before having to stop in front of apartment buildings that looked unsettling to say the least. San was watching you, in his own darkroom with a cup of water in his hands, it looked like it was moments away from breaking but he tried not to, knowing he would've had to be explained to his dad why his hand was bleeding because of the glass.

He watched you walk inside the place your parents sounding tired, but they were happy to see you were okay, but you didn't tell the where you went, something San picked up because you would even call them in front of his parents so they knew where you were, but you didn't even do that unless he wasn't paying attention. You greeted them, helped them with some things like dishes, getting the laundry from the basement and looking for jobs,

So hongjoong was right, he made your parents pay their actions years ago, but he never knew you were their son. If he did, he would’ve made a deal much earlier, I mean he could always do that now, but he wanted to do so when you were finished with school, knowing he could show you things slowly at a time, planning everything while knowing he now had to see you outside of school. He sat there in his room, messing with drink slightly while sitting back in his chair, knowing he had a phone call to make but it would always come later, he enjoyed using a voice changer to mess with those who crossed him because who would believe that a college student about to graduate at the top of his classes, would do things in such a nature?

Nearly no one if they saw him outside, but those who saw past the act knew better and sometimes they wouldn't be able to tell others of what they had to witness or they would be silenced as well. But he wanted to see your reaction, not now. He watched you take off the uniform and hang it on the closet door, your room looking so cramp but you made it your own with what you could. The way it was set up he could watch you sleep while tuning out the other noises around him, something he was thankful for because he truly wanted to focus on you.

He heard you shower, knowing he would never look there and never wanted to, if he would look he wanted to see if for himself. And that would come with time, of course, knowing he had a couple strings to pull beforehand. But for now, he was just watching you rest, the way your face relaxed while holding onto a blanket, he remembered that one. He gave it to you as a joke one day because you were freezing when everyone went to an outside movie and sat in the car, turning it off so the gasses wouldn't make people cough and he held you under it. He watched you fall asleep. He wanted to go there and sleep next to you, but he knew better. The place you now had to live in was somewhere he owned, where he would send people to be watched and struggle to climb back up to the ladder.

He wanted to give you a way out, but that would give you an illusion that would be shattered quickly with one stare. How would he even explain he knows your situation? He watched you; you were tossing and turning like you were trying to keep bad memories away; he was listening for footsteps to see if anyone was coming and if they were, he would have a building manger come in and remove the person. Even if you screamed for it, there was nothing anyone could do to stop him. He wondered, what were you thinking of in a situation like this? What were you thinking of after all these years, it felt longer than it truly was?

Staring at his screen, his mind was racing with thoughts and questions but they were cut short when he felt someone's hand on his shoulder. It made him jump in his chair, thinking all of his friends had left but Hongjoong stayed back. He had a look in his eyes that was a mix of darkness but comfort. This meant they had a job to do, another test San had grown used to doing after everything was done, since this would be the nights he would have in case someone were to push his buttons.

“I had a talk with your parents, San.”

“Is about another partner since the last one didn't stick for long. I warned them she was bluffing.”

Hongjoong had a smirk on his face while sitting down, pulling up a spare chair with his legs crossed. Even though he was still in his school uniform, knowing he would have a hard day tomorrow since it was just the middle of the week, there were still things that needed to be figured out and such but also long nights that had to be settled before they leaked into the next day or longer than needed to be. San was used to having to be up a little later and waking up earlier, sometimes during lunch or in his second class and use it for a nap. Feeling better till lunch got there and he could now fully keep up and make sure he had things ready for the others classes for the day. Some days were easier than the others, but his music class was a daily thing.

It was a joy he had and would sometimes go to that room on the weekends when he was free before having to go back to his other work, knowing that was being taken on more dangerous and involved missions that would make him learn more about his choices and how to wear the sheep skin so well not even other sheep could tell he was a wolf. Something he enjoyed doing, but the one who could truly pull more strings was Hongjoong, he was in this world before his parents even dipped their toes into it. Knowing if he wanted to do things without the threat of money, he got into and build things up from scratch, working with San's father to make sure he would have a team he could rely on, and so he created one with his own hands and enjoyed watching it grow more and more than the days went on, turning two weeks, months and now years each time he thinks about.

Hongjoong was always known for the way he can smirk, a face full sunshine before seeing the smirk that could show just a peak of darkness that was brewing inside of him, sometimes people would be surprised at the things he says, sometimes questioning why he would say such things but he would just find ways to denture the conversation and acting like nothing had ever happened. It was something he honed till now.

“Your dad saw the look on your face when he heard that name. He looked at you thinking you had moved on, but given the questions you were trying to ask, he knew you were going for them, and that you might start adopting children, since you always wanted to have a family of your own.”

“Either adopting or a surrogate, either way, though adoption sounds better. I don't want someone trying to claim my children at the end of the term saying they grew attached. Then things would get more complicated.”

“Unless you made it clear where they stood, some always need that terrifying push to see you're serious about it. But that is a talk between the two of you, my question for you is, how do you plan on keeping them here. Scouters will come for that final and offer deals, some are always out of state, if y/n picks one out of there, since if they picked one here, you'd been able to pull more strings even if they went on tours.”

San looked at the screen one more time, seeing you resting on your bed as comfortable as you could get before turning back to Hongjoong. He had a planning look, and hongjoong knew what it truly meant, he was planning things and he was going to make it work, no matter how hard you would fight to get away from him.

Unknown Number: You know, trying to hide in the classrooms, or even behind your little knight in shinning armor won’t always save you. Even the brightest people, have the darkest secrets. You should know better than that, y/n.

Y/N: You really must have nothing better to do. This is childish.

Unknown Number: [Image attachment]

Unknown Number: [image attachment]

Unknown number: You should focus now. You Can’t afford to fail now can you?

The text didn’t happen for almost a month; you had gotten used to being around san and the others again, keeping your housing situation a secret still while enjoying your time with them. Going to lunch and even having the study sessions again. Even sitting around and would sing with each other and help make sure everything was good for the pair. Hongjoong being the most help with the sounds and production help and an outside opinion since sometimes you think it would sound good, but having help from someone who can tell the difference and the song you're going for, it easy to do.

“San, you need to let it sink a bit lower for this next part. So the emotion is there and carries through. Run it again from the last stop.”

San gave a thumbs up, he was wearing his favorite hoodie and sweats, his hands in his pockets with the headphones on his ears. Looking back over to you, smiling softly while you sat your phone down, wanting to forget the messages you’ve been receiving. Some classes were done with their finals, the only two that were more pressuring were math and singing. Math was soon, but you had to be confident in your answers and having someone who had your number, sending you picture of places you were at, even somewhere you were looking around and didn’t see anyone was a shocker.

Watching san and listening to him, it was clear he took time with it, his eyes were closed while he took in hongjoong's advice as carefully as he could. You had finished your sessions for the day, getting closer to the end of the song but trying to make sure everything else would tie in perfectly. It made you wonder could you tell them what was happening? Would that have changed anything if you did? You were told not to, along with an attachment of your parents sitting in the cramped living room, oblivious to someone taking pictures with cameras no one could find. You even looked with everything you had but couldn’t find anything and yet you still get pictures sent as a reminder. Whoever this person is, wherever they are, they’re always watching you, at first you thought it was one of the boys.

But the pictures you’re getting, how could it be one of them when in some pictures all of you are together. How could it be one of them if everyone is busy together and not even paying attention? But trying to think about it was pointless. You have better things to worry about, more things to stress about and eventually, leaving this place for getting out of the family drama you were being pulled into and force to live through. The facade your parents tried to live for so long was now ruined because they took a leap too early when they weren’t ready to take it. It was a mess, and you wanted to start over, singing is something that could get you out if you reached out far enough. Wanting to start all over but it was hard. What was gonna happen now?

Unknown Number: Sitting there zoning out about me will do nothing for you.

Unknown number: [attachment sent]

Unknown number: Getting out of state will be impossible for you, but you can keep trying though, you’ll meet him soon~

Each text was like a taunting shiver, as if the person was there just enjoying you squirm and shiver. Even now with the zoned out look on your face, San looked over and the mic was hiding the smirk on his face, knowing the messages were the reason you were having trouble looking focused and interested in anything that you were involved in. But he hid that smirk so well it was almost like nothing could happen to him, watching you look over your shoulder while trying to hurry to the next class, only to look at his phone and see the messages and wonder why was this happening? This school takes things like this seriously and yet they haven’t been able to find the person who's behind these, making him question everyone around him, yet san was your safety net, like always. He’d do his best to distract you while getting you to laugh, his smile always wore off on you which would make it harder to even stay paranoid or even mad at something's. But sometimes you wondered, what happened when you left.

There’s no way he stayed the same, it was clear he didn’t and sometimes you wish the music teacher didn’t give you away so you could’ve learned more about him before being exposed, but you also weren’t sure if he actually had this class or he was being silly just to mess with you. But clearly things were happening, and the professor wanted to see what would happen with the two of you paired up, knowing it was to create more doors, unless she knew how San would act, regardless. Having you trapped in a corner with puppet strings and no matter how hard you were tugging, trying to get out there was nothing y/n could do to get free from him. Even with a careful tug, there was barely anything yn could do against this person, this force that wanted to mess with you. Maybe this was just a prank to get you on edge as the transfer for the last quarter. But either way it can’t break you, not this close to the finish line.

Slowly blinking, you see San giving you a concerning look while standing in front of you, kneeling down while holding your hands in a soft and caring embrace. This was taking a toll on you, he knew that just by how often you’d look nervous every time you grabbed your phone, looking at it before going the app or song you wanted to play as a distraction when you were alone. It was time for a break, after all you two were doing great and not everything had to be finished, but you two also needed to get ready for the final. Math was tomorrow, and it was going to be annoying, clearly this person would do nothing, after all when you had your finals you would get nothing in return, not till afterwards since hearing any phones would cause you to fail, something you couldn’t afford to lose today and took every precaution needed in order to do so.

“Here, let’s get you something to eat, I brought snacks just in case we stayed here too long.”

Not wanting to argue with him, the two of you sat down to eat, Hongjoong looking at the two of you through the reflection of the screens, watching San feed you like he used to, telling jokes whenever he could with that bright smile on his face. His eyes even smiling with him as he did so like he always used to. He always knew how to make you smile, leaving was hard, how could anyone else make you this happy by barely trying other than being himself? It was like each day he was getting to be closer and closer. He knew you wanted to explore, to leave and sing your heart out for those around you to enjoy while leaving this place behind. Who knows, maybe he could visit you and you two could keep talking like nothing was wrong even with different time zones. But there wasn't much he could do, and you knew it was making him sad.

You came back only to leave again? To follow your dreams and shine with him in the corner with the others, who knows maybe the two of you could have a collaborate one day and blow the charts and make it enjoyable. But that was forb the future in later days but the two of you had to build up the foundations before getting there. Hongjoong wrapping up the things for the day, knowing the song was done, you two had recorded things in the spare time and slowly got to put things together for the recording since most people would want to hear the actual recording compared to the two of you singing it live. He knew during that day; he didn’t have much time before the graduation party, which he was making sure you were attending since it was traditional and you two would talk about this for hours on end before anything else. He was curious about it since sometimes the theme would have you dressing up either in a fancy way or even a silly way if they liked your year enough, but this year it was just however you wanted to dress. If you wanted to dress fancy, it was completely fine for you to, but if not then you didn’t have to and it was fine.

“Here, I can walk you home or to the stop if you want me to. Hongjoong can send me the rest of the song and we can send it to the professor and focus on our math final, then after that maybe we can practice more?”

“Well, I don't have a suit for graduation, but I also can't afford one but don't want to show up out of place with the rest of you. I know seonghwa, even if he tries to wear down he will still show up looking great.”

“Then how about we just go do that and then we can figure out the rest of things later? I still have the keys and card so we can just look around and pick what you like?”

“Sounds like a plan to me, I know exactly what I want to wear, I think.”

San smiled at you, holding your hand while he walked to the door, turning back to hongjoong just for a second, wanting to make sure he was doing the right to think and he could see the look on hongjoong's face. He had that knowing look some of the hair falling in front of his face with a smile showing how dark it was. He knew San would have questions later at the end of this, but he also knew that San had to wait before checking on anything so he trusted his captain to make sure things were to his liking, along with wooyoung and yeosang since they would hang around him the most and wanted to make sure things were looking good enough before the big day, san still had to plan out everything before the big day and that day was making him so nervous because anything could happen and it would only make things harder for you, not for him it would just make things more annoying because he already had to make a speech. You hated the mafia; he learned that and since he was about to run it, you would hate him but he will take it.

“Where do you want to go for this? A lot of places around here are having sales going on so it would be pretty hard,”

“There is only once store I trust and if it's gone I'm letting seonghwa out stage me.”

He couldn't help the laugh that came out as he helped you inside of the car, the shop you loved was still there, genderless clothes were always something you and seonghwa had in common, wanting to wear clothes and feel like yourself without the pressure of others looking or making things weird just by stares but what was going to stop the two of you? Maybe San could match with the two of you But it was all up to him for how that would go, you would not make him match with you, if not that was fine, you were there to have fun after everything, not out stage anyone as a last push comes to shove.

The drive there was filled with singing other songs you would play on the speaker, seeing if San knew these or if you could surprise him with songs he hasn't heard before, which was hard in itself since he enjoyed listening to a lot of music when no one was paying attention or questioning him. So finding songs he didn't know was pretty tricky sometimes, and he knew how to look clueless before revealing that he knew the song, where he heard it from and how often he plays it. Reading it out like he was reading of a spreadsheet of information and telling you things you needed to know before making it off as completed. But he also had to pay attention to the road so trying to see your reactions were hard to do, that was until he came to a nice parking spot in front of the large and busy mall. It wasn't as busy as it usually would be, since the sun was setting and people wanted to get things done before the deadline, but you had that already handled and was more than happy to do this with help from San, knowingly he also would not let you pay even if you came up with the money somehow.

Even when he walked inside with you, it was natural for him to hold your hand while walking around, window shopping at some places or even getting some snacks, if people didn't know you two, they would think this is a date given how the two of you were acting. The look san would give you whenever you talked or point out things you liked, it was enough to make him fall even more, you could see it in his eyes but also know he would be respectful, but you didn't know just how dangerous it was. If there was one thing he would've told you beforehand, it would've been that you should've stayed hidden and out of his sight. The small and innocent puppy turned into something not even you could fully tame without getting bit a couple times in order to learn the lesson. Clearly he needed to speed up his lessons if he wanted you to learn faster before the final push.

Yet throughout the entire day he allowed you to lead him, holding his hand unless you went to the bathroom, he seemingly never left you go even when looking at clothes to try on. Letting you conclude on your own what you wanted to get and not be influenced by his idea since the person who was going to wear it the most was you, it didn't matter what he thought or anyone else for that matter. If you liked it, that5 is all that matters to him during the end of the day. He was just happy to tag along and watch you be happy about your choice, if you had everything you wanted he paid for it without a second thought or hesitation, he mainly just wanted to make sure you had everything before checkout so no one had to run to get you something at the last minute, especially if there was a line behind the two of you.

“Is this everything you want, y/n?”

He watched you nod your head while he held the bags, if there was one thing his mother always love to see and bag about sometimes it was that he raised a gentleman despite the chaos he was in. Watching him grow to give everyone respect, till they cross the line and then he acts like his father, but he's able to balance them out, but with all of this being said. He was determine to help you carry things inside, even though at first you were hesitate since your father was still jumpy, since he wanted you to leave the country before anything else could happen. But you needed help, so he offered and you took it, he didn't park close since he didn't want to set off any red flags and there were no spots close to bark, but he still carried everything even up the stairs since the elevator was down, but you were on the third floor so the stairs weren't really an issue for him either.

He watched you open the door and allow him inside; the place seemed quite like no one was there, but he looked to the corner, well more like behind the door into the small living room, he saw the look on your parents' faces; the shock growing as San locked eyes with your father, but he mouthed the words Don't. Say. A word. With a sweet yet sickening smile as he greeted the two of them, bowing deeply while helping you set the bags in your small room. It wasn't the best, but it was still yours.

“Maybe after everything you guys can pick me up last? So that way it's more of a surprise on the way to the hotel or wherever the thing is being held at?”

“I don't see why not, I heard it was going to be more relaxed this year but I'm no longer on the student council so I sadly can't spoil anything for you like I used to.”

“Please, with how excited you'd used to get? I would've known way beforehand. But thank you again for the help, are you sure I didn't spend too much? You refused to let me look at the price tags.”

“If you did, you would've tried to downgrade everything and besides it was fun going to the mall with you like that. I missed your long talks about things you loved or things you wanted to yes, it's truly fine. I want you to enjoy the last year just like the rest of us, it's only fair, isn't?”

There it was again, that charming look that seemed to get everyone on their knees and feel a soft spot grow inside of them. His smile looking so genuine and full of care, it just made the days easier if not better in most ways.

“I will leave you to studying, please make sure you actually eat something. If you can call me before you go to bed, please do.”

“Alright you big dog, I will and please drive safe, I'll see you when the final comes.”

San gave you one last hug, smiling softly as he did so before leaving your room, slowly closing the door out of habit but you also didn't seem to mind it. Once it was closed, he looked at your shocked father, like his hands were shaking despite the friendly look on san's face as he got closer, wanting to make sure you didn't ease drop on the conversation before he left the place for the night. He didn't get too close, but close enough to where they would hear his every word and make sure it all stuck with to them like super glue.

“Now now don't look at me so frighten like that, I'm not gonna hurt a tiny little hair on y/n's little head, unless I have no choice that is. But you should also be careful, after the annoying celebration things are going to be different, you'll either be tossed out of state or moved to an entirely far and different part of it, and y/n will be the star he oh so worked so hard to get, but he's not leaving me again. If I knew he was your son, I would've been so much more generous with my offer, but sadly, you are known for being a snake and lying till you're like this, stuck in a corner with so much fear it's laughable. You should chose your net actions carefully, I'm always watching and listening. If I even so much as hear you get angry at hi, try to send him anywhere out of here again, suddenly, he's an orphan married under my name, understand?”:

[Play the song above, ]

If math wasn't stressful enough, singing like this was because you two had to stare at each other. Al dressed up in clothes besides the ones you would wear tonight, but in a way that matched the song you were singing. Each word had to carry something, and you had to make the timing just right when switching between each other or having to collide with each voice in a melody that seemed to carry around the large auditorium, the lights shinning brightly down on the two of you while making it nearly impossible to see anyone else in the dark area; the chairs being filled with people since you also had to stay and watch the other perform, but you two were the last ones and everyone to stay and wait to see this.

Heard he got you a penthouse on the west side, when we will he learn that you're afraid of heights? I heard he got you a new Benz, with the white wheels, when will he learn, that you like to tandem bike?

And I hate that….

I could love you with my eyes closed kiss you with a blindfold figure you out.

I might hold you with my hands tied show you I'm the right guy to figure you out, na-na-na, na na.

San started the first part, his eyes were giving the look that screamed her was there for you, as if he had watched you run away to chase something only to realize almost too late that he was right there, next to you and holding onto you, his words carrying through the hand held mic while he stared into your eyes like he was just one more push from risking it all in front of everyone but he had to stay there, and he had to stay still and let you sing the next part by yourself, it was too early for backup vocals.

I heard he got you some new friends with some big dreams, when will he learn, that you already got your own?

Oh, I heard he got you the front raw, at the rap, when will he learn? That you like the rolling stones?

And I've been thinking of all the little things that you've been missing…When will you learn?

I could love with my eyes closed kiss you with blind fold figure you out [Figure you out}

I might hold you with my hands tied show you I'm the right guy to figure you out, na-na-na na na

San tried to make sure your eyes never left his, as if he was using this song to confess feeling he never got the chance to do so till now. Watching you sing while you two held each other's hand when he acted as the backup vocals during some of your lines with the chorus. But then he did something you two didn't talk about doing, but he was going with what felt right. To add more emotions and meaning into each lyric that he could with no one there to stop him from doing so, but he had to make sure it was equal so both of you were heard.

I could treat you so much better I've known you forever, figured you out.

For some, what made this more emotional and powerful was the sight of seeing San nearly got on his knees while singing. He stumbled closer, like his legs had given out while the two of you were singing still, this was raw. Something that no one could truly ever recreate unless that felt the same emotions he was going though when singing and it was something he wanted to share with you, he didn't care if others enjoyed seeing him get this way, he just wanted to share a moment with you, even when the music was dying out and you two just stared at each other for a while. The grip on each other was strong, but you two still had a smile that was growing, bowing to the ground in a way to show the thanks you had for each other while the lights slowly came back on. It was like stepping back into the old world and having to come to terms with the fact that now you had to talk and wait for recruiters to reach out to you. Along with a quick bathroom run because those lights were making it hot, and San's stare wasn't exactly helping with that it seemed. The way he stared at you, like he wanted to lean in and do something he otherwise wouldn't do with all the eyes looking at them, looking at you.

He watched you walk to the bathroom, seeing you bow to the crowd before running backstage, while he walked behind you. He didn't go in the bathroom but he stayed close, making sure his heart wasn't racing nearly as much before pulling out his phone. He got a text from Wooyoung; it was his signal, the purple heart. This meant that no out-of-state contracts could go through, and the only ones here were ones you already heard about, and depending on which one you picked, San would have his men handle the mangers, the team and have his own men or women in the staff just to make sure he always had an eye on you. No matter where you went, unless it was the bathroom, he would not be that crazy now, though he thought about it often.

He was quick to tuck his phone away, not wanting you to be peaking since you had a habit of just peaking over this shoulder when he was on the phone for too long. But he also knew to keep his contacts in separate phones and hidden under things you couldn't get into. He had everything planned out from the start to the end, but he of course had to look clueless, watching you be confused why no one else reached out to you and why it nearly seemed impossible for you. Even your parents, who used to support your dream of getting out seemed to look nervous about it, meaning it was too late and the people they wanted you about had come and made sure they couldn't leave, meaning you couldn't leave because they were watching the entire family, and there was nothing you could do about it.

When you finally came out the bathroom, you looked more relax, looking at him with a confused look, why was he waiting for you by the bathroom? Did he want to join with you or was it something else?

“want to join me with talking to people? I thought KQ seemed to look pretty interesting.”

“Yes I did, and let's go see what they have to offer.”

By the end of the day it was settled. KQ was the one, they were small, and you wanted to grow with a company, to watch them grow and shine and not just be another person in the company trying to grow like nothing happened. Though for san, it just made things more easy since he Knew the owner, all it took was one gaze and he knew better, you had to be taken care of or everyone would be in trouble if not. He didn't need to threaten anyone, or nearly cause a scandal, since they were slowly growing that wouldn't be a good thing for them now would it? But now came the most excited for him the party. Everyone was rushing to get home and get ready, he had a driver take you home since you knew he would speed home just so he could make sure he had everything right with his own looks.

He promised he would come and pick you up last so everyone could enjoy the car ride together, and he stayed true to his word. But it wasn't for that reason either, even now that he was home. He had phone calls to make, places to check and to make sure even things with his own father were ready. Tonight after graduation, San would have to go to a building, where other mafia members would sit on the sides and watch him be accepted into his new role, and you would have to be there where Wooyoung would explain things with hongjoong besides him, something he really wanted to do and enjoyed doing regardless of what would happen to him if he were to mess up, which is why he was called a wildcard. Some thought mingi would be the wild card because his actions were truly out of pocket and he always surprised people, but wooyoung could do more and make it stick in your mind.

“Wooyoung, are you sure everything is ready? You enjoy messing people up too far in the head.”

“Now are you doubting me? Captain will be there to keep me in check from messing them up too far, and will walk them down to you, of course. Don't get too nervous you're about to be the head of everything mafia related and people can't see the weak spot already.”

Looking in his mirror, staring right at Wooyoung who was already wearing what he wanted to wear, but he had a smirk on his face the entire time. He was excited, this was a big day and moment for san, he proved his worth to everyone who tried to tear him down and even used their backs as stepping stools to get there without mercy and was about to sit on a chair he knew he earned, not just because he was brined into the family but he showed more interested in it, if he wanted to leave he truly could and no one could do a thing to him. Yet here he is, about to rule over things and make sure there was nowhere you could run without him being able to hear you, but of course he would tease you about things while making sure you could handle things, creating a mask for the outside but being deadly in the inside.

Wooyoung was right, San couldn't be doubting himself during a moment like this That would be dangerous for him and there was no time for things like that. He had to finish getting ready, making sure he liked his hair while fixing the outfit more. Wooyoung couldn't help but smile at the sight, here he was seeing his best friend step into something he had been preparing for the day you left, he would’ve searched for you either way, even if you did manage to leave the state he wouldn't have given up. But now you just made it easier for him in that sense, but of course he needed to be careful of how to keep you here and to be careful with letting you try to slip through cracks before getting stuck in them, but either way, you'd return to his home and there would be nothing you could do about it.

Watching San walk out of the room, Wooyoung smiled. Tonight was the night everything would fall back into place, after today he would be known as the right hand, worked his way up from nothing into something and he was proud of it. Though part of him hoped you won't put up much of a fight, his makeup bag could only hide so much.

Think. You had to think and remember how did you get in this situation. You were with San, the two of you were walking with the others to go and find a place to relax after food was being served, you had just gotten your diploma’s and were now free. You could start training under KQ with the others as a surprise and grow with the company/ You were about to sit with San, you looked over to him and saw a look you'd never seen before, he had a smile on his face but it wasn't bright, it was dark. And you heard wooyoung's laugh before everything went dark, it was hard to hear but now you were here. The room looked lavish, but there were no windows, the lights were on and there was only one gun on the far table. And one door that looked like it would open any moment now.

You were sitting on a chair, your hands and legs were tied tightly and you were stuck on the chair, slowly waking up and getting used to things once again, but something just felt off. There was a loud sound that broke through the silence and the voice sounded familiar.

“Good morning Mr. Choi, little nap refreshing for you? I didn't think that scent I gave San would make you pass out so quickly! Then again, eomma knows best what can I say?”

“…Wooyoung? Where are you! What are you talking about?”

“oh sweet, innocent y/n-innie. Did you really think San would've stayed the same innocent little boy you met back then? The same one who hated the mafia just like you do because of situations? Awe your Appa never told you why he lost everything, oh you poor poor boy.”

“Wooyoung this isn't funny! What are you talking about?!”

His laughter was ringing everywhere, the speakers he had in this room made it sound like he was everywhere yet he wasn't even near you. Yet he was watching you, and he was enjoying it all. Seeing how quick you were turning your head while trying to look calm about the situation, how your hands were balled into fist but not too tight since the robes weren't exactly loose enough for you to get out, and even if you did. Hongjoong was waiting right outside the door, ear piece in while he heard wooyoung’s little speech, he was enjoying himself truly, pressing a button that showed a screen in front of you with a recording. It was your Appa; he was sitting with san's father in a room where it was just the two of them sitting across each other from a wooden desk, Mr. Choi having a suitcase next to him while your Appa looked more uneasy, more scared even.

“You know Mr. [last name], I trusted you a lot given the last couple of years. Truly I have, even when you told me you were struggling. After all, family helps family, and you were like a brother to me, someone I'd help at the quickness of a text.”

“And trust me, Mr. Choi I respect every action I do.”

“You told me you wanted to raise a family, yet I see you using my money on trips? Mistresses and everything? Leaving your pregnant wife in our care like she wouldn't have told my wife everything while leaving her with nothing?”

He opened the briefcase, laying out pictures of him with different women, in resorts and showing off money like it was his own. His ring was off in each picture, proof of everything, and pictures of you. Growing up with your mother and even san when he was still too young to understand, with the last picture of the two of you in freshman year of college, cheeks being pressed together with the brightest smiles you two could've given. You looked happy, each picture had timestamps with where you were, text where your Appa told you where he would go, and actual proof of where he was and with who. The look on your Appa's face said it all, guilt.

“See now I have to cut you off, and my money is the only thing allowing your son to stay in school with san, let alone in the same neighborhood. And you lied to me, to your wife, to your own Son who looked up to you and his own mother. How could you do such a thing?”

“Mr. Choi- please- maybe Y/n can stay with you-”

“You want him to see San change into me? San is the only son I have, the heir to the entire mafia. He's been putting it off to spend more time with y/n. But now he needs to make a hard choice, So no. Your family will have to pay with the choices you've made. You won't be able to leave the state, neither will your son since I know my Son. He will grow obsessed, missing him so much he dives into the work head on and willing to take on anything. And when the day happens when he finds y/n, there will be nothing you can do. Nothing he can do either, because by then San will have learned everything, how to hide the want in his eyes, the dark intentions in his mind, he'll be able to hide it all so well until he sees them again, and takes what is his.”

“Sir- you can't do that. My son just wants to sing-”

“Don't worry, San won't keep him caged in the house, but caged in the state. Any dreams of y/n leaving and getting you two out, If your wife still wants you, if she did it would be Y/n can have some normalcy in his already crumbling life. But y/n will still be able to have access to everything he could ever dream of, expect leaving. Even if San became a singer with your little boy, y/n could go anywhere without him near, and if he goes, his other friends go and they will grow to be something not even I saw coming, with your son being the prize between it all.

The video cut off, wooyoung spinning in the chair while Hongjoong had quietly made his way inside of the room, both of them now seeing the shocked look on your face as everything came to a head. This was all planned, everything from the moment you came back to know, and the person who planned it all was the one person you trusted more and was more excited to see and watch him remember who you were. But you'd never imagined that sweet little boy now being the head of all of this, but what hurts more is knowing the reasons everything was lost, was because the money and fame got to peoples heads and now everything had fallen apart in front of them and there was nothing anyone could do, not even you.

Trying to stop the tears from flowing, you blinked and tried to move around, wanting to get out and probably throw something, hit someone or even slap Your father and maybe even san if you got the chance to do so. But wooyoung's voice cut through the room once again, and his voice was still cheery but firm, something he rarely ever did.

“Here is how things are going to play out for you y/n, you are going t be seen as someone who's untouchable, and those who even try it or think about it are going to be tortured in ways that will make you sick. But, we will train you since San can't bring himself to even lay a harmful hand on you, though he would do wonders in bed. I've heard his drunk confession one too many times. But like his father said, you won't be caged to the house with no human interactions unless it's us. You'll still be able to do things you wished to, but you can't leave the state without all 8 of us, and don't test me. I had to learn things and if I get permission, I could do things, not too bad but I can and I will. Tonight is the night where San sits on the throne after getting gifts from other mafia's, all of which we will take over since there are only 7 other major mafia’s and it worked since we all grew up together and make sure no one tries anything even those from out-of-state wanting to take over. And soon me and hongjoong will walk you down to him, and know this, trying to fight or cause a scene won't hep you. Unless you're yelling at your father and in that case by all means, yell at him. But we have places to go!”

Hearing the cuffs click, you looked behind you to see hongjoong takin them off before helping you up. His smile was gentle but his eyes were dark, everything was going too fast, soon you were out of the room with a skipping wooyoung on one side and a calm hongjoong on the other taking you to a pair of doors before they slowly opened. San's back was turned to you, he was walking to the chair after getting the welcoming speech done while his father pulled out the head chair for him to sit on, the moment he did that's when you saw his face. It had a dark look in his eyes, his smile was soft and gentle though, he looked more relaxed than he was hours ago while he watched you walk closer, the dazed look in your eyes while you got closer to him, watching him smile as he held you hand and softly kissed your knuckles, this was your life now. And there was nothing anyone could do about it even if they wanted to.

“you just can't ever keep quiet now can you? This small room can barely give me enough room to fuck you.”:

San huffed out, holding your hair in one hand, and keeping one of your legs up against the wall in another. It was after a long concert the 9 of you had; it was nothing new for you, after that day things felt wrong at first. But despite his dark nature san was still kind to you, he never pushed you to do things, unless it was training then he sadly had to, but other than that he stayed near and watched you slowly get used to your new life, but also trying to get things done with KQ. It took nearly 3 years for things to fall into a new normal, sometimes San would stay away just because he knew he was too angry and he refused to let you get caught in that, but today? He just had to fuck you. Even if he didn't make it to the hotel you were staying at. He took your hand after everyone was leaving and ran into a room, the moment the door had closed he kissed you.

Holding your neck in his hand while keeping you against the door, your legs wrapping around his waist while his free hand and undoing the belts. He was so needy, so pissed off and the reason? It rained and your shirt was sticking to your chest, your pants, and it didn't help that everyone was throwing water at each other earlier. It was something he just need to let out before he returned to the hotel and slept with you, though he had a feeling you'd be asleep given everything from performing to now. He had your face against the door, your hips against his while his hips never seemed to stop or slow down.

Each in was hitting things perfectly, the sound of the shirt chains hitting each other, your moans probably being heard from outside but he didn't care. He wanted to hear you, to see you drool while your legs were struggling to stay up and support you still but he never seemed to stop. HIs eyes looked dark, not the scary dark but the lustful dark, enjoying the pleads he heard, seeing you try to claw at the door since it was the only thing you seemed to be Abel to hold while his thrust never seemed to end and it was something he was enjoying too much and there was nothing anyone could do about it, and he enjoyed that. Looking down and seeing your ass jiggle was replaying in his mind non-stopped. Gods, he loved watching your body react to each touch he gave you.

His eyes darting from your ass to your face, seeing how you were trying to look back with high-pitched moans that made it hard for you to even say his name. But he also loved how quick you were losing your voice, knowing he and the others would have to come up with a reason you were having trouble talking and had to take a break but he could worry about that in the morning just like everyone else would have to.

“S-San!… The cars! Fuck come on I have to walk!”

“The cars wait on me remember Mr.Choi? Or do I need to remind you about that?”

“San- Ngh!”

The sound of skin slapping got louder, your moans shaking the room while and even leaking outside some. Jongho collecting 20s from everyone because he placed a bet that by the end of the night, San wouldn't wait to get to the room or even the car ride, he'd take you to a storage room and take you right then and there and there would be nothing anyone could do about it. He enjoyed the extra money, keeping it to himself while everyone had to wait for San to be done. Hopefully, the ride home would be silent.

“come on Mr. Choi, cum for me. Anywhere I can tell. Gods, you keep squeezing like you don't want this to end yet here you are telling me about cars, so needy you are.”

Each touch was like setting a fire, the way his hands moved up to squeeze your nipples just to hear the broken cry and seeing how you were shaking. He could see your eyes roll back as you released, but he had to keep his arms out to catch you, pressing you against the door as he kneeled down on the floor. He looked up at your dazed yet shocked expression, What was he about to do? He already made you see the stars once, there was no way you could do it twice with everyone waiting on you but he seemed to have different plans for the rest of the night.

San laid your legs on his large shoulders before taking your cock in his mouth, sure it wasn't too big or small, but it fit just right. This was something he never mind doing, sucking you off knowing you were sensitive and trying to stay quiet but there was on point. The way he would squeeze your inner thighs while hearing the way your breathes quickened while your hands were gripping his short black hair tightly. Your hips bucking despite how fast he was moving his head, moaning around you just to tease you. Feeling how you were shaking just by his mouth. His gagging sounds being covered over by the sounds of your whimpers, each hair tag gave off another moan, the way his long tongue swirled around the tip, pressing down on the silt just to watch you tremble, the scream you let out sounded so broken, like you were trying to reach a high note but you failing at it.

But he stayed still, tasting your own cum before slowly pulling away. He was careful since he had to get you dressed after cleaning you up yet again, but also getting you dressed and carrying you in arms. After making sure his outfit was fixed, he carried you out of the small room and went to join the others in the lobby, seeing them all turn to look at him carrying you, seonghwa looking the most shocked while Jongho just wanted to go to the hotel room to sleep, wanting to not even question what was happening here anymore.

“San we have got to talk about this-. He can't even stop his legs from shaking!’

“it's alright, I'll give him a bath when we get to the rooms, are the cars here?”

“…Are you fucking kidding me.”

[lizardsfromspace]

Okay this was left by @yourknightinshiningplastic on my megapolismancy post & I don't want to detract from a serious reply by tacking it onto a bit so

But yeah, you're right. It goes mostly unnoticed bc, well, small towns but small town cops are worse than city cops. In large part because they have so little to do, but need to justify their budget, but there's another factor too

Bc while it often feels like city governments are a police force with a government tacked on, in many small towns, this is literal, and the town is essentially run by cops who constantly fine and harass the citizens to prop up their budget. Like everyone knows about "speed trap" towns, where cops always lie in wait to catch passing speeders, but this is worse

There's an Alabama town with a population of a little over 1,000 that suddenly went from having a single cop to a whole department, who wanted to turn the town's community center into a jail, who spent lavishly on military vehicles in a town that had one robbery and no murders, and who would only let inmates go if they converted to Christianity. In this case many of the cops resigned & the force downscaled, but it's not alone. There's a town in Texas with 250 residents and 50 cops. There's a town in Mississippi where the white cops harassed black residents with impunity. The amazing part is, none of these are even the town I was Googling, there's just so many cases (most famously Ferguson, MO runs like this)

Basically it's the same militarization city police departments have undergone...but in an environment with no one to oppose them: no media scrutiny, no advocacy groups, and little government. In large swathes of America, the collapse of the government and the rise of fascism isn't a hypothetical, it's daily reality. They live in towns with relatively little crime but a vastly outsized police department that "finds" enough crime to keep up their massive budgets in fines; towns that either never had any benefits to their citizens, or are shuttering them to replace with policing (like that town that wanted to close the community center and make it a jail); towns that have no real services to their citizens, but have many ways to punish them, and where the city's police are both the only visible government workers & actively, openly hostile to their town, seeing them not as fellow citizens but in the same way an occupying force sees those they're sent to oppress. They're free to run the towns as their little dictatorships, out of eye of the public, unless their victims are lucky enough for a case to attract big-city media scrutiny; how many do we not know about?

None of this is new, towns have always run like this, but they weren't able to buy a tank before.

But the thing is, nothing actually happens in these towns. These people are as paranoid as city cops (not even in the top twenty most dangerous jobs in the US ftr), but in a place with no murders and very few violent crimes. It's paranoia that's wildly out of step with the Mayberry ass environs they're living in. Not to say that there isn't an inciting incident that caused all these towns to scale up into unchecked police states: it's just that the inciting incident is racist backlash to Black Lives Matter protests, and old school small town fears of the "city people" (read: minorities) coming into their towns to "wreck the place" (read: exist after sundown)

[jymwahuwu]

Sunday being head of the Oak Family. What if reader is the head of other Family who is trying to act as political opposition? Acting all tough, even hostile, trying to be a strong woman and a leader.

Sunday knows solution and she can be easily fixed!

Reader simply lacks a husband and couple of kids to care for so our benevolent angel Sunday will generously provide it for her, everyone deserves to have family, even bitchy arrogant women like reader.

Thank you thank you!! The content that humiliates arrogant reader is my favorite ><!! I think Sunday will not discipline you immediately, but try to give you a chance…

TW: yandere, non-con, brainwashing, mind control, housewife kink, inappropriate traditional concepts (language about serving husband and family)

Which family are you the leader of? Alfalfa who controls economy, Bloodhound who maintains security, Iris who develops culture and entertainment, or Nightingale who is responsible for construction?

Depending on which family you belong to, your experience may be a little different… If you are the leader of Alfalfa, then it is expected that you will use finances as your leverage against Sunday's leadership, such as refusing to pass some reimbursements. Of course, those are non-essential expenses… but they are quite troublesome, because those are the activities Mr. Sunday wants to organize. If you're a Bloodhound, you can expect to show him your fangs, taunt him, and quietly frame him. If you were Iris, you might make some promotional videos of your own and use some subtle ways to disparage Sunday, knowing that all negative press is banned in Penacony. If you are Nightingale, then you will find some excuse to pause the construct, especially those designs that Mr. Sunday likes.

But no matter which family you are the leader of, you do not hide your hostility and provocation towards Sunday. You were tired of the mask of hypocrisy on his face. He hindered you from becoming the leader and representative of The Family! You repeatedly framed him with conspiracy, sneered in his face, and pushed the atmosphere in the conference room to be tense. Some members have reminded you that there should never be conflicts or disputes among family members. Well, of course you don't want to argue with Mr. Sunday, so you reply perfunctorily. The teachings of Lord Xipe are in our hearts and we just communicate.

Sunday. You feel like he's actually the one adding fuel to the fire. He always stares at you with a kind of pity, condescension, and a perfect smile, as if you are making trouble unreasonably. "Praying for you," he said. "The anger and arrogance in your heart will only serve as thorns to stab you. It is important to learn to bow your head reverently and humbly."

You want to roll your eyes. Of course you believe in Xipe, but you don't want to be in the same family as Sunday. Feeling that there is some strange and terrifying grand truth behind that flawless mask, but you don't want to understand it at all. To live in harmony with such a guy? Maybe it could happen in a few hundred years.

Again. You used some conspiracy to destroy Sunday's reputation. This time… it almost worked, just a little bit. You are not discouraged. You tilt your head in mock innocence and prepare to leave his office. But this time…it seems different. He did not say those admonishing and decent words to you. The sunlight slanted onto the colored glass, and the halo behind it almost made his whole person soft and decent.

"You know, I never like to use strong tactics. Now I know where the problem lies." There was even a faint smile on Sunday's face. "You need to show some proper respect and deference, and you're just one family away from that."

"What are you talking about again?" You frowned, but you couldn't move when you wanted to say the next word. Panic grips your heart. A burst of cheerful and moving tones enter your mind, like a sequenced program. "Come to me." This sentence seems to be singing. You don't know if it's an auditory hallucination or what.

Your body obeyed uncontrollably, and slowly walked to him and knelt down. Get away from him!! Get down on your knees. You met his gaze pitifully and weakly, putting on an expression you didn't normally have. "I'm sorry," you heard yourself apologize. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Sunday. I've been so mean to you."

What are you doing?

"I will serve you with love... my husband." Your hands rested obediently on his knees, like a puppy. You already want to slap yourself. What nonsense are you talking about? "I realize that I am too bossy all the time. Please give me a chance to make it up to you..."

You carefully unzipped his pants and stroked and rubbed his warm cock with your hands. That- what is that- so awful- why is it so hard and long, the head of the cock is standing in front of your face, standing menacingly... A thin mist surrounds your tears. Then you lowered your head submissively and tried your best to take it all in, but it was already pressed against your throat before it was even halfway through. A feeling of nausea, but you still try to do the best you can for your husband.

(The muffled gurgling sounds, the saliva and tears.)

After your wet mouth felt sore, you finally had him gently pull your hair. You wanted to scream, curse him. This thought is like roaring in the wind, but you say. "Isn't this good enough? Please…" Before you could finish, those white thick creams covered your face. "Ah…"

"No. You're doing great. " Sunday caressed your face dotingly, even though your face was now shrouded in humiliation. "We're going to have two beautiful babies. I look forward to seeing you do this every day."

[halfway-house-in-hell]

vaggie valtiel redesign!!

(two alternate versions of her angelic weapon)

+ramblings under cut

-valtiel is a fallen angel who fell from heaven around the 1950s. she was heaven-born and enlisted in the angelic "army" (the one that mainly focuses in killing demons) and was an active member she failed to kill a demon she had been assigned, resulting in the death of an angel, and she was kicked out and stripped of her angelic status(including wings and also eye i guess) (i dont really have too specific of a reason why she was kicked out might change it later but all that matters is she was forcibly exiled to hell).

-she managed to sneak an angelic weapon with her to hell before she was exiled (maybw there was a trial which gave her time to prepare?? im still figuring this shit out)

-initially she was extremely distrustful of the demons, and lied about being a sinner sent to hell as she did not want to attract attention to herself (being a fallen angel in hell will guarantee you a reputation) but she began to open up when she met charlie.

-she is very closed off and a very stubborn person. after falling from heaven she took an oath to become a pacifist, something she will inevitably have to break.

-her loyalty lies first and foremost in the hotel. despite being rejected by heaven she still believes that it is a better fate and that charlie's plan is ultimately helpful

-charlie is the only person she can really open up to. they just click. when they met valtiel was hostile towards charlie, but her optimism made valtiel realise that demons weren't inherently evil and gave her hope for the future

-charlie does not know valtiel is a fallen angel

-valtiel does not plan to tell her

-charlie finds out anyways

-it starts with valtiels spear that she is forced to use to protect charlie (maybe its like,, demons often try and kidnap or harm charlie as they wish to threaten lucifer/lilith and she is an easy target)

-"hey where did you get that angelic weapon v"

-"dont worry abt it kitten"

-"ok❤️ yay❤️ wanna cover it over so it doesnt draw attention to you"

-i dont know exactly how charlie finds out valtiel is a fallen angel but i will have it soon

-if im pretending this is an animated show jtst like the real version then comedy would come from how edgy valtiel is all of the time deviantart oc ass girl (affectionate)

-her design went through the most changes since i drew it up originally she had white shorts and no red ribbons (i had to add the red from her canon design back in bc the purple was too much. v*vsiepop redesign improved by adding the red back in ..... truly shocking)

- i really hope this is all readable

[ctheathy]

Hello, I hope you have a nice day! , I would like to request a headcanons of yandere nine x reader being kidnapped by doctor eggman

Yandere Nine w/ Darling who got kidnapped by Robotnik

Nine x Reader

Yandere Headcanons

Short Concept

Author's note: You, my dear reader, are all out for the drama and I'm here for it~!

Nine/Reader [Romantic Tendencies]

[Gender-neutral Darling|Female Darling|Male Darling]

Potential ⚠️TWs⚠️ :

Possessiveness • Nine is so traumatized omfg- • Eventual PTSD • Age regression • Overprotective behaviour • Poor mental state • Paranoia • Emotional dependency • Trust Issues • Insomnia • Violence

Pfft. If Nine wasn't already considered severely unhinged before, he most certainly will be right now. Oh how much terror the fox would feel in the pits of his stomach, the horror in his eyes, the helplessness in his heart. He most certainly would have never allowed this to even remotely come forward if he were the one to be in your presence. But... he wasn't. The whole team would have felt this immense sense of hesitance and dread to even tell him about it, having noticed his attachment and emotional bond towards you... and when the words slip from Sonic's mouth, not ready to test the nine-tailed foxes’ impatience, he cracks. And not just any regular burst of anger, he has a complete mental breakdown.

Nine will be nothing less than a ball of angst and fright at this point, something which he desperately tried to cover up with an infuriated facade, despite his evident worries from your abduction. But none of that would matter in the end, because he'd behave completely berserk one way or another. He doesn't dare rest or waste time for that matter until he can hold you in his arms again. Likely as soon as they reach The Chaos Council to try and bring you back... Nine would not hold himself back, still taken over by his violent meltdown. Instead of trying to avoid the Council's eyes and enemies that are in the way, maintaining a low profile as he'd say, he releases all of that pent up malice.

Though he'd leave many of the his robotic opponents onto the grounds ...torn to scraps by the fierce abilities of his mechanical tails, Nine would be surprisingly merciful to any living mobian for the sake of getting answers on where you're being held hostage. Because remember; although venting out some of his frustrations during the fight was equal to his hostility towards those who just so happened to be in his way, this mission is not and never will be about assassinating every enemy he comes across for the sake of just hurting them. It's all just to release you from The Chaos Council's grasp, take you back to his workshop where you rightfully belong ...bring you back to him. An objective and promise he will never allow himself to forget ever again after seeing your frightened face and body.

Even after he does get you back to the team, and he will no matter the costs or sacrifices he has to offer. But although you're back home, safe.... His paranoia will continue to linger and remain at its highest. Though the wounds you obtained through your abduction will eventually heal, his trauma of your kidnapping won't for a very long time. The side affects seemingly starts off small through your perspective, and you probably wouldn't even know how much it deep down affected him. Especially as the amber fox just seems to want to stick closeby you, seeking for comforting reassurance and some guidance to get himself back on the right track, which you more than understand and accept with open arms.

But what if I told you that he just got much, ...much more insane and delusional than you may think after you got taken away like that. It was like a newborn kitten being taken away from its mother right after birth, one whom he'd desperately cry out to and crawl after. To Nine, it wasn't just the idea of losing that happiness of having somebody to care about, but this also re-activated his defense mechanism to his past trauma.

Kill or be killed.

Nine's whole mentality practically returns to that of his younger self, almost similar to an age regression... You'd probably also notice the changes in demeanor, how he's practically almost behaving like a juvenile again. Decisions are made more so out of instinct rather than rational, logical thoughts. Which, to you, is something completely foreign and out of character for Nine.

His overprotective impulses would kick in at full force and he'd be quicker to lash out, along with his pessimistic mentality and stress being multiplied in the process, which is something his already poor mental state is absolutely not emotionally capable of handling. Even with you just not being in his eyesight can leave Nine with severe anxiety. His emotions are quicker to flow over, resulting in either anger outbursts or crying... And he practically treats you as if you were actively dying from a disease, constantly thinking of and mentioning the “what ifs”.

There would be many restless nights where he wakes up in the middle of the night, teary-eyed after a dream vision or isn't even capable of drifting off into a slumber at all. The simple thought of you ending up hurt and scarred while he wasn't there to protect you keeps his nerves excessive and senses on constant high alert. Even just the consideration in itself can leave him in a condition of hysteria for the next half hour, unable to calm himself down. These sudden exchanges of panic making you realise just how inconsistent it is, as Nine was usually known as collected, self-assured... in control of the situation. Something you'd consider the other side of the coin of how he was operating at this very moment. A complete and sudden reverse swap in his very identity.

Making you pray... that this was a crutch you could hopefully help him grow out of

[andy-wm]

On a personal note...

This is a personal story, so feel free to scroll on past (if you're only here for the Jikookery I can respect that).

I'm posting this because it's connected to what Jimin and Jungkook (specifically Jimin) may or may not be doing with this album and their travel series "Are you sure", and by that I mean coming out publicly as queer and as lovers. If it sounds vague, it is, because I don't know what they're doing yet. I don't know how far Jimin is taking this or what direction he'll go. But if he is going to make his private life public, then my post is relevant even though my experience is a microscopic spec 0f what he will encounter.

I live in a conservative little town on the edge of a big city, we're almost the last stop on the metro train line. This place has 10 000 residents and a reputation for being a little on the rough side. It's not a bad place and the people are not bad people but they won't step aside if you pick a fight, lets put it that way.

There's one high school in our little town, and I am the school librarian. I also run the school's pride club and when I started it 5 years ago (that's when I joined this school) it kicked up a bit of a stink. The community had mixed feelings. I wasn't out as trans at that point, only as queer. The school principal supported the club but wanted me to keep it quiet (I didn't). She wanted me to be appeasing (I wasn't). And when we had challenges from homophobic students, she wanted me to 'let her handle it' ( I didn't).

I responded to bigotry with patience and kindness, modelling the behaviour I expected and having many many conversations about prejudice, the patriarchy, learned behaviour, fear of the unknown, and minding your own damn business....

When I came out as trans to the school community - changing my name and pronouns - I faced some real push back from both staff and students. Students were less openly hostile but sometimes the subtle attempts at bullying are worse. My line manager was really difficult about it. I was a hot topic of conversation. It wasn't a good time. But I stuck with it, partly because I couldn't go back and partly because the Pride Club students were so empowered by what I was doing. They thought I was really brave. I couldn't let them down.

It was a tough time for me personally. Every day was a struggle as I navigated my wavering sense of identity and tried to be true to myself. Most of my family and friends were okay with it but some were not. Some flipped back and forth, some thought I had lost my mind. I had to let a few people go from my life, including one of my closest friends. I've lost a few more since then. I've cried more in the past few years than I have in my whole life and I am pretty tough, so you gotta know - it was a lot.

Fast forward to now. The pride club is well established, homophobia still exists but it's less overt and it's no longer ignored, and we have staff who are active allies. It's definitely a success. Our students to have a safe place where they can be themselves, and slow change is coming to the culture of the school.

It has come at a personal cost though. Not a HUGE personal cost but enough for it to matter. I am recognised and known around town because, well, most people in small communities know each other. But more so because of my role in the school, and because I am the only out and vocal queer person on school staff (yes, there are other LGBTQIA+ staff but they keep it quiet, and I don't really blame them).

At school i still have to correct people on my pronouns on a daily basis, and occasionally a student will throw a comment my way but it's not often these days. I have to come out to all the new staff pretty much as soon as I first meet them otherwise it's awkward. It's just an everyday thing. It's not a big deal but it's tiring, and it's something cis/straight people don't ever have to think about.

What is tough, though, is sniping from the community at large every now and again. I have been targeted on community socials and I've had had some pretty brusque service from local shop owners and service personnel in local businesses. Sometimes I see kids from school at the shops and they point me out to their parents. I pretend it's because they're happy to see me (what the fuck else am I going to do - hide in the apple crate?) They may say a friendly hello... or they may following me through the aisles of the supermarket trying to menace me - yes, that has happened - I just have to wait and see.

I do have allies in the community too - like the gorgeous pharmacist who always gets my name and pronouns right and compliments me (on whatever he can think of) every time I collect my meds. There's a stern woman in the hardware store who makes a point of loudly correcting herself when she uses the wrong pronouns (often). I appreciate this, I really do, but honestly it would be great if she could be a little quieter.

I am not a celebrity by any means, just a small town school librarian. But wherever I go in my small town - to the doctor, the supermarket, the park, or the gym - there's a chance I'll encounter someone who knows my face. Sometimes that makes me nervous.

The point of this long and boring post is to give people who may not know what it's like, a bit of insight into the experience of a regular, everyday person who lives in a conservative place and who is both recognisable and queer. It can be exhausting, and from time to time I struggle with mental health issues. So I have no doubt that for people who are really well known, it would be much, much worse. They would be the subject of public debate on news sites and TV. They'd be tossed into arguments by politicians on both sides of the divide. They'd encounter hostility in person too, and that's really frightening.

So please remember that if the celebs you admire choose NOT to come out, it's because they've weighed up their choices and that's the safest option for them. Support them where they're at, so they can live their best life under the circumstances.

If they do come out, they'll probably need even more support. Please love them, defend them, celebrate them, and validate them. They need you more than you know.

And above all else, be a good human.

PS, no need to comment here, this is purely a PSA <3

[evanpeterswhoresblog]

Office Secrets

Luke Cooper x f!reader

TW: smut, p in v, unprotected, fingering… lmk if there’s anything else lol

Word count: 1526

Friendly note, I wrote this all in one day so it’s probably not the best but I’ve been so obsessed w Evan lately I just needed to write lol Enjoy!!!

~~~

“So, who wants to bet the two newbies are doing it?” Meredith says as she puts coins into one of the vending machines.

“They so are,” Kevin says. “Have you seen the way they look at each other it’s like- Pam and Jim.”

“Hey!”

Angela shakes her head. “You people are disgusting… but I wouldn’t doubt it. I’ve seen them flirting on multiple occasions.”

“This is all circumstantial, it doesn’t mean they’re sleeping together,” Oscar argues.

“I would bet they are,” Phillas says with a laugh. “I mean I remember how fun it was being all secret with Bob, it’s so thrilling.”

Pam glances at you in the annex, Luke’s leaning back on your desk, smiling as you two talk. She looks back to the group and shrugs. “It’s possible they are.”

~~~

“Hey y/n, do you think you could make some copies for me?” Pam asks as you’re walking by.

“Yeah of course, double or single sided?” You reply with a smile.

“Double please.” She hands you the original.

You walk to the copier, but as you’re about to open it, Luke slips in front of you.

“Luke I was about to make copies,” you say, annoyed.

“So do I, you aren’t the only person in the office who needs to get stuff done,” he laughs.

“Since when have you ever had things to get done? You’re the laziest person here.”

“That’s hostile,” he replies, turning around to give you a smirk. “I might have to report you to HR.”

“Just please hurry up,” you mumble.

“Anything for you babe.” He winks.

You turn to the camera and stare, almost at your limit with this boy.

~~~

“I just don’t understand men sometimes it’s like, he’s so different when we’re alone yet in public he wants to be the biggest ass ever,” you rant to the camera, you’re in the hallway near the elevator where no one will hear you. “Sometimes I just want to knee him in the balls and get on with my day.”

“If he’s so annoying why do you sleep with him?”

You frown. “He’s really good at that stuff, most assholes are honestly.”

~~~

You’re at the vending machine getting a snack when you feel arms snake around your waist. You quickly turn around and push him away.

“Luke stop it we can’t be doing this here,” you whisper.

He looks out the windows then back at you. “Nobody’s around, come on just one kiss. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since last night baby.”

You and Luke were hired about three weeks ago now, both just interns to help out with the little things around the office. At first you thought Luke was an idiot slack off, but after a week of him constantly flirting with you, you decided he wasn’t that bad of a guy and of course he’s gorgeous. And, after one night where he gave you a ride home this simple work crush turned into casual sex.

You made Luke promise to keep it a secret, you didn’t want anyone at the office to think your personal life would interfere with you doing your job. So, far you don’t think anyone has figured it out, and your glad.

“Don’t talk like that here,” you say, giving him a slight glare. “We made a deal.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“I’m serious Luke, imagine if Michael found out. He’d make it a whole thing.”

“It probably already is a thing, Jim and Pams was.”

You scoff at him. “Okay, that doesn’t mean this has to be.”

“Whatever,” he says as he begins to walk away. “See you later.”

You give an annoyed look to the camera and shake your head before returning to your previous activity.

~~~

“Listen, y/n is a good girl I guess, I just wish she’d stop acting like the office finding out about our thing is the worst possibility imaginable,” Luke tells the crew outside the break room.

“What do you think would happen if they found out?”

“I don’t know, they’d give us weird looks. It doesn’t really matter it’s not like me and her are gonna be working here forever. At least I know I’m not, not sure what her life plans are.”

~~~

You stare at the clock and sigh, still a whole nother hour left at the office. This whole day has been terrible, mostly due to Luke. You don’t understand why he’s acting so annoying today. Usually he’s decent toward you, probably because of what he wants from you the second work ends. You turn back to your desk and start to organize papers, deciding Luke isn’t important.

A few have passed when Luke appears beside you. He leans back on your desk, one of his hands gripping the edge. You try to ignore him, keeping your attention on the stack of paper you’ve been messing with. Luke doesn’t let you ignore him forever though.

“Can you come with me somewhere where we can speak privately… away from the cameras.”

You look up at him. Is this it? Is he really going to break it off at work? You can’t believe it. You want to give him a piece of your mind, so you slightly nod and get up, following him out of the annex and down the hall to one of the stock rooms. You’re ready to start giving it to him but before you can he smashes his lips on yours.

At first, you’re caught off guard, he’s never kissed you at work before. You don’t hesitate to kiss him back however. He backs you up till the back of your legs hit a spare desk. You let him guide you onto it, your kiss turning into something more.

He bites down on your lip, his hands roaming up and down the sides of your body. You have to admit, you’d been craving this too. Even though you saw each other last night. Luke was the best you’d ever had, how were you supposed to not want him again? Even though he’s been annoying you all day you can’t help but melt into the palm of his hand, he’s just so damn attractive.

“Luke, we can’t do this at work,” you whisper, the sensible part of you taking over.

“Nobody will know, come on baby, I’ve been thinking of you all day. I need you,” he replies.

Your stomach fills with butterflies at his words. He knows exactly how to persuade you. You fall back on the desk as he kisses down your neck, Your legs wrap around his waist, he makes you feel so good. He brings his lips back up to yours as one of his hands starts to slip up your skirt and under your panties.

He starts to rub small circles on your clit; you to moan into his mouth. He smirks against your mouth. You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him closer, you love the feeling of his body against yours. It’s the best you’ve ever felt.

“You’re already so wet baby,” he mumbles on your lips.

“Luke,” you moan.

“Do you want it baby?”

You nod, moving one of your hands down to rub the bulge in his pants. He grins at you and removes his fingers, beginning to undo his belt and fly. In seconds you feel his tip brushing against your entrance. He leans back over you as he begins to slowly thrust inside of you. You bite down on your lip and close your eyes, the familiar feeling of him filling you taking over.

You throw your head back as he starts fucking you. The sound of the desk hitting the wall doesn’t even register in your head. You’re too engulfed in how good Luke’s dick feels inside you, hitting that special spot that makes your legs shake. His head rests in the crook of your neck, he’s moaning and whispering all the dirty things he wants to do to you. It’s all too good to be true.

Eventually though, you feel that tightening in your stomach, your orgasm approching. Luke must realize this because he doesn’t stop his violent thrusts for even a second. You hold on to him tightly, biting down on his clothed shoulder as you finally cum. He finishes with you, pushing himself so far inside you he’s hitting your cervix.

He lays on you for a few seconds before pulling himself up enough to look down at you. His chest is still heaving as he speaks in a soft voice, “I really like you y/n.”

“I really like you too Luke,” you say with a weak smile.

Both of you get yourselves decent fast, you’ve been away for at least fifteen minutes by now. You give Luke one last kiss before exiting the small room alone, he promised to wait a minute or too before following.

As you sit at your desk and resume your previous activities, Luke walks by you, sending a quick wink before disappearing into the main office. You give a small stare into one of the cameras, your face turning bright red. This was only the beginning.

[ac1dmeow]

hellooo, could i maybe request a jinx x firelight!reader? (doesn’t matter if it’s smut or not, it’s up to you!!!!)

ofc pookie😘

notes: bullet point format, one mention of sex at the end

jinx x female firelight!reader ᥫ᭡

for jinx to end up with a firelight, the two would've had to face a lot of tension and rivalry in the beginning. for obvious reasons of course.

i'd say it likely began during a firelight ambush: jinx had one of y/n's friends cornered, ready to make the final blow before y/n came in clunch and jumped her.

she was mad too. y/n wasn't gonna let that slide😤. jinx was someone that both angered and annoyed her in general. so of course that means the two of them went ham on each other. (👀)

when jinx noticed just how ferocious of a fighter y/n was and how hard it was gonna be to make her let up, not to mention the lowkey belittling things she said, she hence forth declared the girl as a main target for next time. and any time, really.

next time was the same. and each time the tension was palpable; the moment their eyes locked on each other, it was game on.

but after a while the two of them started keeping an eye out for each other without any actual provocation; when neither of them were around. jinx especially, she was spiteful that she couldn't get this girl to be scared of her and lay off.

however a part of her enjoyed the challenge and having someone to mess with. plus she's pretty good looking- wait whaat who said that?!😳

as for y/n, she started to talk shit about jinx with ekko and her friends more often. which made them irritated but also suspicious.. like they know how annoying jinx is but damn girl you dont needa bring her up all the time.🤨

and then an encounter happened: a moment where the two of them were alone. in an alleyway, because y/n couldn't bring too much attention to herself considering her gang.

lots of teasing and picking on from jinx's side. pining against the wall and not so discreetly lip checking.

y/n fought off the way her heart picked up and her body buzzed in a frenzy. why was her body reacting that way? why was she all of a sudden giddy to see her? she should've hated jinx. hated what she stood for, hated her for the inhuman things she had done.

but soon, their interactions got increasingly less hostile and mean. jinx actively seeked y/n out, y/n sneaked out to meet her. she couldn't be caught by ekko going to spend time with their enemy!

"enemy." right..... well that title flew out of the window when they finally had their first kiss after running away from a brut of a man that jinx provoked.

she couldn't stop staring at y/n's smile as she bent over in laughter. she made them laugh like that. she was able to give them a good time worth spending. jinx never felt useful like that before.

and when their eyes locked, the breath left from her lungs. next thing she knew, their lips were pressed hard against one another.

y/n felt terribly conflicted. she knew deep down before admitting it to herself that she had romantic feelings for the crazy blue haired girl. and that was what troubled her: jinx was crazy, insane.

but during their time together, they really got to know each other, even in weird ways. and y/n knew jinx had a soft tender side of her that was attentive and loyal. protective as well..

if she was being honest with herself, she couldn't bring herself to care much. neither could jinx after her momentary freak out before y/n pulled her back in.

from then on, they are girlfriend and girlfriend! 😝

there is still a lot of sneaking, y/n doesn't dare mention it to anyone.

during ambushes, jinx and y/n may "play fight" so no one noticed a shift in their behavior, and argue about putting a cut or a bruise just to be all the more convincing.

jinx can't pull herself off of y/n and she feels horrible about any mark that she inflicts upon her, cleaning her up and apologizing profusely. y/n melts every time.

jinx loves sneaking around, she feeds off the adrenaline of risking themselves getting caught.

y/n feels like she's living two different lives. regardless of whether it guess stressful at times, she still wouldn't want it any other way.

jinx has to come up with a lie whenever silco asks her what has her smiling so big to herself.

they spend most of their time in quainter areas of the city or jinx's weird hideout. both of them are very sneaky, only rarely do they come close to getting caught.

only twice have they almost been seen by silco: jinx had just sat y/n on her workbench and slid her hand down her panties when the loud reverberating noise of the door sounded through the room. y/n never fled so fast.

for the time being they are content. hopefully in the future the two can be together without the worries of being caught by both opposing sides. but lets focus on the present for now, shall we!?

sorry this lowkey kinda bad lol i started to rush near the end. my bad pookie 😔

[trulyradicalactivist]

My name is Act. I use She/They/It/Neo pronouns. I have been a radqueer since the original coming, and a part of the pro-para and proship communities before that. This is not a usual pinned post. This is a letter to my community. This blog is designed to support, uplift, and announce all forms of activism for our community and encourage each one of you to begin the revolution. For our identities, for our pride, and for our loved ones.

My call to action is under the cut. I ask you to take the time to read it. Thank you.

For too long, we’ve lived in the shadows of a world that dismisses, marginalizes, and oppresses us. Many wouldn't say oppression. Many downplay what we go through, saying that we’re just trolls taking up minimal space in the digital era. But we have been oppressed. In our own spaces, we’ve had civil wars, fighting over one thing or another, specifically designed to divide us! In spaces beyond our community, we’ve faced not only hostility, but outright discrimination. Told to kill ourselves by cowards who hide behind anonymity, many people who simply desired to be themselves, driven to suicide. Are you not angry? Are you not driven to the brink by what these people have done to us, justified by hatred and misinformation? I'm angry!

We’ve carried the weight of a world that refuses to see us for who we are, and we’ve endured the pain of invisibility and injustice. I refuse to accept that the identities in this community will endure that pain any longer. No more.

This is a call to every single one of you. Whether you’ve been part of this community for years or you’re just now finding your voice, know this: you are not alone. Our strength lies in our connection, our shared experiences, and our collective will to change the minds of people who hate us, to educate, to bring a new era of peace where radqueer is the norm. Everyone thinks the future is radqueer, and I agree, but to make it that way, it takes a community willing to change the present.

We need community and we need action. Not later, not tomorrow, not yesterday, the time hasn't passed and it isn't coming towards us. The time is now.

In the digital age, our voices can and do echo across the world. Activism is not just a tool; it’s a lifeline. It’s where we educate, organize, and amplify. Share your stories, challenge injustice, and build networks of solidarity. Every post, every comment, every shared resource matters. Together, we can flood people’s minds with truth and resistance. We can make a new tomorrow.

But I also recognize the power of individual action, even in isolation. Real life protest does not always mean marching in the streets; it can mean standing firm in your truth, no matter where you are. Writing “radqueer is the future” on a desk, on a bathroom wall. Scattering posters, flyers, stickers in the streets, putting them on benches in parks or sticking them into lamp posts.

Resistance is not a singular act—it’s a lifestyle. It’s choosing, every day, to reject the narratives that tell us we’re less than. It’s refusing to be silent in the face of oppression. It’s demanding change, even when the odds seem insurmountable, and believe me, they certainly seem impossible, but I promise you. They aren't. We have done this before, we will do it again, and again, and again, until we need not fight anymore.

Let’s not forget why we fight. We fight for the right to exist as we are. We fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. We fight for future generations, so they won’t have to endure what we have. And most importantly, we fight because we believe in a world where justice and equality are not ideals but realities.

So, here’s what I ask of you. A few actions, if nothing else.

Be loud. Use your platform, no matter how small, to speak out. Share resources or even create them, talk about your stories, and call others to action. Scream from the rooftops who you are, what you live for, what you fight for.

Be relentless. Don’t let apathy or exhaustion silence you. Take breaks when you need them, but never lose sight of the goal. I know. I know people who hate us break you down, try to make you tired, ruin your mental health. Take breaks. Always take that time for yourself. But a fight waits for nobody, so feel in your heart, even while you aren't fighting, we are. We’re fighting for you.

Be united. This community has shown itself to be a magnet for division, but do you expect to fight while shooting at those fighting with you? Differences in belief aside, differences in opinion on the future, what should be, what shouldn't be, who shouldn't and who should, put them away. We can come back to discuss those when the future isn't against us, when the enemy has laid to rest and we have made a life with them, where they do not want us dead or wish harm upon us. But for now, they do. Together, we are stronger than any force that seeks to divide us, so put away your issues with the person beside you and find that two make a better fight than one ever could.

Be bold. Challenge the status quo, whether it’s online, in your workplace, or in your personal relationships. Change starts with discomfort, and progress begins when we confront what’s wrong. A picrew says radqueer’s aren't allowed to use it? Use it. Make it your profile picture. Do it with flags. Identities. Terms. Pictures. Anything that says you, because of your identity and your beliefs, aren't allowed to use it. Anything that wants to oppress you. Do not accept it.

This is our moment. This is our fight. And we will not stop until the world hears us, sees us, and respects us. I will fight. I will fight for you, for this community, for all of us with identities we cannot share for fear of our income, our lives, our safety.

Justice is what I fight for. What do you fight for? Your family, your friends, the people you love? The right and ability to be yourself? To express yourself the way you desire to? To have the right to change your race, age, gender, species, anything at all, in the court of law? Do you fight for anarchy, for revolution, to tear down the status quo? Then fight.

The revolution begins with us—and it begins now.

[k0yaz]

For the request can I please have yandere Topaz x fem reader pet play NSFW one shot? Basically, she trains her darling to be obedient to her.

it wasn’t supposed to end up like this.

Pairings: topaz x fem!reader

CW: nsfw, afab reader, sub reader, dom topaz, yandere themes, not romantic/meant to be romanticized, themes including manipulation and fear, somewhat dark, collaring, pet play, mind break, psychological torture, dubcon (I think?), topaz is ooc bc she would never 💔, use of her real name, fingering, marking, grinding, slight praise (pretty girl), crying, slight sadism, not proofread.

A/N: glad that u read my rules regarding yandere, but for those who didn’t or are seeing this post for the first time THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE ROMANTIC, IT IS MEANT TO SHOWCASE MIND BREAK AND MANIPULATION.

Faint ticking of the clock repeatedly rang within your eardrums as you aimlessly stared at the polished ceiling above you. How long had it been? Weeks? Months? You couldn’t tell at this point. Topaz had you under her thumb for long enough to where time didn’t matter anymore. You squinted your eyes slightly, losing your sanity to the never ending ticking, along with the way you were practically confined to the couch. Hoarse exhales resounded in the room with each uneven breath you let out, the tight collar encircling your throat making it harder to breathe.

It wasn’t supposed to end up like this.

At the time, she just seemed cordial and harmless even. A stark contrast to what the IPC consisted of, not to mention its rather destructive activities. Getting to know her at the time was something you looked forward to frequently, and you often tended to enjoy Topaz’s company. Not to mention you found Numby adorable too. She would often send you gifts—tokens of her appreciation toward you with such a warm smile, that you’d hardly ever question why she went so far as to spend so much just for you. And only you.

Everything was fine. Everything was fine until she uttered that wretched confession. At that moment, it seemed like a harmless “I love you”, smoothly rolling off of Topaz’s tongue as she averted eye contact from you, hoping you would reciprocate her dreadful obsession. What was a polite declination, informing her that her love was unrequited, evolved into a hostile string of screams and frustrated sobs which you can’t even recall anymore.

That encounter didn’t take long to get physical. And before you knew it, your vision was all blurry with a tight collar clamped around your neck, and wrists pushed against the mattress, confined with rugged, prickly rope restricting your movement. Her twisted fascination and so called ‘love’ for you only resulted in her keeping you like a prized possession, just awaiting the day you’d finally feel the same way.

Every day, you would just sit like a helpless animal succumbing to your despair, eyes locked at various random corners of her house and losing yourself in thought. The only other actions beside that were eating and sleeping, occasionally even uttering a word or two to Topaz when you had to. You didn’t exactly have much of a choice for that last part. Topaz had kept you shackled long enough to see your eyes darken to a now soulless shell of a person, incapable of thinking for yourself or doing anything besides basic needs or following orders. She never harmed you however. She could never do such a thing to her sweetheart. Rather, she let you be—letting you realize that you wouldn’t be leaving her anytime soon. She wouldn’t allow it.

Gradually, you began speaking to her more. You clearly didn’t find any joy in it, or maybe you did. Maybe it was just you going so mad to the point where you needed company of some sorts. Weakly inching towards her while she was working or taking care of business while seated next to you, attempting to sit up with what little strength you had in order to hold a conversation with her. In response, Topaz would immediately cut off what she was doing to come speak with you, delighted that her beloved finally started to warm up to her. Every word you muttered during the conversation was fatigued and hoarse, yet atleast you were finally talking to her once more.

A sudden tap on your thigh pulled you out of your dazed state, making you slightly push up your chin to look at your ‘girlfriend’ glancing down at you.

“(Name), you love me..and only me, right?” Topaz began, a reticent and barely visible smile tugging at the corners of her lips. You forced out a pathetic “mhm”, taking a small gasp of air as you had already strained your voice too much from that simple noise. She closed her eyes, breathing out sigh which you couldn’t tell the emotion behind. Perhaps it was disappointment? Relief? Knowing her it could be damn near anything. Suddenly, you couldn’t help but notice her fists balled up behind her back, seemingly grasping a lengthy bundle of dark red rope bunched up in her hands and hidden behind her back.

Revealing the rope cloaked behind her back, Topaz suddenly urged you to sit up, loosening her grip slightly and letting the rope pool down for her to thread her fingers through in an untangling motion. You felt an uncomfortable lump in your throat seeing Topaz scramble around for the burnished metal hook located at the end of the rope, a satisfactory, yet frightening grin crossing her expression as she snaked her free hand around the back of your neck. Her touch felt so soft..so right—like silk brushing along your nape with a grip so gentle. Her seemingly innocent touch nearly made you relax and lean your head back against her hand, almost making you forget the malicious intentions behind her so called loving contact.

A loud click echoed along the room as the prong clamped down and locked against the opening hole, sealing the leash against your throat. A weary gasp fell from your lips upon feeling Topaz immediately tug on the leash, burning the skin of your throat slightly as she grasped onto the rope controlling you like a puppet along with that god awful leather circling your neck. You were silenced by her thumb abruptly pushing against your bottom lip, pressing down on the feverish and worn skin as her index finger slipped below your chin.

“Ah. You’re still not listening to me…not completely atleast.” She muttered, her azure eyes piercing into your gaze as if she was staring directly at your soul. Gnawing on her bottom lip, she thought to herself for a moment, eyeing you up and down as your chest rose and fall with each staggering breath. Silence crowded the clearing for a solid moment, allowing you to briefly snap back your sanity for a moment and feel an uncomfortable pit in your stomach as the gravity of the situation dawned on you.

Topaz clicks her tongue and tuts, still reeling back the end of the leash fastened onto your neck. “Not good enough. Just not good enough.” She grumbled in slight frustration, her grasp becoming tighter as her knuckles grew more pale from her agitated state. Fear fogged your mind upon seeing her so…mad. It was just like that one time. Of course, you knew that she’d never directly harm you physically…yet that gnawing feeling in the back of your mind always told you otherwise.

You stumbled forward at the sudden tug on the leash once more, finding yourself face to face with Topaz, your noses brushing against each other as her hot breath fanned against your cheek. “To…paz..” you drawled out pitifully, suddenly being shushed by her touching foreheads with you and muffling you with her palm as she covered your mouth.

“Jelena.” She corrected with a low, breathy voice. Her intimidating gaze only felt like a spear was twisting in your stomach, adding to your growing apprehension. Nodding in response, you began to cautiously comply with each word strung out of her venomous lips. She bowed her head down to meet your flushed throat, placing a trail of attempted soft kisses above your collar. “Promise you’ll listen now?”

You cleared your throat, looking up at her with dreary eyes as you exhaled deeply. “I’ll listen…Jelena.” You muttered, avoiding eye contact with her. She immediately grasped your chin, fingers digging into your cheeks as she insistently turned your head to face her with a twisted, yet elated smile adorning her lips. “Good.”

Reclining on the couch, Jelena now gave a more gentle tug to your collar, beckoning you to ease yourself before her. Of course, you weren’t one to refuse—you obediently relaxed your shoulders, seating yourself between her thighs with an anxious and fearful pit in your stomach.

The moment Jelena began to slowly strip your clothing down, sliding your shirt off of your shoulder and running down your arm as the fabric glided along your skin, you couldn’t help but feel a sort of..excitement. Were you so mentally far gone that the woman who kidnapped you was arousing such an exhilarating feeling within you? It didn’t matter anymore. No matter how much you believed that you wouldn’t listen to her, your mental efforts were futile. Jelena broke your mind to the point where you knew that you were made to obey her.

Heavy breaths slipped past your lips as your clothing was completely discarded in a pile at the foot of the couch, skin flushed as Jelena’s traversing kisses tainted your bare body. Bites and marks littered your rose tinted skin as you whimpered in her grasp, feeling her hand sink between your plush thighs to brush her middle finger along your slit while still kissing your body.

Quiet moans were lodged out of your throat as your head fell back against Jelena’s shoulder, eyes squeezed shut and brows knitted. You couldn’t help it. Part of your mind was telling you not to succumb to her antics, yet your mind blanked the moment you felt her middle and ring finger part your walls as she pushed them in, ridges of her fingers dragging along your cunt clenching around her digits.

Pathetic whimpers fell from your lips every time her fingers curled inside you, each thrust jerking a new noise out of you each time as you clawed at her thighs on either side of your waist. Jelena only smiled against the side of your neck upon feeling your pussy throb around her drenched fingers, letting out a satisfied hum as her free hand brushed against the front of your throat.

Slipping a finger into the blistering leather, she gave a gentle pull as she angled her hand upward, moans falling from her own lips as she ground her clothed clit against you from behind. She relished in your soft whines and hiccups whenever her palm roughly massaged your clit, finding herself overjoyed by your obedience and willingness to do this with her. Waves of pleasure swept over your body at her slick coated fingers scissoring themselves inside you, stretching your cunt out impossibly wide as tears rimmed the corner of your eyes.

Jelena leaned over to whisper in your ear, soft lips brushing the shell of your ear as you craned your neck to meet her gaze. “You’re such a pretty girl, (Name).” She slurred, still gasping out from her own stimulation as the couch grew damp from both of your fluids moistening the couch. Your grip on her thighs tightened, digging your nails into her plush skin, hips bucking up in quickened motions as your climax built up closer and closer. Jelena’s brows furrowed at the sting from your nails dragging along her thighs, but she wasn’t mad. Who could blame you? Especially when your response to her touch was everything she yearned for. She gave a quick pull to the collar to ground herself, breath ragged as her sweaty skin stuck to your own sweaty, bare back.

A choked hiccup was drawn out of you at the tug on the collar you hated so much, hips grinding down onto her buried fingers in your cunt and your expression practically pleading her to not do that again. Neither of you had spoken much, barely even during this moment. Jelena didn’t want to mess up anything with useless words when her actions could show you how much she loved you. After all, words led to you rejecting her in the first place and driving her to such drastic measures.

Shallow breaths circled the room from the two of you as you rode out your orgasm, the collar making your throat all the more uncomfortable and scratchy when you moaned loudly at your climax. Your own soft pants were audible in your ears as your head hung low, trying to recover from your intense orgasm. You curled up against Jelena, breathing slowly evening itself out as the collar made it near impossible to say anything, and only allowing you to nuzzle your face against her white hair to seek comfort.

Jelena rubbed your cheek reassuringly, heart melting at the sight of you all ruined with tear cracks decorating your cheeks and relying on her as if she was your lifeline. Your eyes shot open at the sound of a click, along with the sudden cool air caressing your reddened throat, your breathing becoming suddenly relaxed and more comfortable as she gave you a soft kiss on the forehead.

“You’re finally obedient to me. I trust you now, sweetheart.”

You cuddled up to her, closing your eyes as your breathing evened out altogether. You felt content, happy with her now. Yet, that comfort was mixed with a twinge of fear still lingering in your mind. You would be fine with this now. You’ve spent so long with Jelena that you would’ve accepted your new conditions with her. But there was just one thing that ate away at you like a subconscious knowing that you can’t brush off.

It wasn’t supposed to end up like this.

A/N: I told u this wasn’t going to be romantic and more mind break type shit and I apologize if it’s too disturbing but regardless I hope u like it

also, ik im usually silly with my content warnings but this time I made them a little more serious since this legitimately needs content warnings. BUT this was interesting to write and I did enjoy it!!

@hedgehogthetraveler <3