#who act like experts or build personas around it

[trickstarbrave]

more tes lore ppl just need to have a firm grasp on the occult. yall cannot keep fucking up basic gnostism like this. kirkbride is a self described gnostic thats what most of his lore stuff is abt

[dragonoffantasyandreality]

While its still March, let me introduce to my little bug babies from my crossover fic, Kamen Rider Thunderbirds X3 (yes I noticed the watermark is from 2022 since I made those pictures during November. But now I have the time to show them off XD)

Click on “keep reading” for a quick info for each of the characters (from left to right) ^^

@uniwolfcorn @teapotteringabout​ @skymaiden32 @knyee @janetm74 @the-original-sineater @amistrio @thundergeek59 @riallasheng @soniabigcheese @inertplanetary @katblu42 @dreamycloud @godsliltippy @commandermac @kamenriderserotonin

Yuuki Tsugami (Kamen Rider Agito)- The brave and kind young man with psychic powers. Much like his father, he’s really good at committing to his double-life role, to the point that most people (aside of his friends) could not distinguish from his silent, noble warrior of Agito to his happy-go-lucky, pun-loving guy personas. The first to jump into battle when monsters are in the vicinity.

Taira Kaoru (Kamen Rider Kuuga)- The optimist with nearly 2000 skills, with the goal of giving people smiles. He’s the go-to guy when his friends needed comfort and getting the spirits up. While he despises the use of violence, he feels it is a necessity to stop monsters from causing harm.

Koji Sumiko (Kamen Rider G3-X)- A half-Japanese and half-British ex-cop, who is a smart and courageous badass. When his mind is put into work, he’s a serious hacker, operator and fighter. When off duty, he’s laidback, chill (most of the time) and the type to crack a good joke or two. Though, he does get irritated when there’s chaos in the room, sometimes.

Recko Ashihara (Kamen Rider Gills)- The serious one and the “Reality Hammer” of the group. Although he has trust issues with people, he always follows his friends and not afraid to speak the truth when he feels the situation needs it. He also has a low-content woldog companion named Raider.

Tensai Kiryu (Kamen Rider Build)- The eccentric narcissist but good hearted genius of the Rider gang. While his ways of invention and problem solving could be described as chaotic and he’s a certified troll, he will do anything to keep his friends and everyone around him safe and kick some baddies’ ass for Love and Peace.

Sakiko Hino (Kamen Rider OOO)- The “big sister” and the voice of reason. Sweet and fierce, her love for adventure and her deep caring for her friends made her the person that keeps everything together when times go sore. She got super-strength that she had inherited from her grandmother, which she’s a bit embarrassed about it.

Leo Hidari and Soren (Kamen Rider W)- Two in one Rider, a pair of expert detectives from an obscure Japanese city of Fuuto. While Leo is the resident half-boiled drama queen of the group, his compassion and empathy is essential when faced with the criminals he arrests. Soren is his close partner with mysterious wind powers, who is an oblivious nerd, but very helpful when it comes to find important information.

Akira Hiden (Kamen Rider Zero One)- The youngest of the group and the CEO of an android company of his family heritage, Hiden Intelligence. Cheerful, caring and humble, he’s the type who tries his best to support his friends no matter how dire the situation is. Even when cracking one of his many terrible puns. He has a sentient android secretary named Izu, who accompanies him and act as his close support.

[uniqque007]

Innovative Digital Marketing Solutions for Your Business Success

In an era where screens are the new storefronts, mastering the digital domain is imperative for businesses aiming to thrive. The virtual world is brimming with opportunities for growth, engagement, and brand building. Yet, without the right strategy, your online presence can feel like a whisper in a hurricane of information. Enter the role of a proficient digital marketing agency: your ally in cutting through the noise to make your brand resonate with your target audience. With the right mix of creativity, analytics, and savvy, an expert agency can transform your online potential into tangible results. Let's explore the essentials of a digital marketing agency's role and how they can be the catalyst for your online success. For deep understanding, visit Khula Studio.

Crafting Your Digital Presence

Every brand's online footprint begins with its digital presence, a cornerstone of modern business success. A digital marketing agency plays a vital role in molding this presence to be as effective and engaging as possible. From the intricacies of website design to the nuances of social media profiles, the agency ensures every pixel reflects your brand's ethos and appeals to your ideal customer. Furthermore, they work tirelessly to keep your online persona fresh, relevant, and perfectly aligned with your business goals.

Connecting with Your Audience

In the vast online ecosystem, connecting with your audience is akin to finding a beacon in the fog. A digital marketing agency acts as your beacon builder, utilizing data-driven insights to craft messaging that speaks directly to the hearts and minds of your potential customers. They understand the power of a well-told story and leverage content, email marketing, and targeted campaigns to build meaningful relationships between your brand and your audience.

Analyzing Performance and Adapting Strategies

The online world shifts quickly. What succeeded yesterday might fail today. So, a digital marketing agency stays alert. They don't just make a plan and ignore it. Instead, they track and review results regularly. They keep a sharp lookout on data. And then? They tweak and improve their plans. This keeps your digital marketing sharp and effective. Always.

Crafting Your Digital Presence

A digital marketing agency functions as the architect of your digital persona. They meticulously construct the framework that showcases your brand's strengths and unique qualities. Starting with your website, the ultimate digital handshake, an agency ensures that it is not only visually pleasing but also user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and optimized for search engines. The goal is to make a powerful first impression that captures and retains customer attention.

Beyond aesthetics, content is king in the digital realm. A digital marketing agency crafts content that speaks in your brand’s voice across various platforms – be it blog posts, videos, or infographics. This content must not only inform and engage but also encourage sharing and interaction. By doing so, your digital presence evolves from a static entity into a dynamic community centered around your brand.

Connecting with Your Audience

A digital marketing agency acts as the bridge between you and your customers. By understanding who your audience is, what they want, and where they spend their time, the agency can tailor your messaging to resonate on a deeper level. They employ tools and tactics like SEO to ensure your content reaches its intended audience through organic search, and they don't stop there.

Social media management is another crucial aspect where a digital marketing agency brings tremendous value. They determine which platforms are best suited for your brand and craft a social media strategy that increases engagement and builds a loyal following. Through consistent and compelling posts, as well as interactive elements like polls and live chats, they foster a community around your brand, creating brand ambassadors who willingly spread the word about your business. Contact us for more queries.

Analyzing Performance and Adapting Strategies

A digital marketing agency understands that the digital world is fluid, with trends and algorithms shifting constantly. Hence, they place immense value on tracking the performance of all digital marketing efforts. Using sophisticated analytics tools, they monitor various metrics such as click-through rates, bounce rates, and conversion rates to gauge the effectiveness of each campaign and digital initiative.

With this data in hand, an agency can make informed decisions about where to double down and where to pivot. They might adjust keyword strategies, refine ad copy, or rethink a social media campaign. The goal is always to optimize your digital marketing efforts for maximum ROI, ensuring that every dollar you spend contributes to your overarching business objectives.

Conclusion

As we conclude, let's acknowledge the critical role a digital marketing agency plays in today's online world. Essential? Absolutely. These experts are your strategists, creators, and analysts. They lift your online profile, forge real connections with your audience, and tweak your marketing to stay ahead in a dynamic digital world.

They start by shaping a sharp digital presence for you. Then, they move on to build strong bonds with your customers. They keep tuning your approach as they learn from data. This expertise from a digital marketing agency is what you need to win in the digital marketplace. When you team up with one, you tap into a treasure trove of knowledge, tools, and sharp tactics. All these are crucial for you to stand out online.

Are you aiming to boost your brand's online image? Want to create lasting customer ties? Or keen to refine your marketing with solid data? An expert digital marketing agency is your active ally in achieving enduring online success. They keep their eyes locked on the latest digital trends. Their dedication to growing your brand is unwavering. Choose the right agency, and watch your business not just survive, but really flourish online.

Read more:

WHAT'S A BRAND REFRESH ANYWAY? IT'S YOUR BRAND. ONLY BETTER. BRAND IDENTITY VS LOGO DESIGN — WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

[blzzrdstryr]

Darling escaping - Mondstadt girls edition

Inspired by a request I got, will do edition for other characters in the future.

Starring: Amber, Eula, Jean, Lisa, Rosaria

Reader is gender neutral

CW: Yandere themes, confinement, drugging

Amber

It’s highly unlikely that Amber will confine you, but if it reaches that point, then she will try to be as understanding as possible. Being kidnapped is hard and stressful, it’s OK if you hit and yell at her, she gets you, you’re scared and anxious, she will let it slide.

The same goes for any failed escape attempts, Amber will maintain that sweet-saccharine-I-am-not-mad-at-you-please-stop-crying-and-screaming persona very well. She will be very mad of course, partially at you, mostly at herself.

She keeps you confined in the cottage in the middle of the forest - Amber, unlike you, has a vast experience of navigating among the wilderness, so she can almost always recapture you with ease, years spent tracking and hunting lending well in her search.

You will have to be quick and clever if you want to escape - you can’t dwell in one place for too long, nor can you leave any mark in hurry - Amber will use them to deduce your path and location.

You will also have to avoid major cities and settlements - Knights of Favonius have a good reputation and Amber is known for her upstanding nature, she can lie to locals that you’re dangerous escaped criminal or confused and troubled victim who wandered to far for their own good, and have you presented on the platter.

Once she drags you back, she will start to think about escape-proofing the cottage. She might also buy a chain, long enough to let you wander in most of the room. Don’t worry she’ll let you out, she just needs to install new sets of locks on every door in your house.

Eula

The day when she finally loses an internal battle and kidnaps you is the day when both you and Eula start to hate her intensely. Just like Amber, she also tries to be understanding, yet it’s hard. She can sometimes snap back or glare at you with that cold look, which will sink your already drowning sympathies even further.

Escape attempts will be met quite poorly, Eula understands that you’re terrified and stressed and don’t want to be anywhere near her, yet it hurts so badly she loses control. She will say a couple of very insidious and bitter things, as she drags you back, her hold on you a tad too forceful not to be painful.

You will most likely be confined in her mansion - Lawrences might be universally despised by all of Mondstadtians, yet they’re also filthy rich and people have a hard time saying no to shiny mora. You will be allowed to wander in a couple of rooms with all the necessities in your reach.

She won’t allow you to have any maids or servants though - her reputation is already low, and letting a third person in on this dangerous secret will definitely be her downfall.

That’s why she wastes no time when she sees rooms she kept you in empty. Eula will bolt out of the house, uncaring how she might look to others as her mind races, searching for your possible routes.

Your best bet is staying inside or close to major settlements. As it was said before, Mondstadtian despise Lawrences, and Eula isn’t an exception to that. She might be a respected Knight of Favonius, but if you act distressed enough others will question her motives and deter her from grabbing you back.

If you somehow happen to be in the wilderness it’s already over for you. Eula spends most of her time outside the city gates, she is very familiar with the terrains and forests, so she navigates them pretty well. No matter how fast or long you run, she will get you back.

Eula will act extra callous and cold after your failed escape, her heart aching at the fact that you were that desperate to be anywhere but with her.

Jean

Jean is far from being an intense yandere, she will confine you only if she believes that you can’t live comfortably by yourself.

One of the perks of being a highly respected acting grandmaster is that no one really questions her decisions. Even Diluc, who left and now despises the knights, acknowledges how responsible and hardworking she is.

She will convince others that you’re mentally unwell, that you need care and patient guidance to even function, and so she will pressure you into becoming her protege.

None of your words about Jean’s true nature will be taken seriously - acting grandmaster is a kind, hardworking and responsible leader, she does everything in the name of others’ well-being. How can you accuse Jean of something like this?

Moreover, your words will be used against you, as she will present them as a proof of your fragile mental state - you must be deeply delusional to think of your caretaker so badly and poorly, blaming her for things she had no hand in.

You will be “gently” reminded to stay with Jean in her own house,a knight always patrolling near the building when she has work to do. Unlike most yanderes, Jean will allow you to freely wander in the house and courtyard, yet nothing more.

If you escape, you should probably head to the next nation, without stopping in any of the Mondstadt settlements - Jean’s reach is far and wide.

She will dispatch the group of knights, ordering them to safely retrieve you back into her arms - “[First] is scared and confused”, she’ll tiredly sigh and ask them to be gentle with you upon your recapture.

She won’t punish you once you’re back, no she will be calm and collected, despite the inner storm - she has to keep the mask up, both for you and others. You will find two knights on the daily patrol though.

Lisa

Lisa can appear very lazy and careless at first glance, but she is far from that. The witch is the best graduate of Sumeru academy in two centuries and an expert at potion making. She’s also very good at her time management and has a spark of ingenuity, which makes your escape highly unlikely.

First of all, you will be pumped full of sedative drugs, if you aren’t compliant and broken enough - Lisa would like to think that you’re all nice and obedient, but she can’t.

She will slip drugs in your food and water, sometimes she will force the syringe needle under your skin, if you realize what she’s doing and start being difficult.

With the substances muddling your mind you will be as helpless and weak as a newborn kitten, unable to make three steps in a straight line.

With you being constantly high Lisa doesn’t have to stress over your escape - she just needs to lock all windows and doors and add a bit of silencing charms so no one can hear your angered screams.

It would be an incredibly simple, yet perfect plan if it wasn’t for drug resistance. Over time your body will start to adapt to the influence of her “potions”, and you will need a higher dose to be rendered helpless and incoherent again.

You will realize this once the terrible mix of withdrawal and clarity of mind hits you. Half-bent and squirming you will slip from your cell and start to run.

It’s highly unlikely you will go far, especially during withdrawal, but your best chance of escaping lies into contacting any human settlement - you will appear very sick and distressed and they’ll have no choice but take you in and let you endure the incoming torture under the safety of the house.

Once your body is clean, you should run, as far as possible, you should also change your clothes - Lisa marked the ones she kept you in with her electro energy, making you easier to detect.

If she gets you back, she’ll start switching between different kinds of sedatives, so you don’t develop resistance. Lisa will also add a couple of locks and a long chain to her purchases.

Rosaria

Rosaria, to her own dismay, doesn’t own any fancy mansion to keep you in, the house that she lives in is small and cramped as she uses the place to just sleep and keep the little of what she owns here.

This house, despite its small size, has a cellar - it’s empty and unused, with cobwebs decorating the corners. It’s perfect for keeping you in, when you’re difficult.

Don’t worry the cellar is the last resort - Rosaria will confide you here, if you act extra defiant and disobedient. On most days, you’re free to wander in that small house, and if you act extra nice, the nun will let you out under her strict supervision.

She will however, install a long chain and cuff it around your leg when she has to leave for a job.

You can run away from her in two instances, when she decides to go for a short walk with you, and when she is away, if you are able to unscrew or loosen the chain enough for your feet to slip.

If you escape during your walk, you better be an excellent runner, because Rosaria is fast. You will have to compete not only in speed, but also endurance and stamina with her, because Rosaria can run for a very long time, especially when she’s chasing you.

If you escape when she’s away your task gets infinitely easier, you’ll just need to make your way to Mondstadt and make your accusations - Rosaria isn’t very popular here, nor does she have a great image, so your words will hold some weight.

Whether she is found guilty or innocent, it will provide enough time for you to leave the city and head for the neighbouring nation.

If Rosaria gets you back, then you can forget about seeing a sunlight for a very long time, she will keep you chained in the cellar for at least two weeks as a punishment.

[jypbae7]

Me me meeee <3 I'll request a full analysis about NCT's Johnny! 😚😚 Include errrrthing baby hahaha 18+ stuff, him as a romantic partner aka bf <3 whatever you want! I'm so excited to read this akndfkgkfn 😎😎😎❤️❤️

Johnny Suh - Natal chart

Finally finished it!! Johnny was actually the most requested member I received in my inbox! Sorry that it’s nearly the length of a novel lmao but I sectioned it to make it easier to read and navigate 💕

(Not claiming to be an expert this is just for fun please don’t take anything too seriously!) Hope this is helpful and that you enjoy it 🥰❤️

Personality: Aquarius Sun, Gemini Moon, Aqua Mercury, Virgo rising, Leo Mars

While Aqua is a fixed sign it is definitely the most adaptable of the 3 fixed signs due to the Air element of Aquarius plus the ever spontaneous Gemini moon. Most things that make the rest of us feel anxious tend not to seem that scary to fearless Gemini or cool as a cucumber Aquarius.

Natural social butterflies who love their tribe deeply and fiercely once they find them. Busy bodies who are easily bored if left unstimulated too long which will turn into crankiness if not rectified quickly. Thankfully Aqua & Gem have a zest for life that makes them quite easy to please. They are open minded and will gladly stay up till 3am talking about aliens and conspiracy theories, just like they are thrilled to go on last minute random trips just because why not (Gemini impulsivity at it’s finest lmao)

Gemini is a mutable sign unlike fixed Aquarius. This is a pretty big difference and something that goes under the radar with Aquas due to that cool as a cucumber attitude. Because they are adaptable and typically very easy going they don’t often show their stubborn aggressive sides and honestly prefer not to have to unless they are feeling extremely disrespected or pushed beyond their boundary which is a BIG let me say that again, BIG no no with Aquarius (almost as big as it is for for the water signs)

Adding to these deep inner thoughts and vast inner world that Aquarians have, his Virgo rising adds more depth and self awareness. As perfectionists and highly intellectual minds they are a lot more self critical than they let on, just like they are a lot more caring and soft than they let on. They deeply care about others and the world in general seeing the big picture in a very earthy and traditional way - good people should strive to put good out and try their very best at whatever they do. They deeply dislike mean, malicious, manipulative, or spiteful behavior or people and generally keep guarded around people they don’t know well until they feel certain of the person’s true intention. There’s nothing Virgo is more cautious of than to be swindled or hurt by someone they take it reallyy hard and they know it.

Now we alllll know his swag and confidence is legendary and we can all thank the Leo Mars placement for that and the beautiful lush shiny hair and big toothy smile (Looking at Mark, Jaemin and Xiaojun like 👁👄👁) But beyond the aesthetics and dripping confidence and charisma, Leo is another creative sign that tends to be a lot more intellectual and intuitive than people give them credit for.

When the other members call Johnny one of the scariest members you can bet it’s his aggressive fiery fixed Leo Mars which is loud and even violent when provoked enough not to mention the fixed Aquarius tornado energy...Oooof that is a lot of Fixed sign rage right there honey so let’s tread lightly with Johnny boy and appeal to his open minded and friendly nature with a gentle tone and non-pointed words during discussions and all shall be good even if there’s some disagreeing!

Honestly if the argument starts getting bad you can always distract the Gemini moon by just bringing up other interesting topics! Geminis minds move FAST and while they can process a lot of information quickly and precisely they tend to get distracted easily (but here’s the good side of that😉)

Aquarius have a deep love of family and the desire to create their own (Geminis often share this trait) they can feel a bit like outsiders or “other” from people and thus crave to build a tribe of their own - this can be friends that are lifelong deep relationship carried on no different than family or starting their own family with a partner and kids

Relationships:

Non-Romantic Relationships & overall communication style: Aquarius Sun, Gemini Moon, Aqua Mercury, Leo Mars, Virgo Rising

Built off laughter, time spent together whether its at home hanging out casually or going out for meals and fun new things to try together

Wants to bounce lots of ideas off of his closest friends and secretly loves doing creative stuff together the most - this is pretty evident if you watch JCC he’s happiest when he’s doing stuff with his bros whether it’s sporty, musical, or crafts

Does not like to be vulnerable even with those he’s close to, tends to stick to neutral and more light hearted topics of interest and conversation because he prefers to spread a good mood instead of a heavy one

If he really trusts you or has worked through it enough already to want to talk about something serious you’d better listen cause the boy drops gems of wisdom and has a really soft mushy heart

Immediately adopts his close friends as family and no matter the time apart or distance will always treat them the same

Likes friends he can learn from and take on new adventures with they satisfy the intellectual Virgo rising and Aqua & leo sign thrill needs - Gemini is all about BOTH of these

Deeply appreciates loyalty, acts of service, and quality time with his friends and family - makes his heart soooo happy BUT

He would rather fucking DIE than let you or anyone see him cry so he cries like 4 times a year at 3am in the bathroom while everyone’s asleep (HIGHKEY feel like Ten & Jaehyun are exactly like this too)

Romantic relationships and preferences: Capricorn Venus, Leo Mars, Capricorn Juno, Capricorn Eros

Mr. Johnny Suh has THREE Capricorn placements tied to love and intimacy so that’s saying something lmao

Going against Aquarius’ open mindedness and anti-traditional persona Capricorn prefers all things traditional and stable.

Very much does acts of service for his partner as a sign of affection also lots of touching and quality time.

A veryyyyyy spontaneous boyfriend/partner thanks to that Gemini moon - he either wants to stay at home in pjs and order food and have movie marathons or whisk you away on zero notice to a trip lol

Earth sign men are drawn to women who embody very flowery feminine energy and aesthetics. They prefer a “natural beauty” who can spice it up sometimes rather than a super flashy 24/7 partner. (He’s said in the past that his ideal type is Yoona which says it all lol)

Will be highly drawn and intrigued by someone with a high work ethic and high intellect. BIG bonus points if you can keep up with his sarcasm and jokes.

Earth signs are pretty physical and handsy so expect to have little personal space around him, make no mistake they enjoy this very much. He will definitely be grabbing you and picking you up often! He’ll be smirking down at you devilishly watching you get flustered backed into a corner trapped by the sheer size of his muscular body. A Capricorn male’s ego really enjoys this dynamic, trust me lol.

Also another quirky male Capricorn trait that actually applies to Aqua & Gem as well… They like to initiate all the touchy feely stuff - What I mean by that is they can get easily spooked by clinginess too early on. These three signs want romance and definitely want to feel that you’re into them but they also are innately independent and enjoy relationships where their partner can also go off into the world and thrive in their own way and meet back together in the middle. So long as you can find a happy balance, when you are together you won’t have to initiate anyways honestly because he’ll be the one pulling you.

Okay let's talk about Juno & Eros - Juno in Capricorn is about serious, loyal, long term commitment though they tend to marry later in life once they’ve already achieved the things they want to for themselves which I can see being the case for Johnny as well especially with his current career.

18+ Preferences:

Eros in Cap where to begin - high libido, stimulated by visuals and touch. Wear interesting colors, patterns, textures to catch his eyes & his hands - lacy lingerie is a plus the texture will really excite him and the feminine look will please his earthy traditional cap side. If you really wanna have him drooling throw in some spicy contrasts like a leather choker with the lace set and you’ll also set off his Aqua, Gem, and Leo placements as well ;)

Tends to bounce back and forth between fucking you like you’re a cheap groupie whore and taking his time staring you in the eyes and kissing you passionately as he’s stomach deep - no inbetween but really who’s complaining??

DOM KINK - NOT UP FOR DEBATE he has THREE Capricorn placements for fucksake meaning 3 cardinal signs which are literally called “the INITIATORS” plus all his other fixed personality placements

More of the classy rich ceo vibes kind of dom (suits, expensive cologne and jewelry, leather, black and red binds) - takes you to bougie hotels when he really wants to ramp it up and not have to care who hears. You can expect not to sleep those nights but he’ll damn sure pamper you afterwards with cuddles, food, and a spa date.

Now...with all his Air sign placements...I have to say it...he’s a kinky ass dude. Few things are off the table, but he’s also super content with “normal” stuff too. It’s more about the person and experience for him than doing the wildest things possible. So if it feels natural and right then he’s down.

Don’t be surprised if he wants to tie you up like a pretzel or role play because he’s definitelyyy going to ask. Well actually he’d probably just buy whatever outfit or binds he wanted to use and casually be like “look what I got for us baby” as if it’s matching charm bracelets or something. The good news is he’ll dress up and get into it with you and he’s super receptive to your boundaries, fantasies and making it enjoyable as possible for you too.

If you flip the script on him and suddenly break the norm either by taking the initiate/lead first or trying something new he will absolutely combust 🤯 and be in the palm of your hand staring in absolute awe and fascination till he can’t take it anymore and reclaims his spot as the one in control

Nudes, videos, and phone sex when apart are a definite and they really keep the passion burning for him which is honestly VERY important and don’t worry he’s NOT shy and you will be grateful for the beautiful collection of photos and videos 🤤

Boredom for Aquas, Gems, and Caps can quickly lead into self-sabotaging behaviors and/or wandering eyes not because they don’t value loyalty but that they really need and benefit from mental stimulation and feeling wanted so when that’s gone they can pull away

Honestly pretty much any type of lingerie or outfit will turn him on because the most arousing part for him is knowing that you spent time doing such a naughty thing for his sake

Breeding kink - 3 earth placements and has said himself in interviews he would’ve started having kids at 25 if he wasn’t an idol soooooo that’s a definite. He imagines you pregnant with his baby and it makes him super soft and warm which quickly turns to super turned on. He loves the primal marking aspect of claiming you in such a way and also watching you unravel to the point of begging him to do it. Even if it’s just “play” he loves it and will probably think about it a lot more than you know. If you ever do it for real he will be utterly and completely obsessed with you forever and be practically more excited about all the stages of your pregnancy than you are

[winetae]

wall to wall (m.) 02

— female reader x hoseok

— smut, porn star!au

— sex work, insecurity, jealousy, slut shaming/objectification, role played scenario that includes: d/s dynamics - dom!hoseok, anal sex, sex toys, face fucking, double penetration, erotic massages, humiliation, degradation, porn star type dirty talk, squirting, creampie, lots of cum (and oil!)

— 19.7k 

… 

Temporary popularity is the biggest threat to your career right now. Without a solid core fan base you’re doomed to be forgotten. If not now, then in a month or two, and if not then, surely by the end of the year. That’s how quickly the adult film industry cycles through their actors, especially when you’re a woman. 

Your agent comes forward with a proposition to help put you back on the map.

↳  or, my contribution to the lights, camera, action! collab : )

part 01 | part 02 | part 03

author’s note | part 2 is finally here ! ! ty to jordan who has encouraged me literally every step of the way and to ella for supplying a never ending amount of hoseok gifs and pics when i most needed it :’) i’m sorry again for cutting the chapter into two parts but seeing as this entire chunk only amounted to 1/3 of my outline for part two it’s safe to say i would have never finished this fic otherwise ;;

(!) if you are particularly sensitive to humiliation/ degradation then maybe u should skip the smut scene bc jdjffjkfkddkd cries in tears of heaux 

SCENE 03 - PULP FRICTION. TAKE 02. ROLL A.

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It’s hard to guess how a project will be perceived by the general public. Sometimes a xxx feature film everyone believed would do well sells less than expected, and with online pirating becoming such a rampant and common occurrence, it’s harder to measure the impact of your work. Views and numbers are no longer a reliable indicator of one’s popularity. You’re lucky that you’re signed under such a big talent agency because at least you’re guaranteed regular paychecks, regardless of how well you perform. But to survive in this industry you’re conscious that you need more than that.

According to Seokjin and his expert advice, fans are the ones who will keep an adult entertainer’s career afloat for longer than the average six months. It doesn’t matter how good-looking or well endowed an actor is; if fans aren’t interested and invested, there’s a slim chance that they’ll pay money from their own pockets to view your work. And in order to build such a strong and dedicated fan base, you need one of several things: regular content and an active social media account.

It’s a careful line to tread; not enough online interaction can make people lose interest, but so can overexposure.

You’re patiently waiting for what Seokjin baptizes “The Big Breakthrough” - the decisive project that will propel you into superstardom. None of your videos have ever garnered that type of traction, however, and you’ve been stuck repeating the same old recycled scenarios of plumbers/pizza delivery boys coming over to get the fuck of their life.

When your latest video is uploaded online, you do your best to steer clear from social media. As much as you want to see what people think of your performance, it’s too nerve-wracking to deal with on an empty stomach. You know that if you begin scrolling through the comments, you’ll spend all day glued to your phone, constantly refreshing the page to check for feedback.

And while you aren’t the type of person who lets negative opinions affect your morale, you are nonetheless worried that your time in the industry is about to run out. Lately, the thought lingers ominously in the corners of your mind.

In times like these, exercise is one of the best distractions, second to maybe sex.

Pia, the yoga instructor, walks you through several routines, bending your body this way and that, until your head feels pleasantly blank, devoid for once of any stress and self-doubt. The hour long hot yoga class puts your overthinking mind to rest. In that moment even the notion of time ceases to matter.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

The instructor turns off his meditation playlist while the room empties out, soft chattering replacing the chirping of birds and the sound of cascading water. Slowly, mind still fuzzy around the edges, you gather your belongings and head straight to the vending machine to get a much needed dose of caffeine.

As you dig around the contents of your purse for spare change, someone comes up from behind and taps your shoulder.

“Eep!” You catch your bag before it can slip from your grasp. “What—”

“Shit, sorry!”

When you spin around, hands clutched protectively over your chest to keep your heart rate steady, you don’t expect to come face to face with Hoseok, of all people.

He grins sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Didn’t mean to give you a scare. I, um, recognized you from afar and thought I’d come say hi.”

Now that the initial shock has faded, you’re free to admire the sight in front of you without any distractions.

As handsome as Hoseok looks under the bright studio lights with his hair styled and make-up applied, there’s something undeniably appealing about the way he appears now - with his hair mussed up and sweatpants riding dangerously low on his hips. While you normally prefer someone who puts more effort into their appearance, there’s something attractive and unpretentious about his casual demeanor that intrigues you.

Heat surges to the apple of your cheeks when you realize that you’re being too blatant with your ogling. Your eyes settle on his face - a safe zone, one that won’t cause any misunderstandings. It’s a nice sight to look at. Hoseok’s face is pretty, the absence of powder and contour not taking away from his handsomeness in the least. His skin glows in a way that can only be achieved post-workout or after an intense orgasm.

This train of thought brings you down a slippery slope. All too soon, your mind supplies images of his long cock filling you up over and over and over again, his lips whispering praise and filth in the same breath. Your gaze flits to his mouth as you recall how red and swollen they’d been after kissing you senseless, how sticky and wet they’d felt against your own, the taste of your own succulence bleeding into your mouth as your breaths intermingled.

“You’re - yes.” You clear your throat, embarrassed by the way you’d quickly let your thoughts spiral out of control. “It’s fine, you just - caught me off guard. How’ve you been?”

Since you last dicked me down, goes unsaid.

“Just finished teaching a class a few minutes ago. I’ve got a 30 minute break before the next one starts.” He checks his watch. “Well, eleven minutes now.”

“You teach here?” You raise your brows, taken aback by his revelation.  

Not that it isn’t uncommon for adult entertainers to work two jobs - or more. You’ve run into a variety of cases since joining the industry. Some do porn on the side, as a hobby or as a way to make a quick buck. They quit the moment porn becomes tedious or when they’ve made enough money to pay back their loans. For you, however, it’s not like that. What started off as amateur cam work has now become your whole life. You can’t imagine doing anything else, even if it means going against your family members’ wishes. They could go suck on a rancid cock, for all you cared.

“Yep, sure do. I teach the morning Pilates class on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Funny how I’ve never run into you before, huh?”

He takes a few coins out of his left pocket and inserts them into the vending machine. “Here, get whatever you want.”

“You don’t—”

“My treat.”

You want to argue but Hoseok’s too beguiling for his own good. It doesn’t take much for you to be won over; Hoseok’s smile widens and you’re a goner.

It’s that easy.

You’re not sure if it’s because you’ve seen each other naked before or if the earlier yoga session has successfully weakened your defenses, but you’re not as wary as you usually would be around people you don’t know well. Distrust runs in your veins yet something about Hoseok has you lowering your guard.  

Based on your observations, there’s nothing calculated behind his gestures and mannerisms. The blinding grin, the jokes, the way people easily get pulled into his magnetic field - it’s not a facade or an act or a fluke. It’s just the way he is.

Hoseok leans against the vending machine and watches you press in the numbers for your order. From the corner of your eye, you see him studying your profile with a degree of intensity that makes you self-conscious. You swallow down the urge to fidget.

And it’s - silly. He’s seen you bare and at your most exposed, has kissed and touched the entirety of your body from head to toe, but this quiet moment feels strangely intimate, more so than when he’d slid his cock inside of you for the first time. Perhaps it’s due to the absence of cameras and prying eyes or the knowledge that right now you’re both real people, stripped of your porn star persona exterior.

Your eyes meet.

There’s nothing predatory or hungry about his gaze. The passion and the love he’d expressed so naturally during your filmed scenes are no longer detectable. Right now he’s Jung Hoseok, not a character with a role to play. This is all him - the dark circles, the relaxed smile, the slight slouch in his shoulders.

“About—” He clears his throat. “About the other day. The guy that was with you...”

You know without needing clarification who and what he’s talking about. You run your tongue across your row of teeth, wiping away the cheap coffee’s aftertaste, and nod for him to continue.

“He give you a hard time?” Hoseok’s eyes don’t stray from yours. He looks concerned. Serious. “Afterwards I - I regretted leaving so soon. I didn’t want to - I wasn’t sure. But, regardless, I should have made sure you were okay before leaving you alone with him.”

“Oh.”

Realization sinks in. Your eyes widen and you splutter, flustered. “No, no. It’s nothing like that. Jimin - he’s my boyfriend.”

It’s hard to appreciate the concern when all you feel is shocked that someone could misinterpret your relationship for a perverted staff member preying on an unsuspecting porn actress. Although it’s unfortunately common practice in the industry, it’s so far removed from what you share with Jimin that you’re at a loss for words.

“Fuck, I’m sorry.” Hoseok immediately rubs his face in embarrassment. “I thought - sorry. I’m a dumbass. Ignore me.”

“It’s -”  You shake your head. “It’s fine.”

An awkward silence ensues.

You occupy the void by sipping on the bitter vending machine coffee, your eyes glued to your toenails peeking out the top of your sandals. Any other time, you’d fret over the chipping nail polish and rush to schedule an appointment at the nail salon, but your thoughts are so jumbled up that you can barely string a coherent sentence together.

Jimin - he isn’t anything like what Hoseok’s implying. Implied. You know this. But the fact that someone could mistake him as such doesn’t sit right with you. You want to defend him but at the same time you don’t know what to say.

“I just,” he sighs, breaking the silence. “I’ve seen it happen before. I’m sorry I assumed the worst. I guess I’m too paranoid for my own good. I hope I didn’t offend you too much. Or him.”

“No - I’m - I understand.” You give him a small smile to let him know you don’t harbor any ill feelings over the mistake. Hoseok seems so genuinely sorry about the entire situation that it’s impossible to hold it against him.

It’s possible, you think. To misinterpret your relationship with Jimin. The situation back then had been so tense - you remember that better than anyone. Given the context, Hoseok had every right to be mistrustful, especially when no one had bothered to set the record straight.

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep.”

“There’s no harm done.” You hesitate before continuing, “I’m that way too, you know. I tend to think the worst of people when I probably shouldn’t. I thought - I was worried about you at first, too. When we met. Not because - it wasn’t anything against you personally. I’m just distrustful. But I’m glad - that it was you and not someone else.”

His posture relaxes. “Thank you. I’m glad that it was you, too. And that I was able to prove you wrong about me. With the shit you hear and see happening on set… I don’t blame you for being on your guard.”

“Yeah. Maybe we’ll - oh. I think someone’s calling you.”

Hoseok follows your line of sight to where a small group of his students are huddled behind the glass panel separating the Pilates classroom from the hallway leading down to the changing rooms. They’re all female and look around your age, maybe younger. The one who had been waving her arms wilts under the attention of her teacher, blush high on her cheeks, while her group of friends dissolve into a fit of giggles.

“Ah. That’s my cue.” Hoseok sighs in apology, the corner of his lips tugged downwards into a pout. “Sorry. Would’ve loved to get coffee and catch up but alas. Duty calls.”

“Next time.”

“Yeah, definitely. I’ll hold you up to that. And it’ll be proper coffee next time! Promise.”

“Okay, deal,” you agree easily. “I’ll buy.”

He looks somewhat offended. “What - no, that’s not what I meant.”

“It’s only fair.” You gesture at the half-empty plastic coffee cup still warm against your palm.

Hoseok opens his mouth to object but a short-haired woman pokes his head out the open door. “Yo, teach! Wasn’t class supposed to start five minutes ago?”

“I’m coming!” Hoseok shouts back, waving his student back inside. “Arrogant brat.”

“Go, go!” You urge, holding yourself from physically pushing him towards the classroom. His group of students look like they’re willing to jump you if you keep hogging his attention.

“We’ll Rock Paper Scissors it!” He says while jogging backwards. “Gotta run but see you around, yeah?”

Your lips pull into an amused smile as you watch him retreat back to his classroom. Through the glass panel, you can see the horde of girls flock around him, each vying for his attention in different ways. You’re especially impressed by how one almost succeeds in drowning Hoseok in her generous cleavage.

The sight of Hoseok dealing with thirsty college girls is so ridiculous you can’t help but giggle. You’re tempted to attend one of his classes just to watch them all trip over each other in an attempt to seduce him. Maybe you could even learn a thing or two.

With that thought in mind, you leave the gym center in high spirits, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to tackle on whatever hurdles the day decides to throw your way. You hum along to a top 40 hit they constantly play on the radio and decide to stop by your favorite restaurant to get take-out before heading home.

As you get into your car, you turn on your phone you’d disregarded all morning and are immediately notified of five missed calls and several unread text messages. More than half are - unsurprisingly - from your agent. You’re tempted to ignore him for an hour or two longer but you know how he gets once his patience runs thin.

“Don’t tell me you were out with Jimmy again,” Seokjin groans once you decide to call him back.

“I was with Hoseok, actually.”

“Hoseok?” Seokjin instantly perks up on the other side of the line. “As in, Jung Hoseok? J-Hope? Your baby daddy? That Hoseok?”

You contemplate ending the call.

Begrudgingly you concur, “Yes. That one.”

“Oooooh. Do tell,” he eggs, the smugness in his tone so thick that you can visualize it.

“It wasn’t - whatever scandalous thought you’re thinking. He works at the gym I go to. What are the chances, right?”

“What are the chances indeed.” Despite the lack of juicy gossip, he sounds pleased. “The news I rang you for earlier involves him.”

“How so?”

“Your video with Hoseok has been the number 1 trending video on Bang Gang’s home page since this morning!” He squeals, enthusiasm making the volume of his voice raise by a notch. “People are eating that romantic insemination stuff for breakfast and lunch. The views on this are insane! We haven’t gotten such a big reaction since the Agust D teacher-student role play and that was ages ago.”

“Wh- Are you serious?!”

Unable to contain the elation that surges through your chest, your face breaks out into a giant grin.

You’re admittedly the first to say that the number of views doesn’t equate to one’s talent or prowess in bed, but you also can’t completely disregard what this particular achievement implies...

While belonging to a reputable agency has its perks, it also entails continuous competition with big names. Your coworkers are also your competitors. Every month the most successful porn stars are rewarded and praised, whilst the ones who rake in the least amount of views are cast aside and are fated to fade into anonymity.

As much as you hate to acknowledge it, you’ve never had the support or interest it takes to contend for 1st place on any popularity polls or rankings of the sort. On Wednesdays, it so happens that the number one trending video spot is usually occupied by a popular femdom porn star who’s been in the game long enough to have secured a loyal fanbase.

Seokjin understands and empathizes with your excitement more than anybody.

“Yes, I’m serious! I think this is It, you know? Your Big Breakthrough, the moment we’ve been waiting for. You’ve been doing well so far but I think we’ll be able to go mainstream with this,” he chatters on, excitement building with every word. “Director Ryu said he’d personally call you up later to congratulate you, so don’t turn off your phone and ignore your calls, okay? I think he wants to ask you to film in his next movie but he didn’t discuss the details with me. Whatever it is - please say yes. I know the guy is a little pompous old fart but he really has an eye for this sort of thing. Casting you and Hoseok in the same film was the work of God. The chemistry between the two of you is unreal, no wonder people are jacking off to this at 10 am while they eat their cereal.”

You think it’s too early to rejoice in the success of your video considering the majority of the viewers are sleeping or busy at work - but when THE SPERMINATOR retains its number one ranking for the remainder of the week, you know your achievement deserves to be properly celebrated.

True to Seokjin’s word, Director Ryu does end up calling you. He wants to work with you and Hoseok again for a new film - and possibly more.

“A multi-film contract? You want to sign one with me?”

“How could I not? You’re both naturals and work well together. More importantly, the camera loves you. And people are on board with the pairing already! I think it’s a good idea to capitalize on their interest, don’t you think?”

It doesn’t take much more to convince you — not that you need any convincing at this point.

You refuse to be a flash-in-the-pan star. Although you admittedly had your reservations at first, the unexpected success of the last film is all Ryu needs to persuade you.

And - you like Hoseok. It goes without saying that there are far worse people to be partnered up with. Besides, it’s easier to work with co-stars you’ve starred in movies with previously for multiple reasons. Your acting is much more likely to come off as natural if you’re already acquainted with the dick that’s about to split you open - at least, that’s what you tell yourself.

When you mention the possibility of working again with Hoseok, your boyfriend doesn’t seem to share your enthusiasm.

“So it’s not a one time thing?” He’s not looking at you directly, his attention fixed instead on the freshly brewed coffee he nurses in his hands.  

“I mean—” You smile tentatively. “Director Ryu hasn’t said for how long he’ll keep hiring us for his projects. Maybe - maybe he’ll keep the format and hire different actors in the future? He - he didn’t really say. I don’t think he has much of an idea himself. He’s very...peculiar.”

You force out a laugh, but your attempt to lighten up the atmosphere falls flat.

“I see.” Jimin brings the coffee cup to his mouth to hide his grimace.

You don’t need to see his dejected expression to know that he isn’t pleased with this development.

“Do you - is there something wrong with Hoseok?” You hesitate, unsure of how he’ll reply.

Jimin’s never insisted you step down from a project before or expressed his dissatisfaction with any of your ‘artistic choices’, although you always imagined that someday, somewhere down the line, he might. Compared to your past dalliances, Jimin is understanding and empathetic. You don’t expect him to be perfect, however, especially when you yourself are far from that. Everyone must have their own personal limits, right? It’s unfair to ask Jimin to be accepting all the time.

It’s just that...the timing is bad.

You want to take his feelings into consideration, but you’re also aware that this might be your last opportunity to get your name out there once and for all. Your previous works have never tanked, so to speak, but they’d mostly gone by unnoticed. While you’ve managed to make ends meet in the past, such anonymity cannot go on for much longer if you want to remain in this line of work.

Your lipstick wears off as you bite your lower lip. Silence hangs heavy in the air.

Jimin sets down his cup of coffee and averts his gaze.

“No. No, there’s nothing wrong with him.”

You breathe out in relief, only now realizing you’d been holding in your breath as you awaited his answer.  

“It’s a bit difficult,” he admits after a pause. “Watching both of you together... Not because it’s bad! You did really good last time. You always do, but - saying ‘I love you’, that kind of stuff, it’s - I don’t know. It’s not your fault, though! I just need some time to adjust. Next time shouldn’t be as strange - since I know what to expect...”

You blink slowly as your brain registers the confession. His words echo in your ears and a strong feeling of déjà-vu washes over you. He’d said something along those lines before, hadn’t he?

Jimin shrugs like it’s no big deal before continuing, “As for Hoseok... He seems like a good person, I guess. I don’t think he’s the problem. Whether it’s him or another guy...” He sighs. “I think I just need to work this out on my own. It’s not like I can ask you to turn down a job offer because of me, right?”

Guilt makes your stomach turn. He’s right. As much as you want to respect his feelings, you can’t bring yourself to turn down the job for his sake. Does that make you selfish? Does he think less of you for it?

“Alright...” When you reach out to take his hand in yours, his skin is surprisingly cold to the touch. “You’ll tell me if it ever bothers you, okay? Filming this - or anything else. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable with what I do...”

You’re not sure what you’ll do if that moment ever comes to pass. Work is your number one priority in life. Many of your relationships haven’t worked out because of that very reason but your past lovers’ dissatisfaction hadn’t been enough to change your mindset. After all, work is what helps put money on the table, not love. You shake your head, as if the action will help you get rid of your stressful thoughts.  

Jimin nods as he interlaces his fingers with yours. On normal days, holding hands together puts your mind at rest. You love the way his hand fits in yours, the different skin tones blending into one.

Right now, his pale hand feels unnaturally cold against your own. It feels like winter itself is embracing you and you repress a shiver.

Maybe as his girlfriend it’s not the right choice to make, but — you can’t falter now. It physically pains you to admit it but Seokjin’s worrying isn’t unfounded. Your career is stagnant, your projects predictable and boring. You’re not bad at your job, but you don’t stand out amidst the sea of pretty girls hoping to make a name for themselves.

There’s no guarantee that Director Ryu’s new project will be as successful as the first. You’re no stranger to false hopes; there’s a chance that Seokjin’s wishful thinking might never amount to anything. Even so, you want to give it a shot. Not trying feels too much like giving up and giving up is not an option you’re willing to consider, not when you’ve already put so much on the line.

You’re not a quitter. Seokjin had warned you from day one that it wouldn’t be easy and you’d taken his lessons and warnings to heart. You’d become an adult entertainer fully aware of the trials and tribulations you’d have to face and had been prepared to make the necessary sacrifices in order to achieve your goals.

But are the risks truly worth it? Looking at Jimin’s dejected expression, you’re not so sure anymore.

.

.

.

They’ve really gone all out this time, you muse as you cast a cursory glance at your surroundings. A small, electric waterfall fountain sits in the far right corner and crimson colored scented candles are dispersed all around the elaborate massage parlor set-up, dousing the room in a cosy, amber glow. It’s a surprising sight because porn sets are famous for never focusing on the details. Viewers are here for the sex, not the generic backdrop of a rented room or hotel suite.

Director Ryu vehemently protests.

“That’s precisely what sets apart my works from your average pornography film. I want the viewer to be completely immersed in the movie they’re watching. Porn is too constricting and underwhelming a word. What I’m creating is a feast for the eyes, one that leaves a lasting impression after consumption.”

“Ah... Yes.” You try (and fail) to sound impressed.  

“People want to believe the sex is real, even if it’s just for an hour.” He sighs deeply, sounding pained, like explicating such a simple fact isn’t worthy of his time. “They need the escape and it’s our job to make it happen. A few extra candles might not make a colossal difference at first glance. But that’s where you’re wrong! It’s never been about the candles. It’s about the ambiance! The visual experience!”

It’s a pity the new budget doesn’t extend to your wardrobe, you remark internally as your gaze drops to observe the stylists’ pick of the day.

For the upcoming scene, you’ve been instructed to squeeze into a tight, baby pink shirt that stretches obscenely over your bust like something straight out of a frat boy’s wet dream. Inwardly, you congratulate yourself for hitting the gym religiously because your clothes—or lack thereof—put everything on display. The cotton material of your shirt is so thin, you’re surprised the stitches haven’t popped out, while the denim bottoms you sport are so tiny that you could hardly qualify them as shorts. Although—you suppose that there isn’t any use debating over semantics. It’s not as if they’ll stay on long enough for it to matter.

The scenario that you’ll be acting out today is pretty straight-forward. You stop by the parlor to cash in a voucher gifted by a generous and thoughtful friend. Hoseok, who plays the role of an erotic masseuse, gives you a deep tissue body massage worthy of a five star review on Yelp.

Director Ryu is extremely proud of the pitch. His spectacles glint as he pushes them up the bridge of his long nose.

“We’re gonna call it My Bare Lady. Haha, get it?” He gloats. “It’ll be different from our last shoot - the both of you aren’t supposed to be acquainted with each other at all. In fact, there won’t be any romance. We’re aiming for something new because as artists, it’s our duty to reinvent ourselves every day. Complacency is the enemy of creativity.”

At the mention of Hoseok, your gaze flits over in his direction.

His brown hair, two shades lighter than the last time you’d run into him, is swept to the side, giving him a professional and tidy appearance. He’s swapped his workout attire for beige scrub pants and a matching shirt. The color compliments the glow of his tan and the cut of the uniform is flattering to his figure. Diretor Ryu’s speech continues despite your wavering focus.

“—visual stimulation. That’s why one shouldn’t underestimate the proper use of props. A believable setting sets the tone for the rest of the scene. If you don’t believe the role you’ve been given, then why should the audience?”

“Mhm,” you nod here and there but you’ve long stopped paying attention to his one-sided speech.

Your eyes linger on Hoseok’s arms and the dimples that appear every time he laughs. You’re not the only one who stares. A small group of admirers flock to him like bees swarming around a rare and exotic flower.

You’d noticed it before but today confirms it; Hoseok’s presence is riveting. It’s not the first time today your gaze has strayed his way. More than once, you find your eyes drawn to him like a moth to a flame only to quickly avert your gaze whenever your eyes meet. Each time, the right side of his mouth quirks into a half-smile, the beginning of a question forming on his lips.

It’s embarrassing to be caught red-handed gawking but, in your defense, you aren’t the only one who ogles him—and many of them are far less discreet than you try to be, some gazes curious, others downright lecherous.

It bothers you. What exactly do you and everyone else find so fascinating about his character? He’s good-looking, sure—but you’re no stranger to handsome and pretty co-stars with nicely shaped dicks. You can’t put a finger on what sets him apart from the rest.

The gaffer comes over and momentarily interrupts the flow of Director Ryu’s monologue with a personal inquiry. Thank God. You use the opportunity to slip away, grateful that someone has put an end to your misery. As thankful as you are to the director for the career opportunity, you could do without his long-winded speeches that never seem to end.  

“Hey, Hoseok.”

His smile widens, the corners dimpling the moment he spots you. “Hey! It’s been a while. Who would’ve thought we’d get to work again so soon, huh?”

“I didn’t think our last movie would do so well, honestly.”

Without its success, who knows what kind of movie you’d be participating in right now? Another re-hashed version of ‘BABYSITTER GETS CREAMED’ type scenario, most probably.

“I guess that’s a testament to your acting skills, right?”

You smile back, sheepish but nevertheless pleased. It always feels nice to be complimented, especially on days like today when you’re feeling less confident than usual.

“You changed up your hair.”

“Yeah! I thought I needed a change.” He threads his fingers through his locks self-consciously. “It looks fine, right?”

“It does!” you agree with an enthusiastic nod.

Jimin, who had insisted to be present on set today, hovers on the edge of your periphery. In the back of your mind you know he means well—that his presence is meant to be a source of support and security. On a typical day, you’re relieved that someone you trust is close by in case the situation escalates. While you’ve never had any horrific experiences, there have been the occasional uncomfortable encounters behind the scenes. Thankfully, Seokjin or Jimin have always stepped in before whichever entitled asshat could get too handsy.

But for the first time, his presence doesn’t comfort you the way it usually does.

Your smile becomes stiff.

The last thing you want is for Jimin to misunderstand the situation... Despite his claims of not having any problems with you shooting again with Hoseok, you can’t forget the stony expression on your boyfriend’s face as he had stared your co-star down, his grip around your waist strong and possessive.

“Are you okay?” Hoseok inquires, noticing your change in attitude. Worry creases his brow. He takes a step forward as if to check up on you.

“I’m okay!” You wave your hands around in the air, if only to maintain the distance separating your figures.

Despite your energetic reassurances, Hoseok looks unconvinced. He tilts his head to the side, his eyes narrowing in concern.

You wrack your head for an acceptable excuse. “Maybe I have pre-performance jitters? It’s nothing serious, though!”

It’s not too far from the truth, either. You feel more nervous than usual... Maybe because you’re aware that today’s shoot will most likely make or break your career. If the results prove to be disappointing, you don’t want to imagine what that means for your future.

You shake your head, refusing to accept any talks of early retirement.

But what other choice will you have, your inner voice argues. If no one is interested in viewing your works, no production company will want to book you for their movies. Even if you’re able to shoot half a dozen films after this failed attempt, the interest and support from viewers and higher-ups will soon dry up.

Hoseok’s features soften.

“Look, I know we don’t know each other that well yet, but if my opinion means anything... I think you’re really amazing.” His deep brown eyes reflect sincerity. “I haven’t had this much fun performing with anyone before and it’s not just ‘cos you’re fucking hot.” He laughs to cover up his embarrassment. “Maybe it’s a bit of a reach to compare the two, but porn is a bit like dancing in a way. There’s a choreography to follow, a certain rhythm and mood you have to get into. But the most important part is the chemistry and trust between you and your partner. And you - when I perform with you, it doesn’t feel like I’m acting at all. Not many people have that ability. For what it’s worth, I think you’re pretty special.”

“T-thanks,” you stutter in reply, taken aback by his candor. “I appreciate that.”

You’re not the only one caught off-guard by Hoseok’s frankness. He rubs the back of his neck and chuckles to fill up the momentary lapse in conversation. A bashful smile inches its way across his face, but surprisingly he doesn’t break eye contact.

You quickly change subjects, unwilling to acknowledge the slight fluttering in your stomach.

“...So, you dance?”

It’s not the smoothest transition, but Hoseok’s face instantly lights up.

“Yes! I mean,” he pauses and clears his throat. “Not professionally. I minored in dance. But it’s something I definitely enjoy, you know, to blow off some steam. Ah, wait a sec—”

He takes out his phone to show you short video clips of his dancing. He pulls up his instagram account and scrolls through an eclectic mix of mirror selfies showcasing his bold fashion choices, dog pics, and videos of him working out and dancing.

“Here’s a recent one.”

You don’t know much about dance but in spite of your little knowledge in the subject, your eyes stay transfixed on the screen in front of you. “Whoa...”

The way he moves is enthralling, for lack of a better word. You know from experience that his body is flexible and agile, lithe and strong, but seeing it in action like this leaves you speechless, momentarily robbed of coherency. You can’t even describe it. His execution of the choreography is sharp and powerful, yet his body doesn’t look rigid. On the contrary, his movements are surprisingly fluid and he never misses a single beat. You watch in astonishment as he pushes himself off of his knees after bending backwards in one fell swoop.

“Eh? Is it even possible to move your body that way?” Surely if you try to mimic him, you’ll look like a flailing chicken. “That can’t be safe...”

Hoseok laughs at your shocked expression. “It takes a lot of practice. You should come to a workshop one day! My friend teaches beginners. He’d be glad if you could join. The more the merrier, right? You don’t need to know any of the basics... And if you’re worried about people poking fun—don’t. Dancing isn’t a competition or anything.”

“I dunno.” You hand him back his phone after watching the video loop back for a second time. “I think my back would crack if I attempted any of that.”

“I think you would do really well! You’re pretty flexible and I don’t think you need to worry about stamina. Your core muscles are also really well developed. Based on what I’ve seen, you have a good sense of balance and beat awareness, so even if you’ve never danced before, you have the body and disposition for it.”

“Well... I guess I—”

“Hey.” Jimin interrupts, plump lips curved into a polite smile. You try not to let your surprise show; you hadn’t even noticed him approaching. He kisses your cheek and slides his hand into yours, clasping it between his own. “Sorry to interrupt, doll. Seokjin wanted to have a word with you before the shoot.”

“Oh.” You blink, your eyes darting back and forth between Jimin and Hoseok. “Um...if you don’t mind?”

“That’s straight,” Hoseok steps back, shoving his hands down his pockets. He shoots you a tentative smile. “I’ll catch you later.”

You feel bad for ditching him mid-conversation after he’d been so nice, but you know how annoying your agent can get when ignored for too long.

Jimin’s fingers tighten around yours. When you look up, he’s pouting, his lips pursed and brows drawn together.

“Is something on your mind?”

You can see the hesitation flicker across his face. When he finally meets your gaze, his expression is troubled.

“It’s nothing...” He looks away again and the grip he has on your hand loosens.

“Hm.” You swallow down any further inquiries, worried you’ll upset him.

“What was that about, anyway?” he asks casually, trying his best to look uninterested. “You and Hoseok look like you’re getting along well.”

“Yeah.” The memory of your previous conversation makes you smile softly despite yourself. “He’s a nice guy.”

“I can imagine.” Jimin mutters under his breath. Before you have time to question him again, he straightens his spine, his features twisting into an apologetic expression. “Look, I gotta help setting up the cameras. I’ll see you after the shoot.”

“Ah... Alright.” You fight to keep the disappointment of your face. Since you only have a few minutes before filming begins, you’d been hoping to spend it with him.

As if reading your mind, Jimin leans in and kisses you, his plush lips soft and familiar against your own. You expect him to pull away after a few seconds but his left hand slots itself behind your neck, bringing you in closer to deepen the kiss. His other hand angles your head to the side, giving him more access, and he doesn’t waste any time before brushing his tongue against the roof of your mouth.

You respond to the kiss as if on auto-pilot, but your thoughts are all jumbled in your head. Jimin’s always been a good kisser but he’s rarely kissed you quite like this. His style is more of a slow-burn, the kind that slowly creeps up on you and leaves your whole body numb with pleasure. Every press of his lips feels like a silent prayer of worship and each swipe of his tongue tastes like adoration. You like that he takes his time, like you’re not just a quick meal to curb his hunger but a delicacy worthy of being savored.

Right now, this kiss feels unfamiliar. Urgency replaces devotion. Perhaps it’s because he’s short on time, but his touch is hurried and sloppy. He bites your lower lip, hard enough for it to hurt, and licks into your mouth when you mewl out a gasp of surprise.

“I wish I could just mark you up,” he pants against your parted lips. They feel tender when you smack them closed.

“The makeup artist is going to strangle you for messing up my lipstick.” You fake a scowl. You’re not half-wrong, though. Once she sees how swollen they’ve become she’s bound to take out her frustration on the closest available victim. “If you marked me for real, she’d probably kill you. Don’t tempt her.”

He chuckles and pulls back, letting his hands fall to his side. His eyes dart to somewhere behind your shoulder, his smile curving into a smirk.

“You’re right.” He sighs, looking back at you. “But that’s easier said than done. You’re hard to resist... Anyone would agree.”

Something dark clouds his eyes but whatever it is, it’s gone in the next blink.

You laugh, pleased nonetheless by his flattery. “Didn’t you say you had to help set up? You’re going to end up in trouble because of me…”

Jimin snorts but backs up all the same. “Don’t worry about me. Besides, you’re worth getting in trouble for.”

Someone behind you gags dramatically. “Absolutely sickening.”

When you whirl around, your agent shoots you a disgusted glare. “I was wondering what was taking you so long but I should’ve known you two were out here fabricating babies. Have you no shame?”

“I’ll see you after the shoot!” Jimin says quickly, eager to get away from Seokjin and his sharp tongue.

“See you.” You smile sweetly, ignoring Seokjin’s grumbling. You feel a pang of jealousy as you watch him scurry out of sight. If only you could avoid Seokjin’s pre-performance motivational speeches...

“Anyways.” Seokjin looks noticeably less irritated once Jimin is gone. “I wanted to check up on you before filming could begin. How’s your ass doing?”

You don’t bother hiding your grimace. “Squeaky clean and stretched.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” He sounds proud. “Don’t make that face. It’s your first anal scene after all. Doesn’t hurt to be prepared, right?”

By ‘be prepared’ he means following a strict diet prior to shooting, waking up at the ass crack of dawn to get a colonic, stretching out your asshole for a good thirty minutes using a fuck ton of lube, and constantly rehydrating yourself throughout the day to the point where you’d gone to the bathroom more times than you could count on one hand.

You’re never this thorough with prep before having anal but apparently that’s the difference between fucking in the privacy of your own home and on camera.

“There’s a reason why cleanliness is one of the fundamentals of anal sex, especially when shooting porn. It’s a pain...in the ass...but this way, no one sees something they’d rather not see,” had explained Seokjin after giving you a non-exhaustive list of detailed steps to follow. You suppose there’s logic behind his reasoning. Due to the magic of 4k-quality videos, viewers can now easily see everything, down to the sweat droplets dotting your hairline and any makeup-covered skin imperfections, so you don’t want to imagine what they’ll notice once the camera zooms in on your back entrance.

“Eventually you’ll get used to squeezing water out your bum on the regular.” He shrugs. “You’ll also start to avoid certain foods on your own. The dietary restrictions aren’t that bad, all things considered, and your body will thank you for eating more spinach than you’re used to. Greens are good for your health even if they taste like yuck.”

Athough his suggestions are well-intended, you don’t need another 25 minute speech on all the know-hows of filming anal sex. The first time had been more than enough.

“Thanks for the advice!” you interject right as he opens his mouth to continue his counseling. “That reminds me I need to get this butt plug out of my ass before we start shooting.”

Seokjin sighs. “That would be preferable, yes.”

He doesn’t need to know that you’ve taken out the butt plug in the bathroom half an hour ago. Any excuse will do, as long as you’re spared from listening to his passionate discourse on the benefits of high-fibre food diets and his long list of enema tutorial video recommendations.

The fussing, you think, is unnecessary. You’re not worried about the upcoming sex scene, even if it will be the first time someone other than your partner sees you in that position. No, what troubles you is the possibility of the audience growing tired of seeing you onscreen now that they’ve witnessed you take it up the ass. Boredom is the reason why so many of your peers are forced to end their careers prematurely, after all. Why else is Seokjin so adamant about you pacing yourself and not filming everything there is to film right off the bat? You’ve always held off shooting anal, double penetration and the likes, for that very reason. Although you have no qualms with the act itself, you’re worried that you’re now one step closer to retirement.

The thoughts sit on your shoulders like a heavy weight as you get ready for the scene to come. You listen to Director Ryu’s instructions as he describes the scenario’s key points, your character’s motives, and what sex positions you should include before the scene comes to an end.

“The rest is up to you,” he says with an encouraging nod. “I want the words to come from the heart! Let yourself be a vessel, a way for your character to express their innermost desires.”

“Leave it up to us.” Hoseok’s smile radiates confidence.

“I like your enthusiasm!” Director Ryu approves, clapping his hands together. He misses the way his two leading actors exchange exasperated glances over his shoulder. “Good, then we’re all set? Remember where the cameras are positioned, please, or else we’ll have to reshoot to get the right angles.”

“Got it.” You nod, eager to get this show on the road. Between him and Seokjin, your ears are about to fall off from the incessant chattering. Even the camera men are starting to grow restless.

Speaking of... You meet Jimin’s gaze, the sides of your mouth upturning the moment you spot him. As usual, he looks slightly out of place standing between the other crew members, his white, ironed dress shirt neatly tucked into his black pants providing a stark contrast with his co-workers’ unkempt appearance.  

Jimin mirrors your smile and your shoulders immediately relax. A lot of people may not understand why you’d allow your boyfriend on set while you’re fucking someone else, but his presence brings you a strange sense of comfort that’s hard to put into words.

The sound of your name being called pulls you from your line of thought.

“Can you scoot over to the right? Just a little.” Director Ryu orders while glancing at the monitor. “Yes, that’s much better. And can we fix the lighting, please? My shadow’s getting picked up by the camera.”

Now that the start of the shoot is right around the corner, your stomach cramps up with a nervous kind of anticipation. Your tongue feels like cotton in your mouth and even when you swallow, the unpleasant feeling doesn’t go away.

You clasp your hands together in your lap to hide the minute trembling of your fingers. It’s strange, you think. Ever since you started working with Hoseok, you always get too wrapped in your thoughts. Not necessarily in a bad way, at least not all the time, but --

“You all good?” Hoseok asks, low enough that the mics won’t be able to pick up his questioning. “Do you need some water?”

You shake your head. “I’m good, thanks.”

He hesitates but doesn’t push. “I just wanna run this with you one last time. I know we already signed the consent forms but I’d feel better talking with you about the scene directly.”

“Oh.” You remember he’d done something similar last time, too. “Sure.”

“Anal aside, are you okay with the use of degrading names during the scene?” His eyes never leave yours, like he wants you to know how serious he is.

“I’m okay with you calling me a whore.” Your shoulders loosen up. It’s easy to relax when you’re on familiar territory. Working in this industry requires complete transparency. There’s no shame in discussing your kinks just like there’s no shame in admitting the acts you’re not comfortable performing. “As long as I can call you a slut.”

“That’s fine.” His lips quirk up, but not in a mocking or dismissing way. “I don’t really have any hard limits myself, except for what you’ve already seen on paper. Degradation is fine with me. Call my dick tiny all you want, I won’t take it to heart.”

You laugh, forgetting to keep the volume down. “I’ll keep that in mind…”

“So degradation is fine. Is humiliation okay as well? Situational and verbal?”

“I like that.” You bite your lower lip as you remember your encounter with Min Yoongi a month or so ago, how turned on you’d been from his words alone. “I’ll admit I haven’t dabbled too much in BDSM on the porn scene, but I enjoyed what I’ve done so far.”

“That’s good to know.” He raises his brow. “Ever since we received the pitch for today’s movie I’ve been trying to think of ways to make it, uh, more interesting. So to speak. But I didn’t want to take any initiatives if they made you uncomfortable. Oh, also I meant to ask if there was anything you wanted to include in the scene aside from anal sex.”

Somehow you’re not surprised he’s put thought into this. Last time you’d worked with him, he’d been overflowing with suggestions as well. Maybe because the previous filming formats aren’t as flexible, but it’s not often you meet someone so willing to exchange ideas before filming.

The change is more than welcome. For the first time, it feels like your opinion actually matters. The two of you quietly go back and forth discussing different possibilities while the filming crew finish setting up the set the way Director Ryu wants it.

“Alright,” Ryu calls, settling into the director’s chair. Somewhere in the background, the gaffer wipes off his brow. “Everyone ready to rooooollll?”

Hoseok takes a few steps back and reaches for a nearby clipboard.

Miraculously, you note distantly, the swarming of butterflies in your stomach is now gone. Your palms are no longer clammy and cold with perspiration. When you swallow, there’s no lump of nerves stuck in your throat.

Hoseok sends an encouraging smile your way right before Director Ryu yells “ACTION!” and he schools his features into a more polite, appropriate expression.

He doesn’t speak up right away, just walks over to where you’re sitting on the massage table in a leisurely manner. You open your mouth to fill the silence but he beats you to it.

“Welcome to Happy Ending Clinic, where we ensure every client leaves feeling 100% satisfied. We guarantee high quality services personally adapted to suit the needs of our every client,” Hoseok says in lieu of greeting, the lilt in his voice smooth and practiced, like he’s used to repeating this introduction multiple times throughout the day. “My name is J-Hope and today you will be in my care.”

“Nice to meet you.” You’re careful to keep your back ramrod straight, hoping the stiffness in your body will be picked up by the cameras.

The role you’re playing today is more reserved and awkward than the usual unabashed and bold characters you’re used to acting. And while it’s not your first time pretending to be coy and shy for the cameras, such behavior isn’t second nature.

His smile, whilst professional, radiates warmth. You suppose it’s meant to be reassuring.

“I will do my best to make this session unforgettable.”  

His gaze sweeps over the clipboard sitting in his hands.

“Hmmm... ______, is it?” When you nod in affirmation, he continues. “It says here it’s your first time visiting our establishment.”

You’re surprised at how naturally he adapts to the role he’s been assigned to. The words that roll off his tongue sound like his own.

“Yes... Honestly, I - I didn’t think it was necessary, but my friend insisted - I mean, she recommended I visit this place...said it would do me some good.”

You wring your hands in your lap. You’re lucky the character you’re playing today is supposed to be a little shy and rigid. Otherwise, you’re not sure Director Ryu would have let your awkward stuttering slide.

“That’s not a problem.” The lines of Hoseok’s mouth bend into a reassuring smile. “Let’s see... It says you’ve booked an hour-long session?”

“Yep.”

“Then with your permission, I’d like to take fifteen supplementary minutes to find out which massage course is best suited for a novice like you. It’ll be free of charge, of course.”

You nod, eager to get the show on the road. Given your character’s disposition, maybe you should have pretended to mull over the proposal for a few seconds more - if only for appearance’s sake - but you’re tired of all this talking. Impatience gets the best of you.

“Oh! Yes, that sounds fine.”

He pulls out several colorful mock pamphlets and hands them over for you to peruse their contents. You try not to let your astonishment show.

It’s the first time you’ve seen a prop team this devoted to their task. Although the insides of the brochures remain blank, you still can’t believe someone actually took the time to print out fake brochure covers. You appreciate the effort, even if the covers do look like they’ve been made by someone who’s looking to major in ‘graphic design is my passion.’

You hold one up at random and pretend to read through it, hoping that whoever will watch the movie later will ignore the ugly block font that spells out ‘NAUGHTY MASSAGE : FOUR HANDS EDITION.’

“Inside, you’ll find a detailed explanation on the various vegan, cruelty-free products we use. All of our treatments are oil-based and you can choose the scent of your choice. If your skin is particularly sensitive, we have essential oil-infused body butters that work just as effectively and leave the skin silky smooth to the touch. Depending on your skin type, you might be interested in testing—” He takes out several jars all while explaining the different health benefits of ylang ylang essential oil.

Once again, you’re caught off guard by his convincing performance. Even though you’ve been given several pointers by the director before filming, Hoseok is the one who ultimately calls the shots. Inwardly, you wonder how he manages to come up with such original lines on the spot. Despite not being a professional actor, Hoseok’s intuitive choices are beyond your expectations.  

The thoroughness of his explanation makes your head spin. Cruelty-free products? Body butter? You have no way of knowing whether his statements are fabricated for the sake of the vague storyline - but you suppose the credibility of his words doesn’t really matter in the end. It’s the small details he sprinkles here and there that help you immerse in the scene.  

His proficiency in acting makes all of your worries melt away. It’s hard to believe he’s only a rookie, just starting off his career, and not an acting veteran with dozens of movies under his belt.

Not wanting to be entirely overshadowed by your co-star, you furrow your eyebrows, determination set into your features.

“I’m sorry... I’ve never done this before. They all look the same to me.”

“Ah.” Still, Hoseok’s smile stays amiable and professional. “Well, let’s go about it this way - why do you think your friend insisted you visit our establishment?”

You catch your bottom lip between your teeth, your gaze dropping to the floor in order to avert his probing stare. “I - um. I haven’t had - I mean, I guess I’ve been stressed lately. More pent up than usual. I’ve tried exercising and meditating and mas- uh...well everything, honestly. But nothing seems to work. I’m snappy all the time and...frustrated.”

Today, the character you’re playing is a bit more bashful, too timid to voice her desires into spoken words. “It’s all about the tension! The build-up!” Director’s Ryu’s voice echoes in your mind as a reminder.

“I see,” Hoseok nods, taking your comments into consideration. “On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the quality of your sleep?”

“A five...” you say after a moment’s hesitation. “I don’t wake up during the night, but it takes me a long time to fall asleep.”

“Do you feel any pain anywhere?”

“Pain? No, not really.” You roll your shoulders back, conscious of the way your perky chest juts out, nipples prominent through the cheap fabric. “My neck does feel sore from time to time but I think it’s because I work an office job. They say staying hunched over in front of a computer all day is bad for your health.”

His gaze roams your figure, quietly assessing. “It is.”

“May I?” he asks, taking a tentative step closer. “I think I’ll need to gauge your level of sensitivity for myself. We’ll adjust the intensity of the massage depending on how much pressure you can withstand and how your body reacts to different types of stimuli.”

Your brows lift. “Oh. Sure, why not.”

“Move back a little. A bit more.” You obey his instructions without second thoughts. “That’s perfect, thank you.”

Your legs dangle awkwardly over the edge of the massage table. You can probably close them if you wanted to, but you don’t miss an opportunity to expose yourself in front of the cameras. The shorts you’re wearing are more like tiny scraps of denim put together with the help of a few stitches. You’re certain that if someone were to really look, they’d see the outline of your pussy lips.

Hoseok walks around the table to stand behind you. The sensation is somewhat familiar—right away, you’re reminded of the first encounter with Hoseok, the one where he’d wrapped his arms around you and whispered words of love into your ear. You close your eyes and let the images flash by in quick succession. The memories all come rushing in at once—an artist’s lips painting your skin like a brush would canvas, a potter’s agile fingers molding your body from clay, a lyricist’s tongue composing sonnets into your weeping, open cunt. Your body remembers it all.

When he finally touches you, his hands radiate warmth the shadow of his memory does not.

A shudder runs down your spine.

Oblivious to your inner thoughts, Hoseok carefully gathers your hair into a ponytail and moves it out of the way. His mobility no longer restricted, he lets his slender digits travel down the slope of your neck, the pads of his fingers digging into the meat of your shoulders.

“You’re unusually tense here.” Concern colors his voice as he increases the pressure.

Suddenly the discomfort you’re to convey to the audience is no longer feigned. “Ow!”

The wince that mars your face is authentic. You try to wiggle out of his grasp to relieve the sharp ache in your shoulders. Hoseok’s grip is strong, however, and he keeps you exactly where he thinks you ought to be.

“Hmm...”

He massages your arms one by one. The circular movements he traces across your skin are a lot more gentle this time around, and you allow yourself to slowly relax under his touch. He manipulates your body like one would a rag doll, pulling your arm over your head.

“Can you reach behind, towards your neck? How about a little lower? You should feel a stretch here.” He taps at an arm muscle.

“Yeah… I can definitely feel it.”

You suspect that Hoseok’s stunt as a Pilates instructor is what’s helping him sound so experienced and natural.

“Good.” He lets out a pleased hum. “Hold the position for as long as you can.”

His hands reach around your body to squeeze your perky breasts. You gasp at the rather rough way he handles your tits. Perhaps it’s because you’ve been told to forgo a bra, but you’re much more conscious of his every action - from the way his fingers splay out, cupping the fullness of your breasts between them, to the way he kneads your mounds with his entire palm as he gropes you from behind.

“How often do you masturbate?” he asks in an almost offhand manner, his tone is more clinical than casual. The question is crude and direct enough to distract you from the way his fingers encircle your nipples through the cotton fabric of your shirt.

You recall Ryu’s earlier directions: unlike your first movie together, this tryst is not romantic in nature. The scenario that you’re acting out this time doesn’t involve sweet kisses and whispered declarations of love. Feelings aren’t on the table.

You pretend like the bitter taste you swallow down isn’t disappointment.

“Um.” You struggle to remember the initial question. Luckily, your mental buffering comes off as bashful and true to the character you’re playing. “I, uh, I guess masturbate often?”

“But it isn’t enough, is it?”

His question comes off as slightly patronizing. Before you can formulate a suitable answer, Hoseok’s fingers tweak your hardened nipples and your back bows under the pressure. You oscillate between the desire to thrust your chest out in offering, and the pressing need to flee the sharp sensations his skilled hands provoke.

“I - um!” You squirm helplessly as he continues playing with your breasts. “It isn’t!”

“Just as I thought.” He pinches both of your nipples and pulls at them until you cry out in half-pain, half-pleasure. The thin material of your shirt doesn’t dull the ache; if anything, the cotton scratches your skin, rubbing the nubs raw.

Despite your very visible discomfort, Hoseok doesn’t let go. You can only sit there obediently while he has his fun, knowing that if you wiggle too much it’ll only worsen the pain.

“Ah!”

Only then does he release them. You fight against the urge to cover your sore nipples. Your flimsy shirt hadn’t provided any protection against his rough onslaught, none at all.

“You’re quite sensitive,” he observes, giving your breasts one last squeeze.

Finished with his appraisal, he steps away and picks his clipboard up. He makes his way around the massage table, coming back into view, and scribbles something onto the paper with a ballpoint pen. He looks so absorbed in his work that you almost fall for the act.  

You worry your bottom lip, crossing your arms over your chest self-consciously. Without a bra, your hardened nipples are clearly visible through the thin shirt. They jut out in a distracting way; Hoseok’s eyes drop down for a split-second in appreciation before flickering back to the clipboard in his hands.

“Your body is wound up. It’s tense in places it shouldn’t be.”

“Is that...a bad thing?”

“No. Your case is not abnormal.” He shakes his head and offers you a reassuring smile. “Although... Hm. When was the last time you achieved an an orgasm?”

You look away, mumbling your answer in an embarrassed voice. “Last night.”

More scribbling. He taps the end of the pen against his chin, pretending to be lost in thought.

His eyes glint when he asks, “How many times did you cum?”

It’s not real - none of this is - and yet you can feel warmth spreading from your cheeks down to your chest. It’s a strange sensation, stuck somewhere between humiliation and arousal, and it makes your entire body heat up from the inside out.

“Just - Just once…”

“Look at me.”

Your eyes snap towards his on command. He looks relaxed, unbothered, like he’s discussing the weather forecast and not your masturbation habits. You want to look away but something in his stare pins you in place.

“You’re telling me the truth, right?”

“Yes! I’m not - I wouldn’t lie.”

“Good.” He smiles pleasantly, nodding to himself. “So. You came once. Did you use your fingers? Or, perhaps, a toy?”

He’s still staring at you, forcing you to look him straight in the eyes while you confess your sins. Your thighs clench together and you struggle to focus on the conversation at hand.

“F-fingers.” Your breathing becomes ragged as you imagine Hoseok’s fingers replacing your imaginary ones. They’d fill you up nicely, too. Compared to your own, they’re longer, capable of reaching places yours can’t. All you’d have to do is hook your arms under your knees and keep your legs spread wide open. He doesn’t even need to take your clothes off; he could pull the seam of your shorts and underwear to the side and fuck you just like that. “I only used my fingers.”

He raises an eyebrow like he doesn’t quite believe you. Somehow, that makes the fire between your legs burn hotter. It’s like - he knows you’re too cockhungry to settle for just fingers. And if a mere stranger can tell how desperate you are to get fucked, what about the rest?

“Interesting.” Hoseok’s eyes darken by the minute. “And do you prefer clitoral stimulation to penetration?”

“I-” You pause and struggle to formulate your response. Your ears feel hot. In fact - your entire face feels like it’s on fire.

The embarrassment you feel doesn’t make sense - you’ve never had any qualms discussing sex. You can talk candidly about any topic for hours on end, from the condom brands you prefer to advice on how to maintain a rash-free pussy, to the point where some people might think you’re over-sharing or being too crass. Discussing intimate topics shouldn’t be a problem.

It’s not even a real dialogue anyway, so why do you -

“Yes?” Hoseok leans forward, interrupting your train of thought. The corner of his mouth is upturned, like he can’t help but be amused by your discomfiture.

“I like, um.” You close your eyes, hoping that it’ll somehow make the admission easier. It doesn’t. The darkness makes you feel even more exposed, like all your secrets are laid bare for him to see. Your voice quivers when you answer. “I - I touch - I mean, sometimes I’ll - my fingers aren’t long enough. So just rubbing the outside is - fine.”

“Ah. You like being stuffed full, I take it?” Hoseok’s vulgar vocabulary makes your eyes snap open in shock. He smirks, not expecting you to answer. “Poor girl.”

You shake your head, your reply dying in your throat. With every word he utters, your thoughts become fuzzy, muddled.

“What did you imagine last night while you were getting off? A stranger fucking your face? Big men taking turns using your cunt? Tell me. In detail, preferably.”

“I don’t see how-” The sharp look in his eyes makes you swallow down any protest. Still. You can’t get your mouth to work correctly and you look back at him helplessly.

“Is there a reason why you can’t tell me?” He tilts his head to the side, the smirk on his face growing, canines flashing. “Oh. I see.”

You flinch, your face impossibly hot.

“Were you thinking of today’s session?” He chuckles, delighted. “That’s quite naughty of you. Although, I can’t blame you, can I? We are known to deliver the best orgasma. It’s only natural to imagine what would happen.”

That’s right, you think. You’d spent all night fantasizing about a faceless, nameless stranger’s hands all over your naked body. How long had it been since you’d felt someone’s touch? Their tongue buried deep in your cunt, fucking you until your thighs trembled? Even your best dildo couldn’t hold a candle to a hot-blooded, throbbing cock.

Hoseok taps the pen against the clipboard, the staccato sound filling the silence.

“One last question.” He makes sure he has your undivided attention before continuing. “No need to look so worried. I won’t ask you what lewd thoughts you get off to, although maybe in future sessions I’ll expect that of you.”

You don’t linger on the implication there - that you’ll undoubtedly come back for seconds - and nod your assent for him to go on.

“Did you cum hard while thinking of getting fucked by me today?”

You inhale sharply, struggling to hold his stare. “I… The sheets were so wet afterwards, I had to change them.”

“I see.” He jots something down on his clipboard but his reaction doesn’t give anything away. Nervously, you pull on a loose string hanging from the hem of your short. “Hm…”

After a few seconds of silence he speaks up again, done with his assessment.

“Well, normally for first timers such as yourself we’d recommend starting with a more soothing body massage. But I think in your case a more thorough massage is needed. It’s not a cause for concern!” He adds quickly, as if to assuage any growing fears. “But in my professional opinion, I think the massage I have in mind for you might be more beneficial than the beginner level massage.”

“Um, what does this massage entail exactly?”

“We call it the full treatment. In other words - it’s a deep tissue penetration massage,” Hoseok explains calmly. “It includes an internal massage. We’ll use a variety of methods but rest assured - all techniques are tried and tested! You’ll be in safe hands.”

You pretend to mull it over.

Hoseok waits for your nod of confirmation before instructing, “There are towels at your disposal.” He motions to the pile of fluffy white towels folded neatly on the bench. “Feel free to use them. While you change into a...less restricting outfit, I’ll go retrieve the rest of the massage equipment. See you in a bit!”

And with that he’s gone. The privacy he grants you is, of course, just an illusion. Even without looking in their direction, you know that the cameras’ lenses are all focused on you, waiting to capture the impending striptease. You’d forgotten about them but Hoseok’s absence reminds you of their presence.

Per Director Ryu’s earlier instructions, you make a show of taking off your clothes. Teasing the camera comes naturally to you thanks to your prior experience as a cam girl; you know exactly which angles are the most flattering and which ones, on the other hand, emphasize your flaws.

Your back arches as you peel off your shirt, drawing attention to the swell of your breasts and the curve of your waist. Not long after do you shimmy out of your shorts, exaggerating the swing of your hips for the audience’s viewing pleasure. You try not to show your surprise when the dampness of your crotch sticks to your folds as you pull them down your legs - you hadn’t expected how much a simple tit massage and few exchanged words would rile you up.

The denim pools around your ankles and when you bend over to retrieve the useless item of clothing, you’re acutely aware of how your wet, waxed pussy peeks out from between your thighs. You stay in position, giving the camera ample time to zoom in, and while the stretch isn’t painful (thanks to your yoga lessons!), it is a rather awkward position to maintain.

Once you straighten up, you take a few seconds to fold up the shirt and itty bitty shorts before setting them aside. Normally, you’d leave your discarded clothing strewn about but you can’t imagine your character behaving in such an uncouth way.

With that thought in mind, you wrap yourself with a short towel. Rather than covering your intimate bits, it’s so short that it emphasizes your nakedness. When you go to sit on the massage table, the towel rides up, leaving you exposed and you have to fold your hands in your lap to preserve a semblance of modesty.

It’s easy to convey nervousness while you wait for Hoseok’s return. While you’ve never attended any drama school, you have watched plenty enough Netflix dramas to know which physical cues are more or less effective - constant fidgeting, shifty eyes, audible gulping. Since it’s your first time putting your knowledge into practice, you’re not certain how convincing your acting is, but hey, isn’t it the effort that counts? You’re not here to audition for the starring role in Hollywood’s next summer blockbuster, after all.

Hoseok knocks twice before entering, stopping your self-depreciation in its tracks. He’s abandoned the earlier clipboard for a large, nondescript, white cardboard box that rattles with every step he takes. It sounds more ominous than it actually is.

If Director Ryu is truly aiming for realism, he wouldn’t make Hoseok carry back the items in a fucking box, you think privately. Who even does that? Although you suppose realism isn’t the be-all end-all, no matter how much the director insists. Sometimes viewers like to be metaphorically edged and endlessly teased, and all this guessing only adds to the build-up, making the climax more than worth it. They could, of course, fast-forward to get to the juicy sex scenes, the crux of the matter, but you’d like to believe all this extra effort is worth it.

You blink curiously back at Hoseok, feigning ignorance.

“Oh good.” He beams in your direction, his eyes drinking in your scantily-clad figure. “Now that you’re more comfortable, please lie down for me.”

He sets the box to the side, opens the lid, and takes out a bottle of oil while you settle down on your stomach and carefully rearrange your towel so that it covers your bum.

“I’ve chosen bergamot essential oil for today’s massage. It’s a nice, citrus-like scent that’s not too overwhelming because it’s been mixed in with sweet almond oil. Its many virtues include, but are not limited to, increasing the body’s energy flow and enhancing feelings of joy and freshness.”

“That sounds lovely.” You sigh dreamily. Getting massaged and getting dicked down in one go? Hell yeah. That one is a no-brainer for sure.

There’s a shadow of a smirk on Hoseok’s face when he rounds on you, like he’s somehow privy to your thoughts. That, or your eagerness is too transparent. You’re betting on the latter.

His voice lowers an octave, the low timber making shivers run down your back.

“Shall we begin?”

He moves your hair to the side, leaving your neck and back exposed. He then pulls down your towel so that it uncovers the expanse of your back and covers more of your bottom half instead.

“Is this alright?” he inquires. As if testing the waters, his fingers trace down the line of your spine, stopping right before your lower back dips into a curve.

You moan your assent. “More than.”

Hoseok takes the bottle of oil and drizzles its contents over your skin like a painter splattering ink onto a blank canvas. He spreads the lubricant all over your back, rubbing your skin in circular motions until you’re coated with it. You let out a few pleased sounds here and there that are not entirely faked or exaggerated. He definitely knows what he’s doing with his hands.

Honestly, you feel sorry towards your co-star who’s stuck doing most of the work while you’re splayed out like a starfish. It feels a bit unfair that you’re getting paid more than him when he’s the one putting in most of the effort. Had you any shame, you’d give him half of your pay for his services. Alas.

“Tell me if it hurts anywhere,” he warns, not unkindly.

Your back stiffens. You expect Hoseok to replicate the rough treatment he’d inflicted to your breasts, but contrary to your expectations, he kneads your body gently, almost tenderly. The contrast between this touch and his earlier ministrations messes with your head. When his hands outline your flank, his fingers prodding the sides of your breasts, you swallow a hopeful sigh as you wait for him to envelop your soft mounds and roll your sensitive nipples between his skilled fingers.

Betrayal brews in your gut when he fails to indulge your fantasies. You’re tempted to grab his wrist and guide his hand to where you need it the most but you miraculously hold yourself back. Since the scene doesn’t call for that much impatience and desperation on your part, you’d hate to be the reason why Director Ryu asks for a re-take.

Thankfully, he soon puts you out of your misery. Hoseok retreats, done teasing the sides of your breasts for the time being. You’re not sure it’s relief or disappointment that swims in your lower belly, but Hoseok doesn’t give you time to dwell on the question. Almost as soon as he retracts his hands from your back, he redirects his attention to your legs. His hands, warm and slick from the oil, glide over the back of your calves and thighs with ease. His thumbs rub circular shapes into your flesh as he slowly works his way up, the pleasant sensations leaving your whole body boneless.

“You loosen up well.”

Hoseok’s fingers skirt the hem of the towel. Your breath gets caught in your throat as he toys with the fabric.

“Will you open up for me, pretty? You look tense right here.” He flips the towel up, revealing your bare lower half. He wastes no time before gripping the meat of your ass cheeks, fingers digging into the supple flesh. He spreads your cheeks apart, cool air blowing against your exposed holes, and lets them jiggle back into place after giving the camera ample time to capture the view. “Hm. Looks like you haven’t been properly stretched out in a long time... We’ll fix that today.”

Bolts of pleasure run through your body. The whole situation is ludicrous and yet, for whatever reason you cannot pinpoint, moisture gathers between your thighs with every passing second, adding to the mess dripping from your folds.

“Um, like this?” You part your legs open slightly, as if unsure. In situations like these, the biggest challenge is to act diffident and coy when all you want is for your co-star to blow your back out.

He tsks, the sound sharp and reproving. It goes straight to your core and makes your belly clench with unspeakable need.

“How am I supposed to fuck your holes open in that position?” He has the audacity to sound impatient. “Work with me here.”

He grabs your ankles and separates them himself, ignoring your yelp of surprise. Unaccustomed to the stretch, the muscles in your thighs strain with the effort to hold the position.

A whine slips out your mouth. He’s so mean.

While you expect Hoseok to act somewhat distant and objective because of the role he’s playing, his fluctuating behavior gives you nothing but whiplash. One moment he’s cordial and friendly, the epitome of what a  professional should be, the next he’s treating you like you’re his plaything, not his client.

His grip around your ankles is firm and unyielding. He’s got you spread impossibly wide, your legs dangling dangerously off the edge of the table with your waxed holes exposed for inspection.

“That’s good, just like that.” His hands let go of your ankles when he’s sure you won’t move from the position he’s steered you into. He strokes up your legs, the touch feather-light and fleeting. “Keep your legs spread wide. I want to see your cute little holes on display.”

His crude remarks make your body flush with heat.

Even if this is the sort of place that offers sexual gratification, Hoseok’s wording toes several lines. As his client, he should be focused on giving you pleasure, so why do his comments make it sound like you’re here for his entertainment instead?

Despite your character being fully aware of what type of establishment she’s visiting, you reckon Hoseok’s words are enough to make her squirm in embarrassment. There’s something filthy about the way he orders you around and bends you to his will. Even you’re not indifferent to the impersonal way he handles your body like a doll. Flickers of arousal lick up your spine, and with your legs extended so far apart, it’s not difficult for Hoseok to notice how much you’re wound up.

The position is far from proper. Hot streaks of humiliation burn through you when you imagine how easy and slutty you must seem to whoever is watching. You don’t dare move from the pose he’s maneuvered you into, not because you’re scared of the consequences, but because his presence demands obedience. Even without explicitly saying so, he’s made it clear that for the next hour or so, you’re his to toy with.

“Good girl. You open up so nicely.” Hoseok purrs, satisfied with your compliance. “Now let me see what I’m working with here.”

He swipes his index finger through your glossy folds, the action forcing you to stifle a startled gasp. It’s nothing like the erotic oil massage you’d experienced minutes prior. The touch is inquisitive, clinical, assessing. Like he’s testing out a new product before purchase.

You want to stay still but you’re so wound up from his incessant teasing. The slightest caress makes the hairs on the back of your nape stand straight. Hoseok is all too aware of this fact. The tip of his pointer finger comes in contact with your clit, the touch more delicate than a feather's caress. Hoseok watches with thinly veiled amusement as you jerk against the table.

“You really are sensitive,” he all but coos. “What a treat. Don’t need any oil when you’re leaking all over the table like a faucet. How long has it been since someone touched you here, hm?”

The teasing lilt in his voice borders on condescending. Heat simmers under the surface of your skin as you struggle to collect your thoughts.

“Eight months,” you squeak just as two of his fingers dip into your slicked up entrance.

“No wonder you’re all worked up.” He slides his digits right up to the knuckle, the glide so easy it’s embarrassing. “Needy holes like yours should be used more often.”

He fucks his fingers into your pussy one, two, three times, before pulling away, chuckling under his breath when your hips push back, greedy and desperate for more. Using the same hand he’d used to test out your cunt Hoseok slaps your ass once, the sharp sting making you still at once.

The damp mark on your ass is a testament to how fucking soaked you are. You can’t imagine what kind of mess the cameras are picking up on - but maybe you don’t have to.

Hoseok wipes his fingers off on you, using you to clean himself off. Although you can’t see anything because of the way you’re laying down, everything feels wet and filthy. He rubs your own juices onto your skin, reminding you of the intensity of your need.

And just when you don’t think his mouth can get any filthier, he proves you wrong.

“I can tell you haven’t been stretched recently,” he sighs, almost disappointed. “You’re just gagging for a pounding, aren’t you? It’s a shame your fuck-hole is too tight to take a big cock or I would have given it to you right away.”

Your lower body clenches as his words wash over you.

The idea sounds downright delicious. Hoseok is right. Even if it’s just for the sake of the storyline, there’s nothing more you want right now than a good, hard fucking. It would take him less than ten seconds for him to pull his hard cock out from his scrubs and make a home for himself between your thighs. Images flash through your mind of Hoseok’s hands on your breasts, in your hair, around your throat. You want him to cover you, smother you, as he forces you down against the table and takes his fill. You want his lips on your skin, hot and possessive, as he uses you like the cocksleeve he needs you to be.

God, you want that. You want to be used hard, to be fucked full until you break. You need this - your character needs this.

You whimper, high-pitched and needy. “Please. Please, I want it. I want - I want your cock.”

“I’m sure you do.” Hoseok all but scoffs. “Why don’t you just sit still and relax for me? I’m going to massage you until you’re nice and loose, alright? First-timers like you could get hurt if they’re not prepped properly but I’ll get you ready, don’t worry. By the end of this, you’ll be able to take big cocks in all your holes like a pro.”

“Shit.”

You bite back a moan, startled at how much you’re turned on.

Porn dialogue is rarely arousing. You’re the first to tune out your partner whenever they talk for longer than a minute. It’s because you hear the same exact shitty lines repeated so often that you’re half-convinced there’s a porn acting for dummies handbook being circulated around.

Although… Maybe if Hoseok’s lines had been delivered by someone else, they wouldn’t have the same effect on you. That’s the difference, you think to yourself. Hoseok’s delivery. The cockiness that infuses his every word, the way he confidently carries himself… He does it all so convincingly - nothing like the wooden and awkward memorized performances you’ve witnessed from fellow actors.

While you’re lost in thought, Hoseok rummages inside the cardboard box. Without his touch or words to distract you, it’s harder to ignore the building arousal between your legs. As the seconds tick by, your shameful desire only worsens.

Before you can crane your neck or voice your confusion, Hoseok returns, humming under his breath.

“We’re gonna try a different massage technique now. This method will help with lubrication,” he explains evenly. “I’ll use a special vibrating tool that will massage hard to reach areas.”

“Um…” You swallow, blinking rapidly. “Okay.”

“It’s not as scary as it sounds. We’ll start off slow and I’ll gradually up the intensity once I deem you ready for the next stage. How does that sound?”

A click, followed by a low buzzing, fills the room.

You gasp when the vibrating object comes in contact with the back of your knee. Hoseok’s free hand settles on your leg - a nonverbal reminder to keep your legs wide open for him as well as the cameras.

“See? Nice and easy. Nothing to be scared of.”

He rotates the tool in slow, even circles. You force yourself to relax and accept the foreign massage, disregarding how strange it feels to have small vibrations travel up and down your leg. After a few minutes of him repeating the same motions on your other leg, he slowly makes his way up your thighs, the rounded tip of the tool dangerously close to your drenched pussy.

A pleading whine reverberates in your chest. The electric whirring of the vibrator is not enough to soothe the burning between your thighs. If anything, it makes it worse. You need more, you think urgently.

Hoseok moves to the side of the table so that the cameras can get an unobstructed view of your clenching hole. It’s the first time you’ve seen his face since he made you lie down. From his voice alone, it’s impossible to tell how affected he is. More than once you’d caught yourself wondering… Does he like what he sees? Is he enjoying himself?

A dark streak of satisfaction crosses over you when you notice the hunger in his gaze, his pupils blown so wide his brown eyes look black. Drool pools in your mouth when you spot the sizable tent in his scrubs.

The fact that you’re at the perfect height to suck his dick doesn’t slip by you. He could flip you over onto your back, your head hanging off the table, and use your mouth to his heart’s content. You whimper at the thought of him fucking your face, your mouth reduced to a fleshlight for him to get off. You could probably cum like that - his cock buried deep in your throat, his fingers pressed against the side of your neck to you struggle around his length, while his other hand reaches down to grab at your breast, using it as an anchor to fuck into you harder.

“Shit, you’re really making a mess of my work table.”

Hoseok’s gaze is trained between your legs. He wets his lips and adjusts his hold on the vibrator. The sudden movement changes the angle, positioning the tool right over your dripping entrance, closer than ever to your swollen clit. The vibrations suddenly feel louder and stronger than before. If this keeps up, you reckon that it won’t be long before you’re hurtling towards the edge of a precipice.

A moan slips past your parted lips, loud and wanton. Embarrassed by the sheer need that colors your voice, you quickly shut your mouth closed, hoping that your desperation goes by unnoticed.

Hoseok chuckles, the sound sharp and mean. He comments on your obscene behavior, how you’re acting so slutty it’s a wonder you’d kept this side of you locked away for this long without people suspecting your love for cock. Every word infiltrates your mind, leaves no corners untainted, until all you can think and breathe and smell is him.

“Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of sluts parade in here and pay for my time,” he says, his dulcet tone making the degradation sweeter. You hang onto each and every word, letting yourself fall deeper into a haze of arousal and submission. “But it’s been a while since someone like you showed up. Just look at this… Your little fuck-hole can’t even take a bit of teasing without getting me dirty.”

The buzzing between your thighs switches back and forth between strong pulses and rapid, little vibrations. You keen, shaking from head to toe in pleasure. Your thighs are wet, sticky with your juices, and your clit is hard and aching for attention.

You don’t even want to know what state your sopping pussy is in. Every time your body jerks and trembles, you feel the pool of arousal that’s gathered underneath you. It’s - embarrassing. That you’re this soaked and close to cumming when he hasn’t even touched your clit or fucked you with his cock.  

In the midst of your pleasure-induced haze, your eyes meet his. The lines of his face are drawn into a smug expression, his gaze smoldering. Embers of arousal light up his dark eyes, and you can only stare back at him, clit throbbing, as he ups the intensity of the vibrations.

“Fuck! Oh God, oh I’m-” Your legs thrash, hips lifting off the table in an effort to escape the shocks of pleasure zapping throughout your body. Mercifully - or not, depending on how you looked at it - Hoseok brought the vibrations down a few settings, until the whirring had quieted down to a low thrum.

“Feeling good, huh?” The grin he sends your way is positively wicked. “I think you’re ready to take more.”

More? you think weakly. Any more and you’ll explode, like popcorn kernels in a microwave.

For a second you think he’ll bring the vibrator up to your clit. Maybe even slide the long, phallic-shaped vibrator inside your pussy so that it’ll stretch you out like he’d promised. What you don’t expect is for him to bring it down to your other hole, the powerful vibrations rattling you to the core.

Your surprised gasp is so loud, not even the buzzing of the toy drowns it out. Hoseok places his available hand on your left hip and pins you to the table, the gentle weight keeping you steady.

“That’s right,” he soothes, voice smooth like silk. It sounds patronizing, almost like he’s calming down a dog startled by thunder or explaining right from wrong to a small child.

“Um.” You let trepidation inch its way into your voice. “You - what are you doing? That’s not - that’s dirty.”

“What is?”

“My,” you pause, humiliation coiling tightly around your spine. Hoseok presses the toy harder around your rim, its coat of arousal making the tip slide over your sensitive skin. You’re tempted not to answer but you know Hoseok wants you to voice the dirty words. “My asshole. It’s - dirty. Please - I… I don’t think you should touch it. It’s not right.”

You mumble the end of your sentence like you’re embarrassed to say such a scandalous thing out loud.

Hoseok laughs, sounding both mocking and endeared. “Oh, sweetheart. Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? I’m going to loosen up all your holes. Because that’s what you’ve always wanted deep down, isn’t it? To service cock. Even if it means letting me play with this dirty hole of yours.”

The vibrations intensify with the click of a button. Your whole body spasms, limbs flailing pathetically as the sensations run down your back all the way to the tip of your toes.

You bite down a whimper. How does he know? How can he tell? All you want right now is a nice, hard cock buried inside of you - and at this point you don’t care which orifice he sticks in it. You’re just so - empty. So empty it physically aches.

Hoseok dials down the intensity of the vibrator and with his free hand, squeezes a copious amount of oil onto the toy, slicking it up.

Surprisingly he doesn’t bother prepping you with his fingers before easing the toy into your back entrance. From your position, you can’t tell if Director Ryu signaled to hurry things along or if his own impatience played a part. Either way, your sharp intake of breath is genuine.

You try your best to relax your muscles but the toy is thicker than expected, its sides bumpy and ribbed. Even though you’d stretched yourself out beforehand with a sizable dildo, the girth of the toy still makes your breath hitch. Your bottom lip hurts as you scrape your teeth over it.

“Relax for me. That’s it.” Hoseok whispers soft words of encouragement. “You’re doing such a good job.”

Finally, after what seems like light years, the toy is fully inserted, only the base of it peeking out from between your parted cheeks. You feel full, deliciously so. It’s only now with the weight of the toy inside of you that you realize how much you’d missed being stuffed to the brim.

“There you go.” Hoseok smacks your right ass cheek hard enough for the sting to go straight to your clit. “How does that feel?”

“Full.” You smack your lips together. Eloquence is not your strongest suit in the present moment and your lack of coherency only humiliates you further. It’s like he’s rendered you cock-dumb. Reduced you to a lust-driven creature that only has dick on the brain. “I feel good.”

“Of course you’d enjoy that.” The cockiness in his voice is undeniable, like he’s drunk off the power he has over you. “Needy sluts like you only care about getting filled up, huh?”

It sounds like a rhetorical question but you answer it anyway, just in case he wanted an answer.

“Yes! I’m a needy slut. Please - could you…?” You wriggle your hips, trying to entice him into action. The rocking motion jostles the toy nestled inside of you, causing you to choke out a moan. “Hng! Use my pussy this time, please?”

Hoseok clucks his tongue and slaps your ass again to keep you still. It moves the lodged vibrator, knocking it against a spot inside of you that makes you gush. Your pussy clenches up in an imitation of an orgasm - but you know from experience that you haven’t cum just yet.

Fuck. You’re so fucked and he hasn’t even given you his cock.

Your head thumps down against the table as you take in deep, steadying breaths. You can’t think straight; every thought seems clouded by a dense smog of lust. Your body feels like a live wire, all your nerve endings crackling with electricity. How much more can you endure before you shatter beyond repair?

Hoseok takes pity on you. “The vibrating massage should have helped your muscles relax. Your tight cunt should be able to fit this in by now.”

He slides another silicone toy into your pussy, this one wider and longer than the first. Your hands grapple for purchase as your body accommodates both toys, one in each hole. You’re so wet that there’s no resistance despite its impressive size and you suck in a breath as Hoseok keeps pushing it in, inch by interminable inch.

If you thought you felt full before, it’s nothing compared to how stretched you feel now. The wall separating the two toys is stretched thin and when you tense your abdomen, you can feel both of them nudge against one another. Your stomach feels - bloated. As if there’s a bulge where the toys are nestled deep inside of you.

It’s quite frankly obscene.

You’ve never felt more turned on.

“Whoa.” He grips both of your legs and widens them even further, displaying your stuffed holes for the cameras. “Your hungry cunt ate up my biggest dildo like it was nothing.”

The fact that he admitted it was a dildo - and not some vibrating tool - just adds to your mortification.

“Okay. Two holes down, one to go.”

He releases his hold on your legs and raises a brow at you. The smirk is back on his face and that, paired with the ravenous look in his eyes, makes you want to run and hide. He looks like he’s two seconds away from devouring you whole for dinner. “Why don’t you turn around for me? It wouldn’t be a full body massage if I didn’t rub down the other side, right?”

His chuckle spurs you into action. It’s not that you’re not embarrassed by the idea of baring yourself completely for him like some sort of cult offering, but the need to get dicked down trumps all.

Your mind feels fuzzy and your body sluggish. There’s a fire inside of you that not even double penetration has managed to extinguish and it roars to life as you manœuvre into the position he’s ordered you to get into. The toys jostle inside of you, reminding you of the depraved lengths you’d go to because you’re starving for cock.

He’s right about you, you think as you settle onto your back. You’re a needy slut. All you want is for your holes to be filled. And when they’re empty, your body aches with the need to fill them back up again. Toys will do but they’re a poor substitute for what you really want.

Thankfully, Hoseok’s own patience is running out. You’ve barely gotten into a comfortable position when he’s fishing out his cock from his scrubs, not even bothering to remove his clothes.

Drool pools into your mouth at the sight. He’s just as long as you remembered him to be. Not too thick or veiny, but prettily flushed and glistening with translucent precum. How long has he been hard? The erection looks painful. Distantly, you’re comforted by the knowledge that you haven’t been the only one suffering from this prolonged foreplay. God is fair, you rejoice internally. 

Your mouth opens of its own accord and your tongue lolls out, hungry.

Hoseok doesn’t comment on your pathetic state -  a testament to how worked up he probably is. He guides his cock into your waiting mouth with barely repressed urgency.

His cock is heavy on your tongue, the perfect weight. He pushes in until he can’t go any further, the position you’re in giving him better access to your throat. You fucking love it.

When you swallow around his length, he hisses between his teeth. “Shit.”

He gives you little time to adjust. As soon as he’s certain you can take it, he starts to thrust his hips. His cock drags across the rough surface of your tongue as it’s pushed and pulled out of your mouth at a rapid pace. Each thrust of his hips makes you gag, drool running down the sides of your face, and the obscene sounds of your choking echo in your ears.

The rough treatment should revolt you, make you squirm or shy away, but you’ve never felt more alive. Your mind feels pleasantly blank - like your sole purpose in life is to be a glorified cum bucket, a receptacle for his cock and cum. Even when he buries himself all the way to the hilt, so far down your throat it feels like he’s reached your stomach, you’re eager for more. Logically speaking you don’t even know if you can handle more, don’t have the mental faculty to figure out if more is physically possible, but your body knows that it’ll never be sated, not fully, not until he cums inside you.

“Greedy girl,” he rasps between heavy breaths. “Look at you… I’ve plugged up three of your holes but you’re still gagging for it, aren’t you? Filthy slut.”

His words are meant to degrade and humiliate you. Instead of disgust, you can hear the admiration ring in his voice. His awe satisfies you and you hollow your cheeks, suctioning around his girth just to hear him curse under his breath. You live for the way his hips stutter and how his deep breathing is interspersed by the occasional grunt or moan. It feels good to know that you’re bringing him pleasure, that your hole is satisfactory.

Hoseok reaches over your body and grabs something from the discarded cardboard box you can’t see. You soon find out what it is though - the oil is drizzled over your torso and chest, liquid spilling down the sides of your body. He throws the bottle to the side, more interested in spreading the lubricant over your tits until they’re slick and shiny.

It soon becomes clear that he’s abandoned his earlier massage techniques in favor of a more rushed treatment. Gone is the slow build-up. He rubs your breasts, grabbing and squeezing them like stress balls, and pinches your hard nipples tightly between his fingers, pulling them out until your back arches.

The next time he slams his erect length into your mouth, your breasts bounce from the force of the thrust. Hoseok’s eyes remain transfixed on the lewd way your breasts jiggle; because he keeps your nipples clamped tightly between his fingers, your tits have no other choice but to swing around every time he rocks his hips back and forth.

Every time you gag and choke on his cock, tears prickling your eyes, you feel the fire between your legs grow stronger. Shame and arousal course through you, your head dizzy with lust. You can’t move, can’t scream, all of your moans of pleasure muffled by the cock buried in your throat.

He laughs derisively, pulling out after a particularly hard thrust. A string of saliva connects your mouth to his cock and your eyes zero in on it, finding it impossible to look away.

“You slut.”

He makes a disapproving noise low in his throat before slapping you across the face with his cock.

It doesn’t hurt anywhere as much as a real slap but it’s so unexpected you gasp, your jaw throbbing in pain. The imprint of his cock is wet and dirty against your cheek. He keeps his cock hanging a few centimeters above your face. It taunts you, beckons you closer. The seam of your mouth stays wide open, your appetite evidently knowing no limits.  

“Heh. You’re really something… Never seen a whore so cock-hungry in my life. And trust me when I say I’ve seen plenty.” He sneers, walking away.

For a long second, you fear he’s gone and left you high and dry and that the scene will end like that. Except - no. He’s positioned himself at the other side of the massage table. You shudder as you realize that can only mean one thing : he’s going to grant you the fucking your body craves. 

Hoseok’s lips twitch into a knowing half-smile. He grips his stiff cock in one hand, the length of it soaked with your spit and precum.

You gulp, suddenly intimidated. Perhaps it’s the angle, but he looks taller than you remember him to be, bigger, his shoulders slightly broader. His cock looks more imposing, too. Despite just having choked on it, it’s long; his hand sits loosely at the base of his cock, leaving a few good inches poking out of his fist. Your mouth goes dry, your insatiable hunger reawakened. 

The impatience marring your features is probably disgustingly obvious because Hoseok makes another comment about how desperate and pathetic you look once you’re deprived of cock.

Using his left hand, he slowly removes the toy from your ass. The slide is painful because you’re clenching so hard down on it, unwilling for your hole to become empty once again.

A whimper escapes your parted lips. Hoseok laughs at the betrayed look that crosses your face at the loss of the thick dildo.

“So fuckin’ greedy.” He slaps your entrance with his cock, his grin wolfish as you wail in reply. “Stay still if you want my cock.”

Immediately you freeze, taking his words to heart. Deep down, you know that he won’t be that cruel but you’re so exhausted from the never-ending teasing, that you’re not willing to take any chances.

Hoseok holds up one of your legs and pushes it over his shoulder.

“Good girl.” He breaches your ass, both of you moaning as his cock works its way inside of you. It’s a tight fit; you can feel his cock bump into the vibrating dildo in your pussy, the feeling overwhelming you. He grunts, fingertips bruising your skin as he hold back from cumming too quickly. 

His hips work up a steady rhythm, the both of you already so close to finishing. You know that a lesser man would have cum ages ago, but Hoseok troops on, eyebrows creased in concentration. He looks - hot. Ridiculously hot, even in that dumb fake masseuse uniform.

His once perfectly combed hair is now disheveled, strands of hair falling over his eyes and dripping brow. There’s something about all of it - the wild glint in his eyes, the rough way he’s fucking you, the domineering aura that he exudes - that makes you absolutely lose it.

You clench up on his cock without warning, your insides squeezing around him even more tightly because of the toy still lodged in your dripping cunt. The orgasm rips through you, fast and hard, leaving your thighs soaking. Hoseok fucks you through it, his cock relentless, drawing your pleasure out until your body goes limp. 

It’s the kind of orgasm that on a normal day you could only hope to achieve.

Except Hoseok doesn’t stop to let you rest or take a breather. He brings your other leg over his shoulder, testing the limits of your flexibility, and uses the new angle to plow into you with renewed force.

“Ah - ah fuck wait!” You cry out, overwhelmed by the onslaught of sensations traveling through your body. “Oh my God, oh shit! You’re so fucking deep, ah!”

Hoseok chooses that moment to turn on the vibrating dildo. He doesn’t even start at the lowest setting, sets it straight to one of the higher level ones, and your whole body jumps. Both of you moan as the toy comes to life. The vibrations rattle your insides - and that, coupled with the fat cock that’s splitting you open relentlessly, threaten to rearrange your insides.

Arousal builds again quickly inside of you, pulsing steadily alongside your heartbeat.

You feel so fucking full you think it’s possible you’ll burst. Before, when you had both toys buried inside of you, the stretch and the fullness had been pleasant. You had even been able to tune it out for the most part once you’d got used to it.

But with the way Hoseok is now fucking into you with reckless abandon, it’s impossible not to be reminded of how stuffed your holes are. Every thrust of his cock in your ass bumps against the vibrator, pushing it harder against your bundle of nerves. 

“I knew the minute I saw you,” he growls, his pace punishing. “No bra, pussy ripe for the picking. Whores like you could never be satisfied with the beginner massage. No, I knew exactly what you needed.”

He adjusts his grip on your ankles and the change in angle keeps the vibrator pressed directly the sensitive bundle of nerves inside of you.

“Fuck! Oh God, there there! Please, keep going. It’s so good. Fuck me!” You chant, out of your mind with pleasure.Your words are raw, unrefined, and in any other circumstance, you’d laugh at how ridiculous you sound.

“You’re so fucking loud,” he hisses between grunts of pleasure. “Why don’t you go ahead and cum for me. Make yourself useful and tighten up this hole of yours so I can feel good.”

He reaches down between your legs and fiddles with the switch.

You scream. Your eyes roll back and your entire body locks up. Intense pleasure that you’ve never experienced before thunders through your body. If your previous orgasm was like a building wave crashing to the shore at long last, this one is a fucking tornado determined to rip you to pieces.

Maybe you might’ve passed out. You don’t know. But when you regain consciousness, Hoseok’s cock is pulsing jet after jet of hot cum inside of your pussy. You feel it spurt inside of you, coating your already slick walls with his essence. 

He pulls out quickly so that the camera can zoom in on the way the cum oozes out of you in thick globs. Instinctively you clench your walls to keep more from leaking out, but it only pushes more of the mess out, painting your inner thighs white.

When you glance up at him you notice his shirt is soaked. There’s a huge dark spot that starts from his chest to his pants. He doesn’t seem to mind the stain.

“You came so hard you passed out,” he informs you while tucking his spent cock back inside his scrubs. “I came inside of you while you were out of it but I figured you wouldn’t mind. That’s what you came here for, right?”

The smile he shoots your way looks more like a smirk. You bite your lip. He must’ve taken out the dildo - or it might’ve gotten pushed out during your orgasm, you don’t know - and you feel your holes gape a little after being stretched and used for so long. You’re tempted to snap your legs shut but you know the cameras need to record your debauchery.

“I’ll let you change. You can meet me out front to schedule your next appointment. Hm let’s see… Considering how well you reacted during this session I think we’ll have to take more, hm, drastic measures next time. I’m curious to see how far your greedy cunt is able to stretch with enough incentive. I’m positive that with you anything is possible. We’ll try fitting two cocks insides for starters and maybe - ah. I’m getting carried away.” He chuckles. “Anyways, meet me at the counter in ten minutes and we can go over the details then.”

“I…” You wet your lips. “I’d like that.”

A silence ensues and for a second you think your acting was bad or you’d said the wrong thing.

“CUT! And that, my friends, is what you call art!” yells Director Ryu, clapping his hands like a seal.

You breathe out a sigh of relief and sit up despite your muscles protesting loudly. God, your ass feels sore. Hoseok had really done a number on you.

“Hey, are you all good?” He asks, drawing closer to you in concern. He must have seen your grimace.

“Oh! Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for asking. It’s just - it was kind of intense. In a good way! I’ll probably be sore later but that’s because I’m not used to these kind of scenes yet.”

“You were really hot. I couldn’t tell this was your first anal scene at all.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Really.” Hoseok sighs dreamily. “I think I saw Jesus when I came.”

“What?” You bring a hand to your mouth to muffle your laughter. “It was a good nut, I take it?”

“The best.” He looks over at you, dimples on his cheek as he returns your smile. “I blacked out for a second and went to heaven.”

You bask in the afterglow for a few minutes longer than you usually would. Hoseok makes no move to leave either, even if logic dictates that you’re both better off washing up instead of letting the mixture of sweat, cum, and oil dry on your skin. You know from experience that it’s hard as fuck to clean up once it hardens - not to mention it stinks.

“Babe!”

You’re roused from your peaceful state of mind as your boyfriend approaches. He’s smiling but one side of his mouth looks stiff. He hands you a towel, eyes trailing down your figure, and suddenly you feel self-conscious. You hurriedly wrap the fluffy material around you, eager to hide the cum still dripping out of your swollen cunt and the red marks littered over your body from Hoseok’s rough treatment.

It’s not - you’re not ashamed. You never are. It’s just - you don’t want to hurt Jimin. Even if it does come with the job, it can’t be easy for him to see his girlfriend getting fucked by someone else.

“That was so good! You did great. The camera really loves you. I can’t wait to see how the final cut turns out,” Jimin compliments and you preen despite yourself, conditioned to suck up praise. “Are you hungry?”

Just on cue your stomach lets out a grumble.

Jimin’s eyes crease into crescents as he smiles. “I knew it. You’re always famished after a scene. It’s a good thing I booked a reservation at our favorite restaurant, right?”

You nod, thankful yet again that you have such a caring and thoughtful boyfriend. “I’m famished now that you mention it.”

Hoseok observes the exchange silently and his presence makes you embarrassed for some reason. Maybe not embarrassed but - something. You can’t put a name to the emotion.

“Um, I’ll see you around?” You say as you gather to your feet. Jimin is instantly by your side, his hand wrapping around yours tightly. “It was nice working with you again! Thank you for your hard work.”

Hoseok’s lips quirk into a half-smile. He’s still eyeing the both of you in a strange, intense kind of way and the scrutiny makes you fidgety. You try not to make your desire to flee the scene too transparent.

“It’s always a pleasure. I look forward to working with you again.”

The words he utters are tactful and diplomatic - nothing like the carefree familiarity he’d showcased minutes prior. You don’t blame him, given the circumstances.

You shoot him an apologetic look as you turn away to leave. To your relief, Hoseok doesn’t appear dejected or offended. Just - curious, maybe? Pensive? Like he’s in the middle of solving a complicated and intricate puzzle and that puzzle involves you.

The idea scares you. Mostly because you yourself don’t know what he’ll find.

As soon as you’ve rounded the corner, Jimin excuses himself. “I have to finish helping the guys. There’s still some equipment to put away. But we’ll meet out in the back like last time?”

“Sure.”

He kisses your cheek and scampers away.

Seokjin is waiting for you in the next room over. He’s holding a water bottle, your favorite silk robe, and a dark chocolate energy bar. You’re so sweaty that it feels silly to wear the robe but you shrug it on anyway, knowing that Jimin will feel better if you’re not parading around the set naked.

Your stomach rumbles loudly and it’s only then that you realize the extent of how fucking hungry you are. Non-stop sex sure is tiring, you note while ripping open the energy bar with your teeth. Seokjin calls you a savage under his breath but those types of comments are so commonplace that it’s easy to tune him out.

“God, I could kiss you right now,” you say after swallowing down a mouthful of granola. After eating spinach exclusively for the past three days, the sweetness on your tongue tastes like a slice of heaven.

“Not with that mouth, you won’t.” Seokjin narrows his eyes. “I know where it’s been.”

Still high from your mind-shattering orgasm, you giggle and pretend to kiss him just to watch him squirm. It’s not until much later, after you’d washed up as best you could with the help of baby wipes, that you check your phone. You respond to a text or two before finally checking your social media page out of habit more so than anything else.

.

(2) new notifications

JHOPE94 has followed you!

JHOPE94 has mentioned you in their story.

.

It’s the same account Hoseok had shown you earlier in the day. You follow him without much thought, grinning to yourself when you read his bio “hope on streets and in the sheets ;)”, and click on his Instagram story.

You’re surprised to learn he’s one of those people who uploads multiple pictures about just about anything - his Starbucks’ coffee cup with JAY written in black sharpie, several mirror selfies, a snapshot of his shoes, pictures of the film crew setting up the scene. You click through the pictures, a little flummoxed by the random collage, and pause when you get to the picture you’d been tagged in.

It’s you. Squinting, you realize that he must have taken the candid picture in passing. You’re sitting in the hair and makeup chair, the makeup artist applying a layer of gloss on your lips. The row of lights that border all around the vanity mirror give your figure a halo spotlight effect.

JHOPE94 : not in heaven but i saw an angel today :))

.

.

[tcm]

The Makers and the Breakers: The Hollywood Studio System By Constance Cherise

From anecdotal tales to darker narratives of downright malevolence, movies about the Hollywood studio system are as prevalent as the subject is understandably intriguing. Films like A STAR IS BORN (‘54), THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (‘52) and, just for a bit of naughty camp, DAISY CLOVER (‘65), to name a few, all allow a voyeuristic gaze behind an enchanted curtain. The major Hollywood studios controlled all aspects of filmmaking, distribution and the lives and appeal of their stars.

A studio executive’s expertise was to home in on the "It" factor of an actor. Then the build-up of publicity would begin. A well-engineered system of perfectly timed pulleys and cranks, bells and whistles would turn, and it didn't matter whether stories about a star were the truth, embellishment or lies, from the studios perspective stars weren't actual people, they were commodities that were bought, sold, traded and used as pawns to the benefit of the studio system. (A thorough reference on this is Jeanine Basinger’s The Star Machine) But, if anyone had ill feelings about their treatment, only those that were the most daring spoke up. The cliché “You'll never work in this town again” wasn't just a catchphrase, it was wholly and utterly true. Speaking up too loudly about one's gilded cage could end a career faster than Eleanor Powell’s “machine gun” tap dancing. As quickly as the mechanism could build a pretty face to stardom, it could just as easily grind to a halt, meticulously dismantling at record speed.

The true genius of the studio system was its innate and pristine ability to create a persona around the most capable assets that their commodity had to offer. An exceptional dancer with buck teeth? No problem. Send her to the dentist for cosmetic surgery. A heartthrob of a man who was too short? No problem. Elevate his shoes and make sure his counterpart wasn't wearing heels. A knockout beauty who could dance but was too ethnic-looking? Change her hair color from jet black to red, perform electrolysis on her hairline, add luscious waves, put her on a diet and change her name from Margarita Carmen Cansino to Columbia Picture’s own Rita Hayworth.

The system found what was innately undeniable, played up the strengths and buffed, polished or cleverly disguise the flaws, a process still happening in media. But the studio system of the Golden Age was far-reaching. Its governance traveled beyond its inner sanctum into affecting contractors' personal lives. A moral clause was a standard part of an actors’ contract. Both law enforcement and mobsters were part of the studio’s payroll, a necessary tactic thought to keep its stars in line and to protect the industry's overall reputation. If a star found themselves in a compromising position, there was always a hired hand, such as in the case of MGM's Eddie Mannix, to respond, repair and refute, regardless of the cost. Studios further exerted control by means of inclusivity. By creating an insular studio with every conceivable notion at their fingertips, including health facilities and a police force (as was present at MGM), the studio system was privy to inside information by way of design and therefore able to thwart potential problems sooner rather than later.

Opinions amongst stars who were part of the system varied. Some found it confining and artistically stifling (United Artists was created as a direct result of the burgeoning studio system in 1919), while others enjoyed its protective embrace. Fred Astaire was not a particularly handsome man, but his virtuoso skill of dance was undeniable. By the time he made it to Tinseltown, he had already been a star on the stage and his elegant persona was well polished. Almost the same could be said for Gene Kelly, except that Kelly was quite handsome with his all-American chiseled features and athletic body. He too came to Hollywood bearing Broadway accolades. Anything else either star may have required was worth any level of contribution on the part of the studio. But most stars didn't come fully assembled.

Numerous classic musical fans are aware of actor and untrained dancer Debbie Reynolds’ account of bloodied feet while rehearsing “Good Morning'' for the film SINGING IN THE RAIN (‘52), a story she confirmed in a TCM interview with late host Robert Osborne. Reynolds would star in multiple roles where dance was required, and for someone who was not a professional, with training from expert choreographers, she fooled us all. Ava Gardner did not go looking for the fame that found her. She was discovered through a photo in a shop window. The daughter of sharecroppers, Gardner had no experience in acting to speak of, and in fact, had a free-spirited reputation of reluctance. She had to be trained out of her deep southern accent, but her naturally stunning features combined with her charm literally smoldered the camera.

For all the contract players who willingly or unwillingly accepted the exploitation of their assets, there were those few who refused to play by studio rules. One not to cower was Mae West, who solidified her autonomy by demanding and receiving one dollar more than the head of Paramount, Adolph Zuckor, as well as full script approval of her films. MGM’s Luise Rainer, after becoming the first woman to consecutively win two Academy Awards, turned her back on Hollywood due to its iron grip. "I did not like the superficial life that one is naturally forced at times to live,” Rainer stated in a TCM interview. William Haines, one time voted as America's top male star, refused to hide his homosexuality living an open life with his lover, defying the orders of traditional marriage by Louis B. Mayer and as a result was fired from MGM.

That's what the studio system did: take an inarguable asset, create an inflated persona around it, smooth the dents, add a little extra padding where necessary and package it to be received exactly how they envisioned for public consumption...or...destroy it. After all, with over 70% of Americans attending film theaters at least once a week, the public turned the film industry into a multi-million-dollar business during its Golden Age when the average price of a ticket was 25 cents. Studios were readily aware they held the power and used it skillfully to full advantage.

The studio systems tactics could easily be viewed as a calculated sleight of hand, however, it unequivocally delivered, and its final product was polished, pristine and precise. But for those that were plucked from obscurity, was it truly a sleight of hand? One could argue that you can't get blood from a stone, and if that statement is true, the studio’s techniques of engineered transformation couldn't possibly invoke aptitude that didn't already exist somewhere within, however miniscule. Perhaps, instead of the credit studio’s retained for creating stars, its genuine function was to awaken exceptional latent potential that was simply waiting to be discovered.

[crazy4myself]

No Harm List Pt.3

Word Count: 12.8K

Summary: You live in a city where crime runs rampant. One day, you save a young boy’s life, not knowing that he is the most powerful crime lord's heir. And you have just been put on the no harm list. 

Warnings: Violence, explicit language, angst, brief mentions of cannibalism and human trafficking (like literally just the words are used zero detail),

A/n: Sorry theres no gif or banner! I’m loosing the battle of bandwidth in my house and my computer can’t load any images on such a large post. :( On the bright side Jungkook says: women's rights :D

Jimin sighed as he received the text from Jin asking him to bring a dessert to the impromptu family dinner tonight. 

It was his only day off this week and he really wanted to go the full day without getting flour in his hair. He glanced at his clock in disappointment seeing he napped and lazed most of his day away, and decided he would just pick up a box of pastries from Sugar Daddy instead of making something himself. 

Dragging himself out of bed, he pulled on a dark pair of jeans and a pale blue button-up that was only slightly rumpled. He had a little time to kill before he needed to leave, so Jimin wandered out to the front of the house to see if Taehyung was home. He wasn’t, but the sight of the still-warm bowl of ramen on the breakfast bar hinted that he may not have left too long ago. He sighed as he dumped the bowl in the sink and started the dishes. His roommate wasn’t inherently messy, neither of them was. 

Their apartment was never spotless, but it was clean and comfortable lived in, and that’s how Jimin preferred it.

 But since Tae’s promotion as one of Namjoon’s spiders a few months back Jimin found himself picking up after him a bit more since Tae was always being called out of the house at obscure times. Jimin told Teahyung he needed to set boundaries and be willing to tell their leader no on the occasion, he would understand, but Tae was in love with the task. The boy was enthralled with adopting a new persona and sweet-talking information out of unsuspecting targets. He loved being someone else and living a different life for a short time. 

Taehyung was an expert at stealth, but he didn’t need it when he could become whoever he wanted in a blink of an eye. 

No Taehyung didn’t like to hide in the shadows like the other spiders in Alcor who acted more like flies on the wall, he liked to look his victim in the eye and unravel their secrets with his charm. A true spider trapping his prey in a web before he feeds. 

It worried Jimin to no end, he still didn’t know if he preferred him in the dangers of the streets pushing pills, or in the dens of the most dangerous and powerful people in the city risking getting caught in his own web of lies. 

Jimin liked to play it safe. He works off most of his debt to Namjoon through working at Sugar Daddy, the bakery Jin opened two years ago. There he maintains a regular job and provides his more specialized services in the back. His other work for BTS kept him off the frontlines less than Taehyung or any of the members really. It was rare for Namjoon to have jobs or missions that called for his skillset, so he was occasionally recruited to a job that requires more numbers and brute force. 

Jimin wasn’t a bad fighter or a bad shot by any means; he just didn’t like the violence and preferred taking care of his enemies from a distance instead of risking the lives of the people he loved to put them on the front line. His affinity for chemistry made that possible.

Jimin finished washing the dishes, drying a handful before placing the rest on the drying rack before slipping on his boots and heading downtown. The bakery was within walking distance of his house, and he didn’t feel like dealing with parking, so he opted to leave his car and make the walk to the Den. 

He passed through the familiar storefront of Sugar Daddy skipping the long line and heading directly for the back where he gathered an assortment of fruit tarts and small pies into 2 boxes, silently daring Jin and Namjoon to add the expense to his tab before making his way to the Den. 

Sugar Daddy’s was on the corner of a growingly popular part of the 7th Ward, the growing storefronts down 28th street (most of which were funded by BTS) filled the air with the power of local business, the vintage buildings paired with their modern interiors was making the area grow into a more Hipster part of town. Which in turn was good for business as more university students began making the commute from campus to buy overpriced artisan soap wrapped in burlap. 

A few blocks from the bakery Jimin turned into one of the nicer neighborhoods in the 7th Ward, the grass appeared more vibrant, and the houses grew in size as he made his way down the road until coming to a stop in front of a large Art Deco style house at the end of Gardenia Circle. 

The three-story house had two wings and looked far too grand for the street rats that occupied it. The property was one of the family properties Jin inherited from his Uncle when he passed, one of the few relatives that still kept in contact with him. Jin and Namjoon both wanted to sell it feeling it was far too grand for any of BTS’s needs, but Yoongi convinced them to keep it, the property was already paid for they just had to pay the maintenance bills, and the gang was growing exponentially at the time, so it wasn’t unreasonable to believe the gang would grow into it. 

The Den has had many forms, but the same concept over the near-decade BTS has been around. 

When BTS first formed Namjoon believed in the philosophy that every member of BTS would have somewhere warm to stay each night. The promise that was made when members joined and took the Tattoo was they would always have a roof over their heads and food in their stomachs as long as they stayed loyal. 

If they ever recruited someone who was in a tough spot they were welcome to stay at the Den while they get back on their feet. It also acted as a safe house for people who might have had their cover blown during jobs and needed somewhere to lay low (although BTS had actual safehouses now, keeping a member with a warrant for their arrest in the same place as their leader was not ideal). 

Once the inner circle expanded, the rooms have slowly morphed into ones the members use regularly between jobs or the younger members like Jimin, Tae, and Jungkook lived in and were raised by their crime lord dads. Once the Den was upgraded for the first time it was done so with the intention that each member of the inner circle would have their own room to stay in. Despite having their own apartments by then It was just nice to be together and always have that option. It was also becoming too high a risk to welcome just anyone into the Den. 

The second Den was compromised and raided by a rival gang who infiltrated them two years back, Namjoon was still recovering from the betrayal, and the Den was forced to relocate. That's what brought BTS to Gardenia Circle. 

BTS has made too many enemies nowadays to trust so easily. But with that growing list comes a growing number of resources at their disposal now. People who need somewhere to hide out after a tough job can easily get a room on the 7th floor of the Bulletproof. A floor where rooms were always reserved for the gang members. They also had a number of safe houses and small apartments at their disposal throughout the city. They even had one on the top floor of the bakery where Jimin worked, although Jimin often used it for other overnight adventures…

Their new home had a security gate and was also decked out in surveillance camera, that Suga or one of his minions were constantly monitoring, They even had two guys running security constantly to keep the Den safe. The large building did not just act as a home to the inner circle, but also a number of resources and savings BTS use for everyday business to keep the gang running. 

Despite its larger size the Den still managed to feel homey under Jin’s watch. The interior was completely modernized at this point. Jin and Yoongi saw to its transformation over the years. Taking out nearly all the interior walls that divided the public spaces of the first floor of the house so that the living room, kitchen, and dining room were a seamless area for BTS to be together. Down the hall from the living room lead to the ‘man cave’ area of the house that was best suited for drinking and gaming as well as a door to the garage.The only other doors on the first floor lead to the bathroom and the East wing of the house. 

In the west wing there were enough bedrooms for each of the seven members of the inner circle and any unexpected guest. Although Namjoon, Jin, Yoongi, and Jungkook were the only ones who solely resided at the house. The West Wing also held the gym and training area where the guys kept up with their fighting skills. Hoseok once pushed for an onsite shooting range to practice at, but Namjoon insisted on using the facility downtown, claiming it would be too noisy for him to properly get peace and quiet. 

The East wing was closed off from the rest of the house and was used strictly for business, Namjoon and Jin studies, and the conference rooms where BTS met with trusted clients. The top floor of the wing was where Yoongi and most of his surveillance crew reported for work.

 Upon entering the house Jimin's nose was immediately hit with a flood of spices and savory smells. Jin was in the kitchen stirring at a pan of caramelizing onions. Jimin greeted him and set the pastries on the breakfast bar hands immediately flying to his pockets to check his phone and wallet were still there. It was Alcorn after all where you either rob or get robbed.

“Dinner will be ready in ten,” Jin said in greeting before turning to peek into the box. 

“Did you buy these?” he asked, confused. 

“They’re from yesterday, couldn’t put them out on the floor,” Jimin lied as he headed for the couch where Jungkook was working on his homework. 

“Did you have a good day at school?” he teased ruffling the younger's hair. Jimin still didn’t quite understand how Jungkook could choose to go back into debt with Namjoon in order to go to college, the kid had the chance to cut his ties and walk away before he even graduated high school, taking every job they came across and paying off his bail and any major living cost he accumulated since Namjoon took him in. The boy was brilliant and talented and while like Jimin BTS was the only family Jungkook will have he still wished to see the boy walk away from the life sentence that comes with taking the tattoo when he had the chance. 

“Hyung,” he whined slightly before turning to look at him, “stop, I'm not a kid,”  he said betting his hands away. 

Jimin smiled giving Jungkook a look that said he believed the exact opposite before huffing a laugh, “I guess you aren’t, so what's the verdict on your punishment?” he asked as he reclined on the couch, “Did you get grounded?” he asked with a taunt and Jimin groaned. 

“I have to help open the bakery for the next week, and help train the next round of recruits” he grumbled. 

Jimin laughed, “You love teaching the newbs how to fight,” 

“Yeah but not on Saturday mornings,” 

“You also have to do inventory in the warehouse next month,” Namjoon reminded as he came down the stairs, 

“Owch inventory, your heartless Joonie” Jimin said with a taunting smile as he got up to help Jin set the table. Jungkook followed wordlessly grabbing seven glasses from the cabinet. 

“Well it would be one thing to go prance around the 9th ward like he owns the place, it’s another to sell to a client that’s been blacklisted since before you joined,” Namjoon said with a glare. 

“You tried to sell to Sylvia?” Jimin asked in shock. He remembered Jungkook mentioning the idea to him about a month ago, but Jimin thought he finally let it go when Namjoon shut him down. 

“He was willing to pay twice what we were selling for,” Jungkook defended. 

“The dude’s a cannibal!” Jimin all but shouted in disbelief “And a rapist, and I'm pretty sure he abuses animals” he listed as an afterthought. Sylvia was one of the many monsters in the 9th ward, known for trafficking exotic animals many go there to buy snakes, peacocks, big cats, or what other kinds of odd pet you would need. But he was also known for collecting men and women as well, and the ones he didn’t sell he indulged in himself in a multitude of ways. 

“Everyone in Alcorn is terrible, and he was just buying a sedative for whatever shipment of cats he has coming in to keep his employees from getting hurt,” Jungkook said in weak defense 

“Yeah but he-” 

“Enough talk,” Namjoon said, cutting Jimin off before he could further elaborate on how there was a special place in hell for guys like Sylvia. Namjoon lowered his voice as he watched Teahyung and Yoongi come into the house followed by Hoseok, “you tried to deal with someone on the blacklist, you violated major protocol and almost got killed in the process, you're on probation. But we don’t need the entire gang to know about the mishap, got it.” sending a pointed look to both Jungkook and Jimin.

“Got it,” they both responded and Jungkook had the decency to look a little guilty as Taehyung came into the room. 

Quickly the room filled with mindless chatter as the guys all greeted each other before fixing their plates and taking a seat at the round marble dining table. 

“So why the emergency meeting, “ Jimin asked bluntly, breaking the silence that overtook the room the moment they got Jin’s cooking in their mouths. 

Namjoon looked up at him irritably, “I was going to wait until we finished eating to talk to business,”

“It’s rude to leave people in suspense like that besides were good at multitasking,” Jimin countered with a bratty smile as he stuck his fork in his mouth

“Well I actually have a few interesting jobs that came up over the weekend. I also,” Namjoon sighed as he gathered his thoughts, “wanted to talk about the terms of the newest addition to the No Harm List,”

“What do you mean the terms?” Jungkook asked breaking the short silence that fell over the table, “I figured we just protect her like we do everyone else,” 

“Everyone else is two people, Jungkook.” Namjoon “And this is different Lena and Dax are old and keep to themselves. Their livelihood is in that diner by campus. We have them employ a member or two from BTS and they’re set and safe. Your girl is all over the place,” he explained Jungkook didn’t know if he liked or hated the pointed term.

“Whoa whoa hold up, your girl?” Hoseok asked, confused. He heard JK ran into some trouble over the weekend, but he didn’t realize it was bad enough to mean whoever got involved to be added to the No Harm List. “Can someone please catch me up on what’s going on?” He asked as he took in the brace on the younger's arm and healed his black eye. 

“Kook decided to go through a stroll down the 9th Ward alone last week, some Black Tips snuck up on him and got the best of him, He was so desperate some college girl had to intervene and save his ass,” Suga grumbled with a teasing smirk.

“Ya know I’m getting real tired of these implications,” Jungkook scoffed, letting his fork fall to his plate with a rattled. “I messed up big time and someone had to help me. That’s my bad, and I’m really ashamed of it. I’m not ashamed of the fact that the person that saved me was a woman, but I’m sure as hell tired of you ass holes acting as I should be.” 

Jin beamed proudly at the younger, “You're absolutely right Jungkookie. She’s a hero, and it’s wrong of us to imply otherwise” Jin said, sending a small glare at Yoongi and Namjoon who looked down at their plates, “But her being a woman does complicate things a little more. In a city like this it makes her all the more vulnerable, and even more important we try our best to keep her safe from threats we normally wouldn’t think about. It's important we talk about those things.”

Meanwhile, Hoseok paled as he made the connection between y/n and Jungkook. Jungkook looked at Jin sheepishly and as Hobi took his younger in he saw it, Bambi. Hoseok clenched his jaw and looked over and Jin across the table, who was not meeting his eyes. Jin was the only member who really knew who y/n was staying with him that summer and who y/n was to him. It was Jin’s job to know everything, he had to have connected the dots beforehand and didn’t give Hobi any kind of warning. 

“What's there to discuss,” he said roughly, his voice low drawing all eyes his way.

Namjoon hesitated feeling the change in the mood. Hoseok was like a ray of sunshine, so when he was upset you could feel the temperature drop. He shifted in his seat before he spoke confirming Hoseok's suspicion that he too knew who ‘Cinderella’ was

“We need to decide exactly how many resources are we going to expand on her, how involved in her life do we want to get to keep her safe?”

“What do you mean how involved? Isn’t the whole point of this to keep her safe from a distance, were not about to initiate her,” Hoseok snapped. 

“There's a bit of a compromising matter,” Suga mumbled all eyes shifted to him, “Y/n was wearing her work polo when she intervened, the Black Tips know where she works, and it doesn't take much to trail her after her shift the idiot walks home from work each night”

“Watch it” both Jungkook and Hoseok snapped in usion looking at each other a little shocked. 

Suga continues unphased, “The safest thing to do for this girl is get her fired from her job, but we don’t know her. Jin pulled that she's a college senior. So maybe she's about to get a job, but we have no clue if getting her fired is just going to put her out on the street and in even more danger.”

“She’s going to grad school, she needs that job.” Hoseok blurted

Jungkook looked at him, “You know her?”

“She’s a family friend. She's going to med school and she's going to get out of the west side as soon as she finishes school. She's not getting involved with BTS, it will only hold her back” he grumbled

Everyone stiffed at the unspoken words ‘like BTS holds him back’ Hobi had a chance to get out the west side before his sister died. He even had plans to have his tattoo removed after his sister graduated college. He wanted a better life for both of them. 

“So we get her a new job?” Tae offered with a shrug. 

“She doesn’t owe us a debt, we can’t just hire her somewhere, we have a system,” Namjoon started. 

“You're right, but we do have a debt to her” Jungkook started leaning forward. “Think about it, she compromised the safety of her employment to save me, we offer her new employment. It’s an exchange. Hobi said she's going to be a doctor, she’ll quit the job when she doesn't need it, that can be our way of ensuring her safety while she stays on the Westside. It would be way easier to keep up with her routines. Not to mention if she works in our territory we know no will touch her,” he said proudly with a smile. 

Namjoon couldn’t help but smile as well. That business minor may pay off after all. 

“The bakery does need a new set of hands since we moved Monica to the new club,” Jimin offered 

“Y/n’s next shift is tomorrow, we either get this taken care of before then, or we need someone to be at the store before she goes in incase they’re waiting there to gang up on her,” Hoseok informed

“I can have her boss do it tonight” Yoongi offered taking out his phone,

“Whoa whoa whoa you can't just-” Hobi struggled “How do we get her to work at the bakery”

“Tell her to apply,” Jin said simply

Hobi’s head was near spinning; this was happening too fast. You were too close to the part of his world that he never wanted you to touch. She was going to work at a BTS business, probably befriending Jin and Jimin in the process. Hobi looked at Jimin quickly, the womanizer already smiling at the thought of his cute new co-worker. “You don’t touch her,” he warned. 

“She's off-limits to all of you, got it” he pointed his stare at JK who slumped in his chair.

After a few orders of business involving a promising job for Hoseok to take on in the next month, and a round of dessert, Namjoon announced the meeting adjourned, the guys immediately wondered their way to the living room to start a round of video games, an unspoken tradition. “Hobi you want in this round?” Taehyung asked by holding up a controller. 

“Nah, I'm going to pass tonight. I have some stuff to do.” 

Taehyung shook his head solemnly as if he understood the weight in Hoseok's chest, and he might for all Hoseok knew he felt like the kid was capable of reading minds, before plopping on the couch between Jimin and Suga. Jungkook and Jin were in the kitchen washing up. Namjoon must have already retreated to his study, he’s been slammed since the opening of the club. Hoseok wished the other guys a quick goodnight before heading out. Hoseok made one stop by a nearby Deli picking up a large order of kimchi cheese fries and a 6 pack of apple cider beer before heading straight for your apartment. 

You were only mildly surprised when Hoseok showed up unannounced. You told him you had the evening off and that was basically an invitation for him to come over. You were already dressed down in a pair of black sweatpants and a white tank top, your hair in a messy knot atop your head, your bangs pushed out of your face with your glasses frames even though the oils from your hair always streak the lenses.

“I’m not going out tonight,” you answer with your arms crossed, taking the way he was still dressed like a respectable human. 

“Good, because I was hoping for a night in,” he said as he held up his offering. Your eyes lit up at the sight of the familiar grocery bag and you assured him in. 

“You spoil me,” You said as you walked into your kitchen to grab two forks. Hobi slipped off his shoes before letting himself in the living room to get comfortable. He set the food down on the coffee table, noting that it was already littered with your laptop and a textbook. You must have been studying, you never did stop really. “Your sweats and stuff are in my bedroom in you wanna get comfy,” you offered as you sat cross-legged on the couch. “I’m fine I don’t want to keep you up too late,” he sighed as he unbuttoned his shirt a few notches to better relax. 

“Anything good on?” he asked nodding towards the TV that was playing some mindless home improvement channel. 

“The Bachelor comes on in 10 minutes, can we make fun of them?” you offered with a smile. 

This was your routine watching shitty TV and movies and making fun of it together. Other than marvel movies it was hard for the two of you to watch anything serious because you both talk over everything on the screen. Except for that one time you put on Vampire Diaries as a joke, and you both enjoyed it? You remember last winter being filled with near all-nighters as you were both captivated by the Salvator brothers. Not one of your proudest moments. 

You guys got through the intro, munching happily on kimchi fries and placing bets on who was going to cry before the end of the first date before you decided to break the ice. 

“So are you going to tell me the real reason you came over?”

Hoseok looked at you confused at the tail end of a fry hanging out his mouth as he struggled to stuff his face. “Wudd ya mmean” he asked through a mouth full. You wrinkled your nose in disgust. 

“Kimchi fries and beer, you're trying to make me compliant, and it’s working, so what do you need?” you clarified calling him out on his obvious bribe. 

He looked at you guiltily before taking a swig of beer and clearing his throat, “I want you to consider quitting your job,” he said simply. 

You froze, not expecting that at all, “If this is about the other night-”

“It’s not just about the other night,” he cut you off “All though yeah that is a big deal, the job is sketchy as hell the hours suck, and it doesn’t even pay that well,” 

You don’t know why you felt so defensive, suddenly ready to defend the honor of you convenience store job with a joust to the death, but your felt your face flush as you argued “929 is a good place to work, the owners are nice and understanding about school, the pay doesn't suck it's 50 cents above minimum wage and its close to home. Besides I can’t just not work-”

“I’m not asking you to not work,” Hobi started his voice overly soft the way he does when he tries to calm you down. It only riled you up. “I have a friend who works at this bakery, it’s really nice, they said they’re understaffed right now. The hours are just as nice and they pay $2 above minimum wage plus tips, the atmosphere is nice, and I think you would like it” he said simply. 

You tried to swallow down the lump of pride fighting its way up to your throat, You knew he was looking out for you and just wanted the best for you, but your feelings were hurt you felt like your job didn't seem good enough to him. He was always criticizing your choices. Claiming to be looking out for you. 

“There’s nothing wrong with my current job, and you know it”

You held his stare but didn’t open his mouth to argue. You could almost see the rusty gears in his stupid head spinning as he tried to think of a response that would rile you up more. The way he was tip-toeing around you and not calling you out for your bullshit excuse set you on edge.

“What aren’t you telling me?” you prompted and you watched the hesitation before he replied 

“Y/n, I’m not hiding anything, the job is available I thought it was a good opportunity and-”

“You’re a terrible liar” you cut him off with a scoff as you reached for your beer

“And you’re stupid if you think it’s safe to go back there, y/n they know where you work,” he pleaded

“No, they don’t I told you Ju- Bambi and I got away and hid in the shop if they saw us we would have known,”

“But they saw you in your work polo if they want to go looking for you that would be the first place to start,” he countered, you head your beer to your lips as you froze. 

“How did you know I was in uniform,” you asked softly 

He spluttered “I didn’t, I’m just assuming you-”

“No, no you seemed confident, you know something, don’t you?” you accused your anger sputtering back to life. 

“No I don’t know anything, y/n I swear,”

“Get out, you know I can’t stand liars” you hissed frustrated

“I’m not-” you shot him a withering glare that made him shut his mouth only confirming your suspicion. You watched him with disinterest as he got up leaning toward the table, “leave the beer,” you ordered as you watched his hand go near the six-pack. He only placed a business card on the table, the curly font reading ‘Sugar Daddy.’ You shoveled fries in your mouth in response trying your hardest to convey your petty anger through the action. You listened to him shuffle out the door and heard the click of the lock as he locked it after himself before he was gone. The bastard always looked out for your safety and it made you sick.  But still despite your pride what heated your body you felt goosebumps on your arms as the forewarned threat lingered in the back of your mind. 

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

You checked your watch again nervously as you stood at the edge of the sidewalk outside of Sugar Daddy, you were 25 minutes early, and you always prided yourself on being punctual, but 25 minutes seemed like just a little too long to wait inside the business before your interview. You didn’t want to seem awkward. You told yourself 15 minutes was an appropriately early time to prove your punctuality without seeming like a nuisance. You watched as patrons flitted in and out of the bakery carrying boxes of pastries and fancy looking coffees as you tried to process the past two days. 

Two days ago you got a phone call right before leaving your shift from your boss telling you not to come in today and that she had to let you go. You tried to beg her to keep you on staff, saying you were fine with taking fewer hours or even a small cut in wages if that would help, but she insisted there was no other way. The prospect of being unemployed hit you like a truck and your first instinct was to call Hoseok frantic and not knowing what to do. But you reminded yourself after the first ring that you were mad at him. For what exactly? For insulting a job that didn’t want you anymore?

You wondered what you did that could have qualified you for being fired, you always prided yourself on being a good and diligent worker, even getting a small raise after your first year at the shop. You were on the edge of your entire routine changing as you got closer to graduation, and the thought of losing your one constant made you want to unravel. 

You knew if you let the phone ring Hoseok would come over immediately to console you saying it was for the best. But you didn’t want to hear what was best for you from him. It took you the entire night of tossing and turning before you decided you would call the bakery the next morning. With the nearing of summer, part-time jobs were being gobbled up by high schoolers, and you didn’t have enough saved up to be unemployed for too long. 

You hated the thought of a handout, but at the end of the day, you were qualified for the job and thought yourself more than capable. The owner Seokjin was kind to you over the phone, telling you Hoseok had already put in a good word for you. You ignored the twinge in your heart and made yourself focus on the positive. The atmosphere seemed fun and the promise of early morning hours would work great with your current and future class schedule.    

So here you were, in a white button-up and slacks wanting to appear professional for the interview. Contemplating what you would do if this didn’t work out. You tried to ignore the small drop of sweat you felt forming at the back of your neck and running down your back, hoping you weren’t about to sweat through your blouse and decided maybe it was for the best if you just went inside now, in the safety of the air conditioning to maintain your professional appearance. Your makeup was light, some foundation and a light dusting of blush across your cheeks, you kept your eye makeup neutral and decided to go for a lip gloss instead of a colored lipstick, not wanting to have to worry about maintaining the pigment in a setting where you would be doing so much talking. 

When you entered the bakery you were hit with the sweet scent of pastries and baking bread mixed with the jolting smell of coffee. Your mouth started watering. The display cabinet by the register was filled with a colorful array of sweet treats, and the far side wall was made up of baskets filled with different loaves of bread people would walk up and choose from. You suddenly thought about backing out of the interview simply so you could maintain your figure which you knew would be at risk when you were surrounded by carbs all day and didn't have an ounce of self-control. 

You stood near the wall taking it all in when you saw a handsome man wearing an apron, with a smiling lump of dough with the word ‘Weirdough’ embroidered above it, approach you. He wore a light pink sweater that matched the icing on a number of the pastries with a pair of jeans and converse. He smiled at you and after further evaluation of his broad shoulders and full lips you confirmed that he was the most handsome man you had ever seen. 

“You must be y/n” he greeted, taking in your professional attire and the small portfolio you held with a death grip in your hand. You nodded unable to find your voice and his smile grew. “I'm Kim Seokjin, the owner,” he said offering you his hand, you accepted it hoping your hands weren’t as clammy as you felt they were and noticed the patch of ink peeking through the rolled-up sleeve of his forearm, but at this angle, you weren’t able to make out the design. 

 “Come on to the back and we can have a talk,” he said with a nod of his head before leading the way. You followed him past the counter and into the back where you saw a blond man in the corner kneading dough with a swirl of cinnamon coloring it.   

“Do you have any allergies, y/n?” he asked looking over his shoulder as you followed him through the kitchen to what you could only assume to be his office.  You shook your head and he sighed with relief, “thank goodness, we make an effort to accommodate all allergies and intolerances in our menu, but it’s a bit harder to escape in the kitchen. I once interviewed someone with a cinnamon allergy, and let's just say that did not go well,” he let out a squeaking laugh and you couldn’t help but smile in return.

“You’re shy for a friend of Hoseok’s although I wouldn’t be surprised if he did all the talking, the only time that man is quiet is when he has a mouthful of food,” 

You let out a startled laugh at the slight jab as you closed the office door and helped yourself to the chair across his cluttered desk adjusting the pillow behind you slightly as you settled. The feeling of tension in your shoulders ease and the knots in your stomach loosened as you took in the cozy office. You took in Jin’s warm presence, still looking so casual even when sitting behind a desk in the business he owned and found yourself able to relax around him.

“Not at all it just takes a minute for my social battery to warm up, he’ll be the one telling me to shut up once I get started,” you said with a smile forcing a persona of confidence up your throat. 

You learned at a young age you truly could fake it till you make it in most social settings. Making your body language appear more confident than you felt. You just needed a few minutes of observing whoever it was you were meeting, formulating how to match their mood. The right amount of humor in your voice, the right amount of attitude. Many thought you were clever and funnier than you actually were. When really you were just a good listener, making a habit of referencing jokes they already made earlier in the conversation to charm them, and get them talking about themselves more before deciding which side of yourself to show them. 

Many could misunderstand your attempt at social survival as you being fake, but you saw it more as adapting to your environment. You never pretended to be someone you weren't; you merely highlighted qualities of yourself that would be most appealing to the setting you were in. Most people do it unintentionally. You were just more aware of it, had to make more of an effort in doing it, to overcome your own anxieties.

Jin grinned as he rolled the sleeves of his sweater back down his arm, you again glimpsed the flash of a tattoo making out a familiar geometric shape. “I understand that completely, I’m the same way,” he offered as he leaned back in his chair. And you felt warm as you realized maybe you wouldn’t have to ride out this interview on false confidence after all. Seokjin seemed to be a kind and understanding man, his warm smile putting you at ease despite the interview setting. 

The two of you continued on with the interview asking the usual questions before Jin asked you to detail your previous work experience at 929. Afterward, he gave you a brief overview of what your duties at the bakery would entail; baking, taking care of the cash register, making coffees, and cleaning. You were a little intimidated by the thought of being responsible for preparing food, but he assured you you wouldn’t be left in the kitchen alone until they felt you were comfortable. 

“So could you start your training tomorrow afternoon?”  he asked as he opened his calendar adjusting the glasses on his nose. 

“You want to- I’m hired?” you asked in surprise. 

Jin smiled at you warmly, “You seem more than capable, and we are in need of a new set of hands, so if you’re still wanting to work here then yes” 

“O-ofcourse, yes thank you, thank you so much,” you said shaking his hand. 

Seokjin gave you some paperwork to fill out before excusing himself to go check on a few things. You took in the office now that you had a moment to yourself appreciating the slight messiness to the desk that was covered in stacks of paperwork, and a few sheets sprawled in handwritten notes of what looked to be recipes, but overall the room was clean. The bookshelves behind the desk were filled with cookbooks of all kinds, a few business-related titles, and to your surprise what appeared to be a chemistry book or two on the bottom shelves were also accompanied by a few knick-knacks and Mario figurines all strategically placed and dust-free. Above the door was a small wooden plaque that said “All you knead is Love”  underlined by a rolling pin. The room overall felt cozy and homey, but maybe that was just the pillow in your chair with the phrase “Espresso yourself” in loving needlepoint, that was doing the talking. 

You gave him your banking information and student citizenship card to document in the system so he could add you to payroll, and within an hour you found yourself walking out of the office with plans to be back at 1 pm tomorrow to start your training. 

“Were asking you to come so late because the morning rush is our busiest time, I would hate for you to be overwhelmed,” Seokjin clarified as he walked you out of the front of the store. 

“Please take something home with you before you go,” he offered, sliding open one of the pastry cabinet doors. This couldn’t be real. Your luck couldn't be this good. You grinned as you selected a flakey blackberry strudel pastry that was braided in a long rope and covered in sparkling sugar. It was delicious, and then you were ready to make your way out the door. 

That is until a familiar face made his way out from the kitchen.

“Hey, boss where did you- oh hello princess what are you doing here?”  Jimin purred with a Cheshire smile 

“Jimin,” Jin warned softly before turning to you with a customer service smile, genuine, but not as warm as the one he revealed to you before. 

“This is Jimin,” Seokjin introduced gesturing at the blond in front of you, “He’s going to be one of your co-workers, he’ll actually be here to help with your training tomorrow.” he introduced “But it seems like you already know each other” he voice ended in a question 

Jimin looked you up and down with a smile as he swept his bangs back from his forehead, you shifted your weight from leg to leg feeling so flustered under his gaze that you almost missed the geometric tattoo on his forearm twin to the one Seokjin had on his,  “We've crossed paths once or twice, I thought you preferred to go by Ella around these parts?” Jimin asked with a knowing look his voice intensifying with his inflection  

“Is that true?” Jin asked his voice laced with concern

You swallowed keeping your eyes on Jimin even as you turned your head to Jin and nodded accepting the protection Jimin offered, “I know my family name isn’t as easy on Alcorn's preferred tongue,” you offered as explanation letting your native accent poke through a bit more to sell your point. 

Jin raised an eyebrow but nodded in understanding, “In that case, I’ll put Ella on your name tag if that makes you more comfortable.” And with that you took your cue to go, your head spinning as you made your way down the block pastry still clamped in your hand.

“Do you think the cover name is really necessary?” Jin asked as he made his way to the register reliving Monic for her ten. 

“Hoseok said she didn’t want her to be affiliated with BTS after she leaves the Westside, and it’s the name Jungkook gave her the night we met. I figured it would appease both of them.” Jimin offered, “besides you have to admit, it is kinda sweet,” he said with a smile Jin rolled his eyes. 

“Jungkook really called her Cinderella, I swear he could romanticize roadkill if you let him think about it for too long,” Jin said with a huff.  “At least she managed to get a cute nickname out of it,” he added as an afterthought. 

“Cute name for a cute girl” Jimin's smile was a little too predatory for Jin’s taste. 

“Yah, get back in the kitchen, what am I paying you for?” the elder ordered with a smack to his shoulder. 

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

You found yourself standing outside of Sugar Daddy at 12:45p.m. the next day, determined to keep your reputation for punctuality, and smiled at Jin as you came in. 

You wore a white blouse with a pair of light jeans and yellow flats for a pop of color. You were still unsure of how formal or casual to dress for work, having a uniform at your last job gave you no point of reference, so you elevated your casual attire by accessorizing with a pair of yellow dangling earrings the same color as your shoes and a matching silk scarf you wrapped around your hair tie, letting the long ends with a pattern of honeycomb and bees fall just short of your ponytail. You felt like the soft color pallet of the outfit would help you match the vibe of the bakery better, but you may have to get more creative with your wardrobe if you made a habit of it since a majority of your closet was black.

“Ella,” Jin greeted as you made your way to the counter hovering as you were unsure of whether or not to join him behind it. “I’m glad you're a little early, I had something come up that afternoon that I can't seem to get out of, so I wanted to take you in the back and get you started in the kitchen before I have to go. Jimin will train you upfront after that,” he explained before bringing you back in the kitchen where Jimin was frosting sugar cookies with seasonally appropriate designs. You didn’t remember artistic talent being part of the job descriptions, so you hope that task was reserved for him. 

Jimin gave you a kind but unusually quiet smile as he looked up from his work taking his silent cue to head up to the front. You didn’t know what you expected from him today, but the mild mannerism surprised and confused you a bit. Finding out he was your coworker set your nerves on edge yesterday, you had to face the fact that your adventures from last week may not be something you could put behind you. And the fact that you felt more eagerness than dread was a whole other concern you weren’t ready to unbox just yet.

 You wondered exactly what would come from working at a ‘gangster bakery.’ 

The thought of a gangster bakery was so odd you felt silly for being worried about it. You didn’t feel like you were in danger per se, you recognized the symbol on Jimin and Seokjins forearm as the same one that marked Hoseok’s. If this was his way of bringing you into his world after being closed off for so long you weren’t entirely opposed to it. You knew he loved you and wanted to keep you safe. The thought of Hoseok being connected to the night you met Jungkook simultaneously put you at ease and fed your worries.  

It made the unknowns of that night less intimidating. Hoseok being in the same gang as the group of men who know where you live meant he could possibly protect you from them. But the thought of Hoseok being affiliated with that kind of violence also made you so nervous it put your stomach in knots. 

You also realized Hoseok knowing them didn’t mean you were safe. It was stupid for you to assume so, but having a job with them and getting to know them better gave you a chance to evaluate your situation a bit better. That's what you were hoping at least. 

“Ella?” Jin questioned pulling you from your thoughts. You looked up startled to see you had fixated on the ink on his forearm while your thoughts had run wild. 

“I’m sorry what did you say?” you asked flushed and you bit at the skin on your bottom lip. 

“I said let’s get you an apron,” he said hold out the gray canvas to you. It was then that you saw he was wearing a different apron from yesterday, today said ‘Donut worry. Be happy.”

You unfolded your apron to find it blank, but lined with pockets at the waistline and two tortoise shelled buttons where the straps connected to the top, and unnecessary but fashionable detail. “Don’t worry, I’ll have your embroidered once we find the right pun,” Jin assured as if it was an actual concern. 

Your time in the kitchen went by quickly, after a thorough tour of where all the supplies were he showed you how to navigate the iPad that had all the recipes currently on the menu. The recipes were written out in nice steps that made it near impossible to mess it up. Or so Jin thought until you got in the kitchen. 

The first accident happened when you got to the mixer, you were making a classic chocolate chip recipe. The measuring of ingredients went by easily, your time in the labs had served you well. But you had never used such a fancy piece of machinery in the kitchen. You forgot to lock the blender down, so when you pushed the dile to turn it on, putting it at max, butter quickly flew out of the metal bowl and right onto Jin’s cheek. You were both horrified and amused by the shocked sound that ripped through his throat. And had to stifle your laughter as he excused himself to wash up in the bathroom mumbling about being worried about breaking out. He decided that later that night he would write directions for all the equipment in the bakery. 

Once the cookies were in the oven you were tasked with preparing some cupcakes so you could practice frosting. Any downtime you thought you would get from the pastries cooking was spent cleaning and weighing out the ingredients to the next thing. Two dozen cookies and a dozen muffins later you were finally faced with your worst fear, the decoration station. The cupcakes had cooled and you were given the task to pile them high with a swirl of frosting, place a strawberry in the pile at just the right angle, and drizzle white chocolate over it artistically. You would rather dissect a frog. After two failed attempts, Jin took pity and decided to show you his technique for a third time, when his alarm went off. 

“Ella, I hate to cut us short, but I need to get going, you can head upfront with Jimin if you want.”

You did not want. 

But you smiled brightly at him with a cheery ‘of course’ and wished him a good afternoon before heading to the front of the bakery. Behind the counter, Jimin was leaning across the register scrolling through his phone in boredom. He fumbled to put his phone up quickly when he heard you come through the door.

 “Gosh you scared me I thought you were Jin,” he sighed as you approached, carefully as you balanced a tray of cupcakes in your arms.

“Sorry to disappoint?” you said hesitantly as you set down the tray on the countertop tugging at the skin on your bottom lip subconsciously as you focused on keeping the tall towers of icing from tipping. .

“How did baking 101 go, I don’t smell anything burning,” he said, making easy conversation before raising an eyebrow at your sloppy decor job. 

You sighed, “I’m surprised he hasn't fired me yet” you near groaned as you debated your employment. Jimin laughed.

“Well at least you only got a little flour in your hair,” he teased gesturing toward the near-white strand, “Oh no!” You gasped  searching for a reflective surface to assure you were presentable. “Relax it comes with the job, I get flour in all kinds of places,” he amended. 

“No one wants to hear about your places,” a deep voice broke startling you. You looked up to see a grinning V standing across from you at the counter, you hadn’t even noticed he was there when you came in. 

“Oh, it’s you,” you stated dumbly as you turned to Jimin. Tae tilled his head in an oddly felin gestur his curls shifting atop his head as he took you in. 

“It’s always a pleasure to see you too my darling El, got any business?” he smirked as you watched him pluck a strawberry from your cupcake and pop it in his mouth. 

“Hey, I was going to sell those,” you snapped ignoring his comment as he reached for another one of the berries.

“No you weren’t,” Taehyung replied simply between chews, “they’re ugly” he said punctuating the point as he ate a third strawberry. You turned to Jimin in hopes of him defending your honor, but he only smiled at you confirming your decorating deficiency.   

“Alright, that enough,” you hissed, pulling the tray away from him, he chuckled softly before retreating to his side of the counter space right as Seokjin walked out the kitchen decked out in a full suit. It was at that moment you realized Taehyung was dressed in formal attire as well. 

“How do I look Ella?” Jin asked with a confident smile. You started at him wide-eyed glancing quickly at Jimin as you debated the HR policies you read in your hiring contract before settling with a safe “Umm very handsome, sir” 

“Oh god you’ll only make it worse,” Jimin groaned right as Jin gave a confident, “I know,” in response. 

“We should get going,” Tae said looking over to you with a grin “It was a pleasure seeing you, princess,” he said with a flirtatious wink that you were not at all affected by, before turning to walk out the door. Jin gave a quick goodbye, reminding Jimin to behave before the following suit and getting into a familiar sleek black car parked illegally in front of the shop. 

“I guess we should get started then,” Jimin said with a smile, and suddenly you had a whole new set of nerves. 

Working the front of the store was a lot easier than the kitchen. You were already experienced with the cash register system they used, only needing to familiarize yourself with their menu and how to specialize orders. The pastries all had description cards in the display cabinet, so it was easy to know what is what as well as describe it to the customers. The only thing you had to learn really was how to make coffee. You weren't a stranger to fancy coffee shops, almost regularly indulging in an overpriced, over-sweetened cup yourself. But Navigating the equipment will take some time for you to get used to. And considering how grumpy customers got in the mornings Jimin took extra time to make sure you had the basics down to prepare you for the morning shift.

"And then you just pour the milk in like this," Jimin said with a smile as he made a flawless heart in the milk once again. It had been a slow afternoon at the shop, ideal for training you, and once he was sure you got the hang of things he decided he could give you a head start on mastering your barista skills, because you were not going near the frosting again if he could help it. 

The counter was lined with cups filled with various drinks and failed latte art attempts, and the few customers you have had this afternoon had been delighted with the free coffee that came with their purchase. You and Jimin were also buzzing after drinking one too many of the failed attempts. 

"If you ever have time and you want the drink to be really good, mix the syrup in with the milk when you steam it, it may take a little extra cleaning, but it helps the flavor stay consistent throughout the drink," he continues as he demonstrated again on a new cup of milk, you watched the milk slowly darken as the chocolate syrup blended in and became frothy. He poured the milk into a cup of espresso skipping the art in favor of adding whipped cream on top before drizzling it perfectly with chocolate syrup. You gasped as he added a marshmallow on top and lit it on fire with a small torch by the register.

"Ta-da!" he said with a grin, "It has toasted marshmallow syrup in it too. The Fireside it’s one of our more popular drinks. Tell me what you think." he said while offering you the beverage.

You blew out the marshmallow with a quick puff of air before tentatively taking a sip, your taste buds danced in delight, "Oh my gosh this is delicious!" you beamed as you looked at him in amazement. He giggled, ruffling his hair as he thanked you.

"Yeah, I get pretty bored here when it gets slow on nights like this, so I kinda let my creativity run wild. Jin lets me have a specialty menu," he said nodding towards the small chalkboard propped by the register, "and if something in particular becomes a hit then he'll add it to the official menu."

Sugar Daddy was basically an equal parts bakery and coffee shop. The business set itself apart by being specialized in having out of the ordinary pastries and drinks like the Fireside where they lit a marshmallow on fire. To be honest Jimin tried to incorporate fire into the menu as much as possible. He was a bit of a pyromaniac at times. 

The bakery had a modern feel despite being fit into an older building off the main street of the 7th ward. It wasn’t overly girlish in that sickening way most trendy bakeries are headed, where they are over saturated with pastel colors and curly font menus that were damn near impossible to read. No, Sugar Daddy had a relaxed and cozy vibe; the red brick walls and hardwood floors were complemented with more industrial decor, like the minimalist wire basket wall filled with bread and bagels to be sold,  and the Edison light bulbs that hung over the display cases. 

"That's so cool!" you said genuinely impressed by his creativity as you read through the flavors on the list. "Honestly Jimin, some of these pastries are so beautiful they're basically art," you continued as you peeked at the display case again admiring the lavender blossoms painted on the small lavender macaroons.

"You're too kind," he said bashfully and you shook your head as you stole another sip of your coffee, a dollop of whipped cream sticking to your nose in the process. Jimin stepped forward, whipping it with his finger with a swift but gentle flick, fighting the urge to lick his finger as he kept eye contact with you. You looked away shyly, a blush staining your cheek. Off limits. he reminded himself begrudgingly.

"Let's take another go at the register. We don't want you to slip up in the middle of rush hour," he said before turning away and breaking any tension that may have built between you two.

Jimin was a natural flirt, but you made it dangerously easy. He was going to have to keep himself in check as he gets to know you more. You were so enthusiastic about everything he's taught you so far and your personality was sweet enough to give him a cavity even in a bakery. But then you kept surprising him with a snide comment or joke that made him do a double-take, your seemingly innocent eyes suddenly appearing all too knowing. It was your first day and you were already driving him crazy.

For a while he was drilling you again, listing off random orders and making you ring them up on the register as you familiarized yourself with the menu. You were both starting to lose interest, as the streetlight outside came on indicating to Jimin you had a little over an hour until closing, and he was worried you may not see another customer for the evening when the bell chimed and a couple entered the store arm and arm.

 "You take this one," he encouraged taking a step back to clean up the coffee equipment. You greeted them cheerfully complimenting the woman on her blouse so effortlessly, Jimin wondered if it came naturally or if you were gunning for tips.

Jimin clicked with you well. There were no awkward pauses or hiccups that normally came with training days. You were confident and capable so much so he almost found it a little intimidating at first, found himself seeming like he was the shy one as he struggled to think about what to show you next. You were making small talk with the couple as you collected the pastry of choice for them out the cabinet, rushing it to a natural end as the bell chimed from another customer entering the store. He could tell you were practiced in customer service, your overall energy was both warm and efficient, and he could hear the slight tone in your adapt depending on who you were interacting with. 

“Good evening, what can I get for you, sir,” 

“I’ll have a cortado,” Jimin froze as he recognized the familiar voice, looking over his shoulder to see Kim Namjoon standing across from you at the counter.

“Late night?” you asked as you smiled at him sweetly and scrolled through the list of drinks to ring him up. 

“I find I’m more productive in the evenings,” Namjoon responded smoothly. 

“I say the same thing, but if we’re honest I think I’m just guilty of procrastination,” you joked as you wrote his order on a cup and handed it to Jimin, who tried his best to keep one eye on you and the espresso machine as he made the drink. 

“Thank you, Ella,” Namjoon said as he dropped his coins in the tip jar with a rattle, and took his drink from Jimin with a small smile. 

“You seem tense,” you said softly as you watch Namjoon take a seat at one of the tables scrolling through his phone. 

Jimin blinked quickly before turning to you with a smile, “Not at all princess, but it’s almost time for closing so let me show you how we pack and clean up everything,” he said with a smile. Before he could go further the bell chimed again and to his displeasure saw another one of his brothers enter the shop. Jungkook looked about as shocked to see you as you did, despite having the warning. Jimin forgot he and Namjoon were taking care of a deal tonight and using the storefront as a meeting place. 

Jimin watched Namjoon frown as Jungkook walked passed him. A dopey smile forming on the idiot’s face as he strolled up to the counter. You didn’t take your eyes off him as you brushed by Jimin to take his order. Saints, you were both pathetic.

“What can I get you?” you asked your voice shy and small as you reached to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Caramel macchiato,” his articulate brother responded softly. 

Jimin watched Jungkook shift he weight as you rang him up searching for something to say before blurting, “I saw you the other day, at the library”

Your smile faltered, “Yaeh, I know the elevator you-”

“Sorry I didn’t say hi, I guess that was pretty weird,” he laughed rubbing the back of his neck nervously

“It was,” you agreed, eyebrows furrowing, and Jimin had to hide his smile with his hand as he watched the younger deflate. You were brutal and Jimin adored it. 

“But you can say hi now?” you offered catching your mistake. 

Jungkook flushed as a smile broke across his cheeks and gave a soft, “Hey Ella,”

“Hey Jungkook,” you responded as you smiled back at him endearingly and he felt his stomach flutter at the fact that you remembered his name. Jimin wanted to bang his head into a wall at the sight of the middle school romance blooming in his shop. He looked around for inspiration desperate to spoil the moment before your eyes turned into actual hearts.  

“Kook,” Namjoons voice almost echoed in the quiet bakery and you both jumped as you handed Jungkook back his card, “Sorry coming,” he called walking over to the elder. 

They exchanged words softly, Jungkook plugging a jump drive into Namjoons laptop as Jimin talked you through preparing his drink. By time you were ready to bring the drink to him he was gone, “You can set it on the table.” Namjoon said with a sweet smile flashing two crater deep dimples at you. “Jungkookie is just running something over to a friend he’ll be back soon,” he assured. You flushed and realized you probably looked disappointed by his absence and set the steaming mug on the table, wishing to all gods that Namjoon wouldn't notice how you teasingly wrote ‘Hey :)’ in caramel sauce on top of his drink. Stupid, stupid you hissed to yourself as you returned to a smirking Jimin. What were you doing exactly? Flirting??

Jimin got you started with closing the kitchen, standing the doorway to keep one eye at the front of the shop while directing you on how to wipe down the ovens and prep some of the yeast for tomorrow morning. 

At one point Suga came into the shop and chatted with Namjoon, but he didn’t order anything so he kept you in the kitchen deciding you didn’t need to meet the entire household tonight. When you did all that you could while the shop was still open Jimin had you come back to the front to show you how to clean the coffee machines. Namjoon was still at the table in the corner, a small plate of lemon cake half-eaten in front of him as he worked on his computer and Jungkook’s cooling mug across from him untouched. 

“El your sleeves are soaked,” Jimin groaned, noticing the dingy white fabric, “here.” he sighed, reaching for your wrist and rolling your sleeve up your forearm. “You’re going to have to make a habit of rolling your sleeve now that you work in a kitchen,” he said as he reached for the other one. 

You nodded not really hearing him as your own eyes looked down at his arms. You realized while you established you were probably safe to work here, that you still haven’t gotten any answers about the guys. 

“I like your tattoo,” you said, your voice sounding more forced than casual, but Jimin stiffened in response before letting a small smirk crawl across his face, “Yea, you got any?” he asked as he finished and dropped your arm. You shook your head as you shifted uncomfortably, “No, not yet at least, I think they’re super cool though. What does yours mean?” you prompted trying to make yourself seem only slightly interested. 

Jimin glanced over his shoulder to Namjoon observing the two of you with a raised brow, and Jimin rolled his eyes. It’s not like BTS was his secret, it was Hoseok’s. “It’s a family crest,” Jimin replied dismissively, 

Your brows rose in disbelief, “Really it’s so modern looking, I didn’t realize you and Jin were kin.” you prodded as you returned to wiping down the counter. 

Annoyance flashed across his face before he huffed, “We’re very distant cousins, but he’s like a brother to me.”

“Wow you must have a massive family,” you prompted with a smile. And Jimin’s eyes glinted as he saw a way out of your little interrogation. “Very,” he said as he leaned in to whisper, “that's not the only massive thing I have though,”

You immediately turned scarlet stepping away from him, “Jimin,” you hissed scandalized. He smiled cheekily before turning back to the floor, “C’mon nosey let's get back to work.” he prompted. You and Jimin continued cleaning and whipping down the counters before the shop finally closed. Jungkook never came back, and you tried not to look disappointed as you took the cold coffee cup, off the table along with Namjoon’s cake plate. Most of your message sunk to the bottom of the cup in a large sugar lump. You noticed Namjoon still sat at his table working after Jimin flipped the sign, and Jimin saw the curiosity in your eyes as you placed the dishes in the sink. 

“He’s the owner,” Jimin offered as explanation. 

Confusion wrinkled your brow “I thought Jin was the owner?”

At this Jimin’s eyes turned to crescents as he smiled “He owns Jin.” he said simply before returning to the dishes. Once the dishes were dried and put away Jimin took you to the back to finish cleaning the kitchen and preparing the dough to rise for the morning’s bread. 

“It’s getting late, why don’t you head home early,” Jimin offered as you placed reusable cling wrap over another bowl.

“Are you sure, we’re not done?” you asked confused, he nodded with a smile. Feeling tired from the long day you decided to take him up on the offer. You quickly slipped off your apron and gathered your things before leaving the store Jimin locking the door behind you. 

You shuffled down the street as you dug in your bag to grab your pepper spray, while this area was lit much better than your old job, you still were taking a maximum precaution on your walk home. 

“Y/n?” 

You squealed in shock as you whirled swinging your purse at your attacker. Jungkook didn’t seem affected at the bag met his arm with a loud smack, but he looked at you sheepishly as he apologized. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just going to offer to walk you home”

“Gosh, Jungkook I could have hurt you what were you thinking sneaking up on me like that,” Jungkook laughed as he started walking with you, “No you couldn’t have, I barely felt that,” he teased bumping you slightly with a solid shoulder. 

“Don’t tempt me to try again, I’ll make sure you feel it next time,” you threatened lightly. He grinned cheekily at you 

“I could teach you, ya know?” he offered and you raised a brow for him to elaborate, “How to fight- defend yourself I mean, you held your own the other night, but it’s important that people like you know how to defend themselves properly in a city like this,” 

You scoffed, “First things first, I believe it was you who got jumped the other night, and I saved your ass” you reminded

“You did a great job of distracting them, so I could take control of the situation,” he corrected. You ignored him. 

“Secondly, what do you mean people like me?” you asked a flush already creeping up your cheeks. Is it a compliment to be told that your pretty enough to be kidnapped? You made a mental note to reevaluate you standards of what is and isn’t a compliment in the shower later. 

“People who walk home from work at night,” Jungkook clarified and your face fell as you realized he wasn’t flirting with you. He was being a sensible and nice guy. 

“Thanks, but I think I can handle my own,” you said your voice flat, and Jungkook wondered what he said wrong this time. 

“Oh, c’mon I can teach you the good ole’ one, two,” he insisted punching his fist through the air for emphasis.

It was at that moment you caught sight of the trapezoid design on his forearm two. You don't know why you were surprised, You reached grabbed his arm gently pulling it to get a better look, the inner doctor in you trying not to lust after the thick veins protruding from his arm. You should ask him if he donates blood often. “What does it mean exactly,” you asked catching him off guard. 

“The family symbol” you elaborated as you traced the pad of your finger softly around each side. Jungkook tried to contain the shiver that ran through him but had no way of stopping the way he felt his heart swell at your question. You knew. Hoseok or Jimin must have told you. But you knew he was in a gang and you weren’t repulsed by it, you saw it for what it was, a family. You were even willing to let him walk you home. He smiled brightly as he responded,

“They’re doors,” he said simply, “One open inwards one open outwards, it’s supposed to mean you’re never alone, there’s always somewhere for you to go when you're part of the family, The symbol is a promise that you’ll take care of each other.”  

You angled your head as you saw the doors and smiled softly, “So what’s the family name,” you asked still trying to wrap your head around how a Park, Kim, and Jung could all be kin. Their grandparent must have been busy, 

“BTS?” Jungkook asked confused “Oh it stands for-” Jungkook stopped as he saw the way your face fell. 

“BTS as in the gang?” you asked and he tried to not dwell on the waiver in your voice.

 “So you didn’t know,” Jungkook said realizing his mistake. 

“Well I figured, I mean I always assumed Hoseok was apart of something, but when I asked Jimin he said it was a family crest and then you had that beautiful explanation and I thought. I thought for a second that maybe,” your face turned red as you got flustered, “Maybe someone would be honest with me for once, but no I work at a gangster bakery.” You huffed your mouth set into a firm pout as you continue your rant, “ Which is the most absurd thing, by the way, you guys should really re-evaluate your business tactics. Open a dive bar or something cool” you said starting to pick up your pace as you grew frantic or furious. Jungkook couldn’t really tell. 

“Y/n, please I’m sorry I thought you knew,” Jungkook  pleased

And you laughed humorously, “I should have I’m so stupid I really thought-”  Jungkook struggled to understand you as you continued to mumble to yourself angrily your mouth in a firm pout as you turned around to head in the opposite direction. 

“Where are you going?” Jungkook was jogging to keep up with you as you were on the border of full-on sprinting. 

“To talk to my best friend, I wanna know if he’s capable of telling the truth” you hissed and Jungkook slowed as you turned on the road of Hoseok’s apartment complex. 

“Oh man, oh man, oh man” he huffed, pressing his hands to his ears in despair. He tailed you slightly just to make sure you got there safe before quickly sending a warning text to Hobi. Though he wasn’t sure anything could properly prepare the man for you.

You stomped of the flight of stairs in Hoseok’s building, banging on the door to warn him before you dug through your purse for your keys. 

“Y/n?” Hoseok asked confused as he opened the door, you shoved right past him near hysteric with anger, “Let’s talk,” you snapped as you made your way into the living room.

“Y/n, what the hell is going on?” he demanded taking in your disheveled state. 

“I was just wondering now that I got fired from my job and work at your gangster bakery how long until I get my own cute little tattoo,” you said with a saccharine smile. Hoseok’s stomach dropped, “I can explain.” he started.

“I bet you can,” you snapped before your eyes watered your emotions quickly getting the best of you, “Hobi, I don’t wanna be mad I just wanna know the truth.” you pleaded voice wavering. And that was the truth, you felt like you could care less if he was in a gang. It was Alcorn, you had to be in a gang to survive if you weren’t rich. The only reason you hadn’t joined one yourself was because you were an international student and no one cared about you, but even that hadn’t kept you out of it. You and Daewon almost joined Black Pink, a notorious girl gang at your university during a drunken mishap your freshman year.   

Upon seeing your eyes water and your lip tremble Hoseok instantly wished you would scream at him. He didn’t want to hurt you. He didn’t mean for it to go this far. For you two to get so close after his sister's death, or for him to lie to you for so long. He told himself he kept you out of it for your safety, but really it was just too easy for him to live two lives, for you to look at him like he wasn’t a murderer and for him to pretend for a few hours that he wasn’t. He sighed sitting on the couch and you plopped down next to him and waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts. 

“I guess it’s best to start at the very beginning which was when I was around 16,” he started.

A/N: Whew this is the longest thing I’ve written (so far). And I’m super stoked to see what everyone thinks! I had a personal deadline to post before the end of the month bc I’m working 40 hours a week and taking online classes, but I got hit by a truckload of insperation and have felt so beyond flattered by the comments that I started writing during my lunch break and shot this bad booy out and plotted out possibly nine chapters?? So stay tuned y’all we’re in for a long ride. As always thank you for reading! Please comment if you feel led they really help me out!!! <3

pt.4 

[mythgirlimagines]

Now you see her, now you don’t! Here’s (or wait, is she there?!) the Former Ultimate Hide-And-Seeker, Myth Anon!

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BACKSTORY AND TALENT

With a camouflage jumpsuit and a leafy cape, one would think that Myth’s talent is military related. However, Myth has one of the more obscure and eccentric titles on the Hope’s Peak roster. Having a crippling aversion to interacting with others and being an absolute master at evading anyone’s sight, Myth is a sort of cryptid celebrity in her hometown, garnering fame for her constant wins in their yearly hide-and-seek tournaments. Myth is an expert at camoflouhing herself into the scenery around her, and she doesn’t do too badly at the seeking part either, in which she ditches the leafy cape and adopts a dangerous and vigilant personality, known by her fanbase as “Seeker Mode”. To the contrary, for she seems to have an almost psychic connection to the hidden people around her, allowing her to find them with ease. During her years at Hope’s Peak, she spent a majority of the school years hiding away, and trying to scout out who is trustworthy and who isn’t amongst her class. And the same goes for both her fellow chaperones and the Anons that she was assigned to chaperone.

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RELATIONSHIPS

Wyre Anon, Former Ultimate Commentator

Famous for commentating on pro-wrestling and other combat matches and their loud and boisterous voice (along with a personality to match), Wyre’s presence and voice that comes with it is truly an unmissable one. If you can name a sport, it’s guaranteed that Wyre has commentated on at least one match, and yes, that includes hide-and-seek tournaments (that was how they encountered and befriended Myth, in the first place). Despite being the complete opposite of Myth in both talent and overall personality, Wyre is Myth’s only friend and partner in crime when it comes to both commentating on unaware individuals and espionage, ever since Myth saw a young Wyre commentate and compliment them on their hide-and-seek skills. Now that they are attending the Kibo-Con tour together, they have all but one goal in mind: to hide, spy on everybody in the building and sort out the people they can trust, from the people that they definitely can NOT trust. 

Outfit: A green hoodie with a wrestling mask design on the back surrounded by small yellow stars over a dirty brown t-shirt, a grey headset around their neck, black jeans, blue crocs.

Anon Scar, Ultimate Buddy

Often calling herself “The Leech of Affection” and claiming that she spends time around others in order to sap their affection energy from them and reach her ultimate form, who is hellbent on the distraction of the entire human population, to her hundreds upon thousands of friends, she’s a lovable dork who’s always watching over them and bandaging up their boo-boos, much like a mother. Much to Scar’s shock and horror, the whole chuunibyou act seems to attract even more friends to her, particularly with the theater and goth crowd. From Myth’s observations, despite her attempts to appear the contrary, Scar seems to be friendly (if rather timid and awkward beneath the whole persona) enough, and if her reaction to people referring to her by her talent is accurate, she really doesn’t like the (admittedly corny) title of “Ultimate Buddy”. Once Myth chooses to stop her constant hiding and reveal herself to the public, she might go to Scar as the first friend she can make. 

Outfit: Hair in two small pigtails (while the rest of it is down), an oversized white sweater with black stripes, black overalls with random patches, red sneakers.

Fusion Anon, Ultimate Brewmaster

As the eldest son of a couple of tea brewing prodigies and masters of the tea ceremony, it was expected that Fusion would blow his parents out of the water with his skills at making tea (and other brewed beverages), and his proficiency at other duties performed at his family’s tea breweries. A very friendly and kindhearted young man (in spite of his imposing height), Fusion loves nothing more than to talk to people about random subjects over a nice cup of tea. In spite of what our talent would suggest,  From Myth and Wyre’s observations, Fusion seems to be able to eat his height in food (particularly biscuits and teacakes), and seems to have instantly struck a father-daughter relationship with a particular saleswoman (and the other Ultimates, apart from Scar, Purple, and Janon). Considering how much of an open book Fusion is (particularly when it come to his knowledge on random subjects), Fusion’s looking trustworthy in Myth’s eyes so far.

Outfit: A dark blue overcoat over a dark pink vest and a red tie over a white dress shirt, pants that match his overcoat, pink socks and dark brown loafers, a small blue top hat nestled on his hair, white loves.

Fusion Anon II, Ultimate Saleswoman

Famous in her company adverts for her sarcastic put-downs of the competition, Fusion II has a cold and calculating mindset that makes her position as the spokesgirl of the tech company she works at deserved. In spite of her constant straight face and her deadpan personality, her fans love her for her charisma and sheer photogenity in her ads and modeling shoots promoting her product. When not selling the company wares or starring in commercials for said company, she’s more than content to just relax at her home with a good book and a nice cup of tea, without the pressures from the company and her audience getting to her. Fusion II is a very hard to read person, so she just scares and confuses Myth, not that she trusted the stone-cold business woman. However, her regular tea parties with Fusion seem to bring out a more dorky and human side to her. So maybe Fusion II might secretly be as friendly, dorky, and warm as the fatherly brewmaster who shares her namesake with.

Outfit: A pantsuit that’s the same color as her regular outfit, the sunglasses from her original design.

Just Anon, UltimateOrator

Despite a wildly inconsistent schedule (he doesn’t even want to do the speeches half of the time), whenever Janon musters up the energy to complete the speeches he writes, his words are able to move tens amongst thousands of people. If anyone asks him about his public attendances, Janon always redirects the question and wants nothing more than his true self to be distanced from the charismatic and handsome young man who is often found on stage and in a stuffy suit and tie. Between seeing the Janon on stage (from her constant hiding within the crowds) and seeing Janon off the stage, it’s safe for Myth to say that Janon has his own version of Myth’s “Seeker Mode”, and can somewhat sympathise with Janon’s two separate personas that nobody knows about. However, Janon doesn’t seem to want to be friends with anybody (apart from the two Jr. Ultimates), so Janon isn’t in a very high spot on her official “Making Friends with My Kohais” list. 

Outfit: His original bunny hoodie over a fancy suit.

Sparkle Anon, Former Ultimate Masseuse 

The owner of one of the most popular massage parlours in the world (known as “THE SPECTACULAR MAGICAL HANDS”, Sparkle is known for her vast knowledge of the pressure points of the body and her constant bragging about her “magical hands” aiding people of their ailments (much like the magical girls that she idolises). No matter how stiff the body of her clients are, a single touch from Sparkle is enough to completely revitalise them, according to accounts by them. In spite of normally being loud and flashy (and punctuating her hitting of pressure points with shouting out magical girl-esque attacks), she knows when to be calm and relaxing. Sometimes when staying in one place for too long, Myth’s shoulders and back get stiff (exasterbated by her scoliosis), so sooner or later, Myth would have to spring forward with both a befriending request and a request for future massages that are scheduled throughout their stay (and maybe even after that).

Egg Anon, Former Ultimate Foreman

Having an entire construction team at their disposal, Egg is the genius (not really though) behind the construction teams that build entire cities worth of buildings. With a loud voice and an imposing build (in spite of their middling height), Egg knows exactly just how to lead a group, especially of tens of hundreds of construction workers that can run rampant at times (not that that stops Egg from enabling their construction people chaos at times, when off the job). While Egg acts professional when it comes to building (and caring for the Baby Squad), off the job, Egg is well known for their constant spouting of cursed concepts, that only serve to unnerve the people around them. While Egg instantly established themselves as a sort of mother hen towards Janon and the two Jr. Ultimates, Egg is their usual cursed and chaotic self to just about everybody else. For that reason (amongst many others), Egg is definitely not getting a high spot on Myth’s friend recommendation list.

Outfit: A yellow hard hat on their head, a yellow and green plaid shirt, a brown tool belt, the same pants and shoes from their original design.

Wet Sock Anon, Former Ultimate Mystery Novelist

In contrast to their ditzy and muscleheaded leader figure of a twin sibling, Wet Sock prefers to work from the shadows and write some of the most cursed and horrific mystery novels that the modern generations have ever seen. “Blood-Soaked Socks” and “Underneath The Missle Toad” are two of Wet Sock’s best-selling and successful mystery novels (both of which center around murders using cursed and unconventional murder weapons that are reoccurring motives throughout the novel). Myth seems to sympathize with Wet Sock, being a fellow recluse, but for completely different (and yet surprising similar) reasons. Both Myth and Wet Sock seclude themselves from others because of their anxiety and their trust issues, but Myth spends her Con-time studying the people in the convention, while Wet Sock isolates themselves with their work, and basks in the shadow of their older twin. It sounds rather weird, but Myth may seem to like Wet Sock better than Egg.

Outfit: Hair slightly combed down, a black overcoat slung over their shoulders over a black vest, a fluffy white cravat and a long sleeved white dress shirt, black pants, and black socks with hardened bottoms, the glasses from their original design.

Curious Anon, Jr. Ultimate Lucky Student

In contrast to the other Anons in the building, Curious doesn’t have any grandiose talent to their name, having won a simple raffle to join the roster of Hope’s Peak Junior High’s prospective Jr. Ultimates. About the most notable thing about Curious in their pre-Hope’s Peak days seems to be their politeness (that contrasts his casual appearance) and their well-deserved reputation as a pushover, who regularly lets themselves get walked on by the rest of their “friends”, all with a smile on their face. One time, Myth and Wyre got themselves too excited and accidentally uncovered themselves, while right in front of Curious. Desperate to hide herself, Myth told Curious that they never saw them, which Curious instantly believed, with zero hesitation. To this day, Curious is only confused when asked about the existence of Myth and Wyre, much to the facepalming irritation of Nerd and Eldritch, who really need witness accounts on Myth and Wyre’s dubious existence.

Outfit: Messier hair with an ahoge on top, a green hoodie over a white t-shirt, black leggings and white sneakers.

Anon Nerd, Former Ultimate Paranormal Investigator

Showing an obsession with the supernatural from a very young age, Nerd has a bloodthirsty attitude towards the search for paranormal life, and a hatred for any sort of non-believers, threatening to curse them (and I don’t mean just verbally), hopping they could change their non-believing ways. Nerd’s rage and obsession helped catapult his paranormal investigation channel “BLOODY SPIRITS” into stardom and inevitable Ultimate status. Even as an adult, his passion for paranormal life and hatred for disbelievers hasn’t faded in the slightest. Upon entering the Kibo-Con building and seeing the mysterious Myth on the roster, Nerd had all but one mission in mind: with his fellow pessimistic-paranormal-believer kohai Eldritch in tow, he will expose the cryptid Former Ultimate outside of her “Hider Mode”, and prove that she is more than just a simple urban legend, no matter how many times Myth and Wyre work together to keep themselves hidden from the eyes of the other disbelieving Anons.

Outfit: A black Ghostbusters-esque jumpsuit and black and yellow gloves with matching boots, a backpack filled with supplies, scouter from his original design.

Eldritch Anon, Ultimate Conductor

In charge of the entirety of a particularly accident-prone train station with high-level crime rates, Eldritch stays up all day and night, making sure that all of the trains in the station are perfectly on time and in perfect shape. Because of the hyperviligant line of work that Eldritch is in, he has an overly cautious and paranoid attitude, watching closely to make sure that nobody is out to sabotage his precious trainline, because in his eyes, everybody is a potential criminal or sabotage master. Upon hearing from Nerd that there are one or two Former Ultimates hiding in random locations and commentating on every single thing happening with the other Anons, Eldritch instantly assisted Nerd in his “cryptid hunting”, eager to discover and apprehend a potential criminal or two. Myth and Wyre view Eldritch as one of the biggest threats of her espionage (alongside the easily-angered paranormal investigator himself), in spite of their similar paranoid and distrustful personalities,

Outfit: The same as the original, but with a black hat on top, and without the alien badges (instead having a badge of his title).

Dream Anon, Ultimate Mountaineer

Scaling only the most treacherous of mountains, Dream charges up very large mountains without even a harness to support herself. Originally being the captain of her school’s rock-climbing squad, Dream’s energy and ambitious attitude encouraged her to switch from mere fake rock walls to legitimate rock walls, and eventually mountains, with heights only increasing with time. Dream tackles anything with a childlike energy and an equally childish sense of cheer and optimism. At first, Myth wasn’t really sure about Dream’s personality. Surely no high schooler could be THAT childish and cheerful all the time, and yet still be able to scale mountains without plummeting to her death. But based off of Myth’s accounts of Dream’s behaviour, there is no façade whatsoever behind Dream’s smile. On top of that, Dream’s constant energy and athletic behaviour gives Wyre brand new commentary material to work with. This does make Dream very hard to spy on though.

Outfit: Hair in a small ponytail short-sleeved hoodie with a grey to pink gradient, hot pink shorts over black tights, yellow armbands that matching her socks, and pink sneakers.

Iris Anon, Jr. UltimateNet Admin

Sitting in front of their multiple computers and making sure every network in town is running smoothly, along with installing hardware, in order to make everything run even smoother. Wanting to reach for greater career heights, Iris always tries their best to stay positive and keep up their reputation as an energetic and optimistic tech geek, but at times, they find it very hard to manage the façade (particularly when the workload becomes too much for even them to handle). When Myth first encountered Iris during her espionage sessions, they seemed to be a very cheerful and energetic (if slightly clumsy) young Anon. However, the more Myth spies on Iris, the more she can sense something is off about them, something that they can only confide in either Janon, Curious, or the Twins (who seem to have adopted the entire baby squad). Myth would have to survey the internet admin some more. Maybe the young net admin and the hide-and-seek champion are more alike than either of them even realise.

Outfit: Messier hair and baggier eyes, a hood-up purple hoodie with a pink pixel design near the bottom over a red t-shirt, black leggings and white sneakers with blue soles and star designs.

Purple Anon, UltimatePrincipal

In spite of being the same age (if not younger than) her classmates and being very timid on top of that, Purple is the principal of one of the most prestigious and high-class schools in the country (besides Hope’s Peak, of course), has an unconditional love for each and every one of her students) and managed to snuff out some of the delinquents hidden in the school. When not being the principal of her school and taking care of her duties, she’s more than content to just sit down with a calming nice cup of tea and a large stock of candy (she has a massive sweettooth, despite appearances and reputation). Always spending her time around (and always hiding behind) her good friend Fusion, Myth couldn’t help but sympathise with Purple’s timidity around people apart from her students. But from the rare moments she heard Purple speak, Myth knew that she wouldn’t be able to understand all of the old-fashioned jargon that seems to be spoken by the students of Purple’s prestigious academy.

Outfit: Longer hair in a bun, fake glasses, a black and purple pantsuit, and black heels.

While Myth may normally be the star of the show, this hide-and-seek champion (along with her commentator BFF) needs to evade the sights of everybody (while providing snappy commentary on everybody), but particularly a certain train conductor and a paranormal investigator. Could she get comfortable around others enough, in order to access Seeker Mode? Or will she remain forever in Hider Mode?

——————————————————-

PERSONALITY

HideAndSeeker!Myth has two modes to her personality, depending on the position she takes in the game and how comfortable and trusting she is around others. Helping to facilitate her talent, HideAndSeeker!Myth in Hiding Mode is very quiet (often lets Wyre do the talking in the friendship) and cautious, and mastered the ability of standing motionless in one spot for hours on end. She takes her talent very seriously and plans out her hiding spots in advanced, making her one of the most unpredictable hiders in the entirety of her hometown. In contrast to her motionless and timid Hiding Mode, her Seeker Mode is far more active and stoic (resembling that of a grizzled war veteran), and has unparalleled observational skills, which only serves to help in her seeking skills (as the name would obviously suggest). Thanks to her experience as a hider, she knows all of the go-to hiding spots in the neighborhood and how people would inevitably blow their hiding spots. HideAndSeeker!Myth doesn’t really trust many people (often remaining in Hiding Mode whenever in social situations), and analyses any and everyone, to make sure that they are a trustworthy enough individual. 

————————————-——————

APPEARANCE

 HideAndSeeker!Myth has short and messy brown hair, green paint smeared on her cheeks, a camo-colored jumpsuit, dark green gloves and matching boots, and a long cape made out of leaves and twigs (which she ditches whenever she switches to “Seeker Mode”). She strategically crafted her costume in order to hide amongst the grassy grounds of her “wargrounds”.

——————————————————

I hope you like this AU! I’d love to hear your opinions on the talentswapped Anons and maybe if you have any headcanons or opinions on this AU! Kudos to anyone who knows which Fangan these talents came from!

[concealeddarkness13]

WHG 15 Post-Games Imposter Syndrome Part 30

This is the last one before the party! Tagging: @ratracechronicler, @maple-writes, @pen-of-roses (also thanks for Conor!), and @thoughts-of-nora!

With the blood in my carpet, I was able to create a few crystal knives just in case I needed them, but I would only use them in an emergency. So, I kept one on me very inconspicuously.

A couple days after I saw Shine and Volt, some Peacekeepers knocked on my door. They didn’t tell me what was going on; they just grabbed me and pushed me along. Brilliant. Was it some other brilliant idea of Aurora’s?

Nope. It was Conor’s. He was standing in the middle of the room, wearing just a buttoned shirt, instead of a full suit, and he had rolled his sleeves up. There was an Avox over to the side, standing by a radio. What the hell was this?

I smirked over at him as the Peacekeepers pushed me into the room and slammed the door behind them. I crossed my arms. “What’s this? You trying to woo me now?”

“You’ve only just now figured that out? We’ve only been a couple for how many days now?” He pretended to look wounded as he walked closer to me, and his eyes sharpened when he got closer.

I laughed. “That means my acting has been that good. I had no idea.”

He actually looked serious. “If I was to ask if you were physically alright, what are the chances of you giving me an honest answer?”

Aw. Was that a bit of concern I saw? I held up my hands so he could see the scar on my right hand even more clearly. “100% truth, I’m technically physically alright. You don’t have to worry about me fainting on you.” I winked at him. He really thought I was going to admit weakness in front of him? He had already exploited my weakness for my friends once.

“Alas, and here I was hoping we would get the full cliché of the romance story. Now I’ll never cross it off the list.” Sorry for disappointing him. “But if ever there was a time for Ally cats presence…nevertheless, I suppose the dress will have to be a little different than the first plan. Still I do hope you will like it.” Ooh. What was this? I hadn’t heard hints of these plans. “But as for why we’re here, apparently the Capitol is afraid that throwing their newest gem into a party for the first time might embarrass them more if she doesn’t know how to dance. Though, I suppose we can’t give them too much credit for worrying about how they’ll be viewed through you all things considered.” A dark look passed over his face before he hid it with a smirk.

Huh. He seemed to be so concerned about me getting hurt. I wouldn’t have expected that of him. I put my hand over my chest, faking pain. “How rude to assume I can’t dance. And 100% true. So, I’m assuming that means you know how to?”

“Why of course! Some of the best dramas unfold on the dance floors of parties, loves, deals, battles of their own sorts, break ups, and renouncements…so much easier to see it all the closer you are. Or to spread the right rumor, secret, story, and what-have-you when the guards of those around you are down from music and dance.” Good to know. I really should pay more attention to parties then. “And,” he added as an afterthought. “I have told you I like the finer things of life.”

Ugh. But dancing was so annoying. I fake pouted. “You can have the finer things in life without learning how to dance. Look at me…well, at least before all this shit happened.”

He raised an eyebrow. “A point I will not contest, though I admit, some of them are to be found in it. Lucky for you I have had enough practice that I doubt many would notice your mistakes when the time comes, but I confess, I am unsure how we will fool the ever watchful,” he nodded at the Avox and a camera, “eyes, that we did indeed do as they asked. Or how we would otherwise spend this time.”

I huffed, but he had a point. Damn it. I held out my hand and smiled my best smile. “Then shall we begin?”

“Let’s.” He bowed and kissed my hand before guiding me to the middle of the room.

I was going to look like a damn fool. I didn’t know anything about dancing. The Avox turned on the music. He helped me position my hands, and I hid my nervousness with sarcasm. “My, but I feel under-dressed for this occasion. I hope you can stand a partner who doesn’t know the dress code.”

He started a complicated dance, moving with no warning, and I already stumbled. Shit. I wasn’t prepared for this. “And here I hoped I was dressed down for you, should I have worn less? Perhaps undo a few buttons as well? You can hardly be blamed when uninformed.”

Shit, I couldn’t even respond right away. I looked down as he moved me in the dance. I tried to keep up, but I kept stepping on his feet or stumbling. I looked ridiculous. “I don’t know how you could wear less and still be appropriate. But a more casual shirt would have made me feel less like I missed a memo.” Less sarcasm now.

“Alas, my current wardrobe is rather lacking in what you would call casual, unless of course you mean in the manner of the Capitol? If not, then this is as dressed down as I can appropriately get while in my current position.”

Huh. That probably wasn’t something I should try to imagine, or I’d start flushing. But I made a face just thinking about having to wear fancy clothes all the time. “Then I’m even more grateful they let me wear whatever I want when they’re not parading me around on tv. Sucks to be you.”

He laughed. “Indeed, though I will admit to revealing a bit in playing these roles. Putting a mask on and allowing the world to see something they wish so you can do as you please? I do enjoy these games.”

I had already seen how much of an expert he was in playing those games. It would be better if I learned more about that, if I ever thought to have another scheme. As I was thinking, he spun me, and I almost tripped over my feet. I frowned. “Any tips for doing that? I’m still working on it myself.”

“When spinning, the best option is to pick something stable to look at so you will not become dizzy, only turning away when you can physically no longer look at it. I’d say trust me, but well,” he spread his arm and raised an eyebrow.

Yeah, he couldn’t be trusted. Especially because he hadn’t answered my question. I snorted. “The dancing tips are much appreciated, but you know that’s not what I meant.”

“It’s much the same really. Pick a point that you know is stable about your mask, even if it’s something as small as how you stand or what you wear. Imagine how that fits the part you want to play, as you’re already in it, go from there and believe that it’s a part of you. But only a part. Want to seem confident? Straighten your back, and keep conscious of how it is, and you’ve already done one step of the persona. Then just add more.”

I bowed my head a little, and then promptly tripped. “That’s solid advice. I honestly didn’t expect that from you.”

“I’m wounded.” In a deadpan voice. “But of course, it’s more fun to play the game with someone else who knows.”

“But of course,” I echoed. As we danced, I was actually able to keep my balance. So, I was getting better. “Tell me about your methods. So that I can appreciate your effort that much more.” Maybe I could figure out more about his motives.

“Hmm, some of my methods, I’ll admit, are natural for me, and I have had years of practice. Of building up my personas and masks for everyone else, they are naturally a part of me at this point. I confess, I don’t know what other methods you’re referring to.”

I sighed. He was going to make me say it, wasn’t he? But at least I could get a few more tips out of this. “Fine, I’ll admit. Your charm, your wit, how you can destroy someone with just a few words, how you’re always one step ahead of everyone else.” I made my voice exaggeratedly sarcastic. “You can’t tell me all of that is just a fake persona.”

He laughed. “Destroying someone with a few words is probably the easiest to explain, but it requires having knowledge ahead of time or being able to read them and their tells on the fly. Actually, a rather cheap trick learned from pseudo-psychics about how to cold read a person based off subtle tells they give to a conversation. If you mention this, does their breath hitch or eyes go wide? Or did they seem dismissive of it? Or again, have prior knowledge of their weak points based off their history. Which I suppose aids in the being a step ahead, but having ready access to knowledge and plenty of contacts helps. As well as the years of seeing the patterns people tend to play out. As for charm and wit,” he dipped me, and I lost my footing, and I flailed a little before I realized he was keeping me from falling, “well, at one time they were ‘a fake persona’ for me, learned through pretending to be sharpest in the room, acting like those that were, watching and picking things up to add to my masks. But as I also said, they became a part of me from those years because I let them and wanted them to the point they became as natural as breathing. Satisfied my little thief?”

He pulled me back up, but I still stuttered before I could speak clearly. And I frowned. “Wait, since you answered those questions, do I owe you more kisses? Not complaining or anything, just making sure I know everything I’m getting into.”

“I was not going to charge you for those no, but if you insist, you do still owe me.”

I hated how I actually felt a little disappointed about that, but I didn’t have much time to think about that. He dipped me again, and I almost lost my footing, but he kept me from falling even as he leaned down closer so that our faces were inches from each other. Shit, and I was starting to flush. I was being so stupid. He was dangerous.

He kissed me and as I was getting lost in the intensity of it all, he let me fall and broke contact so that he could lean over me with a smirk before crushing his lips to mine. His hands wandered to my scars on my collarbone and my hand, and he traced them, and his kiss became more intense. He clasped my right hand tight before letting it go and slipping his hand under my shirt. And that was where he found the scar on my lower back and stomach. His hand lingered there, tracing over the scar tissue, and he held me tighter and tighter, and I couldn’t breathe…

He broke away, and when I looked up at him as I gasped for breath, his eyes were dark again. “Are you well enough to continue, little thief?”

I was still gasping for breath, but I wouldn’t admit any weakness. Anyway, I was fine. I was just still in pain from the healing. “To continue what? Don’t go and start talking all vague. I’ll assume something you aren’t meaning.” I smirked.

His gaze hardened a little, and he frowned as he pulled me back upright. “Dancing of course. Though,” he smirked, “I am curious as to what else you could have assumed?”

I cocked my head. Had he really not realized his vague wording? “Well, you did say ‘continue’ after you just stopped kissing me. So, I wouldn’t be out of line to believe you were talking about kissing me more.”

“And tell me, is that what you want?” He leaned close to me as he positioned my hands again.

I flushed a little. He was dangerous. I shouldn’t get closer to him. But also, a stupid side of my brain wanted me to close the distance. Shit. I wasn’t going to admit that. “You’ve already expressed doubt that I’d tell you the truth in other matters. So, why do you think I would now?”

“And yet I’m the liar in our little game.” He started the dance, and it was a lot simpler than the last one. “I am allowed the basic emotion of hope, am I not? Why exactly must these things be such a terrible secret that you have to keep it to yourself? But nevertheless, I will not press. After all, I do keep far too many things close to my chest so to speak, that I am not to be trusted by anyone. Perhaps I should instead be commending you for being one of the few.”

One of the few what? I couldn’t even tell what he meant. “Hmm. Now that’s just confusing on purpose. And I didn’t say I wouldn’t tell the truth, so insinuating that I should be called the liar is just assuming. Like you assumed I wouldn’t tell the truth before. And then I told the truth.” Talking about when he asked if I was physically alright.

“You told the truth in the same manner that I tell the truth, so either, we’re both liars, or we’re both honest people. And should I not be judging based off of past actions or do we constantly forget the past to blindly hope the future is brighter because we so wish it?” As he led me in the dance, he was studying my face.

Of course, my mind flashed to how he had actually told me the truth about Reine and the others. They were safe. They hadn’t been captured by the Capitol. But I’d never admit that. So, I went for a subtle admission. I smirked a little. “A little bit of both, I suppose, especially when new information about the person in question comes to light.”

“Ah, but new information simply means you yourself were wrong about their past, not that they themselves have changed. But I do concede the wisdom of that, given the difficulty one might find in reframing their early bias.”

Good time to press. “So…in the spirit of learning new information and reframing my early bias, what are your motives for fucking with me? This can’t help you with the three motives you stated in the past. Unless you were lying about those.”

“To which three do you refer? I have mentioned my interest and curiosity haven’t I? Or perhaps it was the need for entertainment in a boringly long life? And I informed Star that I’d help her get as many tributes out of the Games of the Capitol as possible. When she failed to get you, and your other friends out, that meant that I was still to help her. Or are you by chance hoping to uncover the dastardly ulterior motives that I’ve yet to reveal that paint me as the true villain in this story?” He spun me, but I actually didn’t trip this time. “The part where I’m using all this as a distraction for the Capitol and other interested groups so I can obtain something that’s been kept from me?”

With how much he made it sound that his villain plan was farfetched, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was real. And I totally didn’t believe that he was just doing this to help Reine get the tributes out. Was he lying, or only telling partial truths? “The three whose answers I’m still paying off. But if there aren’t ulterior motives, why the hell did you choose me?”

“I never said there wasn’t an ulterior motive, but the reason I chose you was simply interest, dear little thief. I’m not sure whether it would comfort you to think that it was purely by chance of fate that our paths crossed in time for you to steal my gloves and draw my attention enough to be intrigued about what the Shades had to say about you instead of say another. Avery or Hugo, or any of the others perhaps could have worked just as well for the purposes, but I’m not sure if she would have endeared herself to the Capitol as easily to be a big enough star.”

Oh boy. I spoke with heavy sarcasm. “Yeah, that makes me feel loads better, hearing that it was just chance that a manipulative, crafty jerk decided to interfere with me. Seriously, the only thing going for you right now is how easy you are on the eyes.” And the information he was giving away that was hopefully at least partially true.

“Not even my honesty, I’m shocked. After all, I’ve always been rather up front about who I am.” He finished the dance, letting go of me and bowing. “But I dare say, that was a little too close to a compliment.”

I smirked and gave him a small curtsey. “Well, maybe you’re too close to deserving that one. But only that one.”

“I’ve survived off of less and have gotten this far. Feel like you understand that one? You didn’t step on my feet accidentally once.”

Maybe I should have. “It makes sense. I should be fine with that one.” So, why did he even show off the complicated one first? “You just made me dance the first one because it was so complicated and I’d stumble and look foolish, didn’t you?”

“Stumbling yes, because it would make the others seem far easier to perform.” Sure. “Looking foolish was not the plan, though I was curious what would happen if you were truly off balance for once, if you’d let anything slip. I cannot say if I’m disappointed or pleased by how you adapt so easily.”

Ha. I either disappointed him or pleased him. I smirked. “I’m just annoying like that, aren’t I, hun?”

He raised an eyebrow, also smirking. “Intriguing is the word I would have used. But if you’d feel better labeling yourself as such, yes, I do find the puzzles I’ve yet to solve annoying as you say.”

I felt even more accomplished. I’d actually annoyed him! Best day ever. I laughed. “What puzzles? Me, I’m an open book.” I spread my arms out with a little bow.

He mimicked me with a flourish. “As am I if you look close enough, and yet we seem incapable of fully understanding the other. Or do you believe to have figured me completely out already and I’m the one left behind?”

“This time I’m being 100% honest when I say: hell no. But I guess that’s part of the fun.”

“Exactly, on that we can agree.”

Well, this had been fun. But time to go. Didn’t want to overstay my welcome. I took his hand and kissed the top of it. “Until next time, Bystander.” And I walked off before he could get the last word.

I paused by the Avox, glanced at the camera, and discreetly handed her one of the crystal knives I had kept on me. I leaned in close and whispered in her ear. “Use this to escape, if you can. And take as many as you can. It’s very sharp.” She gasped and nodded, and I left. Hopefully, I had helped her.

[silver-wield]

I think i do agree with that anon about aerith being an oudated heroine and tifa is nowadays heroine tifa is realistic badass she doesn’t rely on magic from a stick she trained hard day and night so she can get where she is right now where aerith lives in a wonderful sector taken care off when she become an orphan she didn’t lose that many people in her life even the people who’s supposed to be her enemy treat her well bottom line is she lives like and is treated like a princess (1)

Yes her and her mom were taken and were done experiments on them but can you compare what they gone through on what happened to cloud & zack and just when you want to feel sorry for her i remember i played OG first i didn’t like how she got her way with everyone but then CC got released and i was like seriously girl you BF was killed tragically and you got busy on chasing a guy you barely knew and created a dumb rivalry with the a girl who befriended you out of kindness (2)

When i knew her real story she become more meh to me and started to see how the devs seem to ignore her flaws just because she’s their golden heroine, she always got promoted more than tifa it was really unfair how tifa got treated despite tifa having her own role in the game as a heroine but they only seemed to care about aerith because oh she die,in remake i got reminded again why i don’t like her when she assumed that cloud in love with her 🙄”this girl is so full of herself “me at her (3)

It's curious that when I was watching the making of Remake they never referred to Aerith as a heroine. She's a main character, but Cloud, Tifa and Barret are too. Nojima said he took care with her lines because they're important. Tbf, it makes her sound more like a plot device. She's someone who pushes the overall plot forward, which we see in part one, but she doesn't seem to push the character development forward. If anything, her behaviour towards Cloud forced his development back because he retreated further into that soldier persona around her. He wants to keep his distance because he's suspicious of her, for good reason, and it's even alluded to in the ultimania that the only reason he's sticking around is he's suspicious of her, but Aerith keeps getting in his face which he doesn't like. So, Cloud's trying to find a balance between figuring out Aerith's deal and staying the hell away from her, so ofc he ends up sounding awkward af.

Tifa’s trained her butt off and actually it says in Crisis Core she's got a natural talent for martial arts, which mirrors Cloud's natural talent with a sword.

My teacher tells me I've got a knack for it.

Tifa’s 15 at this point and if she's only just started training then in the span of 5 years she's turned into an expert. She slays. Fact. She's probably on the same level as Cloud since he got some mandetory training at Shinra and was noted in BC he had skills. So, Cloud's had 2 years of formal weapons training, and then he's using Jenova's mimicking to fight like Zack and Sephiroth. Later in AC he'll develop his own dual wield style, so Cloud and Tifa are talented, but also hard workers.

Aerith has magical cetra powers that don't require anything but communing with the planet 😑

The lifestream infuses the water that's in this river, too, so that explains why the flowers grow so well and why there's a pool of water in AC.

Tifa grew up in a ruined dust bowl of a town and despite the fact her dad is the village chief, which gives her a certain amount of comfort, she suffered a lot of hardship as a kid, though it's "normal" hardship till Sephiroth appears.

With how Remake's showing us the mistakes people made about OG, I don't think Aerith was interested in Cloud romantically. She treats Cloud like a child in AC.

Cloud calls Aerith mother. Aerith says she doesn't want a big kid like Cloud. Zack reiterates there's no place for Cloud with them.

This is the JP with subs btw.

So, yeah, I'd say the type of affection between them is more like a parent/child dynamic than romantic. It's only in dismantled and maiden that romantic love is referred to and neither is canon.

Tifa gets just as much fan service as Aerith. Probably more. She also gets promoted in interviews and ads more than Aerith. Of all the 7r promotions I've noticed it's Tifa who gets the most narratively relevant promos. The 7r ad with the new logo included an important scene for Tifa that refers to the later scene on top of the Shinra building that references the promise and also mirrors Cloud's own history with her. It's really a matter of knowing the story and understanding what's being shown. Aerith's scenes are always that red dress, which is fan service (it literally has fans in it) and part of the concept of illusion vs reality. Aerith in her red dress vs Tifa saving Cloud.

People get too focused with the surface and not the bigger story implications. Cloud having made the promise with Tifa and recalling it in chapter 4 means that sooner or later he'll wind up in the lifestream with her where he confesses he always wanted her to notice him.

And I think it's important to realise that Aerith isn't actually aware of everything that's going on in Remake. She's got some knowledge of OG events, but not everything is the same.

In OG, Aerith gave Cloud the flower and walked off. So, in Remake, she sounds confident Cloud's not being hunted because she never saw him being chased by public security since it happened after she left. But, the whispers appeared, meaning Cloud was probably on time to catch the train and not be forced to make a dramatic leap from the bridge, so they forced him to hang around long enough until public security caught up with him.

This is something Aerith couldn't have known because it's not in OG. It's the same with things she wasn't around to see in OG. She never would've seen alone at last, the train roll or anything before Cloud fell through the church roof. After that point, she's using OG as her guide for how to behave with him. And it's failing. It's why she's surprised when he gets mad at her. It's why she says no one will get mad if they make noise, because of the OG rooftop laugh that isn't present in Remake. Aerith in Remake isn't aware of all the advice Cloud's already got from people in sector 7, or the fact he's much more proactive in his affection with Tifa. So, even if she tries to delude herself that he's like Zack (and during the slide scene the GER translation states Cloud reminds her of Zack, not that they're the same rank) Cloud's not playing ball with her. His focus is already Tifa, so Aerith's behaviour during her resolution from his pov makes her look as desperate as Jessie. In JP he comments how one sided her words were like it's a joke she made. In ENG he's referring to the fact that she doesn't listen to him. At all. Ever. Cloud’s opinion doesn't matter to Aerith, and the same is true now because she echoes Cloud's own high affection HW scene line from OG about it being nearly morning. So, indirectly, she's telling the audience what Cloud's choice is.

Yeah, from one angle it just looks so arrogant to act like anyone would fall in love with her so quickly, but Nojima even said he kept the line that way because it could be interpreted like that. It's a comparison behaviour to Sephiroth's arrogance, which also ties in to Cloud being suspicious of her.

This is why they say this game isn't for kids lol

[nakhama-a]

little impromptu zodiac study, ft. ieiri shouko.

with the revelation that shouko is a scorpio sun, i have decided that the major placements in her chart are as follows: capricorn moon, scorpio rising, virgo venus, and capricorn mars. now let’s take a look at what that means.

scorpio sun:

scorpios are known for their intensity. they are determined folk that absolutely throw themselves into whatever they do — but getting them to commit to something is rarely an easy task. in fact, it’s better not to even try to “get them” to do anything. solar scorpios absolutely have their own mind. and, their primary motivation is unlikely to be prestige, or even authority–it’s real power. their power can absolutely be of the “behind the scenes” variety, just as long as they have it.

to others, scorpios seem to have plenty of willpower. they probably do. scorpios do know what they want, and they won’t go out and grab it at the wrong moment. they simply sit back, watch (quite expertly), and then get it only when the moment is just right. this apparent patience is simply their powerful skills at strategy at work.

scorpio isn’t afraid of getting their hands (their bodies, their minds) dirty. the darker side of life intrigues them, and they’re always ready to investigate.

scorpios simply never give up. they have tremendous staying power. they’re not in the slightest intimidated by anybody or anything. confrontations are not a problem. in fact, talk to any scorpio about their lives, and you’ll probably be in awe at all they’ve gone through. trauma seems to follow them wherever they go. when scorpio learns optimism, instead of expecting the worst, they’ll find that they possess amazing regenerative powers — the power to heal, create, and transform.

this doesn’t really sound like our resident apathetic-and-tired doctor, though i’ve bolded what does or may apply; shouko is not an intense person, she does not seem to have much willpower, and she most definitely is not confrontational. we see that all the way back in the hidden inventory arc where she runs away when geto and gojo are about to fight.

and also when geto defects, she doesn’t even try to stop him. scorpio would absolutely make an attempt.

so scorpio alone might seem a bit out there, but in combination with her other placements...

capricorn moon:

calm, cool, and collected—these words sum up moon in capricorn natives well. messy emotions and “leaky” souls are a bit frightening for most with this position of the moon. truth is, they can have plenty of mood swings and some dark emotions now and again. lunar capricorns are often quite hard on themselves, and would benefit from letting their guard down once in a while. they quickly garner reputations of being mountains of strength, and they easily hide their sensitivity behind a sarcastic manner.

you may have read that moon in capricorn natives are a bit cold and calculating. the fact is, they are unlikely to be any less emotional than the other 11 sign positions of the moon—they simply aren’t comfortable “letting go” when it comes to emotions. they keep their emotions under control. wherever capricorn is found in the chart, there is a desire for structure and control. capricorn is the sign of organization and efficient management; so, when the moon is found in the sign, the world of emotions are well-managed and handled in an efficient and practical manner.

thiiiiiiiiiis is much more in line with shouko. the moon is the sign that involves emotions, habits, reactions and instincts; so this cold, calculating, sarcastic, in control persona - that’s our girl ! i’ll talk more about how these two work with each other in a sec.

scorpio rising:

scorpio ascendant people have a lot of presence. there is something about them that tells the world that they are not to be pushed around. their manner commands respect, and in some cases, fear. scorpio rising people can be quiet or loud, but they always seem powerful and determined.

you either love or hate scorpio rising people –they are rarely people who go through life unnoticed. in fact, some of them are confused when faced with the fact that they get such strong reactions from others. they seem to look right through people, seeing through superficiality. this can be quite intimidating to some, and intriguing to others. scorpio rising people, in their dealings with others, look for answers by reading between the lines. surface details are discarded when they are getting a feel for people and situations around them.

scorpio rising people value their privacy so much, it can border on paranoia. they have a strong need to control their environment and are experts at strategy. rarely people who will blow their chances with impatience, they plan out their moves carefully and deliberately, relying on their awesome ability to feel out others and situations.

the ascendant / rising sign is the facade shown to others, which is why i think scorpio suits her well here; the first time we meet shouko, and particularly in the anime, she’s incredibly self-assured and a bit off-putting. like, look at this shot.

in combination with these lines?

yeah. scorp rising. 100%.

so now, let’s see how her moon and rising combo with her sun !!

scorpio sun / capricorn moon ( this is a long one oops ):

people with their sun in scorpio and their moon in capricorn have a natural instinct to protect themselves regardless of how kind they may seem when interacting with others. they will never allow money to rule them. they want security and to support themselves, but they don’t insist on getting rich. they are the most mature scorpios in the zodiac. wise and disciplined from a young age, these guys are also calm and approachable. while they seem very grave and composed, they don’t think of themselves as being like this. private and secretive, they don’t want all the attention to be on them. when they happen to be in the center of the stage, they prefer to keep things low key.

people will always like them because they’re responsible, cerebral and humble. they give a lot of importance to honor, ethics and the law. it doesn’t matter if it makes them unpopular to stick to their own beliefs and to being honest, they’ll continue to do it. discipline and management characterize them a lot. others know they are the most reliable and serious people ever. not to mention they can control their emotions when a situation becomes too difficult. it’s possible they will not be able to hide their feelings and become aggressive in some cases. but this won’t happen too often. these guys know what people and groups think because they are fine psychologists.

their main goals in life are gaining other people’s respect, having a good reputation and making a good living. it doesn’t matter how warm they seem on the outside, they will always look for these things. if they would be able to recognize their authoritative presence, it would be easier for them to deal with people.

scorpio sun capricorn moon individuals have high standards and aren’t very tolerant of people who don’t act the way they think it’s correct. but they should respect others as much as they want to be respected. just like all the scorpios, they have a high libido and can make anyone go crazy. they will use others in a subtle way and get what they want. when they see helpless people, they simply don’t know what to do. not to mention how scared they are of seeing their weaknesses in others.

while confident and sure of themselves on the outside, these scorpios are anxious and confused on the inside. they don’t believe in empty compliments and if they won’t explore their emotions and spirituality, they’ll remain these cold characters with whom few can get along.

whew. okay. that’s long. but i think it highlights how the two work well together. it’s also pretty self explanatory so ontooooooo...

scorpio sun / scorpio rising:

double scorpios function best when they’re left alone to do things their own way. and that works, because no one can keep up with them anyway. plus, they’re intensely self-motivated, mostly because their guilt level soars if they don’t do the best job possible. so there’s really no need to supervise them. the sorts of hands-on management and direction that other people might find helpful or even reassuring is apt to be considered by double scorpios as needless meddling. they don’t take well to what they perceive to be an invasion of their turf. they want enough space and privacy to go about their business in their own unseen way, and when things work to their advantage they use their investigative skills to quickly build a body of knowledge and otherwise hard-to-come-by data that affords them a great deal of job security. what’s happened is they’ve worked themselves into a position where they’re absolutely indispensable. they simply know too much, and they’ve got the goods on everyone. whether it’s at home, at work, or at the pta, these scorpios have ferreted out the useful information that everyone else needs.

also pretty self-explanatory - shouko is literally indispensable, she prefers to do things on her own, and doesn’t like when things get in the way. this all seems much more in line with what we’ve been shown, and for the sake of this post being long as fuck already ( if u read all this i’m kissing u ), i’ll save her mars and venus for another time !

[border-spam]

AU Troy Character Timeline

Right, so I saw an incredible breakdown of Troy’s mental journey/state of ego last night ( that I’ll see if I can get permission to post at some point ) that really kicked my confidence into overdrive for writing out a definitive timeline for the version of him I write about in drabbles/fics etc as it was so amazingly similar. This isn’t complete, it couldn’t be because man I have a lot of stuff for this guy, but I hope it’s interesting for people maybe looking for a somewhat logical bunch of HC content that works well with the info we were given ingame. 

Writing this was like doing a jigsaw puzzle. Except ten pieces are missing, and you have 2 dominos and a Mrs Cupcake card instead. If you like any of this, feel free to use it. I’ll eventually expand on it in my own works.

Pre Pandora Era - 28  years pre BL3

Severe self esteem / image issues from very early childhood. Leda’s death left Typhon both terrified of Tyreen and desperately paranoid about her safety, leaving Troy to feel far less valued and loved as he found himself constantly failing to compete for attention from his remaining parent. 

Typhon never outright called Troy a freak, but he overheard plenty of discussions with his mother and with Tyreen explaining why he was so sick all the time, why he looked the way he did, why he was broken. He never discussed these, they festered in the back of his mind for the rest of his life. 

Strived from an early age to be useful, being useful gave him the belief he was valued, and a “Great job kid!” from his father felt good enough that it could almost replace feeling loved.

Misses his mother intensely from the day she died, for the rest of his life. Had no one else to have platonic intimacy with bar his sister, which never felt as freely given as with his mother. 

Developed an extremely crippled sense of social behavior and rules. The only people the Twins could interact with till they landed on Pandora ( which I HC was between 18 -19 ) were each other, and their Father. 

Left alone on a giant empty planet with no one to tell them no, or instill an understanding of social rules to them regarding others, left them with only a feeling of personal value for each other. This is an extremely dangerous state of mind for any person who will need to function in a social structure, especially a person in power. 

Had it hammered into them over and over by their father that the galaxy outside their home was filled with murderers. Animals. Bandit filth. Not like them, not like their parents, horrible, vicious things that would kill them the second they could. 

Internalised that to the point where it was a crucial part of their development of self as children. The twins would genuinely struggle to comprehend any other human they met was a person, because they were told their whole developing lives that no one they would meet bar their father would be.

 Pre COV - 8 years pre BL3

Lands on Pandora with Tyreen. Woefully underprepared and worried sick, didn’t want to leave Nekro but had no other choice but to go with his sister or die. Misses his father immediately, but avoids talking about it, knowing it will cause an argument.

Disliked that their father had kept them on Nekro intensely, but not enough to hate him the way Tyreen did. This never changed and the regret for leaving him only rotted inside him over the years. 

Very excited to finally meet new people, but his social skills are learned through watching old echos and while he can mimic them, he doesn’t understand social intricacies as well as he’d hoped. This sabotages their first few attempts to communicate with Pandoran non bandit natives. 

Comes across as weird. Stutters, not good with eye contact, awkward in body language and very unnatural in appearance. Extremely tall (6″7), very thin and sickly looking with sallow skin and dark under eyes. His missing arm and quarter of his shoulder draw far more attention than he had ever expected and he becomes instantly self conscious of the damage to his right side, strongly disliking how it’s pointed out every time they try and interact with one of these idiots.  

The twins only had the clothes they had travelled in and at this point they are pretty much rags patched together over nearly 2 decades. Didn’t understand how much appearances were going to matter, Troy had been sure he’d be able to “Mingle with the locals no problem.”, and now feels like he’s letting his sister down by failing to perform the way he’d been so sure of. They move onto the bandit clans once they get laughed out of the first small town they try to impress.

Their first few interactions with bandits have very bad results. They both get mocked a lot, Troy gets insulted even more. This is the first time in his life he’s met other men bar his father and the harsh reality that he is not like other men is really starting to hit hard. He’s monstrously tall, he has no muscle, he’s bony and sick and the bandits make very clear to him that he’s a freak.

Unable to defend himself verbally to people that don’t seem to speak a coherent language, he feels impotent and emasculated. Troy’s gift with words has always been his strong point, something he was proud of, and the bandits barely even understand what he’s saying. Any interest he’d had towards them as other people gets quashed. They clearly aren’t the same as he and Ty, they are beneath them. Savages. They aren’t people after all. His dad was right.

This is the point where he fully switches to seeing almost all others as non-persons. They aren’t people, they aren’t what he and Tyreen are, or they wouldn’t act like this in response to the twins. Any possible empathy he could have developed over time is aborted at this point, and he begins to craft the God King persona he understands he will need to disguise his shortcomings under if he’s going to be in the public’s eye.

Begins to create it piece by piece. Designs their outfits, designs his tattoos and mods, his monstrous arm, their name. 

The Calypso twins are born, and the COV with them.

Early COV Era - 7 years pre BL3

As he learns how to communicate with bandits and craft a persona for Tyreen that they will be drawn to, the COV starts to form. While the huge majority of their followers are people they see as not even being the same species as them, they do also begin to fill the higher ranks with people they are meeting over time that they see as having value. 

People with skills in categories they don’t, engineers, media experts, accountants, are drawn to the COV for the same reasons as the bandits. Opportunity, just a different sort.

Joining in the early days means having the twin’s ears, and those who have excellent ideas, or bring talent to the upper echelon that the twin's don’t have themselves, eventually end up as high priests and Saints. Department leaders (eg: Mouthpiece ). These are the kind of people he sees as people, though still not on par with himself or his sister in value. These are the few he would be capable of having functional conversations with, building simple relationships. 

He has found value in his ability to be very useful within the COV. Leading the Media and Propaganda department has given him a huge amount of power, even if he still physically feels extremely frail. 

He’s settled into living in Tyreen’s shadow, she’s the star, but he’s the puppeteer, and he’s happy for it to be that way for the most part. While she can sometimes step out of line or treat him like he’s not equal, he’s quick to remind her of her place during these outbursts, and their relationship is relatively stable.

Troy is fiercely loyal and surprisingly gentle with people he has a bond with. Despite his desperation to have meaningful connections, to be cared for and liked as himself, they don’t stay around him long.

No matter how hard he tries to give them what he thinks they want, they eventually leave, and he doesn’t understand that they are distancing themself because of how he treats other people, not them.

Troy’s complete inability to view the vast majority of people as people means he has a total lack of empathy towards almost everyone else, and this is a terrifying thing to experience first hand. He doesn’t understand this is why his “friends” leave, why they stop being friendly with him, or request to be transferred to another district.  

“Why did you do that to them..?” - “Huh? Ohhhh, relax haha, it’s just a bandit.” - “What do you mean, just a bandit, they felt that Troy, what’s wrong with you?’ - "The hell? No, it’s a b.a.n.d.i.t. It’s not like us, it’s not like you, it’s just.. you know, a bandit! Doesn’t matter what I do to em.” -shrug- - “-horrified silence-”

He blames himself each time this happens and damages his already fractured self esteem further. He can’t comprehend that his actions are the problem, because he simply has no way to understand his actions are bad. 

Each time someone close to him leaves, it’s another hit to his already crumbling self worth. He has absolutely no strong bonds with anyone bar his sister, who at times seems to barely like him, and he is genuinely desperate for validation and care from someone who likes Troy, not Calypso, not the God he pretends to be.

Every time another one of his “friends” vanishes, another of his little connections to his own humanity breaks. He gets angrier, and sadder, the God King a little more snarling and quicker to snap. It’s a sore point Tyreen tends to dig in during arguments too.

She doesn’t need anyone else, but she’s seen the near manic excitement and happiness he has when he connects with another person over a shared interest or they show actual genuine kindness towards him and not his title. If that person then becomes upset with his lack of empathy, or scared of it and abandons him, it’s another open wound on the already dying soul inside him that’s barely still breathing.

He has a complete and defined understanding of right and wrong, but those rules only apply to people, and his social development from infant to adult left his comprehension of other people so stunted, he cannot fathom that the vast majority of others are people. 

God King Calypso is a fucking nightmare to anyone bar the select view he sees as “people like him”. A feral, cackling monster, as likely to airdrop a million dollars onto a tiny village and record the reaction, as he is to rip a bandits arms off during a raid and live steam them bleeding out. All the same to him. Just background NPCs in his game. Placeholder actors in his life. They don’t matter. All that does matter is how they make him feel, or how they further his sister’s goals.

Every year that passes by leaves the God King more polished and defined, more in control a persona, while inside its impenetrable shell Troy DeLeon is slowly being suffocated by the weight of his own sins, without having the ability to understand he had been sinning at all.

God King Era - 4 years pre Bl3

By this point, Troy’s isolation is now deadly. He is a deity, worshipped by billions, with absolutely no points of human contact in his life to anchor himself to reality. No one to help him understand how to apply his sense of right and wrong to his followers, only his sister, who is even more toxic and vicious than he is.

Every day since starting the COV, he’s distanced himself further from the worshippers, the bandits, the acolytes. They are screaming war meat now, they are chips to barter with, numbers on a viewer count, flesh to tear into when he wants to feel something.

His relationship with Tyreen is crumbling. She’s quicker now to imply he’s not as important, he’s not the Siren. She’s called him a parasite in front of a merger board, a burden during a discussion with department heads. Each new crack at his inner ego only strengthens the persona further. Makes it more attention seeking, more willing to lash out at others, more vicious.

His “friends"are long gone, either fled from the behemoth the COV now is, or far away in other districts, planets, cities. The people he is close with now in working relationships are held at arms length. He doesn’t let anyone near him anymore, he’s afraid they will leave too if he does. 

The isolation pushes him further into the God King persona every day. If he’s Troy Calypso, he doesn’t NEED anyone else. The further he sinks into it, the more aggressive, the more twisted his actions become, but he doesn't see it that way. This is what his followers want, so it must be fine. Why wouldn’t it be fine to ravenously tear into heretics on livestream if 8 billion people are tuning in to watch?

He’s becoming cruel, he’s becoming vicious, but the man he was before he reached Pandora is still whispering that Tyreen is treating him wrong. That this isn’t how it was meant to be, that he’s not weak or a burden.

But listening to that voice means also having to listen to the one telling him he’s warped into something disgusting that his mother would be so let down by, that his father was right about him being a broken monstrosity. He continues to ignore it, and he loses himself further every day.

The deeper he recedes into the God King, the more he starts having nightmares, the more those whispers in the back of his mind get louder. He does what he can to ignore them, but sometimes something will set him off.

An argument with Tyreen, a momentary feeling of regret for leaving his home, a pang of loneliness. He often can’t sleep, and he knows if he starts to wonder why, clarity for the horrors he’s done could crush him.

Drugs, sex, bloodlust, he tries anything to take his mind off the intrusive thoughts that grow day by day. That he’s a failure. He’s a freak. He’s a cold blooded murder, but every now and then he’ll wake up in a cold sweat and hate himself so much that he wishes he’d never been born. 

The feeling passes very quickly as the God King shifts back into place and swallows it down, but while it’s there it’s horrific. He see’s himself from other people’s eyes for just a moment and god what has he turned into. What has he done. He’s a fucking monster.

The man he had been is so damaged under the mantle of this vicious God he’s wearing as a skin that it’s barely alive anymore, and it’s what begs him to kill it in those fleeting moments where he sees past his own facade, where he just for a second realises how many people he has hurt.

He tore his throat out a couple of years before the start of the game story in a moment of lucidity after being sleep deprived for days on end. Tyreen reached him in time when his implanted vitals tracker each twin keeps for the other alerted her to his condition, but it was close enough that he was bedridden for days after her energy transfer closed the wound.

She had been furious with him and made sure it was was kept hushed, the rest of the clergy believing he was on reprieve. Only the twins know the truth of what happened.

He never takes the collars off anymore now, the scars are still there. Convincing Tyreen that it had had happened during a nightmare when he’d left his prosthetic on by mistake was easy. Convincing himself to try and forget he’d been lucid and how it still feels like the right thing to do, is not. 

By the point the story begins, Troy is in a constant state of exhaustion, and knows deep down everything he has been through and done to others was for nothing. Tyreen doesn’t care about him the way he does her. She may never have, or she changed, he doesn’t know anymore. 

What he does know, is that he won't ever be a real God, and that the only reason he’s still alive is because he is useful. 

Maybe he should never have tried so hard to be useful.

 Phew.

I guess in a nutshell, my Troy’s greatest downfall is the God King persona.

As long as that shit is active, as long as it’s being worshipped, he’s never going to snap into reality. The reality that other people are there, that he’s been hurt so badly as a person, it’s all impossible long as he is being treated as, and believes, he is a God. 

The manic moments of clarity he has in the later stages of the COV rule are few and far between, but they eat him alive as he can’t understand why he suddenly feels so terrible, why he’s filled with such consuming remorse.

Peel the God King off the broken man underneath it and you leave him bare, confused, scared. You make him have to deal with reality, with people, with himself. That’s when you get him to show regret, and understand what he’s done, and understand what Ty has done to him.

That’s the redemption.

When he realises the game he was playing was real for billions, and suffers for it. It ends where it ends as my Troy ain’t dyin’ :P I’ll get to my rewrite eventually.  I hope to keep exploring these ideas in the future. Just desperately wish I’d as much to work with for Tyreen as I do Troy. GB YOU HEAR THAT? YOU HEAR THATTTT??

[iaintyourbro]

Helooo u. Ur opinions r fresh and i really did have same ideas but it just looked odd (specifically UT)and I didn't share my thoughts. Make ur own analyzes plz. Have do u see characters development and relationship with each other? And what u really didn't expect in ur firstplaythrough?

Hey there! Appreciate the comment.

I do plan on doing basic analysis on how I feel about things and interpret things. I am not a body language expert or an expert on human interaction, so pretty much it’d be me and how I deal with things myself or how I perceive things. @silver-wield @nibelheiim and @otp-oasis-heavenxearth Do some really good analysis on body language and psychology, among other things.

I can talk about my first impressions and things that I wasn’t expecting, here, though.. And it’s gonna be long, cuz I have a lot of thoughts.

So full disclosure - I was worried about FF7 Remake. I almost didn’t play it. I actually didn’t play it right away. I liked the OG a lot, but FF8 was my favorite. That being said, I still really enjoyed 7, so was anxious initially about the remake. I was worried they’d change too much, which I don’t deal with very well. 

My husband played it first. I’m definitely the FF stan in the family. I played a game in college where people would play FF songs and I could name them. I was fun, I know. I guess it worked cuz my husband stuck around. 

I wasn’t aware of the Love Triangle of FF7 between C-T-A. I thought it was pretty straight forward, even as a teen. Cloud was... well, Cloud, I didn’t get all there was to understand about that situation, but I didn’t see a lot of romance in FF7. Especially since I finished FF8 first. However, Aerith died... Tifa saves him in the Lifestream, and they go on their way. The ending was bizarre when he said he’d meet her and Tifa’s reaction also made no sense. But I didn’t think much of it - wasn’t the game with the romance, so I didn’t take it as such. The game also was riddled with translation errors. “This guy are sick.”

Anyway - Remake, I would glance at my husband’s play through and was amazed at times, but still being a stubborn dumbass, like I am. I think the few times I saw Cloti scenes I was like woahhhkayyy... I don’t remember this. I saw the pillar drop on his playthrough and cried when they showed Wedge. Like both of us wouldn’t look at each other cuz we both were losing it.

My first playthrough was truly played with no shipping goggles, because I didn’t own them yet.

So I decided to play. My kids were being total jerks and carrying on, so I was getting upset as I’m realizing I enjoy the game. The voice acting, battle system, environments, characters, I was like in shock and awe, and slipping back to being a young teen again playing FF for the first time.

Got to the Discovery Quest - Alone at Last. I mean, I saw the title of it and was like um okay... this seems suggestive. Then she tells you to come over after you’re done changing your filter. Ohh... okay... huh. Also noticed Cloud being jealous at times? That was new.

Cloud in general was different than he was in the OG. But I LOVED it. I loved how they did his character. It makes the battle of his persona much more intense and enjoyable. The SOLDIER!Cloud vs True!Cloud stuff. (I didn’t know these terms my first play through, I did notice his face changing a lot). At times, Cloud was a jerk in the OG (well, you could make him be a jerk, I suppose, he wasn’t all that bad). 

Alone at Last I was like “HOLY SHIT!” This is so suggestive! And this was before I heard... 

The Moan  (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

I actually heard it on a YouTube video where somebody pointed it out. However I DID notice that Cloud asked her if she was sure she didn’t want a break at the end too... I got that one.  (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

So anything heavy Cloti wasn’t even a though thinking about remake. At all. Not a wish or anything, I just didn’t think there’d be anything even close to it. Remake is actually what made me absolutely fall in LOVE with the Cloud x Tifa pairing. It is so damn wholesome and charged. Whenever that sexual tension breaks, it’ll be intense. I didn’t even know Cloud x Tifa was “Cloti” until I looked up “is the remake pushing Cloud and Tifa?” cuz I was that confused.

I got the resolution scene with Tifa on my first play through, only because I chose her first in the sewers. I did every quest, so I didn’t miss anything. Another thing I had spoiled by watching my husband play, I believe. Another thing I thought I must have been imaging. Especially when he stands there and I start going “wtf dude... ARE YOU GOING TO HUG HER?!” Phew, glad he did.

Jessie drove me nuts - I don’t do well with characters like her. I kept commenting that she wasn’t like this at all, at least not that I picked up on. I was thrilled when Cloud said “Are you seriously that desperate!?” because that’s exactly what I kept thinking. I didn’t like her death scene, I’m not sure if it was the dialogue or the way it was delivered, but I definitely got upset when Tifa was crying, cuz she just was breaking down emotionally as things go. Then Cloud’s reaction... phew. 

I ADORE BIGGS AND WEDGE, though. Wedge especially, since I’m also a cat lover. Biggs looking like Charlie Sheen had me laughing. 

Barret is amazing. I love the growing broness between him and Cloud. They start rough and end good. His relationship with Marlene is much more developed, and Marlene had a major improvement, I think, since she actually says quite a bit. 

All of the environments were gorgeous. Seeing Midgar as it should be seen and not a screen of dirt and buildings was incredible. Aerith’s house was insane. I definitely was in awe of that place when you first get to it. the skyline during the rooftop sequence was great. I cannot wait to see the rest of the game and those environments - like Cosmo Canyon, for example... 

THE MUSIC: Who else lost their shit when the third phase of Jenova Dreamweaver played J-E-N-O-V-A?! The jukebox was a pleasant surprise that I was iffy on at first, but ended up loving it. Stamp, Midgar Blues, On our Way, Tifa’s Theme (jazzy), and FREAKING SCARLET’S THEME. The Arsenal battle theme was one of my favorites.

And can we talk about Scarlet? Using a soldier as a foot stool and making him crawl around? Guess he took the whole Stamp thing to heart. Scarlet is such a nasty bitch, but I can’t help but love it. 

Aerith was greatly improved character wise for me over her OG version. I didn’t really like her... at all... in the OG. Not good with female characters that start shit with flirting. Just felt malicious at times (though as an adult I think she just was really immature). I ADORE THE FRIENDSHIP OF HER AND TIFA.

The new characters: Oh boy, change. 

BUT ANDREA!!! Andrea was amazing. I absolutely ADORE him. 

Madam M and Chocobo Sam were also pretty good. Leslie was great, and I hope we see more of what goes on with him. It’d be nice if he could be there to see Corneo die. 

Honeybee Inn was incredible.

Things I wasn’t a huge fan of:

Well, Chapter 8 was good on my first play through, but after that, I had a hard time with it. It’s slow. You have to walk, you have to wait a lot. So, I’d say the pacing on Chapter 8 is a bit slow for me. There’s not much “action” if you will. The scenery is good, though. 

Jessie... yeah, I know. A lot of people love Jessie. I just don’t - she’s too extreme with the quest to get laid. However, I did enjoy thinking about her and Biggs having a thing. 

The sun lamps. 

The robot arms in Chapter 9. 

Getting around the stupid trash and stuff to leave Aerith’s house.

My list of bad isn’t long. I love the game, so don’t mind really going through all of that stuff again.

THE SEWER PUMP IS EVIL.

[thecrazygamingzombie]

monster prom super hero AU because why not?

four normal college students: Oz, Amira, Brian, and Vicky stumble upon an ancient artifact during a semester abroad that bestows mystical powers upon them which results in the formation of the superhero team ‘The Spooky Squad.’

Oz A.K.A ‘The Shadow Walker’ gained the power of shadow and fear manipulation, not only can he sink into shadows and use them to move around but he can also morph his body into different shapes as well as create projections to fool his enemies; the king of stealth and deception. He serves as the voice of reason

Amira A.K.A ‘Blaze Girl.’ A pyromancer with a wide arsenal to work with: long range fire balls, mid range fire blasts, short range fire punches, summoning fire imps, increasing the temperature around her. The only limit is her own ingenuity. She is the reckless wildcard of the group.

Brian A.K.A ‘undying man’ the muscle of the four, Brian gained super strength from his artifact with enough power to yeet cars like baseballs, an accelerated healing factor, and the inability to ever feel fatigued; he will essentially never get tired no matter how hard he pushes himself. He is the strong silent member of the group.

Vicky A.K.A ‘positive charge’. After the accident Vicky found she could manipulate electrical energy to her whims but found that said power was highly unstable and as such built equipment to control and regulate it: a pair of shocker gauntlets and a battery pack serve as such allowing her to create dozens of shocking attacks of her own mechanization such as ball lightning, electrical strikes, and even can surf on her own electricity. The undisputed leader of the four.

Now a hero is only as good as their villains, here’s who they go up against:

Damien Lavey A.K.A. ‘The Anarchrist’ (yes you read that correctly) the leader of an anarchist gang in Monsteropolis and former friend of Amira, him and his followers want nothing more than to see the city burn to the ground for laughs and will do anything to achieve such no matter how reckless or dangerous it is, even going so far as to take on the spooky squad single-handedly, said behaviors often lead to his downfall. He is a being of nothing but chaos as well as a skilled combatant and arsonist.

Vera Oberlin A.K.A ‘The chairwoman’ the head honcho of the criminal underbelly of Monsteropolis, any form of organized crime that is performed within Monsteropolis has to go through her for confirmation, every single mobster and lowlife in the city knows to fear and respect her. Her right hand woman is her own sister Valerie Oberlin who despite her more relaxed appearance can be just as brutal and cunning as her boss. Her own plots often bring her in conflict with the Spooky Squad due to their criminal nature but instead of fighting them herself she prefers to send out goons to do her dirty work for her while she stays in the shadows, goons like:

Aaravi A.K.A. ‘The Slayer.’ A professional assassin for hire and one of the best in her field. With a habit of working for less than wholesome clientele (Vera being her most frequent employer) she often finds herself duking it out with the Spooky Squad; with unmatched fighting skill and a ridiculous amount of equipment at her disposal she is more than a match for the four but still tends to fall flat more than she overcomes them, primarily due to over confidence.

Miranda Vanderbilt A.K.A ‘the Siren’ by day Miranda Vanderbilt seems to be nothing more than an innocent little rich girl, a young heiress whose adorable mannerisms have managed to worm their way into the hearts of Monsteropolis’ aristocracy. But by night she is far different, serving as the head of a secret organization known as ‘the Merfolk Court’ that seeks to subjugate the populace through acts of terrorism and assassination in order to usher in the new era where they rule over all; Miranda also holds a creepy obsession with Oz in his Shadow Walker persona, seeing him as the perfect suitor she continuously tries to convince him to join her and rule the masses alongside her with little success.

Scott Howl A.K.A. ‘Dire Wolf’ Now Scott is just another normal college football player, doing normal jock stuff and being a relatively kind person to others, even occasionally hanging out with the spooky squad’s civilian identities. However, due to a curse placed upon him by a sorcerer as a child for breaking a window on said sorcerer’s house with a football, he is susceptible to turning into a giant wolf monster when angered causing Scott to black out and his feral form to take control of his body with greatly enhanced physical abilities that can rivals even Brian’s, Scott is one tough zit to pop when he loses control. While he is unaware of his condition the Spooky Squad hopes to cure him one day.

Polly Geist A.K.A. ‘the Phantom Thief’. An infamous thief operating out of Monsteropolis, Polly uses the cover of drunken party girl at her college campus (the very same that the spooky squad attends) to carry out her heists where she steals anything that isn’t nailed down. This is less out of need and more for the pure rush she gets from running around the rooftops, taking whatever she pleases, that she just can’t get from drugs and alcohol. For reasons that are never quite explained as Polly keeps giving a different backstory every time, she possesses magical abilities similar to that of a ghost such as turning intangible, firing out beams of ecto energy, among other things which makes her far harder to catch than most. There is totally a Batman and Catwoman dynamic going on between her and Vicky.

Of course there is also the matter of the supporting cast:

Zoe, a journalism student at Spooky U. She is a longtime friend of the members of spooky squad going back all the way to middle school who frequently tags along with them whenever they do their little hangouts. However she has no idea that they are actually superheroes. Zoe has an obsession with the spooky squad as whole, following them whenever she can and documenting their exploits; while this often puts her in harm’s way it never deters her as she is just too determined. Most of all she wants to find out the Spooky Squad’s secret identities and has even made a room dedicated to investigating this, sadly though despite very obvious signs that her friends are the ones playing hero she never realizes it; even when there is blatant evidence of it she finds a way to twist it around so that it points somewhere else.

Calculester, an advanced AI program discovered by Vicky in the bowls of the engineering building at Spooky U. After activation he set about building himself a body and hooking himself up to the web, Cal now serves as the spooky squad’s eye in the sky and ear on the ground, getting Intel about all sorts of shady things going down within the city so they can get there in time and stop it; Being a robot he has to keep himself hidden from view but he does have  a disguise that he uses to go out on occasion (imagine just a set of groucho marx glasses and a sign that says ‘totally not a robot’, somehow this works...). He is essentially the unofficial fifth member of the Spooky Squad and has some serious sexual tension with Brian despite being a robot.

Liam De Lioncourt. One of the few who actually knows who the spooky squad are, Liam is a professor at Spooky U who teaches the subject of ancient Mythos and legends; being an expert on the subject he was able to discern where exactly the Spooky Squad’s powers originated from and as such teach them all the proper way to use them. A mentor like figure that each of them go to when they feel lost and confused as well as when they need help with controlling their abilities, he may still be extremely condescending about it but he fills that role extremely well. May or may not have his own secret past where he was a super hero himself.

The Coven, basically the other super hero team working in Monsteropolis that also goes to Spooky U, while the Spooky Squad tends to fight more street level threats theCcoven’s focus is more on the mystical threats from alternate worlds although both teams have been known to work together on occasion for greater threats that neither can handle by themselves. They have their own series as well as their own rogues gallery consisting of cult leader Dimitri, the Inter-Dimensional Prince, Dahlia the demon invader, and mad monk Leonard.

[blackfreethinkers]

Last week, a white professor at George Washington University outed herself in a years-long charade in which she told people she was Black and built an academic career around this lie. Jessica Krug, who is from a white Jewish family in the Kansas City suburbs, affected an accent and an evolving set of backstories, eventually landing on a version in which she self-presented as an Afro-Latina from the Bronx.

Krug’s colleagues at George Washington privately questioned her claims and recently began to raise the alarm with administrators, which is likely why she came clean. Or as writer and RaceBaitr editor in chief Hari Ziyad put it, “She didn’t do it out of benevolence. She did it because she had been found out.”

In this absurd public disgrace, Krug joins other white people who have made false claims to nonwhite identities in some combination of career predation, white entitlement, and a perhaps unknowable X factor of what-the-fuck: Rachel Dolezal, who maybe needs no introduction at this point, but also lesser-knowns like the former Vanderbilt neurology professor who created an online persona of a Hopi professor and then killed it off during the pandemic. But these are obvious fringe cases—entertaining upon implosion for the general public and quietly devastating to the web of people they drew into the lie and harmed in the process. The more common version of white theft in academia is way less tabloid sensational.

The entire American university system was built on white theft made mundane through the passage of time. The casual mention of schools acting as assimilation academies on a campus tour. The somber press release, all too often made by white administrators, contextualizing past university leaders and the names on campus buildings as slave owners and segregationists. A ceremonial shield gathering dust in a lab thousands of miles away from its creator’s ancestors. It’s a history that bleeds into the present, the echoes of which can be heard every time the academy shows its true colors.

The modern American university system is a tool, not a product, of colonization. The University of North Carolina, the oldest public college in the nation, was, much like many universities in the South, built with the labor of enslaved Black people. So, too, were prestigious Ivy League institutions, like Brown, while presidents at Princeton and Columbia and countless others owned slaves through the Civil War. As Massachusetts Institution of Technology history professor Craig Steven Wilder wrote in his 2013 book on the subject, “The academy never stood apart from American slavery. In fact, it stood beside church and state as the third pillar of a civilization built on bondage.”

To stave off those who felt self-conscious about their complicity in such a violent system, white academics molded their fields of study to fortify their claims of superiority. Entire fields of racist pseudoscience were designed in the nineteenth century to back up the claim that Black minds were inferior and to deny Black people true personhood, to act as a rebuke to the growing abolitionist movement.

The academy did not stop at dismissing living Black bodies and minds, though. It also sought to retrieve every physical ounce of these varied and unique cultures and communities, for the sake of proprietary knowledge and profit. This is how both modern museums and land-grant universities came to be. Signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1862, the Morrill Act, not so dissimilar from Harvard’s Indian College, was a money-making affair, with the stated desire of “turning land taken from tribal nations into seed money for higher education,” as High Country News wrote earlier this year. When the dust settled, 11 million acres had been, often violently and illegally, wrested from Indigenous nations and placed under the management of university endowment funds. To date, the land transfer has netted these endowments at least a half-billion dollars.

As the land was distributed, the universities sought to take also what accompanied these spaces, namely the remains and cultural items that the displaced Indigenous peoples had stewarded and protected until this stage of colonization. Under the guise of fields such as archaeology or anthropology, white professors at these schools scoured Indian Country, digging up remains that had been respectfully buried for thousands of years. As explained in the Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory in an article on the shifting ethics of reburial and repatriation, by the middle of the nineteenth century, “the majority of Euro-Americans thought Native Americans incapable of becoming civilized.”

And in helping convince the public of this, white academics granted themselves permission to disturb these sites in the name of preserving what would, they told themselves, surely be otherwise lost. By the time the institutionalized grave-robbing was complete—federal law giving tribal nations legal power to block such disturbances was not passed until 1990, and even now there are loopholes that need closing—colleges like the University of Michigan and Florida Atlantic University had stolen and stored away thousands of Native remains and countless more artifacts, many of which ended up behind glass display cases at museums.

Much like Krug, these institutions did not proactively change their ways or admit their wrongdoings. Their student bodies were forcibly integrated. Beginning the process of overturning centuries of white-favored racist hiring practices required lawsuits, not a sudden change of heart. Only recently—as in the past three decades—have universities taken a critical look in the mirror. And even then, more often than not, it is the people still impacted by these historical actions, like the descendants of the 272 enslaved people sold at auction at Georgetown University in 1838, who are taking the first step and forcing the universities into action.

When left to their own devices, university trustee boards have proven themselves more than happy to leave the past in the past. Where policies to facilitate the return of Native land should be instead sit useless and performative land acknowledgments. Where restitution for the descendants of those who built the universities should be are instead pedestals for Confederate monuments that the student body—not the university—tore down.

While distinct, the American university system’s legacies of enslavement and violent colonization reveal a common thread: a history of violent white theft. Universities have long acted as sanctuaries for white academics who want to take on the voyeuristic endeavor of professing to be an expert on a group of people to which they do not belong. It turns the window shopper into the salesperson; the gate-builder into the gatekeeper. Trying to grasp why Krug, Dolezal, and McLaughlin did what they did is almost beside the point. Instead, it is time to start asking why people of this ilk all seek validation and cover through the academy—and why the academy always provides it.