#who he actually made the first move with and befriended himself 🥺

[coffeehelly]

people flock to saiki because he activates everyones "i can fix him" instinct

[whimsicalwritingsandmore]

Want You Back | ateez x reader

Pairing: werewolf!ot8!ateez x werewolf!reader

Genre: fluff mostly, romance, poly, a little angst?

Warnings for this chapter: none

Word Count: 1621 words

a/n: thank you, thank you, thank you so much for all the love and support thus far!! 🥺 seeing all my notifs blew my mind and I'm in absolute awe!! it has really given me the motivation and I can't wait to share the next chapters with you! as always, feedback is really appreciated, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! <3 :)

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Chapter 2

Life changed for you, in the best way possible. Your memory from that night was blurred and indistinct but with the help of new friends, you recovered soon after.

At first, when you awoke, you were in what could only be described as the most cosy and homely bed you had ever slept in. It felt like a soft, fluffy cloud and you hadn't had a goodnight's rest like that in a long time. You even remembered the dream you had - it was the first time you and the boys moved in together and spent a week and a half organizing and making it feel like home. However, as you came to, your moment of bliss was cut short when you peeled your eyes open and became aware of the throbbing sensation in your head. It felt like you had run straight into a wall by accident because you weren’t seeing where you were going, and your forehead experienced most of the impact. 

As you tried to zero-in on your surroundings, you suddenly felt a light touch to the top of your head, gently massaging it. In a moment like this, you would immediately jump into defence mode but in the matter of a second, your headache eased. You looked up to see who it was, ready to counterattack if necessary. However, you were met with a welcoming smile, bright as the sun from a blonde hair, dark brown eyes man. 

Chan or Bangchan as he introduced himself, approached you carefully. He didn’t want to alarm you, only deciding to touch your head to ease the pain he knew you were feeling. He moved to sit on the chair a little far from you. 

“How are you feeling?”

“Better, thank you. But…where am I?”

You were in the human realm. When Chan told you this, you almost fell out of your bed. Actually, you did because your response to this new piece of information was screaming what and then proceeding to lose balance and roll off. Chan tried to catch you but you already landed on the floor with a loud thud. While he helped you back into bed and check to see if you were okay, two boys barged in followed by two others. 

In specific order according to Chan reprimanding them, Jisung and Changbin were the ones with the frying pans and Seungmin and Hyunjin were the ones who strolled in nonchalantly. Jisung attempted to explain that he thought Chan was in trouble and didn’t want to leave it to chance. 

Over the next few weeks, you spent a lot of time at Chan’s place with his seven soulmates, all of whom became your closest friends. Chan specifically, became what you could only coin as a best friend, as he was the one you sought out for the most. He was warm and welcoming, and you felt comfortable around him. He teased you constantly, calling himself your knight in shining armour. 

He explained he found you floating on a log barely conscious and wasted no time in bringing you back with him and seeking help for you. In addition, he revealed to you that he and his seven mates were wizards thus how he healed your headache instantly. Since he shared his origins, you thought it was only fair to disclose who you really were. Chan had no different response, his kind nature continuing to flow like a calm stream. He revealed he knew when he saw your tattoo on your arm, but it made no difference to him. Although Jisung was a little apprehensive, he also quickly warmed up to you when you baked a batch of cookies that he could only describe as heavenly and delectable. Minho joked that the best way to befriend Jisung is through his stomach. And it worked. 

As you saw the way they cared for another and their domestic nature with light-hearted jokes, your heart broke in two because it reminded you of your soulmates. You wondered a lot about your eight boys.

 Did they care where you were?

Were they looking for you?

Chan noticed the way you watched out the window in the late evening, lost in thought. Unbeknownst to you, Chan witnessed your sleepless nights. He sensed your discomfort and so, he would weave a shimmering of stars thereby, allowing you to calm down and dream pleasant dreams that were close to your heart - just like the one you had before you awoke. He couldn’t read your expression and he refused to use any magic to read your mind. Honestly, he didn't want to pry but at the same time, he wanted to help more than anything because he saw himself in you. 

He chose to wait until you were ready to tell him. And finally you did. 

“I have eight mates,” you began, “But I’m not sure if they love me anymore.”

The both of you sat at the quaint table setup in the balcony (courtesy Hyunjin) one afternoon as the sun set on the horizon and the sky became an orange and red hue with the breeze blowing briskly, and the indistinct yet busy chatter of the city below you. You held a warm cup of tea in hand and a soft and silky fleece covered you. You recounted your story and how lost you were feeling. 

And then he told you his.

“At the age of 11, every wizard in training is expected to take a national test that would determine where they will go in terms of schooling. The Academy was considered "prestigious" for the wizards who learnt quickly while the College was for those who didn’t, to put it mildly. When I ended up at the Academy, my parents were thrilled. But the pressure from having to be perfect in everything felt like a weight bringing me down. What made it worse was the prejudice that went on inside the Academy. At first, I thought it was what I wanted because it was all I ever knew but then, when I befriended Jisung, who attended the College because he wasn’t the biggest fan of studying, I realized there was so much more to life than what I was being taught. He introduced me to Minho who actually went to the Academy, yet we never met because of the bubble I was living in. Ultimately, it didn’t sit well with my parents. They wanted me to do exactly what they had done and befriend those who were in the same circle. And then after a lot of arguing, I decided that wasn’t the life for me. I wanted to explore more of the world and find out what I liked. So, after I graduated, I moved here with everyone, and opened the bookstore and the apothecary shop. And it was the best decision I made.”

“You weren’t scared?”

“Oh I was, immensely. I can’t tell you the number of times I talked Minho’s ears off about all my doubts. I think he considered feeding me to his cats at one point…” 

You laughed heartily at Chan’s retelling of events; it was the first time you had laughed so authentically.

It amazed you at Chan’s valiant and courageous spirit. Despite his fears, he still went ahead and did what he wanted to do. 

He soothed the doubts in your mind, “It’s never wrong to want something different. Love is more than just a desire we have. It's also about caring for one another. If they truly love you, then they will support you in your dreams just as you have theirs.”

You hadn’t thought of it in that way. 

He asked if you wanted him to open a portal to go back home. You thought about it, but for the first time in a long time, you felt this bubble in your chest of overwhelming possibility. You felt alive and you felt like you could do something — anything. 

So you stayed.

You took a job at Chan's bookstore at first, mainly to start earning money. While assisting Chan, you noticed the way he had a skip in his step every time. Without a doubt, it was distinctly clear that he loves what he does. It left you in awe and admiration. He moved effortlessly attending to customers. Though he noted that not everyone would always be kind, you were more than entranced in doing something similar like him. You would deal with the unkind people as they came.

After saving up enough, you enrolled in a short course at a university with a one-time downpayment. Slowly you found yourself working towards a goal of yours. 

You wanted to start a business like Chan. 

It took a lot of time and effort and you had no idea how Chan and the others were able to do this. You asked Chan if he ever used his magic, he said no, only if necessary but he pursued all of his studies as any human would.

According to him, it would make you feel more accomplished.

And with time, it did. But that was only after you got through the one too many pity parties you had for yourself when things got tough. Luckily, Seungmin, Felix and Jeongin felt the same and joined you, so you weren’t left alone to wallow by yourself. 

With the support from your newfound friends and others you met at university, you began to create a good life for yourself — wherever you were living. Minho said it is a city called Seoul.

Six months later, you opened your café recruiting some of your friends - Jisung, Beomgyu, Yuri and Stella. 

This was the beginning of a whole new life just for you.

[bedknees]

I've seen a few people read Viktor as having no romantic interest in Sky due to his rejection of her and that that extends to him having no interest in relationships. Granted, I've discussed this before but I wanted to make a few concise points regarding this:

Its incredibly clear by the way he was animated, and the way the scene was framed, as a child and the way he keeps watching her reactions that he wants her to join him. I mean:

The animators spent a LOT of time on episodes; there are no shortage of small details and microexpressions. And this kid is literally screaming internally: "Please be my friend." Instead, she joins her other friends once called. I am NOT blaming her, just saying. This could have easily shut Viktor off from trying to form something more with her.

He has been disabled his entire life. Even someone like Sky, who DID love him, initially did not befriend him. Whether it's shyness, peer pressure, or a mix is not clear. But, it unfortunately still stands. Point is, Viktor never had friends and was rejected constantly in his formative years. Even if he wanted a relationship, it would be hard for him to make any moves due to past trauma. Constant rejection in childhood really messes up not only your social drive as an adult, but additionally you learn to not even consider yourself an option for such things.

Even with all this, if Viktor still had any interest in Sky at this point (I'll get to that below), even if she was more persistent in her advances and made her intentions crystal clear, it would not work at that point of the story. Viktor may not know WHEN he will die at this point, but he is coughing up blood and has deteriorated in health SIGNIFICANTLY between the first and second Act. He knows things aren't looking good for him. He is not an idiot and knows his body. (His "How much time do I have?" is asked with an almost annoyed exasperation rather than a tearful devastation) With the pain and sickness he is absolutely experiencing, and coupled with a childhood shaped by rejection and indifference, Viktor would not even consider entertaining a relationship even if he wanted to. So much to do, so little time.

Going back to how much time the Arcane animators put into every detail, this:

...is not the reaction of a man that is simply upset that his assistant died by his (unintentional!!) hands. The faces he makes are in reaction to her writing and that speaks volumes. These:

he go 🥺🥺🥺🥺

...are the faces of a broken man that DID reciprocate her feelings, but was too sick, too shaped by past experiences, and just in too deep with his desire to keep himself alive to entertain or even realize her advances. These are the looks of longing and regret and of the horrible realization that there could have been something more but now, well, its too late. (#BringSkyBackThruHexcoreMagic2k23)

And this extends to every type of relationship, whether it be platonic or romantic. Sure, Adults tend to be more forgiving than kids regarding disability, but it is inevitable that Viktor is still seen as invisible by the majority of his peers, due to this and extending to the fact that he is from the Undercity. At this point, everything I have outlined more than illustrates why his only friend seems to be Jayce. He never rejected him, never judged him. Saw him as equal and did not hesitate to be his partner. In my mind, Viktor didn't even intend to have anything more than a professional relationship with Jayce (even though he truly did want to be his friend and arguably more). Jayce just Golden Retrievered his way into his space and over time, Viktor had no choice but to let his guard down a bit.

Aaaand, this can extend to the arguable subtext with Jayce and explain not only why he did not get jealous over his relationship with Mel, but why despite shit like:

...Viktor never actually makes any attempts to pursue something more. He has him as a friend, so why potentially ruin the most real and human connection he has ever had and burden it with extra baggage? He was beat over the head with the fact that he wasn't desirable as he grew up, so there's nothing for him to be jealous about because how could he be an option of interest beyond friendship in the first place? (EDIT: Don't take this as I mean he hates himself or something. Viktor is not a self-loathing character. He just understands his place [a misguided take shaped by life experiences, but still!] and keeps it that way.)

And plus, he has his research, he has science! That has never rejected him or (emotionally [until the Sky thing 😔]) hurt him.

With all of this factored in, why would he even try? 😪

[collecting-stories]

could you do any little rafe blurbs🥺

I actually had this sitting in my drafts because I’ve been working on a Rafe series and this was part of a chapter that I had started to write. So I just consider this a blurb and a WIP lol.

-

“You did what?” You whispered harshly, turning your body in more toward Rafe, knee bumping his as you moved. He had texted you earlier in the morning that he had maybe, possibly, said something to his ex that you wouldn’t be thrilled about. The text hadn’t made much sense at the time but as you dropped down beside him in the dining hall and he began the explanation over again, starting with “don’t be mad,” you realized exactly what had happened. And maybe you weren’t mad but you were far from happy.

“She won’t leave me alone,” Rafe huffed, as if it was some great imposition on his end that his ex-girlfriend didn’t think ghosting her constituted as a break-up. “It’s not like it’s unbelievable.”

“I literally had lunch with her yesterday Rafe, she’s gonna think I’m a total asshole for not saying something.” You replied, trying to keep your voice down so no one heard you.

As annoyed as you were, Rafe had a point. If it was believable that he had moved on to anyone else so quickly after the break-up it would be you. His best friend and roommate, who was sitting in the dining hall practically leaning into his chair as you talked. His ex-girlfriend had always been suspicious of the two of you, as if you were sneaking around behind her back, and she had been reasonably convinced that Rafe had feelings for you. Post breakup she’d seemed to come around somewhat though you were mostly convinced that she was only trying to befriend you to get Rafe back. Something he confirmed himself.

“It’ll be fine,” he seemed completely convinced as he leaned back against the wooden chair, crossing his arms over his chest and tilting his head to look over at you, “besides, it’s not like you guys were great friends.”

“That’s not the point,” you rolled your eyes, “she thinks we’re dating. You told her that we’re dating.”

“She suggested it.” Rafe countered. When he’d told her that he was seeing someone else, which he wasn’t, she had jumped immediately to the conclusion that it was you. Yours was the first name off her lips as she questioned him and Rafe went along with it. He’d asked you out freshman year anyway. You were his best friend but there had definitely been a time when he had imagined you being more than that, it wasn’t so hard to convince her.

“We need some ground rules-“

“This feels very To All the Boys,” Rafe cut in. You’d made him watch all three movies in one night and he’d joined in your bitching whenever you felt like Lara Jean was being too self-centred or Peter was being a dick. “Better watch out, you might fall in love with me. Thinking it’s just fake dating and then you’re like ‘oh Rafe, I love you so much’.”

“Shut the fuck up you moron.” You rolled your eyes, “just for that, no kissing me.”

“Oh come on,” Rafe huffed, “have you met me? Who’s gonna believe that we’re dating if I’m not allowed to kiss you?”

“No one needs to believe it but your ex.” You replied, “and frankly I would prefer that she not believe it either. It’s stupid that you’re doing all this, just tell her you aren’t interested in dating her.”

“It’s more complicated then that.” He moaned.

“This is stupid Rafe,” you repeated. You stood up, grabbing your bag and slinging it over your shoulder, “I’m not gonna be party to your dumb ideas.”

Before you could walk away from the table he grabbed your wrist, keeping you stuck in place, “please, just a week.”

You shook your head. If anything was a stupid idea it was this. You were used to Rafe’s hair brain ideas though and more often than not he pulled you into them too, a semi-willing participant in whatever dumb shit he did. Better to support your friends and go down with them right? Maybe.

Rafe was still staring up at you with puppy dog eyes and his bottom lip jutting out like he was a five year old begging his mom for candy at the grocery store. You took your wrist away from his grasp and then leaned down, holding his face in your hands and kissing him right on the mouth. When you finally broke the kiss (a mere couple of seconds later) Rafe leaned back in his seat again, looking entirely too smug with himself.

“Do you need me to tell you I love you too?” You countered, standing up straight and fixing the strap of your bag.

“It’s okay, I already know you love me, you don’t need to proclaim it in front of everyone.”

“There’s like five people in here, hardly ‘everyone’.” You rubbed your lips together then, the taste finally settling in, “god what is on your mouth.”

“Wheezie left her root beer chapstick and I’ve been using it.”

“Well it’s disgusting.”

[splosh-crime]

Good point

people flock to saiki because he activates everyones "i can fix him" instinct