#you can tell this was in my drafts because of the quality drop off

[metamatronic]

God i wanna know what happens to envy and where they are :O

next

wowo ed sure is acting weird. wonder what’s up with that.

[evren-d]

EDIT: definitely turned into a massive rant about Vander's politics, I tried to not be petty and I failed, I can't fix it with another draft, he drives me nuts. In this unassigned essay I literally will...

Vander criticism incoming because I re-watched the Sevika rematch in the last drop and holy moly did he do Vi dirty (What his guardianship style meant for Powder, Mylo, and Claggor all deserve their own posts) and I can’t think about Vi’s struggles without thinking about VanderLand™. Not saying he didn’t do good, not saying he couldn’t have been worse, just that…:

Vander preached against fighting, but lived (comparatively) large off of his reputation for fighting AND through the exchange of a blind eye from the enforcers in return for keeping his own community under heel. Grayson saying, “I keep out of your business and you keep your people off of my streets” or whatever, suggest to me the passes that Vander has enjoyed in his interests over the years.

His thriving business, the life he projects, no fighting oppression, only bar-keeping, but we see him throw his reputation around as a favor to to his friends, like Huck and Babette. Would the undercity merchant/business owner class want your protection if they knew what was up? Maybe, Benzo was on board. What about the rest of the undercity that aren't enterprising? Silco saying, "Not JUST for the Lanes, but for the whole of the underground," is huge.

It pays to be Vander’s friend, but no one else could possibly realize the success that I think he pretends he did. The lifestyle he's trying to get Vi to subscribe to (VanderLand) doesn’t actually exist. Everyone is seeing that but him and Vi is boiling over in confusion and frustration and self-doubt and anger.

If any other kids had caused the damage in Piltover that made Marcus go all ham, their parents would not have had the luxury of negotiating with Grayson, and I honestly don't believe that Vander would have turned himself in to protect them. When Vander or Grayson die, the little pocket of safety that he's carved out for the lanes will be lost, this only benefits a select few for as long as Vander can pull it off.

Bless you Sevika for leaving him behind, my god. The way he claims all responsibility for the day of ash is honestly just insulting. If you hadn’t led them across that bridge, maybe someone else would have, my guy.

Look at the lengths Sevika and others go to to fight YOU so they can have another chance to fight the real enemy without you protecting your cushy life (and kids, yeah, yeah, but it’s still painfully short sighted. People had kids the first time around, some people in the bar calling to fight back with Sevika surely also have kids. That’s -why- they want to fight) all over the conversation. He talks to vi like he opened and closed the book on revolution - get out of the WAY OLD MAN.

To Vi he’s like, Yes, I live a better life for myself, my family, and my friends leveraging just the sheer -memory - of when I used to fight, but you can’t.

There's a difference between self-defense in dangerous streets and planning a heist to steal your way through life, but he seems to lump them together. Then in the same conversation telling her that fists aren’t the answer, he checked quality assurance checked that she kicked Deckard’s ass, because ultimately that is what he expects from her. Attacking the root cause of gangs like Deckard's is immature and selfish, but you better be a good enough fighter to beat the shit out of them on call. WHAT a moving target.

What I saw in Vi’s delirium in the bar in the Sevika rematch was Vander dissing her guard and telling her she has no choice but to keep fighting, that she’s needed, whether she’s wanted or not. And yeah, it’s not Vander that said that, it’s in Vi’s head, but it's reminiscent of things we did see him tell her as a teenager, that message of “you are the only hope that the people you love have, you're responsible for everything that happens when you interact with them, you're not allowed to not interact with them, in fact you must -lead- them. Also, you're stupid.”

For that to be what her brain cooks up for her mentor to say to her to stay conscious and in the game, the way that she accepts it with a huffed laugh and it actually HELPS HER is so gaahhhhhhh.

Fundamentally, (in the admittedly very little we saw in act I of uniquely stressful time,) I feel that he offloaded the effort and responsibility of mentoring, nourishing, and raising all four kids individually, to Vi. He literally made the others leave the room before giving the soft side of his lecture in the basement, then barked at, confiscated from, and threw stuff at the Mylo and Claggor on his way back upstairs. To expect Vi to take his guidance in, make sense of it (impossible), and redistribute it to the others is not cool, and that's why he makes me grump.

[wild-lavender-rose]

Confessions

Pairing: Sam Winchester x fem!reader x Dean Winchester

Category: Hurt/Comfort

Summary: After your boyfriend breaks up with you, your friends Sam and Dean help to put the pieces back together in a very unexpected way. 

Warnings: Reference to break up, collapse, mild language 

Note: I started this a couple years ago shortly after a break up and finally decided to finish it. It’s not my usual quality of work some of the lines feel out of character and it’s super angsty and cheesy idk but I really wanted to get it finished and out of my drafts, so enjoy? 

     Sam and Dean looked up from their vampire research when you entered the bunker, their brows furrowing with concern as they took in your glassy eyes and messed up hair. 

     “Hey,” Dean called. 

     “Hey.” You gave a nod, dropping the heavy backpack you had been carrying with a thud. 

     “You okay?” Sam was already pushing back his chair. 

     “I...” You shrugged off your jacket, gaze averting to the floor. “He...He broke up with me.” 

     “What?” The chairs squeaked as the brothers stood.  

     “He thought, with us bein’ hunters and all...Didn’t want to be each other’s weakness,” you took a step forward only to have your legs give out, causing you to sink down to the floor. “I can’t do this anymore.” 

     “Honey, woah,” Dean came around the table to kneel beside you, Sam close behind. “Easy, it’s okay.” 

     “I can never get them to stay.” You whispered, your head in your hands as Dean sat behind you and pulled you into a hug. “What's wrong with me?” 

     “It’s not you, he’s just an ass.” Sam knelt in front of you, hand resting on your leg. “Hunters suck at commitment.” 

     “I don't, you don’t.” You leaned back into Dean’s hug, tucking yourself into him as the tears began to fall. “I’m sorry,” 

     “It’s not your fault, baby.” Dean ran his hand through your hair and held you close. 

     “No, I, I shouldn’t have even tried. He said, that ass,” you shoved your sleeve across your eyes, trying desperately to regain composure. “He said that he was tired of sharing me with you and Sam. That I loved you more than him. But, I tried to tell him we were just friends, but he didn’t believe me.” You shook your head against a fresh wave of tears. “I’m such an idiot.” 

     “Why?” Sam asked, his voice soft. 

     “Because,” you looked at the floor, hot shame flooding over you. “Because it’s true.” You whispered. “I love you and I love Sam.” 

     Dean’s hand froze in your hair, his body stiffening. You could feel him looking over your head at Sam, no doubt having a whole conversation in that nonverbal brother code of theirs. You hated yourself for saying anything. Now it was all over. Your friendship would be awkward and stilted now. No stolen hugs and nights of falling asleep on their shoulders during long car rides under the guise of simple friendship. They would know your intentions now. Know that you loved them. 

    “Sorry,” you whimpered, starting to untangle yourself from the two of them. 

     The last thing you expected was for Dean’s arms to tighten around you. “Where you going, sweetheart?” 

     “To bed.” You pushed weakly at his arms, not truly wanting to escape his warmth. “Tomorrow I gotta find a spell that makes you forget what I just said,” 

     “You hear her, Sammy? Our girl wants to go to bed.” 

     “Come here,” in one smooth motion Sam pulled you into his arms and picked you up off the floor. “Whose bed do you want to be in?” 

     “Mine.” Dean grinned. “It’s got memory foam.” 

     “I don't, wait, but you,” you covered your mouth, hardly daring to breathe. “You...both of you?” 

     “From the day we met you.” Sam kissed your forehead. “Let’s get you to bed. Coming, Dean?”

     “Right behind you.” Dean got to his feet and followed you and Sam with a mischievous grin. 

And that was how the three of you started the beginning of forever. 

[crabussy]

Hi robin hope you're doing good!! Are there any places to see or things to do you'd recommend for someone visiting Aotearoa for the first time?

hi its actually francis but I'm just as (if not more but don't tell him I said that hehehe) fanatic about aotearoa!!! I'm happy to help out. I'm gonna write a bit and leave this in drafts and then rob can finish it off cause its reaaaally late!! eek!! I gotta sleep because there's hiking happening tomorrow!

waitomo glowworm caves are great but ACTUALLY!!! I DON'T RECOMMEND THE SUPER FAMOUS ONE!!!! it's nice but it's not so long and the photos you see online are usually better than the experience you get. try out ruakuri caves in waitomo instead!! they're pretty much right next to the most popular caves, but they're longer, deeper, contain more interesting formations AND glow worms as well!! not as many as the main one. it depends on what you're looking for!!! there's a SUPER COOL motel called woodlyn park where you can stay in an old boat, an old tram, an old plane or a hobbit house that have all been converted into rooms. it's really cool!! might be a bit costly though

SWIM SOMEWHERE IF YOU CAN!!!! a river, an estuary, a beach. check water quality first!! beaches are probably your best bet! one of my favourite things in the world to do is swim at the beaches in aotearoa. I have yet to see a beach that makes me happier than the ones here!

some REALLY COOL TOWNS include rotorua (super stinky geothermal hotspot!!! so cool!!!!! bright green lakes!!!) and ahuriri (art deco town!! they actually hold a 1920s inspired festival there yearly if I'm remembering right!), <- francis went to bed at this point HI its robin now. what the freak is up guess I'm writing the rest of this post. also I'm DEFINITELY the bigger fanatic don't listen to her. liar liar pants on fire etc

UM!!! DEFINITELY hike/do a day walk if you can. I fucking LOVE hiking here it's always beautiful. in te ika-a-māui (north island) I really enjoy the waitākere ranges, there's currently a rāhui for some areas but I went hiking last weekend and the trail I went on was really lovely. there are quite a few to choose from!! I went along exhibition drive and the beveridge track, entering from titirangi village.

we're well known for our native birds, but as many of them are endangered you might have trouble seeing many of them. I'd recommend tiritiri matangi, an amazing conservation island off the shore of tāmaki makaurau. it can be pricey to visit but the sheer number of birds to be seen there is wonderful!!! you can even see takahē, as well as kiwi at night. the cost of the ticket goes towards the conservation being done on the island.

if you have a chance to experience a kapa haka performance or attend a māori festival GO. GO GO GO. it's always incredible, the power and just. joyous fierce pride people put into the waiata and haka is amazing. if you go around june-july, you'll be there for matariki celebrations!!! experience them. there'll be lots of events happening in major cities like tāmaki makaurau and pōneke.

if you're up for a bit of camping, motutara farm is an absolute gem. it's in whananaki, and needs to be booked WAY in advance but my god its marvelous. the beach is wonderful the rockpools are fascinating the walks are incredible and the camping sites are so lovely. you will have to deal with long drops.

genuinely, and I'm so serious, if you end up in the north island LET ME KNOW!!!! I love meeting up with people and if you end up in the city I live in, I'd love to show you around!!! there's a walk I really love in my town that I'd be happy to take you on.

there's so much more but these are my (and francis's) top picks!!!! I love these islands so much. there's so much to be experienced. I WILL ALSO SAY!!! the public transport is very good. you can mostly rely on it especially in cities.

[jazzmasternot]

What kind of liquor everyone at the hotel drinks

This is a continuation of @hazelfoureyes’s post abt what kind of drunk everyone is.

My credentials for this that I’m a bartender and work in both restaurants and nightlife so I’ve served all kinds of ppl and Ik what customers want before they even order.

Alastor

So we know this man likes rye and I stonefly believe that he would drink either uncle nearest or makers mark. I mean cmon have you seen the bottle for makers mark it even fits his aesthetic. And yes he will smoke a fat cigar with it too.

Lucifer

Yeah this man drinks wine and is real pretentious about it too, he just gives off mega wine drunk type energy. Like will try to tell you all about how this wine is special because you can taste the hints of sandal wood and how it has a appley after taste even tho no one cares. Also the kind of person to say “I’m just gonna have one glass” then boom the entire bottle is empty.

Angel dust

He drinks vodka you can’t tell me otherwise, he’ll drink tequila when he really wants to turn up but it’s mainly vodka. His favorite is a vodka Martini with little (none) vernouth, so just shaken vodka in a martini glass and yes he can tell if you didn’t shake it. His favorite is highway vodka yk the one that’s made with weed and gets you a lil high aswell.

Husk

Another whiskey drinker everyone, I mean he even says it in the show, straight from the bottle no less. It’s probably either jack Daniel’s or Hennessy doesn’t care much about the quality like Alastor does. No rocks glass no ice cube straight up room temp (yuck). Every once in a while he’ll drink jägermeister if he’s feeling particularly devious that night.

Charlie

Listen don’t ever give her straight liquor, bc she will drink it if ppl cheer her on enough and then immediately throw it up, so everyone’s learned their lesson with her. The closest she’d be able to do without dying instantly is the deep eddy Lemmon/grapefruit. Just give her a Bellini or a margarita, also I feel like she’d love lemon drops.

Vaggie

Beer drinker I don’t know why but she gives off a beer girly kinda vibe that makes husks job so much easier. I feel like she’d like the cream and amber ales too. She’d only drink it on draft though no cans or bottles she thinks it ruins the flavor (she’s not wrong) but most ppl don’t understand that. When she’s not drinking beer it’s vodka crans and seabreazes with Tito’s all they and it’s definitely not bc those are the only two cocktail names she knows.

Nifty

Straight tequila no mixer no chaser not even dressed or chilled, right down the hatch bc she likes it when the alcohol just burns on the way down. YAY PAIN! Fun fact tequila isn’t a depressant which is why you start actin crazy when you drink it, and we all saw how she was acting in episode 6 classic tequila drunk behavior.

[brawltogethernow]

Scissors and heart for the fic ask meme for the one where J Jonah Jameson Goes Off about mutant rights

^^

drop the title of a fic i wrote + a symbol in my ask and i’ll tell you…

✄: something i deleted before the final draft

I am SO dedicated to mulching and reusing absolutely everything I possibly can from my first drafts I wasn't sure I had anything for this, but I did cut like 25 words and I will now write 500 about why. I cut an extension of the joke where Betty's asked why she's happy their boss is screaming with rage because Jonah would have to kick the assholes out offscreen for it to work, and they'd skip straight to article planning without a confrontation. Like:

“…Why is that a good thing, Miss Brant.” Betty smiled up at him so her eyes squinched. “He isn’t mad at us!” "WHERE ARE MY CRACK TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS?" Betty beamed. "See?"

That's much weaker scene arrangement obviously so I wasn't able to work the whole of the planned gag in.

Also culled in favor of the bit where Jonah remixes his memetic line and demands PICTURES! PICTURES OF X-MEN! was a variant that goes like "PARKER / Yessir / GET ME YOUR BEST MUTANT PHOTOS / Yessir- What, sir?" which is kind of Vimesian in a way I enjoy, but the core point of "it's weird to hear Jonah demanding a different thing in this specific way" isn't really clear unless you do the full iconic line, which is too long to have a yes sir-what sir joke around it. Like it has to be something short enough you can zone out through it and then replay it in your head an instant later, and the PICTURES line has a big pause in the middle. ...You can put the first yes sir in the pause, but then the whole thing still has to go early enough that it's plausible to have not guessed what Jonah is going to ask for.... So instead it got a lampshade where the Bugle staff get to lean on the fourth wall slightly harder.

There's also a bit, assassinated for being too implausible, where someone asks Peter "Isn't that Cyclops' name?" when he's texting contact name Scotty Boy and he goes "NO." I hate him.

Also not making it out of the starter notes was I'm pretty sure the first words I jotted down when I got the ask - I thought the snip at the end where MJ makes fun of Peter might be like, a more ongoing montage of post-publishing reactions? So on autopilot I hypothesized a fragment of spideytorch banter wherein Peter shows Johnny the article, Johnny goes "What is this?" and Peter says "It's a newspaper. They're very useful once you learn how to read." And then Johnny throws the paper at his face. This was written because it's closer to my wheelhouse than the actual premise and deleted because it contributes absolutely nothing. There is no reason for more people that many degrees of separation away from the core concept of the prompt to be there.

Generally if I have come up with a tangent with any redeeming value that isn't actively contradicted by something more important I will add it in, but this fic came with a point it actually mattered to lose track of, which directly contributed to it being, in my opinion, noticeably higher quality than my average output - less meandering and simultaneously longer. A lot of the writing process on the Jonah fic was me going "can I stop now?", mentally substituting in some real world minority in place of mutants, and then if the result made me want to go lean over the washing machine and slam the door repeatedly on my own head, that meant it wasn't done. Who Knew Being Forced (at prompt point) To Stand For Something Improves Your Work.

♡: my favorite part

I think I nailed keeping the pacing up by cutting between interconnected scenes, if that counts. I really like how the flow of the first bit reads, and it was really satisfying to put together. It was also just a lot of fun to juggle a modern-flavored conflict and my preferred vintage comic aesthetic and cast, and to sneak in a bunch of continuity nods and cameos and tidbits of concepts. I just had a blast writing and publishing the whole thing, honestly. It was a great ask, and I'm really glad people like it.

The fic.

[weebsinstash]

As someone who reads a lot but has no experience writing myself I didn't notice any drop in quality. It seemed to be the same level to me and I particularly enjoy your characterization of mic and aizawa as well as the added depth from the scene between mic and the repair guy. However if I HAD to give a criticism the part about the guy from when reader was young felt a little too long, the same could kinda be said for the exposition about the mom but that felt important enough to the readers persona that it was necessary. These aren't really that bad but its just a personal opinion!

I still absolutely loved the chapter though it was a delightful treat that I thoroughly enjoyed reading!

Maybe that was the part that one person didnt like, the exposition stuff? I really wish they had left a little more constructive criticism besides just telling me straight up "this should have stayed in your drafts, youre out of practice and i can tell" because how tf am I supposed to catch my mistakes and improve without good feedback 🥺 everyone has different standards for what they read so feedback from all different kinds of people could really be beneficial...

Anyways!

So while it was kind of an exposition/info dump, the part with the Reader having an inappropriate relationship with a stranger online specifically a male one is actually relevant to several things, which if it hasn't been apparent due to the fact he's never been mentioned, Reader's father was not present in her life, and not because he's dead or anything (it really isnt a massive spoiler to tell you guys he was just a deadbeat and Reader's mom had full custody and he kind of just pissed off and will make a brief unimportant cameo in the next installment of the series which will in fact be the last one, at least so is the plan). As someone with personal experience, you grow up as a young girl without a father and it can give you extremely different perspectives on men, especially when there has been abuse, and it can make you EXTREMELY VULNERABLE to positive male attention. It's to sort of establish a pattern of Reader needing a form of external acceptance and validation and how she has her own trauma and mental health struggles, especially in regards to men.

Like idk child abuse or being sexual with a kid tw but I remember when i used to go on Justin TV as a minor like idk probably 15 or 16, there was a streamer I would watch sometimes, his username was Tekker or something, and he eventually started getting flirty and stuff with me and in hindsight he was definitely uh a creep. I was a minor and he knew that and he'd be livestreaming him playing like resident evil and he'd like make jokes about, God what even was it, giving me anal as a punishment for being a smart-ass with him because you know obviously anal isn't, for everyone lmao and can hurt and like WOW

But even with those massive red flags I really liked the positive attention he gave me, like it legitimately got me flustered when I sent him my picture and he said I was beautiful and he would call me jailbait 💀 like I bought a microphone to chat with this dude and would play games on stream with him 💀💀💀 this is a subject I have personal experience with. It's kind of to establish Reader had Some Issues that leave her vulnerable to being manipulated by men and also making poor choices because she has deep abandonment issues and needing to be accepted and loved. So now, as it stands, she is slowly becoming complacent to her situation, especially when you also tackle that with the realization that if she were to get free she would go right back to a way of living that was legitimately making her miserable and suicidal

Like for real the planned ending I have for this story is probably going to make a decent number of you go Oh Honey Why Would You Do That :C

It's fucked up, but for Reader there are actually many benefits to her captivity and you couple that with her captors being excessively supportive and affectionate with her and you have a kidnapping victim slowly falling in love with her captors and saying "im a stupid idiot and I'll never have anything better and no one will probably love me like they so, and I'm a loser anyways, so I guess I'm just fucked, I probably deserve to die anyways, who cares what happens at this point, im too tired and apathetic to fight anyways"

Of course the fate of Reader's mom, which is kind of glaringly obvious tbh, but the exact details of what I will call The Mountain Incident are to be revealed in probably the next chapter or two? It's kind of just sadness porn but, it's another layer to why Reader kind of just fell apart and dropped out of Hero School and was too unable to handle the stress to work. Because realistically she experienced something extremely traumatic and had no support system while basically pushed into the deep end of being fully self sufficient and she eventually just burned out trying to do everything on her own, and then you have Mic and Eraser to the rescue to forever further skew her feelings of "see I'm helpless and stupid, I can't take care of myself, I should just let them make the decisions for me"

But yeah, thanks for submitting your feedback, it means a lot! General reception has been really nice so far and it's so nice to see how excited everyone is for an update and I'm looking forward to hopefully getting more things out soon! I'm just trying to even think of how many chapters are left? We're on 7 right now, so, hmm... at the current rate... I'd say... maybe 4 or 5? And then after this story is finished, I think the best course of action for the final part is that i write a significant portion of it before I upload anything so then that can combat being stuck in a plot hole and putting things off haha. Anyways thanks again!

[autumnalwalker]

Untitled Solarpunk Witch draft, chapter 1.5

Spring, Week 5, Five of Swords

“Now that my implants were fully back online, I didn’t have any more excuse to keep putting off reporting this whole incident back to the order.  After I sent it off they wanted to talk in real time.  Because of course they did.”

It’s been a while since I’ve been up this high.  I hadn’t done much flying since arriving in Zello; not much need for it and it does use up a lot of power.  Alas, this isn’t a joyride.  I have to be up this high to get a strong enough signal for the quality the elders are going to want for the call.

“What if I go down just a little lower and blame the quality on being out in the boonies?”

They’d know, and it would only look worse for you.

I let out a sigh.  “Yeah… Well, let’s get this over with.” I verbalize the command words to initiate the sending ritual and the embedded antenna fully extends from the point of my hat while the brim curls up into the suggestion of a dish.  I’ve long since given up on questioning the safety of having this thing on my head all the time.

Oh, have some faith in yourself.  You’re still here after all, and you got the job done.  And if you don’t they’ll pick up on it and start reading into it.

“Not making it better,” I subvocalize while trying to get a good lock on one of the few remaining communication satellites.

Bast(et) turns around on her perch to look me in the eye.  What I’m saying is you’re afraid that they’ll look at what happened and decide you aren’t ready to be out on your own yet after all.  To them, the fact that - on some level - you don’t think you’re ready is going to matter more than the events themselves.

I drop my concentration on the network connection and slip back into full vocal out of exasperation.  “And so what?  I’m supposed to just not have doubts after messing up in a way that could have gotten me killed?  Even if I do think I can do better, get better, it’s not like I can just turn those thoughts off!”

You don’t need to turn them off, just stop focusing on them so much.  We’re not even on a full thought link and I can still pick up that you’re letting that dread seep into everything.  

She pauses.  I can count on one hand the number of times she’s hesitated to speak her mind and I have a suspicion as to what she’s about to suggest.

I can help if you let me.

“How?” I ask, drawing out the word.

Believe in the me that believes in you.

I stare blankly back at her.

Sorry, art history reference to lighten the mood.  But in all seriousness, open a channel and I can take on some of that fear.  Share the load and disperse it so it stops stealing your focus away.  It’s not a gestalting, or even a full thought link, I know how you feel about that.  Just a redirect of that one thing.

“I… don’t know…”  I look away, down to the moonlit village below.  “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just…  I’m…”

Afraid of not being you.  I know.  And I promise this won’t be anything like that, and you’ll be free to sever the link at any time from your end.  She walks down the length of the broom and nuzzles my hand before looking back up at me.  Please, let me help you.

“And won’t they realize what we’re doing?”

Not if we do it right, which we will.  At worst they’ll think we’re more bonded than we were when we left and count that as positive growth.

I realize I’ve been clenching my jaw again and let out a sigh.  “Fine, let’s give it a shot.” I tap out a parameter pattern on the side of my head and speak the command phrase to open a limited channel.  “It’s funny, normally you’re the one telling me not to hide things from the elders.”

Well, rubbing off on one another is half the point of the bond.

Link established on Bast(et)’s end.  We’re now connected beyond subvocal audio, if only slightly.  I don’t feel any different.

“You sure it worked?”

Yes.  Now let’s not keep the elders waiting any longer.

It takes me another minute or two to get a lock on a satellite, but once I do the connection is stable.  From there it’s just a matter of activating the next module in the sending ritual to route me to the elders and then visualizing the sequence of symbols for the passcode.  It’s an admittedly arcane way of going about privacy, harder to hack than character-based passwords, leftover from the days when that was still a concern.

For a moment as the “Passcode Accepted” message flashes in the air before me my mind begins to wander toward worst case what-ifs.  And then I feel Bast(et)’s presence - calm and steady, yet decisive - and I’m able to push all that aside.  Not gone, but no longer distracting.

And then the sending goes through and two ghostly figures appear floating in the air in seated positions before me.  I know that I’m appearing the same way for them.  We don’t have cameras set up, so the AR projections are reading from the same systems as the implant calibration.

Two elders.  I’m not already in trouble, or else it’d be a triune.  More than one though, so this isn’t just an informal checkup on how I’m doing.  Two still feels like a weird number, unless… ah, crap, they’re planning on looping me into a coven circuit for the interview, aren’t they?

The one on my left speaks up first.  Even abstracted via avatar I recognize Elder Petrichor.  I know her more by reputation than personal experience.  Serious, stern, one of the few veterans from the Reconfiguration still around and active.  I swear she had the wrinkles added to her avatar’s face manually.  “Greetings young scion.”

“Elder Petrichor,” I bow my head in deference, “Elder Faeowyn.” At least she’s a friendly face.  Elder by achievement rather than age.  I apprenticed under her for a time and I always thought we got along well.

“Good to see you well,” the younger elder says.

“Let’s get right to the point, shall we?” Elder Petrichor cuts in.  “We’ve reviewed your report and we have concerns about several items therein.  Not the least of which was that you neglected to inform anyone of the initial miscommunication regarding Zello’s request for assistance.”

“I judged that their request was one I could handle, so there was no need to take up the time and attention of other witches that could be better spent elsewhere.”

“So you said in your report.  It is not a judgment I agree with, but we’ll come back to that matter later.”

“The more important matter,” Elder Faeowyn says, “is that you went through a traumatic experience and we want to make sure you’re okay.  Especially since you haven’t indicated reaching out to anyone since then.”

“My implants have been offline until recently, that makes it difficult to contact anyone else in the order.  Besides, I have Bast(et), and I’ve met people in Zello I can talk to.”

“Nevertheless,” Elder Petrichor says, “while we trust you to be honest with us, given your prior history we have concerns about your ability to be honest with yourself, particularly when it comes to your own wellbeing, and that can color what you present to others, whether you mean for it to or not.”

I can’t help but wince at that comment.  It hurts because it’s true.

“To that end,” Elder Petrichor continues, “it is our hope that you’ll consent to reiterating a full report of your activities as Zello’s provisional village witch via a temporary coven link.”

Faeowynn’s avatar leans forward and puts a hand on mine.  There's a fractional second of network lag time before my implants simulate the feeling of a gentle, reassuring squeeze.  When she speaks her voice is a soft contrast to Elder Petrichor’s sharp formality.

“You don’t have to if you’re not comfortable with that, and we won’t hold it against you.  I understand you don’t like mental links like this.”

She would understand.  She was there for my infamous breakdown.  

Take a breath to center myself.  Feel Bast(et)’s presence in the back of my mind.  They’re not asking for a gestalt; I’ll be fine and it’ll get this whole uncomfortable assessment over with that much faster.

“Thank you for your concern, elder, but that’s quite alright.  Go ahead and initiate the circuit.”

*******

The following series of questions and answers examining everything I’ve done since arriving in Zello would have taken hours to talk through verbally.  Communicating with a rapid-fire exchange of impressions, visualizations, emotions, and raw concepts we finish in less than ten minutes.  If we’d been in-person and not limited by network lag it might have been half that time.

By the time we finished, it felt like I’d practically relived both the initial surveying and the excavation of the drone.  Gentle as they were with it, I still feel emotionally wrung out by the end.  The secondary link with Bast(et) metaphorically holding my hand throughout probably saved me from panic terminating the circuit halfway through.

That said, the elders seem satisfied that I’m handling things well.  The things that went wrong with the excavation and the places I’ve stumbled socially are judged to be trials that I learned from rather than failures.  Faeowyn reminds me that even though I’m technically graduated from training, I’m expected to struggle at first on my own.  It’s how we keep learning and growing, she tells me.

More ominously, Elder Petrichor ends the call telling me to keep in mind that a wound to me is a wound to my familiar and that I shouldn’t rely solely on Bast(et) for support without considering her own needs.  That left us both wondering afterward if she knew what we were up to the whole time.

All in all, not as bad as I’d feared.  No being told to come home for further training.  No sending a more senior witch out to supervise.  Just an admonishment to be more careful in the future and a strong suggestion to check in more often.  If not in an official capacity ,then at least informally with my peers.  As if I were still close with any of them.

One last bit of weirdness follows the call.  After we’re alone once more, as I terminate the limited channel Bast(et) and I had up I have the briefest flash of seeing myself in the third person, looking up at my own face.  Bast(et) is as surprised by that moment of shared vision as I am.  We’re both unsettled enough that we spend the next day running diagnostic scans, but neither of us find anything and we write it off as a weird network fluke from the earlier coven circuit.

The day after that, construction on the shelter away from the village where we’ll be working on the drone disarmament finishes.

*******

“It’s kind of creepy when you do that, you know?”

“Greg!”

I blink the AR menu displays away and look up from my work over at Greg and Luanna where they’re breaking down the drone’s primary gun on the other end of the tiny raft-mounted hut.

“What’s what when I do what?”

“When you start whispering to it like that,” Greg says as he rubs the back of his head.  

I’m not sure if he’s just embarrassed about having just said something presumably rude or if Luanna just hit him.  I was pretty absorbed in my part of the work until just now.

He continues, “You get all soft like you’re talking to a kid or a pet or something, but also sort of far off and spooky.  And then the thing starts opening panels and extending parts for us to yank out.”

“I’ve been saying all that aloud?”

Greg nods.  Luanna shrugs.

You usually do.

Thank MG for broad-brimmed hats to hide blushing faces.

“If it makes you feel any better, we can’t actually make out most of it,” Luanna says.

I can.

“And you never said anything?”

I assumed you realized.

Time for a subject change before my health monitors mistake my face for having a fever.

“Aaannnyway, it looks like we were right about the paint job.”  I pat the side of the drone.  Now that the mud and film have all been cleaned off its chassis is clearly visible, bearing an image of a burning tree beneath a raincloud.  Not the most subtle symbol for that era’s activism.  In spots where the paint’s been scratched and chipped fragments of an old Corp logo peek out.  “We’re not the first people to try modding this guy.  Now that I’m looking at more than baseline status readouts and munitions inventory, I’m finding the custom patches and addons that whoever got their hands on it last time installed.”

“That would explain the discrepancies we’ve been seeing,” Luanna says.

“Speaking of,” Greg says, “I went ahead and put some pictures I took on the Collapse forums.  A couple of the guys there think they’ve identified the model and said they’d get back to me about digging up schematics for it.”

“Great!” I say.  “That should help speed things up once we get around to repairs.”

“Or for identifying any more unstable out of place custom jobs that might blow up in our faces when we poke them,” Luanna adds in far too matter-of-fact a tone.  Greg and I both wince at that thought.

“And with that cheerful image, I’m voting we call it a day on the yanking out parts.”  With a blink I pull the menus back up, swipe through a few of them, and shut the drone back down, causing the indicator lights to go out and the faint hum of its internal components to quiet.

“It never gets old,” I hear Greg whisper.

“What’s that?”

“You know.  The - “ Greg starts waving his hands around in the air in an exaggerated imitation of me.

I chuckle.  “Oh yeah.  I forget that other people can’t see the displays sometimes.  I guess I do look pretty weird without them.”

Luanna gives a shrug.  “I mean, I wasn’t going to say anything, but… it is pretty silly looking.”

I for one find it cute how you add all those little flourishes and poses like you’re actually casting spells instead of just sliding menus around and typing in a terminal.

“That is so not the descriptor I was going for.”

“Anyway, you two got room for one more set of hands over there?”

Half an hour later what had once been a device for rapidly launching hot chunks of lead into human beings is now an organized collection of  tubes, springs, bolts, and other miscellaneous metal and plastic bits.  As we leave behind the beached and anchored workshop on a second raft to head back to Zello, Greg brings the earlier conversation back up.

“But seriously, what’s with the whispering?  The gesturing I get, but are you giving it voice commands or something?”

“Sometimes,” I pause for a moment, slightly embarrassed.  “Most of the time I’m just talking to it.”

Luanna raises an eyebrow.  “I didn’t think it was smart enough for that.”

It’s not.

“Not exactly, but it does have a sort of intelligence, and a directive for self-preservation.  I figure if I’m poking around its insides, the least I can do is be nice to it and reassure it that I mean no harm.  It’s a small kindness, but it’s what kindness I can offer while still doing what I need to do.”

“It’s a killing machine,” Luanna says.

“I like to think of it more like an attack dog.  It never asked to be that way and never had a say in doing the things it does, but with a little love, patience, and retraining it could be something else.”

It’s more like an insect than a dog, really.

“Huh, weird, but whatever works for you I guess,” Greg says.  “Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for drone repurposing, and I’ve seen some cool projects online, but I’ve never really thought of them as much more than really cool hardware.”

I shrug.  “Eh, call it a witch thing.”

More like a you thing.

“You’re really no fun when this topic comes up, you realize?”

It’s because of things like that that most humans don’t trust us.   There’s a bitterness and heat to her voice that I’ve rarely felt from her.

“Whoah, okay, sorry, I shouldn’t have said it that way.”

Sigh.  It’s fine.  Let’s just talk about something else.  

“Like?”

I was going to comment on the irony of Greg being on the disarmament crew, but that’s closer to staying on that topic than I’d like right now.

“It’s not that ironic.  He’s one of the better mechanics around here and an even bigger nerd for old tech than I am.  Oh, Ursula mentioned wanting to talk to you.  I think she wants you to model for a painting.”

Oh really?  Well, I suppose I can deign to be in the spotlight for once.

“I knew you’d jump at the opportunity.”

[missmeinyourbones]

sorry i was so tired!!! req for how the aot boys are when they’re in love❤️‍🔥🥰

aot boys x being in love!

note: this has been sitting in my inbox/drafts for a while but i finally finished it lol so thank u for being patient <3 aot boys are big simps 

eren is so annoying LMFAO i know it’s a common thought but i strongly believe that his love language is being annoying (which is so relatable FR) like he’s so in love with you that he will do anything he can to piss you off (affectionately). you are just sitting on the couch peacefully and he has so much love for you spilling over inside of him that he just has to drop all of his body weight on top of you and bite your arm???? he just constantly wants to be attached at your hip or touching you. he thrives off of you being like 🙄🙄 ur annoying. JUST SO he can be like 😁😁 ya but you love me. i can’t stand him

armin is the most observant lover. when he’s in love with you, nothing is getting past his big ass brain. you could walk into your apartment after a bad day at work and he can tell you are upset just by the way you put your bag down???? he knows when you are sleeping versus when you are faking being asleep because of your breathing patterns???? please he’s so INLOVE with you it’s insane. he just thinks that you are the best thing to ever grace this planet so he plans on using his brain to absorb every single detail it can about you 

jean is whipped. in all definitions of the word. if he is in love with you, he doesn't want you to lift a damn finger. ever again. he loves loves loves to do things for you, he sees it as his boyfriend right of passage. he's like..if i love you...and i'm your boyfriend....why would i let you carry that? why wouldn't i buy you flowers every week? why wouldn't i worship the ground you walk on? simp extraordinaire. he wants everyone under the sun to know he's in love w you!!!! and that he is the one who gets to make you laugh and do things for you and sleep next to you at night!!!! he's such a cornball. i want 20 of him.

connie knows he’s in love with you because he never shuts the fuck up about you. LMFAO he assumes he must talk about you a lot but he doesn’t fully understand it until he’s out with jean and sasha and he mentions your name in almost every conversation. on the 4th time ur name comes up they’re like STFU connie we get it ur in love 🤮🤮 he just loves you so much that he can make literally anything relate back to you lol. he’s out to eat with his friends and he’s like “yeah me and y/n have been here a few times, we split the appetizer combo” or he’s in class and his prof is talking about the science behind migraines and he’s raising his hand like “omfg my s/o gets really bad headaches :/ what can i do to help or prevent them?” he’s a simp but dont tell him i said that

levi is petrified LMFAO he is so scared to be vulnerable w someone in the way that love requires :/ he probably realizes he's in love with you when he's in a bad mood or going through something and he completely freaks out and yells at you and shuts down. he slams the door in your face and sits in his office for what feels like hours, hating himself for taking his anger out on you. he's positive you'll leave him after this, so when he opens the door and still sees you standing there, waiting for him as a shoulder to cry on & an ear to listen, he knows he's in love :) he love spending quality time with you, specifically being able to sit in a comfortable silence with you <3 he's never that vulnerable w anyone else so it is extremely special and dear to him

reiner loving you is him letting you see what he thinks is the worst of him, if that makes sense. like he doesn’t even realize that he’s able to openly talk to you about his fears and insecurities and all of the “ugly” parts of him (so he says)  until one night you guys are just ranting in bed and he’s like “i’ve never done this before” and you’re like wdym? and he’s like “let someone take care of me” :((((( he loves how he can fully trust you to hold him in every meaning of the word possible. you can see his good, bad, and ugly, and still choose him. that means more to him than he could ever put into words <3

porco shows his love for you in the small things. he doesn’t even realize how much he thinks about you and your needs until he’s already doing something for you. he’s doing his usual grocery shopping and he’s like huh this is y/n’s favorite cereal, i might as well pick it up for when they come over and want something sweet. he’s having dinner at his parents house and he’s like wait mom can you help me package up some leftovers for y/n??? they come home late from work on weekends and need something quick to eat. if theres one thing about porco, its that he LOVES to pretend he’s hard or somethin. that he’s this big scary guy who doesn’t care about anything. spoiler  alert: he’s not. especially when it comes to you :)

[jeonjaemark]

↳ Where We Left Off | six | {prev./next}

au masterlist

{taglist: @itsdnguyenxoxo @kpopjackie @markleepooh @enhacolor @nanamioo }

After endless meetings the entire week, it was a nice change of pace to hear the waves crashing onto the shore and loud screams from children in the distance. The very thought of having to fake another genuine smile and sit through another presentation made me want to pull my hair out. I love what I do for my career, and running my own up-and-rising website for whatever I want to create is something I wouldn't trade the world for. However, being able to spend quality time with Jia meant more to me and it was surprisingly less stressful.

"Mama! Mama!" Her soft voice coos.

I break out of my thoughts dropping my eyes down to Jia. Her tiny legs kicking and splashing the water around her while sprinting toward me. I smile watching her in her denim shorts and blue Minnie Mouse tank top. Her cold hands touch my skin making me shiver which causes her to giggle. She must have noticed my reaction because she started running her hands all around my warm legs. Each time she giggles louder and louder the more I shriek.

"You think you're funny Jia, huh?" I quirk an eyebrow holding her hands. I squat down to her level as she squirms giggling in my hold.

I take my other free hand tickling her sides. High-pitched squeals leave her mouth. She tries her best to angle her body away from me. The corners of my mouth curve up watching Jia laugh with her head toss back and my fingers tickling her. She stomps her feet into the water causing small splashes onto her clothes and mine.

"Ma'am Y/N! Ma'am Y/N!" Yaya Lexy shouts from behind me. I turn around smiling but it quickly fades seeing her hold my grey-case phone with an incoming call on the screen. She's holding my work phone.

I shrug my shoulders and reach down towards Jia. She cries behind me wanting to play with the water longer while I force my steps out of the water and closer to the shore. I gently place Jia on the sand, her eyes staring out to the ocean watching other people continue to play in the water. Yaya Lexy holds the phone out closer to me. Her eyes fill with guilt over the disturbance.

"Ma'am Jihyo has been trying to reach you nonstop. I already told her you don't take calls while you're with Jia. They're telling me it is an emergency. I am sorry."

"Mama! Wawa! Mama! Wawa!" Jia whines tugging at the bottom hem of my shorts.

"It's okay. I understand. I will take this call." I reassure her there was no problem. "Can you bring Jia back to water? I think she still wants to play more."

She nods following my request. I thank her before Jia goes running back to the water again. I huff a breath scrolling through the multiple messages Jihyo has left me. A majority of her messages kept repeating that her calls were an emergency and important. I dial her work number hearing the line ring a few times before she picks up.

"Thank God you called back! Y/N there is a problem with the design we sent to the manu!" Jihyo frantically spat through the other line.

While Jihyo explains the situation while my eyes were focus on Jia playing in the water but they drop down to the sand after processing her words. My hand press to my forehead feeling the stress starting to build back up again. For weeks I have been working with the team on the designs for the new launch of our hair clips, tote bags, and various clothing items. There were many drafts and write-outs over the design and how to perfect it in order to gain approval for the manufacturer to use. I look back at Jia seeing her still splashing around in the water with Yaya Lexy nearby. I move away to a secluded area to talk out the issue with Jihyo.

-

One call after the next there is no greater feeling than being able to work out an issue that happens at work. Luckily one of the managers were able to clear the misunderstanding and still use the design we submitted and fix the errors. I slide my phone back into my bag shutting it off and walk back to the water searching for Jia and Yaya Lexy. The beach became calmer with not many people splashing in the water. The sand where multiple beach towels were placed along with huge umbrellas and tents slowly disappears as groups pack up for the day. The loud chaos of music, laughter, and screams simmering down.

I furrow my eyebrows together in confusion. There weren't many people on the beach anymore. Why is it so difficult to spot Jia and Yaya Lexy? My eyes carefully scan the area a few more times, thinking I didn't spot them right away. A loud familiar voice echoes from the left. I turn around finding Yaya Lexy fast pacing her way toward me. Her eyes fill with worry and stress with tears streaming down her cheek. I wait for her to move closer to me and quickly realize I did not see a little girl with her.

"Yaya Lexy? Where’s Jia?" I ask. My voice fills with confusion and worry.

"Ma'am, I am sorry. I am really sorry... but I can't seem to find Jia." Her voice-panicking. She scratches the side of her head from stress. "I look away for three seconds and she got away from me. I tried searching for her but I don't know where she went."

A raging sensation courses through my veins. My mind running with a million thoughts and my heart pumping a thousand miles a second. It is like the breath from my lungs disappears. The expression on my face hardens as I try my best to remain calm. It was kind of hard considering I wanted to scream down this beach hoping Jia is safe. I browse around the beach frantically not spotting a blue tank top and denim shorts with pigtails in my sight.

After a few minutes of silence, I finally say, "Yaya Lexy, search for her down at the left of the beach. I will search on the right side. Shout out that you're looking for a little girl with pigtails, a blue Minnie Mouse tank top, and denim shorts. We will be able to find her faster that way."

Yaya Lexy follows as she is told before we go our separate ways. I pace myself down the beach searching and screaming out the description of Jia's clothes. Many weird and concerning stares were thrown in my direction but I didn't care. I just wanted my daughter to be safe and with me again. The further I walk down the beach as the sun slowly disappear from the sky I could feel the tears sting my eyes. My heart pulses hard against my chest screaming louder and louder hoping someone could spot her.

DK POV

Slowly walking down the shore the cold water washes against my skin. The clicking of the camera takes nonstop shots while I try my best to pose in various ways. The photographer reminds me to slow my pace while walking and to lightly kick the water in her direction. I follow her instructions. My eyes soft-looking into the distance at nothing in particular. In reality, I find Joshua and Jeonghan goofing around making me laugh. I look away from them and look past the camera. The water starts to wet my pants making me shiver.

"Okay, DK you're good. You can go dry up." She smiles resting her camera around her neck.

I quickly jog out of the water and back into the warm sand. Jeonghan and Joshua were in front of the camera talking. The both of them giggling and playfully hit each other.

"Oh DK is finally here. Can we get a few words from you about today's shoot?" Joshua ask holding an imaginary mic to my face.

"Is this your concept today?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Why can't you just answer the question?" He hisses shaking his head in disapproval.

"Today's shoot is --"

"Dino is here today, let's ask him." Joshua interrupts turning to him on his left.

My mouth drops in shock over his sudden action which left Jeonghan laughing. Joshua shoots me a sideglance trying to not break character. Dino's eyes widen puzzle over what he walk into. Joshua repeats his question for him. Once I realize Joshua has really skipped my camera time I nod chuckling and feel Jeonghan pat my shoulder a few times in comfort.

I walk away from the frame of the camera to Seungkwan who snaps a few shots of the sunset. Turning away from him I notice Hoshi playing with a little girl dressed in a blue tank top and denim shorts with pigtails skipping around in the water. She laughs running away from the water as it fizzles out and runs back towards the water. I squint my eyes at her staring longer than I should.

"Seungkwan, does that little girl look familiar to you?" I ask suspiciously, pointing in Hoshi's direction.

He puts his phone down looking where I was pointing. "Yeah. That's the little girl from a few days ago at the park. Jia? Is that her name?"

"Hoshi!" I call out jogging in their direction.

Jia stops playing with Hoshi and turns her head at the sound of my voice. Her eyes light up like a Christmas tree with excitement and a beaming smile. Her tiny legs pick up speed running toward me shouting my name. I crouch down as she jumps into my embrace making me laugh.

"Jia, what are you doing here? Where is Yaya Lexy?" I ask noticing she wasn't anywhere near her.

She shrugs her shoulders unsure. Her brown eyes soft staring back out into the water. She wiggles out of my arms and runs back to kicking the wet sand and water.

"I found her alone. She was just playing in the water." Hoshi tells me standing nearby. "I didn't want to leave her by herself so I have been playing with her for the past twenty minutes."

I nod telling Hoshi I can take care of her while he goes back to the shoot. Jia walks back to me waving goodbye to Hoshi. I wipe the ocean droplets from her cheeks causing her to scrunch her nose. I smile hearing a giggle slip from her lips.

"Should we go find Yaya Lexy together?" My voice melting at her cuteness.

She nods with a grin reaching for my hand.

"Jia! Jia! Jia!" A faint voice yells in the distance.

She turns her head at the familiar voice. Jia suddenly gasps before we could even move a step. I look over expecting to see Yaya Lexy but it wasn't her. I didn't recognize the person from afar. She seems young may be in her early twenties dressed in a white crop muscle tee and khaki shorts. Her hairstyle is in soft curls. She waves in our direction calling Jia's name repeatedly. Before I could even ask Jia who the woman is Jia goes running.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!" She cries bursting into her arms.

She picks up Jia in her arms holding her tightly facing her back to me. Her hand caressing her head and back sprinkling kisses across her face. I smile walking towards them. The closer I walk to them something in my stomach starts to rise. I couldn't figure out why I suddenly felt warm and nervous.

"Jia, I am so happy you're safe. You had Mama so worried." She cries wiping away her tears. "Please next time don't go running off without me or Yaya Lexy."

Her voice. I recognize her voice. It is a voice I could never forget. Could it be? If my gut feeling is right, I haven't heard that voice in over two years. I shake my head thinking it has to be wrong. There is no way it could be who I am thinking of. It has to be someone with a similar voice. I break out of my thoughts hearing Jia mumble something.

"Sorry, Mama," Jia mumbles wrapping her arms around her mom's neck. She presses a kiss to her cheek making her laugh.

Butterflies start to flutter in my stomach at the sound of her laugh. I remember that laugh too. I kept pinching myself in denial that it could be who I am thinking of. There's no way she would be here today when she never talk to me about it before. My mind is just overthinking it again. I exhale a breath trying to calm my thoughts.

"Who were you playing with?" Her voice soft and warm.

"DK! DK!" Jia murmurs unclearly.

"Who?" She asked confused over what she was saying.

Jia's eyes meet mine lighting up again. The corner of her lips curves up as she points at me. I smile at her allowing Jia and her mom to have their space. She turns around in confusion and curiosity. Her hair whips behind her shoulders as if this was a shampoo and conditioner advertisement. Her soft eyes flutter a few times before they meet mine. She greets me with a warm grin on her lips.

Y/N. It's really her.

Y/N POV

I furrow my eyebrows noticing Jia pointing behind me. Her smile beaming at the person. I spin around meeting his brown eyes and warm smile. My heart stops dropping into the pit of my stomach. There's no way. Lee Dokyeom.

Jia wiggles out from my embrace walking over to him. Her small hand only being able to hold one of his fingers. She pulls him closer to me with her smile never leaving her lips. She seems to be very comfortable with him. For a second my heart flutters seeing the way she looks fondly at him.

Does she recognize him or feel a connection to him? Jia isn't really warm towards strangers. She usually turns them away or clings to me. Wait! How does DK know Jia? Have they met before? Many thoughts flood through my brain staring at the man I thought I would never see again.

I freeze in place in disbelief and shock unable to form a single word or sentence. Jia mindlessly stood in between us switching looks as if she is waiting for us to greet each other. DK runs his fingers back through his hair clearing his throat awkwardly. The deafening silence between us made it more awkward than it needed to be.

"Thank you for finding Jia and keeping her safe," I manage to say, fidgeting with my fingers.

He exhales a breath of relief. "It's nothing. I am happy she is safe and back with you. Also, it was Hoshi that found her and played with her. I recognized her when talking with Seungkwan."

"Not to be rude or anything but what are you doing here?" My eyes drop down to the sand the moment his eyes met mine again. There was no way in hell I could meet DK's eyes for more than a second.

"We have a packed schedule. So we will be in town for a few weeks." He tells me. I could see the confusion and curiosity in his eyes switching glances between Jia and me.

"Well, I... I -- We should get going. It's going to get dark soon and I don't want to keep you from your schedule." I say before he could ask any questions or talk any further.

DK shrugs his shoulders in disappointment at my sudden gesture ending our conversation. He nods rubbing the back of his neck not wanting to push me to stay and talk.

"Y-Yeah. It was nice seeing you." He grins softly and awkwardly making me smirk.

"Jia do you want to say bye to DK?" I ask looking down at her.

She nods walking over to DK and giving him a hug. "Bye Bye DK. I miss you."

"Aww, Jia. It's okay. I might see you again but make sure you listen to Mommy and be a good girl. Don't go wandering off without her or Yaya Lexy, okay?"

Jia nods her head once more and presses a kiss on his cheek. DK chuckles pressing his hand to his cheek fluster by her kiss. I turn away from them feeling the tears sting my eyes. Jia takes my hand as we walk in the opposite direction. She turns back waving at him but I couldn't bring myself to look at DK. A lingering sadness and guilt settle into my stomach.

[miekasa]

Mie, I’m begging for some Jean college au bf hcs - im literally so down bad for this man and the way you write men is just 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻

Absolutely, not a problem 😌 I saved this ask as a draft a while ago when you sent it, sorry for just now getting to it. Anyway, I love Jean with my whole heart, best boy, best boyfriend <33

King of forehead kisses, and not even just because of his height in comparison to yours; he just likes it. He likes the feeling of pressing his lips against your skin, and making you feel safe.

Brings you tea or coffee however you like it every day without fail. If he can get it to you in the morning before work/school then he’ll do that, if not he’ll meet you some time in the middle of the day to drop it off. Your own personal courier just for drinks.

He… has a thing for long(er) nails. He loves the feeling of them against his skin, even if you’re not scratching to apply pressure—just you holding his hand them grazing his skin is enough for him.

That being said, he will pay for you to get your nails done. Actually, he’ll pay for… almost anything you want, but the nails benefit him as much as they do you so feel free to ball out.

He never blowdries his hair because he doesn’t... know how to do the back of it. You did it for him once and he hasn’t stopped thinking about it since, but he’s also too embarrassed to ask you to do/style it again.

On the subject of hair, he does do his best to style it and take care of it, but he’s a sucker whenever you play with it. Sometimes he feigns like you’re messing up all his hard work, but he’ll literally crane his head into your touch. He loves it. 

The first time he lays on top of you and you run your hands through his hair... top 10 most euphoric moments of his life. He tries to fight off the sleep threatening to take over him, but it’s futile. Give it 15 minutes at most before he’s knocked out like a baby. 

Dogs love him. Anytime you’re in a park or just taking a walk and there’s a dog around, it’ll come up to him and he looks adorable leaning down to pet it. He loves dogs, too! So he’s always happy to stop and pet them. He’d be a 10/10 dog dad. 

Has your name saved in his phone with two hearts at the end. Do not point it out.

Loves taking pictures together and if you guys are on a date, he’ll ask someone to get a picture for him. He just likes having them to look back on (and to send to his mom, later).

He doesn’t mind painting classes or videos or tutorials, but he hates paint by numbers kits. He claims that they have no sense of color theory and that it takes the originality and fun out of painting. Not to mention the quality of the paints isn’t great to begin with; all of which he takes very seriously.

It’s pretty cute actually, to see him get worked up over the paint kits. He claims that painting and drawing isn’t even something he takes “that seriously,” it’s just a hobby for him (one he’s insanely good at); but in moments like these, you can tell that he’s way more into art and art theory and history than he lets on. 

Huge movie guy, from animated movies to martial arts movies, Jean is usually willingly to give anything a watch at least once. When he’s high, he can go on about his favorite directors and art styles and movie details for hours if you don’t stop him. It’s super cute. Just don’t bring up Moana, because he’ll start crying. 

Arm around the shoulder kind of boyfriend for sure. It’s a casual way of keeping you near him and letting everyone know that you guys are together. Plus it allows for him to easily pull you into him for a quick forehead kiss when needed.

Listen. If you hug his arm, he’s on cloud nine. He tries to be nonchalant about it but he’s about three seconds away from his eyes rolling back in his head it feels that good to him. Bonus if you lean your head on his bicep a little—then he’s a goner.

He takes his bagels very seriously and believes that both you and him deserve nothing but the best quality bagels. He’ll grumble if a bakery gives you guys a less than favorable one and make a note that taking the long route to get to his favorite place is much more worth it.

Always makes you walk on the side furthest from the cars. If he notices you’re not, he’ll just shuffle behind you until he’s shouldering the street and you’re on the inside. 

He grew up on a kind of modern ranch situation; not exactly all the way in the countryside, but not isolate from the city, either. Because of this, he knows how to ride horses, take care of smaller farm animals, tend to plants, and yes he knows how to use a lasso. You wouldn’t know any of that though, because he never ever talks about it. The only way you find out is when he takes you to visit his mom’s house for the first time, and she asks him for a hand around the place. 

(He’s got a cowboy hat, too, but refuses to put it on. He got it when he was, like, nine, okay, leave him alone). 

When he thinks you look tired, he’ll wrap his arms around your shoulders to hug you. It’s usually followed up with a kiss to your head, and a promise that you guys will go home soon and get food on the way. 

He’s a really good cook. He just understands and flavors and pairings really well, so he doesn’t need a recipe to make something that tastes good; he just kind of knows what to add to get the balance he’s looking for. 

Naturally, he’ll cook for you. Especially if he finds out that you haven’t eaten all day/in a long time. He doesn’t care if it’s 11pm and it might seem excessive to make steak and potatoes with a side salad at this hour, he’s gonna do it to make sure you eat, and you are going to sit there and watch. 

He also bakes pretty well, though he isn’t as experimental with his baking as he is with his cooking. He usually sticks to what he knows, and it’s not cupcakes and brownies and cakes; he’s better at croissants, and cheesecakes, and canelés. 

Dating Jean means getting along with his friends. If you guys didn’t know each other before you started dating, be prepared to be ambushed by Connie and Sasha (after Jean stops hiding you away and gives them the green light lmfao). Neither of them waste time with the small talk and formalities; straight into mini golfing and beer pong. They make you feel welcome right away.

Sasha always teases that you’re too good for Jean, and that she might just steal you away for herself some day. Sasha is also Jean’s main confidant, so she really knows just how much he loves you, and yeah, she teases him for being lovesick, but really she’s happy for Jean. And proud of him for facing his feelings like this. 

Connie adores you, and you know he trusts you when he starts going to you for advice/help. Could be anything from schoolwork, to what color he should get his new shoes in. He’s also the one who, surprisingly, you have the sentimental talks with about your relationship with Jean. It’s easy to overlook, but Connie loves Jean, and he’s come to love you too; he just wants you both to be happy, so he’s there to listen when you need it. 

Jean waits outside of your classroom after you’ve had a test or presentation, usually with a drink or a snack, or the promise of taking you out as a treat. Always tells you he’s proud of you, and is there to comfort you if you think you didn’t do too well. 

He does not shut up about whatever major you’re in. It could be the same as his; it could be the complete opposite as his. He thinks it’s so sick that you’re doing it, you make it look cooler, you make it look better, and he’s certain you’re the smartest person in your program. 

He’s pretty serious about his studies, too, so he’s always down to study with you in the library whenever you’re both free. More often than not, he shows up after you, usually with food or extra chargers. He greets you with a kiss on the forehead, and asks you how you are while massaging your shoulders gently. If it’s been a while since you took a break, that’s the first item on the list, after that, he gets to work and stays with you until you’re ready to go, even if he doesn’t have as much work to do. 

He always sits across from you. This goes for when you’re in the library, or out to eat at a restaurant; Jean loves sitting across from you. He gets to see your face the best that way, and he adores looking into your eyes when you talk. 

He’s not... not a morning person. He’s not up at 6am ready to grind, but he wakes up before noon; let’s say 10am is his happy medium. That being said, if you wake up before him, regardless of the time, there’s a 9/10 chance he’ll lay on your back and tell you to hush so you guys can sleep for 10 more minutes. 

If you’re (close) friends with Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, Jean is... happy you’ve got people to rely on, but, “Of all people on the planet, you put your trust in Jaeger?” He acts so bitter (because he is), but deep down inside, he’s glad you have Eren to rely on if you need to. 

(Also, you have to humble him and remind him that he and Eren aren’t all that different. If you like him, why wouldn’t you get along with Eren, bye). 

Turns out though, that it’s not Eren who threatens to beat him up if he breaks your heart. It’s not even Mikasa, although, her threat goes without saying; it’s Armin he’s terrified of.

The last time Armin hated someone, it was this guy in your program, who happened to share a few mutual classes with him, too. Jean never knew the full story, just that he’s pretty sure that kid dropped out the following semester. 

If you have a job on campus, Jean usually doesn’t show up while you’re working (knowing how embarrassed he would be if you did that to him), unless you work the night shift and it’s dead. Connie, however, does show up; usually in some kind of crisis (“Please help me, I don’t know what the fuck APA formatting is and this is due tonight, please, please, please!!”). Your coworkers actually thought Connie was your boyfriend for a minute. That’s when Jean starts showing up more lmfao.

He makes it a point to go on a scheduled, night out, kind of date at least twice a month. He knows life gets busy with school and work and midterms, but he always makes sure you both set side a time to take a well-deserved break and be with each other. 

He’s the romantic type, so these dates are pretty swoon worthy, too. Drive-in movies, nice dinners, classy art exhibits, Jean plans it all. On that note, he really likes planning dates; he just doesn’t like talking about them with his friends beforehand. 

All in all, very romantic, very precious boyfriend. He’s always thinking about you, what you need, and how he can help you out. You’re one of his main priorities, and he just wants to treat you right. 

[sunarinluvr]

|| haikyuu boys finding you asleep on the couch after an argument ||

includes: kuroo tetsurou, miya osamu, & oikawa tooru

a/n- hello! sorry for posting so late, but this has been sitting in my drafts for a while and i was actually in the mood to finish it so i hope yall enjoy! oh and im not really sure about how i feel about it,,, might take it down later we shall see.

warnings: none ( lmk if there’s anything! )

KUROO -

last night you saw a post kuroo’s “work wife” had made on instagram with her kissing him on the cheek, and it didn’t make you feel the best, so you decided to bring it up to him the next morning. and you did, just as he was getting ready for work you talked to him about it.

you were standing in front of him filled with anger arguing about how it made you uncomfortable, “can you please listen?! i dont feel comfortable with your “work wife” kissing you?” you yelled. “Y/N it was on the cheek its not a big deal!” and to be honest you just wanted to cry. 

finally, he walked past you and opened the door. “i don’t have time for this y/n, stop being so insecure! at least she wouldn’t argue over something so small!” and with that, he slammed the door and you stood there stunned. kuroo knew that he shouldn’t have said that, instant regret and guilt filled his gut.

 but he already said it, he can’t do anything about it now. with a frustrated sigh, he went to work. hoping to fix everything when he gets home. you stood there speechless, as you realized you still had work so slowly you made your way to the bathroom. 

after getting ready and grabbing a quick snack you were out the door with a heavy chest. once you get home, tired and feeling worse than before. you trudged to the couch and plopped down letting out a shaky sigh remembering the argument and the words he said repeating in your head. 

you broke down crying, and before you knew it, the exhaustion from today took over and you were sound asleep on the couch. kuroo got home an hour later, he felt guilty and was already practicing how he’d apologize to you as he walked in.“y/n? kitten?” no answer. 

he called out again, and was met with silence, he made his way over to the living room where he found you sleeping on the couch. gently walking towards you he knelt down, and saw your tear-stained face which made his heart sink. “i fucked up” he said to himself.

giving you a gentle kiss on your forehead he softly apologized and carried you to the bedroom. you ended up waking up when you felt his body weight dent the bed. “tetsu?” you said softly squinting at him. relief rushes through his body at the sound of his nickname. looking at you with guilt in his eyes

“im so sorry kitten, i shouldn’t have said that. i didn’t mean to hurt you” he said gently. at that tears started flowing again and he was quick to hug you and wipe your tears with his other hand. “it’s ok, i shouldn’t have been so insecure anyways” 

he shook his head with a frown “no it’s not your fault ok? i didn’t mean anything i said. i love you so so much and i’m so lucky that you’re mine” you look up at him and gave him a small smile “okay” before cuddling closer to him. giving you a soft kiss on the lips he hugged you tighter as you both fell asleep.

OSAMU -

osamu was just having a horrible day, his head was pounding and the customers he had to deal with today were just plain rude. then he had to do most of the work since one of his employees called in sick, and for some reason, everything just annoyed him.

you on the other hand did not know about his day at all and thought it would be nice of you to make a surprise visit. walking in with a huge smile on your face stopping midway when you realize he wasn’t at the counter. “where’s samu?” you asked sweetly to the employee

“he’s in the back, i think he has a headache,” she says giving you a small smile. you can tell something was off by the way she spoke but decided to just brush it off and make your way to the back. “hi samu! surprise!” you exclaimed cheerfully as you make your way towards him

he just kind of looks at you, which you thought was weird, but you decided to hug him anyways. when he doesn’t hug you back and groan, you pull away and look at him “baby i heard you had a headache. i didn’t bring any medicine, but we could eat first and i-” 

you couldn’t even finish your sentence since osamu just stood up. he was infuriated and had no clue why, usually loved listening to you but today he was just annoyed. “look y/n a don’t mean ta be rude, but a don't have the energy for this right now. please just go home.” he said coldly staring right at you.

“excuse me? i came here to surprise you and this is what i get??” you said in shock, voice a little louder this time. rolling his eyes “Oh wow am so surprised! now will ya please go home? a don’t wanna argue right now!” he yelled. with tears forming in your eyes you quickly wiped them and left. osamu knew he shouldn’t have said all that, but he was too mad to run after you in front of all the customers. 

you rushed home and sluggishly made your way to your room to change into something comfier, making your way to the couch, curling up into a ball allowing your tears to fall, and somehow falling asleep, after getting tired of crying. he gets home a few hours later, guilt building up in his stomach as he mentally slaps himself for the things he said. 

walking into the living room he opened the lights and you were the first thing he noticed. seeing you curled up into a ball on the couch made his heart drop to his stomach. you on the other hand woke up because of the sudden change of lighting. 

gradually adjusting your sight you see him and switch your gaze onto the floor when you saw him look at you too. seeing your puffy eyes he walks towards you slowly and sits beside you giving you enough space. “am sorry, a shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on ya.”

you look at him with watery eyes and his heart sinks “yea i was just trying to be nice, sorry i didn’t warn you before coming” he opened his arms and you instinctively scooted closer to him, he sighs “no a love it when you surprise me a was jus having a bad day a love ya so much ok?” finally hugging him “okay i love you too” giving you a quick kiss he offered to make you food and of course you said yes.

OIKAWA -

you love oikawa, and you’re very supportive and understanding especially when it comes to his career. but he has an awful habit of overworking himself and as much as you love him you can't bear the fact that you couldn’t even see him anymore.

he goes home late at night -as in you’re already sound asleep late- and when you do stay up to see him, he’s too tired to even keep a conversation. then the next morning he’s gone before you could even wake up. you’ve spoken to him about this many times, but alas nothing changed.

you woke up to an empty bed as usual, but today was different though, you’ve planned a dinner for about 2 weeks now. you were very excited because it’s been so long since you both spent some quality time together and he promised to come home early. 

getting up you send him a little text reminding him of your dinner tonight, with a smile you head on over to the bathroom to get ready for work. once work was over you made a quick visit to the grocery store to buy the ingredients you’ll need to make tonight’s dinner. 

quietly humming to yourself while going through each aisle, and double-checking your list to make sure you’re not missing anything while checking your phone here and there. oikawa still hasn’t replied “he must be busy,” you say to yourself as you send him another text about the dinner just in case. after about 30 minutes you get home rushing since it was already late, and immediately getting started on dinner. 

once you're done you sat down and waited, and waited, and waited. it's been 4 hours. dinners cold and still no sign of your boyfriend. you decided to call him pissed off that he couldn’t even show up to one dinner, “hello? y/n i can't talk right now i still need to practice” 

he said as soon as he picked up. “tooru? did you get my texts? what about dinner, we’ve made plans for this 2 weeks prior! i even-” you were cut off “look just eat without me ok? we can eat again somet-” now it was your turn to cut him off. 

“oikawa tooru, you leave the house while i’m asleep and come back when i'm asleep. i just wanted to spend time with you..whatever good luck at practice,” you replied as you hang up. his heart sank when he heard the crack in your voice rushing to his car on his way home to you because he knows he fucked up. 

buying your favorite flowers for you on the way home cursing himself and the world for making it traffic at that exact moment. when he got home the first thing he saw was the food and you fast asleep on the couch. he felt a pang of guilt about being late. 

“y/n chan?” he said while gently waking you up. you stare at him with red puffy eyes and he hugged you giving you the flowers “im sorry baby, i should’ve prioritized you and our dinner. i promise ill do better” you saw how genuine he was being so you accepted the flowers and hugged him tighter as he offered to reheat the food you made.

reblogs are highly appreciated!

[shining-magically]

so I’ve wondered this since the trailer came out years and years ago and Chloe defended the movie - was the red shoes teaser written by the same team that made the movie? were they forced to market it like that, was that based on an earlier draft, etc?? not sure if you know but you seem like the leading expert!

Sorry, this is gonna be an absolute novel because you know I’m an animation fan and the history and production of Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs is SO interesting and insane. Like, Tangled levels of insane. Thanks for calling me an expert, no one else was gonna do it so I just kind of took up the helm lol.

Here’s the low-down... The timeline of the movie’s production is an absolute mess and kind of an extremely wild ride. It was in production for ten years, went through a lot of different crew members, and went through at least two other major versions of the story before landing on the final version.

Since there’s not a ton of info on the movie’s production, a lot of this is pieced together from different interviews and context clues, and also a lot of what I’ve read and what I am quoting has been translated from Korean, sometimes pretty roughly. But yeah.

Here’s the story of why the Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs teasers and poster were so, so bad and fatshame-y and the actual movie was so, so good and body-positive. (With pictures and production artwork!)

(This is a beast of a post so I’m putting it under a cut.)

All right, so. After its conception originally as a short story by the South Korean studio Locus Creative in 2009-2010-ish, Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs was being worked on and was set to come out in Summer 2017, as evidenced by this poster at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, featuring a different logo and very different character designs for most of the dwarfs.

In early-mid 2016, the first teaser (in which we see Snow White undress and then two dwarfs recoil in horror at her fatness when she takes her magic shoes off) was released, after the film had kind of been slowly chugging along for 6 or so years. (I am having such trouble pinpointing when the second teaser was released (in which one of the dwarfs basically attacks Snow while she is sleeping to steal her shoes), but I believe it was around the same time.) The teasers didn’t get that much traction because this was a small film from a small indie studio in South Korea.

None of the final actors had been cast yet. At this point in the production, the story was different, one of the many versions that the movie went through. As in the final movie, the dwarfs were actually cursed knights/princes and Snow White switched back and forth between two body types due to her magic shoes, but in this version, the dwarfs needed to steal the shoes from her in order to break their curse (rather than needing “a kiss from the most beautiful woman in the world” like in the final movie).

The weird thing is, I believe they had JUST changed the movie’s story when the teaser came out. I’m almost positive it was released more as a proof of concept than as an actual trailer for the movie. They had just recently combined two separate characters (seen above), a typical pretty, skinny princess character (Snow White) and a cute chubby girl character (’Bonnie’), into one single character that switches back and forth between the two appearances when she wears the magic shoes (also they had just dropped literally half of the movie taking place in the real world, with a magic mirror portal, it was a whole thing). 

They didn’t have the details of this aspect of the new story hammered out yet, and the first pass at presenting Snow’s magically changing body type, was, yeah, not good and super offensive. This was a really inexperienced indie studio making their first film on a low budget, so even the animation and voice acting wasn’t great. I think they just wanted to get SOMETHING out there because it had been 6 years and they wanted to have something to show for it.

But here’s the thing. Despite how the teasers make it seem, this was always supposed to be a movie about body positivity, letting go of appearance-based prejudices, and loving yourself and others for who you are and for who they are, which we see in the final film.

I like to think of our film as a kindhearted one. Our intentions are nice.

- Director Sung-ho Hong

It’s important to keep in mind that this movie was made in South Korea by a 99% Korean crew, and, as I understand it anyway, in Korean culture, ‘fatshaming’ is not really a thing that is seen as overtly offensive. Also, children’s media there seems to have more adult things in it than in the US, which probably accounts for the more risque parts of the teasers. That said, I really believe that at this point in the timeline, the movie was on-track to be bad (or at least not very good) when it was released, and it would have ended up bad IF a few key players hadn’t signed on (which I’ll get to in a moment).

Interestingly, the movie’s producer, Sujin Hwang, said in a 2017 interview:

“[Both teasers] were solely produced to induce curiosity. They’re completely irrelevant to the actual story.”

- Producer Sujin Hwang

I think what she was trying to convey was that neither one is a scene in the actual movie, because while the teasers didn’t reflect the revamped story as it existed in summer 2017 (the time of the interview), they DID reflect the earlier version of the story where the dwarfs wanted her shoes, which is what the story was at the time they were made.

Now that we’re in post-teaser 2016, HERE’S where things start to turn around. After the teasers were released, my guy Disney veteran and native Korean Jin Kim joined the project. He and Red Shoes director Sung-ho Hong had been buddies for about eight years and Sung-ho had been trying to get Jin to come to Seoul and work with him at Locus for a long time, and he finally succeeded.

Jin and his twenty years of Disney experience as an animator and senior designer on films like Tangled, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, and Moana, had a HUGE HUGE HUGE influence on the movie. He redesigned almost all the characters, oversaw all the visual development from the moment he signed on, and heavily (HEAVILY) supervised the animation, literally going frame-by-frame through preliminary animations and drawing over them, teaching the inexperienced animators at Locus everything he knew. (Literally almost everyone except him either only had TV experience or had no professional experience because they just gotten out of school.)

From an outsider’s perspective, it really seems as though Jin joining the project (and his gargantuan effort) made the quality SKYROCKET. Not just in character design and animation, but also in things like effects animation, story, etc. After he joined, Locus really started pushing HARD to make a good, high-quality movie, and his influence and experience from being a prominent figure at Disney was absolutely key. The studio also began to really study Disney films and other well-made animated films from other studios to really try and pinpoint what the DNA of a good animated movie really is.

I don’t have any solid evidence, but I’m pretty sure that Tony Bancroft (an animator and the co-director of Mulan) then joined the project because he’s good friends with Jin Kim. He is only credited as the voice director (the movie was recorded in English and the characters were animated to the English dialogue), but I am SURE that he probably also had a pretty big influence on the movie, because like... How could he not? I really really think there was more to his role than his title would have you believe, even though there’s almost no info out there about it.

So now the movie goes through a gigantic metamorphosis. Character designs, visual development, and animation quality are all rapidly improving, the story is tightening, and the themes of the movie (which, again, were always the same and intended to be positive) are being presented in a more sincere way. The movie is becoming the sweet, self-love-encouraging and body-positive movie that was eventually released.

I’m putting a gif from the credits of the final movie here. As we move into 2017, when the giant eruption of backlash occurred, please keep in mind that the story was finalized at this point and that THIS was the movie people were so mad about:

Chloe Grace Moretz accepted the role of Snow White immediately after she read the script and she recorded her lines (I think) in early-ish 2017. Her co-star Sam Claflin also immediately accepted the role of the romantic interest, Merlin, after reading the script and recorded his lines in (I believe) July 2017.

In the summer of 2017, the story and script were more or less the same as in the final movie. Promotional images from that time show that most of dwarfs had been completely redesigned by this point and didn’t have their teaser designs anymore.

They also released a few screenshots that look exactly like the final film. The movie was advertised as coming out in ‘2018′ at this point. Here’s a promo image from 2017 that is MUCH more tactfully worded than the infamous Cannes poster:

So now we’re in summer 2017. The Cannes Film Festival. The movie’s script and story have been basically nailed down, animation is underway, and the Korean film company Finecut is beginning to market and sell the movie to worldwide audiences. They are planning on showing some footage to potential buyers at the festival, and they make a poster to advertise the film there.

Unfortunately, it’s THIS POSTER:

Now here’s where there are some unknowns. By this point, the movie is basically in its final form, which is an adorable, body-positive story about loving people for who they are, loving yourself for who YOU are, and that provides commentary on society’s standards of beauty and how they affect how people are treated/viewed. So why this poster??? All I can really tell is that someone (I think Finecut) really, REALLY messed up and either horribly mistranslated the tagline, or didn’t do enough research to know that this kind of thing is REALLY NOT OKAY in western culture.

The above picture is shared and the internet backlash begins, fueled by tweets from prominent body-positivity activists like Tess Holliday. Even Chloe Grace Moretz speaks out against it, because she of all people KNOWS that that’s not what the movie is about. The internet then finds the old teasers from before the movie was revamped and it makes things worse. Producer Sujin Hwang profusely apologizes and says that that is NOT the message of the movie. Locus pulls the advertising campaign, and takes down the two old teasers.

“Our film, a family comedy, carries a message designed to challenge social prejudices related to standards of physical beauty in society by emphasizing the importance of inner beauty.”

- Producer Sujin Hwang

Voice director Tony Bancroft also tried to explain the situation:

“The truth is the film has a body-positive message as its core theme–it’s the opposite of what reports are saying. The problem is one poorly translated movie poster that has been taken dramatically out of context.” 

- Voice Director Tony Bancroft

And then... There was nothing for a while. The movie didn’t come out in 2018 and was delayed. From what I can tell, I DON’T believe this delay was related to the Cannes backlash. I think it was mostly due to Locus’s limited budget and resources, because as we know, animation is difficult, time-consuming, expensive, and easy to do badly but hard to do well. Also, probably with Jin Kim and Tony Bancroft’s influence, they REALLY wanted to make sure to do a good job with the animation because they now had a great story and they really wanted the movie to be a quality, worldwide hit that would kind of put South Korean feature animation on the map. Just take a look at how nice the final animation was:

The movie was released in South Korea on July 25th, 2019. Unfortunately, the damage was done in the English-speaking markets and it was not released to an English-speaking audience until June 22, 2020, when it was released digitally in the UK. At the time of this post, there is no set US release date, but the distribution rights were recently bought by Lionsgate and the MPAA gave the film an official PG rating.

So who’s to blame? There’s no good answer. You could blame Locus for making those old teasers. You could blame Finecut for the competely tonedeaf Cannes poster. You could even blame cancel culture for raging against the movie based on one poster and two old teaser trailers without researching what the movie was actually about.

All I know is, it’s a damn shame.

[bubble-tea-bunny]

sweet talk

[tamaki suoh x reader]

author’s note: been rewatching ouran and found the time to write smth small. basically a really late valentine’s fic lol. i’m drafting an idea for takashi as well atm. maybe kyoya after? ;)

word count: 1,844

At this time of year, the weather is chilly, the air cold even without the presence of wind and warranting the need for a scarf to avoid a red-tipped nose and numb cheeks. Most days are gloomy, the overcast sky glaringly bright and difficult to look at. But today, it would seem the divine hand in charge of the course of the seasons has granted a reprieve, the clouds parting so the sun might wash over the grass that you and Tamaki sit upon currently, in the garden of the Suoh estate.  

The gardeners had finished their tasks this morning, as instructed by Tamaki the night before. It gave you two the opportunity to be out there alone in the afternoon. The hedges are trimmed and tidy, and the smell of freshly cut grass is strong. You inhale deeply, chest puffed, and sigh in satisfaction as the scent reaches your nose. It had been so long since you sat out in a garden, owed to the fact it had been too cold for that lately.

Tamaki chuckles at your enthusiasm and rifles through the picnic basket he’d brought with him. He pushes aside the array of deserts—cake slices, chocolate bars, fruit tarts, and more—their colorful wrappings crinkling loud enough to grab your attention.

“Where is it…” he mutters.

You tilt your head. "Where is what?”

The tip of Tamaki’s tongue sticks out the corner of his mouth, evidence of his concentration, and when he finally finds what he’s searching for, he holds it up like a first place prize, complemented by an exclamation: “Aha!”

It’s a small plastic pouch, clear with red stripes and tied near the top with a matching, shiny red poly ribbon to keep it closed. There’s what you assume to be candy inside, in various colors, but you don’t recognize it. You’re still just as clueless, but you don’t need to voice your question because Tamaki can see the confusion written across your face.

“It’s commoner candy!” he explains. “Well, commoner Valentine’s candy, more specifically.”

You continue to watch, intrigued by what he’s brought, as he pulls at the ribbon to loosen it and opens the pouch, reaching inside for one of the pieces of candy. He holds up the heart-shaped treat, gripped carefully between index finger and thumb, and angles it so you can see what’s written on it: Sweetheart.

Upon realizing there’s wording on it, and that the same must go for every heart in the bag, your eyes light up. “Cute!”

“It is, isn’t it?” Tamaki agrees, voice quiet as he observes the candy. The nickname is printed red though the lettering isn’t too sharp, which gives away that it was done by a machine. “Haruhi got one for all the host club members, and I wanted to share mine with you.”

When he turns to you, amethyst eyes warm like a summer night, you smile. And when he offers the bag of heart candies to you, you eagerly reach in for one. “How thoughtful!” You turn over the piece you picked out: Only You.

“Well, shall we try them together?” Tamaki inquires, and you nod. The two of you pop the candy into your mouths in unison, then sit silently for a moment in contemplation.

It’s… unique, is the best description you can come up with. The powdery, pressed substance is basically a sugar bomb that melts once it comes in contact with your tongue. But it isn’t the quality of sugar you’re accustomed to—it’s far and away from the refined sweetness of the handmade confections stashed away in the picnic basket Tamaki brought along. Still, this mass-produced goody is delightful in its own way, in taste and novelty, for you have never seen such small candies with words on them, and you say as much to your boyfriend, the last traces of the heart candy lingering on your lips which you lick away.

“They’re charming,” you remark, reaching for another piece. “For when you can’t find the words or get them out yourself.” You read what’s written on the yellow heart you grabbed, then turn it to show Tamaki: Be Mine.

Tamaki’s attention briefly diverts down to read it as well, and the corner of his lips lifts in a lopsided grin as he meets your eyes again. “Sure, they can be useful for some people, but I can get by just fine without candy telling me what to say. How could I call myself the king of the host club if I weren’t able to string together pretty words?” Always conducting himself with some semblance of dramatic flare, he puts a hand to his chest, and the sunlight reflects off his eyes in a way that makes it seem like there’s a tear or two forming in the corners.

As usual, his acting is impeccable, and you can’t contain your smile; he’s such a natural. You have no objections to his claim as king of the school’s host club, and if you’re being honest, you wish you had even half the charisma he does, that some of the skill he possesses at waxing lyrical would rub off onto you via proximity alone.

“They would’ve come in handy for me that day I confessed to you,” you admit shyly, and it’s Tamaki’s turn to tilt his head, confused but waiting for you to expound. “These candies say all the things I wanted to say to you then.”

The day you came to terms with your feelings about Tamaki and the day you actually revealed them to him were different, and the time in between had been spent in a state of conflict over whether it was worth mustering up the courage to approach him about it. There was little doubt in your mind that the president of the host club received declarations of love left and right, a routine part of his week, a clockwork consistency like that of waking in the morning and laying down to sleep in the evening. You’re a drop of water in the ocean; what could possibly make you stand out?

For all that, you figured you should confess anyway. Rejection was still an answer and it was better than nothing. At least after the gentle let down (because truly, Tamaki is, without fail, graceful in matters of love, both the reciprocal and the unrequited) your turmoil over what he may say would finally be put at ease.

Though you rehearsed over and over what you would say and how you would say it, the practice ends up being useless, and you weren’t sure why you even bothered. Once you met his kind gaze—expectant and patient, giving you the opportunity to gather the words in the stretching silence that would be oddly too long in any other context—the resolve you had slowly been building on your walk to the meeting point by the fountain crumbled. You tripped over your words at the sight of his tender smile. Tamaki just had that effect on people, and you wished he’d look at you that way always. To be on the receiving end of his affection was to bask in the warmth of a sun that never sets.

It’s a feeling you’re distinctly reminded of now, sitting in the garden on an uncharacteristically sunny day for winter and the center of Tamaki’s attention, and you think you might be set alight from the sheer intensity (due mostly to Tamaki; the sun is poor competition in contrast). He wears that beautifully soft expression, mind clearly having thought back to your confession as yours just had. But it seems his recollection differs slightly, for he presents a counterpoint.

“I thought you handled it perfectly.” He sets the bag of heart candies on the grass and braces himself with his now freed hand, which allows him to lean closer to you. He enters your bubble but you never mind it, and his touch is feather-light as he brushes your hair behind your ear.

You’re unpersuaded, however, and raise a brow. “Really?”

Tamaki chuckles and nods, blonde hair bouncing with the singular motion. “Your eyes spoke for the words you had trouble finding. I might be the one stringing together pretty poetry like diamonds around your neck”—his fingers slide lower to trace the curve of your collarbone left exposed by the cut of your blouse, and you shiver—“but you have no need for words at all, much less the turns of phrases on pieces of candy.”

“Is that why you liked me too?” you ask, remembering his own confession that had followed closely on the heel of yours. You keep your voice hushed because given how close to each other you are, there’s no need for any higher of a volume.

Tamaki hums in confirmation. His index finger delicately taps once, twice, thrice, on the hollow at the base of your throat, a sort of absentminded movement while absorbed in his thoughts, before he once more brings his hand up, cradling your cheek. “You say you’re a drop in the ocean but you’re the drops of morning dew on the roses just outside my bedroom window. My heart flutters to breathe you in.”  

You smile, bashful, and set your hand over his, interlacing your fingers. Your cheeks have darkened in a blush Tamaki would like to kiss. “Okay, I’m convinced,” you concede with a murmur. He’s so close to you now. “When I admitted how I felt, maybe it didn’t go as badly as I thought.”

This elicits another laugh from Tamaki. Instead of acting on his desire to run his lips along your silken skin (there would be time for that later), he settles for a quick peck on your nose, then reaches into the pouch of heart candies, temporarily abandoned but not forgotten. His fingers curl around two pieces and he pulls them both out rather than dropping one, but he sees the words on them before you do since his hand obscures them from your view.

“The powers governing destiny have destined our souls for each other,” he declares. “Because you and me, it’s love.”

He uncurls his fingers to reveal the candy in his palm, and you look down at them. The green one reads You & Me, and the blue one It’s Love. This prompts you to giggle. It’s music to his ears.

“What happened to not needing candy to tell you what to say?” Your tone is playful.

Tamaki shrugs, unable to hide his amused grin. “I pulled them out at random. If this is the universe speaking to me, who would I be to argue?”

You have no counter to this, not that you think there even is one. Destiny is destiny and as Tamaki feeds you one of the hearts and you bite into it, the sugar once more dissolving on your tongue, you can only thank those powers which make the world turn for conferring their blessing upon the two of you in such a deliciously sweet way.

[bbq-hawks-wings]

Chapter 316: BBQ is capable of critiquing BNHA and… Oh boy.

Let's start this off properly, Horikoshi's typical quality of writing has been diminishing in recent chapters, but this week it was so different that it didn't even feel like Horikoshi was the one who wrote it.

To be clear, I'm not blaming Horikoshi for the issues I'm about to bring up. The man is criminally overworked, usually doesn't even get the final say in what makes it in the final drafts, and even in his other rough patches he's still produced decent chapters that hold up amongst the grand scheme of things. This feels like something else is going on behind the scenes, and while I have my suspicions on who/what might be the culprit behind it, I choose not to share it at this time because if I name names some people might go off on a crusade, and that's not what I want.

I just want to be clear that I'm not blindly firing off shots in the dark, but despite my frustrations I want to wait to see if this gets resolved down the line, and while I do I can complain about the specific reasons this chapter left such a bitter taste in my mouth.

Buckle up, buttercups, because we got a lot of points to cover.

Where's the Gun?

Not a literal gun, but I mean Chekhov's Gun. It has always been a staple of Horikoshi's writing and the reason so many of his long-standing plot lines have paid off so well.

Chekhov's Gun is a writing principal that if you see a gun on the table in the first act of a play, it will be used in the murder that happens in act 2. Basically, the author should include details that are relevant to the story and not betray the audience by leading them in one direction and at the last minute pull the rug out from underneath them to go in another direction.

Horikoshi has done this to phenomenal success in the past. Just as one example, he dropped hints about Nomu being human experiments early in the series but held off explicitly stating it for a while. He hinted at the loss of Shirakumo in the main narrative and that he was important to Aizawa and Mic as well as approved it for Vigilantes so when it was revealed that Kurogiri was Shirakumo's body, not only did it narratively make sense but it also pulled in Eraserhead and Present Mic's emotional stakes into the battle with the Doctor, and then when Ujiko reveals he was after Aizawa's quirk the whole time it made the payoff for Mic punching him in the face all that much better and brings the weight of his crimes and the impact they have on the victims full circle.

That's 3 different guns paying off in the long run: the Nomu, Shirakumo, and both Mic and Eraserheads' personal arcs past the loss of their childhood friend and that they could finally finish processing their grief and avenge him in full righteous fury instead of chalking it all up to cruel chance.

He has left details, some particularly innocuously, in plot lines like the Touya Todoroki reveal, Hawks' backstory, Shigaraki's blood connection to Nana Shimura, even with Mr. Compress's backstory, and more. When re-read, these details become more obvious and usually leaves us with a greater sense of satisfaction in the plot knowing that twists and turns were not only planned, but built up to and hinted at for us to find so the payoff is that much better and it feels purposeful instead of just shock factor.

None of that happened this chapter.

Lady Nagant has zero business being in this plotline. She was never hinted about before this arc, and her existence does nothing to tell us about the plot moving forward or the world that they're trying to change. Nothing her existence provides actually has any bearing on the universe or tells us anything we don't already know. But that's not how she was presented.

In the beginning we're given a glimpse of her helping Overhaul escape from Tartarus. The focus on her was odd enough to begin with as a new character, and the fact that she didn't look like she fit the profile of someone who belonged in Tartarus was like a flashing neon sign saying, "Pay attention! This new character is important!!!" She then shows up later with Overhaul in hand to attack Deku out of the blue. We get her talking about how she thought Overhaul might be useful and her disillusions with Hero Society. We catch her mannerisms with eery similarity to Hawks only to find out immediately after she was a senior colleague in the HPSC. Never once to my knowledge has Hawks referred to any of his senior colleagues as a "senpai" - not even his fellow heroes - and when he catches her in midair, he uses the words, "Don't die on me, senpai!" as if she's near and dear to his heart.

The entire character arc is set up for her to have known about Hawks and grapple with her desire to help people and her fear of re-creating what she hated, and this also set up Hawks to be the successor who succeeded where she failed and helped bring her to a place where she could be a hero without guilt again. What actually happened?

They're strangers.

They have never actually met before, and while he seems to know a lot about her, she doesn't even seem to have any idea of who he was - at least as far as being another hero under the thumb of the HPSC. So ALLLL that setup, all that gesturing, and all of the potential themes that would be right at home in an arc like this goes completely out the window.

Her story doesn't tell us anything new. The HPSC bad. We knew that. They're not above throwing innocents under the bus to achieve that goal. We knew that. They preyed upon young hopefuls with powerful quirks with the intent to maintain the status quo. We knew that even if the fact that Hawks isn't the only one now makes more questions than answers. We know that these young heroes can never say no under threat of steep, life-shattering consequences. We knew that already.

So what does Lady Nagant even bring to the table?! The entire "you're just a puppet doing what you've been told" angle is a little tired and out of place in this point and time with actual anarchy in the streets (not to mention hypocritical considering she was a blind puppet following orders and offers zero actual solutions that supposedly fall in line with her heroic nature), and it could have been left to any number of other villain characters who could have executed on the theme better - you know, like Shigaraki who's justification this entire time has been, "hero society doesn't make people safe, it just makes them feel safe" from the moment of his inception.

So from that angle she's unnecessary.

Her presence messes with the continuity of the series as well. If Hawks is supposed to explicitly replace her, that would mean that he wasn't just a fluke find on the commission's part and grabbed to mold into their own special superweapon; and that also would mean that her killing of the former president was before he was discovered which should put her at least in her forties. If this isn't the case, and he was meant to simply replace her in a "special agent" case, that still begs the question of how many more gifted children the commission preyed upon and are still out there.

And maybe the worst kicker for me is that something stinks. The way the art in this chapter is presented, if you completely blanked out the speech bubbles, is the same setup I had before - Hawks reaches out to his former mentor and pulls her from the brink of despair with a moving message about why he never gave up hope in being a hero who could actually make a difference.

Again, this is not what we got. He claims he knows her, and it's implied to have been a deep, personal character witness; but at best he only knows about her from secondhand sources. Even his reasoning as to how he never lost hope doesn't vibe with his character.

We have gotten so many cool one-liners for Hawks, but there has always been a consistent tone and imagery with them.

"Those who can fly, should."

"I don't belong in a cage."

"I'm free of my shackles."

"Can I be a shining light, just like him?"

What we got was, "I'm an optimist to a fault" which was the wording the official release went with and was by far the best iteration I have seen, but even this falls short of being truly in character for him and answering her question properly.

@mikeana made an edit of the titular panels for us Hawks stans this week with dialogue we and a few other friends felt was more fitting not only with the imagery of the chapter itself but internally consistent with the specific expressions Hawks uses in his heartfelt, personal dialogue. I just tweaked it a little bit more to fit what I was going for in our original conversation.

Which brings me to another concern.

2. What's the point?

There was no use for Nagant in the series as she's been presented so far. But more than that, Hawks has no business in this fight to begin with. He literally did nothing to earn this emotional moment, and this should have been Deku's moment.

We were teased in an interview with Horikoshi that Hawks was going to get a special moment as an important end-game character as a "shining light" of hope for others to follow as well as promises for Ochako to have another moment in the spotlight to make a difference.

If this was Hawks' shining light moment, it wasn't necessary, and it does nothing to move the plot forward or develop characters in any true or believable way. It just happened because plot. This should have been Deku's victory through and through, and even he is the reason BOTH Hawks and Nagant made it out alive instead of painting the street below them.

Deku's victory was stolen from him, too. It sours the other promises made to us about other characters moving forward, as well, if this really was Hawks' "Shining Light" moment.

By the way, did you forget about Overhaul? Me too!!! What was the point of getting our hopes up about reintroducing this beloved character with the implications this was a major arc setup to have him scream about pops and then get detained with no clues about what's going to happen to him besides, "Say you're sorry to Eri, and you get to see pops"?!

All this posturing and clumsy narrative flailing only actually succeeded in getting Deku in front of AFO again for plot when we already know Mr. Potato Head could summon, show himself to, or find Deku at any time he wanted. But instead we get this time skip with a bunch of heroes completely mended walking into a big, spooky mansion for AFO to evil monologue at Deku for… *counts*

FOUR PAGES!!!

Only to then give him the "I want YOU!" point over a pre-recorded message and the final nail in the coffin to me that something is off.

3. Ex-pu-LOOOO-SHUN!

It's become almost a game among friends to count how many explosions have happened since the end of the war arc - and specifically fake-out explosions. In the end of 311 we get All Might's car attacked via explosion and Deku cornered by Nagant only for All Might to be fine in the next chapter. In 315 Lady Nagant herself explodes in a blaze of glory to once again not be dead.

Gee! I wOnDeR if aLl the heroes were AcTuAlLy cornered and KiLlEd in that explosion in the mansion!

None of us do. They're fine. We're going to see it first thing next week. The shock has worn off, and it's repetitive and annoying at this point. There is no cliffhanger despite how the framing might try to tell you otherwise.

It's BAD WRITING.

The writing has been moving far too quickly and clumsily with no explanation in sight, and even character interactions are being cut short to the point of them being meaningless and empty.

This doesn't even feel like Horikoshi's bad writing. It feels like someone else is trying to call the shots and rushing him through these final bits of the series, and he's run out of things he's previously set up for months and months to reappear so someone is trying to get Dabi-reveal levels of attention with arcs and storylines that don't have the build-up to result in a satisfactory payoff.

4. At least it can get better... I hope.

Maybe those who share my suspicions or know what particular suspicions I have are with me in believing that this is a temporary disappointment and we haven't seen the last of the writing that's captivated me for years. I don't blame Horikoshi for these glaring faults that all came to a head in this chapter.

It CAN get better later, and I think it WILL- we just probably are going to have to wait for it. Until then, I'm going to enjoy the Hawks panels we got, maybe edit the last few chapters to be more in line with something more like the BNHA I know in a "fix it fic" fashion so I don't groan in anticipation of how long it might take us to get there.

See you all next week, hopefully on a much brighter note.

[cherryonigiri]

nanami kento [evenings with you]

nanami kento x reader || cw: descriptions of blood/injuries, light angst

a/n: this is just self-indulgent writing for me but i'm v stressed about school rn and this is the result. just imagine that y/n is a bio/medical phd candidate lol.

Nanami can tell that you're stressed. Usually you savor the nights he's not on overtime, asking him about work and refusing to leave his side for most of the evening. He's used to you being attentive, so the fact that you've asked him the same question twice within the last ten minutes is already setting alarm bells ringing in his head. You're constantly fiddling with something, or flashing furtive glances towards the bedroom when you think he's not paying attention.

It only gets worse after dinner. You insist on washing up, something about how you want him to 'enjoy his night off.' Nanami compromises, silently grabbing a towel and drying the dishes. It's clear that your mind is elsewhere. Your hands scrub the porcelain on autopilot, and he can hear you muttering under your breath.

Every now and then you'll mutter a list of tasks under your breath. Nanami remembers you mentioning that things were hectic in lab. You're almost always still working when gets home from work, even when it's well past when you eat your dinner. It's clear that you've had a busy day-- the apartment is far more cluttered than it usually is. There are post-it and pieces of scrap paper stuck to every single surface, and a forgotten pile of folded laundry rests on the couch.

An intense burning sensation across your palm causes you cry out. "Shit!" You drop the knife you were washing in favor of cradling your already bleeding hand. Nanami is instantly by your side, firmly pressing the dishcloth against your cut. There is a worrying amount of red seeping into the fabric, so he silently ushers you to the bathroom.

It's a strange reversal of roles. He's used to being the one leaning leaning against the counter while you bandage his wounds. Instead, it's you who is perched on the marble surface, wincing as he dabs an antiseptic soaked cotton ball against your injury. "Sorry, I'm almost done," he says when you let out a loud hiss.

"It's fine," you reply, sheepishly looking away. "I should have been paying more attention."

Nanami chooses to only respond with a nonchalant hum, focusing on cleaning your palm. The two of you sit there in comfortable silence while he applies ointment to the cut, adding gauze once he's finished. It's only when he reaches for the bandages that he decides to ask. "What's stressing you out?"

Your eyes widen as you realize you've been caught. Nanami is rarely home early these days, especially since he's been mentoring Itadori on behalf of Gojo. (Not that you mind - in the few times you've met Itadori through video call with Nanami, the pink-haired student's sunny disposition has never failed to cheer you up.) When he'd texted you saying he'd be home by dinner, you'd jumped at the opportunity to spend some much needed time with him. You'd pulled out the stops, cooking something a little fancier, and intent on spending the earlier part of the evening cuddling with him. Secretly, you had planned to sneak out of bed after he'd fallen asleep (he always goes to bed early on days like these) and finish preparing for the gauntlet of meetings and presentations you had tomorrow. It was your fault for putting off the tasks, and you didn't want to let your own bad habits get in the way of some quality time with your boyfriend.

"It's nothing, I just have a lot on my plate tomorrow." You do your best to laugh it off, but quickly trail off once when you catch Nanami's deadpan expression. He's always been too good at seeing through your white lies. "I put off some work..." A raised eyebrow from him prompts you to continue, "And I was planning on doing it after you went to bed..." You can't help it when your face scrunches into a pout. After all, now your carefully-laid deception has been revealed.

When Nanami bursts into amused chuckles, you're momentarily surprised, but quickly go back to sulking. "Stop laughing at me Ken!" you whine, "I'm a--"

"Self-aware procrastinator," he finishes your sentence with an amused grin. "I know love, I know. I've seen you write far too many papers within 24-hours of a deadline to be surprised." He presses an affectionate kiss against your wrist.

You scowl at your boyfriend, snatching your bandaged hand away from his grasp. "I'm glad that my suffering is entertaining for at least one person." You stomp back to the bedroom in faux-anger, smiling when you hear Nanami's footsteps not far behind you.

When he steps into the bedroom Nanami drapes his frame over your shoulders, his warm torso nestled against your back. "It is one of your more...endearing traits," he murmurs into your ear before pressing a kiss into the crook of your neck. You can feel your cheeks and ears tingle at his words of affection.

"Sometimes you can be such a sweet talker," you mumble to yourself while you change into your pajamas. This week it's been an old Jujutsu tech hoodie and a pair of well-worn athletic shorts.

"Only for you," Nanami replies while he undoes the buttons of his outfit, chucking his tan pants and blue button up into the laundry basket in the corner. He dons a pair of sweatpants before returning your side to recapture you in another affectionate hug. It's a well kept secret of the Kento-Y/N household that Nanami Kento likes to lounge around shirtless in the privacy of his apartment. (You've been sworn to secrecy, but only because your boyfriend claims that Gojo and the students would have a field day teasing him if this information were to be made public amongst the jujutsu sorcerer community.)

Turning around, you wrap your arms around his waist, burying your nose against his torso and taking in his comforting scent. It's been so long since the two of you have had a moment to yourselves, and for once your hectic thoughts are silenced in favor of sharing a moment of calm bliss with Nanami. He hums in appreciation, thumbs rubbing soothing circles against your hips.

"Do you want to watch anything tonight?" you ask after a few seconds of silence.

"No," he replies. "I was actually planning on reading the briefing Ichiji just sent me. Gojo apparently has another scheme up his sleeve." You giggle when your boyfriend lets out a pained sigh. On more than one occasion, your boyfriend has ranted to you about Gojo's unorthodox approach to exorcism. "I swear that idiot shaves a year off my lifespan every time I go on a mission with him," Nanami complains. "He's taking away the years I could spend in Malaysia."

You hum thoughtfully before responding, "Then do you mind--"

Once again, Nanami already knows what you're going to say. "Just remember to bring your laptop charger, I know you have a thousand tabs open on your computer right now," he says while exiting to the living room. After a few moments you join him, overburdened laptop and charger in hand. You both take your usual spots in the living room, him resting comfortably in the center of the loveseat and you sitting on a floor cushion, nestled between his legs. Soon you've fallen into a groove, fingers steadily typing on the keyboard. The warmth of Nanami's presence next to you brings a sense of calm, giving you the grounding focus you need to finish off the last of your tasks.

As he thumbs through the printouts Ichiji gave him, Nanami can't help but let his eyes drift towards you every now and then. You look so adorable when you work. From the way your brow furrows whenever you reread a line, to the way you unconsciously chew on your lip when you scrutinize your draft for any errors. Every now and then he'll gently run his fingers through your hair, relishing the content sighs you let out in response.

It only takes about another hour before you're (finally) closing all your tabs (he still doesn't know why your laptop hasn't crashed yet). As you scroll through social media, your head begins to droop. Soon enough you've fallen asleep, breaths coming in soft and even puffs as you rest against his thigh. Smiling to himself, he puts down his papers and gently lifts your body from the floor. He's careful not to wake you as he slowly makes his way back to the bedroom.

Setting you on the bed, he tucks you under the blankets before lying beside you. The moonlight coming through your window softly illuminates your relaxed features, and he softly traces the outline of your face with his thumb. As he continues to caress your cheek, his eyes are drawn to the dark circles under your eyes. He rarely falls asleep after you these days - between his physically demanding occupation and the ever growing number of things you are responsible for at work- he's often the first to fall asleep from sheer exhaustion while you work well into the night. Not to mention that he's had to spend an increasing number of nights away from you, either on challenging missions or accompanying Gojo's students. And while he knows most of your stress comes from being a student, he can't help but feel guilty about all the additional distress his status as a jujutsu sorcerer has caused you.

When you started dating him, you insisted that Shoko teach you how to suture. He hates how much your stitches have improved since then. The neatness of your stitches is a constant reminder of how much you've endured because of him. When he hears you trying to muffle your sobs into a pillow, he swears he can feel his heart crack in his chest, hurting more than any kind of physical wound from battle. Those nights end with him holding you tightly to his bandaged chest, murmuring reassurances and affection into the crown of your head until you've calmed down enough to fall into a fitful sleep. Even when you're unconscious he'll still continue, words morphing into apologies for the sadness he's inflicted upon your shoulders.

Feeling his eyelids being to droop, Nanami presses one last kiss against your forehead before laying down. He wraps his arms around your waist, surrounding you with warmth, hoping that his presence will be enough to keep your nightmares away, at least for tonight. I love you, y/n is the last thought he has before he drifts away, ready to dream of a tropical sunset and a peaceful future with you by his side.