#you forget how intimidating and powerful he seems to other people

[fbfh]

Jason Grace being super built but also down horrendous is SUCH a good visual. Dude is out here looking like this

but yet also covered your in lipstick kisses

VERBALLY AND AUDIBLY CHORTLING AT THE ACCURACY. GIGGLING. CACKLING LIKE A DISNEY HYENA. this is exactly what Jason looks like down to the harness and I will take no criticism. he's so built and tall and fucking buff and you don't really notice until he meets your mortal friends and they're like "this is the guy you had literally begging you to sit on his face three days ago?????? this guy????? he was the one crying at how good you fucked him and saying thank you when he came????? and thank you when you came?????? this guy???????" yes yes he is. it's not until you kiss him and they watch his gaze literally melt as he follows you around like a loyal lovestruck puppy for the rest of the day that it starts to make sense.

[eu-nicola]

the ferrari couple

summary: when Charles signs with Ferrari, his life takes an unexpected turn when he falls in love with you "Princess Ferrari". Together both become the perfect couple, but behind public perfection, the pressure of your careers leads both in other ways

warnings: nothing

word counter: 4559

author's note: english is not my first language

this is a request from @pperlaaiy

The sound of engines rumbled across the Monza circuit. It was the 2018 Italian Grand Prix, and Charles Leclerc, still a Sauber driver, walked around the paddock with a mix of pride and nervousness. That year had been crucial for him; rumours of his possible promotion to Ferrari felt increasingly real. However, the pressure of being at home, surrounded by tifosi who idolised the Scuderia, kept him on his toes. 

As he made his way to the Ferrari hospitality area, Charles paused for a moment, awed by the spectacle before him. Surrounded by photographers, journalists and Ferrari employees, there was you. You seemed to shine with a light of your own, dressed in an impeccable white two-piece suit that bore discreet touches of Ferrari red, the colour that so represented your lineage. Perfectly coiffed hair, dark sunglasses and a confident smile that showed no trace of nervousness. In that moment, you were everything Ferrari stood for: tradition, elegance and power. 

“Who is she?” Charles asked his engineer, unable to look away.

“Don’t you know? She’s related to Enzo Ferrari. Her mother, Sofia Ferrari, is practically the queen of the car group. She’s like the princess of the house.”

Charles nodded slowly, impressed, but also intimidated. He had heard about you before, how you were an iconic figure in and out of the world of motorsport. You were known not only for your surname, but for your involvement in Ferrari’s most exclusive events, your innate elegance, and the way you upheld your family’s legacy. The fact that you were unreachable only added to your aura.

However, what happened next took Charles completely by surprise. While he tried to hide his interest and continue on his way, you turned around and your eyes met his. Taking off your sunglasses, you smiled with that mix of kindness and confidence that baffled everyone.

“Charles Leclerc, right?” You asked, stepping closer gracefully.

He blinked, surprised that you knew who he was. "Uh, yeah, I'm Charles," he replied, trying to sound relaxed, though he felt the heat rising to his face.

“I have to say, you’ve impressed many at Ferrari this year,” you said, shaking his hand. Your tone was gentle, but your words carried a weight he couldn’t ignore. “My uncle won’t stop talking about you. I think you’re destined for great things.”

Charles scratched the back of his neck, a nervous gesture contrasting with your poise. “I hope so. Being part of Ferrari would be… a dream.”

“A dream, but also a responsibility,” you replied, your gaze becoming more intense. “Ferrari isn’t just a team, Charles. It’s a family, a history. The tifosi don’t see you as just a driver; they see you as a symbol. And that’s not something just anyone can carry.”

He nodded slowly, feeling the weight of your words. He’d heard similar speeches before, but coming from you, they held a different meaning. “I know. And I’m willing to give my all to live up to it.”

You stared at him for a moment, assessing him. Finally, you smiled again, this time with a hint of genuine warmth. “I hope so, Charles. I’d love to see you succeed at Ferrari. But for now, enjoy Monza. It’s a magical place, don’t you think?”

“It is,” he replied, relaxing a little. “Even more so now.”

Your laugh was soft, but enough for the few people around to notice the chemistry that seemed to be brewing between the two of you. Before you could respond, a team member called out to you from a distance. With a slight nod to Charles, you walked away, leaving behind a sweet scent and an impression he wouldn’t soon forget.

Charles stood still for a few seconds, taking in what had just happened. He had met the “princess of Ferrari,” but beyond your name and lineage, what had struck him most was your presence. There was something about you that challenged him, that made him want to prove he was worthy of being in your world.

That night, during the official Ferrari dinner, they met again. You were surrounded by important figures in motorsport, but when Charles entered the room, your eyes instinctively sought him out. This time, you didn't need to approach him; he took the initiative.

"Can I sit here?" he asked, pointing to the chair next to yours.

You smiled, amused. "Of course. I hope you're ready, Charles."

"If I can survive Monza, I think I can handle this," he replied, feeling more confident.

And so, over glasses of wine and conversations filled with jokes and witty observations, something began that neither of you could have foreseen. You weren't just Ferrari's princess; you were a challenge, a mystery. And for Charles, the young driver who dreamed of conquering the world, you became the most fascinating target of all.

After that first meeting at Monza, Charles couldn't get you out of his mind. Despite being immersed in the demands of his season with Sauber, he found moments between races and training to remember the conversations he'd had with you. For your part, there was something about him that intrigued you. Maybe it was his humility, his ambition, or the way he seemed to shine even under the pressure of the spotlight.

The next few times you met were at Ferrari-related events, always in formal settings where professional distance was the norm. However, that barrier slowly began to break down.

It was a cool evening in Maranello. Ferrari had organised a private dinner to celebrate the season's achievements and start looking ahead. Although the evening was for the official drivers, Charles was invited as a gesture of goodwill, as the announcement of his joining Ferrari for the 2019 season was imminent.

You met him in the event's illuminated gardens, while escaping a boring conversation with a group of executives. Charles was alone, a glass of wine in his hand, admiring the statue of Enzo Ferrari that presided over the place. You approached him with a light smile.

"Thinking about how to fill those shoes?" you asked, stopping beside him.

Charles turned his head, surprised but genuinely happy to see you. "More like wondering if I'll ever make it."

“It’s a start,” you said, shrugging. “He always said that the true spirit of Ferrari isn’t in perfection, but in passion. If you have that, you’re already halfway there.”

He looked at you, with a mix of admiration and curiosity. “Do you feel that passion too? For Ferrari, I mean.”

You nodded, crossing your arms to protect yourself from the cold. “Of course. I grew up surrounded by this world, but it’s not just the family name. It’s everything it represents: the history, the tifosi, the constant struggle to be the best. It’s not easy to live with it, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Charles was silent for a moment, processing your words. Then he smiled, a soft but sincere gesture. “It’s funny. All that you describe is what scares me and excites me at the same time. Being at Ferrari means so much more than being a fast driver. It’s… something bigger.”

You turned to him, studying him carefully. There was something about his honesty that disarmed you, a rarity in a world full of appearances. “And you think you’re ready for it?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, shrugging. “But I want to try. And I’ll do my best to prove that I’m worthy of it.”

The determination in his voice made you smile. “That’s what I like about you. You’re not afraid to admit your doubts, but you’re not afraid to face them either.”

He stared at you, as if he was trying to figure something out in you. “And you? Have you always been this sure of yourself?”

The question took you by surprise. You looked down for a moment before answering. “Not always. But when you grow up in this family, you learn to hide your insecurities.”

Before the conversation could go any deeper, one of the attendants called out to you from a distance. “Y/N, you’re needed inside.”

You sighed, but not before giving Charles one last smile. "Don't let them intimidate you in there. And remember: Ferrari is more than a car, it's a family."

The real change in your relationship came weeks later, when Ferrari made the official announcement that Charles would be a driver for the 2019 season. The news flooded the headlines and thrilled the tifosi, who saw him as the future of the team. That evening, you hosted a private dinner at your family villa in Maranello, inviting only a few people close to the team, including Charles.

"Thank you for inviting me," Charles said when he arrived, wearing a simple but elegant suit. There was something different in his gaze that night: a mix of confidence and gratitude.

"Of course," you replied as you greeted him. "I couldn't pass up the opportunity to celebrate our new star."

The evening passed quietly, with laughter, anecdotes and toasts to the future. However, you both noticed that your eyes met more often than usual. When dinner ended and the other guests began to leave, Charles was one of the last to stay.

"Would you like to see something special?" You asked, taking a glass of wine and leading him towards the villa's garage.

Inside, covered by tarps, were some of Ferrari's most iconic models, from the first cars created by Enzo to the most modern ones. Charles walked among them in wonder, like a child in a candy store.

"It's amazing," he murmured. "It's like being in a private museum."

"It is," you said, leaning against one of the cars. "Every car here has a story. And now you will be a part of that story."

He stopped in front of you, his expression serious but warm. "I hope I can live up to it. Not just for Ferrari, but for you as well."

The intensity of his words took you by surprise, but you didn't back down. There was something about his sincerity that drew you hopelessly.

"Charles..." you began, but he interrupted you.

“I’m not saying this because you’re from the Errari family or because you’re in a position of power. I’m saying this because you, as a person, inspire me. And I want you to know that I will do everything I can to not let you down.”

For the first time in a long time, you were speechless. And as the silence stretched between you both, Charles took a step towards you. There was no need to say anything else; the moment said it all.

That night marked the start of something special. What had started as a casual connection became a relationship that you both knew would be intense, complicated, but also unique.

After that, the end of 2018 was a whirlwind of emotions for Charles. He had closed his season with Sauber in an exceptional way, earning the respect of the tifosi and securing his place at Ferrari for the following year. But the most unexpected thing for him had been the relationship that had formed with you. During those months, you went from being two occasional acquaintances at events to becoming confidants and something more.

Your meetings, although few due to his constant travels, were full of complicity. He had invited you to accompany him to a couple of races outside Italy, and although you kept everything under a strict low profile, the members of the paddock were beginning to notice that there was something between you. The candlelit dinners, the walks through Maranello and the deep conversations.

For Charles, you were much more than a "Ferrari". You were someone who understood him, someone who saw beyond the image of a promising driver. For you, Charles was a breath of fresh air in a world full of appearances. In him, you found someone honest, humble and passionate.

However, you both knew that things would change in 2019. With Charles officially becoming a Ferrari driver, the attention on both of you would increase, and you would have to decide how you would face what was to come together.

When the 2019 season began, everything changed. Not only was Charles Ferrari's new rising star, he also unwittingly became the centre of media attention. The relationship between the two, which until then had remained in the shadows, inevitably began to come to light.

The first time photographers caught you together was at the Monaco Grand Prix. You were in the paddock, leaning against a railing as you talked animatedly to Charles. You were wearing a red outfit that paid homage to the Scuderia, and your laughter echoed above the roar of the engines. The media was quick to dub you the “prince and princess of Ferrari.”

“Does all this attention bother you?” Charles asked you that afternoon, as you walked together through the Monte Carlo harbor.

“A little,” you admitted, adjusting your sunglasses. “But I also know it’s inevitable. I guess we’ll just have to learn to handle it together.”

Charles nodded, taking your hand gently. “We will.”

It was an intense year, full of challenges for both of you. Charles had to deal with the pressure of being a Ferrari driver, while you were constantly surrounded by the critical eyes of the press and tifosi, who analyzed your every move. Far from separating them, however, those challenges brought them closer together.

The moments they shared off the track became their refuge. There were days when Charles would arrive exhausted after a difficult race, and you would call him to give him words of encouragement. There were also nights when you, exhausted, would find comfort in his embrace.

By 2020, you were no longer just a couple at Ferrari; you were the couple. Cameras followed you everywhere, and social media couldn't stop talking about you. Photos of you at Formula 1 galas, at private Scuderia events, and even on vacation in Italy went viral instantly.

The tifosi loved how they represented the essence of Ferrari: Charles was the young driver full of talent and promise, and you, the sophisticated and passionate woman who seemed to be the embodiment of the Ferrari legacy. No matter where they were, together they projected an image of perfection that fascinated the world.

However, behind the flashes, things were not always easy. The 2020 season was a complicated year for Ferrari, with performance issues testing Charles as a driver. For him, it was frustrating to go from being a constant contender to fighting to stay in the top 10. There were times when tensions were palpable, but you always found a way to remind him of his worth.

“Charles,” you told him one night after a disappointing race at Spa, as you both sat on the balcony of his hotel room. “You are not just a Ferrari driver. You are the future of Ferrari. Enzo always said that difficult races are the ones that make true champions. And you are one of them.”

He looked at you, his eyes filled with emotion. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Luckily, you won’t have to find out,” you replied with a smile.

That mutual strength was what made you two so special. While Charles faced the challenges of the track, you struggled to keep outside pressures at bay, defending your relationship from rumors and criticism.

By the end of 2020, you were more than a couple; you were a symbol. The prince and princess of Ferrari, two figures who represented everything the brand stood for: history, passion, and the promise of a bright future.

What no one imagined was that beneath that image of perfection, the first cracks were beginning to form. Because, although the love you felt for each other was real, the demands of your worlds were not always compatible.

The end of 2020 marked a turbulent time both on and off the track. Ferrari was facing one of its worst seasons in years, and while Charles continued to show his talent, the car simply wasn’t up to par. You, for your part, had been dealing with the mounting pressures of your family name: new projects, the constant expectation that you represent Ferrari at key events, and increasing scrutiny over your relationship with Charles.

Through it all, you never let the internal tensions leak outward. To the world, you were still the couple. You were seen smiling at events, with Charles looking at you as if you were his anchor, and you showing yourself unwavering, like the pillar holding him up. But what no one saw was the distance that was beginning to form between you.

The breaking point began subtly, with small misunderstandings and differences that you had previously managed with grace.

During the final races of the season, you noticed that Charles was more distant. Although he remained affectionate with you in public, in private his attention seemed to be elsewhere. His days were consumed by endless team meetings, interviews, and hours of work trying to squeeze the maximum potential out of an unresponsive car. When he came home, he was exhausted, and conversations between the two of you were reduced to an exchange of short sentences.

“How was it today?” you asked, waiting for an answer that never came with any depth.

“Good, the usual,” he would reply, often without looking at you, lost in thought.

It wasn’t Charles’ fault, you knew. The weight he carried on his shoulders was immense, and you wanted to be understanding. But you couldn’t help but feel displaced, as if your place in his life had taken a backseat.

For your part, you were dealing with your own problems as well. Your family expected you to take a more active role in the company, and every step you took was scrutinized. The endless meetings, strategic decisions, and social expectations were draining you. There were nights when you sat alone in your Maranello apartment, wondering if this was the life you really wanted.

The night of the final race of the season, in Abu Dhabi, you decided you needed to talk. You had prepared dinner in the hotel suite, hoping to reconnect before heading back to Italy. Charles arrived late, tired but trying not to show it.

“This looks amazing,” he commented, cracking a smile as he sat across from you.

“I wanted us to close the year with something special,” you replied, trying to hide the anxiety in your voice.

For a while, the conversation flowed as before. You talked about the race, the tifosi, and even joked about how the media had called you “Ferrari royalty” in a recent article. But then, the tone changed.

“Charles, I’ve been thinking,” you began, hands shaking slightly. “Do you think… we’re okay?”

He looked up, surprised by the question. “What do you mean?”

“We’ve grown apart,” you admitted, your voice almost a whisper. “We don’t talk like we used to anymore, we don’t spend time together. I feel like all of this—” you gestured vaguely at the world around them, “—is consuming us.”

Charles sighed, setting his fork down on the table. “I know. I’ve felt the same way. But I thought… that it was temporary. That after this season, things would get better.”

“What if they don’t?” you asked, facing the fear you’d been suppressing for months.

For a moment, Charles didn’t say anything. His silence was like a confirmation of what you both feared: that the weight of your individual lives was overshadowing what you had together.

“I love you,” he finally said, with a sincerity that almost brought tears to your eyes. "But I don't know if I'm being fair to you. I don't know if I can be the person you need right now."

The decision wasn't made in one night, but that conversation marked the beginning of the end. Over the following weeks, both tried to hold on to what they had, but silences were more frequent than words, and the emotional distance became increasingly evident.

The news of their separation came in January 2021, shortly after the Christmas holidays. There were no official statements or public explanations; they simply stopped appearing together, and rumours began to circulate.

The paddock was in shock. Neither of them had given any indication of trouble, and for the tifosi, they represented perfection. But those who knew them closely knew the truth: there was no big fight, no betrayal, just the inevitable wear and tear of two people trapped in worlds that demanded too much of them.

The last time you saw him was at a Ferrari event in early 2021. He was beaming, smiling at photographers as he spoke to management. When your eyes met, he gave you a small, almost melancholic smile, which you returned with a similar gesture.

There were no words, but they didn't need to be. You both knew that what you had was unique, special, and that it would always be a part of you. But you also knew that you had made the right decision, even if it hurt.

The prince and princess of Ferrari had split up, leaving the world baffled and the tifosi heartbroken.

The months following the breakup were like a whirlwind, even though neither of you openly acknowledged it. You and Charles had decided to keep the reasons for the end of your relationship private, but that only fueled the speculation. The media kept wondering what had happened between the prince and princess of Ferrari, and the tifosi couldn't accept that something so perfect had fallen apart for no apparent reason.

Despite the noise, you both tried to move on, each in your own way. But as they tried to build new routines, the world kept watching, waiting for some sign, some word that would explain the inexplicable.

The first image of Charles with another woman appeared one day in March. It was a casual photograph, taken by a fan in Monte Carlo. Charles was in a café, smiling as he chatted with a blonde, light-eyed girl. It didn't seem like a romantic encounter, but the closeness between the two and the carefree smile on Charles' face unleashed a wave of comments.

“Who is she?”

“Has she replaced her already?”

“She’s probably her cousin or something, Charles wouldn’t do this.”

For your part, you tried to ignore it. You knew Charles had the right to move on, as did you, but you couldn’t help but feel a knot in your stomach as fans began to theorize about his love life.

It wasn’t long before you were making headlines too. A few weeks later, during a gala event in Milan, you arrived accompanied by an Italian businessman known for his charisma and fortune. He offered you his arm as you walked down the red carpet, and although you maintained a professional smile, the camera flashes captured something that the media interpreted as complicity.

The reaction was not long in coming.

“She already has a boyfriend? This can’t be real.”

“Charles and her were perfect, this doesn’t make sense.”

“The princes of Ferrari are dating commoners now, apparently.”

Social media became a battleground between fans. There were those who supported the idea of ​​the two moving on with their lives, but there were also those who clung to the hope of a reconciliation. Every photo of Charles with his supposed new partner was analyzed in detail, and the same was true for you.

On your Instagram profile, the comments were a reflection of the tifosi's pain:

"Please tell me this isn't true."

"Why did you break up? I never understood it."

"Get back together, there's still time."

Charles faced the same thing. Even in the simplest photos — an afternoon training or a day on the simulator — the responses were full of mentions of you.

"Everything is more boring without Princess Ferrari."

"I hope you're happy, but I'll never forget what you had."

Neither you nor Charles made any comments on the matter. You both knew that any statement would only fuel further speculation, and the last thing you wanted was to turn your past relationship into a public spectacle.

At Ferrari events, it was inevitable that your paths would cross, although you always kept your distance. During a presentation of the Scuderia for the 2021 season, you sat in the front row next to the management, while Charles took his place on the stage, talking about his expectations for the year.

Your eyes met for a brief second. It was enough for the photographers to capture the moment, but not enough for either of you to show any obvious emotion. You held his gaze calmly, while he quickly turned his gaze towards the audience.

After the event, you avoided the cocktail party that followed. You knew the media would be waiting for any interaction between you, and you weren't about to fuel any more rumors. However, as you were leaving, you received a text on your phone.

"I saw you left early. I hope you're okay."

It was from Charles.

You read it a few times before pocketing your phone without responding. Although the message seemed innocent, it only made the emptiness in your chest feel heavier.

Despite appearances, moving on wasn't easy for either of you. Charles could put on a smile next to his new companion, but in moments of solitude, he found his mind drifting back to the days he shared with you. The walks through Maranello, the conversations in the early morning, even the small arguments over insignificant things: it was all still there, like an echo that refused to go away.

You weren't immune either. Although you were dating someone new, you hadn't felt that connection you once had with Charles. Every time you saw their name in the headlines, your heart beat a little faster, and images of what was and what could have been filled your mind.

Still, you both kept going, at least in the eyes of the world. The smiles at events, the carefully curated posts on social media, everything seemed to indicate that you had put the past behind you. But the others seemed unwilling to let it go.

The tifosi kept waiting. In every Ferrari post, in every interview, in every public appearance, someone always asked about you.

"Will you come back one day?"

"You were the heart of Ferrari."

"Without you, this is not the same anymore."

And although neither you nor Charles answered, that question kept hanging in the air, like a wound that time did not quite heal. Because although you had gone your separate ways, the world was not ready to forget you.

And, perhaps, deep down, neither were you.

[sseastar]

✶ meet me at the net ; riize.

info. riize ot7 + reader. fluff. platonic mostly but can be interpreted as more. description. riize as the volleyball team you’re the team manager for. word count. 2.7k warnings. volleyball-sustained bruises (sohee be careful pls). listen to. orange by spyair.

as always, please leave feedback and reblog with feedback and tags as it’s the most important thing when it comes to motivating writers on here! without feedback, i have less motivation to keep writing so pls pls pls do not just like and empty reblog! it gets very draining and unmotivating to see when that happens!

쇼타로 、OSAKI SHOTARO !

position: setter, team captain.

the surprisingly powerful setter that many people usually look over. because of his pure personality, not many fear shotaro, an insanely quick witted player who seems to know the opponent’s weakness even at the last second. hits when people expect him to set someone up, dinks when people expect him to spike, because of this is such a powerful asset to their team. always does the unexpected even when players are already aware of his playing style and yet always has something up his sleeve. his bubbly personality disappears as soon as he steps onto the court. but he doesn’t turn into a huge, tall, intimidating opponent. instead, he’s quiet and swift and quick and somehow that’s even more terrifying to play against. despite being calm and stable on the court, when he’s on the sidelines with the others, he’s hyping everyone up with loud cheers - that’s when his bright personality shows and the opposing team is always so confused - especially since they’ve only ever seen him in the zone.

shotaro dotes on his teammates, always making sure they’re eating enough between matches and drinking enough water. “no wonbin, you cannot survive off of gatorade chews the whole day.” dotes on you as well, making sure you have enough space to sit on the bench if he ever gets subbed out and pushes the ball cart so you don’t have to when you move courts for a new match. will always find you between matches to help set up everyone’s lunches and folding chairs and helps you calm down the others if they’re being too rowdy and chaotic and just overall tries to make your job as the team manager easier. loves to braid your hair to calm himself down between matches, and asks if you can hold the earrings he always forgets he can’t wear during games.

은석 、SONG EUNSEOK !

position: opposite hitter

the most underrated hitter on the team just because of his position. because many focus on outside hitters, his skills are sometimes overlooked. yet when eunseok gets the chance to showcase them, he leaves everyone absolutely speechless with how well he is able to execute the quick back-sets shotaro sends him. sometimes, people don’t understand where he came from, seemingly popping out of nowhere on the court. people are further shocked at how good he is at line shots and cross shots, underestimating his quick thinking, especially with his high vertical that allows him the easily see the open gaps in their opponents’ set up. eunseok is quick on his feet, and never hesitates to dive to save the ball that nears the floor. has no problem with jousting up at the net and is always amazing at getting the ball out of it. he’s known for his powerful topspin jump serve as well, one that he’s definitely received aces for. he’s a quiet player, often only shouting when needed and quietly celebrating in the center while his teammates are the ones shouting. is not easily affected by intimidating players on the other team.

eunseok takes care of the team quietly. you’ve noticed that he’s the one picking up items that the others might forget, or quietly placing water bottles he had refilled back near the bench. he drapes towels on the others’ necks without a word, and yet he masks his caring ways under his quick retorts and unbothered personality. not that anyone never noticed - you along with everyone on the team knows of his considerate, caring nature. sure, he loves to tease you between or even during matches as he sees how much more stressed you are than the actual players and their coach, but that doesn’t nullify all his small acts of service for everyone. eunseok is often found standing at your side between matches, usually because he finds your presence calming before a big game. sometimes, you wake up with his warm up jacket covering you on the drive to the tournament venue in the early morning. seemingly the one to always let you borrow something of his and will have a knowing smug look on his face when he overhears someone compliment you for it, only to say ��yeah, i agree,” without disclosing the fact that it’s his.

성찬 、JUNG SUNGCHAN !

position: middle blocker

with his height, sungchan was easily positioned as the middle blocker that would switch out for sohee, their libero. however, it is not only his height that catches people’s attention, nor his extremely handsome face that has onlookers' heads turning. sungchan is smart, and can easily read the opposing team’s next moves. hits rarely get past him, and when they do, he makes sure that instead of allowing the ball to drop straight through his hands to the floor, he makes sure to angle himself in a position that gives the defensive specialists a perfect angle to bump the ball back up. he knows how to turn a hard hit into an opportunity for their team. sungchan is a wall when it comes to blocking, and his height only adds to his wit and thinking as he plays in the front row. not only is sungchan and extremely powerfully blocker, but his long history of playing with shotaro allows him to hit the most unstoppable spikes. no one ever seems to know what these two have planned up their sleeve, not even their own team. but it always works.

sungchan is a ball of energy. he reminds you of a big puppy with the way he’s always hyping the team up, making sure to reassure them when the team happens to be stuck in a rut. he’s probably one of the loudest on the court. he refuses to let the others think badly about their plays, shutting down any possible thoughts of blaming themselves for losing a set or game. his bright energy catches everyone’s attention, and many people seem to fall for him. but sungchan sticks to your side between matches, making sure you always have everything you need and are eating enough while you make sure the team eats enough because “you need to take care of yourself too.” he always tries to gives up his seat for others, especially you, but you insist that he has to rest for their next match. insists on helping you make sure the air pressure in each ball at practice is full just because he likes to spend time with you. before each hit during warm-ups at matches, he turns and points to you, only to laugh when you shake your head after he shouts, “this is for you!” then proceeds to completely miss the quick set shotaro had sent him.

원빈 、PARK WONBIN !

position: defensive specialist, setter

he’s quiet. that’s for sure, though he always seems to get the job done and more. wonbin is a reliable silent threat, and not many people pay attention to him especially since he’s in the back row acting as one of the defensive specialists. he doesn’t mind that his role is underrated because it doesn’t matter to him. he knows how important his role is in the back row, backing up sohee (his fellow defensive player) to dig whatever spike comes at him. he’s especially good with overhead passes and can even act as a setter if shotaro happens to get the first touch. he may be silent, but when wonbin is playing, the ball never touches the ground. he’s quick on his feet and always seems to play scrappy - pulling out tricks that no one seems to even think about. he can hit back row spikes, for sure, but he prefers not to. one thing that makes people fear him are his floater serves. although his aren’t flashy jump serves, his floaters always seem to change direction in the most unrealistic way, swerving past the players on the other side of the net.

wonbin is very similar to haikyuu’s kenma, often not taking care of himself. he seems to take care of the team before himself, even if he’s about to collapse from exhaustion from back to back matches. that’s where you (and shotaro) come in, doting on him to make sure he eats. he’ll only refuse the first few times, so you shove a plate of food into his hands and sit down in front of him to make sure he eats. he’s shy as well, preferring to stick to you to hover his face over your shoulder as his teammates socialize with other teams. however wonbin has another side to him that only the team knows, one where he gets really crazy during practice and ends up busting out the most out of pocket sentences that have the whole team cracking up. it’s one of your favorite moments when wonbin seems to cut tension after losing a match, or mentioning something everyone noticed about something they saw during the day but never brought up because they were too embarrassed to. it has everyone laughing comfortably hysterically, because of course wonbin, the reserved one, is the one to bring it up unexpectedly.

승한 、HONG SEUNGHAN !

position: defensive specialist, opposite hitter, setter

the bright, positive player who seems to bring energy to a match on both sides of the court. he’s always talking despite his introverted personality, and he views it one of his strengths despite being an analytical defensive player on the court. he loves hitting back row, and kind of hates that he rarely gets to do it, but loves to fulfill any role that the team needs. seunghan has exceptional ball control, seemingly able to pass any serve that comes at him regardless of the skill level. he angles it so perfectly to shotaro, allowing the rest of the team to execute a perfectly-set up attack, and that alone has him satisfied. at first, he didn’t think he had an important role, but you had made him realize that defense is just as important if not more, than offense. seunghan can read dinks versus spikes very well, and his agility allows him to get to the ball quick, making him a valuable asset to the back row. seunghan also always encourages his teammates whether they earned a point or made a mistake, never allowing them to even think about blaming themselves.

the most excited, seunghan is the mood maker of the team. he’s the one to bring the most energy to matches, always extremely hyped up and bringing a portable speaker everywhere. seunghan loves to joke around and keeps up with a lot of the trends, being the one to convince you to create a team social media account. he practically runs it with the way he always seems to steal your phone to film the others and themselves between matches, goofing off and having fun. he’s the one to suggest filming one of those videos where the team crowds around the front camera from above, throwing balls, shoes, knee pads, whatever above their head and seeing who gets hit. he can get bummed out if he doesn’t do well, and at these times he finds you, clinging to you during lunch. you’ll be sitting on a bench with your plate out, and he’ll just be at your legs with his head in your lap or leaning against your knees. this is when his introverted personality shines through, and the team does everything to get their mood maker back to his best. after all, it’s what seunghan always does for them.

소희 、LEE SOHEE !

position: libero

even the slight angle of a setter’s wrist allows him to know who the setter is setting to, and sohee quickly adjusts himself to where that hitter had hit last. his brain is almost a computer with how much information he remembers: where the hitters tend to send their ball, how each player serves, which player on the other team seems to have a weakness they can use to their advantage. if sohee has a suggestion in a play, the others immediately follow because it always works. because of his cute aura and the reduced spotlight on back row players, no one expects him to be the mastermind behind the intense plays of the team. and that’s what makes it work. sohee is a secret weapon, because not only is he extremely meticulous, but he is not afraid to get on the floor to dig a hit. he refuses to let a ball drop without even trying for it, and if it does, punishes himself by diving post-play because he should’ve done it to get the ball in the first place. nevertheless, it’s rare for that to happen because sohee reads hitters and setters perfectly. sohee will not hesitate to run across the court to send the ball back over the net on the last touch if he needs to, and you can’t even count the amount of times you’d had to help him ice his shins after crashing into the bleachers to save a ball.

sohee is the team’s charger. everyone clings to him because just being around him is healing. and although he might not be used to the affection and all the skinship, he wills himself to get used to it because he knows how much it helps the team. he happily helps you with your managing duties, especially when you try to find recordings of the teams they’ll be playing against, helping you and their coach analyze it and relaying the information to shotaro. sometimes follows you like a duckling, both at tournaments or at practice, and is one to initiate dodgeball games with the volleyball at the end of practice, usually by throwing a ball in the air which “accidentally” hits anton while he sips on some water. always helps you set up the net for training too, making sure you don’t drop the heavy poles or fall from the post where the referees usually stand.

앤톤 、LEE CHANYOUNG !

position: outside hitter

if anything, he and sungchan are the most feared on the team, primarily due to their large stature. despite his soft spoken nature, anton is one of the physically strongest players on the team, having the hardest hits to pass. that makes him so qualified for being an outside hitter because his spikes often push past the blocks of the other team. he’s still a little new to jousting up at the top of the net, but sungchan’s been teaching him well - how to not feel bad for pushing against the opponents’ hands and how to make sure to be ready for the ball to drop back onto their side. anton was a newcomer to the team but advanced quickly, earning such an important offensive position early into his athletic career. he’s also a quiet player and had trouble calling for the ball at first, but as soon as he experienced the satisfaction of hitting such a perfectly executed spike that even sohee couldn’t pass during practice, he stopped hesitating to call shotaro to set him up. he’s still learning but he learns fast, much to the dismay of opposing teams, especially with his strong jump serve.

as the youngest, the team looks to dote on anton a lot. despite being used to being an older brother, he allows the team to cling to him as long as he can to you. he tries his best not to get in the way and just wants to make sure everything runs smoothly, refusing to let any disputes linger between the team by gently speaking up to try to clear the air. it’s rare that he has to do that, but the team usually calms down once they realize that anton’s the one who’s confronting the issue. anton is another to cling to you when socializing with other teams, though if he gets comfortable enough with the other players he’ll leave you with wonbin at your side. he also follows you around like a duckling, always asking if there’s anything he can do to help with your managing duties and always offering to help you set up for practice.

⌕. author’s note ; currently inspired by my long-lasting haikyuu hyperfixation and my disappointment when i found out they’re squeezing the rest of the manga into a movie instead of more seasons. this is coming from my experience playing volleyball for a good number of years (although keep in mind it’s been while!)

ꗃ. taglist ; @enhacolor @soobin-chois @koishua @chrysbibi

[arisewanekosuki]

Traveler's little helper: Mondstadt

Albedo, Bennett, Diluc, Kaeya, Mika, Razor, Venti x Fem! Reader Teyvat , Liyue , Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine --------------------

Albedo at first seemed to be interested in only Aether. He did some tests with Traveler, but then when he heard that you’re not from this world too and you share some special ‘connection’ with Aether, you piqued his interest as well. One time he took you somewhere in the forest and was waiting if Aether will be able to immediately find you. The result: Aether can't find you but you know where Aether is. He wanted to do many experiments but when you said that you’re tired he stopped with them… for some time at least. Albedo thinks that relationships are quite troublesome but he never felt that way with you and Aether. Even if you haven't seen each other in a while, you always greet him and talk to him as if you saw him yesterday and for that Albedo is grateful. He started to like when you ask him what he is doing and being genuinely interested, even if sometimes he sees that you don't understand him but that’s not a problem, he doesn't mind to explain in a way that you can understand what he’s doing. He doesn't know when he started to enjoy holding your hands while guiding them, when you decided to help him with experiments or when he started to sketch you more and more when you two were at the same place. He felt very happy when you invited him to Serenitea Pot and even prepared room where he can continue his experiments. He is wondering why he feels like that around you, from what he knew, that meant that he fancy you but why is that? What did you do to make him interested in you that way? So he started do some tests to understand better his feelings towards you. The only shame is that there are more and more people who practically fight for your time and attention but as long as Klee is on his side, there are many opportunities to spend more time with you. After all, Klee adores you too and he knows that you can't say ‘no’ to his little sister puppy eyes. One time Klee wanted to do some roleplaying, she was a Mage, you were a Knight, and Albedo was a Prince. Your and Klee's mission was to save the Prince from scary Dragon. It was fun, Albedo didn't mind to play along with his sister but what he didn't expect was when Klee said that the dragon cursed him and only the kiss of true love can save him. He will never forget how flustered you were after hearing this and how your lips felt on his cheek (even if it was a quick, little peck).

Bennett is grateful that Aether, you and Paimon didn’t get scared of his bad luck. Even if you tell him that’s not his fault when something bad happens, he still feels bad. But the most things that makes him happy is how often you invite him for some adventures! At first he wanted to decline (even if deep inside he really wanted to go) because he was worried that his bad luck will ruin everything but you just smiled and took his hand, making him feel so warm inside. You told him that this adventure won’t be fun without him. He remembers how he almost cried after hearing this. Bennett likes when in team there are people he knows from his homeland, but sometimes there is him and people from other nations, your other friends, sometimes he feels intimidated by them. The worst day was when his bad luck activated and he tripped, falling at you, you were reassuring him that nothing happened and to not worry about it but he could feel at least one person glaring into back of his head. If a look could kill he would surely been dead after you hugged him to reassuring him again that everything is okay. Bennett will never forgive himself if something serious will happen to you because of him. You said that you can get hurt here but nothing more serious can’t happen to you. As long as nothing happen to Aether, the powers of ‘connection’ you have with Aether will always protect you from the worst case scenarios. Paimon and Aether heard when you told Bennett about that, and Paimon couldn't help but ask you if that’s really true. You wanted to jump from the cliff to prove it but both boys stopped you before you could do that (with Bennett almost slipping himself from cliff, but gladly you and Aether caught him before disaster happened). Of course Paimon got so scared for you wellbeing and said to never try to prove something like that ever again. There are some times when he’s pretty lucky, sometimes he wonder if this is because of you…. and maybe Aether. The thing Bennett like to do sometimes is talking how wonderful person you are to Razor. Razor likes you too so the two boys will chat sometimes away about you and how they want to spend day with you, not realizing that the admiration may start to blossom into something more.

When you all tried to save Dvalin, Diluc wondered why Aether is taking you with them, you can’t fight, Paimon can’t fight either but at least she can fly and hide in her dimension but you? It was too dangerous for you. Diluc paid more attention to you just to be sure you won’t get hurt, but you are aware of dangers, when there was a fight, you stood somewhere save. You may not fight but you can heal their wounds and it felt like Aether is getting stronger when you are by his side. He acknowledge that you are very courageous and he like how much you wanted to help Mondstadt and save Dvalin. After everything was done and Mondstadt was save, you told him, that whenever he wishes he can always join to your little team. He declined at first, but after that day, when you helped him to keep a secret of his Darknight Hero side, he decided to give it try and go with you and Aether. He remembers the first time you bring mora, Agnidus Agate Fragments, Small Lamp Glasses, Everflame Seed and… Fatui’s Recruit's Insignias? He asked why you need those things for but you just smiled and told him that those things are needed to make him stronger. All those things vanished and your hands started to glow, you took his hands in yours and hold for a moment. You asked with a smile if he feel stronger and he did. He never seen or heard about such magic or alchemy. You can always count on Diluc, whenever in fight or when weather gets bad. It starts to rain? Don't worry, suddenly there is umbrella covering your head. Are you cold? Diluc puts his coat on your shoulders. You didn’t see that but Aether did, how Diluc's ears become slightly red, in moments like this. You would always be welcome in his manor, sometimes you watch how he and Aether play against each other in chess, sometimes you play with him. There are times when you help him collect grapes, other times he finds you running around the Dawn Winery trying to catch Crystalflies. He can’t help but always smile at moments like this. He wants to protect your well being, your smile. He trust Aether but sometimes he wonders why Aether takes you to such dangerous places, but you want to go, you always follow Traveler. If only he could always follow you too and make sure that you'll always be safe. Before he realized, you became someone important to him.

Your reactions, faces you make when Kaeya flirts or he compliments you, amuses him. You’re so adorable. But you’re not only one who brings him entertainment. Aether makes interesting faces too, when he sees you getting all shy just because Kaeya complimented you. But he must watch out to not cross the line, after all he wouldn’t want to be hated by Honorary Knight and not being able to see you again. He can’t help but notice how many guys started to like you, and how much Aether hates it. One time he said ‘You’re very popular aren’t you?’ and you, with confusion, just looked at him, titling your head, replying ‘Isn’t Aether the popular one? After all he is the one helping others!’. Kaeya only smiled and petted your head, it seems you are not aware of how many guys become interested in you in that way. At first you were just a friend, he would flirt with you just to see yours and other guys reactions, for fun (mostly Diluc and Aether, sometimes even Albedo) but even he started to like you more and more. They way you smile towards him, make him stronger, always saying how you trust him. You meet so many wonderful people and yet you always remember about him, inviting him to go with you and Aether for small adventure or just spending time with him. He couldn't help but be happy when he was one of the firsts to get invitation to your Tea Pot, whenever he feels lonely he can go to Traveler's 'house' where there are many people and mostly you. Even if you now visiting other nation, he can still see you. When he is free he loves sit in your room (alone or sometimes with some other people) and listen what you and Aether were up to.  You’re supposed to be just friend, but even he can’t help but wish for something more with you. The competition is big and it’s still getting bigger, not only that but he knows that his brother feels something more towards you. Why would you choose him anyway? But even so, he still wants to be helpful to you. He hopes you'll forgive him his selfishness when he comes to your room at night, wanting to just talk with you, to not sit alone in his room when he feels a bit lonely.  Even if you’re sleepy, you still try to stay awake just to talk to him, in this moments he can’t help but feel that maybe he is important to you the same you are to him.

Mika feels embarrassment when he remembers the first day you two meet. He is shy person and he got overwhelmed when the famous Hero of Mondstadt approached him, you were trying to talk with him but he couldn’t help but to excuse himself and run away. And Mika is grateful how understanding and patient you are with him and thanks to that he quickly got comfortable with you. You invited him to travel with you and Aether when he have time, of course, when he had some time for himself, he decided to join to you both. He was excited to where you are going to take him! Most of the time Mika doesn't mind which of your friends will join but he can’t help but feel intimidated by some of them. Especially it’s hard for him to get along with the ones who always charge at enemies without any plan. At moments like this you always smile and tell him to not worry, as long as he is here, everything will be alright. Mika was happy when he got invited into Teapot, when he would stays the night, in the morning you can expect to see breakfast made by him. Even if you told him that he doesn't have to make breakfast for you, he will always insist that’s not the problem. Sometimes you find him cooking along with Thoma, both of them getting along pretty well. There was one time when he wanted to camp in Realm Within, you thought it will be fun so you joined him. You both had fun with preparing the tent and other necessities, cooking together. You told him about your and Aether adventures before you two met. Mika adores listening to you, just hearing your voice makes him happy. When you're sad because you can’t fight alongside Aether and others, Mika will always say that you're important in team too! "You always make sure that nothing bad happens and even when someone gets hurt you immediately take care of their wounds! You make me and others stronger, you’re always supportive and you always know how to raise team morale!! You’re amazing (Y/n)!! I can’t even imagine to not travel with you anymore!” said Mika, you were surprised but then you smiled and thanked him. His cheeks got red after he realized what he said and his heart started beating faster. He only wish to be still helpful to you…. And Aether of course.

For Razor you and Aether are his Lupical. That’s simple and yet Razor is wondering why he prefers when you are the one to help him brush his hair than his Teacher. Why he feels more protective over you. He tried to think that’s maybe it’s because you can’t fight, but then Aether is there to protect you too and he trust Aether and yet he can’t help it to always stay in front you when enemy is nearby. Razor always tries his best when it comes to fight. He enjoys when you praise him or when your warm hand pet his head or when you hug him. You always make him feel so 'warm and fluffy' inside. Razor world is simple and yet sometimes it feels… complicated, especially now. He doesn’t like when there are people in group that he doesn’t know. He knows he has trouble with speaking and because of that he often don’t know how to express himself. Sometimes he feels worse because of those other guys who are much stronger and better than him. And yet you always appreciate his help or still wants to spend time with him. You don’t mind his short sentences, you can be the one who talks or you two just sit in comfortable silence. Razor couldn’t help but notice how you like to look (and try to touch) fluffy ears and tails of those two guys from other nations, he wonders if he had wolf ears would you like to pet them too? But for now he will enjoy whenever you help him wash and brush his hair. Lisa of course noticed how Razor behave around you and how protective he is, she find it cute. So she decided to help him, telling him how he should compliment you or get you some nice flowers. It was fun for her to see you being flustered with sudden compliments that you didn’t expect from Razor. Of course when you learned it’s Lisa who told him to say those things, you scolded her, you said she shouldn’t make Razor do things he doesn’t want to do. She only sighed, she now understand what Kaeya meant that you’re dense when it comes to noticing other people feelings towards you. Razor likes how you smell, it always brings him comfort, he feels that everything will be alright as long as he is by your side. So for you, he will become stronger to make sure nothing ever bad happens to you. After all, it’s because you’re his Lupical, right?

The Anemo Archon, Barbatos or mostly know to everyone as Venti didn’t expect that one day he will find someone who he will fancy. It wasn’t love at first sight, no, it just came like a wind from nowhere, when you were just spending time together more and more with each other. The thing that made him see you in different way happened the day when you scolded him for drinking too much. The two of you were sitting in front Angel Share alone, Aether went with Paimon to get some supplies. You held onto his hand and with serious face you said that he shouldn’t drink his worries away, that you’re here to listen to him, if he wish he can even cry, you won’t judge him nor laugh at him. That was a moment Venti started to think if he really should tell you some of his worries, of his sorrows from the past. Before he could even say anything you got up from the chair and approached him. You held him in your arms, his head on your chest, letting him hear your heartbeat. “Archon, Wind wisp, Dragon, Human, no matter what you are or who you are… if I consider you my friend I only wish for happiness for you, so please remember, I’m here for you too when you feel sad or lonely.” Before you noticed, Venti vanished from your arms, you got worried if you crossed the line and upset him. But the truth was he didn’t wanted you nor Aether ,who was coming back, to see him crying. After some days, he came back like nothing happened that day. Venti was so happy that you offered one of the rooms for him in Tea Pot, where the two of you can spend time together and sing. Venti loves when you sing, whenever you are good or not, he doesn’t care. He would teach you some songs from Teyvat so the two of you can sing together. This is the best way for him to relax with you. One time Venti got in the mood to try make you his disciple, he said that he need one small offering from you, his face getting dangerously close to you. But before anything could happened Aether came from nowhere and hide you behind him from the Anemo Archon. Venti was laughing and Aether just glared at him. Venti doesn’t mind other competition… but for some reason the only one he can’t stand at all is Geo Archon.  So whenever you spend some time with Zhongli you can be sure that Venti is going to join you both. After all he doesn’t want his 'Windblume' to be alone with ‘old block-head’. ------- Thank you for reading till the end! (^ v ^)/)

[starryriize]

how &team views love | hyung line

╰┈ ⋆｡˚ 🪼genre: fluff

╰┈ ⋆｡˚ 🪼author’s note: this post is me avoiding my taesan fic plus i already had this in my google docs😭 i had this in mind a while back 🫶🏼 also i love this pic so much

🫧laur's taglist: @chiiyuuvv @kehnarii

K - I think he views love as something special. He probably sees it as quiet and an enduring bond, despite how people view him. He’s reserved in how he loves, always thinking to himself how lucky he is to have met you out of 8 billion people. He’s the type to tell his lover what he truly appreciates about them because he wants you to feel known, truly known. I think he views you both as a team, so you never face hardships alone when you’re with him. People often think he’s intimidating, but he’s actually a softie who has a deep care for loving others, especially you. You’re practically his other half in many ways- where he genuinely believes that he wouldn’t be who he is today if you weren’t in his life. You’re his home.

Fuma - In my mind, he thinks of love as a powerful emotion. To him, love is in small gestures such as making coffee in the morning together or the whispered “i love you” before bed. When he loves, it’s passionate, not in the way where he’s all over you, but in the way he swears in his heart that he’ll never leave you. Because loving him is like holding keys, that never seemed to open the door to your heart, but with him, the door opened. With him, everything felt magical. The way he loves you makes you truly feel seen, not for your looks, but for who you truly are. You’re the missing puzzle piece in his life because, in many ways, you complete him. Loving you, for Fuma, is easy, as though he was born to only love you. It wasn’t chemistry, or attraction, rather, it was a feeling.

Ej - For Ej, loving you is essential. How the moon loves the sun...that's how he loves you. When you think you're a raincloud, he still manages to see your calming, positive personality shine through! He adores everything about you. I feel like he believes in soulmates, specifically that there is that one person for him. Probably looks at the stars and tells them that you’re fated to be his. There’s nothing more meaningful to him than seeing your smile and to him, every single song makes him think of you. His love is as soft and warm as the summer sun over a field of flowers. When he loves, from the bottom of his heart, he knows that no matter what- fights or misfortune, he’ll always love you. You’re his universe.

Nico - I think he views love as a forever type of relationship. To me, he probably believes in fate and destiny. There’s something he loves about eye contact, viewing your eyes as the window to your soul. When he loves, it’s passionate yet so gentle as though your heart is made of glass and he’s afraid to break it, so he holds it with both hands and never lets go. He loves you like how the moon loves the sun, and how he gives into his laughter, knowing it makes you break out in the prettiest smile he’s ever seen. He has this soft, loving gaze and you forget why you were so scared to open up. Falling in love is scary because you’re essentially trusting a stranger with your heart, but with Nico, everything feels right. He fixes all your broken scars and heals your soul. He entered your life with sunlight that you never want to fade, and he may not know about love, but he’s patient and tender with you. You’re so incredibly precious to him that your hearts one day sync together, and that’s how you know he’s the one.

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[bubble-leaves]

Since you're able to do nsfw now, any spicy headcanons for Jel?

Order up! (also I made this color pop edit with Google Photos, anyone is free to use it! I thought it was so so cool)

NSFW (18+)

Jel . . .

is a true switch, a total 50/50. He's a people pleaser, and loves to get you off, but he also loves when you take the reigns and give him the night of his life. When it comes to sex, Jel wants absolutely everything to be perfect. He needs atmosphere, longing, desperation! He'll set the mood with lit candles, some scented. All of the scents he lights contain aphrodasiacs, like jasmine. His room (or at least the section that contains his bed) is spotless, with no clutter to distract you two. He wants you to be as comfortable as possible while getting you in the same mood he experiences. He takes his time. There will be a LOT of slow kissing and grinding. Jel'll use it for teasing occasionally, because sometimes he's playful, but most of the time it's just to bask in how happy you make him. Although he's eloquent and often tries to describe how you make him feel, he feels that he can never truly explain with words how much he loves you. So, he'll express his feelings with slow, thoughtful bumps and grinds, kisses and lovebites, until you can't take anymore and you're begging for him. Jel's a reactionary moaner when it comes to you addressing him; if he hears your erotic begging and requests for him to fuck you, he can't help but let out small moans of delight. He's not used to being desired like this. You make Jel feel loved and wanted, how could he not repay you for all you've given him?

Jel loves being serviced by you because of that fact, too. Your service and love feels like he found it with luck, or a gift he doesn't deserve—yet he can't stop wanting it. Being submissive to you makes Jel forget all the worries and woes in his life. When you're taking care of him, making him groan, whine, and writhe, nothing else matters. He wants nothing more than to be completely yours. Jel would do anything for you, he would die for you, and he can't believe you return his passion. And Jel has an intimidating amount of passion for you; he may start soft and slow at the start when on top, but his emotions always make him lose control. His heart is ablaze when his pace is high, because all the feelings he's been unable to vocalize comes out in how he fucks you. Well, perhaps "fucking" is the wrong word. Jel doesn't like that. Sex is not just sex for him. It's his way of connecting directly to your soul, of telling you all the ways you drive him crazy without having to say a word.

Jel is absolutely into kink. He loves praise and worship, bondage, edging, denial, overstimulation. Yes, it makes him a bit of a scoundrel, in his own terms, but you make it soooo fun. Jel loves how dangerous you make him feel whenever he can tie you in intricate shibari or ribbons, or sweetly tease you as he watches you cum for the 3rd time in a row on his lap. Jel loves your struggle, although he tries not to be overly domineering when in a position of power. Also, side note: Jel will NOT indulge in degradation kinks! Over his dead body will he call his muse a whore or a slut, even if it is just play; he adores you too much.

You are Jel's equal, his soulmate, his lover. Jel wants to cherish you, love you, and keep you high on him. You are his everything, and he doesn't care how obsessive that may seem. It's just how he feels. You drive him wild with raw emotion. Jel desperately longs to show you just what you make him experience on the daily—how you make his heart (and other things) throb, spine chill, and head rush with delightful chemicals. Bottom line is, Jel is rhapsodically in love with you, and he's going to show every ounce of the desire he has for you.

[aimportantdragoncollector]

Imagine if instead of a strength enhancer, One for All was a Charisma enhancer.

There are so many ways to play off this (terrible) idea, considering the versatility of charisma.

Maybe Izuku is just really intimidating, and everyone backs down without much of a fight.

Maybe it makes him persuasive, and he can just argue people out of fighting through logic and words.

Maybe it makes people pay attention to him. It’s not useful on its own, but it could be used as a distraction.

Or maybe for Izuku, who seems cute and small, it makes people protective of him. (Turns every character Platonic Yandere by accident)

I don’t know what to do with this au, so I’m just throwing it at you for fun. Have a nice day.

Oh my, I can't decide which one of these is the best. So why not combine all of them?

One for All is a charisma enhancer, but how it manifests varies for each holder. Yoichi got the version that made everyone fall in love with him at first sight. Second and Third took one look at this starving dirty man in a vault, and boom, their hearts were gone.

Second got a charisma that made everyone look up to him as a leader. People instinctively trusted Third. Poor Hikage got the version that made everyone pay attention to him to the point where they forget everything else they were doing. He hated it so much that he ran off to live in the forest. Banjo found that everyone around him treated him as an aniki/big brother. En was so cute that everyone treated him as a little brother. Nana got the ability to argue people out of fighting with logic and words.

The ability kept growing stronger over time. All Might obtained an intense power of intimidation so strong that all his enemies surrendered at the sight of him. All Might's skinny form is his real form. He isn't strong at all, people just think he is. This All Might is like King from One Punch Man--he's never actually won a fight, all his enemies just give in to his intimidation. He beat All for One out of sheer luck when All for One slipped and fell onto one of his own quirk attacks.

Since the ability increases over time, Izuku gets the strongest version of all. Unfortunately for Izuku, he got the yandere variation. It could be platonic yandere or romantic yandere, depending on if the recipient finds Izuku attractive.

Every member of Izuku's class who is attracted to the male gender is in love with Izuku. The rest have intense platonic admiration. Katsuki constantly combusts around Izuku because he does not know how to handle the quirk forcing him to feel so much differently from his normal feelings and he hates it.

Luckily other holders of One for All are not affected. All Might thinks that Izuku's intimidating aura is just taking a little while to come in.

In this AU, Sir Nighteye objects to Izuku not out of dislike but because someone so adorable can't be allowed to fight! He might get hurt!

The ability doesn't affect Inko because it doesn't affect anyone who already loves Izuku. (For the same reason, the power wore off on Second and Third after they fell in love with Yoichi for real.)

This AU is not Dad for One. However, All for One takes one look at Izuku and decides that he is the perfect replacement Yoichi. Unfortunately for All for One, he has a lot of competition, because every single villain who meets Izuku wants to vault him. Frankly quite a few heroes have been thinking about it too. Sir Nighteye already has a vault full of All Might merch to lure Izuku in.

Izuku figures out he can weaponize this to make villains underestimate him, then defeat them.

[sashi-ya]

𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟑 DAY 26: SHOWER SEX Sōsuke Aizen x F! Arrancar! Reader

Requested by @muzansfangs ➡ Hi! Since you are literally one of my favorite authors, I would like to submit a request for the kinktober event! I would love to read Aizen + shower sex. I trust in your abilities blindly. Add whateve kinks you like! I don’t remember if I had to specify the gender of the reader. In that case, I would like f!reader. Thank you for your hard work and for blessing us with your works! tw: mdni. bathtub sex. praising. vag. arrancar! reader wc: 1.2k masterlist

The sound of dripping water echoing all around the biggest bathhouse you have ever seen. His head thrown back, his chocolate hair too. Arms strong but also lean helps his naked body to float as he grabs from the sides of the tub.

You take some time to admire his beautiful physique. Abs barely visible from over the water level, protruding collarbones, prominent Adam’s apple and the sharpest mandible framing his relaxing façade.

“What, (Name)?” he asks, surprising you with the tray and a cup of tea on your hands.

“I’m sorry, Aizen-sama. I… brought your tea, where should I leave it?” you ask, stuttering. How could you forget how much of a powerful being he is? Of course he could sense your presence… you’ve been created by himself.

Sosuke opens his eyes and after sighing, he turns his head to you. Him, in that sterile environment with everything so white as everything in Las Noches, stands out in such delightful imagery.

“Bring it to me” he commands, with a soft smile on his lips but eyes full of impure intentions.

You nod, and fast enough bring the tea closer to him. You are aware of his nudity, but still try to act as if he was fully clothed… even if your eyes couldn’t get away from the running drops coming from his wet hair to his chest.

Your lips barely part, letting soft sighs of warm breath scape in between them. You slowly kneel on the ground to serve him the tea, you shouldn’t be above your Lord.

Your pupils dilate as he lifts his back just a little, allowing some more of his belly to emerge from the water. Aizen Sosuke is the definition of temptation, of lust, of need…

“Heh… You like what you see?” he asks, breaking the enchantment all of a sudden. “Excuse me, Sir. I didn’t mean to look, I…” you quickly excuse yourself, although your cheeks get on fire and your breathing accelerated.

The ting of the porcelain cup on your hand echoes as much as the water drops… the more you tremble to keep it steady as you pretend to serve him, the more it resonates. And Aizen is delighted, because if there is something that pleases him is when people consider him a god. He enjoys intimidating you as everybody else.

“You seem to be having trouble to serve me a cup of tea today, (Name)… leave the teapot aside for me, please” he orders, always politely but still perversely.

You leave everything on the floor, bowing before him. “I’m sorry, Aizen-sama. I am so unworthy of serving you!” you repeat, hitting your forehead on the wet floor of his bathroom.

He takes his hand to his chin, observing your pathetic intent for mercy, and stops your whining.

“(Name), you might have trouble serving me tea… but I know you are good with other tasks, aren’t you? Come here, help me bathe” he commands, offering your hands the privilege of touching his godly -not so pure- flesh.

You blink, as he stands up. His whole anatomy surfaces, showing you his attributes with absolutely no shame. Aizen extents his hand for you to grab it, as the very depiction of a godly creature inviting you to heaven.

You swallow. A trembling hand of yours touches his, and with his help you stand up from the floor.

“Very well… now, use this to rub my chest” he indicates, giving you a piece of white cloth imbued in water and a soapy substance.

You take it in between your hands; the cloth is warm and so is the water and your core. Your quivering hand approaches his right pec with delicacy, almost as if you were about to touch something fragile.

Aizen smiles lovingly, looking at you in the same way a master looks at his dog. You are, to him, inferior. And still, cute, so very beautiful.

Slowly tracing circles on his flesh, you let a fine mantle of foam. Your eyes, fixed in the pores of his skin, are battling against your own need not to look any further… down, down where his sin start.

However, and besides not watching, pulled by the transgressive force of desire, you lost the battle against morality… you let your cheek to be pressed right in the middle of his chest.

He gasps, would it be a lie to say he wasn’t surprised. Aizen plans it all, but still… there are some types of physical contact that are simply unforeseen. A man whose life has always revolved around being lonely, breaking limits with no mercy for a higher mean, can still get amazed at a sudden show of love.

Sosuke takes some time to think; never has he ever stuttered… but this time he did; and the final decision meant for him to turn off his mind and let desire to take over. This time, as he learnt the Hogyoku was supposed to do, he just let his heart manifest its true desires…

A heavy hand falls on the crown of your head. Though hefty, it’s also delicate and caring. Aizen presses your face against his chest, you can hear the heart inside pumping harder and faster.

“You love me that much, (Name)?” “I love you more than much, my Lord… with all my soul” “Your soul? Mh… I see”

He sighs, not annoyed but pleased. And his hands pass around your waist, pulling you inside the tub swiftly.

You get your white and black uniform all wet, things he doesn’t mind and also enjoys. The transparency of it, showing hard nipples through. The soaking skirt, attaching to your skin, showing your sex.

“Come here” he murmurs, kissing you with a class that cannot be found in another man. It’s also perverse and deadly, and you are all about losing your life for it.

Slowly, softly… both sliding down. Hips straddled on his lap, the water playing with the hem of your skirt, making it float and dance with the way you hump on his hardness.

Sosuke presses you down with his hands on the small of your back; your hands, hang loosely on his shoulder blades. His lips attacking your neck, and the breasts he freed as he tore your uniform.

And the more his kisses go down, the more your back arches with him holding you with playful fingers along your spine. Your hair rains on your back, your cheeks tinted in black drops as your make up has started to smear.

“You know you are here because I created you? And you are here because I wanted to, right? He whispers, kissing in between your breasts, down your sternum.

“Yes, Aizen-sama. I am beyond grateful because you chose me, my Lord. I am completely devoted to you” you murmur, feeling his sex search for your entrance.

“Would you be a good girl and let me fuck you?” he asks, -in reality he doesn’t need to-

You alone lift your hips to help him accede faster to your insides, you are desperate… “Yes, my Lord… please, fuck me”

Aizen smirks, tracing circles with his index on your lower belly around your hollow. And with his free hand, he guides his shaft into you.

Who knows, maybe you were just one more of his Arrancar… Or maybe you were created from a piece of his own very soul, because when he penetrated you, it felt like two forces were finally rejoined…

Taglist: @miabiaria @carmenthedreamer @stygianoir @electronicwitchcollection @aizenwifey @deputy-videogamer @efrodd17 @mizugami @uzxotic @cyberdazetragedy @bookandyarndragon @fushiguroshotwife 💖🙆‍♀️

[justsomerandomfanfic]

My Future Haunts Me - Tyrion Lannister X GN (Witch) Reader

Title: My Future Haunts Me

Tyrion Lannister X GN (Witch) Reader

Additional Characters: Oberyn (Mentioned), Ser Gregor (Mentioned), The Mountain (Mentioned), Tyrion's father (Mentioned), Shae (Mentioned), Cersei (Mentioned), Joffrey (Mentioned), and Jaime (Mentioned)

WC: 2,582

Warnings: GOT canon violence mentioned, banter, death mentioned, GOT stuff in general mentioned, friends to ???, angst, and light fluff

The cell Tyrion was stuck in was cold, and the bits of sunlight shining through the small, high-up windows did hardly anything to warm it up. The walls were dirty gray stone, covered with stains and dirt from who knows how long ago. There wasn’t even any furniture or other decorations in the cell. Only a simple wooden bed for him to rest and sit upon. It had been so long since Tyrion had watched Oberyn's duel with Ser Gregor and then his untimely death by The Mountain. Tyrion was horrified, his fate had been sealed. He was going to die.

The sun was setting in the sky, the cell darkening further, the air chilling. Shadows surrounded the youngest Lannister sibling as he sat on the uncomfortable wooden slab, trying not to shiver in anticipation of the cold that would soon come when the night arrived. His hands were clasped tightly together, fingers rubbing against each other in an attempt to keep himself warm. His lips were chapped, and his eyes and throat dry. It was quiet, aside from the voices he could hear in the far distance. A breeze of crisp air blew past him, making goosebumps appear along his skin, making him rub his arms and shiver once more.

"Cold?" A voice asked, making Tyrion snap his gaze around the room. His eyes landed in the dark corner of his large cell. Squinting his eyes, he could hardly make out the figure; he didn't have to look for too long though. Stepping out of the shadows, covered in a black cloak, hood raised, Tyrion could faintly make out the face underneath the hood, but couldn't see much more than that due to the darkness of the cell. "What have you gotten into this time?" At the sound of the person's voice again, Tyrion let out a sigh, casting his gaze to the side. 

He knew that voice.

"Come here to mock me, have you?" Tyrion asked as he turned his head back over in their direction, a deep frown on his face as he spoke.

"Really now? After all these years..? Tyrion, do you really think so low of me?" You asked, sounding amused as you stepped closer, stopping to lean against the large wooden pillar in the middle of the cell. Pulling down your hood, you crossed your arms, unable to stop the grin from spreading across your face as you peered at the young Lannister. 

Tyrion had known you for a couple of years, meeting you once when he was at a celebration in Joffrey's honor. He had noticed you, standing in the corner, eyes wandering the room until they met his. He was slightly taken aback, your eyes were piercing, like daggers, sharp and intelligent.

Despite the intimidating appearance, you seemed friendly enough. You even smiled at him, and he felt his chest tighten at the sight. That moment, however brief it might've been, changed Tyrion's life. In fact, you made it impossible for him to forget you. Throughout the years, you and Tyrion had grown close, exchanging pleasantries when passing, and even conversing on certain topics a handful of times. 

However, there was this sort of odd feeling Tyrion always got when around you. And it wasn't long until he figured out why he was feeling that way. To say it simply, you were a witch. Your magic and power were well-known to most people that you had encountered. And you were feared by many who fell victim to your wicked-witch ways. But to those you did not know, they simply thought of you as just a regular human being. But you were so much more. Your powers were not just any ordinary spell or hexes; they were something else entirely, something special. And Tyrion was fascinated with it and by you.

Though, it was not always easy. You and Tyrion had many different views on many different things which led to you both not agreeing and verbally fighting with one another most of the time you interacted. One thing was for sure, you were both stubborn, and most fights led to you disappearing or Tyrion leaving the room entirely. 

He sat, unmoving, with still the same frown on his face and hesitance in his green eyes as he stared at you. "If there is one thing that I do know," He started, shifting slightly in his seat, "Is that you are not to be trusted."

Sputtering a laugh, you rolled your eyes, "Not to be trusted?" You asked, raising an eyebrow at the man, "So I've played a few tricks on a few... Let's say, hardly innocent bystanders... It was purely harmless." You said, shrugging your shoulders innocently.

Tyrion huffed, "A few too many, I say," He retorted, glaring at you for being so dismissive, "Some of those who had been foolishly tricked by you, should not have had it done to them in the first place." The younger Lannister scowled, "You can't just turn people into puppets like that, not even for amusement."

"Amusement?" You repeated incredulously, letting out a little snort, "Oh, please. You know that they deserved it. I may be a witch, living a life led by darkness, but I know who is worthy enough for my tricks. In all honesty, Tyrion, dear, I’m doing this world good."

"Good? Is that truly why you did it?" Tyrion asked, looking up at you, "To punish Cersei with one of your tricks?" Tyrion asked, shaking his head, "You could have gotten hurt." He muttered under his breath, though you heard him.

"I can defend and take care of myself, Tyrion. You of all people know that of me." You responded matter-of-factly.

Tyrion sighed softly, nodding slightly. "I do not doubt that you are capable of taking care of yourself." He said, "It’s just-" He paused, trailing off. He took a deep breath in and out, closing his eyes briefly, and shaking his head once more. You hummed, looking around the cell. It was quiet before Tyrion spoke up once more, "Why have you come here?"

Your expression softened a bit, your gaze flickering over towards him and staying for a second before returning to where your feet rested against the floor. "I have come to see you, of course." You answered simply. Tyrion opened his eyes to look at you once more, and he was surprised to see the slight smile that graced your features. "I have heard about your young nephew's death. I know that you have been accused of it. Poison. I know that you have done no such thing..." You shifted your weight from one foot to the other, and Tyrion continued to stare at you as you trailed off. 

You did have a secret, you cared for Tyrion deeply. It was hard to ignore the feelings you felt towards him, even when you had tried. Ever since that celebration, your eyes locked on his... You were drawn to him, you were captivated by the sight of him. It scared you. You never wanted anyone to get close to you... Even if they were Tyrion Lannister. So you kept your distance, not wanting him to see how much he affected you, how much he meant to you. How much it hurt to lose him. This resulted in many arguments in addition to your other fights. 

But you loved him. You knew it was true. And after you heard that he was going to die, after everything... You had to save him. You could not and would not let him die. You would do everything in your power to save his life.

"Why?" Tyrion's voice was soft, but firm, "Why have you come to see me?"

Letting out a sigh, you answered, "Whether you agree with me or not, I like to believe that we are friends. Even though we may not always see eye to eye on certain topics and issues... I still care... If something were ever to happen to you..." You trailed off and looked away from Tyrion. "I needed to see you. Even though I wish it was under different circumstances." Your voice was small as your words ended, glancing at him. Clearing your throat, you pushed off the wooden pillar, pushing past your nerves to look at him, "I have come to help you. To warn you. This whole world is going to hell." You warned him, "You need to know that your brother Jaime will be coming here soon. In the darkest of the night, he will arrive to help you escape." You spoke with a tone that told the younger Lannister that you were absolutely serious about what you were saying, you were not fooling around.

Tyrion's eyebrows furrowed together and his mouth twisted, "Jaime will come to my aid?" He asked, his brow lowering slightly.

You nodded, "Yes, but I must tell you that the events that follow will not be pleasant." Taking another step towards him, you bent down beside him, looking up at him as he stared down at you, "I can get you out of here, I can send you to Pentos or anywhere else that is safe that you wish to be. But I have seen the future, going with your brother will lead to disastrous doom for all those involved." He was silent as you continued, almost frantic but staying calm, "I know that I can not force you to come with me, nor can I make you not do whatever you choose. I only ask that you trust me. Please." You raised your hand to cover one of his.

At the contact, Tyrion’s green eyes widened ever so slightly as his gaze moved to your hand holding his, and back at you. Staring into your eyes, seeing the desperation and fear that you hid within. You had never seemed more sincere in your plea than you did right now. You were worried for Tyrion. You were worried about his safety. Why him? Why did you seem to care about him out of all people? His insecurities were murmuring in the back of his mind, it was hard to ignore it. "Tell me what will happen." He eventually spoke, his voice soft.

"I do not think I can tell you... But I can show you." And with that, he nodded. Letting out a sigh, you closed your eyes, dropping your head briefly, "Are you certain you want to see it? I... I do not believe that you will like it... I know for sure that you will hate it... Despise it... And therefore, despise me." You mumbled as you lifted your head back up. "I do not blame you if you do not go with me."

Tyrion remained quiet, mulling over your suggestion for a moment. He knew that, whether he liked it or not, you were right. He was going to hate whatever he was going to see. "I could not ever despise you." He assured you, his free hand covering yours in his, "But I must see what is to happen." He added.

Nodding your head slowly, you squeezed his hand gently, "If you insist." With his hand still in yours, you shut your eyes. Hesitantly, you connected your mind with his, and Tyrion watched as images flashed through his mind. Shae, his father, their deaths... Arriving in Pentos, drinking, depression clouding and swirling in his mind... Then darkness.

He opened his eyes, wide and stinging with tears; but he would not let them fall. You let out a deep breath, feeling a bit light-headed, as you felt his hand drop from yours. Opening your eyes, you saw that he was staring down at you with a shocked expression. "I am sorry," You whispered, not really knowing what else to say. "I... I did not mean for any of this to happen... I only wished to warn you." 

He shook his head quickly, "It... I... No... No! That is not true!" His voice was filled with dread. You swallowed thickly, your heart clenching painfully in your chest at the agony that sounded in his voice.

"Everything that you have seen in your mind will occur if you follow him." You said, trying your best not to let your voice waver as you watched him grab at his hair and give it a forceful tug.

"And if I choose to go with you?" Tyrion questioned quickly, "How can I know that anything you show me is real? How can I trust that all that you have shown me is not one of your tricks?"

You frowned. "I do not think there is anything that I can do..." You spoke, defeated, as you reached for him, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. Tyrion stared at you with wide eyes, then lowered his gaze. "Do you not trust me?"

"Of course not. I should know better than to trust a witch." He murmured, and you dropped your hand as you straightened up again, staring off up at the window.

Shaking your head, you pulled your hood up over you; feeling foolish, "I would not lie to you. It is all true. What I have shown you will happen if you follow your brother, whether you wish to try and change it or not. It will always end up the same." You let out a sigh, your shoulders drooping, "I know you. I know of your affection for Shae. I know why you wish for her to remain alive and well. The very fact that you even tried to protect her during your trial shows that there is an abundance of love for her in your heart." You fell silent for a moment, thinking carefully. When you finally turned to look at him, you could see that he was watching you closely, listening intently. "I understand why you had decided to keep her safe; lying during your trial. She means quite a lot to you, does she not?" You asked softly, his eyes widened slightly and eyebrows raised as you continued, turning away, "If only you..." Your voice trailed off, not wanting to finish.

Tyrion shook his head, standing from the wooden slab and taking a step towards you, "I must go with my brother. If what you say is true... Even though I do not wish to even fathom it... I must." He looked up at you, and you nodded.

"I understand... Completely. If that is what you wish to do, I will not stop you." You spoke before raising your hands and unclasping the necklace you wore around your neck. Holding it by the chain, you offered it to him, dangling between your fingers. "If you ever are in need of me. Use this. You are an intelligent man, you will know how to use it when it's time." Reaching up, he hesitantly took the necklace, staring down at the silver chain and the green gem that hung from it. “I can assure you, Tyrion, after the many years we have known each other; that I am a witch you can trust.”

Tyrion looked up to ask you something, but when he did, you were gone. Closing his eyes, he sighed and ran his hand through his hair, then placed the necklace around his neck before sitting back on the slab; lying down.

It wasn't even moments later when he heard the door to his cell open, his brother calling to him with a torch in hand.

---

Main Masterlist | Misc. Masterlist

[obsidianpen]

the fact that harry canonically is smart and magically powerful makes my mood improve several times a day, but i don’t get the overwhelming tendency to dumb him down in fanfiction, especially when paired with tom/voldemort. and when i say canonically, i really do mean that it’s written black on white in the books: his grades, which are a bit higher than even an average student, considering how little time harry actually spends studying; his brilliant memory, almost to the point of making me wonder whether it can be classified as eidetic (he remembers spells and wand movements he’s seen maybe once or twice before perfectly, not to mention remembering a spell hermione cast a whole year prior and successfully casting it himself on the first try; remembering specific placements of objects or random things he’s read in passing); continuing on from the previous examples, his ability to cast correctly and successfully a wide range of spells, some being quite advanced, on his first few tries; his ability to plan, strategise and then lead people into said course of action.

obviously, he is hotheaded and impulsive and stubborn and self doubting to a fault, distrustful in his own abilities when it costs him the most, but that doesn’t negate at all his intellect and magical proficiency. he’s not dumb, he’s not just interested in quidditch and he definitely isn’t a goody two shoes, who would tremble at the thought of manipulating, lying or using dark magic to get his own way, as long as the end goal aligns with his ideals.

i’m not referencing any of your specific work here, this is not the point of this ramble, rather i wanted to bring forth something i’ve noticed happening quite a lot and wondering what your opinion is, as a fanfic writer yourself?

i just feel like there is no need to sacrifice one character for the sake of another — in this case, building tom/voldemort’s character at the expense of harry. he doesn’t have to be stripped down of all the things that make him compelling and complex just so voldemort can seem grander on page. we already know he is intimidating and powerful and captivating. he already demands the attention of the reader when making an appearance.

but two characters can be as equally complex and intricately built, and still coexist on the same page. that’s the baseline of their great chemistry, i think: how well they bounce off of each other without even trying too hard.

well, I can’t really speak to whether or not this happens all the time with harrymort or not, as I don’t read a ton of fics, so I’m taking your word on that being true. And I don’t know if I put Harry on quite as high of a pedestal as you do - I do think he is above average in a lot of things and exceptional in a few, but I also think he’s relatively average in many respects, which is why I like him. All that being said, I’d guess it has to do with a few things.

first I’d say it’s that a lot of people like to write extremes, esp when it comes to villain/hero type pairings. They like Voldemort seeming extra big and bad and strong, and so yeah, they make Harry smaller and weaker in comparison. Maybe some do it in reasonable ways, and others do it in a, Harry’s a 5’0” omega male in heat or wtf ever (no shame there if that’s your thing!). It’s fun to write and really does something for a lot of people. I’d imagine this happens with all sorts of pairings.

I’d guess another reason is that, if you have been reading fanfiction for a long time and you come across this weaker/smaller/etc version of Harry a lot, you might start to forget what he was like in canon, and you’re being influenced by the content you are taking in and therefore writing Harry like this, too. Happens all the time in fandom.

lastly, I think this may happen because it’s a lot easier - and therefore fun - (imo ofc) to write extremes than it is to write two characters who are closer together, across the board. There’s a lot more nuance when the couple is much more evenly matched. It’s hard. It’s hard! So much simpler to figure out what’s going to happen next when the power dynamic is 10/90 instead of 50/50. A game of chess with a master versus a novice is over fast; a game with two evenly matched players who like to sit and stare at each other binge analytical can go on a looooong time!

[simplyreveries]

Hey ! Can I ask for a Alastor like!male!reader please ? The reader have the same personality and power as him and is in Diasomnia or Heartslabyul. With Idia, Lilia and Ruggie pls ? Maybe Grim platonic (He need a dad and I volunteer for that role-)

Ignore it if you don't want to write it !!

Don't forget to drink, and have a good day/night.

i havent watched an episode of hazbin hotel (everything i know about that show is against my will /lh) but the songs have been stuck in my head for the past WEEK.

idia shroud

okay I'm being honest idia was slightly weird and found your behavior initially strange when he had met you, but brushed it off because well, he's at nrc. you always seemed so charismatic and held only good intentions for yourself and others. he didn't get how someone could be so happy all the time as well. he may or may not have thought you were some suck up until he caught glimpse of your underlying nature. (he can respect that though lmao).

he seemed to stray away and almost ignore you at first, especially after seeing more and more of your own behavior. the time when he felt fine around you was when you, being unpredictable appeared and helped him get back at some bothersome student online because you thought it'd be entertaining. and both you and idia are pretty spiteful anyway, with those mischievous toothy grins on your faces.

idia can at least admit he finds your retorts and comments funny, he finds himself snickering to himself when he happens to witness one of these instances when you're basically coming at some poor student that made some snarky remark to you during fitness with vargas. but you always seem to point that out and he hates it.

lilia vanrouge

I feel like you two get along quite well, he finds your demeanor to be interesting and considerably old-fashioned ways is something he relates to. you two are quite the old souls at nrc i feel like haha. But anyone seeing just the two of you together, even smiling and chatting with each other can be pretty intimidating to the eyes of others… your constant toothy smile can be unnerving.

whereas one of your talents and interests is cooking,, lilia does enjoy it as well but pretends to be so weepy and sad when you told him "oh....! its utterly awful! ha-ha-ha” you two get quite competitive during the master chef competitions and challenge the school holds during that time or during beanfest when you two were on opposing teams.... so, you guys definitely get into friendly? rivalries with one another all the time, usually end up being completely chaotic and blown way out of proportion for what they are. the whole dorm knows when you two happen to be in one.

you two have most likely at some point shown each other's magic and abilities off to each other trying to one up one another unknowingly causing some trouble around you as you are so caught up.

ruggie bucchi

ruggie sort of becomes your little gossip buddy, because he doesn't seem to really care and has a lot of dirt on various students and stories he's heard and seen. you just happen to be a sucker for the drama and are able to easily repay him in some way with your magic if you really need to anyways.

he sometimes does find himself a little... confused and taken aback with your smiley and always grinning with some sort of delight even during the worst possible moments (*cough* overblots) as you don't seem to barley bat an eye. but then again as others would assume, its nrc and ruggie has met a lot of strange people. even if you're definitely one of the more... stranger ones.

before he had really known he, he had has attempted to be his usual, cunning self and deceive you at times as a way to try and getting something from you. he easily learned his lesson when you're so able to see right through him and twist it back on him- it ended up turning into some sort of game. he thinks its honestly impressive though. he almost wants to know if you learned that or if that was genuinely just you, he is leaning towards the last part haha.

grim

you are definitely not a force to be reckoned with when angry or even upset. He’s certainly had his moments where he's like “WOAH”. despite the fact that he may butt heads with you often with your condescending and teasing towards him– you’re still quite protective over your little friend. you swiftly manage to pull him out of trouble by swiftly teleporting him right in your hand and he hates that, he always grumbles when you're chuckling “now now, violence is not an answer, grim” even though he's seen your worst moments haha. you're literally way more aggressive than him, he'll retort and remind you of when some rough savanclaw student ALMOST scuffed your uniform.

lowkey he wouldn't outright admit it to you, but I feel like grim does look up to your power and abilities in a way, plus being your unbothered, confident, straightforward self- he wants that aura around himself too…! he wants people to fear him like they do with you all the time. during halloween you practically “shine” as you enjoy playing around and scaring the daylights out of people visiting your dorm and go back to grinning.

not gonna lie, I think that you have this stupid rivalry between you and azul. being you, azul would find you one of the most difficult people to make a deal with. (not to mention you can pretty much manifest anything you want) you were able to easily manage and deal with the events that went down in chapter 3 because you're easily as manipulative and cunning. you literally are a dealmaker yourself. grim always watches you and his interactions in sheer confusion and concern.

[kimbappykidding]

Everyone made assumptions about you even idols as if they didn't understand how this industry worked. All the members in your group had roles to play, the cute one, the pretty one, the hot one, the tomboy etc you were the cool one. It was your job to look intimidating, unattainable and a tad scary. All your bits in the music video involved leather or big boots. You naturally did look quite striking so it made sense but you never got used to how it made people react to you. Most idols assumed that was how you really were and they either avoided you or loved it as some sort of challenge. Then a clip came out of you in a rock band as a teenager and all your fans lost it and your punk-ness was exaggerated greatly...and everyone in the industry ate it up.

For some reason the fans really shipped you with Mingyu. Something about how cool you'd look and what a power couple you'd be. You’d figured it was just because you were kind of tall and it would blow over but it had gotten to the stage where, if you were standing next to each other fans would cheer and even his members seemed to encourage it. You had never in your life spoken to the man and while he was gorgeous he simply wasn't your type. But one of his members was and it was the one nobody expected it to be...Dk. Despite your "scary" intimidating look you liked nice guys. You found nothing more attractive than a guy who asked to kiss you before he did and who loved making other people smile. You found kindness sexy and one of the kindest idols was Dk. You'd first noticed this when Seventeen were stood in front of you at an award show. One of the member's hands were shaking really badly and DK noticed. He took them in his own, trying to warm them up by rubbing them. When that didn't work he gave him his own fingerless gloves (which didn't do anything really but it's the thought that counts) and asked the staff for a warm pack. You had one and offered it to him. He seemed so taken back but grateful. He smiled widely at you and thanked you 10 times before proudly giving it to his friend. He seemed so happy that his friend felt better and since then you couldn't help but watch him. Every time you did, you noticed more nice things about him and you fell for him. The only problem was telling him that. Because of your reputation he likely wouldn't approach you and you couldn't really approach him because everyone would assume you were there for Mingyu. So you just hoped fate would help you out and it did. After an award show, everyone always went to the exclusive club where only idols were allowed to enter and tonight was no exception. It was packed and instead of queuing for ages to get a drink you made your way to the bar at the far side which people always seemed to forget about. The bartender motioned she'd be with you soon and you nodded scanning the menu. You felt someone appear beside you and glanced up before going a double-take. It was Dk. Your heart began hammering and you wondered what to do. Dk looked up and noticed you staring, he offered you a small smile and you smiled back. You looked away wondering if you should say something. You'd never gotten a moment like this before and likely wouldn’t again, so rather than walking away you decided to do something.

"I really enjoyed your stage tonight" you called softly and Dk didn't realise you were talking to him. "Me?" he asked looking around you and nodded "yeah, they're always good but you smashed it and your part in particular was so great". Dk seemed surprised at your comment but had a huge smile on his face so it must've been a good surprise. "Thanks, can you believe that was the only time I got all the way through it without messing up?". You smiled "I can but only because that was such a complicated piece of choreography! I'd be the same". Dk shook his head "nah you're an amazing dancer, you can nail anything". You shrugged "maybe but it takes me ages to learn the steps. Seriously well done". Dk grinned but before he could say more the bartender came. You realised you hadn't decided what you wanted and neither had Dk so the bartender said she'd come back. You finally decided on a drink and saw Dk watching you. You put your menu down to show him you were done and Dk turned back to you "your stage was really good tonight too! Well done on the win I've been singing Emerald none stop for weeks". "Really?" you asked pleased he liked your latest comeback song. He nodded "I've tried the raps too but I butcher them every time". "I doubt that!" you chuckled and he shook his head "do you want proof?". You nodded "yes please" and in true extrovert social butterfly fashion he began rapping to you. It was hilarious and he stopped only seconds in after he messed it all up. "See!" he told you and you smiled laughing softly "I liked it". "Huh maybe I'm in the wrong group" Dk commented and you laughed even harder "maybe you are". The bartender came back and finally you were both ready to order. You chatted while she made them and by the time you got your drinks neither one of you went to move. "No idea where my members have gone" Dk sighed and you smirked. You could see Mingyu easily at the other end of the room but didn't want him to go either. "Bummer, how about we stay around here and this way you'll see if any of them come to the bar?". Dk nodded "okay" and you stayed talking. After a few minutes of awkwardly talking in front of the bar Dk suggested you sit down and so you did. You took a small table near the side and ordered some more drinks when you both finished your first ones. You tried to play it cool but inside your heart was hammering and you weren't the only one freaking out.   Your members all spotted you and gaped. You'd never been interested in any other idols before but here you were with Dk of all people! You'd never told them about your crush so they were well and truly blind-sighted but very excited. When DK went to order some more drinks they came over. "Hey what's going on?" they asked. In response you shrugged "nothing, just chatting to Dk". "Wait but I thought you and Mingyu had a thing?" one of your members asked. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes "I've never had a proper conversation with the guy and haven't ever expressed an interest in him". The member got your tone and backed down "okay so you don't like Mingyu...but Dk?". You blushed and the members all made a noise. "Shhhh he'll hear you! Now go before you blow my shot!". "Aww sweetie the way he's looking at you, there's no way you're going to lose tonight" your eldest member commented turning you bright red. Finally, they left you alone and Dk came back. "So where were we?" he asked. You smiled "you were telling me about your sister?". Dk nodded "ahh of course! I could talk about her all day" and began another story. You smiled finding it adorable how much he loved his mother and sister, you were pretty much a goner now. Dk's members were similarly perplexed "wait is that Dk with Y/n?" Joshua asked spotting him at a table. "No it can't be" Woozii replied but Jun shook his head "no it's him! They're sat together!". Everyone pressed forward and gasped as they realised it was true. "Wow Dk stole your girl Mingyu!" Scoups called and Mingyu rolled his eyes "she's not my girl! I've never even spoken to her". "Well it's too late cus Dk has swooped in" Dino joked. The guys all laughed before re-focusing on you. "I had no idea they even knew each other" Jeonghan thought aloud and Seungkwan nodded "me neither". Wonwoo shrugged "maybe they kept it quiet?". "I'm not buying that, it's Dk" Scoups replied and when your members walked by he called out to one of them he knew "hey Autumn, what's going on over there?". "With Dk and Y/n?" she asked smiling "you tell me, it's all news to us". "So this just happened tonight?" Jeonghan asked "out of nowhere". Your members shrugged "apparently so but they're both blushing like crazy so I guess they've liked each other from afar for a while". "Of course Dk's blushing he's chatting to a girl way out of his league!" Hoshi cried and half the members laughed, the other half shushed him. "Cool, let us know if you learn anything else" Scoups told Autumn and she nodded "same for you" and walked away. Scoups turned back to the members "it looks like Dk just has better game than every single one of you!". Meanwhile, you and DK just kept chatting obliviously. You talked about everything and anything and Dk was so shocked for several reasons. Firstly he'd completely got you wrong. Like lots of people, he assumed you were cool and cold but you were so bubbly and friendly! Secondly, he had no idea why he was here. You were being nice to him and flirting with him but didn't you know he was so out of your league? He thought maybe it was a prank or you were trying to make an ex-boyfriend jealous but when nobody yelled surprise and he didn't get punched in the face he figured you must like him or something. Thirdly he was getting on really well with you. Dk was an extrovert so he could talk the ear off anyone but with you it felt like a real connection. You were listening to him and clicking. You had so many shared interests and Dk felt like he was dreaming. This was the sort of thing that happened in his best dreams not in real life. 2 hours later his members came over to tell him they were leaving. You had no idea how fast the time had gone and he said goodbye to them all in high spirits. Some of them were not so subtle in their teasing of DK but the way he just went bright pink made you find him even more endearing. After they left you asked Dk if he wanted to leave with them. He told you it was fine and so you kept talking. When your members were leaving you did have to go with them so the night had to end. Dk totally understood and even walked you to the car. "How are you going to get home though?" you asked and he smiled "I'll be fine! I'll get a taxi or walk". You frowned "how about we just give you a lift?". DK protested but the girls all insisted it was fine so Dk found himself climbing into your car. Dk's place was closer so you drove there first and hopped out with him to say goodbye. "So tonight was really fun" Dk told you and you nodded "I agree I had a really good time, I'm glad I started talking to you at the bar". "Me too" Dk smiled and he paused wondering if he should give you his number or not. As if reading his mind you smiled "here" and handed him a card "it's my number, if you want to do this again some time or something?". Dk beamed "yeah I'd love to! I'll call you tomorrow and we can set something up". "It's a date" you smiled and Dk made a weird noise of agreement before going bright red. You chuckled watching him "well I should go, goodnight Dk". "Goodnight Y/n" he called and waved as you drove away. When you'd gone he cheered out loud and skipped up the garden path. As soon as DK walked through his front door he was mobbed. His member's dove on him and began firing questions at him. "What on earth happened?" Vernon asked and Dk shook his head in disbelief "I honestly don't know! We were at the bar and she just started talking to me". "She started talking to you?" Woozi asked and Dk nodded "yeah she initiated it. I thought I was being pranked but nobody punched me so I guess she wants to be my friend". Joshua smiled "DK she spent all night laughing and smiling at you, I think it might be more than that". Dk blushed "really? Because she did give me her number just now" and everyone erupted. "Let me see it" Jeonghan cried grabbing it and then they all started cheering again when they realised it was true. Dk cheered along with them so happy and caught up in it he forgot to get the card back. He woke up the next morning groggy and made his way downstairs. "Look who it is" Jun called and The8 smiled "Romeo himself". Dk blushed and accepted all their teasing because he was just so happy. It didn't occur to him how he was going to call you, just that he would. He began prepping with the guys what to say and where you should go on your official date. When they'd finally drafted out a message it was time to send it. "Okay you ready?" Joshua asked tossing DK his phone and he nodded "yep! Wish me luck" and went into his room. Then he remembered the card, he came back out "I left her number in the kitchen". The members all groaned but followed him to help him find it. "Where did you leave it?" Wonwoo asked and DK frowned "I'm not sure...but I definitely had it when I showed you all last night". Jeonghan groaned "you lost it?". "No it's got to be here somewhere let's just look" The8 interjected and everyone began to search. 20 minutes later everyone accepted that it just must be gone. Mingyu got the blame for cleaning up this morning and Scoups claimed it was because he was jealous to tease him. "Did you tell her you were going to  call today or that you were going to call?" Joshua asked. DK frowned "what's the difference?". "One is a promise the other is casual" Joshua explained. DK winced "and I'm guessing it's bad to break a promise right?". Everyone groaned when Hoshi got an idea "wait Scoups you know their leader!". Scoups nodded "yeah so?". "So text her and ask for Y/n's number". Scoups nodded "good plan but I don't have Autumn's number, we're acquaintances not text buddies". Jeonghan frowned "well one of us must have one of her member's numbers right? Everyone check". All 13 members searched their phone but none of them had any of your member's numbers. "13 people and none of us have even got one of their numbers!" Jeonghan cried "I'm ashamed of all of you". DK sighed "what am I going to do? Y/n's going to think I'm blowing her off". "You could message her on Instagram" Seungkwan suggested but Mingyu shook his head "she doesn't have Instagram". Everyone looked at him and he sighed "ow come on, if everyone shipped you with another person you'd search them up right?". The members all shrugged and DK sighed "I'm doomed! The girl of my dreams talks to me and Jeonghan ruins it". "What do you mean me?" Jeonghan cried and DK turned to him "you were the one who took it from me! It's lost because of you". "Hey calm down!" Scoups called "we'll sort this out okay, everyone message someone you think might know Y/n, or know someone she knows. Between the 13 of us we've got to know someone who can get a message to her". Everyone nodded and got to work. "I'm sorry okay" Jeonghan said stiffly siding up next to Dk "I thought I gave it you back but I might not have". Dk shrugged "it's okay". "Well find her number" Jeonghan promised. Meanwhile, Yyu were obliviously working, with no idea what chaos was going on in the Seventeen household. You had a really good dance practice and were getting ready for a photo shoot when one of your members found something weird. "Hey Y/n?" your maknae called. You nodded and she frowned "can I let Wheein give your number to Vernon so he can give it to Dk?". You paused "what?". "So Wheein just text me telling me Vernon asked if she had your number because Dk wants to contact you but he lost your number". You chuckled "so what he's just been getting his members to text people asking if they have my number". "I guess" your member laughed "what should I tell her?". You smiled "give her my number to give to Vernon to give to Dk. This is gonna be an interesting conversation". "I've got it!" Vernon cried charging into the living room. Vernon was not usually loud so everyone froze in shock and then got it. They all exploded cheering and Seungwan soon started a chant for him. "How did you do it?" The8 asked. "Okay so I messaged Wheein cus I know they performed together once and she didn't have it but she had her maknae's number so she texted her, who asked Y/n, who then let her send it to Wheein, who sent it to me!". Dk blinked "I don't really get it but thank you!". They all celebrated for a bit longer before getting tired.  "Okay okay now give him the number before anything else happens" Scoups cried. Vernon passed Dk his phone and he saved it He grinned and pressed new message before he paused. "What's wrong?" Joshua asked and Dk frowned "well my message has to change now. I have to say something about losing her number and asking so many people for it...what if she thinks I'm creepy or coming on too strong?". "Ow come on she wouldn't have given Vernon your number is she thought that" Seungkwan pointed out. Jeonghan nodded "yeah I'd anything that'll be a funny ice breaker. Start with a casual message now". "Saying what?". "Hey it's Dk. Can't believe I lost the card with your number on but glad I tracked you down?" Joshua suggested. Scoups nodded "yeah and play up the clumsy mess like "only I could lose your number the night I get it". Dk nodded okay how about "hey this is Dk. I've finally got your number saved and I screenshot it so there no way I'll lose it again. Only I could lose your card the night I got it! Thank your maknae Ae-Cha for giving it to Wheein for me please?". Everyone nodded "that's good!" Joshua grinned "you're a natural". "Yeah send it" The8 smiled and Dk nodded. He pressed the button and then dove onto the sofa burying his head in a cushion. On your break in the photo shoot you saw the light flashing on your phone and clicked it. You smiled to see the message. You grinned and picked up your phone "glad you tracked it down too. Why do I get the feeling this sort of chaos is normal for you?". Dk replied quickly "hah yeah sometimes these things just seem to happen to me. How's your day been?". You smiled "just finished a 3-hour shoot (that's why I took so long to reply). How's your day been?". The two you kept texting all evening and into the night. "I have to get up early tomorrow so I'm going to bed now” you told him. There was a pause and then Dk replied "okay no worries but before you go I wanted to ask if you'd like to meet up with me sometime? To go on that date?". You smiled and quickly typed back your love to go out with him with your availability. 

Dk woke up all the guys in the house to tell them he had a date with you.

_________

This will be a two part series and you can read part two HERE

I love the opposites attract trope so much! Especially when it’s powerful scary girl and ball of sunshine wouldn’t hurt a fly guy. It’s just so wholesome and sweet!

Also I know Dk is “technically” an introvert but I don’t buy that for one second, he’s at least an ambivert!

[skzstoryvault]

Into the Earth (Hyunjin, this part just weird :P)

Hyunjin x f!reader

multi-chapter fic

AU

happens a few years in the future

Hyunjin is in his post-idol era. Working as an artist and fashion icon.

Warnings: mentions of scamming, dishonesty, abusive people and various kinds of abuse, parasites (and not the Bong Joon Ho clever kind), misogyny (but not Hyunjin!), ageism. Nudity (Hyunjin). More to be added with later chapters.

Hyunjin gets himself injured, but this just brings him closer to you

This is in no way meant as a commentary on the real persons depicted here. They all deserve the world.

Please be kind.

Please do not report this post. If it's not your thing, just scroll away.

If you're underage, please scroll on, there is nothing for you here.

If you enjoy this story and are reading along, I would love to hear your comments in the replies, reblogs or DMs - however you feel most comfortable.

Like I mentioned, this story is finished, but I will slightly change its course based on the way the chapters are received.

Story title is inspired by a Lorna Shore song

Part 6

Part 7 - Not today

It’s harvest season for the late mangoes and Hyunjin loves being outside, picking the fragrant fruit. He thinks the shape of the mangoes as he plucks them feels a bit like boobs might feel in his hands, and he tells himself to just cradle them gently and not squeeze like his intrusive thoughts are telling him to.

His mind slips away as his body performs the repetitive task of plucking the fruits from their branches and laying them into the basket he is using. From his spot, he can see you working a bit further away, your large sun hat protecting you from the day’s sun and hiding your features. It makes Hyunjin wonder why he’s so drawn to you - women usually either intimidate or bore him and his instinct is to keep his distance, but you caught his eye ever since he came here. 

Usually, he knows he is at an advantage and that men and women alike want him without any effort on his part, but you? He cannot read you and, boss thing aside - his coworkers and you yourself told him that is not a problem here since his employment at the farm doesn’t affect his overall situation. So, if you wanted to, he would be fair game and you’d go after him. But you don’t. And he wonders… why not? Especially since you’ve seen at least part of his performances as an idol… he remembers how much the whole world seemed to crave him back in the day. He remembers what it was like to play a little game with make-up noonas, journalists, other celebrities who came to fawn over him and how he used to get a kick out of it, taunting them just a little bit for their very obvious weakness for him. But that meant that he only got to be his normal, goofy self with his closest friends, the members and his parents. Which in turn meant that he did not get to actually be the player he thought himself to be. As Chan reassured him once, it was okay to want to feel safe first and only then allow himself to indulge in the perks of idol life.

You’re still there, now having called the truck close and inspecting the crates of product that get loaded onto it while Kree films you, most likely for the farm’s social media channels. You don’t seem to be stressed to be on camera at all, and you slipped into social media mode seamlessly, without putting on make up or opening your headwrap and letting your hair loose. It’s like you don’t care if the world thinks you’re not pretty. And Hyunjin finds that so powerful, he stands there for long minutes, watching with his head completely empty, even of blood. In the second part of the day, when everyone else is having their siesta after their lunch, Hyunjin decides to get back on the ladder to finish this one tree he’s been working on all day. He is humming a little tune under his breath, feeling carefree and happy, standing up on the ladder to reach even the highest set fruits, and being so in the zone, he forgets himself a bit too much. The ladder is not on flat ground and Hyunjin’s foot slips on the wood the next time he moves. He loses his balance and falls from that height, getting scratched by the branches on his way down. The impact is harsh and he feels it full on as he lands on his side, barely bracing himself with his hands, but at least the ladder did not fall with him, otherwise that would have meant one or two broken legs, something he cannot afford right now. “Hyune! Oh my God!” He hears your voice before you run over to him. Where did you come from? He didn’t see you in the orchard when he got here, he thought you were napping like the others. “Are you okay?!” Where the fuck did you simply materialise from? “Yeah, I’m fine, I think, just a bit sore. I’m sorry I fell.” Hyunjin says, sitting up and dusting some leaves and grass off of himself. “Just a little banged up, but it’s all good. I was stupid.” 

“You were!!! You could have died!” You say, frantic. You’re not upset with him, just scared that he really is hurt more seriously, but cannot tell right now because maybe a state of shock set in. “I am taking you to the doctor!” “It’s no need, for two scratches and one bruise,” Hyunjin says. “I’ve had much worse when I was dancing.” “No arguing. You’re being seen by a doctor. And you have to rest after!” 

Hyunjin does feel sore all over, but especially in the side he fell on. However, he is happy he did not break his legs so that eclipses his current suffering in his eyes. “Your car seats are so comfy. I might nap now.” He says, eyelids drooping shut. “No you don’t. Stay with me. It’s not far.” You say. You cannot manoeuvre an unconscious man on your own if he passes out now. 

At the clinic, Hyunjin loses his courage when faced with the receptionist’s barrage of patient intake questions. “Please, help me? And come inside with me, I don’t know enough Spanish to go alone.” He pleads. “Of course. If you don’t mind my being there while you get checked.” “I don’t! Why would I?” He asks. When he gets called in and you stand up with him, he takes your hand. In the past he’s always gone to the doctor alone, but he didn’t like that. And now he leans into your compassion a bit, banking on it to get his way. Also, he feels kind of giddy at the thought of him being checked over and you getting to oversee that. He wonders if you’ll care.

He has to insist for you to be allowed in with him, because the medical staff takes data safety and privacy really seriously. You are first blown away by how he imposes his will over the entire clinic team, and do not even have to recover from that when Hyunjin strips out of his clothes, ready to drop his briefs too. “Ah! That’ll do! Please remain decent.” The doctor, an older woman, says with audible dread in her voice. “Let’s see. There is extensive bruising, and that’s going to hurt for a week or two. The spine and ribs are fine. But the leg has to be x-rayed, it might be a fracture with displacement and the knee joint may have been affected as well. How long has it been since your last x-ray, sir?” You translate everything for Hyunjin, and he tells you he’s had an x-ray of his jaw done in 2024. 

The doctor, upon hearing this, deems him clear for a lower body x-ray. “I’ll be right outside, okay?” You tell him, while he waits in the imaging room. 

You’re worried, genuinely worried that his leg might cause his dancing career to end firmly, independent from whether he is ready to close that chapter in his life or not. So you watch, wringing your hands powerlessly, as Hyunjin is x-rayed and a nurse tells him to sit in a wheelchair so she can bring him back to the doctor’s office. This mere fact, while most likely just procedure, sends cold shivers down your spine. But, as the doctor reads the x-ray, Hyunjin’s leg is fine, and so is the knee. The shock will however manifest over a few days’ time, via bruising in the soft tissue and swelling in the knee. Hyunjin is told not to exert himself and to not do what got him into this state for at least two weeks. “I can’t be dead weight for so long!!!” Hyunjin protests. “There is so much to do, still!” “The rest of us can gather the fruit. You can help with packaging, that doesn’t require climbing and stretching, okay? You’re an extremely valuable person to everyone you’ve left behind in Paris and… and I’ve gotten attached to you too and, regardless of liability and all that, I want you to not be in pain and heal sooner, rather than later.” Hyunjin watches you, his gaze travelling lazily across all of you, like a caress, and he blinks slowly at you. “Do you love me? Just a little bit? Come on. Give it up.” He says. “Don’t get too cheeky.” You say, scritching the top of his head, ruffling his hair. “You’re lucky you’re so endearing. But I’m not afraid to say it. Of course I love you. Everyone in the farm fam loves you. It’s inevitable - like Thanos.” “I feel it.” Hyunjin admits. “Everyone is so nice and ready to help.” “You’re still forbidden from climbing trees, ladder or not. Until I say so.” You sternly tell him, unable to hold back the smile. “Alright, jefa. I’m yours to command.” He says, smiling so widely his eyes turn into mere lines on his face.

“I suspect you enjoy that.” You say. “Cheeky.” ***

After you drive him back to the farm and he gets some food in him, Hyunjin goes to take a bath in the big bathroom that’s on your floor, letting himself soak in the hot water and closing his eyes. It’s like life slowed down and is not headed somewhere unpredictable at a dizzying speed. Soon it’ll be the end of the farming year and everyone will return home. Home. Something he does not have. He has an address and a (very luxurious) roof over his head. When he thinks of returning there- His fridge is empty, except for the wine drawer. His apartment is cold, dark, the bedsheets are crumpled on the unmade bed, his many designer clothes lie scattered on the floor of the walk-in closet and his devices are piled in a cable chaos in front of the tv wall. His cleaning lady will have come to clean as usual, but Hyunjin knows he left his place a mess because he couldn’t make himself care. Now, in hindsight, he realises he was on the receiving end of that apathy all along. Another form of violence he casually perpetrates against himself for the crime of having become lost.

Working for you, here, taught him how to organise things, how to make time to get off his ass even when he doesn’t feel like it. It’s as though you gave him a spark back that he didn’t notice losing. He now gets up before dawn, on his own, looking forward to meet everyone else downstairs for breakfast - even on days when he’s the one cooking breakfast. He now doesn’t mind the many new freckles adorning his upper body and arms from being in the sun longer than usually. He now has no hang ups about joining in and singing when someone else starts humming a song while working, even when he doesn’t know the lyrics.

The chamomile smell of the bath foam he found on the edge of the tub is so warm and comforting, it makes the pain and exhaustion from earlier seep out of his body and he relaxes all the way, not minding if he takes a short nap in the warm water until it cools. But his body has other ideas and his hands drift down below the water surface and between his legs. He distantly realises he hasn’t touched himself, not even in that hurried, mindless way he used to just to take the edge off, since he flew to Spain.

The last time was that morning, still mostly asleep, under the shower spray, trying to destress ahead of the journey into what was, back then, unknown and threatening. Part 8

[siren-sashimi]

Hemimetabolism [HC scenario; Marquis Vincent de Gramont x ballerina!reader]

Contents and warnings: female presenting reader, work place pressure (highly competitive work environment) , Reader has self loathing thoughts, instances of stalking, allusions to exploitation, power plays, intimidation, very long outline…

[Based on an anonymous prompt; HCs on their beginnings] Don't forget, you're working in the arts. Talent alone isn't going to save you a safe spot in life. Patronages in ballet aren't rare, you've to dance every part perfectly, smile at the sponsors, no finger shall be moved the wrong way, never badmouth anyone in your company, your mentor knows you dance your part perfectly yet dance it again and again and again and again to perfection, don't fall off the rails, don't show your exhaustion, don't let anyone hear your crying, perform always towards anyone in excellence.

♦ You know you're good, you wouldn't have been invited for a season to Rome. For nothing but the constant demand, constant scheming for the best part, pressure by patrons, by the artistic director, by the instructor, and by company members, be it for the pettiest reasons, leaves your self confidence raw and frail, tiptoeing the line between a the proverbial stiff upper lip and a breakdown. While everyone around you, including yourself doesn't show any of it.

In addition, patronages are the actual stepping stones for someone's career - someone might be influential enough against the director's will, maybe someone's the choreographer's old classmate . Most hope that whoever throws an eye on them isn't this unpleasant of a person, perhaps someone highty-tighty about arts but not about their protegée's body. And if... maybe they're not too violent, their touches not too unbearable.

♦ New play for the season: "Sylvia". Since you're new, you become a dryad. And the costume-department has some lovely ideas creating  dresses for each tree a dryad could be. Not overwhelming but you made it as part of well-regarded company, you have a visible part, you can work up and up each season. Still, only a dryad as a guest... You surely hadn't put it all in your performance? What could you've done more? Surely, there was something you missed, to focused on your own steps that you didn't lay your eyes on the actual  main characters, how well they master their technique… Maybe the excitement over the invitation into a renominated position had you blinded for everything else. You hadn't been attentive enough, you hadn't been good enough for another role.

♦All company members are asked to attend the season opening party (and of course, training next day starts at 8 am sharp!). An opportunity to garner the favours of sponsors and patrons of the theater, maybe gain some yourself. As ambitious as you feel, you hope a simple dryad will be too uninteresting to make an easy prey.

♦ Tough luck, some guy is extremely interested in picking wall flowers. He seems important enough that people talk to him, a quick chance for you To slip through the cracks. Yet he moves progressively closer to you through the crowd to the point he begins to end conversation with a smile that's straining more and more. Polite save distance isn't safe anymore. You begin to slowly but surely try to move towards the upper bathroom. Are these steps other guests who need to use the facility or...? In increasing panic, you rush past the door and run up even more stairs. Rushing down the dark hallway you almost collide into a large figure. He tells you that you shouldn't be here, why are even here?

♦ The place you planned to become your escape is now guarded by this tall men who seems ready to attack you at any wrong move. "Chidi!" an authoritative voice calls upon the man. The tall man steps away from you, only one step, his gaze still fixed on you. Next to him, behind the door of the balcony area of the building steps another tall man. His clothes are of finest quality as well as way too fancy even for an season opening event at classic arts.

Something in your distressed look, your eyes constantly twitching to the banister you can't see behind you, to check if the creep from downstairs is following you must've told the well-dressed man something. "Rather scared and lost. Leave her be." he tells the one called Chidi. "Um... I am sorry, I didn't want to interrupt." Whatever you could've interrupted anyway "I just wish to go upstairs." "To do what?" Chidi snides in. "I..." you look back "Just a rest, the party got quiet too crowded." Chidi looks unimpressed yet the other shrugs, and waves vaguely behind him. You're allowed to pass.

♦ It is only at the top at the stairwell of the 4th floor, you hear Chidi and the other man again, at least you recognize their voices. These voices arguing with the one of the down-stairs creep. But within minutes the minutes end - all you hear is a dull sound and a wail which quickly ends. What on earth happened? Should you go or not? That didn't sound good although... if that creep won. You retreat into the shadows, deeper into the hallway. At one point, no idea how much time passed, the night is getting too cold, you need at least some slight hours of sleep for the next day. Passing the hallway none, nothing is to be seen. The catering staff is cleaning up the buffet and decorations.

♦ Training starts, one of faunes is already rumoured to have gained himself a sugar daddy, if Orion falters, the faun might become the hunter soon. You are only relieved, your company will stay in their own circles. Even on a night out, you surely won't meet anyone who has any say or money in casting. No consequences, you're not asked to change position so whatever happened at the opening party, you were lucky this time. Only during last rehearsal before the day of first costume fit, your choreographer urges you to actual excellence, you will dance in front of one of the most esteemed patrons. They freed some of their time to pay an extra visit, so shine! A performance during which everyone is nervous, your choreographer's voice harder. Only in the distance, somewhere at the upper balcony all of you can only muster out the dark silhouettes of someone sitting in the chair, other people standing around them.

♦ Next day is first fitting day. Diana is clad in the palest silver, wearing a wreath of stars, on the center a sickle moon. All the dryads wearing bodies in the colour of the stem of their tree, yet the tights are appliqued with the ornaments of these trees, the headwears even have fake leaves. But when you ask for your costume, the seamstress is a bit at loss explaining that yours will need to wait. Here you are, all your fellow dancers transforming into mystic spirits and characters of old tales, whereas all your wear are your regular training attire, colourless, simple. Maybe you had made a big mistake at the party. A detrimental mistake even. ♦ Even the next day your mind is clouded. If these aren't thunder clouds wearing your head down. That is until the seamstress catches you before the changing room. You will be the spirit of a birch tree. Your costume is white except your skirt and sleeves are dyed black on the hems, white tights painting with black marks, gold and green leaves sewn on all over. You're the only dryad with a golden wreath. Maybe you shouldn't feel like a gleeful five year old. You're only a side character, a decorative dancer but the thought how magical you look… your movements feel much livelier. Even back in regular training attire… something magical blooms in you.

♦ This weird giddiness still lingers through all the rehearsals up to the premier. Your entire body is fluttering and floating like a birch's leave in the wind. As if someone saw you and figured your style would come out best in the character of a birch dryad. Dancing like this comes so easy to you, you almost forget that you're just a side character. Of course when you see Sylvia dance, it is as if her body was a petal in the wind, Diana's movement swift, effortless whereas even the lift of her little finger demands all attention on stage, you think that you maybe be a happy tree but in the end you are tree on stage.

♦ For the evening of the dress rehearsal the theater has good news: As little appetizer, the patreons of the theater organized a little meeting with champagne and snacks. They even somehow booked the Villa Borghese. All of your nerves are too tense to actually care much about the idea of party. And what if you meet that creep from last time? At least everyone would be lenient on you excusing yourself early, all of you would understand needing a rest. But when you arrive there, only the entrance area being lit for a get-together, dancers and instructors small talking in pleasantries, the man from last time was nowhere to be seen. In the evening's twilight, slowly drifting away from the crowd you finally have time to actually view some art in Rome, in peace, only far off voices, no crowd of tourists… Admiring the great Titian, and Caravaggio for yourself.

♦Of course, so many Bernini's, so, so many. One you know from previous art references of aestheticized pictures of the Internet. The beautiful Appollon hunting after the despairing Daphne. The physicality, Daphne's agony immediately understandable. Having the time and silence to study the statue you perhaps got you so lost in it, you only resurface after you become aware of another person's presence next to you.

♦ He stands perfectly still, hand in his left pocket. Perhaps that perfect poise and silent movements hid his presence for a while. Otherwise he's hard to overlook. Definitely taller than many men, an aura at ease as only someone untouchable, so powerful is (almost like Diana of stage), and that suit… "Oh, it is you…!" you remember loudly from the last party. Still studying Bernini's work, he lightly tilts his head, giving at best a small hum. Then he turns his head towards you. "So you remembered?" That comment tucks at the corners of your mouth. "You're not easy to forget, Signore. Your style alone…" No reaction from his side. Due the difference in  height he of course has to look down to you. Yet… perhaps it's just the natural form of his big eyes, the way eyes in lighter colours pronounce the pupil. It feels like being watched. You quickly try correct and impoliteness. After all he… "You saved me that night. That's hard to forget." "Hmm" he shifts ever so slightly "how so?" Carefully you eye him. "Perhaps I was a bit speculating but the last things I heard were your voices and-" that uncomfortable sound of a body hit, perhaps a cracked nose "he was gone." This man's nose looked intact. "Perhaps there's also thanks due to your… companion, the one in the grey suit." Whatever you said seems to amuse your saviour. He huff, his grin showing his teeth. "Well" he says "It's been a long time since I wasted fists on an cretin like him. It was worth it." What has been worth it? You tense. Perhaps you were too alerted by the nightmare idea of having to crawl at a patron's feet but suddenly you become aware of the man in front of you. Both of you are too far away to hear any other voice from the party. He was practically towering over you, hands large, strong enough to break a nose with one hit… His attire, his hair, his cologne reeked of wealth. Good grief, he was part of the group that could book out the Villa Borghese for a private event.

"Such philistines wouldn't even recognize art if it would scream at them. They only throw money at the idea of titillation. And I've to share my sparse time at the same meetings with these swines." In his monologue your breath became more even. Just a bit intimidating looking bohemian, wasn't he? Suddenly his eyes snap back at you. "Don't you think a thanks is appropriate to the one who saved your skin? I even sullied my hand hitting him" Don't flinch! you remain to yourself, doing your best to overhear your mind screaming at you to run. Have you ever had paid attention how broad his shoulders are? How even these so well cut suits betray a strong physique?  If you play any game you can only loose. "Thank you." you decide to reply. Simply, that's all. ♦ A smirk carves into his face. A silent prayer passes through your mind when you see this, a litany begins when he bows down to you. "No, no, that won't do." Large green eyes fixing on yours. Internally you check all the technique you've ingrained in yourself, breathing calm enough, posture not too tense - if only no fear creeps upwards your eyes.

Not too close, but close enough to smell his subtle perfume, refreshing, dark, like a forest, so elegant. "I would say you owe me some damn good performance. Your effort for mine, sounds like a fair exchange, wouldn't you say?".

His smile looks satisfied, less directed to you. He leaves you standing there, leaves you confused. Is your patron - with these words he is, right?- just a chivalrous peacock or a patient wolf?

♦ The premiere is met by roaring applause! The titular Sylvia isn't only loved by Amintas, the audiences adores her too. At the last step, all of you fauns, nymphs, Artemis herself, beholding Sylvia's happy end, all you can think how grandiose the first dancer was. At the thought how good you have to get to reach any glory of hers, your toes ache beyond the exhaustion of the evening.

♦ It's party time announcement! While the faun, lead by Sylvia's dancer are popping open their first champagne, the adrenaline rushing as much as the bubbles in the flutes. Maybe you would've celebrated too but after the curtain fell, tiredness struck heavy on you. You don't know why. You dance's impeccably but only as much as a dryad can… Did you do your best performance. And compared to the greatness of the lead dancers…

Trying to sneak away you bump into something heavy. Trying to figure out whatever this object is you recognize that it was the familiar frame of someone you already had bumped into. Chidi… hadn't that been his name? "Would you be so kind to accept the Marquis' invitation?" he tells you, ignoring you just trudged on his polished leather shoes. "Who…. You mean your…" in what relation did they even stand to each other? And what Marquis? "You mean the… sharply dressed companion of yours?"

"The Marquis yes. So what do you say to dinner?"

"Just dinner?" The way Chidi doesn't bat an eyelash nor moves any muscle makes you wonder if he ever danced too with his composure. Yet offers you a small kindness: "The dining place isn't exactly what I would call discreet. If you please, Miss, the Marquis isn't patient."

♦ With only the most flashy parts of your stage makeup hastily wiped off, and off-stage clothes which look drab and tired even against Chidi's impeccable grey uniform, you're escorted to a louder part of the inner city of Rome. The place is well packed for a Friday, definitely more quaint than chique. Chidi and you are greeted by a quiet yet friendly waiter, led to a room behind a curtain. In it, a door's open to a much more quiet backyard.

The Marquis, it is him, the man from the parties, is dressed in champagne white, more befititng a visit to the opera than this (albeit cozy) place. Leaned against the back of his chair, eyes following one of Rome's cats, balancing on the walls of the backyard. At Chidi's announcement he gives you polite smile.

♦ You're served fried artichokes. (Chidi is relegated to a table behind the curtain, presumably designated to dine on his own.) In spite of the tiredness seeping into your bones, the bewilderment of whatever goes in, the smell so rich, savoury, the sweet bitterness of the artichoke… At your host announcing: "Bon appetit, you worked for it." only your manners save you from wolfing it down. The melange of  and the smoky after taste, rich golden taste of oil, turning the bitterness sweet is nothing you've tasted before, a sensation so gladdening it washes over your thrumming nerves. Looking up, you see your host smiling, again. You can't read it. "It's good" you initiate the conversation "it really is. It was kind of you to invite me here. Thank you." "It's nothing chique yet I remember it from my first travel to Rome. Even in better establishments nothing comes close to this."

♦Surprisingly, the conversation flows easily. Your nebulous host introduces himself as Marquis Vincent de Gramont, he's from France (he's fine with English, if you want to drop the Italian you meticulously put together for this season). Although such mentions make you almost drop your fork, he easily smoothes from such grand revelations to talk about your play. Apparently he's a patron of the Opera in Rome, indeed he's very fond of ballet. Asks how you came to balett. Actually the conversation is so lovely, you almost forget your first meeting, his title. But after the dessert plates are taken away (Chestnut tartellette), he stands up and offers you his arm, it all comes back. "Walk with me." Hesitance from… precaution? Nervosity from the attention from such a vibrant man (and what all that could mean…)?

The pause has been too long to appear as courteous. Without looking into Monsieur de Gramont's eyes your threat your hands around his elbow, leaving the now empty restaurant, Chidi following you in some meters of distance. ♦ Outside, Roman night life is as vivid as it can be on a Weekend, although calm enough that you can be unbothered. Vincent walks comfortably whereas you… don't know where you're going. "Monsieur…!" you speak up out of a sudden before suspicion morphs into panicked fear "why…" The deep orange light of the street life cuts a sharp profile of the Marquis' face, even in the dark his eyes are clear enough about to flit… in the profile you see one eye slowly, almost lazily slide towards the direction of the tense figure on his arm. "What is it?" "Why are you doing… why are you so nice to me?" Now he pulls his arm out of your hold, stands up before you, looking down to you. So, so many people pass loudly talking, laughing, arguing over the cobbled streets, the two of you could as well stand in the silent. Next to you only the silent, immovable marble, Daphne's face contorted in metamorphosis and despair.

"Why can't I be nice to you?" "May I be frank?" "I doubt anything you say make me even quiver. But if you need, I'll permit it."

"None in a position such as yours…" (if there's anyone else who could ever be in a higher position, if there was anyone ever like this man, you just know it by the richness of his clothes, by the day he still moves as if he was invisible for those who shouldn't see him) "Any patronage, be it art for art's sake, isn't out benevolence. They demand at least a good piece of art in exchange. At least…" you stress "And you… well, see where you got us. What you wear, what you make possible. In all frankness, if your ever were to ever ask anything of me, there's no chance I could refuse. You probably know it by instinct. And I'm afraid your words make such a probability become fact." "Please don't take it as an accusation of your character, this world I move in works on unspoken rules." you add quickly. Have you gone too far? Probably he would only need to lift his pinkie of the left hand and you could forget even having a silent role in a local theater production.

♦ Indeed he huffs, shakes his head. "Well, I wasn't wrong about you. Indeed I want to bring you to a hotel room, if you would be so kind to follow me." Once again for this evening he offers you his arm. In your eyes it has the same outlines of a noose. By the unspoken rules of the world to literally tip toe in… you have to tie it around your neck. For a while you two (Chidi somewhere behind) walk in silence, your stomach churning. The food was too good to turn sour in your mouth. Your thoughts are racing. Sure, he's handsome, and could move heaven and earth with no effort, he reeks of money. But what would you need to do for him? Men this handsome and rich are the least suspected (if anything could ever reach such a man). For some patrons already having a dancer on their whim was an ideal board of powerplay… sex just one that gratified ego and sexual urges. Maybe a slither of hope is that the Marquis' this rich that you would be a quick past time. "You know the story of the nymph Echo?" His questions tears you out of the current of your racing thoughts.

♦ Quickly you roam through your mind. "Wasn't that the story with Narcissus?" "Indeed. And?" "Um… she… was cursed to repeat the last words that could be spoken to her. Narcissus wouldn't have her any way, he… I don't know if I remember it correctly, either he thought of her as stupid as she only repeated his words or he already was in love with his own reflection. "Do you know what happened to her." "I only know that he drowned himself." You two stepped into the hallway of a baroque hotel, only by passing you noticed a small plaque naming it "il Continentale". While recounting this story, the Marquis lead you up a spiral staircase. Why wouldn't he take an elevator? The far rings of elevators were to be heard in the lobby. "Echo", the Marquis continued "was so humiliated, she retreated into a cave, didn't eat, didn't drink, he bones turned to stone. But nymphs are, in a way, immortal. He voice remained. "The arm you held pulled you down a carpet laid out hallway. "You know the other way Echo died?" She would die once again? You could only shake our head. Room numbers, there were so few rooms, they passed into a blur. 21, 22… there, there it was a bight door. Even the pristine white paint couldn't elevate how heavy the wood must be. "The god Pan was in love with her, she didn't. In fury of her refusal of him he tore her apart, threw all he parts between the mountains. There they ghost around, still resounding from the rock faces. Now you two stood facing the door. No taste in mouth, no feeling in any of your usually so sharp limbs. Your palms felt under the rich material of your patron how hard the Marquis' arm muscles were. He has told you all this like he talked about the weather forecast. Hadn't looked at you but opened the door. You sprung to run the other way. In the hallway, a forecast shadow, in the middle of it all stood Chidi. "Come on in." the Marquis called you. "we don't have all night." If Echo's last remains was only her voice, you dearly, dearly wished it would be the thing that would be heard of you too. But in the end all there was left was memory, she's died violently anyway. ♦ The room was excessive. In the way Baroque is excessively luxurious, heavily, suffocating though. Like a cat finding quick comfort, the Marquis seated himself into an armchair of the room, facing you. His face hardly readable, although you would guess it was… relaxed? Unbothered? What should you do know. Chidi hasn't followed… "You know what's your problem?" Monsieur de Gramont asked you. You're still standing, close by the door. Over your silence he continues. "You're selling yourself short." Have you even offered yourself to him yet? "You don't know your worth yet, and lesser men, like that rancid trash who followed you… well, even he knows about your worth and wants to exploit it." "You don't?" It slips out quietly. Suddenly the Marquis' face drops, he jumps up, and struts over to quick like a leopard falling over it's prey. He does this again. Again he hulks over you, green eyes drilling into you, lighting up too brightly. The silent look itself is a command to your to respond whereas your body, your instinct screams to barge through this heavy oak-wood door somehow, somehow dash past Chidi, somewhere, anywhere away from this transfixing gaze. "Would you like me to?"

♦ His cologne is so clear, even in panic you notice how tasteful it his. You two are so close, the warmth of his breath brushes over your lips. It is almost too hot, it melts your frozen body as if someone threw boiling water on ice in winter. The paralysis cracks a little - enough for you to drop you gaze. ♦ A clack of shoes. Carefully you eye the Marquis who'd taken a step back. "There, you did it again." He shakes his head "You're probably clever enough to notice by know but I wouldn't need to waste any time or money on a dinner and a chat "You think that all this" a broad hand waves over the golden glittering, fresco overpainted room "is for fornication. Pardon me, my dear, but if for such a brachial purpose, I wouldn't need time to satisfy such needs." So why creep me out like this? You wanted to scream although there was this little observative, sharp part in you. This part in your picking up in clues, listening to the little bits dropped in conversations that could offer positions, roles, opportunities… Where was this conversation going. "My life is unpleasant enough. I would like to enjoy at least something beautiful. Both of us can agree that out exchange is created for mutual exchange. In simple terms: You will be granted my protection from any unsuited… let's call them supporters, and I demand your excellency. But" Vincent raises a finger "you have to deliver myself excellency. Understood."

Entirely flabbergasted you can only nod. "Excellent. So we have an agreement. If you would be so kind to not look like a deer in the headlights anymore." ♦  Through the confusion all your relief bursts through with all the fear Monsieur has indeed helped build up. And if you can judge by all the years of pressure induced in your training, he knew exactly what he said. Every single, every single damn word was cleverly laid out. "So that's all?! And what is this" grand gesture over this excess of a room "then?! Why tell me about the gruesome of murdered women-" "Echo" "starving or ripped to shreds, these stories are still scary."

As an answer there was this cryptic smile on his lips. The Marquis stepped forward, reach past you for the door handle. In the often so repeated gesture, his hand waved over an room with stucco at every corner, covered in gold leaf, walls painted with scenes of luscious forests, too tame, too bright to resemble any real forest, in-between  branches half-dressed characters, from myths your partially knew or believed to know, dancing, holding the other down, laughing, vases full of flowers smelling in their own beauty, a window open to the deep blue night. "This" Vincent says "this is a little thanks for your splendid work tonight. I choose the right tree-spirit for you, my dear dryad. A taste of my upcoming thanks. And the stories…" For a moment he might have looked at you, yet his thoughts were somewhere else "…just the coincidences what role you play, that I meet you at the statue of Daphne's. Romanticism is a blinding understanding of the world yet… I think if you give a thought about all these nymphs… I think you might draw an revealing thesis for yourself." With a nod he opens the door. "Good night, my dear. Breakfast is ordered for you. Recover well. I will see you on stage tomorrow evening."

Notes: Gosh, I really wanted the statue of Apollon and Daphne featured so re-wrote everything to take place in Rome, I don't even know if the Roman Ballet is this good that Reader develops complexes.

While writing Chidi interactions, I was also shortly inspired by the idea how reader is a protegée for Vincent purely for art for art's sake. Chidi has to watch the Marquis at all time, so naturally he has to accompany the Marquis at his leisure views as well. And Chidi falls for her. Could be cute, Chidi using the few minutes his boss doesn't inflict trouble on himself trying to be sweet for the reader, complimenting her, and wanting to learn more about classic ballet to talk to them a bit more. Make of that dark menacing guard dog pining, blushing and fumbling for words to start a conversation.

[suzteel]

monsterfucker au of your choice 😌

You just want me to talk about Pete with two cocks, don’t you? Istg a person makes one typo…smh

Hmmm…let me think.

(You know it’s kinda funny because given their positions in canon one would think Pete would be the default monsterfucker in fanon and yet it seems Pete is usually the “other” in some way in AUs.)

Let’s go for alien!Pete because I love a good sci-fi or space mafia au.

Anyway let’s go with alien!Pete ok. And he’s from an alien race known for being incredibly feral in battle. Alien berserkers if you will. Fierce and deadly and have like no sense of self-preservation. Very good canon fodder, you know, but also someone you do not want to deal with in a fight because they won’t stop until you or them, or both, are dead.

Anyway, typically these are combat aliens, these aren’t guys you want as bodyguards, because sure, they’re willing to die for you, but in a battle rage they are very hard to control. Once you’ve pointed them at a target, good luck calming them down until that target has been eliminated. So it’s something of a power move and an intimidation tactic that Korn has one of these guys not only as a bodyguard, but lets him guard his oldest and most vulnerable son. Korn either somehow exerts an iron-will control, or is fucking crazy (and he lets you think whatever he needs you to think).

The truth is that Pete is a castaway, sold to Korn as a child because he was “weak” meaning he doesn’t have the battle rage. He’s a skilled and fierce fighter, and lacks a sense of self-preservation, but he doesn’t lose control the way his species is known to.

Does the backstory count as one fun fact of what happens? Sigh. Anyway, things go very similar to canon but

-Porsche is initially terrified of Pete. Like oh shit they want me to die rooming with this guy. But then he observes how Tankhun is around him and he can’t help it. He’s fascinated at how chill Pete is. And his gremlin heart can’t help it, he likes to tease Pete a because wow look at how chill he is! Porsche can’t believe he’s not getting his head torn off! And then he very quickly forgets he was ever scared of him and also forgets that other people are scared of Pete.

-Similarly Vegas is also kind of fascinated but initially it’s very much “oh what a curious little toy Khun has” kind of way. He’s aware Pete doesn’t get rages, and has this kind of patronizing view of Pete as like a lap dog when he should be a wolf. Oh look at it. How cute?

-When Pete foils his plans though, Vegas experiments. He keeps trying to get Pete angry, really angry, trying to trigger a rage. He grows more and more fascinated that despite Pete’s capability to be angry, he always retains a part of himself that stays in control. (Until of course he cedes control to Vegas but that’s another thing entirely.)

-Anyway, Vegas is actually successful in provoking a rage, he just…had to die first. And in this version it’s not just one bodyguard he fells.

-ALSO YES PETE HAS TWO COCKS. All this backstory for two penises! You happy now? And everybody knows it too because this Pete is as balls out as in canon.

Whew.

[acoldghostlypresence]

An exhaustingly long list of California Slim and Alcatraz headcanons

General:

In the Epithet universe everyone speaks one global language, but in RSR they introduced the concept of old world languages to justify Cragior's accent. This isn't cannon but I'm adopting it purely so that Slim can swear a people in old world Italian.

I've also decided the boys are from Island country because of course they are, its themed around the mafia for fucks sake. Specifically they're from an island called Chaparral since California doesn't exist in the Epithet universe.

•Most criminals will reconsider robbing you if you claim to have an epithet so the fact that Cal and Al specialise in cleaning up inscribed makes them very sought-after. They have a very consistent cash flow but still live like Daniel Dancer, childhood financial insecurity will do that too you.

Alcatraz:

Al is like 2 degrees of separation away from a living statue and acts like it. He's almost incapable of being bored, he'd be perfectly fine standing dead still on display for years at a time (though he'd probably still prefer to be doing something other than that), and though he can't sleep, at night when there's nothing for him to be doing he will go dormant in this manner to conserve energy.

On a related note he doesn't emote much naturally, but he intentionally exaggerates his reactions when around people because he doesn't want to seem intimidating. A 6 foot something suit of armour with no facial features is hard to read after all.

Since he never actually sleeps or looses consciousness when Slim's asleep and Al's left in the hotel alone Slim leaves the comedy channel on for him. Its the only channel that will be reliably showing the same thing all night and not suddenly leave Al unable to change the channel when a scary movie comes on. As a side effect its the cause of Al's interest in stand up comedy.

Isn't technically made of any metal, he's pure magic pretending to be a suit of armour. If you pointed an industrial magnet at him it wouldn't affect him at all until he turned around and noticed it was there, similarly Ramsey's powers only work on him if Ramsey announces what he's trying to do so that Al know how to play along. He also forgets he's supposed to rust for months at a time only to step in a puddle and be stiff and struggling to move a hour later.

To be clear this isn't something he can control, it's pure epithet instinct to fit into people's perception of him. This is also why he's randomly Scottish.

Part of the reason he's so willing to go along with Slim's bullshit is because of how he lost Bev. He's not about to let down another sibling even if that means compromising his morals.

Even though Alcatraz the sentient moral compass didn't exist until after Bev died, Alcatraz the magic suit of armour very much did. Bev would ask Slim to summon him just so she could play dolls with him, he'd always be the knight that had gotten into trouble on his noble quest and she'd be the princess who'd have to go out to save him. Al remembers every single one of the adventures even the ones Slim wasn't present for.

When Slim was available for these play dates he'd be the dragon Al need saving from.

California Slim

As much a Slim never wants to admit to ever having relied on his epithet, he was still using it for the first 17 years of his life and that experience still does colour his image of himself.

Most notably Al has healing abilities which means at some point Slim had healing abilities, healing abilities that allowed him to shrug off injuries that would have sent other kids to the hospital. That combined with his naturally high pain tolerance means he regularly neglects to seek medical attention when he should because he thinks he shouldn't need it.

Hospitals are where you go when you are weak and vulnerable! And Slim's never vulnerable and especially not weak, in fact he's strong as hell! He can take anything! He can handle himself just fine! He knows first aid!

The list of medical issues he's currently ignoring includes:

Chronic nose bleeds. Al came out his nostril and permanently fucked it up a bit, plus his high blood pressure means even sneezing can set him off on a bad day.

High blood pressure. Canonically he straight up doesn't believe the doctor who told him this, quote: "If my blood really was pressurised theoretically I could just slit my wrist and use it to squirt blood at people." He should probably be taking medication for that, or at least cutting back on smoking.

Fatigue. The stamina cost for his abilities and Al's come out of the same stamina pool and being the one with a physical body Slim's the one who feels that harder. He's constantly tired and running on coffee and spite. The switch from "night shifts" to the strictly regimented prison lifestyle is not helping.

He's lost all hearing in his mauled ear. He's been successfully ignoring this the longest but it's becoming increasingly evident he needs hearing aids. He needs the captions on for everything and regularly struggles to keep up with conversations, he's only been going out at night for ages now just to avoid big, overwhelming crowds that make it impossible for him to tell where a sound is coming from. Any attempts to bring this up to him are quickly shut down, it's sunk costs at this point.

He's always either completely apathetic to everything and won't move from his hotel for days or extremely switched on and ready to fight anything and everything that moves. The only consistency between these two moods in his putting off eating to a nebulous later that never comes.

One day in the future a treasure hunter will dig up California Slim's buried mafia treasure and they will find a metal box filled completely with old baseball cards and cool novelty knives he's never used.

There's a betting pool in the prison based around guessing Slim's real name, the punchline is that California is his real name. He's actually been introducing himself as California, Slim (as in "Hi I'm California, most people call me Slim") and everyone just misheard him. Slim is unaware of the confusion.

His full name is California Holmby Hills, Holmby Hills being the neighbourhood right next to Beverly Hills to keep with the theme.

When Bev was alive Slim would be the one to do her hair, he'd do her bow up every morning before breakfast. As a adult Slim only wears a tie specifically to have something to put a knot in while he waits for the coffee to boil.