#your personal taste is not the same as the universal definition of good or bad

[bipolarmango]

You know what? I'm done with people critiquing media and art like they are professionals. You don't personally like a song, band, singer, movie, TV show, actor, book, painting, photograph, whatever else? Great. You're entitled to your personal opinion. You're not, however, most probably qualified to tell if that specific thing is, in fact, objectively good or bad.

Something not being to your personal taste ≠ it not being objectively good.

Normalize saying, "You know what, this isn't up to my personal liking" instead of "this is bad".

[kjdkive]

couple questions with vogue — jjk.

summary: yn, world-famous model and jungkook world-famous artist are invited as a couple to answer some questions for vogue on a video. both known to be a chaotic couple are expected to show their competitive side.

pairing: idol! jungkook and model! yn (afab)

warnings: cursing, some dirty jokes? jungkook being the best boyfriend ever i want him so bad, third person narration

a/n: thinking about doing this for some other bts members but not really sure lol let's see how this one goes and go from there. also i used to be a wattpad writer and there we use — not " and i actually hate writing dialogues with " oh and also i mention a few things that are not true about jungkook but this is my universe and in this universe that happened yn happened

— hello, vogue! i’m yn and it’s so nice to be back here — yn says to the camera. 

— hello, i’m yn’s boyfriend, jungkook — jungkook says, smiling to the camera — i am also in a band but not that that matters. 

— i’m your fianceé, babe, remember? — yn lifts her left hand to show her engagement ring.

— she’s my soon-to-be wife, guys — jungkook giggles and stands up from his seat a little to give her a short kiss on her cheek.

— okay, my boyfriend’s humble as you can see but we’ll see if he’s a good boyfriend/fiancé because we’re gonna do the couple questions challenge! — an assistant hands her some cards with the questions on them — are you nervous, babe? 

— not at all, i actually think i’m gonna crush you — jungkook responds. 

— confident much? — yn asks. 

— dude, come on, let’s go, i’m ready. 

video cuts abruptly to the intro, showing a few pictures of the couple and jungkook’s seven playing in the back. 

question no.1 for jungkook: how did you first meet? 

— it was at a party in L.A. — jungkook replies — june 28th, 2017. she was wearing a black dress and her favorite manolo heels because she told me that the same night, also her purse from a special chanel collection because she told me it gave her luck. 

— it definitely did, baby — yn couldn’t stop smiling — it made me met you, so bless the chanel bag. so, answer’s correct! 

— ever since that night i fell in love and my band members were sick of me talking about her. 

— just want to say that it took him two months to ask me on a date — yn laughs — like i literally said no to a few guys in those two months because i was waiting for him to ask me out and when he did i just told him “finally, bro.” 

— you guys don’t understand, she was and still is too pretty for me — jungkook whined, making yn laugh — i thought she was gonna say no and also tell me that she doesn’t date ugly guys? 

— weren’t you literally like on the top 5 of the hottest guys of the world? — yn asks him and he stops. 

— i think i was? i don’t remember. 

— of course you don’t, darling. next question. 

jungkook: 1 

yn: 0

question no.2 for yn: who initiated the first kiss? 

— oh! oh! this one’s good — yn says — i did! and it was a mess.

— no, you didn’t — jungkook tells her. 

— oh, yes, i did because you were shaking when you grabbed my face and you literally froze so i was like “well, let ME do this” and then i was the one to grab your face and kiss you — yn points at him. 

— okay, fine, i did froze but you tasted like fish — jungkook starts — and although i love fish, tasting it from someone else’s mouth isn’t that delicious. 

— you had just taken me out to eat sushi! what were you expecting? — yn asks him — besides, you tasted like banana because you had to eat your banana dessert of course. 

— guys, if you ever go out on a date and you think you’re gonna kiss — jungkook looks at the camera — do not take them to eat fish or pasta because else they’ll get pesto on their teeth or their breath will smell like fish. 

— oh, right — yn laughs  — in one of our dates you got pesto on your teeth. 

— stop, i don’t wanna remember how you had to get me a tooth pick cause i couldn’t get it out — jungkook rolls his eyes and yn keeps on laughing at him — if your girl gets you a tooth pick, marry her, that’s what i’m gonna do in a few months — he winks at the camera and laughs at yn blushing. 

jungkook: 1

yn: 1

question no.3: which songs did jungkook write about yn? 

— now this is a good one because you always get confused — jungkook laughs — which songs did i write about you? 

— still with you, dimple, love maze, home, seven the explicit and clean version — yn winks at the camera. 

— babe! — jungkook blushes and giggles.

— oh, so you can be no.1 on billboard, mind you the explicit version but your girlfriend can’t talk about it? 

— don’t get off topic, finish the list — jungkook laughs again — and you’re my fiancée, not girlfriend. 

— okay, fine — yn moves on her seat — your part in my universe, dna, paradise, best of me, my you and that’s it. 

— WRONG! �� jungkook yells at her and stands up from his seat to jump and laugh at her — you’re a loser! 

— jungkook, what? i got them all correct! shut up! 

— you forgot the one i have performed the most! — jungkook stands in front of the camera — vogue subscribers, my wife doesn’t love me. 

— oh my god! — yn yells — i forgot euphoria and jesus christ, jungkook, sit down now, stop being dramatic. 

— how dare you forget the amazing and unforgettable euphoria? 

— i’m sorry, my love, please forgive me for i have made an awful mistake — yn holds his hand. 

— i shall forgive you. 

— thank you, my king. 

— i love you — jungkook kisses her hand and doesn’t let go of it — but i’ll never forget this. 

jungkook: 1

yn: 1 

question no.4: what are the top 3 celeb crushes of yn? 

— this one’s so easy — jungkook says — it’s matthew mcconaughey, chris evans and bradley cooper but as his character in the hangover. 

— wrong — yn laughs. 

— yn, you know i’m not wrong, those are your top 3. 

— babe, you’re a celebrity too, you’re my no.1. 

— don’t lie, yn, i’m not your celeb crush. 

— yup, you’re right — yn gives up — he got the answer right, whatever, next question. 

jungkook: 2

yn: 1

question no.5: when jungkook first started as an artist, what did he do to calm his nerves when he performed? 

— I PRAYED — jungkook yells before yn can say her answer — I PRAYED AND I PRAYED. 

— he didn’t — yn looks at the camera with a serious expression. 

— YES, I DID — jungkook sits back on his seat — I DID. i did. 

— can you shut up now? — yn asks him — he used to- — yn gets cut off. 

— PRAY. HE USED TO PRAY. — jungkook yells again and all yn does is stand up from her seat and put her hand on jungkook’s mouth. 

— he’s licking my hand right now but i couldn’t care less — yn still had a serious expression — he used to touch his bandmates’ butts and when they would question him he’d say “nothing better than your butts, you guys!” 

— she’s wrong — jungkook says. 

— jungkook, ew, you left my hand freaking wet — yn wipes her hand on jungkook’s shirt — and yes, i’m right, you can call up jimin and he’ll tell you i’m right. 

jungkook: 2 

yn: 2 

question no.6: yn has a scar and has had a broken arm, how did both happen? 

— on her chin — jungkook replies fastly. yn nods and lifts her head to show up her chin. — that’s like the only one from an ugly accident the other ones are just her being silly cause she has some scars, blame of our cats when she tries to shower them and another one from when she was trying to make some chicken nuggets on the air fryer last month and she burned herself.

— he’s correct. 

— the broken arm… she told me she was playing outside when she was in kindergarten and she fell and broke her arm, she also told me the school didn’t call her parents right away and waited until her grandma picked her up from school but she took her to the hospital right away. sadly, they didn’t sue the school because they’re good people, the teachers weren’t. 

— that story is also correct. 

— ugh, so tiring being the best boyfriend/future husband out there — jungkook sighs. 

jungkook: 3

yn: 2 

question no.7: how many tattoos does jungkook have? which one was for yn? 

— jesus christ — yn says — i kid you not, jungkook doesn’t even know how many he has himself. 

— i don’t know the total number but i do have a close number, if she reaches it she’ll get the answer right. 

— fine, uhm, the eye he had before was my eye but i told him to cover it because it was done really bad like the eyelashes and the color were a mess but there are other ones about me, the thunderbolts and the flower on your elbow, right? 

— yes — he nods with a smile. 

— and i think, you have a total of 21? 22? with the new seven tattoo behind your ear i think so, yeah. 

— she’s not close in the number but she’s right about the tattoos about her — he smiles at her. 

jungkook: 3

yn: 3 

question no.8: what are yn’s favorite hobbies? 

— reading, learning languages and trying out new restaurants everywhere she goes. 

— that is correct. 

— she’s currently reading beach read but her favorite book is the portrait of dorian gray because my girl is into classics but they have to be a little gay; she speaks 4 languages those being english, italian, korean of course and french. the latest new restaurant she went was momofuko ko here in new york and she loved it.  

— i love you — yn couldn’t stop smiling as she got close to jungkook to give him a little kiss.

— i love you more — he said, after kissing her back. 

jungkook: 4 

yn: 3 

question no. 9: what is jungkook’s pet peeve? 

— damn, he has a lot — yn laughs — but i can name a few. 

— i don’t have a lot! 

— oh yeah? — yn asks and then turns at the camera — jungkook can’t eat if he notices people being loud while chewing but he is the loudest chew-er ever, he gets mad if whoever is driving doesn’t know how to park and oh! he despises when people walk slow but he had to be patient with me because i am a slow walker. 

— she’s really slow but since i love her i can be patient with her. 

— thank you, means a lot. 

jungkook: 4

yn: 4 

question no.10 (final question, decides the winner): if yn hadn’t been a model, what would’ve she been? 

— oh, my girl’s born to shine — jungkook holds her hand — because she wanted to be a UN ambassador when she was young because she loved learning languages. 

— oh my god, i did! — yn intertwines her fingers with jungkook’s — but i don’t even remember telling him about this. 

— you said that on an interview but you also said that to me when we were on one of our first dates — he smiles at her. 

— i did? 

— you said you saw it on tv — jungkook nods — and that you wanted to travel the world like them. but now you travel around the world as a model, either way you were gonna be successful. 

— reached full success now that i’m marrying you. — yn kisses him — i guess you won. 

the interviewer behind the camera asked them if they wanted to say anything else before finishing the video.

— my soon-to-be husband has released a song called seven, not that it needs promotion because the song's killing it but if you haven't listened to it you should, the song saves lives.

— yeah, i released a song, i wrote it and it was just for her — jungkook smiles — my girl is also releasing her own clothing line so make sure to check that out too — jungkook points at the camera — and before we finish i want to say i won, yn lost — jungkook looks at the camera with a serious expression — vogue subscribers, i am here to tell you again that yn is a loser and i will write on my wedding vows to always call her a loser until death do us apart. 

yn hits him on his arm and jungkook giggles.

— i hate you, jungkook. 

— i love you too, my sweetie cutie pie, come here.

jungkook brings her in for another kiss.

— thank you, vogue! see you next time — jungkook says while squishing yn's cheek with his own cheek.

— save me — yn mouths.

and the video finishes.

[daisynik7]

Warm on a Cold Night

Pairing: Takuma Ino x f!reader

Word Count: ~3.5k

cw: fluff, canon universe, alcohol consumption, Ino and reader are both in their early 20s, suggestive (blink and it’s gone), mentions of minor injuries, love confessions

Summary: You and Ino learn all the different ways to keep each other warm on a cold night in Tokyo. 

Author’s Note: Inspired by the song Warm on a Cold Night by Honne. I’ve always loved this song and it gives me major winter vibes. Thought it’d be cute to imagine it with our boyfriend Ino. Enjoy! Divider credit to @/cafekitsune. Tagging @kodzukein @crlyhairedwxtch @chicken-fifi @thisisnotashley @saerotonins @batafuraikisu @kentoslvt @rxmbzzz @yoshikasworld, thank you for the interest in this ♥️ also tagging my fellow ino lover @antique-remains, I hope you like this :)

On the first of December, Takuma Ino walks into his favorite Korean barbeque restaurant down the street from his humble studio apartment. His stomach grumbles with hunger; he hasn’t eaten since breakfast, right before he met with Nanami in Ginza to exorcise curses in an abandoned department store. As soon as he made it back home, he collapsed on the couch and fell asleep without meaning to. Now, he hustles, feet shuffling on the pavement, beanie pulled over his ears, though the crisp air still bites his skin. He knows it’s going to be packed on a Friday night such as this. He isn’t sure how long he can last, given how starving he is. He slips inside anyways, the familiar bell ringing above him announcing his presence, ready to try his luck. As predicted, the tables are all occupied. Fortunately, there’s only one other person waiting. 

You sit on the chair next to the hostess stand, scrolling through your phone. There’s a ding and rush of breeze as the door swings open. Glancing up on instinct, your eyes meet his and you give him a cordial smile. He nods, acknowledging you. Yuki, the hostess, greets him happily, recognizing him. “Ino!”

“Hey Yuki!” he grins. “Table for one, please.”

She does a brief scan of the restaurant. “Fifteen minutes, okay?”

“Cool.” He takes the empty seat beside you, shaking his knees, rubbing his hands together, breathing into his palms. “Chilly out there,” he says to no one in particular. 

Yuki doesn’t seem to hear him, walking away to tend to customers. Feeling obligated to answer out of politeness, you agree. “Yeah, freezing.”

“It smells so good in here, I can’t wait to eat. I’m absolutely starving.” He rubs his belly, slouching in his seat. “This type of weather always makes me crave Korean barbeque. I guess everyone has the same idea.”

He’s a chatty fellow, though you don’t mind it. He seems friendly enough, so you entertain him. “This weather is a good excuse to grill meat over a fire. And maybe warm up with a few shots of soju.”

“Now that sounds like a great idea. I could definitely use a drink.” He couldn’t finish an entire bottle himself, just a taste wouldn’t be so bad, right? If only he had someone to share it with.

Another breeze sweeps through as a couple exits the restaurant, hand-in-hand, snuggled in their long coats and scarves. Yuki approaches you with a menu in her hands. “Your table is ready!”

You stand up, ready to follow her. “Enjoy your meal!” Ino calls out.

Something clicks in your brain; you’re not exactly sure why you decide to do this. Maybe deep down, you pity the guy who has to wait another fifteen minutes to eat. Or maybe you want some company on a cold night like tonight. Whatever the reason is, you end up blurting out, “Want to join me?” 

Pleasantly surprised and too famished to deny the offer, he hops out of his chair. “Are you sure?”

You shrug, grinning at him. “Yeah. It’s always more fun with friends, right?”

He can’t argue with that. There’s a strange glow that begins to surround his chest at those words. This might be the fastest friend he’s ever made, and his stomach is more than grateful. They walk together to the table, sitting across from one another, avoiding each other’s gaze while Yuki fires up the grill. Before she leaves, you place an order for appetizers and a bottle of strawberry soju to share. 

Quick to fill the silence, Ino asks, “Do you come here often?”

You shake your head, looking at the plate and utensils in front of you. “I moved in nearby and found this place online. Decided to give it a shot tonight.”

“Well, you’re in for a treat! This is the best Korean barbeque in the neighborhood. I take my mentor out here from time-to-time and even he likes it. And he’s a hard one to please.” He shrugs his beanie off, revealing messy brown hair that you happen to find adorable. Your gaze lingers for a second longer than you intend because when he catches you, he runs his fingers through his brunette locks to fix it. “I wear this all day long, so my hair is probably a mess right now. Sorry.”

You smile at him. “There’s nothing to apologize for. I like your hair. It’s cute.”

He blushes, rubbing the nape of his neck, murmuring a quiet, “Thank you.” He clears his throat nervously, flushed despite not having a single drop of alcohol in him yet. 

The liquor and appetizers come out shortly. Ino gives you the honors to break the seal, handing you his glass to pour his serving. You cheers with a clink, sinking the first shot easily. It’s smooth going down your throat and you start to ease up in his presence. While you wait for the meat to arrive, you both indulge in corn cheese and the standard fair of banchan, continuing your small talk. He’s cryptic with what he does for a living, unsure how to explain Jujutsu Sorcery to a stranger. You’re honest about your office job, claiming it isn’t the most glamorous. It’s enough for you to be content in life. 

When the meat is served, Ino volunteers to grill it, which you happily let him. He cooks each piece to your liking, plopping it on your plate as he finishes. In between, you continue to take shots until you’re near the last drops of soju. Conversation flows easier with alcohol and yummy food mixed in. Whatever awkward tension there was in the beginning has since faded. It also helps that Ino is naturally a cheerful person who’s easy to talk to. You find yourself enjoying his company more and more as the night progresses. The bitter cold outside is completely forgotten as your cheeks swelter from the sweet soju and smoke surrounding you. The charming smile of the man across the table also contributes to the ember kindling inside you. You wonder if he’s enjoying this as much as you are. You hope that he is. 

Ino’s thankful for the puffs of smoke that obscure him. If not for that, it would be completely obvious how fond of you he is. He hasn’t stopped grinning since you first clinked glasses an hour ago. There’s a tiny part of him that wishes this night wouldn’t end. 

It's only when Yuki approaches you, informing that it’s last call for the kitchen, that you realize you’re the only remaining customers in the restaurant. You’re both stuffed, barely picking at the last bits of banchan, chatting about nightlife in the area. Ino mentions a karaoke bar down the block that he likes going to with his friends. “You should join us sometime,” he suggests, nonchalant. 

Your heart pounds at the invitation; you convince yourself it’s merely a friendly gesture, nothing more. “I’d really like that.”

He hands you his phone, his fingers grazing yours as you accept it. “Let’s exchange numbers. I’ll text you the next time we go out.” A jolt of excitement rushes through his veins at the contact. He yearns for more of it, though he knows it wouldn’t be appropriate to continue touching her, so he twiddles his thumbs beneath the table as he watches you type in your contact information. The next opportunity is immediately after, when the bill comes and both of you reach for it at the same time, Ino’s hand on top of yours, squeezing you gently, trying to pry the check from under you. This time, his entire body is buzzing with electricity, blazing every inch of his skin with a pleasant heat he’s unfamiliar with. 

You smile at him, letting him hold you, relishing his touch. “How about I get this one and you get the next one?”

“I can’t let you pay on the first date. It’s against my morals,” he insists, shaking his head.

You smirk, raising a brow at him. “Oh, so this is a date now?” 

He chuckles, thumb brushing your skin delicately. “I don’t know. But whatever it is, I’d like to do it again with you.” 

You bite your lip, holding back a giggle. “Promise you’ll call me and I’ll let you pay for the next one. Deal?”

It takes him a minute to contemplate, then he eventually agrees. “Deal.” 

You bid Yuki and the rest of the staff farewell on your way out. Ino slips the beanie back onto his head then helps you into your coat. As soon as the door opens, your face tingles from the frigid air and you immediately want to retreat back inside with Ino, but you know you can’t. He walks beside you down the street, fingers less than inches apart from yours. His hands are already freezing; he wants to hold you to feel that warmth again, but he knows he shouldn’t. 

When it’s time for him to go his separate route and you to go yours, you face him, the chill coming out as wisps from your mouth. “Thank you for a fun night.” 

“Thank you too. I’ll call you.” Would it be so bad to lean closer? To feel your lips on his? 

You drift towards him, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. It radiates throughout his entire body and suddenly, he’s almost feverish in this icy weather. He’s flustered, repeating, “I’ll call you, okay?” 

Reluctantly, you turn to walk in the opposite direction while Ino stands there watching you, touching his cheek with a goofy grin on his face. 

The cold isn’t so bad the rest of his way home.

~~~

A week later, Ino invites you out to karaoke with him and his friends. As expected, they are as friendly and easy-going as he is, so they welcome you with open arms. His buddy Takashi currently sings a power ballad, belting it out with his whole heart into it and sweat beading on his forehead while the rest of the group cheers for him. Ino sits beside you, leaning in close to make sure you hear him through the noise, breath hot on your ear. “Are you having fun?” 

You face him, noses nearly touching. “I’m having lots of fun.”

“Good,” he smiles. “I’m really happy you’re here.” He lingers on your lips. He hasn’t been able to stop thinking about you since that first night, when you kissed him on the cheek. He swears he can still feel the heat from it. What would it be like if you kissed the other parts of him? How cozy would he be from your gentle kisses? Before he gets caught up in the moment and makes a dumb decision, he pulls back, distracting himself by flipping through the song catalogue. From his peripheral, he notices you studying him intently. You don’t say anything, eventually going back to watching the performances. 

At the end of your session, you bid farewell to his friends. Ino offers to walk with you halfway towards your homes, pausing at the same spot you did a week ago. “Well,” you start, “Thank you for another great night.”

“Thank you too.”

There’s a tense silence, neither uncomfortable nor awkward. It’s just there, palpable and heavy in the air between you. As if you’re both waiting for either of you to say the one thing you’re both thinking. 

He catches on quick. “Want to come over?”

You agree immediately, beaming as you follow him to his apartment complex. He unlocks the door, beckoning you inside. “Sorry it’s so cold in here. The insulation in this apartment is the worst.” He stands above a space heater, clicking it on to the highest setting, carrying it towards the couch. “It’ll warm up soon, give it a minute.”

You sit, scanning the room, noticing the few trinkets he has scattered as decor. Gaming consoles neatly tucked inside the TV stand. Framed pictures displayed on a bookshelf of him and his friends you just met, some with who you assume is his family. There are a couple of posters hanging on his walls, one of a cult classic movie you’ve heard about but never watched, another of unique artwork that catches your attention with vibrant colors. His bed is several feet behind you, the sheets twisted, mostly barren. You shiver in your seat, fully understanding what he meant when he said that the insulation is the worst here. 

He returns with a fleece blanket in his hands, taking his place beside you. “Sorry. It’s like a refrigerator in here,” he jokes, laying it over the both of you. The space heater must finally be kicking in because now, you’re almost too hot, sharing this intimate space with Ino right next to you, his knee brushing yours, shoulders touching. He reaches for the remote, turning the TV on. “So, what are you in the mood for?” He begins listing genres of movies. “Action, horror, comedy…?”

You don’t let him finish, snuggling closer to him, peering into his eyes. “How about romance?”

He laughs, licking his lips, gazing at yours. “That’s exactly what I was thinking too.”

You meet him for a kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck, pulling him in deeper. His hands are gentle, caressing your back while his tongue explores your mouth. Soon, you shrug the covers off, sweltering beneath him as he surrounds you, trailing your neck, moving to your ear, whispering, “I’ve been thinking about you all week.”

“Me too,” you breathe out, ready to strip out of your clothes.

“Not yet,” he purrs, nipping at your ear lobe. “I want to take my time with you.”

And so he does, making love to you slowly, cherishing every inch of you. You’re supple beneath him, yielding to every kiss, every lick, every gentle touch he graces you with. You moan into his mouth as his fingers move swiftly between your legs, pleasuring you until you’re stirring with ecstasy. He whispers sweet nothings into your ear, calling you endearing pet names that make you putty in his grip. Sweetheart, beautiful, my good girl. It rolls off his tongue naturally, as if the two of you were meant to be like this from the very start. You’ve never been treasured like this by anyone else.

When he’s inside you, his cheeks are flushed, expression hazy, nose nuzzled to yours. You watch him carefully, marveling at his toned physique, running your fingers through his soft hair, tugging lightly at the strands. He smiles at you, blushing. “I’m so into you, it’s crazy.”

You trace his lips with your thumb. “I’m so into you too, Ino.”

He smooches the pad of your finger. “Takuma. Please call me Takuma.”

Giggling, you tease, “How about Taku?”

“You can call me whatever you want, as long as I’m yours,” he answers, stilling his movements.

You kiss him passionately, squeezing him in a tight embrace. “You’re all mine, Taku. And I’m all yours.”

It sounds crazy to be so smitten with someone you barely met after only a week. It is crazy. But something about him excites you, ignites a spark in you. It’s enough that you want to give whatever this is a fighting chance. 

~~~

Ino hobbles out of the train station, limping slightly on one foot, a prominent gash across his cheek that has since clotted from the cold, January air. His beanie is scorched at the top, his sweater ripped at the sleeves, and aside from the obvious cut on his face, it’s dusty with soot and debris, all from the aftermath of today’s battle. He’s a mess right now; it’s been a rough night, exorcising a grade 2 curse in Harajuku. Nanami offered to accompany him back to Jujutsu High to get patched up by Ieiri, but Ino insisted he’s fine, not wanting to appear weak in front of his mentor. 

Halfway on his route home, he stops, contemplating for a good minute before turning on his heel and heading the opposite direction, towards your house. Rather than being alone and cold in his dinky, lonely apartment, he’d much rather be with you. His warm, wonderful girlfriend.

It’s been more than a month now since you started dating, and so far, it’s been going great. Ino can’t remember connecting to someone this well before. Maybe he never has until you. So, when he climbs two flights of stairs up to your apartment, wincing step-by-step because of his sore ankle, he reminds himself that all of this is worth it just to see your bright, shining face tonight.

He knocks quietly on your front door, leaning against it, sighing with exhaustion. It doesn’t take you long to answer, greeting him with your sunny demeanor. As soon as you notice the cut on his cheek and his tattered clothes, your expression turns wary. You pull him inside gently, asking, “What happened?”

He tries to chuckle, which results in him coughing instead, each breath sharp in his chest. “Overtime,” he rasps, flashing you a weak grin. He doesn’t realize how freezing he is until now, enveloped by the residual heat inside your apartment and the presence of you. 

Despite his poor attempt at a joke, you still return his smile, indulging him, not pestering him with any more questions. Ino revealed the truth about his profession two weeks ago, and while you’re still not entirely certain of every aspect of Jujutsu Sorcery, you’re aware enough to recognize the type of danger he faces in order to protect society. The least you could do is keep him warm on a cold winter night. 

You grab the nearest blanket, covering him in it. His beanie is ruined, a giant hole at the top, exposing his brown hair. You remove it, inspecting his face carefully, taking note of the dirt on his skin and the wound on his cheek. He stares at you with tired eyes, this close to falling asleep. You plant a smooch on his forehead, whispering, “Don’t worry, Taku. I’ll take care of you.”

He sinks into the cushions, letting himself relax amidst the soft fabric. Not only is it toasty, it also smells exactly like you, putting him at ease. He’s never been taken care of like this since he was a little kid. He doesn’t remember how nice it is to have someone to lean on.

You remove his sneakers, the soles almost rubbed completely raw from overuse, tossing them with the rest of your shoes by the front door. In the your bedroom, you search your drawers for the first aid kit and cleaning wipes. In the kitchen, you start a kettle of water for tea, something comforting to soothe him. When you return to him, his eyes are half-lidded, head lolling on one shoulder, on the verge of sleep. You giggle, sitting beside him, patting his knee. “Poor baby.”

He nods lazily, turning to face you. “Yes, I am. You know what will make it all better?”

You pull a wipe from the container, carefully cleaning his face. “What?”

“A kiss,” he smirks, pouting his lips.

So cheeky, even when he’s spent, you can’t help but laugh. You use a second wipe to completely remove the grime on his skin, particularly around the cut. “I’ll kiss your boo-boo once it’s all bandaged up. Deal?"

He exhales deeply, satisfied. “Deal.”

This time, you use an alcohol wipe to disinfect the cut first, blowing on it to reduce the sting. Ino sucks in a breath, handling it as best as he can. With a cotton swab and gloves on, you apply the ointment meticulously, making sure not to miss any spots. Then, with gauze and heavy-duty bandages, you finish treating him, happy with your work. 

He watches your every move intently, touched by the amount of care you put into this. His heart races; he’s never been this precious to someone else. He swallows hard, holding your hand in his. “I love you,” he confesses, waiting for your reaction. 

You blink at him twice, in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

He nods slowly. “Yes. I am seriously in love with you.”

“You love me?” you stutter, chest pounding. 

He presses his forehead to yours. “I love you.”

Your throat is tight, struggling to get the words out, the ones that have been lingering on your mind for the past couple of weeks now. “I love you too, Taku.” It’s easy, natural. 

He closes the gap, kissing you, lips soft against yours. And it doesn’t matter that his head is throbbing, that his muscles are aching, or that the tea pot on the stove is whistling it’s high-pitched tune. All that matters in this moment is that the two of you love each other and that you’ll be basking in one another for the rest of your lives. 

[haerni]

COULD’VE BEEN ──── 이희승 . the past is a blur, reality was harsher than it usually is. how deep does one could ever love a person?

. . genre : exes w lingering feelings · fem reader hurt comfort time motifs · word count : 1869 . notes . . im in love with heeseung lately </3

you love lee heeseung—you loved him, you did.

there was no denying it, he was an amazing boyfriend—perfect, even. your break up wasn't something you could call a bad ending, far from it. it was a mutual decision on both of you, it was something you both agreed on despite everything.

three years was all it took, three wonderful years of your life, three of it that you would come to treasure in the years to come. coming to terms of remaining as friends instead of strangers, your friends were even more bewildered. because really, who would still be friends with their ex? who would even want that?

“you still have feelings for him,” sunoo pointed out. “don’t deny it!” he shoots as quickly as you try to open your mouth with a quick retort with the high possibility of denying it, he surmised.

“i don’t have feelings for him, thank you very much.” you dismissed, getting back to what you were doing. “we’re really just friends now, acquaintances if you will.”

he narrows his eyes on you, not believing a word you say, but he lets it go with a puff shaking his head.

“you know what they say about exes staying friends. either you never loved each other at all, or you still have feelings—either way you’re not fooling me.” he says a matter of fact, helping himself in your fridge taking the mint chocolate.

you find your friend’s deduction to be ridiculous.

sometimes you catch yourself thinking of how he's doing. is he eating well? still staying up late until dawn because of his games? winning his league games? a small smile makes its way to your face at the same memories you share, somehow a bittersweet taste comes with it, yet it's still tucked away somewhere where your other moments lie, shaking your head away from it as quickly as it came. letting the thought simmer away to the backs of your mind.

lee heeseung was a fond memory you keep, but nonetheless he was just a memory still.

love was something you held for lee heeseung before, you don't really know what to call it now. maybe you wouldn't love someone for a long time as you have loved lee heeseung.

after all, what you knew as your greatest love was too great to be forgotten at all.

—

love was bound to find its way to you again, heeseung thinks.

you were like a force of nature that comes like you belong to everything, to every good little thing heeseung can ever name of. like everything was made to be the way it is just for you

—and somehow he also used to believe he was also made just for you.

that was before the fallout. now he believes that maybe after pining over you for many years and being your friend just the same, maybe this was where he should've always been. not to hold you like lovers do, not to kiss you as much as a friendship does not require, and definitely not to have you in any way that would be deemed more than what relationship you had returned to.

just friends. nothing more, nothing less.

it's useless, though. the glass in his hands is cold. misery was rather more of a warm company to heeseung, too familiar even. the lights at the bar were dimmed down adding more somber to the mood, and it is like the universe is playing some sort of twisted tricks on him. just to remind how hollow it is, how the world was actually big, it's too cold—it's lonely.

everything was becoming too much and not enough all the same.

drinking was never a good idea, it never was for heeseung. you'd always tell him that he gets so lost in it that he forgets just how many he downs and it leaves him away into the night with a smile and fits of giggles that are contagious and slurred words that he always tries to utter.

it's stupid, he was stupid.

but atleast he had you then, the one who would take care of him if he has one of too many or maybe crawl up into his lap when he's gaming away into the night and you'd just do it because you'd rather have his warmth near you than settle with the thought of having him in the same room. or times when you would just run up to him and like it's engraved in his veins to have you in his arms and hold you like forever was never enough of a time to describe how much he wants you. forever was too less of a time, a life with you would be more and to those other lives he will get to have you seems more promising.

forever is too much of a word for lee heeseung. if your lives were to part, may he always find you in the next and the comings. for him to never take another heart that does not belong to you. may lee heeseung love you to every time, to be born in the same universe as you, the same time, the same place.

three lifetimes, three wonderful lives you both had, and he thinks it is simply not enough.

he begs the heavens to let him be made just for you once more. because forever in one, will never be something to call what you have.

eternity suits you better, he thinks.

—

the night strolls, the stars are twinkling with the hopes of catching an eye.

this night feels a little more dreadful than the last. the drink he had down a few minutes ago keeps him warm in the night, setting itself in his stomach. heeseung has spent away the after hours this way, a routine that has eaten him alive to its core. it's not an ideal lifestyle, but he continues anyway.

he strolls without a place in mind, after all he has lost home once and wherever you are, his heart resides.

you are everything that heeseung has prayed for.

as familiar buildings meet his eyes and it brings back some memories he had kept away. treacherous. suddenly he finds himself in your street, a few blocks away from where you are. he can knock, he can ask you, he can stay, but he was a stranger altogether. so, the best thing heeseung takes rather than doing all of those things? was to sober up and leave.

mortality has never been kind to him. and everything he has kept in his heart was torn from its home and never to be returned like the sands that slithers away from the storm.

and he had begged at everything that would hear him. because the sand had gone out of the hourglass too soon than what he had always hoped for. time has never been his friend, after all, what time would be fond of something going against it? fate was too cruel to you. but you had embraced it just the same.

how could he ever subject you to the same fate once more? a string tied to you or not, he would rather see you with the colors of life.

and as if this time—for once, mercy has taken pity on him. because as his heel turns he hears the front door of your home, and he shouldn't look, he shouldn't stop, he should go. but you're just still you, right? the always loveable you.

“heeseung?”

oh how he has missed your voice.

against his very judgement he turns around.

there you are by the porch of your home wrapped in a blanket protecting you from the chills of the night and you seem comfortable, you always are. he stops just as his mind tells him the opposite (how could lee heeseung ever say no to your very being?).

and he couldn't stop—heeseung has loved you for a very long time and it feels like it's the only language he can speak to answer your call.

you descend down on your stairs, with a small shy walk on your feet towards him. he feels dizzy, have you always been this pretty?

he tries to say something, anything, but you seem to knock the air out of his chest every time, he releases a breath he's been holding, “hey.”

if you knew better you think heeseung seemed to be full of life when he is with you, like a flower who basks in the sun. you don't know what to say to him, is there any words to describe whatever you were feeling? he knew everything about you, he read you like a diary he has memorized all his life, when words fail you, heeseung comes to answer it.

you couldn't really remember now why you broke up, too many talks, too many faults, too many problems that pile up as time wanes. but you missed him, you miss him too much now to remember why.

“it’s cold,” he begins. its obvious, but what could he possibly tell you?

it's weird now, his eyes are still the same and yet you find yourself wanting it just the same, “yeah, it is.”

silence passes you, it's not uncomfortable, it's not heavy—you're relieved.

“i should probably go.” he should, but is it a sin to say you want him to stay? you pursed your lips in contempt, you should say something.

heeseung may claim to be someone who keeps his words, but right now his feet feel heavy, like his anchored to where he stands—in front of you. he waits for you to utter anything to him, a small hope of you stopping him. to make it feel it was okay to want you like this, to be in your presence.

the silence beckoned you to speak before you can even think of it. “it’s already late..” it's embarrassing, almost as if you were too left open in his eyes again, “..you can stay, if you'd like.”

a second clock and a pin drop, heeseung adorned a soft smile on his lips and as if he was on the same wavelength as you he utters words he thought he couldn't ever tell you, “i missed you.”

“i know,” and it's not obnoxious, it's a truth that you know well, its a fact that you know deep in your bones, “i missed you too.”

and everything was happening in the blink of an eye, his arms are around you and he breathes your scent in. despite the blanket around you, his warmth burns more and you love it—some things just never change.

lee heeseung will never meet what could’ve been, would’ve been, what should’ve been you in that lifeline. your first life together would always be a mystery to the both of you. he misses you, more than he remembers.

he hopes he doesn't lose you again.

“i’ve got a lot to pine about. i’ve got a lot to live without. so rest well, hm? we’ll see each other again.”

—excerpt from (1500’s), A Hundred Years And A Lifetime, letters of Evan Lee to his wife by a Nameless Laureate poet.

[astralnymphh]

imagine ellie and best friend reader rough housing like tickling each other and ellie’s elbow slips so she falls on top of reader with their faces inches away, breath fanning each others lips. and then ellie hesitantly brushes her lips against theirs before kissing them 😭

DAILY CLICK FOR PALESTINE

PALESTINE MASTERPOST

ISRAELI THEMES SURROUNDING TLOU

omgg ellie definitely tumbles herself into these situations 'round the clock. perhaps it's a stroke of bad luck— or good fortune? i mean, giddy as she is for you, love–sick as her guts flip for you, there's a lick of a chance that possibly the universe is just.. nudging her in the bountiful direction! ellie won't entirely agree to that hypothesis, suggesting that the starry blanket of the cosmos above her is damning her, plating her a serving of personal grudge like she'd done something unforgivable; but that case runs rotten the moment it is spoken.

cradled in your eyes, the significance of the situation gleans as rather adorable and hilarious, in a good way! the vulnerability that shivers her skin, the outflowing heat of her cheeks yelling at herself and you for being in the way, the gulp that bolts down her throat so audibly, and her pale pine eyes: trapped like a rat in a cage, flickering around for answers, amends, anything.

but then it clicks together: breathing electricly past each other's lips as your chest expands and squeezes you for more, the inching of her face gone weary from stranding in mid–air, this is so damn cliché. so damn stereotypical. in fact, it's so perfectly played out, you could just—

be kissed.

"mmph!" what had begun as your giggle, snuffs into a fly–buzzy hum. vibrating alike to a harp on her lips now pancaked to yours, and softly hungry as they pinch and roll.

between ellie's skull, notions have shifted. in the balmy moment of it, suckling the noise right from your throat plastered itself as an achievement. her spine tingled with a good meaning, thinking your sweet sound was not a yelp of bombshell, but a tune of agreeance. her blemished auburn brows cheered to that, same as the ends of her smile, curling to the sensations. spit splits and shares, the taste of her buries itself in the overside of your tongue, and the sounds hotten your ears with a throb of your own positive meaning: a blessing met.

your lips awaited this kind of thing, for months at most, but had no clue on how to articulate the moment. set it in motion, quicken the passion to possess you. tell her you just might find her fucking gorgeous. commit the act of confession.

shit, what did ellie just commit?

an uprise of shuffling knees pulling up the length of the bed rustle into your head before a wet crackle, "mmpht—" parts your mouth and draws a shoelace of mixed spit, only for it to curve and drape your chin. and of course, it would be too forward and kind to wipe it clean with her icy thumb, "fuck, fuck, fuck." so she scurries her humiliation like a fan to dry it, and drifts herself out of your space. carries her body backwards onto her butt, plopping and sitting in a widespread criss–cross with her head drooping to conceal.

a lovers cower, you could only imagine the little emotions puppeteering her face— weak and wilted, cute as any quaint flower decorating the grasslands. ellie tugs her mouth into some sort of open–mouthed, mild frown, letting calm airs spill heady of rushed worries, and digs her brows deeper upon her eyes, folding wrinkles written with thought. it's not viably apparent, (the embarrassment.) but it is intuitively understood. she just made a move she wouldn't have made in the first place. if it wasn't so perfectly presented. if you weren't.

a stammer goes a long way, "fuck, i'm so— so um, god— i read it all wrong— just, ignore that." she huffs, and puffs, and blows her luggage of excuses out.

goddess praise you, for being so sickenly smooth.

"need a second try?"

apologies if this felt rushed or it's missing some oomph. haven't written a blurb in a hot minute!

[17020]

DOLLHOUSE

don't look behind the curtains, because you might not like what you see about y/n l/n, and hajime umemiya. tags: angst! ume is a complete ass (im sorry zevie and to everyone), very self indulgent, i need emotional compensation as do yall, toxic relationship sorta. it's definitely a blurb! not proofread my eyes are puffy.

hajiime umemiya is the perfect boyfriend. kind, attentive, patient, with compliments slipping past his lips every few seconds. strong, affectionate and intelligent is what he is, constantly worrying about you and being your personal hype man. to the public eye, hajime umemiya was perfect.

not you, though.

a witch. a master manipulator who always managed to carefully pull the strings of the puppet that was hajime umemiya. what was once a perfect couple slowly rotted in foreign eyes, the image of you and umemiya leaving a bitter taste in the townspeople's mouths.

what they saw was umemiya's suffering. arguments, which led to him spilling his heart out to his friends, who told their friends, who told every citizen of makochi. complaints, which made umemiya feel trapped in a maze with no exit.

there's two sides to every coin.

arguments, which were caused by umemiya's denseness. because he paid no mind to what you liked or what you preferred, and had stuck to what he thought you liked instead of learning. complaints, because after five fights, umemiya had finally understood that no, you don't like gold jewelry, and you're dripped in silver every day. according to him, he knew you wore silver, but he wanted you to wear gold because he liked gold.

complaints, because his friends knew no boundaries, constantly molesting and groping him in your presence. couldn't they at least wait until you were gone?

arguments, because hajime umemiya didn't trust you, accusing you of falling for his best friends, treating you as a liar, a deceiver, a cheater. even after reassurance, his threats to break up were present. umemiya's insecurities were a fair match to yours…

but there was one half who did something about it, and another who had your fears in one ear, then out the other.

the straw that broke the camel's back was when umemiya's priorities changed in university.

because umemiya thought for himself, and went back to his ways of being a self-preserving, desperate puppy, clinging onto anyone be it good or bad, for attention. what's it to you?

he went to the people who hurt you. hypocrisy was certainly at it's finest, because umemiya was now adopted into a clique which had shit talked him and your relationship, offering him fake smiles after spilling all of his and your secrets in a club on a random thursday.

you were spiraling.

not only was his clique two-faced, but they had hurt you in the past, having been part of the group years prior and being nothing but ignored and criticized. a bullet to the head would have hurt more than to see umemiya's texts saying he belonged there, belonged with cheaters, shit talkers, and assholes.

hajime umemiya is too naive for his own good.

fights had become more common as he expressed his liking for the group with each passing day, as you warned him about his 'friends'. his response? laugh it off, as they were nice and welcoming. plus…

"they haven't done anything bad to me, so why should i care? i like being there, i don't like being alone, and they're cool!"

your heart shattered. especially after checking your socials and seeing the girls you despised posting your boyfriend as if he were mattel's newest and hottest ken; the center of attention for all makochi to see.

you were done.

pleads were not enough. crying to him was never an option, as he simply brushed off your feelings, as his smile grew wider at the thought of the upcoming party he and his new friends were to attend that same night.

hajime umemiya was also done.

a final complaint. a final warning. a final plead. your words were in vain, with your boyfriend shoving each and every one of your words up his ass. he didn't care, not one bit, and it showed.

because self-preservation was most important to him. better to be alone than in bad company right? hell no. to umemiya, that was absolute bullshit.

"they didn't do anything bad to me, baby, so i'm hanging out with them and consider them best buds. i don't wanna be alone and the girls are so nice to me, so don't worry about it."

don't worry about it? it took a day for him to make up his mind.

"the girls are my friends, and i'm sorry they did you dirty and talked badly about our relationship, but i'm lonely. y/n l/n, you have been the greatest gift life has given me and i'll love you forever. we're done."

taglist (open, yippee!): @stunie @kaiser1ns @nyxypoo

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: Bonus Chapter 26

For those who don't know, I am reading SVSSS for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag bloopitynoot reads SVSSS. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read.

This chapter took me two days to go through! It's SO LONG (120 pages). I wanted to post yesterday but I got 60 pages in and started fading. Winter is here and the sun keeps disappearing too quickly, your boy is feeling the SAD.

The tea photo is from today and not yesterday- I tried out a new one it's almond amaranth and rooibos.

let's get into this monster of a chapter!

Fuck yeah, we have an airplane POV! Though this chapter is BEEFY. I think I'm going to read half today and half tomorrow before posting it (present me: and I did! ^-^).

I love that we are getting all of these forum comments. This is so fun! One of my favourite brands of fics are fics that include elements of social media/forum/blog style au's and this is a vibe! pp140-147

This guy is not wrong "Even though this famous Lord Cucumber spewed criticism constantly and without end in 'Great Master' Airplane's comment section, his subscription payments and demands for updates never waned. Because of this 'Great Master Airplane had come to suspect that this person was a masochist". p148 I mean yeah lol

OMG what an awful way to die! Alone in your house, let's be real - likely in his underwear- via electrocution induced by his sad instant ramen noodle dinner. p149

and the fact that he transmigrated so young. He was there for a while before the plot plotted with SY. 17 years old! p150. I do wonder if there is a wiggly time thing. Like years in the transmigrated novel equal like hours in the world he came from or something. They died close together I think? anyways- any theories on this are welcome!

Same though- Airplane is so real for this. The way in which I would just want to spill all of the foreknowledge and secrets to people I held in my brain as the creator of this universe p153

The SASS [Tip Complete. We wish you the best of luck]. p155

Are you kidding! This man didn't even write the plot that led for his main spy character to becoming a spy...dang man. the potholes are real bad. p156

Okay but this would seriously be me af. I am such a wimp- and that is totally okay! In the face of most definitely death, I would submit myself to being the Little Bitch Boy and pledge myself, my body, my undying love, to my new demon overlord and master. Good for baby him ahaha. p158

"As Shang Qinghua overflowed with snot and tears, clinging on for dear life, begging to pledge fealty to Mobei-Jun - wholly without warning, the demon collapsed." p160 Again, same. I'm feeling seen with Airplane here XD Screaming, crying, throwing up.

Man. I really see how these two end up together (I'm assuming they do?). He had a solid chance to murder the guy and he just couldn't because the character is just his ideal man. p162

"This character had been created entirely to the author's own tastes" p163 MHMMM. Yeah he was.

ehehehe and here we have the only one bed trope at the inn he got to nurse his ideal man back to health. p165

This guy is so shameless. Straight up just watching Mobei-Jun strip while he sits there and snacks. p169

It is so unhinged that this man just has a string tied to his neck pp170-171

that congee- YARF "clear as water" sounds so unappealing p174

"When in doubt- just cry" - Airplane definitely p176

The security on this mountain is so shit. Demons just popping in all the time under the radar. Mobei-jun literally lived there for three days no one even knew XD p183

awww, Airplane tried to warn Liu Qingge about the upcoming Qi deviation. That was nice of him. p190

Yes! Thank you! The scene I have been waiting for; in which the other characters are all like "wtf is up with shen qingqiu? He really is 100% different overnight, but also, no one say anything to him because we like this him better" p192

Fair though, I too would think that SQQ was possessed p194

The way in which airplane is SHAKEN by the actions of SQQ right now is so funny. Him frozen expression, this is NOT the character I wrote what the fuck is happening. p206

Someone commented on an earlier chapter post I had about the theory that the system is the manifestation of airplane's actual wants for the story and like- I stand with this theory. It really checks out with this POV the man keep's fantasizing of a queer man story and like he sure does get it. p207

LOOOOL oh no. the fact that the man who created these characters - VERY different than this experience. Has to listen to Binghe "If you hold unique feelings for a certain person, how can you make them understand you intentions?" p208.

Not airplane giving LBH love advice just so cucumber bro can literally Get Fucked. pp212-213

AND THEN HIS ADVICE BACKFIRES WITH MOBEI-JUN LOL"So, if you want to be liked by a man, the best method is to act pathetic?" p214. Like he set this up for himself

Wait. Airplane had the option to return home! And he just didnt??? p217

Airplane really is weak for these villainous men. The way in which he describes Linguang-Jun is so simpy. p228

The drama. Airplane doing the MOST to save Mobei-jun. This man could have avoided all of this and just gone home. What a horrible torture! :( p235

Get it airplane! You yell at him ahaha p237-238

I AM SCREAMING. Airplane: I'm your daddy! p239 AND THEN him just leaving in a panic because he really thinks he's going to get murdered after that outburst LOL

I love SQQ sitting in domesticity with his man giving airplane love advice pp244-245

Awww, Mobei-Jun came back for his boyfriend! He's going to make him hand pulled noodles :'3 p255 I honestly think that Mobei-jun actually needed to be bossed around this entire time

BYE. LOL SGH deciding to continue writing in this world by basically writing slash fanfiction about LBH/SQQ + the other peak lords/famous cultivators LOL p256. Good for him ahaha.

We did it!

This chapter was such a ride ahaha. it was fun to see the POV for airplane but also him and the progression of his weird AF relationship with Mobei-jun. I honestly kind of love these two. They were such a mess in the beginning but it ended so soft :'3

[psychoticbipolarbear]

Midnight rain - part 1

pairing: Aaron Hotchner x reader

series summary: Your new sugar daddy is nothing like the ones you had before, but that's what makes the whole arrangement exciting. Too bad you both have your own emotional baggages that can make this relationship crash and burn.

word count: 2.2k

tags: fem!reader, sugar dating

masterlist

The coffee shop downtown that he picked isn’t full of people at seven in the evening, even though the place will be open for another two hours. Since you arrived early, you order a flat white for yourself, and while you wait at a table near the back, you take a better look at the place. It’s cozy, the interior and decor giving you the feeling that you’re in a cabin in the woods, sitting by the fireplace to warm up. 

This is the kind of coffee shop where people can retreat to recharge after spending more than enough time in the hectic world outside, not the one where people sit with their laptops for hours to work, or where they meet business partners. No. This is the place where families, friends, even lovers meet each other. Then again, you’re an exception. You are here for business, meeting a man you met on a sugar dating website. 

He goes by the nickname aaron65, and while you call him by that name, you have absolutely no idea if it’s the real one. But it’s fine. You don’t expect men to give away such details, especially since there are many in the area who are pretty well known for their political roles. Sometimes they use profile pictures, sometimes they don’t. Aaron is the one who picked a photo of probably himself, and if it’s him, then you’re in for a treat.

Those intelligent, warm brown eyes are enough to pull you in, but that accompanied by that boyish smile and the short brown hair that’s usually your weakness? Oh, boy. He has charisma, the kind that can be sensed even through a simple photo on your computer screen. Then there’s another thing you’ve learned about him through your conversations. He’s straightforward, definitely the no-bullshit kind of person, the one that knows what he wants and is willing to do anything to get it. 

Even through the constant noise of the café, you hear the door open and close, and you instinctively look up to see who just walked in. The man goes to place his order, and while he’s waiting, he takes a good look around the place, as if he was searching for someone. You recognize him—it’s Aaron. But he looks tense, which makes you wonder if it’s work-related, or has more to do with the fact he’s here to meet you. 

When your eyes meet, the corners of his lips curl into a warm smile. As he reaches for the cup the barista hands him, you notice the ring on his finger. So he’s married. Maybe he has a child at home too. Ever since he stepped in, the air has changed, he’s silently commanding respect, which makes you believe he’s in a higher and important position at work. That’s in sync with the fact his suit is quite expensive, showing off his good taste. And based on his expression as he looks at the barista who told him something, you have a hunch that he’s a good poker player.

The last man you had such an arrangement with was different. He was younger, deep down the same shy boy he was all through his years in high school and university. By now was a successful businessman, sure, but he was so hooked on working that he didn’t have the energy for maintaining a proper relationship. Being with you was his way to release some stress, you spent hours talking in the safety of his bedroom, and you loved listening to him.

The moment your new sugar daddy candidate sits down, your heart skips a beat, and you draw in a deep breath to calm your nerves. He’s just another guy, no need to panic, you tell yourself, although it’s impossible to stop spiraling. The way he watches you—observant and serious—makes you uneasy. But then, just when the thought of telling him it wouldn’t work then feeling the scene, he flashes a charming smile at you, and you’re back to square one.

“I’m glad you came,” he says, sounding genuinely pleased by your presence. 

You instinctively return the smile, then your eyes move down to the cup that is enveloped by his long, thick fingers that are slowly tapping its side. He’s not nervous. If he was nervous, the tapping would follow a faster rhythm, but this is different, this is just something that helps him focus. Maybe he’s impatient, waiting for the conversation to get past the small talk. 

Despite this observation, you don’t rush, you drag out the silence by taking a sip of your coffee. It’s cruel, but you need to know how patient he is, how much he needs to lose his cool. He doesn’t strike you as a violent person, but the looks can be deceiving. So, you wait, although your brain is already a few steps ahead. 

Suddenly Aaron lets out a short laugh with an amused look on his face. “You’re profiling me,” he states. He’s not mad, if anything, he’s almost proud. When you tilt your head to the side, he lets go of the cup and puts his palms on the table, his fingers flexing as he prepares to talk. “Don’t worry, I did the same, although that’s what I do for a living, so it’s completely unintentional. So, wanna tell me what you found out about me?”

Leaning back in the chair, you begin to tap your freshly manicured nails on the table. And then you suddenly start to talk, carefully watching his expression to see how much of your observation was spot on. The more you say, the more impressed he seems, and by the end, he’s perfectly relaxed compared to how he was just a few minutes ago.

“Not bad,” he says when you finish. “Here’s what I have so far. You believe in first impressions, which is perfectly understandable considering what you do beside being a student. Your dress is not mass produced, it must be a haute couture piece you probably got as a gift from an earlier sugar daddy. The jewelry is expensive, delicate, yet not bold enough to draw unwanted attention to you. But you’re going for the good girl image, that’s why you chose a light, almost invisible makeup for this meeting. You’re a perfectionist, this is why you arrived earlier, why everything about your attire is spotless, why you are being extremely cautious with me.”

“That’s all?”

“No, I have more, but I’d rather keep that to myself for now,” he replies with a quiet laugh before taking a sip of his double espresso. 

One of you has to start the practical conversation, why shouldn’t it be you? So, you let a long sigh escape your lips, and lean forward to get a better look at his eyes. “Why did you contact me? What do you want from… this?”  

Aaron folds his hands, his gaze never moving away from yours. “For the thrill of it, I guess. My job is stressful, demanding, emotionally draining. My marriage? Even more so. I want to have someone who can help me relax, unwind a little after being away for work,” he responds, but you can tell that silence which follows is just a buffer time to prepare for the rest of his answer. “This isn’t about sex. Your company is the main reason why I’m here today.”

With a thoughtful hum, you pick up the menu from the side of the table to take a fleeting look at it. “It’s easier to pay someone than picking up some girl in a bar. They would ask questions, begin to demand more of your time, more of your attention, they would eventually start whining about the fact you’re staying with your wife,” you summarize, then look back at him, only to see him nod in agreement. 

“Now, the tricky part. I travel a lot, which means I already have… issues at home for being away that much. And honestly, I want to spend as much time with my son as I can. But I know you’re in med school, so you have to be here a lot,” Aaron goes on, and you don’t miss the way he briefly fidgets with his fingers. “This is why I will need to know your schedule. Not to keep an eye on you, but to know when you can be available to travel after me if I have a case somewhere else. Apart from that, when I don’t have the time to meet you here, we will keep in touch over phone calls and texts,” he concludes. 

A career-oriented, not entirely devoted family man. But he thought it through, probably several times, and he most definitely eliminated every vulnerability of the plan. He wants to protect himself, and with this, he also protects you. For a brief moment you wonder why he’s this thorough, but then you connect the dots and realize he probably works in a field that requires him to be like this, to plan everything carefully. Whatever it is, it doesn’t make you feel that calm.

“One last question from me. What do you do for a living?” you ask, keeping your tone casual despite your heart beating in your throat. 

A handsome smile appears on his lips, and the look in his eyes tells you he’s on the edge of calling you a good girl, or a clever girl. But instead he just leans back and seems to enjoy the moment. “I’m the leader of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.” You’re not exactly familiar with the topic, so you give him an intrigued look to urge him to continue. “We’re profilers looking for some very dangerous murderers,” he explains. 

You reach for your coffee and drink some of it, your eyes never leaving his. It’s a friendly staring match, one that you both clearly enjoy very much. “That explains a few things,” you note. 

“Like?”

“The way you carry yourself, the attention to details, the barely noticeable, but definitely present hint of paranoia, and the desperate need to escape your life every once in a while.” Aaron nods, but his smile is a sad one. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to–”

“That’s okay, I want you to be honest anyway,” he assures you, then falls silent for a moment as he thinks. “Now, tell me about what you want. Why are you doing this?” 

Where should you begin? There are several reasons why you reached into the sugar bowl, but he doesn’t have to hear every single one of them. This is why you decide to stick to the most shallow one, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to him. “Med school is expensive. And I have a taste for nice things, which isn’t cheap either,” you tell him. 

He lets out a hum while he stirs his coffee almost absentmindedly. “I won’t press for the rest of the story, don’t worry. You can tell me if you feel like it later,” he says quietly, his eyes focused on his drink. “It’s a yes from me. What do you say? Should we jump into this arrangement?” he wonders, finally looking back at you. 

Handsome. Intelligent. Has a good taste that matches yours. Nice. Successful. Cautious enough to protect you. Isn’t solely after sex. Willing to pay for your company alone if that’s the case. You have no reason to turn down his offer. “Alright, let’s do this,” you reply with a smile.

Aaron nods, then reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket to pull out a PDA and a phone that he hands over to you. “To keep in touch. I set it up, everything’s ready to use,” he explains, sounding surprisingly casual, as if this wasn’t a little weird. It’s usually not you who has to use a separate device. “It’s for your protection,” he speaks up when he notices your confusion. He glances down at his watch and lets out a sigh as he stands up. “I have to go, but we’ll talk later, okay? In the meantime, send me your bank account number.”

“Okay. It was nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s all mine, sweetheart,” he says, then to your surprise leans down to kiss your forehead. 

You watch him leave, then you turn your attention to the devices in front of you, wondering what you can expect from this guy. You can’t say no to a handsome face, that’s your biggest weakness, and he charmed you enough to make you forget to ask the most important thing. The PDA suddenly beeps twice, and you check the device, only to find a few chat messages from him.

Aaron: I almost forgot. I’d rather you not meet with others beside me. If that means you lose a considerable income, please, tell me so we can discuss this. 

Aaron: And one more thing. I will need your address too. I want to send you a surprise.

Well, this is gonna be interesting. 

[elsfleur]

⋆·˚ ༘ * TRUE BLUE PROLOGUE

ellie williams x reader

summary: being a miller is the closest thing ellie has felt to being safe, love no longer an unknown currency she felt unworthy of– though when she and her sister sarah fall in love with the same girl it is sure to ruffle some feathers in the peaceful life.

content warning: unrequited sarah miller x reader, pining and anticipation, mentions of marijuana usage, alternative universe plot, light nsfw content, based on this joel fic, this is only a prologue i’ll write it only if you guys want me to

word count: 557

🕊️ ʾ ⠀

sarah miller was the textbook definition of charm in its very own exclusive personification, from the bright eyes to the citrus perfume, she was a radio song that got you tapping your fingers to the rythym on the wheel in the midst of a particularly stressful day, a silver lining. ellie miller on the other hand, was more similar to beer or sushi, an acquired taste. a good fantasy for cold nights but not quite the company you’d aspire to keep in warm mornings. and it would’ve been fine, truly, neither of them cared for their differences or evoked sibling rivalry, together in all that mattered and oh so far apart in the aspects that didn’t– there was a homely peace in the miller household that exceeded expectations for such strong personalities and it would’ve remained so if it wasn’t for an unexpected similarity between the sisters: their taste in women.

“ellie are you listening?” joel cut her off from her thoughts, his voice managing to echo past the loud music blasting through her headphones quick to be pushed down to her neck as he beckoned the girl over from her place at the couch towards the kitchen table where her sister stood chuckling disapprovingly, pouring treats into small colorful containers “is she ever?” sarah joked, getting slapped in the arm playfully.

“what, are we prepping for a candyland party or just bulking up for winter?”

“sarah is having a friend over”

“a friend” ellie repeated in raised eyebrows looking only at the blush that crept up her older sister’s cheeks ever so subtly as she shook her head, sending ellie a small glare for the implication joel had thankfully not caught on “what’s his name?”

“her name” sarah cleared her throat “anyways it doesn’t matter the point was you need to help me get these up to my bedroom” she shoved two of the containers into ellie’s hands before trailing off to their inconveniently shared room she was apparently being kicked out from for the day. as they finally reached the door, sarah motioned her elbow to stop the doorknob opening bringing ellie’s attention to her confused, a shy whisper being mumbled and misunderstood.

“i said…” sarah sighed “could i borrow your, you know, your green today?”

“no girl is gonna buy that you’re a stoner if you keep refering to weed as my green you might aswell be calling it the devil’s salad you know that right?”

“jesus christ ellie i’ll pay you back”

“see you could’ve started with that” ellie smirked “do you even know how to roll a blunt though?”

“well if you can do it it can’t possibly be that hard”

“ha ha ha you’re so funny” she pushed past her to open the door placing down the candy on sarah’s nightstand “but seriously, who’s the girl? to get little miss goodie two shoes to start fake smoking she deserves a praise from me who have been trying to be a bad influence for years”

“hmm how do i put it in ellie words” sarah joked, but genuinely wandered in her brain “you know how you felt that time dad bought you a telescope and you managed to see a blood moon for the first time up close? that’s what being close to her feels like to me. all of the time”

🕊️ ʾ ⠀

[myfairkatiecat]

as an actual person getting a degree in criticism of english literature, i'd like to say that you are completely entitled to your opinion and i am entirely thrilled to see discussion of literary theory in the kotlc fandom!!!! it's fantastic and i wish everyone engaged with the work like you are!!!

that being said, I do have some questions? problems? smth idk. for you. This is not an attack or anything like that, pure academic camaraderie and engagement. Literary theory shifts entirely based on who, how, and why people engage with it.

You stated in one post that when an author writes their story one way, you as the reader can't really argue against that at all, as you are choosing to engage with the work. For instance, if you hate Sokeefe and it turns you off from reading the series, you can't say that the author was wrong without basing it in some real criticism. My response to this would be, what would that criticism look like? Do you have a good argument for why Sokeefe wouldn't be a good route for the author to take? I am an AVID Sokeefe shipper, and I can think of at least three. But I digress. My main thought here is that an author, at least in my opinion, can be completely wrong in their execution of anything. Just because something is written in a story doesn't necessarily mean that's how it has to be, or how it would best be written!

I genuinely think millions of writers have begun writing things simply because they saw a poorly executed story.

Writing, for me, at least, always seems to be utterly entwined with itself. Story, wording, execution, pacing, it's all combined into the whole it becomes. This is why Twilight is so bad, why KOTLC has isn't classics material, and why, say, Jane Eyre is! It's all combined together into a beautiful flashing collective, and it is when you get excellence across the board that a work of fiction really shines.

However, I don't think one can take the author as the prime example of perfectly executing their own story.

I would write so much of KOTLC completely differently if it were my writing, and I would argue that all of that would make it worlds better, even if some of my choices are primarily based on personal taste, not supported criticism, because I think that I know how to write just as well, if not better than the author does.

It is based in this very same idea, that even if I were operating solely out of personal taste that I could do it better, that I find myself disagreeing with your claim.

I genuinely believe an author can make terrible decisions with their story, and be wrong about how it's carried out, even if it's in the material and published.

Do you have any thoughts on this? Sorry, I know this is kind of long.

Anyways! Thank you so much for bringing up theoretical stuff!!!! I literally LOVE to see it!!!! :D Have a great day!!!

I love this stuff too OMG im going to college next year and I’m majoring in English

Anyway yes!! Most of what you said is actually about the execution of the story, which I totally agree can be objectively better or worse! I like to put all those things like style, pacing, and execution in the family of “writing” and things like plot and scenes and what is actually happening in the universe as “content.”

I think the “writing,” as I loosely defined it above, can be thoroughly criticized at any point, and ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE! That’s how readers and writers alike learn and grow from other media and nurture their own talent! I can definitely think of some things about Shannon’s writing in kotlc that I would have executed differently, but with kotlc, I mostly try to ignore it since it’s………kotlc 😭 but no you’re absolutely right!

I bristle a little bit at criticism of “content” as I defined it above. I know it’s wrapped up in the writing, but I think things that are actually happening in the universe—such as decisions characters make or big events that affect the plot and characters—are things that are totally up to the author, and therefore can’t be objectively wrong. For example, Sophie deciding to date Keefe is something happening in the universe. Therefore, it can’t be the “wrong” thing, because it’s Shannon’s universe in the first place.

Now, there could be other pathways the story could have taken. The story might be more enjoyable to some people if other pathways were taken. But Shannon isn’t… “incorrect” about her own characters, which is a take I’ve seen implied (and even outright stated somewhere, I’ll have to find that again) since she created them and what she decides to have them do is a part of the story she’s deciding to tell. From an objective standpoint, we can discuss her writing methods and the execution of the story she is telling, but at the end of the day, if someone’s problem isn’t with the execution but with the story itself, their criticism ceases to really be helpful. That’s basically like saying, “I like Harry Potter, but J. K. Rowling really messed up when she made Voldemort a half-blood.” (Which might be a bad example because it was actually a genius narrative choice.) In that statement, you aren’t criticizing Rowling of her execution of the story, you’re criticizing the very story she decided to tell, which is her right as an author.

I think an author can make choices that don’t move their story in a direction that would lend it more literary merit or have more of an impact. But if those decisions are related to the “content” rather than the “writing” (according to the groups I defined above) then I don’t think anyone can objectively say the decision is wrong. That’s the other thing—the use of the word “objective” in situations it has no business being in.

In short, writers can execute things well or poorly, and they can make narrative decisions that don’t lead the work down a road that gives it more meaning, but when coming up with the actual plot of a story, authors can’t be wrong about what should happen in a story that is of their own design! If they think that their character would do X, Y and Z, then they’re right, because they created the character. Even if we, the readers, haven’t been exposed to a single thing about that character that would make them make those decisions, the author is still right about their own character. Now, in that scenario, the writing can be criticized, because a character who would do X, Y and Z should probably show signs of it earlier in the work so that it doesn’t give the readers whiplash and better develops the character, but the author can’t be wrong in their own universe by virtue of having created the universe.

Thanks for stopping by!! I love chatting about this stuff, feel free to reblog and keep it going

[blueteller]

Cale Meets a Genie

So I had a funny idea, but it's too short to write a fic about it.

Enjoy!

***

"Hello, this is GWIS, Genie Wish Incorporated Service," the blue man surrounded by mystical mist spoke to Cale in a monotone voice. "How can I help you?"

Cale blinked at the sudden appearance of such a strange being. Then he looked at the old-fashioned lamp in his hand.

'Really? This kind of cliche...?'

He should have known this was a suspicious item from the fact that Arm kept it locked up in a highly secure safe, right in the middle of their base. But Raon hadn't detected any malicious energy from it.

"You grant wishes?" Cale asks, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. "...Is there a price for that kind of thing?"

It was that way, in some stories. The genies had incredible powers to bend the universe, but it often caused misfortune for the unlucky soul foolish enough to make a wish, without thinking things through.

"No, sir" the genie responded with the same bored tone of voice. "GWIS operates on basis of donations."

"Donations...?"

"We provide all kinds of high-quality service. It's only natural that many beings feel grateful and wish to support our wonderful organization."

Judging from the genie's expressions, he was not exactly thrilled to be a part of this so-called "wonderful organization".

"You mean that there will be no price to pay for a wish...?"

"Correct." The genie nodded, resembling more and more a person who lost their soul long ago due to tedious retail work. "No bad luck, no debts, but also no refunds. One wish per customer only. Naturally, wishes for more wishes of any kind are against the GWIS regulations and cause immediately ban of any future GWIS service."

"Huh. Well in that case..."

Cale's thoughts rand wild.

"What are the power limits?"

"Any wish has to have localized effect only."

"Localized? As in..."

"If you wish someone to be cured, no matter the illness, it can be done." The genie responded, yawning. "If you wish to resurrect a person, it cannot be done. That would require tearing a whole in space time continuum and grabbing a soul from another place. Too many problems for GWIS to deal with."

"I see..."

So anything reality-breaking was off the table. Good to know.

Cale's eyes suddenly sparkled. He knew exactly what to wish for.

"I wish to be a rich sla-"

"Denied."

Cale gaped in shocked disbelief. "WHY?!"

"Giving you slacker life would not be a localized event."

"What do you mean?! Of course it would be!"

"For you to become a slacker," the genie explained to him, slowly, as if Cale was a dim-witted child "There would have to be world peace across the universe and no problems for you to deal with."

Cale fell silent, aghast.

"Can you even imagine the paperwork that would cause? GWIS would definitely fire me!"

Cale fumed silently. This was so unfair!

"Well then. If that's the case... my wish is..."

(The Next Day)

"Young Master Cale, here's your morning lemon tea" Ron Molan smiled gently as he served Cale his most detested beverage.

Much to his surprise, Cale took the cup with a wide grin. "Thank you very much, Ron."

The butler was stumped as he watched Cale drink the tea with relish.

'Ahhh, it really was worth it.'

Cale made a wish to taste anything sour as something delicious and sweet.

He made the best wish ever.

[codenamesazanka]

There was that joke in the fandom about Horikoshi looking through fanfics to see what theories to make canon like the "Dabi being Touya" or "the UA traitor" (even tho most of those were just stuff hinted at in the canon before hand). Since we're doing the whole "sharing memories" bit, the one fanfic trope he can definitely throw in the manga right now is the "Spinner tells Shigaraki he used to have a tail that got cut off by bullies"

Is that a popular trope? Enough to be a thing Horikoshi would pick up on. I don't think it's anywhere near the same level as 'Dabi is the lost Todoroki son' and 'UA Traitor is _____'… but it would be interesting if Spinner Tail Trauma is made canon.

Though at this late stage, I don't know if I want it, to be honest! If it's a memory, it's angst fuel to develop characters other than Spinner - guy wouldn't even be there for it. It would a real iffy choice to show something deeply personal and traumatic that happened to Spinner, something so unjust, without Spinner there—and really only for the benefit of the contrived connection between Shigaraki and Deku.

I guess because Spinner is still unaccounted for, he can still show up so it doesn't have to be just a memory, but. Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. HeroAca resolutions are less about the victims and what they're owed, and more about how cool and merciful the Heroes are for saving them. This would be that, but even more so, and infinitely worse.

Plus, it would make the heteromorph riot mini-arc even more of a mess. Not to say there's levels of suffering that can be compared, but in-universe and in story, Shoji is kinda framed as having been worst off - his parents weren't heteromorphic like him, he got bashed in the face with a rake and was heavily scarred for life after he saved a girl from drowning, then he even has to wear a mask to prevent people from thinking he's resentful for being the victim of a hate crime. All that, but he came out of it with a strong and golden moral core, ready to be a great and inspirational Hero who protects the status quo.

Shoji's positioned as being in the right: here was a kid who suffered terribly, but he still managed to overcome the odds and be a Good Person, who thought deeply about the Right Way to end discrimination and is putting it into action (which is being a model minority). So what's everyone else's excuse?

Meanwhile, Spinner's backstory is that he only gets sprayed with pesticides, succumbs to being a NEET hikikomori, and goes running off to join terrorists without a single original thought in his head. For the narrative to work, he needs to be the selfish, hypocritical loser who didn't try hard enough to overcome his hardships that were comparatively mild.

If Spinner was revealed to have a tail cut off by bullies, the bnha balance of heteromorphic good and evil would collapse. A young boy's classmates mutilates him as the apex of heteromorphobic bullying, and the victim was left to languish as a high school dropout shut-in? That's not something that can be fixed by waiting out generations (just wait for the adults to die! their mindset would go with them—oh, but the perpetrators are the new generation…) or having the victim change their behavior (there's just no excuse for chopping off a child's body part). That reveals something much darker in the fabric of society that Heroes' plucky 'work-harder! plus ultra!' optimism are unequiped to handle.

At the very least, it's something that "Stop holding a grudge" and "Sorry for not realizing earlier" (as the rando hero tells the PLF guy in Chapter 373) and "Shine bright until your torments feel ashamed" are utterly insufficient and unconvincing in resolving. Not quite as inspirational, you know?

I'm sorry anon! I know you were asking as a joke, offering a fun idea. And I do like it! I'm still not opposed to Spinner having that canon backstory if the writing around it was to suddenly radically change the story and expand it by 300 more chapters to fix everything. I still love the idea that Spinner had a tail. I just took it too seriously and overthought it. My apologies. Thanks for the ask.

[venuslovesmascs]

Hi!! I don’t really have a certain style or outline for readings so every one will be a little different im sure, I don’t like to limit myself and let the spirits and universe tell me what’s needed.

if it resonates pls leave a tag or comment 

I’m begging, talking to tarot and spirits

alone can make a girlie think they need psychiatric help

first guy - happy shark ? he looks happy

- queen of cups up, queen of wands reversed were the first two cards to come out - which I thought was really interesting. they want emotional maturity first , before intimacy or passion if it’s that type of connection. they don’t seem to be a sensual person, they like to emotionally get to know others however. they don’t accept “childlike” energy or people who can not commit. they have virgo energy. also cancer. always reminds me of queen of cups. they like security and balance.

honestly to me this doesn’t seem like someone you are seeing, either a crush you are scared to come forward to, or just a friend in general. it it’s a friend, they want to know you more intimately , to be able to care for you more. to emotionally support you more. if you reach out a hand, they will always want to grab it to help you.

they like to stay home. don’t like to go out and party. do not invite them out, especially with a large group. maybe a study sesh, baking, movie. honestly im not getting too much to pick up on here, they seem like a pretty chill person who likes to be in their own world. like I feel bad for interrupting their energy or peace lmao. if you want something, you have to make it known. they will NOT make the first move. but this person has good communication skills, and emotional maturity. definitely worth talking to. i think you will both learn more about each other if you have an honest conversation about how you are feeling. this person appreciates honesty, straightforwardness, and vulnerability. i honestly really get the vibe it’s a friend u want to communicate feelings for. don’t come on too strong or passionate, take things slow, they don’t like to rush. you’ll scare them lol. they are sensitive. don’t like change. u got this. let things flow. i know it’s hard, I suck at it that part.

- it only takes a taste, waitress the musical - came to my mind

- they have mom friend energy , maybe u have dad friend energy, “accidently parents to found family trope”

pile 2 - curved sharkey

this person may tend to take more than they give. we got the devil card. which isn’t always bad, but can involve lust or deep fantasy, living too much in a dream world, not being practical enough. they don’t desire commitment or balance right now. or communication. if they want to….,18+….. they like things firey and passionate. quick. they are the type to “get what I want”. no thinking. they want you to maybe relax a little more about communication. to live more in the moment. everyone wants different things from connections and that’s okay, you don’t always have to be on the same exact page, but you need to find a common ground. make sure you aren’t always walking the extra mile for them.

this person is fast. moves on quickly. like they don’t want me in their energy. they are like… sorry got to go. I’m bored.

you may be blinded to some red flags. they seem really sweet!! just not looking for anything serious, do not have time for commitment. but also have not communicated that, yikes :/ they like to indulge. I’d be careful with their energy honestly. you do not owe them anything. i wish I had more to say but there’s not much left lmao. they do not like the mushy feelings, or letting people in. you won’t be able to change that any time soon. feel free to engage if you don’t mind, just remember to stay true to yourself as well. do not hide your wants and needs. be honest that you are meeting them where they are for now. don’t build any resentment before something even begins.

pile three - cartoon shark

seems like a connection that has had separation, big changes in the past. a lot of hurt for both ends. one being more silent about their pain than the other.

this person wants a change for sure. numbers 3 or 12 could be important. they want to be more integrative . they seemed stuck in the past before, and feel guilty for so. they may have left you in the cold, “dropped your hand while dancing” / champagne problems. they want to bring you peace, if not come together, at least give closure. i think they had a lot going on, and want to explain. if you want to talk or not, that is your choice. just make sure you aren’t letting your “ego” decide - the part of you that holds resentments , pettiness, the part of your animalistic desires or patterns - dont make this a quick decision, take some time to think about it, not what would bring you short term fulfillment, but long term fulfillment.

they will understand if you do not want to integrate again, but either way want to help in whatever way possible.

this person cared about others opinions in the past, let status/family/friends/affairs get in between the connection. they care about their reputation. maybe they have already done some things in the past they are ashamed of, and are still afraid it can come into light. they felt like they were holding on my a thread. i still think their fear of reputation hasn’t changed if I’m being honest, im not sure they are still willing to put in any fight against others, but maybe for your connection. but don’t expect this person to change over night. they care, but still have issues being publicly outgoing or seen. they don’t like conflict. which is probably why they ran from you too lol. definitely avoidant. but if they come forward, it shows they are making change - remember that.

they didn’t fight for something like you wanted them to. they have never been good at communicating. they have worked on that for months, for themselves, not just you.

you are good at strategy. planning things out. they admire you for this. they are not. they are not good at looking into the future. they live in the moment. but are learning either way they fear what is to come. and they wish they had you to rely on , to be in the future , if nothing else. they don’t want to put the burden on you however , this scares them, maybe you are more financially/ emotionally put together, they may not feel good enough for you.

okay there’s a lot going on here but I think I’m going to end it here, feel free to message me for any clarification but, I think this is something that can only be worked out between you two in divine time.

PILE FOUR - SHOWER SHARK

this is definitely an ex or a past lover or current situation that’s getting less intimate . something has recently gone wrong. some kind of trust has been broken.

i think you are waiting for this person to change. but you two can not change together. they do not want the same things, you are both lacking fulfillment.

if I’m being honest, I don’t even think this person wants closure or to talk. they want a clean break, a fresh start. im sorry if you feel left out in the cold. there’s some new journey here that you have to take on your own. and I don’t think you are used to being alone. i know it’s scary, but I think the universe is high lighting some lesson or journey here. maybe this is long distance. starting college, or studying abroad, a new job, that kind of energy . i think you have a lot to look forward to. all these new changes coming are a blessing in the future. take time to mourn and heal, but know that when you are ready, you have a lot of fulfilling things ready for you. new friends, passions, hobbies

i think you felt really bogged down by this persons energy. that you were too similar. “twin flames” energy , not the western Instagram post “twin flames” but the idea that you meet someone who mirrors all the parts of you that you have ignored for years. that feels like your soulmate - how quickly and intimate you knew them. but it’s just the catalyst for your change and self growth. you will heal and grow into a person that people will love and understand, a person that this past energy won’t even recognize. i think you will always have love for them, it dosent feel too toxic in a sense, more just confusing, and hard, too hard. love dosent need to be hard.

focus on taking a break. mourning. going no contact seems like the best route here. we all have free will, im not telling you what to do. however , I think your energy would be best preserved if you had a clean break. no meeting up again. no drunk texts. no giving back some old tee shirt from the back of your closet that they don’t even want. bring it to goodwill. you will feel better in the long run if you focus on feeling empowered by yourself and not others. it’s okay go want community, and human connection is natural, but we still need self reliance and independence to be able to help others too. okay that’s a lot hope ur ok , much love. bye.

pile five - teeth sharkey

I’m getting this person wants to call you lol. they want to come back around, maybe from the past but not too far back.

they want to cleanse whatever has happened , maybe a fresh start. you may have noticed they have changed a little , dress differently, talk differently, new confidence?? new haircut ?? new phone?

they are a “shape-shifter” , they want to be a person that can change and provide for you. i don’t know how long term these changes are, they seem to change a lot - that is for your judgement and not mine. they seem smooth , I can like feel myself blushing??

welp - there’s definitely some big change spiritually within them with the death card I just pulled. they want change in your situation. maybe they link k***nk …. u know. they want to know the dark parts of you. show you the dark parts of them. “For better or for worse” energy. idk if they want long term commitment so to say? but they definitely want a more stable emotional connection. i may not be your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner but I’ll treat u and know u better than any of them energy.

there’s some secret they are hiding . i still don’t think they want to tell you everything, im not sure they want me to even be clear of what they want, maybe they do not know. they for sure want u tho. especially physically. wow they are attracted to u. possessive energy. maybe u like that, maybe u don’t. that’s urs to say. they want more eye contact, they think you have pretty eyes. they may like the occult / spiritual. OOO u know what, maybe they know you like it , they either researched it to impress you or actually had an awakening and want to share with you. they love your energy. they like being with you at night lol. maybe for some non-pg 13 stuff, but also I think they just want to be “spooky” in general with you and look at the moon and wander at night , do spells, that stuff. you seem to have changed them if I’m being honest. maybe opened up their heart. maybe you are their death moment.

if I’m being honest, idk if this is a person you see as “the one”. more like, a fling or fwb. but they were brought into your life for a reason. don’t let fears of the unknown / future hold you back from connecting with them. they have a lot to teach you.

[saiyomiya]

Mamiya Review

Man, I don't know many people who know what Mamiya is, and that's a shame. Hell, the only way I know it is because I checked Andrew Hodgson's portfolio the other day and was captured by the art.

People should REALLY check this out. It's like if Nisioisin and Subahibi and the bunker dream scene in Disco Elysium and your lingering yearning for whoever just came up in your mind just now had a love child with the brain the size of thousands of universes or something. Like is that not the most incredible sentence you've ever read? I'm me and I wrote that sentence but it would've made me want to read it.

Pros

Beautiful art

Incredibly curated freeware OST that made me a fan of Ludo for life

Great translation with beautiful and succinct prose

Incredibly well-paced and doesn't waste your time at all

Cons

There is some thematic messaging in the game that leaves a bad taste in my mouth which is obviously subjective but hey this is my review

Will probably leave you hanging and wanting more answers when you're done, maybe even a bit dissatisfied (warning: I am dumb and maybe something flew over my head, a single read is definitely not enough for this one)

Rating: It's good, great even. The part I don't really like about it is subjective and some/most people might be fine with it or understand something about it I don't. I tolerate it because the rest of the game is interesting and everything else about it is very up my alley. If you're interested, make sure you buy the DLC DoomsDayDreams as well. It contains the last chapter of the story.

Spoiler subjective rambling to myself below the cut. Warning: I am dumb and might be too stupid for this game

Steam | VNDB (Part 1)

Why this game is kino

The settings are super interesting and the writing is beautiful. Honestly I would love to fine tooth reread it someday, maybe in Japanese. (Too bad Textractor can't since the engine uses Javascript).

The scope of the game is impressive and how verbose it is about all of those things is an incredible accomplishment. There is something universally accessible about Mamiya's message. You don't need to read a trove of philosophy books to understand what it wants to say. (Though obviously there are references.) You don't need to tolerate great horrors to get to the good parts. The pacing is good and it doesn't waste your time. It doesn't think you're stupid and believes in your ability to figure stuff out. There's a chance I'm jabbing at a kamige a lot of people revere that I also like for the most part but despise at the same time

MAMIYA (meme), Natsume, and the trichiliocosm are all very interesting and well handled themes. I've never really been able to word these feelings myself, so reading a story that builds something about concepts I've felt in my core was very freeing. It kind of makes you feel like an atom, if we could understand how a single atom feels. I think we all have thought about these things at least once. As humans, we all worry and think of the beyond every once in a while.

The effect this story has on you is genuinely beautiful. How can you feel so small and yet so important at the same time? Not only are you a body, you are your soul, you are your mind, and you have an existence before anyone knew what you are. Yet at the same time, we are all part of an infinitely expanding universe that is not only what we ourselves see, but what everyone else generates.

You feel so cherished and yet so insignificant at the same time.

I find MAMIYA so fascinating as well. To verbalize and personify the idea of yearning and admiring a ghost of a person is super interesting. Everyone has felt that for someone else, a longing to be with or to become a beloved. A lot of people grow out of that, but what happens when you don't? What happens when the scars that that yearning left are too deep? Being able to write a story about this concept, give it a mind of its own, and make it metatextually infect actual readers is brilliant.

It's kaleidoscopic in nature. It's a story that is so many things. It wants to be a literal read, it wants to be an abstract read, it wants to be meta, it wants to haunt you, like a ghost, like a veil, for the rest of your life. It's an incredibly unique and unforgettable experience. The only other game to make me feel similarly was Subahibi but I felt way less miserable while going through Mamiya.

That, on top of watching these characters face their weaknesses and ultimately conquer them with their own strength really tickles the Nisioisin fan in me. Like, all of this is incredible stuff. EX is incredible too, even though it hurts so bad. The bittersweet and vague and confusing endings for me leave me wanting more and someone smarter than me to explain what happened help

It leaves you with a love that is yours alone.

If you like the Pink House characters don't read this word vomit

(Vague Door 2 Fata Morgana spoiler mention)

Okay, time to get negative. I dislike almost all of the Pink House characters. I mean, that's definitely by design. All of them are groomers who succumbed to mental weakness and also nobody likes a groomer. It's pretty hard for me to view them just as characters because they did such horrible things to vulnerable children for their own self-satisfaction and weakness. Like brother I'm sorry but I can't just look at characters like this as just characters.

I fucking hate Osamu as a person. He's my least favorite character. To instill MAMIYA is to leave yearning, but damn, him leaving Ryou with his abusive mother and his biological daughter behind is just despicable. He is insufferable to everyone he talks to, he's ugly asf too, I'm gonna kill him, give me ten dollars. If you like him, more power to you, you're better than me, but my brain just can't run the calculations to tolerate him. Just a subjective thing.

Mayuri's relationship with their mother is relatable and I think their struggles with their inner child and self love are very interesting. However, what they do to Minato throughout DDD is despicable and unforgivable to me and it's very hard for me to look at them objectively. Like I totally get that's a me problem.

I mean, I get it though. There are people in my life who've done awful things to me, but I don't want them to die. Rather, I want them to live and be happy, but away from me. I don't wanna know how they're doing either. In this way, I really have nothing against the better ending Minato has with Mayuri, and I found their duel together interesting. It's well done, in my opinion.

Touma is the least offensive of all of them to me and I don't have much to complain about with him, at least from my understanding of his struggles and what he did overall.

Okay he did bad shit too but somehow it didn't leave as bad of a taste in my mouth than the other two. That too, is subjective.

Finally, Samejima is so boring to me. I never cared about Yukimasa from Fatamoru, so more of the same is more shit I don't care about. He's not very interesting to me on a personal level. I just never cared for characters with his narrative.

I guess for me, since ALL of Natsume's friends patch things up with the Pink House quartet it starts to feel very vaguely like, the way to handle your abuser is to understand why they abused you and then accept that it is a cycle and maybe get along with them and cheer them on. Saying that hilariously minimizes every arc but I mean, this was the vibe I got from all four of them just... more or less forgiving their abusers who put them through psychological and sometimes physical hell. It just didn't sit right with me. I think, for a game like this, having at least one character NOT be the "bigger" person and not be amicable, not forgive even after trying, would've made the message come across more clearly. Forgiveness and handling of abuse is messy and a bit of inconsistency among the cast would've garnered a bit more goodwill on my end.

Of course I might be missing the point or blind. I might be dumb as hell who knows. I would love to be enlightened otherwise. It just left a really bad taste in my mouth for a story I overall liked and became the hugest con about it for me.

Character rankings

Upper layer: Nidome > Mamiya > Natsume > Librarian > Senior

Nidome is cute even though he doesn't do much. I liked his design and I felt like this whenever he called Natsume a silly goose. Librarian and Senior are cool I just wish we saw more of them. The upper layer itself is really cool conceptually and I would love a story about it, but who knows if that's gonna happen.

Natsume and Mamiya are givens to like. I honestly can't tell if I like one or the other more.

Natsume's friends: Minato > Haruki > Ryou > Keito

Minato's narrative is relatable and I like them a lot, Haruki I liked more than expected, Ryou is fine, and I like Keito enough, but I feel like as I've gotten older I've had less patience for characters of his archetype. Or don't care about them. Like he's just there to me.

Pink House: Touma > Samejima >> Mayuri >>> Osamu

Touma is the least offensive of them to me (to the point that I would say that I like him), I don't like how Mayuri was handled and Osamu is just trash to me for reasons I spoke of earlier. I don't feel anything for or against Samejima. It's not his fault I don't care for his narrative archetype, but at least he's better than the other two behind him.

Natsume: Spectator/Idea/As a part of MAMIYA > Body

I'm just fucking around at this point

Conclusion

What can I say that I haven't said? It's good and I hope it gets more popularity someday. It certainly deserves it and I think it could be considered a kamige among VN enthusiasts if they gave it a try. People are just going to have to spread the word. I do think that most people would more positive than me even though I feel relatively positive about it, so go crazy and become the salespeople Kenkou Land deserves.

I still feel like I have so many questions and want so many answers for the main endings themselves. EX is both heartbreaking and yet so freeing at the same time, and the main ending is bittersweet and confusing.

It's as if I woke up to news to my dear friend Natsume Souichirou dying myself.

[americas1suiteheart]

speaking of Atlas, maybe you should do an Atlas x Reader possibly?🤭

Why of course I can! I'm doing headcannons for him instead though if that's alright! (Totally didn't push this off for a day and then immediately write it after, oops! Sorry Anon!)

Dating Atlas Would Include...

Atlas (Bioshock) x GN Reader

Notes; I'm going to completely forget the fact that Atlas is in fact Fontaine, hope you enjoy!

Warnings; Violence, smoking, drinking, all that Bioshock fanfic jazz

He's a very caring person, you saw how he helped Jack in the game and how much he talked about saving his "wife" and "child," so you'd assume he'd be the same way towards you.

Not the biggest on PDA, he might hold your hand in public though.

In your own privacy he tries to be as affectionate as possible towards you being you two might not get to be around eachother often.

He definitely loves to hold you in his arms as if your the only thing in the universe, it helps calm him and forget about all the wrong with Andrew Ryan and Rapture.

I'd like to think that the only reason he's not as affectionate in public is because he wants to hold up this tough guy kinda figure so no one thinks he's weak.

He really does love you though. He'd probably do as much as he can for you it's insane. Possibly even as far as, murder? He's just very protective of you, even if you werent stuck in the chaos of Rapture he would still be just as territorial and protective of you.

He's such a great listener. Though he's used to everyone else listening to him as he talks about how to put an end to Ryan, he'll put everything aside to listen to your worries and whats troubling you.

Being It's the early 60s I'd assume he would call you love, sweetheart, darling, and maybe even doll a lot.

He's definitely mentioned marrying you a couple times, yet he's scared of actually moving forward and committing to it because of where you two are stuck.

Not thinking about having kids as he doesn't want them to be born into Rapture and have with all the bad, would wait until you two can get out of there for good.

This man just absolutely adores receiving kisses. Something as small as you giving him a gentle peck on the cheek or even a small kiss on his hands just makes him melt.

He loves giving you kisses as well! He would be one of those guys to kiss you on the hand very often but loves kissing your forehead and your lips. His lips would probably taste of alcohol and cigarettes though.

Probably sings to you when you can't sleep. Id imagine he'd love singing The Ink Spots, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra, its just kinda what I'd assume would be in his vocal range.

Oh boy don't even get me started with his accent. His accent would probably be ever so slightly prominent when he would sing for you. You and I know very well it's one of the things you fell in love with Atlas for.

Loves words of affirmation. He loves when you tell him how good he's doing and to try and not to worry, he'd instantly calm down and maybe even cry?

He definitely has a bad smoking problem there's no denying that, but being It's the 60s and smoking was a fairly common habit, you don't get on about him for it at all.

You and him have definitely gotten in a couple of nasty arguments, most of which were because of the state of Rapture and how little time he would spend with you. Some of which had eventually led to either one of you leaving for the night to have a couple of drinks. But regardless, you two always talk it out and forgive eachother for your own nasty behaviors.

Even through your fights, Atlas is very loyal to you and wouldn't stoop as low as to see the girls in Eve's Garden. As I said he cares very deeply for you and only you, your the only person he fancies at that moment and won't hurt you that way when he's still very much in a relationship with you.

Eventually in the end though, it definitely wouldn't end up working out. Eventually you'll get tired of all that is happening with Atlas and how often he's gone doing work that you'll either leave and avoid him best you can, or you'll tell him yourself. You two definitely aren't good for eachother with Atlas having so much influence over Rapture and you trying to have as much of a quiet life as you can get in Rapture after the downfall, and also with the fights and arguments to never end as long as your together.

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

Little bit of angst at the end if you could consider it that, but I'm a sucker for a bad/unhappy ending. Anyways, I hope it's up to your expectations of my writing and I deeply apologize it wasn't an actual fanfiction but I'd figure headcannons are just as fun to read. Bye for now!

[eth3real1ty]

in honour of everyone moving out of uni

i’m moving out of university today. i look around my room in its state of undress. the walls are bare now, the occasional faint splotches on the paint the only indication that it was ever covered from corner to corner in posters, pictures, paper. the bed is stripped, the mattress naked. the curtains thrown back, the room cast in the murky light of the day. the open window lets in a cold breeze that slides around the room and down the back of my shirt. the shelves are all empty, as is the cupboard. just yesterday there were clothes and toiletries and so much stuff spilling out of them like forbidden treasure – if said treasure was a disproportionately large collection of jeans, jumpers and chocolates. 

there’s a stereotype that when you get your room keys, you have no idea the year you’re about to have. the memories you’re about to make, the people you’re about to meet. that you end up a very different person than when you started. i walk down the hall to the kitchen. i think about the year i’ve had. i’d never be that dramatic to say i had no idea what was in store for me - because while i may not have been able to predict exactly what i got up to in my first year, i had a pretty good idea of how it would go. but when i think of the person that in october, found this walk down the hallway so unfamiliar, i see a chasm between us in my mind. we’re undoubtedly the same person, but she feels so far away from me now. she’s forever stuck on move-in day, and i’ve been allowed to pass ‘Go’ and collect my 200 dollars.

i double check the fridge. the four shelves are empty, save for a half-full jar of mayonnaise sitting on the third. i grab it and bin it, thinking of when i bought it. how my best friend told me i’d definitely need such a big jar and how do you not already have mayonnaise? i eat it with everything! and i’d laughed and added it to our trolley. i think of how a year ago, i didn’t even know she existed. and how i don’t think i can even go an hour without texting her now. and how i don’t think i’ve ever met someone who thinks so similarly to me. and how she doesn’t even have to speak and i know exactly what she’s thinking. and how she’s the only person not bound to me by blood that’s seen me in tears. and how if my grades had been slightly different, our lives would never have intersected. i have to lean against the counter, my head in my hand.

my dad wrestles the last of my army of suitcases out of the door, the rattling of the zipper the only sound in the eerily silent flat. the guy next door to me has already gone. i can’t make fun of his awful music taste and even more awful singing any more. i smile. i really never had heard someone that bad before. the girl on the other side of me woke me up at 4am yesterday, she was laughing so hard. she’s gone to burger king with her brother before they leave this afternoon. 

the hallway smells of… nothing. not spices, not weed, not meat. the floor is clear, bare of the usual sea of pamphlets and leaflets shoved under our door. as we step into the lift, i note that for the first time since i moved in, it’s clean. we walk out of the building in silence , the only sounds the occasional cooing of a pigeon and the rhythmic clack-clack-clack of my suitcase wheels on the paving. we cross to the security gate, my dad nodding at the guard sitting next to it, handing him my access key and holding it open for me to stride through. 

the gate closes with a scrape on my first year.