valeriiene

[valeriiene]

✧ AND I’D STILL CHOOSE YOU ALL OVER AGAIN. → fairy tail

that one thing they do that makes you fall for them all over again. ft. natsu dragneel, gray fullbuster, gajeel redfox, sting eucliffe, lyon vastia, jellal fernandes

warnings: none

it’s the way natsu smiles right before he throws himself into danger. not out of recklessness—well, actually, yes—but out of trust. like he knows he’ll come back to you. no need to worry, he’s strong. you watch him walk off with that stupidly charming grin, flames wrapped around his fists, and instead of fear, all you feel is warmth. that unshakeable belief of his is contagious. and when he finds you after a fight, just like he promised he would—covered in dirt but beaming once his eyes lock with yours, arms wide open like you’re the reward? yeah, your heart doesn’t stand a chance.

gray does this thing where he absentmindedly reaches for you—quietly, casually, like it’s second nature. a hand at the small of your back. fingers brushing yours when no one’s looking. and then there are rare moments, especially late at night, when he actually says how much he needs you. that’s big, at least for gray —he’s always been one to show affection through actions more than words. but honestly? it’s always in those in-between gestures. the way he holds your jacket if you forget it, or offers his instead. the way he stands behind you just to make sure you’re cool enough during the hottest of days. that’s when you fall. again and again.

it’s when gajeel tries. he’s not naturally soft or open, but he tries for you. you catch him leaving little things near your space: repairs, your favorite snacks, weird trinkets he swears aren’t gifts (but totally are). he acts like it’s nothing, but his ears redden slightly when you call him out for it. and it’s not just the gestures, it’s the effort he puts in every time. the steady way he lets his guard down for you (only after stiffening for a second before realizing who you are), piece by piece. it’s when he tries that you fall all over again.

sting gets giddy when you laugh. like you’re the funniest, most magical being in the whole world. doesn’t matter if it’s a dumb joke or something you barely meant to say. he clutches his stomach and leans into you, eyes sparkling just right. he kisses you with that same joy, as if loving you is this delightful surprise he’s never quite recovered from. in those moments, when you’re both laughing too hard to breathe—you fall. because damn, how could you not love someone who treats your smile like brightest light of all?

it’s the way lyon says your name. almost like a prayer, a melody, a habit. he says it when he greets you, when he’s annoyed, when he’s tired. soft or smug or teasing—it doesn’t matter. your name sounds different from his lips, ringing entirely of love that makes it feel special when it comes from him. even when he’s talking to others, his gaze always goes back to you, like he’s making sure you’re still there. still his. it’s subtle, constant. and every time without fail, it makes your heart flutter.

it’s how jellal watches you when you’re not looking. there’s a gravity to it—an endless devotion that flows like a stream, like he’s memorizing you in case you vanish one day (and he really hopes it won’t happen). you’ll catch it sometimes: the small, reverent smile, the softness in his eyes, the dreamy sigh he lets out like you’re some sort of miracle. as if he can’t believe you’re real. he will always feel undeserving of your affection but he’ll never stop loving you, no matter how hard he tries. not that he wants to stop. and that look—that look—which might as well be the perfect definition of adoration—is the exact moment your heart gives in. all over again.

[valeriiene]

Twisted Hearts: The DLC

Gender Neutral Reader x The Draconia Fam Word Count: 3.2k

Summary: In which the Isekai Truck Driver of Fate sends you right into the messiest Briar Valley Sitcom you never could have asked for. Found family wasn't meant to come with a kill count, you don't think.

Twisted Hearts was a game that had grown so popular that it had veritably wound up eating itself along the way.

What had started as a simple but effective love story spanning the social hierarchy of a medieval world had shot off into horror game emulators, snack brand sponsorships with weird, integrated advertisements straight out of The Truman Show, and so many DLC character packs that the original cover art boys had all but been drowned in a sea of pastel ikemen with tragic backstories each more miserably sad than the last.

The creators had concocted sweeping romance routes for every available NPC down to the distant, foreign merchant mentioned exactly once in a letter you could unlock during one of seven royal escapade routes. They’d even introduced technology—technomancers, technically. As if a fancy name suddenly made the idea of dragging beep-boop squeaking robots into a world still living without modern plumbing less of a desperate bid for relevancy. They’d run through a hundred heroes and a hundred villains. Written ‘I object!’ into so many wedding scenes that it ought to have been basic tradition for nuptials by this point. The spited lovers laughing in glee could all be overlayed into their own goddamn harmonized symphony, and the list of tropes lined up and ticked off like an itemized to-do list could have made a bureaucrat wince.  

And you hated it.

The miserable, repetitive, corporate slop it had become. A money tree blooming from what had once been a seed of genuine greatness.

No, the original plot had never been anything to write home about. A tale of lovebirds finding solace in one another in a world where pairings were made off practicality and romance treated as a tool. The King falls for his Lowly Servant, and his Vengeful Fiancé will ruin them. The Second Prince falls for his rival royal’s Lowly Servant, and his Vengeful Betrothed will ruin them. The foreign dignitary falls for his host’s Lowly Servant—and on and on. But what had made that generic garbage so worthwhile had been the golden shine of the characters buried beneath it all. True gems hidden just there, right beside the sludge.

So you’d stuck around. For them. As ridiculous as that sounded.

Endured all the pay-to-play walls, and the looping circles of cliffhangers, and the product placement. Scoured each new route like a weary archeologist searching for the creaking remnants of a lost civilization. For just five keys you can unlock a special dialogue branch off the main route with [Selected Character]—

And maybe the original story had just happened to come along at a time in your life when you’d needed it most—had offered up lovely, warm promises of forever when a scarred, fragile heart had wanted that gentleness so terribly. It’s hard to forget the first person who tells you that they love you, that you’re worth something to the world. Even if the voice behind such a sentiment is filtered through the tinny grain of a laptop speaker and their soft smiles grew pixelated at the edges.  

But anyways.

The point of all of that was to say that you knew this goddamned game. You knew every ending, every dialogue pitfall, every enemy, everything.

So you would certainly know when you’d wound up as one of its most reviled antagonists.

‘Brother Complex,’ as they were so often called, did not have a set name. Like Professor Oak so often forgot the moniker of his own flesh and blood, the player was expected to look the littlest Prince or Princess of Briar Valley in the eye and dub them whatever they wished. It was one of the first examples of an otome game so flagrantly allowing their player base to project their most hated foe onto its antagonist. Middle school nerd drama had found a new battle ground in Twisted Hearts: The Regency Routes.

‘Brother Complex’ was a character that hadn’t existed in the original series, but had been incorporated along the line as an extra level of challenge for those who saw Lord Rune’s reign as an obstacle too easily toppled. ‘Brother Complex’ was Malleus Draconia’s adopted sibling—a rare, draconic fae, just like him. One of perhaps the last in existence. ‘Brother Complex’ doted on Malleus, and expected just as much rabid devotion in return. They were expected to grow together, age together, and eventually wed—restoring the dragon race to the land and ruling as a beloved king and queen for all time. And that was what made ‘Brother Complex’ so much more of a fight.

Because the original Malleus hated Lord Rune. Playing the main character in that tale was more a fight to avoid the petulant fae’s attempts on your life than it was to win the male lead’s heart. And no one liked Rune in those timelines. So sneaking your way into the dragon’s arms didn’t leave many dissenting voices in the crowd.

But ‘Brother Complex’ was not that. Malleus adored his sibling, and on top of that, they were two dragons. Veritably destined to wind up mated and married. Childhood friends to lovers with just enough of a sprinkling of forbidden ‘oh, step-bro, what are you doing?’ to make things juicy. So when you played as the MC in that story, you were out there fighting for your goddamned life. Battling with an antagonist who had the male lead wrapped around their little finger, and the entire government body of their world rooting for their success.

On one hand, it made for a genuinely intriguing story. Particularly as the MC uncovered more and more about ‘Brother Complex’ and all of the dastardly deeds carried out in the name of keeping their favored sibling all for themself. On the other hand, it had landed ‘Brother Complex’ at the top of everyone’s villain shit list. They had the worst deaths, the cruelest ends, and the most fandom antagonism you had ever witnessed on god’s green earth. Unlike in many other otome tales where the hero’s failure just meant spiraling into their own demise, you could snap in this one. Kill the scheming sibling when you saw no other option to end their reign of terror, and in doing so, lose the love of your life in the process. Or said sibling could even off themself in the name of laying blame on your weary shoulders—backed into a corner with no way to victory, so deciding to simply take the MC down with them. It was complicated, it was dramatic.

And now your life, it would seem.

Because when you had first woke with teeny, tiny claws for hands and fluffy wings at your back, you hadn’t thought anything terrible at all. Just that Heaven was pretty cool, and you would love to be a dragon. Even if you were only the size of a housecat for now.

But then you’d seen him. Lilia Vanrouge. A man who needed no introduction but received one in every iteration of Twisted Hearts that had ever been released nonetheless. Adopted son of Maleficia Draconia, companion and brother to Maleanor Draconia, father figure and blood uncle to none other than Malleus Draconia, himself—the Cover Art Boy. The hallowed night general who had reared not only the future dark prince, but his sibling.

Brother Complex.

Fuck.

“Oh, you poor thing,” the fae frowned, leaning down amidst the heavy droplets of a Very Convenient Rainstorm to shield your teeny head. “What are you doing all the way out here?”

‘Not letting you pull me into Plot Hell, is what!’ you hissed, instantly scrabbling for a tree, a big rock, anything.

Lilia yelped out a ‘hey!’ and was diving after you before you could blink. He almost got a hand around your tail, but you turned around and bit him square along the wrist until he was cursing under his breath and dropping you back into the mud.

“Get back here! You little—!”

No, no, no, no. Absolutely not. You weren’t going to face down the isekai gods just to wind up as the most hated antagonist in all of bodice-ripping literature. Because what else could you be. With your useless, fat wings and snuffling, silver snout. Made to be a literal foil to Malleus’s sleek, black hide and sharp edges.

You jumped for it—dove into the air like a fat caterpillar dreaming of its wings—and Lilia snatched you out of her freefall with a squawk.

��You—” he gasped, winded, and you smacked him square in the face with the feathered tufts of your tail.

He spat the downy fluff from his mouth and you screamed enough obscenities at him to make the devil blush. But all that came out of your pointy toothed maw was a cacophony of shrieks, and bleats, and growls that were infuriatingly squeaky.  

Lilia huffed, eyes narrowing as you hissed, and spat, and chewed at his fingers.

“You’re not making this easy, you know,” he complained, bordering on good natured, and you wondered if you could force yourself to shit in his lap. “I don’t know how you managed to get yourself stuck all the way out here,” he continued, and you were really focusing now. You swore you could feel your stomach starting to churn. “But for a hatchling—and you—you’re a—"

You opened your mouth and promptly vomited all over his vest.

Lilia gawked, you preened. You burped, a cloud of funky, unpleasant mist that had Lilia wrinkling his nose.

“…Such a baby,” he rumbled under his breath, and you turned up your nose.

But then his palm came down to rest between the buds of your new horns and you froze. Because Lilia was smiling. Small, and crooked, and amused.

“You have a lot of manners to learn, I see.”

You gulped.

Lilia reached up to tweak the point of your snout between his black-tipped nails and you burped again in a miserable effort to burn off his hands. He snorted and tucked you into the loose hood of his cloak, wrapped up like a burrito and restrained. You wiggled, miserable, and Lilia shot you a smirk.

“Nice try, beastie. But I’ve had more than my fair share of experience with unruly children already. You can’t beat me.”

You scrunched up your nose in irritation and then tipped open your silver maw with a yelp. To wail, and wail, and wail the whole way home.

.

.

You arrived at the Wild Rose Palace in the same sort of way that you pictured children sneaking frogs into the house in their back pockets.

Lilia kept you tucked in the folds of his cloak the whole while, whispering promises of treats and toys if you just kept quiet for a little longer. Your lip curled, and you would have screamed out of spite alone. But you’d roared your teeny throat so sore that you couldn’t do much but croak in miserable complaint. A proper pocket toad, indeed.

Eventually the flashes of light from windows, and chandeliers, and who knew what else came to a steady standstill. Soft, repetitive flickers of pale green licking the walls rather than wispy streaks of smudged embers whipping by. Lilia shifted, pulling you from the makeshift cradle of his arms, and you were rumbling on a snarl again all at once. This time he was clever enough to keep his fingers well out of reach, but surely there were more ways you could manage to wiggle free.

“You’re late,” a silken voice trilled, far too amused at something so simple, and from above you, Lilia’s mouth curled into a smirk.

“Oh? We had a prior engagement? Other than you simply taking all your dedicated periods of counsel to tug at my pigtails?”

“I’d cut them right off your head if you still had them,” the other lamented. There was a shfft, expensive fabrics slipping against each other in a waterfall of velvet. “What have you got there? Another mortal bauble for your collections?”

Lilia puffed, and you gnawed determinedly at the buttons on his vest.  

“Not exactly.”

There was a pause—telling, somehow. And the air of whomever Lilia was sparring with shifted alongside it. Into something focused and stern.

“Well. Go on then. Out with it.”

The night general held you aloft in your burrito prison like a baker presenting his most prized loaf of bread out of the oven. And the whole room went silent all at once. Even the crackle of the flaming sconces seemed to fall muted beneath the sweep of… whatever had settled over the hall. You blinked, dizzy from the height, and promptly sneezed in a burst of sparking, silver embers all over the floor.

“…this cannot be.”

“That’s what I thought as well,” Lilia returned, gently lowering you flailing self back down to the floor. You rolled around in a mess of feathers and clumsy wings—scrabbling at the black marble and flopping over face first when your little claws slid right out from under you. Lilia scooped you gently beneath the arms to right you again, and you bowled right back over in an attempt to swat him away. “But I found them. Abandoned by the borders of the Verduous Moors.”

“The Moors?”

Another pause.

You bolted forward, running in place against the slippery floors, and Lilia calmly reached out to pull you back by the scruff with a screech of nails over tile.

“…it’s been years,” the woman continued. Maleanor, you realized. There had only been a few portraits of her shown throughout the whole of the game—that, at least, had been kept sacred no matter how the IP descended into degeneracy—but her regal visage and youthful, sharp face would have been enough to give it away.

She was meant to die, as all Mother’s were in games like this. More space for a soft touch later in life, when the poor, lonely hero needed it most. But clearly whatever tragedy befell her had not yet had a chance to sink its teeth into this happy, blooming family and rend it apart. She looked down at you with narrowed, emerald eyes that crackled with a power that you could feel all the way from across the hall. You shivered before you could help it, curling down into a teeny, tiny ball of scrunchy fluff and feathers.

“And there was no one else? You’re certain?” she pressed, something anxious twisting her lovely features. Her claws drummed against the seat of her throne, sending off sparks of spitting, black static into the air.

Lilia shook his head, already bending to work away at easing you out of your armadillo squat.

“No one, Melly.”

You could have sworn that the Great Queen’s lip wobbled at that. Something quick, and jerky, but there. And then she was clenching her jaw and lolling back against the high back of her throne with a put-upon sigh.

“Well then, do whatever you like with it. It’s hardly my concern.”

You paused in your cycle of burrowing and biting to rear up, startled. None of her concern? But Brother Complex had done nothing but wax on and on about Maleanor’s grace and sweetness—how the dragon queen had so readily brought this new hatchling into her fold. Maybe that little bitch had really just been a liar through and through, or maybe you had already managed to make such a poor impression that Briar Valley’s Matriarch was happy to throw you out on your ass.

You perked up, tail nearly wagging, as you turned to trot towards the nearest window. Ready to take a plunge to freedom.

But then there was another noise.

A small, squeaky yawn and a leathery flutter not unlike a bat’s wings.

You turned before you could help it, serpentine eyes narrowing in on the sound like a second instinct. There, rising from a heap on Maleanor’s lap the same color and sleekness of her ebony dress, was Malleus Draconia. Or, well, the creature that would one day become Malleus Draconia. Right now he was just… a lump. A small, black and purple drake with the proportions of what a dragon might look like if drawn from memory by a toddler. Thick and round at the middle with eyes far too big for his head and wings far too stubby for the rest of him. He yawned again, high pitched and whiny. And instantly Maleanor was bending down to fuss over him with big kissy faces and head scritches.

But Malleus was looking at you.

With those stupidly vacant eyes and head tilted like a dog.

A sharp ‘what the fuck are you looking at’ came out as barely a chirp—like an angry baby bird. And Malleus blinked again, out of sync and slow. Your hackles raised and you paced in place, stomping your little feet and swishing your tail. Because this was the man who would lead to your end in all but a select few timelines. And on top of that, there was some new, core, instinctual part of you that was rearing up afraid over the idea of a strange dragon snuffling around your very delicate self. You bared your fangs and Malleus showed his in a strange, gummy display that almost looked like an attempt at a smile. But awful.

You stomped again and Malleus hopped down from his mother’s lap like a spoiled house cat. He fell half-way off her knees and the Queen had to give him a proper scoop to help him to the floor, but he just rolled forward with it like a pill bug. Used to the coddling.

Your feathery hackles arched up and up the closer he trotted, and off to the side Maleanor and Lilia were sharing an entire, silent conversation in terse looks and astonishment.

Malleus plopped himself down about a foot away, forked tongue flicking past his canines. And he just… stared. There was a low, slow rumble coming from somewhere in his throat, and you Did Not Like It. You curled around yourself with a growl, ears flat and claws kneading anxiously into your tail feathers.

And then the future Dragon King and Demon Lord folded over onto his side like a deflated balloon—head against your furred hip and stared up at you with the most braindead, green eyes you had ever seen in your entire life.

“…Sevens,” someone gawked, and Malleus’s tongue flopped out of his mouth like fucking road kill.

“Do you think he—”

“—Maybe it’s—”

“—And if that’s really—”

You glared down and Malleus returned your bitter leer with something so endlessly empty for a moment you wondered if he was even alive in there at all. He reached out with one of his clawed toes—syrup slow and lazy. And then his talons were kneading into your tail alongside your own, and he sighed contentedly. Burrowing into the fluff there with a strange thrum almost like a purr.

“…well,” Maleanor choked. “I suppose that decides that.”

“It does indeed,” Lilia echoed, sounding distantly astonished.

The princeling hummed again, low and long, and Maleanor murmured something that you did not want to even think about.

“Do you hear that, beastie,” Lilia called, warm. “You’re going to be staying with us now, hmm? How’s that sound?”

You lunged forward and bit Malleus straight in his Cover Boy snout.

.

.

[valeriiene]

A silly sketch of an AU I have where Subaru becomes SateBaru and torments Emilia, who doesn't remember him.

And possibly the crazy guy gave Emilia the RBD.

[valeriiene]

EmiSuba Genderbend getting married

[valeriiene]

Hi!! It’s super rare to see someone write for Re:Zero! By any chance, could you maybe write about an enemies to lovers relationship with Natsuki? Some fluffy content would be appreciated too ;; (I’m so conflicted about this man i swear)

<<heyho!! hell yeah! i´d love to write about re:zero! i, personally, love the anime and books, but i never see any fanfics/... about it:( so thank you for requesting, i´ll do my best to write for protagonsit boy!>>

Subaru with an enemies to lovers s/o

character(s): Subaru Natsuki

franchise: Re:Zero; Starting Life in Another World

warnings: implied d34th?

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

♡ this man, istg

♡ i get, why you are conflicted, he´s a dumbass, but a good one;p

♡ so usually, Subaru does not, quote on quote, hate people he first meets

♡ ofc, with a few exceptions, like when you kill people important to him

♡ meaning, with you, he did not hate you from the beginning

♡ like with everyone else, he was a little wary of every new person he is meeting, which makes sense due to the,, special situation he is in

♡ but he did try to befriend you! one, to see what kind of person you are, if you are an amazing person or more on the sketchy side

♡ two, a new companion is always nice and will always help him, so why not:DD

♡ so he went up to you, building up courage

♡ ,,aaaand continued to produce the cringiest small-talk ever made by mankind

♡ "soo how do you like the weather?" "what are your hobbies?" "haha, have you heard this funny joke?"

♡ yeah, you did not approve

♡ so you made a mean comment, and left

♡ did you just leave him? while he was midsentence of his amazing joke?? how dare you.

♡ however, this did not make him hate you, of course

♡ much rather, he would try even harder from now on, energetically, but respectfully since you seem to not like him that much:´)

♡ Subaru kept on talking dumb crap towards you, like he does to Ram, but you did not budge

♡ and you kept being mean to him

♡ so he started to care less

♡ if you don´t wanna be part of the (actually not so) amazing Subaru´s journey in another World, then that is your problem, peh>:c

♡ well, that being said, it started to become his problem, when you started to become part of the reason, why he dies in alternate timelines

♡ of course, you can´t influence what brings you to do certain stuff in certain timelines

♡ but you just didn´t want to make it easy for him

♡ and specifically this timeline was a nasty one, since he barely got any support in this situation and he had no clue, how to survive

♡ you would be his only saviour, but everytime when he just seems to acchieve his goal to survive

♡ you go and (may or may not be metaphorically) stab him in the back

♡ and he started to loose his mind because of this

♡ he was already trying, what else is he supposed to do??

♡ so in the end, Subaru just got extremely annoyed at you and could not stand being in the same room as you

♡ he tried to survive in this timeline alone for multiple tries, but realized quickly, that he may or may not need your powers

♡ if you would cooperate that is

♡ but Subaru is stubborn and proud and you seem to be too

♡ so be prepared for a long time of you just sneering at each other for no reason

♡ but then, all of a sudden, he did it

♡ he ended up in a serious conversation with you

♡ ill let you choose the topic, that made you change his mind over accepting his presence, something close to your heart, but it made you think

♡ is he actually a good person?

♡ eh

♡ for you it was worth giving it a shot

♡while, well, for Subaru Natsuki it was about the 8th one

♡ he still complied, when you proposed to team up with him against whatever is up ahead

♡ and you smiled, when he said yes

♡ wait, why is his heart beating so fast all of a sudden

♡ why is Subaru hugging you now

♡ why is his face getting red now

♡ nonono

♡ this dude is in deep, deep denial and maybe you are, too

♡ and during the fight, or whatever you have to accomplish is, he realized, how reliable you can actually be

♡ you were a huge help and he really grew a liking on you

♡ so when he finished his task and basically got a new savepoint, he tried learning more about you and genuinely spending time with you, not only to win an ally, but to win you!

♡ naturally, after a very long time, which was, of course, longer for him than for you

♡ he confessed his feelings to you, being super overdramatic

♡ you were a little confused, but told him, that you loved him back

♡ from this point on, Subaru probably acts really simillar in front of you, like how he acts around Emilia, especially in the first season

♡ but sometimes, the old dislike just comes up again and he startes to tease you, or complain a lot about you,, in front of you,,

♡ that´s of

course all in a loving way

♡ both of you started off not all so positive but are now in a super helathy relationship

♡ don´t get me wrong, Subaru is still the same huge dumbass

♡ but a loveable one!!<3

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

<<ayyee! i hope you liked this! it was actually a lot of fun to write for re:zero, i thought id be more helpless, cos i havent seen lots of fancontent for it, but no, it was really cool! thank you for the request, i hope i did what you asked fooorr, love love>>

[valeriiene]

The beer did not sit well with you.

Much to Cana's displeasure, she noticed just how barely your drink had been touched, the frothy golden liquid still right near the top.

"Geez." she muttered as she took a massive swig of her own drink. Bringing it back roughly onto the table with ample force, Cana snapped her fingers and decided enough was enough. It was frustrating looking at you day after day, all sad and gloomy. She knew all too well just what was bothering you and frankly, Cana herself sometimes had the same issue.

You wished to have a boyfriend.

A reasonable desire, she reckoned. Most people want some sort of romantic relationship in their lifetime, it's only natural that you'd be so bummed with how alone you were. Were it not for the guild, Cana was sure that you'd just stay stuck in your room all day, doing who knows what.

Well... She had a few ideas. But that was not important right now. She could tease you about that later.

Reaching for her cards, Cana sprawled them across the table, your eyes slightly widening at the sudden action of hers. Her brown hair framed her face perfectly as she stared down at you with her arms crossed against her chest.

"I want to do a love reading for you." She said with a small smile. Chuckling, you looked at her with amusement, a glimmer of hope shining in your eyes.

"Do you now?"

With a pop of her shoulders, Cana gave you a nod, the drinks on the table now seemingly forgotten in favor of her cards.

"For now, just pick the one you think calls out to you. Don't think too much about it, otherwise you'll ruin the whole thing."

The deck before you seemed almost imposing, the magic of the cards making you question if you would be able to somehow mess up something as simple as this. From the corner of your eye you could see that Cana was watching, her patience never wavering. Closing your eyes, you decided to focus all of your energy on the cards, the burning desire for love your driving motivator. Your hand hovered above each card, some calling out to you more than others. It was as if you had been swallowed by a sea of darkness and the cards which uttered your name were glimmers of light trying to light your path.

The warm light ceased to a halt, ice suddenly coursing through your veins as your hand went to the very last card in the deck. Its pull was unlike the others, the sheer amount of magnetism almost maddening. If you didn't know any better, you would have thought that the card was downright screaming at you to just pick it up.

Pick it up.

Pick it up.

More ice. A sudden wave of nausea came over you, your belly suddenly feeling heavy. Was it the beer making you sick? The guild chatter turned to white noise, all of those noises blending into one singular entity, beckoning you to just pick.

Why was it so scary?

Pick. It. Up.

And so, you did.

Opening your eyes in a hurry, you took the card by force and handed it to Cana, her face contorted into a look of confusion. Taking the card from your hand she brought it close, eager to see what the future had in store for you.

That was when she felt her heart stop.

Staring back at her was The Devil. A card that foretold a dangerous path ahead, a mad love beyond rhyme or reason. A relationship which could destroy you if you were not careful.

And since when has the room gotten so damn cold?

Cana suppressed a shiver as she reached for her drink, its warmth hardly soothing. She had no idea how to tell you the truth, how she could warn you of any impending danger in the future.

She just wished to figure out just who was the main source of it.

Amongst the chaos and chatter sat the ice mage, his own drink having been long gone by now. Gray had hardly noticed that he was bringing down the temperature in the guild, his own nervousness eating him from the inside out.

The things he'd do to just sit next to you... To share a drink with you, to talk to you.

His ice wished to encapsulate you close to him, the burning desire a stark contrast to his usually cool demeanor. It wasn't fair how you never talked to him. That bothered him a lot more than he'd ever be willing to admit.

For now though, all he could do was lick his wounds and pray for a better shot in the future. He could do nothing but to sit and stir with his emotions, the tempest inside his heart raging on.

Please forgive me if I did not use The Devil card correctly here in this sense, my tarot knowledge is very limited. If anyone here actually knows tarot, I'd be super happy if you explained it to me! I also described the sensation of picking a card of how I usually do it lol, I hope it's not too weird.

Also - yay, Fairy Tail! And yay, I posted! Are there even any Fairy Tail fans out there? Or am I just being cringe here?!

[valeriiene]

Re: School Life in a Different World from ZERO

There is a legend at Lugunica Academy. The student at this academy who enjoys their youth the most is promised happiness for life. In spring, the season of new encounters, you become a student at Lugunica Academy, and after some trouble on your first day of school, you are invited to join the school's student council. The quirky student council members take a liking to you, and once you're welcomed into the group, what awaits you is a life of thrilling and fun youth with them. Who will you spend your time with at this academy, and how will you enjoy your time here?

NATSUKI SUBARU

Student Council President

The student council president of Lugnica Academy. Although he is considered to be less capable and attractive than Reinhard and Julius, he was appointed to the position thanks to the mysterious support of those around him. He says that he is not suited for the position, but he is busy with his duties as a student council president, using his dexterity and earnestness as his weapons, and is working hard to gain the support of the students as a famous student council president. He warmly welcomes the protagonist, who joined the student council for some reason, and gets along with her without any hesitation, saying, "It must be hard for two ordinary people to be together." He is so friendly that he often invites her to dinner at his house. He has a long relationship with the student council members, and is a central figure among his friends, having played a part in solving problems at Reinhard's family home, the relationship between Julius' and his brother, and rehabilitating the rebellious Ferris. However, he is not aware of this himself, and complains endlessly, "Isn't it strange that I'm the top with this group?"

Quotes

"Great timing! We were just having fun talking about you! ...Wait, but I wasn't saying anything bad about you!?"

"Ah, you're always there for me when I'm struggling... What if you keep that up and I end up falling for you?"

"You're not a lesser part of the group at all. You're a proud member with us! We love having you!"

REINHARD VAN ASTREA

Student Council Vice President

Vice President of Lugunica Academy's Student Council. Beautiful, athletic, and friendly, he is the superstar of the school, and not only the students but also the teachers are charmed by him. He likes his friends who have strengths that he does not have, and he is the driving force behind making Subaru's joke come true when he said, "If you're the vice president, I'll be the student council president," and forming the student council with his best friends. His family has produced many local notables for generations, and he lived a very controlled life in middle school, but thanks to his friends, he was able to free himself and became the friendly large dog he is today. He welcomes the protagonist into the student council, but because she is not aware of his popularity, the protagonist gets too friendly with him and gets herself into trouble. After school, he usually has dinner at Subaru or Julius' house, goes out at night with Ferris, and then goes home, living up his youth. He is probably the one closest to making the school's legend come true.

Quotes

"Thank you for your support. When you're here, I feel much more energetic than usual. It's a little strange."

"Please don't think about me so seriously. …There's nothing that I've truly embraced that didn't break."

"The student council has changed since you came. I liked it before, but I like the current student council too."

JULIUS JUUKULIUS

Student Council Treasurer

The treasurer of Lugunica Academy's Student Council. Known as "The Best," he is an honor student who is the opposite of Reinhard, but is too serious and has an airheaded temperament. He was against filling the student council positions with family members until the end, but he also brings the most personal belongings to the student council room. There was a time when he struggled with the things that come with being from a wealthy family, but he managed to get through it with the help of his younger brother. He has deep gratitude and respect for the student council members who helped him at the time. He is in the top class of academic performance, and competes with the protagonist over test scores. He can get surprisingly heated during competitions, and the tea and sweets that the protagonist gives him to keep quiet about showing that side of him make for a relaxing tea time. He is equally popular with Reinhard and the girls at school, and is childhood friends with Ferris. When the student council is noisy, it's usually Julius and Subaru arguing.

Quotes

"I apologize. You are a much more attractive woman than I could have ever imagined. I'm grateful for the opportunity to meet you."

"No more borrowed words and longwinded expressions. I just can't take my eyes off you."

"Oh dear, I'm no match for you. Well then, I promise we'll have a special tea time."

FELIX ARGYLE

Student Council Secretary

Lugunica Academy's Student Council secretary. A boyish girl with a cunning and friendly air, affectionately nicknamed "Ferris". While he is very charming, he also has a cat-like disposition, shying away when you approach him. Surprisingly, he used to be a delinquent student, and when he rebelled against his parents, his childhood friend Julius and his friends Subaru and Reinhard brought him back to the light, and that's how he is now. Contrary to his cuteness, he has a two-sided personality, and is actually more manly than any of the student council members. He has a strong sense of territory, and is actually the strictest when it comes to the protagonist. He is always ready to kick her out if something happens, so as a result, they are often together. He specializes in one talent, and his academic performance is inversely proportional to his charm, and he only becomes a secretary because someone told him, "Ferris' handwriting is so pretty." However, he does try to write beautifully.

Quotes

"Yahoo, nyani nyani, is there a fun story? Don't leave Ferri out."

"…I hate you, I hate you! I hate you so much, so please get out of my head..."

"Don't say anything unnecessary. Then you and Ferri will be friends forever, okay?"

Icons & Wallpapers

All images, audio & original text sourced from https://re-zero-anime.jp/

Translation is an edited machine translation per the best of my abilities

Drive link with all images and audio files (couldn't fit all 12 audio clips in one post)

[valeriiene]

Haven't talked about Reinhard van Astrea for a while.... I missed him...!! :(

Thinking about the way Reinhard would hold you, how his hands would treat you with the utmost care and respect as you flail around in his embrace, completely unaware of the fact that he could crush you like a bug with sheer strength alone. His bright blue eyes shine with concern but even the most keen eye would not be able to spot the glimmer of... Something.

Reinhard's breathing halts and his heart feels like it's going to give in whenever you look his way. As a man with so many duties, he hardly has the time to think about the matters of the heart. However, the heart wants what it wants. And it craves the presence of his beloved more than it ought to.

He is not a bad man by any means but being in such a high position can have a few perks sometimes... Maybe when he's patrolling the city he can be stationed in places where he knows you frequent... That way, it won't be strange if you happen to cross paths...

Yes, that's an excellent plan.

His guilty conscience ate him up but his very human heart weeped for more. Give him all of your love, give him all of your attention.

He practically lives for it by this point.

[valeriiene]

hey, so..what do we think of poly yandere reinhard and julius :3

Notes: Yandere, obsessive behaviour

I think these two would bring out some of the worst aspects of each other. That's not to say that they would fight over you, in fact, it's quite the contrary. Above all, they're good friends and genuinely get along. Both of them are aware that fighting between them wouldn't be beneficial to anyone involved. It'd leave an amount of destruction in their wake that Reinhard and Julius are eager to avoid. They've worked out any misunderstandings between them in the past and they can do it again.

Julius would, similarly to Reinhard though perhaps to a lesser extent, be tortured by a sense of guilt over his feelings. Just like him, he's dedicated to upholding the chivalrous image and virtue of a knight. His current desires are anything but virtuous. Even before his feelings for you, he'd been insecure about his attachment to others, though he'd never shown it. At every parting the thought that it might be the last would flit through his mind. But he could always keep these feelings under wraps, for the most part. It's only now that you're there that it's spinning out of control. He cannot lose you. He doesn't know what he would do if that happened. Julius doesn't want to think about it.

While Reinhard cannot get drunk, Julius is fond of a drink and it wouldn't be unexpected for his constant worries to bubble to the surface when he's spending time with his friend. The alcohol has loosened his tongue. Once he gets started, he cannot stop, and he's confessing what he swore he'd only ever keep to himself. The fact that he's been communicating with Spirits and asking them about you— Your whereabouts and activities, and how it'd only put his mind at ease for a short time before the itch started again. That he's been considering forging a contract purely to have a Spirit keep an eye on you for how long they may be able to stay materialised. That he cannot stop thinking about you, and that it's eating him up inside…

In a rare display of frustration aimed at himself, Julius' hands are clenched so hard the knuckles are turning white at the strain. He should never have said any of that. He doesn't know what to expect from Reinhard's response, but it can't be anywhere near approval.

It leaves him stunned into silence when his friend puts an arm on his shoulder, smiles at him and tells him that he's glad someone else is looking out for you, too. After that, the rest of the evening is spent talking about you. How they'd met you, all that they know about you, their thoughts and desires… Their own feelings feel far less monstrous when there is another one who shares it. That's what makes it worse. No longer are they stuck purely in their own minds, in an endless loop of self-flagellation over their own desires. Because of their ideals and personalities, neither Reinhard or Julius is likely to act on their obsession quick on their own. (Though Julius is much more sensitive to rejection.) Because, while they found comfort in their newfound understanding, they also feed into each other's anxieties with their respective obsessions.

Together, the escalation of their behaviour happens at a much quicker pace and, while they wouldn't be likely to actually kidnap you and stash you somewhere safe.

[valeriiene]

Missing fairy tail luvia..

[valeriiene]

Oh to be in a love triangle between Julius and Reinhard... The longing gazes, the constant shows of praise and devotion, the knightly courtship would be off the charts.

They would both have a very similar approach as both were raised by well off families and typically uphold good morals and proper tradition.

Out of the two, Julius would be the stiffer one but there's an awkward charm to it. He's incredibly ashamed of the dark feelings which are festering deep within his soul and he wishes to make amends for that. He typically does that by serving you in any way he possibly can, his eyes positively twinkling with glee if you give him a good reaction. However, if you're too sweet on him I fear his brain will simply cease to function. Julius won't exactly regress to a caveman but his base instincts might take over, prompting him to be harsher towards the people around him which frankly, can be a little scary! He barks like a dog and he won't be afraid to bite too.

Meanwhile Reinhard is so effortlessly smooth and charming, even if he's not your type at all there will be times when he just sweeps you off your feet. With those baby blue eyes and rose red hair, it's impossible to not at least gawk at him...

And he knows it. Boy, does he know it.

But! A knight should not take pride in such petty things and Reinhard is above all of this shenaniganery! He will cast aside his more sinister desires to the side and just focus on doing what he does best - protecting the people!

... Even if that means not being able to see you for a period of time. And well, Reinhard is anything but blind, he sees the way Julius looks at you... He carefully monitors him, how his eyes trail after your being, similarly to his own.

Oh dear. He can already feel the way his chest churns with agony and downright annoyance.

Is this what jealousy feels like?

[valeriiene]

reinhard van astrea x isekai!reader

notes: obsessive behaviour/yandere, dependency @yandere-romanticaa - im the anon who sent in an ask! hope you like it <3

Domesticity is something Reinhard has never even had a taste of in his own life. His own family had fallen apart because of him all too quickly, and the little piece of happiness he can remember from his youngest days quickly became lost. After that, there had been little calm in his life, little except for training. His minimal needs taken care of by nameless servants who all looked upon him with awe, apprehension and outright fear.

Reinhard never quite managed to feel part of the human race since. He may be loved by the world, but its people would fear him. None of this ever stopped Reinhard from helping others and being the hero he is supposed to be. Though, at times, he wonders what his life might otherwise been like. In other words, like so many, he is subconsciously drawn to what he cannot have. When Reinhard falls someone, it’s most likely for someone living a relatively normal life. An unknown factor.

To Reinhard, it would be even better to meet someone who has no idea who that is. That is a tough thing to ask for, however. His face is known far and wide across Lugunica and his reputation as Sword Master stretches even beyond. It would be near impossible to meet someone whose perception of him wouldn’t be tainted by his ‘monstrous’ power.

Cue you. You have no idea what’s going on. One moment, you’d been going about your day, the next you’ve been transported into this unfamiliar and foreign world, to bustling streets full of species you don’t recognise and speaking a language you cannot understand. After crossing off ‘this is all just a dream’ from the list of possibilities, you’re faced with a frightening new reality.

You’re not taking this very well. It’s not long before you’re sitting somewhere on the cobbled ground, back against a wall and practically hyperventilating. Of course, you’re familiar with this kind of trope of fiction. You just can’t fathom how anyone could be excited about being ripped away from everything and anyone they’ve ever known. Nor have you ever fashioned yourself to be ‘main character’ material.

It’s Reinhard who finds you in a little alleyway, a little ways off from one of the main roads in Lugunica, mumbling to yourself and shaking. Most people would’ve passed by with little more than a glance, if they had even noticed you at all. That is simply the nature of large cities. But he is not the type of person to see someone in such clear distress and walk past without a second thought.

Reinhard approaches you without any hesitation. He tries to be as conspicuous as possible, adjusting his belt so his sword bumps against his side and putting down his feet a little harder than necessary, all to avoid scaring you. (Stealth is a passive Divine Protection of his. It takes him more effort to be noticed than not.) When you glance up, tear tracks clear on your cheeks and eyes wide with distress, Reinhard greets you with the most gentle smile he can muster. He kneels down in front of you, reaching out a hand with a handkerchief in it as if approaching a frightened animal. It’s a thick, soft cloth, embroidered with both his family’s colours and banner. “Please, take it,” he tells you. His smile falters a tad when, instead of breathing as fast as you were before, you seem to have stopped breathing whatsoever. But then you let out a stuttering, long exhale, shoulders slumping and mumble out a string of incomprehensible words. You wipe down your face and hide within the fabric. Out of respect, Reinhard gives you some time before prodding you with questions, looking away instead of staring. Though there are certainly things that grabbed his attention. Your way of dress, more than anything else. It’s not a type or style of clothing he recognises and, as a result, he can only assume that you’re a foreigner. Traveled here from further than the Four Great Nations, maybe. And gotten lost as a result. Reinhard doesn’t mind waiting for you to calm down. Though there might be trouble brewing somewhere else in the city, he’s certain that the rest of the guard can handle themselves for the time being. He’s not even on the job, after all. It’s important to stay in contact with the people he’s actually protecting, lest they become more of an idea or an image in his mind. He returns his focus to you once you’ve calmed down. “Do you want to talk about what happened?” This time, you look at him with no comprehension, then respond with something in your own tongue. Reinhard continues to try and communicate with you, all of the different languages he’s learned bits and pieces of out of politeness, yet none of it rings a bell for you. It’s difficult, frankly, and he’s running out of ideas. You seem to be growing closer to tears again by every second that passes. Perhaps it would be best to try and focus on something easier… A little distraction. He points at himself. “Reinhard van Astrea.” Any moment now, it must happen. There’ll be a flicker of recognition at his name, his appearance, the sword of his hip— And any hint of unguardedness will be erased and replaced by that look he is all too familiar with. That doesn’t happen. Instead, you smile. It’s wobbly and small, but it’s a smile nonetheless. You point at him. “Reinhard van Astrea,” you repeat after him. The vowels aren’t all quite correct, but that’s not an issue. He nods, smiling. Then, you point at yourself and share your own name, which he then repeats. Maybe it’s something to do with his pronunciation, or simply the relief of having fostered understanding with someone else in this city, but that’s the first time that Reinhard hears you laugh, loud and without reservation. It is that very moment that time seems to freeze, that it flits through his head that he cannot let something this precious go.

From the outside looking in though, it doesn’t seem to you that anything momentous has happened. You’ve started to doubt your ‘main character’ status, though. The man that is busying himself to make you at ease looks like he’s appeared straight out of an otome game with unnaturally bright hair and eyes to boot. He’s gorgeous to the point that it’s almost unnatural. That it’s reminiscent of a piece of art in a museum. The idea that he’s way, way out of your league is an immediate, unquestioned assumption.

Reinhard accompanies you throughout town, never straying far from your side. After mulling a little bit over a ways to communicate with you, he asks a shopkeeper for some paper and a pen, making little sketches to attempt to clarify things. He draws a rough approximation of a house and a questioning tilt of his head. Then, some coins, then stick figures of people. You have to shake your head at all of the unspoken questions. No, you have no home, no money, and no people to return to. By the end of it, your face runs hot with shame and you think you might start to cry all over again.

It’s Reinhard who, in the end, assures that you have a roof over your head and money to spend. You have no idea how to make it up to him. Not the mention, you don’t even have the words to express your gratitude. It’s a little one-room apartment that he’s bought for you in a quieter neighbourhood of the capital and your first self-imposed goal is to pay him back. The most people such as yourself can do around town is menial labour: lugging goods around, cleaning as a maid or anything of the sort. It’s either this, or do nothing inside of your room all day. You prefer the work, even if it’s exhausting.

Reinhard really only accepts the money you present him with to stop you from feeling worse about the situation. As soon as he figured out what you were doing, he’d taken you to a more reputable home in the city as soon as he got, acting as your ‘translator’ when you asked why. Of course, with him vouching for you, there was no question about the job or your higher salary.

He’s away for long stretches of time, but when he’s around he’s teaching you bits and pieces of the language. Reinhard isn’t the best at teaching though he tries his best. You pick up most of the language through listening to others speak, to struggling your way through novels after he taught you the script. All he asks for in return is for you to teach him a little of your own language to even better communicate with you. (You try not to think to hard about how it’s a language that, in this world, will die with you.)

Around you, he recalls what he was like as a young child. Shy, almost, at times struggling to figure out what to say. It’s an entirely unfamiliar feeling. Reinhard does feel a bit bad about keeping you in the dark. He purposefully doesn’t teach you some of the words people refer to him with. He doesn’t want you to change the way you look at him.

The same goes for his courting attempts. Any attempt at romance from him seems to fly over your head. (As previously stated, you consider him so far out of your league that it simply doesn’t cross your mind as a possibility.) Reinhard can accept that. For now, at least, and as long as you do not take another.

He values the little pretend life you’ve built together, even though it’s built on an unsteady foundation. Reinhard starts to yearn for the next time he can spend moments by your side, that he can go ‘home’ and see your face light up. He doesn’t know what he’d do if anything happened to you. Because of that, he must ensure he stays close, though he cannot avoid being sent away more often than he’d like. Selfishly, he continues to pay for your things even as you gain the means to look after yourself. It makes him feel better about it all.

If Reinhard is a force of nature, then you are caught in the eye of the storm. There’s little he needs to do about things such as romantic rivals or possible dangers to your life. Reinhard van Astrea’s shadow looms over you through your close association alone, even if you aren’t aware of it, and shapes the way people carry themselves around you. In the case there were those who overstepped, a request from Reinhard would be enough to get them to back off.

He doesn’t want you to be unhappy, he truly doesn’t. But when you complain that you cannot seem to make real friends with anyone, that there’s always this kind of… Distance and discomfort you can’t explain, he’s a little happy that he’s there to fill that gap. Once he has the courage, he’ll tell you how he feels. Your response will dictate whether you stay stable, or get swept out in the currents.

[valeriiene]

Re: Zero Otome AU

More about about some of the characters

Let’s start with our protagonist, Subaru!

Subaru is very similar to his beloved canon counterpart. The main difference is that his guilty pleasure is playing otome games. His favourite one is Thaumaturgy Through a Frozen Heart (aka the otome version of the re: zero world), where the heroine is Emilia! Even though she’s the protagonist, Subaru latches onto her as his favourite and comfort character.

Emilia has the same personality as canon, only difference is how her story goes. She’s still feared and disliked because she’s a half-elf, however, she’s actually related to Satella rather than it being just stigma against elves. A lot of her bad endings end in death which Subaru wants to avoid once he gets transported into the game.

There are two capture targets that I’m sure of: Julius and Reinhard. Subaru adores Emilia and wants to give her the best possible ending, and he doesn’t think he can do that. So, instead, he settles on being a matchmaker and chooses Reinhard (not Julius because Subaru still beefing with him even in an entirely different universe lol).

Reinhard is the top of the students, best in practically all the subjects except for magic. He’s still that good natured guy in canon, not much has changed there. He’s a part of the student council.

Julius may not be the top student but he is pointed to as a model student to be looked up to and emulate. Also a part of the student council.

In game, Otto was the npc you would go to for items. Everything you need? He’s got! Although he plays a supporting role in the AU, he’s not any less fond of Subaru than the others. Don’t underestimate this codependent twink, he’s still got a leg in the (vying for Subaru’s love) competition!

[valeriiene]

Webtoon

JUNGLE JUICE

hyeseong cha x reader finding out about his powers

[valeriiene]

Hyeseong Cha - You Discover His Secret

Pairing: Hyeseong Cha (Jungle Juice) x reader

Synopsis: An accident reveals his inhumanity. 1.4k

A/N: This is for all the 5 people that read Jungle Juice on Webtoon and have tumblr and like Hyeseong Cha.

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

This grump would rather face Dohwa’s wrath before willingly exposing his secret to you. He's always wearing long (and thick) pants, even in the dead of summer. He's so strict about cuddling, too, afraid of you touching him and feeling a difference even through the fabric. He has to constantly manage his speed and strength so he doesn't tip you off. He could crush you with a hug, or break the floor by running too fast, or — god forbid — activate the scythes on his legs and seriously hurt you. Every movement had to be managed, calculated, thoroughly planned. Through no fault of your own, being with you exhausted him.

His hesitance comes from a sincere place: not wanting to burden you with his colossal problems or his mutation. Hyeseong already knows his personality and brain power aren't the most desirable, and doesn't want this one, simple, teeny tiny itty bitty thing to push you over the edge. In time he does let slip that he has a 'skin condition' on his legs that he doesn't want you to see. That's all he'll give up.

All it took was one of your unannounced entrances, one collision, and one fall to unravel Hyeseong’s secret. He leaned harder against the wall when you tried to near him. Near his mutation. His voice was venom when he interrupted your advance. “You don't have to do this.”

You looked up from the revelation of his secret. “Do what?”

“Pity me.”

Your shoulders sagged. Something in your chest shrunk. “This isn't pity, Hyeseong, I want to talk about. . . this.” You waved between the two of you.

“No, you want to talk about this—” he gestured to his legs, “please don't draw this out. Just say whatever excuse you can think of and I'll leave.”

“You want to leave?”

The nighttime darkness in his room made his green eyes glow. “Don't you?”

“No. I want to make sure you're okay, I want to get you to trust me, I want to learn.” You dared not move. The man across from you was teetering on a precipice. One wrong word and he could bolt.

Hyeseong scoured the room for a decision. His parents still hardly looked at him the few times he'd returned home. The words of his classmates shouted: don't. It's not worth it. She won't understand. Forget it. Don't bother. Once you do it, you can't go back.

Hyeseong couldn’t face you while you processed his condition. 

A hard, black, smooth substance had replaced the skin of his legs. Sharp ridges protruded from the sides of his calves and thighs. Rather than seamless flesh, his legs were made of overlapping defensive plates. It explained the sweatpants, aversion to touch, lack of intimacy, sudden absences, the look in his eyes every time you asked him if he was okay.

“I hurt you.” He interrupted, staring at the blood coming from the scrapes on your arms. The spines on his legs were sharp enough to cut steel – and now your skin – with the barest of touches. You could see he was stone-tense, waiting for your decision. In that moment you didn't care about the cuts or his legs. . . his concern for you was stronger than his fear, and it told you everything.

You approached delicately. He was so distracted he didn’t seem to notice. “I'm okay.”

“No, you're not.” Hyeseong thoughtlessly reached for your wounds only to catch himself. “Sorry.”

You closed the last foot. His muscles hardened visibly – he dared not move while you were in reach of his spines. “Don’t be sorry,” you said, hands halting just before touching his face. Without words, you waited for his answer.

Hyeseong will never know what possessed him to nod, but he was glad he did. His heart seemed to burst, release some great pull of tension, when you held his jaw. Buzzing tingles erupted in his skin. He didn’t even know he’d shut his eyes until they opened moments later. You were still there, smiling just as you had the first time you’d met. He could feel his heart squeeze tight enough to cramp. His hands covered your own and laced your fingers together tightly. “You’re not grossed out?”

“Not at all,” you rushed, “I’m only sad you thought you had to keep this from me.”

He brought your foreheads together and inhaled your scent. “It’s not you. I wanted to tell you so many times, but I know its weird, not human.”

“Who told you that?” Your eyes were lazer sharp and focused. Hyeseong trepidatiously watched you look at his legs and felt the air leave his lungs all over again, but when your eyes returned to his, all he saw was gentle compassion no matter how hard he looked. “I can’t imagine how difficult this must have been for you.”

Try as he might, he couldn’t come up with a reply. His chest still felt two sizes too small. “Let’s take care of these cuts.” He said instead, carefully taking hold of your arms. Blessedly, they weren’t too deep. He could have done serious, permanent damage. You gave into his worries, yet determined to unpack his shame another time. Hyeseong was silent when he led you to the bathroom, sat you on the counter, and flicked on the light, knowing you would see his legs without the comfort of darkness. You kept your eyes on his hands while they riffled through the med kit he pulled from under the sink.

“Do they hurt?”

Eyes the color of a summer forest and just as lively flitted to yours for a moment. He swallowed. “Not anymore. My professors keep me in plenty of training.” One by one Hyeseong set out rubbing alcohol, bandages, tape, and a couple of hand towels that would probably be thrown out after this. Your heart squeezed when he stood between your legs, but when he took your hands in his, brought them up for scrutiny, it was impossible to hide the flinches every time he pulled the skin or brushed the tender wounds. Most weren’t deep, but the row of slashes – perfect matches to the thorns lining his legs – hated the touch of air or anything else. He cussed, visibly upset when he saw the extent of damage, and you startled again. Hyeseong threw a towel over your lap to catch the occasional drips of blood.

You tried to descelate. “It’s okay–”

“It’s not,” he bit back, twisting the cap off the rubbing alcohol, covering it with a towel, and tipping it. “Look what I did to you.” In one move he turned your arm over and placed the rag straight on the wounds. You choked on a yelp, free hand fisting the hem of his jacket. Hyeseong’s eyes softened when he saw your lip pulled tight between your teeth. “Sorry.”

He deftly set about cleaning the cuts. Antiseptic. Gauze. Bandage. Antiseptic. Gauze. Bandage. Fast and efficient. Too good. Added to the fitness, caution, and occasional injury he never fully explained, it began to paint a very clear and disheartening picture. Hyeseong wasn’t just doing homework and taking tests at that school. Your hand stopped his with a gentle grasp. His eyes widened a fraction as they continued to stare at the wound you now blocked from his sight. You got close enough to feel his bangs tickle your forehead. “What do they have you doing at that school?”

A muscle in his cheek tightened. “Don’t worry about it.”

It was apparent when Hyeseong wanted to drop something. He had just revealed his biggest secret to you – maybe that was enough for tonight. After a begrudging sigh, you sat back again. Time passed, punctuated by the occasional disapproving growl when blood trickled from a cut or you shied away at the dab of alcohol. You spent much of it admiring the color in his eyes and cheeks. Minutes or hours later your arms were expertly mummified in many layers of wrappings and Hyeseong was tidying up. “Can I meet your friends now?” You tactlessly blurted.

His nose pinched. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Your back lost some rigidity. It was probably for the best; what would some superhumans want with you? They probably all had cool, shiny exoskeletons and straight A’s at the special superhuman school. It was a miracle Hyeseong hung out with you – “Wait, that’s not. . . I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just – they’re kind of a lot.”

You looked from your lap. “I still want to.”

Hyeseong held you delicately in his eyes. The bandages to the little jut of your lips. A tiny smile relaxed the bulge of muscle between his brows. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

[valeriiene]

Ultraviolent Heart

╰┈➤You know how it ends. From the very beginning, you carried that knowledge like an inescapable burden, a quiet ache that shaped your every choice. Yet you stayed—for him. Jin Woo—your confidant, your light in a world of darkness—could never walk with you to the very end. But you couldn't take it anymore. It was too much to bear. So, you leave - knowing your place by his side was never meant to last.

Left behind is Jin Woo, with questions no one will answer and a gaping void where your presence once was. You are gone, and yet the emptiness you leave lingers longer than any memory. ༊*·˚

Implied Jin Woo x Isekai'd!Player2!Fem!Reader | Songfic | Heartbreak | Goodbye | Angst | Jealousy | crying

Crywolf - ULTRAVIOLENT [adrenochrome] ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚--~

Your heart is torturing me.

Knock.

The dull sound of his fist striking rotting wood echoed through the air.

Once—not too hard.

Twice—with more force.

Three times—before the rigid concrete wall could no longer withstand the immense power of the Shadow Monarch. Cracks spread across the structure, and where solid stone once stood, now a large, gaping hole remained, with Jin Woo’s hand at its center—much like the gaping hole in his heart.

The overwhelming anger he felt threatened to consume him entirely. Beru flinched violently, fear creeping up his limbs as his master’s eyes glowed dangerously. He had brought bad news—perhaps the worst Jin Woo had received in a long time.

"Search more thoroughly."

The black-haired man’s voice cut through the silence like his blades through flesh. Yet, despite his usual composed demeanor, his voice quivered with rage.

Beru wanted to point out that it was a pointless endeavor. If you were still there, he would have already found you. But his master would not accept that answer.

"Yes, my king," Beru replied reverently before retreating into the shadows, leaving Jin Woo alone in his fury.

This couldn’t be true. No one could simply vanish without a trace. And yet, it seemed that was exactly what had happened.

A thousand miles an hour again.

It had been a week, and none of his shadows could locate you. Even the Hunter’s Association had been unable to find any information about your current whereabouts. There wasn’t even a hint that you had left the country.

But giving up the search would mean it was over. It would mean that a part of him was gone forever and that the memories you shared were nothing more than illusions.

He clung to the last shred of hope he had because, no matter how furious he was with you, he desperately wanted answers.

And all that stays with me

How could you do this to him? He had trusted you so much, and you had abandoned him in the most cowardly way possible—without a word. No goodbye, no note, no message—as if you had never existed. And with that, you had torn a massive hole in his heart.

The anger began to ebb, only to be replaced with a suffocating fear—a fear that had gripped him time and time again in recent days.

Is the fear inside my gut.

It felt as though he was bleeding out, choking, drowning in place. As though his heart was overflowing with pain, longing for your warmth and softness, and all the things he had never been able to say—the things you had denied him. The fear that he would soon no longer remember you gnawed at his soul.

Memories were all he had left of you, yet even they were beginning to fade. What did your voice sound like again? Your beautiful face, once so vivid in his mind, was now blurring. Were you only a beautiful dream from which he had now awakened?

You're the fear inside my gut -‘๑’-

Two years had passed since you had been pulled into this world—the world you knew so well, almost like the back of your hand. The world that had accompanied you through so many sleepless nights as you eagerly read each chapter on your smartphone.

But just as you were about to finish the story, with the last chapter ahead of you, the universe intervened. You were pulled into the story yourself, long before Jin Woo set foot in the double dungeon.

You became Player 2. The system welcomed you like an old friend, and you quickly adapted. At first, you wanted to return home, but the system refused your departure with a single window:

[You can only leave the game when you truly want to.]

And, evidently, you didn’t truly want to leave. You wanted to stay, to experience firsthand the world you had come to know so well. And so, you stayed—with the goal of making life a little easier for Jin Woo, as though that was your purpose.

Starting as a C-rank mage with a few healing spells, you participated in every raid Jin Woo was involved in, which quickly made you friends. He had admired your strength from the beginning, just as you had admired his courage and determination.

Unfortunately, you couldn’t always lend him a helping hand. Every time something story-relevant occurred, no matter how you tried to intervene, it would inevitably happen anyway—only the timing or the path there would show minor deviations.

Whenever this happened, the system would display a message:

[The story will not change.]

The system made it painfully clear that you had no influence over key story elements. And though you had never had issues with the system before, these moments felt like mockery—a cruel reminder of your limitations.

No matter how heavy your heart felt or how deeply you wished you could change things, events unfolded as they were meant to. Ultimately, all you could do was make Jin Woo’s journey a little lighter, which he accepted with gratitude. The two of you were like light and shadow—one could not exist without the other.

You’ve been my reason to breathe

Not only were you an incredible team in battle, your abilities complementing one another seamlessly, but everyone who knew you—or even those who didn’t—could see that you belonged together. He trusted you; you were the light in his life. The lifeline that kept him from drowning in a sea of darkness. The one who reminded him he was still human whenever he no longer felt like one. The one who had held his trembling hands whenever he needed it—even after those hands had taken lives.

You were the one who stayed with him through so many nights, just to keep him from being alone with himself. The one his shadows respected and whom Beru grandly referred to as "his queen."

His shadows had known from the start how Jin Woo felt about you. But he feared telling you, terrified that it might drive you away. No heartbreak in the world could compare to the thought of you no longer by his side.

Of course, you had noticed, probably much sooner than anyone else. How his behavior changed—how his cheeks would flush whenever you complimented him. How he sought your company more often, how his voice would falter when you came close. Things that had always been intimate but normal between you suddenly left him flustered.

How deeply you wished you could give in to it, but you knew better. There was no happy ending for the two of you. You knew it, and the system knew it—perhaps that’s why it had never responded to his advances. Only Jin Woo remained blissfully unaware, while you locked your feelings away and buried them deep.

The gravity that pulls me in

Despite your efforts to keep him at arm’s length—to keep yourself at arm’s length—those moments grew more frequent. Moments when your gazes lingered a second too long or his hugs lasted just a little longer than necessary. Moments when his hand found yours, and your fingers intertwined. Moments when the two of you lay side by side, silently watching the stars, just to have an excuse to share the night.

It was almost impossible to push him away when he looked at you with such tenderness, smiling at you as though you were all he needed. The thought that the two of you didn’t have a chance began to fade into the background, and as long as the system didn’t intervene, everything felt fine.

I can't escape the weight of your ultraviolent heart

Until that day.

-‘๑’-

The Jeju Island raid had been about two weeks ago, and life had returned to normal. People mourned the fallen S-Rank hunters but celebrated the victory of reclaiming the island. You hadn’t participated in the raid yourself, only watched from a distance—at least until the moment when Hunter Cha was injured and Jin-Woo rushed to her aid.

The thought sent a pang straight to your gut.

What disgusting and pathetic thoughts to have. After all, Cha had nearly died—you knew that all too well. And yet, you struggled to ignore the stabbing pain in your chest, which worsened when she showed up at the guild's office building.

As usual, when there was nothing to do, you lay sprawled on the couch, your head resting lazily on Jin-Woo's lap while he scrolled through his phone.

At first, Jinho had been a little taken aback by the closeness between you two. But he’d quickly adjusted to the fact that his two best friends behaved like a couple—despite not being one.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door, and Jinho looked up from his computer.

You were momentarily confused before realization struck. You’d spent so many days here that you’d completely forgotten about when Hae-In was supposed to arrive. If it were up to you, you would’ve bolted; the less interaction with her, the better. But that would’ve raised too many questions.

You felt Jin-Woo shift, and you immediately sat up, unwilling to give the wrong impression. The black-haired man gave you a confused look as your warmth left his lap—though he made no move to get up himself.

“Who could that be?” Jinho asked, heading toward the door. You could already hear her soft voice as he opened it.

“Is this Mr. Sung’s office?” she asked quietly. When the door opened fully, all eyes fell on the blonde beauty in the doorway.

She wasn’t just pretty; she was immensely strong. Not stronger than you, but far more graceful in everything she did. She was perfect in every way, much to your dismay.

Her eyes widened briefly when she saw you, but she quickly masked her surprise with a polite cough.

Jin-Woo had now risen as well, his gaze cool and appraising as he looked at the young Hunter whose life he’d saved.

“What brings you here, Miss Cha?” he asked, his tone cold—devoid of the softness he reserved for you.

The blonde hesitated for a moment before stating that she wanted to join the guild.

Jin-Woo’s expression didn’t change, though Jinho looked like he’d just been hit with a bombshell.

This wasn’t a surprise to you, of course, but the words still felt like a blow to the stomach.

Less than five minutes later, you found yourself sitting across from Hae-In on the sofa. Jin-Woo sat beside you, once again asking why she was there. The blonde reiterated her desire to join the guild, causing Jin-Woo to frown in confusion as she sipped nervously on a cola. She dismissed his speculations, her cheeks growing redder with every passing moment as she avoided eye contact.

It was almost ironic how Jin-Woo, despite his overwhelming strength, had no clue that Hae-In was flustered. Of course, you knew better. She wanted to be near him because, unlike others, he smelled good and intrigued her. And you had to accept that.

When her face turned beet red and she began fanning herself nervously, Jin-Woo paused and asked again why she was going to such lengths to join the guild.

“I want to live a comfortable life. Is that so wrong?” she replied softly.

Jinho popped up behind you, whispering, “The Hunters Guild must’ve overworked her.”

Jin-Woo’s eyes darted to you, silently asking a question: What do you think?

Of course, you hated the idea. You didn’t want to lose him to her—but what could you do?

Your contemplative expression and brief hesitation were all Jin-Woo needed. He turned back to Hae-In and rejected her request.

Your eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the black-haired man. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go—the conversation wasn’t over yet.

Hae-In lowered her head, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

“I understand,” she murmured, looking utterly dejected.

Panic surged through you. What was happening? A deviation?

“W-wait!” you blurted out, drawing everyone’s attention. Hae-In’s gaze flickered with hope, while Jin-Woo raised an inquisitive brow.

“P-please give us five minutes, Miss Cha,” you said, quickly standing and grabbing Jin-Woo’s hand to drag him into the adjacent room.

Almost disappointed when you released his hand, Jin-Woo looked at you as the door closed behind you.

“Why are you doing this?” you asked, hands on your hips.

He seemed genuinely confused by your question.

“What?”

“Why are you rejecting her?!” you demanded.

Jin-Woo shrugged, his expression indifferent.

“I don’t want her in the guild,” he said flatly, his gray eyes avoiding yours.

He wanted to tell you that you were more than enough for him—that she was unnecessary. But saying so might’ve been too much in this situation.

“This is a one-time opportunity!” you argued, hoping he’d use his brain for once.

“I have you. We don’t need anyone else,” he countered, his cheeks tinged pink.

What the hell was he saying?

No, things couldn’t go this way—it would disrupt the entire timeline. Your thoughts spiraled.

“Then… have her fight Beru!” you blurted out. Jin-Woo stared at you, dumbfounded.

“And why would I do that? She’ll lose,” he said, still not understanding why this mattered so much to you.

“Then it’s a win-win. She doesn’t feel rejected, and you… get rid of her.”

He seemed to consider your words for a moment. From his shadow, the winged ant manifested.

“What do you think?” Jin-Woo asked.

The insect clicked its mandibles excitedly.

“Kekeke, that’s a wonderful idea, my queen,” it replied, clearly far too enthusiastic.

Why could you understand it? No clue. It was probably because you were also a Player, and Jin-Woo had drilled it into Beru from the start that he should listen to you as well. Besides, you liked him—and he liked you.

You looked expectantly at the Shadow Monarch, whose lips curved into a smile as he turned back to you.

“If it makes you happy,” he said, placing a hand on your head. A soft blush spread across your cheeks.

-‘๑’-

"Why the hell?!" you asked the moment your feet touched solid ground again.

You, Jin-Woo, and Hae-In now stood in the middle of the training arena. You hadn’t wanted to be part of this situation in the first place, and when the black-haired man had pulled the blonde closer, it had sent a sharp pain through your chest. You wanted to leave. But Jin-Woo had grabbed you by the wrist and brought you here, knowing that words alone wouldn’t convince you to stay. For once, he had chosen to be selfish.

Clearly irritated, you pulled yourself free from his grip and moved away from the two of them, seeking refuge at the edge of the arena. You trusted Beru to avoid accidentally hurting you, but the ant could be reckless in battle.

Jin-Woo watched you walk away, his mouth opening as if to stop you, but you were already storming off. This would have consequences later...

While Jin-Woo and Cha retreated to the armory, you were finally alone with your thoughts for the first time that day. Worry gnawed at you. Everything was unfolding differently than the story you remembered. Was it your fault? Had you interfered too much? If so, why hadn’t the system reacted? And if not... then what was the reason? Something was terribly wrong... but what?

Your mind drifted back to the manhwa, trying to recall the exact details of the events. Yet they eluded you. Meanwhile, the two hunters returned. Cha was now equipped with a weapon, and Jin-Woo stood several meters away. It wasn’t until Beru’s overwhelming aura enveloped your senses that realization struck.

This wasn’t right... She was supposed to face Igris first.

Before you could voice your concerns, the battle had already begun.

The fight went horribly wrong. Beru had lost control, and if Jin-Woo hadn’t stopped him, he would have torn Hae-In apart. The arena lay in ruins, and the black-haired man stood protectively in front of the blonde, while Beru fell to his knees, apologizing profusely.

Slowly, the conversation from the manhwa came back to you. She would tell him that she was interested in him.

I’ve been splintering apart

Badump.

Your heartbeat grew louder in your ears as the other sounds faded into the background.

Badump.

Your heart clenched as your eyes remained fixed on the two of them. They looked good together... too good.

Badump.

Panic slowly but surely crept up your limbs. You didn’t want to be here when she said it. You didn’t want to see it. You didn’t want to face the truth. You had known it all along, but you had willingly ignored it. They were meant to be together.

Badump.

Breaking open from the start

Your breaths became shallow, and your pounding heart grew louder as you watched Hae-In’s cheeks flush pink. Soon, you would see his eyes light up as he realized why Hae-In had taken on all these burdens. The pain in your chest made it hard to breathe, and you felt tears welling up in your eyes.

Badump.

You couldn’t take it anymore.

You didn’t even hear the black-haired man call your name as you bolted out of the arena. The cold air outside whipped against your face.

But you didn’t get far. A warm hand gently grabbed your wrist and pulled you back, forcing you to stop.

“Hey!” His voice was both frustrated and worried—clearly not understanding why you had left without a word.

“Let me go, please,” you said softly, tugging lightly to reinforce your words. But Jin-Woo didn’t loosen his grip. If anything, he held on tighter to keep you from walking away.

You bit your lower lip, holding back tears. You avoided looking at him, unable to face the concern in his eyes.

“Hey... it’s not your fault this happened. I shouldn’t have let her fight him in the first place,” he said, his voice quieter now. Was that it? Did he think you felt guilty?

The evening continued its quiet work, slowly but surely extinguishing all the colors. Deep blue blended with pale orange where the last warriors of the sun made their final stand.

Gates of heaven are closing

Much like your emotions, fighting against the encroaching darkness—the images of the two of them vivid in your mind.

“That’s not it,” you replied, your voice strained.

Jin-Woo’s concerned expression hardened further. Was it... because he had dragged you here against your will?

But that wasn’t it.

Your throat felt tight, and you swallowed hard.

“That wasn’t fair of me... I’m sorry, I—” Jin-Woo began, but when he saw your face, the words caught in his throat.

Your expression was equal parts hurt and angry. Your [E/C] eyes, usually so bright with joy, were brimming with tears.

Why was this idiot here and not with Hae-In? Had he left her standing there? Why was he making it so hard for you to do the right thing?

His eyes widened, and his heart sank into his stomach as he took in your pained expression. What was wrong? What had he done?

“Why aren’t you with her?” you managed to ask, your voice trembling. Jin-Woo reflexively released your wrist in shock. What? Who?

You seized the opportunity and ran, leaving Jin-Woo momentarily speechless as his mind raced.

Did you mean Hae-In? Why should he be with her? That made no sense to him at all.

Until suddenly, realization struck. Could it be that...? No. That couldn’t be it.

He quickly caught up to you, your gaze fixed stubbornly ahead.

“Stop,” his voice was calm, and his tone commanding, but you had no intention of listening.

When you ignored his second plea, he firmly grabbed your wrist once more.

The protest died in your throat as he pulled you into his chest, trapping you in a warm embrace.

What did you do in my head?

His scent filled your nose, and the warmth of his body spread through your limbs as hot tears streamed down your cheeks.

Why?

Jin-Woo held you tightly against him, one hand on your waist—the other buried in your hair.

“Wha—” you began, your voice trembling, but he silenced you with a soft sound.

“Because I want to be with you,” the black-haired man murmured into your hair, before gently pulling you away to look into your eyes.

The cool gray of his eyes softened, as it always did when he spoke to you, catching your [E/C]. But this time, there was nothing playful in his gaze. He was serious.

Jin-Woo noticed the confusion written on your face.

One of his hands found its way to your cheek, a warm tingling spreading across your skin as he cupped your face.

What are you doing?

“You asked me why I’m not with her,” he explained, gently wiping away a tear that had escaped from the corner of your eye. He had never seen you cry before, and he didn’t like the sight. Especially not if he was the reason.

Weren’t you laying in my bed

He had never intended to tell you, but he couldn’t keep it inside any longer. It had to come out. You needed to know how much you meant to him—that she didn’t matter and that you were everything he had ever wanted.

“I just want to be with you,” he repeated, his voice trembling ever so slightly. He leaned down slightly, as if even this close wasn’t close enough. His breathing quickened as the sun’s rays fought valiantly against the darkness creeping over the sky.

Your heart pounded wildly, and your thoughts raced. Your palms grew sweaty, and you felt as though you might faint at any moment. The tension between you was palpable, begging for resolution.

You wanted to bridge the remaining inches, to tell him how you felt—to throw all your plans out the window.

Jin-Woo took a deep breath.

“[Y/N], I lo—”

[The course of the story remains unchanged.]

The window that flickered behind the black-haired man for a fraction of a second was a knife in your heart, now riddled with cracks, as you reflexively pressed a finger to his lips, stopping his sentence.

He fell silent immediately, looking at you in confusion, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. Had he misread the signs after all?

Telling me I was chosen

“Don’t,” you whispered softly—your voice barely audible, but he heard it clearly.

If he said those three words, it would be over—there would be no turning back. If he said those words, you would break. If not now, then eventually—when fate ran its course. Because if you had learned one thing, it was that the system would find a way.

His throat tightened, and his chest constricted.

"I can’t—" you began haltingly, stumbling over your words. You couldn’t think of a single sentence that would make this situation any less painful for him.

You lowered your gaze, feeling Jin-Woo give up. His embrace loosened, and his arms fell limply to his sides.

You didn’t want to do this, but you had no choice. There simply wasn’t a happy ending for the two of you. Happiness together wasn’t meant to be.

Jin-Woo was hurt—he couldn’t believe how wrong he had been.

"I’m so sorry," you whispered before daring to look into his eyes one last time—eyes filled with anguish—before you turned and walked away.

-‘๑’-

The following weeks were quiet. Too quiet.

Jin-Woo and you hadn’t spoken since. Both of you were waiting for the other to take the first step, but neither of you dared to break the uncomfortable silence.

For Jin-Woo, the situation was clear: you didn’t return his feelings and wanted distance, just as much as he did. Yet it still felt wrong.

Your presence had taken over his life; he saw your shadow everywhere. Your absence had left a gaping hole, and the simplest things no longer brought him joy. Even Jinho was dejected. His shadows, too, felt the emptiness your absence had created in his heart—his inner turmoil and recklessness as he threw himself into battles reflected it.

Beru, in particular, wasn’t happy about your absence and kept asking after you until Jin-Woo firmly explained that you wouldn’t be coming back. The insect accepted it, albeit with a heavy heart.

Now I don’t even know you, and that’s the best part of it

Weeks turned into months, and Jin-Woo had regained much of his strength. He had grown more ruthless, focused solely on his goals. He had achieved so much, but none of it mattered if you weren’t there to cheer him on.

Neither the recognition from the Hunter’s Association nor the countless media articles praising him to the skies brought him any satisfaction. It wasn’t your recognition, so he didn’t need it.

He buried his heavy heart behind a wall of indifference, but he realized he was drifting further and further from any semblance of a normal life. He was rarely home, found himself in increasingly precarious situations during battles, and noticed how little he cared.

No matter what he did, nothing could fill the void.

It simply couldn’t go on like this, so he decided to do something he usually resisted.

He resolved to ask Hae-In on a date.

All I know, you’re the only thing that I see in color

While Jin-Woo threw himself into leveling up, you had shut yourself away at home for some time. Jin-Woo’s wounded face was burned into your mind; after all, it was the last thing you had seen of him.

Guilt gnawed at you, sapping your strength and will to move forward.

You had lost weight, only left your home for absolute necessities, and spent most of your time sleeping. You cried so much that you began to believe you had no tears left.

Every fiber of your being missed him.

His voice.

His scent.

His laughter.

Even his reprimanding tone when you and Beru got into trouble.

Everything about him. Your heart cried out for him, whether you were awake or asleep.

This heart is torturing me

A sigh escaped your lips as you stared at your phone screen—the numerous missed calls from Jinho had gradually become fewer, but he never gave up.

More guilt.

But what could you do to fix this? Calling Jin-Woo? Just tell him the truth? Maybe that would be the fairest way…

Countless times, you had typed his number into your phone, only to stop yourself at the last second. The fear that he wouldn’t believe you was too great. Or was it the fear that he would believe you?

You shook your head and stood up. This couldn’t go on. You had to talk to him, at least one last time—to come clean before you returned home.

You couldn’t bear the silence between you anymore.

The only pain I understand

Your eyes widened as you stared at the TV screen. A photo had just appeared on the display—your hands instantly dropped the paper cup you’d been holding, spilling the hot coffee it contained onto the ground.

With your mouth slightly open, you stared at the screen, which was displayed in the shop window of a store you had just been walking past.

You had stopped in your tracks as the image suddenly changed, revealing a paparazzi photo.

It showed Jin-Woo and Hae-In, with his arm around her shoulders.

Maybe it didn’t mean anything—maybe it was all just a big misunderstanding—but in your current state, you didn’t want to hear any of it.

Your heart had already cracked when you had to reject his feelings, but this time it felt as though it had shattered into a thousand pieces.

Your mouth went dry, and you couldn’t form a single coherent thought.

You stared at the picture as if hypnotized.

You half-expected a spiteful inner voice to appear, taunting you and telling you it had been right all along—but it stayed silent.

I can't escape the weight of your ultraviolent heart

You tore your gaze away from the screen, and your legs started moving on their own.

Faster.

Much faster.

As if you could somehow run away from it, as if these images wouldn’t follow you for the rest of your life.

Your body instinctively reacted to the pain in your soul, numbing it.

The pain ebbed away, leaving behind an emptiness that took over, shielding you from breaking down—at least for the moment.

When the door to your apartment finally closed behind you, shutting you away from the public’s eyes, every bullet hit you at once.

Your stomach churned, forcing you to vomit into the sink.

Your body doubled over, and you clung to the edge of the counter until the shaking subsided, until you rinsed your mouth and collapsed to your knees, clutching at your chest in anguish.

Your body trembled uncontrollably as you screamed out the pain you had been holding back for so long. You screamed until your voice grew hoarse, until no words could escape your throat anymore.

How had it come to this? Why had he entered your life if he was never meant to stay? Why was the universe so cruel? What had you done to deserve this?

It’s a poison in my gut

It took an eternity for your body to stop trembling and the sobs to subside. Your tears dried up, your body too exhausted to produce any more.

You sat on the floor, your back against the wall, drained of all strength. Your head throbbed, and every trace of willpower had left your body.

Weakly, you lifted your hand and swiped downward in the air.

[Do you really wish to leave the game?] [Yes] / [No] [Yes]

Jin-Woo woke with a silent scream from his nightmare, his hand outstretched, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. His breath came in ragged gasps as he sat bolt upright in bed, his eyes darting frantically around the room.

A few seconds passed before he realized he was in his bedroom. The full moon shone through his window, bathing everything in silver light.

It was just a dream…a damn nightmare. But it had felt so incredibly real.

His hand clutched at his chest, which ached under the crushing weight of emotion. He had seen your tear-streaked face as you looked at him, whispering a faint, “Goodbye.” Relief washed over him as he realized it had only been a dream. He rubbed his eyes, only to notice the glimmer of tears on his hand under the moonlight.

But it still felt so real - he felt so hollow, as though a giant hole had opened in his chest. As if something was terribly wrong. His mind wandered to you once again, missing the warmth of your Presence once more. He was sure you had seen the News, the speculations and rumors about his relationship with the blonde S-Rank - but they were all false. He only wanted to shield her from the Spotlights, since it was him who dragged her along in the first place. The Date with Hae-In was a welcoming distraction from fighting in a Dungeon, but it felt all wrong. It just made him realize once more, that it was you he wanted by his side - as lovers or friends, he couldn't care less. He just wanted you.

His resolve hardened: tomorrow, he would visit you and ask for your forgiveness, hoping you would be willing to forgive him. Hoping the empty feeling would finally disappear, that he would be whole again.

With that thought in mind, he drifted back to sleep. But the emptiness remained.

You’re the only thing that I see in color.

[to be continued....] ღ ◌ ͙۪۪̥˚┊❛~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ❜┊˚ ͙۪۪̥◌ ღ

Wow, this story just came to me while I was on the bus, listening to music…what can I say—I had to write it down before it was too late!

English isn’t my first language! I hope everything was understandable and legible.

since y'all are just suckers for drama, there will be a part two~ But first, the first chapter of my other Jin Woo x Reader story [Anomaly] will release next week! stay tuned! The Prologue is already out! Thanks for all reblogs, likes & comments.'*•.¸♡ I really appreciate it <3 ♡¸.•*' ~Utopia ༊*·˚

[valeriiene]

"does it look okay?"

itoshi sae has grown rather good at this—compartmentalizing his attraction to you. you're his little brother's best friend, after all.

he's grown good at ignoring the fact that he knows you've always had a crush on him.

he's managed all these years, even when you moved back home after university with a footballer boyfriend (the first boyfriend you ever really seemed serious about). even when that bothered him far more than it should have.

but now that guy's just your shitty, cheating ex that sae never liked in the first place. and he's playing his team today, by some stroke of luck.

and you're standing in his apartment still looking more than a little heartbroken as you hold out your arms and slowly spin around wearing his jersey instead.

your ex always felt more than a little threatened by sae, whether you were aware of it or not. so in retrospect, this seemed like a good plan. posting a picture in sae's jersey and then going to the game and cheering him on while wearing it.

but even after all of these years, sae's not prepared for it—the hot, possessive feeling that rapidly burns its way through his gut the moment he sees it.

the unreasonable, unspeakable things he wants to do to you in it.

the weak, selfish way he wants to know how exactly his name sounds on your lips while it's written across your back.

(the way he suddenly doesn't even care about the stupid game anymore.)