#Cinderella is up next!!!

[totallynottinsel]

You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream

Sleeping Beauty AU

He was gone.

Bilbo had thought he'd accepted that long after he'd returned to Bag End, but more often than not tears fell that drained him, forcing him to sleep.

He saw the light flicker from his eyes and how the color left his skin. His chest stopped heaving, he was at peace.

Bilbo was tired, but he did not want to rest. He did not want to have those dreams again, see the blood on his hands, the sting in his chest.

Thorin Oakenshield was dead. That was that.

There was a gentle knock that jumped Bilbo out from his quiet thinking, sitting in his armchair with a hot mug of tea that warmed his belly. He deeply sighed, figuring it was Lobelia come to heckle at him for the 3rd time that week about those bloody spoons. "Nobody's home!" He shouted, but more knocks came. "Oh, you've got to be joking." He stood and tied the string around his robe forward, stomping to the door to swing it open wearing nothing but a frown. "I've had just about enough of---oh."

"Always quite the welcome when I come to your doorstep, Bilbo Baggins." Gandalf smiled fondly, still clad in his pointy grey hat and holding his crooked staff.

"Gandalf! I wasn't expecting... visitors. I thought you were long gone from the Shire?"

"I do apologize, but I am not here for idle chat," Suddenly the wizard's face sunk. "I fear I carry some unexpected news."

Bilbo felt his chest tighten; he was certain he was finished with all things unexpected and unplanned for the rest of his days. "Well, let's have it then." His hand fell inside his pocket to fondle the Ring. Gandalf eyed the movement, but carried on.

"Thorin Oakenshield is alive."

This had to be a cruel joke. An unfair punishment by whatever entity watched over hobbit life, thinking he deserved such for some reason. For all he knew he could be dreaming all this up! He didn't exactly remember going to bed or waking up, everything just felt blurred together. He started to feel dizzy.

"Bilbo?"

No, of course this wasn't real. Just a figment of his sad imagination trying to make things seem better than they were. He started laughing because he didn't know what else to do. Thorin wasn't alive, he saw him---he watched him die. Over and over again he watched and he couldn't do a single damn thing. He twisted the Ring faster.

"I really do think it would be best if you sit---"

He blinked roughly, his eyes becoming heavy and harder to keep open. His hand felt for the wall to keep him steady, he could hear his heart in his ears. He wanted to sleep, he wanted all of it to just go away so he could be content again.

"Are you listening to me? For goodness sake!"

Gandalf's displeased voice was the last thing he heard before he fell backwards onto the floor out cold.

"I don't... this can't be possible," Bilbo shook his head, now awake back in his armchair and his mug, though he wasn't all that thirsty anymore. "Gandalf, I saw him..." His stomach turned, unable to finish. The wizard gestured that there was no need for him to continue.

"I know this seems unthinkable, believe me I did not know what to make of it at first. Even for a wizard of my caliber, this... this is work I am not familiar with."

"What do you mean?"

"Thorin Oakenshield has been placed under a dark force, an eternal sleep, so I've come to learn. He still breathes and blood runs through his veins as if it is nothing but mere rest, but he cannot be woken. The company has tried to no success." Said Gandalf. "Be it what may have transpired during his battle with the Defiler, it seems a formidable curse is inside him---by whom is still a mystery."

A curse? Bilbo placed his mug down with shaky hands; whether it was orc done or not, it sounded like just the sort of sickly twisted outcome Azog would have wanted. What was better than death? One every soul you ever loved could watch for the rest of their days, as you slowly deteriorated by the years. "I---I don't understand. You really can't help him? You're the greatest wizard I've known!"

Gandalf's eyes drooped downward. "I am truly sorry, my dear friend. Some things are beyond my reach."

"Yes, of course." Bilbo's heart sank even further. "Well, thank you for telling me." Somehow it was far worse than Thorin being simply gone, as now part of him was reachable again---and how Bilbo wished to grasp his hand or be huddled in his embrace. But Thorin was still missing, he couldn't hear his voice or see his eyes or tell him how he felt. It wasn't the same. He wondered if the dwarf still dreamed.

Pure torture his life was becoming. At this rate he might as well give Lobelia those spoons just to really make things chipper!

"That is not all I've come to tell," Gandalf cleared his pipes, sitting straight and grabbing the hobbit's attention immediately. "The company and I believe that you, Bilbo Baggins, are our key to waking him."

"Excuse me?" His brows furrowed, confused. He was beginning to think the wizard was pulling his leg. "How am----am I supposed to wake him? Don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly the... spell casting type. I'm failing to see how this is a good idea." What was he supposed to do? Scare the curse away? Lobelia would be quite good at that, now that he thought of it. Absolutely terrifying.

"Hm, yes, you are not. But you have one thing the rest of us do not. I do think it would be best if... er, the company explain this to you, though." And Gandalf may have told him himself if he knew how the company would pitch their idea to their favorite burglar come returned to the mountain.

"You want me to what?!"

"Just what I said, kiss him! Is not that difficult, is it?" Said Kili, eyes wide and spirit bright as when he'd left.

"Call me blind but I don't see how that is supposed to rid him of a bloody curse!"

"Listen, we were reading up on some books once all of us realized it was a curse," Fili interjected. "And Ori came across this old tale on something---what was it again?"

"Oh, yes!" Ori came skipping over with all sorts of papers in hand. "It was a story about a maiden who fell ill from an evil creature who cursed her life with a sleep she could never wake up from. Eventually her husband killed the creature, right? And he thought she was dead, but he kissed her goodbye and she was back! According to the book, very few dwarves have seen a curse like this across thousands of years."

"Leave it to orcs to weave in the threads of cruel old world magic to get what they desire." Said Gandalf.

"But you see now? Only someone's true One can wake them. And you..." Kili wriggled his eyebrows at the hobbit.

"I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Because I---I..." Bilbo waved his hands around trying to find the words hopelessly. "Look, I'm not what you think I am. Really. I doubt that..." I'm Thorin's One. Even if he wished to be, his chances seemed rather slim to him.

"Lad, I know it's not right for us to spring this on you so sudden, after so long---but you mean somethin' special to Thorin. We all see it." Balin came to his side, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We wouldn't have called you here if we didn't believe this would save him."

"Aye," Dwalin nodded. "You've got fierce loyalty in ye', even if this... magical-hoo-ha sounds like a pile of horse shite,"

"Dwalin---" Balin raised a hand at his brother, unaware of where his point was heading.

"Let me finish, will ye'? Even if I don't believe innit all, I know... Thorin's got a good place in'es heart for you, I see it. If anyone was gonna bring him back it'd be you."

"S'all true!" Said Glóin. "I know love when it's got me square in the face."

"Right that, the tension between the two is so strong it's like tryin' to cut through a frozen bucket of milk from a mountain ram." Bofur's blunt and frankly quite specific comparison had everyone staring at him blankly. "Was it something I said?"

"It's your decision, there's no need to pressure yourself into it." Balin said.

Bilbo glanced around at all of his friends, waiting for his answer; no matter what there was pressure on his shoulders, a fairly large one. Save the King and your friend and or possibly more from an eternal sleep---of course. "Can I see him?"

They had moved him from the cold depths of Erebor to an elegant chamber, cleaned and fined to look as it was before the mountain came under fire. The bed was downed in wooden poles that held lengthy canopies draped around. Thorin lay motionless other than the rise and fall of his chest, undisturbed as if he had not faced a brutal foe, still like a great piece carved from stone. Bilbo's hands shook and his knees wanted to buckle the moment he entered the room alone, as he was stood facing what he thought he'd lost for good.

He sucked in a breath and approached the bed, sitting down on the edge just by the dwarf's corner, though still offering him space. His heart pounded as he reached a tentative hand to Thorin's, touching his calloused, warm skin. Far from the cold and unsettling pang he'd felt last. He retracted his hand quickly, holding it over his lips when a cry came to lurch out from his throat. Tears swelled in his eyes and tickled down his cheeks, unable to keep them at bay, like those difficult first nights in Bag End. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." The words started to spill from him between heavy breaths.

"I should've---" He lowered till his upper half fell to embrace Thorin, resting his head on his chest when slow sobs picked away at him. "I should... I should've been there. For you." He listened to the dwarf's heart beat steadily in response, holding to his limp arm. "Just don't go. Don't go."

He didn't eat much that night, even against Bombur's cheesy filled bread---which was very un-hobbit like of him. If he was in the Shire he'd be kicked right out of the dinner table. He curled up in his guest bed, fiddling with the blankets, the Ring, unable to keep still. He couldn't have come all this way just to give up because of the hope that it might work. It was just a kiss, he was overthinking it! Just a kiss... with Thorin. He smashed his face into the nearest pillow, groaning. What in the world was he supposed to do if it actually worked? What if the company greatly misjudged Thorin's affections and it was nothing but a very strong... friendship? Emotionally and physically close male bond--? Bilbo didn't even think that was the right label for them, it was utterly, annoyingly complicated.

In the wake of the midnight was when he decided he was going to do it. What did he have to lose, anyways? Well... quite a lot, actually. But that was a problem for the later future.

"Remember, even if this... doesn't go through, at the very least you tried lad." Said Balin.

"Thanks." Bilbo nodded. He was at the edge of the bed, inches from Thorin who was the same as before. He looked back to the whole company of dwarves who stood, watching, waiting... hang on, did they really want to see him do it? They weren't the clearest bunch on when privacy was needed, at least aside from Balin, who tried shuffling awwy. "Er, do you mind?"

"Oh, no, not at all. Go right ahead!" Bofur called from the back.

"Make it a good one!" Kili hollered from afar.

"I mean get out!" Bilbo huffed and waved his hands at them to go, which thankfully they did, shutting the door behind them and leaving the room quiet. His eyes fell to the floor as the tense silence grew around them, pawing at the fabric of his trousers, stalling as long as he possibly could. Just get it over with already! He told himself. After about a minute or two of delay, he finally looked to Thorin again, and felt another chip at his heart.

"This isn't exactly how I pictured it happening, but... here's to trying, I suppose." If Thorin was fully himself he imagined he'd make some stupid, smart comment to that. He missed those. As he snuck closer he slipped his hand into the dwarfs once more, giving it a firm squeeze. His other gently ran over his cheek, brushing against the subtle spikes of his beard.

Taking in a breath leaned forward, closing his eyes and ever so carefully he pressed his lips to Thorin's. It only lasted a few seconds before he pulled back, feeling a welcome thrill run through him before his cheeks ran red with incredible embarrassment. Not like anyone was there to see it, but still. He watched, waiting for a response---any kind. The dwarf's eyes only subtly twitched, his body still unmoving. Bilbo blew out a slow sigh, hanging his head low. "I knew it," He quietly laughed, if he didn't he'd just start crying all over again; why did he think he'd be able to swoop in and be the hero?

"Bilbo?"

His heart fully stopped. His eyes shot upward, falling on Thorin, who squinted against the light and instinctively felt for his wound---or at least where he last remembered it being, as it was now patched and nearly healed. Other than seeming rather confused, he was alive. Thorin was alive.

"Oh, oh! It worked!" Bilbo jumped to his feet, clasping a hand over his mouth. He did it---he actually did it! "I can't believe it..."

"What worked? And why..." Thorin barely got the chance to contemplate their circumstances before Bilbo was on him, arms tight over his shoulders, leaning into the crook of his neck. Thorin held him firmly in return.

"Don't you ever do that to me again! Do you hear me? I've gone absolutely mad because of you. I considered giving away my spoons!"

"Spoons?" Thorin didn't exactly know their significance.

"Spoons!" Bilbo frowned, and Thorin tenderly brushed a thumb over the tears that soaked over his skin. His hand cupped the hobbit's cheek. "Thorin,"

"Yes?"

Oh, screw it all. You only live once, or twice---in Thorin's case. Or was it three? Bilbo thought, and as they sat embraced he crashed his lips to the dwarf's, to which was returned avidly without a beat of hesitation. Thorin's hand wrung through his light curls, inching him closer in; for a man who might as well have died and fell into a strange sleep, he wasn't holding anything back. Bilbo felt tipsy just by his touch, and bless the hills he'd never been more thankful in all his days---that was, until the company came charging in.

There was a mix of whistles and yells and cheerfully surprised hoots. Fili and Kili just about body slammed them both on the bed, successfully crushing Bilbo to get to their dear uncle. "We knew it would work!" matched with: "Ha! That's our hobbit!"

"Don't squash the poor lad, boys!" Balin said.

Dwalin didn't have much of a problem pulling Bilbo out from the pile. "We told ye'te kiss him, not shag 'em on the---"

"I wasn't doing anything!" Bilbo raised his hands in defense. "At least not that much..."

"You told him to do what?" Thorin raised his head up from his nephews weight, still waiting for a solid explanation as to why one moment he was being stabbed, the next he was stuck in the worst dreamscape he's ever witnessed, and was woken by none other than Bilbo Baggins and a very lovely kiss. "Would someone like to catch me up on what is going on?"

"Ohh, yes," Kili nodded. "Should you start or should I?"

"Let's both." Fili said.

"Right, so it all started when Ori found this book..."

[jthealien]

I gave nox dark brown eyes, as a treat :3

I wonder a lot if his eyes were also light blue as a human, and his key eyes reflect that, or if he had a different eye color. But I think the brown suits him!! They somehow make him look even paler, though, which I didn’t even think was possible,,

[tsukinohana]

little rec chart i made today!

[pipperoo]

Ella Ashmore and Justine and Lucy Grizzwald

Cinderella's Castle (2025)

[h0llyw0lly]

Goooooooood MORNING, all! As usual, I have thoughts lol.

I need to talk to someone about the Cinderella Boy season finale or I’m gonna explode, but none of my friends read it despite my insistence so I’m throwing this into the void that is tumblr.

CB season 1 finale spoilers under the cut (just in case y’all haven’t read it yet, in which case you really should)

Also, to my mutuals and followers who DON’T read it, don’t WANT to read it, or followed me for other stuff: I do not apologize for the constant stream of Cinderella Boy content, nor is it likely to change anytime soon (◡‿◡✿) <3

THE FINALE, RIGHT? Okay. Okay. I have so many thoughts, but my biggest one that I haven’t seen ANYONE comment on is a little detail regarding the kiss. THE KISS HOT DANG.

Sorry, okay. Throughout the series, Chase has had to play the role of the heroine and has had SO MANY princes trying to make out with him, and he has always had a HUGE thing about consent. Yelling at them when they ignored his refusals, slapping and punching when words didn’t work, and even leaving the stories early because he didn’t want to do something he was uncomfortable with.

Buddy knows this, and has even helped him reinforce this (see the Honor Among Thieves storyline when he BEATS A MAN WITH HIS PRISONER CHAINS FOR IGNORING CHASE, gosh I love that scene lmaooo).

So the KISS???? I’M OVER THE MOON, AND I’LL SHOW YOU WHY!!!!

BUDDY! ASKS! PERMISSION!!! While not explicitly asking a question aloud, his expression in the second photo is inquiring—saying “is it alright if I do what’s supposed to happen in the story? I want to help you, can I do that?” And he DOESN’T PROCEED ANY FURTHER UNTIL CHASE SAYS

Only then does he begin leaning towards Chase!!

Only then does he kiss him, even though he knows it’s their last hope and it could literally save Chases’s life!!!

Like….just, ugh. THAT is how you write consent: just a questioning gaze and a simple affirmation. Punko’s the best, y’all.

Also, Chase, I see that arm, mister.

[lexieloo28]

I ate down, I fear

[bisexualroger]

✨🥰💖🥺 Fits like a glove 🥺💖🥰✨

[twinklingwatermellon]

Well getting spoiled about the cancer plot in Love Next Door made me lose interest somewhat, so I started Cinderella at 2am instead and you know WHAT?? It slaps. I was literally complaining like three hours ago that we haven’t had a good classic romcom with no serial killers or diseases in a while and along comes this show. I’m only 2.5 episodes in but it already had the best first episode like ever and then continued to be cute and funny. I’m so excited to continue it.

[chaoscheebs]

It's Midnight, Cinderella, chapter 5

(Chapter 1) - (Chapter 2) - (Chapter 3) - (Chapter 4) - (Chapter 5) - (Fic Tag)

--------

Mokuba entered his brother’s office to said brother cackling evilly at his computer. Well, that’s a hell of a way to start the workday. “Does this mean you found the guy, big brother?”

Seto stood up, a manic gleam in his eyes. “Not yet, but I found the e-mail address of one of the women who was talking to the playboy the man came in with. If I can get his name from her, the rest should fall into place.”

“Just make sure to come up with a good excuse for e-mailing her; you don’t want to come across as a creep,” Mokuba warned.

Seto just waved him off. “Yes, yes, I know. I already have a plan for that.”

“Which is?”

“The man mentioned a game I’m assuming the playboy was responsible for, but I can’t remember the name of it,” Seto answered with a scowl, resenting the fact that he let himself be distracted by the man’s charms. Remembering the stupid game he mentioned probably would have saved days of searching. “I’m simply going to ask her about that and pretend I’m interested in learning more about it.”

Mokuba nodded. “Sounds reasonable, as long as she’s not hoping for a business deal with him.”

“From what I heard, they probably weren’t talking business when I saw them together; I’m willing to take the chance,” Seto said with a shrug. “Besides, most people know better than to try to compete against me anyway.”

“Mm-hm.” Mokuba, looking less than impressed, walked around to his brother’s side of the desk, and stole the chair his brother vacated earlier. “Move over; I’ll take care of the e-mail.”

Seto, however, refused to budge. “I can handle it; get out of my chair.”

Mokuba looked up at him and raised a single eyebrow. “Big brother, I love you, but you don’t know the first thing about charming information out of a woman.”

“And you do?”

“More than you; I am the cute brother here, after all,” Mokuba said, stubbornly reaching out for the keyboard and pulling it closer to him. “What’s her e-mail address?”

“The man at the party thought I was cute,” Seto said, one hand on the keyboard trying to drag it back towards himself, before he could stop the words from coming out of his mouth. He quickly realized his error and covered his mouth with his free hand, eyes darting away.

“He thinks you’re cute, huh?” Mokuba replied, grinning up at Seto. “Guess that means we really have to get this done with delicacy so we can get you reunited, then~”

Seto turned his back on Mokuba, hand still over his mouth, muffling his next words. “I said nothing, you heard nothing, nothing was said.”

“Sure, sure~” Mokuba said cheerily. “Anyway, her e-mail address?” Seto grumbled a bit, but eventually muttered a Kmail account address. “Thanks. Don’t worry, I’ll get the name from her, no problem, I promise!”

“Please do,” Seto said, finally regaining a bit of composure. “I want this entire debacle to draw to a close as soon as possible.”

“Because you want to see him again that badly, big brother~?”

Seto raised his hand to cover his face, the red tinge to his ears still visible. “Just send the damn e-mail, Mokuba.”

Mokuba kindly stopped teasing his brother there and got to work. It’s hard work, tightening the noose on the “mystery man”, but one way or another, it was going to end soon.

--------

The bell at the top of the game store door jingled. “Grandpa, I’m home!” Yugi announced, before doing a double-take and adding, “Jounouchi?!”

Both men in question were, in fact, out on the sales floor, the latter helping the former place things on one of the higher shelves.

“Ho ho, welcome home, Yugi!” his grandpa brightly greeted him.

“Hey, Yuug!” Jounouchi said, clapping his hands together to get dust off of them. “Yer gramps said he needed a lil’ extra help out today an’ I was free, so here I am!”

Yugi smiled. “Ah, OK! Thanks for helping out; we appreciate it.”

“’Ey, not prob, man! Just happy I was available,” Jounouchi said with a little half-salute.

“Oh, Yugi!” Yugi’s grandpa interrupted, slipping behind the register counter. He bent down to pull up what looked like an ordinary Amazon box, which he then set on the counter. “By the way, a box came in for you; why don’t you go take it upstairs?”

Yugi stared at the box, a chill running through him as he remembered the last time he got a surprise box. “… I didn’t order anything.”

He then felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I got yer back if it’s anything weird again.”

Yugi placed his hand over Jounouchi’s. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”

Yugi’s grandpa just laughed at their worries. “Ho ho ho, I’m pretty sure it’s safe, boys; it just sounds like a bunch of plastic!” he said, shaking the box to make whatever plastic bits were in there rattle loud enough to hear.

“GRANDPA, NO!”

“YO, BE CAREFUL WIT’ DAT!”

Yugi and Jounouchi both shouted in sync and rushed to the counter, Jounouchi getting there first and snatching the package out of the old man’s hand. He passed it to Yugi and said, “How ‘bout we go open this upstairs?” He cast a look at Yugi’s grandpa and said, “Yer good for now, right? Don’t need anything else?”

Yugi’s grandpa shot Jounouchi a meaningful look back. “No, no, that should be everything for now. Go have fun, boys, ho ho ho~”

Yugi looked to his grandpa, then to Jounouchi, and back again, confused. Something was definitely up, but honestly, this worked out fine for him. It’d be harder to talk himself out of talking to someone this way, ultimately. “… sure, grandpa. Let’s go, Jounouchi.”

--------

Several moments and a little work with an open pair of scissors later…

“These are…”

“… infinity cubes?”

Jounouchi finished Yugi’s sentence stared at the contents of the open box. Well, at least it didn’t look to be anything dangerous, although they thought that about that tape too…

Yugi opened the plastic bag the toys were in, picked one up, and began to fiddle with it. “Now I know for sure this isn’t something I bought and forgot about; I always break these—” His hands stilled for a moment, sudden realization hitting him. He searched the box more thoroughly and under the bag was a packing slip with a note.

“’Break as many as you need to’? The heck?” Jounouchi read over Yugi’s shoulder. He then noticed Yugi’s hands began to shake, Yugi’s shoulders soon following suit as Yugi grit his teeth and crumpled the note, though by accident or on purpose was beyond Jounouchi.

“You…” Yugi hissed low like an angry alley cat. “You…” He balled up the already partly-crumpled slip of paper, drew his hand back like he was about to throw it, but stopped and started to lower his hand. He would have succeeded in doing so as well, has Jounouchi not grabbed his throwing arm.

“Dude, if throwin’ the thing’ll make ya feel better, throw the thing,” Jounouchi told him.

Slipping free of Jounouchi’s loose grasp, Yugi lowered his hand to chest level, looked down at the paper, and after a moment of thought, pulled back and hurled it across the room. “HOW DARE YOU?!” he yelled.

He grabbed one of the fidget toys out of the box and threw that too. “NOW YOU PAY ATTENTION TO ME?!?”

CLACK. Another cube hit the wall.

“AFTER ALL THIS TIME?!?”

CLACK.

“AFTER…! AFTER EVERYTHING…!!!”

A shrill screech of frustration, followed by another loud CLACK.

Shoulders heaving with each heavy breath, he glared at the small pile of junk opposite him until he collected himself.

“Feelin’ better?” Jounouchi asked.

“A little.” Yugi then dropped back onto the bed in a sitting position, then flopped over on his side, barely missing the open box sitting on it.

Jounouchi picked up the box and set it on Yugi’s desk, then pulled up a chair and sat down, facing Yugi. “Right, now that that’s outta the way, what’s up, Yuug? I ain’t seen ya that pissed off in a while.”

With a groan, Yugi rolled onto his back and pulled his pillow over his eyes. “It’s… a long story. A long, stupid, stupid story.”

“I got time.” Jounouchi leaned in closer. “For real, man, spill. Y’always bottle things up an’ it ain’t good for ya. Just let it out.”

Yugi gripped the pillow tighter and let out a long, low, unhappy groan. “… all right…” he finally says, “but it really is really, really stupid.” He hesitated a moment longer, heaved a sigh, and slowly rose into a sitting position, setting the pillow back in its place behind him afterward. “… OK, so, I think I told you about that fancy masquerade party thing Otogi invited me to, right?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Well… I met someone while I was there,” Yugi said. “Or should I say, I met someone I already knew who didn’t recognize me? Which I’m honestly still pretty pissed off about? Like how could he not--” He reached for the box of fidget toys, forgetting the box had been moved already. Realizing his mistake, he withdrew his hand, drawing it to his chest and looking down as he clenched it into a fist.

“Yeah, I can tell,” Jounouchi replied, offering him one of the cubes.

Yugi took the cube, looked at it for a moment, and decided to busy himself folding it in on itself over and over. “Anyway, he approached me first, and it was really clear he didn’t recognize me at all, so I thought, hey, let’s see how long it’ll take for him to notice? Just a little harmless fun, y’know?”

“And he didn’t notice.”

Yugi practically leapt off the bed and slammed his hands down on his desk. “He didn’t notice AT ALL! Even after I dropped major hints! I even mentioned wanting to beat someone with a dragon-focused deck and NOTHING!”

Jounouchi blinked twice, then scowled as the realization hit. “This is totally about Kaiba, ain’t it? Y’need me to sock him in the face for ya?”

“Wha—NO!” Yugi backpedalled, waving his hands in front of himself. “This isn’t—this isn’t a ‘need to punch him’ situation! He didn’t even do anything other than be oblivious! I was the one who—uh…” Yugi faltered, balling his hands into fists as the memories washed over him again. “I was the one who really fucked up here, so don’t be mad at him for this, OK? I… let things go too far, and I know it.”

Jounouchi tensed, his eyes narrowing. “Exactly how did you ‘let things go to far’?”

Yugi sat back down on the bed, slouching sadly forward. “I… So, I told you he didn’t recognize me at all, right? So I, well, kinda took the opportunity to, uh, flirt a little? It was kinda cute to see him that oblivious and all.”

“Not the word I’d use t’describe Kaiba, but go on.”

Yugi sighed. This is why he didn’t want to talk about this with Jounouchi.. “Anyway, somehow, it led to a card game, which I really should have figured was his way of flirting back, and, well…" He stopped to take a deep breath. “Well, he said if I could pull together a deck that could actually challenge him on the fly like that, I stand a chance at defeating my ‘mystery rival’. Which… was really nice to hear? So I sort of kissed him on the cheek for that.”

“An’ he got mad about that?”

Yugi averted his eyes. “… he did not. In fact, uh, he kind of kissed me? And, uh… well…”

Jounouchi leaned forward in his seat, elbows digging into his legs and his hands folded horizontally, blocking view of his mouth. “Yuug. Buddy. Bro. Pal. Please tell me this ain’t leadin’ to what I’m thinkin’ it’s leadin’ to.”

“OK, I won’t.”

They sat in silence for a while after that, Jounouchi unmoving and unblinking as Yugi, still refusing to meet his friend’s eyes and getting increasingly red in the face. In the end, however, Yugi caved first. “I mean, look, he was like the fantasy for years, OK?! I know I should’ve said something, but, well…!” He hesitated, hands gesturing wordlessly in the air. “It was… nice to be wanted and acknowledged for once. Once he started getting handsy, that was it, it was over, brain dot exe has crashed, dick dot exe is now running.”

That actually got a snicker out of Jounouchi. “His nerd shit is rubbin’ off on you, Yuug.”

“More like rushing coding in the middle of the night to get out short games out for game jams is a bad influence on me.” Yugi sighed, then picked up the blue mask off the headboard of his bed, twiddling it back and forth in between his fingers. “But anyway, now I have no idea how to even talk to him about this, or if I even should, y’know?”

Jounouchi raised an eyebrow. “Y’didn’t talk to him that night?” Yugi remained silent, the mask in his hand suddenly seeming really interesting to him. “Yuug. Please tell me you didn’t hit it an’ quit it with Kaiba.”

“… more like I hit it, then fled like a scared rabbit in the middle of the night once I was sure he was asleep. Also, I’m pretty sure he still doesn’t know it was me.”

They sat in silence for a moment again, Yugi visibly sweating as he raised the mask just high enough to cover half his face. “You’re totally gonna die, y’know that, right? It’s gonna be Death-T 2.0: Revengeance if you don’t do somethin’ here,” Jounouchi said, not waiting for Yugi to continue this time.

Yugi slumped forward, his hand dropping in the same motion. “I know, I know, but how am I even supposed to bring his up to him? Or should I even bring it up? It’s not like he’s actively looking for me, right?”

"Maybe he ain’t,” Jounouchi said, “but even if he ain’t, the longer you don’t say nothin’, the madder he’s gonna be when he does find out. An’ he probably will; you know your luck, man.”

Yugi winced. “Ugh, you’re probably right.” He took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and let it out. “… I’ll talk to him tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll still, y’know, have a job afterward?”

“I mean, you could always take over the game shop, man,” Jounouchi said, shrugging.

With a dead, distant stare, Yugi replied in something that was not quite a hiss, but not quite a whisper, “I am not taking over the game shop; I have already done my time in retail hell.”

Jounouchi recoiled like he took psychic damage from that. “It’s kinda terrifyin’ when you talk like that, bro.”

“A life working retail forever is terrifying,” Yugi countered.

“All the more reason t’get this straightened out an’ fast, then.” Jounouchi ran a hand through his hair, then shook his head. “Seriously, bro, you’re already a trouble magnet, and now you’re dickin’ down the damn trouble. You got any sort of plan of attack for this?”

“Uuuuuuh… Word vomit an apology and pray it works?”

“Yugi…”

Yugi threw his hands up in the air in surrender. “I’ve been trying to think of something better! Just nothing sounds good after I write it down or try to rehearse something!” He dragged a hand down his face. “I just… you know I’m not good with people…”

“Yer better than you think you are; you just overthink things too much,” Jounouchi said. “C’mon, we’ll figure somethin’ out together, OK? I’ll be yer soundin’ board!”

Yugi weakly laughed. “… Yeah, we’ll figure it out together. Thanks, Jounouchi. I know this can’t be easy for you, because of who’s involved…”

“Can’t say I’m a fan a’ that jerk, yeah, but you’re the important thing here, y’know?” He held his fist out to Yugi, waiting for a bump back. “We got this.”

Yugi completed the fist bump. “Ha… Yeah, we got this.”

--------

Unfortunately, as time would soon tell, they did not, in fact, have this.

[stuffnonsenseandotherthings]

August has mainly been consumed by moving country, moving job, and moving house so I've not really had any free time to do anything or have any thoughts other than panicked screaming.

That being said, there were plenty of dramas I was looking forward to due to air in August and, luckily for me, most of them did not disappoint! So without further ado, let's take a look at which dramas got me through the mountains of paperwork and stress (and which didn't).

The Trainee 🇹🇭 👨‍❤️‍👨👩‍❤️‍👨(👩‍❤️‍👩) [10/12]

I'm going to be so sad when this show ends.

It has met and matched all my expectations so far and in terms of its narrative arcs it's absolutely fantastic (as are the characters and their relationships).

This is a show that does have romance in it but which isn't about romance, choosing to focus instead on character development both within and outside of the characters' various relationships. It's done a great job of showcasing the complex period of transition between young adulthood and working adulthood and while I know that's not everyone's cup of tea, it's definitely mine. Slow-burn, character centred, slice-of-life.... Perfection 😘👌

I started watching these next few dramas after I started moving and so really don't have any other capacity for thoughts other than "like" and "don't like". There's not going to be much commentary, just vibes.

Love Next Door 🇰🇷👩‍❤️‍👨 [5/16]

I was looking forward to this one and it's making me very happy so far. I love the bickering, I like the hints at deeper relationship issues and I'm just plain looking forward to whenever a new episode airs.

I'd say the only thing that's giving me pause so far is the second couple, especially Mo-Eun because wtf do you mean "the 5 year old child I just met is actually my new friend"? I don't care that she meant it innocently, that's still a damn weird thing to say.

Romance in the House 🇰🇷👩‍❤️‍👨 [5/12]

Korea has been really knocking it out of the house with mother daughter dramas recently, I want to know what lit the spark now.

Again, I'm enjoying each episode as it comes and I'm looking forward to each new episode so it's a yes from me so far. It's definitely giving me Not Others vibes but given I really like that drama, that's not a criticism.

(Also the award for most complicated family tree goes to Romance in the House but it also manages to make it work?)

Cinderella at 2AM 🇰🇷👩‍❤️‍👨 [2/10]

I saw someone say that a drama where the leads are already together at the start of the drama is lazy but I'm inclined to disagree.

Pretty much every romance has the leads fall in love and get together as the show progresses, there's a tried and tested route map for that (heck there's loads of route maps for that). On the other hand, I can't think of many that start with the couple 2 years into the relationship and, as such, there's probably a lot more work involved in working out how to successfully pull the romance off.

So far I have no complaints and I'm intrigued about where it's actually going to go. It's not particularly deep but it is cute and Shin Hyun Bean is who I'm here for anyway.

My Sweet Mobster 🇰🇷👩‍❤️‍👨

This was a very cute, very funny watch that still somehow managed to tackle a serious topic with as much care as it could. Could it have delved even further into the topic of restorative criminal justice and rehabilitation? Yes, but not without completely changing the mood. Could it have subverted the "knew each other from childhood" trope and done something new? Yes, but this show wasn't going for reinventing the wheel, it was going for doing the wheel well.

The characters were very likeable, the relationships between them were beautifully written and it was a nice easy watch that I'll probably pick up again some time in the future if I need something fun.

⭐ rating: 8/10

Concrete Utopia 🇰🇷📽️

I watched this with family friends after they very kindly let me stay with them for a week and wanted to watch something with me they thought I'd enjoy. I had never heard of the film before so had no expectations whatsoever but it was a surprisingly deep and timely watch.

It spends a lot of time examining the effects of "othering" as well as asking how much people are willing to excuse, ignore or even participate in in the name of self preservation and there were definitely some scenes that felt barely exaggerated given what's been on the news in recent months.

I wouldn't call it an enjoyable watch (because the consequences of post-apocalyptic dystopias are hardly enjoyable) but it was an interesting one and I'd probably recommend it to a friend looking for a film to watch.

⭐ rating: 7.5

Knock Knock Boys! 🇹🇭👨‍❤️‍👨

I was late picking up Knock Knock Boys! but, once I did, I binged it without any regrets. This was another show that was just cute and fun and very, very good at handling the topics it chose to tackle.

Latte is a new favourite character and Almond, Thanwa, Peak and all the rest all have a little space in my heart now (Jane especially). If anyone wants a comedy/slice of life BL to watch then I'd definitely point them in this dramas direction and them watch them watch it 😋

(also I don't know how but I somehow managed to miss the infamous poo scene everyone was talking about... Which is probably just as well because I don't deal well with scatological humour).

⭐ rating: 7.5/10

Century of Love 🇹🇭👨‍❤️‍👨 [Dropped]

I'm sad about this one because I was looking forward to catching up with it after I got distracted by Knock Knock Boys but now I'm very grateful for being made to stray. This show had such a promising start but, judging by everything I saw in passing, it dropped the ball hard in the second half.

Given everything else going on right now and the fact that my drama quota is pretty much full up right now, I'm not really interested in investing time in a show that doesn't meet its own potential.

Monster Next Door 🇹🇭👨‍❤️‍👨 [Dropped]

This had the weirdest pacing of a first episode I've seen in a while and it really threw me off. I just couldn't connect with anything or anyone after the multiple false starts and I wasn't curious to keep trying.

(Also the tortoise tank made me wince every time it was on screen)

(Also yes I know I said I was hyped for this one but I think the idea appealed far more than the reality of it).

Battle of the Writers 🇹🇭👨‍❤️‍👨 [Dropped]

Just a no from me to be honest. I don't think it checked any of the boxes of things I usually enjoy and that's okay.

4Minutes 🇹🇭👨‍❤️‍👨 [On Hold] [4/8]

Don't get me wrong!!! I have loved everything I've seen so far of this drama (I'm up to episode 4). The only reason 4Minutes is here instead of in the "Currently Watching" section is because I wasn't able to keep up with it while I was travelling and I want to give it the right amount of time and attention when I catch up with it.

I'm a little sad I can't join in with the theories but I'm really looking forward to getting back to it when I'm ready!

(Also I finally own a TV after 10 years of not having one and I'm mentally preparing myself for watching it on a big screen, something the first 3 episodes have indicated is a high risk manoeuvre that may involve drawn curtains and a finger on the volume button to avoid questions from my neighbours).

Midnight Romance in Hagwon 🇰🇷👩‍❤️‍👨 [On Hold] [4/16]

Like 4Minutes, this isn't a matter of not enjoying it, this is a matter of time and focus. I couldn't watch it while I was traveling and now I am way too stressed, and thus easily distracted, to give this show the thought and attention it deserves.

It has been a fantastic watch so far though, and the level of detail in each scene was so ridiculously impressive to the point where I was frequently going back to check I hadn't missed any of the nuance 👌

I barely know what's up now, let alone next so I can't really do this section. That being said, I know I'm hyped for Love In the Big City (🇰🇷👨‍❤️‍👨) and that's airing in October so that's all the really matters at the moment. If anything else comes up that I want to watch, that's a nice little bonus.

(There are other dramas I'm looking forward to - like Kidnap (🇹🇭👨‍❤️‍👨) - but I have no clue when they're airing and I don't have the brain power to check and make a calendar so I'm just going to be pleasantly surprised when they start rather than actively anticipating their release).

[komashkathesilly]

has anyone else been lately getting hit with irrational annoyance at everything at nearly exact same hour daily

[thetimelordbatgirl]

Okay no joke, I generally forgot the Ever After High doll diaries confirmed the next Blue Fairy was basically fucking dead and at the end of her diary, Farrah flies off to find Cedar, determined to help her in the late Blue Fairy's place.

[yume-fanfare]

the concept of the "princess series" ads is very good too they should Actually make it a series like underland is. and have tori and naru's centers also be princess themed like this.

[layla-san]

Layla SSR1 + Chiyo SSR2

[killuaisaprincess]

EVERYONE IS KIS PRINCE

[yaraef]

Inspired to draw that scene from Team StarKid's Cinderella's Castle. (+a surprise Sir Hop-A-Lot and Crumb under the cut.)

The lighting on that set then (bright green with deep blue on the side) was so good that I had a strong impulse to just try and capture how I was envisioning the scene playing out in an illustrated fairytale-esque forest-scape-y thingy.

I really want to draw a Cinderella moment next - so hard to pick a specific scene!! I'll be thinking about it as I catch up on work rn. Hopefully I can get to it some time tonight. I did do a quick sketch of Rancilda that I'll post soon though!

It's been a wild couple of weeks, but I'm coming out the other side feeling energized~