#I'm in love with him and I cannot help it

[mwphisto]

LaDs: How they’d propose

~ just some fluffy head canons!

~ all love interests included, reader’s gender not specified

A note from Soul: my friend just got engaged the other day and now I’m in the mood to brain storm how the lads men would do it! Gotta love fictional men because I can mold them however I want (jk) lol - I started drafting this before the wedding banner was announced so I'm not really going off of anything seen in the trailer!!

Xavier

He and Jeremiah spent months preparing this.

The back of Philos has been perfectly prepared for Xavier's grand proposal idea. He and Jeremiah had tediously grown and tended to some of your favorite plants for what felt like forever. Treating them as if they were real babies, nurturing them with only the best soil, water, and daily sunlight.

Now, they were all in glorious full bloom. The greenhouse smelt of the prettiest florals, decked out in warm fairy lights, and a table for two with a white table cloth and fancy dinnerware was set up in the middle of it all. It was perfect, exactly what Xavier had envisioned.

"Woah, Xavier..." you had been starstruck the moment he guided you back there. Your eyes twinkling as you took in all the flowers, the decorations, the soft melody playing from a speaker hidden somewhere among all of this. It was breathtaking.

"You did all of this for me?" Mentally, you were trying to recall if you had forgotten an anniversary or an important date. but you came up empty handed. "Yeah, with Jeremiah's help of course, but the ideas were all mine." There is a light blush on his face, the hand holding yours squeezes suddenly and you can't help but feel nervous.

"What's the special occasion?" You two stop right before the table, and Xavier turns to you, pulling your other hand into his and bringing both to his lips. "Do I need a special occasion to shower you in love?" Of course he didn't, but this felt so... special.

"I love you, my little star. More than you would ever be able to comprehend." He starts slowly, eyes lingering on your hands before traveling to your face. Your heart is pounding in your ears, you can feel the anticipation radiating off of his body.

"I cannot fathom spending another day without you by my side. I don't dare to dream of a future that doesn't have you in it. I don't want to wake up to bed without you snuggled beside me." And your heart jumps into your throat as Xavier slowly gets down on one knee.

"My starlight, my universe. I love you so much it hurts. Would you do me the gracious honor of being my wife?"

Your vision is blurred with tears, so blurred that the ring he presents you is nothing more than a sparkling blob in his grasp. You're nodding before the words can leave you, a babble of "yes" and "of course" and about ten million "I love you too"

Zayne

He didn't tell a soul what he was going to do, he had only told his parents of his intent to propose to you.

A week long trip to the Arctic in the middle of a grueling summer. A rented cabin just for the two of you, and a well thought out itinerary so you can see the aurora each night. It would be at its strongest, brightest, and most vibrant on your first night. That's when he'd do it.

"It should start any minute, right?" Your eyes were full of child-like wonder, staring excitedly up at the stars in the night sky. "Yes, any minute now." Zayne was a bundle of nerves, surprising himself when his voice came out steady and unwavering.

You two had just finished eating dinner. A comfort meal you prepped together in the cabin's kitchen. Sharing some wine, light music playing on an antique record player, the fireplace a blazing warmth. It had been so perfect, so cozy, that Zayne nearly popped the question as you two ate. But he held off, he had a vision in mind.

He sat back against the cushions, watching his breath puff out in front of him as you excitedly stood at the railings of the cabin porch. Your head unmoving in its upward tilt towards the cosmos.

The moment the aurora made itself known, Zayne would get down on one knee and pop the question that he's been dying to ask. The custom ring he designed sitting safely in a velvet box, just inside of his pant pocket, his fingers a little clammy as they held it.

Then he heard it, your gasp of wonder as the skies filled with greens and blues and even touches of purple. "Zayne! The aurora!"

You were bouncing on your heels, pointing as if he couldn't see the image filling the sky, and whirled around with a smile on your face. Except, Zayne wasn't sitting on the couch anymore. Your smile faltered - but not in a bad way - no, it turned into a look of awe.

Zayne's ears were red, his cheeks flushed all soft and rosy as he presented himself on one knee, a dazzlingly ring sitting in a navy blue velvet box just inches from you. "I had a whole speech written in my head, and now I'm finding that I've lost all my words..." He laughs a little before glancing down at your hands.

"You know me well enough to know I have never been great with expressing myself through words. But for something as special as this, I have been giving it my best practice for months to make it worth while." You can feel your throat tighten, staring at him in the same way you had stared at the aurora.

"I can't imagine going on with my life without you by my side. You have turned my dreary world into one full of color and wonder." He takes your hand, and you realize it is trembling just as badly as your own. "Meeting you changed the entire trajectory of my life. Meeting you gave me purpose, and I never thought I’d get so lucky.”

"Would you do me the greatest honor of spending the rest of your life with me?" And you can barely get the "yes" past your lips before you're falling into his arms and hugging him like he'd disappear if you didn't. "I love you so much." It's a gentle whisper as he takes your hand, slipping ring onto your finger.

Rafayel

Only Thomas and Talia knew vaguely of what Rafayel planned. For once, Thomas restrained himself with pushing deadlines - not that Raf would have cared either way. He appreciated the sentiment.

His goal was for you to be completely surprised, to not suspect a thing. So, he didn't plan anything grand leading up to the actual event. He just did things that you two loved doing together. Dinner at your favorite restaurant - the same one you had your first real date at. Then, the little desert shop just down the road for ice cream.

Only when you arrived back at Mo Art Studio did your suspicions raise. "What do you think?" The sun was setting, bouncing off of the ocean water and creative a pretty spectacle across all the art that Rafayel displayed for you to see. "Rafayel..."

You had a million and one questions on the tip of your tongue, eyes glossing over as you jumped from piece to piece. Each one was so distinctly you. Some detailed portraits, others abstract, some of just you, some with the both of you, you couldn't breathe.

Rafayel stood by the entrance and watched, watched as you circled each piece with bated breath. "Rafayel when in the world did you have the time for all of this?" You spun to look at him, noticing the smile on his lips as he unfolded his arms and pushed off the doorway. "Every time we were apart, every time I missed you, I got to work."

He took your hand in his, squeezing it gently before lifting it to his lips. "Painting, sketching, sculpting you, us, it helped the loneliness be a little more bearable." Only then did you notice the lit candles, the ambiance accompanied by waves crashing on the shore. The ocean breeze cascading through the open windows. Rafayel had used his evol to light the candles, they wouldn't do any harm.

"Speaking of loneliness." His throat cleared, drawing your attention back to his face. "I don't like being alone. I don't like waiting, either." And then? You were gasping, eyes wide as dinner plates as Rafayel got on one knee before you. "I intended on doing this down by the water, with the sunset as our backdrop. But now, right here in this moment, seems like the best time to ask you this."

"You have renewed my life with the most vibrant color palette. Not a day goes by that you don't bring a smile to my face." His hand is trembling as it squeezes yours, his other fishing for something in his suit jacket's pocket. "I never want to lose that vibrancy, nor the joy that you have colored my days with."

He pulls out a box, flicking it open with his thumb to present you with the most stunning ring you'd ever laid your eyes on.

"My beloved, my heart, my entire world... will you marry me?"

You're choking on a sob, "Of course I will, Raf. Yes." He can barely the slide the ring onto your finger before you're pulling him up and into your arms, crashing your lips together as tears leak down your cheeks. It's only when you part that you realize he is crying too.

Sylus

He didn't trust anyone with this information. Not even the twins.

Coming from him, you'd expect something larger than life. But, instead, Sylus had a much more intimate idea in mind. "Why won't you tell me where we're going?" But you're giggling, playing with the rings on his fingers as his private jet cruises the sky. "Because it will ruin the anticipation. You know how much I love seeing you squirm."

The destination was a sprawling flower field. The kind you'd never find in the N109 Zone, and one that would be a lot less grand a much more artificial in Linkon. He'd seen so many pictures of this place, and not a single one did it justice. Just as he had suspected, which is why he flew the two of you all the way out here.

"Oh my god, Sylus! It's gorgeous!" You were entranced, turning on your heels to stare at him with wide, glittering eyes. The sun was making its lazy decent, casting the field in a warm orange glow. The breeze was warm, rustling the flowers - which were as far as your eyes could see, disappearing into the distance.

"I knew you'd love it." With the rental bike parked and your helmets secured, Sylus entwined his fingers with yours. "A picnic?" You looked at the old-fashioned wicker basket hooked on his arm, a lopsided grin gracing his lips. "Yes, c'mon let's go."

He guided you through the rows of flowers, chuckling softly as dragonflies and bumblebees dances around the blossoms, making you jump and cling to him a little tighter. "Don't worry, there won't be this many where we are heading." And the destination in mind was one of the large trees spread out among the flower field.

By the time you got there and set up the picnic, the sun was ready to disappear beyond the horizon. As if on queue, fireflies began popping up among the flowers. The sight was mesmerizing, and the conversation flowed easily between the two of you. "So, are you going to tell me what the occasion is?" You brought a napkin to your lips, dabbing the strawberry juice - that Sylus desired to kiss - off.

"I wanted to make this as grand for you as possible, but in a way that it was still only you and me." He starts carefully, crimson eyes boring into your soul as you give him your full attention.

"I adore you, more than words can possibly convey. The love I feel for you is so strong it knocks the wind out of me sometimes." And he shifts, moving from his lounging position to one knee. And you swear the entire world begins to spin as he pulls a maroon leather box from his pant pocket. "You are the other half of my soul."

"Sylus-" but it's carried away on the wind, that same lopsided smile on his face as he lets you process before continuing.

"I want to keep building my life with you, I don't want to keep going on without you bound to me for the rest of eternity. Just as I am forever bound to you. I would be the happiest man alive if you promised to stay with me as my wife, until we both cease to exist."

You're nodding, eyes glossing over as stray tears leak down your cheeks. "Yes, Sylus. I'd want nothing more than to be your wife." And you can barely breathe as his trembling hand slides the ring onto your finger. Your knuckles graced by the warmth of his lips.

The soft whispering promise of "I love you, more than anything."

Caleb

Not a soul knows of his intentions, and he feels its better that way.

Everything was planned meticulously, you just had to come along. Caleb had set up an entire mental itinerary of everywhere he'd be taking you. The last stop being Skyhaven, aboard his personal aircraft. Then, he'd pop the question.

"Last stop on our adventure, pips. Almost there." He's smiling at you, noting the slightly tired look in your eyes as you stare mesmerized out the window of his aircraft. "We did so much today! How are you not tired yet?" But even as you spoke, your eyes were widening at the sight of cotton candy clouds. The sun had just set only moments prior, the last few rays gracing the world until morning.

"I could never be tired if I'm spending my time with you." And he could hear your eyes rolling without you having to say a word never mind look at him. "Trust me, pips. This last stop is worth it." But you could only chuckle. "I must be missing some sort of anniversary. How come we've done so many special things today?"

"I just enjoy doing things with you, isn't that a good enough reason?" But you could always see right through him. Yet, for some reason, something in the back of your mind told you to stop pressing and just let things be. "It is, I suppose. I like doing things with you too."

Luckily, your last stop was Caleb's backyard. He had set it up before leaving to get you in Linkon earlier that day. Blankets and pillows set up in the grass, lights adorning the large apple tree that resided in his yard, music playing softly thanks to Otto, and lastly two glasses and a bottle of wine. It was intimate, meaningful, and you could both crash right after. Because with all the tension in his body, he knew he'd be lucky if he didn't pass out after hearing you answer.

"There is a meteor shower tonight, I figured we could watch it together." Warmth filled your chest, a smile spreading from ear to ear as you took his hand and dragged him towards his own set up.

"I totally forgot about that, Caleb! This is perfect." The ring was already grasped in his other hand, letting you sit down first before getting on one knee. The look only your face was utterly priceless, worth every ounce of stress it took for him to get his timing right.

"I've beens struggling for over a year now to figure out what to say to you when I finally did this." And the ring was presented to you, no box, just between his fingers, and it was as if he held the whole world right there instead. "And even now, I still don't have a clue how to put everything you are to me into words."

"Though, I'm sure you know very well by now that you are my everything. You've always been my everything, since we were kids." The first meteor is streaking through the sky, but nothing can draw your attention from him. "I want you to stay with me, and I promise you that I will never leave you alone ever again."

Your throat is tightening, eyes brimming with tears as you're nodding before he even says the words. "Will you marry me? It would be my greatest achievement in life to be your husband." And your answer leaves your lips like a never ending prayer. Yes after yes, I love you after I love you. The ring is slid onto your finger, and you've never felt more whole in your entire life.

"I love you, with every fiber of my being, Caleb."

Hope you enjoyed!! - Soul

[bluewxrld07]

We Can't Be Friends - Insta AU (2)

Charles Leclerc X ex!Reader

Summary: The iconic couple, Y/N L/N and Charles Leclerc, break up after five years of being together. Y/N releases a new song soon after the tabloids have released the information of their breakup, causing lots of controversy about where they both stand post their calling quits.

Warning(s): angst, hinting at heartbreak (Ariana Grande as our face claim)

ynln just posted some photos!

Location : Paris, France

liked by yourbff, lando, carlossainz, madisonbeer, halsey, charlesleclerc and 32m others

ynln : Fashion Weeeeeek in Paris :) Also got to sing some new music coming soon too 👀🤗

More to come 🫶🏼

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user Mother is slaying the game with these fits I fear

user She's literally so cute! 🥹🥹

user She looks so happy awww

yourbff Idk which song I'm ready for😩😮‍💨🙃

user HOW MANY ARE WE GETTING??!

yourbff uhhhh😬

ynln 🤪🤪

user Y'all did anyone else see that Charles is ALSO in Paris???

user He's there with Georgio Armani I'm pretty sure

lando Great, now come visit Monaco😢

ynln omw

lando REALLY😋😋

ynln no 🩵

maxfewtrell Mate, I'm hurting FOR u

user Ok but possible reunion between her and Charles? Especially if she is performing for Fashion week??? ANYONE??😰😰

fanuser just posted a photo!

liked by user2, user7, user1 and 1.593 others

fanuser : Y'all, I just met Charles Leclerc?? He's here for Paris Fashion Week???! Are we gonna get a Charyn reunion????? 👀🤩

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user I TOLD YOU ALL

user Guys chiiillll who knows if he and Y/N have even seen one another?

user They defs have, he was there when she performed at the pre-show gala 🙂

user WHAT

user I haven't heard much, but yeah he was there 😮‍💨😮‍💨

ynln just posted a photo!

liked by charlesleclerc, yourbff, Swarovski, lando and 28m others

ynln : Paris, thanks for having me; Dandelion out now🩵🥹

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user I'M SCREAMING WITHOUT THE S

user "Plant this seed' ?!!?!?!?! MISS Y/N WHAT🧐🧐😟

user Oh y'all she is COOKING I cannot wait

yourbff I can be anything you'd like?? Please??😔

ynln ughhh. I suppose😏🥰

lando Idk if I should be scarred mentally or excited for the rest of the new music coming after this release🤧

ynln Weren't you literally just singing it in the car???

lando WHO TOLD YOU

ynln maxfewtrell has entered the chat

maxfewtrell oops😋

lando You absolute muppet

ynln It's ok I know you'll never admit you're obsessed🤗🙂‍↔️

lando Sure sure

user Y'all I love this trio so much lmfao

user Why don't her and lando just date

charlesleclerc no

yourbff She's out of his league lets be real😮‍💨

lando WOW OUCH OK ENOUGH

ynln hahahaha

charlesleclerc just posted some photos!

liked by ferrari, ynln, lando, carlossainz, lewishamilton and 12m others

charlesleclerc : Had some fun during Paris Fashion Week, thanks for the invite georgioarmani

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user FOAMING at the mouth 😩🤩

user Y'all why has this post been frozen on my screen for eight hours

user SO GOOD HE LOOKS SO GOOD

carlossainz My oh my what have we here👀😋

charlesleclerc all for you 😘

lando ayo??? 😔

user I think this is all for someone whose name is ynln

user You might be onto something there

user Y'all there's pap photos of him and Y/N together on his boat??? HELP? SEND HELP??!

ynln just posted some photos!

liked by yourbff, maxfewtrell, lando, charlesleclerc, haileesteinfeld, and 37m others

ynln : Now I just can't go where you don't go

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user Y'ALL THAT'S LITERALLY THE SWEATER CHARLES WAS WEARING A COUPLE DAYS AGO

user Omfg they're together y'all DON'T PANIC

user IT'S TIME I'M NOT READY

user WHAT IF THE CAPTION IS ABOUT HIM???! I CAN'T

user Wellll most of her new album I think will be about him lol, there are soooo many signs

yourbff Glowing 💕

ynln Been a while🤗

user OH IT'S SO CONFIRMED GUYS

lando Y'all it's me actually, I'm the one she's talking about 😚😙😝

maxfewtrell You wish you knob

lando LEMME DREAM OK

ynln Let the poor man dream Max🤧🤧

lando YEAH- wait....🙂

maxfewtrell I'm gonna pissa myself from laughing 😭🤣🤣🤣

ynln just posted some photos!

liked by eltonjohn, yourbff, charlesleclerc, kellypiquet, mileycyrus, and 42m others

ynln : She's out and I'm crying! 🥹🩵🩵😭

Eternal Sunshine is not only one of my top favorite albums, but the most personal one I've made. The one, mon chérie, who inspired most of the music will always be someone I hold dear to my heart.❤️ Many tears were shed while making this, but I wanted you all to feel closer to me in a way I cannot explain. Only sing. I hope you all enjoy it.

I love you 😘

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user WAIT I'M NOT READY 🤧

user AGH THE TEARS 😢😢😢😢

user Oh she absolutely cooked with this I will be ugly crying and staying locked away for the time being 🙂‍↔️

yourbff Such a great album, I can't wait for the world to heal with you😭💕💕

ynln 🥹🤧

user Omfg guys most of these songs have me in an absolute chokehold

charlesleclerc So proud of your accomplishments, cherie. Hard work paid off 🩵

*liked by ynln*

user AYO CHARLES WHAT'RE YOU DOING HERE

user STOP YALL I CAN'T

user Between this album, the possibility of them seeing each other again, and how happy she looks I can't fathom the way my chest cannot take this

[novasillies]

okay. wifi sorted. squid game i hate you i will try and keep this organised. spoilers upon spoilers beneath the cut, this might be a long one. i had an 8 hour journey to watch the whole show in one go and then ruminate on it for two hours of driving. so. yeah.

As many issues as I have with this season, I will say some things were pretty interesting. So let's start with the few positives I have.

One, the commentary on democracy and the idea of a democratic vote. The fact that the players were forced into making this choice, either threatened or manipulated into voting one way or the other, and treated differently by the group depending on which way they voted was very interesting and something I am not at all smart enough to dissect beyond surface level. the whole "through your democratic vote, you have all chosen to continue the games" thing made me go hrrhrhrhrr every time because, yeah, democracy is far from fair and two-party systems with one final choice cannot accurately represent the wants of an entire group. love it speak on it.

Two, I didn't mind In-ho's story this season (or, what little story he had). The fact that he's tried to save Gi-hun's life at every turn, and the man has been too stubborn to listen, rightfully so, if the writers had decided that optimism was something we deserved in this day and age. He begged him to get on that plane, to stop looking for the games, to kill the other players and just take the money. In-ho wanted Gi-hun to live. And he didn't. And In-ho delivered, in person, his jacket and money to his daughter. He never called him a friend. He blew up the island. I'm assuming he left it all behind now that the coast guard got involved. God knows. Actually, never mind, his story was lazy and nonexistent. The contrast between him and Gi-hun when given that chance to kill them all and take the win was interesting, though.

Three, i cant think of another thing i liked. which is troubling. Oh, I do love a tragedy done right, so Gi-hun's death did satisfy me in the way that it was horrible. I still think he should not have died. But the fact that it was like that. I don't despise it. Not happy about it. but it could be worse.

I'm gonna just get right into my main issue with this season (and season 2 now that it's over and I can be sure of it), which is: THIS WAS NOT NECESSARY.

The entire two-part story (ridiculous) of seasons 2&3 was literally, in the end, for nothing.

Nobody's characters developed and they all died. Jun-ho didn't get anything out of finding the island because they blew it up and he was only there for 25 minutes. He saw In-ho again, said like 8 words to him, got nothing back, and then left again. Pointless. So many hours of television that were for nothing. He didn't grow as a person, he didn't learn anything new, he didn't even realise Gi-hun (WHO HE WAS MEANT TO BE LOOKING FOR) was dead however many feet below him. All he got was that fuckass CGI baby and 45.6 billion won of blood money.

Gi-hun went back just to stop the games, then killed himself to let a two-day-old newborn become a multi-billionaire for the hope of that innocent little FUGLY FREAK being a better person than him. He said maybe 20 lines the entire season. He spent the whole time silently plotting dae-ho's death, then killing dae-ho, then trying to kill himself until he finally did. His entire story was just a playbook on how to give up.

They watered Jun-hee and Geum-ja and No-eul down to just Mothers with nothing else to show for themselves. Two out of three of them killed themselves for their children and one of them tried. No-euls entire storyline felt just as pointless as the rest of them, with its weird maybe-your-daughter's-alive-maybe-she's-not open ending of her flying to China. It didn't help that we've spent this whole two-season storyline waiting for Gi-hun to have some magical moment where he figures out how to save them, only for all of them to die slowly and pointlessly one by one. Geum-ja's suicide was the only death this season that upset me, purely because I only realised what had happened just as the coffin got carried in, and her big monologue to Gi-hun finally made sense and became far more sad. It was really only thanks to her actress' performance that Yong-sik's death made me feel anything, too. Everyone else had nothing. Just cheap SFX and two seconds of shock value.

What the fuck was Hyun-ju's death. Like. Excuse me?? Myung-gi had no reason to still be killing people, let alone hunting them like animals. Why the FUCK did he kill her??? And why did Jun-hee's water break and her baby was born within five minutes???? I don't think there was a single woman in the writer's room for season 3 honest to god. I wasn't even sad about Hyun-ju's death I was just so so sooo confused. It made no sense. And then I was like uhgggh she shouldve gone through the door but no she was right to go back but wtf myung-gi why did you do that you useless piece of human garbage. and maybe it was a little bit poignant because they were so close to all surviving together. but they could've. very easily. Hyun-ju's death was just as unneccessary as the rest of this story.

Don't even get me started on myung-gi. I didn't like him last season on the principle of what he did to Jun-hee, but there was always the justification of him trying to protect her from the people who were after him but. god. I was so right to hate him. Even then, he was somewhat likeable. He did nice things sometimes. He acted like a normal human being. Who the HELL was that this season?? trying to throw his own newborn daughter off that tower for THE MONEY??????????? I thought Gi-hun would hand over the kid, myung-gi would be all sweet and sad and sorry and kiss his daughter on the head (WHICH GI-HUN THEN DID AND MADE ME GO !!!!!) before he pressed the start button and threw himself off. A nobel sacrifice for the kid, just like her mother had done, or whatever the fuck. but no. nooooo nonono of COURSE not. that wouldve been HEARTFELT and SWEET and would've let OUR HERO survive. can't have that can we?!?!?!?!??!?!?!? i need to calm down.

Side note, what the hell was kate blanchett doing there?? we do NOT need an american squid game spinoff with kate fucking blanchett as the recruiter and in-ho going full gi-hun and trying to infiltrate it and take it down in his memory or some bullshit STOP IT.

Another side note, why did they spend more time on min-su's grief over se-mi than like... any other character feeling anything?? i didn't give a shit about those two personally so every drawn-out drug-induced hallucination about it just felt like watching paint dry.

Also the games sucked. Sorry. They were all dissorientating in the most midly inconvenient way and the direction of this season was all over the place. whoever was director of photography for s3 needs to have a long think about things. And the sound design??? was it always that weird?? no, right? there wasn't always the freakish distorted music and stuff? and that weird prowler sound whenever gi-hun was staring at dae-ho and wanting to kill him?? I felt like i was going crazy it was either too silent or too loud but whatever.

And the CGI baby. Come on now. Terrible!!! There was an egregious amount of CGI in this season and it was very clearly rushed. you're on a Netflix budget with one of its most popular titles and you still managed to come out with cheap, uncanny special effects??? I would be happy about the use of CGI because yeah newborn babies look like that not like 4-month-olds and yeah that's a big rope swing u cant be throwing those at real people in real life without some serious waivers signed and some serious injuries nonetheless but you had the money to make it good. you should've taken the time, too. I have an inkling that the six-month gap between seasons instead of a few years had a small role to play in that, even if it was all shot at once. Maybe if you hadn't stretched out your nothing burger of a second season into two of them, we wouldn't be having these problems. It's just so confusing how season 3 felt so much lazier and just worse than season 2 when they should've been written, filmed, and begun post-production right alongside each other. so so sooo weird. The subpar performances of the actors i think didn't help. i just felt like i was watching actors act instead of watching people exist within a story and that always irks me. to be fair, with a cast that big, you really can't expect the greatest performances from all the nameless side characters. but like. still. lock in for me guys plz. and maybe stop throwing babies from extreme heights (Gi-hun is just a man)

The thing is, season 1 was neat and tidy and concise and heartwrenching and purposeful. It had a true meaning. A moral. It was a representation of the horrors of capitalism. The characters changed - gi-hun became an entirely new person due to the trauma of it all, sang-woo became colder and so desperate he was unrecognisable, sae-byeok's end was so tragic but before it happened, she learned to trust, jun-ho actually learned new things about his brother and the games and uncovered secrets as the viewers did and it was interesting - and the story was written with clear intention. This storyline, stretched over two seasons to get more fucking money from continuous streaming and renewal of interest, shocker, anti-capitalist my ass, was literally nothing more than a cash-grab. It was heartless. They somehow brought back queerbaiting for a second there. Nobody (at least I hope) believed it, but they tried. And that is just so so disappointing. Because they knew this story wouldn't stand on its own. They knew they had not written it for any real reason. It was all for the money. And how ironic is that?

This story could have been so good. All of the pieces were in place for them to craft something insanely relevant, a story about goodness, community, honesty, and hope beating the 1%. A story about redemption. A story about equality.

Instead, Squid Game season 3, and the overarching story of season 2, teach nothing more than there being only one thing we all can have and deserve to have: death.

Sacrifice yourself, give up, because the rich are just gonna keep getting richer. And you will never win. But, hey. There's always the next generation. Here's to hoping.

[muffinsin]

helllo, hope you're doing well. I'm wondering if you'd be interested in doing a scenario where one of the Dimitrescu faints, you can choose who, and you can choose why and where it happens.

My only request is if there could be a bit of mama worry and care as well as sisterly care- I know your not a fan of writing alcina but I've been seeing her pop up more often so it makes me believe you're getting more comfortable writing her? But still add her if you want and I hope mother care and sister care is not to much of a big ask.

Im trying to keep this ask to have more freedom in case of writers block sooo idk if it will help but here you go 🫰🏽

Hey, hon! :) I absolutely am interested, this sounds adorable! I love writing Alcina in fluffy prompts, actually XP But I find her quite difficult to write. Anyway, let's get some good mama bear and protective sisters incoming

Let's get into it!

Masterlists

Bela overworking herself is... an understatement

Between a busy schedule cramped with a nearly impossible mountain of tasks, spontaneous issues and worries being dropped on her by the staff and, perhaps most of all, constantly having to monitor her younger sisters, Bela is known to tackle more than enough tasks a day

So headstrong, her mother praises

So perfect, her sister mocks

So capable, her other sister admires

So resilient, others speak highly of her

An impressive heir. A dedicated worker. A respectful woman. The prime example and role model of a sister

Bela Dimitrescu

None know what is behind the titles, the overwhelming amount of stress, the angry tears and breakdowns each night, the headaches daring to overwhelm her after neglecting meals in favor of working more, or simply being too stressed and forgetting about them entirely

Alcina, always praising her for being so headstrong, for the tasks she accomplishes in record time, could never guess the intense toll it takes on her eldest

She knows only of her bright smile when she is praised, cannot catch a glimpse of how her precious eldest breaks herself to perform better, faster, more tasks than she is given, more tasks than anyone ought to take on, desperately chasing the next words of praise from her

Cassandra, mocking and rolling her eyes when her sister scolds her, just rarely sees the utter exhaustion in her well kept features, just rarely picks up the unease her sister's swarm seems to convey, just rarely notices how her sister trembles when she crosses her arms and scolds her

Daniela, who so often mocks and pouts, who so often causes more trouble, intentionally or not. Always looking up at her sister, yet incapable of looking at her, the eldest constantly surrounded by thick walls shielding the true exhaustion her life brings

Bela Dimitrescu

Desperate to do good, to be a good role model, to be worthy of her family's love. Desperate, to keep her family safe

It's like this that she pushes herself too far

She doesn't understand what's happening, doesn't understand how she could trap herself in this room with no escape

She wants to blame Cassandra

She wants to snarl about how she told her to catch the man-thing and she deliberately let him go, only to continue on and postpone her childish, sadistic hunt

Naturally, catching him is now her task

What she didn't account for, however, is being locked inside a room with two large, broken windows and the cool wind causing more and more of her flies to drop rapidly

She feels pain course through her entire body as shots are fired at her, feels as her body trembles, then falls to the ground, her knees weak

Everything goes blurry first, her vision swimming, her head so light and mind hazy

Then, darkness, pain, and silence

She awakens to...noise?

Whispers, hushed voices and snarls. Her eyes feel heavy, her body even more so

She's cold, terribly so, but feels something warm surrounding her. A blanket? No, there must be more than one. Three thick ones, at least

Bela stirs a little as she feels her body be readjusted, her mind reeling as she attempts to figure out where she is

Next, however, she picks up a series of familiar scents

Rich perfume and roses- her favorite scent, the one bringing her the most comfort- Mama is here

Then, there is the scent of iron and blood, of pine trees and the kind of indescribable smell that belongs to rain and water- Cassandra is here

She picks up the last, too, the sweet perfume mixing into the coppery scent of blood- Daniela is here

Ah, but she hardly needs her scent to tell that. She winces when she feels something press against her stomach, her eyes fluttering a little as the thing- a hand, she is sure- is immediately removed and she picks up the hushed snarls of Cassandra as she scolds the redhead

"Move it!"

She opens her eyes to the sound, feeling her body protest as it yearns for just a little more rest

Immediately, she gasps as a body crashed against hers and she feels her youngest sister's head bump against her throat. She hugs her, so tight it hurts, her front and dress rubbing up uncomfortably against the countless wounds on her body

She doesn't dare push her away

"I'm so sorry!", she hears her cry. Again, she feels the discomfort of warm breaths hitting her neck and wet tears running down her skin, though she doesn't dare push the younger woman off. Instead, she groggily raises her aching arms to wrap them around her, not trusting her voice judging by how dry her throat feels

Opening her eyes fully, she finally recognizes the room she's in

She's in her mother's arms, four blankets piled on top of her and countless smaller things- pillows, dolls, stuffed animals and dead mice set up around her almost like an offering of comfort and a plea for forgiveness. Too exhausted, she can't bring herself to smile, though weakly raises her fingers towards her other sister until she feels Cassandra hold them wordlessly, not daring to meet her eyes

She knows, after all, it was her job to kill the man-thing. Her task to get rid of him. Her fault her sister collapsed and nearly froze over, she's sure, unaware of just how hard she has been pushing herself prior

Still, despite the pain she's in, she croaks out a little laugh when Cassandra eventually tugs at the back of her sister's dress, drawing unhappy whines from her as she's yanked back and away, completely oblivious to how the blonde breathes a sigh of relief now the pressure on her wounds and aching body has been lifted

She feels a large hand lovingly cup her head and sighs in relief yet again, leaning into the touch as her eyes slip shut again

She doesn't dare meet her mother's eyes, not after this. She couldn't bear the immense worry in her eyes, knowing she caused it. Knowing it's her fault

Despite her efforts, however, her mother knows

She always does

Bela whines lowly at the back of her throat as she’s turned and her chin is lifted, pressing her eyes shut when she feels tears build up

She couldn’t bear the disappointment she is sure Alcina must feel

Instead, her eyes snap open wide when she feels the woman kiss her forehead as she has so often back when they were still little. Much to her embarrassment her bottom lip wobbles when she catches the utterly loving and caring expression her mother’s face shows

No disappointment- at least not revealed by her expression

She jumps as she feels a body against her back, giggling tiredly as she feels Daniela sling her arms back around her, sniffling quietly by her ear

Her heart aches again as she hears the woman whisper and sniffle, promising to be “the best sister in the world and never cause trouble again” if only she gets better and doesn’t die

She wants to promise her; she won’t die, but the words die in her sore throat and she’s left coughing, which seems to only have her younger sister panic more

Her golden eyes wide and bottom lip quivering, Daniela watches as Bela is guided to lay back again, her eyes closing momentarily at the warmth surrounding her

Still, just to make sure, she allows some of her flies to rest by her sister’s head

For protection

As Bela nestles back against the many blankets around her and feels her mother’s hand stroke soothing circles against her shoulder and back to warm her up, she catches both her sisters looking at her expectantly, as though unsure what to say or do

Guilt. Love. Hope. She easily picks it up in their expressions and pose

She sends them a gentle smile, her throat aching a little as she croaks out an “it’s okay”

Daniela is the first to cuddle up when beckoned closer, by her left

She can only smile again as she feels the woman steal away some of the blankets for herself and whine for Alcina’s other hand until she too receives gentle head scratches

Cassandra stays back for a moment longer, her eyes downcast again until she too joins the pile of blankets

She doesn’t dare meet her sister’s eyes, doesn’t dare bump into her in fear of worsening the pain she’s sure she must be in

She does, however, snarl automatically in surprise when she’s yanked closer, her eyes finding other golden ones as she eventually too curls up against her sister and the blankets

Maybe, it was her fault

But maybe, it doesn’t matter now, with Bela recovering, with her forgiving her

[rocketeeeers]

hii! this is such a sweet concept, thank you so much for coming up with it! 🩷 i'm so sorry you're going through stuff. you're not alone & your f/os love you lots! take care :D also i apologise if i'm doing anything wrong in this ask game, i'm new to tumblr (i mainly use twitter, though it's really nice here!) please correct me if so!

i'll be answering the qns with my 2 main f/o's (hikage toma prri & kobayashi kenya bokumachi), hope that's okay!

tw: mention of sh for the 1st qn

🌻 since i'm clumsy and have the tendency to sh (though i'm on the road to recovery! yay!), i tend to get injured quite often.

for toma, he normally panics when he sees the wounds and he gets really worried! he'll ask a bunch of questions on how it happened (though if it's something sh related he'd probably avoid asking since it might make me upset) while digging through his bag for his emergency supplies. he'll also probably give me some cute, colourful band-aids to distract me from the wound! for the days after, he'll take really good care of me, helping me to apply ointments and creams every day.

for kenya, he'll mask his worry behind a calm expression in order to prevent me from panicking along with him. similar to toma, he'd also grab his emergency supplies (minus the colourful band-aids). for the days after, though he's really busy, he'd make sure to send reminders via text for me to take care of my injuries.

🪷 when i'm insecure, i usually try to bottle it up, but toma can see through me really easily. he'll give me a hug and comfort me with words, reassuring me of my skills and my good qualities, telling me he loves me no matter what and that the things my head is telling me are all untrue.

for kenya, since we've known each other for quite a while, he can also see through me easily. he's less touchy, but if i asked for a hug or anything, he'd do just that. he mainly uses his words, restating all of our past experiences that disprove my insecurities, show me that he cares, that i'm worth being cared for.

🍄 i would likely shut them down when they suggest pampering me, but both of them would insist, saying that they love me and want to take care of me.

for toma, he'd plan the whole thing himself. he'd probably bring me on a drive, stopping at all my favourite places for food or shopping. he'd do everything he possibly could to comfort me, and it would work!

for kenya, he'd ask if there's anything he could do to help, but since i don't normally know the answer to that, he'd end up taking things into his own hands and planning everything out. he'd take me out on weekends and treat me to some good food, and then maybe we would go home and relax.

☀️ toma would probably get something cute and simple, but full of thought, like jewelry in the style i like, or a plush that reminds him of me or me of him! kenya would probably get something on my wishlist (which tends to be cute stuff too)

📚 to be honest, we do all of that, heheh... i'm quite a needy person!

💜 oh there's too many... these past few days i've been feeling like crap, and sometimes my only reason for holding on is them. i don't wanna go into detail because honestly? i've been blocking most of my emotions out and i don't recall it, and i feel that if i tried i might get more upset. but they helped a lot. when it feels like nobody cares for me, i have them. when it feels like i'm alone, i have them. they've helped me with so so much and i cannot express how grateful i am for them coming into my life.

🥞 my kindness and my loyalty/dedication, i believe. i'd do so much for them, and just them. i'd try my best to be with them whenever they need and more, supporting them through the littlest actions.

🍁 toma sings me songs with that warm voice of his. it's always comforting. we'd cuddle too.

kenya talks to me and either cuddles or holds my hand until i fall asleep.

💫 toma would motivate me with little things like kisses or gifts and then tell me he was so proud of me after i checked a task off. if a task required a lot of work, he'd do it together with me and we would sing some songs while doing it to get my mind off of it.

kenya would send constant reminders to me, even when at work. he'd set alarms to remind me to drink water and stuff. he'd also praise me lots when i do something, and he'd help out where he can.

🍀 toma holds my hand, giving me a physical sensation that i can focus all my attention on. he'll pass me my earplugs/earphones and find a way out of that situation as fast as possible.

kenya, well, i hc him to also easily get overwhelmed. he'd probably try to get over it so that he can calm me, but i wouldn't ever let him force himself to calm down, so we'd probably just be overwhelmed together and find a way to leave the situation together. once out, we'll just spend time in each other's company until we feel better.

again, thank you so much for making this. it was really fun to answer! i'm sorry my answers got so long 😅

🪻comfort and care f/o ask game🪻

hi there! thank you so much to those of you who participated in my last f/o ask game ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝ i had so much fun making it and i'm glad to see others are enjoying it too! i decided to make another (very self indulgent) f/o ask game since i've been going through a pretty rough patch lately and i want my f/os to take care of me (߹𖥦߹) these asks will be mental health centric (and can be quite personal), so if that's not your cup of tea, feel free to scroll past! if anyone else has been struggling as well, please remember you are so incredibly loved and wanted here! especially by your f/os! take care of yourselves ♡

so sorry for the long intro! we'll get into it now. as always, proship please do not interact!

also, this ask game is platonic/familial friendly! not just aimed towards romantic f/os! ٩(ˊᗜˋ )و

🌻 how does your f/o take care of you and/or react if you're injured? any injury applies. it could be as simple as bumping into the corner of a table and bruising your hip, or maybe something as severe as coming back wounded from an intense battle.

🪷 how does your f/o comfort you when you're feeling insecure/self conscious? if they prefer to comfort using words, what do they say? if they use actions, what do they do?

🍄 your f/o notices you're stressed/unhappy/not doing well and insists that they want to pamper you. what would that look like? do they do or say anything specific that only they would do? do they want you to tell them what you want, or do they plan the pamper session themself?

☀️ your f/o surprises you with a gift after noticing how hard you've been working lately, and they need to express how proud of you they are. what's the gift?

📚 what is your f/os love language? do they incorporate their love language into how they support you? (the main 5 love languages are; words of affirmation, acts of service, gift giving, quality time, and physical touch. though if you and your f/o have your own love language, please feel free to use that instead!)

💜 name a time (or multiple) when your f/o was your unwavering rock and solace. only if you're comfortable with sharing, what were you going through? how did your f/o support you?

🥞 what does your f/o admire about you? it can go beyond physical traits!

🍁 how does your f/o help you when you can't sleep/can't stay asleep?

💫 how does your f/o help and/or support you when you're struggling with taking care of yourself? (e.g. messy room, forgetting to take meds, etc.)

🍀 what does your f/o do when you're in an overstimulating/overwhelming situation? (e.g. in a large crowd, around loud noises, etc.) do they have any techniques to soothe you?

[werezmastarbucks]

11. i am running out of plant themed titles

flowers over boys masterlist

in which you decide flowers aren't enough and bring Yoongi a tree

word count: 2951

author's note: please tell me you get the hole reference

it's a long day. you stride along the walls of the throne room, reading the last letters of the previous executed florist. Hoseok definitely wanted yo scare you into being quiet by saying that, but you, biased in your attachment, are trying to see who they were, how they saw the king, and what they brought with these flowers. wilted and dry, they vary from completely obnoxious (gerberas) to simply inappropriate near the throne (poppies). according to what you remember about flower meanings, this person was either in love with Yoongi or wished him death. something like that.

you gather the dead flowers into the basket you bring over (that requires leaving the hall and then finding your way back again; thankfully, Taehyung is around) and then take them outside. a part of you wants to stroll into the Eastern Garden to see if peacocks have been released yet. it takes several walks of you alone, without the usual support of the girls, to get all of the old flowers into the farthest back yard where the compost storage is; every stride, no less than ten minutes. the sun is blazing, but you focus on the new activity and the ribbons flying in the air after you. you sing, like you always do, working. you know it cannot go unnoticed forever.

"i know it's my language, but it sounds so different at the same time", Jungkook can't look more fantasy-like in his everyday purple and white dress, sitting on top of the small storage building. there's no way he just casually wandered in here, as well; it's the rough, unpretty back area where the palace workers dump garbage and keep tools. you try imagining him walk here, then crawl the small wooden building, assume the position, one knee up. funny little adorable monkey, he is. the sun makes his round eyes glisten as he smiles.

"even if i'm not by your side, you know we're still together? what's this song about?"

the seagulls circle around this part of the royal grounds low in the sky, and he looks, simply, dreamy, accompanied by their shrill cries. you smile, closing one eye against the sun.

"it's called telepathy".

"what's telepathy?"

you change hands and hook the empty basket on your elbow, then continue your walk. it's been dangerously much time, and you've only finished clearing out the throne room. Jungkook has nothing else to do but leave his perching place, jump down on the ground and follow you.

"i guess no word with the root tele- will be of use to you for now", you muse instead of an answer. Jungkook is ridiculously tall against you. his clean, empty right hand catches your eye.

"so, barbarians also write songs about love?" he teases.

you sniff.

"joke's on you. also, a tip for your Highness".

"go on", he walks easy, with a string in his step, obviously, because he doesn't work fourteen hours a day.

"when you're tryna chat a girl up, abstain from calling her a barbarian".

"i am still not over you scolding me for peacocks, and you only keep bringing the fight".

"you're quite the poet, Monkey Prince".

he gives out a breathy, charming chuckle, and you can't help but smile warmly.

you see shadows of people fly by the corridors as you walk back into the central part of the palace. by now, seven or ten walks in, you have finally memorized the way to the throne room. but now, your way is into the gardens, because you need to make a new selection of flowers for Yoongi. the flowers that will be appropriate for his presence. you think late magnolias, cockscomb, azaleas and plum blossoms. not too many varieties, but they win over in shape agreeability. all of them are lush and round, and will look like garlands, especially if you put magnolias closer to the throne platform. they have creamy, lemony scent that will reach him. magnolias should also go to his study room, but maybe a hint of citrus will finish up the composition. you can't believe how tightly your mind clutches on the concept, and how clear it is for you.

"you seem to have a good grasp of it", Jungkook follows you out into the garden, carrying the basket already, trying to make himself useful. you slow down and lead him into the Western Garden that has most flowers. your eyes concentrate on the ground, mapping the candidates.

"what's the big steppa's favourite flower?"

he snickers.

"i don't think he has one. uncle prefers blades and women".

you produce the silver knife from your pocket and bow down to sever a flower from the ground, and he quietly booms:

"oh, isn't that his?"

"yeah. tried to disfigure me with it twice. chickened out the last second both times". you get back to your feet with a little yellow cosmos in your hand.

"i have another task for you, little one".

"me? little? you're getting quite preposterous".

your hand sneaks to his head and you poke the flower behind his ear, into his dark hair. Jungkook is spoiled enough not to get unaffected.

"please talk to him about the light in the throne room. all flowers will die in that cave with no sun, especially now, in autumn".

"what's that called?"

"asteraceae. daisy family".

you tap him on the shoulder.

"dismissed".

Jungkook is about to do something you would have to punch him for - you wonder what colour of the dungeon squaring one on the royal nephew's nose would earn you - but thankfully he and you are both saved. (wow that was a long sentence).

"Monkey!"

Hoseok's voice makes even this adorable little word sound hard.

he turns around, his eyes are still glassy. you step away and pick up the basket.

"aren't you supposed to be training?"

"i was taking a break, uncle", you know he smiles in the widest way, although his head is turned from you.

"an hour long? slacking off".

"my mind was racing, so i decided to quieten it by immersing myself in beauty".

"you remember what uncle told you?"

he sniffs in a very Jungkook way, rolls the limp belt on his robe around in his fingers, and walks slowly away, without looking at you again.

"yes, i am starting to put it together".

Hoseok all but yanks him into the corridor, and they disappear. you want to take out a pen and a paper out of habit, to make the list of flowers, and make a rough drawing of the order of composition. how are you supposed to do it without? memorizing? your eyes travel across the garden, then you at least come up with a way to mark the specific flowers to cut later, so that the other gardeners do not touch them. the laces on the inner side of your hanbok, designed to fasten up the underdress, are never used because you wrap yourself up with the big belt. you undo the dress for a minute, thinking about how Jimin is going to report this, if he can't see, since he's the little minx keeping an ear on you. then cut the both laces off and wrap back. you cut the laces into short ribbons and tie them around the heads of flowers you choose as you go. that takes another twenty minutes. so far, this has been the most chill day, it even feels a little like you've been cheating and not working. a pang of guilt stabs your ribs, light, but nevertheless. the others are probably in the tangerine garden, asses up and heads down, while you're here entertaining your creative talents. guess you're white collar now, even if for all the wrong reasons.

you need a pair of good scissors and a bigger basket, you think, some ice-cold towels, buckets of water, but firstly, you need to run back into the throne room to do something about the windows. badass shade is great and all but the composition of flowers will not even be visible if they keep the shutters drawn.

afternoon is here, the sun changes the position, and now the angle is perfect to see what the room really looks like, so you hurry there, your hands itching. once inside again, you open the shutters one by one, letting in the light, and, like a dog that's been kept away from the sacred part of the house too long, it races inside, and the colours ambush you. the red columns, green tapestry, the golden wood of the platform, and the painted walls; it washes away all concerns from your head as you realize how freaking genius you are. this room will be so cunty when you're done with it.

rushing, running into the gardens, you assault Jiyoung, asking for good scissors, and she produces a fine pair; you notice how she keeps giving you things. her ribbons, her paint, her advice, her scissors.

"oh", she blushes, gushing, in the whole face, for a moment. and shows you something else. it's a tiny pouch of good fabric, something like velvet, soothing in your fingers.

"you've seen Taehyung today?"

you raise your eyebrows.

"yes, i did".

"if you see him again, give it to him".

"what's inside?" you grin. she coughs, looks away.

"Jiyoung?"

"my hair", she whispers. you clutch your chest and put the pouch away safely.

"oh Jesus".

some heads turn up, their glare is half-scared, half-judgemental.

"i mean Buddha? um. anyway. i ship you so hard".

Jiyoung looks even more terrified.

"where?"

"i hope straight to the afterglow", you ruffle her hair and get up to run back. too much work, not enough day left. "i will give it to Taehyung and say nothing".

Jiyoung isn't sure whether to be concerned or grateful, and returns to work.

of course you'd fill the room with lotuses as well, if only you knew how to sustain them outside the lakes. you make a mental note to incorporate them somehow, most probably in the Night Garden.

your wrist starts aching, the still visible, crusty scar on the back of the hand even cracks a little, with the amount of cutting you do. the sun is getting pretty low, but you're still in the garden, stomach turning with hunger, forgotten by you as you're taken by the little project. basket is filling with flowers, then you bring it inside, then return in some time. the whole process takes so much time, but you're deeply satisfied. you're thinking about calling someone to light the lamps in the room so that you can work later. as you assemble the first corner of cockscombs further from the window, you take a break to search for Taehyung.

the sound of clashing bamboo sticks is coming from the inner yard where the first exercise was, and you decide to check it out, thinking that there's always a good chance to find tae where kook is. you walk down the corridor, hand doing the fist open and close, towards the sound, and turn around the corner, and prove yourself right. of course.

Taehyung is on watch, on the brink of the yard, his eyes fixated on the center of it. you try to step very quietly, making yourself small, and your hand slides into the pocket for the pouch. there are other guards watching Jungkook exercise, so you don't feel like getting scolded for walking somewhere exclusive again. staying behind the columns supporting the roof, you move sideways, then poke Taehyung in the shoulder with your finger. the clash is so pleasant to listen to, it's almost like music. Jungkook laughs, then Yoongi's voice cuts it, saying,

"you better not expose your teeth like that".

Monkey Prince ouches, then snickers again.

your hand freezes above Taehyung's shoulder as your eyes fall on the two sparring in the yard.

with no shirts.

you feel like you're seeing something you were absolutely not supposed to see; understandable is also the amount of guards around, keeping them hidden. must be hot, huh, swinging sticks around at each other. historically accurate king Yoongi is so big it's not even funny; his shoulders are defamed by the dark fabric of his usual dragon robe. there's scars on his back, and his tail thrashes around in flashes, the movements so quick that he looks like he's flying.

your eyes go dry, and Taehyung is trying really hard to shake you awake, without turning around. you keep behind the column, then look at him, unsure whether you're traumatised or bothered. come on now, you're a twenty-first century girl. his hand clutches the pouch you're still holding, and he keeps motioning for you to disappear, his jaw clenched, eyes worried.

"y/n", he whispers through clenched teeth, "crawl back". trying not to move his lips.

"i am just a hole".

his face is an expression of horror.

"meet me in the throne room later".

you walk away, dumbfounded, disturbed, forever restless. you even forgot to look at Jungkook at all.

hour later, he finds you at work, and you jump at him with your ideas:

"listen. we need to find, like a saw, and cut off two huge magnolia branches. preferably, the same size. preferably, from two different trees. now, we have blooming magnolias in the Garden of the South, and as far as i know it's empty today".

Taehyung is looking at you like he is scared for your life.

"you understand what you saw today was completely not for your eyes?"

"i didn't know what i was walking into".

Taehyung is such a gentle soul; he even takes his time to formulate the next words politely.

"maybe you should practice... walking around... less".

"maybe. good thinking. good call. i can't burn the picture out of my eyeballs now. need tumblr like right now, because i am shook, but then again i am an adult". you huff, not very grateful to him for bringing this up again.

"anyway".

"the saws are in the back in the tool storage".

"right!"

you have become a little dumber today.

"we need to do it... now?" he asks, like he really wants to hear a no. then you both hear steps outside, and he does a curious thing: Taehyung hides.

people pass by without peeking inside, and he steps from behind the column. the hair on his face, glowing in the dark, almost throws a shadow on it, and you are reminded that you need some light.

"what was that?"

you give him a long look. Taehyung plays fool.

"nothing".

you realize there's no point, he is stubborn like the stallions in his stables.

"yes to going now. i don't feel like going to sleep yet".

he licks his lips apologetically, looks down.

"what?"

"i kind of... have something".

he gives you a minute to think. then says,

"Jiyoung".

"aaaahh!"

Taehyung's glance runs over the corner you've prepared. the beautiful, plump, cherry-red cockscombs are tucked together in the round shape in the vases hidden beneath the wooden panels.

"oh, it's really pretty".

"just like you. go on then, i'll do it myself".

"no, let's wait for tomorrow, i'll help you".

you shake your head. when something takes you...

"don't worry, Taehyungie. go see her. if it's too hard, i won't strain myself".

you will. you've seen two gigantic vases, very old by the looks of it, in the tapestry hall, and they are just gigantic enough to nest blooming branches.

guess you're on your own then.

it takes a while to figure out the way to light the lamps. as the sun sets, the watch changes, and two guards barge in, and you waste another fifteen minutes wrestling them to leave you alone. eventually you threaten to stab them with scissors if the flowers wilt, and they retreat. the whole fight makes you angry: they keep looking away, disgusted, like they can't make it any more obvious you are an extra here.

once the coast is clear, you engage in the dangerous, risky venture to bring (roll) the vases to the throne room. they were supposed to be in the tapestry hall? well, shit, things have changed. the palace has a new florist. your back starts aching again and the ribbons keep getting in your face, but eventually you place the vases on both sides of the platform, the room lit with golden tiger light, and you don't even crack them.

finally, it's saw time.

you get that realistically, it's a job for two, three people, but all familiar faces have dispersed, scattered to their rooms, even the grumpy General, so it's only you, the moon and the moaning magnolia trees. if handled properly, the big branches will continue to bloom and even give new roots after a very long time. inside, magnolias won't know that winter is coming, and keep their flowers. you know to add a special alcohol and honey tincture to the water to keep them alive for a great while. soft coma. you do it all alone, wondering why the fuck you're enjoying it so much. guess it's a way to realize your potential.

you nod at a night worker who keeps their hands together in the sleeves, and is startled by the sight of you, in the blue darkness of the inner yard, carrying a branch with delicate pink flowers over your shoulder. it's bigger than you. it needs to be. the throne is set at an elevation. the worker, upon seeing you, turns around and scurries away, evoking an eye roll from you.

carefully, you carry the branch through the doors of the throne room, nodding again when the door is opened for you.

"thanks", you say mindlessly, consumed by the fact that it weighs way more than it's supposed to. scarred hand and the bearing shoulder hurt, but you march on towards the vase, heave the branch above your head, focused like your life depends on it, and plunge it into the water finally. the door slides back shut with a soft hiss, and you realize at last that someone is there with you.

taglist: @cerulean1riz , @kiki-zb , @mar-lo-pap , @ashyiiy , @enfppuff , @coolpeanutskeletonpersona , @jajabro

[t-u-i-t-c]

Episode 19 Thoughts/Rambles

I think there's quite a bit to say about Kuon in this episode. The fact that he's becoming more fearful and more aggressive can tell us a lot about the possible circumstances surrounding him and his marking. Firstly, he is more aggressive in the way he fights and approaches others. It feels less about winning and more about getting a point across. It especially feels this way when he makes remarks during the battle against White Burn where he thinks their efforts are useless and he gets angry over being defied again. He's more expressive than he was when he piloted Tega June, less calm, and you can feel the fear and anxiety coursing through him.

It's quite obvious that Kuon's mark is not something he wants others to know about, whether that be through a fear of seeming weak or vulnerable or both, it's anyone's guess. It seems that time has a hold on Kuon and it's becoming more and more clear to him as time passes. I think the way he talks about Mashiro's insinuation that Kuon has hope in Hoeru that is bringing about suffering is a key point, though not something I can expand upon too much beyond what I've talked about in previous posts. I'm hoping this idea will be expanded upon in the future, as it does hit a nerve with Kuon here and Hoeru being his hope is something mentioned before that I think could be explored further.

Kuon's emotions and actions have always been conflicting, one moment he cares deeply and the next there's no care to be found. Everything feels dependent on a loss of control, something I talked about in depth here. With this episode it seems that Kuon is trying to make a point about Hoeru being at fault and it feels like Kuon holds some anger over Hoeru being able to live normally. It seems like he wants to keep reminding Hoeru of his pain so that he can burn in this idea that Hoeru cannot heal and be normal. In episode 8, Kuon outright says that Hoeru has lost too much too many times, and so he cannot be normal and will be damaged for life, but in this episode Hoeru says no matter how many times he loses he'll keep going. He's not listening to Kuon and he will continue to defy him bc he is Hoeru and he will choose his own path. He doesn't need Kuon to define who he is and he has to move forward. He can live normally and he can have a life worth living, but he needs to decide for himself what his dream will be. For Hoeru, it's about seeking independence and a sense of self.

Hoeru has friends, though he may not call them that at times it is clear that they care for him (I talked about this here) and I think this shows a lot in small things, such as Ryugi approaching Hoeru about his complicated family situation, Sumino helping Hoeru get work, Kinjiro wanting to get Hoeru a gift after moving in, Rikuo putting his all into getting them to finish the three-legged race first, and them trying to help him on his date. Even with Mashiro the care feels like it is blossoming as he reassures Hoeru that Mine is smiling down on him. Hoeru is surrounded by a support system, though it was built on a rivalry and they are still fighting, the care is still there. Hoeru has something that Kuon doesn't and it angers him. He wants to break it apart, that's why he tells them to stay away from Hoeru and tries to take them out and turn Hoeru on them. There's a part of him that detests that Hoeru can have people that love him and the fact that he cannot just erase this fact just makes it worse.

There's this sense of blame and anger but also a sense of shame that lingers over Kuon every step of the way. He's like this thanks to Hoeru and Hoeru cannot save anyone, but at the same time Hoeru's naive and innocent. He's an angel, but if he's capable of flying than he is also capable of falling. I do wonder if Kuon thinks that Hoeru finding a wish will bring him down, as he sees wishes as chains. I wonder if he's trying to prevent Hoeru from finding his wish and in turn "falling from grace". Though I also feel it's hard to say anything is a sure thing when it comes to Kuon.

I think that a lot of Kuon's anger is toward himself, as I previously explained, however I also feel that Hoeru's ability to become stronger and find value in wishes and have this drive to keep going is upsetting. It's a reminder of who Kuon cannot be and it's creating more and more distance between them. It's as if Kuon wants to destroy Hoeru and his ambitions, but every time he thinks he can hurt him Hoeru comes out stronger. But it also feels as though some part of him has hope for Hoeru, though it doesn't seem to be in the Hoeru that is, but in a Hoeru that Kuon wishes to create, but then again with Kuon's conflicting feelings it would not be strange if these feelings of hope are something else entirely or if he is unwilling to admit these feelings can even exist.

Kuon's fate feels sealed, but it doesn't stop him from wanting some form of control. I think that as Hoeru gets further it gets worse and it is not helped that he recently disappointed Tega June. Having not seen much of him since the world was almost rewritten and the possibility of him having kept Hoeru's ring safe, there is still a lot to uncover about who Kuon is and wants to be, and what his real goals are in the grand-scheme.

[See here for further/previous Hoeru thoughts and here for Kuon]

[dodger432101]

Hey! I have to say it. I love the way you write about our beloved Lord of Light, and that's why I'm here...

PARA LA ANGUSTIA! HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH

Seriously, I was wondering what would happen to a Reader who was very sick or near death and Lux had to face the possibility of her death and what would she do with her daughters?

[You folks have had it good for a while, it's time to cry! *Provides tissues for all*]

You've been sick for more than a week. You're showing no signs of getting better. Lux has taken over looking after the kids while he forces down his growing fears for you. You'll be fine, you'll get better. You have to. Mr Pye checks in regularly, eventually sending for a doctor to visit you when it becomes clear this isn't an ordinary illness. The look on their face tells you before they say a word. You're not going to recover from this. Still, Lux remains optimistic.

Until the God of Death appears.

At first your lover is angered by their appearance, seeing it as a mockery of his fears. Sutekh says nothing to him, silently watching you as the days pass. Every time you wake, he's crept closer. You realise what that means. “Lux.. Can you do something for me?” Your voice is hoarse, like you're already a husk of what you were. He's currently helping you eat what little food your body will accept at this point, though he pauses to let you speak. “Take our daughters to Reginald.” You can't bear the thought of them seeing you like this, withering away. Your God stares at you for a few seconds, looking like he's about to deny your declining health again before he just nods quietly.

One night, you wake up to the two Gods in the room speaking. “Please Sutekh, I'll do anything! I'll give up my Godhood, I'll give her all the power I have, just keep her alive, please! I can't watch her die!” Lux looks as desperate as you've ever seen him as he begs the leader of his Pantheon for help. The large canine is next to your nightstand by now. He looks down, almost seeming guilty as he sighs.

“Imperator, if I could stop this it would not be happening.”

“What the fuck does that mean?! Am I fated to watch my angel die? Did I fall in love with the one human whose death is unavoidable?!”

Sutekh closes their eyes, blending in with the darkness of the room. “It means the human body is not built to produce Gods, and she has had two of them. It is a miracle she made it past the second one’s birth.” There's another sigh from them. “It is my fault, I should have foreseen this. If she wasn't so weak, I would let you give her any power she needed. It would only prolong her suffering now. I am sorry, Imperator, there is nothing that can be done.” Silence fills the dark room. If the God of Death deems it so, your death cannot be avoided.

Lux doesn't leave your side for the next 3 days, as death only creeps closer to you. If you wake up during the night, you'll hear him stifling sobs as he clings to you, quietly begging for you to get better, to stay alive with him and your daughters. It breaks your heart, knowing there's nothing that can grant him that wish.

When the God of Death has moved onto the bed, shrunk down to the size of a great Dane, Lux holds your hand in a tight but gentle grip as he looks at Sutekh with a pleading gaze. “It would be cruel to delay this any longer.” At his leader’s words the God of Light squeezes his eyes shut, eyebrows knitted together as he fights back tears.

You gently squeeze his hand, getting his attention. “How are Cel and Nyx?” You can barely move your lips, your voice a whisper. Your lover hears you clearly, being so close to you.

The corners of his mouth twitch up. Even on the brink of death you're thinking about your daughters. “They're happy with Reginald. They kept asking about you..”

“You will tell them, won't you?” He nods after a short pause. As much as it'll hurt them to know you're gone, neither of you can bear the thought of them living in false hope that you might come back one day.

He squeezes your hand as he moves to lie next to you. “You don't need to worry about them, angel, I'll keep them safe. I promise you that, sunshine, you.. you can rest now.” As he hides his face in the crook of your neck, you can feel the cool drops of tears that he can't keep down anymore. “I love you, I love you so much. Rest easy, my angel, I'll take care of our daughters.. and Reginald, I guess.” You can't tell if he lets out a laugh or a sob.

As you wrap an arm around Lux, that small movement taking all the remaining strength you have, Sutekh shuffles right up to you. You rest your head on your God, eyes falling closed. “I love you too, Lux.” A cold paw presses down on your collarbone, and all your senses fade. The last thing your brain computes is the warmth of your lover next to you.

[hikariyaps]

coffee dates

word count ☆ 1.1k pairing ☆ yuta x fem!reader [university au] content ☆ pure fluff! a/n ☆ this was such a sweet write! based of req by @yukiiyapper

yuta okkotsu was not the type of guy to be having coffee. but he desperately needed it right now. he's struggling to keep his eyes awake as he trudges through the biting november wind very, very late in the night, to the on campus café which was open twenty-four/seven.

ever since he started second year, he's been swamped with work and projects and tests and he literally cannot afford to sleep. coffee had never really been his thing, until now, of course. he's been here several times before but has never managed to get any work done because he fell asleep midway while working.

he steps and breathes in the comforting scent of the café, the warmth didn't exactly help him stay awake either. yawning he steps inside, heading over to the counter to order the strongest coffee, expecting to see the barista he saw yesterday. only to see someone he could only describe as an angel. you.

he just stands there looking at you, when you smile and ask him what he'd have. he stutters a little bit but manages to choke out that he wanted some really strong coffee.

'i'd uh like the strongest coffee that um that you have' 'tough night ahead?' you ask tilting your head while you punch in something on the computer. 'yeah, these assignments just keep piling up.' he chuckles, keeping his cool and falling into conversation. 'tell me about it,' you sigh, 'i've been doing projects all night too.' 'here?' he asks. 'yeah, you see the café is run by my mum, i take the night shifts to chug on lattes and finish my work, we don't usually get customers this late in the night.' 'oh i see, you weren't here yesterday though.' 'it was off, my brother took the shift for a few days. all right, that'll be 300 yen, handsome stranger.' yuta doesn't know how he's not melting to the godamn floor and surprising himself he chuckles and says 'i'm yuta, pretty barista.'

you correct your name and brew him his coffee while talking to him. he asked you to sit down and do your work with him, you gave him this big grin and immeadiately got all your things over to his table.

it's safe to say none of you finished any work that night, talking to each other was the most fun both of you'd had in months.

this went on for a few months, sometimes working through the night in warm silence or chatting the night away. you guys knew each other like the back of your hands by the time summer rolled around in march.

toge and nobara had thoroughly stalked your social profiles and spied on you an entire sunday and deemed you more than good enough to date yuta.

it was a hot summer day, yuta and you had started hanging out outside the café as well. on this particular day, you guys were at the park with yuta's friends. and maybe toge got too close to you or maybe it was the fact that yuji's hand was on your back, yuta got mad. really, really mad.

but before he could react he realizes he doesn't have any right to be angry over somebody else touches you. you weren't his. and accompanying that thought was a shooting pain in his chest. and he freezes. he wanted you to be his. he was in love with you.

yuta wasn't the only one getting green eyed though. you were practically holding yourself back from slapping away maki's hand from him. and then you're mad at yourself because it had to take you being jealous to realize that you loved yuta. you loved him.

☆

you guys got closer after that. so much closer. yuta was practically your unofficial boyfriend. he went out shopping with you. he carried your bags for you. dropped you off and picked you up from your classes and dorm. he always accompanied you wherever you went. always got something back for you whenever he went to the convenience store.

and you were his unofficial girlfriend. you made him silly little gifts randomly. showed up to his dorm room and cleaned it all up once a week. you had him on speed dial, never hesitated to show up for him. you guys were practically dating and it was obvious to everyone. except you both. both of you were oblivious. because come on, there's no way you guys would like each other. after all, you guys were just friends. really, really close friends who were definitely not totally in love with each other.

you guys totally didn't look at each other as though you weren't yearning to cross the very shaky line that had been drawn between the both of you.

it wasn't until everybody went to the beach one june day. you guys had your share of fun splashing in the water and building sandcastles. but what really did it for yuta was the thing you'd held in your stretched out arms waiting for him to take it.

while the others had been huddled around the campfire and drinking hot chocolate, you had been collecting seashells. small, dainty seashells in the moonlight. yuta had watched you collect them. now he was watching you plop down around the campfire and pull something out your bag.

your features scrunching in concentration and then lighting up when you finished whatever it is that you were doing.

you gathered everything up and walked over to him, sitting down beside him. you show him the thing you were working on. 'i made us matching bracelets! out of seashells!'

yuta gets up and drags you away from the others. 'yuta? what's wrong?'

and then he's kissing you. soft and loving and salty because of the ocean. he leans your forehead on his. arms encircling your waist. 'how long are we going to keep pretending that we don't want each other?' he whispers. 'i don't know, how long?' you whisper back teasing but heart pounding.

and that was how yuta and you ended up together. he still has those bracelets hung up on the wall in your shared apartment. telling your kids the story of those bracelets as a bedtime story as he cradled them to sleep in his arms.

all because he decided to have coffee.

©hikariyaps2025

[lil-melody-moon]

There's something about this pic, cannot put it in words

[aventvrines]

On the subject of our future plans there was something I wanted to discuss with you.

[vox-exe]

I know many people will likely complain about Leggy being back but man after knowing how long Mr. Puzzles has been rotting in prison alone likely thinking she's gone for good, it's just nice to know there's any being out in the world that still cares about him.

Also I can just as easily see Mr. Puzzles summarizing SMG4 is an overly simplified way too right back at him. "I'm SMG4! I do dumb meme stuff and hate ARTISTRY!" or something insulting SMG4's 'stupidest show he's ever seen'. Really now, Mr. Puzzles chose one of the oddest shows to try to make entertaining by HIS standards.

Anyway, the real reason I'm here to think about all of this is I wonder if they would intend to indeed, do something akin to a lobotomy as a sentencing (it'd be a little too easy to dig into his head) or straight up the death penalty. Which I would find to be an interesting chance to delve into how... unhelpful the system actually is. Meggy was hoping Mr. Puzzles would get help, get better, but she might be confronted with well, how little the system actually cares about that.

She genuinely did seem to hope for this, no matter how angry she is, rightfully so at him. Her addressing to Leggy exactly why they shouldn't care is a good scene to have in, a balance between her experiencing any form of understanding vs still struggling to connect that scared child she saw inside with the monster that hurt her and her friends. The fact she doesn't feel she can tell the others 'yes I told Leggy in all honesty I'd talk to him as a lawyer' and let them come to their own conclusions shows just how ridiculous she knows it is. Meggy wanted to move on, but Leggy cannot. Though I do wonder why Meggy thought Leggy was gone for good off to a better place. But perhaps so long as some part of her sees the potential for good in Mr. Puzzles, Leggy will never be truly gone and saying Leggy is gone for good was just denial.

For Meggy, unlike when she was playing cop before, this is someone she helped put in this situation. Understandably so, but there's a responsibility there that even if she shouldn't feel responsible for him, she's the type who would feel it. Who I bet would see his sentence and recognize her part in it, no matter how she feels about him. She still hoped for better for him, which is already kinder than he deserves from her. And if we're going to get more about her family, considering their rejection of her, and the themes of family across the whole cast, there's going to likely be some form of relatability and understanding there, if there isn't already something she recognizes in it deep down. I just hope through whatever happens in the next arc she too can actually move forward from what happened with Mr. Puzzles, because Leggy's existence shows she absolutely has not yet.

I really hope though that what will happen is she'll go to try to see him lawyer style, and then Mr. WPNZ breaks Mr. Puzzles out and any help she had been intending to possibly give to keep her promise to Leggy goes out the damn window. Mr. Puzzles screwing up a chance for what will no doubt be a terrible not at all healthy dynamic seems about on par with his story thus far. Considering how he felt double-crossed at the end of WOTFI 2024, I don't think he's going to be happy to see Meggy, at all. But man would I love to see that interaction.

Seriously though? Mickey Mouse has got to be dead, but the fact they put attempted murder makes me wonder if Mickey was forgotten or never found the body so no one knew he actually murdered Mickey Mouse but they knew he was trying to kill the SMG4 Crew so THAT'S on his record. Mr. Puzzles did have to get the theme park ready and no one commented ever on Mickey's death so it could be Mr. Puzzles is just a bit too good at hiding bodies.

A fruity TV of many talents.

YES YEES YESS!

I saw the thumbnail and I went: Leggy?? And YES!

Leggy misses Puzzles!! The loyalty on this lil friend!

and…

Four, honey, I love you my little sweetheart… but at no point were you gentle with Leggy.

Honestly what were you expecting? Of course she’s scared of you! Why are you making the kicked puppy face about this?

I know you mean well though Four you are adorable ANYWAY

Four’s impression of Puzzles is also amazing

but the fact that this is what Puzzles boils down to in Four’s brain when really Puzzles is defined by loneliness and desperation and fear of failure and a need for control. Like I know Four hasn’t seen all that we have the audience have and we’re probably not supposed to think about this line too much. But I think it’s notable because of how much Four and Puzzles have in common and how much Four has a very black and white view of his adversaries and how often he is oblivious to the feelings of others despite how much he tries. He’s always so

He is full of love and care but has low empathy I know this in my soul.

anyway sorry for making everything about Four it’s just that I love him. Obviously Meggy’s situation is also intriguing and she has a really interesting thing with the way she wants to see the good in everyone and she wants to help, but she’s also got this sense of justice and she often isn’t really sure how to help and I love that for her. The way in WOTFI her response to knowing deep down Puzzles is a scared little child reaching out for help is to go directly into his head with the intention of talking things out only to yell at said scared little child. She’s… not good at being gentle. In her defense she went to college for this and what she learned was… uh

characters who mean well but make it worse <3 love her why is she like this. She thinks she’s the reasonable one but dear god.

And finally that ENDING! IS OUR BELOVED PUZZIE PIE RETURNING TO US?? Or at least receiving a more merciful sentence than solitary confinement forever. Or worse, considering that this universe is still chill with lobotomies, and Meggy’s reaction when checking his sentence.

like… this is the same character who tried to become a cop once and went “okay ❤️ yay❤️” when abuse of power was hand-waved away

If SHE’S disturbed by whatever Puzzles’ sentence is I am very worried.

also his profile is sending me

In his official files that he’s fruity. Sure, why not? That’s great

also “attempted” murder? I feel like killing Micky Mouse is a pretty significant thing that he did. Did Mickey survive? Is that gonna be relevant? Also he’s not charged with kidnapping even though he did that a lot. Your honor he did all of it and even worse stuff but we’re pleading just a silly guy. Take pity on the wretched man he just needs a little TLC.

Mixed feelings though because he really shouldn’t have to be Meggy’s problem.

[philtothehill]

Does he know he exists

(Pretty please someone make Cavallo's aesthetic collage where his face is in the middle and pics around him is aesthetic images that align with him cuz this kinda stuff is the only thing i can do 💔)

[skrunksthatwunk]

EXTREMELY REAL MOMENT FROM HIRANO HERE

[msicamouse]

someone must have already pointed this out but

what the hell was going on in will's head when chilton was suggesting being strategically homophobic to the dragon and he had just heard about his male love interest loving him back

[5eptem]

I headcanon that Unum wears eyeliner. ✨