#Misty is definitely to blame for her finding out

[krikeymate]

Thinking about how feral Lottie would have been if Nat had a child

[rafey-baby]

hidden

outlaw!rafe holding pogue!reader hostage in her own house after banging his fist on her door in the middle of a stormy night, demanding to be let in with a gun in hand and wild waves in the sea of his eyes…

c/w: rafe being manipulative, mentions of murder & violence, he’s also weirdly soft in the end? 18+ mdni!

wc: 2k

he’s been stuck in my head for a while so hope u enjoy xx

series masterlist

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There’s still sleep dust lingering in her lashes when she hesitantly cracks open the door at 3 am—revealing a tall, scary man with scarlet stains on his hands, white button up saturated in maroon and a scowl painted over his unsettling countenance.  

She stands there like a deer in headlights, unmoving while he looks down at her with arctic eyes as chilling as the frigid waters surrounding an iceberg. And at first, she thinks she’s still asleep, tired brain conjuring up some creepy murderer scenario where she’s the idiot who does everything the audience in the movie theater is screaming at her not to.

But as she properly blinks her sleepy eyes open, she comes to the realization that this is not a horror film and this intimidating stranger (with oddly appealing features) who’s definitely just killed someone is very much real.  

She’s about to open her mouth— unsure whether to scream for help or simply stare with her mouth hung open in shock, but she doesn’t get the chance to find out before he’s pasting his massive palm over her lips.  

“Don’t make a sound,” his low mutter makes a shiver run down her spine. And she doesn’t, instead she just blinks, too out of it to move a muscle— the reek of the dried blood on his hand hitting her nose and making her face scrunch up.

She doesn’t know why she’s not putting up any sort of a fight, blames it on the fact that half her brain is still swimming in the lake of her dreamland— soaking up the glittering sunbeams that never dull and dipping its toes in the grass that consists of misty nebula and twinkling stars. 

And he’s just so mean, manhandling her to his liking and ordering her around with a gun to her head; grumbling about needing a hiding place from the cops after dumping a body somewhere in the ocean and getting caught since apparently, his temper really just got the best of him at times.  

“Didn’t mean to kill the guy, alright? He jus’ kept bein’ a bitch ���n pissin’ me off— I mean, I was, uh, I was provoked, what was I supposed to do?”

However, his explanation seems to do very little to soothe her overstrung heart that’s thudding in her ribcage; loud enough for him to hear and earning her an exasperated roll of his eyes.

“M’takin’ a shower now ‘n you’re not gonna move an inch, you understand? Cause if you do…m’gonna have to— m’gonna hurt you ‘n I don’t wanna do that, okay?” 

She merely nods her head, unable to string together a coherent sentence, and he takes note of the way her inhale gets caught in her throat when he takes a step closer. “You, uh, you live alone?”

She offers another nod of her head.  

“Dumb girl”, he tuts, shaking his head in disapproval. “When someone’s knockin’ on your door in the middle of the night you don’t— you don’t fuckin’ open, alright?”  

She’s making it entirely too easy for him.  

However, the second he’s in the bathroom, she forces her exhausted brain to think— hurriedly coming up with a rickety plan while she listens to the water streaming behind the door. She waits for only a a few seconds to make sure the coast is clear before she’s bolting towards her bedroom; trembling fingers grabbing her phone from her nightstand and trying to dial 911.  

Unfortunately, her shaky hands aren’t of any help when they clumsily drop the phone— the clattering sound of it hitting the floor echoing in the quietness of the room. And suddenly she can’t breathe.

Her brain short-circuits as she bends down in an attempt to reach for the wretched device that has somehow tumbled under her bed. However, when she finally catches it in an unsteady grip, she hears the shower turn off— an eerie stillness following. In her state of panic, she attempts to turn the phone back on and call for help, but it’s proving to be rather difficult since her lungs aren’t working and her heartbeat is ringing in her ears.  

“Boo,” a low whisper right behind her makes her flinch; a faint gasp leaving her while a shiver travels down her spine.

“Why’d you jus’ do that, huh? Told you I didn’t wanna— didn’t wanna fuckin’ hurt you ‘n then you go ‘n pull this shit,” a strong hand grips her by her throat when he turns her around to face him.  

“M’sorry, I— I don’t—” she’s paralyzed, respiration shallow while her blood runs cold.

“You don’t what, hm?” he stares into her horror-stricken eyes with an almost bored look, seeming to be entirely indifferent to her torment. 

“Can’t…can’t breathe,” her voice is nearly inaudible.

A grim chuckle bubbles from his chest in response. “Can’t breathe? Maybe you should’ve thought about that before, yeah?” he scoffs, cruel words mocking her.  

“You’re so fuckin’ stupid— want me to kill you? That what you want?” he grits out, squeezing her neck harder; making her feel dizzy.

“No! No, please. M’sorry…m’sorry, won’t— won’t do it again, promise, I’ll do anything—” she manages out, desperately gasping for air because he’s nearly crushing her windpipe in his unrelenting grip.  

“Anythin’ huh? That’s, uh, tha’s real temptin’ ‘n all but what I need you to do is not pull stupid shit like this, you get that?”  

“I won’t, I promise. You can, um, stay here for as long as you want and I’ll help, okay?” she thinks she’s going to pass out soon— little stars already peppering behind her fluttering lids and her weakened limbs beginning to feel heavy.

His coarse panting fills the room while he seems to contemplate her offer. “If you even think about runnin’ to the cops tonight, m’gonna fuckin’ find you, you understand?” 

She frantically nods and at last, his hold begins to loosen around her trachea, allowing for her greedy lungs to finally suck in air as she takes a step back in an attempt to even out her respiration.  

He doesn’t say anything for a moment— silently observing her while she clears her throat and swallows a few times, trying to pacify her racing heart and the thoughts running around her brain.

Then, she blinks up at him, noticing how he smells like her honey-scented body wash and orange blossom shampoo— nothing but a towel hanging low on his hips, leaving very little to her imagination as the room grows quiet.  

Once she feels the flat floorboards under her wobbly feet again, she tries a different approach; a nervous hesitation overlaying her creaky question. “What’s, um…what’s your name?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he dismisses her. However, when a small pout begins to mold her mouth the longer she stares at him, he lets out a discontented huff.  

“Rafe,” he finally responds, not bothering to ask for hers, seemingly not caring enough for it. She tells him, nonetheless, and he can’t help but laugh at her priorities— a literal criminal has broken into her home and she cares about fucking introductions.  

“So…have you— have you killed anyone else?”

She doesn’t know why she’s trying to make small talk with him but she figures that if she gets him to talk about something else, choking her to death won’t be at the forefront of his mind anymore.  

“You seriously wanna know?” he raises his brows. 

She thinks about it for a moment and then settles on a shake of her head, followed by a harsh chuckle rumbling from his chest.  

“So, uh— what do you do? Like besides…killing people and stuff?” she tries once more.  

“Listen, the less you know, the better, alright?” he states, causing her to let out a soft sigh in defeat when all of a sudden, thunder crackles behind her windows, an ablaze lightning illuminating her dimly lit bedroom soon after.  

She flinches at the sound and the nearly sinister way it momentarily lights up his face.  

“You scared of a little storm?” he feigns concern as he peers down at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe, yeah?” the mocking grin plastered on his face causes a shudder to travel through her as she swallows—wishing this was all just a really bad nightmare.  

- - - - - - - - - - - - 

After the little incident, Rafe thinks she’s just as sweet as sugar, offering to make him tea and asking if he wants a blanket or an extra pillow so he’d be more comfortable sleeping on the couch. 

And he can tell that she’s merely doing it because she’s terrified of him, which she should be. Nonetheless, he thinks it feels nice to be pampered and doted on— to have a pretty girl following his orders like a trained puppy. It makes him figure he’s gonna enjoy his stay just fine.  

The following morning though, he’s woken up by her shaky figure standing next to him— pointing his gun at him. 

He lets out a sigh, softened bones mellow from sleep while he rubs at his eyes and shifts to a seated position on the couch— teasingly lifting his hands up in surrender. “Puppy’s got a gun, huh? Tryin’ to be all tough now, are we?”

“I— I want you to leave,” she says, voice rickety and words unsure.  

And he’s trying to take her seriously, he really is, but it’s proving to be rather difficult when she resembles a scared little kitten more than someone who knows what they’re doing.  

“You want me to leave? Maybe you should, uh, work on your pitch a little more? M’not very convinced,” the lazy smile tugging at his mouth makes her brows crease.  

“Rafe, this is not a joke,” a scowl shades her face.

He thinks she looks rather adorable. “Come on, pup, you’re not gonna shoot me. You don’t even know how to use that thing, do you?” his voice is even, and it makes her hesitate.

“Well…it can’t be that complicated?” it’s more of a question than a statement and he lets out a humored chuckle in response. Her frown deepens.  

“Why don’t you give that to me, yeah? You don’t want death on your conscience, would break ya, you’re too soft for that shit.”  

“You don’t know me.” 

“Know you enough,” he says, finally standing on his feet, taking a slow step towards her, making her squeeze the weapon tighter in her trembling fingers.  

“If— if I give it to you…you’re gonna— you’re gonna kill me and I don’t wanna die,” her words are rushed, hysterical. 

His brows furrow. “Who said anythin’ about killin’ you? Listen, if you give me the gun right now, m’not gonna do anythin’. You have my word, okay?” he towers over her, solid chest grazing the barrel.  

“I don’t trust you,” her voice is a whisper.  

“I know, pup…but I also know that you’re not gonna use that,” his steady hands are a stark contrast to her own when he grabs for the firearm, slipping it from her weak fingers with ease.  

“There we go, no need to be so, uh, so fuckin’ theatrical, yeah?” he lowers his face in order to lock eyes with her. “See? Not hurtin’ you, am I?”  

She manages out a hum of agreement, and then her waterline is brimming with salty droplets as she chokes out a sob. “M’sorry. I don’t—”  

“Hey, hey s’all good. Mistakes happen, yeah?” he says before his strong arms are wrapping around her trembling form because he’s not a complete monster, and for some reason it only makes her weep harder. 

Her crocodile tears wet his shirt while his big paws rub against her back, but he doesn’t seem to mind. And she thinks it’s almost…comforting when he starts to sway her from side to side, like he’s trying to calm down a crying child. 

“There you go, just, uh, let it all out ‘n maybe you can chill out a bit, yeah? You pogues can be so fuckin’ dramatic sometimes,” he pats at her back, rolling his eyes as she takes in shaky inhale after shaky inhale until she’s feeling slightly more placid.  

“Shit, if I’d known you were such a fuckin’ crybaby I would’ve picked another house,” he grumbles, pulling away from her weakened form before pushing her back to stumble on her feet— setting the gun back onto the coffee table with a clank.

[jisungsdaydreamer]

Anti-Romantic | CHAPTER TWO | 18+

«GENERAL M.LIST» · «NAVIGATION» · «TALK TO ME» · «TAGLIST»

THE MATCHMAKER MEETS HIS MATCH

“Ruin me, please.”

«PREVIOUS CHAPTER» · «SERIES MASTERLIST»

Pairing: Hyunjin x Fem!Reader Genre: Non idol au, fluff, smut, romcom, drama, opposites attract Chapter Warnings: explicit sexual content, mentions of emotionally abusive ex, mutual fantasizing, brief mentions of virginity loss, heavy drinking, Hyunjin is delulu, heavy dom/sub dynamics: dom!reader, sub!Han Jisung (yes, there's Jisung smut in a Hyunjin story SUE ME), degradation, creampie, oral sex (f receiving), rough sex, drunk sex (both are consenting parties), semi-public sex (?) Word Count: 15.1k

P.S. ♡ If you like my work, please consider giving me feedback in the form of reblogs, comments, and asks! ♡

“And now, here’s what we really want to ask you, Dr. Hwang: are you single?” 

The interviewer swivels her head to look at Hyunjin, her Botox-enhanced mouth spreading into a wide, magenta-lipsticked smile. Hyunjin barely registers her question, distracted by her disturbing resemblance to a vulture, with her beady eyes, hooked nose, and razor-sharp nails clutching a microphone like talons grasping prey. Her garish pea-green pantsuit and cat-eye glasses, combined with a frizzy blonde perm, remind him of that creepy reporter from Harry Potter, absolutely not helping his currently depleted Zen levels. 

He can already feel a sweat breaking out on his neck, permeating his satin button-down and threatening to ruin the outfit he had chosen this morning. Usually, picking out what to wear is one of Hyunjin’s favorite parts of the entire day; breathing in the Coco Noir scent of his walk-in closet is like Hyunjin’s own expensive version of aromatherapy. Today, however, it felt like a chore; It took him forever to find the perfect accessories to tie everything together, before he finally settled on his new gold Cartier earrings and the matching Juste un Clou bracelet. Hyunjin knows he looks amazing in his tastefully vintage yet sleek ensemble. He looks every bit the title of a sexy savant, one that he so rightfully carries. He looks ready to slay an interview on California’s most popular talk-show, The L.A. View. But for the first time ever, he doesn’t feel it. 

It could have been the coffee that he had hand-pressed for himself this morning, his usual brew of arabica beans imported from the misty slopes of Guatemala. But then again, the coffee brought a much-needed buzz that Hyunjin needed to drag himself out of bed, no matter how temporary. More likely, it was the margarita that he’d downed in the car that was sent to pick him up and bring him to the studio to tape the interview. Tequila always makes Hyunjin’s stomach turn. Or maybe—

“Dr. Hwang?”

Hyunjin snaps out of his reverie, plastering a charmingly mysterious smile onto his face. One, two, three… work that charm. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Sharon?”

The audience oohs beneath the dimmed stage lighting, and Sharon turns red, a shade visible even under the lurid bronzer that’s caked onto her face. Hyunjin would really love to book Sharon an appointment at HWASA Skincare and Cosmetics, his go-to beauty consultant whenever he’s visiting Seoul. The founder and CEO, his old friend Hye-Jin, would personally host her just so that Hyunjin could be relieved of the horrible bout of trypophobia he’s getting right now, staring into Sharon’s cavernous pores.

“Oh, stop it!” Sharon giggles, clapping her hands together. “There definitely must be a lucky lady in your life. You’re the Love Doctor. And not to mention, but very handsome.”

Sharon winks over exaggeratedly at the camera, and Hyunjin has to hold himself back from cringing away when she palms his shoulder, eyeing him hungrily. He can’t blame her, of course; the sleeves of his shirt squeeze his arms in such a way that his toned biceps are shown off— thank you very much, Better Body Pilates. But he needs his personal space. Out of everything, he hates when people treat him like some sort of an animal at the zoo, petting and prodding at him. He sees himself as more of the Mona Lisa, a masterpiece to be marveled at, not touched. His Zen is important, after all. 

Still, Hyunjin just shoots her a disarming smirk, crossing one Valentino-clad leg over the other. “The only lady in my life is Princess Diana. But I’d say I’m the lucky one.”

Both Sharon and the audience members aww, utterly captivated by Hyunjin when he pulls out a small Polaroid of his puppy from his breast pocket, holding it out so that the cameras can zoom in on it. As expected, his answer seems to have satisfied Sharon’s invasiveness, but beneath his beaming expression hides the building tension in his chest. 

What Hyunjin said is the partial truth; he may not currently have a significant other, but did he have someone in mind, when romance is in question? Yes. Is said person completely off-limits? Also yes. And would his reputation be completely tarnished if that very classified information got out? Yes, yes, and yes.

“Thank you so much for sitting down with us, Dr. Hwang,” Sharon says, thrusting out her hand for Hyunjin to shake it. Ever the professional, he accepts it like a champ. “And that’s all for now, folks! Stay tuned to watch my little chat with Meghan Markle about her ex-royal lifestyle. The teapot is boiling!”

The cameras cut and Hyunjin quickly excuses himself, waving to all of the people wistfully gazing after him. He enters the little hallway behind the filming room and breaks into a run very unlike himself, practically having to swerve around crew members and stage equipment. As soon as he’s locked away inside his dressing room, Hyunjin slides off his patent leather loafers and falls back onto the couch.

It’s been exactly three months since he first set eyes on you, kickstarting his unsavory fantasies and therein, digging himself into an early grave. And maybe it would have been okay, because as a male, sometimes he’s inclined to think with his dick. It’s a biological reaction that he can’t control. But it’s not, though, because the constant image of you printed like a tattoo on his mind has been interfering with his life and sense of normalcy. It’s a feeling that’s only grown in magnitude, especially now that with your weekly sessions, you’ve rapidly blossomed into the strong, confident woman that he always knew you were. So it’s not the fact that he’s horny— well, not the only fact— it’s that he might have feelings for you. Feelings that could get him into trouble, bigtime.

And the list that you wrote for him a while back definitely didn’t help. Hyunjin sits up, reaching for his notepad that he left on the little coffee table in front of the couch. He leafs through the pages, before pulling out the small slip of paper that he saved. Reading over the words for what feels like the umpteenth time, Hyunjin involuntarily smiles to himself. This time, it’s genuine.

The first thing that I don’t absolutely hate about myself is my imagination. I’ve been restricting myself a lot, lately, because I hated the thought of coming up with new ideas just to never bring them to life. It’s probably my post-Jisung and ITEM Tech trauma. But I felt kind of inspired by our first meeting today. I have a lot of great ideas, and I think that one day, I have the potential to beat Jisung’s ass and make a better company than his.

My fucking patience. You know, you might think otherwise, because it may seem like I have the patience of a single mom at a birthday party. But today proved differently. My friend/coworker Minho and his wife invited me over for dinner, which would have been fine, except they’re one of the most disgustingly perfect couples ever. They can’t go two minutes without giving each other a sappy ass look or holding hands or singing a song or something. And then Minho’s wife asked me if I wanted some ice cream, like she and her man weren’t just all over each other a millisecond ago. I just smiled and nodded. You can say I have the patience of the saint, now.

I like how I’m perseverant. For example: this. I could have given up after the first two days and ditched this piece of paper. But I didn’t. I want to be better. I’m very perseverent. Okay, my hand hurts. I’m putting down the pen for today.

My resilience. For the billionth time in my life, my boss made me want to drive out of work and jump into a lake. Long story short, Mark Lee is the worst motherfucker to ever exist (well, after his bestie Park Jisung. My boss and ex-boyfriend are friends. FML). But after one of his daily rants about how I’m not up to mark for some random reason, I walked out of his office and into the office kitchen. I got a Sprite from the fridge, crushed the full can with my bare hands, and then proceeded to calmly clean up the spilled soda before going back to work. I deserve a medal for my healthy anger management technique of smashing things and then bouncing back like a friggin’ spring.

The only home cooked meals I can really stomach are the ones that Minho shares with me at work. You know, he’s really such a menace. When I moved into my current apartment, he got me a cutting board as a gift, knowing damn well I don’t cook. But nowadays, I’ve been slowly getting more comfortable in the kitchen. I still don’t think I trust myself in cooking, but I’m kind of a really good baker, I’m realizing. Today, I made brownies. I’m eating one right now, and I guess I don’t hate that.

I am very patient, Part 2. My dumbass cousin, Yeonjun, called me up to hang out. Knowing him, that means me buying him a crap ton of expensive food. And he’s pretty loaded, too. I think he just loves pissing me off. First, he wanted pizza. That would have been fine, if we hit Domino’s or something, but he made me take him to this ridiculously upscale restaurant downtown. Their damn pizzas had caviar and truffles on them! Like, what the fuck happened to good old pepperoni? And as if that wasn’t enough, he then started complaining that he wanted fucking dessert too. So he ordered this fruit charcuterie board that cost another fortune. On the way home, I had to get him an $8 boba because “the cheese made him thirsty.” His metabolism is amazing. I’m kind of jealous. But anyway, I’m practically Mother Teresa at this point, because dealing with Yeonjun is no easy task. He’s lucky I love him.

Fundamentally, I think I’m a good person. And I think I deserve to be happy. There. Seven things, seven days. I’m done now. See you tomorrow.

Hyunjin sighs, sliding the paper back into his book and setting it inside his little Prada bag. This tiny scrap of paper had him seeing stars, when he first read it in the office, in front of you. There’s just something about you that he couldn’t and still can’t put his finger on. Maybe it’s how delightfully pugnacious you are, or that comically angry tone you approach the world with, no matter what. And he had to bite his tongue too, because there’s no way you came up with just seven things, not when Hyunjin felt like he could give a whole recitation on your very attractive qualities, just after meeting with you once. You’re unintentionally hilarious. Real. Tough. Inquisitive. Also, you’re simply the sexiest thing he’s ever seen.

You’re like an impossible puzzle to him; all the pieces are there, and yet, he can’t seem to put you together. Or rather, he can’t seem to figure out how to get his own shit together and finish the damn puzzle. Because he’s oh-so down bad, and he knows it. 

“Dr. Hwang? Are you in there?”

Hyunjin stands up immediately, locking away his daydreams about you and brushing off his trousers. He quickly smooths back his artfully slicked wolf cut and opens the door for Wonyoung to step inside with her trusty tablet. Momentarily, Hyunjin is sidetracked by her outfit, a stylish mini paired with a silky lilac bomber jacket— because where the fuck are those heels from— before he remembers himself.

“What’s up?” Hyunjin nonchalantly flicks a strand of hair out of his eyes, trying not to seem like he wasn’t just having a panic attack on that stupid couch just five seconds ago.

Wonyoung taps on the screen of the tablet for a few seconds, before looking up. “You have an appointment with your personal trainer in twenty minutes. You’re running late. And then at four, you need to get back to SeoulSpark for a meeting with a client. Here’s your change of clothes. I’ve already called a car for you.”

“Oh. Thanks.” Hyunjin accepts the gym bag, before jerking back in dreadful realization. “Wait. Which client do I have to meet with today?”

Wonyoung gives him a strange look. “Miss Y/L/N. Hey, are you alright, Dr. Hwang? You always stay on top of all of your engagements, but you haven’t been yourself lately.”

At the mere mention of your name, Hyunjin literally wishes he could melt into a puddle right then and there. Of course he hasn’t been himself, not when you waltzed into the office and wreaked havoc on his very humble life— for example, yesterday, he forgot to wear his Versace pajamas to sleep, and not his Fendi ones. Hyunjin knows that Saturdays are strictly for Versace; he promised Donatella years ago at the Met Gala. This is all your fault— how can it be poor Hyunjin’s, when he’s just a mere mortal cowering in your goddess-like presence? 

“I- I’m okay, Wonyoung. I, uh, just ate some bad sushi.”

“You ate bad sushi every day for the past three months?” Wonyoung suspiciously raises an eyebrow at Hyunjin. She isn’t buying it, unfortunately. 

“Uh-huh. It’s a terrible addiction that I’m trying to break. My raw seafood intake is off the charts. Guess I’m not perfect after all,” Hyunjin babbles, adding onto his already horrendous lie. 

Wonyoung still doesn’t look convinced, but Hyunjin flounces out of the room before she can say anything else and uncover his deep, dark secret: you. Besides, his ride is waiting outside and his quads really need working.

“See you later, Changbin.” Hyunjin waves to his trainer as he grabs his belongings and exits the gym after a grueling workout. Usually, he prefers more low-impact routines, like aerial yoga or cycling around Marina del Rey. But because he’s been skimping out so much these days, Changbin made him do an endless round of jump squats before beating his ass in boxing. 

Hyunjin presses his fingers to his aching back muscles, sore with both exhaustion and worry. The slim hands of his Rolex alert him to the fact that there is only one more hour before he must face you, and he is nowhere near ready. He’ll just have to skip the sauna today. Quickly, he gets into the car standing for him by the curb, slipping on his Gucci shades and sliding down below the window in the backseat, like a celebrity escaping a paparazzi cloud.

As soon as he gets back to Oasis, the opulent complex that houses his beloved penthouse, Hyunjin practically flies into his bathroom and locks the door. Without even bothering to set his eucalyptus shower steamer, Hyunjin cleans himself up as much as he can, scrubbing off the sweat and grit of the gym from his skin. 

Once he’s finished, he gets dressed and sits down in front of his bedroom mirror that’s designed to look like a Hollywood-style vanity. Taking a deep breath, he inspects his face for any signs of something off. Nope. He looks as dewy and fresh as a pink rose petal, minus the slight red rings under his eyes, which are the courtesy of many, many sleepless nights over you.

Hyunjin, however, is incredibly proud of himself for getting to the office with fifteen minutes to spare, therein being able to fit in a little solo pep talk in the car. His third outfit of the day is a show-stopping black Celine suit, practically designed to make heads turn. It definitely isn’t to impress you with his impeccable style— no, he did it for himself, obviously. That’s the only reason. And it’s a little extravagant, even for Hyunjin, but then again, he’s never been known for his subtlety. 

His post-workout clarity gives him hope that everything will go back to normal, before you. All he needs to do is focus on himself. Everything else will pass, eventually. At least, that’s what Hyunjin keeps telling himself to believe, right before he crashes headfirst into you in the hallway outside of his office.

“Hey, Hyunjin!” Grinning, you hold out a small gift box tied with a sunny bow, which is coincidentally the exact same yellow as the dress you wore when Hyunjin first met you. Today, you’re sporting salmon-colored shorts and a cream blouse with an adorable sailor collar, and Hyunjin immediately has to tamp down the urge to whisk you away to go on a private boating vacation on a yacht in St. Barts. God, you really have amazing style.

Hyunjin swallows roughly and takes the box, trying to look more excited about it than how utterly taken with you he is. “Afternoon, darling. What’s this?”

You reach your hand over to where the box rests in Hyunjin’s hands, toying with the bow. Hyunjin automatically feels himself internally hyperventilate at your proximity that’s too close for comfort. 

“Mango cheesecake. I’ve been trying to perfect the recipe for a while now, and I think it finally turned out really well.” You break into a bright smile that makes Hyunjin’s brain short circuit. “I want to thank you for all of your help, besides me being less-than-cooperative sometimes. Coming here has really changed my perspective on things, and for the better.”

Hyunjin clutches the box to his chest. He had always suspected that you are the sweetest, under your stormy exterior, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to get a taste and confirm the truth for himself. Nevertheless, he’s both touched and now even more delusional, because you spent time on him, making something to give him. ��Darling, you shouldn’t have.”

You pout in response, and Hyunjin grasps the box even tighter, nearly crushing the contents in an effort to get a grip on himself. “I wanted to do something nice for you.”

Hyunjin grins, feeling himself relax a little. That’s one more thing about you— you have this contradicting ability to induce both calmness and anxiety into him, another kind of black magic that you definitely harbor in your bewitching eyes. “Well, thank you. I can’t wait to try it.”

You look away shyly and gesture towards Hyunjin’s office. “Should we head in?”

Smiling to himself, Hyunjin steps ahead to open the door for you as you duck your head and scramble in, folding yourself onto the sofa that you both are now well-acquainted enough to often share. After setting his velvet tote bag onto his desk, Hyunjin sits down beside you, holding out a glass of mango juice to you, a drink that you now frequent whenever you meet. Plus the cheesecake? You really must love mangoes.

As you sip on your juice, Hyunjin decides to take the reasonable course of action available: ask you about your day, not if you’re available next Friday night at six. “How have you been? I’m sorry I couldn’t see you last week.”

You shrug, waving off Hyunjin’s apology like it’s nothing. It isn’t, though; he would rather have spent time with you than having to fly to Shanghai for some brand endorsement deal that his agent made him take. “Don’t worry about it. And I’ve been good. Evidently, in a much more agreeable mood these days. It’s certainly a step-up from the grumpier me, isn’t it?”

“I like you however you are,” Hyunjin blurts out without thinking, before freezing in realization. In a better world, he would have had the sense to at least clamp his hand over his mouth before he could say something stupid, but unfortunately, he’s stuck here. He wills the stammering, bumbling idiot that he turns into when you’re around to disappear, to be replaced by his usual, suave self. It doesn’t quite work, because he feels a furious blush building on his neck.

You’ve also turned a light shade of pink, and Hyunjin prays to God that you can’t see through his bullshit. “Because I’m your client. You accept me however I am.”

Hyunjin has to mentally stab himself with a fork as a reminder that he cannot, under any circumstances, disagree, although he really, really wants to. You could never be just a client to him. You’re too precious to him for that title. Yet, he keeps a straight face as he nods, disgusted with what he’s about to say. “Exactly. You’re my client.”

You down the rest of your drink, setting the glass down on the coffee table. “Anyway, you emailed me that you had something special planned for today. What is it?”

“Right.” Hyunjin clears his throat, getting up from the sofa to make his way over to his desk. He opens one of the drawers and pulls out the thick binder he’s been dreading using with you for a while now. It weighs his hands down like an unpleasant secret as he sits back down next to you. 

“What’s this?” You inquire, leaning in closer to Hyunjin. The movement allows the sugary scent of your vanilla perfume become even more prominent to Hyunjin, which is definitely not helpful right now. Hyunjin stares down at the binder, adopting a robotic tone that won’t betray his thoughts.

“We’ve worked on just you for the past few months, and now it’s time. You’re finally ready to explore dating.” Hyunjin opens the binder, trying to ignore the sour taste of the words on his tongue. “And as I’ve told you before, SeoulSpark has an incredible matchmaking service that caters to everything you desire in a potential partner.”

“Cool! How does it work?” 

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices your shorts ride up slightly, further exposing the soft skin of your upper thigh. Think of the fork, Hyunjin. Think of the damn fork.

“Well, I’ve already compiled a number of candidates in our database whose profiles complement yours. We’re going to be setting up a time when you can speed date them.” 

You quirk your eyebrow in a way that shouldn’t be as attractive as it is to Hyunjin. “Speed dating? That’s…”

“I know, I know. It might seem weird at first, but that’s why we’re doing it the SeoulSpark way, to reduce awkwardness and make it really worth your time. We’ll go over the candidates briefly, and weed out the ones you really don’t want to see.” Hyunjin opens the binder, going to the profiles. “But I won’t tell you their names, so we can maintain at least a small element of surprise.”

Your eyes widen as you take in the first candidate’s picture, and Hyunjin has to fight the burning jealousy in his chest. “Wow. He’s handsome.”

“Swipe left or right?”

“Right.”

“Okay.” Hyunjin turns to the next page. “What about him?”

“Uh, left. He reminds me of my uncle. No thank you.”

Hyunjin stifles his smile as he continues flipping through the profiles, noting down your answers. He tries to enjoy your unfiltered reactions and not think about the fact that one of these lucky bastards could be your future husband. Finally, he gets to the last candidate.

You frown. “He looks kind of like a chipmunk. A quokka, maybe.”

“So is that a left?”

“I’ll say right. He seems like he’d be interesting.” You shrug, your eyes glittering with mischief. “Actually, I’m kind of excited now. Some of these guys are lookers.”

Hyunjin laughs in spite of himself, shutting the binder and standing up. “I’ll email you the details of the event by next week, when we’ll be holding it. ”

You nod, tucking a strand of loose hair behind your ear— oh, how Hyunjin wishes he could just casually do that for you. “Got it. I’ll make sure to look dazzling.”

“Darling, you always look dazzling.” Hyunjin smirks in self-satisfaction when you flush at his quip. It’s not exactly a reaction that’s foreign to him, but seeing you like this, all cute and bashful, is new. And it’s a look that’s very attractive on you. Hopefully, you attribute the flirting to Hyunjin’s naturally charming personality, not the fact that he’s impossibly gone for you. Not that the truth would make a difference, however. You’ll never be his.

“Thanks, Hyunjin.” You get up from your seat, letting Hyunjin walk you out, like he always does. “I feel like you have a vision going on for this matchmaking event.”

“Oh, I always have a vision.” Hyunjin chuckles, opening the door for you. “We’re considering a tropical theme, or a garden party, maybe. Or something glamorous. Kind of like prom, but without the bad music and horny teenagers, you know?”

You shrug. “Actually, I never went to my high school senior prom. But all of these ideas sound incredible.”

He pauses, his eyes widening. “You never went to prom?”

“There was this guy.” You look uncomfortable, but before Hyunjin can assure you that you don’t have to tell him about it, you decide to continue. “I wanted to go with him, but long story short, he rejected me. And I didn’t really have any friends I could go with either. I could have gone on my own, but I wasn’t brave enough. It’s one of the things that I did when I was younger that I regret now. I guess it just speaks volumes about how I hold myself back a lot.”

Hyunjin frowns. “Who in their right mind would reject you?”

“My first love, apparently. And a bunch of others.” You sigh, fiddling with the little bow on your sleeve. “But whatever. I’m going to find a real man.”

“They’re idiots. And prom isn’t even all that.”

You snort. “Says you. I’ll bet you were the kind of guy who got invited by all of the girls to be their date to prom, even if you weren’t even a senior yet.”

“Exactly. I would know precisely that prom is overrated as fuck.” Hyunjin gives you a smile. “Maybe we’ll just go with the garden party.”

You stay quiet for a moment, as if thinking something over, before looking directly into Hyunjin’s eyes. “Shame. I think I would’ve liked to see you in a tux.”

And with that, you turn around and leave, as Hyunjin just stays rooted on the spot, dumbfounded. Because how can you just so easily shoot an arrow straight into his heart and walk away? You’re a threat to society. You’re a wicked enchantress. You’re the bane of Hyunjin’s existence, and yet, he wants you to come back and string him along like a fucking bow. The dilemma is clear: Hyunjin absolutely cannot just move on from you. This is an extremely deafening cry for help.

“Wonyoung?” Hyunjin croaks, as he steps back inside and collapses onto his chair.

Hyunjin’s loyal secretary sticks her head into the room, her glossy locks tumbling over her shoulders like a Pantene commercial. Hyunjin makes a mental note to ask her later about her hair care routine. “Yes, boss?”

“Call Dr. Kim for me, please. I don’t feel so good.”

“Of course. I guess the bad sushi really got you this time.”

“Strep throat? Negative. Flu swab test? Negative. Every single other test you made me administer for you? Ditto.” 

Hyunjin aggressively rubs his palms over his face. “Is there anything else, Seungmin? Are you sure there is absolutely nothing wrong with me? Should we do anything again?”

Seungmin rolls his eyes, setting his clipboard down on the bench space next to him. “It’s Dr. Kim. And I did a Barium Swallow test for you, Hyunjin. You don’t just do those for any idiot who walks in begging to be examined for no apparent ailment. Took thirty minutes and nothing at all. Chief resident would be on my ass if she knew.”

“You’d think we haven’t been best friends since our Stanford days,” Hyunjin says. “There is something wrong with me.”

Hyunjin stares down at the upper right leg of his pants, picking at a small loose thread. He’s never seen one appear in his clothing ever since he was eighteen and quiet being so fashionably challenged, but instead of disgust, he feels a strange sense of solidarity. Just like the thread, he feels out of place; confused and lost, even though he’s standing right in the middle of half of the world’s dream. But wanting someone who he can never have isn’t a dream, surely, and neither is the phantom pain in his abdomen, the one that Dr. Kim claims doesn't exist.

“‘Our Stanford days’ were literally only three years ago. And I was in med school while you were getting a PhD in the study of crazies. I knew there were a couple screws loose up there,” Seungmin scoffs, tapping his temple in flourish punctuated with impudence. “I should have known better than to befriend your ass.”

“Seung-min, you’re lying,” Hyunjin retorts, emphasizing the syllables of his friend’s name. “I swear, I’m sick.”

Seungmin groans, fed up with Hyunjin’s stubborn mindset. “You’re twenty-eight years old and have your own booming practice. Hell, you wear head-to-toe designer, even underwear— yes, I saw the Gucci briefs in your bag, that one time you made me go shopping with you. Meanwhile, I’m a stressed, overworked, and underpaid surgery resident who has to listen to his rich and famous best friend complain that he’s not feeling well. Oh, poor baby. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“I’m trying! I’m trying, okay?” Hyunjin finally explodes, throwing his hands up in the air. Usually, he maintains that peaceful temperament that puts up with Seungmin’s attitude. Not today, however. “Honestly, Seungmin, you want to know what’s wrong with me? Her. She’s all over me, inside and out! Everywhere I look, I’m reminded of her. Everywhere I go— her. And you know what? It’s not all in my head. It’s not a fucking crazy case. I physically feel myself wanting to throw up every five fucking minutes. I have a horrible headache that won’t go away, no matter how long I rot in my bed. I’m sore all over and I just want to go home!”

Hyunjin’s best friend just glares at him in shock for a good few seconds, watching as he pants from the ferocity of his words. And then he recovers, smoothing his face over into that signature judgemental expression, because he’s Kim Seungmin. “I should’ve known this was about a girl.”

Hyunjin sighs. Thankfully, no one overheard his rant, because this is Seungmin’s lunch break and whenever Hyunjin insists on an emergency meeting, Seungmin brings him over to this empty corridor tucked behind the equipment storage rooms, where no prying eyes wander. 

“It’s not just any girl, Seungmin. It’s the girl. She’s… all I do know is that she’s my client who walked into my life three months ago and proceeded to destroy it. She came in like a tropical storm and now she smiles at me like the fucking sun. She confuses me and makes me forget random shit and she doesn’t even know about any of it. And all I want to be is hers, even though I can’t be.”

Seungmin doesn’t say anything, before he bursts into uncontrollable laughter, the kind that makes his body shake with impact. “You… are… acting… so stupid.”

And this only makes Hyunjin even more frustrated. “Well, that’s the whole damn point! I’m not stupid, but I’m obviously acting it! I don’t know what to do, Seungmin! Help a brother out!”

After he calms himself down, Seungmin sighs loudly and wipes the traces of any tears caused by amusement of Hyunjin’s plight. “I’m not an expert in this, Hyunjin. But to be honest, it seems to me that you’re falling for her, and you’re just in denial.”

Hyunjin feels nothing short of horrified. “But… I can’t be. Are you sure?”

“Aren’t you the friggin’ Love Doctor or some shit? How the fuck am I supposed to be sure?”

But Hyunjin barely hears Seungmin, getting off the bench to pace back and forth in the little hallway. He can’t be falling for you, because— he just can’t! The plethora of problems that would arise from him falling in love with you are fucking endless, the worst being that you could end up negatively impacted. And all because your stupid, idiotic dating coach couldn’t keep his stupid, idiotic feelings in check. He would rather give up his beloved Versace brand deal than ever see you hurt, and that’s really saying something.

Seungmin tries to get to Hyunjin again. “Or maybe you’re not falling for her. Maybe you’re just horny.”

Hyunjin whirls around, side-eyeing Seungmin with disgust. “The hell you mean?”

“When’s the last time you, you know? Got some?”

“You put it so eloquently.” Hyunjin rolls his eyes. “And it’s been ten months.”

“See? That’s definitely it. You need to get laid, and you’re taking your sexual frustration out like this. You’re always the one lecturing everyone else on having healthy sex and love lives and shit, but really you’re a hypocrite. Tell me, why are you such a hypocrite, Hyunjin?”

Hyunjin crosses his arms, irritated yet able to see Seungmin’s point. He had his share of relationships, enough to augment his experience and research in the whole field. It’s not like they all ended badly, though— quite the opposite, really. The majority of them were amicable splits, or awkward conversations, at the very most. The only notably sour memory is Hyunjin’s ex-girlfriend from ninth grade, the one who broke up with him in a fit of jealousy when another girl confessed her love for Hyunjin. But then again, all high school relationships are basically doomed to crash and burn.

Hyunjin was careful to never get into anything too serious anyway, because his only love would be his job; he broke up with his last girlfriend— which might be a strong word for someone who merely considered him a wine-and-dine booty call— because he just didn’t feel that same spark with her that he felt when running his business. And he didn’t think he had that capacity to feel it anywhere else, but that was all before you.

“I don’t know, Seungmin.” Hyunjin looks down glumly at the concrete flooring, his body completely exhausted of all of the fight in him

The look in Seungmin’s eyes softens as Hyunjin slumps back into his seat. “Don’t you think that you’ve been so busy thinking about helping other people with their loves that you’ve completely neglected yours? When are you going to stop being so goddamn perfect and care for yourself?”

“But I do care for myself! Why else would I have a fourteen-step skincare routine and Gucci boxers?” Hyunjin protests, stalling more than really arguing. He just doesn’t want to admit to what’s really bothering him.

Seungmin rolls his eyes for what feels like the hundredth time in the past ten minutes. He should get back to rounds; lunch will be over soon. “That’s not self-care, that’s called being fucking weird. And I’m talking about your head. You have this illusion up there that in order to help others, you need to be flawless. Get out of it, man. Whether you want someone to have a one-night stand with or have your freaking children, you need to be open and pursue it. Life is messy and unpredictable, even for neurotic perfectionists like you. It’s okay to be horny. It’s okay to be in love. It’s okay to be you.”

Hyunjin ponders over Seungmin’s advice, before looking up. “I hate when you’re right.”

“I know.”

“Fine.”

“Don’t you ‘fine’ me, dumbass. Go put on your Armani shit and get going, for fuck’s sake. This isn’t Mission Impossible. I can’t believe I have to tell you this.” Seungmin shakes his head, dusting off his scrubs. He leans forward to tighten the laces on his special work sneakers; the clock is really ticking down now.

Hyunjin gives Seungmin a withering look. “I wear Versace on my missions.”

“Welcome to SeoulSpark’s third biannual company-wide Matchmaking Event!”

The small crowd of hopeful singles crammed into the gazebo politely claps as the speaker looks down at all of you from his perch on the little elevated platform, like some kind of an all-knowing benefactor. 

“Thank you everyone. You can call me Jin, and I’ll be your emcee and operations director on this fine afternoon.” He beams. “And can I just say, you people look so good today? Obviously not as much as me, but still.’”

A scattered collection of horribly faked laughter ripples throughout the gathering, and you have to resist rolling your eyes. If it wasn’t for the fact that Jin does actually serve as great eye candy, you would’ve already been putting on your sunglasses and trying to fake being awake. 

“Dr. Hwang will be here in a few moments to intro, and then we’ll get on with it!” Jin states, continuing his unnecessary theatrics. “But while we wait, can someone answer this question: what do you call an ice cream that parties too hard?”

Before the inevitable awkward silence can ensue, some bored-looking man who stands a little further away from everyone else pipes up. You recognize him as the very first candidate whose picture Hyunjin had presented to you— the hot one— except now, his short, preppy haircut has grown out into a wavy mullet. “Just say it.”

Jin looks temporarily taken aback by the man’s unfiltered attitude, before correcting his expression back into a winning smile. “It is out of CONE-trol! Get it? Because of the ice cream cone? Isn’t that funny?”

There isn’t a single person in the crowd who looks impressed, least of all mullet-guy. “No. And it still wouldn’t be funny even if I was seven years old and actually liked horrible dad jokes.”

There’s a bite to his tone, and Jin seems to have taken it personally. Jin clears his throat, stuck while clearly trying to think of something to say, when relief comes over his face as he looks directly at you. “There he is! Dr. Hwang: the man of the hour.”

You turn around so fast that you nearly get whiplash, and of course Hyunjin is right there, towering over you like some sort of gorgeous sunflower. Fuck— you knew you smelled that stormy jasmine in the air, but you passed it off as just your imagination. And because there are so many people packed into this tiny pavilion, your bodies are practically pressed together as everyone else cranes their necks to get a load of the Love Doctor. 

“It’s so good to see you, darling. You look stunning,” Hyunjin says to you, in a way that seems so genuine that your baby blue gingham sundress from Target doesn’t feel so childish anymore, like you thought after seeing all of the other ladies’ stylish getups.

“Thanks.” You blush, averting your eyes. The last time you met up with him, your bolder alter-ego possessed you for a second and threw a flirty one-liner at Hyunjin, when you realized yourself and walked the hell away, before you could gauge his reaction. “You look very stunning yourself as well.”

And he truly is, as always, dressed in another quirky yet stylish look: a high-neck jacket and camel cargos, complete with a chain link shoulder leather bag. The thick gold crosses dangling from his ears don’t look gaudy, instead bringing out a youthful glow in Hyunjin’s skin. God, you really love a man who can dress.

“Everything alright, Dr. Hwang?” Jin calls out, breaking you out of your trance.

“Yes, Jin. I’ll be up in a second.” Hyunjin doesn’t take his eyes off of you, just serenely blinking like he has all the time in the world. “I absolutely adored your mango cheesecake, darling. You have to tell me about the recipe later.”

He shoots you one last disarming smile, before heading up to the platform, and you’re left to longingly stare after him like a dessert enthusiast on a sugar-free diet. You watch him take the mic from Jin, who dramatically holds out his hands towards Hyunjin when backing off of the platform. 

“Hello!” Hyunjin chirps, and really, the wind is a paid actor here, breezing in and perfectly tousling his midnight mane. 

This time, the audience’s response is more authentic, everyone responds in their own greetings out loud. You can’t help but feel your heart swell at the sight; your crush really is so charismatic.

“So, we’ve already explained how today’s going to work in the emails that were sent out to all of you a couple days ago. But to debrief: we will be having fifteen six-minute speed dating rounds today, each held at one of the designated tables,” Hyunjin explains, gesturing to the space surrounding the gazebo.

For the matchmaking event, SeoulSpark booked out Cafe Fiorella, a posh little eatery nestled in the heart of Vista Hermosa Natural Park’s dusty garden trails and meadows. Hyunjin and his planners did an outstanding job of organizing everything, and even you can’t help but note how impossibly romantic it is— for a speed-dating gig, at least. There are dainty bistro tables set up in the grassy outdoor dining area and nestled on top of them, multiple tiered platters loaded with hors d'oeuvres and decorative blossoms. You don’t even want to think about how much this would have cost.

“Before each round, you will all get a text providing you with the number of your table, where you will be able to chat with your partner, one of the candidates that corresponded with your profile.” Hyunjin catches your eye, and you feel yourself heat up. Focus. “After every round, take note of who you want to see again, and at the end, we’ll give you a form to fill out and submit. When you have your next appointment with us, we’ll let you know who you’ve matched with. Any questions?”

No one raises any, probably because they’re too self-conscious to ask in front of their potential partners, which leaves Hyunjin to just nod. “My team and I will be present as chaperones, just making sure everything is going smoothly. And I’d also like to thank our Dr. Jeon’s brother, Mr. Kim Seokjin, for volunteering to time and emcee the event!”

“Oh, Hyun. Always so formal. Call me Mr. Worldwide Handsome instead!” Jin calls out from the back. He does an exaggerated little bow and you— along with many other attendees— have to stifle a laugh. What a cheeseball. 

Hyunjin just smiles graciously, eyes crinkling with mischief. “Let’s get the party going!”

The up-tempo, raunchy sound of girl rap blasts out of speakers that you didn’t even know existed, scaring the shit out of you momentarily. You have no doubt at all that the afternoon’s garden party beats were compiled by your eccentric Love Doctor, before you start to subconsciously sway— and mentally twerk— to “Body.”

“Ladies and gents, this is just in with Jin! Make sure to find your seats in the next five minutes, and we’ll start the clock!”

Your phone chimes with your first table assignment of the day, and you make your way over there, dodging the throngs of men and women antsy to discover their matches. You sit down at your table, trying to ignore the nervousness building in your chest. With the presence of Hyunjin, his beautiful self lingering somewhere barely a few feet away from you, you’re not sure you can give today your best. And for the first time— it’s not you. It’s the fact that you have feelings for your unsuspecting charmer, and deep inside, you can’t fight the thought of not being able to get over him. 

But a lively ambiance courtesy of Megan Thee Stallion doesn’t fit the deep, contemplative mood, so you resort to pushing away your qualms and blankly gazing out at the high rise views while waiting for your partner. If this doesn’t work out, at least you can say you had a nice time humming to lovably NSFW music and raiding the appetizers. 

“Beefing with you bitches really getting kinda boring—”

“You know, I kind of vibe with this shit.” Mullet-guy from earlier plops down into the chair across from you. “Don’t tell Mr. Worldwide Handsome that, though. I’ll never give him the satisfaction.”

You giggle at the comically blank expression on mullet-guy’s face. “Don’t worry. I don’t think Jin would’ve added the EDM remix of “Savage” to the playlist.”

Mullet-guy doesn’t smile, but you catch the flicker of amusement in his eyes. “Fair enough. I’m Yoongi.”

“Y/N.” You carefully take a mini slice of flaky herbed pastry off of the stand and place it on the china plate in front of you. Now that everyone has settled down, the music has been turned down to enable better conversation. “Maybe I’m being blunt here, but you don’t exactly strike me as the type of guy to go to a speed-dating event.”

“Well, what kind of guy do I strike you as?” Yoongi asks, settling back comfortably into his chair. If it was anyone else talking, you would have thought they were flirting with you. But not with Yoongi— you can’t quite put your finger on it, but he feels incredibly familiar to you. This could be just another regular talk with a good friend.

You make a show of taking in his beat-up leather jacket and the silver stud in his left ear, all add-ons to his roguishly handsome aesthetic. “Wannabe SoundCloud rapper meets Fuji Kaze, except with an even worse fashion sense.”

Most people would have already shrank away from your sarcastic sense of humor, but Yoongi claps back. “I could say the same for you. Don’t tell me you’re actually going for The Stepford Wives with that dress. You even have the Mary-Jane shoes.”

“These are discounted flats from Old Navy, don’t even. And I’ll bet your emo ass was stuck in Hot Topic since grade school.”

Yoongi bursts out laughing. “Okay, you win. But you’re not wrong though— I am a rapper, of sorts.”

You lean forward. “Really?”

“Of sorts— I haven't had much time to really get into it and improve myself, ever since I started my own record label last year, D-2 Music,” Yoongi says, picking at his peach scone. “Managing other artists is my focus these days. Been writing my whole life, though.”

“What do you like to write about?” You take a bite of your pastry, savoring how it nearly melts in your mouth. Maybe this thing isn’t that bad; good food and good conversation. Besides, this Yoongi is totally intriguing to you.

“Dreams, depression, obsession.” Yoongi steadily holds your gaze, and you don’t look away.

“Refreshing.”

“I get that a lot.” Yoongi takes a sip of his mimosa, before making a face and putting it back down. 

“No, but seriously. I hate pretending, most of all. Perfection doesn’t exist, and a lot of people can’t get a grip on that.” You shrug, wiping your mouth with one of the provided lavender napkins. “It is refreshing that you don’t seem to give a crap about others.”

“Yeah.” Yoongi smiles, and you think it’s a good look on him. It doesn’t fade even after what he says next. “We’re not going to be a match, are we?”

In that moment, you can confidently say that you are both the same exact person, and while it feels so good to finally speak with someone who might remotely understand exactly what you are, you know it can never be a sustainable relationship. The two strong-minded pessimists that you both are would only clash or just further bring each other down, in the end. So you return his smile, not a hint of sorrow in it. 

“Probably not.” Both of you clink your champagne classes together and drink on it, before collectively gagging at the taste.

“Time’s up, people! Please bid your partners adieu and get on to your next table!” Jin’s voice breaks out through his microphone, and immediately, the music resumes as the frenzy starts all over again.

You stand up, smoothing out your skirt and looking over at Yoongi, who stays seated, taking his own time finishing his scone. “Catch you later, Hot Topic.”

“Likewise, Mary-Jane.” Yoongi snickers, tilting his head up in a casual goodbye. 

You make your way to your new assignment, and as you approach, you remember him. The next person sitting there is the final candidate that Hyunjin had shown you, the one with the rather squirrely look to him. You have to admit, however, that he isn’t bad-looking, with wavy brown bangs falling into his eyes and a soft smile painting his features. He looks simple, a pretty boy waiting for a girl. You feel like you’re reading a picture book with a happy ending, because there are no puzzles to stay sleepless over. You see the bistro table becoming a kitchen counter, frequented for coffee talk and family dinners— there is no smoke-cracked glass desk that costs more than your entire salary. And you’re not Pygmalion sculpting Galatea, the gender bended Grecian rendition of the Hyunjin who plagues your thoughts; instead, you can see the elementary construction paper dotted with finger-painted sunny skies.

“Hi,” you greet, dragging out your chair and locking eyes with the stranger. Strangely, you don’t feel that telltale thump of your heartbeat in your panting chest— you sense a steady rhythm, and perhaps you could get used to it. Think: the picture book over the puzzle. You like staying in check and control— Hyunjin doesn’t allow you that power, no matter how unknowingly he keeps it for himself. 

“Hi,” he responds. “I, uh, thought you had a nice smile in your picture. It’s even better in real life.”

You stay unfazed; compliments don’t affect you much— when they come from anyone but Hyunjin. Still, it’s a cute try, and you decide to dig in deeper. To you, directness is key— again, when dealing with anyone but Hyunjin. 

You slide your finger down the damp side of your champagne flute, tracing a haphazard shape in the water drops. The man falls quiet again, and you don’t bother saying anything else, just taking him in. You don’t have much experience with conversation loaded with romantic intent, and this holds true even with your infamous ex-boyfriend.

Park Jisung had spied you at a holiday festival on your college campus, and then proceeded to ask you out. It was pretty unceremonious, to say the least, and thinking in hindsight, you can’t remember a time when he actually tried to get to know you. You were so enamored with him that you didn’t bat an eye, not even when he insisted on having sex with you on your very first date. And it was also your very first time, actually— but you didn’t question it. And the sex? It was over in less than five minutes and he left right after he finished, but it just felt nice to be wanted, for once. 

In the following months, you realized that when he wasn’t sleeping with you, Jisung was in his own world. You barely existed to him, while you memorized his Chipotle order and silently bought new soap for him when it ran out. It wasn’t hard to figure out that he just wanted a warm body in his bed to replace the other ones he’d fucked with all day. 

“You should know that I have asthma, just in case you intend on taking my breath away on a regular basis,” the man blurts out, snapping you out of your depressing Jisung-reverie.

You bite back a snort— looks like Mr. Worldwide Handsome has new competition for the corniest person at this place. “Thank you.” 

He coughs, no doubt embarrassed by his poorly executed pick-up line. “Sorry. I can’t help it. Pretty people make me nervous.”

“You’re pretty too.” You shrug nonchalantly as the man blushes. “What’s your name?”

“Han Jisung.”

You nearly throw the champagne in his face. “Come again?”

“Jisung. My name is Jisung.”

You clench your fists under the table, trying not to break something. Of all the people in this world— of all the fucking names in this world— you just had to get set-up with a guy who shares the same name as a monster who did nothing but hurt you. What the fuck, universe? You glance at your phone screen peeking out of your purse— there are still four minutes left in this stupid round. 

“Hey, is everything good?” 

“Why wouldn’t it be?” You look up, giving him a venomous smile. Screw the picture book. “What do you like to do in your free time, Han Jisung? Don’t tell me you like to day-drink and play beer pong.”

“I’m not really a drinker. And you can just call me Ji-”

“Tell me, Han Jisung, is your zodiac sign Aquarius? And do you work in tech? Do you work for SM Tech? Do you?” You inquire without a break, gulping down your glass before refilling it with more of that horrendous champagne. The angel on your shoulder implores you not to project your ex-boyfriend’s personality onto the poor sucker sitting in front of you, but the devil whispers a different tune. You decide to follow the latter’s advice; raging hellfire is always more fun.

Han Jisung looks bewildered, but answers your question anyway. “Um, I'm a Virgo. I do work in tech, but with JYP Electronics.”

“Wonderful.” 

“Anyway… I never got your name,” Han Jisung tries, visibly shaken by your suddenly aggressive line of questioning. 

You scowl at him. “That’s because I already made the mistake of trusting someone like you, Han Jisung.”

There’s still a few seconds left in the round timer, but you don’t pay any mind to it. Your social battery has been exhausted, and all of the progress you’ve made in a long time has gone to dust in a mere five-minute parameter. You grab your bag and stalk away from the table, leaving Han Jisung staring after you, openmouthed and utterly perplexed by the unmerited hostility. But screw him— you can’t even live for a day without being reminded by your douchebag ex who traumatized the fuck out of you.

In your fury, you barely notice the rolling cart of lunch items that accidentally rams into your side. Bowls of pesto pasta fly off the cart, the roasted cherry tomatoes arching in the air in perfect semi-circles before splattering onto the pristine grass. The restaurant staff immediately attends to the mess, while the other guests just glance carelessly at the mess before continuing onto the next round. You rub your hip as Hyunjin rushes over to you.

“Darling, are you alright?” Hyunjin drapes his arm around your shoulders, gazing at you with concern. You melt into his touch for a moment, the frustration simmering with the longing inside of you. “Where were you going?”

You back away from him. “This was a bad idea. Maybe I’m not ready for this. I need more time.”

He frowns, stepping closer to you. “But—”

“Han Jisung?” You interrupt, more animosity in your tone than you intend for there to be. “You knew his name when showing me his profile.”

Hyunjin’s eyes widen in both remembrance and regret. “Oh my god. I didn’t realize— I’m so sorry, Y/N.”

You take a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down. Even taking into account how you feel right now, you don’t want to take it out on Hyunjin. Never. “It’s not your fault. But I’ll be on my way.”

Ducking your head, you turn and walk away, furiously blinking the tears away. A small part of you wishes Hyunjin would call you back, hug you close to him and ask you to stay. But he doesn’t, because he knows his boundaries. It’s you who doesn’t know their place, because regardless of the smarting pain inside of you, you want Hyunjin to bandaid your emotional damage. 

And as you pick up your pace, you realize that maybe you really are doomed to be Pygmalion, yearning for someone who no one else can even compare to, someone who’ll never be yours. No matter what sorts of grotesque demons haunt you, the most sinister of them all is the off-limits adonis who disturbs your heart even when you’re still reeling from the previous break. Han Jisung’s sunny skies woke you up from your dreams— Galatea is a fucking statue, art that will never come alive. 

“Well, that was a colossal disaster.” Hyunjin covers his face with his palms and shrinks into the buttery leather upholstery of his seat. 

Wonyoung glances over at him as the car starts up. “What do you mean? I think it went great. I saw a sickening amount of flirting going on. Pretty soon, you’ll be officiating a bunch of weddings.”

Hyunjin groans, shaking his head. “But did you see the way Y/N left, Wonyoung? The whole Jisung thing? God, I screwed things up colossally.”

“It’s not your job to remember the names of all of your clients’ ex-boyfriends. It was an honest mistake that we both overlooked.”

“Still.”

“Dr. Hwang, I feel like there���s more to this than you’re letting on.” Wonyoung crosses her arms. “Since when did you get so worked up over a client— over anything?”

Hyunjin rolls his eyes like a petulant child. “I’m not getting worked up.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Am not.”

“Sure.” Wonyoung looks back down at her tablet, tapping away at the screen. “I’m already seeing so many matches.”

“Nice.” Hyunjin looks out the window pointedly. “It’s always fucking raining these days.”

“Dr. Hwang.”

Hyunjin ignores Wonyoung, just leaning forward to instruct the cab driver. “Actually, can you drop me off at The North End? Thanks.”

“Seriously. What is going on?” Wonyoung presses once more. “You can’t just go drinking now, not like this.”

“I’ll be fine, Ms. Jang.” Hyunjin doesn’t meet her eyes as he gets out of the car, placing a few bills covering the whole cab fare into her hands. “Get home safe.”

Before she can protest, Hyunjin closes the door and lets the drizzle envelop him, effectively ruining his new logo-motif jacquard set. But he doesn’t give a fuck as he steps into the bar like a shivering stray cat, because the stench of liquor and greasy peanuts is strong enough to incapacitate his inner fashion police. 

“Bourbon, on the rocks,” Hyunjin orders glumly, looking down at his phone screen, a shot of Princess Diana on her birthday last year. She looks absolutely precious in that fluffy pink tutu that he dressed her in, a sight that never fails to make Hyunjin melt. Today, however, not even his adorably stylish puppy can cure him. He downs the whiskey the bartender sets in front of him, wincing at the burn he so rightfully deserved.

When you stormed out of the party just barely two hours ago, it took every fiber of Hyunjin’s being to not run after you. He’d wanted to ditch everyone and just kiss it better for you. He’d take you back to his apartment, run you a bath, cook you a comfort meal, and massage all of your sore spots. And then he’d cuddle with you on the couch, holding you while you fall asleep in his arms. But his stupid common sense held him back, rooting him to the spot like a big, dumb boulder. 

After speaking with Seungmin, he realized how precisely he’s gone for you. And it obviously wouldn’t end well, so he decided that distance— complete professionalism— would be the way to go. Last night, he’d tried a crapload of healthy methods to try and fix himself, from watching porn to reading porn to even listening to porn on some sketchy podcast— anything to distract him from the thought of you. But nothing worked, because he wasn’t horny. No, he had an emotional boner— the worst kind of boners. In the end, he’d realized that the only way to move on from you would be get his ass out there and find someone else,a rebound— which is what he’d been dreading all along.

Therefore, he’d turned around like a fucking moron and went back to the party, listlessly floating around like a trash bag discarded on the highway. And now, he’s at some bar with high end cocktails that are just a pretentious way of saying “fuck me” to strangers.

“Hey there handsome, need company?”

Hyunjin looks to his left, where the sultry voice has originated from: a young woman— a pretty one, too. She’s wearing the kind of tight, black dress and matching coy smile that can only mean she wants one thing. Luckily, Hyunjin’s on the same page as her.

“What’s your name, darling?” Hyunjin asks her, ignoring the guilt inside his chest. That term of endearment was once reserved for you, and only you. He’d have to get over the sting of that too.

She sits down next to him, tossing her hair over her shoulder and exposing the smooth skin of her neck. “Lisa.”

“Lisa,” Hyunjin repeats, signaling to the bartender for another round. “Tell me, what do you do?”

“I’m hoping it’ll be you tonight.” Lisa smirks at him, raising an eyebrow seductively.

Well. That was fast.

Hyunjin chuckles, trying not to think of the nausea rising in his stomach. He accepts the drink from the bartender, clinking his glass against Lisa’s, meeting her darkened eyes over the rim.

“I’m Hyunjin. It’s nice to meet you.”

You haven’t watched trashy Youtube videos in months, thinking you’d left that disgusting habit behind, and yet, here you are, watching said trashy Youtube videos. Today, it’s a shotgun wedding getting upstaged by one of the bridesmaids proclaiming her love for the groom. You feel an old chips packet somewhere inside the bedsheet hollow you’ve burrowed yourself into, the crumbs poking into your back like unwanted intruders. However, you just try to ignore the nasty feeling and slump into the mattress, pulling the bedcovers up so they cover your chin. 

It’s been almost a full week since the matchmaking debacle that you absolutely made a spectacle of yourself at. You’ve spent the entire time drifting off to work, getting yelled at by Mark for no reason at all, and then coming home and lazing around. At this point, your gym membership must be a mere accessory, and the nearby 7-Eleven that you frequent for junk food is practically your second home. Fuck— you’re disgusted with yourself.

Resorting to self-destructive yet containable activities has always been your go-to for whenever you’ve been down— you’ll let yourself be fine with the world falling apart as long as it’s inside the confines of your humble abode. For months, however, you’d truly believed that you were past it. Hyunjin’s presence in your life inserted a certain desire inside of you— not to be better for him, but to be better because of him. Hyunjin opened your eyes to the real beauty of living, of having passion for any trade and a lust for happiness. That kind of positive outlook kept you climbing up that hill, no matter how arduous it was to maintain good spirits for the majority of the time. But as soon as a crisis hit, you bailed on your trek and fell back down the cliff.

You feel truly guilty as well, an emotion that usually got lost in the web of pity and hatred that you spun yourself into whenever you know you’ve done something wrong. Han Jisung didn’t deserve to be subjected to your outburst, you know that— that should have been reserved for the person who actually wronged you. You never actually got the chance to confront Park Jisung, not after he walked out like he didn’t just fucking break you. Deep inside, you know that you take out that inky mixture of unresolved frustration and regret on every single person who dares trigger you, even if it’s unintentional. Han Jisung was one such unfortunate target today.

A small chime alerts you to a new message, and you tear your eyes away from your laptop, reaching for your phone on your nightstand. In the notifications on your home screen, you see that it is not an email from Hyunjin like you’d unrealistically hoped for— instead, it’s a text from Yeonjun, your cousin who’s a constant thorn in your fucking side.

Yeonjun: hmm i’m thirsty :P

You: no yeonjun, i will not take you out for drinks.

Yeonjun: pretty pls w a cherry on top

You: fuck off

Yeonjun: u seem upset :(((

You: i’m having adult problems, yeonjun. leave me alone.

Yeonjun: well then i will help you with ur adult problems

Yeonjun: u know, i’m an adult too OMG

Yeonjun: come on, when have i ever not given u great advice?

Yeonjun: i missed my fucking calling in therapy. i woulda been an excellent shrink.

Yeonjun: i’m an amazing cousin who always is there for u. y/n i lysm, u know that?

Yeonjun: u know what else i love? Vodka. 

Yeonjun: but i love u too <3

You: Yeonjun, stop fucking spamming me or I’m not coming.

Yeonjun: YAYY!

With a defeated sigh, you shove the blankets to the side, the cold air conditioning gripping your body like a vice. But begrudgingly, you have to admit that it feels refreshing to get out of your sweaty hideout and step into the shower, cleaning yourself up as much as you can on the outside— the inside issue can be attended to with the drinks.

A half hour later, you find yourself in a skeevy dive bar on the Westside, doing shots with your cousin, because even though he irritates you to the core, he’s all you have. You really could use that drink, anyway. But no amount of alcohol seems to mask the way your heart hangs heavier than the full moon outside. In fact, the liquid courage just manifests your sadness even more, leaving you a sniveling mess on the bar counter.

“And, he was actually really cute, you know? But I could never date him,” you sniffle, after downing your fifth drink. “It’s just, I just can’t deal with any reminders of Jisung.”

Yeonjun knocks back his vodka. “I take it back. If therapy means dealing with saps like you, I’d rather die.”

You frown at him. “It’s better than being a failing TikTok influencer. When’s the last time any of your thirst traps got views?”

Yeonjun shrugs, unbothered by your jab; he’s as used to you as you are to him. “You could’ve at least hooked up with him, if he was that cute.”

You swirl your straw in the melting ice as you get on your phone, pulling up the follow-up email in which Hyunjin had sent you online scans of the candidate profiles. Yeonjun looks over your shoulder and whistles as you zoom-in on Han Jisung’s picture. “But I’ve only ever slept with Jisung before. I may be a scary bitch, but I’m not bold enough for that.”

“At least you’re self-aware,” Yeonjun cackles. “Well, it’s only a better reason to have a one-night stand. Do you really want to give your trash ex-boyfriend the power of being the only person to have had sex with you? That’s kind of sad.” 

Yeonjun makes a face, shivering in disgust, and you sock him in the elbow in retaliation. “For someone so bitchless, you really have such strong opinions about me and my love life.”

“Who says I’m bitchless?” Yeonjun grins deviously. “Besides, you’re the one who told me all this crap in the first place.”

You glance up at the ceiling, feeling an indescribable sense of loss. “Perhaps I wouldn’t mind a one-night stand, though. I guess getting laid is something I kind of need right now. I need to stop letting Jisung control every aspect of my life.”

“Well, if you’re not averted to the idea, a person of interest just walked in.”

You whip around to look at the door, and of all people, Han Jisung from the matchmaking event walks in. He doesn’t notice you at the counter, just making his way over to one of the booths near the entrance and sitting down in solitude. The waiter takes his order and walks away, leaving him to put on his headphones in wait.

“I think I must be living in a social experiment.” You groan and look over at Yeonjun. “Hell if I’m sleeping with him.”

“Did you or did you not just say that you don’t want to let your ex control your life?”

You stare at Yeonjun. “I can sleep with someone else. He’s probably too scared of me anyway. I kind of verbally-knifed him the other day.”

“Please. Everything about that guy screams ‘degrade me.’ He probably liked that shit. You might as well use him as a punching bag again— this time, more productively.” Yeonjun waggles his eyebrows at you suggestively, and you wrinkle your nose in distaste.

“The fuck do you know about productivity?”

“Nada. But I do know a lot about getting a fix when needed.” Your cousin winks at you, producing a packet of condoms out of nowhere and slapping it into your palm. Before you can react, Yeonjun is already slinking off to go and flirt with a pretty girl sitting by herself on the other end of the counter. And alas, you’re left alone again. With a packet of XL condoms— Yeonjun sure is optimistic.

You glance over at said person of interest, who is currently immersed in whatever song that’s got him bopping his head to the beat, eyes closed as if in a dreamy trance. He’s not your type, for sure. But the thing is, you don’t even know what your damn type is at this point— if it wasn’t for Hyunjin’s ability to make you feel inappropriate things so vividly, you’d have thought you had fucking cobwebs down there. Speaking with Yeonjun really was a reminder that you’re still young, after years of both an emotional and physical dry spell. Emotionally, you might not be ready. Physically, however, there’s an opening, and you know it.

When you were dating Park Jisung, sex was always initiated by him. It was always for himself too, because he never cared about making you feel good. But you didn’t see it as a red flag, since you were so in love with him. You just followed him around like an innocent, lovesick puppy that was eager to please. And in the end, even that wasn’t enough.

Your first orgasm— and first experience with a deeper kind of desire— was alone, some time after your relationship ended. It was a quiet night, and you’d just fallen back onto the couch after another long, uneventful day at work. You flipped through the TV channels before settling on a network that was playing The Notebook, and despite its fame and reach, you’d never watched the movie before. Everything was normal until the main characters started kissing each other in the rain, a scene that would remain something you’d download and revisit many, many times when you were locked away in your room.

You’d never seen that level of lust before. You’d never felt it directed towards you or ever even experienced it when you discovered porn in your teenage years. Yet, these two people seemed to want each other on a whole other level, risking everything— their home, their reputation, their love— for something you’d always thought would be over in two minutes. And as your hand undid the button of your jeans and slipped down even lower, you realized just how wrong you were.

In the years that followed, you learned to become so much more comfortable with your sexuality. Hell, you have a drawer dedicated to storing your sex toys and on nights that you’d had too many glasses of wine, you wind up writing filthy erotica just for fun. However, you’d never actually considered having sex outside of a committed relationship, not until now. And in complete honesty, you really are curious about if Han Jisung is as subby as Yeonjun insinuated— if that proves to be true, you wouldn’t mind taking your pent-up Jisung-frustrations out on him. Productivity, and all. 

You slap your payment down on the wooden counter, shaking it slightly, before marching towards Han Jisung’s table. 

“Hey,” you start, but Han Jisung doesn’t notice you. “HEY!”

Han Jisung’s eyes fly open as he jerks in his seat and pulls off his headphones. At the sight of you approaching him so determinedly, he eyes you with both wariness and renewed interest, and you have to keep yourself from sighing exasperatedly at his hesitant desperation. You’re here for a reason, after all.

“Oh, hello. Y/N, right? I asked Hyunjin for your name after you left.” He gives you a nervous smile, brushing the bangs off of his forehead. “I think we got off on the wrong foot. I just wanted to say—”

“I’ll get to the point, Han Jisung.” You cut him off, ignoring the surprised expression on his face. It’s like he’s never in his life encountered a woman who knows what the hell she wants. “I want to have sex with you. What do you say?”

For a good minute, he says nothing, just gaping at you, shocked. And then he does a double-take, looking you up and down as if checking to see if you’re real. 

“Is this a ploy to kidnap me and steal my organs, or something? Because when I last saw you, I got the impression that you severely disliked me.”

“No, I’m not going to steal your organs. The truth is complicated,” you scoff. “But you’re hot, and I’m over everything else, at least for tonight. Are you up for it?” 

You stare Han Jisung down, making him shift in his seat. He scratches his nose and blinks at you like a trembling mouse. “I… wait. You think I’m hot?”

What an idiot. Good thing he’s pretty.

“Is that a yes?”

“Fuck yes.”

With no warning at all, you grasp his hand, pulling him out of the booth while he scrambles to grab his belongings and shove them into his pockets. You feel his gaze on the back of your neck as you drag him through the bar, walking with your chin pointed up with purpose. You wind your way between the tables expertly, but this Jisung stumbles, making you glare at him over your shoulder.

“Watch your step,” you snap.

“Sorry,” he mutters, looking down at the floor as you barge into the bathroom in the back of the building, tugging him inside with you. “Wait, are we not going to your place, or—”

“Stop asking so many fucking questions, Han Jisung.” You slam the door behind you both and click the metal latch in place, leaving you both locked in the tiny room. It isn’t so cramped that there isn’t any space for movement, but it’s small enough to force you both into facing each other in a charged silence.

You eye Jisung from head to toe, taking in his baggy t-shirt and ripped jeans. He clears his throat, making you raise an eyebrow at him. “So, um, do you really have to call me by full name? Don’t you think that’s a little formal, considering what’s about to happen?”

You roll your eyes, your mind going back to the other Jisung you know. Never— there must be something to differentiate the two. You take an intimidatingly emphasized step towards him, backing him up against the wall. “No. I don’t think that’s too formal, Han Jisung.”

“But—”

“Shut the fuck up.” You trace your eyes down his body once more, gaze landing on the noticeable bulge in his pants. Bless Yeonjun— how right he was, for once. You look up, giving Jisung a mean smile. “Are you actually getting turned on right now?”

“Uh, wow—” He squeaks, as you reach your hand out and place it on his warm thigh, tracing it up his limb at a painful pace both dedicated to your desire to tease and be cautious.

“I asked you a fucking question.” You retract your hand right before it reaches its destination, glowering at him. “Answer me.”

“Just, um. I…” Jisung stammers, closing his eyes before opening them again, as if preparing himself. The honeyed tone of his skin exposes a light blush and therefore, his answer. “Ruin me, please.”

That’s all the permission you need before you’re placing your hands on Jisung’s surprisingly toned shoulders, roughly turning him around and swapping places with him, so that now you’re the one with their back to the wall. 

“Han Jisung…” You speak slowly, punctuating your words with the kind of loathing that has Jisung panting like a dog waiting for a treat, eyes wide with anticipation tinged with delicious fear. “If you’re a good boy and do as you’re told, I’ll see about giving you a reward.”

“Oh my god.”

“Take off your clothes.” 

Jisung nearly trips over his own two feet trying to wrestle the suddenly irksome swaths of fabric off of his body, tossing the garments onto the gross bathroom floor like he doesn’t give a fuck about getting a staph infection later. When he’s fully stripped, you trace your eyes over him in your own leisure, reveling in the way he shivers when you do. Your gaze washes over his defined abs, dipping even lower until you reach his hardened cock, flushed a pretty pink and glazed with pre-come— the condoms would come in very handy, after all.

Seeing him bared to you and your mercy rouses you up like you never thought it would; you never thought that feeling wanted yet being in control would work you up so much, but it does, and you love it beyond reason. 

“You’re really something else. Getting off on me being so mean to you.” With a sadistic smirk, you cross your arms. “I bet you thought about me even after I ditched your ass at the party, didn’t you?”

“I— I did,” he admits, with a nervous giggle. “You’re so fucking hot, I just couldn’t help it. Seriously. I’m sorry if— mmph.”

You interrupt his rambling by winding your hand into his soft hair and forcing him closer to you, meeting his soft lips in a harsh kiss, one that has him moaning shamelessly into your mouth. You kiss him deeply, like you want to punish him for it, like you want to both hurt him and make him beg for more. Jisung’s lips are small but full, moving against yours in a sloppy yet heated exchange, fighting for more in an unwinnable battle; he tastes like brandy, strawberries, and the promises of a good time, and you’re drunk on it.

“You’re disgusting, Han Jisung,” you spit out, prompting a whimper from Jisung. “Get on your fucking knees.”

He wastes no time dropping to his knees and letting you lead the way, fully submitting to your tantric commands. Quickly, you clutch at his hands and direct them to where they should be, tilting your head back against the wall as Jisung satisfies your wishes. With an eagerness that doesn’t even compare to your own, Jisung loosens the knot on the elastic band of your skirt, not bothering to untie it fully before he’s tugging the skirt up so that it’s bunched around your waist. 

And without you even demanding him to move faster, he’s pushing your panties aside and attaching his greedy mouth to your cunt. You nearly jerk away at the overwhelming sensation of pleasure; your ex-boyfriend never went down on you, and oh, how profoundly you’ve missed out. But you’ve researched enough to know exactly what you want.

Jisung’s eyes flick up to where you’re looking down and showering him with breathy sighs, spurring on his performance. When you shoot him a warning glare, he goes back to completely making-out with your cunt, easily spreading you apart with two of his fingers so he can focus on your throbbing clit. Jisung uses his other hand to squeeze your thigh gently, rubbing circles into the smooth skin as he works.

He delves deeper into your pussy when you run your hands through his silky hair, lapping at your arousal like it’s honey and he’s been starving for days. “You taste so good…”

Immediately, you yank back his hair and hold him in place as you start to grind onto his pretty face. “I don’t remember saying you could fucking talk.”

Jisung groans, taking every insult you hurl at him in such a measured but unbridled way. He makes up for his lack in precision with his enthusiasm, suctioning his mouth around your tender clit and swirling his tongue in patterns that have gotten you seeing the fucking stars. He lets you use him entirely, body going slack as he helps you ride out your high. The obscene sounds of Jisung slurping at your cunt fill the room as you come, gripping his head between your thighs as you feel that beautiful wave of euphoria fall over you. You pat Jisung’s shoulder in silent instruction, and he rises, cupping the sides of your arms and running his hands down them gently, soothing the way you quiver at any touch. 

“Are you okay?” Jisung whispers, making you open your eyes in surprise. Your ex-boyfriend never once checked up on you, not even when you were clearly in discomfort that first time he made you his own. This complete stranger however, one that you have been anything but gracious with, inspects your face with concern. A strange feeling of warmth spreads throughout your body as you nod your head.

“I’m good. You did well.” You grasp the bottom of your top, pulling it over your head so that all you’re standing in now are your skirt and basically ruined panties. You didn’t bother with putting on a bra before you left the house, and now, you’re thankful for the decision that was ultimately a byproduct of your laziness; Jisung gazes at your body with utter reverence, like just the sight of your tits has blessed his entire life.

“Please…”

“Please what, Han Jisung?” You bite your lip, both amused and flattered by how desperate he is for your pussy. “Use your words.”

“Fuck me. Please, fuck me. I’ve been good, haven’t I?” Jisung whines sadly, clearly on the verge of tears. His cock is now rock-hard, flush against his stomach, and it turns you on so much to know that eating you out has reduced him to such a pathetic mess. 

“Yes, you have…” you murmur, before jutting out your hand to hold his chin tightly. “Spit.”

Without a single protest, he obeys, a single string of saliva connecting his lips to your hand, before you’re reaching down and palming his cock. He lets out a gasp as you wrap your fingers around the base, spreading the dampness and pumping a few times for good measure, as if the mixture of his spit and your own arousal coating your pussy isn’t lubrication enough. 

You take the condoms out and help Jisung slide one onto his cock, chuckling when he places his hand over yours to help quicken the process. And then you’re finally guiding him into your entrance, circling one leg around his body and caging him into your fantasies. 

“Fuck—”

Jisung enters you as you both collectively moan out loud, him at how tightly your cunt clenches around him and you at how wonderfully his dick curves into you, hitting your sweet spot inside each time. Jisung cups your face as he kisses you again, but this time, it’s slower and more drawn-out, a vast juxtaposition to how rigorously he thrusts into you. You drag your nails down his back in a way that’s sure to leave marks for days to come, but he just increases his pace on your aching pussy, lost in pleasure. 

You grip Jisung’s ass and squeeze at the flesh, eliciting a throaty groan from him as your sweat combined creates a sticky layer between your bodies. Your breasts are pressed against Jisung’s chest, and he ducks his head to attend to them, licking and sucking at your sensitive nipples. The heightened attention goes straight to your sweet pussy, making you buck your hips as you hold him even tighter. 

“Oh god— I’m fucking— I’m gonna come—” Jisung chokes out, his movements now erratic and even more rushed, if possible.

“Not yet.” You just laugh cruelly, shaking your head. “You’re going to wait. I’m first.”

“I— I don’t think I can—”

“Suck it up like the little bitch you are, and make me come again,” you snarl, digging your nails into the arch of his ass.

He cries out, and for a brief lapse in time, you think he will not be able to outlast you, but then he slides his hand down, rubbing frantic circles onto your clit. The attempt to get you off a second time works, and the orgasm washes over you like a cool breeze in the summertime. You can’t help what escapes you next.

“HYUNJIN!”

“Did you just—”

You clench your jaw and give Jisung a menacing look, warning him of a topic that should not be broached under any circumstances. Luckily, your harsh expression just seems to spur Jisung on even more, and he follows you into ecstasy not long after, squirming in your hold. When he finally finishes, hot spurts of him coat your pussy and trembling thighs.

For a moment, Jisung slumps against you limply, and you let him, enjoying that blanket of heat and protection against your exposed skin, another gift you’ve never been given before. But then you remember that’s all he is to you— a body that has warmed you up for one night. You don’t feel guilty though, because you never did offer more than you could actually give. 

You pat Jisung’s back, prompting him to draw back and give you a fucked-smile. His bangs are plastered against his forehead in a sweaty mess, and his skin is tinged pink from his great efforts to please you. It’s a sight that you’ll be tucking away in your memories for any future lonely nights. 

After putting your blouse back on, you walk over to the sink as Jisung just stays leaning against the wall. Wetting a paper towel with some water, you run it between your thighs and clean up the remnants of Jisung’s come smeared there. And then you pull your skirt down and help Jisung, because no matter how you don’t see him as more than a fling, he is still significant to you. He’s the first person to make you come and show you that physical care that you’ve been craving for so long, and that amounts to something. Besides, you’d never just toss someone aside after using them so intimately, not like your ex did with you.

You get a fresh towel for Jisung, placing it against his forehead to cool his heated skin while assisting him in putting his clothes back on. When you both are completely dressed, you place a chaste kiss on Jisung’s lips and give him a small smile, before turning for the door.

“I’ll be on my way now, Han Jisung.”

Jisung leaps forward quickly, grabbing your head before it can reach the doorknob. “Hey, I know you said this was just a one-night, but can’t we maybe get dinner or something?”

“Jisung.” The plain name is still sour on your tongue, but you swallow it down. “We aren’t going to work. This isn’t going to happen again.”

“Wait. Are you just, like, crazy edging me right now?”

Shaking your head, you let out a tired laugh. “No, I’m not. Look, I think you’re a really nice guy. I’m sorry for how I treated you at the party last week. You definitely didn’t deserve that, and I definitely still need to resolve my own issues. I’m sure there’s some other sexy lady out there just waiting to dom your pretty face off. You deserve better than me.”

You leave Jisung speechless, finally getting out of the bathroom. You have a very important meeting tomorrow, one that you absolutely cannot miss. Besides, he really does deserve better than you, someone who definitely doesn’t make his whole life an enigma. Someone who doesn’t have the same impact on him as Hyunjin does on you. 

And in your post-coital clarity, you also finally accept that there will be no compromising with your feelings for Hyunjin. You’re falling in love with him, so much that even when another man is balls-deep in you, he’s all you can think of. It’s so profound that it hurts, the thought of never being able to fuck him into oblivion like you just did with Han Jisung. You can never have those nights with him in dirty bathrooms, or the ones tangled up in bedsheets for hours at an end. Late night conversations about the banalities of life and playful interviews about where he buys his amazing clothing will never be yours. You’re playing a dangerous game, ignoring your feelings like they’re a hazy insect that will eventually buzz away. Because you know they won’t. They’ll come back to sting you.

As you beeline for the bar exit, you run straight into Yeonjun, who seems to have been waiting for you all along. And by the looks of the Cheshire grin on his face, he knows exactly what you’ve been up to.

“I knew his dick was big.”

“Don’t. You. Dare.”

“So… want to talk about last week?”

“There’s not much to talk about.” You shrug, toying with the hem of your dress. It’s green, a new look from the various shades of pinks that you donned whenever visiting Hyunjin. The change doesn’t feel refreshing— really, it’s restricting and strange, somehow. Like it doesn’t belong on you.

Hyunjin sighs, getting up from his fancy chair to sit down next to you. So understanding, so caring, so gentle. Everything you don’t deserve and that you will never have. “Darling, please. Open up to me.”

You snap, looking at him directly. “I had sex with Han Jisung.”

Closing your eyes, you lift your up palm, effectively silencing whatever you know that Hyunjin was about to say. You take a deep breath, bracing yourself. You have to mend the cracks before you break completely. Again. It’s now or never, no matter how much it will hurt you to do so.

“And I think we should stop seeing each other.”

«NEXT CHAPTER» · «GENERAL M.LIST» · «NAVIGATION» · «TALK TO ME» · «TAGLIST»

AUTHOR'S NOTE Here she is!! We're 2/5 of the way there 💪 Thank you for all of the love for this series! And again, I apologize for the atrocious wait-time. Please leave your thoughts, I don’t really mind if you leave a whole essay ;) -Dreamy

TAGLIST @skzfelixlove @army-stay-noel, @hwangjuhong, @chizumiyoshi @hyunjinswifeee @geneziesm @sherryblossom @yeetfellx @bennetbutton @chillseo @hyuneyeon @seosalad @nhyunn @hyunjinnie2000 @ajxreads @n2tl4na @yeahhspider @8makes1scream @jetblackbelle @143hyunes @raginghellfire @sinforsuccubus @lixiesw1fe @chartrucewhore @freckleboilix @ultimatestayandminoronce @cheesytangerine @leyknowsbin @stay278 @strawberry-dreamland @lvrgrl-xo @moasworld @hyunnielix @httphans @chaotic-world-of-the-j @nyasstars @beautifulmusicaddict-blog @imasimplol @1clickawayfrominsane @xsw-void @queen-klarissa @hyunjinsamdl @heavenhannie @moasworld @kykeu @sxlxna ***The users that I could not tag are written in pink***

If you'd like to join the taglist, click here!

NETWORKS @kflixnet @k-films

©jisungsdaydreamer 2023 | All rights reserved. I do not condone translations or transfers of my work onto other platforms such as Wattpad, AO3, etc. Tumblr is my only platform. Acts of plagiarism are strictly prohibited.

[nataliescatorccioapologist]

I'm wondering if the bonfire scene follows a split in the group, with that scene showing shauna's tribe, after having hunted down someone from nat's tribe? That could explain the reduced numbers. I could see the season wrapping up at that point where the two groups finally turn on eachother, and shauna's tribe starts hunting the others down. The way the cast has spoken about the finale though they made it seem like there'd be a big twist/cliffhanger at the end that would change the trajectory of the story, wondering if this could be it, though I don't think it would come as too much of a surprise, so i'm a bit iffy about it. If it does happen though, maybe Nat was trying to plan some kinda rebellion and it blew up, leading to a split, causing them to hunt her side for the first time not out of necessity/in the name of the wilderness, but just vindictiveness? I can also see Nat losing another one of her people, which she'd totally blame herself for (as with giving hannah the knife, and killing ben before the scientists arrived) pushing her over the edge to an attempt possibly, given Soapy mentioned being emotional at where Nat ends up if i'm not mistaken. The summary of the finale is interesting "Things turn frigid as bloody new alliances get built and spilled. It's our time, right now, down here in the new Queen's court. Eat up, drink deep, and descend." There's the bit about alliances, making me think of the split into two tribes but also the 'new Queen's court' part is interesting. Shauna's already been leader for a couple of episodes, does this imply someone else is taking over? And if so, who? Also interesting in the promo for ep 10 it seems like teen Lottie is hallucinating/seeing some sort of non-human entity as AQ. I've seen people theorize that it's another joint hallucination with AQ representing the wilderness and not actually being any of the girls in the bonfire scene. Anyway, love reading your theories/analyses!

This is definitely the direction I’m hoping things are going in. I’ve honestly been really excited to see split factions/warring clans so if they do end up playing that out I will be happy. I love the idea that Pit Girl is someone from Nat’s group who was hunted and killed by Shauna’s group. And I just love the idea of two group with differing ideologies so much; Nat’s group wanting desperately to go home while Shauna’s wants to stay. I also find it very interesting and potentially very tragic that Shauna’s group contains most of the people we know end up surviving (Taissa, Van, Misty, Lottie), while most of Nat’s group is probably going to die (Mari, Akilah, Gen, Britt and Robin?). So I could see it potentially being devastating for Nat to lose most of her allies, which could push her to attempt? However, I also think there’s a possibility that Nat could turn to the dark side and actually end up on Shauna’s team (maybe that’s the dark “switch” that Soapy has been teasing for Nat’s character?).

As for the big season finale twist they’re all hinting at, I feel like maybe it could have something to do with the Antler Queen? Maybe she will end up being a group hallucination like you said? But I have no idea honestly, I’ve given up on guessing these big twists because this season has proven to be truly unpredictable. I just hope it’s a twist that still makes sense for the story and doesn’t blow everything up completely!

[thecurseofdaigo]

Everything is calm and quiet.. I hope they'll forgive my actions, for I have experienced something I can never forget.

You may call me Daigo, if we're talking you're already a friend of mine. Me and my siblings are hunters, I hope to make friends with as many people as I can.

☆ OOC ☆

use He/Him ; You can call me Path; whatever's best for you honestly. // Main is @pathsjunkyard //

☆ Boundaries ☆

I'm 18!! But I'd still appreciate things staying SFW unless I personally know you or if we've chatted about it beforehand. 🕸️

☆ In character tags!! ☆

• Cursed Rants

• Daigo Replies

• Seven Shades of wtf (Lore posts)

☆ HC's ! ☆

All headcanons are welcome, but the ones on my page are:

• Daigo is unlabeled, he has too many issues to worry about stuff like that; but he definitely isn't straight.

• He uses He/Him, he's used to being called it; he's sort of just accepted it.

• His mask is his safe space, it hides his expressions, only leaving his eyes. Granted it causes memories to resurface that he'd rather forget.

• He doesn't hold any grudges against Rose.

• He's in his early 20's and 5'11.

• His mask eases the pain.

• He has quite a few scars from his demon hunting spiels with his siblings.

• He likes painting his nails black, he thinks it makes him look nice.

• He also has an eyebrow piercing!!

☆ His Curse ☆

His misty shadows are similar to the ones on Rose's arm!! This is mainly because Rose is the one that cursed him, Ikr shocker /sarc

He was hunting with his siblings, they shouldn't have been out that late; yet there they were tracking down one of the most dangerous oni's as of recent. They ended up separating and Daigo stumbled across a temple, due to the fact he was an idiotic teenager and didn't know how to keep his hands to himself he ended up coming into contact with one of Rose's cursed objects. Of course she'd expected this and sabotaged it, he's lucky to even be alive; though the constant pain is enough to wish that night ended differently, of course his siblings rushed to his aid at the sound of his screams. But it was too late, the curse had already taken effect; his arms would never be the same, though neither would he.

His siblings often blame themselves for leaving their youngest sibling alone, but he blames himself more than anything.

Rose is very aware of the curse and it's existence yet she'd possibly die trying to remove it; it's a risk Daigo refuses to let them take. Though even if she were to die the curse would stay.

His siblings are still intent on finding her though.

☆ Fun facts about his curse ☆

• His claws can be either completely misty or solid depending on what he's using them for.

• Around the later days in the month he isolates himself due to the fact his shadows get more persistent on consuming him, granted they'll never be able to. This is extremely painful and he hides himself away so nobody has to witness it.

• He normally has control over his Misty Shadows unless Rose is within his Vicinity, though she never messes with them; she's caused him enough pain.

☆ Extra ☆

The scar under his neck is from a sparring session with Kendo, they were messing with blades despite their parents telling them not to. It's easy to say they both got in massive trouble after Daigo was stitched up.

I'll add more overtime but these are my basics for him 🖤

[jollyreginaldrancher]

Yellowjackets season 3 episode 8 liveblogging

MistyNat save me

FLASHBACK?

GHOST!JACKIE?

Oh we are eating tonight, fellas

Oh I NOTICED THAT! She's scanning various body parts and HOT CHOCOLATEY MILK MIXTURE! I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING! *also ears, I noticed

lol she made ghost!Jackie feel bad

"Is this really what my life is gonna look like" no, worse

is this a dream adult Shauna is having or a memory of a dream teen Shauna had?

That line about them being drawn to the light though.. Was that a hint that Shauna lit the cabin on fire? Is this what we're supposed to be thinking now?

Anyway, I guess we'll find out if so and so plays blah blah blah soon. Now maybe even. Usually they drag shit out forever, so I wonder if they'll actually give us some answers straight off the bat here.

I'm seeing a backpack. And kids drawings. This woman has a family. Wonder if that will hamper Shauna's plans.

Oh lmao I guess it IS Alex?

And she's gay

Shauna you can't kill her, she's one of your peoples!

MELISSA

I KNEW iT!

THE FUUUUUUCK?

Do we think Shauna's pissed or jealous or both?

This was cute though. Melissa already looks more well adjusted than any of the other yellowjackets. She'll probably go downhill and shit from here but like, yeah. I mean she called her Kelly, so presumably she changed her name, faked her death Travis style or something.

Interesting development though.

lol she got her ass with that "how about we both put the knives down, we're not in high school anymore" bs

Wait

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

SHE MARRIED THE DAUGHTER OF- SHE MARRIED HANNAH'S DAUGHTER? ALEX? THAT WAS ALEX? AND SHE WAS KELLY!?

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!

Misty, I love you, never change.

*Continues to be in denial about Van dying, Taissa style*

I've NEVER seen Tai yell at Misty before and lose her shit like this.

Oh Taissa is locking IN

Misty noooooo!

Tell me they didn't leave her all night long.

Fuck everybody and their aunts

Don't worry Misty, I'll save you

Aww her glasses cracked

It wasn't by Natalie's betrayal but it was by betrayal nonetheless (to me anyway)

and her nose is bleeding.

Just come into my arms Misty, I'll take care of you. :'3

^ Me and Natalie and our daughters Misty and Lottie or whatever

Okay so Travis and Akilah aren't going back with the archer guy, they want him to lead them out. So my guess is he probably overpowers Travis, gets killed in the process and takes Akilah out too, cause there's no way they're getting out alive. Either way Travis is definitely gonna have Akilah's blood on his hands by the end of the season. I've said it before and I'll say it again.

I'm glad he told her the truth and all, but this guy for sure cannot get them home, he's full of shit, and probably a grifted who killed their original guide and took his shit and is on the lam, running from the cops, the scars a memory of some past misadventure or some shit.

Akilah for sure bought into Lottie's stuff though, I saw her touching up her lil purple (HELIOTROPE I MEAN) flower. She's not sold. Or at least she's reserved about him. Who would blame her though.

The whole setup is sooooooooo off though

Honestly imagine being a teenage black girl being asked to trust and follow two white guys off into the woods, all alone, and ditch all the other girls in your group to do so. I'm so scared for Akilah

I know they wont go the sexual assault route in this show, but still the way I would have been shitting my pants? Even if they don't assault her, the very real threat of death is there. And being forced to abandon all the other girls in the group? Travis has no brain at all tbh. Risk your own life all you want but don't take my baby girl Akilah with you.

Oh I love my clever girl

Hansel and Gretel that shit

MISTY!

You ALSO CLEVER GIRL!

GO Save my baby Akilah.

I feel bad cause Misty probably thinks they're going back to their shelter and she's in for like the hike of her life. She's got those little legs too X_X

I got so immersed I forgot to comment during this whole scene

a lot of notes

the jackers were national news, their parents looked for months, but presumably due to the storm and the flight plan changing they were looking elsewhere (600 miles north of the original path I believe they said they were)

the scene was kinda funny with everyone talking over one another and Shauna fighting with Natalie for control

Poor Natalie sounds so upset. Shauna angry. Melissa wants all the beef with her rn.

Hannah trying to glaze up the yjs. Tai trying to act humble. Van like 'oh this old thing? Yeah, my boo built this.'

Misty coming in CLUTCH!

I thought she would have followed them, not come back to get the gang. They'll probably save Travis's ass but Akilah's gonna be gone.

Tai sitting down next to Hannah like "glaze me more about the huts. I built them myself you know. Out of real sticks and dirt. Yeah I know all about dirt. Ate the crap out of it in the first season."

Why are we getting a scene of the Joels and Callie and Jeff right now though? What the hell do they have to do with everything? Bfr. You guys need to stop asking for more Jeff and shit, this is annoying.

At least we're getting some Misty to dull the cringe and boredom of dealing with Jeff. Still though.

Love that she kept Van and Taissa's privacy and didn't tell Jeff Van was sick.

Misty's still investigating Lottie's death. Almost forgot about it for a moment. With the excitement of Melissa and all. Only time I wanna see Jeff is when he walks into his bedroom with a salad and catches Shauna and Melissa there.

Misty hanging up on Jeff. Tell me teen Misty would have ever thought little old her would be hanging up on cool Jock guy Jeff whateverhislastnameis

MIsty got that man HEATED though XD lmao

Lmao she faked her death Alison DiLaurentis styyyyyyyllle

"are you still in love with me?" Shauna, babe, your hubris is almost as big as your yeeties.

"Honestly I never was" SHOTS FIRED

She really dumped Shauna Travis style

"After we got back I was no longer one of you and you scared the absolute shit out of me"

shit they DID do stuff when they got back. Fuck. How the fuck they get away with it? Did they go back? i'm so confused...

Melissa DID have a wholesome ass life :'3 I think I'm lowkey starting to like her now. At least her adult self. Nah, teen self too. This episode is very redemptive.

Shauna pulled out that dom mommy shit. fuck I can't lie I'd sit too.

Akilah turned the tables on them

AKILAH YOU BOSS

Travis will turn coat every which way why the fuck did Natalie ever even look at him? stg

Akilah saved Travis's ass

Natalie taking charge again. She said Shauna you can pretend to be boss later, the big boys are talking.

So they're six days from the rescue point/rescue/help/etc. Check out tbh. Walking 8 hours a day for 6 days, at what? 2 miles per hour? 96 miles. They said the hikers were lost 100 miles from where they found the yellowjackets? Something like that... They were really relatively close to being rescued the whole time, just didn't know how far and in what direction. If Taissa's expedition didn't end so catastrophically bad...

also I just remembered I did a character ai where my character ran off from the group after a thing happened and eventually found help and shit and it's nice to maybe have that validation that it was kinda possible. Completely random tangent but yeah.

Shauna remembered she wants to be leader and tried to object but like you're just gonna bark the same orders atp who cares, Shauna?

Misty raises a good point. I think a good way to ensure their cooperation is not to threaten them or make them bury the body, but rather, you know, give him a pyre so there's NO body and no way of knowing what happened.

Same as coach Ben's body. Say they didn't want to risk attracting predators or for disease purposes, they burned the bodies after a while. Would explain Jackie's.

Melissa raising good points.

Shauna really said that was an intentional community. Honey, you drank the kool-aid, didn't you?

I was right about Natalie's death spurring this on.

Barbara is an astrology girlie, isn't she?

Honestly checks out cause Melissa WOULD be dumb enough to blow her cover and fake identity for closure and stuff and risk her own life and the life of her loved ones by reaching out to her ex tbh

Seeing that hat so close to Melissa but not on her head. At least the therapy for her hat addiction is working a little.

Shauna: You're some evil genius! You killed Lottie! You tried to kill me!

Melissa, three states away and twelve chapters behind: Lottie's dead too?

I love how much this season showcases that MISTY IS THE NORMAL ONE.

Tai needs other Tai but Van banished her to the shadow realm. Damn.

This scene's so whimsical. Mari with the slurpee. Misty with the... oh wow we just saw so much of Misty's ass right now. Misty the autistic noodle day-dreaming of that 3ply TP. Van sleeping on essentially a cloud. I dunno dude, Lottie's wilding out though and she's already taken one of them out. Imagine she makes Akilah take out Kodiak and Hannah or whatever.

Aww not Tai pulling away

I'm actually gonna cry

like I knew she was gonna pussy out but not this quick

Taissa makes many good points though.

Alright, here's what they have to do: They ALL need to marry each other so they can't testify against one another in court.

Just imagine. If I was there, I could have been MRS *jollylastname* Scatorccio.

Oh shit, is TAI gonna lock in and do it?

MAN WITH NO EYES, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

Yeah if he's a Shinigami/death portent like I believe he is, or at least ushers other Tai or whatever, and that's her now. Yeah, bye Kodiak. I'd say it was nice knowing you but that's not true, I'd be lying.

Ooooh Melissa's being so fucking normal!

Shauna what the fuck even was that?

Shauna giving toxic artsy boyfriend like no one's ever done before

Apology hat was kinda sweet though ngl

oooh it's that bug!

GIRL I SAW YOUR ADULT SELF YOU DEFINITELY USED THAT GYM MEMBERSHIP!

Shauna. Shauna killed him. For sure. Shauna and Taissa.

is this what's gonna separate them into clans? Killing this guy?

Tai and Shauna with this group that wants to stay, including Lottie, and Van lowkey, and Misty and Nat either splintering off with Travis and Mari and stuff because they're upset because of what they did? I feel though that if this is what separates them, they wouldn't get back together again. Plus it's too late in the season for them to start another coup. Like it's too late in the year I mean for them to break off from the group and start over and make huts and shit before winter.

Winter is probably gonna be the end of this season, and then next season all winter, and then one more in the spring summer months, assuming they let the teen timeline go that long pre-rescue.

Anyway. Seems the memory is either mixing with this memory or the memory of the grocery store is a dream she had during the teen timeline that she's remembering in the adult timeline or idk

Melissa being lowkey bbgirl

Shauna: I'm not insane

Melissa:

Anyway, Melissa's serving cunt

jeff is being a pathetic malewife, what else is new?

So Jeff and Callie and I are in aggreeance. No one is after Shauna. Which makes me change my mind and now believe Shauna. Someone is definitely after SHauna.

Oooh Wonderwall.

And the Sadeckis are going home.

Do we think Gen's still alive then? This is a two woman operation?

What if "Alex" is Gen and they're playing a long con.

Alex does look pretty Gen-ish.

They really said "anyway, here's wonderwall" with this one

The teens are so cute though omg.

Van looks so proud and happy.

Nat yapping it up, Shauna and bottles. Idk. They're all doing stuff together and it's cute. Misty's stirring the pot. The girls with their furs, etc. So cute. They're so happy. So cute. I'm gonna miss this when it's gone in like 5.7 seconds.

Melissa's a quarter pounder girl. Gen a Big Mac girlie. Gen knows what's up. Wait, no, you can't end with the fries Gen, cause the fries will get cold. Amateurs.

Akilah!

Akilah's such a cutie, I can't even be mad at her ngl.

I wonder what they're gonna do with the animals. I'm imagining them tugging them along, taking them to the border and setting them free or bringing them home. Like imagine Akilah on an airplane holding her comfort goat, or Travis with a duck, Misty and a bird of some sort, Nat and a lil goat kid or whatever.

Like they wouldn't set them loose right? In case something happened. They'd need them if shit hit the fan. It's not like they'd kill them or some shit now that they think they don't need them anymore. Right?

Oh, fuck, nevermind.

Lottie? Was it Lottie? Or is she just always covered in blood now?

It was hot the first time ngl but now she's just retreading. Get a new look Lottie. Try soap chic or nail-brush boutique.

Oh no she's seeing stuff. All that cave-gas exposure is fucking her up.

I know Akilah still believes in that stuff or she wouldn't have all those reservations. I'm guessing Lottie is going in on this plan to keep them there, possibly helping out Shauna and Taissa. Either way I always knew she'd be on wilderness/stay/Shauna's side if they split. Like it's pretty much a given she's alligning with Shauna regardless. We all saw her last season.

Natalie's back on the plane. Is she gathering Jackie's bones up to take her home with them? If she does I WILL cry.

Oh, no she's saying goodbye to coach. Again Misty's not invited. Fuck you, again, for that, Nat.

"I'm sorry you didn't make it to this moment" And whose fault is that?

Footsteps outside? Is it that moose again? No it died didn't it?

Nevermind, I guess Natalie bought into that shit more than she says she did.

Lol I love that at the hospital they still think Tai's Van's wife.

Oooooh the Tais are talking to each other. Never seen that before.

Lowkey other Tai serving. Feel bad for Tai though.

Natalie... you can take the girl out of New Jersey...

Lottie I did not expect this from tbh. Like I did not expect her to dissent so openly.

Oooh she tried to tell them. Without telling them. She knows, deep down, but ugh it's so frustrating because it's on the tip of her tongue but... she wont let it out.

Lmao though, Natalie's still leader.

And a shit one at that.

Why would you leave Lottie alone? Genuinely what the fuck?

Shauna staying with Lottie. I was right! And Tai! Right again! The order is wrong but the meat of it is right. The gang's splitting up. And I was even right about the split too. Van I don't see splitting with Tai but honestly she really wanted to go home so who knows, it might be an even split here. With Van half wanting to stay half wanting to go.

Natalie giving... not sure what but she's giving the dickens out of it

I'm lowkey proud of my little baby Natalie though. Like she's usually the one with the moral compass trying to keep people from being frozen out etc, and now that compass is well and truly broken and she's turned into adult Nat who is self serving and only doing what she wants and what's easier for her.

Ooooh Shauna spoke up. She says 'you are prying the antler crown off my cold dead head'

Lowkey (HIGHKEY) scary, Shauna, right now.

Like she's looking for all the beef with Nat.

Jeff is wigging out

He's going full boomer mode

on GOD not the Joels AGAIN

yey he got a win and all but come ON who cares?

This is the yellowjackets, not the Jeff Sadecki show. We're missing out on teen timeline or adult timeline Yellowjackets so we can stroke Jeff's ego. Great. Thanks.

Oh look he said the codeword. Boring. Shauna's entire fucking motivation apparently this season. Boredom.

Melissa calling out Shauna I am COMPLETELY on board with.

Of course I don't believe her about Lottie though. That was where she lost me. I don't know if she's involved but it sure as fuck looks like it now.

Just saw that kitchy sign hanging over the kitchen and you know what? You're right, Shauna, kill her now.

Melissa IS serving all the cunt right now though.

Shouldn't have tried to pull that fast one on Shauna bro

Like I knew you were a shady cunt but yeah, definitely Melissa, being this dumb

Okay see now you got your ass beat the fuck up and handed to you

Shauna's been going to this underground fight club for years, your gym membership did NOT prepare you to take this type of heat

I'm sooooooo worried for Nat next ep when Shauna beats the everloving fuck out of her

jesus fuck she's gonna twist her like a pretzel

anyway baack to the present

and she just break her fucking arm?

Hold up she is beating the SHIT OUT OF HER

Melissa got her own back a little with that headbutt but bro's a goner.

Wait did she just?

WHAT THE FUCK SHAUNA?

NO!

SHAUNA! NO! STOP! BAD SHAUNA!

SHAUNA!

SHAUNA, WHAT THE CUFK SHAUNAAAAA?

LIKE WHEN SHE PARTED HER LEGS LIKE THAT I WAS LIKE

BUT THEN SHE JUST!!!!!!

SHAUNA

WHAT THE FUCK?

[positivelybeastly]

[ '97 verse]✨

"Do you know, Tess, I don't think there are many people I find myself able to do this with?"

It's a somewhat out of the blue observation from Hank - someone who, given his fur, struggles to be out of the blue - but it's one said with an honest affection as they stand in line for the concession stand.

(People are staring, because of course they are, but Hank's wearing his Howard the Duck t-shirt, and that seems to be convincing most of the humans that he really is just there to watch Jackie Brown and not to eat them.)

As they move a little further up the line, Hank decides to expound upon his thesis.

"It isn't that I don't find the rest of the team's company scintillating, of course, and please, pardon my double negative. But, Scott and Jean are starting to move on to another stage in their lives. Rogue and Remy are, as the younger generation say, a thing. Logan and Morph."

He gives Tess a significant look.

Another step further up the line.

Hank definitely wants an extra large sweet popcorn bucket.

"And, to speak of said younger generation - Jubilation and Roberto appear to be rather sweet on one another. Then Lucas, Ororo . . ." His eyes grow a little misty as he catches himself, and he looks away for a moment.

It's clear he still blames himself, on some level. For not being quick enough during the attack on the United Nations, for not stopping the X-Cutioner. For not being able to find a solution for the inhibitor gun. For not being able to save poor Nathan.

It feels as though all he does is give bad news, these days, and he really wishes it wasn't the case.

". . . But then, here you are. My best friend. And, to paraphrase Charles Lamb, 'Tis the privilege of friendship to talk nonsense, and to have that nonsense respected.'"

He grasps her hand as they finally reach the end of the line, a rather bored looking teenager ready to take their orders.

"I know I talk rather a lot of nonsense, Tess. But you respect my nonsense. And I think that happens to be my favourite thing about you."

He gives her a peevish grin.

"That, and the fact that you always pay for my drinks and snacks! What more could a friend wish for?"

[frazzledsoul]

Couldn't sleep last night, so I finished season 8 of Shameless. My grades, broken down by character:

Frank: B +. He actually was gainfully employed for the first half of the season and even though he resorted to scheming in the second half, he seems more integrated into the family and not doing something outright horrible. He's also a half decent dad to Liam. He definitely bothered me less this season than he had in previous years

Fiona: C -. Seriously, I'm over her. There was someone who popped up on Reddit a while back who claimed they had placed Fiona in her own storyline apart from the other characters because Emmy had so many issues getting along with other cast members. The logic tracks, but the results are boring. Ford is a snooze, I seriously don't care what goes on with these apartment tenants, and Fiona is not terribly compelling when separated from her family. Also, I just don't like her as a person at this point. Blaming all of her problems with Sean on solely him, claiming all of her siblings are completely raised and she doesn't have to care for them anymore (Liam appears to be just finishing kindergarten), willing to toss out a bunch of homeless kids on the street (from a building that isn't her own) because it will cost her money, and getting pissed at Ford because he wasn't falling in love with her yet....honestly, she didn't do anything to piss me off like she did in seasons 6 and 7, but I just don't like her at this point. It didn't feel like old Fiona until she got pulled back into the fray with the Jesus situation. I did like the Vanessa character but otherwise I would rank this lower.

Lip: A-. I found his storyline boring at first, but eventually it became the one I liked the most. He's slowly trying to become a better person and fumbling at it, but I really identified with trying to support these crazy people in his circle and yet not feeling validated as a "real problem". The stuff with Youens really got to me because Youens tried so hard with Lip and Lip didn't deserve most of it, and now karma got to hit him in the face a little bit. I feel he felt misplaced in seeing how many people Youens had helped and felt he wasn't special, but also because they became great successes and he did not. I think I understand Lip a lot more than the fandom does, because ultimately he never wanted to be that huge success story everyone else wanted him to be. The ambition that so many of the other characters have doesn't really exist with him.

Ian: F. (Sorry, babe). I don't mind Trevor as a character, but this season had way too much of him and the gay Jesus storyline makes no sense. I simply don't find it plausible that there are this many homophobic churches in inner city Chicago in the first place, and it got seriously OTT and cringeworthy. I guess there goes Ian's nice career, too. At least Mickey comes back soon.

Carl: B. Hi, AU Misty Quigley! Cassidy was a hoot and I enjoyed her in all of her insanity.

Debbie: B. Another wild year for Debbie. Got dumped, got laid, got arrested, almost got pregnant again, got fired, and lost her toes. I think while she has Frank's penchant to get involved in wild schemes that for the time being she is willing to fuel them towards something productive, which Frank has no interest in doing.

Liam: C. It's so strange seeing him actually having lines and plot threads. I give it a low grade because it wasn't very interesting, but I think that spending so much time with Frank he's canny enough not to trust exactly what he says but also doesn't harbor any anger or resentment towards him. At this point, he is not remotely being raised by Fiona, though.

Kevin/Veronica/Svetlana: D. I recognize that Svetlana stole the bar from them, but I feel they turned on her so hard and so drastically when they had considered themselves married to her a short time ago that it felt cruel to me. (Also, they are terrible businesspeople). Also, Veronica was gaga in love with her in season 7, it wasn't just sex, so to dismiss it as "domination" makes no sense to me. I will miss Svetlana and her sexy, borderline sociopathic ways.

Overall grade: C. The show is starting to show its age. Honestly, Cassidy, Lip/Youens, and Toegate were the highlights.

Some additional thoughts:

The way Frank calmly dispatched with Debbie's toes was awesome. Also, I related maybe a bit too much at Debbie's escalating terror at her medical costs.

I feel I should feel ripped off that they built Lip/Sierra up all season and then had Lip reject her, but honestly she's too unstable and has too many problems to be good for him, and the fact that she invited him over and went on a bender right before he got there is not a good sign. Also, if there's a choice between him and her baby daddy she will choose the baby daddy, and Lip's wise to steer clear of love triangles at this point.

I think Debbie was lucky Lip found out about her pregnancy scare (and was so supportive and literally listened to what she wanted to do without judging her) and not Fiona. Fiona would absolutely not have handled this well. I think there's a credible argument to be made that he was the better person to handle this situation in the first place and would not have treated Debbie so harshly and literally put her out on the street.

I'm always shocked when Maggie Wheeler shows up in anything and uses her non-Janice voice, but it was nice to see her again.

[theotherrookie]

It went without saying that no part of their current situation was ideal, but watching Misty was a small joy after the really disappointing day. The two mercenaries watched intently, tilting their heads when she walked up to the camera.

This couldn't be it. Nobody checked on their cat during a kidnapping. While one brother looked around for any details that seemed out of place, the other was completely mesmerized by Misty's antics.

Not that they could be blamed for it. Even Willow couldn't help a faint smile.

Her quest so far had been fruitful and eventless. She had gathered what Russell had requested, along with a decent array of snacks, some fresh fruit and a big box of ice cream. Oh, and she couldn't forget the coffee. She definitely didn't want to deal with a raging coffee deprived fairy man.

Now she just needed to find a few more items, grab the pizzas, then she'd be on her way.

In the meantime, the Twins were getting restless again, though this time they seemed to want Russell's attention. It was hard to tell what they wanted, but the inquisitive noises they made while motioning to his phone suggested they might have wished to inquire about Misty.

Russell's suggestions were duly noted. Although, while Leofric's special dietary requirements were pretty restrictive, she wasn't so sure she would follow through with Russell's request.

Perhaps snooping around Russell's phone without him knowing wasn't the most correct thing to do, but she had to keep an eye on him as much as the Twins. He was checking on his cat, who was actually very adorable by the way, and sounded rather disheartened.

No, he needed something more than protein bars. She would get an extra to go with them and then, she'd figure out who would be most suited to have a word with him so he could start processing the most recent events.

In the meantime, she was going to do her best blending in. The day just kept being full of surprises. Hopefully, this grocery run would be as painless as possible.

In the meantime, the Twins were frantically looking around for something, anything they could use to get out of the mess they got himself into. Unfortunately, Willow knew all the tricks they knew and had prepared accordingly.

Their efforts turned out to be as fruitless as expected. The brother that got wounded thus resorted to looking at what Russell was doing and caught a glimpse of Misty. The other soon joined in and soon enough, they were leaning over the seat to watch as well.

So Russell wasn't lying. What a cute little fluffball she was. They simply couldn't stop watching.

[spiritualbambi]

pick a card: what's your beauty?

pile 1 -> pile 2 pile 3 -> pile 4

JOIN MY DISCORD

MASTERLIST

MY KOFI

INSTRUCTIONS: breath in, breath out and choose whatever picture that draws you in the most!

NOTE: it’s completely fine if you are attracted to more than one pile - the universe probably wants you to see some other messages. this is also general reading, not everything may resonate! enjoy!

PILE 1

your eyes are special, they're one of a kind, maybe even magical - something about them draws people in. your beauty is untraditional, maybe even breaking the usual societal norms or beauty standards. it holds sensual power. i see the nose being your prominent trait too - it could make people stare at it and think "damn i want a nose like that". your beauty is very much model-material, so don't be surprised if you get scouted in the street randomly. your beauty draws others in, makes them curious and leaves them speechless. it holds a mystical power to it. you may get compared to various mythological beings: fairies, mermaids, sirens, nymphs, or vampires, etc. your whole aura reminds me of misty lakes, deep dark oceans at night, secret pathways in an ancient city, unfound mysteries, black cats with amber eyes, and deer in a morning forest. genuinely, you're stunning. people stared, stare and WILL stare at you. can't blame them - i would too.

PILE 2

your beauty is fresh. your hair is stunning, reminds me of a princess. you give me a vibe of a summer morning in italy, a sunny day of exploration in louvre. right away, your legs are gorgeous - it's something about their shape, tone - it just makes people glance at them. wear more shorts, dresses or skirts - anything that shows off your gorgeous legs. your skin is soft, it reminds me of a flower petal. your beauty may be a clash of soft and sharp, i sense duality. it works great though. it may shock people, they haven't really seen someone like this. but your beauty is appreciated. people compliment you a lot, if not in your face, in their head for sure. natural elegance, you have it! i could even call you aristocratic - there's an aura of profound dignity around you. your beauty is remarkable, own it!

PILE 3

the word "dark" comes into my mind. your beauty is dark in some way, maybe your hair, skin or eyes are dark, or maybe you have just have this dark vibe. you are bewitching, i'm sure for your beauty you'd have been burned at the stake back in the witch trial times - it doesn't sound great, but at least we know that you're THAT pretty. i'm sensing that you flawlessly and accidentally attract people who are in relationships. an unintentional seducer. this may bring you trouble. definitely, your beauty is powerful. you have a nice figure, nicely shaped. some of you got a juicy ass, i swear goddamn girl what you doing with ALL THAT BUNDA? your beauty might also be considered "illegal", as if it's breaking the rules, customs, traditions; it sometimes even brings trouble. you may notice people, especially women, being envious of your beauty - not the most pleasant experience, i'm sorry. for this reason you may find a hard time finding true friends - either they fall in love with you or they're wishing evil upon you. stay careful bb!

PILE 4

your beauty is comforting. strangers just may spill all their personal life to you just the same day they met you. you look approachable and understanding. people don't sense harsh judgement around you. your beauty reminds me of fresh parchment paper, newly bought books, warm latte, milky tea, old english cities, museums and libraries. you probably look intellectual and collected but friendly. you have the charm of a pretty girl that sits in a café and writes a novel on her laptop. you have nice features overly. your hands may be bony or you just have nice hands. i like your lips. you have a warm aura with tints of coldness. you're giving very much academia vibes, your beauty probably fits into that aesthetic. you're just beautiful, i have nothing more to say, just straight up beautiful.

[tonberry-yoda]

Im not sure if your requests are open still but if they are, can i have a Megumi Fushiguro! Aged up fluff, (not sure if your comfortable). Of preferably a scene were he is holding his child for the first time.

If not then a simple first kiss is ok!

My requests are definitely still open!! I really love this request and I did both a first kiss and holding his child (both flashbacks). Thank you so much for requesting!! This was so fun to write and super cute!!!! <3

Home Life - Megumi Fushiguro

Paring - aged up! Megumi Fushiguro x reader

Warnings - none! just dripping with fluff!

Word Count - 668

Notes - omg, my first jujutsu kaisen writing!!! thank you again for requesting! i hope this is good, i really like it, so i hope you do to! and have a lovely day @thatfanfictionwriter <333

And don’t forget, REQUESTS ARE OPEN! So if you want to request any writing, please don’t hesitate to ask, but please read my pinned post before requesting! Please enjoy!! Don’t forget to stay hydrated! <3

You turned over in your sleep, hearing the house phone ringing in the living room. “Megumi,” your voice was tired and barely audible. “Megumi, love, can you go get that?” Other than the sound of your voice, there was rain pouring outside and the faint sound of the fan that was spinning in your room. Megumi stretched, his shirt moving up to reveal his abs. His face scrunched at the sound of the phone, knowing that he would have to get up from his current very comfortable state. He looked over at you and smiled, petting your hair. You fell back asleep pretty quickly. Megumi gave you a quick peck on the cheek and ran over to the phone in the living room, hoping and praying that it hadn’t woken Ayla up.

“Hello?” Megumi’s voice was deep and tired as he rubbed his eye, waiting for a response on the other line. Just a spam call. He quickly hung up and grabbed himself a glass of water. The kitchen almost looked eerie at night. But strangely comfortable at the same time.

2:30. Because of course it was. Megumi couldn't really sleep anyway. Though, he kind of had the four year old to blame for that. He loved the kid, but sometimes those things could keep you up for hours. But he didn't mind the hours. He loved that child with all his heart and soul. While he was on the topic of thinking about her, he walked to her room to check if the phone had woken her up.

Megumi smiled as he walked in, finding Ayla fast asleep, her face slammed to her pillow. He kneeled down and petted her hair, smiling. She looked just like you. Except, Megumi was prideful to say that she had his eyelashes. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and walked back to where you were, still fast asleep. You looked so much like that child it baffled him.

Megumi can't believe it's been four years already. He remembers just yesterday when he held that child in his arms, the little scrunched look she had on her face as she fell asleep slowly in his arms. He definitely remembers crying a lot. He vowed to make the best home life for that child, since he didn't have the best. He wanted to be the father he never had. He looked into her dark, but bright blue eyes. Just like his. Her bright hair matched yours. It was like something out of a dream. He loved that baby. More than anything. Well, maybe not you. “Who was it?” You somehow got out of your deep trance of sleep and turned over to Megumi, holding his hand. “Just a spam call.” “That’s stupid.” Megumi giggled, playing with your fingers. “Did you check on Ayla?!” Your tone became quickly worried. “Yes, I did. She’s fast asleep.” You sighed, relaxing on the bed. “I can't believe it's been four years.” You turned to Megumi, who had misty eyes. “Megumi-” “I'm so proud of you.” “I'm so proud of you.” You cupped his face, scooting closer and wrapped your arms around the back of his neck. “God, I remember when we had our first kiss at that godforsaken school and here we are, married with a four year old to call ours.” “Oh god,” you cringed with a slight giggle. “Don't mention that kiss.” “If it weren't for that awful first kiss, we wouldn't be here, so I think you should be proud of it.” “Proud of accidentally knocking you off of that bench and nearly knocking your tooth out?” “Yup.” Megumi pulled you closer so you were hoisted on his lap and he laid a small kiss on your cheek before giving you a couple of pecks on the lips. He wouldn't give up that first kiss for the world. That’s what started everything. His entire life was in his home and he wanted to protect it until the day he died.

[teabookgremlin]

babe wake up lila’s thoughts on yellowjackets 02x04 just dropped. as per usual spoilers below cut. i loved this week’s ep so very hyped to share my thoughts!

- obsessed w/ fugue state tai at jessica roberts’ house. she was on a fucking mission and i respect it. i really liked having her wake up on the way to find van, i was kinda hoping she’d only come to once arriving at van’s shop but i liked to see that tai still had the same goal as other tai

- kinda obsessed with the new cover of the intro song, i mean it always goes so hard but it definitely slapped this week, wonder if it’ll stay this way for the rest of the season or not

- I DO NOT TRUST WALTER he knows what misty likes just too well. the musicals, the flattery, calling her a good friend, he wants something from her and he is trying to get her to trust him. i doubt she will and i want him to die at her hand but we’ll see as long as they don’t end up a couple i’m chill

- misty and crystal singing and annoying the others i love these loser girls so much

- who do we think stole some of the bear? i would say ben but like it would be hard for him to get out there without anyone noticing and i don’t think he has the motivation to go through extra effort for food rn. maybe javi? i don’t think sleep walking tai bc van has been following her. adding this to the list of cabin mysteries right next to who shit in the piss bucket

- “what exactly would you do about it, eat me?” ben no longer gives a fuck he is so ready to be bitchy to these cannibal teenagers and i love that for him

- very interested by lottie this episode oh boy, but as i’m going chronologically lets start with her silence when the hunting competition was proposed. it’s really interesting to me how she doesn’t seem to want this at all, like she does not want the influence she has over the girls, she does not want to be seen as this power and i’m intrigued to know if that’ll change at all

- now onto adult lottie: i want to know if something in particular happened to make her so scared of her visions bc in the wilderness so far she’s just been kinda going along with them so i’m curious to see when that shift occurs

- need to know what the dripping is that mari hears and absolutely loved her asking akilah to help her find it. mari is a hater to everyone but her we love to see it

- AKILAH MY BEST FRIEND AKILAH THE LITTLE MOUSE FRIEND SO FUCKING CUTE AKILAH IS JUST LIKE ME FOR REAL

- lottie returned to bear heart altar to perform a blood sacrifice —> did this bring the moose in some way? 

- obsessed with nat being so protective over lisa when they were with her mother that was so sweet nat really is the kindest of the bunch

- “not a bad person just a bad criminal” shauna you are in not position to judge how good a criminal someone is you also kinda suck at it

- nat taking the fish was so cute

- i don’t even know what to say about lottie’s hallucination except i’m in pain and lottie lee is real we won but i’m still very sad

- nat after they lost the moose made me want to cry. she is putting so much pressure on herself to feed everyone and just ugh she is making me feel things. and then her blaming herself for lottie almost dying too my girl <3

- LOTTIENAT that’s it that’s all i have for the tub scene

- so intrigued by the queen of hearts w/ eyes scratched out, maybe some connection to man w/ no eyes? connection to antler queen? idk maybe we will see lottie find out about man w/ no eyes and that’ll mean something?

- what the fuck happened to javi. where was he. how’d he survive. what’s wrong with him. is that even the real javi. i have many questions

- i think that van becoming increasingly convinced that tai has a connection to wilderness is going to lead to tai leaning into it more to stay close to van. their dynamic will probably start to shift more and i’m so interested to see how

- ok now onto the best part: ADULT TAIVAN THEY ARE HERE WE HAVE THEM MY BELOVEDS HAVE BEEN REUNITED

- just van’s expression when seeing tai, the little barely there smile as she says her name, her little shop, she’s real she’s here i love her she’s amazing thank you lauren

[otnesse]

Let's just say there's plenty of blame to throw around in that scene (I'm pretty sure Misty, ironically enough, would not have gone that far as to pelt snowballs, based on a similar situation after Ash lost to Ritchie, plus the whole Pewter Gym thing).

Well, either way, whether Serena was justified in doing so or not, I will say this much, she STILL treated Ash FAR nicer in that scene than Naru did to Keitaru in a similar situation in Love Hina (Volume 3 Chapter 17). Here's the pages in question, and a fair bit of warning, that scene is a doozy (there's a reason why this scene in particular was cited as being why Naru, even by her usual depictions, was at her least sympathetic):

In case context is needed, basically, both Keitaru and Naru flunked their entrance exams into Tokyo University (basically, a major part of the plot is getting enrolled in there to find their future loved ones. Naru to meet Seta, Keitaru to find... well, someone he met when he was still a kid, which in the ending turned out to actually be Naru ironically enough). So, yeah, definitely a LOT worse than snowballs in this case (and unlike with Serena based on your commentary, Naru actually STARTED this mess. Heck, at least Serena TRIED to express concern for Ash before then, while Naru didn't have ANY regard for Keitaru at ALL and gave herself a pity party instead). You can read up on that chapter here, plus a differing translation here. Oh, and as an FYI, this is FAR from the first time Naru treated Keitaru like trash (she often beats him up for allegedly "being a pervert" even when he was at the wrong place at the wrong time at best, Kafka-esque situations at WORST), though it's definitely the first, not to mention only time Keitaru actually stands up for himself (normally, he meekly apologizes even when he's not actually at fault). Just as an FYI, I outright HATED this manga even as an early teen (thank my mom for that), even moreso after I learned what was a so-called running gag there. That's actually one of the reasons I became devoted enough to Misty to try and bring her back, and also a major factor in my hate for May and Dawn. Only reason I even hunted down those images was purely to defend Serena, not because I like her or anything, but because I felt calling her abusive during that time is going a bit too far if you ask me.

I'm not saying she was right to throw snowballs but she was right to be angry.

But my point is he is throwing away all her hard work over an entire journey with this sentence

Hearing that from the person you admire the most.

It would infuriate anyone

People throw her away and consider her not enough, they don't look at her side for a moment and that's why they put the blame only on her.

[blxckchxrrybxby]

Unprecedented [Pt. 3]

Pairing: Cordelia Goode x Reader x Wilhemina Venable

Warning: s m u t ?

A/N: I did not edit this and I definitely wrote it at like 2am. I apologize in advance.

Word count: 3,754

Pt.1 Pt.2

“Have you told Ms. Cordelia yet?” With your fingertips dipped into the moist soil of the sage colored pot, your eyes met Misty’s. She nodded in understanding, “Ah, I see.”

You looked down, feeding your attention back to the Mugwort. You had meant to ask Cordelia if you could borrow some, but once Misty saw your solemn face, she just gave it to you. The two of you had been out in the greenhouse for most of the afternoon; swapping stories and herbs. Just like Louisiana swamp mud, she always managed to ground you.

“Y’know, it’s okay to open up to her.”

You chuckled at Misty’s words. Considering you had opened up your heart as well as your legs to the Supreme, it was obvious that ‘opening up’ wasn’t necessarily the problem. Of course, no one—aside from your two lovers—was aware of the relationship. As you finished potting the herb, you sat it to the side and looked at the mud covered blonde.

“How would I tell her?” You asked with a softness synonymous to Cordelia, yet with an aura as daunting as Venable. Silence buzzed around the room like a lonesome fly. It was a nuisance. Deafening and tumultuous all at the same time. Almost as if it were kin to anxiety. Misty didn’t need to respond because there wouldn’t be a response good enough for you.

You climbed off of the wooden table you previously sat on and continued, “Better yet, when would I have time to tell her?” You stopped for a moment, peering about.

“Lookin’ for somethin’?” Misty queried, fully submerged in her own project.

“Hibiscus?”

“Back shelf; bottom right.”

You nodded, mumbling a quick thank you, before going to find it. Upon retrieving the jar of dried hibiscus flower, you vented on, “If she’s not teaching, she’s at a council meeting. And if she’s not at a council meeting, she’s cooped up in her office; hunched over a stack of papers.”

Misty giggled at the imagery, “Oh, I don’t think Ms. Cordelia hunches.”

“You don’t think I have time for you?”

You and Misty looked up, startled by the Supreme. You could feel your body heat up in chagrin as you lightly chided Misty for not telling you she had walked in, “Misty!”

“I am elbow deep in alligator dung and Spanish moss! I ain’t hear her walk in!”

Cordelia ignored the back and forth as she stared at you full of despondence. “Misty, would you mind giving us a moment?”

The swamp witch nodded, immediately wiping the healing remnants off of her skin, “delighted.”

As she scurried out of the greenhouse, Delia took her time gazing at the jar of hibiscus and pot of Mugwort closest to you. “Are you having a hard time sleeping?”

You shook your head, trying your best to avoid eye contact, “Don’t worry about that. I’m fine, Delia-“

“Are you?” She stepped closer to you, “…because with what I just heard, it sounds like there are some things I’m unaware of.”

You scoffed silently, “You’re aware of plenty. Just like you’re aware of who to blame for the party.”

She raised a hand, waving off the past memories of the earlier kitchen conversation, “We shouldn’t have tried to lecture you, alright? It was stupid and the girls came clean-“

“Why did it take for them to come clean before you believed that I was the one opposed to it?”

“Y/n…” You panicked internally as her heels clicked, signaling that she had stepped even closer. Your eyes lifted just enough to meet those honey-colored orbs you adored so much. “It was never about any of that. After you left, Wilhemina and I had a discussion-“

“About?”

“You.”

You furrowed your eyebrows, waiting for her to continue.

“Because of the extent of things between all three of us, I’ve been lacking as your teacher and mentor.” Your eyes fell away from hers as your mind raced to the worst possible scenarios. Was she going to end things for the sake of your education? Fuck the witchcraft! “Listen to me and not your brain.” Almost immediately, you met her eyes again. “As much as I adore being your lover, I mustn’t abandon my duties as your Supreme. I lectured you in the heat of being your mentor. Whether it was your fault or not—which I know it wasn’t—the party has consequences. The coven works as one. We celebrate together and we fail together. That party could have ended badly. Any time a witch, especially developing ones, are under the influence, things could go bad. I shouldn’t have spoken at you. That was wrong of Mina and I. But… what if something happened to one of you?”

It was your turn to reply. If it weren’t for the anxiety and that insipid silent buzzing, you would be able to speak. You would find closure and be at peace. You would be embraced and end the night in her arms; In what felt like home.

Supreme mode activated or not, Delia knew you better than all of this. You took your time and you needed patience. Maybe not as much as Mina, but damn near the same. So, as you looked up at her through those eyelashes of yours, she couldn’t help but to see the neglected child from within. You didn’t need to be forced to express your feelings or apologies. You needed warmth. You needed love. After all, none of it was your fault.

“Come.” She whispered as she slipped the shawl from around her arms and wrapped it around you, pulling you into her chest. As if on cue, you melted into her as your emotions began to bubble up inside of you as if they were a potion in a cauldron. Her fingers buried themselves into your hair, stroking it and massaging your scalp. “I know this week has been hectic, and I know it started off rough, but I’m here. Wilhemina and I are here. Whatever you may need, despite the circumstance or environment or emotions, we are always here.”

With a sniffle you mumbled almost incoherently, “…sometimes it doesn’t feel like it.”

“Oh, sweet girl.” She pressed her lips to the crown of your head, kissing it. “I’m sorry for all of the times I’ve made you feel alone and left in the dark. It was never my intention. I would never invoke something as hurtful as that when it comes to Mina and I’s girl.”

You buried your face deeper into her chest, trying your best to hide the tears. If you could, you’d crawl into the deepest chambers of her heart and engulf yourself in her love. But Cordelia knew what the warm droplets of sorrow felt like hitting her chilled skin once it surpassed clouding in your eyes. She knew you carried more hurt than she could ever withdraw. She knew you were the living version of melancholy, and if it took long nights and tight embraces to blow away the clouds over your head, she would commit to that forever.

“I know you’re used to feeling as if you must figure everything out, but you don’t have to. You’re still so young. Just like the older girls, you’re finding your footing in this world. And if you happen to stumble, we will all be here to catch you. Although, I’m sure Mina may throw a fit if anyone else touches you.” She chuckled softly, shaking her head. Her hand dropped down from your hair to meet the other on your lower back.

You lifted your head as Delia wiped the salty remains of your tears dry. “…I never understood how others could find her so terrifying.”

She chuckled at your statement and replied, “That’s only because she has a soft spot for you. Always did. So, you never got a chance to encounter that side.”

A wide mischievous grin spilled onto your face, “I’m telling her you told me.”

Delia gasped and pulled you in by the shawl, whispering in your ear, “Do it and I’ll tell her you called her terrifying.”

You pulled back in shock, “But I didn-“

“Aht!”

With a playful huff you grabbed your belongings, “Let’s get out of here and give Misty her sanctuary back.”

Cordelia chuckled and nodded, agreeing. As you both made your way out, she cocked an eyebrow at you, “I would also like to have you know, I do not hunch. I am a Supreme of great posture.”

-

After dinner, everyone made their way to their rooms (with the exception of a few girls binge watching some dating show in Zoe’s room). You were on your way to your bedroom before the smell of lavender engulfed your senses. You froze halfway up the stairs and turned to examine the woman in plum who had been chained to her office all evening. She slowly ascended up the stairs; cane tapping melodically with each step.

Once she met your current placement, she squinted. “You do know that it’s impolite to stare, right?”

While pulling your bottom lip in between your teeth, you nodded, “I know, but God… it’s always so hard to look away.”

She let out a scoff, “Oh? Is it the cane that captures your attention?”

“More like your beauty…” You tilted your head as your eyes began to wander, “…and your curves... and your poise..." finally, your eyes met with hers, “Oh, and your ass.”

Her face turned crimson at the monotoned compliments. She ignored you and made her way to the bedroom. A soft chuckle escaped your lips as you followed. There was nothing more fun than teasing the dragon. Upon walking into the bedroom she and Cordelia shared, you couldn’t help but to be impressed at how quickly she entered the bathroom. You looked at the Supreme—who smelled of fresh lemongrass soap—sitting at the edge of the bed in a satin slip.

“Tough day, I suppose.” The blonde stated, shrugging passively. She grabbed a book from the nightstand and adjusted herself against the head of the bed. It wasn’t rare for all three of you to sleep together. Although, since the others were oblivious to the budding relationship, you would spend a few nights in your room to deter any prying eyes. “Will you be joining us tonight? We hate sleeping without you.”

You could feel a blush rise as you looked down at your feet, “I should go shower. Besides, I may not tonight since it would look weird for me to be in here after sleeping in my room for most of the week.”

“Y/n, no one will question it.”

“How could you know that, Delia? Besides-“

“Go shower and come back.”

You blinked, completely taken off guard at her remark, “Delia-“

“I’ve said it once and I will not repeat myself. By the time you’re done, Mina should already be in bed.” She leaned forward a bit, “This isn’t me forcing you to sleep with us tonight, but I at least want to enjoy some down time with you before falling asleep. Can you do that for me, sweetheart?”

Your eyes scanned down to the strap of her slip that had slid down her arm when she leant forward, “Fine. I’ll be right back.”

A smirk etched itself onto her lips, “Good girl.”

An ache settled between your thighs, reigniting the same torturous flame from earlier. You scurried out of the room cautiously and went to shower.

-

When you returned back to the bedroom, you realized the Supreme was correct. Mina was indeed settled in bed. Her back rested against a few pillows as she sat up at a 45° angle. Cordelia, on the other hand, sat at a full 90°. Both reading their own books. How did you get so lucky?

“Glad you could make it.” Cordelia said, smirking.

You playfully rolled your eyes and climbed onto the bed, snuggling between the two women. “Glad to be here.”

Cordelia chuckled in response, lifting her fingers from the book to lock the bedroom door. Mina took a moment to raise her eyebrow at both of your antics. You directed your attention towards her and grinned stupidly, waiting for the redhead to show you attention. After a moment, you thought she was going to speak, but all she did was turn the page. With a deep frown, you sat up and glared.

“Well don’t be rude.”

Wilhemina fleetingly glanced at you over the glasses perched on her nose, “Pardon?”

“How inconsiderate of you not to greet me after we’ve barely exchanged conversation today.“

She squinted, “Aside from you complimenting my posterior on the staircase?”

“You mean your ass? Yes, aside from that!”

Delia looked up, completely amused, and mumbled, “You do have a nice backside, Mina.”

With an exasperated eyeroll, she gave in and greeted you. “Hello, little one.”

You smirked, leaning close enough to whisper in her ear, “Hello, daddy. Now, was that so hard?” You watched as she tensed up for a moment, slowly exhaling. Delia shook her head, already knowing you had her wrapped around your finger.

“You should know better than to interrupt me while I’m reading.”

You watched as she slid her glasses off and handed them to Cordelia (along with the book) to put on the nightstand. The book could wait. As for the fire burning inside of you, that needed to be extinguished now. You allowed your fingertips to glide over her leg, moving towards her inner thigh. She quickly gripped your wrist, halting the movement. Her eyes pierced into yours as you admired her dominant appeal and loose red locks framing her face. It seemed to still be damp from the shower.

“I believe you owe me something from earlier in the kitchen,” you mumbled innocently. Her face remained stoic as it moved closer to yours as if she were the tide and you were the moon.

“Wilhemina Venable does not owe.”

Your chest moved up and down as her intimidation grew. The thing about Venable was that she was a wild card. She rarely gave into your antics and preferred to fuck you on her own terms. Probably due to her control issues. In order to show a form of defiance, you began to pull away. Without warning, the fiery woman gripped your neck and pulled you back, smashing her lips into yours.

She kissed you rough, full of unspoken passion as teeth clashed and lips bruised. A soft whimper fought to escape your throat as both sets of lips tried their best to hold it hostage. Mina’s warm tongue plunged itself within your mouth; claiming every inch as hers. She tasted of toothpaste with a hint of coffee; A combination you never thought you’d grow to enjoy.

Your fingers gripped at her pajama shirt for grounding before ripping open the buttons. Mina gasped, shocked at your eagerness. You weren’t always one to dominate, but when you did, it certainly wasn’t over your Mina. However, right now you didn’t care. Your brain felt like mush, and everything craved to be touched.

“What has gotten into you two today?” She mumbled, mostly to herself.

Within seconds a familiar warmth covered your ear. Delia traced your lobe with the tip of her tongue before whispering lustfully, “You didn’t forget about me, did you, babygirl?”

God, how could you?

By now, your superior had her tongue back down your throat, your Supreme sucked on your neck while pulling up your shirt, and your panties were soaked. Cordelia’s fingers pinched at your nipples as her free hand gripped your hair, pulling on it. The sudden tug pulled you away from the lips of your lavender lover only to be replaced by your Supreme. A needy moan escaped from you as Mina dragged her nails across your inner thighs; lips suddenly latching onto the hard peaks that were once covered by your oversized shirt.

Your hips bucked, begging for the redhead to bury her tongue (or fingers) well within your tightening walls. Hell, perhaps if you acted like you had some sense, you’d be filled to the brim by 9 inches of silicon by now. Cordelia chuckled, knowing exactly what you needed, but taking her time to suck on your tongue, nonetheless. Kissing Delia was always heaven. She took her time taking over your senses, unlike Mina who ravaged you like she’d never have the chance to again.

You gasped in Delia’s mouth, feeling a painful sensation to your nipples. A smirk spread across the redhead’s lips as she repeated her actions, biting at your other nipple. You couldn’t help but to squirm once both women pulled away simultaneously. Mina laid back against the pillows, giving her back a break, while Delia retreated from the bed.

If your clit had emotions, it’d be crying. Although, since you were the owner of said clit, you volunteered to do it instead. As your face contorted into the most brattiest of pouts, Wilhemina grabbed your hand. Her eyes met yours as a sadistic smile formed.

“Come, little one. It’s been a while since you’ve fed me.”

Without a second thought, you removed your panties, throwing them elsewhere. You threw your left leg over her face, being careful not to set your knee down on her hair. Her hands found your thighs, squeezing them enough to signal that she wanted you to sit. However, you couldn’t help but to admire the sight below you. The inside of your thighs were already glistening from an overflow of sexual arousal. Although you felt tortured, you could hold off for another minute if that meant that you could memorize her like this. Dark eyes, full of desire. Hair contrasting against your skin, yet fitting her so very well.

Without a warning, she forced you down onto her warm awaiting mouth. Your hand flew to grasp the headboard while the other buried itself in her hair as your whimpers filled the room. You knew that you couldn’t make much noise, but fuckdid it feel good. The wet sounds of sucking and licking aided in the tightening of your walls as your body greedily craved for more.

“Oh fuck, fuck, fuck!“ You cried out while your hips rocked; clit furiously rubbing against her slithering tongue. You knew you were bound to cum quick, especially after feeling her moan vibrate against your nerves. Her plump lips suctioned around your clit, sucking feverishly. Your eyebrows furrowed in pleasure as everything felt as if it were tightening. “Mina, I-“ Your breathing hitched, as your body embraced the familiar knot forming in the pit of your stomach.

You knew Mina wasn’t always a fan of messes, so you tried to pull back before cumming.

Her grip tightened and her gaze met yours. If it wasn’t for the pleasure, you’d be wincing at the crescents her nails were leaving on your thighs. You panted, biting your lip hard to keep from screaming as your body released into her mouth. She moaned, licking you clean. You winced at the oversensitivity of your pussy, quickly moving off of her as soon as she signaled for you to.

As you laid on the bed, trying your hardest to gain control of your breathing, Delia walked over to Wilhemina. The Supreme’s lips captured her lover’s in a fierce kiss as you watched. You could see how easily Delia kept up in the tongue fight with the more dominant woman; enjoying the slippery sensation more than the need for control. Mina laid her hand against the back of Cordelia’s neck, while the blonde grazed her fingernails down the freckled chest of the other. Upon breaking the liplock, Cordelia planted a trail of kisses down Venable’s chest. She halted for a moment, eyes peering up to find Mina’s, before flicking her tongue across each rosy bud repeatedly. Her tongue swirled around the sensitive peaks, pulling light moans out of the redhead that you had never heard before.

All this time you hadn’t realized how much Mina enjoyed nipple-play.

Delia glanced at you, slowly pulling back while tugging on Wilhemina’s nipple before letting it go. This earned her a soft groan. She brought her finger up, curving it in a ‘come here’ motion at you.

“Let me teach you some things about our Mina.” Your face burned from shyness as if these weren’t the same women who you watched orgasm time and time again. You moved near Cordelia. “Do what I just did.” You nodded and took Mina’s left nipple into your mouth, sucking on it. Your tongue flicked across it, causing the older woman to press her chest against you, letting out a moan. Her fingers stroked your hair before holding your head in place,

“Don’t you stop.” She mumbled in a raspy voice, “That feels so good.”

You mentally praised yourself, happy to be pleasing the older woman. Cordelia gently moved you over enough to straddle Mina, although you were practically on all fours. You stared up at the redhead, moving to her other nipple, as a smirk formed on her face. Before you could question the motive for her expression, your jaw dropped, feeling the intense pleasure of Cordelia easing the strap into you. Your arms went weak, failing to hold you up any longer. Mina stroked your hair as your face laid against her chest; completely twisted up from pleasure. She hummed, pleased at your reaction, “There you go, little one. Take what mommy has for you.”

“Would you like me to stop?” Delia asked with a tinge of concern.

You quickly shook your head, glancing behind you at the witch, “Please don’t.”

The blonde nodded, starting to thrust her hips. Your hands gripped at the sheets as hers gripped at your hips. Moans and whimpers filled the room as Delia sped up her rhythm. With your ass up in the air and face down, they had you right where they needed you. As you got your brains screwed out, a thought managed itself through the mush of thoughts residing in your mind. Without warning, you forced Mina’s pajama pants down.

Her eyes widened, watching you prop one leg onto your shoulder. Your face dove straight into her core, licking through her folds. You basked in her flavor, having not yet been allowed to have your tastebuds baptized in her wetness. She let out groans, making sexual faces at Cordelia. You let out moans, being pounded by Cordelia.

And the Supreme? Well, she was content by it all.

[yellowocaballero]

my excitement at seeing jessica jones and luke cage etc in ur fic :)))) also LOVE the jake lockely jessica jones luke cage etc friendship thing

OH BABY WAS I EXCITED TO PUT THEM IN THERE. You've never seen such delight as me writing witty banter. I wrote so much I had to cut out half of it.

As I mentioned previously, I'm most familiar with Matt (really familiar with Matt, fortunately/unfortunately) and Jessica. I only saw a few episodes of Luke Cage ages ago but I decided not to worry about that when I made him pretentious and annoying. Actually, I want an excuse to tell people the conceit for them, so I'll tell it here. I'll even do it in BULLETPOINT FORMAT like other people do for their AUs.

Always Sunny + Teen Titans (2005) is the vibe of their sitcom

The team itself is Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Danny Rand, Colleen Wing, and Misty Knight. Matt and Jake are the Kramers (they just kinda drop in and help out). (Oh my god Kramer Jake)

They are the kind of superhero team who all live together and have sitcom hijinks but it's just because even Harlem rent prices are skyrocketing and none of them have enough friends to have anybody else as a roommate.

There's character development, but at the outset everybody is either incredibly smarmy, incredibly pretentious, or the most awkward person socially you've ever seen. They all think everybody else is insufferable and annoying, except for themselves. In reality this is the least tolerable people on the planet together in a room.

Luke keeps on trying to explain political issues to people who don't know and don't care. Jessica thinks women are catty and fake so she spends all her time with dudes but she won't stop bitching to them about how terrible men are. Danny will go outside and find himself accidentally working at McDonald's because he wanted to 'help a guy out'. You can take the Misty out of the pigs but you can't take the pigs out of the Misty. Colleen used to have a more respectable life before she had a 1/3rd life crisis and dropped everything to live like a bum in a Harlem apartment and she blames everybody else for it. Matt's definition of fun is going to an art museum and staring thoughtfully at the paintings, freaking everybody else out. Jake is there.

Jessica and Luke, two incredibly bonkers people, have a very steady and loving and reliable relationship. Misty and Colleen, two people who swear up and down how normal they are, have those scary vegan wellness jogging together at 5am color coordinated WLW relationships that makes it seem like they're trying to get a good grade in relationship. They fight WAY more often. Danny's terrible with dating because he keeps forgetting that a girlfriend isn't just, like, a buddy. We know what's up with Matt's relationships. Jake keeps saying he has a wife but we know that's bullshit.

Misty and Colleen and Jessica think they're all private detectives. They're not private detectives. Luke and Danny think that they're doing superhero work on request for pay. They aren't doing that either. Jake thinks that they're the stupidest and least lethal mercenary group of all time and no matter how many times they try to explain to him that they're PIs/superheroes/freelancers he refuses to believe them. This is because Jake is right. Matt thinks they need real jobs. He is also right.

They are relatively functional, sane people apart, but if you lock them in a room they turn unbelievably dysfunctional and crazier than a box of rats. Superhero Team That Makes Each Other Worse. But also, like, in a necessary way. These are all guys that, if they don't go off their shits at least once a week, they explode. They've all tried to be normal people and failed. They tried to be socially acceptable and failed. They tried to do it alone and failed. And now they're all taking that first, terrifying step into not doing it alone. And none of them know how to do it, but none of them realized how badly they needed it either.

[jollyreginaldrancher]

Yellowjackets S2 E4

Ok I'm positive this episode we'll finally find out what happened to Van. We are seeing her in a flashback straight from the bat.

I think she's looking for a sign or some answers. Honestly my guess is that she needs a distraction to keep going. Like things are so bad she needs something to distract her from how bad things are and she's trying to find some deeper meaning in Taissas's sleepwalks.

On the one hand it was sweet that she was looking after her but even that has taken a turn lately towards the dark with Van using her sleepwalking to justify her belief in the supernatural so she doesn't have to just admit they're alone out there and just had a shitty bout of luck, and they're not being manipulated by some deity.

These flashbacks are flashing back to the woods though, and not some happier times, like Laura Lee's finding Jesus moment or Ben's flashing back to being with his boyfriend, which leads me to hope that Van is still alive and Taissa isn't heading to visit her grave or anything along those lines.

I am positive she's being led straight to Van though. Like 100% sure that this is where she's going. Why did she leave the car door unlocked and the window wide open though?

Oh and we're back to Shauna's family drama again. If I have to watch another random scene before we find out what happened to Van I'm going to throw a chair.

...

Is this what they call edging? Like we are so fucking close. I'm positive we find out in this episode. They've kept us waiting for TWO SEASONS! If not in this episode then when? This is torture 😭😭😭

Fine, I'll play your game. I won't be happy about it but I'll play it. I just know they won't fucking show us Van until the very edge. I mean end. I just know they're going to keep me waiting from one cliffhanger to the next. 😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤

They're so evil for this.

Anyway I don't trust or like the new guy Misty is hanging out with.

Is the coach really trying to start shit with a cabin full of cannibals?

Is Nat trying to compete with Lottie because she's banking on finding that Elk? Cause if she doesn't have a game plan here this is a horrible idea. We know she's not going to die but it could very easily have swung that way for her.

Lottie is definitely shady but I don't think she intentionally killed Trevor. I think Nat is just trying to find someone to blame. Is her new cult shady? Yeah. But you get the impression that she has good intentions and a cult personality she can't help. Not that she wants power or control, but that she's just given those things due to her personality.

At least adult Lottie seems to acknowledge her 'visions' are just hallucinations. Maybe they harken to some feelings but they're not visions of the future like the girls believed.

So everyone's just putting Lottie up on this pedestal and I don't think she really wants to be there so will she intentionally flub the contest to get them to stop putting all that pressure on her or does she feel like she has to try out of necessity?

The relationships seem to be really affected by this whole cult that's forming. Van and Tai for the most part seem to be split right down the middle because of it. I wonder if that's the reason they ended up parting ways, or if it was something that happened after their rescue. Like maybe they drifted apart or one of them was forced in the closet or removed from their town and they just lost touch. Whatever it was I'm sure it's gonna be heart-wrenching. These two have already weaseled their way into my heart and it's gonna suck so bad to see them parted.

At least there's still hope for them in the future. I am sure Tai is heading to see Van as we speak, so with her marriage ending, maybe they can kiss and make up and love happily ever after. Yeah I know how deluded it sounds but I just really want that to happen.

I genuinely do not care about Callie sneaking around.

The way that guy with Misty eats should be criminal.

See, I thought Tai was walking to the closest bus stop but she was going to WALK ALL THE WAY TO THE LOVE OF HER LIFE? Now THAT is commitment. IDEC anymore, I would go to war for these two.

That one girl studying for a test is as deluded as I am.

Is the mouse gonna be friend or food?

If they send them out to compete to find good and one of them finds Javi do they count that or?

People in movies and tv cut themselves way too easily. It took me fifteen minutes to psyche myself up to try one of those diabetes blood sugar reading things and that just pokes you on the finger.

The 14th Gilly is the only acceptable distraction at this point but can we go back to Tai and Van though?

No. We're back to Callie's shit again 😤

Honestly I'm as sceptical as Taissa but sometimes you just have to nod your head and go with the flow. This might mean nothing to hee but it clearly means something to her girlfriend.

I just think she could afford to be a little more supportive.

Van isn't crazy she's just trying to find answers and meanings in a shitty situation because she's scared and this could make her feel a little safer. And honestly Tai owes her a LOT. Van blindly followed her out on that expedition that got her MAULED. I think Taissa owes her the benefit of the doubt on this.

I'm getting tired of the coach's flashbacks. They're not really bringing anything new to the table. We get it. He's traumatised and this is his form of escapism. This just feels like more filler to distract us from Nat's capture and Tai's Odyssey back to her wife. Not her actual wife but the one she forgot to take her heart back from after the breakup.

Nat, take the fish

She actually did 🥺

I love her 🥹

Funny how she went from trying to kill this girl to trying to protect her and maybe projecting some of her own family trauma as well.

Oh no, Misty's gonna miss Nat now because of that setback.

I swear if they credit Lottie with the moose dying I'm gonna scream.

Misty's practical. I'm sure she was only siding with Lottie's group out of necessity. I'm so glad she's going along with Nat's plan right now. I really hope they can pull it off though because that's going to be even harder with the ice and the water weight.

There's no way she just found another plane.

Oh no, it's Laura Lee's plane 🫢

How the fuck did Leonard survive? He was one of the first things to catch fire. Is Lottie seeing things? Wait, did Laura Lee actually survive? There is no way. She has to be seeing things.

Yeah she's definitely seeing things right now

Is she hearing the theme song too or is it just us?

Aww my babies eating and having fun 🥹

Lottie is down bad for Laura Lee

I don't see Jackie, is she behind Misty or something like that?

Wait, is Lottie freezing to death like Jackie?

Laura Lee saved her life. Lottie is really really down for her.

That was so hard to watch. The cinematography was amazing but damn that was so soul-crushing

I'm glad Nat isn't suicidal anymore... At least right now.

And Misty continues to be goated

But can we go back to Taissa already, pretty please?

If you're annoyed by me constantly asking about Van and Tai, just imagine how annoyed I was when I was watching and waiting for a semblance of progress on that front.

Yeah he's DEFINITELY out to get her. It's not a coincidence that she would put on that "birds of the tropics" playlist while he put on something with cats. That's visual storytelling at its finest. Is he very similar? Yes. But is he also a threat to Misty? YES. I do not trust him.

As much as I love Shauna we are so overdue on an update about Taissas's trip that I just don't care right now. If it's not about the Nat/Lottie competition and it's not about Van and Taissa I just don't care right now.

These people are using up the whole kitchen just to make a salad or whatever?

Funnily enough, I too was about to have a bath just now, but got distracted, so this is the one in a million time I can actually relate to Nat. The scene was cute though and I guess I kind of see a possible new ship forming here with Nat and Lottie. Like, I can see the appeal. They have that 'opposite side of the tracks' dynamic and they're also sort of rivals like Shauna and Jackie. I just prefer modern day Misty and Nat to the Lottie and Nat of the past.

There's definitely some symbolism with that queen of hearts having her eyes blacked out. Does it stand for Taissa sleepwalking or Lottie's visions or maybe another character who just doesn't see things like the rest of them, like Nat? Like, they consider her 'blind' to Lottie's thing so they blacked out the eyes and the card stands for her? Or is it a dead character like Jackie or Laura Lee?

Also is the card real? Did Nat put it there? Or is it another dream?

Lottie is regressing, isn't she?

I mean they're all regressing to their teen selves but Lottie is like going back to her cultish beliefs? Of like whatever it was they believed in the forest.

Tell me Van and Taissa aren't about to find Javi

Holly shit, he's alive?

Was he the one leaving all those carvings then?

And stealing the food?

I knew they were gonna use this to double down on the whole Lottie being a psychic thing.

Nat and Shauna better haul ass before they get blamed for Javi getting lost and for trying to convince Trent that his brother was dead.

Taissa is fucked too. Now Nat is absolutely convinced that her sleepwalking has some higher purpose.

Oh my god though are we finally going to meet her adult self? I think I saw her in the credits and I've been waiting for this moment for over a season now, and I'm so excited!!!

Taissa really spent the whole episode trying to get to her 🥹 at least one whole day passed. She's spent hours walking driving and riding a truck to get to Van 🥺

The way she smoothed her hair back self consciously 😭

That hopeful smile!

The rainbow flag 😅

SHE KNEW! SHE FUCKING KNEW! SHE RECOGNISED HER INSTANTLY! 😭😭😭😭😭

This show is messing with my heart. I'm gonna go cry in my room for a while because they are so perfect

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