#but im having trouble with some of the endings and middle bits

[angelpuns]

sir????? Wdym me aren't even at the climax of Kid Leo yet???? How far ahead did you plan???? Hats off to you man, I could not.

Oh I've planned it to the end, plus a bit more, and then I ended up rewriting the ending just recently :D

I don't like fully committing to an au or a fic or anything without a full plot/idea cause then I won't finish it :3 I actually did go into Kid Leo without that originally but then it got big enough I wanted to be able to finish it one day! So an actual plot happened!

Also yeah we're still about halfway through, even with all the cuts I've made, but not quite to the climax yet!

[callme-holly]

could you maybe please do some scenarios for (y/n) comforting sodapop, Dallas, ponyboy, and Johnny if you want please. also could you please make the reader fem please and thank you

𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐠 [𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧, 𝐒𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐩 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬, 𝐏𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐝𝐞.]

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 - im a little behind on requets but im getting there! i've got my final exam of this week tomorrow and then i'll be a lot speedier, i promise. asks are still open for requests!!

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 - 1.6k

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - mentions of fighting, getting jumped and small injury detail

Dallas Winston -  The room is quiet as you card your fingers through Dallas’ hair, the greaser’s head resting against your thigh. His eyes are closed, and there's a nasty bruise blossoming on his cheekbone, accompanied by a few bloodied scrapes that he refuses to let you clean. There’s dried blood crusted beneath his nose, which you wipe away gently with the pad of your thumb, humming softly under your breath as he breathes out a low, soft groan.  “You alright?” Your tone is barely above a whisper as you tug at the ends of his mussy locks, pushing them back from his face. He blinks once or twice, his eyelashes fanning against his cheeks, and his expression is a little less pained than it was just minutes ago.  “Yeah,” he murmurs after a moment, “fine.” He shifts a little bit so that his head is now more firmly planted upon your lap, and he wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you closer in a half embrace. You reach down between the two of you and retrieve the ice pack that is sitting forgotten beside you, pressing it against his swollen cheek once more.  He makes a disgruntled noise but doesn't open his eyes again.  “Sorry 'bout this.” His voice is rough, strained from the exertion: “Y' shouldn't have to take care of me all the damn time.” The words fall heavy between the two of you as he speaks, and you smile softly, shaking your head. “It ain't too much trouble, really.” You rub small circles against his bicep, pressing a light kiss to his forehead. “And besides...” your voice drops to an almost conspiratorial murmur, “I like taking care of you. It makes me feel better when I know you're not lying dead in a ditch somewhere.”  He gives you a lopsided grin at that, eyes still closed. “You've got so much faith in me, doll.”  Your smile widens, feeling something twist inside of you. You take his hand, squeezing it gently before pressing a quick kiss to his busted-up knuckles. “Whatever.” 

Sodapop Curtis -  A small sigh leaves your lips as Soda buries his face in your chest, arms wrapped tightly around your middle, tears cascading down his cheeks as he struggles for air.  It pains you to see him like this, his usual bright smile replaced with a look of pure anguish, silent sobs racking his body. You rub slow circles against his back, mumbling soft words of reassurance into his ear as he clings to your shirt. “I don’t understand,” he gasps, his voice thick with emotion. “Why can't they just get along? They never used to be like this. A shudder runs through him, and you tighten your hold on him, rocking him a bit back and forth as he cries. “Shh, Soda, hey, you need to breathe,” you murmur soothingly, combing your fingers through his hair. “You’re gonna make yourself sick.” You press a soft kiss to the top of his head, hushing him quietly as his cries gradually abate.  “I just want them to get along.” Soda whispers brokenly, burying his face against your collarbones. “I'm tired of being made to pick sides. I don't wanna be in the middle all the time.” You hum sympathetically, shifting slightly so that you can wrap both arms around him and pull him as close as physically possible. Soda melts into your touch, relaxing fully against you. You can tell he's exhausted, both emotionally and physically.  "I hate it.” He sounds miserable. “All they do is yell at each other. Darry is way too hard on Pony, and Pony's trying his hardest, but he can only take so much–" Soda stops abruptly, his breath hitched in his throat as another sob tears from him, wracking his body. His grip tightens around your middle and your heart clenches painfully at the sight.  “I just want things to go back to normal.” You give a slow nod, closing your eyes. “I know, I know. It'll be okay.” You press another gentle kiss to his temple and run your hands slowly up and down his spine, trying to offer as much comfort as you can. He relaxes under your touch, melting further into you as he tries to take deep, steady breaths, struggling to control himself.  You tilt his chin up so that he's looking at you once more, running your thumb over his cheek. “I love you, you know” “Mm,” he hums, blinking rapidly to rid his vision of the last remnants of tears. His eyes meet yours, and even though his gaze is glassy and filled with sadness and pain, his expression is soft and tender. “Love you too.”

Ponyboy Curtis -  You're sitting in the lot, your jacket pulled tightly around you, when you hear the sound of approaching footsteps. You stiffen and turn sharply, expecting to see a group of drunken socs or the odd greaser looking for trouble, only to come face to face with none other than Ponyboy Curtis. He has tears streaming down his cheeks, his hair mused as he all but throws himself at you, shoulders shaking and chest heaving. You don’t speak a word as you pull him into your arms, rubbing your hands over his shoulders in an attempt to calm him. His head comes to rest on your shoulder, one fist clutching the front of your sweater as tight as possible, the other hanging uselessly by his side. For several moments, he sits in silence, letting you hold him while he finally manages to collect himself. Then he pulls back, wiping furiously at his face. “Sorry…” You don’t miss the way he averts his gaze from you as he speaks, refusing to make eye contact. “Didn't mean to bother you; I just—”  You shake your head, interrupting him. “There’s no reason for you to apologise.” You pause, considering for a long moment before continuing. “What's up?”  He exhales shakily, then hesitantly meets your gaze again. “I—Darry yelled at me again. He got real mad this time.” His voice cracks, and you pull him close once more. You know Darry’s been harder on him as of late, expecting too much of a boy Pony’s age. You know he means well, but you also know the toll it’s been taking on the younger Curtis brother and how difficult these past few weeks have been for him.  “Sometimes I don't think Darry likes me very much.” You can hear the vulnerability in his tone, unable to miss how broken he appears. He's not crying anymore; if anything, he looks a little embarrassed and ashamed. You frown, brushing his damp bangs from his forehead. “Don't be ridiculous.” Your tone is firm, determined to keep him from ever getting caught up in that dark spiral. “He cares about you a whole lot.” “He's got a funny way of showin' it.” Pony grumbles softly, and you can't help but laugh at his bluntness, wrapping your arms tighter around him. “I wish he'd be nicer. I really don't like all the fighting we do.” “I know. But it'll get easier.” You look down at him. “If you want, I can go talk some sense into him.” That earns you a smile as Ponyboy nods, squeezing you a little tighter. “Good luck. I doubt he’ll listen.” You press a quick kiss to his forehead, smiling softly. “I’ll try my best.”

Johnny Cade -  Arms circle around your waist, gripping onto you tightly as you comb your fingers through his tangled, and still heavily greased, hair. Johnny’s head rests in your lap, eyes squeezed shut as he tries desperately to fall into some sort of relaxed state, but he just can't seem to find the will within himself to do so. You watch him silently, running a finger absently along his jawline, taking in the bruises and cuts littering his face and arms. He looks worn thin and broken; his cheeks are tear-stained and hollowed by exhaustion. His breathing remains unsteady and uneven, his skin pale, and you can't help but reach out and brush the pad of your thumb across the faint lines beneath his eyes, your brow furrowing deeply. He flinches slightly but doesn’t open his eyes, his breath hitching. “Sorry,” You whisper, going back to smoothing your hand over his hair. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”  Johnny lets out a soft sigh, leaning his forehead against your stomach. “S' okay…” He shifts a little closer to you, reaching for your hand and lacing your fingers together. “...just glad yer here.” You bite your lower lip, tracing patterns into the back of his hand with your thumb, pressing soft kisses against his forehead as you let him snuggle closer, relishing in the simple closeness of it all. It eases your nerves knowing he's safe with you and calms the storm raging inside of you. Your mind wanders back to earlier, the images of him lying, half-dead, in that field flashing unbidden through your mind.   It takes a lot to make Johnny Cade cry, but the second you had knelt down beside him and pulled him into your arms while the gang huddled about you, his composure had completely crumbled. Sobs had wracked his body, shaking his entire frame, and you could do nothing but hold him until he had finally calmed down. And now, here he was, curled up into your embrace, clinging to you like a lifeline. Every little noise made him jump, every sudden movement made his muscles tense, and your heart ached for him. You wanted so badly to make everything better, but there was nothing you could do. All you could do was stay there, holding him as he cried, wishing that there was something you could do besides sit by and whisper softly to him. But, you know, right now, just you being there is enough for him.

𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬!!

[bluehourbucky]

Misunderstanding

pairing: joel miller x reader

summary: someone notices a bite on your shoulder after a patrol

~ established relationship, g*uns, swearing, a little spice, second hand embarrassment

a/n: first time writing for joel im scared but I just have to because I'm in mourning. also im so rusty with writing so bare with me please 😭

~~~~~~~

It's finally over you think, as you dismount your horse and leaving him in the stables. You had early patrol with Joel and even though you love spending time with him, you prefer it to be at home. It also doesn't help that you're sore and tired after what you and joel were up to last night.

"Hey sweetheart, I 've to talk to Tommy, It shouldn't take long." Joel whispers in your ear while holding your hips. He let's out a chuckle when you dramatically sigh.

"I'll be back, honey." You roll your eyes when he slaps your ass on his way. That man is impossible and you love him.

~~~

When Joel came home he didn't even say hello but immediately started complaining, which made you smile.

"So, I talked to Tommy he wants a party so we have a better sense of community or something. And for some reason I have to be there."

You chuckled but said nothing just gave him a kiss which he accepted very enthusiastically. His hands started wandering, first to your neck, then his thumb went over your nipple making you moan.

"No sir. We're going. We have to, or Tommy will come here and it will be a whole thing" You say as you grab his hands. Joel pushes his head in your neck, muttering how Tommy's annoying and shit.

"I'll wait for you there." It was necessary that you leave or you and Joel would be back in bed in no time.

~~~~~~~

"WHAT THE HELL, PUT THE GUN DOWN!"

Joel yells at Seth who has a gun pulled on you. He took a while to shower so you had already arrived at the bar but what he didn't expect was what was waiting for him there.

You were in the middle of a circle made of people in the bar with Seth holding a gun to your head, you had your arms in the air, shaking with tears running down your face.

"SHE'S BITTEN."

" I swear I'm not I- "

"Shut up."

Joel pulls a gun and aims it at Seth.

"You have two seconds to stop aiming at my wife or you'll regret it."

" You're crazy Miller, your wife or not she's infected!"

Joel looks back at you in question, you two didn't see any clickers or anything suspicious.

"Take your jacket off right now!" Sean yells out waving his hand

And you do slowly, shakily not wanting to be shot.

"Pull down your shirt! THERE! LOOK!!"

"SHOOT HER WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Someone yells.

"No stop! I'm not infected I swear!" you yell out half laughing.

"You think this is funny?And how do you know"

"Actually no it's embarrassing. And you can put the gun down, I ain't infected with nothin except Joel's germs Might become grumpy or sum."

Your face is red as you speak trying to sound nonchalant, all while looking at the culprit that bit you just hours ago.

"False alarm everyone. Continue please." Tommy says cutting the awkward silence.

You gasp as Joel pushes Seth to the floor.

"Try that again and I will end you."

" You okay?" His gaze softens his attention only on you.

" Yeah let's go."

As soon as you're out and alone without people around Joel hugs you and holds you as if you're the most precious thing on earth.

"Oh sweetheart, my heart almost stopped. When he said you were bitten I-" his sentience was cut with your kiss.

"I'm not going anywhere handsome, though I'm glad your old heart didn't give out"

"Excuse me!?"

"You know I'm joking, anyways It was really hot how you were about to shoot someone made me weak in the knees." You say as you start unbuttoning his shirt.

"Enough, this horniness is what got you in trouble in the first place."

~~~~~

"Oh god Joel. Right there!" you moan throwing your head back to rest on Joel's shoulder.

It was supposed to be a normal patrol but you just couldn't keep your hands to yourself. Joel is a sight and it is rare that you ever skip an opportunity to admire him. The way the light shone through the branches and hit his hair in the perfect way, his grays shining. The way his hands hold the reins his veins are so prominent. He is basically every dirty fantasy you've had come to life.

"Joeeeel." you whine and Joel turns with a smirk on his face and amusement.

"You're trouble you know." He says as he drops down from his horse. He helps you get down even though he knows you can do it yourself, just because.

You grab his neck bringing him down in a heated kiss, fingers going through his hair.

"Darling.." Joel whispers into your lips, hands going to your jeans unbuttoning them, his finger making it's way to your folds.

"Please baby I need you, please."

And who was he to deny you. Joel takes off his jacket and with one hand holds it to a tree and woth the other holds your neck and pushes your head to the tree.

"You greedy girl, I fucked you last night till 3am and you want more." Joel growls into your ear as he unbuttons his jeans pulling out his already hard length.

As he enters you mercilessly you can't help but moan, his rhythm unforgivable.

"Joel please please" you beg and you dont even know what you're begging for. Joel has you pressed against the tree, one hand on your hips the other rubbing your clit.

"Baby I'm close" you moan and then Joel hits just the right spot and your orgasm hits you so hard you can barely stand and if he wasn't holding you you'd probably fall.

Joel is so close and the second he feels your orgasm his crashes over him so over whelming he bites your shoulder making you scream in ecstasy.

"That's gonna leave a mark." you laugh breathlessly as Joel kisses the bite he so selfishly left.

"Maybe I like that, maybe I want people to know you're mine."

~~~~

[c4tluver02]

Family Video

a/n: haiiii this is my very first pic ive everrrrr written so im sorry if its awful and boring!!!!! if there's anything I can improve on pls let me know!! also id love any requests you guys have! <333 enjoy

summery: after just moving to Hawkins you decided a movie is in order. but when looking for a movie you notice the boy at the counter just can't stop staring at you!

no warnings!

wc: 1k

All Steve could do was roll his eyes. Robin went on a date with Vickie last night and it was simply all she could talk about.  

“Robin of course she likes you, she asked you on the date. Vickie wouldn't do that if she didn't mean it.” Steve says somewhat listening in and out of what feels like hours long of the same topic. 

“Well this isn't something I can mess up, I mean what if I was too forward or I rambled I mean you know I can ramble!” 

Steve sighs as he puts tapes back into their spot after they had been returned. “Listen Rob, I can promise you VIckie likes you for you and your rambling. There's nothing you need to be worried about.” He says trying to end this conversation and get back to working in peace.

Truth be told Steve was having trouble in the dating department. If you would have told King Steve that he would have trouble even holding a conversation with girls he wouldn't believe you. Yet here he was listening to everyone tell him their love life and him having nothing to say back.

“Steve you don't get it VIckie is perfect in every sense of the word. I mean what if-” Robin gets cut off as the bell above the door rings signaling a new customer and Steve couldn't be more thankful.

You walked in feeling eyes on you, almost like you had interrupted a conversation. You walk towards the comedy section in hopes of finding something interesting to fill your weekend with.

As you start to look around, you feel a pair of eyes on you. When you look up you notice the boy at the counter swiftly turning his head the other way. You smile to yourself at his attempt of making it look like he wasn't staring. You then walk to the drama aisle. You're not really sure what type of movie you're looking for but it's almost as if the counter boy can read your mind. 

“Hey, um, is there anything you need help with?” Steve says with a kind smile on his face as he walks over to you. 

“Hi! Yes, actually some help would be great. I am not really sure what movie to watch.. Do you have any, uh, suggestions?” You say not sounding as confident now that the cute boy is standing right in front of you 

Steve's eyes lit up at the request, the thought of being helpful to such a pretty girl had his heart pounding. 

“Of course, do you have any genres of movie you like?” Steve asks, trying to learn any bit of information he could about you.

“I definitely like romance movies, comedy, horror, and drama of course I guess I'm not really picky when it comes to genres.” It wasn't until you noticed that you and Steve were both completely stopped in the middle of the aisle that you probably could have just said comedy and he could have found a movie no problem. Steve didn't mind your long answer though, he liked that you were so open to talk. He guides you both to the comedy section and pulls out a movie. 

“Ok we have this movie, it just came out and we've gotten great consumer reviews on it” He says with a smile that's probably a little too wide for just helping a customer pick out a movie. 

You look at the movie he's picked and it happens to be one you've seen before but you don't have the heart to tell him that. He looks proud to give you a good recommendation along with his help so you take the movie from his hands and smile at him.

“Perfect! I probably would have been looking in here forever trying to find something without your help!” you say with a smile not really wanting this conversation to end.

It almost seems like Steve doesn't either, or maybe you just aren't good at hiding your emotions as he says 

“Hey uh, how come I haven't seen you around here before?” Steve says hoping he's not coming off too forward the last thing he wanted to do was scare you away. 

You stand in front of him with wide eyes not knowing exactly what to say. You knew this town was small and being new will probably have a few others asking why they didn't know of you. 

“Oh, I just moved here about a week ago. I am just trying to scope out some places and I thought a movie night would be comforting.” You say as you twirl your hair in your hands, a nervous habit you have. 

Steve nods wishing he could ask you a million more questions. There was something so intriguing about you. He wants to know where you lived before coming here, or better yet why you decided to move here out of all the places. Trying to come off nonchalant and cool, Steve pops the question that you weren't expecting. 

“Anyone helping you move, friend, or maybe boyfriend?” Steve looks at you with big eyes and a calm demeanor trying to pull out his King Steve persona even though his night will be utterly ruined if the answer isn't no. 

You blush lightly at his question but just enough for Steve to notice. “Nope, no boyfriend helping. I moved out here alone so packing has been slower for sure.” You say you are trying to sound cool despite the fact you are single and have no clue what you are doing moving and starting a new life all on your own.

Steve's shoulders release a tension he didn't even know he was holding. A breath of relief comes out right and as Steve opens his mouth to say something back-

“Hey are you ready to check out?” Robin says walking up to you guys noticing you have a movie picked out. 

You look between her and Steve blinking as reality comes crashing down on you. This guy has a job and she probably needs him to get back to it. Not standing here talking to you for forever. You walk up to the counter and see that Steve is gonna be the one checking you out. 

You pay for the movie as you and Steve sit in a comfortable silence. Before you leave you thank him.

“Thanks for all you help… Steve?” You say reading out his name tag on his vest.  

But Steve just loves the way his name sounds coming out of your mouth. He wishes you could say it again. It’s as if an angel just spoke to him. Your eyes, your hair, your smile, it's all perfection. He can't believe that someone so perfect is right in front of him. Like cupid shot him directly in the heart. As you blink in front of him waiting for a response he finally answers. 

“Yea.. Steve! And if you want to come back and let us know what you thought of the movie you're more than welcome to!” Steve says with excitement blowing his nonchalant cover a bit. 

You gleam at his invitation even though you both know you'll have to come back to return the movie anyways. Yet you don't mention it or try to mess with him about it. You simply smile and nod.

“Got it, I'll be back soon for the review!” You say as you grin from ear to ear just by looking at the boy in front of you as you open the door to leave. 

Once you get in your car Steve turns around and sighs. Robin looks directly at him with eyes squinted and a smirk.

“What?” Steve asks confused with her stare

“I saw you have heart eyes for her..” Robin says, poking him in his shoulder repeatedly. 

Steve huffs and rolls his eyes pushing her hand away, “I was just helping out a customer buckley. Can a man not do that?” He bites back sarcastically.

“Mhm sure, I guess so.” Robin says back with a smirk on her face as Steve turns around knowing this isn't just some customer.

[sunny-knight]

THE INTERMISSION

Analysis - i need to yap about this or im gonna explode

This is by far my absolute favorite moment of this newest episode, Hell- OF THE ENTIRE SHOW. I need every frame of this beautiful feat of animation in my blood stream NOW!!!!!

I KNOW there has got to be at least a little bit of symbolism buried in this sequence that either alludes to things we already know, or foreshadows things to come, and THAT IS WHAT I LIVE FOR.

Disclaimer!

Trigger warnings of the show apply here!

Also keep in mind that I understand a lot of this may be “over-analyzing”, but I really like finding meaning in art even if it wasn’t intentional! So to avoid justifying every claim over and over with that- I'm just gonna say it here and be done with it. I like analyzing media and personally getting something out of it :3

Set Up!

Before analyzing the scene itself, I want to go through and see what it represents as a whole, in reference to the shows format, and for THAT we need to look at episodes 1-4. Every one so far has had a dialogue-less/dialogue minimum scene where some sort of character development takes place.

Examples of that are…

Episode 1: to the track “Your New Home”, we see Pomni accept her new circumstances, its not a dream/nightmare, and she will “never” get out of here. (which is debatable, but still).

Episode 2: to the track “Not Alone” we see Pomni, (again). instead of just accepting her new circumstances, she more comes to an understanding of it. She will not be forgotten, and her life still has meaning.

Episode 3: in the track (Unnamed 😔) with Pomni, (AGAIN) we see she comes to an understanding of the very nature of this world. It’s hard to believe she wont end up abstracted in the end, even if she knows she wont be forgotten. Eventually though, she comes to the conclusion that she can get through this.

Episode 4: to the track “Still Going” we get Gangle! In how she smiles without her happy mask, marking an arc completed to her happy mask breaking troubles. The interpretation that she kills herself at the end still exists- which… isn’t great- and honestly idk how to interpret that in this case. But my point still stands about character growth ☝️

In all of these, the musical sequences mark a sort of resolution to the arc that the entire episode had built up to. Not all of them are entirely positive, but they still show that some sort of lesson has been learned, and a new chapter of their characters development has begun.

…

But then. Episode 5. The musical sequence thats very clearly focused on Caines character…is just. Utter nonsense. It even gets interrupted- it’s in the middle of the episode, he freezes/has some sort of malfunction afterwards, he ends it in the very same place he was before.

That, I find incredibly interesting. Instead of the episode building up to some spesific problem of Caines that he will end the episode improving on, it feels as if the entire show has been leading up to this one MASSIVE issue. (With Gangle and Pomni, we see pieces of their character improve, not one MAIN issue thats the source of every single one of their problems).

But we’re only halfway through the show, so of course, the sequence happens halfway through the episode. It acts more as a checking in with Caine and getting confirmation that aaahhaaaa- HE IS NOT DOING GOOD.

THE INTERMISSION!!!

(Most of the notes will be coming chronologically)

The text “Intermission Time.” , feels like one of the adventure introduction thingies, and while I don't have much to say on the text itself besides it being a lot colder than usual, (possibly more examples of Caine losing his joy and whimsy,) that's just a cool detail I wanted to note. Treating this like an adventure, since this is a sequence all about Caine losing his mind, its only fitting him going insane is it’s own adventure as its quite literally all he knows.

Everyone’s faces in the beginning seem to be their reaction to suddenly being transported from a calming star gazing scene.. to...this. Thats just sort of a fact instead of speculation, BUT IT WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER when considering certain things in other scenes, because the fact that everyone is conscious while unwillingly participating in this “adventure” makes the entire scene feel very unnerving. But that’ll be a repeating factor that will come up later. For now- just keep that in mind.

The part with Caines teeth eating itself makes me immediately think of metaphors involving self destruction, even the A.I. that we deal with in real life, how it eats itself when copying off of things its made that were never correct to begin with.

The neon colors + black and white motif are really pretty stylistically, but since this is entirely Caine point of view/his creation with no one else's influence, it feels like an example of how he sees these people/the world. Black and white, simple, 0 depth. We can already pretty easily infer that from how he handles Zoobles problem in ep 3, I just like how this adds to that.

Before continuing with the visuals- I need to address “the lyrics" here. I like the line "welcome to the digital circus!" turning into "come to the digital circus.”, plus noting the lack of "amazing". They add to Caines forceful nature and insecurities that have been incredibly emphasized lately/in this episode. Lastly, the effect the words have, (how they keep skipping over themselves) is another stylistic choice that has really cool layers to it. It’s fitting for the aesthetic, yes, but it also sounds as if Caine is glitching, like in the “I am such a good b̶̘̮̟̙͋͑̔ō̴̢̹̞̣̽͠s̸͔̳̍̓͐̂s̷̺͚̜̺̑” scene.

Bubble being mixed in with Caines eyes in the dice part…Bubble being as involved as much he is, is odd- and I cant tell what kind of character he’s supposed to be. My current theory is he’s just someone Caine made to not feel as lonely, and in some ways, reflects Caines own emotions/thoughts. Bubble being with Caines eyes somewhat supports that I feel, I just like that it turns into a die though. Symbolizing how random and just- by chance Caines thought process is currently. He’s the very opposite of “calculated”.

(Jax falling into the void followed by Zooble and Gangle is something I feel has more depth that I cant think of… I try to question what they all have in common that Ragatha, Kinger, and Pomni dont…) (Like Gangle and Zooble hate Jax, yeah, but so does Ragatha so why isn’t she involved in that?)

Caine being surrounded by eyes- THIS SHOT MAKES ME FEEL SO MANY EMOTIONS. I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY. First lets get the biblical angel imagery out of the way- plus the spotlight bringing up some “going in the cellar” imagery. The multiple eyes being related to the abstractions…Possible abstraction symbolism?? But that isnt the part that gets me. Its’s the fact that if you look REALLLY closely you can see Caine is breathing. This. THIS- Its so hard to catch, and such a subtle detail- BUT THATS THE THING. One of the golden rules of animation is “living things dont remain perfectly still.” He’s A.I…. But he sure as hell acts alive a lot of the time. If you look at Caine from far away, you’ll see nothing but a mindless A.I, but if you look really closely, you’ll see he’s got a lot more too him. He’s alive, just like Gummigoo and the other “intelligent A.I’s”.

(Something about that line by the way. The way Caine uses the word “OTHER” makes me question….What is he talking about? Bubble is said to be a MUCH simpler A.I. than Caine, but the way he says that makes it sound like he and Bubble both are “intelligent A.I.s”… I don’t even know what that means though- intelligent artificial intelligence? Bubble seems far from intelligent- IDK. WE’RE GETTING SIDE TRACKED.)

Pomni and Jax get hit by bowling balls, Ragatha and Gangle get hit by cakes, and Kinger holds up the bowling ball before being THROWN OFF by a black chess piece. I think this all gives some light onto how the others first handled joining the circus. Since all we have for reference so far is Pomni, I can totally see Jax reacting in a similar explosive way. Meanwhile the cake may show how Gangle and Ragatha, (while I can’t imagine they took it WELL) didn’t get hit by the realization like a TRUCK. More like a slow burn (therefore not getting as quickly acclimated to the situation as Pomni has, and Jax is assumed to have.) But then for Kinger…he actually did REALLY WELL! since he came in with his wife! ….and then she abstracted and instead of getting crushed- he just completely fell off. Also this scene is another good example of how aware and- not willing the cast is in this part of the episode, telling from their expressions.

( I debated this also maybe being an example of how Caine views the members? Zooble is excluded because he’s like really mad at them right now? But if thats the case, then I don’t know what Kinger being hit by a black chess piece means.)

The next part has to sort of be digested all at once- Bubble about to bite Pomni, Caine stopping that, holding everyone over his head, then Bubble biting them ALL, and leaving a red trail. The Intermission sequence as a whole is telling us about Caines current mental state of pure decay and insanity, while also reminding us how much power he has over the cast. The scene with him holding them over his head gives a sort of play-things vibe. These 2 purposes/vibes of insanity vs power go hand in hand, where the scary part of them being at the mercy of this guy, is the fact that they're at the mercy of THIS GUY. But where Bubble tries to eat Pomni, Caine stopping that, before Bubble eats them all makes me think its saying that “no matter how much power Caine has, he isn’t immune to the effects of the situation.” Like this is taking a toll on ALL of them and they’ll all be consumed by it if things keep going the way they are. Kinger is the human thats been here the longest and is- crazy- but how is the guy who’s been here since the BEGINNING doing?

The hand scene is SO GREAT. We have 4 hands, before 2 of them squash the other pair, and create 4 more, then descending further into the madness. I feel this could point to the fact that creation and making things out of what Caines already familar with is driving him insane- plus that varsity jacket merch showing the hands being angel wings…something something Caine savior complex

Pomni, Zooble, and Jax all posing feels really off. THIS is the part that throws me for a loop in terms of- bodily atonamy and…morals. They’ve all been worried and confused so far, so posing like their in a music video doesn’t make as much sense. This way, we can easily assume that UHHH Caine is posing them like dolls. Jesus. The point of him having complete and utter control over them just gets worse and worse-

(The mannequin dance just looks cool I have no notes on that)

FINALLY! WOW! We get the scene from the wacky watch website! the “SOS CQD I AM LOSING MY MIND, ALSO HI”. That text always got me because it showed a very uncharacteristic amount of- self awareness from Caine. He is calling for help, is he LOSING his mind. Thats not what we got from him in this episode though, it makes me think that maybe…His situation is similar to Kingers? In the way that there is SOME consciousness buried deep within him that we can maybe reach later in the show? please? I just want him to be happy…

Caine ominously snapping, before showing a clip of Jax’ trauma, then being interrupted MAKES ME THINK HE WOULD HAVE KEPT GOING WITH EVERYONE ELSE IF THAT DIDNT HAPPEN 😭 Thats complete speculation on my part, but thats the first time we ever saw a scene like that in a moment entirely revolving around Caine- where we explore TRAUMA! (especially fucked up because we’ve already established he is fully aware during this part)

(The snap having a cartoon bonk effect is really amusing though, paired with the generic circus/carnival music fills me with so much joy)

…

OVERALL.

The animation is TO DIE FOR. The music SLAPS. IM IN LOVE WITH THE SEQUENCE EVEN WITHOUT ALL THE POTENTIAL HIDDEN MEANING

[ssivinee]

「 Star 」

a. yujin x band ! f reader ✎𓂃 An incident with an ex seems to be what brings the two of you closer together, but it feels like life is just getting in the way of a possible rekindled friendship... or is it actually just friendship at this point?

word count ! 4.3 k

author's note ! IMMA BE REAL, SEM ENDED LIKE A FEW DAYS AGO BUT IM FINALLY BACK AGAIN... more fics coming soon and in the works. YES reqs are included so don't worry and enjoy ya'll!

⚠︎ Directions ⇒ Main | Previous

Awoken by the sound of your blaring alarm, you sluggishly raise your hand to slam it on your phone, which is lying flat on the bedside table. Rolling around, you feel your blanket warming your lower half—the sun fades through the blinds of your windows. The bright sun blinds you even with your eyes shut, causing you to sit up much more aggressively, rubbing your eyes with the back of your hand.

The memory of last night is stuck in your head, keeping all your thoughts fuzzy. So much happened—the fight with Ningning, seeing Yujin at the park, Seoyeon instigating and causing trouble, the two almost fighting, and the talk you had with your old best friend. All in one night, and the thought of it all made you want to smash your head against a wall.

You were aware that you didn’t have time to mope around your feelings as the band had a scheduled practice today. So you drag yourself out of bed and take a shower, hoping to wake yourself up. The feeling of the lukewarm water sprinkled all over your body, knowing a steaming hot shower would likely have you feeling too relaxed.

As you rinse your hair and blink your eyes open, you can only relax at the thought of last night. Before Yujin left your place, the heartfelt and bubbly moment took a turn when her anger seemed to get the best of her as she stared at her red hand.

“I should’ve done more to her-”

“Nope. Nope. I wouldn’t allow it,” you cross your arms, signaling that it was your final decision. The taller girl scoffed, “That piece of shit doesn’t deserve to go out—walk away free of any punishment.”

You let out a sigh, sitting next to her, “And that’s valid, but we’re both tired from a long day. How about you go home and get some rest instead?” You suggested, and in return, she looked a bit alarmed. “I didn’t mean to say-”

“Yujin.”

You sounded stern, but the soft eyes you gave her said otherwise, and her body relaxed with her nodding in agreement instead.

The sound of your phone ringing outside the shower snapped you out of the slight trance you found yourself in. After a quick scrub of the body and washing your hair, you text the group chat that you’ll be there in twenty minutes. The towel hugged your hair, sitting on top of your head as you picked out a baggy hoodie and some sweatpants.

The drive wasn’t going to be long, so you made a pit stop for some coffee before you arrived in the band’s practice lounge, where you found Minjeong and Jimin setting up the sound system. You carried the guitar on your back, setting it down softly on the couch.

“You look like you’ve been through it,” Karina jokes as she sets down the large bass drum. Winter nudges her girlfriend, noticing how you came in much quieter than usual and just sipped on your coffee. “Well, kinda?”

The oldest looked at you, surprised, while Winter smiled sadly as she walked over to give you a hug. “Wanna talk about it?”

You didn’t… but you almost couldn’t help yourself. “Yesterday was rough. I fought with Ning cause she’s been blowing me off, EVEN when she said she’d help me write this next song. Then I saw Yujin yesterday after all that-”

“You guys met up?” Karina asked concerningly as the three of you stood in the middle of the room. “No, no. Ironically, we were both having a bad day and saw each other at the park. THEN Seoyeon showed up, Yujin punched her, and Yujin and I had a talk while in my apartment.”

The two older girls look at each other confused, “So it went well in the end?” You shook your head a bit, “Maybe? I don’t know. I think I’m just overwhelmed.”

“You should apologize to her; you were in the wrong, too,” Giselle whispers a bit loudly as she and Ningning walk through the door, but the younger points to the three of you. Giselle looks forward, curious as to why the three haven’t finished setting up. “Everything okay over here?”

The two approach you guys to find you trying to suck your tears in—eyes looking glossier than normal. Winter smiles at the two and nods, “Everything’s all good.” You couldn’t even bear to look at your best friend at the moment, just unpacking your guitar and trying to breathe slowly.

“Let’s start?” You suggested and began playing for the next three hours. It was quite awkward since the fight, and everyone seemed to be more cautious of your and Ning’s feelings. This made you feel more anxious for the time to pass by quickly so you could have an excuse and just head to work.

So, just as the clock was close to hitting eleven, you began packing up your things. “Sorry for the rush, guys, I gotta clock in soon,” they all wave off like it's no problem, but no one really wants to pry.

You sit in your car after putting the guitar in the back, wanting to slam your head against the steering wheel. It became such a big deal for you, even when it felt like it shouldn’t even be a problem to begin with. You should’ve just been grateful that it wasn’t anything crazier.

As if you spoke too soon, your phone vibrated in your pocket while driving to work. Being the safe driver you were, you only began to check the mayhem at a red light. It was only to find a tweet Seoyeon made about the incident last night. 

There wasn’t any name-dropping in the post, but due to each group having large and loyal fan bases, people began to speculate about things. “Fucking hell, Seoyeon,” you grumbled, feeling aggrivated just by the sight of her social media.

Deciding to ignore it, since giving it attention wouldn’t do any good, you pull up to the cafe. While parking your car, your phone begins ringing again and again. “What fucking now?”

You just couldn’t catch a break.

Taking a look at your phone again, you read a bunch of messages from Ningning trying to apologize to you. Only sighing at the spam, you tell her to come over to your apartment after your shift.

The day went by quickly, the lack of customers was to thank for that. By the time you got home, you felt exhaustion weighing on your body, but found Ningning’s car parked in front of the building.

You exit your car and see Ningning doing the same with a sad look on her face. Pointing toward the entrance, you lead her up to your apartment. It was pure silence—not a single word or peep from either of you.

When you both get in, you practically drop your body on the couch. The day wasn’t physically exhausting, but it sure was mentally.

“I’m sorry,” Ning whispers, and you raise a brow. This was the first time you were hearing such a timid voice come out of her. 

You were too tired to even be mad anymore. “Then why’d you do it, Ning?”

“Because I’m a selfish brat that only thinks of herself,” she admits, and it wasn’t the answer you were expecting. Sure, the entire band knew how Ningning was; it was basically her brand for crying out loud. But hearing it from her own mouth felt strange.

“I wanted to step away from the group for a bit. Everyone was focusing on their own things, and I felt like I was just… there, I guess?”

You look at her and see the disappointed expression that makes you feel bad. “I mean, Karina and Winter are a thing, Giselle is doing god knows what, and you're basically becoming a B-list celebrity. I don’t know if it’s jealousy—it sounds so silly.”

“I think it sounds like your human, Ning.”

She looks at you, eyes glossy as a tear slips out and down her face, staining her makeup. “I’m so sorry for blowing you off and yelling at you.”

“Why weren’t you just honest with me? You know I’d understand,” you ask quietly, and she sobs. “I just felt out of place the past few weeks, but you’re right. I should’ve told you instead.”

You wipe a tear off her face with the use of a thumb, giving her a small smile while giving a side hug. “The Ning I know is a bad bitch, this definitely doesn't suit you,” she chuckled, wiping the tears off her face quickly. 

“Am I at least forgiven?”

You tease her, thinking about it, and she pushes you away. “I’ll think about it, I guess~”

“What if we start working on that new song today? Am I forgiven then?” She bargained, and you smiled at her efforts, “Deal.”

The next day. Yujin paced around her own apartment. Your silence, especially after seeing Seoyeon’s tweet, was killing her. “You know what I found out? I found out how easy it was to pick up a phone, AND JUST TEXT Y/N UNNIE!” Wonyoung yelled, getting annoyed with the constant pacing and mumbling Yujin was doing to herself. 

“What if she’s mad at me? Like, what if she never forgives me for almost causing a scandal? Or punching her ex?!”

“Well, I guess you’ll never know,” the younger shrugged, which enticed a glare from the older, then suggested,  “You know what? How about you just go get a coffee?”

Yujin looks at Wonyoung like she has four heads, “A coffee? But I don’t want coffee.”

“Go. Get. A. Coffee,” Wony said sternly, and it made Yujin think for a second until a light bulb flickered in her head. “Oh~, coffee it is then.”

She quickly runs out of the building, jogging over to the cafe where you work. You look up, hearing the bell of the door ring, and look up from behind the counter. Seeing Yujin walk in, you had a look of surprise on your face.

“Yujin. What are yo-“

“I’m sorry for lashing out the other night,” she says, looking at her confused. “You came all the way here to apologize?”

She nodded, and you couldn’t help but smile, “Well, there’s nothing to apologize for. I was never mad at you in the first place.”

“Yeah, but I just didn’t like the way Seoyeon was tr-”

She paused, your words finally processing in her mind, “Wait, you weren’t mad?”

“Why would I be? You were trying to just help… in your own way,” that had Yujin smiling and nodding. Your heart flutters at the confession of her hating the way Seoyeon treated you like she’s the hero of your story.

‘She’s always cared even when we weren’t friends,’ you told yourself and felt relieved. It felt like the good old days between you two. “Why don’t we hang out after my shift? I get off in an hour,” you offer, and Yujin's eyes look all puppy-like in happiness.

“Sure! I can head over to yours. Just send me a text.”

You chuckle to yourself, as the smile practically reached her eyes like crescent moons. She rushes out of the cafe, planning on getting ready within the hour you had given her— frankly, it wasn’t enough time for her.

She was willing to make it work just for you, though.

Yujin sped through each street until she reached home, where Wonyoung was found in the exact same spot. 

“Did it go we-”

“NO TIME. NEED TO GET READY!” The older barges into her room, shutting the door with haste, which has Wony rolling her eyes. “There’s my answer then,” the younger mumbles, deciding to clean her mug.

Yujin went straight to her closet to try to find an outfit, but she paused.

‘... what are we even doing tonight?!’ 

She stared at the rack of clothing, her thoughts were stunned as she scanned the options in front of her. The safest bet would’ve just been to pick a tracksuit and be as comfortable and cute as possible.

Yet knowing Yujin, when she liked someone, she wasn’t one to settle on looking ‘basic.’ So she did her best to look fashionable without exactly trying too hard.

Once she felt satisfied, she checked her phone for the time and saw that picking clothes alone took about twenty minutes. Yujin looked around frantically, proceeding to her dresser, which had her makeup lying on top. She quickly got ready and brushed her hair out a bit, trying to hide the fact that her hair was a mess from rushing home.

Stepping out of the room, Yujin pats herself down and spreads her arms a bit, presenting herself to Wonyoung. “How do I look?”

“Good enough,” the younger said without even giving a glance as she stared at her phone. “WONYOUNG PLEASE!” Yujin whined, and Wonyoung rolled her eyes, reluctantly looking over.

“You look good, unnie.”

“Okay, good!”

“Where are you guys even going?”

“I don’t know,” Wonyoung deadpanned to her. “You cannot be serious?”

Yujin just shrugged, feeling accomplished with herself. “You dressed up like that and have no idea what you guys are gonna do?”

“Exactly,” Yujin answers, snapping a few selfies of herself and Wony chuckles, “Could’ve fooled me into thinking she asked you on a date.”

Yujin whips her head toward the younger girl in surprise, not expecting the bluntness despite Wonyoung's sarcastic demeanor with her all the time. The idea of a date with you had Yujin’s cheeks warming up and her heart beating quickly.

The silence has Wonyoung look up for her phone, and the older’s face makes her burst out laughing, “I didn’t mean to short circuit you.”

Yujin groans, taking her keys in hand as she walks out the door. “I’ll be back in a few,” she can only mutter, which makes Wonyoung laugh even harder.

As she slowly walks over to the cafe, Yujin feels her phone ring like crazy. Taking her time since she had about ten minutes to spare, she sees the group chat blowing up and decides to read it.

WonOLD yujin unnie is going out with Y/n unnie right now!

Yena-chan WHAAAAATTTT? YUJINAHHHH? WDYM WONY?

Chaewon-unnie calm down unnie also WDYM WONY?

WonOLD they’re hanging out rn

Chaewon-unnie oh- so it isnt a date?

Yena-chan exactly my thoughts

WonOLD yujin unnie makes it seem like one sooooo she was all dolled up and everything :3

Yujinie So wony U TEASING ME AFTER I LEFT WASNT A GREEN LIGHT TO SPREAD FAKE NEWS ABOUT ME YK?

Yena-chan awww thats cute yujinieeeee no need to be ashamedddd

Yujinie she’s LITERALLY lying

Chaewon-unnie i have a feeling she isnt

WonOLD HA YK DAM WELL CHAEWON UNNIE WASNT GOING TO BELIEVE YOU

Yujinie FAWK OFF

The group chat made her chuckle, lessening the anxiety that Wonyoung gave her before she left the apartment. Once she finally reached the front door of the shop, she took a deep breath, but before she could comprehend anything else, you were already walking out the door.

Yujin sucked in her breath. Even with the long shift you had and the barista uniform you had on, you still looked absolutely breathtaking to her. The small baby hairs and strands that were messy, your glossy pink lips were smudged, and you were clearly tired— Yujin felt like she couldn’t find a single imperfection on you.

“Can we stop by my house? I want to at least change out of these clothes,” Yujin only nodded, not trusting a single peep out of her mouth. 

You led her over to your place and even told her to get comfortable, but before you went into your room, you peeked around the corner and into the living room where Yujin sat down, looking nervous.

“Jinnie?” The nickname caught her off guard, flinching in her seat a bit. “Yes?”

“You look pretty,” an innocent smile on your face followed the compliment you gave. That doesn’t stop Yujin’s furious blush on her face, the little smile that she failed to hide.

You decided to touch up your hair, then change into a simple outfit. It was only a plain white baby tee, some black sweatpants, and putting your hair up in a ponytail. “Let’s head out now?” Asking her as she sat on your couch.

Once Yujin looks up from her seat, she looks slightly flustered, cheeks blushing lightly. You weren’t going to tease her… hoping that wouldn’t trigger anything bad from the past.  “Uhm, yeah let’s.”

You didn’t have anything planned; heck, it felt like going through hoops in trying to find a good place for you and Yujin. Not being friends for many years would do that. 

Yet on a whim, the first place that came to mind was the university. It didn’t exactly have the greatest memories for your friendship, but it’s where both of your careers began. So it must hold a special place in her heart, right?

Like Yujin read your mind, her eyes widened as they roamed the halls. Thankfully, the university allowed alumni as long as they had their IDs. You didn’t think of that all the way through, but at least it worked out. The feeling of being in the property only settled in once you guys reached the rooftop, where many students weren’t aware they could even set foot on.

Once the two of you made it up to the top, you basked in the cool air that subtly hit your skin. “I can’t believe you brought me here,” you hear her say in awe, the look on her face silently screaming nostalgia. “I mean, I thought it would be fitting,” you spread your arms, walking backwards as you took in every memory of this place.

She walked past you slowly, taking in the view that hadn’t changed. The same sparkling skyline, the older billboards now with new beauty products, the same buzzing neon sign from the ramen shop that stayed open late.

“This is where I used to clear my head,” she murmured. “And skip class.”

“You skipped?” you questioned, leaning against the railing. “I feel like I should’ve expected that from you.” Your comment made her laugh, but it was quiet.

The tone had you curious, looking over at her face, where you only found some sadness in her eyes. “But it’s where everything got worse for us,” the taller mumbled, and you can’t help but pout at the remorse she felt.

“We both did… ‘hateful’ things to each other, Jinnie,” you admit while looking off at the sky, the dark sky looking peaceful from your spot at the top of the building. “At least we’ve grown from it all.”

“I never hated you,” Yujin butted in, eyes still on the skyline. “I was just a jealous brat,” she glanced over at me, then back out. That sounded familiar.

Were you just someone who made your friends jealous? It made your ego blow up, but it also made you feel bad. Neither of those things was something you wanted to feel in the moment.

“I told myself I was better than you,” she said, trying to choose her words wisely. “But it was never hate. It was just easier to act like it.”

“Easier than what?”

She bit the inside of her cheek. “Easier than admitting that you excelled in everything more than I did. No matter what I did, someone always brought you up. Even when we weren’t talking anymore.”

“Y/n’s song was better. Y/n would’ve hit that note cleaner. Y/n always looks so composed,” she mimicked everyone else who ridiculed her. “It was like I couldn’t breathe without choking on your name.”

You exhaled through your nose, not feeling any negative feelings towards her. “I never asked to be compared to you, Yujin.”

“I know.” She looked at me then, deliberately looking for longer than just a glance. “But I didn’t know how to handle any of it. So I got petty. Competitive. Bitter.”

You broke away from her gaze, “You shut me out without warning. Made a rival band just to spite me. Started making comments like we’d never meant anything to each other. So yeah… maybe I hated you for a while, too.”

“I didn’t know what to do with the way I felt about you,” she said finally. “I didn’t know what it meant. Or if I was allowed to feel that way after everything everyone else said.”

I turned my head slightly, eyes narrowing. “What way?” Her voice dropped, feeling shy at the look you gave her, “Like maybe I wanted more than friendship. Like maybe I’d always wanted more.”

Your heart almost hurt at the slight pause it did, then picking up again. Feeling it pumping against your chest, hearing the beat of it ringing in your ear.

You swallowed before asking, “...even when we were enemies?” She half-smiled, but then made a goofy face where she scrunched her brows together, “Especially then. You were the only person who ever got under my skin like that. Makes me sound a little weird.”

It made you giggle a bit. “The truth is, even when we were across the stage from each other, battling it out like strangers, I still looked for you. Still wondered if you looked back.”

Yujin didn’t say anything for a second. Then she reached out for your hand, the warmth of her palms engulfing your own.

Both of you knew the confession was bound to happen, ever since the night Seoyeon confronted you at a show.

“You ever finish that song?” she suddenly asked in a careful voice. I let out a sigh, “We started working on it yesterday, but not been much progress.” You feel Yujin’s eyes on you, her gaze makes you feel warm.

“I kept changing the lyrics,” you admitted. “I held a grudge with Ning for no reason. I can’t even think of proper lyrics.”

Yujin hesitated, taking out her phone as she fiddled with her fingers. “I, um… I wrote a melody for it, only if you want to take a look.”

I blinked. “You what?”

She couldn’t look you in the eyes, the corner of her lip caught between her teeth. “Back when you first told me about it. I don’t know—I guess I just had this melody stuck in my head, and I thought… maybe you’d want to hear how it could sound.”

“You wrote music for a song we weren’t even writing together,” you asked curiously. Not meaning for it to sound mean, making sure to use a softer tone.

“I thought it would be helpful…”

We were seated on the ledge, and she finally began scrolling through her phone. She pressed a play button, and the sound of a rough guitar loop she'd recorded. Ever since you two were kids, Yujin had never been one to be super musically inclined, always preferring to be a vocalist. The melody sounded empty, but the strum of the chords had you humming by the next ten seconds. It sounded somewhat majestic.

For some reason, the melody had your brain thinking of several ideas at a time. So you whipped out your phone, quickly typing any idea of lyrics you could think of. Reading all of them over and over again, and beginning to find a flow of things.

I sang, and Yujin followed, matching the chords, layering some harmony where she heard fit. Her eyes would watch your profile, the way you closed your eyes with a smile as you sang the lyrics. She felt her heart race and palms sweaty while seeing a glow around you, as if you were trapping the poor girl in a spell. By the end, your voice was quieter, and the song lingered like a small hum in their ears.

“Star,” Yujin spoke quietly, and your brow raised in confusion. “That’s what you are, what you’ve always been. Even when I didn’t want to admit it.”

“I never hated you,” she said, quieter now. “I just didn’t know how to deal with… everything. With how people kept comparing us. With how much I wanted to be around you—and how much it hurt not to be.”

An impulse takes over you, and you reach out, brushing your fingers against her lips. She doesn’t pull away, but instead, her breath hitches. You feel the warmth of her cheeks caressing the palm of your hand.

“I missed you,” you whisper, gaze shifting from her eyes to her lips. “Even when we weren’t on the same side.”

Yujin’s eyes seem to follow yours, dropping to your mouth, then back up again. Her smile is small, but it feels genuine to look at. “You’ve been my everything… even when I was in denial about it.”

You lean in slowly, tilting your head just enough to see if she’ll close the gap herself. She hinted at it, so why not test it? So she does—smiling right before your lips meet, the moment that the two of you seem to have been unconsciously waiting for.

Feeling your lips on hers, the faint taste of cherry chapstick lingered as a sigh escaped from her nose. You practically feel Yujin's grin against your mouth as her hands cup your face, the cold feeling being overwhelmed by her body temperature.

The kiss almost deepens for a second before you both pull away, smiling against each other. Yujin’s eyes are still half-lidded, looking drunk for some reason, but her grin is clearly smug.

Then, with a teasing lilt in her voice, she goes, “Sooo~ about Seoyeon and that very subtle Twitter post…”

You groan and give her a light smack on the shoulder. “Shut up,” you giggle, cheeks warm.

Yujin feigns offense, hand over her heart. “Wow. Physical violence already? Toxic.” But she’s smiling too widely as she takes your hand in her own and watches the skyline as if you were back in time, where life began to take off.

[strangesuki]

agree to disagree?

❝i love you; by extension, i hate all other things❞

❝i forgive the world because it has you❞

pairing : euijoo x reader, est. relationship

genre : fluff, comfort, grumpy!reader x sunshine!euijoo but you don't exactly get to see much of his sunshiney side in this so more like subdued sunshine? sunshine but it's a cloudy day kinda vibe? idk what im on about but you get what i mean 😭

prompt (?) : i saw a post the other day about something hozier said in an interview (1st quote from above) and was reminded of another quote (2nd one) that felt like its perfect companion quote and i was like omg someone should write a fic using these two! then i was like wait i can also do that. so here we are. i kinda wanna write an angsty version but maybe some other day

warnings : one instance of bullying mentioned, one cuss word, not proofread

word count : around 800

you had an okay childhood – nice parents, good friends, financially secure environment, fun memories. and so to an outsider, it doesn't make sense why you grow up angry at the world. but those close to you know that it's because you also grew up watching the hypocritical ways of the world that preached kindness on one hand while making the lives of those who chose to walk down that path perpetually miserable. well actually no, scratch that, that makes it sound like you're some sort of good samaritan who is deeply concerned about the well-being of the general public – you're not that philanthropic.

you're really only concerned about one person in particular – byun euijoo. your childhood best friend/love and light of your life. beautiful, soft, kind, and altruistic to a fault. you honestly still can't comprehend how he can wake up everyday and choose to be good despite how brutal the world is to him. all your life, you've grown up seeing him be kind and compassionate to everyone, but most infuriatingly even to people who don't deserve it. and so, because of him, you have a bone to pick with the world and its unfair ways. euijoo does not usually complain and bears it all silently, because he wants to keep the peace, and you hate it. doesn't he have you? all he has to do is tell you, because you would go to war for his peace if that's what it takes.

but that's precisely why he doesn't tell you – because he's afraid you'll get yourself into trouble trying to get even for him. like when you were 5-years-old and you bit a boy's arm because he stole euijoo’s favourite toy and claimed it as his own. or the time in middle school when the class bully tore up his notebooks before the final exams just because he had helped a girl the guy had happened to have a crush on – the next day, you tripped him. he fell and ended up with a bloody mouth and a chipped tooth. or the time in high school when euijoo worked part-time at the local supermarket and the owner fired him without pay after making him work overtime for months and then claiming he had stolen money out of the cash register. there were no cctv cameras so everyone just took his word for it. you threw a rock through the glass front doors.

granted, you are not as…violent as an adult, since that tends to have serious consequences. but by no means are you any less scary.

he doesn't like to complain, but that doesn't mean he's never affected by it – he's only human, after all. there are days when his smile doesn't shine as bright, like today. days when everything feels a little heavier. when you open the door to him tonight, his eyes lack their usual glint, and his smile feels subdued. it's not everyday he lets his weariness show. it's not everyday that he walks over to you like this and wordlessly slumps onto your shoulder, seeking comfort in your arms. he rarely lets you see how draining it is, so when he does, you know it's worse than usual.

blood rushes to your head as you feel a surge of rage, and your hold around him tightens. “what happened? i'm gonna kill the bastards i swear,” you fume.

euijoo lets out a tired chuckle and rubs your back in an attempt to calm you. “i didn't even say anything and you're already plotting murders?”

“fine. i'll do it after you tell me. spill.”

“hmm, let's just stay like this for a while?” he murmurs with a kiss, breathing in your scent and trying to forget about everything else.

you sigh. you suppose vengeance can wait. for now you will be his solace. you comb your fingers through his hair, and he smiles knowing that for tonight you have given in. the weight feels lighter in your embrace.

“do you think i'm a pushover too?” he asks after a while, his voice quiet and muffled.

your fingers in his hair freeze for just a second before continuing. “no. i think you're too nice for this wretched world. it doesn't know a thing about kindness and certainly doesn't deserve yours.”

“you have got to stop making me sound like i'm a saint or something,” he mumbles with a laugh, before settling into silence again. and then, “’s not so bad, you know,”

“what?”

“the world. i like it because it has you. i try to be kind because it has you.”

your eyes sting. “well i hate it for not being nicer to you,”

“debatable. it gave me you.”

“agree to disagree?”

“deal.”

divider credits: @/strangergraphics

[phantasm-ae]

im still hung up on cod mw3 im sorry😭

cw: angst, slightly canon, events take place before cod mw3

HEADCANON: Soap drags Ghost to a fortune teller. They end up learning stuff that stirs something…

PAIRING: Ghoap

something something, Soap dragging his CO after a brief break in the recon into a grimly little tent somewhere in Romania.

The scot seeing the sign and thought it'd be a laugh. "Madam Kora --Truth. Past Lives. Marriage Prospects" on faded gold paint. A tiny plastic skull taped to the corner of the tarp for some added flair. Tent flaps marshing in the wind like it wanted to escape.

It looked curse. That was Ghost's first thought

Second thought: if this was how he died -- hexed in the middle of bloody rural Romania because Soap couldn't resist a gag -- then he deserved it. He enabled this. He didn't punch Soap in the mouth when he had the chance. Never actually wanting to. Never could. Okay fine. That was on him.

Third thought: if this woman cursed him into marrying John MacTavish, he'd never hear the end of it.

Soap had already pushed his way inside like it was a bloody legendary pub and not a shanty tent pulsing with incense and ancient curses. Ghost stood just outside the entrance, staring at the plastic skull swinging in the breeze like it was trying to warn him. It probably was.

"Git in, ya grumpy shite!" Soap’s voice called from within. “She’s got tea!”

That was not a selling point. Promise, Ghost lies.

Ghost ducked inside anyway, because he was tired and it was Johnny plus the wind was picking up, and Soap had that look in his eye -- the one that always meant trouble with a capital T. The gaze that usually ended with Ghost babysitting someone through either a hangover or a near-death experience. Ghost was never even sure anymore at this point.

The inside was dim and smelled like burnt rosemary and regret. Candles flickered on cracked saucers, casting dancing shadows across velvet drapes and bead curtains. A fan whirred softly in the corner, utterly failing to disperse the smoke. Ghost could barely make out the outline of a grimly woman. A tiny wiry thing sitting cross-legged behind a small, round table covered in what seem liked wax stains and... tarot? cards.

"You came seeking answers," she said immediately, not even looking up. Her voice was raspy and bored, like she'd already done five of these today and everyone asked the same damn questions.

“Naw, just here fer a laugh”, Soap said cheerfully, plonking himself into the nearest seat. "He came 'cause I gave him a wee guilt-trip"

Madam Kora slowly looked up at Ghost.

“You carry death in your eyes,” she said, squinting at him. “And trauma. And... a lot of repressed sexual energy.”

Soap choked on his tea.

Ghost froze.

“…Excuse me?”

“I said what I said.” She gestured to the empty seat across from her. “Sit. Let the cards speak.”

“This is bollocks,” Ghost muttered, but sat anyway. His knees cracked. He was too old for this.

Kora reached out, grabbed Soap’s hand first. She hummed. Flipped a card.

“Ah. The Fool.”

Soap beamed. “Ach, sounds braw.”

She pulled another card. “And The Lovers.”

Soap raised a brow. “Oh?”

“And Death.”

“…Aye, alright,” he said carefully. “A right mixed bag.”

Then she turned to Ghost.

And took his hand.

Pausing. Quiet. Distant...

The tent fell silent. Ghost swore he even heard the fan stopped spinning.

Her expression changed though -- no longer vaguely annoyed, but something deeper. Eyes wide. Breath hitching a bit and brows furrowed. Voice softening and... concealing.

“You two,” she whispered. “Have been married. Four times.”

Soap blinked.

Ghost’s entire body locked up like someone had yanked his power cord.

“Each life,” she continued, “you found each other. Through fire. Through war. Through pain. And love. Always, love.”

Ghost ripped his hand back so fast the table shook.

“Right,” he said, standing up almost immediately. “This was a mistake.”

Soap looked like he’d just been handed a lifetime subscription to his favorite joke. Grinning madly like an idiot. Cackling with toothy glee “Oi! Married? Four times?”

Madam Kora gave a solemn nod. “Bound souls. You’ll find each other again.”

“Get out of the tent,” Ghost growled, already stomping out. But he could hear the grin in Soap’s voice as he followed:

“Should I start writin' ma vows noo, or—?”

"I said out Johnny. Now."

Later that night -- miles away however, from the cold campfire smoke and the ache of unspoken things -- Madam Kora sat alone again in her now-silent tent.

Candles now burning low. Creased, indented, and stained cards were stacked neatly in her lap, though she hadn’t touched them in hours.

She rarely remembered faces after readings. They blurred, mostly. Tourists and drunkards and the curious. But not them. Not the man in the mask, and not the boy with the laugh in his mouth and war in his spine.

She remembered how the air shifted when she touched the masked one’s hand.

How heavy it became.

How still.

She had seen fire. Smoke. Love so raw it was bleeding. A man built like a fortress, crumbling, piece by piece, because the world never let him keep the things that softened him. Not for long.

She saw them together. Fingers laced. A joke shared across the kitchen table. A hand on a scarred back in the dark. A home that smelled like tea and gun oil and laughter forced through grief. Ghost smiling -- not much, but real.

But it was only for a moment.

Because then came the silence. The sound of a gunshot in a room she couldn't see. The ache that cracked through time.

She’d seen the moment Johnny MacTavish dies.

And worse -- she’d seen what it did to the man in the mask.

She didn’t tell him. She never did. What would be the point?

You don’t tell a man already carrying a hundred ghosts that he’s about to meet one more.

Still, she whispered a prayer to whatever gods still listened in that part of the world. For the soul that wandered. And the soul that stayed behind.

Even now, she hoped -- maybe this time, maybe this life -- they could outrun it.

Even if only for a little while.

masterlist

[reiincarnatiion]

shadows of destiny | azriel x reader | part two

summary : jealous but confused azriel, yearning shadows and sexy lucien and sexy reader ;)

🧚‍♀️

a/n: 💗 WOW. SO MUCH SUPPORT ON THE FIRST PART BROOO GUYS I JUST OFCOURSE HAD TO WRITE PART TWO and def will have part 3 i guess? ngl i am an angsty writer so im not good at writing happy endings HAHA rip for u all.

this is so addictive ive already written 3 stories in a span of like three days HAHAH 💗

also most azriel stories i read are never from his perspective so im keeping it from his perspective to change things up! he is def a bit out of character because i havent read acotar for a while rip but enjoy! thanks for the support and let me know your thoughts !! also this isnt proof read cuz ya girls lazy >.<

read [ part one ] !!

---💗---

"What are you two doing?"

Lucien and you both looked up, shocked (but not really) , to find Azriel standing in the middle of the dance floor, clad in his black silk shirt and pants, with swirls of tattoos peeking through, his collarbone on full display. Fae moved gracefully around him, dancing and making out, carefully avoiding the famed shadow singer.

He stands in front of you two, just as you two had begun your pathetic attempts to drunkedly dance. Your short dress had ridden up to the top of your thighs, pressed against Lucien's pants, and Azriel knew it was entirely inappropriate. He observed as you raised your eyebrows and looked down at him.

He couldn't fathom how you two had crossed the line from friends, but he knew it was wrong. Over the eons, he had seen you with many men, but they had always been strangers to him and the Inner Circle. They had never been serious.

Were you and Lucien serious? The club fell silent to him,  as he awaited your answer.

His shadows swirled around his feet, urging him to intervene. Some even attempted to caress your legs, but Azriel swiftly reeled them in, refusing to acknowledge how soft and sweet-smelling they might be. He couldn't bear to know how apparently tempting they were.

Azriel clenched his jaw as you gazed back at him with your kohl-lined eyes, their newfound seductive power nearly breaking his stoic demeanor.

He bit the inside of his cheek to quell the sudden effect your look had on him, not wanting to indulge in such thoughts; they could only lead to trouble.

"Uhhh... Dancing?" you drawled back finally, rolling your eyes in a way that he would have only have liked to see in bed with you, behind you, with his hands wrapped in your hair as he-

He blinked, the deafening thumping of the music returning to his consciousness, as the rush from his panicking shadows ebbed away, calming his racing heart.

What was he doing? Why did he even come here? A wave of guilt washed over him as he tore his gaze away from your captivating eyes, only to hear you laugh and giggle as Lucien whispered something in your ear, drawing you closer. A giggle Azriel had never noticed was so adorable and sexy at the same time.

Azriel shook his head, trying to make sense of the overwhelming emotions within him. It didn't make any sense. You were like a little sister to him, an integral part of his family.

Stupidly, he realized that he didn't know why his shadows urged him towards you, nor did he understand the sudden waves of jealousy coursing through him.

"AZ! SO NICE OF YOU TO FINALLY JOIN!" a voice screeched, breaking the tension that had enveloped him and the couple in front of him.

They weren't a couple, but they looked like one, and he couldn't stand it. He didn't know why he was acting this way, but he knew one thing for sure: he didn't like it.

He didn't like how Lucien's slender fingers gripped your waist with such familiarity and intent.

The voice that had called out before now manifested next to him as Cassian stumbled over, dragging Nesta along. Their interlocked hands taunted him once more, but Azriel forced himself to look up at Cassian.

"BROTHER!! LET'S DANCE!!" Cassian howled, reaching them and clumsily starting to move their bodies to the rhythm, grabbing Azriel's shoulders to mimic their motions. Azriel stumbled back, desperate to escape the situation, but Cassian persisted.

"Leave me alone, Cassian," he mumbled, brushing his brother's hands away with his gloved ones.

"Why don't you ever dance with us?" Cassian whined, oblivious to Azriel's attempts to withdraw.

Azriel burned with annoyance, returning his attention to you and Lucien. But then, a tender voice spoke out behind him, and he knew it was Feyre even before turning around to see Rhys drunkenly laughing with Cassian as the other couple joined.

“Az, what are you doing, staring holes into Lucien and Y/N,"

"I--" Azriel faltered, trying to make sense of his emotions and jumbled thoughts. "It's just wrong."

He blinked, wondering why he had even gotten up in the first place.

"They're just drunkenly dancing; Elain is fine with it. You don't have to defend her honor here, Az," Feyre assured him, patting him on the back before returning to her mate.

Azriel stood still, smoothing out his pants and running a hand through his tousled hair. The club's hazy atmosphere seemed to envelop him, and he realized that the fae wine he had consumed tonight had hit him hard. Perhaps he had gone too far this time.

"Yes, yes, of course. I just thought Lucien should respect Elain..." he answered hastily, though he knew Feyre had already left. Shadows informed him that Rhys and Feyre had retreated to their more secluded spot again, and Azriel felt a pang of envy.

A couple of fae rammed into him, slightly spilling their drink and apologising in a haste as they realised who they had just knocked into. He glowered down at them and shook his head, stalking back silently back to the booth.

He walked back to the booth where Elain was still seated, nursing a pink drink.

"What was that all about, Az?" she asked innocently, though her doe eyes betrayed her knowing nature.

"It was nothing."

"You were clearly distraught, Az."

"My shadows sensed something was wrong, that's all, Elain."

"Lucien and Y/N?" Elain asked gently, her hand reaching for his gloved hands.

Azriel looked down at her delicate skin brushing against his black leather glove and he felt a sudden overwhelming contrast between the two. He removed his hand from hers, realizing how mismatched they were.

Cassian and Nesta complemented each other perfectly, a match made from the Cauldron itself. Feyre and Rhys shared a love and trust so profound, it was interwoven within their powers.

But what did he have with Elain, other than a forced interest in gardening and her white and pink flowers?

"They're just dancing, it's fine," he told her, his voice numb. He couldn't help but look back at you and Lucien, still writhing against each other on the dance floor in ways that supposedly platonic friends shouldn't.

Lucien's hands were still firmly on your waist as you both gyrated, laughing and singing along to the music. You'd blame it all on the alcohol the next day, if asked about your actions. Azriel knew that, just as he'd experienced countless nights where Cassian or Rhys had kissed him during similar inebriated moments.

Beside you two, Nesta and Cassian mirrored your movements, seemingly unfazed by the intimate nature of your dance. The club's flashing colors continued to shift and flash all around Azriel, in strikes of pink, blue and green but all he saw was red, and he did not

Know

Why.

---

read part three here dearies !!

taglist for shadows of destiny : @allyjoe755 @impossibelle @t0uch-starved-h0e @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @marina468 @cassan1306

[deadlysoupy]

Starbee... I want to see them be parents together. Coming up with a lesson plan for the Terrans, discussing what would be best for them, maybe sharing a meal while doing so.

Or maybe just sitting together, holding hands and being romantic but being interrupted as parents tend to be.

aahhr i realised way too late that i did neither of those and they didn't even get interrupted so this is Just fluff. theres nothing else. im so sorry anon i hope you aren't too upset at this

(Read here on AO3)

This night on the farm turned out to be the most peaceful one they've had in months. The weather stayed sunny for most of the day, but when it suddenly started raining, the kids indulged themselves in warm weather and ran around, soaked through and through. Dottie ended up yelling at him, but Bumblebee knew she was just trying to keep her "stern but fair" mom persona, her eyes flickered to the kids a couple of times with a soft smile. So he was pretty sure no one actually got in trouble.

Starscream added quite a charm to the whole day, honestly. When he's not trying to be a megalomaniac and, instead, encourages healthy competition — to not let it go too far — he's kind-of-sort-of good with children. Who knew.

At least it gave Bee some time off to passively enjoy the peace, even if for a while. And he got a nice view of the kids under the tree's pleasant shade.

The day rolled to a stop, though, when the sun started to set. They shared a meal together, and when the Maltos got exhausted Bumblebee settled them down with a fairytale he heard somewhere. It wasn't entirely accurate, but the kids got a laugh out of it, so it wasn't a lost cause.

Starscream was waiting for him in the middle of a meadow, a little bit away from the farm, to give them some privacy. Bumblebee's spark fluttered each time Star did something nice for him, even as plain as finding them a nice spot, because it meant he cared.

While Star's optics did flicker to him for a moment, he went back to stargazing, their shine all the more obvious when they're out in the country. He rested his chin on his servo, propped up by his knee, and he looked relaxed. As he got closer, he noticed tiny drops of water on his frame, from wet grass after rain. They resembled stars.

Bumblebee plopped down next to him. At first he wanted to stretch his back and lay down, but seeing Starscream's vulnerable left side, he didn't want to pass that opportunity. So he scooched over to lean into him and capture his servo while Starscream wasn't too upset with him.

It did get his attention, though. He regarded Bee's servo intertwined with his own and sighed — but didn't pull away. "Is this… touching necessary?"

Bumblebee shut his optics and shrugged, too cozy to care. "Maybe not. You like it."

He got a loud vent as an answer. Soon, Starscream squeezed Bumblebee's servo, and the lazy smile on Bee's faceplate grew.

"How do you suppose this day went?" Starscream asked, in that "I don't actually care" tone, but Bumblebee saw through it each time.

"This about the Terrans?" Bee responded, to which Starscream slightly shifted. "Today was good. You really bring something new to the table, Star, and I think the kids are happy to have you. You are a little bit… weird, to say the least."

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?" there was a grin in Star's tone despite his desire to appear offended.

"Yeah. You're unorthodox. Out of the box. They get a kick out of figuring you out. You're like a Rubik's cube."

"Really? Is that how it was for you as well?"

"Hm", Bumblebee nuzzled into the Seeker even deeper with his cheek. He opened his optics look at him. "I didn't have any intention to solve you, really, and I wasn't seeking a challenge. It was because of the Maltos that I got into this, that's true, but it was a lucky coincidence I won't ever regret. I'll admit, it was nice to figure your in and outs. Like I said, you are charmingly weird."

Starscream's face was completely flushed now, and he covered his grin with a servo — one that wasn't trapped by Bumblebee, that is. Regardless, he spoke. "You added "charmingly" to weird."

Bee shrugged again. "What can I say, you're both."

Starscream hummed and didn't protest. They stayed like that for a little bit, quiet and serene, Star's face cooling off while Bumblebee started drifting into a blissful recharge.

His optics flew open in an instant. "Oh, shoot, I haven't thought of a plan for next week."

"What are you worrying for? It's the weekend, you have plenty of time to think."

"I do not. Arcee was supposed to come up with something, but she bailed, and now I remembered that I have to do the whole thing by myself!"

"Hey, now," Starscream took his other servo and intertwined their digits. "We could think of something together. Someone did say that I was an unpredictable force of nature."

"I didn't say that," Bee smiled, but his spark calmed. He took a breath. "You're right. With you around, I'm sure the kids will have lots of growth opportunities. Their flying skills have already improved by a ton, not to mention the strategies you come up with."

Star's smirk was wider than it had any right to be. "Of course. I wasn't the Second in Command for nothing!"

"Don't gloat in front of the kids, though."

"You never let me have any fun!"

And so they spent most of the night thinking of any specific exercises that would get the kids excited. Starscream focused on the fliers — Twitch and Nightshade — while Bumblebee managed the other activities and how to get everyone involved. Overall, it turned out to be a very productive night.

If Bumblebee glanced at Starscream's thoughtful expression more often than not, it wasn't because he liked the way the flier talked about things he found exciting. Totally not.

[ox-imagines]

Tokyo Debunker as Romance Tropes

Feel free to ask me to write a longer imagine/oneshot for any of these!

Pt. 7 | Obscuary

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 3 | Pt. 4 | Pt. 5 | Pt. 6

Rui - Forbidden Love

You see Rui around campus fairly often in your time at Darkwick, and you think he’s wonderfully handsome and always seems to be in a good mood. You finally get the chance to properly meet him in the cafeteria one day when you turn around and almost run into him. He panics a bit and steps away from you quickly, which you interpret as a bit of a rude overreaction since you didn’t even actually touch him. He quickly apologizes and tells you he runs a bar on campus, inviting you to come let him make you a drink to make up for his reaction (hastily adding that the majority of the drinks he makes are in fact non-alcoholic). You take him up on his offer and find that he’s actually wonderful company, and he seems to quite like you too, though you’re not completely convinced he’s not just a flirt. Even so, you find yourself spending a good deal of time at his bar, talking to him late into the night, and after getting back to your dorm you usually message him on WickChat once he’s closed the bar down. You know you’ve gotten close with him, he genuinely seems to appreciate and enjoy your company and doesn’t seem to have many people he’s actually close with, but over time you feel like he’s starting to pull away. One night while there’s no one else at the bar and you’ve finally got his full attention again, you give in to your feelings and ask him out. You sincerely think you’re in love with him, and want nothing more than to hold him close while you talk rather than being on different sides of campus texting each other in the middle of the night. When you ask him out, his expression turns oddly sad, a look on his face you couldn’t have imagined he could make. He corrects it and gives you a polite, lopsided smile, but his eyes belie how he really feels as he lets you down easy.

“Look, there’s, there’s something I need to tell you. I can’t be with you, not in a way that’s more than what we already are. You ever notice how I always avoid touching you? Im cursed; I don’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry…”

Lyca & Ed - Vampire vs Werewolf

Lyca is a newly integrated student who’s having some trouble adjusting to his new life. It doesn’t help, though, that the other students treat him poorly or differently since he’s a werewolf. You see him for the person he is rather than his supernatural afflictions and treat him as such, working to help him fit in better with the human students. He ends up protective and a bit possessive of you and treats you like you’re the most important person in the world (of course besides Subaru, who was his first friend, and a man named Neros who you’ve gathered basically raised him). Things are going well until one of his dormmates comes into the picture. He’s complained about him before, and the first few times you visit their dorms Ed stays closed in his room. After your classes, you head over to Obscuary to find Lyca; he hasn’t been answering his WickChat today. When you get there, Ed’s door is open. You can’t help but cast a curious glance inside as you walk past to Lyca’s room. After all, you’ve never seen a real vampire. He’s gorgeous, with porcelain skin and well-kempt hair framing sparkling red-violet eyes. A small gasp leaves your lips and his sharp eyes flick up from his computer to meet yours. He grins, his expression a mixture of devilish and curious, and he rises elegantly and gets to his door surprisingly quick. You think to yourself that it’s good for Romeo’s ego that Ed acts like a hermit, because he has an enrapturing beauty about him that could definitely rival Romeo. Ed gets almost uncomfortably close, and you have a suspicion that he’s… smelling you? When Lyca hears Ed talking to someone, he quickly comes out of his room, placing himself between the two of you. His big silvery ears showing and flattened back angrily, he spits threats at Ed to stay away from you, but Ed just chuckles, winking at you before backing into his room. It doesn’t take long for you to realize this is your life now, Ed making sly, often suggestive comments and subtle advances and Lyca losing it with him over it.

“Don’t you look like a vision today? Any special reason?”

“I swear you moth-eaten Casanova, touch her again and I’ll rip your hand off myself!”

[moonsaver]

i’ve been thinking a lot about that one sunday arranged marriage AU you had at some point, the one where the person marrying him isn’t a halovian so there’s some unavoidable distance between the two. would you happen to have any more thoughts about it to share? 👀🙏

Hello anon! Its been a while since i wrote a good arranged marriage au, so im guessing you're referring to this post?

As for more thoughts..

I imagine although Sunday does sincerely try to be closer to non-halovian reader despite the difference, there's still something that's off.

He speaks with his colleagues, shares meaningful glances at them, says things you don't quite understand. When you ask, he simply tells you to brush it off, and to not worry. There's an invisible wall between you two.

And you know Sunday's trying, but you know he also has his reservations. Although you understand he himself cannot cross over that invisible wall – it still hurts. You can't understand him the way he wants you to.

And his feelings also fester; he wants to be close, but something is constantly stopping him, like there's a stone instead of a heart in his chest. He doesn't admit the way he doesn't like when you laugh with most others instead of him. He doesn't admit the way he feels troubled when he sees your back turned to him late at night, after another conversation that was left unfinished due to an implied "you wouldn't understand". He doesn't admit the guilt that eats him up whenever your eyes dull from hurt or disappointment when he cuts the conversation short during your shared breaks.

It is always his own doing, and yet he curses his own hands. They long to touch you, but to cross over that line – to know that line would not disappear, and it would not be the end of the world to transgress it – he wouldn't know how to continue. His greed will eat him alive, but the longing that aches his chest will rot him before that.

And he does cross that line. He watches that bold, unflinching boundary tremble the slightest bit inside him when he leans over to kiss the forehead of your sleeping form. He teeters that line when his hand inches towards yours on the dinner table. He crumbles that line with his own two hands when both of you pour your hearts out in the middle of the night. And he doesn't flinch when he falls, nor when his sins burn his back, and not when you both kiss for the first time.

[lohotine]

AN: IM OUT HERE SIMPING FOR ANYTHING THAT BREATHES. anyway ♡

BUT OMG, EHEHEHEHEB 🤭

Longan Dragon x Reader

Oneshot

Warnings: just fluff

-Falling in love-

A cool spring breeze flows throughout a flowery medow, causing the grass to sway. Resting in the middle of the field were the Ivory Dragon and yourself.

Quite the rare scene indeed, since getting Longan dragon to agree to something as trivial as making flower crowns is a very difficult thing to manage.

They themself had wondered why they agreed to it. There was nothing particularly special about the day; you had just randomly asked if they'd like to make the things with you.

And despite that, they couldn't bring themself to say no.

So here the two of you were: sitting in a large, open field as you taught Longan how to make flower crowns.

"And just like this-" you held up the end result and showed it to them. "Ta-da!" A bright smile was on your face.

Longan would continue giving you that cold, emotionless stare they always had on their face. If you hadn't known them well, you'd think they were uninterested.

But of course, if Longan saw this as a waste of time, they would have said so already.

You leaned towards them, carefully placing the now complete flower crown atop their head.

If it were anyone else trying to get this close to them, Longan would have killed them already.

So why were you the anomaly?

You hadn't done anything to earn this dragon's respect. All you ever did was talk with them sometimes or complete small projects such as this one.

The way you treated them as if they couldn't destroy you at any second... How content you always were.

It was so naive... yet so captivating and peaceful at the same time.

It couldn't be.. had Longan developed a soft-spot for you? Had you melted this uncaring dragon's cold heart?

Your voice soon snapped them out of their daze.

"Here, you make one next!" You placed some freshly picked flowers into their hands and began to recite the steps to them.

It was easy, of course. Creating flower crowns was not something beyond the Ivory Dragon.

The thing that troubled them so much was that lingering question.

Why were you the anomaly?

How is it that after such a long time living, their ideals would eventually bend to your will?

Perhaps they should have been upset. But, they just couldn't feel that way. It was a rather odd feeling, actually, though not bad.

In fact, it was quite nice. It made them feel as if all of the flowers in the meadow shone just a little brighter.

"Oh, you're finished already?" You took the flower crown out of their hands and carefully examined it. "You're a natural at this!"

You handed the crown back to them and continued to sit peacefully.

Longan would just gaze at the object, thinking.

"You know, I really enjoy the time we spend together," You'd say randomly.

They looked up to meet your gaze. "You do? I don't think I'm very good company.." they'd respond.

"Sure you are! Why else do you think I asked you to join me today?"

Longan looked back down at the crown before placing it on your head, leaving a touch that seemed to linger for just a little too long..

A subtle blush spread across your face as you continued to smile.

It was in that moment that everything clicked for them.

Why they adored you so much, why they wanted nothing more than to be around you, and to protect you.

Why their heart beat just a bit faster around you, and why your smile had long since become one of their favorite views.

Why their ideals would bend for you, why they agreed to this rather stupid idea of making crowns out of flowers.

Why they thought of you so often, and why for the first time in a long while, they felt something other than hate.

They were falling in love, and there wasn't any way it could be undone.

Hopefully you're ready for what consequences would come from this.

[in1-nutshell]

I lied, I don't want Megatron's confession constantly getting interrupted. I want them to kiss, I wanna see Megatron being a simp for his small spider wife.

bonus

Optimus - Thank you for putting aside our differences and meeting me here. And I'd like it to be known that right now, I am not speaking to you as autobot to decepticon but as mech to mech. With that being said, I will find a way to kill you if you hurt buddy

SHOVEL TALK PLS

another thing to tag on, Im sorry I only got ideas after requests are closed, i hope when you see this you have a nice day and drink water.

Will we finally get the confession? Yes? No? You'll have to find out.

I had other request similar to this one so this will have some of their elements too.

Better context, read the last Elita One's twin sister post

Hope you enjoy!

Elita One's twin sister and Megatron confessions?

SFW, Platonic, Romance, Cybertronain (techno organic) reader

TFA

All Decepticon projects had halted when Buddy disappeared through that portal.

Not that anyone would object to it anyways.

Everyone was worried about where Buddy would end up.

Blitzwing’s personalities all agreed to work together to find her, causing a near cohesive flow.

Near, the faces would sometimes have a fit over little details in the search.

Starscream halted all his plans to overthrow Megatron until Buddy was found.

Lugnut messaged Strika to keep an optic out on the space bridges they were thinking about taking in case Buddy was around.

Shockwave was also notified about Buddy sudden disappearance.

Megatron was by far the most worried in the group.

He could still see Buddy trying to reach for his servo.

After 3 days of searching Megatron knew what he had to do.

He didn’t like it, but Buddy’s life potentially at risk and time was at the essence now.

The entire Decepticon group had flown to the city and landed in the center of the park.

There was no way he was going to message the smaller Prime, but at least showing up would do something to alert the Autobots.

Within no time most of the Autobots had shown up at the park.

Megatron walking towards Optimus.

Optimus walks to him.

They meet in the middle.

“Megatron.”--Optimus

“Prime. I have news.”--Megatron

Optimus doesn’t like the look Megatron is giving him.

They look frightened.

What could possibly…

“Megatron, where’s Buddy?”--Optimus

Megatron looks down a bit and clenches his servo.

“A portal opened inside the base. We were—I was unable to stop her from getting sucked inside.”--Megatron

Optimus and the Team’s optics go wide.

“How? When?”--Optimus

“Three days ago. We have not found a trace of Buddy.”--Megatron

“Do you think that she may have been kidnapped again?”--Optimus

“Not likely. There would have been traces of…”--Megatron

Optimus clenches his axe.

“How can we help?”--Optimus

“Firstly, a truce needs to be—”--Megatron

Optimus shakes his servo with Megatron.

“All right, next?”--Optimus

Optimus managed his team to start looking for Buddy.

Prowl and Bulkhead went to Dinobot Island to see if Buddy was around.

They came across Dinobot’s there.

They were worried that Buddy hadn’t shown up either.

Grimlock managed to organize the Dinobots to help with the search.

Ratchet, Bumblebee and Sari searched more in the city for Buddy.

Optimus managed to get in contact with Elita and tell her what was going on.

She nearly turned the entire ship around hearing that.

“Elita you can’t come back to Earth without the right jurisdiction.”--Optimus

“Optimus, Buddy is in trouble. My twin needs my help.”--Elita

“I’m with Prime on this one Elita.”--Sentinel

“What?”--Elita

“What?”--Optimus

“We have orders to get back to Cybertron and that’s what they expect. They don’t know Buddy is still alive. Ultra Magnus still doesn’t know. It’s going to give us and Buddy more trouble if we go back.”--Sentinel

“…Fine.”--Elita

“We’ll keep an optic out on our end Optimus.”--Sentinel

“Thank you, both of you.”--Optimus

“Optimus, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you know.”--Jazz

“Megatron told me.”--Optimus

“…Come again.”--Jazz

“He told us he needed help finding Buddy. She’s been gone for three days.”--Optimus

“Three days?!”--Elita

“How do you know this isn’t a trap? How do you know that Megatron isn’t lying?”--Sentinel

“Trust me, he wouldn’t be lying about Buddy.”--Optimus

“How—”--Sentinel

“Trust me on this.”--Optimus

“…I hope you’re right.”--Elita

A few days later…

Megatron is flying around early in the morning when he sees that same blasted portal open in the middle of the sky.

Something shoots out of it and the portal closes.

He looks closer at the thing and nearly has a spark attack.

It was Buddy.

“WHY CAN’T I HAVE A SAFE LANDING?!”--Buddy

Megatron dives down and grabs Buddy’s waist slowing her descent and flies upwards.

Buddy has her optics shut closed preparing for the worst.

“Buddy?”--Megatron

Buddy opens her optics and sees the shocked optics of Megatron.

Her Megatron.

“Megatron?”--Buddy

Megatron just pulls her in a tight hug.

Buddy does her best to hug back.

“I…I thought…”--Megatron

“Megatron, even after all this time, you still doubt me?”--Buddy

Megatron gives her a slightly unamused look.

“You know what I mean.”—Megatron

Buddy giggles a bit.

“I do, but sometimes it too easy with you.”--Buddy

“Too easy?”--Megatron

“Yes, like this.”--Buddy

Buddy cups both her servos on Megatron’s faceplate.

Megatron’s optics grow slightly but close them when she starts gently stroking her digit on his face.

“Is this fine?”--Buddy

Megatron just nods.

“I missed you.”--Buddy

“As did I.”--Megatron

Megatron looks at Buddy’s optics longingly.

“I love you.”--Megatron

Megatron’s optics go wide as the three words slipped out of his mouth.

Buddy’s optics went wide but then a happy smile graces her face as she pressed her helm against his.

He leans in too.

“It’s a good thing I feel the same way too then.”--Buddy

“Feel what?”--Megatron

“Love. I love you Megatron. I love you so.”--Buddy

Megatron lets a smile loose and closes his optics focusing on the moment with Buddy’s helm still resting on his.

They both come back to the park after Megatron let everyone know that she was okay.

The Decepticon’s want to high tail it to the park, but Megatron tells them to get back to the base.

Begrudgingly they agree.

Optimus is the first one to arrive at the park and tackles Buddy down.

Optimus locking Buddy in a tight hug on the ground.

“Don’t you ever do that again! Do you hear me!?”--Optimus

Buddy just chuckles and hugs him back.

Optimus helps Buddy get off from the floor.

Budy moves her way back to Megatron’s side and takes his servo in hers.

Optimus gives Buddy a look before getting the message.

Optimus turns to Megatron flashing the axe in his servo.

“I thank you for putting the war aside for Buddy, I do. And right now, still has nothing to do with the war, but as mech to mech.”--Optimus

Optimus gives him his best death glare.

“If you ever hurt her in anyway, shape, form, and I find out… You’re going to have to deal with me. And you wont like the ways I deal with things angrily; you can ask Buddy that.”--Optimus

Buddy having flashbacks to Optimus fighting a whole group of cadets because they hurt her.

She had tried to get Elita and Sentinel to get him to stop, but in the end the two joined in.

Megatron looks at the Prime for a moment before taking out his other servo.

“You have my word, Optimus Prime. For what ever its worth to you.”--Megatron

Optimus shakes it before giving Buddy one last hug.

Prime transforms and gets back to the plant to call off the search party.

After getting buried in more hugs and light scoldings, there is a mini celebration at the base for finding Buddy.

Buddy had to make many calls during the party to make sure everyone knew she was okay.

“I see the Spider survived.”--Strika

“Yes, I did Strika. I’m home.”--Buddy

“I must ask what happened though. Megatron had most of the projects stopped to go look for you.”--Strika

Buddy blushes a bit at the comment.

“Well, that’s a story for the next time you come over.”--Buddy

“I see, but one last question.”--Strika

“Yes?”--Buddy

Strika points to Buddy’s servo that is off screen.

Buddy lifts it up a bit showing Megatron’s servo carefully intertwined with hers still.

Strika’s optics go wide.

Buddy smiles sweetly.

“Hmm…I believe I’ll have to make my visit sooner then.”--Strika

“Okay then! Bye Strika!”--Buddy

Strika cuts the video call.

Megatron squeezes her servo a bit.

Buddy smiles and squeezes back.

SLAM!

Megatron and Buddy jump at the sound.

Megatron pulls Buddy closer still holding her servo.

“Lord Megatron we have the—”--Lugnut

Lugnut zeroes in on the servos.

“Oh… My…”--Lugnut

“Umm, Lugnut? Are you—”--Buddy

“ITS HAPPENING! ITS HAPPENING!”--Lugnut

“What?”--Megatron

Starscream and Blitzwing come running in and spot Megatron’s servo in Buddy’s.

Blitzwing throws his servos in the air with utter joy and relief.

“Finally! It’s over now!”--Blitzwing

“What’s over now?”--Buddy

“The endless pinning! You two have been pinning over each other for years and finally, FINALLY got together!”--Starscream

Buddy hides half of her face with her other servo.

Megatron feels embarrassed but knows that he can’t really punish them for this.

It was torture for him too.

Megatron drags Buddy away from the cheering mechs.

“Have fun you two!”--Starscream

Megatron stops and gets ready to go back and punch Starscream.

“Megatron no.”--Buddy

Megatron follows Buddy as if nothing happened.

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

Hello, hope you're doing well. May I please request some help with one eye human design? It's essentially just the eye sockets melded together in the middle and the eye is bigger than an ordinary separate eye, the trouble I'm having is with the eye ducts and the nose. The position of the eye is where the beginning of the bridge of the nose begins and I'm thinking of sliding the nose lower than it usually is but im not sure how I can make that look not funky, or not too funky at least, maybe elongate the skull a bit? As with the tear ducts im thinking of putting one on both sides of the eye. Any advice you can offer will be much appreciated.

alright, cyclops! a classic design, and one that has caused trouble for so many artists. it's an odd way to structure a face!

my thoughts on the matter:

the central eye socket would get in the way of the nasal passage on a normal human face, so yes, you have to kinda scoot the nose down and make the eye socket bigger than a normal one. Since the cyclops does not have binocular vision, they won't have good depth perception, and their peripheral vision will also suffer, so it makes sense that they'd need a larger eye than normal to counter these problems a little bit.

(image description: simple sketches of a human skull and then a modified humanoid skull with one central eye socket. the skulls are drawn from the front and the side. end description.)

I know the usual instinct with a cyclops design is to structure the eyelids and tearducts like a normal human eye, but. See, the tearducts drain into the nose, and tears are actually formed in a gland on the upper corner of the eye, opposite from the tear duct. So I'm gonna make an unusual suggestion and say the cyclops eye should have vertical eyelids, with the lacrimal gland above the eye and the tearduct at the bottom of the eye, right over the nose. (reference image source)

(image description: a simple reference image of a human eye, showing the glands and ducts that carry tears over and out of the eye. below this, the cyclops skull has been drawn over with a cyclops face. The cyclops has vertical eyelids and there are small red marks where the tear gland and duct should be, above and below the eye respectively. end description)

A little out of the ordinary, but I think it works. Also gives the cyclops a unique appearance that isn't so reliant on human expectation.

[nightwriter357]

Smosh summer games:ships

Thank you for your patience everyone, it's finally time for the second part of smosh summer games:ships. I'm definitely taking my time and making this romance a bit slower until it gets smutty but I hope you still enjoy the fluff and comedy with the group

Also a massive thank you to everyone who gave me inspiration for this chapter, I loved hearing from you guys!

Part 2 - Mother trucker, dude that hurt like a buttcheek on a stick

You woke up to the soft glow of morning light through the porthole. As you shifted in the bed, a sharp twinge of pain shot through your back. You groaned softly, stretching and trying to ease the stiffness.

Damien's head popped over the edge of the top bunk, his hair mussed from sleep. "Good morning," he said with a sleepy smile. "How'd you sleep?"

"Morning," you replied, wincing as you sat up. "Not to great, to be honest. My back is fucking killing me. These bunk beds are not exactly comfortable."

Damien frowned slightly. "Yeah, I can imagine. These beds are pretty rough."

You sighed, swinging your legs over the edge of the bed and slowly standing up. Damien climbed down from the top bunk, stretching his own limbs. You both tried stretching for a bit, but the stiffness in your back refused to ease.

"Did you get thoose kinks out?," Damien asked, watching you with a sympathetic look.

You shook your head, attempting a few more stretches. "Nope, but im pretty sure I was kinky before sleeping in the bunk bed"

Damien's eyes lit up as a smile started to form. "Oh I'm sure partner."

You tilted your head, "partner?"

He put his hands up, "well what should I call you then, shipmate? duobro? 

"lover, soulmate, better half" you continued.

He froze for a second before responding, "yeah.. yeah I don't think anybody will react if I start calling you lover?

You laughed softly. "No, it's perfectly innocent."

He watched you as you tried to ease your own pain, seemingly working up the courage to say something .

"So.. uhm.. speaking of innocent, How about a massage? I'm pretty good at it, if I do say so myself."

Your heart skipped a beat at the thought. "Are you sure? I don't want to trouble you."

"It's no trouble at all," he said, already moving to sit beside you on the bed. "Lie down on your stomach."

You hesitated for a moment before lying down, your head resting on your folded arms. Your heart raced, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. As Damien's fingers gently brushed your hair aside, you felt a shiver run down your spine.

His hands were warm and firm on your shoulders. He started with light pressure, his fingers kneading the muscles at the base of your neck. The tension began to melt away under his touch, and you let out a contented sigh. "Wow, you weren't kidding. This feels amazing."

Damien chuckled softly. "Told you. I have a secret talent."

He worked his way down your back, his fingers skillfully finding and easing each knot of tension. As he reached the middle of your back, he applied a bit more pressure, his thumbs pressing into the sore spots and drawing out a low moan from you.

"That's the spot," you murmured, feeling the pain ebb away.

"You know, yesterday was a lot of fun," Damien said, his voice low and soothing. "I'm really glad we got to spend time together."

"Yeah, it was," you agreed, smiling to yourself. "I can't believe we almost won. My aim is usually terrible."

Damien laughed, the sound vibrating through his hands into your back. "Well, you did great.. And staying up late talking was awesome too."

"Definitely," you said, reaching for your water bottle on the bedside table, feeling your mouth dry up from the nervousness. Trying to drink while lying on your stomach proved to be a mistake, and you ended up spilling water on your face and it poured down you neck and all over your shirt.

Damien laughed, the sound warm and playful. "Smooth move, you really do have terrible aim, huh?" He helped you sit up, the two of you now sitting side by side on the bed. " Need some help there?"

You giggled, feeling a mix of embarrassment and amusement. "Maybe a little."

He reached for a towel and gently dabbed at your face and neck. "There, all better. But I have to say, you wear water well."

You laughed, "Thanks, I try."

"Feeling any better?" he asked, his tone softening as he held up the towel against you cheek.

"Yeah, a bit," you replied, lowering your gaze while still smiling at him. "Thanks."

Just as you were about to say more, the door swung open, and Courtney walked in with her usual energy. "Morning, roomies! Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

You and Damien both looked up, slightly startled. "Hey, Courtney," you greeted her, still feeling the warmth of Damien's touch lingering on your skin.

Courtney grinned, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Hey, Damien, I need the room, and y/n for some vlogging. Shayne's waiting for you in your guys room."

Damien pouted slightly, clearly wanting to stay. "Aw man, do I have to? I was just getting comfortable here."

Courtney raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. "Yes, you have to. Besides, y/n and I have some stuff to catch up on. You'll have plenty of time to hang out later."

You couldn't help but smile at Damien's reluctance. "It's okay, Damien. We'll catch up later."

Damien sighed dramatically, standing up and stretching. "Fine, fine. But you better not have all the fun without me."

Courtney laughed, waving him off. "Don't worry, we'll save some fun for you. Now go on, Shayne's waiting."

As Damien gathered his things, he gave you a quick, playful salute. "See you later, y/n."

"See you," you replied, watching him leave with a mix of amusement and a hint of longing.

"I'll see you later too, Damien", Courtney yelled after him.

Once the door closed behind him, Courtney immediately pulled out her camera and started recording. "Morning, vlog! It's Courtney here, and I'm with y/n in our room. We've got a fun day ahead of us at the Smosh Summer Games, ships edition!"

You waved at the camera with a cheerful smile. "Hey, everyone! We're so excited for today. Yesterday was awesome, and I bet there's some crazy stuff planned."

Courtney panned the camera around the room, capturing the cozy atmosphere. "So, y/n, how did you sleep? These bunk beds are not exactly five-star comfort."

You chuckled, shaking your head. "Honestly, not the best. My back is a bit sore, but it's all part of the experience, right?"

Courtney grinned, giving the camera a look. "Well, folks, I'll make sure y/n gets some proper rest tonight. But first, we've got to get ready for today's games."

"Yeah, especially after such a long night of... oh, I mean, the bunks aren't exactly comfy," you said, catching yourself just in time. "But it was fun having a little roomie chat before bed, right, Court?"

Courtney nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely! It was like so much fun. We stayed up way too late talking about everything that happend yesterday."

You both shared a knowing smile, hoping the viewers would buy it.

Courtney continued, "So y/n, can you believe the twist this year? Being paired up with the fans favorite ships? I mean, who would've thought?"

You laughed. "I know, right? 'The Leg Peggers' is such a fitting name for our team, and being paired with Damien... well, let's just say I wasn't suprised or disapointed!"

Courtney nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "And of course, I'm with Shayne, which is just perfect. But seriously, how funny was Spencer's judge outfit yesterday? That wig was something else!"

You giggled, remembering the scene. "Oh my god, yes! He looked like he stepped out of a history book. And the way he kept saying those courtroom lines... classic Spencer."

Courtney laughed, nodding in agreement. "Totally. And ofcourse we ended up on the same team" She leaned in to hug you with her free arm. "Wish we would have been shiped though but.. good enough I guess.

You both burst into laughter, enjoying the playful banter. "Yeah so true, We're definetly got the star power on our team, 'The Seamen' better watch out".

Courtney grinned, pointing the camera back at herself. "Alright, vlog, we're off to get ready for today's challenges. Stay tuned for more fun and craziness at the Smosh Summer Games"

"Shiiiiiips," you chimed in.

She ended the recording and set the camera aside, turning back to you with a smile. "So, seriously, how was it sharing a room with Damien? He didn't snore or anything, did he? Also, I didn't expect to find you both on like the same bed this morning."

You laughed, shaking your head. "No, he didn't snore. He was actually really easy to talk to. We stayed up late just chatting about everything. And as for this morning, it's so not what it looks like. I was just complaining about my back, and he offered to give me a massage. Totally innocent."

Courtney raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Totally innocent, huh? Sure, if you say so. " She poked your side with her ellbow. But sounds like a bit more than just a friendly massage to me."

You felt your cheeks heat up and quickly shook your head. "I swear, it was just a massage. He was being really sweet, that's all."

Courtney laughed, clearly enjoying your flustered reaction. "Okay, okay, I believe you. For now. But you know, the fans are going to go wild if they ever find out."

You sighed, still smiling. "Well you're one to talk"

Courtney smiled warmly. "Okay you got me there." She stod up to face you, "soooo, how about some sunbathing?"

You nodded, already feeling the excitement of the day's activities building. "I'm ready. Let's do this."

As you took your bikini out from your bag, you couldn't help but replay the morning's events in your mind, a smile tugging at your lips at the memory of Damien's touch and the fact that he seemed to want to stay in the room with you so bad.

You and Courtney made your way to the deck, finding a sunny spot to lay out your towels. The warmth of the sun felt incredible on your skin as you settled down, ready to relax and soak up the rays.A few moments later, Shayne joined you both, followed closely by Amanda and Arasha. 

"Hey, ladies! Mind if we join you?" Shayne asked, spreading out his towel beside Courtney.

"Is there a world where I would say no to that?" Courtney replied with a grin, making room for him. Amanda and Arasha settled down nearby, greeting you both with cheerful enthusiasm.

From the corner of your eye, you noticed Damien playing pool with some other cast members. He seemed distracted, his gaze frequently drifting over to where you were lounging with the others. More than once, Anthony had to tap him on the shoulder to get his attention back to the game. It was hard to ignore the way his eyes lingered on you, a mix of focus and something else that drew your attention. Was it possible that Damien actually liked you? The thought made your heart beat a little faster, sending a subtle wave of flustered nerves through you. You quickly turned back to the group, trying to suppress the smile that threatened to form on your lips, determined not to let your thoughts show.

"So, how's rooming together" Arasha asked looking at you and Courtney.

You chuckled, Courtney leaned in, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Actually, we switched rooms so Shayne and I could sleep together. So now, Damien and y/n are sharing a room."

Amanda raised her eyebrows, looking impressed. "Ooh, sneaky move, Court! So, y/n, how's that working out?"

You smiled, still feeling a bit flustered. "It's fine, really. Damien's been a gentleman."

Arasha grinned, nudging you playfully. "I'm sure he has." 

Amanda stretched out on her towel, looking relaxed. "I'm with Angela. We're already plotting our game strategy. Not that we need to, we crushed it yesterday"

The group chatted and laughed, the sun warming your skin as you enjoyed the easygoing banter. Courtney put sun lotion on Shayne and ended upp squeezing out half the bottle on his back, he chased her around the deck as the rest of you rooted for Courtney to get away with it.

After a while, Damien strolled over, a playful glint in his eye. "Hey, lover," he said as he approached, his tone teasing.

"Oh, hi lover," you responded with a grin, lowering your sunglasses.

Damien smiled, then turned to the group. "Can I borrow Shayne for a moment?"

Shayne got up turning to you all, "I'm in high demand it seams"

Damien looked at you again, "see you all later," he said, waving before walking away.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Amanda and Arasha turned to you with wide eyes. "Lover? What's that about?" Arasha asked, her curiosity piqued.

You laughed, feeling a bit sheepish. "It's an inside joke. We were just goofing around this morning."

Courtney grinned, leaning back on her towel. "Yeah, just goofing around on the bed together right?"

You turned around and pulled up her sunglasses from her eyes" Oh shut up", you looked back at Amanda and Arasha, glancing in the direction Damien had gone. "We are.. It's been great, getting to know him better."

Amanda chuckled, giving you a knowing look. "Just don't forget about us when you two are off having your inside jokes and deep deep talks."

"Never," you said with a smile. "You guys are stuck with me."

Arasha pursed her lips at you "Okay, loverrrrr"

The group laughed, just then, Angela walked by, her curiosity piqued. "What are you guys whispering about?"

You glanced at Arasha, sharing a conspiratorial smile. "Oh, you didn't hear? Arasha BOOKED."

Angela rolled her eyes, her voice filled with mock exasperation. "I am NOT falling for that one again, man."

As Angela walked off, everyone burst into laughter, the moment lightening the mood and hopefully taking the heat of you and Damien for a bit. After a while you decided to get back and prepare for whatever game was next. You passed Damien on your way back to the cabin. Spencer tugged on his shoulder, "Hey man, It's your turn again". 

"Yeah okay", he quickly turned around, talking a shot straight away without worrying about making it, before walking up behind you.

"Hey, where are you going?" 

You turned to look at him over your shoulder "Just talking a shower"

He caught up to you, adjusting his pace to walk along side you, "Do you need any help?"

You looked at him with a questioning smile, "Do I need any help showering?"

He stopped, "Oh.. no.. sorry I meant.."

You looked over your shoulder again, seeing the guys trying to get his attention again, before looking back to him. His cheekes were blushed and his mouth was moving without forming any actuall words. "I think they need you again, lover". You kept walking to your room, not looking back to see how he reacted to your line.

You got out of the shower and decided to put on a new dry bikini and some soft shorts and a tank top over it. You went up to meet the cast again and Anthony and Ian waved you over to the ping pong table and the camera started rolling.

Spencer, dressed in his judge attire, holding up a ping pong ball to explain the rules once again."We are once again bringing back an old smosh summer games favorite, PAINPONG. It's just like regular ping pong exept for when you score a point, your opponent needs to lift up their shirt and let you take a shot at their body, if you make it, you get your point." He looked around at all of you, "Got it?"

Angela shook her head, "no, actually, can you say that again?"

Spencer at her, "Frankly, no"

 As pairs were decided, Ian and Anthony stepped up first, their match quickly turning chaotic. Ian served the ball with a dramatic flourish, only for it to veer wildly off course. Anthony attempted a heroic dive to return it, crashing into the side of the table instead. Laughter erupted from the spectators.

"Nice one, Ian!" Shayne called out, clapping.

Undeterred, Ian managed to regain control and hit a solid shot, sending the ball skimming over the net. Anthony, with a look of fierce determination, swung his paddle with all his might, missing entirely and spinning in place. The crowd roared with laughter, Spencer shaking his head in mock disapproval.

"Focus, Anthony!" Spencer called, striking a gavel-like pose. "Order on the ping-pong court!"

"It's not a court" Chanse muttered.

On the next serve, Ian hit the ball with precision, and it grazed the table's edge, earning him a point. With a triumphant grin, he picked up the ball and readied himself to take the shot at Anthony’s body. Anthony, shirt pulled over his head, braced himself for impact.

Ian aimed carefully and shot the ball directly on Anthonys bellybutton, causing Anthony to yelp and dance comically in protest.

"Ow, my body! I’m down!" Anthony exclaimed, staggering back theatrically. The group burst into laughter, cheering Ian on.

"Point to Ian!" Spencer announced, adopting a stern judge's tone. 

Ian grinned, bowing to the audience. "Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here all week."

The match concluded with Ian as the winner.

Amanda and Courtney faced off next, with an intense match filled with laughter and competitive spirit, ending with Amandas precise aim clinching victory.  Shayne and Noah followed, their game was high-energy and entertaining, but Shayne's powerful serves ultimately led him to triumph.

Keith and Damien were next. Despite his usual skill, Damien seemed off his game. His focus kept shifting to where you and Trevor were sitting, chatting and laughing together. Trevor leaned in closer, whispering something that made you giggle and playfully nudge him. The sight of you being so affectionate with Trevor seemed to throw Damien off.

Keith took full advantage of Damien's distraction. His quick reflexes and precise shots put Damien on the defensive. With each point Keith scored, Damien's frustration seemed to grow.

At one point, Damien's gaze lingered on you and Trevor as you shared an animated conversation, completely missing Keith's serve. The ball zipped past him, and Spencer, dressed as the judge, called out the score with a dramatic flourish. "Point to Keith"

The other cast members noticed and Ian called out, "Come on, Damien! We need this win!" But it was no use. Keith’s consistent play and Damien’s wandering attention led to Keith winning the match.

With the score now tied, the final match between you and Trevor would decide the overall winner.

"Alright, Y/n and Trevor, you're up next. Everything depends on this moment" Spencer announced, gesturing for you and Trevor to take your positions.

Amanda laughed, "that's a bit intense dude"

Trevor approached you with a sly grin as you prepared to face off. "Alright, Y/n, you ready to play? I'm so gonna get that shirt off you," he teased with a wink.

You rolled your eyes playfully, adjusting your stance. "That'll be the first time you get a lady to take her top off," you retorted, putting your game face on.

The group erupted into laughter and cheers, enjoying the competitive yet playful digs. Damien, though joining in the laughter, couldn't completely hide his disappointment as he watched you interact with Trevor.

Spencer blew his whistle, signaling the start of your match. The game went back and forth, with Trevor making daring shots and you somehow hitting them expertly. Ian, as team captain, watched intently, offering occasional words of encouragement and strategizing with the others.

"Keep your eye on the ball, Y/n! You got this!" Ian shouted, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

"Whose ball, Spencers?" You quickly responded before hitting the ball back at Trevor.

Spencer, true to his judge persona, interjected "Objection"

You were to busy giggling with the others when the ball returned to you. "Sustained, point for Trevor" Spencer announced when Trevor managed to hit your stomach, earning a point.

Chanse raised his eyebrow, "sustained?"

The crowd cheered and jeered, with Trevors teammates rooting loudly for him. "That's it, Trevor. Do it for the seamen!"  Keith shouted. While your teammates, led by Ian, chanted "peg those legs, peg those legs."

As the match progressed, Trevor managed to get a few body shots in, one grazed your breast, causing a red mark to appear. You winced slightly but brushed it off with a laugh.

"Careful there, Trevor, you're gonna get this video demonetized," you quipped, earning chuckles from the onlookers.

Damien, leaning against the nearby railing, watched with a growing sense of poutiness. "Hey, be careful with my partner there, bud," he called out with a playful grin, though his tone carried a hint of protectiveness.

Trevor's determination paid off, and he managed to win a few points. "Alright, Y/n, it's time to surrender." Trevor said with a grin, sending another shot your way.

You hit the ball back, "hey, watch it! You're just jealous of my ping pong skills," you teased back, flashing a smirk.

Damien rolled his eyes playfully at your remark, but beneath his playful facade, you could sense his subtle discomfort. He seemed almost annoyed, was it just because you were losing? Or is he actually getting a little jealous watching you laugh with someone other than himself?

Spencer, playing up his judge role, added, "Another point for Trevor! The defendant scores again!"

Amanda interjected, "You can't just say stuff that makes no sense, like how is he a defendant?"

The game continued with Trevor and you exchanging playful banter and shots. Occasionally, one of you would win a point but miss the other's body, adding to the tension and excitement. Finally, Trevor managed to hit a shot squarely on your chest, causing a loud cheer from his teammates.

"Ey, boob shot!" Spencer exclaimed, high-fiving him.

You rubbed the spot where the ping pong ball hit, pretending to pout. "Alright, you earned it this time," you conceded with a grin.

After the intense match of Pain Pong, where 'The seamen' once again emerged victorious, Ian and Anthony adjusted the points, 2-0.

Later the cast gathered for dinner in the ship's dining area. Trevor gestured for you to sit beside him and Spencer, a playful smirk on his face.

"Come on over, Y/n. Saved you a spot right here," Trevor said with a wink, patting the seat next to him.

You chuckled at Trevor's playful demeanor and slid into the seat beside him, ready to enjoy dinner. Spencer, still in his judge attire, joined in with a theatrical tone, "Ah, Y/n, I see you've chosen to dine with the winning team. Wise choice."

"Are you just always going to wear that?" You asked as you pulled out the chair.

Spencer looked up at you, his eyes fluttering. "It brings out my eyes."

As you settled in, you couldn't help but notice Damien across the table, who seemed to have saved a seat for you beside him after you had already sat down next to Trevor. His expression was hard to read, but you could swear there was a subtle hint of disappointment in his eyes. You had barely said a word to him all day, but you had been preoccupied. Now, you just wished you had sat next to him.

Ian started distributed vlog cameras to each ship. "Alright, everyone, let's capture some great moments for the vlogs during the time we're here. Get some behind-the-scenes footage and b-roll. And everyone," Ian grinned at Amanda and Angela who where huddled together, "make sure you all record some cute moments together."

Trevor leaned in closer with a mischievous grin, his voice low. ""Any ideas for your vlog footage?"

You rolled your eyes playfully, casting a quick glance at Damien, who seemed momentarily distracted by his food. "Oh, I'm sure Damien and I can come up with something."

Trevor chuckled, "Just don't make it too hard for me and Arasha to top, okay?".

Anthony held up one of the cameras, "okay guys, let's just do a toast for the video, the sound dosen't matter, let's just make it look natural.

As the recording started, Noah piped up holding up his glass to start off the toast, " I feel safe knowing that I can be here, be myself, without the presence of a camera.

Tommy interjected, " yeah absolutely, because there is nobody filming right now." He looked directly into the camera lens.

Chance clinked his glass against Tommys, " It really feels amazing"

You lifted you glass aswell, "cheers my deer friends"

Spencer stood up " cheers, now.. now we cheers!" He coughed, Cheers, this is not staged"

Anthony shook his head at you all and looked over to Ian who was giggling. Everybody laughed as Ian patted Anthony on the shoulder.

As the dinner progressed, Trevor kept up his playful banter, occasionally making witty remarks that had you laughing along. Meanwhile, Damien remained quieter than usual, his gaze occasionally drifting over to where you and Trevor were seated. You felt the discomfort in your back returning, and Courtney noticed your subtle grimace.

"Hey, Is your back still bothering you y/n?" Courtney asked, her concern evident.

You squirmed in your seat, "yeah, it's better though"

Shayne turned over to you, " You know, we took the mattress from the top bunk and put it on the bottom. It's so much more comfortable," 

Damien, who had been relatively quiet, suddenly spoke up, rubbing his eyes. "I'm feeling a bit tired. I think I'll head to bed early tonight."

Courtney raised an eyebrow, exchanging a knowing look with Shayne. "This early? What's up with that, Damien?"

Damien shrugged nonchalantly. "Just tired, that's all."

You noticed Damien's subdued mood and wished you could just lean over to him to make sure everything was okay.

As the evening wore on, you couldn't shake the feeling that Damien had been distant all day, his demeanor hinting at something more than just fatigue. You finnished up your food and excused yourself to go and check on him. 

Inside, Damien stood by the bunk beds, clad only in a towel, clearly caught off guard by your sudden entrance. His wet hair glistened in the dim cabin light, and you couldn't help but notice how good he looked right now, still glistening from a recent shower. The droplets of water accentuating his  biceps and making his skin shimmer in the low light. Just one hand on the towel, without that hand he would be completely naked. It was the first time you had seen him like this, and it sent a slight flutter through your chest.

"Oh, hey," Damien said, his voice breaking the silence, trying to sound casual despite his surprise.

"Hi," you replied softly, trying to gather your thoughts as you took in the sight of him. "I noticed you seemed off tonight. Are you okay?"

Damien hesitated, his gaze flickering away briefly before meeting yours. "Yeah, just... tired, I guess."

You closed the door behind you, stepping further into the room, the tension palpable in the air. "Is there something else bothering you?"

He shook his head and some water flew from his hair to his chest, he looked sad. You went up to him and gave him a hug. One of his hands went up to the back of your neck.

" You know I would hug you back completely but I only have one free hand" he said softly against your ear.

" What so you, oh" you answered as you realised that he still had to hold his towel up. "I'm sorry" you said creating some distance but still holding your hands  behind his neck. " I probably shouldn't be hugging you while you're practically naked"

"I don't mind" he quickly responded " you know, in a.." he looked up as he tried to find the words "So, how's your back holding up?" he asked, changing the subject.

You chuckled, somewhat grateful for the shift in tone. You backed away and started looking through your suitcase for something to wear to bed. "Still bothering me a bit."

He glanced toward the bunk beds, his smile a bit hesitant. "Uh, so... Shayne and Courtney swapped the mattresses. I heard it’s supposed to be more comfortable. Maybe, um, we could try that too?"

You raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Are you suggesting we share a bunk?"

He looked down, "only, you know, if you want to. For your back of course."

"Okay.. but maybe we keep this of the vlogs, it could look suspicious". You winked at him as you grabbed a big t-shirt to sleep in. "Can you turn around for a sec? I have to change"

He smiled at you before turning around to face the porthole, "got it".

You started to undress, even though he couldn't see you, it still felt intimate somehow. You pulled your shirt over your head, let your shorts fall to the floor. You could hear him take a deep breath at the sound of your clothing hitting the floor. You put on a t-shirt, it was short, maybe a little bit to short. You tucked your hair behind your ear, "you can turn back around now".

As he turned around his eyes appeared to do a quick scan of your body before settling on your eyes, " I guess it's your turn to turn around". You complied, letting your hands tug at the bottom on you shirt as you faced the door. You heard towel unraveling and he rummaged through his things. "Ehm, I think you have my pants there infront of you" he said.

You looked down, they were hanging on a chair in front of you. " Yeah" you grabbed them and tried to hand them to his without looking, "where are you?"

He put one hand on your waist and used the other to grab the pants from your hand "right here."

You could feel your body flinch at the sudden contact. He's naked behind you, a part of you just wanted to turn around and take him in, but you couldn't. He let go and got dressed before tapping you on the shoulder to signal that it was clear to turn around. He grabbed the mattress from the top bunk and slid it in the bottom.

He got in the bunk and slid under the covers. He wore a pair of pyjama pants and you a t-shirt, together you made one fully clothed person but like this, it felt a bit intimate crawling in bed together. You followed suit, instantly feeling the warmth of his skin against yours. You were face to face, the bed was small so there was no way to adjust yourselfs so you weren't touching.

"So, so what was up today?" You finally asked him.

He licked his upper lip and closed his eyes for a second, " I just felt a bit.. disappointed"

You made eye contact with him, " Was it because I lost?" You questioned.

Damien shook his head in response and let out a small laugh, " God no, do you think I actually care about that? No it was just.. I wanted to hang out with you more. I mean we had a good time yesterday, and this morning, right?"

You smiled back at him, putting your hand on his shoulder. " Of course we did, we always do, I always enjoy spending time with you"

He pursed his lips, " You know everybody just seems to swarm around you, it's not that easy to get time with you.

You rested your head on the pillow and closed your eyes, "well you have me tonight and every night."

He poked you in your side " Oh I have you every night, huh?" He grinned.

You opened you eyes slightly, "you know what I mean."

You turned around to sleep and felt his hot breath against your neck. Your body instinctively pushed up against him as you felt a shiver go through it. " I'm sorry Damien..I"

"You're fine" he reassured, "it's a small bed, we're bound to make contact at some point."

" Yeah, I guess so. I think it's just, you feel so warm"

He sensed your shiver. "You feel cold," he said, concern in his voice.

You inched closer, feeling the heat of his body. "I guess that's perfect," you whispered, a hint of a smile on your lips.

"It feels perfect," he murmured, his voice filled with warmth and care.

"Goodnight lover"

"Goodnight lover"