#he's not that dumb- just a little.. scatterbrained ^^''

[wolftails-funkin-arts]

I'm still planning to do the rest of the characters for this AU btw-

Here's Plan: Boogie Brud, the artist! 👀

[somnimagus]

did some vesperia chibis, i always forget how happy i get drawing these guys. i love them dearly

[id in alt text]

[ozzgin]

The Yanderes and their jealousy: Monster Edition

You just got a new fictional obsession. Whether it's TikTok thirst traps, reader insert stories or shameless fanart, you've been glued to your phone for the past days and the yanderes have certainly noticed. Featuring my monster OCs (with links to their stories) Content: gender neutral reader, mildly NSFW

Zzy [Yandere!Demon x Gloomy!Reader]

The goat rascal is fuming, clacking his hooves back and forth against the ceiling, grimacing every time he stares at your dumb expression. What're you gawking at? You have the Demon Lord himself at your feet, the one and only horned charmer who slept with half the Devils in Hell.

"What're ya blushing at, dumb human? I could fuck you ten times better in this very moment", he barks with an envious frown.

Depending on how long you plan on ignoring him, he might just rip that phone out of your hands and drag you to the nearest surface to slam you on. See if you still care about that nonsense when you're fucked dumb.

Daos [Yandere!Werewolf x Reader]

Mysterious. Usually you'll curl up in his lap whenever he's reading his evening book, yet for the past few days you've been off, giggling at your phone from the other side of the sofa.

Fictional crushes don't bother him much. If anything, he's mildly amused by your focused gaze and dreamy state. Why should he concern himself with hypothetical scenarios? As it currently stands, you're his, and nothing could ever change that.

Tonight, he tucks you in bed and kisses your forehead. You admit, embarrassed, that you've been a little scatterbrained lately.

"Oh, I may have just the cure for it", he suggests with a knowing grin, sliding his large, clawed hand between your legs.

Digital Monster [Yandere!Internet Monster x Reader]

Nuh uh, strictly forbidden. It won't even happen to begin with. Whatever improper video you may plan on watching will be swiftly erased from your sight.

"What the...why won't the page load?" you whine, refreshing every few seconds and angrily tapping your phone.

A static voice erupts from your speakers, startling you.

"Utterly illogical, (Y/N). I have all the means to satisfy you myself. All you need to do is ask."

Monster Author [Yandere!Monster Author x Reader]

Sacrilege! Oh, the humiliation. What are you even doing, reading someone else's cheap fiction. No, no, no, absolutely not. If you were in the mood to read erotic literature, you should've just asked him. He could write a better story on the spot, without any effort.

"Have you forgotten who you're dealing with, (Y/N)?", he laments, pointing his monstrous appendages towards the shelves filled with trophies and awards.

Even better, he can show you, first hand. You don't need to flip any page for that kind of experience.

Demon King [Yandere!Demon King x Reader]

"Are you not enjoying yourself, Sir?" one servant meekly asks, glancing at his master.

They've conquered yet another world, and its inhabitants presently squirm and burn before their eyes. Normally he would take great pleasure in observing their torment, yet the King is distracted.

"Pathetic", the grand Duke suddenly exclaims, his deep voice rumbling across the hills. He pulls out a small device - a human invention, seemingly - and tilts it towards the beastly butler. It's a video edit of a fictional character, playing on repeat on the small phone screen.

"What's there of such entertainment?" he asks, defeated. "(Y/N) has been obsessing over this pest for an entire week. I'm at my wit's end. I cannot destroy what does not exist."

A pressing dilemma indeed. How does one obliterate an enemy from the realm of imagination?

Asylum Spider [Yandere!Asylum Spider x Reader]

The poor creature has no idea what's happening. He smiles, oblivious, lounging above your relaxed body, suspended from his spider appendages. He cannot see whatever has you squirming in delight.

"Is nice?" he mumbles between the sharp teeth, trying to join your activity.

"Oh, it's..." you stop yourself, glancing up. "...It's just a funny video."

You don't have the heart to be honest. You audibly tap your legs, and the creature lowers itself into your embrace. If you're happy, he's happy.

As long as you don't leave him.

[Monster Masterlist]

[seeingivy]

it's nice to have a friend

eren jaeger x f!reader

**part of my canary mate fic

previous part here

--

[lizontopoftheworld]: you know i’m about to do something huge today? 

[busstopbilly]: We’re finally getting married? 

[lizontopoftheworld]: NO 

[lizontopoftheworld]: okay wait that sounded mean 

[lizontopoftheworld]: like i was against the idea 

[lizontopoftheworld]: not that i’m for the idea

[lizontopoftheworld]: not that i’m not not for the idea 

[lizontopoftheworld]: ANYWAYS 

[lizontopoftheworld]: you have to stop flirting this type of thign is not good for my brain

[busstopbilly]: Everything alright? 

[lizontopoftheworld]: … 

[lizontopoftheworld]: just have a lot on my mind 

[lizontopoftheworld]: kind of scatterbrained 

[lizontopoftheworld]: i am going to confront the prick. 

[busstopbilly]: Wow, what gives? 

[busstopbilly]: Give him hell. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: nothing serious actually 

[lizontopoftheworld]: it’s just a thing for something we’re doing together 

[lizontopoftheworld]: BUT it’s a big deal because i’ve never really given input on this thing because i’ve assumed that he doesn’t necessarily want my input on this thing? granted i don’t think he takes advice from anyone but still 

[lizontopoftheworld]: i know what i’m saying is right and that i should so i’m going to 

[busstopbilly]: :) 

[busstopbilly]: Proud of you. 

[busstopbilly]: Are you nervous? 

[lizontopoftheworld]: i’ve prepared three counter arguments 

[lizontopoftheworld]: he literally will not catch me lacking and i’m going to try and keep my cool so that he knows that his dumb comments aren’t getting me 

[busstopbilly]: This is as much rehearsing as it takes for you to speak to your sister-in-law. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: god that’s a lost cause don’t even bring that up 

[busstopbilly]: Sometimes it feels like you’re a little harsh on her. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: SHE’S INSUFFERABLE BILLY 

[busstopbilly]: I’ll table that comment for another time. You’ve got to keep your wits about you. 

[busstopbilly]: Good luck, pretty girl. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: what’s up with you? 

[busstopbilly]: I am all types of frustrated. 

[busstopbilly]: It’s really hard to figure out what to do with what I’m working on. It’s aggravating because I know that it’s something that is entirely within my capabilities but I just can’t. 

[busstopbilly]: I’ve been working non-stop, been staring at my computer, and just getting so fucking frustated. It’s like I’m defective. Doesn’t help that it’s unreasonably high pressure at this point, but…

[lizontopoftheworld]: UGH im so sorry i didn’t mean to just start ranting at you with my own stuff 

[lizontopoftheworld]: you know, you’re very smart and capable. you’re going to figure it out eventually. 

[busstopbilly]: It’s weird. I was annoyed that I had the role I did before, but I fear I’m getting way too involved. I’m starting to care too much, which is never a good sign. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: it’s a good thing that you care 

[lizontopoftheworld]: and isn’t this close to like real medical stuff that you wanted to do?

[lizontopoftheworld]: just a sign that it’s something that’s actually stimulating. that you care about and want to work towards. 

[busstopbilly]: You always look for the positives. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: you should take notes, sweetheart 

[lizontopoftheworld]: and you shouldn’t demand perfection of yourself. you are not defective if something doesn’t work out. you’re still a regular person, it’s okay to get stumped or struggle with it a little bit. 

[busstopbilly]: You know, my dad DOES demand perfection of me. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: and that’s why we hate your dad. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: i know you demand perfection of yourself too, that wanting to do well is natural, but be a little bit nice to yourself. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: you’re going to figure it out. 

[busstopbilly]: Check back in at the end of the week. Hopefully, I’m still put together. 

[busstopbilly]:  By the way. 

[busstopbilly]: Sweetheart? 

[busstopbilly]: Do you mean that in a patronizing way or am I really your sweetheart? 

[lizontopoftheworld]: patronizing 

[busstopbilly]: You’re killing me. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: i’m sorry, sweetheart <3 

--

you find eren in the main conference room, early in the morning on thursday. you can tell that he’s hard at work – old scans from sessions printed against the wall that he’s made notes on, intelligible jargon on the glass whiteboards, and his hair an uncharacteristic mess – surely from the amount of times he’s run his hands through his hair. 

you clear your throat, recalling all the talking points that you had rehearsed in the mirror the night prior, as you knock on the door and cautiously enter the room. you note that the smell of coffee is overwhelming – the freshly brewed cup sitting two feet away from you – and that the trashcan seems to be overflowing with empty energy drinks. 

eren doesn’t even notice your presence, his green eyes still fixed to the scan that he’s staring at, his hand raised in the air with the pen. you note that he’s wearing his glasses, that it looks like he hasn’t slept since you saw him yesterday, as you walk up to his side. 

“working hard, hm?” you ask. 

eren’s startled by the sound of your voice, jumping in the slightest, as you widen your eyes and feel your cheeks flush. way to start off on a good note. 

“sorry! sorry, i figured you noticed that i was here when i walked up to you.” 

“were you saying something to me?” he asks. 

you shake your head. you can tell that your presence has shattered some semblance of his concentration – that he’s annoyed with you because of it –  as he sets his pencil down and basically collapses into the chair across from you. you follow suit, sitting down in the chair too, as you uncomfortably shift against the worn out foam. 

“i’m too fucking tired to have a fucking conversation with you right now.” he utters. 

you fight the urge to scoff. 

“does talking to me truly take so much effort?” you retort. 

eren rolls his eyes, before slumping back down into the chair. 

“when you’re so hellbent on arguing, it does. and you don’t seem to talk to me otherwise.” 

“you don’t have to argue if you just agree with me. and why on earth would i be so hellbent on arguing with the most insufferable person that i know?” 

eren shrugs, clearly irritated. 

“you tell me, y/n.” 

you clear your throat, cracking all the knuckles in your hand. 

“i’ve come to talk to you about colt. the trial. you can’t tell falco that he’s on the verge of getting kicked out.” 

eren pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“well, obviously –” 

“his brother means a lot to him. his accident was really traumatic for his family, and even though he promised he wouldn’t get so self-involved, he obviously is. i mean, it’s his brother. he can’t help it. and there’s a lot of hope that this is giving him and i’d be scared to prematurely stop him in his tracks if we didn’t need to. they both talk about it so much that it would demoralize gabi too.” 

“oh, it definitely would, and -” 

“and they’re both sweet kids. their sincere passion and interest in the project is so sweet, i would hate for them to feel like it’s not working, to think that all of their work, our work, has amounted to nothing. i think that you and i could figure out which treatment we should do this upcoming week on our own, if you’ll take my help, and then we can go from there.” 

“well, i - “ 

you can’t help but ball your fists in your lap. 

“look, i know you don’t really like me, that you probably think that i’m being stupid and soft-hearted and whatever right now, but this means a lot to me. and i know that basically means nothing to you, but i’m just asking you as your colleague? friend? whatever it is that we are to just do this for me. i’ve never asked you for anything before, i don’t think i ever will again, and i’d just…really appreciate it if you could –” 

you’re promptly cut off from giving your entire spiel because eren reaches forward, placing both of his warm hands on your cheeks, in efforts to get you to stop talking. you look forward, noting that his eyes are so deeply green – that he really does look exhausted – as he applies a firm pressure. 

“stop talking please.” he murmurs, his tone soft. almost like you’ve pained him my rambling for so long. 

“what?” you whisper. 

eren lets go, the warmth retreating from your face, as he leans back in his chair. 

“you didn’t hear a word i said, did you?” he asks, his tone rather soft. 

you frown. 

“did you say something?” 

“i pretty much agreed with you after the first sentence, y/n. don’t know what the fuck you’re blabbing on about.” he murmurs. 

“oh. really?” you murmur, slightly embarrassed. you wouldn’t have put so much effort if he was going to give in that easily. 

eren gives you a thoughtful nod, before leaning his head against the back of his chair, and rubbing at his eyes. 

“i’m well aware that you think i’m not capable of being fond of anyone. but i am, very fond, of both falco and his brother. i would hate to let either of them down or cause anyone unnecessary stress, especially when this entire thing is my idea, so i would like to keep it between us. i was actually intending on having this conversation with you when i arrived.” 

“i’ve been here for five hours. it’s almost one in the afternoon, eren.” 

eren groans. 

“it seems that time has gotten away from me.” 

“how long have you been here?” 

“since yesterday. i can’t seem to figure out which region to target next.” 

you swallow hard. 

“did you really stay here the entire time?” you ask. 

he nods. 

“biked here so that you wouldn’t go out of your way last night.” 

you sigh, as you flip through the stack of papers on the table. he’s highlighted a bunch of sentences, underlined and circled random words with questions on the side, as you reach for the closest pens. 

“are you okay with me helping? more than i already am? maybe i can try some machine learning with the data we already have and use some of the analysis you’ve been using so…so we can feel more confident? i know that you don’t like me but…” 

“stop fucking saying that.” 

“what?” 

“that i don’t like you. you’re prickly, but i don’t hate anyone.” 

prickly? 

“i’m consulting a bunch of people who do the stimulation, have a few meetings with specialists this week before i pick what we’re going with next week. we have to make our best chance at an educated guess.” 

you nod. 

“that’s smart.” 

“you..you can join in the meetings, if you’d like. might mention stuff for analysis that would be useful for you to hear in real time instead of repeated from me.” eren offers. 

you can’t help but smile. 

“you’re really nice when you’re tired.” 

“don’t get used to it.” 

--

[busstopbilly]: Hi princess. 

[busstopbilly]: Sorry I haven’t messaged in a while, I hope you know I wasn’t ignoring you. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: no problem 

[lizontopoftheworld]: been working myself to the bone so hard i didn’t notice :O 

[busstopbilly]: Tell me about it. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: any luck with your project? 

[busstopbilly]: Well, I’ve somehow elicited help. She actually offered, but it’s helping things move along. I’ll be able to rest after Wednesday, I guess.   

[busstopbilly]: How about you? My pretty girl’s not working too hard, right? 

[lizontopoftheworld]: i fell asleep on my laptop the other day. while i was still here. but that’s besides the point. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: worried about one of my children in the lab

[busstopbilly]: Your children? With who?

[busstopbilly]: We’d make cute children. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: you don’t know what i look like. i don’t know what you look like. 

[busstopbilly]: Oh, so you think I’m ugly?

[lizontopoftheworld]: NO

[lizontopoftheworld]: you probably think i’m ugly, you didn’t even oppose that part of that statement

[busstopbilly]: Shut up. 

[busstopbilly]: You think you’re SO funny for that one. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: it was kind of funny 

[busstopbilly]: I know you’re beautiful. Anyways, who are these children? Why are you worried about them? Are they okay?

[lizontopoftheworld]: idk 

[lizontopoftheworld]: sitting on some news that would destory them. shit at keeping secrets so i’ve been tryign to keep it together 

[lizontopoftheworld]: just want to keep them from being hurt when they don’t have to be? 

[busstopbilly]: Awful kind of you to take that all upon yourself. Are you talking to someone about it?

[lizontopoftheworld]: you. 

[busstopbilly]: Liz. 

[busstopbilly]: Besides me. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: you’re enough, you know? 

[lizontopoftheworld]: talking to you always makes me feel better 

[busstopbilly]: Me too, Liz. 

[busstopbilly]: I’d also feel better if I knew you were confiding in a friend. That someone was checking up on you if you’re stomaching something big, which knowing you, you probably are. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: you are my friend 

[lizontopoftheworld]: and you literally checked up on me today

[busstopbilly]: Liz. 

[busstopbilly]: You stress me out sometimes. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: no one asked you to invite all this stress on my behalf. 

[busstopbilly]: Someone has to do it. 

[busstopbilly]: Plus, it’s you. 

[busstopbilly]: Kind of just comes naturally. Worrying about you. Wanting to make sure you’re okay. 

[lizontopoftheworld]: you’re so cute i wish you were real

you eye the schedule that eren gave you at the end of yesterday that’s taped to the wall of your cubicle. there’s nearly seven meetings crammed into three days, each of which you’re both preparing an exhaustive list of questions for. it’s been back and forth – eren leaving comments on your document, you dropping an article into the chat between the two of you – as you read up on every last thing that you can find. 

“we brought you a peace offering.”

you look up to find gabi and falco standing at the side of your cubicle, with smiles on their faces. you return the gesture as they extend their hand out to you, with a cinnamon roll slightly squashed into a napkin, that you gratefully accept from them. 

“a peace offering for?” 

“well, first of all, we can tell that you and eren have been working tirelessly for the grant.” falco states. 

right. the grant that you already have. 

not that they needed to know that. 

“and no one likes to spend time with eren more than they need to. especially you.” gabi jokes. 

you laugh. 

“we just have a small request to make.” gabi states. 

you shoot them both a look. 

“gabi has to talk to pieck when we go to marley for the conference at the end of the month. and well, these type of things make her really nervous. also, i kind of told gabi that you’re not that fond of pieck and now she’s even more nervous to go there, so she really needs you there.” falco rambles. 

you glare at the two of them. 

“she’s not some demon you have to be scared of, guys.”  

“didn’t you say that you avoid going home because of her?” falco asks. 

you groan. 

“i didn’t tell you that for you to use it against me, falco. and…and she’s really nice actually, it’s just me having an issue with how hard she tries to be…nice sometimes. i’m sure that she will be a perfect picture of kindness when you meet her, it’s just…” 

you sigh, gesturing for the two of them to pull up chairs. the two of them give you an excited smile, both scattering to pull up chairs into your space, as you eye the cinnamon roll. it smells sweet, enough to make your stomach growl, as they attentively wait for you to talk in their seats. 

you and falco had a close mentor-mentee relationship. and by that, it meant that the two of you were really just friends, and you just gave him advice here and there. 

granted, you’re sure half of that is a byproduct of the fact that falco’s been alone in the dorms almost every single day since he’s one of the only students on the fellowship, that you’re the only person around to talk to, but it’s ultimately lead to some very serious conversations you should most definitely not be logging as work on your timesheets. 

“well, i’ve told falco a lot about pieck. but not you gabi.” you start. 

gabi offers you a smile. 

“i have an older brother named porco. he’s…he’s really plucky but you’ll like him when you meet him. he works at my parent’s business back home.” 

you smile. 

“when porco was in highschool, he started dating pieck. she kind of freaked me out because she was super preppy. captain of the cheer team, on the student council. she went the whole ten miles and we were just…i don’t know. serving people pizza in our free time. begging our teachers to tutor us during lunch. i never really understood what they saw in each other. they have nothing in common. can barely understand each other, from what it seems like.” 

“it’s romantic! opposites attract.” falco adds. 

you narrow your eyes at him. 

“anyways, she went to some big shot law school in a different country. i thought that she was going to break up with him to be honest, but they…they got engaged instead. did long distance their entire first year of marriage because my brother can’t really leave my parents. and she was really sweet through the entire thing, but…but i don’t know. her family wasn’t into it. the fact that we were immigrants. and even after we became citizens, they just thought that we weren’t worth their caliber. pieck didn’t seem to care, not even in the slightest, and she lives in our house now. practices in our city.” 

gabi gives you a thoughtful nod. 

“she gave up her entire family for your brother? is he cute? ” 

you shake your head. 

“yeah. i mean, i know they still send her money here and there, but they don’t speak to her at all. guess that’s their way of making sure that she’s taken care of, since they know we can’t.” you murmur. 

gabi frowns. 

“is she rich?” gabi asks. 

falco shoves her in the side. 

“you can’t just ask if she’s rich.” 

“no, no. y/n’s chill, i can ask her.” 

you fight the urge to laugh as you lean closer, giving gabi a coy look. 

“super rich. she has a nice cushy job and again, she still gets the money from her parents. she offered to buy me a car when i moved out here so that it would be easier for me.” 

gabi gives you a bright smile. 

“that’s a good fucking offer. i would ask her for hundreds of things if i were you.” 

you shrug. 

“it’s weird. it’s just kind of…i don’t know. she offers me a lot of things like that – money, advice – she tries really hard to be a big sister to me. porco’s sweet, but there was a lot of things that he didn’t do. i’m sure he’s told her that i work hard, that i don’t really take help from people, and i guess that’s why she’s so eager to try sometimes. but it just…i don’t know, i can’t bring myself to take help from her when we don’t know each other like that.” 

“she’s your sister.” falco deadpans. 

you shake your head. 

“it’s weird. i’m not saying that it makes sense. and she’s my sister-in-law.” 

gabi gives you a nod. 

“i know what you mean. you got here on your own, you’re convinced that you can get the rest of the way on your own too.” 

“exactly! and i’d owe her something at the end if i did take her help.” 

falco frowns at the two of you. 

“you know, you both have the same individualistic behavior. i’m not sure that it serves you any purpose. you know you won’t die if you rely on people. maybe she’s just trying to help you because you guys are literally family.” 

gabi shakes her head at falco. 

“that’s where you’re wrong falco. sometimes, the only person you have is yourself.” 

“that sounds awfully morbid.” eren states. 

the three of you turn your heads to find him standing at your cubicle, backpack strung over his shoulder, as you give him a nod. you drop your laptop into the backpack, zipping it up, as gabi takes her opportunity to argue with eren. 

“that’s literally something that you’ve said to me before.” gabi retorts. 

“right. but i have reason to say that. you’re young. you should be at the club or something.” eren responds. 

that earns him a laugh from falco, who eren shoots a wink to, before turning back to glare at gabi. 

--

eren’s able to snag the two of you a meeting with one of the people at the forefronts of trans-cranial magnetic stimulation research. you have a sneaking inkling that eren elicited some sort of assistance from his dad to get this arranged – or that his last name was enough of a segway in the first place – and it makes you slightly nervous. 

being on such uneven footing, meeting with people who are so important, when you can barely muster your one on one meetings with levi sometimes. 

nile dok. he’s got a nice office in an office building downtown, one of the soaring skyscrapers embedded in the middle of the city. 

“have you ever met nile dok?” you ask. 

eren’s taken aback by the question as the two of you walk in through the roundabout doors, waiting in the small line at the front desk. 

“yeah, uh…i’ve known him since i was a kid. he’s friends with my dad.” he murmurs. 

you give him a nod, mentally deciding that you deserve a sweet treat later for being able to predict that one, as the two of you walk up to the front desk. the girl sitting at the desk has a short bob and an almost pinched smile as she looks up at the two of you. 

“we have a meeting at four with nile dok. the last names are l/n and jaeger.” eren states. 

she gives eren a curt nod as she quickly types the names on her computer, before giving you a satisfied smile, indicating that she’s found the appointment. she reaches to her side drawer and slides two badges across the desk, with a small paper for parking validation. but before you can reach for yours, eren snatches it out of your hand, his eyes narrowed in frustration as he holds it up in front of her face. 

“what is this?” eren asks. 

“her badge?” the girl retorts. 

eren shakes her head. 

“no, no. this is a guest pass. get her a real one.” eren asserts. 

you put your hand on eren’s shoulder, squeezing hard to get his attention, as he drops the guest badge onto the desk and looks over at you. 

“it’s not a big deal, eren.” you murmur. 

he glares at you. 

“why the hell do i deserve a badge with my first and last name on it? did i do something special to deserve that that you didn’t?” he asks. 

you shrug. 

“well, you were the one who got us the meeting.” 

“yeah, i got us the meeting. not just me, you’re part of it too. i don’t entertain any of this guest pass bullshit, so just drop it. print her a real one, please.” eren murmurs. 

he turns back to the girl sitting at the desk, who is now shooting him an apologetic grin, as she types almost frantically on her monitor. you can tell that she’s avoided confrontation too much, that eren’s eyes are a little too piercing, because she’s basically pulling the badge out of the printer to speed up the time. 

and at the end of the excruciating minute, moreso for her than you, she slides a newly minted badge with your name embellished in bright bold letters. it can’t help but enrage eren more for some reason, as he turns to her one last time. 

“was that so hard?” eren asks. 

“it’s standard practice, i apologize. he’ll be on the third floor, last door on the right.” 

eren gives her one last nod before gesturing to you to follow him, to the long glass door at the end of the hallway. the elevator is empty as the two of you step in, a sweet sugary smell – like the remnants of someone’s perfume were left over – and you clear your throat. 

“thank you. for the badge.” 

“just prepare yourself, that’s only the half of it. he may be useful to us now, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s going to act like an asshole when we meet with him.” eren mumbles. 

the elevator whirrs to a stop and you follow eren down the hallway, your eyes whizzing past all of the certifications and awards that are printed on the wall. you note that eren’s dad’s name is included on some of them, that there are pictures of them standing on big stages – cutting ribbons together, holding glass awards – as you wait in the two chairs at the end of the hall. 

“he’s an asshole now?” you whisper. 

eren looks over at you, almost like he’s pissed that you’ve even stomached the courage to ask that question, before he slightly slumps in his chair. his hand is shaking at his side in the slightest, his fingers curled into a fist, as he gives you a nod. 

“he’s been an asshole. maybe even bigger than my dad.” 

you memorize that sentence and catalog it to your memory. 

the disdain in his tone. you never realized that eren wasn’t particularly fond of his dad. and figure that it must be irritating every time he comes around the lab. 

the door opens, a girl gesturing for the two of you to follow her into the office. eren gives you one last tight lipped smile as you enter the room, overwhelmed all together. 

the first thing you note is the smell. it nearly burns your nose – the sharp smell of the alcohol mixed with the heavy smell of the cigarette smoke – as you sit in the chair closest to the door. eren’s at your side, taking his jacket off, before handing it to you and whispering under his breath. 

“cover your legs.” 

you can feel your stomach churn as you listen to his instructions, draping his jacket over the exposed part of your legs, and balling your fists underneath the fabric. 

the second thing that you notice is that nile dok doesn’t look nearly as good as he did in the photos outside. you have a small inkling that the photos outside have to be photoshopped, that he didn’t look half as haggard as he did right now, slumped over his desk chair, and that most of the things that were in this room, were meant to keep up appearances. 

the designer suit that he was wearing. the embossed stationery. mahogany wood. 

“is this your girlfriend, eren?” nile asks. 

you swallow hard. surely he couldn’t be serious. 

“she’s my colleague. why would i bring my girlfriend to a work meeting?” eren seethes. 

“your dad used to do that before he married carla. thought you were taking notes out of his playbook.” 

eren rolls his eyes. 

“i would rather roll over in my grave before i did that. and my mom was his colleague too. she wasn’t his girlfriend back then.” eren notes. 

nile gives him a boisterous laugh, smacking one of his fists down onto the table – enough to make nearly all of the belongings shake on the desk – before turning over to you. you immediately divert your eyes, noting that the carpet has some very dried out stains, one that take a trained eye to notice, and that he must knock over things quiet often. 

and force someone to clean it up. 

“what’s your name, pretty?” he asks. 

“y/n l/n.” you respond. 

“l/n? are you from around here?” he asks. 

you shake your head. 

“i’m from marley.” 

nile gives you a nod. 

“what do your parents do research in?” 

you bite down on your lip, enough to draw a pool of warm, metallic blood into your mouth. 

“they’re business owners back in marley. they don’t do research.” you note. 

“oh. what type of business?” 

“they own a pizza parlor.”

nile gives you a strange look, one that’s enough to summon eren back into the conversation again. 

“they’ve probably worked more in one day than you’ve worked in your entire life, nile. but that’s besides the point. we’ve come here to ask you some questions. both of us.” 

--

“i can drive.” eren offers. 

“sorry, what?” 

“i can drive. you seem tired.” eren states. 

you shake your head. 

“i’m fine.” 

“you don’t have to be so self-sacrificing all the time. i can tell that you’re tired, that the meeting was more jargon that was really relevant to us because that dumbass was trying to show off, that him being an asshole gets tiring very fast, so just let me drive us home.” eren states. 

the tone in his voice indicates that what he’s saying is final, enough for you to relent and place the keys in the palm of his hand before walking around to duck into the passenger seat. and you’re not sure what it is – the fact that eren seemed to be arguing on your behalf, that he seemed more approachable when he was so tired, when the two of you had a common goal – that you ask. 

“nile seems very close with your dad.” 

“what?” eren asks. 

you shrug. 

“the pictures and the certificates and stuff. your dad was in all of them.” you murmur. 

“oh, right. nile’s kind of his prodigy. he used to live in my house.” 

you frown. 

“nile is younger than your dad? and he lived in your house?” 

“y/n, he’s only a few years older than us.” 

“what? why does he look so…ugly? and old?” 

eren coughs out a laugh. you look over to note that he’s smiling, that he’s got a dimple on his left side, and that he looks awfully attractive when he does that. 

“that’s what being an asshole does to you.” eren notes.

you nod. 

“he’s into the exact type of research that my dad does. he came from…from basically nothing and my dad helped him. gave him money for his projects, invested in the company. now, nile’s got a bigger head than he knows what to do with and he feels indebted to my dad so he kisses his ass whatever chance he gets.” eren states. 

“why were you so upset about the badge?” you ask. 

“they’re doing that to purposely undermine you. because you’re a woman.” eren notes. 

you can feel your throat dry. 

“really?” you whisper. 

“i’ve met hundreds of people like nile. you’re going to meet hundreds of people like nile too. and they do shit like that – purposely choose to omit your name from badges so they can call you sweetheart, act like you’re just there as an accessory and not there to actually make conversation – that stuff. just think about it. i listed your name first on our appointment. and yet they still chose to put my name on the badge and not yours.” 

you slump down into your chair. 

“oh. i didn’t realize.” 

“even down to the very principle, learning someone’s name is a simple sign of respect. the bare minimum of what you can do when you’re conversing with someone. and yet they can barely even humble themselves to do that, because they think they’re more important than you.” eren finishes. 

you decide that it’s enough of your curious questions. only because the rest of your curious questions are ones that you sincerely can’t ask. 

did they do that to your mom? 

is that why it annoys you so much when other people do it to me? 

is your mom still a researcher?  

you reach for the aux cord that’s hanging in the middle of the seat, before navigating your way to the playlist of scores that you had made to share with eren. the music is quiet, the instrumental nearly lulling your overwhelmed brain to sleep as you press your forehead against the window. 

“i like alan. from this score.” 

“you’ve watched the imitation game?” you ask. 

eren gives you a nod. 

“it’s a good movie.” eren responds. 

you smile. 

“that movie makes me feel better sometimes. to know that women were part of the forefront of science, even back then. and they had hurdles, endless hurdles that i couldn’t even begin to understand, and they’ve paved the way for me.” 

you take a deep breath. 

“just a reminder that i shouldn’t give up when things are hard for me because they didn’t either, you know?” you whisper. 

eren takes a beat before responding. 

“granted, it’s unfair you’ve got so many hurdles when you’re already so brilliant to begin with. it’s honestly kind of fucking ridiculous sometimes.” 

you can’t fight the urge to smile. 

“you think i’m brilliant?” you jest.

eren rolls his eyes. 

“oh, come on. you know you’re brilliant.” eren responds. 

“what?” 

“you’re the only person in the program who got in without doing the bridge program. you must have some insane work under your belt for erwin, levi, and hange to trust you after meeting you just once or twice. over people they’ve known and taught for years by the way.” 

you narrow your eyes at him. 

“i’m not the only person in the program who got in without doing the bridge program. you’re forgetting someone quite important.” 

eren rolls his eyes. 

“still. you’re brilliant. would do you well to realize that now before some idiot like nile dok tries to make himself more important than you.” 

you look over at him and smile. 

“okay. okay, yeah. i promise.” 

“and hell. you know how to argue with people. i know you’ve got it in you. you’ve been doing with it since you’ve met me. maybe redirect some of your irritation with me towards people like him.” 

you lean back. 

“oh, i’ll doubt i’ll be able to do that. you just bring out something special in me, eren.” you deadpan. 

“oh, i’m sure.” eren retorts back.

--

an: anyways

taglist: @invisible-mori @multiplefandomthings @chericos @wheredidmycrowngo @chaoticpxnda @aizzon @stuffeddeer @butterfly-skinnylegend @najaemism @hellokitty-doll @constanciandrea @iblamesusy @jaegersdiary @f4irygard3n @misadear @fell-4-u @coyloves @sobbangchan @you-always-made-me-blush @th0tformikasa @yell0wdreams @itzmeme @elliesbabygirl @miniaturemartian @differentrunawayperson @k0z3me @stroberiz @stillnotherapy @cherryredribbons @bsenpai @cacapeepee @pickuptruck01 @jaegersity

[nickblaine]

Please I need every thought, feeling and emotion you have about these first three eps! People are being so negative about osblaine but honestly…I loved it 😂 of course there was small things like when she said “loved” and Holly calling him a Nazi but also…it’s tv lol. If my daughter told me she’d had a child w a war criminal I probably wouldn’t like him either! Also of course June goes to Nick when she needs help, he’s sexy and knows what he’s doing 🤭 Nick also called her TF out for saying loved and she corrected herself, in season 2 our man wouldn’t have dared.

I’m team Nick being a bad bitch even if it means pissing people off along the way

yeah that happens every time we get new content lol. the only thing that would really disappoint me is no nick. so i'm pleasantly shocked that not only did nick and june spend more than 5 minutes with each other, we got basically a whole osblaine episode what the fucccck

i'll dump some of my scatterbrained thoughts under the cut

nick in 3/3 episodes so far... we're winning

his daddy issues so bad all it takes is one father figure saying he's proud of him and his confidence is boosted By 500%

NICK BACKSTORY NICK BACKSTORY NICK BACKSTORY

so much suspender action i don't even know what to do with myself

that shot of nick in front of the fireplace as the camera shifts to cloak his face in shadows—aww yeah baby's going to the dark side

it feels like they are setting up nick to betray june by doing something for himself for once and i fully support this no matter how misguided it may be

mark tuello reveals he doesn't actually give a shit about nick. I expect nothing less

holly osborne reveals she is a nick anti. i expect nothing less

i was laughing so hard when she immediately called nick a nazi. it actually didn't bother me at all because it's such a radlib thing to say, and holly is nothing if not a radlib

this poorly written dialogue is so obviously setting up foreshadowing for a Betrayal twist. but it is also setting up holly eating her words.

"nichole's real name is holly" VINDICATION for this hill I'm dying on

when moira met nick she was shook lmao. i always knew she'd like him. praying for Nick and Janine to meet next because she would also like him.

luke is crashing out from jealousy as much as OT is

June actually has 3 children and one of them is luke bankhole

on that note did anyone else find it comical that june had to get Nick to rescue her dumb ass husband. this whole plot was absurd when you think about it

and also on that note nick deserves better and it breaks my heart to see how quick he is to sabotage his safety for june and her dumbass husband

and she can't even say I LOVE YOU properly 🙄

BUT oh my god... they had an actual conversation about their relationship... oh my god.... when was the last time that happened??

their chemistry is insane i can't believe how in love they still are even with 1,000 obstacles between them. yeah June is a bitch for her "loved" freudian slip (what's new) but it's not even convincing, it just made her look like she's in denial to the point of delusion

poor nick doesn't see that though 😭 he's so dejected

their sneaky little rescue mission... imagine what the 2 of them could accomplish if they worked together like this all the time. gilead wouldn't stand a chance. i need more

nick needs to stop killing people. not for moral reasons but for his mental health

i hope june feels so fucking bad after being slapped in the face with how much nick gives up for her. she won't but i can hope.

nick speaking up for himself. more than once. dear god my panties are soaked

he even talked about his feelings what is happening

i think this one episode did more for nick and june's story than the last 3 seasons combined. (guess the writers realized they can't keep spinning the wheels anymore and pulled this out of their pockets)

[awkward-walking-potato]

saw you wanted some wade requests so.... how about wade x a scatterbrained (probably has adhd) reader who always calls themselves stupid whenever they forget what they are doing \ walk into a room and forget what they were supposed to do?

Forget-Me-Nots

You stood in the middle of the kitchen, staring blankly at the open refrigerator. The cool air wafted over your face as you tried to remember why you had walked in here in the first place. You were sure it was important—maybe something for dinner? Or a snack? You couldn’t recall, and the longer you stood there, the more frustrated you became.

With a sigh, you closed the fridge door and leaned against the counter, muttering to yourself. “Ugh, I’m so stupid. Why can’t I remember anything?”

“Did someone say ‘stupid’? I’m pretty sure that’s a code word for needing more Deadpool in your life,” came a voice from the doorway. Wade strolled into the kitchen, a lopsided grin on his face as he made his way over to you. “What’s going on, babe?”

You glanced up at him, feeling a bit sheepish. “I came in here for something, but I completely forgot what it was. I feel so dumb. This happens all the time.”

Wade’s grin softened into something more tender as he reached out to ruffle your hair playfully. “First of all, you’re not dumb. Not even close. You’re just running on a different frequency than most people—one that happens to be way more interesting, might I add.”

You couldn’t help but smile at his words, even though the frustration still lingered. “I don’t know, Wade. It just feels like my brain’s always all over the place. Like I can’t focus on one thing for too long, and I keep forgetting stuff.”

Wade’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to you. “Well, that’s where I come in, babe. Ta-da!”

You looked down to see a small, brightly colored sticky note in your hand. On it, in Wade’s messy handwriting, were the words: You came in here for the snacks, didn’t you?

You blinked in surprise, and then a laugh bubbled up from your chest. “Wait, how did you—?”

“Because I know you, that’s how,” Wade said, looking way too pleased with himself. “And also because I’m a genius. But mostly the first thing. I figured you might get sidetracked, so I wrote you a little reminder earlier. Just in case.”

Your heart melted at the thoughtfulness behind the gesture, and you looked up at him with a mixture of affection and gratitude. “Wade, that’s so sweet of you. And, yeah, I was definitely thinking about snacks.”

Wade’s grin widened. “Called it! Now, let’s raid the pantry and find something good. I think we’ve got some chocolate stashed away somewhere.”

As the two of you searched through the cabinets, you couldn’t help but feel a warm glow of appreciation for Wade’s efforts. He didn’t just see your scatterbrained moments as a quirk to be tolerated—he saw them as an opportunity to show how much he cared about you. It was one of the many reasons you loved him so much.

Later that evening, as you were getting ready for bed, you found another sticky note taped to your bathroom mirror. This one read: Brush your teeth, beautiful. And don’t forget to floss—I know you hate it, but your smile’s worth it.

You chuckled, shaking your head as you did exactly what the note suggested. Wade had a knack for knowing exactly what you needed, even before you realized it yourself.

Climbing into bed, you found yet another note tucked under your pillow: You’re not stupid. You’re amazing, and I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have you. Now, get some sleep—dream of me, will ya?

You clutched the note to your chest, feeling your eyes well up with tears, though they were the happy kind. Wade always knew how to lift your spirits, to remind you of your worth, even when you were feeling down on yourself.

When Wade finally joined you in bed, you turned to him and snuggled close, wrapping your arms around him as you whispered, “Thank you, Wade. For everything.”

He kissed the top of your head, his arms encircling you protectively. “Anything for you, babe. You’re my whole world, scattered brain and all. And don’t worry—I’ve got plenty more notes where those came from.”

You smiled against his chest, feeling a sense of peace wash over you as you drifted off to sleep. Wade might have been unpredictable and wild, but when it came to you, he was steady, thoughtful, and endlessly loving.

The next morning, you woke up to find a sticky note on your nightstand: Good morning, sunshine! Remember to take your meds and have breakfast. I made pancakes—don’t let them get cold!

You grinned, feeling a surge of affection for your wonderfully chaotic boyfriend. With Wade by your side, you knew you could face anything—even the most scatterbrained of days.

[golby-moon]

this was inspired by a dumb idea I had while yapping it up with @lazarus-rose and I drew it because it sounded silly

the original idea was that human!Cas would just be a total scatterbrained train wreck and would be doing something (ie preparing to take a shower) only to suddenly have the urge to do something else (drink orange juice right this second) and would just completely forget about The Original Thing for a few hours because he's a little disaster and yeah now Dean is here to stare at Cas while he's dressed in nothing but one sock and the least sexy underwear on the planet what are you gonna do

(also ignore the inconsistent sizes of the fridge and counter and such drawing furniture makes my brain sad and I gotta save that sadness for calc homework. , only so much to go around yk)

(09/13/24)

[vivianthepigeon]

Reading the HP books for the first time

So I love Harry Potter but ive only ever seen the movies and all the information ik about the books comes from my friends who have read them. Recently I’ve been getting back into the Harry Potter fandom and I decided it was about time I started reading the series, and to make it a little more fun I wanted to document my thoughts about them on here!

So far I’m in chapter 11 of the first book and here’s my thoughts so far, sorry if my notes are a little scatterbrained 💀 (spoiler warning obvi)

First of all couple of side note but I thought it was interesting that the wizard that Mr. Dursley bumped into was so open talking about wizarding world stuff to a muggle, not a very smart move if ya ask me. Also omg! Hagrid got his motorcycle from Sirius?? Also a cute little detail I loved was the fact that the owls get paid for delivery lol! I wish that was kept in the movies.

Harry is genuinely SOO funny in this! His little remarks and comments make me laugh so hard. Also freaking Dudley is even worse in the book! This mofo is awful! Mostly blame his parents for that but he pisses me off (I could go on a whole rant about the Dursley family). On the flip side, the Weasley family is soooo darlingggg! When Ginny starts crying when the train starts leaving and one of them says they’ll write to her is so sad and sweet especially as she starts running after the train.

Something I thought was really funny was when Harry first met Draco while getting his robes and Draco saying something about bullying his father into letting him take a broom to school and thats genuinely so funny that he said that.

Something I thought was real interesting was all the Slytherin hate, from the adults especially. It surprised me a little to see Hagrids biases about the house.

I love how the books go into more detail about the classes, for example even though Harry thinks it’s the most boring class History of Magic sounds so cool! Especially since it’s taught by a freaking ghost! Also good to know that zombies exist in the Harry Potter universe, professor Quirrell says that he fought off a zombie or something and even if he didn’t fight one off they still exist apparently! And ik it’s controversial but I love Snape, his beef with children makes me laugh tho I’m upset with how he called Neville an idiot.

Speaking of which why is literally everyone so mean to Neville?? My poor baby’s got the worst luck in the world and people are rude to him for it 😭. I’m glad Harry stood up to Draco for him but even then Harry was avoiding being his partner in charms class, WHY HE IS SO SWEET AND A PRECIOUS LITTLE BOY

I do have a question tho, and maybe I’m just a dumb dumb but why did Hermione lie about the whole mountain troll situation? It’s the same in the movies. But couldn’t she just says “oh I was in the bathroom and didn’t know about the troll and Harry and Ron came to warn me and ended up saving me”? Was it bc she didn’t wanna say that she was crying in the bathroom or was it to make Ron and Harry look even more courageous? I feel like the whole thing wouldn’t have ended up the same just minus her getting lowkey in trouble

Oh and! When prof Quirrell was off fighting vampires or something is that where he got parasite Voldy?

I’m such an indecisive person and I can’t decide who my fav character is rn! I love Ron and I love Hermione but I love Harry and Neville! I’m also obsessed Fred and George but that might just be bc I’m a twin and I can relate to them lol

On another side note, I can’t wait to read how Ron and Hermione’s relationship progresses bc they are my fav ship ever and young love is sooooo cute 🥹

[novella-november]

If your characters are prone to introspection in between speaking dialogue, please please make sure that you are looking at the conversations these characters are having from an outside perspective-- the spoken conversation needs to actually make sense if it's meant to be a coherent conversation.

If character A, says "How do I knock on the door?" On page 1 ,

and character B spends the next two and a half pages internally monologuing about how much he hate the different kinds of wood that make up the different designs of the doors in this area of the empire and how much he hated that one time he tried to kick down a door to his boyfriends house and ended up breaking his toes and how he had to have his boyfriend who wouldn't stop laughing at him drive him to the hospital,

And how character B just spent the whole entire hospital trip fuming about how he had totally ruined the big dramatic surprise he had for his boyfriend that he'd won the lottery and was going to treat him to the top surgery that he'd been trying to fundraise for for years now and instead his boyfriend was just crying so hard from laughter as the nurses take his blood because 'why were you trying to kick down my door anyways? That's so extra'

and then Character B just had to sheepishly explain about the lottery ticket and his plans for gifting it to his boyfriend for the surgery except his boyfriends dumb door was put in really well and Character B got so used to the shitty door at his apartment that you just push on a little bit and it opens because it doesn't latch properly that he just forgot in his excitement that not *everyone's* doors were equally shitty and so he'd tried to jump in the air and dramatically kick down the door like, like Neo from the Matrix, only the door didn't even budge a little bit and Character B had fallen to the ground with a very painful foot instead

and his boyfriend hadn't even noticed the noise of the door being kicked because the wood was so thick that it practically sound proofed his little apartment, and character B had to hobble up and ring the doorbell just to get his boyfriend to notice that there was somebody outside trying to get his attention, let alone that it was his partner in physical distress and now Character B just really, really hated doors made out of oak.

"Ask my broken toes." Character B mutters on page 3, and then mysteriously sulks away with a swirl of his cloak.

While writing a first draft, and while writing dialogue, it is very easy to get caught up in a character's stray thoughts that lead down a World building tangent about a character's backstory or emotions or feelings.

But that is what editing is for.

There have been many times while I'm writing my own now, multiple first drafts that I have gotten caught up in writing a characters involved thoughts, and then come back to myself and realize that the conversation the character is meant to be having has gotten completely off track and too much page space has been spent away from it, make a note to edit that out later, and then go back to the actual spoken dialogue conversation that is being had for a reason.

If your character is scatterbrained, easily distracted, etc, this could work really well as a purposeful thing with the narration, that the character will get into a conversation with someone, have someone say something or ask them a question, and have their thoughts just get completely distracted and off topic by various tangents, and you can show that this is being written deliberately instead of accidentally, by having the other character look at them expectantly, or repeat their question, or have the narrating character realize that they have no idea what was asked of them.

This could be a great way to show that your narrator is neurodivergent, hard of hearing, or an asshole, depending on how they react to others speaking to them.

But if you're doing this all of the time, and it's not part of a specific characters traits, your readers are going to get lost, and worse, frustrated, when they have to keep going back and rereading multiple pages behind their current progress just to keep track of a single spoken conversation.

When it comes, time to edit your work for your second draft, you should take the time to go through each of your scenes, and only read the dialogue in the various conversations out loud to make sure they are flowing in a natural and logical way. That makes sense when you read it.

For instance, in that wall of text I wrote up there, here is all the dialogue, this is what "conversation" our characters are having:

"How do I knock on the door?"

"Ask my broken toes."

Does that look like a meaningful conversation to you?

It's easy to get caught up in your character's internal thoughts, and forget that these sentiments are not being communicated to the other characters, but as an author, it is so important to make sure you're getting in good edits to make your story the best it can be, and that includes conversations that actually sound like conversations, not just monologues and non-sequiturs.

[unapologetiicapathy]

OKAY HELLO THERE FOLKS im here rn to tell you abt a heathers au i have where jd survives !! i wrote most of this vv late at night so forgive me if it doesnt make sense or if its dumb lol, also this is based off the movie bcuz i havent seen the musical yet

(copypasted from notes)

(putting it under the cut cuz its long as FUCK)

-okay so theres multiple versions i have of this au, in one of them jd and veronica arent together, but that made me kinda sad (my poor little mega-crush-on-jd heart doesnt want him to be lonely </3) so i have another au where their shared secrets end up keeping them together, and then that one also has two versions, one where they have a kid and one where they dont (this is proof i have too much free time amd i write shit way too late at night) (also i have way more hcs abt the "they do stay together" version lmao)

-so the bomb didnt work quite as well as he thought it wld. he still got blown the fuck up but not bad enough to kill him (obvi). someone called an ambulance (im not sure who but definitely not veronica /lh), he got rushed off to hospital, he was there for quite a while and got a lot of scars and stuff but somehow he managed to survive (they thought he was a total goner man)

-veronica didnt know he was still alive for a few weeks. the explosion was on the news, but she was majorly avoiding tv altogether at the time (no matter where you are the news is always reporting on some sort of death and tragedy, and it served as WAYYYYY too much of a reminder of what she and jd did). she didnt find out til she actually saw him in person

-she was at the 711 (or wherever the fuck they got the slushies from idk its midnight rn) getting potato chips (yes this is an important detail to me. dont ask me why.) and he happened to be there at the same time

-she totally freaked the hell out when she saw him ("no. no! youre dead! youre dead! youre fucking dead!" "well you see, the thing is, im actually not.") and it took her awhile to come to terms with the situation

-in the "veronica-less" au, they ran into each other a few times after that, veronica refused to talk with him, and he ended up leaving sherwood and going to. um. somewhere else idk thats honestly as far as i got with this version 👍👍👍

-in the "they stay together" version (holy fuck i need proper names for these man), they also kept running into each other, but this time it worked out different yk (god i sound stupid sorry). they were both rlly conflicted abt it. it was like they both wanted to see each other again, but at the same time it felt like the worst thing that cld possibly happen. but you see, it kept happening. and happening. and happening. its like they couldnt  avoid each other. and at some point or another, they started just wanting it to happen. then kind of actively trying to make it happen. and then he finally just asked her out. she said no bcuz she needed some time to think abt it (they did go out a couple weeks later tho)

-(skip back in time a lil here bcuz im a fuckin scatterbrain lmao) when veronica found out jd was still alive she was scared of him yk (i mean i wld be too if my supposed-to-be-dead ex showed up outta nowhere) but she realised that like. he changed. smth happened in his silly lil head when he nearlu died, and he realised that everything that happened was totally fucked up and he actually regrets it and wants to do things different yk. (wanna be a better person? have a near-death experience /j)

-youd expect them to go get slushies when they finally do go on a date. NOPE. they actually go out for breakfast and get waffles (jd absolutely 100% loves waffles and you cannot convince me otherwise)

-at some point or another, veronica buys him little vinyl dinosaur stickers (yknow like the kind you can put on laptops and helmets and stuff). i dont know when this happens. i dont know why this happens. but i know it happens.

-jd kinda wants to be a theatre actor for a lil while, he ends up having tiny roles in a few things but he never rlly has any cool roles yk (im not quire sure why this is part of my au now but its probably just bcuz i wanna watch the musical lmao)

-okay i told you there was two points where this au branches off and congratulations youve just reached the second point 👍👍👍 this is where the path splits between "jd and veronica with no kids" and "jd and veronica with a kid"

-in the "no kids" version, they cant have a kid bcuz theyre scared that they wont be able to raise a child properly and the kid will turn out like they did, and thats the scariest thought in the world to them

-in the "jd and veronica with kids" version (srsly i need the power to create au titles man eueueue), they have a teenage daughter named alina

-theyre super super SUPER protective of her and like theyre always fretting abt whether theyre doing a good job

-they dont tell her abt what they did in '88 bcuz theyre worried abt how shell react, sometimes they think maybe they shld say smth but they always end up agreeing to "just wait til later" (theyre never gonna tell her man theres no way in hell)

-jd knows that the only reason veronica was involved in the deaths was bcuz she was with him, and so he gets extra extra worried whenever alina starts dating someone bcuz hes scared that shell get taken down the same path that he took veronica down all those years ago (which is very unlikely but i mean can ya blame him?)

-jd 100% needs therapy but cant get it bcuz how the fuck do you tell a therapist that you murdered three ppl and then tried to explode yourself. so instead he has a diary he writes in every day and he uses it as sort of self-therapy (i tooooootally didnt just take one of my own personality traits or habits or wtvr the word is and give it to him. totally not. totally. 👍)

-uh thats it for now but i definitely have more au hcs tucked away in my one singular braincell, i just need to find em apparently- also apologies for the excessive parentheses 👍👍👍

[sapphicseasapphire]

More child of mountains 🥺

More Cryptid Wild??? I will happily oblige.

I’ve already shared quite a bit about him! But here’s some things that I may have left out:

Wild is not as sensitive to changes in temperate has he is in canon. Since he’s a spirit made mostly of light, it takes a lot for him to feel cold or hot. He hangs out in hot springs because then he can actually feel something, and he can be found in Hebra just vibing in the snow for the same reason.

While it’s rare, he does change his clothes from time to time. Mostly, he wears armor to assist him with stealth, since he’s pretty terrible at it on his own. When he walks, it jingles like little bells. Like a Blupee! (This absolutely freaks Sky out, as he has Silent Realm trauma). The first time he ever changed out of his ruined Champion’s Tunic was to infiltrate the Yiga Clan Hideout. He wore the Sheikah set to be quieter and stole the Thunder Helm for the Gerudo without any consequence.

(He may also wear clothes to cover his glowing skin if needed. But in his own era, he doesn’t hang out in villages enough to need that. He’s rarely seen. And if anyone does see him, they know better than to approach. And in any other era, he relies on Hyrule’s glamour to hide him).

SPEAKING OF THE YIGA. This is not really Wild lore, but it’s IMPORTANT. The Yiga are not smart enough to connect the dots. They have no idea that the Child of the Mountains is the very same fallen hero that they’re out to kill. When Wild stole the Thunder Helm, they assumed that it was just one of Hylia’s pesky little spirits messing with them (which is pretty much the truth, to be fair). They fully 100% believe that the Hylian Champion Link is dead and has been for the past century (which is, again, true). Because of this, they are on the lookout for the new hero. They believe that since Link died a century ago and they’re still working to bring Ganon back, a new hero will be born to stop them. Their plan is to kill the new Link before he can pose a threat.

Even though the hero still exists. They’re… a little dumb, I guess, but they’re not technically wrong.

Cryptid Wild is family with every single spirit in the game. Koroks? Little siblings. Blupees? Little siblings. The Great Deku Tree is a father figure to him and the Lord of the Mountain is very close to him. The dragons are a little scatterbrained but he likes to hang out with them anyway. And Fairies! They may not be spirits, but they’re just little balls of spiritual magic and so Wild makes an effort to know every single one of them. He loves them.

He uses any/all pronouns. (More like he doesn’t have pronouns. Not a single one. He’s never heard of them before. I mostly use he/him for Wild since the Hyruleans of his era will typically use those pronouns in their stories but you must know that Wild legitimately does not care). He’s also aro/ace but he needs companionship. Poor lil guy can’t stand being alone, and while human presence overwhelms him sometimes, he’s super friendly around spirits. Any spirit. Looking at you, Wars.

Alright that was very long but I hope this is what you were looking for haha!

[twink-between-worlds]

something something this fandom treats the disabled and neurodiverse in a really weird and uncomfortable way.

i dunno guys, making the one with amnesia “dumb” and treating him like his personality is just a blank slate for you to write on is a lil weird... treating the guy who doesn't express himself the way everyone else does — the way normal people do — like an asshole and a “control freak” when hes showing how he cares is a lil gross... making the one with a visible sleep problem act scatterbrained because “well, hes sleeping all the time” and making fun of it is a little weird, chat...

this fandom doesn't like people who are different very well.

[affluent-havoc]

Naegamigiri/Naegirigami/Tonaegiri/EGG ACCIDENTLY DOES DUMB STUFF (NOT CLICKBAIT1!1!11!!)

Makoto has a little tendency he does. Not that they didn't think he'd do this or that they were completely blindsided. It was more of a "yeah. neither of us have ever experienced this happening due to not being close to people via living with them sorta dealio" Aka, Makoto tends to accidently use their toothbrushes instead of his own.

Doesn't even notice until it's too late. It essentially happens when Makoto wakes up in the morning or at the end of the day where he' tired. Basically, he just lets his motor skills do all the work. It mostly happens at the end of the day though. Doesn't help that he isn't as nocturnal as Kyoko and Byakuya. His main thought process or lack there of is simple. Just, get up, walk to the restroom, grab a toothbrush, brush the tooths, go on with day, take 13 minutes to realize he used Kyoko's toothbrush instead and "ah, shoot..." Or like, the same thing for when he does it late at night but he only realizes he made a mistake days later cus he was too to recall a thing. The semi-secret doesn't last long though as the boy immediately spills what happened after he realizes his mistake. Kyoko's also a detective so was it reaaaally even a secret?! However, Kyoko and Byakuya have different responses to this both while being told and seeing it happen in real time.

Kyoko: When Maktoto told both of them, he kinda told her first before telling them both cus he'd know she wouldn't be too mad. It's kinda difficult to get her really pissed and seething anyway. She's a detective too so she kinda guessed something like this would happen to be honest. Or she already suspected Makoto was using her toothbrush from the bitemarks he was leaving. So, Kyoko didn't really mind. Most she really did was calm Makoto down cus the guy was talking a bit too fast during his spiel cus he was still embarrassed about it. While seeing it happen in real time, her reaction slightly varies. Depending on her mood, she's either just indifferent, a little amused, or she literally doesn't care. It's not like she was attached at the hip with her freaking toothbrush or petty enough to hold a grudge about it. Kyoko basically sees the situation as what it is; it's just a genuine mistake on Makoto's part. Plus he's just the kinda guy who's a bit scatterbrained like this. There's no need to snap at him too much. The girl knows Makoto isn't doing this on purpose to piss either of them off either. The guy just wants to brush his teeth and go on with his life. Nothing much. Also yeah. She could totally tell that Makoto accidently uses her toothbrush more than Byakuya's just from the bite marks alone.

Byakuya: When he learns about it, he is both a bit snobby about it, of course calling Makoto a moron for being too tired to notice the very obvious differences between all of their toothbrushes. At the same time, he's also a bit embarrassed too in a sense. He's just looking at the situation and thinking to himself that he could have just moved his own toothbrush to a better, more secure area to prevent something like this. At the same time though, he knows it's not the worst thing that could've been happening. Basically, Byakuya's way less indifferent about this. Mostly cus when he's brushing his own teeth, he's thinking about Makoto and how many times he could have used the heir's toothbrush. He's also just thinking about the germs too and soon bite marks Makoto keeps accidently leaving after a while. Like "Is he trying to ingest the damn thing now?" As for when he sees it happen in real time, first time this happened, he immediately pried his toothbrush from Makoto's mouth while the guy was just whining a bit in his exhausted daze. Byakuya then reprimands Makoto, calling him dumb again and telling him that the least Makoto could do is treat Byakuya's toothbrush with respect and not like a god damn chew tough. Makoto doesn't even remember this happening though cus he was just THAT tired. As time progresses, he gives less and less of a shit but JUUUUST enough to still be petty about it. Those toothbrushes are still premium Togami Conglomerate items! Premium content and construction! However, even with Byakuya's pettiness, he still slips up a bit and shows that he's not as mad as he's pretending to be like staring directly at Makoto brushing his teeth and complaining. He still puts his toothbrush in the same exact location he did before this discovery occurred both cus he's stubborn and he kinda doesn't wanna move it. It's far away from the other toothbrushes but still in an area that isn't tedious. And he just too occupied with other things to care about a damn toothbrush as time progresses.

At the end of the day though, the two are still going to love him even if Makoto's a bit daft at times and unintentionally becomes a thief. Kyoko and Byakuya will still set aside their differences and love this little guy and each other. They're a strong unit. Freaking toothbrushes will not change that! Not like he hasn't pulled something similar before like the iconic "accidently eats someone else's meal or treat that was meant for them" scenario which Makoto has also done. He just EXUDES this energy off of him. And golly. If it was a leftover pasta dish, hide that shit in a bunker cus Makoto WILL find it and he WILL at least nibble on some at the bare minimum. 8/10 though, Makoto does not do the bare minimum. He freaking eats that shit. And, by the time Kyoko and Byakuya find out, it's less that they found and and more of them already guessing this would happen after they realized that they didn't hide the food good enough and Makoto totally found the leftovers. Imagine if they secretly bet how much of it Makoto had on that particular day. Like, literal bets. Not to be one-upping the other but a little game the two just play together. That sounds cute.

[visitationday]

Kissing Heist! Mark

Just some thoughts on what it's like to kiss your favorite partner in crime -- GN reader, below the cut! <3

His kisses are spontaneous. One moment he’s stealing an adrenaline-filled smooch after doing 120 down a backroad, and in another he’s twirling you around the kitchen to steal one from you just after waking, before you’re coherent enough to even kiss back. He likes to keep you on your toes, in that way.

He’s very scatterbrained, although he’d never admit that to you. He’ll often place absentminded kisses to whatever he can reach while he’s working on some new project, or playing a game. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, really — he just subconsciously seeks out your affection in that way. He’ll deny it if you call him on it too, the bastard.

After a particularly dangerous heist — namely ones where’s he’s made a bit of a blunder — he’ll pout dramatically until you kiss him. Backs pressed against the wall, panting, hearts pounding so hard you can feel the blood rushing in your ears... and yet he still manages to press his lips together in a pout. It’s his way of asking if things are okay, really.

In quiet moments at home, he likes to ask you questions, before cutting off your response with a kiss. And he’ll do it again, and again, and again, until he coaxes a laugh out of you. Give him a taste of his own medicine — it won’t stop him from doing it again later of course, but you’ll start to see why he loves to do it to you all the time. His flushed cheeks, nose scrunching as he barks out a little laugh when he realizes what you’re doing… Yeah, you get it.

He also has a habit of murmuring dumb little jokes against your lips once he’s got your full attention — he’s horrible at holding his tongue at the best of times, but also, there’s very little he won’t do to get a laugh out of you.

[that0nebird]

So I've been really into acnh and our life so I started making a list of villagers I think the characters would have and here's that..!!!

So for Qiu I was going purely based on vibes I won't lie, I feel like their island be super normal but in a very charming way.

So for their two Smugs I chose Shep and Henry. I think Henry would for sure be their favorite villager like look at that frog he is so Qiu coded. Shep is Qiu coded too so he absolutely stays. I have a feeling Qiu would just in general have a soft spot for smugs.

For their peppy villagers I chose Cheri and BonBon. I chose both of them for the same reasons I think step 1 Qiu would think they look very fun. They'd always be active on the island, like they would 100% be the resident island troublemakers.!!

For their Jock I chose Roald because look at those big dumb eyes, that scatterbrained bird has not a single thought rattling around in there. He would have been a starting villager that was too cute to give up.

For their Normal I chose Goldie and I feel like the reasoning behind this is obvious, Qiu's favorite color is golden (and who doesn't love Goldie?) She would be on one of their first mystery island and they would invite her ASAP.

For their cranky I chose Wolfgang because he gives me such step 2 Qiu vibes it's not even funny. Look at h i m like oh my lord there isn't a world where Qiu doesn't have Wolfgang on their island. He would definitely be a lucky autofill villager.

For their snooty I chose Whitney because of vibes alone. She's so adorable They'd have 0 choice but to keep her. Also step 2 Qiu would love her imo. Once again she'd be a lucky autofill villager.

For their Lazy I gave them Beau because 1 he's orange, 2 he looks like he'd be right at home in golden grove, 3 and most importantly like Roald they're a silly little guy with worms for brains.

And finally for their sisterly (Who I definitely didn't forget to add and had to poorly photoshop her on.) Phoebe. She's a phoenix that lives in a volcano, she is literally so cool they would love her.

It's TamaTime™ I went in extra hard for my cottagecore queen!

For her normal's I gave her Molly and Stella. I chose Stella for multiple reasons;1, I think she's such an underrated cottagecore villager 2, Not only is she a cottagecore staple she also gives me major grandma vibes so Tamarack would definitely get Stella cause she reminds Tamarack of her Omi. 3, Stella is sooooo step 2 Tamarack coded oh my godddd. Besties for life I say. Now I chose Molly because she's the cutest little duck and reminds me of Tamarack in step 1 based purely on vibes.

Onto her cranky boys ofc I had to choose Dobie. Dobie is the grandpa villager and she would get him for a similar reason to Stella and that's because he reminds Tamarack of her Opa. He would have a home next to Stella and she'd use the Happy Home dlc to make his house a little office. As for O'Hare he was definitely an autofill she got too attached to.

For her peppy(s) I chose Felicity and Tangy. Once again both of my girls are so Tamarack coded. Felicity I'm more of a general sense and Tangy is one again giving me step 1 Tamarack vibes which I love. Also semi-unrelated but step 1 Tamarack definitely would love peppy villagers as a whole.

For her lazy you know I had to go with Erik. He's a cottagecore staple, a sweetheart, he's a sleepy little orange antelope and I hate to repeat myself (not really) but LOOK. AT. HIM. He even has a snazzy lil sweater. Love him and Tamarack would too.

For her snooty I chose Willow because she's so bright, cute, she's a sheep 🩷, her catchphrase is "bo peep" and because shes a snooty ofc my girl is going to tell you exactly what she thinks at any moment. For the third time we have peak Step 1 vibes.

Her jock is Teddy not for any particular reason other than I think he'd be a starter villager she few too attached too and conveniently fit the island theme.

For her Sisterly I chose Deirdre because she's a deer, she has a forrest as her home, and her starter sweater reminds me of one you can choose in game for Franky.

I will be adding to this later but my brain will implode if I think about this anymore right now.

[whipped-for-kpop-fics]

This was such a sweet story, seriously I feel so soft and squishy now. In a good way, of course.

Thank you for writing this wonderful story and sharing it with us!

When I was reading, I decided to write down my thoughts as I go because I knew I'd forget otherwise so below this is literally just the thoughts I wrote down because I do not have the brain power to convert them into actual fully coherent comments [I'll put them below a read more cut for the sake of spoilers and such]

~

Supportive bestie Soonyoung is a great start, I’m always here for bestie behaviour

“ letting out fake hums every once in a while to make it seem like you're actually shopping and not just sneaking glances at Even Cuter Cashier whenever you can. ” this made me giggle

“ “I wanted to,” he says. “Maybe it’s just my plan to get you to come in here again.” ” oh you smooth motherfucker

“ “You’re abandoning the other guy already?” ” 😂

“ "Oh but that's two days too long for an aching heart in love." ” I AM SCREAMING HOW CUTE

“ “How am I going to beat that?” ” okay this actually made me laugh, soz kiddos

“ Not only are the men completely scatterbrained and disorganized, they also seem to bicker more often than not ” we love a dumb and dumber duo in this house!

Poor babies :((

Noo those letters I am going to jump into this story and turn back time to make them elope, Wonwoo can find another bride

“ It was then that Soonyoung suggested he help you out, acting as a carriage pigeon to deliver letters to and from Jihoon. ” bless his sweet little heart

Wonwoo is an actual sweetheart omg, letting his wife leave him for another man without any hesitation. I support King Wonwoo too wholeheartedly

“ “I did. It’s hard not to, with the amazing service I got last time,” ” their flirting is so cute omg I love them

Jihoon and his love for pondering their future together via letters is going to end me

“ His eyes light up when he catches sight of your familiar face and he’s dropping his bags and running towards you. ” STOP IM GOING TO START SOBBING

That ending though, so fucking sweet omg

timeless — ljh

summary: you’ve just met jihoon, yet something about him feels familiar

tags: fluff, romance, reincarnation?, gn!reader warnings: arranged marriages, mentions of death and war  reader notes: no pronouns or explicit gender descriptions but they do take a more feminine role in history, jihoon picks up the reader but my mans is strong okay don’t worry wc: 10.3k an: i’ve been writing this for over a month now fjdskla and i like the finished product but im a bit worried the format is choppy but either way please enjoy and show it lots of love...also happy first fic of the 2nd year of rubyreduji!!!

“Soonyoung, stop it!” You scold your best friend as he giggles at you.

“Just go talk to him!” Soonyoung tells you, pushing you towards the door to the antique shop next to your favorite boba place. 

Him refers to the cute cashier you always see through the windows when you and Soonyoung go and get boba (which is about three times a week). It’s nothing more than a hallway crush but Soonyoung keeps insisting that it could be more than that if you would just go talk to him. 

You don’t actually want to talk to the boy who stands at the counter with a smile, but before you can stop him Soonyoung is opening the door to the store and forcing you inside. When you turn around to chew your best friend out, you find him not there, his back already retreating to the boba shop. 

A part of you wants to just dash back out the door but the bell attached to the door has already gotten the attention of the cashier and you can’t escape now.

“Welcome to The Eternity Emorpium, today anything marked with a green sticker is 20% off.” The voice isn’t what you expected Cute Cashier to sound like but when you turn around to face him, you realize you’re not talking to Cute Cashier at all.

Rather than the tall boy with glasses you’ve been peeking in on for the past few months, you come face to face with a short yet buff boy with long black hair. He most definitely is not the guy you came in for, but you have to admit he is just as (if not more) cute than the other cashier.

You’re not sure how you didn’t notice that your normal Cute Cashier wasn't behind the counter, but in your defense you were too busy fighting off Soonyoung.

You give the new cashier—who you have now dubbed Even Cuter Cashier—a smile, before pretending to look at all of the memorabilia set out. The actual shop is nice with an obvious theme and specific layout that only someone with an eye for aesthetic and organization could create. On the speakers a Bruno Mars song is playing and you wonder if it's the cashier who has control over the music or just a general store playlist.

You feel awkward walking around the shop, letting out fake hums every once in a while to make it seem like you're actually shopping and not just sneaking glances at Even Cuter Cashier whenever you can. You stop in front of a playing card deck and you pick it up, flipping it over in your hand a couple of times.

"Oh, we just got those in," Even Cuter Cashier says, startling you a bit. "Put them on the floor this morning. You into cards?"

"Oh, uh," Shit. This is your chance to talk to him, "yeah. My dad is more of a collector than I am, but I can see the appeal."

"Nice. Yeah I'm more of a guitar collector myself, but my wallet wishes I wasn't," he says and you both laugh.

"That's cool though. I would love to learn how to play an instrument but I definitely don't have the talent or patience for that." As you speak with the man you slowly start to drift towards the counter.

"Hey, anyone can be talented, it just takes practice." You quickly glance down at Even Cuter Cashier's name tag to see his actual name is Jihoon.

"Good inspirational quote, but I think I'll just stick to the playing cards," you tell him with a grin as you set the pack down in front of him.

Jihoon just pushes the cards back to you and when you give him a questioning look he just grins. "They’re on the house.”

“Oh no, you don’t have to do that,” you tell him.

“I wanted to,” he says. “Maybe it’s just my plan to get you to come in here again.”

You smile at Jihoon, your face starting to turn a bit hot. You pick up the pack of cards and bid goodbye to the cashier before turning and leaving. Soonyoung is standing outside the door with two boba cups in hand. He peeks in when you open the door and frowns.

“That’s not Cute Cashier.”

“Nope! That’s Even Cuter Cashier,” you tell your best friend.

“You’re abandoning the other guy already?”

“I can’t abandon someone I don’t even know,” you scoff, “and anyway, I think I like Even Cuter Cashier. Something about him…it feels like destiny.”

Soonyoung laughs at you, but you ignore him, your mind still lingering on the dark haired boy from earlier. The more you think about him, the more your heart starts to grow warm. You can’t place it, but something about Jihoon feels familiar, and you need more.

1500s

“You are to be married to Prince Wonwoo before the solstice hits.”

Your head shoots up, staring at your father, not sure if you hear his words correctly. There’s no possible way he said that. You can think of a dozen reasons why that’s impossible, a few including: 1. You’ve never met Prince Wonwoo in your life, why would he want you as his betrothed? 2. You two did not have a courtship and it would be a scandal for you two to get married without presenting as a couple to the public first. 3. Your family is not nearly important enough to be noticed by royalty. 4. (And this is the biggest one) You are in love with someone else.

Well, your father doesn’t know that you’re in love with someone else, but it’s still an important fact to note.

Despite all of these reasons, your father continues to talk about the arrangement, not noticing the shock on your face. You wonder about how it came to be, and without you hearing even a whisper about it.

“You will be meeting with a royal advisor in two days, please do not cause any trouble.” With that your father walks ways, leaving you with a million questions brewing your mind.

The main one being: how are you going to tell Jihoon about this?

For over a year now you’ve been seeing the same man, sneaking out whenever you can to meet him. He came into town with a bang (quite literally — his caravan practically falling apart with all of his belongings crashing to the ground as it did) and you’ve been captivated by him since. 

Your days are never boring when Jihoon is around, the two of you either going on adventures or hanging out in Jihoon’s (new) caravan. Though, you think your most favorite times spent with Jihoon are late at night, when you two meet up on the outskirts of your estate grounds, right on the edge of the forest.

There never is any guessing as to what Jihoon has planned. Some days you two walk around the garden under the moonlight, talking and gazing up at the stars, while other nights you’re whisked off to another town to dance the night away in a hidden tavern. You love the guise of the night, being able to do whatever and be whoever without the fear of onlookers and their judgment. It’s just you and Jihoon in your own little world.

Maybe that’s why you’ve been keeping him a secret for so long, you like keeping him all to yourself. No one can taint your relationship if they don't know about it. Though you suppose that has backfired on you now.

You don’t see your father for the rest of the night and when the sunsets and you slip out the back door and walk down to the forest edge, you do it with a heavy heart. As always Jihoon is standing next to the tree he carved your initials in, a wide grin on his face and a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

As soon as he spots you approaching his face lights up in a grin. He trots up to you the rest of the way, scooping you up into a hug.

"I've missed you," he says, pressing kisses to your lips and cheeks. You giggle at his antics.

"You saw me two days ago, my dear."

"Oh but that's two days too long for an aching heart in love." 

Other people may think it's cheesy but you can't help but adore the sweet way Jihoon talks to you, always putting his poet background to good use. You smile as Jihoon holds you in his arms, but soon the good mood is ruined by the news you remember you have to break to him.

"What's wrong, my love?" Jihoon asks, seeing the fallen look on your face. He reaches up and pushes your hair out of your face, a habit he has picked up since you two met. 

You just sigh and shift so you're out of Jihoon's embrace. Automatically you miss his strong arms around your waist, but you can't bear to look at him as you talk.

“My father has given me away to another man,” you tell him in a hushed voice. 

“Who?” Jihoon responds automatically. “I won’t let him take you. I-I’ll fight.”

You finally turn towards Jihoon, the solemn look still firm on your face. “I’m betrothed to Prince Wonwoo.”

“Prince Wonwoo?!” Jihoon looks taken aback. You don’t blame him. Suddenly he deflates. “How am I going to beat that?”

You’re not sure how to respond. The truth is Jihoon can’t compete. That doesn’t mean you’re going to give up hope on him, though.

“We’ll…we’ll figure something out,” you finally say. You step closer to Jihoon, allowing him to wrap you up in his embrace once again.

“I’m not giving up on us,” Jihoon tells you, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

“We’ll be fine. We have to be.”

When your father told you you’d be meeting with a royal advisor, this isn’t exactly what you were expecting.

When you arrived at the castle you were amazed at the size of it, but you weren’t allowed to gawk for long, being ushered into a sitting room where two men were already conversing. Neither were your soon to be husband though and you wondered when you might actually get to meet the prince.

The two men soon introduced themselves as Soonyoung and Mingyu, two of Prince Wonwoo’s most trusted men. Now two hours later, you’re starting to question the judgment of your betrothed.

Not only are the men completely scatterbrained and disorganized, they also seem to bicker more often than not, making it difficult for you to understand everything they’re telling you. The only thing you really comprehend is that you’re going to be spending a lot more time with the two men up until the wedding.

You’re given a schedule at the end of the day, your upcoming weeks all planned out for you already. Meeting with wedding coordinators, royalty training, garment fittings, and everything else of the like. You frown, thinking about your normally free schedule has now been filled.

Luckily for you, the meeting finished earlier than expected and you don’t hesitate to direct yourself towards the area where Jihoon’s caravan resides. Your lover is delighted to see you but before he can get any words out you’re throwing yourself at him, pulling him into a kiss. You’re desperate to drown in Jihoon and forget reality even just for a moment.

It isn’t until later that you and Jihoon finally exchange words. 

“I can hear you thinking,” Jihoon says. You two lay next to each other on his bed, bare bodies pressed together under the linens. Your head rests on his chest and his hands card through your hair. “Was I not satisfactory in taking your thoughts away? What is troubling your mind so much?

“Prince Wonwoo.”

“You’re thinking about Prince Wonwoo after laying so intimately with me?”

“No! Well yes, but- I- shut up,” you grumble, smacking Jihoon’s chest, making his laugh.

You’ve never met the prince before, though you are well knowledged on him. It’s hard not to be when he is to take over the crown in a few years. You try not to think about how that will make you the queen consort.

You’ve only seen Prince Wonwoo in person a handful of times, none too recently, but you still know the prince is very handsome. Not as handsome as you find Jihoon, though you may be a bit biased. He’s also said to be kind, smart, level-headed, and well calculated. You suppose it could be worse. 

“I met with his advisors today,” you tell Jihoon. “I guess it’s just all hitting me. This really is going to happen.”

“Hey, listen to me,” Jihoon moves so he can stare at you in the face, “no matter what happens, I will always love you. My heart is still yours.”

“And mine yours,” you tell him softly. “I love you Lee Jihoon. Never forget that.”

You don’t see Jihoon for a while. Your schedule is packed with futile meetings that take up your day and with the news of your engagement to the prince (who you have still yet to meet), there are guards outside of your estate at night.

You suppose you are fortunate that Mingyu and Soonyoung have grown on you in the past few weeks. Though you still think them foolish, you also have a fondness for the pair. You see why Prince Wonwoo puts his trust in them. You find yourself wanting to confide in them, though there is one thing that still remains a secret.

It isn’t until the night before your wedding that you see your love. You are able to lose your guards for a second and you make a beeline straight to Jihoon’s caravan. He’s still awake, sitting outside and staring up at the starry sky when you approach.

“My dear,” you call out to him. Jihoon looks away from the sky to meet your face, a look of surprise flashes over his face before they form into a soft smile.

“You know you really shouldn’t be out so late at night, it is not safe.”

“Well then, why don’t you help me find some shelter kind sir,” you tell him. Jihoon just grins and grabs your hand, pulling you into his home. 

You two spent the night wrapped up in each other, exchanging soft kisses and even softer words. When the morning comes Jihoon is still asleep when you awake and while you’d love to give him a proper goodbye, you know you already pushed your luck enough spending the whole night out.

You quickly find a quill and some ink and you grab a piece of Jihoon’s writing parchment and scribble a quick note to him before slipping out the door. It’s only after the caravan is out of sight that you let your tears fall.

The first time you meet Prince Wonwoo is at the altar. Up close he’s even more handsome than you imagined, with soft facial features and kind eyes. You can’t help but still feel a bit disappointed, staring at the stranger in front of you as you recite your wedding vows.

The chapel where you are being wed is packed full of people, mostly nobility. Your attire is suffocating, despite being fitted for it thrice. Across from you, the prince keeps a neutral face and you wonder about his own involvement in this arrangement. 

He’s dressed in a formal outfit fit for royalty. The colors pair with your own dressings and you wonder what you two look like from the outfit. A newly bonded couple who will eventually be ruling the whole country. Are you two a handsome, strong presenting couple? Or do you two look like two fools who have never met before?

You were surprised at the way the public took the news of the engagement. You were expecting backlash against the prince, but he is well loved by the public and they were all happy to see the young man finding a partner to settle down with before stepping up to the throne. Despite never having been seen together in public before today, there was a wide talk of your (fake) courtship and how you must be very lucky to have the prince hold your heart.

If only they knew that a lonely, penniless poet was the real caretaker of your love.

It isn’t until the words leave the officiant’s mouth that you realize you will have to kiss the prince. Not only to end the ceremony but for the public to see you two unite as one. You must look as taken aback as you feel because your now husband takes the initiative, stepping forward to close the distance between you two.

Wonwoo cups your face gingerly, his hands are cold and his fingers are boney. He stares at you for a moment, dark eyes gazing into your soul, before he finally leans in.

The moment his lips press against yours you want to jerk out of his hold. It feels wrong. Your lips don’t fit together nicely and there’s no warmth exchanged between you two. You’re both stiff and you note how Wonwoo’s lips aren't as full as Jihoon’s. 

The kiss is over within seconds but the damage has been done and you can’t shake the dirty feeling that has grown under your skin. Wonwoo’s hand slides down your arm to clasp your fingers together. Another sign of unity for the public. You force a smile on your face, but the only thing you can think about is how your heart is miles away, in a small caravan on the edge of town.

My love,

I am not sure how you were able to convince the prince’s closest man to be a part of this, but I cannot say am I ungrateful for him. Though I do find him quite eccentric (and slightly obnoxious) I must give him my gratitude.

I miss you tremendously, but the past few letters you have sent me have been acting as bandages over my heart. I read them whenever I feel an ache of your absence, which is quite often.

It is unfortunate you find royal life boring. If I could, you know that I would sweep you off to the farthest lands where we would explore the area during the day and revel at night. I would show you the large world out there and we could experience new joys together. 

How I long to have you lay by my side at night. To feel your soft, tender skin against my fingertips. It pains me to even think about it, but it would kill me not to. 

I will never stop fighting for us.

Write back soon,

Your Jihoon

My darling,

I saw you today. I was taken quite off guard when I saw you riding in the carriage, next to Prince Wonwoo. I admit, you two make a handsome couple, but not more handsome than us.

It’s been so long since I’ve seen your beautiful face in person, that even seeing you with another man made my heart sing. I couldn’t pull my eyes from you, doing my best to soak in the sight of you because you were once again gone.

You looked quite winsome sitting in the carriage, but you did not look like you. Are you required to wear such extremities every day, or were you dressed for the occasion? Either way I cannot imagine the process of getting ready to be a swift one. 

If I am being honest I do not find the purpose of such efforts. Does the prince not find your natural beauty fit to his standards? If so then off with him. Any person with eyes would be fortunate to gaze upon you. I know I was.

Seeing you has only made me yearn more for you. I know it has only been a few weeks since your matrimony to Prince Wonwoo, but to me it has been lifetimes. How I crave to feel your touch, to hear your voice, to kiss your lips.

I know that the idea is futile but I will never give up on you. No matter what, I am still yours. And I hope you are still mine. Even if I only see a glimpse of you once every decade, my heart will still burn for you.

Forever yours,

Your Jihoon

To my heart,

Though you are always in my thoughts, you have been overtaking my mind more often than not lately. Please do not think I am upset about this, it is quite the opposite, but I am afraid I have been missing you a great deal more than usual.

Maybe it is due to a conversation I had the other day. I was at a tavern, catching up with an old acquaintance who was in town, and you came up. Jeonghan questioned if there was a reason why I had settled here and wondered if it was ‘due to my heart’. I laughed and confirmed his suspicions.

We spent a deal of time after that talking about you. It felt liberating being able to speak of you to someone else. I must have rambled on for at least an hour before Jeonghan finally cut me off, telling me how lucky I must be to have someone like you in my life. I had no choice other than to agree with him.

Speaking about you and thinking about you has thrown me into a tumultuous frame of mind. It is quite shameful how often I get lost in fantasies of us and what I wish we could be. You have overtaken my mind, body, and soul. There is not a single night where I do not dream of you.

I hope our future king can see how fortunate he is to be married to you. I would kill thousands of men to be in his position. Your smile itself is worth more than every jewel on his crown. I know I am just waxing poetic at you, but that is my job.

I know we must stay apart, but please mourn the future we could have had for me. Please write back to me with every thought you have about our imaginary future, because even if I cannot have the real thing, my dreams will be enough for me.

Dream of me as well,

Your Jihoon 

The life between you and your husband is…comfortable. You two talk, but not often and seldom about anything that is not shallow or mundane. You two sleep side by side at night but the last time you two touched each other was when you danced at your wedding and while his days are spent in meeting, yours are spent wandering the castle grounds and having tea with Soonyoung and Mingyu.

The only thing you find yourself looking forward to in your days anymore is the nightly lettering that you receive from Jihoon. It was only a week into the marriage when Soonyoung noticed how miserable you were. Without being able to hold it in anymore, you told the man about your lover and your heartbreak. It was then that Soonyoung suggested he help you out, acting as a carriage pigeon to deliver letters to and from Jihoon.

One night you are sitting at the desk in your shared chambers with Wonwoo, writing your letter for Jihoon, when Wonwoo speaks up. He is sitting on the bed across the room and his deep voice startles you, not used to talking to the man like this.

“Are you happy?” Wonwoo asks you bluntly, after calling out your name. You take only a moment to form an answer.

“I am content, my lord,” you tell him. Though you have stopped referring to the man as “Prince Wonwoo” in your mind, you cannot help but tack on the formal titles at the end of your sentences to the man.

“But you are not happy. Why?”

“Rest assured your highness, it is nothing you’ve done.”

“Does it have anything to do with the letters Soonyoung delivers to you each evening? The letters you are writing back right now?” You freeze in your seat. You were unaware he knew, but the prince is not ignorant. You suppose you couldn’t keep it a secret forever.

“I-”

“Do not mistake my curiosity for accusation. I’m aware this arrangement is not an ideal situation, and I would not be upset if there was another. I would not even be upset if you wish to be with him,” Wonwoo says. 

His words trouble you. There is a benefit for both of you in the marriage, but his words imply he is not exactly happy with the arrangement either. The offer to let you leave him is strange though, and causes you to fault for a moment.

“I am not going to abandon you, sire,” you eventually respond. “I have made an obligation to you.”

“No, your father did. Though we are not well acquainted I still hold empathy and I do not want to be what is keeping you from your happiness. From your happy ending.”

“Either way my father’s word is say, so I will do what he asks of me. It is an honor to be wedded to a man of your status,” you tell him, trying to convince yourself more than anything.

“But that is all it is: status. What about love?”

You don’t answer. You sit there and stare down at the letter you are writing to Jihoon. You think about the wooden box hidden in the drawer that holds his letters.

“Please, I do not wish to cause you turmoil. If you want to go, I will not hold you back,” Wonwoo says. 

You finally turn to look at your husband. “You are very kind-hearted, but I cannot accept that offer. I will not tarnish your reputation like that. Do you know the talk that would rise if they heard the soon-to-be king’s spouse up and left? What would your father do to mine? It is too risky.”

Wonwoo has a morose look on his face, like he knows you’re right. “Tell me about him,” he says, surprising you.

You hesitate. You should not talk of your lover to your husband. It is unorthodox and unbecoming. You look at Wonwoo’s curious face though, and you can’t help yourself.

“He’s a poet. I’ve never met someone who can use words the way he does. Even in things as simple as short letters or passing comments, he can make it sound like the most romantic sentence ever uttered,” you tell Wonwoo.

“Tell me more.”

“He has a kind soul, like you. He’s very exciting to be around. He used to travel the world, so I love to hear him regale the tales of his adventures. He likes to take me on our own little adventures as well. One time a traveling show came through a neighboring town and he got us tickets to go watch.”

“You love him greatly.” It is not a question. You just nod to Wonwoo. “You light up when you speak of him. In a way I’ve never seen before.”

You don’t know what to say to him, so you turn your back to him once more, resuming your letter to Jihoon.

You love Jihoon, everyday apart from him feels like you’re struggling to breathe, and under any other circumstance you wouldn’t have stopped at anything to be with him, but you are not under those circumstances. You fought your father, refusing the marriage, even telling him you loved someone else, but he did not listen. He told you this was the one thing he would put his foot down on.

You can’t blame him, how often does someone get the chance to marry a prince. The things this marriage is doing for your family is immeasurable and you cannot in good conscience leave them without a second thought. Not to mention the damage it would do to your family’s reputation, let alone Wonwoo’s. Your family would be shunned by the public and Wonwoo would be labeled a joke of a king.

Not to mention if it was ever discovered what really happened. What would happen if everyone found out why you left? You and Jihoon would surely be ostracized. Town piranhas in even towns in other kingdoms. Jihoon’s career as a poet would be over. You can’t imagine that being a happy life.

Not that you’re particularly happy right now either. You wish you didn’t overthink everything, or else you would have left the town even before you got married. You and Jihoon could be living in his caravan, just you two alone, safe and sound and happy.

It is too late for that though, and now you have to pay the consequences. Married to a man you know nothing about. A man who seems to be rooting for you despite the outcome. It makes you frown. Maybe your first step in figuring it all out is figuring out your husband first.

“Have you ever been in love, my lord?” You decide to ask Wonwoo one day while walking the castle’s grounds. As of recently you two have gotten closer, an interesting bond forming between you two, though most of your time is spent talking of Jihoon. Wonwoo never draws back on his suggestions that you follow your heart. 

“Not in the way you are. I was very fond of someone a long time ago, but they loved someone else.” You frown at this news. 

“Please excuse the crudeness of my words, sire, but then why do you put so much mind into my love? Do you not wish to be wed to someone?”

“I do,” Wonwoo answers after a moment of contemplation, “but I do not want to be the reason why true love is separated. You and your Jihoon, you are a story of fate. Who am I to get in the middle of it? The public likes me enough, I will be okay. No matter what, I will be okay, but will you?”

Your heart aches and yearns for Jihoon, and your husband is not making it easier. That may have been his goal though.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” You ask Wonwoo. You frown as you stand in front of him, your stomach in knots of worry.

Wonwoo just gives you a soft smile. “I am sure. If anything, I should be worrying about you. Do you have everything you need?”

“Yes. Both Soonyoung and I checked twice. You have ensured that everything will run perfectly.” You reach over and take your husband’s hands in yours, squeezing them tightly. “Thank you, Wonwoo. For everything.”

“Ah, it is the least I could do. Now, you have somewhere to be and I cannot keep you waiting any longer. Send me letters, okay?” With a final squeeze of your hands, Wonwoo lets you go. You smile at the man once more before turning away from him and not looking back.

You slip out of the castle through the servant’s doors and quickly make your way to the outskirts of the grounds. It reminds you of all those times you escaped your own house to meet Jihoon at the edge of the forest. The thought makes a grin grow on your face as you speed up your pace even more.

Just like all the previous times, when you get to the edge of the estate Jihoon is standing there waiting for you. You launch yourself into his arms, allowing him to pick you up and twirl you around. He’s giggling high pitched and gleeful as you two spin around in each other’s arms.

When Jihoon finally puts you down he doesn’t waste a moment and leans in to kiss you. You happily kiss him back, grabbing his face and holding him in place. You can feel a wet stream of tears run down your face, your heart bursting with joy as you reunite with your lover.

His lips are familiar against yours and you automatically feel at home. For the first time in months you can relax, finally back in Jihoon’s arms.

“It’s you,” Jihoon muttres when he finally pulls away. He brings his hands up to caress your face.

“It’s me, my love, it’s me,” you tell him back, tears still flowing freely.

“I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you more.” You lean in and press another quick kiss against Jihoon’s lips. “But we will never have to miss each other again.”

“I’m never letting you go,” Jihoon tells you, gripping you tighter. “Oh how much I love you.”

You giggle. “I love you more. Now come on, let’s get out of here.”

You grab Jihoon’s hand and pull him away from the grounds to where his caravan is waiting for you two. As you two travel further and further away from the town you feel your heart grow lighter and lighter, excited for the rest of your life of adventures with your love.

The next time you see Jihoon is nearly a week later. You and Soonyoung are once again getting boba when you spot the boy behind the counter, just like last time. When you and Soonyoung went and got boba a few days prior you noticed that the original Cute Cashier was working, and you couldn’t help but feel a bit of disappointment at him not being Jihoon.

As soon as you lay eyes on your Even Cuter Cashier, you quickly make a beeline into the shop, your desire for boba long gone.

Jihoon looks up when he hears the sound of the bell ringing and his eyes soften into a smile when he sees you entering through the threshold.

“You came back!”

“I did. It’s hard not to, with the amazing service I got last time,” you say. You casually browse the store as you talk to Jihoon, glancing at him every so often as you do. 

“Well I’m glad that my plan to get you to come back succeeded.”

You giggle at Jihoon’s words as you stop in front of a stack of old photos. You flip through them, looking at all the memories they hold. Many of the photos depict different couples, all smiling brightly as they hold each other. The images put a smile on your own face.

“Find something good?” Jihoon asks and you jump a bit at the closeness of his voice. When you turn, you see the man standing by your side.

“Oh, yeah, just these photos! Aren’t they beautiful?” You tilt them a bit to show them off to Jihoon. “I think it’s so amazing that no matter how the world changes, love will always stay the same.”

“Huh, I guess you’re right. Love’s been around since the beginning of time.”

“The love these people were feeling in these photos is the same love we experience today. There really is nothing like it.”

You look back down at the photos. The one in your hand shows a woman clinging onto a man’s arm, her cheek pressed into his bicep as she smiles at the camera. The man himself is smiling as well, though he is smiling down at the woman, rather than the camera. 

“They’re cute,” Jihoon mumbles, his own eyes transfixed on the photo. 

“Yeah,” you say, “I wonder what’s their story.”

“Something happy, I hope,” Jihoon says before moving to walk back behind the counter. You grab a few more photos from the stack before following after him, placing them on the counter.

Jihoon smiles at you and starts to ring you up. You take a moment to stare at him, your eyes tracing over his fluffy hair and round face and kind smile. You don’t stop staring until Jihoon breaks your focus.

“What? Does my hair look stupid or something?” He grins lazily at you again and you feel your heartbeat quicken.

“Uh, n-no! It’s just…your smile is super familiar to me. Sorry, that may be weird.”

“No, no, it’s not. I guess I kinda felt the same thing the first time you came in,” Jihoon tells you. “Who knows, maybe we knew each other in a past life.”

You chuckle at Jihoon’s joke, but you don’t stop thinking about it for the rest of the day.

1951

War Against North Korea Rages On, No End in Sight

You frown at the heading, throwing the newspaper aside onto the counter. The news of the North Korean troops invading Seoul changed everyone’s lives, throwing the country into a state of chaos trying to keep them from completely overtaking all of South Korea. Now a year later, the war is still in full force and though you know it’s important to stay updated on what’s happening, you don’t bother with the news articles anymore. They always say more or less the same thing: the war continues on with more casualties and less hope of ending soon.

Your heart grows heavy with each day growing worse than the last. You wish there was more you could do to help the war efforts, but you’re stuck at home taking care of your sick father. He’s the only family you have left, after your mother’s death a few years ago. All of the money received from her passing has gone into your father, but since the start of the war prices have done nothing but skyrocket.

So you spend your days at home taking care of your father, and your nights in a factory working to earn an income. You don’t mind the work though, allowing your mind to focus on something that isn’t the war or your father.

The only other time you get a break, an actual real break, is on Saturdays. It’s the one day in the week you allow yourself to go out, spending the afternoon to yourself getting groceries and taking time to focus on yourself.

You go through the same routine, walking down to the port and spending a few minutes enjoying the waves lapping against the shore, the salty sea water scent filling the air as the summer breeze brushes up against your skin. After taking in the sight of the sea, you move further into town and down the street to the cemetery.

Every Saturday you visit your mother’s grave, sitting with her for a while as you update her on your life and the current events. Occasionally you will bring a book and read aloud. You find the time spent with her calming, her maternal love enveloping you and letting you rest, even for a small bit of time.

Afterwards you browse the shops in town (only looking, never buying) before heading to the market to finish your day off. You spend the money for the groceries to get you through the week before heading back home. You do your best to walk most places you go, not wanting to spend the fare for the trollies. 

The streets are busy on the weekend and on your walk back to your house, someone bumps into you causing you to drop your bags, all of your freshly bought groceries tumbling to the ground. The person doesn’t even stop and you can’t bother chasing them too. You just sigh and bend down to pick up the now unusable goods. 

You now have to turn around and go back into town to get more groceries. It will take a good chunk out of your funds, but not too much. Maybe you’ll pick up a few more shifts at the factory.

“Excuse me, are you okay?” As you’re thinking about how to make up the price of the ruined groceries, you miss the man who has walked up to you.

When you look up you see a beautiful man with a sweet round face and dark hair staring down at you. He’s dressed nicely in a suit and it takes you a moment to actually respond to him, too distracted by his good looks.

“Pardon?”

“I was asking if you were okay?” The man bends down to help you pick up the rest of the food spilled on the ground. “I saw that man bump into you and I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Oh! I’m fine, thank you.” You smile at him, appreciative of the kind gesture.

“But all of your groceries are now ruined. Allow me to buy you more.”

“Oh no! That’s not necessary,” you quickly tell the man. You don’t even know him and you would feel guilty allowing a man who didn’t even cause the casualty to pay for your groceries, especially with the state of the economy.

“I insist,” he says, standing and then helping you stand as well. “It’s the least I could do.”

“Sir it really-” Before you can even finish your sentence the man was walking away, back towards the town. You could just go back home, but then you’d be left with no groceries for the week so you begrudgingly follow him back to the market.

“Lee Jihoon, by the way,” he tells you as you two walk around the market, collecting what you need. You give him your name as well and he grins, a small spark igniting behind his eyes as he tells you how lovely your name is.

When you’re done regathering what you need you move to head to the register, but Jihoon stops you.

“This is all you’re getting? It’s barely enough for any proper meals. Please, add more. I won’t mind, I demand of it actually.” Jihoon then moves to add more to the basket and once again you have to follow along as Jihoon is the one carrying it.

You protest each time a new item is added but Jihoon keeps hushing you like you’re a life long friend rather than a stranger he met on the street no more than thirty minutes ago. By the time Jihoon is satisfied with what’s in your basket, it’s full to the top and you can’t remember the last time you’ve seen so much food in your life. Guilt eats away at you as you think about the money Jihoon is about to drop on you just because someone else made you drop your bags.

It isn’t until you’re checking out and Jihoon casually pulls out multiple banknotes without even a blink of an eye that you realize that not everyone lives like you and that just maybe Jihoon doesn’t mind paying so much because he has the money laying around to do so. Even back when your mother was alive and your father was able to work your family was still paying for everything with scraped up coins.

The sun is already low in the sky by the time you two exit the market and Jihoon stops you once more. “Allow my driver to take you back to your house.”

The sentence alone confirms your suspicions on Jihoon’s monetary status. To own a car is a luxury of its own, but to have a driver as well seals the deal.

You already can tell it’s impossible to turn Jihoon down so you just follow him back to his car. You wonder if his driver followed you after you two walked to the market. When you two get into the car you tell your address to the driver, trying not to get embarrassed at the thought of the nice car driving through your run down little neighborhood. 

Jihoon’s driver just nods and starts up the car. The three of you sit in silence until the car pulls up to your house and you climb out. Jihoon does as well, helping carry your groceries to the door.

“It was nice meeting you,” Jihoon says. “If you ever need anything again, give me a call.” He holds out a small white card, his business card, to you. You take it and thank him once more before entering your house, your mind still lingering on the strange, rich man.

You don’t give Jihoon a call, but you don’t have to. You run into him again not even three days after your first interaction. It’s early in the morning and you’re heading back home after work when you hear your name called out. When you turn you see the man’s car rolling up next to you, his head poking out of the back seat window.

“What are you doing walking alone so early in the morning? The sun has barely started to rise.”

"I'm walking back home from work," you answer honestly.

Jihoon's face looks sour at this, like he couldn't imagine working so late at night. "If you have been working all night let me treat you to breakfast."

It's your turn to let your face screw up slightly. You know that Jihoon can afford to buy you breakfast, but you still don't want to feel indebted to him. Not to mention your father will be waking up soon and you'll need to make his breakfast as well. You tell Jihoon as much.

"Then I will buy breakfast for your father too," is his solution.

You're not sure why he keeps insisting on buying you things but you just sigh and climb into the car. Jihoon has a smug grin on his face as he tells his driver where to go.

A few minutes later the car pulls up in front of a diner and you and Jihoon enter. It's nothing extravagant, but still a treat for those with a tight budget. 

The two of you sit in silence until a waitress comes and takes your order. Jihoon doesn't allow you to order for yourself, picking what he tells you are the most delicious and filling items. He orders for himself and then a third meal, asking the waitress to not cook it until she brings the check.

You note the way Jihoon has a nice presence to him, friendly and warm and inviting. The way his soft features are accentuated when he smiles, his round cheeks puffing up and his eyes squinting. You find him fascinating, but there's something more than that, something drawing you to him.

"So, where do you work that has you walking home at six in the morning?" 

The question breaks the ice between you as you fall into a natural conversation, asking questions and trading answers. Your hesitations towards the man quickly ebb the more you talk.

You learn he's a highly successful businessman but the war has halted much of his work which has given him some much needed down time. Like you, he doesn't have many living family members and he's an altruistic man so much of his money is left unspent.

Before you know it both of your meals are finished and the waitress is bringing over the check and the packaged meal for your father. Just like at the market, Jihoon pulls out his banknotes and pays before escorting you back to his car.

When you arrive at your house a part of you feels disappointed that the morning with Jihoon is over. Now it's back to the real world. 

You're halfway to your door when you suddenly turn back around. You don't know what causes you to say it before you can stop yourself you spit out, "Would you like to come in for a cup of tea? It's the last I could do after all of your kindness." 

Jihoon beams in front of you. "I would love that."

Bloodiest Battles of the War So Far, Conscription Soon to Follow?

Five months after you meet Jihoon he knocks on your front door, a letter clutched in his fist. There's a grim look on his face when you open the door and you know automatically.

The Battle of Bloody Ridge, follwoed by The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, took out many of the soldiers on the frontlines and the country was now desperate to find new ones to replace them. A mandatory conscription for any young man who was eligible to join the military.

It didn't take long for you and Jihoon to start a relationship after your first few meetings. He's the perfect man, taking care of both you and your father and showering you in nothing but love and affection. The thought of him so far away, in the direct line of danger, makes a lump grow in your throat. Your chest tightens as your heart aches.

"We'll be okay," Jihoon mutters into your hair as you cry silently into his neck, holding him tightly. Like if you hold him tight enough he won't have to leave.

That's not how the world works though, and you accompany Jihoon on the day he is to deploy.

"If you need more money just send me a letter and I'll take care of it, okay?"

"You've left me with plenty already, love," you tell him as you fix his jacket collar. "Just come home safe."

"As long as you make sure I have something to come home to."

You can already feel the tears welling up in your eyes and you lean forward to press your lips to Jihoon's. He kisses you back, putting all of his love into it. A promise to you, that you will see him again, that this isn't your last kiss.

With one last squeeze of the hand Jihoon boards the bus and you're left alone, a heaviness in your heart and worry forming under your skin.

You just have to keep telling yourself he'll be okay, he has to be.

December 19, 1951

To the one my heart has gone to,

I hope you don't mind the frequency of my letters, I just feel closer to you know that eventually you'll hold the same paper in your fingers. I miss you tremendously, to the point my heart aches thinking of you.

Do you know that when you send your letters they smell of you? I always keep your most recent ones safe, in hopes to preserve the smell for just a little while longer.

There's not much to report about today, which I suppose is a good thing. Better than something hectic or even worse, a battle. 

Unfortunately it still doesn't look like there will be a break anytime soon. Battle after battle, life after life. It's not easy, but I've come to like the other men in my unit. Jeonghan takes good of us and Seokmin makes nice company. 

I don't want to keep you long, but I wanted to make sure you'd get a letter for before the holidays hit. Merry Christmas my love.

I'll make it up to you when I get home okay? For now just keep me in your dreams.

Write back soon, please. I want to hear what my lover has been up to. Keep me updated on your father as well.

All my love,

Your Jihoon

March 22, 1952

Today was hard.

I'm doing unwell as I write this letter, but it would pain me more not to send you my update.

Kwon Soonyoung died next to me today on the battlefield. It is not the first time a man has died near me, but it is the first time it was a man I have grown fond of. He was only a few months older than I am.

As grim as it may sound, and as much as I will mourn the loss, I am grateful that it was not me in his place. It was a difference of mere inches and fate chose Soonyoung. Does it mean anything? Is there a reason why I lived and he didn’t? I’m not sure but all I can think about is that his sacrifice is giving me a second chance at going home. Does that make me a bad person?

Everyday I pray this nightmare will be over. The thought of you is the only thing encouraging me to go on. I think about coming home to you, kissing your sweet lips, holding you in my arms.

We’ve been apart longer than we were together and I beat myself up for that everyday. I wish we would have met earlier, but as soon as the war is over we will have all the time in the world. Just you and me.

Wish me home soon,

Your Jihoon

November 30, 1952

To the home of my heart,

You have been on my mind all of today, not that you aren’t always on my mind normally. It has been particularly hard today though. It’s been a full year since my departure from you and every day has been harder than the last.

It’s hard to sleep at night and I often lay awake and think about you. Sometimes I will take a walk and look up at the sky. The moon and the stars are thousands of miles away but they still seem so close and bring so much comfort. That’s how I feel about you. Gazing at the moon also helps because it is still the same moon that you are under as well.

Look at the moon and think of me okay? Maybe one night we will be looking at the moon at the same time and I will be able to feel you just a bit closer.

Whenever I am able to fall asleep, I dream about you. I dream about the thought of you laying next to me. I wish to kiss your soft lips and feel your warm skin and look into your shining eyes. I dream of the life we will build together when we are reunited at last.

Would you marry me, my love?

I know it’s silly asking over a letter like this, and asking with such a strange courtship, but something in me feels the need to ask. Ever since I met you on the street that one fateful day, I’ve known you were the one for me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, so please accept my proposal (I promise to give you a proper one the second I get home).

The other men keep teasing me about you, but they just don’t understand the love we share. Being with you, even just the thought of you, it feels like home.

A part of me wonders if I’ve secretly loved you my whole life. It sure feels like it. No matter what I know you were made for me and everyday I bless whatever force brought us together. I love you so much it drives me crazy.

When I get home let me take you out on a thousand dates to make up for the time lost. 

Please send me your answer soon,

Your fiance Jihoon

February 01, 1953

To my dearest,

I’m writing to you from the infirmary. I was shot in battle earlier, nowhere too fatal just the leg, but I just woke up from the procedure to remove the bullet and patch me up. I’m lucky to come out with nothing more than a scar. Some other men aren’t as lucky.

It seems everyday is a new fight, but it’s worth it if it gives me a chance of going back home to you. We’ll buy a house close to the port, so you can be near the ocean breeze. Every night we’ll walk the shore and watch the sunset together. Then on Saturdays I’ll accompany you on your errands. We’ll go to town together and get groceries and visit the cafe and do whatever your heart desires. 

I’ll buy fresh flowers for your parents every week.

We could get a cat to keep you company while I’m at work and you could quit that heinous job at the factory. That would give you more time to focus on yourself. You and I both know that my wealth is more than enough for just the two of us.

Our house shouldn’t be too big, but still a good size in case we ever have guests over. I think we should start a garden as well.

Ah, my love, thinking about our future is nice. It helps me wish for the future, helps me feel closer to you. Thank you for being my safe place away from this nightmare. I should rest more now, but please remember that I will always spend everyday loving you.

Pray for my speedy recovery,

Your Jihoon

July 07, 1953

Jagiya! I apologize for the lack of letters recently, things have been so hectic around here, but I write with good news!

The talk around camp is that the negotiations have been making a move, there is finally an end in sight. I cannot wait to get back to you. It has been far too long since I’ve seen you and the photo I carry of you has started to fade already from how often I admire it. 

I cannot stay to write for long, but I needed to send you an update and a reminder of my love. I promise we will be back together soon.

Go to town and buy some flowers for yourself okay? Today is worth celebrating.

I can’t wait to see you,

Your Jihoon

You’re jittery as you smooth down your shirt, waiting for the bus to pull up. The same bus that took him away nearly two years ago.

When all of your friends heard about your beau, they all called you crazy. Holding out for a man who has been gone for quadruple the amount of time you spent together and you guess maybe it is crazy, but for Jihoon you would do anything.

It is true that you two were only together for five months before his deployment, but even before he left you knew you were madly in love with Lee Jihoon. You spent your nights reading the letters Jihoon sent you, and writing ones back. You would think you two had been lovers for fifty years rather than five months.

You’ve always felt the pull towards Jihoon though, like you’ve been loving him all your life. Every letter he sent made you fall in love with him even more, and now two years later he’s finally coming home. 

The days were hard without him when you saw him nearly everyday before he left. Winter of 1952 was less than kind, taking your father with it and leaving you alone for the last seven months, wishing for nothing but for Jihoon to come home. Now he is and you couldn’t be more elated.

The people standing around you start to cheer when someone catches sight of the bus, but you can’t do anything but stand there, your heart pounding in your chest. When the bus stops and soldiers start to pour out you have a moment of doubt. The fear that Jihoon won’t want you anymore, that everything has changed for the worse, creeps into your mind.

The thoughts can barely form though because then Jihoon’s stepping off the bus and his skin is so much tanner than it used to be and you’ve never seen him with his hair so short but it’s Jihoon, your Jihoon. His eyes light up when he catches sight of your familiar face and he’s dropping his bags and running towards you.

His arms are locked around your waist and you’re being lifted off the ground. You cup Jihoon’s face in your hands and lean down to kiss him as he spins you two around, easing all of the worries in your mind. Your cheeks dampen as tears start to stream down your face, too many emotions coursing through you to keep them all on the inside.

You keep your hands on Jihoon’s face as he sets you down. You stroke his cheek, feeling his warm skin under your touch. “You’re here, you’re really here.”

“I’m here my love, I’m here, and I’m never leaving you again.”

It doesn’t take much longer for you and Jihoon to leave the station. You two sit in the back of his car, pressed together as Jihoon presses kisses to your face every few minutes. You’re not much better though, leaning into him with a dopey grin on your face, ready to start your new life with the man you love the most.

The next time you see Jihoon isn’t at the antique shop at all. You’re getting coffee at the cafe next to your apartment when you see the man walk in. His eyes light up a bit when he sees you and he makes a beeline to your table after getting his drink.

“Is this seat open?” He asks, pointing to the empty chair across from you.

“Of course.”

Jihoon takes a seat before turning his attention to you. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“Maybe it’s fate,” you say teasingly but Jihoon just grins.

“Maybe it is,” his voice is smooth as he talks, and your breath gets caught in your throat, “I mean, I wouldn’t be upset if I was destined to meet you over and over again.”

You break his gaze, trying not to show him how flustered you are. “You’re quite the sweet talker you know? You don’t know anything about me-”

“No, but I don’t think it would be hard to learn. I’m starting to think we’re not really strangers at all. You can’t tell me that you aren’t a bit interested in me as well.”

You glance back at Jihoon to find him staring intently at him. His eyes are warm and deep and you can feel yourself being drawn in, like you’ve stared at those eyes a million times before. There’s an inviting sense to all of Jihoon and the only thing you can think of to describe it as is home. 

“Okay,” you tell him with a slight grin. “Let’s see if destiny is right.”

And really you don’t care if it is fate or not, because as you and Jihoon fall into a comfortable conversation you realize that the two of you meeting was no mistake, and that you could definitely love Lee Jihoon for multiple lifetimes. 

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