#honestly his range... his growth...

[wordy-little-witch]

Ya know what occurs to me?

Karai Bari is in the New World.

Crocodile and Mihawk only showed up after the establishment of the delivery service.

Buggy was in Paradise. Marineford would have been in Paradise, I think, or at least Buggy's crew still was.

He doesn't have conquerors to cross the calm belt.

So... to get to the New World and set up shop, he'd have to have gone through Fishman Island, wouldn't he? So he'd had to have gotten the ship coated.

He'd likely have had to face Rayleigh or at least he'd have anticipated it - maybe Shanks even mentions Rayleigh hanging around there, maybe even mentioning him having NEVER missed Shanks passing through....

So when Buggy goes when Buggy expects to be found and claims to be dreading it and is but is also so hopeful so scared so broken so hesitant he's got a few different courses figured for how this will go down.

Only.... Rayleigh isn't there. Shakky is. She just directs them to another coater. Buggy fights himself, wants to ask, doesn't want to beg, and-

Shakky answers the question he couldn'tdislodge from his throat. "Sorry, baby blue, Ray's just working on something real important. You know how it is."

He does. He does know how it is. Important, huh? That's fine. It's probably a job. It's probably not that big of a deal that dad master Rayleigh is preoccupied. Buggy shouldn't have expected the man to drop everything and come running why did he think that, Rayleigh never did it before, not even Shanks' assurance he'd leave a message for Rayleigh would change much, and fuck he can't afford to cry so-

So Buggy gets the ship coated. It's not as pricy as he'd worried. He navigates them down, can even bring himself to smile at the wide eyed wonder from the rest. It's nice. He's fine here - these are his people. He's okay, really, and he'll be able to let this go or shove it into that nameless box in his head and heart soon enough. He just has to ride the wave, you know-?

Only no. Not really. Because a newspaper lands in his hands. And his brain is racing.

Because Rayleigh wasn't at Sabaody at all. He was with Strawhat. He was training Strawhat. He showed up, after the war, so close to the conflict, to train the kid. Rayleigh is fast, but not that fast. He'd have to have left around a week before Buggy even arrived. Shanks had assured him Rayleigh was there when he dropped by ((two weeks ago)). He knew because his brother had wrapped him in his arm and tears were shed, voices were raised and hearts were broken, wounds torn open to drain the festering rot and the healing hurt, it hurt then, it hurts now, it will hurt and hurt and hurt, because Buggy had pushed the Big Top to her near limits just to reach the archipelago that his former guardian ex-father previous family that Rayleigh called home. Shanks had called him, said he'd dropped the message and Rayleigh had chuckled and nodded and Buggy wanted to see his dad because there were still so many scars that had to be seen and acknowledged and Buggy himself wasn't even fully recovered physically but emotionally he had to do it, had to take the step and try because vulnerability brought the best and worst of him out, because he lost a brother and gained him back and he wanted for his father, at least one of them.

But Strawhat was on that front page. And Rayleigh was behind him, smiling, warm, proud, happy, and - Buggy aches. He's angry. He's livid. A week or so, by his estimate, for Rayleigh to find him and get there to the war ground. A week or so because Rayleigh was old but he was still painfully fast. In a week or so, the older man hunted down a boy he'd possibly met once or twice in passing. A week or so and The Dark King showed up to bring another strawhat wearing monster of epic proportions under his wing, had made impressive time in finding the kid, making the plan, getting to the navy hq, getting out, and that's accounting for the article writing, printing, and distribution.

A week or so to find a bright little sunshine boy he barely knew when one he raised rotted in a cell for months on end.

Busy with something real important, he recalled Shakky saying.

His chest burned for a moment, hot and wild and unyielding - and just as suddenly, the fire was gone. He was tired. He was so fucking tired. His injuries throbbed, his head hurt, his scars itched. He sighed, set the paper aside and curled impossibly small into his chaise lounge with a teary chuckle as he gripped his hair and tried to silence the keen building in his chest. He cursed himself for it, bitter and angry.

After all, he should be used to being outshined, out classed and out loved by energetic boys with bright smiles in little wicker crowns.

Story of his life

He is unaware of the many eyes on him, of the people Plotting and Arranging things on their own time. Their captain is the best - uncommon, unexpected, temperamental though he is, he is everything everyone needs him to be because it's the only thing he knows how to do. They see the seams in his mask and performance, and they ache to pay back the pain left on their captain, their boss, their leader and friend. Buggy pirates stick together, freaks and weirdos united - and nobody is allowed to hurt their captain without some serious followup.

[thisisnotthenerd]

putting the tl;dr at the top as a poll and the commentary under the cut because it’s quite rambly and it’s also late and i’m tired.

*whether dorian is one of these is up for debate

there’s some discussion of bell’s hells not having the “it” factor for a lot of people. even though it’s my first campaign and the only one i’ve mostly watched live, i kind of have to agree.

there’s a distinctive lack of investment in backstory for the group in terms of what they’ve spent time on in campaign. i think fearne is the only one who’s been done justice, even though we’ve seen other exploration, because they’ve been to her home multiple times, and while her backstory isn’t central to the main plot, it is close. it’s enough distance for her to be able to develop as a character but also for us to see where she came from.

imogen’s is tied directly to the main moon plot, so she’s had screen time aplenty, but less time to develop quietly, as laura does really well. i might argue for orym, but that’s because his is kept simple but with depth. his backstory comes through in the acting because he’s put up against his family members occasionally, but he’s a little guy at root.

for everyone else it’s been short detours. sometimes not even that. the spotlight oscillates between moon plot and god arguments with indecisive wandering in between.

while not everyone in vox machina inherently had a deep personal connection to the big bads of their campaigns, they didn’t need to. they did it for their friends, because they loved and trusted one another deeply. they made decisions about what they were facing and stuck to it, even when it meant sacrifice. they made multiple levels of friendship around and across the table.

at this point bell’s hells has been told a bunch of different things to do. and honestly i don’t know if they ever decided on one.

that’s not the point of this though.

there’s some archetypes or dnd players out there: roleplayers and power gamers. people who are all in it for the story and people who are all in it for the game. and it reflects in the characters they build.

somehow bell’s hells (collectively) is neither.

they don’t have strong investment in the plot collectively. the character concepts range from simple to deeply complex, and i have to say that i think the simpler has worked better for a plot-heavy campaign, because the characters that started simpler had a chance to develop over the campaign rather than competing for time between the plot and their own stories hanging over their heads.

take dorian. he was a humble bard, a former noble, who’s trying to make his way in the world. he refused great power from an evil source and paid the price in the loss of his brother. he fell in love as the world ended, and is still trying to sing the songs of the people he loves because he wants to bring people joy and bring them together. he’s invested in stopping predathos because of his friends, but also to avenge loss, and to protect the people of his homeland and take up his responsibility as heir to the silken squall.

it took a paragraph. but at the table, even when he was with the crown keepers for a few months, he fits right in. he’s had growth while keeping true to his core.

i’m not going to get into the rest now but there’s a definite element of throwing shit at a wall and seeing what sticks.

anyways, beyond the difficulties of backstory, they’re not super optimized. i’m of the belief that optimization works in tandem with roleplay—the characters are growing and changing over the course of the story, and having the mechanics trace that and make choices impactful is a big part of the appeal of the game.

watching vox machina and the mighty nein fight is a treat because not only are they level 20 and therefore godlike in power, their mechanics support interesting combat where failure hits hard because they’re built to succeed. when someone fails a save or misses it means something. they have options in their wheelhouse but they’ve found their niches and know how to play to their strengths.

bell’s hells is playing high level combat right now, but they have middling stats: lots of dump stats, 10-14s in the middle and some attacks/spell saves that aren’t as high as you’d expect of level 15 characters. they have several characters with perhaps too many options, and have made some weird strategic decisions. they’re indecisive. in combination with fluctuating luck from the dice, there’s times where they can wreck house, but also times of them failing saves, missing on full turns, losing resources, and overall failing more than they succeed.

also bell’s hells don’t make big decisions in combat unless they’re absolutely forced to. in the last arc pre-final battle, the big battles were otohan on ruidus, dominox and ludinus in aeor (+delilah), zathuda and the unseelie in the feywild. with otohan, they were dying all around until fcg’s sacrifice. literally end of the line. then in aeor, they fought to end dominox, got whammied with downfall, and then had the delilah fight, but then her sealing came later. they fought in the arch heart’s temple, but the big revelations came on the heels of that, between the arch heart themself and then zathuda being strung up on the loom.

but of a tangent: i don’t think naddpod and critical role can be fairly compared, because they’re different in tone and telling very different stories. i relistened to naddpod c1 recently along with the last few episodes of c3 as we approach the finale, and while they have gotten more creative on the character building side, the story is still well done and combat is fun to listen to. they have had moments of deep tragedy on naddpod. they’ve had cameos of old characters, and even had one of them as a pc for a full arc mid-campaign 3. they’ve explored the future of the world of bahumia after the events of c1.

and while the story is satisfying and fun, the combat is also satisfying and fun. not just because murph is really good at building combats that are interesting in theater of the mind, but because the characters are built to be good at what they do. and when they go down, when they miss, when they fail, it hits harder. but they bounce back and keep going even when the circumstances suck. and they make narratively important decisions during combat.

with bell’s hells, i have often noted a split between their combat and roleplay. i like matt’s combats. i think they’re fun and make good use of a variety of enemies, terrain, and complicating factors. with vm and mn, it makes for really engaging episodes of combat, where they make use of the environment tactically and get to discover elements of how the field is set up as they go. i’m using the recent examples, which are not entirely inclusive but generally reflective of their combat trends.

vox machina fought their way off an airship, onto a chaotic battlefield, and then stealthed up to the malleus key, where they proceeded to defeat ozo cruth, break the bloody bridge, and get vax out of imprisonment. the mighty nein stealthed around kreviris, met with the volition, zip lined to and blew up the arx creonum, and then snuck through to meet the weave mind in combat. i can recall fun details and clutch moves, big risks including characters dying, and overall, battles that had character interaction.

as i’ve talked about before, bell’s hells gets whomped. they swing for the fences on some things, but when it doesn’t pay off it’s not just a missed opportunity, it’s often an active barrier or a loss of valuable resources that drive them closer to crisis.

imogen’s whirlwind, laudna’s disintegrate, and dorian’s forcecage were all great moves this episode. it also means they’re down some of their highest level spells before they actually face ludinus and/or predathos. granted they have the orb. but whether they can use it will be variable.

[woniedarlin]

The epitome of opposites attracting: Yang Jungwon

pairing: Jungwon x reader

synopsis: In a high school where rivalry is the norm, Jungwon and you find themselves on opposite ends of the spectrum. Jungwon, the charming and laid-back top achiever, crosses paths with You, a sharp-witted and sarcastic student. Despite their differences, both of you are driven by a fierce competitive spirit that permeates the halls of the school. As the two of you navigate the ups and downs of high school life, Jungwon and you discover that opposites truly do attract, leading you two on a journey of self-discovery, growth, and ultimately, love.

genre: Academic rivals to lovers

warnings: swearing, kissing, angst but happy ending

note: Hiii This is my first time ever creating a story. Honestly, I'm not a writer, so if there are any mistakes, my bad! I've never really done this before, but I just felt like giving it a shot. I just got inspired by all the amazing stuff our fellow Engenes have been writing. This is probably going to be my one and only story, to be honest. I don't think I'll write again after this. Anyway, enjoy reading it!

Decelis High was a prestigious academy where one's achievements often determined their future. You and Jungwon had been labeled as academically gifted students, and you were constantly pitted against each other as a result. The recognition of your achievements fueled a rivalry between the two of you, and despite the public praise, there was mounting tension between the two.

In the halls of Decelis High, Jungwon's name evoked envy among his peers. He was the embodiment of a model son: effortlessly charming, laid-back, wealthy, and intelligent. Under a seemingly flawless exterior, however, there lurked a rival unexpectedly formidable: you. You came from an ordinary life but had an intellect that was on the same level as his. The notion of intellectual parity with him wounded Jungwon's pride.

You stand in front of a list pasted on the wall—a list of students' achievements in various competitions—in the empty hallways of Decelis High. Your name, including Jungwon’s, are listed on the list several times over. The achievements of the two had become a recurring topic of discussion among your fellow classmates. Whether it was a case of 'like attracts like' or 'opposite attracts each other', you and Jungwon were considered two of the brightest and best-performing students at Decelis High. However, despite the public recognition and praise you both received, there remained a lingering tension between the two of you. An awareness of the competitive undercurrents that continued to fuel rivalry.

As you continued to look at the list, Jungwon was just behind you without you realizing it. He had been discreetly following you as you stared at the list of achievements in front of you. He was impressed by your achievements and the competitive drive that fueled your desire to achieve success. Seeing you absorbed in the list, he remained close by, watching you from behind.

The tense silence was suddenly broken as a playful voice rang out.

"And here I thought that the bright spot of your day would be when you'd win the top rank for the third quarter tests," he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

Startled by his sudden presence, you turned to face him and met his smug expression. "Surprised to see me?,” he quipped, continuing to tease. "I see now that instead, you'd prefer to marvel at the list of your accomplishments." His teasing tone continued with a sly grin on his face. "That's all it takes to impress you? An ordinary list of names and achievements?"

You scowled, defending the significance of the achievements. "Months of hard work went into those accomplishments, including mine and yours. Of course, it's impressive."

But you were surprised when Jungwon's expression suddenly shifted to a more serious one when he sensed your indifference to his teasing. "Is my presence not worth your time? Am I really that insignificant?" His tone remained serious even as he asked the question, hoping that you'd be quick to respond with some sort of denial.

"Huh? " You furrowed your eyebrows at his words.

Jungwon raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, his tone dripping with mock annoyance. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

When you remained silent and only continued to look at him confusedly, he sighed, sounding more annoyed as he spoke. "I was expecting you to deny that I'm insignificant. Am I not even worthy of a single denial?"

Confused by his sudden seriousness, you hesitated before responding, "I'm not saying you're insignificant."

Jungwon's annoyance quickly dissipated when he saw that you were no longer ignoring him. "You're not?" He spoke with an amused smirk. "Aren't I worth a tiny token of your attention? Don't you feel at least a bit irked whenever I'm nearby?"

You scoffed at what he said. "Of course I do. Your existence is just pure annoyance to me."

Jungwon smirked when he heard your response, and his tone instantly became more sarcastic and mocking. "Of course you do." He stepped close to you in the empty hallway, his presence now palpable and unsettling. "Does the mere sight of me infuriate you? I take it that means I have succeeded in getting on your nerves?" Jungwon grins before he speaks, enjoying the fact that he was able to get a reaction from you. You, on the other hand, tried your best to keep your composure and not give him the satisfaction.

Maintaining your composure, you retorted, "You're not worth my time, Jungwon. Let's just celebrate our achievements and move on." You replied with a sarcastic tone, and with that, you walked away.

Jungwon's usual smile quickly faded into an annoyed and slightly hurt expression upon sensing your sarcasm. Determined not to let the exchange end there, he hastened to catch up with you. "Excuse me? "He called out.

You responded with a cold "you are excused," continuing to walk away.

Jungwon's annoyance simmered, bordering on frustration, as he struggled to articulate his feelings. "Do you ever get tired of that sarcastic attitude of yours? "He asked, his tone tinged with irritation.

Rolling your eyes, you retorted, "Never."

His arms crossed, and Jungwon tilted his head in annoyance. "Never?," he echoed, his tone implying the absurdity of your response.

"Do you ever get tired of that irritating attitude of yours? "You shot back, frowning at him.

Jungwon was about to respond when he caught the sarcasm in your tone.

Though he was accustomed to your sarcastic retorts, there was something grating about this one. Frowning, he spoke with a hint of edge, "What irritating attitude?"

You listed off his behaviors, "Constantly following me, being annoying, ruining my day."

His frown deepened at your words. It almost sounded as if you were blaming him for all your problems, which, he begrudgingly admitted, might be partially true. Narrowing his eyes, he asked with a trace of irritation, "And do you honestly believe I'm ruining your day? Following you just to inconvenience you? "

Jungwon's jaw clenched tightly in frustration when he heard your response.

You had not denied his accusations, instead choosing to accept them as the truth. To think that after everything, you still see him as someone who was out to make your life miserable. This thought hurt him more than you could ever imagine. "...Why? "Jungwon's voice was barely audible, tainted with a strong hint of vulnerability.

"Can't you see? You enjoy insulting me and annoying the shit out of me." you retorted, hands clenched in frustration.

Jungwon could barely maintain his composure when he heard you say that, as if you weren't one to make insults yourself. After all this time, did you still not realize that the insults were just part of his playful persona?

"Insults?" Jungwon spoke with a hint of annoyance in his voice, his expression remaining cold. "You still haven't learned to take a joke?"

"Joking or not, maybe you should find other girls that are more compatible with you," you snapped, irritation evident.

Jungwon's eyebrows rose in surprise when he heard your response. "Other girls?" He could suddenly feel the heat rising in him, an unfamiliar sensation that told him that your words had affected him emotionally. He frowned and spoke, still unable to hide the hint of annoyance in his voice. "Are you implying that I should be talking to other girls instead of bothering you?"

"Yes," you replied curtly.

Jungwon's expression stiffened upon hearing your blunt answer. He remained silent for a moment, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of your words.

The thought that you'd be so willing to accept the idea of him moving on from you to pursue other girls instead hit him hard. For a moment, he was at a loss for words, trying to hide the hurt and vulnerability in him.

You sighed as you noticed his silence. "The attitude of mine is something that you shouldn't be dealing with, Jungwon. You should be hating me." You were aware of how horrible your personality was. Yet, you weren't one to change.

"Hate you?" Jungwon outright laughed, a cold and sarcastic laugh that mocked your suggestion. "Do you actually think I could ever hate you?" His tone was filled with derision, daring you to challenge his words.

Confused, you asked, "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do I mean?" Jungwon repeated your words in a mocking tone, shaking his head from side to side. "I'm just surprised by your notion that I'd hate you. Are we not rivals?" Jungwon's tone turned more sarcastic, bordering on condescending, as he spoke with a smirk.

"We are. So why can't you hate me?" You furrowed your eyebrows once again.

Confused by his words..

"You really think I can hate you, don't you?" Jungwon scoffed and spoke with sarcasm and condescension. “If I hated you, how would I keep pushing myself to get better, to be one step ahead of you? "Jungwon paused for a moment before continuing. "You being my rival is what spurs me to keep growing, to reach the next level. Without you, I'd have never had the motivation to accomplish so much."

Unable to say any words, you muttered, "You idiot..you are annoying."

Jungwon's jaw clenched tightly as he heard your words. The way you said it made him sound as if he was just a nuisance to you. Unable to think of a clever comeback, he spoke again, this time with more anger and sarcasm. "And you are unbearable. Your stubborn and cold attitude is insufferable."

"Just talk to others. I don't want to hurt you more." You replied softly at first, but then with resignation.

"Hurt me…"

Jungwon's heart skipped a beat when he heard your words, his usual arrogant and dismissive attitude instantly vanishing as he realized the implication in your statement. "Hurt me? "Jungwon repeated your words with bitterness, but his tone quickly shifted back into sarcasm.

"Really? "Jungwon scoffed and shook his head. "You think your words can hurt me? "

"Yes," you affirmed.

"Yes?" Jungwon scoffed again, this time with an even more mocking and condescending tone in his voice. "So I suppose that you mean every word you've said so far, then? " The way you nonchalantly dismissed the notion that your words could ever hurt him stung more than he cared to admit.

You justified yourself, "I'm not worth your time. We're opposites. We're rivals, even."

Jungwon's mouth twitched as he heard your honest words. Your nonchalant attitude towards the situation, as if this were something you'd said many times before, only made his heart ache more. "Opposites attract, right? It's also said that our rivals are our true equals." His tone retained its mocking and condescending nature, but there was a hint of something else behind the words, something his voice didn't allow to reach the surface.

"I don't want to hurt you," you stated firmly, though your eyes hinted at a different emotion.

"You're not hurting me." Jungwon spoke with a sarcastic and dismissive tone, still clinging to his usual attitude. He refused to admit that your words were affecting him. "The only thing you're doing is irritating me."

"By what? " you pressed

"By everything. By your cold, dismissive, and sarcastic attitude. By pushing me away," Jungwon spoke with bitterness and irritation, trying to mask his underlying vulnerability with a sarcastic tone. "You're annoying me so much that it's driving me crazy."

Jungwon paused

"You want to know the truth? The truth that l've been dying to say but kept holding myself back? "Jungwon kept his calm demeanor, but his tone was laced with a bit of bitterness. After being forced to confront his feelings, his sarcasm and bitterness began to seep through his words.

"What do you mean? "You demanded, narrowing your eyes.

Jungwon was silent for a moment before he spoke. His words were harsh and blunt, reflecting the inner conflict within him. "I hate how nonchalant and cold you are towards me. I hate how you refuse to admit that we're more than just rivals." Jungwon spoke with more bitterness and irritation now, but there was something else in his voice, something his words failed to convey.

"What are we, then, Jungwon? "

"In my opinion..." Jungwon spoke this time with a hint of vulnerability. "We're not just rivals..to me, we're the epitome of opposites attracting." Though his voice still betrayed an edge of insecurity, there was no mistaking the hint of sincerity and honesty behind his words.

"We may be poles apart at times," Jungwon continued, slowly gaining more confidence in his words. "But we push each other towards improvement, encouraging one another to be the best versions of ourselves. I wouldn't be as hardworking as I am today if it weren't for you. Don't say that I should go talk to other girls when I only want you."

"And... as for the whole hate thing... as much as I dislike admitting it..."

Jungwon paused again as a hint of vulnerability crept back in his tone. "I can't bring myself to hate you."

"Why? I am rude. A horrible person to be with," you expressed, frustration evident in your voice. His admission caught you off guard—unexpected and shocking.

"Because you are also the one who keeps pushing me forward." Jungwon's voice remained quiet and low when he spoke. "Because, despite all the insults, despite all your harsh words..." he paused again as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. "You are the one who inspires me because..." Jungwon's eyes finally met yours for a brief moment as he continued speaking.

"Because I like you, damn it."

Your eyes widened at his confession, his words sinking in. The person you were cold and harsh to, your rival, admitted his feelings, letting go of his pride.

Thoughts raced through your mind as you met his desperate gaze.

"You like me…?" you whispered, disbelief coloring your tone.

"Yes." Jungwon's tone remained soft and sincere as he spoke, but his eyes were quick to avert away from yours as he finished his sentence. He took a deep breath and spoke again, trying to hide the nervousness and uncertainty in his voice. "I really like you. You drive me crazy. But you'll only drive me crazier if you keep pushing me away."

"So please.." Jungwon was silent for a moment as he struggled to maintain his composure. He could feel every ounce of vulnerability and fear within him spilling out. "Don't push me away. Don't make me want to give up on everything and move on."

His whole world is centered around you. Without you, life would be so dull.

"Please," he said, speaking these words with pure sincerity and desperation.

His usual confident demeanor was completely gone now. He was speaking directly from his heart, begging you to accept the truth.

But out of nowhere, arms were wrapped around him tightly. Startling him.

Jungwon froze in place when he felt you pull him into a hug. All he could do was stand there, utterly stunned, as he waited to see if his feelings were just playing with him or if the hug was real. He never expected for the same girl, who was rude and harsh towards him, to actually hug him while her head was resting on his shoulder. The reality of it hit him in that instant. Jungwon hugged you back, wrapping his arms around your body and holding you close to him. For a moment, he just stood there, his body trembling with every ounce of fear and relief that was coursing through him.

"You idiot." you whispered softly as you hugged him.

"Idiot? " Jungwon repeated your words with bitterness and annoyance in his tone, not wanting to admit the comfort that your hug provided. He pulled away from you slightly to face your eyes and spoke, a smirk appearing on his face as he tried to tease you. "You're calling me an idiot when it's obvious that you like me too? "

"I do. You are an idiot. But you are my idiot."

"My... idiot? "Jungwon's eyes widened when you confessed to liking him. The way you had worded it was strangely endearing and comforting, which, in turn, made his heart ache for you even more. Jungwon frowned and spoke, his tone shifting from irritation to teasing. "So you admit that you like me? Then why try to push me away? Why act so coldly towards me?"

"You don't know how many people I've hurt because of my attitude, Jungwon," you replied softly. "I don't want to hurt many more, especially you."

"You're afraid that you might hurt me? "Jungwon repeated your words softly, unable to stop himself from feeling touched by your concerns. "But I can handle your attitude." His tone shifted from soft to teasing again. "Besides, what I do think is that you're just making up an excuse so you won't have to admit that you actually care for me."

Your head tilted. "You can handle?"

"Yeah. " Jungwon's tone remained soft as he spoke, still not hiding the hint of sweetness in his words. "Just keep being your bitchy self," Jungwon suddenly grinned and added in a teasing tone. "I can handle it."

"I'm bitchy, but I still managed to pull you? " you teased back

Jungwon smirked at your words, his confidence returning as he teased you back. "You won't just manage, I'll gladly let you pull me." His tone retained that teasingly flirty nature, but there was a hint of something else behind the words, just like before. Pulling you closer, his hands settled on your waist, relishing the closeness between you.

"You idiot," you muttered, burying your face in his chest.

"What's with this idiotic treatment? "Jungwon remained silent for a moment, enjoying the feeling of your body pressed against his chest. A slight smile appeared on his lips, and he spoke with teasing and flirtation in his voice. "Are you trying to flirt with me?’’

"Tsk! I'm not," you replied, your voice muffled against his chest.

"You could have fooled me." Jungwon remained silent again, his lips curving into a teasing smirk. The way you were pressing yourself against his chest was too tempting for the flirting to be unintentional.

"I'm a bitchy person who's also your rival," you stated matter-of-factly.

"And I'm someone who has a thing for bitchy rivals." Jungwon spoke with sarcasm and flirtation in his voice. You felt butterflies stir in your stomach when he said it. It actually drove you insane. This guy really...

"You're driving me insane," you confessed softly, your voice muffled against him.

"Am I? "He replied with a flirty tone. "I thought that it was the other way around."

"It can go both ways," you countered, the tension between you palpable.

"You drive me insane...l drive you insane." Jungwon repeated your words softly, still hugging you as he spoke.

With a sudden burst of courage, you blurted out, "I want to kiss you."

Jungwon widened his eyes for a second before. "Mm..do it then..." he smirked and spoke in a flirty manner, his eyes lingering on your lips, just daring you to make the first move.

His whole world stopped when your lips touched his. His breathing grew heavier as his heartbeat increased, leaving him breathless from the feeling. He wanted that kiss to last forever. The way your body pressed against him, the way your lips felt, the way your hair smelled—everything made him want this moment to never end. Jungwon cupped your face with his hands as he kissed you back, unable to hold back his growing affection for you.

Finally, the kiss ended after literally 15 freaking minutes.

He tried to clear his head, but he was unable to do so. His body remained trembling, his heart beating out of sync, and his whole world seemed to spin around him. He could barely manage to keep his breath steady.

"God, you are beautiful. I love you," he whispered with so much love and affection. He was down for you. Badly.

You tilted your head slightly and said, "You love me? "

Jungwon pulled his head away with an effort and stared at you. Your lips were still slightly smudged from the kiss, and your cheeks were a beautiful shade of pink. "Yes." He spoke this time with more sincerity than he'd ever spoken to you before. "Yes. I love you. I really do, and I'd do anything for you."

"I love you too, idiot." you replied with a smile, gazing into his eyes with equal affection.

"You love me..." Jungwon remained silent for a moment as he let your words sink in. He felt a tinge of sweetness fill him as you spoke those words. His body seemed to relax the moment you confessed to loving him. He felt a wave of happiness wash over him.

Then he grinned and teased you. "I love you more."

You only pulled him into another kiss.

Jungwon smiled as he felt your lips press against his once more. His arms tightened around your body the second the kiss started, refusing to let you go.

He wanted to stay like this forever, enjoying the feeling of your warm body pressed against his own, savoring the taste of your lips, and just letting time stop in this very moment. An image of him marrying you played in his mind as you two kissed. He was definitely planning to pull out a ring for you in the future. He just doesn't want you away from him.

Months later, your relationship with him went to the next level. The rivalry turned into something more. You both understand each other so well now. All your sarcasm and insults were interpreted differently than before: they are just your way of showing that you care. You also gained confidence with each passing day, letting your walls fall slowly down and starting to open up and trust Jungwon. The two rivals are now an inseparable couple. They can complete each other's sentences, read the other person's thoughts with just a glance, know the other person's likes and dislikes, and anticipate each other's next move.

Indeed, they are the epitome of opposites attracting.

[musedeluce]

Moths to Flame (Rafayel x Artist!Reader Headcanons)

I am an artist (drawing), so I wanted to explore this scenario! Personally, as an artist I’d be a bit nervous for Rafayel to know about my art, but I believe he’d support our creative endeavors wholeheartedly. In this scenario, MC is someone who does traditional illustrations and paintings, and is an extremely good artist but is somewhat insecure when it comes to Rafayel knowing about their art. [Alt title: Mothlight] XD Basically art is the light and Rafayel and MC are the moths. Artists will always create! Fun fact, the art I mention is something I'm planning to draw!

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

You take great care to keep your skill and art private. You only post your art on SNS, never your face or voice. You don’t even post process videos showing your hands.

You have quite the following, and the mystery surrounding you contributes to that growth. People find your art fascinating and dynamic. It’s so varied. Some pieces are deep, layered and complex, and others are silly. They can be fun or serious. Frankly, as an artist you have the range!

Because of your job as a hunter, you don’t need to take commissions, so you don’t. It also gives you the knowledge to depict wanderers with uncanny accuracy, and you’d best believe some people have noticed, leading to rampant speculation.

Of course you knew Rafayel’s work. He’s one of your biggest inspirations, someone who’s work you admired and loved. Rafayel’s work encouraged your own creativity.

Rafayel loves seeing all different art from everywhere by anyone. Creativity is inspirational and anyone can create!.

Anyone includes you. Little did you know, Rafayel loved your work too. He found it unique and interesting. Your use of motion, and color, the line weight, the composition, all the elements in your art mesmerized him because it was so different from his art. But he didn’t know it was your art, you just happened to be an unknown artist he came across and really admired.

The piece that caught his attention was a charcoal illustration of an artist drawing a statue in a studio with a sea view. Her body was angled away from the camera, her face in profile, the piece on her canvas half finished as she caressed the pristine face of the white marble statue, her hand covered in charcoal smudges. The sea outside was choppy, but the weather wasn’t stormy just windy.

Rafayel followed you immediately from his private, anonymous account.

When you met him, you were chill and calm, admiring his work but keeping it to yourself as you were on the job. Besides, he didn’t seem like the type to want to listen to what others said about his work, unless he cared about their opinion or found what they were saying to be with merit. But you just met him, so your opinion wouldn't be important to him, and you honestly didn’t feel qualified enough to comment, so you said nothing, even as you stated working as his bodyguard. It wasn’t a secret, per se as you never resolved to keep it from him but you also just never actually told him.

Artists ask those close to them about their work, and want their input. It’s one fun and good way for them to include those they care about in their work. Rafayel is no different. It is through those questions that Rafayel discovers your artist’s eye. Everyone has one, but it needs to be used and honed, and Rafayel could tell yours had been honed.

“Which color should I use?” He eagerly awaits your answer. “Hmm, I would choose that one. It’ll add some interesting contrast to the piece and I love how vibrant it is. But, if you think the other one is better, use that one. You’re the professional after all.” Rafayel smiles, and dips his paintbrush into the color you chose. “As a professional, I agree with your assessment, cutie. Perhaps you should paint these pieces instead~” You giggle at this, jokingly protesting. “No Way! One, I love your art and I know you love your art too. Two, Thomas would have a cow.”

“What do you think?” Rafayel presents a page of his sketchbook, the art messy and unpolished, but exquisite nonetheless. “It’s interesting! The composition is very dynamic and clever. Using it to direct the eye and misdirect the viewer from the depths you’ve painted to the surface adds a lot to the piece.” He asks you questions like this frequently.

In those times you draw together, he can tell you have skill. He can also tell you’re a little insecure from your reluctance to draw with him. It makes sense, he supposes, for someone who’s not necessarily an artist, or even someone who was an artist, to be intimidated to draw with him, but he doesn’t care about your skill level. He wants to do something he loves, art, with someone he loves �� you. He’s reassuring and playful, and doesn’t pressure you.

During all of this, you keep posting your art online, and he keeps seeking it out. Things start to pile up. Every artist has their own style, and he’s noticing that elements of yours...and elements of one of his favorite artists were matching up.

Line weight, color, motion, technique, all were similar. But in order to know for sure, he’d have to see more art he knew was yours. So far, he just had small sketches and art from when you did art together. Or, of course, if his favorite online artist posted art he knew was yours for sure.

He wants you to feel secure and safe enough with him to share your art or other things with him, so he doesn’t voice his suspicions, especially since they aren’t confirmed. But he’s curious, and does want to confirm. Who wouldn't, in this situation?

Rafayel is devious, crafty. Most of all, he’s patient. If it turns out he’s wrong, no issue. It just means he’ll be able to introduce you to this hobby he loves, sharing it with you at the start, an ideal situation. If he’s right, he’s thrilled. His favorite person is one of his favorite artists? He’ll be one of the only ones to know who they are? Another ideal situation honestly. Your creative process, the thought behind your work, he’s so fascinated.

He gifts you a sketchbook - high quality paper, a design tailored to you, hand-bound and the perfect size to fit in your bag of choice. Then, he waits. He knows that often you post your new sketchbooks when you get them, along with the first page. It’s a little tradition! Though you might not post some of them, if you posted this one, he’d know. It’s the only one of it’s kind in the world, after all.

Coincidentally, you were finishing your previous sketchbook, so his timing was impeccable, giving a new sketchbook to you right as you needed one.

Rafayel is in for a lovely shock, because not only do you post the sketchbook, the first few pieces in it are sketches of him. They’re referenced from photos, because you’ve never sketched him (or anything for that matter), around him unless you were working together.

This man is Elated. He loves your art. He loves you.

But of course, he never pressures you and waits until you share on your own.

“Cutie, should I buy up all your work so only I have it?” He laughs. “No, I know you want to share your work with the world, so I won’t do that. But I demand that you let me see everything you want to share first!”

Before, he was watching your art from afar. He might have asked to collaborate/mentioned/featured your art but you seemed like you wanted to be left alone to do your own thing, and he respected that. Him mentioning you would have put you under increased scrutiny, and, if he was being quite honest he wanted to keep his inspirations secret, of which you were/are one.

Now, though, he wants to collaborate, officially. If you think that you’re not at his level, that you’re work isn’t good enough to be intertwined with his, he disavows you of that notion, thoroughly but gently.

‘Oh please. I’ve wanted to collaborate with you since before I knew it was you. Besides, you know me. Do you really think I’d work with someone who’s art I didn’t love?” So, you start doing collaborations and the art world flips out.

Eventually, you entrust Thomas with the secret, and he proposes your own exhibit. Thomas firmly believes your art is worthy of it, irregardless of your connection to Rafayel. He’s a professional, and, like Rafayel, he only works with artists who’s work he loves.

To be fully transparent, he’d been considering trying to reach out to you before he found out and propose an exhibit anyway, so this is great! Especially since your work is so unique.

Rafayel guards the secret of your identity jealously. If you don’t want anyone to know, no one will.

Any art you give him gets a place of honor somewhere in his house.

The two of you often “talk shop” and go over aspects of your works in progress, giving feedback, critique, and love/appreciation and encouragement.

You’ll go on outings to sketch together. It’s so interesting to see the different things each of you has noticed and focused on about whatever place or things you were sketching!

Whenever either of you gets too absorbed in your work, the other will make sure you eat, drink and rest.

Once/if you gave him permission, one of his favorite things to do would be to flip through your sketchbooks, just looking at your art, committing it to memory.

Art, for you is a shared expression of your creativity, love, and passions, no matter the subject or feeling. He values your input and contributions, recognizes your skill and most of all, loves you as a person and your art, and you do the same for him. Both you and Rafayel inspire and learn from each other.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

P.S: I do plan to do the rest of the money concept, I just had to take a detour lol. I'll also maybe do a part 2 of this? But also will do the other LIs eventually with this as well. ^J^

[sophies-junkyard]

While he’s still trending, this is your sign to explore Kendrick’s discography. He’s so much bigger than this beef with Drake (and the “beef” is so much bigger than “he hates Drake!” but I’m hoping we all know that by now). Here’s some ideas on where to start:

The GNX album has incredible range . From hype tracks like “Tv off” to the introspection of “reincarnated”. It’s a 10/10 (literally). If you only have the energy for one album, this is a solid pick. It’s a good way to sample what he’s about and see where he’s heading.

After that… I mean for me it’s gotta be Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. How do I even explain this? People who were surprised by “Meet The Grahams” had CLEARLY never heard “Mother I Sober”. This album will leave you staring at the void in stunned silence. It’ll make you feel empty inside but like… in an addicting way. It’s a masterpiece. If you’re intimidated by the number of songs, I would AT LEAST hear “United in Grief” and “mother I sober”. (Drake directly referenced “mother I sober” in his track “family matters”. He aimed low while ALSO misinterpreting the story like a fucking clown. Embarrassing af lol.)

2015-To Pimp a Butterfly. Depending on who you ask, this is Kendrick’s best work, and uh… yeah it’s hard to disagree. This is Kendrick in his element. A brutally honest examination of racism and violence wrapped in some of his most aggressive vocals to date (and I mean he LITERALLY uses so much growl on these tracks). But the MUSIC is…. chill? It’s also varied as hell. It’s an evening of slam poetry backed by smooth jazz. Then he’ll hit you with a slick guitar riff and some panicked breathing into the mic. The album is crucial to understanding Kendrick as an artist. Picking standouts on this one feels stupid (and everybody has a different opinion) but “Alright” and “King Kunta” are classics. “I”, “How much a dollar cost”, “you ain’t gotta lie”, “the blacker the berry”…. I’m just gonna end up listing every song. I’m also a fan of the“for free-interlude” lol. Oh and “Mortal Man”. I honestly don’t think there are any skippable tracks on this one. Just let it flow.

His 2017 album DAMN was a major success, and was how I got into Kendrick. If high school parking lots came with an OST, “HUMBLE” would’ve been our Green Hill Zone. Idk if that made any sense. Point is, it was popular as fuck. “DNA” was another huge hit. The album sounds edgy and hyped, but the lyrics are an invitation for the audience to like… choose his fate. It’s all about judgement day. Growth, reconciliation, criticism of fame. It’s a shame that it got reduced to “omg humble is a banger!!”. The fact that Uncle Sam shouted at Kendrick to “TIGHTEN UP!” And he performed HUMBLE in response... Damn.

2011- good kid, m.A.A.d city. “Money trees” is a classic with a super chill beat. And the metaphor of “planting money trees” has become a huge part of his identity. Representing his literal desire to share the wealth with his community, and his desire to stay true to his roots. It was ALSO something Drake dissed him for “failing” to do (though his record of philanthropy says otherwise). The titular songs “good kid” and “m.A.A.d city” are iconic. “Swimming Pools” is often cited as his first big hit. Side note: The album cover featured a van (I think it was a Chrysler?) that became a symbol of Kendrick’s career. and Drake fucking destroyed it in one of his music videos. Bitch.

There’s so much. He also has a series of 6 songs called “the heart” that usually drop before a new album. He has a ton of other albums that I didn’t even mention because this post is way too long. I know I skipped a lot of bangers so please let me know about them. Also this post 100% assumes everyone has heard “6:16 in LA”, “Euphoria”, “meet the grahams” and “not like us” because… I mean come on. Ok that’s all. happy listening!

[transformation4life]

Army, Man

Juan was your average guy before his life was changed forever. Decent grades at his dream college, but no friends to speak of. So when he received a letter to join the US army in his assigned mailbox Juan was very confused. "The army? They must joking." Juan spoke as he looked at the recruitment flyer in his dorm room.

Juan and being enlisted in the army sounded like a twisted joke to him. He was scrawny and could barely do one pushup in gym class. Either way, Juan noticed a number at the bottom of the flyer in big bold letters and some voice in his head was nagging at him to call it.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt. Maybe it'll be fun! Who knows!" So Juan grabbed his phone and dialed the number.

Some rings later and it sounded like a guy picked a phone. "Hey there, Name's Gruff, I'm assuming you're calling cause of the flyer you got in the mail, yeah?" Gruff's was deep and masculine. Definitely Juan's type but I bet he was straight.

"Y-Yeah! I thought I'd give it a shot since it's not like I got anything better to do!"

"That's the spirit man! Our army count has been real low due to... events so even one guy joining is great! But first I just need to ask you a few questions..." "A-Alright. Go on ahead..." Juan had to wonder what they would ask. "First question! Are you sure you want to join the army?" Gruff's tone was dead serious on this one and it shook Juan up a bit. "U-Uh... Yeah!" Juan was too far in to quit now at least that was his reasoning.

"Wonderful! Next question. How muscular are you?"

Juan frowned. As mentioned before, he barely had muscle and never went to the gym. Still, he felt the need to answer honestly.

"N-Not really sir. Sorry." "Haha don't worry about it! Alright that's all see you soon!" Gruff hung up before Juan could even say bye.

Juan was a bit shaken but that wasn't too bad. Juan pondered the interaction and something hit him. "Wait... I didn't tell him my address and he said he'll see me soo-" A wave of pain immediately hit Juan and he fell to the floor.

It wasn't before long Juan's body began to grow and get more muscular. Juan's arms became much beefier as his biceps were the size of sports balls. Six perfect abs popped onto Juan's stomach as his nonexistent chest began to inflate and become thick poppable pecs as his back expanded to support his new musculature making his tshirt real tight. Soon after, Juan's neck got thicker as his adam's apple was now ever more prominent than before as he gained some facial hair around his mouth. Juan's legs were next to grow as his thighs became much larger and his legs more defined as feet increased some sizes. Luckily Juan wasn't wearing any shoes but Juan's socks definitely didn't survive the growth. Some more minor changes appeared like a bigger dick and Juan's body aging physically. It's a miracle none of Juan's clothes ripped apart but it's not like it mattered anyway as Juan's apparel began to change.

Juan's graphic tee became more tough material and more generic as it became a dark green. It was still tight around Juan's figure though. Next up was Juan's pants as it gained a camouflage pattern and became cargo pants. A belt magically appeared and looped around the belt holes of his news pants as well as an army hat wrapping around Juan's head. Juan's socks were stitched back together and went a dark black and suddenly army boots were now being worn by Juan. The last change was an army tag appearing around Juan's neck saying "Juan Graham". Juan was now the definition of a buff army man.

Once the pain subsided and Juan regained his bearings he readjusted his glasses and looked at the mirror nearby. "What the- WHAT THE FU- Oh god, my voice... my EVERYTHING!" Juan was amazed but also scared. He gained muscles in seconds but how?

And before Juan could question things further, Juan's phone rang once again. Juan saw that it was the army recruit number. He concluded they must be involved so he answered the call.

"Hey Juan, ready for your first day?" It was Gruff again "First day? You did this to me, didn't you?"

"Not sure what you mean, but you agreed to join the army and we need you now." "But I don't even know anything about how to do anythin-" One more sound of pain hit Juan as memories of years of military training and gym workouts filled his mind. Everything he could ever need to be in the army was now in his brain. Juan now much more confident started a new sentence. "Nevermind. When does the car get here?"

"That's our Juan! Should be there soon. You can walk out and wait already." "Perfect. See you soon." Juan hung up and left his dorm and old life behind. It was probably for the best anyway. He much preferred being a beefcake army man than some twink in college.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apologies for not posting for a couple months. I got major writer's block but here's a story for you guys hope you like it!

[yandere-paramour]

Oh....ohhh my baby 😭 your jamie & lil atalanta art is SOOOOO CUTEE 🥺🥺🥹 But it got me thinking......typically I can totally imagine in her case as a wealthy only child who grew up with parents who love her, her growth would be documented A LOT (or maybe just a normal amount?)

But what's the case for vivien & noelle? 🥺 I assume with their environment growing up they won't have as much childhood pictures as atalanta? Oh nooo now the thought makes me so saddd 😭 I have many pics of lil me that my mom took (and I begrudgingly pose cutely for every single one) and I love showing it off to people now whenever I find one (thanks mom)

I know the yans would love any pics of me but ngl if I show them MY childhood pics I'd bound to get curious and ask about theirs in return

You're right. Atalanta's childhood was very carefully documented. There are THOUSANDS of photos of her growing up, you can honestly put them side by side and see a linear progression of her evolution to adulthood. There are pictures of her being born, her preschool field trips, her kindergarten graduation, her sports games and debate tournaments, all going up until she was dropped off at college, and there's more continuing from there. Both parents have a rotating slideshow on a digital touchscreen photo shuffle in their respective studies and they would love to show you. It embarrasses Ata to no end.

And yes, she learned very young to always look adorable and perfect for the camera even if you feel like throttling someone. The Montclairs have a reputation to uphold, after all.

Childhood pictures of Noelle are few and far between, but she and Odette made out better than the younger girls Thérèse, Celeste, and Blanche (Noelle's little sisters reveal!!!). Her mother was too busy working a dead-end job and sucking and fucking to take pictures of the kids, but they do have a few baby and toddler pictures each, often with one or two sisters nearby, and a range of school pictures every year. Noelle doesn't like them much. All her childhood was spent as a skinny, bruised little brat with a choppy, uneven haircut and stained, ill-fitting hand-me-downs with holes in them from the clothing drive. Noelle never had anything new until college, and she doesn't like being made to be reminded of her shitty childhood. She does take pictures of the younger sisters now, but they're teenagers and hate it, but Noelle knows they will want actual good reminders of their childhood when they're older.

Vivien has some childhood pictures, but they're sporadic or lost to time. When he was very small, there were always "well-meaning" foster families wanting such a cute kid, and they would take him to fun places like the zoo or children's museum and take pictures of him. But they would inevitably get tired of his hyperactive and distractible behavior and they would get rid of him, sending him to the next family without any thought for his emotions or by sending on his pictures. Only a few families went far enough to develop the photos and give them to him. When he was older and had a somewhat worse reputation due to being taken in and returned so many times, he lived in a group home where no one takes pictures of you unless it's a mugshot.

However, he has tons of baby and toddler photos taken by his parents before they died. He was their first and only child and they adored him.

(Drawn by @sienna-brulee)

[hyperfixating-rn-brb]

just saw a post by @plumbum-art and honestly this idea is so sweet.

Crowley screams at and abuses his plants because it allows him to relive his own trauma. his fall. He discards plants that are less than perfect, just like how God cast him out once he asked a few questions.

Once they move into together, Aziraphale picks up on this. He knows Crowley has never been too receptive to his compliments and words of adoration, so he starts to pour them into the plants. Praising their beauty and growth. Treating them with so much love, talking to them and uplifting them with words he wishes he could say directly to Crowley. He forgives imperfections in the leaves and encourages them, saying that they are more than the few spots marring them.

Crowley is almost always in hearing range of Aziraphale and the plants, and hearing the praise for the imperfect plants slowly heals him. He pretends to hate it, it only entices Aziraphale to be even more doting to the plants. It helps even more.

The plants grow taller. The leaf spots still appear from time to time, but heal over within days as Aziraphale encourages them. Crowley changes too. Less scared if being abandoned, more secure and safe knowing Aziraphale is so close and won't leave him behind again.

[db0xtae]

Winning the Breakup | Chapter 14

- Minho (Xo Minho) X Kitty

;༊ Summary : Y/N, a talented and athletic after an intense breakup, Y/N reluctantly agrees to fake date Minho, to make their exes jealous. What begins as a mutual arrangement soon turns complicated when their fake relationship starts to feel all too real. With humor, bickering, and tender moments, Minho and Y/N's journey proves that sometimes the best way to heal from heartbreak is to allow yourself to fall in love.

;༊ Warnings : None

;༊ WC : 1,253

;༊ Previous Chapters : 12 & 13

;༊ A/N : Chapter 14 is the last chapter but, I’m thinking of writing three extra cute chapters. What do you guys think? Hope you guys enjoy!!

꒰ᐢ. ̫ .ᐢ꒱

Chapter 14: The End of the Beginning

The sun was setting over KISS as the final bell of the semester rang, signaling the start of winter break. Students poured out of their classrooms, ready to head home or off to their various holiday plans. The campus was alive with chatter and excitement, but amidst the chaos, Minho and Y/N found themselves in a little corner of the school grounds—just the two of them, away from the noise. It felt like the perfect ending to a chapter in their lives. A chapter that had been filled with moments of uncertainty, laughter, and most importantly, a whole lot of growth.

“Are you sure you’re ready for the holidays?” Minho asked, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he leaned against a tree, watching Y/N who was furiously scribbling something in her notebook. She looked up at him, her expression half-exasperated, half-amused.

“Yeah,” Y/N replied, rolling her eyes but her smile giving her away. “I’m ready to eat my weight in food, sleep for at least twelve hours a day, and watch way too many K-dramas.”

Minho chuckled, taking a step closer. “Sounds like a perfect break. No exams or last-minute assignments?”

“Don’t jinx it,” Y/N said, narrowing her eyes at him but smiling all the same. “I swear, if I get one more surprise assignment after all this… I’m going to lose it.”

“Well, just know I’m here to keep you company when you inevitably procrastinate,” Minho teased, his voice dripping with affection. He reached over to gently tug at her hair, a playful glint in his eyes.

Y/N rolled her eyes dramatically, but there was a warmth in her chest that she couldn’t deny. It had been a whirlwind since they’d admitted they were no longer just playing the “fake dating” game. Things had shifted so much between them, and now, a few weeks into their real relationship, it felt like they were in a place where everything was falling into place. They had figured out how to balance school, their social lives, and, well, them.

“Speaking of which,” Minho continued, “I know you’re excited for the holidays, but… I was thinking… Do you want to spend New Year’s Eve with me?”

Y/N blinked, startled by the question. “New Year’s Eve? With you? What do you have in mind?”

Minho’s eyes twinkled with a mischievous glint. “Well, I was thinking of a quiet night—just the two of us, maybe a movie marathon, junk food, and, of course, midnight snacks. You in?”

Y/N couldn’t suppress the small laugh that bubbled up from her chest. “You’re asking me to spend New Year’s Eve with you alone? No grand parties or fireworks?”

“Not unless you want to make it more complicated,” Minho said with a grin. “But, honestly, I think it’s time we had some quiet time together. Just us.”

Y/N’s heart fluttered. She loved how considerate he was, how he had always been thoughtful about what she wanted, even when it came to small things like this. “That sounds perfect,” she said softly. “I’ll even let you pick the movies, but don’t make it all action films.”

Minho raised an eyebrow in mock offense. “What’s wrong with action movies? I’m trying to teach you about real cinema.”

“Real cinema?” Y/N said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Please, I’ll teach you about the wonders of rom-coms and tear-jerkers, and we can have a whole marathon of those.”

“Deal,” Minho said with a nod, before leaning in closer to her. “But only if you let me buy the snacks. I promise I won’t get anything too weird.”

Y/N laughed, shaking her head. “You’re on,” she said, pulling him into a playful hug. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Minho’s arms wrapped around her, holding her gently but with a possessive kind of care that made her heart skip. “Can’t wait,” he murmured against her hair. “It’s going to be nice. Just you, me, and a mountain of snacks.”

Y/N grinned, pulling back slightly to look up at him. “Sounds like the best way to spend the night. No drama, no fake dating—just us.”

Minho’s smile softened. “Exactly. We’ve been through so much in such a short time. And you know, I’ve realized that I’m really glad it was with you.”

The tenderness in his voice made Y/N’s stomach flutter, and she leaned up to kiss him lightly on the lips. When they pulled apart, she looked at him with a sparkle in her eyes. “Same here, Minho. Same here.”

Just as they were about to start walking back to the main campus, they heard footsteps behind them. Turning around, they saw the familiar faces of their friends approaching, their expressions curious.

“Hey!” Dae called out, a playful grin on his face. “Are you two lovebirds finally done with your secret rendezvous?”

“Secret rendezvous?” Y/N teased, raising an eyebrow. “Is that what you think this is?”

Q snickered, nudging Dae. “It’s only a secret if we pretend it is.”

Yuri rolled her eyes, but there was a softness to her gaze as she looked at Minho and Y/N. “So, what’s going on? We’ve heard all about your fake relationship, but now that it’s real, are we supposed to throw you guys a party or something?”

Y/N laughed, feeling her heart swell with affection for her friends. “Not a party,” she said, turning to Minho, who was still grinning at her. “But we’ve got New Year’s Eve plans.”

“Let me guess,” Q said, raising an eyebrow. “A rom-com marathon with pizza?”

Y/N smirked. “How did you know?”

“Because that’s exactly what I would do,” Q said with a wink. “Don’t worry, we won’t crash it—unless you want us to.”

Yuri giggled at that, nudging Q playfully. “I think they deserve their quiet time. They’ve earned it.”

“Exactly,” Minho agreed, putting his arm around Y/N’s shoulders. “We’ll have a proper date night. No interruptions.”

Their friends laughed, exchanging knowing glances but respecting their privacy. There was a shared understanding between them that, even though their relationship had started as a game, it had turned into something deeper. Y/N had never imagined she’d end up here, with Minho, her feelings no longer a tangled mess of confusion but rather a clear and comforting certainty. She was exactly where she needed to be.

“So, are we still doing the whole ‘New Year’s Eve together’ thing, or are you guys ditching us for your cozy little movie marathon?” Dae asked, a teasing grin on his face.

Y/N shook her head, a mischievous glint in her eye. “No way. You’re all invited to join, but only if you promise to let me control the remote.”

The group laughed again, with Q shaking his head dramatically. “We’ll let you have your moment, Y/N. Just don’t forget us when you become all romantic.”

As they all walked back to the campus, Minho’s hand remained firmly in Y/N’s. He squeezed it gently, and she returned the gesture, her heart warm with happiness.

This was the end of their beginning, the chapter of confusion and miscommunication, but it was just the start of something much bigger. Something real. And with the promise of new adventures and quiet nights ahead, Y/N knew that whatever the future held, she and Minho would face it together.

The stars were beginning to twinkle in the sky as they made their way back, and Y/N couldn’t help but smile as she realized that the best was yet to come.

The End.

[bubblyi3]

Between Us, Before Us PART 11 | KTH

"you were the right person in the wrong story."

pairing: taehung x female reader

genre: slice of life, angst, fluff

word count: 7.9k

content warning: angst, mild smut, trauma, cheating themes, pregnancy, heartbreak, toxic relationship, time jump here and there

summary: between the past and future lies the aching space of now. with taehyung, you've journeyed through love, heartbreak, and growth. once strangers, then lovers, now something more complicated, your connection is shaped by time, mistakes, and second chances. this is the story of who you were when you first fell for him, who you became through the pain, and who you might still become if you dare to hope again. in the space between healing and longing, one thing remains: him.

author's note: i truly appreciate all the love, support, and thoughtful feedback. it means the world to me <3 time jump is bit honestly and flashbacks are all in italics... anyways happy reading :)

© disclaimer: please do not copy, translate or reproduce any part of this work without my permission. thank you!

taglist:

🌸 @nikkiordonez12 🌼 @whoa-jo

*fiction rooted in real emotions and experiences.

PART 1 || PART 2 || PART 3 || PART 4 || PART 5 || PART 6 || PART 7 || PART 8 || PART 9 || PART 10

You weren’t expecting anyone that late. Nora had just finished her bottle and was clinging to you sleepily, her cheek resting on your shoulder, her little hands playing with the collar of your shirt. You were about to head upstairs when the doorbell rang.

Your brows pinched.

No one ever came by unannounced. Not at this hour. And Taehyung, he had always texted you before coming. Always. Whether it was to pick up Nora or drop something off, he’d shoot you a message first. It was something you'd both agreed on… out of respect, out of boundaries, out of everything that had already been complicated.

You padded quietly to the front door, shifting Nora on your hip. Her sleepy eyes blinked open at the sound, mumbling something only half-formed. You unlocked the door and opened it slowly.

And then—you froze.

“Taehyung?”

He stood there, slightly out of breath, eyes flicking down to Nora in your arms before returning to your face. He looked like he’d driven on instinct—like his body arrived before his mind could catch up.

“What are you—?”

But he didn’t wait.

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around you and Nora so tightly, so suddenly, that your voice got caught in your throat.

You felt the weight of it instantly.

This wasn’t just a hug.

It was everything he hadn’t said in weeks. Months. Maybe even years.

It was every apology he never fully voiced. Every moment he let slip through his fingers.

You froze for a second. Half from the surprise, half from the overwhelming wave of emotion that rushed in the moment his warmth surrounded you both.

Nora stirred a little in your arms, her tiny hand pressing against his hoodie.

“I missed you,” he murmured—not just to her.

You were still trying to process what was happening.

This wasn’t the version of him who texted you practical reminders. This wasn’t the routine, pick-up-and-go Taehyung. This was the him that used to love you recklessly, show up with flowers at midnight, and kiss your forehead like a promise.

Your voice was quiet. “You okay?”

He pulled back slightly, just enough to look at you, still keeping a hand on Nora’s back.

“No,” he said honestly. “But I’m here. And I had to be.”

The hug lingered longer than either of you planned.

Taehyung's scent—faint cologne mixed with something familiar—stirred a part of you you’d spent months trying to put to rest.

You heard yourself whisper again, “Taehyung…”

And then—

A soft cough.

From behind you.

Your whole body tensed.

You turned slowly, heartbeat flipping into your throat.

There, standing just a few steps down the hallway, was Yugyeom.

He was holding Nora’s sippy cup—he’d offered to help with bedtime and was cleaning up in the kitchen while you rocked her to sleep.

Now, he stood still.

Not angry. Not loud.

Just… surprised.

His eyes flickered to Taehyung’s arms still wrapped around you. To the way you hadn’t moved. To Nora, nestled so naturally between the both of you—like a picture out of some old memory. Some old life.

You felt your breath hitch, and instinctively stepped back.

Too late.

Taehyung’s eyes followed yours, turning over his shoulder just in time to see Yugyeom standing there, posture still and unreadable.

“Oh,” you said, voice almost cracking. “Yugyeom—he was just—”

Taehyung blinked slowly, like he was processing what he saw.

You saw it on his face: the twist in his stomach. The slow realization.

Yugyeom offered a small nod, clearing his throat. “I didn’t know you were coming by, man.”

“I didn’t either,” Taehyung said, eyes flicking back to you for a beat too long.

You could feel the tension crawl in the space between them, heavy and fragile all at once.

You cleared you throat. "We were just about to put her down and then watch Yellowjackets. I made pudding earlier. If you want to stay. Help with bedtime, maybe?"

You weren't sure why you said it. Maybe it was muscle memory. Maybe it was habit. Or maybe you just didn't want the night to feel more tense that it already was.

Taehyung looked at you, a little surprised but then nodded. "Yeah. Okay." And that was the moment it hit you. You weren’t just standing in an awkward situation.

You were standing in a collision of your past and your possible future.

There was a beat of silence, Nora shifting sleepily in your arms.

"Yugyeom you can just wait in the lounge. I'll be there soon." You said. He looked at you, brows raised slightly. "You sure?"

You gave him a soft smile. "Yeah. It's fine."

He hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll queue up the show."

Yugyeom then gave Taehyung a quick glance, something unreadable passing between then, then disappeared down the hallway.

Upstairs, everything softened. Taehyung followed you into the Nora's nursery room that your parents helped set up in the spare room of the house. Taehyung helping you ease Nora into her pyjamas, her little sheep ones. You handed him the bottle and he crouched by her bed while you smoothed out her blanket. She smiled sleepily at him before taking the bottle, already half-asleep.

"She's gotten so big," he whispered.

“I know,” you said quietly. “Time’s wild.”

Once she was settled and the room dim, you both stood by the doorway, watching her drift.

Neither of you said anything until you gently pulled the door closed behind you.

Downstairs, the TV screen glowed faintly. Yugyeom was curled up on one end of the couch, remote in hand. He looked up as the two of you walked in, and without a word, handed you your pudding.

You passed one to Taehyung, sat down in the middle and for a moment, no one said much.

Just spoons tapping against bowls. The eerie hum of the Yellowjackets intro playing low.

The episode had been playing for about fifteen minutes, but honestly? None of you were really watching.

You and Yugyeom sat shoulder to shoulder on the couch, sharing a blanket. Your legs were tucked under you, spoon scraping gently against your pudding bowl. Across from you, Taehyung sat alone on the other couch. Same hoodie, bowl in hand, but barely touching it.

You could feel it.

Every few minutes, his eyes were on you. Not in an obvious way. It was subtle, like he was checking in without meaning to. Like the silence between you wasn’t just quiet; it was full of things he wasn’t saying.

Yugyeom noticed too. Not your tension, necessarily, but the way Taehyung’s focus kept drifting. He wasn’t laughing at the weird cult dialogue or reacting when the show got intense. Just... staring past it. Like his mind was miles away.

Yugyeom cleared his throat. “You good, bro? You don’t really seem into it.”

Taehyung blinked. “Huh? Oh—yeah. Sorry. Just spaced out.”

There was a beat of quiet.

“So…” you began, trying to soften the air a little, “how’s the studio going? You and Jungkook still stuck on the second verse?”

Taehyung’s expression finally flickered with some life. “Actually, we had a breakthrough. He’s building this layered synth. Gives it this eerie, atmospheric feel. Adds way more depth. Kind of… moody but warm, you know?”

Yugyeom looked up, chewing thoughtfully. “That sounds sick. You guys producing everything yourselves?”

“Yeah,” Taehyung nodded. “Just me and Kook for now. We’re trying to keep it raw, less over-produced. Letting the vocals breathe.”

You sipped from your glass, eyes on the screen but listening closely.

It was strange, almost surreal. Sitting here, with both of them. Hearing them talk like this. Yugyeom asking real technical questions, head tilted in curiosity, and Taehyung actually responding. No sharpness, no pride, just… calm. Present.

Not cold. Not territorial. Just two people who happened to be here, existing in the same moment.

“How’s everyone else?” Yugyeom asked. “Your boys? Still the same bunch?”

Taehyung chuckled softly. “Yeah, they’re good. Busy. Jimin’s been traveling again, he just got back from Italy. Hobi’s deep into choreography stuff, he picked up this mentorship thing, teaching younger dancers. And Yoongi’s…” he smiled, shaking his head, “well, Yoongi. Basically lives in the studio now.”

“That sounds about right,” you murmured, lips quirking.

By the time the second episode ended, your eyes were starting to sting, and your head had found its way to Yugyeom’s shoulder.

The pudding bowls sat empty on the coffee table, spoons slightly askew, and the room was filled with the low hum of the credits rolling. It was late. Later than you expected.

You yawned, muffling it behind your sleeve.

The three of you had powered through two episodes and demolished the pudding like a mini dinner party. But now, the energy was clearly shifting. The warmth of the couch, the quiet lull of the credits, the soft click of Nora’s white noise machine humming.

Across from you, Taehyung sat with his elbows on his knees, thumbs lightly tapping against each other. He glanced at the clock, then at you, catching the way your eyes were starting to glaze over.

He took that as his cue.

“I should probably get going,” he said, standing up and giving a small stretch. “Didn’t mean to crash the night.”

“You didn’t,” you said automatically, standing up with him. “I’m glad you came.”

You looked at Yugyeom, who was starting to gather the empty bowls. “Hey, you can just wait up in the lounge. I’ll walk Tae out.”

He paused, looking at you. “You sure?”

You nodded. “Yeah. Just a sec.”

Yugyeom gave you a small nod, then headed into the other room. You stepped out with Taehyung and pulled the door gently behind you.

Out in the cooler air of the hallway, Taehyung exhaled. Long and quiet like he’d been holding it all evening.

“I’ll be back to the usual schedule next week,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry again for the last-minute change. This week’s just been… a mess.”

You gave a little shrug. “I get it. No need to explain.”

He looked at you then, something unreadable in his eyes. A beat passed.

“And about earlier…” he added, voice softer now, “I didn’t mean to—well, that hug. I wasn’t thinking. I just—”

“It’s okay,” you cut in gently. “Really.”

Taehyung’s shoulders dropped slightly. He gave a single nod, eyes flicking downward before stepping toward the door.

As he passed the kitchen, he glanced in. “Night, Yugyeom.”

Yugyeom, who had just placed the last bowl by the sink, looked up. “Night, bro. Take care.”

Taehyung looked back at you one last time, gaze lingering just a moment longer than necessary as if there was something else he wanted to say but didn’t, before finally letting himself out.

You stood there for a second, hand still on the doorframe, the soft click of the latch sounding louder than usual in the quiet.

When you turned back around, Yugyeom was already fluffing up the couch cushions and holding out your water bottle.

“Come sit,” he said with a sleepy smile. “Grandma bedtime, right?”

You smiled back, sinking into the couch next to him.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Want me to stay the night?”

You straightened slowly, turning toward him. “Only if you want to.”

“I do,” he said without hesitation. “But I don’t have to. I know tonight was… a lot.”

You didn’t answer with words, just a soft nod as your shoulders slowly released some of the day’s weight. You didn’t want to be alone tonight.

Nora stirred once on the baby monitor. You both glanced over, listening. When the static hum settled, so did you.

“I didn’t expect today to feel… that heavy,” you said quietly.

Yugyeom looked at you, waiting.

“It was Taehyung,” you added. “He just showed up. No warning. And when I opened the door, he hugged me like nothing had ever happened.”

You traced the edge of the blanket between your fingers. “I didn’t hug him back… but I froze. Because part of me remembered what it felt like. Not because I wanted to feel it again, but because… it used to mean something.”

Yugyeom didn’t interrupt. He just listened.

“I don’t want that anymore,” you said. “I don’t want to keep going back just because it’s what I know. I want… something that makes me feel safe. Like myself.”

You glanced over at him.

“I want to feel seen. Not remembered.”

He nodded gently. “Then don’t go back. You’re not her anymore.”

That silence that followed felt different. Softer.

Eventually, you leaned into him again, your head resting on his shoulder. He didn’t say anything—just shifted to make the space more comfortable for you both. One of his hands rested lightly over your arm.

Time passed quietly.

You must’ve dozed off for a bit, because the front door creaked open gently. Footsteps followed. You blinked your eyes open just as your parents stepped into the hallway, coats still on, whispering and chuckling to each other like they’d just come back from a date night.

Your mother stopped mid-step when she saw the two of you curled up on the couch, the blanket half-slipped from your shoulders. Your dad raised a brow, and then gave a tiny smirk before nudging her toward the kitchen, murmuring something under his breath.

You sat up a little, rubbing your eyes, and met your mother’s gaze. She smiled at you, tired but soft. She looked happy.

You watched as she took off her shoes and leaned into your father’s side, still laughing about something only they shared. There was no tension in the air, no edge to their love. Just warmth. Ease. Time-worn affection.

And in that quiet moment, your chest ached not with sadness, but with clarity.

That’s what you wanted.

Not fireworks or drama.

Just someone who stays.

Someone who feels like the couch after a long day. Like warmth under a shared blanket. Like soft laughter in the kitchen after midnight.

And as Yugyeom shifted beside you, murmuring something about how you drooled on his shoulder, you smiled.

Because maybe, just maybe, you were already halfway there.

It was one of those early winter afternoons. Blue skies, sun still out, but the air had a sharpness to it. The kind of breeze that made you pull your sleeves down a little further.

You’d quietly excused yourself from Nari during lunch break, murmuring something about “getting some air,” and she’d only raised a knowing brow before going back to her food. Across the courtyard, you’d seen Taehyung do the same, tapping one of the guys on the shoulder before slipping away toward the back field with his bag slung low over one shoulder.

You weren’t dating. You weren’t anything.

But you were curious. And the two of you just… gravitated.

You found each other by the field, settling under the big tree that always shed the first leaves of the season. You both sat down on the dry grass, him stretched out with his back to the trunk, you cross-legged beside him, close but not too close.

“So…” you began, brushing your hair behind your ear. “I just wanted to say thanks. For everything. You were actually really good as the lead. People loved the final cut.”

Taehyung grinned, tossing a pebble into the grass. “Hey, you made me look good. Your editing skills carried.”

“We got a Merit,” you said, still proud. “Our teacher even said the narrative structure was ‘surprisingly thoughtful for a student film.’ That’s like… high praise.”

He let out a low whistle. “We’re basically Oscar-nominated.” You laughed, bumping his shoulder lightly. “Exactly.”

A comfortable silence settled between you as Taehyung unwrapped the sandwich in his hand and took a bite. Then he glanced sideways at you.

“Want some?” he asked, holding half of it out.

You hesitated, then shrugged. “Sure.” You took it, fingers grazing his for half a second longer than they needed to.

He leaned back again, chewing slowly, eyes on the sky now. “You know,” he said, voice thoughtful, “I didn’t expect to actually enjoy doing a school project for once. But… I kind of did.”

You glanced at him, watching the way the sunlight caught in the ends of his hair. “Yeah?”

He nodded. “I think it’s ‘cause it was with you.”

Your stomach fluttered, but you didn’t let it show. Instead, you looked down at your hands, rubbing them together quietly.

“Ugh. My fingers are freezing,” you muttered. “Didn’t think it’d get this cold already.”

He looked over, one brow lifting. “Really?” He extended his hands toward you. “Want me to warm them up?”

You blinked. “What?”

“C’mon,” he said, already reaching. “I’ve got warm hands. Science.”

You let him take your hands gently, his palms closing around yours with surprising warmth. They were bigger, firm but careful, his thumbs instinctively rubbing small circles over the back of your hands.

You didn’t say anything. Neither did he.

And yet… neither of you pulled away.

The breeze kept brushing by, but your hands stayed cradled in his, resting between you like something quietly exchanged. Something unspoken but felt.

It didn’t mean anything. At least, not out loud.

But in that moment under the tree, with your hands tucked inside his and the distant sound of the school bell echoing across the field, it felt like it could mean something.

The weather had cooled just enough for light jackets and coffee dates on outdoor terraces. The city buzzed with the quiet energy of a weekday afternoon. It felt subtle, warm, and alive.

Yugyeom sat at a tucked-away cafe in Seongsu, one of your favorite spots from your last trip. He’d gotten there early. Coffee already in hand, long fingers tapping rhythmically against the wooden table.

He looked different lately. Lighter. Like someone who’d let go of waiting for the right moment and had started choosing his moments instead.

Nari arrived right on time, her hair pulled back in a neat bun, oversized sunglasses pushed up on her head.

“Yah,” she said with a grin, sliding into the seat across from him. “You actually beat me here?”

Yugyeom chuckled. “Couldn’t help it. Been thinking about this conversation since last night.”

Nari raised an eyebrow. “That serious?”

He nodded, offering a quiet smile before leaning back. “Yeah. It’s about… her. And Nora.”

Nari softened. “What about them?”

Yugyeom took a breath. “I want to marry her.”

There was a beat of silence.

He didn’t stumble over it. He didn’t second guess. Just said it as naturally as breathing.

Nari blinked. “Wow. Okay. I mean—wow.”

Yugyeom looked down at his coffee, swirling it gently. “It’s been on my mind for a while now. She doesn’t know yet. I haven’t brought it up because I wanted to be sure. Not just about what I feel... but about what she deserves.”

“And what does she deserve?” Nari asked carefully.

He met her eyes. “Consistency. Someone who chooses her every single day without breaking that choice halfway through. She’s been through so much. She’s raised a child with so much grace. She’s rebuilt herself piece by piece. I know she’s still healing… but I want to be part of that healing. I want to be someone she can build with this time.”

Nari’s expression shifted into something unreadable, half admiration and half concern.

“She’s been through hell with Taehyung,” she said honestly. “You know that.”

“I do,” he nodded. “But I’m not trying to replace that history. I’m just trying to give her a future. One she doesn’t have to second guess.”

Nari leaned forward, elbows on the table, watching him with new eyes. “Does she know you’re serious? I mean… marriage? Family?”

“I think she’s starting to,” he replied. “She’s let me in. Into her home. Her world. Her daughter’s life. It’s slow. It’s careful. But it’s real. And I’ve never wanted something real more than I do with her.”

A small silence settled between them as Nari took a sip of her iced latte.

“She loves you,” she said softly. “I can tell. In the way she talks about you. The way she looks at you when you’re in the same room. Even when I’m just there, playing the role of Y/N’s adopted child—I see it. It’s there.”

Yugyeom laughed and smiled, just a little. “Then I guess I’m not imagining it.”

“You’re not,” she said. “But just… be gentle. She’s strong, but she’s still learning how to feel safe again.”

"She's my best friend."

“I know,” he replied. “And I’m not rushing her. I just wanted to tell someone. So it feels real. So I can start thinking about how to do this the right way.”

Nari grinned then. “When the time’s right, you’ll know.”

He nodded again, slowly.

Seoul hummed around them. In the distance, laughter from nearby tables floated up into the air. For the first time in a long time, the future didn’t feel heavy.

It felt possible.

And Yugyeom was ready.

Velvet-lined, and glinting under soft lights. Something in her stomach twisted. Yugyeom was crouched beside her, eyes scanning each piece with careful intention, completely unaware of the memory creeping up behind her like a ghost.

Her fingers brushed the edge of the glass, and she let out a small breath.

“What about this one?” Yugyeom asked, pointing to a modern design with a flat diamond and a split band. “Too flashy?”

Nari didn’t respond right away.

She was somewhere else now.

Your bedroom. Rain pattering outside. The both of you curled up on your bed, a laptop in your lap and Pinterest open on the screen.

You were showing her a ring.

“I mean, I don’t want anything huge,” you’d said, twirling a strand of hair around your finger. “Just… something simple. Gold band. Oval or pear cut. Nothing too loud. I want it to feel like… forever, not a flex.”

Nari had smiled, half-amused, half-hopeful. “You think he’ll propose one day?”

You bit your bottom lip. “I don’t know. I used to think maybe he would. But now… I kind of hope he becomes the version of himself I can actually say yes to.”

You didn’t have to say his name. She knew you meant Taehyung.

She always knew.

Nari blinked the memory away as Yugyeom rose to his feet again.

He looked over at her, a faint crease forming between his brows. “You alright?”

She smiled softly. “Yeah. Just… remembering something.”

He tilted his head. “Something bad?”

“No,” she said truthfully. “Just a version of her that doesn’t exist anymore.”

Yugyeom’s expression softened.

“She used to show me rings too, you know,” Nari said, stepping closer to the case. “This one—” she pointed to a dainty oval cut with a thin gold band, “—this is the one she always saved.”

His gaze followed her finger, landing on the ring she’d pointed to.

Simple. Elegant. Quietly beautiful.

Just like you.

“I want that one,” he said immediately. “No questions.”

“You sure?”

“She dreamed of it once,” he murmured. “Even if she dreamed it for someone else… I want to give it to her now. For the right reasons. At the right time.”

Nari swallowed, her throat tight with something between pride and ache. You were her best friend. She’d seen you at your best, and at your most broken. And here was this man, choosing you with full heart and steady hands.

“She’s lucky,” Nari said quietly.

“No,” Yugyeom smiled as he turned toward the counter to make arrangements.

“I’m the lucky one.”

Things felt… a little different.

Not drastically. But enough for you to notice.

Yugyeom had been more quiet lately, though not in a distant way. In fact, he’d been more affectionate, more thoughtful. He was texting more check-ins during the day. Cooking little meals for you even when you said you weren’t hungry. Helping with Nora’s night routine without asking.

It wasn’t over-the-top — it was intentional. Like he was building something.

Tonight, as you sat beside him on the couch, Nora asleep in the next room, he was rubbing small circles into your knee with his thumb, staring off at the TV.

You glanced over at him. “You okay?”

He turned to you quickly. “Yeah, of course.”

You tilted your head. “You sure? You’ve been a little… I don’t know. Quiet.”

Yugyeom chuckled lightly. “Just thinking a lot lately. Good things.”

You smiled, leaning your head on his shoulder. “You’ve been sweet. More than usual.”

“Too sweet?” he teased.

“No,” you replied. “Just… different.”

He paused for a moment, resting his chin on your head. “Different isn’t bad, right?”

You shook your head slowly. “Not at all.”

You didn’t push it further. And he didn’t explain.

But something in your chest fluttered. Not from fear, but from the quiet possibility that maybe, just maybe, he was loving you in a way you’d never quite been loved before. And still… you had no idea what he was planning.

You sat at your desk, fingers tapping steadily on the keyboard as you worked through emails and project files. The sunlight streamed softly through the window, your mum outside doing her garden while your dad was out running some quick errands. A small pocket of calm amid the chaos of life. Nora was at preschool, ready for pick up later.

Meanwhile, a few kilometers away, Yugyeom stood outside Taehyung’s studio, also known as Winter Bloom Studio, the name etched clearly on the glass door. You’d told him exactly where it was, and he’d memorised every detail.

Yugyeom adjusted the collar of his jacket as he stood in front of the building, the familiar sign hanging overhead. He remembered you telling him the name, the exact spot where Taehyung spent most of his days producing music with Jungkook and the others.

His heart beat a little faster.

He wasn’t here to stir up old drama. He was here for something different.

He pushed open the door and stepped inside, the soft thump of his shoes against the polished floor echoing through the hallway.

The sunlight filtered through the windows of Taehyung’s studio, bouncing off the polished surfaces and catching dust motes in its glow. The soft thump of footsteps broke the rhythm of the quiet, and Taehyung looked up from the mixing board.

Yugyeom stood in the doorway, calm but unmistakably serious. The familiar sight should have eased tension—but instead, it set a tight coil in Taehyung’s chest.

“Yugyeom,” he said cautiously. “What’s up?”

Yugyeom nodded, stepping closer. “I wanted to talk. About you, me… and her.”

Taehyung’s eyes narrowed, but he gestured toward the seating area. “Alright. Spill it.”

Yugyeom took a breath. “I’ve been thinking a lot about how serious this is getting. I… I already asked your parents for their blessing. Didn’t want to overstep, but I felt like it was right.”

Taehyung’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing.

“I want to propose,” Yugyeom said quietly. “And I want your blessing.”

Taehyung shook his head, a bitter smile curling his lips. “You’re asking for my blessing? After all this time?”

“Yeah,” Yugyeom said steadily. “Because no matter what happened before, she’s the one I want to build a future with. And I want to do this with respect—for you, for her, for all of us.”

Taehyung looked away, hands clenched on the desk. “I can’t pretend this isn’t complicated. But I won’t stand in your way.”

There was silence between them — heavy but charged.

Yugyeom nodded again. “Thank you. That means more than you know.”

As he turned to leave, Taehyung called after him, quieter this time.

“Take care of her. Don’t break her heart.”

Yugyeom’s steps slowed, the weight of the words settling deep inside him.

“I won’t,” he promised.

As the studio door clicked shut behind Yugyeom, the silence hit Taehyung like a freight train.

He stood frozen, staring at the space where Yugyeom had just stood, the words still echoing in his mind like a bad loop.

“I want your blessing.”

Taehyung scoffed bitterly, running a hand through his hair as he paced the studio floor. Then, louder—sharper—he spat out the words that had been fighting to get out.

“What the actual fuck?”

His voice cracked through the quiet. He grabbed a nearby pen and flung it across the desk. It hit the wall with a dull clatter, but it didn’t ease the fire in his chest.

“Fuck no. No, no, no.”

He pressed his palms to his eyes, breathing hard. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears like a war drum, and his thoughts were a mess.

He wants to marry her? Propose? Take on Nora like she’s his kid? Like we weren’t even—”

Taehyung couldn’t even finish the thought. It was too much.

All he could see in his head was you. You smiling at Yugyeom. You cooking for him. You holding Nora in your arms like a scene from a life that should’ve been his. A life he had fucked up.

You used to surprise me with food at the studio… now you’re doing that shit for him.

Now he’s playing house with you and my daughter.

Now he’s going to put a ring on your finger.

He let out a harsh breath, chest heaving as he slammed his hand down on the table.

“Fucking hell.”

He hadn’t even realized he was shaking until he looked down at his hands.

Jealousy clawed at his insides, but beneath that was something even worse: regret. Deep, soul-cutting regret. He could still feel your last embrace from the night at your parents’ house. How soft you felt. How natural it still was to have Nora in his arms. Like it was supposed to be his family. His world.

But instead, he’d stood there while the man you were falling in love with asked for permission to replace him.

And worst of all?

He’d said nothing.

Not because he didn’t care.

But because he cared too damn much.

The slam of Taehyung’s hand against the desk echoed through the studio hallway.

Jungkook looked up from the side room, pulling his headphones down just in time to hear the low curse that followed. He walked toward the main space, his brows knitting the moment he saw the mess — the pen on the floor, the mix console half-abandoned, and Taehyung pacing like a caged animal.

“Hyung?” Jungkook called out carefully, voice low but steady. “What happened?”

Taehyung turned abruptly, chest still heaving. His eyes were dark, not with anger alone, but with something deeper — a storm Jungkook recognized from years of friendship.

He didn’t answer right away.

Jungkook stepped into the room, crossing his arms. “Was that Yugyeom who just left?”

Taehyung let out a bitter laugh and rubbed his face like he was trying to wake up from a nightmare. “Yeah. That was Yugyeom.”

Jungkook waited.

And then Taehyung’s words came out sharp and almost stunned:

“He came here to tell me he’s gonna propose to her.”

Jungkook blinked. “Wait… what?”

“He said he already asked her parents,” Taehyung continued, pacing again. “And now he wants my blessing. Can you believe that shit?”

Jungkook stared at him, unsure if he should be shocked or speechless.

Taehyung stopped walking and laughed again, but it sounded closer to a break than anything funny.

“He’s gonna marry her. Marry the woman I—”

He stopped himself.

Jungkook filled in the silence for him, gently. “The woman you still love.”

Taehyung didn’t reply.

Instead, he dropped into the nearest chair, elbows on his knees, head in his hands.

“I fucked up, man,” he muttered, voice low and torn. “So many times. Lied, cheated, broke her trust… and now she’s actually happy. With someone who isn’t me. And I’m supposed to just… be okay with that?”

Jungkook sat across from him slowly. “You’re not supposed to be okay with it. But you are supposed to let her be happy. You’re the one who said you’d put her and Nora first, remember?”

Taehyung’s jaw clenched.

“I know.”

The bedroom lights were low, a soft playlist humming through his speaker, but Taehyung wasn’t really listening. He was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, phone pressed to his ear, nervously tapping the edge of his knee.

“Bro,” came Jungkook’s voice through the line. “Just ask her. You’ve been stalling for weeks.”

“It’s not that simple,” Taehyung muttered, flopping onto his back with a groan. “She’s… different.” “Different how?”

“She makes me feel like I can just… be. Like, I’m not performing. I don’t have to be funny or cool. I can just talk about stupid stuff like the way trees look when it’s raining or that one documentary on octopuses and she doesn’t think I’m weird.”

There was a pause, and then Jimin’s voice chimed in from the background. “Sounds like you’re already in deep, man.”

Taehyung sighed, staring up at the ceiling. “I think I am. And tomorrow, we’re all hanging out—me, her, Nari, and Nari’s boyfriend. We’re doing the whole city thing. Han River, the skyline, street food… It just feels like… if I don’t say something now, I might miss the chance.”

“Then say it,” Jungkook said plainly.

“I don’t even know how. Like—do I just blurt it out? ‘Hey, I like you, wanna be mine?’ That sounds lame.”

“Okay, no,” Jimin replied quickly. “Don’t blurt it. Just… find a moment. A quiet one. Maybe when you’re walking by the river or something. Keep it simple. Be honest.”

“And what if she doesn’t feel the same?” Taehyung asked, his voice smaller now. “What if she just wants to be friends?”

There was silence for a beat too long.

Then Jungkook answered gently, “Then you’ll know. But you’ll also know you tried. And honestly, Tae, I think she’d be lucky to be liked by you.”

Taehyung let the words settle over him. His chest tightened a little—equal parts fear and hope.

“I just don’t wanna ruin what we have,” he whispered. “But I also don’t wanna keep pretending like I don’t think about her every night before I sleep.”

Jimin hummed. “Then don’t pretend. Go see the skyline with her tomorrow. Laugh. Be yourself. And when it feels right, tell her.”

Taehyung closed his eyes, exhaled slowly. “Yeah… okay. I’ll try.”

And later, when the call ended and the room went quiet again, he opened his notes app, staring at the blinking cursor.

Then he typed, “Maybe tomorrow, I’ll finally tell her.”

It was late afternoon when Taehyung met up with Jisoo at their usual café — the one with the mismatched chairs and the dusty bookshelves, the place where they used to spend hours after school, arguing over movie endings and stealing sips from each other’s drinks.

Jisoo was already there, sipping on iced coffee, long hair tucked behind her ears, a small smile curling on her lips when she saw him.

“Tae,” she greeted warmly, standing to pull him into a hug that lingered just a beat too long.

“Hey, Soo,” he replied, smile kind but a little hesitant.

They sat. Talked. Laughed about stupid memories — her tripping during a school play, him crying at a Studio Ghibli movie in public. It was easy, almost too easy, like muscle memory. But under it all, Taehyung felt something pulling in his chest. A kind of guilt. A line he knew was about to be drawn.

After a lull in conversation, he finally cleared his throat.

“I wanted to see you because… I need to talk about something,” he said, his voice quieter now.

Jisoo tilted her head, cautious curiosity flickering in her eyes. “Okay?”

“I’m serious about her,” Taehyung said. “My girlfriend. Things are real. I’ve never felt like this before.”

Something shifted in Jisoo’s face — subtle, but not lost on him.

“I know,” she said slowly. “You talk about her a lot.”

He looked down at his coffee cup, then back up at her. “She told me she feels a little… uneasy. About us. About how close we’ve always been. And… I get it.”

Jisoo blinked. “You get it?”

He nodded. “It’s not that she doesn’t trust me. It’s just… boundaries. And I want to respect that. I want to respect her.”

There was a pause. A long one. Then Jisoo sat back, her smile fading into something cooler. “So what are you saying? That we can’t be friends anymore?”

“I’m saying…” he sighed, running a hand through his hair, “I think it’s time we create some distance. Not because you’re not important. But because she is too.”

Jisoo’s jaw tightened. “Wow.”

“I didn’t come here to hurt you,” Taehyung said quickly. “I just… I want this relationship to work. And I want to do right by her.”

Jisoo nodded slowly, eyes sharp now but voice calm. Too calm.

“Well,” she said, stirring her drink lazily, “I hope she knows she’s asking a lot.”

“What do you mean?”

She shrugged.“Just… if a girl can’t handle the fact that you had a close friendship before her, maybe she’s not secure enough for someone like you. I mean—if she’s already uncomfortable now, what happens later? You’re going to keep cutting people off to make her feel better?”

Taehyung looked at her, expression stiffening.

“I’m not saying she’s controlling,” Jisoo added quickly, tilting her head with a small smile. “Just… it’s worth asking yourself. If someone can’t accept who you were before them, do they really accept you now?”

The words settled like smoke in the space between them. Manipulative. Carefully chosen.

Taehyung didn’t reply right away. A part of him knew what she was doing — twisting things in a way that made it sound rational, but feel wrong. And yet, another part of him — the guilty, confused, sentimental part — sat there, unsure.

He finally stood.

“I should go,” he said.

Jisoo’s smile faltered. “Of course. Let me know when we’re allowed to be friends again.”

He didn’t answer that. Just gave her a faint, sad smile and walked out.

And as the bell chimed above the café door, Jisoo sat back in her chair, eyes narrowing slightly, the smile gone now.

She wasn’t done.

You were in the middle of replying to emails, when your manager stopped by and casually said, “You’ve got so much leave saved up — why don’t you take a break? Recharge a little.”

You blinked. “Wait, seriously?”

“Seriously,” she smiled. “You deserve it.”

Your fingers hovered over the keyboard, already itching to message Yugyeom.

It had been a hectic couple of months — between work, co-parenting with Taehyung, and trying to give Nora the best of both worlds, you hadn’t had a real break in what felt like years.

So when Yugyeom called later that day, and you told him the news, his voice lit up like you hadn't heard in weeks.

“That’s perfect. Actually… I was going to surprise you. I’ve been planning a trip to Jeju.”

“Wait—what?”

He laughed. “You’ve always wanted to go, right? Just you and me. Fresh air. Beach. Good food. No schedules. I already booked everything. You’re going to love it.”

You did love it.

You loved the idea of slowing down, of wandering the coast barefoot, of getting lost in sleepy island cafés with the man who had shown you consistency when you needed it most.

What you didn’t know was what everyone else knew, was that by the end of that trip, you wouldn’t be coming home as just someone's girlfriend.

You’d be someone’s fiancée.

Yugyeom had told your parents. Nari cried when she found out. His parents booked their flights that same night. Even your old uni friends had a secret group chat named #OperationJejuYes.

Nora was the only one who didn’t really understand what was happening — just that Appa was going to look after her for a few days while you went on an adventure.

“Make sure you take pictures,” Taehyung said softly that night when you dropped her off. “So she can see where you went.”

You smiled, not catching the shift in his eyes.

“Thank you,” you said, brushing a curl from Nora’s forehead. “For everything.”

He nodded. “Of course. Go have fun.”

You left with a kiss to Nora’s cheek and a final glance at Taehyung, who stood in the doorway, watching until your car turned the corner.

He never said goodbye.

Back in the city, Taehyung poured himself into finishing the album with Jungkook. The studio buzzed with late-night energy. Layered vocals, looping guitar riffs, and scribbled notes that filled every surface. But lately, the space wasn’t just for music.

Lately, Nora had become his tiniest studio assistant. Almost two now, she’d waddle in clutching her bunny, dragging a little blanket behind her. While Taehyung mixed tracks, she sat nearby on a floor cushion, babbling to herself, stacking plastic cups, or scribbling on scrap paper with crayons she insisted were “mine.”

“Hyung,” Jungkook said through a yawn, watching Nora dump goldfish crackers on the floor, “maybe call it a night. You’ve been here since morning.”

Taehyung shook his head, adjusting a mic level. “What else would I be doing?”

Jungkook glanced at Nora, now humming and rocking her bunny in her arms. He didn’t say anything more.

Later that week, the boys dropped by the studio with takeout and snacks. Nora ran around barefoot in her unicorn onesie, arms stretched out like an airplane, yelling, “Zoom! Zoom!” while Taehyung tried to keep her from stepping on tangled cords.

She tugged at his sleeve mid-bite. “Daddy, pudding?”

“Yeah?” he grinned. “You want pudding?”

She nodded, face lit up. “Big spoon!”

He chuckled and handed her a plastic spoon, helping her stir while she giggled and made a mess on the counter.

“Mummy home?” she asked suddenly, blinking up at him.

He paused, softening. “Not today, baby,” he said gently. “Soon.”

She leaned her head against his leg. “Show Mama drawin’.”

“You will,” he said, brushing her hair back. “She’s gonna love it.”

And maybe, when she did, she’d be wearing a ring on her finger.

Meanwhile in Jeju, the air smelled like the sea and cherry blossoms. You wore your hair loose and your shoulders lighter. You didn’t know that tucked inside Yugyeom’s suitcase was a ring he’d been holding onto for months, waiting for this perfect alignment.

And when the moment came. The lanterns lit, the waves calm, your parents, his family, Nari, and all your friends waiting behind the dunes. You’d look into his eyes, hand over your mouth in shock, and say yes with tears on your cheeks and a smile wider than the sea.

The same smile that Taehyung once knew like the back of his hand.

But he wouldn’t be there to see it.

He'd be at home, pressing play on a nearly finished demo, Nora curled against his chest as he stared at the ceiling.

A quiet whisper in his chest.

This is how it was always meant to be.

And maybe that was enough.

The last day in Jeju felt like it had been painted for you.

The sky was clear, as if it, too, had been waiting for this soft exhale after the storm. Seagulls wheeled above the shoreline. Salt lingered in the breeze. The world felt like it was humming just for you.

You stood barefoot on the porch of the beach house, coffee in hand, the glint of your new ring catching the morning light. For a while, you just stared at it. Turning it. Tilting it. Watching the diamond scatter tiny rainbows across your skin.

Your fiancé — fiancé — walked up behind you and wrapped his arms around your waist, pressing a kiss to your shoulder.

“You okay?” Yugyeom’s voice was still sleepy.

You smiled. “More than okay.”

And you meant it. Or at least, most of you did.

The whole day unfolded like a memory you’d want to replay over and over.

Your parents beamed at you like you were five again, winning your first school award. Yugyeom’s mom couldn’t stop holding your hands. His dad cracked a rare grin over grilled seafood and Jeju beer.

Nari pulled you into a hug so tight it stole your breath. “You’re finally getting the soft love you deserve,” she whispered. “You better never doubt it.”

You didn’t.

Not when Yugyeom looked at you like that. Not when he twirled you in the sand like you were still dancing at some imaginary wedding. Not when everyone clinked their glasses around the bonfire that night, the flames flickering like the edge of a dream.

But in the very back of your mind, in the part of you that always got quiet in moments like this... there he was.

Taehyung.

Just a flicker. Like smoke curling in a quiet room. Like static before the music begins. You wondered if he was okay. If he’d heard. If he knew you said yes.

You wondered if he was holding her now, telling her silly stories, making her laugh, pretending like this week hadn’t shifted anything at all. But you didn’t let your mind stay there long. So you buried it. The ghost of something you once called home. An echo of a boy who once made your world feel like a secret song.

You turned toward the fire. Let Yugyeom pull you into his lap, arms wrapping around your waist with ease. You laughed wholeheartedly, like you meant it. Let Nari smear glitter on your cheeks with champagne-tipsy hands. Let your friends scream under fairy lights. Let yourself kiss Yugyeom under a string of stars while your families clapped and the air smelled like sweet pine and new beginnings.

You let yourself forget, just for tonight. Because this was what you chose. This was peace. This was joy. And tomorrow, you’d wake up as the woman who said yes.

The Jeju trip had ended hours ago, but your mind hadn’t caught up. It was still there. Watching the golden light fall across the ocean, hearing the hush of waves, replaying the moment Yugyeom dropped to one knee with shaking hands and eyes full of forever.

The door opened before you could knock.

She was in his arms already, chubby hands clapping, legs kicking, cheeks flushed with joy.

“Nora-bear!” you gasped, dropping your bags as she flung herself into your arms. You caught her, holding her close, heart swelling as she babbled half-words into your shoulder.

“She missed you,” Taehyung said from behind her. His voice was soft. Controlled.

“I missed her more,” you murmured, kissing the top of her head.

Your fingers brushed his as you took her from him. A spark. Brief. Familiar. You both stood there, suspended—co-parents now, once-lovers, something tender that time had chipped away at.

“How was the trip?” he asked after a pause.

You hesitated. You were going to tell him. You really were but the words never made it out. Because he looked down at your hand.

At the ring.

You weren’t trying to show it off. But it was there, quiet and glinting in the low light, a small declaration you hadn’t yet spoken.

His gaze held.

Then lifted.

And in that moment, you saw it. The quiet surrender, and he didn't say anything. Didn't flinch. But something behind his eyes went still.

Final.

Taehyung remembered every late-night talk about someday. Back when you were both younger, softer, still building dreams you weren’t sure how to keep. Back when he used to say, “One day. Just not now.” And now one day had arrived.

Just… not for him.

He didn’t say much after that.

Just helped with Nora’s overnight bag. Gave her a kiss on the cheek. Told her to be good to you. You smiled softly at him, searching and trying to read him.

But you felt it.

The unspoken goodbye. Not to the family you’d built. Not to the care still stitched between you. But to everything else, everything almost and maybe.

He closed the door gently behind you. And just like that, the chapter ended. Like static. Before a new song.

[stayinsaxy]

I recently tried my hand at digital painting and oh boy! This is my formal apology to Grendel , you were my first attempt at digital art in a while and I need to practice drawing beards, and rounder/ more cartoony art styles because oh no (´∀｀)

There are a few of my little drawing preferences in there, I know York’s smudged punk eyeliner and Eugene’s roots aren’t cannon but I enjoy drawing those things. So there.

Actually I kind of only glanced at reference so dont come after me about cannon pls.

I am going to rant a bit about motifs as well (you can’t stop me)

-Eugene is very chaotic/ charismatic (hence the look on his face), the group is just so good at completely throwing you off that he ends up kind of gets quiet on cases with the team

-Eugene’s roots are showing because that’s what I enjoy drawing! And it also shows up a bit on Rosé

-Fun Fact: I want Rosé to wink at me like that! I also really enjoyed adding the scars and the character growth story behind that!

- York’s male model/ punk thing he has going on leads me to absolutely refuse to believe he hasn’t tried smudged liner and I’m here for it (also that’s possible a lip stick/tint I just feel wrong not giving characters lips)

-York’s name is like that because he just learned how to read! (I assume writing goes along with that but maybe he doesn’t write) (RIP the jokes where Jacob remembered that York couldn’t read halfway through a sentence, those always had me rolling)

- I love Grandma so much but I really need to spend more time with them, I did add a little bit of makeup to them as well because I felt like it and when you’re drawing a cute lil character with a cute little hair flower sometimes you just gotta

-also my non drawfee pilled friend said Grandma gives cutesy in an “I’m high” kind of way was absolutely right

I am working on Jancy next but good lord do I not do well with wrinkles/ slicked back hairstyles (drawing this cast has made me realize I need to explore drawing a wider range then femm young adults, because honestly that’s the default rn and I didn’t even realize how bad it was) 🥲

Anyways drawfee’s drawclasses on YouTube helped me level up the drawing skills just for me to turn around and do fanart of their characters. It’s a loop. I can’t escape them.

PS: WHEN I TELL YOU THERE IS ALWAYS ONE ACCURSED THING I FORGET TO DRAW/ COLOR, IM NOT KIDING. (RIP Rosé’s eyebrows, I’m sorry but I’m fixing that on my own copy, I simply can not be bothered to go in and fix that and re upload the image to this platform)

[hey-heigo]

captain meow meow and princess fuck ya life

damon and eva | grace and wolfgang | toshiko and ulysses | diana and kai | desmond and eloise | jett and mark | ingrid and cassidy | jean and wenona

i had trouble with jean at first...trying to figure out how to pattern him and then make it so that the outfit balance worked out (having him be ass naked just didn't sit right) so i ended up giving him little boots

he's missing his anchor pendant and red waist sash but honestly i just couldn't be bothered to draw those. i did try to draw scylla and charybdis on his headband though

cutie mark is a dragon shaped like an anchor, twined with rope. something about seafaring and going down with his ship, idk

hiii wenona....anyways. she's probably the most princess-y of all the others...not an alicorn though

i probably made her patterns a little too complex but i just really liked how the blue and green contrasted the base brown so i went ahead and had fun with it. trying to both represent mountain ranges and also the princess hoof shoes that celestia has in mlp canon

really had trouble with her cutie mark, because i designed her right around the time i watched her ftes. and the concept for it previously was kinda...lackluster.....i ended up trying to combine the night sky and stars with plot points and graphs for stock growths. the lines of the graph is supposed to form a bear catching a fish, with the fish's head being an arrow pointing upwards (for the rapid growth of her conglomerate). this is probably way too complex for a cutie mark but it's fine she deserves it

[belles-non-wallpapering-content]

Lunchbox E.S x FEM! reader

Overture-Everyday the guys offer you lunch, but you can't quite take them up on the offer.

CWs-Insecurity around eating and food, quasi-ED behaviors, mentions of possession, aliens, monsters. All of the ghostbusters are gossipy bitches, but Egon's still a sweetie and so is Ray.

A/N-Don't know how relatable this will be, but I like it and am moderately proud of it. Every Monday I'm doing a light angst, and if you want to read the other things I did/am doing this month you could do that here:  October Writing Master List

“Do you want anything for lunch? I think we’re ordering chinese–” They offered almost every day, and you always declined. You’d worked in the ghostbusters office for almost a month now, as the receptionist on days Janine was off or preferred to work at night. 

“No thank you, I’m ok.”

“Alright, let us know if you change your mind, we always order too much anyway.” Ray called out to you as they started to move upstairs to relax until their next call. 

“Ok, thanks guys. You should have another hour until the next appointment.” 

You spent another 20 minutes typing on the computer before the food came, and after one last offer to eat with them, the guys disappeared upstairs.

********

You tried not to eavesdrop on their conversations. It wasn’t often that they were upstairs while you were still working, when they aren’t on calls they’re usually in the lab. But when they were upstairs, you could hear them pretty clearly. 

“You know I’ve never seen her eat?”  Peter brought up, and you couldn’t ignore that.

“Yeah me neither.” Ray spoke up, but with a little more concern than Peter had.

“Do you think she’s an alien or something?” Honestly you weren’t sure if you should be offended. Of all things that were slightly odd about you, Winston thinking you were an alien because of your eating habits was a little shocking. 

“Maybe she’s possessed.” Peter laughing at you was not a rare occurrence, but that stung a little, since he was clearly joking. 

“She hasn’t shown any traits of possession since she started here.” Egon’s defense of you was–flattering, even if Peter was joking. Maybe it was just the bottom of the barrel, flattery-wise. But between the fact that the conversation had drifted to you being possessed, and the fact that you’d had a major league crush on Egon since you started, you would take what you could get.  

“I think she’s just not hungry.” Ray always was such a sweetie.

A loud buzzer rang out, which meant it was time to chart Egon’s fungi growth. You had to when they were out, but since Egon was here he was doing it himself. Unfortunately, that did not stop the other guys’ conversation.  

“She’s worked here for 3 weeks, I think we’re past the point of ‘not hungry’. Let’s talk monsters in human form.” Winston said, and you couldn’t say for sure if he was joking, but you were leaning towards no. 

“You could hear that?” You assumed it was a question, but the tone he used almost made it sound like a statement; one he was very concerned by. 

“Yeah. The giant hole in the ceiling does kind of lend itself to good acoustics. But it’s cool, no worries.” You really tried to brush it off, forcing a little bit of laughter out. Getting well into the uncanny valley of the unbothered, and Egon was not at all buying it. 

“No. I'm sorry about that, I’ll go get them to stop.” He stood straighter, grateful for the new next step in making you feel better. But that would only draw more attention, and make it worse. 

“Egon it’s ok, really. Go check on your spores, I heard the buzzer go off a second ago.” He gave one short nod, and then turned to go to his lab, still looking like a kicked puppy. He felt so guilty that not only would the guys say that, but that you could hear the whole thing. Equally matched with his guilt, was a mild concern for you. He came back about 15 minutes later, and thankfully the conversation had drifted away from you. 

“So should we be worried about your eating habits?” It was the first thing he said to you when he came back, marked by concern and said with the sincere tone with which he said anything. 

“I don’t think so. Why?” 

“You work approximately 12 hour shifts, yet none of us have seen you eat.”

“I don’t like to eat where I work, it’s no big deal.” The exterior you were really trying to keep up was slowly cracking under his sincere concern. He just had to be so damn nice.

“We could probably schedule in a short break for you, if you have too much work to stop.” He was coming up with a solid solution to a problem you didn’t have. But it was nevertheless appreciated. 

“No, it’s ok. It’s not that– I just don’t really like to eat in front of or like– around other people.”

“Why?” You should have known an ambiguous answer wouldn’t make this end any faster, if anything now he was intrigued.

“Just makes me nervous, I guess.”

“Do we make you uncomfortable?” He shuffled around a little, burying his hands in his pockets as he tried to maintain eye contact. The idea of that made him clearly upset, and you were quick to correct him. 

“No! It’s nothing like that, I just–I don’t know, it’s weird. But would you mind–not telling the other guys about this?”You really just wanted this conversation to end, fade into the obscurity of your memory, hopefully soon forgotten. 

“Are you sure?” He looked down his glasses at you, putting ever so slight pressure on you to make sure he got an honest answer. 

“Yes. It’ll be our little secret?” 

“Alright. But I would like to talk about this further.” You were saved by the bell as the phone on your desk started ringing. You leaned over to the phone before looking back to him. 

“Go eat your lunch, I have to take this.” 

While he may have agreed to leave the subject alone, not wanting to draw further attention to your discomfort, he had his own way of trying to help. He’d buy extra snacks and put some in your bag, even bringing sodas to put in your desk drawers so you’d get sugar throughout the day. You appreciated his extra care. So many people characterized him as distant, and far too logical, but he really did care for everyone in his life.

[jonathanspenguinboxers]

pls rank your top circle characters, if you’ve already done it, just pretend i never said anything

Ok so I have different lists. Favorite characters, and most interesting, and a couple of others. I’m gonna do most interesting here, because someone else asked me favorites. This is one of my favorite posts and it took me so long omg. Basically turned into a character analysis but thats my whole fun with the circle. Lmk what you guys think about them too! What you agree or disagree with. I honestly don't like this ranking because theyre all top 3 for me, I am exceedingly fascinated by all of them

1. Valentine. Obviously. I want to pick his brain and how he became the way he is. His ideals, convictions, the radical belief in his cause and complete hypocrisy. So interesting to me, I could talk about him forever. Perfect foil to the narrative, and a perfect microcosm of choice, why it matters so much, how you ALWAYS have choice, and how it is not your experiences or past that define you, rather how you choose to keep going, and he simply chose to abide by fear, anger, and grief instead of processing it. I think its imperative to understand what his character represents beyond the obvious faults of fascism, bigotry, and prejudice, because you can get so much more from him. I could write essays on him and I will. But what an important character to understand the purpose of. Perfect foil. Perfect villain. I'm not putting all my thoughts here because it would get too long.

2. Luke. I adore that he was the only one in the circle forced to his knees by becoming a werewolf to live that life and come to terms on such a deep level. How fucking insane and beautiful to have a world and narrative that allows you to put your characters directly in the spot of their deepest prejudice. This is honestly the only punishment I see fit for the circle members, death is too easy. I love that he had to know true violence to become who we know him during TMI. That his peace and calmness is a choice, since he is certainly and familiar with great violence. I love his journey, the grief, the isolation and growth, how after everything he still chooses to be kind, actively makes that choice, and remains empathetic, having a wider range now with both experiences, but that doesn't mean he would end up with it, he chose it. I love you Luke Garroway. Morally grey, still does things that shouldn't be (killing the werwolf leader to get the pack, while yes it was to protect Clary and Jocelyn and that is how packs usually handle it, he still has the power to bargain, offer help in exchange for protection, etc) But still, I think that makes him complex and imperfect and he still has a ways to go. He is the perfect foil to Valentine, with their dynamic of choice, and I could go into that forever as well. Chefs kiss Cassie.

3. Jocelyn. She's just really mysterious to me honestly. A lot of her actions are swept away or shifting blame onto Valentine, and overall I've never been able to pin her exactly. I really need to reread because now that I'm not 12 I'll probably be able to pick up more 😭 Still, shes incredibly complex and exceedingly interesting to me. Her actions, behaviors, especially the confliction relationship between her and Sebastian. I can't get enough of her. I almost put her as 2, but ultimately I know more about Luke and find his werewolf dilemma so fun (for me)

4. Robert. He's fascinating. His psyche, his choices, his growth during TMI and between. He's incredibly imperfect and a very broken man, but what do I love more? He's not as mysterious to me as the other three, I feel like I have a way better grasp on him as a whole, but still, I love writing him, his interactions, etc. I find mostly his perpetual defense of giving up his moral compass to Valentine, the clave, etc very interesting and want to explore that a lot. I love to make him my punching bag ❤️

5. Maryse. She was the most invested in the circle. Her relationship with Valentine seemed particularly strong or at least different. Out of everyone else she was the most convicted in the cause and I really want to know why.

6. Stephen. I actually really like Stephen. I want to poke him with a sharp stick. I really want to be in his brain, why when he seemed to have a loving household he still felt the need to join the circle (its because most shadowhunters would have/will, prejudice is so engrained in the culture that the circle was only taken down because they started killing shadowhunters and it was simply an extension of the clave and shadowhunter culture and Stephen, even despite being a more healthy child is still surrounded by this propaganda and it takes nothing, especially in a war driven society where things like Jem's story happens but whatever) why he was so morally weak, leaving the woman he loves, marrying one he didn't, staying when he explicitly knew Valentine would kill him. His psyche is so fucked. I love his character because he wasn't dealt that bad of a hand and it just goes to show that its your choices that make you, and EVERYONE has a choice, for either direction, always. He chose wrong, again and again, against his better judgement, will, and peace of mind. And how interesting is that

7. Celine. Sad that I put her this low, actually everyone feels low because I am extremely interested in all of them in different ways. I do feel like I have a grasp on her very well, its similar to Hodge, where she is compliant to her trauma and lives by the fear of confronting it, so instead she searches for connection, fullfillment, etc everywhere but inside of herself and therefore gives away her power and choice. Everyone does it. Not to this extreme, but in a way, everyone can be like Celine, whether your giving up your power to food, relationships, patterns, belief systems, helplessness or if your like me the victim mentality, etc, and so I think shes just an imperative character to understand and use as a tool to reflect. Shes devastating, and unfortunately this happens too often in real life, that people are convinced they must sacrifice for their happiness or else they are undeserving. Also why it is so important to have community (TO NOT FUCKING BEAT YOUR CHILDREN) and to build safe spaces for the youth for them to grow and self actualize so that no one, espeically the disturbed and broken, can take advantage of them.

8. Amatis. Similar to Stephen. She has a victim complex, she is not set in her convictions, she chooses her actions with no real bad hand (When I say bad hand, I mean someone like Celine who was explicitly going through an extremely abusive and traumatic experience) yes, she was abandoned, she was neglected, but she had Luke, and it was never implied that they struggled to eat or that they had a turbulent childhood in general besides their parents leaving. I like her selfishness and her fear a lot, I especially like how she betrayed Luke and still goes to clave meetings while having no real opinion and never speaking up. Its real. Its because shes hurt. Its human. Its wrong. I love it! I love when women get to be real people without being villains. Was she a good person? Who cares. Not the point. Shes human and she represents that side of trauma. I could explore all of this about her forever, and I wished she had lived to keep growing, mainly, likeeveryone else, I wish she was turned into a downworlder and forced to experience that. It would force her to grow, because she is so determined to avoid it.

9. Hodge. I am very interested him I just feel like I know him. I know why he did it, I have my speculations on his character, and theres not so much complexity to him, he is just a broken, neglected kid who was found by the wrong person and attached to his attention. I know you Hodge. I really like his character as a character, its a great representation of this kind of trauma and what happens when it goes unchecked and why it is SO important to ensure the youth are not neglected, and that they have the access to good influence, in fact I think it applies heavily to society nowadays (the rise of shootings and the implications of WHY that is becoming more prevalent) which is why I'm so adamant on critiquing the circle since it parallels a lot of reality, especially now but thats neither here nor there, I love writing about Hodge, I love analyzing him, I just love others more.

10. Michael. I just feel like out of everyone he has the most simple(not the right word idk) conundrum. I don't think he's not interesting, I just think the others are more interesting. I still really like how he marries Eliza after being in the circle, even dating her while being in it, how he could have grown afterwards if he was already entertaining other ideas. I think that had a lot of material to go with it, but we know so little about him unless it has to do with Robert

[monosminecraftmania]

Hermitadaymay: Day 11

Cub - Caravan Hitchhiker. Status: Won't go away.

SPECIALIST: Forbidden Hermeticism - Black Alchemy

Conjures a flask of dark liquid that, when splashed on the ground, instantly grows a patch of dark blue fungus that continuously grows towards the nearest living thing. Crawls at a speed of 2 inches per second.

When it comes into contact with a living organism within 20 seconds, the fungus will accelerate in growth, covering 3 ft per second (18x speed), and consume the organism, stealing it's life energy/aura and reducing it to raw matter. Timer and growth speed resets if nothing else living is within the fungus' range.

Cub himself is immune to the life-sucking effects and can even tap into the energy that the fungus had consumed.

If no prey is consumed within 20 seconds, the fungus will die and can be easily scraped off.

If a cluster dies, Cub cannot summon a new flask for ten minutes. If he attempts to, he will immediately die.

Fungus is completely indestructible until it dies. It is undetectable by super-sensory means (En or Gyo) unless Cub tries to conceal it (with In), and then the effects are reversed.

SPECIALIST: Forbidden Hermeticism - Feu d'Artifice

Cub can "ignite" an opponent's aura into a massive firework with colors and shapes depending on his target's personality and nen class. This is done by touching the target with two fingers or more without harming the target.

To use this attack, the opponent must: Know about Black Alchemy, honestly answer how they knew, and then maintain eye contact for a total of one minute with Cub.

The firework will fly out of the top of the target's head for a certain distance (relative to how tall they are) and detonate at the peak of it's flight. Otherwise, will detonate when obstructed. The explosion is physical so even non-nen users can see it.

[lookingforhappy]

newspaper transcripts for the mothers:

Luther's mom, Monica.

We're all stumped here. Some of us are guessing a brain aneurism, because those can come out of nowhere, but honestly we have no idea." While the autopsy has yet to be completed and an official cause of death is still unknown, unconfirmed reports claim the victim was in the middle of a company presentation when she began to complain of a sharp pain in her head. Seconds later, she was on the floor, dead. "I'll never forget that sight. I wish I could, but her eyes, they almost looked like they were burned right out of her head. It was just awful." The anonymous colleage went on to say that 911 was called immediately, but by the time the paramedics arrived, the victim was already dead. Service for the deceased are being held next week at St. Peter's. The [??] has asked

Diego's mom, Elena.

Beloved Woman's Death Rocks Local Community By IAN TURNER Associate Reporter "I came home on Sunday to find my wife dead on the floor with no explanaion," the woman's husband reported. "It almost looked like her brain had exploded," he continued. It has been [??] days since this tragedy rocked the community of a small town in northern Mexico. The victim of the random tradgedy was Elena, a well respected and beloved woman in her mid 30s. The mysterious wound in her brain discovered when her husband arrived home in what has caused the most confusion and duress to Elena's family. After an exhaustive [??] [??] coroner's off record, "it was almost as if some kind of outside force caused this injury to her brain." It has been difficult to find a logical explanation for her death. "We are doing as much as we can to continue the investigation into Elena's passing," the representative from the office continued. Her husband says that Elena usually spent her days cooking or baking,

Allison's mom, Victoria.

Death Linked with [??] "We're not sure what we are dealing with..." A local woman was found dead last week, and while the cause of death was not immediately clear. The Medical Examiner's recently released findings may offer clues to her mysterious passing. While medical professionals are stumped on the specific cause, a number of deaths, all occurring on the same day around the globe, appear to be linked. Public officials are scrambling to connect the dots, with worries of a fatal food-borne illness causing mild hysteria amongst the community. "We're not sure what we're dealing with yet, but whatever it is appears to be targeting the frontal cortex of the brain." An offical [??] the Medical Examiner's office was quoted as saying, "We're focusing out effort on tracing any pathogens that the victim may have encountered, trying [??] OPEN CASE - Local woman's death spurs mild hysteria amongst community but no link to food-borne illness yet local resident Will decided to pull his children out of school. "The schools, they're a breeding ground [??] officials, which has only made the grieving process more difficult

Klaus' mom, Rachel Hershberger.

barn, where she was discovered hours after, unresponsive. Though no exact cause of death has been released, Ms. Hershberger was said to have been in good health, never reporting any headaches, blurred vision or cognitive impairment, effectively ruling out any cancerous or noncancerous intracranial mass growth. And though sudden brain hemorrhaging often occurs with little or no warning signs or symptom, it rarely affects women under the age of fifty. "For this healthy young woman to suddenly drop dead of an aneurysm - it doesn't happen," said the Coronary Medical Examiner. "There's something else going on here." The authorities, including the Pennsylvania State Police, conducted a wide ranging investigation, which included interrogating [??] who went on to [?] a few of the difficulties [the] team is facing. However, in being so [?] the members of this community are distrustful of outsiders, chief among them the police. We're not getting much corporation." Though foul play can't be ruled out, the chances of determining what cause Ms. Hershberger's death are dwindling. The County DA made clear she'd be forced to close the investigation if members of the community remain reluctant to come forward.

Five's mom, Efa.

LOCAL BUTCHER'S DEATH REMAINS UNEXPLAINED "She was the only one who was hearing that noise" PICTURED - Efa, as she was known to friends and family, will be missed. Provincial Police say they've taken possession of the body of a County Clark butcher whose death has shaken the small seaside community. Efa, as she was known to friends and family, reported for work the October morning [at ?] and [c??]. displays, and updated the carnivorous costumers on the day's offerings. Around halfway through her regularly scheduled shift, Efa complained of hearing loud, static bursts similar to those produced by AM radios searching for signal. "She was the only one who was hearing that noise," said the store manager. "We turned off everything [?]

Viktor's mom, Tatiana.

Young Woman [??] Dead in Local Natatorium Ongoing Investigation in Mysterious Death On Sunday, October 1st, a young woman was found dead floating in the pool of a local natatorium. The young woman had jumped in the pool, and a few seconds later, appeared at the surface of the pool, dead. The many witnesses, including her boyfriend at the time, said that there were no visible signs of struggle. One moment she was kissing her boyfriend poolside, and mere minutes later, she was dead. Her body showed no signs of duress, but her head seemed to have exploded, with the remains floating around her on top of the water. There is still not conclusive evidence regarding what could have actually caused this injury to the brain. It was an extremely tragic sight for all the witnesses in the pool around her. Her boyfriend, when asked for an official statement, could only say: "I will never stop until I find out what happened to her." Although the city coroner claims it was some kind of medical anomaly that caused this there must have been ulterior motives. However, some are suspicious of her boyfriend's role in her death. There is an ongoing investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death to those around her. She spent much of her time at the local pool practicing her synchronized swimming, and training for the Olympics. If her olympic dreams did not work out