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fioiswriting · 1 year ago

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The sea and the fire

“Fire and water looked so lovely together. It was a pity they destroyed each other by nature.” - R.F Kuang

Rating : will be explicit 18+ later, MDNI Pairing : Aemond x Velaryon/Strong!niece!Reader, Cregan Stark x Reader later TW : mention of blood, mention of murder. TW will be added as the story progresses. Words count : 4361 AN : Hello everyone! I'm back from the deads hehe. Sorry, I've been busy with a lot of things lately, I've had a couple of exams and I'm also in the process of writing my (second) master's thesis. Sooo anyway, I've written the first chapter of my new fanfic. Yes, it is YET ANOTHER story that involves niece!reader x Aemond and it is adapted from an RP with my girlfriend. If you're tired of this trope, if you're uncomfortable with this dynamic, I suggest you find another fanfic (there are plenty of masterpieces on tumblr anyway!! 💕). It's been on my mind for a long time, and I finally found the time to finish this first chapter. I don't know yet how many chapters there will be or how often I'll post, but I hope you like it! 💕 As always, be nice, I know there are probably some inconsistencies, but we're here to have fun, right? (BTW, I've been bingewatching Vikings and I know the fandom is kinda dead, but I want to write some x readers now)

Also, English is not my first (nor second) language, so sorry for the grammar mistakes!!

Thank you for reading!!

Chapter 1 : Silk Street

War of heart - Ruelle 🎶

The streets of King's Landing had the peculiar quality of being both enticing and repelling; like a unique, curious spectacle that you discovered with every hesitant step you took. The smell of fresh fish mingled with that of fire and sewers, tickling your nose with unfamiliar smells. It was new to you, these smells, these sounds too; the hammering of the blacksmith's tools on the metal, the shouts of the merchants, the rolling of the cartwheels on the cobblestones of the winding streets. It was different from what you were used to; the steady rocking of the waves, the calm of the rain, the ups and downs of the tides. The only turbulence in your daily life were the storms you were so fond of, and the thunder, the lightning, the wind that shook the stones and lifted the waves had an untameable yet terribly soothing aspect.

Unlike King's Landing.

If it wasn't the natural elements that threatened to unleash their wrath here in King's Landing, it was the unpredictability of the people in the streets, the danger lurking around every corner, the risk of disappearing forever into the shadows of a forgotten alley.

Apart from the hustle and bustle of the forbidden streets you were discovering for the first time after so many years - and the adrenaline rush of breaking the restriction on venturing there - King's Landing was, objectively speaking, a deadly bore.

But it was still less boring than going round in circles in the castle.

You knew it was the dream of every lady in the Seven Kingdoms to live within the walls of the Red Keep, for it had been yours for a long time. Back when you lived in your childhood bedroom - the one on the second floor - you had no trouble imagining yourself spending your life in the gardens of the Red Keep, with your husband, enjoying the strawberry cakes and the books in the great library.

After all, you and Aemond were inseparable.

But in the meantime, fate had decided otherwise, and the mild climate of King's Landing, where you were born, where you celebrated your first words and your first steps, had been replaced by the vagaries of Dragonstone's weather. It was the sea, the storm and the rain that raised you, and it was with your feet in the water, on the shingle, that you grew up.

Living in King's Landing now was different from anything you'd ever imagined before.

King's Landing tasted bland. Boring.

Your mother had promised that the stay would be temporary, a few weeks at most, just to settle some business with Alicent and Viserys - your grandfather. The aim was to find a way to keep the peace between your families, but you weren't an idiot. You knew that the rift between your families was growing wider and wider.

And that one of the only ways to prevent a total, irreparable rupture was a promise of marriage.

Then again, wasn't it your duty to be sold into marriage, to strengthen the bonds, to carry the family's shaky balance on your shoulders?

You already missed Dragonstone. You missed the sea. You missed walking on cold water.

King's Landing was like a golden prison you couldn't leave because everything around it was too dangerous.

And you were bored. You had been reading. You had been embroidering. You had wandered far and wide through the gardens. You'd listened kindly and attentively to Helaena talk about her insects, and you'd spent several afternoons sharing court gossip with Baela and Rhaena.

You spent much of your time avoiding your uncle. Or watching him from afar.

For he had changed terribly; for better or worse, you weren't sure. You only kept the memories of your shared childhood, somewhere in your heart, like a buried secret, like a triple-locked treasure you'd sworn never to open again.

The memories were painful. They created a lump in your throat, they kept you awake at night, they made your tears flow.

And that was why you locked them away and threw away the key that kept them locked.

You decided you weren't that child anymore - you stopped being that child when you went your separate ways, when you went back to Dragonstone and he stayed here. Now he wasn't the little boy you left either: he had become this cold, tall, ruthless young man. He had that cunning little smile, that air of self-assurance he wore with his head held high and his chin up.

Boredom drove you to follow Aegon into the city. He suggested it and suddenly all sense of reason left your body. Weren't you the most reasonable of your siblings, the most prudent, the most intelligent? An inexplicable feeling had urged you to accept, like two hands behind your back pushing you towards him, like a voice in your head encouraging you to abandon your model daughter's appearance: the call of transgression. Curiosity. The desire to be bold. The danger. For once you were making a decision, your own decision, without your parents or brothers knowing. You were the master of your actions, and in a way, it was an act of rebellion that gave you a feeling of freedom, that awakened a sense of excitement in you.

Ser Erryk protested, of course, when he realised your little ploy, but you had already vanished before he could stop you. You laughed as you followed Aegon, his mischievous smile at the corner of his lips as he led you through the secret passage that allowed you to sneak out of the castle, your hand in the crook of his elbow so as not to lose you.

And everything went well. You enjoyed your newfound freedom with a mixture of curiosity and fear, your body pressed against your uncle's, the hood pulled down over your forehead. You had the advantage of dark hair - the opposite of the Targaryens' emblematic features. It attracted less attention, you knew it. But your curious gaze, your round eyes that discovered the ordinary life of the lowborn must have intrigued the most observant ones, for Aegon nudged you in the ribs when he caught you looking a little too intently at the work of a craftsman.

"You make a poor peasant," he whispered in your ear. "Well... You're obviously too pretty to be a peasant, that's for sure. But try to be more discreet." He paused. "Those men are looking at you like hungry dogs" he lowered his voice. You rolled your eyes and patted him on the shoulder.

To tell the truth, you weren't comfortable with all those men giving you lecherous looks, but Aegon's presence was reassuring.

He showed you the shortcuts he knew, the secrets, the curiosities of the city, and he talked to you. You wondered if he, too, had changed. You wondered if he'd gone from that stupid, mocking, annoying child to a secretly vulnerable, secretly lonely young adult. You knew about his bad habits; alcohol and sex, but this secret escapade showed you a side of him you didn't know. When had he become nice?

"Wait for me," he said as you looked around. The streets had changed, they had become busier, and suddenly you realised that you were frightened. "I'll be quick. Don't move and keep this on your head."

You wanted to protest, to hold him back, but your uncle had already slipped away.

You were all alone in the Silk of Street.

Your heartbeat quickened. You weren't sure you'd find your way back, and Aegon had ordered you to stay there, not to move, not to talk to anyone. Fuck.

Fuck.

Had he done it on purpose? Was it a plan he'd been hatching all along, a bad joke he'd decided to play on his niece, on Rhaenyra's only daughter? Was he still the mean boy who bullied his little brother? Or did he actually have a real reason for leaving you there, all alone, in the street where brothels piled up and nobles went to satisfy their needs?

You were angry at yourself for trusting him. You blamed yourself for being so naive. You couldn't believe he'd really set a trap for you, not after the complicity you'd shared just before.

Or maybe he was just being Aegon; irresponsible and immature, oblivious to danger, and so stupid as to think that waiting for him here was a good idea.

You sighed. Tears tickled the corners of your eyes with fear, but you tried to chase them away, to swallow them down, to calm your racing heart. The last thing you needed was to draw attention to yourself.

But there were these men all around you, looking at you as if they were ready to pounce. Was this how you would end up, abducted, and sold into a cheap brothel? Murdered after serving the needs of a few old men? You shuddered at the thought.

The voices around you mingled with the tumult, blurred images drawing unidentified shapes before your eyes, and you took a deep breath to try and calm yourself, rubbing your sweaty palms against the fabric of your cloak.

"So? What do you say, girl?"

A hand on your waist.

You weren't sure you understood what the man in front of you was saying. The words were bouncing around in your head without you being able to make them out, but his hungry smile was enough to reveal their nature. You froze. He was joined by another man, and you took a step back, then a second. It was as if your body refused to obey you, as if your brain stopped working, and you hated yourself for it.

You hated yourself for being so weak.

You had a dragon. You were a Targaryen. So why were you trembling? Why couldn't you gather your courage and run, gather your courage and plunge your dagger into someone's chest, fight and scream?

One of them, the older-looking one, closed his hand around your wrist.

"Let me go!" You screamed, but the words caught in your throat, escaping your lips like a distorted cry. "Go away!"

Simple commands that couldn't get through the space between your lips with the authority you wanted.

You closed your eyes, trying to resist.

Fuck. You were going to die. You were going to be raped and then you were going to die, or be sold into sex work, or -

Something splashed in your face and suddenly you felt free.

"Didn't you hear her? She said let me go," a hoarse voice growled.

Your blood ran cold.

You knew exactly who it was.

That calm but sharp tone belonged to only one person: Aemond Targaryen.

How had he found you? Why had he found you? You opened your eyes instantly, your cheeks still red with shame. You knew you'd been irresponsible, and that wasn't in your nature at all, quite the opposite. But the fact that Aemond had caught you in such a weak position bothered and annoyed you.

It was supposed to be your secret, your act of rebellious transgression, your forbidden escapade with Aegon. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

It wasn't supposed to be Aemond rescuing you.

You opened your eyes. Facing you, the older man was kneeling on the pavement. He was clutching at his right side, blood trickling through his fingers to the ground. He was suffocating, blood pouring from his lips, but Aemond wiped the blade of his sword with a satisfied smile.

The crowd had gathered to watch what was happening, a mixture of fear and curiosity on their faces, but Aemond was already hastening to chase them away in a tone that left no room for discussion:

"There's nothing to see," he thundered. "Go away. All of you. Or I'll serve you as food for Vhagar."

The crowd dispersed, frightened; women grabbing their children by the shoulders to force them to move, barefoot beggars hurrying to gather their bowl and few coins to find another place, prostitutes closing the curtains with an irritated sigh, old men almost stumbling, and soon the street was deserted.

Despite the hood that covered his face, you could see the flat line of his grin and the cold, accusing look with which he stared at you. He was furious.

Perhaps he expected you to thank him, for Aemond approached you without a word. You looked up at him, your cheeks still red with shame. You were too proud to thank him.

And you were still too angry, too.

Angry at his silence all these years, angry that he'd let you down when you'd stood up for him, angry at the man he'd become.

"Are you coming or not?" he asked in his icy voice, his hand already closing around your wrist to force you forward, but you didn't move.

"What are you doing here?" you asked, frowning. You'd suddenly regained your repartee.

You knew you had to calm things down, thank him and follow him in silence. Accept the humiliation and beg for his silence. You knew you were making things more difficult than they already were, but that was Aemond. And once again, in front of Aemond, you had a pride to uphold.

"What am I doing here?" he repeated, his voice sharp. He froze, his dark eyes glaring at you as if you'd just insulted him. Suddenly you felt so small in front of him. "I should be asking you that question," he added dryly, obviously trying to keep the tone of his voice under control. "You're even more stupid than I thought."

The sentence had the effect of a slap in the face, and you felt your cheeks burning. Like a little girl caught red-handed, you lowered your head. What had been going through your mind? Why had you decided to follow Aegon in the first place?

Aemond lifted you with ease and slung you over his shoulder like a sack of flour, as if he wanted to be sure you would follow him, as if he feared you would escape again, as if he didn't trust you.

And in the end, perhaps he was right.

As he carried you to the Red Keep, your fists pounded on his back. Small blows that he ignored, painless on the width that was his back.

He seemed to ignore you, perhaps more annoyed that you wouldn't stay still than anything else. But you didn't need him to play the perfect knight, not when he'd been ignoring you all this time. Not when he'd barely spoken to you on your return to King's Landing. Not when he drew a line under your childhood as if nothing had happened.

Not when he kept harassing your brothers.

It irritated you. He played the role of the ideal husband-to-be, impassive and calm; as if he'd always been the knight in shining armour he never was.

"You could at least let me go," you sighed, seeing that nothing seemed to disturb your uncle's icy calm. "I know how to walk. "

He had a moment's hesitation where he stopped, and then you felt him readjust your position with a flick of his shoulder. You had no trouble imagining the corners of his lips curling upwards, painting his face with his usual insolent grin, you had no trouble imagining him chuckling at your condition.

"Stop it, you are only making it harder for us," he growled in an authoritative voice. "And if you are not happy, I can always leave you here." He paused. "I did not know you dreamed of working in a brothel."

The comment was enough to send another wave of heat up your cheeks, colouring them red, but you tried as best you could to keep your composure, as if not to betray your embarrassment in front of the prince.

You refused to show him that his remark had affected you.

You just gritted your teeth and sighed.

The position was becoming uncomfortable: Aemond's bony shoulder was digging into your stomach and your legs were going numb, as if thousands of little ants were crawling all over them.

You hoped no one would see you when you got back to the castle. Your excursion into the city was supposed to be discreet; you weren't supposed to come back with a blood-stained tunic, nor hanging over your one-eyed uncle's shoulders.

If Aemond knew anything about the impending official announcement of your betrothal, he said nothing, walking ahead of him as if you were as light as a sack of grain.

"Qybor." You whispered again, this time using High Valyrian. Uncle. You hoped the nickname would make him react. "Qybor," you repeated a little louder. "I can walk by myself now."

If the nickname had any effect on him, Aemond didn't show it. But you had no trouble imagining the stupefaction you would have read on his face had you been face to face with him. You were proud of your skills in High Valyrian: you learned faster than Jace, faster than Luke, but then again, you'd always loved books and history, languages and learning. Aemond would probably remember that, it was what brought you together as a child in the first place.

You could see the tall towers of the Red Keep in front of you, their red bricks standing out against the blue sky. From a distance, you could understand the fascination of the people. There was something great, something sumptuous about the sight of this building, and you understood why it had taken three reigns to build it.

But despite your pleas, Aemond had not moved an eye. You knew that if your uncle hadn't intervened, you would probably have ended up in a dark alley, or in a filthy brothel, used as a plaything by a bunch of drunken lords, or in the dirty hands of ill-intentioned men. The thought made a lump grow in your throat that you found hard to swallow.

You were definitely naive and stupid for agreeing to follow Aegon like that.

Still, you hadn't bothered to thank Aemond.

You had too much pride to thank him, a flaw you'd inherited from your family.

You were stubborn, never satisfied, and always had something to say.

But Aemond, it seemed, had as much - if not more - pride than you.

Your engagement promised to be surprising.

"I am serious, Aemond," you added. It felt strange to call him by his first name when you hadn't addressed him that way for years. "I am a..." strong woman, you wanted to reply, but you chose another word instead, not wanting to give him the occasion to mock you: "independent woman".

As you approached the entrance - you prayed Aemond would choose one of the secret passages, you couldn't bear the humiliation of being carried off like a piece of merchandise by your presumed future husband - he stopped and set you down. His single eye searched your face, as if looking for the slightest trace of gratitude, but he knew he wouldn't find any; he knew it would have been too easy, and he knew it wouldn't have been you.

You weren't easy.

Pulling your arm to make you walk faster, Aemond forced you to follow him, around the ramparts, glancing around to make sure no one was following you. He pulled a little harder. "Mandianna," he began, his husky voice vibrating, the tone sending a wave of heat through your lower belly.

There was something incredibly pleasing about hearing the intonations of High Valyrian roll off your uncle's tongue.

But that was Aemond. And it was out of the question for you to feel anything for Aemond.

Around the bend in the ramparts, out of sight, he slammed you against the wall, both hands pressed firmly against your shoulders to prevent you from fleeing. "What exactly did you think would happen when you went to Silk Street, tell me?"

You knew what he was thinking. That you were irresponsible. That your actions were unworthy of someone of your station, and even more so if you were to be his future betrothed. That he wondered if your time on Dragonstone had made you reckless and wild, that he wondered if he might need to teach you some manners before he could marry you.

His judging gaze swept you from head to toe. As if to say that though your father's legitimacy was often questioned, Aemond knew that you were indeed Rhaenyra's daughter.

You avoided his gaze, your eyes fixed on a point beside his face. You wanted to say something witty, but the young prince had robbed you of any chance of intelligent thought, and you hated this feeling.

"I didn't think you'd come looking for me, Qybor," you replied with a grin as you looked up at him. "I thought you were a busy man."

You felt his fingers tighten on your shoulders, his nails digging into the fabric of your cloak and tunic underneath. Your behaviour was childish, like a petulant brat, but secretly you enjoyed seeing Aemond lose his temper. You liked to push him to his limits. You liked to see the subtle signs of his irritation; the moment when he clenched his jaw, when he straightened his neck, when his breathing quickened.

If you were to marry him, then you would be poison, ready to corrupt his soul.

He grabbed the collar of your linen tunic and pushed you a little harder against the wall. "I thought you were smarter than to follow my brother into the city." His body rigid against yours kept you pinned to the wall.

The expression on his face betrayed his inner conflict: part of him thinking that he shouldn't care about his niece's actions, about you. Part of him reminding that you were soon to be betrothed.

And you knew that the thought of other men putting their hands on you, on his bride's body was lighting a fire in the pit of his stomach.

Jealousy.

Possessiveness.

Aemond was a man driven by duty. On this level, you were the same; the model son and model daughter of your respective families, charged with performing your duties to prevent the gulf that separated your families from widening.

Both the eternal seconds of your families.

Both the pride of your mothers.

Suddenly he released you. His hand found your wrist again and he pulled you through the corridors of the castle. Had anyone caught you now, your hood pulled down over your forehead, your clothes hiding your appearance, they would probably have frowned and wondered if Aemond had suddenly decided to follow in his brother's footsteps, his taste for debauchery, by bringing a common girl or a cheap prostitute into his chamber.

For at that moment, you did not look like the daughter of royal blood that you were, not with your simple linen clothes, not with the thick cloak that covered your body, not with your hair tied up carelessly. You looked like a servant girl, a smallfolk girl, not like the Pearl of Dragonstone that you truly were.

Aemond's fingers burned around your wrist. You wondered if he felt it, too. If you were causing the same effect in him.

But he was impassive, always so difficult to read. He hid his feelings, buried them under a cold, mysterious shell, as if to protect himself.

He stopped in front of the door that led to your bedroom. Fortunately, the corridor was deserted. You didn't have the courage to face your parents' disappointed looks, you didn't have the courage to realise that you had betrayed their trust, even if, for a moment, you had forgotten your duty, you had forgotten the responsibilities that weighed on your shoulders, you had tasted a feeling of freedom, so new, so delicious. A foolish act of transgression.

But you were safe and sound, and that was the most important thing.

"You'd better get changed," Aemond suggested. "It would be better if my mother didn't see you like this."

He clenched his jaw. He looked concentrated, as if he wanted to add something, as if he wanted to reprimand you but had to force himself to remain silent. An instant of silence hung between you. The urge to ask him if he was going to report your little escapade burned on the tip of your tongue, but you thought better of it.

Aemond's single eye was riveted to you. Piercingly. Fierce.

For a brief moment, a very brief moment, your uncle's ragged breathing caressed your face and your heart raced.

He was so close.

"Why? Don't you like to see me dressed like a common girl, my prince?" you asked, teasingly. Like a common girl you could bend over in some dark and gloomy street, you thought. But Aemond was not Aegon, and you felt him hesitate, as if the words had taken him by surprise. His hand, about to find your jaw and make you swallow your insolence, had stopped halfway.

You smirk. Aemond had nothing to worry about. For the official announcement of your betrothal, you had planned to wear a dress that would honour your Velaryon origins.

"Rest assured, qybor," you continued, taking a step in his direction.

Poison in his soul, you repeated in your head. That's what you'd be to your uncle. You took the time observe him, as if studying him, as if imagining the effect the words you were about to say would have on your uncle. Your eyes sparkled with mischief, and perhaps with something else. "Your betrothed is still intact for her wedding night," you finally whispered in his ear.

He held his breath. You knew that you would break down, brick by brick, the barriers he'd spent years building around his heart.

You wanted him raw.

But before you turned on your heel to enter your chamber, you summoned all the courage you had left in your body and stood on tiptoe to plant a kiss on the prince's jaw.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue, my prince."

And then, you were gone.

#aemond x reader #aemond targaryen #Aemond Targaryen x reader #aemond x you #aemond fanfiction #aemond targaryen fic #aemond x y/n #aemond x fem!reader #aemond targaryen x you #aemond x niece!reader #aemond targaryen fanfic

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quillsandblades · 24 days ago

Note

I just wondered about something so I swung by: what's your favourite thing of Hange and Levi to write? A certain characteristic of theirs that you really love and you enjoy depicting in your works??

Hey Sunny!!

I know I've been letting a couple of your asks ferment in my inbox for way too long and I'm sorry for that 😓 punctuality is clearly not my forte

So to answer your question, there are plenty of things I love writing about them - as a ship or just separate characters.

Starting with them as a ship, I just can't get over how unconventional they are. I was never one for shipping a lot but on more than one occasion couples I've seen or read made me think "they're being too sappy, weren't they just better as friends?" Maybe it was the loss of playful banter or the competition or whatever.

But when it's levihan their love language is literal shit talk, they ask about each other's bowel movements for crying out loud. Who does that??? Their banter is gold and it's a refreshing change to see them disagree and argue over things, even when they're drowning in love for each other, because it feels real. And if they're not breaking up after constant bickering over hygiene habits and tea obsession then you know they'll stick together for a long time.

It reminds me of this thing my grandpa once said lol. He used to tease grandma a lot and they'd end up arguing all the time, and when we asked him why he does that he said, "It would get too quiet and boring otherwise."

See? That's levihan right there, they're literally an old married couple 😂

There's a comfort they have in each other's presence, how they can talk about anything and don't have to look ridiculously in love all the time with grand gestures like they're trying to prove something. But they are ridiculously in love and it shows with how they're each other's best friends, how they bicker and fight, understand each other's slightest expressions, read the other one like a book and memorise it.

That's the best part for me to write 💜💚

As for writing them as individual characters. For Levi it's the moments when he wants a little peace and time for himself alone, no social interaction or times when he acts all allergic to people lol. And other than that I love writing him fight! I know I can't capture the awesome stunts he's doing in my head but it's still fun to write it.

For Hange, it's when she's in her own world, thinking a mile a minute. Even better when I can include her thought process because the excitement of discovery is always breathtaking hehe

#levihan #hange zoe #levi ackerman #attack on titan #asks #ask answered #my writing #shingeki no kyojin #sunflowersunite 🌻

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twilightmalachite · 3 months ago

Text

Wish - Spinning Thread 3

Characters: Tsumugi, Natsume, Sora

Translation: Mika Enstars

"We couldn’t find you anywhERE, so we decided to return to square oNE, and look who it iS."

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Summer

Location: Starmony Dorms Kitchen

A couple hours later, at the Starmony Dorm Kitchen…

Tsumugi: —Aaand, there we go.

Hehe, I flipped it perfectly~. Now we wait a couple minutes for the other side to cook…

Alright, it’s finished. I haven’t eaten anything since I parted with Eichi-kun yesterday, so I’m absolutely starving~.

Well, usually I’m alright going two or so days without any food, but I really don’t want be reminded of when things used to be rough if I can help it.

I’m fortunate to be able to live a life where I can fill my stomach. I should eat whenever I can.

Today, let’s be a little extravagant and top it with some whipped cream…♪

Sora: —Found Senpai at last! Secured~!

Tsumugi: Whoa, Sora-kun?! Jumping on someone out of nowhere is dangerous, so please don’t do that, okay?

I nearly spilled the whipped cream all over the fridge!

Sora: HaHa~, sorry. But, Sora was so happy to find Senpai, he couldn't help but jump on him~! ♪

Natsume: SiGH… They do often say that it’s hardest to see what’s right underneath your nOSE. We couldn’t find you anywhERE, so we decided to return to square oNE, and look who it iS.

It’s been some time since you left yesterdAY, so we did figure you’d probably be hungry when you got bACK, bUT...

Lo and behOLD, the mophead is actually hERE!

Tsumugi: Ack, ow?! Why did you hit me, Natsume-kun? And I had thought you weren’t as violent lately…

Natsume: Because you’ve made me want to hit yOU, just onCE! We’ve been looking for you all dAY, you knOW!

Tsumugi: Huh, you were looking for me? Fufufu, it makes me happy to know you wanted to see me so badly you were out searching all day~♪

Natsume: … *lands a shot to his stomach*

Tsumugi: Ough?! W-Why did you hit me even harder…?

Natsume: « Don’t get cocky, you four-eyed mop. »

Sora: Shisho~, please calm down! Shisho~ promised Sora he wouldn’t get angry~!

Natsume: …Be grateful that Sora is hERE, Senpai. Otherwise I would have already cursed you one hundred times to stop you from saying unnecessary thINGS.

Tsumugi: Uu… You’re acting kind of scary, Natsume-kun. Why are you so angry?

Sora: That would be because of Senpai’s fault. Sora’s a little angry, too.

Sora was… really, really worried, okay…?

Sora: Sora thought that maybe, Senpai went off and disappeared somewhere… Sniff…

Tsumugi: I-I’d never! Please don’t cry! You were really that worried about me?

Natsume: Of course we wERE. You were nowhere to be seen all day yesterdAY, and you didn’t respond to any of our messages and calls on top of thAT!

Tsumugi: A-ahaha, so about that, my phone battery actually had run out. And I hadn’t even realized until this morning…

As an apology for worrying you, how about some pancakes? They’re freshly made, so they’ll be delicious!

Natsume: Don’t just blatantly change the subjECT. That’s not important right nOW. InstEAD, properly tell us the details of what happenED, okAY?

Where have you been up until nOW, and what have you been doING? You’ve put us through so much woRRY, you knOW. You better have a good reason else I’ll never forgive yOU.

Tsumugi: Uu…But that puts me into a tough spot. I don’t really have all that great of a reason.

I got dismissed from my position as vice president, and just was bored with time to spend. I just strolled around the area, really.

Ah, Natsume-kun, but hear this! I finally got to go to karaoke with Eichi-kun! ♪

Well, he didn’t come into the karaoke booth. He only talked with me through a video call.

Still though, I got to spend time with him, so I really enjoyed it. ♪

Fufu, though I’d be really happy if he could sing with me in the room next time.

Natsume: « Shut your mouth. I’ll seriously kill you. »

Tsumugi: I just told the truth, so why…?!

Sora: No, no, Shisho~! Don’t get angry, didn’t Shisho~ promise~?

Natsume: …SiGH. Senpai is so insensitIVE, I just can't keep my cOOL.

I feel I’ll resort to violence if I keep trying to deal with hIM, so can I leave it to yOU, Sora?

Sora: Yes! Sora will interrogate Senpai in Shisho~’s place~!

Why didn’t Senpai come back home yesterday?

Was it because Senpai was sad he wasn’t the vice president anymore, like Sora thought?

Tsumugi: …If you ask me whether or not I’m sad, I guess I’d say I’m sad, of course.

The fact that I was dismissed from my position probably means that I wasn't doing my job as a vice president properly, after all.

Sora: Hmm. But, Senpai’s always worked super hard for the agency, hasn’t he~?

Tsumugi: Just because you work hard doesn’t mean that you’ll be rewarded.

Sora: Then, is Senpai gonna stop being vice president from now on?

Tsumugi: Yup, that’s the plan. All I was in the first place was a stand-in for President Arata.

Now that President Arata’s returned to the agency, isn't it normal to quietly let him return to his position?

Natsume: …UgH, this is exactly what pisses me off so much about yOU, Senpai.

OkAY, then if it’s normAL, then why did you go off and disappear somewhere after you got dismissED?

Tsumugi: I told you, that’s just because I was bored—

Natsume: If you were “just borED”, then you would have quietly returned heRE. But you didn’t do thAT, Senpai.

It’s because there’s something you don’t actually accept about the president’s decisION, isn’t iT?

Tsumugi: Well, that’s…

Natsume: If you won’t say iT, how about I say it for yOU, thEN?

All he’s done until now is push all his tedious work onto yOU, and the first thing he does upon return is fire yOU?

He's been goofing around overseas at his own leisURE, so who the hell does he think he iS?

Shouldn’t the first thing he do be to thank you for everything you’ve done, not let you know you’ve been dismissED?

If I were in your plACE, Senpai… I would have slugged that mAN, or cursed him to deATH!

Tsumugi: Hey, you shouldn’t say those kinds of things, Natsume-kun. President Arata wasn’t goofing around overseas, either.

Are you two really that against me no longer being vice president?

Natsume: I’m really not all that opposed to you no longer being vice presidENT, actuaLLY.

The way you were constantly too busy with your work as vice president was a problEM, actuaLLY. It'll be a good thing if you’ll be freed from all that pressure of woRK.

BuT, what isn’t good is how that decision was made without a single explanatION, or without even communicating it to yOU, Senpai.

Senpai, are you really alright with all that you worked so hard for just being taken from you with a few words from the presidENT?

Tsumugi: …I don’t mind. Better this than NewDi falling into utter chaos because I resisted.

It’s not like NewDi will disappear just because I’m no longer vice president, you know?

Even if I were to be replaced by someone else, nothing will change. The stuff I’ve been doing is work anyone else can do, after all.

…When it comes to NewDi, I’m replaceable. Nothing more.

Natsume: AhH, you seriously piss me oFF…! You know, the presidents a selfish idiot who can only see himsELF, but you’re an even bigger fucking idiot who can’t see what's going around him at aLL!

Senpai, are you going to keep convincing yourself that nothing changes whether you’re there or not forevER?

You should hurry over to NewDi, thEN. Because right nOW, NewDi is in utter chAOS.

Tsumugi: Wha…? What do you mean by that?

Natsume: It means exactly what it meANS. At this rATE, the agency might even go out of business before the president can even return from his business trIP.

[ ☆ ]

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#wish #translation #event #natsume sakasaki #tsumugi aoba #sora harukawa

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faeyun · 5 months ago

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hii, how are you? I hope you're doing well.

I just finished your dollmaker Sunghoon fic and I think it has changed me irrevocably. I've always loved themes of innocence and its subtle corruption, especially because it is so defenseless against it, and the power dynamics it comes with when it's personified. I've also always been obsessed with dolls, lambs and bunnies in media representing this corruption (cats always seem to be true neutral), but dolls in particular.

You truly have a gift for writing. It's difficult to introduce a character's fatal flaw and portray their downfall due to it. I think Sunghoon, in his obsession and pursuit of perfection, is actually not evil, as he justifies his actions to himself, and you wrote it in such a way it seemed justified to the reader as well. The reader's inability to see past the her view of Sunghoon's perfection proved to be her undoing.

I sometimes struggle to relate to characters in second person, especially when they behave in ways I would never, but with your writing style, it was so easy to slip into her body and mind. I think if you wanted to, you could definitely become a published author (I'd be no. 1 fan), as your style is compelling without being saturating or too simple, and your effortless weaving of themes into a story ensures it stays in a reader's head for weeks. It's also what draws people into re-reading it time and again.

Do you do anons? I really love your work.

hiiiii!!! ♡♡ i’m currently sick TT,,, but otherwise i’ve been doing okay!! how have you been?? and OF COURSE i do anons!!! eeeeekkk!!! i’d love for you to stick around!!! thank you so much hehe just send me what emoji you want to be!! ahhh i’m so excited!! ｡：ﾟ(つ﹏<。)ﾟ･｡ ♡♡♡

and i love love themes of innocence too!! especially when some factor comes in and corrupts that innocence! i feel like there’s so much you can do with and so many different stories you can tell and i love it so much!! especially when authors tie that in to different types of baby animals such as fawns, lambs, etc! i’m happy that you like it too hehe!! ^^ i’m so happy that you like my little story too!!!

AHHHH YOU DONT KNOW HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO ME TO HEAR THIS!!!! THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!!! (ＴｗＴ。)♡♡ but omg you are right on the money!!! it’s not that he’s evil (crazy maybe, yes!) but that he truly doesn’t see, or refuses to see, just how deep he has dug himself!! and as he justifies it to himself, he starts to justify it to the mc too! “i know how this all looks” but then immediately tries to describe how it actually doesn’t look that way ykwim? and that unfortunately unravels the both of them

i’m also so so happy to hear this too!!! i try to keep my mcs realistic within the story they’re in and actually give reason as to why they’re acting that way (even if you as the reader may not ever do such things)!! and really treat them as a character rather than a bland sheet of paper you guys as the readers can just draw yourselves on cause i personally find that boring and makes the story less impactful lmao,, so i’m glad it was easy to be able to slip in her mind and understand why she did what she did and thought what she thought!!! that makes me very happy hehe ヽ(╯▽╰)ﾉ

i actually am on the journey to become a published author!!! (it’s why i’ve been so busy ughhh,,, looking for colleges and universities and such has drained me immensely and i haven’t even gotten to the stuff needed to be an english major) it’s my dream to be a published author and put out a book i’m really proud of one day for people all over to read!! so seriously i am so genuinely grateful for all of your super sweet supportive comments!! ♡♡ it truly keeps me going!!! i’ve been really working on my writing style so to hear how many people really love it literally sends me to the moon like thank you thank you so much ily!! ๐·°(৹˃̵﹏˂̵৹)°·๐ and to hear that it’s the type that stays in your mind and makes you wanna reread my works????? i’m literally gonna start sobbing. like i’m ACTUALLY about to start crying stop omg.

thank you so much for reading!! and i’m so happy that you enjoyed my little fic hehe ♡♡ i’m really happy that you’re deciding to stick around to see what i post in the future!! ♡

#sobs and cries #﹙✉️﹚𝓫𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝓵𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀!ヽ( ˃ ヮ˂)ノˎˊ˗#﹙📨﹚𝓈𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡 𝓁𝖾𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌! (⁎˃ᆺ˂) ˎˊ˗#﹙🗒️﹚𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤! 𓄴 the dollmaker ˊ 𑁍#﹙🗯️﹚𝓯𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸! (ﾉﾟοﾟ)ﾉ ♡#sunghoon x reader #sunghoon smut #sunghoon angst #sunghoon fluff #sunghoon fanfic #enhypen sunghoon #enhypen x reader #enhypen smut #enhypen angst #enhypen fluff #enhypen fanfic

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summerendroll · 10 days ago

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here’s what i have read so far in 2025 hehe. thoughts under the cut for the curious and the nosy like me

annihilation was a re-read. lovely as always. i got a little bored rereading authority but WILL do it in my journey to reread the trilogy before getting to absolution.

the ruthless lady’s guide to wizardry was a charming window in a literary world i care not to venture deeper into aside from, perhaps, little peeks like this… ate it all up in one day because i liked the protagonist and the murder mystery element lol. a solid like 6.5/10 probably idk

raybearers is a fun one, a girl whose mother enslaved a wish-granting fairy and had a child with him all for the purpose of creating the only assassin which could kill the crown prince whos divine blood makes him immortal to all but old age and the betrayal of those who love him most. that said i dont think we needed it to be 11 whole people because we don’t actually spend much if any time with a good chunk of them and it kind of weakens the emphasis on how powerful their bond is and how much they mean to the protagonist… but otherwise it was sweet and i couldnt help but enjoy the heavy handed feminist messaging #girlboss <- saying this ironically i promise

redemptor continues raybearers energy and it’s lovely to see our tarisai making even more bonds with other women + same critique as before perhaps emphasized by a major plot point being tarisai having to form her own council and we dont even know anything about at least half of them? buuuut i started it this morning and read it all day LOL. if these were more popular zuri would be everyones little meow meow and i couldnt even argue.

the maid and the crocodile is my favorite of the three though lol it convinced me to go back and read redemptor. what can i say maybe i just enjoy the howls moving castle-likes genre i’ve found and i really liked small sade as protagonist. same feminist messaging as before but with more emphasis on disability and workers rights? mwah. want to add it to my actual bookshelf

the first emily wilde books - sadly TO ME a case where the first book is best and my interest dwindles as they go on, never got super far in the third, but tbf i didn’t think they were going to be my style at all. great autistic swaglessness on miss wilde. was fun to see her recordings of the faerie world and having to deal w the helpless dandy she unfortunately loves but my interest seems to be directly and inversely tied to their relationship status and as they became officially securely together i kind of stopped caring as much lol?

uprooted was one of my favorites of the hmc-likes and i may be biased because i’m a really big fan of how much more it lingered on the relationship between the mc and her childhood girl friend than with the love interest sometimes ?? i liked it i liked the vibe i like the cover idk. sooo much happens. i enjoyed the love interest but i have more problems with him than any of the others. tbf the mc has the same issues with him. theyre figuring it out.

where the dark stands still was another favorite as an hmc-like and the most obvious about being one lol i mean there was a literal stolen heart and a sarcastic fire-associated sprite sidekick and everything. i liked it a lot though i wont lie. i liked the writing style and our more-emo howl and u KNOW i love a fucked up house

#reading #i downloaded a bunch more epubs last night not sure what ill read next teehee #reading on my phone when my mother works at a library and i go by the other library every day i work is. probably not the BEST for my eyes #but its working its working #i was thinking earlier if ur the type who only really reads fanfiction #but u want to read more books. try finding a niche that appeals to u #like me with my howls moving castle-like romances. reading Real Books felt like a chore to me #after finishing a bachelors in english lit. yeah. so little romances like that:#with a particular shape for the premise and for the mcs and their dynamic… that made it feel much easier to dive in

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goddevouringserpent · 1 year ago

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9 people I'd like to get to know better

tagged by @dujour13 , thank you so much!! this was fun hehe 💜

three ships: OH MAN this is a tough one... I'm gonna make things easier on myself and say that, in honour of Femslash February coming up relatively soon, I'll only pick F/F ships, because otherwise I'll be here for an eternity:

Yunia (my Tarnished)/Ranni, if only because I have been rotating them in my mind a LOT recently, especially since @takers-flames helped me figure out a bit of Yunia's backstory

Gideon/Harrow

Kaija (my Knight-Commander)/Camellia. let's go, toxic yuri, let's goooo

last song: Halcyon by Spiritbox! I am normal about Spiritbox I can stop listening to Spiritbox whenever I want

last film: uhh. okay so I am not much of a film-watcher at all. I really should be watching more films because the major I'm going to be starting this year has an entire module regarding film, but IDK I just always have trouble with them. so my answer is the very boring "I legit can't remember, which means either it's been ages since I watched a movie or the last movie I watched did not leave a strong impression on me and I Forgor 💀"

currently reading: alternating between Tesis sobre una domesticación, by Camila Sosa Villada, and Buddha's Little Finger—or Chapayev and the Void, depending on the edition?—by Victor Pelevin (the latter being a recommendation by my bestie, @hate-not-wanting-a-name). I'm, unfortunately, a very slow reader, because being an editor means I spend most of my time reading anything but what I would actually like to be reading, which also kind of limits my reading energy

currently craving: so I actually am craving two things, kind of like superposed cravings? on one hand—so the other day I went out for some coffee with my aunt & I had a slice of key lime pie and a pistachio-flavoured frappé, both of which were absolutely heavenly and I could really, really, really go for that exact combo right now. aside from that? sushi. I'm in a perpetual state of Craving Sushi. no matter the hour, if I've already eaten, if I'm hungry or not, how I'm feeling, I always want sushi. it's a curse 😔

since I've already mentioned Joy and Walkeri on this post, let's just say that counts as a tag lol (only if you want though! no pressure), & as for the remaining 7 tags... uuhh no idea who's done it and who hasn't so I'm open tagging!

#Maia speaks #my ass sitting here at nearly 6 am like Ough I want coffee and pie and Infinite Sushi

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m1ckeyb3rry · 1 year ago

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“Does she think her brother’s a freak?” Is CRAZY HAHAHA I LAUGHED SO HARD but fr!! I’ve seen some people draw what they think she’d look like and honestly some are great!! Some just kinda slap his hair shape plus some like extension looking long hair on LMAOO I feel like she’d look really stylish tho?? Not sure if she’d have the whole right angle but maybe her hair looks like feathers?? Maybe someday I’ll try drawing her LOL Kaneshiro please just sneak in a panel with her watching the game orz

And REAL!! There’s so many different avenues to love I sometimes hate that a lot of culture rn is like…if two people are really close and have a deep connection they MUST want to get into each others pants and it must be romantic and that’s it and I’m like…what about loving your friends or family etc T-T

First selection Barou is trauma inducing sometimes LOL I’m so glad he developed the way he did!!

HAHA yeah the color version is a liiiittle off but you’re so right Karasu can pull anything off <3 I wanna imagine that maybe it’s supposed to be more of a navy color that isn’t so bright but conceptually I’m living for it!! Love the trench coat turtleneck fit. I’m NGL when I read his egoist bible entry I had to stop and think like…wtf is an index in this context….but it’s so funny LOL (oh my god Reo’s outfits are atrocious…you’d think with such a large wallet he’d be exposed to some taste but apparently not)

ANGST!! So true I’m ngl though I think my fav is usually a sort of middle ground…angst and then fluff or comfort because sometimes I’ll lose my mind if it just ends on a sad note and my thoughts will spiral HAHA but also I LOVE the fluff in fwtkac….so good…sometimes I need something without heart wrenching drama LOL white butterfly I feel like was a perfect mix….i feel like the angst was so developed in that way because it explores the emotions more…? I don’t think I’m articulating this perfectly but sometimes I feel the angst trope will ONLY jump to just character death (not that it’s bad! I love a good ultra angsty piece from time to time) but like theres different ways to developed and make something heartbreaking without killing someone off (and in a way being able to do that just shows the skills of a writer!!) but the way you wrote wb…like building up the relationship and then cruelly ripping them apart right as y/n sorts out her feelings…..too good…

Naive little freak Hiori <333 I can’t with him it’s too funny like he really believed all that between the fake backstory and the honey and all that LOL

HAHAH I LOVE OUR BESTIE!!! She’s so funny and a real one fr I can’t wait to read that Otoya slander is always so funny

SMALL HORSE NAGI so true LOLL I was originally shocked but I can definitely see it now….reminds me of maybe a lazy samoyed hehe

The globe emoji eyes have me dying HAHA but fr!! Honestly he’s def no smooth talker and wouldn’t really participate in friendly banter I feel…the most I can imagine is him being like the tsundere trope that people love using…otherwise it’s just “lukewarm” for everyone LOL

HORSE RIDING WAITT THATS SO COOL!!!! I’ve had friends who did equestrian and honestly it looks so cool but def a lot of hard work!! Do you have horses yourself? Or what breeds do you work with omg I’m kinda curious but yess living it up at the parties!! I’m crying honestly that would be me just whipping out my phone and opening tumblr when things get boring HAHAHA

Kinda unrelated but all this talk about the novel and bible content made me crack open the Bible again and look….i almost completely forgot about his lore with Marisa?? I’m ngl I feel like that could make for an interesting drama thought (just wanna preface no pressure for anything at all I’m just rambling on about some thoughts I had LOL)….maybe I got brainwashed by kdramas but I sometimes find well-done jealousy or miscommunication to be really entertaining…like idk imagine he runs in Marisa with y/n (obviously like the mature dude he is he’s over her but I’d bet it’d make for some fun drama LOL) or maybe Marisa’s still hung up over him OR if he used that moment to get back at y/n for the insults in fwtkac?? Anyways

The scene in the car where he passes y/n the aux in fwtdac made me curious abt his music taste to see if maybe it is atrocious and the Bible says his favorite song is “Fly” by Grapevine?? I’m listening to it now and um..well…I mean it’s not my style per se but it could be worse?? At least it’s not like some jojo siwa song I guess but uh…I’ll let you listen to it first. I mean. It’s very Karasu, I think. I won’t hate on it! I’ll just say it’s not going into my playlist LOL

Also seeing fanart Lowk makes me think…this is just a general random thought but I feel like Karasu owning a pet bird (or birds) would be so funny LOL I know his motif is a crow and some people in Japan have crows as pets?? But imagine him having like a goofy little parrot that talks and sings (I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen on tiktok or anywhere but some parrots love singing “bacon pancakes” LOL or goofy little songs and they’re SOO CUTE)!! I’m a little bit of a bird nerd and I feel like he’d train like one of the really smart birds like an African Grey or an Ringneck to do fancy tricks and talk and all that…or he could have a funky like Quaker parrot that likes to sing and dance or one of those larger macaws that leave nut shells everywhere LMAO Like you imagine him having maybe some really scary or sharp looking pet based off his first impression like a Doberman or German shepherd maybe but instead he pulls out a goofy looking bird that’s his pride and joy

- Karasu anon

(With each ask my word count increases LMAO)

soooo many of the bllk boys have sisters that i bet are so gorgeous!! apparently OTOYA has two?? i bet they are so disappointed in him LDDKSNSNS if my brother was acting the way eita does w girls i’d beat his ass 😭 actually funny story one of the bllk sisters makes an appearance in the next part of fwtkac (and it’s not karasu’s!! although she is also mentioned a couple of times)

yesss i think it’s a symptom of western society’s emphasis on the nuclear family!! i think that’s also why a lot of friendships in animanga tend to be seemingly romantic-coded — as someone who is the daughter of immigrants from india, i know that familial relationships and friendships are thought of as much more important over there and people are more openly affectionate with their friends!! my brother and i always joke that our dad and his bff are actually a couple just because of how close they are but it’s really because they’re from a culture where it’s normal to be like that w your friends which i’ve always found interesting but also super healthy (not that those societies don’t have their problems hehe just smth i’ve noticed)

HELP because first selection barou looked so weird like his proportions were so interesting in a negative way?? and honestly in the first match when he was w naruhaya…joining isagi made him glow up physically as well as mentally 😫 him in bm vs ubers holy shit 😳 sooooo fine

JFKSJSJA in reo’s defense i do think a lot of designer clothing is so ugly so honestly i bet his clothes are actually super expensive but because of that they look goofy asf 😓 also yeah karasu being into stocks and whatnot is so random but also fitting?? the way he canonically plays like city management games and whatnot is so funny he is such a loser pretending to be cool

oh i agree i think angst is harder to write than anything else!! it’s very hard to strike a balance between actual sadness/emotional impact and just gratuitous violence where you’re killing everyone off for no reason. even in my saddest stories i sprinkle in funny/light moments because they actually make the angst hit harder than if it’s straight depression all of the way through.

the high quality honey bruh karasu was just pulling stuff out of his ass he is so evil i love him 😔 to be honest i think he and otoya truly are the best representation of teenage boys like some of these soccer dudes are way too serious but tabieita keep it real 😭 like yes they love soccer and they’re really good at it but out of all of the characters they feel like the only ones who would not gaf if they got kicked out of bllk because they have other interests and things to do. like barou or bachira without soccer for example would probably crash out and live miserable lives but i think karasu and otoya would be like “okay 👍” and move on which i love abt them!!

FWTKAC BESTIE IS SO FUNNY to me i love writing her which is why she’s slowly becoming more and more prominent w each part 😭 she’s also the perfect vehicle for otoya slander because as sassy as y/n is she’s going to be too busy hanging out w karasu during the bllk break to waste her energy beefing w his new bestie

i’ve always seen nagi as a great pyrenees!! they just have that fluffy white bear vibe to them that he gives off. but samoyed is also so real!!

there’s no teal circle emoji so i figured a mix of blue and green was my best bet 😫 but yeah in rin’s eyes a compliment is like “you’re less lulewarm than most people” and then he walks away and you’re like 😟 because what does that even mean?? i think he as a character would work much better as a second lead/unrequited love…one day perhaps i’ll write it but who knows i don’t want the rin fans to be sad because he gets passed over for someone else

THANK YOUUU i’ve dabbled in a lot of types of riding but i’ve settled on dressage for the past few years because jumping is too stressful for me. i had my own horse for a while!! he was an off-track thoroughbred so he used to be a racehorse and i retrained him to jump and do dressage and whatnot. i did have to sell him unfortunately because of school 😕 atm i ride other people’s horses so it’s basically whatever i can get a hold of!! it’s definitely so much fun but a lot of work for sure. the worst is when it’s summer and blazing hot but you’re in full pants, knee high boots, and gloves because that’s just what you wear when riding 😪

PLEASEEE my friends finding guys to hookup with vs me writing fanfiction on my phone and ignoring anyone who approaches me…sorry but y’all do NOT bear an uncanny resemblance to a crow so i’m going to have to pass 🙄 /j

I AM SUCH A KDRAMA FIEND HAHAHA omg i’m going to add marisa into the next part of fwtkac (which is already getting to be long…i think it might end up being close to fwtkac in length HAHA it’s already at 6k words and reader is still watching the bllk vs u20 match we haven’t even reunited w karasu yet)

that is such a random song for him to like 😭 i think the author probably chose it as a pun (“fly” because he’s a bird HAHA) but honestly he gives the vibes of someone who listens to podcasts HELP like when he drives in the car it’s just some finance bro bullshit and he listens w the UTMOST sincerity…the real reason he doesn’t tell y/n his music taste is because he doesn’t have one 😔💔

fun fact i actually have an ringneck!! but it doesn’t live w me it’s at my grandparents’ back in india 😓 i got him one summer when i was young and they said they would take care of him so he just chills over there!! he’s a good boy although he does not talk 🙁 karasu gives me such cat energy like i know in my heart and soul that his family owns a cat…but i could also see him having like a pair of budgies (one green and one blue because he’s basic) or a cockatiel!! or maybe like a green cheek conure hehe i love conures (also a big bird fan here). imagine pulling up to his house and he’s just standing there with one budgie on his left index finger and the other on his right PLSSS and he’s so excited to show them to you too 😭😭😭 he’s so cringe i love him

i’m hoping to post the next part of fwtkac soon anon so i will get to work on that 🫡 until next time…as always i love reading your asks!!

#answered asks #five ways to kill a crow

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sorryimananti-romantic · 6 months ago

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HI BEAM OMG I'M EXCITED TO READ YOUR REVIEW DFGJHD:

yes omg this is me making use of the whole kpop (and actors) industry in here again you'll see lmao (it's so hard to keep track of your side characters if they're named randomly right? 😭)

omg luna is such a lovely name but to hear your mom be like 'short for lunatic' too KJDFHGDHFG okay mom 😭😭

yepp the crescent company is kind of catchy but then again i'm also a basic b who can't remember her own stuff so i be recycling the same few names in every fic if you haven't noticed already 💀 but yes this time it's more immersive def

AHAHA well i'll be doing a short recap before every chapter so hopefully yall don't have to take notes i hope 💀 but i'll also be releasing a character book + timeline soon so hopefully that's helpful when refreshing your memory dkfghdjfg but yes i hope this fic helps you with the political intrigue stuff anyway <3

YES BIG SCARY YUNHO vs soft sunshine yuyu (this comparison won't last too long bc again i can't resist writing yuyu)

AHAHA yes yunho is the consigliere but also yes they're kind of in charge of different parts of the business as you'll see later hoho AND YES had to get sth going in chap 1 (otherwise this series would have become 10 chaps longer 💀💀)

i have a feeling that you're gonna love the rv spies hoho

YEOSANG HAD TO PULL THE 'you're fired' AS IF LUNA WASN'T ALREADY RECOVERING FROM THE PREVIOUS NIGHT

ahaha thank you i was haha heheing when i wrote that line dfkghjf

yepp jihoon is absolutely right on that one bc you'll see how tightly knit the crescents are and how they go all the way back and then comes luna with barely two years of bookkeeping already in the main office (tho this was the crescents' trying to keep her close for info)

AHAHAHA yes she's sketching (bc she likes hwa or bc she's coping? who knows) and then the interaction with yunho hehehehehe

thank you so much for this lovely review, beam! yepp it's gonna be a very bumpy ride, but i hope it never gets boring! thank you so much for reading!

The Leaders | Chapter I

"this is the underworld that no one escapes from."

masterlist

ot8!ateez x f!reader, mafia au

chapter warnings: mentions of violence, gangs, drinking, shooting, near-death experience, illegal businesses, seonghwa and yunho are major assholes in this chap, san and yeosang have warmed up, mention of killing, etc

chapter wc: 9.8k

chapter synopsis: it is the year 1970 in eden when an attack on the crescent bar prompts you, the bookkeeper, to carry out yeosang’s order and flee with the contents of the safe. however, you are unlucky to have discovered an unknown, suspicious package that sentences you to an early death. left with no choice, you reveal secrets about the underworld to the crescents and their underboss that even they are not aware of. will this gamble prove to be fruitful?

It was very easy to get lost in the liveliness of the Crescent Bar. Despite being stationed away from the heart of it all, you often found yourself distracted by the chatter of a couple who would occasionally pop in for a drink, the hushed whispers of a group of men who would be looking over their shoulders every few minutes, the hearty laughter that would suddenly fill the hall and spread warmth in its wake, or simply, a lone traveller who would be swaying to the light music that you were actually sick of hearing but didn’t have the heart to complain about.

It was now second nature to jot in an observation or record transactions on an hourly basis, just like it was natural for you to take over the cashier’s place so the poor girl could take a break and move around. You no longer felt your hair rise every time you overheard a piece of information that you knew Yeosang or San would like to hear, nor did you feel your pores opening to release sweat every time they glanced your way– just like San did now, just having entered the bar and sent his trademark flirty smile in your direction.

“Restock champagne on table two, right away!”

“On the way!” You shouted instead of the new girl who was currently finding it hard to multitask. You didn’t have to worry about a thing– Yuju, the head of staff, noticed everything as if she had eyes in every corner of the bar. She would make sure to let the girl know that she was doing well with an encouraging pat to her back.

“They’re going to empty our inventory tonight,” Eunbi shared a grin with you. “We’re going to have to check the stock again.”

“I’ll take that– ask Jeonghan to wake the hell up and make sure we don’t run out,” you requested, sliding over to the cash register and typing in the latest entry, marking it with today’s date of 3rd April, 1970. Eunbi urged the waiters to speed up before rushing to the empty table at the left corner of the bar where Jeonghan was resting. She delivered the message with a smack and Jeonghan, who was never really asleep but just had a knack for pretending that he found the loud and bustling atmosphere of the bar relaxing, groggily walked across the hall to the door that led downstairs to check stock- or to get an actual nap. You would find that out later.

“Luna,” San greeted you with your nickname and you nodded in greeting– the nickname stuck with you after Jeonghan once called you Luna. Everyone started calling you by that name afterwards but only a handful knew it was short for lunatic and you intended to keep it that way.

You had no desire to use your real name anyway.

“Busy night?” San slid on the stool not far from you, Eunbi passing him a sweet smile before she started to pour Black Shadow for him- a staple of the Crescent Bar as the only supplier of the famous and well-loved Utopian wine in all of Eden. San swirled the red wine in his glass casually before downing it in one gulp and Eunbi refilled it before passing the bottle to you, going to attend to more pressing matters than one of the owners casually lounging to chat.

“Kind of,,” you turned to grab yourself a glass and San poured the wine for you. The clinking of your glasses echoed even in your loud surroundings and you took a sip, taking in his appearance- you assumed he must be returning from business since he was wearing a formal black suit, though he ditched his coat at the entrance. The white sleeves were rolled up, revealing his sturdy forearms with a thick silver watch on his left wrist and a silver band on his index finger- one you had never seen him without.

Your eyes travelled up to his face- tendrils of slick hair falling on his forehead. Choi San was one of the most attractive men you had ever seen, and hardly anyone could deny that.

The problem was that perhaps, he really did not realise how painfully attractive he was. The man was far too humble for his own good, despite being one of the most dangerous and powerful men in Eden.

“Heard something interesting of late?” He inquired routinely. It was always a bit more casual with him as compared to Yeosang. Yeosang was the boss around here, yes, but San was the one who kept things under control. The pair of them worked together very harmoniously and you admired that, even though you had qualms about whatever they were doing- whatever you thought they were doing. Almost two years here and you still had no idea just what it was that their gang did.

Gang, you called them though they preferred ‘organisation’. The cops preferred ‘criminal organisation’ but you supposed it was just semantics at this point. Their name was Ateez- you never heard that term directly from any of their mouths, but even a child recognised that name and knew to avoid them- or avoid trouble with them.

But officially, they were the Crescent Company, owner of the Crescent Bar and other businesses in Eden.

“Just politics,” you finished the rest of your drink, adjusting the lone pearl ring on your right hand. “Everyone’s a little antsy with what happened at the protest. They think it’s Assemblyman General Wi’s gang.”

“General Wi would never interfere like that, though,” San scoffed in amusement- perhaps he genuinely found the idea of a man like Major General Wi resorting to dirty means hilarious. “He’s far too smart for that.”

“He is,” you had to agree. “But who else to blame? Only someone from the military would dislike people protesting against martial law. There’s only one candidate for presidency who’s got influence in the army. They think General Wi’s success in the elections would mean the army would control the state.”

“Isn’t the army somewhat controlling the state already, though?” San pondered. “President Lee has ties with the army too.”

You may have gotten used to interacting with the most feared gang in Eden, but the mention of President Lee still made you shiver involuntarily. San had noticed it one too many times and though he hadn’t asked for an explanation, you were sure you would lack the words to describe this sentiment anyway. “President Lee… cannot be controlled by the army, or anyone for that matter. General Wi may be smart but he’s still easily influenced when met with someone of a higher status- that’s what I heard,” you added the last bit hoping it wouldn’t sound like a personal opinion.

San raised a brow at your comment- you often tried (and failed) to mask your personal opinions under the guise of news but whenever you shared something, he made sure to listen- and listen beneath what your words tried to cover up. He often found your opinions and predictions regarding politics holding some weight and he wasn’t quite sure if you were subconsciously very observant or purposely pretending to be unaware. He once asked you how you knew so much but when you didn’t discuss any information with him for a few weeks, he took the hint. You only reported officially to Yeosang and he could bet you found it easier to talk to him about these things because he wasn’t one to probe.

“Keep me updated,” San said and you nodded. “Yeosang must be inside?”

“He’s actually in Room no. 1- he has visitors.”

“Visitors?” San frowned. “Who?”

“Lieutenant Jeong and co.,” you said and San shook his head at the way you so formally addressed the man. He had told you before that no one ever referred to him as the ‘lieutenant’ but you didn’t know how else to refer to him. “I was in the office earlier so they decided to take the room.”

“That’s okay, I’ll pop in there,” he grabbed a handful of nuts from the counter before walking to the backside of the bar, disappearing in the shadows as he reached the VIP area. You took a deep breath, your mind once again wandering to the ‘guest’.

Lieutenant Jeong Yunho was not a guest here at all. He belonged here. If you thought Choi San was intimidating, you were wrong. You still recalled the first time you saw him right outside the bar, all roughed up, wiping the blood off his face with his sleeve but not a single scratch on him while a group of men around him writhed on the floor, clutching their mangled limbs. He met your eyes and your heart sank in the worst way possible- worse than the moment you were disowned by your own father. It was simply fear, and you hated feeling fear. You made up your mind to avoid him from then on but there was only so much you could do when you worked at the place he owned.

Oftentimes he came into the bar in the late hours of the night after wrapping up things in the main office and sat right where San had been sitting earlier in front of you, drinking the strongest wine available in silence- perhaps to sort his thoughts out. He didn’t mind you sitting near him and doing your paperwork, and you didn’t make him feel uncomfortable unlike the others who could not stop stealing glances at him- it wasn’t that you didn’t want to, but you simply could not. You didn’t want him to find out what kind of an effect he had on you.

Especially when he had the warmest laughter and his entire demeanour shifted around his comrades. It intrigued you because he felt like two different persons in one vessel. That was the only time you would allow yourself to steal glances at him- when he was distracted enough. Otherwise you didn’t dare look at him in fear that he might find something about you that you had been struggling to hide all your life.

Eunbi came back after serving a group of guests, whispering, “This one table- they were awfully quiet when I went to serve them. I don’t know if it’s because they’ve got some gossip they don’t want anyone to hear or if they’re going to try something stupid.”

You looked at her- Eunbi’s instincts were usually spot-on. “Which table?”

“Over there,” she glanced at the corner and sure enough, the group of four was already looking in your direction. You pretended to be unaffected, asking her to take over the register. While casually strolling towards the door that led to the basement at the other end of the hall, you passed their table, noticing how they resumed talking only after you were out of earshot.

Something was up. You went downstairs to see Jeonghan napping on the couch.

“Oi,” you poked his thigh and he stirred, opening an eye. You knew he wasn’t really asleep- he wasn’t one to let his guard down, but you supposed he could have his moments of peace. “Stock?”

“Enough for tonight but I’ll place an order for tomorrow before we leave,” he said. “What’s up?”

“There’s a group at table seven. Four young men, armed with guns, awfully quiet and jumpy. Care to take a look?”

“They could have just lost a bet. They might be collecting the remnants of their pride- you tend to do that in silence,” Jeonghan mused.

“Yeah, well, I’d rather you make sure,” you said. “Lieutenant Jeong is here. They’d be stupid to try anything- anything at all, even if it’s just throwing a tantrum.”

“Ah,” Jeonghan got up and smoothened his long dark hair. “I suppose I’ll ask them if they require a better drink to down their shame.”

“Whatever,” you sniggered before going back to your position upstairs. You watched Jeonghan don his jacket as he entered the floor and he looked around, meeting eyes with the group and you both noticed two things-

That their hands went to their hip where the weapons rested, and that they exchanged quick glances with each other. Jeonghan looked at you and you shook your head, urging him to skip the plan and alert the others- it might be an attempt at robbery or worse, but they were so stupid to do that, especially tonight.

“You’ve restocked their drinks?” You asked Eunbi.

“They just ordered another, Soojin is going to refill their drinks-”

“The new girl?” You shook your head, “She’s been jumpy all night. Stop her, right now. They’re armed, they might do something stupid-”

Before you could finish the sentence or Eunbi could carry out your order, the loud shatter of glass made you both flinch and hold on to each other as you ducked, splinters raining down on you and making you both hiss in pain when some of them met your skin. You tucked Eunbi closer before you raised your head over the counter to assess the situation-

Chaos was the word. Eunbi had been right to be suspicious- the men were now pointing guns at whoever dared to move and another gunshot sounded followed by a guttural yell of the waiter whose arm took the blow. You met eyes with Soojin who stood frozen in the middle of the room and you motioned for her to stay that way.

“No one move!” One of the men shouted, wide eyes relaying the threat. “I’ll shoot you if you move!”

“I’m going to take the register and go to the office,” you whispered to Eunbi who shook her head furiously.

“It’s too dangerous- they’ll shoot you,” Eunbi held your arms in panic but you pried her hands away, squeezing them assuringly.

“I’ll be fine- they won’t spot me. I have to hurry,” you told her and before she could insist, you started crawling away from her, keeping close to the wall and moving towards the backside of the bar, avoiding the shards of glass as best as you could. You had orders to follow- orders Yeosang trusted you would follow at a time like this. You could not disappoint him now after everything he had done for you.

The office was the nearest room from where you sat crouched and if you made a dash for it, you could probably go unnoticed- if the instigators didn’t catch movement from the corner of their eyes. They were too busy forcing the customers to line up against the walls so you could take this chance-

Without thinking any further, you gathered the material of your skirt and thanked the lord that you wore boots instead of your usual heels today as you took a few large steps to disappear into the shadows, now successfully out of their vision. You silently unlocked the door and entered the empty office, taking a deep breath once inside, the adrenaline rush making your head spin. After stealing just a few seconds to calm down, you opened the drawers to make sure nothing of importance was there and then you bent down to access the locker under the desk-

The locker of which you had the key to all this time, but never once checked the contents of. You remembered when Yeosang promoted you from cashier to bookkeeper and told you that not all their transactions were legal- you just had to keep a record and stay shut about it. That, you could do. You kept the key on you at all times, and you took it out from the inside of your skirt’s waistband, unlocking the safe and gathering the two registers and a small packet wrapped way too much to figure out what it held inside. You held the things close to your chest as you made your way out, peeking first to see if the commotion had moved away from your eyeshot.

You took a turn to the narrow space at your right that led to the back exit, but that was not your destination- the room at the end of that corridor had a passageway that led to another exit in the alley. You slowed down at the sound of footsteps and you wondered if they were coming from right behind you-

Before you knew it, you were being pulled inside the room with a twirl that ended up with your back slamming against the wall, a gasp producing from your lips and freezing midway when you realised just who had pinned you against the wall-

Lieutenant Jeong. And he did not look pleased.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Carrying out orders,” you breathed, realising just how tall and broad he was now that he was in front of you, bending to reach your height. You clutched the registers tighter reflexively, your left wrist still in his strong grip. “I’ve been instructed to flee with the contents of the safe in case of an attack.”

“By who?”

“Kang Yeosang,” you said, though you figured he already knew the answer. “I have the key.”

The man scanned you slowly as if that would give him all the answers to the questions he wasn’t asking. He knew you were the bookkeeper, but did he not know that Yeosang trusted you enough with this?

The sound of a few rushed footsteps caused him to let go of your wrists and you rubbed the skin there. It was Yuju accompanied by the manager, Mingyu, and they told Yunho that there were more men outside now.

“Did you figure out who’s behind the attack?” Yunho asked.

“Probably Chan’s gang,” Mingyu huffed, looking at you and relaxing when he saw that you were safe. “I’m going back to get the rest of the employees.”

“I’ll stay here and make sure they get out safely,” Yuju nodded, noticing the items you were clutching. “Luna- go. We’ll call you when things settle down.”

You looked at Yunho- though you didn’t need his permission, you knew that he could very well ruin things for you. He didn’t trust you- he had no reason to. He told you to wait and disappeared out of the room and Yuju widened her eyes in confusion.

“I mean… I can understand,” you shrugged. “Is everyone okay back there?”

“I don’t think they knew that Yunho and his lackeys were here,” Yuju folded her arms, hugging herself. “They’re going to regret it. Whoever it is… they’ll make him regret ever coming up with this plan.”

“Even if it was just San and Yeosang, they couldn’t have won,” you said and Yuju agreed. “They both go a little crazy too.”

“But Yunho-” she shivered. “He’s something else.”

Your lips twitched in amusement despite the gravity of the situation and moments later, Johnny- Yunho’s assistant- appeared, looking battered.

“I thought it was a gunfight- why does it look like you were in a catfight?” Yuju commented, slumping down on one of the chairs and Johnny shot her an annoyed look.

“One, I didn’t have a gun on me. Two- they touched my hair!” Johnny huffed and you looked at the man in disbelief, all the impression you had of him going down the drain. Yuju was familiar with Johnny so she didn’t seem very surprised at his childish outburst. “Anyone who messes with my face will get worse in return.”

“Understandable,” you muttered. “Can I go now?”

“Oh, you’re staying here,” Johnny urged you to take a seat. “You’re not going anywhere- Yunho’s orders.”

“Wow, okay,” you sank down on the chair. “And you don’t have a gun? If someone comes here and tries to take these away from me?”

“They’ll have to get past me, you don’t need to worry,” he grinned. “You can relax.”

You could, but you were far too nervous to. You didn’t realise how badly you were rocking your legs until Eunbi entered and you groaned in relief to see she was unscathed. “They almost shot me. I can never get used to this.”

“You will get used to it, one day,” you told her, holding her hands and Eunbi squeezed it with an anxious smile, wondering if that was why you seemed mostly unaffected.

The rest of the employees came one by one in a matter of a few minutes, recovering from the initial shock though it quickly wore off since all of you had experienced something like this at least once- and working in a bar owned by a gang, it was bound to happen anyway. Everyone knew better than to call them a ‘gang’ to their face, though- they had spent years to make their business and organisation legal.

Somewhat legal, you would argue as their bookkeeper who knew that wine wasn’t the only thing being consumed here. Your hand that was clutching the packet in its grip itched in answer and you looked at it in suspicion.

The few new employees like Soojin were definitely in shock and Yuju did her best to calm them down. Johnny was kind enough to crack jokes to lighten the mood and you were glad to see it was working. Some people really were here to make a living and you were sure you were going to lose a few employees after this incident.

The door opened and Yeosang entered, looking unharmed, almost unfazed. He talked with Yuju first in hushed voices- probably something about the damage they would have to deal with. When he spotted you, he smiled and called you over. You got up and followed him outside to the corridor.

“Glad to see someone followed their orders,” he commented.

“I would have gone to that building you’ve told me about but…”

“Yunho stopped you, I know.” He was going in the direction of Room no.1 where he had previously been in with Yunho but when you entered, you found not only San but Park Seonghwa as well, looking as posh as ever.

The underboss of Crescent Company, he was the one person in all of the gang that you truly had respect for- it didn’t matter that Park Seonghwa was a criminal. You had once seen him help a lost child find his mother, and another time seen him carry a cat with a broken leg in his arms, and that had changed everything. Not only you but the whole town was aware that Park Seonghwa was a man that possessed a functioning heart unlike most of the gangsters here.

However, you were soon going to find how wrong you had been.

“Miss Jeon, please, make yourself comfortable,” Seonghwa’s calm voice sounded and you looked at Yeosang instinctively- what was happening? He only smiled though it didn’t quite meet his eyes, pouring you a drink which you downed- you needed it now more than ever.

“I’m glad to see you’re alright,” Seonghwa said. “You have the contents of the locker?”

“Right here,” you placed them on the desk and Yunho shifted in discomfort.

“Thank you for keeping them safe,” the underboss took a deep breath. “I understand that you’ve been working here as the bookkeeper for a considerable amount of time now?”

“About a year, yes,” you straightened, suddenly aware of the tension in the room- even San appeared to be squirming, playing with the ends of his sleeves- you’d never seen him fidget like this. “What is this about, if I may ask?”

“And you… do you have some family? Someone you’ve been caring for?”

“Not in Eden, no,” you confirmed.

“Do you have any idea of what these items are?”

“That’s my registers,” you nudged the thick books. “I’ve recorded every transaction here, legal or not. And this…” you held the package in your hand. “I’m afraid I do not know, but if I have to assume… probably the drugs we slip to our VIPs here.”

Seonghwa met eyes with Yeosang who sighed. “I told you. She does not know, but she can be trusted.”

“We have a policy, Yeosang. I know we trust our employees, but the trust can only go so far.”

“If you could tell me what this is about,” you gritted your teeth, knowing fully well where this was going. “Maybe you should just talk to me, Mr. Park.”

“Well, here’s the thing,” he turned his attention to you, fixing his coat. “We cannot let you go since you’ve seen that,” he pointed at the package and you realised that it was not the drug that you were aware of.

But if not that, then what was it? You shook it slightly and felt the rustling of something powdery. It had to be a drug.

“And?” You countered. “I was assigned by one of you to take this and flee in case of an attack. I’ve simply followed orders.”

Seonghwa’s brow rose subconsciously and he shared a look with Yunho who looked amused- amused? You knew that people didn’t usually talk back to those in power, but you had once been there. They didn’t know that you once had power- some semblance of it, at least.

“I’ll be forward with you- we are not allowed to share that with anyone outside our circle, and anyone who does see that is subject to execution.”

You looked at Yeosang in disbelief- he knew that, yet he had still assigned you to carry out this job for him. He could have asked anyone, but he chose you, even when he knew Kihyun had recommended you. Kihyun, the leader of the longest standing gang here and Ateez’s partner. He knew how desperate you were for some stability in your life, yet he chose you.

“I chose you because I trusted you,” Yeosang offered, not meeting your eyes lest he saw how betrayed you felt. It didn’t matter anymore, though.

“You can’t kill me,” you told Yeosang. “You know who recommended me.”

“I’m sure they will understand,” Seonghwa answered in his stead.

“No, actually,” you tossed the packet on the table and folded your arms, liquid courage making its way up unfiltered as you met Yunho’s eyes- the one thing that you hid from him- from all of them. “I’m sure I’ll be much more useful alive.”

Yunho scoffed loudly, not quite believing the shift in your demeanour and the calculation in your voice, but Seonghwa leaned forward as if to question the sheer audacity that you displayed, and if you knew any better, you would have backed down and accepted your predetermined faith, but-

You still had unfinished business. You still had to take down the men of Eden who possessed power yet wielded it against their homeland. You still had to get back at your father for disowning you. You were far from your goal and you simply couldn’t stop here.

“Miss Jeon… how on earth could you be more useful alive to us?”

You mirrored Seonghwa’s posture, leaning forward as well and though the wide table separated the two of you, you could very well have been inches away considering how fixated your gazes were. “I know things about the people in power that even your angels do not know of, Mr. Park. I know how their minds work, I know their dirty little secrets. I know what to avoid when dealing with them. I could help you shake Eden’s current establishment- you should not kill me.”

A silence spread in the room as they processed your words and assessed your statement- was this a leap of faith or an act of stupidity? Whatever it was, it seemed to be enough. Seonghwa looked at Yunho again who seemed just as surprised as the rest.

“We could strike a deal,” you offered, relaxing back. While you knew that they could kill you right away and move on with their night, you decided that if you were really going to get killed, you could try something.

It wasn’t a bluff, no. You meant each word you said, but it was a gamble on your life.

“Luna,” Yeosang’s low voice prompted you to turn to him and adhere to his warning but you were still cross with him.

“What deal would that be?” Yunho finally spoke- you supposed that as consigliere to his boss, he handled these matters. “What information do you possess that is worth more than your life?”

“If I give it away right now, you won’t have any reason to keep me alive, would you?” You countered and San huffed in appreciation, making Yunho shoot daggers at him.

“What? She’s smart,” he pouted and you smiled inwardly, glad that he was still the same old San.

“You will have to give us something, darling,” Seonghwa straightened his gun on the table and though the action was casual, it felt like a mockery of how your life was literally in his- in their hands.

You leaned back to think- you had to play your cards right here, and very carefully. One wrong move and you’d be gone. What was it that you could reveal right now that would make them consider that you were a force to be reckoned with, and would also make them join hands with you? Could you make this mafia gang bend to your will, or were you asking for too much?

You looked around the room, meeting eyes with each one of them, calculating every possible move from here. Most of the information you had was something you couldn’t simply claim to know without blowing your real identity. If they started looking into your background properly this time, they would find out that your surname was borrowed and there was no record of you being here in Eden before 1966- that was four years ago. You came back from Wonderland in ‘66, having spent a few years there looking after your sick aunt and recovering from the shame and anger of being disowned by your father. You couldn’t tell them who your father was- it was far too early for that.

And since you couldn’t have them finding who your father was, you couldn’t let them know anything related to the pharmaceutical business your father owned, or his connections with the politicians- could you give them some information about a politician? President Lee, perhaps? But you weren’t sure how dangerous he was, maybe someone else-

Your eyes fell on an antique porcelain vase in the corner that looked awfully familiar. Your frown deepened as you tried to recall where you had seen it, and when it clicked, you realised you had your answer.

“You got that vase from Assemblyman Major General Wi, is that right?”

The four of them turned to look at the object you were pointing at. Yeosang confirmed that you were right. You couldn’t help but have your lips curl in a smirk. “You might want to return it. You don’t want to have an object that was used for money-laundering… unless you’re involved.”

Yeosang blinked in confusion, looking at the older two who seemed to be concealing any hints of emotions. San, however, looked just as confused as Yeosang. “How do you know that?”

“That’s not the point,” you told him. “The point is that General Wi’s artefact gallery is just a cover for his money-laundering business. Not a good look for a presidential candidate, is it?”

Seonghwa nodded, perhaps connecting some dots in his head and coming to the conclusion that you may be right. “I’m impressed, Miss Jeon. I will verify this information but I have a feeling that you’re speaking the truth.”

You nodded and Yeosang finally laughed in disbelief. “Who are you really, Luna?”

“Your bookkeeper who’s asking that you take consideration of my loyalty and make a deal,” you said and when Yeosang nodded, you continued. “I… I, too, have unfinished business. You know I was desperate to have stability when I first got a job here- it wasn’t always like this. I will give you all the information that you need as long as you protect me as your source. As long as you keep me safe, because you and I,” you turned to Seonghwa. “We have the same goals.”

“And what might that be?”

“Power and protection,” you said, sure that you were right about the first part but when Seonghwa’s brows twitched, you realised that the shot in the dark with ‘protection’ wasn’t fruitless. “We’ve all got something or someone to protect. I’m protecting myself. You’re protecting your people.”

“You’re very talkative… Luna,” Yunho commented and your heart fluttered at the way he called your name- only the nickname, yet you were wavering. You mentally scolded yourself. “This could be the only information you possess. Not enough.”

“Oh, please,” you countered. “You know I have more- I can’t be running on sheer confidence here. But don’t think for one second that you can torture that information out of me,” you said and when Yunho smiled guiltily, you somehow found yourself smiling back despite the fact that your life was on the line. “Protect me and I’ll make sure your boss overthrows the current establishment and becomes the most powerful man in Eden.”

“Protect you from who?” Yunho asked and you gulped involuntarily, recalling the darkness and emptiness in the eyes of the person the whole nation admired.

“I can’t say yet, just… keep me in the shadows, for now. Please.”

Yunho looked at Seonghwa- you couldn’t be making this up. Yeosang asked you to go home and that they would give you an answer soon. When you left the room, Yeosang sat down next to San.

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking?”

“She’s not lying, yes,” San confirmed and Yeosang nodded. “She’s only ever worked, right? We’ve been seeing her for a year now. Work and home is all she does, isn’t that so?”

“Yes. I kept an eye on her for a few months before I assigned her with bookkeeping duties- she has no family here. Just a few acquaintances- Kihyun of MX Pharmaceuticals, which I thought was odd, but they were a gang before they became a pharmaceutical company, so maybe she encountered them at some point. They literally know everyone.”

“And her roommate just so happens to be Wendy.”

“I dismissed it as a coincidence. She couldn’t be one of the RV spies, could she?”

“Nope. They’re far too meticulous.”

“You assigned bookkeeping to a person who was acquainted with both Kihyun and Wendy?” Yunho raised his brows in disbelief. “That’s too big a coincidence, guys.”

“Wendy is under a disguise, Luna probably doesn’t know what she actually does,” Yeosang said. “Besides… I trust her. I really believe it wasn’t necessary to just kill her like that. It’s not like she knows what’s inside this,” Yeosang poked the packet with his finger.

“I don’t think Chan’s gang got a whiff of our drug dealing,” Seonghwa sighed, running a hand through his lengthy locks. “They must have attacked just to get us riled up. They wish to tarnish our reputation because General Wi is choosing sides.”

“We really need to check if the thing about the artefacts gallery is true,” Yunho said. “If it is, we have to tread carefully. Hongjoong will be pissed to learn what happened tonight.”

“I’ll take care of him,” Seonghwa got up. “This girl… Luna?”

“That’s what everyone calls her here,” Yeosang said and Seonghwa nodded slowly.

“She’s something. I’ll verify her information- it’s probably true. Tell her we’ve got a new job for her.”

When you bluffed your way out of your death- though you hadn’t really lied, you did hold information that could ruin Eden- you didn’t expect that you’d find yourself with a new job in the main office of the Crescent Company. You paused in the middle of recording the last entries of the day and your job, only to catch Yeosang watching you with interest.

You folded your arms, staring back and pulling your lower lip between your teeth in contemplation.

“Are you sure this isn’t just a trap to kill me? You could just shoot me and get on with your day, why go through all these lengths?”

Yeosang’s rich laughter boomed in the office room and you sent a tired glare in his direction before going back to checking the receipts of the new stock.

“We would have killed you last night if we really wanted to.”

The nonchalance with which he said that sent a bitter taste down your throat, reminding you of familiar words you had heard a few years ago, but you knew that this situation was different- you had to believe that they were different. Otherwise, there was no hope left for Eden.

“I’m still mad that you signed me up for death with this job, by the way. That was a low blow.”

“You are our first bookkeeper,” Yeosang said in response. “We just didn’t know what to do… does that sound like a good excuse?”

“Hardly,” you muttered. “I thought we were… acquaintances, if not friends. I respected you, Yeosang.”

Yeosang put a hand on his chest. “Respected? Do you hate me now?”

“I can’t really hate you when you’re… you,” you shut the register, looking at him.

You had spent long hours with Yeosang in this very office. Somehow, with him, it had always been naturally comfortable and he once admitted that he thought it was odd how you both could be in the same room, busy with your own work yet feeling right at home. Though you barely ever had a heart-to-heart with the man, the impression that he was a scary gangster had vanished long ago. He was scary when he had to be, but he just felt more human than his partners.

“What does that mean?”

“I’m just a little hurt that you delivered me on a platter to your underboss for him to do whatever he wanted with me. Try to understand,” you explained. “And I still respect you, don’t worry.”

“He wouldn’t have killed you. I would have stopped him,” Yeosang insisted.

“You were more nervous than me,” you scoffed.

“I was nervous for you, that you were going to make a mistake and he would really have to kill you,” Yeosang admitted and you blinked in surprise. “But you did just fine on your own. Are you not going to tell me who you really are?”

“I can’t tell you that yet,” you told him. “I trust you just enough to gamble with my life, but I’ll reveal things only when I’m sure the information would be in safe hands. You have to trust me a little too. It’s not like I can betray you- where would I even go? You’re all going to kill me if I make a mistake anyway.”

Yeosang nodded- you had a point. “Have you got nothing to lose?”

“I’ve already lost everything that I had,” you shook your head. “I’ve only got my life now.”

“I have a feeling you’ll do well in the main office,” Yeosang clapped his hands once in conclusion. “Since you’re already aware that we’re doing both legal and illegal dealings, you can do bookkeeping there. I have to warn you though- if information ever leaks, they will kill you without hesitation.”

“Geez, thanks,” you winced. “Tell me something new.”

“I don’t know where you got the guts to talk back to me,” Yeosang laughed, shaking his head once. “But keep this up and you won’t last long.”

“Why?” You leaned forward on the table in challenge. “Are you and San the only ones who can converse like normal humans?”

“We’re always just a little tipsy,” Yeosang said cheekily and you realised he was right. “You shouldn’t see me when I’m sober.”

You pursed your lips, realising that he was right- if he was anything like the rest of his gang, he had to be drunk all this time if he could tolerate you, a mere employee, talking like you were on his level.

“Snob,” you muttered and got up to put these registers with the rest of the piles, ignoring Yeosang’s snickers. “Alright, my work here is done.”

“You’re fired,” Yeosang announced with a grin. “I’ve wanted to say that to you for so long.”

“You’re hopeless! I’ve been promoted, not fired,” you corrected.

“Whatever,” Yeosang got up, checking the time on his wristwatch. “San will be here in a few minutes- he’ll accompany you to the main office. You can say your farewells but you’ll be here often. It’s not a goodbye.”

“Okay,” you stood awkwardly for a moment, looking around- the beige walls with paint peeling in the corner, the dark shelves and furniture, the gramophone in one corner that you never played because you could always hear music from outside.

“I’ll miss this,” you took a deep breath, nodding as you memorised and soaked in the feeling of this room.

“You’ll be back,” he assured, giving you a moment. “Now off you go.”

Sticking your tongue out at him, very out-of-character for you and taking him by surprise, you exited the office. You could hear what his response would have been- ‘just because we decided to keep you alive doesn’t mean that you can act out!’ but it was exactly that. If you had their protection, you would act out- just not to them.

To the people who wore the cloaks of saints over their demonic hearts and ruled over Eden.

“Luna!,” Eunbi spread her arms as soon as she spotted you and you gladly let her hug you. “I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“I’m hearing I’ll be here often, so you won’t have to worry too much,” you poked her ribs, making her squirm as she laughed. “Just stay safe. And no matter what, do not become their bookkeeper.”

Eunbi frowned at that but before she could ask you more, the bell over the front door chimed and you knew it was San the way the bar suddenly fell quiet. You let go of Eunbi and patted her cheek before meeting eyes with San who waved at you.

Waved. You were a little pleased to see that the new arrangement was as awkward for him as it was for you. Eunbi echoed that out loud with a ‘did he just…?’ and you told her to get back to the counter.

“Hi,” San stifled a smile. “Good to see you’re still in one piece.”

“No thanks to you,” you countered. “Shall we?”

“I’m just going to let Yeosang know that I’m here,” San said, finally chuckling. “Look, if it helps, Seonghwa wasn’t really going to kill you.”

“I keep hearing that, but it just feels like you’re trying to convince yourselves instead of me,” you shook your head. “It doesn’t matter. I'll say my farewell to Yuju.”

You agreed to meet outside in five minutes and you went to find Yuju, who told you to stay safe. Jeonghan looked more worried than Yuju- he had overheard some of their conversation last night about them getting rid of you but you assured him it was alright now. You just found out something you shouldn’t have so they were just being cautious. Though he didn’t look convinced, he let you go with an affectionate pat to your shoulder and a joke about how no one is going to let him nap in peace anymore.

Before you went outside, you took a look in the mirror and adjusted your black slacks and the rounded collar of your cream blouse before wearing your black coat over it. San was already waiting for you in his car- a black ‘67 Bentley- and you got in the backseat, your heart beating in anticipation.

“It’s not a long drive from here,” San said, “But I thought as an apology, I’d give you a ride.”

“I’ve been in better cars, but I appreciate the sentiment,” you said and San deadpan stared at you. You squirmed, realising an explanation would entail revealing details from your background. “I mean… the condition could definitely improve.”

“Yeah, it’s been through a lot, you’re right, “ San let out a chuckle before glancing at you. “You’re not going to tell me where exactly you’ve been in better cars? Because as far as I know, you were struggling to make a living when you first got a job here.”

“That was because I moved back from Wonderland after a long time,” you fiddled with your pearl ring. “Anyone would struggle.”

“And how do you really know Kihyun?”

Kihyun- he was almost like a brother to you. As a child, you had often seen him go in and out of your house because of some business dealings with your father. Though your father kept you hidden for the most part, having homeschooled you and pretending that you were his niece instead of daughter, Kihyun knew. He was far too smart to be deceived by a simple lie, and your brother had made it painfully obvious that he hated you for a reason. And when everything went wrong, Kihyun was there as a shield.

He had offered you a place in his company too, but you could not possibly involve Kihyun into your plans for the demise of your enemies. You respected him far too much to drag him into your mess.

“He’s just a connection- we have a few mutual acquaintances.”

“And who might they be?” San asked but you shook your head.

“I can’t reveal their identities… yet,” you said and when he narrowed his eyes, you stifled a smile. “Is there something I should know before we reach the office?”

“Well,” San exhaled, thinking. “It’s going to be quite different from the bar- more professional and tense. I’m sure the secretaries you’ll work with will warm up to you eventually but they might come off as unwelcoming or prickly at first.”

“We’ll see,” you said. “And… will I be interacting with… one of you often?”

“Why?” San questioned, a playful smile gracing his lips. “Is there someone you’d like to interact with?”

“That’s not what I mean-” you started but the car came to a halt and with a dirty look thrown in San’s direction, you got out of the car and craned your neck to look at the double-story building that was the main office for Crescent Company.

It wasn’t anything much, and you knew that that was intentional. Just like all the other office buildings in this somewhat posh area of the town, it had a chestnut brick wall with a new moon that made up for the ‘c’ in crescent. The guard situated at the front door bowed to San as you entered. The employees inside acknowledged San’s presence, halting what they were doing and only resuming once San nodded. There were a handful of them- a receptionist and a few workers coming in and out of the unlabelled rooms. You supposed everyone was assigned a task and had respective offices.

“This is us,” San announced, motioning at the somewhat lifeless interior. “Nothing much, and we would like to keep it that way. You’ll be working upstairs with Jihoon and Eunha- they are our boss’ secretary.”

“Mr. Park’s?” You questioned as you followed him at the end of the hall towards the stairs.

“And Hongjoong’s,” San said and you paused in the middle of ascending the stairs.

“I’m going to work for Kim Hongjoong?”

“Relax,” San snickered. “He’s always holed up in his office if he’s not in the field, and Jihoon does the assistant work. You won’t encounter him too much.”

“That’s not the point,” you muttered. You reached the upper story to see three rooms across the spacious hall which was set up as an office itself. There were two people working in that space, sitting in front of the windows where there were three desks in a row. It didn’t look out of place since their workspaces were spread across the entirety of the hall. The empty desk looked a bit odd, though, and you reckoned it had been set for you which meant they must have moved things around a bit.

“I’ll leave you to get acquainted with them,” San said. “There won’t be much to do for a few days until they think you can handle the work.”

When Jihoon’s burning gaze met yours indicating his annoyance- already?- you gulped. Perhaps, you should have stuck to the bar or denied their offer. Jihoon was quick to change his expressions as he rose from his seat.

“Mr. Choi,” Jihoon greeted and Eunha looked a bit surprised as if she hadn’t heard you two come. She followed with her own greeting, tucking her short pink hair behind her ear in what looked like a nervous habit.

“This is… Jeon y/n- the new secretary. I hope you’ll train her well. She’s already familiar with bookkeeping so I don’t think she’ll have to learn much.”

“No worries, we’ll handle it,” Jihoon said. “Nice to meet you, Miss Jeon.”

“Nice to meet you too. You can just call me Luna- everyone does.”

“That’s a pretty name,” Eunha shook hands with you. “This is your desk, and I’ll give you a walkthrough before Jihoon takes you around the office, is that okay?”

“Sure,” you nodded, feeling hopeful. You turned to San. “I think I got it from here.”

“Very well,” San nodded. “Take care of her- she’s got potential.”

Jihoon only smiled in response and as soon as San was out of sight, he slumped down on his desk and went back to typing. You turned to Eunha who only smiled awkwardly, muttering ‘he’s a bit cranky at times’ and you shrugged. You could deal with cranky.

Eunha told you about your duties- bookkeeping since you had experience, typing a report each night that Mr. Park or Mr. Jeong would be signing, and any other miscellaneous tasks that Eunha and Jihoon couldn’t cover in their shift hours. Once she was done briefing, she handed you over to Jihoon who made a display of grunting in annoyance before he guided you downstairs to the last room which was essentially a storage.

“You must know that not all the business under the Crescent Company is legal,” he said and you nodded. “Where would you keep the record of illegal transactions?”

“Definitely not here?”

“Here,” he corrected, “but concealed while still being right in front of your eyes. In the case of a raid by the detectives because a certain inspector has been on our case for a while, they will take everything in here, right? The illegal transactions are kept in a safe behind that painting,” he pointed towards the mediocre painting of cherry trees in the darkest corner of the room.

“And the key?”

“A code, this time,” he said. “I’m still hesitant about sharing it with you but Mr. Choi said you could be trusted.”

“I’ve handled such matters before, yes,” you told him, understanding why he was sceptical about you. “There’s a reason I’m here.”

“That is definitely not the reason why you’re here,” Jihoon scoffed loudly. “Just because you passed a little trust test does not mean you get a position as the boss’s secretary. Eunha and I have worked under them since the beginning- that’s a plausible reason. They trust us.”

Though you wanted to argue with the man, you decided that you would be better off being civil towards him if you had to tolerate him to keep your job.

“Who else knows the key?”

“Apart from the boss, underboss and consigliere… only Eunha and I. So if information leaks, if the location of the safe leaks-”

“I’ll be the obvious suspect, of course,” you nodded and Jihoon considered you for a moment before acknowledging your answer.

“Our schedules are going to change now, so there is always at least one person out of the three of us in the office at all times, though the three of us must always be present in the 12 to 2pm slot. In case of an emergency, you are expected- obliged to get down here and escape with the contents of this safe, is that clear?”

“Clear as day,” you confirmed.

“1024 is the code,” Jihoon said and you nodded, memorising it. “Now, let me show you where we keep the official records.”

You took note of every little thing Jihoon had to tell you. Eunha observed how you worked for the rest of the evening and made you acquainted with the methods that you were to use. You were familiar with the work- you had already been in charge of tracking expenses, monitoring budget and keeping a record of all the financial transactions in the Crescent Bar. Eunha was going to take care of tax payments and returns while Jihoon was going to supervise.

It was a manageable workload so you were pleased with your current position- you just hoped the two would warm up to you soon. You did not expect them to get along with you, you just prayed they would remain civil and not stir any trouble.

Your schedule was going to change from the next day and your shift was from 6pm to midnight- or more, if the need be- and you would also have to be present in the 12 to 2 pm slot. Since you were going to be the one who would lock up the office, you received a set of keys which included one for the storage, one for the main door, and one for Jeong Yunho’s office- in case he or Park Seonghwa weren’t present- to lock away those documents. You were to place them in the cupboard in Mr. Jeong’s room.

While you were in the office today, you didn’t encounter any of your bosses. You figured their absence wasn’t unusual since no one was talking about them. Eunha helped you prepare the report that you were to hand over tonight in her stead if anyone did visit the office because she had a work appointment and needed to be there. She told you to make sure that all the locks are in place before you leave for home.

While you waited for the clock to strike midnight- which was about twenty minutes from now- you busied yourself with scratching your pencil at a piece of paper that was going to be discarded anyway. One thing that calmed you like nothing else was the feeling of the pencil’s lead rubbing against the grains of the paper and leaving a mark for you to play with. With a very specific picture in your mind, you continued to draw straight lines, sharp curves and edges, adding the elements of threat and danger where needed, but preserving the softness of it all-

“What are you doing here?”

You looked up to find not the person you were hoping to see but the person you wanted to avoid the most.

Jeong Yunho.

Lieutenant Jeong Yunho, all dressed up in a black suit with engraved silver buttons, the black tie loose on his neck, his hands hidden in the pockets of his pants. Your eyes travelled up to his parted lips, to the muscles of his jaw flexing and unflexing, to his dark gaze trained not on you but lower- what was he looking at-

You subconsciously put a hand over your incomplete sketch and got up in greeting. “Lieutenant Jeong. I have the report- Eunha had a work engagement.”

“I see,” he nodded slowly as if still coming to terms that you were to work here now. You could return the sentiment- it was a strange feeling to see him here. You had acknowledged each other’s presence in silence and at rare times, shared a drink (you didn’t often drink at the bar). But standing across each other in this formal setting…

“Well?”

You broke out of your trance, feeling heat creep up your neck. Perhaps, you were waiting for him to call you to his office. Had you expected him to do that because Yeosang had done the same once? He had been so nonchalant about everything but right now, you felt overwhelmed. You fumbled with the folders until you dug out the report, cursing yourself internally because why didn’t you place it right on the top?

You extended your hand and he drew closer to grab the document from you, reminding you once again of how tall he was. You gulped- there was no way to explain what you were feeling except a crushing sense of intimidation that made you feel so very small. It had been about a year, yet whenever you were in his presence, your mind took you back to memory lane-

Specifically the lane near the bar where he ended his enemies and found you watching. Neither of you ever addressed why you had been there or why he had done all of that mercilessly.

“Looks fine,” he said, turning the few pages and skimming through them. “You can leave now- it’s almost closing time. I’ll lock the doors behind me”

“Alright…” were you two the only ones inside the building? “Goodnight, Lieutenant.”

“You don’t have to call me lieutenant, you know,” he said and you met his eyes again, finding the ends of his lips slightly curled in a… smile? Or was that a smirk?

“How would you have me address you then?”

Somehow, it oddly reminded you of a similar conversation you had with Yeosang, except you had been calling him ‘sir’ and he couldn’t stop snorting everytime you called him that. He let it be for the entire day until he told you to just call him Yeosang- calling him sir in an informal environment only earned him odd looks. You argued that apart from the selected few employees, literally everyone called him ‘sir’ or a variation of it, but he insisted that you already sounded like something was stuck up your [redacted] and he didn’t want to add on to that.

That was the only time he saw your composure break. The rest was history.

The consigliere shrugged, giving you yet another glimpse of the person he was. He didn’t like to be called lieutenant, even though this was a formal environment.

“Mr. Jeong then, since everyone calls you that,” you concluded.

“And do you still go by Luna?”

“I… do.”

He nodded once, his gaze falling at the paper you were hiding from him. You kept your hand placed over it and he turned, disappearing into his office. You didn’t miss the frustrated grunt that escaped his mouth as he shut the door.

Your shoulders relaxed and you picked the paper- he had definitely seen and recognised the gun that you had just seen last night on the table, and he probably recognised the hand that held it as well- the long, slender fingers that radiated delicacy despite being roughed up.

The hand of the underboss of Crescent Company. Someone you had wished to meet before the night ended.

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