#when to me these two things are like... not that connected honestly

[strwberri-milk]

Hi, Berry, how are you doing?

Can you please write for Sylus, Rafayel, and Zayne just cute hc from their daily life with MC (they live together)

(Can you please also add nsfw hc too, you can ignore it if that too much)

Take care, cutie ♡

uhhh i dont really have "every day" nsfw hcs honestly i rarely have nsfw "hcs" its more of a fic thing in my head that only comes when im feeling the inspo loll its also the same w domestic hcs ngl i like. am better at writing a fic for a specific scene rather than conjuring up a bunch of stuff but let me. pull smth for you

I can definitely see reading dates with Sylus. He doesn't care what you read but I see him being a high fantasy/medieval fantasy enjoyer. He's super into the underdog story as well, liking to read something about the hero who has everything against them and overcoming those circumstances. That, or a piece of fiction that leaves you thinking after reading it.

He will read whatever books you like as well, wanting to be able to discuss them with you. He likes the idea of discussing your favourite books with you and gleaning a little more about you through connecting through literature.

He also enjoys games and likes the ones that are highly immersive with good stories or just something where you punch/shoot things. Racing games are also fun for him too (and much less dangerous than real racing). He likes teaching you how to play them and he won't let you win though. He wants you to win because you're getting good at it but he also isn't going to be mean about it.

Rafayel sketches near constantly when he's around you. He always is so inspired by your presence but the level of done-ness for his sketches fluctuates highly based on how much energy he has. He also really wants to draw on you so you had to give in and get him some body safe markers and let him doodle on you wherever you feel most comfortable letting him. He really wants to use your back as a canvas though so if you say yes he will be incredibly happy.

He really likes spending all day at the beach on his island if you'll come with him. You've got a little setup that has everything you could need for a full day. Rafayel doesn't care if he swims with or without his tail - he prefers to do it with but sometimes he enjoys the feeling of kicking around. He will splash you whenever he can though and loves to swim with you. He will love it if you can't swim because that means you can't go anywhere without him and he adores it.

I can also see him picking up baking. He's more of a savoury kind of cook but he'd like to learn baking, especially if it's from or with you. That being said, he likes cooking good meals for you. He has a good eye and sense of taste so he doesn't typically need recipes to cook things and he'll be more than willing to make you anything you want to eat.

Zayne will buy a new cake for the fridge on a weekly basis. He limits himself to once slice a day and you are included into this ritual once you move in. He relaxes with a slice of cake the same way someone else may relax with a glass of wine. He enjoys the simple act of just eating with you and since dinner isn't always feasible, he tries to save room for dessert to make this at least a little more frequent.

He doesn't police your eating so much as he tries to find ways to include good food into your meals in ways that you'll eat them. He's had to become more creative with his cooking as when it comes to anything that isn't dessert, he eats more for sustenance than taste. If you don't know how to cook or are kinda weak when it comes to cooking then the two of you get to bond together over it!

He tries to maintain some sort of regular sleep habits and makes it a point to have good sleep hygiene as well. You are definitely a part of his sleep hygiene so by extension the two of you have a pretty explicit night routine that you maintain to help you both sleep well at night.

[yourlocalfandomfriendo]

This turned into a vent, so fair warning for that. I didn't mean for it to happen.

Fucking hell I saw this while I was thinking about just how much I took for granted when I was younger. I was able to look at a bug within 5 feet of me without having a panic attack. I was able to sit in a quiet room without feeling like it was physically suffocating me. I loved sitting in the dark, especially outside at night, because I didn't have to connect it to something bad. I was able to be creative, and express my interests without feeling emotionally and mentally burnt out trying to regulate how much I actually told people because fuck, people are going through so much worse and I need them to have someone to come to. I didn't have to focus on every single word I say and the exact tone I use because people didn't fucking care. When you're 5, your biggest issues are usually what you're doing for play time, and what you want lunch to be. Not trying to regulate every last emotion to make sure people have someone to go to to the point that every negative emotion is fucking nauseating to the extreme. You didn't have to worry about constantly making sure you ate, and finding different things for meals because you can have a sandwich every day for lunch, that's fucking normal for kids.

What isn't normal is feeling like literally nothing you do actually helps people. Like every time you talk to the people you genuinely love, platonically or not, you have to make sure everything is absolutely perfect because even the slightest slip up could cause a full fucking breakdown and you can't have them knowing that not everything is okay more often than you say.

Fuck, even feeling guilty for talking to a medical professional is there.

I didn't have to deal with this when I was 5. I didn't have to deal with the intense nauseating guilt and hatred over every action, over every burn out. Over feeling like you're faking everything because you don't know who the fuck you are anymore with how much you've had to hide. All I know is everything fucking hurts, and I don't know how to make it better because I can't even seem to keep the few people that do make it better around for extended amounts of time.

There's a total of 6 people I've found a family in. My best friends, yes plural, I have two and both of them are fucking amazing. Even if I rarely talk to one, and talk to the other daily, I love them so much more than I could ever express. My partner. No matter what I've been through, every small step in trying to figure out who the fuck I am, he's there. He helps me through everything. Hell, he helped me deal with coping after getting out of a relationship I didn't even know was harmful.

Then there's my online child, and online grandma. My kid is fucking amazing, he's so kind, and even with his trauma he tries to see the best in people. He can't stand the thought of hurting someone even on accident unless they truly deserve it. He's an absolutely amazing person, and I don't think he knows just how much I admire him. Same for my online grandma. She's the fucking perfect role model. She's within a few years, so she understands. She knows what our generation deals with and she helps. She's amazing and I can't imagine what it would have been like if I hadn't met her.

Then there's a friend. A very close friend, I'd hope. I'm scared to tell them how much they mean to me. Honestly, I want them to be my qpp but I'm definitely too much of a coward to ask. They're dumb but in the best way possible. They struggle too, more than I do, but they've managed to stay this long, and they have no idea how much I admire them for that. They have no idea how many things I immediately think of them when seeing because they're the strongest person I know, and I know I'm probably not seen the same way. How could I be? How can you see someone who doesn't even know themselves in any way that's generally meaningful?

I love these guys so much, I'd stick with them until the end. They could ask me anything, and I'd do whatever I can to answer that, or make their request happen. But I'm still so fucking scared of them leaving. Of being alone again.

I can't do that. I can't be alone. I can't even sit by myself without music without fucking spiralling, let alone not have anyone to properly talk to about literally anything.

That being said, some of you know who you are. Some of you don't. Some of you can piece it together. But all of you mean more to me than I can ever properly express. You guys are the best thing in my life, and without you I don't know what I'd do.

I need you guys. Please. I know the world sucks. I know it's easier to be in your own world, or even give up, but you guys are loved more than you could ever know.

Please just stay here.

You can hate me, I don't care, just don't let me lose you.

I took how easy life was back then for granted. I'm never doing that again.

I love you guys.

[avocado-writing]

may I humbly request frater realizing you REALLY have a thing for his hands? (new to asks so hope this is ok. also hope you have a great day, and that your favorite snacks are on sale the next time you go to the store)

nothing too explicit, but pretty dirty. dom!frater x gn!reader; finger sucking

he sees you watching and honestly he finds it flattering.

you think you're being subtle: sneaking glances when he's deep in his paperwork, or tapping away on his keyboard, or smoothing down the crisp lines of his new suit. but he can feel the way your gaze lingers on him, the way you tug at your lip with your teeth when he flexes his fingers. abject and potent want.

he starts making a point to have you linger on the sight of his hands. will pass you something and then not draw back, forcing you to look down to where your fingers meet. strokes his chin in thought more often now, as you chat over coffee. when he asks your opinion on what gloves he ought to wear one morning he thinks you might actually explode.

he feels cruel. he loves it.

as his assistant, in theory it's a bit risque to make a move on you. in his defence, though, you're looking at him like you want to eat him whole more often than not, so he feels pretty safe shooting his shot.

it's late, he's kept you in his office for longer than he's meant to, not that you seem to mind. you also enjoy his company, which is refreshing, and the two of you chat idly as he has you rearrange his files... but as afternoon draws into evening he draws closer, too.

"Frater?"

he feels the way you stiffen under his touch as he traces the line of your jaw with the tips of his fingers. the way your mouth parts a little, so sweet, so wanting. ah, there it is. there is his angel.

"oh..."

"you like my hands, hm?"

he takes your chin with his thumb so he can feel your nod. you look away in embarrassment but he clicks his tongue gently, drawing your attention back to him. he doesn't want to miss a single reaction, not when he has you under his spell like this.

"I want to hear you say it."

"yes, Frater. I like them a lot."

"good, angelo mio."

he taps your lips.

"open."

you do, obedient, immediate. it sends all the blood in his body straight to his cock. with a little smile he presses two fingers into your mouth, sliding them against your tongue which is wet and pliant. that soft heat, fuck, he can imagine it elsewhere too.

your eyes roll back and you moan as he presses in deeper, soaking himself with your spit, watching in glee as it gathers around the leather of his gloves and drips down you. then you close your lips and suck and ah, he is gone.

"there we go, that's it. so perfect for me, hm?"

you hum an affirmative around his knuckles and take him deeper still, until you're breathing hard through your nose and tears sting at your eyes. he slowly draws back when he thinks he's made enough of a mess of you, and doesn't miss the whine you let out when he pulls away. a long line of spit connects your lips and his fingers and it drives him wild.

"Frater?" you whisper, a little hoarse from fucking him like that with your mouth.

"bend over," he hums, wanting to put all your preparation to good use.

[winterarchives]

Blood, Sweat and Tears part V

Soulmate AU pairing - OT7 x reader , BTS x reader word count - 10.5k+ summary - When news leaks, tensions arise and connections are tested. warnings - cussing , mentions of smut , (literal years ago) pls go gentle on me part l - part ll - part lll - part IV

Jin remained quiet throughout most of the drive to your hotel, save for the few mediocre and witty jokes he felt the need to throw in here and there. Jungkook enlightened the madnae, laughing when appropriate and trying desperately hard not to think about your request from the back of Jin's car. He wanted to throw himself into the backseat as soon as the word "kiss" slipped from your sinful lips- they were close to his favorite thing in the world since he'd had the opportunity of tasting them against his own. 

But Jin had chastised him when he saw that the maknae was ready to vault over the partition in his car, snapping at him and explaining how many traffic violations that'd be; and although Jungkook wanted nothing more than your lips pressed flush against his own, he listened to Jin's harsh but reasonable warnings and stayed put. 

Yoongi was smiling a cocky smile from next to you that you could honestly say you weren't familiar with. His gummy smile was always on his face when you were around him, unless you had been bickering amongst each other, which you guess had only happened a grand total of once. Although this Yoongi is new and rather unfamiliar to you, you can't say you minded his presence. He brought a new aura into the already sexually-charged atmosphere. It was something so simple and light, the dopey grin on his face something you memorize instantly.

Hoseok was a whole different story, on the other hand. Whereas Yoongi was remaining calm, cool, and collected around you, and newly cocky, Hoseok was watching you with a fire in his eyes that you couldn't quite seem to maintain contact with. You'd either end up a blushing mess and have to resort to hiding in the confines of Yoongi's chest, or you'd have to laugh your awkwardness off when he quirked the occasional eyebrow at you. Sure, Yoongi could have a cocky demeanor all he wanted- truly, he could, because it's making your heart soar- but Hoseok was the real force to be reckoned with. You could see that clear as day. 

"What are you looking at?" You ask Yoongi, facing out of his window with him, and saving yourself from Hobi's heated gaze. 

"The scenery. I love it here," he tells you, squeezing your hand in his. "It takes me back to being a kid and visiting some family throughout the holidays with my parents." 

"That's nice," you smile, leaning against his shoulder. "What about you, Kook?" You ask, watching the maknae through the slight crack of the headrest in his seat. 

"Huh?" He asks you, turning to look doe-eyed at you in the backseat, nestled between two sevenths of your soulmates. 

"What are you looking at?" You repeat the question. "You've been quiet since we got off the highway." 

"Ah, nothing important, Jagi. I usually just space out and think about stuff when we're in cars." 

"You do that outside of cars, too." Yoongi smiles, nudging Jungkook's seat with his foot. 

"I do not," Jungkook mumbles, but he does turn and look back out of the window. "I just like being with myself in my head, I guess." 

"That's nothing to be ashamed of," you shrug. "I actually think it's kind of cute." 

"Cute?" Jin giggles. “You’re cute, Jungkook-ah.” 

"Jungkook knows well enough that he's attractive," you retort. 

"I do?" Jungkook asks, eyeing you confusedly. 

"You're globally famous, Kookie." You roll your eyes affectionately. 

"Yeah?" 

"You've got to be kidding me..." You grumble. 

"What?" Kook asks, furrowing his brows. 

"You guys were on my ass earlier about acknowledging my beauty and accepting myself for who I am, all of that mumbo jumbo-" 

"Did you just use that figure of speech seriously?" Yoongi cackles. 

"All of that *mumbo jumbo*," you restate, eyeing Yoongi daringly, "but, you're really going to tell me right now that you don't understand how hot you are?" 

"From cute to hot," Jin chuckles, "I'm getting whiplash." 

"You all are." You sigh, crossing your arms over your chest. 

"Well, I know that I am, sweetheart. I'm Worldwide Handsome and-" 

"Save it, Jin." Hobi rolls his eyes. "Everyone this side of the Atlantic knows that you find yourself devastatingly beautiful." 

"As they should!" Jin smiles. "It's not my fault that genetics had its way with me." 

"Of course it isn't," Yoongi snorts. "But YN said we're all hot, not just you." 

"Because you are," you sigh again. "You guys really do enjoy talking about me like I'm not here, don't you?" 

"We would never!" Jungkook shouts, looking positively shaken that you'd assume such a thing. 

"It's a joke, Kookie." You smile reassuringly at him. "I would never think you guys would try to talk about me behind my back on purpose. You're all too mature for that," you tell him, but then you catch Jin's eyes in the rearview mirror and mutter a cheeky, "Well, most of you are." 

The rest of the ride is purely comical, spent with the five of you giving each other the cheesiest pickup lines you'd ever heard- Jin wins this game, of course- and singing Korean hits out of tune. 

"Your rendition of Shoot Out was really something else, YN." Hobi chuckles as Jin finally pulls into the parking garage of your hotel. "We should consider getting you signed onto Big Hit." 

You swat playfully at his arm, happy that he lets you do so this time. You don't think your heart could handle another incident like the one this morning. Dominant Hoseok had awakened something within you that you didn't know whether you were ready for... Not that you wouldn't eventually want to open yourself up completely to him and have him return the favor tenfold. You just couldn't imagine getting that… sexually deviant with someone before you'd even truly gotten to know them. 

You can tell that Hoseok is a good guy; he's got a way about him that makes you want to smile and never stop, but you're still not completely acquainted with any of your seven soulmates. That thought alone scares you into a form of shock... You can't even begin to imagine the things that Hoseok could be into just from his suggestive comments here and there... Did he like to tie his partners up? Spank them? You could deal with spanking, you supposed. But the kinkiest sex you'd ever had had been the sex you had with Jimin, Tae, and Jungkook the night before. Not at all a loss because you had the time of your life, but that also meant you didn't have much experience to compare or equate Hobi's taste to. 

Regardless, you trusted Hoseok as much as you trusted any of your soulmates despite the short extent of your relationship with them. He'd never hurt you or put you out of your comfort zone. None of them would- that much you knew. And you'd never harm them either. You'd fight tooth and nail for the men you found yourself falling so deeply for now. You'd give anything for any single one of them to be happy.

"I'm going up with YN," Yoongi states simply as soon as the car is parked. 

"What?" You ask him, looking at him worriedly, "There could be paparazzi. My hotel is nowhere near as guarded as your guys' is." 

"But no one else knows that you're staying here, do they?" He asks you. 

"That's true, but-" 

"No buts," Yoongi tells you, pressing a kiss to your cheek. "If Jin gets you all to himself tonight, I want to spend as much time as I possibly can with you now." 

"You could always ask me to stay the night with you, you know..." you point out to him, unbuckling and hopping out of the door that he holds open for you. 

"True, but that could strengthen our connection." He explains, leading you across the parking garage, "I don't want to make it any stronger than it already is..." He trails off. "You being gone is going to be hard, Jagiya, but we can all get through it. You know that, right? We love you so much already, we won't let anyone-" 

You silence him with a kiss, pulling him by the lapel of his baggy flannel against you. 

"You talk a lot," you explain when you part from him, and he shoots you a questioning glance. "And I like to kiss you," you add, pressing the elevator button. 

As if to spite your comment, Yoongi is silent in the elevator, and he pulls his mask up to cover the majority of his handsome face. He simply laces his fingers in yours and keeps you tethered to him via your hand. Despite his supposed want for you guys to remain as untethered as you possibly can, he sure does like to keep you close... not that you minded in the slightest. Min Yoongi could chain you to him for the rest of your life, and you'd probably be fine with it. Any of them could, honestly, but with Yoongi chained to you, you wouldn't have to worry about the pain of him being anywhere else. 

Once the elevator opens up to the main lobby, you make a beeline for the next, hoping not to lose Yoongi within the shuffle of people in the hotel lobby. Thankfully, his grip remains intact, and you're still connected to him by the time you reach the elevators. The next elevator, though more packed than the first, is far more comfortable, and you do thank the people around you silently for their presence- ushering Yoongi further into your figure. You can feel his hips resting lightly against yours, and his head's weight when he rests it against the crook of your neck, breathing in your scent while the elevator continuously stops and rises, and then stops again, letting people off and allowing more people to get on at what seems like a mercilessly slow pace. 

When you finally reach your floor and begin to lead Yoongi down the hallway, you realize that you've never been around Elle privately with any of the guys before. Would Yoongi like her? Would they get along? Would you have to play mediator or translator for either of them? 

Yoongi seems resolute in being kind, just as he'd always shown you, and Elle brightens when he shakes her hand and asks about her job, looking immersed in the English conversation that he allows her to lead him through. He understands everything she says for the most part, only needing your help translating once or twice. 

"I'm just going to be gone for another day, if that's fine? If you want me to stay, I'll stay. You don't have to worry about upsetting anyone, I promise. Just say the word, and I'm all yours." You tell her, zipping a spare bag the boys had lent you closed. 

"Don't worry about it, YN, really!" Elle laughs, "You go and have fun. We can catch up tomorrow night?" 

"Absolutely!" You smile. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." 

"Good! I've pieced together a few paragraphs for our article, so we only have to worry about the middle and the closing paragraphs for the first issue. I'm thinking a lot of our article is going to be pictures and bits of small interviews we can get throughout the shows." 

"Works for me," you smile. "I am so thankful for you, Elle." You tell her, pulling your friend into a rather tight hug. "You've really been so helpful on this trip. I swear if we get offered anything else, I'm all yours. I'll write the whole article if you want!" 

"Stop," she giggles, patting your back. "Seriously, just go have some fun. You don't need to worry about anything else right now. We can brainstorm tomorrow.” 

You send her another thankful smile over your shoulder as Yoongi escorts you out of the hotel suite, one of his beautifully sculpted hands on the small of your back. “She’s really nice,” he tells you, watching you double-check that the door locks behind you. 

“She is,” you agree, matching his stride as you leave the hotel behind you. 

You’re not exactly shocked when you get back to Seokjin’s car and find that Jungkook has either ordered or convinced Hoseok to change seats with him. Despite your love for the apple-cheeked hyung, you’re thankful you don’t have to sit in such close proximity with him for the remaining duration of the car ride. You don’t think your heart could handle the pounding Hoseok elicited from it. Jungkook is easier to maintain your cool around; he still has an innocent lightness to him that has you feeling as though you have some sort of upper hand, despite what he’d shown you the night before.  

“So,” you start, leaning into Jungkook’s chest while you face Jin in the driver’s seat, “what do you have in store for me tonight, Mr. Kim?” 

Jungkook giggles against you, earning a lighthearted jab on the side. 

“I was thinking about watching a movie, but we could also play video games! I’ve been playing Animal Crossing a lot lately.” 

“Either works for me!” You smile, “Can we make a pillow fort?” 

“A pillow fort? That actually sounds really fun,” Jin smiles. 

“I might have to join if there’s a pillow fort involved…” Jungkook chuckles, “I haven’t been in one since I was a kid.” 

“Bring your own blankets so we can make one big enough, and you’re more than welcome if YN is okay with it.” 

“I am,” you answer, snuggling further into the broadness of Jungkook’s chest. “It’s more than okay with me, actually.” 

You see- when you’d said that, you were under the impression that there would be *three* of you crammed under a makeshift pillow fort in Jin’s room. Not all *eight* of you. They’d all simply poured in, one after the other, blankets strewn behind them and pillows in hand- and you’d reminded Jin that they were to be your pillow fort guests, therefore you were required to show them hospitality and give them guest rights. 

It’s a mess, in the end. Food and drinks are spilled on duvets, Taehyung has somehow accidentally elbowed Jimin in the eye, and Yoongi ends up grumpily chastising everyone because he’s tired and wants to sleep. 

“Alright,” Jin shouts, over the commotion of Taehyung trying to apologize to Jimin for the fortieth time, “everyone, to bed.” 

“What about me?” Jimin pouts. 

“You’re going to bed, too. Kookie and Tae said you could bunk with them tonight, Jimin-ah.” 

“Taehyung nearly took my eye out 20 minutes ago, and now you’re sending me to him, hyung? Don’t you care at all about your soulmate?” 

“Don’t be so dramatic, Jimin,” Jungkook giggles, “I’ll protect you from Taehyung-ah.” 

Jimin rolls his eyes and huffs, “Alright, but if I come back bruised and broken, you’re to blame,” he points at Jin. 

Jin sighs, watching exasperatedly as the throng of boys file out of his bedroom, trailing soiled blankets and pillows behind them. 

“They’re exhausting…” Jin whines, collapsing onto his bed. You giggle, earning a slight grimace from him, but lie next to him and rest your head against his shoulder. 

“It was fun, you have to admit.” 

“Never,” Jin gasps. 

“Admit it,” you pout, nudging his side. 

“It was alright, I suppose.” He shrugs, “It was kind of fun watching Hoseok-ah wrestle Namjoon to the floor over a fortune cookie.” 

“He didn’t want him to swallow the fortune again? Whatever that means?” 

“I’ll show you the video in the morning. Let’s just say Namjoon is quite an airhead.” 

You laugh a bit at that, unable to imagine Namjoon as anything but intellectual and put-together. 

“You’re cute,” Jin mumbles. 

“Huh?” 

“I said, you’re cute. It’s a compliment. You’re supposed to say thank you,” he smirks. 

“Thank you- but, why?” 

“Why, what? Can’t I compliment my new soulmate in the comfort of my own home? Or is that against the guest etiquette you so kindly guided me on earlier?” 

“Shut up,” you grumble, burrowing your blushing face into his hoodie. 

“Now that *surely* goes against guest-manners. *Tsk.* We’re going to have to find a suitable punishment for that offense.” 

You freeze, heart beating a little faster inside your chest. “What kind of punishment?” 

“For telling your host to shut up?” Jin taps his chin thoughtfully, feigning a deep concentration whilst you struggle internally, bodily awareness heightening in anticipation. “A kiss would do, but you’d already asked for one earlier… We’ll have to figure something else out.” 

You bite at your lower lip, suck in a harsh breath when he glances down at you, pupils slightly dilated, and his cheeks pinkened like yours surely are. He’s beautiful, all tired and pouty looking- makes your heart flip and rise into your throat. Makes you shiver a bit just from his gaze alone. 

“Would you like that kiss?” Jin asks, voice a bit husky. 

“Mmm,” you murmur, wetting your bottom lip with your tongue. 

“Perhaps the punishment could be denying you the kiss,” he shrugs. 

You pout at him, furrow your eyebrows, and watch him stare aimlessly at the ceiling. 

“Yeah, that could be the punishment,” he whispers, “but I’m feeling greedy tonight.” 

You watch him with bated breath, watch the way he smirks at his own assessment and looks down at you with purpose. And the energy between the two of you is static again- has every hair on your arms standing straight up whilst goosebumps rise. 

It’s an easy swoop for him, given his height, to catch your lips in his. They’re thicker than you imagined, pillowy and warm… and sweet. There’s a tinge of peach chapstick that you chase with a flick of your tongue, already desperate for more of Jin. And he gives you more- lets you run your tongue along his, glide over his teeth, flick the roof of his mouth playfully. 

But you still want more, and it has you swinging your leg to rest against the other side of him so you’re straddling him on the bed- trapping him underneath you and resting against his chest so you can taste him deeper than before. 

It’s a good sensation, feels nice to have the sturdy muscle of Jin underneath you and tethering you to him. 

Feels so nice that you don’t hear the ding of your phone on the nightstand- feels so nice that you don’t see the SOS text from Elle brighten up your screen. 

You’re breathless when you and Jin finally separate from each other- your chest heaving from the excitement built and exertion spent. From looking at him, Seokjin is in the same state. His hair is disheveled, his cheeks are tinged with a deep blush, and his lips are slightly swollen. 

Whether it’s the soft and affectionate gaze he openly watches you with or the fact that you’d just spent close to an hour kissing each other on his bed like hormonal teenagers, you don’t know. You just feel the embarrassment rise within you and can’t stop yourself from hiding your face in one of his many silken blankets. 

“I think we’re past you hiding from me under the covers, yeah?” He asks you, poking his head underneath your makeshift protective wall. 

You giggle but make no move to come out of the blanket, opting instead to retreat further into the fabric. 

“Oh no, you don’t,” Jin chuckles, gripping onto your waist and pulling you back towards him. And despite your (rather half-assed) attempts at breaking free from his clutch, you find yourself back against him atop the mattress. The blanket you’d used as a shield moments prior is clear across the room from the scuffle. 

“Uncalled for,” you mumble, hiding your face in the crook of his neck when he laughs deeper. 

“What was uncalled for was you hiding from me,” he smiles, “are you really so afraid of me?” 

It’s a tease- as were most things Jin threw your way. He pinches your sides gently when you roll your eyes at him. 

It’s easy enough to find a movie you’re both happy with playing as background noise; the excited gasps you’d both let out when Howl’s Moving Castle popped up on the Smart TV in his room pretty much had the film picked without even having to ask. You grow comfortable around Jin, find yourself laughing with him more than you’d expected, and grow happy when he starts to giggle at the lame jokes you send his way. 

When you’re practically splayed across his lap- the end titles of Howl’s on the TV and a spare Nintendo Switch in your hands that Jin had decidedly given to you, and Animal Crossing music echoing throughout the room- you find yourself reaching absentmindedly for his wrist. The question remains unasked as he simply lets you analyze the ink adorning his skin. 

You have a lot of thoughts, and admittedly even more questions. Not just for Seokjin, and not even for BTS. You have an abundance of questions to ask of no human beings, but of the universe as a whole. There’s so much uncertainty, so much curiosity and bewilderment running rampant in your mind- it nearly hurts. But Jin lets you sit in silence, lets you ponder over the brand on his skin to your mind’s content. 

“I think,” you start, tracing over the letters with your pointer finger, “I think that I’m more confused than I’ve ever been in my entire life.” The admission is heavy, but it’s true. There’s so much uncertainty running through your head that you half suspect you’re being driven insane. “But it’s weird because there’s a lot of clarity that’s balancing it out. Does that make sense?” 

“Yes,” he nods, flips your wrist over so that he can take his turn looking at your marks. “I felt the same way when I met the others… It’s a lot to take in all at once. You’re not having any second thoughts, are you?” 

“No, not second thoughts. I’m just concerned. I feel like so much is happening so fast… I’m doing things I wouldn’t typically do.” You trail off, let Jin put the pieces together. 

“Is this about sex?” 

You bite your inner cheek, scrunch your nose as you nod. 

“It’s definitely a lot,” he nods, “it would be for anybody. Is there anything about it, in particular, that’s bothering you?” 

“It’s just all happening so fast. I’d usually wait a few weeks to sleep with anyone…” 

“I won’t say it’s normal because there are 8 of us, and that already disqualifies us from anything close to normalcy. I don’t think you should beat yourself up about it, though. There’s science that’s shown that it’s incredibly difficult to abstain from sex with your soulmate.” He shrugs slightly, “not that it’s not possible. Some people have waited until marriage to be physical with their soulmates. I don’t know, I think it’s completely understandable that you’d be physical with us.” 

You take your hand from his so you can grab his once more, hold it in your grasp. 

“You have six soulmates and a twin-flame, Y/N. That’s a lot for your brain and hormones to process. It’s okay to be with us in any way you want. If that’s sexual, that’s okay. No one can judge you for that. You’re human.” 

“Thank you, Jin,” you smile crookedly, feel the warmth in your chest spread from his reassurance and gentle words. “I really appreciate that.”

“No problem,” he grins back. 

“I do have a question, though.” 

“I hope to have an answer.” 

You brace yourself- want to ask your question in the politest way possible. 

“Why haven’t you- erm. Why haven’t you been sexual with me?” 

The blush you feel rising is monstrous, makes you want to bury your face in the floor for hundreds of years to come. 

“Oh- I, I don’t really know.” You watch him rub at the back of his neck nervously, watch the way the tips of his ears pinken alongside his cheeks. “I think I enjoy exercising self-control over myself…” 

You don’t push the topic, just let the answer rest in the air around you. The last thing you want is to make Seokjin uncomfortable after he’s been nothing less than outstanding and kind to you. 

“Trust me, it’s not that I don’t want to. I’ve got no problems regarding that… I just like my firsts with someone to be special. Perfect. You know?” 

“That’s understandable,” you nod. “Sorry if that seemed a little weird.”

“It’s fine. It’s something we should discuss.” 

You curl up beside him, melt against his side as he presses play on My Neighbor Totoro. 

You can’t remember falling asleep, but you can tell you’ve overslept when your eyes flutter open. The curtains are still closed across the room, but the light that spills through them is unmistakably light from the afternoon sun. Jin isn’t next to you in bed, not cuddled up to you like Jimin had been the morning before. It feels like you’ve finally become connected to your body since arriving in South Korea. The jet lag, muscles exhausted from both concerts and sex, everything. It’s all caught up to you in one fell swoop. 

You want to call out for Jin, but you can hear raised voices coming from the living room area of the suite. You don’t know if it’s the loud voices or the constant vibrating of your phone that Jin must have plugged in for you on the dresser, but something feels off. Feels like there’s an electric current underneath a layer of your skin, sending you flickers of a warning of something to come. 

“Okay, okay,” you grumble, swinging your legs over the side of the bed so you can retrieve your loud device. It takes you a few times before you successfully unlock your phone, and a few blinks to remove the sleepy haze from your vision so you can properly see the messages flooding your phone. 

It’s shocking, the way that time seems to cease existing when you read a few of the notifications that have popped up on your feed. 

You think you’re in a nightmare, actually feel the blood drain from your face as you scroll panicked through the notifications. There are thousands. And hundreds more are pouring in each time you refresh your Twitter feed. 

You click the article that’s led to the uproar, can feel your blood chill in your veins. There’s already been 100k shares on a multitude of social media platforms, as well as 30k comments. It’s only been up for 2 hours. 

You have to ignore 5 calls that have been added to the 25 Elle had made over the past 4 hours that you’ve been asleep, just to read the title of the article and the first paragraph that follows for the fiftieth time. 

BTS’ mysterious 8th member revealed in an exclusive interview with a former employee of secondary News Source.

“It was unexpected, and not something I’d thought much of since learning about the marks,” Andrew Klein, a former employee of M-Buzz and the leaker for this story, tells us. M-Buzz is a local Manhattan tabloid that has been gaining traction in the reporting world as of late. Klein continues, “Once she’d set off for South Korea to interview BTS, I’d looked into them more, didn’t expect much. I just wanted to get my job back. But then I saw the letters in their names and their birthdates… It all just connected. I couldn’t imagine Y/N being romantically involved with any of them, but it’s pretty obvious now that she is. Those pictures are proof enough.” 

The pictures in question, secured by an anonymous source in South Korea, showcase M-Buzz reporter, Y/N L/N, being escorted into her hotel by Min Yoongi, a member of the globally recognized K-pop group, BTS. The duo can be seen in a few of the photos holding hands, hugging, and sharing a kiss in the parking garage of said hotel. As of now, we’ve reached out to Big Hit Entertainment for a statement, as well as the management at M-Buzz. We’ve received no response, but we will keep this article updated as more information is revealed. 

There’s a myriad of thoughts running through your brain simultaneously, sending you into a tailspin of confusion and hurt. The article- you almost can’t bring yourself to think about it again- but the article had pictures. Pictures of you and Yoongi in the parkade of your hotel, hand in hand, kissing each other… What else did they have? How did they get those in the first place? You were all careful. Always made sure to check that your surroundings were clear of paparazzi and the general public. 

How could you be so careless, even if only for a second? 

The shame settles heavily on your conscience. Your soulmates would be facing limitless ridicule and would possibly be ostracized by the public, media, and even possibly their fans. Your heart aches sharply in your chest just from the thought- how could you live with yourself if you were the root cause of their downfall? 

First things first, you had to leave the apartment. Or at least leave Jin’s room. Claustrophobia from panic was starting to build within you, making your breath catch unevenly in your chest. Tossing your phone onto Jin’s bed, not wanting to see anything else right now- especially not the personal attacks flooding your Twitter and other social media- you exit his room. 

The argument you had heard in the living room was still in full bloom, but what surprises you is that no one seems to be pointing fingers at you. Wasn’t this all your doing? 

“We’re not going to catapult her into interviews, no,” Namjoon states firmly. You can’t tell who he’s speaking to, can’t see them from your spot in the hallway, but you know he is upset. You can hear it in the way he filled his last word with finality. 

“We can’t just ignore the media, not with the accusations being made. Speculation of a concubine? That Y/N paid to be with you all physically? Or, and this is my personal favorite, that her employers have dirt on us and that letting their employees purchase your bodies is part of their compensation for their silence? What do you reckon we do, Namjoon? The public doesn’t care that you have her initials on your arms.” 

This man, whoever he is, sounds like he comes from higher up in Big Hit Ent. A lawyer, maybe? Part of their legal team? 

“So you suggest we throw her to the wolves?” Jin spits, “That’s as good as having her sign her will.” 

“Listen,” Yoongi now, “I think it’s pretty obvious that we’re not going to allow the company to make any decisions regarding Y/N’s safety without first consulting us.” 

“We have to make some sort of statement.” 

“Not until we’re on the same page,” Namjoon states.

“Do you realize how much the company, the group, is losing in profit right now? How many emails we’ve received from people asking for refunds for the concerts? This is a big problem, you guys.” 

You furrow your brow, pull Jin’s blanket tightly against your frame. Better to make your presence known now, seeing as your autonomy was already being debated.

“Do I get a say?” 

It’s an honest question, and one you desperately want to be answered immediately. The room falls silent, the boys looking at you in concern, whereas the man standing at the forefront, a stranger to you, looked at you with irritation.

“No-” he starts.

“Of course you do,” Namjoon answers, interrupting the suit. “Sorry if we woke you.” 

“My phone nearly exploding from the notification overload woke me up. You guys are fine.” 

“We’re sorry, Y/N,” Yoongi tells you, pulling you into a hug. 

“You’re sorry?” 

He lets you out of his grasp, probably not quite understanding your confusion. “I’m the one who should be sorry,” you explain, “this whole mess is because of me.” 

“Could say that again,” the man snorts, but falls silent once Jimin sends him a death glare.

“And what did your legal team do to ensure ours and Y/N’s safety, Taeyang?” His voice is icy, shocking even his hyungs, “were you guys there to scan the garage?” Jimin waits not for an answer, refocusing on you, “We failed to protect you.” 

“No one could have known-” 

“We’ve dealt with reporters and paparazzi for years,” Jimin shakes his head, “no, this one’s on us.”

“All we can do now is damage control,” you shrug, “got any ideas?” Your question is directed at Taeyang, which seemingly surprises him, judging by the wide eyes he sends your way in response. 

“The agency has a few,” he answers once he’s regained his composure. “You could go to a public interview, and whether it’s televised or not is up to you. Or we could release a video to the public directly, which may seem more genuine- more personal.”

“Whatever it takes,” you answer, ignoring the sounds of protest erupting through seven sets of lips in the room. “We have to give them something,” you tell them, quieting them down, “they won’t stop until they have some sort of explanation.” 

You look back at Taeyang, almost appreciative of the indifference he regards you with, “Would doing both be better? Get you the desired results quicker?” 

“Definitely.” 

“Better get cameras and an interviewer ready.”

He nods but adds, “Reporters can be ruthless.” 

“I know, I am one.” 

Taeyang thanks you and assures you he’ll be in touch with you soon before he leaves, ignoring the glares that your soulmates are sending his way. 

“Are you absolutely sure about this?” Taehyung asks, observing you with concern. 

“Yes.” You tell them, “We need to collectively agree on answers to questions and everything regarding our… situation.” 

“She’s right,” Jin nods, “they’re going to ask about our inter-relations as well since our reveal was so recent. They’re going to want to know who’s sleeping with whom, who we have, and haven’t been intimate with. They’re going to want to know the hows, wheres, when, and whys.”

“Who we’re screwing is no one’s business but our own,” Jimin guffaws. 

“We know that, Jimin,” Jin sighs, “but we’re public figures. While this isn’t exactly *ideal,* it is what we signed up for.”

“It’s not what Y/N signed up for,” Tae adds thoughtfully, “but she’s agreed to address the public. We have to respect that.”

“I’ll have to sort this out with my boss as well,” you tell them, “I don’t think they’ll be too enthused by my relations with you guys, even if they can’t be helped.”

“So, how do you want to do this?” Namjoon asks, looking warmly at you, “This is entirely up to you. You don’t have to do or say anything you don’t want to, and we’re on your clock. You choose when we do what.” 

“I’m going to go and call my boss and Elle first,” you tell them, “and then we can sit down and get everything straightened out, all of the facts and whatnot. After that, we’re going to have to deal with your friend Taeyang again, I’m sure.” 

“Do you want one of us there? When you’re on the phone?” Yoongi asks you, looking scared, though you can’t really place why.

“I can handle it,” you tell him, “just maybe have a cup of coffee waiting for me?” 

He nods, already set off towards the kitchen, while you disembark back to Jin’s room.

The hallway ahead of you is rather foreboding, not at all matching the feelings you had walking down it the night before when accompanying Jin to his room. You just miss the last ring of your cellphone as you re-enter his bedroom. 

Thankfully, Elle is as tenacious as ever, and your phone lights up once more only seconds later. 

“How much trouble are we in?” you ask her, phone pressed against your heated cheek. 

“Finally!” She shouts, loud enough for you to worry about your right eardrum, “I have been trying to reach you since last night! What the fuck is wrong with you, L/N?!” 

“I take it we’re in heaps of trouble, then…” You sigh. “Listen, I know I was stupid-”

“No, don’t do self-loathing, please. I don’t think my brain can take it right now,” Elle whines, “I don’t blame you-”

“Really,” you interrupt, hope bubbling inside of your chest. 

“Just because I don’t blame you doesn’t mean the public feels the same way,” she reasons, “there’s quite a bit of mess to clean up, and honestly? From the way Powell sounded on the phone last night, I’m not even sure you’ll be able to return to work anytime soon, at least not without security guards.” 

“Security guards?”

“The office has been packed with outside reporters all day, Y/N,” she huffs, “Cam told me it was difficult for our journalists to get inside this morning.” 

“Is it bad that I’m afraid to talk to Powell?” You ask.

“No. I’d be absolutely terrified,” Elle says, sounding a smidgen more anxious than you’d like, “but she did assure me that we could stay the duration of the tour-”

“She did?”

“BUT, you’re not to be in the audience at all. She said if you’re backstage, that’s fine, but you can’t be around the public right now. Not only would it be bad for M-Buzz, but it’d be damn risky for your own safety.” 

“Well, I’m set to release a statement for BigHit soon.” 

“I’m sorry, what?” 

“There was a guy here this morning, really assertive and being shitty towards the guys. I can’t let them take all of the heat on this.” 

“They’re celebrities, Y/N, you’re an everyday woman from New York. They are more equipped to handle this than you are; besides, have you even thought about how pissed Powell will be? And it’s not just her; she has higher-ups that she has to report to. Your job is in jeopardy.”

“I don’t know what more I can tell you, Elle. This is something I have to do. I can deal with Powell and her bosses later, and on my own. I don’t want your job suffering because mine is a shit show right now.” 

“So, what’s the plan?” She asks, sighing heavily, “I can keep Powell on the burners for today, tell her you haven’t gotten back to me yet.”

“You keep working, you have my notebook still, right?” 

“Yep.”

“Good, use my notes if you need to. I’ll focus on all of the fallout, okay? I have my laptop here, so I can send you any files you need through our personal emails; M-Buzz won’t have access to those.” 

“Alright, is there anything else you need from our hotel? Clothes?”

“Nah, I can buy some if I need any. I don’t want anyone sniffing out where you are. The last concert here in Seoul is tomorrow night, so you should have new roofing after that. I’ll stick with the guys for now, and keep you updated daily.”

“Okay, please just stay safe, okay? It’s scary out there. Don’t go online for a few days. The saesangs are out in troves.” 

“I will, Elle. Thank you… for everything.” 

“Always. Talk later.” 

“Bye.” 

The room is deafeningly quiet after you hang up, and you feel your heart drop into your stomach at the revelations the phone call left you with. You’d expected your job to be in danger, sure, but you yourself? You weren’t quite banking on having to walk around with security guards for the rest of your time in South Korea, let alone back home in New York. 

You meet up with a lone Namjoon in the hallway, his dimple appearing when he half-grins at you reassuringly. 

“How are you holding up?” He asks. 

“I’ve been better,” you tell him, shrugging, “but I’m sure we can all push through this together.” 

“So optimistic,” he smiles. 

“Should I not be?” 

“No, it’s nice to see. Spirits have been pretty low today.” 

“Sorry about that,” you pout, “we were pretty careless, weren’t we?”

“I don’t think the word careless fits our situation,” he sighs, nose scrunching, “normal people can kiss their soulmates in public and it’s not a big deal. The only reason you’re going through this right now is because we’re well known.” 

“You mean famous,” you smile, nudging his shoulder. “I don’t blame you guys at all, Namjoon. I can only hope that you all don’t blame yourselves as well. I can’t imagine any of you would want me piling all of the guilt on my shoulders only.” 

He shakes his head in agreement with your statement, “We’re still sorry nonetheless.” 

“As am I,” you tell him, “let’s go meet up with the others, yeah? My coffee’s probably getting cold.” 

Yoongi has it waiting on the end table beside him when you and Namjoon enter the living quarters, brows furrowed as he scrolls through his phone. 

“Anything exciting?” 

He smiles at your question, shaking his head and gently tossing his phone onto the coffee table. “Just people being nosy, per usual.” 

“Ah, I see,” you nod, shoving him lightly. He takes the hint, scooting over so you have enough room to sidle into the loveseat with him, burrowing your face into his black hoodie. “Did I miss anything?” 

“Just me making your coffee and Jungkook trying to get everyone to smile.” 

You chuckle at that, happy that at least one person was keeping a happy demeanor despite the circumstances. 

“I’m surprised you weren’t setting up a PowerPoint,” Yoongi grumbles, smiling slyly at Namjoon, who sits across from the two of you on the sofa. 

“Yeah, I was just about to when Y/N interrupted me in the hallway,” Namjoon grins back, winking at you. 

“Whatever,” you sigh. 

“We do need to discuss stuff,” Jin states simply, leaning against the kitchen island. “Like we said before, we need to get everything out in the open before Y/N does her interviews.”

“Yeah, there’s quite a bit of our relationship,” Hoseok nods, waving his hands towards his group mates, “that you’re not aware of yet. We’re sure you have a list of questions to ask us regarding it anyway.” 

“You’re not wrong,” you nod, “I just don’t want to overstep.”

“You’re our soulmate,” Taehyung says, resting a large and warm palm on your shoulder from behind you, “there’s essentially nothing you can do to overstep any boundaries.” 

“He’s right,” Jungkook smiles, “you’re an equal part of this now. It’s only fair that we fill you in on everything that’s happened while you’ve been in America. And if you think that seems unfair, we can always ask you questions in return. It’ll be like truth or dare, but there’s only truths.” 

“That kind of defeats the purpose of the game, does it not?” Jimin smirks, “But I am with Jungkook on this. We’ve all got to open up to each other completely now that Y/N is here, though it’s especially for her sake, I’m sure there’s some stuff that we want to be more honest with each other about.” 

“We’ll be here for hours,” Taehyung notes. 

“It’ll be worth it,” Namjoon states. “This is a learning experience for all of us.” 

“The silver lining,” Jin nods. 

“Well, let’s get started then, yeah,” you announce, “I’ve got a question. For me. Not the interview.” 

“Go ahead,” Namjoon encourages you.

“Who… I mean, do you guys sleep with each other? Like, sexually? I’ve heard it mentioned here and there.” 

“You’re right to ask that, it only makes sense that we should start with something simple, obvious…” Seokjin nods, “the seven of us,” he motions towards his groupmates, “know most there is to know about each other already. But Y/N is new to our dynamic.” 

“I’ve been with everyone except Jungkook and Jin-hyung,” your twin-flame tells you, running his thumb along the back of your hand. Your position on the loveseat gave you a pretty good view of the room. 

Jungkook and Taehyung were strewn across either end of the large sofa, Hoseok in between them with his lean legs kicked up on the coffee table. Jin still stood in the kitchen, leaned against the counter, nursing a cup of coffee in his hands. Namjoon looked professional in the lounge chair at the forefront of the room, laptop closed atop his thighs. Jimin was standing near Namjoon until he sprawled unceremoniously across Taehyung’s lap.

“Body counts,” Jimin giggles. 

“That’s Jiminie’s way of confessing to being the slut of the group,” Taehyung chirps, laughing when Jungkook chokes on his strawberry milk.

“I’m a classy whore,” Jimin shrugs, nudging Taehyung’s thigh, “attention is nice.”

“Aish, that’s not very helpful, you two,” Jin groans, “Yoongi was on the right path. I haven’t been physically involved with any of the members,” he explains, looking into your eyes. 

“Why?” You ask honestly, curiosity piqued.

Jin shrugs, “My connection to them is emotional; I haven’t really felt a physical urge until you came along.” 

You blush at that, remembering the look Jin had given you after your demonstration the other night with the younger members of the group. 

“I’ve been with everyone save for Jin hyung,” Jimin explains.

“The same goes for me,” Namjoon adds, which honestly surprises you slightly. You hadn’t seen too much of Namjoon’s sensual side save for the other night. 

“I’ve been with Joon, Yoongi, and Jungkook,” Hobi tells you, and your brain whirls. Hoseok was so dominant, and the only person you’d felt could rival his dominance was Namjoon, his twin flame. You only wished that one day you could see that dynamic in action.

“Which means I’ve been with Yoongi, Kookie, and Jimin,” Tae smiles.

“And me with Tae, Jimin, and Joon.” Jungkook nods. 

“None of you feel left out or wanting?” You ask, “not that I’d expect anyone to feel that way.”

“We’ve been happy with our relationship thus far,” Namjoon answers you.

“Does my being added into the mix mess the dynamic up?” 

“It makes it more full, yes.” Namjoon nods, “But mess it up? No. We’ve been waiting for you for years, Y/N. There is no disappointment or frustration with you finally being here. If anything, it’s more exciting and feels complete finally. We just don’t know what boundaries you have with us.” 

You think on that for a moment, wondering to yourself if any existed for you where the seven men in front of you were involved. 

“There’s none,” you answer honestly. “There’s slight hesitancy,” you admit, “but that’s because I still don’t know how we’re going to make this work with me having to go back to New York after the tour. I know I want to be with all of you in every sense, but I also know we need to slow down and I need to try and remain rational.” 

“Everything has happened so fast,” you add. “I explained some of this to Jin last night before bed… but I’m usually not this committed. I’ll hook up with people, and it’s good for a little but I get scared of romance and commitment, and I run. This is all so new to me, and honestly? I’m scared.” 

Yoongi squeezes your hand gently, eyeing you concernedly. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” you promise them, but you can feel the promise to yourself in your words as well, “I don’t want to go anywhere, but I can’t just get over those habits like nothing.” 

“We understand,” Jin nods, “we were scared at first, too.” 

“We’ll support you like you support us,” Namjoon says, “and if your mind ever changes and you need to take a break, we will honor that. We don’t decide for you, Y/N.” 

You smile at that, “thank you.” 

“What else do you want to know?” he asks.

“What do you think will change now that I am here?” 

“Everything,” Hoseok answers, “but also nothing. You were always here in some fashion, Y/N. We knew eventually we would either meet you or find some sort of closure in your absence, but you were always here with us. You’re a part of this relationship, you always have been. The only difference now that you’re actually here with us is that we get to be with you in all aspects. Sexually, romantically, physically… I could hold your hand now that you’re here. We can make you food and take you on trips and tours with us. You’ll be an important part of our lives now, but these are things we’ve been doing for a while. We just get to share them now with you.” 

“Hoseok is right,” Jin agrees, “though now we might need to add more shows in New York to our tours and plan more trips to Manhattan during our off days.” 

“I can be a great tour guide,” you smile. “This isn’t so hard,” you sigh, “I have a feeling the interviews in store for me are going to be more difficult…” 

“Probably,” Taehyung nods, “but you’ll have us cheering you on, Y/N. We are on your side. Whatever you feel comfortable sharing with the public, you can share.” 

“They’re going to be fishing for information on you guys,” you tell them all, eyes scanning the room, “nothing you have told me in this room will be told to the reporters.” 

Jungkook smiles, “Reporters have a way of taking the worst scenario and running with it when they don’t get the information they want.” 

“Good thing I’ve been in the business for years,” you remind him. “I can handle this, you guys. I promise you I can.” 

“We know,” Jimin smiles. “We trust you.” 

The room is ridiculous; white paint nearly blinding, and the lack of windows and color leaves you feeling isolated from life as you know it. The only furniture in the room is placed starkly in the middle, two off-white lounge chairs with a small glass coffee table between them. You suppose it was an attempt at looking homey and welcoming, yet it feels anything but that as you take it all in. 

 Taeyang stands in the corner in a crisp suit, talking to multiple BigHit execs. The boys were not allowed in the room as distractions could have disastrous consequences during your filming, and your nerves were beginning to really take a toll on you. You wanted nothing more than the seven of them at your side, but you knew you would get through this interview with your head held high.

Taeyang looks your way as the finishing touches are made to your makeup by Chaeran, a tight-lipped smile adorning his features as he slowly strides over to you. “You’re ready?” It sounds more like a statement than a question.

“Yes.” You answer, standing up and flattening the black pencil skirt against your frame. The rose petal pink sweater is a bit much, but if Taeyang needed you to appear youthful and proper, youthful and proper you’d appear; what came out of your mouth, however, was completely up to you.

The reporter is a younger man, introduces himself to you as Haechul Ren, and the greetings and initial questions are off his tongue as soon as the camera clicks on and the director signals for him to begin. You settle further in the chair you’re sitting in, but keep your back straightened and your hands in your lap neatly.

“Good Morning, Seoul, and thank you for tuning in. I am your host, Haechul Ren, reporting on the latest news involving BTS, and I am here with L/N Y/N, a reporter from M-Buzz New York. Many of you have already seen the headlines circulating all news outlets this morning, but for those who haven’t, early this morning, it was revealed by a coworker of L/N Y/N that Miss L/N is, in fact, the eighth soulmate of the entirety of the global superstar group BTS. Thank you for being here with us this morning, Miss L/N, I can only imagine how difficult a day it’s been for you.” 

The compassion in his tone is clearly dramatized and leaves you wanting to be spiteful, but you swallow your pride and nod your head politely. “It has been a hectic one to be certain,” you answer kindly.

“The article released this morning, the very first one, have you seen it?” 

“I have,” you answer.

“Is it true?” 

“Which part exactly?” 

“Are you the eighth soulmate of BTS?” 

“Yes.” 

“How does that make you feel?” He asks, narrowing his eyes.

“Do you have a soulmate, Mr. Haechul?” 

“I do,” he replies dryly. 

“And how does that make you feel?”

“I suppose it makes me feel very lucky, but Miss L/N, I only have the one soulmate-”

“And I have seven,” you deadpan, “I suppose that makes me feel extremely lucky.” Your smile is sickeningly sweet on your face, and you can almost feel the irritation boiling from Ren next to you.

“How long have you known that all members of BTS are your soulmates?” He continues. 

“Less than two weeks,” you answer.

“Did you know they were your soulmates before the reveal of their marks during their concert?” 

“Yes.” 

“So then why were your initials and birthdate covered?” 

“For my comfort, but mostly for my protection,” you reply honestly. 

“Do you feel as though you need protecting, Miss L/N?”

“Have you seen the comments on the articles, Mr. Haechul?” 

He shakes his head no, “I figured. The comments, Mr. Haechul, are rather disgraceful. I have deactivated all of my social media as thousands of people are sending me messages, emails, friend requests, and threats. I’ve had multiple calls come through my personal phone from people who have found my number leaked through chat sites and blogs. To answer your question, no, I do not feel as though I need protection, but I see no issue in the members having covered my information on their wrists as they were only trying to shield me from the publicity I am currently receiving.” 

“Are you new to publicity? Does it frighten you?” 

“I suppose not,” you agree, “but let me ask you this, would you agree that people are dangerous, Mr. Haechul?” 

“I would agree that they can be,” he shrugs. 

“It is not the publicity that frightens me,” you explain, “I am a reporter, publicity is a huge part of my job. It is the relentlessness with which people are exhibiting to contact me that frightens me. It is people that frighten me.”

“You are the soulmate of prominent figures, Miss L/N.”

“And even prominent figures deserve privacy, Mr. Haechul.” You smile back, “If you were to wake one morning to find that pictures of yourself and your soulmate in a private encounter had gone viral and people whom you didn't know were attempting to reach out to them, would you feel safe? Would you expect your soulmate to feel safe?”

“I am not famous,” he argues, “your soulmates, Miss L/N, are famous.” 

“Are you saying that famous individuals are undeserving of the privacy you have? Why should private aspects of their relationships and livelihoods be broadcast for the world to see when we do not expect the same from our own relationships and lives? They are famous, yes, and with fame comes some loss of control over your personal life and what information the public has access to, but they are still people. They still deserve to live their private lives privately.”

“The public wants answers, Miss L/N,” Ren states firmly, and you watch Taeyang straighten his back in the chair he sits in across the room, “and you yourself are a reporter. You have interviewed groups before, and you have asked questions nearly identical to the ones I pose to you now. What makes you and your soulmates exempt?” 

“Nothing,” you answer, “I suppose I just know when to stop digging.” 

Taeyang’s eyebrows raise at that, and you begin to worry until he nods his head at you in approval. 

“Your relationship with the members,” Ren continues, “is it physical?” 

You level your gaze with him, “You’ve seen the photos.”

He grimaces, “And are the members physical with one another?” 

“I’ve seen them hug each other,” you snap, “is that answer satisfactory enough?” 

“The public is simply trying to understand the situation, Miss L/N,” he replies acidically. 

“Situation?” 

“Your predicament is unheard of, it’s shocking and unnatural.” 

“And what would you define as natural, Mr. Haechul? Two soulmates? Man and woman?” 

He grins wickedly, “Many would.” 

“This interview is over,” you announce, preparing to stand.

“Miss L/N, please, sit.” 

You look at the man across from you and grow angered at the grin plastered across his face at what you’d only assume the public would deem an ‘outburst,’ and take a deep breath before settling back into your seat.

“I am here to answer questions regarding me, Mr. Haechul. I will not divulge personal information regarding my soulmates simply because the public wants to hear the answers. If you have questions for me that are about me, ask them. I will answer them honestly.” 

He grips the arm of his chair a little harder at that, “as you wish.”

His first questions are simple, asking about the meaning behind your name, how many siblings you have, and what your childhood was like. 

“What do your parents make of your mark?” 

You blanch at that, “my mom only ever wanted me to be happy. We didn’t think I had one, let alone seven, honestly; we were even toying with the idea of my work being my soulmate. We were preparing for me to be alone or to settle for something casual. Not everyone finds their soulmate.” 

“And your father?” 

“Died while I was in high school,” you answer voidly, “next question.” 

“Do you have hobbies outside of reporting?” Ren asks, visibly shocked by the answer to his last inquiry. 

“Of course, we’re reporters, not robots. I enjoy music, especially when I was younger, and I read books when I have free time. I took up streaming my gameplay when I was in high school, but I haven’t kept up with it.” 

“Were you in relationships before meeting your soulmates?” 

“Yes, though none were serious.” 

“What’s the longest relationship you’ve been in?” 

“Two years,” you answer, ignoring the pang of hurt that rises in your heart at the memories. 

“How’d that end?” 

“Painfully,” you admit. 

“Do you plan on returning to New York after the tour is over?” 

“Yes.” 

Taeyang looks surprised at that, and you try not to focus too much on his expression, “I won’t be there for too long,” you add.

“Are you open to relocating to Seoul?” 

“I suppose so,” you nod, “that’s something I need to figure out with my soulmates. I don’t plan on making arrangements during our interview.” 

Haechul huffs, “We’re nearing the end now,” he tells you, and some of the tension in your shoulders eases.

He’s right, the remaining questions are easy enough to evade or answer in a few words. Once the cameras shut off, you let out a sigh of relief, allowing Taeyang to lead you back towards the room the boys were left waiting in. 

You’re shocked to only be met with Namjoon inside the room, having expected to see all of the boys. “They went to pick up some food,” he explains. “You did great,” he tells you, pulling you into a warm hug, the planes of his chest relaxing you as you rest your head against him.

“I have decided I don’t like being interviewed,” you complain, looking up into his eyes. 

“I don’t blame you,” he nods, “but you handled it gracefully. We can’t thank you enough or possibly express to you how much we value your strength.” 

You shrug, squeezing his hands in your own as you are released from his grasp, “I needed to say something, I’ve caused you guys enough discourse as it is. Taeyang says I will film the YouTube video next week.” 

“You’ll do just as well as you did today,” Namjoon smiles softly, running his thumb along your cheek. 

Your heart flutters in your chest, “of course I will,” you smile, “I owe it to you guys.” 

“We owe you everything,” he shakes his head, “we’re sorry we’ve overwhelmed you so far. What happened with Yoongi? He wasn’t planning on it. We were all planning on taking things slow, or as slow as we possibly could take them.” 

“I know, Joon,” you whisper. “You guys have done absolutely nothing wrong. I’m just trying to wrap my head around all of it. Everything has changed. My whole life is different now. I’m just trying to work through it, figure out how I’m going to leave my job and my life in New York. I can’t stay there longer than I need to. Not with you all here.” 

“We can afford the trips out there, if you need time.” 

“I know, but a big part of me doesn’t want time,” you smile shyly, looking at the tallest member’s eyes once more. 

“I’m sure they’ll love to hear that,” he smiles back.

“Oh, will they?” 

“They’ll feel the same way I do,” he answers, “Y/N?” 

“Yes?” 

“Can I kiss you?” 

You smile, nodding your head and relishing in the feeling of Namjoon resting his hand against the small of your back and pulling you towards him. You feel his exhale of breath when you’re flush against him, the sturdiness of his chest supporting your small hands once again as he uses his free hand to angle your face gently towards his. 

He’s so tall, your figure is dwarfed next to his. You’re pliant beneath his touch, heart racing in your chest when his plush lips finally press against your own. He’s gentle, almost too much so, until you sigh into the kiss and he deepens it. His tongue flicks against your lips experimentally, and you react; the moan is breathy and nearly inaudible, but thankfully enough for Namjoon, he can feel it against his mouth, and he tightens his grip on you, pulling you somehow closer to him. 

He bites your bottom lip gently, chasing your lips as you finally part yourself from him, breathless and seeing stars. 

“That was nice,” you whisper, swollen and glossy lips on display so prettily for him. 

“Yeah,” he agrees, equally breathless and visually affected if the slight tenting in his jeans is anything to go by.

“Food’s here,” Jungkook announces, bouncing through the doorway and reading the room, “if you guys are hungry,” he adds. 

Namjoon blushes deeply, and you let out a breathy chuckle, heart fluttering further as the other five members enter the room, “We’re starving,” you tell them. You’re not lying. The takeout they’ve brought with them smells heavenly, and your forgotten nerves had worked up an appetite in you. 

“Come eat,” Yoongi smiles, holding out a takeout bag for you. 

[sugarcubesandinsanity]

Bro, I love your self aware shi with Phainon sm 😘😘🥰.

I'm just gonna share some random thoughts!

I feel like Self aware Phainon would Tweek out to me that he only has to see me once or twice a week. Why? My dumbass play at computer cafe and my phone not compatible for this crazy ahh game 😢. I have to gatekeep the urge to giggle whatever he comes in my screen there and just screenshot important things! (￣∇￣) HIS ASS CANNOT act like a loser bro. But I feel like he would appreciate that I spend so much money to play there for hours 🥲🤭. I'm slowly saving up some money as a broken student to get a device where I can use for my school and games too :)) this goddamn phone know how good I am at grinding that they had to powercrept me smh </33

Also, quick question!

Will self aware Phainon or anyone else there in general somehow finds a way to gift us stellar jades?? Like some big ass stellar jades not those typical stellar jades that go to gives to their hsr players? As if it's like 20-30 pulls?? Haha, who knows? 🤔ᴴᴹᴹ. I was wondering if Phainon randomly finds a way to obtain a lot and everytime we login, we get a mail from him!

Would he be okay if I gooned to any characters specially Stelle and Sunday?? Man include Anaxa and Mydei too 😈😈

ot

i think i know who this is.... just a small hunch... ദ്ദി˶ｰ̀֊ｰ́ )

HMMM HONESTLY i think phainon would understand your circumstances as long as he's aware of it. or else he goes into full crash out mode 💔 he either connects the dots himself VERYYYY SLOWLYYYY or has to have sunday outright say it to him (#savesunday) i play a ton of games on an ipad (no ipad kid comments i will be under your bed.) that destroys my storage and tons of saved tiktoks so erm... i have to delete my genshin once in a while to make up space (ᴗ_ ᴗ。)

im also the type to screenshot 50 pics per frame whenever my babygirls show up so i feel the storage problem twin ❤️‍🩹 phaiphai definitely misses you whenever you're gone so when you do log in, he's so excited to see you!! you can hear special lines of him recounting his week to you. him being whiny over missing you so badly. not to mention, always over preforming to impress you so he leaves a lasting impact on your play through for that day. he cherishes every single moment you two spent together even if you're just raging at the trash relics you farmed for him ( ,,⩌'︿'⩌,,)

i think i rather play hsr on a toaster than my phone it alrdy struggles to load tumblr without crashing sometimes AUGHHH .·°՞(っ-ᯅ-ς)՞°·.

if he sees that you're struggling with grinding jades, he begs silver wolf to send an e6 character's worth of jades to your mail. using aventurine's money of course 💔 the moment he checks your jades are below a certain amount... no need to contact hoyo support.... that's just your clingy puppy dropping a small treat for his beloved dawnlight ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝) it reminds me of when puppies go find gifts and drops it of to their owners, expecting scratches and pets in return GAHHAHAHAHA 😭 he's probably also gonna leave a cheeky message, telling you to enjoy his present for you.

HELP THE LAST QUESTION 💔 well, let's just say the next time you log in and see a pissy phainon with a cosplay of stelle/sunday and a text message that says, 'i can be like them too, dawnlight!' ... well, good luck 🫡

[bylerspain]

‼️ warning: long post but I need to get this off my chest ‼️

I think it’s completely normal — and valid — for Byler fans to have doubts sometimes. If you look at things from the outside, from a very surface-level perspective, it might seem like we’re being delusional (like Joyce in season 1 seeing signs everywhere). But if you really take the time to look closely, you’ll see we’re not that far off from the truth.

To begin with, I genuinely believe that the most consistently developed relationship in the entire show — from season 1 until now — is the one between Mike and Will. It has its ups and downs, of course, but the show always makes it clear how important they are to each other.

So I have to ask: why go to such lengths to build their connection so carefully, to show that one of them is in love with the other in such an explicit way, if it’s all just going to end in rejection?

It honestly feels like they’ve been slowly guiding their bond toward something more intimate — something beyond friendship. And if season 5 does decide to take that step into the romantic, I truly don’t think it would feel forced. They’ve laid the groundwork. The story is already there. And if someone still can’t see it… well, it’s hard to explain things to people who don’t want to look.

On top of all that, if we’re talking purely in narrative terms, Mike and Will’s relationship carries way more weight than Mike and Eleven’s.

Byler could easily be a beautiful love story: two childhood best friends who grow up, go through hell together, and eventually realize they’ve always loved each other. It’s a classic trope — and it works. But when you add the fact that it’s a queer story, set in the social context of the 1980s. That changes everything. It adds emotional depth, historical weight, and so much potential for impact. Because it’s not just a love story — it could be something truly meaningful for younger queer audiences today, and for older generations who had to hide, who grew up feeling shame for who they were and who they loved.

I could honestly list more reasons why Byler makes more sense, but these feel like the most important ones to me.

So… what’s the point of all this?

It’s simple: if, as a creator, you have two possible narrative paths — one that’s fine (Mileven), and one that could be genuinely meaningful (Byler) — which one do you choose?

Let’s be real: most of us would go with the story that has more depth, more soul, more emotional truth.

If you have a “good” option and a great option, why settle for the weaker one?

If I were part of the Stranger Things writing team, I’d know for sure that letting a story like Mike and Will’s go to waste would be a real shame.

Because it doesn’t feel accidental. There’s intention. There’s emotional direction. And it’s getting clearer and clearer that this could happen.

Mike and Will are written with the potential to become something more.

And it would be beautiful to see them get there. In the end, what I’m trying to say is: Byler isn’t just a ship.

It’s a story with weight, with deep roots, with meaning.

And if they do decide to go there, it wouldn’t just make sense — it would be healing. It would matter.

But if they don’t… honestly, I’d find it such a shame. Because they had the chance to create something truly beautiful and meaningful — and choosing not to, maybe because it’s the harder path or the one that challenges more people, would feel like a missed opportunity.

A story like this doesn’t come around often. And it deserves to be told.

[rawliverandgoronspice]

re: sympathetic ganondorf vs evil for evil’s sake ganondorf, i think this is misrepresenting and underselling what’s actually offputting to people

“i’m evil because i’m evil” or “i’m evil because demise is evil” and the associated lust for power simply for its own sake has always been lame and low effort. there’s a reason it’s “shit tier” on the classic “villain motive tiers” thing

“i’m evil but there’s enough nuance to make the player at least somewhat sympathetic to me even if i’m still ultimately a bad guy” is a good thing that people like? i’ve never personally interacted with a zelda player who thinks windwaker ganondorf ruined the character or anything - he’s generally regarded as the gold standard of villain writing both in and out of zelda. this is roughly “high tier” on the tier chart

“actually TWIST i’m not evil at all, it’s the good guys who were evil all along, i’ve done nothing wrong and i’m completely justified in my righteous quest against the status quo, you’re the real secret true villain for being complicit in preserving it” is technically regarded as “elder god tier” on the motive tier chart but i would personally label it as “oscar bait tier”. these things *can* be compelling in conversation with the existing landscape, but often it comes across as a deliberate effort to subvert the audience’s expectations for the sake of being unpredictable (or worse, for the sake of proving you’re the smartest one in the room). in separate works where this conversation/critique is the entire point (eg. Watchmen or The Boys), that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and the audience sets their expectations accordingly. in an established, long-running franchise, however, this almost always reads as dripping with contempt for the audience, like walking into a room and going “you morons like this shit? let me, a person much smarter than you, explain what it’s Actually about, because you’re an idiot if you’ve been a fan of this series before now”

on top of that, in the context of a series like zelda, this type of story feels myopic and disrespectful to the future of the series. “welp i burned down the 20+ years of lore behind this character so i could do a deconstruction, good luck using them in any capacity in the future, sounds like a you problem”

all this is to say, i think it’s a bit disingenuous/strawman-y to suggest that people put off by this want ganondorf to have 0 depth at all. there’s a lot of room for different kinds of depth, it’s just that the trend of the last decade has been for “depth” to mean “condescending deconstruction”

Hey!

Thanks for taking the time to write this ask, I think it warrants an interesting conversation. To me, there's like, a lot of things about what you're saying, and tbh I do see where you're coming from --in part.

First thing first... No yeah unfortunately some people Are hostile to even WW Ganondorf. It's been a rising trend in the fandom since TotK was released --people being very against the concept of any additional complexity to the character, either not getting it or considering anything he says pure manipulation that doesn't even warrant a conversation, literally making fun of people who were intrigued by this and wanting more out of this particular thread. This position not only absolutely exists within the fandom --less so on tumblr, I'll agree there-- but it's not even hard to stumble upon as a pretty regular opinion that gets tossed around. I had some interesting asks thrown my way, let's say. The idea that Ganondorf is a remotely interesting character that deserves more thought than what he gets is very much Extremely not the norm, and the very fact that you, as a fan, likes him as a guy is perceived as weird and missing the point by a lot of people. Like a lot a lot of people.

So I'll just... I guess I haven't clarified my position in a while, so I will reclarify my position on our favorite evil dude: I do like him perfectly fine as a villain, I do not want him to be "redeemed" by the narrative, I think he works fantastically as an ongoing threat, I think they could make him even scarier and more offputting and that would be super fun and thrilling... and I also think he already is complex. Like, inherently. Everything Nintendo has been putting into him since his first appearance is complicated --even their attempts at flattening him back in TotK do not fully work because they can't scrub him of the extremely loaded ideas they injected into him from the get-go. Nobody forced Nintendo to do a Mega Orientalism when inventing him, nobody made them write the NPCs to have this super weird antagonistic relationship to the gerudos in OoT, nobody made them have all this lore of the one man born every hundred years, raised by twin witches --and then nobody made them press on that tension point in Wind Waker explicitely, and then, in a more subtle fashion, in TP too. Nobody forced their hand when it came to having the strange "round ear" situation, suggesting (confirmed even, in additional canon) gerudos are born unblessed. The fact of the matter is: everything to make the relationship between Hyrule and the gerudos complicated has been there since 1998. There's no need for a Switcharoo to prove that anyone is smarter than the audience: everything messy has always been baked within the worldbuilding itself. It's in the cartridges already!!

Perspective on it is what could change, though --because, except in Wind Waker, we never get even a hint of a sense that we should think, as an audience, that Hyrule's super weird relationship to the gerudos is maybe questionable. Worth thinking about at least. Which, given the optics, is wild to me that to bring this particular can of worms up is still very largely considered crazy talk within the fandom (that, or the Sheikah situation across the series, also insane in many ways). And yes, it would perhaps lead to themes that are a bit heavier than what Zelda has been overtly dealing with (though, again, Majora's Mask exists --and I do find a lot of unpacked ideas in the Wild Era, like the very unquestionned gerudo bridal pipeline, very uhhh unfortunate already if I'm being honest --even moreso because it is unquestioned). But Zelda, when well handled narratively, can do wonderful things with evocative subtext, open doors never fully crossed, a lynchian pressure on what should feel offputting. We don't even need a sad monologue about it. It doesn't even need to be handled explicitely. But I think the pressure point is just better when understood and incorporated in some form, instead of being denied so hard the world itself start to feel incomplete and unlived.

I do want to say... I get what you mean with the whole "oscar bait" thing. There has been, historically and in recent years, a tendency to be driven by an external, almost panicked sense of morality rather than by the internal drive of a story, its internal thematic logic. I also do think it can feel very corporate, very "Disney looking back at its own movies and scrubbing off everything Buzzfeed deemed problematic in 2014 while making everything glossy and lifeless and awful" and it's not that great!!! and tbh I can't say I would trust Nintendo to handle any appreciation for the fact that the story of an eternal golden kingdom cheering on beating the evil outsiders who want to corrupt everything good and pure and blonde about that perfect inherently good place, is like, extremely not neutral. It absolutely is a delicate thread to weave, and I agree that putting a definitive end to Hyrule is probably not the smartest IP move to do. But, Hyrule doesn't have to be condemned as Bad, it can be merely complicated. And ongoing, regardless. To keep on with the Disney parallel: The Lion King would feel weird if we started to peel off the internal politics of the hyenas, it's just not the right place for it, when everything about this story revolves around the Righteousness of the Divine Right to Rule. But if the Lion King was an ongoing series that had been looping on itself for a while... wouldn't it make sense to figure out how to achieve majesty by studying other angles too, eventually? Is it that strange to suggest the exercise is like, possible? That it can be handled with artistry and soul?

I feel like... Yes, to acknowledge Ganondorf's humanity --not even to coddle it, just to acknowledge it-- implies taking in everything that makes him who he is, and that might rattle some foundational ideas about why this ancestral fight is even happening in the first place. I also do not think it means that he must be Good now. He can still punch a child and cackle maniacally, he can still be unredeemable --he can still destroy himself and others out of the most unconstructive spite ever, and we can still see the purpose in defeating him while basking in the "yea....." left in his wake (Wind Waker did that!!! Wind Waker did that and then we had more Zelda games!! crazy how that happened). This is hardly undoable. It does take some narrative skill, and some commitment to taking a bit of a risk, but Ganondorf is genuinely unmanageable as a character if you insist on your refusal to acknowledge his foundations --and I think it's partially why TotK's story is such a mess. He sells a TON, but you can't have him breathe slightly too loud without risking the entire world falling apart. They did try in TotK, so very hard, and to me they still failed--as insane as he behaves, Hyrule still doesn't come out of this looking good or particularly justified, because the very central core of Ganondorf's character is to be subjugated, and then rebelling in a destructive and brutally selfish, uncompromising manner that ends up robbing him of humanity --and the discomfort of that premise will therefore always haunt the conversation. Nintendo dug themselves into that mess. I feel like a lot of the Ganondorf fans I know merely... point at that. At the mess. And I feel like the longer the games avoid this mess, the more coats of spinach green they slather ontop of his skin, and the more nonsensical characterization they pile up, and the more Ganondorf will become a parody of who he once was, and what made him compelling to begin with.

And to top it all off, as if he wasn't contentious and complicated enough to handle already, they leaned into the internet turning him into a sex symbol for some fucking reason??? Yeah I genuinely have no idea how Nintendo will manage this dude moving forward, because to me, he is, at best, an endless source of (very lucrative) headaches, and at worst a ticking time bomb. I'm not sure how long they can get away with that TotKification strategy, is what I mean.

(Also: I tried to not overdwell on all the incredibly complicated conversation re: race and orientalism, but it's borderline impossible to have this conversation without acknowledging that I have never seen a major pop culture villain receive more pushback against "woobification" than him, and I don't think it's a complete coincidence let's say :) )

[ryllen]

too tired to doodle properly, but have a florid

[batboopp]

[sheepalmighty]

Spoilers for Deltarune Chapters 3 & 4. I noticed some parallels between characters in these two chapters that I wanted to sort through below. It got slightly long so it's under a read more.

After fighting the final boss fight in Chapter 3 and then playing through 4 I got to thinking about the similar roles Gerson and (most likely) Gaster play in these chapters when they show up. Gaster is to you, the player, as Gerson is to Susie.

He asks you if you want to keep fighting the knight and essentially gives you a save state to keep trying (I think this is important in itself though a little like conjecture at this point). On this, both you and Susie are told it's an optional fight but, for you, you'll most likely want to try it out a few times, and Susie herself insists on winning fair and square - this insistence to keep going is shared with the both of you, in a way, and the ability to choose - and to choose to improve - also lies solely with you two.

In Gerson's battle he's elated whenever Susie heals herself or continues trying to land a hit. He definitely gives off this sense of admiration in Susie's will as shown when he talks to Kris and Ralsei when she walks away from that tea meeting. I personally love how he talks about how your narrative seemed restrained by some negative aspects in comparison to her (like from how she narrated the past events). At least, there's this feeling that there's a strong distinction between the narrative of this game (or the prophecy) and Susie's actions and disposition.

And, for Gaster, losing near the end of the roaring knight battle nets a few lines from him that indicate that he's very invested in your ability thus far, encouraging you to get a little further and finish the battle. There's this strong similarity between them where they want to see you and Susie reach higher potentials in a way that doesn't feel like they have ulterior motives, on account of giving you the option to skip those fights. They both allude to that power or ability you and Susie have in relation to light, shining and sparkling respectively.

There's another parallel related to the knight battle as well. The player and Gaster can also be compared and contrasted with Kris and that little gremlin (derogatory) that you fight at the end of the s-rank game. In the same group of lines from Gaster mentioned earlier he says that he felt your power shining there for a moment. In the same vein, the gremlin tells Kris that it saw something like flames flickering in their eyes after winning the battle (again there's the light imagery albeit with fire this time). Perhaps what the boss says to Kris is backed up somewhat from checking their status afterwards - their breath quickens around blades. Related but not relevant: when you fight the knight holding your breath seems to help them out, but I'm not entirely sure if this is the intention.

In stark contrast is the difference between the styles of gameplay in both of these boss fights. The player-soul dodges fierce blade-based attacks while the Kris avatar in the game hails fierce attacks on the boss using a blade. The feeling is different between turn based and real time combat pretty obviously, and I believe that that contrast is also intentional - visually too as you're shown as the soul and Kris is shown as mini-Kris (and technically sure you're playing all of these battles yourself but narratively, from a mise-en-scène perspective, it's these characters). The gremlin was obviously coaxing something out of Kris but in a harsher way than Gaster or Gerson to add to that contrast (though maybe it's easy to make those sorts of basic observations so this one is just an afterthought).

So, there's this sense of opposition brought on between you and Kris through looking at these battles on top of everything else that happens between you two in chapter 4. I also can't help but lump you - the player - and Susie together in your both showing greater potential and determination for taking on the seemingly impossible.

[aroaessidhe]

2025 reads / storygraph

We Were Restless Things

YA fantasy/paranormal

set in a small town where a boy drowned in the woods last summer - miles from any lakes or rivers

only his friend knows the truth, that he drowned in a magical lake that only appeared for them. and now she’s started getting strange texts from an unknown number claiming to be his spirit

meanwhile a new boy who’s moved in with her can’t help but be drawn into the mystery, as well as the boy who died’s sister

slow-paced and character focused

[ismyteadoneyet]

.

[strohller27]

.

[kdranime]

.

[meatriarchived]

i did not sleep yay for me im still on my fuckshit but when i think of cc maria ( by extension also nosy maria but specifically noting the isolation aspect of cc );

can you imagine one day skimming the paper. its been a few weeks since all the commotion knowing your friends' had attempted to come find you but then were chased off. never actually heard or saw any of them, but you know they were around.

but you've been moved from the cells to a mattress upstairs. you're given more freedom, more wiggle room, you're allowed to do things - little hobby-type activities - you're given better foods, you're looked after by the older woman at the other house. the man who took you, who terrifies you still to some degree, slowly doesn't feel like such a stranger anymore, you're right to still be cautious around him but as the days, the weeks, pass by, there's simply a different air about him, and in the shack. lighter, in a sense.

you find yourself growing used to the new daily - the new routine. of waking to the sound of him getting ready for the day, of being left alone in there for hours sometimes, others trailing after him like a duckling, around the older womans' property, helping with an array of tasks. and you worry about upsetting her at first, unsure if doing so will earn a knife to the throat. you listen, you do as you're told, you find some kind of way to co-exist - all the while still, in the back of your mind, there's still a ray of hope,

that maybe, maybe, since the rest of them got away - that they're merely licking their wounds, that they'll get word out and even with all the silence since they had been on the property, there's that shred of hope that maybe? someone will waltz in, guns blazing so to speak, and you'll get out of this hell finally.

that is, until that day - that you're skimming through the paper, and you recognize yourself in a little column - and you realize you're staring at your own fucking obituary.

and in that moment everything seems solidified.

you're never getting away.

there's no point in it.

there's no one out there who are still trying to find you, get you back, bring you home, back to your mothers' arms, back to being an older sister, back to the circle of friends you loved so dearly.

you're dead.

not just to the world, but to those you loved - those who claimed to have loved you, too.

what else do you have at that point? where else do you go, even if you still tried to leave? who wouldn't look at you sideways for the blood that's already stained your hands? for the flesh caught between teeth?

who else is there, except the one murmuring encouragement and praise in your ear?

the only constant you've had in all these weeks? whose words rang true - clearly - that no one cared? that they abandoned you? left you there, didn't even care to make sure you were alive or not? only thought of themselves and got the fuck outta there without confirming if you were even still alive.

[kuiinncedes]

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