#yes this is me questioning being plural again

[kittykatkatelol]

incoherent screeching

[thepandalion]

work in progress bullshit paper titles for when I actually know anything in acoustic phonetics:

1: Reasons Why I Should Win Eurovision

2: How To Speak In 420 Hertz

[mehwmidklpe]

if you're taking requests could you do smth for ethan?? maybe a bit of cuddling?? thank you!

I love thisss

"I might need another eye patch."

"Why?"

"Cause you're too pretty to handle."

At that, you dropped back onto the bed, making him copy your action and lay down next to you.

Naturally, you tried to contain the butterflies swirling around in your stomach, but your dramatic reaction obviously betrayed you.

Also, Ethan was smiling like he just won the battle of Manhattan (spoiler, he didn't, he died!)

You grinned, clearly flustered, and spoke to your lovely boyfriend. "You're pretty too."

The Japanese boy smiled before hiding his face in the crook of your neck.

It stayed silent for a while, you just relaxed into the moment, enjoying the warmth of one another.

"You smell good." Ethan remarked.

You smiled. "I do?" You could feel him nod against your skin. "Yeah. Don't know how you manage to smell this nice while litteraly figthing to the death."

That earned him an eyeroll. he couldn't see it, but he could sure sense it.

"I'm not fighting to the death now."

"You were yesterday, and you still smelled amazing." He mumbled into your neck.

You smacked his head to the side (playfully and harmless I swear it on The River Styx!) so that his face was out of your neck and his dark eye would meet the two of yours.

"I like your eye."

"I like your eyeS."

You rolled your eyes, again, and leaned down to lay infront of him, face to face.

"I mean it though, it's beautiful."

"It's dark."

"Gorgeous."

"Well, it's a shame I only have one of them then."

You groaned and rolled over, your back facing him now. "You're unbelievable Ethan Nakamura."

The 'Ethan Nakamura' in question smiled. "You love me."

"I tolerate you."

"You tolerate me in very intimate ways sometimes."

"Unfortunately."

"You didn't say that last ni–" "When did you get so smug?"

The raven haired boy shrugged, pulling you into him by your waist, chin resting on your shoulder as you layed in bed together.

"I was in the labyrinth with Percy Jackson for a bit. Kinda sticks to you. Even when he was pissed off."

"Mh." You just hummed before turning around to face him again, wrapping your arms around his neck. "Well stop it and go back to being quiet again, thank you very much."

Ethan frowned. "I didn't even agree yet–" "I said be quiet." You repeat, not letting him say any thing more.

I don't know about you but when Ethan Nakamura is told by his gorgeous, divine, cold-killer-girlfriend that he needs to be quiet, he won't open his mouth until she tells him to.

Not even in the underworld if Hades demands him to.

So instead he just observed. Like he always does.

And of course, you did the same, like always.

Staring at your beautiful boyfriend was one of your favorite things to do. Even if you always deny it. Even when you say you'd rather stab yourself.

It kinda amazes you both that you got to the point of dating with how closed off and stubborn you both are.

You let your eyes go from his soft messy raven black hair, to his beautiful dark eye that reminded you of a dark night (which you loved), to his eye pacth and the scar that came out from beneath it.

Then your gaze trailed to his perfectly cute nose and then finally, your eyes landed on his lips.

Those oh-so-soft lips that always got your attention somehow. The ones you always kept yourself from kissing at the most random moments.

But right now, he was rigth infront of you, embracing you into him, his eyes scanning your own face just like you were doing.

So yes, you leaned in, and as if he could read your mind, he did the exact same.

Your lips met in a soft, warm kiss that had you melting into him, sighing into it and eyes fluttering shut.

I'd say his eyes fluttered shut too but that wouldn't be correct cause the term 'eyes' is plural and he only has one of them. (haha! I'm so funny, I know!)

His hands on your waist were comforting like always, your hand on his chest rested right on the place his heart lays.

Well not the exact place that'd be bad. But the skin where it layed beneath!

Ethan exhaled trough his nose, the warmth hitting your skin in an unexpectedly nice way.

You felt at peace. Home even. Although neither of you would ever say that out loud cause you hated being cheesy.

But when you pulled away, and you saw the look on his breathtakingly handsome face, and he saw the look on your divine-looking gorgeous one, you both knew.

"You can speak now." You wishpered.

"I love you." He breathed out.

Wow. Straight to the point.

But hey! The man saw an opportunity and took it. Can't blame him for being whipped.

You leaned into him. "I love you too, Ethan."

And Ethan held you, replaying those five words in his mind over and over again.

'I love you too, Ethan.'

By the gods. He'd die just to hear those five simple words come out of your pretty mouth for eternity.

And little did he know (he actually did) you would too.

[meiyoks]

the most wonderful time of the year

request: "can you write something cute with daniela from katseye. like maybe her and the reader being cute around the other girls. i just read an angsty one with her and i need to recover :("

warnings/triggers: fluff, established relationship, gender neutral reader

it didn't come as a surprise to you that daniela was a festive person. she hadn't stopped gushing about the gifts (yes, plural) she'd gotten you, and she'd been the one who bought the two of you matching christmas sweaters – not ugly sweaters, she wouldn't have either of you looking anything less than amazing. but as festive as she was, it had taken one little debate with manon over beyonce songs for your girlfriend to leave you alone to put up the christmas tree so they could settle it like real adults – by having a snowball fight. thankfully for you, yoonchae had seen what you were doing and decided to join in, so it wasn't all on you.

which – of course you'd been ropped into putting up the tree. you had come over with your laptop and snacks, fully intending to make daniela watch a new anime with you, but her pout as she asked you to help her put up the tree had made you putty in her hands. until, of course, manon had asked you if you preferred love on top or crazy in love as shevwas putting together a playlist and you were in their shared bedroom as much as they were, and before you could answer daniela had picked crazy in love, starting the debate that escalated quickly.

you were in the middle of placing ornaments on the tree with yoonchae when you felt arms circle around your waist, and a head press against your shoulder. it was no question who it was, your hand reached down to squeeze daniela's that was resting on your stomach. she was cold to the touch, and you placed the ornament on the tree before turning, your arms wrapping around her to pull her in closer.

"my poor baby, you're so cold," you spoke as she hid her face in your neck, rubbing your hands up and down her back until a squeal escaping you as she pressed her cold nose against your skin. the laugh she let out had you beginning to pull away, but her hold tightened on you and she didn't let you go. "no no, i'm sorry, let me steal your body heat." at least she was being honest about using you for your warmth. you couldn't resist the urge to tease her for it though.

"you know, maybe if you had let me answer, manon wouldn't have had to turn you into a dani-sicle," you said, even though your lips pressed against her temple as you did. she let out a huff, pouting up at you. you couldnt help but press a soft kiss yo her lips then. "did you at least win?" you asked once you pulled away, and laughed when the pout worsened in response. "gosh, you're gonna bring my reputation down with yours baby."

"what reputation? you were a dork way before i met you," daniela said, and you raised your eyebrows slightly. "you better be nice to me if you want to keep stealing my warmth," you responded, but made no effort to move out of her grasp.

it was then that manon came into the room, having gone to change out of her wet clothes, and the sight of daniela in your arms made her let out a scoff full of amusement. "that's not fair, if i lost i wouldn't have anyone to baby me, you two need to stop being so cute."

a little huff escaped daniela again as her grip tightened on you, and you met manon's eyes with a grin on your face. "don't worry manz, i would've babied you too. because you're right, love on top is better."

the indignant yell daniela let out was almost as loud as the laugh manon let out, and the blonde pulled back from you to leave a light swat on your shoulder. "no way! you're my space heater, not hers! she can get her own, you're mine." you just laughed as you pulled her back into your arms.

next to you, yoonchae stared at the two of you for a moment, as if trying to find the words she wanted to say. "you wouldn't be as cute with manon," she finally said, and you smiled a little as you rested your chin on daniela's shoulder. "you were supposed to be cute with her, not anyone else."

a warmth you couldn't quite explain filled you at yoonchae's words, but you knew she was right. there was no way you could've been with anyone else, not when daniela existed. you hadn't believed in soulmates until you'd met her, but you hadn't ever really felt complete until you'd held daniela in your arms, either. so maybe yoonchae was right, and you simply were meant to be cute with daniela.

[pluralescentmoon]

as promised, the "pearl is a system who doesn't know it (yet)" propoganda totally-an-essay for @thecoolerliauditore

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS ABOUT THE CHARACTER. NONE OF THIS IS ABOUT CC!PEARL. I ALSO DO NOT THINK SHE'S DOING THIS INTENTIONALLY. this is just how I'm choosing to interpret her character, because it makes things a LOT more interesting. this also works under the assumption that life series pearl and Hermitcraft pearl are the same character, so if that's not your vibe, that's fine! this is just your warning. I am also not saying all alters in every system has specific roles, or triggers. and if you dont know what im referring to at any point in this post, please let me know! I'm just trying to explain my thought process in a clear and concise way, even for those who don't know specific details about those under the plurality umbrella.

mild wild life spoilers ahead as well! you've been warned!

so! pearl has a bit of an unusual habit of how she refers to herself. she tends to do it in parts. she gives them identities, names. roles. example of this being, post master pearl, the cleaning lady, scarlet pearl, editor pearl (yes this one too i PROMISE I promise it'll make sense). each of these are like specific "characters". they're masks she puts on, to play the part of that specific pearl. they have their purpose, their roles, their clothes (separate skins). each of them are similar, but still unique and distinct from each other.

each one of these pearls has a purpose, a specific role they play in her life. they're specifically called upon for their tasks. for certain things, there's a pearl for it. it's almost as if these pearls have triggers that pull them out for specific reasons that seem important to helping their shared body…

an example of this is, there was a point recently in Pearl's season 10 where she was rebuilding her storage room. and, she found herself in a familiar set of clothes. taking care of the mess, as the cleaning lady. which leads to interesting implications! c!pearl feeling like she needs to change into another set of clothes to do something like organizing her chest, and call herself a specific title while doing so

cc!pearl has even said she sees her character as having phases (like the moon lol). and that she likes wearing specific skins (clothes) for them.

I think these specific pearls, these segregated parts of pearl, are her alters. alters that have specific clothes they prefer to wear, triggers to pull them to the front, and roles they fill in the system.

now that brings up the question, what are their roles exactly?

we'll start with the easy ones!

Normal Hermitcraft Pearl - Host. the silly. she's a goofy gal, the one we see the most. she's also given these other parts of herself names, based on the tasks that they carry out. she just thinks she's putting on a few different masks for each of these characters, and does not realize what's going on at all.

Post Master Pearl - this would be the one who works in the post office, the one who wants to deliver the mail. she's their work alter! she mainly does stuff with the mail system, including building the top part of some mailboxes or retrieving the lost parcels

Cleaning Lady - this one feels pretty self explanatory. she likes to clean and organize, and I think she could be contributed to a caretaker, as I'm going to contribute the SOUP thing to her, since it was season 9 more than anything else. she's here to clean and make sure they have good meals, but gets stressed about it sometimes. she also absolutely has nightmares about Grian's storage prank lol

Scarlet Pearl - abandonment/trust issues given form, scarlet would be a protector/trauma holder. we saw her forming in double life! she's the reason pearl seems to go from being fine with Scott, to snarking him. i think host pearl is, consciously or not, trying to suppress scarlet pearl from fronting in wild life, as host pearl does want to be friends with scott again… because she doesn't remember the extent of her trauma from double life. not the full of it anyways.

I have a lot of thoughts about protector scarlet pearl ngl but we'll get back to that. there's one more alter to talk about first.

I also have some thoughts about her having a Santa Perla introject because of Sausage's influence, but that one is less solid. still, she gets an honorable mention.

and now the biggest one. somehow the silliest one, and also the one I feel the strongest about. editor pearl.

editor pearl is of course, a silly OOC joke… but the implications of her existing are so very interesting. if we take the videos to be how pearl remembers things, if we take them as how she would tell things to others, then this means there's things that are purposefully… cut out of what she remembers. things that change context, or that are even almost… too much to remember. it's like she has someone there, taking snippets of her memories away. making her forget them, making her retell events in different ways than others.

that's what editor pearl is.

editor pearl is the alter that takes care of their memories. she cuts out the parts she doesn't want pearl to remember, because they're too traumatizing, they arent important, or she doesn't sees them as worth remembering.

this affects how pearl sees not only herself, but everyone else around her. conversations are forgotten by her, but not by the other side. the way certain memories are framed change drastically when you can only remember the parts that someone else WANTS you to remember. editor pearl is a memory holder, who just wants to help their system out by keeping the Good parts. she's gives pearl what she thinks pearl will want to remember, which means pearl only tells the parts editor pearl approves of.

I think, with everything going on in wild life, pearl is well on her way to discovering just what's going on inside her mind. whether she wants to, or not. scarlet pearl can only be held back for so long, and pearl has been doing that for two sessions now.

oh, sure, scarlet was allowed to snark in the first episode. but the second episode, comparing it to Cleo's POV… there's things missing. things cut out. entire conversations left completely out of Pearl's version of the story.

I think editor Pearl and scarlet pearl are working together a bit. cut out the memories of scarlet saying she wants to throw up at the idea of being family. and so many other little lines. cut it all out, make it easier to remember, easier to deal with.

because, after all, they just want to do their jobs. they just want to help, to make life more bearable. to make everything okay. host may not want them to, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her…

but this isn't built to last. not with host pearl keeping scarlet locked away as tightly as she is. sooner or later, something has to give. and sooner or later, they'll figure out what's going on. I have a feeling it's going to be messy, because pearl (scarlet) doesn't like feeling like people thinks she's crazy. and this will only make her feel crazy before the end.

but it can't last the way it has been. eventually, something is gonna break. or, maybe instead someone.

this isnt going to go well for host pearl.

[funnier-as-a-system]

plural question for you: i am fairly certain im plural, as there are two very distinct People in my head other than Me. the one who is Me fronts most of the time or co-fronts(?) with one of Them (A). the Other one (W) is incredibly destructive and only fronts when im very unwell mentally. the question is: do i need to communicate with all of the other People? just because W is. not someone we want in charge and has made it incredibly clear that they hate us and do not want anything to do with us. is it ok if Me and A just…leave W to their own devices in headspace and make sure they don’t get the chance to front? or is it better in the long run to have an open communication channel? just bc everything ive read has said that intersystem communication is v important but i worry bother W is gonna do more harm than good

This sounds like a delicate and complicated situation. While I'll give you my thoughts since you asked for them, please keep in mind that this is only my perspective as a fellow system; please do not feel the need to follow my advice like it's the law. If the situation changes or my advice doesn't seem to be working out/doesn't seem helpful, please take a step back and reconsider your options based on what you think would be best, with all your first-hand information on your situation.

With that out of the way, here's what I think: while intrasystem communication is important, it's more important to be open to communication than to constantly be in open communication with everyone in your system. There's a difference between being available if someone needs you and having weekly chit-chats with them, you know? So, I'd say to let W know that both/all of you can talk if they want to, and then leave them be, so they can make the choice to reach out. Again, intrasystem communication is generally a good thing, but that doesn't mean you have to have frequent conversations with someone who hates your guts when neither of you are getting much good out of them. Sometimes you need to take a step back, or just be low-contact with someone, and that's not a moral failure. Despite how some folks act, you won't get a bad grade in being a system if common advice or solutions aren't working out for you.

Take the systemhood out of the equation for a moment and just think of yourselves as a group. Groups don't always get along with each other. People in groups may argue, fight, or even hate each other. So, what happens? Usually, accomodations are made. The people who aren't getting along might only talk directly with a mediator present, or they might get their work adjusted so they don't have to interact with each other to get it done. If no accomodations are made and the group members are forced to just keep interacting with one another like nothing is wrong, tension and stress tend to build up, which is something we want to avoid.

You are a group. Perhaps you'll have to keep each other updated on project parameters (ex. major life changes), but you don't have to invite a group member who hates you out for a drink, especially when they've already said they don't want to go out for a drink with you. You can just work separately, with email notifications on in case of emergency. So, yes, I think it's okay if you leave W be. It's up to you to decide how you go about this and how much contact you want to keep with them, but at the end of the day, if talking to them isn't the best option right now, then you should look at other options, not keep talking to them just because other groups work best while having coffee together every Thursday.

Controlling the front is a different issue that will depend on the specifics of your situation. My general opinion is that a total lockdown on who is and isn't allowed to front (as in, the lockdown applies in all circumstances 24/7, and isn't something situational like "littles should be kept from fronting while we are at work") should only be used temporarily and/or in extreme situations, as I believe that everyone deserves to have at least some time to control their own meatspace body, even if that's only under certain conditions for safety reasons. Because of that, I'd normally suggest talking to any destructive system members about redirecting their habits, but that's complicated here... I don't feel like I can give very thoughtful advice on this, sorry. Consider how and why you feel it is necessary, as well as potential outcomes and alternate actions you could take, and then come to a decision. Feel free to toss my opinion out the window as you do so if needed.

To make a long post short: W doesn't seem to enjoy your current communication habits, and you (and A) also don't seem to be getting anything from them, so it's time to change things up. Just because you share a body with someone doesn't mean you have to talk to them every day, or anything like that. You can go low-contact with members of your system. If you think taking a step back would be better, then take a step back, regardless of what others say. What works for them and their system may not work for you and your system. That's the nature of community advice.

[annakabeybeh]

This new Chapter of Batman & Robin is amazing in so many ways. It's plagued with things I cannot begin to say what I love about it, but I'll try anyway.

Spoilers ahead

First: Guilt.

He feels guilty for the events of past chapters. He did his best, but as you know, you cannot always save everyone. His guilt doesn't only come from feeling unprepared but also from his own attitude. Again, PKJ is doing a great job giving Damian personality while making him grow organically. He did something and he's facing the consequences of that. He was mean to someone unpromptedly and that person had an accident that he could have avoided but by being mean he also felt like he was responsible. This guilt is making him do things outside his regular personality. Is it bad? No, he's making changes for good without losing his personality but gaining new attributes and different ways of seeing the world.

Second: Growing, charitability?

Again, guilt is making him do things outside, but also reading about Thomas Wayne, a man who was well-known for helping others. This t the same it feels like this is a recon mission. Again very much Damian, doing certain things just to gather information but it feels like he's in a way understanding Thomas and his way of doing things. Damian has great traits that come from Ra's but combined with Thomas will make Damian a great person. (Ra's want a better world but his methods aren't the best but he does it for a better good.)

I really like this. Damian has never been a bad person but he had never gone to the point of helping outside the costume. He helps people but there's also that feel that he likes fighting (not killing) and the adrenaline and this change, feels like the better but it doesn't feel like he's gonna stop being sassy and snarky at points but a little more mindful of when he tends to be like that. Not a bad thing in my opinion but an actual natural growth and understanding from him.

Third: Accountability.

As he tries to mend his mistakes, the fact that for the first time, he's blaming Bruce for what happened to Alfred makes me so happy. He is taking accountability for his own actions when Bruce hadn't done the same, and he's learning not only from himself but from Bruce.

Damian is trying to learn what to do in his life, what he wants to do, not follow what Bruce does or what his mother and grandfathers (yes, plural) did, in a way it feels like leaving the mantle or stopping being a vigilante. He had died, he had seen things and it is understandable that at any point he questions everything and you know Bruce is not the best example, sometimes barely able to manage both lives and risking his life when he could just ask for help or when he needed rest and I wouldn't blame Damian if he wanted to have a healthy balance from both lives.

The last pages show a Batman depending on Robin, both should have spares, not only one of them. Bruce cares about Damian and he's worried about the changes shown in him, but honestly, worried about him skipping school, come on, he hated it there; patrols, okay that's new. There's a gap between them and there's miscommunication and they share fucking nothing about each other and I hope this time this can change. Damian might feel this as something to be ashamed of. Some way of weakness in him and he has to deal with it. He wanted to talk but he did not talk at all about what was worrying him also Bruce hadn't shared what he knows and the relationship has to go both ways.

[stars-in-a-jam-jar]

Thinking abt Plural!Kyana again because of course I am.

Dani, definitely traumatized but pretty soundly dealing with that shit as far as she is concerned, hearing Kyana say she'd gotten worse welcomes than getting shot at in her own home by people she's known for years and going "That's concerning." and Kyana responding "What?" Just. The pure bouncing off the armor. She completely forgets about it, it is not brought up again.

Then Ione says "Things got... Worse." and Kyana doesn't even acknowledge the implications. She first appeared and Kyana says, "I didn't even know we could go here :D" Seemingly completely disregarding the fact that she literally had to fight her own way out of the Monastery. The gap kinda fills in itself that she was simply left out of the loop on who was allowed where and why; which, sure, stirs up this feeling of being left out but hey, glass half full, it means the place was more than just a rock to get out from under and that's a good thing, isn't it? The sheer force of cognitive dissonance that Ione stares at and wonders 'How can she be like that?' but she wants so badly to believe when Kyana says 'The world is so big.' So she tells her to keep moving.

"I think that 'you' are a 'we'." And the feeling of trepidation and awe it fills her with. That there's not just more to the world but more to herself than she could've ever wrapped her head around back where she started. An answer to a question she never thought to ask.

"Together we are Kyana." How Suvi is so long devoted to being a support and a symbiosis she is nothing but happy to say "Our friends" and "Together", and has trouble extending beyond that role; it's not quite in her scope. She knows her purpose and does not know how to write.

Kyana just flying into a wordless rage for the first time pulling from the well of raw emotion she's never broken the surface of before and finding someone else on the other end of it. Kyana entirely failing the fucking time maze because she has no conviction about who she is or what she wants because those aren't questions anyone in here has asked, the question was always 'How do I get out the other side of this?' and 'How do I keep this?' and yes she knows who she is right now, but who will she be after the next thing? What version of herself will she need to be for the next challenge, the world usually just Tells Her; who she is is something that happens To Her. "The me that I think of as Me" is the one keeping the order of events straight and keeping the anxieties at bay. The one who calls the Astral Sea home is someone else who she happily agrees with. The one who rips up doors and tunnel visions on What Is Most Important Right Now is someone else who she needs and appreciates. Who is she? What is she called? Where is her mother? What are her priorities?

She doesn't know because 'The me that I think of as Me' has been the Me that doesn't know how to ask many questions other than 'How do I keep myself safe?' (to which the answer was usually 'Don't think about it and don't stop moving') and along the way 'myself' started to mean 'my loved ones' because she's never truly had those before and then they were just handed to her and she was so hungry for it she didn't realize what she was doing until everyone was arguing and it felt like her soul was being ripped from the strain. There is no one she can be who can deal with this situation so she has to spend so much of herself on keeping herself from crying like a child and just feebly ask them to stop talking about it. Is that Me or is that a kid who only half-exists? Whoever it was, she got the fighting to stop so maybe that's good enough for now.

Something something the pieces of you that you had to cut off are suddenly the pieces of you you need to lean on something something 'Coming of age' but it means 'Coming to terms with the trauma you created such a strong wall between 'your feelings about it' and 'The events themselves' ' something something Who am I if I come from somewhere before The Trauma but I have no clue where or how to trace it? What am I connected to? To nothing? To everything?

I love Kyana so goddamn much I'm gonna throw up.

[patchwork-crow-writes]

Gosh my question was not clear at all I apologize! Your insight was really interesting however!! What I meant was, if you were to imagine the SOUL as an independent character rather than a player-insert, do you have any strong thoughts about what it would be like? I'm writing something with a premise kind of like this and it's got me curious for other peoples' takes because I feel like I rarely see anyone interpret the SOUL as anything but a representation of the player. (Which makes sense but-!! There's so much potential-!!)

(sorry for the rambling lol)

No no, there's no need to apologise at all! I think I understand what you mean now... and don't apologise for rambling either! Rambling is what makes this fandom tick, we need MORE rambling, not less XD

Right, yes! I have seen a few interpretations of what the SOUL could represent completely outside of the player-controlling-Kris lens. I've seen it as a metaphor for dissociation, dysphoria, depression... a feeling of being outside your own body, a spectator looking at a performance of yourself, being yanked around and manipulated by a force you don't entirely recognise as you. There's the self-loathing aspect, where Kris pulls out the literal "culmination of their being" and tosses it into a birdcage from which it cannot escape - an angle which has more resonance now we know the extent of their situation regarding Carol and/or the Knight. There's a big disability metaphor there too, having to rely on an external crutch which you resent because of what it takes from you. You could also look at it in terms of plurality... but I would hesitate to do so, having little knowledge or experience of systems... I would have to cede the floor to an expert there!

But yes, I see a rich seam of all different interpretations of Kris's SOUL that don't factor us in at all. However - I do see them as supplementary readings to the main conceit of possession. If you wanted to, you could argue that the player is more meant to represent the will of the Angel, which would compartmentalise our involvement and presence, and that's interesting to consider too... but I do think the main intent is to lay bare the extent of a player's control over a "player character", one that overrides that character's own identity, preferences and agency in a way that can only really be described as cosmic horror. I know that's not really what you asked, but that's how I feel about it, haha.

I hope this was a little more informative! Thank you again for your continued interest! :D

[alocon]

Business As Usual - Lance Stroll

written by alocon

Summary: Lance meets a lovely business woman and decides to drop some game with the help from the community

Before you read: Fluff, Lance being nice, Lance is underrated - I do not want Lance Stroll hate here pls, Quickly written, not edited so sorry if it isn't great x, This is basically some backstory just in case I decide to turn it into a SMAU series!!

Genre: Fluff, some social media at the end

fc: Tess Holloway for profile picture, faceless blondes from Pinterest

[The Masterlist]

Business as Usual - LS18

You walked through the woods, heading towards the isolated little river that you sat by whenever you felt overwhelmed. As you approached the opening in the trees, you saw a figure, someone sat down on the rock next to the one that you normally say at. You shrugged to yourself, not really caring if someone else was there, he seemed quiet and you could still unwind. As if he could sense a presence, he turned, looking at you. You sent him a gentle smile, walking over and sitting on the rock that sat beside the one he was on.

“Do you mind? This is my spot,” he said, sounding rather frustrated at the new presence.

“Well it's my spot too, so I'm going to quietly enjoy it,” you responded, not really in the mood for another argument that day. He seemed to accept that, groaning rather dramatically before accepting it and going quiet.

You watched as the river flowed gently, the crystal-clear water meandering gracefully between rocks. You could see the pebbles below the water, laying contently on the river bed, some adorned with moss which had slowly covered more and more pebbles over time. The sound of running water and gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze subdued the loud sounds in your brain, allowing you to shut everything that you were feeling out. The fragrant scent of wildflowers and mud filled your senses as you breathed in, causing a sigh of content to leave your mouth. The natural canopy provided by the trees above allowed you to sit there calmly, shading the sun from your face and body as you watched the ripples of the water. 

You heard a gasp and sudden movement from the man sat beside you. You looked in his direction, looking into his eyes and following his eyesight to the creature that had landed by him and startled him so much. You started laughing softly. “It's not funny, don't laugh.”

“You're scared of a tiny little frog?” You asked, leaning over to pick it up. “Hi little buddy.” You spoke gently to the frog as it sat contently in your hand, bringing it up to eye level with you and looking at it. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw the man sit back down. “Do you want to hold him?”

He was silent, so you looked up at him, seeing the anxious look in his eyes. “What if I hurt it? I don't want to do that.”

You smiled softly. “You trust me?”

He thought for a moment before gently nodding. “I guess, why?”

You signalled for him to hold out his hand, which he did, before gently moving your hand over so the frog could move onto him. You watched as his brown eyes softened, his mouth turning into a grin as he held the tiny creature in his hand. “It’s kind of cute…”

“I hope this doesn't sound weird but may I take a photo of it in your hand? Your face won't be in the picture, of course, but I like infodumping about animals, plants, buildings and history on my Instagram pages that I'm an admin on.”

“Pages, plural?”

“Yes, I have 2. One for nature and history and I have one where I post personal stuff.” He nodded, before allowing you to take some photos. You did, answering his questions about the type of frog as you took photos, him offering to take one of you holding it afterwards, which you gladly accepted. Placing your camera back in your bag after turning it off, you looked back at him as he spoke again. You placed the frog on your knee, luckily having chosen to wear shorts so your clothes weren't getting dirty from the little creature that rested contently on you. 

“Why do you come here?”

“It's… an escape.” He looked at you, his expression unreadable so you continued talking. “When everything gets too loud, when family gets overwhelming, when work is stressful, it's nice to be able to escape here and just listen to the breeze and the water, the trees. It's all just so calming. What about you?”

He nodded, understanding exactly where you came from. “Same.”

“You wanna talk about it?”

He pondered your question for a moment before he decided to explain. “Where I work… people can be quite harsh sometimes. It's like I can never do anything without people hating me. They call me a nepo baby.” He paused, chuckling bitterly. “I know that it sounds stupid, getting frustrated over it, but people always say I don't deserve my job, that the only reason I'm here is because of nepotism. It's mental.” He sighed, looking in your direction, eyes scanning you. “What about you? What's going on with you?”

“My dad, well, step dad's trying to convince me to give him my business now that it's successful. Just like handing it over to him willingly. He invited me over to ask me to willingly give up the thing I built from the ground up.”

“Really? Why would he do that?”

You lifted your hands up, making quotation marks with your hands. “Women shouldn't run businesses, they should marry, have kids and stay at home doing housework.” He snorted, thinking you were joking. “I'm serious.”

“People still think like that?” He looked confused, watching as you nodded, sighing in response to that. Unfortunately, some people were still like that. And it pissed you off a lot.

“Unfortunately, I always wondered why mama willingly gave up working despite absolutely loving her job after they got married.” You shrugged. “He won’t be getting my company though. No way in hell. He only wants it for the money.” You paused, checking your phone. “Speaking of my business. I’ve got a business meeting party thing tonight so I will have to go.”

“It was lovely meeting you.” He smiled at you as you placed the frog on the rock, picking up your tote bag and heading out. 

You went straight home, thinking that he looked familiar but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it. Sat in your hotel room, you decided to paint a bit before you headed for the business event. You wore quite a basic smart casual outfit - some white pants with a green shirt and matching blazer. Your hair was left down and you wore some basic makeup, not feeling like going over the top. 

Stepping into the venue, you sighed. This was something you didn’t love about running a business. Sure, you enjoyed the small delicacies and the free wine you got all evening, but you couldn’t stand the large handful of males who decided that you, a woman, couldn’t understand basic terminology so would spend the entire time mansplaining to you. Usually, you’d bring a friend, but being in Canada, away from your main place of residence, you didn’t really have anyone to bring. So you wandered around the venue quietly, other than stopping to say hi to people as you passed them, champagne in hand. That was until you saw a white-haired man approach you. 

He smiled, seeming rather friendly. He held out his hand. “Hi. Miss Martins, yes?” You nodded. “It's lovely to meet you, I'm Lawrence Stroll.” You shook his hand, smiling back. “Your step-father said that you're here on behalf of his business?”

You shook your head. “Martins Associates?”

“That's my business, not Anthony's,” you said, leading to a look of confusion on his face. “He's been trying to convince me to hand over my business to him willingly now it's doing well.”

“Oh, well I am very sorry if I insulted you there, dear. I genuinely had no idea.”

“No, it's perfectly fine. Has he been telling everyone this?”

Lawrence nodded. “Want me to go have words with the owner of this?”

“I’m meant to be talking later, so I’ll just bring it up then.”

You and Lawrence continued to talk, making friendly conversation. He talked a lot about his son, you realised. You didn’t mind, though. You didn’t usually know what to talk about. He explained about how his son is a Formula One driver and how he was super proud of him and how far he’s come over the years. He then looked around before waving somebody over. Your eyes turned from Lawrence to the person who was being waved over. When you glanced at the familiar man who you had spent time with earlier that day, you smiled. His face twisted from a look of boredom to one of relief, likely at someone he had noticed, someone who wasn’t an old man. “Y/N, this is my son, Lance Stroll. Lance, this is Miss Martins, she runs Martins Associates.”

“Miss Martins. It is very lovely to see you again.” Lance lifted your hand gently, placing a kiss to your knuckles.

“Please, call me Y/N, Mr Stroll.”

“Alright, and you can call me Lance, of course.” His dad excused himself so he turned back to you, a gentle smile on his face. “May I get you a drink?”

The rest of the night went by pretty quickly. You had done your little talk, making it very clear at the start that you owned your business, not your step-father. You then spent the rest of your evening with your new Canadian friend, who you found out also lived in Switzerland, relatively close to you as well. However, eventually, your conversation wrapped up and you had to head home to catch your plane back.

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instagram

youruser

liked by lance_stroll and others

youruser Canada was lovely, home time now x

-view all comments-

mickschumacher: Hello???? The painting??????

mickschumacher: You're so talented PLEASE youruser: THANK YOU MICK!!

yourbff: You beautiful, beautiful woman. I miss you, hurry back to Switzerland xx

youruser: Of course, my love. Will come and see you as soon as I land yourbff: Thank you, darling youruser: ofc, anything for my wife x

lance_stroll: Safe travels back!! Maybe we could meet up when you're next free?

user1: Hey Lance! Thank you for fixing world hunger! user2: Lance, you amazing man, remember when you picked up that bus with your bare hands to stop it from hitting me? Thanks for that, buddy, you're a real one user3: Lance, thank you for landing my airplane safely that one time. estebanocon: Bonjour Lance, thank you for saving my cat from being abducted by aliens that one time!!! -175 more comments-

youruser: Oh my lord what is going on in my comments 😭

youruser: also @ lance_stroll, message me and we will plan something.

lance_stroll: Yes ma'am, will do x user1: HE DID IT! OUR BOY ACTUALLY DID IT landonorris: LETSGOOOO

youruser added to her story!

-and 8 more-

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habitatsandhistory

📍 Montreal, Canada

liked by lance_stroll and others

habitatsandhistory: Today, we stumbled across a pseudacris crucifer, known more commonly as a Spring Peeper! These small tree frogs from the Hylidae family are found in woodland areas of the Eastern states of the USA and Canada. They are usually grey, tan or olive brown with an x-shaped, often irregular, brown mark on it's back. They grow to a length of between 2.5 and 3 cm in size!

This little guy was found by the river on slide 5, when it jumped up onto a nearby rock and I couldn't resist getting a photo of it! Feel free to follow for more history and nature facts!

-view all comments-

lance_stroll: Wowwww who's hand is that in the second photo? Must be someone pretty cool

youruser: They were alright, I guess. Not as cool as the person in the first photo

-Word Count: Around 1.5k not including socials-

Hi All, Next chapter of MV1 will hopefully be out in the next week, I have had some writers block though so my apologies for that. Hope you're all well. Here is a Lance story, it is unedited tho so pls give feedback. I used tweetgen for the tweets and used canva to make the instagram page and post Have a lovely day x Alocon

[notiddygothgf]

7. Behave

★ pairings: aki hayakawa x fem reader

★ ❝ You need to behave ❞ ❝ I can try. ❞

★ c.w.: aki being a smooth criminal. (more content warnings and tags)

★ a/n: HI THEREEEE. im giving you some new chapter(s. yes. plural) before this week because i start my new internship and i know i will be super busy! also bc my cousin slash proofreader told me she would end her life if i didn't so. (her, just now btw: yeah. you know thats right!) anyway take this damn chapter. i HOPE YOU LOVED ITTTT i love tension i love aki hes such a sweet pea in this chapter. MORE SEXINESS COMINGGGGG AKAKAKA KEEP COMMENTING ILY ALL

★ w.c: .6.5k

shameless ; chapter index

"THANK YOU FOR COMING under such short notice," Makima began, her voice smooth and authoritative. She stood at the head of the table, her gaze sweeping over the room, which was empty save for you and her. "Today's agenda is straightforward. We have a new mission that requires immediate attention, and I believe it's crucial to ensure everything goes smoothly."

You shifted in your seat, trying to focus on her words.

Makima's eyes flicked to you briefly before continuing. "We have a newcomer joining one of our teams, specifically under the command of Captain Hayakawa."

No fucking way. You thought. There was no way – no fucking shot. Your heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of his name.

Makima continued, "While I have full confidence in Captain Hayakawa's capabilities, I believe it wouldn't hurt to have an additional layer of support."

She paused, looking directly at you. "Which is why you will be joining Hayakawa's mission alongside his team."

Before you could react, the door opened again, and the captain in question stepped in. His eyes went wide when he saw you, but he quickly masked his surprise, standing tall and composed.

Act cool, you reminded yourself. Don't be messy.

Still, it was hard to ignore him when you had spent the last week of your life replaying the memory of his lips on your skin. As if you hadn't spent all of last night and this morning anxious to see him again. Replaying the memory of his hands gripping your hips hard enough to bruise while you were on top of him.

Fuck.

"I apologize for the short notice," Makima said, her gaze shifting to Aki. "You will be taking on this mission with additional support to ensure its success."

Aki nodded, his eyes flickering back to you only momentarily. He couldn't stop looking at you, his expression a mixture of surprise and something else you couldn't quite place. You tried to maintain your composure, feeling the weight of his gaze. If you stayed in that room any longer, you thought you would have exploded.

"Understood," Aki said, his voice steady. So deep, fucking hell – the sound of it practically had you squeezing your thighs together.

"Good," Makima said, a small, satisfied smile playing on her lips. "You're dismissed."

You bowed, and made your exit. He followed you.

As you and Aki walked out into the hallway, the tension between you was palpable. The door clicked shut behind you, and Aki turned to you, his voice low.

"Are you busy right now? Or after this?"

You shook your head, trying to hide the slight tremor in your voice. You were so happy to see him, it wasn't even funny. "Not really. Why?"

You followed him outside, the cool afternoon air a stark contrast to the stuffy meeting room.

"There's a cafe up the block from here," He said slowly. "Wanna grab a coffee with me?"

Yes. More than anything.

"I'd prefer something alcoholic," You answered. "Or sweet. Know anywhere a girl can get a soda around here? If not, a beer would suffice."

"I'd prefer something alcoholic," you answered, a teasing smile playing on your lips. "Or sweet. Know anywhere a girl can get a soda around here? If not, a beer would suffice."

Aki smiled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Can't have you drinking on the job now, can we?"

You walked in comfortable silence, the noise of Tokyo's busy sidewalks filling the spaces between your thoughts. People moved around you in a blur of motion, but it felt like you and Aki were in your own little bubble. Aki walked side by side with you, his sword strapped to his back, the hilt glinting in the sunlight. The sun filtered through his bangs, casting dappled shadows on his face and making his features look almost ethereal.

Your eyes wandered, taking in the vibrant cityscape around you. Neon signs flashed overhead, and the smell of street food wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of blooming flowers from a nearby park. You felt a sense of contentment, an odd calm in the midst of the city's chaos.

You pulled over to a vending machine on the corner. Aki dug into his pocket and pulled out a few coins, dropping them into the slot with a clink. He turned to you, his eyes questioning. "What do you want?"

"Oh, uh..." you trailed off, glancing at the selection. "Dr. Pepper?"

He punched in the numbers, and the can clattered down into the dispenser. He retrieved it for you and then put in a few more coins to get himself a Coke.

You popped the cap, and he did the same. The crisp sound of the cans opening was followed by a hiss of carbonation.

"Cheers," you said, tapping your can against his. The impact made the soda fizz up and threaten to spill. You quickly brought the can to your lips, sucking up the overflow.

Aki licked the top of his can clean, his tongue darting out in a way that made your thoughts wander.

"It's so nice out today," you said as the two of you began to walk again, the city sprawling out before you.

"That's because I told the weather you'd be coming back," Aki replied with a smirk, his tone playful.

"Cornball." You laughed, playfully shoving him in the shoulder. The casual contact sent a thrill through you. "How have you been since we last saw each other?"

"Miserable," he answered.

You laughed at his admission. Then, when you realized he wasn't joking, you piped down.

"Has Himeno said anything about," You took a sip of your Dr. Pepper, "You know...?

"The two of us hooking up?" He answered like it was nothing, "No, she hasn't."

"No–" You sputtered, "I meant about everything else that happened."

"She hasn't texted you?" He raised a brow at you. When you didn't answer, he shrugged, "She'll get over herself."

Then, when you continued to look at him with an unspoken question hidden behind your lips, he added, "No one knows about us. Not here, at least."

Good. You thought. You wanted to keep it that way. Yet, for some odd reason, you couldn't shake the sinking feeling in your gut at the thought of other women laying their hands on him.

"About that..." You sighed. "Aki, look... I– you're a great guy, and I... it just... You understand why it can't happen again, right?"

"It wasn't supposed to happen the first time, either," He answered coolly – you stopped walking, and he stopped, too, letting the pedestrians pass the two of you by, "What?" He asked, "I think it's a little late for that, don't you?"

You rolled your eyes. The worst part was that he was right. "Yeah, but I just... I dunno, I want to be– I want to do the right thing."

Aki sighed, "Look. I would never do anything you don't wanna do. Believe me when I say that you have full control of any situation that goes on in between us. At the same time," He took a breath, "I can't sit here and lie and tell you I haven't been thinking about you every day since you left. I will never stop craving you. In fact, I'd help you break your vows again in a heartbeat. Just say the word."

You felt the heat creep from the back of your neck to the points of your cheeks. You're insufferable, you thought, Insufferable and infuriatingly attractive. 

God, I hate you. It couldn't have been further from the truth.

You began walking again. He followed suit.

"You gonna tell him?" He asked you.

You answered him without looking, "Who?"

With legs as long as his, it didn't take him very long at all to catch up to you – walking side by side like an obedient dog.

"Your husband."

The sound of those words coming out of his mouth made your heart drop. You knew he knew you had a husband, reasonably, but he had never acknowledged him verbally. Until today.

You cleared your throat, doing your best to seem unphased by him – a task that proved to be much more difficult than it seemed, considering that every time you looked into your husband's eyes, you wished they were his instead. "Tell him what?" You sipped your Dr. Pepper.

Your coworker raised a brow, deadpanning, "That you fucked your coworker."

His brazen remark made you all but choke on your soda, wiping the spilled saccharine fluid off of your lips. You were in complete and utter disbelief that he would be so open about it in public, like he wasn't at all ashamed by what he had done.

After a moment of silence, you replied, "I'll get to it. Look, we got into this... this fight before I left. It got pretty ugly. He's angry enough as it is. At the very least, I want to keep my life in Kyoto."

"Do you, though?" He hummed.

You didn't. 

When the two of you passed a flower shop on the side of the road, you pulled over, drawn to a planter full of wildflowers near the front – pink and blue and gorgeous. You reached out to pinch one of the stems between your fingertips.

"Yes," You snapped back, gaze trained on the plant. "And if you want to keep this cordial relationship going, then you need to behave. I want you to behave."

He sighed behind you – voice much closer this time, like he was right behind you. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him stand to your right.

You didn't glorify him with a response. Instead, you brought one of the flowers up to your nose, giving it a sniff. It smelled fresh, as if they had just been picked this morning. It was a rare treat to find such unique flowers at a store.

You could feel his presence next to you – the warmth of his body right next to yours. The proximity was suffocating. He was staring at the pretty flowers, too. He was so close, in fact, that you felt his knuckle graze yours. You stifled a shudder but didn't move away.

His touch brought back memories of the two of you in bed together. The heat of his skin, the way he whispered your name, the intense look in his eyes.

"You murdered my happiness– our happiness. This is the end of everything, isn't it?"

"You are my happiness," He panted, licking a stripe from your clavicle to your jaw. 

"Oh, fuck–" You arched your back, eyes rolling with bliss. "Murderer–" You moaned, "Murderer!"

The knot in your stomach was about to snap. You could feel it.

"Murderer!"

"Yes–" He breathed.

"Don't stop–"

"I won't."

His finger caressed yours, twitching, as if he wanted to hold your hand.

You stared at the flowers, trying to concentrate on their vibrant colors and delicate petals, but every nerve in your body was focused on the subtle pressure of his touch – every nerve was on fire. His knuckle brushed against yours again, this time lingering just a bit longer. The sensation was electric, sending a jolt through you that you could feel in the pit of your stomach.

The world around you seemed to fade, the bustling sounds of the city and the murmurs of people passing by becoming a distant hum. It was just you and him, standing in front of a planter full of wildflowers, the air thick with unspoken words.

I missed you, You thought, but didn't say.

Your breath caught as his pinky finger hooked around yours, the smallest of connections, yet it felt like a lifeline. It took everything in you not to turn your hand and entwine your fingers with his.

He shifted slightly, his shoulder brushing against yours. The movement caused his fingers to slide further against yours, and you could feel the soft pad of his thumb tracing your palm.

Your heart was pounding inside of your chest.

He was close enough that you could feel the warmth radiating from his body. He reached out and gently touched a white flower, his fingers brushing against the soft petals.

"These are beautiful," he murmured, his voice low and smooth. You could hear the underlying tension, the same tension that thrummed through your veins.

"You're so beautiful, you know that?" He mused, eyes scanning your flustered face.

Slowly, rather than awaiting an answer from you, he pulled the cigarette out from between his lips, popping it between yours.

You knew it was wrong. 

But, still, you couldn't resist the temptation as you wrapped your lips around the stick and breathed in.

Just as your fingers began to intertwine, you pulled away abruptly, your heart racing. The sudden loss of contact felt like a physical ache, but you forced yourself to move.

He was fucking addictive, and you felt like you were experiencing withdrawals.

"Sorry," Aki said. For the briefest moment, hurt flashed across his expression. It was quickly replaced by that deadpan, stone-faced facade that you knew so well, like it was only a moment of weakness."I'm gonna run to the bathroom. Don't get lost."

"Yeah, okay," You breathed in response.

He hesitated for a second, like he didn't really want to go, but eventually turned and left you alone with your thoughts. You stood there, staring at the flowers but not really seeing them. Your mind wandered, drifting through the chaotic mess of thoughts that had been stirred up since you stepped back into Tokyo.

You thought about the plants, the ones you admired at the entrance with their big, green leaves. They were beautiful. Your husband would never let you bring one home.

The memory of him – of your last interaction with him – left a bitter taste in your mouth.

Your thoughts circled back to Aki. His words echoed in your mind:

It's a little late for that, don't you think?

Was he right? Had you already crossed a line that you couldn't uncross?

The conflict in your brain was overwhelming. On one hand, the allure of indulging your passions was tempting, intoxicating,even. On the other hand, you had a life back in Kyoto, a comfortable lifestyle that you knew well, even if it wasn't fulfilling.

You couldn't possibly give it all up for a man in uniform, could you?

You wandered deeper into the shop, your eyes glancing over the array of plants and flowers. The air was filled with the earthy scent of soil and the sweet fragrance of blooms. You trailed your fingers over the leaves of a potted fern, its delicate fronds tickling your skin.

You found yourself standing in front of a tall, leafy plant with broad, vibrant green leaves. It was stunning, and you could picture it in your living room, adding a touch of life and color to the space. But then the image of your husband's disapproving face flashed in your mind. He would never allow it. He hated the mess they made, the dirt that inevitably found its way onto the floor.

A sigh escaped your lips. Why did everything have to be so complicated? 

You were caught between two worlds, two lives. One was predictable and safe, the other chaotic and exhilarating. And Aki...he was the embodiment of that second life, the one that made your heart race and your mind spin with possibilities.

Your thoughts drifted to the times you had spent with him, the stolen glances, the memory of his lips like a ghost on your neck.

It's a little late for that, don't you think?

You felt a pang of guilt. Your husband didn't deserve this. He was a good man, providing a stable, comfortable life for you. But comfort wasn't everything. There was a part of you that craved more, that longed for the passion and intensity that Aki brought into your life.

Your fingers brushed against the edge of a delicate orchid, its petals soft and velvety under your touch. You remembered how Aki's touch felt against your skin, the way his fingers trailed over your body with a mix of tenderness and desire. The memory sent a shiver down your spine.

You closed your eyes, trying to focus, to ground yourself. The logical part of your mind told you to walk away, to leave Tokyo and never look back. But your heart, your traitorous heart, whispered that maybe, just maybe, it was worth the risk.

Just then, you heard footsteps approaching. You opened your eyes and turned to see Aki standing there. He was holding something behind his back.

"You ready to go?" He asked.

You nodded slowly, not knowing whether or not to feel relieved that he had interrupted your thoughts.

He nodded, understanding in his eyes. "Alright."

You were exhausted. Mentally and physically.

The two of you walked out of the shop, the unspoken tension still hanging in the air. It was as if nothing had happened at all between the two of you, and while you thought you wanted that before, you weren't so sure now.

Was it really too late to turn back?

The sun felt warm against your face, against the fabric of your Public Safety uniform that heated up beneath its rays. You took a deep breath of fresh air before looking at Aki again.

He looked beautiful in the sunlight. The golden glow hugged his pretty features – his perfect nose, the curve of his cupid's bow, the pools of moody blue in his eyes. When he was looking at you like that... he was breathtaking.

And he was... holding a bouquet out with one hand...? It looked like the flowers you had seen in the planter at the shop. Long, beautiful stems speckled with soft, pastel petals – hues of blue, pink and purple projecting from the bouquet like pretty little fireworks. Wildflowers, the kind you couldn't buy anywhere else.

You felt similar fireworks in your stomach. You didn't know which sight was more beautiful – the flowers, or him.

"Aki..." You exhaled a breath you didn't know you were holding. "What's this?"

"The flowers you liked. I asked the shop owner to make me a bouquet," He peered down at you softly, tenderly, as if his gaze could melt you like butter. "Do you like them?"

And, clearly, it could. Your expression softened immediately, and you took the flowers from him gently. "I love them, Aki. They're gorgeous," You paused, nearly saying 'you shouldn't be getting me these. I don't deserve them', but decided resisting him was hopeless, "Thank you."

He bought you flowers. He. Bought. You. Flowers. Your smile could power an entire city.

"You shouldn't have," You hummed, giving them a good whiff. They smelled even fresher than the ones you had smelled outside of the shop. "They're so fucking pretty."

He smiled stupidly, as if he couldn't help himself, "So are you."

As the two of you continued walking up the block – to nowhere in particular, at least to your knowledge – Aki began to speak again, "My roommates aren't home today. You should come back to my place. We can–"

"We're not doing that again," You deadpanned.

Aki frowned. "I was just gonna ask if you wanted to watch a movie. Have a few beers, bake something."

"I shouldn't be at your place at all," You reminded him. You would not be so easily swayed. "For any reason. Remember?"

"Not even if I make us dinner?" He tried to bargain with you. "I wanted to try something new tonight. Maybe you could try it for me. Give me some pointers, you know?"

Okay. Apparently, you would be so easily swayed.

"Alright, fine," You sighed. Pointing an accusatory finger at him, you added, "But I have to behave, Aki. You need to behave."

He only smiled at your words, swatting your hand away, "I can try."

.

You stood barefoot in the bathroom, watching yourself in the mirror. Your Public Safety uniform sat folded in a pile on top of the toilet. Aki's sweater – which he had offered you after it became clear that your afternoon rendezvous would carry on into the evening – hung off of your much smaller frame. The neckline was so wide that it threatened to slip off of your shoulder, and the sleeves fell far past your fingers.

He had given you a pair of sweatshorts to change into, too, but you couldn't imagine trying them on. At least, not when his sweater fell just above your knees like a nightgown.

And, for the love of all that was holy, the smell of him clung to the navy blue fabric. You could hardly bear to be wrapped in it – swaddled in the warmth of something you knew he wore over his own body.

You were frozen, staring at your reflection, the oversized sweater consuming your smaller frame. The way the fabric draped over you, brushing against your knees, made you feel small, almost protected. But that wasn't right, was it? You were married, and this—this was crossing a line. Crossing that line you just said you weren't going to cross a few hours earlier.

It's just clothes. Who cares if I don't wear the pants under it? It's not like I'm spreading my legs open for him.

You weren't sure who you were trying to convince.

You wanted to believe that, needed to believe it. After all, the sweater was practically a dress on you, and it wasn't like you were walking around with your ass hanging out. And the shorts? They didn't belong to you, didn't fit right. No, the sweater was good enough.

You took a deep breath, inhaling his scent once more. The warmth, the familiarity, it almost felt like a comfort you had been deprived of for so long. But you knew this wasn't about the sweater or the way it fit.

When you finally emerged from the bathroom, you knew you had taken a moment too long. You released a weak breath, trying to act casual, trying to convince yourself that everything was fine. That you hadn't crossed a line. But deep down, you knew you were lying to yourself.

It wasn't just about the sweater.

Aki was in the kitchen by the stove, donning a black sweatshirt and gray sweatpants himself. He was hunched over a pot, stirring something that smelled delicious.

You sauntered into the kitchen, crossing your arms self-consciously over your chest. "Smells tasty," You hummed.

Aki turned around, licking something off of his finger. He looked as if he was about to say something, perhaps a witty retort, but whatever he was going to say died on his lips when he saw you in his sweater. His gaze flicked down to your shoulders, your sleeve-covered arms, the smooth skin of your legs that the sweater revealed – and he looked like it took everything he had to keep his mouth shut.

His expression softened, like you made him as weak as he made you. Then, like he hadn't promised to behave a few hours earlier, a smile most scandalous snuck over his lips.

You propped your hand up on your hip, quirking your brow at him, "What?"

He shook his head, but the smile never left his face. "Nothing," He laughed quietly, "You look cute. Am I allowed to say that?"

I look cute? You thought. You look cute.

Cute was an understatement, honestly. There was a sort of domestic charm to him cooking dinner for the two of you, clad in his pajamas, black hair down over his neck and hanging in his pretty face. It was dangerous – you could get used to a sight like that, and that idea frightened you.

"No," You bit your lip, fighting a cheeky grin of your own, "But, thank you."

Reasonably, you knew it was inappropriate. Still, you figured there was no harm in indulging a little.

You left the kitchen after that, skipping into the living room of his apartment – which was so, undeniably him, with its clean blue, white and gray accents – and plopping down on the carpet between the couch and the coffee table. You pulled a blanket off of the couch and wrapped it around your shoulders. Your can of beer sat open on a coaster on the table from earlier, and you took a hefty swig of it.

The TV was on, set to a soap opera with the volume down. You reached for the remote and turned it up (like you owned the place).

"Cookies are in," Aki climbed over the couch, sitting on the floor next to you. He set two dishes on the table. "Now we wait 10 minutes."

You practically began to salivate just looking at the food. There were pieces of chicken neatly sliced on the plate, topped off with a delicious sauce that smelled an awful lot like the one you had smelled Aki making earlier.

"It's Teriyaki," He said.

You picked up your chopsticks, popping a piece in your mouth and all but moaning at the flavor. "That's really fucking good, Aki."

"Is it?" He asked, "I thought I overcooked it."

"Just take the damn compliment, Captain," You answered him (while stuffing your face full of chicken).

Aki only smiled at you. "Do you want to watch anything specific? I have one of the Halloween movies in."

"Halloween's fine," You offered, "I'd say I could go for a romcom, but I doubt you'd have one of those lying around. Don't seem like that kinda guy."

"You'd be surprised," He hummed, holding his beer can up to his lips and taking a sip, "I don't own any, but, for the record, I can get pretty caught up in those soap operas on the TV."

"Is that so?" You grinned stupidly.

He turned the DVD Player on with the remote, using his other hand to feed himself a few more pieces of chicken. It was all so sickeningly domestic that it made your head spin.

Aki set his chopsticks down on the table, turning to you after the opening credits began to roll. "Mind letting me in?" He said, nodding toward your blanket.

The thought of sharing a blanket with him had you flushed and nervous. You shook your head, "Like hell I will. Go get your own blanket."

"That is my blanket," He corrected you, shifting closer, "Now, move over, before I steal it from you."

As you scooted away, a playful grin spread across your face. "You're not getting it," you said, holding the blanket tight around your body like it was a lifeline.

Aki arched his brow, his lips quirking up in a smirk. "We'll see about that," he murmured, inching closer to you.

You squealed, trying to push him away as he pretended to wrestle the blanket from your grip. "No! Get your own!" you laughed, your heart pounding in your chest.

Aki chuckled, effortlessly overpowering your resistance. "Told you, it's mine," he said, his arm slipping around your shoulders. Before you could protest, he tugged the blanket over both of you, trapping you in the shared warmth.

The sudden proximity stole your breath away. The room fell silent, the only sound being the faint murmur of the movie playing in the background. You tried to focus on the screen, but it was impossible with Aki so close, his presence overwhelming your senses. His cologne, the remnants of his cooking, the subtle heat radiating from him—it all wrapped around you, making your heart race.

Your eyes flickered to him, and you froze. He was already looking at you, his expression unreadable, but the tension between you was palpable. The space between your faces was impossibly small, and for a moment, you thought he might—

A shrill alarm pierced the air, shattering the moment.

"The cookies," Aki whispered, his voice low and rough. He pulled away from you reluctantly, the blanket falling from his shoulders as he got up.

You watched him as he walked to the kitchen, your body still tingling from where his arm had been. He moved with practiced ease, opening the oven and pulling the cookie tray out, grabbing a spatula to flick the cookies onto a plate. The sound of a blood-curdling scream from the TV pulled your attention back to the movie, but your focus was split, your mind still reeling from the closeness you'd just shared.

Hesitantly, you moved to the couch.

Aki returned to the living room, the plate of cookies in hand. He slipped back under the blanket without a word, settling beside you so closely that your thighs pressed together, the heat between your bodies almost suffocating. You didn't resist this time, letting him claim his spot, but the tension in the air was undeniable, thick like static electricity.

You both finished your meals in silence, the sounds of the movie barely registering as your senses were tuned entirely to his presence. Each movement he made sent a ripple of awareness through you. The way his fingers brushed against yours as he reached for his drink, the subtle shift of his leg against yours—it was all too much, and not enough at the same time.

What's wrong with me today? Am I in heat?

Desperate for a distraction, you reached for a cookie and took a bite, the sweet warmth of it melting on your tongue. "This is so good," you murmured, your voice coming out softer than you intended. You held the cookie out to him, offering it like it was the only thing keeping you grounded. "You have to try it."

He turned to you, his eyes locking with yours in a way that made your heart stutter. "Okay," he said, but instead of reaching for a cookie from the plate, he leaned in. Slowly, deliberately, his gaze never wavered from yours.

You froze as he crossed that unspoken boundary between the two of you. For a brief moment, you thought he might—no, he wouldn't—but then his lips brushed against the edge of the cookie, and your heart slammed against your ribcage. He took a bite, his eyes dark and intense, watching your every reaction.

He chewed slowly, almost deliberately, before he spoke. "That's good," he murmured, his voice low, resonant with an undercurrent of something that sent a fucking shiver down your spine. He licked a crumb from his finger, a simple gesture made unbearably sexy by the way his eyes flicked back to yours.

Your hand trembled as you set the cookie down, your mind reeling from the sheer intensity of the moment. The room felt too small, the air too thick, every second stretching out as you both sat there, teetering on the edge of something that felt inevitable.

The tension was unbearable, an unspoken force drawing you closer together. Your breath was shallow, every inch of your body hyper-aware of his proximity, the way his eyes seemed to darken with every passing second. The space between you was charged, electric, as if the very air was waiting for you to make the next move – as if he was waiting for you to make the next move.

Then, before either of you could break the silence, you both moved at once – all but jumping at each other in the process of linking your lips together in the middle.The kiss was fierce, desperate, as if all the tension that had been building between the two of you finally snapped, and the sheer force of it nearly knocked the breath out of you.

His hands were on you in an instant, rough and urgent, pulling you into his lap.

It was a mess of heat and need, his lips devouring yours with a hunger that screamed, 'I missed you. I'm tired of pretending like I didn't'. Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss until it felt like you might drown in it. The taste of teriyaki mingled with the lingering sweetness of the cookie, a heady mix that only drove you further into the sensation of him, him, him.

You wrapped your bare thighs around his lower back, letting him pull you closer still. With your hips flush against his, you could feel him pressing up against you – hot and ready, just like the cookies were.

It had been years since you had felt desired like this. Would it really be so bad to indulge yourself a little more?

You could feel his breath hitch, his grip tightening on your waist as the kiss intensified, becoming something almost frantic. The world outside of this moment ceased to exist; it was just the two of you, lost in each other, in the heat, the taste, the sheer overwhelming desire as you ravaged each other on Aki's couch.

You could forget about his roommates for a minute.

Wait.

His roommates.

When you finally pulled away, it was like the air had been sucked out of the room. Your chest heaved, struggling to catch your breath, as you stared at each other, the reality of what had just happened sinking in. His eyes were dark, pupils blown wide, and you could see the conflict there, the struggle between what had just happened and the weight of the unspoken words hanging in the air.

'You need to behave'.

"Aki–" You panted, gripping the inky black tresses at the base of his neck while his kisses descended down the valley of your neck. "Aki, your roommates–"

"Fuck them," He mumbled against your skin. "Missed you."

And there it was, that warm pit of desire bubbling deep inside of your gut. The feeling of being desired. Of being missed.

A shuddering moan passed through your lips when he wrapped his lips around your sweet spot, right in the crook of your neck, and applied a gentle suction.

"I told you– we can't be doing this," You said (but did absolutely nothing to stop his kisses), "Oh, God, Aki."

You felt so weak. He made you weak. You couldn't possibly resist him.

"Aren't they– Aren't they coming?" Was your next attempt at stopping the moment (despite the fact that you most definitely did not want to stop, and made that clear by rolling your hips into him like a desperate whore).

"My roommates?" He smirked, sliding off the couch and dropping to his knees to press more kisses to your thighs, your legs. He peeked up, blue eyes glinting with mischief, "No, but you can, if you want."

"We can't..." You trailed off, but, fuck, when you watched him get down on his knees to press slow, tender kisses to your calf, you really, really wondered if you could.

"We can," He murmured, voice slurred against your skin. "Right here on the couch, if you want. Bedroom works, too. But do you want me to – is the question."

Want him... to do what...?

You thought of the last time you'd had him like this. The image of his black hair disappearing between your thighs, his tongue lapping you up like he was dying of thirst.

And you couldn't help the wanton shudder that overcame you. "I do, Aki, but..."

"Say it again," He peered up at you, eyes desperate.

"I.." You swallowed. "I do– I want you to... I want you, Aki."

He put his head down, pressing a kiss to your thigh, "Fuck, say it again."

"I... I want you, Aki," You breathed. It felt liberating to say it – no "but"s or "if"s attached. Just him. You wanted him in the most primitive and feral way that you had ever wanted anyone before.

"Then let me have you again," He murmured softly. He licked a long stripe up your leg, from your inner thigh to where the sweater ended. "I've been craving it all week," He continued, throwing your earlier words back at you, "You wouldn't keep a needy man waiting, would you?"

"No," You panted. Not knowing how else to sugar coat the words – and being, frankly, too exhausted for formalities, you cut to the chase. "I need you to fuck me, Aki."

He froze suddenly, wild eyes peering into yours like he thought you would never ask. "Yeah?" He replied, breathless. "Right now?"

"Please, sir..." You teased him. "You won't keep a needy woman waiting, will you?"

"But, your roommates..." You said. "What if they come home early?"

His hands slid up your smooth thighs, beneath the hem of his sweater, where they could grip your hips. "You'll be quiet for me, yeah?"

And his eyes, fuck, his eyes – he peered up at you, half-lidded, tipsy, and enamored by you. Who knew that the Devil Hunter could have such an ability to look as if he, himself, had been possessed by a Devil?

You told yourself you would be good. You told yourself that you would do the right thing.

"Yes," You exhaled softly, like it pained you to keep it in, "Fuck, yes."

You would just... start tomorrow.

Tomorrow, You thought as he slipped beneath your sweater and pulled your ass closer to the edge of the couch, Yeah, that's it.

Tomorrow.

a/n:

credits: UNKOWN ATM. I found the cover pic on pinterest unfortch. If you know the artist, please let me know, so I can credit them properly for their work!!! This is NOT MY BEAUTIFUL DRAWINGGG. I obviously do not own csm or anything related to it. please do not reproduce, copy, or translate my works anywhere. dont fk w me im a bruja.

also: come find me on my wattpad if u wanna interact more!

taglist: @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505 , @acethebrave , @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505

wanna join the taglist? | shameless ; chapter index

[brightside-brigade]

Questioning and exploring potential possibilities: Partial/incomplete programming aka "frameworking"

READ WHOLE POST BEFORE RESPONDING SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO.

The purpose of this post is to note down what I've noticed before my brain eats it all again and see if anyone else has similar experiences, or if what I'm experiencing in sys is something else. Also because I find it interesting as I've always been fascinated by how our system functions and all that.

Disclaimers:

1: I am not directly/for sure claiming to be a programming or TBMC/ OEA / RAMCOA survivor. These are observations I've made within our system that has some similarities to accounts we've heard as well as stranfe happenings within our own system. I fully understand this may not be what's happening.

2: the term partial is used because if the hypothetical is true, nothing ever came of the potential programming, or it was never fully utilized, hence "frameworking,"

3: keep syscourse off this post and our blog. Despite the overall stance of this particular subgroup of the plural community, we are pro endo and consider ourselves mixed origins for multiple reasons. Any hate regarding this will be blocked at best or reported at worst. This post and our blog is not the place for that. Move on if you don't have anything nice to say.

4: in that vain, fake claimers can also swallow a full cactus. Any aggression will be ignored, blocked, or reported.

TW below cut for discussion of the above mentioned topics.

Disclaimer 2: if any of this is unclear, I apologize. I'm having to fight through a bunch of dizzy to write about this and I'm fueled by spite and spite alone.

With that out of the way let me get into the meat of the this.

We are bodily 22, and have known we're a system for six years now, give or take. This is a rough estimate. I am Jack, the current host, hi. Roughly last year I learned about programming in systems, and all that came with it. I got briefly fixated on the topic, as I generally tend to gravitate towards morbid or dark subjects. This does not mean I condone or romanticize them, I'm sure we've all been there.

Regardless, it was last year I started to notice in-sys happenings that point to something being up. I took a step back from looking into the subject as I suspected the fixation may be what was causing it, but after roughly a year of noticing things still going on, and old reactions returning upon looking into the subject, I suspect maybe something is up.

I'm progressvly getting more and more pain in my head and neck as I type this and I'm straight up forgetting words. , so I'll keep my points simple.

I'll start with points on why we "probably aren't" programmed.

We have never been a part of any cult or TR, nor has the bodies family had history of those.

Our body does not show symptoms of long term physical abuse (scars, permanent pains, ect.)

We live a normal life currently. (Not saying survivors can't have normal lives or that everything in our lives is pleasant. But we live relatively safely in our childhood home, ect.)

I cannot find a way to fit long term abuse into our timeline. Some trauma, yes. Anything OEA or RAMCOA levels? Not currently.

Those out of the way, I'll now note what I've noticed over time.

General interest in programming with a felt sense of familiarity

On a couple times, I've been able to guess and help with things going on in friends programming (I am not claiming to be able to help or know everything. I am not someone to come to for advice. This is just to point out how on a few times I've shown understanding on the subject I probably wouldn't usually have.)

in my case particularly, I overall tend to be more submissive in actions but not personality. My main concern is usually geared towards helping others and not myself, to the point of experiencing emotional shutdown when others around me are distressed so I can better help them. I also desperately seek praise and affection

I also struggle to do self care things without permission, including the bare minimum of eating and sleeping.

To further this, after learning about programming, I off and on deeply desire a handler

I also find myself wanting to BE a handler, like it's what I should be doing when not helping others. (Note: I would never, I'm simply talking about thoughts and feelings that are not actions.)

Our system occasionally spawns in "blanks," as I've taken to calling them. Blanks are not fragments, but are more like empty vessels that hypothetically could be programmed, which I occasionally feel the urge to do but don't, as I don't know what effect it would have on us. They sort of just despawn after a bit.

Dizziness: it varies. If I read about this sort of thing in terms of what it means for us, I get dizzy. I actually got a migraine halfway through drafting it. If I think about it in relation to OTHERS, however, the Dizziness isn't caused.

This can be accompanied by the feeling of burning skin on the arms and head.

I struggle with thinking I'm constantly "bad," if I'm not actively doing something for others.

We have an alter that only shows up to cause dissociation when whoever is fronting is in distress, though this is rare and we have yet to figure out what kind of distress brings them out.

Headspace itself is very hard to explore, every time I try and go past a certain point I never remember what I see or find and always find myself back in the main hub.

Our system shows signs of being what I can only guess is the "main," one, the ones who upkeep the front, as we really only consist of those who would hypothetically be needed to keep up the day to day.

There is more, but I'll leave it here as those are the main ones I can pull up in my mind rn. Feel free to comment what this could be, or if you've experienced similar. Please refer to the disclaimer points before you make your comments. This took a couple hours to get out due to the migraine that onset but I cannot be stopped.

Thank you, have a lovely day/night/morning/afternoon/purgatory time/ect.

-Jack

[crayonkidzbah]

Welcome To The Outerspace Gardens!

"We've traveled the seas; we've ridden the stars. We've seen everything from Saturn to Mars. As much as it seems like you own my heart. It's astronomy, we're two worlds apart."

DISCLAIMER!! We are very dyslexic, I’m super sorry if things are worded weird, spelled wrong, etc 3: <333

Hi! We are The Jupiter System! Our collective name is Jade! We use She/They (plural) and They/It (singular). We are 18, turning 19 this year! Our blog is going to be a mix of space theme and garden theme! Feel free to check out our partners blogs as well! This blog is only here because of them afterall<3. (Thank you guys for inspiriting me!). @spider-lillies-bah and @a-sleepy-getaway

MODS | REQS INFO | INBOX | ANON TAGS | MY BLOGS | SRC LIST

What is our blog about? This is a BAH blog! Meaning we will be creating alter packs or maybe even headspace packs! For more information about this blog, click on the "requests: open" link. How quickly will we be answering requests? We may be a little slower due to the fact that we have a job! but if there is anything urgent, just mark your post as urgent! See below question for more info on that! Otherwise, we will be more able to post on Thursdays or at night (EST). Can you submit urgent requests? Yes! But I may not always be able to do it and will refer you to someone who can if they are free! I am not liable for any distress lol. If you do want something urgent please at the start of your request write "URGENT" in bold. Tagging system? #Jupitersrequests | Posts that are linked to a request #Ourfavanons | Our partners requests #JupitersBAH | All Bah related posts #JadesBAH | Not requests based posts #JadeRambles | Ramble post/off topic posts. Anon tags? Yes I will be taking track of anon tags! They are preferred but not required! I like using them as a way to have a sense of identity while still being anon. Why do you use BAHblr? We personally use it for fragments to grasp onto an identity or for alters to help them ground more and make our system more functional! However, we do not judge how people use it. DNI/Boundaries? No DNI because I do not have enough energy to care lol. As for boundaries, we will likely not do anything with Mud's, transids, or paras as we aren't educated enough and tend to be more uncomfortable with the subjects. With that being said, we are all for good faith identity's and no contact/non-harmful paras. Again, people can do what they want, I don't judge. If you wish to request one of them, you are 100% able too! The requests will just take longer! What Sources do you do/Do you have a source list? I am completley fine with doing any source! Sometimes I may decline or refer you to one of my partners if I know they will be able to do it better than I can! My source list can be found above in the links area!! but again, I will do anything!

[simply-wlw-kpopstan]

24. Take things Slow

You walked down the corridor of the dance department, looking inside every room to see if jimin was inside. After looking for 5 minutes someone spotted you and pointed you to the right direction. When you opened the door to the right room you spotted her sitting against the wall, eyes closed as she listened to the music. Her eyes snap towards you and you could see her take in a deep breath from where you stood. " I can wait until you're done if you want."

"no, it's okay. Let's just get this over with." she stood up and walked to the sound system to stop the music. " what is there left to say?"

"a lot." you weren't really surprised at her behavior and you couldn't blame her for it either.

"alright let's begin with the fact you left me for hyewon." she sat down against the wall again.

"I didn't-" you sighed, " I broke things off because I didn't want things to get complicated. Yes, hyewon did play a roll in that decision but she's not the reason. I had feelings for you and after spending those days with you I realized that I had to stop, You were with Parker and we were clear on it being casual so. Hyewon came at the right time? I don't know how to word it but I still cared for her and I wanted to know if I felt the same for her as before. "

"You expect me to believe that?" she scoffed.

"I don't expect anything of you. Whether you believe me or not is up to you but I'm being truthful right now and I will answer any question you might have-"

"did you sleep with her?" She cut you off, " did you sleep with hyewon after ending things with me?"

"not really."

She looks confused as she thinks it over, "it's a yes or no question."

"I haven't slept with her. Today things did uh- we were making out and it ended there before things could go further."

"why?" She raised an eyebrow

"What do you mean why?"

"why did it end? Did you stop it?"

"I might have... Done something that ended it instantly." you didn't look at her but you knew she was staring at you, you sighed before admitting the reason "I moaned your name."

Her laugh sounded threw the room and it was a little relief, the tension seemed to disappear as you stayed silent for a little.

"i can imagine that moaning the wrong name ends it immediately." she smiled but you noticed a glimmer in her eyes, you haven't seen it before but it almost felt like pain.

"yeah, we ended up talking about you and me. She asked me about my feelings for you and for her, then she asked me if it felt the same." you bit your bottomlip as you thought back to your conversation, "it wasn't the same, I felt it for a while but I was just pushing it away because you're with Parker. I didn't want to risk it so I took a coward decision and went to hyewon."

"well, he's not in the picture anymore." she looked down and toyed with the laces on her shoes, " I broke up with him." she stood up and stretched herself out.

As she stretched her shirt rode up her body and you noticed a bruise on her waist, " is there anyone else? "

" What? No. Why? " She looked at you through the mirror and you pointed to her waist. She lifted her shirt and her expression changed. " that's not... It's just a few bruises. "

You stood up and closed the distance between you, "what happened?" you reach out and softly traced the bruise, "wait... Bruises? Plural?" to say you were worried was an understatement, as you focused back on the bruise on her waist you made out the shape of fingers. "Someone did this to you."

Eventhough you're barely touching her, her body begins to hurt. The bruises were a few days old, the colors were slowely turning from a blackish purple to yellow. "It’s nothing," She pulls her shirt down and creates some distance between you two.

"was it... Parker? Is that why you broke up?"

"It was my fault," her words fly out her mouth so quickly. She maintains eye contact through the mirror for a second, then can’t take it anymore and looks away.

"jimin don't you dare to protect him."

"i'm not, My parents are taking care of it. Minjeong called my mother after everything happened. He's not getting away with it at all"

"why do you think it's your fault? No matter what happens, nobody should put their hands on you." you tried to spot any other mark but she was wearing a long sleeved shirt with sweatpants, " did he try anything?"

"no! God no. I broke up with him and he didn't take it well. He got mad when I told him about... Us, about what I did. He didn't like the fact I cheated on him, I confronted him that he was doing the same but to him it was different. I guess he didn't like the fact I was Cheating with a woman. " she fought back a little smile as she looked at you," he definitely didn't like it when I told him you were better than him."

You chuckled and looked at the floor," so what now? "

" first of all you need to promise me you won't do anything to Parker. I'm taking care of it and you can't risk your scholarship. " she gave you a pointed look and you nodded," I think we should take things slow for now."

"so if I ask you on a date right now..." she laughed as you dragged out you last word.

"ask me again in a few days." she smiled as you nodded.

"when did it happen?" you leaned down to grab her bag for her when you noticed her pained expression.

"a few days ago."

"so those posts from minjeong and ning were about him." you realized, "please tell me they did something to him."

"I texted them when I left but I'm not sure if minjeong did something to him after. She came back late yesterday and her hand was a bit bruised."

"I did ask her to work on our project yesterday but she mentioned she had to handle some urgent business first."

You were planning to walk her home until Parker noticed the two of you walking across the campus together. He marched up to the two of you and the closer he got the better you saw his face, a bruise on his cheek and a busted lip. Jimin's hand found yours as she tugged you closer to her.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Do you want everyone to see what you've been doing together? How you chose her over me? People are already talking about this and you're just feeding into their rumors."

"What rumors?" jimin snapped, "there are no rumors Parker. Everyone knew about your fucking dickpic and that you've been cheating on me. If anything they were wondering why I stayed with you."

"you'll be back. Once your dad-"

"he already knows and supports my decision. Tell me, have you heard anything from yours lately? Because last time I checked my father said your father would make sure to teach you how to treat a woman." as the words left jimin' s lips the color drained from parkers face, " and just in case you're right and people are talking about this. " she suddenly turned to you and pulled you down into a kiss.

She pulled back with a smirk on her face that turned into a smile as she noticed the faint blush on your cheeks. You spotted a few people looking at the three of you and cleared your throat," we should uh... Head home."

"you should stay out of our business. Why don't you go ahead and make sure I don't ruin your scholarship for you." he smirked.

"If you even think about coming after her I'll make sure your life is a living hell, do you understand? " jimin's voice went the lowest you've ever heard, " you got in this university because of daddy's money, she worked her ass off. She belongs here and everyone knows it, while you're barely holding on. So why don't you walk away, get your pathetic excuse of a dick wet with some girl and leave us alone. "

Jimin dragged you away by the hand without another word, there were looks from people here and there but nobody dared to say anything. The rest of the walk remained silent, you wondered if she noticed she was still holding your hand. You could get used to this, walking around with each other and not having to hide anything. When you reached her apartment she searched for her keys in her back and you chuckled as she scrunched her face like she always did.

"What?" she turned her attention to you for a split second before opening the door.

"nothing, you just... Nothing." you stayed outside and she looked at you, " since we're taking things slow, I'm going to go home but thank you for sticking up for me."

"You don't have to thank me for that. He deserved it and he'll regret everything that went down in a couple of days."

You smiled and leaned down, leaving a kiss on her cheek before walking backwards to the elevators, " you did the face scrunch again... While you were looking for your keys you did it again. "you grinned as she laughed." goodnight jimin. "

" goodnight. "

masterlist | next

[lockpickingliar]

Hello there!

I come baring questions on two separate topics.

Firstly: Plural names.

What is the plural of Kokichi? Kokichis? Kokichii? Kokiches?

And what is the term of their collective? A group of lions is a pride, a group of wolves is a pack, but what of you? A circus?

Secondly: Location.

Where does everyone live? Is it a single house? An apartment building? An estate? A town? A city? I know that somewhere, there is a hospital, as Gemini, Cusp, and Altair have all mentioned it to me, so I am assuming it's a city

If, for the sake of the argument, I was a tourist in the city, where would you take me on a tour? Are there districts for each iteration of D.I.C.E that exists there? What cool things would I see? Are there origins for any of these cool things? And is there a gift shop? I always get a fridge magnet wherever I go XD

Hope you are all well!

- Saber

Neeheehee, a long loooooong while back I made a post about this exact concept! At the time, I proposed that a group of Kokichis would be called a gaggle! Everyone thought that was pretty fun, but then later we found out a group of mice is called mischief and we liked that sooooo much that we can't decide which would be better. Circus is ALSO really funny though.

Y'know, maybe there IS no set term for it. There are endless possibilities here, it'd be a shame to tie us down to just one!

-Kichi

Everyone here lives in a city, yes! We call it Sunshine City, and it has lots of places including Sunshine General Hospital, two apartment buildings in a downtown area, and a suburb, among many other places!

Most people have their own apartment, but Cookie and Gemini have commandeered most of the 41st floor of Sunshine 60, the tallest of the two apartment buildings, into a central HQ for various factions of DICE. Cookie's faction and Gemini's faction each have their own private wings, with a common area between them all. While not all Kokichis live there, they all get together there fairly frequently to hang out with each other.

I think the most notable places in Sunshine are primarily in the downtown area, including a museum, library, and market square. Sunshine 60 has a big arcade in the lobby, too, where most of the younger folk like to hang out. There's also a large park where the local shrine is, and a large forest surrounding the city with hiking trails, one of which leading up to a lake. We also have a beach that is inexplicably constructed by a certain two residents only during summer before being taken down again in the autumn.

It's a pretty big city, honestly, so it's hard to really encompass everything you'd be able to find there! As far as a gift shop, though, you could find literally everything you could think of at the Everything Store, or try your hand to see what fate gives you at the Anything Store!

-Lock

[shadowmaat]

A little trouble

I've griped before about the absolute dearth of "Anakin would be a terrible parent and Padmè probably wouldn't be much better" fics, so I figured I'd write one myself. Or at least the start of one.

-

Bail Organa was having another late night at the office. His assistant was going to murder him when they found out just how much later Bail had stayed, but he still wasn't satisfied with the wording on the new bill regarding the expansion of clone rights and it was due to be presented first thing in the morning.

He rubbed at his eyes, thanking the Mother once again that he hadn't been stuck with the job of Chancellor after the Palpatine Crisis. Remaining as Senator had been bad enough without adding that on his plate.

The words on the datapad were still refusing to stay in focus when he heard a knock on his outer door. Who even knocked these days? And at- he glanced at the time and winced- at 1AM RST?

"Hello?"

He pressed a thumb against the hidden drawer under his desk and retrieved his blaster, checking it before tucking it into his back holster. One thing about being involved in Republic politics is you learned to be cautious.

There was another knock, more insistent this time. As Bail moved through the outer office to the door, he realized he could hear muffled coughing and anxious voices. Plural.

The security screen revealed two small figures huddled on his doorstep. Swearing, Bail opened the door and knelt, arms open.

"Leia! Luke! What are- what happened?"

He grabbed for Luke, who was leaning heavily against his sister as another bout of coughing took him. Even worse, however, was the dark mark on Leia's face. Darker, even, than the red that already suffused it. Tears rolled from the three-year-old's face unchecked.

"We kwest 'sylum," she said, her voice wavering.

"Here, come in, sweetheart," he said, scooping a weak Luke into one arm and reaching for her with the other. "We'll call your parents-"

"NO!"

Leia screamed the word, and he heard something in the office rattle.

"NO! We kwest 'SYLUM! Allaran helps!" Her fists were clenched at her side and the tears rolled heavier than ever.

Allaran was what the twins called Alderaan, and...

"Are you... requesting asylum?" Bail puzzled out the toddlerspeak, but still couldn't make sense of it.

"Yuh- yes! Puh-please!" She sniffled as snot mixed in with the tears.

"Of course, sweetheart," Bail said, because what else was there to say in the face of all this? "Of course Alderaan grants you asylum."

Leia melted into his arms, sobbing. Luke was now sobbing, too, with a bit of a wheeze to it.

Bail pulled them into his office and locked the outer door.

"What happened?" Bail asked again, retrieving the box of tissues off of Narin's desk to wipe their faces. "Who did this to you? Where are your parents? Are they hurt?"

"NO!"

Bail's right ear rung as Leia screamed into it.

"Dada mad," Luke rasped. "Sowwy, Dada."

The air seemed to freeze in his lungs at the implication. He knew Padmè's husband had occasional fits of temper, but surely he wouldn't direct them at his own children, would he?

"How bad are you hurt, Luke? Do you need a doctor?"

He tried to check the boy's throat, but couldn't see any obvious marks. But then again, would his father leave any marks? He glanced at the shape on Leia's face, so very like a handprint.

"NO!" she yelled, almost on cue. "No, we got 'sylum! You pwom- promised!"

"Yes, dear." Bail patted her back as she leaned into him again. "And part of having asylum means access to doctors if you need them. Do you? Either of you?"

The twins looked at each other, their expressions going through multiple changes even though they didn't say a word. Luke shook his head and coughed again.

"No, thank you," Leia said.

She'd always been a little more articulate than her brother. Bail had never questioned why, until now, and hated that he was questioning it at all. It could be innocent. It probably was innocent. He sure as hell hoped so.

"Let me at least get you a glass of water, Luke," he said, moving them all into the inner office and heading to the bar.

He helped Luke drink- his glasses were heavier than standard- and listened as a confusing story poured out of Leia.

Luke had had a nightmare and went to his mother for comfort, but Anakin had objected, saying that any time past bedtime was for he and Padmè, alone. Padmè had told Luke he was fine and the nightmare was nothing to worry about, but Luke hadn't listened and had started babbling all the details. Anakin had gotten angry and told him to go back to bed, at which point Luke burst into tears.

Leia, who'd followed her brother, moved in to help, but not before Anakin yelled at Luke to stop crying and then used the Force to choke him when he wouldn't stop. Leia had screamed at him, and her mother slapped her, telling her true ladies didn't yell and that she and her brother should go back to their room and stay there while she tried to calm their father down.

Leia had taken Luke back to their room, packed their bags, and headed here, because she liked Mr. Bail and had heard her mother talking about Alderaan's asylum project, which had ramped up after the end of the war.

Bail excused himself for a moment to retrieve the discarded bags from the hall and have a quiet moment to try and get his emotions under control.

So. Calling their parents was out of the question. The Jedi would likely answer the comms, even at this hour, but the fact that Leia had brought herself and her brother here instead of trying to contact Obi-Wan made him uneasy. He rubbed his temples; he'd spent too much time on Coruscant and away from Alderaan and it was making him paranoid. He knew Obi-Wan would never hurt a child, but for now, at least, he was going to go along with whatever rationalizing was going on in Leia's poor, overwrought head. No toddler should bear this kind of weight on their shoulders.

Not knowing what else to do, he called his wife. It was lunchtime in Aldera, and if anyone was good at handling a fraught political situation- because this was definitely going to be political- it was the Queen of Alderaan.

As he waited for the call to connect it occurred to him that Leia's request for asylum might actually carry some weight.

Breha's face filled the screen, her soft smile fading as she took in the background.

"Bail, love, I know for a fact that it's after midnight there. If you're still in your office-"

"Darling, I'm afraid I may have gotten us into a little bit of trouble..."

He panned the comm around to show the twins on his couch. Luke was already asleep and Leia was fighting a losing battle with her eyelids. Her arms were wrapped around him and a tiny scowl furrowed her brow, daring anyone to interfere.

It has been a long night, and it was about to get even longer, but Bail couldn't regret it. Not if it meant the twins were safe. For now.