#And then Sky and Time are the Mom and Dad friends respectively

[rainy-day-revelry]

Absolutely adoring how the chain seems to have assigned big brother little brother pairings for all of the minors:

Legend who is making sure Hyrule doesn’t overuse his magic and exhaust himself

Warriors who is constantly scruffing Wind to make sure he doesn’t do something stupid

And Twilight who is trying to stop Wild from yeeting himself off the nearest cliff and failing miserably

Peak sibling behavior

[kifkay]

Winx & Specialists Dynamics that are so Precious to me

it makes sense that in the show, winx and their non-boyfriend specialists don’t interact much. but!! i’m very insane about codependent found families, and I want them all to love each other. so here’s my take on some tet-a-tet dynamics:

rare pairings:

Musa & Timmy: childhood frenemies. they used to go to the same middle school on Melody, and as type-A tweens do, had an intense, “you’re the only person I match myself to” kind of rivalry. they lost contact after Timmy moved away, chilled out considerably, reconnected in Alfea and had a wonderful banter-filled friendship since. because of how fast they slotted back into a friendship, some of their classmates genuinely thought they were siblings.

Tecna & Riven: got up from a rough patch. from “I dislike you but we both love Musa, so we have to be civil” to “you have more depths to you than I expected” to “now that I understand you, I can’t help but admire certain things about you” to “bitch, you are the only person who is as weird and clueless as I am, ARE YOU READY TO GO TO THE ARCADE AND ANNIHILATE KIDS FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES”

Flora & Brandon: little sister, older brother vibes. of similar temperaments and views, they enjoy spending time over a cup of tea — talking about everything and nothing. it’s therapeutic, almost.

(no one in the group knew that Brandon and Flo were good friends. once, when the two had to team up during a mission, Bloom couldn’t even finish saying: “it would be a good opportunity for you to get to know each ot-“, before the specialist-fairy duo were re-creating the most complicated and choreographed hand shake ever. jaws were on the floor.)

Aisha & Brandon: they are sporties, and they like doing sport things together! they don’t talk aside from exchanging brief encouragements and advice while out, preferring to spend their time in companionable silence. sorta like those dads who never talk to their buddies, but somehow have the strongest and longest bonds ever?

Helia & Bloom: artist besties. Bloom drags Helia out on picnics, where they practice observational drawing (and tiktok trends that Bloom desperately wants to reenact but none of the winx are good at arts); Helia responds by taking her out to see art museums in Magix. it’s a fun dynamic of Bloom being the bubbly gold retriever, and Helia being her black cat.

Tecna & Sky: they didn’t have much of a relationship until year 4. somehow, they both got really, intensely into weaponsmithing and built a joint workshop. they found that they enjoy working alongside each other and value each other’s insights. sky goes to tecna when he needs frank, un-sugarcoated advice, and tecna accompanies sky on hikes and other spirited adventures, for “bonding activities” (because he told her she doesn’t get out of her comfort zone enough). it’s a relationship of deep mutual respect.

Sky & Stella: childhood friends. they knew each other as children and enjoyed playing together (which is how Stella also knew Brandon pre-Red Fountaine). at least, until Stella was unofficially banned from Eraklyon because shenanigans, and they lost contact. they still jokingly call each other “My Lady” and “My Lord”.

Stella & Nabu. Both are flirty and extroverted people, who enjoy the spirit of showmanship. They have a friendly rivalry going of who can fluster the villain of the week the fastest.

canon bf-gf dynamics (dating in canon, open to interpretation otherwise):

Bloom x Sky: liked each other since the first meeting; bonded over being the friend group moms. (on unrelated note: bloom gentle parents her friends, while sky goes all exasperated cig mom on his team and repeats things like: “you better go to sleep right now, or so help me Dragon I will take away your Owl pilot privileges-“)

they are not the most outwardly affectionate couple of the winx, yet they are so wordlessly devoted to each other. sky will follow bloom to the ends of all dimensions, when she gets a calling from powers as mystical as she. bloom will always believe in him and see him as his own man, unlike the many who see him only as his father’s son. they were entwined by fate, long before one had met the other; yet, there’s the trust, the respect, the faith so strong — that could have only come from friendship forged and tested by fire.

Stella and Brandon: the hottest power couple; sole reason behind 60% of all student fairies/specialists/witches queer awakening.

they banter all. the. goddamn. time. these dorks are speaking a whole different language.

they are also most comfortable in each other’s company, being able to be their genuine, less polished selves. stella and brandon are both performers bred and born, playing the roles of a noble princess and a knight. it’s nice, to have a safe reprieve from all that acting.

Aisha and Nabu. their love was one that sneaked up on them. their distance, set by a discomfort at the idea of an arranged marriage, bridged as they transitioned from being reluctant comrades to friendly rivals to unwilling friends to best friends to “if someday the moon calls you by your name, don’t be surprised — because every night I tell her about you”

Tecna and Timmy: partners in crime, ride or die, sunny faith in each other — even when the other person doesn’t believe in themself. I have a whole post about them, go read that ;)

Flora and Helia: they are so. they are. they-

icons. the most romantic couple, the one that sets the standards, the one that gives their friends advice. they are extremely attentive to each other’s needs and tender with each other’s feelings.

flora can recite helia’s poems in her sleep, and trace his drawings with her eyes closed. helia brings mielle presents every time he stops by. flora has tea with helia’s dad every other tuesday; she keeps note of every time helia and saladin are supposed to meet up, to be able to whisk helia away after and distract him from his troubles. helia knows how to care of flora’s plants, and sends her lovingly assorted gift baskets semi-regularly.

Musa and Riven. their relationship is push and pull, is joy then sorrow.

it’s all in a drag of a cigarette, in the vortex of a starless night, in the hoarse laughter. “of all the people in the world, why did it have to be you?” she’ll say and smile.

“ I’m afraid we’re doomed, lover,” he’ll reply, faux-casually, and smile back. both of them will know it’s the truth.

their relationship was not built to last, not for the lack of love or try. maybe they were too similar — both headstrong, unbending, bleeding hearts. maybe they were just different enough not to understand their hurts. nevertheless, it was not built to last — but neither of them would ever bring to regret it. love prevails, no matter in what form in comes, or something like that.

[beansricejc]

Headcanon: Keanu Reeves's characters as University Students.

what an amazing prompt omfg! CW: cursing, implied homophobia, vulgar descriptions of drug use

JOHN CONSTANTINE - Religious Studies / Parapsychology. His parents would roll their eyes and friends would laugh at such a degree to work towards. “You’re kidding.” John’s dad would grumble, scoffing as his swigs a beer. “You might as well just become a priest and swear off chasin’ tail. What the fuck even is… parapsycholo-“

“I’d be studying psychic or paranormal phenomena, for your information.” John would groan, snatching his dad’s cigarette box from the porch table and lighting one up. His father, an even more cynical asshole (if you can believe it) than him, laughed in disbelief.

“You’re seriously wasting your prime years on bein’ a ghostbuster?” His dad snickered, then calling John an unsavory, homophobic slur, as per usual. These talks he has with his father always end up with one of them getting a bloody nose and their ass kicked. This time, it’s his drunk of a father.

Who knew that would end up helping him in the long run, with casting demons out of little girls and helping twins in the afterlife?

KEVIN LOMAX - Law/Finance. Of course this big shot lawyer is going to have a law degree, duh. But I also envision something else. I can picture Kevin pulling a Jordan Belfort, scamming rich fools into investing into shitty companies. Money laundering, tax evasion, snorting cocaine out of a hired woman’s ass, all at the top of a sky scraper in the financial district in the Big Apple. He definitely skipped class to sleep in or recover from a previous night’s partying. It didn’t matter though, Kevin is stupidly smart and hardly needs to study to pass any sort of exam.

NEO - Computer Programming. Do I even have to explain this one? Late nights, redbull, he’s gotta pass somehow, and these classes are making Neo work for it.

JACK TRAVEN/JOHNNY UTAH - Criminal Justice. These boys in blue were at the top of their class at their respective programs, Utah for the FBI, and Traven for the LAPD police academy. It always helps to have a bit of book smarts to go along with their pretty faces.

JOHN WICK - Our favorite Russian assassin didn’t go to college, we already know this. However, if he did, I can see our man going in for a History or English degree. Years pass and he graduates, getting a job at some middle school out of state to get far away from his past life as he can. Mr. Wick is a fantastic teacher, the boys think he’s cool as hell and the girls think he’s scary but unfortunately he knows what he’s doing. Mr. Wick has already promised himself never to mix personal life with his job, just like he did in the past when he did hits for a living. That is until parent-teacher conferences happen at the end of the semester. When one of his favorite kiddos brings in their single mom, and he can barely hold it together in front of her.

Embarrassing.

[stone-stars]

Transcript:

Murph: You see a giant figure attempting to push open a door. Before anything else, you recognize the giant greatsword on his back. Howl. Your mother's sword. Calder: Need a little help? Murph: Gowan turns around. Gowan: What are you doing here, Calder? Calder: Looks like you're struggling with that door. Just wanna make sure you know you can always ask for help.

Calder: What can we do for you? Command us. Gowan: With all due respect, Calder. I always thought you would've made a great ranger, but… you are not a ranger. You left. So, the most I can ask of you is to please look out for mom and dad. But, I'll talk to my rangers and I'll figure out a way to take care of this. Thank you all for everything.

Murph: He… looks away from you. Gowan: I already have help. There's nothing you can do for me.

Calder: I-- no. No. I don't wanna be protected anymore. I wanna help.

Calder: Well. You're my brother. The least you can do is let me try.

Gowan: Calder. I'm proud of you. You've gone out on your own, and you've met people who seem like great friends. And you braved the tundra, you came out, you warned us, and we appreciate that. But again. You chose not to be a ranger.

Murph: Gowan starts to walk towards you. Gowan: Alright. Can you make a hard choice here? Calder: We can make a choice together, that's what we can do. You don't have to do it yourself. Gowan: I made a deal with Alexandrite, Calder.

Calder: What are you worried about? Gowan: I'm just-- I'm worried about everyone. I don't know how Mom did it. It feels like everyone who died, died on my watch.

Gowan: She told me that she'd already snuck replicants into the village, and that she'd take out everyone one by one until I gave her the Ice Knife. She can't get in here. Havoc won't let her. And to prove it she killed my best friend, and told me if I told anyone, Mom and Dad would be next. She replaced our neighbors. Have ya talked to any of our neighbors? Because they're watching the house. They absorbed Ingrid. And then you told me she's bringing in more from the lake. She knows everything, Calder. She's everywhere. Calder: Yeah. Yeah, we might be fucked. But we can be fucked together. We can-- we can go down fighting, or you can-- or you can sacrifice yourself like some martyr. But that's not gonna help us. Gowan: If it was just sacrificing myself, I would gladly do it, Calder. But what would you do in my situation?

Murph: Calder, as you are battling with Ultrus here, it feels like the world is being pulled apart as Glen is trying to remove this helm from your head. You see like, cracks. As you look up into the sky, you see the battlefield projected. You see that Callie is missing, you have no idea where she is, and you see that Sol is bleeding out on the ground.

Gowan: Knife to Mom's throat, what would you do? Murph: And he pushes you.

Calder: Ultrus! Make a deal with me! I will let you go. I’ll let you choose your side in this war. Just… don’t let Glen hurt my friends. Ultrus: You would give up yourself? Calder: If that’s the choice you ask me to make.

Calder: I might've done the same thing. I might've done the same thing. But you have to understand that somebody coming in this thing with fresh eyes, somebody who's seen her up close, you don't know the duplicity that she's capable of. You're acting on intel that you got from Alexandrite! Gowan: The intel that I got from you was that Gregor was compromised! And that just meant I stayed around until she killed Ingrid! Calder: So she wants us not to trust each other. She wants us not to work together. She wants us fractured and weak, like this. Gowan: We are fractured and weak, Calder! She's here already! Calder: So circle up with us!

Gowan: Well, if there's one good thing about being a leader in a time like this, it's-- it's that I'm really glad I got to make you a ranger. Calder: Yeah. And… and Gowan I think we're gonna have… we're gonna have a long time together, fighting side by side. Gowan: I hope that we could be so lucky.

Calder: You are my brother, aren't you? Murph: You see the bloodlust kind of leaves Gowan's eyes, and he looks down, and he goes Gowan: Yeah. Yeah I am. Okay.

[dragonfly0808]

Have any headcanon for Diaspros home world Isis? And her friends she has there? Her family?

Also I think you said that Chimera was going to Beta Academy, how was her time there?

Isis has a main business from jewels and is a mining planet, with a lot of valuable cave systems

It’s a bit small but Diaspro is determined to make it a main planet. It has three moons and small oceans

Diaspro’s closest friends aside from Stella and Sky are some newer members of her guard that are close to her age.

Her dad didn’t initially trust her to get involved with the politics but has come around and is very supportive. Her mom is equally supportive and is very savvy when it comes to image and taught Diaspro everything she knows about convincing and persuading people who underestimate her

Her parents had an arranged marriage and, while they were never in love, they do respect and care for one another. They’re friends. (This is a part of why Diaspro was so pissed at Sky in s1, since, if she had to have an arranged marriage, she wanted an honest one like her parents have)

Chimera’s time at Jeoule Academy was mostly uneventful. She had a few school friends but mostly kept to herself.

Again, moon fairies are considered bad luck in Solaria so she’d try to use only basic magic to avoid any teasing

[bengiyo]

Love Sea Ep 3 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Tongrak and Mut started to have sex on the beach, but then Rak rushed them back to the hotel so he could write his thoughts out for his novel. Mut was understandably frustrated and went to take a shower, which of course ended in sex (but Fort showed ass!). Rak became possessive of Mut, and once again tried to use his money to lock Mut down. We had a great moment of Rak checking in about how out they can be, and the two shared insights into their histories. We learned that Rak sees his work as an outlet to express himself, and that Mut has worked his ass off to earn his place in this community as a respected leader. We ended on some trauma flashbacks underwater for Rak involving his father who abandoned them, and a friend who may have been pregnant. Meanwhile, Vie had Mook come over to clean up her house and eat with her in a flirting ritual that seemed to work for both of them.

Aya is really pretty.

This weird issue with the italicized subtitles not displaying on the TV apps is driving me insane. Why do I have to pull up the episode in two places now??

It rains a lot in Thailand, so I like when they incorporate it into the shows.

Chapter 3: Where the Sky Touches the Sea

It's nice to see that Rak is able to talk nicely with a friend. He and Vie feel like they've known each other for a while, and know what each is going through. I'm curious how deep we'll get into this tabloid drama Vie is facing.

Is Kwan Rak's sister? What's going on with their dad that they're scared about him showing up around the granddaughter? I thought he was out of the picture?

Wondering what Mut must be feeling after not seeing Rak for a few days now after that incident.

Mm, Rak reverting to be as rude as possible like it'll scare Mut away.

At least he apologized after relaxing for a little bit. I hope he opens up about what's got him so stressed.

Oh fuck yeah give me the lore. Rak's messed up because his mom poured all her money into a man who didn't love her back, and his and his sister's names are messages to him.

Let's bond over family problems.

Oh, I'm kinda into this "Try it while you're on the island" proposal.

Are they trying to mirror that with this fake girlfriend proposal?

I'm not keen on playing in the sea at night, but they do kiss well.

Why is he in that bed with a towel on?

Mut baiting Rak into being the big spoon is sending me.

Unsurprised that Mut is a conservationist.

I like that Mut acknowledged Rak getting up early to see the community meeting.

Oh they have Ja playing an actor who shoves his costar away immediately. How fun.

This joke about the length of novel titles feels like they're alluding to people missing the point of the novel because title is too cumbersome.

"I'm not bi." She and Lom should meet.

Mut seemed real nervous about Rak seeing how modest his home is.

Wow, Mut's dad sounds cruel.

Okay but Rak was even more turned on by the idea that the neighbors would hear them.

The timeline is a bit vague here.

I feel like we got here a little fast, but I kinda like the way Mut is chasing this feeling with Rak he wasn't expecting to feel.

I really like Mook.

I'm looking forward to seeing how both of these guys' issues with their families play out. I feel like.we.mkssed some things this week that didn't translate into the adaptation smoothly, but I like the idea of Mut reaching for something he didn't think he could have, and a cynic like Rak being taken by that earnestness. Also amused by Mook likely having a crush on Vie while missing that Vie has been flirting this whole time. I wonder what our Mut Exposition Fairy will do next week.

[juztscrollingthrough]

Seven by Taylor Swift

I always interpreted this song as someone looking back at their childhood nostalgic memories and remembering that one troubled friend who left a deep mark in their psyche but for whatever circumstances they lost touch with one another.  This edit kind of depicts the time during the “between years" where they thought of one another but never reached out. This one’s especially from Ian’s POV and all those flashback of memories that compelled him to finally reach out and arrange the meet up with Anthony after a nudge from Dianne.  Ian wonders if Anthony still thinks of him, if he still reminisces about their past as fondly as Ian does. 

Below are the lyrics with explanation/interpretation in Ian and Anthony's context:

[POV IAN] :

Please picture me In the trees I hit my peak at seven feet In the swing Over the creek I was too scared to jump in

Ian wants his friend to remember him by the fun escapades they shared together. He reminisces about their first 6th grade science project, all their sleepovers, the trips, their first experience with alcohol near the riverside in Sacramento. In their big group of friends how these two became closer due to the fact that he didn’t know how to drive and Anthony was the one who drove him home after school, how after graduation when everyone left for college, these two remained in the suburbs, unsure about their future.

But I, I was high in the sky With Pennsylvania under me Are there still beautiful things?

Ian once said "I'm not exactly the poster child for following your dreams, because I never had any”. He never had exact dreams about career or whatever the future had in store for him. Smosh became a place where Ian and Anthony expressed themselves, an outlet to make each other laugh and with smosh blowing up he finally found his dream: to keep making fun stuff with his best friend which for some reason random strangers over the internet connected with. They were riding the high that came with smosh’s success unaware of the fact that this newfound business relationship would tower over their years of close friendship.

Sweet tea in the summer Cross your heart, won't tell no other And though I can't recall your face I still got love for you Your braids like a pattern Love you to the moon and to Saturn Passed down like folk songs The love lasts so long

Their genuine love and adoration for one another, how they shared every secret with each other, how Ian lied to Anthony about his first kiss in hopes to impress his new friend in 7th grade and in later years opening up about the lie as he finally got his actual first kiss…. in his friend’s bedroom. Slowly these tender moments fizzled out as they grew up, as their channel grew, and so did their stress and workload. Though, they aren't the people they once were, but their mutual love and respect for each other remained deeply ingrained in their hearts.

And I've been meaning to tell you I think your house is haunted Your dad is always mad and that must be why And I think you should come live with Me and we can be pirates Then you won't have to cry Or hide in the closet And just like a folk song Our love will be passed on

Ian knew that Anthony came from a broken home, and how he lost an authoritative figure, his step dad, who abandoned Anthony’s mother and his step-brothers when he was merely a 12 year old, and due to his tumultuous situation at home, Anthony got this heavy responsibility on his shoulders of his family. Anthony feared that his mothers agoraphobia would somehow find a way towards him too and he would stay stuck in this haunted situation which he desperately wanted to break away from. When Anthony fell sick due to his autoimmune disease, Ian’s mom urged his son to visit his friend. The get well soon card he got signed by everyone in their class and gave to Anthony. After their graduation Ian’s parents invited Anthony for a trip to Hawaii and that was the first time when Anthony got to experience something away from his haunted house back in Sacramento. He got to experience what a complete family felt like vicariously through Ian. 

Passed down like folk songs Our love lasts so long

No matter how many obstacles there were, the power of friendship conquered it all. They not only got their company back but also rekindled their friendship. They said everything had to happen the way it happened for them to eventually reunite. They might be complete opposites but there is this red string of fate that lingers between them. Their creative partnership is too strong and in the end they proved that “Friendship always wins”.

[margindoodles2407]

My dad and my brother and I would get into a lot of play-wrestling when I was younger. As the rest of my (many) siblings were born and my dad got older, though, this became less common, which I guess is why my brother and I tend to be more physically affectionate than any of our siblings. There are still times in the present day where my mom will yell at us because we have each other in a headlock in the middle of our tiny kitchen.

Because, at least for me and my brother, that's how we show we're having a good time. If I shoulder-check you in the hallway and you respond by half-judo-flipping me into the next room, well, that shows me you care. I love you, [name redacted for the safety of my brother], so obviously I'm gonna jab you lightly in the ribs to get a rise out of you. If I punch you in the arm? My brother, my best friend, you mean more to me than all the riches in the world, all the stars in the sky, and if I told you that in words you'd laugh at me, so I'll tell you with my fist.

This presents a problem when I'm taken out of the context of my family. Obviously I don't take it to the same level with randos on the street, or even with my close friends, but I show that I care with my hands, with my arms. I physically cannot contain the love I have for you within my body, so to speak. But I've had a history of making friends with people who… don't like to be touched. And I have respected that. I've kept it as contained as possible. I have learned to keep my hands to myself, and I'm more than happy to, because I would never want to make someone I truly care about uncomfortable.

But. I don't know. There's something refreshing, I guess, about coming home from a long day of school or work, and immediately getting roped into shadowboxing with my brother.

[certified-ni-ki-lover]

Chapter 2: Party Crasher

SEVENTEEN S.coups Series

Series Masterlist

Summary: Your parents set up your marriage with someone you’ve never met. How was this going to turn out? Word count: 791

MASTERLIST

. • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ .

It’s been a week since you met Seungcheol & his parents at the restaurant. You both had decided to give this a chance & both your parents were overjoyed.

You were currently getting ready to go on a date with him. You both decided to date first for a while & get to know each other better before settling down. Your parents understood & respected your choice, which you were grateful for.

Right as you were finishing up, you heard the doorbell ring. You fixed your hair one last time & then grabbed your purse & headed downstairs.

Since this was your first date you guys thought to keep it casual & just get to know each other first.

When you came down you saw your mom had already opened the door for him. When he saw you, he smiled, and your heart melted cause of his adorable smile. You smiled back & asked, “Ready to go?” “Yea,” he said “these are for you by the way,” he stated handing you a bouquet. You slightly blushed & thanked him, it was the first time a guy had given you flowers so you were thankful.

You both went out to his car. Him being the gentleman he is, opened your door to which you smiled at him & thanked him. He just smiled back & waited for you to get in before shutting it lightly. He got in & began to drive to the café you decided to go to.

When you reached he helped you out of the car & you walked in. “Why don’t we sit outside?” he suggested, you looked at the sky, it was a pleasant morning, not too sunny with a light breeze but also with enough warmth. “Sure,” you replied smiling.

You placed your orders & made your way to the outdoor patio. After you both settled down, he asked “So Y/N what should I know about you?” you laughed “I don’t know, what do you want to know?” “everything” he replied. You started talking about your family, your pets, what school you went to, your hometown, your friends, what you did in college, your hobbies, anything & everything you talked about he listened to you attentively & replying to you here & there showing you he was paying attention. You liked that about him. It was always hard finding someone who would listen to you, so you were glad he was. “So, now that I’ve told you everything about my life, tell me about you,” you said. He chuckled, “Well I have an older brother, but he lives abroad, I have a dog, I work at my dad’s company, my hobbies are…..” he went on. You were genuinely interested in everything he was saying.

As time went on you both grew more comfortable & you also found out you have much in common. He was also just so funny & sweet.

After that, you both continued to go on dates. Each one became more exciting. Seungcheol had taken you to an aquarium for your third date after you told him you loved otters, penguins & dolphins.

The next time he took you to an amusement park. Where you both went on every single ride & stayed till closing time.

Then you guys went to a place where you could make cute keychains & other crafts. You both made an adorable matching keychain for each other.

After a while, you both started dating officially. Both your families posted to social media about the good news to share with all your relatives.

They planned a party to celebrate it since it was the start of your engagement.

You walked in arms linked with Seungcheol. He went around with you introducing you to everyone & you did the same. Everything was going well. You were having fun & you were happy. You started to develop feelings for Seungcheol. You had a hunch he felt the same so you had planned to tell him how you felt tonight.

Both of your parents came up to the front to make a toast, “TO Y/N & SEUNGCHEOL!! HOPE THEY HAVE LONG, HEALTHY & BEAUTIFUL MARRIAGE” your parents shouted & everyone cheered.

Suddenly the door burst open & a girl came in. “EVERYONE STOP” she shouted looking around angrily. Everyone was confused about who this girl was & what she was doing here. “Excuse me but who are you?” his mother asked. Instead of replying to her she just marched toward you & ripped your arm from his. “Excuse me who even are you,” you asked angrily. The girl looked dead into your eyes & replied furiously, “I’M HIS GIRLFRIEND & HE’S THE FATHER OF MY CHILD” she said pointing at Seungcheol.

[stranger-fanfiction-n-things]

CHAPTER 5: THE FLEA AND THE ACROBAT

This is an Original Character fanfiction. All Stranger Things characters and content are owned by Netflix and The Duffer Brothers.

a/n: I try to include Erica as much as I can.

Warnings: None.

Word Count: 2053

Masterlist

PART I || PART II || PART III

ROANE CEMETERY

Dad didn’t say anything to me when I came downstairs wearing lipstick, but I didn’t miss the look he gave Mom or the warning look Mom gave him back. Me wearing lipstick was the least of our troubles when we have a funeral to attend. The drive to the cemetery was quiet once again. Lucas hadn’t uttered much of a word since we left the house and Erica was unusually quiet as well. It must be difficult to navigate how to move when your two older siblings both lost their best friends at the same time. I reach for Erica’s hand kissing her knuckles before entwining our fingers to show that I’m here, even when my world is crumbling beneath my feet. I’m here. Erica leans on me in acceptance and I sigh contently knowing she doesn’t feel like I’ve neglected her. Erica, Lucas and I are all hyperaware of each other’s feelings without having to ask. Call it sibling telepathy or what not, but our relationship though sometimes rough around the edges, especially between Lucas and Erica, but when it comes down to it, we are always there for each other, no matter what. 

When we get to the cemetery, I am surprised at how many people are already there in support of the Byers. There had to be 40 people here at maximum. Most of them I assume are fellow classmates showing their regards to the loss. I’m warmed by the outpour of support from everyone who showed up today to pay their respects. Over the past few days, the town has come together to find Will, even though the search came to a tragic end, the love still showed. I follow closely behind Lucas who still hasn’t spoken much of a word. All of us are still following Dad’s rule of leaving Lucas alone to grieve and process. He’ll come to us when he wants to. 

The air is brisk yet refreshing and the sun shines weakly in the sky. Brown leaves rustle in the wind, swirling around us in haste. I brush my hair away from my face and look down at the uneven ground under my black sunglasses in effort not to trip and fall in the damp grass. We approach the group, sending small smiles. I immediately notice Nancy standing beside Mrs. Wheeler. She is dressed similar to me in a black dress, nylons and kitten heels. Her black trench coat is open despite the mild winter chill. I wave at her before I am handed a white rose and walk down the row towards her and the Wheeler and Henderson Family. Mike and Dustin look at me; Mike sending a small wave in my direction. Dustin smiles a toothless grin at me but it quickly fades to a scowl when Lucas elbows him in the side. I scrunch my nose to hide my smile, happy to know my brother isn’t completely gone.

Only a few minutes pass before the Byers approach the cemetery. Jonathan guides Ms. Byers to her seat and is followed by a man I haven’t seen in a while and who I can only assume is Jonathan’s dad. He looks done up in what looks to be an expensive suit meanwhile, Jonathan and Ms. Byers look plain. I notice Jonathan’s dad has a tie on but Jonathan doesn’t and I think about Dad teaching Lucas how to tie a tie in the mirror. I am aware of Jonathan and Will’s home life. Living with a single mom proved itself to be difficult especially in a religious town like Hawkins. I purse my lips thinking about everything and it occurs to me that Jonathan has not once mentioned his dad in any of this which makes me wonder if his dad cared at all about Will and if so, why did it take so long for him to care about his own child. 

I stare at Ms. Byers. When I briefly saw her yesterday at her home when Nancy and I were looking for Jonathan, she looked how I expect any parent who has a child missing; worse for wear. I didn’t pry or stare at all the Christmas lights strung up on the ceilings and walls or even the alphabet written across the far end of the wall. If I learned anything at all this week is that people grieve in their own way. She looks more presentable today, though she moved slowly, barely aware of her own movements. Ms. Byers didn’t look at anyone or even smiled. Just sat down on the chair in front of the casket. Jonathan told us yesterday that she didn’t believe Will’s body was real and now she has to sit through a funeral she deems unnecessary. 

Pastor Charles approaches the front of the casket and begins his sermon. Not too long after the ceremony is filled with silent tears, muffled nose blowing and soft sniffles. My hand is on Lucas’s shoulder for the entire time. He doesn’t cry which surprises me a little bit because he was bawling his eyes out when news about Will’s body being found in the Quarry broke out. Maybe he was numb to everything now. 

“Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God.” Pastor Charles says. “I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous hand. It’s times like these that our faith is challenged. How, if he is truly benevolent could God take from us someone so young, so innocent? It would be easy to turn away from God but we must remember than nothing, not even tragedy, can separate us from His love.” 

The sermon ends and it’s time for everyone to throw their flowers onto the grave site. One by one we all let go of our flowers. Mom and Dad approach Jonathan’s dad who is nothing but smiles and charm thanking us for coming. I send him a tight-lipped smile, feeling slightly put off by him and his mannerisms. I look over her shoulder and see Ms. Byers frowning and shaking her head. I want to pay my respects to her, but she doesn’t look like she’s in the mood for any interaction. Her eyes were empty, lacking any hint of emotion, though with just enough focus to know she was still there. 

Nancy is waiting for me outside the crowd. I excuse myself and I hug her tight hooking my arm with hers. 

“You look like a movie star with your sunglasses,” she teases. I lay my head on her shoulder as we walk to a more secluded area. “Also, I can’t believe you’re wearing lipstick right now.” 

“I know I can’t believe it either. My mom gave me one of hers to wear today.” 

“Have you told her anything? Y’know about…” 

I lift my head, shaking it. “No, I haven’t. Have you told your mom?” 

“Definitely not. Things have been…” she exhales. “Tense between us since the whole Steve thing. She still brings him up. Even after our talk with the cops, she never once asked about Barb.” Nancy scoffs rolling her eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” I say. “If it makes you feel any better, things between my mom and I were…different to say the least yesterday too.” Nancy’s eyebrows raise to her forehead. I nod my head rubbing my lips together. “Yeah, the lies caught up with me, I guess. From going to Steve’s to getting a ride home—” 

“You got a ride home?” Nancy interrupts. “By whom?” 

I wince forgetting I haven’t told Nancy about Eddie yet. I open my mouth to speak but thankfully, I am distracted by Jonathan standing on the far end of the cemetery. He raises his hand to let me know he wants to talk to us about something. I wave back and glance at Nancy who looks at me pupils twinkling under the bleak sun and pat her hand. “I’ll tell you about it later.” 

The three of us sit on the ground behind a wrought iron fence in the cemetery. Jonathan holds out a makeshift map with red x’s making a triangle. I lean in close pushing my sunglasses over my bangs to see clearly. Jonathan points to the map. “This is where we know for sure it’s been.” 

Nancy furrows her brows, pointing an x the farthest to the left. “So, that’s…” 

“Steve’s house.” Jonathan confirms. He moves his finger to an open space on the paper. “And that’s the woods where they found Will’s bike and…that’s my house.” 

“It’s all so close.” I say, hugging my jacket closer to my body. 

“Exactly. I mean, it’s all within a mile or something. Whatever this thing is, it’s not traveling far.” 

I study Jonathan, squinting against the sun. His newfound eagerness was suspicious especially because of what was happening right now. He buried his little brother today and his family dynamic seemed way more intense than usual. I sit up straighter twisting my body. “You want to go out there.”

Jonathan perks up as if he’s been caught doing something he isn’t supposed to be doing. “We may not find anything.” 

“We found something.” Nancy chimes in. “And if we do see it…then what?” 

“We kill it.” 

My eyes pop out of my head. “Kill it? How are we going to do that?” 

Jonathan stands up dusting dead grass off his pants. He looks determined and a little crazed. I blinked with incredulity. “Follow me.” He says marching to the parking lot. I look at Nancy wondering what’s going on. He leads us to an expensive looking sports car. He opens the door not before telling us to keep look out. I cross my arms above my chest shifting from side to side on my feet. My eyes dart back and forth around the cemetery. Everyone was walking back to the church for the reception. Mine and Nancy’s parents are talking to each other while Mike, Dustin and Lucas huddled in a circle. I tilt my head to the side wondering what they were talking about. 

“Just give me a second.” Jonathan says, pulling out a pocket knife from his jacket pocket. My eyes again pop out of my head. 

“Are you serious?” Nancy exclaims. 

“No, absolutely not!” I shout, watching him wiggle the end of his knife into the lock of the glove compartment. I can only hope and assume this car is his dad’s and even though his dad gave me bad vibes, I still do not approve of stealing. I am already on the police’s radar for Barb, I don’t need to add theft to my list. 

“What?” Jonathan snaps, opening the glove compartment. He sifts through taking out a gun. My mouth falls open. “You want to find this thing and take another photo? Yell at it?” 

“No, but…” 

“This is a terrible idea.” Nancy intercepts. 

“Yeah, well, it’s the best we’ve got.” Jonathan tucks the gun in his back pocket before closing the car door. “What? You can tell someone but they’re not going to believe you. You know that.” 

That was true and I wasn’t going to tell my parents anything, but Ms. Byers believed something was happening before Nancy and I knew Barb was missing. Hell, she doesn’t think Will’s body is real. It made sense to tell her about what was happening. Maybe she can help us somehow. 

“Your mom would.” I point out.

Jonathan takes a deep breath. I see how tired he looks, the bags under his eyes deepening in colour. There’s a hint a sadness in his eyes that disappears as soon as I see it. “She’s been through enough.” 

“She deserves to know.” Nancy adds.

“Yeah, and I’ll tell her when this thing is dead.” He says with finality. It’s enough for me and Nancy not to push anymore. 

I think about Barb and the looks on Officer Callahan and Powell’s faces when I told them about what I saw in Steve’s backyard. I pull my sunglasses down tucking my hair behind my ear. Determination bubbles in my body. If Jonathan is certain about this, I’m in through and through. Like I said. My brother and I deserve to have our best friend’s back. 

“When do we start?” 

NEXT -> PART III

Taglist 🤍: @tinydramatist

[msweebyness]

MiracOlympus- Formal Introduction

Howdy, ya'll! Here's the formal introduction to the characters from my new AU! The background is pretty simple, the Miraculous characters are the Gods from Ancient Greece! Enjoy! @imsparky2002 @artzychic27

Adrien:

(Zeus)

God of the sky, king of Olympus

A much fairer and more compassionate ruler than Zeus

Still a sunshine boi

Doesn't sleep with a bunch of women, actually loyal to his queen

Team Dad

Kim:

(Poseidon)

God of the seas

Crazy-ass Middle Child

Constantly losing his trident

Protective of the ocean and its creatures

Likes challenging the other gods for fun

Nathaniel:

(Hades)

God of the dead, lord of the Underworld

Oldest child, protective of his two younger brothers

Chose the Underworld because he likes peace and quiet

Not the bad guy mortals make him out to be

Very respectful of Marc, i.e. never kidnapped him

Marinette:

(Hera)

Queen of the Gods, goddess of marriage and family

ROCKS that peacock aesthetic

Acts more like a team mom than a queen

Doesn't try to murder any other girl who's interested in Adrien

Likes to ship people with Rose

Mylene:

(Demeter)

Goddess of the Harvest

Loving and nurturing, makes sure mortals are taken care of

Protective of Marc, her younger brother

VERY passionate about the environment

Mediates conflicts on Olympus

Sabrina:

(Hestia)

Goddess of the home and hearth

Gentlest and humblest of the Gods

Gave up her throne for Nino, since she never really wanted it

Has a hard time saying no

Amazing cook

Kagami:

(Ares)

Goddess of war

Believes in honor and fighting for a worthy cause

Has never lost a battle

Rides a kickass motorcycle

Always armed, just in case

Rose:

(Aphrodite)

Goddess of love and beauty

Supportive of all sexual identities, ACE PEOPLE ARE VALID

World's biggest shipper

Very humble about her looks

Adores Juleka beyond all sense of reason

Juleka:

(Artemis)

Goddess of the hunt and the forest

Shy, prefers to spend time with animals

Always has her bow and a quiver of arrows

Gets pissed if you insult her mom or Rose

VERY against abusive relationships

Luka:

(Apollo)

God of music and prophecy

HE CAN SEE THE FU-TURE

Never seen without his lyre

Most beautiful voice in the history of all time

Juleka's wingman

Ivan:

(Hephaestus)

God of fire and blacksmithing

In his forge 70% of the time, Mylene drags him out to take a break and get some sun

Buffest of the gods, but super humble about it

Olympus' repair man

Still a soft, gentle boi

Alix:

(Hermes)

Goddess of travelers, thieves and messengers

Carries messages between all the realms

Has a winged pair of rollerblades

The ultimate prankster

Fastest of all the gods

Max:

(Athena)

God of Wisdom & Innovation

Always accompanied by his owl, Markov

Gets exasperated with the foolish choices of his peers

Actually still good friends with Kim

Always working on something new

Nino:

(Dionysus)

God of Wine & Festivity

Ironically, drinks in moderation

Has so much energy

Plans all parties on Olympus

Shares a passion for theater with Jean

Alya:

(Themis)

Goddess of truth and justice

Oversees all trials conducted on Olympus

WILL call you out if you're acting unfairly

Only Nino can get her to cut loose a little

DESPISES Lila

Chloe:

(Helios)

Goddess of the sun

Has an ego the size of, well, the sun

Nothing can shine as bright as her

Knows EVERYONE'S business, because the sun sees all

Has a soft spot for her sister, the moon goddess

Ondine:

(Amphitrite)

Goddess of sea creatures, queen of the oceans

Rules over the sea with Kim, makes sure he doesn't do anything too reckless

Has tea meet-ups with fellow Goddess Queen, Marinette

Unceasingly bubbly and optimistic

Lila:

(Eris)

Goddess of strife and discord

Thrives on conflict between the other gods

Lies to get her way constantly

Starting wars is a hobby

The others only put up with her because they have to

Keep an eye out for more of this AU! Leave thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

[whitebookposts]

alright so now that we're discussing elder headcanons what are your hcs for ayin :3

OH HEY ANOTHER FEW WEEKS HAVE PASSED BEFORE I ANSWERED THIS. HAHA I live in shame every breathing moment <3

ANYWAY!! AYIN!!! OUR FRIEND!!! THE ULTIMATE DAD\MOM\GRANDMA!!! The one who holds so much pain behind their gentle hands.... one of my favorite elders, right behind Priestess (shhhhh let's ignore the fact she isnt even canon). Let's get right to them!!!!

GENDAQUEEEER I am a firm he\she\they Ayin believer (although it does make writing fics with him a bit tricky lol). idk why, but it makes so much sense, both because I feel like Ayin feels love and appreciation towards all gender expressions, be it feminine or masculine, and because I'm projecting my own gender identity onto em. plus, Ayin was called both a he and a they by tgc, and in one of the game's translations (I don't remember the language, unfortunately), Ayin is called "Prairie grandma" instead of Prairie elder. Overall, I feel like Ayin wouldn't care what pronouns you use for her, he is happy with all (projecting again), and they will wear beautiful dresses and gorgeous suits depending on the mood.

PANSEXULAAAA I don't even have any explanation for this one, I just know it on molecular level.

Youngest child syndrome Headcanon that Ayin is the youngest of three kids, having two older twin brothers. Both because it just… makes sense for him to be the youngest (listen. Half of my headcanons are just vibes.), and because when @grapeless-seeds introduced this headcanon to me (using early beta content where it seemed that some spirit memories were actually memories of the elders, and what we concluded was beta ayin was surrounded by two more spirits that looked a lot like them) I fell in love with it immediately. There are so many funny scenarios that can arise from it, esp if Ayin turns out to be taller than her older brothers. This is also a basis for some of my angst for Ayin too, because out of the other elders, Ayin has the most family still up there in the constellation while she is stuck down there (I'm a "elders are fallen stars who crave to get back home" type of fella)

ARTS & CRAFTS Like to think that Ayin is the type of person to always make some sort of pretty trinkets and stuff, often pairing up with Teth to make them. His favorite type of creation though? Clay pots! All the smaller clay pots you see around her temple are handmade by her :) (even though it does get tricky with their big hands :"D)

Hard of hearing Hard of hearing Ayin headcanon blast! I like to think that the reason they have bells on their temple is so that he can hear their calls better since she would have a hard time hearing them from the village. Originally born from noticing the detail that in his cutscene, Ayin needs to look around before spotting you instead of simply following the sound of our footsteps and the flame. He mostly hears either thanks to a special device created by Teth for him, or through the rumbles of the earth around them. Which leads to-

Is this an avatar reference I forgot to mention this in my Teth headcanon list, but I hc that the elders that appear holding the colored light in the cave of Prophecies can manipulate the respective elements. Even more, they could do so even before they were granted these lights, but it was the lights that allowed them to master the skill. So Ayin, as the holder of Earth, is one of the most powerful elders - she can transform the terrain, make plants grow, lift entire islands into the sky (why do you think their temple is so high up), and even change gravity. If such power fell to any other hands but Ayin's who knows what could have happened? Thankfully, Ayin has a very strong connection and respect for the land, coming from a constellation (the way the stars call their families) of farmers (but that is a whole other can of worms) so you can be sure Ayin can be trusted with it. But if they were to use it aggressively…..

I got my ass kicked, I ain't posting that Both because of Ayin's ability to manipulate earth, AND their sheer size and physical strength, if you somehow manage to get into a physical fight with them, expect your ass to get handed to you on a cute hand made plate. But let's be honest if you somehow manage to get such a calm and gentle person like Ayin to fight you, you deserve everything that comes next.

A single mom who works two jobs...... It's already canon that Flight guide was Ayin's apprentice, but my headcanon extends to Sanctuary guide too, and that for both of them, Ayin was not only a master but a parental figure as well. Even though all the other elders told Ayin that it would be silly to raise ancestor children since the ancestor life span is so much shorter and they will see their kids grow and get old and die before them, Ayin still took on the job because she couldn't let these poor kids have no home, ready to face the pain of their death if just she gets to see them grow old and happy. well… they did die earlier than Ayin…. unfortunately, they also died much, much earlier than they were supposed to and Ayin expected. Oops.

This is the part where we get to the horrors During the height of the darkstone era and the fallout that happened after it, Ayin was caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, he longed desperately to get back to the stars and reunite with his family, and that, at the time, was believed to be possibly only through continual darkstone use. On the other, as mentioned earlier, Ayin has a great connection to the land and a great love for creatures and nature. We can even see it in their realm, which is the healthiest, most thriving out of all others. I mean, she has a whole ass sanctuary in the Prairie, so it's clear that the preservation of nature was very important to them. So Ayin was deeply conflicted, wanting to return to the stars but knowing it would be at the expense of the land. This desire to go home was what caused her to go with the continual industrialization at first, and the crushing guilt just made them work harder and harder, running themself thin trying to provide enough light from their realm for the growing demand, because hey, if they work themself to exhaustion, they don't have enough time to dwell if their actions are good! Sleep became their coping mechanism. (Might not be super healthy, but hey! At least it's not DRINKING like in early concept art! I still can't believe they were planning to make Ayin a drunk and that the pots were originally there to contain the drink.)

more horrors Such behavior and Ayin's quiet acceptance of the situation continued up until… it couldn't anymore. Ayin couldn't go on like that anymore, she saw her land and her neighbor's lands fall to ruin, more and more people becoming sick, a war waging taking more and more resources and lives…. and the catalyst for it all was the death of both of her apprentices, who died protecting the very same things she taught them to protect. That was the final straw. And Prairie officially joined the resistance.

Oops, still horrors. So you remember that cut-out beta part of the Aurora concert where we saw the elders on the battlefield during the war, with Ayin with Daleth being on the side of the resistance? Yeah, it's a pretty cool basis for this headcanon, BUT ACTUALLY, this idea came to me so much earlier, IN A DREAM. I am not even joking, I had a dream 3 years ago where Ayin was fighting in the war. Speak of Apollo and his prophetic visions, huh? Do you remember how I mentioned that Ayin would be terrifying to fight against due to her control over earth? Yea, let's just say the giant craters on the battlefield in GW weren't always there.

Doomed middle aged yaoi An extension to the previous point, I'm a Tsadi x Ayin fan, and seeing how Tsadi appeared on the other side of the battle on that one cut out segment... well, do what you will with it.

okay back to normal stuff Ayin is really great at putting children to sleep, even the most energetic ones. there is just something about the softness and warmth of his body and the general calming vibes around her that make young children relax. Was really helpful to Priestess when the little twins were full of energy all too late when she had none.

Grandma instinct Don't say you're hungry next to them. Ayin WILL cook a "all you can eat" buffet for you if you do. No one is going hungry if Ayin can help it. Honestly, I know this hc sounds very joky, but I genuinely love the healthy relationship with food Ayin has. It really helps me to not worry about calories and weight gain. I know Ayin would want me to be well fed and eat tasty food first and foremost. :3

Ayin milk

ANDDD this concludes my list for now! In truth, I have so, so much more headcanons about Ayin, but Im getting tired typing all that, besides, many of them will need a much bigges exposition about my world building and general world headcanons for Sky. Hope you enjoyed reading those!

[kifkay]

Winx & Specialists versus Families

’cause blood families are difficult and messy, and what are friends for if not to listen to you bitch about your mom so. here are all the different ways the Team supports each other:

bloom’s gut instinct is ALWAYS to run away to Earth and curl in her adopted parents’ arms.

gradually, she infects her friends with the same sentiment. it’s just- whoever comes to pick up Bloom from her monthly freak out, Mike and Vanessa always insist on joining them for dinner! and they’re gentle and patient, and genuinely ask you questions! and really listen when you answer!!! or if you don’t want to talk, they let you loiter in their home indefinitely and let you help them out at work

the team becomes enamoured with bloom’s parents and M & V’s house becomes a sort of safe reprieve for all of them. a warm place, where you will never be turned away from.

(eventually, Mike and Vanessa also become the designated Trusted Grandparents, who can always watch the kids. it’s a little confusing for the pair who remember adopting just one disaster child — but they’re only the happier to get to care for other adorable, mischievous munchkins.)

///

Riven is ready and willing to yell at any of your shitty relatives, no charge.

it all starts when Riven accidentally stumbles into attending Rose Day dinner with Timmy’s family, back in their first year. the two specialists were not particularly close - they barely knew each other then. Riven stuffs himself with food and watches with irritated discomfort as Timmy’s parents dig into him for all the ways he had “made himself a failure”.

Riven is even more irritated when Timmy shows no sign of trying to stand up for himself.

It ends up with Riven “accidentally” pushing Timmy’s dad’s face into a bowl of mashed potatoes and leaving their house, kicking and screaming, about how lucky they are to have Timmy visiting their shitty abode. that the young man is more successful, kind and brave than both of them will ever be — and Timmy had just started his career in the Red Fountain.

(Timmy is immediately smitten)

since then, Riven had: accompanied Tecna to her talks/negotiations with her negligent creators; acted as an emotional support bodyguard for Sky, when the latter went to confront his father about Domino; face-timed Flora’s mom to talk about boundaries (on Flora AND her sisters’ behalf); and managed the combined might of Aisha and Nabu’s distant relatives on their wedding.

///

Helia, Brandon, Flora and Stella take care of their friends in subtler ways.

They sit with them for hours on end - just listening to their sorrows and grieving with them.

Helia, Brandon and Flora are all deeply empathetic, perceptive people - they’re always itching to land a hand.

Stella is less perceptive, but she trains her eyes to notice red flags and swoop in with “an assist.”

Flora is not the best with words, so she mostly listens to her friend talk and comes up with ways to make their lives a bit easier. doing menial housework for them, cooking, etc.

Stella is very aggressively on your side, always. she takes you out for self care day in Magix, gets you to smash plates over the kitchen counter and respects your emotions.

Brandon usually goes for distractions. be it training, shopping trips or adventures.

Helia tries to guide you through the process.

[delightfullyodd]

Hiii! I liked your post on Moondancer. Do you have some AU based on this idea? Maybe? Please????

Well, story goes like this: ponies live pretty long, especially those who use a lot of magic. Be it direct application or study. Thus having children with reletively big age gaps is normal.

So by the time Twilight Velvet and Night Light had fraternal triplets Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer and Moon Dancer (which was a real surprise - alive, healthy triplets are an extremely rare occurance in horses in general), they already had an adult son named Shining Armor. Shining was a very smart, capable, responsible and gentlecolt in general but alas had like zero interest in magic outside of what was necessary for his duties as a leader of the Royal Guard. So as you might have guessed their parents were overjoyed when it turned out that fillies are into magic and such.

Speaking of Shining: he was also married to a pegasus mare called Sky Lulaby {because I don't like Cadance, but in this house we respect folks who like her, thus let's say it's stil Cadance, only she has never ascended to alicornhood in this universe, her color scheme is less ugly and she never babyset Twilight either. Otherwise, I'm sure, Twilight would have had descent peop...I mean pony skills then, and we all know this is not the case}.

So our girls were very close as fillies. Since their parents used to study an ancient structure (its' magical properties in case of dad and whatever we call pony analogy of anthropology in mom's case) from before Current Era, and they basically lived near the site. As you might have guessed there weren't many kids of their age around.

Later, their family moved to Canterlot. Their parents became professors at the Royal Canterlot University and our fillies were accepted into Queen Celetia's School For Gifted Unicorns.

At first everything went great. Twilight, Starlight Glimmer and Moon Dancer {we shall call them Twi, Glim and Moony from now on for simplicity sake} made a lot of friends, school was just awesome. In the begining our young unicorns struggled very much with Magical Arts as they were homeschool and only knew spells with practical use and not much theory behind them, but as weeks went by they've gotten better. Spectacularly so.

Around the end of their first school year, professors from the univercity came to test foals for magic potential. Strandard procedure, nothing out of ordinary. Moon Dancer did great - her potential was bigger than most of her peers. Starlight Glimmer manager to beat her. But then professors went to test Twilight...

And the school exploded.

Literally.

Oops.

High Queen Celestia was immediately notified. And she came to check herself. Results were stunning: not only Twilight's potential was far greater than of her sisters' or anyone her age or any age (minus High Queen herself of course), it was something never seen before.

But such power requires tight control so Celestia decided that she needs to step in (blow dust from her teaching skills) and finally take another pupil after a long break. Though, High Queen or not, Celestia still went and asked if Twilight's parents mind.

They didn't but were concerned over moving out at such an early age. Celestia agreed to wait at least until filly will be what is our analogue of highschooler.

Velvet and Night Light were shocked. Twilight herself was very excited. So were Glim and Moony. Shining was amused, to say the least, but he was very proud of his little sisters.

Yet, one fo the professors called Twi's parents with certain concerns over their daughters' development - further tests showed that Twi is a patterner {pony analogue of an autistic person}. The whole situation also meant that Twi will have to go to the different classes that will tailored with her specific needs in mind.

{My headcannon is that ponies being extremely social creatures try to accomodate their ND & disabled folk the best way possible and not only at this "royal" level but in general}.

Time went by and little by little Glim and Moony started to get jealous of their sister. At first they tried to fight these feelings.

"Sure Twi needs more attention, she's patterner, we should help her adjust and help with things she is not very good with, right? Like, she helps us with homework..."

"She is our sister, we should be proud of her..."

"What would mom say if she finds out we think bad of her..."

Twilight on the other hoof, also tried to do her best at being a good sister.

But as it often happens, sisters started to slowly drift apart. Due to differences in schedules they saw Twi less and less.

Little jealousy turned big and with time evolved into frustrated resentment. It's hard to compare to a pony whose special interest and life passion is magic and whose special talent is magic and who is also exceptionally smart. And certainly no-one will take constantly feeling like a failure all the time well.

Sure it took time but special treatment went into Twi's head. She was really excellent. Probably too much for her own good.

Her confidence evolved into arrogance and then into a smug feeling of superiority. And if at first she at least tried to hide this attitude aroundher relatives, somewhere around high school she finally dropped all pretence. Approximately, at was the same time she was taken in by Celestia. Eventually she started to think of High Queen as of her mother and her contact with her birth family ceased into almost nothing. Like, she still would send them holiday cards. But pretty much this was it.

Glim turned her resenment and frustration into a fuel for a truly raging fire. She decided - buck this Twilight Sparkle and her smugness! She will be better than her! This mare sucks at pony interaction? Good! That's where she will go! Thus Glim did all she could to get into Diplomacy Facility of the Canterlot Univercity. The further from Twilight, the better! Passed her exams with flying colours and never looked back. Okay, not really, since Glim had always been very much of daddy's filly. But instead of a diplomat she became a known socialite, who is traveling around the world, promoting Equestrian values in a peaceful way, and sends her family lavish gifts and mile-long letters. Oh, also her speciality? Illusion Magic. Almost the only type of magic Twi never could quite grasp.

Why of course Starlight Glimmer can't be a spy! It would be just silly, right? Pone, Agent Glimmer Pone.

Moony, on the other hoof, fell into a deep depression yet studied like a mad mare for her degree. Her friends kept her afloat as much as they could but their concerns over her health grew. Her mother, however, noticed at something is wrong. And asked Sunburst who was in the same class as her. Sunburst told Moony's friends. And after Minuette, Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts finally spilled the beans, older mare firmly decided that her filly needs to see a specialist.

Specialist suggested to get away from a stressful sittuation. Vacation sure should help. They heard, her sister is a famous traveller, so why not to take an academic vacation for a year and visit her?

But before any of this could have being brought into making, Moony run into Twi by an accident.

They were amused to see each other.

At first.

But word by word conversation turned into an argument. And ended in a magical confrontation. Moon Dancer was no match for her sister sadly.

Wait, where did this energy shield came from?!

Fortunately for Moony, Shining Armor happened to be in the area. He heard sounds of a fight and went to check. Unfortunately for Twi, it also meant that shovel is a great weapon went used at the right moment.

Shining was terrified: one of his sisters essentially tried to kill another in cold blood. How is he going to explain this to their mother?

Or to Celestia... And High Queen was livid when she learned about the incident.

So yeah, and that's how Twilight went to Poniville - exile was better than time in prison.

[iluvhavingnobrain]

Here it is! Do check it out mueheheh 🌚

"The buck and the doe." (Human Alastor x OC.)

By ILuvHavingNoBrain on Wattpad.

Lemme introduce..Oma!

-She had moved out of Florida and away from her family for a job offer she saw in Louisiana.

-Her mother's name: Feyisola Ilerioluwa Aladesanmi.

-Her fathers name: Abisola Odunayo Aladesanmi.

-She has has milk chocolate skin (In color obv) her hair is a dirty blonde with dark brown highlights, she is on the curvy side as well. Her eye color is dark brown with a ember undertone. Her hair texture is wavy and thick. She may have been born in Florida, but her nationality is Nigeria.

-Oma always had a cousin she looked up too. Her cousins name was: Ajayi.

-Vc (Voice claim): Sapphire from stu. (Steven Universe)

-Her favorite food: Akara. (A food from Southwest Nigeria)

-Friends/Acquaintances: Husk, Mimzy, and Alastor.

-She and Alastor have known eachother for four days. They've grown close, close enough to be friends and close enough for Alastor to drop the plan of killing her. Although Alastor doesn't know why he stopped wanting to kill her.

-Oma's friendship with Husk is more like a acquaintanceship, she usually says hi to him when she's on a at the speakeasy, or sometimes in the mornings when she feels like it.

-Her friendship with Mimzy is definitely like a friendship. Although, sometimes Mimzy does make her uncomfortable without even realizing it. Oma will let her know though, keeping their friendship healthy.

-She gives off Garnet vibes (From stu)

-Oma can and will be petty when she wants and needs to.

-She's a real sweetheart when you meet her, although she'll more than likely ignore you.

-When first knowing Alastor, she didn't know about his job as a radio host at the moment.

-Theme songs!: 'America has a problem' By: Béyonce. 'Level up' By: Ciara and 'Little things' By: Erika Badu.

-Favorite color(s): Sky blue, white, and Violet.

-Favorite Animal: Ram.

-Likes: Truthful and respectful people, Her mom, sometimes her dad, bird watching, honesty, going on walks, and respect.

-Dislikes: Disrespectful people, Liars, her dad, cleaning, and sometimes..most of the time, her job.

That's all I can think of for rn! I'll let y'all make suggestions on what to add to her personality <3

[butchyeons]

up in space

check it out on ao3!

najeonghyo poly domestic au (ft. ryeji). this fic focuses on jihyo, who’s a traveling nurse, coping with a patient she was really fond of’s passing. also she’s trans and futch bc i said so. jeongyeon and nayeon her emotional support butch and femme respectively. they are very in love!!

trigger warning for discussions of cancer and death. i also use the d slur once but not in a bad way?? if any of that bothers you feel free to skip this one! this fic is a heavy read, so pls be warned!

other tags: hurt/comfort, angst, implied sexual content/jokes, grieving, fluff, domestic stuff idk, discussions of being trans/taking estrogen shots

tysm for all the support on my fics so far! it rlly means a lot. hope you all enjoy- and let me know what you think! this au is rlly special to me and i’ll probably write more in the future bc i love them.

———

Losing a patient was never easy. But this time, it was so much different.

Jihyo did her best to focus on the road- on the long expansion of highway ahead of her. Each time she thought about it, more tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, just like how they had been for the past three days of her shift.

Jihyo wanted to blame it on the estrogen, like she always did. But after being on it for five years, there was only so much blame she could place on her shots. In the back of her mind she could hear Jeongyeon chuckling at her, could see Nayeon giving her that look of sympathy.

“Yah, Jihyo. After a while it becomes less of the hormones and more part of being a woman.” Jeongyeon had said over dinner one night, after Jihyo had spent her whole afternoon crying her eyes out about work. Again.

Jihyo thought that she really understood it now.

Yeji was a sweet girl. She had been in and out of the hospital for years, fighting leukemia. She was diagnosed at a young age, grew up with it. Jihyo met her when she was freshly 13. On the day of her 13th birthday, actually. Jihyo watched as her family- her mom, dad, older sister, and her best friend- brought her a cake and sang her happy birthday. She had one of the brightest smiles Jihyo had ever seen.

Jihyo traveled from hospital to hospital- it was her job to go where she was needed, to specialize in a little bit of everything when it came to pediatrics. But in all her time as a nurse, the hundreds of thousands of patients she saw, she had never found herself as attached to one as she did Hwang Yeji.

She always reminded Jihyo so much of herself. Of that scared little girl that had always lived deep inside her, even before her transition. How that scared little girl never gave up, no matter how bad it got.

When she noticed how that best friend of hers- Ryujin, that was the girl’s name- would stare at her like she put the sun in the sky, she knew. And when she noticed how tightly Yeji would hold Ryujin’s hand as she got the needle in her port changed, how Yeji practically clung to Ryujin during her nausea episodes, she knew.

It reminded her a lot of something she lived through.

The sight of Nayeon in her own hospital bed, her leg shattered, half sobbing as she got the news that she would never be able to walk without pain again- how she wouldn’t be able to return to teaching, effectively getting her passion stolen away in a single afternoon. Jeongyeon held her hand, her expression stern, her eyes never once leaving her wife’s face as the doctor explained the next steps- the surgeries, the physical therapy. Jihyo stood there too, on the other side of Nayeon’s bed, exhausted from having to speed halfway across the country at Jeongyeon’s call. She felt like her heart had broken into a million pieces, scattered in every direction by a wind so strong that she’d never be able to find them all again.

Jihyo had only been with them for a year, then. But when she looked at them, she saw an entire universe. She already knew both of them better than she knew herself. She already knew her specialties, the place she held in both of their lives- fitting in exactly where she needed to, when she needed to. She also already knew then that she would spend the rest of her days with them, if she could.

So when Yeji mentioned her girlfriend to Jihyo one day while she was fixing her IV, Jihyo smiled. She listened, like she always did. She told her she was happy for her, talked about her partners, too. How they were the same. How they had each other, no matter what. Yeji smiled back.

“I hope I can have that one day, too, Ms. Park.”

It was just shy of Yeji’s 16th birthday when Jihyo came back to find her bed empty. It had been a month and a half since Jihyo had been assigned to that hospital. The last time Jihyo spoke with her, they talked about school- how Ryujin had taken their soccer team to the national championships after one last tie-breaker goal in overtime. Yeji was sad she couldn’t be there. She wanted nothing more than to be with Ryujin, was what she told Jihyo.

When she was talking, she was falling asleep. She had been doing that more lately. Jihyo did her best to keep her awake as she changed the needle in her port, told her how good she was doing. Jihyo couldn’t help but notice that she looked so pale, how her vibrant smile had dimmed just slightly. She told Yeji to tell her parents that she said hi, to tell Ryujin congratulations and good luck. She said she couldn’t wait to see her again.

Jihyo gripped the steering wheel impossibly tighter. Her eyes stung, angry thorns of tears working their way up to the surface. She tried to focus on the road- the darkness making everything a bit harder to see. She needed to get glasses. She needed to get home. She needed to get to them.

———

It was nearly 2 am by the time Jihyo pulled into the driveway. The lights were still on in the house- clearly, they were still up. Jihyo mentally scolded them for staying awake for her. But the moment she walked up the steps, only for Jeongyeon to open the door before she could even get her keys out, she forgot all about it.

Jeongyeon didn’t say anything, just held her arms out. Jihyo stepped into them, dropping her backpack on the porch somewhere beside her. Her head found its usual spot- the junction between Jeongyeon’s neck and her shoulder, her nose pressed against the older woman’s pulse point. Jeongyeon just held her, like she always did.

Jeongyeon was all muscle- solid, heavy. She worked outside and it showed. She was rough around the edges, her fingertips worn like the sandpaper she used daily. Jihyo never felt safer than she did in Jeongyeon’s arms.

“Nayeon told me everything- baby, I’m so sorry.” Jeongyeon whispered, her lips brushing against the top of Jihyo’s head.

Jihyo couldn’t miss the way her voice cracked. That’s when she couldn’t hold her tears back anymore.

Jihyo didn’t say anything- she couldn’t, didn’t need to. She just cried. She cried the big, ugly tears she held back for the past three days. She pressed herself into Jeongyeon’s shoulder, her face contorted in pain as she let it all out. Jeongyeon just held her, swaying them both as they stood on the porch, underneath the singular dim light that Jihyo had been meaning to change.

Jihyo had been through so much. Her transition was rough- what she expected to be a casual step into womanhood felt more like a downward freefall with no parachute. She lost everything- her home, her family, her entire support system. But it all seemed so trivial compared to this. At the end of the day, she was breathing. No matter how far she fell, she had someone who could catch her. Two amazing people, actually. And they caught her every single time she fell- over and over again.

The other nurses told her Ryujin was there when she passed. They said they had to practically rip her body out of Ryujin’s arms. They had never seen someone so young but so full of love. Yeji had someone who caught her, too. Even if there was nothing left to catch.

Jihyo asked whatever God was listening to make sure that those two girls met again in the next life, and in every life afterwards. It was the least they deserved. The thought of those two never meeting again in this one made her sob even harder.

“I know, baby.” Jeongyeon whispered, her hand holding the back of Jihyo’s head to her chest, her other arm still wrapped securely around her waist. “I know.”

———

When Jihyo finally calmed down, Jeongyeon helped her inside. She left her in the living room, taking her backpack up to their room. Jihyo could only really stand there, swaying slightly as she stared at the ground- unstable without Jeongyeon to hold her up.

Nayeon, who had been sleeping on the couch snoring peacefully with her jaw half slack, finally stirred. Her eyes slowly opened, a smile forming on her lips as soon as she registered the figure in front of her to be Jihyo. She tried to sit up.

“Jih- ah!” She yelped as she shifted, her leg caught at an awkward angle from how she’d been laying.

At the sound, Jihyo came back down to earth. She quickly rushed to her side, helping her adjust. One of her arms supported Nayeon’s lower back, the other going under the backs of her knees. She helped lift Nayeon up to that she was sitting up straight, her legs out in front of her. She counted to three out loud, waiting for Nayeon to give her a nod, before shifting her again so that her back rested against the back of the couch, her feet on the floor in front of her.

“You really shouldn’t sleep like that, Nay…” Jihyo muttered, no real bite to her words, as she kissed Nayeon’s forehead.

“I know, I just wanted to see you.” Nayeon replied as Jihyo sat down beside her.

“I’ve told you not to stay up late for me.”

“Don’t care.”

“Nayeon-“

Jihyo was cut off as Nayeon pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips met softly, Nayeon’s hand cupping her cheek, helping angle Jihyo’s mouth better to meet hers.

If Jeongyeon was rock, Nayeon was fire. Jihyo always melted right into her. No amount of walls Jihyo had built up could ever resist the pure heat that radiated off of Nayeon. At first it was scary- she had never met someone who made her feel so vulnerable, open. But now the heat was welcomed- needed. It kept Jihyo alive. She wouldn’t want it any other way.

“There’s dinner in the fridge if you’re hungry.” Nayeon whispered as she pulled away, her hand still caressing Jihyo’s cheek. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too. I ate on the way home earlier.” Jihyo whispered, her eyes closed. “I’ll have some for lunch tomorrow.”

The couch shifted behind Jihyo. She felt a familiar arm wrapping around her waist, steadying her.

“You better.” Jeongyeon whispered, her nose finding Jihyo’s neck. “She made it just for you- the pickiest eater I’ve ever met.”

Jihyo chuckled.

“You both signed up for my picky eating the night you picked me up at the bar.”

Jeongyeon huffed, pulling Jihyo’s back against her front. She pressed a kiss to Jihyo’s neck.

“And you’ve been a pain in the ass ever since. I love you so much.”

“I love you more.” Nayeon added, leaning in to kiss Jihyo again. “So much more.”

If Jeongyeon was the moon and Nayeon was the sun, Jihyo was the constellation that lay between the two of them. She needed them as much as they needed her.

“No fighting.”Jihyo whispered between kisses. “I’m too tired to deal with it.”

Nayeon chuckled as she pulled away, her thumb stroking Jihyo’s cheek.

“You started it.”

“Did not.” Jihyo said, smirking.

Before Nayeon could go back in for another kiss, Jeongyeon groaned. She pulled her face away from Jihyo’s neck, both of her arms still wrapped around the younger woman’s waist.

“Can we go to bed?” She asked.

Jihyo tilted her head back, resting fully against Jeongyeon’s front.

“You don’t even have work tomorrow.”

“I wanted to get some work done around the house.” Jeongyeon grunted.

Jihyo hummed.

“Can it wait a day?”

Jeongyeon huffed through her nose, pressing a kiss to the side of Jihyo’s head.

“Do you need a day?”

Whenever Jihyo had an exceptionally bad shift, she always needed a period of decompression. And usually that decompression consisted of laying around with her girls, watching mindless dramas or reality tv, and lots of kisses. And sex, too. But mainly the first three.

“I need a day.” Jihyo replied.

“You can take as much time as you need, Ji.” Nayeon said as she scooted herself closer. “I know how much you cared about her.”

Jihyo sighed, but smiled sadly. Her thoughts were racing still. It felt like an open wound directly on the center of her heart- everything kept bothering it. There was so much she wished she could’ve said or done. She didn’t even get to say goodbye.

“I love you both.” Was all Jihyo could say before the tears came back again.

———

None of them spoke anymore that night. They didn’t really need to. Jeongyeon helped Nayeon get up from the couch, her arm secured around her wife’s waist as she led her back to their bedroom. Jihyo followed behind them, sneaking off into to master bathroom after giving them both one last kiss.

She needed a shower- needed to wash the hospital smell out of her hair, to get the days of built up sweat off of her skin. She did her best to not think about it anymore- tried to focus on the things she could be doing instead, on what she had right in front of her. Her therapist told her she tended to dwell on the “what ifs”, which always blinded her from the “right nows”. And right then, she was home, safe. Surrounded by love.

She was so damn lucky to have them- to be loved by them. They saved her life, and she saved theirs. That’s how they worked. That’s how they would always work.

After she finished blowdrying her hair, too exhausted to do her sacred skincare routine, she slinked out of the bathroom. Nayeon was already asleep again- snoring loudly. Next to her, Jeongyeon was still looking at her phone. As soon as Jihyo got into her pajamas, she leaned over and turned the bedside lamp off. Jihyo crawled in between the two of them, doing her best to not jostle Nayeon, who just shifted slightly, her arm instinctively throwing itself over Jihyo’s waist in her sleep.

Jeongyeon adjusted herself so that Jihyo was resting her head on her chest, like always. Jeongyeon was warm- she got so warm when the three of them slept together that eventually she just opted to sleep in boxers and nothing else- but Jihyo needed it. Her body shivered a bit, still adjusting to the temperature shift from the bathroom. Somehow, Nayeon wiggled even closer to her, her arm getting even tighter as she was still snoring.

No matter what happened, Jeongyeon and Nayeon always kept Jihyo tied down, grounded. No matter how high up she floated, they always managed to pull her back in. They had a gravitational pull all of their own- the sun, moon, and stars all in one bed together.

“Love you.” Jihyo muttered, her eyes finally closing easily for the first time in days.

“Love you too. Always will.” Jeongyeon answered.

It didn’t take long at all for both of them to fall asleep.

———

The next time Jihyo worked at that hospital, the head nurse, Dahyun, stopped her.

“Hey, Jihyo. Someone came by and left this letter for you a few days ago.” She said, handing an envelope to her.

Jihyo raised her eyebrows, examining it. It was a yellow envelope, her name written on the front. It was held closed with a sticker of the smiling cat emoji. She thanked Dahyun as she folded it in half and placed it in one of the pockets of her scrubs, heading off to help another patient.

When she got to her lunch break, she finally got to check it. She sat in her car, her lunchbox out on the seat beside her. Inside, Nayeon had made sure to pack all of her favorites to last her for the few days she was gone, along with her usual handwritten note wishing her good luck (which was Jihyo’s favorite part of lunchtime). She picked out one of the sandwiches and a bag of chips before closing the bag back up.

She reached inside her pocket and pulled the envelope out. Jihyo carefully opened it, doing her best to not rip the cat sticker, taking out the letter that was inside. It was written on notebook paper in blue ink- the page covered in other tiny, scribbled drawings of cats. The handwriting was a bit messy, but still somehow neat- extremely unique. When she noticed the name at the top, Jihyo smiled.

Ms. Park,

This is Shin Ryujin. I’m not sure if you’ll remember me, but you took care of my girlfriend, Hwang Yeji, up until she passed. I wanted to write you this letter as a way of saying thank you. You helped her through some really hard times, without even knowing. Her parents weren’t really happy about us being together. Of course, they wouldn’t leave her, but they scolded me and her a lot. It sucked to have that on top of everything else.

But what didn’t suck was when you were there. You were a really good shoulder for her to lean on. She was always so happy telling me about you and your partners (wives? I hope you guys get married or something). You helped her accept a lot of herself. That helped me accept a lot of myself, too.

She wanted to be a nurse, just like you. She wanted to open her own hospital, eventually. All she ever thought about was helping others, no matter how sick she got. She even still tried to give blood when we did blood drives at school for her. She was the sweetest girl I had ever met. I think I’ll love her until the day I die. I hope you feel that way about your girls, too.

Even though there was nothing that could be done to prevent what happened, you really saved her life. You saved mine, too. Please, keep doing what you do. You really were a lifeline for two clueless lesbians, haha. Hopefully you’ll help more in the future. In fact, I know you will.

Thank you for everything. I can only hope to meet you again in the future. I’ll never forget you. I hope you never forget us.

- Shin Ryujin

P.S. We won the championship! Thank you for the well wishes. Yeji passed a few days after. I told her I’d win for her- and I did.

I think I’ll keep doing everything for her.

Attached to the letter was a picture of them. It was a selfie- Ryujin holding the phone up while Yeji smiled that same brilliant smile that Jihyo always knew. She was bundled up in a jacket, sweater, and a beanie, while Ryujin only had on a sweatshirt. They were at the beach- the ocean waves crashing onto the shore behind them. The bottom of the photo had a date written- February. Yeji had passed in late April.

It was a lot for Jihyo to read, to take in. She felt a pit form in her stomach- a black hole that would open up and swallow her. She set the letter and photo down, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She looked out at the side of the hospital building- trying to count the bricks on the side of the wall, trying to give herself something to keep her grounded.

It really wasn’t enough. She needed something stronger, needed her gravitational pull- she needed her universe.

Jihyo immediately pulled her phone out and called Jeongyeon. Really, her number was off limits except for emergencies. But she figured she would let this one slide. She quickly found Jeongyeon’s contact and pressed the call button.

The line rang a few times before someone picked up. Jihyo was met with the clear sounds of a jackhammer whirring in the background, along with men yelling at one another. And then there was Jeongyeon’s laugh.

“Mind your business- Seriously, Changbin. Get back to work- I’m your boss. I can do what I want. Shut up.” Jeongyeon yelled- clearly, one of her guys was up her ass about her taking a phone call.

After a few more moments of bickering over the sounds of heavy machinery, Jihyo listened as a door slammed- all the noises cutting out in an instant. She smiled when Jeongyeon huffed.

“This better be good, Park Jihyo.” She said, annoyed. But that act faded immediately, like it always did. “Are you okay?”

“Yah, Jeongyeon. I’m pregnant. It’s yours.” Jihyo said, grinning as she took a bite of her sandwich.

“I’m finally gonna be a dad?” Jeongyeon asked in that stupid, playful voice of hers, feigning excitement.

“Seems like it. Was daddy just not good enough for you?”

“Oh that’s never enough, baby. Need to actually get you-“

“Oh my god, Jeongyeon- shut up.” Jihyo said, cutting off the older woman, nearly choking on her food. “You’re so- god you can’t even- you’re disgusting!”

Jihyo sputtered over her words as she coughed. Jeongyeon just laughed. Typical.

“God- are you busy?” Jihyo asked once she was able to breathe.

“I’m at work, Hyo. Yes.”

“Well do you have a second?”

“For you.” Jeongyeon sighed. Jihyo could hear her smile through the phone. “What’s wrong? You never call at this time. Did something happen?”

“Well, no. But yes.” Jihyo answered, setting her food down to tap at her phone. “Wait. Let me add Nayeon- I need you both here for this.”

Jeongyeon hummed. Jihyo started the three-way call, the line ringing a few times before Nayeon picked up.

“Hi baby!” She said cheerfully. “Oh wait, you’re both here- did something happen? You never call at work.”

Despite their obvious differences, Jihyo thought it was almost comical how similar Jeongyeon and Nayeon were. Jihyo sighed, smiling down at the call screen.

“I got a letter today. I wanted you both to hear it.”

So, Jihyo read it out to them. By the end of the second read, she was fighting back her tears again. When she told them about the picture, it was nearly impossible to speak without her voice cracking.

It was the estrogen- had to be that. She just took her shot yesterday. That’s what she told herself. That’s why everything felt so heavy, why her voice fluttered between octaves, a bird angrily trying to claw its way out of a cage. The typical symptoms of second puberty- of womanhood.

Jeongyeon and Nayeon were both silent. A few moments passed before there was a sniffle on Jeongyeon’s end.

“Hyo, oh my god.”

Jihyo couldn’t hold back then. She grit her teeth, leaning back into her seat, her body trembling as she gripped her phone- trying to hold back the sobs. She gasped for air without meaning to. She wished she was home, wished she was between her sun and moon.

“You saved her life, Jihyo.” Nayeon whispered.

In Jihyo’s mind, all she saw was the night they met. She had never even been to a gay bar before- but she was down on her luck, needed to have a good time. She still felt like she was pretending, felt like she was dressing up as the idea of a woman. She needed to be around people like her. She had been taking her shots for a month then- living in her car as she traveled from hospital to hospital, praying her patients and coworkers would just be decent. Decency was found few and far between back then.

She was just about to call it a night when a couple came up to her. They asked for her name, asked if she lived in town- said they’d remember seeing a pretty face like hers. When she explained she was just in for a few days before she took off on call again, they asked if she’d like to go home with them- to stay for the night, to have some fun. And how could Jihyo deny the most gorgeous butch and femme she had ever seen of anything, especially after they bought her a drink and showered her in compliments. And then the one night stay turned into a permanent residence, into stability. Decency turned into real, genuine love.

A whole ocean of people were in that bar that night, but somehow the tides pulled them towards each other. She wasn’t even trying to be seen- wanted to let the waves just take her where they felt. But every day she thanks whatever divine being blessed her with the lifeboat that was Yoo Jeongyeon and Im Nayeon, how they pulled her on board and allowed her a spot in their crew. She had her life saved. And more importantly, she got to keep doing the same for others because of it.

“E-Even if she didn’t make it, you saved her.” Nayeon said, clearly choked up on her own tears. “Both of them.”

Jihyo nodded. She had finally calmed down. She stared at the half eaten sandwich, sitting haphazardly in her lap.

“I saw so much of myself in her.” She muttered. “I saw so much of us in both of them. She deserved so much more than she got. Both of them did.”

There was a moment of silence again. The black hole in the pit of Jihyo’s stomach was gone.

“You’re really amazing, Jihyo.” Jeongyeon said, her voice distant. “I don’t even have the words.”

Jihyo let out a huff, smiling. She could feel the floorboard of her car underneath her feet, registered the texture of her shirt as she brushed some breadcrumbs away. Back down on earth.

“You two are biased.”

Both of them made noises of protest, which crackled over the speakers of her phone.

“So what if I am?” Nayeon asked. “You’re one of the most selfless people on this planet. I’m lucky to have you- Jeongyeon and I both are.”

“I will say it until my last breath and mean it every single time-” Jeongyeon cut in. “You are amazing, Park Jihyo. God. You are a life saver- literally.”

Jihyo leaned back in her seat, finally taking another bite of her sandwich. There was no point in arguing with them- that’s how it always was. But their words helped her feel real again. She felt like a human being by their sides.

“Fine. Whatever you say.”

“We wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true, and you know that.” Nayeon said softly.

Jihyo smiled, her face still wet from her tears. Her speakers vibrated when Jeongyeon chuckled, sniffling again.

“God- you call me at work and make me cry. The guys will never let me live this one down.”

Jihyo rolled her eyes, wiping up the last remnants of her emotions with the sleeve of her undershirt.

“So what? They’ll never understand what it’s like to be a woman. Not like we do, anyways.”

Nayeon hummed in agreement, her sweet, bunny-toothed smile clear as day over the phone. Jihyo wished she could see it. Jeongyeon laughed- that bubbly, staggered laugh that Jihyo absolutely adored.

“You’re damn right they won’t.” Jeongyeon said firmly.

———

From that day forward, Jihyo kept the letter and picture in her glovebox. She got over it the best she could- she had to. She knew better than to dwell on it for too long, to spend too much time thinking about the “what ifs”.

But when she was having an exceptionally rough shift, she looked at them. When she was mentally beating herself to a pulp, telling herself how she needed to be better, she thought about them. When she broke herself down to her barest, most raw essentials, examining every part of herself thoroughly before putting it all back together, she reminded herself that there was a point. She had to keep going. If not for herself, for other people. She had people to help, lives to save.

If Ryujin could keep going, she could, too. She had someone to fight for- and so did Jihyo. She had two people.

She was back home, snuggled inbetween Jeongyeon and Nayeon in their bed that was so clearly not made to fit all three of them. Her back was pressed as close as it ever could be to Jeongyeon’s front as Nayeon kissed her, their noses bumping into one another from the weird angle. It made Jihyo giggle, made Nayeon smile even harder. Jeongyeon pressed a kiss to the back of Jihyo’s head.

“Would you two love birds cut it out so I can sleep?” She mumbled, her voice muffled by Jihyo’s hair.

“You’re off tomorrow.” Nayeon said bluntly between more kisses.

Jeongyeon groaned. “I have to get the light on the porch fixed.”

Jihyo eyed Nayeon, who gave her one last kiss, before shifting so that she faced Jeongyeon. Nayeon’s arms replaced Jeongyeon’s easily, finding their usual spot at Jihyo’s waist.

“It’s not that hard to change a lightbulb, baby.” Jihyo whispered as she took Jeongyeon’s face in her hands, her thumbs circling the apples of her cheeks. “I think you’re just getting worn out.”

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes, pursing her lips into that signature annoyed smile she always did.

“It’s because of you two.”

Jihyo smirked, Nayeon made an annoyed sound somewhere behind her. She pulled Jeongyeon in for a kiss- deep, but soft. Their lips moved the same way they always had, always would. When Jihyo felt Jeongyeon’s tongue swipe against her lower lip, she shifted again- sitting up to straddle the older woman’s hips, her hands finding her bare chest- never breaking their kiss. Of course, Jeongyeon was already shirtless, heat radiating off of her tanned skin from how closely the three of them were pressed together. Nayeon moved closer, clinging to her wife, her mouth finding its way to Jeongyeon’s collarbone. When Jeongyeon whimpered, Jihyo finally pulled away.

“You love it though, really.” She said, smirking. Her grip tightened, earning another small sound of need.

The sight of Jeongyeon underneath her, of Nayeon holding onto her as if she’d slip away would never fail to make Jihyo feel like she was in heaven. The way their bodies moved together, how natural it all felt- Jihyo was the luckiest person in the entire world. Her whole universe squeezed onto a king sized mattress; the sun, moon, and stars all contained in three tired, old dykes.

Jihyo rolled her eyes. Nayeon pressed a kiss to Jeongyeon’s cheek. Jeongyeon just smiled.

“I do.”

———

Jihyo stepped down from the ladder, wiping the sweat off her brow that had formed in the brief time it took for her to switch out the old lightbulb on the porch. It was the dead of summer now- the sun baring down its rays angrily, warming everything up to what felt like a boiling point.

Beside her, Nayeon sat in one of the chairs, in sunglasses with her favorite sundress on, three glasses of fresh lemonade on the table next to her. Her legs were propped up on the wicker footrest they bought after her accident. A random piece of white wood furniture among all the black metal. It didn’t match the set, but it worked. Jihyo always thought it was funny that she could relate to a footrest.

“She’s still got it in her, doesn’t she?” Nayeon asked, referring to their third half.

Jihyo turned, watching as Jeongyeon fought to turn their push mower on. She gave the chord a few more good pulls, trying her damnedest to get it started. That thing had been giving her hell for the past few weeks- it was on its last leg, needed to be replaced the moment they got it. But the three of them were stubborn, wanted to get their money’s worth out of the 20 year old hunk of metal that they bought used at a garage sale. All ₩40,000 worth.

“I’m more so concerned about why you feel the need to babysit.” Jihyo said, sitting down in the chair beside Nayeon’s.

She took a good look at Nayeon- at the way her bottom lip poked out, pouting as she judged her wife. She pushed her sunglasses up on her head, revealing those beautiful, round eyes. Her face scrunched from the sunlight, her nose crinkling. Jihyo thought she was the prettiest person to have ever existed.

“There’s a masc shortage, sweetheart.” Nayeon said, shifting to get her glass of lemonade off the table. She took a sip. “I can’t have anyone trying to steal her from us.”

Jihyo chuckled. She watched as Jeongyeon finally gave up, letting out an annoyed groan as she kicked the side of the lawnmower. As if by magic, the machine whirred to life. Jeongyeon let out her excited squawks, jumping around it in a circle with her arms up before turning to look up at them on the porch, a giant grin plastered on her face, adorned by those beautiful crescent moon eyes.

Jihyo waved, smiling back. Nayeon clapped beside her, cheering. Jeongyeon took a bow before adjusting herself and cheerfully flexing her biceps- putting on a show for her two favorite girls, as always. Nayeon whistled, and Jihyo rolled her eyes, laughing. She looked like an idiot. Jihyo loved her more than words would ever describe.

“I don’t think anyone besides us wants her that badly, Nay.” Jihyo huffed out, taking a sip of her drink.

“I’d sure hope so.” Nayeon said, looking over at her. “I’m selfish. No one deserves her more than we do. I don’t wanna share.”

Jihyo shared the same sentiment, but didn’t say it. She sat back on her seat, watching as Jeongyeon finally got to mowing the grass- sweat already ruining the muscle shirt that clung to her torso. She glanced over at Nayeon again, who was smiling so brightly, laughing as she watched Jeongyeon do her best to maneuver that piece of junk around the front yard, pulling her sunglasses back down over her eyes.

These were her people. They were her reason for existing, for continuing to exist. They made life seem so simple- so perfect. She had something to fight for that was real, tangible. She was so lucky to have this, to have them. To have them share themselves with her, to lay everything about themselves out on the table for her. Over and over, they shared everything. Jihyo never knew she could have this much love for more than one person- she never knew soulmates could be a trio until she met them.

“I’m gonna go get dinner started. Wanted to make kimchi stew for you.” Nayeon said. “Help me up?”

Jihyo set her drink down. Wordlessly she got up, going over to Nayeon’s side, taking her empty cup from her. She lifted Nayeon’s ankles up and off the footrest, gently setting her feet down on the ground. She moved to wrap her arm around Nayeon’s waist, counted to three, waited for Nayeon’s approval, before hoisting her up. They stood there for a moment, ignoring the heat, pressed as close together as they possibly could be.

“Thank you, baby.” Nayeon said softly, pulling Jihyo in for a kiss.

“It’s not a problem, Nay. You know that.” Jihyo said, smiling as Nayeon pulled away.

“I know.” Nayeon whispered, tapping Jihyo’s cheek a few times with her fingers. “But can’t a girl say thank you to her emotional support futch every once in a while?”

Jihyo snorted.

“I guess she can. Especially when you say it so sweetly.”

She helped Nayeon get inside along with their empty cups, her arm never leaving the older woman’s waist until they made it to the kitchen. Nayeon insisted she could handle it from there. And really, Jihyo knew she could, but the worry would never leave. She had come a long way since the accident- her body bounced back shockingly well. She just needed a little help getting started still, and Jihyo was more than happy to provide it.

After a few more kisses and some filthy comments about what they’d be doing later from Nayeon, Jihyo went back out to check on Jeongyeon. The lawnmower had finally given out, but thankfully Jeongyeon had just finished the yard. She was sitting on the steps, slamming the glass of lemonade that Nayeon had left behind for her.

“You good, Jeong?” Jihyo asked, her arms crossed as she stood behind her.

Jeongyeon finished the glass, grinning from ear to ear as she tilted her head back to look up at Jihyo.

“Never been better, Hyo.”

Jihyo rolled her eyes and helped pull her up. Jeongyeon stretched her arms out, her back cracking loudly. It made both of them laugh. Jeongyeon took the opportunity to pull Jihyo into one of her bear hugs.

“God- Jeongyeon- you’re so sweaty.” Jihyo protested. Her arms wrapped right around Jeongyeon’s waist, her head finding its spot on her shoulder. “Get off of me.”

“You love it though. Can’t get enough of it.” Jeongyeon teased, pressing a kiss to Jihyo’s temple.

“Shut up.” Jihyo hissed, finally pulling away. “Go take a shower.”

Jihyo went back into the house and Jeongyeon followed her. While Jihyo stopped to take her shoes off, Jeongyeon got right behind her, landing a smack on her ass and causing her to yelp.

“C’mon baby. You wouldn’t be complaining about it if I took you right here- you love it that much.” Jeongyeon said, smirking mischievously before running off, back to their bedroom.

“Shut up!” Jihyo yelled, regaining her balance. “Oh my god. You and Nayeon are so nasty! No decorum around here.”

“Wouldn’t be fun if we had any, and you know it.” Nayeon said, peeking her head out from the kitchen. She had her usual grin on her face.

Jihyo rolled her eyes. She walked back to the kitchen and rejoined her partner, helping Nayeon prep the ingredients for the stew. After a bit, Jeongyeon finally came back down- freshly showered, her short, wet hair messy from where she lazily towel dried it. As Jihyo was cutting up pieces of tofu, she watched Jeongyeon walk up behind Nayeon, her arms wrapping around her waist.

Jihyo smiled at the sight of the two of them. Nayeon smiled, leaning back against her wife, whispering something up to her that Jihyo couldn’t quite catch. Jeongyeon just chuckled, her nose pressing into Nayeon’s hair.

She couldn’t help but think about them again- about the life they could’ve had together. She couldn’t help but see a future for them every time she passed by that hospital room. The way Yeji would speak and Ryujin would just listen, smiling. How Ryujin would hold Yeji’s hand the entire time. They deserved something good more than anyone else. She was happy they had each other until the end.

She could only hope to have a love like that. Well, she didn’t really need to hope for it- she had it. It was already right in front of her, their force of gravity pulling her in over and over again.