#Crowd Funding Script

[professorcalculusstanaccount]

"He's behind you!"

This festive season, Archibald Haddock has partnered with Narwhal Theatre to bring over a beloved British holiday tradition - the pantomime! Expect ridiculous antics, magic, high camp and of course, live musical numbers. This year, Cinderella, played by Martine Vanderzande, will be rushing off to the hottest event of the decade - the Royal Ball! The Fairy Godmother shall be played by the stunning Bianca Castafiore. Book your tickets now, and hurry before the strike of midnight!

After returning from a disastrous stay in China, Tintin wonders if he has finally bitten off more than he can chew. In an effort to save a struggling theatre, Haddock and Ramo Nash have produced a panto of Cinderella to raise funds. Tintin accepts the offer to be stage manager, hoping that staying busy during the holiday would keep his mind off the heartbreak from Chang's family drama back in Shanghai.

Not only has he underestimated how difficult stage management is, he has to deal with friction between the cast members, his own relationship issues with Chang, and a mounting pile of violent threats from far right groups who are deeply offended with the production...

The show must go on!

Haddock wrote the script, and Ramo Nash is overseeing set, prop and costume designs. Casting Chang as Prince Charming and Martine as Cinderella was an easy choice for Haddock - as Chang and Martine used to go dancing all the time, they've become excellent dance partners. Martine could also really do with the extra income, as the museum is closed for a part of the holiday.

Filling the other roles was more challenging. Haddock reluctantly casts Castafiore as he hopes her star power will draw crowds. Nobody auditioned for the role of the evil stepmother, other than irritating insurance salesman Jolyon Wagg. Surprisingly to Haddock, Wagg is a powerful presence on stage, being very capable of camping it up for the audience. Ignorant to Haddock's seething hatred of him, Wagg wants to do this to entertain his large family!

After receiving death threats from local fascists, the actors playing the ugly stepsisters drop out, fearing for their own safety. The Thompsons are sent in to monitor the situation, deciding the best course of action is to play a part in the pantomime themselves.

Calculus and a couple of trainees are brought on as stage technicians, joining Tintin backstage. Tintin finds it difficult watching Chang dance with Martine, as it constantly reminds him of how his relationship with Chang must remain secret.

also yes, this poster is a reference to the poster for Tintin and the Blue Oranges

[astrstqr]

i know it’s stupid to ask but in my dr we are in new york and im in high school? BUT i have no idea about american education system is there something specific to script

*i come from a euroasian country soooooo it’s probably really different but idk

okok, i remember i made a whole post abt this a year ago and i can’t find the post ��� so ima use yours to make a new one about this !!

✶ the grading system is fair (no favouritism or rigging because of money)

✶ students’ mental and physical health is always the number one priority

✶ there are mandatory breaks for students between and during classes if needed

✶ it’s mandatory to teach sign language in schools

✶ schools actually help kids

✶ the education system is good

✶ college is free

✶ school food is good

✶ schools are well funded and have better stuff

✶ there are cool events like talent shows, battle of the bands etc. etc.

✶ no dress code but the kids don't take it too far

✶ school Wi-Fi doesn't have restrictions on certain apps or websites

✶ each classroom has their own ac, and they can control it

✶ there are a lot of extra-curriculum classes

✶ better chairs and desks

✶ no homework

✶ no pop quizzes

✶ the bathrooms are always clean and smell good

✶ no violence happens

✶ has a lot of field trips

✶ no assign seats

✶ the cafeteria is like a mall food court

✶ lunch is always third period unless something is going on that (such as events, test, not a lot of students that day)

✶ different classes each day

✶ school busses have air

✶ teachers respect students (and understand the concept of earning respect, no matter age)

✶ salary is fair (teachers actually get payed what they deserve!!!)

✶ everyone takes time to listen and understand student concerns

✶ people don’t crowd the halls during breaks

✶ no bullying

✶ even if they aren’t friends, students respect and act nice to each other

✶ prep rallies are always fun, exciting, and everyone participates

✶ everybody goes to any game for any sport

✶ the school curriculum is the same throughout the country

✶ students learn actual and real history etc.

[paradise-world]

Act Like You Love Me | Sung Hanbin ZB1

Summary : You’re an up-and-coming actress, and Hanbin is a smug, arrogant A-list star who stole the role you wanted. When the media mistakes your heated argument for romantic tension, your agency forces you into a fake dating stunt to boost publicity. You hate the way he smirks when he teases you, but the way his hand lingers on your waist makes your heart race. As the line between acting and reality blurs, one question remains: when the cameras stop rolling, will your feelings disappear too?

Genre : Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating, Celebrity Romance, Fem!Reader, Actress!Reader, Actor!Hanbin, Smut, Suggestive, Fluff

Warning : The pet name "princess" occurs a lot, smut (there's a warning before it occurs)

Featuring : Hong Seunghyun (Juhan) from BLITZERS

Playlist : New Magic Wand by Tyler The Creator / Do I Wanna Know by Arctic Monkeys / Touch It by Ariana Grande / Locked Out Of Heaven by Bruno Mars / Into It by Chase Atlantic / Apocalypse by Cigarettes After Sex / True Love by Pink & Lilly Allen / Norman Fucking Rockwell by Lana Del Rey / Scary Love by The Neighborhood / Wrong by Zayn & Kehlani

Word count : 20k (20,910 if you want exact...)

you've always loved slipping into different lives, becoming someone else even if just for a moment. the stage, the screen—it all felt like home. your parents saw that spark early, paying for your first acting lessons when you were twelve. middle school drama club, high school theatre productions—each role you played, each scene you perfected, only deepened your passion. you were never the loudest in the room, never the one begging for attention, but the moment you stepped into character, all eyes were on you. it was the one place you felt invincible.

by eighteen, you were funding your own dream. working odd jobs to afford acting classes, refining your craft, and reshaping yourself—not just in talent but in the way you presented yourself to the world. you started going to the gym, dyed and cut your hair whenever you needed a change, took care of yourself in ways big and small. manicured nails, regular waxes, health check-ups—every detail was intentional, a part of your silent promise to yourself that you would make it. plastic surgery? tempting, sometimes. but you wanted to prove that you were enough as you were. no shortcuts, no regrets.

like most actors, you started at the bottom. background roles, standing just out of focus while others stole the scene. but then came your first real opportunity—han hyojoo, a respected agent, saw something in you. she took you under her wing, guiding you to your first speaking roles. a bit part in "rivalry & roses," a college movie that got decent buzz. then a supporting role in "the rival’s game," a corporate romance that put your face on the map. each step forward was another reminder: you were getting closer.

now, you wanted more. a lead role. not just any lead role—"written in the stars," a fantasy royalty romance that could cement your name in the industry. the kind of film that could turn you from a rising star to a household name.

your hands tighten around the steering wheel as you pull up to the audition venue. deep breath. you’ve worked for this, fought for this. no matter who you have to go up against, you’re not backing down.

today, you’re not just playing a role.

today, you prove you deserve it.

you arrived at the audition venue, a grand hall filled with hopeful actors vying for their chance at a breakthrough. the air buzzed with anticipation, scripts clutched tightly in hands, whispered rehearsals echoing off the walls. you kept your focus forward, but then—

hanbin.

he stood among the crowd, effortlessly commanding attention. his black hair, styled to perfection, and dark brown eyes brimming with confidence. the smug smirk on his lips was enough to make your blood boil. he exuded arrogance, but there was no denying his presence. he was an a-list star, after all. people watched him with awe, whispering about how he would likely claim the lead role.

you clenched your fists, determination burning within you. this role was yours, and you would prove it.

one by one, aspiring actors took their turn before the directors. some stumbled over their lines, others shined, but you refused to let nerves shake you. when your name was called, you stepped forward, every ounce of your training igniting inside you.

"i hate studying, why can't i just go outside & explore like other normal people?" you delivered the line with raw emotion, channelling every ounce of longing and frustration. then, you sang, voice steady, carrying the melody with ease.

"i've got this shake in my legs, shaking the thoughts from my head," you sang, pouring your heart into each note. when you finished, the room was silent for a moment before the directors exchanged glances and nodded approvingly.

"that was incredible," one of them said. "your technique, your voice—it’s all there."

you exhaled, relief washing over you. they motioned for you to step aside, and you did, heart still racing.

then, hanbin stepped forward.

he delivered the same lines, his voice smooth, controlled, effortless. then, he sang more, voice filling the space with undeniable star power. the audience was transfixed.

by the end of the audition, the directors exchanged murmurs before turning back to the anxious crowd.

"we have made our decision," one of them finally announced. "the lead role will be given to... hanbin."

it felt like the ground beneath you had crumbled away.

this was supposed to be your role.

but now, it was stolen.

the moment the words left the director’s mouth, something inside you snapped.

"what?" your voice was sharp, incredulous. your breath came in uneven bursts as you turned toward the panel. "you’re giving the role to him?"

hanbin exhaled a low chuckle, arms crossing over his chest as he looked down at you. "wow. didn’t expect you to take it this hard," he mused. that damn smirk never left his face.

"take it hard?" you repeated, stepping closer, the heat of your frustration rising. "this role was mine. i worked for this. i poured everything into this audition, and you just—" you gestured at him wildly, "—walk in with your celebrity status and take it like it’s your birth right?"

hanbin tilted his head, looking amused rather than defensive. "i mean, can you blame them? talent recognizes talent."

"oh, you arrogant—!" you bit back a frustrated breath, jaw tightening as you stared at him. "you think you’re so untouchable, don’t you? like just because you’re famous, you automatically deserve every role?"

hanbin gave an exaggerated shrug. "hey, if the shoe fits."

something about his careless attitude made your blood boil.

you took another step forward, standing so close you could see the slight gleam in his dark brown eyes. "you didn’t even need this role. you already have a hundred others lined up. this was supposed to be my break."

"maybe you should've acted better, then," he said smoothly, tilting his chin. "the directors made their choice. not my problem if you can’t handle losing."

his words sliced through you, and for a brief second, the hurt almost overshadowed your anger. almost.

you scoffed, shaking your head. "you’re impossible. do you even care about this film, or is it just another stepping stone for you? another notch on your long list of wins?"

hanbin leaned in just slightly, voice dropping into a teasing lilt. "does it bother you that much? knowing they think i'm the better choice?"

the sheer audacity of him made your hands curl into fists. you opened your mouth, ready to fire back, but then a murmur from the crowd made you pause.

you hadn’t even noticed how silent the room had become, how everyone had stopped what they were doing just to watch the two of you. and they weren’t watching like it was a fight. no, they were watching like it was something else entirely. something electric.

"they have so much chemistry," someone whispered.

"i swear i thought they were about to kiss," another person chuckled under their breath.

realization hit you like a slap to the face.

you stepped back abruptly, heart hammering, but hanbin just smirked deeper, as if he had figured it out before you had.

"well," he murmured, eyes twinkling with amusement. "this just got interesting."

the next morning, you sat in hyojoo’s office, a tablet in her hands as she scrolled through endless articles. the headlines were impossible to ignore.

"'a lovers' quarrel? sparks fly between rising actress and a-list star hanbin.'" she read out loud before snorting. "are they serious? a lovers’ quarrel? they must’ve been watching a different argument than the one i saw."

"no kidding," you muttered, leaning back in your chair, arms crossed. "there was nothing romantic about that. we were one step away from throwing punches."

hyojoo tapped the screen, scanning the article. "apparently, the world disagrees. listen to this: 'eyewitnesses describe an intense chemistry between the two actors, their heated exchange dripping with unspoken passion. if this is just an argument, imagine what their on-screen romance will look like.'" she scoffed, setting the tablet down. "unspoken passion? you looked ready to strangle him."

"exactly!" you exclaimed, throwing your hands up. "this is insane. i worked my ass off for that role, and he just waltzed in, took it, and now suddenly we’re a ‘potential power couple’?"

hyojoo shrugged, amused. "people love drama. and apparently, they love you two."

"they love hanbin," you corrected. "i'm just caught in the crossfire."

"not exactly," she said, leaning forward. "your name is everywhere right now. overnight, your social media following doubled. your previous roles are being rewatched. hell, even your old high school drama performances are getting attention."

you blinked. "wait—what?"

"yep," she nodded, picking up her phone and showing you a clip of your past performances. "someone dug up footage from ‘rivalry & roses’ and it’s trending. the internet is eating this up."

"this is ridiculous," you sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. "i don’t want my career to be built on some fake rumor."

"welcome to the industry," hyojoo said dryly. "it’s all about perception. whether it’s true or not, people believe what they want to believe. and right now, they believe you and hanbin have some sort of fiery, love-hate dynamic."

"more like hate-hate," you grumbled.

"doesn’t matter," she countered. "what matters is how we handle this."

you glanced at the tablet again, rereading the headlines. "i just... i don’t get it. how did this even start?"

hyojoo tapped her fingers against the desk. "well, your argument was loud, public, and heated. that kind of energy can be interpreted in different ways. and let’s be honest, hanbin doesn’t exactly help the situation. he was smirking the entire time, looking like he was enjoying riling you up."

"he was enjoying it," you muttered.

"exactly," hyojoo said. "so people saw tension. and in their minds, tension equals chemistry. they think you two are one step away from a dramatic romance."

you groaned. "this is ridiculous."

hyojoo smirked. "not to them. to them, it's the start of the next great celebrity love story."

before you could respond, hyojoo’s phone buzzed loudly against the desk. you both glanced down at the screen.

it was a call from your agency.

you swallowed, heart thudding.

"well," hyojoo said slowly, meeting your eyes. "this should be interesting."

hyojoo didn’t hesitate before swiping her thumb across the screen to accept the call. "you’re on speaker phone," she announced, placing the device on the desk between you both.

"who are you with?" a firm, authoritative voice asked through the speaker.

"up-and-coming actress son y/n," hyojoo replied, her tone professional. but the moment she glanced at you, there was a teasing glint in her eyes. she might as well have winked at you with how smug she looked.

you shot her a death glare, but she just barely held back a chuckle.

"ah, perfect! son y/n?" the voice continued.

"that’s me," you responded, keeping your voice steady even though you had no idea where this conversation was heading.

"we’ll get straight to the point," the voice said without any hesitation. "you need to enter a fake dating arrangement with sung hanbin."

you blinked. then you blinked again.

hyojoo’s eyes widened slightly in mild amusement, but she remained quiet, waiting for your reaction.

"excuse me?" you finally said, convinced you had misheard.

"a fake dating stunt. you and hanbin," the voice reiterated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

you let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. "you can’t be serious."

"completely serious," they confirmed.

"why?" you asked, voice laced with disbelief. "why in the world would i do that?"

"because the media has already spun this argument between you and hanbin into a full-fledged romantic story," the voice explained. "the public is eating it up. they think your tension is romantic tension. and we intend to capitalize on it."

your mouth opened, then closed, then opened again as you processed their words. "you want me to... what? hold hands with him in public? gaze into his eyes like he’s my soulmate? post cute couple pictures?" you scoffed. "we hate each other."

"that’s precisely why this works," the agency representative countered smoothly. "the push-and-pull dynamic between you two is exactly what the public loves. they’ll eat up every interaction, whether it’s staged or not. and in turn, it boosts both your careers. hanbin’s already at the top, but you? this could catapult you into a whole new level of stardom."

hyojoo let out a low whistle, tapping a finger against her chin. "they’re not wrong, y/n. this could be huge for you."

you turned to her, incredulous. "you’re seriously considering this?"

she lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. "i mean, i understand why they’re suggesting it. you’d be everywhere. interviews, magazine covers, brand deals. it’s a free ticket to the next stage of your career."

"at the cost of my dignity," you grumbled. "besides, hanbin would never agree to this. he’s probably laughing his ass off about the rumours."

"actually, he’s already aware of the plan," the agency voice said. "his team has been briefed, and while he hasn’t officially accepted, he’s open to discussion."

you threw your hands up. "of course he is. probably thinks it’ll be fun to torment me even more."

"listen, y/n," the voice softened slightly, but still held authority. "we understand that this isn’t an ideal situation for you. but this is how the industry works. perception is everything. and right now, the world perceives you two as something they want to see more of. it’s a golden opportunity. one that, quite frankly, we highly recommend you take."

you sat back in your chair, exhaling sharply. this was madness. absolute madness.

but the voice wasn’t wrong. overnight, you had gone from an ambitious actress clawing for recognition to someone the entire industry had its eyes on. if you said no, the moment would pass, and you’d fade back into the background while hanbin moved on unscathed. but if you said yes...

"what exactly would this entail?" you asked hesitantly.

hyojoo smirked, knowing you were cracking.

"simple," the agency voice replied. "public appearances together. red carpets, interviews, maybe a few strategically placed paparazzi photos. you don’t have to actually date him, just act like it."

"act like it," you echoed bitterly. "so lie."

"call it what you want," they said. "but make no mistake—this will benefit you both. and if things go well, who knows? maybe it’ll even land you a lead role in your next project."

you swallowed hard. they were dangling everything you had ever wanted right in front of you.

"you have until tomorrow to decide," the voice continued. "a meeting has been arranged at our agency. hanbin and his agent will be there. we suggest you and hyojoo be there as well."

before you could say anything else, the call ended.

the room was silent for a moment. then hyojoo let out a low chuckle. "well, that was something."

you dropped your head onto the desk with a groan. "kill me. just kill me now."

you didn’t lift your head from the desk. "i can’t do this."

hyojoo’s laughter was soft but not entirely unsympathetic. "you’re being dramatic."

"i am an actress," you shot back, voice muffled against the wood. "being dramatic is my job."

hyojoo reached over, giving your shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "look, i know this isn’t what you expected. but take a second and really think about it. this could be the break you’ve been waiting for."

you lifted your head just enough to glare at her. "at the cost of my sanity? my dignity? my peace?"

she raised an eyebrow. "aren’t those all things you already sacrificed when you decided to be an actress?"

you groaned, dragging your hands down your face. "why does it have to be him? why hanbin? of all the people in the industry, why did the universe decide to screw me over like this?"

hyojoo leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "because life is funny like that. besides, maybe this won’t be as bad as you think."

"oh, really?" you snorted. "do you know something i don’t? because last i checked, hanbin was a smug, arrogant, irritating—"

"handsome, talented, incredibly popular—"

"—narcissistic, egotistical menace," you finished sharply.

hyojoo just shrugged. "i mean, all of that is probably true, but so what? your job isn’t to like him. your job is to pretend to like him."

you sighed, resting your forehead against the desk again. "pretending to like him might be harder than actually liking him."

hyojoo smirked. "see? you’re already getting into character."

you groaned again, kicking your foot out in frustration. "this isn’t funny. i don’t even know how to prepare for something like this. what am i supposed to do? mentally rehearse flirting with him? practice gazing into his stupidly perfect eyes without throwing up?"

hyojoo tapped a thoughtful finger against her chin. "honestly? yeah, not a bad idea. maybe you should visualize it. picture yourself on a date with him, hand in hand, smiling at each other—"

"stop. just stop," you cut her off, grimacing. "you’re enjoying this way too much."

"i really am," she admitted, laughing. "but all jokes aside, you need to go into that meeting tomorrow with a clear head. don’t let your personal feelings cloud your judgment. if you go in there all tense and defensive, it’ll make things worse."

"easier said than done," you muttered. "the moment i see that smug look on his face, i might throw something."

hyojoo chuckled. "then maybe don’t look at his face."

you exhaled slowly, rubbing your temples. "i just... i need to find a way to deal with this. to make peace with it."

"then start by remembering why you’re doing this," hyojoo said gently. "this is about your career. about everything you’ve worked for. hanbin might be an obstacle, but he’s also an opportunity. you don’t have to like him—you just have to outplay him."

her words settled over you like a strange sort of comfort. you didn’t have to like him. you just had to act like you did. and if there was one thing you were good at, it was acting.

you let out a long breath, nodding. "okay. fine. i’ll do it."

hyojoo grinned. "now that’s the spirit."

you stood up, stretching your arms above your head. "i’m going to take a nap. i need more than eight hours of sleep if i’m going to survive tomorrow."

hyojoo smirked. "sweet dreams. maybe you’ll dream about your new ‘boyfriend.’"

"if i do, i’m blaming you," you shot back before walking away, already dreading the day to come.

the next day arrived too soon, and before you knew it, you were standing outside your agency’s sleek glass building, staring up at the towering structure as if it held all the answers to your problems. beside you, hyojoo nudged your arm, her eyes dancing with amusement at your evident hesitation.

"stop looking like you’re walking into an execution," she teased. "it’s just a meeting."

"just a meeting?" you scoffed, adjusting your blazer for what felt like the hundredth time. "hyojoo, i am about to be legally bound to pretending i like sung hanbin. this isn’t ‘just’ anything."

she smirked, nudging you again. "well, at least you look good doing it. fake it ‘til you make it, y/n."

rolling your eyes, you exhaled sharply and pushed open the glass doors, stepping into the agency’s pristine lobby. the air smelled of expensive cologne and freshly brewed coffee, the kind of place where business deals were made with smiles that didn’t quite reach the eyes. the receptionist greeted you both warmly before directing you to the conference room at the end of the hall. your heels clicked against the polished floors, each step making your stomach churn with nerves.

as soon as you entered the room, the air shifted.

hanbin was already there, leaning against the table with an effortless arrogance that made your skin crawl. his perfectly tailored suit only added to his infuriating presence, making him look like he belonged in a magazine ad rather than a serious business meeting. his manager stood beside him, just as polished and professional, but at least he had the decency to not smirk at you the way hanbin did.

his eyes met yours, and there it was—that signature smug smirk. "look who finally decided to show up," he drawled, his voice laced with that insufferable teasing lilt. "i was starting to think you chickened out."

without missing a beat, you shot back, "trust me, if i had any other choice, i wouldn’t be here."

hanbin chuckled, extending a hand. "since we’re going to be spending so much time together, let’s at least pretend we’re civilized."

for a moment, you hesitated before begrudgingly shaking his hand. his grip was firm, warm—too steady for your liking. you withdrew your hand quickly, and he merely tilted his head in amusement. hyojoo and hanbin’s manager exchanged pleasantries before the representatives from your agency entered, carrying thick folders and a laptop.

"let’s begin, shall we?" one of them said, motioning for everyone to take a seat.

across from hanbin, you sat stiffly, determined to ignore the way he stretched lazily in his chair, exuding an infuriating air of ease. his fingers drummed idly against the tabletop—a silent, smug reminder that he was enjoying this far too much.

as the presentation began, a slideshow clicked onto the screen. the first slide displayed various headlines from major news outlets, all pushing the same ridiculous narrative—romantic tension, undeniable chemistry, a fiery love-hate dynamic between you and hanbin. the absurdity of it all made your stomach twist.

"as you can see," one of the representatives began, adjusting his glasses, "the media has already taken your argument and spun it into something much bigger. public interest in your interactions has skyrocketed, and engagement numbers are through the roof."

"we all know the power of a good story," another representative added. "and right now, the story people want is you two."

you scoffed, unable to help yourself. "you mean they want a lie."

"they want a fantasy," the representative corrected smoothly. "and we’re here to sell it."

hanbin hummed in amusement. "so, what’s the plan? hold hands, go on coffee dates, stare into each other’s eyes like we’re in a drama?"

"precisely," the representative replied without hesitation. "but there’s more."

another slide clicked onto the screen, revealing official concept art for written in the stars. but something was different. something was very, very different.

frowning, you leaned forward. "wait. this isn’t the same script."

hanbin’s smirk finally faded as he studied the images. "yeah, this is completely different."

"the script has been revised," the representative admitted. "due to the overwhelming attention your chemistry has received, the directors, producers, and scriptwriters made the decision to add a love interest into the movie."

head snapping up, you barely managed to keep the frustration out of your voice. "excuse me?"

"originally, written in the stars was a story about a child’s journey to becoming the heir to their kingdom," the representative explained. "but now, hanbin’s character will be the heir to a fallen kingdom, and you—" they gestured to you, "—will be the cunning princess of his enemy nation."

hanbin let out a low whistle. "so they rewrote an entire movie because of us?"

"this is why the fake dating stunt is necessary," the representative continued. "if audiences believe in your relationship off-screen, it’ll translate into even greater success on-screen."

fingers curling into a fist, you bit out, "but this whole situation is based on a misunderstanding! it wasn’t romantic tension, it was a heated argument!"

hanbin turned to you with a slow grin. "and yet, here we are."

ignoring him, you focused on the contract placed in front of you. scanning the details quickly, your stomach dropped. the fake dating arrangement would last from now until the end of the movie’s promotion. interviews, social media interactions, public outings—every aspect of the relationship would be meticulously crafted for maximum publicity.

this was insane.

but you had no choice.

hanbin didn’t hesitate. with a flourish, he picked up a pen and signed his contract first, flashing you a look of triumph.

"your turn," he murmured.

letting out a final deep breath, you grabbed the pen and signed your name at the bottom of the page.

"excellent," the representative said, clearly pleased. "this will be the start of something huge."

hanbin’s manager clapped his hands together. "now, to make it official, let’s have you two shake on it."

stomach twisting, your gaze met hanbin’s, and—of course—his eyes were glinting with amusement as he extended his hand. "come on, princess. let’s seal the deal."

your fingers curled at the nickname, but with all eyes on you, there was no way out. reluctantly, you reached out, grasping his hand. his palm was warm against yours, his grip steady, firm.

for a moment—too long a moment—the air felt too thick, too charged.

then, finally, you pulled away, rubbing your hand against your thigh as if to rid yourself of his touch.

hanbin smirked. "pleasure doing business with you."

"don’t talk to me," you muttered, and beside you, hyojoo barely suppressed a laugh.

it was official.

the contract was signed.

the deal was sealed.

your life was officially a mess.

the next morning arrived too soon, bringing with it the first official date of your fake relationship with hanbin. as you approached the quaint café nestled in the heart of the bustling city, you could already see the crowd gathered outside. a sea of flashing lights, paparazzi, journalists, and eager fans swarmed the sidewalk, all jostling for a chance to capture a moment between the two of you. the low hum of their excited chatter blended with the sharp clicking of cameras, making your stomach twist uncomfortably.

"well, well, look who decided to show up," hanbin’s familiar voice drawled beside you, his signature smirk in full effect. his dark eyes gleamed with amusement as he adjusted his coat, one hand casually tucked into his pocket, radiating an air of ease despite the absolute chaos surrounding you both.

"unfortunately," you muttered under your breath, keeping your expression neutral as you straightened your posture. "let’s just get this over with."

"aw, come on, princess. at least pretend to enjoy my company," he teased, leaning in slightly. the move was subtle, but the cameras picked up on it instantly, the intensity of the flashing lights increasing as reporters shouted even louder.

before you could respond with a sharp retort, you felt it—his hand, warm and steady, slipping around your waist. your breath hitched, body tensing instinctively at the unexpected contact. hanbin, of course, noticed immediately.

"relax," he murmured, his voice just low enough for only you to hear. "you’re acting like i’m about to bite."

"maybe i’m just not used to people invading my personal space," you shot back through clenched teeth, forcing a picture-perfect smile for the cameras. your mind was already spinning with the inevitable headlines this moment would spark.

as expected, the press wasted no time firing off their questions.

"hanbin, y/n! how long have you two been dating?"

"y/n, did you fall for him on set?"

"hanbin, what’s your favorite thing about y/n?"

neither of you answered, keeping to the agency’s carefully planned strategy of maintaining an air of mystery. instead, you allowed the photographers to capture their shots—every tilt of your head, every shift of hanbin’s possessive hold meticulously documented for the public eye. but something felt different. though you knew this was just a carefully orchestrated act, your pulse refused to settle, especially as hanbin’s fingers lingered a little longer than necessary against your waist.

"let’s get inside before you combust from overthinking," hanbin murmured, his breath warm against your ear before he gently guided you toward the entrance.

as soon as you stepped inside, the chaotic noise from outside was muffled, replaced by the soft murmur of conversation, the clinking of silverware against plates, and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. a waiter, quick to recognize you both, led you to a private booth toward the back of the cafe, ensuring that prying eyes remained at a distance. hanbin slid in beside you without hesitation, and to your dismay, his hand remained on your waist even after you were seated.

"you can let go now," you muttered, shifting slightly away from him.

"but then we wouldn’t look like a couple," he countered smoothly. "this is a date, remember?"

rolling your eyes, you reached for the menu. "whatever. let’s just order."

hanbin, of course, didn’t move an inch. instead, he leaned in closer, his chin nearly brushing against your shoulder as he pretended to study the menu alongside you.

"can you even see the menu clearly?" he teased, voice laced with amusement. "i mean, considering all that complaining about the camera flashes."

your grip on the menu tightened. "i swear to god, hanbin, if we weren’t in public, i’d smack you with this menu."

he chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. "but we are in public, so you can’t."

before you could retort, a waiter approached, pen poised over a notepad. "good morning! what can i get for you both?"

"i’ll have the american breakfast with scrambled eggs and extra bacon," you said, your tone still tinged with irritation. "and an iced coffee, light on the sugar."

hanbin hummed thoughtfully, tapping a finger against the table. "i’ll have the same," he said, then added with a teasing grin, "but make my coffee extra sweet—unlike my dear girlfriend here."

you groaned, rubbing your temples. "i swear, this is going to be the longest few months of my life."

once the waiter had left, hanbin leaned back against the booth, his expression turning slightly more serious. "so," he said, fingers absentmindedly drumming against the table, "that was quite the reception outside. looks like we’re officially the hottest new couple in the industry."

"don’t remind me," you muttered. "it’s ridiculous how fast the media spun this narrative."

"it’s the game," he said simply, shrugging. "we just have to play along. besides, it’s not all bad. you get more exposure, more roles. the benefits outweigh the annoyance."

you gave him a sidelong glance. "you say that like you don’t mind being in a fake relationship."

"i don’t," he admitted with a lazy smirk. "if anything, it’s entertaining."

"of course you’d find this amusing," you scoffed. "you’re thriving off my suffering."

"not suffering," he corrected. "just… mild inconvenience."

before you could argue, the food arrived, providing a much-needed distraction. as you dug into your meal, the conversation drifted toward the upcoming film schedule. tomorrow would mark the first day of shooting for written in the stars, and the reality of that hit you harder than you expected.

"it’s going to be weird," you admitted, absently pushing your eggs around your plate. "filming a romance scene with you after… everything."

hanbin arched an eyebrow. "everything? you mean our totally romantic, completely unscripted argument that launched this entire fiasco?"

you shot him a look. "you know what i mean."

he chewed on a piece of bacon before replying, "you’ll be fine. you’re a professional, remember? just don’t fall for me for real."

that earned him a swift kick under the table.

"ow!" he hissed, wincing. "i was kidding! jeez, you’re violent."

"just reminding you of your place," you said sweetly, taking a sip of your coffee.

he sighed dramatically. "see? this is why i called you mean earlier."

"no shit, you have your hand on my waist, idiot."

hanbin feigned offense. "that’s mean, you shouldn’t be calling your boyfriend an idiot."

rolling your eyes, you stabbed at your food with your fork. "how am i going to survive the next few months?"

hanbin grinned. "by falling for my irresistible charm, obviously."

you didn’t dignify that with a response.

instead, you stared down at your plate, mind already drifting to tomorrow’s filming schedule. one thing was certain—this was just the beginning of a very, very long ride.

the morning air was crisp as you made your way onto the set of written in the stars. it was the first day of filming, and even though you had spent years preparing for moments like this, there was an unfamiliar nervous energy in the pit of your stomach. maybe it was the weight of the role, the sudden shift in the script, or the fact that hanbin would be there—smirking, teasing, and generally making your life more difficult than necessary.

walking beside you, hyojoo scrolled through her phone, oblivious to your internal struggle. or at least, that’s what you thought until she casually said, “so, how was your date with hanbin yesterday?”

you groaned, running a hand down your face. “i wouldn’t call it a date. it was staged. a publicity stunt. a nightmare.”

“a nightmare where his hand was on your waist the whole time?” she teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

you shot her a glare. “yes, and it was awful. he’s so full of himself, hyojoo. always smirking, always teasing. he knows exactly how to get under my skin.”

“uh-huh.” she nodded slowly, clearly enjoying this conversation far too much. “but did it make your heart race?”

your steps faltered for half a second, and you hated that she noticed. “no. absolutely not.”

she grinned knowingly. “liar.”

“i'm not lying. my heart raced because i’m not used to being touched like that, okay? it’s a natural reaction. it has nothing to do with him.”

hyojoo gasped dramatically. “so if I touch your waist, will you react the same way?”

before you could stop her, she wrapped her arms around your waist as you walked, hugging you tightly.

“yah! get off me!” you whined, squirming as you tried to push her away. “hyojoo, i swear—”

“but i just wanna see if your heart races~” she sang, tightening her grip.

you groaned loudly, trying to peel her arms off. “you’re impossible.”

laughing, she finally let go, stepping away but keeping that smug grin on her face. “see? no big deal.”

you rolled your eyes and continued toward your trailer, hyojoo following beside you.

inside, the glam team was already waiting. the moment you sat down, they got to work. the makeup artist, a woman named jisoo, studied your face for a moment before pulling out her brushes.

“we’re going for a monochromatic look today,” she said, blending soft hues onto your eyelids. “everything in the same shade range—eyes, lips, cheeks. it’ll look seamless on camera.”

hyojoo sat on the couch nearby, watching the process unfold. “she doesn’t need makeup to be beautiful, but i’m excited to see the final look.”

you smirked slightly. “flatter me more, why don’t you?”

“just stating the facts.”

as jisoo worked, you could see the transformation happening in the mirror. the soft tones blended effortlessly, creating an ethereal yet powerful look. when she reached for the eyeliner, she hesitated for a moment before nodding to herself.

“i think we need a wing,” she decided. “a sharp one.”

a few minutes later, you had the perfect winged eyeliner that made your gaze even more striking. hyojoo gasped dramatically.

“oh, you look so good. like, stupidly good,” she said, eyes wide with appreciation. “if hanbin doesn’t react when he sees you, he’s legally blind.”

“please.” you scoffed. “he’s too in love with himself to notice anyone else.”

jisoo stepped back, admiring her work. “perfect. now for the hair.”

the hairstylist, minji, pulled your hair into a structured yet effortless messy bun. it framed your face beautifully, adding to the regal aura you were meant to exude.

“wow,” hyojoo whispered. “you’re actually shin mina.”

you frowned. “i don’t even know shin mina. this character wasn’t in the original script, remember?”

hyojoo laughed. “true, but if the directors imagined her, she’d look exactly like you.”

you stared at your reflection, taking in the full effect. the monochromatic makeup, the elegantly messy bun, the subtle yet powerful gaze.

“shin mina,” you repeated under your breath. “who is she supposed to be, anyway?”

hyojoo shrugged. “not much information, honestly. but from what i do know, she’s cunning, intelligent, and a total badass.”

you smirked. “well, at least they cast the right person.”

with your transformation complete, the final step was wardrobe. the costume designers helped you into the battle princess gown—an intricate piece adorned with embroidery and a flowing cape that gave it a regal yet formidable aura. when you stepped out of the dressing room, hyojoo let out another gasp.

“you have to be joking.”

you adjusted the fabric around your waist. “what?”

“you look like you just walked straight out of an epic fantasy novel. like… this is it. this is the look.”

you turned to the mirror and took it all in. the dress exuded power, the makeup enhanced every sharp feature, and the hair completed the ensemble.

“well,” you said with a small smile, “i guess it’s time to bring shin mina to life.”

taking a deep breath, you stepped out of the trailer and onto the set, preparing yourself for the day ahead. this was it—the first day of filming. the beginning of something new. and with hanbin involved, you already knew it was going to be anything but ordinary.

on set, the battlefield scene was already in motion. hanbin, clad in tattered yet regal armour, fought fiercely among a horde of actors playing soldiers. swords clashed, battle cries filled the air, and the director’s voice rang out, guiding the action. you watched as hanbin moved effortlessly, his body twisting and dodging with precision. even through the choreographed fight sequences, he made it look natural—almost too natural.

then came the turning point. outnumbered, hanbin’s character was eventually overpowered. a soldier struck him down, forcing him to his knees. two more actors seized him, wrenching his arms behind his back as he struggled. his breath came in ragged gasps, and then, with a rough yank, he was pulled to his feet.

“take him to the kingdom!” one of the soldiers barked.

hanbin gritted his teeth but didn’t resist. his fate was sealed.

transitioning to the dungeon set, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. the stone walls were damp, torches flickered, and the heavy iron bars cast long shadows. hanbin was thrown inside unceremoniously, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud. he groaned in pain, curling slightly as he caught his breath.

“the princess is coming!” a guard announced, and the room fell silent.

you stepped into the dimly lit dungeon, the soft clinking of your boots echoing off the walls. hanbin was on the floor, leaning onto his forearm, his expression twisting in barely concealed disdain as he looked up at you. even in pain, he had the audacity to glare.

“welcome to my kingdom,” you greeted smoothly, your tone unreadable.

hanbin scoffed. “i’d rather be anywhere else.”

“oh, don’t be so dramatic,” you said, tilting your head. “i could be cruel, you know. but i won’t.”

he stilled, his brows furrowing slightly as he studied you.

“instead,” you continued, stepping closer, “i’m offering you a choice. marry me, and our lands will unite. refuse, and you will rot in this dungeon.”

hanbin’s jaw tightened. “you expect me to marry the enemy?”

“no,” you mused. “i expect you to survive.”

for a moment, there was only silence. your gaze burned into his, unyielding, and his breath was uneven, as if something within him was warring against itself. then, finally, he exhaled sharply.

“fine,” he spat. “i’ll do it.”

“good,” you murmured, lips curving into the faintest smirk.

“cut!” the director called, breaking the moment instantly.

the set was immediately thrown into a frenzy, crew members running around, adjusting lights, preparing for the next take. you relaxed your posture, stepping back from hanbin, who was still sitting on the dungeon floor.

“you okay?” you asked, eyeing the spot where he had hit the ground. “that looked like it hurt.”

hanbin rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck. “i’m fine. makes the acting look more real, anyway.”

“well, as long as you’re not actually breaking anything,” you said, crossing your arms.

he grinned. “aww, you’re worried about me.”

“shut up.”

hanbin chuckled before standing up fully, dusting off his costume. “you know,” he mused, “that whole princess act suits you. you should consider ruling a kingdom in real life.”

“if it means ruling over idiots like you, i’ll pass.”

“harsh,” he teased. “but i kinda like it.”

you huffed, shaking your head. “you are insufferable.”

“and yet, you can’t seem to escape me,” he smirked.

flustered, but still annoyed, you groaned and turned on your heel, making a beeline out of the dungeon set. hanbin’s amused laughter followed behind you, his voice laced with pure entertainment.

“see you at the next scene, princess.”

the restaurant was elegant, the kind of place where every glass gleamed under the soft golden lights and the faint hum of classical music filled the air. the scent of freshly baked bread and seared meat lingered, making your stomach tighten in anticipation. despite the luxury, you couldn't fully relax. not with hanbin’s hand resting on your waist as he led you inside.

it had become a pattern by now—his lingering touch, the way he guided you as if you were truly his. the heat of his palm against your waist was impossible to ignore, but you tried your best to maintain your composure. behind you, hyojoo and hanbin’s manager followed a little awkwardly. well, at least hanbin’s manager did. hyojoo, on the other hand, looked like she was having the time of her life watching you squirm under hanbin’s casual affection.

as you reached your reserved table, hanbin smoothly pulled out your chair for you before taking the seat beside you. hyojoo and hanbin’s manager sat across from you two, their seating arrangement mirroring yours. as soon as you settled in, hyojoo wasted no time in sending you a knowing smirk.

“comfortable?” she asked, her tone dripping with amusement.

you shot her a death glare. “oh, absolutely.”

hanbin leaned slightly toward you, peering at the menu in your hands before he smirked. “don’t forget to pick something you’ll actually eat this time. we wouldn’t want another tragic salad incident.”

you exhaled sharply, already feeling the irritation bubble inside you. “that was one small incident on set yesterday.”

“and yet, it lives in my memory forever,” he said with mock solemnity. “a tale of wasted greens and regret.”

“you’re insufferable,” you muttered under your breath, turning your attention back to the menu.

but hanbin wasn’t done. “you know, being angry all the time isn’t a great look for a loving girlfriend.”

hyojoo cleared her throat, and you already knew what was coming. “he has a point. you two need to look convincing. we are in public, after all.”

her words were professional, but the glint in her eyes told you otherwise. she was enjoying this way too much.

hanbin hummed in agreement, propping his elbow on the table as he rested his chin on his hand. “exactly. my lovely girlfriend should be gazing at me adoringly right about now.”

you rolled your eyes so hard you were sure they could have disappeared into another dimension. “you are delusional.”

hanbin let out a low chuckle before nudging your leg under the table. “and yet, you haven’t denied the ‘lovely girlfriend’ part.”

you opened your mouth to retort, but before you could, a waiter approached your table, effectively cutting off your response.

“good afternoon,” the waiter greeted with a polite smile. “are you ready to order?”

you were grateful for the distraction and quickly placed your order, listing off your choices with precision. hanbin followed right after, taking his time as he made his selection. once he was done, the waiter turned to hyojoo and hanbin’s manager.

“and you two?”

hyojoo smiled. “oh, we’re just the managers.”

you barely held back a laugh as the waiter hesitated before nodding and taking their orders as well.

after the waiter left, hanbin’s manager leaned back in his chair and sighed dramatically. “agents never get recognition these days.”

the table erupted into laughter, even you, as the light hearted joke momentarily eased the tension.

as the laughter died down, hanbin’s manager turned his attention to hanbin. “so, how’s filming going? yesterday was the first big scene, right?”

hanbin nodded, leaning back comfortably. “yeah, we started with the battlefield scene and then moved into the dungeon scene. it’s going well so far, considering it’s still the early stages.”

hyojoo turned to you, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. “and you? how are you feeling about everything?”

you took a sip of water, thinking for a moment. “it’s… intense. the script changes still throw me off a bit, but the production team knows what they’re doing. the dungeon scene especially was interesting.”

hanbin smirked. “interesting, huh? you mean the part where i got thrown into the dungeon?”

you smirked back. “that was my favourite part.”

hanbin clutched his chest dramatically. “you wound me, princess.”

hyojoo smirked, watching your dynamic with open amusement. “well, the chemistry is working, at least.”

hanbin’s manager nodded in agreement. “i have to admit, the media is loving it. the rumours about you two are spreading like wildfire. people are convinced you’re actually together.”

“which we’re not,” you pointed out quickly, folding your arms.

hanbin leaned in with an exaggerated pout. “but what if i wanted to be?”

“then i’d tell you to wake up,” you shot back, making hyojoo and his manager chuckle.

hanbin shook his head with a grin. “so cold.”

just then, the waiter returned with your drinks, placing them down one by one before disappearing back into the kitchen. you took a sip of your iced tea, letting the coolness soothe your irritation.

“honestly, though,” hanbin said after a beat, “i think the production team really did well with casting. our characters might not have been in the original script, but the tension makes for a good story.”

“you mean you enjoy making me mad?” you asked flatly.

he grinned. “immensely.”

hyojoo shook her head. “well, keep it up. it’s working.”

hanbin’s manager checked his phone before glancing up. “after lunch, you guys have script rehearsals, right?”

you nodded. “yeah. it’s the first official dialogue scene between our characters after the marriage agreement.”

hanbin wiggled his eyebrows. “can’t wait to be your husband, princess.”

hyojoo nearly choked on her drink, and you kicked him under the table.

“ow!” hanbin winced but laughed, rubbing his shin. “abusive wife already?”

“we’re not married!”

“yet.”

hyojoo snorted, and even hanbin’s manager looked amused. you groaned, placing your head in your hands. this was going to be a long lunch.

the rehearsal room was quiet, save for the faint sound of your own voice as you practiced in front of the mirror. your reflection stared back at you, brows furrowed in concentration as you recited shin mina’s lines under your breath, adjusting your tone, your expression, perfecting every subtle movement. you weren’t just memorizing words—you were stepping into character, feeling her emotions, embodying her presence.

hanbin stood in the distance, watching.

he had only come into the room a few minutes ago, but he hadn’t announced his presence yet. instead, he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, a small, knowing smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he observed you. there was something fascinating about the way you lost yourself in your work, completely unaware of his gaze. your focus was unwavering, your movements meticulous, like you weren’t just rehearsing—you were already her.

it was frustratingly impressive.

his smirk deepened as he tilted his head slightly, taking in the sight of you. no matter how much you insisted you couldn’t stand him, you were dedicated to this movie, to this role, to making it as perfect as possible. he respected that. maybe more than he wanted to admit.

but that didn’t mean he was going to pass up an opportunity to tease you.

“are you practicing how to glare at me properly? because if so, you’ve already perfected it,” hanbin’s voice cut through the silence.

you startled, whipping around so fast you nearly knocked over the makeup bag on the table. your heart pounded in your chest, half from surprise and half from irritation when you saw his signature smirk in full force.

“what the hell, hanbin?” you huffed, pressing a hand to your chest. “don’t sneak up on people like that.”

he shrugged, strolling toward you with the same effortless confidence he always carried. “i wasn’t sneaking. you were just too absorbed in your own reflection to notice me.”

you scowled. “i was rehearsing.”

“oh, i know. i watched for a while,” he mused, stopping just a step behind you. “you really take this seriously, huh?”

“of course i do. unlike some people, i actually care about the work.”

hanbin chuckled, leaning slightly closer. “that’s a bit mean, don’t you think? what if i told you watching you work so hard was kind of... charming?”

your breath hitched for just a second, but you masked it with a glare. “if you’re going to distract me, at least be useful. otherwise, go away.”

“harsh,” he muttered, but his smirk didn’t waver. instead, his eyes flickered to the mirror in front of you. “fixing your hair again? you know you don’t have to try so hard. you already look good.”

“flattery won’t get you anywhere, hanbin.”

“you sure about that?” he teased, watching as you touched up your lipstick, carefully blotting it with a tissue.

“yes,” you said flatly, setting the tissue down. “now, if you don’t mind, i’d like to finish rehearsing.”

he didn’t move. instead, he placed a hand on your waist, his usual spot, and grinned at your reflection. “you know what we should do?”

“what?”

“take a photo together. for social media.”

“why?”

hanbin sighed dramatically. “you really have no sense of marketing, do you? we’re supposed to be in a fake relationship, remember? we should at least look like we enjoy spending time together.”

hanbin noticed your reluctance and took the lead. “come on,” he said, more assertively this time. “it’s just a picture. i promise i won’t bite.”

“you’re annoying,” you grumbled, pulling out your phone anyway.

hanbin grinned. “and yet, here we are.”

“look at the camera in the mirror.”

he obeyed, tilting his head slightly with his signature smirk, his hand still resting lightly on your waist. you sighed through your nose but put on a small smile, making sure it looked natural before taking the picture.

you snapped a few more, just in case, before lowering the phone and scrolling through them. hanbin leaned over your shoulder, looking at the screen as well.

“which one’s the best?” he asked.

you both paused.

coincidentally, your fingers hovered over the same photo—one where you looked effortlessly natural, and he looked like he was genuinely enjoying himself beside you.

hanbin smirked, clearly satisfied. “see? we make a good team.”

“don’t push it.”

hanbin chuckled, watching as you finally hit post, pairing the image with a soft, romantic song.

“cute,” he commented.

“don’t make me regret this.”

“too late.”

the morning air buzzed with chatter as you stood among the crew, laughing and engaging in gossip about the latest entertainment news. the makeup artists, costume designers, and even the lighting technicians all had something to say about the newest scandal, the latest trending drama, and, of course, the unexpected but widely beloved pairing of you and hanbin.

"you two look so cute together," one of the makeup artists gushed, her hands clasped together in admiration. "honestly, the chemistry is just unreal. i swear, if i didn't know better, i'd think you were really in love."

another crew member nodded in agreement. "yeah, the pictures you posted yesterday? those went viral. everyone is shipping you guys."

"it’s crazy," you laughed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "but thank you. we’re very happy with one another."

saying it felt easier than it should have. the crew all beamed at your response, completely convinced, before the conversation shifted to another topic. you let yourself stay a few minutes longer before politely excusing yourself, the warmth of their words still lingering in your thoughts.

as you walked away, the echoes of their compliments about you and hanbin replayed in your mind. the idea of people seeing you as an actual couple was still strange. fake dating was one thing, but seeing how naturally everyone believed in the illusion made your stomach twist slightly. shaking off the thought, you scanned the set until your eyes landed on the director.

approaching him, you spoke up. "do you have any feedback for me today?"

he looked up with a small smile, handing you a few pages of handwritten notes. "of course. you’re doing really well, by the way. your performance is exactly what we envisioned for shin mina."

"thank you," you murmured, eyes scanning the pages.

as you read through the notes, something quickly stood out to you—hanbin’s name was mentioned more times than you expected. in fact, a significant portion of the director’s comments revolved around your interactions with him, your on-screen chemistry, the way your characters played off one another. it wasn’t a surprise, necessarily, since your roles were intertwined, but seeing it written out so explicitly made you pause.

"a lot of this is about me and hanbin," you noted, glancing up at the director.

he nodded. "that’s because your dynamic is the heart of the film. every scene between the two of you carries so much weight. it’s essential that your chemistry feels completely natural and effortless."

humming in understanding, you flipped through the remaining notes. wrapping up your conversation with the director, you handed the papers back with a quick "thank you" before turning on your heel and scanning the set for hanbin.

he wasn’t hard to find. leaning casually against a prop pillar, he was chatting with a few of the other actors, his signature smirk on full display. taking a deep breath, you made your way toward him.

"we need to talk," you announced as you stopped in front of him.

hanbin turned his attention to you, grinning. "should i be worried?"

"it’s about the notes," you said, ignoring his teasing tone.

he raised a brow. "ah, let me guess. they’re all about how amazing i am?"

rolling your eyes, you crossed your arms. "more like how much work we need to put into making our scenes feel as authentic as possible."

hanbin chuckled. "so basically, they love us together. i knew it."

his smirk was as infuriating as ever, but today, you found yourself simply shaking your head instead of snapping at him. maybe you were finally adjusting to his antics, or maybe you were just in a good mood.

"whatever," you brushed off. "we should get ready. we need to let the director know we’re good to go."

as you adjusted your costume and quickly fixed your hair, hanbin watched you with an amused expression.

"you know," he mused, "today’s a special day."

archiving a brow, you gave him a side glance. "and why is that?"

his smirk widened. "because today, i officially become your husband."

scoffing, you shook your head in disbelief before smacking his shoulder lightly. he winced, rubbing the spot dramatically.

"ow," he complained. "i need to start preparing myself for an abusive marriage."

"that’s not a healthy relationship," you retorted.

he shrugged. "maybe, but it’ll be entertaining."

"you’re impossible."

before he could reply, the crew signalled that the set was ready. taking a deep breath, you squared your shoulders and made your way to the stage, feeling hanbin follow closely behind.

just another day of filming. just another scene where you had to pretend to be in love with the man who never failed to push your buttons.

only today, he was right. today was different.

because today, he became your husband—at least on screen.

the next day, you found yourself walking alongside hyojoo through the sleek hallways of your agency, the faint hum of office chatter and clicking keyboards surrounding you. the polished floors reflected the overhead lights, and the air smelled faintly of fresh coffee and paper. you glanced at hyojoo, adjusting the strap of your bag over your shoulder.

"so, what’s this meeting about?" you asked, your tone tinged with mild suspicion.

hyojoo waved a dismissive hand. "nothing to stress over. just some business talk, probably about publicity."

"ugh, more publicity? aren’t we already doing enough?" you sighed.

she chuckled. "clearly not. the public wants more."

pushing open the heavy glass doors to the conference room, you immediately spotted hanbin lounging comfortably in a chair, his agent seated beside him. the moment his eyes landed on you, he shot you his signature smirk, leaning back slightly as if he had been expecting you to arrive any moment now.

"well, if it isn’t my favourite pretend girlfriend," he drawled, his smirk deepening. "miss me?"

rolling your eyes, you walked past him to take a seat beside hyojoo. "in your dreams."

he chuckled, clearly amused by your response, but before he could get another word in, one of the agency representatives cleared their throat, drawing everyone's attention to the front of the room.

"thank you all for coming today," the representative began, shuffling a stack of papers. "we called this meeting to discuss the overwhelming public response to your relationship. the media and fans are absolutely captivated. they love your dynamic—the way you two interact, the playful banter, the chemistry."

hanbin leaned in slightly, shooting you a sideways glance. "hear that? they love our chemistry. you can’t deny it now."

"i’ll deny it all i want," you muttered, crossing your arms.

ignoring your exchange, the representative continued. "with the growing interest in your relationship, we believe it would be beneficial to provide more content to the public. after all, the instagram story you posted the other day gained tremendous traction. fans are still talking about it."

hanbin grinned, nudging your elbow. "see? my idea was brilliant."

"your idea?" you scoffed. "i’m the one who actually took the picture and posted it."

"but who convinced you?" he shot back, his grin never faltering.

before you could respond, another representative jumped in. "regardless of whose idea it was, the fact remains that people want more."

hyojoo nodded in agreement. "it’s true. strategically speaking, this is a great opportunity to further boost your popularity."

"so what exactly are you suggesting?" you asked, exhaling deeply.

"content," the representative stated simply. "more candid moments, more social media presence—perhaps even some planned public outings that allow for natural interactions to be captured."

hanbin chuckled. "so basically, they want to see more of us bickering."

"playful banter," the representative corrected. "it’s charming and refreshing."

crossing your arms, you glanced at hanbin. "well, if they love it so much, maybe you should start paying me extra for putting up with you."

hanbin laughed. "you love it."

ignoring him, you turned your attention back to the representatives. "actually, vlogging has been really popular these days. i recently set up a whole video station at home—computer, microphone, camera, studio lights, everything."

instantly, the representatives perked up, nodding eagerly. "that’s a brilliant idea. it shows you’re in touch with current trends. fans would absolutely love behind-the-scenes content of you two."

hanbin turned to you, grinning. "well then, i guess i’m coming over tomorrow."

"you’re just inviting yourself over now?" you arched a brow.

he shrugged. "of course. you need me there for the content, don’t you?"

sighing dramatically, you leaned back in your chair. "fine. but at least try to look good for the camera."

hanbin placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "please. i always look good."

"right," you said flatly. "just don’t stink up my house."

he gasped playfully. "excuse you, i always smell amazing. you wanna smell me and find out?"

scoffing loudly, you made a face. "absolutely not. piss off."

laughter erupted around the room, even from the usually serious representatives. hanbin looked thoroughly pleased with himself, while you just shook your head, already dreading whatever chaos would ensue tomorrow.

"alright, then. it’s settled," the representative concluded. "we’ll expect some engaging content from you two soon."

hanbin turned to you with a grin. "hope you’re ready for a fun day tomorrow."

sighing, you stood up from your chair. "oh, i can hardly wait."

hanbin winked. "i knew you couldn’t resist me."

hyojoo tugged your arm, pulling you towards the door before you could come up with a sharp retort. as you exited the conference room, you couldn’t help but shake your head, already mentally preparing yourself for what was sure to be an eventful day.

and despite your protests, despite your exasperation with hanbin’s endless teasing, you couldn’t deny the tiniest hint of excitement bubbling in your chest.

the next morning, you were already camera-ready, your outfit perfectly styled and your face glowing under the soft morning light filtering through your windows. your morning routine had gone smoothly—you’d woken up early, taken a refreshing shower, done your skincare, and applied just the right amount of makeup to look effortless yet flawless. your bungalow was spotless after a thorough clean-up, ensuring no clutter would be visible in the background of the video. even the cushions on your couch were perfectly fluffed, and a subtle vanilla-scented candle burned in the corner, filling the space with a warm, inviting aroma.

as you adjusted your camera setup, making sure the lighting hit at just the right angle, a knock on the door echoed through your home. you sighed, already anticipating the teasing that was about to come. when you opened the door, hanbin stood there, dressed in a casual yet stylish outfit that made it obvious he had put in effort. his dark jeans and white t-shirt fit him perfectly, and his hair looked tousled in that effortless way that somehow always suited him. his usual smirk was present as he leaned against the doorframe, eyes scanning your house before flicking back to you.

"cute bungalow," he commented, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

"thanks," you said, stepping aside, arms crossed as you watched him look around.

he glanced around before his smirk widened. "the one living in the bungalow is cute too."

rolling your eyes, you groaned. "piss off."

hanbin chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he walked further in. "can't. we have to make some quality content for the public, remember?"

you sighed dramatically but didn’t argue, instead shutting the door behind him. as he wandered deeper into your house, his gaze landed on a shelf lined with old photo frames. he stepped closer, examining them with interest before picking one up. it was a baby picture of you, round-cheeked and beaming at the camera, your tiny hands gripping the sides of a birthday cake that was much too big for you.

"these are cute," he mused, turning the frame slightly. "who knew you used to be so tiny?"

"thanks," you replied, crossing your arms as you watched him.

hanbin turned to you with an exaggerated thoughtful expression. "do you think i was a cute baby?"

"i don’t know, i’ve never seen any of your baby pictures."

he hummed, setting the frame back in its place before straightening up. "fair enough. do i at least look handsome now?"

you blinked at him, taking a moment to study his face. his hair was styled effortlessly, his outfit perfectly tailored to his frame, and his skin looked unfairly flawless. but instead of feeding into his ego, you simply said, "you look camera-ready."

hanbin placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "ouch. i wish my girlfriend actually complimented me."

scoffing, you reached out and slapped his shoulder, making him wince dramatically. "piss off, hanbin."

he laughed, shaking his head before you motioned for him to follow you to your room. as you led him down the hall, he glanced around curiously before his eyes landed on your recording setup. his expression shifted from playful to genuinely impressed.

"whoa," he said, stepping closer. "this looks really professional. you weren’t kidding when you said you had everything set up."

you watched as he examined your camera, microphone, and lighting setup, his fingers lightly adjusting a dial on the mic.

"of course," you replied. "i don’t do things halfway."

he grinned at you. "clearly."

you adjusted the camera’s position, making sure the frame was set up perfectly before glancing at hanbin. "ready?"

he nodded. "let's do it."

you pressed record and immediately brightened, your expression shifting into your public-friendly smile. "hey everyone! welcome back to my channel. today, i have a very special guest with me."

hanbin, standing beside you, placed a hand on your waist as he grinned at the camera. "your favourite boyfriend, of course."

you resisted the urge to roll your eyes, instead maintaining your smile. "we're doing a q&a today, answering all the burning questions you guys have been sending in. and trust me, there were a lot."

hanbin chuckled. "people are really nosy, huh?"

"they're just curious about our love story," you teased, before grabbing your phone to read the first question. "alright, first question: how did you two meet?"

hanbin glanced at you before smirking at the camera. "ah, the fated encounter. our eyes met across a crowded room, time slowed, and we knew in that moment—"

"stop being dramatic," you interrupted, making him laugh. "we met during casting for 'written in the stars.' simple as that."

he nodded. "yeah, but if you ask me, she fell for me immediately."

you shot him a deadpan look. "next question."

you scrolled down and read the next one aloud. "do you two fight often?"

hanbin smirked. "define 'fight.'"

you turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "bickering. arguments. me wanting to strangle you at least twice a day."

he laughed. "then yeah, all the time. but that’s what makes us entertaining, isn’t it?"

shaking your head, you moved on to the next question. "what can we expect from the upcoming movie?"

hanbin adopted a more serious expression. "honestly, i think people are going to love it. the story is compelling, the cinematography is stunning, and of course, our performances are top-tier."

"agreed," you said. "and i think fans are really going to enjoy the dynamic between our characters."

as you continued answering questions, the atmosphere remained light-hearted, filled with teasing remarks from hanbin and your playful eye rolls in response. when the q&a finally wrapped up, you stopped the recording and leaned back in your chair, exhaling.

"that went well," hanbin remarked.

"surprisingly," you admitted as you pulled the memory card from the camera and slotted it into your computer. you began editing immediately, cutting out unnecessary parts and adjusting the audio.

hanbin watched you work for a moment before speaking. "you're really dedicated to this, huh?"

you nodded, not looking away from the screen. "of course. content creation takes effort."

"it's kinda cool seeing you in work mode."

you glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "is that an actual compliment? from hanbin?"

he smirked. "don't get used to it."

rolling your eyes, you continued editing. it took a while, but eventually, the video was ready. you uploaded it, selecting a catchy title and an engaging thumbnail before posting it to your channel.

you leaned back, stretching your arms. "done."

hanbin checked his phone, already seeing notifications popping up. "people are gonna eat this up."

you hummed in agreement. "let’s just hope they enjoy it."

he grinned. "they will. after all, we make a great team."

for once, you didn’t argue. instead, you simply smirked and leaned back in your chair, already anticipating the reaction the video would get.

SMUT AHEAD

with the silence now, hanbin took the opportunity to pull you up from your chair flush against him, one hand sliding down to grope your ass possessively.

"now, where were we before the video, princess?"

you gasp softly, squirming in his hold, but don't pull away. "hanbin, stop it. we're not going to do anything like that on camera." you hiss, even as your body betrays you, reacting to his touch.

hanbin just smirks, undeterred. "you're right, princess. let's take this somewhere more private, hmm?"

with that, he scoops you up into his arms, carrying you towards the living room as he pulls the bedroom door shut behind him. he tosses you onto the couch, crawling over you with a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"hanbin," you warn, even as you drink in the sight of his tall, muscular form looming above you. "i mean it. no funny business."

he leans down, capturing your lips in a searing kiss, his tongue delving into your mouth possessively. "funny business is my specialty," he murmurs against your lips. "but don't worry, princess. i promise i'll make it feel so good, you'll be begging for more."

you know you should push him away, but your body is already melting under his touch, craving more of his intense focus and desire. you tangle your fingers in his dark hair, giving it a sharp tug, and are rewarded with a low, appreciative moan from hanbin.

"fuck, i love it when you do that," he groans, grinding his hips against yours, letting you feel the sizeable bulge rapidly forming in his jeans.

you bite your lip to stifle a moan, your core clenching with want. you know you should put a stop to this, but the way he's touching you, the hunger in his eyes... you can't help but crave more.

hanbin seems to sense your hesitation, his hand sliding under your shirt to cup your breast, thumbing your nipple through the thin lace of your bra. "tell me you don't want this, princess," he challenges, his voice a low rumble. "tell me you don't want me to strip you bare and worship every inch of your gorgeous body until you're trembling and begging for my cock."

you swallow thickly, trying to find the words to refuse him, but all you can manage is a breathless, "hanbin..."

he smirks, taking your silence as the consent it is. "that's what i thought, princess. now, let me show you what a real man can do."

with that, he tugs your shirt off over your head and tosses it aside, leaving you in your bra as he takes in the sight of your exposed skin with blatant appreciation. "fuck, you're stunning," he breathes, before ducking his head down to press open-mouthed kisses along the swell of your breasts. "i'm going to make you feel so good, you won't be able to think of anything else."

you know you should put a stop to this, should maintain some semblance of control, but the way he's touching you, the promise of pleasure in his eyes... you can't bring yourself to refuse him. you tangle your fingers in his hair again, holding him against you as you arch into his touch, already craving more.

hanbin's lips find your nipple through the thin lace of your bra, his mouth hot and hungry as he suckles at the sensitive peak. his hands roam your body greedily, mapping out every dip and curve as if committing your form to memory. he slides one hand up your thigh, his fingers dancing along your skin until he reaches the hem of your shorts. with a wicked grin, he slips his hand underneath, cupping your mound possessively.

"you're already so wet for me, aren't you princess?" he murmurs, rubbing his fingers along your clothed slit teasingly. "i can feel how much you want this."

you let out a shaky moan, your hips bucking up against his hand as you desperately seek more friction. your core is throbbing, aching to be filled, and the way he's touching you is only stoking the flames of your desire.

hanbin chuckles darkly, clearly pleased by your reaction. he hooks his fingers into the waistband of your shorts and panties, tugging them down your legs and tossing them carelessly to the floor. now completely bare before him, you feel exposed and vulnerable, but also incredibly aroused.

not wasting any time, hanbin parts your thighs, settling between them as he takes in the glorious sight of your glistening folds. he leans in, inhaling deeply, and groans at the intoxicating scent of your arousal.

"fuck, you smell divine," he growls, before diving in and running his tongue along your slit in one long, slow lick. he focuses on your clit, suckling and flicking the sensitive bud with expert precision until you're writhing beneath him.

your fingers tighten in his hair, holding him against you as you grind your hips against his face, chasing your pleasure. hanbin seems to sense how close you are, and doubles his efforts, thrusting his tongue inside your clenching heat and fucking you with it in deep, powerful strokes.

"hanbin!" you cry out, your voice echoing off the walls of your living room. the obscene wet sounds of his mouth on your pussy fill the room, mixing with your wanton moans and gasps.

just as you're about to crest the peak of your climax, hanbin pulls away, leaving you wanting. you whimper at the loss, only to gasp as he sits up and strips off his shirt, revealing his sculpted torso. he undoes his jeans next, freeing his impressive erection, and you can't help but stare in awe at the thick, hard length of him.

crawling back up your body, hanbin settles between your thighs again, the head of his cock nudging against your soaked entrance. he leans down to capture your lips in a searing kiss, letting you taste yourself on his tongue as he slowly pushes inside you with a low groan.

"fuck, you feel incredible," he praises, his voice strained with pleasure as he hilts inside you completely. "so fucking tight and perfect, like you were made just for me."

you wrap your legs around his waist, the heels of your feet digging into his ass as he begins to move, thrusting in and out of you with deep, powerful strokes. the pleasure is intense, unlike anything you've ever felt before, and you can't help but clench down around him, drawing him in deeper.

hanbin sets a relentless pace, pounding into you with a passion and hunger that steals your breath away, and you know your neighbours will surely hear the lewd noises spilling from your lips - but you can't bring yourself to care. all that matters is the feeling of hanbin moving inside you, claiming you, owning you in the most primal way possible.

"yes, fuck yes!" you cry out, your nails raking down his back as you cling to him, meeting him thrust for thrust. "harder, hanbin! fuck me harder!"

he complies with a dark chuckle, hammering into you with renewed vigour, the wet squelch of your joined bodies filling the room obscenely. you can feel your climax building again, your walls starting to flutter and tighten around his pistoning cock.

"that's it, princess," hanbin pants, his breath hot against your ear. "cum for me. i want to feel you cum all over my cock like the dirty girl you are."

his filthy words are your undoing, and with a sharp cry of his name, you shatter, your orgasm crashing through you like a tidal wave. your pussy clamps down around him like a vice, pulsing and milking his cock as he continues to pound into your spasming heat.

hanbin lets out a guttural moan, his rhythm faltering as he buries himself deep inside you one last time. his cock throbs and jerks as he finds his own release, spilling his hot seed deep inside your clenching cunt. he collapses against you, both of you panting and trembling in the aftermath of your intense coupling.

as you lie there, basking in the afterglow, you can't help but think that this is a far cry from the hatred and disdain you normally feel for your fake boyfriend. right now, in this moment, you can't imagine wanting anyone else touching you, pleasuring you, fucking you like this. and if you're being honest with yourself... you never want it to end.

the morning light filtered softly through your bedroom curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. your body felt heavy, your muscles still a little sore from the previous night. as you stirred awake, you slowly blinked, adjusting to the gentle brightness of the morning. before you could register anything else, your eyes landed on hanbin, standing on the opposite side of the bed.

he was adjusting his shirt, the same one from yesterday, slightly wrinkled from being worn overnight. his movements were slow, deliberate, and oddly careful as if he was trying not to wake you. when he noticed you were awake, his gaze met yours, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"morning," he greeted, his voice softer than usual.

you swallowed, suddenly feeling shy. the memories of the previous night flashed through your mind, heat creeping up your neck. "morning," you murmured back, your voice still heavy with sleep.

hanbin tilted his head slightly, observing you. "how are you feeling?"

"i'm okay... just a little tired still."

he nodded, walking around the bed and crouching beside you. "stay in bed. i'll make breakfast."

before you could protest, he placed a firm yet gentle hand on your shoulder, pushing you back down onto the mattress. you sighed but didn’t fight it. the way he was being so thoughtful and caring made your chest tighten. you weren't used to this kind of treatment.

"okay," you relented softly.

hanbin grinned. "good. i’ll be back in a bit."

he left the room, leaving you to stare at the ceiling, trying to process everything. last night had been... different. the intimacy, the way he had held you—it was new. despite his usual teasing and arrogance, last night he had been passionate. attentive.

within ten minutes, hanbin returned, carefully balancing a tray with a plate full of breakfast and a glass of mango juice. the aroma of warm food instantly filled the room, making your stomach rumble.

"breakfast is served," he announced, setting the tray down on your bedside table before handing you the plate.

"thank you," you said sincerely, picking up your fork and taking a bite.

hanbin sat on the edge of the bed, reaching for a hairbrush on your nightstand. without saying a word, he gently ran the brush through your hair, untangling the knots from sleep as you continued eating. the motion was soothing, almost hypnotic.

"you okay with last night?" he asked suddenly, his voice softer now, almost hesitant.

you swallowed your bite of food and turned to look at him. his expression was unreadable, but there was something behind his eyes—concern, uncertainty. before he could say more, he added, "if you didn’t enjoy it or if i made you uncomfortable, i—"

"hanbin," you cut him off, placing your hand over his. "it was okay. i really enjoyed it."

his shoulders relaxed slightly, but he still looked like he needed more reassurance.

"i just..." you hesitated, choosing your words carefully. "i act guarded because... well, it’s just how i protect myself."

he nodded, brushing out a final knot in your hair before setting the brush down. "i get it. i won’t push."

you smiled slightly. "i know."

after a brief pause, he clapped his hands together. "alright, what do you wanna wear today?"

you pointed toward your closet. "that beige knit sweater with the black slacks."

hanbin stood up and went to retrieve them, neatly laying them out on your bed. he made a show of smoothing out the wrinkles, acting as if he was your personal stylist.

"perfect choice, my dear girlfriend," he teased, and for once, you didn’t roll your eyes at his antics.

"thanks, my very considerate boyfriend," you replied, making him chuckle.

after finishing breakfast, hanbin took the tray from you. "i’ll do the dishes. you freshen up."

"you don’t have to—"

"shhh." he placed a finger over your lips before you could argue. "go."

reluctantly, you obeyed, heading into the bathroom. as you stood in front of the mirror, you took a deep breath, staring at your reflection. today felt... different. hanbin was different. maybe things were changing between you two.

once you were fully ready, dressed, and your makeup subtly done, you walked out to find hanbin already by the front door, car keys in hand. he looked up at you and gave an approving nod.

"looking good," he commented.

"you don’t look too bad yourself," you said before realizing what you had just admitted.

hanbin’s smirk widened. "did you just—"

"shut up," you muttered, pushing past him as he laughed.

on the drive to set, the usual bickering and playful remarks were replaced with a heavy silence. not uncomfortable, but... different. hanbin was quieter than usual, glancing at you every so often. the tension from last night lingered between you both, thick and unspoken.

"you’re being weird," you finally said, breaking the silence.

"me?" he raised an eyebrow. "you’re the one being quiet."

you scoffed. "you’re usually unbearable by now. where’s the arrogant hanbin i know?"

he chuckled, shaking his head. "maybe i’m just giving you a break."

you side-eyed him. "or maybe you’re just nervous."

he scoffed. "please. me? nervous? over what?"

you shrugged. "you tell me."

hanbin didn’t answer, instead keeping his eyes on the road. the silence returned, but it was heavier now, filled with questions neither of you wanted to be the first to ask.

when you arrived at the filming venue, hanbin parked the car and unbuckled his seatbelt before stepping out. you reached for your own seatbelt, but before you could undo it, your door swung open. hanbin stood there, leaning down slightly as he reached in and unbuckled it for you.

you blinked up at him. "i can do that myself, you know."

"i know." his voice was quiet, almost teasing, but not quite. "but where’s the fun in that?"

he held out a hand, and after a slight hesitation, you took it. he helped you out of the car before releasing your hand, walking beside you toward the set.

though his usual arrogance wasn’t present, there was something else—an unspoken understanding, a shift in whatever this relationship between you two was becoming.

whatever it was, you weren’t sure yet. but as you walked together, side by side, you knew something had changed. the air between you held an unfamiliar weight, something fragile yet undeniable. each glance held a question, each movement seemed more deliberate. it wasn’t just routine anymore. something deeper was settling in, and for the first time, you weren’t sure whether you wanted to fight it—or let it happen.

the atmosphere on set buzzed with excitement as the crew prepared for another day of filming. you were adjusting your costume in front of the mirror when the sound of an unfamiliar voice echoed through the set. turning your head slightly, you saw a tall figure walking in with confident strides, his warm smile effortlessly charming everyone in the room.

"juhan!" you called out in pleasant surprise, immediately recognizing him. it had been a while since you had seen him, but the familiarity between you two was instant.

"hey, look at you! still stealing the spotlight, i see." juhan smirked as he approached, his deep, warm voice carrying a teasing edge.

"please, you flatter me," you laughed, playfully rolling your eyes. "what are you even doing here?"

"turns out, i'm your new co-star. thought i’d spice things up around here." he winked, making you chuckle.

hanbin, standing a few feet away, subtly tensed as he watched the exchange unfold. his fingers curled into his palm as he forced himself to remain composed. he wasn't the type to get jealous—or so he told himself—but something about the way you and juhan interacted made something burn uncomfortably in his chest.

"well, that explains all the excitement," you said, grinning. "i'm glad you’re here. it'll be fun working together."

"yeah, it will be. i mean, with you on set, how could it not?" juhan's smile was effortless, natural. he had this way of making you feel at ease, and hanbin hated that he noticed it.

hanbin finally decided he had seen enough. he took a step forward, clearing his throat loudly. "so, you two know each other?" he asked, his voice casual but his gaze sharp.

"oh yeah, we worked on a project together a couple of years ago," you explained. "juhan was my first on-screen partner."

hanbin let out a slow breath through his nose. "interesting."

"yeah, we had great chemistry," juhan added, nudging your arm playfully.

hanbin’s jaw tightened. "that so?"

you caught the subtle shift in hanbin’s expression, the way his eyes darkened just a fraction. the tension was thick, almost suffocating, and you weren’t sure why it unsettled you. you felt a little guilty—though you didn’t owe hanbin anything, you couldn’t deny that his reaction made you a little nervous.

"anyway, i should probably let you get back to preparing," juhan said with a charming grin. "we’ll catch up more later."

as soon as juhan walked away, hanbin seized the moment to step closer to you. "hey, we should rehearse before shooting."

his tone was light, but there was something about the way he said it that made it clear: this wasn’t just about rehearsing. still, you nodded. "sure. let’s go."

hanbin led you to a quieter part of the set where fewer people lingered. as you went through your lines, you both fell into the rhythm of your characters, but the unspoken tension between you and hanbin lingered. every now and then, you caught him sneaking glances at you, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t bring himself to.

just then, soojin, one of the assistants who had always admired your work, approached with a bright smile. "that was amazing! your delivery was spot on."

you smiled warmly. "thank you, soojin. that means a lot."

"i’ve always been such a fan of your work," she admitted, practically beaming. "you bring so much depth to your roles. it’s inspiring."

flattered, you chuckled. "that’s really sweet of you to say."

hanbin, standing beside you, watched the interaction with a growing sense of irritation. it wasn’t that he had an issue with people complimenting you—it was that you were actually receiving the admiration, basking in it. and when soojin placed a friendly hand on your shoulder, hanbin’s patience officially ran out.

"alright," hanbin interjected smoothly, stepping in between you and soojin with a tight smile. "we should probably get back to rehearsing."

you raised an eyebrow. "we were just talking."

"yeah, well, we have a schedule to keep," hanbin replied, not missing the way soojin’s hand dropped from your shoulder.

soojin, oblivious to the underlying tension, nodded. "of course! i’ll leave you to it."

as she walked away, you turned to hanbin, arms crossed. "was that really necessary?"

"what? we do need to rehearse," he said, feigning innocence.

"uh-huh," you said, unconvinced. "or are you just annoyed that soojin complimented me?"

hanbin scoffed. "please, i don’t get annoyed over little things like that."

you gave him a knowing look. "right. and earlier? with juhan?"

his jaw clenched for half a second before he masked it with a smirk. "what about earlier?"

"hanbin," you said, exasperated. "you’re being ridiculous."

he tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "am i? or do you just not want to admit that you like the attention?"

your breath hitched slightly at his words. before you could respond, he leaned in just a fraction, his voice dropping lower. "it’s funny. i don’t recall you ever touching me the way you did soojin."

heat rushed to your face. "that’s different."

"is it?" hanbin’s smirk deepened, but there was an edge to it now. "you seemed pretty comfortable. i’m just wondering where my special treatment is."

"you’re unbelievable," you muttered, pushing past him, but he caught your wrist gently.

"i’m just saying," he murmured, holding your gaze. "if you’re gonna give out attention like that, don’t blame me for wanting my fair share."

you felt your heartbeat quicken, but before you could say anything else, a crew member called for you both to return to set. hanbin released your wrist slowly, but not before running his thumb lightly over your skin, sending a shiver down your spine.

as you both walked back, you couldn’t ignore the shift in hanbin’s demeanour. the possessiveness, the quiet jealousy—it was all new, and it was stirring something in you that you weren’t sure how to handle.

whatever was happening between you two, one thing was certain: things were getting complicated.

the air was thick with the heat of the stage lights, the scent of coffee lingering in the air as the crew buzzed around, resetting the cameras and adjusting the lighting for the next scene. you had just wrapped up a particularly draining shoot, and the exhaustion clung to your body like a heavy blanket. the long hours, the constant retakes, the demand for perfection—it was beginning to take its toll.

wiping a bead of sweat from your forehead, you took a deep breath, rubbing your temples as you tried to shake off the fatigue when juhan appeared beside you with his usual easy-going smile. he always had a way of making everything seem less overwhelming.

"looks like we’ve got some time before the next scene," he said, stretching his arms over his head with a dramatic yawn. "wanna take a break somewhere quiet? i know a good spot."

you hesitated for a moment, glancing around. hanbin was nowhere in sight—likely caught up in a costume change. it wouldn’t hurt to step away for a bit. "yeah, actually, that sounds nice."

juhan grinned and led you through the winding corridors of the film set until you reached a secluded outdoor seating area tucked behind the venue. it was small and intimate, the kind of space that felt hidden away from the chaos. a few trees cast soft shadows over the space, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, and the distant hum of the city was barely audible. it was peaceful, a rare moment of stillness amidst the chaos of filming.

he flopped down onto one of the benches, patting the spot beside him. "come on, sit. let’s pretend we’re not actors for a little while."

you let out a small laugh, sinking into the seat next to him. "god, i need this. filming today has been exhausting. i feel like i’ve been running on autopilot."

"tell me about it," he groaned dramatically, throwing his head back against the wooden bench. "i swear, if i have to redo one more take because of a lighting issue, i might just run away and become a farmer instead."

you chuckled, shaking your head. "i think you'd be a terrible farmer. you'd get bored in five minutes."

he gasped, feigning offense. "excuse you! i’d be an amazing farmer. wake up early, take care of my crops, talk to my chickens—"

"talk to your chickens?" you raised an eyebrow, amused.

"obviously. they’d be my emotional support animals. i’d tell them all my problems," he said, leaning in as if sharing a secret. "‘hey, mr. cluckles, today’s shoot was rough. what do you think i should do?’"

"and what would mr. cluckles say?" you played along, a small smile tugging at your lips.

juhan pursed his lips in thought before putting on a mock serious expression. "he’d say, ‘juhan, my boy, you need to relax. eat some corn. take a nap.’"

that was it. the first genuine laugh of the day burst out of you, making your shoulders shake. juhan’s eyes lit up at the sound, clearly proud of himself.

"see?" he nudged you. "mission accomplished. got you to laugh."

"okay, fine," you admitted, still chuckling. "maybe you wouldn’t be the worst farmer. but still a terrible one."

he grinned. "fair enough. but honestly, i get it. filming has been intense. and being in the public eye just makes it harder, right?"

as the laughter faded, you nodded, exhaling. "yeah. it’s like, even when i’m not working, i’m still working. there’s always some article, some interview, some comment section picking apart every little thing. it’s exhausting."

juhan hummed in agreement, his expression thoughtful. "yep. you have to be ‘on’ all the time. people forget we’re actual human beings."

"exactly!" you gestured with your hands, getting more animated. "and if you show even the slightest bit of imperfection, it’s like the whole world is ready to pounce on you. it’s suffocating."

he studied you for a moment before nodding. "yeah… it is. and it’s hard to know who actually sees you for you, and who just sees you as some… image."

you sighed, leaning back against the bench. "it’s like no matter what, we’re performing. even when we’re not on camera."

juhan sat quietly for a moment before turning to you with a small, knowing smile. "wanna hear something embarrassing?"

you raised an eyebrow. "always."

he laughed. "okay, so back when i first started acting, i had this tiny role in a drama. like, blink and you’ll miss me kind of tiny. but it was my first real gig, so i was nervous as hell."

"go on," you urged, intrigued.

"so, my scene comes up, and all i have to do is walk into a room, set down a tray of drinks, and say one line. easy, right?" he grinned, shaking his head. "wrong. because somehow, i managed to trip over my own feet, send the drinks flying, and—get this—knock over the lead actress’s chair in the process."

your eyes widened. "no way."

"oh, it gets worse." he groaned, covering his face for a second before continuing. "instead of apologizing like a normal person, i panicked and just… ran."

that did it. you burst into laughter, doubling over as you tried to picture the scene. "you ran?"

"full sprint!" he confirmed, laughing along with you. "they had to chase me down just to reshoot."

"i can’t believe that actually happened." you shook your head, still giggling.

"oh, believe it. i still get teased about it to this day." he sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. "truly one of my proudest moments."

as your laughter subsided, you realized how much lighter you felt. juhan had a way of making things feel… easier. like the weight of expectations didn’t matter for a little while.

he leaned back, looking up at the sky. "you know, i don’t think i’ve seen you smile this much all day."

you blinked, caught off guard. "really?"

"yeah," he said, his voice softer now. "i know things have been stressful, but i hope you have more moments like this. where you can just be yourself."

his words lingered between you, warm and genuine. for a moment, you simply sat there, appreciating the rare moment of peace before the chaos of filming resumed.

and despite the exhaustion, despite everything, you felt a little lighter than before.

but the moment of peace didn’t last long.

as you laughed at another one of juhan’s jokes, a familiar presence approached from behind. hanbin’s voice rang out, light-hearted but laced with something else, something sharper beneath the surface.

“i see you two are having a good time,” he said, his tone dripping with forced cheerfulness. “should i be worried that i’ll have to fight for y/n’s attention now?”

his signature smirk was plastered across his face, but his eyes told a different story. before you could react, his hand found its way to your waist, his grip firm and deliberate.

juhan, however, remained unfazed, flashing a grin as he leaned back against the bench. “ah, hanbin. don’t worry, i’d never steal your beloved,” he teased, glancing at you before adding, “unless she wanted me to, of course.”

hanbin chuckled, but you felt the tension rolling off him in waves. his fingers lightly squeezed your side, and you shifted slightly under his touch. something about the way he was acting made the atmosphere heavy, like an unsaid battle was happening right in front of you.

“bold of you,” hanbin mused, cocking his head. “but i think she’s got enough on her plate without you making things complicated.”

juhan laughed, completely at ease. “oh, no complications here. just some friendly conversation while we waited. right, y/n?” he turned to you, offering an easy smile.

you nodded slowly, glancing between them. it was clear to you now—hanbin wasn’t just joking. he was jealous. and while you weren’t entirely sure how to feel about that, you didn’t want to let the tension escalate any further.

“actually, juhan, could you give us a moment?” you asked, your voice gentle but firm.

juhan raised his brows slightly before nodding, his smile never faltering. “of course. i’ll see you later, y/n.” he shot hanbin a knowing glance before walking off, leaving you alone with him.

hanbin exhaled, rolling his shoulders back as if shaking off some invisible weight. he turned to you, a careful mask of indifference on his face.

“you didn’t have to do that,” he said, though you caught the flicker of satisfaction in his eyes.

you sighed. “hanbin, i didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

his lips quirked into a small smirk. “uncomfortable? why would i be uncomfortable?”

“because,” you started, searching his face, “you were obviously jealous.”

hanbin let out a scoff, though it sounded more defensive than amused. “jealous? please. if anything, i was just amused watching juhan try so hard.”

“hanbin, come on. don’t do that.”

he ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. “do what?”

“act like it doesn’t bother you when it clearly does.”

hanbin studied you for a moment, his gaze unreadable. then, as if deflecting, he leaned in closer, his smirk returning. “you really care what i think that much?”

“of course i do. you and i—” you hesitated, your throat tightening slightly. “i don’t want you feeling weird about anything. we’ve been spending so much time together, and… after what happened, i don’t want there to be any awkwardness.”

hanbin’s smirk faltered for a split second. his playful façade wavered before he chuckled, shaking his head.

“y/n,” he said, voice quieter now. “we’re a fake couple. remember?”

his words hit like a punch to the stomach. you hadn’t expected that to sting as much as it did. something about hearing him say it so plainly, so casually, made your chest tighten.

“right,” you murmured, looking away.

he must’ve noticed the way your expression changed because his grip on your waist tightened slightly. when you finally met his gaze again, something unreadable flickered across his face.

“y/n,” he started, but you cut him off.

“we spent the night together,” you reminded him, your voice barely above a whisper.

his jaw tensed. for the first time, hanbin had no witty remark, no teasing comeback. he simply stared at you, his fingers tightening for just a second before he suddenly pulled you close.

his embrace was firm, almost desperate, like he was afraid of letting you slip through his fingers. his breath was warm against your hair as he held you there, his heartbeat steady but slightly erratic.

“hanbin,” you whispered, but he shook his head against you.

“don’t overthink it,” he murmured, his lips barely brushing against your temple. “just… stay here for a second.”

hesitating only for a moment, you let your hands rest lightly against his back. despite everything, despite the confusing whirlwind of emotions swirling between you two, you let yourself melt into the embrace. because for that moment, even if just for a second, you didn’t want to be a fake couple either.

his grip tightened slightly before he finally spoke again. “y/n,” he murmured against your hair, voice barely above a whisper. “what are we doing?”

your breath hitched, but you didn’t answer.

because truthfully, you weren’t sure anymore.

you sat comfortably on the couch in hyojoo’s office, a warm cup of tea in your hands as you mindlessly scrolled through your phone. the atmosphere was relaxed, the soft hum of her laptop filling the room. it was supposed to be a casual hangout, a chance to unwind after the chaotic filming schedule, but hyojoo’s sharp voice quickly interrupted the peace.

“so, have you seen the latest articles?” she asked, barely concealing her amusement as she looked up from her screen.

curious, you glanced at her. “what now?”

hyojoo smirked before spinning her laptop toward you. bold headlines from multiple entertainment sites filled the screen, along with several photos of you and juhan laughing together on set. the camera had perfectly captured the effortless way you interacted with him, your expressions open and familiar. beneath the images were headlines like: ‘a new romance blooming? juhan and y/n’s undeniable chemistry sparks curiosity.’

“are you serious?” you scoffed, pushing your cup aside as you leaned closer to read. “they think i’m with juhan?”

hyojoo shrugged, crossing her arms. “well, you’ve been fake dating hanbin, but the media loves a fresh angle. and juhan? he’s got that easy charm that makes people want to ship him with anyone.”

she clicked on another tab, revealing a poll with the question: ‘who does y/n have better chemistry with? hanbin or juhan?’ unsurprisingly, hanbin was winning by a landslide.

“well, at least that’s reassuring,” you muttered, rolling your eyes. “the fake relationship is still strong.”

hyojoo gave you a knowing look. “speaking of which… you and hanbin. anything new?”

her tone was too casual, too pointed. your fingers tensed slightly around your phone. “uh—”

“don’t even try to dodge this. spill,” she demanded, her sharp eyes practically pinning you in place. “you have that guilty look.”

you sighed, running a hand through your hair. “we… spent the night together.”

hyojoo’s jaw dropped. “excuse me?”

“after the q&a at my house,” you clarified quickly, your face heating up. “it just happened.”

“oh my god.” hyojoo practically vibrated with excitement. “why am i just hearing about this now? details. now.”

“keep your voice down!” you hissed, looking around despite knowing no one else was there.

she waved off your concern. “i don’t care if the whole world hears. you and hanbin? finally? do you even understand how long i’ve been waiting for this?”

“it’s not like that,” you mumbled, looking away. “it was just… in the moment.”

hyojoo’s grin softened slightly, and she leaned forward. “okay, but be honest—do you like him?”

that question made you freeze. after a long pause, you exhaled. “i don’t know,” you admitted. “it feels different now. like, before, it was easy to separate acting from reality, but after that night, everything feels… real.”

hyojoo studied you for a moment before nodding. “so you do like him.”

“i think so.” you swallowed hard. “but then juhan came along, and now everything is more confusing.”

hyojoo groaned, rubbing her temples. “oh my god, y/n. don’t tell me you’re actually considering juhan.”

“it’s not like that!” you defended quickly. “it’s just… ever since he arrived, hanbin has been acting weird. distant. what if he’s losing interest?”

hyojoo rolled her eyes dramatically. “please. hanbin is the most stubborn, competitive man i’ve ever met. you really think he’d just lose interest in you? he’s probably fuming every time he sees you with juhan.”

“but what if he’s pulling away because of it?” you asked, biting your lip. “what if—”

“you are overthinking everything.” hyojoo cut you off with an exasperated groan. “you and hanbin have been fake dating for a while now, and let’s not forget the private moments you two have shared. if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t be acting weird at all.”

you hesitated. “i don’t know…”

hyojoo gave you a deadpan stare. “you are impossible.”

“sorry?”

“you should be.”

you chuckled nervously, sinking deeper into the couch. “so… what do i do?”

hyojoo smirked, leaning back with an air of confidence. “simple. if you like hanbin, tell him. stop making this harder than it needs to be.”

her words lingered in your mind, settling deep in your chest. maybe she was right. maybe it was time to stop second-guessing and finally take a step forward.

the sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a golden glow over the filming venue as you walked out of your trailer, drone floating effortlessly behind you. the soft whirring of its blades was a comforting background noise as you turned to greet the camera, a small smile on your lips.

"good morning, guys," you said, your voice light and warm. "today's a filming day, so i thought i’d take you with me and show you around."

you adjusted the angle slightly before heading toward the hair and makeup section. the usual routine went smoothly—foundation, blush, a bit of contour, all while your stylist teased you about your newfound dedication to vlogging. once you were in costume, stomach grumbling slightly, you decided to grab some food before heading to set.

as you navigated through the trailers, you spotted juhan already at the catering table, casually stacking food onto his plate. his eyes flicked up when he noticed you, his signature grin forming.

"well, well," he mused, glancing at the drone. "should i be worried? am i being watched?"

laughing, you shook your head. "it's for vlogging. figured i’d show people what a day on set looks like."

juhan immediately turned to the drone, his confidence kicking in as he offered a charismatic wave. "hello, dear viewers! welcome to the chaotic world of filmmaking."

you giggled, shaking your head. "you should join me for a mukbang."

"absolutely," he said without hesitation, motioning toward the seating area. "let’s eat."

setting up the camera at a good angle, you both began eating, talking about the different dishes available, juhan occasionally throwing in exaggerated reactions to the food, making you laugh. the energy between you was light and easy, and it was clear the camera was picking up on that.

"so, y/n," juhan said between bites, "is this drone your new best friend? should i be jealous?"

you laughed. "honestly? it’s pretty loyal. always follows me around."

"i’ll have to work hard to compete then." he smirked, taking another bite.

midway through, a familiar voice cut through the conversation. "what’s this?"

you turned to see hanbin approaching, hands in his pockets, eyes flickering toward the drone before landing on you. "you’re vlogging?"

"yep," you replied casually. "figured i’d document a filming day."

hanbin smirked, stepping closer to the camera. "well then, hello to all of y/n’s viewers. you’re welcome, by the way, for gracing this vlog with my presence."

you rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the smile tugging at your lips. juhan, ever observant, seemed to notice the way you were looking at hanbin and took that as his cue to leave.

"i should probably go," juhan said smoothly, standing up. "i’ll see you later, y/n."

hanbin’s smirk only widened as juhan walked away, his hand immediately finding your waist, thumb grazing the fabric of your costume. "looks like i scared him off," he mused.

"you're insufferable," you muttered, but the warmth spreading in your chest was undeniable.

taking the opportunity, you turned back to the camera, gesturing toward hanbin. "so, as usual, here’s my boyfriend."

hanbin’s grip on your waist tightened slightly as he nodded. "proudly so."

your stomach did a little flip at that, and you quickly turned the conversation toward the set, leading hanbin around as you continued filming. despite the constant movement, his hand never left your waist, his presence grounding in a way that was both comforting and thrilling.

after some time, you sighed. "i need to brush my teeth."

hanbin arched a brow. "should the camera come along for that?"

you shrugged with a teasing smile. "why not?"

his eyes twinkled mischievously. "this should be fun."

with the drone floating behind you both, you made your way to the bathroom trailer. hanbin leaned casually against the doorframe, watching as you grabbed your toothbrush and toothpaste.

"so, dear viewers," hanbin addressed the camera with a dramatic flair. "this is a rare behind-the-scenes moment of y/n’s daily dental care routine."

you chuckled as you began brushing, watching his reflection in the mirror as he continued talking.

"did you guys know," he continued, crossing his arms, "that y/n is the most meticulous teeth brusher in the world? truly, a sight to behold."

amused, you flicked some water at him, making him laugh. as you moved on to gently brushing your lips, removing any dead skin, he kept talking, his voice a steady, comforting presence.

"also, fun fact," he said, tilting his head. "she takes brushing her tongue very seriously."

you rolled your eyes, scraping your tongue with exaggerated movements just to play along. hanbin chuckled, shaking his head fondly.

"you’re ridiculous," you muttered, rinsing your mouth.

he leaned closer, smirking. "you love it."

you shot him a look through the mirror, heart skipping a beat at the way he was watching you.

as you set your toothbrush down and wiped your mouth, hanbin glanced at you with a raised brow. "you good?"

you swallowed, nodding. "yeah. just… thinking."

his smirk softened into something gentler. "don’t hurt yourself."

you nudged him playfully, the usual banter covering up the whirlwind of emotions stirring inside you.

as the drone hovered nearby, capturing the moment, you realized something else.

for the first time in a long time, you didn’t mind being watched.

because if anyone were to see the way you looked at hanbin, they’d know the truth.

you had fallen for him. completely.

the sun was still rising when you found yourself pacing outside one of the quieter sections of the set, the cool morning air brushing against your skin. you had been rehearsing the conversation in your mind all night, but now that the moment had arrived, your heart pounded against your ribs. every inhale felt shaky, every thought swirling in your head more chaotic than the last.

juhan arrived right on time, wearing his usual relaxed smile, hands stuffed in his pockets as he approached. "you wanted to talk?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "you look nervous. should i be worried?"

exhaling, you gestured toward the bench nearby. "let’s sit."

he nodded, following your lead as you both settled onto the bench. the morning bustle of the film set carried on in the background—crew members adjusting lights, actors reviewing lines—but here, in this tucked-away corner, it felt like the world had momentarily paused. birds chirped in the distance, the faint hum of conversation surrounding you, but none of it compared to the pounding in your chest.

"look, juhan," you began, your fingers gripping the fabric of your costume as you willed yourself to speak steadily, "i’ve really enjoyed our time together. you're an amazing person, truly, and i’ve loved getting to know you."

his expression softened, though a flicker of something unreadable crossed his face. "but?"

his voice was gentle, expectant, and yet there was an undeniable edge of resignation in his eyes. you swallowed, meeting his gaze directly. "but i’m dating hanbin. and… my feelings for him are stronger than i ever expected them to be."

juhan held your gaze for a moment before exhaling through his nose, a small, wry smile tugging at his lips. "i figured," he admitted, leaning back against the bench. "you look at him differently. i noticed it yesterday."

heat crept up your neck, but you didn’t deny it. "i don’t want to lead you on or let any confusion linger between us. you’re important to me, but i see you as a friend. i don’t think that’s going to change."

juhan was quiet for a moment, his fingers tapping absently against his knee. the silence stretched between you, not necessarily heavy, but thick with unspoken words. then, with a small chuckle, he shook his head. "you know, i could’ve made this difficult for you. could’ve pretended i didn’t see it, could’ve made things messy." his eyes flicked to yours, playful yet sincere. "but i respect you too much for that. and if i'm being honest? i respect hanbin too."

relief washed over you, a weight lifting from your chest. "so… we’re good?"

he sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. "i suppose i’ll live."

it made you laugh, the tension between you breaking just a little. there was still something bittersweet in the air, but you were grateful for the way he handled it. juhan had always been confident, easy-going, but underneath all that was someone who truly cared.

"thank you, juhan. really."

he smiled, his usual confidence tinged with something softer. "you’re worth being honest for, y/n. and hanbin? he’s lucky."

before you could respond, a crew member jogged over, calling out juhan’s name. he glanced toward them before turning back to you, standing up. "looks like i’ve got a costume fix. duty calls."

he hesitated for just a fraction of a second before reaching out, giving your hand a light squeeze. it was brief but meaningful, a silent way of saying that he understood, that there were no hard feelings. then, with a final wink, he turned on his heel and walked away.

watching him leave, you exhaled, feeling lighter than you had in days. the conversation you had dreaded was now behind you, and there were no more uncertainties, no more lingering questions.

only one thing remained—telling hanbin how you truly felt. and this time, you weren’t going to hold back.

you moved through the bustling set, mentally preparing yourself for the next scene. your costume clung comfortably to your form, and the soft hum of conversation between crew members filled the air. then, as you passed a quiet corner where you usually waited for your turn on set, you spotted him.

hanbin.

he was standing there, his posture tense, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. his usually smug expression was absent, replaced with something unreadable—serious, almost hesitant. the second his gaze met yours, he straightened, his features shifting into a more resolute expression. without a word, he stepped forward, his movements purposeful.

“y/n,” he spoke softly but insistently, his voice steady, yet holding an edge of something deeper. “can we talk? before we go back to filming?”

you hesitated for only a second before nodding. something about his tone sent a nervous flutter through your chest. wordlessly, you followed as he led you away from the noise of the set, guiding you to a secluded area tucked between the trailers. it was quiet, private, the sounds of the production fading into the background.

hanbin exhaled deeply, rubbing the back of his neck as if he were gathering his thoughts. when he finally looked at you, his eyes were unguarded in a way you weren’t used to seeing.

“i don’t know how to say this,” he started, his voice lower, more vulnerable than usual. “but... i can’t keep pretending anymore.”

your breath hitched. “what do you mean?”

his lips pressed together for a brief moment before he stepped closer, closing the space between you. “this whole fake dating thing... it was never really fake for me.”

your heart pounded as his words sank in. hanbin? the one who had always been so composed, so effortlessly in control, now looked at you like he was baring a piece of himself he wasn’t sure you’d accept.

he shifted, as if struggling with how to proceed, then let out a quiet chuckle—self-deprecating, almost nervous. “i’ve developed feelings for you, y/n. real ones.”

you felt like the world had stilled.

“hanbin...” you started, but he wasn’t done.

“i’ve been trying to ignore it,” he admitted, his eyes searching yours for any sign of hesitation. “telling myself it was just part of the job. but i can’t anymore. every time i see you, i...” he exhaled sharply. “i want more. i want to be with you, not just pretend. and i know we’ve been playing this game, but it’s not a game to me anymore. it hasn’t been for a while.”

his confession left you breathless. he looked at you like he was standing on the edge of something unknown, waiting for you to either pull him back or take the leap with him.

the realization hit you like a tidal wave—you felt the same.

a slow smile formed on your lips, your voice barely above a whisper. “you idiot.”

hanbin blinked, caught off guard. “what?”

“i’ve been falling for you too.” the words left your lips before you could second-guess them, and the way hanbin’s expression shifted—his lips parting slightly, his eyes darkening with something unspoken—made your stomach flip.

a tension neither of you had ever acknowledged fully before crackled between you. you barely had time to process it before he took a step forward, and then another, until he was so close you could feel the heat radiating from him. his hand came up, fingers brushing along your jaw, hesitating just long enough to give you the chance to pull away. but you didn’t.

you leaned in first.

and then his lips met yours.

it was slow at first, almost cautious, but the moment hanbin felt you respond, he deepened the kiss. his hand moved to cup your face, his thumb grazing your cheek as his lips moved against yours with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. he tasted like mint and something unmistakably him, a warmth that spread through you like wildfire.

your hands found their way to his chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as he pressed closer, his other hand finding its way to the small of your back. he kissed you like he had been waiting for this moment forever, like he needed to make sure you understood exactly what he felt for you. his lips molded against yours in a rhythm that felt natural, like you had done this a thousand times before, even though this was the first.

his fingers threaded through your hair, pulling you even closer, and you sighed into the kiss, losing yourself in the feeling of him. it was dizzying, the way he made you feel—like you had stepped into something irreversible, something neither of you could take back, nor would you want to.

when you finally broke apart, your breaths mingling in the space between you, hanbin rested his forehead against yours. neither of you spoke for a moment, the weight of everything settling between you.

finally, he let out a soft chuckle. “so... i guess that means it’s mutual?”

you laughed breathlessly. “took you long enough to say something.”

hanbin pulled back just enough to look at you, his signature smirk making a return—but this time, it was softer, more genuine. “we should tell the agencies tomorrow.”

you nodded. “yeah. let’s make it real.”

his grip on your waist tightened slightly. “we’ll figure it out together.”

you smiled, your heart still racing, but this time it wasn’t from uncertainty. it was from excitement.

this wasn’t fake anymore. this was real.

and for the first time in a long time, everything felt exactly as it should be.

the meeting room was the same as always—bright, sterile, and professional. the long, polished table gleamed under the overhead lighting, and the walls were lined with framed posters of past successful projects. but today, despite the familiar setting, everything felt different.

you walked in with hyojoo beside you, your fingers subtly gripping the edge of your sleeve, a nervous habit you hadn’t quite shaken. across the table, hanbin was already seated. the moment your eyes met, your stomach flipped. you couldn’t tell if it was anxiety or excitement, but his gaze was steady, reassuring. a silent message passed between you: we’ve got this.

“you okay?” hyojoo whispered as she leaned slightly toward you.

you nodded, exhaling slowly. “just nervous.”

“don’t be,” she said with a small smirk. “this is gonna be fun.”

just as you took your seats, the agency representatives shifted in their chairs, clearing their throats as they prepared to begin. hanbin’s agent, a sharp-eyed man with an ever-serious expression, folded his hands together. your agency’s representative, a composed woman in her forties, adjusted her glasses and prepared her notes. the usual routine. you knew exactly what was coming: an update on the status of your fake relationship, potential adjustments to the media narrative, future appearances together.

but before anyone could speak, hanbin leaned forward slightly and interjected.

“actually,” he said, his voice firm but calm. “before we start, y/n and i have something to announce.”

a brief silence filled the room. everyone turned their attention toward the two of you, their expressions shifting from neutral to concerned. hyojoo shot you a side glance, intrigued.

hanbin inhaled sharply, sitting back in his chair as he dragged a hand through his hair. “i can’t do this anymore,” he muttered, his tone tense.

the shift in the atmosphere was immediate. his agent’s brows furrowed. the representatives exchanged uneasy glances. even hyojoo stiffened beside you.

“hanbin—” his agent started, but hanbin held up a hand, cutting him off.

“it’s been unbearable,” he continued, his voice rising slightly. “this entire thing… it’s been driving me insane. keeping up this façade, pretending day after day, lying to the world. it’s infuriating.”

he clenched his jaw, shaking his head. his body language screamed frustration, and you could practically hear the silent panic settling in the room. hyojoo’s grip tightened on your wrist under the table, likely holding back a laugh.

his performance was impeccable.

of course, you knew better. you knew hanbin—knew the way his eyes sparkled when he was up to something, the way his lips twitched just slightly when he was suppressing a smirk. he was playing his part flawlessly, making every single person in the room believe he was on the verge of walking out.

finally, after a long, dramatic pause, he exhaled deeply. then, in a complete shift of energy, he leaned forward, reaching across the table to take your hand in his.

“it’s unbearable,” he repeated, but this time, his voice softened. “because the truth is, i’ve fallen for her.”

silence.

absolute silence.

the tension that had wrapped itself around the room just moments ago dissipated in an instant. your heart pounded as you felt his warm palm against yours, his fingers curling slightly around your own.

you swallowed hard, but you didn’t hesitate. “i fell for him too.”

for a split second, no one moved. no one spoke.

and then—

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!”

hyojoo’s piercing scream shattered the quiet, making you flinch before you burst into laughter. she leaped from her chair, practically lunging at you before wrapping her arms around your shoulders in a bone-crushing hug. “OH MY GOD, FINALLY! FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY! I KNEW IT!”

you laughed against her shoulder as she rocked you side to side. hanbin, still holding your hand, watched in amusement, shaking his head slightly.

hanbin’s agent let out a breath of relief, chuckling as he leaned back in his chair. “well, damn. congratulations, i guess.” he started clapping, and soon, the rest of the room followed suit, a mix of laughter and genuine well wishes filling the space.

your agency’s representative smiled, nodding approvingly. “well, that certainly changes things. congratulations to you both. we’ll discuss how to move forward from a PR perspective, but first—” she glanced at her colleagues, who nodded in agreement. “i think this calls for a celebration dinner.”

you turned to look at hanbin, your heart still racing. he was already smiling at you, his grip on your hand tightening slightly before he gave it a playful squeeze.

without thinking, you jumped up from your seat and ran around the table, practically throwing yourself into his arms. hanbin caught you effortlessly, laughing as he lifted you off the ground for a second before setting you back down, holding you close.

“well, this is adorable,” hyojoo cooed, crossing her arms as she grinned at the two of you. “so sickeningly cute, but adorable nonetheless.”

you rolled your eyes but smiled against hanbin’s shoulder as he murmured just loud enough for you to hear, “so, we’re really doing this?”

you pulled back slightly, just enough to look him in the eyes. “yeah,” you whispered. “we’re really doing this.”

hanbin grinned, that signature smirk of his finally making a return. “good. because i don’t plan on letting you go anytime soon.”

you felt your cheeks heat up, but before you could respond, hyojoo let out another dramatic groan. “ugh, you two are going to be one of those disgustingly sweet couples, aren’t you?”

hanbin laughed, finally letting you go, though his hand lingered on your waist. “probably.”

hyojoo pretended to gag. “great. just great. but hey,” she nudged you with a knowing smirk. “you better make sure this lasts even after your movie together releases. no flaking out now.”

you squeezed hanbin’s hand, smiling up at him as he looked down at you with nothing but warmth in his eyes. “oh, don’t worry.” you said. “this is just the beginning.”

a/n : hi everyone! this was my first fic in like a REALLY long time & definitely my longest, i hope you enjoyed it & i'd be very open to advice for improvement! hope you have a nice day :)

[spiderhanzzz]

"I'M FUCKING SPIDERMAN, BABY" — han jisung.

who would've guessed that the guy you've been texting on tinder is spiderman?

word count: 2.7k

pairings: spiderman!han x journalist intern!reader

genres: humor, fluff, slight angst, comfort, kind of fake dating???

warnings: swearing, drinking, han is referred to as peter, reader and han are both uni students, mentions of vomit and violence, mild injuries, lowkey blackmailing if u squint, no use of y/n & gender neutral reader, han calls reader "pretty" once, usage of "baby" and "sweetie" too

playlist: les childish gambino, dare gorillaz, novacane frank ocean, i bet you look good on the dancefloor arctic monkeys, making the bed olivia rodrigo

a/n: my first fic raaahh!!! >:3 so so excited for u 2 read all these crazy ideas swirling inside my head

“...whoever provides the information on Spider-Man’s real identity will receive a cash prize of $1,000 US dollars…”

Your gaze bores to the glow of your old crappy TV. You haven’t had the time nor funds to purchase a new one, given that your only employment at the moment is a journalistic internship. It’s a good agency, the same one reporting on screen right now, and you acknowledge how hard you had worked to get the position. Nevertheless, you wish you prioritized financial gain over prestige, because now you’re stuck in your run-down apartment in New York, investigating the biggest issues for no money at all.

So you guess it’s not that big of a deal that you have no leads on who the hell Spider-Man is. If any higher-ups scold you, you could just hit them with those snarky remarks you’ve kept in the back of your mind all this time. How do you expect incentive from me if you’re not even paying me? I’m writing all your scripts because everyone else is a damn deadbeat! Maybe then they’ll start appreciating you.

You released a heavy sigh. All this nonsense is giving you a permanent headache, and it doesn’t help that you spend most of your free time scrolling mindlessly on your phone, which lights up with a new text notification the moment you start thinking about it. Perhaps you’ve spent so much time on your phone it’s becoming a part of your brain?

Peter Han: hahah tbh im pretty busy this week, but i’ll let u know for sure :)

A light shade of embarrassment tints your face when you catch yourself smiling at the text message. Usually Peter— the cute guy you’ve been texting on Tinder— never uses any emoticons. In fact, he’s been acting pretty uninterested and dry with you, which wouldn’t bother you as much if it weren’t for the fact that you desperately need a date to your friend’s birthday party next week.

Despite your humiliatingly destitute lifestyle, you pride yourself for your unmatched abilities to blend into any crowd. So like any other New Yorker, you decided to surround yourself with upper class Manhattan socialites. They like you; they don’t need to know about your financial status.

But with great power comes great responsibility, and with great social life comes great expectations. Last week it was a certain Kate Spade wallet with the intentions to match with the whole group of girls, and the week before it was table manners at a European restaurant (how in the hell were you supposed to know which fork to use for a crème brûlée?) This week, though, they gave you the most impossible task of all: get a date.

And you would. Truly, you would. It’s not like you’re particularly unattractive or unlikeable or anything like that. It’s just that you haven’t dipped your toes into the dating pool since university started, and you’re too far gone now. Your peers are fluent in these unspoken rules of dating and you don’t even really know what a situationship is.

Thus why you’re acting a little bit too desperate with Peter.

As you draft a response to him— is it better to use two or three y’s in hey?— your train of thoughts are interrupted by a loud thud on your balcony, followed by a shadow of vibrant colours. Your couch is situated safely so you can see right out the window, but angled in a way that someone outside wouldn’t be able to see you inside. You found this hack on social media on a particularly paranoid rush of nerves and thanked whoever that person was every single night.

Hesitating for a minute, you consider your options: a) attempt to fight off whoever is in your building, b) run out and alert security, or b) pretend like you didn’t hear anything and pray you don’t see your own face on TV tomorrow instead of Spider-Man’s.

If you were acting rational you would have chosen the last option. After all, it’s New York— if there’s anything prevalent here, it’s crime. But you are just so fucking bored. 

So you grab a baseball bat and swing open the window. 

“Get the hell off my balcony, dude!”

To your surprise, you stand face to face with a pair of dangling Converse All-Stars (really dirty ones, too). In your spur of confusion you come to the conclusion that whoever is sitting above your flat has the ugliest red socks you’ve ever seen in your life.

“What the fuck, man?” The person exclaims. “You bruised my knee!”

“That sounds about right for messing with my place, no?” You say, stepping out onto the balcony to get a good look at the stranger.

Just when you think you couldn’t get more disoriented, you realize the man you’re looking up to is not a stranger at all. It’s none other than Peter Han, in a full on Spider-Man suit.

“Peter…?”

The stranger, AKA Peter, breathes out a nervous laugh, raking his hand through his messy hair. Cute, you think.

“I think you mistook me for someone else. I’m not Peter.”

“Okay…” You say dubiously. “Why are you wearing a Spider-Man suit then?”

“I’m a… uh… cosplayer?”

When his eyes meet yours, the truth sings: he’s been caught. Peter Han is Spider-Man.

He’s terrified, you can tell. You don’t blame him— you would be too in his position. But it’s not just the fact that you know now; it’s also the mischievous glint twinkling in your eyes. Just what the hell are you thinking about that could be so amusing right now?

“W-what’s that look for?”

You can’t hold it in anymore. Maniacal laughter bursts out of you like you’ve been possessed by the spirit of a circus clown, and you have to hold on to the balcony railing to stop yourself from falling over. “Oh, Peter, you naive little fool.”

Peter’s brows furrow in confusion. You mentally curse yourself for admiring how handsome he looks when he doesn’t know what’s going on.

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m on the case to find out Spider-Man’s identity. Well, your identity, I guess.”

“You did not tell me that.”

“Yes, I did.” You cross your arms over your chest, shooting him a judgemental look. “You’d know that if you paid any attention to what I have to say.”

“Look, listen…” Peter braces his lean arms on the side of the window to lower himself on your balcony. Standing face to face, you note that he’s not as tall as you thought. “I know I haven’t been the warmest person to you, but I would literally get on my knees and beg for you to please not tell anyone about this.”

You hum in amusement, taking a step closer to him and raising your chin with undoubted sanguine. Like this, you’re almost the same height as him. “As tempting as that sounds, I’d rather have you doing something else for me.”

Peter chuckles in disbelief, eyes wandering to the sky as if to ask God what have I done to deserve this absolute nonsense? His palms rest upon your shoulders when he looks you dead in the eye and says, “You are not blackmailing me, sweetie.”

“That’s a lot of confidence for someone who has very blackmail-able secrets.”

“That’s not even a word!”

“Whatever.” You peel away his hands from your shoulders, straightening your posture and pulling your shoulders back. Peter faces you with a puzzled gaze as you offer him your hand, clearing your throat and stating, “Peter Han, I would like to make a deal with you.”

He doesn’t move. “And that is…?”

“Date me.” Seeing his face contort into an even deeper state of befuddlement, you follow up with elaboration. “One date to a party next week, and just a few meet-ups and texts to prove that our relationship is going strong. In return, I’ll pretend this whole exchange never happened.”

You’re both silent for what feels like hours, eyes fighting a silent mental battle, until Peter’s rough palms finally envelop your own. You’re aware of how crazy and delusional you sound, but you swear he pulls you in just a little bit closer.

“Deal.”

It’s your third year in the city, and you’re still not fully familiarized with the parties. Contrary to your expectations of drunk sweaty bodies dancing up on each other, your friends’ definition of parties consists of low warm lighting embracing their glittered luxury brand dresses as they swirl their fancy little martinis and cosmopolitans. You appreciate it, really, since you don’t have to use up your voice every other night just to shout over the deafening electronic music. However it’s much harder to appreciate the pressure it puts on you to behave a certain way— dance like nobody’s watching, but be aware that they are.

As you slowly walk to approach your friends (rule #32: no running in public spaces, you’ll look like an idiot) you feel a large hand brush softly against your waist. You turn to face your date for the night, warmth creeping up your cheeks as you take in his appearance. The only suit he’s wearing now is an all-black tuxedo with no tie, the first three buttons of his shirt opened. His black hair is brushed down smoothly, pieces of it falling just right to frame his glowing face.

“You clean up well,” you remark, circling your arm in his as you guide him towards the bar where your friends are sitting.

“I could say the same to you, pretty.” With the sleek black shoes he’s wearing, he’s a few inches taller. Slightly looking down on you, he gives you a subtle wink.

God, he’s such a heartthrob.

Your friends round up to give you hugs and kisses to welcome your presence, ever so politely. One of them acknowledges Peter’s companionship. “You must be the date.”

“That I am.” Peter returns the approach, showing off his adorably heart-shaped smile. “Peter Han, pleasure to meet you.”

The rest of the night runs as it does in your dreams the night before. By the time you had arrived, your friends were already buzzed enough to pay no mind to the way the leather is peeling off your only pair of formal shoes nor to the typo on your fake branded bag. Just the way it’s supposed to be.

Peter doesn’t leave your side the entire night, only lifting his arm around your waist to grab more drinks for the both of you. Occasionally you catch him absentmindedly rubbing your back, and occasionally you catch yourself wondering how someone who spends so much of his life fighting can be this gentle.

During a small bathroom break, one of your friends pulls you aside and whispers, “He looks at you like you hung the stars, you know.”

If you weren’t so swept up in the feeling of finally belonging under the subtle incandescence of a high-end bar in Manhattan, you would have noticed the way Peter’s eyes darken when he read a notification off his phone, or the way his lips press into a tight line when he gazes at you, laughing your heart away amongst your friends.

So you’re nothing short of confounded when he wraps his arms around your waist and leans down to mumble, “Baby, I have to go, there’s a work emergency. I’ll catch you later, alright?”

Your friends bid him farewell and you press a chaste kiss to his cheek, immediately turning away when you feel his body tense. When he walks out the door, you keep your eyes focused on how his soft hair loses its shimmer as he walks out into the night.

And you try to enjoy the warm liquid pouring down your throat for the fifth time tonight, savoring the way you can almost taste a bit of yourself pull away from reality each time, knowing at least one of the people around you will walk away tonight asking, “don’t you think that Peter is a bit cold?”

You sit on the edge of your balcony, something you never do unless you’re going through an existential crisis or drunk off your ass. Tonight it’s both. As usual, the distant sirens and exclamations of curses wrap a tight band around your head. You’re dizzy; either from the alcohol or situation or both.

The ocean of fluorescent lights from the streets of Queens drift your mind to recall just how you ended up here. Three years ago, you were a fresh high school graduate with a million opportunities in front of you. Now you’re broke and rely too much on the validation of your non-broke friends to fulfill the void inside you. The thought of eventually having nobody but yourself after you graduate makes you wanna vomit on a passerby’s head.

“Hey, baby.” A particularly resonant voice startles you out of your thoughts. Peter is swinging from your balcony railing, a pair of gray sweatpants and zip-up jacket slung over his Spider-Man suit. “Sorry for ditching early. I got pizza and flowers to make it up to you, though.”

He swings himself to sit down next to you, placing the box of pizza and bouquet in front of your crossed legs. When he pulls his mask over his head to remove it, your eyes glance over his cuts and bruises. They definitely weren’t there earlier.

“What happened?” You unconsciously bring a hand up to his face, brushing your knuckles tenderly over the sensitive areas. It’s only when he winces that you drop your hand back down to your lap.

“Some guy tried to rob a bank.” Peter shrugged, refusing to meet your gaze. “Turns out he brought a bunch of other guys to back him up.”

“Did you win, at least?”

Though his face is turned down, you can see Peter’s eyes crinkle into a smile underneath his tousled hair. “Yeah, ‘course I did. Who do you think I am, a loser? I’m fucking Spider-Man, baby.”

Ten minutes later you’re seated face to face, still on your balcony, with you dabbing a cotton pad onto his injuries. No words were exchanged; you just went in and out to grab your emergency medical kit and grabbed him by the chin. The pizza box is left unattended, but neither of you care much about the hunger puncturing your insides.

“Why do you look so down?” Peter inquires as you place a Hello Kitty bandaid on his cheekbone, giggling breathlessly as you do so.

“Do I?”

“Yeah.” He brings his own hand up to your face, brushing away the strands of your hair on your forehead. “I mean, you’re smiling now, but your eyes have this sadness to them. So, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

What the actual fuck? It literally takes you every nerve in your body to fight the urge to propose to this man right then and there.

“Hey, come on,” he urges, delicately pulling your face an inch closer to his. His thumbs run down your flushed cheeks, and it takes you a while to notice he’s brushing away your tears. “I said talk to me.”

“Well, you’ve probably already noticed that I’m different from my friends.” You wrap your fingers around his wrists. “I guess I thought I could pull off the whole socialite act, but I’m starting to feel so…”

When you can’t find the words, Peter finds them for you. “Lost?”

He presses his forehead to yours as you nod softly. “This might not be the best time, but I think you’re a star.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning you shine the brightest amongst everyone else’s shadow. And your friends probably see you that way too. Also that I really, really want to take you out on a real date.”

“You were right, it’s terrible timing.” You fake pout, pretending as if your heart didn’t skip a beat at his words.

“Sorry, sorry!” Peter laughs, setting distance between the two of you once again. There is no inclination to pull him back, though; the space devoid of someone else finally feels comfortable.

“My answer is yes, by the way, you can take me out on a real date. Unfortunately no blackmail this time, though, I think I'm gonna quit that dumb internship.”

Both of you share a fit of affectionate laughter. The temperate scent of food merges with that of the flowers and caresses your senses as Peter opens the box of pizza. “If they ever make fun of you for not being rich, we can always stage one of them as Spider-Man. We'll even get $1,000 from it, then you'll actually be rich."

“I’ll take you up on that offer, Spidey.”

[rxzennia]

smile for the camera

– requested.

✎𓂃 chase you down until you love me. allusions to violence, creepy behavior (stalking, filming without consent, etc.), overall dark content. aventurine, my baby boy, when will i finally e6 you ;;;;;;; bronya came home ;;;;;;;; surely next time ;;;;;;;;; how will i pull sunday now ;;;;;; (oops forgot to post this yesterday)

aventurine. 

the shining star on stage, the man as sweet as honey, the apple of your eye–

the object of your obsession.

every time you see him on stage, your heart beats so hard that you thought you'd go into cardiac arrest

if only he'd look your way for even one second…!

unfortunately, no, he doesn't know you

but you know him better than anyone <3

on top of the merch collection you own as a dutiful fan, you also have a bunch of private stuff

less than appropriate photos, a literal wall full of them.

they're even made into polaroids and all! look at how devoted you are <3

you're proud to say that you've seen more than the average fanatical fan

(which, you know, isn't something you really should be proud about…)

but yeah! you're pretty famous in a certain fan circle!

that said, your collection is mostly private. mostly.

especially the more intimate recordings, you would die before you let anyone else see them

"thank you again for agreeing to appear in our variety show," you say, standing up and offering him a handshake, "i'll be responsible for your publicity where our station is involved. i think we'll be seeing each other often."

aventurine watches you with suspicious eyes – he doesn't trust reporters, any of them – as he takes a sip of his iced latte. "the pleasure is all mine," he replies with a friendly smile, taking your hand firmly, "i look forward to working with you."

lies. all lies.

his smile is fake. faker than the acrylic nails on your colleagues.

(at least he smiled at you)

but you understand, don't you? 

to you, he's the brightest sun who lights up your world

but to him, you're just another face in the crowd of journalists following him around

another pesky camera trying to intrude on his personal life

and all you want to do is just whisk him away from this sea of reporters

rid him of all the pests

but you can't. not yet, anyways.

it hurts

it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts

then again, what's love without a little bit of pain?

you can take it, right? it's all just temporary! 

everything will be worth it once you wriggle your way into his good graces!

oh, aeons above, you can hardly control yourself when filming begins. aventurine, looking all dolled up and perfect as he acts according to the script, laughing and jabbing at his fellow actors. 

it takes all of your willpower to not excuse yourself to the bathroom every half an hour. shit, aventurine looks so hot when he's annoyed… not that he isn't always hot; the mere sight of him is enough to drive you crazy. aah, you're about to turn into mush just by working with him… how will you survive getting even closer to him? 

you'll try, of course you will, but any kind of physical closeness with him just has your legs giving out in the best ways possible – ways that recording him in his own home just can't compare. aventurine must be some kind of wizard, having you under his spell like this without even knowing you, having you more than happy to remove the bothersome drones surrounding him without expecting anything in return except maybe another look in your direction.

indeed, the number of paparazzi tailing him has been decreasing(?)

he sure feels like there are less eyes on him(?)

is he tripping, or is he tripping

since when did these crazy stalkers know when to quit????

but it is true! he is seeing less of them around????

how????? no amount of money he's burned has managed to get rid of them????

wait, you did say that you'll be in charge of him where the variety show is concerned

…this isn't your doing, is it?

surely not. your agency is nowhere big enough to fund any sort of legal action against all of them

let alone catching all the obsessed freaks on the internet

but it's nagging at him! something is very fucking wrong here!

he had some private investigators look into them (and you), but they came up with nothing

not much, anyway

the relentless journalists who were borderline intruding on his private life all resigned willingly…?

the stubborn delusional fans had stopped sending him rigged gifts…?

and they're telling him you've only been involved in legitimate reporting and administration…?

maybe you really aren't up to anything horrid, aventurine thinks, as he proceeded to have another group of investigators look into you, and they've turned up with nothing, too.

you're not a bad person, either, just a little awkward. as formal as you are, aventurine can see that you're flustered to be around him. a fan, perhaps? he's worked with many of his fans before, and it's far from uncommon to have one or two staff slightly nervous. 

it's not like he minds, as long as it doesn't affect your ability to do your job. and you're really good at yours, making sure every episode of the show is a success and every promotion in-between is executed flawlessly. you've also made sure no unauthorized filming happened during shooting, including during transport to and from the venue where fans would often gather, which is extremely rare. no wonder he soon started to seek you out to promote his comebacks and fan-events.

was acquiring friendship with the aventurine supposed to be this easy???

you're almost scared, with how he approached you first and offered you a position out of nowhere and told you that he liked the way you handled things

well, okay, you were hoping for something, but you didn't think he'd just come and give it to you

but you're not about to complain

it's one massive step closer to the pretty star who lights up your world

you're careful with how you interact with him, you can't have him getting bad vibes from you now!

you must not fumble the bag, you hear?! 

as you'd already known, it isn't hard to become friends when you work together often

what is hard is the next step

you're more than happy to take your time

there are many more reporters you'd prefer to never see again

would doing pest control gain you some favor? maybe?

oh, why does it matter – you were going to do it, anyway

maybe sneak your way into his heart while you're at it

live in his head rent free type shit 

took you a painstakingly long while, but you've finally managed to cultivate something more than friends with aventurine!

for the first time, you're inviting him over to your place! oh, no, you're going dizzy at the mere idea of aventurine stepping foot into your space. you can't wait, aeons, your stomach feels odd–

sorry chat i ran out of ideas but i didn't want to say "time skip"

and i'd have to declare this piece 18+ if i were to go any further on your excitement

you spent the entire morning putting away anything that could possibly incriminate you

including locking down a lot of rooms

you didn't even know you had bought this many hidden cameras…

anyways, into the drawer they go

the doorbell rings, and you quickly tidy yourself up before opening the door with a bashful little smile

today is the day you're going to confess to him!

he doesn't need to know any of the things you've done, or the lengths you've gone for him

but… if he just so happens to see how crazy you are for him…

you won't mind, in fact, you might even prefer it

then he won't take his eyes off you, even if his gaze will be tainted with fear

it's okay – you've long known that this love that you harbor isn't really "love" in the traditional sense

what you really need is his attention on you, you want to be his world, be on his mind, occupy his every waking moment with thoughts of you

it doesn't matter if he doesn't love you back right away

if you have to give this feeling a name…

"obsession"

but anyway, so you've also set something up that would lead him to one particular room

one of the tamer ones, if you will

because even you don't believe you should show anyone the other ones

(you've done the unspeakable *wink wink* in so many of them, holy shit)

you want him to see the depths of your love for him, how fervently you worship him

perhaps even the most debauched desires he amplifies in you

like i said, if i go any further, this will become nsfw

you'll see if curiosity kills the cat today; it's okay if it doesn't

either way, you'll be bagging this man

oh, is today your lucky day?

it appears that aventurine will be fucking around and finding out!

"what the fuck!?" aventurine starts, really taking in the wall filled with pictures and screenshots of text messages, threaded together by red strings and scribbles in crimson lipstick, and holy shit is that blood on the floor– 

he shouldn't have believed you, shouldn't have tried to pry, shouldn't have let curiosity get the best of him. had he learned nothing from being an idol? people can't be trusted, paparazzi are the worst, and crazy fans are out to get him. and guess what? you're the craziest fan of them all. "you're sick."

"i know." you wrap your arms around him, a lazy grin tugging at your lips – you've got your precious little star right where you want him, and you're never going to let him go. ever. "but what can i do? my heart beats so fast that i thought i'd die… i love you so much…" 

you pull him close, and aventurine can feel your heart thumping loudly against his back, the twisted affection you harbor for him overflowing and almost tangible. "you make me sick, baby," you purr, arms locking him in place, "so sick for you."

"don't call me 'baby'!" he tries to push you away, but you grab his hands and hold him ever tighter, like you want to crawl inside his skin and consume him inside out. "let me go!"

"ah, ah, don't do that." you warn with a firm squeeze on his wrists. "just be good and shine," you giggle, leaning in for a chaste kiss on his cheek, "i'll make sure you get all the attention and none of the stalking… except from me, of course."

wait, when did that camera get here!? and who set it up on a tripod!? fuck, you were the real danger all along!?

you turn him around and pull his lips wide with a gentle tug. against the backdrop of your wall of love and devotion, aventurine is still suspicious of you, but that's alright. now that you have him, there are countless more chances for you to convince him. many more opportunities for you to irrevocably intertwine your existence with his, to have him to acknowledge you.

"3, 2, 1… smile for the camera!"

[aboringredmop]

k still don't know how im gonna post the videos (YouTube? unlisted?someone please help) but I can't sleep so I thought it'd write down whatever I remember happening!

(edit: here's the full recording! )

Becky and Joe walked on stage wearing sunglasses and red leather jackets and threw 3 of the trio plushies into the crowd. didn't get one unfortunately but it's really cool some people got free plushies :)

they made this robot child called the Inspiration Child, who's clearly meant to be a nod to ai (can learn from our show and generate it's own content!)

they explained how they met (and had some dodgy animated retelling), and how they started with small projects like commercials and music videos, until they came up with designs of the trio (and a mysterious fourth fella)

they made the designs first, then made the set, then the song and finally wrote the script for creativity. red guy was just a red mop head with legs at first ("alien squid thing") but Joe put the red guy head on for shits and giggles once and Becky thought it was hilarious so they kept it in the show

they were really not expecting it to blow up, and when Sundance called because they wanted to show creativity Becky thought it was a scam caller lol

they talked about the kickstarter and the credit card fraud kid. the mailed him saying "hey maybe dont do that" but the kid didnt know how to undo it cuz he just found a website full of credit card information and went ham, so Becky and Joe had to contact kickstarter because people were pulling out of the funding because they thought the project was overfunded (kickstarter was very difficult to contact)

they also made (lighthearted) fun of nsfw fluffybird art ((no padlock 😔) "using OUR characters to act out their SICK FANTASIES" - Becky) and theorists, especially because most if not all of the webseries is just them fucking around.

Inspiration Child also says something along the lines of "wow what a cool show with a great message of how corrupt the media is. I hate the media!"

Becky and Joe had these rules to make the show as vague as possible (no pop culture references, no names, no swearing and way too much detail put into small things)(the duck guy drag queen absolutely obliterates the no swearing rule lol)

they talk about the pilot, how they focused too much on the story because they felt like they had to due to it being on the big screen now, and how it ended up ruining the atmosphere and such of the pilot. they did show the entire thing sped up but my phone sucks ass so I could not get it to focus correctly. I'll see what I can salvage so you people can dissect frames of your blorbo you're Legally Not Allowed To See (which is also the official reason we don't get the pilot)

also pilot concept art showed that Mean Steve is in fact just called Key

they showed a whole post-it wall full of ideas for the tv show. don't know how much I got on footage, but what stood out most to me were 2 episodes called Money and Christmas. Joe mentioned "clock in a wheelchair" specifically

also really fun fact. Becky made the Lesley suit during covid, and pretty much threatened Baker into writing a human character into the show to wear it. concept art also shows Lesley with a mask made out of the same fabric, don't know if this was part of the original suit tho

they showed Warrens old models (?). he was gonna be a wayy more ugly looking silicone pug-worm thing y'all got lucky with the bald fuck

lily and todney were directly based off of some cancelled show about two porcelain doll children with panda parents. do not for the life of me remember what it was called but Becky and Joe were very enthousiastic about it (UPDATE: Candy and Andy!)

international release of the show soon!

Inspiration Child talks about what he's learned and sings a little song, then generates his own dhmis inspired content of a cult meeting in a forest at night. the dhmis Discord server called this "potential new content" but I doubt it

3 cultists walk on stage, face the screen backs to the crowd, drop their cloaks and boom! drag queens!!!

they were not mentioned on the site or during earlier parts of the show at all so they were a complete surprise. I asked Becky about it later during the night and she said she really wanted them there, so she asked and they were excited to! hope this means more official content with them soon I love them

they dance to There's Three Of Us, then Duck lipsings the shredder song which turns into a techno remix while Red and Yellow dance during the background

then Duck and Yellow make out while Red tries to undress to the instrumentals of the Fucked Up Part of Creativity but can't get out of his suit on time before the song ends

the drag queens, Becky and Joe and the Inspiration Child walk around during the meet and greet later and I got signatures from all of them! except inspiration child he didn't have thumbs

the drag queens were so fucking funny. Duck adopted inspiration child and loudly yelled at everyone to "GET AWAY FROM MY FUCKING CHILD" (their duck voice is sooo good). yellow stood in a corner staring at a wall for like 10 minutes and red was constantly awkwardly hovering just outside the frames of pictures (and also could not see shit lmao)

Becky liked my shirt! (the one with the melting trio heads) said she handdrew it

I'll post the signatures and some more stuff tomorrow because it is. 5 am

edit Heres the signatures! yellow guys is Italian I think? and means hi I love you :)

(the liyskaen is duck trying to spell my name. they got pretty close)

[tinesleftnipple]

JITD Episode 11-12 (non-final) script synopsis

spoilers below

ep 9-10 here

Episode 11

Hospital. Xiao hanyang talking to Dong xiao qing (name will likely change). She is adamant that her father is innocent

LWZ in his study at home, searching up pei chengyu car crash. fm 88.6 starts to play macbeth

Zhou huaijin (name might change) gets kidnapped and wakes up to a camera in his face. His kidnapping is broadcasted on the news

SID are at the Zhou mansion. Videos of kidnapped ZHJ are being uploaded to the web.

Tao ze follows ZHJ's phone tracking to baisha lake. Another video appears online, of ZHJ being threatened with a knife. Zhou huaixin faints like a victorian lady

Yang bo arrives. ZHX is loud and claims yang bo to be the illegitimate son that kidnapped his big brother

Pei su points out the odd details of the kidnapper video. Another one drops - ZHJ being forced to read off a script: post the correct answer on the Zhou website. Does Zhou junmao have an illegitimate son? ZHX snatches a phone and posts "yes" to the website

Zheng kaifeng arrives. A new video appears, with the second question: are Zhou junmao's 3 charity funds used for show or for money laundering?

in the mansion, yang bo's driver confesses that he has been updating the kidnappers with police's investigation progress

Zheng kaifeng answers there is nothing wrong with the charity funds. Another video appears: zhj confesses that 2 of the 3 funds are used for money laundering

Tao ze and team spot the kidnapper truck in the lake, and rescue ZHJ.

Episode 12

Tao ze tells LWZ that the cargo door was unlocked when they went to rescue ZHJ

In the bathroom, Pei su confronts ZHX about his suspicious behaviour this entire time. ZHX claims he was the one behind the kidnapping and gets called out for questioning

LWZ asks Pei su what he was doing with ZHX in the bathroom (he is so jealous). Pei su tells him, and LWZ flicks the police badge on his chest, warning him to follow the rules while wearing this uniform. LWZ leaves to get back to work and Pei su watches him, then looks down and smiles. A beat later, the smile disappears and Pei su calls Du jia to investigate Yang bo

Xiao hanyang and Yang xin are leaving from Dong xiao qing's apartment building. People outside gossiping about the case and are concerned that they live in the same neighborhood with a killer. Yang xin says no matter how big the case, people will forget with time. But the people involved will never forget

Dong xiaoqing receives a package at the door. Inside is a photo of her deceased mother and a bunch of other stuff

Yang bo, ZHX, and Zheng kaifeng are being questioned. LWZ's phone pings with a new notification: an update on macbeth. Flashbacks to Pei su's voice: everyone thought malcolm and donalbain killed their father. Who doesn't want to kill ZHJ, but wants to kill Zhou junmao? Flashback to Tao ze: if Julien is Zhou hongchuan, then who is Macbeth?

Lan qiao checking airport cameras to see how ZHJ got kidnapped. ZHJ is seen getting on a taxi not in the taxi pickup section but in the parking lot. DNA results are back and show no relation between Yang bo and Zhou junmao

Pei su in Du ju's office. He wants permission to view some old cases. Du crosses out some that were part of the old “picture album" project.

In the car, LWZ explaining the project to Pei su: it was a collection of cases that were to be analyzed from a criminal psychology pov, but during this process, they began to find new suspects. As a result, the project came to an abrupt stop. After that, the new suspects started disappearing/dying in various accidents, that could only be explained by premeditated murder. The investigative team pinpointed a suspect behind these murders - someone involved in the picture album project. LWZ doesn't know who that person is, but it seems like they're dead

It's Pei su's turn now to tell the truth. lwz asks him why he wants in on the re-amping of the picture album project. They're sitting in the crowded front seats of the car, only a few fists' distance apart, yet it seems like an icy thick wall separates them. Pei su's eyes shine faintly. LWZ can almost hear the layers of doors inside Pei su's heart opening one by one, its owner calmly deciding which ones to open, how much to expose, in exchange for what he wants

The phone rings and it's ZHJ wanting to leave the hospital. Pei su and LWZ head over

Media are crowded outside the hospital. ZHX wheels his older brother ZHJ out. Dong xiao qing approaches them with a bouquet of flowers wanting to apologize. From behind the bouquet she pulls out a knife and in a split second ZHX pushes the wheelchair out of the way and is stabbed.

LWZ chases after dong while Pei su remains at the hospital. Dong reveals to LWZ that her father wasn't innocent, that he's one of "them". At her apartment, a person burns her final letter. Dong xiao qing gets hit by a car and dies on the spot

Pei su watches ZHX get wheeled into emergency room. Flash to: Pei su stepping silently towards the door of the basement. Voiceover of Pei su's mother calling out to him. Voiceover of Pei chengyu saying "can you feel pain?" Sound of a woman begging and crying from behind the door. Through the cracks, Pei su sees a projector, shadows of people, dying, expanses of red. A woman's voice calls out "no, don't go looking for Pei su!" Pei su pushes open the door and the basement is gone. Pei su can only see his mother lying on the floor, blood seeping. Her eyes stare straight into him. "Pei su, this is all your fault." Scene fades to black. Sound of the spinning necklace continues.

[lostryu]

Hey. Now that Joe Biden is out of the running for presidency;

I think all the "vote blue no matter who" crowd should genuinely consider other candidates other than democrats at this point for presidential elections.

While it is important to look at local elections, for the presidential running, I encourage you to look Jill Stein for presidency. I am personally doing research into her myself, but historically she has been against the genocide in Palestine, if her tweets are anything to go by. She is also wanting to move America towards fully green energy and move away from fossil fuel funding, and has been on record to wanting to cut the military budget.

I will admit that she is not perfect just like all candidates. She did historically support Brexit. There rumors of her being anti-vaxx, but I could not find any concrete evidence to prove it (as of 07/21/24, and it appears to have been a smear campaign).

I genuinely think the Democratic party is a mess at this point, and this late into the campaign it is going to be hard to lobby for a new candidate. I think if enough people spread information regarding other candidates under other parties, we could flip the script.

Why settle for a 2 party system that clearly has not been working and has been a re-occurring ratchet effect when we could force for there to be more options? Personally, it is still going to be a tough choice for me. However I know that I would rather move towards ending genocide NOW instead of watching Biden and Kamala play both sides in genocide.

[heykoonsy]

Word Count: 4k+

Pairing: Husk x Angel Dust (HuskerDust/AngelHusk), some Angel Dust x OC sprinkled in for flavor

Summary: “Give him everything but your ass.” Angel Dust was tasked with one job: convince the investor to subsidize Valentino’s agency. Angel was more of a closer to Valentino, enticing the wealthier of his associates into funding projects for him. However, this latest pitch didn’t go as planned and Angel’s hubris prevented him from seeing the potential drawbacks of a one night stand with someone Valentino marked. In this slow burn love story, Angel must confront the worst parts of himself if he is going to win back his career.

Content Warnings: Rated 18+ for foul language & threatening dialogue

Author's Note: The HuskerDust content from the new series is giving me life. I am literally eviscerated every time I see them.

Angel lay on the bed of the set, his lingerie ripped to pieces and his stiletto heels draped off the side of the duvet. He was sitting up on his elbows, his eyes scanning the rest of the studio. He saw a mound of editors, techs and stage hands all huddled around the editing bay with Vercelli in the center. They’d been trying to fix something for the last ten minutes and every minute that passed pushed Angel closer and closer to walking off set. This shoot seemed doomed from the start. 

He’d been working with Vercelli for the last few days now on his latest script–”his masterpiece”–everyone was calling it. Personally, Angel didn’t see anything to go crazy over, but his opinion didn’t really matter with these sorts of things. Valentino decided from the moment he read it that Angel would be playing the lead. And what Val wants, he gets. It made sense, as Angel had just finished up his last scene for the picture Guerrero was putting together. While his team edited down what footage they were able to capture, Angel took a few nights off.

Vercelli spent the last few weeks editing the script and working out quirks with the staging, desperate to make this his most ambitious film yet. After Angel was handed a finalized script, he sat on the sidelines as his team rushed to design the sets. Everything was moving rather slowly–which Angel blamed on Vercelli’s poor management style. Granted, he wasn’t as aggressive with his team as Guerrero–and not as motivated as Brut. He was somewhere in the middle regarding talent. He was far from the worst, but a far cry from the best in the business. However, to some, he was doing groundbreaking work.

Angel looked to his right, where he could feel eyes lingering on him. He’d felt them every day that he’d been on set. He’d felt them when he was running lines with his co-star. Even when he was walking past everyone to get to his dressing room. Angel knew better than to make direct eye contact with the gaze’s owner. That would just lead to another conversation he didn’t want to have. Instead, Angel acted like he was stretching his neck waiting for Vercelli to resume his stage directions. 

Angel was kept waiting, and the eyes on him persisted. 

“Xy,” Angel called out.

“Yes, Angel?” Xy prompted, her head poking out from the crowd around Vercelli. She appeared in front of him in a matter of seconds. 

“Is this gonna take any longer?” Angel asked as politely as he could. 

Xy looked over at the group crowded around the editing bay. She shook her head. “I’m not sure. Could I get you some water?”

Angel shook his head. “No, that’s alright.”

“I’ll ask him if you can leave set at least. The A/C is really cranked today.” Xy reassured him with a small touch on his shoulder and went running back to the group. 

Angel sighed, understanding that as good as Xy was at her job, there was no way she would be able to pry their attention away. Which meant that he was stuck here. 

It would be different if he weren’t so exposed. Strange sentiment coming from the mind of a porn-star, who’s whole job supported and appreciated nudity. But it was exactly how he felt–exposed. He wasn’t in the middle of a sex scene, he wasn’t posing nude for a couple of good stills. He was just lying there on a bed, his torn tights revealing a large bit of his ass. He didn’t have a shirt on, the black girdle he wore covering most of his midsection and leaving the fluff of his chest bare. He’d long since ditched his panties–which he’d tossed to someone in Wardrobe off set. 

Which just left him and the all-encompassing stares of his watcher from the right. 

“Okay, fixed. Angel, you hanging in there?” Vercelli asked, peeking up at Angel from the editing bay. 

Angel Dust snapped to attention. “Yupp, all good here,” Angel lied, a wide smile sliding across his face as he raised his leg in a pointe. 

Vercelli clapped his hands together, signifying that they were resuming the scene. “Okay, to recap, you’ve just torn up your own tights, you’re preparing yourself for–

“Light four is down again, sir.”

Vercelli dropped his script on the floor and it made a loud smack as it collided with the linoleum. “This fucking light,” he said under his breath. 

“Sir, may I escort Angel back to his room?” Xy asked, a cold sweat forming on her brow. 

Vercelli paused a moment and looked at Angel. “Fine, fine. Take a break Angel, we’ll call for you.” He closed his eyes to collect himself. “Beck!” He shouted. 

Beck came out of nowhere to answer his call. “Yes, sir?”

“Get me Valentino. This is ridiculous. My greatest work yet and this fucking light–

“Light two is down.”

Before Vercelli had a chance to slide everything off the editing desk, Xy whisked Angel away to his dressing room. Angel wasted no time at all saying his goodbyes to her at the door and slamming it shut. He was desperate to have something separating himself and those eyes he felt were glued to every inch of his exposed flesh. He locked the door, peace filling his mind once he realized that he had true protection now. 

Until he heard a soft knock on his door. 

Fuck.

“Who is it?” Angel cooed, his voice raising slightly to come off as flirty in case it wasn’t who he thought it was.

“Angel Dust,” Tezan sang the syllables of his name. “You gonna let me in?”

Angel felt a shiver run down his spine. No. “Sure, suga, just let me get decent,” he cooed. 

Tezan made a noise in the back of his throat outside the door. “No need, sweetheart.”

Angel Dust threw on his longest, fuzziest pink robe and went to the door. He took a second to prepare himself. A deep inhale, a wide smile, happy eyes. He wasn’t creeped out. He wasn’t creeped out. Angel unlocked the door silently and swung it open. He put a hand on his hip and gestured for Tezan to come inside. 

“How did you like the shoot?” Angel asked. “Despite all the technical difficulties,” he added quietly.

“I can’t say I’ve ever been on a real set before,” Tezan said, waltzing past Angel. “It was very,” he paused behind Angel, looking over his shoulder and down at what little of his chest remained uncovered, “illuminating.”

Angel did his best not to cringe. He left the door of his dressing room wide open, instead choosing to cross the room and move towards one of the dressers that held a small collection of spirits. Angel selected a wine bottle from the front–a congratulatory bottle from Val for completing Geurrero’s film. He raised it, showing it off to Tezan. 

“Some wine while we wait?” 

Tezan sat on the chair beside Angel’s vanity. “Sure,” he said. 

Angel poured two glasses quickly and handed one off to Tezan. “Here ya go.”

Tezan nodded in acknowledgement. “Vercelli wasn’t kidding, this really is some of his best work.”

Angel nodded. “How long have you been following his career? I haven’t starred in much of his films–but Valentino insisted that I give this role some of the ol’ Angel flare.”

Tezan took a sip of his wine. “I agree,” he said. “There’s just something about you in ripped tights.”

Angel Dust smiled reflexively. “You a fan of these legs’a mine?”

Tezan didn’t answer, instead choosing to meet Angel’s eyes. There was a certain heat in them that Angel recognized. They weren’t the eyes of a regular onlooker–plenty of investors had come to see Angel work and he’d had no trouble. Even his most die-hard fans knew when talent was traveling–but Tezan was different. He wasn’t just an investor, he was a consumer. And everything in his gaze told Angel Dust that he was prey.

From the way his eyes followed him around the room, to the way he lingered around the corners of the set. Always close–but never arising suspicion. In fact, this moment in Angel’s dressing room was the first time Tezan had done this. And of course no one outside was any the wiser. Tezan merely looked like someone Angel Dust had a long standing relationship with. 

“When is your next film coming out?” 

Angel took a moment to think about it. “Guerrero launches it a week from today. I did all the promos for it before Val signed me on with Vercelli.”

Tezan nodded. “You’re havin’ no trouble pickin’ up work since Val ditched that wannabe.”

Angel pressed the wine glass to his lips, getting a sample of the yellow liquid before pulling it away. He swirled the wine in his cup for a moment, eyes going half-lidded. “Oh honey, I neva have trouble pickin’ up work,” Angel leaned against the dresser behind him and crossed his legs at the ankle. 

“That would have changed if Val had kept Brut on the payroll. Beck told me he was signing some lackluster talent.”

“Tread lightly,” Angel warned, playing off his obvious anger with manufactured pride, “he signed me afterall.”

Tezan took a pull on his glass, “That he did.”

Angel raised his eyebrows and slowly sipped his glass of wine. He swallowed quickly. Huh, he thought, bitter for a Moscato.

Angel Dust was on his way out of the studio when he stopped abruptly in the lobby. He looked through the glass doors–his eyes catching the shadowed silhouette of Tezan outside having a smoke. Angel could only guess why he was waiting outside so he turned around to head back to the elevator. 

The doors opened swiftly and he pressed the button for the top floor–Valentino’s floor. He waited patiently in the elevator, listening to the soft music play before the doors opened again. He stepped out, legs carrying him to Val’s office. 

“Angel,” Jax said. There was no alarm in his tone, because nothing truly surprised Jax, but Angel could tell that he was curious as to why he was here. 

“Hey,” Angel said, stopping before him. “Is Val in?” Angel already knew the answer, but he waited for one anyway. 

“He is currently unavailable.”

“But he’s in,” Angel said, affirming what they both knew. He stepped past Jax and opened the door to Val’s office. Jax protested, but there was little time for him to intervene as Angel had already disappeared behind the door. 

“Angel,” Valentino sneered, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Angel crossed his office, his heels clacking as he made his way to Val’s desk.

“I heard there was trouble on set today,” Val said, picking up Angel’s side of the conversation. “Is that what has you all bothered?”

Angel stopped in front of Val, hands going on his hips. “The lights were Vercelli’s headache today, not mine.” 

Valentino sat back in his chair, resting his foot on his knee. “And what was your headache Angel baby?”

Angel Dust looked at Val right in the eye, “Our newest investor is a fan of mine.”

Val chuckled, “So I’ve heard. He’s visited you everyday this week. What a spell you’ve got him under.”

Angel rested his palms on Valentino’s desk. “He can’t keep visiting me.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“I don’t like him,” Angel said, furrowing his brow. 

Valentino nodded his head. He put down his leg and pushed his chair out from under his desk. “Hmm,” he said absentmindedly as he stood. “You don’t like him.” Valentino turned around so his back was towards Angel.

“He’s distracting me,” Angel Dust said, eyes following Val as he began turning around. 

Valentino’s hand swept backwards as he turned around–the back of his palm colliding with Angel’s cheek. “The next time you tell me what to do with my investors, you’ll get more than one.”

Angel stood up straight, his eyes glued to the floor.

“Why don’t you remind me why we’re working with that low-level scum in the first place?” Valentino asked–his tone venomous.

Angel said nothing, he didn’t move.

Valentino did not like that, he slammed his hands down on his desk. “Tell me why we’re working with him!” He yelled.

Angel flinched. “Because I fucked up,” Angel admitted quietly. 

Valentino grabbed Angel’s chin roughly and pulled him close. He got so close Angel could smell his last cigarette. “Because you fucked up,” Val said through clenched teeth.

He released Angel roughly and he clattered backwards. 

“Get out of my office,” Val said.

Angel kept his head down as he walked towards the door. He opened it quickly and closed it behind himself. Angel didn’t bother stopping to chat with Jax–he’d probably heard the entire exchange. All he wanted to do was put as much distance between him and Val as he could. 

When Angel got back to the hotel, he went straight to his room–not bothering to greet anyone. Not that there was anyone to greet that afternoon. He stalked up the stairs–needing to blow off some steam–even after walking all the way home. Luckily he hadn’t run into Tezan outside. He must have left before Angel had come out. Thank fuck.

Angel went inside his room and locked the door behind him. He started undressing immediately, throwing his clothes across the room in organized piles on the floor. They ranged from rank, to soiled, to worn-once, and finally clean. It wasn’t a good system, but it was a system nonetheless. 

Angel Dust looked around for his pink sweatpants–eager to get into something comfy so he could loaf around in self-pity. Before he started getting irrationally angry, he heard some soft oinking in the corner. Fat Nuggets revealed himself from one of Angel’s piles. 

“Aw, Nugs, you found my pants!” Angel said happily. “I should have known they’d be in the pajama pile.”

Fat Nuggets jumped out of the way so that Angel could throw his pants on. Next, he tossed on an old black t-shirt. He collapsed onto his bed and Fat Nuggets joined him, hopping onto bed and begging for pats. 

Angel conceded, giving his chin a scratch absentmindedly. But pig-lovin’ didn’t scratch that itch Angel had. He needed booze after a day like this one. His first thought was Cherri–they hadn’t talked much since Angel ghosted her after fucking over Agony and Brut. If he called her up wanting to drink he’d have to fill her in on all the bullshit. And that was if she wanted to hear anything he had to say.

He sat up, grabbing his phone from inside his purse and looking at their last conversation. 

Damn bitch get it!

Angel frowned, remembering their conversation. Prior to Spitzers, before Tezan–before everything went sour. Well, he supposed it was always sour, but there were just enough sugar cubes in the lemonade to keep him sipping. Angel tucked his phone into his pocket and sat up, displacing Fat Nuggets enough for him to protest. 

“Come on Nugs, follow Daddy,” Angel beckoned, his voice high. 

Fat Nuggets did as requested and when Angel opened the door to his bedroom, he followed him down the hallway and to the elevator. It wasn’t five minutes before Angel was skirting through the lobby and to his seat at the bar. His seat, Angel scoffed. It was just the same stool he happened to grab each time he sat down with Husk.

“Husky, baby,” Angel said, waving him over once he got comfortable.

Husk looked over, his eyes already narrowed from the trials of the day. Despite the look on his face, Husk made his way right over. 

“I was wonderin’ if you were gonna make your way down tonight.” Husk said absently as he tossed a hand towel over his shoulder. 

Angel leaned in, covering his lips with his hand like he was keeping his next sentence a secret from the ghosts in the room, “Careful Husky, people are gonna think you like me.”

Husk shook his head. “You’re right, can’t have that.”

Angel rested his elbows on the bar, watching as Husk placed a pair of shot glasses and a pair of drinking glasses in between them.

“What will it be tonight?” Husk asked, hands going on either side of the glasses waiting patiently for Angel’s response. 

Angel made a face like he was indecisive. “Hmm,” he said. “Hit me with the Pirate’s Booty or whatever.”

Husk rolled his eyes, “The Pirate’s Treasure,” he corrected him. 

“Yeah, yeah, that one,” Angel smiled from ear to ear.

“Last time I made you that you couldn’t walk.”

Angel Dust put a hand up to dismiss him. “You still think I’m a lightweight?”

Husk smirked. “Tell ya what, if you can win it, then it’s yours.”

“Woah woah woah, winnin’ sounds like work,” Angel said.

Husk took a minute and assembled his “game”. He took three jiggers and placed them on the bar. Then he grabbed a napkin and crumpled it up into a tight ball. Angel looked dumbfounded at the mess he’d laid out before him. He raised an eyebrow. 

“Did I win?” Angel asked, being an ass.

Husk then got to work making three shots. Angel was happy to report that he recognized every single one of them. First, a standard green tea shot, then the Naughty Neapolitan, and of course, the star of the show: the Pirate’s Treasure. Then, Husk assembled three shots of water, tonic and sour mix.

Husk grabbed the jiggers and lined them up in a row. Then, when he was sure Angel was paying attention, he began explaining. “I’ll hide the ball under one of my cups–you guess which one is hiding it. You guess right, you get a shot.”

Angel smirked. “Sounds fun,” he said. “Alright, I’m game, but you betta get ready to make a whole lot of shots.”

Husk chuckled. “Yeah kid, I’m ready.”

Angel made a gesture for Husk to start. Angel concentrated on the three jiggers, watching as Husk hid it under the middle one. Then, in an instant, Husk began moving the jiggers seemingly in unison, switching their places with practiced precision. Angel watched in horror as he realized that he might just be severely outmatched. 

Husk paused, “Which one has the ball?”

Angel looked up at him, the betrayal he felt reflecting on his visage. 

Husk choked on a laugh. “What? Too fast for ya?” 

“You didn’t tell me that you were a savant.” 

“You got a one-in-three chance, those are some good odds.”

Angel sighed and chose the jigger on his right. “That one,” he said with as much confidence as he had in that moment: zero.

Husk smiled wickedly, and when he raised the jigger, Angel saw no napkin ball. Without skipping a beat, Husk took the green tea shot. 

“Hey hey woah, I thought those were for me?”

“If you win, if not they go to me.” Husk handed off the shot of water to Angel.

Angel huffed and crossed his arms. “Alright, next round. I’m playing seriously this time.”

“You weren’t already?”

Angel didn’t answer, instead he focused on Husk’s hands as they moved furiously on the bar. When he stopped, Angel pointed to the center jigger. 

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” Angel narrowed his eyes. 

Husk pulled the jigger up and there was no ball again. “Tonic for you,” he said with a shit-eating grin. 

Angel growled, “Next round.”

Husk chuckled as Angel struggled to pick a jigger. 

“You’re not allowed to laugh at me,” Angel said, trying to replay Husk’s movements in his mind to visualize where the ball was. 

They had been playing this game for nearly an hour and Angel had only won a handful of shots. Four green tea shots, one Naughty Neapolitan and zero Pirate’s Treasures. He’d taken countless shots of water, tonic and sour mix–and frankly, he was getting tired of it. The worst part of the game was the more Angel won, the worse he played–while Husk only got better. 

The alcohol seemed to make him looser, and his hands slid across the bar faster and lighter than they had before. This round, Angel wasn’t sure how he could possibly choose the right jigger. Everything went so fast. He wondered if he should just guess instead of trying to be logical about it. 

“Giving up?” Husk asked.

Angel glared up at him. “Absolutely not,” he said, and chose the jigger to his left. “This one.”

Husk had genuine shock on his face when he pulled up the jigger and the napkin ball was resting beneath it. “Huh, did you guess?”

Angel smiled, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Husk smirked and slid over Angel’s first Pirate’s Treasure of the night. “You earned it.” 

Angel smiled as he grabbed the shot glass. He downed it in seconds–slamming the shot onto the table when done. “Fuck yeah, I did!” He scooted in his stool, which caught Husk’s attention. 

“Leaving so soon?”

“Huh?” Angel said, clearly caught off guard. “Nah, just adjusting. Fat Nuggets is right below me.”

“So that’s where he went,” Husk said absentmindedly. “Do you want a cocktail next?”

Angel hmm’d and ha’d for a moment before he decided that yes, he did want a cocktail. “Malibu Bay Breeze,” he said happily.

Husk made quick work of the drink and in moments, it was standing before Angel.

Angel slid it over and took an excited sip. “You have no idea how much I missed this,” he sighed. “I went to a bar some levels down and it was the worst thing I’ve eva put in my mouth.”

Husk’s ears perked up at that. “Oh yeah?”

“Would I lie to you?”

Husk shrugged, “Must have been a shit-place if they can’t get a Bay Breeze right.”

Angel played with the ice in his drink by swirling it with his straw. “Only thing worse was the company. I was on a job.”

Husk didn’t say anything, merely cleaned up the aftermath of their game. But, just because he wasn’t responding did not mean that he was uninterested in what Angel had to say. As much time as they spent together, Angel picked up on a few things. 

Their silences were never uncomfortable–Angel realized that immediately. If there was a lull, by no means did either of them need to fill the silence with more chatter. Topics came and went as simply as breathing. Angel also noticed that when he was sitting at the bar with Husk, he didn’t have to put on airs. Where he would normally lie through his teeth before, he didn’t bother masking things or sugar-coating. If work sucked, he said it sucked. 

Oh, and he also figured out Husk’s tell. That was worth noting. 

“Who had the pleasure of ruining your day?”

Angel groaned just thinking about the disaster that was his work life. “A new investor for Mista Valentino. He’s a jealous man for someone who has so much.”

Husk nodded like he understood. Which, even if he didn’t, was a comfort. 

“He’s been up my ass at the studio,” Angel complained, “but he’s got a lot of sway with Val right now.”

Husk nodded along.

Angel rested his head on the bar. He needed to think of some way he could fight against Tezan when he was at the studio. If he had to be in the same building as him, he could at least try and play some offense. Problem was, Angel had no idea what to do. How do you avoid someone that can literally go wherever they please?

“There’s not much I can do to get away from him,” he closed his eyes. 

“Then don’t ‘get away’,” Husker said without looking towards him. 

Angel picked his head up from the bar. “What?”

“He can’t get you alone if you’re surrounded by people.”

Angel took a moment to think that through–despite all the shots swirling around in his stomach. Huh, he thought, surround himself. Husk had a point, Tezan couldn’t be up his ass if everyone was around. He’d be in the way–which was not what you could be when you worked for Valentino. 

Angel nodded, “That’s a good idea. Thanks.”

Husk shrugged his shoulders, “No problem.”

[ PREVIOUS ] [ MASTERLIST ] [ NEXT ]

[chaiandtakkar]

The Case of the Smoldering Rivalry

For years, no, decades, Chotiwala Restaurant had reigned supreme as the undisputed, benevolent sponsor of exactly ₹300 for the annual Ramlila Mahotsav.

It was tradition. A sacred pact. A bond between history and perfectly fried kachodis.

It was, of course, entirely immaterial that Khushiji was now the president of the Ramlila committee. Completely. Utterly. Immaterial.

And yet, this year…

A betrayal so deep, poets would weep.

A treason so severe, even Raavan himself would shake his many heads in disapproval.

A dagger in the heart of tradition, dipped in the chutney of deceit.

Because there, standing smugly in the middle of the Ramlila ground, was Advay Go-swami, owner of Asli Chotiwala Dhaba, a name so audaciously similar to Arnav’s Chotiwala Restaurant that it might as well have been a crime.

Advay not-a-ji had taken the prime exhibition space. The one that had, by divine right and well-fed committee members, always belonged to Arnav Swami.

And to make matters worse, Advay was currently leaning toward Khushiji, all smiles and charm, as if he belonged there.

Arnav clenched his jaw.

Advay Goswami’s shameless behavior was…

Unacceptable.

“Swami Ji, why are you standing behind me like a statue?” Khushi glanced at him, adjusting the stack of Ramlila script in her hands.

Arnav narrowed his eyes at Advay, who was still there, still smiling, and, by the looks of it, still breathing near Khushiji’s personal space.

“I was just admiring the… architectural flaws of the tent,” Arnav muttered.

Khushi blinked. “The tent?”

“Yes. The poles look structurally unsound,” he added grimly. “Might collapse any second.”

Advay chuckled. CHUCKLED.

And for extra effect, polished his nails on his kurta like a villain savoring victory.

“Swami Ji,” he drawled, “it’s a shame we didn’t meet earlier. I would’ve asked for your advice on tent stability.”

Arnav grit his teeth. “I’m sure you would have.”

And then, as if to brandish his victory, Advay gestured to the giant banner behind him:

ASLI CHOTIWALA DHABA OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF RAMLILA 1998

The words burned.

“I must say, Khushiji has been so kind,” Advay continued smoothly, flashing his teeth. 

Too many teeth. Suspicious. 

“Without her support, I wouldn’t have gotten this prime location.”

Arnav turned to Khushi.

Khushi, suddenly fascinated by the sky, avoided his gaze.

A terrible suspicion took root.

“Khushiji,” Arnav said, slow and measured, “did you… approve this?”

Khushi squirmed. “Well… see… it’s not like we didn’t want Chotiwala Restaurant, but Advay Ji..”

“Advay Ji?” Arnav echoed. 

“...offered extra funds for the sound system!” Khushi cut in quickly. 

Advay smiled. 

A villainous, conceited, obviously evil smile. 

“I simply wanted to support the arts, Swami Ji.”

Arnav’s eye twitched.

Arts, my foot.

This was war.

The battle lines had been drawn.

If they wanted war, war they would get !!!!

A man had to do what man had to do.

He worked through the night. 

Milk was boiled like his rage. Saffron was sprinkled like the ashes of his ruined legacy. A lone veena played..,no, no, an entire sangeet mandli of fury played in his mind.

The air smelled of triumph.

By morning, right at the entrance of the Ramlila ground, Chotiwala dhaba unveiled the largest Kulfi counter in Ramlila history.

It was a spectacle.

A monument to chilled desserts. 

A counter so massive that whispers spread through the crowd.

“Did you hear? Swami Ji’s counter has over 21 flavors of kulfi!”

Only Arnav knew there was a No. 22.

A new secret flavor. 

The taste of vengeance.

“I heard it’s so good, even Meghnath himself came back for seconds.”

“Did you know Swami Ji sources saffron from a secret Himalayan valley blessed by saints?”

“Wait… is that… a giant rotating matka of malai kulfi?!”

Khushi gasped when she saw it.

“Swami Ji,” she breathed, still clutching her Ramlila script, “you… you did all this?”

Arnav crossed his arms, gaze unwavering and victorious. 

“We must support the arts.”

Advay Goswami’s face fell.

Because even a man with a stolen prime location couldn’t compete with endless, creamy, saffron-infused kulfi.

The war had been won.

Later that night, when the Ramlila ground twinkled with fairy lights and laughter, Khushi approached Arnav’s stall, absently brushing her fingers along the edge of the counter.

“The kulfi is a big hit,” she said, watching the crowd gathered around.

Arnav shrugged. “People appreciate quality.”

Khushi hummed, picking up a kesariya kulfi. She took a slow bite, eyes drifting over the festive scene before settling on him for just a moment longer than necessary.

“A lot of effort,” she murmured, “for a simple counter.”

Arnav glanced at her, then back at the kulfi in her hand. 

“It was a… necessary business expansion.”

Khushi licked a stray drop of kulfi from her thumb. "And?"

Arnav cleared his throat. “Some things are worth the effort.”

Khushi took a bite, sighed in happiness, and then smiled at him.

A small, understated smile.

The kind that wasn’t loud or obvious. The kind that wasn’t for show.

The kind that made a man feel like he had just won more than a kulfi war.

Arnav exhaled, relaxing for the first time that evening.

And when Khushi handed him the kulfi, nudging it toward him like a quiet acknowledgement, he took it.

Because some battles weren’t about territory.

Some battles were about winning where it truly mattered.

And tonight?

Arnav Swami had won.

(Of course, just as Khushiji’s friend.)

Also on the blog here and Wattpad here

[merelymatt]

To get my upcoming audio drama I Need A Miracle off the page and into the airwaves, I decided against the indie production scramble where everyone donates their time, and against crowdfunding – and instead I basically sent the scripts to @wirelesstheatre and said "What'll it cost to make this happen?", then compared that number to my savings and said "Ok, let's do this".

(It was obviously more businesslike than that, but that was the basic maths of it on my side.)

Here's why I didn't do it those other ways this time:

Why not the indie production scramble?

Scraping it together on a shoestring. Buttonholing friends to perform, using whatever recording equipment I already have to hand, doing as much of the production as possible myself and begging favours for the parts I can't.

In some ways this would have been the easiest option. It doesn't rely on anyone else's approval, or involve putting any new infrastructure together.

But! For me, for I Need A Miracle specifically, this was the option of absolute last resort, for various reasons.

First and foremost, I already have one podcast (@merelyroleplayers) that I run on this basis. I already ask a lot of my friends to perform on that show for nothing, on the promise it'll be fun and I'll buy everyone a pint afterwards. I think you only get one of those, or you should only get one. If you run every project like this, especially if you're calling on the same people each time, it starts getting exploitative.

Second, I'm trying not to exploit myself either, by which I mean, I've put work into writing this series (admittedly on spec), I think it's worthwhile, and I'd like to see if I can make some money in return for that work. And if one person involved in a project is getting paid, everyone should be getting paid.

Why not crowdfund?

There are sub-options within this option: subscriptions and patronage-style funding (like Patreon, Ko-Fi or Gumroad) and up-front project-based funding (like Kickstarter, Indiegogo or Seed & Spark).

I actually have been weighing up the idea of a Patreon or Ko-Fi for a while, not for I Need A Miracle specifically, but for @foggyoutline in general. At the beginning it would effectively be a Merely Roleplayers subscription, because that's currently the only Foggy Outline show. But if enough people pay a bit a month for bonuses like uncut episodes, that could help fund new projects like I Need A Miracle, which could bring in more listeners and more patrons, whose contributions could help fund the next thing, and so on.

But the problem I would have with any kind of crowdfunding model is, right now I'm only pulling a small crowd! I'm an unknown writer, Foggy Outline is an unknown player at least in audio drama. And it seems like to succeed with a crowdfunding campaign, you really need your audience already built and poised to give you money.

If I Need A Miracle takes off and finds its audience, the kudos off that might make crowdfunding an option for the next thing. But I just wasn't confident it would succeed for this show, at least without a load of spend on a consultant and advertising (which then eats into the campaign proceeds).

So go on then, where is the money actually coming from

Me! Supplemented by my Foggy Outline business partners, who are also my Mum and Dad. But the majority of the production costs for I Need A Miracle are coming out of my savings.

This is one of the reasons I prioritised I Need A Miracle over other audio drama projects I'm working on: because it's simple enough that I felt confident I could cover the costs myself if I needed to. There's no dialogue (only monologues), so it's not a complex edit. Most of the episodes take place in one location, with little action beyond the character speaking, so it doesn't call for elaborate sound design. All the episodes are under 20 minutes. For a more complicated production, I would have had to bring in some funding from somewhere, or convinced a producer to take on the production costs themselves. This one was, to some extent, designed (by me) to be more affordable.

It's worth saying that getting started wasn't just a case of getting a quote from Wireless and agreeing to pay it. Producer Sarah Golding read the scripts and wouldn't have taken on the project if she didn't think it was worthwhile. So it's not pure pay-for-play.

So the plan now is:

Sell ads and subscriptions and see how much of the production cost I can get back that way after the fact (I expect not all of it, but that's ok, because...)

Also think of that money I've spent as an investment in both this and future projects – by spending money on an amazing production company that's making the show brilliant, I'm getting something that's hopefully going to make this whole process easier next time. Because next time I can point to Wireless' confidence in my writing, and the quality of I Need A Miracle, (and hopefully its success and acclaim and awards and all its fans), to get someone else to put their hand in their pocket instead, whether that's listeners, producers or sponsors.

[wren-l-winter]

Hear me out hear me out hear me out

A upperclass gentlewoman thief and the head of the city guard

Our thief plays the guise of a sweet and innocent heiress by day while stealing from the rich and giving to the poor (and a little to herself) during the night. Our stoic serious guardswoman has taken it to herself to look after the heiress while investigating the heists that have been occurring all across the city's most high status districts. While on the outside it seems like the guard is looking after the heiress because she thinks she'll be the next target, it's actually because she has already figured out she's the mystery thief she's looking for although she isn't allowed to make an arrest until she finds concrete evidence

And our heiress in turn has found out the guard is onto her keeping her close to make sure she never finds the proof she needs, and because she just can't resist a pretty face. After all for a thrill seeker what's better than having wine and getting maybe a little too close with the one person who's threatening your whole operation. Who knows, maybe our charming trickster thief can convince her darling knight playing detective to hang up her shield and retire early and comfortably, with the funds she's... Come across over time

...God I'm so gay

Day 2 of writing a sapphic short story every day! I went a little off script but hope you all enjoy :)

She went by many names. Thief. Liar. Criminal. Pickpocket. Betrayer. But tonight, as she crossed the threshold of the ballroom, she shed those names like a snake shedding skin. Tonight, she was something else. Something sweet and intoxicating. Tonight, she was the Heiress to the Bloodrose fortune. 

The fabric of her dress, dipped in dyes forged from the midnight sky, clung to her lithe form, accentuating her curves while allowing her to move as she pleased. Intricate silver embroidery traced delicate patterns along the hemline, reminiscent of moonlit constellations scattered across the inky heavens. Each stitch seemed to shimmer and dance beneath the light of the chandeliers. This dress was her favorite. Not because of the silken material or the plunging neckline, but because of the dozens of hidden pockets hidden in the folds. They were perfect for holding anything the heiress could get her slender fingers on. 

But her night of graceful pilfering came to an end as a figure clad in armor emerged from the crowd to meet her. 

“Captain,” she said by way of greeting, “lovely seeing you here.” 

The Captain of the Guard, clad in her polished uniform of silver and a cape of crimson, stepped into a practiced bow. “I could say the same,” she replied easily, her voice tinted with an accent the heiress had only heard amongst the commoners. 

The heiress hummed, her painted lips pulling into a lopsided grin. “What can I do for you, Captain? Or are all the ladies attending honored with a greeting from our esteemed protector?” 

The captain straightened, her features pleasant but unamused. “Only you, heiress.” 

She liked the sound of that. “And why is that?” A passing servant holding a tray of goblets passed. The sloshing red liquid was irresistible to her. She took the cup and savored her first sip of many. 

“To protect you. There have been rumors of a thief targeting the nobility. From what I’ve gathered, they’ve set their eyes on you. For the night, you are under my protection,” the captain said. 

She’d heard the nuisance of a guard had caught onto her but she hadn’t imagined she’d be so bold as to approach her during the ball. The heiress took a deep drink from her glass before smiling up at the woman meant to accompany her for the night. “The Goddess has showered me with her blessings then,” she said. “Do you dance?” “Do I dance?” 

The heiress grinned at the way the captain’s shoulders rose like a feline’s haunches. “Mhmm. Surely they taught you how to dance as a part of your training.”

The captain blushed. “I’m afraid not.” “Then I’ll teach you.” Oh, tonight would be fruitful after all. 

She took the captain’s hand, leading her through the crowd of serpents eager to gain her favor. She slipped past them. Dodging outstretched arms and offered hands with a practiced grace and poise. She didn’t care to listen to their marriage proposals tonight. 

“Now,” the heiress turned toward the captain at the edge of the dance floor, “put your hand on my waist.” The warmth of her touch bled through the soft fabric of her dress, drawing up the faintest of blooms across her cheek. She put her hand on the captain’s shoulder before taking her hand. “Follow my lead when the song begins. We’ll start with small steps.” The orchestra began, filling the room with the sound of rich cellos and the rhythmic beat of drums. They began their dance a bit awkwardly as the heiress directed her dance partner where to step. To the captain’s credit, she only stepped on her toes twice before easing into the dance. 

“And now, you know how to dance,” the heiress laughed. 

The captain kept her gaze averted, perhaps scanning the crowd for threats or simply trying to keep them from crashing into another dancing couple. “It’s not as difficult as I thought it would be,” she admitted.

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure you’d be able to move so gracefully in all that metal,” the heiress mused as her hand gave a pointed squeeze to her shoulder. “Ha, you’d be surprised how gracefully I can move in uniform.” Long lashes danced across her cheeks. “Is that so? Perhaps later you could show me just how gracefully you can move.” The heiress had heard of the captain and the ladies that held her affection, but the heiress never thought she’d be one of the courted women.

The guard blanched, her face looking as though it had been burned by long hours beneath the sun. “Oh, I didn’t-that’s not what I-forgive me-” The heiress laughed, a sound more genuine than she’d meant. “There’s nothing to forgive,” she cooed and closed the space between them. “You are enchanting, Captain. The finest guard I’ve ever had the pleasure of dancing with.” She relished the way the woman squirmed beneath the weight of her words. 

The song changed, the tempo leaving no room for the heiress’s teasing. Fate had spared her prey from her toying. 

The two danced until their legs could hardly take another step and the heiress yearned to be rid of her heeled shoes. Tired and a touch out of breath, she found it far too easy to coax the captain away from the ballroom to the cool air of the gardens. Surrounded by flowering quince and honeysuckle, they walked the pristine paths beneath the gaze of the moon. 

“About what you said earlier,” the heiress said, looking over to the guarded features of the captain, “I would love to take you up on the offer.” “It wasn’t an offer,” she replied stiffly.

A soft laugh left the noblewoman. “Wasn’t it?” She took a daring step in front of the guard, stopping her from continuing. “The way you held me, looked at me, I’d say you’d be as happy as I would be to give it a try. I wouldn’t tell anyone.” She lifted her hands, running them over the silver armor just above her chest. “It could be our secret.” 

“No.” Gloved hands grabbed her forearms, removing her hands from her. “I know what you are, heiress,” she hissed. 

“And what am I,” she leered. 

The captain snarled down at her. Any trace of infatuation lingering from their dance had vanished. “You’re the thief. I can’t prove it yet, but I will. It’s my duty.” 

“Duty,” the heiress scoffed. “Your duty is to your people, not these glittering fools prancing about like those beneath them aren’t starving.” 

“I do what I must to keep our city protected from criminals like you.” “From what I’ve heard, the only crime the thief has committed is helping their people when the nobility won’t.” 

“Don’t play games with me,” the captain spat, releasing her as she took a step back. 

The heiress grinned, danger glistening in her eye. “It’s too late for that.”

The guard was unprepared for the swiftness in which the thief moved. A shove and her foot behind her ankle was all it took to have the captain laid out on the stone path. The heiress was upon her the moment she struck the ground. “You will help me, Captain,” she said inches from her face, “or you will lose everything you’ve worked for.” “I’d never help someone like you,” the guard seethed. 

“Oh, but you will.” Unable to resist, she lowered her head, letting her lips scrape along the cusp of her ear. “There’s a necklace in your quarters that belongs to the Duchess of Eldoria. How long has it been missing? Three months? Five? Imagine what she’d do to you if she found out you were the one who’d stolen it.” The heiress pulled back, grinning down at the guard. “So you can work with me, or you can face her wrath.” 

The guard stared up at her, at a loss for words. Stars above, she was adorable looking up at her like that.

“If I don’t have a letter in my hand by tomorrow night, I’ll take it as a no, but,” she traced her finger along the woman’s jaw, “if you decide to accept my offer, I would love if you accepted it in my chambers, preferably in my bed.” 

In one fluid movement, she rose and stepped away. “Goodnight, Captain.” 

[blogger360ncislarules]

Miracles are rare in the 21st century, but watch pretty much any episode of The Chosenand they are bountiful. But the biggest miracle of all is perhaps the fact that a historical drama centered around Jesus of Nazareth (a warm and welcoming Jonathan Roumie), set in 1st century Galilee as He preaches, gains followers (and enemies) and, on occasion, raises the dead and walks on water, has built a passionate legion of faithful viewers. How did a crowdfunded production become a heavenly international sensation?

The holy cards were stacked against The Chosen from the start. Faith-based television is historically hit-or-miss. The Academy Award-winning 1956 classic The Ten Commandments, which has aired on ABC nearly every Easter season since 1973, regularly reaps solid viewership (3.2 million when it last aired on April 1, 2023). But in terms of scripted TV, for every spiritual success (think Highway to Heaven and Touched by an Angel), there are just as many failures (anyone remember ABC drama Of Kings and Prophets or the Anne Heche sitcom Save Me?).

The Chosen’s accessibility—it’s been available to stream for free online at thechosen.tv since Season 1—didn’t hurt in making the show a hit, but it also drew in curious audience members with fresh takes on well-known biblical figures that never feel out of touch. Roumie effortlessly shepherds a comforting and gentle strength in his Jesus, whether He’s confidently preaching the Sermon on the Mount to thousands or graciously healing someone in private. And He’s unapologetically human. He laughs hard and pokes fun at His Apostles, shows His frustration with hardheaded religious leaders, joyously dances at a wedding in Cana and even frolics in the Sea of Galilee.

His 12 Apostles—the actual “chosen”—come with relatable baggage, broadening their flat Bible counterparts into colorful characters. Hotheaded fisherman Simon (Shahar Isaac) scrambles to provide for his wife, Eden (Lara Silva). Later, the young couple suffers a miscarriage and Simon blows up at Jesus for not protecting them. Outsider Matthew (Paras Patel)—who has been likened to being on the autism spectrum—is lonely and ostracized from his family. Nervous Andrew (Noah James) struggles with feelings of anxiety.

The show’s female cast also shines a light on women in a time period when they were often overlooked and underutilized. The iconic Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish) deals with shame from her past, thoughts of suicide and the loss of a parent. She bonds with the honest Tamar (Amber Shana Williams) over the latter. Jesus’ caring mother Mary (Vanessa Benavente) grapples with the idea that her adult Son—the Messiah—no longer needs her.

The Chosen so beautifully weaves its many perspectives together, often creating compelling duos, like awkward Matthew finding a surprising ally in gruffly sympathetic Roman centurion Gaius (Kirk B.R. Woller).

Finally, the show brings dimension to the New Testament’s most famous lines of Scripture, and the messages never come across as preachy. They’re edgy and nuanced, with fun bouts of humor and a deep sincerity and unwavering respect for the source material.

After 24 episodes (27 if you count the three Christmas specials), The Chosen has lifted the hearts of fans, who give thanks both through an overwhelming amount of online praise and the generous crowd-funding donations that continue to raise the drama’s production quality year after year (over $40 million has been collected so far). And given that the Christian megahit has been pitch-perfect since the original 2017 pilot, we have faith that the flourishing show will only continue to collect more and more loyal disciples on its righteous journey. Amen!

[wanderingwriter87]

the second somerton response is even worse than i thought it would be. couldn't handle rawdogging it so i watched a random livestream reaction and one of the streamers was wheeze laughing at how absurd it is. he spends like ten minutes talking about how his mother's dying wish was for him to be a filmmaker, but her life insurance didn't come through so he had to crowd fund his stupid movie studio, as if the fact that he raised funds for the studio is the problem, not the fact that after tens of thousands of dollars in donations they have not made even one single concrete step towards producing anything

he goes on to recount a meandering list of mishaps, like writing a whole script but then realizing the movie had to be filmed in warm weather but it was the middle of winter, his cowriter/roommate moving out so he decided the movie productions needed to be moved also even though he would lose his whole network of actors and crew, etc. it honestly has the same energy as that one bob's burgers where tina is trying to explain the car accident to the insurance guy. like suddenly he's talking about endangered sea birds and it's like???? man we just want to know what you did with all the money 😭😭 what is this 😭😭😭

[pico-digital-studios]

Into, Across and Beyond! Scripting: OMH Final Battle

PREVIOUS POST

During One More Hero's climax, the yet-to-be-named Blur Gang (sans OMT!Tails) were sneaking towards the Death Egg site together, each of them looking down at a new docking station not there previously.

EX!Alice: Okay. Nega's got a private elevator entrance from the laboratories to the interdimensional energiser below.

Mini Sonic: Didn't count on having an audience, huh?

They headed down to...

Death Egg Zone - Entrance Salon

Some guests walked past massive banners depicting Sonic: "THE SONIC MEMORIAL FUND".

All except Mr. Needlemouse: You've GOT to be kidding me...

Eggman Nega stepped out, waving to the crowd as the heroes watched from above.

Eggman Nega: Thank you, everyone, thank you! It's lovely to be here this evening to celebrate the legacy of our beloved hero, Sonic. He sure inspired many in his life. Kids love the Blue Blur, don't they? Still do, heh.

OMT!Mina (disgusted): Hmph. What a hog he is.

Mr. Needlemouse: I'm right here!

Mini Sonic: Hang on. Look at how the waiters are dressed. It's in poor taste, but...

He saw some waiters in Sonic outfits, or variants thereof.

Mini Sonic: ...it can't be that easy.

Cut to a moment later with them in fancy disguises and carrying a trolley through the fundraiser area.

Mini Sonic: Yeah, it's that easy.

Eggman Nega: I'm just sorry my grandfather can't see this event tonight.

They carefully weaved through the crowd, soon coming across Johnny as one of the bodyguards.

Johnny: Can I help you?

CR!Sonic raised his fists, though OMT!Mina lowered him down.

OMT!Mina: Yeah, sorry about that. It's our first day on the job and we were just looking for the kitchen.

Mini Sonic: Yeah. We just wanna make a good first impression for the gala tonight.

CR!Sonic raised his fists again, though OMT!Mina yet again lowered them without looking his way.

Johnny: Okay, let's see what you've got on this trolley.

He lifted the croche, revealing Mr. NM conveniently disguised as a pig dinner, with only his quills and ears noticeable amidst the disguise, complete with an apple in his mouth.

Johnny: Hahaha! I didn't know you were really going all out with this tonight. You even decorated the dinner's head with stuff fitting for the gala.

OMT!Mina: Uh, yeah! That's what it is.

Mr. NM briefly coughed up the apple before putting it back in his mouth, and before anyone could see him do so as well.

Johnny: A shame, really. I can't really eat roasted rabbit, or whatever your dish is.

Mr. NM: You don't deserve a cooked rabb-!

OMT!Mina hastily covered the plate up.

Johnny: Well, then. Kitchen's just right through there. Have fun, then!

CR!Sonic: Yeah, thanks!

The group headed off as Johnny sneakily raised a communicator.

Johnny: Yeah, they seriously think we're that dumb.

The heroes entered the kitchen.

CR!Sonic (amused): Oh, they are dumb!

OMT!Mina: They are so dumb!

EX!Alice: Over this way!

They stepped into an elevator leading downstairs. In the energiser control room, Zeena was firing the machine up.

Computer: Initialising primary ignition sequence.

As Eggman Nega entered his office, and the door closed behind him, OMT!Mina used her web-shooters to hoist the guards out of sight and sound. Inside, Nega reached the observation platform.

Eggman Nega: Prepare the ignition sequence!

Zeena nodded, a scientist taking one of Gerald Robotnik's old hairs to sample into a DNA sequence.

Scientist 1: Uploading Gerald Robotnik DNA sequence.

Scientist 2: Beginning scan for dimensional matches.

The energiser fired up, a computer monitoring and calling the machine's status.

Computer: Secondary ignition in 5... 4... 3... 2...

Nearby, the five heroes entered the chamber as the quakes got MUCH worse than before, causing panic back in the city as OMT!Knuckles, OMT!Amy, OMT!Cream and the SIGU Chief, Abraham Tower, took note. In the Death Egg, CR!Sonic and OMT!Mina were nervous about what was coming, seeing the beginning of a dimensional collapse.

OMT!Mina: Sonic, you don't have to stay behind. I can do it.

CR!Sonic: It's okay, Mina. I already made up my mind.

They leapt to the ceiling of the room.

CR!Sonic: I'll put the goober in and take over the controls. Once you're gone, I'll blow it up. Good luck, guys!

They headed forward, and Sonic was about to activate the stick when their super-senses went off.

OMT!Mina: They know we're here!

Zeena leapt down from the ceiling.

Zeena: Nice to see you again, Maurice!

She threw CR!Sonic into the ceiling and pinned him there. The others tried to help him, but were flanked by Johnny and Surge as a joint force. As the dimensional rifts merged, the five fought the three henchmen of Eggman Nega. After Mini Sonic started glitching, EX!Alice made a mighty bound to rescue him.

EX!Alice: I got you covered!

OMT!Mina came flying in, seeing Surge hot on her tail.

OMT!Mina: Urgh... These guys are the pits!

CR!Sonic: Why is this always difficult?!

CR!Sonic struggled to work the device as Zeena strangled him.

Zeena: Any last words, rodent?

CR!Sonic: I-I need a minute to think about it. D-Do you have a pen?

Zeena (smiling sinisterly): Goodbye, Maurice Hedgehog.

Suddenly, she got punched seemingly out of thin air, which CR!Sonic reacted to in surprise.

Zeena: What was that?!

She looked around before seeing OMT!Tails and Kaede leaping towards her.

CR!Sonic: Tails?!

Zeena: Detective Ghost?!

Kaede/Ghost: Take this!

The duo knocked her backwards, letting OMT!Tails catch CR!Sonic as they landed on a balcony.

CR!Sonic: Wow, Tails! You're a professional at this!

OMT!Tails: About time, right?

The others reacted to seeing Tails in action for real.

Mr. NM: Hey! Look who showed up!

EX!Alice (overjoyed): Tails!

OMT!Mina: You figured it out, buddy!

CR!Sonic: I love you, man! I'm so proud of you! (to himself) Do I want kids now?

Zeena leapt back up.

CR!Sonic: Oh, yeah. Forgot about her.

The group notice a box entering the energiser.

OMT!Tails: That doesn't look promising.

Kaede: Sure doesn't.

In the control room...

Scientist 1: I've got genetic matches! Hold on... It's too risky.

Eggman Nega: Shut up and turn it up!

The seven heroes worked together to fight the bad guys as the room descended into pure chaos, and upstairs, OMT!Tails's family of choice and the SIGU were guiding people back out to the mainland.

OMT!Sally: Get to safety, everyone! We'll be right there!

Back in the chamber, fragments of other worlds started seeping through as things got crazier.

OMT!Tails: Guys, are you seeing this?!

OMT!Mina: Looks like our dimensions are coming to us.

CR!Sonic: Looks cool, though, right?

Kaede: We need to get back up there. Hopefully it's not too hard-.

The four quickly leapt out of the way as Zeena threw explosive snowballs at them. Nearby, Mini Sonic and Johnny were in full fist-fight mode, each putting up one hell of a fight before Mini Sonic grabbed Johnny by the legs.

Johnny: Get off of me! If I go down here, my name will be soured in the history of speed!

Mini Sonic: Hasta la vista, sharky boy!

Mini Sonic spun around at ridiculous speeds before lobbing Johnny sky-high, leading him to explode in a flashy style. Eggman Nega quickly entered the room when he saw what was going on.

OMT!Mina: Nega!

Eggman Nega: What's the meaning of this?!

CR!Sonic: The end of your endgoal, that's what, Egghead!

EX!Alice attacked Surge with her hammer, not making the same mistake twice this time around.

Surge: Why, you...! I'll hit you so hard, YOUR HEAD WILL SPIN!

She charged up her electricity and charged towards EX!Alice, before Mr. NM leapt up with a giant boulder.

Mr. NM: Rocks away~!

He threw it on top of Surge, catching her off-guard as the pair took her down as one.

EX!Alice: Alright, Surge! Back to your dimension you go!

They threw her through a dimensional portal.

Mr. NM: Aww, did dat feel like a wittle cartoon to you? (blows a raspberry)

OMT!Tails, OMT!Mina, Mini Sonic and Kaede then turned their attention to Zeena, tag-teaming to take her down as a group. During this, Mina was knocked backwards toward the big beam.

OMT!Tails: MINA!

Tails leapt after her, pulling her back out of danger.

OMT!Mina: I like the metallic sheen of that nanomachine suit!

OMT!Tails: Thanks! I made it myself!

CR!Sonic pulled the duo back to safe ground.

CR!Sonic: Heh, that was adorable, team. Now, hold on tight!

The three worked together to attack Zeena, finishing with Kaede kicking her into a wall.

Zeena: ARGH! ...If these stains don't come off later, YOU'RE ALL DEAD!

She leapt toward them, laughing like a pure maniac.

OMT!Mina: Buckle up, guys! This is going to take a while!

Just as suddenly, a huge truck flew past, hitting her and knocking her out of the fight.

OMT!Mina: Okay, never mind. Let's end this thing!

OMT!Tails was ready to take the lead.

OMT!Tails: I got it, guys.

CR!Sonic: I'll go. I'm the one with the goober, afte-.

He looked in his hand and saw it vanished, before noticing OMT!Tails had it.

CR!Sonic: Oh, come on...

OMT!Tails: Don't watch the mouth, watch the hands!

OMT!Tails did the iconic finger wag, before jumping through the chaos in the room.

CR!Sonic: Tails!

OMT!Mina: Be careful!

Eggman Nega: All defences, stop him NOW!

Lasers fired at him, though he flawlessly performed Kaede's manoeuvre from before, landing near the control panel.

OMT!Tails: Heh, wow. That was crazy.

CR!Sonic: We taught him that, right?

OMT!Mina: I didn't teach him that. And you definitely didn't.

Kaede: Heh, guess he's already learning a lot from me, too. Now, let's go!

They leapt up to join OMT!Tails as the rest of the multidimensional heroes followed.

OMT!Tails: Alright. I got control of the energiser!

He inserted the goober, beginning to disable the energiser's world-ending protocols.

Computer: Alert! Quantum polarity has been disabled!

Eggman Nega looked on in disbelief, FINALLY losing his shit for real and dashing to his Egg Mobile to settle the score once and for all.

OMT!Mina: Guess this is it.

EX!Alice: Well, it's nice to know we're not alone.

OMT!Mina: Yeah.

They looked at each other. They knew they needed to go for now, but part of them wanted to stay. OMT!Tails activated the machine and prepared a portal after entering a code.

OMT!Tails: I got the portal open. You first, Alice.

EX!Alice (smiling): Thank you, Tails. I really mean it. Until we meet again!

She leapt through the portal as a new one opened and that one closed.

Mini Sonic: Er, you guys are the coolest! Well, I'm taking this cube thing with me. I don't quite understand how it works yet, but I'll work it out.

Mini Sonic let go and disappeared. Next up was Mr. NM, holding up two huge mallets.

Mr. NM: You two, I want you to have these.

Kaede: Woah, those are pretty big.

Mr. NM: Don't ya worry! They'll fit in your pocket!

The two took them, putting them away in their equivalents to pockets.

Mr. NM: And with that, that's all, folks!

He leapt into the portal.

CR!Sonic: Wait, can he legally quote that?

OMT!Tails turned to OMT!Mina, for more than a moment.

OMT!Tails: Is it... alright if I say how beautiful you look, Mina?

OMT!Mina: Heh, you know I'm older than you, right? A couple of years, but it's pretty significant, if you ask me.

OMT!Tails: Well, Einstein did say time is relative, right?

OMT!Mina: Heh, nice.

OMT!Tails: ...Friends?

She smiled, giving him a sweet hug close to her.

OMT!Mina: Friends!

OMT!Tails: Hehe, cool!

OMT!Mina: Well, see you around, hero!

She made her departure with an elegant leap, leaving only CR!Sonic to go.

OMT!Tails: Your turn, Sonic.

CR!Sonic (hesitant): Yeah, yeah, right...

The three felt their senses go off as Eggman Nega smashed through the flying buildings to get to them.

Eggman Nega: You're not going ANYWHERE!

CR!Sonic: I'll hold him off! You guys shut the energiser down!

He leapt forward.

OMT!Tails: Sonic, that wasn't the plan!

CR!Sonic: Push the green button! Don't wait for me!

He prepared to charge at Nega, but was quickly hoisted back by Tails and Kaede's enerbeam bracelets.

CR!Sonic: What are you doing?

Kaede: You need to go home like they have!

CR!Sonic: This guy might kill you! I can't let this world's new hero die...

OMT!Tails: Neither can I.

CR!Sonic: It's okay.

OMT!Tails: Yeah, it is okay.

Tails drop-kicked him, holding him over a portal.

OMT!Tails: It's time to go home, Sonic. Your friends there still need you.

CR!Sonic (now sad and scared): H-How do I know I'm not gonna mess it up again...?

OMT!Tails: You won't, buddy. Trust me.

CR!Sonic: R-Right. I gotta take that first step.

Sonic let go, ready to make that change, smiling to his newfound friends as he fell into the portal.

CR!Sonic: Heh, not bad, kid.

This left OMT!Tails and Kaede to take on Nega together.

Kaede: Alright, Nega! It's go time!

They began their attack, with Tails swiping the gun out of Nega's hand.

OMT!Tails: Nuh-uh! That's cheating!

They leapt onto a flying subway train and saw the control panel in the middle of the room.

OMT!Tails: We gotta reach that button.

Nega grabbed OMT!Tails angrily, dragging him into the subway train and attacking him head-on. Fortunately, Tails could predict the hits and fought back, but ran out of energy to do a venom strike.

OMT!Tails: O-Oh, no...

Eggman Nega: Not so easy doing this all on your own, is it?

He grabbed Tails by the neck.

Eggman Nega: I can't wait to kill Sonic's little idiot friend!

Kaede watched helplessly, but suddenly, visions of Gerald Robotnik in multiple universes flashed around them, causing Nega to let go of Tails in shock.

Gerald Robotnik (in different realms): ...I plan to give you a taste of my revenge, once all the seven Chaos Emeralds are collected. Once I initiate this program, it cannot be disabled. All of you ungrateful humans who took everything away from me, will feel my loss, and despair!

Eggman Nega: W-What?!

OMT!Tails: I-Is this what you wanted? To see your grandfather be imprisoned and executed across multiple worlds?

GUN Officer: Is there anything else you want to say?

Gerald Robotnik: No...

GUN Officer: Ready!

Gun shots sounded out as each vision vanished, causing Nega to collapse to his knees in disbelief.

Eggman Nega: N-No! Spare him!

The train was now empty as Kaede and Tails made a dash for it, with Nega leaping out and glaring bitterly at the two.

Eggman Nega: You're not stopping this. Not today.

OMT!Tails: Sorry, Nega, but we ARE stopping this!

Kaede: And we're doing it NOW!

Nega did NOT hold back on pummelling the two, throwing them between flying structures in the chamber as Tails's family and friends watched from the observation tower. And by the end of it, Tails and Kaede were exhausted, finding it difficult to get an edge over the doctor.

Eggman Nega: The real Sonic couldn't beat a malware without giving his life up! You are both nothing! You took my grandfather, and now I'm going to make sure you'll never see EITHER of your families ever again!

Tails was hyperventilating, the trauma from OMT slamming right back into him, giving Nega the opening to throw him and Kaede into the ground. They were close to being finished off, when...

OMT!Knuckles: Tails, get up!

Their eyes snapped open hearing their friends and family rooting for them.

OMT!Sally: Come on, Tails!

Luna: Ghost, please get back up!

Max: Come on!

OMT!Tails: Come on... Come on...

It took the duo a few wobbly seconds, but they managed to get back up again, staring Nega down.

Kaede: There's something important you forgot, Nega. People like us WILL always find a way to get back up!

OMT!Tails: And no matter what life throws at us, unlike you, we'll ALWAYS have our families! Besides, you ever hear of a "shoulder touch" technique?

Eggman Nega: Er, what?

OMT!Tails flew right up close to him, using his tails to boost his height to ensure he'd nail it this time.

OMT!Tails: Hey~!

He put his hand on Nega's shoulder, the energy from his hand catapulting the doctor sky-high. Kaede threw her lasso at Nega's arm, pulling him towards the control panel.

Kaede: Hey, doc! Push that green button!

She slammed him down onto the control panel, nailing the impact and causing the electricity to go into the entire machine and begin frying it. The beam began sucking what it dispersed right back in, with OMT!Tails and Kaede hanging on for dear life, before exploding, blowing everyone in range backwards.

As the smoke cleared, the close ones stood back up, seeing OMT!Tails and Kaede still alive and well, having used the Chaos Emeralds as a last-minute trick to save themselves and those in the building, to which they received applause for saving the world, and by extension the multiverse, together.

That evening, OMT!Knuckles watched Eggman Nega be hauled off to prison to serve his time, as OMT!Sally and OMT!Amy watched as well. Tails came down to their level.

OMT!Tails: Hey, everyone!

OMT!Cream: Tails!

OMT!Sally: Hey, little bro!

The five shared a group hug.

OMT!Knuckles: You know, Tails. What I said back at school, it wasn't just talk.

OMT!Tails: Heh, I know.

OMT!Sally: So, maybe we could find a nice wall, privately owned, and you could "throw" up some of the art you've been doing with Uma?

OMT!Tails: Heh, okay, Sally.

OMT!Amy: Heh, you know, Tails, you definitely deserve a break after all that craziness today. You've done our home proud!

OMT!Tails: Aww, thanks!

Kaede leapt down with Max close by.

Kaede: Knuckles?

OMT!Knuckles: Oh! Detective Ghost! Listen, down there, that was- I mean, we all owe you big time.

Kaede: I'm looking forward to properly working alongside you guys!

OMT!Amy: Us too, Ghost!

Kaede: Heh, just call me Kaede. Just keep that between us, okay?

OMT!Sally: Fine with us.

OMT!Knuckles: Yeah, me too, I guess. I mean, I don't approve of the whole secret superhero style you got going on, but I guess we gotta agree to disagree.

Kaede: Thank you for your bravery tonight, heh, knucklehead.

OMT!Knuckles: Haha! ...Wait, what?

Kaede hoisted OMT!Tails on her shoulders as they headed out to the cheering crowd, their friends and family watching with shared smiles.

OMT!Tails: Thanks, everybody!

OMT!Tails passed the petition sheet back to Crafty who was amongst the crowd, who cheered from getting the required signature count.

Crafty: Yes! We did it!

Daylight: Absolutely impressive, Crafty!

Bobby: Way to go, Crafty!

Naksh smiled softly, applauding her.

Kickroyale: Never thought you'd be able to pull this off, but the kid did it! ...Wait, who are some of the other names on there?

Crafty: As long as it gets the job done, it shouldn't matter.

Picky: Well, let's go get that petition forwarded to the government!

OMT!Tails waved to Crafty to wish her good luck, to which she waved back, feeling confident that her aim to ban AI art could successfully go through. With that, the two heroes continued high-fiving the crowd members.

Bystander 1: Yeah, thanks, Tails and Ghost!

OMT!Tails: Yeah, I'm the new hero, at your service!

Bystander 2: Woo! You go, guys!

At the far end, OMT!Tails and Kaede shared a high-five.

Kaede: You go ahead and have your well-earned break, Tails. You really deserve it!

OMT!Tails: Heh, come on, Kaede. You deserve it too.

Max came by with Luna.

Luna: Heh, he's right, honey. You and Tails have worked so hard this week to save us all, and you definitely deserve some time out.

Max: Yeah! To me, it doesn't matter what style you are, you'll always be my big sis AND hero, Kaede.

Kaede smiled while tearing up, hugging both of her loved ones close.

Kaede: Aww, come here!

Max: Hehehe!

OMT!Tails returned to his friends, holding Sally's hand.

OMT!Sally: How about a trip to Balloon Park as a treat?

OMT!Tails: Of course!

OMT!Cream: Yay!

They headed off together as OMT!Knuckles and OMT!Amy watched, alongside OMT!Robotnik from afar. The multiverse was saved, and they were all proud of OMT!Tails for making that big step and becoming a hero in his own right.

[nothingunrealistic]

“That’s like a billion dollars in Indiana.” That quip from Bobby Axelrod is one of the memorable lines in the series finale of “Billions,” the Showtime drama series that wrapped its seven-season run Oct. 27 with the crowd-pleasing episode “Admirals Fund.” Axelrod, played by Damian Lewis, delivers that line as he takes a victory lap after demolishing his latest foil, rival hedge fund manager Mike Prince (Corey Stoll). It’s a reference to that fact that Prince, after an elaborate sting pulled off by Axelrod and the core “Billions” ensemble, is left wiped out but for $100 million he invested with Black-owned banks a few years ago. Axe’s comment and Prince’s broad smile suggest that the latter is headed to the Midwest to nurse his wounds and rise anew. The line about Indiana had been on a white board in the “Billions” writers room for more than two seasons, just waiting for the right moment to land a punch, according to co-showrunner and executive producer Beth Schacter. Schacter and series creators Brian Koppelman and David Levien offered insights into the crafting of the finale and the fate of key characters during a Q&A held Oct. 23 at 92Y in New York that included a sneak peek screening of the finale. “We knew that was where we were driving to and it never came off the board — and that never happens,” Schacter told moderator Cynthia Littleton, co-editor in chief of Variety. “And so I think it’s just fun to see that all coalescing” in the final episode.

Season 7 was designed to provide payoffs and fist-pumping moments for the die-hard fans of the series that revolved around the antics of hedge fund managers and the regulators who try to rein in their excesses. That sector of the financial universe has only grown its influence on the macro economy as well as in pop culture since “Billions” bowed in January 2016. “We made a decision early on that we were going to make this season of the show for true ‘Billions’ fans – for the people who watch each episode more than once, who catch our references, who notice every song,” Koppelman said. “We wanted to make the final season that we wanted to see as ‘Billions’ obsessives. Seeing you all get the little lines and jokes and the moments and feeling the emotional resonances is incredibly satisfying.”

Getting the show to the finish line was complicated by the writers strike that extended nearly five months. The script for the final episode was completed before scribes went pencils down on May 2. But none of the three showrunners on stage were able to be on set while the final episodes were lensed. “It was horrible because, you know, we did seven seasons over the course of eight years. We had to take an entire year off during the pandemic. And then to have to stop short and not get to be there for the final lap was really tough,” Levien said. The trio found great comfort in the fact that the finale, penned by Koppelman and Levien, was directed by Neil Burger, who helmed the pilot and one other episode, from Season 2. “Neil knew exactly the right tone of the show, so it worked out great,” Levien said. Koppelman observed, “Sometimes a worthy fight calls for a great sacrifice and ours was a small one compared to the ones that crews and so many other people had to make.” The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike has added to the challenge of promoting the finale given that stars Lews, Paul Giamatti (Chuck Rhoades), Maggie Siff (Wendy Rhoades), David Costabile (Mike “Wags” Wagner), Asia Kate Dillon (Taylor Mason) and more were unable to talk up their work.

The showrunners noted that they always made an effort to tap into any unexpected skills that each actor brought to the show. Lewis, for one, is a strong tennis player, so of course they worked that into an episode where he plays against Maria Sharapova. Toby Leonard Moore, the Australian actor who played the disgraced (but ultimately redeemed) former federal prosecutor Brian Connerty, once worked as an teppanyaki chef – a role that figured prominently into the finale episode. “When you make a long-running show, you learn a lot of stuff about people and their personal lives, like Dola Rashad is fluent in Italian, so she had to speak Italian at some point,” Levien said. “Toby Leonard Moore made the mistake of telling us that he worked his way through school once as a teppanyaki chef. And we did not forget that — we carried that around for years.” Added Koppelman, “You have never seen a human being care more about the way a shrimp was cut than [Moore] did. He obsessed over the rehearsals with the hibachi.”

The specific storyline for the final season – how Axe was brought back to the U.S. from exile in London and the climactic sting against Prince – came together mostly during Season 6, Levien said. Lewis left the series after the close of Season 5 as his wife, actor Helen McCrory, suffered through a long illness before her death in April 2021. When Lewis let them know he was ready to return for Season 7, that set the plot in motion. “Damian told us before anyone else knew what was going on [with McCrory]. And we knew we were able to say to him, of course and we will bring stuff forward and we will make it all work for season five,” Koppelman said. “But then the three of us and teams of writers sat around and figured out OK, these two seasons — six and seven — what’s the ideal way that it can go? And the fact that we ended up getting to do it in the ideal way that Showtime supported shooting in England, each piece of that was able to work.”

One of the long-running subplots on “Billions” was the will-they-or-won’t-they question of the relationship between Axe and Wendy Rhoades, the brilliant psychologist who was the in-house coach for the alpha traders at Axe Capital (and later Michael Prince Capital). The characters have an incredibly deep relationship – one that confounds their own spouses – but they are not in a sexual relationship. Schacter argued that the two are deeply in love. “It’s not platonic. It’s incredibly romantic. They just don’t kiss,” Schacter said. “The secret sauce of the two of them is that they are truly connected in their souls. It’s just not sexual. They do have a certain type of love affair.” She noted that even some writers on the show mistakenly thought that Axe and Wendy had been in a physical relationship at some point. “Writers pitched it to us all the time. But we felt from the beginning that we had decided it wasn’t going to happen, because then how do you keep the show going,” Koppelman said. “It also felt like they each understood what it was about. They understood that it made them better. They didn’t want to give in to that, it’s part of Wendy’s strength.”

Other highlights from the hourlong conversation: Dan Soder, who played trader Dudley Mafee, was one of three finalists for the Connerty role that went to Moore. Soder at the time was still working restaurant jobs. Koppelman and Levien vowed to write a role for him that would debut after the pilot – assuming the show was picked up. “We wrote two lines for Mafee in the second episode and Dan came in and destroyed them and then he was off and running,” Koppelman said. The only other role that was specifically written for an actor was the supporting character of Rian, the mouthy Axe Capital trader played by Eva Victor. Victor was also one of very few actors allowed to improvise on the show. No series has ever showcased as many New York eateries – posh and popular – as “Billions.” It was a decision that came early on in the series as so much of business happens over drinks and food. “The restaurant placement in the show was organic because we recognized that what restaurants you could get into and what table you could get was a sign of your power and your access in New York,” Levien said. “And then if you go one step further into the billionaire realm, you could buy out a restaurant.” Schacter added that the actors usually enjoyed the dining scenes, particularly Costabile. “There is no greater on-screen eater than Mr. David Costabile,” she said. Other than the core stars Lewis, Giamatti and Siff, the only other actor to have a line in all 84 episodes of the series was Daniel K. Isaac, who played trader Ben Kim. “Billions” was also known for its deft use of music to help propel the storylines. Led Zeppelin proved to be one of the hardest bands to license, but they made it happen with “In the Evening” for a Season 4 episode. Koppelman noted that every season has included one Bob Dylan song, including “Blind Willie McTell” from Episode 8 of Season 7. The showrunners gave a final nod to the former Showtime executives who greenlighted and supported “Billions”: David Nevins and Amy Israel (who have reunited at Peter Chernin’s North Road Co.) and Gary Levine. The pioneering pay TV outlet has undergone quite a bit of change during the course of “Billions” (it’s now been merged with streamer Paramount+) but the showrunners never felt abandoned. “Showtime has been incredibly supportive the entire time of this show,” Koppelman said.