#I picture it was a small bracket

[the-lord-of-the-things]

Arcade practice/warmup tryna nail his hair mostly, along with a lil consistency and staying on model

[hottest-fromsoft-monster]

Idk I could go on like a few more weeks about fetishes involving those freaks in the poll

i’ve ran four tournaments in succession but i do love the thrill of seeing who wins each poll and interacting with other people that love the same things as me

my biggest concern was flooding fandom tags but i paced it with this tourney and haven’t had any complaints. i tagged everything properly so people could filter it that was an issue.

a fromsoft armoured boss/enemy tournament coming soon perhaps………

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Lauren Bacall (To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep, Key Largo)—"Just put your lips together...and blow" excuse me ma'am i'm briefly going to turn into a kettle. She's the quintessential Femme Fatale who may betray me in the end but I'd let her it'd be worth it

Diahann Carroll (Paris Blues, Carmen Jones, Porgy and Bess)— Face of an angel. She had the range. She brought chemistry with every romance she portrayed. She also had a great fashion sense, and was so pretty Mattel made a doll based off of her.

We are in the quarterfinals of the Hot & Vintage Movie Women Tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Propaganda is not my own and is on a submission basis. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Diahann Carroll:

Another groundbreaking black actress, although she might be better remembered for her television roles. She was also an activist and worked with charities to support women in need.

here she is hanging out with shadow prince anthony perkins :3

Lauren Bacall:

"She is soooo neat. And hot. And everything. That one scene in To Have and Have Not where she says "you know how to whistle don't you? You just put your lips together and blow" altered my brain chemistry during media archaeology class and here we are."

"The VOICE, the SLINK, the EYES. Woof."

"Lauren Bacall was a major lesbian awakening for me. Every picture of her makes it look like she’s about to destroy you physically and emotionally (why is that so hot, I may need help). She had incredible long running chemistry with her husband, Humphrey Bogart, but was an absolute star in her own right. I’ll never be over my crush on her."

"She's got that confident, no-nonsense air about her. She's a boss babe who knows what she wants and gets it DONE. Staunch liberal Democrat her whole life. Campaigned for RFK. From Wikipedia: "In a 2005 interview with Larry King, Bacall described herself as "anti-Republican... A liberal. The L-word". She added that "being a liberal is the best thing on Earth you can be. You are welcoming to everyone when you're a liberal. You do not have a small mind."" Beautiful hair. Beautiful eyes. Beautiful lips. She's just beauty. LISTEN TO HER VOICE. TELL ME THAT'S NOT THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF."

[neoclb]

MEETCUTE . . .

❥ in which you go on a horrible date, but meetcute the waiter

pairing. rintaro suna x f!reader

wc. 578

a/n. i wrote thisbto distract the factthat i havebt updated ggez even though this is a totallydifderent fabdom :p enjoy

your heels clacked against the cemented pavement. you were currently about to be late to meet up with your tinder date for the first time. you’ve never downloaded tinder before last tuesday and you pray to the ones above that you don’t get surprised by an undercover seventy-something year old.

finally, you reach the fancy restaurant with a nicely decorated exterior your date told you to meet him at. it was definitely out of your tax bracket; you are definitely going to make a second dinner after this.

upon entering the restaurant, a woman with a slick-back bun who looked like she was in her thirties, probably, immediately walked up to you.

“how many?” she asked, with a stoic expression.

“uh-“ you were honestly terrified of the woman staring you down. “i have a reserved table with um — kosei tsuburaba?”

the woman nodded her head and started walking away, queuing you to follow right behind. you pass by multiple seemingly happy couples until you reach a table with a free seat at the end of the hall. you slightly nod and smile at the woman who leaves the menu on top of the table whilst walking away.

you look over to your date. he was definitely cute; he looked just like his profile, if not better. you take your seat, looking at the apathetic man. “yn right?” his voice was flat and seemed much less ecstatic than the texts he would send days prior. you nod, not wanting to seem rude. upon sitting down, you were caught off guard with the comment made by the man. “you, uh, look a lot different from your pictures. do you photoshop them?”

your jaw physically dropped and you were too much in disbelief to speak. your expression probably stunned your date too because neither of you noticed the waiter who was already there. “excuse me? are you two ready to order?” you turn your head to face the waiter – whose name tag spelt out rintaro suna, but before you could utter a word, kosei spoke up.

“i actually already ate before this.” he stands up, leaving an even more shocked look on your face. with a smile on his face he says, “enjoy your meal yn!” and leaves you on your own.

“what the fuck.” you mutter, cursing him for being absolutely unbelievable and yourself for wasting your time by downloading tinder in the first place. it was when you lean back into your chair where you realize that the waiter was still standing next to your table.

you take a good look at him — he had a nonchalant expression to his flawless face – he takes a good look at you. the brain fog wears off after that humiliating experience. “oh my god. i’m so sorry.” you grab your purse and stand up.

he looked awfully calm, as if he goes through the scene everyday. “it’s totally okay,” he gave a small smirk. “that guy’s a total asshole.”

you smile and nod before you turn around and start heading towards the exit. “wait,” you hear the same voice come from behind you. turning around, hoping you wouldn’t be charged for wasting his time, you were met with the sweet eyes of the suna. “i’ll give you my number.”

you were confused and tilted your head to express it. suna understood this gesture and blurted out, “so i can take you on a proper date.”

[svt-luna]

ᡴꪫ ⋆ GAME CATERERS X SVT ࣪ ! ˓ ౨ৎ ࣪˖ ─── episode 1-3.

Game Caterers x SEVENTEEN

synopsis: Episode 1-3! The games begin and the infamous character quiz is up first. With numerous delicious Korean delicacies on the line, SEVENTEEN tries their hardest to eat at least one of the dishes.

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST

╰౨ৎ fan reactions ╰౨ৎ game caterers masterlist

[added captions are in brackets] ᡣ𐭩

bold dialogues are spoken in english ᡣ𐭩

The next part of the show was about to begin, and the members were called back on set, ready to dive into the games segment. The familiar space where they had filmed the intro and interviews now had a slightly different setup. Instead of the two rows of chairs they had before, the chairs were now arranged in a straight line, creating a new dynamic. Behind the chairs were several posters displaying some of their most famous quotes from ‘Going Seventeen’, adding a playful touch to the atmosphere.

[SEVENTEEN's getting ready]

The members slowly streamed into the set, choosing their seats and exchanging light banter as they did. Mingyu and Woozi were the first to sit down, speaking to PD Na about the seating arrangements. Seungkwan was busy taking pictures of the posters at the back before he later sat down next to Mingyu. The room buzzed with anticipation as they all settled in.

[SEVENTEEN swarms in]

Luna and Minghao were among the last to enter, walking slowly as they engaged in a quiet conversation.

"I’ve been taking Chinese lessons recently," Luna said, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. "I’ve always loved learning new languages, and since I’m almost fluent in Japanese, I thought I’d give Chinese a try."

Minghao smiled, nodding in approval. "That’s great. Chinese is a beautiful language. How are you finding it so far?"

"It’s challenging, but I’m enjoying it," Luna replied. "The tones are tricky. I think it's more difficult than Japanese."

As they continued talking, they reached the line of chairs where the other members were already seated. Minghao took a seat on the far left, next to Dokyeom, while Luna remained standing in front of him, still engrossed in their conversation.

Jeonghan, who had taken a seat next to Dokyeom, watched Luna patiently. He placed his hand on the empty seat beside him, silently signaling for her to sit. After a few seconds, he reached out and gently grabbed her hand, pulling her attention away from Minghao.

"Nana-ya," Jeonghan crooned softly, using his nickname for her.

Luna turned to him, a small smile playing on her lips. Without protest, she allowed Jeonghan to guide her to the seat beside him, nestled between him and Dino.

[During the short break, they start chattering]

The room buzzed with chatter as the members broke off into small groups, waiting for the games to begin. The atmosphere resembled a lively classroom during recess, with overlapping conversations creating a symphony of voices that filled the space. Each group was engaged in their own world, sharing jokes, stories, and laughter that blended into the overall din of excitement.

Luna and Jeonghan, sitting close together, had their own quiet conversation amidst the noise. Luna, who had been nervously fidgeting with the rings on her fingers, caught Jeonghan's attention. He noticed the way she absentmindedly twisted the rings, a habit he had come to recognize over the years. It was something she did when she was feeling anxious.

Without a word, Jeonghan reached over and covered her hands with his, the warmth of his touch instantly calming her. His fingers gently caressed the back of her hand, grounding her in the present moment.

"Did you get your nails done?" Jeonghan asked, his tone light and casual, steering the conversation to something simple and familiar.

Luna looked down at her hands, a small smile forming on her lips as she nodded. "Yeah, I got them done yesterday. Do you like them?" She wiggled her fingers, showcasing the intricate designs painted on her nails.

Jeonghan lifted her hand slightly, examining her nails with a playful curiosity, his touch light as he traced the patterns. "They’re really pretty. You always choose the coolest designs,"

Luna chuckled softly, her nerves slowly melting away as they continued to talk. "I went for something a bit different this time, more muted tones."

Jeonghan traced the edge of one of her nails with his finger, still holding her hand in his. "It suits you. They look pretty."

His touch was gentle, almost absentminded as he played with her fingers, turning them over in his hand. Luna watched him, a sense of calm washing over her as he continued to distract her from her earlier nerves.

"It's therapeutic," Luna chuckled. "Getting your nails done."

Jeonghan hummed in agreement, still playing with her fingers. "Maybe you should paint my nails sometime," he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Luna perked up at the suggestion, her smile widening. "I would love to! I could do something simple, or we could go all out and try something bold. I have nail stickers at home. What do you think?"

Jeonghan pretended to think about it, a playful expression on his face. "Hmm, I don’t know… I’m not sure I could pull it off as well as you do, but who knows? Maybe I’ll give it a shot."

Luna giggled, knowing he was playing hard to get but also knowing he wouldn’t say no. "Come on, you know you’d look great. How about this: when we get home later, I’ll paint your nails. Deal?"

Jeonghan finally relented, a soft laugh escaping him as he nodded. "Alright. Alright."

Jeonghan, still holding Luna's hand, turned his attention to Dino, who was seated on her other side. With a playful glint in his eyes, he leaned over Luna and lightly smacked Dino’s leg.

"How have you been?" Dino asked, looking at Jeonghan with a friendly smile.

"I asked you to go to the sauna with me twice, but you never went," Jeonghan replied, feigning a pout.

"You only asked me once," Dino countered, raising an eyebrow in mild confusion.

Jeonghan shook his head, smiling slyly. "I can’t be direct. If I say, 'I’m going to the sauna,' that’s me asking you."

Luna couldn’t help but chuckle at that, finding Jeonghan’s indirect way of inviting Dino endearing. Dino, on the other hand, widened his eyes in realization. "Ahh, okay. Sorry."

From Jeonghan’s other side, Dokyeom joined the conversation with a curious expression. "How come you say it directly to me?"

Jeonghan turned to him, his grin widening. "I need someone to talk to directly. Then other people will be like, 'Can I join you?'"

Dokyeom laughed, catching on to Jeonghan’s playful banter. "Are you saying you took advantage of me?"

"He did," Luna muttered with a smirk, making Dokyeom laugh even more.

"Exactly," Jeonghan admitted with a shrug, his nonchalant response earning a round of laughter. "I know you’re going to send me a long text now."

Once Dokyeom stopped laughing, he smiled warmly at Jeonghan. "Let’s go to the sauna together."

"You can go now?" Jeonghan asked, tilting his head slightly. "I was going to go yesterday," he said, his tone light, "but then you called me."

"If I went yesterday, I might have died," he added dramatically, making Luna stifle a laugh.

[He filmed ‘My Alcohol Diary’ yesterday]

"Why didn’t you ask me to join?" Luna chimed in, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she looked at Jeonghan and Dokyeom.

Jeonghan and Dokyeom exchanged glances before Jeonghan asked, "You want to?"

Before Luna could reply, Dokyeom, with a teasing pout, quickly linked his arm through Jeonghan’s and pulled him closer. "No, no, no," Dokyeom said, mockingly possessive. "You two are always together. Jeonghan is mine now."

Jeonghan burst out laughing, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he leaned into Dokyeom’s playful embrace. Luna looked at them in mock bewilderment before shaking her head with a chuckle. "Alright, I won’t third-wheel your date," she said, her voice filled with playful resignation.

Jeonghan glanced at her with a grin, still laughing at Dokyeom’s antics, while Luna’s heart warmed at the sight of their close bond.

As the group continued chatting among themselves, their conversations overlapping into a lively cacophony, PD Na and the writers observed the scene, slightly bewildered by the sheer energy of the room. The room buzzed like a classroom during recess, with every member engaged in their own small group discussions. The writers, poised and ready to start the next segment, hesitated for a moment, unsure how to gain control over the spirited group.

[This is how they look as a whole]

"Who do we talk to in this case?" one of the writers asked PD Na, glancing at the scene.

"Someone in the center," PD Na suggested, his eyes scanning the group for the best target.

One of the writers looked up and, to her surprise, saw Joshua sitting in the middle of the group. "It’s a new person," she remarked, her voice drawing the attention of the band and, most notably, Joshua, who looked back at her with wide, confused eyes.

[Surprised Bambi]

"Hoshi moved here because it was too much," Wonwoo explained from his seat, offering context with a slight grin.

"That’s why you switched?" Joshua asked, turning to Hoshi, who nodded in response.

"I don’t mind when I’m dancing, but this is too much pressure," Hoshi admitted, a sheepish smile spreading across his face.

[Moved 2 seats]

"We have Joshua in the center. Center Jo," PD Na announced, making Joshua chuckle at the unexpected title.

With the attention now on him, Mingyu leaned forward and added with a grin, "Joshua, hit the slate."

[The center's role on a variety show]

[Hit the slate]

Joshua, still laughing, opened his arms in front of him as if mimicking a movie slate. "I’ll hit the slate… 1… 2… 3," he said, clapping his hands together to signal the beginning of the game portion.

As the group settled into their seats, the chatter gradually died down, and all eyes turned to PD Na, who was ready to kick off the next part of the show. "It's time for the first game," PD Na announced with a smile.

The members responded with enthusiastic clapping and cheers, the room once again buzzing with excitement.

[Shouting like high school students]

"I love games," Minghao said, his eyes bright with anticipation.

PD Na continued, "There’s nothing much to it. We play a game over food, over something else. Play a game over money. And then it’s over."

"I’d love to play over money," Jeonghan deadpanned, a small smile tugging at his lips, making a few of the members laugh at his unexpected 'enthusiasm.'

[He's never looked so enthusiastic]

"Right?" Luna chimed in, smiling at Jeonghan.

The playful banter settled as PD Na explained the stakes. "Today, you’ll be playing for your food."

[For this game] [it's not over money, but food]

The members’ excitement only grew at the mention of food. "I'm hungry," Hoshi said, leaning forward eagerly.

"Let’s eat," Minghao agreed, nodding.

"I don’t think we will be able to," Luna said, chuckling at the impending challenge.

[Food matters more than money in our universe]

"You need to eat," PD Na insisted with a grin. "Let’s play a game over food."

Jeonghan, ever the strategist, asked, "What’s the menu?"

"I’ll show you," PD Na teased, building up the anticipation.

"Is it coming in here?" S.Coups asked, already craning his neck to catch a glimpse of the food, his hands moving in a little dance of excitement. "Oh, there it is."

"It’s crazy," Jeonghan said, eyes widening as a table was wheeled in, laden with containers filled with various dishes.

"What do I do? I’m hungry," Luna exclaimed, her eyes glued to the food.

"That’s the old-school container," S.Coups noted, recognizing the style of the containers as they were placed in front of them.

[Passing by]

"LA galbi?" Vernon asked, spotting one of his favorites.

"There are grilled yellow corvinas?" Luna pointed out, her voice tinged with surprise and delight.

"Grilled yellow corvinas?" Vernon said again, gasping.

[Gasping]

As the containers were opened, the room filled with a chorus of excited comments and exclamations as they recognized different dishes. The spread was reminiscent of a school cafeteria, the familiar scents bringing back memories.

[Exclaiming]

"It reminds me of the school cafeteria. I love it," Jeonghan said a nostalgic smile on their face.

"Please don’t remove one every time," Seungkwan pleaded, knowing all too well how these games worked, anticipating the challenge that lay ahead.

[The dishes to be removed are here]

The air was thick with anticipation and hunger as the group prepared to dive into the game, their competitiveness heightened by the delicious food that awaited them.

As the room settled after the initial excitement, PD Na stepped forward, announcing with a grin, "It's the retreat course for lunch." The members erupted into cheers and applause, at the mention of lunch.

[Retreat course: 14 side dishes]

"When you go on a retreat at school, you get these dishes for lunch. S.Coups, can you introduce them?" PD Na prompted, turning to the leader.

S.Coups stood up, ready to take on the role of the food guide. He pointed at each dish as he named them, "Tomato salad, yogurt, stir-fried spicy pork, LA galbi, kimchi, grilled yellow corvinas, acorn jelly, rolled omelet, mini pork cutlets, sausages, japchae, seasoned bean sprouts." His voice was clear and confident, but there was a playful pride in his tone as if he were presenting treasures.

[There's got to be one you'd like]

"It's perfect," Jun commented, his eyes wide with admiration at the spread before them.

"That's crazy," Joshua added, echoing the awe felt by the group.

PD Na smiled, seeing the members’ appreciation. "I'm sure everyone likes different food. There are fourteen people here," he observed.

"Kimchi is my favorite," Hoshi chimed in enthusiastically, earning nods from the others. "Kimchi is a must. Wherever I go, I try kimchi first and decide whether the place is good or not. That’s how much I love kimchi."

Nods of agreement followed his statement, with some members murmuring their own love for the staple Korean dish.

"Woozi, is there anything you don't like here?" PD Na asked, curious to see if there was a dish that might not suit the tastes of the meticulous producer.

Woozi, ever thoughtful, scanned the table before replying, "Something I don't like? That would be… nothing in particular. I'm not picky."

Seungkwan, ever the observant one, couldn’t help but comment, "Your eyes are focused on the tomato salad," causing a round of laughter to ripple through the group.

Woozi immediately defended himself, "Why eat that of all other dishes?" His mock indignation only made the others laugh harder.

[Wise]

Hoshi, always quick to chime in, pointed at Wonwoo, "Wonwoo can't have seafood."

"I can't eat yellow corvinas," Wonwoo confirmed, his voice even and unbothered, though his gaze lingered on the dish.

Jeonghan, lightly patted Luna’s leg, drawing attention to her. "Jiyeonie loves seafood," he said with a knowing smile.

Luna nodded in agreement, a wide grin on her face. "I love seafood," she echoed, her eyes brightening at the mention of one of her favorite types of cuisine.

"And yellow corvinas are DK's favorite," Jeonghan added, gesturing to the member seated next to him.

"I love yellow corvinas," Dokyeom confirmed with a nod, his voice carrying a hint of excitement at the prospect of enjoying the dish.

As the conversation naturally flowed, PD Na took the opportunity to ask a question that delved deeper into their group dynamics. "If a conflict occurs in the band, how do you resolve it?" he asked, his tone both curious and serious.

Wonwoo was the first to respond, his voice steady and assured. "We go by the majority," he said, earning a confirming nod from S.Coups, the leader of the group.

[They follow the majority]

"If anyone can't eat something, then we take it into consideration," Vernon added, his explanation highlighting their thoughtfulness as a group.

PD Na, intrigued, continued to probe. "Do you always go by majority?"

Seungkwan, always quick-witted, replied with a slight grin, "No, we still listen to the minority."

"We only listen," S.Coups added with a knowing smile, causing a ripple of laughter among the members.

Luna, finding the situation amusing, chuckled before chiming in, "It's funny because it's true."

Jun nodded, adding his own lighthearted commentary, "We only listen. We don’t do it."

"Listen and go with the majority," Dokyeom added with a chuckle, his tone playful.

"They have to endure it," Seungkwan said, his voice teasing but with a hint of truth.

"But if they can persuade us…" Joshua began, his thought hanging in the air.

"…We might change," Hoshi finished, completing Joshua’s sentence with a knowing look.

[If minority is still persuasive, they'd do it]

[That's direct democracy]

Seungkwan, taking the conversation in a slightly different direction, remarked, "If the whole group gets to go on a show like ‘The Game Caterers’, everyone must agree."

"Even if one person says no, we can't do it," Jeonghan added, his tone serious yet relaxed.

Seungkwan then pointed out, "All fourteen of us agreed to go to ‘The Game Caterers’, which is why we're all here." His words carried a sense of pride, a reflection of their collective decision-making process.

[Fortunately, they all approved]

PD Na and the writers, appreciating the sentiment, bowed their heads slightly in gratitude. "Thank you," they said, their voices sincere.

"So let us eat," Seungkwan added with a grin, breaking the moment of seriousness and earning laughter from the group.

[That was from the bottom of his heart]

PD Na, sensing the anticipation in the room, addressed the members with a wry smile. "I'll give you rice and soup," he said, his tone slightly playful. "Normally, I don't. But in case CARATs get mad at me, I'll give you rice and soup."

[We prepared luxurious beef radish soup]

A wave of grateful murmurs and nods spread through the group, with a few members visibly relieved at the news. "Thank you," several of them echoed, their appreciation genuine.

"But," PD Na continued, his voice taking on a more serious edge, "the rest of the dishes depend on how well you do in the game."

[That's right]

The tension in the room shifted, excitement mingling with a hint of nervousness as the stakes were laid out. Everyone knew that this wouldn't be easy; their ability to enjoy the meal in front of them depended entirely on their performance.

"The first game is a revenge match," PD Na announced, pausing to let the words sink in. "The Character Quiz."

At the mention of the game, a collective sound of acknowledgment filled the room, a chorus of "Ooohhs" and nods of understanding. This wasn’t just any game— it was a rematch of the quiz they had played during the ‘HYBE’ Special, a challenge that had left several of them hungry and slightly humiliated.

"Okay," Minghao said, his expression serious yet excited.

Seungkwan, Jun, Hoshi, Mingyu, Minghao, Joshua, and Dino exchanged knowing looks, scoffing out laughs tinged with the bitterness of past defeat.

[Their hearts ache already]

PD Na, ever the observant host, pointed out with a grin, "I just noticed. There are seven people here who played the Character Quiz before." His eyes swept across the room, landing on Mingyu, Seungkwan, Dino, Hoshi, Jun, The8, and Joshua.

[The seven who lost]

"Why don't you give advice to the people who haven't played before?" PD Na suggested, inviting the veterans to share their wisdom.

"Give us advice," Woozi chimed in, leaning forward slightly, genuinely curious.

[But they don't have much to say]

But before any of the seven could respond, Luna deadpanned, "Didn't they lose?" Her tone was dry, the subtle jab laced with humor. The room erupted into laughter, with Joshua especially amused by her quick wit, and S.Coups nodding in agreement.

"They didn't get anything. They got everything wrong," S.Coups added, his voice dripping with mock disappointment, his smile betraying his amusement.

Jun shrugged, not willing to argue against the truth. "We don’t exactly have the experience," he admitted, eliciting another round of chuckles.

Dino, always quick on his feet, gestured with a sly grin. "Just remember. My eyes are watching front, but my ears are listening to the people next to me." His hands moved to his ears, making his intentions clear— he was ready to cheat.

"Right," Jeonghan agreed without missing a beat, the room responding with laughter at the unsurprising agreement by the notorious game cheater.

Wonwoo chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"If you're going to swindle, do it quietly," Mingyu scolded, a playful edge to his voice as he pointed at Dino.

"That’s what you call cheating," PD Na interjected, though his tone held no real reprimand— he was simply amused by the group’s antics.

"They were asking me for advice," Dino defended himself, feigning innocence.

"Cut us some slack," Jeonghan chimed in, his voice carrying a touch of mock sincerity. The room erupted again when one of the producers, caught off guard, exclaimed, "What?" Her high-pitched voice slicing through the laughter.

[We were surprised]

Jeonghan, still laughing, clutched Luna's thigh for support, his amusement clear in the way his shoulders shook.

"He's being serious," Luna informed the producers and writers, her own smile betraying her amusement.

"He's shameless," Seungkwan added, pointing at Jeonghan, his voice filled with playful exasperation.

[Yoon the surprise: He'll surprise Producer Na a lot today]

"Nice," S.Coups clapped his hands, laughing as he pointed at Jeonghan, who was still recovering from his bout of laughter.

"This is really fun," Mingyu commented as he fixed his jacket.

S.Coups turned to PD Na with a puzzled expression. "Is this going to be one way?" he asked, using hand gestures to illustrate his question. Suddenly, his eyes widened with realization. "Both ways?" he added, his tone tinged with incredulity.

PD Na, ever the master of mind games, smirked. "When it comes to the Character Quiz, going one way is a servile choice. That's not who you are, right?"

"He’s brainwashing us," Mingyu quipped, making PD Na laugh along with the others.

[Busted]

Mingyu quickly followed up with a more serious tone, trying to calculate the logistics of the game. "A band of seven people going both ways is us going one way. If we go back and forth, that’s twenty-seven."

"It’s twenty-eight," Jun corrected, his brows furrowed in thought.

"Isn’t it twenty-seven? One person plays once and the rest play twice," Mingyu insisted, explaining his logic.

"You’re right," Hoshi confirmed, nodding in agreement.

"Mingyu is smart," Seungkwan commented, adding to the consensus.

"Give him applause," Hoshi said, prompting the members to clap for Mingyu without hesitation.

[We thought it was over]

The debate, however, wasn’t over. "No, it’s twenty-eight," S.Coups nudged Mingyu, determined to get to the bottom of it. "I have to play twice," he reasoned, starting to count the members aloud along with Seungkwan.

"We go all the way there and come back," Mingyu insisted, using hand gestures to further illustrate his point.

Luna, clearly growing exasperated with the pointless argument, let out an exaggerated sigh. "Why does it matter? We won’t be able to eat anyway. Let’s just do it," she said, her tone laced with mock resignation. Her comment earned a hearty laugh from PD Na, who seemed to appreciate her pragmatic approach.

[Bunny is over it]

Jeonghan, amused by Luna’s ‘over-it’ expression, chuckled softly. He reached out, his knuckles gently brushing against her cheek in a comforting gesture before placing his hand back down on his lap.

"Let’s just do it," Seungkwan echoed, mimicking an expression of exhaustion that perfectly captured the group's collective sentiment.

Minghao, ever the calm voice of reason, chimed in with a simple, "We just have to do it."

"Right, as long as we do well," Seungkwan agreed, nodding in determination.

[You have to get used to it. This band loves chattering]

PD Na, sensing an opportunity to rally the group, leaned into his usual dramatic flair. "When there were a lot of people, there were seven. The maximum number I tried was eight. But if fourteen people succeed, then in the history of variety shows…" He trailed off, letting the implication of their potential legendary status hang in the air.

[Producer Na is scamming them]

The members caught between skepticism and amusement, nodded along, some chuckling at PD Na's clear attempt to hype them up.

"It’ll be legend," Dokyeom chimed in, playing along with a playful grin.

"Let’s try," S.Coups encouraged, the leader’s competitive spirit shining through.

"It’ll leave a mark in the history of variety shows," PD Na continued, his voice full of mock seriousness, earning more laughter from the group.

[Be history]

As PD Na kept going on about how legendary their success would be, the members couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

[If you succeed, we'll have you fixed on the main page of ‘Channel Fullmoon’]

[The future variety shows will remember you]

"He’s good at fabricating it," Woozi commented dryly, a small smirk on his face.

"He can persuade us," Joshua agreed, clearly enjoying the banter.

"He’s good at it," Dokyeom nodded, his tone filled with reluctant admiration.

PD Na pointed toward the direction of the order, setting the stage for the challenge. “Start with S.Coups, all the way to Jun, and then come back,” he instructed, his voice filled with a mix of authority and anticipation.

Mingyu, ever the strategist, leaned forward with a glint in his eye, pointing directly at Jun. “Shall we start with Jun first?” he suggested his tone light but his mind clearly working through potential advantages.

S.Coups shook his head, already dismissing the idea. “No, he plays only once,” he clarified, his gaze sweeping over the group as he asserted his position.

“That might be better,” Dokyeom said, jumping in with a thoughtful expression.

But Jeonghan had other ideas, gesturing toward their side with a casual wave of his hand. “Isn’t it better to pass here first?” he argued, his voice smooth and persuasive.

Minghao, ever the observant one, smiled as he offered his analysis. “Because the first question tends to be the easiest,” he said, his tone light yet insightful, earning a round of laughter from PD Na and the crew.

[They analyzed his question style]

“Good job,” Luna praised, her smile soft as she looked at Minghao, clearly appreciating his attention to detail, and perhaps finding him a bit adorable.

S.Coups, however, wasn’t entirely convinced, his face a mix of resignation and resolve as he stood up. “I have a feeling it’ll never reach me,” he argued, his eyes scanning the group for support.

“It really won’t,” Luna replied without even looking up, her attention seemingly more focused on her nails than the impending game.

[Has no faith at all]

“If we get it wrong, it’ll never get there,” Minghao agreed, nodding along with Luna, his voice calm yet certain.

[It's something they must overcome]

“Let’s try first,” S.Coups insisted, his determination clear as he tried to rally the group.

“Let’s give it a try,” Jun added, his voice steady, ready to dive in.

“If we get it, it’s great. If not, just eat rice and soup,” Minghao offered, his tone practical and reassuring as he addressed S.Coups.

S.Coups pouted, his desire for more than just the basics evident. “I want yellow corvinas,” he said, his voice soft with longing.

Minghao, ever the considerate friend, responded quickly, “I’ll buy them for you,” his tone was kind and supportive.

“Let’s play first,” S.Coups reiterated, trying to keep everyone focused on the task at hand.

But before they could start, Seungkwan raised his hand, his expression serious as he said, “Wait. Let me tell you something. Don’t get it wrong on purpose to be funny.”

The group immediately chorused back, their voices overlapping in playful accusation, “That’s you,” or “No one does that except you.”

“Sorry,” Seungkwan pouted playfully, his attempt at seriousness quickly dissolving into a cheeky grin.

Luna giggled from her seat, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she quipped, “It’s funny how we keep saying ‘let’s try,’ ‘let’s do it’ over and over again but we’ve done nothing but complain… I love you guys, really.” Her tone was laced with mock irony, making the members burst into laughter at her spot-on observation.

“Let’s start,” PD Na announced, his voice cutting through the playful banter and drawing everyone’s attention to the game.

[Round 1]

The room fell into a sudden hush, the lighthearted atmosphere replaced with focused tension. Some of the members leaned forward in their seats, eyes locked on PD Na as they prepared for the first round. Everyone was fully concentrated, their excitement palpable.

“Let’s start. It sounds so hard,” Minghao murmured, his excitement laced with nerves.

“We can do it,” Joshua said, offering encouragement to the group.

“Are we starting with Jun?” PD Na asked, confirming the order.

“Yes,” the members chorused in unison, their voices firm and in agreement.

“Play sincerely,” Woozi added, his tone serious, urging Jun to give it his best shot.

“Fighting,” Luna said softly, her voice a gentle encouragement aimed directly at Jun. She knew how nerve-wracking it could be to go first, and her words were meant to bolster his confidence.

“It’s okay to get it wrong. Just be confident,” Seungkwan chimed in from the other side, offering some last-minute reassurance.

PD Na flipped the first picture around, revealing it to Jun. “1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down, and without missing a beat, Jun blurted out, “Jay Park.”

The room erupted in applause and cheers, the members voicing their excitement as Jun nailed the first answer.

[The first obstacle passed]

Wasting no time, PD Na showed the next picture to Minghao, who was up next. “1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted again.

[The next obstacle]

“Chung Ha,” Minghao answered on time, his voice steady.

[They overcame the obstacles]

The members clapped even louder, their praise growing with each correct answer. Dino jumped up in excitement, unable to contain himself.

[They did better than expected]

“They were good at it,” Wonwoo commented, clapping along with the others.

[Producer Na's getting nervous]

[Next is DK]

[His first Character Quiz in his life]

The game moved on swiftly to Dokyeom. PD Na revealed the next picture. “1, 2, 3,” he counted down.

“Captain America,” Dokyeom answered, earning even more cheers from the group.

“You got it,” Luna praised him with a bright smile.

But as the game progressed, the tension started to build. Jeonghan, who was up next, looked a bit alarmed as the reality of the game set in. “Wait, are there foreigners too?” he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

[That's what Character Quiz is about]

PD Na nodded, confirming Jeonghan’s suspicion. The atmosphere tensed up further as the members braced themselves.

PD Na then showed the picture to Jeonghan. “1, 2, 3,” he counted down.

“Han Ji Min,” Jeonghan answered, his response slower than the previous ones.

“He got it right! He got it right!” Luna exclaimed, her voice full of relief and excitement as she pointed at Jeonghan, making sure PD Na acknowledged the correct answer.

PD Na, however, wasn’t as forgiving. “It’s a warning,” he said, pointing at Jeonghan, his tone firm. Jeonghan had answered a bit too slowly for comfort.

“Calm down,” Mingyu advised the rest of the group, sensing the rising tension.

Next up was Luna, who leaned forward, her heart pounding in her chest. PD Na turned the picture to face her. “1, 2, 3,” he counted.

“V!” Luna blurted out, her voice clear and on time.

The room erupted in applause and praises once again, the excitement growing as they celebrated another correct answer. Some of the members were now on their feet, pacing back and forth in nervous energy.

“Let’s calm down,” Mingyu reminded everyone, trying to keep the group grounded.

“It’s Dino’s turn,” PD Na announced, moving on to the next member. He showed Dino the picture, “1, 2, 3,” he counted.

“Mi Joo,” Dino answered, his voice a bit hesitant.

“You got it right,” PD Na said, but quickly followed with, “It’s a warning,” indicating that Dino had been too slow as well. The group clapped for Dino’s correct answer but the tension was palpable.

[Woozi's next]

Finally, it was Woozi’s turn. PD Na turned the picture toward him. “1, 2, 3…” he counted, but no answer came from Woozi’s mouth.

“Wrong!” PD Na declared, the first slip-up in the game.

[Passionate]

Seungkwan’s expression was a mix of frustration and disbelief as he stood up, exclaiming, “Lee Chan Won!” The disappointment was evident in his voice, and the other members quickly rallied around him, determined to reason their way to a redo.

[Excuse me?] [Producer Na, hold on]

Like clockwork, they began voicing their dissatisfaction with the way the picture had been presented. S.Coups stood up, making a hand gesture to PD Na, indicating that the picture needed to be straightened. “You need to straighten the face,” he insisted, his tone half-serious, half-joking.

Jun, eager to support his leader, leaned forward to physically adjust the picture in PD Na’s hands. “You need to straighten the face,” he repeated as if this small detail had thrown off Woozi’s guess.

[They complain the photo was curved]

“I thought that was Chan because it was curved,” Mingyu added, his voice carrying a note of mock indignation that quickly spread through the group. They were slandering PD Na’s method of showing the picture as the reason for the mishap.

[Slandering]

“I get what you mean because it’s curved,” Woozi chimed in, backing up Mingyu’s point. He was now fully committed to the narrative.

“So? Is that why you didn’t know?” Jeonghan pressed, his voice teasing but with a hint of support for Woozi.

“I had no idea for that reason,” Woozi answered, his tone carrying a tinge of exasperation but mostly amusement.

Luna, sitting quietly and observing the chaotic exchange, couldn’t help but giggle at the audacity of the group. Their relentless reasoning, though absurd, was hilariously on brand for them. She decided to stay out of it, letting the boys have their moment.

PD Na looked shocked, not quite believing what he was hearing. “Are you sure you know now?” he asked Woozi, trying to gauge the seriousness of their claims.

“Of course,” Woozi replied confidently.

“We all went to get his autograph before.” Wonwoo, ever the supportive member added.

"He was on ‘Mr. Trot,’” Woozi added as if this solidified his knowledge of the celebrity in question.

S.Coups, seeing the opportunity to save face for Woozi, clapped his hands together, declaring, “Okay. That was a practice.”

“So, that’s all for the practice round,” Jun followed up, clearly attempting to lighten the mood and reset the game.

But PD Na wasn’t buying it. The playful atmosphere quickly turned as he made it clear that there would be no redo. Now, the members had to decide which dish to remove from their meal.

[Let's remove one dish]

[Time to make a decision]

The members of SEVENTEEN found themselves in a heated debate over which dish to remove, the tension mixed with a playful sense of urgency as they weighed their options.

Dino, in his innocence, was the first to make a suggestion. “Should we remove the acorn jelly?” His words hung in the air for a split second before they were met with immediate and resounding disapproval from every direction.

[Everyone yells]

“No!” Vernon shook his hand firmly, his voice laced with disbelief.

“No!” S.Coups echoed at the same time, his tone bordering on alarm.

Joshua leaned forward, his expression appaled as he addressed Dino. “We can never miss the acorn jelly.”

The most vocal reaction came from Seungkwan, who stood up abruptly, pointing an accusatory finger at Dino. “Acorn jelly is the best. What are you talking about?” His outburst left Dino momentarily stunned, his eyes wide as he sat back in his seat, shocked at the intensity of Seungkwan’s reaction.

[All he said was acorn jelly]

Dino tried to justify his choice, albeit hesitantly. “Because of the cucumber…” he trailed off, his voice mixed with chuckling.

Luna, seated next to Dino, patted his thigh gently, chuckling at the situation. “Our Dino doesn’t like cucumbers,” she explained with a soft smile, her tone lightening the mood.

Jun, always pragmatic, offered another option. “How about bean sprouts?” he suggested, his voice calm as he tried to steer the discussion in a different direction. “Bean sprouts,” he repeated as if to solidify his choice.

But before anyone could reply, Seungkwan had already made up his mind. He grabbed the container of salad, ready to remove it from the table.

“He can’t eat tomatoes,” S.Coups stood up and explained, gesturing toward Seungkwan as if to defend his action.

“He’s removing what he can’t eat,” Dokyeom noted, pouting slightly as he eyed Seungkwan up and down. S.Coups couldn’t help but chuckle, pointing at Dokyeom with a playful grin.

Minghao, ever observant, pointed out another detail. “Jun wants only the salad,” he said, turning the focus back to Jun’s preference.

“Ah, really?” Vernon exclaimed, his tone one of genuine surprise.

Jun nodded, his expression earnest. “Because I’m working on detoxing,” he explained, his voice calm as always.

Seungkwan took the opportunity to clarify to PD Na, “Some of us are detoxing. We’ll remove bean sprouts.”

But before the decision could be finalized, Vernon, now on his feet, pointed to another potential sacrifice. “Or what about sausages?” he suggested, his voice filled with the same playful uncertainty that had been present throughout their discussions.

“No, never sausages,” S.Coups replied immediately, his tone firm as he shut down the suggestion.

Dokyeom, feeling the need to contribute, stood up and pointed to another dish. “Let’s remove japchae,” he suggested, his voice confident.

“What?” S.Coups responded in shock, his reaction mirroring that of several other members.

Amidst the ongoing debate, PD Na just sat there, watching with a mixture of amusement and amazement as the members continued to discuss, their voices overlapping in a chaotic but somehow harmonious argument.

The debate among SEVENTEEN over which dish to remove escalated into a full-blown discussion, each member passionately defending their preferences.

Wonwoo, who had been quietly observing the chaos, finally chimed in with a suggestion. “I thought we follow the majority,” he said, his calm voice cutting through the noise.

S.Coups, the only one still standing, began pacing back and forth in front of the group. His frustration was evident as he tried to steer the conversation toward a decision. “Ya, what do you want to remove?” he asked, his voice laced with a hint of impatience.

[The general leader is exhausted]

Dino, sensing an opportunity to bring order, proposed, “Let’s go by majority. Who wants to remove the salad?” He raised his hand as an example, hoping others would follow suit.

Only S.Coups and Seungkwan raised their hands in agreement, their expressions determined. The lack of support from the rest of the group, however, left the salad firmly on the table.

[They're democratic, but it takes a long time and Jun wants it]

Hoshi, always one to throw in a curveball, casually suggested, “Just remove the yellow corvinas.”

[In favor of yellow corvinas]

This suggestion sparked immediate reactions, especially from Luna, who leaned forward to look at Hoshi. “What are you talking about?” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked at him.

[Bunny no. 1 wants yellow corvinas]

Minghao echoed her shock, turning to Hoshi with a confused expression. “Why? That’s the best,” he asked, genuinely baffled.

Seungkwan, who had been watching the exchange with growing frustration, finally exploded. “Are you all stupid? Remove bean sprouts,” he exclaimed, his eyes wide as he looked around at the group, unable to believe the conversation was still going.

Eventually, they agreed on removing the bean sprouts, and Dino reached out to remove them from the table, his expression a mix of relief and resignation.

[They agree on bean sprouts]

[Bean sprouts are out]

“So that’s how SEVENTEEN resolves conflicts,” PD Na commented, observing the group with an amused smile.

“It’s quite noisy,” Jun admitted, his tone light as he glanced around at his fellow members.

“We were just talking over each other,” Luna added, a hint of laughter in her voice as she reflected on the chaotic discussion.

“We’re all talking at the same time. What do we do?” Mingyu said, shaking his head with a grin.

“It’s so noisy,” Wonwoo chuckled, covering his ears in mock despair.

[SEVENTEEN never holds back from talking. They're noisy]

PD Na and the writers couldn’t help but laugh at the scene, thoroughly entertained by SEVENTEEN’s dynamic.

As the laughter died down, Seungkwan took the opportunity to remind Dino of his earlier blunder. “Dino, acorn jelly was a wrong choice,” he said, a teasing tone in his voice.

“Not the acorn jelly,” Vernon added, shaking his head.

“Don’t you mess with acorn jelly,” S.Coups warned, pointing at Dino with a playful glare.

Luna, unable to resist, added her own prediction with a grin. “It will be gone soon. Watch.”

Dokyeom giggled at the exchange. “This is funny.”

Jeonghan, who had been watching the whole thing with an amused smile, turned to S.Coups. “You never eat it,” he pointed out, his tone teasing.

[They were sensitive about removing it]

"Honestly, you could remove sausages,” Vernon voiced out, throwing in another suggestion.

“What?” Mingyu exclaimed from beside him, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Really?” Vernon asked him, slightly taken aback by the strong reaction.

“Aren’t sausages good?” Mingyu asked, still trying to process the suggestion.

[They start the debate on sausages]

PD Na, who had been observing the entire exchange with growing amusement, finally interjected with a wry smile. “I guess the conflict never resolves completely,” he remarked, shaking his head.

[No]

The members, realizing how long the discussion had gone on, began shaking their heads and voicing their agreement. “We keep complaining,” S.Coups said, mimicking a mouth with his hand as if to demonstrate how they couldn’t stop talking.

“It lasts long,” Joshua added with a chuckle.

“I won’t be surprised if we’ll be talking about this till we get home,” Luna said, leaning back in her seat with a sigh as if already resigning herself to the inevitability.

“We’re sensitive about food,” Dokyeom explained to PD Na, his tone a mix of sincerity and amusement.

“It turned into a mess many times before,” Seungkwan added, nodding in agreement.

“We’re good with everything else,” Dokyeom added as if to clarify that food was the one area where they just couldn’t seem to find peace.

“The decision is made, but people never stop talking,” PD Na noted, clearly fascinated by the group’s dynamic.

“That’s why they come to me,” Jeonghan added, his tone light but with a hint of truth.

"DK was getting serious." Seungkwan said, pointing at Dokyeom with a playful grin, mimicked him from earlier, saying, "'He's removing what he can't eat.'"

[Portraying DK]

This caused Dokyeom to burst into laughter, joining in by imitating his own actions as well.

[No need for counseling]

[Round 2]

As Round 2 commenced, the atmosphere in the room grew serious. The members were more focused than before. This time, S.Coups would start, which meant Jun would only play once.

[This time, S.Coups will go first]

"Then Jun will play only once," PD Na confirmed, nodding towards the group. "Then the problem is The8."

Minghao waved his hand dismissively, "The8 isn't the problem," he said with a small smile, his confidence unshaken.

"Why not?" PD Na asked, chuckling at Minghao’s laid-back attitude.

"Just make the question easy," Minghao replied innocently, earning a round of laughter from the members and crew.

[Producer Na is the problem]

[Problematic Director]

[The8 is not the problem]

"I'll choose the question carefully," PD Na assured them, the laughter still lingering in the air. "Let's start with S.Coups," he announced as the leader leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, fully concentrated.

[The leader of SEVENTEEN, S.Coups]

PD Na pulled out the first picture and began the countdown, "1, 2, 3…"

S.Coups hesitated, the pressure was evident in his eyes. He stood up suddenly, blurting out, "Hwang Jung Min."

[Park Bo Gum]

"Wrong!" PD Na exclaimed, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

The room fell silent for a moment before it broke into chaos. Not only had S.Coups hesitated, but his answer was also completely off the mark. The question was the easiest one so far, shocking not just the members but also the writers who were present. All eyes turned to their leader, who now paced behind the seats, back and forth, before dramatically holding onto the wall as if in despair.

[SEVENTEEN is shocked]

"Ya!" Joshua pointed at him, his voice filled with both disbelief and amusement. "What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" Dokyeom echoed, clearly flabbergasted.

Luna, still seated but with wide eyes, couldn’t hold back her surprise. "What just happened? That was the easiest one."

The members began to voice their shock and disappointment, the room now buzzing with incredulous energy.

[Park Bo Gum: As the former host of ‘Music Bank’]

[he probably said hi to SEVENTEEN]

[He probably introduced their new song too]

"Just go home," Seungkwan suggested, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm.

[Outraged]

Mingyu turned to PD Na, mock seriousness in his voice. "Can we remove one member at a time instead of the food?"

[Shocked]

"Give him up," Minghao chimed in, his voice completely deadpan.

"Let's just kick him out," Hoshi added, his own brand of humor causing the others to laugh despite the situation.

"He doesn't know how to play games at all," Dino pointed at S.Coups, shaking his head as if in disbelief, while the leader continued to stand at the back, feigning defeat.

Luna, unable to resist joining in on the teasing, deadpanned with a straight face, "You never know, that might be Hwang Jung Min in another universe," she joked, pointing at the picture as if she were seriously considering the possibility.

[Someone help S.Coups]

The room burst into laughter, the tension from S.Coups' earlier mistake evaporating instantly. Even S.Coups, still leaning against the wall in mock despair, couldn’t help but crack a smile at Luna’s witty remark, grateful for her ability to lighten the mood.

Jeonghan, ever the strategist, took charge of the situation. "We need to remove one," he declared, pointing decisively at the array of food options before them. His eyes scanned the dishes before settling on a decision. "Let’s remove them in order," he suggested, trying to instill some semblance of logic in the chaotic process.

However, Vernon quickly chimed in with his own idea. "No, let's remove the sausages," he proposed, his voice steady.

[Cool]

Luna nodded in agreement, and Jeonghan wasted no time. He pointed directly at the container of sausages, his tone firm, "Remove it."

Seungkwan and Dino, who were already on their feet, sprang into action. Dino grabbed the container with a sense of purpose as if removing the sausages was a mission of utmost importance. "Sure, the processed meat. Sodium nitrite," Seungkwan commented, shaking his head with mock seriousness. "It's not healthy."

[Sausages are out]

PD Na, observing their theatrics, couldn’t help but chuckle. "You worry about your health," he remarked, amused by the group's sudden concern for nutrition.

"Yes!" they chorused in unison, as if the entire group had just had a collective epiphany about healthy eating.

From across the line, Mingyu turned to S.Coups, curiosity etched on his face. "What were you doing earlier?" he asked, referring to S.Coups’ earlier flub.

S.Coups shook his head, still looking somewhat bewildered. "I couldn’t remember," he admitted, his tone sheepish.

"That’s what happens," Mingyu said, nodding sympathetically.

"It happens," Minghao added with a sage nod of his own, as if imparting some deep wisdom.

S.Coups, still nursing his pride, glanced at PD Na and confessed, "I yelled at them when I watched it," referring to the infamous ‘HYBE’ special where they got everything wrong.

PD Na gave him a knowing look, understanding the pressure. "S.Coups, I understand," Jeonghan interjected, his voice gentle, offering his friend some comfort.

Wonwoo, who had been relatively quiet until now, suddenly spoke up, his voice tinged with nervousness. "Why am I getting so nervous?" he asked, almost to himself.

PD Na, ever the problem solver, suggested, "I think you should move S.Coups to the center."

S.Coups, eager to shake off the earlier mishap, quickly stood up. "Can I sit in the middle?" he asked, looking for approval.

Without missing a beat, Mingyu moved to his seat, making him the first in line, while S.Coups settled into Seungkwan’s spot.

[Mingyu moves to the 1st seat]

Seungkwan, still in good spirits despite the chaos, looked at Mingyu and teased, "Mingyu, you weren’t that good last year," reminding him of the infamous ‘HYBE’ special with a playful grin.

[Round 3]

"Let's start," PD Na announced, the energy shifting as everyone prepared for the next challenge.

Mingyu, now in the hot seat as the first in line, tried to steady his nerves. Leaning forward slightly, he murmured to himself, "Who's there these days?" His focus sharpened as PD Na positioned himself in front of him, ready to reveal the next image.

"1, 2, 3," PD Na counted down, pulling the picture out. Without missing a beat, Mingyu confidently answered, "Jang Sung Kyu."

The room erupted in a mix of surprise and admiration. "He's good," S.Coups remarked, genuinely impressed.

"No wonder he's experienced," Woozi added. A few shook their heads, chuckling.

"I wouldn't have got it," Jeonghan admitted, acknowledging Mingyu’s sharpness.

[It requires concentration]

Next up was Vernon. PD Na moved in front of him, the atmosphere slightly more relaxed after Mingyu’s success. "1, 2, 3…" PD Na prompted, revealing the picture. But instead of a quick answer, there was silence. Vernon’s mouth hung open slightly, but no words came out.

"Wrong!" PD Na declared, breaking the silence with a hint of playful disappointment.

From somewhere in the background, Seungkwan, always quick to react, yelled out, "Kim Yeon Koung!" His voice rang out just as Mingyu, feeling victorious, stepped back to let the next player take his place.

S.Coups, however, couldn't resist the opportunity to tease. Standing up, he pointed directly at Vernon. "You can never yell at me," he declared with a triumphant grin.

"Kim Yeon Koung, who led Korea to the semifinal!" Seungkwan added, still slightly in disbelief that Vernon had missed such a well-known figure.

S.Coups wasn't about to let it go. "Admit it. You’re in no place to blame me," he said, a teasing tone in his voice as he looked at Vernon.

Vernon, still processing his mistake, nodded and shook his head. "We’re the same," he admitted with a resigned smile.

Mingyu, always one to keep the energy light, grabbed one of the large posters from the back. On it was one of their famous quotes, and with a mischievous grin, he raised it behind Vernon’s head. The sign read, 'ARE YOU OKAY?' The moment everyone saw it, laughter erupted around the room.

[Greetings]

"For real?" Mingyu asked Vernon, his voice still laced with amusement, making the atmosphere light once more despite the round’s pressure.

The debate over which dish to remove from the table heated up as Jeonghan sprang to his feet, determined to take charge of the situation. He reached for the container of rolled omelets, ready to make the decision himself. At the same time, Minghao, feeling equally decisive, grabbed the japchae container and announced, "Let's remove japchae."

However, not everyone agreed with this sudden move. A chorus of dissent rose from a few members, and before they could follow through, Wonwoo quickly extended his arm, signaling for them to pause. "Wait," he said, his voice steady but firm. S.Coups, already on his way over, echoed the sentiment with a pout, "Wait, not the japchae."

Jeonghan, sensing the resistance, raised his arms in a gesture of surrender. "What do you want to remove then?" he asked, a playful tone of exasperation creeping into his voice as he looked around at his indecisive teammates.

[Choose one already]

Seungkwan, however, had already made up his mind. He walked forward, confidently grabbing the container of japchae from Minghao's grasp. "No. Japchae raises your blood sugar level," he declared, his tone leaving little room for argument.

"That's high in carbs," Dokyeom agreed, nodding as they both returned to their seats, the japchae now out of the table.

[Japchae is out]

As the lively debate over the food continued to unfold, PD Na, with a playful grin, turned his attention to Vernon. "Vernon, you need to apologize," he teased, referring to Vernon’s earlier mistake during the game.

Vernon, feeling the weight of his error, offered a shy smile before bowing slightly in apology. "Are you going to be okay?" PD Na asked, still playfully asking him.

Wonwoo, sensing the need to comfort his friend, chimed in, "You know her, right?" His tone was reassuring, as if to remind Vernon that his slip-up was no big deal.

"Do you remember now?" PD Na followed up, clearly enjoying the banter.

Vernon nodded, his expression a mix of embarrassment and amusement. "I know her, but I couldn't recall her name," he explained, a hint of frustration in his voice at his lapse in memory.

S.Coups, always quick to empathize, added, "See? You get stuck," acknowledging how easy it was to draw a blank under pressure.

Mingyu then seized the moment to ask. "Wonwoo, do you want to come here? Anyone who hasn’t played yet want to go first? We won’t be able to eat anyway," he quipped, earning a hearty laugh from PD Na.

[It turns into an experiential learning]

"Right. We’ll end up eating rice and soup only," Jeonghan agreed, joining in on the humor as the group prepared for the next round, the tension from the game gradually melting into shared laughter.

As they prepared for the fourth round, some of the members began to shuffle their seats, creating a fresh dynamic. Vernon switched places with Dino and found himself sitting next to Luna, who greeted him with a warm smile.

[Vernon moves to the back]

[Dino who tried it before moves to the front]

Mingyu, feeling confident after his recent success, couldn’t resist making a bold statement. "I feel like I've become the ace," he declared, puffing up slightly with mock arrogance, eliciting chuckles from the group.

PD Na, ever curious about their mindset, asked, "Before playing the game, were you confident?"

S.Coups, recalling his earlier blunder, responded first. "When I watched the video, I thought I'd be good at it," he admitted, his initial confidence now tempered with humility. He shook his head in playful defeat. "Wow," he added, the disbelief still lingering in his voice, making PD Na laugh.

[People who are watching right now probably agree with you]

Seungkwan, who was seated next to S.Coups, deadpanned, "Getting Park Bo Gum wrong was a terrible mistake," bringing up the mishap with a seriousness that made the others smirk. The reminder made S.Coups smile in defeat, his expression one of resigned acceptance.

"I know. It was so easy," Jeonghan chimed in, adding to the gentle ribbing.

Seungkwan, always quick with details, pointed out, "He was the ‘Music Bank’ host when we debuted."

Hoshi, joining in from S.Coups’ other side, added, "He even performed 'Pretty U' at his fan meet," his tone both teasing and nostalgic.

Jeonghan, ever the contrarian in a playful way, added, "I still understand," though his words carried a hint of teasing contradiction, causing Luna to giggle from her seat next to him.

"I understand," Hoshi echoed, patting S.Coups on the back with exaggerated sympathy.

"It's okay," Seungkwan added, as they all took turns playfully comforting their leader, who stared blankly ahead with a sarcastic, pained chuckle, his expression making PD Na and the writers laugh heartily.

[If you've seen S.Coups' soul, please call ‘HYBE’]

"Let's go," Hoshi said, ready for the next round and eager to change the subject.

"I'm getting dizzy," S.Coups joked, his dramatic delivery causing more laughter to ripple through the group.

"They're so funny," PD Na remarked to the writers, his amusement evident as he watched the lively group banter.

[SEVENTEEN became a genre]

[Round 4]

As silence fell over the group, the atmosphere grew tense with anticipation. All eyes were on PD Na as he carefully shuffled the pictures in front of him, his movements deliberate and teasing. The members leaned forward slightly, eager to see what challenge lay ahead for Mingyu, who was first in line.

PD Na revealed the picture, holding it up for just a moment before he began his countdown. "1, 2, 3," he intoned, his voice calm yet commanding.

"Hwang Jung Min," Mingyu answered confidently, not missing a beat.

The room erupted in cheers, with the members expressing their excitement and relief. "Mingyu is the ace!" Hoshi exclaimed, springing to his feet to give Mingyu a high five. "Good job!" The energy in the room was infectious, with everyone feeding off the victory.

Mingyu, basking in the praise, mockingly puffed up his chest, wearing a smug grin that only made the others laugh harder.

[His shoulders are rising]

S.Coups, Hoshi, and Joshua exchanged a glance before pointing at him in unison, "Right now, it's sixty centimeters," they quipped, referencing the width of his shoulders— now a running joke among them because of the earlier interview.

[His shoulders are 60cm in width]

"Your shoulders got wider than Wonwoo," PD Na added with a chuckle, playing along with the banter.

On the other side, Luna couldn't hold back a snicker. She leaned toward Jeonghan, who immediately sensed her movement and bent down slightly to catch what she was about to say. "Is it not Park Bo Gum?" Luna whispered, her voice laced with playful sarcasm, referencing S.Coups’ earlier mistake of confusing Park Bo Gum with Hwang Jung Min.

[Someone help S.Coups again]

Jeonghan chuckled at the joke, clearly amused by her quick wit. “In another universe, maybe,” he said, referring to her joke earlier making her laugh. In response, he gave her a gentle poke in the waist, eliciting a surprised squeal from Luna as they both waited for their turn in the game.

[Next is Dino who played before]

As Dino's turn approached, the room's energy shifted slightly, with the focus now on the youngest member. Sitting next to Mingyu, Dino leaned forward, his eyes wide with concentration, clearly determined to give his best shot. The members around him began to cheer him on, their voices a mix of encouragement and playful pressure.

"Dino," they chanted softly, creating a supportive atmosphere. "You know them all," Seungkwan added from Dino’s side, his tone reassuring as he tried to bolster Dino’s confidence.

PD Na, ready to continue, held up the next picture, pausing momentarily before beginning his countdown. "1, 2, 3…" he called out, his voice crisp and clear.

Dino stared at the picture, his brow furrowed in thought. After a moment, he hesitated and said, "He's cool," not entirely sure who he was looking at. The uncertainty in his voice was evident.

[A cool guy]

"Wrong!" PD Na exclaimed, breaking the tension and sending the room into a burst of laughter. Some of the members stood up, clapping and cheering, while others playfully scolded Dino for his guess.

Dino shrugged, offering a sheepish smile as he excused himself, "I'm not good at it."

"It's okay," Luna chimed in, her voice comforting.

[Note: It is only okay for bunny no. 1 if it's someone adorable]

"The Korean Zombie," Wonwoo announced, revealing the correct answer.

Jeonghan turned to Vernon, shaking his head as he pointed out, "You shouldn’t have switched," he teased, knowing Vernon would have recognized the UFC fighter.

"From UFC," Vernon clarified for Dino, his tone understanding.

Luna, sitting next to Vernon, added with a knowing smile, "Dino doesn’t watch UFC."

"I don't watch UFC," Dino repeated, echoing her words as if to solidify his reasoning for missing the answer.

As the game moved on, the next challenge was deciding which dish to remove from their table, an ongoing debate that had already caused plenty of drama. Minghao, with his usual calm demeanor, stood up and confidently headed toward the front table, where all the dishes were displayed. He pointed at one with determination, announcing, "We should remove this."

His suggestion, however, was met with a chorus of loud disagreements. "Why LA galbi?" Joshua's voice rang out, filled with disbelief.

[He's from LA]

"Why? LA galbi is expensive," Luna added, her tone equally appalled.

"Don't mess with galbi," S.Coups warned, his voice carrying the weight of a leader defending a treasured dish.

[Galbi is like family]

Despite Minghao's attempt to remove the LA galbi, the team quickly overruled him, and after much discussion, they unanimously agreed to remove the salad instead. Jun, who had been eyeing the salad only, gladly allowed it to be removed. "Remove it," he agreed with a nod, happy to see it go.

[Salad is out]

[It was a big decision for Jun who was going to eat only the salad]

As the salad was being taken away, S.Coups spoke up again, "Why aren't we removing yogurt?"

Seungkwan looked at him incredulously. "What are you talking about?" he exclaimed.

"We need yogurt," Vernon insisted from his spot, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Seungkwan, always quick with a playful jab, patted S.Coups on the back. "You should be grateful we didn't remove you," he teased.

S.Coups laughed in defeat, knowing he had lost this round of the debate. "Thanks," he chuckled, the humor of the situation not lost on him.

As the atmosphere buzzed with excitement, PD Na raised a hand to gather everyone’s attention. "Who should go first?" he asked, ready to kick off the next round of their game.

"People who haven't played yet should," Mingyu suggested, his voice clear and confident.

[Those of you who haven't gone on the ride yet, come to the front]

At this prompt, a flurry of movement erupted around the room as the members began to switch seats, eager to shuffle into new spots. The commotion was lively and chaotic, with laughter and chatter echoing as fourteen members jockeyed for position. Jeonghan, who had been gripping Luna's pinky finger this entire time found himself separated from her as they were swept along with the crowd that is SEVENTEEN.

In the end, Jeonghan settled into a spot next to S.Coups in the middle of the group, while Luna ended up sitting on the right front side, nestled between Mingyu and Dino. The seat changes brought a new dynamic, and as everyone settled into their places, Hoshi commented from the first chair on the left side, "We'll be going nonstop from now on. You better get ready over there."

“I don’t think I’ll get it,” came a voice from next to Hoshi. It was Wonwoo, second in line, his expression revealing a hint of excitement and uncertainty.

"Wonwoo. Did you answer all the questions until now?" PD Na asked, his curiosity piqued.

"No," Wonwoo replied shyly with a chuckle.

Minghao chimed in, "Wonwoo isn't good at it," his tone light-hearted yet teasing.

"Do you want to switch just in case?" Hoshi suggested, turning to Joshua with an encouraging nod.

"I'm not good at it either," Joshua admitted as they switched seats, with Joshua moving to Wonwoo's original spot.

"Wonwoo tends to play the villain," Seungkwan remarked, a grin spreading across his face.

"I don’t watch TV," Wonwoo explained, his tone earnest as he tried to justify his lack of knowledge.

"Who doesn’t know these days just because they don’t watch TV?" Mingyu asked incredulously, shaking his head in mock of disbelief.

"All he watches is the game," S.Coups added, nodding knowingly at Wonwoo, who merely shrugged in response.

Jeonghan then turned to PD Na with a mischievous glint in his eyes, “You should just show him his own picture.”

“I want to be good at it. I’m getting nervous,” Joshua confided to Hoshi, his nerves evident as he adjusted in his seat. “I’m nervous to be here."

“It’s okay,” Luna softly chuckled at Joshua’s plight, her English accent coming through as she reassured him in English.

[Round 5]

As the fifth round began, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. The members were laser-focused, knowing the stakes were high with each dish removed from the table. PD Na shuffled through his stack of pictures, finally settling on one to show Hoshi, who was first in line.

“1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down.

“Baekho,” Hoshi answered confidently, earning a round of claps and praise from the other members. His quick response and accuracy brought a wave of relief, as they successfully passed the first hurdle of the round.

[If he got it wrong, he would've spent 3 awkward years]

Next up was Joshua, his face a mix of concentration and nerves as PD Na presented the picture to him.

“1, 2, 3…”

“Lee Bo Young,” Joshua answered, his voice steady. For a moment, there was silence. Then, the room erupted— not in cheers, but in confusion.

[No?]

Hoshi, unaware that Joshua’s answer was wrong, started clapping enthusiastically, his usual bright smile on his face. But before he could get too carried away, Joshua’s eyes widened as he realized his mistake.

“Park Bo Young!” Joshua quickly corrected himself, but the damage was already done.

“Lee Bo Young is Ji Sung’s wife,” Seungkwan exclaimed, standing up with a look of disbelief.

“Park Bo Young?” Joshua asked again, this time with an innocent smile, as if trying to win them over with charm.

“From ‘Agency.’ You should’ve only said Bo Young,” Hoshi said, still somewhat clueless about the error but offering his advice nonetheless.

“You still got Bo Young,” Wonwoo reassured Joshua, trying to salvage the situation and boost morale.

Jeonghan, ever the quick thinker and skilled in mischief and cheating, leaned toward Joshua. “Did you say Lee Bo Young as in that person is Bo Young?” he asked, implying that the mistake was merely a slip in pronunciation.

Luna chuckled at Jeonghan’s cleverness before chiming in, “That’s right.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Joshua said, as if the realization had just dawned on him. “That’s it. Of course, I know Park Bo Young.”

[I can't be wrong]

“Lee as in 'this'?” PD Na asked, playing along with the humorous twist Jeonghan had introduced.

[Acting]

Joshua and Jeonghan immediately seized the moment, pointing at the picture as they both said in sync, “This is… Bo Young.”

Hoshi joined in on the fun, pointing out, “He’s American,” referencing Joshua’s background to justify the mix-up, trying to keep the mood light despite the mistake.

[It's got nothing to do with being American]

[Once you get bitten by SEVENTEEN, you have to get your act together]

[Or you end up getting persuaded]

“This is Bo Young,” Joshua repeated in English, trying to sell the cleverly made excuse.

Mingyu, always quick with a quip, couldn’t resist adding, “It’s so embarrassing. Don’t be so miserable,” which drew a laugh from Luna, her smile softening the moment.

Eventually, the laughter subsided, and the reality of the mistake settled in. Wonwoo, seeing that they needed to move forward, took the initiative. “So, what do we remove?” he asked, his tone practical, ready to accept their loss.

“Mini pork cutlet?” Joshua suggested, standing up to remove the dish himself. He knew they had to sacrifice something, and the mini pork cutlet seemed the most acceptable option.

“Let’s remove them in order except for kimchi,” Jeonghan agreed, always the one to find a way to maintain some semblance of fairness.

“Sorry,” Joshua said sincerely as he walked to the table, lifting the dish of mini pork cutlets with a resigned smile.

“Let’s leave kimchi for last,” S.Coups added, his voice carrying a tone of finality as the round came to a close. They all knew that kimchi was non-negotiable, a staple that no one wanted to part with.

[Mini pork cutlets are out]

As the fifth round drew to a close and the group prepared for the next challenge, Wonwoo looked around, suddenly realizing something.

"Am I the only one who hasn't played yet?" he asked, standing up from his seat. The others watched as he moved to the front of the line, swapping seats with Hoshi.

Seungkwan, ever quick with a playful jab, couldn’t resist, “You won’t even last for three seconds,” he teased, causing PD Na and the writers to burst into laughter.

[They're supposed to answer in 3 seconds]

From the other side of the room, Luna’s voice chimed in, gentle yet confident. “No, Wonwoo can do it. He’s smart,” she said, her tone soft but filled with belief. “I believe in you, Wonwoo.”

Wonwoo, who was usually calm and composed, blushed slightly at the encouragement. “I’m sorry, but don’t get your hopes up,” he responded shyly, clearly touched by Luna’s words but trying to keep expectations realistic.

“Wonwoo, you can do it,” Jeonghan added, his voice warm with support. A chorus of agreements followed from the other members.

“You can do it.”

“A picture of a SEVENTEEN member might pop up,” Jeonghan continued with a playful smirk, trying to lighten the mood.

[Pressure]

“It’ll be funny if we miss it,” Dokyeom chuckled, imagining the scenario.

PD Na, amused by the situation, looked at Wonwoo and said, “No one thinks you’ll succeed,” his tone light and teasing.

“Right. We’re just doing this for experience,” S.Coups chimed in, trying to manage expectations while keeping the atmosphere light.

“We can all be on TV,” Minghao added with a grin.

“When will we get to be here again?” Jeonghan mused his tone a mix of understanding and calmness.

“When will we get to play this?” S.Coups echoed, clearly enjoying the moment with his friends.

“We can always come back here later,” Mingyu said, looking around at the others with a confident smile.

“We should come back,” Minghao agreed, nodding thoughtfully.

“But you never know. It might keep going,” Hoshi added, trying to keep the momentum up.

“We might keep going,” Joshua agreed, his eyes glinting with determination.

“I believe in Wonwoo,” Luna reiterated, shaking her head with a small pout, her belief in him unwavering. Wonwoo, feeling the warmth of her support, couldn’t help but smile— a small, gentle smile that showed how much her words meant to him.

[Round 6]

Round six kicked off with a wave of anticipation. The members, still buzzing from the previous rounds, were eager to see how Wonwoo would fare.

"Come on, Wonwoo!" Jeonghan cheered, his voice full of encouragement, his eyes locked on Wonwoo, who was now in the hot seat.

PD Na shuffled through the pictures in front of him, finally picking one. He looked at Wonwoo and, with a steady tone, counted down, “1, 2, 3.”

“Key,” Wonwoo responded confidently, just as Dino, sitting across the room, muttered the same name under his breath, “Key,” in a subtle attempt to help him out.

The room erupted into cheers and claps. “Good job!” Luna called out, her face lighting up with a proud smile.

[Look at these people]

PD Na, however, had caught the quiet muttering from Dino. “I thought I just heard something,” he said, his eyes narrowing as he gestured toward Dino, who quickly pretended to cough.

“I was coughing,” Dino said, raising his hand as if to cover his mouth, trying to play it off casually. “I should’ve covered my mouth. Sorry.”

[The climate problem is very serious, isn't it?]

PD Na shook his head with a playful grin. “It’s a warning,” he announced, more amused than serious.

“Okay,” the group responded in unison, agreeing to the light-hearted reprimand.

[Next is Hoshi]

Next up was Hoshi. The energy in the room was palpable as PD Na held up the next picture. “1, 2, 3—”

“BamBam,” Hoshi answered without hesitation, prompting another round of cheers.

[He got a colleague for twice in a row]

“Hoshi’s good,” S.Coups noted, nodding in approval.

“The first question is always easy,” Woozi remarked, analyzing the trend.

“I want something like that too,” Vernon added nervously, watching as Hoshi basked in the praise.

[Joshua is next]

Then it was Joshua’s turn. He stood up, taking a deep breath, and as he prepared himself, he suddenly called out, “Wait.”

“Joshua, don’t say the last name,” Dino offered from his seat, trying to guide him.

[No last name]

“Add the last name at the end. Say, Bo Young Park,” Mingyu added, motioning with his hand as Joshua nodded, his hand on his chest, mentally preparing himself.

[Character Quiz World Version]

"Here we go," PD Na announced, setting the stage for Joshua’s turn. The room grew quiet as he began to count down, “1, 2, 3,” and then revealed the picture to Joshua.

Joshua’s reaction was immediate and priceless. “Urgh,” he groaned, his hands shooting up to clutch his neck in shock.

[What was that?]

[We just heard a weird sound]

The sudden, exaggerated movement caught everyone off guard, and the room erupted into laughter. Some of the members stood up, clapping in amusement, while others collapsed to the floor, overcome by laughter.

[Let's laugh for a second]

Dino and Mingyu, who were seated on either side of Luna, found themselves laughing so hard that they fell off their chairs, each grabbing one of Luna’s arms as they went down. The unexpected tug almost pulled Luna down with them, but she managed to stay upright, laughing at the hilarity of the situation.

“Wrong!” PD Na laughed, confirming Joshua’s failure, but the teasing was far from over. The members continued to laugh at Joshua’s dramatic display, some still on the floor, others doubled over on the other side of the room. Joshua, ever the performer, pretended to have a neck cramp, using it as a playful excuse for his blunder.

[Wriggling in agony]

“Wait! He suddenly got a cramp,” Hoshi called out, alerting everyone to Joshua’s antics. He played along, his voice full of mock concern as Joshua writhed in fake agony, his hand still on his neck.

A few members took the joke further, rushing toward Joshua with exaggerated worry. “Are you okay?” Seungkwan asked his voice a mix of laughter and pretend concern as he crouched beside Joshua.

[They're worried about his condition]

“Shua is amazing,” Luna said between laughs, wiping the tears from her eyes. Mingyu, still on the floor, pointed at her, laughing even harder at the sight of her struggling to compose herself.

[The game that makes you cry]

[They all burst into laughter]

PD Na and the writers couldn’t contain their amusement, laughing at the shameless display unfolding before them. Joshua, fully committed to the bit, slowly lay down on the floor, feigning pain and defeat.

[He shouldn't be okay]

[So he lies down on the floor]

Hoshi, always quick to join in on the fun, pointed at the picture again, his tone mockingly serious. “Who’s that?” he asked, drawing everyone’s attention back to the game.

[You must say the answer for this situation to be over]

“Oh, Uhm Jung Hwa!” Joshua suddenly exclaimed, sitting up as if the answer had just come to him. His enthusiasm earned another round of laughter and applause, everyone playing along with the excuse, reveling in the chaos of the moment.

[It seems that's how they film ‘Going Seventeen’]

As the laughter finally began to die down, Jeonghan turned to Joshua, still grinning from ear to ear. “Don’t be nervous,” he advised gently, his voice soothing in its sincerity.

Joshua nodded in agreement, his expression sheepish yet amused. “I was too nervous,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as if still feeling the phantom cramp.

[He suddenly got a cramp]

Hoshi, never one to miss an opportunity to add a playful twist, chimed in, “His blood sugar level suddenly went up. Even his hair turned red.” This earned another round of chuckles as the group slowly started to settle back into their seats.

[Joshua is healthy]

In the midst of their playful banter, they noticed Vernon walking past them, dragging another chair behind him. Seungkwan, ever observant, asked, “Vernon, what’s wrong with your chair?”

[The chair broke when they made a fuss]

PD Na, clearly amused by the chaotic scene, explained with a laugh, “While one passed out, Vernon’s fixing the chair in the back. You’re all busy on your own.” The camera panned to Vernon, who smiled sheepishly as he adjusted the new chair, his old one having broken during the earlier commotion.

“You got it,” Minghao reminded Joshua of their earlier ruse, referring to the playful way they had tried to twist the rules in their favor.

“Yes, I did,” Joshua responded, puffing up with pride at his small victory, even if it was short-lived.

PD Na, always quick to bring them back to reality, quipped, “You took twenty-three seconds,” which made everyone laugh in defeat at the absurdity of it all.

[What a bummer]

“You’re accurate,” Jun noted, shaking his head in mock disbelief.

“We were on ‘Immortal Songs’— Uhm Jung Hwa special,” Wonwoo added, drawing out an enthusiastic chorus of agreement from the group, all of them nodding as the memory came back to them.

“How can you not get it?” PD Na asked Joshua, who responded with a deep bow of apology, his face a perfect picture of exaggerated regret.

[Sorry]

Before another lengthy debate about which dish to remove could begin, Jeonghan swiftly stood up, his expression decisive. Without a word, he grabbed the container of rolled omelets and removed it from the table, ending the discussion before it even started.

[Say goodbye to rolled omelets]

He returned to his seat with a satisfied grin, earning a few raised eyebrows and stifled laughs from the others, who were grateful to avoid another round of indecisive bickering.

[Rolled omelets are out]

Suddenly Mingyu, proposed with a light-hearted grin, “Shall we have people who appeared on ‘The Game Caterers’ last time sit together? Let’s sit together.”

The suggestion hovered in the air, eliciting a brief, almost uncomfortable silence. The camera captured the stillness as if it were holding its breath, waiting for the next cue. Luna, sitting beside Mingyu with an air of casual confidence, deadpanned in her most matter-of-fact tone, “Do you really think the seven of you who lost last time should all sit together in a row?”

Her words cut through the silence with a sharp clarity. The reaction was immediate and animated. The camera panned to PD Na and the show’s writers, who burst into laughter, their amusement evident as they pointed at Luna. The members, caught off guard by her bluntness, joined in, their laughter blending into the chaotic symphony of the studio. Mingyu, on the other hand, could only stare at the side of Luna’s face, his expression a mix of surprise and a mock resignation as she playfully winked at him after.

“It’s no use,” Jun chimed in, nodding in agreement with Luna’s assessment.

Seungkwan, ever the skeptic, pointed at the array of food laid out on the table and asked, “Do you really think we can eat this?” His tone was laced with incredulity, mirroring the shared skepticism of the group.

Dino, with his trademark optimism, countered with a hopeful smile, “I think we have hope.” His comment was an attempt to inject some positivity into the conversation, despite the prevailing doubts.

“We have to go both ways?” Hoshi inquired, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“Yes,” Luna confirmed, nodding.

“It’s impossible,” Minghao interjected, his voice tinged with resignation.

“Can you make it one way?” Jeonghan proposed, turning to negotiate with PD Na. His plea was a bid to simplify the task, showing his willingness to find a compromise.

“All right. It’s time to make a decision. We’re not here to fight,” PD Na began, his voice cutting through the chatter. The members nodded in agreement, their collective attention now focused on the resolution of the issue.

[We want peace]

“In this situation, it should be one way,” PD Na decreed, offering a pragmatic solution. The members, relieved by the compromise, clapped in appreciation. Their gratitude was palpable, a collective sigh of relief that was evident in their cheers.

“He cut it to half,” Seungkwan remarked, his tone reflecting the relief shared by everyone present.

“Thank you,” Luna said, her voice sincere as she expressed her thanks to PD Na.

“Let’s do this,” S.Coups declared, his voice brimming with resolve as he rallied the group.

“Yet, there are more people than other teams,” PD Na pointed out, referencing the discrepancy in team sizes. The members nodded, acknowledging the fairness of the observation.

[Yet you made us go both ways?]

The studio buzzed with a mixture of anticipation and playful banter as PD Na readied the group for the next round of the quiz game.

“Who’s going first?” PD Na asked, looking around at the eager faces.

“Mingyu keeps scoring,” Hoshi announced with a grin, nodding toward the tall figure next to him. “He’s good.”

Luna, who had been listening intently, added her agreement with a nod. “He’s good.” Her gaze shifted to Mingyu, who was seated right next to her. Starting with Mingyu would indeed mean that Luna would be second in line for the quiz— a strategic position she was content with.

“Luna is good too,” PD Na said, acknowledging her skill with a knowing smile.

“You saw the questions. Been practicing?” PD Na asked Dino.

“Yes, I got them all,” Dino answered confidently, giving a nod. His assurance was a source of added confidence for the team.

[Dino was very close]

“I bet Seungkwan knows everyone,” PD Na remarked, turning to the enthusiastic member next to Dino. Seungkwan nodded a sparkle of pride in his eyes.

“S.Coups, what about you?” PD Na inquired, shifting the spotlight to the leader who had yet to score a point.

“Half and half,” S.Coups replied with a shrug, his tone a mix of casual defeat and humor. His track record wasn’t stellar, but he took it all in stride.

“Take it easy. Don’t let it pressure you,” Mingyu advised, leaning back in his seat with a relaxed demeanor. His casual posture was a stark contrast to the tension in the air.

“Okay. I’ll sit like you too,” S.Coups said, mimicking Mingyu’s laid-back position with a playful smirk.

“Sit arrogant like me,” Mingyu said confidently. “Take it easy. You know these people.” His words were meant to reassure but came across with his signature blend of confidence and humor.

“If you reach Wonwoo, you win,” PD Na reminded them, referencing the ultimate goal of the game. Wonwoo, who was sitting quietly and watching the proceedings with an amused expression, was the benchmark they were all aiming for.

Seungkwan, who, catching the infectious enthusiasm in the room, declared with a confident grin, “Let’s do this.”

“We can do it,” Dokyeom added, his voice brimming with encouragement.

“We can do it,” Minghao echoed, his tone matching Dokyeom’s optimism. The repetition of the sentiment helped solidify the group's collective resolve.

“There are still five dishes,” Hoshi pointed out, his statement a reminder of the prize.

With the final pep talk and the remainder of the remaining dishes, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation. The scene was set for the next phase of their comedic and unpredictable variety game show adventure, leaving viewers eagerly awaiting to see how the competition would unfold.

[To be continued in Clip 1-4]

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[lalacliffthorne]

mornings are for laying in bed, talking in hushed voices and tracing Azriel's tattoos.

(hhrrrrggghhh... *buried in pillows in single* this writer is touchstarved. proceed with caution.)

The morning sun filtered through the curtains as I soundlessly slipped into Azriel's room, crunching my nose in concentration as I slowly closed the door as quietly as possible.

It was Sunday morning, early Sunday morning; the flat was completely quiet just like the street outside, and the only reason I had woken up and slipped out of Azriel's arms was that I had desperately needed the bathroom.

Wincing when the door handle squeaked the tiniest bit, I looked over my shoulder, and my heart did a backflip.

The morning light illuminated Azriel's bare back, sculpted muscles relaxed under his even skin. He was stretched out on his stomach, the blankets pooling around his waist and his shoulders rising with his even breaths as his hand curled into the pillow where there was an empty, me-shaped spot in the sheets. His dark hair was a mess, and even from where I was standing, his head turned the other way, I could see the tousled strands curving over his forehead and his peacefully calm face, brows smooth and lips parted slightly.

Trying to breathe against the sudden violent flutter in my chest that I really should get checked, I quietly turned around and tapped over to the window, the wooden floors cool under my bare feet when I peaked through the curtains. The sun was just peaking over the houses on the other side of the street, the city still quiet, the sky bright blue.

Turning to quickly slide back under the warm covers and curl into Azriel's chest, my gaze landed on his desk, and my heart dipped and fluttered.

Quietly stepping closer, I reached out, and my fingers brushed over the pictures strewn over the wooden top. They must've been freshly developed, because they were still unsorted. Gently pushing them apart, I felt something rise warmly in my chest and a smile slowly spreading over my face as my gaze moved over the pictures. A few first warm rays of sun tickled the side of my face, and I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, staring at a picture Azriel had taken in the mirror, with me standing in front of him and his arms wrapped around my shoulders, half obscuring my face as I tipped back my head to look up at him. I could just see the upwards tilt of his lips peaking out from under the camera.

There was a soft click behind me, and I jumped a little, my head dipping and missing a beat when I quickly looked over my shoulder, and Azriel pressed the shutter release button again. Then he raised his head, his tired eyes glowing amber in the sunlight as one corner of his lips curved upwards slowly.

The flutter in my chest grew into something that stole my breath, warmth rising into my cheeks, and I lost the fight against the ridiculously wide smile pushing onto my lips.

Turning around, the bed creaked softly when I clambered up onto the mattress. Azriel rolled onto his back, his bright eyes following me, and I plopped down, my shins bracketing his lean sides when I settled on his hips and sent him a slow, cheeky grin.

My big sweatshirt slipped up my thighs as I reached out and carefully pulled the camera from Azriel's fingers, considering it curiously. His hands sank down, slowly beginning to travel up and down my thighs. His rough, warm skin left a trail of tingles in its wake before his hands settled just below my hips.

Squeezing one eye shut, I looked through the viewfinder, and my heart staggered and tumbled.

Lowering the camera a little, I squinted at Az, feeling my nose crinkle in a sheepish, cheeky smile as I said softly: "Can I -"

Azriel's eyes flickered over my face for moment before he blinked and nodded lightly, and it almost looked a little like his throat worked to suppress a small swallow.

My lips curved into a wide smile, and I raised the camera again, looking through the viewfinder. A few first rays of sunlight were falling through the curtains and made Azriel's iris look like molten gold as he watched me, dark hair tousled and messy, broad chest bare and hands on my thighs, warm and scarred and fingers slow tracing shapes on my skin, and my heart rose in a thrum as I pressed the shutter release button.

Raising my head again, I caught the bright light in Azriel's tired eyes as his gaze flickered over my face. Then he blinked; his hands slid up my sides, and he tugged me down.

Quickly craddling his camera against my chest, I inhaled softly when his warm breath brushed my lips. Then Azriel's nose gently traced over mine, and he lifted his chin to kiss me, slow and warm and causing my heart to shudder.

A soft sound escaped me, and I could feel Azriel beginning to smile slowly against my lips. Then one of his hands slipped to the small of my back while the other closed over mine, and he gently tugged the camera from my grip. His grip tightened, and he pulled me down flush onto his chest and rolled us over.

My breath hitched and heart rose when his warm, solid body pressed mine into the mattress.

Without breaking the kiss, Azriel reached out, a small clonk indicating him setting the camera back onto the bedside table, and breathing out, my heart rising, I slipped my fingers into his hair and kissed back.

A soft sound broke from my throat, and my back arched up into his chest when Azriel's arm slipped around my waist to pull me closer. Slinging my legs around his sides, I buried my fingers in his hair, and something turned over in my belly when Azriel exhaled softly and deepened the kiss.

The sun started to peak through the curtains, Azriel's hips lodged between my legs locked around him as he kissed me and I kissed back, until my lips were tingling and the world was spinning.

When Azriel finally slowly broke away, his nose softly nudging against mine, a small, involuntary sound of protest left me, and Az chuckled against my lips, the sound, deep and soft, sending tingles through my whole body when he mumbled, low voice hoarse and raspy with sleep: "Morning."

Exhaling as something rose and began to flutter in my chest, I felt a smile spread slowly over my face when Azriel brushed his nose gently over mine, then I pulled my head back just a little to open my eyes.

My breath hitched, and my gaze flickered over Azriel's face just a few inches away, drinking in the sharp line of his cheekbones and jaw, the golden spots in his amber eyes and the way a few strand of his tousled hair fell into his forehead. I could feel the warmth radiating from him, the weight of his tall body on mine grounding instead of suffocating. The muscles in his shoulders shifted a little as his grip around my waist tightened and his eyes stared back, calm and steady and with the trace of a twinkle growing in his iris that made something pound against my ribs.

"Hi,", I whispered back with a slow, wide smile, and a soft crease appeared in Azriel's cheek. His eyes, warm and still full with sleep, slowly dragged over my face, then he dipped down a little, his arm wrapping closer around my waist as he rolled back onto his side, pulling me with him.

Wrapping my arms around his neck with a content sigh, I buried my nose in Azriel's neck and felt his hand slide to the back of my knee, dragging my leg over his side until the length of my body was pressed flush against his, and my heart dipped and rose. Then his fingers slipped under my sweatshirt, up and up until his arm was wrapped around me, and Azriel dropped his head to bury his face in the crook of my neck, nuzzling his nose against my skin.

"You smell good,", he mumbled, the low, hoarse rumble of his voice reverberating through me and causing my my breath to hitch.

"What?" I felt my smile lips curve into a soft grin as my fingers carded through his hair.

"You smell good." I could hear the trace of a smile in Azriel's quiet, raspy voice, his shoulders rising as he breathed in slowly and his grip tightened around me, and something warm swelled in my chest, beginning to flutter when he mumbled: "Really good." His rough fingers began to trace slow patterns onto my shoulder blades. "Even my bed smells like you."

My heart suddenly raced, and I squinted, barely biting back a giggle. "Sorry?"

Azriel's lips curved against my neck, then he raised his head to lean his forehead against mine, his nose softly nudging against mine when he mumbled, his deep, slow voice vibrating through me: "Wasn't complaining."

My heart fluttered and soared, and Azriel's chest rumbled as his arms slipped tighter around me, then he dipped his head, and something in my chest simply tipped over when he kissed me, warm and firm and causing the world to tilt. I exhaled softly and a little shakily, and Azriel's lips curved up against mine, causing me to bury my fingers in his hair.

"Shut up,", I grumbled softly against his lips, causing a chuckle to vibrate through Azriel's chest.

Sliding my hand over his warm chest, I pulled back slowly, brushing my nose over Azriel's and causing a small sound to build in his chest. My eyes got caught on the ink on his shoulder, and feeling something begin to rise in my chest, I pushed myself forward.

Azriel complied, rolling onto his back as he stared up at me, a gentle curious crease between his brows, and I settled on his hips, a strand of hair falling into my face as I stared at the tattoos on his shoulders and carefully brushed my fingertips over one of them.

Azriel's breath seemed to grow uneven as my fingers started to carefully follow the lines swirling over his warm, smooth skin, gently tracing the shapes. I could feel the muscles shift under my fingers when my hand slowly moved over his chest with featherlight touches, his eyes piercing my face, his fingers digging lightly into my knees. Then I leaned down, my heart beating steadily against my ribs, and a small, deep sound left Azriel when I pressed my lips gently against his collarbone.

My fingers stilled as I started to follow the lines and curves of the intricate shapes, my nose brushing over Azriel's skin, and my heart rose every time I lingered to slowly press my lips against the ink. Something began to thrum against my ribs when one of Azriel's hands slipped into my hair and a soft, shuddering breath left him that made me smile slowly against his warm skin. He smelled woodsy and earthy like his cologne and something beneath, warm and dark and good, that was just him.

My fingers traced over his ribs as I brushed my nose over his shoulder and softly kissed his collarbone, my nose tracing over the shifting muscles in his neck before I gently pressed my lips against his warm skin, and Azriel gave a low, shaking sound. His hand slipped further into my hair, pulling my head up, and my heart dipped when he caught my lips in a deep kiss.

My fingers curled into his sides as a soft sound escaped me. Then I kissed back, and Azriel pulled me closer towards him, his breath heavy against my skin when he deepened the kiss, almost a little feverishly.

Digging my fingers into his bare skin, I sucked in a soft breath when Azriel slowly broke the kiss, my heart thrumming as the world spun. His thumb brushed over the side of my neck as Azriel swallowed lightly, and a gentle hum vibrated through his chest, the deep sound a little hoarse when he softly nudged his nose against mine.

Opening my eyes with a flutter, my heart rose into my throat when my eyes met golden ones, bright in the morning sun, golden specks melting together as they dragged over my face. Then Azriel blinked, and a soft surprised sound left me when he rolled onto his side and slid me off his torso onto the mattress; his arm snuck around my waist, and in one smooth move, he dragged me over the sheets into his chest.

My breath hitched, and something rose in my chest when I felt his tall body curve around mine, fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle, his solid chest pressing into my back as Azriel buried his nose in the crook of my neck.

A breathy giggle bubbled in my chest as my heart dipped, and I felt Azriel's lips curve upwards a little. Then he tugged me closer, thighs sliding into between my calves and arm tightening around me like I wasn't already tightly pressed into his body. Reaching out, I crunched my nose in concentration as I tried to get a hold of the blanket, tugging at it and pulling it over us.

A wave of Azriel's scent washed over me (everything smelling like me my ass), and snuggling into the heavy sheets, I slipped my fingers through Azriel's resting right over my chest. His hand shifted, his fingers linking gently with mine, then his thumb started to slowly brush back and forth over my skin.

Something thrummed warm and steadily against my chest as I stared at the sliver of sunlight falling onto the sheets, my eyelids beginning to feel heavy again, Azriel's scent rising into my nose with every breath. I felt his body pressed against mine, warm and solid, the weight of his arm draped over me and the way his thumb slowly brushed over mine as he buried his nose at my neck, and something began to flutter gently against my ribs as I breathed out softly and allowed my eyes to drift shut.

@azrielshadows1nger @waytoomanyteenagefeels @secret-ly-here @knmendiola @luvmoo @azriels-mate123 @bookishbroadwaybish @maybe-a-winchester @stayinglow-exploringworlds

[hellishjoel]

he with the dark curls, you with the watercolor eyes

883 words / drabble main masterlist | notifications blog | ko-fi

summary: you've fallen in love with the man with the dark curls who makes your coastal life with him idyllic warnings/information: MA 18+ (minors DNI), food consumption, reader is has no physical description, brief smut, frankie fluff

a/n: I have no idea what this writing style is, but it was fun! banners by @cafekitsune <3

frankie has always been a man who 'doesn't need much' he tells you this every birthday, every christmas, every anniversary he's happy with what's in front of him that includes his cottage on the water, his big dogs, and, of course, you there's nothing more he needs than waking up with your warm body curled into his side your features softened with sleep, your arm outstretched along his tan torso wedding ring wrapped around your pretty finger

he'll lean over and kiss the crown of your head before blindly reaching to his side table where dirty coffee mugs and half-read books pile up your portrait eyes meet his own honeyed amber once the dogs join the fray, jumping onto the bed and loving licking your sleepy faces, you're both as awake as you'll ever be if it's not raining and not too cold, you'll both sit on the bench at the end of the pier, wrapped up in a slate gray wool blanket as you drink a coffee in a spirited mood, frankie will fish the moody water ripples upon the hook plopping into the cobalt water frankie tugs the bait along until he feels a subtle drag before you know it, you're fondly smiling as he reacts to catching a fish as if it's his first time leashed up and wiggling with excitement, you walk the dogs along the water their noses are glued to the ground, snorting and sniffing with curiosity your boots dig into the ground and slosh with each step the dirt is still loose and wet from the recent rain that's come through you make small talk and capture pictures of your life to send back to your family and friends leaving home was difficult at first, but your coastal life has been such a dream and with frankie, you've come to realize you've never needed much else for dinner, frankie cooks the fish he caught earlier in the day you're his sous chef, working in your quaint kitchen with fuzzy slippers on, candles lit and glowing the somber home to an orange, flickering haze the dogs lay tiredly on the rug, and watch with sleep-happy eyes the cast iron skillet sizzles upon frankie flipping the fish while you work on the sides of mashed potatoes and asparagus your kisses grow lazy and sweet by the end of the night the silver moon dances across the midnight water, lighting your bedroom in a pale pearly film frankie kicks the bedroom door closed with his boot blindly, his pretty mouth smirking he always touches you like a delicate petal at first, anyway he likes to feel your skin, his palm attaching to your hip under your shirt as he walks you backward toward bed you let out a silken moan as frankie's lips work their way down to the column of your throat his teeth graze the soft skin that grows goosebumps in his wake his stubble scratches and it's just yet another reminder of how perfect he feels without trying your body has become his home being his home has become your sanctuary his hips bracket between your pretty thighs he thrusts languidly in rhythm with your heartbeat the drag of his thick cock causes your back to arch he traps you with his thick arms, your hand clutching to his bicep blinded by pleasure, frankie moans sweet nothings in your ear he whispers how much he loves you how perfect you are how amazing you feel how dedicated he is to you how happy you make him how much he loves you, again your fingers weave into his nest of dark curls, loosening the hat hair from earlier in the day his actions cause sweat to glimmer across your skin bodies glittering like the waves under a full moon the coil in your stomach is close to snapping your pleas and moans for him to finish inside of you sweetly echo in his ears he groans, feeling so lucky to have someone to spill into someone to make his own and paint in his name you reach the edge of the universe together shaking, clenching, squeezing, crying, kissing

frankie brings you back with gentle kisses, breath lost in your lungs, now retrieved you can't help but smile as he presses his forehead against your own, pulling the bedsheets up to your chest he coasts his fingers along your body mindlessly memorizing the curves, slopes, and dips like a beautiful map to his favorite place lips meet, hands hold, noses nuzzle, I love you's exchanged more than once it's a sweet mantra at this point to tell someone you love them this much, yet the meaning only grows stronger despite sharing the same three words and eight letters over, over, and over again it only heightens the sentiment frankie is reminded that he doesn't need much what else could he ask for when this is his life? how much more perfect could this get? there was no waiting to win the lottery waiting for a big, well-deserved raise waiting for his life to feel complete 

because at the end of it all when summers burn and the days are long he feels grateful to spend them with you he with the dark curls, you with the watercolor eyes 

[tadpolesonalgae]

Rhysand x reader: Soothing

a/n: written esp. for Play Mate but separate, since everyone deserves aftercare 🧡🧈🥐🥞🍓💛

Word count: 1,343

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He keeps his hold firm on your body, carrying you with him as he makes his way over to the washroom, the temperature shifting in the air as the two of you pass over the threshold.

“Still awake for me?” He asks softly, peering down at your naked form, slick gleaming on your thighs, nipples perky and sensitive, lips plump and bitten. You manage a nod, though keep your eyes shut, head resting against his bare shoulder, smiling faintly when his lips graze your forehead, dropping a soothing kiss down to keep you soft and tender. “Alright,” he murmurs, pausing at the bath’s edge. “Time to get down.”

You sigh, but crack your eyes open, gazing up at him, fatigue having laid itself heavily upon your body after the adrenaline of pleasure had faded, leaving you feeling exhausted and lethargic. Rhys hums, amusement clear in his features as his lips curve. “Hold on then, princess,” he smiles, nose bumping your own as you drowsily return his expression, clinging a little tighter as he lowers you into the pleasantly warm water.

“Don’t put your back out, Rhys,” you grin as the heat engulfs you, bringing a weightlessness to your bones, relieving their heaviness. Your husband scoffs, stepping in himself, and you pull your legs up a little, despite there being more than enough space in the large, circular bathing pool. “You’re hardly even a decade younger,” he grumbles, reaching round and gently pulling you into his lap, arms bracketing your waist, nosing at your hair.

“And I’ll hold that decade over you forever,” you smile, leaning back into him, head resting on his shoulder, facing the smooth expanse of the tan skin at his throat, small bite marks littering the area along with other softly placed bruises. “Mhm,” he hums skeptically, and you can picture the single raised brow, the amusement on his lips. You grin, turning to face him, sitting up a little as you wrap your arms over his shoulders, moving to be sideways in his lap. “Is someone grumpy I made fun of him?” You muse, smiling up at your husband.

“Oh, you can poke fun at me all you like, but the second I bring up one of your moods,” he emphasises, peering down at you.

“Rhysand,” you mutter, glaring at him hard from beneath your brow.

You stare at one another for a moment, before the stiff lines give way to broad, round smiles, laughter echoing between you, bodies shaking with mirth. The merriment is interrupted however by your stomach rumbling, and you’re made aware of the keen hunger present in your body.

Rhys’s eyes twinkle, meeting your own. “Would you like something to eat?” He asks, that single raised brow smirking down at you with male arrogance he somehow finds a way to make attractive. “Only if you feed it to me,” you reply smoothly, settling into his chest, leaning into the firm frame of him. He rolls his eyes, but the faint smile on his mouth gives him away.

With barely a flicker of his power, a tray appears on the ledge of the pool, laden heavily with small yogurts and neatly cut fruit, tiny pots of jam with flakey pastries decorated with pecans and various fillings. “You’re going to spoil me,” you murmur up to him, the mutual smiles making it difficult to kiss, but it only serves to widen the curve of your lips, laughing softly.

“Once in a while never hurts,” he replies, selecting a pastry and nudging it against your lips, napkin tucked below to keep flakes from floating down into the pool. A grin plays across your mouth, and you bite down, hearing the soft crunch at the taste blooms on your tongue. You shield your lips as you chew, pushing for him to have a bite, so he does. He hums deep in his chest, the sound of pleasure having your lips kicking up at the edges, eyes twinkling.

You swallow your mouthful, and guide his hand back for another bite. He resists at first, and you shoot him a warning glare that has him relenting, smiling as he finishes his piece, mirth clear in his expression as you take a large bite, lips brushing his fingers, leaving hardly even a sliver. He rolls his eyes but takes what he can get—after all, there’s a full tray at the ready.

“Greedy,” he mumbles, pulling you closer, urging you to lean more into his chest, the warm water lapping soothingly over your skin, softening the tension in your muscles, draining it out to allow you to return to a more pliable state. “Do you want me to eat, or not?” You laugh, pressing a light kiss to his mouth, feeling loved and cared for in his arms, holding you so adoringly, fingers stroking absently over the curve of your hip.

“I want you to eat when you’re hungry,” he replies, dragging the tray closer, gesturing to it. “Have your pick.”

You eye the variety, settling on a piece of sliced fruit, putting one end in your mouth, lightly clamping down before pushing the other end to him, watching as he rolls his eyes, but gently closes his mouth over it. You bite down, and the juice drips down, angling the slice so it falls of Rhys, whose violet eyes narrow on you, marking the obvious mischief. You chew and swallow, swiping at the juice with your hand, before dipping down, mouth latching over the hot, tan skin, dragging your tongue up, up, up…

Rhysand chuckles lowly, pulling you away by your shoulders, washing the flavour off with water. “Cheeky,” he remarks, and you bat your lashes at him, lips curving. “You are in time-out,” he reminds, “we’re done for the evening.”

“But I’m ready again,” you murmur, hands gliding over his chest. Pausing. “Unless…unless you don’t want to?” The humour sobers from his expression, shifting to something more genuine. “I love you, and cherish you,” he whispers over your mouth, hands cupping your cheeks so he can look you in the eyes, calling warmth to your skin. “But you need to rest. You were practically falling asleep on the way in.”

You groan, but relent, back relaxing from its slight curve, instead softening into him. “You and your discipline,” you murmur, unable to muster a drop of resentment, warmth instead fluttering across your breastbone. “Me and my affection,” he chuckles, tucking you into him gently, scooping you up and repositioning you closer, so your cheek rests on his shoulder.

Without the promise of stimulation, the fatigue draws back in, and soon after your lids begin feeling heavy. Breaths begin to even out, eyes eventually shutting completely, dozing off despite your best efforts. His hand settles lightly over your head, and you think he must have used a flicker of magic in passing to allow his palm to remain so warm and dry in spite of the water you’re mostly submerged in.

Fingers brush small strands from your brow, tucking them neatly over a pointed ear, stroking affectionately. You blink tiredly, trying to open your eyes to gaze up at him, but to no avail, simply allowing him to soothe you further into sleep. The best you can manage is a slight shift of your head, inclining your chin to press a kiss to his skin, lips brushing softly in return for every gentle touch he’s given.

As you finally give in, being swept away into the comforting inky darkness of sleep, you feel a returning kiss being put onto your brow, tender, and softer than a whisper, so as not to disturb you. Love gathers in your chest, swelling with contentment, basking in his affections. The safety of his arms.

“…love you…” you manage to mumble, giving thought shape as the emotion rolls from your mouth, soaking into his skin.

He kisses you again, stroking your hair.

“I love you too. Now get some rest,” he whispers softly, lips grazing your brow. “You deserve it.”

[tai-templates]

⪩﹒⫻ 𝙊𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙂𝙍𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙂𝘼𝙍𝘿𝙀𝙉 ﹒✿ . . . RP Template ! ─── Free to use (with credit!)

Hi! Its been a while since I had time/motivation to make a new sheet! Since its been so long - this ones a bit simpler, and I used a vertical format instead of a landscape one. This sheet uses a lot of assets and its fully customisable!

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[darksigns-exe]

You're The Holiest Thing I Know - Nick x Noah x Laurie (OFC)

Paring: Nicholas Ruffilo x Noah Sebastian x Laurie (OFC) Warnings: Swearing, Oral Sex (M and F receiving), use of a strap on toy Word Count: 5.3k

To Know You're Mine Masterlist Masterlist

They turn around as if he’s caught them gossiping. Nick thinks that he probably has. For a second it stings, but then he remembers that these are his darlings and that it won’t be about him even if they’re giggling and so very close to each other. 

He likes seeing them like this. Laurie pulls him in for a chaste little kiss, before she holds her hand out towards Nick. 

“We were just talking about a little movie night? Interested?”

He doubts that was the actual topic of their conversation. He won’t question them. Whatever they have planned is theirs to surprise him with. 

Nick agrees, of course. He can’t say no to them. Not when Noah is looking at him with those big brown eyes of his. He’s hunched over a little, his chin resting on Laurie’s shoulder. She looks so small with his arms wrapped around her like that. 

God, he loves them so much. Seeing them like this makes Nick question how they’ve ever been without Noah. It’s not that things before weren’t good. They were. It was never bad. But now that it’s all three of them, it just feels so right. 

If he could, he’d take a thousand pictures of them so that he can always keep one on him. 

When he comes back into the living room after changing into something comfortable, they already have Labyrinth pulled up on the screen. He hears Laurie cursing out the microwave once again. They should probably get a new one at some point. 

“There you are.” Noah pulls him in close by the waist, “Almost thought that you weren’t going to come down after all.”

Noah presses a kiss to the cheek, one hand pressed against the opposite. Nick likes that he’s picked up little things like that from Laurie. It’s endearing. They copy each other so much, and he truly does adore it. 

Sometimes he feels as if he’s the new one, with how in sync they are. 

Laurie joins them shortly afterwards with a bowl of popcorn. The few days off she’s had did her good. He assumes that Noah’s been taking good care of their girl too. Laurie sinks down on the other side of him, bracketing him between their bodies. He likes having them all around him like this. Nick loops his arm around Laurie’s shoulder, pulling her close against his side. Noah leans against his other side, head resting against his shoulder. He’ll slide down to curl against him soon enough. He always does. 

The little bout of insecurity ebbs away slowly. The pit of it remains in his chest, though. He can’t help it sometimes. Can’t help the bitter feeling that he’s the one on the outside now. Nick knows that it’s unwarranted. He knows that they love him, that they care for him. Otherwise, they wouldn’t attach themselves to him like this. He shoves the feeling away for now, tries his best to focus on what they had right now. It’ll disappear before long. At least that’s what he hopes. 

Shortly after the credits had rolled, Noah had said his good nights, kissed them both and bounded up the stairs, claiming that he still wanted to shower. Nick isn’t sure where this sudden scepticism comes from, maybe he’s just tired. The last few weeks have been busy. He’s glad that he’s basically booked out for the entire time they’re off tour, but now he wishes that he’d taken fewer appointments, spent less time away. He misses them in equal measure, and he can’t deny the bit of envy he feels when he hears Noah and Laurie talk about what they got up to while he was busy. He knows that they spent their mornings all comfy and lazy and while he’s happy that they get to have those moments, Nick can’t help himself. He doesn’t want Noah out. He just wants to have more of them. 

“Nicky.” Laurie wraps her arms around his middle, “Everything okay?” 

He jumps a little at the sudden contact and noise. He’d been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed her coming into the kitchen. 

He nods, despite the still bitter feeling in his chest. 

“Don’t lie.”

Nick feels her press her face against the side of his arm as she holds him. 

“Just feeling a little on the sideline at the moment.” He admits then. 

He can’t expect Laurie and Noah to communicate their needs and then do the opposite when he’s not feeling well. 

Laurie’s arms tighten around him. 

“Is this because of earlier? When you came home?”

“A little.”

She presses a kiss to his shoulder, “Noah asked me to help him out with something. I’m not going to tell you what, but you’ll enjoy it. Be patient, my love.”

He huffs out a breath, trying his hardest not to sound too frustrated with the whole thing. It eases the ache a little. 

“Think we could go out some time? Just you and me?” he asks finally.

Nick didn’t think it was possible, but she hugs him closer still, “Of course. Whatever you want. Just say the word, and I’m all yours. Noah wants to get up early tomorrow; think he’s meeting up with some people. So you’ve got me all to yourself.”

He can’t keep his hands off her that night. Can’t stop himself from kissing every inch of her body until she’s a sighing, writhing mess beneath him. The mess in his head dissipates as he sinks into her. And when he falls asleep with her arm slung across his chest, it doesn’t feel nearly as bad as it did just a few hours ago. 

A few days flow past until Noah finds an opportune morning to bring the topic up again. He waits until they’ve had breakfast and they’ve both kissed Nick goodbye. He’s bouncing with excitement when he finds her in the en suite of the big bedroom. 

Noah wraps himself around her partially naked body.

“What’s with you today?” 

“Do you think we could…”

“Today?” she fixes him in the mirror. 

He nods eagerly, “Been thinking about it all night.”

His own enthusiasm catches him a little off guard. Going down on a guy hadn’t been something he’d thought about a lot before this. Hell, even the idea of practising the whole thing with her would have sounded completely baffling to him a year ago. But here he is, asking his girlfriend to help him get used to giving head so that he can show their boyfriend a good time. That alone would have given him an aneurysm when he’d first moved in with them. 

“Alright.” her hand finds the side of his face, “Don’t worry so much.” 

Noah kisses her cheek, “Thank you for doing this.”

“Of course, everything for the two of you.” 

There’s a softness on her face. Noah is so glad that he has the two of them. He lets Laurie get ready in peace. He knows that she likes having a bit of time to herself in the morning. The time spent idle will do nothing for his nerves, but she’ll bring him back down quickly enough. Noah keeps himself busy with his phone, makes note of a verse that’s been floating around his head for a few days now. 

He looks up when Laurie enters the bedroom again. Her skin shines with the lotions and creams she’s used. God, she’s beautiful. 

“Nervous?” she asks, tossing the shirt she’d worn that night into the little basket by the bathroom door.

“Just a little.” 

There’s no use denying it. Laurie will pick up on his writhing hands quickly enough. She always does. 

“We can take our time with it. No need to rush into it.” Laurie sits down next to him on the bed, “Do you want to see it first?”

The hesitant little voice in the back of his mind tells him that he doesn’t. He nods in spite of it. 

The little smile Laurie gives him makes Noah feel just a little bit more settled. She gives his thigh a little, reassuring squeeze, before she gets up from the bed again. 

Laurie opens one of the drawers on the big commode on the opposite side of the room. 

He watches her rummage through its contents for a moment before she places a mess of straps onto the top. Her search continues for a moment longer, until she rises to her feet. 

“We have a smaller one, but this one is closest to Nick.” 

Noah tries not to let the size scare him. He’s seen Nick before - he’s had his hands on him more than once. It’s not as if he didn’t know what he’d be getting himself into. 

Laurie holds the toy out for him to take. It’s heavier than expected. It feels similar to Nick in his hand, but it’s so strangely cold. 

“We’ll take it nice and slow. We have all day.”

He takes some time getting used to the feeling of the toy in his hand. Laurie watches him carefully; watches as he wraps his hand around it. 

“What happens now?” he asks quietly. 

Technically he knows. He’s had enough girls go down on him to know what comes now. Laurie gives him a knowing look. Noah’s watched her doing this exact thing for Nick just a few days earlier. 

“You know what comes next, darling.” Laurie says calmly, “Do you want to be on your knees?” 

He hesitates for a moment too long.

“We can try it with you sitting on the bed. I don’t know how well -”

“Nick will want me on my knees, right?” Noah asks quietly. 

Laurie’s face falls a little, and Noah thinks that he’s said something wrong. She cradles his face so gently, thumbs drifting across the tops of his cheeks. 

“He’ll want you wherever you’re most comfortable. You know that he doesn’t expect you to bend and break for him. Whatever you can give will be enough. For both of us.” One of her hands leaves his face, in order to fuss with a stray strand of his hair, “And you’ve been on your knees for me. Plenty of times.”

His face flushes a little at the memories of his face buried between her thighs. The difference between this and what he wants to do for Nick is that he knows what to do when he’s face to face with her pussy. 

“I want to try.” he nods, mostly to convince himself. 

Laurie pulls him in for a chaste little kiss, “We can take breaks whenever you need them.”

Noah has to admit that watching her slip on the harness is a little nerve wrecking. He doesn’t have it in him to question why they have it in the first place. The visual of Nick spread out like that for her burrows into his mind, but he shoves that to the back of his mind for another day. He can’t think about that right now. 

He still sits on the edge of the bed, fingers nervously tangled together. 

None of that helps when he really takes in the visual of Laurie with the toy dangling in front of her. It takes mere seconds for his cock to press against the fabric of his sweats. 

“Kneel down for me, love?” The gentle tone of her voice breaks through his thoughts. 

Noah nods absent-mindedly. Laurie reaches for his hand as he sinks down, gives it a comforting squeeze before she brings it to rest against her thigh. 

“You’ve seen me do this, and you know what you like. You’ll be just fine.” 

It’s a little intimidating. 

Noah tries to remember what Laurie did the last time he’s seen her suck Nick's dick. Wrapping his hand around it feels foreign. There’s no movement in it, and it feels nothing like the real thing. 

“Give me your hand.” Laurie speaks softly. 

He does as she asks. Noah tries hard not to be shocked when she spits into his palm. It’s so oddly obscene, he’s seen her do it plenty of times, but somehow when it’s in his hand it feels mad. 

“That’ll make it easier.”

And now that he thinks about it, he’d do the same thing when he gets a hand around himself. 

“Go on, love.” 

Noah works his hand along the silicone. It feels odd at first but when he feels her hand in his hair a little surge of bravery floods through him. He directs the tip of it towards his mouth. Noah lets his eyes fall shut before he gives a first shy lick across the head. It’s not nearly as weird as he’d thought. And after the first comes a second and a third, and soon enough he finds himself wanting more of it. Laurie’s hand in his hair coaxes him a little closer. It’s such a dizzying feeling. He feels a little clumsy. The head of the toy bumps against the roof of his mouth a few times, before he finds the right angle. 

“You’re doing so good.” Her praise sends a shiver down his spine, “Not as bad as you thought it’d be, huh?”

Noah pulls off the toy. 

Laurie draws in a sharp breath when he does, and he really cannot place the emotion on her face. 

“Feels good.” 

She pushes the loose strands of hair away from his face, “I can’t wait for Nick to see you like this.”

He looks so gorgeous like this. A part of her wants to keep him like this. Wants to keep him soft and gentle on his knees for them. She really cannot wait for Nick to feel this. Noah is so eager, so willing to please. He’ll be so good for their boy. 

She watches him squirm and shift as keeps up his effort. The hand that is resting against his own thigh twitches impatiently. Laurie knows that he wants to touch himself, and she adores that he doesn’t. She hasn’t told him that he can’t, but there was also no explicit yes. 

“Noah.” His eyes shoot up to meet hers immediately, “You can touch yourself if you want to.” 

Relief washes over his face as his hand practically flies towards the obvious tent in his sweats. There’s a slim part of her that wishes that she could actually feel it, but it quickly vanishes in favour of a different kind of ache. Watching him touch himself like that when his face is buried between her thighs always makes her head swim, this isn’t different. 

He’s grows more and more confident with every bop of his head. She doesn’t know how much more of this she can stand before her own impatience takes over. Her hand finds its way back into his hair, and Noah sighs so beautifully when her nails scrape against his skin of his scalp. The next time she looks down at him, his hand is pushed behind the waist band of his sweats. The movement is slow, but it’s noticeable enough. By now, the cotton of her underwear is soaked through and if she doesn’t get his mouth on her properly soon, she’ll lose her mind.

Laurie watches as he works himself faster, more irregular. He’s close. She can’t look away. The little sounds he makes fill her head with cotton. He sighs around the toy, before he pulls off it until just the head remains between his lips. Laurie tightens her grip on his hair, making him look up at her. 

She wishes that he’d rid himself of the sweats so that she could see him properly, but he is far too occupied with his own pleasure. Noah pulls off suddenly, before his head drops against her thigh. His mouth falls open. A silent gasp that breaks from his throat and his hand stills. 

Noah stays where he is, resting against her thigh while he catches his breath. She loves how he looks in these moments. That blissed out pleasure that captures his entire being is her favourite thing to look at. He blinks up at her, lips still parted and spit-slicked. 

“You did so good, darling.” she speaks softly, “Think you’ve earned a treat.” 

His eyes light up at that. 

Laurie carefully undoes the buckles that hold the harness up against her waist. As much as this is his treat, she wants - needs - to feel him too. She’s just as desperate for it as he is, and when he surges forward to burrow his face into her, she can’t stop herself from letting out a most wanton moan.

It doesn’t matter how often he puts his mouth on her, it always feels brand new. He’s like a starved man today, burying his face against her pussy until she swears that air doesn’t reach him any more. He licks into her over and over again. It’s almost too much already. Laurie feels him moan and sigh against her. She loves how much he enjoys this. Nick is good to her, always has been. But there’s something about the absolute desperation that fills Noah whenever he’s between her thighs that makes her tummy twist and flip with pleasure. 

Laurie lets herself fall back against the mattress. As hungry as he seems to be for her today, she knows that he’ll take his time. And so Laurie lets herself sink into the feeling of his mouth on her pussy and his fingers digging into her hips and thighs. She’s long-lost track of time. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she hears him whine. 

By the time she feels herself unravel, Laurie swears that she is floating a good few inches above the bed. Blood rushes in her ears, obscuring all sounds besides the thumping of her heart. It almost doesn't feel real. She lets herself float in that feeling, enjoys the levity it brings her. They’re so good to her. Sometimes she wonders how she found herself with the two of them. Before she can spend much thought on the matter, a gentle hand finds the top of her thigh. She hadn’t noticed Noah climbing onto the bed to sit next to her. His eyes are soft with that gentle tiredness that always takes over his being when they’re done. 

He slumps down next to her on his back. When she looks over at him, she finds herself warming even more. She loves them both so much. Sometimes it washes over her like a tidal wave, this sudden realisation that she has these wonderful boys in her life. She loves them, and in return she is loved so thoroughly that it shakes her a little when she thinks about it too much. 

Laurie wraps herself around him. The thump of his heart is heavy in her ear. Her fingers graze across the skin of his chest, along the length of his ribs, until the faint trace of a giggle falls from his lips. His hand finds her back, pulling her closer against him. 

“Thank you for doing this.” his voice barely breaks through the silence around them. 

“Was it good?” She asks softly, not lifting her head from where it is resting against his chest. 

Noah’s hand curls around the side of her body, warm and comforting, “So much better than I could have imagined.” 

“I’m glad.” she replies, “Nick will lose his mind, you know?”

A laugh rumbles through his chest, “I know. Might lose it too, I think.” 

Laurie presses a kiss to his sternum “If you want me there I’ll be right by your side the entire time. Nick won’t ask anything from you that you’re not willing to give.”

“I want you there.” Noah says firmly. 

Another kiss to the same spot, “Then I’ll be there. You lead the way. It’s all in your hands. If you need to stop, just let us know.” 

They’re all around him. Noah to his left, Laurie on his right – just the way he likes it. Really, it doesn’t matter how they’re arranged, as long as he has them both by his side. He can’t ask for more, and he doesn’t want to. They’re all he needs. It’s been a little over six months since Noah became a part of them, and it still feels so impossibly right. 

It feels as if Noah slowly thaws with every day that passes. He’s becoming more and more affectionate and open with his feelings, and Nick is genuinely happy to see him grow like that.

Nick turns his attention back to the show they’re watching. They’ve watched it plenty of times, so he doesn’t mind zoning out a little. 

A hand – too large to be Laurie's – wanders up his side. He almost doesn’t want to look. Noah gets so painfully shy with his affection sometimes. When his hand dips beneath the fabric of his shirt, Nick’s breath instantly hitches a little. Noah’s fingers pulse against his skin, and for a brief second he thinks that they’re about to vanish again. To his surprise, they remain where they are. And even more surprising, lips come to meet the side of his neck. Laurie seems to be blissfully unaware of what is happening on the other side of the sofa. 

Nick tries to keep his breathing steady. He doesn’t want to disrupt whatever Noah is up to, doesn’t want to jostle him more than necessary. 

Noah does pull back a little when Laurie sits up. He remains close, but the soft brush of his lips suddenly disappears and Nick thinks that he’s never missed anything more. 

She presses a kiss to Nick’s cheek before she pushes herself up onto her feet “I’ll be right back. Don’t get too busy without me.”

Nick barely registers her looping around the back of the sofa. She leans down next to Noah. Whatever she whispers to him has him huff out a breathy laugh. As soon as Laurie has left the room, Noah is back on him. 

“What’s gotten into you?” Nick finds himself asking. 

Noah retreats immediately. Nick doesn’t find the panic he’s seen so often on his face, instead he finds himself faced with an expression that so far has been reserved for Laurie. There’s a hunger, a deep set desire on his face and it takes Nick a moment too long to realise that it is directed at him. 

“We don’t have to -” Noah says so softly. 

It’s not the same shy tone he’s grown used to. This is different. He seems more sure of himself and Nick thinks that maybe this was what he had asked Laurie to help him with.  

“Just curious about what you’re up to.” 

His cheeks flush at that. He looks so gorgeous with his tousled hair and pink cheeks. Nick can’t help himself. He reaches up, carefully untangles some of the strands. His hand comes to the side of Noah’s face. He gently steers him to meet his lips. It always surprises him how they fit together, how Noah moulds himself against him so easily. Nick isn’t sure when he’s moved to straddle him, his hands find Noah’s waist nevertheless. 

It feels different from the other times they’ve been together. He seems to have a set course of action and Nick lets himself be dragged along without a fight. 

Noah is busy leaving what will surely be a wild array of bruises on his neck when Laurie returns to the living room. Nick feels barely cognisant enough to feel her hand drifting through his hair as she passes him on her way to the far end of the sofa. Noah’s hands return to his sides. The cool touch soothes his wired nerves a little. 

Whatever calm had settled in him immediately dissipates again when Noah shifts himself onto the carpet in front of him. Nick has to force himself to calm his breathing before he looks at him again. 

The look of wide-eyed pleasure he’s met with shoots right through him. 

“Noah.” He sighs, almost in disbelief. 

With the film long forgotten, Nick relinquishes himself to the hands roaming across his thighs. They find the waistband of his sweatpants, not tugging but gently drifting across the sliver of bare skin he finds there. It’s a silent question, he waits until it is asked out loud, though. 

“Can I take these off?” he sounds just a little hesitant when he asks. 

Suddenly, it is Nick who finds himself at a loss for words. He nods, maybe a little too desperate. Now that Noah is so close, so willing to share his affection, he can’t wait to feel all of it. He needs to feel Noah’s hands, his lips everywhere. 

“Nick.” Laurie speaks from his left, “If you want him to use his words I’m going to need you to do the same.”

“Yes. Please.” 

She looks from him to Noah almost expectantly. 

“Good.” Noah says, sounding surprisingly firm, “Sit up.”

In a way, Nick is glad that they’re leading the way. He pushes his hips up, allowing Noah to pull his sweats and underwear down his waist and thighs. Noah pauses for a moment. The tip of his tongue flits across his bottom lip before he pulls it between his teeth. A moment later, he taps against the side of his calf. Nick lifts his leg, so that he can remove the garments entirely. 

Nick doesn’t care enough to check where his clothes disappear to, not when he feels Noah’s hands drift up his legs again. His breath catches in his throat when a kiss is pressed to the inside of his knee. Slowly as can be, Noah works his way back up his thigh with the softest kisses. His focus drifts in and out the higher up Noah reaches. He’s so close to where Nick wants him, so desperately. His other hand brushes up along the inside of his thigh. The tips of his fingers dance across the top of his shaft. Nick lets his eyes fall shut as his hand wraps around him. 

He sighs with the first stroke of his hand. It’s slow – torturous, even. His head drops against the back of the sofa. It takes him embarrassingly little to get fully hard. Maybe if he’d been a little more aware of the things around him, Nick would have noticed that Noah had long stopped lavishing kisses along the insides of his thighs. Maybe he would have noticed the silent exchange between his two darlings, or Laurie slipping down onto the carpet next to Noah. 

“Go on, darling.” he hears the words so faintly in the back of his consciousness that they barely register, “You did so good for me. Why don’t you show our Nicky?” 

A moment of silent passes before Nick feels the hesitant brush of a tongue against the head of his cock. His eyes shoot down immediately. The sight before him takes his breath away. Both of his loves in front of him like this wasn’t something he’d expected from this evening. He watches as Laurie leans close to Noah. Nick can’t tell what she whispers to him, but it seems to be enough to give him the confidence to wrap his lips around his head. 

Nick can’t tear his eyes away from the sight in front of him. He’s transfixed, spellbound as he watches Noah work his way down his cock. The younger takes his time with it, pulls back to give himself a break when he needs it. His hand remains wrapped around the parts he can’t reach yet. The rhythm he settles into is just enough to have Nick’s head reeling with it. He tries to keep his hands to himself, tries to let Noah stay in the rhythm he’s found, but his hands seem to have a mind of their own. Nick carefully pulls the loose strands of hair away from Noah’s face. 

He looks up at Nick, eyes wide with pleasure, and Nick can’t stop the whine that falls from him. 

“How does he feel, Nicky?” Laurie’s voice breaks through the fuzz in his head. 

He finds her looking at him with that curiosity she always regards them with. Her lips are parted with bated breath, tongue dipping out to dart across her bottom lip. 

“So good, god, he’s so good.” he manages to choke out between breathless sighs. 

Noah moans around him, and he swears that he’s never heard him sound so lost in his own pleasure before. Nick can’t look any more. His head tips back again, eyes finding the overly expensive light fixture Laurie had insisted on. He has to think of anything but the boiling feeling in his belly. 

Occasionally, it still feels a little clumsy, but the fact that Noah is doing this for him alone is enough to drive him closer and closer to the edge. He can faintly hear Laurie speaking, but the rushing of blood in his ears is too loud to let him understand any of the words. 

His hand flexes where it’s still tangled into Noah’s hair, not to tear or to pull, but to ground himself in feeling. Nick isn’t sure how much more of this he can take. He’s long lost control of the moans that break free from his throat, and he barely manages to stop himself from bucking up into the warmth of Noah’s mouth. 

“Don’t stop.” maybe he would have been embarrassed by how desperate he sounds, but Nick is far too close to the edge to worry about that. 

Noah’s hand grips into his thigh as he presses closer, works even more of him into his mouth. It’s so familiar, but at the same time it feels so unlike Laurie. 

He feels her crawl up the side of his body, before she curls against him. Her lips find the side of his neck in a soft kiss. She brings a hand to the side of his face to gently coax his head up again. 

“You’re so close, aren’t you?” she asks, her words sounding just as breathless as he feels.

Nick nods, perhaps a little too eagerly. 

“Are you going to cum for him?” 

“Please.” 

“You hear that, darling, hear how badly he wants it?” 

Another moan reverberates through his spine. Laurie manages to steer him towards Noah just as Nick feels himself fall. He can’t stop himself from tugging Noah just a little deeper onto his cock as he spills into his mouth. Noah works him through it so diligently. And he swears that he can feel him swallow. 

Nick opens his eyes just in time to see Laurie lean down to kiss Noah. His vision swims with the sight of them and if he hadn’t just cum, that would be enough for him to do it again. Noah follows her up onto the sofa, wriggles his way between them. A second later, Nick is pulling him in for a desperate kiss. He doesn’t have the words to express how he feels at that moment, the kiss will have to do until he’s in control of his mind again. 

“Was it good?” Noah asks when Nick releases him. 

He sounds so awfully insecure, but Nick doesn’t miss the glint in his eyes.

“So good.” he pulls him in for another kiss, “You did so, so good for me. Thank you.” 

“I told you he’d lose it.” Laurie presses herself against Noah’s back, “Want us to take care of you now?” 

He’s never seen Noah blush so quickly. He shakes his head, looking almost a little ashamed. 

“Oh honey.” she says with a soft sigh, “Did you?” 

Noah nods, and only now does Nick notice the damp patch at the front of the other’s shorts. 

“Did you like it so much?” Nick asks, finally having regained some kind of grasp on himself. 

“Been thinking about it since – since Laurie helped me.” 

He’ll have to ask more questions about that later, for now he’s content with knowing that he wasn’t the only one that enjoyed all of it. 

Laurie quickly ushers the both of them up into the bathroom to get cleaned up. And when they fall into bed a while later, Nick finds himself sandwiched between his loves, and he’s never felt more at peace than he does at that moment. 

[aplaceforyourhearttorest]

(Un)Still Shots 🎞 James Hetfield (18+)

Laughter-filled vibrations reverberate through and thump against the back of your bare shoulder as James presses his elated grin into the partially disheveled hair cascading down the side of your neck, his eyebrows raised in faux surprise as he stares back at the large screen in front of the two of you. You widen your eyes and reach a hand out towards the camera, curling your fingers into a playfully threatening fist, and letting out a bout of resounding amusement as your boyfriend exhales a tickling guffaw against your slowly heating up skin.

"Won't even be able to see what's coming," James teases, his words sounding slightly muffled as his bottom lip catches ahold and sticks to the chain belonging to the necklace engraved with his initials. You tilt your head to the side and relax in his hold as he raises a hand to brush the tendrils and pieces of your mane back, your smile turning small and content as you feel them pillow against your spine and James' chin jut against your collarbone. Light, yet rough textured fingertips slowly make their way up your front and dip into the crisscrossed pattern of fabric covering and shaping your breasts, and your breath halts in your chest as his warm palm creates dormancy on your temporarily frozen sternum. "It's gotten quieter outside, less people. How about we have some fun?"

You bite back a mewl as the pad of his thumb runs itself along the expanse of your breastbone and nod, a quiet gasp barricaded behind your pinched lips as the photobooth's camera audibly shutters and takes another picture. Your heavily lidded eyes take in the look on your face, as its being reflected back to you on the touchscreen. James raises his other hand from your waist to delicately encircle it around your throat, his earlier laugh turning into a fulfilled chuckle as he watches your lips part and gape at the grounding and resolute hold. Your thighs tremble in between his as his bracket your own, the once chilled air coming from the other side of the haphazardly curtained photobooth no longer an issue or threat, as your boyfriend brings you in impossibly closer.

"Remember when we came here for the first time last summer, and we fucked around on the ferris wheel?" A petaled whimper escapes from your throat as he slides his large palm over to firmly grasp at the mound of your erect nipple and breast. You lower your head as you press yourself into the hold he has around your neck, your cheeks beginning to redden as your boyfriend lets out a condescending coo at your sudden and abrupt neediness. "Was so nervous and hesitant, until I stuck a hand underneath your skirt. Came so fast and messily, I had you lick my fingers and wrist clean," James' assured and steadfast expression and smirk is apparent in the next photo taken, nearly overtaking and shadowing the look of want on your own. "What'd we do afterwards, sweetheart? Be good and tell me."

You dazedly lick your lips and dryly swallow before answering, forcing yourself not to grind back against him, as unrelenting heat pools in your core and arousal begins to pearl and trickle at your entrance. "We ran to the bathroom, and you fucked me against the door of the closest stall," you rasp out, a slight choked breath of laughter following after from the still vivid memory. "Got caught halfway through, so we ditched the rest of the carnival and finished on the backseat of your car." James unabashedly chortles from behind you, both of you now sporting wide grins, despite the air becoming heady, and the heavy and hot bulge insistently pressing itself against the lower of your back.

"The fucking noises you made," James reminisces, guiding you back by the secure hold around your neck to rest your head on his shoulder. James maneuvers your legs wide open with his booted feet, watching hungrily as your reflected self shivers at the cold air making its way to your soaked sex. You lustfully gaze at the screen, as your boyfriend's hand slides down from your chest, and gropes and glides down to your groin and underneath your skirt. "If you can keep quiet this time, I think we'll have enough minutes left to make you cum before our meter runs out," you twist your head to the side and shove your face into his bicep as he teasingly taps against your clothed and pulsating clit, pleasured tears accumulating on your lower lashes while he flattens his palm over the entirety of your sensitized pussy. "I could always stick my fingers in your mouth, have you swallow and gag around them until you cry. Even though you're already halfway there."

You refrain from obediently opening your already salivating mouth from his words alone to make space for his fingers, and instead open it to plead. "I'll take whatever you give me, always will." You whisper, shocking yourself at the dampened sound of wanton emanating from your voice, even while it was already so quiet. You let out a muted moan once you unbury yourself from his warm side and look forward once again, the darkened irises peering back at you through the screen enough to make your slick begin to bleed through your underwear's fabric and drip down and narrowly miss your guys' sets of scuffed up and overworn boots. James' cockhead unceremoniously spurts precum against his zipper as your face comes back into view, your bitten red lips and teary eyes enough to make him nearly release, untouched, in the tight confines of his denim jeans. Your heart erratically stutters in your chest as James brings his head down to lap at your goosebump ridden flesh as a way to distract himself, your jaw slackening as his fingertips entangle themselves into the dampened fabric to tug it aside.

"Please, don't tease me." You beg, your sharp inhalation turning into a hiccupped stutter of his name once his index finger slides itself through your swollen folds, the audible sound of your arousal almost as loud as the hum coming from the bottom of the photobooth. James' mouth pops off of your clavicle, leaving red and purple hued sucked marks behind, once the desire to watch you fall apart from his touch becomes unbearable. James looks at you through the screen, enraptured. From the way your spine arches away from his front once he finally dips his ring and middle fingers into your welcoming entrance, to the way your facial expression turns pornographic once he curves them upward to purposefully rub and abuse your overly sensitive, spongelike spot. To the thick and all accommodating globs of your prerelease, that help him fasten and quicken the pace of his fingers fucking themselves into you.

"As if I'd ever tease you when you're as wet as you are for me right now, pretty girl," you hastily reach up and grab ahold of the wrist resting against your chest, the hand attached to it deliciously tightening and bringing you even monumentally closer to the edge. Your hips raise as you straighten your feet on the ground to use them as leverage to ride his fingers, the constant stimulation of your g-spot and his dirty talking and the slight air deprivation enough to make your eyes roll to the back of your head, and for white streaks to color the darkened corners of what little vision you have left. "That's right doll, fucking use me. Cum all over these fingers, made to fuck in and out of you." The tightened muscles in your midsection twist and then flatten out as you reach your orgasm, your lips nearly splitting by the way your jaw widens as you needily suck in little air. James holds you upright as you quietly sob and tremble in his grasp, the hand he has wrapped around your throat, slowly disentangling itself to mold along your waist and keep you from falling down. Murmured praises are what welcome you once you come back to, your body still jolting every few seconds with oversensitivity, even after your boyfriend has already placed you back down on the wooden seat in between his legs, and your once askew, cottoned underwear are put back in place.

"You did so well for me, sweetheart, you know that?" James asks you, the side of his dimpled and handsomely acne scarred cheek raising in a soft and endeared smile as he looks down at you. You lift your right temple up from his shirt clad chest and chase after his lips, tumbling out a gasp against his lifting one's as you taste your familiar and slightly musky slick on his own. You wrap your arms around his neck and use his sturdy and broad shoulders as leverage, before swinging your shaky legs around to rest one on either side of his spread and taut legs. You lift your hips and barrel yours against his, uncaring of the painful sting it brings to your still throbbing clit. and the feeling of your ruined underwear clinging and sticking to the thick material of his jeans.

James can't do anything but pant and wildly lick into your mouth as you dry hump fuck him, his fingertips gripping the bare skin of your thighs and lifting you up as you grind up and down on his weeping and leaking, red clothed cock. The photobooth takes one last picture, and you grin into the kiss, already imagining what the photos will look like. You, nearly crying for your boyfriend to finger you, your plush lips parted open and your wet pussy soaking and making a mess of his hands, his wrist, and the floor. James' thick hands, manhandling you and keeping you in place, depriving you of air as he brings you over the edge, only in the way that he allows you to. You, nearly in a split, grinding and riding your boyfriend's clothed dick like you were choking and dying for it, as his blushing cheeks and bleary eyes stare back up at you, as he stutters out your name for a change.

"Need you to cum for me, baby," you whimper, resting your forehead against his as he lifts his hips from the wooden surface beneath you two to ground his sex as close as he can to yours, the warmth of your cum and arousal bleeding through his jeans enough to help him imagine himself being inside of you. Fucking into you nice and deep, his short nails digging into your hipbones as he chases both of your releases with reckless abandon, his mouth biting marks into your skin as close and as far as he can get. His cockhead rubbing against your cervix as you milk him dry, and as he fills you to the brim with his seed. "Cum in me, make a mess out of me. Use me, just like I used you." You squeeze your eyes shut and let out a loud gasp as your clit makes rough contact with the thickened fabric protecting his zipper in just the right way. The photobooth's lights dim and the screen compiles all of your pictures together as you orgasm for the second time, as James moans out your name and his cum mixes and connects with yours, as his hips rise with one last, aborted thrust.

Soft, exhausted pants and the sound of sweaty palms sliding against skin fill the photobooth to its precipice, before you lift your forehead from James', and you both look at each other and burst out into laughter. A clad palm envelops the nape of your neck and brings you down into a gentle and calming kiss, the duality of its nature causing you to grin into it. You lick your lips once you two part, still chasing after his taste after you already had it. James lowers his hands down to your waist, and gently places you on the seat next to him, before reaching forward to grab ahold of the printing, black and white strips of pictures. Hysterical laughter bellows out of him, and you quickly lean toward him, following suit as you take them in.

"We look like c-list porn stars." You gasp out through harsh breaths of laughter, uncaring of the rough movements of your head from James' own as you rest it against his back. Joyful tears spring to your eyes, and you shift until the photos are back in sight, your hysterical laughter tittering down to uninhibited giggles as you look at the first few of you two smiling and acting silly- to the last few, of you cumming hard against your boyfriend's fingers and palm, and you on his lap, grinding mindlessly and purposefully, as James stares up at you with wide, dilated and astonished eyes.

"Going to put these on the fridge, at the mansion." James jokes, instinctively ducking out the way as you blindly swat in his direction. Matching smiles lift both of your guys' faces, and his soon turns into a disbelieving look as you turn to look at him and ask, "Round two in the car?" James stares down at you momentarily, before shaking his head and filtering the multiple strips of photographs into a neat pile.

"If you ever have to ask me that question twice, shoot me." He says seriously, a wolfish grin taking over his features as he looks down at your incredulous expression, as you two make your way out of the photobooth and carnival, and towards the renowned and awaiting car. James lifts an arm and places it over your shivering shoulders, grinning to himself as you raise an arm in response and rest your hand on top of his. The partially quiet walk is soon interrupted by kids squealing in joy and families hastily making their ways to their own cars as the sun begins to set, yet you two couldn't feel any more carefree and content as the sounds pile on.

You huff out an amused breath as you're gently pushed back against the driver's side of his car and guided into a heated kiss, your eyes tiredly opening back up slowly once James pulls away. Before you can speak up and ask him if he's ready for another round, he beats you to it, only to ask you something that brings you both into another round of rowdy laughter, uncaring of the heads that turn to gawk and stare.

"Same time, next year, carousel?" "Yeah, why the hell not."

[rahuratna]

Synopsis: Fat Gum (Taishiro Toyomitsu) x Fem Reader

As a crime journalist with a chequered past, you find yourself re-located to Esuha City through no choice of your own. Working alongside pro-hero Fat Gum, each new case exposes more of the dark underbelly of the city, and what it truly means to be a hero.

Genres: Suspense, mystery, romance, humour.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence, substance abuse, adult themes, explicit sexual content in later chapters.

Cross-posted from Ao3.

Title from: "Era Vulgaris" lyrics, by Queens of the Stone Age.

Divider by: @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

It was time.

Your belongings all fitted into a small cardboard box, a foot each way in length and width. First, the framed pictures and accolades that sat around your desk in the tiny, crowded cubicle. Then the other personal items, including the stationery, coffee mug, journal and numerous blank spiral-bound notepads.

In went the small basket of plastic flowers gifted to you by Mrs Honda. They had never been to your taste, even before they faded, but you'd treasured them since she'd handed them over to you after that last appearance in court.

Packing was complete in a depressingly short time. The books stacked waist high against the walls of your cubicle, the archives you'd spent many sleepless nights poring over, the rows of files piled on flimsy bracketed shelving, bowing slightly under their weight, would not be leaving this office with you. You'd signed a non-compete to avoid any issues if a rival news group employed you, and all of this would have to remain.

Not that you had much hope of that happening. Your new posting was in downtown Esuha City, at a small local tabloid, the only kind that would currently employ you.

Once your box was packed with its meager contents, you paused, taking in the cubicle you'd spent the last six years ensconced in, eating cheap, steaming cup ramen, the tinny radio from across the hall on full blast for the evening news, peeling off your wet coat and socks after hours spent standing in pouring rain at some event or other.

This was where your career had been made. This was where it had ended.

All right, so you were entitled to a dramatic flourish, considering your circumstances. Technically, your career wasn't over.

You picked up the box with an air of finality, shrugging away your procrastination of the inevitable. There was still that long walk to the train station to endure, through the halls, past the cubicles and offices of the people you'd worked alongside for years.

A walk of endurance.

You could take doors slamming against the prod of your questioning, the roughhousing of other journalists as you waited outside the scene of a crime, fingers numb with cold. You could withstand a shower of flying spittle as some corporate bigshot screamed into your face, apoplectic with rage. You had even learned to stand silent witness to grief, despair and unimaginable violence.

This, on the other hand, was different. Their stares weren't even disapproving, or angry. Just pitying.

Your pace increased, and even though the box you carried was shockingly light, your breathing was laboured by the time you reached the front doors.

"Reporting for duty, Fat Gum!"

"Nice and early, Kirishima. Good on ya."

Tamaki glanced between the two manifestations of pure sunshine that, unfortunately, made up the rest of his team. His shoulders came up defensively.

"I thought today was going to be admin. Can't you leave me here in the office to handle things?"

Fat Gum's large hand steered Tamaki out the door, and right out of that particular delusion.

"Come on. What have I told you about practicing your 'helping people' face?"

"I've never possessed such a face."

Kirishima slapped an open palm against his chest and flashed a confident grin.

"Like this! See? It's easy."

Tamaki shook his head woefully.

"I can't help it. I look nervous all the time and my smile comes out wrong and I scare people. Or make them feel sorry for me."

Fat Gum stroked his chin in apparent thoughtfulness.

"Guess you're right about that. You do look scared a lot. Need to work on that, 'fore we let you out into the streets again, huh?"

Tamaki's mouth fell open, and he craned his neck to catch a glimpse of Fat Gum's face.

"Are you for real? I can actually stay here at the agency and ... "

He received a good-natured, if callous, belly laugh from the BMI hero.

"Nah, just kidding. You're going on patrol with us. Ain'tcha a lucky guy?"

Tamaki retreated into hopelessness once again. For two kind and cheerful heroes, Fat Gum and Kirishima seemed to take some sort of special pleasure in tormenting him. He'd just have to endure.

As they made their way out into the chilly street, Tanaki considered his unique position at Fat Gum's Agency. As much as he still needed to work on himself, he knew, on some level, that he'd made large strides since he'd started his studies here.

His internship had been a success, if harrowing in its social nature. Attached to a hero like Fat Gum, there was no bypassing any form of public interaction, as Tamaki had successfully done in the past. Taishiro Toyomitsu was a 'tender tank' indeed, warm, effusive, generous, always ready with a quick snack and words of encouragement or support, but he didn't hold Tamaki's hand either. There was a rough, tough, independent streak to the man, one that didn't brook wallowing in weakness or accepting one's flaws as part of nature.

He'd made it clear to Tamaki that he'd expect him to improve as a hero, because heroes weren't perfect beings that sprang fully formed into the public eye. They had to actively work on themselves, much harder than the people they protected on a daily basis. Fat Gum himself had steadily climbed the ranks through sheer incremental labour, gaining the trust of the community he had grown up in, effectively working alongside other heroes that people could consider to be far more powerful than he was.

Tamaki raised his head slightly when he realized that Fat Gum was speaking again, words slightly muffled as he popped the steaming taiyaki he'd bought from a street vendor into his mouth.

" ... and there'll be new deliveries coming in for Okita Groceries. Gotta keep an eye on that later. Clover Fields Nursery is also holding a fundraiser some time this morning. Traffic might be a problem if they're taking up the corner across from Gijima Group Building. Hmm. Let's see. Oh, I got a message from Tachibana at Esuha Shimbun. They're getting a new employee today. Someone he wants to talk to me about. I gotta stop by there too."

Kirishima was nodding along earnestly to the listing.

"Where should we go first?"

Fat Gum raised a burly fist, pausing in thought before swinging his arm out towards the south-west district that was crowded with various business enterprises and office blocks.

"The newspaper building. Tachibana gets there pretty early. Let's see what he has to say."

Esuha Shimbun was small and focused enough to be classified a tabloid, but its reputation as a long-established and trustworthy news source for the locals made it worth its salt. Tachibana had been the assistant editor for many years now, his own roots in the community providing him with a network of information (and imformants) that often proved very useful to Fat Gum.

The building was an unremarkable light grey, the sign for the newspaper headquarters half hidden in a shadowed entryway. Tamaki spotted the short, bespectacled man outside, waiting for their approach. He frowned. Tachibana only met them out here when he wanted to pass along confidential information.

Fat Gum raised a hand in greeting as the assistant editor spotted them and hurried over. Tachibana started speaking as soon as they were within earshot, his rapid-fire delivery jumbled and nervous.

"Oh, there you are. She's due any time now. Apparently she took the first train out and she's going to - "

"Hey now, hold on."

Fat Gum raised a quelling palm.

"Who's 'she' and what's got your head in such  spin?"

Tachibana took a small, bracing breath before adjusting his glasses.

"The new columnist, that's who. She's going to be here soon."

"And that's who you wanted to tell me about?"

"Well ... yes. Her. She specializes in crime writing. But ... you see ... she's been involved in reporting on certain types of cases. That's what I wanted you to know about. There was a big court case surrounding that last one. It's the reason she's been transferred here. One of our sponsors also invests in a big Tokyo newspaper where she used to work."

Fat Gum scratched his chin lightly, frowning.

"Sounds like a lotta words for a simple warning, Tachibana. What exactly do you want me to know?"

"Some of the cases she covered don't exactly put heroes ... in the best light. It's why nobody in the big cities wants to employ her anymore. That court case she was involved in was a good example. The hero didn't come out of it looking great at all. One could say ... his career pretty much went downhill from there. So listen."

Tachibana leaned in urgently, voice lowering even further.

"I had no say in her ending up here. Just ... watch your back, okay? Be extra careful with how you handle cases from now on."

Fat Gum reacted exactly the way Tamaki expected him to. He chuckled, fishing a now slightly cold taiyaki from the paper carton he carried.

"That's it?"

Tachibana let out a frustrated huff.

"I knew you wouldn't take this seriously enough. Just ... just be careful. And don't say I didn't warn you."

"Warn him about what?"

A distinct feminine voice, calm and crisp, sounded from behind them. Tamaki froze before turning slowly. Tachibana's complexion had lost a little of its ruddiness.

It looked like the subject of their conversation  had turned up at a most ... inopportune time.

You'd done your research on the area, of course. Which was the reason you'd known about him; BMI hero, Fat Gum. Seeing him in person was ... certainly something, though. You'd seen pictures of him, but nothing had prepared you for how tall he was in his current form.

He towered over the two youngsters who were, presumably, his interns or sidekicks, and definitely dwarfed the diminutive assistant editor who was now looking at you as if you'd donned a tengu mask and danced threateningly in front of him holding a spear.

Your eyes met Fat Gum's, the large, tawny-gold irises surrounded by the black material of his mask, disconcerting in their wide, frank appraisal. He grinned and the lengthening of his sizeable mouth heralded a low rumble that then pitched forward seamlessly into a full throated laugh. His belly heaved and he slapped Tachibana's shoulder so hard the smaller man stumbled forward. Fat Gum wiped a tear of mirth away from his eye, completely oblivious, it seemed, to the tension that had permeated the air.

"Now this'll make a funny story."

He waved to you, large hand encased in a worn, red glove of sturdy material.

"Hiya. You must be the new columnist."

You nodded slowly before approaching.

"I am. But are introductions really in order? It seems Mister Tachibana was doing a good enough job before I came along."

The assistant editor sputtered.

"Now, I meant no harm. You have to understand - "

"Ya, he was telling me watch my back 'round you, missy," Fat Gum chirped cheerfully.

One of the sidekicks, a dark-haired boy, moaned slightly before covering his face. The other boy flashed a sharp row of teeth in an amused grin. Fat Gum continued undeterred, now munching on a stick of pocky he had pulled from God-knows-where.

"That ain't gonna change how I work, obviously. You're welcome over at my agency any time! Come see how we do things. Get to know the town. You're gonna need to be familiar with stuff if you wanna get in on the good stories, ya know?"

So saying, he handed you a stick of pocky. You took it. You weren't sure you had a choice in the matter. Fat Gum offered a small salute and a "See ya!" before turning his portly form towards the main road and ambling off, trailing his sidekicks in his sizeable wake.

Tachibana mumbled some half-hearted apology before hurrying into the building, leaving you standing on the street with your satchel slung over your shoulder.

Well.

That was certainly one way to start your first day at work. Your patchy history with pro-heroes had followed you all the way out here, it seemed. Not that you expected any different. This hero, Fat Gum, seemed genuinely unconcerned though.

Raising the stick of pocky to your mouth thoughtfully, you took a bite.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Veronica Lake (I Married a Witch, Sullivan's Travels)—her look is so iconic they used her as a visual model for jessica rabbit in who framed roger rabbit and a bunch of other femme fatale types in cartoons and live action alike. i didnt think i liked women and then i saw her in sullivans travels and said gee i hope this doesnt awaken anything in me! every role ive seen her in she absolutely oozes an aura of "i know people would ask me to step on them" and her EYES bro every photo ive looked at for this submission its like shes piercing thru time and space to judge me <3

Eartha Kitt (Anna Lucasta, St. Louis Blues)—My friend and I have a saying: NOBODY is Eartha Kitt. A thousand have tried, and they've all come up empty and will continue to do so. Everyone knows her for something: from "Santa Baby" to Yzma in Emperor's New Groove to Catwoman to making Lady Bird Johnson cry for the Vietnam War. She was a master of comedy and sex, an extremely vocal activist, and she aged like fine wine... I honestly don't know what I can say about her that hasn't already been said, so I'll stick to linking all my propaganda. Like what else do you want from me. She was iconic at everything she ever did. Literally name another. How can anyone even think of her and not want to absolutely drown?

This is round 5 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Veronica Lake:

Her HAIR, her FIGURE, her VOICE, the way she wore LEATHER AND SANG SONGS FOR NO REASON.

I don't believe there's a person on earth who can watch Veronica Lake in I Married A Witch and not be struck by how gorgeous she is. She had that youthful wonder about her that almost every Hollywood starlet was trying to achieve. Her hairstyle (peekaboo bangs) became an iconic Hollywood style after she popularized it, and made her signature look all the more suggestive. Also, witches are tumblrs favorite!

ICONIC hair sweep

The US government literally begged her to change her hairstyle because it was TOO HOT to handle and women who copied it were getting their hair caught in machinery

Her hairstyle was so iconic and popular that the war department had to come out with a PSA instructing lady ironworkers with ways they could pin their hair up to avoid it getting bound in machinery. [https://veteranlife.com/military-history/veronica-lake/]

She played a lot of femme fatale roles but my favorite is Sullivan’s Travels opposite Joel McRea, which is a comedy. She became famous for her hair style at the time—she wore it long and parted on one side so it would fall over half her face in a very sexy way. They called it a peek-a-boo I think. You’ve definitely seen Bugs Bunny dressed up like her, so I think if she’s being honored in such a way she’s very cool.

look at her

she's GORGEOUS in her little witch outfits that she wore for promos and also in the oversized coats and pajamas she wore throughout the movie...she's got RANGE

My Grandpa supposedly dated her in high school, he drove her to school in his car every day. This is legend in the family.

She has gorgeous hair, has got the smouldering look over the shoulder down PAT, and is just drop-dead gorgeous too!

Schizophrenic icon, popularized the peekaboo hairdo long before Jessica Rabbit

She’s just so prettyyyyy

So much hot in such a tiny package. She was no more than 5 feet tall, and some reports claim as small as 4'9"

If you picture a femme fatale in your head, almost certainly Veronica Lake had a hand in shaping the image you think of. She came to embody the look of the noir leading lady as well as the sound and the performance. Certified Noir Baddie.

Eartha Kitt:

"A hot vintage woman who was not just known for her voice, beauty, poise, and presence, but also her unapologetic ways of speaking about how she was mistreated in the show business as a girl who grew up on cotton fields in South Carolina in the 1930s through the 1940s coming to Broadway first and then Hollywood."

"Have you watched her sing?? Have you seen her face?? Have you heard her talk?? How could you not fall instantly in love. She makes me incoherent with how hot she is."

"She can ACT she can SING she can speak FOUR LANGUAGES she is a GODDESS!!! Although she is (rightfully) remembered for her singing, TV appearances (Catwoman my beloved), and later film roles, her early appearances in film are no less impressive or noteworthy!! She’s an amazing actress with so much charisma in every role. She was also blacklisted from Hollywood for 10 years for criticizing the Johnson administration/Vietnam War, so. Iconic. Also Orson Welles apparently called her “the most exciting woman in the world.”

"She had such a stunning, remarkable appearance, like she could tear you to shreds with just a glance- but the most undeniable part of her hotness was her voice, and it makes sense that it's what most people nowadays know her for. Nothing encapsulates the sheer magnetism of her singing better than this clip of her and Nat King Cole in St. Louis Blues, she pops in at 2:49. Also I know it's post-1970 but her song that was cut from Emperor's New Groove is likely to make you feel Feelings."

Even with as racist as Hollywood was in the 1950s and 60s, Eartha Kitt STILL managed to have a thriving career. She also once had a threesome with Paul Newman and James Dean, and called out LBJ over the Vietnam War so hard that it made First Lady Johnson cry. Eartha Kitt was talented, sexy, and a total badass activist.

[svt-luna]

ᡴꪫ ⋆ GAME CATERERS X SVT ࣪ ! ˓ ౨ৎ ࣪˖ ─── episode 1-4.

Game Caterers x SEVENTEEN

synopsis: Episode 1-4! The continuation of the character quiz which leads to the epic conclusion. Will the members of SEVENTEEN be able to eat... at all?

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST

╰౨ৎ fan reactions ╰౨ৎ game caterers masterlist

[added captions are in brackets] ᡣ𐭩

bold dialogues are spoken in english ᡣ𐭩

The members of SEVENTEEN gathered around the table, the atmosphere buzzing with anticipation as they prepared for the next round. The tension from the previous rounds lingered, but there was also an undercurrent of excitement.

Dino, always the optimistic maknae, voiced the collective determination with a firm, "We can do it." His words served as a rallying cry, boosting their morale as they readied themselves for the challenge ahead. The room was filled with the familiar sounds of laughter, light-hearted banter, and the occasional exclamation.

[Round 7]

PD Na, ever the efficient host, wasted no time as his eyes landed on Mingyu, the first in line for this round. With a slight nod, he showed the picture to Mingyu and began the countdown, "1, 2, 3."

“Paik Jong Won,” Mingyu answered confidently, his voice strong and assured. The members erupted in praise, their trust in Mingyu’s ability paying off.

[100% accuracy so far]

"You got it," PD Na confirmed with a small smile before swiftly moving on to the next in line— Luna. She leaned back slightly in her chair, her posture relaxed but her focus intense. The picture was revealed to her, and PD Na began counting down once more, "1, 2, 3."

“Yoo Jae Suk,” Luna responded without hesitation. The room filled with the sound of clapping and compliments, a chorus of “Good job!” and “Nice one!” echoing from all sides.

[Another Ace]

“Correct,” PD Na acknowledged, his approval clear as he moved on to Dino. The youngest member leaned forward, ready and waiting as the picture was shown to him.

"1, 2, 3."

“Suzy,” Dino answered quickly, his voice full of confidence.

“Good!” Dokyeom exclaimed, his excitement palpable as he clapped enthusiastically for Dino’s success.

Without a moment’s delay, PD Na moved to Seungkwan, the next in line. The picture was revealed, and the countdown began, "1, 2, 3."

“Yang Sehyung,” Seungkwan answered with absolute confidence, standing up as he did, a wide grin spreading across his face.

“You got it,” PD Na confirmed once again, and the group continued to cheer for each other, the atmosphere thick with tension and excitement.

Next in line was S.Coups, and as the picture was shown, the rest of the members all started muttering the answer to themselves, a collective whisper that filled the room. But S.Coups seemed to struggle, the pressure clearly mounting as he tried to recall the name.

"1, 2, 3…" PD Na counted down, and S.Coups, visibly flustered, stuttered, “Song… Song…” But it was too late, and he fell to his knees in defeat as the members around him groaned in frustration, their collective shout of the correct answer nearly deafening.

"Yoon!"

[All together]

Seungkwan and Jeonghan, who were seated on either side of him, couldn’t help but smack him on the back in mock frustration, yelling the answer into the air, their voices a mixture of exasperation and humor.

Jeonghan turned to Vernon, who was watching the scene unfold with a knowing smile and gestured toward S.Coups. “See? I was right. It’ll end here,” he said with a resigned shrug, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

[It's over]

After struggling to answer, he dropped to his knees in despair, a dramatic gesture that drew collective amusement from his fellow members. As if on cue, they began to sing a song by the artist whose name S.Coups had failed to recall, their voices merging into a playful chorus that only heightened the hilarity of the situation.

[Teasing]

['REALLY REALLY' by Winner, written and composed by Yoon]

Meanwhile, Vernon, ever the quiet observer, seized the opportunity to remove a dish from the table. He stood up, grabbed a container without a word, and discreetly took it away, knowing full well the group would soon be too distracted by their leader’s antics to notice.

S.Coups, still on his knees, tried to salvage the moment by bowing and saying, "Who… Hello, Yoon," before pointing behind him, gesturing vaguely as he added, "Someone said Song."

Jeonghan, quick to rebut, replied, "Who said Song? We all said Kang," gesturing toward the members who had tried to help S.Coups by muttering the correct answer. The room erupted in laughter as S.Coups collapsed onto Jeonghan’s legs in mock defeat, clinging to them as if they were his last hope before he finally returned to his chair, laughing at his own mistake.

PD Na, ever the playful instigator, mockingly chided S.Coups, "Still, if it was someone from a different field or a senior, you can just feel sorry, but he's a fellow singer."

[He's a fellow singer]

Luna, always quick with a playful jab, joined in, "You're terrible at this," her words earning a nod of agreement from Jeonghan, who added with a grin, "You're not good at this."

[Bunny power]

Mingyu, unable to resist, teased, "I bet if Seung Yoon had to answer you, he wouldn't get it."

S.Coups, still laughing, shook his head in agreement. "Right. He wouldn't get me."

"I can ask him now," PD Na offered, leaning into the joke.

"I'm sure he wouldn't," S.Coups said, his laughter bubbling up once more.

Seungkwan, ever the sharp-witted one, deadpanned from beside S.Coups, "Maybe because you're not as famous," causing the room to explode with laughter and a chorus of "Oohs" at the playful burn.

S.Coups stood up, chuckling as he shook his head in mock defeat.

As the members prepared for round eight, the room buzzed with anticipation. They began to shuffle their seats, deciding that S.Coups, after his earlier blunder, should go last. Woozi was moved to the front, while the rest adjusted their positions according to their preferences.

[S.COUPS moves to the back]

[WOOZI moves to the front]

Amidst the reshuffling, Luna found herself seated in the center, between Dino and Wonwoo. Dino was calm and ready, but Wonwoo, too nervous to sit, paced back and forth behind Luna, anxiously preparing for his turn.

PD Na observed the new arrangement and turned to Woozi with a hint of expectation. "Yes. I think Woozi will actually be good at it. Because you said you never leave home. What would he do at home?"

"I’ve been focusing the whole time," Woozi replied, his usual calm demeanor showing a hint of tension.

"How's your score so far?" PD Na inquired, curious about Woozi’s self-assessment.

"It wasn't high. Honestly, I've been practicing this quietly. This is really hard," Woozi admitted with a small smile. Determined, he added, "I'll do my very best."

From his seat, Mingyu leaned back casually and offered some advice. "Relax. Lean back. Just do it. Do your best."

Woozi, catching onto Mingyu’s laid-back approach, mimicked his posture, sitting arrogantly as he replied, "I know them all."

Luna, sitting comfortably in the center, couldn’t help but add, "The Kim Mingyu method really does work," recognizing that confidence was a big part of the game.

[New method for the quiz: 'Kim Mingyu Method']

Mingyu, eager to reinforce his point, pointed at himself and asked Woozi, "Look. Who am I?"

"Mingyu," Woozi answered without hesitation.

"That’s it. Who’s this?" Mingyu pointed at Seungkwan.

"Seungkwan," Woozi replied, catching onto the simplicity of Mingyu’s strategy.

"That’s how you play," Mingyu said, grinning.

Woozi, now fully engaged in the playful banter, pointed at Jeonghan and confidently said, "Jeonghan."

"That’s right. Good," Mingyu encouraged, enjoying the light-hearted moment.

PD Na, seeing the playful yet effective strategy, added, "Keep that tone."

[Done practicing]

[Round 8]

PD Na, with a mischievous smile, reminded Woozi, “Say it clearly,” before revealing the next picture.

“1, 2, 3,” he counted down.

“IU,” Woozi announced confidently, and the room erupted in cheers and applause.

[Ji Hoon did it]

[As if he was a baby taking his first step]

“We filmed together once before,” Woozi added, a small smile of pride tugging at his lips.

[Touched]

“You were on ‘IU's Palette’,” Hoshi pointed out, bringing up the show where Woozi and IU had a chance to interact.

“We almost became friends,” Seungkwan chimed in, playfully adding to the banter.

Mingyu, eager to keep the momentum going, asked, “Can we proceed?”

“Sure,” Seungkwan and Jeonghan nodded in agreement, their excitement palpable.

PD Na then turned to Mingyu, showing him the next picture.

“1, 2, 3,” he counted down.

“Cho Jinwoong,” Mingyu declared as he stood up, visibly amazed at his own accuracy.

[His shoulders are reaching 61cm]

“Good job, Mingyu,” Dokyeom praised him, his words echoed by the other members’ cheers.

Without wasting time, PD Na moved on to Seungkwan, showing the next picture.

“1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down.

“Joo Hyun Young!” Seungkwan answered with exaggerated enthusiasm, jumping to his feet as the room exploded with cheers once more.

Next was Jeonghan, who raised his hands, “Wait. Wait. Wait,” he said, trying to keep his cool before PD Na revealed the picture.

[Keeping inner peace]

“1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down.

“Joo Woo Jae,” Jeonghan answered, and the room’s energy reached a new high as half the members jumped up in excitement, their voices overlapping in an intense chorus of celebration.

“My goodness. We’ll get to play,” someone exclaimed.

“It’s coming!”

“Nice!”

“We have hope.”

“You were lucky,” PD Na teased Jeonghan, but his eyes were already on Dino, showing him the next picture.

As Dino saw the picture of Seungkwan, Jeonghan, and Luna, who were sitting on either side of him, instinctively covered their mouths, trying to hide their whispering.

“Boo Seungkwan,” they both murmured quietly, just in case Dino needed the extra nudge.

[Mom and Dad were saying the answer just in case Dino doesn't get it]

“1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down.

“Seungkwan,” Dino laughed as he answered, and everyone cheered as Seungkwan grinned proudly, seeing his own picture.

[He got his own picture]

Luna was next. Despite the excitement and the loud cheers from the members, half of whom were now standing, she remained seated with a nervous smile, her fingers playing with the necklace around her neck. Her eyes were fixed on PD Na, focused yet anxious.

[The 'Kim Mingyu Method' is lost on her]

Jeonghan noticed her nervousness immediately. With a gentle yet firm voice, he raised his hand, “Wait. Wait. Wait,” signaling for everyone to calm down. The members, sensing the seriousness in Jeonghan’s tone, quickly quieted down, creating a space for Luna to concentrate.

PD Na then revealed the next picture, showing a familiar animated character.

“1, 2, 3,” he counted down.

“Elsa!” Luna jumped from her seat, excitement flooding her voice.

The room erupted in the loudest cheers yet. They had hit the halfway mark— a feat that had never happened before.

[They reached halfway for the first time]

PD Na moved on to Wonwoo, who was still behind his seat, gripping the backrest with a determined expression. The tension in the room was palpable as all eyes were on him, the silence amplifying the anticipation.

“1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down, revealing the next picture.

“Doolie,” Wonwoo answered calmly, his voice steady.

The room exploded into cheers as the members who had already answered jumped to their feet. Vernon stood there, wide-eyed, his fist raised to his mouth in awe. The accomplishment was significant, and the energy in the room was electric.

[They're on the peak]

“It’s Vernon’s turn,” PD Na announced, as the focus shifted to Vernon. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as PD Na showed him the next picture.

“1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down.

“Kang Daniel,” Vernon answered without hesitation, drawing even more cheers from the group.

Dokyeom, who was next in line, stood up and braced himself, looking like he was about to tackle a lion. His eyes were wide with concentration, his body tense with determination. The pressure was mounting, not just for him, but for the remaining members who hadn’t gone yet. A chorus of murmurs filled the room, a mix of anxiety and encouragement.

“My goodness.”

“It’s coming.”

“Please don’t reach this far.”

The members whispered among themselves, the pressure of the upcoming turns weighing heavily on them.

PD Na showed Dokyeom the picture, counting down with his usual cadence. “1, 2, 3,” he said.

“Calm Down Man,” Dino whispered suddenly, magically appearing next to Dokyeom, relaying him the answer.

“Calm Down Man,” Dokyeom repeated, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness, but he managed to answer just in time.

Cheers erupted once more, though PD Na, unaware of the slight cheating, added, “You got it. It’s a warning. You were late.”

Minghao was next, and the atmosphere shifted as everyone turned their attention to him. The tension was palpable, especially between Minghao and Jun, who were holding hands in front of them. Their fingers were interlocked, and their faces were a mix of determination and sheer terror. It was an amusing sight that made PD Na laugh out loud.

[2 cats are shivering]

“Good luck. You can do it,” Jun encouraged Minghao, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

“You can do it,” Dokyeom echoed, his voice full of confidence, trying to boost Minghao’s morale.

“You were good at it,” Minghao said to Dokyeom, his voice a little shaky but sincere.

Luna, sitting nearby, couldn’t help but soften at the sight of the two holding hands. “Oh my… They are so cute,” she remarked, her voice filled with affection. “It’s okay. Calm down, Haohao, Huihui,” she added, using their affectionate nicknames.

PD Na pointed at Minghao and Jun, chuckling as he observed their position. “They’re holding hands,” he noted with amusement.

Minghao, despite his nerves, managed to make a small joke. “Give me the easy one,” he said, his voice half-serious, half-pleading.

“Here we go,” PD Na responded, readying the picture. Minghao leaned forward, his focus sharpening as he prepared to answer.

“Give me the easy one,” Minghao repeated, his tone almost like a mantra to himself.

“1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down, revealing the image.

“NewJeans,” Minghao answered with a confident smile.

The room erupted in praise and relief. “Good job!” Luna exclaimed, proud of Minghao.

“Nice,” Dokyeom said, genuinely surprised as he pulled Minghao into a hug.

“It’s too small to see,” Vernon noted, still processing how close the call was.

“He covered Minji’s face,” Mingyu added, pointing out the difficulty of the image.

“I thought that was S.E.S.,” S.Coups admitted, which made Seungkwan scoff with laughter.

[But The8 was happy with the question]

PD Na’s voice cut through the cheers, bringing everyone back to focus. “Among two obstacles, you just passed one small obstacle. You have the big one left.” His words hung in the air, heightening the anticipation for the next turn.

[S.Coups is the Himalayas]

The members collectively turned to Jun, who was up next. PD Na held up the next picture, and the countdown began. “1, 2, 3…”

[Hesitant]

“Karina,” Jun answered, his voice slightly hesitant, but sure enough.

[He was late]

A moment of silence passed before the room exploded. The members stood up, pointing at Jun and shouting to PD Na, insisting that he got it right. Their excitement was palpable, filling the room with a renewed sense of energy.

“I almost said it's wrong,” PD Na admitted, a grin spreading across his face.

But Jun wasn’t done. “I can do the dance,” he said, and without missing a beat, he got on the ground to demonstrate.

['Black Mamba']

As he began to move, the familiar beats of 'Black Mamba' came to life in his mind, and he sang along, “‘Black Mamba’,” while performing the iconic choreography. His fluid movements and confident delivery had everyone laughing and clapping in appreciation.

Seungkwan, not wanting to be outdone, jumped in with another song, teasing Jun to keep going. “‘I’m on the next level’,” he sang, his voice carrying the tune as Jun seamlessly transitioned into the dance for 'Next Level,' his body following the rhythm effortlessly.

PD Na, watching Jun nail the dance with ease, confirmed with a nod, “A warning.”

[One more warning]

PD Na’s voice rang out, breaking the intense atmosphere that had settled over the group. "Now you have three members left," he announced, his gaze shifting to Joshua, who was now on his knees, Hoshi, who had his hands clasped together in a fervent prayer, and S.Coups, who was leaning forward with an intense focus. The tension was palpable.

[Urgh/Performance Team leader/Leader]

"This is crazy," Mingyu muttered, glancing nervously at the remaining players.

PD Na nodded in agreement. "From Joshua to S.Coups, we'll go fast. If S.Coups gets the answer, you win."

“Why am I getting so nervous?” S.Coups said, his hands now clasped to his chest as if he could physically steady the pounding of his heart. “He’s selecting the question,” he commented, watching as PD Na prepared to reveal the next image.

Joshua’s turn was up. PD Na showed him the picture and began the countdown. “1, 2, 3.”

“Cocomong,” Joshua answered quickly, his voice filled with a mix of certainty and calmness.

“You got it,” PD Na confirmed.

A collective gasp filled the room, followed by a chorus of excited murmurs. “Is that right? Is it Cocomong?” S.Coups asked, still in disbelief.

“It’s Cocomong,” Joshua repeated with a nod, confidence growing in his voice.

“Isn’t that Chocoemong?” Mingyu asked, a frown of confusion creasing his face.

“What?” Luna and Jeonghan simultaneously whipped around to face Mingyu, their expressions of shock and disbelief making him laugh sheepishly.

[Appalled]

“Chocoemong is what you drink after drinking,” Seungkwan corrected Mingyu with a deadpan expression, earning a round of laughter from the others.

PD Na gave a final nod. “You got it. The answer is Cocomong.”

With that confirmation, Hoshi jumped to his feet, his hands still clasped together as if in prayer. The tension in the room skyrocketed. “Hey, be quiet,” S.Coups hissed, trying to focus as they readied for Hoshi’s turn.

[Noisy people: S.Coups, The8, DK]

The members quickly rallied around Hoshi, trying to calm his nerves. “Let’s go, Hoshi,”

“Relax,”

“You got this,”

“The tiger’s eyes.”

[Next is the tiger's eyes, Hoshi]

PD Na revealed the next picture, and the countdown began. “1, 2, 3…”

There was a long, excruciating pause as Hoshi’s mind raced, but no words came out. Finally, he collapsed to his knees, letting out an agonized “Ahh!” that echoed around the room.

The members burst into laughter as PD Na’s voice cut through the chaos. “Wrong!” he declared, his tone full of mock disappointment.

Hoshi finally found his voice, albeit too late. “Lee Seok Hoon,” he muttered, now fully aware of his mistake.

[Too late]

The room buzzed with a chaotic mixture of reactions as Hoshi remained on his knees, the reality of his mistake settling in. Some members were in shock, wide-eyed and mouths agape, unable to believe that Hoshi had fumbled his answer. Others reacted with visible pain, feeling the weight of the near victory slipping away. Some rushed to Hoshi's side, offering comfort and pats on the back, trying to soothe his obvious distress. But there were also those who couldn’t help but laugh, their laughter mingling with the groans and sighs in the room.

[While everyone's in despair,]

[someone's happy]

Amidst the flurry of reactions, S.Coups felt an overwhelming sense of relief wash over him. For once, it wasn't him who had cracked under pressure. A grin spread across his face as he stood up and made his way towards the swarm of members surrounding Hoshi. "It wasn't me. It wasn't me," he repeated gleefully, pointing at Hoshi, who was still on the ground. The weight of the moment had shifted entirely off his shoulders. "It was him."

[I'm happy that I didn't get it wrong]

[He got it wrong]

Now, all of them were standing, eyes fixated on Hoshi, who was still kneeling in defeat. The room was buzzing, but S.Coups’ relief was evident.

Luna, her heart softening at the sight of Hoshi’s guilty expression, went over to him, peeking through the crowd. “It’s okay,” she said softly, her chuckle light and gentle. “It’s alright.”

Hoshi glanced up at her, still looking remorseful, but her words seemed to bring a small amount of comfort.

Vernon and Mingyu stepped forward, each taking one of Hoshi’s arms and helping him to his feet. “It’s okay,” Vernon reassured him with a smile, while Mingyu patted his back. Hoshi tried to smile, though Dino’s laughter, which echoed loudly through the room, made it difficult to stay serious.

[Get up, warrior]

[You're pardoned]

[We can just remove the food]

“It’s okay,” Jeonghan said as he walked over to the table, glancing at the remaining food with a sigh. “Let’s remove yogurt.” He nodded towards Seungkwan, who quickly went over and removed the container from the table, a sign of moving past the small defeat.

[Yogurt is out] [4 dishes left]

As the group settled down for the next round, a sense of determination and camaraderie filled the air. Minghao was the first to break the silence, his voice calm but optimistic. "We see hope."

"We saw possibility," Dokyeom added, nodding in agreement.

"We reached very far," Jeonghan chimed in, acknowledging and reflecting on their progress.

Seungkwan, always quick with a response, said, "We almost had it."

Mingyu, nodded and said, "We just did pretty well."

Woozi, however, wasn’t ready to let Hoshi off the hook just yet. "I don't get how he couldn't get it," he said, shaking his head slightly.

"I agree," Mingyu said, echoing Woozi’s sentiment.

"That he didn't get Lee Seok Hoon?" Seungkwan clarified.

"Yes. Even I knew it," Woozi replied, still a bit perplexed.

"It means he didn't watch the show Seungkwan was on," S.Coups teased, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Wonwoo and Minghao were on it too," Mingyu pointed out.

"Even if you didn’t, you should know," Jeonghan said, still dwelling on Hoshi’s missed answer.

"All of us were there," Woozi added, his tone a mix of understanding and disbelief.

Luna, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, couldn’t hold back any longer. "No– ya! Hoshi knew him. He answered right, he just ran out of time 'cause PD Na doesn’t want us to eat," she scolded them, her tone both protective and teasing. Her defense of Hoshi made PD Na laugh, clearly amused by her assessment.

[Bunny no. 1 defending the tiger... hamster(?)]

"I know him…" Hoshi trailed off, his voice a mix of frustration and regret.

"But you couldn't recall it," Luna finished for him, nodding sympathetically. "It's alright."

"I understand," S.Coups said, his voice gentle as he tried to ease the tension in the room.

As they prepared to move on to the next round, the atmosphere in the room was a mix of anticipation and amusement. PD Na addressed the group with a hint of strategy, "If you're starting with S.Coups, you want to deal with the problem first and end it."

"It means we’ll get rid of the lemon," Seungkwan quipped, his comment making everyone burst into laughter.

"The lemon?" S.Coups stood up, chuckling in disbelief at Seungkwan's playful jab.

"Don't be like that," Dino said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Just admit it," Seungkwan teased further, causing S.Coups to laugh even more, shaking his head.

[Our success is what matters]

"Let’s start. S.Coups will go first," PD Na announced, setting the stage for the next challenge.

"Give me an easy one, please," S.Coups leaned forward, his voice a mix of pleading and nervousness.

PD Na, with a grin, added, "I think he should go talk to Jeonghan," suggesting that S.Coups might need some counsel from Jeonghan, which made the two laugh in agreement.

[The counseling office is always open]

"Chill out," Jeonghan told S.Coups with a calm, reassuring tone.

Mingyu jumped in, trying to help with his own method of deduction. "You know them. Like Seungkwan, Jeonghan, Jiyeon," he pointed out, using the members as examples to help S.Coups focus.

"The Kim Mingyu Method," Luna said, naming Mingyu’s approach with a grin.

"That worked really well," Seungkwan and Woozi agreed, finding humor in the method.

"Who's this? Jeonghan. Jiyeon, Wonwoo… Dokyeom. That's what you do," Mingyu continued, trying to show how easy it could be if S.Coups just followed his lead.

"You got Dokyeom confused," Wonwoo chuckled, pointing out Mingyu's mistake, which made Mingyu giggle in response.

"Are you ready?" PD Na asked, bringing the attention back to S.Coups.

[With ease]

[Round 9]

A chorus of encouragements erupted from the members.

"Relax."

"Chill out."

"It's easy."

"You can do it."

"Here we go," PD Na said, building up the suspense as he showed S.Coups the picture and began counting down, "1, 2, 3."

S.Coups stared at the picture, his expression a mix of disbelief and resignation. "Who’s that?" he asked, chuckling as if he had already given up.

"Wrong!" PD Na declared.

All eyes were on S.Coups, who stood in shock, staring at the picture in disbelief. He had been given another easy question, yet once again, he found himself unable to answer it. Instead of groans, the room was filled with silent, stunned expressions as they tried to process what had just happened.

[Shocking]

Mingyu couldn't stay seated any longer. He shot up from his chair, making an exaggerated hand movement as he exclaimed, "Ya! I can even see it from walking past."

"Kim Woo Bin," Jun stated, turning to S.Coups with a mix of surprise and concern.

"Kim Woo Bin," Dokyeom echoed, shaking his head accompanied by a pained chuckle.

"You need to stop drinking," Seungkwan deadpanned, his sharp comment causing both PD Na and S.Coups to burst into laughter.

Luna, who had been observing quietly with her arms crossed, finally spoke up, her tone playful yet stern. "I don’t think we are playing the character quiz…" Her statement made the members turn to her with amused yet confused expressions.

[What?]

"He's the mafia," Luna continued, pointing at S.Coups with a chuckle, a reference to their iconic Mafia game from the 'Don't Lie' segments in ‘Going Seventeen’.

The realization hit the members all at once, and they erupted into hysterical laughter. The idea that S.Coups, their leader, was somehow sabotaging their game was too funny not to embrace.

As the laughter continued to fill the room, Mingyu was clearly the most amused by Luna’s joke. He laughed with his whole body, doubling over as he let out deep, hearty laughs. Unable to contain his amusement, Mingyu got up from his seat, making his way over to Luna. With his hands raised high, he eagerly sought a high five, which Luna gladly returned, their hands clapping together in triumph.

But Mingyu’s laughter didn’t stop there. As he collapsed in hysterics, he fell forward, his head landing on Luna’s lap before he slid down to the floor in front of her, still laughing uncontrollably.

[Mingyu finds it the funniest...]

[Watch ‘Going Seventeen’ to understand why]

Hoshi stood up dramatically, covering his mouth with his hand as he stared at S.Coups with wide eyes, adding to the hilarity. "S.Coups is the mafia!" he declared, his voice filled with mock horror.

The laughter grew louder as the members joined in the joke, shouting in unison, "Let’s kill him! Let’s kill him!" They mimicked the thumbs-down movement they used in the 'Don't Lie' game, fully embracing the absurdity of the situation.

[Let's remove a dish]

As the laughter finally began to subside, the members of SEVENTEEN shifted their focus back to the game, this time discussing which dish to remove from the table. Joshua, ever practical, suggested, "There are two kinds of meat. How about we remove the spicy stir-fried pork?"

Seungkwan, still in a playful mood, stood up and hovered his hand over the LA galbi. "Would you warm it up again? LA galbi is expensive," he reasoned, addressing the crew with a serious expression, his voice tinged with concern.

[Spicy stir-fried pork versus LA galbi]

Jeonghan, always looking out for the younger members, suggested, "Then remove the acorn jelly. Dino hates it."

Luna, nodding in agreement, added, "Dino hates it."

Vernon, weighing in on the discussion, said, "Right. Let's remove the spicy stir-fried pork."

But Luna, without realizing it, pouted slightly as she responded, "No, why the spicy stir-fried pork?"

Joshua chimed in, "There are two kinds of meat anyway."

Determined to protect the dish, Mingyu said, "Remove the acorn jelly."

Seungkwan, still standing at the table, his hands hovering indecisively between the two dishes, almost whined, "Between acorn jelly and spicy stir-fried pork, what's it going to be?"

"Acorn jelly," Jeonghan said firmly. "The youngest doesn't like acorn jelly."

[Strong reason]

"Really? You don't? Then let's remove acorn jelly," Vernon agreed, sealing the fate of the dish. With that, the acorn jelly was finally removed.

[Acorn jelly is out] [3 dishes left]

As the group settled back into their places, Jeonghan, ever the contrarian, remarked, "Isn't spicy stir-fried pork better than LA galbi?"

Joshua, eyebrows raised in disbelief, questioned, "Really?"

Wonwoo, always practical, chimed in, "Apparently, LA galbi is expensive."

Seungkwan, ready to move forward, returned to his seat and said, "We still have two kinds of meat left. Let's play first."

Mingyu chuckled, adding, "They'll be gone in no time," referring to how quickly the dishes would vanish even before they would start eating.

[Gone in no time]

Before the next round began, some of the members shuffled their seats again, trying to find their optimal positions. Luna ended up seated between Jeonghan and Seungkwan on the right side of the line. Jeonghan then asked, "So? Do we start from here? Or there?"

Mingyu, with a grin, suggested, "I think S.Coups should go last. All thirteen people get to experience it, and S.Coups will end it by dying," which made Luna burst into laughter.

Woozi, catching on to the plan, swapped seats with S.Coups, who begrudgingly accepted his fate and moved to the end of the line. "Shall we?" Woozi asked, settling into S.Coups’ former spot.

[They quietly send S.Coups to the end]

"We'll start from here again," Seungkwan decided, pointing to the other end of the line where the round would begin.

As Woozi took S.Coups' seat, he noticed a yogurt from the container sitting there, looking confused. "Hey…" he said, holding up the yogurt, which made both Jeonghan and Luna glance over with mild curiosity.

Seungkwan, immediately recognizing the yogurt, reached for it and said, "Give it to me." It had been his seat before, and he'd sneakily taken the yogurt and hidden it for himself.

[It was Seungkwan's seat]

Jeonghan and Luna remained unfazed, though clearly amused as they watched the scene unfold. Woozi handed the yogurt over to Seungkwan, asking, "Why are you keeping yogurt?"

[He saved yogurt for later]

Luna, with a smirk, decided to help Seungkwan out, "It fell earlier."

Jeonghan, always quick to join in, added, "It was on the floor."

Seungkwan, stumbling over his words, tried to justify himself, "It said it's got patented probiotics."

Wonwoo, ever observant, asked, "When did you take it?"

Minghao, shaking his head with a sigh, joined in with a half-serious, half-playful tone, "Be honest."

The entire group burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of the situation, Seungkwan finally admitting, "Sorry," as he sheepishly held onto the yogurt.

[We pursue earnest and bright society]

As they braced for the next round the atmosphere in the room was a mixture of anticipation and tension. PD Na announced, "Here we go. Dino is going first," signaling the start of what everyone hoped would be a successful round.

Wonwoo, still pacing behind his seat, muttered, "I should practice," he said as he tried to prepare himself mentally.

[Round 10]

The screen flickered as PD Na displayed the picture for Dino. "1, 2, 3…" he counted down, giving Dino his cue. Dino pointed at the picture, but to everyone’s surprise, no words came out of his mouth. His mind seemed to have drawn a blank at the crucial moment.

[Say something]

"Wrong!" PD Na exclaimed, breaking the silence with a mix of surprise and disappointment. The other members turned to Dino, their expressions ranging from disbelief to shock.

Vernon, unable to contain himself, shot up from his seat and pointed at the youngest member. "How can you miss this?" he asked incredulously, his voice rising.

"You always… you always copy him," Wonwoo chimed in, echoing Vernon’s disbelief.

"This is your special skill," Vernon added, still in shock, "You copy him all the time."

Dino covered his mouth with his hand, his face reflecting his own disbelief. "Why can't I remember all of a sudden?" he murmured, almost to himself, the realization of his mistake slowly sinking in.

PD Na turned to Hoshi, who was next in line, to see if he knew the answer. "Hoshi, who's this?"

"Song Kang Ho," Hoshi responded without missing a beat, his voice confident and sure.

"He's your special skill," Wonwoo repeated, emphasizing Dino's usual talent.

[There must be something about his special skill]

"You should show him," Hoshi suggested, gesturing towards PD Na with a smile.

Dino chuckled, shaking his head. "No," he said, reluctant to demonstrate his impression.

[What is it?]

"Show him," Mingyu encouraged, nodding his head with a grin.

"Which one?" Dino asked as he slowly made his way to the center of the room, the focus of everyone's attention now squarely on him.

"The one that gets censored," Wonwoo said with a playful smirk, recalling a particularly notorious impression that is not suitable for TV.

"He'll censor it," Mingyu reassured Dino, trying to coax him into performing.

"What is it?" PD Na chuckled, his curiosity piqued by the group's reaction. "What is it? You made me so curious."

"It might not be suitable for the show," Seungkwan interjected, standing up to explain on Dino's behalf.

"If it can't be aired, we'll edit it out and give you one more chance," PD Na explained, his tone both understanding and encouraging. The members, realizing they might get another shot at saving the round, began to cheer and clap, urging Dino to go for it.

[We'll give Dino one more chance]

"You have to do it," they chanted, their enthusiasm infectious.

"The viewers won't know what it is, but they'll assume it was funny," PD Na added with a chuckle, trying to put Dino at ease as he stood there, torn between hesitation and the desire to redeem himself.

Dino hesitated for a moment, then decided to explain his upcoming performance. "In 'The Host'…" he began, using his hands to gesture as he spoke.

"Song Kang Ho?" PD Na interjected, seeking confirmation.

"Yes," the members responded in unison, nodding.

Dino continued, "He has to go save his daughter, but he gets caught in the hospital. They start injecting things into his brain for a biopsy. I'll reenact that emergency situation." He mimicked the injection process with his hand gestures, painting a vivid picture of the scene he was about to recreate.

"He impersonates the actor but doesn’t know the name," PD Na commented, shaking his head in amusement.

Seungkwan immediately jumped to his feet, standing beside Dino as he pretended to inject something into his head. Vernon followed suit, joining in as they began the impromptu performance.

Dino, fully in character now, exclaimed, "Ya. I have to go save my daughter."

"Lie down," Seungkwan commanded, keeping up the act.

"Help me," Dino pleaded, still in character.

"Lie down," Seungkwan repeated, his tone authoritative as they continued the reenactment.

"Okay, okay," Dino relented, pretending to struggle as he was held down by his fellow members.

"Lie down!" Seungkwan shouted, raising his voice to add intensity to the scene.

Luna, sitting in her seat, couldn’t help but giggle and cringe simultaneously, her arms hugging Jeonghan's as they watched Dino's committed performance.

Dino, fully immersed in his role, suddenly blurted out, "Ya! You bastard! You son of a bitch!"

The room erupted in laughter. PD Na, the crew, and the rest of the members couldn’t contain themselves, cracking up at Dino's cursing and his spot-on impression.

"I have to save my daughter," Dino concluded dramatically, ending the performance.

[Done]

"That was so good," Dokyeom chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief at Dino's dedication.

Vernon, overcome with laughter, collapsed onto the floor, his distinct laugh echoing through the room.

[Laughing]

Luna, still giggling, hid behind Jeonghan's arm, her laughter mixing with a hint of secondhand embarrassment from Dino's antics. She peeked out from behind him, still smiling. "He's really on another level."

"You don’t know Song Kang Ho, but you're impersonating him?" PD Na asked, still trying to wrap his head around the absurdity of the situation.

"Exactly," Dino replied, suddenly modest as if he hadn’t just been yelling obscenities. "So if you give me one more chance…"

"I will give you another chance," PD Na said, making the group erupt in cheers and applause, grateful for the opportunity.

[He got another chance]

[He earned his chance]

As Dino returned to his seat, Mingyu leaned over, chuckling, "You cleaned up your own mess."

[It's a precious second chance]

As the redo of the round was set to begin again, Dino nervously prepared himself.

"It'll be funny if he messes up again," Woozi giggled, glancing at Dino, who was now steeling himself for his second chance.

[RE: Round 10]

PD Na held up the picture for Dino and began the countdown, "1, 2, 3."

"Mimi," Dino blurted out confidently.

"You got it," PD Na confirmed, nodding his head.

"I got it!" Dino exclaimed, standing up, visibly shocked and immensely relieved that he had nailed it this time. The tension from earlier had melted away, replaced with triumphant disbelief.

Next up was Hoshi. He stood up, a mix of a sigh and a whine escaping him as he clutched his chest, clearly feeling the pressure.

[And]

[the hamster's having a heartache]

[Sigh]

"Hoshi, it's okay. You're okay," Luna said softly, her voice tinged with amusement as she watched him.

"Hoshi, doesn’t your heart ache?" S.Coups teased with a chuckle as if empathizing with the intensity of the situation.

"I think I’m going to go crazy," Hoshi admitted, making S.Coups laugh heartily.

[He understands how Hoshi feels]

"It’s okay," Jun reassured him, placing a comforting hand on Hoshi's arm as he tried to calm him down.

[Character Quiz can be harmful]

[Talk to Producer Na about side effects]

PD Na then presented the picture to Hoshi. Before he could even count down, Hoshi sprang to his feet and pointed at the image, shouting, "Jee Seok Jin!" His excitement was so overwhelming that he fell to his knees, overwhelmed with joy. The members erupted in cheers and applause, sharing in Hoshi’s elation.

"Seok Jin!" Hoshi repeated, pointing at the picture as if he couldn’t believe he had actually gotten it right. The sheer relief and excitement radiated from him, and the members continued clapping for him, their laughter filling the room.

"He’s my dad’s age," Hoshi said, still out of breath, eliciting even more laughter from the group.

[He was born in 1966]

"'He’s my dad’s age'," Luna repeated with a chuckle, nodding at Hoshi in understanding as she smiled at his endearing comment.

"Joshua’s turn," PD Na announced, signaling the start of the next round. He showed Joshua the picture and counted down, "1, 2, 3."

"Song Hye Kyo," Joshua answered, his voice steady yet his eyes wide.

[Song what Kyo?]

The members burst into applause and cheers, congratulating him for the correct answer.

"Didn’t you say 'Song Ye Kyo'?" PD Na asked, slightly puzzled, prompting a few members to stand up in defense of Joshua’s answer.

[He suddenly misses his hometown]

"Is 'H' silent?" PD Na inquired, trying to clarify.

"I heard it. I heard the 'H,'" Luna raised her hand, backing Joshua despite knowing it wasn’t quite accurate.

"You don’t say 'H' in Hermes," Mingyu argued, causing the room to erupt in a chorus of "Oohs" at his logic, laughing at the sheer absurdity of the lies being thrown around to save Joshua.

[That makes sense]

"He’s right! He’s right!" Luna clapped her hands in agreement, pointing at Mingyu, who playfully winked at her.

"Okay," PD Na said with a sigh, as he turned his attention to Jun and Minghao, who were next in line.

[He'll move on since he's persuaded]

"Oh my. It’s the big obstacle," he remarked, before showing Jun the picture and counting down, "Here we go… 1, 2, 3."

"Michael Jackson," Jun announced confidently, standing up and busting out an iconic Michael Jackson move, making the members cheer loudly in excitement.

[He's in Performance Team]

[Neat finish]

"You’re pretty good," Dokyeom complimented, and others chimed in, "Good job."

[One obstacle is gone]

PD Na then turned to Minghao, who was leaning forward in his seat, a hint of nervousness visible on his face.

[Another obstacle]

"Minghao, it’s okay. You can do it," Seungkwan encouraged, his voice soft.

PD Na showed Minghao the picture and counted down, "1, 2, 3…"

"Sorry," Minghao bowed apologetically, admitting that he didn’t know the person.

"It’s understandable," Mingyu chimed in sympathetically, his tone reassuring.

"It’s understandable," Jeonghan echoed, nodding along in agreement.

"It’s alright, Hao," Luna added, her voice gentle.

[New reaction]

PD Na looked taken aback by the unexpected support, clearly surprised by how forgiving the members were of Minghao’s mistake. As a foreign member, the group understood his struggle with some of the cultural references.

"I don’t know her," Minghao admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

[Jeon Do-yeon]

"It’s okay. He did that on purpose," Luna said, playfully pointing at PD Na, causing the members to chuckle.

"He gave you the question you can’t answer," Mingyu agreed, his tone light-hearted.

"He was trying to get him wrong," Jeonghan added as they nodded in agreement. "He wasn’t considerate enough."

"He just doesn’t want us to eat," S.Coups joked, eliciting more laughter.

"'I’ll make you fail,'" Jeonghan imitated, his voice dripping with playful sarcasm.

"Give me easy ones," Minghao said, his voice lightening as he joined in on the banter, making everyone laugh.

"Sorry," PD Na chuckled, amused by how the members had turned the situation into a light-hearted moment.

In the end, after much deliberation and laughter, the group reluctantly agreed to remove the spicy stir-fried pork from their menu, leaving them with two dishes, the kimchi, and the LA galbi.

[Spicy stir-fried pork is out]

[This is all they have left]

PD Na, sensing the pressure building among the members, decided to lighten the mood while also giving them a push. "If you get it now, it works for both of us. We've got enough airtime. If you lose any more food, CARAT will get mad at us. It's about time for you to pull it off," he encouraged his tone a blend of seriousness and playful urgency.

[Round 11]

"Come on. Let's go," Woozi said, clapping his hands together in anticipation.

"Let’s do this," Minghao added, steeling himself for the challenge ahead.

The tension in the room was palpable as the game moved into the next round. The members were all on edge, knowing that every wrong answer could cost them another dish. Despite their efforts, the round came to a halt when Jun, staring blankly at the photo, couldn't identify Robert Downey Jr. The members sighed as they watched the LA galbi slip away from their grasp, leaving only the kimchi behind.

[END GAME]

[LA galbi is out] [Only 1 dish left]

[In the end, it happened]

[Only kimchi left for the final round]

"We’re about to lose the kimchi," Woozi remarked, half-joking, half-serious as they prepared for the next round.

"We must succeed this time," Seungkwan said, determination clear in his voice.

"Yes," Dino echoed, the weight of the situation not lost on him.

"He’ll give us the easy ones now," Jeonghan observed, watching PD Na carefully as he chose the pictures for the next round.

Luna, who had been quietly observing the proceedings, now rested her head on Jeonghan’s shoulder, her eyes following PD Na and the writers as they discussed the next steps. Jeonghan, sensing an opportunity, leaned forward slightly and proposed an idea. "Can you mix the ones we already did before?" he suggested.

[He demands to repeat the questions]

"What?" one of the writers asked, clearly taken aback by the request, causing the group to burst into laughter.

"He’s serious," Luna explained to the writers and PD Na, patting Jeonghan’s knee affectionately, her head still nestled on his shoulder.

"That’s what he’s like," S.Coups pointed out, gesturing toward Jeonghan with a knowing smile.

"We only have kimchi left," Jeonghan reasoned, trying to make his case.

PD Na considered it for a moment before agreeing. "Sure. Let’s do that. That doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all," he said, nodding.

"Thank you!" Luna exclaimed, her gratitude evident as she smiled warmly at PD Na.

"We can’t get it wrong twice," S.Coups said, the seriousness of the situation hitting them all at once.

"It could be harder this way," Woozi mused, his brows furrowing slightly.

"It might be harder," Jun agreed, nodding in contemplation.

"Getting it wrong twice is twice as embarrassing," Luna chuckled, the absurdity of the situation bringing a lightness to her voice.

"If anyone messes it up, let’s compliment them," Jeonghan suggested, his tone playful as they all agreed.

[Let's compliment that person. No cursing]

"'You don’t even know this? Good job,'" Woozi demonstrated, his sarcastic delivery making everyone laugh.

"Very good," Joshua added, chuckling at the sarcasm.

"That’s more annoying," Jun pointed out, shaking his head.

"It might end here," Joshua said, gesturing to S.Coups, who was first in line.

"Then we should just compliment him," Jeonghan replied, his tone teasing.

[Just compliment him]

"Let’s compliment that person. No cursing," Dokyeom said, trying to keep the atmosphere light.

"Don’t curse," S.Coups warned him, his voice mock-serious.

"Okay, don’t worry," Dokyeom chuckled, waving off the concern.

"Let’s compliment big time. ‘We already saw this before, but you got it wrong again? You’re amazing,’" Woozi suggested, his tone dripping with exaggerated praise, causing Joshua to laugh out loud.

PD Na, now fully on board with the idea, laid out the plan. "Here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll mix six random pictures from the previous questions. Even I don’t know what they are going to be."

[Even the production crew doesn't know the order]

"But you have to go very fast," PD Na explained, demonstrating how quickly he would count down.

[Demonstration]

"Okay. Let’s start," Jeonghan said, his voice steady as they braced themselves for the rapid-fire round ahead. The tension was thick, but so was the camaraderie, as they prepared to face the challenge with a mix of nerves and humor.

As the group prepared to dive into the rapid-fire round, some of the members took a moment to review their previous answers, just in case the same questions resurfaced. There was a mixture of nervous energy and determination in the room as everyone tried to remember the faces and names they'd already encountered.

[Going over the previous questions in a rush]

In the midst of all the preparation, Luna and Jeonghan remained side by side, their quiet confidence evident in how relaxed they were. Luna’s head was still resting comfortably on Jeonghan’s shoulder as she casually replied to a text from her mom on her phone. Jeonghan, noticing her focused expression, watched her fingers as they moved swiftly across the screen.

"Is that your mom?" Jeonghan asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper so as not to disturb the others.

"Mmm," Luna hummed in response, her attention still on her phone.

"Tell her I said hi," Jeonghan suggested, his tone warm and familiar.

Without missing a beat, Luna turned on the front camera of her phone and positioned it in front of them, capturing a photo of them smiling together. Neither of them moved an inch, maintaining their comfortable position as she quickly sent the picture to her mom.

Laughter and quiet conversations filled the room, but soon enough, PD Na's voice cut through the noise, drawing everyone's attention back to the task at hand.

"Is there anyone who got all the answers?" PD Na asked, his tone carrying a hint of playful challenge.

"I haven't gotten any wrong yet," Seungkwan quickly raised his hand, pride evident in his voice.

"I got all mine right too," Luna added, lifting her head from Jeonghan's shoulder to sit up properly. She gave a small, confident smile, glad to be able to say she hadn’t slipped up yet.

Jeonghan, noticing Luna's shift, also raised his hand with a casual, "Me too."

From behind his seat, where he'd been pacing, Wonwoo raised his hand as well, adding, "I don’t think I got anything wrong either," his calm demeanor hiding the subtle pride he felt.

Mingyu, ever competitive, raised his hand after Wonwoo, as if reluctant to be left out.

PD Na scanned the room, his eyes landing on those who hadn’t raised their hands. "Anyone who got everything wrong?" he asked, humor lacing his tone.

Only S.Coups sheepishly raised his hand, chuckling at his own misfortune. "I never got it for once," he admitted, laughing at how ridiculous it sounded.

[Park Bo Gum/Yoon/Kim Woo Bin]

PD Na pointed at S.Coups, his laughter infectious. "He got zero," he emphasized, causing the room to erupt in giggles.

"I didn’t think I’d be this terrible," S.Coups confessed, still smiling despite his poor track record.

"You’re terrible," Vernon teased, unable to resist ribbing his leader.

S.Coups shook his head, still in disbelief. "I was pretty good when I watched it on TV," he said, his tone a mix of amusement and frustration.

"Everything looks easy when you watch it on TV," Joshua pointed out, understanding where S.Coups was coming from.

"It looked really easy on TV," S.Coups repeated, the laughter in his voice signaling he had made peace with his less-than-stellar performance.

The room was buzzing with playful energy as PD Na's gaze swept across the members, his eyes finally landing on S.Coups. “Who should go first?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. “S.Coups?”

S.Coups, with his hands clasped over his chest as if to steady his nerves, nodded with a resigned smile. “Yes,” he agreed, knowing he was about to face another round of teasing from his members if he still got it wrong.

“Do you know the worst-case scenario?” PD Na asked, his eyes narrowing with exaggerated concern. “The game ends with you hesitating."

[And the game ends there]

'No fun, no impression,” Woozi piling on the pressure with a grin.

“No style,” Mingyu chimed in from beside Woozi, unable to resist taking his own playful jab. His tone was light, but the teasing was relentless. Dokyeom couldn’t help but laugh at how perfectly they were roasting their leader.

“We should still compliment him,” Jeonghan suggested.

[Even if the worst possible thing happens, we'll still compliment you]

Woozi caught on immediately, nodding in agreement. “We’ll give you warm compliments,” he promised.

Vernon, ever the deadpan, delivered his line with perfect timing and zero emotion. “Well done,” he said flatly, making PD Na burst out laughing as he clapped in appreciation of the humor.

[That's a compliment]

Jeonghan raised his hands as if to assure everyone. “We’re not negative,” he insisted, though the grin on his face said otherwise.

Joshua, picking up on Vernon's tone, echoed with an equally flat “Well done,” his expression matching the dry delivery.

[Last round]

S.Coups knelt on the floor, his heart racing as the anticipation grew. The entire group was focused on him, holding their breath, hoping he would finally break his streak of incorrect answers.

PD Na, with a knowing smile, revealed the next picture and began his countdown. “1, 2, 3.”

“Uhm Jung Hwa,” S.Coups exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of determination and desperation.

For a moment, there was silence, then the room erupted in applause. S.Coups had finally gotten it right. He sat back down with a relieved smile, as the members clapped and cheered for him.

[He finally saved his face]

“You got it,” PD Na confirmed, moving quickly to keep the momentum going. He turned to Joshua next, the picture already in hand.

Joshua, ever calm and collected, focused on the image as PD Na began to count. “1, 2, 3.”

“Suho,” Joshua answered without a moment's hesitation, earning another round of applause from the members.

“You got it,” PD Na acknowledged with a nod, wasting no time as he showed the next picture to Hoshi.

“1, 2, 3.”

“Lee Seok Hoon!” Hoshi shouted, jumping to his feet in excitement, his energy contagious as the room cheered again.

“You got it,” PD Na confirmed, laughing at Hoshi’s enthusiasm.

“It’s Seok Hoon!” Hoshi repeated, still riding the high of getting it right.

Next up was Jeonghan, who, in his typical relaxed manner, remained seated as PD Na flashed the picture. “1, 2, 3.”

“Hani,” Jeonghan pointed out, his tone steady and sure.

“You got it,” PD Na responded, pleased with the quick succession of correct answers. He turned to Luna, who was next in line. Luna, who had been quietly observing, was now the center of attention.

PD Na showed her the picture and counted down, "1,2,3." And with a smoothness that only she could pull off, she responded.

“Harry Potter,” Luna said, her English accent and pronunciation so flawless that it left PD Na momentarily confused.

[What?]

“What?” PD Na asked, his brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of what she had just said.

The members were quick to jump in, eager to explain. Joshua and Vernon, who understood her immediately, were the loudest.

“She’s right!” Joshua called out.

“She got it right!” Vernon added, both of them nodding earnestly.

[American line defending]

“What was that?” PD Na asked again, this time with a hint of curiosity, leaning in as if that would help him understand.

“Harry Potter,” Luna chuckled, her English accent still pronounced.

Jeonghan couldn’t help but grin as he added, “She’s English.”

“She’s from the United Kingdom,” Hoshi chimed in, nodding as if to emphasize the point.

“It's her accent,” Joshua pointed out, sharing in the playful banter.

Mingyu, always one for humor, threw in his own comment, “She said it the same way Harry Potter would have said it.”

This set the members off, as they began mimicking her accent, each one trying their best to sound as authentic as Luna had.

“Authentic. Authentic,” Seungkwan said, nodding appreciatively.

Luna, playing along with the joke, repeated her answer once more, this time with a deliberately exaggerated Korean accent, “Harry Potter.”

The room burst into laughter at her playful switch, the tension from the game momentarily forgotten in the shared humor.

“I understand,” PD Na finally said, smiling as he gave her the point. “You got it.”

"Seungkwan is next," PD Na announced, the anticipation building as he turned to the next member. He showed the picture and began counting down, "1, 2, 3."

"Song Kang Ho," Seungkwan answered with confidence, his eyes locked on the screen.

"You got it," PD Na confirmed, causing the room to erupt in applause.

“Okay,” Jeonghan exclaimed, his voice steady and calm, as the group continued their winning streak.

PD Na then turned his attention to Wonwoo, who had stopped pacing and now stood firmly behind his chair, ready to tackle his turn. As the picture was revealed, PD Na began the countdown, "1, 2, 3."

"Hyeri," Wonwoo replied calmly, his voice steady.

The members erupted into excited claps, thrilled by yet another correct answer.

"You got it," PD Na affirmed, pleased with their progress. "You're already halfway."

[It's the peak]

At this point, half of the members were now standing, their energy mixed with excitement and nerves getting to the,

"It's Vernon's turn," PD Na announced, signaling to Vernon who looked intently at him.

PD Na revealed the picture and counted down, "1, 2, 3…"

But nothing came out of Vernon's mouth. The seconds ticked by in silence, and the tension in the room grew palpable.

[Spacing out]

[Blinking]

“Wrong!” PD Na declared, the room filling with a momentary chorus of groans.

However, true to their earlier promise, the members quickly transitioned to compliments, mimicking Vernon’s earlier deadpan tone.

“Well done,” they chorused, surrounding him and clapping enthusiastically.

“Good job.”

“Well done.”

“Good job.”

“You did great.”

[They're complimenting him]

They high-fived him and shook his hand, their smiles wide as they supported their teammate despite the sarcasm dripping in their voices.

[Everyone wants to shake his hand]

Luna, still seated, couldn’t help but laugh at the scene unfolding before her. The group’s playful nature always brought light to even the most competitive moments.

“So? Kimchi slap?” Minghao joked, holding up the container of kimchi, which caused PD Na and the writers to burst into laughter. Minghao then walked off to remove the kimchi from the table, still grinning.

[Kimchi is leaving]

“Good job. Well done,” Jeonghan clapped, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

[When we're having a hard time, we compliment]

Suddenly, Vernon casually picked up the yogurt Seungkwan had been hiding earlier and began drinking it, catching everyone off guard.

[I drink yogurt when I'm sad]

“When did you take it?” PD Na asked, his tone filled with curiosity, while Seungkwan looked at Vernon, eyes wide with shock and a touch of betrayal, considering he had been the one to smuggle the yogurt earlier.

“I brought it from home,” Vernon said casually, clearly lying but with such a straight face that it only added to the hilarity of the situation.

“It was fun. Good job,” Minghao said, clapping for their efforts as they all returned to their seats.

[But the table is empty]

Back in their seats, the group settled down, the atmosphere still buzzing with excitement. Mingyu, ever the instigator, leaned forward and asked, “Any bonus round?”

Jeonghan, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, gestured toward the rice and soup they were supposed to receive for free. “With everything one more time,” he suggested, the familiar spark of a bet flickering across his face.

[Shameless]

Luna simply grinned at this, already accustomed to Jeonghan’s penchant for bets, while PD Na and the writers exchanged shocked glances.

“What?” one of the writers said in a high-pitched tone, their disbelief evident, which only served to amplify the laughter in the room, with Dokyeom laughing the loudest.

[Is he here to bargain with Dormammu?]

“'What?'” Luna mimicked the writer’s tone, followed quickly by Joshua, who couldn’t resist joining in on the fun. “'What?'”

“The final round with all food,” Jeonghan said, his lazy smirk still plastered on his face but with a seriousness that made it clear he wasn’t joking. “We won’t have rice.”

“We’ll bet rice and soup,” S.Coups chimed in, adding to the stakes.

“You’ll starve?” PD Na asked, his tone a mix of concern and amusement.

“Yes,” Jeonghan replied, his smirk never wavering.

“We can’t let them starve,” PD Na said to the writers, trying to gauge how serious the members were.

“It’s okay,” Hoshi interjected.

“We don’t mind. We skip meals often.” Jeonghan said.

“Hunger got us this far,” Seungkwan added with a solemn nod, making Luna nod in agreement as well.

“We’re betting rice and soup too,” Hoshi declared, his tone final.

“We’re putting everything on the line.” S.Coups gestured to the rice and soup.

“You should too,” Luna joined in, her voice filled with playful defiance.

“We’re betting our all,” Jeonghan reiterated. “You should bet your all too.”

S.Coups nodded in agreement, his eyes fixed on PD Na.

“Yung Suk,” Seungkwan called out, using PD Na’s first name with an exaggerated sigh to convince him, causing PD Na to laugh despite himself.

“All versus all,” Vernon clapped, fueling the enthusiasm of the group.

“But there’s a big gap between the two,” Dokyeom chuckled, acknowledging the absurdity of the bet.

“I’ll bet soup, rice, and S.Coups,” Mingyu listed with a grin, knowing the stakes were now absurdly high.

[We're good]

“Okay. Let’s go,” PD Na finally agreed, which prompted the group to erupt into claps and excited exclamations.

[All versus all]

“From this moment on, I’ll be CARAT’s enemy. I’m going to make you starve,” PD Na said, his tone mock-serious.

[That's Producer Na's opinion]

“I’m afraid CARAT will be like, ‘We’re sorry,’” Seungkwan joked, causing another round of laughter.

“But we have a chance. We got this,” Hoshi said, wrapping his arms around Luna and Seungkwan, who had moved seats earlier and was now next to Luna.

“We got this,” Jeonghan agreed, his confidence unwavering.

“I can feel it,” Hoshi added, his tone optimistic.

“We always succeeded in the end,” S.Coups said, his voice filled with determination.

[Subtitle to retrieve our reputation]

[The leader stands out in crisis]

“We always succeeded in the end,” Luna repeated, nodding in agreement.

“Are we going to compliment again even if someone messes it up?” Mingyu asked, looking around the group.

“Are we going to compliment again?” Dokyeom echoed, his curiosity piqued.

“We should,” Jeonghan nodded, as if setting the rule.

“Do you want to curse this time?” Dokyeom asked, half-serious.

“Curse?” Jeonghan laughed, the idea amusing him.

“Someone might curse,” Luna chuckled, imagining the scenario.

“Let’s compliment,” Dokyeom decided, his tone firm.

“Yes, we should compliment,” Hoshi agreed, his voice supportive.

“We’re a positive band,” Jeonghan declared, the sentiment echoed by the others.

As the banter continued, Joshua, who had been relatively quiet, suddenly spoke up from his spot next to Jeonghan. “I’m getting nervous,” he admitted, his voice tinged with anticipation.

Jeonghan, always the attentive one, reached into his pocket and pulled out the candy he had received earlier. Without missing a beat, he handed it to Joshua. “When you’re nervous, have something sweet.”

[The chocolate he got earlier]

Joshua smiled, taking the candy gratefully before eating it.

[Recharging thanks to his friend]

Meanwhile, Jeonghan fished out the last candy from his pocket, catching Luna’s attention. Their eyes met, and without a word, Jeonghan unwrapped the candy and held it up to her mouth.

[The twin bunnies share]

Luna stared at it for a few seconds, her gaze locked on Jeonghan’s as she contemplated his gesture. Then, with a small smile, she leaned in and bit the candy in half, the sound crisp as she did so. She nodded her head towards Jeonghan, signaling for him to have the other half, knowing he had planned to eat it before offering it to her.

“Thank you,” Luna said softly, her voice filled with a warmth that made Jeonghan hum in acknowledgment before popping the other half into his mouth.

The SEVENTEEN members continued to watch with focused anticipation as PD Na and the writers huddled together, deliberating over which pictures to use for the final bonus round.

[Selecting questions]

Mingyu, always the one to lighten the mood, leaned in and told the group, “Watch Producer Na’s glasses carefully. You might see the reflection.”

The suggestion was so absurd that it drew immediate laughter from everyone. Jeonghan, chuckling, turned to Mingyu. “On his glasses?”

S.Coups, unable to contain his amusement, shook his head. “Are you a gambler or what?”

Before the teasing could continue, PD Na’s voice cut through the laughter. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, we’re ready,” Jeonghan responded confidently, his tone steady.

“We’re going all in,” Hoshi added, his voice filled with determination.

PD Na hesitated for a moment, the concern evident in his tone. “I’d feel so bad if you don’t eat anything…”

But the group was resolute. “We’ll be fine,” Luna said, nodding in agreement.

“It’s okay,” Dokyeom echoed, his usual cheerfulness still intact.

“It’s fine,” Jun added with a reassuring smile.

One of the writers, catching PD Na’s conflicted expression, spoke up, “You decided to be the enemy.”

“CARAT’s enemy,” Dokyeom repeated with a dramatic flair, eliciting more laughter from the group.

“Right. I decided to be CARAT’s enemy,” PD Na sighed, but the laughter that followed showed that no one was taking it too seriously.

Seungkwan, ever the spokesperson, chimed in with a grin, “We’re grateful for this chance.”

PD Na, playing along with the joke, nodded solemnly. “You should remind them later.”

“I’ll record that separately later,” Seungkwan joked, his quick wit earning more chuckles.

[The real last round]

“Do I go first? I’ll go first,” Mingyu volunteered, his competitive nature shining through.

[Mingyu will go first for a safe start]

As the others agreed, Mingyu couldn’t resist adding with confidence, “You can start with a hard one.”

[He stays laid back]

"Here we go," PD Na announced, his voice filled with a mix of anticipation and seriousness as he showed the picture to Mingyu. The entire room held its breath as PD Na began the countdown, "1, 2, 3."

"Umji," Mingyu answered without missing a beat.

"You got it," PD Na confirmed, and a wave of relieved cheers and claps echoed around the room.

"Good job," Luna’s voice called out from the other side of the line, her tone warm and supportive.

Next in line was Woozi, who, in his quiet determination, murmured to himself, "I know them all."

PD Na held up the next picture and started counting down once more, "1, 2, 3."

"Joo Hyun Young," Woozi answered, his voice calm and confident.

"You got it," PD Na said again, validating Woozi’s answer. The room buzzed with excitement, the members feeding off the positive momentum they had built.

Jeonghan, who had been pacing behind the seats with Wonwoo, paused, watching Dokyeom who was next in line. "We’re on a roll now. We got this," Mingyu encouraged, the energy high.

"Dokyeom, don't be nervous. Chill out," Seungkwan added, his tone soothing.

[His record today: He got Calm Down Man. He also got a warning]

The pressure was on as PD Na presented the next picture and began the countdown, "1, 2, 3."

"Sunshine," Dokyeom blurted out, his voice confident at first, but as he tilted his head in realization, he knew he had missed the mark.

"Wrong!" PD Na announced, and the room erupted into laughter.

[Shining wrong answer]

Mingyu, in a dramatic display of defeat, collapsed onto the ground.

[He feels like his shoulder shrank by 1cm]

The members' laughter was infectious, with Joshua and S.Coups chiming in, "Sun," trying to correct Dokyeom's slip-up.

"Ahh, Sun," Dokyeom whined, sinking to the floor in mock despair.

[Oh, Sun]

"You met her just the other day," Seungkwan pointed out, half-laughing, half-scolding.

[They met for 'Amazing Saturday' 2 days ago]

"You met her on the show the other day," S.Coups added, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Sunshine," Luna giggled as she stood up, joining the group that was now surrounding the fallen Dokyeom.

The laughter continued as Dino slowly approached Dokyeom, ready to deliver a playful jab. Recalling his own earlier impression but with a twist, he leaned in and said with exaggerated seriousness, "Ya!… you bastard. Why would you get it wrong, you son of a bitch?"

[It's a compliment]

[SEVENTEEN is a very positive band]

[The youngest spoke up for everyone]

The room exploded with laughter, Dokyeom laughing the hardest as he clung to Dino’s legs in mock desperation.

[DK is happy]

Even PD Na, the writers, and the crew couldn’t hold back their laughter, the atmosphere light and joyful despite the mistake.

[Final result] [They lost everything]

As the laughter finally began to die down, PD Na clapped his hands together and said, "It's over."

The declaration made the members stand from their seats, with no complaints, just a collective acceptance.

"Let's go," they said, their voices in sync as they began to move.

[Getting ready to leave]

"We should be cool about it," Hoshi said, earning nods of agreement from the others.

"We shouldn't beg," Jeonghan added, his voice firm but lighthearted.

"Okay. Well done," PD Na said, acknowledging their efforts. The members bowed in thanks, their gratitude genuine despite the outcome.

[SEVENTEEN will look for their next chance]

With that, they headed back out to the green room, the playful energy from before lingering as they prepared for the next segment.

[Break]

The members of SEVENTEEN moved out toward the green room, their steps light and laughter filling the air. Jeonghan and Luna walked hand in hand, Luna's steps playful as she skipped along. The warmth between them was palpable, a quiet connection that spoke volumes amidst the group's playful banter.

"It's fun to be with everyone," Dino said, his gaze wandering to the basketball court set up nearby, a hint of excitement in his voice.

"I can't believe we got to do this," Dokyeom added, the wonder still fresh in his tone.

"Seungkwan is on a roll today," Vernon remarked, a grin spreading across his face.

"I know, he was hilarious," Mingyu chimed in, clearly enjoying the memory of Seungkwan's antics.

As they neared the green room, the conversation shifted to the perfect weather that had accompanied their day. "It's such nice weather," S.Coups noted, his eyes scanning the clear sky.

"It's so nice. There's a cool breeze," Wonwoo agreed, his voice soft as he soaked in the moment.

"I love the sunshine," Luna added, her head tilted up towards the sun, her eyes closing in contentment. The unintentional nod to Dokyeom's earlier mistake made everyone burst out laughing.

"Sunshine," Dokyeom laughed, throwing his arm around Luna in a hug. "The sunshine is just so warm."

As they reached the green room, the reality of their earlier bet sank in. "Do we really get no food?" Dokyeom asked his tone a mix of disbelief and hope.

"Of course," Mingyu answered with a grin, his voice playful yet firm as they finally stepped outside the green room.

[They're moving to the green room as they talk about the Character Quiz]

The members naturally settled into their own activities, some remained inside the green room, while others wandered outside, soaking in the peaceful atmosphere.

Jeonghan and Luna found themselves lingering by the doorway, sharing a quiet moment. With the door slightly ajar, the sunlight filtered through, casting a soft glow on their faces. Jeonghan leaned casually against the doorframe, his posture relaxed, while Luna stood nearby, her fingers lightly grazing the frame as if tracing invisible patterns. Their eyes were on each other as they quietly conversed. The air around them seemed to hum with unspoken words, a tension both innocent and charged, lingering in the subtle distance between them.

Suddenly, their attention was drawn to the staff, who were lighting up the candles on a cake. The realization quickly spread as they understood who the cake was for.

[They see a staff lighting candles on a cake despite the strong wind]

[Jeonghan] [Not the birthday boy] [Born on October 4]

[Luna] [Not the birthday girl] [Born on January 30]

"Mingyu," one of the staff called out.

Mingyu turned around, his eyes lighting up as he spotted the cake. His birthday had been three days ago, but the gesture touched him deeply.

[Mingyu] [The birthday boy] [Born on April 6]

[A small birthday party for Mingyu whose birthday was 3 days before the shoot]

"Thank you," he marveled, taking the cake into his hands, his voice full of gratitude.

"Thank you," Seungkwan echoed, as the rest of the members began to gather around the cake, their excitement palpable.

[We couldn't give you any food, but we'll still celebrate your birthday]

"Yay," Mingyu said with a wide grin, genuinely touched by the surprise.

"What a nice show," Seungkwan remarked, appreciating the gesture.

"That looks really good," Vernon added, joining the others.

Mingyu then approached the nearest camera, holding up the cake with pride.

[Let's get the close-up first]

"Wow. Let's eat," Mingyu announced, placing the cake on the ledge in front of the green room, the members eagerly crowding around.

"Mingyu, did they put anything inside?" Dokyeom joked, his tone light and teasing.

"No one is reliable," S.Coups chimed in, playing along with the joke.

"Wow, it looks good," Luna said, moving closer to them, her eyes fixed on the cake.

"Let's try the chocolate cake," Jeonghan suggested, reaching for chopsticks as they began to dig in, the atmosphere filled with chatter and chewing.

"It's really sweet. I love it," Mingyu said after his first bite, his face lighting up with satisfaction.

Luna took her own bite, her eyes widening in delight as she did a little happy dance. "It's amazing," she exclaimed, her voice full of genuine pleasure.

"Wow," Jeonghan echoed, savoring the sweetness as he took his own bite.

"Really? That good?" Wonwoo asked as he arrived, curious about the reactions.

"It's so good," Mingyu assured him, already reaching for another piece.

"Jeonghan, do you eat cakes?" Dokyeom asked with a playful grin.

Luna, without missing a beat, offered a piece to Wonwoo, who gladly accepted it. "Try," she said with a smile as he took a bite.

"Are you eating it just because you need sugar?" Wonwoo teased Jeonghan, a knowing look in his eyes.

"That's exactly why," Luna nodded, her tone conspiratorial as she and Jeonghan exchanged a glance.

"Help yourselves," Seungkwan said, returning with more chopsticks to share among the group.

[Seungkwan is sweet enough to get them chopsticks]

[The cake turned into a meal in front of the green room]

"Happy birthday, Mingyu," Wonwoo added, his voice warm and sincere.

"This is so good," Vernon said, his approval echoed by the others as they continued to enjoy the cake, the sweetness of the moment shared among friends.

[Celebrating his birthday again with a delicious cake]

[They continued eating the cake]

[Have a proper meal next time]

[To be continued in Clip 2-1]

ೃ⁀➷ comment or message me to be added to the tag list :)

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ SUBMIT A REQUEST AND ASK ME ANYTHING!

: ̗̀➛ requests are always open ♡ - lunaఌ

Taglist: @yeoberryx @minminghao @angie-x3 @jennwonwoo @k13endall @heeseungthel0ml @chisskaa @megumi2020 @yoonzzziino

[turnwashingtonsbaddies]

Just to throw in an important observation: it does seem like those last few polls were reblogged much more than the ones in the beginning. The last one, final one, was reblogged 88 times. I’m not trying to defend anybody, I simply think it might be connected to the large number of voters. I reblogged it twice myself and I have 900 followers. I hope that’s the reason and not cheating!

i've gotten a couple of messages since the poll closed, and i'm going to use this ask to give a blanket reply about how i'm proceeding on this situation

today, i went on a bit of an investigation, and basically my conclusion was, yes there likely was someone who cheated in the poll, BUT it would have required an EXTREME effort on their part to flip the poll with as significant of a margin as this one had. their past efforts of doing this have all been in SIGNIFICANTLY smaller polls

the final numbers of today's poll were 372 votes for andre and 529 for washington. for andre to be the rightful winner, at least 158 of the washington votes would have had to be the same person voting over and over on sock accounts. is that possible? technically yes, but honestly if someone is really unwell enough to make 158 sock accs to vote for george washington, maybe they just deserve the dub because how does one even fight that level of crazy lmaooo

also, as mentioned by anon, i have noticed a trend between number of reblogs and number of votes. this poll got more than double the amount of reblogs than the ben and peggy one, and that one had over 500 votes. this poll definitely came across a lot of people's dashboards because it would have been seen by the followers of everyone who reblogged it, and those followers really could be anyone. my blog alone has nearly 600 followers (and even tho not all of my followers are active or real people for that matter, that's still a lot)

i would wager that a significant chunk of the voters were blogs completely unaffiliated with turn or even the broader amrev fandom. i know that i personally have voted in random polls that i see on my dash, even if i'm not the intended audience for them. it would not be shocking to me if washington got a lot of votes because: 1. people saw a the blog they follow asking for them to vote washington, 2. washington is more recognizable to the normies than andre is, 3. people looked at the picture and thought ian kahn's george washington looked hotter than jj field's john andre. and i also do believe that a good chunk of the people who saw this poll probably voted for andre too; he got 372 votes himself after all, which is by no means a small number. it was more votes than ben got in the poll against peggy, and it was more votes than andre himself got when he won against abigail

while there are some measures i could take to re-do the poll and maybe make it more secure, i don't really see much of a point. i blocked the main person who is known for doing this (for reasons that extend even beyond the cheating allegations), but i can't block their fake accounts that i don't know exist, and i cannot stop them from making fake accounts, deleting those accounts, and then making new accounts with the same email just to vote again. at the end of the day, this was just a hottie bracket and it was just for fun. i don't really see much of a point in stressing myself out over this

it's been a pleasure hosting this bracket for everyone, and i hope everyone had fun with it regardless of the results. something about it's the journey, not the destination lol. and congrats to george washington and dilf enjoyers everywhere!!

[eastwindmlk]

For May' @jilychallenge I started two plunnies. One was Dillweed in a Fancy Metal Can and the other is this.

Partner: @charmsandtealeaves

Prompt: University Football/rugby/field hockey training is open to the public, on a very hot day star player A takes a shower from a water hose and B walks against a lamppost bc B might have been staring

Either read on AO3 or under the cut!

It was Wednesday evening in The Leaky Cauldron, which meant the lads had gathered in the back of the dingy establishment for their weekly team gathering. Well, James liked to call it their team gathering, it was mostly an excuse to grab a pint in the middle of the week for most of them. 

In front of them, on the large oval table in the back, they assumed was supposed to be their ‘event space’ that none of them could imagine would actually be used by anyone but them. After all, they’d celebrated most of their big moments around this table ever since uni. Lay the newest redition of their pub league bracket.

“I am sure we can manage,” Sirius commented, his finger gliding down the print-out with their pub league charter. Smirking as he tapped, their first match. “The Hog’s Head team always sucks. I’m pretty sure good ol’ Mundungus still pretends to be their striker.” 

Both the men rolled their eyes and a snicker went through the collection of young men gathered. Glasses clinked together. “Wait, Mundungus is their striker? The one that sells pot? Owns the pawnshop?” Frank asked curiously, squinting at the paper. 

“It almost feels bad to be playing against them. At least we don’t need to run too fast then,” Peter grinned, downing half of his pint in celebration. 

While James would not celebrate an easy win as readily as his friend, he could not help but feel a little bad for the middle-aged blokes having their first game against them. But he supposed that is why they had a point system instead of a knock-out. 

“We play Babberton Arms the week after, they’re usually decent, same goes for The White Wyvern.” It was then that a name caught his eye, there was a pub in the league that he wasn’t familiar with. They were new on the sheet, and what was more surprising was that their listed captain was one ‘Lily Evans’, a woman. 

Sirius noticed his hesitation, throwing his arm over his shoulder as he leaned in to look as well. “Anyone know The Three Broomsticks?” he asked, the team falling silent for a moment before Kingsley supplied:

“It’s a small gastropub down in the village. Nice place, little highbrow, though.” This caused a couple of people to pull out their phones to look it up. 

“They have a good menu.” 

“The lady who runs it is a total MILF.”

“I think I had a date there once. Nice place.” 

So far, it sounded pretty good. James reckoned he would probably recruit Sirius to go on a recon mission soon. Spend an evening there to scope out the competition. It would be fun. While he would never admit it aloud, he was not opposed to something a little finer than this. 

Peter, who started laughing, holding out his phone for everyone to get a glimpse of what was on the screen drew everyone’s attention. As far as James could tell, it was a team picture. All the players were posing in front of the metal goal that was part of their local park. 

He was not entirely sure what was too funny about it, but several people were chuckling and scoffing when the phone passed to them. “They’re all females?” Someone asked, clicking their tongue and earning a round of laughter. 

“We’ll be fine; I am sure a bunch of girls are not going to take our cup,” Remus commented, squeezing James’s shoulder. 

Sirius was quiet until someone made a remark about how they would at least have a good time looking at them run, pretending to jiggle a pair of tits, making the rest of the table burst into hysterics.

Easily and masterfully redirecting the jokes in an effort to cut short this sort of talk. By joking. “All I know is that we might want to put Pete in goal because he has never scored with a girl once in his life.” 

There was a short bout of silence around the table before the first person broke, Benjy snorting loudly and slapping Peter, who was not looking as amused as the others, on the back hard enough to hear it connect. 

“I just think we shouldn’t be too quick to judge them, it looks like they actually train,” James deducted, having found the profile himself and scrolling through the public posts. Finding out some interesting things about this other captain. 

Lily Evans and he had a few mutual friends, mostly people from the pub league and a bloke that went to the same gym as he did. 

They liked similar bands, she attended a Lord of the Rings marathon he’d been unable to get tickets to. 

By the looks of it, she and her friends dressed up. 

She volunteers for or supports multiple charities. Her work involves a white coat, which intrigued him.

Her red hair was natural, and her green eyes were breathtaking. 

He also found a post about wanting to start this women-only footy team. With dates and times when they were supposed to meet up.

James leaned in a little too close, to squint in the background of one of her throwback pictures where he could swear he knew the grease ball she was toting along when his finger slipped and he accidentally liked a picture of her on holiday. 

“Fuck, fuck, shit, fuck no,” he muttered to himself and frantically tapped the little thumbs up, only to be offered more options. By the time that he finally figured out how to unlike it, he’d left a heart, angry and laughing reaction, and there was no way in hell she did not know he was stalking her Facebook. 

Turns out, he did not need to be physically talking to someone to put his foot in his mouth. His ineptitude with the dinosaur that was Facebook did just fine at making him look like a right idiot. Though it must be some record, taking less than ten seconds.  

What made it worse was that, not a minute later, there was a buzz, the light on his phone blinking blue. A Facebook notification. Worse, a friend request from one Lily Evans.

After having ignored the notification for several hours James found himself staring at it, bending over his container of Szechuan noodles. Staring long and hard enough for Sirius to elbow him in the side. 

“If some spicy text got you this wrapped up, I need to see it,” he chuckled, trying to lean over to see what James was staring at. Not shrinking away from the glare he received, much to James’s disappointment, he was reminded that his best friend was not intimidated by him in the slightest. 

Turning the screen to show off the notification bar, rolling his eyes at Sirius snorted. “Isn’t that the captain from the Broomsticks team? What does she want from you?” 

“Maybe she wants to plead for mercy?” he suggested with a smirk, his thumb hovering over the decline button. Why would he accept it? It wasn’t like he knew her. His tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth for a moment before selecting ‘accept’. 

He might not know her personally, but he was not going to turn down the possibility of spying on their new rivals. As team captain, it was his responsibility to be prepared for anything. This certainly had nothing to do with the bikini picture he spotted earlier. 

---

By the time that his phone buzzed the following Saturday, while he was stretching before their first game, he had completely forgotten about this happening.

‘Good luck today! {insert football emoji and a smiley]

Squinting against the glare of the rising sun behind him, he could almost make out the picture of the redhead rival captain. There was a nervous roll of his stomach, eyes darting around the field. Wondering if maybe she was here to spy on them. But most of the crowd was distinctly more follically challenged and would not look nearly as good in a black one-piece as he had learned Lily did. 

He reacted to the message with his usual lion emoji before tossing the phone into his bag. Not wanting to get too distracted.

What did not help was checking it again at half-time, only to find a new message. 

‘You should pay more attention to that centre back.’ 

Making his eyes roam the stands in search of a hint of the spy, but if she was there, she was hiding in the crowd. 

‘We’ll be fine! He’s no Matt Clarke.’ 

The message was sent before he realized it, a reference to his favourite team that his friends would likely get. But would she? He supposed she could always google him if she wanted to know, he supposed. The ref blew his whistle and just before he tossed the phone back in the bag he saw the notification pop up. 

‘Think you’re good enough to go up against the Bald Eagle?’ 

She knew. And he considered that maybe he was already in love with this stranger. 

---

Just like that, his recognizance mission was compromised. Or rather, forgotten about. Until Peter asked casually while beating him mercilessly at a game of FIFA. “Did you hear the chick team won their first game seven nil? Maybe we should try and catch one of their trainings. See if this was just a stroke of luck.” 

He did not even have the decency to look at the screen when he tipped in another goal against him. 

James considered accusing him of cheating, but what was the point? The last time he did that, they were in college, and it had been embarrassing enough to still make him cringe today. “I did see a post about it on Lil’s timeline. I think they meet every Thursday.” 

The characters on screen celebrated the end of the game, and he immediately flicked to the main screen, not particularly feeling like seeing his pathetic stats.  

Peter grumbled something about the stats being there for the both of them before falling silent. Giving James a confused look. “Lil? You two are that friendly already?” 

He pulled up his shoulders and ran a hand through his hair. “I’d like to think so.” 

“Are you two secretly chatting or have you just become intimately familiar with her beach holiday pics?” Peter was still laughing between the coughs when his elbow landed in his stomach, throwing his hands up in defence. “Right, right! Got it! It’s both.” 

James shot him a playful glare and pulled up his shoulder, eyes returning to the screen to select another formation for his team. Certain he could out-strategize his friend’s undeniably superior skill. 

“I’ll go check them out this week.” 

---

The sun was starting to set when James and Sirius slunk into the park, rugged up in oversized cardigans they borrowed from Remus and stylish baseball caps that were generously donated by Kingsley. Who did insist they were not to adjust or bend them, as they were, collector's items. Or rather, they would be one day, and he was not going to risk it. Which did lead to a rather loose fit on Sirius and a promise of a very bad hair day for James. 

The pair of them carried a picnic blanket and book to look less suspicious. If they pretended to hold a book club. The biggest risk they ran was to look like nerds. 

Which they were. Not that James or Sirius would openly admit to this to anyone but each other. They are rather skilled at hiding their general nerdiness under a layer of muscle and smooth talking. Even if the smooth-talking occasionally included references to their nerd media of choice. 

James had overthought the time they should be arriving. Not too early, or they would notice something was off. Not too late, because then they would not get enough time to observe. After a lot of mulling over, James decided that twenty minutes after practice started should be perfect. 

He knew that their team took, at least, ten to fifteen minutes to waffle and joke around, and ten minutes was a quick warm-up. Which meant that they would probably wander in just as they started playing. 

Once he spotted the group of women, or rather, a collection of bouncing ponytails, James learned he was wrong, and he could not be happier about it. They were still warming up. Better yet, they were stretching and it was utterly enchanting. 

No matter how hard he tried, which was not very hard, he could not take his eyes off their captain. The feisty redhead he’d been texting off and on since Saturday wore a bright smile and a pair of criminally tight bike shorts as she dropped into a low lunge. 

A sight that he was clearly not prepared for. If it had not been for Sirius grabbing his arm, he might have walked straight into a rubbing bin. Frankly, he’d have deserved it for shamelessly staring. But what was a mortal man like him going to do? Avert his eyes when given the chance to glimpse at a goddess?

But as Sirius spread the blanket on the field across from the training, where he could resume his research in peace. The book he was pretending to read was open in his lap, his phone in his hand. He could not help himself. 

‘Good luck! [insert football and lady running emoji]’ 

Only after hitting sent, James realized that he might have just blown their cover. If Lily had done the same thing he had done when he got her message, it would not take a genius to figure out who they were. If there was something he’d learned about her over the past week or two was that she was, in fact, an actual genius. 

If the gods were merciful, she would see the humour in this. She’d not said anything about his little bikini picture snafu, which was arguably a lot creepier, and he had profusely apologized for it after a few pints to settle the nerves. 

That had been what had really set off their chatting. Messaging back and forth to the point that he had his eyes glued to his screen even while watching footy.  Remus had made remarks about it, which meant it had to be painfully obvious. 

Not that the screen was any sort of distraction now, for obvious reasons. However, there was also a less obvious and far more concerning reason for his mobile to lie discarded on the blanket. 

They're good. 

No, that was an understatement. They were terrifyingly competent. It was intimidating and did things to him, he would rather not admit to. 

“Prongs, I think we’re fucked,” commented Sirius after they watched a tall blonde flip throw the ball with such ease their jaws were on the floor. 

James swallowed, nodding slowly at his friend’s assessment. “So fucked.” A firm shove jolted him out of his trance to notice that, across the field, several of their rivals had turned to look at them. Most of them took this moment to catch their breaths, hands set into their sides. James could see their breaths form little clouds in the cooling evening air. 

He reeled in his jaw and raised a hand in an awkward greeting. As if he was not already done for, Lily raised her hand in what he thought would be an awkward wave back. Only for her to flip him off before winking and returning to her practice. Her jumper had ridden up and exposed a swath of tattooed skin on her side. 

Hand to his chest, James fell back into Sirius’s lap as if shot. Maybe he had been, because he was unwell. They’d never even spoken face-to-face, and he’d already decided on a May wedding at the Riverside, four kids and a Newfoundlander named Elvendork. 

Sirius peered at him with, what seemed like, genuine concern as James raked his hands over his face. “You right, mate?” he asked, the cap sliding forward as he tipped his head down to look at James. 

“Yeah. Yes. Though I could do with the incessant urge to make a fool of myself for her,” he groaned, an offended tsking rushing past his teeth when his friend pushed the cap down over his eyes. “Oi! Can you blame me? Just look at her!” 

Sirius looked up while he wrangled the cap back into place, taking a long moment and then some before sighing in defeat. “I vote Irish wolfhound and late spring. I look good in lavender.” 

“I was thinking Newfoundland,” he answered, a smirk playing around his lips.

“Only if I can be the godfather,” Sirius bargained, the raise of his eyebrows caused the cap to slide forward once more making James snicker. He let himself be pushed up and to his feet. “Go talk to her! Don’t do anything stupid,” his friend encouraged. 

James shot him a playful glare, tossing his own cap towards him and fixing his hair. Well, as much as it could be fixed. His feet already carrying him down the slight slope to the field. “It’s not like I am going to run into a lamp post,” he joked, tossing a grin over his shoulder seconds before connecting with just that. 

In his defence, the ladies were having a water break and Lily had taken off her jumper, standing there in just her sports bra, sweat glistening in the setting sun. Her hair was frizzy from the humidity and surrounded her like a halo. 

If that had not been enough, Lily had laughed, her head tilted back in delight and James was pretty sure he would move heaven and earth to be the one to make her laugh like that. Which was the thought that spun dizzily through his mind while he reeled from the impact. 

James staggered back a few steps, rubbing the side of his face that had made the actual impact. His glasses askew while he sat back down on the grass, blinking the spots from his vision. 

When his eyes focussed again, Lily was right there, her forehead creased with concern. Before he could think about it, his mouth moved. “Marry me?” Which was probably the first time that James Potter ever was truly mortified by something he had said. Mouth opening, this time intentionally, to apologize. 

But before he could, she laughed, and the sound was pure and surprisingly not like she wanted to run away. “How about you take me for a drink first?” 

The vigorous shake of his head made him reel all over again, but James didn’t care. ”It’s a date.” 

(A little reference vid, because I can.)