#Light-Stepper

[royaltyrules816]

The Big 3‼️

[marmaladeinlemonade]

Mmm, tippy-toein' and I'm mud-walkin', hmm

Rollin' sevens, I ain't ready for no coffin

I know y'all love it when the drugs talkin', but

Shut the fuck up when you hear love talkin'

Shut the fuck up when you hear love talkin'

[thejoshlange]

Traditional Pool Inspiration for a large timeless backyard concrete paver and rectangular lap pool house remodel

[stlinzk]

Gym Multiuse Atlanta

Example of a mid-sized eclectic carpeted multiuse home gym design with blue walls

[allinonedemo]

Chicago Landscape Vertical Garden This is an illustration of a sizable, conventional, partially sun- and drought-tolerant backyard stone landscaping.

[rocksteadycafe]

Pergola Patio in Denver Patio - mid-sized rustic backyard stone patio idea with a fire pit and a pergola

[bloodtohold]

Traditional Landscape - Landscape Inspiration for a sizable, traditional, summertime stone landscaping in the backyard.

[pumpernickelandcoal]

Minneapolis Pergola Example of a huge minimalist backyard stone patio design with a fire pit and a pergola

[rcmclachlan]

from the micro story word list: 19 (sea change) or 46 (shimmer)!

"It never stops being weird seeing fake snow on people's roofs," Buck says, eyeing the house across the street. It's the epitome of everything he hates about Christmas now: the snow blankets are stapled in weird places, the LED lights are too bright and their shimmer makes the house look like a Swedish nightclub, and the 14-foot inflatable Grinch is just begging for someone with an LAFD-issued multitool to go over and accidentally slash it ten times.

Next to him, Tommy takes a thoughtful sip of his beer—salt and lemon gose, because he's a Batman villain—and murmurs, "You were lucky to have the real thing growing up. I always wanted a real white Christmas."

Tommy's voice is still clogged with tears. It sounds like there are river rocks in his throat.

"You wouldn't say that if you had to shovel four feet of lake effect snow out of your driveway while everyone else was opening presents," Buck grumbles, draining the rest of his ginger ale in one go, then drops his cheek to Tommy's shoulder with a sigh.

Wordlessly, Tommy wraps an arm around him and snugs him in close.

It's been almost an hour since Buck showed up on Tommy's doorstep with eight pounds of homemade fruitcake and goaded Tommy into a shouting match on his front lawn, which his neighbors must have loved, especially at 10:45 on Christmas Eve. He knows Tommy was absolutely mortified, but not enough to take the fight inside, which means that when Buck looks back on tonight, the only thing he'll remember—other than Tommy screaming "Of course I'm in love with you, Evan! That's not the issue here!"—is the way that fucking inflatable Grinch lit Tommy's tear-stained face up in the most hideous neon green color ever invented.

Buck closes his eyes and stretches out his legs. They clear all three of the little stairs leading up to Tommy's platform porch and his heels land on one of the flagstone steppers built into the pathway. Tommy had laid the walk-up the first year he moved in and was still so proud of it; he smirked at the stones sometimes, like he'd bested them, like they'd lost some fight that Buck would've given anything to have watched.

He wishes he'd remembered the flagstones before he asked Tommy to move in; it might've saved him a lot of grief and oven cleaner.

"Worth it, though," Tommy says. "Someday I'll see snow on Christmas."

Buck already knows he's going to regret opening his mouth, but he can't stop it. "M-Maybe next year? Before climate change turns Hershey into the new Tampa?"

For a horrible, endless moment, Tommy says nothing. He just drinks his beer and strokes a thumb over Buck's arm. Meanwhile, Buck's ready to rip his own skin off and run screaming into the night. They already laid it all out on the line—Tommy pacing a new pathway in the lawn, Buck standing on the biggest flagstone stepper like he was playing a one-man game of The Floor Is Lava, both of them shouting over each other to be heard—and if Tommy's going to stage a retreat now, if he's going to go back on his promise to fight through the fear and try, Buck's going to start ripping up the flagstones.

Then Tommy presses a long, hard kiss to Buck's hair. "We're not staying with your parents."

Shakily with relief, Buck lifts his head and slots their lips together, slipping his tongue in because he can. The inside of Tommy's mouth tastes like vomit. He's going to dash the rest of that bullshit beer on the flagstones as soon as he sees an opening.

"I wouldn't do that to my worst enemy." He pulls back just enough so he can watch exasperation try to chase the smitten expression off Tommy's face when he follows that up with, "never mind someone I'm planning to baby trap within the next five years."

They end up rutting against each other right there on Tommy's porch in full view of neighborhood, and he hopes the Grinch tells all the Whos down in Whoville how Buck's heart and dick grew three sizes that day.

[hanistry]

THE PAWN SHOP | YANG JUNGWON.

genre | fantasy au, magic au / meet cute

synopsis | jungwon stumbled directly into a new job opportunity when he barged into the only store still open on the night of christmas eve.

word count | 6368 

warning | killing, death, crush injuries / mentions of blood, a disregard for human life

world | two

The first snowfall landed on Christmas Eve, not that it mattered to Jungwon.

Usually a light stepper, Jungwon found that the invisible pain on his body had rendered his feet heavy, and it was all a courtesy to the merciless debt collectors that sought him out on Christmas Eve and punished him over a late payment.

Although, between himself and nobody else, he knew he was merely an unlucky target for a man to take out his frustration. Possibly for a missing present under a tree, and the dissatisfied pout from a spoiled daughter. 

There would be a trail of blood on fresh snow if he hadn't gotten out of the grasp firmly pressuring him down to the ground. It wasn't as if he could fight back anyway, at least not when the debt collectors came in a group of three.

Since retaliating wasn't an option, he opted for an escape. Not a great one, just a desperate one; desperate enough to run down four blocks without pause, each pant a prayer that one store would still be open so close to midnight on Christmas Eve.  

Sweat drenched his hair, but the cold air numbed his skin enough to lose the sense to feel it suffocate his neck and back. His legs brought him past one closed store after another, and he noticed almost all had a holiday closure notice at the front of their entrance. He cursed. It didn't make sense. Restaurants tend to operate on regular hours, even during the holidays.

He turned a sharp corner, his eyes welcoming the tender orange from the street lamp and a bright gold from a singular store that remained open. He suppressed the celebration inside his throat and the guilt of throwing the poor employee into a hectic situation they likely did not train for. He picked up his pace, trying to lose the men on his tail.

You flinched and spun around, your fingers clutching your wooden staff tighter. Fully prepared to find a harpy staring you down at the doorway, your shoulders slumped with a confused sigh when you only saw a boy standing there.

A few seconds later, the door was forced open again and three men trailed in. Jungwon, already knowing who was behind him, bounced away from the door and rushed over to you.

You looked up at him with furrowed brows. This was abnormal. You had already served all the customers who were supposed to find the pawn shop today. You had already flipped the open sign and cleaned up for the night. No human should be able to see the store. 

You leaned back when Jungwon was near, your thought cut short. "What is happening?" 

"I need help," he replied. "Please help me. I'm hurt."

"Roping an innocent bystander into this mess? That's awfully indecent of you, Jungwon."

You raised a brow as you turned to the group's spokesman, and then your eyes trailed across the two behind him for a better idea of the kind of trouble that had intruded on your closed shop. You realized there wasn't anything alarming about their appearances. You wouldn't have batted an eye if you had walked past them on the street.

"Seriously, what is happening?" you asked again, but this time, Jungwon noticed the question was directed at neither him nor the men who chased him into the store. You directed the question at the ceiling.

Looking up was a pit of black and a messy collage of irregular shapes. Jungwon blinked. He looked down, back up at the ceiling, then down again. Disregarding that you spoke to the ceiling, he just now found out there were no lights.

When he looked up at the ceiling, it was pitch black, yet the store was lit with a shade of warmth. When he looked around in search of light bulbs or strings of light hidden in creases of walls, there was none. 

"Where is the light coming from?" he whispered. 

"Hm? The light?" You twirled your index finger. "It's coming from the windows. It's day time outside."

Jungwon looked around. "There are no windows."

"Bummer," you nodded, "I guess there aren't."

He pulled a face at your skeptical answers, and you smirked politely in return before you looked up again. The glasses perched lowly on your face and slid back toward your eyes. You adjusted it and placed your hands back on the wooden staff. 

"Is none of you going to answer me?" you asked as you gestured toward the newcomers. "We all know this isn't supposed to happen."

The spokesman tilted his head. From the lack of attention to the cryptic conversation, none of which he signed up for when he barged into the store, he was quickly losing patience. Shoving his arm forward into a beckoning wave, he hollered, "Hey! What are you two whispering about over there-"

The structure shook and cut off his sentence, which was nearly at its end. You stumbled at the abrupt commotion, but before you had to ground yourself with the staff, Jungwon reached out and steadied you by the back of your shirt.

He let go as soon as you gathered yourself, sheepishly stepping back only to find himself approaching you again when he turned to look at what caused the Earthquake.

Blood seeped from beneath a pair of wrinkled talons. Standing tall and unfamiliar above the talons was a bird with a woman's head. Its hair was long. Its color was identical to its feathers, so it was hard to decipher where the hair ends and feathers begin.

The bird woman had eyes like a hawk—sharp and uncanny—but it did not have a beak. It had ears and a nose but lacked dexterous arms and hands. 

When Jungwon adjusted his eyes at the horror, he realized the debt collectors chasing him the whole Christmas Eve were crushed to death by the bird woman. He carefully looked down at his feet and pursed his lips to prevent acid reflux, instinctively stepping away from the blood that had trailed to where he stood.

"Harpy!" you exclaimed accusingly. "A lot of work goes into preserving wooden floors!"

"I was helping," Harpy said. "It looks like they were bothering you."

You sighed. "We both know you didn't do that out of the goodness of your heart."

"Does it matter? The problem is solved," Harpy said.

"And it generated a new problem," you said, eyeing the dirty floor. "I have to clean this up."

Harpy tilted her head to glance behind you at the shrunken boy trying to hide behind you. She mused at the fact that he was almost a head too tall for that and because it had been a long time since a human had seen her in the flesh.

She must admit Jungwon's reaction was less entertaining than anticipated, but she understood. He still has to wrestle with himself to determine if he wants to believe in her or consider this an alarmingly realistic dream.

"Why don't you ask him to clean it up?" Harpy nudged her chin toward Jungwon's direction. "This all started because of him, anyway."

Jungwon flinched. You turned around to find him all shaken up from the sight. You considered the suggestion before reaching up to grab him by the chin. You tilted his head and examined his face, humming here and there as if critiquing him. 

"Do you know how to clean blood off wood?" you asked.

He nodded. "I was a housecleaner for two years."

"What a coincidence."

Harpy's musing made you whip around. "What do you know?"

"Me?" Harpy shrugged. "Nothing."

"Have you noticed any changes recently?" 

"No."

"This doesn't make sense," you muttered. "He's not supposed to be here. Four humans barged into the store today."

Harpy considered your words briefly before she looked up. She chirped lowly, her feathers moving along with the sound. Not long after, an orchestra of screeches sounded from above. Jungwon covered his ears at the sound akin to scratching a fork on a porcelain plate, but he suspected there was more than one bird woman in the structure. He didn't dare look up. He wanted to avoid catching eyes with one.

"Nobody has noticed anything different," Harpy said. "One of my daughters said the Oak Tree recently recruited a human boy at the Masquerade. What's his name? Jisung?"

"That's not abnormal," you pointed out. "Every employee working at the cosmic stores is human."

"Except for Jongseob and Soul.”

"Human souls. Human beings. Same difference."

"Agree to disagree," Harpy said. "If all are dead ends, then I suppose something happened to the veil." 

You grimaced. That was the last thing anyone needed. "That's difficult trouble."

"We've had incidents of a torn veil before," Harpy said. "I am most certain the issue will be fixed with time."

The conflicted expression on your face was unreasonable, but Harpy ignored it and turned the subject matter to Jungwon instead. She lifted hr feet from the corpses, her shift in weight forcing the floorboards to creak. She stared at Jungwon, her nail dripping with blood.

"I am going to take them home to feed the children," she said to him. "If you have anything to say to them, now is the time."

"He is in shock," you chimed in. "The least you can do is introduce yourself."

"I don't think that will be helpful," Jungwon muttered.

"Oh dear. Where are my manners." Harpy put her feet back atop the corpses, squirting what liquid remained inside. "My name is Harpy. I am a Harpy."

"A bird woman," you whispered. 

Harpy. A bird woman. The creature named herself exactly what it was. It was a convenient choice; Jungwon would give it that.

"Does this not bother you at all?" Jungwon turned to you after a moment of silence. The betrayed confusion in his tone helped stand up the hair on his neck. 

You shook your head. "They lived among us back when I was born, so this isn't new to me." 

"No! That's not-" Jungwon ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "That's not what I meant."

"I see." Your hand briefly slid down the jagged wood of your staff. You glanced at the corpses, the squashed organs melting together inside the blood and losing their individual value. The men could have had a more timely death, and it was unfortunate that they didn't. That was all you could muster. "I can't feel how you expect me to feel about it."

Jungwon dropped his arm to his side. He wasn't sure why he imposed any expectations on a stranger, anyway, or why he even cared how you felt about the death of three people you had never met.

He dropped his head but glanced toward the side through the gaps of his hair. His eyes fixated on the bloody sight, and he has long lost the urge to puke from disgust. 

He was relieved now. It would be a while before anyone chases him down for debt again. 

"I have nothing to say to them," Jungwon muttered. "Just take them away."

Harpy curled her talons to pick up what remained of the bodies. She looked at Jungwon after she prepared for take off. His distraught expression reminded her of you centuries ago when the willo-o'-the-whisps warpped you out of the Chimera's cave you mistakenly ventured inside to look for the magic lamp. Your naivety amused her to this day.

The magic lamp wouldn't be in the forest but in the catacomb or an underground ruin. 

"Let go, boy," she said. "Or it will consume you."

Jungwon raised his head with a grimace. "What?"

Harpy turned to you. "Best of luck to you."

"What?" You mirrored Jungwon's expression. 

A strong gust of wind accompanied the vanishing of the bird woman. She was gone in the blink of an eye; some might even say the wind was a distraction so no one would see where she flew off. 

You bit the inside of your cheek. Harpy's blessing was brief and confusing. It could have been that the bird woman knew something unrevealed to you, but why would she entertain the conversation about the broken veil if she already knew that wasn't the case?  If it wasn't a fractured veil, why would Jungwon be here, leading three more people inside the store? 

"We have to go talk to Seungmin."

"Who?" Jungwon scratched the back of his head and gestured toward the blood on the floor. "I can clean that up for you. Do you have detergent and a mop?"

"The blood can wait," you said. "We should find Seungmin.”

He tilted his head. "It'll be harder to clean if we wait."

You walked over to the pool and examined it briefly. Stomping the staff against the ground near it, You closed your eyes and whispered a sentence. The leaves that were irregularly sticking out of the vines wrapped spaciously around the shaft and danced without wind. Light shone out of the crevices of wood curled into the shape of a bee's nest. 

Everything stopped quickly after, or better yet, it returned to normal. You turned to Jungwon with a nod.

"That should do it," you said. 

He shook his head, his eyes widened in disbelief. "What did you even do?"

"I will explain on the way," you said, shuffling over to the door. You placed your hand on the doorknob and beckoned Jungwon to follow your with a head nudge. "Come on. We are heading to the tower."

Jungwon moved despite hanging strings of disbelief at his tongue. As he neared, you opened the door, and he paused. 

The dark, snowy roads he came from a few minutes ago have been replaced with bright greenery.  

The Repository was blue. It was scattered over with a hue so blue Jungwon thought it was a tower built underwater instead of sky-high. Not to mention, it was technically inside a tree, or he thought it was inside a tree because you led him through a gaping hole in one, and he came out the other side where the tower was.

The building has an eerie chill. There were no windows in the tower as far as he could see, only floor after floor of metal doors and books on walls. It didn’t feel like the air circulated. Still, it was cold. The kind of cold that sticks to Jungwon’s spine, the kind that makes him tremble without touching a single surface on his skin. 

There was a small table upon their entry. It wasn't a reception counter, but it acted like one. The librarian—a boy, seemingly older than Jungwon—already had what you needed on the desk when you arrived. 

Seungmin briefly scanned the book in his hand before he slammed it shut. He looked at you and nodded. "He is supposed to be here." 

Your shoulders raised in acknowledgment and then more in confusion. You shook your head, your tidy bangs barely shifting. “What else?”

Seungmin stared at you before he tipped the book over toward your face. "What else is you figuring it out for yourself. You can read."

Jungwon grimaced at Seungmin’s response but said nothing as you received the book and turned around. He followed you to a makeshift booth that looked like it was made by a person hacking at a tree log until there was a shape resembling a booth chair.

A soft seat cover draped neatly on top, and there were a few books stranded on the floor next to it. You dusted the seat cover and sat down, crossing your legs to put the thick book on your knee. 

"Let's see what it says." You opened the book and carelessly flipped toward the middle. 

Jungwon leaned over to take a peek. Ranging from the horrific Harpy and the sudden appearance of a magnificent forest, he wondered what kind of book it was to have the answers to your questions surrounding his untimely arrival. “What is this?"

"This is a Book of Life. It is as its name describes." You pressed a finger to the lines. "It details the beginning, the middle, and the end of a person's life."

Despite the immense curiosity, he recoiled from the information and looked away from the pages. Despite his less-than-suspicious actions, he rejected the concept. “There’s no way.”

“Why not?” you questioned through a dismissive chuckle. 

“I…” Jungwon inhaled. You raised a valid question, especially after everything you had shown him. From the changing doors to the sky-high tower, why wouldn’t a book like that exist? “I don’t know. I just can’t believe it.” 

“Mhm. You dropped out of high school?” you asked rhetorically. You continued to flip the pages and answered questions spilling out of your mouth. “Your mom had cancer. You took out an unofficial loan from a local gang to pay for medical treatment because your part-time jobs aren’t paying enough, but you got scammed, and she passed away anyway.”

“I’ve seen a lot of people in my life, but this takes the cake.” You whistled when you finished. “What are you, nineteen?”

“The book doesn’t tell you that?” Jungwon muttered as he turned away. Although he has unknowingly begun to suffocate from your casual tone as you recounted his lived experience, he made no attempt to remove himself from your presence.

He hadn’t wanted it to get to him. Not too much, at least. Not enough to force a spotlight on himself, which fleeing would promptly do. It has been over a year since his mother died. He cried once at her low-budget funeral, and when came the financial trouble with his debt, he got over it. 

He has to be over it. If he thought about his mother too much, he would have died. All this time swallowing his grief cannot be undone because he couldn't handle a stranger reading his life off a magical book. 

You peered at him and returned to the book, debating if you struck a fresh wound or Jungwon didn’t want to believe such a book existed. You made no attempt to apologize, even though it was your oversight.

"The Gods are real," you said after turning a few pages of the book. "They used to be people."

As Jungwon collected himself, he rubbed his fingers together. He stared ahead. "I wasn't thinking about that."

"Oh, I was just telling you,” you responded. "I don't know about your God, but my Gods are real. They are twins." 

"I'm not religious," he muttered, putting his hands into a praying gesture and leaning his chin against it. 

"That might matter," you chuckled lowly. "But you know there is one."

"Like I said," Jungwon rubbed his eyes, "I don't believe in those."

You looked up and breathed deeply, but it felt like a refreshing breath of air rather than one that eliminated all the stressors in your life. 

“It’s not about that, is it?” you mused. “Knowing and believing don’t have to coexist, and religion isn’t just about believing.”

Finally, after his hand dropped to his lap, Jungwon turned with tired eyes and sighed. “Right. Some people know he’s not real, so we don’t believe in him. Now that you told me there is a pair of Gods who do exist, that naturally makes it that the one we know is not real.”

"Truthfulness and correctness don't necessarily coincide either,” you said. You dipped your head to look at Jungwon. "Just because my Gods are confirmed to be true doesn't mean it's correct to say your God doesn't exist."

"You are basing this off a technicality," he said. 

"Sure," you mused. "There's nothing wrong with that. After all, it's not real faith if you need to confirm its reality before devoting to it."

"Then is he real?" Jungwon asked. "Is our God real?"

You closed the book and stood up. You shrugged. “How would I know? I've never met it before."

Jungwon leaned back at the useless answer with a scoff. He exhaled, his shoulders visibly relaxing as you left to find Seungmin at the counter, and he tried to find something else to focus on.

Something tangible, unlike the existence of a Book of Life or you and Seungmin's identity as otherworldly beings, or the question as to why your Gods never responded when he prayed for his mother's recovery.

Something tangible. Something easy to access. 

Jungwon got up from the seat and followed You back to Seungmin’s desk. You dropped the book on the table, leaving your hand on the cover as you leaned against it.

"So," Seungmin started, "what does it say?"

"Nothing," you responded curtly.

"Okay, don't tell me."

“No. There’s nothing,” you said. “The pages are still in the book, but the words were blurred together.”

Seungmin picked up the book slowly. With a raised brow, he flipped it to the last few pages he hadn’t accessed prior, and, as you mentioned, the pages were intact, but the content had been scrambled like watercolors mixed inside a bowl of water. He peered up at Jungwon and down at the pages, hummed in thought, then shut it, dropping it by his worksheet.

“My mistake,” he said. “The content is rearranging in real-time.”

The events detailed in a Book of Life were more similar to an ultra-accurate prediction of a set of predetermined factors of a person. It was partly the work of the cosmos and, for a lack of a better term, statistics.

Hence, it is typical for the content in a Book of Life to change according to deviations. However, when the whole second half of a book blanks out, that usually takes a miracle.

"What does that mean?" Jungwon asked, stepping forward so he could be in the know.

Seungmin turned to him. "It's exactly what I said. It erased its original content and is currently following your life because it can no longer predict it."

"Is that bad?" 

“No.” Seungmin shrugged. “It’s just a book. The only way for a meaningful change is if someone reads their book and modifies their actions. But you haven’t read it,” he lifted the book and tilted it side to side, “so it doesn’t matter what happens here.”

You nodded but couldn’t resist the urge to fiddle about with your hands. Something wasn’t adding up. From the short time you’ve known Jungwon, based entirely on a first impression, you could not pinpoint what was so special about him that warranted a miracle. 

He did bring three people with him through the store entrance, though. Could it be his affinity with magic? Magically gifted humans aren’t common, but with the help of the Cosmos, they are easy to pinpoint.

"Okay." You squinted your eyes at nothing. "Thanks."

“You’re welcome,” Seungmin said. “Are you going to be in the Green Hallow, or are you heading back to the store?”

"We should head back," you replied. "I kind of owe him an explanation."

Seungmin placed the book gently on the counter and nodded at Jungwon. "Good luck to you, then."

Jungwon frowned. He wondered why.

When you returned to the shop, the first thing you did was apologize for the mess. Jungwon wasn’t sure what you meant until you flipped the light switch. 

The hidden area revealed itself with each grand flicker of the lights that, once again, came from invisible bulbs.

Previously, shielding the hidden area was a wall that appeared to be an illusion, as it disappeared as soon as the light hit it. The hidden area was bigger than the main area of the store; it looked to be of a square structure, while the main area was of a narrower, rectangular structure. 

The room was as cluttered as you implied, but the more Jungwon looked at it, the more organized the mess seemed. 

There were multiple wooden tables organized the same way he remembered his high school’s art classroom did it. On top of the tables were trinkets and bigger objects, ranging from table cloth to farming equipment to treasure boxes and pearl necklaces hanging from their rusty locks.

Pulling himself back in hopes of seeing a bigger picture, Jungwon found there to be none. There was no pattern to the placements. Everything was where they were out of randomness. 

Stuck firmly to the wall were tidy shelves that served as a contrast to the tables. They were mainly littered with labeled jars and boxes, some potted plants, and books. These items were grouped and lined up neatly, indicating general importance or personal preference. 

“We should sit,” you said as you grabbed a hook pole leaning against a shelf. “We have a lot to talk about.”

You reached for a salt shaker on a wall shelf nailed at your face level and briefly dusted the hook with it. Carelessly returning the shaker, you extended the pole as you neared the center of the store.

Once it was of appropriate length, you hoisted it up into the dark ceiling and rummaged through it. Jungwon furrowed his brows as clanks and pangs sounded from the rummaging before you finally hooked onto something and pulled it down with one strong sweep. 

A metal pan fell from the ceiling. Once it hit the ground, it bounced, and the material stretched. Following a stream of uncomfortable and jarring sounds came a single couch stretched into by a cooking pan.

You scratched your head sheepishly when the air quieted again, and you tapped the couch twice with the hook before the noise circulated again to return the pan back the way it was.

“Sorry about that. It is also really messy up there,” you said after throwing the pan high. It didn’t come back down. You brought the hook pole up again and shifted it left and right. When You noticed Jungwon’s incredulous stare, you informed casually, “It’s a pocket ceiling. I gave up the lights for it.” 

“Really,” Jungwon hummed sardonically. “I couldn’t tell.” 

Giving him a brief pointed stare, you stopped as if you had come across something immobile. You thrashed the pole around briefly before finally pulling a red and gold velvet drape down. It moved exactly like the metal pan when it fell on the floor, except the drape was slower and more graceful as it shifted into a single couch.

You dusted the seat once the transformation was over and stepped to the side to present it to Jungwon.

“Ta-da!” You sang. “This drape has been around since the Renaissance.”

Jungwon hummed in acknowledgment. The sound of you shifting the pole around to find something suitable as couch fabric faded into the background. He dusted the seat, assuming it had never seen the light of day since the Renaissance, and sat down. “That’s the art movement?”

“It is. I wasn’t around Europe at that time so I missed it, but it was of great artistic significance!” You patted your chest with an approving nod 

“You were gone from Europe for three centuries?” Jungwon raised a brow. He noticed you had pulled something down from the ceiling, but he did not catch what it was. Standing beside you was a single couch with a polka dot pattern, so he assumed it must be home decorations again.

“Traveling outside of Earth takes a lot of time and effort,” you said as you sat down. You soothed out your pinafore. “Well, at least that’s how it was back then since I was still mapping the places. I also used a pen and paper, so there were no shortcuts!”

Habitual suspicion vanished from his throat. It has been a while since he left The Repository, which was one of the more defining pieces of evidence that cut his disbelief short.

From the Harpy to the magical tree, and finally to the sky-high tower built inside said tree—all of which he saw with his naked eyes or walked through with his feet. His suspicion of the supernatural has mostly eliminated itself and was replaced with curiosity.

“There are places outside of Earth?” he asked.

“Oh, great! You’re starting it.” You clapped in relief before you settled to answer. “They are places outside of Earth and within Earth. Some exist in space, some exist beyond time and space, and those within Earth are in a shielded reality that normal humans cannot access.”

“Do you remember me talking about a veil with Harpy?” 

“Yeah.”

There are three commonly used spells for spacial alterations: a veil, a barrier, and a ward.

A veil is invisible and can be walked through by anyone, but only those who possess magic can access the duplicated reality inside the veil. Whatever is done inside a veil does not transfer outside, so the original reality will not be affected. If there has been a hazardous event with great infrastructural damage, fixing it is as easy as sealing the veil.

However, it only applies to what is duplicated. People who enter the veil after its creation are not considered so.

A barrier colors itself a blurry, transparent grey so people outside it can faintly look into it. A barrier cannot be entered or exited once it is created. Whatever happens inside a barrier simply happens. 

A ward functions similarly to a barrier, except it is explicitly used to keep things out. Exiting a ward is possible, but entering it is not unless one is the creator of the ward. Whatever happens inside a ward also just happens.

There are an uncountable amount of magical beings. Most of the humanoids usually live among others, while some others have created both open and gated communities in suburban areas.

There are faeries and dryads, witches and sorcerers, mushroom rings and moon pools. Tiny creatures hanging around each corner of the place that he would miss out on if he stopped paying attention. 

“There are also Entities, but I don’t deal with them too much,” you said. “The workers at the cosmic shops tend to get trouble from them the most because of the affinity they collect from troubled humans.”

Jungwon fiddled with his thumbs in recognition. He remembered hearing you talk about that briefly with Harpy. “They hire humans.”

“They do, but most of them are magically inclined, which is necessary for them to be, considering the risks,” you said. “Unfortunately, humans have a lot of offer.”

Vampires enjoy human blood; Eodukseoni feeds off of fear; An incubus and a succubus, and many more others, drain people’s life force. Humans are a reservoir of delicious food for a majority of magical beings. Hence, the cosmic stores would get attacked, as their services leave a great deal of emotional residue from humans.

“On the topic of being magically inclined!” You straightened from the chair and got up. “I need you to do something.”

You shuffled to the back of the counter and vanished once you crouched. Jungwon pushed his back away from the chair and barely raised his head to check out any movement. You stood up soon with a jade crystal in your hand. You left from behind the counter and returned to the seats.

You handed Jungwon the crystal before beckoning for his hands. You helped him cup it tightly, putting your palms over his hands and pulling it toward your face. 

Jungwon’s hands trembled, a faint blush appearing on his face when your breath hit his skin as you spelled. You released him when it was over. 

“Try to change the shape of the crystal,” you said.

“What?” Jungwon raised a brow. He looked at it and weighed it on one hand. It was heavy. “With brute force?”

“No, with magic,” you clarified as you slumped on your couch. “I gave you some of mine, so all you have to worry about is giving the crystal a different shape.” 

Jungwon looked down at the jade crystal. You sprung this on him so suddenly that he paused on the spot, not knowing what to do. He didn’t know the first thing about using magic, and he figured it was too cliché to close his eyes, concentrate, and visualize. Those were methods shown in movies. Yesterday, he still thought they were fake. 

“What am I supposed to do?” he asked.

You shrugged. “Close your eyes, concentrate, and visualize?”

“Okay,” he deadpanned. “Is there a spell for this?”

“No. Modification is a process, so it’s less about chanting and more about how you let the magic trickle out as you shape it,” you said. “But don’t worry about making a perfect shape for now. Worry about being able to use the magic.”

Jungwon sighed deeply as he rolled his eyes to refresh his mind. The only thing he knew was that he couldn’t feel anything abnormal. His body wasn’t cooler or hotter, heavier or lighter. However much magic you borrowed him has integrated perfectly into his body. His best-case scenario was either to do as you suggested or reject doing the task at all. 

“What am I doing this for?” he asked, lowering the crystal onto his lap.

“I need to check if you are magically inclined enough to work here,” you replied after humming in thought. 

“The pawn shop has a preplanned list of customers that will be temporarily allowed access inside a veil and be led directly into this store on the day of their planned entry. You and the men who chased after you were not part of the list. The veil surrounding this area was not torn either. I was compelled to believe you came here for a reason: to start a new life.”

Jungwon tightened his grip on the crystal, not realizing the faint glow seeping through his fingers. A new life would be compelling if he didn’t already take on so many responsibilities. After his mother passed away, he focused on working the days away to make back the money he owed. He also didn’t want to think about the amateur mistake he made trusting strangers for financial aid. 

Some of his jobs held no emotional value, so it wouldn’t be a problem to up and leave without so much as a two-week notice. He would likely put in a paid time off request and pray for the best. Other jobs were managed by kinder others or involved people he’s grown to like and care for.

He wouldn’t owe anybody an explanation for why he’s abruptly leaving; even if he did tell them, they wouldn’t have believed him. But he didn’t want to abandon anyone without a reason. 

Considering the nature of everything about the cosmos and the businesses being operated inside the know, he assumed once he decided to work at your pawn shop, being able to return to the regular human world would be a rare trip.

The outside world intrigued him. He didn’t think it would bore anyone living in the city and working a dead-end job. There were many more things to discover, learn, and do. But he couldn’t leave his life for it.

He couldn’t leave his mother there. 

“Earth will be here when you come back,” you said, breaking his train of thought. You smiled when Jungwon looked up, and then you pointed at his lap, where the crystal was formed into an irregular shape of sharp edges with a swirl of an unrecognizable color. “That’s fantastic news.”

He carefully lifted the object and examined it. His curiosity changed its color into a brighter, warmer shade, and his confusion forced it down into a dimmer tone. He huffed in pleasant surprise. You grinned to herself, delighted that his intrigue in magic remained despite the uncertainty. 

“Look, Jungwon,” you said. “If you have a place to stay, I don’t mind if you clock out and go home at the end of the day. It’ll just be like a regular job.”

“Oh,” he muttered, looking back at you and lowering his hand. “I guess I assumed wrong.” 

“Well, not really,” you said. “I was planning to make space for you at the shop because the book told me you are currently living at a homeless shelter. Obviously, it will be easier for me if you do make this place your home because then you can work twenty-four hours a day.”

Jungwon frowned. “That’s not convincing me.”

“Some resources can only be collected at night.” You shrugged. “That’s just how the world is. We can’t do anything about that.”

He faltered. There was no good reason for him to refuse the opportunity besides sheer unwillingness. Even then, he knew he wasn’t entirely against the idea.

There was nowhere for him to go when he leaves, and the debt will eventually catch up to him again. It could even be worse knowing that there are families out there waiting for those men to return. The pawn shop was more than a job opportunity or a chance to explore a magical world. It’s a safe haven from his life. 

“What does the job entail?” Jungwon asked. “I’m just asking to grasp what I have to do. I’m not turning the offer down.” 

You turned your head slightly and squinted your eyes. “Are you accepting it?”

Jungwon rolled his eyes and shrugged. “Yeah?”

“And you plan to go home at the end…” You dragged the end of the sentence longer, waiting for him to respond.

He blushed with embarrassment, looking away. “Actually, I’d like a place to stay if that’s… not an issue.”

“Oh great!” You jolted up from the couch and reached over. You removed the crystal from his hands and warmed it with your palm. It immediately returned to its original shape. After, you beckoned at Jungwon. “Get up. We’ve got a lot to do!”

He did as You you, slowly and unsurely. “Like what? An orientation?”

“That, and other things. We have to rearrange my room to fit a bed for you,” you said. “We have to go back to the oak tree, and then make you a bed, and then get you a wand, and–“

“There’s more?”

“Well, yeah.” You nodded. “We are going to find a good place in the Green Hallow.”

“For what?”

“So we can properly bury your mother.”

[smoothlikealikeasnake]

Strawberry Princess - Chapter One “Complete Opposites”

Pairing - BTS OT7 x reader, Hybrid BTS x Reader, Hybrid BTS x Hybrid Reader

Genre - Hybrid!AU , Hybrid BTS , Hybrid Reader, fluff, angst, smut, alternative reality , strangers to lovers , strangers to friends, friends to lovers

Warnings - Fluff, brief mention of blood and wound

Summary - When a certain hybrid starts to appear whenever Jungkook is at the gym, an immediate pull is felt between the two and their eventual friendship soon is spread to the rest of his pack.

Please read the brief on each of the hybrids lives in this fic and the world they live in to make sense of the things mentioned, I hope you enjoy! x

Previous Next

Complete Opposites.

Not a single part of her looked like she belonged in the gym. Every part of him fit in. It was inevitable that he’d notice her, especially since she never used any of the equipment, she seemed to be there with her friend. Her friend seemed to fit right in, a bengal hybrid who just happened to have the same gym schedule as him, she was never alone though. Every session she had, she brought her princess looking friend with her, Y/n he’d heard her say.

Y/n would always be there, stay and watch her athletic friend or just play on her phone besides her but she followed her friend, Sana, round to every machine and stayed as close as possible. She stuck out, obviously, not just for her lingering but her appearance. Truthfully, her appearance is the first thing that drew Jungkook to her.

He’d noticed her the first time she came and quickly became fond of the shy glances she’d give him everyday, not that he intended on ever speaking to her. Despite his tough appearance, complex ink, piercings galore and muscle everywhere, he was an introvert, very reserved and his appearance challenged his shy personality. He imagined talking to her but he never had a reason and he needed a reason.

Never had a reason to speak to the pretty little cat hybrid who was always dressed in baby pink and white skirts and pretty tops that stick out in the dark gym. To the pretty little cat hybrid with strawberry blonde waves that cascaded down her shoulders and back like a gentle stream - the strawberry blonde waves that turned into little ringlets around her hairline. She also always had a new hairstyle, always put together but had a natural face, long brown eyelashes and plump lips, sometimes with a light gloss on, she was like a princess, not only in Jungkooks eyes but he was sure she appeared like that to everyone around with the stares she would get.

———————————————————————————

It might be clear now just how much Jungkook noticed her, how much she distracted him unintentionally. She joined Sana in the gym for about 3 weeks before he got any closer than glanced across the gym and it was only because Sana used a machine next to him today. The usually calm strawberry princess beside Sana seemed to grow fidgety as they neared him and settled next to him, the water bottle in Y/n’s hand shaking slightly and it was only then that Jungkook made an effort to look away, hoping to calm the nerves that had grown in Y/n’s body in a matter of seconds.

While he wasn’t sure what exactly caused her new behaviour, he didn’t want to worsen it so he tried to focus on the weights infront of him while Sana got started on the stepper next to him. Y/n stood in her short pink skirt and white sweater inbetween them, strawberry blonde ears on high alert and matching tail wrapping tightly around her waist as she tried to focus on not looking at Jungkook.

Kooks ears twitched at every movement she made, he knew she was shy but wasn’t expecting her to be nervous. Lip between his teeth, nibbling as he was deep in thought about how to calm the kitty next to him. He never stopped to wonder why he cared so much, he hadn’t done anything but he still cared about the pretty girl he’d been exchanging shy glances with for 3 weeks.

Not knowing what else to do, he got on with his reps until he was on his 5 minute break, wiped away the hair that had stuck to his head with his tattooed hand and took a gulp of water with his eyes closed before he opened them and in the mirror, staring back at him with widened eyes was Y/n who seemed to have been avoiding him since she had moved next to him. All he did was smile at her and Y/n’s slightly chubby cheeks grew pink and her shaking hands finally gave up on the water bottle in them, dropping it and as she did, Kooks quick reflexes moved to catch the bottle before it hit the floor.

Bottle in hand, he put a soft smile on his lips and held the fallen object out to the pretty kitty who’s eyes had got even wider if that’s possible. She just stared at it for a second before looking up as a gentle word left Kooks pierced lips

“Careful” - that singular word had Y/n feel like she might melt, her cheeks grew redder, she panicked and took the bottle from his hand, not without getting mesmerised by the art that covered his arm and then moving her gaze quickly to study him further, enjoying seeing him up close before she realised her manners.

“Thank you, I’ll be more careful” meekly left her plump lips quickly along with a sweet smile up to the intimidating bunny hybrid. They were both more than satisfied with the interaction and could feel happiness filling their chests before getting back to their own tasks again.

That was the first of many interactions, with slow progress every time, Y/n never grew less shy but Jungkook grew slightly more bold until one day Y/n realised how she wanted to grow closer to this intimidating bunny who always treated her so softly, it just so happened that Kook forgot a water bottle on one day and while he went and bought one so Y/n couldn’t do anything that day, it set in stone her next action.

———————————————————————————

The next day, Y/n came in with her wavy locks held back in a French braid, soft body clad in a short white skirt that showed off the plush of her thighs and a pink t-shirt with a heart in the centre, tucked into the skirt. She had put her hair in her favourite style and worn her favourite skirt to build the confidence for the small move she wanted to make today, it wouldn’t seem like a big deal too others but she was always extremely shy and struggled to start friendships. He was worth it and soon the rest of his pack would be too.

Sana always brung her own water bottle but today Y/n had bought one from the shop before she made her way to the gym with Sana today, not for herself, for Jungkook. She thought maybe if she gave it to him it could be the step to new interactions, he had forgotten his own yesterday and it was always Y/n’s love language to care for others. Sana had been teasing Y/n about her crush anyway and been pushing her to make a small move so this was Y/n taking her advice for once.

Standing next to Sana as she got ready to use the treadmill, Y/n spotted Jungkook across the gym who had noticed her too and gave her a smile that quickly turned into a curious and shocked expression as she smiled bashfully back and started walking around the machines to reach him. He didn’t want to assume she was coming over but the closer she got, the more his hopes rose until he saw her make eye contact as she got into a closer zone to him. Her heart was pounding as her hands shook but she took deep breaths telling herself it was okay and just wanting to retreat every step closer.

“Hi” was all Y/n could muster up as she stared up at Jungkook, mouth slightly agape as she stuttered over the words she wanted to say, hands reaching forward to present the bottle

“Well- Yesterday- I noticed yesterday you forgot your water bottle and I didn’t want you to go without because that’s rlly bad and I thought if I brought you one just in case then definitely you wouldn’t not have one-“ she quickly rambled refusing to look into his eyes before she felt him slightly graze her own hands when he took a step closer to hold the water bottle and only then did she look up at him to see him smiling happily down at her.

“Thank you, I guess it’s me that needs to be more careful now, huh?” He smiled brightly at her, his smile causing butterflies to flutter around her stomach, she just smiled and nodded slightly at him, loving the short interaction, fluffy tail unwrapping from her waist and moving quickly behind her in excitement at the success. For some reason she felt a overwhelming urge to jump into his arms at the feeling but held herself back and waved as she practically skipped back to Sana, the brightest smile you could imagine on her face.

This was the real start in their growing love, everyday then on Y/n would bring a water bottle to give to Jungkook and the conversations would grow more and more while everyday Kook would gush to his pack about her and they grew more and more curious.

———————————————————————————

In the Bangtan House

“Hyungs she is just so sweet, she’s cute and pretty and so nice, she makes my hour at the gym just amazing” - Kook gushed while he lay his head in Namjoons lap, the rest of the pack listening intently, for some reason they didn’t feel a single drop of jealousy, only curiosity, they hadn’t even seen a picture of her.

“You’ve got us so curious Kook, maybe one of us should meet her too?” Joon suggested as he ran his hands through Jungkooks hair

“ I want you all to meet her there’s just something about her I can’t describe it but she’s so shy, maybe we could wait until she’s more comfortable with me?” - Jungkook lay deep in thought, eager to have his hyungs meet the sweet princess who smelt like sweet strawberries and had the beauty of an angel just like his mates. The pack grew soft at the thoughtfulness their youngest mate portrayed and quickly agreed.

“Well when she’s ready how about one of us come to the gym with you Kook?” Seokjin suggested lovingly and the felines practically purred at the idea. Then it was agreed that when Y/n was more comfortable and knew more about the pack, one of them would come to meet her too.

———————————————————————————

At the gym, Jungkook and Y/n’s comfortable quickly grew, Kook started to see just how playful Y/n really could be and it was then that Kook suggested they met at a park one day, she quickly agreed and her shy demeanour came back slightly, they both had a feeling that they’d be much closer after this meet. The next member to meet her would get the opportunity very soon because she already knew a lot about his pack and would be even more comfortable after their meet.

So the day came where they would make their way to the park to get icecream and just talk for a few hours. Y/n dressed in her favourite dress with her long hair down in its natural waves making sure her tail was especially fluffy and soft. Kook wore black combat pants with a tighter shirt than normal, the all black matched the colour off his floppy ears and puff tail.

Kook surprised Y/n upon greeting her as he brought her into a warm hug with his strong arms around her little waist and she gasped at the forward contact before quickly putting her arms around his neck and melting into his chest, both reluctant to let go after a short while, Y/n’s tail had even subconsciously moved around Jungkooks own waist and when they pulled away she had to hold back a gasp at the slight brush of his hand against the soft fur as she moved her tail away, slightly embarrassed. He held back a chuckle at that and quickly got into a conversation with her.

A small while later they got icecream, Y/n got, would you guess it, strawberry where as Jungkook got vanilla as they didn’t have much selection and he wanted to play it safe, when they sat down Jungkook decided it was time to start being more playful with the feline. While he distracted her with the typical

“Look over there!” He stole a mini spoonful of her ice cream and as she turned around confused, a betrayed expression adorned on her face before she stole her own scoop, they playfully bickered the whole time until they finished and threw their icecream cups away.

There peaceful walk was interrupted when Y/n decided to properly get back Jungkook for what he started earlier that hour and played the exact same trick on him

“Oh my gosh look! Look over there!” Before her feline eyes narrowed slightly and she pounced, straight onto Jungkook back as he stumbled from the surprise and yelped before laughing uncontrollably, Y/n following suite completely forgetting she was currently on his back as his hands moved behind him to hold her up by her thighs even if she didn’t need it by the vice grip of her legs around his slim waist and her arms around his neck.

Y/n hadn’t even realised her claws were out when she was holding onto the curve between Jungkooks shoulders and neck and slightly digging them in. She hadn’t meant to grip tighter when he had stumbled from the blissful laughing and without either of them realising one of her sharp claws pierced into his skin, not that he had even noticed, roughhousing with the predators in his pack and his obsession with tattoos and piercings left him immune to the slight pain.

It was only when they calmed down slightly and Y/n slid off Jungkooks back to look at him that her expression completely dropped into one of regret and worry, panicking about the harm she’d inflicted

“I’m so sorry, Kook I didn’t mean too-“ as she rushed forward, breathing heavier, hovering her fingers above the wound and as he cut her off she did the same, just not how either expected it.

“Just a little pinch its okay I didn’t even noti-“ his words got caught in his throat as by some unaccounted instinct Y/n pulled him down so she could reach the wound trickling a small amount of blood and brought her mouth closer to him, Kook froze at the tongue that darted out to remove any blood and start the healing process of the wound, Y/n couldn’t even process what she was doing as something in her overpowered her usual mind and felt as though it was controlling her, she finally pulled back when the bleeding stopped and looked up at him before coming back to her senses. Both of their scents sweeter than usual.

Jungkook knew she would run at the realisation and so he grabbed onto her waist and instead thanked her, thanked her both minds, her feline mind and her usually conscious human mind.

“Thank you, it’s all better now” He knew thanking her would calm her and she wouldn’t feel so bad, she was only helping it was her instinct and showed her comfortablility with him, she didn’t mean to do something usually so intimate.

She slightly calmed before pulling away with a slight frown “I’m so sorry it was inappropriate and I promise I didn’t mean too-“

“Y/nie, it’s okay, stop being sorry” - Jungkook smiled brightly at the girl as her worries slightly eased before they both went on with their time in the park until Jungkook walked her home and had to say goodbye. What neither of them realised is that the wound was right by Jungkooks scent gland so while Y/n cared for the wound, she unintentionally scented him and that would be the centre of attention when he got home.

———————————————————————————

As Jungkook walked through the front door, one of his mates closest to him flew up at the sweet strawberries that flooded in with their youngest mate, Jimin rushed towards Jungkook at the addicting scent and buried his nose in the source, Kook stood confused until Jimin answered his unspoken question

“Y/n scented you?” - At this the rest of the pack flossed in until they could all smell the sweet scent mixed in with Jungkooks fresh linen scent. Jungkook was confused for a slight second before touching the wound on his neck and having a quick realisation hit him, face contorting to one of knowledge. The pack looked at him expectantly, all urging to bury their faces into the sweet scent on their mate, the happy scent.

“We were playing and Y/n accidentally got me with one of her claws and seemed like she couldn’t help it when she started to treat it… you know?” Kook bashfully explained each mate adorning different thoughts and questions

Yoongi stalked towards the bunny and pulled at the collar of Jungkooks shirt to get a better look and running a finger over the wound before grumbling a tired “She did do a good job at treating you” clearly just woken up from a nap but also intrigued, praising you, waking up fully at the scent that hit him when he pushed on Kooks scent gland.

It was then that the boys decided they would have to meet you sooner because this scent that covered Jungkook was making them all a bit swoon, Jimin, being the first to see Kook, decided he would come to the gym with his mate the next day, to meet this Y/n.

———————————————————————————

The next day, as planned, Jimin joined Jungkook in his trip to the gym and as planned, Y/n would arrive about 10 minutes after them, as beautiful as always and Jimin swore his jaw dropped to the floor at the sight of her, he was visibly in awe as she bounced over to Jungkook, waterbottle in hand and immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, initiating a tight hug where she tried to secretly inspect the pierced skin she tried to heal the day before.

Y/n was so happy to see Jungkook she hadn’t even noticed the devilishly beautiful blonde next to him, smirking at the two before smiling softly at her. Her heartbeat sped up and her meek behaviour made a speedy return before Jungkook placed a hand on her lower back

“Y/n this is Jimin, he’s joining me today” he smiled softly at her as Y/n stuttered out a hello like a deer in headlights before taking in his breathtaking features and the white ears and fluffy tail, remembering he is an arctic fox hybrid and immediately being mesmerised by him

“Hi Y/n, it’s so nice to finally meet you, Kookies told us all about you” Jimin tilted his head slightly with his wide smile and slight chuckle at her expression, she was confused because just like with Jungkook, she felt a pull to him which lead to the conclusion in her head that maybe she should be more open quicker, it worked out so well will with Jungkook.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Jungkook told me about you and your other mates too” Y/n let out shyly, looking up at the new figure as she fidgeted with her hands behind her back.

Their meeting was short but Y/n excused herself quickly to go somewhere and while Jimin grew a bit sad, scared he had drove her away, Y/n pushed away her fears and ran to the store outside the gym, buying another water because she realised, she had brought Jungkook one but Jimin might not have one and that’s not fair. So to start their friendship the same way hers and Kooks started, she came back into the gym, nervous again.

She approached the two again and this time stood infront of Jimin, offering the water bottle to him as she bashfully explained that “well I always bring Jungkook one and I didn’t know you were here so I wanted to bring you one too I hope that’s okay-“ her rambling was cut off by the bright smile of her acquaintance, who, being one of the touchiest members of the pack gently held her hand as he thanked her, causing her to grow red and sweetening her scent as she looked away And shyly smiled before quickly making her way back to Sana.

———————————————————————————

When the two returned to the Bangtan house, the pack all swooned at Y/n’s kind antics as she went out of her comfort zone for Jimin and they all quickly realised, there was definitely meant to be more between them all, it was fated, they had to meet her and soon.

Just a quick note, thank you for reading! This is my first fic and honestly hasn’t been proofread so if there’s grammar and spelling mistakes please excuse that, I hope you enjoy it sorry it’s a bit of a slow burn in this chapter but more members will be introduced quickly in the next chapter

Feel free to ask questions !

ཐི♡ཋྀ

[saintescuderia]

some thoughts on the beef...

now, i will preface this by the admission: i did my masters thesis on kendrick lamar.

so the bias runs deep. from the moment in 2013 when i first listened to bitch, don't kill my vibe and realised he'd perfectly encapsulated the idea of get your noise away from me, kendrick became a key figure for me. my entire adolescence was characterised by the releases of to pimp a butterfly and DAMN.

i was born and raised christian, but i only started to fully explore that after listening to faith.

i was born and raised in an egyptian household, but i only started to fully identify with what that means after complexion.

my highschool teacher once said to us that there will be no amount of growth in a time period unlike from your 18th to your 21st. and i can testify this. DAMN came out when i turned 18. mr morale and the big steppers came out after i finished being 21.

and, as always, kendrick knew what i needed. that a song about the lifelong affects of trauma and dealing with grief, with pain, with shame. i remember listening to mother i sober for the first time and bursting into tears on my bedroom floor because i never thought he would actually go where i needed him the most.

and now, we're here. that dr*ke is a pedophile. i won't censor that word, but i will censor his name. his artist name deserves no more respect. if anything, it should be that aubrey is a pedophile. and whilst these allegations still need to be proved to be true with evidence, i think it's worth noting something.

kendrick's suffered from the affects of abuse. why would he make light of it and throw them around so carelessly?

if anything, we've seen how nothing he does is careless. everything is so carefully thought out, so methodically thought out with even the most minute details being considered with the utmost deliberation.

aside from that, there's too much pain for that to be the case.

this could've been a good example of the sport. it's what it started out as. it's not worth going through all the subtle disses kendrick has dished out in his career. if anything, his pulitzer prize should be enough proof that a rap diss could remain as is; a rap diss.

but this wasn't a mere rap diss. this was mr morale in action and providing a real life example of the stories and themes he explores in his songs. the affects of unchecked corruption within the self. the affects of generational trauma and how the cycle continues - unless you stop and look in the mirror.

-- + -- + --

we should've known

how a son was finally shown

like the apple with the bruise

it's all coming loose

treat the world like your whore

only for it to reveal

your rotten core

(pls, seek him. heal.)

[stevebattle]

Number 2 (1984) by Eiichiro Morinaga, Japan. Number 2 competed in the "1984 5th All Japan Micromouse Competition. … Unfortunately, he had to retire. The design was based on an octagon. This is the mouse that I put all my effort into when I was in college. … The CPU is a Z8000, using wire-wrap. When you turn on the power, the two LEDs in the centre light up like the beat of the heart. … The motor is a stepper motor I found at a junk shop. The motor alone weighed about 600g." – Eiichiro Morinaga.

[mamajanky]

「 Fool For You 」

Summary: Mel and —a very nervous— Jayce share a dance at a gala.

Word Count: 3210

A/n: to @zettoaizawa-shusband 💕 for the Meljay Gift Exchange!

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

“Come here often?”

No. That’s stupid. It’s a gala.

“Funny seeing you here.”

That’s even worse, she’s a Councilor, her attendance is practically mandatory. Image upkeep and all.

“Have you seen Heimerdinger's new-“ His musings were cut short by a quick side stepper who nearly bumped into him.

“Sorry Sir, didn’t see you there.” The server said, not nearly as focused on Jayce as she was the tray of champagne on her arm.

“It’s no problem… no problem at all.” Jayce replied, too late for the server to hear and too focused on her to move his feet to avoid another collision.

All night he’d been having halfhearted conversations, ones he was sure he’d regret later because there were quite a few things he’d agreed to; and had no recollection of what that may entail. Still new to the spotlight and high life that Hextech had afforded him, Jayce hadn’t quite adjusted to all the public appearances he’d be required to make. Seeing Mel so often was also a new adjustment. They spoke —more like acknowledged each other as business partners did— but Jayce wanted more.

He couldn’t explain the tug, or why he felt the need to look for Mel’s approval each time he presented something, but he always found her eyes anyway. So far everything between them had been solely business, but seeing her float across the floor and offer everyone a piece of her light had Jayce feeling a bit left out.

So, that’s where he’d been. Hovering, really. Far enough that she couldn’t see him and close enough for him not to lose sight of her. Kicking himself over and over for not being able to come up with something to say that didn’t make him look like a complete fool.

“I’ll have another, thanks.” Jayce said to the server that’d silently refilled his flute. He returned a curt nod and watched as the man dove into the crowd seamlessly, getting lost in the whirring mixes of fabrics and colors almost instantly.

The bubbly liquid had kept him teetering on the border that separated intoxication and sobriety. Spacing out his intake had also helped. Heat rose up his spine and he suddenly felt like he was being choked by his too-tight collar and tie. A quick tug loosened the restraint for him to inhale a large breath of relief.

“Pleasure seeing you this evening, Mr. Talis.” Came from a velvety voice just beside him.

The same heat he felt just moments before spiked to new levels, his spine went taut, and his shoulders rose in a way that made him look like a frightened cat. The voice chuckled.

“Forgive me, startling you was not my intention. Are you alright?” She placed a hand on his forearm and peered around his shoulder to catch his eye.

“Councilor Medarda! Mel! I uhm - heh,” He paused to clear his throat, and gain a semblance of composure. “ I-I didn’t see you there. How are you? Enjoying your evening I hope?” He managed. The hand that wasn’t clutching the half empty flute scratched a nonexistent itch at the back of his head.

Finish reading HERE

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66046210

[vampirevatican]

Anymore head canons about being married to leather?👅

ofc i have headcanons!! snuggling, cute wifey duties, some angst... (the tongue emoji)... you a cop?

MDNI NSFW BELOW, also this will be very self indulgent but i'll try to be non gendered

Husband Leather being knocked out in y'all's king bed while you cook. He only knows you're out of the bed because you aren't cuddled up under him like you're trying to wear his skin (joke entirely intended)

Husband Leather who creeps up behind you in the kitchen. You know he's behind you, big guy isn't exactly a light stepper when waking up in the morning and the farmhouse has a few creaks.

Husband Leather bending a little to cover your neck and shoulder in kisses. Enough to make you want more, but you're busy cooking so he doesn't stop you but you nearly go weak in the knees at his deeper morning voice in your ear.

Husband Leather that calls to you so sweetly, "Morning my little piglet." and you just can't scold him so you tilt your head back and he kisses your neck more.

Husband Leather that multitasks taking over scrambling the eggs in the pan while tending to your aching desire that he ignited.

Husband Leather setting aside the food, foil wrapping it to keep it warm, slinging you on his shoulder and carrying you back to bed to rail you into the bedsheets.

Every morning, or at least the mornings whenever you tried to surprise or pamper him before starting your busy day on the farm. You're starting to think he's never really been asleep when you crawl out of bed as quietly as possible. At least you wake-up all cleaned up and with breakfast in bed.

Husband Leather who does everything he can to make sure you don't get mud on you at first. Though at some point he sees you don't care or maybe he just liked watching you wash off.

Husband Leather who doesn't even need to put it in, he can just watch. Who watches you in the washbasin. Almost drooling from the water rolling off your body.

Husband Leather who gets freaky all over the farm. Who spontaneously gets you in the mood, but it's always when the work isn't that important.

"Leather, baby, I'm milking the cow."

"I know. And I'm milking you."

He always teases like this when he's needy. You try to remember when was the last time you rode him or he railed you. It couldn't have been too long.

But with one well timed movement to your sensitive parts you're swearing and putting work down.

Husband Leather who plays with you in the fields. Swings you around and lifts you in the air. Grinning, smiling, so happy that you're his.

Husband Leather happy to be free of the curse, to make you breakfast, to protect and cherish you. A man who when you go out he is the scary dog privilege. The type to confront anyone for doing his wife any kind of wrong.

[ippokampos]

Yeeee my 10 favourite albums/eps/music projects (tagged by @fatemy-friend <33)

in no particular order:

souvlaki-slowdive// either/or-elliott smith// the record-boygenius// romance-fontaines dc// galop-λενα πλατωνος// όλη η αλήθεια για τα παιδιά του ‘78-κόρε. ύδρο.// απλές ασκήσεις στον υπαρξισμό-κόρε. ύδρο// the noise made by people-the broadcast// mr morale and the big steppers-kendrick lamar// alligator bites never heal-doechii🪅

honorary mentions<3:

ο σαμανος-θανασης παπακωνσταντινου// in rainbows-radiohead// ok computer-radiohead// ονομα ζωο πραγμα-δεσποινις τριχρωμη// a light for attracting attention-the smile// bloom-beach house// punisher-phoebe bridgers// the english riviera-metronony// my woman-angel olsen// strawberry switchblade-strawberry switchblade// everything's alive-slowdive// ταξιδι αστρικο-nalyssa green// fleet foxes-fleet foxes// a saucerful of secrets-pink floyd// strange days-the doors// jinx-crumb// αν ολα τελειωναν εδω-κόρε. ύδρο// perverts-ethel cain// cub-wunderhorse// shelter-alice phoebe lou

tagging @cherryjuicegf @emnomnos @kerasies @carnivalls @petrovouho @crystalcoast @berkeley-mews @lasmari