#SOOHAK AS WELL

[thoughtfulstudentsalad]

why did this just occur to me.

Yona and Hak are heading back to Kouka. Su-Won is heading back there too. The trio will reunite.

Lili is at Hiryuu Castle too...

ARE WE GONNA FINALLY GET THAT YONA AND LILI REUNION?

LILI AND SU-WON REUNION? IT'S BEEN 84 YEARS GUYS.

LIKE SERIOUSLY THE LAST INTERACTION BETWEEN THESE PEOPLE WAS 100 CHAPTERS AGO.

Not to mention... WAIT WAIT.

Yona has no clue that Lili has been hanging out with Su-won at Hiryuu Castle... as friends... how she gonna feel about that?

WTF is Su-won gonna say... HOW will HAK REACT TO LILI AND SU-WON BEING FRIENDS?

Ok ok but also

Lili has no clue about Su-won's illness right? HOW IS SHE GONNA REACT WHEN SHE FINDS OUT HE'S DYING???

OR THAT YONA IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT QUEEN????

THERE IS MORE --

HAK THOUGHT SU-WON SAID GOODBYE BUT ACTUALLY WILL SEE HIM AGAIN...? SO THAT HAK AND SU-WON REUNION IS COMING AGAIN???

SU-WON AND YONA WILL FINALLY TALK ABOUT THE THRONE AND MAKE IT CLEAR WHO IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT RULER???

WAIT THAT'S NOT ALL that is NOT all

In front of them, they're gonna have to deal with...

ZENO TRYING TO END THE DRAGONS? WHILE THEY'RE ALL THERE? AND KILLING HAK? IN FRONT OF THE FOUR OF THEM????????????

I feel like Kusanagi bout to cook up something big...

[soo-won]

Mist

He leans in closer, his forehead brushing against Soo-Won’s blonde bangs, and Hak’s mouth is so close that Soo-Won can feel his breath. “I’d say thank you for my birthday present, but there is still something I want.” Hazel eyes flicker up at him. Soo-Won’s nose is barely pressed against Hak’s, their breaths so close that they mingle, and Soo-Won is sure that Hak can feel the blush stinging his own cheeks. Before Hak can move closer, though, Soo-Won reaches up his hand.

Fanart for @undines's Hak's birthday fic from which the above quote is from :) Please read it it's so so good it will change your life, you can read it here https://archiveofourown.org/works/49338751 !

Your fics and our long discussions together is what reassured me that I wasn't wrong to love them, and that even now there were still so many things to love and have fun(and pain) discussing about. Again, thank you for everything.

[alxfsl]

Yona rant: At least we had SooHak

Ok, I need to admit that Yona - which at the beginning I was really into - started to loose me halfway and I'm definitely tired. It's been dragging too long with very very very little advances each chapter. The last chapter feels also a bit out of tune, with a kind of strange climax that is lost after the first couple of pages. I don't even like Su-Won as a character, not because I find him a villain, but because he is incoherently written. In the initial part of the series we were introduced to Su-Won as an incredible smart boy, always ahead of things, for whom Hak had such a deep admiration, affection, and respect, that he was fine for him to put his attraction and affection to Yona aside. After Su-Won murdered Il, we saw how for Hak coming to term with the actions of his friend is a much more difficult task than it is for Yona, and imho it is because Yona's infatuation with Su-Won was a more childish desire than the profound respect and bond between Su-Won and Hak.

During the series we see how somehow the decisions taken by Su-Won were part of a greater vision and that Su-Won is a smart ruler and strategies, with a well-defined moral clarity (although questionable, but this is another story). Not only I found the friendship between Hak and Su-Won hinted here and there but never truly explored, I am also very disappointed by the fact that Su-Won passed from being this good smart ruler to a helpless ill guy that offers himself to death. Without even mentioning how stupid is for him to say now that he wants Yona to rule in his place. Sincerely, he could have married her and killed Il in a more subtle way so not to be discovered, considering we were to believe he was a sort of gifted child. He kept rejecting both destiny and magical myths, despite he being the descendant of the Crimson Dragon King, and now he is going full prophecy. What a mess and a waste of a good character.

The only good thing? As others have remarked, the last chapter gives us a super gay-vibe SooHak, which led me thinking how fantastic would have been to discover that the 3 kids' friendship wasn't a love triangle centered around Yona being the desired love of the two men, but a messy trio of relationships and feelings were friendship, love, and attraction a much more fluid than the heteronormative ones.

[orulyon-sama]

Hii, I love your blog! I'll sink with Soohak too and I'm a fellow INFP-T as well <3 It's really beautiful and I hardly find SooHak on Tumblr so thank youuu for being here :)

Well I'm so, so sorry only saw your comment now. Thank you so much for your kind words, you are so kind!!! Im on hiatus but it really makes me want to keep doing soohak edits. Please keep spreading soohak���

[dreamphoenixxx]

Guys guys guys, I just finished reading the latest chapter and can I just say that this scene has my heart ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. I mean, Hak is just making me fall in love with him all over again.

I always felt bad whenever I would see the animals tumbling upon each other and getting injured during wars, and the fact that it was addressed makes me love Kusanagi so much.

Also, I wonder if and how this incident will affect General Ra-an. He already admired Hak quite a fair bit, both in terms of strength and leadership, and now Hak practically saved his and Lae-lin's lives. Well, he's a Kai General, so I don't think he's gonna change sides or something, but I wonder if he'll do something that might help out Kouka.

And Hak, oh my God, he's been seriously breaking my heart in the last few chapters, but this one just felt on a whole different level. I mean, that quote on the last page, it really hit me. Although honestly, with the way things were going, I guess it should have been expected. Hopefully, Jae-ha saved him in time and he can get some much-needed rest. Also, super glad that one soldier acknowledged the fact that Hak had been fighting for them all this time.

I can't wait for his reunion with the gang. And hopefully, this time we can also get that SooHak reunion. When on earth are these two gonna have their conversation. Plus, with Soo-won saying that he wants to see the guy who's holding up the Kin Province, I don't think there's any reason to avoid it.

With that said, I am dying to read chapter 216. Are they gonna head back to the castle right away? Is Soo-won gonna find out about Hak? What of the senjuso? I have way too many questions.

[dreamerandcrazy]

how high is the probability that soo-won is canonically gay? tbh it it would just make so much sense. soo-won loved yona but really he had eyes for hak since young... i just wish that in the eventual soohak reunion (kusa WHERE IS IT) that they'll acknowledge this fact somehow. that hak is still and forever will be soo-won's goal

Oh, anon, you have no idea how much feelings and ideas I have regarding SooHak, but when it comes to Soo Won’s sexuality, I am in the dark just as every other reader, because sadly we don’t have much insight/p.o.v. from Soo Won himself, and I think that’s on purpose and something Kusanagi is saving for later. However, he mentioned once that he didn’t feel love romantically, but he did like people, and Kusanagi also implied he wasn’t interested in romance during the high school omake, so there’s a chance he could maybe be asexual/aromantic? But he has blushed before whenever someone put him in the spot, like Yona in ch. 1, and when Lili threatened to say he was in a brothel, I think during Sei or Xing arc. So I think there’s a little bit of chance he could be, but the chances of him being asexual are definitely higher. But like you said, if Kusanagi decided to write in canon that Soo Won is gay period, it would also make sense, align with past moments that have made us raise our eyebrows, and it wouldn’t affect the story or his personality, except for other than giving us much needed insight on what goes inside Soo Won’s mind.

(I talk a lot about SooHak underneath, so I put it under a keep reading, lol).

It’s important to note that it’s very much canon that he still cares for/loves Hak and Yona, despite everything that’s happened. However, I do get the feeling that the love he has for Hak is slightly different from the love he has for Yona. It’s very interesting how since the start, Soo Won has kept his emotions in check around Yona and co., but like Zeno said, his face just looks more human around Hak. I guess maybe because Hak has always been the most normal part of it all for Soo Won, since they were kids, which is why I get the feeling that they were closer. They raised Gulfan together, they trusted each other more than anyone, and can read each other so well they were able to know what the other was thinking through a single look. The only time in the manga both of them were seen crying, truly crying over adult emotions, was because of each other. Soo Won wasn’t able to raise a sword to defend himself against Hak when they reunited in Nadai arc, but his hands automatically flew to his sword the moment he saw Hak in danger during the battle in Sei. It’s like a quote from a gifset I reblogged recently, “People change, but habits don’t”. Or even as Ik-Soo himself said, “some love cannot be discarded,” and I think that was as true for Yona then as it is for Soo Won and Hak. They both can try themselves their best to convince they no longer care for one another, and will be ok if the other dies, but we have seen that that’s not true.

Also it’s interesting, like you said, anon, sometimes I get the feeling that Hak is still Soo Won’s goal, but like in a dormant way. Soo Won seeks for the power of the humans, and nobody embodies that as much as Hak, in the story. We have seen since the start that Soo Won admired Hak, and wanted to be like him, so I feel like that feeling is still there. They both literally wanted to be on an equal footing just so they could walk side by side, and that is a powerful want, to have someone mean so much to you that you are motivated by them, which is why their dynamic is probably one of the most interesting for me, whether it’s platonic or romantic. But we shall see how it goes. Many fans have been theorizing that in the next chapter or 204, Soo Won might go to see Hak, and I think that’s something the story really needs right now. They have been avoiding each other for over 200 chapters now, and they’re getting to a point where they can no longer do that. I think Hak has come very far in the manga and is also in a point where he’s willing to listen to what Soo Won has to say; prior to this castle arc, people liked to say he was narrow-minded and refused to see meaning in Soo Won’s actions, but Hak only had the grasp of what he’d seen that night: that Soo Won killed Il and was willing to kill Yona as well, after presenting her with that hairpin. He had no idea about what happened to Yu-Hon, or any of what happened in the past, so from that point of view, Soo Won had usurped the throne and wanted to destroy the evidence of him (Yona seeing what happened). The fact that Soo Won also said “the Soo Won you knew never existed” definitely didn’t help Hak see his side, giving him the impression that their friendship had been a lie since the beginning. And thus, his heart shattered into a million pieces. And he had to live with that hurt and betrayal every day to himself, to the point where it was suffocating him and he broke down completely when he and Soo Won came face to face in Nadai. But like I said, he has come a long way since then, and now he has some idea of what happened and Soo Won’s real reasoning for killing Il, so their next conversation, which I pray happens soon, might come more easily, but that will also depend on what Soo Won will be willing to say. Let’s remind ourselves that Soo Won has expressed he is ready to live an unhappy life, and is not exactly desperate to explain himself to Yona and Hak nor ask for their forgiveness, even if his heart longs so much for his old friends. He’s that kind of character that doesn’t mind being seen as the bad guy so long as he can get the job done, which is one of the many layers of his character that we’ve seen over and over in the manga.

I am sorry this answer was so long, but like I said, I have a lot of feelings regarding SooHak and I really need them to talk it out soon. I’m sorry if something I expressed about Soo Won is not to your liking or to anyone else’s, but this is my point of view from what I could get from the manga. SooHak is the kind of relationship that works just as well for whatever it’s meant to be, but I have a feeling Kusanagi will leave us in the dark about that one and let us believe it is what we wanna believe it is. At first I was 50/50 about Soo Won dying, I still think it’s a possibility, but now it’s no longer one I necessarily would like to see happen. I want him to make things right with Yona and Hak before the manga ends, and beat this crimson illness. I think a fresh start is something he definitely needs for himself, he was robbed of his childhood when he was only 9 and was pushed into a role he didn’t exactly want, so I would like to see him come to terms with that and close that page, and begin living the life he wanted to live before all this.

Tl;dr; I think Soo Won might be asexual, but his feelings for Hak are definitely still an important part of his character arc that I believe we will see more of. But how Kusanagi will go about them, we can only wonder. Thank you so much for the ask, I really needed to let this all out lmao, and for anyone who disagrees with what I said, please just do me a favor and ignore this post because I really don’t wish to be part of discourse. Soo Won is a character that’s hard to read, and maybe my view of who he is can be different from someone else’s, so let’s be grown ups about it and just respect each other’s opinions and agree to disagree.

[psychshalala]

Hak was my favorite from the start. But in the beginning i used to love all characters as well and root for all of them. yona was always my least favorite but i still liked her and rooted for her. The more chapters came out the more bs, the more contradiction, the more unfulfilling it became. Characters became more boring and OOC, i simply lost interest.

The only interest and excitement i get from this anime now is from Soohak. Periodt!

[primrosetta]

hak for the character impression but also yonak if you could? this is more interesting with ships i think

First impression

of Hak: Not much, if you can believe it. I just thought he was hot and snarky and that’s all. I was like 14 or 15. I hadn’t developed my habit of over-analysis yet. 

of Hakyona: Just that they were obviously end-game.

Impression now

of Hak: He is literally the best male shoujo lead/love interest and a good, good, GOOD boy. 

of Hakyona: A refreshingly well-written and healthy romance and I am rooting so hard for it. I literally don’t think I’ve ever been so engaged with a couple before lol. They’ve spoiled me.

Favorite moment

For Hak: Probably in 153 when he approaches Jaeha to talk about his feelings on the hairpin. Jaeha provided him the perfect excuse not to talk about it, and he decided all by himself to talk about it and like I’m just???? so proud??

Fore hakyona: just one??? Oh jeeze, uhhhhh...

Chapter 134′s tent scene is just such an important moment for them. Yona offering comfort to Hak and seeing right through his collected exterior??? So good. 

Idea for a story

For Hak: Y’all know I am thirsty af for Hak’s adoption story, even more now that we know his parents and Mundok’s sons died in the same war. I want that angst Kusa. Give it to me. 

For Hakyona: I know Kusa said they were too young, but I still think seeing their first meeting would be really cute.

Unpopular opinion

Hoh boy this might earn me some hate but...... i really don’t like his line during the bandage scene in 154. A shame, because his arm looks 👌👌but his whole line about how he’ll “want to do more than grab” Yona? Like i dunno it’s so out of character and kinda threatening... I just don’t like it. I prefer to ignore that line tbh. 

Favorite relationship

Hakyona of course, but Jaehak is very very important too. Soohak will always be an angsty fave whether it be romantic or platonic.

Favorite headcanon

That he’s colourblind. I think it really makes sense as to why he didn’t put together that this enigmatic man who uses his legs as a weapon and has green hair was the green dragon if he couldn’t see the green hair lol. Otherwise.... boy, c’mon. 

[a-kouka-rat]

So, during this break of AnY I re-read almost every fanfiction I could find, and here are today’s fanfic picks. #1: What I saw in the moonlight One of the best pieces of fanfiction in this fandom. Well-written, engaging and finished. It was written before the XIng arc, so it features a completely different Xing situation. I think it’s better you go into it without knowing too much of what’s gonna happen. ( contains some mild violence). please read it and come discuss it with me a love this story so much. #2: A modern twist Basically, the HHB play truth or dare, and they are later joined by Lili, tae-jun and Suwon disquised as a a woman. (everyone keeps calling him M’lady ). Light hearted, fun, overall a joy to read. #3 :I don’t want to live on the moon Another one of these absolutely incredible fics. It’s ongoing, extremely well written and PAINFUL. I have to say I avoided starting this, because it has an OC as the protagonist. It takes a trope that is usually very badly handled and turns it into gold. (it contains violence)

#4: Soon We’ll be found I may not be very much into the HakYona ship, and I generally don’t read fanfics with the pairing as the main theme, but this one is a good one. It’s written in a really nice way and the amtosphere it creates is beautiful. (Warning though: It contains explicit sexual scenes :) ) #5 A heart-shaped box Oh, what is that? Did you say you want some good old OT3 pain? Don’t worry, I got you covered. There’s a bunch of OT3 fic to go around. I chose this one, because it’ well-rounded, well-written, short and painful. #6 Comfort If you read the previous fic and want something to put on the open wounds of your OT3 feelings heart, I have just the thing for ya. Warnign though :This is PURE SMUT. And it contains happy OT3 doing happy OT3 things and being merry. You’re welcome.

#7 To raise a king In case you still somehow are not acquainted with  fallenwithstyle’s Alien AU, here’s my advice: Start with this fic. Splendidly wirtten, and a great take on what one might consider nothing but a crack idea. And I wholeheartedly reccomend reading everything the author has written about thsi AU, they’re all golden pieces or writting (as is all her work in general). If you have no idea what this is about: Suwon is an alien AI. Trust me and read it even if it sounds crazy. #8 The blood of kings Judoh observes Suwon as he grows from the death of his dad onwards. I’ve read this a bunch of times. It’s well-written (from Judoh’s POV none the less!) and deals with Suwon’s teenage years, that are an unkown part of akayona, in a very believable and impactful way.

#9: Second impressions something in the same category as fic #8, Judoh getting to know teen!Suwon a little better. Deals with the subject of Suwon’s concealed abilities in a very nice way.

#10: Exploration by touch

If you’re into Joodoh/Soo-won, I suggest reading this, and everything else sorasan has written for this ship. The reason why I link this specifc fic is because it’s shippy but held back (a delight in ship fanfics, sometimes all you want is harmless fluff) and so a great starting point if you’re unsure about the ship or not familiar with it. (or you can  just jump straight into Once You Fall (which is rated E, mind you) and enjoy yet another rare find in fanfics: an Intercrural sex scene (in all my seven years of reading smut, I’ve come across this only twice)

#11 Godmother

Excellent choice if you’re more of a HHB kind of person. Well-written, with a unique style, this is the gangster AU you never knew you needed in your life. #12 The things we said

Compilation of exceptionally-written one-shots. Hak eats soap in one of them. Nice stuff. Read it.

#13: Fumbling

Warning, once again, this is porn. It’s also Soohak, so if you’re into that, I strognly suggest this little diamond. one of the first fics I read when I joined this fandom, and my go-to fic when I need my soohak feelings tank replenished.

Alright, so that’s it from me for now :)

if you go on AO3, you’ll find an awful lot more fanfics to read. With how small this fandom is, the number and the exceptional quality of fanfiction is impressive.

[clockworkspider]

Hanahaki

The Hanahaki Disease is an illness born from one-sided love, where the patient coughs up flower petals. The flowers will keep growing until either the patient’s feelings are returned or the patient’s death. The infection can be removed through surgery, at the cost of the memories of the beloved. 

Hanahaki Disease is born of romantic love, and can only be cured through romantic love. Friendship is not enough. 

Why can’t friendship be enough?

Soowon coughs up white chrysanthemums. 

SooHak, friendship, unrequited love, angst. This is a romance fic that focuses on friendship. Set about one and a half year before the coup. Melodrama warning.

It was over the moment it began.

“Hak, I have the hanahaki disease, and you… are the one I have feelings for.”

Saying “have feelings for” was far from precise. Yet it was, perhaps, the most appropriate word for the situation. “Love” was too heavy a word to impose upon his friend, and “like” was too light. Of course Soowon liked Hak, they were best friends.

Hak blinked with apprehension.

“Hey, this isn't something to joke about,” Hak gave a confused, nervous laugh, this was interrupted by an appropriately timed coughing fit from his friend.

He didn’t need to look at the petals to know.

“Soowon… You…”

It didn’t make sense. Soowon wasn’t someone who would be in love with him. Soowon was supposed to marry the princess and sit on the throne. Soowon was someone who loved the world. Hak was… Hak was but a man. It felt… wrong.

He never knew.

“How long have you…”

“The flowers? It started a few days ago. I thought it’d be best to let you know as soon as possible.”

Yes, the flowers. No. Not just the flowers. Hak wasn’t sure himself.

He tried not to stare as Soowon recomposed himself, wiped his hands with a handkerchief and tossed the petals into the dirt. He couldn’t give an answer. He didn’t know.

But Soowon gave a smile full of understanding and said “it’s okay, Hak. I don’t want to impose my feelings on you. If you don’t feel the same way, I can get it removed. I’m just sorry about… well…”

12 years of friendship. 12 years of memories. Their entire lives together. That was the price of getting it removed. Somehow it irked him, to hear Soowon speak so calmly, as if it wasn’t his own feelings and memories.

“We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember!” Hak grabbed a hold of his friend’s hand. He felt something desperate clawing out of him. He couldn’t lose Soowon, he also didn’t want to lose their friendship. “I don’t feel the same way about you now, but I… I’ll try. Please let me try.”

Soowon’s eyes widened, an unmistakable blush crept onto his face. (How did Hak miss it all this time?) “You shouldn’t-” let your life be determined by my condition.

“Half a year!” Hak interrupted, determined, “if it only started a few days ago, you should still have at least that long to treat it. I’ll try to spend as much time with you as I can before that, you’ll get better, I’ll make sure of it.”

“But what if you find someone you have feelings for?” Soowon asked, “it’s not really fair for you to be bound to me this way.”

Hak thought of the Princess, the way she blushes and fidgets when she spoke of Soowon, and felt a tiny stab of guilt. It felt like he was taking Soowon from Yona. He had always assumed that they would be together. Yona liked Soowon, and Soowon was to be the future king.

But Soowon didn’t belong to Yona. And Hak had never intended to pursue the princess himself.

“Soowon,” Hak said, because Soowon never put himself first, and sometimes Hak resented that, “you won’t be the only one to lose a friend.”

Soowon blinked, contemplated.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “I was being presumptuous.” A smile broke across his face, shy, hesitant. “And thank you. I’m glad to have you as a friend.”

I love you, Hak practiced within his mind. That was what he was supposed to think. He couldn’t say it out loud, not yet. It wouldn’t work if he said it then.

Instead, he pulled Soowon closer, and wrapped his arm around his friend, messing up Soowon’s hair like he did when they were children.

The hug was interrupted by another fit of coughing.

Yona cried.

Hak didn’t know what to do when Yona cries and neither did Soowon.

As tears filled the big cute eyes the boys looked to one another in horror.

“Princess…” it was always Soowon that handled this kind of situation. Unfortunately, he started coughing, and that made it worse. Now the tears are falling and Hak wanted to die.

“Soowon!” Yona’s large eyes were filled with worry. It frustrated Hak, every time Soowon coughed up another flower and he couldn’t do anything about it. He couldn’t make it stop. Why couldn’t he make it stop?

“It’s okay, Yona, I’m okay!” Soowon was back to his smiling self in no time, discreetly hiding the offending flower.

“You have to love him! Hak!” Yona turned to him with all her royal ferocity, finger pointing at him. “If it’s the two of you…” She sniffed, “when the two of you are together, you can conquer anything. And the three of us can be together forever.”

“That’s…” Soowon smiled and patted Yona’s hair, and Hak didn’t understand why he looked so sad, “that’s a very fortunate dream.”

He didn’t understand, but he didn’t like the sad look on Soowon’s face, didn’t like Yona’s tears, didn’t like the flowers, tainted by bits of blood, or the hoarseness in Soowon’s voice. He wanted to see them happy, he wanted to see them smile, Yona’s smile, sweet and innocent and carefree, and Soowon’s smile, confident and fearless and powerful.

Hak knelt down, “as the Princess commands.” He looked up and grinned. “I am yours, Lord Soowon.” He’ll try. He’ll love Soowon. The three of them will be together in the end and Yona wouldn’t have to cry anymore.

A smile broke across Yona’s face. Soowon’s face became red as a tomato.

It was going to work.

‘I love you’ is what Hak reminded himself every time he saw Soowon, every time he held Soowon’s hand. It’s what he thought when he pushed Soowon’s hair from his face, and allowed their lips to brush across each other like lovers’ do.

Soowon had closed his eyes then, sank against him, all defenses melted away. And suddenly it felt wrong. When Hak closed his eyes all he could see in his mind is Yona and it felt bitter. It felt like betrayal.

Soowon sensed his hesitation and tried to pull away. Hak held him closer.

I love you. I love you. I love you. He repeated it in his mind like a mantra and begun to believe in it. He had always loved Soowon, Soowon was his best friend. It shouldn’t be too far of a leap between friendship and romance.

But then Soowon would cough up another flower.

Soowon never pushed, never blamed him, he just smiles. “It’s okay, Hak,” he said, voice hoarse, eyes red from coughing and being unable to breathe, “I’m still okay.”

Hak felt Soowon’s hand on his and wished he was enough.

Hak liked being by Soowon’s side. Soowon was brilliant, powerful, and incredibly warm. He always knew exactly what to say, and could make even General Soojin smile.

And when their eyes met, Soowon would smile like the midday sun, and Hak couldn’t help but smile back, a sense of pride swelling in his heart.

To be loved by someone so blinding was a terrifying thing.

They were watching the stars when Soowon leaned against his side, and Hak instinctively wrapped his arm around his friend.

“I love you, Hak, I love you so much,” Soowon whispered, and choked on his words between wrecking coughs and sobs. Hak felt wetness against his shoulder. Soowon, who always smiled, always strong, was crying. The words Hak ran through his mind by habit were said aloud by Soowon for the first time. 

Since when did Soowon felt so light?

Hak knew. He knew it every time Yona called his name, every time she tugged on his sleeve. He knew it in the way his heart tugs and pulls, in the way his stomach lurched, in the way his gaze followed Yona when she was around. The hardest part of unrequited love was hope.

It had been four months, and Soowon’s condition had gotten worse.

Soowon was hurting, fading. Four months ago, Hak would have never thought of Soowon as frail. Soowon was radiant, powerful, a force of nature. They called Hak the Thunder Beast, but Soowon was like the endless summer sky and the sun that rose in the east. But Soowon’s light was fading, broken by the difficulty in eating and the lack of sleep.

“Soowon, you won’t be the only one to lose a friend.” Hak remembered himself saying. Soowon had never put himself first, and sometimes Hak resented that.

Soowon was trapped, and Hak was the one who trapped him.

“I’m sorry…” Hak said, and he wished he was enough, he wished Soowon didn’t have to hurt. He wished every act of affection didn’t feel like betrayal, “we can stop now.”

Their eyes met again, and Hak could see something within Soowon crumble. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

But then Soowon smiled, and said, “it’s okay, it’ll be okay. I’ve been keeping a journal. I’ll still remember that you’re my friend. And whatever I forget, you can remind me.”

“I will,” the words felt heavy on his tongue.

“Perhaps, after I’m cured, I can love you again. Or we could go back to being friends,” Soowon said, tone light, “you’re my best friend and my pride, Hak, and I’ve never once regretted falling for you.”

There was starlight in Soowon’s eyes.

“I love you,” Hak finally allowed it to be said. It was all the truth he knew, and he wished it was enough.

“I know… Thank you.”

Hak pulled Soowon closer, and pushed his friend’s head against his shoulder.

Soowon chuckled softly, his breath tingling against Hak. “I wish... I could just love you.”

Hak wished he was enough.

Soowon would remember Hak as someone who was supposed to be his friend, the wind general, a prodigy warrior, Yona’s protector. But he wouldn’t remember the curve of Hak’s smile, or the warmth of Hak’s hand in his own, or the feeling in his chest when Hak blocked the alcohol thrown at his face. He’d remember the time they shared with Yona, with Mundok, but not moments like these, when they were alone.

And perhaps it was better that way.

“Can we stay like this,” Soowon asked, “just for a little longer?”

Hak answered with silence and a kiss on the side of Soowon’s head.

There wasn’t any more flowers until the following morning.

Yona blamed him, of course, and cried again.

Soowon pulled her to the side to comfort her, speaking softly. Hak couldn’t help but feel like it wasn’t Soowon who should be doing that. Before long, Yona came bounding back.

“I’m sorry, Hak,” she said, looking right at him with determination, small hands holding his own, “I’ll make sure you won’t be forgotten.”

The next time they saw one another was Yona’s 15th birthday. Soowon looked healthy, back to his cheerful, energetic-self.

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, there was no recognition from Soowon. Hak felt his heart sank.

Then, something lit up in Soowon’s eyes and he smiled like the midday sun, and for a moment, it was like nothing ever changed. “General Hak!” Soowon waved. His voice light, casual, and something about it felt off. It felt wrong.

By habit, his mind said ‘I love you’.

Soowon was trying to be his friend, the same way he tried to be Soowon’s lover.

And in Hak’s mind, he remembered bloody petals. He remembered Soowon, shaking, weak, crushed.

But the Soowon before him was healthy and radiant and steady. And perhaps it was better this way.

“Lord Soowon,” Hak smiled, and didn’t close the distance between them.

“It’s good to see you well.”

Note: I didn’t know I could make Soohak any worse but apparently... yes. Please don’t ask me what qualifies as romantic love vs. friendship, I have no idea. 

[clockworkspider]

Allura from Voltron, if that's okay? Or Yona if you prefer?

Allura

Wow I don’t know too much about her but I’ll try? Honestly, I remember very little about voltron canon so uhhhhhhhhhhh

Headcanon A:  realisticShe is what one would call dangerously idealistic. The only thing that differentiates canon Allura and Empress Allura is circumstances. 

Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilariousI can only think of crack if I know the character well enough. 

Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friendsShe never saw Altea destroyed, and part of her is afraid to know how it happened, how everyone she knew died. If she doesn’t see it, it wouldn’t feel real. But part of her also desperately want to know, part of her would search all the history books for traces of her roots. 

I mean… we know she lost Alfor, but she also had a mother, and other family members, and friends. And they’re all gone millenniums ago. That’s a scary thought. Does she ever look at the Paladin and be reminded of the girls she played with as a child? The friends she had at school?

Honestly, there are so many aspects of cultural dysphoria to explore with Allura being one of the two last surviving members of a dead culture. Like does she ever just enthusiastically explain something about Altea culture and then remember that there are only two people to practice it now? When will her own roots begin to feel alien to her, like a subject to be studied or rites to be practiced instead of part of her being? 

Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own.That would mean I know canon to begin with… which I do not. 

Yona

Yona I know about. 

Headcanon A:  realisticYona was always an empathetic child, yes, but she use to be quite spacey and… well… you don’t care about what you don’t notice. I don’t feel like she’d be the type to pay too much attention to servants, cause they’re… you know… servants. If people are kind to her they are kind people, if people are mean they are cruel people. 

But it’s really meeting Yun and visiting Shin-ah’s village that really made her see people as people… With like… all their flaws and problems but also worthy of love. And like… that’s a huge leap. 

Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilariousSometimes I joke that everyone in the sad trio shipped the other two at some point and I still don’t think I’m wrong. This makes Yona the only existing SooHak shipper in their universe, which is very sad. Actually, this is not funny. This is just sad. We’re all sad. 

Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friendsShe missed her father’s funeral. Also… her father’s murderer held it. 

Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own.I see nothing wrong with canon Yona. 

Send me a character and I’ll do the thing. 

[primrosetta]

Oh since we talk about Zelda, rate Malink and explain why please! Also just additional : do you ship Zelink in every games or only some in particular? I ship them only in botw (but I admit there's still zelda games I haven't played so it's normal lol)

Uh, I don’t really ship it. I’m not really a multi-shipper, and by the time I played OoT, I already shipped zelink and honestly just already really liked their dynamic so... idk? I was happy with Zelink I didn’t really have an interest in any other ships. Sometimes I ship things one-sidedly because I’m an Angsty Piece Of Trash™ (for example Soohak, I like one-sidedly from soowon’s side) but m*link isn’t one I do that with because I still like Malon and I think she deserves to be more than the third leg of a love triangle. 

I tend to ship them in every game, though on different levels. I like tp zelink okay, mostly on an aesthetic level and bc I like the idea of a stoic princess having a crush on this goofy farm boy, but I love ss zelink and botw zelink. Friends to Lovers is honestly my absolute fave romantic trope, as well as Bodyguard Crush, and they are so cutely devoted to each other. OoT zelink is also a fave, because it’s angsty goodness and classic alttp zelink also has it’s charm so yeah.