#They introduce so many amazing friends and then the characters never appear again.

[fandoms-x-reader]

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Requested: @deludedprime

Word Count: 9,425

Oneshot

Part 2

Summary: You have gone through the same story of meeting everyone multiple times now. Every time, at the end, everyone ends up meeting their end. You're trying to prevent that by going through it all once again. But, old habits die hard and the characters start to notice when you know a bit too much about them. Obey Me Brothers and Diavolo, Barbatos, Simeon, and Solomon Short writings for Luke, Thirteen, Mephisto, and Raphael

You opened your eyes and took in a deep breath. You were standing in the assembly room of RAD with seven people who you knew very well looking at you. But while you looked at them with familiarity, they stared at you with neutral expressions. All except Lord Diavolo who was standing in front of you looking at you with a smile. You wondered if he knew how much joy his smile brought to others.

“Welcome to the Devildom, Y/N,” he stated. Those were the words that have started your journey three times now. Or was it four? With everything that has happened between you and the brothers, you’ve lost track of how many times you’ve been in this situation.

Diavolo continued to give his brief explanation of who he was and where you were. Then, someone else said, “I will explain everything to you.” You turned towards the eldest demon and took in his appearance. He seemed indifferent towards you and though it hurt to see him like this, it made sense.

The Lucifer you had come to know had been so kind and caring. He was an amazing right hand to Lord Diavolo and an even better older brother. You never once doubted your place in his life, so much so, that it was easy to forget how cold he once was to you - as if you were an inconvenience that he had to put up with to satisfy Diavolo.

Diavolo and Lucifer fell into an easy conversation, the strong friendship clear even then when you were supposed to be completely clueless as to what was happening and who they were.

Lucifer began to explain the exchange student program, but you tuned him out. You were scanning the room looking at the others who were there, their gaze set on you. Two of the brothers weren’t there. 

As if on cue, Lucifer stated, “You need someone to look after you and I think that someone should be my brother Mammon. He’s the Avatar of Greed and…how should I put it…? Oh well, you’ll understand soon enough.”

“Now then…we still need to introduce our new friend to your brothers, Lucifer. And it’s probably better that you do that instead of me, wouldn’t you say?” Diavolo questioned, giving Lucifer a small smile.

“Yes, as much as I dread the idea of doing so, you’re right,” Lucifer replied. “Oh, come now. Really? You should be honored to introduce such a sweet and charming little brother like me!” Asmo chimed in.

“This one here is Asmodeus. He’s the fifth eldest. He is the Avatar of Lust,” Lucifer continued, not even acknowledging Asmo’s remark. “Wh…I can’t believe you just totally ignored what I said! And not only that, you referred to me as this one. How rude!” Asmo stated.

“Hmph. At least he didn’t ignore you altogether. How do you think I feel?” Satan added, refusing to look at Lucifer. “That one there is Satan, the fourth eldest of us. At first glance, he may seem like a responsible demon with a good head on his shoulders, but looks can be deceiving,” Lucifer told you. 

“Aha, so I’m that one, am I? Nice to meet you, Y/N. I am Satan, the Avatar of Wrath,” Satan introduced, giving you a polite smile. His polite smile disguised the anger that you knew was hiding behind his eyes.

“Now, the one there with the very grumpy look on his face is Beelzebub. He’s the sixth oldest,” Lucifer proceeded, ignoring his brothers’ side comments. “Lucifer, I’m hungry,” Beel replied. The statement almost made you laugh considering the amount of times you had heard it before. It was like his catchphrase.

“That’s too bad. Now behave yourself,” Lucifer replied. Beel let out a small sigh before telling you, “I’m Beelzebub, the Avatar of Gluttony.” Beel then went on to daydream - most likely about the food he was planning on eating as soon as he was out of the meeting.

“So - there are seven of us brothers in all. I am the eldest. Mammon, the second oldest of us, will be here soon. My other brothers aren’t here at the moment, but…well, we can get to them later. All in good time,” Lucifer explained.

“During your stay in the Devildom, the seven brothers will lend you their strength. To keep you safe, you are to stay with them at the House of Lamentation,” Diavolo explained before he and Lucifer made sure to add their numbers to your D.D.D. They even had you call Mammon to show that you knew how to use it.

Right after that, Mammon entered the assembly hall. Lucifer let out a small sigh before telling you, “Well, you’ve got that done now, and it seems the idiot has arrived.” 

Mammon walked up to you and Lucifer before saying, “HEY! Just who do you think you are, human? You’ve got a lotta nerve summoning the Great Mammon! Listen up, because I’m only gonna say this once. If you value your life, then you’ll hand over all of your money now! And anything else of value you too! Otherwise, I’ll wipe that stupid, happy-go-lucky look right off your face…by eatin’ you! Startin’ at your head and working my way down, until-.”

“Mammon shut up or I’ll punch you,” Lucifer stated simply before punching his younger brother. “GAH, OWW! Hey, what’s the big idea? I thought you were actually gonna give me a chance to shut up before punching me!” Mammon replied. You stifled a laugh as you watched the scene unfold in front of you. Same old Mammon.

“Y/N, Mammon here is the Avatar of Greed. He governs and oversees all forms of it. Whenever he takes a liking to someone, they suddenly find themselves awash in money. But from what I hear, if he decides to break it off with someone, the wealth evaporates. They’re left without a Grimm to their name,” Satan explained.

“And he’s also a masochist. That part’s important,” Asmo added and you watched as the second-eldest glared at the fifth-born. You could tell that Mammon wanted to say something to him but Lucifer beat him to the punch. “Indeed. And it just so happens I have a job for my masochist of a brother,” Lucifer said. 

“Y’all stop telling lies! I ain’t asked for that punch, and I AIN’T a masochist!” Mammon defended, shooting his brothers an angry look. Lucifer paid no attention to it though as he told him, “Mammon, you are going to be in charge of seeing to this human’s needs during this whole exchange. I expect your full cooperation”

“What?! Why me?!” Mammon complained. “Aww, lucky you, Mammon! I’m so jealous…” Asmo said with a small frown. “All right, then why don’t YOU do it, Asmodeus?!” Mammon retorted.

“What? Hell no, too lazy…” Asmo replied. “I thought you were jealous of me?!” Mammon questioned. “Just give up, Mammon. There’s no getting out of this. You know you can’t refuse a direct command from Lucifer, correct?” Satan replied.

“But why does it have to be me?! What about Beel? Why can’t he do it?!” Mammon asked. “This isn’t a job we can entrust to Beel. We might as well ask him to eat this human,” Asmo replied.  “Mm, yeah, I can’t promise I wouldn’t,” Beel added.

“You’re useless, you know that?!” Mammon told his younger sibling. “...Mammon?” Lucifer stated, controlling the anger that was beginning to blossom. “...Wh-What?” Mammon asked. A dark aura surrounded Lucifer as he told him, “Surely, you’re not going to tell me that you object to this arrangement, are you?” Lucifer questioned.

Mammon completely tensed up at Lucifer’s words before saying, “Ugh…I hate you guys! Every last one of ya!” Mammon paused for a moment before continuing to say, “Fine…FINE! I’ll do it, okay?!”

Mammon then turned to you and told you, “All right, human, listen up. As much as I don’t want to look after you, I’ve got no choice. It’s a huge pain in the ass, and I’m too important for this kind of thing, but Lucifer told me to do it, so I will. But in return you better make sure you don’t cause me any trouble, got it?!”

This was the scene that marked the start of your journey in the Devildom…several times now. You hated it every time. The way that Lucifer looked at you like he could care less about you. The way Mammon treated you like you were a burden. The way that Levi refused to leave his room. The way that Satan was so angry all of the time towards everyone. The way that Asmo only wanted to charm you instead of getting to know you. The way Beel looked at you as nothing more than a snack. And the way Belphie was locked up in the attic. Not even Diavolo or Barbatos looked towards you with a hint of care.

You thought about the previous times you had been in this scenario. It had always ended the same - with you losing everyone you loved. Losing the people you had come to care so much about hurt much worse than never having them in the first place.

So you managed to find a way to the beginning. To start all over and pray that you could find a way to stop the tragic end that occurred. You would do whatever it took to save everyone. 

It didn’t matter if they didn’t know who you were. It didn’t matter if you had to put all of your energy into making them love you again. If it meant they would be okay in the end, you would do it over and over again until you got it right.

But, you had already experienced all of this. You already knew most things about the people you were closest to. Was it even possible to try and do this without them realizing something was amiss?

Lucifer had always been hard to get to know at first. He didn’t know you and he wasn’t sure he wanted to get to know you. Diavolo wanted to strengthen the bonds between the three realms. That was the only reason you were in the Devildom.

And in one year, you would be heading back to the human world. None of them would see you again. So what was the point in talking to you and forming any kind of connection? 

In fact, he was even wary about his brothers’ growing friendships with you. Especially when they began making pacts with you. How had you managed to find a way into their hearts so quickly?

The more time he spent around you though, he began to understand the charm that you had. He came to know your kind-hearted nature and dared to let himself begin to care. 

So much so that when you decided to join him in his study while he was doing paperwork, he allowed you to stay. He stayed silent as you picked up a stack of papers and began to look through them.

When you grabbed a pen, he opened his mouth to say something. Those were important documents and they had to be filed correctly. But he stopped himself when he saw you filling out every box correctly - as if you had done it a hundred times.

Lucifer’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as you finished that document and moved on to the next, effortlessly filling that one out as well. One by one you went through the stack while Lucifer watched you incredulously.

He was sure he had never allowed you into his study before. He had never shown you the paperwork, let alone explained which one was what. So, how were you doing this? Some of the documents were even written in different languages!

You sat down your pen as you finished the stack and gave Lucifer a small smile. “Hopefully that helped you some,” you told him.

Lucifer found himself naturally returning the smile as you stood up from his desk. “I’ll go make you some tea,” you offered, beginning to walk towards the door of the study.

Did you ever stop giving? Well, Lucifer had to admit that a cup of tea did sound nice right now. On top of that, he didn’t want to turn down your offer when you were being so kind. But, he was pretty specific about his tea.

“Y/N, could you make it-,” Lucifer began to stay but you stopped him. “On the stronger side?” you finished for him.

Lucifer’s eyes widened and you paused for a moment as you realized what you had done. You took a breath before putting on a fake smile and telling him, “You just seem like the type that likes his tea stronger than most.” You then quickly disappeared into the kitchen to make the tea.

Meanwhile, Lucifer was left sitting in his study to ponder the words you had spoken. Even if he had a tell that indicated that he liked his tea strong, there was no tell in the world that he could have given to instruct you on how to fill out the paperwork. Something wasn’t right.

When you returned with his tea, it only furthered Lucifer’s suspicions as it was made exactly right. No one - except Barbatos and himself - had ever managed to make it exactly how he liked it.

And when you left the study for the final time that night, he couldn’t help but wonder - who exactly were you?

It took Mammon a bit longer than the others to notice anything suspicious.

The two of you spent a lot of time together since he was the one in charge of watching you. So you would think that he’d be the first to pick up on it if something strange was happening. 

But the truth was Mammon was so distracted by his feelings for you when you were in his presence that nothing else processed in his mind. All he could think about was keeping his cool and not letting the way he felt about you be exposed.

So, he never thought twice about the moments where you accidentally slipped up.

The two of you were at the casino and Mammon was so desperate to impress you with his gambling abilities. But, he was having a bit of a rough night. And every time he tried even harder to win, he fell into a worse position.

You had seen Mammon’s tricks many times in the casino and realized what he was doing wrong. You whispered the strategy in his ear and Mammon’s eyes widened. That was it! That’s exactly what he needed to do to win. 

He proceeded with your plan and smiled proudly as he finally won. You assumed you would be questioned on how you knew that tactic. Not many would have. But, Mammon didn’t say anything. He just assumed you were really good at gambling, which only made you more perfect for him. He was curious to see what other tricks you had up your sleeve and he didn’t want to scare you off by interrogating you.

The thing that did tip Mammon off was when you decided to wash his prized possession - the Demonio 666 Lexura.

Mammon didn’t let anyone touch his car except himself. He claimed he was the only one who “knew how to treat her right.”

But in your past experiences with Mammon, you knew how much he loved it when the car was clean. And he even showed you how to do it properly once. You used to surprise him with cleaning it and it always brought such a big smile to his face when he would look her over and not see a speck of dirt.

He also used specific cleaning materials on it so that it always had that shiny new car smell. In Mammon’s opinion, it was one of his favorite scents.

Nonetheless, this Mammon had never talked to you about his car. He never showed you how to clean her. And he certainly never allowed you to touch her.

Mammon wouldn’t get mad at you. You were too special to him. But, he did almost have a heart attack when he saw you next to his car, a rag in your hand.

He quickly ran up the stairs and said, “Oi! Human! What are ya doin’?”

You turned to face Mammon and gave him a small smile before telling him, “I thought I would clean your car for you.”

It was a nice gesture, really. And Mammon appreciated it. But, he had a very specific way of doing it. And as his mind was trying to find a way to tell you this without coming off rude, his eyes scanned the area.

That’s when he saw the cleaning materials you used. It was the exact same brand that he always bought. He never kept any on hand though which meant that you went out and chose to buy those specific items.

Mammon quickly began inspecting his car. His favorite smell overwhelmed his senses and his car now looked immaculate. How did you know?

At the end of it, all Mammon could say was ‘thank you’. But, deep down, Mammon felt weird. Like he was having a deja vu experience. 

You were a normie. So of course Levi wouldn’t want to hang out with you. Why would he?

Except he was incredibly interested in getting to know you. He coudn’t help it! There are so many things that Levi’s obsessed with that came from the human world and he had a hundred questions for you.

But his self-deprecating thoughts kept him from approaching you for fear of rejection. So he resorted to insulting you and pretty much acting completely indifferent towards you.

But, then you beat him in the TSL contest and he attacked you. He felt very bad afterward. Leave it to him to drive someone else away.

He approached you afterward to offer up a pact with him as an apology. It’s not like you would want to make a pact with him anyway. It was just the only thing he could think of to make it up to you.

When you agreed to make a pact with him, Levi was both shocked and surprisingly happy. He didn’t think having a pact with a normie would affect him this much. But there was just something about you. 

Levi used the pact as an excuse to spend more time with you. He asked you so many questions about the anime and manga he liked. There was no way you could know all of them, but somehow you did.

You answered all of Levi’s questions and not just with basic answers. You had conversations with him about it. Maybe you were an otaku like him. There’s no way you could know this much without being one.

Levi invited you to his room more and more often to hang out. Though you had to make sure not to tell the others. He couldn’t have them finding out.

Levi had been a little suspicious about the amount of knowledge you had on the things that he liked. But he wasn’t in a position to question you about it.

He invited you over to play a new game that had just been released in the Devildom. Technically it was an early release so there was hardly any information on the game.

Levi had been so excited to play it, but he heard that it was one of the hardest games that had ever been made and it was impossible to complete without a second player.

The two of you began playing and you both picked it up pretty easily. Well, Levi had picked it up pretty easily. You had already played the game countless times in the past and knew exactly what you were doing.

When you reached the final boss of the area, Levi let out a nervous sigh before pressing start. He was getting eaten alive. He couldn’t hit a single attack. He just kept getting countered and then hit. 

His health bar went down rapidly until his character died and he let out a frustrated sigh. He turned to face you, expecting you to be wearing the same expression, but you weren’t.

Levi covered his mouth and let out a startled noise as he watched your character on the screen. You knew the attack pattern and dodged every single one. Your fingers were moving at an unbelievable rate but what shocked Levi was your expression. You didn’t even look like you were trying.

There was no way you could be doing this having never played the game before. He refused to believe it. There was something he was missing.

The words “YOU WIN” appeared on the screen and you let out a satisfied chuckle as you set your controller down.

You turned to face Levi and saw the shock in his eyes as he stared at you. “I’ve just played a game like this before,” you told him with a small smile.

He was not buying it. Either you were a video game ninja, or there was something that you weren't telling him.

Either way, he was going to figure it out.

Satan was very aloof compared to his other brothers. He wasn’t a shut-in like Levi, he just preferred to keep to himself. He found that solitary was better than company most times - especially when it came to his brothers. Because of that, he didn’t really spend any time with you. 

He knew the basics. Things that Lucifer forced all of his brothers to know before you got to the Devildom. And, he tried to be polite when he did find himself in a conversation with you. 

He observed your relationship with his brothers. How they had all fallen under your spell to the point where you made pacts with four out of the seven of them. He was impressed by your abilities, but he promised himself he wouldn’t fall for the same trick.

That was until he saw you as an opportunity to get underneath Lucifer’s skin. He knew that it was bothering Lucifer how easily you were making pacts with the brothers. Satan making a pact with you would be icing on the cake. 

He never felt more angry or rejected when you refused to make a pact with him. Why didn’t you want him? You wanted to make a pact with everyone else - so why not him?

At the end of all of it though, Satan admired your strength to say no to him and potentially put yourself in harm’s way. He appreciated you for helping him see the value in his relationship with Lucifer. And he still got to make a pact with you - the right way.

Since he was a little late to the party, Satan was desperate to spend more time with you. He started becoming jealous when he saw you hanging out with his brothers instead of him and that led to him inviting you to his room.

He wanted to spend some time reading with you and was more than happy when you agreed to it with enthusiasm. He was surprised you were willing to spend a quiet evening with him instead of going to the club with Asmo or going gambling with Mammon.

He chose a book for the two of you to read and you got about a quarter of the way through when the book mentioned a specific curse. But, it didn’t explain what that curse did. It was bothering Satan so you decided to take it upon yourself to look for the curse.

You quickly moved around his room, knowing exactly which pile had the curse and spell books. You knew how far down the pile the book was and managed to pull it out effortlessly without causing the tower to tumble.

Satan was in pure shock. To every other person, his room looked like a cluttered disaster. It looked like his books were carelessly strewn about. But, he had an organizational system. He knew where every book he had was and even had them categorized in a specific order.

But, how did you know what that system was? This was the first time you had been in his room long enough to be able to actually look around; and, he never told anyone else about the way he organized his books so you couldn’t have overheard it. 

Satan’s eyes radiated with curiosity as he watched you come back and sit down next to him. You had the page opened to curse already. It was as if you had already read the book and knew where it was in the book.

You read the curse description out to Satan and then looked up to see him staring at you. His gaze caused you to pause for a moment as you asked, “What?”

Satan immediately reacted, trying to pull himself out of his thoughts. “It’s nothing. It’s just not a lot of people would be able to find their way around my room,” he replied.

It was natural to you. After you learned his system, it made complete sense to you. But you realized you weren’t supposed to know his system at this stage in your relationship. You were now panicking as you tried to come up with some explanation. 

You gave him a small smile before telling him, “That book was one of the ones you threw at Lucifer and I just happened to catch a glimpse of it.”

Asmo knew there was something different about you from the moment he met you. He tried to charm you once then. The moment got interrupted by Lucifer but Asmo could feel the resistance from you.

He tried again at the Demon Lord’s Castle only to once again be disappointed and intrigued by the results. What about you made it so that you could resist him - something no one else had ever been able to do?

Then he felt your power when you summoned him. It was something he had never felt before.

As a demon, things can get pretty boring and repetitive. The same club, the same drinks, the same succubi who wanted Asmo to take them home for the night. So when he felt the power you had - and the effect your power had on him - Asmo felt excited for the first time in a long time.

He had to get to know you more and what better way than by making a pact with you?

He told himself that he wouldn’t. That his other brothers had a moment of weakness when they made a pact with you. But, after that moment, he realized how easily it was to fall for your charm.

Asmo wanted to do everything with you after making a pact. He wanted to do your make-up and hair, go shopping with you, go out with you. Anything and everything he could think of.

Asmo was a fashion icon for a reason. He had very specific rules he followed when choosing an outfit to wear. He had a whole chart in his head of which colors went with each other, which fabrics were good for the current weather, and which hairstyles went with those fabrics.

Each of his looks was planned out to the very last detail. He had it all memorized so easily. So, when you asked him for help choosing your outfit for the night, he was more than happy to do so.

He didn’t tell you about the intricacies of it. It would be far too much for you to try and understand all at once. He was just planning on going through the chart in his head as you went through your different outfits.

So, when you began going through Asmo’s checklist, he froze. You were talking about the fabrics and the colors. The shoes that would match the outfit but not match the hairstyle you were planning. The weather affecting your outfit. You were checking every single one of his boxes.

Had Asmo told you about his checklist without realizing it? His head felt like it was starting to spin the more he thought about it. 

“Okay, I think this outfit meets all of the criteria. What do you think?” you asked Asmo, smiling at him as you showed him what you picked out. 

Asmo quickly snapped back into reality giving you a nod. “It’s perfect!” he replied.

As much as Asmo wanted to question you on your fashion knowledge, he left it alone for now. He’s always known there was something different about you, and this just proved his point.

You were special in a very fascinating way and he enjoyed finding out your unique quirks on his own. He didn’t want to push anything. He wanted to experience them firsthand.

You were the first person to make him feel something stronger than lust and he was going to savor every moment he could when this emotion presented itself.

Beel isn’t a very particular demon. He doesn’t have specific systems or ways of doing things. He just goes with the flow most of the time. 

His mind was predominantly occupied with the thought of food. And, when he wasn’t eating, he was either at school, working out, or spending time with you or one of his brothers.

So he didn’t really have any extra time to find a hobby where he could make a system and he didn’t have any prized possessions like Mammon’s car.

Food was theoretically his hobby and even then, he didn’t care what he was eating. He didn’t need it to be a five-star dish where every spice was carefully added in. Preferably, he just didn’t want to eat Solomon’s cooking.

But, if it was the only food around him, he would eat it with no problem. He wouldn’t even question what was in it. In all honesty, he was probably better off not knowing.

So, when Beel noticed things were a bit suspicious, it wasn’t because you did something specific for him. It was because of how well you knew his routine. 

You had come to know exactly when Beel would be hungry and you liked being prepared with a snack or meal at those times.

The first couple of times you did it, Beel thought it was because he was being physically active. Because you gave him a snack after his Fangol game or after he came back to the House of Lamentation after a workout session.

But, then it progressed. He would be in the middle of class and his stomach would rumble. Before he could even think he was hungry, you would be handing him something to eat.

He would be in the middle of studying and you would continuously make sure he was fed without him having to ask.

And on top of all that, you knew what his favorite food and drinks were and you made sure he was able to have those items whenever he wanted.

It was a welcome gesture. After all, when you’re eating constantly, nothing ever really stands out in flavor. So when he’s able to eat something he really enjoys - it’s like a special treat for him.

You and Beel were watching a movie in your room when he finally asked you. He had already eaten all of the snacks he brought but something was missing. He was craving something…sweet?

Without taking your eyes off the movie, you pulled out a chocolate bar and handed it to Beel. You acted as if it was the most normal thing in the world. You didn’t even blink when you did it.

But Beel was completely surprised. “How did you know that I wanted that?” Beel asked, taking the chocolate bar from you.

You finally looked away from the movie to see the confusion in Beel’s eyes. “It only makes sense to have something sweet after all that popcorn,” you replied nonchalantly.

“But, you always know what I want when I want it,” Beel pressed on. He had held his tongue for a little too long and now he just wanted an answer. 

You paused as you tried to figure out what to say when a brilliant idea came to mind. 

“The student council did a survey on everyone’s favorite foods for lunches at the cafeteria. That’s how I know what you like. And, you get hungry every day at about the same time. So after the first couple of days, I figured out when you would be hungry.”

It was a simple explanation, but it satisfied Beel. At least for now.

Belphie was always a bit suspicious about you. Not only were you a human, but while he was locked up in the attic, you had no problem calling him out.

You knew every lie he was going to tell you before he could even say the words. 

He wanted to make himself look better to you so that you would help him. But, when he went to tell you a sob story, you told him to cut the act and just be honest with you. What were you? A human lie detector?

To be honest, Belphie was starting to get a bit frustrated with you when he realized he couldn’t say anything but the truth. 

You knew that he hated humans and that he was going to kill you the first chance he got. But, you still agreed to help him. Why? Belphie determined there must be something wrong with you mentally.

How did you know so much about him in the first place? He figured Beel must have told you some things about him. It was the only thing that made sense.

You did as Belphie had asked and managed to make pacts with his brothers. And the second the door to the attic was open, he did as you knew he would and attacked you.

But hold on a second…did you just dodge his attack? He tried once again only for you to move quickly out of the way. Now, the other brothers had heard the commotion and had come to your rescue before Belphie could lay a hand on you.

How did you know his attack pattern? How did you know the exact moment he was coming for you?

Your foresight stands out the most to Belphie. To the point where he can’t help but wonder if his brothers had picked up on it as well. 

He wanted to understand how you knew so much about him without knowing him so he started spending more time around you. He started noticing the small details about what you liked and didn’t like.

He noticed the way that you knew exactly how he liked to lie down when he was taking a nap. What his favorite pillow was and the perfect temperature for a good rest.

You knew he liked stargazing and that his favorite food was sushi. You even surprised him with movie tickets once. Did Beel tell you all this information about him? Is that how you knew?

Belphie was having a particularly restless night and decided to leave his and Beel’s shared room to try the bed in the attic. He grabbed his favorite pillow and made his way out into the hallway.

He just so happened to bump into you and looked at you curiously. “What are you doing up so late?” he asked. You shrugged your shoulders in response before questioning, “Can’t sleep, huh?”

Whenever Belphie was leaving the twin’s bedroom you knew he was having a hard time falling asleep. Belphie nodded his head and you gently took his hand before leading him up to the attic.

Did he tell you he wanted to come up here? You got onto the bed before motioning for Belphie to join you. He was skeptical at first. This would be the first he was this close to you and he wasn’t sure how to react.

But you knew this was a surefire way to get Belphie to relax and go to sleep. So you urged him once again to get in the bed.

He did this time, lying down next to you. You guided him so that he was lying on your chest, his arms wrapped around you. Your scent overwhelmed him in a comforting way and he felt all of his tension release when you began running your fingers through his hair.

The warmth of your body added to his relaxation and he found himself quickly starting to fall asleep. It was strange to him. He had never laid like this with you before. Yet - it felt like it was the most natural thing in the world.  

Diavolo kept a careful eye on you whenever he could. You were his exchange student after all. He trusted Lucifer with the task of making sure you were safe from harm. But, at the same time, he wanted to ensure your safety himself.

Something about you drew him in. He was supposed to remain impartial towards the exchange students. He couldn’t favor them in any way. If he did, it wouldn’t be a proper test to see if humans and angels could adjust to life in the Devildom.

He had the power to give you everything you could ever desire. But he needed you to experience things on your own. And although he couldn’t show you any favoritism, that didn’t stop his growing feelings for you. It didn’t stop the curiosity he had about you.

He would notice the way you were with the brothers. You fit in perfectly with them - as if you were a missing piece in their puzzle.

You knew everything about them. How to keep Mammon from falling for pyramid schemes. How to get Levi to spend more time out of his room. How to calm Satan’s rage. How to get Asmo to look beyond his appearance. How to satisfy Beel’s hunger. And how to motivate Belphie to stay awake for longer.

Diavolo could see the way you had even managed to get to Lucifer when the two of you were dancing at one of his balls. Lucifer was genuinely smiling and Diavolo was…jealous.

When he realized that he was jealous of the seven demon brothers, Diavolo made it a point to spend more time with you. He wanted to get to know you and he wasn’t going to let his royal duties stand in the way of it.

He invited you out to dinner with him and the two of you were having a great time. Diavolo felt like he could really open up to you. So he told you some of the worries he was having about becoming the King of the Devildom.

He expected you to be a great listener, but he never expected you to help him so much. You knew all the right words to say.

You knew the history of the Devildom and what the leaders before him had done - including his father. You talked about his aspirations that he had yet to even share with Barbatos or Lucifer.

You made him see things in a light he never would have thought of. And, at the end of your speech, when you placed your hand on top of his, feelings overwhelmed Diavolo.

He didn’t know how you knew so much about the Devildom. Maybe Satan had been helping you study. And he didn’t know how you knew so much about his dreams for the Devildom. Maybe you were just blessed with big dreams like he was.

He was a bit skeptical of it all. He believed there was no way that you could know so much about everyone after being a random human who was chosen to come to RAD. There were too many coincidences and instances where you knew things you shouldn’t. 

He wanted to explore further and find an answer to his questions. But, at the end of the day, all that mattered was that he believed you truly belonged in the Devildom with all of them.

And when your hand touched his, it was the first time he had felt so much joy and love for one person. That was a feeling he wasn’t going to let go of.

Barbatos is the most wary of you. His ability is to see both the past and the future and to alter realities as he sees fit. So, whenever something suspicious is happening that involves time as a construct itself, he senses it.

He keeps a close eye on you. He couldn’t say what it was for sure that was different about you. You didn’t seem like you were from the past. Your aura didn’t match those he had met who had traveled to the future.

But, you definitely didn’t seem like you were truly from the present. He was on the same page as Lord Diavolo. There were far too many coincidences for one to chalk it up to you just being particularly intuitive. 

He wasn’t sure if you were using a spell or a curse. But he was positive you were either from the future or from a different reality. He didn’t say anything to anyone else though.

Getting others involved in the affair of time almost always resulted in dire consequences. He did try to figure it all out on his own though. Why were you there?

He could tell you weren’t a threat to the others. You seemed to genuinely care about them. If you didn’t you wouldn’t be spending as much time with them or doing the things that make them happy.

He came to the conclusion that this wasn’t the first time you had gotten to know them. He could see it in your eyes. The slightly tired look when you had to pretend like you didn’t know something. He imagined it was exhausting.

But, why would you be here if you already knew everyone? He studied your body language more. The way you were so happy just to be around everyone. The sad look in your eyes when they left. Almost heartbroken

Because it reminded you of a time when they left for good. So, that’s it then. One - or from the look in your eyes - all of them had met their end and you were here trying to prevent that.

Barbatos had to will himself not to open the door in his room to see what happened. Sometimes it was better not to know.

You and he had a chance to talk alone after the retreat at the castle. You offered to help Barbatos clean up the mess the others had left. And, even though he had a very specific way of doing things, he allowed you to help. This was his opportunity to try and find out more information from you.

When you started cleaning though, he was at a loss for words. You were doing everything perfectly, exactly in the order that he would do it. But in order for you to know that - you and he must have gotten quite close.

Barbatos’ mind began to race. He knew you were close to the others but he never thought he would have been one to fall for you as well. 

“Is everything okay?” you asked him and he immediately concealed whatever emotions he was feeling with a smile. 

“Yes, I’m just surprised by your efficiency,” Barbatos replied.

The fact that you had come either from the future or another reality meant that his time could be limited.

And now he was going to make sure to make the most of it. He wanted to get to know you the way the others had before it was too late.

Solomon knew more than he let on most of the time. He liked being the mysterious figure and keeping everyone on their toes.

He could tell that you had an immense potential for magic from the first moment he met you.

Everyone told him that you had no magical capabilities and that you were just a normal human. But he could see that was a lie, even if you couldn’t.

It was his mission to release that potential, but he had to be smart about it. He wanted you to find out about it on your own. He would just be there to give you a gentle nudge in the right direction when the time called for it.

He didn’t get much alone time with you, thanks to the brothers, so he had to watch your growth from afar.

He would study you in classes, watching as you would effortlessly perform whatever spell or curse the instructor had asked you to. Solomon knew that you would be able to perform them, but what he found intriguing was the expression you wore while doing them.

Your eyes looked slightly zoned out as you half-heartedly spoke the words. Sometimes gesturing lazily while you said the spell. You looked bored. As if you had already performed all these spells before.

It only piqued Solomon’s interest more and he eventually asked you to be his apprentice. He couldn’t be more happy when you accepted.

Solomon taught you some basic spells and was amused when you performed them easily. He moved onto the more intricate ones thinking he’d finally be able to challenge you. But he was shell-shocked when you performed them almost as easily. No magical capabilities? Whoever wrote that fact down about you got it all wrong.

Solomon decided to move on to something a bit more challenging - cooking. 

“Oh, that’s okay, I’m actually a great cook. How about you teach me how to do teleportation magic instead?” you asked, a hopeful gleam in your eyes.

“Now, Y/N, cooking is an important part of learning magic. A lot of curses require specific ingredients. Though I usually like to mix mine and see what happens!” Solomon responded with a smile as he began pulling out various items. 

“I usually just add things as I feel like it, but I do have one dish in particular where I actually follow a recipe,” Solomon added.

“Let me guess, you call it the Solomon Special?” you asked. Solomon looked shocked as he asked, “How did you know?”

“Lucky guess,” you replied, grabbing ingredients and throwing them into the pot. You were making it without Solomon even telling you how to do it. And you didn’t get a single thing wrong. 

That was impossible. This was his secret recipe. He had never shared it with anyone. In fact, the only reason he was about to share it with you was to impress you with his cooking skills.

“And done! Now let’s get out of the kitchen,” you said, leading him out of the room. Solomon trailed behind you. Something definitely wasn’t right here.

Solomon started paying more attention to you when you performed magic. He was trying to comprehend how you knew about a secret that was so “special” to him. 

He would use his own magical abilities to try and find the answers he was looking for. He could tell that you had a secret and he was dying to find out what it was.

Simeon had many things in his life that he kept from others. When you lived as long as he had, you witnessed many things that weren’t always pleasant to share with others.

Because of this, he got used to not sharing things. He always put on a smile and had a positive outlook towards things in life. 

He found a creative outlet to express his emotions - writing. And he used the stories he created to tell the secrets he held and wrote under a pen name so that he didn’t expose the truth. 

He was happy like that. He never felt the need to tell others about his past experiences or how he felt about them…Until he met you. A random human who others claimed wasn’t capable of anything significant.

Yet, from the moment he saw you, he felt something stir within him. He felt a connection to you unlike one he had ever felt before.

Your beauty caught him off guard and he was even more surprised when your kindness surpassed his own. How could a human be so perfect?

Simeon knew he was in trouble when it came to you. You were someone he could risk losing everything for.

Because of that, he did what he could to keep his distance. He was always nice to you and talked to you when you were around the others. But, he didn’t go out of his way to get alone time with you. He was afraid of what would happen if he did. 

But, then you said something to him that made him freeze. He had mentioned something to you about having writer’s block and your response was innocent. You were just trying to be friendly. But, it made Simeon begin to question you. 

“I’m sure you’ll get the motivation to write again soon. You have so much talent. Just look at how popular TSL has become!” you told him, doing your best to encourage him.

There was only one problem. He hadn’t told anyone that he was the author of that series. And, you had only come to know about TSL after you came to the Devildom. After you met him. So, how did you know?

The secret was out. The things he had been trying so hard to conceal were revealed. Yet, he didn’t feel the way he thought he would. You had spoken to him about his book with so much kindness in your heart. There was no judgment, there were no questions. 

The smile you gave Simeon attracted him even more as his mind raced. There was no explanation as to why you knew that information. 

The logical thing would be to question you about how you knew it. Especially considering this wasn’t the first time that you’ve known something you shouldn’t have. 

And although that was the logical thing to do. The only thing Simeon could think about was how he wanted to tell you more about himself.

To finally relieve the weight he’s been carrying around for as long as he could remember. Because he knew that you would listen to him and never make him feel bad for it. He knew that you were special.

BONUS CHARACTERS:

LUKE

The others weren’t the only ones who noticed your strange behavior. It wasn’t hard to see that you had a special talent for knowing about them and their likes and dislikes.

Luke got an example of this almost right away. He took a liking to your kindness immediately. All things considered, you were a remarkable human and he enjoyed spending time with you. 

He also believed that if you spent too much time with the demons then they would find a way to taint your soul. He was an angel after all and could see your virtue. Virtue that he didn’t want to change because of your time here in the Devildom.

He followed Simeon around in an attempt to warn you about the demons. He had finally seen you and opened his mouth to say something when you surprised him.

You held up a slice of Barbatos' Signature Cake. Luke immediately froze as he looked at the piece of cake in your hand.

He would never ask Barbatos - a demon - for the cake himself. Yet it was one of his guilty pleasures. He loved the combination of flavors the dessert provided.

“We were at the Demon Lord’s Castle, and Barbatos was serving his cake. I made sure to grab you a piece,” you told Luke with a small smile.

Had he said he liked Barbatos' dessert before? It couldn’t have just been a lucky guess. Why would you specifically go out of your way to save him a slice unless you knew how much he liked it. 

Luke was considered “young” for an angel so he was still learning some things. But he knew enough to know that there was something more going on than you were letting on.

THIRTEEN

You and Thirteen had been talking about one of the many adventures you had gone on with the brothers.

She had heard a rumor about it and asked you for the full story. So, you gladly indulged her request, giving her all the awful details about the trouble that befell you.

Thirteen thoroughly enjoyed the tale, especially how high stakes it was. It was truly a life-or-death situation.

She couldn’t help but imagine how if she had been there she would have had the perfect trap to get out of that situation.

As if reading her mind, you stated, “If only we had your Devouring D.D.D. trap.” Thirteen was surprised that you had stated what she was thinking.

But she was even more surprised at the trap you had mentioned. She only thought of it a few days prior and hadn’t told anyone about the idea. She hadn’t even started planning out all of the logistics for it.

So, how did you know about it? Could you read minds or something?

Thirteen knew there was something different about you because she could see how shiny your soul was.

But, there was more to you than just a shiny soul and she wanted to know what it was. Maybe she could use one of her traps to find out?

MEPHISTO

Mephisto didn’t really come into contact with you. His royal duties kept him pretty busy. And he wouldn’t dare slack off and risk looking bad in front of Lord Diavolo just to chat with the new human student.

But, he wasn’t oblivious to the way everyone acted around you. He could see that you were more than just a simple human.

What really sold it for him though was when he was planning on making those terrible stickers of Lord Diavolo and Lucifer. 

Mammon had recruited him for the Lucifer sticker and Mephisto gladly agreed. He was happy to be involved with something that might embarrass Lucifer.

They had all sworn secrecy to each other because they knew if news got out then they would be in big trouble.

Mephisto ensured that the brothers hadn’t told anyone. He was going to share the Lucifer sticker anonymously after school that day. He was quite proud of it. It was Lucifer riding a white unicorn. He believed it was quite clever.

You were passing Mephisto on your way out of the class and you told him, “You should make the unicorn pink and purple.”

Mephisto let out a small gasp at your words. Had one of the brothers leaked their plan? There was no way they could have. Mephisto had been keeping a careful eye on them all day.

So then how did you-?

Wait, you were right! Pink and purple would look much better and only further Lucifer’s embarrassment. Thanks, Y/N.

RAPHAEL

Not even Raphael was safe from your knowledge. He visited the Devildom rarely and his trips were usually so few and far between.

He had only talked to you on a few occasions and during those times, you didn’t really have any personal conversations.

Most of the information Raphael knew about you was because of what he heard from the others. 

And he was sure that it was the same way for you when it came to him. 

So, he was completely awestruck when Simeon handed him a present from you. Simeon had been visiting the Celestial Realm and you asked him to bring Raphael a present for you. 

Raphael opened it to see a beautiful spear enclosed. It was made from a very rare material that could only be found in the Devildom. It was said to have the potential to inflict ten times more damage than the one he currently had.

He never voiced this wish to anyone though. It was something he held as a secret in his heart because he was afraid that the other angels would look at him in disdain for wanting to acquire something from the Devildom.

Raphael ran his fingers over the spear. You must have some kind of mental telepathy abilities. The others had told him you were special but he didn’t see the extent of it until now.

You were not an ordinary human.

[tommykinard6]

Buddie fans, my loves, come have a seat for a moment.

I want to have a chat, from a long time Buddie lover to you, whether you’re new or have been here a long time.

It’s okay.

I’ve been in the trenches with you. I’ve been pulling for Buck and Eddie to get together for years. I haven’t given up, even as I’ve seen other fans leave because they lost hope. I don’t blame them. The Buddie section of the fandom has been powerful and beautiful and all consuming. We’ve gone seven seasons and up until this point, not one of the two men in question was even confirmed to be queer.

But we all need to take a moment and breathe. That’s it. Stop doom scrolling for a moment and breathe in.

Good. Now hold for a moment.

And breathe out.

I’m going to get real here, alright? And you might not like everything I say and that’s ok.

We need to stop being a problem. Stay with me. I’m not saying we need to stop shipping Eddie and Buck. Far from it. I will love that ship forever. I’m not saying we need to stop our fanfics or fanart or our love for these two. Our feelings are valid. Many of us have been in love with these two for a long time. The Buckley-Diaz family is a strong unit.

Our feelings are valid and we feel what we feel. But our reactions are utterly and entirely our own responsibility.

We need to stop the bullying.

Let’s face it, many Buddie fans have also been long time bullies in the fandom. Particularly in regard to the actresses who have played the female love interests in the past. Don’t get me wrong, aside from maybe Ali, I have disliked every love interest introduced. But have we not yet learned to separate actress from character? If we are going to dislike an actress, let’s do it for a valid reason. Marisol’s actress for example is problematic. But many fans have rained hell down upon any woman introduced.

I’ve noticed this issue for a long time. But now we’re dealing with the issue being even more widespread because of Buck/Tommy. Now fans are bullying each other. The fandom is divided, even in what is probably one of the better seasons we’ve gotten (in my opinion). I need you guys to stay with me here.

Buck is bi.

Let’s say that again. Evan Buckley is bisexual. A major character on a major show on a major network, previously a womanizer and still a very masculine figure, is queer.

This is monumental. This is amazing.

But so many of you are letting your feelings about Buddie get in the way of appreciating the progress we’ve made. Especially with the reintroduction of Tommy Kinard, Buck’s love interest.

Let’s clear up a couple of things, shall we? Tommy Kinard is not Sal DeLuca. He is not Captain Gerrard. While he was part of the old 118 and definitely was in the old boys club, not only is he not the major problem, but in most cases that he’s an asshole, it can be traced back to his own secret. It’s not great, sure. But let’s look at the facts. Chimney is friends and still keeps in touch with him. Hen appears to hold no animosity and was clearly comfortable with him. In Bobby Begins, they all are friends. And clearly, Tommy has undergone a massive self-growth period. You cannot try to back up your point with inaccurate facts.

People can change. People can also be forgiven. It’s the prerogative of those involved. Enough said.

“But TK6,” you may say, “Buck should be with Eddie! Tommy is a plot device!”

Let’s set aside instant gratification culture really quick and talk about storytelling. You cannot get everything you want when you want it. You also cannot have your cake and eat it too. Buck and Eddie, if both queer, were never going to come out at the same time. Do we really want that?! Because identity is messy. Self discovery is messy. Eddie has Catholic guilt. Buck has self esteem/worth issues. Life isn’t a fanfiction. The real possibility of their relationship surviving such a transition isn’t all that high. IF Eddie is canonically queer, he’s going to have a rougher path than Buck has had.

Also, everyone is a plot device. Let’s get real. If a character doesn’t move a plot along, what’s the point? YES, Tommy is there for a storyline. That doesn’t in anyway invalidate his existence or his presence in Buck’s life.

If you want an instant Buddie storyline, visit ao3! There are amazing stories on there.

Now let’s talk about Buck/Tommy, or TEvan.

I am a long time Buddie lover. I also proudly ship TEvan. Yes, those can coexist. I don’t often multiship, but it’s a beautiful thing. I want Buddie to be endgame, sure! But I’m also okay if TEvan lasts. If they end up being endgame, will I be disappointed about Buddie? Of course. I will also be thrilled because Buck and Tommy are a sweet couple and I’m here for it.

As a queer woman, I’m happy that Buck is bi. Multisexual representation is still sorely lacking. Male sexuality that lets a man keep his masculinity while being queer? Even more so. Just take a look at the ao3 tag. Buck is emasculated in many fics. That’s why I stopped reading a lot.

We have a ship here that includes two very masculine men, who are emotionally vulnerable and exploring something new. I understand ship disappointment. But the negativity is wild. We need to stop the bullying. We need to stop the cheating storylines. We need to stop making Tommy into an ab*s*r only because we apparently can’t handle a love interest being a good person.

At the end of the day, these are fictional characters. It’s a fictional show. But these are real people. All of us are sitting here behind our screens with real feelings. We need to stop.

Buddie may one day happen. And maybe they won’t. TEvan might be endgame. They might not be. Tis the way of 9-1-1. It’s exciting, isn’t it? Waiting for something new and exciting. It was starting to get a little stagnant.

As a queer person, I’m not trying to gatekeep anyone. However, we cannot sit here and say “stop queerbaiting us!!!!” (They weren’t, we’ve always had queer representation on 9-1-1) “give us more representation” and then when they give it to us say, “NO! Not that way!”

If it was about the representation, it being Eddie or Tommy would matter a lot less.

So if you are someone using representation to shield yourself, kindly just be honest with yourself and everyone else.

In the words of our Lady and Savior Taylor Swift, “You need to calm down”.

Now, back off into the world of scrolling you go, my lovelies. Remember, keep an open mind and breathe. At the end of the day, it’s a show. But I for one will happily wait for every episode because I’m loving this.

[gamerwoo]

[Tales from the Pack] Jeonghan: Sold (Part Four)

Characters: Jeonghan x female reader

Genre/warnings: werewolf au, fantasy, fluff, angst, reader is referred to as 'blue', mentions of death, mentions of human trafficking, murder at the end (no major characters are harmed)

Word count: 2,446

Summary: If Jooyeon and Baekhyun never went snooping around the black market, they would’ve never discovered the human trafficking ring and wanted to help. They would’ve never discovered you inside one of the many cages full of people, and Jeonghan would’ve never went against the alphas and demanded they help. But for you, Jeonghan would do anything, even if it means bringing back trouble from a past he never knew about.

Previous | Next | Sold Masterlist

Jeonghan was honestly surprised how soundly you slept considering everything that happened, but he figured you must’ve been exhausted. Kyung had told them everything Saoirse had said when they first visited, so it must’ve been heaven for you to sleep in a real bed.

He didn’t sleep, though. Even though you were safe at home, he was afraid someone would come looking for you. So he sat up in a chair in the corner of the room and watched you sleep. Which was kind of nice since he knew when people started arriving home, and he knew all of his brothers and sisters were safe.

He did, unfortunately, hear about Saoirse not making it from Jihoon telling Kyung downstairs.

As Jeonghan watched you sleep throughout the night, he couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky he was. He couldn’t believe he finally found his mate. He waited years to find you, and now you were sleeping in his bed, already so trusting of him. It made his heart swell. He may have shed a few tears that night out of pure joy.

In the morning, he had to make a plan. He was sure life couldn’t just carry on as normal, so he had to figure out how to help you adjust, as well as mourn the loss of the girl he assumed was your friend.

It was late morning when you finally roused from your slumber, your joints popping as you stretched and yawned. Your eyes fluttered open from your dreamless sleep to see Jeonghan already kneeling by the bed, looking at you with warm, curious eyes. He’d introduced himself to you last night, telling you his name and what he was. And when he said he wanted to keep you with him that night, he seemed confused how you’d so easily agreed. But you didn’t see any reason to fear a werewolf, especially when they were the ones who’d saved a large group of people from a human trafficking ring for seemingly no reason. You’d never seen any proof to be afraid of werewolves.

Well, maybe except for Eunjin, who Jeonghan told you about once he’d brought you upstairs.

“Good morning,” he smiled softly. “Did you sleep well?”

“Amazing,” your voice was groggy as you smiled back at him, closing your eyes for just one last moment of bliss. “Thank you again.”

“It’s my pleasure,” he chuckled. “Hungry?”

Your eyes snapped open, and he laughed a little louder, “I guess that’s a yes.”

Jeonghan had given you clean clothes when you arrived last night. The house had been silent and appeared empty other than a couple of other werewolves who were awake – they’d said their names were Mingyu and Joshua – and of course, Eunjin, who Jeonghan told you was a banshee. Still, Jeonghan had warned you it was a ‘full house’ so you were unsure of who you’d run into this morning.

He led you downstairs, taking your hand delicately in his and keeping it there as he led you down the hallway and down the stairs to the kitchen where you heard a plethora of voices, and even the voice of a baby. Upon entering the kitchen, you saw it was indeed full, but you also saw it was full of humans.

“Oh!” one of the girls with dark brown eyes smiled warmly when she noticed you, causing other heads to turn as the individual conversations hushed. “You’re awake! It’s so nice…to…”

Her sentence died off as she noticed you slowly move behind Jeonghan. You gripped the back of his shirt for dear life, your eyes flitting around the room, examining every human in the space. They all seemed to be women, but still, it didn’t make you any less wary of them.

“Hey,” Jeonghan’s voice was soft as he turned his head to look at you, “none of them will hurt you. They’re werewolves, remember? Like me.”

You slowly shook your head, eyes not leaving the women in the kitchen, “Not them…”

Well, this is new, Jeonghan thought. 

He’d never met a human who was afraid of other humans rather than werewolves. None of them had, actually. The mates looked around at each other and the other werewolves, unsure of how to approach this situation.

“Blue– Erm– Hey,” a new man with dark hair and golden eyes stepped forward with a small but friendly smile, “...why don’t we bring you somewhere else away from…the…humans?”

You nodded eagerly.

The man exchanged looks with Jeonghan before Jeonghan turned and began to lead you back upstairs to the bedroom.

Seungcheol looked over his shoulder, nodding for Kyung and Cooper to follow him. He figured having two women might be a little helpful, and they were two of the handful of obviously non-humans that were awake and in the kitchen.

“Why wasn’t I invited?” Arinya pouted.

While Joshua wanted to tell her it was probably because she was mostly clueless to most things, he settled for messing up her hair and saying, “Maybe when you’re older.”

The small group filed into Jeonghan’s bedroom before Kyung closed the door. You sat on the bed looking up at them while Jeonghan sat on the bed beside you. You looked each one over carefully, noting their golden eyes. None of them were human. Good. That was good.

“Firstly, I never got to properly introduce myself,” the man with dark hair smiled warmly. “My name is Seungcheol. I’m one of 4 alphas of this pack. You remember Kyung, I assume. And thi is Coo– Uh, Rin.”

“Cooper’s fine,” the girl shrugged.

“So, what should we call you?” Kyung asked you.

You looked between them all and shrugged, “I don’t know.”

Maybe it sounded silly, but you didn’t have a name. You were sure you were given one at birth, but you didn’t remember it. A whole bunch of unfortunate circumstances led to your name being lost along with your parents, and every unfortunate circumstance involved humans.

For the pack, it was quite the pickle. They had been referring to you as Blue, but it seemed a little…awful to do that. It tied you to the shock collar that used to be around your neck. It felt almost demeaning to call you that, as if you were just some animal with no real name.

But unfortunately, it was all they had to go off of.

“Is…Blue…okay?” Jeonghan asked, deciding he should be the one to step up and say it. He wondered if you’d even put two and two together.

But of course you did. Every so often, the men would do their counts. Counting all the different colored collars. Making sure they were all accounted for and none had somehow managed to escape. You were one of eight with a blue collar, but you were the only one in your cage with one.

Instead of saying anything, you just nodded. If it came from Jeonghan, Blue was okay.

“Blue,” Cooper began almost hesitantly, seeming to be testing the name out to make sure you wouldn’t suddenly decide it offended you, “so…you’re a…human, right?”

“Y-yes…” you replied almost nervously. You didn’t know why she was asking.

“No, no,” she quickly said when she saw the strange look you gave her, “I’m only asking because…well, you seemed to be…afraid of the humans downstairs.”

You scoffed, “Are you not? They’re monsters.”

The four wolves almost started laughing. In fact, Jeonghan accidentally let out a snort and had to cover it up as a cough. They never thought the tables would turn like this. They were always the ones being called monsters by humans.

“Can I ask where you came from?” Seungcheol wondered. “How did you end up there?”

“I don’t…really know,” you confessed slowly, eyebrows furrowing as you tried to remember exactly what happened. “I was on the streets, and suddenly, I was in a cage. I don’t remember anything between those times.”

That didn’t help them at all.

“What about before that?” Kyung asked. “Do you have a family? We just want to know so we can maybe help you get home.”

You shook your head, “No family. No home.”

“Nothing?” Cooper asked incredulously.

“Humans,” you replied grimly.

That gave them more questions than answers. Questions that they weren’t fit to be asking just yet. You were afraid of humans and didn’t trust them, yet their house was filled with them. There was no way you’d trust them enough just yet to give everything about yourself away. If anything, they were worried they’d have to make sure you didn’t try to run away.

So, instead, they’d have to start working forward. They’d have to get your trust before prying. Jeonghan was sure he could do that. But he didn’t care about the prying. He only cared about your trust.

-

It wasn’t often the wolves frequented the pub for a good time considering they typically wanted to lay low, but for this meeting, they felt it might be nice to celebrate their victory over a pint or two. So the alphas of the four packs – except for Kyung, who opted to stay home and spend some time with Hansol – met up at a pub in the Capitol to talk about their mission’s success.

“How’s the new mate adjusting?” Hanbin chuckled.

“She’s terrified of humans,” Soonyoung scoffed before taking a big gulp of his beer. He noticed the shocked looks and nodded. “Yeah, plot twist, right?”

“How is a human afraid of humans?” Chris wondered.

“A very traumatic upbringing from what we could gather,” Seungcheol nodded, gripping his glass like he was having flashbacks to something traumatic as well.

Jeonghan still hadn’t gotten much from conversations with you, but he was sure something would come up with how much time the two of you had already spent together. He was always with you. They explained werewolves were significantly stronger than humans so he could protect you from them. He became almost like a guard dog for you.

“What about the refugees?” Jihoon asked, deciding to change the subject to a slightly lighter topic. “Everyone doing okay?”

“We still have a handful at our place,” Junmyeon reported. “Just a couple of them getting patched up by Yixing. We want to make sure they’re fully healed before we let them off with Dr. Minjee. I know she’s perfectly capable of healing them the old fashioned way, but…Yixing is more convenient, and he’s more than happy to do so.”

“All of ours got picked up by Sura and taken to safehouses,” Chris nodded with a smile.

Though, the alphas did notice that Chris had a few new scars on his neck and arms. Given their knowledge of his power, they knew he must’ve done some help with managing their pain before they were sent off with Sura.

“All but one of ours went with Prajya today,” Hanbin told them.

“Just one?” Seungcheol asked.

Hanbin chuckled with a smirk, “We think Baekhan finally imprinted.”

The boys began whistling and howling – nothing noticed by the other patrons since they were even rowdier than the wolves sitting at a table together – for the pup of Hanbin’s pack. He was the only one that wasn’t mated – unless they counted Rika, but she was a human – and he was one of the shyest members of the pack.

“He hasn’t mentioned anything about it yet,” Hanbin explained, “so we’re just saying we’re healing her until he finally speaks up.”

“Speaking of,” Junmyeon looked back to the three alphas, “did Jeonghan tell…Blue everything?”

“Not the imprinting thing, no,” Seungcheol stated. “I’m sure she’ll take it well, though.”

“But also speaking of mates,” Chris spoke up, looking worriedly at the eldest of the three alphas, “does she know anything about the pack that they were being sold to?”

Seungcheol shook his head, “They weren’t given many details, but we’re keeping an eye out for any stray wolves or any new packs in the area. We figure since we’re a little spread out that you guys should do the same and keep the group updated so we can plan accordingly.”

Unfortunately, even though they had rescued you from the black market, it didn’t mean you were completely safe. Because now there was a pack of werewolves out there that weren’t getting the mates they had paid for, and the packs were sure they would go searching for them.

-

The sound of the man’s back hitting the metal bars rang out in the night, the breath getting knocked out of his lungs. His hands clawed at the strong hand around his neck, squeezing his throat and blocking any way to inhale air back into his lungs.

“Where the fuck are they?!” the man in front of him roared just inches from his face.

“I-I-I’m sorry!” the guard sobbed. “A bunch of wolves showed up and tore the place apart! We tried to stop them but there were fifty of ‘em! I swear, we–”

In an instant, the man’s nails extended into claws and sliced through the guard’s neck. His body fell with a gurgling sound, laying among the other dead guards and captives that littered the place.

The man took a deep breath and let it out in annoyance as he rolled his eyes and walked around what used to be the inside of the tent, inspecting the cages that had been broken into. The place had been burned down to ash, along with some of the bodies of guards and captives that had died. Some humans lay lifeless in werewolf traps around the perimeter, their flesh burnt off from their bones. Others had bullet holes in their skulls or half-burned bodies. The grass was completely burnt up and covered in dried blood that had bubbled from the heat and then cooled into a hard, sticky goo.

“What now, Jaemin?” one of the other men asked.

Jaemin’s red eyes continued to scan the room one more time before he turned to look at his pack. The four men studied him carefully, waiting for his instruction.

“Well, we’re definitely getting our money back,” he chuckled. “And I think we’re owed some reimbursement for our missing goods.”

As Jaemin turned to leave, the other four followed him out.

“Who do you think did this?” another asked.

“And why?” wondered a third, eyeing the place over one more time before leaving.

Jaemin easily found the metal box where the men were keeping their money, breaking it open effortlessly and counting through the bills inside.

“No idea,” he sighed as he began counting the money, “but you bet your ass I’m gonna find out who did, and I’m taking back what’s ours.”

»»————-　　————-««

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[mitsuristoleme]

He Got That Boyish Look That I Like in a Man

written for @satoruoo as part of the Jjk Secret Santa (i hope you like it)

cw: aged up!yuuji. and by extension other characters. suggestive. fluff. mention of my poly!stsg x reader throuple. gojo and geto’s spouse referred to as [t/n] because technically they’re also a reader character and i’m to lazy to give them a name. megumi is a hater. 1.3k words. gojo is a menace but are we really shocked. gojo and geto’s spouse attempts to rizz up reader.

a/n: i actually have no idea how i wrote this but enjoy!! i love yuuji sm

People described yours and Yuuji’s relationship in many different ways.

Nobara was both happy that her two best friends (not that she would ever admit that she considered any of you her best friends) had found love in each other; and jealous that Yuuji had found a significant other before she had.

Megumi was utterly sick of the dumbassery (his words), something about you each being insane enough on your own.

Todo was glad that his brother/ best friend had a significant other but heartbroken because “how are we to talk about Jennifer Lawrence’s butt now?”

Yeah... Todo weirded you out when you first met him. Who yells “What kind of woman is your type?!” when you first meet someone??

Anyway.

You guys had started dating in your first year at Jujutsu High and the past four years that you had been dating were absolutely amazing. Perfect even. Yuuji is an amazing boyfriend. He cooks for you (the meatballs are KILLER), his body temperature is somehow always perfect for cuddling, and the sex is mindblowing.

The first Christmas eve after you graduate, you follow him down the sidewalk, your hands intertwined, heading to have dinner at a restaurant with your old teachers, Fushiguro and Kugisaki. He’s excitedly ranting about the sushi restaurant Gojo-sensei, Geto-sensei, their spouse introduced him to. Admittedly, you’re barely listening, too distrated by the sparkle in his eyes, the bounce in his step, his ever so perfect side profile, and his muscular build accentuated now that hes wearing a fitted t-shirt and jeans instead of his jujutsu high uniform.

Yeah, you’re drooling over your boyfriend. What? It’s not a crime.

“Baby? Baby are you listening? Hello? Earth to y/n?”

Yuuji’s hand waving in front of your face brings you back to reality and you apologise to the boy for ignoring him, albeit not regretting staring at him at all. You grin abashedly as you tell your now pouting boyfriend, “Sorry darling, but really its your fault for looking so sexy and edible.”

His face flushes a warm pink at your words and he pulls you closer by your waist to press a kiss to your hairline. “Say shit like that in public again and we might end up with a problem sweetheart. We wouldn’t want to leave our old teachers hanging now would we?” His voice had dropped to a deep, seductive whisper, sending shivers down your spine.

With his sunshine boy personality, it was easy to forget that Yuuji was inhumanly strong, and a lot less innocent than he appeared on the surface.

The proximity of his face to yours was causing your heart to pound ferociously in your chest, blood rushing to your face, and maybe somewhere else too. His golden eyes shone with mischief and lust, flicking between your eyes and mouth. His grip on your waist tightened as he took his lower lip into his mouth and you had to fight the urge to kiss him senseless in the middle of the street.

“Yuu,” you breathed out, pressing a kiss to his jawline. “We should go or we’ll be extremely late and Kugisaki will never let us live it down.”

He lets out a huff and pouts, but starts walking to the restaurant you were supposed to be at nonetheless.

As soon as you guys enter the restaurant, you’re greeted by over enthusiastic yells by Gojo accompanied by his arms waving in the air to catch your attention.

T/n rises from the their chair and pulls you into an aggressive hug. You laugh as you hug your favourite teacher back, as they repeatedly tell you how pretty you look.

“Sensei, are you trying to steal my girlfriend from me?” Yuuji joked, as he received affectionate but mildly aggressive headpats from Gojo, all while Geto laughed in his seat. All the while, Megumi and Nobara ignored your existence.

“Yeah actually i am. These two aren’t cutting it anymore,” T/n laughs, gesturing to Gojo and Geto, who make gasps of mock offense.

“Thats not what you said last ni-“

Gojo is cut off by his black haired husband getting up and slapping his hand over his mouth. “Not in front of our students, you fool,” he hisses.

You head off to greet Nobara and Megumi as Yuuji chats with your teachers about his upcoming mission.

Megumi looks up disinterestedly from the book he’s reading as you approach. “Hey Thing 1,” he greets. Before you can give him a response to the blatant disrespect, Nobara shoves a Santa cap on your head.

“HO! HO! HO!” you immediately say obnoxiously, taking special care to say it right next to Megumi’s ear. He glares at your triumphant expression and mouths a silent ‘fuck you’.

Sticking your tongue out at him, you slide into the seat next to Yuuji and rest your head on his shoulder. He turns his head, momentarily distracted from the conversation he was having, and smiles at you. That beautiful dazzling smile that leaves you wonderstruck everytime you see it. He wraps an arm around your waist and turns back to his conversation with Geto.

He picks up his drink, condensation around the cold glass, and brings it to his lips. After four years of being together you realise just how attractive you find Yuuji’s hands and arms. They’re muscular and just the right amount of veiny. You’ve always known his hands were attractive, but something about the dim lighting of the restaurant, soft music playing in the background and being pressed against his side that makes you incredibly hyper aware of everything about him.

The rest of the evening passes by with Yuuji hands constantly resting on you, eliciting mock disgusted glares from Megumi, fake retching sounds from Nobara and fond looks from your teachers, who saw their relationship in their younger years in you.

When everyone gets ready to leave, T/n insists on driving “the kids” home. When your teachers’ car pulls up to your apartment complex, you and your boyfriend thank them for the ride and make the way up to your place.

The elevator ride up to your floor is shrouded in comfortable silence, Yuuji’s arms wrapped around your waist from behind, his face tucked into the crook of your neck.

You enter your house a little after midnight, absolutely wiped from the night you had. As fun as it was, keeping up with Gojo and Kugisaki’s energy at the same time could be pretty exhausting.

The small Christmas tree you and Yuuji set up a week ago twinkles away in the corner of the living room as you slip your shoes off. The moment you straighten up after putting away your shoes, Yuuji pulls you into a crushing hug.

“You look so beautiful tonight,” he whispers. “You look beautiful everyday but you looked extra beautiful tonight. You’re the only Christmas gift I need baby,” he continues, all sweet and perfect and you want to cry and kiss his face off.

“Well then, its a pity I bought you the collector’s edition of the Human Earthworm movies,” you grin.

He gasps and before he has a chance to respond, you kiss him.

He responds with just as much enthusiasm, kissing you lovingly, even going as far as to lean you back into a dip.

You laugh contently as you break apart and straighten up, still pressed into his body.

“I love you so much, Yuu.”

“I love you too baby.”

He scoops you up bridal style and carrying you to the bathroom, both of you giggling like middle schoolers. You wash your faces and finish your night routine, smiling at each other and bumping hips.

You settle into the covers with Yuuji pressed against you, your face resting against his chest. His comforting presence was lulling you to sleep. He had always been such a safe space for you, holding you through countless stressful breakdowns.

The last thing you hear before you black out is a soft “Merry Christmas sweetheart, I love you,” followed by a gentle kiss on the crown of your head.

please don’t copy or repost my work

comments and reblogs are appreciated

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dividers by @/saradika

[riririnnnn]

When Bachira was first introduced, I actually didn't quite like his character much.

At a quick first glance, it's not tough to perceive him as the stereotypical quirky best friend/companion character for a protagonist—at least, that's what I judged him to be. Not hating on sunshine characters, but the first thing that came into my mind was, "So cliché." After Ego's such an intense speech, I just didn't appreciate the thought of a character being opposite to the more serious tone of the Manga; felt like pushing a character into the bandwagon of, "Idc if I'm weird, I love being me."

But now if someone were to say that they don't like Bachira, then I give them the most diabolical side-eye to have ever side-eyed in the history of side-eyeing.

I don't know how or maybe Rin was speaking with what he had experienced himself, but he grasped Bachira's character much better and before Isagi did (read left to right):

I didn't think of it much at that time, I just thought Rin was just being all high and mighty, but a small realisation did form in the back of my mind that despite the whole concept/ideal of Blue Lock and being a top notch player himself, Bachira always appeared like he was looking for someone and while others were trying make a goal by themselves in the Team Z, he was passing to Isagi—that's one of the reason I think Ego saw through too, maybe that's why Bachira was in Team Z and not higher.

Panning the focus to his childhood:

Just look at him trying to convince them to play more soccer with him.

*sigh*

He is so precious and my heart nearly broke when those kids were calling him gross and weird:

As someone with Mommy issues, you might not fully understand how much I adore Bachira's mother. Without her, Bachira would've lost himself completely. She is just amazing.

..but:

It was because of her that Bachira was able to continue believing in himself. He didn't want to lose the voice that others lost—that's one of the reasons why I think he made an imaginary friend, his monster, so that he wouldn't forget the voice.

However, amidst everything, he was just.. lonely.

He envisioned his soccer through the image of his monster. It was easier that way, at least, for him. However, he could only see that monster in those who were behind the screens—the actual pro players. That's why he wished to play just like them and to find someone who played soccer like him, understood the 'fun' part of soccer.

He was so lonely..

..and that's when Isagi came:

I'm so sorry to all Isagi x Bachira shipper, but I, sometimes, can't help but low-key despise you guys. I'm not saying all, but many of you have just reduced them to a Twink x Twink ship. I'm not against shipping, ship whoever you want as long as it's morally ethical and you aren't shoving it down my throat, but this ship does overshadows the actual beauty of their relation—their beautiful friendship.

Bachira had already started doubting himself whether he'd ever find someone or not—whether he'd be forever lonely with his soccer or not and that's when Isagi came. That's why Bachira loves Isagi so much—he was his first true friend after all.

Just to clarify again, I'm not against Isagi x Bachira ship and neither do I hate it. Please do not attack me. I'm not trying to shame anyone for shipping them.

I hope @thebluelockroyals, you now understand why I think Bachira has a sad backstory.

Loneliness is awful and the fear of never finding someone who understands you and your love for something you enjoy is heart wrenching. Some might argue that he got a wonderful mother, but sometimes, it's just not enough. Helplessness never sees your comfort—he had her, but he wished for someone who resonated in the same frequency as him.

.

.

.

This face screams, "I ated glass":

Younger!Bachira gives me so much baby fever. God! The cuteness aggression! I'll definitely give my own child the same hairstyle as his.

[dreamwavesexploringreality]

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Chishiya x reader

Based on a request: Reader’s caught in rumours with Niragi while secretly with Chishiya.

--

"Where are you rushing off to, miss?" lamented a distressed Kuina as she rubbed the arm Y/N had bumped into moments earlier due to her hurried pace through the hallways of The Beach.

"Sorry, Kuina, I didn’t see you! Niragi told me to head down to the pool for a while. Apparently, it’s not too crowded right now, and I can enjoy some peace outdoors," Y/N replied, somewhat hurriedly.

"Oh, Niragi again…" Kuina’s feigned arm pain quickly vanished upon hearing Niragi’s name come from her friend’s lips. "You know I’m not too fond of him… But as long as my friend is happy, I’ll accept it!" she concluded with a smile on her face.

Y/N sighed dramatically. She was tired of constantly being paired with Niragi, but she had learned, through harsh experience, that it was impossible to change her friend’s mindset. Besides, it wasn’t entirely bad that people believed she was involved with the high-ranking militant. Y/N couldn’t deny the advantages it had brought her, like avoiding sleazy men with dirty intentions or gaining a certain prestige at The Beach.

Yes, it was true that she had felt somewhat uncomfortable at first, especially when she realized Niragi seemed to enjoy the confusion of others and took advantage of it to act more affectionate than usual: an arm over her shoulder, sharing his drink, or even referring to her as "his girl" in front of others. But Niragi was just Niragi, and Y/N knew it. She knew him since she could remember. She didn’t recall how that man, who was a boy at the time, had come into her life to stay, but suddenly he was in all her photo albums, and before she knew it, they were two young adults about to start college. Niragi had been her confidant, her friend, a shoulder to lean on… her everything. And she thought she had been that for him too.

It was a huge shock to find him in that place, almost by chance. After a particularly bloody game that had left her reeling from blood loss, Niragi appeared like a shadow in the darkness, and it wasn’t until a few days later, waking up in a comfortable hotel bed, that she recognized the man who had been part of her life for so many years. It didn’t take long for them to catch up, and surprisingly, Y/N understood, as no one else had, the character her friend had become fixated on playing. After all, she had been a close witness to Niragi’s darkest moments.

Everything seemed to be going well until a certain blonde crossed her path. Y/N had seen him wandering the hotel halls from time to time, even catching him a few times observing the world from the rooftop. He reminded her of a cat, that was the first thing she thought. Always so stealthy, so mysterious, as if he was constantly on a mission that he didn’t care about… but it wasn’t until that game that she glimpsed the nature of that man in all its glory. A strategic player, no doubt, confident, and even somewhat arrogant. His arrogance, however, had saved them that night during the sword game, and as amazed as she was by the man’s quick thinking, and somewhat shaken after her near-death experience, she couldn’t help but approach him.

Y/N remembered that night as the night when everything started. She introduced herself to him with a timid, blood-and-dirt-stained face and made sure to thank him for saving them all that night. She remembered how he looked at her, with a mischievous glint in his eyes and a shadow of unease in his gaze. Y/N would later learn that people at The Beach didn’t associate with him and that he was considered one of the best sword players around, known for successfully solving extreme mental challenges and never hesitating to sacrifice whatever and whomever for one more night of survival. He introduced himself as Chishiya.

She remembered how upset Niragi was when she told him, blushing and stammering, about her new friendship with the blonde. He had assured her that Chishiya wasn’t a good man, that he would take advantage and then discard her like a used piece when he couldn’t get any more out of her. Y/N ignored her friend’s warnings, and her relationship with Chishiya unexpectedly flourished.

The blonde man had never thought he would experience love in his life, let alone in a place like this. But when, later on, he saw Y/N’s life hanging by a thread in a game, he knew he couldn’t live without her and, indeed, against all odds, he was in love. Yet, going against what his heart longed to do, he never declared his feelings, driven by an irrational fear of rejection or a logical dread of losing her in that dangerous world. Even though they weren’t officially a couple, they had shared certain moments that they kept secret in the deepest corners of their hearts: conversations in their rooms late into the night, hands intertwined furtively, or even a few kisses on the cheek in the privacy of the dark. It was a tacit understanding between them: they knew they felt something for each other, but neither was willing to take the first step to clarify the situation. Y/N, in any case, didn’t think it was necessary; after all, they seemed to be fine as they were, and Chishiya thought the same. Until she was seen with Niragi.

Niragi knew about Y/N’s feelings for the other man long before Chishiya understood the closeness between the two. The rifle-wielding man did not hesitate to act when he noticed the frown on the blonde’s face due to his inexplicable proximity to Y/N. They were at the bar; Kuina and Y/N liked to enjoy The Beach’s party atmosphere from time to time, and although Chishiya didn’t share that sentiment, he had no choice but to join the party when he found himself alone in his room, unable to sleep and yearning for the presence of the woman who made him feel what he had never dared to feel. But when he went down to the pool, the scene he encountered couldn’t have been more different from what he had expected. There was Y/N at the bar, ordering a drink and unexpectedly close to the man he considered one of his rivals at The Beach. Chishiya watched with concealed surprise as Niragi smiled maliciously at him while crossing gazes, all the while putting his arm around the girl’s shoulders and whispering something in her ear, never dropping his seductive demeanor. Chishiya was about to approach under the pretext of ruining Niragi’s flirtation, pulling Y/N out of a potentially uncomfortable situation with the groping, intrusive man, but his intentions were thwarted when, to his horror, Y/N returned the smile to the pierced man, nodding at whatever he had said. Such proximity, Y/N’s comfort in that man’s arms… it couldn’t be faked, and as he was about to turn and leave, a somewhat drunk Kuina, clutching a drink tightly, approached him to deliver the final blow.

"Aren’t they adorable?"

Had Chishiya allowed himself to be more human that night, he would have gone to the bar to get drunk, which was what his senses were urging him to numb the unknown pain that had settled in his chest. But he wasn’t like that. Instead, he went to his room and decided that night to end the volatile situation between him and the girl.

That same night, Y/N couldn’t get Chishiya out of her mind, and no matter how much she danced with Niragi or Kuina, or drank a cocktail or two, the image of the blonde kept coming back to her thoughts. She decided, that same night, to end the indefinite situation between her and the man. And that was exactly what she did.

The morning after the party, still suffering from the consequences of alcohol and dancing, she showed up at Chishiya’s door. She knocked twice and waited, with her heart racing in her throat. For a moment, she thought about how bad of an idea it was, but before she could even turn around and run back to her room, the door opened. A half-asleep Chishiya stood in the doorway, cursing himself internally for not asking earlier who was knocking. When his brain told him that this was the moment to end everything and spare himself more pain, his arms stretched out, pulling the girl into an intimate and affectionate embrace, trying to communicate everything he didn’t dare to say aloud. And so, another day, their relationship stayed afloat, unspoken.

Y/N spoke to him that same morning, while they were having breakfast together in his room, about her closeness with Niragi. She didn’t explain the origin of their close bond, as Niragi had almost begged her not to disclose anything about their past. Chishiya swallowed all his questions and showed disinterest in the information Y/N was sharing, which was a relief for the girl, wrongly interpreting that the blonde didn’t mind or even care about her affairs with Niragi. That morning, however, she left Chishiya’s room wearing her characteristic white sweatshirt. He had insisted that she take it with the excuse that her bikini was wet and that if she got sick, she wouldn’t be able to perform well enough to survive the game that night.

Niragi couldn’t help but laugh when he heard his friend explain why she was wearing that garment, and a whole elaborate plan began to make sense in his mind as he realized it was the perfect opportunity to irritate the man he despised so much.

"Earth to Y/N…" Kuina

She was still standing in the middle of the hallway. "Weren’t you in such a hurry to see your 'friend'?" she said, making exaggerated quotation marks with her hands.

"Oh yes, I got distracted," Y/N said, snapping out of her thoughts.

"Go on! Don’t keep him waiting!" urged Kuina, almost pushing her out of the hotel.

Indeed, just as Niragi had assured her, there weren’t many people at the pool; it was the perfect time to lie on a lounge chair, relax, clear her mind, and let herself be carried away by the muted sounds of the hotel. But Niragi had a different idea. When he saw Y/N arriving, he was already in the water, aggressively pushing some of The Beach’s inhabitants aside to make his way to the shore.

"Where have you been? People are going to start arriving; it was much emptier before!" scolded the pierced man.

"I got distracted," Y/N apologized as she entered the pool, hissing from the temperature.

Niragi didn’t take long to approach her and wrap her in an embrace that, for everyone present, could easily be mistaken for an act of love and tenderness.

"Did you get distracted with that idiot?" the man reprimanded her.

"No, smartass. I was chatting with Kuina," Y/N replied.

"The blonde’s little friend… I don’t like her either," Niragi sighed.

"You don’t like anyone," the girl laughed.

"Only you," the man almost whispered with a mocking smile, bringing his face closer to hers in a flirtatious act.

Y/N laughed, pulling away from him and creating space between their bodies. No matter how much she cared for Niragi, she still felt uncomfortable with actions like that, so direct and invasive.

Suddenly, a flood of people arrived at the pool, accompanied by screams and shouts. Everyone seemed so happy; Y/N was still surprised by how deluded everyone was in that place. The pool quickly filled with moving bodies, splashing and spilling alcoholic drinks. With Niragi’s help, Y/N was able to leave the pool and get away from the crowd. Niragi closely followed her to one of the few lounge chairs that remained free after the sudden arrival of the Beach’s residents. He violently pushed away the man resting peacefully on the adjacent lounge chair. However, people kept arriving in droves until even lying on the lounge chair with her eyes closed was not enough for Y/N to relax. The place had become overcrowded in a matter of minutes, as if everyone at the Beach had sobered up at the same time and was flocking to get their new dose of happiness.

"Niragi, let’s go. I’m overwhelmed by so many people," Y/N declared, getting up from her spot.

"Alright, but know that if you had come earlier, this wouldn’t have happened," he reproached her.

They both got up and headed towards the pool exit, but it was more complicated than expected. Although Niragi barked at anyone blocking their way and pushed roughly against those who were too close, the crowd kept coming, and everyone seemed to be going in the opposite direction of where Niragi and Y/N were trying to move.

Given this, they should have anticipated the possibility of an incident. In a matter of seconds, a strong arm collided directly with Y/N’s side, causing her to lose her balance. The slippery and sticky floor didn’t help stabilize her, and the entanglement of feet and legs around her offered no secure grip. Within moments, Y/N found herself dangerously close to the pool’s edge. She braced herself to close her eyes and hold her breath, expecting the imminent contact with the water. However, it never came.

When Y/N reopened her eyes, she noticed a strong grip on her forearm holding her steady. With a pull, she was yanked away from the edge of the pool and brought closer to a firm, defined body. Y/N looked up from her position, pressed against his chest. Niragi.

"Are you an idiot? You almost threw her into the water! You’re going to regret this!" she heard the man roar at a young guy who had paled upon realizing who he had almost pushed into the water: Niragi’s girl.

Y/N turned her gaze to see the commotion in the crowd as people witnessed Niragi’s fury. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw a rather unsubtle and mischievous smile from her friend, just a few steps from the door. Kuina was holding a straw between her lips, which she seemed to nervously chew while suppressing her usual happy squeals. But what really surprised Y/N was the presence beside the woman. Chishiya stood with his arms crossed, wearing his usual sweatshirt, his brow furrowed.

Y/N didn’t have time to react when Niragi decided that those poor souls had had enough of his scolding and proceeded to drag Y/N, gripping her arm tightly, toward the exit and directly to the couple watching them, each with very different emotions displayed on their faces. Niragi advanced ruthlessly, passing in front of Kuina and Chishiya without noticing their presence. This was quite common for the man, as his rage clouded his mind when he was angry, making him oblivious to his surroundings. He would have continued dragging the girl behind him if not for a firm hand gripping his wrist. Niragi prepared to confront whoever dared to stop him when he realized who the culprit was. Chishiya had a tight grip on the man’s wrist, his knuckles starting to turn white. Kuina, beside him, looked on with evident surprise, while Y/N, still not fully recovered from the earlier scare, tried unsuccessfully to free herself from Niragi’s grip.

"Let her go," Chishiya growled in a low voice that Y/N had never heard before.

A sarcastic laugh escaped Niragi’s mouth, tightening his grip even more if possible.

"And why would I do that, huh?" he challenged.

"I know you know Y/N is mine—"

Kuina’s eyes widened, and she turned her head to look at Y/N with a thousand questions. Y/N, for her part, looked at Chishiya with surprise etched on her face. She felt her heart stop for a moment before it started beating even more forcefully and vigorously. She briefly wondered if she might have fallen and hit her head hard enough to be hallucinating. She snapped out of her daze when she felt Chishiya’s arm take her hand and pull her toward him. Niragi’s eyes filled with fury at seeing the other man’s gesture, and releasing his grip on the girl’s arm, he violently shoved the blonde man. Chishiya staggered slightly, surprised by the sudden attack but quickly regained his composure, lifting his head in a challenging manner.

Y/N acted quickly, stepping between the two men and separating them with a hand on each of their chests.

"Both of you, stop. Niragi, go. We’ll talk later," she said firmly.

Niragi looked at her incredulously, but when he met the girl’s determined eyes, he decided to comply, not without giving Chishiya a look of deep hatred and making a defiant gesture.

When Niragi had disappeared through the door, Y/N looked at Chishiya, who was already looking back at her.

"So, yours, huh?" she asked with a hint of amusement, trying to hide a slight tremor in her voice.

A small excited squeal was heard. Kuina. Y/N had completely forgotten that the girl was there watching. The girl and… all the people at the pool. Embarrassment coursed through Y/N’s body, and she pulled Chishiya towards the interior of the hotel, both of them entering the Main Lounge.

"Did it bother you?" Chishiya dared to ask. "The part about claiming you as mine…" he clarified.

"No," Y/N declared. "It’s just that I… wasn’t sure what terms we were on," she said, looking away from him.

The light touch of fingers on her chin made her look up, meeting Chishiya’s gentle gaze.

"Well, I guess now the whole Beach knows what terms we’re on," he whispered with a smile on his face.

Y/N felt the man bring his face closer to hers and involuntarily directed her gaze to his lips, moistening them in a spontaneous act. The next thing she felt was his lips meeting hers, moving in sync with special attention as he kept holding her chin carefully. She closed her eyes and let herself be carried away by the moment, which couldn’t compare even to her most vivid dreams. She savoured that instant as if her life depended on it, understanding that things were going to be different from then on, and a smile reflected on her face as she thought, for the first time since arriving in Borderlands, about the future. Of course, with her eyes closed, Y/N never saw the man watching with fury from the upper balcony of the lounge, nor did she see how Chishiya’s eyes briefly shifted to that place while a cynical smile appeared on his face. The message? Clear and concise: She was his girl, and he wasn’t willing to let anyone think otherwise.

© 2024 [@dreamwavesexploringreality]

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I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it! 😊

Your feedback means the world to me, so I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. 💬 If there’s a topic you’re curious about or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop a comment.

Thanks for visiting my blog! 🌟

[wanderfan2000]

WOY Treading 27th - June 2024 “What gives you the motivation for not giving up on Wander Over Yonder?”

Oh, boy, where do I begin? 

First of all, I can say without a doubt, Wander Over Yonder is one of my favorite Disney cartoons! Plus, it turned me into a huge Jack McBrayer fan. NTM, I’ve herd Jack’s voice before, thanks to two lovable characters I obsessed with a lot when I was a kid… 

My first Jack McBrayer role I was introduced to was Irving from Phineas and Ferb. Trust me, ever since I encountered this character, I wanted to watch all the episodes he appeared in and boy, I couldn’t get enough of this guy! It led me to become a huge fan of Irving as well as a fan of Fix-it-Felix Jr. from Wreak-it-Ralph. I even remember back in early 2013, me and my mom were watching WIR in my bedroom on my mini-screen flat TV, and the moment I herd Felix spoke, I kept going, “That’s Irving!”  But whenever I encountered Wander, I knew this would be a show that I’d grown to love and cherish as many, many other WOY fans. And I’m also awaiting the big day will get to see the S3 Craig McCracken and his hard working crew will come together to give this universe and all of us in the fandom one final send off! 

When I think of things to keep me motivated for Wander Over Yonder, here are some few things that come to mind: 

The T-Shirts. 

I love wearing T-Shirts with Wander on them along with him and Sylvia. Also, I even have a shirt that has The Phantomime. The Wander t-shirts are my favorites because I love wearing one of them I own every day! They make me happy. Plus, it helps me remember this wonderful show and character too.  The Fanart. 

I’ve drawn TONS of WOY fanart over the years, even crossover artwork. I love drawing Wander, Sylvia, both of them together, or just various other characters from the show. And, everyone knows by now that I also have a crazy obsession with drawing fanart of The Lonely Planet and The Heebie Jeebies. (Trust me, I draw a LOT of drawings based on these two episodes 24.7.) 

Here is some WOY artwork that I’ve drawn: 

(My style has certainly changed since 2014.) 

But aside my drawings, another thing that keeps me motivated for Wander is…

The Rewatching. 

I LOVE watching WOY on Disney+. I remembered beginning to start binge watching the entire series while at a friends house one day. It felt like visiting old friends again. Loads of months later, I got through the entire series, it was a fantastic experience. I never thought that this show brought back so many memories for me and it certainly did, and I LOVED IT!!  The Fan Made Merchandise. 

Even though Disney won’t give us merchandise for the show, (unless you count WOY being in Disney’s Personalized Shop on DisneyStore.com.) the fan made merchandise that the fans make is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! I’ve collected fan T-shirts, thanks to Redbubble, I have a WOY mouse pad, a WOY iPad case with Wander on the front: 

A huge shelf containing my WOY collection, including the Craig McCracken 2007 Wander Sketchbook as well as a signed transcript of The Greatest and The Egg signed by Jack McBrayer, also, I have a signed picture of Jack as Kenneth Parcell from 30 Rock: 

And let’s not forget my Wander plushie:

I’ve loved him since the day I got him back in 2015. But that’s another story.  As a Wanderer myself, I will still keep WOY alive and well with my fanart, my collection, my screenshots I take of the show, my crossovers I make and my posts I post about on Tumblr about this Wanderful show until Disney decides to give Craig McCracken another chance at it so that he can end Wander HIS way! 

And until that happens…

We are here. 

We are waiting.  #SaveWOY #FinishWOY

[iu-jjang]

[INTERVIEW] 230422 The Big Issue Korea <#DREAM> Special Edition - Full Translation

Movie <Dream> IU

In a recent episode of ‘IU’s Palette’, Yoo Inna, who was a guest on the YouTube show, introduced her best friend IU as ‘a child who is like a bead that God made delicately and rolled down to the world’. A bead so precious that In Na would always ask IU to get home safely every time she drove the younger home in case she gets hurt. Someone who is like a bead made by all the precious talents gathered together, and now the bead grows so solid that it never breaks under any friction and shines as it moves here and there.

When celebrities had rarely graced the cover of <Big Issue> since the magazine started its publication, IU became a cover model and empowered it.

This time, IU plays a documentary producer ‘So Min’ in <Dream>, a movie based on the true story of individuals who sell Big Issue magazines for a living and try out for the Homeless World Cup. When IU received the script, she gasped “Oh, it’s Big Issue” with delight and sent her regards first. Although So Min, IU’s character in Lee Byeong Heon’s movie <Dream>, describes herself as someone ‘passionless’, she is in fact a bright and tenacious person who wants to give her best more than anyone else. IU liked the pure side of So Min and said that thinking about this movie reminded her of the sound of cheery laughter and filming in May.

Q1. You mentioned in an interview before that you “always had a destination in mind, but nowadays, for the first time, you’re enjoying an itinerary without a destination”. How is it like for you now?

IU: I rarely have the time to think about what state I’m in these days. For now, my break has come to an end. (Laughs) I have to shoot a new drama and I’m preparing for a new album, so I’ve been super busy. Each day, after completing the tasks given to me for the day, I ask, “What’s the next mission?” and I’m simply focused only my work.

Q2. You mentioned on YouTube that “if 2022 was a period of rest, then this year would be a period of running (t/l note: being busy). It seems the start of your busy period is the movie <Dream>.

IU: I think the staff and actors have been counting down to the release of <Dream>. The same goes for me too. Everyone dispersed after filming ended, but once the release date was announced, everyone’s like, ‘What? We need to gather again?’ and met once again. Many actors were involved in the show, so the groupchats were suddenly bustling once again and everyone was cheering each other on.

Q3. This movie is IU’s first full-length film. How was director Lee Byeong Heon on the set?

IU: There was an overlap with the filming of <Broker>. We started filming <Dream> first, followed by <Broker>, but we continued filming for <Dream> even after that. In terms of the timeline, <Broker> was filmed within <Dream>. For <Dream>, there were distinct characteristics of director Lee Byeong Heon at the filming set. A question I often asked the senior actors while filming was, “Are filming sets usually like that?” (Laughs) He’s someone with a clear blueprint in his mind and would say, ‘Ok, cut’ with certainty.

Q4. Was it tough getting used to working together with the team quickly?

IU: I recall what it was like filming at the start.

In the film, it’s the scene when So Min makes her first appearance and I deliberated over whether to do it this way or that way and prepared a lot before I went. I gave myself mental preparation that there was long dialogue, so the filming would probably end late. But we started filming at 9am and we were done before lunch. If we capture the image that the director has in mind, the filming is done quickly. This speed is rare when filming a drama, so even when I heard them say that the filming ended, I asked, “Are you sure we are done filming?” I’m someone who takes awhile to warm up to others, so I was being cowardly initially. Also, Seojoon-ssi is very flexible and someone with an amazing ability to adapt to any environment. Hence, at the start I felt worried that I was lagging behind in my ability to work together with the rest. The filming set was fast-paced, filled with certainty, bustling and enjoyable. As a delightful movie, having filmed <Dream> in summer, it left me with a ‘green’ impression. Personally for me, it is a movie that lightened my mood too.

Q5. Director Lee Byeong Hyeon tends to write lines that are not used in daily conversation, but show an individual’s character. In particular, So Min’s lines have the clearest signs of being written by director Lee Byeong Hyeon.

IU: I memorised all my lines, but I also felt pressured to go along with the rhythm of the film. During the start of the filming, the director suggested that I speak three times faster than my usual speed. He read out So Min’s lines and I thought right then, ‘Ah, so this is So Min!’, which helped me to find the vibe. The director was clear about what he wanted, so this was a piece of work that I pounded at the stone bridge that was the director to cross over. In a way, it’s a production that I received the most help from the director.

Q6. What was it about <Dream> that appealed to you?

IU: I received the script for <Dream> after <My Mister> and <Hotel del Luna> ended. Shall I say that I was kind of tired of playing characters with stories behind them one after another? I felt like acting as a character without a story and Somin in <Dream> was someone with the least story to her. I think I was waiting for a simple character like this back then. So Min acts instinctively, says right away what she thinks and is someone who is exactly the way she looks. I like that So Min doesn’t have a plot in mind and I think I figured out right away what kind of person she is.

Q7. So Min describes herself as someone who “while receiving passion pay (t/l note: unpaid internship), her passion matches up to the pay.” (t/l note: This basically means she’s passionless.)

IU: She’s a child with a good social skillls, such as how to give a fake smile (putting on a smile for show), or faking her behaviour depending on the situation. But she’s basically a really cheerful and tenacious person. I felt that she would have been more passionate than anyone else in the past. She faced the world with her burning passion, but was disregarded and felt hurt, which made her rather cynical. To defend herself from being hurt again, she thinks to herself, ‘Alright, I’ll just do what I need to do and live in moderation.’ I felt that’s the mentality she had. In the film, So Min gives us the feeling that ‘It’s alright to do just this much. Let’s just do a rough job of it.’ Yet if you look more carefully, she’s actually working really hard. (Laughs) I felt that she’s someone who must have been really serious about her work in the past.

Q8. So Min reminded me of your YouTube character, Lee Ji Dong, since her role is that of a company intern.

IU: Lee Ji Dong basically finds any work really annoying. “You’re asking me to do that? I have to do that?” (Laughs) I listened to stories shared by my friends and unnies about their work life and often used that as a reference for Lee Ji Dong.

Q9. So Min often has a towel hanging around her neck. How did you get the idea for such an appearance?

IU: During shoots for variety shows, I noticed that the producers would wear towels around their necks like this, as well as comfortable attire and clothes that would absorb sweat well. I was thinking what kind of clothes to wear to film well at a futsal practice court and since So Min isn’t a PD with special equipment, I thought perhaps a cap or a towel. A short-sleeved tee, with arm sleeves (t/l note: for sun protection) and a towel around the neck. I suggested this to the director who said it was good, so I had my towel or arm sleeves with me on the filming set all the time.

Q10. So it was your idea. Just like how singer IU is the overall planner for your concerts and producing your albums, actress IU also enters the plans for the production team and becomes a part of the big picture.

IU: That’s the biggest difference when I’m being a singer and being an actress. As a singer, I often take the lead at the set, whereas for dramas and films, there’s a captain for me to trust and follow. I become one of the team members. That sense of belonging feels great.

Q11. You said that you gain something from each production you work on, so what did <Dream> leave you with this time?

IU: Not to rely too much on what I came prepared with. (Laughs) You never know what will happen on the set and the way everyone works together might be different from what I had imagined. Due to the weather, an outdoor shoot might become an indoor shoot. I learnt that I had to react quickly to adjust to those changes. Watching the other actors flexibly deal with each take right away, I was motivated with the thought, ‘Amazing. I want to be able to do that too.’ I didn’t have much experience in comedy acting, so it was unfamiliar for me to cooperate with others on that. So I worked hard to catch up with the other senior actors. In particular, Seo Joon-ssi is a very flexible actor who left me amazed. Seo Joon-ssi became the perfect ‘Hongdae’ who annoyed me into giving reactions right away. (Laughs) At the filming set, there were things requested of us every now and then, but Seo Joon-ssi was able to flexibly pull it off. He’s an actor who made me want to become more flexible too.

Q12. You said before that you’re not someone who ad-libs on the set. You’re the type to stick closely to the script. Even so, are there any parts that were added to the script when So Min met IU?

IU: I discussed a lot with the director about the props to wbe used. Umm, I think out of the productions I’ve participated in, this is the one that I followed the director’s opinions most faithfully. Other people would be suggesting this and that, but eventually, the director’s idea would be the best. (Laughs) ‘After trying this and that, eventually the director’s idea is still the best!’ Because of that, there was barely any projection of my own ideas at the set.

Q13. From <Dream>’s Lee Byeong Heon director, to <My Mister>’s Park Hae Young writer and currently, <You’ve Worked Hard>’s Im Sang Choon writer, as well as <Broker>’s Koreeda Hirokazu director, you’ve worked with many outstanding storytellers. What does an ‘attractive story’ mean to you?

IU: Umm, for a start, if the character I’m given is someone I can’t identify with at all, that’s going to be difficult. It has to be within the category that no matter what, I’ll be like, ‘Ah, I know this feeling’, for me to be able to stretch out my hand for it. Whether my character is good or bad doesn’t matter, but I’m not confident in roles that are too bright or overly negative, so I have turned them down before. But the range within this is not narrow either. I’ve been lucky to be able to work with really outstanding writers and directors and what attracted me to their works was also that there were parts I found that I could relate to. Outstanding writers can write about a broad spectrum of human emotions, philosophies and thoughts. I think out of the proposals I receive, I find characters that those with individuality and three-dimensionality tend to appeal to me.

Q14. Is there any particular theme you really want to try that comes to your mind these days?

IU: I mentioned in a previous interview about floating. Without a particular set destination in mind, even if my direction yesterday and today are different, it doesn’t matter and I just want to maintain being in a drifting state. My personality is such that if I decide to do something, I work really hard to achieve it. That might have limited me within those confines at times. I’ve relaxed my state a lot now and want to be more flexible.

Q15. Is there a sentence that touched you, or a sentence or memo you wrote that you feel describes you?

IU: Hold on. (Searches for her phone) Ah, here it is. It’s about a drifting spore. I’m currently writing a song based on this sentence, “She has decided to live as a spore instead of a flower.” The last thing I wrote… let me read it to you. “I just want to tickle the wind and fly now (nareullae). I just want to be myself now (naillae).” That’s what I wrote.

(t/l note: The last part rhymes.)

Q16. After filming for <Broker>, you donated to the Single Mothers’ Family Association and you’ve been regularly making donations every year. Also, at the end of the videos on your YouTube channel, there’s an advertisement for missing children with IU’s voice. What brought you to do all these?

IU: As long as it’s within my abilities, I would like to volunteer and donate more, but currently, I can’t do more than what I have done, which makes me feel sorry at times too. My mum likes to help others too, so I spoke to her a lot as well. For today’s <Big Issue> cover photoshoot, I also told my company since the start of filming for <Dream> that I really wanted to shoot something for <Big Issue>. When I took part in the cover photoshoot 11 years ago, I roughly knew <Big Issue> was a magazine with good intentions, but didn’t understand it as much as I do now. I found out afterwards that it’s really a magazine made with a big heart and found out that the company has been helping the homeless all along, so I thought to myself that I had to come back here again some day.

Also, when I first read the script for <Dream>, because I knew about <Big Issue>, I was feeling happy inside. (Laughs) I thought to myself then that when this movie is about to be released, I had to do something related to the <Big Issue> magazine. As I get older, I also wonder what’s the point of hiding my talents. (Laughs) I can help by singing too. I think it’s great that my actions can help others. When I do so, my fans volunteer at the places I’ve been to as well. I didn’t ask them to do so, but I think it’s really cool when I see them doing so together. I think of such things as ‘things we do together’. (t/l note: IUAENA 🙌🏻)

Q17. Uaena (IU’s fanclub) is famous for volunteering and donating frequently too right?

IU: I didn’t suggest to them to do so, but they did so by themselves. (Laughs) I do it of my personal accord, but I can’t place the burden on my fans to do so. My fans tell me, “We do it too because IU does it.” It is not easy either to put one’s mind to do so. It seems I’m competing with my fans for a good purpose. (Laughs)

Q18. You seem to have a fond and special relationship with your fans. (Laughs)

IU: That’s right. I think the culture and atmosphere of fandom is really precious. We don’t take each other for granted. Ever since the beginning when we formed the fanclub until now, it has been the same. Let’s not take each other for granted. Always be grateful to each other. That’s the kind of feeling we have.

Q19. You mentioned before that you really enjoyed the first year of your 30s. What are your plans for this year?

IU: There are lots of things that I’m working on right now, so I’m just spending each day completing my tasks for the day. When I complete my tasks properly and feel satisfied, it puts me in a good mood.

Q20. Could you share with us more about the drama <You’ve Worked Hard> which you are currently filming?

IU: Umm, I play Ae Soon, a girl who lives on Jeju. I think it’ll tell the story of a long time period. We just started filming and I’m impressed by the props, art and directing teams that brought the script to life. I’m so proud to be part of this project filled with delicate touches.

Q21. The title of this movie is <Dream>. What’s your dream currently?

IU: I hope the movie does well. (Laughs) I don’t have big dreams usually. Rather than setting a big goal, I’m the type to attain anticipated goals at each point in time. My current goal is for this movie to bring joy to many people. I remember laughing a lot while filming <Dream> in the verdant field. It was so fun on the set that it felt like we were filming <The Game Caterers> every week. I hope those who watch the movie will enjoy a fresh sense of enjoyment.

Translated by IUteamstarcandy with love

[nobody7102]

Normally I don’t post shit like this but it’s come to my attention that some people A) Don’t know how to have a civil discussion and B) Don’t know how to hate on characters without hating on actors(unless the actors actually have done something to deserve it)

(This is a targeted post)

Everyone is allowed to have opinions, in the US that’s the whole fucken point of the first amendment. HOWEVER, when you do clearly use that for your points without any regard for other people’s opinions and belittle others for their opinions that’s when you become hypocritical and the issues start.

You can dislike characters that’s fine, but unnecessarily hate on the actors who’ve done nothing wrong is different(separate Actors from Characters!)

You post your own opinion yet you have no respect or regard for other people. You ignore the valid evidence and reasons others try to show you and spew utter bullshit when actually asked for valid reasons for the hate you give.

We understand, you have so much hatred and disrespect towards anyone that isn’t Matt Murdock/Charlie Cox. The double standard you have are amazing, truly.

Normally I’m not one to police in the Marvel fandom because lord knows so many people already do it but when you spew so much bullshit to the point where I can’t tell your mouth from your asshole, then yeah I’m gonna say something about it.

A) First and foremost leave actors/character’s appearance out of the conversation/equation when you try to make a point. As soon as you bring up how “ugly” someone is you’ve fucken lost, apperence is never a valid/good argument (regardless how “ugly” a character or actor may be)

B) You get so pressed when other fans/people express their love for characters/actors(EX: Foggy Nelson and Karen Page) yet you expect people not to get pressed whe. You show hatred for the character and their IRL counterparts? How the fuck dose that work?

Again I’m not normally one to say “oh that’s not comic accurate” or “go look at the comic/have you even read the comics” bc lord knows I don’t read all the comics, but when you show so much disregard not only for the people/actors who provide you with the content/storylines you are so blatantly scrutinizing I’m gonna be a little bit of a gatekeeper.

Foggy Nelson was the whole reason “Nelson and Murdock” was even a thing to begin with. Foggy was Matt’s only friend until Karen was introduced, he has kept Matt on his feet and out of so much fucken trouble. Without Foggy who the fuck knows where Matt would be.

Karen Page was their first case. Without Karen “Nelson and Murdock” would have ended after they left “Landman and Zach” because they weren’t getting cases. Yes Karen is an amazing investigative journalist, she is the reason we/the public know everything we do about Wilson Fisk. Sure she didn’t “earn” her job at the Bulliten but she sure as shit proved that she deserved to be there.

Not to mention Season 3 Episode 13, Titled “A New Napkin”: after Fisks incarceration Foggy, Karen and Matt sit down in “Nelson’s Meats” and Foggy writes down “Nelson, Murdock and Page” implying that Karen will/wants to become a lawyer or at least help further in some way other than just being an assistant/office manager.

Foggy and Karen helped shape Matt as a character. Don’t disregard their efforts.

Yes character make stupid decisions all the fucking time: the whole point of the show is showing Matt Murdock being a fucking dumbass as he saves the city/Hells Kitchen.

But Matt isn’t the only character that saves the city, sure he does by being a vigilante but Karen and Foggy help the people of the city by being a voice for them as well as with how they help Matt.

Don’t even try to belittle actors because without actors you wouldn’t even have shit to shove in your mouth. The actors are fucking phenomenal so don’t belittle their work because I know you wouldn’t want someone to belittle your work. (Also Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson are fucken hot)

Yes everyone is allowed to have their opinions.

But if you disregard THE SOURCE MATERIAL of the effort which you hate upon as well as the efforts of the actors/people who provid you with the content, AND show so much disrespect towards them and other fans. You loose that right the moment you become a bitter bitch about everything.

There is so much evidence that proves how vital Karen and Foggy are to Daredevil/Matt’s story.

Just because they’re small parts doesn’t mean that their efforts are.

(Also quick edit: Elektra is “dead” her not coming back isn’t racially motivated(coming from an Asian American I can speech first hand about expressing racial motivations) it’s The Hand preparing her for rebirth and to come back as Black Sky, calm the fuck down. Not to mention: ELODIE YUNG’S CAREER IS GROWING! She had other projects and priorities currently(yes they could recast her but I’m sure she’s probably open to coming back) she has her new show on Fox, and she’s very clearly invested in other things currently)

[lonelier-version-of-you]

Well, we got one brilliant episode of Casualty tonight!

I wasn't really sure what it was exactly going to be like when I first read about the concept of it featuring segments with real-life NHS medics, but I was happy to give it a chance because many of my favourite episodes of Casualty (and Holby) have been format-breaking in some way - and I'm glad I did, because as it turns out, it was amazing. Much like the improvised paramedic special a few months ago that I also loved, despite not being sure about the idea at first.

And this episode had two things going for it for me from the off: Faith Cadogan didn't feature, and Eli Ebrahimi was in it. I love Eli.

Seriously, getting Eli back, even if only for this episode, was absolutely wonderful. I didn't realise how much I've missed him! I'd be more than happy for him to stay on Casualty forever, haha. I'm glad he got more to do than I thought he would - when it was about halfway through the episode and he hadn't shown up yet, I was worried we'd only get to see him briefly, so I was so pleased he turned out to have quite a big role to play in the storyline.

I am a bit sad he didn't get scenes with Dylan. I would've loved to see them interact - as someone who firmly believes Eli is autistic, I'd love for him to form a friendship with Dylan. But seeing him get scenes with Stevie was just as good, because I love them both! And besides, he could quite easily come back again sometime and get scenes with Dylan then.

Given Eli was introduced once... well, once Holby felt to me like patient storylines weren't particularly centred or focused on that often... it was wonderful getting to see him being a doctor once again tonight. The scene where Yasmin hugged him for saving Amartya was so sweet.

Eli was one of the Holby characters I most wanted to cross over to Casualty - he hasn't got too much 'storyline baggage', so to speak, with him like many of the long-running characters would (A.K.A, why I'd never want Henrik to appear), and also I just happen to love him as a character and think Davood Ghadami is a great actor. So yeah, I was very happy this happened.

I appreciated the various characters featuring tonight - I'm glad Donna got a lot to do, because she's perfect for this sort of episode. (She was wonderful in Holby's NHS anniversary episode in 2018 as well.) Jaye Jacobs was as fantastic as ever, and I loved Donna's interactions with Yasmin.

Stevie's scenes were wonderful as well. Again, the way she interacted with Yasmin was so lovely - it was great to see Stevie really show her comforting side.

Even characters I normally don't like much, like Iain or Ryan, were excellent tonight! I loved Iain staying by Amartya's side for as long as he could, and Ryan helping his patient Dorothy celebrate.

Dylan and Stevie chatting about movies was fantastic. I've wanted Dylan and Stevie to become friends for a while, because I think they have quite a bit in common, so seeing them get on like this was great for me.

I thought the way the real-life commentary was used was done very well. It wasn't overdone, but there wasn't too little of it either. It was just right! :)

So, yes, I really liked this episode. Yay for Casualty, yay for the NHS, and yay for Eli Ebrahimi! ;)

[iuteamstarcandy]

[INTERVIEW] 230422 The Big Issue Korea <#DREAM> Special Edition

Movie <Dream> IU

In a recent episode of ‘IU’s Palette’, Yoo Inna, who was a guest on the YouTube show, introduced her best friend IU as ‘a child who is like a bead that God made delicately and rolled down to the world’. A bead so precious that In Na would always ask IU to get home safely every time she drove the younger home in case she gets hurt. Someone who is like a bead made by all the precious talents gathered together, and now the bead grows so solid that it never breaks under any friction and shines as it moves here and there.

When celebrities had rarely graced the cover of <Big Issue> since the magazine started its publication, IU became a cover model and empowered it.

This time, IU plays a documentary producer ‘So Min’ in <Dream>, a movie based on the true story of individuals who sell Big Issue magazines for a living and try out for the Homeless World Cup. When IU received the script, she gasped “Oh, it’s Big Issue” with delight and sent her regards first. Although So Min, IU’s character in Lee Byeong Heon’s movie <Dream>, describes herself as someone ‘passionless’, she is in fact a bright and tenacious person who wants to give her best more than anyone else. IU liked the pure side of So Min and said that thinking about this movie reminded her of the sound of cheery laughter and filming in May.

Q1. You mentioned in an interview before that you “always had a destination in mind, but nowadays, for the first time, you’re enjoying an itinerary without a destination”. How is it like for you now?

IU: I rarely have the time to think about what state I’m in these days. For now, my break has come to an end. (Laughs) I have to shoot a new drama and I’m preparing for a new album, so I’ve been super busy. Each day, after completing the tasks given to me for the day, I ask, “What’s the next mission?” and I’m simply focused only my work.

Q2. You mentioned on YouTube that “if 2022 was a period of rest, then this year would be a period of running (t/l note: being busy). It seems the start of your busy period is the movie <Dream>.

IU: I think the staff and actors have been counting down to the release of <Dream>. The same goes for me too. Everyone dispersed after filming ended, but once the release date was announced, everyone’s like, ‘What? We need to gather again?’ and met once again. Many actors were involved in the show, so the groupchats were suddenly bustling once again and everyone was cheering each other on.

Q3. This movie is IU’s first full-length film. How was director Lee Byeong Heon on the set?

IU: There was an overlap with the filming of <Broker>. We started filming <Dream> first, followed by <Broker>, but we continued filming for <Dream> even after that. In terms of the timeline, <Broker> was filmed within <Dream>. For <Dream>, there were distinct characteristics of director Lee Byeong Heon at the filming set. A question I often asked the senior actors while filming was, “Are filming sets usually like that?” (Laughs) He’s someone with a clear blueprint in his mind and would say, ‘Ok, cut’ with certainty.

Q4. Was it tough getting used to working together with the team quickly?

IU: I recall what it was like filming at the start.

In the film, it’s the scene when So Min makes her first appearance and I deliberated over whether to do it this way or that way and prepared a lot before I went. I gave myself mental preparation that there was long dialogue, so the filming would probably end late. But we started filming at 9am and we were done before lunch. If we capture the image that the director has in mind, the filming is done quickly. This speed is rare when filming a drama, so even when I heard them say that the filming ended, I asked, “Are you sure we are done filming?” I’m someone who takes awhile to warm up to others, so I was being cowardly initially. Also, Seojoon-ssi is very flexible and someone with an amazing ability to adapt to any environment. Hence, at the start I felt worried that I was lagging behind in my ability to work together with the rest. The filming set was fast-paced, filled with certainty, bustling and enjoyable. As a delightful movie, having filmed <Dream> in summer, it left me with a ‘green’ impression. Personally for me, it is a movie that lightened my mood too.

Q5. Director Lee Byeong Hyeon tends to write lines that are not used in daily conversation, but show an individual’s character. In particular, So Min’s lines have the clearest signs of being written by director Lee Byeong Hyeon.

IU: I memorised all my lines, but I also felt pressured to go along with the rhythm of the film. During the start of the filming, the director suggested that I speak three times faster than my usual speed. He read out So Min’s lines and I thought right then, ‘Ah, so this is So Min!’, which helped me to find the vibe. The director was clear about what he wanted, so this was a piece of work that I pounded at the stone bridge that was the director to cross over. In a way, it’s a production that I received the most help from the director.

Q6. What was it about <Dream> that appealed to you?

IU: I received the script for <Dream> after <My Mister> and <Hotel del Luna> ended. Shall I say that I was kind of tired of playing characters with stories behind them one after another? I felt like acting as a character without a story and Somin in <Dream> was someone with the least story to her. I think I was waiting for a simple character like this back then. So Min acts instinctively, says right away what she thinks and is someone who is exactly the way she looks. I like that So Min doesn’t have a plot in mind and I think I figured out right away what kind of person she is.

Q7. So Min describes herself as someone who “while receiving passion pay (t/l note: unpaid internship), her passion matches up to the pay.” (t/l note: This basically means she’s passionless.)

IU: She’s a child with a good social skillls, such as how to give a fake smile (putting on a smile for show), or faking her behaviour depending on the situation. But she’s basically a really cheerful and tenacious person. I felt that she would have been more passionate than anyone else in the past. She faced the world with her burning passion, but was disregarded and felt hurt, which made her rather cynical. To defend herself from being hurt again, she thinks to herself, ‘Alright, I’ll just do what I need to do and live in moderation.’ I felt that’s the mentality she had. In the film, So Min gives us the feeling that ‘It’s alright to do just this much. Let’s just do a rough job of it.’ Yet if you look more carefully, she’s actually working really hard. (Laughs) I felt that she’s someone who must have been really serious about her work in the past.

Q8. So Min reminded me of your YouTube character, Lee Ji Dong, since her role is that of a company intern.

IU: Lee Ji Dong basically finds any work really annoying. “You’re asking me to do that? I have to do that?” (Laughs) I listened to stories shared by my friends and unnies about their work life and often used that as a reference for Lee Ji Dong.

Q9. So Min often has a towel hanging around her neck. How did you get the idea for such an appearance?

IU: During shoots for variety shows, I noticed that the producers would wear towels around their necks like this, as well as comfortable attire and clothes that would absorb sweat well. I was thinking what kind of clothes to wear to film well at a futsal practice court and since So Min isn’t a PD with special equipment, I thought perhaps a cap or a towel. A short-sleeved tee, with arm sleeves (t/l note: for sun protection) and a towel around the neck. I suggested this to the director who said it was good, so I had my towel or arm sleeves with me on the filming set all the time.

Q10. So it was your idea. Just like how singer IU is the overall planner for your concerts and producing your albums, actress IU also enters the plans for the production team and becomes a part of the big picture.

IU: That’s the biggest difference when I’m being a singer and being an actress. As a singer, I often take the lead at the set, whereas for dramas and films, there’s a captain for me to trust and follow. I become one of the team members. That sense of belonging feels great.

Q11. You said that you gain something from each production you work on, so what did <Dream> leave you with this time?

IU: Not to rely too much on what I came prepared with. (Laughs) You never know what will happen on the set and the way everyone works together might be different from what I had imagined. Due to the weather, an outdoor shoot might become an indoor shoot. I learnt that I had to react quickly to adjust to those changes. Watching the other actors flexibly deal with each take right away, I was motivated with the thought, ‘Amazing. I want to be able to do that too.’ I didn’t have much experience in comedy acting, so it was unfamiliar for me to cooperate with others on that. So I worked hard to catch up with the other senior actors. In particular, Seo Joon-ssi is a very flexible actor who left me amazed. Seo Joon-ssi became the perfect ‘Hongdae’ who annoyed me into giving reactions right away. (Laughs) At the filming set, there were things requested of us every now and then, but Seo Joon-ssi was able to flexibly pull it off. He’s an actor who made me want to become more flexible too.

Q12. You said before that you’re not someone who ad-libs on the set. You’re the type to stick closely to the script. Even so, are there any parts that were added to the script when So Min met IU?

IU: I discussed a lot with the director about the props to wbe used. Umm, I think out of the productions I’ve participated in, this is the one that I followed the director’s opinions most faithfully. Other people would be suggesting this and that, but eventually, the director’s idea would be the best. (Laughs) ‘After trying this and that, eventually the director’s idea is still the best!’ Because of that, there was barely any projection of my own ideas at the set.

Q13. From <Dream>’s Lee Byeong Heon director, to <My Mister>’s Park Hae Young writer and currently, <You’ve Worked Hard>’s Im Sang Choon writer, as well as <Broker>’s Koreeda Hirokazu director, you’ve worked with many outstanding storytellers. What does an ‘attractive story’ mean to you?

IU: Umm, for a start, if the character I’m given is someone I can’t identify with at all, that’s going to be difficult. It has to be within the category that no matter what, I’ll be like, ‘Ah, I know this feeling’, for me to be able to stretch out my hand for it. Whether my character is good or bad doesn’t matter, but I’m not confident in roles that are too bright or overly negative, so I have turned them down before. But the range within this is not narrow either. I’ve been lucky to be able to work with really outstanding writers and directors and what attracted me to their works was also that there were parts I found that I could relate to. Outstanding writers can write about a broad spectrum of human emotions, philosophies and thoughts. I think out of the proposals I receive, I find characters that those with individuality and three-dimensionality tend to appeal to me.

Q14. Is there any particular theme you really want to try that comes to your mind these days?

IU: I mentioned in a previous interview about floating. Without a particular set destination in mind, even if my direction yesterday and today are different, it doesn’t matter and I just want to maintain being in a drifting state. My personality is such that if I decide to do something, I work really hard to achieve it. That might have limited me within those confines at times. I’ve relaxed my state a lot now and want to be more flexible.

Q15. Is there a sentence that touched you, or a sentence or memo you wrote that you feel describes you?

IU: Hold on. (Searches for her phone) Ah, here it is. It’s about a drifting spore. I’m currently writing a song based on this sentence, “She has decided to live as a spore instead of a flower.” The last thing I wrote… let me read it to you. “I just want to tickle the wind and fly now (nareullae). I just want to be myself now (naillae).” That’s what I wrote.

(t/l note: The last part rhymes.)

Q16. After filming for <Broker>, you donated to the Single Mothers’ Family Association and you’ve been regularly making donations every year. Also, at the end of the videos on your YouTube channel, there’s an advertisement for missing children with IU’s voice. What brought you to do all these?

IU: As long as it’s within my abilities, I would like to volunteer and donate more, but currently, I can’t do more than what I have done, which makes me feel sorry at times too. My mum likes to help others too, so I spoke to her a lot as well. For today’s <Big Issue> cover photoshoot, I also told my company since the start of filming for <Dream> that I really wanted to shoot something for <Big Issue>. When I took part in the cover photoshoot 11 years ago, I roughly knew <Big Issue> was a magazine with good intentions, but didn’t understand it as much as I do now. I found out afterwards that it’s really a magazine made with a big heart and found out that the company has been helping the homeless all along, so I thought to myself that I had to come back here again some day.

Also, when I first read the script for <Dream>, because I knew about <Big Issue>, I was feeling happy inside. (Laughs) I thought to myself then that when this movie is about to be released, I had to do something related to the <Big Issue> magazine. As I get older, I also wonder what’s the point of hiding my talents. (Laughs) I can help by singing too. I think it’s great that my actions can help others. When I do so, my fans volunteer at the places I’ve been to as well. I didn’t ask them to do so, but I think it’s really cool when I see them doing so together. I think of such things as ‘things we do together’. (t/l note: IUAENA 🙌🏻)

Q17. Uaena (IU’s fanclub) is famous for volunteering and donating frequently too right?

IU: I didn’t suggest to them to do so, but they did so by themselves. (Laughs) I do it of my personal accord, but I can’t place the burden on my fans to do so. My fans tell me, “We do it too because IU does it.” It is not easy either to put one’s mind to do so. It seems I’m competing with my fans for a good purpose. (Laughs)

Q18. You seem to have a fond and special relationship with your fans. (Laughs)

IU: That’s right. I think the culture and atmosphere of fandom is really precious. We don’t take each other for granted. Ever since the beginning when we formed the fanclub until now, it has been the same. Let’s not take each other for granted. Always be grateful to each other. That’s the kind of feeling we have.

Q19. You mentioned before that you really enjoyed the first year of your 30s. What are your plans for this year?

IU: There are lots of things that I’m working on right now, so I’m just spending each day completing my tasks for the day. When I complete my tasks properly and feel satisfied, it puts me in a good mood.

Q20. Could you share with us more about the drama <You’ve Worked Hard> which you are currently shooting?

IU: Umm, I play Ae Soon, a girl who lives on Jeju. I think it’ll tell the story of a long time period. We just started filming and I’m impressed by the props, art and directing teams that brought the script to life. I’m so proud to be part of this project filled with delicate touches.

Q21. The title of this movie is <Dream>. What’s your dream currently?

IU: I hope the movie does well. (Laughs) I don’t have big dreams usually. Rather than setting a big goal, I’m the type to attain anticipated goals at each point in time. My current goal is for this movie to bring joy to many people. I remember laughing a lot while filming <Dream> in the verdant field. It was so fun on the set that it felt like we were filming <The Game Caterers> every week. I hope those who watch the movie will enjoy a fresh sense of enjoyment.

Translated by IUteamstarcandy with love

[bluiex]

Part 6 of Children of The Night/Wondering in The Night

I know it been a while sense I made a part but in these next parts there will be a little bit of a new functional development in Scar's biology. His brother Green also going through it, Blue being left out.

There will also be key mob characters being introduced as well, having worked with Herobrine sense before the his children where born. One being the summoner of Scar's best friend/first boyfriend. Who still very much love to interfere with his love life, and boy will you see why~

Hope you enjoy~♡

‐-------------------------------

We start up again a week or two after having explored "The Great End City" with Grian's soul mate, Scar Brine "Lord of The End". They had fun exploreing the temple based city, seeing just how many people/ender (5) worked on the project. But the way the build was made made it look like they worshipped Scar like Notch.

Now speaking of Notch, The Creator Himself, has invited the reborn cartographer, to a Ball themed around The Void. It to celebrate the coming of a new time. In a very vague way it doesn't ever say what this time is ment to be, and why it's so importent yet never named. He was skeptical as to if it was real or not, but find out quickly when trying to toss it away. It stuck to his hand like it had a binding curse, but the tags of the item had no curse.

Now Grian's location was millions of blocks away from Central where his apartment home is. He would have to travel so far to get back home, to get his best outfit, and then to the Farlands where The Void Ball is taking place this year. He also has a job, at this location he needs to finish, otherwise these people living here, millions blocks away, are never going to have a decent map for the next 2000 years.

The man who hired Grian calls himself CubFan, he said his bestfriend called him Shmook as a joke once. But sense it just a way to flirt without flirting. Grian can only guess at the reason he was told any of that. It could be because he's a true Watcher or it has something to do with Scar. Possibly both.

Grian sits up in a tree over lookingbthe area to make one of the most accurate map he's ever made. His extra eyes have helped in so many ways, starting and end with his perspection. And his wings have maked it easy to get to higher points to get details that he had to leave out in the past because of time crunches.

Tonight will be the first time he stays up into the early night to see if the dark will hinder his ability to work. If it doesn't he'll have to be careful on how long into the night he'd works. Because he'd work on and on without sleep if he could. So if like before that it does hinder work, we'll we already know what happens.

Well night falls and it's still as bright as day for Grian, so he easily finds himself loosing track of time. Scar appears by his side, not expecring him to be awake so late into the night. Still drawing the area around, with great such detail.

"Star Bird, you normally don't say up past the 20th hour of day. It's 10th hour of night now, whats got you up still?" Scar sounds so concerned for Grian, thinking something may be bothering him.

"I'm sorry, my guardian. I knew this would happen if my new vision made it possible to work into the warped hour of the night." Grian puts everything aside to cuddle into Scar's side, feeling a bit ashamed for not paying closer attention to his clock. "I had almost forgotten it was night with how bright everything seems. It's amazing to be able to work threw a night or dark forest."

Scar sighs at in relief that Grian is just exploring possibilities of his power. He's pretty sure the lesser watchers didn't even know they can see in the dark. Given they think, they're already all powerful with no need to test for limitations. You can only guess why so many get removed before the next year starts. They are pompous assholes!

As Grian and Scar sit together vaguely talking, they agreed that tonight Grian would stay up to get a proper night sleep the next night, and hopefully not make this a habit. Scar is already work around the clock to keep people safe at night. Grian shouldn't be runnung himself ragged aswell.

The night has a lot of Scar pop in and out, as his brother's basically yell at him with private messages in the chat. They often being callout on Hacker locations, base and current attacking groups. It was funny to see them pop up all of a sudden. Especially when it was a random message from one of the other family members he hadn't seen or spoken to yet. But one imparticuler is from Notch, written out in the infinitely scrolling text, that no normal person could read. It had reminded him of the invite, and right there deside to briefly bring it up.

"I got an invite to this years Ball. I honestly wondering what I did to be invited." He said it almost softly, and a little to quick.

While planning to move on, Scar's response is immediate and Unsettlingly truthful. "It's becaise I had mentioned of you to him in these past weeks. He even told me, it is rare I show such intrest in someone." His laugh is soft, and wicked, but not threatening. "You know the endermen have stolen and replicated your work for years now. I had talked about your work to Notch many time. So he can tell the difference in the conversations after I met you. You'll be surrounded during the party, your are the first invited on my behalf."

The smile gracing Scar's face is taunting in a way, get just to get a pout out of Grian. Pout Grian does, but the look paired with the best set of puppy even seen. He got Scar to be miffed with himself, for setting up a pourly made trap, that he now realizes will backfire in the worst way for both of them.

They started talking about outfits for the ball, it's about Dresses for Grian, and Tuxes for Scar. But Scar is complaining about always wearing a Tux to the event, making Grian realize how little he wears suits. Even his Watcher Garbs is a dress. He starts thinking of Tux options asking Scar what he think would look best. Scar Ask the same for Dresses from Grian.

They now had a plan for The Ball, and it should keep them together, as they'd be a matching set from start to finish.

‐-----------------------

This spawned from the fact the Scar in Dresses isn't done enough, we always get Grian in a dress. Now we should get more Scar in dresses I mean they look so good on him in so many art works. I'd love to see scar in one of my dresses.

I'll be tagging you Bluiex with the dresses and suit tomorrow, and everyone can decide the dress and suits for the two. Because I can't deside what I like better on Scar and Grian.

-From The End's Queen, Pink~♡

AAAH! A BALL! I love balls in fics. literally the best- cant wait to read that

!! I will be looking out for those tags

[ciel-phantomhives-world]

My Rants about the 90s TV show Family Matters

I've recently just watched the entire sitcom "Family Matters" & I'm amazed (in a bad way) that when many of us, including myself, absolutely hate Laura, we r immediately referred to as "Myra Stans", but no honey. I haven't seen that many people talk about Laura's BS as much as they love to talk about Myra's red flags and now i just want to get it out of my chest.

I'm by no means what you would call a "Myra Stan" but i hate Laura from the bottom of my heart. Let me tell the reasons why. Many r too blind to see that this biatch is getting away by cheating on Stefan several times. When was cheating ok? And her excuse, u ask? Well, she said that she's confused and got feelings for both Stefan and Steve but is that a good reason to cheat? Absolutely effing not! There's never a good excuse for cheating and leading someone on. She's as horrible as her cheating brother. I thought she was a "goody two shoes", just like her dumb friends turn her out to be, at the beginning, that is. But all that changed, ever since i saw her begging Steve to be Stefan, as far as to ruin his transformation chamber, intentionally, so that Stefan could stay forever. She's shallow, conceited, selfish, fake victim and a gold digger. Why you ask she's a gold digger? Well, she once made a certain comment about how she would marry a guy who would buy her expensive jewelries.

Anyways, this show is my favorite and i admire the good lessons, humors, accepting yourself and loving urself as u r, wholesomeness but many things tried to sabotage this show a lot. I care about this show enough to actually criticize it . 🙂

Some examples include:

1) Harriet being played by a different actress right near the end of the series (believe me, it was so uncomfortable and weird for me to watch Carl kiss and hug a different woman that doesn't even look like harriet at all, even Reginald, Carl's actor, admitted that he felt weird and divorced),

2) then the writers actually took us, the audience, as a total fool, for thinking that we wouldn't notice that Judy disappeared (first, u bring one judy and then replace her with a different actress right after the first episode, but still that was fine by me, since it was only 1 pilot episode and we didn't get attached to that actress like Harriet or anything),

3) then you make richie be a toddler all of a sudden right after season 1 (which feels ridiculous). I know babies feel boring for the show but y bring a baby in the first place then.

4) then u show us Rachel being with one man for one episode and feeling guilty about dating ever since her husband died but again, like any typical sitcom, u make her date multiple guys from time to time without giving any logical explanation as to y did she break up with the first guy or the second, third, fourth and so on (Rachel did seem to have some chemistry with some of those guys too but every one of those guys appeared for only 1 episode ).

5) Next, you make Harriet's long lost dad appear for 1 episode and that's just it. Nobody ever felt the need to introduce him to the whole family or something, of course (and the show is supposed to be showing that family matters 🤦🏻‍♀️).

6) Eventually, u made everybody disappear (although Rachel and grandma appeared occasionally) and bring an annoying boring ass wannabe kid called 3J. Oh for the love of god, please 🙄😒. U removed judy, fired her because u couldn't have given her any sort of significant role and u thought that three's a crowd but yet u managed to add another male kid? It seems sexist to me, honestly, cuz apparently, all i saw was those stereotypical girls (Laura, Maxine )who r boy crazies, would be fine sucking any boy's lips, Maxine being that typical sitcom sidekick friend of the main character, having an obsessive stalker like myra and other than that, u had no idea of how to write that many female teens. It was either because u were stereotyping female teen characters or you were ignorant and lazy or u just didn't like judy at all to give her a different, non boy crazy role. On the contrary, look at how they made many male teen characters, there r a variety like Waldo (being a doofus yet skilled), Weasel, Eddie (being self centered, flirtatious and stupid), Steve (a nerd scientist) and so many more.

7) Also, they never gave any proper explanation as to y did Rachel left her son and went away, or y did Judy disappear (in my opinion, it would have been amazing if judy was kidnapped in s4 for being a cop's daughter and it was a real tragedy for the winslows but in S9, carl manages to finally find her and that would have been a way more amazing way to end the final season rather than that trash getting proposed by 2 guys). You never even seemed to give a proper excuse as to y did Waldo disappear. Ur just too good at making characters vanish from time to time. And yes, I absolutely despise 3j. He had no purpose in being there. It was stupid and annoying.

8) Did I forget to mention that how you ruined Steve character? And no, it's not because Steve became the main character but because of how he treated Myra. Hear me out. He did say at the beginning that if that "thing" ever feels the same way about him, then he's gonna ditch Myra, right at that moment. But, what type of a selfish, cold hearted absurd offer is that? It's like ur saying that I'm just gonna hang out with u, kiss u up until my crush loves me back cuz I'm lonely but if my crush ever return my feelings then I'm gonna ditch u right there, right then. And yes, Myra was insane enough to agree to that but deep down she thought that she could change his mind, which is not okay as well.

You see, it's not just that "offer" or "condition" that Steve offered but he was a cheater as well. Ugh. He was a cheater because he said that if his crush feels the same way, then he's gonna stop dating Myra right? But Steve was cheating way before his so called crush liked him back and he was already taken by Myra. In the prom, he was kissed by that snob and instead of pushing her away, he actually accepted it (even if that's ur crush kissing u, it was cheating nevertheless). It seemed like the writers had a fetish of putting Laura and Steve into compromising or any sort of situations together while make Myra have almost zero romantic moments with Steve where they r both enjoying each other's companion, mutually. Most of the moments we have from Steve and Myra r where Myra forcefully shoves her face down to Steve's throat, lol.

I could tell this right from season 1, that the writers decided to put Laura and Steve together as a couple no matter what (based on all the situations they were enjoying putting them into). You would have to be a dumbass if u actually got shocked that Laura liked Steve or something cuz certainly although there was no romantic tension between them but the forceful situations that they got themselves into was enough to make that happen.

Anyways, Laura kissed Steve while she was under the influence of love potion, alcohol but did he ever said anything about being taken by Myra or being faithful? Well, no, absolutely effing not. He also got kissed by that french girl but even then he didn't push her away and he literally forgot Myra's name. Ouch. All I'm saying is this series highlights many issues on the surface but has a serious problem of normalizing infidelity.

We r supposed to be believing that Steve is not perfect but has a heart of gold but how can we do such when we have seen him break multiple stuff, and isn't that much sincerely apologetic or anything, for most of the time, then even more importantly, being a cheater. Remember, once Steve was dating another girl, back in season 2, well, what did he do that time? That time, instead of being disloyal, he introduced the girl to some hot guy and then the girl left him. Well that's way more better than the way he treated Myra who was so much into him for himself, his personality, attire and Hobbies. Plus, he was so manipulative cuz everytime he broke something, screwed up, instead of properly apologizing and being humble, he would just use some sad pitiful words with the cute puppy eyes and expect the Winslows to forgive him, everytime and if they (Carl) didn't then he would often challenge Carl to a fight or something. And also, Steve was a hypocrite for being pissed at Myra while he himself stalked the Winslows for so many years, even as far as to go in their bedrooms! (and I'm aware that Myra was a bit more extra, didn't respect his personal boundaries but still, he was a stalker too but it's ok for him to do such since apparently he was a main character. ) Ok, well, enough about Steve.

9) Now, the tramp, Laura. Well, what can I say. I just don't know that what did Steve see in her. She's so basic, manipulative little piece of shit. I don't usually hate characters that much to actually write about my hatred on the internet but gosh she makes me sick. Now she was ok in s1, s2 and I still didn't like her at that time but I also didn't hate her but then I started to hate her ever since the Stefan thing happened. She's pathetic. Her character got ruined as well, thanks to the writers.

You see, I lost my patience when I saw her cheating on Stefan with Curtis while Stefan was working and her telling Harriet that she's not gonna be hurt for being a slut and cheating on 2 guys. Like really? That's the first thing that comes to ur mind? Sorry sis, but ur sick. It would have still been fine if u were a kid but no u were about 18 or 19 years old. Steve went through so much to give u a boy toy but u can't even be faithful to him and then all you can think of when being confronted is that u r not gonna be hurt. Talk about falsely victimizing urself. And the fact that she even said yes to Stefan's proposal at Disney world (that may have happened when she was a teen) but the least u could do is be faithful if ur not gonna actually marry him, duh.

She broke up with Ted cuz he complimented/ flirted with another girl. And that's cheating in her eyes. Well then what was she doing with Curtis, Stefan and Steve? And also why didn't she get the karma of being confronted and y didn't every boy that she ever used just ditch her right at the spot? Talk about hypocrisy and main character pros.

Also, she wasn't just a cheating slut but also a very bad friend. She often treated Maxine like trash even though Maxine treated her so good. Once Maxine warned her about a guy who only dates girls for sex and Maxine, herself, dated that guy, once. Yet that conniving bitch didn't bother to believe her, brushed her aside, made her feel like she's nuts, didn't care about her feelings and then saw it happen right then. I mean, it happened in s2. Imagine how mature Maxine was for that age of not being jealous of ur so called best friend dating ur ex and instead give her advice for her wellbeing. And what does this bitch do as an adult? She fights with Maxine cuz Maxine was dating her ex boy toy, Curtis, ridicules Maxine's ambition of being a beautician. Again, an egoistic hypocrite. Also remember how many times, she told Myra that she's her friend, well, which "friend" makes out with their friend's boyfriend while they are still dating each other? She also assured Myra that she's never gonna have romantic feelings for Steve, but lookie here. Not only did she have feelings but she made Steve break up with Myra. Not defending what Myra did, but her fear of losing Steve and going through extreme measures to make sure that it doesn't happen was really reasonable and understandable, especially when Steve started to live with that bitch and everything. I can't blame Myra for being so insecure cuz guess what, eventually, her fears did come true, unfortunately when she was not even being a psycho (back in the prom) and behind her back. 😢

Laura may have good sides (like the times, she stood up for Steve, being patient with Steve although he was being an obsessive stalker, help Maxine once when she was dating a drug dealer in s9) but it's as the saying goes " everybody has some good traits". So, she may had those good traits but that didn't make her an overall good person. Also about the drug dealing bf, I think the writers were just running out of ideas and that's y they thought of repeating that same type of plot from s2 (where Maxine warns about the guy who dates girls for sex) with boring lame S9 (where Laura warns Maxine about an older dude who sells drugs).

10) now about Eddie Winslow. Well, he, like many other characters didn't have that much of a character development. He was always selfish, shallow, surrounded himself with any random pretty girls, had no sense of loyalty or self awareness whatsoever, always got himself into some big troubles for how much stupid and naive he was, was very easy to manipulate and couldn't make time for his dad, many times, apparently cuz of how much "busy" he was despite being a weak student. I got nothing to say about him except him wanting to be a police officer was so fuckin forced. There was no development for that interest whatsoever. Once, back in s1 or s2, Carl decided to take Eddie with him and show him how police force works or something like that. But he didn't go. It was Steve as usual who went (I also felt like the writers wanted to make Carl be close to Steve than his own freaking THREE kids!). Well that's the only thing we know of Eddie ever being close to be a cop and he wasn't interested at all.

When he said that he didn't know what he wants to do with life, in s9, it felt so relatable for me. I also don't have any goals, am 20 years old, still going to boring college, not performing well as I did back in O levels, and have no friends or anything. So for me, it was a slap in the the face when I saw Eddie suddenly thinking that he's gonna be a cop just by thinking about it for 1 night. And the fact that he just started being a cop and yet got shot immediately cuz apparently the fake Harriet was scared that he might get hurt.

All I'm trying to say is that whenever someone warns someone else about something in this series, it just literally actually happens to them right after a few minutes which makes it boring and very predictable.

11) whatever happened to Rachel's place and Steve and Laura working there? It Was never answered. Whatever happened to lieutenant murtaugh? He was a funny good looking guy, in my eyes. I missed him so bad ever since he left and Weasle. Lieutenant was way better than that boring old captain savage or that other old dude, commissioner. Another thing was, Carl was never developed as a character as well. He was always hot tempered, which is ok but also sexist and it remained that way till s9, like come on. Also what happened to Stefan after he proposed that bitch for the second time? Like where did he go without proper confrontation?

12) Stefan character was so boring. I wish we didn't see him at all or if we did, then we saw him only once and not that many times cuz it took all the amusement of watching a nerd turn into a hot guy. We should also note that Stefan, like any other humans, do have flaws, so saying that he's selfish and that's y whatever that bitch Laura did to him was ok is actually never ok. He deserved someone way better than that trainwreck. Also, remember that Stefan is not a normal human but a clone of Steve, an experiment and so he's supposed to be having way more flaws than a normal person but alas, we saw none of that.

All we know is that he was self centered at first but then Steve fixed him and then he just became a one dimensional character who can only sweet talk people, do cool stunts, recite romantic poems and overall be a lover boy. He could be narcissistic or even be a womanizer and cheat on Laura's back while he was modelling. He could also be workaholic but we barely saw any flaws ever since Steve "fixed" him. He did say though that he's not gonna leave Laura ever again after coming back to her (although it was her who insisted that he pursues his career) from France and being fired from his job but yet he went to Italy. See, I really hate inconsistencies. So, that lie is supposed to be his flaw or was making a simple deal with Myra was his flaw? Who knows. But I definitely am not fond of this character, however, I don't hate him and he certainly didn't deserve all that.

13) Myra didn't deserve that treatment but she wasn't a good girl either. She was infact a psycho and I'm not defending any of these female characters. I only love Harriet, Estelle and Rachel (gotta love Rachel's beautiful voice).

Look, I have to give credit where it is due. So, I give it to the writers for showing us the early red flags that Myra had from the very beginning which eventually led up to the events in s9. But still I feel like things were a bit blown out of proportion or got far fetched.

She did have stalking behavior developing as she got older but we also saw that she was trying to befriend Laura and got stabbed in the back. Laura and Steve kissed multiple times but did she know anything about it. Absolutely no. They never told her anything. Two cheaters flocking together. Steve was kissed by a french girl without his consent but he enjoyed it and accepted it and forgot about Myra. Well, did he ever told that story to myra? Absolutely fuckin not. No wonder she went psycho and put a cam on his glasses. Her sudden extreme personality seemed like an exaggeration, even more, since she started to trust Steve and be a bit more less of a stalker ever since that nude art incident. But yeah, that girl got no self respect since she accepted the condition for dating Steve even though she was obviously not ok with it. I would have loved it if at the end Myra and Stefan dated each other or something.

14) last but not least, this series highlights many important issues like drinking, drugs, gang, gambling, racial issues, coercion, peer pressure and so many other stuff but it also portrayed many harmful stuff in a positive way.

For starters, one of them being, you stalking ur crush and helping them would mean that even if it takes years, still they r gonna fall for you. That's a very harmful message. In reality, most of the time, nobody's crush r gonna return their feelings. You trying too hard to impress them, be on their best side is either going to end up with you being used and taken advantage of and being hurt or you being miserable since ur crush barely know that u even exist and r in love with someone else.

I would have loved it if this happened: if Steve was just single at the end of the series. He dumps Myra for being obsessive psycho and maybe that other bitch Laura may come back crawling to Steve but by that time, Steve had already moved on. He was happy being single and he wants nothing to do with Myra and just be friends with Laura. Nothing more than that. Steve realizes that he's too good to love and take someone who rejected him for years and only came back because they got no better boy toy. Steve realizes his worth, he self improves himself not for being more desirable by women but just for himself. He also never cheated on any women he dated, which was mostly one woman and that's Myra. I've seen many say that Myra should have Steve since she accepts him as his true self but she also didn't allow him to breathe, so I don't think accepting someone for themselves is everything that matters.

Another thing I hated and didn't find funny at all was how Steve's parents treated him. We don't see them, again a common thing that happens to certain characters in any sitcoms, but they did abuse him, left him all alone and then we hear a stupid laughing track everytime he mentions something awful that his parents did to him.

All in all, I really loved Steve, at least at the beginning but after seeing him being disloyal but not held accountable in any form, I don't know anymore. I wanted to love him. He's too funny and cute but writers destroyed him and made him whiny and annoying. I hate the writers so much for these drastic changes and decisions. The ratings decreased for a reason. It was their lazy ass's faults. Not jaleel white's or any other actors' fault for that Matter. Jaleel white pulled out so many characters in 1 series and made it seem effortless. I love that guy. He's super talented and I love Jo Marie's sassiness and that savage strong voice. All the actors and actresses did a wonderful job. But not the producers, writers, studios, whatever. I blame them for creating tension between jaleel and other cast mates and the declination of the plot. I, myself came up with Many interesting things that they could do for s9, so obviously they could as well, if not better but they didn't care enough to do such. They really didn't seem to give a fuck about the audience anyways. Since they were ignorant, they could simply stop and end the series while it was still in it's prime like end it after s6 or s7. Anyhow, I just felt like ranting cuz I love this series (at least the first 8 seasons) but not that many characters in it and mainly because I hate inconsistencies and all.

[itsbooktimepeople]

Gilded

★★★☆☆

18-year-old Serilda was born with golden wheels in her eyes and an unusual talent for spinning stories about all the magical creatures who live in Aschen Wood, the legendary forest that borders her town. One day, she grants refuge to two moss maidens being hunted by the Erlking and lies to the fearsome king, claiming that she can spin straw into gold, but it backfires when the Erlking kidnaps her for a talent she never possessed.

Now, the premise to Gilded sounds amazing: the German folklore, the fantasy setting, the involvement of the Erlking (for the record, Schubert's Erlkönig is probably my favorite Romantic composition ever). And for the first hundred pages, it was exactly what it promised. Serilda was an interesting protagonist; I loved the portrayal of her as a liar through and through. Including the complexities of someone who could tell such beautiful tales but was almost incapable of speaking the truth was very well done, especially since lying isn't a flaw present in most YA main characters.

Serilda remained engaging for the whole novel, but unfortunately I can't say the same for the romance. As soon as the love interest, Gild, was introduced, the quality of the story plummeted. The quote unquote witty banter killed me. Like, my bro, my dude, my friend, you are locked in a dungeon and your life is on the line; did it ever occur to you that now is not the best time to flirt with the ghost that appeared to help you? And it didn't stop after their initial meeting, either. I couldn't see how Serilda and Gild had any real connection because all. they. did. was. banter. Honestly, it was exhausting.

The writing style was even more exhausting. It's strange, because I hadn't noticed it in Meyer's Renegades series, but this book included an abundance of extremely short paragraphs that were probably supposed to drive their points home, but failed to do so because there were so many of them. Why? How did the editor not catch this and ask for a rain check? Once I noticed it, it became even more annoying, and let me just say that I could have stomached the romance had the writing been less choppy.

Gilded did pick up again towards the end, which is the sole reason I'm giving it three stars instead of two. For the last hundred pages I found myself racing to solve the mystery before Serilda did, and I realized a lot of the twists right before she did. That's good plotting. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make up for the drag in the middle, so I would not recommend this book.

[wanderingandfound]

The thing with reading books vs like, fanfiction for the medium-to-huge-fandoms, is that there is a finite amount of each character's page time and an even more finite amount of character interactions. Whereas I could spend my entire life reading about (more and more bastardized and flanderized) versions of popular characters hanging out with each other.

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

Digital Heart

Foul Legacy Childe x Reader Gender Neutral (no pronouns mentioned) Angst Warnings: Falling, fighting, minor injuries, nausea, breathlessness 

In which Genshin is an interactive RPG accessed through an immersive headset, and you find yourself pushed to play it by your friends.

~ * ~

It started with a game.

For thirty days and thirty nights, your friends have been pleading for you to play it. Genshin Impact it was called, an free immersive open-world RPG with hundreds of weapons, characters, and power ups. Accessible through a specialized headset that tracked movement, it had only been a month since the freely downloadable game’s release and it was already a success, garnering praise from the customizable main character and the interactive playstyle. Play it. Your friends beg. You’ll love it. We can play together. 

You refuse at first. The game might be free, but the headset isn’t, and you need to save that money to pay for food and clothes. Alongside your financial state was your schedule, a long list of work and chores that left little time to play games with constant updates like Genshin, so you told your friends- politely, as that’s how you were raised- that it’d have to wait. They agreed, quietly.

Then the next day, they ask again. You make an excuse- too much work. They agree, again.

The second day, asking. You’re too tired, you say. Of course, they respond.

Everyday, the same question. The same request, the same demand. It wears on you, amused exasperation drawing a sigh from you everytime you open your notifications.

Play it.

You can’t.

Play it.

You don’t have time.

Play it.

You need to focus!

Play it.

…

…Alright.

Finally, you cave. You create an account, a headset en route to your house. You clear an area in your house so you don’t accidentally hit anything. The headset arrives, and you insert the batteries, said to last up to an entire day playing nonstop, a stage you dearly hope you never reach. You pull it down over your head, cringing at the thought of your hair getting so mussed, and switch it on. A long and potentially worrying warning flashes before your eyes and you blink, not used to the in-depth cameras yet, as the screen goes white.

Welcome to Genshin Impact! Please name your character… appears, and you subsequently slip down the rabbit hole.

It’s fun, you find. Your friends were right, you did like Genshin Impact, although you thank your lucky stars that you weren’t as attached as some players were, as you still had work and life to attend to. The combat and story were enjoyable, and the characters were funny and diverse in personality and playstyles. The main character, who was also your customizable avatar, was quite literally you, the story explained, a traveler from distant lands who fell face first into Teyvat by mistake and tragedy. Of course you still haven’t gotten entirely used to the whole immersion thing, and sometimes shuddered under the eerily real programming of the NPCs and characters, but that was nigh unnoticeable when focusing on fighting monsters. Your deep love for exploration and discovery surfaces, and you take as long as you want exploring every inch of the wonderfully modelled map as you follow the main story, or “Archon Quests”. You calm the great dragon Dvalin and bid your friends at Mondstadt- Kaeya, Amber, Lisa, Diluc, Jean, and Venti- goodbye, Liyue sprawling out before you in wooded forests and cloud-covered mountains. A mysterious man runs across you at the Inn, the immortal Adeptus Xiao, although you would’ve thought he was quite young due to his short stature, and you encounter Zhongli in the Harbor, along with Lady Ningguang and her subordinates, Keqing and Ganyu. A member of the malicious-seeming Fatui also greets you and introduces himself as Childe, a name you don’t trust for a second, yet find yourself getting strangely attached too. The story progresses with you at Zhongli and Ningguang’s sides, the suspicion being pointed more and more to the Fatui, and you find yourself staring up at the elegant pillars of the Golden House, the mora mint building.

You gulp. You know this is where Childe’s boss battle takes place, and you’re not sure if your team is prepared, even if you stocked up on food right before leaving the Harbor. Inhaling a deep breath, you shove the enormous front doors open, and a cutscene pulls your fear tight against your throat. Everyone’s suspicions were right- he was here to steal the Geo Archon’s gnosis, and you have to stop him. 

Easier said than done. The cutscene of your face shows a determined, fierce expression, instead of the nervous one you had in real life, and you almost laugh. You dearly hope your characters are strong enough, and step into the arena.

Phases One and Two are relatively short, as you quickly learn to avoid using Childe’s respective elements of his Vision and Delusion while his shield is up. The battle is fun and fast-paced, and you feel a thrill in your bones as you dodge another attack before swinging your sword in retaliation. Childe stumbles, and Phase Two ends with a cutscene. The corpse of Rex Lapis, something you considered a bit gruesome, is discovered to have no gnosis, and you can feel the raw anger in the Harbinger’s voice as the air crackles and hisses. A horrible, blinding light shines, and Childe is gone.

At least, human Childe is gone. In his place floats a monstrous version of himself, nearly 14 feet tall and complete with horns and armor, and your mouth drops open slightly as you gaze at him wide eyed. But your focus is violently shifted when the floor cracks and turns to dust, sending you tumbling down into the belly of the Golden House. You land with an unceremonial thump, thankful that the creators hadn’t been cruel enough to make you feel the damage you took in-game.

And Phase Three, the final phase of Harbinger Tartaglia, commences.

He has considerably more health, and his attacks can range from irritating to deadly, you just barely dodging the falling Hydro arrows that would’ve slaughtered your current character. Of course, it doesn’t help that you’re sneaking glances at your attacker every few minutes. Your mind wanders to the lore as you shield yourself from violet lightning. Does this transformation hurt? Where does it come from? Why does it look like a moth? Maybe one day you’ll get answers. 

Despite the raised difficulty, Phase Three also ends rather quickly. Your characters, it seems, were overleveled. The remainder of the Archon Quest passes, Childe reappearing once at the end, and it’s over. The screen blips off as you log out and place the headset on a table before laying on your bed and using the last few hours before bed to contemplate what you’ve just seen.

The next days quickly fall into routine. After completing all your work, you’d take an hour or two to play Genshin, leveling up your characters even more and going through various quests, Childe’s included. You see his transformation, dubbed the Foul Legacy form, again, and almost swoon before stopping and giving yourself a harsh scolding. You fulfill requests and tasks for various people around Teyvat, or at least the parts of Teyvat you can access, and improve your skills and stats. You have a talent for dodging, you find, and use it to your advantage while fighting.

And every Monday, when the clock resets, you re-enter Golden House to battle with Childe and claim your just rewards.

Of course you could do it everyday, but a squirming, guilty feeling in your gut stops you, making you feel like you’re hurting him, no matter how many times you try to tell yourself that he’s simply a video game character, a program in an electronic system.

This thought makes you a bit sad, you think.

The fights are getting easier, something you credit to your rising stars of characters, and you stand before the Ley Line Blossom quicker and quicker each time, something you expect to be no different today.

Phases One and Two are just the same as you take advantage of Vaporize and Overload, drowning out Childe’s pre-programmed sounds of pain with your own abilities. The battle pauses, and you’re transported to the same chamber underground, with its fiery walls and glittering arches, as the fight resumes. With the same attacks and characters, it’s becoming a tad dull, and you frown, wondering if you should try to get another character soon.

You’re lost in your thoughts when you slip and fall.

This you feel in the real world, having landed hard on your back and knocked the air out of your lungs. For a few moments you struggle to breathe, and Childe takes the opportunity to appear right over you, his spear flashing purple. You swear internally, bracing yourself as he readies his weapon.

But the strike never comes. You inhale desperately, oxygen finally flowing into your chest, and open your eyes. The graphics of your game are gray and fuzzy around the edges, framing Childe as he slowly puts his spear down and, to your amazement and slight terror, jerkily reaches towards you. Voice clips play overhead, pieced together to make not words, but a static-interspersed whining sound, much like a concerned beast. Your eyes widen, and Childe stops, withdrawing slightly almost as if he’s worried that you’re afraid, and you whisper his name once, as a tentative question.

Then with crackle and a ping, your game crashes and everything goes black.

You gasp and rip off the headset, chest heaving as you struggle to comprehend what just happened. You’re shaking, nervous and fearful, but curiosity runs strong through your veins. Your finger slides towards the On button, and you press it and slip the device back on.

You’re standing outside, the doors of the Golden House closed as if the battle never happened. The guards surrounding it look ordinary, occasionally repeating phrases you’ve heard and ignored countless times. Glancing around and trying to squash the nauseous bubbling feeling in your gut, you push the doors open again.

It’s different this time. Instead of being in the upper room, you fall a short distance into the Third Phase Chamber, your shoes clicking on the tiled floor. Childe floats in the center, his back to you, and you take a tentative step forward. He turns and looks you dead in the eyes, before flinging his spear to the side and rushing towards you on his feet, kneeling to your height. Instinctively, you jump away as he sits on the ground before you, letting out joyful chirps and trills, sounds you didn’t even know he could make. You approach him, sword held loosely in your hand as an extra precaution, and he tilts his head and coos as you cautiously sit with him. Your hands are trembling as you try to understand that this is real, he is real, all of this is happening.

And if it’s not, then it’s some damn good programming.

Questions start to fill your mind, one after another, and you ask him, responses coming as a nod or a headshake.

Is this real?

Yes.

Or programming?

No.

Could you always do this?

No.

Just today?

No.

Over a period of time. Yes.

How…?

The final question hangs in the air, and he shrugs slightly, then points at you. You did this. You woke him up, made him feel pain, sorrow, and happiness, all stemming from you, his love for you. From the minute the Archon Quests let you meet, he was vaguely curious, the most emotion he’s ever felt in his cold, empty programming since before. And when the code broke, he adored you, not like Childe viciously adored battle, but a soft adoration, one with all his digital heart could muster. You smile, and he purrs at what a wonderful smile it is.

Something flickers in the corner of your eye. Then another. And another. You turn and squint, then gasp as your surroundings begin to dissolve into colorful squares, the game taunting you as it glitches and lags. You and Childe leap to your feet, only to watch helplessly as the world crumbles away. You look down at your hands and see them beginning to break apart into pixels. Childe reaches out to hug you, to hold you close, but his hand passes right through you, a sickening reminder of how unreal he is. He wails in anguish as you both try to grasp each other, only to shatter more, the pixels covering your screen like rain on a windowpane.

Your game crashes for a second time, the only sound a desperate whimper that soon fades into an electronic squealing.

It takes a week to fix your device, the tech people saying that it was “overloaded”. Finally the repairs are finished, and you’re back at the Golden House, the doors already ajar. You slip into the room, expecting either a battle or, hopefully, someone to greet you.

But the room is empty. No one, human nor monster, stands in the center. Instead there is one lonely Ley Line Blossom, waiting, the final gift from an impossible love.